Ch.XXIV, p.540, f.1
"He made a triumphant entry into his native city. Now that he was a
Babi, to his old friends were added the believers in the new doctrine. A
large number of men, rich and respected, soldiers, merchants, even Mullas
came to meet him, at a distance of one or two stations away, and conducted
him home, not as an exile who returns, not as a suppliant who asks only
rest, not even as a rival strong enough to demand respect, but he entered
as a master." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans
l'Asie Centrale," p. 193.)
"The author of `Nasikhu't-Tavarikh' himself acknowledged that a goodly
number of citizens of Zanjan, and among them high officials, traveled the
distance of two stations to meet him. He was received like a conqueror and
many heads of sheep were sacrificed in his honor. None of his opponents
dared ask him why he had left Tihran and had returned to Zanjan; but
Islam was severely tried as the Zanjanis did not hesitate to preach
throughout the city the new doctrine. The Muhammadan writer points out
that all the Zanjanis were simple-minded and so fell easily into the
snare; but contradicting himself he declares that only the knaves, greedy
for worldly possessions, and the impious ones gathered round the new
leader. However they were quite numerous and, according to his story,
about fifteen thousand, which seems rather an exaggerated estimate."
(A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid Ali-Muhammad dit le Bab," pp. 337-338.)