NON
CIRCULATING
NON
CIRCULATING
DS
49.5
584
B 442597

T. NOYES,
BOOKSELLER.
BATH.
Anno C Long
1
DS
48.5
584

Dean & Son, Lith.
BAGHDAD.
DAWNINGS OF LIGHT
IN THE EAST;
WITH
BIBLICAL, HISTORICAL, AND STATISTICAL NOTICES
OF
PERSONS AND PLACES
VISITED DURING A MISSION TO THE JEWS,
IN
PERSIA, COORDISTAN, AND MESOPOTAMIA.
BY
THE REV. HENRY A. STERN.
are
Entered according to the Act.
LONDON:
CHARLES H. PURDAY, 24, MADDOX STREET.
REGENT STREET;
WERTHEIM AND MACINTOSH, 24, PATERNOSTER ROW.
{
1854.
10 N. by
PREFACE.
Ar a moment when the public mind is roused, and
public attention is attracted to the threatening and tot-
tering position of the East, it cannot fail to be a matter
of the deepest interest to the student of prophecy, to
turn his gaze from the clouded firmament of the political
world, to the moral and religious horizon of those enig-
matical personages, who, in the good providence of God,
have already, and will yet, on a day not far off, exert a
mighty influence upon the destinies of a large portion of
these lands. Few Eastern travellers, in their peregrina-
tions, seldom if ever come in contact, or mix with, a
people who are considered the basest of the base, and
the vilest of the vile; and consequently, in the nume-
rous narratives which have appeared in print, the Jew is
never considered worthy of notice; or, if adverted to at
all, judged with impartiality. My labours, under the
direction of the London Society for Promoting Christi-
anity amongst the Jews, led me to visit the various locali-
ties where this ill-treated race have, for so many centuries,
been the unfortunate objects of insult and oppression,
spoliation and massacre; and, though I came with no
other commendatory epistles than Bibles and New
277235
iv
PREFACE.
Testaments, and no other official firmans than Tracts
and Prayer-books, I was invariably received with cor-
diality and affection; and was privileged to proclaim
to myriads of attentive listeners, both in the synagogues
and from house to house, the unsearchable riches of
Christ's Gospel.
While I was thus pursuing my work among God's
ancient people, to whom I was principally directed “to
preach repentance towards God and faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ," I did not, however, lose sight of the
claims of others, but availed myself of every opportunity
to point the Armenian and Mahomedan, the Papist and
the nominal Protestant, to Him who is "the way, the
truth, and the life;" and I am grateful to add that in
many instances my labours in this respect were not in
vain in the Lord.
Some of the obstacles with which our mission had
to contend in Persia, are incidentally noticed; I might
have been more explicit on the subject, but Christian
charity forbids me to dilate on a topic which recalls to
my mind so many grievous and painful recollections.
Those who were instrumental in driving me and my
fellow-labourers from Ispahan, incurred a heavy respon-
sibility, though I am, at the same time, convinced and
certain, that if all the enemies of truth, all the haters
of the light of the Gospel, and all the abettors of
Rome's soul-destroying system, were united together
against the spread of Christianity amongst the Jews,
their attempts would prove abortive, and the Lamb's
I
}
י
PREFACE.
purposes of mercy towards the seed of Abraham obtain
their fulfilment.
The few remarks on Nineveh, Babylon, and Perse-
polis, might have easily been extended; but, as the
object of this work was to combine useful information
with accurate missionary intelligence, laboured and
elaborate archæological disquisitions would have re-
quired more time than the author could spare, or would
have been consonant with the object which this work,
under the blessing of God, is designed to promote.
For the sketches the author is indebted to his wife,
who accompanied him last January to Hillah and
Babylon; some of them were done whenever leisure
or less important occupations allowed her to indulge
in a little recreation; they do not pretend to any
artistic skill, though they are perfect as regards the
accuracy of their delineation. For the map which
accompanies the work, he is indebted to the skill and
kindness of his friend, Mr. Myers, of the London
Society's Hebrew School.
The author deems it unnecessary to make any apo-
logy for the plainness and unpoetical style of this
volume. The Muses were never very kind to him,
and even if they had felt some friendship for him,
the excessive heat of Bagdad, the sounds of Hebrew,
Arabic, and Persian, the only languages which he
spoke for eight years-and the primitive aspect of
his tented dwelling on the banks of the Tigris, where
he encamped for six weeks last summer, when the
A 2
vi
PREFACE.
greater part of this book was written,-would have
proved very unfavourable circumstances for winning
the good graces of the delicate daughters of Jupiter.
He has, however, endeavoured to give a faithful and
unvarnished description of the present position and
prospective hopes of the Jews in Persia, Coordistan,
and on the ancient plains of Chaldee; and, if his
humble exertions are in the least subservient to the
holy and sacred cause near and dear to his heart, it
will throw into the shade all the toil and trouble it
cost him.
BAGDAD,
February 4th, 1853.
H. S.

ए
ENCAMPMENT AT GARARAH ON THE TIGHTS
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
SETTING out from Damascus to Bagdad-First Day in the Desert-
Starting of the Caravan-Village of Maksurah-Refusal to Travel
on the Sabbath-Preparation for starting again-Expectation of
Hostile Encounter-Striking Spectacle of the Caravan-Health-
ful Effect of the Desert-Cruel Conduct of the Arabs-Effort to
save a Poor Turk-Confidence in God's Protecting Power-
Distinction of Birth and Station-Too Intimate a Companion—
The Arab Character-Anxiety to Visit Palmyra-Desire of
Visiting Palmyra Disappointed-Loss of my Carpet Bag-
Abandoning the Poor Exhausted Camels-Effect of the Simoon-
Tumbling off our Camels, and Arab Reflections-Revengeful
Dispositions of the Different Tribes-Fear of Marauders Sub-
sided-Desert Illusion-Arrival at Rubeiza-Primitive State of
the People-Sympathy for the Souls of Arabs-A Bath in the
Euphrates-Arab Ideas of the Married State-Interesting Inter-
course with Karaite Jews at Hit-Death of One of our Con-
ductors-End of our Journey to Bagdad
PAGE.
1-34
CHAPTER II.
Bagdad-Motley Assemblage at the Bazaar-Dishonest Mode of
Traffic-Shops Closed on Saturday-Turkish Indifference about
Sanatory Matters-Low State of Learning-Baneful Effects of
Polygamy-Wretched State of the Females-Dwellings of the
Rich and Poor-Bad Climate of Bagdad-Mal-government of
the Pashas
35-45
CHAPTER III.
Population of Bagdad-Flagitious Conduct of the Rabbies-Bad
Effects of Rabbinism-Jewish Schools for the Young-Shameless
Teaching of Immorality-Contempt of Missionary Efforts-
Desire in some to know the Truth-Determined Opposition of
the Rabbies-Invitation to a Jewish Wedding-Disgusting Con-
duct of the Jews
46-55
viii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IV.
Visit to Ancient Babylon-Literal fulfilment of Prophecy-Howling
Worshippers of Mahomed-Desolate Condition of Babylon-
Ancient Palace of Nebuchadnezzar-Carrying away the Bricks
by the Natives-Reflections on Fallen Babylon-Curiosity of the
Arabs-Burial Place of the Prophet Ezekiel-A Visit to the
Tomb of Ali-Conversation with the Governor of Meshed-
Tradition of the Mahomedan Writers-Account of the "Birs
Nimrod" Surprise of Guides at our Interest in Antiquities—
Specimen of Eastern Hospitality
CHAPTER V.
Appeal to Christians for Arabia and Persia-Starting on his Mission
to Persia-Mussulman Devotions-The Arch of Khosroe, at
Ctesiphon-Some account of Ctesiphon-Nearly being left be-
hind-Independence of the Arab Sheiks-Visit to the Tomb of
Ezra-Insolence of Ignorant Men in Office-Malignity of the
Fever at Bussorah-Rapacity of the Turkish Government—
Baneful Effects of Popery...
CHAPTER VI.
•
A Word to the Mahomedans-Conjunction of the Euphrates and
Tigris-Pleasure of Christian Sympathy-Some Hear the Word
Gladly-Conversion of Mullah Eliyahu-Surprise at the Arrival
of Five English Vessels-Bad Effects of Over-Exertion.... . .
CHAPTER VII.
Cruize round the Persian Gulf-Conversation with Jews at Manuma-
Gratitude of a Jew-Interesting Conversation with a Sheik—
Need of Missionaries in Persia-Sanguinary Character of Wa-
habees-Arabian Estimate of the English-The Barbarians of
Targa-Difficulties in the way of Visiting Yemen-Meeting of
Jews at Bassadore-The Jews Convinced-Effect of the Word
Preached to the Sailors-Interesting Letters from the Sailors-
Violent North-Wester in the Gulf-Discussion with a Rabbi at
Congoon-Conviction of Mullah Solomon-Inscription on the
Inkstand
CHAPTER VIII.
Resumption of Missionary Narrative-Fatigues and Exertions of
Caravan Travelling-Miseries of the Jews in Boraz-goon-Visit
from the Governor-Difficulties of Ascending a Mountain-
Abuse of the Caravanserais-Eastern Toll-houses-Visit of the
Blind Rabbi at Kanzeroon-Singular Occupation of the Jews-
Tremendous Storm - Perplexities of Travellers Comforts of
Caravanserais Lodgings - What Travellers are subject to -
Approach to Sheeraz
PAGE.
56-70
71-82
83-89
90-106
107-120
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
Arrival at the City of Sheeraz-Seeking a Lodging-Searching for
the Synagogue-The Reception of the Gospel-Contrast between
the Men in Office and the Jews-Mahomedans Interested in the
Truth-Strong Desire to know the Truth-Jews in Sheeraz
Compelled to Renounce their Faith-Early Marriages the Source
of much Evil-The Beautiful Gardens of Sheeraz-The Tomb of
Saadi-Fallen State of Sheeraz-Good Impressions
CHAPTER X.
Departure from Sheeraz-Fictions of Poets-Persepolis as it is-
Description of Persepolis-Tombs of the Persian Kings-Exami-
nation of the Tombs-Character of the Persian Peasantry-A
Miserable Lodging-The Binding more Admired than the Book—
A Necessary Precaution Taken-The Tomb of Cyrus-Diffi-
culties in the way-Difficulties Increase-A Good Samaritan-
Attempted Extortion of an Impost-Grinding Extortion of the
Government-Arrival at Ispahan-An Armenian Lodging
CHAPTER XI.
Toleration of Christianity by Abbas-Extermination of the Arme-
nians-Ignorance of the Priesthood-Bad Government makes
Bad People-Wretched Condition of the Jews-Invitation to
Visit the Governor-Interesting Conversation with the Governor
-Shameful Treatment of Mr. S.-A Strange Comparison-
Kind Intervention of the Dying Governor-Outbreak of the
Rabble in Julfa-Interesting Meeting of Jews at Julfa-Fear of
Avowing their Sentiments-Easy Access of the Missionary to
the Synagogue-Effect of the Preached Word-How Few can be
Firm in Trouble-Doctrine of Regeneration Startling to a Jew
CHAPTER XII.
Want of Protection at Ispahan-Some of the Obstacles to the Spread
of the Truth-Refusal of Protection to the Missionary-La-
mentable Superstition and Ignorance-Providential Preservation
of the Author-Magnificence of the Palace-Fondness of the
Persians for Doctoring Comparative State of Ispahan
Gluttony of the Persians
CHAPTER XIII.
Departure from Ispahan-Jews in Koshan out of Moslem Rule-
Sympathy with the Persian Jew-Skill of the Artizans of
Koshan-The Pretended Charmer Rebuked - Pilgrimage to
Sainted Shrines--Immoralities of the Mahomedans-Valley of
the Shadow of Death
ix
PAGE.
1
121-133
134-151
152-168
169-177
178-185
*
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XIV.
Lodgings in a Strange Town not Easily Found-The Lord's-Day in
a Caravanserai-A Hebrew Tailor turned Mahomedan-Slave
Dealer and his Victims-Crimes and Miseries of the Harem-
Debasing Conduct of Noblemen-Shameless Conduct of English-
men-Different Position of the Jews in Persia-Oppression of
the Jews-Bitterness of Revenge-The Jew as Susceptible of
Kindness as any one-Immorality of the Religion of the Koran-
Advantages of Education-Description of Teheran-The Royal
Palace-Subsequent Missionary Tours
•
PAGE.
186-201
CHAPTER XV.
Dawnings of Light Appearing-Departure again from Bagdad-
Travelling with Bagdad Jews A Word to the Dying-An
Eastern Talisman-Discussion on the Atonement-Wretched
State of the Streets of Eastern Cities-Want of Sanitary Regu-
lations The Site of Nineveh- The Tomb of the Prophet
Jonah-Conversation with Jews at Mosul-Death of a Christian
Contrasted-Division among Roman Catholics
202--214
CHAPTER XVI.
Insecurity of Reward for Labour-The Tomb of Nahum, the Elko-
shite-Unbelief of the Jews-Preaching to the Jews at Sandur—
Combating the Errors of the Talmud-Pleasant Companions—
Impression made on the Zakho Jews-Departure from Zakho—
Good Reception at Jezireh-The Place where Noah's Ark
Rested-Account of Amadia-Preaching to the Amadian Jews
-Visit to the Nestorians in the Mountains-Primitive Service
of the Nestorians-Disappointment at being obliged to Return-
The Muleteer's Lament-A Soft Answer Turneth away Wrath 215-231
CHAPTER XVII.
Another Missionary Tour-Miserably Dirty Caravanserais-The
Living and the Dead Herding Together-Suspicious-Looking
Peasants-How Difficult to Get Rid of Ceremonies-Priesteraft
the Great Obstacle to Truth-Singular Expression from a Ma-
homedan-The Blind Leading the Blind-The Word always
gladly heard—Arrival at Hamadan-Invitation from the Chief
Rabbi-Account of the Jews in Hamadan-Tomb of Mordecai
and Esther-Description of Tombs-Inscription on Tomb of
Mordecai-Inscription on Esther's Tomb
•
232--249
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Few who Inquire the Way-The Word Convincing- The Rabbi
Confuted-Determination to Possess the Word-The Good Seed
Sown in Koom-The Evil of mere Profession-Old Prejudices
still Retained-First Missionary Effort at Balfroosh-A Bitter
Opponent of Christ-A Veritable Pharisee-Maltreatment of the
Jews-Baba, the Persian Socialist-Thirsting for the Know-
ledge of Christ-Enmity of the Jews against one another-Suffer-
ings of the Persian Jews-The Word of Life Spreading-The
Famous Hyrcanian Forest-The Assumed Residence of Nimrod
-First Christian Sacrifice in Demawund-Commentaries often
Darken the Text-The Lord will Preserve His Own-To Him
Belongs the Glory
PAGE.
xi
250-271
CONCLUSION.
What do we Owe to the Jew-The Return of the Jew Precedes the
Millennium-Apostolic Reformation-Pray for the Jew--Old
Prejudices still Remain-A Strong Light is Looming o'er the
East-Let our Efforts Increase.
•
ERRATA.
Page 17, line 2, for path, read bath.
Page 27, line 5, for Rubeiza, read Kubeiza.
Page 75, line 10, for Calueh, read Calneh.
Page 94, line 2, for requeest, read request.
Page 95, line 2, for Naheund, read Nabend.
Page 143, line 17, for shreik, read shriek.
Page 152, for Chapter VII., read XI.
272-278
!
$
}
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
English Encampment at Gararah
Map of Mr. Stern's Journeys
Bagdad...
Tomb of Sid Zobeida
View of the Ruins of Babylon
Mujellibe, remains of Nebuchadnezzar's Palace.
Kasr-Western View
Curious Bricks, with Cuneiform Inscriptions
Hillah, on the Euphrates..
The Birs Nimrod
The Arch of Khosroe, at Ctesiphon
The Tomb of the Prophet Jonah
TO FACE
Title
1
35
56
•
59
60
61
63
64
68
74
211

