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298 A HISTORY OF PERSIA. could not be carried away was burnt. Even the grass on the plains was set fire to, and all the villages within twelve miles of Herat were destroyed ; the inhabitants being removed to the fortresses, or to places at a distance. Ten thousand chosen horsemen were ordered to keep the field, and the remaining troops were directed to garrison the city and the neighbouring strong places. The season of the year, it being the early part of winter, was most unfavourable for military operations in a region where the winter is so rigorous as it is in northern Affghanistan. The troops of the Shah suffered greatly in their progress through Khorassan, and the king himself was unable to walk even from his tent to his carriage. Still he did not depart from the intention with which he had set out, and he himself proceeded with the main body of his army to Herat, while one of the divisions was told off for the duty of besieging Grhorian, and another was sent against the Turkomans and Hezarehs. The preparations for the defence of Herat were superintended by Yar Mahomed Khan, the Vizeer ; Prince Kamran being too much given over to intoxication to be able to direct the business of his government. The ambitious Vizeer was at this time paving the way for his own advancement to the supreme power on one pre- text or another, and he disposed of the greater number of chiefs who were likely to oppose his pretensions. By such measures, and his tyrannous conduct towards the people, a spirit of discontent was raised within the city, the Sheeah portion of the inhabitants of which were fully disposed to welcome the Persian king. The con- dition of the fortifications of Herat was not such, at this time, as to have prevented European troops from taking