black ostrich-feathers attached to the spears of the Kurds, to toss above the flying multitude. Few spoke to one another. We observed close to us a young officer, upon whose carpet we had the day before smoked the chibnk of Eastern sociality; he now avoided recognition. Everyone seemed engaged in securing his own safety with as much secrecy as possible, all avoiding to show the least perturbation or dismay, and none appearing to have a doubt or distrust towards another, for fear he might be supposed to have something to lose; but on and on, in silence and in selfishness, the great crowd of pashas and officers, Kurds and khawasses, priests and soldiers, doctors and camp-followers, servants and slaves, made their way regardless of one another. All ties were rent by disgrace and misfortune; the servant knew not his master, nor the soldier his superior; there was no distinction of persons or rank; the best mounted and the strongest sped foremost; and especially no one regarded the fatigued that tarried, the incapable that lagged, or the sick and the wounded that dropped in sad succession.

Thirst already began to be felt in all its horrors: we passed one small puddle-a mere solution of dirt; but it was surrounded by so many, that to wait our turn would have necessitated us to stay all night. We had picked up a soldier's can, as we thought it might be useful; but it had such a greasy odour, that, although not fastidious under existing circumstances, we were compelled to throw it away again. At length we came to a village, situated in a valley watered by the rivulet. Qur horses and ourselves got a long and apparently unfinishing drink; but the villagers had fled or hid themselves, and no bread was to be procured,

Farther on.

We continued for a short distance along the same stony upland, till we came to a steep and narrow ravine, the sides of which were strewn with large irregular masses of rock, and clothed with a luxuriant vegetation of oak and hardy evergreens that twisted their fibrous roots between rocks and into crevices. There was no road visible, and every one proceeded as he thought best. Our horses, of high Cappadocian breed, took the largest rocks at a leap, lighting sometimes upon a space scarcely a few feet square, or held up almost entirely by some gnarled oak, and we reached the bottom with only a few injuries I myself had a severe kick on the shin; but it was even worse with the multitude, upon whom every now and then horses and riders came rolling over once or twice before a footing could be recovered, while laden horses had much more awkward falls, and many a sad accident took place. Still the scene was very picturesque; such a dense mass of men and horses descending in what appeared to be three distinct lines down a precipice, which might have been thought insuperable to a single man. On arriving at the bottom, every one began to seek in the dry and stony bed of the ravine for remnants of water. We were lucky enough to find a small cavity, by lifting up a stone, which contained enough for two; but had scarcely time to congratulate ourselves when a fat general of cavalry (Sheriff Pacha), abandoned by his servants, leading his horses and covered with dust and perspiration, came up begging for a participation.

Mr. Ainsworth and his companions lost their instruments and property in the retreat, and also much time in being compelled to return

to Constantinople. They again started, however, and reached Mosul, the capital of Mesopotamia, in which a British vice-consul has recently been appointed to reside. The following are notices of the commercial capabilities of the place.

While busy in improving the offensive and defensive capabilities of this place, surrounded as it is on all sides by lawless tribes, the Kurds of Rawanduz and Amadiyeh to the east, the Bahdinan Kurds and Mosul Ashirat of Arabs to the north, the Izedis of Sinjar to the west, and the Shammar Bedwins to the south, the Pasha has been draining the resources of the town and province to the utmost, so much so, that many would have left to seek a home where industry and the necessaries of life were less insupportably taxed, but for a precaution taken by the Pasha, to allow of no one to pass the gates of the town without permission. Without these prominent evils, and with a tranquil state of the surrounding country, Mosul presents mercantile advantages of no common order. It is immediately connected with the great gall districts, and the expenses of the custom at Alleppo may be avoided by sending the galls direct to Iskenderun, while there are several roads open to Persia, across the mountains, a transit of from five to seven days, and by which, considering the short distance and good roads from Mosul to Iskenderun, British manufactures might be distributed into the heart of Persia, in a time and at an expense, which the line of Trebizond, Erzum, and Tabriz, that of Bushire and Baghdad, or the Russian line of Astrakhan, Bakhu, and Mezenderan, can never rival. Mosul is frequently devastated by the plague; the period at which the natives place the re-occurrence of that calamity is every thirty-one years. The city has also suffered occasionally from famine, generally caused by fire spreading in dry weather over the fields. Several catastrophes of this kind occurred during our residence here. The fire spread over pastures, common grass lands, and corn lands many miles in extent, and burning night and day often for a week, and sometimes embracing the whole horison. In times of dearth, the natives mix steatitic earth with the flour, and are even said, as Humboldt relates of the Olomak tribes on the Orinooko, to allay hunger by eating it in a pure state. There is also a sweetmeat much sought after throughout the East, which contains a quantity of steatitic earth. I examined it especially at Angora; it was a silicate of magnesia and alumina, but without chrome or iron.

