relative situations of all the uncalculated positions in the same and surrounding regions.

It was on the 14th of May, 1821, that Mr. Fraser sailed from Bombay, for the Persian Gulf. The voyage was not altogether destitute of casualties. An alarm of fire produced some singular exhibitions of character, through all the varieties of passive listlessness, awkward restlessness, and effective activity. There was an old moollah who had been confined to his bed by indisposition, who now managed to leave his berth, and seat himself, gaunt and immoveable like a reanimated 'corpse,' on a bale of goods in the steerage. He had been the first to perceive the smell of fire, and he had given due notice to several individuals who had passed near him. Unfortunately, the old gentleman's enunciation was so deliberate as to be completely distanced by the movements of his hearers; and it was amusing to hear him, when the fire had been subdued, take credit to himself for his prompt discovery and for his persevering efforts to put the crew on the alert. On another occasion, after rounding Cape Raus ul Hud, (the Rasalgate of sailors,) the trade-wind failing, the vessel was caught in an indraught, and narrowly escaped going on shore. A very striking scene of contrasted energy and helplessness ensued.

Failing equally in our attempts to wear or stay, we drifted shorewards, right down upon an Arab buggalow, becalmed and helpless like ourselves, and at anchor off the entrance of the creek. Our vessel having little way, the collision did no material harm; but it was not till after two anchors were let go, that the best bower brought us up within two ships' length of the rocks: it was fortunately calm; but, as the least breeze would have probably proved our destruction, we sent on board the buggalow to request that they would move into deep water, and send a line to warp us out. Some of the officers were fortunately recognised by the Arabs, who readily promised their assistance; and though some on board had at first thought proper to express their contempt at the vessel and her crew, their opinions were rapidly changed into admiration at the energy and skill with which this aid was afforded: their huge boat was tossed overboard in a moment, as if by magic, without the aid of tackles, and manned by fifteen or twenty stout fellows, who sprang overboard into the water, as the quickest way to reach her. Their two large anchors were spliced together, and, with all the cables they had, stowed in the boat with equal celerity. They next rowed off to sea, dropped the double anchor, and returned to meet our jolly-boat, which carried our tow-lines, to be bent to theirs; then pulling towards us, they sprang up our ship's sides, and without being either asked or ordered, manned the capstan, and began to heave away. We then had time to observe these men, so strong a contrast to our own heartless crew: they were mostly negroes from Mozambique and Zanguebar, belonging to the Arab tribes; athletic fellows, many of them six feet high,

and models for a Hercules; and we could not help reflecting on the miserable chance we should have stood against them, with such puny wretches as ours, had they boarded us with the same vigour, as enemies. In a few minutes, the cables were hove in, and an offing gained; and a gentle air which sprang up from landward, soon placed us in safety. We dismissed our Arab friends with handsome presents, and it was a striking sight to see them as they quitted us, plunging from the ship's side, and diving and swimming about like porpoises in their own element, as fearlessly and at ease, as if they really were amphi bious beings.

In consequence of a slight misunderstanding with the Persian government, originating in the military operations against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, Dr. Andrew Jukes had been appointed envoy extraordinary to the court of Tehran, and Mr. Fraser was now availing himself of the opportunity so favourably occurring, by attaching himself to that gentleman during mutual convenience. When the ship reached Muscat, the presence of a British ambassador induced the Imaum to shew conspicuous courtesy to the representative of his ally, and to give every assistance to Mr. F. in his attempts to explore the country. The most important object of inquiry was, however, the fatal disease which, after having ravaged India, was extending its fearful devastation both to the east and the west. In the territory of Muscat, it had destroyed ten thousand of the Imaum's subjects; and the question of contagion or spontaneous origin seemed to be settled by the fact, that it first broke out in a village where no communication could be ascertained. Though it has received the same name, it appears to vary considerably from the usual symptoms of the cholera morbus of Europe. Its effects are frequently instantaneous. At Sheerauz,

