To render him as cool as possible his bed was spread upon the floor in
an open parlour, and so frequently sprinkled with water that the room
might almost be said to be flooded; but the fever still continuing, the
bed was exchanged for a mat, upon which he was extended in his shirt, and
fanned by two men. The disorder being still unsubdued, the patient was
placed upon a chair, where cold water was poured over him in profusion,
while the French surgeon, who was constantly by his side, and could not
restrain his indignation at seeing the ordinary rules of his practice
thus set at naught, exclaimed, “They are killing you, sir! Depend upon
it, that it is by killing you the hakīm means to remove your fever!”
The traveller, however, maintained his confidence in the Persian, and
had very soon the satisfaction of being informed that the fever had
already abated, and of perceiving that, instead of killing, the hakīm had
actually cured him. In one word, the disorder departed more rapidly than
it had come on, and in a few days he was enabled to continue his journey.
Remaining quietly at Ispahan during the space of a whole year after this
unfortunate excursion, he then departed from the capital for the court,
which still lingered at Casbin, in company with Mohammed Hussein Beg, son
of the governor of the island of Bahreint. This young man was conducting
from his father to the king a present, consisting of two wild bulls, with
long, black, sharp horns, an ostrich, and a number of rich Indian stuffs;
and being by no means a strict Mussulman, drinking wine and eating
heartily of a good dinner, whether cooked by Mohammedan or Christian, was
a very excellent travelling companion. On his arrival at Casbin, Chardin,
who was now extremely well known to all the grandees of the kingdom, was
agreeably and hospitably received by the courtiers, particularly by the
wife of the grand pontiff, who was the king’s aunt. This lady, in order
to manifest the friendship she entertained for him, though in consequence
of the peculiar manners of the country their souls only had met, made him
a present of eight chests of dried sweetmeats, scented with amber and the
richest perfumes of the East. Her husband was no less distinguished by
his friendship for our traveller, who nowhere in Persia experienced more
genuine kindness or generosity than from this noble family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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