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"to the implacable honour of their male | Persia, they are still remote from that "relations." The habits of these females rank which has been assigned to the sex fit them for the scenes to which they are occasionally exposed. When riding near a they toil, while their lord-like husband among the civilized nations of Europe: small encampment of Affshâr families, I spends his hours in indolence, or amuseexpressed my doubts to a Persian noble, ment, and are regarded more as servants who was with me, regarding their reput- than as associates. If a man of a wandered boldness and hardihood, and particu- ing tribe has not so many wives and larly of their skill in horsemanship. He slaves as the religion he professes perimmediately called to a young woman of a mits, or as his brother Mahomedan of the handsome appearance, and asked her in city, it is merely, as has been stated, beTurkish if she was not a soldier's daugh- cause his poverty, or the condition of ter? She said she was. "And you exthe society to which he belongs, limits "pect to be a mother of soldiers," was the his desires. next observation. She smiled. The moment that his situa"Mount tion alters he is prompt to riot in every "that horse," said he, pointing to one species of dissipation; and the partner, with a bridle, but without a saddle, " and who more than shares his toils, has no "shew this European envoy, the difference chance of an equal partition in any good "between a girl of a tribe, and a citizen's fortune that may attend him. "daughter." She instantly sprung upon raised to a high station, he deems an inIf he is the animal. and, setting off at full speed, creased indulgence of his sensual appedid not stop till she had reached the tites one of the chief pleasures of adsummit of a small hill in the vicinity, vancement: and when he becomes an inwhich was covered with loose stones : when there, she waved her hand over her customs of a citizen. habitant of a city he at once adopts the head, and then came down the hill at the His first wives, if same rate she had ascended. Nothing could be more dangerous than the ground over which she galloped ; but she appeared quite fearless, and seemed delighted at having had an opportunity of vindicating the females of her tribe from the reproach of being like the ladies of cities.

The poverty and usages of the wandering tribes often prevent the men from marrying even the number of wives allowed by the law. Many of them have only one; and unless she is old, barren, or unfit to work, they do not marry another. The reason is, that they can seldom afford to support more than one wife: and, from the liberty which the females enjoy, their quarrels, where there are several in a family, would be seriously embarrassing; and marriage, which is considered as one of the chief bonds of union between the men of a tribe, would become a constant source of discord and contention. The practice of hiring wives for a certain period, which prevails in the cities and towns of Persia, is held in abhorrence by the females of tribes; and these have frequently been known to attack priests in the most violent manner, whom they believed to have sanctioned an usage which they deem so degrading. Though we may conclude, from what has been stated, that

these women enjoy more freedom and consideration than the other females of

he has more than one, are compelled to sacrifice the liberty they before enjoyed, and to endure that neglect which is the natural consequence of his power to obtain younger and more beautiful females. Among these tribes, however, maternal claims are always respected. The mother's influence over her son usually continues that authority, which is grounded on habit through life; and she is ready to maintain cation. It is her duty to preside over his and affection, by ministering to his gratififamily; and, if he is rich, he usually intrusts to her not only the choice of his female ticipation of the enjoyment of this power partners, but their management. An anmakes the women of Persia anxiously desire to have male children. The birth of a is always a disappointment. son is hailed with joy; that of a daughter

These observations on the usages of the wandering tribes chiefly apply to those of Persian and Turkish origin. The Arabian tribes subject to Persia, who inhabit the shores of the Gulf, are more assimilated, in their habits, to the people from which they are derived, than to those amid whom they dwell. They continue to speak Arabic, and preserve almost all the customs of their original country. They in bia, wearing, instead of the cap of the general dress like the inhabitants of AraPersians, a light turban, and are usually covered with a flowing cloak. The manners of this race, though less rude thau those of the other tribes of Persia, retain

• Mahomed Hussein Khan's MS. Jour- much of the wildness and independence of

mal.

their ancestors.