• Very soon after its appearance, the disease assumed a violent character, and did its work rapidly. Many instances occurred of persons dying in the streets on the spot where they dropped; and these sudden cases of death caused so much dismay, that all feelings of sympathy and pity were lost in anxiety for self-preservation. Here, as in other places, the claims of kindred were insufficient to ensure attention; and victims were left to their fate on the spot where they were attacked, unaided and almost unheeded by their nearest relatives. Whole houses were swept off. In one instance, which came under our knowledge, out of a family consisting of nine males and five females, the whole of the former were attacked nearly at the same time. The females, panic-struck, fled from the house, and, halting only for a short time behind the gardens of the Jehan Numah, (our quarters,) for a few necessaries, took refuge in the mountains: some days after, they took courage, and sent to know the fate of those left behind. The whole nine were found dead in the house, just

where they had severally fallen. Towards the end of its career, the disease greatly relaxed in the severity of its attack, and the daily number of deaths decreased; but there were several fluctuations in the state of the mortality, before it could be positively affirmed that the epidemic was on the decline. The windows of our lodgings commanded a view of several burying grounds, and the numbers we saw daily carried to their graves, strongly corroborated the extent of the reported calamity. Our situation was, in truth, not the most comfortable. The population of Sheerauz has, in all times, been noto rious for its bigotry and fanaticism; they never look on Europeans or Christians with feelings of kindness; and, during the progress of this disorder, these dispositions were not likely to improve, particularly as we occupied a garden which might have otherwise accom, modated many of those who fled from its effects. Reports of a nature dangerous to the English party had been whispered about. The lit tle stream of Roknabad, which partly supplies the town of Sheerauz with water, passes through the garden occupied by us; and hints had been thrown out, that the malady which raged was, in some degree, occasioned or exasperated by practices of ours.'

In this extract, we have out-travelled Mr. Fraser's course, and we shall only recur to previous circumstances for the purpose of stating, that, after landing at Bushire, the first Persian city on their route, the party had made progress as far as Kauzeroon, when it was delayed by intelligence that the epidemic had appeared at Sheerauz, and that the prince to whom the government of the province was consigned, had hastily abandoned that capital. The disease, in fact, made its first appearance in the royal harem, and its earliest victim was one of the prince's wives. Eunuchs and Georgians followed in rapid succession, and, at last, the prince's mother sank under the fatal seizure. This was the signal for a general debandade. The prince took horse and fled; the remainder followed as they might, and all was confusion and dismay. No heavier calamity could have visited the province than the decease of this excellent princess. She had been the favourite sultana of the king, and, by her influence over her son, had virtually administered the government of Fars during the twelve years of his viceroyalty. Her death removed the only barrier between the people and the miserable sufferance of unmitigated misrule. Finding that it would be impossible, or, if possible, highly inexpedient for the envoy to proceed, Mr. Fraser, impatient of delay, set forward for Sheerauz, where he joined Mr. Rich and two other English gentlemen at their pleasant quarters in the gardens of the Jehan Numah. Beyond this city, he found it impossible to proceed; and his detention, though extremely inconvenient to himself, was so far a happy circumstance, as that it enabled him to minister to the last necessities of two

valued and lamented friends.' The first who fell, was Mr. Rich, nearly the last victim of the fatal epidemic. Soon after Mr. F.'s arrival at Sheerauz, he was joined by Dr. Jukes, and, after an interview with the prince, the whole party set forward for Tehran. An amusing account is given of the scenes produced by the rapacity of the Persian employés. In the scramble for the presents given by the English ambassador, it came to drawn swords, blows, and broken heads, though, after all, not one of the combatants obtained a fraction. A mercenary of yet higher rank in the prince's service, carried off the whole. A curious and characteristic specimen of Persian falsehood and encroachment occurs in the following details.