40
35
• Tokat
40
ܬܵܐ
ERZROUM
R M
E
N
Mt Araca
Diarbekir
Orfa
Mageziren
Ral Huali
Jabel
Judi
M
ES
R Khabott
FA
Van
R Khabur
45
Amadia
Zakho
A
Urumia
N
Mits
Katenich
MOSUL
Rus
ININEVE
Iit Zab R
Great Zab
S
Y
R.Euphrates
R
I
Tadmor
or Palmyra
El Der
A
T
Annah
A
M
Bitamen Springs
Hite
DAMASCUS
30
25
A
C
H
R
A
R Araxes
R.Kur
Tabreez
I rumia
B
Miana
Arbil
Alten Kupr
on an ja
Kerbook
Sulpher
His
d
Kasr St
H
R
Kifri
Kara
Tefeh
Tene
Khanakeen
Deli
Abbas
Bakouba
BAGDAD
Ruins of Ctesiphon
(Calneh?)
A
K
R.Tigris A
Kerbelay
BABYLON Ru
Birs Nimrod Hah
A Ru
Meshed Afar A
Ali
Bahr Nerf
PERSIA
and part of the
OTTOMAN EMPIRE
ILLUSTRATING THE JOURNEYS,
of the
Rev H H. Stern.
40
B
B
50
CASPIAN SEA
H
Reshto
R.Kizil Ozien
N
N
A K
CASWEEN
Amal
Balfroosh
MAZAN DER AN
Peak of
Damarand
Hozan.
Saree
TEHERAN
Kengrove
Sahana
Kermanshal
Haraun abad
Hamadan
Mt Elwand
A
Saline Plain
Koom
E M
55
TURK O
M
N I A
A
S
R
B
Astrabad
Cashan
Korood
S
a
H
i t
0
De
R
S
K
YEZD
A
t
Tubbus
Nishapoor
S
60
R Tihon
4-0
Mushed
S
A
N
35
Khoff
CA
B
HERAT
0
N
от
S
0
R.Mendeli
R. Kerah
R
S
Louri's ton
JH UZ
Supposed antient bed of
Stream
BUSSORAH
A
Karoon
R
p
Shuster
Set AN
Ariwaz
S
A
N
Serahi R
Darak P
P
E
BUSHIRE
R
S
ISPAHAN
Khisht R
I
Julfa
• Mayar
。 Koomesha
S •Aminabad
Shulgistan
Baad Emir
Kazeun
Dalakee
Boras-goon
Abadeh
Khona Khora
R
Murghab
ISHTA KHR Seevund
Rv of
Persepolis
Abduee
Kar R
Zerogoon
SHEERAZ
Ichan Demian
Congoon
S
I
AK
R
M
Desert
N
KIRMAN
4
R
Assaloa
S
Ras N-bena Nabend
Lar
^
4
Charrach
Ras Certes
Keish 1a
Magdo
N
Linga
Bassadan
A
N
D
Bahrein
GULF
Skisha ja
Ras el Khimg
Khubees
A
of Kirma
BELOOCHISTAN
N
H
G
30
30
L
INDIAN
OCEAN
25
Longitude East 45 from Greenwich.
50
55
60 Dean & Son, lith. Ludgate Hill.
DAWNINGS OF LIGHT FROM THE EAST.
CHAPTER I.
SETTING OUT FROM DAMASCUS TO BAGDAD.
"
It was at the close of a sultry day in the month of September,
1844, that myself and party threaded our way through the
intricate, gloomy, and dull streets of the "great and sacred"
Damascus, towards the eastern gate, to gain the caravan for
Bagdad. The evening, after the oppressive heat of the day,
was mellow and cool; and the gentle zephyrs, as they wafted
through the balmy groves of oranges, lemons, and myrtles,
poured most delicious odours through the extended lines of our
wide-spreading camp. The air, country, sky, everything, in
fact, above, around, and beneath, reminded us that we were in
the East, the glowing region of the sun; and I began to contem-
plate with mingled feelings of joy and delight, pain and sorrow,
the moment I should enter the boundless desert, the last barrier
between me and the land of my adoption; between me and the
scene of my future labours.
The night, as usual among Bedouins, antecedent to a long,
wearisome and perilous journey, was noisy and clamorous; here
a sheik was arranging and balancing his loads, there another
laving the gory backs, or cicatrizing, amidst exquisite tortures,
BA
O
FIRST DAY IN THE DESERT.
the inflamed and swollen flesh of his camels, whilst the rest
were either bickering, sipping coffee, or meditating over the curl-
ing fumes of their shatabs (pipes). This life and animation con-
tinued till past midnight, and then all gradually became hushed
and noiseless; not a soul stirred, and not a voice spake; every
one, wrapt in his coarse horse-hair cloak, lay silent and motionless
on the hard bare ground. We were the first astir in this sleeping
assemblage, and expected that a general reveille would every
minute follow, but we were disappointed, the sun rose high in
the horizon, the peasants hastened to the yellow fields to gather
in the ripe grain, and the half-clad shepherd led his bleating
flock to the green pastures, and still our caravan indolently basked
in the rays of the sun. I gathered courage, and, as I could not
then speak to, I pulled our gruff, grey-bearded sheik; he evi-
dently did not admire this familiarity, but as I could only smile
to a flow of curses which I did not understand, he took me by
the arm, and pointing towards the desert, indicated that ere
many days I should feel less eager to push on.
.
At ten o'clock the cry Yallah, at that time a strange but now
a well-known sound to me, re-echoed through the encampment,
and in an instant all was bustle and activity. The camels were
soon loaded, Mrs. Vicars placed in her takhterawan, Mr.
Sternschuss and myself thrown on light-loaded pack-saddles,
and every one else mounted according to his purse and agrec-
ment, and thus the whole camp, in regular marching order,
defiled through the gardens and luxuriant forests of fruit-trees,
which, as Orientals say, encircle Damascus "like a pearl
surrounded by emeralds."
Our first day was painful and wearisome, the heavy motion of
the camel, the uncomfortable position, and the fear of falling
every moment with the bulky load on which I was raised, made
me feel miserable and wretched; and, with the greatest im-
patience, I longed to espy the place which would terminate the
hardships and toils of the day.. At noon we reached the looked-
for spot, and as soon as I had alighted I threw myself on the
sun-burnt fields, and whilst the servants struck the tents,
enjoyed a rest as sweet as on the softest pillow. Towards
evening we met together in Mr. Vicars' tent, and related our
t
STARTING OF THE CARAVAN.
વર
adventures of the morning, we all felt that we had entered
upon a new scene of life and a new mode of travelling; no
longer the sylvan peaks of Lebanon, or the picturesque valleys
of Palestine, chequered the landscape, an immense realm of death
extended itself on all sides and bounded the distant horizon.
Fears and horror filled our minds in gazing over the cheerless
expanse, which for thirty days would be measured by our steps;
we, however, endeavoured by mutual encouragement to banish.
the feeling of apathy with which we regarded the primeval plain,
and buoyed up our drooping spirits by the consoling promises
of Scripture, which, as a heaven of hope, at that time and during
my future travels invariably deprived the dreary wilds of their
sullen and blasted aspect. The sheik of the caravan had ap-
pointed this place for the general rendezvous, but as all the
merchandize for Bagdad had not yet been collected, we were
obliged to remain encamped in the heated plain till Saturday.
During these forty-eight hours we were almost devoured by
innumerable swarms of disgusting flies and myriads of humming
musquitoes.
On Saturday morning strings of camels came trudging along
the Damascus road. Our drivers immediately ordered us to
prepare for marching, and we soon decamped, and in a long
file rode off. I was most unfortunate; the drivers gave me a
camel which was bruised, wounded, and skinned over the
whole of his back. At first I did not notice it, as I mounted
with fear and trembling, lest the peculiar motion of the animal
should upset me on the hard sun-burnt soil; but we had not
advanced far, when a most putrid and fetid smell, as if some
pestilential cavern had burst its prison and infected the air,
overwhelmed me with an irresistible faintness and languor. I
relinquished the grasp with which I held the baggage, which
accommodated me instead of a saddle; and removing my legs,
I beheld (Karreses referes) my trowsers and carpet all covered
with the gore of the patient creature. I was shocked at the
sight, and immediately entreated the driver to make the camel
kneel, that I might dismount; but this unfeeling son of the
desert, without listening to my solicitations, amused himself
with what he termed Frankish delicacy and effeminacy, and
B 2
4
VILLAGE OF MAKSURAH.
brutally drove on the suffering animal and his agonized rider.
I called for the sheik, but he being on his swift dromedary,
was out of the reach of my voice, and could not come to my
relief. I collected courage, shifted on the side of the animal,
and leaped down, with all the luggage in the train. The driver,
dreading the whip which I held in my hand, betook himself to
his legs, and was off in an instant; but when at the distance of
about a hundred yards, he saw that I was not irritated, nor
intended to lash him for his impudence, he approached, crawl-
ing and cringing like a true slave. I ordered him to bring
me a sound camel, which he immediately did; and with the
assistance of two more drivers, the bales were slung across its
back, whilst the one I had dismounted, amidst the curses of
several Arabs, was driven in the vortex of the caravan.
Our route, which was tedious and monotonous, extended
over a stony barren desert, occasionally diversified by a few
scattered mounds, which tend more to increase than to lessen
the horror of the forlorn plain. All around us wore a dreary
aspect not a shrub or tree enlivened the parched ground,
even a blade of green grass or a cankerous weed did not ex-
hilirate the painful sight.
The sun was already in the meridian, and still the village,
Maksurah, which we were to reach before noon, was invisible.
I began to suspect our sheik's veracity, and concluded that
we should not see a human habitation for the next thirty days,
when the driver, in whose favour I had by the alluring
promise of a baksheesh ingratiated myself, approached, and
pointing to some hills which were clothed with verdure, and
from the distance, under the azure sky, looked like a trans-
parent lake, gave me to understand that this was the munzil,
or village. We soon reached the village, which, in the shade
of leafy trees, and clustering vines, resembled in contrast to
the surrounding naked waste a fairy-land and enchanted spot.
The inhabitants, attracted by the gaudy coloured takhterawan,
hastened from their cottages to have a glimpse of this gorgeous
spectacle. Both matrons and maidens, alike forgetful of their
wonted modesty, threw back their coarse blue veils, and with
jealous eyes and gaping mouths, stood gazing on Mrs. Vicars,
REFUSAL TO TRAVEL ON THE SABBATH.
5
who would have gladly exchanged her pompous vehicle for
the comforts of the poorest hut. One of these admiring dames
exclaimed that the happy occupant was
a Persian princess,
another that she was the elected of a Bagdad lord, and a third,
to whom all the rest paid the utmost attention, (she, no doubt,
from her age and general experience being considered the
oracle of this rural community,) heaved up a roaring mashallah,
and decided that the great lady was the wife of an English
vizier.
We encamped an hour's distance behind the village, on an
elevated pleasant spot, and close to a limpid spring.
During the rest of the afternoon we were pestered by Arab
peasants. Some of them brought us tastefully selected boquets
of sweet and delicate flowers, others smiling clusters of grapes,
for which they expected a handsome remuneration. I fear,
however, that their expectations of the generosity of the vizier's
lady were disappointed, and their anticipations not realized.
In the evening, the sheik, an old thorough Arab, who for
the last half century had traversed the desert in all directions,
gave us a friendly notice to be ready to start the next morning.
We objected to move on the Lord's-day, and entreated him to
delay the departure for twenty-four hours. He at first felt
disinclined to yield to (what he considered) an unreasonable
request, but when we told him that we considered it wrong
to travel on a day which was set apart for the Christian's special
worship of God, he laid his hands upon his brow and eyes, and
with an inclination of the head, said, with great gravity, "Upon
my eyes and head-I am your servant.'
About midnight, an escort of fifty chayals, or soldiers, who
were to conduct the caravan through the desert, arrived in the
camp. These noisy companions at once dispelled the pensive
silence and solemn quiet of the night, and by their wild
shrieks, and savage songs, chased away the peaceful slumbers,
in which sleep had bound our worn and wearied limbs. At
day-dawn, when the songs of our sentinels were drained and
exhausted, and all lay wrapt up in their cloaks on the dew-
moisted ground, I got up and took a walk over the naked
heath, which was still veiled in the morning vapours.
6
PREPARATION FOR STARTING AGAIN.
Here, solitary and alone, far away from the din and turmoil,
hatred and strife of clashing interests, the vast, various, and
sublime manifestations of the Deity, as seen in the floating
cloud, the immeasurable arch, and the mysterious plain,
afforded themes of delightful contemplation, which allured
the heart to praise, and influenced the soul with a divinity,
which, on the busy stage of life, cannot be felt or appreciated.
During the day our camp wore the aspect of general in-
activity; the tumultuous clamour of the caravan people was
absorbed in deep silence and profound tranquillity; not a
profane sound was heard, nor a loud word uttered; all, as if
impelled by some secret instinct, endeavoured to do as little.
violence as possible to the sanctity of the day. Some of the
Arabs were sitting in a circle on the hard ground, and with
pleasing anticipations dilated on the fights and skirmishes
with depredating Anisee, whom we should meet in the desert;
others, under an awning spread between bales of goods, napped
away the silent fleeting hours; whilst a third party passed
their ennui by performing frequent ablutions, and other laverian
purifications, at the spring near our encampment. At sunset
all were aroused from their gentle indolence, and the day of
sweet rest and calm repose was succeeded by an evening of
commotion and bustle, every person was busy, and all hands
were employed. The sheiks re-assorted their loads; the sooty
slaves filled the gerbes, or skins, with water, and the shepherds
gave the last scanty meal of chopped straw to the toil-worn
camels. When all had finished their various tasks, a crier
went round the camp and proclaimed the hour of departure.
There is something solemn in the preparations of the caravan
antecedent to the decampment; and the heart, though cold as
ice, cannot behold the general movement, without feeling some
secret emotions of regret at the thought and indications of a
speedy departure, from a spot where you have just repaired
the exhausted strength of your wearied limbs, and recovered
the wasted vigour of your languishing frame. The most friend-
less wild, on which you enjoyed a little respite from the shak-
ing motion of the camel, and a cooling shade from the glaring
sun, becomes endeared to the traveller's bosom, like his natalo
EXPECTATION OF HOSTILE ENCOUNTER.
7
solum, and he cannot tear himself without a sad countenance
from the patch of turf on which he was soundly sleeping a
few short minutes ago.
We had a blustering stormy night; our Arab chayals,
whose sharp penetrating eyes pierced through the thickest
darkness, gave suddenly the signal of alarm, and announced
that a body of plundering Arabs were hovering about the
hills, north of our encampment. Immediately confusion and
terror, with the rapidity of lightning, spread through our
caravan; even our intrepid escort, who a few hours before
would have ventured to assert that, had they lived in the
days of the Macedonian conqueror they would have opposed
his victorious eternal phalanx; or, at the time of the Trojan
war, dispute with invulnerable Achilles the laurels of his
ever-famed valour, stood pale and trembling, as if some magic
spell had transfixed them. Our sheiks, expert sons of the
desert, whose scars attested their bravery, were not intimi-
dated, nor afraid of any hostile encounter, for without any
noise they ordered lances and muskets to be kept ready, a
patrol to manœuvre around the camp, and watch-fires to be
kindled. The flames soon dispelled the sable night, and
disclosed to us the swarthy countenances of the sons of violence
and plunder. Our chayals had now again recovered their
panic-struck courage, and whizzing sent melted balls over the
far resounding plain. The avidity of the predatory Anisee
was blunted by these bravados, and none of them would
venture to appear from behind their mountain entrenchment.
After a short watch, sleep, that annihilator of cares and troubles,
overwhelmed our caravan people, and in less than an hour
nothing but the dim flickering watch-fires, encompassed by
half-sleeping guards, marked the apprehensions of danger.
The excitement and consternation, which had most effectually
operated upon our nerves, also soon subsided, and though
defenceless travellers in a strange land and foreign clime, and
among a rapacious and cruel people, whose ferocity and fana-
ticism we alike dreaded, we laid ourselves down upon our
carpets, and slept securely under the canopy of heaven; con-
scious that He who called us to His work, would watch over
Co
STRIKING SPECTACLE OF THE CARAVAN.
us during our solitary wanderings in the desert, and not suffer
the lawless sons of Ishmael, or the devotees of the Arabian
prophet, to do us any harm. The night at length waned,
and the bright morning star, which rose, brilliant and
glittering, in the serene and cloudless sky, gave the caravan
people the signal to leave their hard beds and prepare to
start. All was soon life and animation in our encampment.
Some of the camels groaned forth from their twisted necks
mournful complaints against their unjust masters, who over-
burdened their fractured backs with unmerciful loads; others,
with a mysterious silence, followed the plaintive notes of the
shepherds. One sheik cursed his slave for not having better
filled his water-skins; another, with an uplifted club, threat-
ened his tardy shepherds, if they did not hasten on; all was
noise and disorder, here was a cry for a camel, there after
a bag containing provisions.
With great difficulty I got a camel, ordered the driver to
sling an easy load across his back, and, throwing my carpet and
pillow on the top of it, I mounted, and in an instant it jumped
up and walked off. As everything must terminate, so also recri-
mination and blustering sounds in our caravan abated, and the
whole train, consisting of four hundred and fifty camels, fifty
dromedaries, a few horses, and about one hundred and fifty
persons, full of gaiety and life, set forward. The motion of the
caravan in the pathless desert presented a striking spectacle.
First proceeded fifty chayals mounted on swift dromedaries,
equipped and provided with all sorts of defensible weapons;
next came the main bataille, in far extended fronts, and which
moved in such regular order, that one might have rolled a ball
through the whole line between the legs of the camels. On the
flank rode the sheiks, mounted on horseback, or well trained
dromedaries, with long lances and rusty muskets, sedate coun-
tenances and vigilant eyes, like undaunted commanders of a
fearless army; and last of all came cajavos, the takhterawan,
and a string of camels who were kept in reserve to supply the
place of those who might fall from fatigue and exhaustion.
The whole of this extensive body trudged along so quietly
that the rustling of the dry weeds could be distinctly discerned.
HEALTHFUL EFFECT OF THE DESERT.
9
The most heavy burdened camels, quite bending under their
unsparing loads, trod over the gravelly soil, with their elastic
spongy feet, with the ease and noiselessness of the agile antelope,
or the sailing cloud.
Before the sun rose, our march, under the refreshing and
invigorating cool breeze, which dashed through the narrow clefts
of the hills and blew upon us with a cutting sharpness, was
pleasant and agreeable; but no sooner did this luminary rise in
his bright car from behind his purple curtain, and dissolve the
misty vapours under whose grey shade we were riding, than
the sky like a glowing furnace shed a searching heat over us,
which I thought at the moment, would dry up the last drop of
blood within my veins. As the sun rose higher our misery
increased, the vertical rays which before enfeebled my nerves,
now fed with such a fervour upon me, that they made my brain
nearly boil, and my head dizzy. Burning thirst and distracting
glare, the two satellites of the dismal desert, also began to make
us experience their irresistible effects; and I felt almost per-
suaded that my constitution, exhausted by a serious sickness in
Beyrout, would not be able to endure the hardships and trials
of a long desert journey. But how little does mortal man know
of futurity, and how often must the humbling confession be
extorted that prescience belongs not to a finite creature, but to
an omniscient God. The very journey which I apprehended
would terminate my existence, I bore better than any one of my
companions, and the strength which a dangerous malady had
enervated a few weeks before, and which I thought would be
entirely gone, I recruited in the much dreaded waste. "O Lord,
how unsearchable are thy judgments, and thy ways past finding
out."
In the hasty, tumultuous departure of the caravan I carelessly
forgot to provide myself with a matarah, or leather bottle for
water, and now thirst, that implacable enemy of the regions of
death, parched my lips, and imposed on me a most bitter
penance for my negligence. I tried to dismount and procure a
bottle from the servants, but my camel, as I had neither stick
nor bridle, most arbitrarily maintained its control over me, and
would neither listen to my foreign accent and kneel, nor move
10
CRUEL CONDUCT OF THE ARABS.
out of its rank. I called my own servant, but he being far
behind, the sound died away in the air before it reached him.
Five or six biscuits, on which I intended to breakfast, I pro-
mised to the driver if he would bring me a matarah; the poor
famished fellow immediately ran to one of the servants and
brought me a half-filled bottle, but my thirst was so great that
this large quantity was scarcely sufficient to allay the yearning
of my feverish burning lips.
The misery of this ever lingering day appeared constantly
to increase; my brain was on fire, my eyes inflamed, my right
leg entirely blistered, and, from chafing backwards and for-
wards, the skin ripped open, which caused most acute pains.
Ardently I longed to see this protracted stage over; but noon
passed, the sun declined, the glare vanished, and still the
caravan pursued with unabated ardour its toilsome trudge over
the sun-heated waste. I already despaired that either the
caravan would stop or the evening set in, when, to my greatest
joy, the anxiously looked-for moment arrived, and the caravan
abruptly halted. We were all soon down from our lofty seats
and enjoying the luxury of rest; I threw myself on the bare soil,
and reposed in the cool shades of the evening. I slept several
hours, and believe my languishing frame and shattered consti-
tution would have enjoyed a much longer rest, had not the
servant, in a gruff tone, requested me to take some refresh-
ment. I reluctantly left my clayey couch, and joined the
felt
rest of my party, who, like myself, wearied and fatigued,
more inclined to lie down than partake of a frugal repast. Our
simple meal was soon over, but we had not yet risen from
the carpet on which we sat, when several of our caravan people
squatted down near us, and entertained themselves with dilating
on the misery of a young Turk, who from over-exertion re-
mained behind, and was left for dead on the spot on which he
sank. This discourse attracted our attention, and we inter-
rogated them about the poor fellow, whose misery appeared to
excite so little compassion in their flinty breasts; and with per-
fect indifference they related to us the following tragical story.
A poor Turk from the neighbourhood of Mosul having
deserted the cruel service of the Turkish militia, availed
EFFORT TO SAVE A POOR TURK.
11
himself of our caravan to regain the family, from whose bosom
he had been violently torn. The few piastres in his possession
were expended in the last village, and twenty-five days of
misery and starvation awaited him in the desert. Fear, how-
ever, impelled him onwards, and he exerted his last physical
powers to escape the jaws of the law and the punishment of
his desertion. But famine and thirst, a greater tyrant than the
bastinado, pursued him, till wearied and exhausted he sunk
under the scorching beams of a relentless sun; and, added our
Arabs, with a shrug of their shoulders, most probably his
mortal career is finished.
My mind revolted and recoiled at the monstrous barbarity
which thus wantonly could suffer a fellow-creature and a
co-religionist to perish, without extending to him that little
succour which might have protracted his existence and saved
him from a premature grave. How cruel is Islamism, and
how unworthy of the Deity must that religion appear to
every thinking mind, which while it enjoins charity, allows
its devotecs to trample on the laws of nature; to fan and
enflame the spirit of revenge, the very bane of social and
refined intercourse. We instantly tried to dispatch some Arabs
in search of the unfortunate sufferer, but these obstinate and
inflexible savages, impenetrable to persuasion, could not
suppress their galling animosity, and render a kind office to one
who unhappily belonged to the Osmanlis, the formidable
usurpers of their throne and the encroachers on their liberty.
The wretched condition in which the poor man had been
left behind, affected us most sensibly, and we felt it a duty to
do something to afford him relief, and save, if possible, his life.
But another difficulty arose, no one would stir or move in our
camp; I requested the servant to get his gun ready and ac-
company me in my search. This disinterested kindness of a
"Christian barbarian towards " a true believer," made the
Arabs, in whose breasts sanguinary vengeance had not yet ex-
tinguished every spark of humanity, blush and feel abashed,
and two of them offered to accompany the servant if we would
give them a baksheesh. We immediately accepted their condi-
tional service, and all three set out on their humane expedition.
12
CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S PROTECTING POWER.
It was about ten o'clock when they left, and we certainly did
not expect them back before one or two, when suddenly, pale
and trembling, they rushed into the encampment, and related
that they had been strolling all over the desert, (although they
had not been absent above an hour,) and would still have gone
further, had they not seen a body of about a hundred horsemen,
which expedited their return in order to give timely notice to
the caravan. The sheiks, who know every spot in the desert,
and have information about the various movements of their
erratic brethren, would not listen to this report, or rise from
the carpets on which they reclined. Several of the credulous
however, crowded around these messengers of evil, and with
wide distended mouths and staring eyes, gazed, full of fear, at
each other, as if they had been reared in a comfortable parlour
and luxurious nursery, and not in Al-Dchesira. To the amaze-
ment of all, we smiled at the eloquence which was vainly used
to persuade us that robbers were hovering near the camp; and
in the certain assurance that He at whose bidding we traversed
the perilous waste, would protect and keep us, we laid down and
endeavoured to get a little rest. Our valiant Arabs followed
our example, and soon by their nasal sounds demonstrated that
fear was no antidote to sleep.
Our interval of repose was very short, for at half-past three
we moved again. We had eleven weary hours before us, whose
tediousness nothing could lessen or mitigate. I was now able
to enter into the feelings of the Israelites, who in their journey-
ings in the parched and sandy wilderness longed for the flesh-
pots of their bondage, and would gladly have endured the
agonies of a second servitude rather than a desert independence.
I could sympathize with the keen disappointment of these
emigrating tribes, when, instead of a land flowing with milk and
honey, they had to traverse a frightful waste, diversified by a
few tamarisk bushes and the prickly camel-thorn. We were
ourselves all inclined to murmur, and many times we regretted
having taken this route in the company of avaricious savages,
whose ferocity and insensibility we rather dreaded than admired.
The romance of an Arabian night tale, which once beguiled
the idle hours of boyhood, lost its charm in this tenantless
DISTINCTION OF BIRTH AND STATION.
13
waste, and neither the docile camel, the swift dromedary, the
prancing steed and the quivering lance, afforded me any
interest.
I was looking forward with strong feelings of emotion for the
halting place, and had it not been for fear of dying from want
of water, I would certainly have left the caravan and retraced
my way back again to Damascus. My mind and body sym-
pathized with each other, for whenever I soothed myself with
the idea that evening after all must come, another distracting
thought reminded me that I had more than twenty such days
before me, the discomforts of which would be constantly
aggravated. Thus with the pennant of hope half-mast high, the
unconscious camel, ignorant of the misery of its rider, walked
steadily along without ever deviating from the path or moving
out of the string. Towards evening the heat began to abate,
and a grateful breeze wafted a little fresh air along our lines,
and gave new energy both to man and beast.
At sunset the rising dust and the rolling columns of smoke
indicated that the van had encamped; we soon came up, and in
a few minutes all was quiet and silent. The camels were drawn
aside to graze on the few withered shrubs and thorny weeds they
could find, and both the speculating merchant and the crawling
slave stretched themselves, the one on his soft carpet, and the
other on the hard soil, to enjoy a grateful repose. After an
hour's rest, the fires were lighted and culinary activity com-
menced. It was a cheering sight to walk around the encampment
and see the various groups huddled round the blazing fires,
baking bread, sipping coffee, and smoking pipes; a stirring and
novel scene of life, and a world in miniature in a vast barren
thirsty region. Yet even in this silent waste the greatest dis-
tinction of birth and station was observed. The rich and
wealthy sat calm and collected, partaking of the pillaw and
sherbets, which the cringing slaves placed abundantly before
them, whilst the poor crouched around the inviting board to
catch the crumbs which fell from the great man's table. All
was order and decorum, as if the safety of each depended on the
general welfare of the community.
Our time for sleep was usually very limited, sometimes we
started at two, three, or four o'clock, very seldom later, and then
14
THE PLUNDERED SHEIK.
we never halted till sun-set. On the 25th, our sheik brought the
welcome intelligence that we should have only four hours'
march to the stage; no news ever afforded me greater satis-
faction. I mounted my camel with fresh glee and buoyancy.
The whole caravan appeared animated by the same happy
feelings, and songs and lively conversations resounded from
every moving group; even our camels, who seemed to smell the
distant water, shared the good spirit which pervaded the mass,
walked with rapidity, and made longer paces than usual. Whilst
we were thus defying glare and dust, a sudden halt was
ordered, and the cry of robbers simultaneously resounded from
every file and party.
Arabs! robbers! was now the watchword. Disorder and
confusion prevailed in the whole caravan; some looked after
their bales to see if they were all complete, others were
quarrelling whose camel should form the avant garde, whilst a
few poor travellers clung to their carpet bags, with a despe-
ration which evidently showed that all their worldly wealth
were contained therein. The din and wail rung over the far-
extended plain and fell grating on the air. The sheiks, who
had at the rumour of thieves immediately scoured the wide waste
to reconnoitre their dreaded enemies, came back, and in an instant
order was restored; all that had arms were commanded to form
a close line with the soldiers. The guns were unslung, pistols
primed, swords unsheathed, and every other missile weapon un-
dauntedly tossed with a defying mien in the air. It was a
magnificent sight to see upwards of a hundred men all armed
with lances, clubs, swords and daggers, dashing over the wide
plain, uttering the savage war whoop. As we approached the
wells, the consternation and noise increased, all was wild
disorder; the dromedaries of the sheiks were sauntering
backwards and forwards, now they were in front, then again in
the rear; some Arabs were throwing aside their loose garments,
others were filling them with small stones to ward off the
expected enemy; shrieks and yells burst from every throat,
and everything indicated the approach of a desperate foe.
But what was my amazement, when instead of a devouring
fiend, we met a downcast, desponding sheik, who had been
DIPLOMACY OF THE SHEIKS.
15
plundered of camels and goods, and sat bemoaning his irre-
trievable loss.
The unfortunate man now regetted that he had left the
caravan in order to be first at the water, and by the life of his
prophet averred that he would never commit such an im-
prudence again. A general consultation was instantly held, and
the caravan bashee, the most venerable sheik, was requested
to meet one of the robbers at a distance and parley with him.
The messenger was immediately dispatched to the Anizee, who
soon returned, and half an hour afterwards we saw an Arab
walking not far from our encampment with a proud and
overbearing air, as if he was thinking, "I am monarch of all I
survey." One sheik, clad in a tunic, so as to prevent his con-
cealing any weapons, timidly approached; they both sat down
on a patch of green weeds, and like old friends engaged in a
lengthened amiable chat. The sheik returned again, took a
complete piece of red cloth, a few coffee cups, tobacco, pipes,
&c., and laden with these, to an Arab, invaluable articles,
settled with the ambassador of the robbers, and in a few hours
the stolen camels, divested of their merchandize, were brought
back to their disconsolate owner. The affair was transacted in
such a short interval of time, and with so much composure, that
I really could not help admiring the diplomatic tact of these
descendants of Ishmael.
Our adventure occupied the minds and tongues of all till
night, when sleep, the soother of every care and suspender of
all toil, invaded our encampment, and unconsciously lulled every
one, except a few sentinels, into soft and calm repose.
We en-
joyed our sleep till the summons, "Up, and be doing," roused
us to activity. Rest had effected a wonderful renovation among
our spiritless travelling companions, and the merriest sounds and
wildest songs were heard in the camp. Every one considered
it a duty to be noisy: here one was collecting his luggage, and
cursing his fortune for going through the desert-there another,
amidst the vehement laughter of the drivers, fell from his
camel-in another place, was a merchant quarrelling with his
sheik about a sick camel; the merchant refused to commit
himself and his little property on the hump of a fainting and
1
{
16
TOO INTIMATE A COMPANION.
staggering animal, and the sheik swore that it was the best
in the caravan, the merchant threatened, the sheik grew
obstinate and enforced his command with a club, and the
merchant, fearing the overwhelming force, vociferated furiously,
and vowed eternal vengeance by the life of Allah and Ma-
homet. Biting and bickering sounds reverberated from every
little cluster of animated beings, till all entered on the track-
less path, when the turmoil, as by a magical influence, subsided,
and every one forgot his grief, either in eating, smoking, or
telling an adventurous story. The sheiks alone were the most
thoughtful, they trudged along in a profound reverie, which
was only interrupted when they rested to sip a little coffee.
This delicious beverage generally exhilarated their spirits, and
I was frequently amused to see a few tall thin sheiks alighting
from their dromedaries, and opening the little bag which con-
tained the apparatus. It consisted of a small copper pot, several
cups, and a tin of pounded coffee. A handful of dry weeds or
shrubs supplied the fuel, and in ten minutes the black contents
were ready and drunk.
Occasionally, one or two of the most dignified individuals in
the caravan were favoured with a thimble-full, and they felt
that a great honour had been conferred upon them. To-day
our sheik invited me to partake with him an hospitable cup;
I gladly accepted the proffered compliment, more for the sake
of the rest than a predilection for the mocha bean. I had only
been on the burning sand a second or two, when, overcome by
fatigue and exhaustion, I closed my eyes. Sheik Abdal
Kerim, my pretended friend, shook me by the shoulders, and
with a kind, though rough lift, raised me from my half-
dreamy state. Mechanically I mounted, and as the caravan
was about ten minutes in advance, one of the drivers, who had
remained in the rear, jumped at the same moment upon the
back of my tractable beast, and, to my great annoyance, kept
me close company. I remonstrated-he laughed-I moved on
the side-he clung faster to me-and before I could get rid of
him I had sufficient cause to regret having partaken of the
black juice of Arabia.
There is nothing more offensive to the senses, in the desert,
THE ARAB CHARACTER.
17
than a camel, after a few days march, without water, and an
Arab without his path. The former, after being without food
or water for several days, has the obnoxious smell of a walking
carcase. I was often obliged to have recourse to a bribe in
order to be led out of the string, either in front, flank, or
rear, just as the wind blew, so as to escape the painful
effects of the putrified effluvia, with which these worn out
animals poisoned the air. The latter, from the moment he
enters upon a journey till he reaches the place of destination,
never thinks of washing, or changing his dress; he has one
coarse shirt, and this remains on him till it actually is so filthy
and tattered that it would not be bought in the lowest rag-shop
of London. Still he is happy; his mind is buoyant, his spirit
serene, and his heart gay: he knows no sorrow, and seldom
suffers care to rankle in his bosom. His horse or camel, lance
or sword, is all his ambition; his consciousness of freedom, and
his sense of untrammelled liberty, makes him triumph over the
meaner thoughts and corrupt passions which pester walled
towns and thriving cities. The dreary desert is his home, his
tent his friendly hearth, and the whole clan his family; the
present is unruffled, and the future full of ideal prospects and
cnnobling hopes. Those who come in contact with the in-
habitants of towns, form a striking contrast to those who have
passed their days under the calm, serene, and cloudless sky of
an illimitable desert. The former are mean, sordid, crafty, and
cunning deceivers; the latter bold, intrepid, and undaunted
asserters of their uninfringed freedom. They rob and plunder
without ever considering their acts as criminal; they boast of
their marauding exploits, as the brave soldier of his valiant
deeds. Amongst some of the erratic tribes, a woman would
deem it a disgrace to link her fortune to one who has not
distinguished himself as a daring freebooter.
There is one redeeming quality amongst the migratory
tribes, they consider their pledge as sacred; and a true-bred
descendant of Ishmael will never give his promise, or eat
bread and salt under your roof, without protecting you with
all his influence and power. On one occasion I had several
Arabs in my house, with whom I was arranging to go to
C
18
ANXIETY TO VISIT PALMYRA.
Bussorah; whilst we were striking the bargain, my servant
brought coffee, the compliment paid to natives, but they
refused to drink; he then brought bread and dates, but they
declined to eat this appeared rather suspicious, and I post-
poned my agreement. A few days after, one of their friends
informed me that their object was to strip me of all my effects
near Sook-u-Shioukh, and then leave me to find my way to
Bussorah alone. Some of our companions in the desert would
gladly have followed the habits of their people, and taken
souvenirs from us, but the sheiks would have injured their
character and exposed themselves to serious consequences, and
this blunted their cupidity and fettered their hands.
Our route increased in interest as we advanced; we were
now approaching the mighty remains of Tadmor, Palmyra, the
City of Pillars, and the pride of the renowned Zenobia.
From the distance we could see, in the far horizon, the dark
shadowy mountains which cover this empire of ruins, appearing
larger than they were in reality, whilst their shapeless summits
shrouded in dusky vapour, through which now and then the
sun pierced, gave the whole landscape a most beautiful aspect.
We encamped, past mid-day, in a juxtaposition with Palmyra;
I could, with my telescope, almost count the shattered and
standing pillars, which, like a motionless forest, obscured the
blue horizon. My anxiety to visit the far-famed desolation
was intense, and as soon as our camels were unloaded, and
tents struck, I hastened to the sheik for an escort. The old
Arab was quite surprised at my hurry, and with a sarcastic
smile replied, "The stones have no wings, and what you
intend to see to-day can be postponed till to-morrow." Remon-
strance with an idle indolent party of Arabs, after a long
march, would have been unavailable, and perhaps have only
excited their virulence, so I retired to my tent, feasting my
imagination with the delightful sight which would regale my
eyes the succeeding morning.
According to the sheik's promise, long before the sun had
pierced the golden clouds which shaded its rising, I was again
with him. He was just engaged in sipping his eternal coffee,
and apparently in good humour. I was requested to sit down
DESIRE OF VISITING PALMYRA DISAPPOINTED.
19
on his carpet, but apologized, telling him that the sun would
not wait for me; and as it would soon get hot, I was anxious
to start at once for Tadmor.
"Tadmor," exclaimed he, "Agaiab,' don't you know that
the Anizee are encamped there, who, by the life of my beard,
will make you prisoner."
"If they do, sheik, you have nothing to risk.'
دو
Marshallah, have I not eaten your bread and salt, and are
you not my son? Nothing to risk! My face would be as the
blackness of night if anything unpleasant occurred to you."
66
Sheik, you have sworn and pledged yourself in Damascus
to conduct me to Palmyra, and a true son of Ishmael never
perjures himself."
I will fight every son of the Anizee; I will shed every
drop of my blood in your defence; I will heap sorrow and woe
upon your enemies."
And all this, with many other bold asseverations, he made
with such a serious air, look, and gesture, quite peculiar to
the imperturbable inhabitants of the desert, that I almost
credited what he averred. But still I would not yield entirely
to his evasions, and therefore with an unwavering deter-
mination insisted upon an escort to accompany me. This
exhausted his patience, and with a sudden impulse he sprung
from his seat, and bellowed out, loud enough to be heard
throughout the whole camp, "You can take all the soldiers
but if the Anizee surprise us, and seize all we have, you will
incur the responsibility."
He had scarcely uttered these words when scores of voices
opposed the proposition, and as my own party coincided with
the majority I was obliged to succumb. I afterwards engaged
two peasants from Palmyra to conduct me there and back, but
a short whispered conversation with the sheik produced a
refusal to do so. I now resigned myself to my forlorn hopes
and sat down on the shaft of a polished pillar, and, with
strained eyes, endeavoured to gain a distinct glimpse of the
broken columns, mutilated sculptures, and shivered white
porticos of the celebrated city of Zenobia-the Tadmor in
the wilderness. This renowned capital, whether founded by
C 2
20
LOSS OF MY CARPET BAG.
Solomon or a subsequent ruler, is in every respect worthy of
the fame which history and antiquity have assigned to it. Its
very position is sufficient to fill one with admiration and amaze-
ment-a splendid town in a desert solitude-luxurious marble
palaces in a region of death. We halted near the site of this
fallen and subverted fairy scene two days. We had now
five tedious and wearisome stages to accomplish before we
could again replenish our water-skins, this made every one
careful to guard well his precious liquid. In the evening, my
servant, a dull, unthinking Israelite, quite an anomaly, in-
formed me that he had lost my carpet-bag, containing my
whole travelling paraphernalia. I acquainted the sheik with
the accident; and when the whole caravan were sitting over
their evening repast, a crier went round, and on the top of
his voice inquired after the missing article, promising a hand-
some reward to the honest restorer. There was a great deal
of chatting and talking among the various groups, but the
eighth commandment was evidently not practised at Al-
Dchesira, for I never saw my bag again.
The next morning, with the grey streaks of a dubious light,
we were again on our trackless path. We travelled sixteen
hours, an exertion which utterly prostrated many of the
camels. Whole strings, only with great difficulty, limped
along, and several we were obliged to leave a prey to wild
beasts and carrion birds. We alighted at sun-set, and I ob-
served all our quadrupeds, as by instinct, kneeling in a crescent,
and raising imploring looks to their masters for relief from
their heavy burthens. The long stage, heat, and glare, had
drained all our strength and energy. Mrs. Vicars was dan-
gerously ill; Mr. Sternschuss, from the chafing of the pack-
saddle, lame; and my eyes so inflamed that I could not dis-
tinguish the nearest object: in fact, we were the pictures and
personifications of misery. The servants were, of course, as
tired as their masters, and the midnight hour had long passed
before any culinary implements cheered the glowing embers.
On the fifth day after leaving Tadmor, we reached Vaarah.
On this last day's journey we lost nineteen camels. It was a
painful sight to see these poor animals dragging along their
ABANDONING THE POOR EXHAUSTED CAMELS.
21
worn-out frames, till entirely exhausted they fell to rise no
more. The sheiks seldom endeavoured to lift a camel after it
lay down, they only unslung its load, and then abandoned the
moaning beast to the struggles of death till it expired. The
drivers alone manifested the greatest sympathy, they sang,
patted, and caressed the agonized creatures, and the least un-
kindness they would resent with most bitter curses, and not
unfrequently with heavy blows. During the last few hours the
solemn steps of our caravan, the plaintive notes of the shepherds,
and the gloomy countenances of the leaders, indicated the
depressed state of our cavalcade, and I am certain that another
day's exertion would have marked with fearful traces the route
along which our march extended. Towards night we came to
Vaarah, and the joy at the sight of water was inexpressible.
The sheiks and their slaves, in a second, had converted their
cloaks into troughs, and amidst a most confused excitement
allayed with the green and stagnant liquid the feverish thirst of
man and beast. I imitated the example of other travellers, and
like a true philosopher, indifferent to the shrieks and yells
around, pressed a passage through the impatient crowd, and
gulphed down the unpalatable stuff. The bustle and clamor did
not subside till late in the night, all lungs appeared then ex-
hausted, and had any of the Anizee or Shamar Arabs invaded
our camp, they might have carried off the camels and their
loads without awaking any one.
The following day we did not travel, but lingered away the
time between sleeping, reading, and writing, and many other
little occupations to which a journey in the desert subjects the
traveller. With dawn the next morning we were again on the
road. We had a fifteen hours' tract before us, long enough to
appal the stoutest heart. The heat was quite insupportable, and a
strong simoon blowing with great violence, aggravated our suffer-
ings. My face was blistered, my lips crusted, and my mouth filled
with sand, and dreadfully parched. I felt as if in a burning fur-
nace. My boots became too narrow, so that in riding I pulled
them from my feet, and almost every other heavy article of dress
I threw from my feverish frame. In my agony I recollected
that my matarah still contained a little water, this I applied to
22
EFFECT OF THE SIMOON.
my racked and giddy head, and experienced a grateful relief.
Some of my fellow-travellers covered themselves with their
cloaks and other garments, that gave them the appearance of
bales of cotton. Even the camels were annoyed by the hot
sand, and became unwilling to proceed. This withering blast
continued till sun-set; whilst it lasted the desert had the ap-
pearance of a vast rolling sea, dotted with innumerable circling
eddies, or so many masses of conglomerated vapours, which
under the gloomy lustre of the sun assumed the most fantastical
shapes and grotesque forms. The intensely hot storm of the
day was succeeded by a delightfully calm evening, and the
ardent toil was forgotten under the invigorating influence of a
cool breeze and a refreshing cup of tea. Late in the evening I
stretched myself on a patch of grass, which was evidently
struggling with the encroaching sand, and watched the brilliant
stars, as by groups they arose and illuminated the azure vault of
heaven. Nothing indeed could exceed the exquisite beauty of
these hours; the rest after painful exertions, the fresh air after
the burning blasts, and the revived and renewed feeling of all
the senses, were a luxury which I cannot describe.
Let those that revel in easy, joyous and downy affluence,
freely indulge in their soft and enervating pleasures; the un-
bounded desert, with all the hardships and difficulties of a
cheerless solitude, has attractions which fascinate and charm as
much as the glittering and gay circles of the festive hall and
joyous apartments. The very thought of dangers and trials,
privations and annoyances, in the midst of an untenanted surface,
elevates the mind, solemnizes the heart, and leads the whole
man to depend and rely on that Being whose presence fills with
sustaining confidence the desponding spirit.
I was sitting up late, and consequently my short rest had to
I was
do penance for it. We proceeded at three o'clock, A.M.
so heavy and drowsy that I anticipated every instant a roll on
the ground. Travelling on horses and mules is not very
pleasant by night, but on a camel it is quite agonizing.
heavy motion, and difficulty of balancing his body in descending
any elevation, always exposes the rider to the pleasant ex-
Unfortunately I
periment of tumbling clean over his ears.
His
TUMBLING OFF OUR CAMELS, AND ARAB REFLECTIONS. 23
tried this movement; my camel in descending a slight declivity
rested against another one, the baggage moved on the side, and
whilst I endeavored to steady myself, the whole cargo came in
a train down with me to the ground. Two of the drivers.
hastened to my assistance, and whilst they were blessing the day
and cursing the night, in one and the same breath, I was
expeditiously loaded on my groping animal, and mercilessly
driven forward. Some of my fellow travellers amused them-
selves with my misfortune; but before many hours passed we
descended a hill, and amidst the most immoderate shouts and
laughter of the drivers, three Albanians and two Arabs were
measuring their full length upon the gravelly soil. They were
not so fortunate as myself, for all of them were bruised and
wounded, and the driver of my string added to their agonizing
vexation and pain, by sarcastic cutting reflections that they were
either bad Mussulmen or possessed unlawful property; "For
how can it be otherwise," remarked this philosophizing Arab,
"a Gaour (Christian) falls in the darkness of night, on a bad
piece of road, and is uninjured; you tumble in the bright day-
light on good ground and are almost killed. Wallah, you must
be illegitimate offspring."
The misery of these poor people excited not a little merri-
ment among the pedestrian part of the caravan, and had not
the sheiks interfered, I believe the life-sized figures of a few
Stamboulees, and Bagdadees, would have been impressed on
the sand.
There is no animal more irascible than an Arab. The
smallest trifle will put him out of temper, and excite his rage and
passion. I have frequently seen parties of these swarthy sons of
Ishmael, sitting together engaged in most amicable and friendly
conversation, when suddenly a mortified look, or an ambiguous
expression, interrupted the harmony, and the social party
separated as the bitterest enemies, and most implacable foes.
These ebullitions of resentment among people of one tribe,
generally do not last long: a sheep, a little coffee, a pipe, or
even the gift of a handsome maiden, according to the rank of
the offended party, will bury all resentment in oblivion, and
effectually cement the bond of union among the conflicting
24
REVENGEFUL DISPOSITIONS OF THE DIFFERENT TRIBES.
individuals. But if disputes or quarrels arise between dif-
ferent tribes, the least spark is fanned into a flame, and each
will wage eternal war and inextinguishable animosity against
the other; and as the vindictive feeling of the uncultivated,
unrefined heart is fed by every incident, the most trivial
offence or aggression will bring the whole artillery of malice
into the field, and both parties will involve themselves in a
bloody, ruinous war. In the Persian Gulf I have frequently
seen, on account of trifles, whole districts in the most de-
vastated condition: the cattle had been killed, the fields
with their harvest burned, many of the houses demolished,
and the inhabitants reduced to indigence and poverty. A
feud, once stirred up among different clans, will flame beyond
the bounds of place and time; and, to the latest generation,
the hearts of the children will dilate on vengeance, till hate
and strife, unrestrained, are once more let loose, and then
both tribes, plunged in a bloody contest, expedite their
mutual ruin and destruction. The jarring element of dis-
sension lit in our caravan, at first affected only a few, but
now, like a fire among combustible materials, it rapidly
spread, and threatened a general outburst of animosity, when
suddenly a black flag, the signal of danger, was hoisted
aloft, and a peremptory halt ordered. All jealousy and rancour
were instantaneously hushed, and both the merchant and his
slave, the sheik and his servant, united in the greatest harmony
to oppose the common enemy. The thrilling and appalling
cry of danger had a magical influence upon every one; and,
though I did not see or hear the approach of a hostile party,
still my feelings partook of the general panic.
The very
anticipation of an inimical encounter in an open untenanted
waste, far from any human habitation, and in the midst of
a wild barbarous people, is sufficient to fill the heart with
terror, and swell the breast with fear; but the horror of a
desert attack is increased by the unexpected and sudden
appearance of the foe. One looks in all directions to discern
and espy the dreaded enemy, but nothing is seen or heard
except the illimitable plain, and the hum of countless insects.
All is silent, as if the icicles of death had congealed the very
FEAR OF MARAUDERS SUBSIDED.
25
I
life-spring of nature, when, with the rapidity of lightning,
a little cloud arises behind a hill, and, in a second, twenty,
thirty, and then scores of horsemen dash, with foaming steeds,
and trembling lances, over the wide-extending ground.
could not conjecture from whence the assault was expected,
but my servant, agitated and pale, in a few incoherent and
hurried words, gave me to understand that the sheiks had
seen fire. I looked in the direction pointed out, and, at an im-
mense distance, noticed a lurid cloud of smoke, rising at cer-
tain intervals, from the level plain. The excitement, which this
unexpected discovery caused, gave place to more deliberate
consultations, and at last it was concluded that we should
boldly face the enemy. The caravan advanced under the
depressing consciousness which fear inspires. The day had
already far advanced, but no one felt exhausted, or weary; all
in anxiety to escape the marauding wanderers, forgot the pain
and sufferings to which fourteen hours' journey had exposed
them. The sun, at last, set behind a beautiful atmosphere of
purple and gold, but the caravan moved on; the gentle twi-
light fell around us, still our progress continued uninterrupted;
the twinkling stars arose and sparkled in the blue sky; the
steps of our camels became feeble and almost tottering, yet
there was no sign of a halt; nine, half-past nine, and ten o'clock
passed; suddenly we descended into a deep dell, encircled by
round-backed tumuli, covered with soft, tender verdure. Here,
exclaimed the sheiks, we are safe; and, in the delicious
enjoyment of our fear-emancipated hearts, we slept tranquil
and undisturbed several hours.
With the morning star we rose again. My stiff and motion-
less servant was quite unwilling to get up; his head, legs,
neck, and shoulders, were all in pain, and he requested me
to let him die in the desert; I had no inclination to yield to
his wish, and, per force, roused him. The poor man, in
assaying to open his eyes, fell twice over cumbrous bales
and boxes. With promises and entreaties, I succeeded in
setting aright his wandering senses; and, to revenge himself,
he insisted on making coffee. I readily indulged him in this
whim; and in an unusually short time, the black juice was
26
DESERT ILLUSION.
ready and drunk. Our route, during the day, was most
circuitous and tedious; the caravan-bashee, in his solicitude
for our safety, led us over quite an unbeaten track, where
the hard soil was in many places fissured, broken, and torn,
and the unwary traveller, who forgot to keep a strict equi-
librium, had to smart for his negligence on the unimpressible
clods. We were, also, greatly tantalized by that most
deceptive phenomenon, the serab. I was perfectly well
acquainted with this atmospheric delusion, still I could not
resist my natural impulse, and twice asked whether we
were not approaching a lake shaded by trees, and a belt
of tastefully ranged shrubberies. This curious refraction
grievously disappoints the way-worn pilgrim, who yearns for
fresh water, and a shady retreat. Parched, exhausted, and
fatigued, his eyes wander over the glaring plain, and, to
his delight, he beholds a vast lake, inviting groves, houses
and domes in countless multitude; his steps become more
elastic, his mind more exhilirated, now he approaches the
fairy spot, he already in imagination swallows the delicious
draught, and reposes under umbragcous trees, when, lo! the
beautiful delusion is dissolved, and the oasis in the desert is
only a phantom vision.
Sickness, the invariable consequence of long privation and
indigestible food, also began to make impetuous inroads in our
travelling community. Mrs. Vicars was dangerously ill; a robust
Albanian in the gripe of death; and two Bagdadees gasping for
breath, and filling the air with groans and shrieks of despair.
Every hour a camel sunk exhausted near the putrified remains
The
of carcases, which had been left by previous caravans.
sweet fountains of sympathy and pity were closed by self-
ishness, and the lesson of mercy unheeded by Christians and
Mahomedans. The helpless sick were driven forward, contorted
We entreated the sheiks
with spasms and delirious with fever.
to shorten the stage, but all supplications were in vain. The
camels rapidly diminished, and all the Arabs affirmed that if we
protracted our march one day, we should have no animals to
carry us or our luggage to Bagdad. We were therefore com-
pelled to push forward and brave the toils which momentarily
ARRIVAL AT RUBEIZA.
27
increased. In the evening we were informed that the next
stage would terminate all hardships, no intelligence could have
been more welcome and diffused greater joy. We all mounted
at the appointed time; with longing eyes, every mound, hillock
and undulation elicited the inquiry "is this Rubeiza? is this
the village?" At mid-day the yearned-for spot, hidden in a
dense wood of date trees burst open to our view; a simultaneous
"Alhamdulallah," that rent the air above us, broke from every
line. The most impatient restlessness seized men and beasts;
the camels walked briskly, and seemed to scent the water; but
a new adventure awaited us. Upwards of fifty Bedouins
were seen loitering near the date plantation; disappointment
lent new energy to our escort, and with a desperate impetu-
osity they rushed forward, sending staves, lances, and balls in
the air. The hurried undaunted bravery of our escort, and a
few sheiks, intimidated the Bedouins; and, amidst the loud
shouts of the caravan, they decamped and hastened away. We
alighted on a smiling green patch of grass, surrounded by
sulphurous springs, whose clear transparent waters, notwith-
standing, the obnoxious and unpleasant taste, were quite a
luxury, after the fetid liquid we had been swallowing in the
descrt. The famished servants immediately procured dates
and bread, which I shared with them, and furnished with these
delicacies, I forgot all the troubles and fatigues I had
endured.
Our servant, for he acted in that capacity to Mr. Stern-
schuss and myself, now thought that he had performed
his task, and could divert himself a little; or, as the
natives call it, make heif; and whilst we united together in
grateful acknowledgments to that Providence who had so
graciously protected us on our perilous and hazardous journey,
he scampered off, and I did not see or hear anything of him
till near sunset; when I found him in a little hut, in the midst
of a large date-tree grove, surrounded by several Arabs, and
their fair dames, who listened to him with breathless amaze-
ment, whilst he gave a naire description of Europe, with all its
wonders. He did not in his graphic account omit himself and
his nation, (the Jews,) but dilated on the wealth and affluence
28
PRIMITIVE STATE OF THE PEOPLE.
of his brethren, with such an air of hauteur, that it extorted
from his audience the constant exclamation, "There is no power
and no strength, except in God." As I did not wish to deprive
this ragged collection of semi-savages of the benefit, pleasure,
and edification of my servant's entertaining discourse, I walked
quietly away to some other garden, where I was regaled with a
good draught of fresh milk and half-baked thin black and heavy
cake. Abdallah, Mr. Vicar's interpreter, who always scented
where anything eatable was procurable, came to me and with
wistful glance at the wooden milk bowl, enquired whether I had
tasted any of the good milk of Kubeiza; and taking the primitive
dish in his hand, placed it on his lip, and like a parched elephant,
emptied it of its contents. His thirst allayed, he fetched a
nargilee, and with this soothing companion laid himself under
a tree, with all the pride and importance of a big man, or a
Tchelibee. We were soon joined by some half-naked men, and
completely denuded children; the women, who appeared most
decent, were dressed in a coarse blue shirt, with a twisted rope
round their waists. This exhibition of savage life would put in
the shade the wild Esquimaux, the brutal Hottentot, or the
untutored inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean. The last who came
was a Mullah, a demure, filthy-looking personage, in whose
countenance was legibly depicted every vice of his people. This
exalted individual was received with a loud salaam, and from
his lofty mien, I at once recognized that he combined the secular
with the sacerdotal functions. When he was seated on his
rural couch, he took out of his dirty pockets a handful of dates,
and presented me with half and Abdallah with the rest. He
then endeavoured to display his superiority, by asking various
questions about Franghestan, and more particularly about the
Ingreese (English), the only people known in his geography; but
some of our auditory had already been so well informed on this
subject by my servant, that I was spared the trouble of replying
to this wise functionary's queries. Our religion now formed the
principal topic of conversation, and the Mullah was not a little
astonished when the interpreter told him that we did not believe
in Mahomet or the Koran. "La illah ill Allah," (there is no
god but God,) exclaimed he; "not believe in the Koran, the
SYMPATHY FOR THE SOULS OF THE ARABS.
29
Ingreese not believe in the Koran?" Abdallah gave him an
epitome of our creed, "By Allah, your religion is good," added
he. Poor simple people, they know nothing of their own reli-
gion, and consider every one in error who does not acknow-
ledge their delusion. Is there no one in Christian Europe who
yearns with anxious compassion for the welfare of the benighted
Arabs! Is there no one whose bosom burns with zeal for their
perishing souls! Shall the black tents of Arabia for ever remain
excluded from the general sympathy of Christians, and will the
unfading brilliancy of the immortal crown not animate some to
sacrifice ease, life, wealth, and comfort in this noble achieve-
ment!
When I returned to the encampment it was already late, and
the sentinels had increased their vigilance on account of the
pilfering inclinations of the petty tribes near
us, several
ragged drivers, thinking me an inhabitant of the village, with
clubbed sticks, like spirits summoned from the recesses of the
earth, rushed upon me, and with one blow would have felled
me, had I not possessed the presence of mind and thrown away
my Arab abah, which in the blaze of a brushwood fire
discovered to them their mistake.
They quite admired my bravery, and to make compensation
for the fright to which I had been exposed, forced me to
their bivouac, and persuaded me to take coffee with them.
Abdal Kerim, and two or three other sheiks were also invited,
but unfortunately the party was more numerous than the cups.
This however did not distress the ingenious carvaghee, it only
required a little more exertion of his salivary organs, with which
he wetted part of his ragged shirt's sleeve, and cup after cup
was rinsed and filled. I was still a novice, and ignorant of
desert independence and primitive life, and consequently could
not sip or swallow the whole dose, which the cup-bearer did not
regret, as he emptied it himself to the very dregs. I now
thought it time to join my own party, and stumbling over
several bales, bags, and motionless bodies, reached the spot.
Here all was dead silence; a few embers were glimmering in
the rural kitchen, near which my servant, drowsy and grunting,
sat smoking his pipe. I did not wish to disturb him in his
30
A BATH IN THE EUPHRATES.
reverie, and have a bed made, but threw myself on the ground,
bolstered the Abah under my head, and from dozing fell into
a profound sleep. At dawn the servants began to arrange the
luggage, and as their eyes were still dim with sleep, they threw
a whole establishment of saucepans, plates, and cups over me.
This heavy shower of culinary vessels, with the crumbs of the
last repast in them, brought me to my legs, and instead of an
apology or excuse, the cook, a Greek rogue, with imperturbable.
gravity, observed that he had watched the whole night to keep
my dinner warm, as it was the best we had tasted for fifteen
days; "And all this," added he with a sigh, "on account of a
few dirty Arabs." I had now ample occupation till the caravan
departed in washing the grease off my pantaloons. With bright
daylight we set out again. The camel I rode, the driver assured
me was the best, as the sheik had instructed him to mount his
friend well; but to my great surprise the poor drudge would
scarcely move, and was besides all over wounded, gory, and raw.
I would gladly have dispensed with the sheik's favour, but it
was in vain; the caravan was marching, the sound camels all
overloaded, and proceed I must. There was one consolation,
the stage was short, otherwise I should have been obliged to
walk. We passed several large encampments, whose chequered
appearance was pleasing to the eye, after the long monotonous
desert journey. The road we traversed was covered with lava,
and impregnated with salt.
We also passed several Naphtha springs, whose ammoniacal
and sulphurous odour was anything but pleasant. These foun-
tains are celebrated from time immemorial for their never-failing
bitumen, quantities of which were formerly mixed with building
materials, but since the destruction of the luxurious palaces and
stately halls of Babylon, it is only employed in daubing boats
and canoes. At eleven o'clock, A.M., we reached Hit, a small
town on the banks of the Euphrates. We dismounted close to
the river, whose refreshing stream infused new life into our
parched frames. Whilst all were busy and active in preparing to
cross the river, I enjoyed the luxury of a bath in the noble
Euphrates, whose waters, as in days of yore, roll in mournful
silence through the desolate region of this once mighty empire.
ARAB IDEAS OF THE MARRIED STATE.
31
The pleasure of a change was most grateful to my feelings, and
I evinced my delight by distributing most of my greasy garments
among the women and children, who had watched my lavarian
exercise with intense interest. In the afternoon we crossed the
stream in a boat, composed of shapeless logs of wood, coated
with gravel and bitumen.
We pitched our tents opposite Hit, and slept till dusk.
During the night the transportations continued without inter-
mission; and at dawn, when I quitted my little tent, which
proved a most uncomfortable abode, as the sand-flies and mus-
quitoes took unpardonable liberties with me, I found half the
caravan had crossed, and the other half was preparing to do the
same. At sunrise we breakfasted; our repast, which consisted
of bread, milk and dates, would not have tempted an epicure,
but it was a delicacy to us, who had for days only chewed a few
hard, rancid biscuits. Every boat now brought a transport of
women and children, who all hastened to see the harem of the
Franghee. Every effort to keep them at a respectful distance,
proved a useless and vain endeavour; and though Mrs. Vicars
was dangerously ill, they crowded her tent and minutely
examined her dress, and criticised her person. They were
quite thunderstruck to hear that she had come a journey of
four thousand miles, and were still more amazed to hear that
the Franghee had only one wife. A few quite sympathized with
Mrs. V's solitary position, and offered to be her companions, if
the Franghee would buy them. Unfortunate, degraded beings,
they know no happiness, and are ignorant of every moral, social
and domestic tie; their minds are debased, their hearts unculti-
vated, their feelings blunted, and they think and converse without
any reserve on topics the most nefarious, and subjects the most
obscure. The interpreter gave them to understand that Chris-
tianity did not sanction polygamy, but they could not at all
comprehend how a woman could find solace and comfort in the
affections of her husband, without being surrounded by those
of her own sex, who alone could share with her the burden of
her imprisonment and captivity. As the sun had already gained
several degrees of altitude, and continued to shed his burning
rays on our canvass covering, we left the inquisitive assembly
32 INTERESTING INTERCOURSE WITH KARAITE JEWS AT HIT.
in Mrs. Vicars' tent, and in company with half a score of
denuded Arabs, crossed the muddy Euphrates, and by a
causeway entered Hit, the ancient Is; which, according to
Herodotus, furnished many of the materials for Nebuchadnezzar's
famous capital. The town is a wretched collection of shapeless
sheds and huts, and so offensively disgusting, that without con-
tamination one could not traverse its streets and lanes. We
hastened to the black hovel of a Jewish silversmith, who kindly
conducted us to the house of Rabbi Isaac, the reader of the
synagogue. The worthy teacher of this isolated and despised
Karaite community* received us with the greatest cordiality, and
seemed quite delighted to see persons from distant Europe, who
knew the sacred language, and whose creed, according to his idea,
had so much of the purity of their own system of belief. After pipes
and coffee, we proceeded to the synagogue, a sable dusky room,
consisting simply of four smoked mud walls. The floor was
covered with a tattered piece of carpet, and a small stool stood
in one corner. I took my seat on the ground, and surrounded
by the whole Jewish population, entered into a friendly discus-
sion. They were evidently struck with the doctrines we
preached, and did not evince the least hatred, violence, or
opposition, against the blessed truths which we proclaimed.
The Rabbi escorted us to the ferry, and several times enquired
after the "Ketab Saheer," (meaning the New Testament,) which
he was anxious to possess, yet too timid to ask for. In the
afternoon, he and several other Jews returned our visit, and at
the same time brought a present of bread, eggs, and dates;
they remained upwards of two hours in my tent, and attentively
listened to the passages of Scripture which I expounded.
They acquiesced in all that was said, and dilated with delight
on a subject so important and momentous. We sold them four
Bibles, and five New Testaments, for which they willingly
paid. They told me that their number had formerly been very
considerable, but tyranny and oppression had extended their
withering curse to all classes, and visibly diminished the popu-
* The Karaites strictly adhere to the letter of the law, and reject all the
Oral traditions of the rabbinical Jews.
f
DEATH OF ONE OF OUR CONDUCTORS.
33
lation of every hamlet, village and town. These few isolated
and solitary Jews, hated by their bigoted, rabbinical brethren,
and strangers to those sympathetic ties that sweeten the bitter
waters which constantly mingle with the stream of life, can
only find comfort and satisfaction among the tombs of their
venerated sires, whose memory they respect and revere. They
appear, however, happy and contented in the midst of their
Ishmaelitish brethren, who suffer them, unmolested, to gain by
the work of their hands a poor but honest subsistence. We
protracted our stay at Hit several days, which time was pro-
fitably employed in continual intercourse with them. Our
journey now no longer extended over the frightful desert; on
the contrary, most of the plains were crowded with black horse-
hair dwellings, and animated by herds of browsing cattle. We
generally stopped by night near an extensive encampment,
where we procured an abundant supply of meat, rice, milk,
cheese, melons, and many other luxuries, for very little money.
Our rest was, however, always short, as at two or three o'clock
a noise in the camp announced the time of departure.
Three days before reaching Bagdad, a melancholy incident.
interrupted the hilarity and gaiety with which the approach to
the city of the Caliphs had inspired every one. Death, that
capricious and cruel tyrant, invaded our community, and, with
his unfailing shaft, pierced one of the strongest men in the
caravan. This grim intruder, wherever he makes his appearance,
leaves always tragical traces of his afflicting visit; but there is
something peculiarly affecting at the sight of a fellow creature
expiring in the midst of a desolate and strange country, far
from those whose soothing consolations, tender expressions, and
affectionate solicitude, can smooth the dying pillow aud assuage
the agonies of the last hour. I stood near him when the silver
cord of life separated itself from his tottering and throbbing
frame, and never shall I forget the convulsions, contortions, and
struggles of the poor Turk; with glazed and fixed eyes he
stared wildly, and would fain groan, shrick, or speak, but the
organs of speech refused their wonted service, and the rattling
phlegm in his throat, indicated that all the schemes which
instigated his passions and agitated his heart when he entered
D
34
END OF OUR JOURNEY TO BAGDAD.
upon his journey had reached their termination, and would no
more fill him with hope or fear. Most of the Arabs crowded
around him, and with all the cool indifference of fatalists watched
the last glimmerings of the quivering taper; and then with
united voice repeated for upwards of half an hour the creed,
"There is no God except one." The plaintive voices of this
wild chorus, in the darkness of night, and on the illimitable
plain, had a most saddening and depressing influence. In the
morning, the lifeless corse was tied in a basket, suspended on
the side of a camel, and carried along like a useless lump of
clay. It was an affecting sight to see a man who only a few
days before was in full vigour and bouyancy, and in the meridian
of life, swept in an instant from this busy scene, as if he had
never existed. The docile camel even seemed conscious of its
encumbering burden, and would scarcely proceed except when
forcibly driven on, and then it rushed into the body of the
caravan, and with its cold, stiffened load, jerk every one.
Several times I had the misfortune to feel this sensation, and
certainly it always made me shiver and tremble, and even now,
in transcribing this incident, although I have since then seen
death in all its shapes, still it fills me with terror, and sinks
my heart within me.
On the 18th of October we came in sight of Bagdad. Never
did my heart swell with greater gratitude to that kind Pro-
vidence whose gracious protection had so visibly been extended
to us, than when I saw the lofty minarets, towering date trees,
and swelling roofs of the once far-famed capital of Islamism.
We unloaded an hour's distance from the town, and soon the
friends of the sheiks, the relations of the merchants, and
others interested in the welfare of our caravan, came flocking
towards the camp to embrace and salute those whose absence
they had, no doubt, so long deplored. We were the only party
whom no eager expectants hailed, no acquaintance anticipated,
and no countenances welcomed us. We felt that we were
solitary and alone-strangers, and in a strange country.
A
CHAPTER II.
BAGDAD.
"The
BAGDAD, according to the Eastern writers, is styled
mother of the world, the lady of cities, the paradise of the
universe, the metropolis of peace, the tower of saints, the
assemblage of the nobles, the mine of beauty, and the origin
of learning and wisdom. The climate excellent, the water pure,
the soil fertile, and the air balmy."
It was built by Almans-am, A.D. 760, on the western bank
of the river Tigris: but whatever its grandeur and magnificence
may have been in the times of the Abassides, its glory has de-
parted, and its beauty disappeared, and the mind, stored with
the fiction of Eastern romance, searcheth in vain for the
remains of those palaces and halls which once were the abodes
of effeminate luxury and vicious indulgence. All the traces
of its ancient fame and renown are mouldered into dust; but
memory, unwilling to resign its fond and cherished feelings,
anxiously, though unsuccessfully, glances in all directions to
discover some building or ruin worthy of the capital of the
prodigal Haroun-al-Rasheed. From the plain, the town, sur-
rounded by a strong kiln-burnt brick wall, fortified by several
bastions, gives an imposing appearance; but, like every Eastern
city, the delusion vanishes as you approach. When I looked
upon Bagdad from our encampment, and saw the extensive date-
tree groves, intersected by ranges of houses and blue glazed
tapering minarets, it had a grand and imposing aspect; but,
as the poet says, "distance lends enchantment to the view;"
for no sooner did I enter its narrow filthy streets, than the
illusion vanished. In threading my way through its labyrinth
of lanes and alleys, my eye met everywhere the disgusting
and repugnant sight of naked, squalid children, and lazy, idle
men; the former gambling and rolling in the dust of the
D 2
36
MOTLEY ASSEMBLAGE AT THE BAZAARS.
unpaved streets, and the latter indolently smoking or sleeping,
under a thatched shed which constitutes the coffee shops.
The external appearance of the houses is not calculated to
convey any favourable idea of internal comfort; a brick wall,
intersticed with two or three apertures, covered with lattice
work to admit light, is the uniform aspect of the dwellings,
both of rich and poor. Only a few houses have windows
projecting over the path, where one generally sees four or
five Turks lounging on easy cushions, and whiffing their
chibouks; or, should the master be away from home, the caged
inmates of his harem may be seen timidly favouring the busy
street with a propitious glance of their gleaming dark eyes.
The Bazaars are the most attractive and fascinating spots
in all Eastern towns, but particularly so in Bagdad, where
one sees people of all shades and grades,-from the walls of
China to the shores of the Mediterranean, the haughty Turk,
sedate Arab, rapacious Bedouin, ferocious Kurd, cheerful
Persian, unhappy Jew, demure Christian, grave Hindoo, and
grinning African; and as all this mixed multitude howl and
vociferate in the confused dialects of Babylon, the din and
clamour is deafening. The shops correspond with the
barbarous appearance of the ragged mob; two long con-
tinuous rows of booths, either covered with date-tree branches,
or arched with brick and clay, to shelter from the fiery rays
of the sun in summer, and the heavy showers in winter, con-
stitute the scene of barter here, and in almost all the cities
of Turkey and Persia. The booths are recesses in the wall,
before which a platform of two feet is raised, to afford the
vender of commodities a place to exhibit his merchandize; or,
if customers do not importune him, to smoke, doze, or sleep.
The mornings are the most energetic periods of the day; in
summer, from seven to eleven, A.M., and in winter, from nine
A.M. to two P.M., the bazaars are crowded with buyers and
sellers, who occasionally, when in the very act of concluding
the long discussed and disputed bargain, are separated by a file
of camels, or a string of obstinate mules, who, indifferent to the
interests of the parties whom they divide, walk on amidst the
imprecations of the excited and virulent merchants, who wish
DISHONEST MODE OF TRAFFIC.
37
that they and their grandfathers* had never been born. I
frequently used to ramble through this confused scene of
clashing interests and jarring competition, not animated with
any feeling of interest or love of gain, but with the earnest
and anxious solicitude to direct, if possible, some person or
persons from the dazzling and delusive schemes of time, to the
solemn realities of eternity; from the attractive tinsel of riches,
to the incalculable and substantial treasures of heaven. Some-
times I squatted myself on a cushion, near a large turbaned
Mussulman, and talked about the Koran, or wedged myself
between four or five Jews, and conversed on the important
truths revealed in the Bible; to me, the former would allow
that lying was wrong, and the latter, that imposition was sinful,
yet the one and the other practised the same in my presence
with a perfect nonchalance, and requested me occasionally
to confirm the falsehoods they asserted. The most sacred oaths
and asseverations fall on the ear from every shop; the vender
usually asks an exorbitant price for all his wares, and the
purchaser, quite accustomed to this practice, seldom bids more
than a third; at this the shopkeeper assumes either a frowning
countenance, or breaks out in a most bitter strain of complaint
against the government, people, and the whole world at large;
this, however, does not in the least affect the stoical coolness of
the customer. After many personal and most vituperative
abuses, a trifle more is offered, at which the exasperated shop-
keeper, in a great rage, tosses the goods in a corner, and
soothes himself with his pipe. His neighbour, who has the
same merchandize,† watches with the most intense anxiety, the
concluding scene of the negotiation. Exhausted and wearied,
the impatient customer tears the price-disputed article off the
recess, swears by the beard of Abd-el-Kader,‡ and by the life
* The Mahometans, in the ebullition of their passion, generally extend
their imprecations to the parents and grandparents, and frequently to the
seventh generation.
+ Each trade and craft has its bazaar and proper name.
Abd-el-Kader is a Mahometan saint, highly venerated on account of his
exemplary piety, and the numerous miracles which are ascribed to him; he
lived in Bagdad, and his remains are interred in the largest mosque, which
bears his name.
38
SHOPS CLOSED ON SATURDAY.
of any one who may sit in the shop, that now he makes
his final offer; the conflict then becomes serious, the one
pretends he loses, the other affirms that he gains; at last,
after combating and fighting for half an hour, the shopkeeper,
for the sake of his Jiddo (grandfather), who was a pious
Moslem, sells him the article, with the condition that he must
not betray him to any one else, as he never before parted with
goods at so low a price.
About three o'clock, P.M., most of the respectable merchants
retire to their houses, coffee-shops, or beguile a few tedious
hours in a shady, cool garden. On Friday, or Yom-i-Jumah
(day of assembly), after mid-day, all business is suspended,
the Mahomedan merchants go to their mosques or harems,
and the Jews make their preparations for the Sabbath. On
Saturday no business whatever is transacted; for the Jews,
who have the monopoly of all the traffic and money, do
not frequent the market. In passing through the bazaars,
on the Jewish Sabbath, almost all the shops, with the exception
of cooks, bakers, fruiterers, and green grocers, are closed;
the greatest quiet reigns in these haunts of sordid passions,
and, as by a magical touch, the pursuits of gain and the
life-pulse of trade seem arrested.
Bagdad, in the meridian of its prosperity, and the zenith
of its splendour, must, according to all accounts, have been
worthy of that renown which tradition and history have as-
signed to it; but its glory is eclipsed, and its magnificence
buried in the dust, and the mind in vain floats back to the
period when golden trees, bending under their heavy loads
of precious stores, adorned the gorgeous halls of the renowned
Caliphs; the magnificent mosques, presided over by the most
learned men of the East, and the sumptuous palaces filled
with beauty and elegance, are all levelled and buried in the
clotted soil; and nothing but heaps of rubbish, and mounds of
shivered bricks and pottery, mark the traces of this celebrated
city. The only vestige of its entombed glory is the college,
or medresseh, of the Caliph, Mustanser Billah; it stands on
the eastern bank of the river, and was built in the year 630
after the Hejirah; for a long period it was the seat of Oriental
TURKISH INDIFFERENCE ABOUT SANATORY MATTERS. 39
learning and literature, pouring the light of science, art, and
taste over the whole of Asia; its professors were the ornaments
of the land, and its numberless students, nurtured within the
classic walls of its sacred retreat, shed a bright halo and
lustre around the diadem of its illustrious founder; it is now
desecrated to the ignoble purpose of a barrack for a barbarous
soldiery.
The most interesting and charming object is the Tigris; this
beautiful stream, lined on the eastern margin with one uninter-
rupted succession of strong and substantial edifices, intersected
by orchards and date groves, and on the western bank bordered
with a dense forest of date and orange trees, mingled with
a few shaded Arab huts, and enlivened by scores of boats, and
the hum of hundreds of busy men and beasts, forms a varied
and animated picture. In summer the stream is shallow, and
the water clear and transparent; but in winter and spring, the
rains and melting snows of Kurdistan generally change its
colour, and swell it to such an enormous extent that it fre-
quently overflows its banks and inundates the desert for many
miles in circumference. In spring, 1849 and 1850, the whole
country was overwhelmed with water, and the peasants and
caravans could only reach the town in boats. During the
summer months, wherever the water evaporated or became
absorbed, a most powerful vegetation shrouded the desert in
a green soft-matted carpet; but in the ditch round the wall,
and other deep places, the standing waters turned into stagnant
lakes, emitted a poisonous exhalation and deadly miasmata,
which generated fever, ague, cholera, and every other disease,
and converted the whole town into an hospital and sink of
pestilence. The local government remained all this time reck-
lessly indifferent, not a step was taken, not a plan adopted,
to drain off the water; the prosperity and happiness of the
people did not affect their flinty hearts, nor the sun of
humanity warm their selfish breasts. The groaning agonies
of the dying, and the piercing shrieks of the survivors, are
equally unheeded; the houses may fall, the streets be de-
populated, and the people waste, the Pasha is unmoved at the
anguish and despair of the suffering multitude; he is con-
40
LOW STATE OF LEARNING.
scious of the uncertainty of his position and the fallacy of his
appointments, and bent only on amassing wealth, which in an
hour of adversity may prove his safeguard and support, as also
his ruin and misery.
In contemplating Bagdad, as it was in the days of the
Abassides, when her streets were crowded by many hundred
thousands of busy merchants and industrious artizans, her
bazaars stored with the choicest products of Egypt, Arabia,
Persia, and India; her thousands of mosques and mesjeds
enriched with the munificent gifts and endowments of the
benevolent and affluent, and her palaces shaded by the foliage
of the vine and fig-tree, while the orange and lemon, and
many thousands of tufting flowers, filled the air with their
perfumes and balmy odours ;-in comparing this past grandeur
with the present withered and smitten aspect of the stronghold
of Islamism, the mind expatiates almost with terror on the
ruined glories and desolated paradise of the Moslem world.
The principal buildings within its shattered and broken walls,
are-the mosques of Sheik Abd-el-Kader, Sheik Shehab-u-
deen, the Jamah-el-Vizier (on the banks of the Tigris), and the
Jamah of the Maidau; and even these few, except the first, are
out of repair the other twenty-eight on the castern, and ten on
the western side of the river, are dilapidated and rotten, and will
ere long tumble into ruin, or prove convenient gutters for
all the offscouring and filth of the city. The medressehs, or
colleges, also bear the impress and stamp of religious stag-
nation. There is not a single school where students receive
a regular training; the whole system of education consists in
reading the Koran by rote, and in storing the memory with
a few of the sayings of the Prophets and Imams. Physic,
geometry, astronomy, and mathematics, which formerly were
cultivated with great care and diligence, are among the rising
generation mystical names; even history, which has ever been
a theme on which the Arab dilates with delight, as it records
the exploits and conquests of the founders of the Saracenian
Empire, is neglected, or the books are so scarce that the
student is prevented from following the bent of his inclination.
Some of the mosques, in former days, had large valuable
BALEFUL EFFECTS OF POLYGAMY.
41
public libraries, which were always open to the studious; but
since the government has become the administrator of all eccle-
siastical endowments and revenues, the income of many eccle-
siastics has been considerably curtailed, and that of the rest
sequestered for the use of the state. The professors and
divines who were thus unsparingly deprived of their income
and support, availed themselves of the libraries and other
valuable gifts belonging to their mosques, and by these sacri-
legious appropriations gained a penurious subsistence. Both
in Turkey and Persia I had manuscripts frequently offered
me, on which, in large characters, was written "Vokaf," or
sacred.
Ignorance and superstition, thus encouraged by the eccle-
siastics, must spread its demoralizing influence over all ranks
and classes of society, and engender those criminal and fla-
gitious crimes which at present are practised with impunity
throughout the East. The domestic comfort and felicity of the
people will easily be conjectured from their moral degradation ;
besides this, polygamy, that most fatal, deplorable, and un-
justifiable indulgence of the Arabian legislator, necessarily
draws in its train many incalculable evils and unhappy con-
sequences, and retards every mental and social progress.
There is scarcely a respectable family in the East, where the
baleful effect of this corrupt system does not exert its influence,
and is not keenly felt. The noble, virtuous, and estimable
qualities, which are the elevating ornament of the female
character, are unknown wherever this barbarous custom is
tolerated. In the harems of the great and noble, where four
women, and often double and treble the number of female
slaves are incarcerated, the most vile and dismal passions are
cultivated, and grow luxuriantly. Every breast swells with
hatred, and every heart is distracted with conflicting interests.
The slave, as well as the mistress, is assiduous to engross the
affection of the voluptuous keeper of this dismal receptacle of
his indulgence; and should any preference be shown to one,
the hatred and animosity of all the rest will be rivetted upon
her.
Most of the women of the East are devoid of all accom-
42
WRETCHED STATE OF THE FEMALES.
plishment, either of body or mind; they possess no fascinating
graces nor attractive charms; they have neither delicacy of
sentiment, nor elegance of expression; vulgar, obstinate, vio-
lent, malicious, revengeful, selfish, incapable of love and
tenderness, and destitute of all the beauty and gentleness
which captivate the heart, and render them estimable and
the ornament of society. Another evil is-most of the women
are married long before they understand the importance and
responsibility of the step; and as the husband generally never
sees his intended till the fatal die is cast, disappointed expecta-
tions, withered hopes, and delusive dreams, are his cruel lot,
and he can only lull himself into contentment with the opiates
which convenient Islamism, under such perplexing circum-
stances, affords its votaries; five or six shillings procures a
divorce, and the enslaved woman, a few weeks after the con-
summation of the marriage, becomes the prey of another
tyrant, or, as many of the Persian females do, subsists on the
miserable wages of iniquity.
If the woman belongs to an ancient family, or is connected
with any noble house, the husband dare not proceed to ex-
tremities and rid himself of this courted encumbrance, but
he endeavours to compensate himself by purchasing a white
Circassian slave; or should his bride be very indulgent and
complaisant, he may unite himself to the daughter of a friend,
a neighbour, or a lady of his own tribe. This liberty may, how-
ever, prove a chastising rod in the hand of his haughty
mistress; for should the new intruder possess any qualities
by which affection is attracted, and love and attachment
acquired, jealousy and resentment will fill the heart of the
defeated rival, and vent itself in vollies of abuse, and some-
times in more sentient demonstration, on the submissive and
patient husband.
Some Mahomedans of note and influence assured me that,
whenever they bought a present for their women, they could
not venture to present the gift to one in particular, for fear
such an unintentional preference might kindle the fire of envy,
and fill the house with rancorous strife and implacable ma-
lignity; their usual mode was to throw the purchased articles
DWELLINGS OF THE RICH AND POOR.
43
on the carpet, and let each help herself. Others are fre-
quently compelled to engage separate houses for their respec-
tive wives, for fear the malevolence of the contending rivals
should terminate in a tragical catastrophe. The unhappy
offspring who are reared in these hothouses of malice and
lewdness, scandal and pollution, are from their infancy inured
to all the impure, loathsome, and abandoned practices of their
immoral parents. If the espousers and apologizers of Islamism
had only a faint glimpse of its destructive and immoral ten-
dency, I am certain that they would check their pens, and
convert their unmerited panegyrics into severe satire and
violent invectives.
The external, prison-like appearance of the houses, is an
indubitable index of their interior gloom; four or five rooms,
scarcely ever visited by the cheering rays of the sun, with
an open tower, or hall, facing the court, uniformly constitute
the dwellings of the rich and opulent, and even these cannot
claim any title to comfort or magnificence. The furniture
invariably consists of a divan, carpet, and a few old bottles
and cups, which are ostentatiously paraded in the recesses, with
which every room abounds. The harems of the nobility and
gentry are generally luxurious, having carpets, soft cushions,
and rich quilts, in profusion. In the house of the Commander-
in-Chief, in Shiraz, where I was privileged to dine, in his
dormitory I counted upwards of seventy coverlets, and forty
large cushions, which were all piled at the top of the room
for ornament. The houses of the poor and labouring people.
are wretched and miserable in the extreme; for they are neither
calculated to shade from the scorching sun in summer, nor the
inclement weather of winter; but nature, as it were, has
supplied this people with a frame which is able to brave heat
and cold, and they live in their hovels enclosed in mud walls,
and crowded with women, children, donkeys, and sheep, as
merry and contented as if care and trouble were too delicate
to enter these disgusting and filthy abodes.
The native topographers have most glaringly belied Bagdad,
in saying that its climate is salubrious, and calculated to develop
and enlarge the mind and understanding; for whoever spends
44
BAD CLIMATE OF BAGDAD.
a summer within its heated walls, will avow that, if it promotes
anything, it is mental depression and physical lassitude. From
May to October every exertion is a toil, and life an encum-
bering burthen. Most of the inhabitants pass their days in
surdaubs, or subterraneous chambers, which are well adapted
to exclude the sun, though I have frequently seen the ther-
mometer range between 98 and 102 in these deep vaults. By
night, all the inhabitants retire to the roofed terraces of their
houses, to breathe the hot air of the desert, or to smoke their
pipes and sip their coffee. Every terrace must have a parapet,
to prevent the curious from gazing into his neighbour's
unroofed bed-room. In the Christian quarter this precaution
is not so strictly observed; in fact, they imagine the less
decorous and the more bold they are, the greater their ap-
proximation to European life and manners. Many of their
roofs have only palisadoes, and the privacy of these sleeping
apartments is not the most attractive or pleasing sight. Some
sleep on mats, others on carpets and mattresses, a few only on
bedsteads. Sometimes, when Mr. Sternschuss and myself had
been out to visit a friend or acquaintance, and returned home a
little late, our fair neighbours, if they were not in the arms
of Morpheus, without any hesitation would halloo out, and
enquire where we had been, and how we had passed the
evening, and many other familiar questions, without ever
doubting the propriety of such affability and indelicacy.
Towards November the heat abates, and autumn, with its
sickening blasts and sand storms approaches, and the serene,
cloudless sky assumes a misty and scowling aspect. A few drops
of rain, "like angels' visits, few and far between," occasionally
descend, harbingers of glad tidings, announcing the approach
of more copious and refreshing showers. At the end of Decem-
ber, the rain pours down in torrents, and the parched and
gaping earth sucks in the delightful draughts, and the burnt
and withered soil, within a fortnight after, is decked with a
superabundant fertility, and covered in many places with the
loveliest verdure. In February the sun with all his lustre
pours his mild invigorating influences over the decaying trees,
and infuses new life into the dismasted date and the leafless fig
MAL-GOVERNMENT OF THE PASHAS.
.
45
trees. The air becomes balmy, and the most delightful fragrance
is inhaled from the various groves which, with their dark
foliage, crown the banks of the Tigris. The country, notwith-
standing the richness of its soil, and the almost spontaneous
produce which nature yields, is still very poor and rapidly
declining in its importance. The extortions and oppressions to
which the agriculturist is subject, and the dread in which he
constantly lives, lest the bountiful reward of the labour of his
hands should be seized, make him hesitate to touch the fields.
whose produce may prove his ruin; the consequence is, that
the best lands lie barren and uncultivated, and the peasant,
whose natural indolence inclines him to inactivity, looks at the
waste ground with folded arms, without a sigh or a pang.
The withering and blighting influence of mis-government not
only extends its baneful effects to the tillers of the land, but
commercial interests are also retrograding under an arbitrary,
oppressive, and tyrannical rule. The few articles which are
manufactured in the town are too contemptible to merit notice.
Arab cloaks, headcloths, and Ezars, or silk veils, in which the
women wrap themselves when walking abroad, are the only
things in which they excel; the number of looms employed for
these purposes are daily diminishing. Wood, cotton, and silk,
are in abundance; and under a just, wise, and equitable
government, this place from its position between Syria, Persia,
and Arabia, might be made an emporium of commerce, and an
inexhaustible treasury, whilst at present the people are drained
of their last farthing by the open violence of the Pashas, and
the secret connivance of inferior extortioners, whose only object
is to squeeze and despoil the people, without considering the
injury their mal-government inflicts upon the country.
CHAPTER III.
POPULATION OF BAGDAD.
MAN, like a plant, grows, thrives, and flourishes, under the
genial influence of those methods which Infinite Wisdom has
ordained for the development and perpetuation of the human
species; but wherever debasing indulgence and imbecilitating
vice predominate, the very juice of the vine becomes poison, and
every blessing is turned into a curse. The corrupt doctrines
of the Arabian legislator, and the vile passions which ooze out of
his system, fully demonstrate this; and the most inveterate admirer
of Mahomed, must admit that his Koran is very prejudicial to
the spiritual and intellectual improvement of man, and the
general welfare of society. A cursory glance at the population of
Turkey and Persia are a tangible proof of this assertion. Where
are the crowded cities, the happy multitudes, the smiling fields,
and the busy scenes of commerce and manufacture? I might, did it
not break the thread of my narrative, advert to Hira, Anbar, and
Ctesiphon, or cities erected by the desert conquerors themselves,
as Bussorah, Kufah, &c., but I will confine myself to Bagdad.
This city in its palmy days contained a million of people, who, as
the native historians state, were all either potent nobles or
merchant princes; their houses were palaces, and their slaves.
the youth, bloom, and beauty of Europe and Asia; whilst at
present it scarcely contains the eighteenth part of this vast
population, within its desolate and debris covered area. Ac-
cording to the latest census, it counts within its wall, 40,000
Mahomedans, 1500 Christians, and 16,000 Jews. The latter, as
a striking illustration of the decay of Moslem power, wealth,
and industry, are the governing element of the place. They have
their stored booths in every bazaar, occupy all the principal
caravanseries with their merchandize, and entirely control the
business of bankerage and monopolies. They are all strictly
FLAGITIOUS CONDUCT OF THE RABBIES.
47
rabbinical Jews, superstitious, bigoted, and intolerant; full of
zeal for the Talmud and the traditions of the elders; scrupulous
in the performance of all external rites of religion; ostentatious
in their charity, piety, and devotion; tinctured with all the
vices of their Mahomedan oppressors, and the errors of their
pharisaical forefathers. They have three large and six small
synagogues; the former are capable of holding 2000, the latter
from 100 to 600 individuals. Their rabbies are proud, haughty,
vain, and capricious men; neither distinguished for their abilities,
nor admired for their wisdom. Cunning and presumption
qualify them for exercising a despotic sway over their com-
munity. There are three who constitute the Jewish tribunal,
and before whom all complaints are brought, and professedly,
according to the merits of the case, are adjudged. These
administrators of the law, however, are not always guided by the
rules of honesty and integrity; intrigue, fraud and bribery keep
the balance of justice, and woe to the individual who makes
himself obnoxious to their rule. During the last few years,
many of the Jews, weary and tired with the arbitrary proceed-
ings and flagrant corruptions of their rulers, who for a bribe
compound the greatest offence, contrary to the rabbinical inhibi-
tion, submitted their grievances rather to the ambiguous judgment
of Mahomedan infidels, than Talmudical bigots. This irregular
conduct excited the boisterous virulence of one, and pungent
invectives of the other party, till at last the passionate recrimi-
nation vented itself in vindictive ebullitions of temper. Ana-
themas were fulminated against the insubordinate and unruly
party, who retaliated, verbatim, with the same spiritual weapons.
The affair was brought before the Pasha, who was no loser by the
contest, for as both parties were solicitous to propitiate his favor,
large and costly presents were lavished upon him in abundance.
His Excellency, however, without investigating or examining
the merits of the question at issue, like a true Eastern magistrate,
according to the value of the donations poured in upon him,
decided the combat, and the result was in favor of the rabbies.
The Jewish tribunal was thus again restored in the amplitude of
its power, and the most malignant charges and flagitious crimes
were imputed to those who ventured to submit their claims to
48
BAD EFFECTS OF RABBINISM,
the arbitration of a Mahomedan judge. This unholy crusade
was carried on against all persons who disobeyed the rabbinical
decrees, and since the Turkish authorities give credence to the
most improbable and absurd evidence, without questioning the
veracity of witnesses, whose long course of vice may have
hardened them in infamy, so that they feel no remorse at the
turpitude of perjury, many individuals were irretrievably
ruined, and driven to wretchedness and want.
Besides this despotical hierarchy, there is a secular chief,
Nasi, or Prince of the Captivity. This dignity, in the reign
of the Caliphs, conferred both distinction and power; but,
since the Mogul invasion, and the many unhappy vicissitudes
to which the town, under different masters, has been subjected,
it has become a mere title of courtesy, which, till within the
last few years, was borne by the most ancient and esteemed
family; but now it is indiscriminately given to the richest
merchant, without any regard to his origin or character. The
present Nasi was a common servant, in the employ of a Jew;
he is a cunning, deceitful man, superstitiously bigoted, and most
uncharitably intolerant; his principal business is to transact all
government affairs of the Jewish community, and this places
a tremendous power in his hands, which he often wields to
the detriment of his people, and the aggrandizement of
himself.
The sixteen thousand Jews of Bagdad, being more than
a fourth part of the entire population, are divided into two
classes, Persians and Arabians; and to the most careless ob-
server, the cringing, slavish, and degraded appearance of the
former, and the proud haughty mein of the latter, must offer
a striking contrast. In learning, some of the Bagdad Jews
greatly excel, though as a body they are ignorant, degraded,
and immoral. The gloomy and pernicious tenets of rab-
binism, which constitute the basis of their education, not
only shroud them in the mist of prejudice and intolerance,
but make them hate every improvement, and bind their
intellects in the worst chains of mental bondage. Their
teachers, who are only animated in their zeal by a despicable
selfishness, carefully close every avenue through which light
JEWISH SCHOOLS FOR THE YOUNG.
49
and civilization might penetrate,-even the vernacular language
of the country. A knowledge which would prove a great
acquisition to the merchant and banker, is interdicted in their
schools, so that among a hundred Jews often not one is found
who can read or write Arabic, the majority know no more
than how to repeat by rote the prayers of the synagogue, and
with this they are satisfied and content. The whole system of
training the rising generation is most deplorable. There is not
a single school where any useful knowledge is instilled into
the tender minds of the young; they learn to write and read
a little Hebrew, just sufficient to join mechanically in their
public prayers, and to keep, at some future day, an account
of their debit and credit; any instruction that might develop
the mind, refine the heart, and elevate the soul, would be
considered blasphemy and impiety, and be severely repre-
hended by the Jewish authorities. The system of teaching,
and the plans of education, if they promote anything, it is vice
and wickedness. The very appearance of the establishments
for the diffusion and perpetuation of rabbinic Judaism, impress
one with the mournful fact that lust and passion are fostered
with greater solicitude within their sullen walls, than those
sublime truths which infuse the love of God, and teach the
young souls those lessons of wisdom which would enable them
to bear the rude shocks and hot trials of this boisterous ocean
of our existence. The first time I visited the principal school,
which is connected with the large synagogues, my mind quite.
recoiled from the sight I witnessed. Upwards of five hundred
children were squatted together in a dark gloomy room; some
were sleeping, others speaking, and a few with loud voices, ac-
cording to their own impulse, repeating scraps of their lessons,
without any decency, reverence, or decorum. The schoolmaster
himself, a demure-looking man, whose neglected dress and
uncouth appearance plainly bespoke his unfitness for the moral
training of others, was wedged in between ten or twelve youths,
whom, amidst curses and imprecations, which with great
rapidity flew from his lips, he was instructing in the obscene
and nefarious book called Nidah. I requested him to show
me the book, and pointing to the passage he was expatiating
E
50
SHAMELESS TEACHING OF IMMORALITY.
upon, I said, “O Chacham, do you suppose that such precepts
as you inculcate into the sensitive minds of your pupils, will
promote their spiritual progress, and steel their hearts against
the soul-polluting corruptions which these poisonous pages
must impress on their thoughts and feelings?
He looked at me with perfect amazement, and then said,
"They are all going to be married in a short time."
"How old are they?"
"Between fourteen and fifteen."
"Do you imagine that by acquainting them with the most
contaminating and demoralizing evils, you furnish them with
an antidote against their future development?"
"No; but since they are all the sons of learned and rich
men, it is necessary, before they enter into the conjugal state,
that they should have read the book of Nidah."
“I tell you what they ought to know, the Word of God.
This will teach them the grand object for which life was given,
make them good husbands and affectionate fathers, and in-
dustrious and useful members of society."
The Chacham doubted my assertions, and the book of
Nidah, which taints the character of the Jewish youths with
hues of the darkest dye, continues to be preferred to the
instructions of infinite wisdom. Thus, wherever rabbinism.
reigns with undisputed sway, immorality is carefully fostered,
and sin and iniquity do luxuriantly grow.
It may easily be imagined with what contempt these people
looked upon missionaries, whose avowed and determined object
was to guide and lead them into the way of truth and life.
Excluded from all intercourse with Europeans, and confined
within their sun-burnt desert, they look upon themselves
with approving complacency and childish vanity; in fact, they
congratulate themselves upon their superiority over their
neighbours, and think that they are entitled to veneration
and esteem, on account of their intellectual dignity and
uncommon virtues. The Pharisaical pride which animated
their haughty forefathers, has still its germ in the breasts of
their self-righteous descendants; the pompous ostentation of
piety, and rigorous punctilious adherence to the traditions
CONTEMPT OF MISSIONARY EFFORTS.
51
of the elders, they consider as meritorious as he who with
an audacious bold front exclaimed, "God, I thank thee that
I am not as other men are." Their knowledge is scanty,
and their views narrow and confined; they have no idea of
anything beyond their own sphere of vision, and consequently
feel no anxiety to burst the rusty fetters of darkness, dullness,
and ignorance, which for so many centuries have kept their
minds in iron bondage and mental slavery. Like their
Mahomedan neighbours and masters, they are full of pre-
judice, intolerance, and superstition; they pride themselves
on their origin, and delude their minds with dreams of future
triumph and glory; their past history, though one successive
tale of painful vicissitudes, has not damped their hope, nor
cooled their ardent expectations. They are despised, reviled,
buffeted, scorned, and plundered; but they have a sustaining
confidence in the promises of their prophets, and look at
their dispersion as an evidence of their future restoration.
Like their haughty ancestors, they scorn and reject the true
Messiah, and with an intense gaze they turn to Zion, and
with yearning impatience expect the advent of a temporal
prince, who will subdue their enemies, revenge their suf-
ferings, build up the temple of their captive seer, and restore
the departed glory of their nation, in that land whose history
is engraven on the heart of Jew and Gentile, and which has
been consecrated to the peculiar abode of the Shechina, and
is emphatically styled "the City of God." This people, who
in their desert plains had thus for centuries indulged in the
vain delightful dreams of future conquests, achievements, and
uninterrupted happiness, had never heard or read anything
about our holy religion; and their amazement was, therefore,
greatly heightened when they saw three followers of the
despised and rejected Nazarene in their place of exile, with
the avowed purpose of teaching them a religion which they
had hitherto regarded as a system of gross idolatry and
palpable errors. Curiosity, however, led many to our house;
the rabbies themselves, attracted by the novelty, thronged
our courts and rooms; the judicious discourses and pious ex-
hortations aroused some, and shook the settled belief of others,
E 2
52
DESIRE IN SOME TO KNOW THE TRUTH.
and a feeble light was gradually rising, which threatened to
disperse the impenetrable darkness that had enshrouded the
plain of Shinar; a few came for instruction, and others to
attend the daily Hebrew services. The rabbies now discovered
their mistaken liberality in allowing their people to have free
intercourse with Christians, whose doctrines were not founded
on some self-spun cobwebs, or on a speculative fanciful belief,
but on the eternal truths spoken by Moses and the prophets.
They now waited with anxious solicitude for a favourable
opportunity to pour their full-charged cup of enmity and
hatred upon us and our efforts; and this longed-for moment
at last arrived: two Jews, one of them related to a high rabbi,
and a very intelligent man; the other, like most of the Jews
here, ignorant, but sincere and candid, declared their con-
viction of the truth of the Christian verity, and expressed
great eagerness for instruction; their wives and friends, and
the Chachamim, endeavoured to dissuade them from their
purpose, and as all efforts to shake their firmness and ad-
herence to the truth failed, bastinado and imprisonment on
false and flimsy pretexts were submitted to their option, and
the struggle and conflict in their hearts was, indeed, hard
before they decided. The rabbies themselves were amazed
at their constancy, and openly declared that wicked spirits
abetted our cause, and infatuated those who came in contact
with us. They were now determined to arrest the progress
of the Gospel, both by open violence and secret cunning.
Every avenue leading to our house was closely watched, and
every street guarded by vigilant spies; menaces and threats
were used to intimidate the weak and poor, and excommuni-
cations to frighten and terrify the rich and potent. Our trials
were great, and our discouragements many; but faith, the
sovereign remedy and solace for all the calamities that cast
a cloud and throw a dark shadow around our existence, sup-
ported and sustained us in our troubles, and urged us to
prosecute our work with greater energy and redoubled vigour.
The Chachamim and their abettors were, however, not inac-
tive. Both in the synagogue and public market, they declaimed
against us and deprecated our efforts; and, as the Jews in this
DETERMINED OPPOSITION OF THE RABBIES.
53
part of the world are not so very sensitive, they had recourse
to the most vile and iniquitous threats in order to intimidate
and deter any one from coming to us; the dread of punish-
ment, and the outrageous clamour of the leaders and teachers,
produced the desired effect; though, at the same time, the
exhibition of principles so opposed to the better feelings of
our nature, opened the eyes of some, and filled them with
disgust and abhorrence for the tenets of rabbinism. The
pugnacious rabbies no longer restrained in their animosity
to Christ and to the Gospel, gave uncontrolled scope to their
rancour and resentment, and on March 27th, 1845, the
suspended sentence of a terrible excommunication, attended
with the blowing of a horn and the unrolling of the books
of the law, was finally fulminated against us, and any one
who should hold intercourse with us; in fact, their anxiety to
obstruct all communication with us induced them to interdict.
even the outskirts of their quarter, where the Jews generally
resorted on Saturday, to waste in idle gossip and drunkenness
the heavy hours of the Sabbath, and which frequently proved
a convenient place for preaching and distributing tracts.
On the same day that the interdict was published, a Jew
called, and invited us to his wedding. We felt some hesitation
in yielding to his solicitous request, as we apprehended that
our presence might impose some restraint on the hilarity of
the hymeneal party; but as the host assured us that all his
Bagdad guests would not afford him so much pleasure as
ourselves, we then accepted his polite invitation. Some time
after sunset, the bridegroom dispatched a messenger, to inform
us that "all things were ready, and that we should come to the
marriage." (Matt. xxii. 4.) On arriving at the house, our guide
conducted us through a low and obscure passage, into a large
square court, filled with drunken men and noisy children,
whose grotesque and variegated costumes, gave the festive
house a wild and singular aspect. We were ushered into
a spacious open hall, surrounded on all sides with divans and
cushions, on which the rich and potent complacently drank their
wine, smoked their pipes, or listened to the discordant noises
which the rude instruments of a few ragged musicians produced.
54
:
INVITATION TO A JEWISH WEDDING.
The uppermost places at the feast were, of course, occupied by
the grandees and rabbies, and, as a peculiar honour, we had
places assigned among these distinguished personages; a pri-
vilege to which we did not aspire, and I am certain many of the
rabbies did not think us entitled to, or worthy of. This farce.
of etiquette among Asiatics of all denominations, is a frequent
cause of jealousy, and the host is sometimes wearied and per-
plexed in his mind in making the arrangements about pre-
cedence, so as not to give offence to any one of his guests.
The rabbies are most fastidious in matters which affect their
pride and vanity, and, with the greatest arrogance and pre-
sumption, they will, on every public occasion, monopolize the
chief places like their proud, insolent, and self-righteous fore-
fathers, they love "the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief
seats in the synagogues." Our reception by the elite, and
every one else, was quite gratifying; the most flattering com-
pliments were lavished upon us in profusion, and all pretended
to cherish feelings of the highest regard and esteem for our
persons. But as these impertinent and unmeaning flatteries co-
piously flow from the lips of every Oriental, we knew their im-
port, and consequently retained a taciturnity, which convinced
our hospitable entertainers that we were unaccustomed to reply
to such vain and heartless falsehoods. The party in the hall
and court, must have exceeded two hundred persons, besides a
large number of women who occupied a separate part of the
house, (men and women here never associate together,) and by
their yells and monotonous shrieks, occasionally reminded their
gay and jovial consorts that they also copiously participated in
the joys of the bridal board.
This numerous nuptial party amused and diverted themselves
by smoking caleroons, eating sweetmeats and drinking copious
draughts of arrack, an ardent, inebriating beverage. Many were
completely intoxicated, and their gambols and antics might have
done credit to the most desperate band of bacchanalians, that
ever consummated their orgies in the purlieus of a most noted
London gin-palace. People in the East have no idea of mo-
deration in eating and drinking, and they would rather suffer
the greatest physical inconvenience, than impose any restraint on
DISGUSTING CONDUCT OF THE JEWS.
55
their detestable propensities. The only individuals in this large
assembly who did not degrade themselves by copious libations
from the "fire-water" cup, were the Chachamim and a few of
the grandees; the rest were all in physical disorder and mental
giddiness. This kind of feasting, which generally continues
seven days, is always connected with the happy ceremony
which links the fortunes of two beings together. The rich as well
as the poor cheerfully conform with the custom; the latter
willingly spend their last mite in order to provide abundantly
for this joyous occasion. One would almost imagine that
parties who enter into this felicitous state under such auspices,
must dream of nothing else but bliss and delight; but their
elysian existence is in many instances of short duration. The
festivities which presaged so much visionary bliss to the new
married pair, are often followed by grievous disappointment; the
husband who, before his marriage, had little if any tète-â-tète
conversation with his fair partner, finds her unequal to his
wishes; and withered expectations, disputes, disgust, and hatred,
which supplant every spark of affection, follow rapidly in the
train, and within the circuit of twelve months, both have
experienced the sweets of marriage and the bitters of divorce.
The courteousness of the Jews and the hospitality of our host,
were most flattering; all delicacies were placed before us, and on
all sides (as if our digestive organs were of steel) we were
importuned to partake of the luxuries of the feast. At half-past
nine o'clock, formidable long planks and logs of wood were
brought into the hall, to provide tables for dinner. The boards
were placed horizontally on the logs, and in the course of five
minutes the whole place was covered with tables sufficient to
accommodate the majority of the guests. Cloths, knives and
forks, were articles unknown in Paradise, and Asiatics, therefore,
out of esteem and regard for the customs of their venerated
sires, do not wish to supersede them. The smoke of the pipes,
the smell of arrack, and the howlings of the musicians, had
already given me a terrible headache, and as the steaming
viands were not calculated to relieve it, we made a humble
apology, and, with the gracious salaams of all, quitted the
jovial assembly.
CHAPTER IV.
VISIT TO ANCIENT BABYLON.
I FREQUENTLY intended to visit the interesting and remarkable
site of ancient Babylon, but a multiplicity of engagements al-
ways deprived me of this longed-for trip. The anathema, and
the violent proceedings of the Rabbies, at last afforded me leisure;
and, accompanied by Mr. Sternschuss, my fellow labourer, and
an Italian Jew, I set out for the celebrated city of the Chaldean
kings. The morning was beautiful, and the desert, under the
influence of reviving spring, presented a faint emblem of what
this country once was, and what it may again be when the
paralizing religion of the pseudo-prophet will be swept away,
and the Gospel, with its civilizing power, unfold the treasures
which lie hid in the lap of this futile and unproductive region.
At the outskirts of the city, and under the shade of the
mausoleum of Zobeida, the tenderly-beloved mistress of Haraun-
al-Rasheed, we took our breakfast. According to the native
topographers, this sepulchral monument stands in the centre of
ancient Bagdad, and on a spot which this magnanimous and
liberal queen made the envy and praise of the world. But all
the magnificence of the Abbassides is crumbled into dust; their
luxurious gardens have become parched wastes, their gorgeous
palaces ruins, and their halls, hung with silk-embroidered
tapestry, and fanned by golden trees, the abode of the lion,
hyena and jackall. The venerated tomb is all that remains,-
on the western bank of the river, of the splendid imperial seat,
and even this is rapidly hastening to decay. The natives, from
motives of respect mingled with superstition, have chosen the
vicinity of the royal sepulchre as a cemetery of true believers;
and for ages successive generations have found a final resting
place amidst the subverted domains of the vicars of the Prophet.
On Fridays, when the living pay their devotions at the shrines of
their deceased friends and relatives, the scene presents an

TOMB OF SID
ZOBEIDA
Published by C.H' Purday 21 Maddox si Regent St
Dean & Son, Lith.
LITERAL FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY.
57
animated and lively aspect, but during the rest of the week, the
Arab with his camel, or the shepherd with his sheep, are the
only beings who frequent this city of the dead, this wreck of
human grandeur.
From this dreary patrimony of the heirs of corruption, we
rode southward, over the plain of Babylon,* once crowded with
cities and human habitations, whose traces still exist in the
shapeless mounds, bricks, pottery, and other vestiges, which
cover the ground in all directions. We halted over night at
the khan, appropriately called "Bir-unusef,"-the well half-
way, it being equi-distant from the modern to the ancient
Babylonia. Before dawn next morning we were again mounted;
the air was quite cold and piercing, and the sharp winds made
us shiver and shake in our thin summer dresses. At sunrise we
felt comfortable, but no sooner did this bright luminary ascend
towards the meridian than the heat was insupportable; my face
was inflamed and burned, and we were glad to shelter ourselves
for a few hours from the scorching rays, under the black roof
of a khan, crowded with pilgrims on their way to Kerbelai.
Towards assert we came in sight of Babylon, "the city of
kingdoms! the beauty of the Chaldean's excellency!" It would
be difficult to describe our sensations in beholding this renowned
ruined city. I anticipated to see great desolation and perfect
destruction; but for such an utter annihilation and gloomy
solitude, I was quite unprepared. Unconsciously, I took my
Bible out of my pocket, and read Isaiah xiii., xiv. "Surely,"
did I mentally exclaim, "this is Scripture emblazoned in legible
characters, and prophecy vindicated by the most evident verifi-
cation." We did not stop to examine the huge piles, which
extended to the very verge of the horizon, but in solemn silence
rode with our jaded animals over the soil which once was trod
by the lords and nobles of a sumptuous and luxurious court.
The path, till near Hillah, was covered with pottery, broken
bricks, bitumen, and other remains of former dwellings. The
* The Jews in the East, both in writing and speaking, always style
Bagdad-Babylon.
† Between noon and nightfall; the period when every pious Mahomedan
performs the third prayer of the day.
་
58
HOWLING WORSHIPPERS OF MAHOMED.
governor, to whom we had letters of introduction, was not in
town; but we applied to his deputy, and he promptly attended
to our wants, and ordered a house to be evacuated for us. Un-
fortunately, the place he recommended was like an Augean
stable, which we had neither patience nor charity enough to
clean. We sent again to His Excellency, and informed him of
our position. He assured us, through the Cumass, that it was
a mistake, and directed us to another place. Here a new
obstacle arose the people of the house were pious Shee's, who
looked upon us, and upon Christians in general, with supreme
contempt. The Cumass acquainted them with his superior's
request, but they positively declared that their abode was not to
be defiled by a gaour. After a great deal of debate and par-
leying, we got a little room in the Divan Khane. Our troubles
were, however, not yet at an end; our host, a holy Hedjee,
had a few scores of guests under his roof, who, during the
greater part of the night, amused themselves by bellowing at
the top of their voices, "There is no Deity but God; and
Mahomed is the Apostle of God!" These senseless perform-
ances are, according to the false prophet's teaching, meritorious
in the sight of God; and the greater the abstraction from all
objects of sense, the more acceptable the service, and the better
the reward. I certainly never liked anything in Islamism, but
this stupid exhibition quite disgusted me with its doctrine and
preaching.
Our restless and uncomfortable night was followed by a
noisy and confused morning; at four o'clock the women began
to milk the buffaloes and sheep, and as some of these domestic
animals had been attracted by the more congenial atmosphere
of our dormitory, sans force or ceremony, the fair dames of the
house, without taking them into the court, went through all
their operations; and, as if we were pieces of rock, devoid of all
sensibility, commenced lighting fires of green reeds to boil the
white fluid. This exceeded our patience and forbearance; I
roused our snoring servants and muleteers, and in a second the
fire was extinguished, though we had abundance of smoke
instead of it, and the milk-maids, shricking, driven into the
court. At sunrise we went, provided with a good number of

GENERAL VIEW OF THE RUINS OF BABYLON.
CH Purday 24 Maddox St Regent St
Dean & Clayton, Lith.
DESOLATE CONDITION OF BABYLON.
59
tracts, to visit the Jews; the syangogue service was already
ended when we came, and we were requested to adjourn to the
school, where the majority soon collected. They were not
averse to hear, but exceedingly reluctant to discuss, any of the
questions we broached. We showed them the New Testament;
they glanced over a few pages, and remarked that Christianity
was founded on prophecies which were enveloped in obscurity,
and beyond our capacities to comprehend. We pointed them
to the ruins by which their habitations were surrounded, and
asked them whether their allegation needed any farther refuta-
tion. They acknowledged the justice of our observation, and a
few, with delight, accepted copies of the Gospel. At noon,
accompanied by a servant and several Jews, I took a walk over
the shattered and fallen remains of abased Babylon. I had
perused several ancient and modern travellers, and from these
often conflicting and jarring accounts, expected to see some
stupendous and magnificent buildings, whose elegance, though
buried in the dust, would still, like Palmyra and Persepolis, retain
sufficient to strike with wonder and admiration every visitor;
but the dream of my fancy dissolved so soon as I had ascended
the first pile, which rose dark and frowning from the blasted
plain. In perfect bewilderment I strained my eyes in all direc-
tions, over an endless succession of fantastically-shaped hills
and tumuli, like the waves of a stormy sea, without meeting
with any object that might relieve the sight, or alleviate the
gloom which imperceptibly crept over me.
A few spectral mounds, like the giant ghosts of this smitten
realm, towered above the rest and enhanced the melancholy of
this rueful spot. I was indeed trembling when I took my Bible
and read aloud the fearful threatenings of the Prophets over
the guilty city; it was in vain to ask where are the glittering
gates through whose portals flowed the mighty stream of
luxurious nobles and proud merchants? Where the stately
palaces, through whose re-echoing halls music poured her sub-
limest strains, and dissipation and gaiety perpetually dwelt?
Where the hanging gardens, which even Grecian writers, who
had been nursed in the lap of art and science, considered one
of the wonders of the world; the impregnable walls; the
;
60
ANCIENT PALACE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
hundred brazen gates; and thousands of other beauties and
splendours of an admiring world? The besom of destruction
has entirely swept away the gorgeous and luxurious city.
Here the sceptic must not question, and the infidel dare not
scorn and ridicule the Divine source of prophetic revelation.
When I had recovered from the doleful impression which the
sight of this sublimely terrible confusion made on my mind,
I clambered over the rugged surface of the shattered mass on
which I was standing. The extent, shape, and vastness of its
dimensions at once confirmed the conjecture that it was a place
of considerable import and of corresponding strength, and gave
great plausibility to the supposition which identifies it with the
citadel, "the fortified palace," of the Babylonian rulers. The
natives call it Mujellibe, from the Arabic, Mukaloub (over-
turned), an appellation which conveys only an indistinct and
faint idea of the utter demolition and subversion of this quad-
rangular heap. In several places beneath this ruin are deep
cavities and apertures; these may probably have been rooms,
which in the general destruction were wrenched from their
base, but were preserved by their substantial building material
from being utterly crushed under the superincumbent weight.
I intended to creep into one of these mysterious caverns, but
my companions entreated me not to attempt such a thing, since
every hole abounded with venomous snakes and other dangerous
reptiles. Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for
dragons, an astonishment and a hissing." (Jer. li. 37.) About
a mile from the Mujellibe, over a tract intersected by broken-up
canals and pools of stagnant water, is the Kasr, another pro-
digious monument of departed grandeur and majesty; it is also
styled Babel, and the desolation and destruction which distin-
guish this former abode of royalty are so complete, that no pen-
cil could delineate it, and no words describe it more accurately
than those used by the inspired penman. The earth from
beneath, and the heavens from above, seem to have united in
effecting the last overthrow of the colossal fabrics which here
reared their huge domes towards the cloudless sky. In fact it
is quite impossible, with the scantiest acquaintance of the history
of these localities, to scale hill after hill, and mound after mound,
66

CH. Purday 24. Mddox St Regent St
Dean & Clayton, lith
MUJEL LIBE.

CARRYING AWAY THE BRICKS BY THE NATIVES.
61
all formed of broken burnt bricks, glazed tiles, and other build-
ing materials, without exclaiming, "this is the work of the
Lord, in the land of the Chaldeans."
Whilst I was inspecting these gigantic remains, I saw several
peasants, with spades, busily collecting out of the dust and
rubbish the sound bricks, and conveying them on the backs of
donkeys to the bank of the river, where a boat was waiting to
transport them to another district. This process has been going
on for ages, and still the piles though they change their external
aspect, do not appear to diminish much in their actual size.
The quarry seems inexhaustible, and for years to come, the
palace of Nebuchadnezzar may supply dwellings for the wild
and barbarous inhabitants of Chaldea. Some disjointed and
unhinged walls still stand in striking beauty, amidst the fallen
and crumbled masses; their appearance is quite new and fresh ;
some of the bricks are so firmly cemented that no ingenuity can
detach or extract a complete piece. Close to these curious
vestiges were no doubt the hanging gardens and aerial groves,
the boast of Babylon, and the triumph of human labour and
skill. No traces, however, now exist of this terrestrial paradise,
all is withered, decayed, and brought down to the grave. One
solitary tree, as if in derision of the scene which it recalls,
stands mournfully in the midst of these buried glories. The
natives, who are fond of the marvellous, relate that God pre-
served it from destruction in order that Ali, the great Imam,
might repose under its shade after the fierce battle of Hillah; if
this story is true, the tree must have existed about twelve
hundred years ago, and may then have derived its root from the
graceful plantations which boundless extravagance had sus-
pended in the air.
From the Kasr, I proceeded a little south, to the adjacent
mounds called el Amran, the distance is only a few hundred
yards, but the rains had so soaked the soft soil, that at every
step I sunk knee-deep in the loose mould. These ruins, which
bear the name of a Mahomedan saint, occupy an area far
greater than any other on the eastern bank of the river; I
scaled the loftiest pile, and in gazing below and around, the
question hung on my lips, "Is this utterly untenanted deso-
62
REFLECTIONS ON FALLEN BABYLON.
lation, the golden city of Nebuchadnezzar; the metropolis of
the world?" Once indeed she was the queen of cities, the
residence of mighty kings, her palaces, streets, temples, and
gardens were the admiration of the world, and the boast of her
rulers;
but in vain are all the works which the hands of man
can rear against Him, who "looketh on the earth, and it
trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke." (Ps. civ. 32.)
With one fatal stroke, the works of successive generations are
levelled with the trodden soil, and swept from the surface of
the earth. The invincible conqueror of the East, may in the
pride and exaltation of his heart exclaim, "Is not this great
Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kindom by the
might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?”
(Dan. iv. 30); but above the din of the busy multitude, a small
still voice is heard; "It shall be brought down, laid low and
brought to the ground, even to the dust;" the roving Arab shall
disdain to pitch his tent there, or shelter his flocks within the
dismal waste.
"The Shepherd eyes afar
Her evil towers, and devious drives his flock."
When I had wearied my eyes with the bewildering sight of
these monuments of Divine vengeance, accompanied by my
companions, I threaded my path, between artificial hills and
ravines, down to the bank of the Euphrates, whose noiseless
waters were still flowing along, as in days of yore, unconscious
of the havoc and desolation of the empire it once fructified
and enriched. We crossed several dried-up canals, where most
likely the willows grew, on whose drooping branches the
captive daughters of Judah hung their silent harps, and refused
to sing whilst Zion was in bondage :—
"On the willow, that harp is suspended,
Oh Salem! its sound should be free;
And the hour when thy glories were ended
But left me that token of thee;
And ne'er shall its soft tones be blended
With the voice of the spoiler by me!"
While I was ruminating on the strange vicissitudes of this
proud city, which, like an everlasting rock, seemed destined

SECOND SPECIMEN OF BRICK FROM AMRAN.
歷
​SIX-LINE BRICK FROM THE KASR.
W
ww
SPECIMEN OF BRICKS FOUND IN THE MOUND AT AMRAN.
3
耳
​THREE-LINE BRICK, VERY NUMEROUS AT KASR.
A
FOUR-LINE BRICK, FOUND IN LARGE QUANTITIES AT EL-OBEYMER.

