XXX.
1780-1783.
[Condition
of
Julfa
and
risks
run
by
Emin
-
Inducements
to
Armenians
from
Turkey
to
go
and
settle
there
-
Taxes
on
merchants
-
After
6
years
residence
Emin
leaves
with
his
eldest
son
-
Severe
illness
at
Bushire
-
In
an
Arab
vessel
reaches
Charaki,
on
the
coast
of
Persia
-
Mahomed
Ben
Efy
-
His
wifes
kindness
-
Romantic
history
of
Ben
Efy
and
his
courtship
of
his
wife
-
Amongst
Arabs
only
the
brave
can
win
the
fair,
but
amongst
Armenians
only
the
rich.
]
It
will
be
proper
here
to
describe
the
disposition
of
the
present
inhabitants
of
Julpha,
whose
ancestors,
from
their
first
settlement,
had
set
bad
examples
of
informing
against
and
accusing
each
other,
and
of
defrauding
and
oppressing
the
poor.
The
reason
why
Emin
was
not
openly
injured
by
them,
nor
forced
to
pay
them
a
single
penny,
was,
that
he
did
not
care
for
nor
associate
with
them,
nor
did
they
dare
to
enter
his
gates.
In
Aly
Naky
Khans
miserable
reign
of
forty
days
in
Ispahan,
a
dozen
of
the
worst
sort
of
them,
who
are
called
catkhadas,
or
burgh-masters,
by
express
orders
from
Aly
Naky,
and
to
their
great
joy
(as
they
are
always
glad
of
an
opportunity
to
ruin
the
poor),
were
joined
to
Aly
Naky
Khans
Mahomedan
officers
in
a
commission
to
search
for
two
young
women.
They
got
drunk
together,
and
began
at
night
to
break
open
almost
all
the
doors
in
Julpha,
in
order
to
discover
the
concealed
females,
to
gratify
their
abominable
covetousness,
and
at
the
same
time
satisfy
the
diabolical
officers,
in
a
place
where
there
are
no
more
rich
merchants
left.
It
was
proved
that
they
had
exacted
the
sum
of
15,
000
rupees
from
carpenters,
weavers,
butchers,
shoemakers,
coblers,
and
even
of
blind
beggars.
But
they
did
not
dare
to
pass
the
street
where
Emins
house
was,
he
having
warned
them
beforehand,
that
if
they
offered
to
come
near
his
habitation,
he
would
do
his
utmost
to
kill
the
Mahomedan
officers
with
his
firelock,
which
would
be
a
just
pretence
to
Aly
Naky
to
kill
him
first,
and
then
to
put
to
the
sword
both
his
family
and
the
other
inhabitants
of
Julpha.
By
this
desperate
declaration
he
saved
himself
from
absolute
poverty,
and
his
family
from
being
frightened
out
of
their
senses;
for
they
well
knew
from
his
character
that
he
would
be
as
good
as
his
word,
and
that
he
was
well
armed
with
three
firelocks
loaded,
a
brace
of
pistols,
a
scymitar
and
a
Lazgui
dagger;
he
having
watched
sometimes
behind
the
door,
but
mostly
on
the
top
of
the
terrace,
on
purpose
that
they
should
take
notice
of
his
arms.
In
case
he
had
been
easy,
and
had
not
taken
that
precaution
from
the
beginning
to
the
end,
in
all
probability
they
would
have
found
means
to
impoverish
him
the
very
first
year.
Julpha
will
never
be
peopled
while
such
abominable
wickedness
shall
continue
in
it.
It
is
moreover
to
be
observed,
that
by
the
standing
law
of
the
late
Shah
Abbas
the
First,
the
Armenians
(who
are
superstitiously
fond
of
ecclesiastical
ceremonies)
have
been
allowed
to
have
their
weddings
and
christenings
in
public,
their
priests
singing
or
rather
bawling
out
hymns,
with
the
congregation
coming
out
of
the
church
and
going
through
the
streets,
or
when
the
bridegroom
and
bride
enter
the
house
with
a
pompous
procession.
This
stupid
formality
is
an
inducement
for
the
foreign
Armenian
unmarried
merchants,
who
are
subject
to
the
Turks,
to
come
and
settle
there,
as
they
dare
not
do
the
same
in
any
part
of
Turkey.
