moral; as for instance, Mecca, Medinah, Kerbelay in Arabia, Mazaur in Toorkestaun, and Meshed in Khorossaun. It is generally reported, that from the wives of the Mujtehed, down to those of the lowest Mullahs, are all prostitutes; but crimes much worse are committed at Meshed.

The people there are so corrupt, that several of them are regularly paid by the Turkomauns, for giving them notice when caravans are coming, which they may attack and plunder: some of them actually betray their servants and children to the Turkomauns, so that when I wanted to take a Sheah, at Meshed, to accompany me as a servant to Toorkestaun, Mr. Shee and Mirza Baba were obliged to pledge themselves that they would ransom him, if I were to sell him.

Men cannot save themselves: the work of salvation must be carried on in them by the Lord alone: hence, it is not to be wondered at, that a system of will-worship, proceeding upon principles directly opposite to the Gospel, should be accompanied by a more intense degree of moral darkness; whether in a corrupt Church, or in such an heretical apostacy, as that of Mohammed.*

KERBELAY MOWRWAREE.

A few days before my departure from Meshed, I made the acquaintance of Kerbelay Mowrwaree, a very respectable merchant, who trades to Bokhara; he lived at Bokhara, had left his wife there, and was then himself residing at Meshed. Any European, who would wish to go to Bokhara, via Meshed, should be recommended to this merchant.

Jew Nisim came to meet me there; he has been at Khiva, Astrachan, Capusta, and Leipsic, to which places he frequently goes, to bring Bibles and rabbinical books to Meshed. He had brought the Hebrew New Testament, in which the name of Mr. Macpherson was written, who was formerly missionary in Astrachan, and after this at Alexandria in Egypt. Nisim is a complete infidel in sentiments: at Meshed he is a Mussulman, and a Jew at Sarakhs, Khiva, and on his journeys to Europe. He gives a very bad account of the Jews of Khiva, which account I heard confirmed all over Toorkestaun; they are traitors, despisers of the Law, have Mussulman concubines, and rob foreign Jews, who go among them. The Jews of Khiva are called Mamserim, i. e. bastards, even by those of Bokhara, as Nisim assures me; for all of them left Bokhara on account of their ill conduct.

A conversation about the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ took place, when suddenly one of the Mullahs exclaimed, "There is no God!" He said this, in order to provoke me to an argument about it; but I replied, "The fool saith in his heart, there is no God."

Kerbelay Mowrwaree then said to me, "You are now my friend, and have eaten bread and salt with me; let me therefore advise you not to go to Bokhara; for at Bokhara they are Haram Zadah, (Sons of bastards,) who are capable of killing you." I replied, "When people advised Paul not to go to Jerusalem, he replied, that he was

ready to die at Jerusalem." My friend replied, "Now I cannot answer any thing."

COURT OF ABBAS MIRZA AT MESHED.

The following personages have accompanied Abbas Mirza to Meshed.

1. Mirza Abool Kasem, Kayem Makaam of Abbas Mirza; he is the son of Mirza Buzurk, the former Kayem Makaam of Abbas Mirza, who wrote a book against Henry Martyn. Mirza Abool Kasem is considered to be a great poet; and when he was in disgrace with Abbas Mirza, and not employed during the late war with Russia, he wrote a satirical poem, in which he said of the Persian army:

2. Mohammed Hussein Khan, the Ishk Agase, or Master of Ceremonies, asked me if I could tell him, whether he would become exalted in dignity, and whether his life would be prolonged. I confessed my ignorance as to these matters, but told him, that he would he highly honoured by his Prince and the people, if he acted justly and with uprightness.

3. Mirza Moosa Khan, Vizier, very much devoted to his religion.

4. Mirza Sadek, Nayebe Vizier, or Vice Vizier.

5. Yahyah Khan, Golam Agase, the Master of the Horses; a most immoral person.

6. Mirza Baba, Hakeem Bashee, Chief Physician: he has studied medicine in London, and is the confidential adviser of Abbas Mirza.

7. Mirza Baker, Monshee Bashee, Chief Secretary of State; and sixteen other gentlemen.

ABBAS MIRZA'S SPEECH TO THE TURKOMAUNS.

