occasions, they cross themselves; with this difference only from the Christians of Mesopotamia, that they fold their hands, raising only the middle fingers, which they place one against the other. When they drink red wine, they raise the glass with both hands: asserting, that the wine is the blood of Christ, and if a drop of it falls upon the ground, they lick it up with their tongues. They are very hospitable, and have a great veneration for the Devil, to whom they pray once a year in the night time; which night is called "Lailat Almehya," or Night of Life. They call him Sagheer, i. e. the "Little One," or "Little God;" at enmity with God now, but who will be restored to his former dignity and honour. If any person draws a circle round a Yeseedee, he will remain in it till he dies, unless some one erases it.* They lament their dead forty days, sitting all that time on the ground. In commemoration of the three days of repentance of the Ninevites, they sit three days on the ground, and even deny suck to their infants during that time. They believe, that after death the soul enters the body of another; they therefore kill people with little scruple. Hussein Tamboolan is their great Prince upon the mountain of Sanjaar, between Mardeen and Mosool, in Mesopotamia, and Ali in the city of Baatri, near Mosool. They dance every year around the ruins of ancient Babylon, and thus is fulfilled the prophecy, that people belonging to the Devil, (in the English version translated Satyrs) y, in Arabic, Witch or Magician, shall dance there! Isaiah xiii. 21.

Near Utsh-Kelesea and Bayazid are two convents: their names are Mezob Astwaz-Azin, and Tatus Arakel, the burial place of the Apostle Thadeus. At Utsh-Kelesea, the river Euphrates flows; the name of the river in Turkish is Murad. Being very unwell, I took with me an Armenian Priest to Tabreez.

PERSIAN SETTLEMENTS.

I met with Persian settlements all round Bayazid; for many.of the Persians, who inhabited Erivan, left that town as soon as it was taken by the Russians.

June 24.-I left Utsh-Kelesea, and arrived at Bayazid, (in Armenian called Tarusnek, or Kokowid.) It is a Pashalick of two Tails; the office is hereditary. Balool, the present Pasha, resides in a most splendid edifice, built by his grandfather; he was very kind to me; but his power is very limited, being surrounded by a rebellious tribe of Curds. Previous to the emigration, there were 10,000 Armenians here: at present there are not 150 families. There are two Priests, very illiterate, and the Armenians themselves are of the lowest description.

June 25.-I had informed Sir John Campbell of the ill state of my health, when I set out for Astara, near Tabreez, with my Armenian Priest, and a soldier of the Pasha. As it began to rain, we stopt in the tents of the Curds, Gozi-Kara, where I met with

* This latter observation is found in the book of Artemis.

an old Dervish from Bokhara, who spoke Persian, so that, by divine assistance, I was enabled to preach to him the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was by far the most intelligent Dervish I ever met with; I spoke with him on the subject of prayer. The following is the substance of our conversation.

Dervish. Whilst I am speaking with you, I am in the presence of God. God created the light, of which he formed the angels, and the heavens, and the earth, paradise and hell. Of that light he created the light of the Prophets, of the light of the Prophets he created the light of the Dervishes, and of the light of the Dervishes he created the light of Islam, and of that of Islam he created the light of the Kufar, i. e. Christians, Jews and Pagans. Myself. What will become of this world?

D. The world will become so good, that the lamb and the wolf shall feed together, and there shall be general peace and fear of God upon the earth; there shall be no controversy about religion, all shall know God truly; there shall be no hatred.

M. Who then shall govern upon earth?

D. Jesus.

M. How many years shall Jesus be King?
D. Thirty-six years.

M. How do you know this?

D. From the Hadees (traditional accounts.)

M. What do you think of Christians?

D. If you wish to have the sentiments of the Koran, they are infidels. If you wish to have my own opinion, I can only say, that we are all images of God; more I cannot tell you!

M. Who was the first Dervish?

D. Mohammed Abd-al-Ali.

He continued, “Khaikus Avdal, a Dervish, wrote a book, in which he said, 'Know thyself, and thou wilt know God.'" I asked his opinion concerning those Dervishes who go about playing the fool, and are called Loote. He replied, "Some of them are drunk with the love of God, others are imposters."