They
are
even
glad
to
agree
with
the
inhabitants,
according
to
their
circumstances,
to
pay
a
reasonable
tax;
but
that
destructive
system
of
policy
soon
disgusts
them.
No
sooner
are
they
married,
than
an
officer
is
sent
by
the
catkhada
to
demand
the
tax-money,
though
they
dare
not
come
near
unmarried
merchants
in
Ispahan.
Many
of
them
begged
of
Emin
to
interpose
with
the
Calauter
Makertish
to
make
some
regulation
on
that
point,
so
as
not
to
oppress
them;
but
it
was
to
no
purpose,
neither
he
nor
the
catkhadas
would
condescend
to
make
any
regulation.
Thus
in
a
few
years,
with
the
help
of
continual
civil
wars,
the
fine
suburb
of
Julpha,
once
inhabited
by
12,
000
rich
families,
contain
at
present
hardly
500
houses,
and
may
soon
be
deserted
and
left
for
the
Musulmans
of
Ispahan.
To
resume
the
principal
subject.
-
Emin
enjoyed
life
pretty
tolerably
above
two
years,
without
any
uneasiness
of
mind
during
that
time.
Aly
Murad
almost
firmly
established
himself
there,
and
after
nine
months
preparation
marched
to
Shiraz,
which
after
a
siege
of
thirteen
months
he
took,
destroyed
his
father
Saduk
Khan
and
his
brother,
and
put
out
the
eyes
of
the
two
sons
of
the
late
Carim
Khan,
namely,
Abdulfat
Khan,
and
Mahomed
Aly
Khan;
after
which
he
returned
again
to
Ispahan,
and
sat
on
the
throne
of
the
Safis.
The
country
appearing
now
to
be
in
peace,
Emin
with
no
small
difficulty
obtained
a
patta
(or
passport),
and
took
his
eldest
son
Arshac
with
him,
leaving
his
wife
and
three
children
(a
son
and
two
daughters)
with
his
father
and
mother-in-law,
and
several
other
relations.
He
joined
a
small
caravan,
and
in
eight
days
reached
Shiraz,
not
without
many
obstacles,
caused
by
different
rahdars
(or
turnpike-men)
on
the
road.
After
halting
there
eighteen
days,
he
joined
another
caravan,
and
in
the
way
caught
a
violent
cold;
his
disorder
was
mixed
with
a
complaint
in
the
liver,
caused
by
a
pin.
In
six
days
he
reached
Cazran,
and
stayed
there
about
a
week;
thence
in
five
days
more
with
exquisite
pain
in
his
right
side,
so
that
he
could
hardly
breathe,
he
came
to
Bushir,
where
the
severe
disorder
continued
upon
him
forty
days.
There
was
no
one
to
give
him
any
advice,
he
was
therefore
his
own
doctor;
he
paid
a
piastre
to
a
Persian
barber
to
bleed
him;
but
the
man
took
such
a
quantity
of
blood
from
him,
as
to
throw
him
into
a
swoon.
He
fell
from
his
seat,
and
laid
on
the
ground
about
an
hour.
The
barber
(or
rather
the
butcher)
and
some
Armenians
were
frightened,
and
did
not
expect
he
would
live.
When
by
degrees
he
recovered
and
opened
his
eyes,
he
saw
the
poor
boy
shedding
tears,
and
heard
him
say
in
a
most
feeling
manner,
"Dear
father,
what
is
come
to
you?"
Emin,
to
encourage
him,
said,
"Never
mind
it,
my
dear
child,
I
am
well
again.
"
Then
raising
himself,
he
sat
up,
and
after
two
days
more
was
cupped
by
an
Armenian
barber,
as
clumsy
as
the
Persian.
Finding
himself
somewhat
relieved,
he
dined
at
Mr.
Gallys
two
or
three
times.
Three
or
four
Julpha
Armenians,
who
were
at
Bushir,
did
not
shew
him
any
hospitality.
Emin
and
his
son,
with
Gabriel
a
mountaineer
of
Caucasus,
who
had
been
his
comrade
from
Ispahan,
took
their
passage
in
an
Arab
daur,
commanded
by
Mahomed
Ben
Efy,
and
sailed
in
four
days
to
Charaky
on
the
coast
of
Persia,
where
they
came
to
an
anchor.
