had travelled on, and required, in the winter feafon, continued labour to make it paffable. Though deep ditches are extended on each fide and drains cut across, to carry off the extraordinary moisture of the foil, we proceeded with much difficulty and hazard. The carriers at certain ftations, were required to deliver their respective portions of ftones, and the defaulters, among whom I was claffed, were detained by the officers of government; here I might have incurred a long delay, had not the Ghilan feid interpofed his good offices for me as a pilgrim and his friend. It was then foon seen in what a favourable light we were beheld. Our hands were even kiffed in token of reverence. The proprietor of my horfe having no religious virtues to plead, and his quantity of stones being found very infufficient, he was not permitted to pass; and while he with many others were endeavouring to qualify the demand, the feid and I agreed to proceed to Balfrosh, that we might be fheltered against the weather, which this day had fet in with drifts of fmall rain and a fevere cold.

In high anticipation of the pleasures in ftore for us at the capital, we were overtaken by the carrier, who foaming with rage, at this my fecond defertion, as he termed it, accufed me of an attempt to steal his mare. Nor was his paffion allayed, until I promifed him a large difh of pillaw, to be ready at his arrival in Balfrofh.

AT the distance of two miles on the fouth fide of the town, is feen a small island in the river, where Shah Abbas erected a

palace, whofe roof with the bridge of communication, has lately been applied by the governor of Balfrosh to some domestic purposes. After paying double the ftipulated hire, and the fine in pillaw, I discharged the carrier who, like all those of his profes fion within my knowledge, was an arrant knave. But knavery conftitutes a grand branch of his profeffion, and does not heavily affect the purfe of the traveller, who if he wishes to journey on with comfort, and have his name puffed, should heartily feed his carrier; and as the common nature of man requires indulgence, occafionally wink at his roguery. Not to govern too much has been a maxim of long standing in the policy of nations, nor is it lefs neceffary to the welfare and quiet of domeftic œconomy.

Ar Balfrofh I was informed that three Ruffian veffels were lying in the road of Mufchid Sir, and would fail in a few days to Baku.* It now behoved me to act warily, and to wind up with difcretion an adventure which had hitherto been fuccefsful, and had at this place reached a crifis, which must either produce a happy, or a dangerous iffue. To this period I had aflumed, with good fortune, the Mahometan character, without which, the journey I think could not have been performed, efpecially from Turshish to the Caspian sea. I had been admitted, without referve, into the fociety of Mahometans, and had lived at

A port on the western coaft of the Cafpian fea.

the

the fame board with the most zealous and fcrupulous, fome of whom, being now on the fpot, would, on a discovery of my person, inveterately refent the deceit. It was first expedient to quiet the mind of the feid, who lodging in the fame apartment, muft neceffarily become acquainted with my departure. Telling him that I was going to make a pilgrimage at a tomb,* much reforted to by the Perfians, in the vicinity of Mufchid Sir, and leaving a few things which would be useful, I bade him adieu with an air of unconcern, yet breathing a filent, fervent wish, that this old man, whom I was never to fee again, might experience every good in the difpenfation of providence.

MUSING on the fcenes which of late had been shifted with a rapid diverfity, and on the fingular, yet interesting connections which I had formed in the course of my journey, I travelled on to Muschid Sir; a fcattered village, fituate on the eastern bank of the Mazanderan river, about ten miles diftant from Balfrosh, and two from the Cafpian fea. On feeing the Ruffian quarter, I fent back a horfe which I had hired, and prefented myself to a perfon who was pointed out to me as the mafter of a Ruffian veffel; but he did not understand any language that I fpoke. To obviate this embarraffment, an interpreter was called in, and being informed that he was a Ruf

*The place of interment of a fon of Mouza Kazim, one of the twelve Imaums of the Perfians.

fian, I related my ftory without referve; that I was an English gentleman, who from motives of curiosity and pleasure, had travelled from Bengal, through the northern parts of India andi Perfia, and that I now intended to proceed by the way of Ruffia to England.

THE linguift expreffed furprize at the relation, which he feemed to doubt; but a repetition, accompanied with that confidence which only arifes from truth, noticing alfo that I was enabled to reward any good office, gave my relation credit, at least with the Ruffian. The mafter agreed to convey me to Baku, whither his veffel was configned; and obferved, that the commanding officer of a frigate lying at that port, would give the neceffary directions for my future procedure. The matter being thus happily arranged, I was invited to partake of a mess of fish-broth, ferved up in a large wooden bowl; of which the mafter, fix or feven failors, and myself, made a hearty meal; to me it was a regale; both from its being really a favory one, and from the manner of participation, to which I had been long a ftranger.

THE Ruffian habitations at Muschid Sir, are rudely conftructed, and far from being clean. The fides are about five feet high, and composed of branches of trees, twisted between stakes, ftuck at small distances in the ground; and the roof is of thatched straw. The furniture, equally fimple and coarse, confifts of fome narrow wooden beds, a long board, raised in the centre to eat at, and a few ftools, or buckets inverted to fit on. But the practice of

living hard, in all its variations, from eating stale barley bread to fleeping on fnow, had formed me into a complete veteran, so that the Ruflian cabin, with its affemblage of rough utenfils, was to my fight a garnished hotel. And the knife, wooden spoon, and platter, luxuries of a fuperior order.

In the first days of my refidence at this place, I fenfibly experienced a refreshment of mind and body. I had been accustomed to rife in the morning before day-break, with my hands and feet genearlly benumbed with cold, when after packing my baggage, I was obliged to take a part in the business of the camel-driver or the carrier; nor did the end of the day's journey, often bring with it more than the bareft accommodation, or afford me much matter of intellectual gratification. But these inconveniencies were all done away, and my meals as my fleep, became falutary and regular. Being thus relieved from labour, anxiety, and the inceffant tafk of fupporting a feigned character, I thought myself happy, and as happiness largely arifes from comparison and the excurfions of fancy, to which I now gave an ample fcope, this was perhaps the most pleasurable period of my life.

THE Cafpian fea prefented a grand fcene, and its waves dashing agauit the fhore, produced with a delightful found, the exulting retrofpect of dangers paffed; yet I endeavoured to check this rifing falty of prefumption, ill fuited to the nature of man, by confidering that the accomplishment of my journey was greatly promoted by a train of events, in which my own exertions had

but