April 8.-I proclaimed the Gospel to Mullah Benjamin, and proved to him, that Joseph's history was a type of Jesus of Nazareth. I scarcely ever saw a Rabbi so teachable as Mullah Benjamin. At Balkh are 100 Jewish families, or 500 souls. The rest of the inhabitants of that city are, Tatshik, Osbek, Affghauns, a few Hindoo merchants, a few Nogays from Cassan, and Arabs. Near Balkh are villages entirely inhabited by Arabs, who speak the Arabic language. One of those Arab villages is called Joktan, probably of the Arab tribe Joktan, who still inhabit the country of Hadramawt and Yemen, mentioned in Genesis x. 26. April 9.-I was again visited by Mullah Benjamin, to whom I preached that Jesus was the Son of God. The more I see of this country, the more I am convinced that there is not a more hopeful field for a Missionary than Toorkestaun. The Persian likes to read the Bible, and to converse about religion for the sake of curiosity; but the Turkomauns in the desert, with all their barbarity, and the people of Bokhara, with all their corruption, and the inhabitants of Balkh, like to converse about religion, and to hear of it, from a genuine feeling for religion. The Jews of Balkh, and even the bigotted Yehoodah permitted me to read in the Law of Moses in their synagogue, and to preach to them Christ. AISHAUN KHOJA.* I called on Aishaun Khoja, the Governor of Balkh, who is strictly subject to the King of Bokhara; he is a Sooffee from Bokhara, and a Khoja. This Governor is very often driven out of Balkh by the King of Kondoz, Mohammed Moorad Beyk. Whenever he goes to Akhtsha, a distance of eight English miles from Balkh, he makes every night excursions with his soldiers, until the people of Kondoz are obliged to leave the city of Balkh again. Aishaun Khoja has no nose; he therefore conceals that part of his face with a handkerchief; he was just surrounded by Mullahs, with whom he was reading Jelaal. There was a Nogay Tatar, who was a Mullah by profession, and who came from Cassan; he was well versed in the Russian tongue. As Aishaun Khoja had heard, that I was a believer in Jesus, he desired me to give him the blessing (Fatha). I read instead of it the Sermon on the Mount in the presence of the rest, and he desired Mullah Simha, the Jew, who had accompanied me, to read a portion from the Old Testament to him. BALKH. From Aishaun Khoja, and the rest of the Mullahs, I was informed again, that Balkh had been built by a son of Adam, and that it was first called Hanah, then Halah, then Balakh, and after this, Balkh. Compare Genesis iv. 17, with 2 Kings xvii. 6. Balkh was several times destroyed and built up again; but it never *Khoja; in Persia they call an eunuch Khoja: but in Toorkestaun one of the family of Mohammed is called Khoja. was rebuilt after the great destruction by Tshingis Khan, who destroyed the town, and put to death the inhabitants thereof. Balkh may now contain 10,000 inhabitants. As in Rome, one passes through an extensive tract of ground in the midst of the city, so that he would think himself in the desert, but is still within the town; thus it is within the very walls of Balkh, and then after an hour's ride, one meets with mighty ruins. Before its destruction, it must have been larger than Bokhara. There are some effects of Morecroft still in Aishaun Khoja's hands; and if somebody would go there with letters from the Governor General of India, Aishaun Khoja would be honest enough to deliver them to him. Morecroft's body was carried from Ankhoy to Balkh, and buried there in the sepulchre of the Jews; but the Jews protested against it, and he was taken away and buried separately. I went back to my lodging. Yehoodah Cashi shewed me the Talmud, (the treatise of Berachoth,) in which it is said, that God weeps every night three times, on account of his having destroyed the Temple; which Rabbi Eliezer proves in that treatise by Jeremiah xxv. 30, "The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth." Mullah Yehoodah confessed, that there are stories in the Talmud, which have no common sense. Rabbi Eliezer says in the same treatise of Berachoth, that there are three watches in the night: the first watch is, when the ass brays; the second, when the dog barks; and the third, when the mother suckles her baby. Rabbi Isaac Bar Samuel says in the same treatise, "God roars like a lion, and says, "Woe that I have destroyed my house, and burnt my temple, and sent my children into captivity among the nations of the world!" I found the climate at Balkh very injurious to my health; and both the water and the bread are very unhealthy: the people of Balkh confirm this truth, by looking quite yellow and pale. I determined therefore to leave Balkh immediately without a caravan, and hired a muleteer from Cabool, promising to pay him on my arrival at Cabool. DEPARTURE FROM BALKH. April 10.