KE
BRICKS FOUND BETWEEN KASR AND MUJELLIBE.
尖
​LA




CURIOSITY OF THE ARABS.
63
to reach the utmost verge of the world's existence; three
swarthy, suspicious-looking Arabs, as if they had emerged out
of the bowels of the earth, stood before me. I was at first
surprised at this sudden apparition; but recollecting that my
party were strangers, I resumed the bold air of undaunted fear.
They were, however, notwithstanding their uncouth and rough
external, harmless beings, who had hunted some wild boars, which
infest the gardens and fields along the river; and frequently
deprive the peasant of the reward of his toil; they inquired
where we had been, and when I told them that we had visited
Babel, they stared at each other with an incredulous look, as
much as to say, We know better, you Franghees search among
these wasted temples and palaces for talismans and treasures.
They were particularly anxious to inspect the contents of
a carpet-bag, which I carried in my hands, as they were quite
certain it concealed something valuable. I complied with their
request, and what wry faces did they cut, when, instead of gold
and silver, they beheld worthless relics, in the shape of mortar,
shells, pottery, glass, and fragments of bricks, with cuneiform
inscriptions. They offered, for a small remuneration, to supply
me the next day with whole loads; I thanked them for this
courtesy, but promised them a present, if they found me some
coins. One of them was quite willing to go to the Kasr, and
search among the debris on the mounds, but his friends would
not allow him; alleging, as an excuse, that it was near night,
and both the Mujellibe Kasr, and Amran, dangerous localities
at such hours. "Babylon shall never be inhabited,-but wild
beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be
full of doleful creatures; owls shall dwell there, and satyrs
shall dance there." (Is. xiii. 21.) My Jewish friend sub-
sequently furnished me with a good many ancient coins, and
other mementos from the ruins of the proud daughter of the
East; and lately, through the kindness of a gentleman connected
with a scientific commission, sent out by the French govern-
ment, I obtained complete specimens of the bricks, used in
the construction of the city, and for the gratification of the
reader, I have here carefully transcribed the cuneiform writ-
ings stamped on the same. (See Engraving.)
1
64
BURIAL PLACE OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL.
Our object in going to Hillah being partially accomplished,
we made arrangements for visiting the tomb of the Prophet
Ezekiel, which tradition has placed in this vicinity. The
governor, unsolicited, furnished us with an escort; as the
country was reported to be unsafe, and several Jewish pilgrims
had been plundered the day before. Our ride over the plain
was exceedingly unpleasant, as we were alternately in danger
of being blinded by the glare reflected from the nitrous efflo-
rescence which encrusts the soil of Babylon, and condemns it
to perpetual sterility; or suffocated by the pulverized dust,
which our horses' hoofs, in circling clouds, raised as we rode
along. At noon we reached "Kiffel el Yehud," the place
where the remains of the captive seer are interred. The Arabs
who live near provided us with a lodging, but unfortunately
the swarms of insects and vermin drove us, after a vain effort
to resist their assaults, into the open air. Early in the morning
we hastened to the mausoleum, the door was still firmly closed,
and we had to exhaust our lungs before the decrepid porter
made his appearance. Without any questions, he admitted
us within the sacred edifice. Many scores of Jews were still in
promiscuous indecency under their quilts; and a few, as we
moved with our heavy boots over the stone pavement, peeped
at us with an angry frown, and then turned round again and
slept. The sanctum sanctorum, which contains the supposed
manes of the Prophet, is a neat vaulted room, forty feet long
and eighteen broad. The sarcophagus is of plain wood,
covered with a gaudy chintz pall, which is annually renewed
by the richest Jew, who pays an exorbitant sum to the sy-
nagogue for this privilege, and meritorious action. There are
four other revered shrines in an adjacent vault, which have,
however, no epitaph or name; the Jews assert that they were
distinguished individuals, whose titles and history have been
lost in the stream of time, and as tradition is the great criterion
in the East, we passed in devout silence by the tombs of these
unknown Hebrews. The rest of the day we spent in the
company of the pilgrims, who, unlike the Mahomedan Hodjees,
were devoid of all pride and arrogance, and gladly discussed
with us the important and momentous truths of the Bible. In

CH Purday, 24, Maddox St Regent St
Dean & Clayton, litho
HILLAH ON THE EUPHRATES.
A VISIT TO THE TOMB OF ALI.
65
the evening we engaged a boat and crossed the Baher el
Nedgeff, an immense lake, which has been caused by the
bursting of the embankments which confined the waters of the
Euphrates, and the destruction of the ancient Pallacopas. Our
voyage occupied the greater part of the night. At daylight we
reached Kufah, and immediately left our fragile bark, and took
a stroll over the ruins of this once celebrated city. The artifi-
cial mounds and piles which constitute its relics, participate in
the uniformity which characterizes the remains of all other
places of antiquity on this plain. After a breakfast of bread
and milk, we engaged several donkeys, and briskly rode up to
Meshed Ali, the place where the founder of the Shee sect lies
interred. The town is considered by the Persians as sacred as
Mecca; and from the most remote parts of India, the partisans
of Ali come to perform their devotions, at the shrine of their
venerated leader. The mosque, under which the first zealous
convert of Islamism lies entombed, is an extensive and elegant
building, covered with several beautiful turrets and a gilded
cupola, which at the distance of eighteen miles glitters in the
sun, like a ball of burnished gold. The place is constantly
crowded with pilgrims; and, annually, upwards of a million of
people, from all parts of Asia, flock to the holy spot. The govern-
ment, in imitation of the lawless Arabs on the road to Mecca,
who exact a tribute from all Hodgees, levies a tax on every
Kerbelai, which during the year, amounts to a good round sum,
and forms an important item in the Pasha's ledger. The
governer of Meshed, a savage-looking Arnaout, received us
very politely. His Excellency was seated in a small room
surrounded by a motley crew of Turks, Persians, Arabs, and
other specimens of Asiatic tribes and nations; who, with their
pipes and callisous, seemed to vie with each other in filling the
place with the effluvia of the tobacco plant. We were regaled
with a thimble-full of bitter coffee, and a good string of unmean-
ing civilities. In going away, his Excellency told us that we
might convert the Jews who were living in the town, but, with
a very serious mien, he enjoined us not to interfere with the
Mahomedans. He no doubt thought, that the transition from
Judaism to Christianity, was as easy as the pronunciation of the
F
!
66
CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR OF MESHED.
Mahomedan formula, which is quite sufficient to constitute the
greatest scoundrel a true believer.
From the Lesai, we threaded our way through an endless
flow of human beings to the bazaar. The streets were literally
thronged with pilgrims, who were either going to or coming
from the mosque. In the market we met with the few Jews,
who alternately reside here and in Bagdad. They offered us
antiques and Babylonian curiosities for sale; and we in return,
proffered them the most valuable of all antiquities, the Holy
Word of God; they were, however, too much absorbed in the
objects of sense, to bestow any attention to the things of eter-
nity. Two of them accepted tracts, which they promised to
read with care and attention. The sacred precincts of the
mosque, we were not permitted to enter; the place being con-
sidered too holy, for the profane steps of an unbelieving Gaour;
and I confess that the sight of such a vast multitude of perishing
mortals, prostrated before the "unknown God,” would have
been anything but a pleasing spectacle to us. Before we de-
parted, we paid the governor a second visit, his Excellency
enquired whether there were such beautiful buildings as the
mausoleum of Ali, in Franghistan; and whether we had holy
shrines to which we repaired for devotion and penance. The
reply to these queries gave him a better notion of our holy
religion than he possessed before; and several times he exclaimed
"Chak, Chak," true, true, "your creed must have some in-
trinsic virtue, or else England, Germany, and France would
not be so powerful." He asked us to give him a New Testa-
ment in Turkish; and as our stock was exhausted, we gave him a
copy in Arabic. In going away, he said, "How will you reach
Kufah ;" and suiting his action to the words, instantly ordered
some Cawosses to seize a sufficient number of donkeys for our
The animals, with their distressed owners, soon appeared,
and we were expeditiously requested to mount. We did not, how-
ever, avail ourselves of his Excellency's kindness, at the expense
of others, but paid the regular fare, which amused the worthy
officials, who had never seen such scrupulous infidels; and de-
lighted the donkey people, who had never met such conscien-
tious travellers. At four o'clock, P.M., our nimble quadrupeds
use.
TRADITIONS OF THE MAHOMEDAN WRITERS.
67
brought us back again to Kufah; we were exceedingly tired, and
neither felt in a humour to embark, or to rest under the ver-
tical rays of a burning sun. In this dilemma, we braced up
our courage, and boldly entered the Messed, an edifice which
tradition and history has consecrated to the heart of every
pious Moslem. The imams, the conductors of the public
service, who concluded from our Tey, that we were Turks,
treated us with all deference and courtesy. One of them acted
as our cicerone, and pointed out to us all the wonders of the
place. Several of these time-hallowed localities, extend their
antiquity beyond the post-diluvian age; and a spot was shown
us where "Adam and Noah" severally prayed. Abraham,
Moses, and other prophets, have also worshipped within this
heaven-favoured temple. Some Mahomedan writers of cele-
brity, even state that it contains three springs of wonderful water,
and several other remarkable secrets, which Providence for
wise purposes has concealed from the inquisitive eyes of vain
mortals. The most extraordinary of all the numerous marvels
which have here taken place, is a marble pillar in the centre of
the court, which Ali with his powerful arm is recorded to have
thrown there from Bussorah, a distance of 250 miles. I asked
the Mullah, whether stones had wings in the time of Ali?
"No." "How then can a pillar sail through the wide expanse
of heaven?" (C
By the might of God all is possible," was the
whole explanation. As an historic place, Kufah, amongst
Moslems, ranks second to Mecca; for here the famous battles
between Ali and Moawiyah were fought; and here the brave
champion, and lieutenant of Mahomed, at the age of sixty-
three, received in his fearless breast the dagger of the assassin.
The Shee'ees have the most profound veneration for the
whole plain of Kerbelai; and their coffined dead are brought
from every country, town, and village in the East, and interred
in the sacred soil, which contains the ashes of their almost
divinely revered martyrs, and is considered a sure guarantee
for admission into Paradise. Towards sunset we embarked,
and with a strong breeze in our favour, we glided over the
rippling waters with great rapidity, and before midnight were
again in our old quarters. Early the following morning we
F 2
68
ACCOUNT OF THE BIRS NIMROD.”
started on our homeward journey. For three hours we rode
over a desolate waste, which no doubt was once crowded with
the teeming multitudes, who occupied the outskirts of the
Chaldean metropolis. With the rise of the sun we beheld the
"Birs," standing like a giant-shadow of by-gone ages in the
midst of a desert plain. There have been many conjectures as
to the identity of this pile, with the celebrated temple of Belus;
but recent discoveries and researches, leave little doubt that the
Birs derives its name from the Bursif of the Chaldeans, and the
Borsippa of the Greeks; which, according to the Talmud, was a
locality or district in the city, and an unfavourable place for
those who studied the Scriptures, not, as Jewish commentators
wisely say, that the air was bad, and made one forget his learning,
but probably because here the great Pantheon stood, in which a
cringing population were obliged to bow their suppliant knees.
But, whatever historic interest may be attached to this huge
mound, it is certainly one of the most elaborate monuments of
former unbounded extravagance, and stupendous workmanship.
On the summit of the mighty pile stands a pyramidal wall, fifty
feet high, fissured and broken on all sides, and shivered and
torn on the top. Around the base of this singular wall are
large heaps of conglomerated brickwork, which appear like
fragments of immense rocks; they bear evident traces of the
most violent action of fire, are quite vitrified, and as hard as
adamant. This strange phenomenon has been accounted for by
scientific men in various ways, but the most probable conjecture
is, that the place was surrounded by a great quantity of com-
bustible materials, which, together with some igneous disruption,
or electric fluid, accomplished the design of God, and for ever
devastated the proud temple dedicated to vain deities of human
creation. In descending from this smitten and dilapidated.
tower, an Arab pointed, at a little distance, to a narrow cavity,
which he said was "the place where the fiery furnace stood, in
which Abraham was cast." It is remarkable that both Jews
and Arabs should have a tradition affirming such a fact. The
spot, the natives believe, contains many secret virtues, and they
would, under no circumstances, throw a stone, or any thing
else, in the cave, for fear of offending the immen loci.

BIRS
NIMROD
Published by CIL Purday, 2h, Maddox St Regent St,
Dean & Clayton lith
SURPRISE OF GUIDES AT INTEREST IN ANTIQUITIES.
69
To a traveller who has walked among the monuments of
Egypt, visited the marble temple of Palmyra, or reposed, as I
have done myself, behind the polished sculptures of Persepolis,
Babylon and the Birs awaken no sensations of wonder and
admiration; but to the student of prophecy, who gazes upon
the fallen palaces, demolished temples, and shattered walls,
every mound and tumuli is a collateral evidence of divine reve-
lation; and the fascinating and attractive magnificence of the
former is eclipsed; whilst in the latter he sees the verification
of the awful sentence, " Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.'
The muleteer and servants, who could not at all comprehend
why we should expose ourselves to the scorching sun, and
linger on an antiquated pile which every Arab carefully avoids,
for fear of the evil spirits who are supposed to haunt every hole
and crevice, looked upon us as renegades from a Bedlam; and
several times they inquired among themselves "What are these
Franghees doing here? Do they search for gold, scorpions, or
serpents? Wonderful people, who court to wander amongst
ruins and desolations!" The burning heat at last compelled
us to leave a spot which tradition and history have immortalized;
for, whether we consider it as the first proud monument of im-
pious, vain mortals; or, with Theodotus, regard it as the grand
temple of Belus,—it is calculated to awaken in the beholder the
most exalted and moral sensations, and to fill him with devout
and holy emotions towards that Being whose hand rules the
destiny of individuals as well as of empires.
Our muleteer, who for the last two hours had been diverting
himself with his little red clay pipe, which he kept continually
replenished, was quite delighted to see us move. We rode at a
quick pace over the heathy, barren, and unblest ground, and at
two o'clock, P.M., were in our lodging at Hillah. The same after-
noon we went to visit our Jewish friends, but it was evident that
during our absence some Bagdad acquaintances had prejudiced
them against us, for they were determined neither to hear nor to
speak on religious subjects. The next day being our Sabbath,
we remained at Hillah; a few Jews called on us, who were
anxious to dispose of a variety of antiques, which had been
collected among the ruins; and, as we refused both to purchase
70
SPECIMEN OF EASTERN HOSPITALITY.
or examine them, they went away convinced that Christianity
was founded on the law of Moses, otherwise we could not be so
punctilious about Sunday. The following morning we prepared
to start; our arrangements were soon completed, and nothing
remained to be done, except to give a backsheesh to the landlord;
this was, however, not such an easy matter as we anticipated.
Our worthy host refused to take any payment, and with great
indignation averred, by the lives of all saints and imams, that
he had never been so insulted. "What! am I a Khangee, that
you offer me money for my little hospitality? My father and
grandfather have always retained the character of disinterested-
ness, and shall I pull down the house they have built?" We
expressed our regret, and offered many apologies for the unwil-
ling grief we had caused him, which, to some extent, appeased
his delicate sensibility. We now thought that instead of silver,
a few expressions of acknowledgment would satisfy our enter-
tainer, but we were greatly mistaken; our sentient host did not
wish to be paid a dozen of piastres for a few nights' lodging in
a stable, he anticipated a backsheesh equivalent to half-a-year's
rent of his whole premises; but here his calculations failed,
and, to the utter astonishment of himself and domicile, we
tendered him our thanks for his kindness, and left. This was,
probably, the first time that this worthy, whose ancestors had
been so distinguished by liberality, had Europeans in his house;
and, as he expected that every Franghee must be a rich man,
his surprise was not a little heightened when he found that our
generosity did not equal his expectations. He followed us over
the bridge, to the other side of the Euphrates, and when he
discovered that we did not unstring our purses, he made his
demand in more unequivocal terms; a long altercation ensued,
and to avoid further detention, we paid for the miserable tene-
ment, which we and the buffaloes alternately, and sometimes in
common, inhabited, sufficient to have provided us with comfort-
able lodgings in a respectable English inn, or German hotel.
This specimen of Eastern hospitality did not impress me very
favourably, and future experience convinced me that Asiatics
are the most degraded, uncivil, and selfish people under heaven.
CHAPTER V.
APPEAL TO CHRISTIANS FOR ARABIA AND PERSIA.
THERE is no country in the world where the fatal and retro-
grading effects of Islamism are more keenly felt than in this part
of the East. Every object bears evidence of its corrupting and
contaminating influence; and the Christian missionary cannot
traverse its once fertile plains and cultivated slopes, without
weeping over its desolation, and blushing for the monstrosities
and crimes of its inhabitants. When this rich and productive
region was cultivated; when it abounded with extensive, noble
cities; yea, when science, and learning, and every useful art,
stood in high esteem and repute, with great plausibility it
merited the encomiums which Eastern, and even some Western
writers have heaped upon it; but this prosperous period, on
which fancy delights to linger, is crushed under the withering
influence of Islamism, and the ruthless hand of the Osmanlees.
Such a painful and melancholy reverse in the history of the best
part of the East, with affecting and thrilling power appeals to
the Christian heart; and can those whose minds are enlightened,
and whose feelings are refined by the softening graces of the
spirit of divine charity, refuse to impart the reviving truth to
those less favoured portions of our globe? Shall the followers
of the Arabian enthusiast, and the deluded adherents to the
Talmud, for ever remain ignorant of that name by which a
sinner alone can be saved? Shall no prayers pierce heaven's
azure vault? Shall no self-denying efforts be made for the sal-
vation of benighted millions in Arabia and Persia? These
considerations induced the Committee of "The London Society
for the Promotion of Christianity among the Jews to make
some more vigorous and energetic efforts in these interesting
countries, and Mr. Sternschuss and myself were requested to
72
STARTING ON HIS MISSION TO PERSIA.
visit Persia and Kurdistan, places hitherto disregarded by the
benevolent and religious societies of Britain.
Towards the end of December, 1846, we embarked on our
expedition, in one of the boats which trade between this city
and Bussorah. Our vessel, like everything else on board, par-
ticipated of the immutable character of the East: it was of a
long, narrow shape, with a bow in the curved form of a Turkish
slipper; low, but rising far above the water, and a small cabin
in the stern, for the accommodation of travellers. This part of
the ship, which was about eight feet by ten, and four high, we
engaged at an exorbitant price, there being no other boat to
compete. In the evening we went on board; we found the
whole vessel crowded, every nook and corner was occupied by
men, women, children, and horses; who, conjointly, produced
such clatter and din, that it seemed impossible for any one to
know what the other wanted. Sometimes, when the human
noise subsided, a fresh revolution commenced among the restless
horses, who could not brook the confined places to which they
were closely riveted. Our captain, a young Arab, who killed
the time by smoking, sat mute and motionless in the bow; the
sailors, however, compensated for the Rais' taciturnity, for they
screamed, vociferated, and stamped, as if the boat was to be
propelled by noise and confusion, more than by wind and oars.
After half-an-hour's prodigious clamour of tongues, we set sail,
and slowly moved along over the placid waters of the Tigris. At
midnight the boat was moored, and all composed themselves to
sleep on the rain-softened banks of the river. At day-dawn, the
oars were again plied, and we glided on without anything to inter-
rupt or disturb our progress. The morning was most beautiful,
and the banks of the river, lined with extensive date and orange
groves, bathing in the glow of the slanting sunbeams, gave even
the desert, which was only visible through the apertures of a
dense forest, an interesting appearance.
I could well fancy the prosperity of this country when its
waste places were tenanted, its ruined cities thriving towns, and
nature and art both united to sustain the fame of this celebrated
region. The whole of this fertile country, cultivated by indus-
trious husbandmen, irrigated by the unfailing waters of the
MUSSULMAN DEVOTIONS.
73
Tigris, and governed by equitable and just laws, must have
realized the beautiful fiction of the golden age. The mind,
however, recoils from the contemplation of these happy days,
which are gone for ever, and unless the religion of the Gospel
supersedes the Koran, the curse which now, like a contagious
pestilence, clings to it, will never allow it to emerge from the
depth of misery into which it has sunk.
We rowed and sailed till evening prayers, or sunset; at
which important time of the day a seyid (descendant of the
prophet), with a low voice called the followers of the Arabian
enthusiast to perform the stated prayers. Most of them imme-
diately commenced the various prescribed ablutions, a ceremony
disgusting and repulsive even to the refined Turk, and the
educated Persian. Their devotions were devoid of all solemnity
and seriousness; some would ask for a pipe, and between every
Fathat take a few whiffs; others cursed and swore at their
neighbours for pouring ashes on the carpet on which they were
saying their namoz (prayers); three only, out of thirty-four,
went through the various evolutions with apparent seriousness
and sincerity. How much more dignified is the true Christian,
when, in the spirit of deep humility and overflowing gratitude,
he bends his knee and lifts up his heart in adoration to that
Great Being, whose providential care watches all his steps, and
supplies all his wants. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all
that is within me bless his holy name."
Our night was most uncomfortable, for the rain and wind
continued without intermission. The passengers forgot all
minor differences, and Jews, Christians, Turks, and Arabs,
in the greatest amity, united to erect an awning against the
drenching showers. The sailors alone, like true amphibious
animals, seemed to disregard the contending elements, and with
their pipes, which were every minute extinguished, sat on the
muddy banks, singing melancholy ditties. Only now and then,
when a violent gust of wind made the sides of the boat groan,
did they change the key, and utter some deafening shrieks.
The next day, towards noon, the sun, which had been concealed
* The first chapter of the Koran bears this title.
74
THE ARCH OF KHOSROE, AT CTESIPHON.
behind dark misty clouds, made his appearance, and reanimated
the benumbed and shivering limbs of the ship's company. The
wind, also, changed in our favour, and endeavours were made
to hoist the sail; but, unfortunately, the rain had so increased
its weight, that it was difficult to raise, and dangerous to sus-
pend, such a heavy burden on a long fragile mast. Happily,
besides a large square sail, the Bussorah boats have a bowsprit,
on which we unfurled the jib, which, filled with a strong breeze,
carried us at a good rate over the ruffled and agitated waters.
The
On the 25th we passed Ctesiphon, and the ruined walls of
ancient Sileucia. I had heard so much of the famous Arch of
Khosroe, that I could not pass without paying it my respects.
Our captain, who, like every Arab, thought that the year has
twelve months, and whether he arrived a little earlier or later.
in Bussorah, could make no difference to him or others, at once.
complied with my request, and landed me. I had a fatiguing
walk before I reached this wonder of antiquity, and I confess
that, although I am no great enthusiast, yet the sight of this
magnificent arch absorbed my whole attention, and made me
forget my wearied feet, the boat, and the walk back.
Arch, or Tauk-e-Kesea, from the distance, owing to the flatness
of the soil, has an insignificant appearance; but a nearer
approach, reveals to the eye the remains of a building worthy
in every respect of the luxurious and extravagant monarch
whose name it bears. There is no building in the East that can
vie with it, in size, magnificence, or skill; the archway alone is
106 feet high, 153 deep, with a façade 284 feet long; it is
ornamented with small arches and recesses, which were no
doubt occupied by statues and symbolical images. I have two
busts in my possession, one of a king, with a crown on his
head, and the other with a wreath encircling his brow, both of
which were found close to the Tauk. The natives, who like to
dilate on the wealth, power, and prodigality of Khosroe, relate
that the niches in the wall, the lowest of which is 27 feet high,
were intended as places for the officers, who were prodigiously
tall, to leave their slippers in when they attended a royal levee.
Some even relate, and I have heard it affirmed by respectable
Mahometan mullahs, that the kitchen which supplied the table

0004000.001
30000 008
THE ARCH OF KOSROE AT CTESIPHON.
Published by Purday 24 Maddox St Regent St
SEE P. 77.
SOME ACCOUNT OF CTESIPHON.
75
of the imperial household, stood in Kippel, about thirty miles
distant, yet such was the telegraphic dispatch with which the
dishes were forwarded, that they invariably reached the palace
boiling hot.
There are many large mounds scattered over the plain con-
tiguous to the Tauk, to which the natives have given their
several designations with such certainty, as if they had been
consulted in the topography of the place. Some learned writers,
both ancient and modern, have conjectured that Ctesiphon occu-
pies the site of Calueh, one of the cities founded by Nimrod;
and its position and proximity to Babel, affords great plausibility
to the supposition. According to Assemani, it was the ancient
seat of the Nestorian Patriarchs; had numerous churches, pious
pastors, and an honourable body of martyrs, who sealed the
truth with their blood. The Jews, who have always been
numerous in this part of the East, also formed a considerable
portion of the inhabitants, and not unfrequently united with the
Magi in maligning the Christians, and in representing them as
enemies to the king, and friends of the Byzantine emperors.
But what has become of the city, whose greatness was once
the glory and pride of the rulers of the East, and the envy and
ambition of the governors of the West? Where are the
impregnable walls which arrested the conquering arms of
Herodius? Where the sumptuous halls in which the ambas-
sadors of conquered and allied nations paid their court to the
great king? What remains of all this wide extended supremacy,
this unbounded wealth, and unparalleled prosperity? Nothing
but yawning mounds, putrid sepulchral urns, and a dilapidated
and deserted palace. It is, however, good and instructive to
walk among these silent tombs of by-gone nations; for whilst
they teach us the vanity and emptiness of all sublunary power
and greatness, they unfold at the same time the awful prospect
of the landscape of eternity, and lead to the contemplation of
Him whose mysterious power is seen in all the events, pheno-
mena, and laws which govern this universe.
Our ship's company in the enjoyment of their morning doze,
quite forgot me, and the palace of Khosroe, and leisurely sailed
along. I was not at all prepared for such a surprise, when my
76
NEARLY BEING LEFT BEHIND.
servant came running to me and exclaimed, "the boat is gone.
Gone;" I repeated, and at the same moment I climbed on a
mound, and straining my eyes in the direction of the river, I
espied at an immense distance something white floating in the
air. There was now no time for reflection, but at once we
betook ourselves to our legs, and, as if engaged in a race, leaped
over ditches, rushed through thickets, and tore over mounds
and dales with such agility that we frightened the flocks of sheep
and goats which were browsing near the margin of the river.
After an hour's run we came in sight of the boat, and with
roaring voices hallooed, "Rais, Rais." Half-a-dozen shepherds
joined our chorus, and our united shouts produced the greatest
terror among the feathered and croaking inhabitants of the
jungle, and attracted the attention of our crew. A boat was at
once dispatched, and we were again safely brought on board.
The Rais, instead of apologizing for his neglect, with the coun-
tenance of a well practised dissembler, asked me, why I did not
inform him that I was going to the Tauk. I convinced him of
his falsehood, and all that he could say was, "Allah Acbar "
(God is great); an excuse little appreciated by myself or
exhausted servant. This fatiguing march had given me an
excellent zest for breakfast, but a new misfortune intervened,
the boat came in shallow waters, and with a violent jerk which
sent tea and cups rolling over the cabin, grounded. All was
instantly confusion, tumult, and clamor, every one seemed to
vie with his neighbour in making the most prodigious noise.
The Rais alone, with a calmness becoming his dignity, did
wonders. He threw off his blue shirt, jumped into the water,
and like a fish swam and dived, disappeared and reappeared;
now he was heaving in the bow, then again pressing on the
sides, determined to prevent the boat from sinking deeper.
The saying of Seneca, "Longum iter est per præcepta breve
et efficax per exempla," was verified here, for the sailors, abashed
by the activity of their chief, imitated his example, and with
some strenuous exertion and toil, the boat moved, and our
canvass and a strong wind carried us safely into the middle of
the stream. In the evening we moored our vessel under a high
bank, overgrown with bushes and dwarfish trees, and imme-
INDEPENDENCE OF THE ARAB SHEIKS.
diately all commenced preparations for supper. Mr. Sternschuss
and myself also disembarked, and leisurely sauntered about near
the temporary encampment. Suddenly two men, who had been
concealed behind the bushes, started up, and like ferocious
animals ready to seize their prey, darted upon us with uplifted
clubs. We retreated in all haste, exclaiming, "Charamy!"
(thieves). Mr. S., who was behind me, received a slight brush,
which took the cap from his head. Our whole party were
instantly on their legs, but the two ruffians, conscious that they
had a strong protecting force in the rear, only moved a score of
yards. Our own bronzed and valiant sailors did not venture to
advance; they overwhelmed them with imprecations and curses,
which the latter received with perfect equanimity and indif-
ference. During the night several attempts were made to
plunder our boat, but a strong musket fire defeated the object
of the assailants, and kept them at a respectful distance.
With dawn we left this inhospitable bank, and with grateful
hearts for our providential escape, floated noiselessly over the
smooth waters. We passed thousands of Arabs, who, with their
droves of buffaloes, horses, and sheep, covered the plain far
beyond the verge of the horizon. The Arabs who inhabit this
part of Arabia, amount to upwards of a hundred thousand
souls, they are perfectly independent, and recognize no other
power than that of their hereditary sheiks. Their depreda-
tions frequently annoy the Turkish authorities, who, without
being able either to subdue their haughty spirit, or curb their
predatory inclinations, must yield to the insults which these
errant tribes offer to the representatives of the Vicegerent of
Mahomed. Every new sheik according to custom, requires to
be invested with a khalat, or robe of honour, by the Pasha of
Bagdad, or Bussorah, and as these dignitaries occasionally
smart under some insult, and refuse to comply with the usual
practice, the sheik, without any farce of ceremony, informs the
governor that he intends to pay him a visit with ten or twelve
thousand men; this announcement generally produces its in-
tended effect, and the khalat, with all modesty and diffidence, is
proffered to the new sheik. Two of these tawny gentlemen,
accompanied by a ragged well-armed suite, paid our captain a
78
VISIT TO THE TOMB OF EZRA.
visit, for which honour he had to open his purse and make
handsome presents of money, pipes, coffee, tobacco, &c. Their
attentions were, however, not strictly confined to the captain,
for with piercing scrutiny they eyed everything on board.
Mr. S. and myself, in particular, attracted their eagle looks, and
without waiting for a tête-à-tête communication, we retreated to
the cabin. When they were gone, our Rais assured us that if
he had told them we were Europeans, a handsome baksheesh
would have been extorted from us. To what nation did you
assign us?" "O, I swore you were Persians, in the employ of
a man at Bussorah." "But you told an untruth." "Agaib,
an untruth, let these cafars eat dirt and not steal; and now, by
the life of my beard, you must give me a baksheesh for having
saved you a hundred keraunt," (about 57.). We promised him
a sheep at the next encampment, which quite delighted the
worthy commander and his famished crew.
During the night we anchored under the walls of the mau-
soleum, which contains the mortal remains of Ezra the scribe,
and before the dusky twilight was blending its faint shadows
with the whitening streaks of the dawning morning, we stood
at the shrine of this "holy man of old." The loneliness of the
place, the dull and dreary aspect of the heavens, and the mur-
muring sound of the agitated river, beating with its muddy
waves against the miry banks, all combined, in unison with the
scene, to sadden the heart, and depress the spirits. "Is this
desolate wild thy melancholy resting-place, O man of God,"
I almost involuntarily ejaculated, as my eyes rested upon the
mean and insignificant building, which Jewish liberality has
raised to the memory of a man, whose zeal, abilities, learning,
and piety, tended so much to reform their corrupt captive
forefathers. I intended to copy the inscriptions on the walls,
and the epitaph on the sarcophagus, but the gloom and darkness
of the vault rendered it impossible. Our servant went to the
boat in search of a candle, unfortunately, however, our stock was
exhausted, and neither the Rais, nor any one else in Bagdad,
encumbered his luggage with such luxuries, and we were,
therefore, obliged to content ourselves with what could be seen
by the dim glimmer of a dirty little oil lamp, which is per-
INSOLENCE OF IGNORANT MEN IN OFFICE.
79
petually burning. The external aspect of the edifice, at a
simple glance, convinces the most cursory observer, that it is
a barbarous modern structure, devoid of all beauty and magni-
ficence. It probably owes its origin to some pious Jews, who
in their zeal for the honour of the distinguished dead, destroyed
the dilapidated ancient mausoleum, and raised on its site this
present shapeless building.
We had now been seventeen days on our voyage, sufficient
to test the patience, and task the forbearance of the best temper;
but the approach to Bussorah, and the very idea of passing the
next night under a walled roof, was quite enough to diffuse a
cheerful glow over every countenance. Even the Jews, and a
pugnacious insignificant Jerusalem rabbi, with whom we had
many zealous and vehement arguments on the voyage, and who
thought it his duty, in conformity with his character, to be
hostile to us, forgot the gulf which prejudice had raised, and
with candour and honesty, he and his co-religionists spoke on
the subject of religion, and received a few tracts.
At sunset we came in sight of Bussorah; two important
personages connected with that ridiculous bugbear, the passport
department, paid us an official visit. These haughty individuals,
who had all the insolence and arrogance of the men in autho-
rity, examined a lot of passports, which they could not even
read a line of, with such scrutiny, that it elicited the sarcasm of
our fellow passengers, and excited the choler of our Teske-
redgee. Abuse, insult, and all sorts of opprobrious epithets,
with which every Asiatic tongue is so fully charged, followed
each other in such rapid succession, that before many minutes
had elapsed, blows and cracking lashes were promiscuously
dealt out, and innocent and guilty, both came in for their share.
The fray might have terminated very seriously, had not our
valorous champions taken the safer course, and jumped into a
gufah, or boat, which, amidst the execrations of nearly two
scores of voices, carried them out of the reach of their
formidable antagonists.
At nine o'clock we reached our destination, and cast anchor
near a few other vessels, whose crews, from the silence which
reigned in them, were no doubt sunk into unconscious repose.
80
MALIGNITY OF THE FEVER AT BUSSORAH.
The next morning we engaged a bellom, or small ferry, and
favored by the tide, rowed swiftly up the creek into town. My
original destination and sphere of labour was Bussorah, and
from what I had read about it, I pictured to myself a large
populous city, worthy of the contest, which, only three quarters
of a century ago, it occasioned between Persia and Turkey.
The first glimpse of its deserted streets, ruined houses, and
general loathsome aspect, convinced me of my mistake. Even
the bazaars, which in all Eastern cities have a gay and animated
appearance, did not diminish the first impression. Most of the
shops were either closed, or in such a dilapidated state, that they
could not with safety be intrusted with any wares; and the few
booths where some scanty merchandize was exhibited, looked
so poor and wretched, that it appeared to me their object was
only to enhance the forlorn aspect of this former emporium of
wealth and pride.
The misery, poverty, and wretchedness of the market and houses
was visibly reflected in the sallow and haggard countenances of the
people; not a single robust frame or healthy complexion delighted
my eye; langour and dejection marked every face, and the worm
of death was apparently gnawing at their very vitals. The
English agent,* a man of great fortune, and who had every
luxury that wealth could procure, was not exempted from the
malignant fever, from which every one suffers; in fact the
inhabitants are so accustomed to it, that as soon as they feel
the symptoms of the distemper, they leave their avocations, and
repair to their couches till it has subsided. On one occasion I
was engaged with several persons in an interesting conversation,
when, suddenly, I noticed the livid paleness of death overspread-
ing the countenances of two of the company; I asked them
whether they were unwell, and they laconically, with blanched
lips, replied, "it is only fever," and retiring to a corner of the
room, laid down till the paroxysm of the attack had subsided.
The fever lasted about an hour, and although, the two indivi-
duals were shivering and trembling, and all their nerves
shattered with the most violent convulsions, no more notice.
* He has, since the above visit to Bussorah, fallen a victim to the prevail-
ing malaria.
RAPACITY OF THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT.
81
was taken of them, than if they were sipping a cup of coffee,
or indulging in the soothing fumes of the tchibouk. This sad
malady, with which all the inhabitants and most visitors become
afflicted, is entirely to be attributed to the negligence of the
government, who, with a most reckless and culpable indifference
about the welfare of its subjects, does not contrive any plan to
improve the salubrity of a place, which in the course of two
years, would amply refund, in a just impost, every disbursement.
The pashas, who, like vultures, feed on the wreck of this and
every other Eastern city, never think of spending a para to im-
prove the town, or advance the health and prosperity of the
inhabitants. Every six hours, they see the rolling tide over-
flowing the banks and converting the most luxuriant soil into a
miry bog, where, under the auspices of the Sultan's lieutenants,
the most destructive diseases and maladies, are engendered and
perpetuated; yet they never take any measures to mitigate the
miseries of the people under their control, or alleviate their
hopeless sufferings. "Give, give," is their only motto; and as if
this passion for money was entwined round their hearts, with
relentless cruelty they will ring, from the very desolations
which their own negligence have accelerated, those sums after
which their cupidity is constantly panting.
Thirty years ago, Bussorah contained upwards of sixty
thousand inhabitants, it had a thriving trade, well-stored bazaars,
and a happy, rich population; at present it does not contain
eight thousand, its commerce (except that of dates) is destroyed,
its opulent houses impoverished, the large caravanserais deso-
late, and the market, thronged by nations from all regions in
the East, is now only frequented by a few sickly Persians, and
some plundering Arabs.
This place, famous in history, and immortalized by the battle
called the "Day of the Camel," might with little expense be
restored to its pristine grandeur, but under the supine and
avaricious rule of the Grand Turk, its destiny is irrevocably
sealed. The Jews, like every one else, have been deep sharers
in the woeful fate of this town; according to their own account,
nearly two thousand succumbed within the last few years, to
the violence of the unsparing epidemic, and more than a hun-
G
82
BANEFUL EFFECTS OF POPERY.
dred scrolls of the law, show that the number is not much ex-
aggerated. At present, besides some Persian Jews, who on
account of oppression have been driven to seek shelter amidst
the desolation of this place, the community does not count more
than thirty families, and these I expect, could they gain a sub-
sistence anywhere else, would gladly emigrate. We visited
their synagogue, which is situated in a remote corner of the
town; it is a neat building, and bears evident marks of the
former prosperity of the congregation.
*
The rabbi, a bigoted Jew, who only knew Christianity from
the deformed rites of Popery, seemed very much disinclined to
enter into any discussion with people whom he considered wor-
shippers of silver crosses, and old rags. Our knowledge of
Hebrew, however, allayed his rising passion, and as if touched
by a magical wand, the sounds of the sacred tongue restrained
the storm of invectives, with which he intended to overwhelm us.
Our conversation, or discussion, which at first threatened to be
warm and stormy, was temperate and mild; and both the
rabbi, and all the rest of the Jews, who had followed at our
heels, heard for the first time the glorious tidings of a crucified
Saviour. The next day, our learned acquaintance accompanied
us to the school, where twenty boys were sitting on a mat,
repeating at the top of their voices the portion of the Bible
appointed for the following Saturday; the noise and inattention
of the children and the filthy smoky room in which they were
confined, showed that it was not a place very favourable for
study. We made several translate a few verses from the Old
Testament, which they did with such irreverence and levity,
that it quite pained me. We gave them a short address, in
which we exhorted them to love their Bible, and to treasure up
its sacred truth in their tender hearts; they readily promised to
do so, and gratefully grasped the tracts, which we gratuitously
distributed among them.
* The Roman Catholics here wear a small bag round their necks, which the
cunning priests stamp, and sell as identical pieces of the Virgin's petticoat.
CHAPTER VI.
A WORD TO THE MAHOMEDANS.
ON the 14th of January we quitted Bussorah, the returning
tide carried us down the creek to the river, where the ship
which was to convey us across the gulf to Bushire was at
anchor. On our arrival on board, the Nakhada was absent, and
the sailors in every nook and corner, like so many lifeless
trunks, lay fast a sleep. With the assistance of two passengers
we got our cases of books safely stored, and the cabin, in which
all kinds of rubbish and filth had accumulated for many
months, if not years, thoroughly swept. When this Herculean
task had been performed, we joined our fellow passengers, who
were sitting on deck, and recounting the adventures which
each had met with, on his journey to the birthplace of Islamism.
I asked them, whether they felt their hearts improved since
their visit to the Kaba of Ali. "No," was the reply; "but we
are conscious of having done a meritorious and holy action.”
"Then the only satisfaction you derive from your wearisome
journey, is self-complacency, and pride." "Have you no par-
ticular shrine where you pay your devotions," interrogated
they. "No; we believe in God, who is every where present,
and our most holy shrine is the secret closet.'
Our Hodjees
were greatly interested in the conversation, and, without losing
temper, listened to the various Gospel truths which we brought
before their notice.
Our captain, a stout fat Persian, made his appearance in the
evening; he was quite astonished at our punctuality, and, with
great naireté, said, "You Franghees imagine that everything
must be done by the watch; we, on the contrary, seldom carry
such an article, as twenty-four hours do not make any material
difference to us." Early the next morning, the preparations.
were made for sailing; there was, as usual, a great deal of
G 2
84
CONJUNCTION OF THE EUPHRATES AND TIGRIS.
bustle among the groups of passengers, and the ragged savage
crew: at last the anchor was weighed, the huge unwieldy sail
unfurled, and our boat afloat on the ancient rivers Tigris and
Euphrates, which mingle their sweet waters twelve hours
above Bussorah. Our voyage down the stream, between banks
covered with shady groves of palm trees, and enlivened by the
braying of donkeys, neighing of horses, and melancholy ditties.
of thousands of half-naked tawny Arabs, greatly enhanced the
pleasure of our voyage, and before we were aware how many
hours we had been sailing, we found ourselves near the mouth
of the Gulf, where we cast anchor for the night, and enjoyed a
comfortable and undisturbed night's rest. We met here several
other vessels, bound for India, laden with horses and dates,
the only export articles from this country. This latter fruit
constitutes the staple trade of this impoverished district; and
affords the means of subsistence to a declining population, who
entirely depend upon the produce which nature, without much
labour, spontaneously supplies.
Wind and tide did not in the least influence the movements
of our phlegmatic captain and idle crew; he was determined to
spend a day with Arab friends, and nothing could change his
mind or alter his resolution. After a night and day of in-
activity, during which all our passengers were eating, smoking,
quarrelling, and singing, we at last put to sca; our course was
less prosperous than a Hodgee, who had great faith in astrology,
predicted. For six days we were driven about by storms and
unfavorable winds, sometimes quite out of our course, and again
guided by the feeble glimmer of a few distant stars, whose pale
and thin light penetrated the hazy clouds. On the sixth day,
to the infinite delight of all our sea-sick passengers, we saw
Bushire rising on one side from the deep sca, and on the other
from an illimitable desert plain. We were driven with great
violence by a sharp north-wester into the inner roads, where the
sea is more sheltered, and soon landed on the quay, which was
busy and crowded with English seamen and native merchants.
We walked between this animated multitude up an undulating
street to the house of Satour, an Armenian merchant, who
received us with great cordiality and hospitality. We met there
PLEASURE OF CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY.
85
several British officers, and also Dr. Campbell, the medical
attaché to the Residency, a gentleman of great talent, profound
skill, and deep piety; qualities estimable any where, but more
particularly so in the East, where vice and impiety have been
so assiduously promulgated by Europeans, whose Christian
name and profession ought to have dictated to them nobler
methods of benefitting a nation already too deeply sunk in the
vices of civilized nations.
Bushire, the great port of Persia, like most towns on the
shores of the Gulf, is a small thinly inhabited place. Its
population, though not exceeding 2,000 souls, consists of a most
motley miscellany of races, religions and sects. Besides the
followers of Ali, and the grave adherents of Abu Becker, Omar,
and Othman, there are the Talmudical Jew, the deluded adorer
of fire, the superstitious worshipper of Indian idols, and the un-
charitable Armenian Christian, who in his pious zeal has learned
to blend the vapid vagaries of Paganism with the solid truth of
the Gospel. In the midst of this chaotic confusion of creeds,
there is one little place, one retired chamber, where the Christian
truth is felt, and the God of the Christian sincerely worshipped.
Colonel Hennell,* the political agent of the East India
Company, an excellent devoted Christian officer, who, combined
with his exemplary life, exhibits to the ignorant and misguided
beings by whom he is surrounded, the beauty and sublimity of
our divine religion. It was with sincere pleasure, that, during
my abode in this benighted place, after the toils and labours of
the week, after many hard struggles and severe combats with
the opponents of light and knowledge, I could every Lord's-day
mingle my voice in the praises and thanksgivings of the few
who collected together in the small chapel of the Residency.
What a splendid mission might not Britain accomplish, what
a dazzling focus of light might she not shed over enslaved
Asia, if all her representatives would exercise the influence
they possess for the moral emancipation, and the mental im-
provement, of the degraded races among whom they are located;
* This highly esteemed officer, to the regret of all the natives and many a
European, has retired from his post, and left Bushire.
86
SOME HEAR THE WORD GLADLY.
hitherto, however, this great object has been overlooked, and
the missionary in passing through these regions, in the bitterness
of disappointment, finds, alas! too many traces of the refined
vices of Europeans, and hears their names associated with un-
blushing immoralities.
During our stay we came in contact with many of the dif-
ferent creeds and sects, which constitute the population of this
seaport; some, as might be expected, derided our object, others
scorned the message of salvation, and only a few paid serious
attention to the words of eternal truth, on which the issue of
life and death are pending. Among the latter I noticed several
Jews, to whom the doctrines of life and immortality proclaimed
in the Gospel, were indeed "glad tidings of great joy." On
♦ one occasion I went, accompanied by Dr. Campbell, to the
synagogue, and after prayers addressed the assembly. They
were, like most Jews in the East, exceedingly ignorant; all they
knew was that they belonged to the family of Israel, and that
all Israelites would finally go to heaven. Of a Messiah, who by
his own vicarious sacrifice was to atone for sin, and bring in an
everlasting righteousness, they had never heard; even the exalted
nature and character of the great Redeemer, though typified in
the glorious manifestation of the Divinity on Sinai, and other
numerous occasions, and so plainly delineated and shadowed
forth by the prophets, was a sealed and incomprehensible
subject among them. My discourse, however, astonished their
minds, and roused their consciences; and many went to their
houses convinced that rabbinical Judaism is not the most perfect
and unalloyed system of belief. One individual, in particular,
was struck with the beauty and glory of the new covenant; the
scales, as it were, fell from his eyes, a new light beamed on
a darkened mind, and through the curses of the law were
unveiled to his heart the tidings of life and immortality.
This person was the teacher and rabbi of the Jewish community;
a man of some learning, and highly respected by the people
over whose spiritual welfare he watched. The enlivening
spark which the grace of God once kindles in the heart is not
so easily extinguished; and Mullah Eliyahu, though he en-
deavoured to lull his conscience asleep by the opiate of rabbin-
CONVERSION OF MULLAH ELIYAHU.
87
ism, the voice of truth roused him from this dreadful self-
delusion. Now, no longer undecided which path to tread, he
eagerly reads the sacred oracles; the divine plan of salvation, in
its consummate perfection, is unfolded to his understanding; no
longer silence seals his lips,-" I have found the Messias," is his
rapturous exclamation; and neither contemptuous incredulity,
scorning ridicule, or the virulent violence of his relations and
friends, can chill his hope, or cause the tide of heavenly joy
which animates his heart to ebb backward. Two years after he
requested me to baptize him. Here a new difficulty con-
travened his anxious and yearning desire, the governor of the
place instigated by the Jews was determined to defeat his plans,
and the Resident, unwilling to offend Colonel Sheil, the British
Envoy at the court of Persia, whose unkind and unfriendly
feelings to us as Protestants, and Protestant missionaries, were
well known, hesitated to afford him that protection to which, in
case of emergency, as his servant,* he was entitled. In this
predicament he resolved to accompany me to Bagdad. The
morning of our departure arrived. The Jews, in a melancholy
procession, and with many tears, follow their respected spiritual
guide to the place of embarkment. Our sail is unfurled to the
breeze, and we cut through the surging waves, which every
moment threatened to dash our boat into pieces. We had not
been plying the briny deep an hour, when we were hailed and
summoned to lower canvass; we were soon surrounded by about
a dozen police, and Mullah Eliyahu was seized and brought back
to Bushire. I immediately wrote a note to Captain Kemball,
the Assistant Resident, Major Hennell being out of town, and
with a promptness most creditable to him, he remonstrated with
the governor, and the mullah, pale and trembling, was conveyed
back to the ship, and suffered to accompany me. He remained
three months in Bagdad, was baptized, and returned again to
his native place, where his consistent walk and Christian life
reconciled his family, and removed many of the prejudices
which the Jews had imbibed against our holy religion.
Mullah Eliyahu was the Seraf to the Resident, an appointment which
he still holds.
88
SURPRISE AT THE ARRIVAL OF FIVE ENGLISH VESSELS.
Whilst we were at Bushire, four schooners of the Honourable
East India Company, and a frigate of Her Majesty's, were at
anchor in the roads, which gave the town an unusually
animated appearance, and filled the narrow lanes, and dusty
streets with officers of all grades and ranks. The sailors, too,
contributed their share in infusing life into this quiet and cheer-
less place, and many natives, who were glad to gain by their
liberality, were still not sorry to see themselves freed from men
who understood no language, and whose reply to the most
civil question was an outstretched arm, a clenched fist, or a
fierce-looking countenance. The visit of these strange ill-
tempered foreigners, whose only recommendation was their
generosity, struck terror into the very heart of Persia, and
reports were rumoured that the English had come with a large
fleet, and huge unfailing guns, to seize Fars. Even the people.
of Bushire had their conjectures, and with divided opinions,
which I often heard expressed in the public streets, they
watched the movements of this armada. The Shah himself
was haunted by sad dreams of disaster and ruin, on account of
the fifty invincible ships,-for the number in travelling to the
capital had necessarily swollen,—and the stoutest heart at the
court, and in the royal city, was filled with dismal apprehensions
and agonizing fears. The fleet at last set sail, without per-
forming those gigantic feats and terrible exploits which occupied
every tongue, and the principal commercial seaport was again
hushed into its usual deathlike silence and inactivity. The
weather during our stay was most delightful; the temperature,
which throughout the summer months is very oppressive, was
mild and pleasant, and we scarcely ever required a fire, or
needed to close our windows against the blowing north-wester.
In June, July, and August, however, the inhabitants suffer all
the agonies of a damp and close atmosphere; everything glows
with the heat of a burning furnace; even the water is tepid, and
requires to be cooled in deep brackish wells, with which every
house is provided. Most of the dwellings have on the terraced
The lower classes in Persia and Arabia, look upon a person who does
not understand their language as a most pitiable, ignorant, and abject being.
BAD EFFECTS OF OVER-EXERTION.
89
roofs a kind of kiask, constructed from the branches of the
palm tree, or the green grass of the desert, in which the natives
shelter themselves during the summer nights, from the burning
winds and the drenching dews of the sea. Those who sleep
without this shelter, generally rise covered with sand and
soaked with dew, which gives them a most comical and muddy
appearance. Whilst this broiling heat continues, the air is
actually laden with damp vapours, and impregnated with the
poisonous effluvia of many a stagnant pool, even to breathe is
difficult, and life a misery and burden. Yet, notwithstanding
these prejudicial effects of the climate, the people are robust
and strong, able to endure the greatest hardships, and capable
of performing the heaviest tasks. Even the women, whom
nature fits for less ardent toils, possess great physical strength;
and I have many a time noticed whole parties of these bronzed
belles, coming from the wells with skins containing twelve or
fourteen gallons of water, strung across their supple, sinewy
arms, and walking along with the greatest ease and agility.
This early drudgery, and over-exertion of the physical powers,
to which the people are subject, carries, however, in its train
evils of infinite magnitude, and hastens scores of unrepenting
and unforgiven sinners to an untimely grave.
-1
CHAPTER VII.
1
CRUIZE ROUND THE PERSIAN GULF.
BEFORE I proceed on my journey, I must be pardoned if I
devote a chapter to a cruize round the Persian Gulf, which I
made in the spring of 1848, in one of the Honourable East
India Company's vessels, under the command of Commodore
G. C. Hawkins. The object of this voyage was both to recruit
my health, which cares, excitements, and a toilsome journey *
from Ispahan to Bushire, in the rigour of winter, had shattered;
and also to make known the message of the Gospel, in places
where the foot of the missionary had never trod, and the tidings
of salvation had never been proclaimed. That this object was
realized will be seen from the following diary.
March 2nd.-Being the day fixed for leaving Bushire, I went
with Commodore Hawkins, commander of the squadron in the
Persian Gulf, on board the Honourable Company's ship,
"Clive ;" and very soon after the signal was given, our vessel,
accompanied by the "Constance," one of the East India Com-
pany's schooners, set sail. We steered S.S.W., and having a
bright sun shining above us, and a brisk wind filling our swell-
ing canvass, we glided over the surging waves with such swift-
ness, that we soon lost sight of Bushire and its cheerless barren
desert.
The next day, at noon, we espied a small island; the Com-
modore immediately sent an officer and midshipman, whom I
accompanied, to ascertain its correct bearing. We rowed for
about an hour, and then reached the island, which we found to
be situated in 27° 59″ N. latitude, and longitude 50° 80', covered
with wild geraniums, skeletons of innumerable turtles, corals,
* The reader will perceive, from the subsequent pages, that this precipitate
departure from our sphere of labour, was occasioned by the Cousul's
refusal to afford our mission, at a most critical period, a mere nominal
protection.
}
CONVERSATION WITH JEWS AT MANUMA.
91
shells, and other products of the sea. Towards evening we
returned to the ship, and with a fine breeze shaped our course
south, towards Bahrein, and anchored next evening on the briny
waters, famous for their hidden treasures of pearls.
Bahrein is a fertile, extensive cluster of islands, about forty
miles in circumference. It was formerly in possession of the
Portuguese; had many towns, and scores of villages; but when
these enterprising settlers were driven out of the Gulf by the
English and Persians, in the time of Shah Abbas, the islands
fell into the hands of Arab sheiks; and since that time they
have been the constant arena of strife and bloodshed. The hand
of the son has frequently been imbrued in the blood of the
father, and the hand of the younger in that of his elder brother,
in order to obtain the government of the place. These intestine
feuds have proved detrimental to the prosperity of the districts
on the western coast, weakened the force of the various sheiks,
and reduced the number of their cities and villages to an incre-
dible extent. Only a month before our arrival, the ruling
sheik of Bahrein, Mahomed ben Khalifa, by stratagem mur-
dered the sheik of El Biddah; and whilst we were there, he
was engaged in a war with his uncle, Abdallah ibu Achmed, a
notorious robber and a famous pirate; and no doubt one of
them will fall a prey to the inexorable vengeance of the other.
Bahrein is famous on account of its pearl fishery, from which
the shiek derives a great revenue, and most of the people their
support.
The island at present consists of three considerable towns-
Manuma, Maharaz, and Arad; in the former there are eight
Jewish merchants, with whom I passed many hours in most
interesting conversations. They were all well-informed men ;
and, in the beginning of our acquaintance, obstinate defenders
of the doctrines of their rabbies; but, by the grace of God, they
gradually yielded to sounder and better convictions, and with
pleasure, yea delight, listened to the message of salvation, which
I proclaimed. Their principal objection was the doctrine of
acceptance with God, through faith in the atoning blood of
Christ. I endeavoured to show them that man, by the fall,
became alienated from God, lost the Divine favour, and could
92
GRATITUDE OF A JEW.
only be reconciled to his offended Maker through the medium
of Christ, the friend of sinners. They acknowledged that some
parts of Holy Writ inculcated what I stated; yet their proud,
Pharisaical hearts could not be humbled and brought to confess
that we are entirely dependant on the merits of a Saviour, for
our title and claim to eternal life, and that all our righteousness
is but as filthy rags in the sight of God. I gave them three
New Testaments, and two "Old Paths," which they gratefully
accepted. One of them accompanied me to Maharaz, and intro-
duced me to several respectable Arabs in the place, with whom
I had long discussions. On my return to the ship, I offered
my good guide a remuneration for his kindness, and the trouble
I had occasioned him; but he told me that my desire to pro-
mote their temporal and spiritual welfare, and the interesting
conversations I held with them, had involved himself and his
brethren under great obligations to me, and he felt delighted to
have had the opportunity of rendering me a small service in
return. I did not expect to meet such a disinterested Jew on
the island of Bahrein; but it shows that wherever the Gospel
is preached in sincerity and love, the effect is irresistible, and
the motive appreciated.
March 9th.-Being the day fixed for weighing anchor, the
Commodore, with ten officers, went on shore to meet the sheik.
As I was invited to accompany the party, I repaired with them
to the Honourable Company's agent, where the sheik and his
brother soon arrived. They were attended by a train of well-
armed Arabs, and several Nubian and Abyssinian slaves. The
sheik himself was a short, ferocious-looking man, of a dark
complexion, black rolling eyes, and an unsettled piercing glance.
He answered, in every respect, the prediction given of Ishmael,
at his birth,—that he should be a wild man. The brother was
rather a mild and amiable person, with a pleasing countenance,
long beard, keen eyes, beautiful teeth, glossy rich hair, and
most graceful deportment. They received the Commodore
with the greatest civility; apologized for not having been on
the spot before his arrival; and we entered into conversation
with all the ease, frankness, and independence of the unfettered
and unrestrained inhabitants of the desert. My plain dress,
I
INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH A SHEIK.
93
amongst so many officers, with gold-faced caps, glittering epau-
lettes, and terror-striking swords, at once marked me out as an
object of curiosity, and led them to inquire what office I held
on board the ship. On being told that I was a Christian
mullah, they at once abandoned the subject of diplomacy, and
with great seriousness and caution, began to converse on the
more important topics of religion.
The first question the sheik asked me was, whether we
prayed? I answered in the affirmative. He then continued,
"Do you invoke the Prophet Mahomed?" I again replied,
that Christians did not acknowledge Mahomed, nor consider
him a divinely-inspired prophet. His brother, Sheik Ali,
interrupted me by saying, that the Jews had informed him
that Mahomed was foretold and predicted in Holy Scripture.
To their astonishment I flatly contradicted the truth of this
assertion. As the sheik and his brother had never read the
Bible, they requested me to state some of the principal doctrines
of our holy religion, as contained in the Scriptures. I told
them that our Bible described man's innocence and subsequent
fall, unfolded the mercy of God to lost sinners, and declared to
every true believer a gracious Saviour, a perfect sacrifice, a gene-
ral resurrection, a final judgment, and a never-ending existence
beyond death and the grave. These important topics quite en-
grossed their attention, and absorbed their minds. Sheik Ali
entreated me to give him an Arabic Bible. I expressed my regret
that I had not a copy with me, but promised to send him one with
Commodore Hawkins, when he made his next cruise. This satis-
fied the inquisitive Arab; and the conversation assumed again its
former tone; but he did not feel any longer interested in the
subject of debate, for his mind could not be diverted from the
topics we had just discussed; and, as if unconscious of those
around him, he inclined politely towards the Commodore, and
with faltering voice implored him not to forget to bring the
Bible; in fact, he appeared to think of nothing else except
what I had told him about our holy religion; even when the
whole party had separated, and the mutual greetings ceased to
ring in my ears, Sheik Ali followed us, and whispered, as if
afraid of the servants, "Do not disappoint me, and forget the
94
NEED OF MISSIONARIES IN PERSIA.
Torah and Angeel!" The Commodore assured him that he
would be very happy to attend to his rqueest; and I have much
pleasure to add, that he is now in possession of that valuable
book, which alone is able to make him wise unto salvation,
through faith which is in Christ Jesus. It was a pleasing re-
flection, and I felt grateful to God for having chosen me as the
instrument to scatter the word of truth amongst the very tribe
and descendants of the false prophet.
As I was on board a ship-of-war, whose political relations
with the inhabitants on the coast would not allow me any direct
interference with the religion of the natives, I was obliged to
circumscribe my own usefulness; yet, I trust that my feeble.
labours, by the help of God, were not in vain.
From what I have personally observed and experienced, and
from the reports and information I obtained from the natives, I
am led to suppose that Arabia must be a vast and promising
field for missionary enterprise. There are, it is true, mighty
dangers to be encountered, and innumerable trials to overcome,
before the missionary can gain access to a people scattered over
a formidable country; but the hope and prospects of success
amongst the multitude of Jews, both on the coast and inland,
and the glory and sublimity of proclaiming the great truths of
Christianity amongst the descendants of the false prophet,
ought to enhance the object in the eyes of the faithful servant
of our Lord, and preponderate against the fear of the most in-
superable difficulty.
At our return from this state visit, a favourable brecze sprung
up, of which we took advantage, and shaped our course east,
towards Assaloa, 134 miles from Bahrein, and anchored, after
twenty-four hours' sail, on that coast.
Assaloa is situated on the Persian coast, close to the sca, and
in front of some majestic ranges of grey rocks. It was formerly
notorious for its piracies and atrocious murders; but since this
trade of blood has been suppressed by the Honourable Company,
the inhabitants, whose restlessness and ingratitude could not be
checked, except by continual excitement, commenced fighting
with other tribes, and ruined themselves and several neighbour-
ing chiefs.
SANGUINARY CHARACTER OF WAHABEES.
95
There are a great many Jews in the vicinity of this place.
Naheud, a village an hour's distance, contains fifteen Jewish
families. The Commodore promised to land me there; but,
unfortunately, on Sunday, immediately after Divine Service, a
violent wind compelled us to unfurl the sails, and get into the
open sea. Our ship, driven onwards by furious winds and
boisterous waves, made great progress during the night, and at
eleven o'clock, A.M., we had sailed one hundred and five miles,
and anchored at Charrack. This place is one of the most mise-
rable and wretched on the coast; and for this the inhabitants
have to thank their own sanguine tempers, which cannot exist
without war and bloodshed, rapine and plunder; and though
they plunge themselves and their neighbours into the very jaws
of destruction and ruin, yet they relentlessly persevere in their
wild hostilities. Previous to our arrival, the people of this
locality had an engagement with the Arabs at Magos, a place
fifteen miles from Charrack, in which, on both sides many were
killed, and scarcely one escaped without being wounded or
bruised, either from swords, lances, pistols, or guns. I went on
shore with the doctor of the " Clive;" and no sooner was it
known that the Hakim had arrived, than the whole population
hastened to obtain medical advice, till at last the doctor was
weary with prescribing, and myself exhausted with interpreting.
March 15th.-We got again under way; a light breeze filled
our sails, and gently drove our ship in the direction S. E. half E.,
round the Cape Certes, in the Bay of Magood, where we re-
mained thirty hours. This place, which contains about a hundred
and fifty houses, and many tents; is entirely inhabited by a wild
and rapacious tribe of the Wahabees, whose depredations, a
few years ago, occasioned great troubles to the Sultan, and
Viceroy of Egypt. They profess the Mahomedan creed, aud
adhere to the principles and precepts of the Koran; but they
are not so fanatical as the Sonee, or Turks; nor so superstitious
as the Shee, or Persians. In fact Abdal Waheeb, the founder of
this sect, may be regarded as the first reformer of Islamism, in
the heart of Arabia.
I saw most of the inhabitants whilst on shore; they all ap-
peared exceedingly ignorant, and knew nothing more of their

