to drown it in the bowl. The following morning, these merry mourners remounted their horses, and reached Kermanshah without accident; though the Prince was so intoxicated, that, on arriving at the palace-gate, he fell off his horse into the arms of his attendants, and was by them conveyed to his own apartment in a state of drunken insensibility. Foremost on the list of persons selected by his Highness to assist him in the celebration of these funeral orgies, was the Moolahi Bashee, once his tutor, and now his associate in every species of debauchery. He who as chief of the religion had, in the day, with weeping eyes and melancholy howl, sung the requiem to the soul of the father, was, in the night, administering spiritual consolation to that of the son. He who, in the morning, chaunted verses from that book which inculcates (prohibits) wine as an abomination, was, in the evening, so overcome by its influence, as to be scarcely able to hiccup out the licentious songs of his country. The person from whom we received this information, was likewise one of the party; no other than Suleiman Khan, the chieftain whose grief had attracted my attention at the funeral. We were sitting after dinner in the evening, when this person, in the same "suit of solemn black" as of the preceding day, staggered into the room. Interrupting his relation here and there with an occasional roar of laughter, he described to us those scenes of revelry of which he had been so willing a participator.' vol. ii. pp. 56-60. Before they left Kermanshah, Capt. Keppel, much to his honour, succeeded in repaying the hospitality of his hosts, by bringing about a reconciliation between the two officers, after a challenge had been given and accepted; while Señor Oms, who had basely endeavoured to foment the misunderstanding, was sent to prison. The travelling party then started for Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana. Six miles from Beest-sitoon (Twenty Pillars), they noticed the capitals and bases of some pillars which mark an ancient site, and are conjectured to have given name to the neighbouring town; but want of time forbade a minute examination. The sculptures at Besitoun, (so it is usually written,) are of the highest interest, as no doubt can exist with regard to their remote antiquity. One remarkable bas-relief, which is found in a chasm in the mountain at a great height, from its general resemblance to the sculptures of Persepolis, appears to be coeval with those splendid specimens of ancient art. Sir Robert Porter supposed the subject to allude to the Babylonish captivity. But for the female captive,' says our Author, I should be of the same opinion. In many particulars, the Scripture account of Esther pleading before Ahasue'rus in behalf of her Jewish brethren, is strongly illustrated in this sculpture. His own description of the groupe, however, is at total variance with this fanciful conjecture. At the foot of the mountain is an extensive cemetery, containing many sepulchres of white marble, having inscriptions beautifully cut in the Syriac and Cufic characters. They appear to belong to the era of the Sassanian dynasty. As we took occasion, in our notice of Sir R. K. Porter's volumes, to describe the route to Hamadan*, we must pass over our Author's account of that city and of the Elwund, over which the road passes. We must, however, give insertion to his mention of an incident at Hamadan, which afforded a striking proof of the respect in which the English character is held in that country. Mr. Lamb, wishing to draw a bill upon Bagdad for the sum of one hundred tomauns for our common expenditure, sent a servant into the town, to know whether any of the shraufs (merchants) would be willing to give him money for it. After a short time, a miserable, halfstarved looking wretch made his appearance, and said, he should be willing to advance us any sum we might require. At first, we were in. clined to laugh at his proposal, thinking, from his appearance and garb, that he was more like an object of charity than a lender of money. He soon undeceived us; for, disencumbering himself of a few of his rags, he unstrapped from his body a black leathern belt, and having cut it open, counted out the hundred tomauns in gold. Mr. Lamb wrote a draft, in English, upon a merchant in Bagdad, which this man took in lieu of his money, contenting himself with merely asking the name of the merchant on whom the bill was drawn, and declaring himself to be the party obliged; "for," said he, " if I am robbed, I shall at least be spared this piece of paper." While we were wondering both at his ability to serve us, and his confidence in our honesty, (for we could easily have deceived him,) he said, he had had too many proofs of English probity to entertain any alarm on that head. The Feringhees (Franks) are not so worthy of being trusted, but the Ingreez (Englishmen) have never been known to deceive." Of the Feringhees in general, they are not less distrustful than of their own countrymen; and the Ingreez character was in some danger of being brought into question through the roguery of an American captain; but fortunately, the merchants learned that they were not real English, but Feringhee dooneaine noo, Franks of the New World. The story, with its explanation, rapidly spread; and now, if an Englishman misbehaves, brother Jonathan is the scape-goat, the offender being set down as a Frank of the New World. The high estimation in which our national character is held in Persia, is stated to be not in a small degree owing to the able services and engaging manners of Sir John Malcolm. Perhaps, no man ever employed on a foreign mission, has done * Eclectic Review. Vol. xix. p. 289. VOL. XXVII. N.S. more to exalt the character of his country, than has this distinguished individual. The name of Malcolm is familiar to every one in the countries through which he has travelled, and all persons express the same unbounded respect for his talents and character: his name, indeed, secures kindness for his countrymen throughout Persia.' From Hamadan, our Author and his friend Mr. Hamilton proceeded to Tehraun. Hitherto, they had preserved the English dress; but now, on taking a road less frequented by Europeans, it was deemed advisable to assume the Persian costume. For an account of their presentation to the Attraction of the World and King of Kings,' we must refer our readers to Captain Keppel's volumes. They remained ten days in this capital, and thence proceeded, by way of Casbin, Sultanieh, Zinjaun, and Mæana, to Tabriz. Here the fellow-travellers separated; Mr. Hamilton returning to England by way of Poland and Austria, while our Author took the road to Astrakhan. On crossing the river Arras (Araxes), he entered the Russian territory, and travelling eastward through the province of Shirvan, reached Bakoo, a port on the western shore of the Caspian. Thence, turning northward, he coasted that mediterranean, traversing Daghestan, and the province of Kumuk, to Astrakhan, and entered Europe at the Russian town of Saritzin. On the site of Bakoo (or Badko) once stood a city celebrated, in the times of the Guebres, for its sacred temples, on the altars of which blazed perpetual flames of ignited naphtha. To this place, thousands of pilgrims annually repaired, till the second expedition of the Emperor Heraclius against the Persians at the beginning of the seventh century, when he wintered in the plains of Mogan, and destroyed the temples of the magi. The fire which fed these altars, continues to burn; and Capt. Keppel learned, that at a place sixteen miles N. E. of the town, and of course considerably out of the direct route, a temple is still frequented by pilgrims, who, though not Guebres, pay their adorations to the flame. On ascending a hill near the extremity of the peninsula of Abosharon, he came in sight of the object of his curiosity. Enclosed within a pentagonal The country round is an arid rock. wall, and standing nearly in the centre of the court, is the fire-temple, a small square building, with three steps leading up to it from each face. Three bells of different sizes are suspended from the roof. At each corner is a hollow column, higher than the surrounding buildings, from the top of which issues a bright flame; a large fire of ignited naphtha is burning in the middle of the court, and outside, several places are in flames. The pentagon, which on the outside forms the wall, comprises in the interior nineteen small cells, each inhabited by a devotee. On approaching the temple, I immediately recognized, by the features of the pilgrims, that they were Hindoos, and not Persian fire-worshippers, as I had been taught to expect. Some of them were preparing food. I was much amused at the surprise they showed on hearing me converse in Hindostany. The language they spoke, was so mixed up with the corrupt dialect of the Tartars, that I had some difficulty in understanding them. I dismounted from my horse, and gave it in charge to the cossack, whom they would not allow to enter the temple, giving, somewhat inconsistently, as a reason, that he was an infidel. I followed one of the pilgrims, who first took me into a cell where a Brahmin, for so his thread proclaimed him, was engaged in prayer. The constitutional apathy of the Indian was strongly marked in the reception this man gave me. The appearance of an armed European, it would be supposed, would have alarmed one of his timid caste; he testified, however, neither fear nor surprise, but continued his devotions, with his eyes fixed on the wall, not deigning to honour me with a look, till his prayers were over, when