-I left the Mother of cities, as they call this capital of Bactria, and after three hours arrived at Mazaur, 12 English miles from Balkh. A kind hearted Tatshik, who has been to Mecca, gave a room in his house. He was a relation of the Governor of Mazaur, in whose hands all the property of the companions of Morecroft was deposited. My muleteer, who had been the muleteer of Morecroft, and who asserts, that the whole of that party was poisoned by the Governor of Mazaur, made me promise, that I should not make it known there that I was an Englishman; without which promise, he would not have left Balkh with me. I managed it in the following manner: (for I told my muleteer, that I would not betray myself, although I should speak the truth.) 150 Mazaur, Khoolloom, Hindoo Koosh.-1832. Host. Who are you? Myself. A Christian pilgrim who has been at Jerusalem. M. At Malta; whose inhabitants are descendants of Arabians.* K. Ponsonby Khan. H. How far are you from Constantinople? M. If you go in one of our boats, called steam-boats, you may be there in four days. The Governor of Mazaur is only nominally subject to the King of Bokhara, and is even frequently in alliance with Mohammed Moorad Beyk of Kondoz, MAZAUR. Mazaur contains about 10,000 inhabitants, and is a famous place of pilgrimage. They pretend falsely, and against all Mohammedan history, that Ali, who is here called Shahe Merdaan, (King of men), arrived here from Arabia, riding upon a camel; and soon after becoming ill, he said, "Upon the spot where my camel is standing, there I wish to be buried." He died, and was buried upon the spot where his camel stood. After he was buried, his camel disappeared in the presence of thousands of people. Pilgrims come from Affghanistaun, Cashmeer, Kokan, ShahrSabz, Hindoostaun, Khiva and Bokhara; and abundance of miracles are related as being performed there: such as sick camels becoming healed, barren women becoming fruitful; and impotent men gaining strength. April 12.-I left Mazaur with a caravan for Khoolloom, which is likewise called Tatshgorkhan, or Tashgora; the road towards it from Mazaur is very dangerous; for the people of Mohammed Moorad Beyk attack here generally the caravans. Khoolloom is inhabited by about 8000 Tatshik, and a few Hindoo merchants. It was here, that Mr. Morecroft was taken hold of and carried to Kondoz, where he was obliged to ransom himself with a large sum. The Chief of the Custom-house here is a Hindoo. This day I did not stir out of my room. April 14.-We left Khoolloom, and arrived at a village called Hasrate Sultan. Here is the sublime Indian Caucasus, generally called Hindoo Koosh, a branch of the mighty Himmalayah: one begins to pass between two lofty and mighty walls, over green grass, and along rivulets of clear water. It is 30 English miles from the former place. April 15.-We arrived at Eybak, 24 English miles from Hasrate Sultan. April 16.-We were frightened by a tribe of Kadaghan and Balkhwee, robbers in the mountains, so that we were obliged to hide ourselves in the clefts of the rocks. We arrived near the * Every body knows that Malta is inhabited by descendants of Phenicians. ruined place called Khoram, where we again slept in the clefts of a rock. Here, Tshingis Khan died from the effects of a melon, sent to him from Balkh, in which there was a little pernicious insect. April 17.-We arrived at Rohee, where the Hazarah live in holes and caverns of the rocks, 24 English miles distant from the former place. ARRIVAL AT DOOAB. As my people, namely, one Mohammedan and two Jewish servants, and my muleteers knew, that I had been at Jerusalem, they called me Hadjee, i. e. Pilgrim; and the Mohammedans of Bokhara, the Turkomauns in the desert, and the inhabitants of Mazaur, treat with distinction any Christian or Jewish Hadjee; but the Sheah (followers of Ali) have no regard except for a Mohammedan Hadjee. Arriving at Dooab, I sat down upon the ground; and being asked for my name, I replied, "Hadjee Youssuf:" they desired my blessing, which I gave to them. They then asked my Mohammedan servant, whether I was a Mussulman; he