!
96
ARABIAN ESTIMATE OF THE ENGLISH.
own religion, than that it enjoined a certain number of prayers
and ablutions, and promised an eternity of bliss to all the
followers of the servant of God (as they style Mahomed). Of
our holy religion they had never heard, and when I told them
that the English believe in the Gospel, and gave them an
epitome of our sacred history; they gazed at me with distended
mouths, and wondering eyes; and after a short pause, replied,
"We know that the Ingreese have large ships, big guns, and
good soldiers, but we never thought that they had any religion,
or believed in such a good book, as you say the Angeel is."
The Arabs on the whole of this coast, though they are re-
vengeful and martial tribes, are nevertheless an acute and
sensible people; and if they were brought under the benign in-
fluence of the Gospel of the grace of God, they would no doubt.
soon become an active, energetic, and industrious nation. I asked
one of the mullah's, a sun-browned, desperate looking-man,
whether there were any Jews in the place, and he tritely re-
plied, "We cannot repose our heads by night without expecting
to have them separated from our shoulders before the morning,
and do you think that the Jews, who would excite the cupidity
of our
own people, and the inexorable vengeance of our
enemies, could possibly venture to reside amongst us." As I
had nothing to object to the solidity of such forcible arguments,
I tacitly acquiesced in what the Mahomedan doctor said.
The Arabs along the whole coast, appear to have the greatest
regard and esteem for the English name, and treat the Honour-
able East India Company's officers with great deference. I
was frequently astonished to see an independent, warlike, and
intractable chief, whose sword was still reeking with the blood
of his enemies, and whose eyes were gleaming with the fire of
desperation, sitting before the Commodore, and listening to his
counsel and advice with unlimited faith, and unbounded con-
fidence. It is gratifying for the missionary to behold British
influence extended over these wild regions, as it may alter-
nately tend to introduce the Gospel of peace amongst the
savage tribes, and lead them to the knowledge of the truth as it
is in Jesus Christ.
After sunset we sailed again; the evening was delight-
THE BARBARIANS OF TARGA.
97
ful, the sky serene, the air soft and pure, and our canvass suf-
ficiently swelled to carry us imperceptibly over the smooth
surface of the briny deep. We steered S. E. by E., and I
believe, if the dream had not been previously dispelled, the
lovely aspect of the heavens above, and the beautiful tranquillity
of the sea beneath, would have united to feast my imagination
with the idea, that we were indeed approaching the fancied
Arabia Felix,—the unexplored terrestrial paradise. In the
morning the wind freshened up, and at twelve o'clock next day
we anchored at the barren desolate waste of Arabia, close to
the town Targa.
now in
This barbarous coast was, twenty-eight years ago, so infested
with pirates, that a small fleet could not pass without being
attacked, the ships plundered, and the men butchered. There
is only one lady, the widow of the late Colonel
Europe, who, after six months imprisonment, miraculously
escaped the hands of these unfeeling ruffians. Of all the other
numerous vessels which they captured, not a soul was ever
saved. Their maxim was,
"since the Koran interdicts the
robbing of the living, first, In the name of the most merciful
God,' to slaughter the crew, and then pillage the defenceless
ship." The Indian Government, for a long time did not take
any notice of these formidable enemies, but when they saw that
the insatiable robbers, not only destroyed their commerce in
the Gulf, but also on the western coast of India, they sent, in
1819, a strong fleet of thirty ships, against the pirates of Targa,
and Ras-El-Kheima. An obstinate engagement, both by sea and
land, took place, in which the English were victorious. The
natives were defeated; their fleet, which amounted to upwards
of forty strong built ships, burnt and sunk; their town and
fortifications destroyed, and their power for ever successfully
annihilated and ruined.
Targa is one of the most miserable places I ever saw. It is
built along a sterile beach, formed of corals, shells, and other
saline plants and products of the sea; it consists of a thousand
mud and sand-built houses, and an equal number of tents, and
contains a mixed population of black slaves, and dark swarthy
Arabs. During the summer, when the violence of the sun by
H
98
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF VISITING YEMEN.
day, and the successive moisture by night, continue to exert
their influence on the numberless putrified fish, which lie scat-
tered on the shore, the air becomes infected with a noisome
effluvia, the land a sink of pestilence, and men and beasts
scarcely know where to hide themselves, from the agonizing
stings of insects, which haunt them everywhere. There are no
Jews in Targa, or Ras-El-Kheima; but the natives confirmed
the report, that thousands of them lived in Yemen, and the
Hedjaz. I asked the sheik whether he would give me a pass-
port to conduct me safely to Nedjed; he at first consented, but
after a little longer deliberation, he said it was quite impracti-
cable, as the road was unfrequented, the season far advanced,
the climate pestilential, the stages long, and the hardships in-
describable; and concluded his whole string of arguments, by
saying, you are still very young, and my face would become
black in the eyes of the Ingreese, if my men should he obliged
to bury you in the road. As I saw the justness and accuracy
of these observations, I at once abandoned the plan of pro-
secuting my journey, at this season, into the interior of Arabia.
March 20th.—Early in the morning, a cloudy sky, hazy
atmosphere, and heaving sea, the precursors of a north-wester,
which is always dangerous on this coast-abounding with de-
structive shoals and coral reefs-were signals for weighing
anchor and making sail. A soft easterly wind had just carried
us away from the coast, when the dreaded north-wester came
blowing over the wide expanse, and covered it with heaving
waves and foaming billows. In the evening the tumultuous
flood was again lulled into profound tranquillity, and our ship
glided almost motionless over the glassy deep. In the morning
we had a land breeze, and in the afternoon moored near the
Tomb, an uninhabited island, where we stayed two days, in order
to repair the boats and also to afford a little land exercise to
the ships' crews.
On the 24th, at four in the morning, we neared the island
of Kishm, thirty-three miles distant; and cast anchor at twelve
o'clock, on its north-western point, opposite Bassadore. This
island which is of considerable extent, was for a long time in
possession of the Portuguese, had many towns and fortifica-
MEETING OF JEWS AT BASSADORE.
99
tions; but when these enterprising traders were driven away
by the united powers of England and Persia, the destructive
ravages of misgovernment made such havoc, that not a vestige
now remains to show its departed greatness, nor a trace to point
out the place of this once famous emporium of Eastern trade.
After the suppression of the piracies on the Arabian coast, the
East India Company turned it into a station for their squadron,
which they kept there to protect their trade; they built houses,
erected magazines, constructed a hospital, and made the breasts
of the natives swell, with the hope of soon seeing again a city,
and lucrative bazaar on their desolated island. This pleasing
vision however, soon vanished, for the summer, with its intense
and violent heat, proved detrimental to the health of the con-
querors; disease began to make its deep inroads amongst the
officers; fever spread among the sailors; the houses which had
only recently been built, were evacuated; the islands aban-
doned, and only fourteen soldiers were left (who were still
there) to guard the stores of the company. Thus were the ex-
pectations of the natives, who derive their means of subsistence
from the few vessels that pass here, for ever blighted.
Towards evening, I went with the Commodore on shore to
take a walk; on our landing, the soldiers were drawn up in a line
to salute the Commander of the squadron, and to receive orders
and instructions. After this we inspected the hospital, which is
a spacious and strong-built edifice, and from thence repaired to
the cemetery, a place crowded with the tombs of officers, sailors,
and one lady. It was a sad and melancholy spectacle to see the
place, where so many Europeans had been interred on a foreign
shore, most of whom died, without having any one near to
smooth with spiritual comfort, the awful descent into the gloomy
chamber of corruption.
On our return, three Jews accosted me, and requested a
solution of some questions connected with our religion; I told
them that I was engaged then, but would come on shore next
morning. At sunrise I met my three acquaintances, of the
preceding evening; they gave me a kind and deferential
salaam, and, en passant, informed me that some Jews in Bushire,
had warned them against me as a dangerous character, who had
JOFM
H 2
100
THE JEWS CONVINCED.
caused a great sensation in their community; but as my per-
sonal appearance did not justify such a severe charge, they were
anxious to hear the doctrines I propagated. I readily availed
myself of this request, and fully declared to them the mysterious
and merciful plan of redemption, through the blood of the cru-
cified Saviour. In the beginning of our discussion, they were
rather obstinate, and upon the clearest evidence, would not
admit that the merits of Christ's sufferings could confer such
inestimable benefits as I stated, upon the whole human race.
I read to them Isaiah liii., and compared it with Jeremiah
xxiii. 6. They acknowledged that these passages of Scripture
inculcated the truth, that through the atoning death of the
Messiah, the sinner obtains forgiveness, and through his
righteousness is reconciled to his offended God; "but," added
they, "this may refer to the Gentiles, and not to the Jews, for
we have a law which will save us." I told them that if they
acted in perfect conformity to the divine law, and with unre-
mitted perseverance observed every precept contained in it,
they might expect salvation upon such legal terms, but since
there is not a righteous man in the world, it is impossible for
any person to be saved, except by repentance and faith in the
blood of the Messiah. They granted that our doctrines were
entirely deduced from the Word of God, and, with much
sincerity, simultaneously confessed, that they never thought
that Christianity was based on such good and solid foundation.
I gave them two New Testaments, and sold three Bibles.
Sunday, March 26th.-The sacred day of rest, is on board
the Honourable Company's ships observed with a decorum and
respect, which reflects the greatest honour and credit on the
Indian Government. Whilst on board the "Clive," I always
looked forward to the Sabbath with a delight and pleasure I
never experienced on shore; in fact, the very thought of being
on the water, surrounded by all the wonders of the deep, fills
the heart with subjects for meditation, and abstracts the mind
from all worldly themes. They that go down to the sea in
ships, that do business in great waters," says the Psalmist,
"these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the
deep."
EFFECT OF THE WORD PREACHED TO THE SAILORS. 101
At eight o'clock all manual work ceased, and the sailors
retired to dress. At ten o'clock, both the native troops and
European seamen were mustered; and immediately after the
church was rigged; the chairs, capstan bars, and shot boxes
arranged for seats; and at half-past ten the bell tolled, the flag
was hoisted, and Divine service commenced. My kind friend
the Commodore, in order to afford to the crews of both ships
an opportunity to hear the preached Gospel, always contrived
that we should lay at anchor on the Sabbath. My congrega-
tion, consisting of about one hundred and twenty seamen, and
thirty officers, presented a striking and deeply impressive sight.
During Divine service, great solemnity prevailed, and the
sailors, notwithstanding their dislike to sermons, did not mani-
fest the least impatience; but with much devotion joined in the
prayers, and with undivided attention, listened to the inspiring
words of righteousness, temperance, and judgment, &c., &c.
This morning I preached from Hebrews xiii. 14. The cemetery,
which was in full view from our nautical church, forcibly
brought the words home to the hearts of my audience, and I
could see tears running down the furrows of several weather-
beaten cheeks, whilst I spoke of the shortness of life, the
certainty of death, and the necessity of constant preparation.
Some of the sailors, who by my ministry were brought under
the regenerating influence of the Gospel, expressed their feel-
ings to me in writing; and, as the letters breathe the spirit of
contrition, confidence, and piety, I must be pardoned if I make
an extract or two, for the purpose of magnifying the grace of
God, and exalting the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ-the
effectual instrument and power of salvation to every one that
believeth. One of them writes:
"By the infinite mercy of God, you have been directed to
this ship, to speak the glorious truths of the Gospel to a number
of men who greatly need it, in order to induce them to leave
the service of sin and Satan, and seek refuge under the glorious
banner of the cross. O how your words sunk into our hearts
this morning! God grant that the impression may never be
weakened! We, sir, have been those bold blasphemers to whom
you addressed those words of peace and hope; we have com-
102
INTERESTING LETTERS FROM THE SAILORS.
mitted iniquities and crimes too horrible to relate. O do not
think it presumptuous thus to write, for to whom can we go
more appropriately than to a holy minister of Christ, sent by
Providence in our road, to guide and direct us.
Will you,
reverend sir, oblige us with a copy of the sermon you preached
this morning? Although we remember the greater part of it, yet
some words may have escaped us; and this day, with God's
blessing, will not be forgotten by many of us. O sir, I felt for
some of my shipmates, who avowedly came to have afterwards
something to scoff at and ridicule; but their attention was
arrested, and I hope that they will seek for mercy, as myself
and companions have been led to do."
In another letter an individual says:
66
Thanks, ten thousand thanks for your kindness to me and
my beloved companions, who are now on shore, myself being
the only one of them on board. Sir, the enclosed letter, a copy
of which I shall forward to the Archdeacon Jeffries, in Bombay
(who often exhorted us to repent), will show you how horrible
our former conduct has been, and how anxious we now are to
walk with Christ and his people. Your words, dear sir, have
sunk into my heart; for I assure you, that if you had been
three years ship-mate with us, you could not have spoken to us
more feelingly; you seemed to all of us to have been acquainted
with our sinful lives, and to have always addressed people like
myself and shipmates."
Thus the Lord, in his infinite mercy, graciously owned my
feeble efforts, not only on shore, amongst the stubborn Maho-
medans and unbelieving Jews, but also on board the ship,
amongst those who had been baptized into the profession of the
doctrines of the Gospel.
March 29th.—I met again my Jewish friends; they told me
that they were reading the New Testament, and found it a most
interesting and captivating book; every sentence replete with
wisdom, and every page fraught with lessons of the sublimest
morality "If you think the Gospel steeped with Divine
knowledge, as it really is, why do you not come to Christ to be
saved?"
They replied (with diffidence in their own words),
"We trust in Moses and our Chachamim.”
VIOLENT NORTH-WESTER IN THE GULF.
103
March 30th.-A strong south-easter urged us to leave Bassa-
dore. The wind, which was in our favour, hastened us
over the rugged waters, at the rate of seven miles an hour.
At noon we reached Linga; the Commodore gave orders to
heave to, in order to receive the sheik, who came for the
despatches from the Resident, in the Persian Gulf. As there
were several Jewish families residing in the town, I wanted to
visit the place, but the wind was too strong to permit any pro-
crastination. The sheik's business was quickly finished, and
we soon lost sight of Linga, and, in the darkness which closed
around us, of every other object that might interrupt the mono-
tony of the liquid expanse. In the morning we passed Keish,
a small island decked with fresh verdure, and covered with
extensive date-tree groves; and a little higher up, on the
southern coast, we doubled Ras Cheroo, a picturesque little
town on the edge of the sea, skirting a sun-burnt heath. In
fact, the ungovernable wind carried us on with such rapidity,
that an endless succession of towns and villages appeared to line
this wild and desolate coast, and made it look quite prosperous
and thriving.
Towards evening, the wind which bore us so expeditiously
along, suddenly changed, the air became tremendously agitated,
the sails fluttered, and before many minutes passed, a furious
north-wester, with resistless impetuosity, lashed the foaming
billows over our ship, and threatened to engulph us in their
yawning caverns. I entirely resigned myself to the will of Him
at whose bidding the roaring winds hold their peace, and the
turbulent waves are still; and confiding in His protecting care,
I passed a tolerable night, unconscious of all the perils and
dangers around me. The storm, which raged incessantly during
the night, continued to increase in the morning. The thermo-
meter, ranging from 80° to 94° two days previously, suddenly
fell to 54°; some of the sails were split, others carried away,
several spars splintered, half the crew on the sick list, and all
countenances filled with horror and dismay. This terrific com-
motion of the warring elements lasted till Sunday, when to our
great delight, the sky cleared out, the wind calmed down, and
the sun, hidden under dusky clouds, shed his cheerful beams on
1
104
DISCUSSION WITH A RABBI AT CONGOON.
the heaving surface of the troubled waters. The Commodore
afterwards assured me that he never encountered so violent
a north-wester in the Gulf before. Two native vessels were
lost in the storm; and had it not been for his unwearied vigi-
lance, by day and by night, our ship would have sustained much
more serious damage. By frequent tacking we managed to get
up to Congoon, and anchored there at midnight.
Congoon belongs to the Government of Fars. It was formerly
a large and populous town; but discord, anarchy, and war,
have demolished the houses, destroyed the streets, and driven
the poor inhabitants from their homes and fields. At pre-
sent abject poverty prevails in the place, the land is unculti-
vated and covered with weeds, the farmers' cottages deserted
and levelled to the ground; and the few inhabitants whom
necessity detains here, are day and night in arms, in order
to repel the Dashtces, their most inveterate and powerful
enemies. There are eighteen Jewish families in the town; a
few years ago they exceeded triple that number, but the con-
stant harassing feuds of the contending clans, compelled them
to seek shelter in Geludar, a place ten farangs distant from
Congoon. I visited them several times, and always met with
an encouraging reception. They had never heard of our holy
religion, except through the corrupt channel of some Armenians,
and all I said was therefore quite new, and full of interest. One
of their community, Mullah Salomon, a man of great reputation
on account of his Talmudical learning, strenuously defended
Judaism, and inflexibly maintained that since Israel was still in
captivity, Messiah could not have come. I told him that his
allegations would not stand the test of Scripture, since, in the
Word of God it is expressly stated, and incontestibly declared,
that Messiah was to come before the destruction of the temple;
and that he was to be rejected and crucified by the Jews,
acknowledged by the Gentiles, received into heaven, and come
again at the end of the world, when all Israel would repent,
and hail Him as their long expected Saviour.
As I corroborated all these important topics with Scripture
passages, my learned antagonist, who had braced himself against
the truth, got ill-tempered; and, to vindicate the orthodoxy of
CONVICTION OF MULLAH SALOMON.
105
the Jewish creed, he first asserted that Messiah was come; then
that He need not come; and lastly, that He was in Paradise,
and would not come until the day of judgment. The incon-
sistency of these statements, extorted pointed remarks from his
flock; and the rabbi, to divert their minds from such a subject,
turned to me, and ingeniously asked what need there was of a
new revelation, since the old contained everything necessary for
our salvation? I replied that, although the Old Testament con-
vinced us of our fallen, lost, and ruined condition, and explained
to us the origin of evil, and the cause of all our misery; yet it
was the New Testament which furnished and supplied us with
a remedy in the atoning blood of the Son of God. Before we
separated the rabbi yielded to better convictions, and with tears
in his eyes, he grasped my hand, and declared, in the presence
of the Jews, that I was the first Christian who sympathized with
their misfortunes, was not insensible to their unhappy condition,
and laboured for their present and eternal welfare; and with
great solemnity, he added, “I appreciate all you have said, and
in future will venerate your Messiah." I sold them eight
Bibles, and gave, as presents, four New Testaments.
April 12th.-At twelve o'clock the deep sound of a gun an-
nounced that the squadron was about to sail. The sea was rather
rough, and the wind high; but both the Commodore and the
captain of the "Constance" were experienced seamen, and with
great dexterity steered the ships through the stormy sea; and,
notwithstanding the disadvantages of wind and tide being
against us, we safely accomplished, on Saturday morning, the
voyage up to Bushire.
At noon I left the "Clive." I had now been thirty-five days
on board; and, though most of the officers and crew were but
little interested in missionary effort, or in favour of missionaries,
I was always treated with deference and respect; and I believe
there was a feeling of mutual regret when I took my depar-
ture.
Some months after the above cruise, I received from the
officers and sailors of the squadron a silver inkstand and pocket
case of sacramental vessels, as a token of acknowledgment for
my humble efforts whilst amongst them.
106
INSCRIPTION ON INKSTAND.
The inkstand bears the following inscription :-
PRESENTED
ΤΟ
THE REV. HENRY STERN,
BY
COMMODORE HAWKINS
AND THE OFFICERS AND SEAMEN OF THE SQUADRON OF THE INDIAN NAVY,
STATIONED IN THE GULF OF PERSIA,
IN APRIL, 1848,
AS A SMALL TOKEN OF THEIR SENSE OF HIS ZEAL AND ABILITY
IN THE DISCHARGE OF HIS SACRED FUNCTIONS,
AND OF THEIR
GREAT PERSONAL ESTEEM FOR HIS
PRIVATE CHARACTER.
CHAPTER VIII.
RESUMPTION OF MISSIONARY NARRATIVE.
I PROCEED again with the narrative of my journey. On the eve
of the new year we intended to leave Bushire, but a heavy rain,
which had converted the plain into an extensive marsh, detained
us for another night under the roof of our kind Armenian host.
On the second of January, we bade farewell to most of our
Jewish and Gentile acquaintance, and with the sincere regret of
many, issued forth from the gates of this port. Our caravan
had encamped near a cemetery, close to the walls of the city,
and here, among the silent ashes of the dead, and the monotonous
clamour of the living, we passed a few restless hours. I had
spread my carpet on a patch of grass, near a marble tablet,
which covered the narrow chamber of one, who, no doubt, as his
epitaph was long and well engraved, played once a great figure
among his countrymen, but who was now numbered among the
forgotten multitudes who had acted their part on this world's
stage; and his sepulchre, which displayed some pride and rank,
even in the dust, was desecrated by the profane muleteers, who
dined on it with such zest, as if the emblems of death sweetened
their frugal meal. Past midnight we abandoned this patrimony
of the heirs of decay, and under a sparkling sky, whose solemn
radiance corresponded with the unbroken silence of the desert,
proceeded on our journey, and travelled till two hours after
sunrise, and then encamped in the open field, near Isawandee.
The cold of the night, which had penetrated every pore, and
chilled the very heart-blood, was succeeded by a close and
sultry day; and, for the space of six hours, we suffered all the
agonies which heat and glare can inflict: The next march, like
the previous, was during the stillness of the night, when the
air is bracing, and men and animals can better toil over rugged
hills and tedious plains, than in the bright light of day, when sun
108 FATIGUES AND EXERTIONS OF CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
and glare unite to exhaust the weary and over-burdened beast,
and the way-worn traveller. These nocturnal journeys have,
however, their concomitant evils, and the traveller in the inhos-
pitable regions of the East, where civilization has not yet pro-
vided for every physical and moral want of man, soon finds that
the constant interruption of his necessary repose gives an irre-
sistible faintness and langour to his frame, and communicates
a blight to his heart, which soon extends itself to his imagina-
tion, and blunts both feeling and taste. Such sensations I fre-
quently experienced after having passed several restless nights;
the most enchanting scenes, where nature had reared the love-
liest temple, neither affected nor interested me; hills, valleys,
trees, flowers, and streams, I passed with sullen apathy; the
morning star was my only point of attraction, and with yearning
impatience I occasionally raised my eyes to the eastern horizon,
to see if this planet, the harbinger of approaching day, had
already made its appearance. Caravan travelling is another
evil, to which, with horror, every one who is limited in his dis-
bursements, must necessarily submit. Those who can keep
their purses contstantly unstrung, are easily provided with
escorts, who will conduct them safely from stage to stage; but
one who travels under less favourable auspices, is compelled to
attach himself to a slow, toiling caravan, has to endure excru-
ciating agonies and annoyances. Every minute he feels his
strength relaxing, and his head growing dizzy; sleep, too, that
overwhelming intruder, aggravates the bodily exhaustion, and
the traveller attempts in vain to banish drowsiness, by cold
lavations, or fatiguing walks; every nerve must be strained, and
each faculty roused, to infuse some life into the prostrate frame,
in order to complete the nearly finished task. Even the hardy
muleteers, who have constitutions of iron, and muscles of steel,
frequently, after several nights' march, are not proof against
exhaustion; and many a time I noticed worn out drudges
throwing themselves on the ground for a few minutes, or fol-
lowing, with sleepy steps, the patient motion of the slow moving
animal. Rich muleteers generally rouse their passions and
excite their bodies, by a terrible potion of opium, which relieves
them for a while from the depressing influence of arduous and
MISERIES OF THE JEWS IN BORAZ-GOON.
109
incessant labour, and imparts an artificial elasticity to their
energies; but it is a dangerous remedy, and generally produces
a prostration, which can only find relief in an incessant recourse
to this slow devouring poison.
After a few night's struggling exertions, I became reconciled
to the change, and longed for the repose of day, as the wearied
labourer does for the recurrence of night. The most tedious
part of the journey was always as the munzil receded from us,
this I painfully felt to day, and at every few steps I asked the
muleteer what distance we had traversed, and when at last the
beautiful date-groves of Boraz-goon burst on our view, I
experienced a most exquisite sensation of delight. We un-
loaded under the gateway of a ruined caravanserai, where we
found a sheltered corner to spread our soiled carpets, and enjoy
a little rest. Afterwards we visited the Jews who reside in this
place, they had been apprized of our intention by their coun-
trymen in Bushire, and without exception received us with
great kindness and unaffected cordiality. Nearly the whole
community accompanied us to the synagogue, a dark miserable
hut, consisting of four bare walls, and a broken uneven clay
floor; there was not a book, except a few parts of the Old
Testament Scriptures, with which Dr. Wolff, many years ago,
presented them. Their mullah, a venerable old man, gave us a
touching, and artless description of their miseries and woes,
and the affecting picture of indigence, poverty and degradation
which we witnessed here, and in other cities of Fars, where
once proud rulers courted their friendship and protected their
rights,* was sufficient to suffuse with tears eyes less accustomed
to such sights than our own. We made a short address, in
which we assured them of our sympathy with their hapless
position; explained to them the cause of their present captivity,
and pointed them to Him, who alone could loosen their chains
and burst their prison bands. The words of pity and com-
* After Persia fell under the scimitars of the Arabs, the Jews stood in
such high esteem by the Caliphs, that Ali gave to Bostani, "the Prince of the
Captivity," a morose and captious bachelor, the daughter of Isesdeegird, the
last of the Sassanian rulers.-Vide Khore Haddorah, p. 3.
110
VISIT FROM THE GOVERNOR.
miseration from the mouths of strangers had a thrilling effect
upon this fallen community, and with eagerness they drank in
the words of life and peace, as they fell from our lips. We
gave them several Bibles and New Testaments, which they
clasped to their bosoms with gratitude and joy.
The number of Jews in Borazgoon is very limited, being
only ten families, but like all their co-religionists in this un-
happy land, they are subject to great sufferings and severc
oppressions; their houses, or rather hovels, which are within a
mud enclosure, afford neither sufficient shelter from the keen
frost of winter, nor the scorching heat of summer; the furniture
corresponds with everything around,-a parcel of old carpets,
some ragged coverlets, and two or three cracked earthen jars
are all the moveable property of these sombre and melancholy
abodes, where happiness is seldom known, and security never
felt. In the afternoon, Mahomed Hossein Khan, the governor,
accompanied by a numerous train of servants, paid us a visit.
He expected to find an Elchee, or ambassador, but the ap-
pearance of our portable establishment convinced him without
any enquiry of his mistake; nevertheless, without betraying his
disappointment, he asked us about the object of our journey,
and why we visited the Jews. He appeared much astonished
at the interest we took in the conversion of a people upon whom
he had learnt to look from his infancy with scorn and contempt.
He invited us to be his guests for the rest of the day, adding
the usual unmeaning courtesy "mal-i-man, mal-i-shamoh,'
my property is yours, and yours is mine.
Our Jewish friends continued to linger round us till evening,
and then with sincere regret observed the shadows of night
inviting them to their families and homes; they gave us many
blessings at parting, and expressed the ardent hope of seeing
us again at some future day. At two o'clock in the morning
the bells of our mules began to tinkle their monotonous sounds
we immediately rose, loaded our animals, and amidst the usual
brawls and recriminations of the muleteers, emerged out of our
cold night quarters. Towards day dawn, we found the atmos-
phere, as we advanced, becoming more and more impregnated
with the offensive smell of sulphur, or naphtha, which oozes out
;
DIFFICULTIES OF ASCENDING A MOUNTAIN.
111
came to
of the ground, and sends its obnoxious odour for many miles in
circumference. Here also the barren uncultivated plains, whose
wastes extend to the edge of the sea, began to lose their un-
varying aspect, and several ranges of mountains with their bold
outlines bounded the horizon. Our road, till we
Dalakee, was rugged and undulating, and we were obliged to
move in measured steps, lest the animal or rider should be
tempted to prove the hardness of Persian stones. The sun had
nearly reached his meridian height before we came within sight
of the village, and though hunger, thirst, and cold, had un-
sparingly assaulted us in regular succession, still we felt that rest
would be more grateful to our wearied limbs, than any of the
luxuries of life Dalakee could offer to our palates. This kind
of existence, though painful to body and spirit, is no bad ordeal
for the missionary; it inures him to hardships, accustoms him to
privations, and trains him for activity and future usefulness.
At midnight, the coarse voices of our muleteers, and the
subdued hum of the travellers, as they issued from the filthy
cells of the caravanserai, in which, in large groups, they had
bivoucked, were the unmistakable warnings of approaching
departure; our loading, as the road was unsafe, and every one
anxious to be in the centre, the most secure part of the caravan,
did not occupy much time. The path, till we came to the
Kottul-e-Mullah, was tortuous and winding; here, however,
our wandering eyes in vain conjectured the difficulty of an
ascent up a perpendicular mountain, estimated at 1200
feet altitude. Our muleteers did not share our cogitations;
they fastened tightly the loads, put off their sandals, and like
mountain-goats, clambered over precipices and rocks, with the
greatest ease and agility. To us the task was more laborious;
every few minutes, we were obliged either to lean against a
detached piece of rock for support, or to throw ourselves
upon a grassy brink, overlooking a formidable, yawning pre-
cipice. The view towards the summit of the ascent, was pic-
turesque and grand; on one side was a chain of high hills,
whose fringed outlines stood in bold relief against the northern
sky;
in the deep ravines below was heard the roar of the dash-
ng stream, as it rolled over the rugged bed, or was broken

112
ABUSE OF THE CARAVANSERAIS.
into cascades by bold cliffs, which interrupted its free current;
whilst far above us, the lowing of browsing cattle, and the shrill
notes of the shepherd, which now and then broke upon the
stillness of the landscape, added a charm to the scene around,
which nothing could surpass. About ten o'clock, we emerged
out of this mountain-region, and came upon a fertile, well culti-
vated plateau; the soft soil gave new elasticity to the animals'
feet, which was not dimnished by the sight of the caravanserai,
whose red walls, gleaming at intervals under the rays of the over-
cast sun, invited us to a welcome repose. The caravanserai of
Konar-Takht, is one of the most spacious and best I have seen in
my peregrinations in the East, but unhappily, like every other
building of this kind, which charity has raised for the accommo-
dation of the way-farer, it is rapidly falling into ruin and decay.
In fact, that generous impulse, which once animated potent and
wealthy Persians, to construct these useful memorials, which
have outlived their names is now utterly crushed, and a de-
praved vicious feeling has supplanted its place among their
corrupt and polluted descendants. Almost every caravanserai
during the winter, is converted into a common stable; not a
room or corner is kept clean from defilements of all kinds ;
wandering tribes, or haughty governors, alternately occupy
with their numerous trains of women, horses, mules, donkeys,
&c., the places intended to shelter the traveller from the in-
clemency of the weather, and the violent assaults of men.
Sometimes it happens, that these friendly shelters became the
arena of severe conflicts and dangerous fights, which invariably
terminate in the effusion of blood, and the plunder of some
property. A scene of this description occurred between our
muleteers, and the servants of some Persian Khan, and though the
former outnumbered the retinue of the latter, still as they were
well armed, the poor Dgervedar, several of whom were already
wounded and bruised, would have had but a poor chance of
escaping without dangerous and serious maltreatment, had not,
fortunately for them, the big Lord, with a stentorian voice, com
manded a cessation of hostilities between the angry combatants
At ten o'clock I was roused from my sleep; this short night's
rest seemed only to mock my exhausted and wearied frame

