was now drawn up on one side for repairs. We were therefore compelled to trust to rafts made, like those on the Zab and Tigris, of inflated goat-skins, supporting a platform of osier work. That to which we committed ourselves was small and rickety, and the current, which here comes round a bend, was rapid and furious, rushing and boiling in eddies. It seemed a hazardous task, as the little raft plunged into the current, and was carried violently down, and then rushed up again, turning and twisting in the eddies, as if it were going down in a young Maelstrom; but we got safely over. The postilion from Zakho was prudent enough to keep the horses on the other side. I sat upon the bank where we landed, for an hour, broiling in the hot sun, while the servant went to deliver my letter for the Bey, and find a lodging-place. The Bey was absent in the mountains, but his deputy read the letter, and ordered lodgings to be provided in the house of a Chaldean, who, finding me to be a Christian, gave me a truly Christian reception, and treated me with the same kindness as if I had been an invited guest. He was a young man lately married, and it was pleasant to see his sprightly little wife moving actively about in her household duties, and doing every thing in her power to make me comfortable. She wore no veil. Her fair and youthful face was beaming with good-humor and happiness. She conversed freely with her husband, and, like a modest matron, made him the medium of communication with her guest. I was attracted by the scene, which brought faintly to my mind images of home and social delights, and the converse of friends gliding softly into my mind like the recollections of a dream, and almost making me doubt, by their pleasantness, whether they had ever been real. I was beguiled to spend the rest of the day with them, although my intention had been otherwise when I reached the town. I felt, moreover, the need of repose from the heat of the sun, and hoped to make a few inquiries in the town. Above all,

there was no post-establishment in the place, and I could obtain no horses for my journey through the Tour mountains.

After an hour's repose I went abroad to see the town, my host accompanying me as guide. I had already been struck by its ruinous appearance on entering, and the impression was not removed by a closer survey. It was in truth a melancholy mass of ruins, amidst which a house was here and there left standing, rather than a town with here and there a ruined building. There was a low wall around it, and on the river-side a citadel in ruins, where I observed nothing worthy of note excepting the figures of two lions over the gateway. The town contains 200 families, of which 50 are Chaldean and Syrian Papists, (the two forming one community and worshipping in the same Church,) 12 Syrian, and a solitary Armenian, who worships with the Syrians. There is a Chaldean Bishop who came a year ago from Bagdad, and had now been absent two and a half months. His flock asked me whether I knew what had become of him. From the description I judged him to be the same that I had seen at Diabekir, and thought it not improper to inform his people where their Bishop was. They seemed relieved by the information. There are 15 Chaldean villages in the district of which Jezireh is the capital, and others partly Chaldean. Some of them are large, containing 100 families or more, others are insignificant. The whole Chaldean population of Jezireh may be reckoned at 1000 families, or about 5000 souls.

There are also in the same district about the same number of Nestorian villages, and probably about the same population. These, as I have said, are a remnant of the Church of Mar Elias, who have not yet learned to call themselves Catoleek. The people informed me that they have a Patriarch of their own at a place called Kilisseh' in Jebel Judi,

1 The Turkish for Church, a corruption of the Greek, 'Exkλnoía.

two hours from Jezireh; but from the description, I judged him to be the old Nestorian Bishop, formerly Bishop of Jezireh, who retired into the mountains upon the defection of his Church, and is the only Bishop of the Church of Mar Elias who has not acknowledged the Pope.