replied, "Yes;" I, on hearing it, said, “No;" then they asked me why I had given them the blessing; I answered, "I am a believer in Jesus Christ, and was respected at Bokhara as a Hadjee, because I was at Jerusalem." The Chief of the place: Now say, God is God, and Mohammed the Prophet of God; else we will kill you. Myself: I am a believer in Jesus. The Chief assembled the Mullahs, who looked into the Koran, and I was sentenced to be burnt alive. I appealed to Mohammed Moorad Beg, and told them that I was an Englishman. Mullahs: Then purchase thy blood. Myself: Then take all I have. And thus they did; they stripped me of every thing, even of my three shirts, and the only bed cover I had with me. Dooab is 16 miles from Roohe. April 19.-We arrived at Matar, 16 E. m. from Dooab. The Emeer* treated me kindly; but knowing me to be a Christian, he desired me to give him brandy; for they always procured brandy from the Armenians of Cabool; but I never had spirits with me, therefore his desire was not satisfied. April 20.-We arrived at Kamard, 12 English miles from Matar, and were hospitably received by the Hazarah Chief, Rehmut Ullah Khan, who literally spends his time as described in Isaiah v. 11, sitting under a tree of roses: he has players on the timbrel around him, and drinks brandy from morning till night. BALKHWEE. A tribe is wandering about in these parts, who are robbers and murderers; they are called Balkhwee, and make this whole road dangerous. Rehmut Ullah Khan is a terror to them; he had three of them going about in irons in his house, who he had taken prisoners. Their religion is not known. They speak a corrupt Persian. As soon as they are taken, they are made slaves. * Emeer is the title which those petty chiefs in the mountains bear. Rehmut Ullah Khan is a tall, stern looking man, without a beard, as is the case with most of the Hazarah, and with all the people of Great and Little Tibet who I have seen. tary to Mohammed Moorad Beyk, and his great friend. He is tribu April 23.—We arrived at Seighan; here I learnt that two English gentlemen had arrived at Peshawr with fifteen servants, who were going to reclaim the property of Mr. Morecroft's party at Mazaur. The Chief of Seighan is only nominally subject to Doost Mohammed Khan of Cabool. He is a robber, but I had nothing with me for him to take. April 23.-We arrived at Soorkhdar, 20 English miles from Seighan. This is the first place belonging to Doost Mohammed Khan of Cabool. April 24.-We arrived at BOOT-BAMIAN, 30 English miles from Seighan; it must have been a large town in former times. There are still idols of stone of an immense height preserved, on which account it is called Boot-Bamian, for Boot is the Persian word for Idol. The country round BootBamian was at this time disturbed; as Doost Mohammed Khan had had of late some dissentions with the Chiefs of the Sheah, being himself a Sunnee. The Governor of this place is a servant of Haje Khan, one of the chief men of Doost Mohammed Khan at Cabool. He gave me two letters, one for the Chief of the village Tobtshee, and the other for the Chief of Kaloo, desiring the latter to assist me in my passage across the snowy mountains. The Governor advised me however, not to inform Yezdoon Bakhsh, a Chief in the mountain, whose territory we had to pass, that I was an Englishman; for as he had declared himself just now a rebel against Doost Mohammed Khan, he would certainly try to extort money from me, as he did from Morecroft, though I was entirely destitute of every thing. We went that same day to Tobtshee, and remained there till April 27. Tobtshee is 12 miles from Boot-Bamian. April 27.-We arrived at Kaloo, where I delivered the letter to the Chief. He tore the letter, cursed my wives and children, and the wives and children of the Governor of Boot-Bamian, and the wives and the slaves and children of Doost Mohammed Khan, and said, "We have sent a deputation to Doost Mohammed Khan; if he grants our request, well; if not, we will stop every caravan, and put in irons every merchant, that passes this road." He however suffered me to continue my journey, and we made as much haste as we could. The reason of the anger of the Chief of Kaloo, was, that the Governor of Boot-Bamian had taken forcible possession of a fort belonging to the Hazarahs, who are in alliance with the inhabitants of Kaloo. April 28.-We arrived in the village of the rebel Chief, Yezdoon Bakhsh, 12 English miles from Kaloo. I was in such a |