Page:Historyofpersiaf00watsrich.djvu/278

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258
A HISTORY OF PERSIA.

had not been attended with the result of a restoration of public tranquillity. Abbass Meerza proceeded thither, and the chief people of the town came out to meet him, and tendered the declaration of their submission to his will. His brother upon this proceeded with his troops to Kerman, to which place he was followed by the crown-prince. The latter had received instructions to send Hassan Ali to the presence of the Shah, and a regiment of infantry was ordered to accompany his Highness, nominally as an escort, but in reality to prevent his evading the orders of his sovereign so jealous is despotism, and so forgetful of past services, provided that at the present time one's evil star be in the ascendant! The crown-prince was welcomed by the citizens of Kerman, and after having established some sort of government and public confidence in that place, he returned to Ispahan, to which city the Shah had again repaired, and where his Majesty issued orders to the prince to proceed forthwith to Khorassan, and to do his best to reduce the refractory chiefs of that province to obedience. On his way to Meshed, the prince succeeded in taking two forts which were held by rebel chiefs.

The young Kosroo Meerza had led his father's army from Kerman across the desert to Toon and Tubbaz—an undertaking which was attended with great difficulty, and the successful accomplishment of which bears testimony to the patient endurance of the troops, and to the capacity of their youthful general. The Persian army on this occasion had to carry with it for long distances even a supply of water. The instructions given to Abbass Meerza were to reestablish the Shah's authority up to the river Oxus, which had been fixed by Nadir as the