sleepless, and at length so seriously altered, that my alarm grew proportionate to what I con→ ceived to be his danger.

We had determined, on our arrival at Smyrna, on an excursion to the ruins of Ephesus and Sardis, from which I endeavoured to dissuade him in his present state of indisposition but in vain: there appeared to be an oppression on his mind, and a solemnity in his manner, which ill corresponded with his eagerness to proceed on what I regarded as a mere party of pleasure, little suited to a valetudinarian; but I opposed him no longer and in a few days we set off together, accompanied only by a serrugee and a single janizary.

We had passed halfway towards the remains of Ephesus, leaving behind us, the more fertile environs of Smyrna, and were entering upon that wild and tenantless track through the marshes and defiles which lead to the few huts yet lingering over the broken columns of Diana the roofless walls of expelled Christianity, and the still more recent but complete desolation of abandoned mosques when the sudden and rapid illness of my companion obliged us to halt at a Turkish cemetery, the turbaned tombstones of which were

the sole indication that human life had ever been a sojourner in this wilderness. The only caravansera we had seen was left some hours behind us, not a vestige of a town or even cottage was within sight or hope, and this,,city of the dead" appeared to be the sole refuge for my unfortunate friend, who seemed on the verge of becoming the last of its inhabitants.

In this situation, I looked round for a place where he might most conveniently repose:— contrary to the usual aspect of Mahometan burialgrounds, the cypresses were in this few in number, and these thinly scattered over its extent: the tombstones were mostly fallen, and worn with age:-upon one of the most considerable of these, and beneath one of the most spreading trees, Darvell supported himself, in a half-reclining posture, with, great difficulty. He asked for water. I had some doubts of our being able to find any, and prepared to go in search of it with hesitating despondency - but he desired me to remain; and turning to Suleiman, our janizary, who stood by us smoking with great tranquillity, he said,,,Suleiman, verbana su," (i. e. bring some water,) and went on describing the spot where it was to be found with great minuteness, at a small

well for camels, a few hundred yards to the right: the janizary obeyed. I said to Darvell,,,How ,,did you know this?" He replied,,,From our

,,situation; you must perceive that this place "was once inhabited, and could not have been ,,so without springs: I have also been here ,,before."

How came you

,,You have been here before! ,,never to mention this to me? and what could you ,,be doing in a place where no one would remain ,,a moment longer than they could help it?" I

To this question I received no answer. In the mean time Suleiman returned with the water, leaving the scrrugee and the horses at the fountain. The quenching of his thirst had the appearance of reviving him for a moment; and I conceived hopes of his being able to proceed, or at least to return, and I urged the attempt. He was silent and appeared to be collecting his spirits for an effort to speak. He began.

,,This is the end of my journey, and of my life

I came here to die: but I have a request to ,,make, a command-for such my last words must ,,be- You will observe it?"

,,Most certainly; but have better hopes."

,,I have no hopes, nor wishes, but this-con,,ceal my death from every human being."

,,I hope there will be no occasion; that you

will recover, and

„Peace! — it must be so: promise this."

your request; and to doubt me is ——“

,,It cannot be helped, · you must swear." I took the oath: it appeared to relieve him. He removed a seal ring from his finger, on which were some Arabic characters, and presented it to me. He proceeded

,,On the ninth day of the month, at noon pre,,cisely (what month you please, but this must ,,be the day), you must fling this ring into the ,,salt springs which run into the Bay of Eleusis: ,,the day after, at the same hour, you must repair to the ruins of the temple of Ceres, and ,,wait one hour."

́,,The ninth day of the month, you say?" ,,The ninth."

As I observed that the present was the ninth day of the month, his countenance changed, and

he paused. As he sate, evidently becoming more feeble, a stork, with a snake in her beak, perched upon a tombstone near us; and, without devouring her prey, appeared to be stedfastly regarding us, I know not what impelled me to drive it, away, but the attempt was useless; she made a few circles in the air, and returned exactly to the same spot. Darvell pointed to it, and smiled: he spoke I know not whether to himself or to me→ but the words were only,,,'Tis well!" ,,What is well? what do you mean?"

,,No matter: you must bury me here this ,,evening, and exactly where that bird is now ,,perched. You know the rest of my injunc ,,tions."

He then proceeded to give me several directions as to the manner in which his death might be best cencealed. After these were finished, he exclaimed,,,You perceive that bird?“

,,Certainly."

,,And the serpent writhing in her beak?" ,,Doubtless: there is nothing uncommon in it; ,,it is her natural prey. But it is odd that she ,,does not devour it."

said,

He smiled in a ghastly manner, and faintly,,,It is not yet time!" As he spoke, the