A person, formerly a slight acquaintance of Dr. Jukes, came to our quarters; he had once been governor of a district, and became rich, but was ruined by the usual process;-the sponge, when well saturated, had been squeezed dry, and thrown aside. This man had been observed hanging about, and was assiduous in his offers of service, until he attracted notice, and was asked what he wanted; he said, he was poor and unemployed, and wanted service. This, the envoy told him, was impossible; the establishment was full. Still he hung on, and the next day, contriving once more to attract the envoy's notice, he told him that he possessed a right to a house in town, of which he had been unjustly deprived by the Sheerauz government; but that if he could obtain permission to accompany the mission to Tehran, he had no doubt that the respectability this would give him, would render his petitions at court, for its restoration, effectual. "Very well," said Dr. Jukes, you shall have that degree of coun tenance, and may accompany me." "Ah," said he, "but I am so poor, that I have not the means of maintaining myself on the jour ney." “Well," said Dr. Jukes, "we shall manage that too; you shall eat and live with my people, free of all expense." pressed great gratitude, and went his way; but returned the next. day, saying he was very much distressed, for, not having a beast of any sort, he should not be able to keep up, unless he could be furnished with the means of so doing. "Ah," said Dr. Jukes," that is impossible, I have no spare cattle, and cannot purchase another horse for you." An arrangement was, however, made, by which the man was to be provided with the use of a horse; and the next day, Dr. Jukés told him this, adding, "You must, however, be ready to night, as I start from hence this night without fail. Are you not yet content?" "No," said the man," not quite." "What's the matter?" 66 Why, I am much distressed, I am a very poor fellow; I have been obliged to pawn all my clothes, and have not where-withal to keep me decent in your company." Why, how much do you require to relieve them?-What may be the amount of your debt upon them?" "Twenty or twenty-five tomauns," said he. "O! ho! my friend, and do you really expect me to pay your debts, and carry you free to Tehran, into the bargain?" By the favour of

He ex

my lord, who is all goodness!" "No! no! my friend, this is foo much; you must now really shift for yourself." Had this money been advanced, fresh debts would have appeared, and the more that was done, the more would have appeared to do, until the case became hopeless,'

Dr. Jukes was not, however, destined to reach Tehran; and it was providential that Mr. Fraser was on the spot, at once to assist his dying friend, and to take charge of the documents and property belonging to the mission. He witnessed on the road, abundant illustrations of the destructive system of mal-administration under which all Persia lies oppressed and murmuring. The plain of Yezid-Khaust, once of rich fertility, and teeming with an industrious population, is now a scene of waste and desolate sterility, covered with the ruins of villages and caravanserais. Part of this devastation must be laid to the account of the Affghaun invasion, but its surest and most relentless agent has been the native governor. On the morning of November 3, when leaving Komaishah, Dr. Jukes appeared to be labouring under symptoms of incipient fever, which yielded to the usual medical treatment; but the various annoyances attending his public entry into Ispahan, brought on a relapse, and on the 10th, this amiable and accomplished man breathed his last. Mr. Fraser, though without official authority, immediately assumed the diplomatic character, as the best method of securing the property and the political objects of the mission, until he could surrender his charge into the hands of Mr. Willock, the chargé d'affaire at Tehran. Nothing could exceed the shameless rapacity of all classes at Ispahan. Every imaginable trick was employed to extract money from the embassy, and the most liberal presents were received with murmurs at their small amount. Even the attendance of the American clergy at the funeral of Dr. Jukes, was to be paid for, and a sum of nearly £40 was evidently, when tendered, very inadequate to their expectations.'

At Koom, the first town reached by Mr. Fraser after leaving Ispahan, he took the somewhat hazardous step of visiting, in company with his moonshee, a seyed well acquainted with the holy place in question, the interior of the tomb of Fatima, sister of Imaum Reza. Such is the sanctity of this shrine, that not even the potency of a bribe could license the intrusion of an infidel. His Persian garb did not conceal our countryman; he was recognised, notwithstanding his disguise and the shade of the evening hour. Moollah after moollah, some with lighted candles, came to examine his person; a part, having exchanged a few words with the seyed, retired as if satisfied with his explanation; but others expressed much indignation,