The deputies of the Turkomauns from the countries around the Caspian sea, and those of Sarakhs and Khiva, came to Meshed, to promise Abbas Mirza, that they would desist from their practice of Tshapow (plundering expeditions). They were standing in the court-yard, opposite to the window of the room in which Abbas Mirza was seated. They were previously dressed with the Khelat, or robe of honour, by His Royal Highness, consisting of a purple robe. He reminded them, that there were many Sunnees in his country, especially in Aderbijan, and throughout Persia, who enjoyed complete protection under his government, and none of

* Gorgeen is a famous coward among the Persians.

+ Mirza Abool Kasem has since been put to death by the present King of Persia-Mahmood.

them had ever been made slaves. He further reminded them, that the Sheah believed in the Koran as well as themselves, and performed their pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina, and that it was therefore very unjust of the King of Bokhara, and the Khan of Khiva, to encourage the Turkomauns to make slaves of the Persians; that he (His Royal Highness) had the best understanding with the Sultan of Constantinople, who was a Sunnee, with the Emperor of Russia, and with England; therefore he would first send Ambassadors to Bokhara and Khiva, and if those two Chiefs come to his terms, well; if not, he will bring fire and sword with his army to both places. The Turkomauns on their side promised not to enter Khorossaun any more for the purpose of making slaves, and agreed to receive at Sarakhs one of the agents of Abbas Mirza, who may ascertain whether they keep their word or not. Whilst they were agreeing to these points, a party of Turkomauns came to the very gate of Meshed, and carried away six slaves. Yahyah Khan was sent after them with horsemen, and accompanied by some of the Turkomaun deputies, who led Yahyah Khan on purpose another road, so that they did not meet with the Turkomaun party.

CONDUCT OF THE KHANS OF KHOROSSAUN DURING THE PRESENCE OF ABBAS MIRZA.

Yellantoosh Khan of Nadir Kelaat, Mohammed Khan of Tsholaye, and several other Khans, came to Meshed, to prove their submission to Abbas Mirza. Mohammed Ishak Khan Kerahe of Torbad Hydarea, Resa Koole Khan of Cochan, and Nujuf Ali Khan of Bujnurd, wrote that they would come; but carried on at the same time, (as the Jews, who had good information, told me,) a secret correspondence with the Kings of Khiva and Bokhara. Assaad Ullah Khan of Burjund wrote, that he would come, as did also the Khan of Tabas. Mohammed Takee Khan of Toorsheesh openly resisted, but his fortress was taken, and he himself made prisoner.

AMBASSADOR TO HERAUT.

Abbas Mirza having heard, that Shah Kamran of Heraut had written to the Kings of Bokhara and Khiva, persuading them, that Abbas Mirza had come to take vengeance on all the Sunnees, sent Mirza Mohammed Ali, as Ambassador to Heraut, to bring Shah Kamran to terms. Whilst all this was going on, I prepared for my

DEPARTURE FROM MESHED.

His Royal Highness Abbas Mirza sent for the sixteen deputies of the Turkomauns from Sarakhs, and desired them to give their signatures, by which they would be pledged to bring me safely to Bokhara, by the way of Sarakhs; which signature they gave. It is very remarkable that semi-barbarous nations have a great superstition respecting signatures; they believe, that having once given their word in writing, they have consigned a certain magic power to that person in whose possession it is.

This belief is current among Jews, Mohammedans, Guebres, Hindoos, and many of the Oriental Christians; and therefore I was frequently accused by the Jews of Jerusalem, and even lately by a Jew at Malta, of having desired their signatures, for the purpose of making them Christians.

As it was, the Turkomauns stroked their beards, gave their signatures, and promised His Royal Highness to bring me safely to Bokhara.

Capt. Shee, Mirza Baba, and the five English Serjeants, accompanied me out of the town of Meshed. I was also escorted by Goolitsh Mohammed Khan, a Turkomaun of the Yamoot tribe,who was sent by Abbas Mirza to Sarakhs, for the purpose of observing the movements of the Turkomauns there. I left Meshed on January 29.

We arrived that evening at Goskoon,* belonging to Doost Mohammed Khan Timoore; sixteen miles from Meshed.

Jan. 30.-We slept near a village, called Mastroon, 32 English miles from the former place.

Jan. 31.-We passed a fort belonging to Khorossaun, called Karawl, which means 'Guard;' for a guard of observation is placed there, to watch the movements of the Turkomauns. Here is the boundary of Khorossaun.