EASTERN TOLL-HOUSES.
113
without restoring its expended energies, but though it weakened
my constitution, I still preferred travelling under a sky sparkling
with numberless stars, than under a sun darting beams of fire
on the head. Our path, for a road it could not be termed, lay
between narrow glens and irregular precipices; sometimes we
had to wind our way through a defile, pent up by crested rocks
with huge projecting promontories, which threatened every
moment to detach themselves, and to bury whole caravans
under their crushing weight; or, again, we had to climb. up
an alpine height, with a deep rugged ravine on one side and
perpendicular steeps on the other, whilst the path was scarcely
broad enough, to allow a loaded animal to pass without the
assistance of two or three muleteers. On the summit of the
pass, called Kottul-e-Cumaredge, we entered a fine table-land,
covered with verdure, and sheltered on all sides by nature's
lofty ramparts. The caravanserai, which stands at the entrance
of the plain, looked ruined and deserted, and I could not but
regret, in my own mind, that such magnificent monuments of
departed charity should be allowed to dilapidate, and become
useless.
On emerging from this fine verdant vale, we entered a rugged
defile, difficult and dangerous to traverse both for man and beast.
Our heavy burthened mules, however, accomplished with great
confidence and care this wearisome task. We passed several
Rahdarees, or toll-houses, where guards are stationed to keep
the road free from marauding hordes, and to levy tolls on
merchandize; but, unfortunately, they perform only the latter
part of their duty, and whilst they subject every load to a
certain impost, they expose at the same time the goods of the
merchant to the rapacious grasp of the robber and freebooter.
Our own caravan, till we came in sight of Kanzeroon, was full
of fear and apprehension, and every one had provided himself
with some missile weapons to repel the daring gangs who infest
the country, and make it exceedingly unsafe for caravans;
happily, as the Rahdars informed us, the robbers had some
better game to chase elsewhere, and so we escaped without any
personal encounter. We reached Kanzeroon at five o'clock,
and without making any particular inquiries about lodgings, we
I
114
VISIT OF THE BLIND RABBI AT KANZEROON.
entered the first hovel where we found an empty corner, and
there, contented with a little milk for dinner, laid down near some
smoking cinders, and enjoyed a repose which many a less ex-
hausted frame might have envied. Sleep, "tired nature's calm
restorer," revived us again; and our first care on rising from our
carpets was to get our abode a little swept, cleansed and human-
ized; after this we sent to the mullah of the Jews, and informed
him of our intention to visit his people. The worthy rabbi, an
old decrepid man, no doubt anticipated that we were rich travel-
lers, and wanted to purchase antiques, for he and some of his
friends forestalled us, and followed close at the heels of our ser-
vant. Their salaam was most cringing and humiliating, and when
we addressed them in Hebrew, and invited them to be seated on
our carpets, they appeared almost in doubt whether their ears
did not deceive them. The mullah, who was not far from
threescore and ten, and totally blind, in an ecstacy of joy
exclaimed, "Welcome, welcome, ye children of the covenant
and heirs of the promise; welcome in the land of the Medes
and the Persians, ye travellers from far countries, and messen-
gers of joy to the captives of Zion, whose hearts are throbbing
with fear in a strange land, and among a cruel people." Here
the afflicted rabbi burst into tears, which, partially sincere and
partially feigned, still affected us, and we endeavoured to console
them by directing their minds from their suffering condition on
earth to the peaceful abode of the believer in heaven. The
words of comfort were like balm to their wounded and lacerated
hearts, and they listened with intense interest to all we told
them. The venerable grey-bearded rabbi was evidently struck
by the numerous prophecies from which we proved the veracity
of our belief, and with his sightless balls turned to heaven, he
exclaimed from the depth of his heart, "O thou, who in mercy
hast loaded my declining years with sorrows and woes, reveal
to this heart those saving truths which my blind eyes can now
no longer examine or investigate." In the afternoon we
returned the visit of our Jewish friends; we had to traverse
several empty spaces, formerly occupied by private dwellings
and public bazaars, before we reached the abodes of our new
acquaintances, which were situated at the outskirts of the
.
SINGULAR OCCUPATION OF THE JEWS.
115
village. Their houses had a neat and comfortable appearance,
and that assumed indigence and wretchedness, which their
countrymen frequently display in order to avoid extortions
and exactions, was not practised here, the people being evidently
aware that the Jews had not much to lose, and the other had
not much to hazard. Their principial occupation consists in
writing fictitious charms and talismans for the Mahomedans,
telling fortunes, and hawking about with a few articles of barter.
Their community, which was formerly very considerable, has
been diminished by persecutions, sickness, earthquakes, and
other calamities; so that their number at present does not
exceed one hundred souls. We visited the synagogue, a humble
unadorned room, with no other furniture except a few mats and
several pieces of worn-out carpets; the blind mullah, who was
led by a boy, acted as guide, he assured us that within his
recollection, Kanzeroon contained many Jews, and two syna-
gogues, but, "Alas!" he ejaculated, "desolation and de-
struction are come upon us, and all our hope is now centred on
the advent of Messiah our righteousness." We reminded him
that Christ was the Lord, the true Saviour and Redeemer of
Israel, and that unto them who looked for Him would he
appear the second time without sin unto salvation. He made
many earnest inquiries about our faith, and after some silent
musings, said, with deep emotion, "I believe you are right."
During the whole of the afternoon, Jews and Mahomedans
thronged our lodging, to whom, without distinction, we pro-
claimed the unsearchable riches of Christ's Gospel.
Kanzeroon, with some plausibility, lays claim to great antiquity;
many say it was destroyed by Alexander, and rebuilt by Shapur,
the son of Ardeshir; at present, however, nothing of its former
extent is traceable. The lapse of ages, and the numerous
earthquakes which have so often devastated the south, have
destroyed all the ancient remains, with the exception of a few
mounds, supposed to be the vestiges of fire-temples, and a
ruined fort, called Calaa-e-Tehud, probably, as its name implies,
the former Ghetto of the Jews.
In the evening we proceeded again on our journey, we had
now to ascend the Kottul-e-Dochter, a most difficult pass, where
I 2
116
TREMENDOUS STORM.
.
our animals moved along with such dexterity, that nothing but
a supernatural instinct seemed to guide them. Thanks to the
charity of the benevolent merchant, who, in compassion to his
mules, and the losses which he constantly sustained, raised a
parapet on the most dangerous parts of the rocky path, and thus
obviated much of the hazard and difficulty. On the summit of
this lofty pass we encountered a most frightful tempest, all the
elements of nature seemed engaged in one mighty conflict, hail
and snow, in mingled confusion, came pouring down upon us,
and made it difficult both to proceed and to stop. Our progress
was very slow, as the wind with tremendous fury came sweeping
down the mountains, and made our descent most perilous and
fatiguing. We reached the valley of Abdui a little after
midnight, and, being drenched to the skin, entreated our
muleteers to halt for the rest of the night, but these hardy
defiers of storm and tempest, with an unyielding obstinacy, pro-
secuted their march across the valley to the Kottul, which, from
its singularly crooked windings, has acquired the appellation of
Pera Zan, or old woman. How our animals accomplished this
part of the journey, after the hard toils of the night, remains a
wonder to me; many, it is true, fell under their burthens, and
could only be brought on their legs again by the application of
sticks and thongs. At day-dawn we came to a small caravanserai,
on the middle of the pass; here we unloaded, and as the moun-
tains are well covered with wood, we easily procured a donkey-
load of fuel, took possession of one of the little cells, and, round
a blazing flame in the midst of a suffocating smoke, fell into a
sound sleep. At eight o'clock, P.M., we resumed our march
over this rugged pass; the wind was blowing with such im-
petuosity that one of our lazy servants was twice thrown from
his mule, fortunately he had a coarse felt covering around his
body, or else he would have been a severe sufferer. Our ride,
or rather walk, as the former was quite impracticable over this
rocky region, continued for three miles, and then we descended
into the extensive and fertile valley of Dustergan. This rich
and productive plain, which, under a good and well-regulated
government, might furnish abundance of grain and pasturage, is
utterly neglected and desolate; and the few inhabitants which
PERPLEXITIES OF TRAVELLERS.
66
117
are scattered over its wide surface, live in poverty and destitu-
tion, and frequently endure all the hardships of famine and
starvation. We did not stop here, but continued our march to
the next village. The clouds, which had been black and
lowering, began gradually to discharge a few ominous drops,
and before we had time to consult, whether it was best to return
or to proceed, the rain poured down in torrents, accompanied
by vivid flashes of lightning and the roaring peal of thunder.
I inquired of my servant whether he knew the way to the
munzil. "Yes," was his reply, "if I had the eyes of the Malek
Azrail, (or angel of death,*) I might be able to grope my way
through the dense darkness in which we are enshrouded."
"Then let us trust to God for guidance, for I certainly cannot
travel with the caravan, it would be death to me to move so
slowly over the marshy fields." Bismillah, in the name of
God," was the laconic reply; and in a few minutes we were in
the van of the caravan. To get on with the jaded mules we
were bestriding, was, however, no idle task, particularly as the
whole country was deluged, and all traces of the path ob-
literated by the violent showers. We felt inclined to return
again to the caravan; but this was impossible, as we could neither
hear the sound of bells nor guess the track they were pursuing.
Our perplexities and embarrassments increased by suddenly
approaching a river, whose depth we could not guess, nor had
we any means of ascertaining. I dismounted from my way-
worn beast, took up some stones, threw them into the swollen
stream, and finding from the sound that the bed of the river
was not deep, we plunged into it, and with a little more water
in our boots than before, reached the opposite bank. We
scarcely knew where we were, when the noise of barking dogs
distinctly rung in our ears, through the dreary whistlings of the
wind and rain. We were now certain that we were in the
vicinity of tents or houses, and the very thought of finding a
shelter from the wet and chilling blasts, buoyed us up with fresh
hope, and we urged our animals to a greater speed. The
• The angel of death is, both by Jews and Mahomedans, supposed to be
covered with eyes.
118
COMFORTS OF A CARAVANSERAI'S LODGINGS.
bellowing noise became nearer and nearer, till at last, by the
grey clouds of the morning, our strained eyes could faintly
distinguish the smoked stone walls of the caravanserai at Khone-
Zeneyoon. The gates of this charitable shelter for the way-
farer were still shut when we arrived, and we had to exercise
both our lungs and feet before the drowsy Dalantar could be
roused; our servant was most impatient, and roared in a thun-
dering strain, that he would break the doors, imprison the
worthy keeper, and do a thousand other cruel acts if we were
not instantly admitted. Unfortunately his authoritative threats
were all drowned by the roaring wind, and never reached the
ears for which they were intended. Our incessant knocking
and beating, at length roused one of the lazy sleepers, and a
hoarse voice exclaimed, "Who are you?" Again our servant,
whose patience had been quite exhausted, regardless of our
dislike to abuse, with a volley of obscene names, which only the
Persian language can express, and a Persian tongue utter, met
the inquiry; the gruff old keeper, frightened by such an official
style, instantly opened and conducted us to his little cell, the
best in the filthy abominable caravanserai. We immediately
threw off our wet clothing, and without anything except our
under garment laid down on the bare uneven floor, round a few
glowing embers, which, with the addition of more fuel we fanned
into a flame, and so, roasted on one side and frozen on the other,
fell, into a drowsy, heavy, feverish sleep. I believe we should
have slept till evening, had not the rain oozed through the
dusty, smoked roof, and in a red slimy substance descended
upon us. We might, in our wearied and exhausted condition,
have borne a clean shower-bath, but this stagnant, blood-like
mixture was quite insupportable. I went out to search for a
better place, but who could cross a court at least four feet deep
with filth, rotten bones, and decomposed carcases of camels, and
every other refuse; I crept back to our cell, sick with the sight,
and the poisonous atmosphere I had been breathing. The
miry stream in our temporary dwelling had now so increased,
that we could no longer keep anything dry, or find a place
where to sit or lie; and we were therefore obliged to remove to
the stable, a journey which we could only perform on horse-
WHAT TRAVELLERS ARE SUBJECT TO.
119
back, as no one on foot dared to move a step, without incurring
the danger of sinking into heaps of filth and dirt. In our new
abode we were not more comfortable, except that we had
sufficient space to suspend our clothing, and to shift from place
to place, to avoid the rain which dropped through every cleft
of the broken roof.
Of all the unpleasant incidents attendant upon a winter
journey in an uncivilized country, nothing can be compared to
rain and wet; it is the aggregate of misery and wretchedness,
particularly when one knows that the next halting-place is a
deserted plain, or a ruined, thief-infested, caravanserai. No
one who has not been subject to such exposures, can form an
adequate idea of the mental and bodily distress which the soli-
tary pilgrim endures in lands where art and civilization have
not yet smoothed the difficulties and broken down the barriers
which impede the intercourse between man and man, obstruct
the progress of commerce, and hinder the advancement of light
and knowledge. The pattering of the rain on the flat-terraced
caravanserai continued, with little interruption, the whole day;
all our articles of dress and bedding were perfectly drenched,
and we looked forward to the cold, dreary, and long night,
with dread and horror. In the evening the rain ceased, and, as
we anticipated, a chilly frost set in; we had, fortunately, a good
quantity of fuel, which we economically arranged to last till
morning; and, spreading our carpets around the dim, glimmer-
ing flame, passed, between dozing and reading, a tolerable night.
At five o'clock, A.M., we started; the ground was frozen and
covered with a thick hoar frost; our poor beasts, however, were
worn out and exhausted, and, in our damp and uncomfortable
clothing, we suffered all the agonies which could be inflicted on
a traveller in these inhospitable regions.
Our muleteer had assured us that we should pass some vil-
lages on the road where we might rest a little and eat our
nashetah, or breakfast; but we traversed several rugged paths
and rough hills, still the country looked deserted and desolate,
without any traces of a human habitation. I could scarcely
believe that we were approaching the capital of the south, the
celebrated city of gardens and poets. I asked my muleteer how
120
APPROACH TO SHEERAZ'
many hours we still had to Sheeraz.
Two," was the brief
reply. "And where is the village you mentioned this morn-
ing?" "Village! why, do you suppose that people will live in
a district where both the governor and illiyouts can alternately
plunder them at leisure?" It was useless to lecture him on
the turpitude of falsehoods, for he averred, by the head of Ali,
that the people of Fars, compared with those of Hamadan and
Kushan, spoke the truth, and nothing but the truth. At two
o'clock we approached Sheeraz; there was none of that anima-
tion and activity which generally indicates the proximity to a
capital, and I found it very difficult to realize the fact that we
were so near the city whose praises Hafez has sung, and every
Persian re-echoes, till I actually saw the glazed minarets rising
above the castellated walls, and the round towers which encircle
the town.
CHAPTER IX.
ARRIVAL AT THE CITY OF SHEERAZ.
THE muezzins were just calling to prayers when we passed the
gates; and, as their shrill voices vibrated on our ears, I was
reminded of many towns in Europe, where the constant tolling
of bells, and the processions of priests, would lead one to sup-
pose that piety and devotion have subdued every unhallowed
breath, whilst, in fact, the very reverse is the case; so here, we
had scarcely wended through a few narrow, filthy lanes, when
we met numbers of idle, drunken vagabonds, parading the
streets, and bawling forth the most obscene Bacchanalian songs.
as
We had a letter of introduction to the native British agent,
Meerza Riza, who, like most native English employees in this
country, was a concentration of everything that is bad and
wicked. We did not feel much inclined to call on him; but,
we could not, without his interference, get our luggage
through the custom-house, we were obliged to repair to the
house of this ill-famed official. As we anticipated, we found
every inmate in his establishment exhilarated by the inebriating
cup; and the worthy agent himself was uttering such gibberish
and incoherent sentences, that I sincerely regretted my ac-
quaintance with him. We requested him to order one of his
servants to assist us in searching for a lodging; he made many
objections to this proposal, and offered us his house, and all
that it contained, for our use; intimating at the same time that
we should have plenty of amusement to beguile the tedious or
wearisome hours we might have. We thanked him for his
courtesy, and gave him to understand that we preferred a pri-
vate dwelling, as it was more agreeable and convenient for us.
"Yes, Dr. F. did the same, when one evening, with a little too
much arrack in his head, he left this for his own lodgings; find-
ing the doors shut, he attempted to scale the walls, and met his
}
122
SEEKING A LODGING.
death." We had heard of the untimely and unhappy end of
this Englishman, whose name I designedly forbear to mention;
but I was perfectly disgusted with the indifference and malignity
with which an English agent related a circumstance, the very
recollection of which ought to have made him blush.
It was already beginning to be dusk when we left the house
of Meerza Riza, in quest of a temporary abode; the air was cold
and raw, and the streets dirty and impassable, so that it was no
easy task for us to drag our wearied limbs through the labyrinth
of an Eastern city. We went to a great many houses, but
either the owners would not let them for a limited period, or
asked such an exorbitant rent, that it was impossible to come to
an agreement. We had already determined to go to a cara-
vanserai, when our guide advised us to try our success in the
Armenian quarter; to these we proceeded, and by dint of en-
treaties and promises, succeeded in obtaining a comfortless,
bleak, and empty room.
January 13th.-The gloom of the apartment corresponded
with the melancholy and dreary aspect of the weather; hail and
snow, with now and then the accompaniment of an angry shower,
continued without intermission. Many houses had fallen in
during the night; and the moaning and howling of the wind
indicated that the work of devastation was not yet at an end.
Our dwelling did not remain unscathed by the raging tempest,
for several holes in the wall, which in summer served to admit
air, and in winter, light-became greatly enlarged during the
night, by the beating of the wind; so that every blast made the
wall tremble, and brought rain, snow, and broken bricks into
our miserable abode. Still we felt grateful for having reached
town, and for the humble shelter which, to some extent, ex-
cluded the violence of the warring elements.
Our greatest anxiety was to visit the Jews. We had already
waited a long time, in anticipation that the storm would subside,
but finding that the sky remained unchanged, and the sun in-
visible through the murky horizon, we wrapt our warmest
clothing around us, and thus equipped, to the surprise of our
landlord, started in search of the Jewish quarter. The streets
are never particularly clean in any Persian town, but in rainy
SEARCHING FOR THE SYNAGOGUE.
123
weather they are most formidable; whole mountains of filth and
dirt, accumulated in every corner, are swept away in the turgid
torrent, which is formed by the heavy showers. The danger of
creeping through such narrow, irregular, swamped thorough-
fares, is aggravated by numerous holes, the receptacles of all
that is disgusting and repulsive to the senses, and which abound
in every city, notwithstanding the pretended abhorrence for
material pollution. Careless, however, of all these obstructions,
we paddled our way through dark, pestilential alleys and pas-
sages, to the desired quarter. There was a strong contrast
between this and other parts of the town; the houses looked
gloomy and decaying, the entrances narrow and low, and the
doors were either of hard stone, or thick, strong wood, as if the
owners of the miserable hovels were afraid that their wretched
dwellings should be invaded by robbers, or other dangerous
intruders. The streets, with the exception of a few lawless
zootees,* who were returning from their drunken orgies, and
some miserably clad and shivering Israelites, who were hasten-
ing home, appeared quite deserted; and we almost doubted
whether this was an inhabited locality. We inquired after the
synagogue, but all Jews we met, out of fear or suspicion, an-
swered evasively and passed on; a Jew who understood Hebrew,
and guessed that we were not natives, pointed us to a low
building, which he said was the synagogue. The house to
which we were directed was, however, not the place of worship,
and we had to crouch with our wet and heavy clothing, through
several low, narrow, and dark passages, before we came to the
court where the humble house of prayer (no doubt for security
and safety) stood, in a retired and secluded corner.
Here we
found no one except an old Jew, with haggard, hollow features,
trembling from head to foot in his ragged sheep-skin cloak;
he returned our salaam with a servile sycophancy that fur-
nished me at once with a vivid picture of the misery of the
descendants of Abraham in this city. The aged Israelite,
*The zootees are the most notorious ruffians and criminals in Persia;
they are very numerous, and in many towns; and keep, often, both the
governor and people in awe of their power.
!
124
THE RECEPTION OF THE GOSPEL.
*
at our request, ran to inform the mullahs that two strangers
from the land of Edom were in the synagogue; and in an
astonishingly short time, young and old, men and women, came
running to see the wonders from the far west. The mullahs
were extremely affable and polite, particularly Rabbi Isaac, the
most learned and intelligent among them; he asked many per-
tinent and important questions, and seemed deeply interested in
the object of our mission. We had a long discussion on the
subject of Christianity; and before we left, addressed them
alternately from the oratory, on the subject which had brought
us amongst them. Whilst we spoke, there was not a sound to
be heard in this large assemblage; every one listened with
intense attention, as if they felt that life and death were pending
on the words we uttered. At the conclusion of our discourse,
the great questions of repentance and salvation through faith in
the blood of the Lamb, were discussed with much solemnity
and earnestness; and it was evident, from the half-smothered
sighs of some, and the tear-bedewed eyes of others, that a
serious and deep impression had been made on the minds of
many.
On the following morning the storm ceased, and a bright,
beautiful sun shed his warm and cheering rays into our damp
and desolate room. We had a good many Jewish and Maho-
medan visitors; amongst the latter was the treasurer of the
governor, a cunning, deceitful Persian, who was so liberal and
profuse with his services, that his obsequiousness filled me with
an irresistible repugnance, and made me loathe his society. He
was accompanied by the British agent, a base, contemptible
drunkard. The object of their visit was to get some brandy,
but, unfortunately, when they had exhausted a whole volume of
interested flatteries, and eulogized our piety, goodness and
devotion, we could only repeat what we had already stated, that
we carried no such beverage with us. They were greatly
annoyed at this repeated refusal, and with the boldness and
impudence of devoted debauchees, went to our boxes, opened
* All rabbinical Jews, by a strange perversion of history, consider Chris-
tians to be descendants of Esau, the father of the Edomites.
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE MEN IN OFFICE AND THE JEWS. 125
the covers, and examined whether they contained the brutalizing
liquor; they were keenly disappointed when they found that we
had not deceived them, and with the most imperturbable non-
chalance sat down again to discuss the reason of our disgust for
this wretched propensity. Happily upwards of twenty Jews
entered our room at this moment, or else this audacious conduct
might have led to some severe animadversion.
Our new
visitors, with their sad and pensive looks, offered a strong con-
trast to the bold and artful treasurer, and the arrogant, bloated
meerza, we begged them to sit down, but the presence of the
two worthies made them timid and uneasy; unhappy people, to
be thus condemned to fear and trembling, without any rational
hope that under the sway of Islamism their position will ever
improve. When our Mahomedan visitors were gone, the Jews
seemed to breathe a different atmosphere, and their conversa-
tion, which had been flurried and constrained, became free and
easy. They asked many questions about the doctrines of
Christianity, which we endeavoured to answer. They were par-
ticularly struck to find, that the great and vital truths of the
Gospel were all contained in Moses and the Prophets. Some
of the mullahs urged the non-fulfilment of the many prophetic
promises, as an argument against our belief in the Messiahship
of our Lord; "If Jesus is indeed the Redeemer," they said,
'and we cannot controvert your assertions, which are all
founded on the inspired volume, then tell us why are the chains
of our bondage still rivetted upon us, and why are the gates of
our captivity still closed?" We referred them to those pas-
sages which point out the conditions of their deliverance, and
the means of their emancipation; with deep emotions and
agitated feelings they acquiesced in all we said, and I hope that
in many hearts our words will have an abiding place, and pro-
duce the hallowed and glorious fruits of repentance towards
God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The multitudes of
Jews who daily crowded our house attracted the notice and
curiosity of the Mahomedans, and the doctrines of our religion
began to be the general topic of the day, even children in the
streets pointed at us, and made their remarks on our avowed
object. Many Mahomedans called upon us for New Testaments,
126
MAHOMEDANS INTERESTED IN THE TRUTH.
to whom we invariably explained the essential doctrines of our
religion, and with few exceptions we were always listened to with
the greatest patience and interest. Amongst others, we also formed
the acquaintance of several illuminati, professed seekers after
truth, they were very liberal and tolerant in their views, and
spoke with reverence and respect of Christ and His followers;
some had read the work entitled "The Balance of Truth," by the
Rev. C. G. Pfander, a German missionary, and very much
admired the spirit, tone, and style of this excellent controversial
pamphlet. Our intercourse with these adherents of the Koran,
has convinced me that an intelligent, pious, and prudent mis-
sionary might do incalculable good amongst the Mussulmans of
Persia; his work would of course be entirely preparatory, and
would frequently test his faith and patience. But I have not
the least doubt, although many withered hopes and disappointed
expectations may attend his efforts, yet, if he perseveres, the
happy influence of social and religious intercourse will ulti-
mately mitigate bigotry, soften prejudice, and remove many of
the obstacles which at present impede the successful introduction
of the Gospel into this sinful and polluted country. Hitherto
very few attempts have been made to bring the Persians to a
knowledge of the truth; an erroneous notion, that they are a
difficult and inaccessible people, has closed the gates of compas-
sion and benevolence against them, and led multitudes to
neglect one of the most intelligent and influential Moslem tribes
in Central Asia. It is true several pious and learned mis-
sionaries have felt a deep interest, and laboured with zeal and
devotion for these long-degraded millions, but unfortunately
their patrons and supporters proposed plans which it was im-
possible to adopt and impossible to carry into effect, the con-
sequence was, that the missionaries were obliged to abandon a
field where they had great encouragements to persevere.
But while we lament the failures which attended the missions
amongst the believers in the Koran, we are bound to inquire
why was the tide of mercy not turned in favour of the Jews,
who might have rewarded the husbandmen with an abundant
crop, and proved the best channel to dispel with the torch of
truth the long night of Moslem darkness, superstition, and
STRONG DESIRE TO KNOW THE TRUTH.
127
ignorance. From our own reception amongst them, in every
part of that extensive land, I am quite convinced that the field
is ripening for the harvest; and had I only enjoyed a nominal
protection which the Protestant representatives of Great Britain
always kindly extended to the unoffending missionary, the land
of my prayers and trials would at present be my home, and the
scene of my labours and usefulness.
Most of the Jews manifested great solicitude to know and
understand the truth which we proclaimed. Sometimes we
were obliged to place two Israelites as a kind of guard at our
door, in order to prevent any accident or disturbance, as the
multitude occasionally became very animated in their arguments,
and in no measured terms, demanded of their mullahs, to tell
them the reason, why they had not communicated to them such
important knowledge, since they were paid for their work.
The poor mullahs were quite paralized, when they heard such
startling questions; and we had frequently to use persuasions,
and entreaties, to smooth their ruffled tempers, and to calm
their excited feelings. At the request of almost all, we con-
tinually visited the synagogues, and invariably met with a kind
and cordial reception; the mullahs themselves, with the greatest
urbanity, usually offered us seats on the oratory; and without
any demonstration and bigotry, or hostility against our creed,
allowed us for hours together to address publicly their re-
spective congregations. Such sermons, excited many discussions
among the Jews, and caused a great demand for Bibles and
Gospels. Even the women, whose ignorance is most deplor-
able, manifested great interest in our message, and readily
offered, in the absence of money, old coins, valueless ornaments,
and even cooking utensils in barter for our books; a great spirit
of inquiry was awakened in that celebrated town, where this
miserable remnant of a forlorn race, have for so many ages been
groaning under the iron yoke of Mahomedanism. What amount
of good we effected, and how many we persuaded to be almost
or altogether Christians, the day of judgment will alone dis-
close. Numbers of those who heard us, professed their convic-
tion, and belief in the truth of Christianity; and though no one
seceded openly from the synagogue, and avowed himself a
128 JEWS IN SHEERAZ COMPELLED TO RENOUNCE THEIR FAITH.
disciple of Jesus,—we must remember the extremities to which
such a step would expose the convert, and what cruel punish-
ment, either judicially, or that an infuriated mob might inflict
upon a despised Jew, who has the temerity to prefer the Gospel
of Christ, to the Koran of Mahomed.
The Sheerazees have always been considered the most acces-
sible and liberal Persians; that narrow bigotry, fiery enthusiasm,
and blind superstition, which characterizes the middle and lower
classes of the Shee sect,* is not exhibited; still there is the cruel,
haughty, murderous, and revengeful spirit of the martial pro-
phet; and many who abuse Mahomed, and deride his pretended
revelation, will draw their daggers, and unsheath their swords,
to force an inoffensive Jew to pay allegiance to the Arabian
lawgiver. Many hundreds of Israelites, in order to save them-
selves from a violent death, constantly renounce the religion of
their fathers. All the silk merchants in the bazaar Vekeel, the
most extensive market, are proselytes; and their descendants,
out of fear, strictly conform to all the rites of their new belief.
I conversed with many of them; in the beginning they were
very distant and reserved, but when we became more intimately
acquainted, they laid aside this assumed restraint, and confessed
their belief in Moses and the Prophets, and their contempt, and
abhorrence for everything connected with their adopted creed.
Sheeraz, from historical facts and traditional records, was
once inhabited by a great number of Jews; but the unsparing
severity with which they have been treated, and the many
dangers and persecutions to which they have been exposed, has
only now left the remains of a once flourishing community, who
by their industry and activity, very much contributed to the
wealth and opulence of the place. The present population of
Jews does not exceed four hundred families, who live in fright-
ful misery and deplorable indigence; their dwellings are low,
dirty, and confined, and in a moist climate would engender
disease, and breed pestilence. Their domestic life differs little
* The Sheeahs are Mahomedans of the sect of Ali, the cousin and son-
in-law of the prophet, they have great contempt for the first three caliphs,
Abonbceker, Omar, and Othman, whom they regard as usurpers and sup-
planters of the rights of Ali, Mahomed's great champion.
EARLY MARRIAGES THE SOURCE OF MUCH EVIL. 129
from their neighbours; early marriages, the terrible source of
many evils, and the destroyer of all conjugal affections and re-
sponsibilities, are contracted by all parties as a meritorious act,
and vice and crime, instead of being restrained by such un-
timely ties, luxuriate the more under the influence of laws and
customs, which deprive woman of all liberty, and make her
husband the guardian of her conduct and virtue. Such bonds
stifle every better feeling, and prevent the development of all
those tender and exalted affections, which the female heart is
susceptible of, and also excludes her from everything that
merits the name of education. In Bagdad, I have heard of two
or three females who know how to read; but in Persia, even
such learning is unknown. The degradation of the one sex
does not naturally argue well for the morality of the other, and
I confess with reluctance, that, to a very great extent, the Jews
merit that odium and contempt, under which they are held;
their occupations are generally mean and sordid,—hawking, tell-
ing fortunes, writing fictitious amulets, or what constitutes their
staple support in Sheeraz, keeping secret taverns, called Sherab-
Khane, where the most vile and intoxicating liquor is sold to
the Persian debauchees ; these evils increase many of their cala-
mities and ills, and make their position so precarious and insecure.
Sheeraz, like the generality of Eastern towns, has in winter
a dreary and repulsive appearance; and the traveller searches
in vain for those beauties of nature and art, which the poets of
yore have sung, and the present generation still delight to dilate
on. In summer, however, the town, notwithstanding its ruined
houses, and deserted streets, offers many attractions to an
Asiatic, particularly its grapes, and other fruits, which are in
profusion, and excellent. The gardens, too, are not devoid of
those praises which have been lavished upon them, particularly,
the Jehan Nouma, Chehel Toun, and Takht-e-Cudgar; the
latter, in July, 1847, when we visited Sheeraz a second time,
had just been newly laid out and embellished, and the beauty,
variety, and taste displayed in the adjustment of every tree,
plant, and flower, quite exceeded our expectations. The palace,
adjoining the garden, is situated on the declivity of a brown
K
1
!
130
THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS OF SHEERAZ.
rock, and ornamented in front by numerous flights of steps,
which lead from terrace to terrace, all covered with flowers,
which from their fulness and beauty, seemed only emulous to
exhibit their loveliest hues, and to diffuse their most delightful
fragrance. The angles of the castle are flanked with lofty
round towers, open on all sides to admit the cool delicious
breeze of the mountains, so grateful during the hot and sultry
days of summer. Behind this noble pile, a silvery current, in
soft murmurs, rolls down, over an undulating bed, into a broad
bason facing the palace, and with its surplus fertilizes the ex-
tensive pleasure-grounds. From this large sheet of crystal
water, diverge several avenues, shaded by lofty chinars, inter-
woven with the leafy branches of the vine, through whose
arcades the prospect is bounded by groves of trees, bending
under their luscious loads of peaches, apricots, nectarines, apples,
pears, &c., &c. In our interview with the governor, we ex-
pressed our admiration of the fairy spot, which his liberality
had created. "Yes," was his reply; "I have taken much trouble,
and incurred great expense to bring it into this condition, but
what use is it after all, since everything that passes in rapid succes-
sion from one hand to the other, cannot last or continue long.”
In the midst of these gardens, which have conferred on the
Sheerazees, the character of a pleasure-loving people, are many
monuments of saints and other celebrities,-as if these symbols of
the dead were to check the excess and mirth of the living.
Those which attracted our particular attention, were the tombs
of the poets, Hafez and Saadï, whose writings have justly given
to Sheeraz the appellation of the "Athens of Persia." The
remains of Hafez are interred in a small enclosure, where seve-
ral cypresses, in solemn majesty, wave their sombre branches.
Around it are the graves of many other worthies; but that of
the great lyric poet of Asia, is distinguished by a large block of
Tabreez marble, covered with elegant inscriptions from his own
writings. In a small building, close to it, are preserved with
the utmost care the works of this Persian Anacreon. The person
under whose charge they are, generally manifests great anxiety
to acquaint the visitors with their future destiny, by unfolding
THE TOMB OF SAADI.
131
this highly-prized volume, and putting a mystical interpretation
on whatever ode he happens to open. He was very assiduous
in his attentions to us, and almost insisted upon acquainting us
with our future career; but we peremptorily told him that we
did not wish to anticipate whatever lay beyond the present,
since we felt perfectly resigned to the will of Providence, and
gladly submitted to everything he ordained for us. He did not
at all admire our implicit faith in the decrees of heaven, and
with much chagrin at our scepticism and incredulity, angrily
removed the book. We next proceeded two miles further,
to inspect the mausoleum of the deservedly admired Sheik
Saadï, whose sublime and moral writings have so much con-
tributed to the fame of the Persian muse. I had indeed antici-
pated, from the great veneration and enthusiasm of all Persians
for their immortal bard, that some lofty monument, or costly
shrine, would mark the spot where his ashes repose; but what
was my astonishment, when a solitary neglected square struc-
ture, situated in the midst of a wild rocky amphitheatre, was
pointed out as the object of our search. The entrance within
was guarded by several dervishes, whose filthy appearance
added greatly to the forlorn and desolate state of all around;
they were quite pleased with our visit to the tomb of their
patron saint, and overwhelmed us with a deafening chorus from
the "Goulistan," or Bed of Roses. The body of the poet is de-
posited in a vaulted recess, and distinguished by a block of
common marble; which, even in death, seems to perpetuate the
trials and vicissitudes of his eventful history. We remained
about an hour with the dervishes, who continued chanting some
of the finest poems from the "Goulistan" and "Boustan ;" and I
confess, that although I had read these works with clever
meerzas, I never thought their strains so mellifluous, and the
language so elegant, as when I heard them on the grave of the
author.
On our return, we deviated a little from the road to inspect a
well, which, on account of its surprising depth, is considered
one of the wonders with which the neighbourhood of Sheeraz
abounds. It is situated among the ruins of a Seljukian fort,
K 2
132
FALLEN STATE OF SHEERAZ.
and must have cost immense toil and expense; the Sheerazees
say that it is inhabited by genii, certainly not a very eligible
or delectable place for these luxurious beings. In the town
itself are very few edifices worthy of observation, and even
those, which, compared with the rest of the houses, might lay a
faint claim to beauty, are in a dilapidated and ruinous condition.
In the time of Kerim Khan, who ruled Persia in the middle of
the last century, under the title of Vekeel, or lieutenant of the
reigning monarch, Sheeraz enjoyed unprecedented prosperity;
manufactories were established, the bazaars enlarged, trade
flourished, and, to adopt the expressions of the natives, from
every house, during the night, the strains of music sounded
through the plain, and proclaimed in the ears of the monarch
the happiness of his people. This unruffled calm was only of
short duration, for with the death of Kerim, commenced a reign
of anarchy and confusion, which distressed and endangered the
whole country. The royal city became the arena of the most
mortal combat and struggle; several times it was besieged and
taken, the seat of government removed, and the capital of Fars
sunk into insignificance and neglect, from which I fear, under
the existing state of things, it will never emerge. At present
it contains about 30,000 inhabitants,* who are all notorious for
their laxity of morals, and fondness of wine and arrack; their
feelings, sentiments, and character, seem to reflect the spirit of
their voluptuous poet, who preferred the juice of the grape, in
the fragrant bowers of Mosella, to all the rivers of wine and
scented pavilions of Mahomed's paradise. The climate, which
the natives describe as the most balmy and salubrious in the
south of Irack, we found oppressive and sickly. In winter and
spring the temperature is agreeable and pleasant, but in sum-
mer and autumn, when the plain is enveloped in fiery vapours,
and the atmosphere becomes suffocating, fever, ague, and dy-
sentery make their appearance, and as the people eat fruit to
excess, these distempers generally degenerate into epidemics,
and bring many to an unanticipated end.
*The recent fearful earthquake has greatly diminished this number.
GOOD IMPRESSIONS.
133
We remained in Sheeraz eighteen days; during this period
we formed the acquaintance of several respectable and in-
fluential Mahomedans, and nearly all the Jews; many of the'
latter became seriously impressed with the truth, and solicitous
about their souls' eternal welfare. We parted from them with
sadness, and many, many times, since my first and last visit,
have I supplicated a gracious God in behalf of these straying
wanderers, the redemption of whose souls has always been
precious in my sight.
1
CHAPTER X.
DEPARTURE FROM SHEERAZ.
ON the 29th we made arrangements for our departure; the sky
was cloudy and lowering, and the prospect before us dreary and
dull; our muleteer, however, prognosticated fair weather, and
trusting to his experience, about mid-day we set out on our
journey. Several Jewish and Mahomedan friends, with whom
we had passed many happy, and I trust profitable, hours, came
to bid us farewell. This mark of esteem to perfect strangers
quite affected us, and I have ever since considered our recep-
tion in these strongholds of bigotry and delusion, as an indica-
tion that the days of Islamism are numbered, and that the time
is not far distant, when the herald of the cross will take his
stand on the very citadel of the prophet, and exclaim in the
impassionate language of the evangelical prophet (Isaiah lv. 1),
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he
that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy
wine and milk without money and without price."
Near the gate we were surprised by a drizzling gentle rain,
which soon penetrated our clothing, and made us feel exceed-
ingly chilly; it was a strange incident that both our arrival and
departure should be under the gloomy aspect of a tempestuous
sky, which forcibly reminded us of the words of the sublime
seer (Isaiah lv. 10, 11): "For as the rain cometh down, and
the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth
the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give
seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be
that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." A solemn declaration,
which we trust will speedily be realized in this godless city.
Our path for several hours was winding in a sinuous course,
FICTIONS OF POETS.
135
among hills and mountains, which had in some parts been
soaked by the rain, and rendered our progress very difficult.
At dark we reached Zergoon, situated at the foot of a barren
rock, and alighted, and took up our abode in a private house,
where we received every attention that the anticipation of a
baksheesh could elicit. We did not enjoy the hospitality of
our host long, for at three o'clock in the morning we again set
forward on our journey.
The road, which even in summer is bad, had not improved
under the softening influence of the rain; and till day-dawn we
were obliged to wade through a swampy and flooded plain,
which quite exhausted the mules, and made them steam with
perspiration on a cold winter morning. At sunrise we came to
the Kour, the Araxes of the South, and known in Persia under
the appellation of Buad-Emir. It is celebrated by the glowing
pen of the Irish poet* for its "bowers of roses," and "sweet
songs of the nightingale ; " but, unhappily, the days when
odoriferous flowers and cool arbours lined the banks of this
classic stream have passed, and the eye wanders for many miles
over a shadeless, deserted, and uncultivated country,-a melan-
choly proof of the wretched and miserable condition of the
people. We crossed the river, over a broken, dilapidated
bridge, which had so many chasms, that without dismounting
we could not pass it; a small ascent brought us to the wide and
extensive plain of Istakhar, or Merdasht, once enlivened by the
glittering, costly arms of the Medes and Parthians, and the
proud helmets of the invincible Macedonians; but now, deserted
and abandoned, the abode of wandering illiyouts, and a few
wretched, half-starved villagers.
The ruins of Persepolis, which appeared, at the extremity of the
plain, as if they were rising out of the bowels of the grey rugged
rocks, at whose sloping base they are situated, even at a distance
of ten miles looked grand and imposing, rolling back the mind on
the stream of time to centuries long since past, and to ages whose
history is enveloped in darkness and uncertainty. The Persian
authors ascribe the foundation of this noble edifice to Djemsheed,
* Moore.
136
PERSEPOLIS AS IT IS.
the fourth monarch of the Paishdadian dynasty, and famous for
his great genius and inventive spirit. His eventful history has
been immortalized by the sublime Ferdosi, who has invested it
with all the charm and romance of the gorgeous East. But, in
whatever hallucinations the glowing fancy of Eastern writers,
who are fond of the marvellous, may indulge, this beautiful
pile is certainly one of the most magnificent relics of antiquity;
and, in glancing over the vast and splendid ruins, one hears,
as it were, the voice of the dead, speaking out of these abased
masses of grandeur, which, in their fallen condition, invite the
contemplater to cultivate that better part, which will outlive the
wreck of nature and the crush of worlds.
On approaching from the plain, as we did, with the slanting
beams of a winter sun shining on the frowning ruins, where one
of the greatest monarchs the world ever knew once held his
court; and another, no less celebrated, indulged in his delirious
and giddy bacchanals; the place, even in its present desolate
condition, has an imposing and bewildering appearance, and
confirms the fame which Scripture and ancient history have
deservedly conferred on the greatest and wisest monarch of
antiquity. This pleasing melancholy is not diminished after
ascending the double flight of steps which conduct to the land-
ing place, for here, again, the numerous marble halls, and the
countless bass-relief sculptures, excite the feelings, and make
one linger with delight on a spot where every image reminds us
of generations long since forgotten, and of heroes whose names
only live on the page of history. The platform, which is raised
fifty feet from the plain, occupies an area of about fifteen thou-
sand feet long, and nine hundred broad; it is ascended by a
double marble staircase, the steps of which are so low and
gentle, that without any difficulty the best Arab horse will ride
up and down with ease. On reaching the landing place, two
colossal bulls, whose heads, no doubt, fell under the scimitars
of the ruthless Saracens, form the portals;-fit emblems to guard
the sacred precincts of the palace of the great king. A second
portal, watched by similar sentinels, with the exception that
they have human heads and gigantic wings, conducts into a
spacious court, where a cistern, once replenished by subter-
DESCRIPTION OF PERSEPOLIS.
137
raneous aqueducts, diffused coolness, and now only increases
the yearning of the feverish lips for the refreshing draught.
This court leads to a second terrace, where the majestic
grandeur of this smitten elegance is most conspicuous; whole
colonnades of magnificent columns lie hidden under their own
mouldered remains; others, half concealed from sight, disclose
the finest workmanship of the Grecian and Egyptian chisel;
and the few still standing, mockingly display the wonder,
beauty, and splendour of this scene. From these pillars,
which, in sad grandeur, stand conspicuous amongst their
fallen companions, awaiting the same withering stroke, the eye
wanders over countless hieroglyphic representations, which
adorn the staircase, and ornament all the walls, till the mind
is exhausted and fatigued with the vast variety of this mighty
mansion, which has defied the rude assaults of numerous hostile
armies, and still continues, even in its present desolation, an
object of wonder and admiration. Immediately behind the
ruins of this gorgeous palace, are two sepulchral vaults, cut in-
the solid rock, and elaborately sculptured in the front; the
most conspicuous personage being the Archemagus, or high-
priest, with his hands extended towards a blazing altar, and the
symbol of the guardian spirit hovering over the intervening
space. These sepulchral grots, concealed under lofty perpen-
dicular cliffs, as if to outlive the decay of worlds, even these
have not remained unscathed by the lapse of time and the fero-
city of man; the lower part of one is entirely covered by the
accumulation of rubbish, and the debris of the mouldering rock;
and the other has been forcibly broken open and abused, for the
vile purpose of a stable, by the rude and uncivilized migratory
tribes of Fars, who encamp near this former abode of royalty,
during the winter season. We remained a whole day amongst
these interesting objects of attraction; and then, through the
dark, untenanted, marble courts (where many hundreds of
sculptured figures, which only want life to relate the wonderful
tales which have transpired in these ruined, mutilated, and
silent halls), we retraced our steps to the principal staircase,
and returned to our munzil, at Futenbad.
We contemplated leaving on Monday, but owing to heavy
་
+
}
138
TOMBS OF THE PERSIAN KINGS.
rains, and the laziness of our muleteer, who wanted to enjoy a
few days' rest in his own home, our stay was protracted till
Thursday. We did not, however, suffer any ennui, for both
the ketkhoda, two mullahs, and the rest of the villagers, by
routine, worried us with their company, as if they were deter-
mined to convince us that in volubility and loquaciousness, the
Futeabodics were exceeded by none of their countrymen. The
worthy chief of the village, who had read in some book about
the Takht-e-Djemsheed, entertained us with many stories about
its origin, and the legion of deeves and genii whom King Solo-
mon despatched to be the architects and stonemasons. Amongst
other things, he mentioned a talisman with the seal of the wise
king of Israel upon it; on this precious relic, he assured us,
depended the fortune and welfare of Iran; but some inauspi-
cious bird revealed this hidden treasure to the Franghees, who
had it removed; and thus ended, for ever, the prosperity and
happiness of the empire. The worthy chief, when he related
this, was quite affected by his own story, and in a sad mood
counted his beads, till the village mullah who was sitting next,
reminded him that the magic stone by right belonged to the
Gaours, since Djemsheed and all his successors, till Mahomed,
had formed part of this race of irreclaimable infidels.
One afternoon our wise friend accompanied us to the Nakshee-
Roustam, about three miles north of Persepolis, a place famous
for its tombs, in which many a crowned and kingly head has
lain for ages, unconscious of the misery, wretchedness, and
poverty, in which their once mighty and glorious empire hast
sunk. The mountain in which these celebrated and singular
grots have been hollowed, is about one thousand feet high, and
quite perpendicular. The tombs, four in number, differ very
little from those at the Takht. The cuneiform inscriptions,
which are very copious, have, by the action of the sun and
rain, become much impaired, though scores of lines are in
excellent preservation, and no doubt contain an account of
these immovable and solid monuments of the dead, which have
witnessed the rise and desolation of the most splendid and mag-
nificent city of Cyrus's extensive empire.
Beneath these royal tombs, near the base of the rock, are
EXAMINATION OF THE TOMBS.
139
several sculptures in relief, which are far inferior to those at the
Takht, and must have been chiselled at a period when the arts
and sciences, which the Kaianian rulers had transplanted with
their conquests from Greece and Egypt, had degenerated, and
assumed a vulgar and less refined taste. They are supposed to
commemorate the exploits of the Sassanian monarchs, particu-
larly Baharam Gaour, who is considered by all Persian writers
the personification of virtue, valour, generosity, and every other
grace that can adorn the character of an Eastern potentate. In
front, and at a short distance from these giant tombs, which
have concealed for ages, from human gaze, the sacred ashes of
the greatest rulers of the ancient world,-is a square chamber,
raised about three yards from the ground, and constructed of
large blocks of white marble. The roof is covered with two
immense slabs, and the interior bears evident marks of fire:
there can scarcely be a doubt that it was a sanctum sanctorum,
to preserve the sacred fire of the magi from becoming extin-
guished. Such sanctuaries the Mythratic religion indispens-
ably required before the reformation introduced by the second
Zoroaster, under Darius Hystaspes, when the rites of the magi
were performed on lofty summits, and under the azure vault of
heaven, where rain or wind might extinguish the symbolic
emblem.
Our worthy friend, the ketkhoda, pretended to possess a
thorough knowledge of every locality in these classic regions;
he pointed out to us all the places of note in Djemsheed's
household, with a certainty and conviction that made it quite
impossible to combat his arguments. We listened devoutly to
all he said, and our seeming assent to his assertions so flattered
his vanity, that he swore, by the head of Imam Ali, that we
must be his guests in the evening. Two hours before sunset,
we quitted these secluded and solitary rocky sepulchres, and
along numerous canals, which intersect the fertile plain of
Maidesht, threaded our way back to our uninviting lodgings,
in Futenbad. Our friend, the ketkhoda, by deviating a little
from the path, adroitly deserted us, not in order to surprise us
with a good dinner, but to avoid the dilemma of being reminded
of his promise. About eight o'clock in the evening, he again
140
CHARACTER OF THE PERSIAN PEASANTRY.
favoured us with his presence, and, in a most bombastic strain,
inquired why we had offended our pledged friend, in not eating
with him. We cut short his cunning speech, by reminding him
that it was still very early, and that our dinner had been sparing
enough to make a second course quite acceptable. This put
the crafty Persian to his wit's end, and he was happy to get
away without the present which he imagined his bland and soft
speech would extort from us. On the 5th we quitted this mise-
rable village, and its obtrusive inhabitants. Nearly a week we
had been detained among them, and, in our converse and inter-
course, had many opportunities of discovering all the odious
and malignant passions which characterize the hearts of the
Persian peasantry. Indolence, rapacity, bigotry, and fanaticism,
imbecility of mind, and viciousness of feeling, all centre in them,
without one redeeming quality; the fields which they cultivate,
the rain which fertilizes them, and the mild influence of the sun
which ripens the harvest to perfection, have no salutary or
softening influence upon them. Their thoughts and minds are
either occupied with inventing schemes to elude the exactions.
of the governor; or, if their means allow, with the unsatiable
desire of gratifying their gluttonous, and other debasing appe-
tites. Labour, which, even under a government like the Persian,
becomes enfranchised, and adequately rewards the tiller for his
toil, is, under the plea of oppression, utterly neglected; and the
richest and most productive soil, which once supported teeming
multitudes, is covered with weeds and overgrown with rank
grass.
We parted in no very friendly terms with the owner of our
lodging, whose cupidity we found it difficult to blunt; we paid
him half a krone per diem, about sixpence, this he insisted
was such a paltry trifle that a beggar would be ashamed to offer
it. As we knew this was a handsome rent, we resolutely refused
to give more, and he with the same determination averred that
he gave us the whole as a baksheesh. He did not imagine that
we would take him at his word, for the place was only a ruin;
but when he saw us equipped in our travelling appendages, he
changed tone, and with an abject servility begged a gratuity
worthy of Frangheesh generosity; we gave him the same amount
A MISERABLE LODGING.
141
as before, which he accepted with great delight. Most of the
Persians think that every European possesses the secret of
alchemy, and can command gold at will: they have seen some
ambassadors, and Indian officers, who lavish money with great
prodigality, and consequently every European is an Englishman,
and every Englishman an Elchee. The sun was already high
above the horizon when we began our journey, but the air
being fresh and bracing, our ride over the plain, along the
winding course of the Kur, was quite exhilirating. Towards
noon we came to Seevund, a large village at the declivity of a
noted rock, which in winter shelters from the shivering blasts,
but in summer becomes so heated that it drives all the inha-
bitants to the valley, where the Palwar, a tributary to the Kur,
supplies them with water, and the fertile soil with excellent
pasture. The natives of Seevund are Parsees, who embraced, a
few centuries ago, Mahomedanism; they retain many of their
former habits and customs, particularly the women, whose head-
dress is a red flat cap, the distinctive mark of their former sect.
We lodged in the house of one of these unfaithful descendants
of Zoroaster's creed, but did not experience any of the hos-
pitality which the orthodox adherents of the magian religion
extended to me whenever I came in contact with them. The
compartment assigned to us for our accommodation was a stable,
which goats and sheep, the greater part of the evening, disputed
with us, and only by exerting our prerogative us strangers, did
we succeed in keeping these obstinate combatants at bay. Towards
midnight, when our quadruped companions desisted from their
aggressions upon our premises, we wrapt ourselves in coverlets,
and as the place was warm, anticipated a comfortable rest; this
luxury, however, we only enjoyed a very short hour, for the
rain, which had been pouring down the whole evening, descended
in torrents after midnight, and in a very short time saturated
the mud plaistered roof and forced a passage into our comfort-
less abode. We exchanged and re-exchanged places with our
philosophical companions, who defied rain, wind, and cold, with
stoical indifference; but even this did not avail, for the stream
pursued us across the whole place, and at last filled it with a
large turbid pool, which compelled us to take refuge upon the
142
pile of boxes containing our books. The rain abated with day-
dawn, but the whole village had a miserable appearance, the
streets were all impassable, some houses had fallen in, others
the peasants, in their wet and dirty clothing, were propping up.
We left our abode in charge of a servant, and went in search
of a retired place, where we spread our wet clothes to the rays
of the sun, and enjoyed the beautiful sight of a cataract which
during the night had formed itself on the top of the rock, and
with a roaring sound descended from its perpendicular height
into the deluged streets of the village. As it would have been
quite unavoidable to entreat our muleteer to leave, we endea-
voured to procure a more habitable lodging for the next night.
Our host swore by the life of the prophet that we had the best
stable in the place, but as his mere assertion did not satisfy us,
we began to make enquiries among the idle multitude who took
pleasure in gazing at us. This terrified our landlord who cal-
culated upon fleecing us at leisure, and he vacuated a better
and cleaner place for our occupation. In the evening the vil-
lage mullah paid us a visit; he went through the whole cate-
chism of Persian complimentary enquiries, which, as etiquette
required, we returned with usury. The wise man of the vil-
lage was particularly interested in the contents of our boxes,
and on being informed that they contained Torahs and Angeels,
he became anxious to see the books of which he had both heard
THE BINDING MORE ADMIRED THAN THE BOOK.
and read many things. We showed him the Psalms and
Gospels, but the strong and beautiful binding absorbed all his
thoughts, and from the most serious topic he would suddenly
turn to me with the query, "Is this really not hog's leather, and
is there nothing charam (unlawful) in the printing or binding?"
Being satisfied that every thing was right, he began to read first
to himself in a low humming tone, but as he became more
interested, his voice gradually swelled into a loud chant, which
brought a good number of visitors to our lodging; they all
listened for the first time to the sacred truths of the Gospel
with intense attention, and expressed, by most unqualified nods
and other signs, their admiration and wonder. The mullah had
a great desire to purchase a copy, and after much secret whis-
pering with a part of his flock, he offered a khrone and a half,
A NECESSARY PRECAUTION TAKEN.
143
for which we gave him the Gospel, and I have no doubt that it
has been frequently read and pondered over by these ignorant
devotees of Mahomed.
On the ninth we started, our host, as usual, was not quite
satisfied with our liberality, but as we were mullahs and not
elchees, he consoled himself with the pleasing anticipation of
making other travellers at some future day pay for our niggard-
liness. When we were mounting, the mullah came to bid us
farewell, and, as a mark of esteem, requested us to favour him
with our names; he advised us to engage two or three peasants
to assist in crossing the Palwar, as the rains and thawing snow
had very much increased the depth of the river; we obeyed
I
our new friend's hint, and by so doing saved both time, and,
believe, two mules. Several muleteers, who smiled at our
precaution, had to pay for their carelessness by the loss of many
valuable parcels, containing silks, shawls, &c., which made them
shreik, lament, and beat their breasts, like real madmen. On the
other side of the river some time was consumed in adjusting the
loads, and then we proceeded along a pleasant valley, which,
even at this early season, was enlivened by a soft verdure,
presenting a strong and pleasing contrast with the naked rocky
cliffs which bounded it on both sides. The whole country
appeared fertile and inviting, but there were no traces of cul-
ture, nor had the plough for many years broken the stubborn
glebe. We encamped in the open fields, under a warm sunny
sky, near Kemin, a poor village, where we suffered greatly from
the heat by day, and the hoar frost by night. At one o'clock
we were again mounted; our path, as on the day previous, con-
tinued along the valley, which became rugged and narrow as we
advanced, till we found ourselves enclosed between two abrupt
mountain chains, without any path to find egress from the rocky
labyrinth. From the serious countenance of the muleteer, and
the cries to go in a single file, I anticipated a toilsome passage
through the rapid rolling Sevand Rud Khoneh; but instead of
this we entered the side of a rocky promontory, through which
a broad path with great labour and ingenuity had been cut. On
emerging out of this indestructible adamantine passage, for
which the natives praise the mother of Solomon, we ascended
}
144
THE TOMB OF CYRUS.
into the fertile plain of Moorghaub, the ancient Pasargadæ, the
trophy of Cyrus' victory, and the tomb of his mortal remains.
There is nothing of magnificence or beauty surviving the
devastation of this city; the hand of man and the unsparing
encroachments of time have almost obliterated all the traces of
its former existence. Three pilastres with cuneiform inscrip-
tions, a pillar, and a few marble fragments, scattered over the
plain, constitute the vestiges of the celebrated seat of the magi.
The only building which traditionary sanctity has preserved
from destruction, is the tomb of Cyrus; a splendid and sub-
stantial mausoleum, called by the natives Meshed-i-Madre-e-
Solyman, the tomb of the mother of Solomon; it stands in a wide
square area, surrounded by irregular columns, which the coarse
taste of the natives has connected by a rude mud-wall. From
the distance it has all the appearance of a shrine dedicated to
some Mahomedan saint, which like many others meet the tra-
veller's eye everywhere in Persia; but, on approaching nearer,
the beauty of the materials and solidity of its construction show
that it belongs to an era antecedent to the invasion of the bar-
barous tribes of the desert. The tomb rests on a pedestal of
white blocks of marble, which rise in a pyramidal shape, and
give it a grand and imposing appearance.
Arrian, upon the testimony of Aristobulus, says, that the royal
paradise of Pasargadæ was surrounded by groves of various
trees, and a house for the magi, a melancholy contrast with its
present desolate and forlorn aspect.
Near this costly sepulchre, is a straggling village, which bears.
the name of Madre-e-Solyman; the inhabitants are all poor and
wretched, and their cupidity and rapacity is so strong that we
had to keep close watch near our luggage, for fear of affording
them an opportunity of exercising their wicked inclinations.
Our muleteer wanted to unload in the village; but, after a
search from hut to hut, we all thought it better to encamp on
the plain, than in the vermin. covered hovels of the natives. In
the day-time the air was pleasant and warm, but by night the
penetrating frost made us shiver and tremble in every limb.
I sought refuge in a ruined caravanserai, which some have con-
jectured to be the identical dwelling of the magi,-the guardians
DIFFICULTIES OF THE WAY.
145
of Cyrus' tomb; but the shape, form, and arrangement of the
whole structure disprove the supposition that the travellers'
cheerless cells were ever the abode of the wise men of the East.
I certainly did not feel comfortable within these gloomy retreats,
through which the wind poured with a sighing melancholy, and
whatever its glory may have been of yore, I forgot all, and
hurried away as if the ghost of Zoroaster himself was pursuing
my very steps. In our encampment I found all quiet and still,
with the exception of three muleteers, who lay on the outskirts,
bellowing with all their might, to prevent any nocturnal sur-
prise. I enveloped myself in a coverlet, and, with my eyes
peeping out, watched the countless host of bright stars, which
for the last twenty-four centuries have witnessed the various
vicissitudes which have befallen this country. An hour after
midnight we moved again; the atmosphere was bitingly piercing,
and the hoar frost covered us and everything else with the ve-
nerable appearance of old age. The road continued even and
level for an hour, and then it became rugged and difficult; the
intensity of the cold also increased, and we felt altogether
miserable. At day-dawn we perceived that we had entirely left
the plain country and were hemmed in between hills and rocks,
almost covered to the summit with a dazzling winding sheet, with-
out knowing where or how to proceed. The mulcteers pointed
to a narrow defile, but this was filled with deadly drifts, which
threatened destruction to any one who ventured to touch their
treacherous unbeaten and untrodden heights. We retraced
our steps for almost two miles, and then on a snail's pace
threaded our way along the foot of the hills, where the wind
had driven away the snow, or previous caravans had left a de-
vious track. To ride was quite impossible, as the path was too
dangerous and slippery, and the muleteers with their floundering
quadrupeds were too busy to pay any attention to the scrambling
bipeds. Our difficulties were aggravated by several unseen
latent streams, which were flowing under tunnels of ice and
snow, and could only be distinguished from the blended confu-
sion of nature, by their hollow and deep murmurings, when rolling
over a hidden piece of rock, which had separated itself from the
parent stem. We found numerous carcases of horses, mules and
L
+
146
DIFFICULTIES INCREASE.
donkeys, which the owners must have abandoned in despair when
exhausted from incessant exertion and toil; or at the approach of
a snow shower, which in these regions, where there are neither
roads, villages or caravanserai to seek refuge in, invariably
proves fatal to those who are overtaken by it. The remains of
former caravans did not cheer us in our onward progress, and the
servants were particularly discontented, and in the most plaintive
strain lamented their cruel fate in having quitted the sunny city
of Bagdad. Providentially we had a serene sky and a bright
shining sun, otherwise we might all have been lost in the
perilous drifts which make this road in winter, as it is marked in
most maps, quite impassable.
Before noon we descended through a deep ravine into an ex-
tensive undulating plain, where we were gratified with the de-
lightful sight of the caravanserai, Khona Kohra, our halting
place for the day. Frequently in performing a long and weari-
some march, overcome with exhaustion and fatigue, I strained
my eyes to obtain a glimpse of the village, or caravanserai, where
the toils for the next few hours would be interrupted by a grate-
ful rest; but this sensation was always enhanced when the munzil
had been laborious and toilsome, and the dangers and diffi-
culties overwhelming. O how did I long to reach the way-farer's
home, and to repose within its black and sullied cells; and when
at last the gloomy walls burst upon my view, with what energy
did I push on the drudging beast to reach the longed-for spot.
These emotions I experienced at beholding our asylum for the
day, rising conspicuously out of an illimitable dreary waste of
snow; my delight was inexpressible, and with intense fervour I
raised my heart in gratitude to Him, "who giveth snow like
wool, and scattereth his ice like morsels," and who heareth his
servants and delivereth them out of all their troubles. At the
caravanserai all was pitiless misery and frightful discomfort; the
court was filled with heaps of snow and pools of stagnant water;
the stables with filth and skeletons of quadrupeds, which the
vultures had gnawed; even the recesses had been turned into
receptacles for all sorts of foul and putrid matter, too disgusting
to detail; and to complete the picture of wretchedness, there was
not a soul, far or near, from whom we could obtain provision, or
A GOOD SAMARITAN.
even a little fuel to make a cup of tea.
147
But man's extremity
is God's opportunity; for, when hungry and tired we sat down
in the gateway, gazing with despondency on the dazzling wintry
world, we were accosted by a respectable Armenian from Ispa-
han, who with a numerous retinue was on his way to Bushire
and Batavia. He immediately invited us to his cell, which had
been thoroughly cleaned, ordered an excellent breakfast of tea,
bread, fruit, and cold meat for us; and in fact did everything
to make us forget the toils and hardships of our journey. In
the evening we parted from our hospitable friend, to pursue our
respective destinations; we had only been together a few hours,
yet his generous and kind deportment had tenderly affected us,
and with much unwillingness and many blessings we parted.
from this good Samaritan.
Our next stage was Soormuk, a poor village enclosed within
mud walls and surrounded by extensive ruins, an occular demon-
stration of the awful extortion and merciless tyranny of the
governors of the district. During the day we had numerous
applications for medicine, and many who had only imaginary
diseases, requested us to feel their pulses and prescribe the ne-
cessary remedy. Bread-pills might have done wonders amongst
these importuning patients, who insisted that they were ill, and
we were able to cure them. In order, however, to satisfy their
anxious and craving solicitude for our advice, we recommended
to the majority, hard work, frugal diet, and seven hours' sleep; a
prescription which drove them all away, and permitted us to
enjoy a needful repose. The following day, at Abada, the
people presented quite a different phasis to their countrymen in
the last village; they were lively and volatile, boasted of their
laxity of morals, love for wine, and indifference to the prophet
and his laws. The ketkhoda and some mullahs had religious
discussions with us; they admired all we said, and wished the
religion of the Gospel universal success, for the plausible reason
that wine, arrack, pork, &c., would then be khatal, and nothing
whatsoever charam. Our pleasure-loving intruders engaged us
the greater part of the evening, and as we started again at one
in the night our rest was very short; happily the road was easy
and good, and by alternately riding and walking, we mastered
L 2
148
ATTEMPTED EXTORTION OF AN IMPOST.
the overwhelming influence of sleep, and reached, wretched
and weary, the village of Shulgistan. At eleven at night, just
when the boisterous noise in the caravan had subsided, and sleep
was about to seal my eyes, the coarse voice of our muleteer an-
nounced to us the agonizing tidings that most of the mules were
already loaded. We all rose with the greatest reluctance, and re-
sumed our journey under the most drowsy and painful sensations.
We were now approaching the hills which form the boundary line
between Parthia and Media, the present Fars Irak Ajem, which,
united under Cyrus, was known under the appellation of Persia.
The country in no respect differed from that which we had
been traversing for the last week-naked, uncultivated valleys,
ruined towns and half deserted villages, diversified the scenery,
and illustrated the sad cause of Iran's misery and depopulation.
Our wearisome night journey terminated at ten, A.M., at the
village Aminabad, where we found a hospitable shelter in a
decaying caravanserai. In the afternoon, half-a-dozen of rahdars
came to our cell, to extort an impost upon our luggage. We
were convinced of the injustice of their demand, and so, with
sullen indifference, resisted their claim. The chief of the party,
tired with his unsatisfactory negotiation, became quite violent
and intemperate, and invoked the most awful imprecations on
himself, if he allowed us to leave. We listened to all his threats.
and menaces, with the greatest unconcern, which made every
vein in his face throb and swell with fury; however, when this
ebullition of savage rage had cooled down, he returned to our
lodging, and in a subdued tone of voice, said, "I will not insist
upon the impost, but you must give me a bottle of arrack, to
make some keif (pleasure) on your account. We told him that
we carried no such beverage with us, and even if we had any,
would not be accessary to his breaking the prophet's law. The
disappointed rahdar swore by Ali, and all the 124,000 Maho-
medan prophets, that sherab and arrack were only interdicted to
those who prayed; but, as he never prayed, he could not be
included in the law. His philosophy and logic proved of no
avail, and the worthy tax-gatherer left with contempt the nig-
gardly, unsocial, and temperate Franks.
At midnight we set out again; the air was cold, and the wind,
GRINDING EXTORTION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
149
sweeping from the north over the sterile wastes, cut my face
like a sharp knife. I was reeling to and fro in my saddle,
writhing with agony, and scarcely able to hold the bridle of my
horse with my stiffened fingers. I attempted to walk, in order
to keep up the vital heat, but my feet had lost all sensibility, so
that I could not move a step. Towards dawn the chill blasts
became more vigorous, and the baffling frost increased in seve-
rity; we all expected the loss of some limb, and with chattering
teeth dilated on the best remedies in such a contingency; but
"He who holdeth the winds in his fist, and the waters in the
hollow of his hand," heard our prayers through the raging
elements, and without any personal injury, except swollen faces
and hands, we reached Komesha at eleven, A.M.
That this place was once a flourishing and populous city,
its ruined towers, dilapidated walls, and mouldering heaps of
houses and shops amply testify. Near the town is the shrine of
an Imam Zadeh, called Shah Reza, whose vicinity for a long
time exempted the people from all legal taxes; within the last
score of years, the sacred remains of this saint have lost their
influence, and the haughty, idle, and unprincipled inhabitants
(who, like those of all holy places in the East, excel in all kinds
of immorality) became a prey to rapacious and avaricious
governors. When we were there, Meerza Daood, a nephew of
the Mehtummed-ad-Doulah, Governor of Ispahan, had the
control of it, and with all the tender mercies of an Armenian, he
maltreated the bigoted followers of the Arabian prophet. Every
year, ten thousand tomauns, about five thousand pounds, were
forcibly wrung from the impoverished and starved people, for
the coffers of the rich Georgian, besides an almost equal sum
which went into the pockets of the collectors, ketkhodas, or
other officials. Many of the people came to us, as in many
other places, with sad tales of cruelty and oppression, and en-
deavoured to enlist the sympathy of strangers and unbelievers
in their behalf.
On the 18th we came to Mayar, an extensive village, em-
bowered in the midst of orchards and trees, which, in summer,
when covered with leaves and fruits, must be a grateful sight
to the traveller, who, hour after hour, sees nothing but ab-
150
ARRIVAL AT ISPAHAN.
rupt sterile mountains, extensive deserted villages, and isolated
crowded cemeteries. We alighted in a beautiful caravanserai,
built by the benevolent mother of Shah Abbas, who, by this
and many similar charitable edifices, has immortalized her name.
In the evening, at seven o'clock, in order to reach Ispahan by
sun-rise, we entered upon our last stage. The very idea of
having to toil only a few hours more, gave elasticity to our
frames, and courage to our hearts. The road was bad in the
extreme, and in crossing a pass called Kottul Ourtcheene, we
lamed several fatigued and worn-out mules, which detained
us about an hour. This time we profitably employed in pre-
paring a good cup of tea, which infused warmth into our frozen
frames, and dispelled sleep from our drowsy and closing eyes.
With the approach of day our path improved, and several well-
built reservoirs, filled with good water, indicated the vicinity of
the celebrated capital of the Seffervean monarchs. At eight
o'clock we crossed the last range of hills, and then, as by en-
chantment, beheld the largest city of Persia, bathed in the
golden glow of the morning, spread out with its numberless
domes, minarets, palaces, and gardens, almost beyond the limits
of our vision.
The imposing aspect which had delighted us at the distance,
did not, as is generally the case with Eastern towns, diminish at a
nearer view. Everything around us displayed magnificence
and elegance, luxury and delight; palaces, gardens, mosques,
diversified by thick groves and shady avenues, breathing the
soft voluptuousness of the luxurious East, and the epicurean
taste of the Ispahances, stood in sad beauty, forsaken and
neglected, in the once populous and royal suburb of Saatatabad,
and part of the Chehar-Baugh, through which our muleteers
conducted us. Near the town, we were met by a custom-house
officer, who took our luggage to the Goomrock, but permitted
us pass on to the Armenian suburb-Julfa-where we alighted
at the house of Petros Stephen, the British agent. In the
afternoon, the servants came with our baggage. The custom-
house officers had minutely examined every article, particularly
our European wearing apparel and linen, on which they had
unsparingly printed the marks of close and curious inspection.
AN ARMENIAN LODGING.
151
A heavy and exorbitant impost was charged on our books, but
Daood Khan, an Armeno-Protestant, and physician of the
governor, interposed and frustrated the artful design of these
minions of the Goomrockchee upon the extent of our purses.
By night we left the house of our respected friend, Howagee
Petros, and proceeded to a lodging which an Armenian had
procured for us. The house was large and comfortable, and,
like most of the dwellings in their quarter (which have survived
the political storms and fanatical tempests of the Moslems), the
spacious hall which was assigned for our accommodation, had
once reverberated with gayer sounds than those produced by
the cumbrous lumber and heavy boxes of travellers.
CHAPTER VII.
TOLERATION OF CHRISTIANITY BY ABBAS.
THE suburb of Julfa owes its origin to the wise and liberal
policy of Shah Abbas; this monarch, following the example of
those rulers who once controlled the destinies of the East,
instead of making slaves of an industrious and commercial
people, transplanted them from their native soil in Armenia, to
his own capital in Persia, and gave them a fertile and beautiful
quarter on the southern side of the Zeinderood. The politic
monarch favoured them with his special protection and counte-
nance, granted them liberty to build churches, to practise the
rites of their faith, and personally encouraged them in their
commercial and enterprising speculations. This new colony,
under such favorable auspices, rapidly increased in importance
and wealth, and the fanatical indolent Mussulman beheld with.
surprise, envy and smothered indignation, the prosperity of the
unbelieving Gaour. The energy and activity of the colonists,
however, infused a new life into the metropolis, and the capital
of Iran, soon became the most populous, thriving and influential
city in the East. Caravans laden with silks, crowded the roads.
to the Euxine and Persian sea; whilst distant and remote na-
tions sent ambassadors to court the favour, and make com-
mercial treaties with the ruler of Persia.
With the death of Abbas the Great, the Armenians lost their
best friend and protector; his successors alternately favoured
and oppressed them, still they continued faithful to the de-
scendants of their benefactor, and attached to the royal family;
but a dark cloud was gathering over their horizon, and a fearful
fate impending over this rich and industrious colony. Mahmoud,
the leader of the Affghans, during the reign of the imbecile and
effeminate Shah Hossein, besieged Ispahan with his barbarous
mountaineers. The Armenians bravely defended their suburb,
EXTERMINATION OF THE ARMENIANS.
153
and all that was near and dear to them, and would in all pro-
bability have saved the king and his capital, had the weak
monarch entrusted himself to these enterprising and loyal
subjects. The advice of treacherous counsellors and evil minis-
ters however prevailed, and with closed eyes the monarch
rushed to his own fatal doom; his brave and liege Christian
subjects were disarmed, and their flourishing and rich quarter
abandoned to the unbridled fury of incensed and licentious
savages. The horrors which they endured were so frightful,
that they affected even the cold and emotionless hearts of their
oppressors, and many a desponding maiden, and disconsolate
wife, was, unsullied in her honour, restored to her bereaved and
afflicted home. The destruction was, however, complete; and the
unsheathed sword of the grim warrior, did not return to its
scabbard till blunted with carnage and slaughter. Since the
happy period when the brave and noble fell in the defence of
their adopted country, the character of the Armenians has
radically changed; honest industry, and laborious trade have
ceased, and cunning, deceit, and every base method has been
resorted to for a subsistence; and this once exemplary com-
munity, notorious for their moral lives, have become steeped in
vice and tainted with every crime,—and the missionary now be-
holds, with a bleeding heart, this degraded and fallen Christian
sect misrepresenting to the eye of the Mahomedan the beauti-
ful and sublime teaching of the Gospel.
In the time of the Sefi dynasty, the Armenian community
counted upwards of 20,000 inhabitants, but this large number
has, within a century, dwindled down to less than 2,000 souls,
and even this small remnant of a very respectable and thriving
colony is on the decline; and were it not for the extensive
ecclesiastical establishment, which has the countenance of the
Russian embassy in Teheran, and the support of the Armenians
in India, the suburb of Julfa would now be like other quarters
of the city, an utter ruin and desolation. The churches do not
appear to have suffered much in the time of the Affghan in-
vasion, as, out of thirteen, ten are still standing, and used for
divine service, with an ecclesiastical staff consisting of an
archbishop, five bishops, and twenty-four priests; but notwith-
154
IGNORANCE OF THE PRIESTHOOD.
standing this numerous hierarchy, the lamp of truth is only
dimly glimmering, and the doctrines of the Gospel little felt.
Most of the priests are unacquainted with the old Armenian
language, in which the services are written, and consequently
the prayers are muttered over in a mumbling and suppressed
tone, unintelligible to the minister, and certainly not edifying
to his congregation. Sermons and expositions are things un-
heard of; the people abstain for three months in the year from
eating meat, and this is considered a safe passport to heaven.
We spoke on various occasions with Archbishop Kohannes on
the subject, but the self-conceited old man, dead to all sense of his
duty, was so addicted to drunkenness, that he would have made
a far better priest of the orgies of Bacchus, than a minister of
the Christian sanctuary. With the bishops it was useless to
converse on any serious topic, as they knew nothing beyond the
fasts and ceremonies of their Church. On one occasion, I spoke
to the ex-archbishop, Karapeh, on the emblematical import of
the Bible, and incidentally referred to the history of Joseph;
the old man listened quietly, and evidently with surprise, to
the strange things I told him. A few weeks after we met
again; the bishop appeared rather shy and disṭant, and when I
addressed him, abruptly said, "I have nothing to do with you,
for you are as bad as the Romish priests, and say anything that
comes into your mind, if it only advances your object." Upon
my requesting him to explain the cause of this ill-temper, he
turned to me his grey eyes, and in a passionate voice demanded
whether I had not told him that the story of Joseph was in the
Bible? Yes, I did, was my reply; "Now," continued he more
excited, “I have told this to many learned Persians, and Arme-
nians, and they all ridiculed my credulity, and assured me, that
the history of Joseph was the Persian novel, Joseph and
Zuleika,' It was in vain to remonstrate, or to argue; he was
convinced that our Bible was spurious, and our assertions un-
founded. Petros Stephen, to whom I narrated my meeting
with this titled shepherd, spoke to him about it, and I believe
succeeded in convincing him that the history of Joseph was
actually in the Bible.
C
When we arrived in Julfa we frequently expressed our indig-
BAD GOVERNMENT MAKES BAD PEOPLE.
155
nation at the public profanation of the Lord's-day; the whole
week the streets looked empty and deserted, but on the Sabbath
all was bustle and activity,-bishops, priests, and people, indis-
criminately hastened to the market to make purchases, and to
dispose of their goods. We spoke against this wicked practice
to those with whom we came in contact. Meerza Daood, an
opulent and influential Georgean merchant, approved of our
remonstrance, and, backed by the authority of his uncle, Meh-
tummed-ad-Doulah, the governor of Ispahan, he transferred
the market-day from the Christian, to the Jewish Sabbath. The
Archbishop gave his consent and approbation to this arrange-
ment, and for several Sundays, Mahomedan policemen were
stationed at the gates, to prevent Christians from profaning and
desecrating their own Sabbath. For a few weeks the market
was not so well attended as usual, and the convent to which the
place belongs sustained a trifling loss of a few shillings per
month; the Archbishop took umbrage at this, and the original
custom was restored.
Many of the horrible practices to which they are addicted,
may be ascribed more to their wretched and destitute condition,
than to the viciousness and irreclaimable depravity of their
nature; for poverty in the East invariably engenders a mise-
rable principle of base cheatery, and cunning traffic; and if
the Armenians have lost their good old character, a large share
of the guilt and contumacy rests upon the governors and rulers,
who, instead of elevating, by kindness and equity, the condition
of a spoiled and ruined people, have, by their systematic grind-
ing and oppressive taxation, made them what they now are-an
outcast and despised people.
In leaving the Armenians, we came to another contemned,
persecuted, and devoted people, who, if tradition can be cre-
dited, have, since the Babylonish captivity, been struggling
with all the capricious vicissitudes of fortune on the spot where
this ill-fated city stands. According to a Persian historian, the
Yehudiah formed one of the two towns which constituted
Ispahan, and the extent of the Jewish quarter verifies the asser-
tion. Frequently, in going from one family to another, I tra-
versed a labyrinth of streets and lanes, pent up with decayed
156
WRETCHED CONDITION OF THE JEWS.
synagogues and ruined houses, without meeting with any living
being, except troops of savage dogs, who were banqueting on
the carcase of a camel, mule, or horse, which a pious Persian
had thrown there to annoy the Jews, and to feed the starving,
famished brutes.
The air of misery and wretchedness which distinguishes this
quarter, accords too well with the touching picture of sorrow,
grief, and hopelessness, which characterizes its inhabitants. Each
house is the abode of want and indigence, and every individual
seems devoured by corroding cares, and bent down with a
grievous load of affliction; even the women, whose elastic and
light frames bear with more submission and resignation the hard
lot, under which the stronger mind would often be overwhelmed
and crushed, lose very early the lustre of their eyes, and, under
a harassing weight of anxieties, all the lovely expressions which
mark the youthful features of the Jewish maiden in the East.
Often in our visits to these sad dwellings, where the voice of
hope, faith and love is never heard, we beheld the most pitiful
and affecting sights; the rooms looked dismal and unfurnished,
the inmates haggard, sallow, and careworn; the children squalid,
sickly and ragged; in fact, such utter destitution would swell
the bosom, and make the tears of any but an unfeeling Moslem
flow.
The hopeless condition of this oppressed and ill-treated people
is aggravated by the dark and cheerless prospects which loom
in their future. Hated, despoiled, and deprived of every chance
whereby to earn his daily bread, the poor Jew-whose person
many consider morally defiled, and whose very touch all believe
communicates contamination-is compelled to have recourse to
the most degrading pursuits, to gain a parsimonious existence.
Many, consequently, lead a gipsy life, and by fraud and fortune-
telling alleviate the wants of nature; others support themselves
by cheating and peddling; and the rest pamper the corrupt
appetites of the zootees, and sell arrack, wine, and other inebri-
ating, and not unfrequently poisonous draughts. These mise-
rable occupations, which must engender the worst principles
and stifle every moral sentiment, are not selected by the Jew
optionally, but he is driven by his oppressors into the worst
INVITATION TO VISIT THE GOVERNOR.
157
vices, and compelled to become a most arrant and adept cheat.
Many times have I spoken to individuals and congregations on
this subject, and the reply was, "What are we to do? Shall
we suffer our wives and helpless children to starve before our
eyes, or shall we sell our sons to Moloch (Islamism), and our
daughters to those who devour us?" Yet, notwithstanding
these dishonest and fraudulent pursuits, to which slavery and
intolerance condemn him, the Jew, with all his pilfering and
cheating, is scrupulous and punctilious in the observance of his
religious duties, and yearning with solicitude for the advent of
the Redeemer. I have frequently seen an Israelite, after having
been maltreated by some Moslems, sitting down on the ground,
exclaiming, with a tone in which hatred and sorrow were keenly
blended, "Art thou not He that brought us from Egypt, out of
the land of our captivity; and wilt thou not speedily send us
the Messiah, and revenge our wrongs, and redeem us out of the
hands of those profane dogs, the enemies of our holy law?"
Our arrival among such a people immediately excited great
surprise and notoriety. The general inquiry was "Are we in
error, and is the religion of the idolatrous Armenians true?
Are these Franghees mad; or have they some political object
in view?" All these mysterious conjectures, a few days' inter-
course solved, and the suspicious and suspected strangers were
the great friends and well-wishers of the outcast Jew. The
late governor, Mehtummed-ad-Doulah, a Georgian by birth,
and one of the greatest men and best rulers in Persia, heard of
our intercourse and controversies with the Jews, and to satisfy
his curiosity, and also to convince himself that we were not
mad, requested us, through his physician, Daood Khan, to pay
him a visit. On the day appointed we repaired to the palace—
a noble, costly, and spacious edifice; we crossed several courts,
surrounded with halls, and crowded with mullahs, ferashees,
soldiers, and beggars, who were all indiscriminately pressing
forward to pay their court, to deliver a petition, or obtain some
commutation of taxes, or other imposition, from the governor
or his minions.
To paddle our way through this stream of life would have
been no easy task for a hated Gaour; but his Excellency fore-
158
INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR.
saw this contingency, and, with the kindest consideration, sta-
tioned a guard at the entrance, who conducted us through this
animated and busy throng, into the presence of the dreaded
man. He was seated in a little room, looking out upon a lovely
fragrant flower garden. Upon our entrance he immediately
rose, and with a peremptory command ordering every one ex-
cept his mullah to withdraw, welcomed us with great affability
to his palace, and the city of Ispahan. After tea, coffee, and
pipes, the conversation turned upon the object of our travels,
and the success we had met with. Having answered these few
interrogations, his Excellency asked us what were our opinions.
and views of Mohamed and the Koran? Who was referred to in
Deuteronomy xviii. 15? Whom had Moses in view when he said,
"The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them ;
he shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thou-
sands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them?"
(Deut. xxxiii. 2.) What was the meaning of a chariot of asses,
and a chariot of camels, described in Isaiah xxi. 6,7? And
many other similar questions, of much research and ingenuity,
which we answered according to our own views. He expressed
himself much interested in our labours, and assured us that if
the Jews embraced Christianity, he would take them under his
special protection, and allow no one to molest or persecute
them.
A few days after this interview we received several invitations
to come to the palace, as the Mehtummed had summoned the
Jewish mullahs to confer with us in his presence on the subject
of the Messiah. Accompanied by our friend, the physician, we
went to the official residence of his Excellency, where we were
received with the greatest condescension and politeness. His
Excellency himself opened the conference by a short address, in
which he explained the object of our friendly meeting and the
beneficial effects which might accrue from a careful investiga-
tion of the important subject of religion; he told the Jews that
he sympathized with their deplorable position, of which, before
our arrival, he was ignorant, and promised to take all their com-
plaints under consideration at some future period. The confe-
rence lasted upwards of two hours, and though the Jews were
SHAMEFUL TREATMENT OF MR. S.
159
guarded in their expressions, and glossed over their own re-
ligious sentiments, in order to please the Mehtummed and his
two friends, the only Mahomedans allowed to be present, still
from their replies much was elicited to convince his Excellency
that Christianity was the religion of Moses and the Prophets,
and the only system which met the contingencies of our corrupt
nature. We presented the governor and his friends with
Arabic Bibles, and after a sumptuous breakfast in the palace,
asked leave to depart, and returned to Julfa, grateful to our
heavenly Father for having inclined the heart of the greatest
man in the country in our favour.
This cordial reception by the dreaded ruler of the provinces,
his urgent entreaties that we should settle down in Ispahan, and
the willingness of the Jews to listen to our errand of mercy, with
the many other advantages which the place afforded as a central
mission to the Jews in Persia, induced us to recommend it as a
permanent station. Our proposition having been submitted to
the Committee for deliberation and reflection, was in due time
adopted, and a few months after our return from Persia, we were
again, in the very depth of winter, traversing the piercing cold
and frozen regions of Iran. Our sufferings were great indeed;
snow, rain, wet, and cold, waited on us alternately at every
stage.
In Peresba, a small village of infamous notoriety, where, with
our servants, I had gone in advance to secure a place in the cara-
vanserai, we were attacked by a party of robbers, headed by the
chief of the place, and having neither money nor other articles
of value with me to satisfy the cupidity of these ruffians, I was
wantonly maltreated, and left wounded and bleeding in the
court of the traveller's home. On a subsequent occasion, when
I visited the capital on matters of business connected with our
mission, I lodged a complaint against the party who had been
guilty of this outrageous assault with Her Britannic Majesty's
minister at the court of Persia ; who, having listened with much
excitement and indignation to my statement, but suddenly recol-
lecting that I was a Protestant, and not, as he may have heard
from his friends the Romish priests in Julfa, favourably disposed
to Popery, with great severity said: "I cannot afford you any
160
A STRANGE COMPARISON.
redress, as you have no legal claim to British protection." It
was in vain to urge that there was no other European represen-
tative, except the Russian, to whom I could apply; I was a Pro-
testant, and as such undeserving of a better treatment. How
kind, generous and noble does the conduct of the Mehtummed
appear in contrast with that of the British representative.
Without any letters of introduction, with which the majority
of travellers are supplied, we arrived in the most bigoted and
fanatical place in Persia ; no obstructions are placed in our way,
no difficulties opposed to our labours; the governor, a zealous
Mahomedan, whose antipathy to Europeans is proverbial, spon-
taneously offers us every assistance, invites us to his palace, as-
sembles the Jews in his presence, and tenders us every facility
to the prosecution of our work. Such liberal conduct from a
follower of the Koran might well have found an echo in the
actions of a believer in the Gospel; but not so with this official;
he is animated by a different spirit, and in a distant land,
amongst a lawless people, as will be seen in the following pages,
denied to two unoffending missionaries that little aid which,
under most trying circumstances, they are forced to solicit. My
wounds in the face became very painful under the influence of
the cold and biting frost; but what could I do alone, in the
midst of a dangerous country, with no friendly roof to shelter,
and no cheering hearth to welcome the way-worn and wearied
traveller; at such moments how consoling are the promises of
Scripture, and with what patient resignation and submission to
the supreme will do they inspire the desponding and depressed
spirit; let the sceptic and the infidel seek for a remedy against
the woes and ills of life under some illusive self-created system;
a religion which affords comfort in tribulation, hope in ad-
versity, which fills the soul with a sweet dependence on an all-
pure and merciful God, and gives an earnest of happiness and
bliss kept in store; yea, a religion which yields peace to the
heart and support in every circumstance in which we can be
placed; O, if such a revelation be false, let my mental eye be
never undeceived nor the charm ever dispelled!
Near Ispahan we noticed many symptoms of ominous im-
port, the peasants were loud in their complaints against the
KIND INTERVENTION OF THE DYING GOVERNOR.
161
government, and high language was used against the collectors
of taxes and other imposts; the road, too, was reported unsafe,
and sad tales of theft and plunder circulated amongst the idle
rustics. To the questions which we put to those whom we met,
the laconic reply was,
"the Mehtummed is ill.” At the gates
of the town the excitement was prodigious; one declared, the
governor was dead, another swore that he was not sick at all,
whilst a third averred that it was only a trick to ensnare the
disaffected and rebellious.
On a former occasion our luggage, after a formal inspection
and an attempt to fleece us, was returned without any great
trouble; this time, however, every box was detained, and a heavy
duty charged upon our books and wearing apparel. We ap-
plied to the British agent, Petros Stephen, but the poor man
being an honest and respectable Christian, (quite a rarity among
the English native employees,) had never been officially com-
mended to the local authorities, and could therefore do nothing
else but lend us a few articles for our immediate wants. Daood
Khan, our old friend, tendered us again his kind offices, and
represented the Goomrockchee's behaviour to the dying Meh-
tummed. His Excellency, with a promptitude which we could
scarcely have expected at the critical moment when life was
trembling in the balance, ordered the custom-house officers,
at the peril of their heads, to restore us instantly all our
effects.
The command was readily complied with, and we were rather
glad than sorry for this unpleasant accident, as it convinced us
that a short interval of time had wrought no alteration in the
governor's favourable disposition to our efforts. But our high
hopes were doomed to meet with a sudden bitter disappointment,
our worthy patron and magnanimous friend, after a short illness,
breathed his last. For a day or two his death was concealed,
and the honest, peaceable, and industrious part of the population
had time to secrete their most valuable property before the
reckless zooties ventured on their frightful work of rapine and
plunder. The savage passions of these desperadoes, which, dur-
ing the Mehtummed's rule, had been forcibly suppressed by
the glittering knife of the exccutioners, like an irresistible
M
162
ウ
​OUTBREAK OF THE RABBLE IN JULFA.
torrent, broke forth and spread terror and confusion through
every quarter of this extensive town.* The Jews and Arme-
nians, who seldom escape unscathed in any popular commo-
tions, were, owing to the few favours which they enjoyed during
the life-time of the late governor, the particular objects of the
malice and hatred of these unprincipled ruffians, and many
a cruel deed was perpetrated among these silent and patient
sufferers. The Armenians had still an advantage over the Jews,
for their suburb being isolated, and the principal streets de-
fended by gates, they could defy the heterogeneous mass of which
the Ispahan rabble is composed; but not so the Jews, domiciled
in the worst part of the town, and surrounded by all the refuse
and off-scouring of the populace, with their spirits broken and
their hearts desponding, they submissively endured all the dire
misery which cupidity, bigotry and lawlessness could inflict.
Our own position during this wild turmoil was very critical; the
Ketkhoda of Julfa sent us a friendly message that we should
not frequent the town, nor even venture unnecessarily in the
streets of Julfa, as he could not, in the mutinous state of the
place, afford us any assistance in case of emergency. We were,
however, not intimidated by this, or other kind warnings, as we
knew Europeans were too much dreaded in Persia, even by the
worst characters, to offer any other violence to their persons be-
yond a harmless hissing and pelting with invulnerable missiles,
such as rotten apples and orange peel, to which experience had
made us quite impervious. We, therefore, in dependence on
Him who had been with us in so many troubles, continued
our work; and an extract or two from my journal will show,
that we had a wide, interesting and promising field of labour
before us.
see us.
On the Feast of Purim, the Jewish mullahs came to Julfa to
We e were quite astonished to see a company of grey-
haired venerable men, exposing themselves to the insults of an
unrestrained fanatical mob, in order to have some conversation
with Christian missionaries.
* The Ispahanees assert that during the Mehtummed's governorship up-
wards of 700 zooties were publicly and privately beheaded.
INTERESTING MEETING OF JEWS AT JULFA.
163
Mullah Jacob, a perfectly blind man, said: "I have been fall-
ing more than ten times on my way to Julfa, and yet, though
I cannot see you, I do not regret the trouble of having come
to you."
We." And we hope your visit will be beneficial to you."
Blind Mullah.-" The Lord has laid upon me three great
afflictions, viz., poverty, blindness, and old age.”
We." Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth; and although
he conceals from your sightless eyes the wonderful works of his
creation, yet we trust he has not hidden from your mental vision
the glorious plan of redeeming mercy, but by the light of his
spirit has shone into your heart, and revealed to your immortal
soul that great light, which, whosoever followeth, shall not walk
in darkness."
The conversation now became general, and the mullahs,
though they made some slight objections to several important
truths which we brought before them, yielded to many essential
differences. They allowed that Jesus must have been the
Messiah; acknowledged the need of an all-sufficient sacrifice,
and admitted the necessity of an Almighty Saviour. We re-
plied, "If you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, confess that
we can only be redeemed through the merits of his blood, and
saved by faith in his name. Why, if you are sincere in your
profession, do you not come boldly forward and cry, "We have
found the Messiah of whom Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles
do testify?'
وو
They seemed confused, and hardly knew what reply to make.
Mullah Elijah, after a pause, affirmed that they read daily in
the New Testament. We told him that the reading alone was
not sufficient, nor would it be of any avail in the day of judg-
ment. "What then must we do?" "The New Testament
answers your question, when it tells you to believe, and be
baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
Mullah Solomon most seriously answered, "We baptized
each other when we were in the bath last Friday." We showed
them the guilt of this dissimulation and hypocrisy, and ad-
monished them not to trifle with such a momentous subject,
since their eternal well-being was pending on the issue. These
M 2
164
FEAR OF AVOWING THEIR SENTIMENTS.
poor straying sheep really deserve our prayers and intercessions
at the throne of grace. Some glimmering of Divine light has
indeed broken in upon their long night; but, alas! their hearts
have so much vegetated in sin and vice, and luxuriated in every
evil passion, that they have become callous in, and indifferent to,
everything that cannot be rendered subservient to their temporal
interests, and the bent of their corrupt nature. In our inter-
course with these masters in Israel, we, however, frequently met
with pleasing instances, which proved that our labour had not
been in vain, nor our strength spent for nought; thus Mullah
Eliyahu, the oldest rabbi with whom we had some conversation
on topics of great import, said, "I can assure you that I am in
the greatest strait, I know not what to do, for to believe that
Christ was the Son of God is incompatible with my feeble
understanding, and to argue with you about the orthodoxy of
our faith is also quite impossible." We advised him to pray for
the illumination of the Spirit, who was the only sure guide to
life and eternal happiness. On another occasion we had a long
discussion with the Chief Rabbi; the old man, with a dejected
countenance and depressed spirits, sat quiet and calm, listening
with undivided attention to all we said; but when we spoke to
him of his advanced age, and reminded him of his nearness to
eternity, the necessity of a change of heart, and faith in the
promised Redeemer, he started up, rushed between us, and with
tears streaming down his wan cheeks, entreated us not to urge
this matter upon him.
This Jewish rabbi, who seemed truly convinced of his errors,
would gladly avow his faith in the Triune Jehovah, were it not
for the dread he has of Mahomedan cruelty, and the fear he
entertains of ending his mortal career in a dungeon, or on the
rack.
One of the greatest difficulties with which the missionary to
the Jews in Persia has to contend, is Islamism. This inveterate
enemy to Christianity, as in the days of old, when the flame of
unrelenting animosity was first kindled, so now, after a lapse of
nearly thirteen centuries, still breathes the same revengeful
spirit, and wages the same indomitable hatred. The poor exiled
Jew, who in his iron bondage only thinks of the calamities
EASY ACCESS OF THE MISSIONARY TO THE SYNAGOGUE. 165
which threatened his brethren a few years ago in Hamadan, the
dangers that awaited those in Teheran, and the massacre which
actually took place in Meshed, imagines that no greater evil can
befall his people, than their giving a public preference to Chris-
tianity before Islamism. It is indeed impossible to conceive
the terrors which fill the minds of the Jews in Persia. O, how
often did I grieve at seeing these children of Zion, and de-
scendants of Abrabam, trembling at the frown and trying to
laugh with the smile of a Mahomedan! I have frequently at
great personal risk lifted up my unwilling hand to avert the
blow intended for an innocent Jew. How long will the baneful
system of Islamism bar the benign influence of the Gospel in
these regions of midnight darkness! The various fortunes
with which the Jews in the East have had to contend since the
days of their captivity, notwithstanding the sad and deplorable
influence which they have had upon their general character,
have very little affected their manners or customs; and wherever
the messenger of the cross now goes to this wonderful and ill-
treated people, he needs only to follow the example of the
apostle of old, and with his Bible in hand proceed to the
synagogue, and whether on week or sabbath-days, an audience
will soon congregate around him, to hear the new doctrines
which he may have to propound. Mr. Sternschuss and myself
generally found this the best and easiest method of making
known the object of our visit; and, invariably, after the first
discourse or discussion in the house of prayer, the charm of
novelty attracted crowds to our house, who were anxious to
converse more on the vital truths of the Gospel, which till then
they had neglected and despised. In Ispahan, where, owing to
our unprotected position, we were obliged to live at a consider-
able distance from the Jewish quarter, the synagogue usually
formed our Church, and the reading desk our pulpit,* for
preaching Christ crucified; and I confess that on many occasions
the solemn countenance, individual attention, and grave deport-
ment of our audience, might have impressed an en passant
visitor with the idea that the whole congregation were
Christians.
* The German Jews call this place Almemor, from the Latin memoria.
166
EFFECT OF THE PREACHED WORD.
Now and then, as is customary among rabbinical Jews, a
champion would stand up to assail the arguments of the preacher,
or to defend the faith in which he had grown up; but this was
always done with the kindest and best feelings, and with the
avowed purpose of illiciting more information on the question
at issue. We had frequently such conferences; but, as a con-
secutive journal of missionary work would fill several volumes,
which is not my present object, I shall adduce only a few brief
extracts, to show that the prejudices against Christianity, which
Popery has instilled into the mind of the Jew, in countries
where this corrupt system is openly practised, are not known in
that part of the East where Rome has not yet extended her su-
premacy and pagan worship. Thus, one morning, soon after
our arrival, long before the sun had risen on the pleasure-loving
Ispahanees, we were on our way to town; our journey, through
the net-work of lanes, alleys, bazaars, and ruins, towards the
synagogue, was a work which, without a guide, we could never
have accomplished. The large synagogue, like all Jewish places
of worship, is in the most inhabited part of the Ghetto, hemmed
in on all sides by miserable and decayed houses, which in time
of commotion or peace, serve as a weak defence against the in-
trusion of the fanatical destroyer, and the base robber. We
were received by the mullahs at the door, and conducted to a
seat before the ark of the law. When the prayers were concluded,
we ascended the desk, and at considerable length expounded
the various prophecies which predict the character and work of
the Redeemer. They were very candid and frank in their
answers, and admitted all that we said on the incarnation of our
Saviour, the miracles which authenticated his divine mission,
the obedience to God, and love to man which he displayed;
and, lastly, his death and resurrection, which confirmed his
mission, and brought life and immortality to light through the
Gospel; but, when we closely pointed out to them the holiness
of God's law, the heinousness of sin, and the awful punishment
menaced to all those who did not seek for shelter under the
justifying merits of the Redeemer, all the tender chords of
their consciences were unstrung, and, like Nathanael, they were
ready to exclaim, "Jesus, thou art the Son of God, the King of
HOW FEW CAN BE FIRM IN TROUBLE.
167
Israel!" Such ecstatic words I have frequently heard from the
lips of Jews, when affected and excited; but the impression was
not lasting, nor did the conviction assume an enduring form.
Under the impulse of the moment, they would beat their knees
to a compassionate Saviour, and sue for pardon and forgiveness;
and the next minute, they were ready to stifle every holy
and sacred feeling, and banish from their hearts every ray of
Gospel-light. The Eastern Jew shrinks at the idea of making
any sacrifice at the shrine of religion and truth.
"Allah
Kerim!" (God is merciful!) he has learnt from the Maho-
medans, and, with these words in his mouth, he will, if dangers
or difficulties threaten him, deny his need of God, and acknow-
ledge not one, but all the prophets of the Moslem faith. Many
such characters I have had under instruction. As long as
everything went on smooth, they were full of hope, confidence,
and reliance on Christ; but, no sooner did the dark shades of
trouble and persecution gather around them, than they retraced
their steps from the path of heaven, and, for the sake of the
few unsatisfactory worldly consolations and temporary comforts,
bartered all the blessings of the regions of glory and realms of
immortality.
On another occasion, after a long sermon on the advent,
atonement, and sacrifice of our Saviour, an individual in the
assembly, who evidently disliked the onerous burthen of the
rabbinical precepts and injunctions, got up and said, "Your
religion is very easy, it neither enjoins ceremonies, nor requires
any particular sacrifice; ours, on the contrary, is fraught with
so many commands that it occupies the whole life of a Jew to
become thoroughly acquainted with all." On being asked
whether an unwearied performance of the whole Rabbinical
code would curb the passions, sanctify the heart, and bring
a man nearer to his God? he paused, looked round, and
candidly replied, "No." He was then told that Christianity
refined the human breast, ennobled the dark mind, filled the
soul with holy aspirations, and brought the fallen creature into
close communion with his redeeming Lord. They all seemed
quite astonished at these effects being attributed to the Gospel,
and asked with much apparent sincerity and anxiety, whether
1
J
168
DOCTRINE OF REGENERATION STARTLING TO A JEW.
rites and ceremonies were quite useless. The reply was, "If
they are calculated to edify, they are expedient; and if not,
they defeat their own object and ought to be cancelled." They
confessed that there was much of sound argument in what we
said, though they could not believe that the Gospel required
such a thorough change of life and conduct as we stated. We
read to them the account of our Lord's intercourse with Nico-
demus; but they were as much astonished and surprised at the
doctrine of regeneration and a new birth, as the Pharisee of old.
We gave them some tracts, and then took our leave.
!
CHAPTER XII.
WANT OF PROTECTION AT ISPAHAN.
WHILST we were thus quietly prosecuting our work, Ispahan
continued to be the theatre of the most detestable passions, and
most sanguinary conflicts; the zootees, the licensed robbers and
assassins of Persia, daily, without reflection or remorse, perpe-
trated every imaginable and repulsive crime with impugnity.
Meerza Gourgeen Khan, who had succeeded the Mehtummed
in the government, instead of stemming the torrent of corrup-
tion and vice, which overpowered the town, and tainted the
very atmosphere with a moral poison, by his licentiousness and
profligacy sanctioned and countenanced the proceedings of these
dreaded banditti and abandoned ruffians. The governor on
several occasions, as we were informed by creditable persons,
expressed himself in no very measured terms about our pro-
tracted residence and intercourse with the inhabitants of the
place; the mullahs, too, whose power in Ispahan is supreme,
threw out unmistakable hints; and as we had to fear more for
the Jews than ourselves, from the rancorous hate of these excit-
able bigots, the only alternative left us, was, either to relinquish
our field of labour, or to procure some nominal protection. The
latter plan, after prayerful deliberation, was adopted, and I pro-
ceeded to Teheran, to represent our position to Her Majesty's
minister at that place, in the hope of obtaining his friendly
protection for the limited space of three months, till we could
communicate with our patrons, and have their opinion before
we ourselves took any decisive steps. With what feelings I
entered on this errand, an abstract of my letter to the Com-
mittee, dated Teheran, will best explain.
"The missionary in Persia, although he has much to bewail
in every place he visits, yet I believe there is no town in this
country where his heart becomes morc saddened, and his spirits
170 SOME OF THE OBSTACLES TO THE SPREAD OF TRUTH.
depressed, than in the ill-fated capital of Iran. Here he has not
only to encounter the opposition and hate which the followers
of Mahomed everywhere evince against the light and knowledge
of the Gospel; but he has to contend against the jarring party-
spirit of the Christian representatives, who, in their ardour to
protect the respective creeds which they favour, out-rival in
animosity to Protestants the misguided followers of the Arabian
prophet. Those who have the welfare of the people of this
country at heart, cannot but lament, that at the present moment,
when a spirit of inquiry is spreading among the Jews, the tide
of infidelity sapping the foundation of Islamism, and a regene-
rating movement characterizing the ancient missionary church
of the Nestorians, that the great Protestant nation, beneath
whose broad banner the humble heralds of the cross have
hitherto everywhere found protection, encouragement, and aid,
should, at this important crisis, be represented by a Roman
Catholic envoy, who, from what I have seen, does certainly not
value very highly the services of a Protestant missionary. The
Shah, and other enlightened men, who would be delighted to see
their people emerge out of the moral degradation into which
they have sunk,-have all their information about missionaries
filtered through the corrupt channel of European infidels, or
other no less exceptional mediums. It may, therefore, be easily
conceived that nothing but the greatest urgency could have in-
duced me to visit Teheran, to ask a favour of Colonel Shiel; or to
listen to unsparing reflections on the missionary work, from pro-
fessionally nominal Christians-is more painful to me than to
be maltreated by drunken zootees, or pelted by a lawless mob."
At my first interview with Colonel Shiel, I briefly informed
him of the cause and motive of my journey, and solicited him
to extend to us for a few months the favour which his prede-
cessors had always kindly conferred on other missionaries. His
reply was, "Your Committee does not appear to sympathize with
you very much, or else it would not have sent you to Persia
without providing for your safety and protection!" and, changing
the subject, he pointedly inquired whether I followed St. James.
or St. Paul. I told him that I followed both, because both fol-
lowed Christ. And, not willing to have any religious discussion,
REFUSAL OF PROTECTION TO THE MISSIONARY.
171
I again repeated my request. He rejoined, "Very well; I shall
look over my despatches, and let you know in two days."
>"
At the appointed time I made another official call, when he
read me part of a despatch, in which it was stated, that "if any
European, whether lay or ecclesiastic, was in danger of life and
property, the envoy was to interfere and protect that person.'
I remarked upon this, that our case came within the compass of
these instructions, since we had been insulted, maltreated, and
even plundered, and scarcely knew what difficulties awaited us,
in our embarrassing circumstances and the distracted state of
the country, whether we remained or departed. His reply was,
"I shall mention your case to Lord Palmerston by next post;
but as he is not a church-goer, like Lord Aberdeen, who would
have given you protection, as he did to the American mission-
aries in Oroomiah, I do not think it will be of any avail."*
These words, which rang in my ears like the knell of my hopes,
expectations, and prayers, were calculated to chill the ardour of
my mind, and to cloud the bright visions which, in every new
missionary scene where the Gospel is faithfully preached, lend an
enchanting and cheering aspect to the coming future. But such
was not the case; we had a holy object in view, and a noble duty
to perform; and, whether cheered by friends, or opposed by ene-
mies, we had One to rely on, who is a help in every trouble; and
to Him we could commit our all, conscious that He would never
leave nor forsake us. Such were the supports which sustained me
then, and have done so ever since. I have invariably found the
truth of the old adage, "Man's extremity is God's opportunity."
On my journey I met with many pleasing indications to
encourage, cheer, and animate me in my efforts for the con-
version of Israel. In Kashan, a town containing two hundred
Jewish families, my preaching excited the greatest sensation;
even Moslems crowded the house of my entertainer, Mullah
Aaron, the head of the Jews, and requested me to tell them
why I preferred the religion of Isau-Jesus to the teachings of
Mahomed. The governor, who had lost the favour of the king,
*I disclaim any personal feeling in stating this case, as it would ill
become a messenger of the Gospel; my sole object being to show the neces-
sity of obtaining protection before hand.
172
LAMENTABLE SUPERSTITION AND IGNORANCE.
was quite delighted to hear of the arrival of such a famous and
learned mullah, as report made me, and with the most cring-
ing humility his servants came and requested me to repair
to the palace and read his Excellency's destiny in the illimit-
able field of the stars. It was in vain that I protested and
pleaded ignorance of astrology, my reputation was established,
and my boundless wisdom the topic of every lip. Besides this,
I knew Hebrew and Arabic, the two celestial tongues in which
Heaven communicated with mortals, and nolens volens, I must
unravel to the governor the secret of his future career.
My host, Mullah Aaron, whose niece, a betrothed bride of
great beauty, the governor had only a few days previously seized
for his own harem, advised me to deceive this wily ruler, whose
displeasure was dangerous, by a cunning, grave imposition; an
idea, which I at once repudiated, and as I had already by
my prognostications incurred his wrath, I shortened my stay,
and after having sold, for £13 5s., Bibles and New Testaments,
I bade farewell to my Jewish friends and departed.
The failure of my mission in Teheran did not exert a favour-
able influence on our residence in Ispahan, and it became our
imperious duty to bow in submission to the will of Him who
ordereth all things aright,—to relinquish a sphere of usefulness
where only troubles and persecutions menaced us and those with
whom we came in contact. The difficulty was how to proceed,
with books and luggage, unfurnished with any papers from the
local authorities, and at a moment when the provinces were
overrun with rapacious and daring nomades, and rebellious and
discontented peasants; happily, at this contingency, Mr. Tasker,
an English Roman Catholic, whose untimely death in Sheeraz is
much to be regretted, arrived in Ispahan, and kindly offered us
the use of his firman and the protection of his retinue, if we tra-
velled together. We gladly accepted this kind proposition, and
reached Sheeraz in safety. During our stay there, the town
was in a continuous state of strife, dissension and bloodshed.
Hossein Khan, the governor of the province, had been sum-
moned by the capricious minister, Hodjec Meerza Aghasee,
to the capital, and his vicegerent, who had neither courage nor
intellect to govern the reckless and bold insurgents, suffered the
PROVIDENTIAL PRESERVATION OF THE AUTHOR.
173
spirit of riot to spread without offering the least resistance, till
the whole place was transformed into a lazar-house of corruption
and crime. To venture into the streets without a numerous
train of well-armed servants was a perilous undertaking; we oc-
casionally went to the Jewish quarter through unfrequented bye
streets, but it was always attended with jeopardy; and on one
occasion, had it not been for the guardian care of our Heavenly
Father, who restrained the arm of the murderer when his dagger
was uplifted for the fell deed, the writer of these pages might long
since have mouldered on a foreign shore, and mingled his mortal
remains with the soil which he has often sorrowfully trod.
I have thus, in order not to retrace the same ground, which
would swell this work beyond its intended bounds, deviated from
the course of events. I shall, therefore, now return again to the
gorgeous city of Abbas the Great, which, notwithstanding all its
disasters and misfortunes, civil wars and foreign invasion, is still
the largest and most imposing city in Central Asia.
The number of palaces, bazaars, gardens, and promenades,
which have survived the ravages of the Affghans, is still pro-
digious; and many, for beauty, splendour, and extent, would not
be deemed unworthy to grace a fashionable town in Europe. The
Chehar Baugh, the public pleasure ground, where thousands of
Ispahanees may be seen on a gala-day, loitering among the beds
of roses, narcissus, and other fragrant shrubs, singing love-
songs and smoking caleoons,-is the most lovely and luxurious
avenue the imagination can picture. It is, including a magnifi-
cent bridge of thirty-three arches over the Zeinderood, about
a mile long, and lined with four rows of stately chinar trees,
planted in ages long since past. This spacious ground, nicely
adjusted into equi-distant parterres, and watered by perpetually
running canals, which fall from foaming cascades down into
square and octagonal basins, comprises all that is attractive, ex-
hilirating and soothing to the feelings and taste of an oriental.
On the sides are the Hesht Behesht, or eight paradises, with their
pleasure grounds and gay pavilions, which both diversify and
add to the picturesque aspect of the sylvan scene.
There are many other palaces, which, though deserted and un-
inhabited, still continue monuments of the elegance, luxury and
174
MAGNIFICENCE OF THE PALACE.
wealth of the Sefi monarchs; but the Chehel Sitoon, or forty
pillars, which recall to mind the visionary tales of the inge-
nious mistress of Shahriar, excels all that fancy can conceive of
oriental splendour, profusion and prodigality. This princely
residence is at present untenanted. I visited it in spring, when
the trees which surround it were covered with dense foliage,
and the flowers with expanding buds. The entrance hall, which
faces the garden, is one sparkling profusion of chrystal and
gilding; I found my eyes quite dazzled by the glare which,
under the noon-tide rays, reflected from the glass pillars, and
richly mirrored walls. From this magnificent hall I passed
through a glass door into another grand and imposing saloon,
where the great Abbas kept his midnight orgies, and received
the ambassadors of conquered and allied nations; it is an im-
posing, lofty, and spacious room, richly ornamented from the
ceiling down to the floor, on which latter is still spread the
costly carpet of the founder; the walls are embellished with six
large paintings, which display both the taste and elegance, as
well as the intemperance and licentiousness, of the Persian court
at that period. Contiguous to the Chehel Sitoon are several
edifices of beauty and note; but as there is such a great uni-
formity and sameness in all these structures, a description of
each would scarcely be admissible.
In issuing out of this silent wilderness of glass, flowers and
palaces, where solitude reigns and deep gloom dwells, the scene
suddenly changes, and the ear, which for hours only listened to
the warbling notes of the retired nightingale's song, is deafened
by the confused and tumultuous noise of the busy throng, col-
lected on the Maidan. This vast area, which is situated at
the entrance of the royal domains, and the labyrinthine em-
poriums of trade, presents during the morning, when the tide
of activity has set in, a most animated and variegated sight;
donkeys, mules, horses, and camels, loaded with provisions from
the villages, may be seen wending their way between seats
and booths, where petty merchants have to the best advantage
spread out their divers wares.
Sometimes in these narrow passages a line of donkeys, laden
with brushwood, encounter a string of mules, charged with
FONDNESS OF THE PERSIANS FOR DOCTORING.
175
bulky bales of cotton, and as both quadrupeds are notorious
for obstinacy, stupidity, and heedlessness, a desperate pushing
and kicking ensues. The vendors of goods, who tremble for
their stalls, increase the babel by their clamour, curses, and
imprecations, in which the animals and their owners, to the re-
motest generations, come in for the greatest share.
When the way has been cleared and the neighing and fight-
ing subsided, the poor merchant, whose temper the incident has
ruffled, will jump up from his carpet, stroke his beard, and
with uplifted hands invoke the wrath of heaven upon the town,
the people, and all who first proposed that cities should have
Maidans. At noon the bustling noise subsides, and the bread,
eabaub, sherbet and pickle sellers perambulate the area, and at
the very top of their voices recommend their delicacies to the
exhausted groups, who stand together dilating on the fortunes
of the day, or, worn out with fatigue, bask in the intense heat of
the scorching sun.
Amidst all the conflicting interests of the Maidan, the medical
profession is the most lucrative and conspicious; from morning
till late at noon the worthy disciples of Esculapius, with their
razors and scissors stuck in their belts, may be seen loitering
about with an aspiring, vain and impudent mien, offering their
skilful services to the ailing and sick. Their invariable nos-
trums are bleeding. I have been many a time horrified at
the sight of a dozen of peasants, sitting on the heated
pavement with their bodies denuded to the waist, and the
surgeons bending over them, cutting with all their strength and
might into the backs and temples of their submissive patients,
till the blood in profusion gushed out of every vein and washed
the stones with a crimson stream.
The bazaar, which is connected with the large square by a
strong gate, furnishes a melancholy, but true picture of the
decline and misfortunes of this once thriving and flourishing
royal city. For miles the vaulted receptacles of commerce, in-
dustry and wealth extend through the centre of the town, and
when crowded with the manufactures of the East and West,
and thronged by the merchants of all climes, must have justi-
176
COMPARATIVE STATE OF ISPAHAN.
fied the vain boast, "Ispahan nespe jehan est." (Ispahan is
half the world.) But these happy days of prosperity belong to
the vision of the past; at present all is desolation and decay;
the bazaars are in ruins and scantily occupied, the caravanserais
empty and neglected, the mosques, with few exceptions, out
of repair, the colleges abandoned and forsaken, and a visible
blight rests upon the former metropolis of the Sefi race.
According to the most accurate information I could obtain
from some of the ketkhodas of the various mahallahs, the
town is conjectured to contain two hundred thousand in-
habitants; but this number, small as it is compared with the
millions which peopled its streets scarcely two centuries ago,
may yet be much reduced, considering the dilapidated and
desolate condition which characterizes its whole extent.
F.
The climate is salubrious; the winter excessively cold, fre-
quently for days in succession the thermometer was below the
freezing point; the poor and rich during the severity of the
frost are perfectly helpless and inert, and those who can afford
it seldom leave their courcies, or expose themselves to the cold
invigorating breath of heaven.
With the Eid-e-Nawrooz, or the feast of the vernal equinox,
a relic of the ancient creed, which bigotry could not suppress
nor fanaticism obliterate, commences the scason of industry and
diligence; the weather is then delightful, and the teeming soil
round Ispahan, celebrated for fertility, without any hard toil
from the husbandman becomes decked with the most lovely
vegetation. The people, after their imprisonment for several
months in the confined atmosphere of the harems, are so en-
chanted with the change, that they protract the feast for
upwards of sixteen days; during the whole of this time the
inviting retreats of the Chehar Baugh, Hesht Behesht, Chehel
Sitoon, &c., &c., are polluted by the greatest licentiousness and
most shameless debauchery.
In summer and autumn, when the fruits are ripe, fever,
dysentery and ague prevail throughout the town, and hundreds
of individuals fall victims to their own immoderate indulgence
in the luxurious produce of the gardens. I have frequently
}
GLUTTONY OF THE PERSIANS.
177
seen persons devour a maund (seven pounds and a half) of
melons, or a similar quantity of grapes, without feeling dis-
inclined to partake of a smoking pilau and a bowl of sherbet
immediately afterwards; such gluttony naturally engenders
fever, and sends multitudes in the prime of life to an untimely
grave.
As the time of our departure drew nigh, considerable anxiety
was expressed both by Jews and Armenians about our return,
and future settlement amongst them; and although, as before
stated, our best intentions and endeavours were frustrated, still
I have the sustaining confidence, that our short and eventful
ministry in that ill-fated city has awakened much religious
inquiry, and paved the way, should providential indication
warrant it, for the future heralds of the Gospel.
N
CHAPTER XIII.
DEPARTURE FROM ISPAHAN.