Jezireh is also the see of a Syrian Bishop, who is now resident at Azik in the Tour Mountains, six and a half hours from the town. The district contains, so far as I could learn, 13 Syrian villages, but I have some reason to believe that the number was understated. I was told, moreover, that the last year a Papal Syrian priest from Bagdad had gone among these villages, and succeeded in making seven of them Catoleek, not by preaching to them the Catholic faith, but by showing them the temporal advantages of acknowledging the Pope. This, says a Syrian Bishop to me, is not Catoleek (Catholic) but Keutuluk.' I believe, however, that the story is exaggerated, so far as regards the success of the mission, although it is true that such a mission was undertaken. It is not a rare thing for the poor uninstructed people hereabout to allow themselves to be called Catoleek for a trifling compensation, and to turn back again as soon as the money is exhausted. If it is melancholy to see men thus disposing of their religion by sale and barter, how much greater is their sin who, better taught as they are, can use such means for extending their boasted and exclusive Catholicity. If it is the Catholic faith which they sell, is this faith a gift to be purchased with money? If it is, as I believe, the name only, with a temporal advantage attached to it, it is still an awful trifling with a sacred thing. In either case, and with no evil feelings, we desire that they may repent of this their wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of their heart may be forgiven. them. Acts viii. 18-24.

1 Keutuluk-a Turkish word, meaning vileness, badness.

CHAPTER XV.

Troubles in the Tour Dagh.-Change of Route.-The Churches of Jezireh. The Chaldean Church.-Conversation with the Priest.-His Idea of the English Church.-Romish Falsehoods.-The Church.-Its Interior. Quarrel in the Church-yard.-The Syrian Church.—Its School. On the Mode of Circulating the Holy Scriptures.-Evening Prayers.-Talk in the Evening on Oppression and Proselytism.-Departure from Jezireh.-Death of a Missionary in the Desert.-Kargo. -Haznaour.-The Syrians of the Desert.-The Bigamist.-His Excommunication.-Tediousness of Travelling over a Desert.-The Church of St. James at Nisibis.-Dara.-Its Ancient State.-Survey of its Ruins Its Inhabitants.-Road to Kherin.-Ancient Tombs.-Reception at Kherin.-The Value of Selfish Friendship.-Departure.— Sight of Der Zafran.-Its Position.-Arrival at its Gate.

JUNE 26. Intended to have left to day, but morning came, and there were no horses. I thought the Deputy Governor had been inattentive to my wants, and instead of a present which I had prepared for him, I sent him the Sultan's firman. It had the desired effect of making him active. He sent hither and thither for horses, but none were to be had. There were many in the town, and two caravans were ready to depart, but none of the muleteers were willing to take the mountain road. I had come to Jezireh with no other purpose than that of going through the length of Tour Dagh, which would carry me through the heart of the Syrian country. But a story was abroad that the Kurds, who inhabit a part of the range, were in rebellion against the Pasha of Mossoul. Some had been taken prisoners by the

Governor of Mardin, and the whole population were in an excited and dangerous state. But this I thought an insufficient obstacle, partly because I did not believe the story, and partly because the object seemed an important one. I offered, therefore, a considerable sum in addition to the regular price for horses, to any one who would accompany me. One at length came and made a bargain, and went away to bring the animals, but I never saw him again. The Governor offered to send to the villages and seize horses, and compel some one to accompany me. But this I did not like. It was worse than sacrificing my own wishes. I sacrificed them, therefore, and immediately formed another and better plan for accomplishing the same object at a later day. The story afterwards proved true, and for a wonder the circumstances attending the rebellion were of a more aggravated character than the rumor itself. It is often hard to submit, and sometimes we can see no way in which the disappointment can be otherwise than an injury ; but as events develope themselves, we behold what we most deprecated to have been really the best for ourselves and for the glory of God.

I was occupied most of the day in these negotiations, acting through others, as the heat was too great to allow of my going abroad. Three hours before sunset the business was settled, and I went out with my host to see the Churches. There are two in the town, one Syrian, and one Chaldean. We went to the last mentioned first. My host finding the Church door locked, went to the house of the priest, which was close by, for the key, and I followed him in. The priest, a man of about thirty-five, was sitting in an outer apartment looking upon the court, on the side opposite to the house. He was nearly undressed, on account of the heat, and sat reading an Arabic book when we entered. Another in Arabic and a third in Chaldaic lay by his side