The
sailors
with
the
master
went
on
shore
to
their
families,
but
four
of
them
stayed
on
board
with
Ben
Efys
brother.
A
week
after,
a
westerly
wind
arose,
and
blew
so
hard
for
about
an
hour,
with
rain
and
a
little
thunder,
as
to
make
them
give
over
all
hopes
of
escaping
a
wreck.
Had
it
continued
a
quarter
of
an
hour
longer,
in
all
probability
the
terrible
wind
and
sea
would
have
driven
the
Arab
vessel
against
a
rock
quite
opposite
to
the
wind,
but
it
fortunately
ceased.
That
day,
and
several
days
besides,
Gabriel
was
on
shore;
his
small
capital,
with
the
money
of
the
other
Armenians,
was
in
Emins
chest,
to
the
amount
of
12,
000
rupees.
He
was
frightened
out
of
his
senses,
and
pretended
he
had
some
business
to
do;
but
it
soon
came
to
be
known
that
he
was
afraid
of
being
lost
on
board,
where
they
had
better
accommodations
than
in
Charaky,
and
had
fresh
water
to
drink.
One
or
two
nights,
when
Emin
went
on
shore
with
his
son,
Mahomed
Ben
Efys
invisible
lady
shewed
them
great
kindness,
and
sent
provisions,
dates,
and
fresh
water,
in
compassion
to
the
young
Emin,
whose
innocence
had
often
been
of
service
both
to
himself
and
to
his
old
father;
but
it
was
afflicting
to
see
Gabriels
envy,
though
he
shared
equally
with
them
the
hospitality
of
that
amiable
lady.
Though
she
was
not
to
be
seen,
yet
she
was
celebrated
by
everybody
in
the
place
for
virtue
and
beauty.
There
is
an
anecdote
worth
relating:
Her
husband
Mahomed
Ben
Efy,
before
he
was
in
easy
circumstances,
sent
messengers
to
her
father,
a
renowned
Arab
chief,
to
demand
her
in
marriage.
The
old
gentleman
resented
the
proposal;
and
finding
an
opportunity
of
catching
the
suitor
alone,
had
him
seised
by
many
Arabs,
tied
up,
and
bastinadoed
so
severely,
that
he
kept
his
bed
for
some
time.
The
young
lady,
knowing
his
suffering
to
have
been
for
her
sake,
declared.
openly
for
Ben
Efy,
and
threatened
to
destroy
herself
if
her
father
should
refuse
to
consent.
Ben
Efy
some
time
after
sailed
across
the
gulph,
with
some
passengers
to
Bahrain,
where
pearls
are
found;
and
having
finished
his
voyage,
put
again
to
sea;
but
when
he
was
out
of
sight
of
land,
he
was
attacked
by
seven
Arab
vessels,
some
of
them
galvats,
and
others
daurs.
Ben
Efy
finding
their
intention
to
be
hostile,
since
they
sailed
on
and
pursued
him,
when
near
enough
to
be
heard,
begged
more
than
a
hundred
times
that
they
would
got
away
in
peace;
alleging,
that
both
parties
being
Musulmans,
it
would
be
unjust
to
shed
one
anothers
blood.
All
his
expostulations
signified
nothing;
when
finding
that
no
sort
of
rhetoric
could
pacify
them,
he
barricadoed
the
top
of
the
archway
of
his
vessel,
having
only
twenty-five
fighting
sailors,
all
his
relations.
The
enemy,
too
proud
of
their
superior
force
and
numerous
crew,
without
firing
their
great
guns,
thought
it
the
surest
way
to
board
them,
to
kill
all
the
men,
and
to
take
the
vessel;
well
knowing
that
the
merchants
had
entrusted
to
Mahomed
Ben
Efy
some
bags
of
pearls
for
the
Bushir
merchants.
The
pirates
drew
near,
yard-arm
to
yard-arm,
and
soon
boarded
Ben
Efy,
who
very
wisely
had
reserved
his
fire
all
the
while,
till
the
vessel
was
crowded
with
them
sword-in-hand,
he
then
gave
orders,
and
a
bloody
slaughter
ensuing,
he
killed
400
of
the
enemy,
took
two
of
their
vessels,
with
several
bags
of
pearls
and
ready
money.