ON the 14th of March, with the last rays of the sun, we
emerged out of the gate of the city; the evening was calm and
beautiful, the atmosphere mild and exhilirating, and the odorous
bland winds as they drearily sighed through the groves, and
brushed along the solitary walls and mouldering mounds of
former habitations, imparted a deep interest to the deserted and
razed suburb which we traversed, and awakened a solemn and
devout strain of reflection on the instability and transitoriness
of all that is material and sublunary. As the shadows of night
collected around us, and in its huge dark folds embraced the
wide-spreading city, with all her palaces, groves, gardens, and
ruins, our progress became greatly impeded by the numerous
broken-up canals, and empty water-courses, which in days past
irrigated and fructified the finest district in Iran. At nine
o'clock we halted in one of the numerous caravanserais, which,
as I have before stated, perpetuate the name and benevolence of
the mother of the great Abbas.
From this to Kohrood, the country we traversed looked
sterile, blasted, and uninhabited; near the village, however,
everything assumed a new phasis,-trees, gardens, comfortable
houses, and abundance of water diffused cheerfulness over the
rocky region, and gave a happy and contented aspect to the
dwellers in the glen.
We made our munzil in the house of a kind peasant, who
accommodated us by night in the same dormitory occupied by
his family, an honour which we would gladly have dispensed
with, as we stood in need of rest, which the squalling and
squeaking of the younger branches of the establishment did no
permit us much to enjoy. With dawn we were again mounted
and scrambling our way through the rugged narrow defile o
JEWS IN KOSHAN OUT OF MOSLEM RULE.
179
Kohrood. At the top of the pass the prospect was sublime and
overwhelmingly grand; at our feet lay the extensive plain of
Koshan, studded with pleasant villages and mulberry planta-
tions; behind us, in magnificent confusion, were yawning ravines
and shagged rocks of every shape and hue, and miles beyond,
close to the verge of the horizon, rose the dark and bold range
of the Elburg, with the glistening snow-clad Demanend
tapering its lofty cone to the sky.
.
.
When we had descended the rocky steep the sun was already
in the meridian, and the heat so powerful that the sudden
transition from the Sardesir, cold, into the Germasir, hot region,
filled us all with a burning feverish sensation. We urged our
muleteer to speed on his animals, and about three o'clock, P.M.,
parched, oppressed, and ill at ease, found ourselves in one of the
comfortable caravanserais so deservingly celebrated by all tra-
vellers. A short rest, cold ablution, cup of tea, and the excite-
ment of a new place, expelled the poison of fever from our
veins, and before the mullahs from the tops of the mosques
were summoning their dilatory congregations for the noon-tide
prayer, we were in the synagogue, surrounded by a goodly
number of the stray sheep of the house of Israel. There was
no necessity for explaining the object of our visit, our arrival
was anticipated, and many of our books, which had been for-
warded from other places, heralded the message we came to
proclaim. Our first interview convinced us that the position of
the Jews here was more propitious than in other towns; there
was nothing of that cringing and fawning spirit which submits
to every insult, and stoops to the vilest servitude, nor did their
dress show the faded tattered rag, the distinctive mark of con-
firmed misery and suffering. At the very entrance to the
synagogue the mullahs showed their courage by refusing ad-
mittance to some Mahomedans; the offended followers of the
prophet were indignant and abusive, but the rabbies rigorously
enforced their injunctions, and for the first time I beheld with
pleasure the proud Moslem yielding to the despised and aban-
doned Jew. Our conference, which lasted about an hour, was
animated and lively, and our opponents displayed much ability
and ingenuity in their arguments. Like all Eastern Jews, they
N 2
180
SYMPATHY WITH THE PERSIAN JEW.
had confused and strange notions about Christianity, and with
profound amazement gazed at us whilst we explained the plan
of salvation, which under types and prophetic visions was
declared under the old, and fully developed in the new, cove-
nant. The few who were acquainted with the Talmud, and
staunch defenders of tradition, made several sarcastic and in-
sidious reflections on the doctrine of the blessed Trinity; but
a few quotations from the writings of their admired sages, and
some incontrovertible passages of Scripture, which plainly de-
clare this divine truth, changed their smiles into seriousness,
and their ire into admiration. We distributed several tracts
and New Testaments, and, thankful to God for having permitted
us to proclaim to these perishing souls the truth as it is in Jesus,
returned wearied in body, but refreshed in spirit, to our noisy
lodging in the caravanserai.
There is something affecting in preaching the glad tidings of
salvation to the Jew in Persia, which awakens the deepest
sympathies, and the best affections of the heart; in more genial
climes, where the Gospel sounds continually chime in his ear,
and the happy and benign influence of Christianity shed rays
of peace and security around his dwelling, a tenaciousness of
ancient prejudices, and an obstinate adherence to tenets which
the Bible does not teach, alone prevent him from becoming
acquainted with a faith whose happy effects he cannot deny;
but here he is shut out from all intercourse with Christians,
never hears the name of the blessed Redeemer, except as it is
interwoven with a creed which makes him the scorn of the
vile, and the bondsman of the cruel; which converts his home
into a dungeon, and teaches him to hold even his life, on a
most precarious tenure. Gold, therefore, must be the heart
that is not touched by sorrows and woes like those of the
Elamite Jew; and little must the bosom be animated by the
spirit of the Divine Saviour, that does not burn with yearning
compassion to cheer with the consolations of religion his
hopeless present, and to illuminate with Gospel light the dark
vista of his approaching future.
On the following day we were engaged, from early in the
morning till late in the evening, in the privileged work of
SKILL OF THE ARTIZANS OF KOSHAN.
181
pointing scores of the sons of Abraham to the “Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sins of the world." That these efforts
softened the prejudices, and subdued much of the spirit of
opposition on my subsequent journey was fully evinced. I was
then no more considered a stranger and a preacher of new
doctrines, but welcomed as a brother, and treated as a friend;
the house of the most respectable Jew was my home, the syna-
gogue for hours every day my place of preaching, and the
demand for books so great, that after I had disposed of my
extensive stock I had to write to my fellow-labourer, Mr.
Sternschuss, for a fresh supply, and of these not a single volume
remained in my possession. That the spirit of inquiry, once
aroused, did not prove a vapid impression is fully demonstrated
in the concluding chapter. It is true we cannot, as a seal of
God's favour on our work, point to numerous baptized converts
and flourishing communities, but let all the onerous restrictions
which fetter the Jew in that country be removed, and let him
have the assurance that the believers in the Koran will not dare
to compel him to acknowledge Mahomed if he professes faith in
Christ, and we shall soon, under the blessing of our merciful
God, gather in the first fruits of an abundant and glorious
harvest.
Koshan, unlike the majority of Persian cities, has a bustling
and business-like appearance, and the most careless observer
must be struck by the noise and deafening clangour, which, for
more than twelve hours daily, reverberate through the vaulted
arcades of the bazaar. These volcanic sounds proceed from the
copper manufactories, which are the staple trade in the city. I
frequently, during my visits, past an hour or two in the smoky
work-shops of these toiling artizans, and was quite surprised at
the ingenuity and skill which they displayed in the design
and finish of their wares. Most of the articles manufactured
are elaborately engraved with flowers, animals, and passages from
the Koran, and the dexterity and ease with which this orna-
mental part is done, renders the difference in the price quite
immaterial. The copper is brought from Sivas and Astrachan,
and was forming a lucrative trade, but competition has spoiled
182
THE PRETENDED CHARMER REBUKED.
the market, and the industrious coppersmith now scarcely gains
sufficient to maintain himself and family.
The silk-worm, which is extensively bred in the town and its
environs, has also diffused a spirit of activity and diligence
amongst the inhabitants, and women and children may be seen
in the streets preparing the warp, whilst the men energetically
ply the shuttles behind their looms. The Jews are the principal
dyers, and the colours they produce are so beautiful that their
reputation is established throughout the land.
The climate of Koshan is justly deemed insalubrious; in
summer the heat is most oppressive, and all the inhabitants
take refuge in deep serdaubs, or cellars, which sometimes prove
dangerous retreats, as these cool shelters are infested by a black
scorpion of a most venomous species.
A big-turbaned Mahomedan mullah, whom on my second
visit I met in the house of Hakim Aaron, pretended that he
possessed the power of conjuring every poisonous reptile, and
as he professed great friendship for me, he only requested a
small douceur for making me also impervious to the sting of
these deadly creatures. Before I would accept the charm, con-
sisting of a piece of sugar wrapped in a few dirty rose leaves, over
which he mumbled some mysterious unmeaning words, I in-
sisted upon testing first his own invulnerability, not by a torpid
reptile from a box which he carried with him, but by a scorpion
fresh from the serdaub; to this he would not submit, and with
much concern he assured my friends, that want of faith had
deprived me of a secret which the blessed angel, Gabriel, him-
self had communicated to the great prophet Mahomed.
Koshan is supposed to contain about thirty thousand souls,
including a hundred and fifty Jewish families. It is situated
on the skirts of the great salt desert of Khorasan, and from the
distance has the appearance of an oasis rising from the midst of
a parched sandy plain. The inhabitants are proverbial for their
cowardice, mendacity, and dissolute habits. Of all these traits I
had many illustrations; but the missionary, in every village and
city which he traverses, witnesses such gross scenes of human
depravity and corruption, that the character of the nation is best
ļ
PILGRIMAGE TO SAINTED SHRINES.
183
described in the words of the Apostle, (Eph. iv. 19,) “Who being
past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness."
March 22nd.-Early in the morning we bade farewell to the
kind Jews, who came to bid us God speed, and then entered
upon our journey. The beautiful scenes which, since leaving
Bushire, had diversified and enlivened the monotony of our
sickening caravan travelling, were now concealed behind one of
the gigantic limbs of the Taurus; and the white glaring soil of
the trackless Kuveer began to blend its unproductive salt patches
with the fertile and teeming vales of the smiling Iran. At
night we reached our munzil, Passangour, and the next day at
noon traversed the thinly-tenanted streets of the ancient city of
Koom. This place, in point of sanctity, holds the next rank to
Mecca and Kerbelai; it is conveniently situated for pilgrimages,
and during the Mahomedan festival of Nowrooz, its streets are
thronged by the pious and devoted, who come to perform their
devotions, and to make votive offerings at the shrine of Fati-
mah-al-Masoomah, (Fatimah the immaculate). The remains of
this female saint repose beneath a stately and magnificent
mosque, which has become gradually enriched by the muni-
ficent bequests of the ruling monarchs. Feth-Ali-Shah, who
claimed peculiar sanctity, frequently visited this holy shrine on
foot, and to confirm his saintly reputation, paid for the repairs
of the mausoleum and the gilding of its fine cupola. There
are numberless other beatified personages interred within the
precincts of the city, and a devotee who wishes to propitiate the
favour of all has an onerous task to perform. This veneration
for patron saints and tutelary demigods, which is the excrescence
of every corrupt system of religion, instead of raising the heart
to the invisible Being, who is the centre of all our hopes, affec-
tions and devotions, debases and imbecilitates the mind, and
leads vain man to invest a mortal creature with attributes which
alone belong to the Supreme Creator. That the pretended re-
ligious enthusiasm which holy relics and shrines are supposed
to inspire is a fatal delusion, Koom, and every other sacred
spot that I have visited, whether blended with the purer system
Uor M
184
IMMORALITIES OF THE MAHOMEDANS.
of Christianity or the gross teachings of Mahomed, strikingly
attests.
.
The streets, caravanserais, and even the venerated precincts
of the mausoleum, are the scenes of the most debasing indul-
gences, and loathsome sensualities. The numberless lazy seyids.
and sombre mullahs, who greatly swell the population, connive
at all abominable vices, and, without remorse of conscience,
draw a liberal per centage on the wages of iniquity. I was
assured, by a creditable person, that even within the enclosure
of the large mosque, and in close vicinity to the reverend saint,
are several rooms occupied by hardened and abandoned women,
worthy associates of the chaste and immaculate daughter of
Imam Reeza.
It is pleasant and cheering to turn from this painful and
gloomy picture to the few Jews who, in the midst of this godless
and moral wilderness, still cling with faith and hope to Him
who delivered them out of the bondage of the Pharaohs, and
who will in His own good time emancipate them from the iron
yoke of their present oppressors.
The few who are allowed to reside here come from Koshan
and Ispahan, and the ostentatious vocation which they pursue is
peddling; but as the pious, who live in the religious atmosphere
of so many descendants of the Prophet, would be shocked at the
idea of touching anything that has passed the hands of a defiled
and impure Jew, they have had recourse to a more profitable
traffic, the sale of spirituous liquors, in which I was told the
haughty and grave mullahs greatly encourage them.
During our short stay we formed the personal acquaintance.
of Hakim Aaron, the best informed and most respectable Jew
we had met with in Persia; he spoke to us a considerable time
on the subject of Christianity, and from his conversation we
could see that the scales had fallen from his eyes, and that he
had read with profit the books we sent him from Hamadan.
The other Jews whom we saw were poor and ignorant, they
spoke with bitter vehemence against the Mahomedans, and with
yearning solicitude longed for the advent of the Redeemer, not
to establish peace and righteousness on the earth, but in order
MoU
VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
185
that he might revenge their wrongs and extérminate the king-
doms of the Gentiles. We gave to our friend, the Hakim, and
also to the rest, tracts, and a few New Testaments, which, as I
found subsequently, were not read in vain.
March 24th.-Before we proceeded I made a circuit round
the town to inspect the monuments of the dead, and the various
localities inhabited by the living, but everything I saw indicated
extreme neglect, and utter abandonment to ruin and decay.
Even the few stately edifices, which former piety raised to the
memory of Imam Zadets, are crumbling into pieces, and from
their dilapidated condition render a near approach to them dan-
gerous. The mean and wretched appearance of the place is in-
creased by the filth and dirt which encumber the narrow un-
paved streets, and I was glad to leave the city of saints and
profligates, sepulchres and ruins, to enjoy again the cheering
sight of
green fields, and to breathe the free and untainted air
of heaven.
CC
The route from this to the capital leads over a thirsty barren
desert, a part of which extends through a succession of dismal
glens and undulating acclivities, not inappropriately called the
Valley of the Shadow of Death,"”—Malek-el-Mout,—and the
name we found to be only a faint emblem of the blight and
loneliness of the place. On our approach to the royal city the
prospect became a little diversified, and the extensive plain,
chequered and dotted by villages, gardens and fields, relieved
the eye that had for many wearisome hours wandered over the
lifeless howling waste, and indicated the guardian care which is
extended to the industrious peasant and toiling husbandman in
the immediate vicinity of royalty.
Uor M
CHAPTER XIV.
LODGINGS IN A STRANGE TOWN NOT EASILY FOUND.
THE arrival in a strange town, and in a place where civilization
has not yet provided for the traveller's convenience the luxury
of a clean lodging, or comfortable inn,—the pleasure which the
anticipation of rest after toil is calculated to excite, becomes fre-
quently chilled by the troubles occasioned in the search of a
temporary abode. We had experienced such difficulties before,
and, to provide against a similar contingency in the city of
Shah-in-Shah,* sent a servant in advance, to secure us a home
for a few days, in the Armenian quarter. His mission, however,
proved a failure, and we had to content ourselves with a dark
and dirty cell, in a noisy, buzzing caravanserai.
Our exposed and public lodging was not a very eligible place
for inviting the Jews; and we, therefore, as usual, availed our-
selves of the synagogue, to make known the glad tidings of life
and immortality revealed in the Gospel. Our message of mercy,
however, did not meet with such a favourable reception here as
in other places; the minds of the Jews were full of prejudice,
and their hearts impervious to every better impression. Those
who could not close their eyes and shut their ears against the
incontrovertible and important truths which we set before them,
had recourse to rabbinical vagaries and quibbles; or they would
say, "If Jesus is the Messiah, why are we still in bondage,
and why is the heritage of our fathers in the possession of our
cruel oppressors?" To such queries our general reply was,
"God has driven you from your country, on account of your
sins; repent and believe in the Messiah, and you will regain
the forfeited favour, and become heirs of everlasting glory!
The gracious declaration of divine love, though listened to by
the majority with incredulity and unconcern, affected the hearts
King of Kings, one of the numerous titles which the Persian sovereigns
arrogate to themselves.
THE LORD'S-DAY IN A CARAVANSERAI.
187
of several who had not felt in vain the correction of God's rod,
nor experienced his just chastisements without profit. These
individuals belonged to the synagogue at Meshed, where, in
1838, blind bigotry and ferocious zeal annihilated in a few
hours the whole of the Jewish community. Those who saved
themselves by flight were exposed to the greatest privations and
sufferings on the way, and to indigence and destitution wherever
they settled. It was a pleasure to speak with men into whose
hearts the iron had indeed entered, and taught them the vanity
and emptiness of all that does not lead to God and heaven. We
spent many hours with them, in serious conversation on their
future state; they had evidently lost all confidence in their own
system of belief, and the wrath of heaven may yet bring them,
in deep penitence, to the fountain of all joy and happiness, even
to Him who alone can "guide their feet into the way of peace."
March 29th.-The Lord's-day, in the caravanserai, was like
every other day, ushered in with curses and imprecations, tumul-
tuous clamours, and lewd songs. Frequently, in my itinerary
wanderings, when I spent the Sabbath in a secluded vale, or in
an unfrequented grove,-where the solemn stillness of nature,
the soothing breath of fragrant herbs and weeds, the murmuring
sound of silvery rills, the mellow notes of birds, and thousands
of other beauties above and around me, filled the heart with
reverence and the tongue with praise,-I enjoyed a most refresh-
ing and delightful season of rest, to which I shall always look
back with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Such spiritual
communion and converse with God, the din and turmoil of the
place we lived in did not permit us to realize, for even the voice
of prayer and thanksgiving was drowned in the oaths and fiend-
ish expressions which continually re-echoed through the vaulted
recesses of this crowded hospital.
The Persians, unlike the Turks, are a vivacious, gay, and
volatile race; they think little, and talk much; and the traveller
who is at all inclined for society, needs only to open the door of
his lodging, and from morning till evening he will find himself
surrounded by a set of lazy fops, who will suffocate him with
the fumes of their caleoons, and hammer his head with their
loquacious rattle. In a private house such time-killers will not
or M
188
A HEBREW TAILOR TURNED MAHOMEDAN.
dare to intrude without leave, but in a public caravanserai it is
impossible to exclude them; and the best and most philosophical
remedy against the evil, is passive submission to the annoyance.
Soon after prayers, and a hurried, frugal breakfast, our neigh-
bours, who on that score claimed great intimacy with us,
favoured us with their countenance. One of them was a slave-
dealer, who, with his human merchandise, occupied the rooms
on our right; the other, a Polish Mahomedan Jew, and royal
tailor, had his workshop on the left. Both were evidently igno-
rant of our vocation, faith, and country, or else they would have
carefully avoided our acquaintance.
The barterer in human flesh was a tall, meagre, lizard-eyed
Persian, and the hybrid Moslem tailor a mean, dark-haired
hypocrite, who affected great devotion to his adopted creed, and
bawled out every minute, "Yah Rasoul Allah!" (O Prophet
of God!) I could not listen to such profane deception, and,
prompted by the impulse of my feelings, pointedly asked him
whether he preferred invoking Mahomed to the God of Israel?
These few words, in Hebrew, had an electrifying effect upon
him, and with a dubious shake of his head he inaudibly whis-
pered, "I believe in God and the Messiah!" In the evening
we had a serious conversation with him; he avowed that adverse
and untoward circumstances had forced him to apostatize, and
that he hoped, by his business, to gain sufficient money to leave
Persia and settle in Palestine, where he would repent, give
charity, and die a pious Jew. We gave him a few tracts, a
Bible, and New Testament, for which he paid, with gratitude
and many benedictions.
One other visitor was quite interested in the incident, and,
with much curiosity, inquired what language we were speaking.
The pseudo-Mahomedan, with an air of nonchalance, replied,
"In zaboon Russ est!" (this is a Russian dialect!); by which
he intended to convey the impression that we were Georgians,
and believers in the Koran. Such falsehood, at our expense,
we did not relish, and therefore flatly contradicted his state-
ment. Our neighbour, who did not much appreciate the
acquaintance with Gaours, and enemies to the trade in which
he was engaged, still admired our candour, and gave us a good
SLAVE DEALER AND HIS VICTIMS.
.
189
deal of information on the abominable traffic in human flesh.
His whole stock of property consisted of two African girls, of
about seventeen, and a fine intelligent boy of eight years; they
had the true ebony colour of their clime and race, and, from
the merry laughs and gay frolics in which they indulged, ap-
peared happy and content. Before our departure, he sold one
of the women, and the separation between the two captive sisters
was affecting and painful. For more than a quarter-of-an-hour
both uttered the most awful screams, lamentations, sighs, and
sobs, and then all was silent, and nothing but the smothered
groans of anguish and despair were indistinctly heard through
the thin wall, which had, only twenty-four hours before, brought
to our ears the cheerful and joyous strains of two innocent bond-
maids. The party who conducted the frightened and agonized
African to her new home, were two cronies and a ferash, or
policeman-a compliment to which every official of rank is
entitled: The trader himself did not leave his cell, but in a
sullen mood sat at his door, evidently ruffled in mind and
temper, by the unpleasant and heartless duties imposed upon
him by his avocation. I asked him whether he did not depre-
cate the business which he pursued. "It is takdeer (fate), and
we are all only instruments in the hands of God!" and patting
affectionately the cheek of the weeping sable boy, inquired, in
a jocular tone, "Is it not so, Hossein?"
During the wars with Georgia, the Persian slave market pre-
sented all the vile and guilty phases of this justly abhorred
traffic. Wives and daughters, youth and beauty, were indis-
criminately torn from their homes and friends, by brutal
soldiers, and sold into irredeemable slavery. Many, it is true,
became inmates of the rich and potent, where their graces and
charms engaged the affections and won the favour of their
lords; but thousands fell into the hands of mean and bigoted
masters, who detested their infidel descent, and thought it a
merit to embitter the hard lot of their languishing and wast-
ing captives. Happily, the dreaded name of the Czar has put
a stop to the barter in Christian blood, and no Persian will have
the audacity to kidnap or purchase a Georgian woman. The
wronged and injured Africans are the only slaves now imported;
190
CRIMES AND MISERIES OF THE HAREM.
they are sold privately, and not in the public bazaar; and,
though treated with humanity and indulgence, are con-
scious of the cruelty and indignity of their position, and with
a dogged resignation, submit to a degrading and greivous bon-
dage.
There is another kind of slaves in Persia, to whose misery
and wretchedness a morbid fancy has so long reconciled our
feelings, that we cannot pity or compassionate the hard lot of
the unhappy beings, who if left to their own choice no doubt
would frequently change their position with the black Nubian
and sallow Mulatto.
But, whatever charms romance may weave around the
prison chambers of an Eastern harem, and its costly-robed
inmates, few spots on earth conceal more malignant pas-
sions, impure cravings, and dark crimes, than these pleasure
houses of an oriental voluptuary. In Turkey the Ulemas afford
a faint shadow of protection to the weaker sex, and marriages
and divorces require a legal sanction; but in Persia, where li-
centiousness and gross sensuality prevail to a frightful extent
among all classes, a woman is the property of one man to-day,
and the sport of another to-morrow. The law allows marriages
pro tempore, and many of the mullahsgain their subsistence
by negotiating these nefarious contracts. Such revolting ties
naturally engender the spirit of immorality and profligacy, and
have, as might be anticipated, proved a bane to females in ge-
neral, and made those whom God ordained to be help-meets, the
common prey of lewdness and infamy.
In the harems of the rich and affluent, where the vitiated
senses seek continual gratification in the external witcheries of
transient beauty and fading bloom, the degraded woman, so long
as her charms last, enjoys the ephemeral favour and precarious
preference of her lordly debauchee, and then, like those who
have preceded her, she is consigned to oblivion, and must
yield her place to another to share the same fate. Many of
these truly pitiable beings, who have neither education nor
mental culture to beguile the sorrowful hours of their monoto-
nous and wearisome existence, seek solace for their desolate
hearts in the bosom of guilt, or they induce their unfeeling
DEBASING CONDUCT OF NOBLEMEN.
191
*
keeper to divorce them, and then, body and soul, they surrender
themselves to a profligate mullah, or an old match-making re-
probate woman, who endeavours to supply these deserted houris
with companions easier pleased than the big lord, who can afford
to procure those inductive and personal perfections which the
less wealthy dare only envy. Some of the nobility are, however,
very reluctant to part with women who once awakened in their
hearts sentiments of tenderness and love; and, consequently,
these cast-off objects of former affection are still retained in the
harems, as domestic drudges to those who act as the sultanas of
the day. Should, however, misfortune, or any other unfavour-
able incident, reduce the income of a great man, (and under a
despotic sway nothing is more common,) to what an abyss of sin
and crime are not the debased, corrupted and untutored objects
of his indulgence driven, in order to gain a penurious sub-
sistence for themselves, and not unfrequently for their merciless
masters.
I have heard of princes, and other individuals with pompous
titles, who (if it but replenished their purses and prevented
pecuniary embarrassments) connive at the seduction and dis-
honour of their own sisters and relations; and often, too often,
men who call themselves Christians, and who have been taught
from infancy the sublime, moral and elevating doctrines of
the Gospel, participate and encourage this awful and revolting
sin. The European residents in Persia, who ought to bring
the whole battery of their influence and authority against
such fearful pollutions, have with a few solitary exceptions,
imitated the practices of the natives, and elicited some no-
toriety, even from the greatest men in the land. † The com-
Many a Persian nobleman will not, unless compelled by circumstances,
divorce one of his wifes or concubines, as such an act would cause suspicion,
and reflect upon his character and position; but he may give her away as a
present, or transfer her to a menial.
† Meerza Jagher Khan, the unfortunate and much lamented minister of
the present king, in a conversation with a person of rank, who presented a
petition from the Jews in Hamadan, said: "I have long watched and ob-
served the character of all classes of our subjects, and my opinion is, that the
Moslems are incorrigible reprobates, the Ghebus industrious tradesmen, the
192
SHAMELESS CONDUCT OF ENGLISHMEN.
panions of their guilt are sometimes Mahomedans, or, as is
more generally the case, Armenians; for a connexion with the
former now and then excites the cupidity of a dissolute mullah,
who might, unless his lips are closed by a handsome douceur,
(which is not always convenient for these gentlemen,) expose the
infidel Gaour, who has criminal intercourse with the daughter of
a Moslem, even in corrupt Persia, where such irregularities are
sometimes so dangerous and serious in their consequences.
I could enumerate many instances, (but refrain from allowing
details of this kind to stain these pages, and revolt against my
own and the feelings of my respected readers,) to show the
contempt, scorn, and disrepute, which such unrestrained scandal
brings upon the religion we profess. The Mahomedan who is
educated, and the Jew who has read the Gospel, know well
enough that the religion of Jesus does not sanction licentious-
ness; but the majority, who form their opinion of our faith from
the conduct of its professors, with some plausibility believe,
that profligacy and sinful indulgence constitute part of our
creed. I have heard men of high rank, with whom I became in-
cidently acquainted, say, that they were Englishmen, or Fran-
ghees, and upon inquiring why they thought so, the reply was,
"We eat pork, drink wine, revel in all sorts of debauchery,
and live in fact only for time, without ever troubling our heads
about eternity." In a few instances the misconduct of Euro-
peans, particularly Englishmen, involved me in serious alterca-
tions with Armenian priests, who imagining that as a clergyman
I possessed the same influence as themselves among their people,
pressingly importuned me to intercede for certain women, who
had been robbed of their innocence and abandoned with their
illegitimate offspring by the men, the nominal Christian men,
who by promises gained their persons, and ruined them for all
the useful purposes of this life, and, alas! too frequently, for all
the glory and bliss of the world to come. Such applications
were not only painful, as I was obliged to refuse all conversa-
tion and discussion on subjects of this nature, but they conveyed
Jews arrant cheats, and the Christians, including all of that denomination,
profligate sensualists.” Mulla Eliyahu, in Hamadan, who was present,
related this to me.
DIFFERENT POSITION OF THE JEWS IN PERSIA.
193
the erroneous impression that I abetted, by my non-interference,
the shameless acts of those who professed themselves to be
in every respect superior to the natives, whom they treat with
indignity, and teach lessons of immorality by their example.
Should these pages meet the eye of those, who, from year to year
by flattering promises induce sordid mothers to sell their inno-
cent daughters to sin and crime,―let them remember, that a day of
retribution is approaching, and that the cries of their abandoned
offspring against the beings who gave them existence, will not
pierce the vault of heaven in vain. But I will draw the curtain
over these and other revolting corruptions which stain Persia,
and shew how the afflicted remnant of Israel still groan
under all the accumulated miseries and woes, which a licentious
and cruel populace can inflict upon them. The proximity
to royalty one should suppose would afford them some
shelter and protection, and secure their persons and pro-
perty from the malevolent designs of the base, and the ra-
pacity of the wicked; that such is not the case, the appearance
of the Jews is the most tangible proof. In passing through the
streets, bazaars, lanes or alleys, where you meet with people of
all ranks and in every Eastern garb,-amongst this motley
variety, which parade the thoroughfares of this large town,
it is impossible not to distinguish the ground-down Jew. His
ragged and filthy dress, his cadaverous and haggard look, are
unmistakable characteristics. The curse, which has pursued him
for ages, is still legible in his bended gait and tattered apparel.
In Arabia and Asiatic Turkey, where the name Yehudi im-
plies everything that is despicable and odious, his position, com-
pared with that of his brethren in Persia, is still easy and happy.
He can at least trade and amass money; and though he does not
openly parade his wealth and expose it to the eyes of the
marauding and rapacious Mussulman, he still secretly derives
comfort and pleasure from the consciousness of its possession.
But the Persian Jew is allowed no such privileges; despised and
trodden down, he lingers out day after day in anguish and care,
and at last droops under the burden of accumulated misery, doubt-
ful even whether his bones will rest in peace, and be permitted to
mingle their mouldering ashes with the clods out of which they
were formed.

0
194
OPPRESSION OF THE JEWS.
In visiting their quarter I frequently witnessed the most heart-
less scenes of oppression and wanton cruelty, which these people
patiently suffer from their Mahomedan task-masters, without re-
sistance or remonstrance. Now and then, the smothered feel-
ing of revenge and vindictiveness, which has long been rankling
in the heart, will burst forth and vent itself on the first Moslem
whom he encounters in a narrow and dark lane. Sometimes
such assaults attract people from a neighbouring street, and the
Jew, in order to avoid the punishment which his temerity would
draw upon him, immediately raises the most pitiable cries, and,
to avoid all suspicion, inflicts a serious wound on himself; and
then, covered with blood and dirt, excites either ridicule or
compassion, as the gazers are disposed towards him, and escapes
the consequences in which so grave an offence might involve
him and his people. On one occasion, in passing a narrow
street in the Jewish quarter, I heard the most distressing shrieks,
and, on hastening to the spot, found a Jew and a Moslem en-
gaged in a severe physical conflict. I instantly called upon the
Jew to desist, but he, supposing that I warned him of the
approach of people, dashed his hands in his mouth, bit upon his
fingers, and, bleeding profusely, threw himself upon the wet and
dirty stones, mimicing all the contortions and agonies of an in-
jured, afflicted, and maltreated man. When the individuals whom
his groans and noise had attracted, dispersed, he got up, and
with a feigned, feeble step, as if afraid of being noticed, trudged
on to his home. I asked him why he had caused himself pain
and assaulted another, perhaps an innocent, person. "Oh!"
sobbed he, whilst the tears rolled down his whitening beard,
"you don't know what it is to be continually reviled, abused,
and buffeted by these cursed Ishmaelites. One of my brothers
has already been compelled to abjure the holy faith of Israel ;
my own life has been several times in danger; and if I die to-
morrow, what security have I that my son will be allowed to say
kaddeish for the soul of his parent? May not the Amalekites
drag him every moment to their heathen temple, and, through
some false charges, immolate him, a sacrifice to their cursed
Moloch ?" “And will such revenge avert the dreaded cala-
No; yet it is a relief to smite one of the cursed

mity?"
BITTERNESS OF REVENGE.
وو
195
Egyptians, who make us drink the bitter cup of slavery to the
very dregs, and then exult in our calamity and degradation.'
This feeling of burning hatred, which, like a consuming can-
ker-worm, gnaws on the vitals of the Jew, is not attributable
to his education, but to the extraordinary position he occupies;
for, is he not subject to the worst tyranny? is not his life per-
petually imperilled? and does he not share, in common with
all men, the feelings in which the wronged and injured gene-
rally indulge? He is not only held in derision and contempt,
but he cannot follow those pursuits which, even in the most
blood-steeped period of his history, afforded him the feigned
favour and protection of the potent against the encroachments
and assaults of the rapacious and weak. The wily Persian has
provided a remedy against such an ascendancy, by stopping
every channel through which wealth can flow into the hands of
the cunning and industrious Jew. Religious bigotry and impla-
cable hate declare him morally defiled and impure; this debars
him from all commercial enterprise, prevents him from engag-
ing in any lawful traffic, and consigns him to the most abject
want and despicable occupations. In many towns he dare not,
without imminent peril, frequent even the public bazaar; and
when it rains, nothing but sheer necessity will drive him into
the streets, for he might accidentally splash a believer with a
little mud, or water, and so bring upon his devoted head curses
and ill-treatment. Many, many times have I seen the sallow,
care-worn Israelite creeping along the loathsome, contaminating
thoroughfares-where famished and disgusting curs wallowed in
the filth and dirt which for months had accumulated-with a
guarded and careful step, quite affecting and painful to witness.
Under all these humiliations and hardships, which crush his
intellect, destroy his frame, and force him to the basest and
most repugnant trades, can we feel astonished that he should
pant for revenge, and feast his lacerated heart with the visionary
hope of future retribution and retaliation.
That the Elamite Jew is susceptible of kindness, I can fully
attest; circumstances and his position have engendered in him
vices, for which he is more to be pitied than blamed; but, only
prove that you love and esteem him, and that, like the great
0 2
196 THE JEW AS SUSCEPTIBLE OF KINDNESS AS ANY ONE.
Saviour of mankind, you weep over his desolation, and com-
miserate his unhappy fate,—and his soul will melt and soften
under your words, like wax under the rays of a burning sun.
My intercourse with them in the capital, and other cities, strik-
ingly exemplifies this. On our first visit to the metropolis, we
met with a cold and indifferent welcome, and all we said was
listened to with impatience and sullen apathy. The second time
I was in Teheran, our object was known, and our motives un-
derstood, all suspicion had vanished, and the best feeling sup-
planted its place. Rich and poor invited me to their homes
and synagogues, and one whole Saturday I spent in the house
of the late king's Jewish physician, and his brother Moshe,
where many of the mullahs had received invitations to meet me;
and at my departure all fell round my neck, and, under showers
of unaffected prayers, good wishes, and expressions of eternal
friendship, they imprinted on me the kiss of brotherhood and

esteem.
The number of Jews inhabiting the royal city may be esti-
mated at three hundred families; they occupy a separate
quarter, which is distinguished by the stagnant vapours, which
rise from the heaps of offal deposited there by their kind neigh-
bours. The appearance of the houses correspond with the un-
couth aspect of the locality-low, confined, unwholesome, and
dilapidated; with doors so small, that any one who enters must
be well practised in the art of stooping and crawling, or else he
runs the risk of breaking his head, or bruising his limbs. The
dwelling of the physician already referred to, and those of some
of the mullahs, are better and larger; a favour for which they are
indebted to the credulity of the late king, who, in order to arrest
the progress of the gout, had frequent recourse to the magic
powers of these disciples of the celestial Rasiel, for which he libe
rally rewarded them. Mullah Rachmim, on one occasion, actually
performed over the royal head the ceremony of Caporath,* and
On the morning preceding the Day of Atonement, all orthodox Jews tak
a hen for a female, and a cock for a male, and, whilst pronouncing a certai
prayer, whirl it three times round the head of each individual, and by s
doing, confess their own guilt, and cheat Satan of the opportunity to accus
them before God.
IMMORALITY OF THE RELIGION OF THE KORAN. 197
another rabbi, after a long preparation, by fasting, lavations,
and other purifications, produced a most wonderful amulet,
which the king wore round his arm for a considerable time.
This credulity in the preternatural powers of the Jews, often
gains them a powerful friend and protector. The worst of this
is, that the science is degenerating, and what before was a mono-
poly of the learned Jew, has become the staple business of the
mass. In every village and hamlet a bearded necromancer is to
be seen once in the week, who, for a few pools, will satiate
the most voracious applicant with his wonder-working skill. I
have heard many Jews condemn these nefarious and fraudulent
practices; but what is the poor outcast to do? cut off from
every means of gaining an honest livelihood, debarred from all
intercourse with his fellow-men, doomed to every mortification
and mockery, how is he to live; and how is he to struggle
against want, poverty, and starvation? He must stoop to the
most repugnant pursuits, and unwillingly become the crafty,
sordid, proverbial Jew.
The vices of the Jews, amidst all their degradation, persecu-
tion, and oppression, sink however into nothing, when compared
with the crimes which stain those who hold them in abject ser-
vitude, and make it a merit to treat them with indignity.
Sheeraz and Ispahan are notorious for profligacy, dissoluteness,
and intemperance; but the capital has the infamous celebrity of
excelling both. The heart, in fact, sickens, and the mind re-
coils at the idea of dilating on the gross sins and crimes which
all classes speak of without disguise, and perpetrate without
remorse. They seem to have an utter contempt for all moral
decencies, and actually glory in their shame. The unbounded
indulgence which the Koran extends to its votaries, has greatly
contributed to, if not entirely produced, this loathsome degene-
racy and pollution. The Persians are naturally a voluptuous
and sensual race, and a religion which feeds rather than deadens
every profligate and licentious taste, upon such an excitable soil,
must open the door to the most flagitious gratifications and dis-
gusting excesses.
This brief sketch is an index to their whole life: they have
*
198
ADVANTAGES OF EDUCATION.
many redeeming qualities, which, if fully developed, might soon
improve their general character, and regenerate their country.
But it is not the religion of the Arabian prophet that can effect
this reformation; the renewing, ennobling, and sanctifying in-
fluence of the Gospel, in God's own appointed time, must
achieve this glorious work. I have heard persons of rank and
station deprecate their creed and its prejudicial influence; they
knew what their country was under the Mythratic kings, and
deplored the condition to which Mahomedanism had reduced it.
The Persians are not like the Turks, an unthinking phleg-
matic race; on the contrary, they are the same to-day as they
were when Xenophon depicted their character in the person of
Cyrus,-lively, robust, imitative and sagacious; all they require
to purify them from their vices, emancipate them from all
degrading prejudices and superstitions, and make them the
most civilized, intelligent, and influential people in central Asia,
is the influence of the religion of Jesus Christ. During my
various visits to the capital, and other places, I made this fre-
quently the subject of conversation, whenever I came in
contact with the great and potent; and almost invariably my
statements found an echo in their own views. The last time I
was in Teheran, I visited the government schools, which under
the ill-fated Taghee Khan, late prime-minister, had been estab-
lished, and which continue to enjoy the favour and support of
the Shah, and I was quite amazed at the proficiency to which
the children had attained, in so short a period, in many branches
of European education. I confess that I considered it quite
a happy and auspicious omen, to see a parcel of boys, just
emerging out of a state bordering on semi-barbarism, plodding
over their French spelling-books, or gazing on various scientific
instruments with a yearning eye after knowledge, which hope-
fully directed my vision to that happy period, when the tide of
light and truth shall roll on uninterrupted, and sweep away all
the fatal errors and delusions which have so long enslaved the
Eastern mind and intellect.
Before leaving the scat of royalty, it might be expected that
I should allude to the pomp and splendour of the city of the
DESCRIPTION OF TEHERAN.
199
Shah-in-Shah; but a description of the Persian capital will not
impress the reader with a very lively idea of Eastern magni-
ficence and wealth.
Teheran is situated at the extremity of a parched plain, close
to the lofty range of mountains which separate Iran from
Mazmederan, a region renowned in ancient history for its heroes
and warriors. It first rose in importance towards the end of
the last century, when Agha Mahomed Khan, a cruel, capricious
king, selected it as the metropolis of his empire. Before this
period, Ispahan and Sheeraz had enjoyed the precarious favour,
but the politic tyrant who overthrew the throne and power of
the Zund family, did not venture to establish the seat of his
government amidst a people on whom he had perpetrated the
most barbarous and repugnant atrocities; he therefore resolved
to make the royal abode near his own tribe, the Cudgar, on
whom he could, in any emergency, depend for aid and support.
The central position of the spot happily favoured the precocious
despot; and whilst the elegant and deservingly praised capital
of the proud Seffervean monarchs is declining in wealth, and
hastening to decay, this modern city, (in the midst of a swamp
caused by the numerous mountain torrents, and for six months
in the year as dangerous as a fever hospital,) is increasing in
population, fame, and riches. The place presents, in its external
and internal aspect, nothing worthy of admiration or note; the
streets are narrow, unpaved, filthy, and full of holes; the bazaars,
with the exception of the one lately built by the maligned,
prime-minister, low, dark, wretched, and miserable, and the
mosques mean, insignificant and devoid of all beauty and ar-
chitectural elegance. The only edifice of consequence is the
Ark, or royal palace,-an unsightly gloomy building, consisting
of so many detached courts, gardens, and halls, all enclosed by
separate lofty walls, that the visitor is at once impressed with the
idea that the architect had his eye entirely upon the honour of
the royal harem; and in order to retain inviolate the fidelity of
the encaged fairies, he closed, in his zeal, every avenue and
prospect, and with it efficiently excluded also every breath of air,
the greatest luxury in a hot and sultry climate. During the
encampment of the court at the summer retreat, near the base
200
THE ROYAL PALACE.
of the mountains, I obtained permission to inspect the royal
domains. My guide, a person attached to the palace, and an
accomplished, volatile Persian, conducted me to the various
halls and chambers, which he thought would best convey a
correct notion of the power, greatness and riches of the great
king. The first building we entered, contained the numerous
presents which European powers had from time to time sent to
propitiate the favour of successive Shahs. Many were paltry tri-
fling things, in the shape of mirrors, vases, vinaigerettes, artificial
flowers, &c.; others consisted of clocks, trays, a glass fountain,
and a bedstead of the same material, a present I believe from
the Czar of the North. Most of these articles were, however,
broken, dirty, rusty, or out of repair, and would scarcely be
deemed worthy to occupy a place in the window of any broker's
shop in Oxford Street, or on the Boulevard. We next pro-
ceeded to the saloon, or throne chamber; this is a spacious
lofty hall, facing a garden animated with jets d'eau, and inter-
spersed with beds of tufting flowers, and rows of shady waving
poplars. Two sentinels, in ragged uniforms and without shoes,
were sleeping at the entrance, and the vacant, beautiful, white
marble throne was occupied by two rough, dusty and muddy-
faced servants, who looked upon me with a frowning, withering
gaze, as if they would devour me for having disturbed their
siesta. From the large audience and festive halls, we made our
way through a labyrinth of gardens, courts and passages, to
many other distinguished parts of these extensive premises; but
my conductor would not allow me to linger anywhere, except in
the picture gallery, this he considered a place worthy the close
and leisurely inspection of a Frank, and of course a son of the
The order in which these productions of art were
arranged, was most ludicrous. Portraits, landscapes, historical
and poetical paintings, interspersed with penny valentines,
caricature prints, and daubed figures of griffins and genii, all
in one motley confusion, hung on the walls. A number of
obscene and licentious paintings stood in an adjacent room, but
they were of such a gross, disgusting character, that I retreated
with horror from the abominable sight. The Guleshan, or bed
of roses, the secluded dwellings of the youth, bloom and beauty
muses.
SUBSEQUENT MISSIONARY TOURS.
201
of Persia, I did not see; my guide intimated that, as there was
not a female soul on the spot, I might by giving one of the
guards a present, obtain a view of the interior, but I had no
wish to trespass on this interdicted ground, and quite content
with what I had seen, gave a baksheesh to my courteous con-
ductor, and made my exit from the home of royalty.
My subsequent missionary tours comprised the whole of
Azerbejan, the Eastern province of Coordistan, and those in-
teresting tracts which divide the sun-scorched plains of Assyria
from the picturesque valleys of Media, but as a detailed de-
scription of these historic and untried missionary scenes, would
greatly swell the size, and increase the expense of this work, I
must postpone it for the present, and conclude this volume with
a journey to Mosul, Amedia, Asheetha, (the arena of Bauber
Khan Bey's atrocities,) and a short account of a recent visit
to Persia, and Mozooderan.
CHAPTER XV.
DAWNINGS OF LIGHT APPEARING.
THE Country assigned to us as our sphere of labour, is not only
one of deep historic and antiquarian interest, but it is also one
of those numerous melancholy spots on this wide surface, which
demonstrates the dire effects of sin, and the judgments of God,
on the disobedient. According to Assemani, and other authentic
sources, the plain of Babylon and the mountains and vales of
Assyria, which at present are enveloped in darkness that can be
felt, once rung with the strains of the son of Jesse, and were
filled with the choral melody of thousands and myriads of
worshipping Christians. But the missionary, whilst he now
and then heaves a sigh over the wreck and desolation of the
past, must look with faith and hope to the accomplishment of
the glowing prophecies which loom in the future, and thank
God the way of truth is rapidly preparing, and light and
knowledge agitating the stagnant waters of ignorance, delusion
and unbelief. The Jew in Asia, who for ages clung with per-
tinacity to every falsehood, and blindly trusted in the most
senseless and fabulous inventions of man, is now beginning to
lose all confidence in the shadows which rabbinism reared, to
lull them into a never-to-be-realized, yet always anticipated,
dream of happiness. The Gospel has opened his eyes, subdued
his prejudices, and mitigated the spirit of intolerant bigotry,
which hitherto characterized this uncared for, and secluded
remnant of a most mystic race. Much of the seed sown, both
in Persia, and, as the following pages will show, in Asiatic
Turkey, has no doubt fallen on good ground, and will in God's
own appointed time raise up, not only one Thomas and Thad-
deus, to proclaim the glad tidings of the kingdom, but a whole
host of converted Israelites, who in the spirit of their pro-
DEPARTURE AGAIN FROM BAGDAD.
203
totypes, the apostles, will labour and toil for the regeneration of
this primeval abode of man. But I must proceed with my
journey, and not apostrophize on the results which the infallible
Word of God warrants us to anticipate.
On the evening of September 9th, our caravan, consisting of
several hundred mules, horses and donkeys, emerged out of the
Maidan Gate of Bagdad. The night, after the oppressive and
feverish heat of the day, was soft and refreshing, and the tower-
ing arrowy branches of the trees, as they waved over our heads,
breathed animation in our numerous cavalcade. The gaiety
and hilarity lasted as long as we treaded our path through the
groves and forests which line the banks of the Tigris, but no
sooner did this pleasant scene recede from our view, and the
desert, with all its imaginary horrors, extend its vast and blasted
expanse beyond the ken of mortal eye, than the lively song and
romantic tale ceased, and both Turks, Arabs, Jews, and Gaours,
had recourse to the solacing chibauke, to dispel the ennui, sleep,
and monotony of the nocturnal journey.
The desert, which even at the most favourable season, when
its burnt-up surface is decked with a verdant carpet, and en-
amelled with myriads of wild flowers, is an unattractive region,
in summer becomes a most frightful and forbidding desola-
tion; not a blade of grass remains unwithered, not a brook
that is not dried up; all animal and vegetable life seems extinct,
and the wayfarer treads with horror on the broken and pul-
verized soil, which glows and burns beneath his very steps. To
travel in such regions of death and gloom exhausts the patience
and endurance of the most phlegmatic and elastic constitution.
I had, by practice, become inured to fatiguing and toilsome
journeys, yet an uninterrupted march of twelve hours, over a
desert which exhaled fiery vapours from its inmost bowels, made
me, like all the rest, long for the place which would terminate
the toil of the stage. At eight o'clock we reached the im-
patiently looked-for spot, and encamped for the day. Ther-
mometer, under an awning, 9, A.M., 118°, 1, P.M., 120°.
At five o'clock, P.M., we started again. The burning rays of
the sun had so enervated me that I could scarcely retain my
scat on horseback. In the evening I formed the acquaintance
204
TRAVELLING WITH BAGDAD JEWS.
of several Bagdad Jews, who were travelling in the same
caravan. They expressed themselves quite delighted to have
me as a companion, and immediately proposed that we should
form the van, in order not to be suffocated by the heated dust,
which rose in thick clouds wherever the cafilah marched. I
gladly acceded to this proposition, and we rode along conversing
and meditating on the grand provision which the Gospel of
Christ had made for helpless, poor, and ruined sinners. The
quiet night, soft air, azure sky, and full moon, tended to fill the
heart with devotion, and impress the mind with the truth of
those doctrines which I endeavoured to communicate to my
fellow-pilgrims.
At four in the morning we halted, on the river Diala, and I
slept undisturbed on its sunburnt banks, until the sun's scorch-
ing rays roused me from my refreshing rest. During the day-
time the atmosphere was like the blaze of a glowing furnace.
I was in a most distressing fever, and one of my servants se-
riously ill. My Jewish friends sympathized with me, and were
astonished that I had not provided myself with a tent, like other
Europeans when they travelled in this country. Towards sunset
I read the 121st Psalm, the precious promises contained in it
were peculiarly applicable and consoling in my situation, the
Jews read it over and over again, and repeatedly observed that
the most pious rabbi could not have made choice of a part of
Scripture more suited to our circumstances.
Before night we mounted again. We passed several canals
which the heat had completely broken up and exhausted. At
dawn we reached Deli Abbas, a small village inhabited by a few
Arabs, and dismounted in the open plain. Thermometer, at
noon, 114°.
The next stage being thirteen hours, we were obliged to mount
before sunset. Our course was northerly, across the Hamrin
hills, an insignificant range of mountains. During the night I
had a long conversation with Ezra, one of the Jewish travellers.
He appeared a quiet humble man, and every word I spoke, and
every passage of Scripture I quoted, came home to his heart,
and penetrated his soul; and before we reached our encamp-
ment, he was led to exclaim, "What shall I do.”
1
A WORD TO THE DYING.
205
After sunrise I went to Kara Tefeh, a large village with a
bazaar, and visited the few Jewish families who resided in it.
They all live in one enclosure, and as I was already known to
them by report, I had no great difficulty in introducing the
subject of religion. I endeavoured, in my intercourse with them,
to convince them of their own depravity and sinfulness, and so
lead them to Christ for pardon and salvation.
One poor man, who had met with a fearful accident, and who
was stretched out on a thin carpet, from which I fear he never
rose again, attracted my chief notice. I could not help address-
ing myself to him, as to a man who would soon enter the gates of
eternity, and so spoke to him without any reserve. He listened
to all I said with a motionless gaze, and only occasionally ex-
pressed the anguish of his soul by a deep groan, or a convulsive
sigh. His wife and children, who stood near, were bathed in
tears; and there were few of the Jews who were not affected.
When I was about to retire, he turned towards me with an
anxious look, and uttered some incoherent words. I told him
that he must trust in the atoning blood of Christ, which was shed
for his and my sins, and God would give him the victory over
death and the grave.
The same evening we left for Kifri, and in the morning dis-
mounted close to the walls of the town. Kifri was formerly an
extensive place, but like the whole of this country, oppression
and tyranny have lessened the population, and diminished its
importance. It contains, at present, one hundred and fifty
houses, of which fifteen are inhabited by Jews.
I visited their synagogue, which is a neat little room, and had
a lengthened discussion with the teacher and nine other Jews.
They were exceedingly ignorant, and their hearts entirely
devoted to the objects of gain. In the market-place I had
another conversation with a few Jews; who were rather in-
quisitive, and wistfully inquired why I was travelling about.
I answered their query, by telling them that I pitied their
miserable and lost condition, and came to preach to them that
salvation which would roll away the dreadful curse which
rested upon their nation, free them from the dominion of sin,
and make them partakers of all the blessings which, in the
206
AN EASTERN TALISMAN.
blood of the Lamb, are freely offered to every penitent son of
Adam.
They stared at me with an unconscious indifference, and did
not make any reply. In going away towards the encampment,
they called Ezra, who accompanied me, and in great amazement
told him that I spoke rationally and feelingly, and that the
Bagdad rabbies had grossly misrepresented me. The following
evening we left for Touz Khormaton, the place Ezra intended
to visit; he expressed great regret at our separation, and con-
soled himself with the hope of my speedy return.
Past midnight we reached Touz Khormaton, and whilst un-
loading, an incident occurred which involved my muleteer and
servant in a serious quarrel with a party of untamed Nizams,
and their barbarous savage officers. The latter, with the impu-
dence and insolence for which these personages are infamous,
insisted that my muleteer should evacuate the place on which he
had encamped, as they wanted it for themselves. He told them
that their request was unreasonable, and that God had given
him the same claim to the spot as any one else. The untutored
officer felt himself offended at the temerity of the catargee, and
to put an end to all parleying, gave him a knock with the handle
of his rusty sword, which brought the poor man to the ground.
My servant and others immediately rushed to the rescue, and
the melée became general. I was in the midst of the com-
batants, endeavouring, by the use of my hands and the dint of
all the eloquence I could command, to calm the roused passions.
It was, however, all in vain, the grim-looking officer and his
ragged companions wanted a butt for their disappointment and
vengeance, and as a Gaour was the proper object, like vultures
round a carcase, they encompassed my servant, and threatened
to bastinado him till he should no more be able to distinguish
night from day. Fortunately I had a boyourvulton, or firman,
from the Pasha, this I instantly produced, and the sight of the
large official seal (for none of them could read) palsied the arm
of the assailants, and with ferocious grins, and smothered impre-
cations on the Gaours, they desisted from further violence. In
the morning I called on the military chief of the district, and
informed him of the unpleasant incident which had taken place
DISCUSSION ON THE ATONEMENT,
207
in the night. He ordered the assailants before him, and after
overwhelming them with a shower of curses and oaths, kicked
them with the heels of his slippers out of the tent. He apolo-
gized to me, and said that he regretted he could not inflict a
more summary punishment, as the troops were disciplined a la
França, and enjoyed more liberty than under the good old
regulations. Touz Khormaton was, before the great plague in
1831, a town of considerable extent, but this unsparing scourge
so reduced the number of its inhabitants, that it is now a
scattered village, with a population of one thousand Moslems,
and sixty Jews. I visited their synagogue, which is a spacious.
decaying building. The teacher was sitting at the entrance with
a few children; he invited me to a seat near him, which I gladly
accepted. I then opened my Bible, and read Isaiah lv. 1, “ Ho
every one that thirsteth, come ye to the water, and he that hath
no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and
milk without money and without price." He inquired to what
this passage referred. I replied, to the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ, whose mercies are freely offered to every one who
feels the burden of his sins, and desires to be washed in the
fountain open for sin and uncleanness.
"The law of Moses was instituted to expiate sin.'
55
"But since you can no longer satisfy the Deity by the sacri-
fice of the altar, you must have another substitute.”
"We have prayers.
>>
"The word of God declares, that it is the blood that maketh
the atonement for the soul."
66
It
"And since we have, on account of our sins, neither temple,
priest, nor altar, is the benevolence of God exhausted? and
are there no means to rescue the sinner from final destruction ? "
Yes, there are; the seed of the woman, which was to bruise
the serpent's head, is the balm which can heal our souls.
was this promise which comforted our first parents, and
sustained our father Abraham in all his temptations and trials.
This promise smoothed the dying pillow of Jacob, and made
him exclaim, 'I waited for thy salvation, O Lord!' and this pro-
mise in the crucified Messiah, who was wounded for our trans-
gressions, and bruised for our iniquities, cheers the believer,
208 WRETCHED STATE OF THE STREETS OF EASTERN CITIES.
whether Jew or Gentile, 'in the life that now is,' and yields
him the certain assurance of that which is to come.""
6
He expressed himself greatly edified by my conversation, and
added, "Inshallah (i.e., please God), I shall visit Bagdad, and
become better acquainted with you."
From the rabbi's house I went with Ezra, a Kerkouk Jew, and
Eliyahu, to visit the sulphur hills in the neighbourhood, from
the produce of which the place is entirely supported. On our
return the caravan had already loaded, and I was obliged
immediately to mount. Ezra was quite affected at leaving me,
so that he could scarcely articulate the few parting blessings. I
told him that I would write to Mr. Sternschuss, and he assured
me that he would call on him the day he arrived in Bagdad. I
believe this man is not far from the kingdom of heaven. At
two o'clock, A.M., the caravan halted, and at one, P.M., WC
pursued our journey again, and reached Kerkouk at eleven
o'clock in the evening.
All Eastern cities have something picturesque and illusive
for the traveller, as he approaches them from the distance; the
streaming rays of the sun, the castellated houses, the dense
groves and orchards, the diversity of dresses and physiogno-
mies, all are striking and pleasing to the mind. But the ro-
mance and beauty which a cloudless sky, and a bright shining
orb throw around an Asiatic town, vanish by night; and instead
of the hum and buz of big-turbaned heads, and floods of light
from an azure sky, the traveller finds himself in the midst
of packs of savage dogs, who are gnawing at a decomposed
carcase, or burrowing for food among heaps of offal, without
knowing, in the dense darkness, whether at the next step his
horse may not stumble into some sink of filth, or roll into an
open gutter.
Kerkouk gave me a full and fair insight of an Eastern
city by night. At our entrance into the dark sooty
bazaars, a chilling, sickening, and suffocating sensation stole.
over all my faculties. I felt it difficult to breathe, and even
my horse was unwilling to snuff up the poisonous effluvia
which enshrouded the whole place. The picture which my
excited imagination formed of this town by night, I found
WANT OF SANITARY REGULATIONS.
209
was not overdrawn by day. The bazaars, streets, and houses
were all alike disgusting and abominable, and the Carduchoi
without the Koran would certainly not have been more un-
civilized and barbarous than they are with it. In the citadel,
which is built on the summit of a mount, reside the Pasha, the
government official, many respectable Moslems, and the whole
community of Christians. It is as dirty and loathsome as the
lower part of the town; every street has an uncovered sewer in
its centre, which continually emits a most fœtid and putrid
stench, so that no civilized being can approach without
offence to his olfactory nerves. The Pasha himself, whom I
visited, complained of this insufferable nuisance, and I believe
the purses of the natives had to expiate for their governor's
dislike to his post.
As my stay was limited, I was anxious to make the best use
of my time to form the acquaintance of the Jews. In the ca-
ravanserai, where I dismounted, they occupied several ware-
houses, and I accordingly went into one of these and sat down.
Immediately a good number of the mercantile community col-
lected around me, to whom I preached salvation through the
blood of the Lamb. They asked me, why I did not adhere to
the law of Moses? I replied, because it is impossible for me to
fulfil all its requirements; and since the sacrifice of Christ ob-
tained complete remission of all my sins, I have only by faith
to rely on his atoning merits, and I am delivered from guilt and
the consequences of sin. They asked me for New Testaments,
which I willingly gave them.
Late in the afternoon I sent to Chacham Ezekiel, the chief
rabbi, and informed him, that I should be happy to call on
him; he inquired whether I was the same who visited the syna-
gogues, and being answered in the affirmative, he hesitatingly
consented. Towards evening I went to his house; he received
me very coldly, and would not even return my salutation.
After a few general questions, to which the rabbi replied in
monosyllables, I broached the great subject of Messiah's first
advent. He became very rude and boisterous, and by some dis-
jointed and erroneous comments, attempted to disprove every
word of Scripture, in favour of the question in debate. I
P
210
THE SITE OF NINEVEH.
looked him sternly in the face and said, "It is in vain for you,
to do violence to your own convictions, by thus perverting
the truth of our Omnipotent God; for now you may cling to
your self-righteous doctrines, abuse the Gospel, and despise
the preaching of the cross; but, when the dark shadow of death
hovers round your grey head, and a holy omnicient Judge
summons your sinful soul, then you will not be so indifferent
and regardless of the Redeemer, whom I proclaim to you."
The old pharisaical rabbi (for he was already above three score)
turned pale, and after a little reflection emerged into another
equally fatal error, and asserted, that Messiah was only to reign,
and not to suffer. I showed him that the prophets and many of
the rabbies declared the reverse. He paused again, and then
said: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity, transgressions, and sin." "And," added I
with emphasis, "he will by no means clear the guilty." We
parted amicably, though I fear my words did not make any
impression upon him.
In the night we again resumed our journey. The desert had
now disappeared, and the country assumed a more diversified and
pleasing aspect; to the north-east were the lofty mountains of
Coordistan, and before us fertile and well cultivated plains.
The four stages from this to Mosul are distinguished by many a
memorable historic incident; the first is Altenu Kepruie, or
Golden Bridge, a town on an island in the Lesser Zab, which
became conspicuous in the eventful career of the intrepid and
unprincipled Ravendouz Bey; the second, Arbela, the place
where Darius' costly and luxurious camp establishment fell into
the hands of Alexander; the third, the Lycus, or Great Zab,
near which fifty thousand Greeks defeated an army of eleven
hundred thousand Persians; and the fourth, Mosul, opposite
the site of ancient Nineveh, the capital of the mighty kingdom
of Assyria, and an exceeding great city. And here, among the
entombed and exhumed wonders of the ancient world, let not
the reader fear that I shall descend with him into subterraneous
regions, and descant on the hidden relics of antiquity. The sub-
ject has been elaborately examined and explored; and every