The diet of the Arabian tribes in Persia | lent among the human race. There could is more frugal than that of any other of be no fixed society; no intimate conthe inhabitants of that kingdom. It connexions, binding the heart; no personal But what others " The sists chiefly of dates. would consider a hardship, habit, with happiness; no political power. them, has converted into an enjoyment; rolling stone gathers no moss," says the and the Arab deems no food more delight- proverb; the bee which wanders too far ful than that upon which he lives, Some from the hive contributes little to the ge-. years ago, a woman, belonging to one of the Arab families settled at Abusheher, had gone to England with the children of the British resident at that place. When she returned, all crowded around her, to hear her report of the country she had visited. She described the roads, the carriages, the horses, the wealth and the splendour of the cities, and the highly cultivated state of the country.

Her audience were full of envy at the condition of Englishmen, and were on the point of retiring with that impression, when the woman happened to add, that the country she had visited only wanted "What one thing to make it delightful. "It is that?" was the general inquiry. has not a date tree in it," said she. "I never ceased to look for one, all the time I was there, but I looked in vain." The sentiments of the Arabs who had listened to her, were, in an instant, changed by this information. It was no longer envy, but pity, which they felt for men, who were condemned to live in a country where there were no date trees.

The Arabian tribes in Persia possess the power of flying from oppression when they cannot resist it. The sea is always open to them, and they are accustomed to that element. Not only the islands of the Gulf, but the neighbouring territories of Turkey, and the opposite coast of Arabia, are inhabited by their brethren: and. these circumstances, combined with their original habits, give a freedom of sentiment and expression to this race of men that is very striking."

....

neral stock.

Nature has appointed ani

mals, and even plants, to certain countries and climates; and though man be not a tree, yet the native of a country usually best suits the soil, and the attachment to places and things, if less powerful than to persons, is one of the earliest, and one of the latest of human affections. This is ex

pressed with great dignity by Milton's Eve: and thousands of her daughters have felt the same emotions:

O unexpected stroke, worse than of death!
Must I thus leave thee Paradise? thus leave
Thee, native soil, these happy walks and
shades,

Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend,
Quiet though sad, the respite of that day
That must he mortal to us both. O flowers,
That never will in other climate grow,
My early visitation, and my last

At even, which I bred up with tender hand
From the first opening bud, and gave ye names:
Who now shall rear ye to the sun, or rank
Your tribes, and water from the ambrosial

fount?

-how shall we breathe in other air Less pure?

......

And says her no less afflicted consort:
all places else
Inhospitable appear, aud desolate,
Not knowing us, nor known :-

Well observes a later poet,

What happier natures shrink at with affright, The first best country, ever is at home.

The hard inhabitant contends is right;

says the Poet;, and it must be acknowledged that this love of the natal soil is at the same time one of the most felicitous, the most benevolent, and the most powerful principles, that could possibly be inused into the human breast. This invincible prejudice prevents the thousands and the tens of thousands of evils which inevitably attend a rambling disposition, and which would be incalculably increased, were that disposition general, and preva

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them

neither emulation nor affliction. The wild Arab would not change places with us; as a wild Arab, he is right :—we would not change places with him as Britons, we too are right: he claims a liberty that suits the brave and turbulent; we claim a liberty that consists with an elevated condition of Society, and diffuses | blessings to the homestead and the hearth, without so much as thinking of any reserve in the power of flight, or of the possibility of having recourse to refuge, to preserve it.

FURTHER

PARTICULARS RESPECTING PERSIA.
Abstracted from the ORIGINAL MANU-
SCRIPT of Mr. KINNEIR'S " Geographical
Account of the Persian Empire.”

Having been favoured with a perusal of the Original MS. of the valuable work of Mr. Kinneir, we have added the following extracts on the subject of Persia.Whatever variations they may present, are no impeachment of the printed text.

every reason to conclude. The existence of the ruins themselves, which are evidently those of a very large city, the name Shuster, and the tomb of Daniel, who, and tradition regarding the buildings of according to History, died at Susa after his return from the Government of Syria, are all so many corroborating proofs. But when we find the situation of these ruins exactly correspond with the distance between Sardis and the Persian Capital, (mentioned in the Tablets of Aristagorus) and compared by Major Rennel, I should which has lately been accurately measured be inclined to think that a doubt could be hardly started on the subject.

One cause of these dilapidations is, that a succeeding monarch never thinks proper to maintain and enjoy the edifices raised by his predecessor, but prefers some other situation, which in its turn displeases his. successor, and falls into neglect and ruin.