The
rest
had
much
ado
to
make
their
escape
back
to
their
country.
Ben
Efy
very
prudently
left
the
two
vessels
behind
which
he
had
emptied
of
their
riches,
lest
his
own
should
be
weakened,
and
returned
safe
to
Charaky,
where
there
happened
to
be
a
great
famine
in
that
year.
He
maintained
for
twelve
months,
with
dates
and
other
provisions,
all
the
inhabitants,
to
the
number
of
600,
men,
women,
and
children.
Such
were
his
bravery
and
his
wealth,
obtained
by
victory
and
his
humane
disposition!
Yet
farther
to
prove
the
greatness
of
his
mind:
a
very
rich
man
on
the
coast
of
Arabia,
with
whom
Ben
Efy
had
a
slight
acquaintance
for
some
years
past,
by
eating
bread
and
salt
with
him,
sent
him
a
messenger
with
a
letter,
some
time
after
that
affair;
a
zinbil
(or
date
basket)
of
pearls
happened
to
be
taken
by
Ben
Efy
in
the
action
from
one
of
those
abandoned
vessels
which
had
been
this
mans
property.
The
substance
of
his
letter
was,
"O!
Mahomed
Ben
Efy,
if
you
will
restore
the
pearls
to
me,
they
will
be
the
means
of
preserving
my
credit,
and
saving
my
family
from
total
ruin;
if
not,
the
light
of
their
existence
may
be
for
ever
extinguished.
"
On
the
receipt
of
this
letter,
Mahomed
Ben
Efy
restored
the
pearls
untouched,
without
any
hesitation.
Emin
was
told,
when
at
Charaky,
by
an
Armenian
merchant,
that
the
basket
had
been
restored,
and
was
valued
at
some
lacks
of
rupees;
for
which
Ben
Efy
received
only
a
present
of
2000
rupees
from
its
owner,
or
bread
and
salt
as
a
friend.
Besides
his
great
joy
on
having
an
opportunity
to
obey
the
laws
of
Arabian
hospitality,
Ben
Efy
did
this
to
shew
to
the
world
the
justice
and
firm
friendship
of
that
famous
nation,
once
master
of
all
Asia,
Africa,
and
part
of
Europe.
When
his
manly
conduct
came
to
the
hearing
of
the
sheick
who
was
father
to
his
faithful
love,
he
was
reconciled
to
him
immediately,
declaring
that
he
was
worthy
of
his
beautiful
daughter.
Ben
Efy
paid
12,
000
rupees
for
her
shirboha
(or
the
price
of
milk),
and
married
the
lady,
to
his
infinite
joy.
Here
it
must
be
observed,
that,
among
the
Arabs,
no
one
can
obtain
a
handsome
virgin
without
being
signalized
by
some
noble
enterprize,
not
even
among
the
common
people;
and
a
young
man
is
not
to
be
called
by
his
proper
name,
but
only
such-a-one,
unless
he
has
performed
some
military
exploit.
The
Armenians
never
take
any
notice
of
the
bravest
or
best
man,
unless
he
is
very
rich,
can
pay
exorbitant
taxes
to
the
Mahomedans,
and
give
lapfuls
of
money
to
the
holy
fathers,
in
order
to
domineer
like
tyrants
over
the
poor
people.
In
all
the
different
nations
in
those
parts
of
Asia
where
Emin
has
travelled,
the
higher
natives
are
taught
from
infancy
many
noble
principles,
which
often
make
them
considerable
in
the
eyes
of
the
world;
but
the
poor
Armenians,
on
the
contrary,
are
entirely
deprived
of
such
advantages,
and
imbibe
nothing
but
horrid
superstitions,
which
of
course
have
made
them
entirely
strangers
to
those
commendable
virtues
which
lead
to
sweet
liberty,
and
enlighten
the
human
mind.
They
resemble
the
natives
of
Bengal,
who
never
in
their
lives
tasted
English
apples;
or
the
Laplanders,
who
never
saw
a
mango
fruit.