CH Parday, 24, Maddox St Regent St
Dean & Clayton. lith.
THE TOMB OF THE PROPHET JONAH.
211
winged bull and emblematical figure has proved a fruitful
theme of conjecture and speculation. From the midst of this
general desolation, which so minutely verifies the truth of the
inspired volume, that the sceptic cannot doubt, nor the infidel
deride, rises the solitary tomb of the prophet Jonah, whose
solemn warnings suspended the execution of God's sentence
upon the devoted city, and her luxurious and dissipated in-
habitants. The venerated shrine, which stands on a conspicuous
artificial mound, bursts suddenly on the sight of the traveller
as he approaches the obliterated and withered glories of Assy-
ria, and presents a subject replete with a solemn and affecting
train of thought, quite in unison with the scene around. The
timid seer had long and vehemently resisted the divine man-
date, and at last, when forced on his errand of mercy, his
denunciations of war save the swarming myriads, but he him-
self breathes out his soul in a strange country, and among un-
covenanted and degraded idolaters. The spot pointed out as
the final resting place of the Hebrew seer, is in the enclosure of
a large mosque, surrounded by a considerable village, the situa-
tion argues against the identity of the place; but may not the
grateful and repenting Ninevites, whose destruction his dole-
ful message averted, have, even after the demolition of their
city, cherished a veneration for the sepulchre of their benefac-
tor, which all succeeding generations carefully perpetuated."
Mosul, the modern Ashur, as Jews and Christians pom-
pously style it, is separated from the ruined and buried me-
tropolis of that vast and pristine empire, from which it derives
its appellation, by the muddy and rapidly rolling waters of the
Tigris.
The town, from the eastern bank, looks picturesque and im-
posing; but no sooner has one crossed the tottering and rotten
bridge of boats, than the eye gazes on unsightly streets, des-
picable bazaars, and dilapidated and decaying houses. The dire
rule of avaricious governors has converted whole quarters,
where formerly thousands of people vied with each other in
honourable industry, into fields and deserts. The number
of beggars, who attack the passengers in the streets, is also
quite distressing. Long misrule and anarchy appear to have
P 2
212
CONVERSATION WITH JEWS AT MOSUL.
destroyed all energy, and the heart swells with indignation at
the sight of poverty and want in a place where vast fields lie
uncultivated around the city walls, which with the smallest
labour would reward the husbandman more than a hundredfold.
But I must waive the various interesting features of this city,
and proceed with the more important matters of my mission.
The morning after my arrival, Mr. Rassam, her Britannic Ma-
jesty's vice-consul, kindly introduced me to Meshullam and his
son, the president and vice-president of the Jews. The old man
immediately asked me, what tidings I had to communicate to
them. "The best of all," said I; "for I come to proclaim unto
you remission of sins and redemption from guilt through the
blood of the Messiah."
"Is the advent of the Messiah past?"
According to the predictions of the prophets, the Messiah
was to appear before the destruction of the second temple ;
and even if the calculations of your most ancient and revered
rabbies are correct, the time of his advent has long since ex-
pired." I corroborated the truth of this statement by many
passages of Holy Writ; they were both perfectly astonished,
and entirely at a loss what to reply.
The next day, early in the morning, I went with some
Assyrian Christians to visit the Jewish quarter. I proceeded
first to the synagogue, but as the service was already over,
I directed my steps towards the house of Chacham David. He
received me with great kindness and affability, and without
any preliminary remarks, engaged in a religious discussion. In
the course of our conversation, he observed that he had read
the New Testament, and found it a book worthy the perusal of
of every sensible man. I reminded him, that the Gospel "con-
tained the records of eternal life," and was not merely in-
tended to gratify and amuse, but,
to make men wise unto
salvation."
He candidly told me, that there were many things in the
Christian verity, which he could not comprehend. I requested
him to note down all obscure and intricate passages, and pro-
mised on my next visit, by the grace of God, to elucidate all
these apparent difficulties.
DEATH OF A CHRISTIAN CONTRASTED.
213
A Jerusalem rabbi and many other Jews now crowded the
court, and as the conversation became more general, Chacham
D., who did not wish to disclose his feelings on the subjects in
question, kept silent, to the great surprise of all.
Whilst we were conversing, a boy rushed in and told
Chacham D., that his brother, Chacham Sasan, who was dan-
gerously sick, desired to see me.
We all went together to the invalid's house. At my entrance
the poor man raised himself from his couch, and gave me a
cordial smile.
I at once saw that the arrow of death had deeply penetrated
his heart, and that for him time would soon be no longer. I
therefore inquired, what views he entertained of eternity, and
how he contemplated meeting his Lord, the righteous Judge.
He would fain have spoken, but the pangs of dissolution over-
whelmed him, and he sank speechless upon his pillow. Three
days afterwards he died. I availed myself of the opportunity,
and related to the Jews the story of Rabbi Johannan; and com-
pared it with the peaceful and happy death of the Christian,
who by faith in the sacrifice of Christ could depart in tran-
quillity and joy.
On Saturday I visited the synagogue. The president kindly
offered me a seat on his carpet. After service, I asked for
permission to address the assembly; he was ready to give his
assent, when the Jerusalem rabbi, who stood near, rudely
interfered, and objected to its propriety, alleging that my
preaching might tend to ensnare the ignorant of the congrega-
tion. I had, however, notwithstanding the opposition of this
Pharisee, a long discussion on the atonement of Christ, with
many of the most respectable members of the Jewish com-
munity.
Tuesday.—Chacham David, whom I believe to be sincerely
attached to the Gospel, sent to acquaint me of the death of his
brother, and also to apologize for his not having called.
During the last few days of my stay, I had many oppor-
tunities of declaring, both to Jews and Gentiles, the truth as
it is in Jesus. On several occasions my room was thronged
with Jews, Chaldeans, and Syrian Catholics. Among the latter
214
DIVISION AMONG ROMAN CATHOLICS.
there is at present a great schism, to which the Bishop of Ba-
bylon, who has verified the truth of his appellation, contributed
not a little. In fact, the Romish Church in Mesopotamia is,
since the last year, entirely divided. Some are anxious to have
Mutran Seiah for their patriarch, to whom, by right of suc-
cession, the patriarchate belongs; whilst the Bishop of Babylon
and his partizans have elevated Mutran Joseph to the pa-
triarchal office. This unprecedented conduct of the represen-
tative of the Pope, has caused serious dissension amongst the
Romish party, and influenced many with a desire to return
again to the Nestorian and Jacobite Churches; while it made
others solicitous to join the Church of England, if there were
only a permanently established missionary. One of their most
influential men entreated me to go to Oroomiah, and persuade
Bar Johanna, a Nestorian bishop, and a pious excellent man,
to come to Mosul, and preside over the antagonists of the new
patriarch; and a numerous body, including two priests and seve-
ral deacons, gave me a petition to the Bishop of London, in
which they expressed their earnest desire to join the English
Church, and urgently requested the help, guidance, and in-
struction of a missionary from the Established Church.
Amongst the Jacobites, or as they call themselves, in contra-
distinction to the seceders, ancient Syrians, are also some indi-
cations of a favourable change, the seed which the missionaries
(some of whom rest from their labours) have been permitted to
sow, is ripening for the reapers, and Mosul promises yet to
become a focus of light to the corrupt and idolatrous churches
of Mesopotamia.
CHAPTER XVI.
INSECURITY OF REWARD FOR LABOUR.
October 5th.-Early in the morning, I started for the moun-
tains. Our ride northward, over the plain of Assyria, was
replete with interest and solemn reflections. There was no
need for a store of historical recollections to convince the mind
that here once stood a mighty city, within whose impregnable
walls were concentrated the power, wealth, magnificence, beauty,
and splendour, of Western and Eastern Asia.
The whole plain, dotted with artificial mounds and tumuli,
is an incontestible argument against all criticism, which would
define within a limited compass the extent of the richest city of
the patriarchal world. Besides these monuments, beneath whose
soft sod are interred the stately palaces, gorgeous temples, and
costly idols of the greatest power of antiquity, there is nothing
to charm or to beguile the lonely hours of the pilgrim. The
whole plain, once celebrated for its fertility and productiveness,
is at present a neglected and uncultivated waste; and the teeming
earth, which once supported countless thousands, now scarcely
yields sufficient to supply the wants of a few straggling villages.
Many of the peasants know the capability of the soil, and would
gladly besto on it that little tillage which in a short time.
might yield an abundant increase; but where is the cultivator's
security that he will reap where he sowed? May not the
harpies of a rapacious governor deprive him every moment
of the reward of his industry, or the spoiler from the
wilderness cut down his harvest, seize his flocks, and burn
his humble shed over him? Only a short time ago, the
roving sons of the desert plundered the whole pachalic of
Mosul, burned the villages, despoiled the unprotected inhabi-
tants, and even threatened the trembling population of the town
with the horrors of an hostile invasion.
The divine predictions against Ashur are thus strikingly
216
THE TOMB OF NAHUM THE ELKOSHITE.
fulfilled, and the traveller, who wanders over this uncultivated
waste during the heat of the day, with a melting sun above, and
a parched sultry desert beneath him, will find, by bitter ex-
perience, "that Nineveh is a desolation, and dry like a wilder-
ness."
Towards evening we gradually approached the rugged moun-
tains of Coordistan; the scene now became delightful in con-
trast with the tract over which I had toiled since dawn. I
felt, however, no inclination to admire the lovely and grand
view which expanded before me; as I advanced, fatigue and ex-
haustion had dimmed every prospect, and I hastened to Elkoosh,
a Chaldean village, and gratefully stretched my wearied limbs
on the terraced roof of a half-ruined house. In the morning,
whilst my servants were loading, I visited the tomb of Nahum,
the Elkoshite. The building in which the remains of the pro-
phet,-whose glowing and sublime strain of prophecy must have
animated with hope and comfort the exiled tribes of Israel,—
are interred, is a low insignificant edifice. The tomb itself is
covered with a common oblong wooden box, and a blue calico
canopy spread over it. The interior of the mausoleum bears
the names of innumerable rabbics, who have performed pil-
grimages to this revered spot; and I was assured by the natives,
that there were few Jews in Mesopotamia who did not, once in
a year, come to worship at the shrine of this admirable scer,
who denounced destruction and ruin "to him that imagined
evil against the Lord." (Chap. i. 11.)
On my return, I immediately mounted and proceeded on
my journey. We had now to ascend the mountains, whose
oak-clad ridges appeared so fascinating whilst traversing the
scorched plain of the burning desert. We passed several rocky
defiles, and then entered a fertile valley, occupied by scores
of villages, whose diversified appearance gave the landscape a
most picturesque aspect. At ten, A.M., we reached Tahook,
and unloaded near the gardens, under some shady mulberry
trees.
After having rested a little, I made inquiries as to the
number of Jewish inhabitants, and where they resided. A
Coord kindly conducted me to the house of Nahma, a Jew,
UNBELIEF OF THE JEWS.
217
whom I had seen in Bagdad. I was not long in his room,
when the rest of his brethren followed. They were all exceed-
ingly ignorant, and scarcely knew the essential doctrines of
Judaism. I asked them whether they had ever heard of the
Messiah? They replied, "We believe he will come." "Yes, if
you repent and believe in Jesus, whom your forefathers cruci-
fied, the glorious period of your redemption will speedily ap-
proach; but if you persevere in stubborn unbelief, reject his be-
nevolent plan of mercy, and continue to be satisfied with the
promises and hopes with which the rabbies have deluded you,
there remains nothing to mitigate the afflictions of time, and
nothing to exhilirate the prospects of eternity." One of them
said: "Our sufferings in this world will be accepted as a
compensation for all our offences." "The law is in direct
opposition to what you allege, and as a friend and brother,
I can assure you, that unless you bow your knees before
Christ and acknowledge Him as your Saviour and Redeemer,
the curse of God will for ever rest upon you.”
In the evening, the Kiahya, or mayor of the village, who was
a Chaldean Catholic, with the priest, and the whole of the
Christian community in the place, came to see me. I endea-
voured to converse with them on the causes which led to their
separation from the Nestorian Church, but they could not
assign any other ground for the change, except that the Papa,
as they style the Roman pontiff, was the head of the Church.
Before I started again the next morning, I went into the house
where the Jews (it being the Day of Atonement) were assembled,
and addressed them once more. I more particularly reminded
them, that all their prayers, tears, and fastings, for the last
eighteen hundred years, had not been, and would not be, of any
avail with an offended Deity, so long as they did not believe
in the saving blood of the Lamb. I gave them three copies of
the Gospels, for which they were grateful, and wished me a
prosperous journey.
From this to Sandur, our next halting place, was only two
hours' distance, the road was winding, between shady fig-trees
and luxuriant vines, interspersed with flowers and cooling rills;
in fact, nature had so nicely adjusted everything, that the whole
218
PREACHING TO THE JEWS AT Sandur.
road had the agreeable arrangement of a garden. It was quite
a feast to pass through this rural paradise, and I almost regretted
when we reached the end of our journey.
Sandur is an extensive village, containing upwards of a
hundred Jewish houses, besides a few inhabited by Coords.
The place, on our arrival, had a desolate appearance, for all the
males were in the synagogue, and the females were wiling away
the tedious hours of their Sabbath-day, by sleeping under the
trees near a soft murmuring stream. I first intended to make
my abode near this inviting retreat, but the fear of disturbing
the luxurious repose of these Naiades around their native
fountain, induced me to pitch upon some more eligible spot,
close to the Jewish synagogue.
My sudden appearance before the place of worship, which
perhaps had never been intruded upon by a European, created
some sensation amongst the assembled worshippers; and all
hastened to see whether I was the individual described by the
Jews of Mosul, or a Turkish official, whose very name is a
terror to this oppressed race. When they had ascertained who
I was, shouts of welcome burst from every mouth, and all offered
me their services, and each begged I would make my abode
with him. I sat talking with them for about twenty minutes,
and then requested permission to declare to them, in their
synagogue, those glad tidings which induced me to perform
this toilsome journey. They gave their unanimous consent,
and at the appointed time I went, accompanied by Yehuda,
their Kiahya, to the synagogue. The house of prayer, though
spacious, and capable of holding a considerable congregation,
was thronged with Jews, whose dress, demeanour, and physiog-
nomy forcibly reminded me of those obstinate and rebellious
tribes, of whom all the prophets complain, and over whom the
compassionate Saviour wept.
In my discourse to them, my principal object was to impress.
them with a sense of their great depravity and extreme guilt,
and then lead them to see that there was no remedy for their soul's
loathsome disease and dreadful misery, except in the perfect
sacrifice of the Messiah, through whose blood alone their glorious
redemption was effected. The rabbies at the conclusion of my
COMBATING THE ERRORS OF THE TALMUD.
219
address, remarked, that they would believe all I said, if I
acknowledged the divine authority of the Talmud. I replied,
the Word of God contains a complete revelation of the Divine
will, and all that is necessary to guide us through this vale of
tears, until through the gate of death we enter into the paradise
of God; and as the Talmud is irrevelant and contrary to the
tenor and spirit of the Divine word, it ought to be rejected and
decried by every sensible and conscientious Jew.
It was now nearly time for afternoon service, and as they
were obliged to give water to their mules and donkeys, they all
dispersed; some soon returned again to the synagogue, and
others sat down on the grass and on my luggage, reading the
New Testament and the tracts, which I had purposely ex-
posed for their perusal.
In the evening, the Kiahya invited me to dinner, and as I
could not procure any provisions during the day, I enjoyed the
hospitality of my Jewish friend. At night (the country being
infested with predatory Coords) the Kiahya gave me a guard of
four Jews; they were armed with swords and pistols, like their
Mahomedan neighbours, and unintimidated by fear, reclined on
the hard soil near a blazing fire, singing Coordish and Hebrew
songs, till near dawn, when I and my servants relieved them
from their duty.
Before sunrise, the rabbies came to take me again to the
house of the Kiahya, where they said the Jews would soon con-
gregate. I accompanied them, and was gratified to find every
avenue to the cottage crowded with a respectful audience. The
rabbies had evidently been preparing themselves to test the
truth of our holy religion, by the fallacious standard of rabbinism.
They quoted and cited several passages from the Talmud, which,
however, after a little deliberation, they discovered tended only
to intricate and perplex; and they were obliged to avow that
all the rabbies had written was dark and uncertain.
"And con-
sequently," said I," you must go to the law and the testimony,
where you will learn that man is vile and unclean, and can only
be saved through faith in Him who justifieth the ungodly.”
The whole assembly gazed at me in amazement and surprise,
for such strange things, they said, they had never heard before.
220
PLEASANT COMPANIONS.
I sold ten Bibles, distributed twelve New Testaments, some
"Old Paths," &c.
In the afternoon, six Jews, with their flocks, came from
the mountains; they were dark, shrewd-looking men, and in
their speech, dress and arms, differed little from the pastoral
Coords. I offered them tracts; but they replied, "Our oc-
cupation is with the sheep, and we pay the chachamim to plod
over books."
At day-dawn, we pursued our journey over the mountains to
Zakho. The Kiahya kindly gave me an escort of four Jews,
who accompanied me to a village three hours distant, where I
took a guard of Coords. We were now in the bosom of the
mountains, surrounded by an awful solitude, and a magnificent
assemblage of natural scenery. We passed several secluded vil-
lages, but oppression and tyranny had driven the inhabitants
from their genial climes, to seek shelter in the more inaccessible
mountain districts.
At sunset we arrived in Beski, a large Coordish village, em-
bosomed in a forest of fig-trees and vineyards. The Coords
gave me rather an indifferent reception, and it was with great
difficulty that we obtained permission to unload before one of
their huts. I immediately ordered coffee to be prepared, and
having softened down their ferocity by this, to Orientals, deli-
cious beverage, they were more friendly, and with a kind mien
commanded me to partake of their evening meal. As no excuse
would have been admissible, I sat down on the bare ground,
and, with more than a dozen wild and rude men, partook of a
little burgool-grounded wheat, greased with rancid fat. During
our repast, one would relate to me (the Coordish language
differs little from the Persian) stories of their former adven-
tures, and of the murders which they committed with impunity;
another would curse the Ravendouz Bey and Mahomed Pasha,
who subdued and ruined them; and a third assured me that
were it not for the terror of the Osmanlees, I should not taste
the waters of the Khabur (a river near Zakho).
This conversation did not inspire me with great confidence in
the people amongst whom I unhappily found myself; but what
could I do? Far from all human dependence and human sup-
IMPRESSION MADE ON THE ZAKHO JEWS.
221
port, I realized the nearer presence of my Saviour, and entirely
resigned myself to Him whose protection I so frequently and
under most trying circumstances experienced. My eyes, ac-
customed to watch, did not close during the silent and weari-
some hours of night; and, long before the whitening clouds
in the eastern horizon indicated the approach of dawn, I had
roused my party, and guided by two kind Jews, safely and un-
noticed, passed beyond the rocky heights which encircle these
lawless and rapacious mountaineers. In our onward progress,
we traversed many a charming landscape of wood, vale, and
ravine, which both cheered the eye and refreshed the spirits.
At mid-day, we came to the banks of the Khabur, where we
rested a little. The country here began to decline into rugged
eminences, till it entirely smoothed down into the plain of
Zakho. At four o'clock we entered the small town of the same
name; and I met with a friendly welcome in the house of
Howajee Nahum, the president of the Jews. Zakho stands on
an island in the Khabur; it was formerly a populous and im-
portant town, but the reckless despotism of its rulers has wasted
the country, and melted away its thriving population. At
present, it has one hundred and fifty houses, of which five
score are occupied by Jews. During my stay, the most respect-
able of the community visited me, and I had warm conversa-
tions with them. Chacham Rachmim, the chief rabbi of Meso-
potamia, who was just arrived in the place, openly avowed in
his discussions with me, that many of our doctrines were incul-
cated in the early writings of the rabbies. This was quite a
new discovery to the majority, and led them to listen with in-
tense attention to all I said. At dinner the chacham solemnly
affirmed that he had longed to see me, as he was anxious to
have some of our doctrines elucidated. He alluded to the pas-
sage in the Sohar (a book highly esteemed and revered among
Eastern Jews), where it is stated that Messiah is weeping in
Paradise, on account of the sins of Israel; and properly observed,
"How could he ascend to heaven, if he had not been on earth?
and," continued the chacham, "since we know that the family
of David is extinct, the Messiah must either have come, or the
whole is an emblem and a phantom." He spoke this with such
222
DEPARTURE FROM ZAKHO.
animation and emphasis, that all present were startled at his pre-
dilection for the Christian verity.
After dinner, the chacham, the rabbies of the town, and
myself, read some parts of the Sohar. The words, " And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," which is
paraphrased," the Spirit of King Messiah," struck them very
forcibly as an argument in favour of our doctrine. I enlarged
on the subject, and from the book before us, and the Word of
God, plainly demonstrated the mysterious truth of the blessed
Trinity. This, and my conversations with them during the
day, had evidently vanquished the most deep-rooted prejudices
against the New Testament; and all present began to speak,
and to think, decorously and reverentially of our holy religion,
which till now they had regarded as a system of refined
polytheism.
In the morning I visited the rabbies in their own abodes, and
was agreeably surprised to find they were in possession of the
Gospel, and "Old Paths.” I inquired where they obtained
these books; and they replied, "Our friends in Bagdad sent
them to us." It was gratifying to me to see the Gospel dis-
seminated by Jews themselves, beyond the sphere of our ac-
tivity. The chachamim returned with me to my lodgings, and
once more we had another animated and lively discussion, which
detained me till noon, when they were obliged to go home and
prepare themselves for the next day's feast; and I made ar-
rangements for my departure.
At four o'clock I started; my host, Chacham Rachmim, and
others, escorted me to the river; where, after many mutual
good wishes, and assurances to communicate with each other, I
plunged into the Khabur, and was soon out of the sight of my
gazing friends. Our next stage was fourteen hours' distance,
and it required a strenuous effort, with our jaded animals, to
reach the place at day-break. A party of Arabs joined us on
the opposite side of the river, and along with them we trudged
over the plain at a rapid pace. We passed several Christian
villages, where we were assaulted by hundreds of enraged dogs,
who are purposely kept to guard against any unfriendly noctur-
nal intruder.
GOOD RECEPTION AT JEZIREH.
223
At dawn we approached the Tigris, here the road suddenly
became undulating and rugged. On descending the rocky
path, Jezireh burst upon our view, with all the charms of an
Eastern city. We crossed the river on a bridge of boats, and
then found ourselves in the midst of an uninterrupted succes-
sion of ruins, which at the distance appeared most attractive
and enchanting. I delivered my letters of introduction, with
which the consul in M had kindly provided me, and
obtained a comfortable lodging in the house of Shamos Anthon,
an opulent Syrian Catholic. Jezireh, according to the tradi-
tions of the natives, is a very old and famous town. The
ravages of time, the sordid spirit of the governors, the plague,
and other calamities, have, however, combined to destroy its
stately palaces, and magnificent houses, so that it has now more
ruins than inhabited dwellings. The population, which of late
years has been fluctuating, does not at present exceed five
thousand inhabitants, of whom many are Christians and Jews,
who all live with their Mahomedan neighbours in amity and
peace.
After a cup of coffee with my host, and a short rest, I repaired
to the synagogue; the Jews were all engaged in prayer, and
as they could not guess from my dress whether I was a Frank
or a Turk, by many unmistakable glances they gave me to
understand that they did not approve of my untimely intrusion.
I did not take any notice of the stir and conjectures my pre-
sence excited, but remained quietly sitting at the door, till the
reading of the law, when to the surprise of the assembled
worshippers, I made my way up to the rabbi, and entered into
deep conversation with him. He at once recognized me as an
individual of whom he had heard before, and with all the
cordiality of old acquaintances, tendered me a loud and hearty
"Salam alei-koom."
At the conclusion of the morning prayers, Chacham Shab-
zozai, his son Chayim, and the rest of the Jews formed a circle
round me, and began questioning on various subjects of Bib-
lical import. From their conversations, I perceived that they
had been apprized of my intended visit, and I had no difficulty
in introducing the great evangelical doctrine of our Saviour's
224
THE PLACE WHERE NOAH'S ARK RESTED.
atonement. They had never heard anything of the Gospel,
and as the Christianity which they saw professed in their native
place, could not make any favourable impression upon them,
the truths which I propounded quite bewildered their minds
and perplexed their faculties. In fact they were all eager to
possess a book which delineated man's unhappy fall and de-
plorable ruin; described the purity, justice, and holiness of
God, and, above all, suggested the way to live the life and
die the death of the righteous. I despatched E― to fetch
some New Testaments, which I distributed in the synagogue,
and then went with the rabbi and his son, accompanied by
several other Jews, to breakfast with him in the tabernacle.
The rest of the day I passed in friendly intercouse with this
interesting community.
In the evening, when all had gone to the synagogue, C————
remained with me, reading the New Testament. He suddenly,
however, stopped, and taking my hand, said, with a faltering
voice, "I wish to accompany you to Bagdad, and embrace
that faith which I feel alone can save me from eternal, and in-
evitable misery." He uttered this with such warmth, sincerity,
and candour, that I was quite amazed at his abrupt confession.
When our mutual excitement had a little subsided, I inquired
how he would dispose of his wife and children. This was a
difficulty on which he had not reflected. I advised him there-
fore to persevere in his inquiries, until his wife would become
reconciled to the change, and follow his steps. I have since
heard from him, and am pleased to find he is still impressed
with the same sentiments, and living in the hope of speedily
following me to Bagdad.
The object of my journey being accomplished, I started
again. My original plan was to go to Julamerk, where there
are several villages inhabited by Jews; but the distracted and
lawless state of that part of the Coordish mountains, made it
impracticable to put this plan into execution. I therefore
retraced my wandering steps over the plain of Takto, close to
the Jebal Judi, where Jews and Moslems maintain the Ark of
Noah rested.
I halted the first day at Mankesh, a Chaldean Catholic
ACCOUNT OF AMADIA.
225
village, situated in the midst of the most lovely mountain
scenery, and abounding in valleys and heights, on which the
finest gifts of nature grow spontaneously.
Past midnight we mounted again, and did not rest until
sunset, when, completely exhausted, we reached Amadia. This
town is famous in the history of Coordistan; until a few
until a few years
ago, it was the seat of pashas, who claimed their descent from
the Abassides, Caliphs of Bagdad. Ismael, the last scion of a
noble and glorious race, who governed these mountains, had
twelve thousand villages and towns under his control, from
which he derived a vast annual income. The Pasha of Raven-
dooz, whose victorious army carried terror and dismay into the
very heart of the Turkish empire, was the first who aspired
to the conquest of this place; but as the town is guarded by na-
ture and fortified by art, his attempts were all frustrated. In
1831 he encamped, with his savage hordes, on the hills opposite
the perpendicular rock on which Amadia stands; and by in-
trigues and treachery seduced the fidelity of two chiefs,
who betrayed the town into the power of the remorseless
tyrant.
The first few months he evinced some clemency and conside
ration towards the natives; but when his authority was firmly
established, he threw aside the mask, and pillaged and massacred
all who were obnoxious to his rule. The Jews, who formed.
a great part of the population, were treated with merciless
cruelty and oppression; many of them migrated to other towns;
and those that were not so fortunate, submitted to the yoke
of the tyrant. The sultan terrified at the progress of this chief,
sent Reshid Pasha, a distinguished leader, against him, who
subsequently brought him to Constantinople, where poison
terminated his existence.
Mahomed, Pasha of Mosul, then took Amadia under his iron
sway. The condition of the Jews was little improved; they
were obliged to carry water and stones from the plain to the
citadel, and to do every other degrading work, which impeded
their industry, and in a short time reduced this flourishing
community down to the small number of one hundred families.
The day after my arrival, I visited rabbi Samuel and rabbi
Q
226
PREACHING TO THE AMADIAN JEWS.
Moses, and at my request they accompanied me to the sy-
nagogue. We had only to walk a short distance to reach
the large tottering and dilapidated building, which even in
its decaying and neglected condition still indicates the former
prosperity of the Jews. In the interior of the synagogue were
heaped on a pile more than a hundred and twenty scrolls of the
law, some of which the rabbies unrolled with a desponding and
melancholy countenance. Whilst I was engaged in looking at
these sacred rolls, a great number of Jews collected in the body
of the synagogue. I turned round and read the twenty-ninth
chapter of Deuteronomy, which so graphically describes the cha-
racter of their disobedience, and the cause of their dispersion,
suffering, and exile. They all listened with breathless attention,
and when I concluded, importunately enquired, What shall we
do? I answered their query, by giving them a brief statement
of the scope, design, and end of the law, with all its sym-
bolical sacrifices, and recommended for their perusal the New
Testament, which fully developed the mystery of redemption,
shadowed forth in Moses and the prophets.
In the evening (it being the eve before the latter feast, when
the Jews generally sit up, praying and reading the whole night)
I repaired again to the synagogue. The congregation, who had
already assembled, were seated before the ark of the law, with
their Bibles in their hands, and long pipes in their mouths. I
reprehended them for this irreverant mode of worship; and
instantly, with the greatest alacrity, every smoking utensil was
removed from the house of prayer.
Rabbi Samuel after whispering with his colleagues, told me
that I might address the audience. I gladly availed myself of
this unexpected permission, and for more than two hours proved
and demonstrated in the presence of upwards of two hundred
Jews, the divine origin of the Gospel; elucidated the medium
of a sinner's justification; and refuted the fallacious, puerile and
delusive hopes with which the rabbies, in contravention to
the truth of God, deceive their benighted followers. The effect
of my discourse was apparent from the gravity and seriousness
of every countenance.
A blind man, but a most excellent Hebrew scholar, thanked
VISIT TO THE NESTORIANS IN THE MOUNTAINS.
227
me for what I had told them, and avowed before all, that what
I spoke was rational, convincing, and in harmony with the
Divine revelation.
At midnight I retired to my lodging, and with feelings
of the deepest gratitude adored that Saviour, who had
hitherto so signally favoured my preaching in these wild
mountains.
The next day the governor called on me, and, without giving
or returning my salaam, rudely inquired what business I had
with the Jews the preceding evening. I stated to him, in a few
words, the object of my intercourse, which immediately removed
all suspicion from his gloomy mind; and with eyes gleaming
with fire, he said, "Your work is a meritorious one.
I hope
all the Jews will ere long believe in Christ; for it is better
that they acknowledge one great prophet, than deny both."
Some of the Christians afterwards told me, that my preaching
to the Jews was the general topic of conversation in the whole
town.
In the afternoon there were many requests for New Testa-
ments, and those that I could spare were eagerly seized by the
numerous applicants. As I was informed by the Jews, that
there existed a Hebrew colony in the mountain fastnesses of
the Nestorians, I made arrangements to proceed to the place.
We set out at mid-day, but as the road was exceedingly
rocky, we had to walk; our progress was very slow and
tedious.
At sunset we came to Bervarg, a district inhabited by
Nestorians and Coords; and without making any application
for quarters, I rode up to the bishop's residence and dis-
mounted. His lordship did not at first feel inclined to admit
me into his house; but when I told him I was an English
missionary, he appeared quite delighted, and endeavoured to
make me
as comfortable as his circumstances would per-
mit. A little before night he informed me that himself and
chaplain were going to vespers, and if I felt inclined, I might
accompany them. I readily accepted the invitation, and with
my two ecclesiastical friends set out for the rocky pyramids,
on whose pinnacle, far removed from this nether world, I
Q 2
228
PRIMITIVE SERVICE OF THE NESTORIANS.
وو
was told stood the sacred edifice. The ascent to this "Su-
peras ad auros sanctuary was, however, no easy task. The
venerable bishop, in his simple Coordish garb, with sandals
on his feet, and a staff in his hand, bounded over rock and
precipice with the agility of a mountain goat. I attempted to
follow, but the first few steps admonished me to be cautious.
The old man, perceiving my distress, advised me to disen-
cumber my legs of a pair of unwieldy travelling boots; this
I did, and supported on his insignia of office, reached the
summit of a wild rocky steep, and stood at the entrance
of a crypt, which nature, little aided by art, had provided as
a temple for these wild mountaineers. The door, which con-
sisted of a massive stone, was closed by a formidable wooden
bolt, this the priest withdrew, and with a crash it turned on
its hinges and disclosed a dreary, bleak and dismal interior. The
bishop immediately took his steel, flint, and tinder out of
his pocket, and with the help of a few dry stalks lit a greasy
glutinous earthen oil lamp, which instead of diffusing any light,
only made the darkness more perceptible. During this pro-
cess the chaplain had commenced the service, in which his
patriarchal diocesan at certain intervals with a sonorous voice,
joined. There was a melancholy stillness and saddening gloom
around the insulated sanctuary, which solemnized the mind,
hushed all sublunary feeling, and elevated the soul in prayer
and praise to its Creator.
For a moment the deepening shadows of night, the hollow
notes of the worshipping priests, and the unearthly silence
of the whole scene, reminded me forcibly of the primitive
Christians; but the fervor of their devotion, the purity of
their lives, and the entire consecration of their all to the
Redeemer, are things for which we must yet prayerfully wait in
the Nestorian Church. At the conclusion of the service, the
door, by the united efforts of bishop and priest, was again
closed, and guided by the glimmering light of the stars, we
tracked our way down the perpendicular declivity to the epis-
copal residence.
In the evening, troops of men and women came to kiss
my hand.
This is a prerogative to which the hierarchy are
DISAPPOINTMENT AT BEING OBLIGED TO RETURN. 229
alone entitled, and which I can add, from personal experience,
their flocks devoutly and ardently bestow.
This levee in no wise improved our room, already heated by
the smoke of a burning fire, and a score of noisy quadrupeds,
but as wearied nature must take rest, I fell unwillingly asleep,
whilst the bishop and his chaplain, and the whole family circle,
were talking and feasting on my coffee. At dawn we mounted
again. The bishop, before my departure, gave me a long and
fervid benediction, and with this sincere prayer, and his chap-
lain as guide, I started for Asheetha. On the road we met
several flocks of sheep belonging to Nestorians, who had been
driven by predatory Coords to seek pasture and shelter far
from their own home. At noon we came to the mountains,
from which we overlooked the whole district of Tyary. The
country, though but little recovered from the ravages under the
tyrant Bader Khan Bey, still appeared most beautiful. Villages,
or rather clusters of cottages, were dotted on rugged hills, and
upland glades; whilst scattered poplars and mulberry trees of
most majestic growth, surrounded with luxuriant fields and gay
active reapers, completed the impressive picture of this vast
amphitheatre. The descent occupied us two hours. At the
foot of the mountains we met several Nestorians, who kindly
conducted us to the house of the Kashisha Dinkha, where we
found good accommodation for the night. In the evening, the
same as at Bervarg, most of the Nestorians in Asheetha, assem-
bled in the house of the priest in honour of his guest. They
related to me the shocking tales of their sufferings, massacre,
and spoliation, under Bader Khan Bey; but as the recital of
these horrid atrocities would be too outrageous to repeat, I shall
not dwell on this tragical subject. They are again recovering
from this dreadful calamity, and under their persevering in-
dustry, past losses may be partially retrieved.
The serene and cloudless evening, was followed by a cold,
wet, and dismal morning. All the Nestorians assured me that
this change in the atmosphere was the harbinger of winter, and
that snow would fall in a few days, and intercept all communi-
cation with the adjacent mountains. This information altered
my plan of travelling; and, disappointed and grieved, I returned
230
THE MULETEER'S LAMENT.
again to Amadia, where I spent two more agreeable and useful
days, in preaching the Gospel to the straying wanderers of
Israel.
At dawn I bade farewell to the rabbies, and set out for
Shoosh, which is about forty miles from Amadia. As we had
to pass several lofty mountains with deep ravines, I engaged
guides to lead the animals; but notwithstanding this precaution,
a pack-horse fell down a precipice, and was cut and lamed on
every leg. My muleteer, keenly affected by this accident, and
standing with a desponding look, beside the bleeding animal,
ejaculated, "Would my wife had been a Corban for thee. O
Mahomed! Oh Abdel Kader! why did you not take my wife
as a sacrifice instead of this faithful animal."
he could give vent to such wicked words.
turned he, "this black horse was very dear to me.
surely you love your wife more." Yes, but a wife I can
always get, but this black horse is lost to me for ever." It was
no use lecturing him on the solemnity of the marriage tie, and
the conjugal bond, for he understood these matters better than
myself, and I was obliged to let him indulge in his grief, till a
fresh animal had been procured for my baggage. At night we
reached Shoosh, and made our abode in a pleasant grove of
olive trees.
(6
I asked him how
"O Bey," re-
"Yet
""
In the morning I went direct to the house of the rabbi, who
after conversing a few minutes, proclaimed me a Stamboul
chacham. I convinced him, and all the Jews present, of their
mistake, by producing the New Testament, and declaring to
"We
them the grand and sublime scheme of our redemption.
are uninformed people," was their reply to my exhortation;
"but if the Jews in the other places adopt what you preach,
we shall imitate their example." In the afternoon we left again,
and arrived the same evening in Akra.
This town, which is one of the most populous in these moun-
tains, is situated on the acclivity of a barren rock, skirting the
plain. It contains upwards of eighty Jewish, and a hundred
Coordish families. The former, compared with their brethren
in the higher mountains, live in ease and prosperity. I visited
them in their synagogue, the morning after my arrival. The
A SOFT ANSWER TURNETH AWAY WRATH.
231
rabbi, who was a very ignorant man, felt rather disposed to be
hostile, but I told him he needed not to be violent, since I only
came to explain to them those doctrines, which are the founda-
tion of the Christian's faith, and the charter of his hope. The
congregation, who until now had been silent, replied; "Yes, it
is our duty to investigate the truth;" and without any opposi-
tion, I proved to them that Jesus was the Messiah. The rabbi
was confounded and exasperated, and without saying a word,
left the house of prayer. I sold some Bibles, and returned
again to my lodging.
In the afternoon the rabbi visited me, and apologized for his
violence. I reminded him of his great responsibility as a
teacher, and the guilt he contracted in preventing his people
from searching the Word of God. My calmness appeased his
ire and prejudice, and with great moderation we discussed the
topics to which he had been so vehemently opposed in the
morning. I gave him a Gospel, and "Old Paths," for which
he was very grateful.
At four, A.M., we again resumed our march; the road was
level and good, but the atmosphere cold and wet. The first
night we slept before a poor peasant's house, the second in
Khosarabad, among the lions, bulls, armies and gods of Semi-
ramis, Ninyas, Pul, and all the other known and unknown
kings of Assyria. And the third night I was under the hospit-
able roof of my excellent friends in the British consulate at
Mosul.
CHAPTER XVII.
ANOTHER MISSIONARY TOUR.
THE favourable disposition with which the Jews in Persia re-
ceived our message, the earnest desire which they evinced to
obtain Bibles, Gospels, and other Christian books; and the
constant visits which I received from those whom business,
persecution, or the pious desire of a pilgrimage to a holy shrine
brought to Bagdad, all tended to incite me onward in my work
of faith and labour of love for the persecuted and stigmatized
remnant of Israel in the land of Elam. I had, however, many
difficulties to encounter in the attempt, my means were limited,
my person unprotected, and both Roman Catholic intolerance,
and Mahomedan bigotry, were arrayed in implacable hatred
against me and my efforts. The vastness of the achievement,
and the glorious promises, which blend the conversion of Israel
with the restoration of the world and triumphant advent of the
Saviour, however, stamped an interest on my endeavours,
against which no minor consideration could preponderate; and,
in dependence on the aid and guidance of that Providence,
which sustained me in so many adverse and perilous circum-
stances, I set out on my missionary tour, of which the follow-
ing pages are a brief itinerary.
February 2nd, 1852.-I started again. Our journey over
the expansive desert, by which Bagdad is surrounded, like an
island in the sea, was devoid of all interest. For miles not a
shrub or green blade was visible; the cold breath of winter,
like the fiery blast of summer, had destroyed and withered all
vegetable life, and our eyes gazed in vain at the phantom river,
gardens, and castles, with which the atmospheric refraction
covered the desolate waste. We unloaded in the caravanserai,
Beni Soad, and the greater part of the night were almost stifled
by the smoke, heat, and other unmentionable nuisances which
MISERABLY DIRTY CARAVANSERAIS.
233
accompany the caravans of holy pilgrims. At dawn we extri-
cated our bodies and luggage from out of the living masses
which literally carpeted every inch of the large caravanserai,
and, after well shaking and beating my travelling costume, I
again mounted. Our march was over the far-spreading Chal-
dean plain, which recalled many associations of human grandeur
and human vanity. The country, notwithstanding many cen-
turies of sterility and neglect, still bears the impress of former
cultivation and fertility. Every mile or two our road was inter-
sected by a canal; one of these, the Naharevan, has a bed as
wide as the Tigris at Diarbekir, and must have been a work of
immense labour and expense. Near Bakouba, we crossed the
Diala, in a ferry, for which an exorbitant charge is made, and
then entered the little town, where, as usual, we alighted in a
caravanserai, the only resting-place for unostentatious travellers.
Bakouba is inhabited by several Bagdad Jewish families. I
saw most of them, but, like the majority of the poorer classes
in this country, they were exceedingly ignorant, and knew
nothing, except that they were descendants of those who believed
in the Bible. I gave them a few copies of the Tract, No. 9,
and requested them to visit Mr. Brühl, should they go to
Bagdad.
Our next two stages conducted us to Khanakeen, a large
village on the Turko-Persian frontier, chiefly inhabited by
Coords, whose principal occupation is plunder and rapine. The
place is supposed to be of considerable antiquity, and the
medical gentleman of the quarantine told me that there existed
long ranges of subterraneous chambers, which the government
had closed, as they afforded a safe retreat to marauders and
banditti. We directed our steps to the caravanserai, but every
nook and corner of that horridly filthy place, the very recollec-
tion of which makes me shudder, was so crowded that we gladly
availed ourselves of the assistance of some Jewish acquaintances,
who procured us a lodging where we could dry our wet cloth-
ing, and, without restraint or annoyance, converse on the im-
portant questions at issue between us.
Khanakcen and Hajei Kara, two villages only separated by a
river, contain twenty Jewish families, besides a few who fre-
234 THE LIVING AND THE DEAD HERDING TOGETHER.
quent the place for commercial purposes. I was visited by all,
and their anxiety that I should prolong my stay was most truly
gratifying. Some of them, including the reader of the syna-
gogue, remained with me till eleven at night, listening respect-
fully, and with great seriousness, whilst I pointed them to
Christ, the refuge of sinners, and the Saviour of mankind. I
had promised to come to their synagogue the next morning, but
my muleteer was in such a fright at the idea of travelling alone
through the mountains, which form the boundary between
Turkey and Persia, and which, at all seasons of the year, are
infested by an infamous nest of robbers, that I could not resist
his remonstrance. We started, therefore, in company with a
large caravan of sanctified pilgrims, but not before I had a
farewell word with my acquaintances of the previous evening.
The first part of our journey lay across a desert plain, which
the rain had so softened that it was a complete swamp, and our
mules had to wade up to their bellies through the heavy mire.
As we approached the hills the road got better, but the fear of
robbers had entirely arrested the life-pulse of our caravan, and
the usually joyous cavalcade moved along almost like a funeral
procession. When we came in sight of the caravanserai, at
Kasr-i-Sherin, these apprehensions subsided, and our palmer-
post, with much heroism and defiance, discharged their loaded
guns and pistols, which, in case of an actual attack, I am certain
would have rendered very little service. The son of my host
in Khanakeen told me that only a few days previously a caravan
of a thousand pilgrims had been plundered by a few desperate
Coords. The caravanserai, which we had to traverse on the
backs of mules, (so great was the dirt and filth which had accu-
mulated within its walls,) was, notwithstanding, crowded with
garrulous, living pilgrims, and thousands of putrid decomposed
dead, all on their way to Nedyeff, to be interred near their
great Imam Ali, whose vicinity is a guarantee and passport to
Paradise. I had great trouble in finding a little shelter for my-
self and servants, and at last we were compelled to unload under
the gateway, where we were exposed to the cold wintry blasts,
and in danger of being trodden under the feet of the number-
less horses and mules, which at all hours of the night issued
SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING PEASANTS.
235
through the gates. In the morning I left the classic soil, where
Khosroe and his beautiful Shireen enjoyed more comforts than
myself, without any regret. On the way we were overtaken by
a severe shower of rain, every drop of which, as it fell upon our
upper garments, was converted into solid ice. Making my way
through the hard frozen snow and mud, I reached Sirpool in
time to secure for myself and servants a little recess in the
caravanserai. The following day we ascended the Zagri Pylae,
the Median gates of the Romans, and the boundary line between
the two rival kingdoms. The steep abrupt acclivities gave full
scope to the ingenuity of our animals, who scrambled over rocks
and perpendicular heights with a care and skill quite amazing
in brutes. At the summit of the rugged ascent, we came to a
ruined caravanserai, and a few huts, inhabited by ferocious-
looking desperadoes, whose very appearance might have
appalled the heart and blanched the countenance of stouter
cavaliers. I felt no inclination to entrust myself to the sus-
picious huts, and no less suspicious-looking inmates; and as the
road was reported safe, regardless of my muleteer's gratuitous
advice, I pushed on, and about sunset reached Kerrind, a large
village inhabited by a sect who believe in the divinity of Ali.
On the following morning we took our leave of the Assyrian
mountains, and entered the far-stretching fertile pasture grounds
of the ancient Medes. The soil looks still very productive, and,
under a well regulated government, might prove an inex-
haustible mine of riches; but under the sway of rapacious
governors, these celebrated plains, which once supported teem-
ing multitudes, now hardly supply, with the necessaries of life,
a few hundred wandering Coords. Towards evening, we
alighted in the poor village Harounabad, and I had to watch
the whole night (as my servants were not well) for fear of sur-
reptitious visitors.
On the 24th we came in sight of Kermanshah, a considerable
town, picturesquely situated on a rising ground. The whole
country was still veiled in the white garment of winter, a sight
little calculated to cheer myself or my grumbling servants, who
had, for several days been lamenting their cruel fate in having
left the sunny city, Bagdad, with its excellent dates and lebn.
236
HOW DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF CEREMONIES.
25th.-I sent Yomtob (my Jewish servant, formerly in the
employ of the Bagdad Chief Rabbi, and a good rabbinical
scholar), to apprize the Jews of my arrival and intended visit to
their synagogue. Mullah Rachmim, their Chief Rabbi, imme-
diately came to welcome me; he assured me that he still had
a lively recollection of my former visit, and the doctrines I
preached, and, with great solemnity, he added, "Believe me,
many of your remarks have sunk deep into my heart, and will
never be forgotten." He, and a friend of his, remained with
me several hours, during which I endeavoured to impress them
with a sense of their sins, and the need of such a Saviour, as the
love of God has provided for us, in the second person of the
blessed Trinity. The mullah requested me to give him a New
Testament and an "Old Paths," for a rabbi in some distant
town, to whom he intended to send it. I gave him the books,
for which he appeared very grateful.
February 26th.—The rain fell down in torrents; this, however,
did not prevent several Jews from visiting me. They were
particularly anxious to know the exact period of Messiah's
future advent. I told them I could not penetrate the hidden
secrets of Omnipotence, but as Christ's first advent was of far
greater importance for us as sinners, since it constituted the root
of our faith, and the life-spring of our hope, I would willingly
explain to them the gradual development of this beneficent
scheme, on which the salvation of our immortal souls was pend-
ing. They all consented to this, and my interesting little
audience listened with intense attention and evident emotion to
the successive prophecies, which declared the redemption un-
folded in the Gospel of our Lord. I gave them three New
Testaments, and a few tracts on Isaiah liii.
February 27th.-Early in the morning I directed my steps
towards the synagogue, an insignificant mud building, situated
in an unhealthy part of the town, and amidst a few wretched
hovels, which are a striking proof of the misery of their occu-
pants. The prayers had just commenced when I entered the
humble sanctuary, and one of the mullahs immediately came
forward, and kindly offered me a large pair of philacteries, and
a silken garment of fringes. I acknowledged his politeness, and
PRIESTCRAFT THE GREAT OBSTACLE TO TRUTH.
237
at the same time told him that I did not require such implements
in pouring out my feelings in prayer to God. He pointed to an
unoccupied seat on a mat, where I sat down till the service,
which was neither solemn nor devotional, concluded. The
mullahs then invited me to the oratory; and, in the midst of
more than a hundred adults, many women, and some children,
whom curiosity had attracted, I preached that very Saviour
whom they ignorantly have so long despised and rejected. It
was a cheering sight (and blessed be God for the privilege) to
see such a multitude of perishing sinners, with sorrowful coun-
tenances, throbbing hearts, and bitter internal struggles, in-
haling, as it were, the words of life and truth, as they fell from
Christian lips. One of the rabbies, Mullah Aaron, was evidently
afraid of the effect my discourse might have, and politely re-
quested me to speak Hebrew, and not Persian; but I told him
that since all were sinners, and stood in need of a Saviour, it
was my duty to declare the saving message in a language under-
stood by all. This elicited the "Barak Allah!" (May God
bless you!) from more than three score voices. At the conclu-
sion of my address, the mullahs endeavoured to weaken its im-
pression by arguments and objections, but they were silenced
by their own people, who exclaimed, "Why are we in the
prison-bonds of the Ishmaelites, and treated as the dust under
their feet? Why do the spoilers seize our property, and kidnap
our daughters under their defiled roofs? Surely our sins and
unbelief are the cause of this misery! Even the women, who,
on account of their ignorance, are generally great bigots, and
famous adepts in cursing and blaspheming, to my surprise, over-
whelmed me with benedictions, too Oriental to be translated.
May the words spoken have an abiding place in their hearts,
and speedily produce the fruits of peace and righteousness to
the praise and glory of God!
During my stay I was also visited by several respectable
Mahomedans, with whom I had lengthened religious discussions.
A few days before my departure, I drank tea in the house of a
rich merchant, where I met a meerza, or one of the learned
profession, who boldly deprecated Mahomedanism, in the pre-
sence of his friends: "There are two creeds in the world," said
:
.
238
SINGULAR EXPRESSION FROM A MAHOMEDAN.
he, “which have the most adherents, the religion of the Koran,
and the religion of the Gospel; but, whilst the one has made
the East weak and stupid, the other has made Europe wise and
powerful; which, therefore, can be considered the most favoured
by Heaven?" This unexpected declaration startled the whole
party, and, without a single word, they gazed at each other,
perfectly bewildered at such scepticism.
March 2nd.-Next to being plundered, rain is one of the
greatest evils than can overtake the wanderer in these tenantless
wastes, where, for hours, no human habitation is visible, and no
shelter against the inclement element can be found. The diffi-
culty is not mitigated after reaching the long looked-for
munzil, for the caravanserai, ten to one, is so obscene, that you
dread to alight from your jaded animal; and your luggage,
bedding, &c., so drenched that you tremble to open them; still,
the desire, when you have resolved to start, predominates, and
careless of the consequences, you pursue your onward course,
in order that your design may be accomplished. I experienced
this in leaving Kermanshah; for two stages the relentless
heavens had been discharging regular torrents; on the third
day the rain ceased, but the sky continued scowling, and dark
clouds were enveloping the sharp outlines of the Besihoon rock.
My muleteer was strongly opposed to my resolution, but being
of a pliable and kind disposition, quite unusual in his hardy and
stubborn brethren, complied with my request and loaded. Our
ride over the soaked plain along the mountain, was fatiguing in
the extreme, and our spirits, after seven hours' ardent toil, were
not much exhilirated by the lodging which we found near this
classical rock, on whose front are engraven, in indelible cha-
racters, the deeds of generations long since forgotten, and of
heroes whose names are scarcely known, even on the page of
history. I had inspected the crested summit, with its arrow-
headed inscriptions, and bas-relief figures before, and my eyes
unconsciously turned from the glories of old to the spot which
was to recruit our strength, and to invigorate our frames for the
labours and hardships in anticipation. But how shall I describe,
or in what terms express, the loathsomeness of this hospital for
the way-farer; at the very entrance of the gate lay the torn and
THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND).
239
gory carcass of a mule; within were scores of coffined dead, on
their way to the sacred soil of Kerbelai; and the whole court
had the appearance of a common gutter, in which everything
disgusting and offensive had accumulated the whole winter. In
this tainted and contaminating sink of pestilence, I was reluc-
tantly forced to take up my quarters for the night; and I dont
know whether it was exhaustion, or, as my muleteer pretended,
the holy odour of so many lifeless moslems, on their journey to
Mahomed's paradise (for I had ten only a few feet from my
humble couch), I slept in this poisoned atmosphere, where I
was sheltered from the biting frost, and protected against
Coordish thieves, so well that, instead of waking the muleteer,
as I always did, he had trouble enough to rouse and get me up.
Our next stage was Sahana; here we only rested till mid-
night, and then mounted again. Our route extended across
several rocky heights, whose gloom and stillness the darkness
of the night, and the loneliness and isolation of the scenery
around, rendered oppressive and awful. At nine o'clock, a.m.,
we reached Kengover, a place of considerable antiquity; it is
situated on the brow of a hill, beneath whose base several val-
leys, wooded with trees, and watered by numerous rivulets,
diverge along the wide-spread skirts of the towering Elwand.
There are still the prostrate columns and shattered pedestals of
a former temple, supposed to have been dedicated to Diana, the
goddess of Ephesus, which, together with other classic relics,
the barbarous inhabitants have converted into the mausoleum of
a prince, and the private dwelling of a few wild Coords. At
present this place, which once united the splendours of Asia
with the refinement of Greece, is a dirty little town, inhabited
by five hundred Mahomedan, and fifteen Jewish families. I
visited the latter in their own abodes, and found them very
ignorant, but extremely docile, and willing to be instructed.
explained to them the various prophecies in which the Lord
from time to time communicated His purposes of love and mercy
to fallen man; and then pointed them to Jesus, the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sins of the world. They made no
objection, but deeply lamented that their rabbies, who were
paid for instructing them, should be so blinded by prejudices as
240
THE WORD ALWAYS GLADLY HEARD.
to overlook such important and momentous truths. I gave them
two New Testaments and a few tracts, which they promised to
peruse carefully.
In the morning we resumed our march; our path led us
through several narrow windings to an extensive plain, sprinkled
with villages, gardens, and well-cultivated fields: a sight seldom
witnessed in this forlorn and desolate country.
We halted at Seyedabad, a small town, where, till sunset, I
was engaged in preaching the Gospel of salvation to the few
Jews who reside in the place. Their reader, Mullah Daniel,
and a Jewish physician, appeared deeply impressed with the
message of the cross, and they both expressed the hope of seeing
me again at some future day, either in Persia or Bagdad. They
requested a New Testament, and two tracts, for which they paid
with delight the trifling sum I charged for them.
At two o'clock in the night we again pursued our journey; it
was dark and stormy, and the clouds, in rapid confusion, chased
each other over the lofty Elwand, whose towering summit con-
cealed every other object from our view. The ascent up this
steep mountain, was dangerous and difficult, and both man and
beast had to use the greatest care, in order not to sink into the
drifted snow, which had filled up every glen and chasm; or to
roll in the ice-bound ravines, which, at every few steps, dis-
sected these mighty ramparts of nature. After two hours' hard
toil we reached the bold summit, from whence the view was
most picturesque and romantic. Before us rose Alps on Alps,
in one mighty mass of white glaring mountains, turning the
darkness into the very light of day; to the south, reposed the
plain of Seyedabad, encircled by hills and studded with villages,
teeming in the distance with a most variegated cultivation ;
whilst high above this fertile vale, like specks on the horizon,
towered the bold steeps of Sennah and Coordistan. The
descent from this rocky, wintry region, though less difficult,
was not less dangerous, for every moment we sank into
mountains of thawing snow, when we had to struggle and
toil in order to extricate ourselves from our uncomfortable
position. Mid-day, we came into the vast plain of Hamadan,
having walked for ten hours in snow and ice, wet and cold. I
ARRIVAL AT HAMADAN.
241
was stiff and benumbed, without feeling or sensibility, power or
strength; a sickening sensation had crept over every part of my
body, and I scarcely expected to reach the town without fever,
ague, or some other illness; but He who tempers the wind to
the shorn lamb, preserves His people wherever they are, and
whenever they call upon Him. This I truly experienced, for
in looking back upon the hardships I had undergone, and the
fatigue I had endured, I cannot sufficiently praise the goodness
of God in having, thus unscathed, and without any ill effects,
permitted me to accomplish this most difficult part of my journey.
At four o'clock, P.M., we entered Hamadan, and I confess that
I could neither admire the taste of Dejoces, Astyages, Cyrus,
and all the other Median kings, who made this their royal resi-
dence. The whole plain, including houses, streets, and even
the noble Elwand, were one mighty waste of snow; a sight
which depressed the spirits and wearied the eye in gazing over
its wide monotonous surface. I hastened to the way-worn
traveller's home-the caravanserai,-but was too much fatigued
to enjoy any rest.
March 7th.-After sunrise I left my gloomy abode, and
through a labyrinth of streets and lanes, pent up with snow,
pursued my way to the Jewish quarter. I went direct to the
house of Chacham Eliyahu, the chief rabbi, a man of consider-
able learning and great influence; he received me with every
demonstration of joy, and with apparent sincerity induced
me to take up my abode in his house, an honour which, for
various reasons, I thought it best to decline.
The intelligence of my being in the room of the rabbi spread
with the greatest rapidity from house to house, and ere many
minutes had elapsed, I was surrounded by numbers of Jews,
asking for books, or inquiring about the advent of the Messiah.
I answered the latter in the words of our Lord, Matt. xxiii.
37-39; to this they objected as an inadmissible authority.
read to them Zech. ix. 9, and compared it with Daniel vii.
13, 14; the rabbi endeavoured to reconcile the two passages by
the rabbinical sophism-that if Israel is righteous Messiah will
come like a conqueror in the clouds of heaven, and if not, in
the garb of humility riding upon an ass. I showed them the in-
R
242
DISCUSSION WITH JEWS IN HAMADAN.
consistency of such fallacious arguments and subterfuges, and
earnestly entreated them to make the Bible, and not the non-
sense of the chachamim, their rule of faith and the basis of
their creed. They all promised to visit me, and as it was the
Sabbath of rest, I took leave and retired to my lodging.
Early the next morning, Mullah Eliyahu, Mullah Eliezer,
and others, called on me. I showed them the books and tracts
which I had brought with me; they glanced over the contents
of all, and then asked, why we made use of rabbinical quota-
tions, and at the same time did not admit their authority;
I told them that our object was to convince them, from the
mouth of their own revered commentators, of those important
and sublime truths which are foreshadowed and predicted in
the Old, and luminously developed in the New Testament.
They requested me to prove to them the Messiahship of our
Lord. This I gladly did, by dwelling in detail on the myste-
rious incarnation of our Saviour,-the miracles which authen-
ticated his divine mission,-the mercy, love, and compassion
he displayed, and lastly, his suffering, death, and resurrection,
by which the covenant of mercy was sealed, divine justice satis-
fied, and life and immortality offered to repenting and believing
sinners. They listened with considerable emotion, but when
they felt their hearts melted and affected by the divine message,
they exclaimed, "Stop, and do not disturb our peace with
doctrines to which we dare not and cannot give our assent;
there are seventy-two creeds in the world, (a notion prevalent
among Jews and Mahomedans), go to them and leave us alone."
They, however, took tracts, and the chief rabbi asked for a New
Testament and a copy of the "Pilgrim's Progress," which I gave
him gratuitously, and for which he appeared exceedingly grate-
ful. After this party was gone others came, and so it continued
till evening, when, weary and tired, I crept under my cloak
and carpet, till I was warm enough to use my fingers in order
to record the incidents of the day.
March 8th.-Several of the mullahs, and other Jews, occupied
me a considerable portion of the day; they had evidently pre-
pared themselves for a severe theological struggle, but soon
discovered, that the infallible Word of God was too strong
INVITATION FROM THE CHIEF RABBI.
243
a bulwark to be assailed by the weapons of human wisdom.
One of them had a copy of the blasphemous "Chizuk Emunah,’
and upon my inquiring where he obtained the book, he replied,
"When you last visited this place, you expounded the elements
of a creed to which we had hitherto been perfect strangers,
and as your words perplexed and bewildered us, we wrote
to Bagdad on this subject, and for an answer they sent this
book and a few remarks on the "Old Paths." His simple
narrative is a convincing proof that wherever the Gospel is
preached, although people may be immersed in darkness that
can be felt, the saving message will shake their venerated
system of error, and infuse a new light into the minds of the
perishing and deluded multitudes. Two of the mullahs them-
selves acknowledged that the "Chizuk Emunah " was directed
against Rabbinism as well as Christianity, and to those who
study the "Zohar," and other ancient comments, where much
of Gospel truth is blended with rabbinical fancies and specu-
lations, it must appear obvious, that the writer of this contro-
versial book was actuated by bitter animosity and rancorous
hatred against the followers of the crucified Saviour.
March 9th.-At sunrise a messenger from the chief rabbi came
to invite me to breakfast. We repaired together to the house.
of the rabbi, where, from himself and others, I met with the
kindest and most respectful reception. Whilst tea was in prepa-
ration (a beverage in which the respectable Persians usually
indulge in the morning) our conversation reverted to the
subject of the Christian verity; the rabbi's son, a clever
Talmudist, pointed out to me Matthew v. 17, and exultingly
exclaimed, "How can you reconcile this statement with your
present practise." I reminded him, that God proceeded by
beneficent gradations to the grand and final end. Thus he
appointed carnal sacrifices to teach Israel their vileness and
deformity, and lead them to look from the bleeding victims
on the altar to Him whom they emblematically set forth,
crucified for sinners. He next sent prophets to threaten
and to warn, to announce hope and proclaim a coming redemp-
tion; and lastly, at the appointed time, He gave his son to fulfil
the law and to sustain for us its curse. He shook his head
R 2
244
ACCOUNT OF THE JEWS IN HAMADAN.
despondingly, and said, "There is much of truth and plausibility
in your argument, but, as Jews, we cannot give our adhesion
to such an exposition and belief.” I exhorted them all not
to trifle with God's Word, and, like their forefathers, persist
in the rejection of Him who is the Lord of life and glory.
Their eyes, with intense earnestness, were rivetted upon me
whilst I spoke, and I am certain, that the impression will not
be soon effaced.
According to the most accurate information I could obtain,
this ancient city is at present inhabited by five hundred Jewish
families. They reside in a particular quarter, and in case
of public commotion, which generally exposes them to the
lawless rapacity of the covetous, and the malevolent perse-
cutions of the powerful, they close the gates of their Ghetto,
and so enjoy a faint security till the storm has subsided.
Their position is, however, at all times very sad and pitiable,
and one cannot behold their sluggish and stooping motion, nor
their abject, base, and sordid occupations without being struck
with the terrible fulfilment of the prophetic warning.
The avocations in which their industry endeavours to find
the means of subsistence are very few, and oppressively re-
stricted. Many are weavers of silk, workers in silver, tailors,
and engravers, but the fanaticism of the mullahs grudges them
even these humble trades, which, whilst they gain them sufficient
to sustain life, make them at the same time feel all the worst
pangs of poverty, want, and hopeless destitution. These in-
exorable and onerous restrictions, which the bigoted sectaries of
Ali impose upon the Jew, have crushed his frame and debased
his mind; and we must not feel surprised to witness among this
people, who have so long submitted to every humiliation, and
yielded to every taunt, mortification and insult, till their once
susceptible hearts became impervious to ignominy and degrada-
tion, traces of the worst crimes and vices which, alas! taint the
air of Persia, and pollute that smiling and fertile land.
Often, very often indeed, has the missionary in traversing
these dark regions reason to blush for his own species, and to
wish himself far removed from a scene where the phases of
human depravity are so repugnant and repulsive; but shall
TOMB OF MORDECAI AND ESTHER.
245
these perishing multitudes sink into the grave without a kind
voice to warn them of their danger? or a compassionate heart
to point them to Jesus? No, our duty is to exhort, warn, and
reprove; and although the effects of the preached Gospel are
not at once visible, a silent and benign influence is widely
spreading, and we may take it for granted that He who has said,
for our encouragement, "In the morning sow thy seed, and in
the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not
whether shall prosper, this or that," will fulfil his promise, and
cause His truth to convert these dark places into vales of life,
holiness and joy.
Before quitting the ancient seat of the Median kings, the
gorgeous and magnificent Ecbatana, I must refer to one solitary
monument which has survived the revolution of dynasties, and
the hands of the spoiler. This venerated relic is the tomb of
Mordecai and Esther, the devoted benefactors of their kindred,
race, and people. The Jews, who are the guardians of this
shrine, venerate it with all the warmth of affection, and all
the fervour of gratitude which the chained slave feels for his
generous deliverer. They look upon its preservation quite as a
miracle, and revere it as a beacon of hope, and a type of their
future deliverance from the yoke and tyranny of the Gentiles,
by the invincible Messiah, the lion of the tribe of Judah. The
mausoleum of the holy pair occupies a vacant square, close to
the Jewish quarter. Formerly the spot was the privileged
burial place of the learned and righteous Israelites, but the
mullahs, some years ago, declared such an indulgence an abomi-
nation and pollution, and in a few hours every tombstone was
shattered, and every grave levelled and desecrated. The