There are two extremes of opinion, prevailing among the divines and philosophers of Europe: some assert, that no light whatever is to be found among people, who are not Christians. This is certainly not the case. Others again, like the mystical Philosophers of Germany, imagine, that more light is to be found among the Soffees and Dervishes of Persia, than even in our Sacred Writings; which is a grievous error. But one thing is certain, that more light is to be found among Dervishes, than among the most learned Neologists and infidels in Europe.

June 26.-I arrived at Awajik, which is in the Persian territory, belonging to Jaafar Khan, who had left Erivan when the Russians took possession of it. We stopt a few hours, and then rode on to the tents of the Curd, Sharaf Oglu Kasem Sultan, who, in order to get rid of us, told us we had only three hours to Karainé. We left that inhospitable Curd, and went on towards Karainé; but as that place was eighteen miles distant, we stopt at Agha Deeza, in

the house of a poor Armenian, who had fled from Wan, (called in Armenian, Dosp) on account of the tyranny of Tamur Pasha, in order to settle at Erivan; but on arriving on Persian territory, he was stopt, and ordered to settle there. Poor disappointed people! Before the war with the Russians, three hundred families of Persians resided in this place, now there are only three families.

NERSES OF TIFLIS.

I was informed that the amiable Archbishop Nerses, the greatest man of the Armenian nation, and the founder of an Armenian Academy at Tiflis, had been exiled to Bessarabia.

A Protestant missionary of liberal sentiments, must have observed in Archbishop Nerses, a man as full of the spirit of the Gospel, as any Protestant clergyman in England. In the schools established by him, religious instruction was introduced. How often did the dear man, eight years ago, tell me, "My great object is, to revive among my countrymen the spirit of Gregory Lusaworitsh." He did not cant on the subject of religion, he was truly in earnest.

June 27.-We arrived at Karainé, and went to Ali Sheikh, where we lodged again with Armenians.

June 29.-We met with an Armenian caravan; they were well informed people. They repeated to me the history I had often heard, of the conversion of their King Turtat, by Gregory Lusaworitsh, in the third century. Turtat died at Erzingan, called in Armenian, Turan Aghe, and was buried at Hokoz-Wank, near Wan, in the province of Hawaz-Zor.

The Apostle Bartholomew is buried at Albak, (called in Armenian, Arebanos) near Salmast.

The Apostle Thadeus is buried at Tatus Arakel, near Shawarshan, (in Turkish, Babajuk) near Karainé, ten hours from Khoy. Hayk, the son of Togarmah, mentioned in Genesis x. was the founder of the Armenian nation, and is buried at Hark, near Manasgerd and Moosh. I proclaimed Jesus Christ to the soldier who accompanied me from Bayazid. The Armenian Priest got bold, and spoke to the soldier about the letter, which Abgar, King of Orfa, wrote to our Lord Jesus Christ, and said that our Lord sent his picture to Abgar.

ARRIVAL AT KHOY.

June 29.-We arrived at Khoy, inhabited by twenty thousands of Persians and Turks. Most of the Armenians who were here, are gone to Erivan, and those who remained behind have ceased to be hospitable, as they are no longer oppressed by the Persians, for fear of their removing to Erivan. We met with very unkind treatment; a drunken Armenian actually flogged our Wardapet, (Priest) and tore out his beard. I asked for a little rice boiled in water, which they refused to let me have even for money, saying, that they were now no longer afraid of the Persians. Slaves suddenly freed, will generally act in this manner: I found it to be the

case with the Armenians at New Nakhtshawan in Russia, and the Greeks in the Krimea, when I travelled in those countries.

VISIT TO THE PRINCE OF KHOY.

I called on His Royal Highness, the Prince Governor of Khoy, Jehaan Geer Zadah. He is the son of Abbas Mirza. He himself, and those of his Court knew me, when I travelled in Persia and Oormia. Mirza Reza, a Persian, who has been at Woolwich, gave me a lodging in his house, and invited all the principal Mulluhs and Courtiers to meet me. I had the following conversation with one of the Mullahs, whose name was Hussein. Mullah. Are you an Isawee (Christian)?

