The Baban prince Osman was a curious person. He was keen to learn from the experiences of the European states in his conversation with James rich. He was extremely pleased to hear that clans existed in England and that the religious class had been relegated to a corner there. Perhaps realizing that the patronage and formation of the religious classes for control purposes was more harmful than beneficial.
James Rich (19th-century):
I hope," he (Osman) added, "you will not take amiss the questions I ask." I told him that our conquests in India proceeded from the very principle I had just laid down. We were not the first Europeans who had conquered places in India. Some of the places we now held we had taken from those Europeans, in consequence of our wars with them in Europe; others they had ceded to us; some we had purchased; others we obtained from the natives by treaty, in return for services or other advantages. Thus, from small beginnings, a mighty empire was formed, which bordered on the territories of many powerful princes. Some of these profited by us, and were friendly to us, others again were jealous of our power, and envied a prosperity, which they were not enlightened enough to attain. When people are neighbours, interests must frequently jar, and subjects of quarrel arise; and though the English are peaceably inclined towards those who are similarly dis-posed towards them, yet they are not a people to be imposed upon. The necessity of defending our rights, or vindicating our honour, had often produced wars, in which it had generally pleased God to grant us the victory; but that in all such contests, it would be found, we were never the aggressors. He seemed much struck with this view of the subject, and confessed he had, previously, always imagined that the English had at once sent a large army to conquer India, and carried on their conquests without cause, or even pretext, whenever they chose. He then asked me about air-balloons; and said he had been told they were machines capable of conveying detachments of soldiers to any given point. We then came back to England. Nothing delighted him so much as the knowledge that we had clans among us. He was very minute in his inquiries into the manners, language, and character of our ashaier or tribes, and requested me to tell him some of the names of the clans. He was charmed with the idea of clan regiments, with their own costume and officers, but wondered that the reigning caste should be English, who were sheherlis or townspeople, and of no tribe; and still more that they should make good soldiers.
His asking me where we got our rice, introduced the mention of the New World; and he immediately requested me to tell him how it was discovered. "By astronomy and geometry," said I, "it was ascertained that the world was globular like an orange." This part of my explanation I illus-trated by holding up my clenched fist: "Here is Frenghistan-there is India-this is the way we come from Frenghistan to India; but some people began to inquire, why can we not go round the other way to India? Some said it might be done, others that it could not. An individual more enterprising than the rest said he would try it, and he found a prince who gave him ships and means to make the experiment. In endeavouring to go round this untried way to India, the new continent was found." This he entirely comprehended.
In explaining to him the nature of the American republic, he said, "This is like the tribes in Khoshnav, where each village has its own head, and they all meet together to consult for the good of the whole community." When I told him no one sat in the presence of our king, "What!" said he, not even your ulema"*? No, said I. "You see," said he, turning round to some of his people present, with an air of satisfaction, "Mullas have not much power in his country." He talked much of the state of Koordistan. My country is in a wretched state," said he. "If you serve the Turks, they insult and depose you when they choose; if you serve the Persians, they are con-tinually teasing you for money." He is a good Koord; but of the two rival powers, it is evident he prefers the Persians. At parting he was extremely friendly, said he considered me as of the same tribe with himself, and hoped for a continued intimacy between us.
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