The ruins of Al Hadhr are interesting Assyrian relics, the account of which will diversify our extracts. These ruins we are told—

Present the remains of a principal building which apparently was at once a palace and a temple, and which surpasses in extent and in the perfection of its style the ruin known as the Tak i Kesra, or Arch of Chosroes, at Ctesiphon, the residence of the kings of Persia of the Arsacidan dynasty. It consisted of a series of vaulted chambers or halls, of different sizes, all opening to the east, or towards the rising sun and planets, and regularly succeeding one another from north to south, and was divided into two parts by a wall; while in front was another row of edifices, guard-houses, &c., at the southern end of which was a great hall, with ornamented vault and tall columns, similar to

what is observed in the chief edifice. The whole of these buildings were inclosed within a wall about 1360 yards square, which left a considerable space open in the front, and this open square was in the exact centre of the town, which is nearly a perfect circle, surrounded by a rampart, about 3 miles 180 yards in circumference. Portions of the curtain, which was 10 feet 3 inches in width, still remains on this rampart; and there are also the ruins of thirtytwo bastions, placed at unequal intervals. The space occupied by the town still contains the ruins of tombs and other edifices, and is everywhere covered by mounds of ruined buildings. There is also a spring, and a channel for water, not straight but tortuous, which crosses the town: and there were apparently four gates, having straight roads leading from them to the central edifice. Every stone, not only in the chief building but in the walls and bastions, and other public monuments, when not defaced by time, is marked with a character, which is, for the most part, either a Chaldaic letter or numeral. But some of them could not be deciphered either by Mr. Rassam or by a Jewish rabbi of Jerusalem, whom we consulted at Mosul; for it is necessary to remark that the Chaldeans, or Chaldees, since their conversion to Christianity, have uniformly adopted the Syriac letters which were used by the apostles and Fathers of the Church, regarding the pagan writing (or tergum, as they call it) as an abomination, The Jews, however, who learnt it in their captivity, have retained, except in their Talmud and some other works written in the Hebrew character, the use of Chaldean letters. Some of the letters at Al Hadhr resembled the Roman A, and others were apparently astronomical signs, among which were common the ancient mirror and handle, emblematic of Venus, the Mylitta of the Assyrians, and Alitta of the Arabians, according to Herodotus; and the Nani or Nannania of the Syrians. These letters were generally about one or two inches in size, and carefully sculptured, one in the centre of the face of each stone: this, still obtaining in a comparatively modern Chaldean town, appears to have been in perpetuation of the practice, observed and carried to a much greater extent in the inscriptions on bricks in the older Assyrian, Chaldean, and Babylonian cities.

Dr. Grant supplied us with some novel particulars regarding that singular people, who are represented in the east as worshippers of the devil; and Mr. Ainsworth has added to the information; for he and his companions examined one of the temples of the Yezidis or Izedis, as these religionists are called. Says our author

We scarcely expected to overcome so far the religious scruples of so severe and so mysterious a sect as the Izedis, as to be allowed to penetrate into their sanctuary; but after taking a rapid sketch of the building, which stands at the base of a perpendicular cliff, and has two conical spires, one larger than the other, pointed, and supporting copper balls and crescents, we continned our way, and were met by the guardian of the place, who, with some slight expressions of distrust, ushered us to a gateway, which led into a vaulted stone passage, through the centre of which ran a stream of cool water. This passage was about forty paces long, and led into an outer court, overshadowed by large mulberry-trees, well paved with flags, and having large cisterns of clear water, besides separate bathing-rooms for the ablutions previous to prayer. Tempted