In the evening we slept in an open field, with shepherds from Sarakhs. Here I met with the first Guzl-Bash slave, who kept the flock of one of the Turkomaun families of Sarakhs; he was born at Burjund.

February 1.-Arrived at Sarakhs in Toorkestaun.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF SARAKHS.

Before I begin to speak of my reception at Sarakhs, I must give a short sketch of the sayings of the Turkomauns there, respecting the origin of Sarakhs. They relate that Adam, who had lived his last days at Balkh, came every day from Balkh to this place, for the purpose of sowing seed; and sowing is in Arabic, zara; hence the name of Zaraghs: but others give a more reasonable derivation of the name of Sarakhs: they derive it from the Arabic sarak, to steal; for it is the centre of stealing slaves, from the Guzl-Bash and Russians.

SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SARAKHS.

Coming from Khorossaun to Sarakhs, about 4 miles from the latter place, a river must be crossed, over which a bridge is built. On the east of Sarakhs, an old ruined fort, called Kalaa, is observable, in which there is only one cannon to be found, of which the Turkomauns do not understand the use. Near this fort, the reed

This place is partly inhabited by Sheah, partly by Sunnee; but both were in good understanding with the Turkomauns, before the arrival of Abbas Mirza in Khorossaun.

The Persians are generally so called by the Turkomauns; the word signifies 'Red head.'

tents of the Turkomauns are pitched, which they can remove to any part of the desert. There are at Sarakhs nine small RoodKhoone, or beds of rivers, and near every one of these, 200 families of Turkomauns are residing, so that there are 1800 families of Turkomauns: say, Turkomauns, 1800; Timoore, partly Sheah, and partly connected with the Turkomauns in slave trade, 100; Hazarah, 200: Gulz-Bash slaves, 200 families, or 1000 souls; and two Russian slaves with their families. One of those Russian slaves is 90 years of age, and was taken on his way to Bokhara, fifty years ago. Yellantoosh Khan of Nadir Kelaat, one day in unison with Resa Koole Khan of Cochan, went with an army of Khorossaun people to Sarakhs, for the purpose of taking possession of it; they crossed the river safely, and on their arrival at Sarakhs, found several horses and camels, which the Turkomauns were not able to take with them on their flight through the desert. Yellantoosh Khan and Resa Koole Khan intended to return with their spoil to Khorossaun, when they found the bridge by which they had passed the river, broken down; and at the same moment, the Turkomauns coming up on horseback, massacreed the Khorossaun army. Resa Koole Khan saved himself by swimming, but Yellantoosh Khan was made prisoner, and was obliged to restore 60 Turkomauns, which he had kept as prisoners at Nadir Kelaat, beside surrendering all the horses he had taken from the Turkomauns, and paying a great sum of money for his ransom.

Before we entered the camp of Sarakhs, (for it cannot be called a city) we perceived suddenly about 10 Turkomauns coming to meet us: they were of Sarakhs. Goolitsh Mohammed Khan went to them; they put mutually their hands together, and exclaimed, "Amman," Safety!

Ballee, one of the Aga Sakal, or Lords with the white beards* came out, and brought us to his tents: and thus we were the Mehmoon, i. e. Guests, of one of the Turkomauns; and as soon as one is declared Mehmoon of one of the Turkomauns, there is no longer any danger in travelling among them. All the Aga Sakal, or Lords of the beards, came to see me; for I had been strongly recommended to them by Abbas Mirza: they promised me their assistance in going to Bokhara. Many of the Turkomauns at Sarakhs, who had seen me, when in slavery at Torbad, came out to welcome me.

JEWS AT SARAKHS.

Before I speak more in detail of the Turkomauns, I must be allowed to speak of the state of the Jews at Sarakhs; since both there and elsewhere, they have been the chief object and motive of my pilgrimage in these deserts, and of my wanderings in the waste howling wilderness of Toorkestaun: for the purpose of reminding thee, my brother, of the promises given to our ancestors,

* Aga Sakal, i. e. Lords with the white beard; these are the only superiors whom the Turkomauns admit, i. e. their Elders. In the Persian tongue they are called either Ked Khoda, or Reesh Safeed, i. e. White beard, which title is the same as the Arabic Sheikh.