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, particu larly 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.

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 journey.""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. 66 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. Jukės 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. 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 not 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.'

1

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,

simplicity of manner, and the most blameless integrity of character. Unlike the rest of his countrymen, he is neither rapacious nor intriguing, but honourable in his actions, and liberal in his views and principles. He is a cool and acute reasoner, and without pedantry, though one of the most learned men of his country. The different provinces of Persia are committed to the government of the princes of the blood, and no one, excepting Abdool Wahab, dares complain of their administration; he, however, has been uniformly the independent, and sometimes the successful censurer of their misdeeds. His character in private life, harmonises with his public virtues.

The Ameen-u-doulut, or lord of the treasury and minister for the home department,' is described as a very oriental personage, lofty, tyrannical, and bigoted. Nor does the late ambassador to England, Meerza Abool Hussein Khan, appear to much advantage in Mr. Fraser's estimate. He appears to be a man whose character is utterly contemptible for his degrading and dissolute habits, even in Persia. His popularity in England is unaccountable, since, notwithstanding his ready laugh, and his plausibility of manner, his flattery is gross, and his conversation disgusting.

• He carried a number of handsome shawls with him to England, which he boasts to have bartered there for the favours of the first women of the land; and talks openly by name of the ladies of rank, duchesses and others, with whom he has had affairs of gallantry, and a whole host of minor females, some of whose letters he produces in Persian parties, and reads out, to vouch for the truth of his statements, which are doubted more from his notorious falsity, than from any confidence in the virtue of our fair countrywomen. He produces, too, a miniature picture, which has been shewn to the king as that of his mistress, without concealing the name; which, I regret to say, is that of a lady highly connected, and, I believe, considered respectable. It is to be hoped that this return for the kindness, no doubt innocently shewn to a stranger by our countrywomen, will serve as a lesson of caution in future; and that every Englishwoman will recollect how such kindness may be misconstrued, when lavished on a person of whose real character they may be ignorant.

On his last return from England, Meerza Abool Hussein Khan came laden, not only with presents he had received, but with an immense quantity of merchandize, purchased in Europe, which he availed himself of his ambassador's privilege to pass free of duty: but when he reached Persia, desiring to obtain the carriage of it to Tehran also free, he managed to secure beasts of burthen for his own goods, among those provided for the conveyance of presents for the king. His majesty, however, who is quite alive to what affects his own interest, suspected, or was informed of the truth; and when the