by the refreshing appearance of the water, as well as from policy, withoout speaking a syllable foreign to the ears of those present, we washed ourselves, and taking off our shoes, were admitted into a second and larger court-yard, with arched recesses along the sides, and temple at the bottom. This spot was as clear, cool, and inviting as the first yard; and we could not help thinking what a delightful summer residence Sheikh Adi would make. Descending a flight of steps, we now entered into the building itself. It was a great vaulted apartment, like an ordinary mesjid. On an elevated terrace within it, and screened by green curtains, was the coffin said to contain the remains of Sheikh Adi: round this were spots where fires of bitumen and naphtha are made at the time of the annual festival. Beyond this hall is an inner one, to which access was refused us. 1, however, opened the door, and saw an apartment lower than the chief one, and containing only a few planks and other lumber,—a place most decidedly neither of sanctity nor of mystery. We now asked the Izedis present concerning the peacock, of which they at once declared their ignorance. The question was put to them publicly, and so abruptly, that no opportunity was given to prepare an evasive answer. I carefully watched the expression of their countenances, and saw nothing that indicated deceit; on the contrary, the expression was that of surprise at the inquiry; and I am strongly inclined to think that the history of the Melik Taus, or king peacock, as related by Father Maurizio Garzoni, M. Rousseau, Buckingham, and more modern travellers, as Mr. Forbes, is a calumny invented by the Christians of these countries. I venture this assertion, however, with diffidence; for it is curious that a Christian, residing at Kathandiyah, in the neighbourhood of the place, still persisted in the truth of this tradition. The Kurd muleteer remarked to me, that I had myself found it to be a falsehood.

Although Mr. Ainsworth has added little information to what Dr. Grant supplied concerning the Chaldean Christians, he has confirmed some of that gentleman's most interesting and unexpected reports. Take a sample.

At the village of Hayis, we found Ishiyah, Bishop of Berrawi, with his attendants, waiting for us; although an old man, he had walked from his residence at Duri, a distance of nine miles, to meet us. This first specimen of a chief dignitary of the Chaldean church was highly favourable. I had expected a bishop with a dagger and sword-perhaps, as it was time of war, with a coatof mail; but, instead of that, we saw an aged man, of spare habit, with much repose and dignity in his manners, and a very benevolent and intelligent aspect; his hair and beard nearly silver-white, his forehead ample and unclouden, and his countenance, from never eating meat, uncommonly clear and fair. Welcoming us in the most urbane manner, he held his hand to be kissed, a custom common in this country, and accompanied the ceremony by expressions of civility and regard. Dr. Grant describes the same bishop as a most patriarchal personage. The bishop wished to walk back; but we offered him the use of a horse. I was not fatigued, and preferred walking; but he had never been accustomed to ride, and it was with some difficulty that we got him to mount a loaded mule, where he could sit safe between the bags. We then started, Kasha Mandu, and a poorly-dressed man carrying a hooked stick, walking ceremoniously before. The happy moral influence of Christianity could not be more

plainly manifested than in the change of manners immediately observable in the country we had now entered into, and which presented itself with the more force from its contrast with the sullen ferocity of the Mohammedans. The kind, cordial manners of the people, and the great respect paid to their clergy, were among the first fruits of that influence which showed themselves. Nothing could be more gratifying to us, after a prolonged residence among proud Mohammedans and servile Christians, than to observe on this, our little procession, the peasants running from the villages even a mile distant, and flocking to kiss the hand of the benevolent white-haired dignity. This was done with the head bare, a practice unknown among the Christians of Turkey in Asia; and so great was the anxiety to perform this act of kindly reverence, that little children were held up in the arms of their fathers to partake in it. Kasha Mandu also came in for his share of congratulations and welcomings. Everywhere the same pleasing testimonies of respect, mingled with love, were exhibited.

While Mr. Ainsworth was at Mosul, he received notice that the Geographical Society did not require his farther services; and he returned homewards through Armenia, and at a rapid rate. His unlucky connexion with the Turkish army, there is reason to suppose, had not satisfied his employers; although, had the result been more successful, it is probable that after the fact, approval instead of disapproval would have distinguished their expression with regard to his conduct.

ART. III.-The Life of Augustus Viscount Keppel. By the Hon. and Rev. Tнomas Keppel. 2 vols. Colburn. IN the preface of these volumes we find this remark--" In writing the life of a naval commander, the author of the following memoir may appear to treat of matters foreign to his sacred office. It is therefore expedient to state, that previously to being invested with holy orders, he was a member of the profession which these illustrious men severally adorned; and that, in the usual gradations of active service, he acquired an experimental knowledge of nautical affairs. To objections that may arise from his occasional strictures on the administration of the navy, during the period embraced in Lord Keppel's life, the author can only reply, that wherever his political sentiments occur in these pages, he believes their introduction to be warranted, and their tenour justified, by the facts which are here many of them for the first time-submitted to public perusal." Having allowed the author to set himself thus far right with the reader, we may add that not only is the person who undertakes to write Keppel's life obliged to treat of points and passages of a strictly political nature, and therefore bound to have his mind made up concerning them, so as to put forth a decided opinion, but that, whether precisely sound or not, these opinions are here expressed