I. By the grace of God.

M. And I am a Mussulman, by the grace of God.

I. Prove to me your religion to be true.

M. My religion is founded on the four books, viz. the Bible, the Gospel, the Psalter of David, and the Koran.

I. I deny that your religion is founded on the three first mentioned books.

M. Do you call Jesus the Son of God?

I. Ido; for the Bible and the Gospel call him thus.

M. We are all sons of God.

I. Then you admit that the word Son may have different meanings. Jesus is called the Son of God, for the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily.

M. How can he be God, and the Son of God?

I. He is God from eternity; as regarding the Divinity being united to humanity, he is the Son of God; but how it is, I cannot explain, but believe it on the authority of Divine Revelation, which cannot err.

There were present at this discussion, Haje Hatem Khan, Khoda Dad Goorgestane, and Haje Fateh Ali Beyk.

At this place I was informed, that at Oormia the plague was raging. I had visited Oormia six years before, and conversed with Nestorians, Jews and Persians.

SOLEIMAN PASHA.

Soleiman Pasha, a relation of the King of Persia, called on me; he is well acquainted with the New Testament, and is a Farmason (Freemason); he said that Freemasonry was to be found in the fourth chapter of the Revelations of St. John.

The death of Hussein, the son of Ali, who was killed by Yazid, the son of Moawia, is commemorated this month by all the Persians, who bear his name: all those who are called Hussein, put on mourning.

July 3.-A taht-ruan* of Mr. M'Neill's arrived, to take me to

* Taht-ruan is a kind of chair carried by horses. Taht, a chair; ruan, walking.

Tabreez, with the following letters of Sir John Campbell and Dr. M'Neill.

My dear sir,

I have this morning had the pleasure to receive your letter of the 24th instant, by my Gholam; and whilst I regret your serious indisposition, fondly cherish a hope, that it may with care and attention have decreased, if not altogether vanished.

Our carriage we have not here, owing to the badness of the roads, which will not admit of the passage of a wheel conveyance to our present encampment, where we have been obliged to resort from the prevalence of plague in the city of Tabreez. Mrs. Campbell's Taht-ruan is also built upon a principle new in these parts; Mr. M'Neill therefore sends you his, to which I have attached two of my mules, with two spare ones in case of accidents. His servant also, Ali Mohammed, will accompany it, as he understands the country, and speaks a little English, and from his practice in pharmacy, is well calculated to administer certain sedatives, which may be of benefit to you, and with which he is provided with instructions regarding them. Ali Mohammed will also deliver to you twenty ducats under seal; your letter only states ten tomauns, but the Gholam mentions 20 ducats. Should any accident have befallen your funds, before your arrival at Khoy, and that the present supply should not prove sufficient, any merchant will furnish you with what may be required, for a draft upon me.

In the hope that your melancholy forebodings may prove imaginary, and that we may soon have the pleasure of seeing you here, where a tent will be ready for your reception,

Camp at Astara,

June 29th 1831.

Believe me, my dear sir,
Yours truly,

JOHN CAMPBELL.

P. S. The Taht starts early to-morrow morning, and Ali Mohammed is directed to bring you straight here, instead of going by Tabreez, which in the present state of sickness there, would not be prudent.

My dear Wolff,

Camp near Tabreez, June 29, 1831.

I this morning received your letter from the vicinity of Bayazeed, and was much shocked and distressed to find that you were so unwell; I trust however that your ailments are not so very serious as you seem to apprehend, and that we shall soon have the great pleasure of seeing you amongst us. Mrs. Campbell is in a state of health so delicate, as to make it impossible for me to leave her at present; and as the plague prevails at this moment in Tabreez, Cormick is fully occupied in attending to his professional duties, with the Prince Royal's family. Neither of us, therefore, could abandon our posts without a dereliction of public duty. The serjeants are employed with the Prince's army at Kerman, and there is no Englishman available, who could be of any use to you. I have therefore sent my confidential servant, Ali Mohammed, who