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of the regent he returned at sunset to the Ispahan gate of Sheeraz in order to learn the confirmation of the event, which he did from the officers of the guard. As he was entering the city he allowed the falcon which was on his wrist to fly away as if by accident, and this gave him a pretext for galloping after it to the spot where his favourite steed was in readiness. The gate was then closed and his flight was not suspected until the following day. Returning to the country of the tribe of which he was now the chief, his first enterprise was to expel his younger brother from Astrabad, and to seize the government of that province. He then raised a force of Kajars and of Turkomans sufficient to enable him to conquer the adjoining province of Mazenderan, and he further gained over the governor of Gilan, so that the whole of the country between the Caspian Sea and the Elburz Mountains soon owned his authority alone. Ali Murad, while laying siege to Sheeraz, sent a force of twenty thousand men against Aga Mahomed, but this army was unable to force the pass in the Elburz which was defended by the Kajar’s troops. After this success Aga Mahomed advanced from behind the mountains and obtained possession of the cities of Tehran and Kasveen. On news of this reaching Ali Murad at Sheeraz he immediately despatched his son with a force of thirty thousand men in order that he might effect a junction with his other troops and compel Aga Mahomed to retire. Ali Murad himself at the same time removed to Ispahan, to which place he transferred the seat of government. Aga Mahomed, unable to make head against the large force sent against him, once more retired behind the mountains, while Sheikh Veis the