he calmly and civilly bade me welcome to his poor retreat. My first acquaintance and the Brahmin then accompanied me round the other cells, which were whitewashed and remarkably clean. In one of them was the officiating priest of the Viragee caste. This faquir wore only a small cloth round his loins; he held a piece of red silk in his right hand, and wore on his head a cap of tiger's skin: this is, I believe, emblematical of the life of the wearer, who, on leaving the society of man, is supposed to have recourse to the skins of wild beasts for a covering. In a small recess stood a figure of Vishnoo, and near it one of Hunoomaun, ..he Whom India serves, the monkey deity." My acquaintance with their deities seemed to please them much : one of them said, "You know our religion so well, that I need not tell you where you ought, or ought not to go." While I was here, another Viragee came in: he was a stout, well-looking man, with matted locks and shaggy beard, and covered with a coarse camelhair cloth; his body was tattooed all over with the figure of Vishnoo. On entering the temple, he prostrated himself before the image. The priest then put into his hands a small quantity of oil, part of which he swallowed, and rubbed the rest on his hair. This man was once a Sepoy in the Indian army, and had been an orderly to a Colonel Howard in the time of Lord Cornwallis: he was the only man who seemed to have any acquaintance with the English. I was informed, that there is a constant succession of pilgrims, who come from different parts of India, and relieve each other every two or three years in watching the holy flame. This rule does not apply to the Pundit, or Chief, who remains for life. They spoke of their present chief as a man of great learning and piety as they wished me very much to converse with him, I accompanied them to his cell, which was locked: they told me that he was either at prayers or asleep, but no one offered to disturb him. Of the pilgrims present, five were Brahmins, seven Viragees, five Sunapeys, and two Yogees. They spoke favourably of the Russians, but with more rancour against the Mahometans than is usual amongst Hindoos for those of a different persuasion. They said that Nadir Shah treated their predecessors with great cruelty; impaling them, and putting them to several kinds of tortures. All these faquirs were very civil and communicative, with the exception of one Viragee, the severest caste of Indian ascetics: he was quite a Diogenes in his way; and, when asked to accompany me, called out that it was no business of his. Outside the temple is a well: I tasted the water, which was strongly impregnated with naptha. A pilgrim covered this well over with two or three nummuds for five minutes, he then warned every one to go to a distance, and threw in a lighted straw; immediately a large flame issued forth, the noise and appearance of which resembled the explosion of a tumbril. The pilgrims wished me to stay till dark, to see the appearance at night; but the bright prospect of home in the distance got the better of curiosity, and made me hurry forward.' We have no room for any remarks on these besotted Vulcanists; nor do we find fault with our Author, on this occasion, for hurrying forward. Indeed, after all, there is something so respectable and amiable in the strong love of dulce domum, which forms at least an element in the provoking impatience of our gentlemen travellers, when passing through scenes where we wish them, perhaps unreasonably, to linger, and turn landsurveyors, and sappers, and miners, and resurrection-men, to satisfy our learned inquiries and leisurely speculations,-in the case of our Author at least, this patriot passion had so much to do in urging him onward,-that we cordially forgive him for having done nothing more at Babylon. At Astrachan, Capt. Keppel was delighted to recognise English features in a rosycheeked boy who was playing at his father's door. It proved to be the son of the Rev. Mr. Glen, the Scottish Missionary, under whose roof our Author found a hospitable welcome. After their guest had partaken of a slight refreshment, there was a general summons to prayers. The congregation consisted of twenty English persons, including women and children. Psalms were first chanted. One of the missionaries then put forth an eloquent extempore prayer to the Almighty, into which he introduced a thanksgiving for my safe arrival and escape from so many dangers. At no period of my life do I remember to have been impressed with so strong a feeling of devotion as on this evening. Few persons of the same general habits will understand my particular feelings. Few have ever been placed in the same situation under similar circumstances. Quitting countries once the most rich and populous, now the most desolate and lone, fulfilling in |