Page:Historyofpersiaf00watsrich.djvu/447

WAR DECLARED AT CALCUTTA. 427 result of these negotiations was that Prince Mahomed Yoosuf had proceeded to Herat, and obtained posses- sion of that fortress. Syd Mahomed had been after- wards seized and imprisoned, and, in conformity with the barbarous Moslem law respecting vengeance for blood, the nephew of Kamran had avenged his death by slaying the son of Yar Mahomed. Early in the year 1856, Prince Sultan Murad marched from Meshed at the head of an army , with which he commenced the siege of Herat. The Persian troops took the fort of Ghorian, and subsequently made Mahomed Yoosuf a prisoner. He was sent to Tehran, where he afterwards met with a melancholy fate. But the defence of Herat was continued by Isa Khan, the deputy-governor, who opposed with the greatest bravery all the assaults of the besiegers. During the progress of the operations each party attempted to blind and deceive the other the Persian giving assurances of grace and protection, whilst besieging the town and devastating the country around it; and the Aifghan boasting his loyalty and obedience to the Shah, whilst openly and heroically opposing the advance of the Persian army. But while the Sedr-Azem was allowed to pursue his reckless course, and while the progress of the siege of Herat occupied the attention of the Shah and his sub- jects, preparations were being made in India for an expe- dition to Bushire, for the purpose of showing Persia that she could not with impunity depart from her treaty engage- ments with England ; and in the proclamation which was issued at Calcutta, on the 1st of November, 1856, the cause of the war that was to be waged was declared to be the Persian hostile expedition against Herat.