fanaticism of these zealots did not even spare the sacred repo-
sitory of the favoured queen of their clement and heroic
Isfundear, (attributes with which they vainly invest the im-
becile debauched Xerxes,) the husband of Esther, but with
sacrilegious hands they tore down every ornament, seized all
the votive offerings, and then, stripped and despoiled, left the
sanctuary to the trembling and weeping Jews. The edifice
which contains the remains of this distinguished son and
daughter of Israel, is a plain brick building with a cylindrical
246
DESCRIPTION OF THE TOMBS.
tower and dome, on the summit of which a stork has built her
nest, a habit in which these migratory birds frequently indulge.
The entrance into the sepulchral vault is through a low narrow
door of solid granite; here the visitor must not only divest himself
of his shoes, before he is admitted into the presence of the honoured
dead, but bend himself low. This task is not so easily accom-
plished, as the aperture is very small, and the place gloomy and
dark. I was accompanied in my pilgrimage by the mullahs, who
had provided themselves with candles, which facilitated the peril-
ous passage. Immediately on touching the threshold, my com-
panions (lightly and softly, as if afraid to disturb the sleeping dust)
threw themselves on the glazed pavement, and with all the tender-
ness of deep devotion and respect kissed the sacred spot. I
imitated this affecting example of grateful acknowledgment to
the goodness and virtue of these courageous and brave Hebrews.
The remains of the two worthy Israelites, who during life were
united in one purpose, aimed at one object, and possessed as it
were one heart and one soul, whether by accident or design,
shared even in death one and the same little patch of earth.
The uncle and his niece lie side by side, under the concave of
the vault; no gaudy monument marks the site, the simplicity,
humility, and piety of their lives are forcibly recalled by their
unostentatious graves. Two oblong wooden cases, embellished
with chaste flowers, and bearing the following inscriptions in
beautiful Hebrew characters, is all that distinguishes the last
habitation of the honoured and beloved dead :—
247
לכן
TOMB OF MORDECAI.
GOL CATALL cla.cl csu :
W (NQGL :
שמח
לבי
ויגל כבודי אף
בשרי
טא
HEBREW EPITAPH ON THE TOMB OF MORDECAI.
תצמח והלך לפניך צדקך כבוד
בן קיש איש ימיני :
חסידך לראות שחת: תודיעני אורח חיים שובע שמחות
אז יבקע כשחר אורך וארכתך
בשושן הבירה ושמו מרדכי
ישכון לבטח
מהרה
בן יאיר בן שמעי
כי לא תעזוב נפשי לשאול לא תתן
TRANSLATION.
"THEN shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine
health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall
go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward."
"Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose
name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son
of Kish, a Benjamite."
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my
flesh also shall rest in hope.
248
TOMB OF ESTHER.
"For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou
suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
* Thou wilt show me the path of life ; in thy presence is ful-
ness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
Raised on the fifth day of the week, and the fifteenth day of
the month Elul, in the year, A.M., 4,474, or 1,139 years ago.
JOING MIL ULG„V :
: א
ומאמר אסתר קיים דברי הפורים
ותכתוב אסתר המלכה בת
ראש זה הקבר צותה לעשותו האשה הכשרה הצדקת גמאל
נספר : וישם המלך אחשורוש מס על הארץ
מרואי גמאל אל דולת יחזקיה וגמאל אל דולת ישועה
היהודי
את כל תוקף לקיים את
אגרת
הפורים
האלה ונכתב
אביחיל ומרדכי
סתאם והאחים החכמים הפקדים
הרופאים
HEBREW EPITAPH ON THE TOMB OF ESTHER.
INSCRIPTION ON ESTHER'S TOMB.
249
TRANSLATION.
"AND the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim ;
and it was written in the book."
"And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and
upon the isles of the sea.”
"Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and
Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this
second letter of Purim."
This monument was erected by the pious and righteous
woman, Gemal Setam, and the wise, learned, and exalted phy-
sicians, the ornaments of the country, Ezekiel, and his brother,
Joshua Yemuel, in the year, A.M., 4,688, or 925 years ago.
According to the writing engraved on the tombs, and also
from the character and shape of the mausoleum, it must have
been erected some time after the Mahomedan conquest; the
mullahs, to whom I expressed my doubts on the identity of
these venerated sepulchres, told me that during the political
convulsion which demolished and annihilated every vestige of
the Kaianian capital, the original structure was destroyed.
They have no written records on the subject, but as an un-
broken chain of oral tradition, and the pilgrimages of the Jews
from time immemorial, are cogent testimonies in favour of the
supposition, I left Hamadan with the persuasion that I had
visited the graves of Mordecai and Esther.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FEW WHO INQUIRE THE WAY.
On the morning of March 20th I reached Koshan, and alighted
in the caravanserai, occupied principally by Ghebres, the stead-
fast and pertinacious adherents to the Mithratic faith. The
gatekeeper and most of the other inmates of the khan re-
membered my former visits, and welcomed me with all the
cordiality of old friends. One of the despised followers of
Zoroaster, prompted by the kindest feelings towards me,
immediately hastened to acquaint the Jews of my arrival, and
before my little cell could be made habitable, I was surrounded
by upwards of a score of Jews, headed by Mullah Nehurai,
one of the rabbies. The joy of the mullah and others at secing
me was inexpressible; they fell in succession round my neck, and
with unaffected delight and great emotion exclaimed, “Baruch
habah" (blessed is he that cometh). Accompanied by these
kind friends, I went to the house of Mullah N., where for seve-
ral hours, without intermission, I preached Christ and him cru-
cified. In the course of the day the mullah and two of his
friends informed me that there was a small band of inquirers,
consisting of twelve individuals, including several rabbies, who
regularly assembled twice a week to read the Old and New
Testament; they have to combat much opposition, and to
endure the railings and insults of their prejudiced co-re-
ligionists, who frequently apply to them the most opprobrious
epithets but under all these disadvantages they persevere,
and I hope that He who has awakened their consciences
and affected their hearts, will continue the good work among
them, and thus raise up in this heathen place a little community
to the praise and glory of His holy name.
:
.
It is cheering and consoling to find in this labyrinth of moral
and material corruption a few whose thoughts are turned
*
THE WORD CONVINCING.
251
heavenward, and who, amidst the darkness in which all is
involved, seek to obtain some clue and some conviction of those
grand doctrines which are the foundation of rational hope and
the basis of true religion. Such an oasis in the midst of a
moral desert is an encouragement to the desponding missionary,
who begins to feel weary and faint in his arduous toil, and
though the fruits of his labours only ripen in secret retirement,
he has still the sustaining consolation that on the great day
of judgment, when the books will be opened, many lips will
bless him who was the privileged instrument of pointing them
to the Lamb of God.
In the evening, after the Sabbath had terminated, upwards
of thirty individuals assembled in the house of my friend, with
whom I discoursed for a considerable time on the text, "He
was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our
iniquities," and without exception they admitted the correct-
ness of applying such passages to the Messiah; their great
astonishment was that Jesus, notwithstanding all his miracles
and the testimony of Scripture, should have been rejected
by the Sanhedrin. Mullah N. satisfied them on this point,
by referring to the conduct of the Israelites from their exodus
out of Egypt till the destruction and annihilation of their
polity; they had nothing to object, and remained for several
minutes absorbed in serious reflections. I retired late at
night, worn out with speaking and want of rest, having tra-
velled six nights in succession, though at the same time I
could not but bless God for the many tokens of his favour,
which he had graciously vouchsafed to my humble efforts.
Early the next morning the Jews began again to collect;
many of them asked for books, and those whom Mullah N.
pointed out to me as sincere inquirers (and their number was
certainly considerable), I supplied gratuitously, whilst others
had to pay a small sum in order to enhance their value. I
also saw all the mullahs, and amongst others their chief rabbi,
Chacham Mordechai, a clever bigoted Talmudist, and fierce
opponent of the Gospel; he embraced me with apparent cor-
diality, and shaking his head said, reprovingly, "You come
amongst us like the angel in the New Testament; to agitate
252
THE RABBI CONFUTED.
the waters, and when the storm is most impetuous, you leave
us to contend with the raging elements." I reminded him that
the angel who disturbed the waters of Bethesda had a holy and
beneficent object in view; "And if my errand of mercy," added
I," accomplishes the same end, the little anguish and contrition of
heart is amply repaid by the peace and perfect happiness with
which the Gospel fills the soul of the believer." "I suppose," re-
joined he, “you mean those who believe in that blasphemous
doctrine, that Christ was God." "Yes, rabbi, those very
truths which you call blasphemous, are still contained in the
Bible, and maintained by your doctors and expounders of the
law, for hear the statement contained in Echa Rabbathi, (Lam.
1-6), 'What is the name of Messiah?' Rabbi Abah replied,
'Jehovah is his name, as it is said, He shall be called the Lord
our righteousness.' Here you have Bible truth with rabbi-
nical comment, so that you must either deny the authenticity of
both, or admit the divinity of the Messiah." He was em-
barrassed and perplexed, and as I continued to quote other
passages to corroborate the veracity of our belief, he requested
me to desist, and politely inquired how we could reconcile
the non-fulfilment of all the prophetical promises with the
advent of Messiah. I reminded him that Scripture predicted
a twofold advent. "Ah," interrupted he, "those nice distinc-
tions which you endeavour to deduce from a few abstruse parts
of the Bible, vanish into air before those who are learned and in-
telligent ;" and upon my requesting him to furnish me with his
own comment on those very passages, he got confounded and
entangled, and stated one moment that Messiah was in Pa-
radise, and yet that he was not born, and again that he was
afflicted for the sins of Israel, and still that he was only to be an
irresistible conqueror.
In fact the mistakes and absurdities of
this rabbi were so glaring, that his own friends entreated him
to be silent, as he was certainly wrong. He challenged me to
friendly epistolary controversy, to which I readily consented,
on condition that both his objections and my refutations should
be openly read in the synagogue. The mullahs all gave their
assent to this proposal, and I thus trust that the spark of truth,
which under the good providence of God has been kindled in
DETERMINATION TO POSSESS THE WORD.
253
this place, will in my absence be fanned into a glorious flame.
Mullah N. was quite delighted with the proposition, and
whispered in my ear, "I shall make him perform his en-
gagement."
In the evening my friends, the followers of Zoroaster, known
by the name of Ghebres, or fire-worshippers, invited me to
spend a few hours with them, in order that I might explain
to them the doctrines of Christianity, which had excited so
much interest and enquiry among the Jews. I immediately re-
paired to their cells, and without interruption declared to them
all the elementary truths of our holy religion; viz. :—the com-
passion and goodness of God; the fall and corruption of human
nature; and our final redemption and justification through the
atoning blood of Christ. They acknowledged that the religion
of Jesus, if thus clearly and plainly propounded, must enlighten
and convince the mind; but upon making the question more
personal, they became very uneasy, and anxious to terminate
the conversation. They asked me for Persian New Testaments,
but having disposed of the few I had with me, I lent them
my own copy, which I believe was read the greater part of the
night and the whole of the following morning. They told me,
that they would write to Teheran for Bibles, as I had interested
them in the contents of the same.
Before I retired to rest an incident occurred, which I record
simply because it shows the anxiety which was manifested
to obtain our books. A poor Jew, during the evening, came for
a copy of the Hebrew Gospel, but as I was engaged with
the Parsees, he waited till I left their room, and then in a most
suppliant tone made his request. Unfortunately the boxes had
been closed and packed, and my muleteer swore by the life
of Mahomed and the beard of Ali, that if the cases contained
Korans, and the Jew wanted to become a Moslem, he would
not be disturbed at midnight, and untie his loads. The poor
man, when he heard this, was in great distress; still nothing
could shake his determination, for he said: "The gatekeeper
may try to eject me (it being late and contrary to the regu-
lations to loiter about in the caravanserai at this hour), and
your muleteer may scold and maltreat me,-I love Christ,
{
254
THE GOOD SEED SOWN IN KOOM.
and will have his revelation." I could no longer resist this
appeal, and so unpacked one of the loads, which occupied me
more than half-an-hour, and presented him with a Gospel;
and I believe that a present was never more gratefully acknow-
ledged. He actually fell at my feet, and alternately kissed the
book and my boots; even in going away he clasped the little
treasure to his heart, and, with eyes raised upwards, blessed the
donor of this valued gift. I mentioned the circumstance to
Mullah N., whọ told me he knew the man, and that he was
both sound in mind and well acquainted with the Bible.
On the 22nd the Jews again assembled, and once more heard
those truths which for the last two days had engaged our time
and attention. They all listened respectfully whilst I expatiated
on the holiness of the Gospel, the love and gratitude it inspires,
and the peace and happiness it is intended to convey. The
greatest solemnity prevailed whilst I spoke, and I doubt not
that, under the blessing of God my efforts will redound to the
glory of God, and the salvation of immortal souls. At noon I
departed, followed by the good wishes and prayers of many, in
whose hearts the words of life and truth had found a place. We
had to traverse a plain level country, and, as I was anxious to
get on, we made long stages; and, on the morning of March
24th, found ourselves within the half-ruined city of Koom. I
met here a good number of Jews from Koshan and Teheran; and
amongst others, Hakim, or Dr. Aaron, for whom I had a letter
from his son, Mullah Nehurai. I sent my servant to deliver it
to him; and when he heard who was the bearer of it, without
perusing it, hastened to see me. We remained together two
hours, during which we conversed on the divine truths of the
Bible. The doctor, in the presence of several Jews who had
joined us, acknowledged that the Christian scheme of salvation,
through a divine Saviour, was in perfect harmony with Scrip-
ture, and far superior to the fanciful system of Rabbinism,
which only blinded the eyes and enthralled the minds of the
people. He would have continued with me the whole day, but
a servant of the Nayeeb-e-Sultana, brother of the present king,
called him away to attend his royal highness, whose medical
adviser he had been for several months.
THE EVIL OF MERE PROFESSION.
وو
255
In the evening I called on him at his lodging, and from six
till ten o'clock, one subject occupied us, viz., salvation through
the blood of the Messiah. On going away I said, "Doctor, I
hope the message of redeeming love will, ere long, cease to be
only a topic to occupy the lips, but be practically felt in the
heart, and make you and yours happy through faith in the sacri-
fice and death of our adorable Saviour.' "The heart knows its
own bitterness!" was his reply; and, with evident emotion, he
exclaimed, after a little pause, "We are in Persia, where the
sword of persecution is suspended over our heads, and woe to
us, if by a premature act, we arouse the vengeance of our ene-
mies: but of this you may be assured, that many in Koshan
will as intently love Christ and his Gospel, as they formerly
rejected the one and despised the other." O pray for this be-
nighted land, and perhaps God will hear and remove the ob-
stacles which impede the glorious development of the Gospel
power.
We pursued our journey again on the 25th, in the "Valley
of the Shadow of Death," adverted to in the preceding pages ;
we lost our path, and for several hours wandered, in the darkness
of night, over a trackless desert. It was, however, quite provi-
dential that we did so, as a caravan, not so well guided, was
plundered, and had we not deviated from the main road, we
might have shared a similar fate, and entered the capital in a
condition approximating to primitive simplicity.
Soon after my arrival I went to the Jewish quarter, and called
upon some of the mullahs; they were very civil and polite, but
quite averse to any religious discussion; in fact, I invariably
found, that where European vices and the idolatries of fallen
churches are known, the Jewish mind is strongly prejudiced,
and access to it difficult to obtain. One of the mullahs, who
appeared more loquacious than the rest, said to me, "You are
not a stranger amongst us, we have seen and conversed with
you before, and love you as a brother, because we know your
object is to do us good, and to promote our welfare; but since
there are in this place, English, Germans, Russians, and Arme-
nians, who believe in the New Testament, change them first,
and then come and teach us." I certainly found this argument
256
OLD PREJUDICES STILL RETAINED.
very forcible; and the only answer I could return was, that the
conduct of man, whatever it might be, did not justify wilful
unbelief; for, as moral beings, we must be guided by the reve-
lation from heaven, and not the acts of sinful mortals. I distri-
buted a few tracts, and they all promised to visit me.
My acquaintances kept their word, and, in a numerous body,
came to see me. I showed them copies of our books, but they
admired the beautiful print more than the important contents.
The Liturgy of our Church greatly pleased them, and particu-
larly the Litany, which they read twice over. I asked them
what they thought about the Trinity; they replied, with appa-
rent modesty and simplicity, "We know perfectly well that you
prove all your assertions from the Word of God, but since your
doctrines are opposed to the teachings of our rabbies, we cannot
give our assent to them." I exhorted them not to close their
ears against the infallible truth of the Scripture, and, like in-
fatuated beings, prefer darkness to light, error to truth, and thus
draw upon themselves the wrath of heaven and the judgments
of God.
In the afternoon, Mullah Rachmim, the chief rabbi, and a
friend, visited me; they both recollected Dr. Wolff, and spoke
of him in the most affectionate terms. We conversed together
a long time, and the mullah showed both that he had read the
Gospel, and felt reverence for Christ and the Christian belief.
His great objection was against the divinity of Jesus; "If this
did not form an article of your creed," said he, "I would at
once declare myself a Christian." I told him that his objection
was not against our Lord, but against the whole Bible, where
this doctrine was plainly stated. "There are mysteries in
Scripture," observed he, “which only those can fathom who
understand cabala."
I endeavoured to convince him of the folly of such supposi-
tions, but he only smiled at my incredulity. He invited me to
call on him, which I did the next morning, when I had an
opportunity of preaching in the synagogue on the true Paschal
Sacrifice, even the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of
the world.
My work in the capital being accomplished, I set out for
FIRST MISSIONARY EFFORT AT BALFROOSH.
257
Mazanderan, an entirely new and untried missionary ground.
My journey over the snow-clad Demawund, was one of the most
trying and difficult I ever performed; and only those who have
travelled in regions where the extremities of heat and cold, rain
and snow, incessantly alternate, can conceive the full extent of
the toil and sufferings I had to endure. But a merciful Provi-
dence guided and protected me, and the privilege of infusing a
spirit of inquiry among hundreds of Israelites, who never heard
the message of salvation, or exercised their minds on the topics
of religion, made me forget all the hardships I had encountered,
and all the troubles that still awaited me. At my arrival in
Balfroosh, the principal city of ancient Hyrcania, I met with a
reception which at once threw a gloom over my hopes, and
made me regret my undertaking. For hours, weary and ex- ·
hausted as I was, I had, under a pouring sky, to search and
seek after a lodging; even in the caravanserais, the bigoted
owners refused me admittance; and when at last my patience
was at an end, I gladly accepted a damp, humid cell, which I
at first declined, in a khan occupied by Calmucs, Tartars,
fishermen, and all kinds of other Russian rabble, from the
shores of the Caspian. When I had a little humanized my
temporary abode, and changed my dress, I went to the Jewish
quarter. As it was the feast of Passover, a season of idleness
and inactivity, I found most of the Jews either indulging in the
inebriating cup, or sitting in groups under some shady tree. I
addressed one party, and inquired after the house of the mullah.
The sound of Hebrew had such a startling effect upon them,
that without answering my question, they hastened to the
mullah's house, whither I closely followed them. The worthy
rabbi, on perceiving that I spoke the sacred language, and that
my servant was a Jew, laid aside all restraint, and welcomed
me with unaffected cordiality. He inquired after the object of
my visit; and upon telling him that I had come to proclaim to
him and his people Jesus of Nazareth, the true Messiah, he ex-
claimed, "I have heard a great deal about you, and also read the
New Testament, which was given me by a friend in Teheran."
I asked him whether he would allow me to preach in the syna-
gogue. His reply was, "I have no objection, but Chacham
S
258
A BITTER OPPONENT OF CHRIST.
Rachmim, from Hebron, who is just now here to collect charity,
will not consent to your proposition, as he is a bitter enemy to
Christ, and constantly boasts that he will counteract the efforts
that you are making in Persia.” "Then you have been con-
versing on the subject of Christianity?" I said.
"Yes; I am
deeply interested in the contents of the New Testament, and
whenever I can get some elucidation about the Christian doc-
trine, it is the topic of my conversation."
A great number of Jews, who had crowded the house, re-
quested me to preach to them, I willingly complied with their
wish, and, for about an hour, instructed the multitude around
me in the knowledge of the Great Mediator. They made no
reply, but whispered to each other, "Is it possible that we could
have been so long in error?" As I was quite wearied and
worn out from my long journey, and not fit for any great exer-
tions, I returned, after this introduction, to my lodging.
The next day, after the service of the synagogue, I called
upon my acquaintances of the previous day. They were quite
pleased to see me again, and only regretted that the Sabbath
prevented them from showing me any hospitality or attention.
I told them that my object was to proclaim to them the redeem-
ing love of the Messiah, and if my words tended in the least
to remove their early-contracted prejudices, and lead them to
Christ, the only Saviour of mankind, I considered myself
amply compensated for all the hardships and privations of
my journey. Mullah Ibrahim, and others, assured me of
their deep interest in the doctrines of the Gospel, and with
much sincerity and great emphasis they said, "You may take
it for granted that what you tell us will not be so soon for-
gotten, but remain enshrined in our hearts for many, many years
to come." I spoke to them at least two hours, but no one
moved from his seat, nor were fresh comers allowed to cause any
interruption. They all hung on my lips like those who felt that
life and death were pending on the words I uttered. The
mullah thought it his duty to make a few objections on the doc-
trine of the Trinity. I referred him to those passages in the
Old Testament which unfold this mysterious subject, and
he appeared quite satisfied that I was right. I distributed
A VERITABLE PHARISEE.
259
several tracts, and many promised to call on me for books and fur-
ther discussion. I remained in the Jewish quarter till near night.
April 11th.-I called on Chacham Rachmim, the rabbi from
Hebron, who was here to extort charity from the poor and
afflicted Jews, for their lazy brethren in the Holy Land. He
was just enjoying his siesta, and appeared greatly annoyed that
I disturbed his repose; but a very humble apology restored the
equanimity of his ruffled temper. Like all these itinerant
rabbies, he was puffed up with pride, vanity, and arrogance;
and, without respecting in the very least the feelings of the
people, whom he was ready to deprive of their last penny, he
turned to me, and in the presence of several scores of Jews, who
had followed me in order to hear my discussion with this savant
in rabbinical lore, said with the greatest contempt, "You might
have avoided coming to this abominable place, for all the Jews
whom you see before you are amharatzin, and scarcely better
than brutes.” I asked whether he thought the uninstructed fit
for nothing else except to graduate in vice, and to grow up in
the lap of sin? "Yes, for God only tolerates the amharatz
(unlearned) in order that he may be saved by the merits of the
righteous." I reminded him that such doctrines were incon-
sistent with the word of God, which declares that "
shall die in his iniquity." "Like most people of your faith,”
he replied, "you nourish the credulous belief that the Bible
must contain everything." I told him that this was my firm
conviction, and unless he could show me that the fanciful stories
and absurd doctrines of the Talmud were calculated more than
the Bible to convince the mind, change the heart, and raise the
soul in adoration to the Creator, my veneration for the inspired
volume would never become less fervent by comparison.
every one
The Jews now asked whether the New Testament contained
nothing objectionable. I brought to their recollection what I had
stated the day previous, namely, that the doctrines taught in the
Gospel were those of Moses and the prophets, and that no one
could consistently impugn the one without attacking the other.
They requested me to shew them how the Old and New Testa-
ments were so closely connected, this I readily did, and for a con-
siderable time expounded the various prophecies which took their
s 2
260
MALTREATMENT OF THE JEWS.
ultimate and glorious fulfilment in the person of our blessed Lord.
The chacham was anxious to lessen the impression which my
words had made; but it was evident that their hearts were
touched, for several said, quite aloud, "Here is the palpable
proof of our guilt, and the obvious cause of our misery."
"Yes," said I, "not in vain is your heritage seized by your
enemy, and your country desolated by infidels; not in vain are
you exiles and bondsmen to your oppressors, your goods either
taken from you by violence, or wrung from you amidst groans
and bitter agonies. Renounce the errors to which you have so
long inflexibly adhered, and you may be sure that He who for
us and our salvation trod the path of privation, toil, and death,
will graciously receive you, for His word is infallible, and He
hath irrevocably declared, "Him that cometh unto me I will in
no wise cast out." The tears glistened in many eyes, and the
deepest solemnity reigned whilst I spoke.
April 12th.—Early in the morning the Jews crowded my
little room in the caravanserai. Many of them had been read-
ing the New Testament, and the questions they had to propound
were numerous indeed. The mullah asked me why, since the
Gospel commanded that Christ should be preached among all
nations, they had been so long neglected by the followers of
Jesus. I told him that the greater part of the world was still
enveloped in darkness and sin, and gave them a short account
of the conversion of several of their brethren in Europe; and
the trials and difficulties, sufferings and persecutions, which
many of these have had to endure, quite affected them, and they
said to each other, "Surely this religion must be divine, or else
such effects could not be produced." Our conversation was
suddenly interrupted by loud shrieks and lamentations, accom-
panied by cries," Chacham! oh, Chacham!" I looked out of
the door of my cell, and, to my horror, saw upwards of twenty
Jews lashed over the court by the whips and clubs of about a
dozen Mahomedans. I instantly rushed out, called for the
gate-keeper, and told him that I held him responsible for the
outrageous conduct of the ruffians, who thus wantonly maltreated
poor and inoffensive individuals. He and the other Mahome-
dans were rather astonished at my interference in behalf of
BABA, THE PERSIAN SOCIALIST.
261
Jews, and, in a most impudent strain, assured me that if I took
such sympathy in their sufferings, I might as well become a
sharer in their punishments; and I believe the threat would
have been executed, had not several Russian fishermen
hastened to my relief. I would have brought the affair be-
fore the Governor, but my own unprotected position, the
doubtful advocacy which two Russian merchants promised me,
and the universal contempt and abhorrence in which Jews in
this country are held, all conspired to mitigate my solicitude to
obtain redress for these patient sufferers. Whilst I was thus
engaged in defending the Jews in the court, their brethren in
my cell remained perfectly tranquil, and when I asked them how
they could, with such indifference, see their friends maltreated,
their simple reply was, "we are accustomed to these things."
Towards evening, I went again to the Jewish quarter, and
sat down with about a score of Jews under a shady mulberry
tree. Unfortunately, most of my audience had too much in-
dulged in an afternoon draught, (a practice too frequent among
all sects in Persia,) and were unfit for any religious discussion.
In returning to my lodging, I met a good number of Maho-
medans, who inquired whether I had any tracts against their
Prophet. Upon my asking why they wanted such pamphlets,
they replied with great caution, (for I saw them gazing in all
directions to see whether any of "the faithful" were near,)
"Because we detest Mahomed, and ridicule his Koran." During
the short conversation which I had with them in the street, I
learnt that they were secret followers of Baba, the renowned
Persian socialist, whose community two years ago menaced both
the religion and throne of Persia. The founder of this sect,
and thousands of his adherents, died an ignominious death;
but, notwithstanding all the rigour which has been applied in
order to extirpate this heresy, there are still many thousands of
the rich and learned in Mazanderan, and other provinces, who
venerate Baba, and regard his violent death as a national cala-
mity. I informed my acquaintances in the street, that I should
be happy to see them in the caravanserai, but they were afraid
to meet me, for fear of exciting suspicion. One of them, who
from his white turban appeared to be a mullah, said, "In-
262
THIRSTING FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.
shallah," (i.e., please God,) "we shall yet drive Mahomed, Ali,
and all the Imams from Persia; and whether we become In-
gleese, or Russ, (meaning Christians of either Churches,) is to
us a matter of indifference, since all creeds are better than that
of the Arabian robber." I was glad to get out of their com-
pany, for although they appeared to belong to the aristocracy of
the place, still their language was too violent, and their opposi-
tion and hatred to the Prophet of Mecca too bitter, for any
lengthened conversation in the public thoroughfare.
April 13th.-Accompanied by a good number of Jews, the
chacham from Palestine visited me. He was much milder than
he was a few days previously, and without any hesitation told
me that he had been reflecting on our discussion; and though
he could not agree with me in my views of Rabbinism, still he
thought the expounders of the law could not be considered
infallible, nor their comments received without doubt. I assured
him that if he read the Gospel, and compared it with the Old
Testament, he would find many truths unfolded, which were
veiled to him in doubt and uncertainty. He shrugged his
shoulders without making any remark. When this rabbi,
whose presence imposed a certain restraint on the Jews, was
gone, I had a lengthened conversation with them, in which I
endeavoured to impress on their minds the necessity of re-
pentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
They all promised to read the New Testament, and, with tears
rolling down their wan cheeks, entreated me to visit them
whenever I came to Persia. "You think, perhaps," said they,
"that we are ignorant men, and indifferent to your message;
but believe us, this is not the case. We all here long for the
advent of Messiah; and O, if Jesus is the true Christ, do
thou O Lord, revive our drooping spirits, by revealing this now
faintly understood truth to our dull and heavy minds." The
last words were uttered with such deep earnestness and solem-
nity, that I felt quite affected, and at the very moment besought
the Lord to hear and answer their petition.
April 14th.-I visited the Jewish quarter early in the morn-
ing. There was an evident feeling of regret at my approach-
ing departure, in which young and old seemed to participate.
ENMITY OF THE JEWS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
263
I once more explained to them the system of Christianity,
declaring its warnings of woe and announcements of glory, and
concluded by exhorting them to read the Gospel and Bible
without the distillations of the rabbies; as they were the only
books, which, by prayerful investigation, could enlighten and
convince their minds, invigorate and ennoble their souls, and
fill them with hope and happiness, of which no contingency
could ever deprive them. Many accompanied me to my
lodging, where they remained till night, and then having to
make preparations for my departure, left very reluctantly.
Balfroosh is the largest city in Mazanderan, the ancient
Hyrcania. It is situated three hours' distance from the Cas-
pian sea, and in the midst of an unbounded forest of most
luxuriant groves of orange, lemon, and other fruit trees. For-
merly it was a town of great importance, and inhabited by
more than two hundred thousand souls, but the usual causes,
oppression and misgovernment, have so diminished the popula-
tion, that at present this once thriving and flourishing city does
not contain more than twenty thousand inhabitants; who, not-
withstanding the convenience of the place for trade, and the
fertility of the soil for cultivation, have to contend with diffi-
culties, and to struggle with many adverse circumstances.
There are no Christians in Mazanderan, but the Jews
live scattered all over the country. Balfroosh is inhabited by a
hundred and fifty families. This afflicted and persecuted rem-
nant of a once considerable community, suffer all the torture
which the lash of slavery, bigotry, and cruelty can inflict.
They occupy a particular quarter of the town, and have six
synagogues, a number far too great for so small a body; but
enmity and hatred have caused sad divisions among them, and
not unfrequently the nearest relatives will not worship together
in one and the same sanctuary. It is remarkable that in many
towns in Persia, where the Jews are subject to the greatest
tyranny and injustice, instead of being united by one common
bond of affliction, they are generally dissevered by the most
trivial differences, and cherish such intense feelings of revenge,
that they frequently betray each other into the meshes of their
persecutors, and bring wretchedness and ruin on their own heads.
264
SUFFERINGS OF THE PERSIAN JEWS.
I saw several Jews who had turned Moslems, and upon
inquiring why they abjured the religion of their fathers, the
invariable reply was, "Our brethren have compelled us to
acknowledge the enemy of our nation as the prophet of God."
I spoke to a good number, and endeavoured to effect a recon-
ciliation between them, but it was in vain. The seed of discord
seems rooted amongst them, and all their energies are employed
to sap the life-blood of their co-religionists. Unhappy people!
Oppression has debased their minds and vitiated their hearts,
and the missionary looks prayerfully forward to the time when
even here the various vicissitudes which have so long imperilled
the existence of this enslaved sect will be removed, and the
regenerated and believing sons of Abraham prove a blessing in
the midst of the land.
The Jews generally experience great hardships and trials
during the summer; in fact, from May till October, their
quarter is a lazar-house of corruption, sickness, and death.
The Mahomedans avoid the fatal effects of the destructive
malaria which floats over the marshy soil, near the coast, by
removing to the Demawund mountains; but the oppressed Jew,
who is scarcely safe in town, dare not venture on a tented life.
He must patiently endure the ravages of disease, and see one
after another of his friends and relatives, either prostrated on
the hard couch, or stiffened by the icy hand of death, without
being able to flee from a scene where everything is for several
months enveloped in a deep gloom. Sometimes if there is a
drought, their misery and suffering is greatly aggravated; for
such visitations their unrelenting persecutors always ascribe to
their unbelief and obstinacy. The sorrows and sufferings of
the living being, however, insupportable and overwhelming
enough, their enemies to satiate their intense and inhuman hate,
with an invective cruelty which makes the heart recoil, and the
soul shudder, exhume ten, fifteen, or even twenty, recently
deceased Israelites, and these amidst wild shouts and pious
ejaculations they consume on a lofty funeral pyre.
It is a
curious coincidence, that this savage exhibition of bigotry and
fanaticism is usually succeeded by the longed-for blessing.
The Jews say it is the work of Satan; but I believe that the
THE WORD OF LIFE SPREADING.
265
wily mullahs wait till the rainy season is near, and so their
sanctity and Jewish guilt are placed in the eyes of a stupid,
ignorant populace, in more striking contrast.
April 15th.-At five o'clock, A.M., my muleteer came to load.
The rain which had been pouring down the whole night, con-
tinued with unabated impetuosity in the morning, and I felt
exceedingly reluctant to start; but as the spring in Mazanderan
is frequently very treacherous, and for many weeks the fields
and roads are inundated, so that all communication is inter-
rupted, I thought it most prudent to avail myself of the present,
without trusting to the uncertain future. Our route was north-
west, over tangled, intricate rice-fields, where we had to wade
several feet deep through swamps and marshes, a task weari-
some enough when the weather is fair, but perfectly prostrating
when wind and rain combine together to impede the pilgrim's
progress.
At two o'clock we reached Amal, the third of the large cities
of this province. It is a considerable town, divided by the
Hezan river, which runs into the Caspian. The climate of
Amal is by far more salubrious than Balfroosh, and the inhabi-
tants are not obliged to go to their Yeilah, or cold region, as
most people in the other cities and villages of Mazanderan do;
but, without any inconvenience, they pass the hot season in their
own dwellings, and pursue their usual occupations. I unloaded
in the traveller's home, the caravanserai. The owner, who was
both shoemaker and shopkeeper, gave me the room which con-
tained all his riches for my accommodation; a favour I did not.
appreciate much, for I found that this place was the rendezvous
for all the idlers of the quarter, who killed their time by most
obscene and indecent amusements. Driven from my lodging,
I sought a retreat in the stable, where, without disturbance or
annoyance, I could receive the visits of the few Jewish mer-
chants who reside here. Four of them had been in Balfroosh
during Easter, and, consequently, heard a great deal about
Christianity, which they all communicated, verbatim, to their
friends. They were quite pleased to see me, and to hear from
my own lips the glorious tidings of life and immortality, of
which their friends had spoken. They remained with me till
266
THE FAMOUS HYRCANIAN FOREST.
near night, and then only left for a few minutes to shut their
shops, and immediately came back again. They complained
bitterly of their sufferings and oppression; and the timidity and
terror which they manifested whenever a Mahomedan intruded
himself upon us, strikingly convinced me of the insecurity of
both their lives and property. Like most of their nation in
Persia, misfortune and tyranny have softened their hard, un-
yielding obstinacy, and prepared them, to some extent, for the
reception of the Gospel. The only surprise was, that the suffer-
ings of Christ, which are so plainly delineated in the Old
Testament, should so long have proved a stumbling-block
to the conversion of their brethren. They retired very late at
night, delighted with what they had heard, and grateful for
the books I gave them.
April 16th.-At mid-day, I bade farewell to this isolated
band of Jews, and pursued my route. Our path conducted us
through a part of the famous Hyrcanian forest, where every
object we saw was calculated to attract and cheer the eye.
Sometimes we had to creep through darksome shady lanes and
avenues, where thousands of larks and nightingales mingled their
sweet voices with the rush of mountain torrents, and the sighs
of the fragrant zephyrs; or we again found ourselves in a ver-
dant dell, covered with fresh grass, enamelled with aromatic
shrubs and flowers, and overhung on all sides by wooded hills,
from which gleamed, at intervals, the picturesque cottage of a
peasant, or the frail tenement of a shepherd. With the decline
of day, we emerged out of this delightful landscape of woods
and vales, (a sight peculiarly interesting in a country where a
blight seems to rest on both mountains and fields), and made
our abode, during the night, in caves excavated in the rocks,
which abound in this part of Mazanderan, and form the best
shelter both against wind and rain.
The next three succeeding days we had most wearisome
and dangerous journeys, over bare rocks and the shelving-sides
of precipitous heights, where a single false step would have
dashed one in pieces long before reaching the foaming stream,
which rolled over an uneven bed in the deep ravines below.
It was quite marvellous to see the jaded animals moving
F
THE ASSUMED RESIDENCE OF NIMROD.
267
securely along the edges of most frightful precipices; indeed
nothing but the sense of their danger, could have given such
firmness to their steps and dexterity to their feet.
On the night of April 19th, we slept in a ruined caravanserai,
near the peak of the venerable Demawund. I have experienced
most severe frosts in Persia, but never did I feel a more intense,
and biting cold than in these lofty regions. I was actually
obliged to keep my hands and feet in constant motion, in order
to maintain vital heat in them. My servants and muleteer, who
did not feel inclined to imitate my example, lay on the ground
almost insensible. With great difficulty I roused them, and
tearing down a few beams of wood which lay across the roof of
a decaying stable, I lighted a fire, and gave to each a cup of tea;
this revived their spirits, and prepared them better to resist the
benumbing effects of the frost.
On the afternoon of the 20th, we reached Demawund, a neat
little place, situated near the foot of the mountain, from which
its name is derived. The natives assign to it a most antique
origin, and pretend that Zohauk (by some supposed to be the
Nimrod of Scripture, whose name is still execrated in the
East), made this his residence and seat of government. But
whatever its renown may have been in days of yore, it is now
only a large village, inhabited by five hundred Mahomedans, and
sixty Jewish families. I called, soon after my arrival, on their
rabbi, Mullah Ibrahim. He was in the house of Hajee Nazan,
the richest Jew in the place, one of whose wives* had been
interred the day previously. I immediately proceeded there,
and found the majority of the Jews assembled in a large room,
reading the Mishna and Zohar, and partaking of the hospitality
of their mourning host. I had no difficulty in introducing the
subject of Christianity, as most of them were anxious to hear
what I thought on the advent of Messiah, and the redemption
and final happiness of our race. Of Christ they had never heard,
and consequently were not a little amazed to find that the
* The Jews in the East practise polygamy. I know some rich merchants
in Bagdad who have three wives, and many rabbies who, without using the
palliatives of the Talmud for the indulgence of their corrupt passions, have
the same full complement.
268
FIRST CHRISTIAN SACRIFICE IN DEMAWUND.
doctrine of a coming redemption through the sufferings and
death of the Messiah, like a bright and shining light, illuminated
the pages of the Sacred Volume. The mullah observed that
the rabbies held similar views; but upon my inquiring who that
being was, by whose justifying merits we were to be saved, he
perceived that there was no other alternative, except the ad-
mission that Jesus was the Christ. I extricated him out of
this perplexing labyrinth, by proving that there was only one
Messiah predicted in the Bible, and that the same was to atone
for sins, according to Daniel ix. 26, and to reign in conformity
with the same prophecies (vii. 13). Several noted down all I
said, and, leaving a few tracts I went away. In going to the
caravanserai, six individuals invited me to their garden, close to
the Jewish quarter. I accepted the invitation, and whilst they
were reading the few copies of the Gospel I had with me, I fell
asleep upon the grass, and enjoyed a refreshing rest for about
an hour.
Late in the evening, four Jews, closely related to each other,
visited me. They were, like most of their brethren, ignorant
and uneducated, but docile, and willing to be instructed. I had
a lengthened conversation with them on the holiness of God,
sinfulness of man, and the great necessity of such a Saviour as
infinite mercy has provided for us in the Gospel. Two of them
were quite ready to leave their families and accompany me, an
offer which I was obliged to decline. Before we separated they
expressed a desire to hear me pray, and upon my request they
all knelt down, and, with deep emotion, united with me in
prayer to the Triune Jehovah. I believe this was the first
Christian sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving ever offered in this
remote place, and, oh! that speedily every mystery of iniquity
and impiety might be swept away, and these wicked and dark
places, where now self-deception and error are adored, become
temples dedicated to light and knowledge, truth and holiness.
My Jewish friends assured me most solemnly that they would
daily pray in and through the name of Christ, and read the New
Testament, which I had given them. May the Lord strengthen
them in their resolution, and grant them grace to persevere.
Early in the morning I went to the largest of the two syna-
COMMENTARIES OFTEN DARKEN THE TEXT.
269
gogues. The report of my intention to preach had attracted
every one to the place of worship, so that not an empty spot
could be seen. The mullah, a kind and good man, objected to
a formal address, but he invited me to the oratory, and politely
said, "If you sit down, you can speak as long as you deem it
advisable." I complied with his request, and assuming, like all
the rest, a cross-legged position, made the gloomy walls of this
synagogue, for the first time, re-echo with the name of Christ,
and reverberate with the doctrines of the Gospel. My posture
did not in the least diminish the effect of my discourse, nor
induce any one to interrupt me. At the conclusion some one
remarked that rabbinical comments were necessary, in order to
understand the Bible. I showed them, by a few quotations,
that the chachamim and their comments, instead of leading the
mind to the acquisition of the truth, bewildered and diverted
the thoughts from the true Fountain of light and life. I distri-
buted some tracts and Gospels, and many Jews followed me to
the caravanserai, to whom I sold Bibles, and gave a few copies
of the "Old Paths."
In the evening we left Demawund for Cazveen, which we
reached at noon, on Saturday, April 24th, having traversed the
distance of fifty-two hours in less than three days. I intended,
from this, to pursue my journey to Northern Persia and Coor-
distan ; but both my Jewish and Christian servants were dan-
gerously ill with fever, and the exertions of forced marches had
also prostrated my own strength; I thought it, therefore, most
prudent to return, vid Hamadan, where I was well known, and,
in case of any emergency, could obtain aid and assistance.
At sunset, on the 26th, I set out with my sick companions.
The rest of two days had restored my energy and vigour. We
generally travelled by night, and halted during the day, but
having to fetch water, and cook for my helpless and murmuring
attendants, I seldom found time to sleep; and when, on the 2nd
of May, we reached Hamadan, I had scarcely strength, either
to sit or stand.
Chacham Eliyahu, and many other Jews, gave me a most
cordial welcome. I spent the greater part of my time in the
270
THE LORD WILL PRESERVE HIS OWN.
mullah's house, and saw several individuals who had heard the
preached Gospel, and had read the books I gave them, not
without benefit to their souls. The greatest obstacle is, that
these persons dare not, without exposing themselves to most
violent persecutions, and perhaps even to death itself, avow
their convictions of the truth. We must, however, not despair,
for He who in mercy has caused His Word to enter into the
hearts of these perishing souls, will also smooth the way for
their public profession of the crucified Saviour.
I found the atmosphere of Hamadan too oppressive and damp
to protract my stay, and therefore made preparations to leave
on the evening of the 4th. My Christian servant was again
convalescent, but Yomtob was dangerously ill. I left him
under the care of Chacham E-, who promised, for my sake,
to attend him like a brother. The poor man reluctantly parted
from me, and I confess that it was not without great pain I
separated myself from a servant who had been with me in
danger and difficulty, labour and toil, and who was the only
companion with whom, during my long, tedious, night journeys,
I could converse on the sacred text of the Bible. It was, how-
ever, a comfort for me to know that I left him with those who
would watch over him in his illness, and attend to all his wants.
On May 7th, I arrived at Kermanshah, and alighted in a
caravanserai. Many of the Jews soon visited me, and I found
in my intercourse with them, that the vagaries and speculations
in which some, when I last saw them had indulged, were sup-
planted by sound scriptural views and enlightened arguments.
Thus the leaven of truth is spreading, and preparing the way of
the Lord in this benighted land.
From Kermanshah to Bagdad I was obliged to take regular
escorts, as no caravan would leave; the whole country, to the
very gates of the town, being in a state of anarchy and confu-
sion. We were several times pelted with stones, and fired at
with muskets; and only four hours' distance from the city, we
should have been plundered, and perhaps made prisoners, by a
party of Shamar Arabs, had not a number of horsemen in the
service of the Pasha providentially joined us.
TO HIM BELONGS THE GLORY.
271
Thus on the whole of this journey I experienced the guardian
care of Him who has said, "Lo, I am with you alway;" and if
my humble efforts have in the least tended to rouse the Jews in
Persia from their death-like apathy, to a sense of their spiritual
danger, I will say, "Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but
unto Thy name be all the glory."
CONCLUSION.
WHAT DO WE OWE TO THE JEW?
BEFORE I close this brief sketch of our labours in the inte-
resting countries of Assyria, Media, and Persia, let me pause
a moment and take a retrospective glance at the subject em-
bodied in these pages; and whatever our views may be with
regard to Israel's prospects and destiny, yet what heart is
so cold, and what breast so insensible, as not to feel moved
with pity and compassion at the sorrows and woes they have to
endure in the eastern regions of their dispersion. Long, too
long, has the Church been unmindful of her duty, and indif-
ferent to the call of thousands of Jews, who with yearning
solicitude implored her in the mournful accents of the Ma-
cedonian, "come over and help us!" The gushings of tender
affection did not flow at their miseries, and the tear of Christian
sympathy fall over their calamities: unblest and uncared for,
the despised and shunned Israelite preserved his wearisome and
desolate path; and unwarned, unatoned, and unforgiven, de-
scended to the gloomy chambers of corruption. To trace the
cause of this illiberality and antipathy to its primal source,
would compel me to go back to ages over which memory
would gladly cast the mantle of oblivion. Thank God, a better
day has dawned upon the exiled tribes, and that narrow bigotry
and inflexible intolerance which would doom a nation, des-
tined in the inscrutable decrees of heaven to be still a bless-
ing in the midst of the earth, to perpetual subjection and final
destruction, has been superseded by the generous impulse of
charity, and the disinterested benevolence of the Gospel. The
agitated and tottering condition of the East, the heavings and
throes of impending troubles and dangers in the West, and the
progress of true religion and gospel-truth in both, have by their
ominous import turned the tide of kindness and good-will,
THE RETURN OF THE JEW PRECEDES THE MILLENIUM. 273
in favour of the Jew. The eye which before only gazed upon
him, through the thick veil of prejudice, now sees him, through
the glowing golden visions of the prophets, and the bright
and radiant vista of unborn glories, and unfulfilled promises.
Christians everywhere begin to look upon the homeless wan-
derer with benignity and love; and the prayers which continually,
like holy incense, ascend to the Father of us all, have already
been answered by the first immortal fruits, the sure harbingers
of a more abundant spiritual harvest. Such indications of re-
turning mercy, legibly declare that Israel is still "beloved for
the fathers' sakes;" and though we do not yet behold the reali-
zation of all our fond wishes and aspirations, nor see the streams
of salvation in millenial plenitude watering every mountain-
valley and desert-plain where the hot tempest of persecution
has driven this mystic race, we have in the beams of divine
light which are now gleaming on the widely scattered dwellings
of Judah, a voice as it were from heaven sending down to
us the blissful tidings of the speedy advent of the Lord and the
approaching era of millennial glory.
Our work of faith and love is however not only fraught with
life and eternal happiness to thousands who would probably
never have heard of the Saviour, but it also gilds with hope the
dark and gloomy scenes of this sin-bound universe, whose
destined renovation hangs on the conversion and restoration
of Israel. This grand truth, which displays the unbounded love
and unfathomable goodness of the Eternal, is in most touching
and sublime strains unfolded in the pages of prophecy, so, that
already amidst the groans of this blessed creation,-the
struggles, cares and toils of life, we watch, as it were, the
rolling music of the spheres, to hear our globe echoing the
long-expected anthem, "Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth."
The whole dealings of God with the Jew warrant such a
conclusion. When all the earth was immersed in darkness
that might be felt; when the fatal influence of sin had era-
dicated out of the heart every rational, ennobling, and elevating
sentiment-yea, when the great adversary had established his
supreme sway over degenerate man, God made choice of Abraham
T
274
APOSTOLIC REFORMATION.
to proclaim His wisdom, power and sovereignty among the
rebellious tribes. Jacob his grandson carried this sublime truth
to Egypt, where his descendants by their superior morality and
purer worship, rebuked the gross and irrational adoration
of crocodiles, oxen and cats; and brought the whole battery
of Pharaoh's vengeance upon the languishing and groaning
captives. Moses, Joshua, and the Prophets, kept alive this vital
doctrine, and by miracles and wonders which appealed to the
living, and by emblems, types, and prophecies, which prefi-
gured to succeeding generations Christ crucified, prepared
mankind for the salvation to be revcaled under the dispensation
of the Gospel. And now, when the lines of darkness were
to melt away before the rising beams of the Sun of Righteous-
ness, and the distant isles of the sea were to become living
memorials of the power and grace of God; Providence selected
not the learned and rich, the wise and renowned, but a few
Jewish fishermen, who were commissioned to announce the
tidings of mercy and the denunciations of wrath to the sin-
polluted nations of the earth. And were there ever such
preachers as these despised Jews? Were there ever such
zealous and efficient missionaries as these humble Galileans?
Their path was thorny, and their conflicts painful, but they
had a great object to accomplish; they had a divine mandate to
obey, and careless both of the smiles and frowns, the allure-
ments and indignation of the world, they pressed through every
maze of opposition, difficulties, and impediments, and on the
proudest monuments of refined polytheism, hoisted the standard
of the crucified Redeemer. Revolutions great and wonder-
ful have been achieved; projects vast and magnificent have been
realized; but what can equal the moral change effected by
ignorant fishermen? What offers a parallel in the history of
the past and present to the amazing and marvellous reformation
The most per-
introduced by crude, unlettered publicans.
fect and polished systems of antiquity, which were interwoven,
with every political, religious and social institution-which
shed a fragrance of poetry around mountain and valley, fountain
and grove, succumbed before the heart-piercing message of
these divinely gifted orators. And if by the light of prophecy
PRAY FOR THE JEW.
275
we penetrate into the dephts of the future, we have in the
events long gone by a foreshadowing of the more glorious
periods still to come. God's Holy Spirit accompanied the
preaching of Jewish Apostles; and the corrupt and licentious
creeds of Greece and Rome lay entombed under altars and
shrines devoted to idolatry and fraud. God's Holy Spirit will
again animate the zeal of Jewish Evangelists, and every dark
scene of nature, every gloomy spot on earth, will become
a tabernacle of the Lord, a paradise of the Holy One of
Israel.
Our labours for the descendants of Abraham, whether thus
viewed in the mirror of prophecy, or in the wounds and agonies.
of a compassionate Saviour, who died that Jew and Gentile might
eternally live, must gain the sympathy and enlist the prayers of
every sincere and devout Christian. It is a duty which Scrip-
ture enjoins and gratitude demands. Every believer, however
unwilling and reluctant he may feel to acknowledge the obliga-
tion, stands, under God, indebted to Jewish instrumentality for
the knowledge of salvation and the light of the Gospel. What
Christian, amidst the fluctuations and vicissitudes of his earthly
pilgrimage, has felt the tide of holy joy ebb back to his despond-
ing heart, as he pondered and meditated on the sorrows and
struggles, trials and temptations of the saints of old, without
being reminded that the patriarchs and prophets were Jews?
What Christian can contemplate that fathomless gulf, ever
boiling and foaming with the surges of hell-fire, without recol-
lecting that those zealous apostles who snatched him from the
devouring waves, and caused his desolate soul to rejoice in God
his Saviour, were Jews? Yea, what Christian can, through
this veil of mortality, look up to God as his reconciled Father,
to Christ as his "all-sufficient" Redeemer, and to heaven as his
purchased inheritance, without remembering that the great
Deliverer, who deprived death of its sting, and the grave of its
chilly gloom, was born of a Jewish virgin, and clothed in the
habiliments of a son of David? And what returns have Chris-
tians made for all the benefits which have flown to them through
the channel of the injured Jew? Alas! the records of his his-
tory are written on his sorrowful countenance, and timid gaze,
T 2
276
+
OLD PREJUDICES STILL REMAIN.
on his bended gait and grovelling occupation, which still charac-
terize him in most countries wherever his wandering feet have
sought a shelter, a refuge, and a home! And yet after so many
wars, massacres, plagues, and famines, behold this imperishable
family, still a flourishing and numerous people. The voice of
cursing, scorn, and contempt has pursued them for ages; but,
though crushed, they were not annihilated, though driven to
deserts and wilds, they have not been lost or destroyed. Every
country has been to them an upas-tree, and still in every country
they exist. The promises of God to their fathers lingers over
them, and no device or scheme can contravene His will, or
defeat His purpose. Nations great and mighty have become
extinct and forgotten; tribes powerful and strong have disap-
peared and become amalgamated; but Israel will continue to
grow and spread till his great mission is fulfilled, and the
jubilee of the ransomed be ushered in amid the harmony of the
golden harps, and the triumphant hosannas of all the sons of
God.
But it may be said the Jews are an obstinate and unimpres-
sible people, and our best endeavours for their welfare end only
in withered expectations and grievous disappointments. Such
selfish arguments flow more from the bosom in which the cold
atmosphere of other days prevail, and former prejudices have
not yet been eradicated, than from the generous impulse of
charity, which compassionates the sinner, weeps over his hope-
less prospects, and yearns with tender solicitude to guide him
in the way of peace and everlasting life. Unfortunately, the
demon of malice has too long paralyzed all efforts in behalf of
the Jews, by such artful insinuations and unscrupulous misre-
presentations; and thousands who fervently pray for the con-
version of the Jews, have doubted in their minds, and ques-
tioned in their hearts, the possibility of the blessing which their
lips implored. The Word of God sanctions no such sentiments,
and warrants no such conclusions; it tells us that Jew and
Gentile are under the curse of God's holy law, and that the
blood of Jesus can alone cleanse, and the Holy Spirit alonc
sanctify the one or the other. And have we not sufficient
occular demonstrations of God's favour and benignity on our
277
A STRONG LIGHT IS LOOMING O'ER THE EAST.
work, to revive our languid emotions, and to dispel our innate
apathy? Come with me, ye lukewarm and doubting, to the
heights of Zion and the sacred hill of Calvary, and behold, on
the very spot where infatuated mortals defied the Lord of life
and glory, whole bands of Hebrews stretching forth their sup-
pliant hands to the Saviour over whom their besotted forefathers
exclaimed "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" Come with me to
the Plain of Shinar, the birth-place of nations, and hear, above
the murmurs of the Euphrates, and the clangour of hostile arms,
a song of deliverance, and an anthem of redemption, far more
glorious than those which described the fall of the sun of the
morning, and the ruin of the golden city! Come with me to
Persia, the land of Cyrus, where calamities the most terrible,
and afflictions the most severe, have been the lot of Israel for
ages; and, amidst the wail of distress and the cry of despair,
the impassionate aspiration greets the ear, "Oh, Jesus! we long
for the advent of the Messiah; and if Thou art indeed the
Christ, raise our drooping spirits, and reveal this faintly-under-
stood truth to our dull and heavy minds! Yea, come with
me, to the East and West, to Asia and Europe, and everywhere
you will behold Rabbinism losing its ground, and Christianity
taking deep root; error disappearing, and truth spreading far
and wide.
دو
In all places, and in all countries, the Jews are emerging out
of the dreary shades of spiritual death, and bursting the prison-
doors of their mental bondage. The system of tradition which,
like a fatal incubus, crushed their faculties and fettered their
intellect, has, in numberless communities, been entirely thrown
off; whilst in others, formerly its strongholds, it is struggling
hard for even a limited and restricted authority. In fact, the
Lord, through the agency of our missions, and by the influence
of His Holy Spirit, is awakening the whole Jewish body from
their leaden slumbers; and thousands who never questioned the
veracity of their creed, or exercised their minds on matters of
faith, are now studying the Sacred Oracles, and, with anxious
solicitude, inquiring after the good old path, which they and
their fathers have so long forsaken.
But, while we have such cheering and encouraging demon-
"
278
LET OUR EFFORTS INCREASE.
strations of God's blessing upon our efforts, let no one rest
satisfied with what has already been achieved. Let the reviving
truth spread where its sounds have not yet been heard; and let
the holy fire be fanned into a flame, where it is already kindled.
God, in his distinguishing mercy, has granted you the honour
to commence this noble work, and now let not want of liberality
and zeal for the Redeemer's glory arrest its progress. In your
expansive charities, let the Jew find a refuge. His past history
appeals to your sense of justice, and his future prospects to your
strongest sympathies. "Lift up then your voices, ye watchmen
on the walls of Zion, lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the
cities of Judah, Behold your King!"
THE END.
APR 15 1915
LONDON Printed at the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, Palestine Place, Bethnal Green.
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vant of Christ-Baptism-The Lord's Supper.
The First Series, price 2s. 6d. cloth, is still on sale.
Third Edition, with Engraving, 1s. 6d. limp cloth; or, with three Engravings, and
in cloth extra, 2s. 6d.,
Poor Paddy's Cabin; or, Slavery in Ireland. By
an Irishman.
"A truly romantic and gratifying story."-Standard.
"From the pen of a learned and able dignitary of the Church."-Morning
Herald.
Its general circulation must be blessed with good fruits."-St. James'
Chronicle.
Fitted to be of great practical utility."-Scottish Guardian.
In small Svo., price 5s. cloth,
A Peep into the Family of Mrs. Delmar: a Book
for me and my Children, on National and Important Subjects. By the Author
of "Obedience the Great Lesson," &c.
"We have much pleasure in thoroughly recommending this book. . . . There
is an excellent union of piety and common sense throughout.”—Sunday School
Quarterly.
In Two thick Volumes, 12mo., price £1 cloth,
The Revelation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ Historically and Critically Interpreted. To which is added, a Chrono-
logical Synopsis, in the form of a Chart. By the Rev. PHILIP GELL, M.A.,
late Rural Dean of Derby.
In 12mo., cloth 1s. 6d. (recently published at 3s.),
Popery and Jesuitism at Rome in the Nineteenth
Century; with Remarks on their Influence in England. By L. DESANCTIS,
D.D., late Parish Priest of the Madellena at Rome, &c., &c.
Divine Love;
M. A. DICKSON.
In small 8vo., price 3s. 6d. cloth,
or, The Man of Sorrows.
By
Memorials of a Beloved Mother: being a Sketch
of the Life of Mrs. Cooper (Sister of the late Rev. Edward Bickersteth). With
a Preface by the Rev. JOHN BICKERSTETH, Rector of Sapcote.
"We trust that this interesting and well-written 'Memorial' will meet with
a large circulation, and are convinced it is well calculated for extensive
usefulness."-Record.
In small 8vo., price 3s. cloth,
Religion in Heart and Life; or, "The Fruit of
the Spirit." By the Rev. F. G. BARTON, M.A., Curate of Ossett, Wakefield.
"A theme of much importance, discussed with much eloquent simplicity.”.
Church and State Gazette.
In 18mo., cloth, price 1s. 6d.,
Job's Testimony to Jesus and the Resurrection of
the Body. By the Rev. FRANCIS TRENCH, Incumbent of St. John's,
Reading.
Reconciliation.
In small 8vo., price 2s. cloth,
By Rev. Egerton D. Hammond,
M.A., Vicar of Northbourne, Kent.
"A most valuable manual for theological students."
Price 4s. cloth,
An Invalid's Pastime: An Offering to the Weep-
ing and Weary.
"Rich in pathos and genuine poetry.
·
We can cordially recommend
it to the weeping and the weary."-Bell's Weekly Messenger.
In 18mo., price 18. 6d. cloth,
The Rugged Path Made Smooth; or, Grammar
Illustrated in Scriptural Truths. By A LADY.
In one vol. post 8vo., price 4s. 6d.,
The Million-Peopled City; or, One-half the Peo-
ple of London made known to the other Half. By Rev. JOHN GARWOOD,
Secretary to the London City Mission.
M.A.,
In 18mo., price 1s. 6d. cloth,
The Christian's Dream at the Foot of Jacob's
Ladder. Being a Display of Man's Ascent from Earth to Heaven. By a
LANCASHIRE CLERGYMAN.
Third Edition, price 2s. 6d. cloth,
The Folded Lamb;
A Memorial of an Infant
Son with Hints on Infant Education. By his MOTHER; with a Preface by
his Father, the Rev. G. A. ROGERS, M.A.
Pocket Companion for a Pilgrim through the
brief space of Life, to the Grand Consummation of all our hopes; even the
appearing of the Great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. With Recommen-
datory Preface, by Rev. T. R. BIRKS, M.A. Limp cloth 18.
Second Edition, with Map of Africa, price 2s.,
Good out of Evil; or, The History of Adjai, the
African Slave Boy; being the Authentic Biography of the Rev. S. Crowther,
Native Missionary in Abbeokuta, West Africa. Edited by the Rev. C. F.
CHILDE, M.A., Principal of the Church Missionary College.
In neat packet, price 4s. 6d.,
Evening Home Circle; or, Social Study in the
Gospel History of our Lord. By E. WILSON.
With Coloured Chart, show-
ing every event in the Gospel History, a Plan of Jerusalem, and a Plan of the
Temple of Jerusalem.
In a neat packet, price 1s.,
Forty-Eight Missionary Stories for Children. By
HARRIET D'OYLY HOWE. Each little book is illustrated by an Engraving.
Childhood's Daily Offerings and the Breathings
of Flowers; consisting of Hymns and Prayers for the Daily Use of Little
Children. In four Parts. By the late Rev. J. LOXLEY, M.A., of Catherine
Hall, Cambridge: and Viear of Barnby-in-the-Willows, Notts. 2s. 6d.
Sunday and the Sabbath; or, the Reasons for
Identifying the Lord's-day of the Apostles with the Sabbath of Moses. By
WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSTONË, м.A., Chaplin of Addiscombe, Author of
"Israel after the Flesh," "An Essay on the Life of Jesus Christ," &c.
1s. 6d.
"A calm and candidly-written book on a subject of infinite importance."-
Bell's Weekly Messenger.
"A candid, impartial, and fairly-reasoned argument on the subject of the
Sabbath Question."-Tait's Magazine.
Israel Hartmann, as Youth, Husband, and Orphan
Schoolmaster; a Biography, from his Diary and Letters. Translated from the
German by Mrs. THOMPSON. With a Prefatory Notice by the Rev. ROBERT
BICKERSTETH, Rector of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, London. 2s. 6d.
The Cottage by the Lake; or, the Wilmer
Family. Translated from the German, by MATILDA WRENCH. Cloth let-
tered, 2s.
The Golden Cord; or, Faith, Hope, and Charity.
By the Rev. W. WELDON CHAMPNEYS, M.A., Rector of Whitechapel,
London; and Canon Residentiary of St. Paul's. 4d.
Little Annie; or, Is Church Time a Happy Time?
With a beautiful coloured Engraving. 18mo., cloth, 1s. 6d.
* The MSS. of this little volume passed under the revision of the late
Rev. E. Bickersteth.
Recently published at 12s. now offered at 7s. In two vols., purple cloth,
with engravings,
The English Martyrology, abridged from Foxe.
By CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH.
In small 8vo. with Engraving of the Church, and Map of the Town, price 3s. 6d.
Cartmel Parish, and Parish Church; with Ser-
mons preached therein. By the Rev. WILLIAM FFOLLÍOTT, A.B., Author
of "The Christian's Dream at the Foot of Jacob's Ladder."
In 8vo. Second Edition, in Four Parts, price 2s. 6d. each,
Thoughts on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, the Saviour of Man. By A LAYMAN (of more than threescore years
and ten.)
Shadows of the Future; or, the Real Antichrist.-
The Destinies of Rome, Constantinople, and Jerusalem.-The World's Confu-
sion, and the Coming Restorer.-With a Notice of certain probable Scriptural
References to Great Britain. By A. M., Oxon. In 8vo., price Fourpence.
JERUSALEM AND THE HOLY LAND;
A COLLECTION OF
Lithographic Views and Native Costumes,
FROM DRAWINGS TAKEN ON THE SPOT.
BY MRS. EWALD.
VIEWS.
1. View of Jerusalem from Mount Olivet
2. A View of Jerusalem from the North-West, with the Mosque of
Omar, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Golgotha, and Pilate's
House
3. Bethlehem and Rachael's Tomb.
4. Hebron and Machpelah
8.
d.
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5. The Valley of Jehoshaphat, with Absolom's Pillar, the Tomb of
St. James, the Tomb of the Prophet Zechariah, and the Jewish 2
Burial Ground
6. The Garden of Gethsemane
7. The Interior of Christ Church on Mount Zion
8. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
9. A View of Samaria
COSTUMES.
1. The Samaritan Priest and his Family, at Nablous
2. A Jew and Jewess, natives of Jerusalem
3. Bedouin Arabs, from the plains of Jordan
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"We cannot tell who this Lady is: but she is an excellent Artist, whose
travels have been turned to good account, so as to become pleasant and profitable to
others as well as to herself. The series of views is of the very highest interest;
they do not present any new features-for the subject has been gone over again and
again, until the Holy Land is better known in England than the English lakes.
But the Lady's pencil has charmingly and very faithfully delineated the more
attractive characteristics of a district dear to every Christian. The themes selected-
such as Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Jehoshaphat-have been judiciously taken for their
picturesque character, as well as for their historic importance; and in this very
charming and unpretending publication we have another valuable contribution to
the rich stores of Art we derive from the East."-The Art Journal.
The whole, neatly bound in Cloth, ornamented, with the History of the Mission
to the Jews, in Jerusalem, from the establishment of the Anglican Bishopric on
Mount Zion to the death of Bishop Alexander; and a description of Judea, and the
Manners, Habits, and Customs of the descendants of Abraham in Palestine. By the
Rev. F. C. EWALD. £2.
The Proceeds will be devoted in assisting poor believing Israelites and Inquirers, in
connexion with the Rev. F. C. Ewald's Mission.
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