Persia are the same. They are surrounded The general outlines of all the cities in with a mud and sometimes (but rarely) a brick wall, flanked at regular distances with round or square towers. The streets are narrow and dirty, having a gutter running through the centre, the honses low, The following is Mr. K.'s account of an with flat roofs, commonly built either of act of severity, not altogether agreeable mud or of brick, and each has a small to British feelings: were there no better court surrounded with a high wall. They remedy for disorderly conduct than extir-street, and that part of the sitting-room have seldom or ever any windows to the pation? would naturally be the enquiry of a subject of an enlightened community.

About eight months since, in going from Babahon to Shirauz, I travelled for upwards of 60 miles over the most delightful plains, entirely deserted. They had been possessed by an ancient tribe, which, in Consequence of their licentious proceedings, had been nearly extirpated by the commands of the Prince, about a year before. The few that survived had taken shelter on the summits of the loftiest and most inaccessible mountains, where they subsisted on a wretched kind of bread, made from acorns, infested the roads, and rendered travelling not only insecure, but extremely dangerous.

Says, Mr. K. speaking of the ruins of Susa, or "Shushan the Palace," of the prophet Daniel.

The once splendid capital of Xerxes and Darius is now a gloomy wilderness, the haunt of every species of wild beast-for that this is the spot on which stood the ancient Metropolis of the East, we have

The

which fronts the court is entirely open,
with a large glass window, and canvas
courts of those belonging to the higher
curtain to let down when not in use.
ranks are in general divided into parterres
of flowers, with a fountain of water play-
ing in the middle.

Speaking of the town of Koom, between Teheran, the present, and Ispahan, the former metropolis of Persia; Mr. K. takes occasion to observe, that

About ten miles to the north of the Town is a very curious hill, in the middle of the plain, called by some Nemuck Kho, or the Mountain of Sait, and by others Kho Talisman, the Mountain of the Tatisman. According to the tradition of the cend this bill with impunity, and it is said country, no person ever attempted to asthat the few who have succeeded in gaining its summit, have never since been heard of. When Ali Murad Khan was in the zenith of his power, he offered a considerable reward to any of his followers who would go to the top; several made the attempt, but

before they had got more than half way up, fear proved more predominant than even avarice, the ruling passion of the Persians, and they all returned without effecting their object,

A story of much the same nature, is told of Mount Ararrat: that the cold and clouds of so elevated a region should deter natives of a warm climate from reaching the summit is not surprising; but whether they would deter natives of Switzerland, like those who ascended Mont Blanc, formerly, or the Finster Aarhorn, the second highest peak of the Alps, lately, may be questioned. It may be more than questioned, whether they would find any beams of Noah's Ark on the summit, when they had arrived there.

On the southern shore of the Araxes, and almost opposite Erivan, is the famous Mount Ararrat, where, in conformity with oriental tradition, Noah's Ark is said to have rested. Indeed they still assert and believe that a portion of it yet remains on the extreme peak of the rock, which is inaccessi

ble to man.

Ararrat is a detached mountain with two summits. It is called Zagros by Strabo, and Mosdius by Pliny, and the people in its vicinity give it the names of In Agridugi, Aghergada, and Mosius. one of its flanks is an abyss or precipice of prodigious depth, and of a rough and black It is covered with smoke, appearance. and Doctor Renieggs says that he and his companion saw it vomit fire for three days successively,

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Feb. 2, 1815.-An agreement having been made, by the Corresponding Committee, with the owner of a house in Madras, for fifteen pagodas a month (or 61.), It is siwe proposed to occupy the same. tuated in a pretty large garden.

We are here in the very midst of idolaters; and, since the owner of our house and garden is a native, we have, in this very garden, close to the house, a place of Heathen Worship. This consists of a tree, with extended branches; its trunk surrounded by little black stones cut into figures, which are the idolaters' gods, and before which they offer their adorations. Although the owner has strictly forbidden any one to continue worship here (since it seems to be but a private place of worship), nor to use the tank close by for washing, and desired us not to suffer those things, yet three men seem determined not to leave off: they come every morning, and have here their morning service.

I had the following conversation with Tournefort attempted to asceud this the idolater: "Why do you do this?"pointmountain in vain, but Sluys, the Dutching to the stones." Sir, that is our god." traveller, succeeded in reaching the hermit's cell, travelling each day at the ratc of five miles. He passed through many clouds, and found the hermit in a small cave, hewn out of the rock, where he had resided 30 years.

The following observation may happily prove of use to some of our traders in the

Gulf of Persia.

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But can this stony god hear you? Can he see you?" He laughed, and of course would not say yes.

March 6. The idolater mentioned on the 17th of February still continues to ornament his stones with flowers, and to adore them. I called him in to-day, and asked him why he continued this practice, notwithstanding the good advice I had given him

He said, at last, that if I would not have it, he would pot come any more to these

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on the folly of serving gods that have ears, but cannot hear; mouths, but cannot speak; and eyes, but cannot see; and shewed him the reasonable service of God in Jesus Christ. He listened with attention, and assented to what I said about the idols.

April 8.--Two Heathens of the Pandaran Caste, one of them a teacher, came and desired to hear the Word of Truth. Their stony and wooden gods, he said were foolish things: he wished to know the true God.

TRANQUEBAR.

We have occasionally reported the state of Dr. John's Schools, at Tranquebar: the following is the latest report that has reached us. We are happy to see Heathen of several Castes, in conjunction with Mahomedans, &c. This also augurs well.

Jan. 2, 1815.-According to custom, we received congratulations for the New Year from various persons. Among them were the Scholars of the Malabar and English, and the Portuguese Schools. Among the former were also those boys who hitherto attended my weekly instructions. Some of them delivered, in the name of the rest, a written congratulation, which they had learned by heart. Its simplicity was pleasing, and the whole was affecting. To end Jan. to

ADMITTED,

The Roman Catholics, when asked the reason of their desiring the Testament, gave us in general this answer: "In our Church we hear Latin, which we do not understand; we wish to read and understand ourselves." An aged person among them seemed to be a zealot. is business, he said, is to converse with the Heathen about the truth. When receiving the Testament; he appeared to be greatly joyful; Into the English and Tamul Schools: and, in a pathetic manner, sang the following lines in Tamul, which, when I did not understand them, he gave afterwards in writing to our servant:-"The true God sent you, his chosen, for our sake. For that you have gladly given us the Gospel, in order to learn it, and to Into the Pariah Schools: walk faithfully, in peace and according to the truth, we give you, Sir, our united thanks."

Last week some of the Pariah Christians (the lowest Caste, came and requested us to take their children into our School. We did not hesitate to admit them; but, as the Malabar Caste dare not even touch the Pariah Caste, and would think it a pollution to stand together with the children of that Caste before the same card, it occasioned some consideration.

Protestant Christian
Roman Christian
Brahmin Heathen
Sootra Heathen
Mahomedan

Sootra

1492

of June 1814 1815

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Protestant Boys
Ditto Girls
Ditto

238

124

Boys and Girls

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493

Roman Catholic

Heathen

Mahomedan.

Total 1985
CEYLON.

We are desired to correct an inadvertency in our Report of the Conversion of a Budha Priest, by the instrumentality of Mr. Clough, in Vol. III. p. 100. N.S. That Gentleman was sent out by the Wesleyan Methodist Society for Foreign Missions, and

June 19.-There are now above 110 children in the School, consisting of children of Protestant Christians, of Roman Catholics, and of Heathen. We have the satisfaction to see little scruple about their Castes. High and low Castes learn toge-arrived at Ceylon about Midsummer, 1814. ther.

The following is part of the General Report, concerning this island and its natives.

The reader cannot but be pleased to see the most inveterate of the Hindoo prejuThe climate, though warm, is not intodices giving way before the zealous stea- lerable. For two hours in the morning, diness of these worthy promoters of Truth and two in the evening, it is most delightand knowledge. As Caste is the great ob-ful. The inhabitants are exceedingly indolent. The cocoa-nut tree is a nursery stacle to the progress of Christianity, which for idleness, as a small garden of them supconsiders all men as brethren, made of the plies a family with every thing they want; same blood, every instance of the distinc-from them they get meat, drink, oil, &c. tion conferred by that ancient notion, being removed, is well entitled to attention.

and even timber to cover their houses.

Very few, even of grown men, wear any clothing higher than their loins; so that

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