the brute creation. The ancient faith of Persia was restored or reformed by Zoro

aster.

Mushed, the capital of Persian Khorasan, rose out of the decay of the ancient Toos, the ruins of which lie but seventeen miles distant. The plan of the city is by some attributed to the Emperor Humaioon, while he was a guest of Shah Tamasp; but its greatness is undoubtedly owing to the resort of pilgrims to the tomb of Imam Reza. Nadir Shah bestowed upon it much of his dangerous favour, and enriched the shrine with a bounty which still gilds its remains. Though containing scarcely 100,000 souls, it has numerous mosques and mollahs; and they reckon sixteen madressas, some of which are really magnificent, while others are degraded into stables and cattle-pens.

The shrine and its appendages occupy a position in the centre of the principal street,- -a fine broad avenue, having in the middle a canal, once shaded with trees. The entry to this holy place is by a quadrangle, called the Sahn, 160 yards long by seventy-five broad; it is paved with gravestones, for all the noble and pious of the land are desirous of burial within its precincts. It is surrounded with a double row of arched niches, all superbly ornamented with lackered tiles, and at either end stands a lofty gateway embellished in the same fashion, which is probably the most perfect specimen of the kind in the world. Neither Jew nor Christian is permitted to intrude into this magnificent square, under pain of death. From the side of the Sahn a gilded archway admits the pilgrim to the mausoleum, the exact form of which it is not possible to ascertain, on account of the meaner buildings that surround it. A silver gate, the gift of Nadir Shah, opens into the chief apartment, which rises like the centre nave of a cathedral into a noble dome, and branches out in the form of a cross. The whole is adorned with tiles of the richest colors, profuse of azure and gold, disposed in the most tasteful devices, while from the centre depends a large branched candlestick of solid silver. The dome is covered with gilded tiles; and from two points, one near the shrine and one on the opposite side of the Sahn,-rise two lofty minarets, the lowest parts of which are cased with an azure coating, while

the upper parts and the galleries round the top are richly gilt,-assuredly the most beautiful things of this description in the whole empire. A doorway, in the left arch to the north-west, leads into another apartment, richly decorated and surmounted with a dome, under which repose the remains of Imam Reza and of the celebrated Haroun al Raschid. The shrine is encircled by a railing of wrought steel, inside of which is an incomplete one of solid gold, and many other glittering objects. It would be endless to detail the splendour of the various parts of this mausoleum, as dimly seen by the light of lamp and taper. Combined with the reverential silence, only interrupted by the deep intonations of Arabic prayers or recitations from the Koran, and with the solemn mummery of the mollahs, it is quite enough to impress with unmingled awe the ignorant pilgrims who flock thither for the purposes of devotion.

Another passage leads through the mausoleum into a court belonging to a mosque of the greatest beauty, founded by the wife of Shah Rokh, the grandson of Timur. The screen, in which is placed the chief archway, the dome and minarets, are all tastefully adorned with the usual material of coloured tiles.

The government of Mushed, which is placed in the hands of one of the king's sons, under the superintendence of an able minister, extends its authority but a little way to the north or south. The country to the north is chiefly occupied by a colony of Kurds, transported by Shah Abbas from the Turkish frontier to that of Persian Khorasan, bordering on the Uzbeck states. These people have multiplied, and form three distinct states, each under its own chief, who all maintain the manners of their forefathers, together with their rude independence, paying no tribute, unless when it is demanded at the head of an army. The most powerful of them resides at Khabooshan, about nine miles west-northwest of Mushed, and is dignified with the title of Eelkhanee or Lord of the Eeliauts. In this quarter is situated the celebrated fortress of Kelaat Nadiree, which is a valley from fifty to sixty miles long by twelve or fifteen in breadth, surrounded by mountains so steep that a little assistance from art has rendered them quite impassable, the rocks being scarped outside into the form of a gigantic wall. A

stream runs through this hollow; and its entrance and outlet, the only points of access, are fortified by walls and towers which are deemed impregnable. It contains twenty or thirty villages, two thousand families, and presents an extended cultivation. In 1822, this stronghold was possessed by a chief named Seyed Mohammed, who like others had declared himself independent.

The striking events in the past history of Persia which have occupied our attention, the importance of the actors, and the imposing magnificence of the details. -perplexing the imagination with countless multitudes, exhaustless wealth, and almost boundless power-naturally lead the reader to conclude that Persia must be populous, fertile, well cultivated, and abounding in every source of prosperity. Yet the reverse is the truth; and the cause of this error is neither remote nor obscure. We may trace it to the impressions our minds have received from the allusions in Holy Writ to the riches and power of the Assyrian and Median kings, with their "cohorts all gleaming in purple and gold;" from the works of those classical authors who have recorded the splendour of a Darius or a Xerxes, and the innumerable myriads whom they led to victory or to destruction; and, lastly, from the gorgeous descriptions which have delighted us in Eastern narratives, whether in prose or verse. These impressions, gaining strength by contemplating the mighty scale of conquest which characterizes the history of Asia, have undoubtedly been the means of throwing over this quarter of the globe a delusive brilliancy.

This misconception has been in no small degree strengthened by the reports of those travellers who visited Persia in the reigns of the Suffees, when that country appeared as wealthy as when her empire extended over the greater part of Asia, and who for the most part had their views directed to the more exalted orders of society,--to the persons of the sovereign and his immediate dependants, or the rich and powerful of the land, with whom their business chiefly led them to associate. Such accounts can form no just criterion for determining the condition of the country in general; for, while the king was dazzling strangers by his ostentation, his subjects may have been as poor, population as scanty, and culti

vation not much more extensive than at present. Besides, in estimating the pow er of the kingdom, it must be recollected that the most successful monarchs did not draw their riches from it alone, but owed them to the possession of Asiatic Turkey, to Egypt, Bactriana, Kharism, Cabul, and even to Tartary, as well as to the trade with India and China, which they either engrossed or controlled.

Without good highways commerce cannot thrive, because commodities cannot be transported in any considerable quantities. In Persia it does not appear that such a convenience ever existed: art has never been applied there to the formation of roads, even in the most prosperous times. Ancient authors, it is true, mention chariots as being used in war as well as by persons of rank; but with the exception of the great causeway constructed by Shah Abbas in Mazunderan, and something of the same nature across the Caufilan Koh, which separates Irak from Azerbijan (said to have been made by the Turks while in possession of Azerbijan with the view of extending their conquests), there are no tracks calculated for such conveyances. Indeed the people, when reproached with this deficiency, and reminded of the advantages of an easy intercourse, admit the fact, but ascribe it to national policy, and argue that the best encouragement to an invading foe would be smooth paths to facilitate his march.

The government of Persia has always been an absolute monarchy. The sovereign's word is law; the life and property of his subjects, from the highest to the lowest, are in his hand; and in exercising this power he is liable to no control, except the fear of exciting rebellion or provoking assassination. It is, therefore, the feeble who suffer most, while the bold and the strong find means for their own protection.

Equally paramount is the authority of the king in his own family; and although the custom of the tribes from which his majesty is sprung disposes him to recognise in the son of his legitimate wife the successor to his crown, yet, if he choose, he may nominate the offspring of a slave, aad secure the kingdom from civil broils after his own decease by depriving of sight, or putting to death, the whole of the progeny except the heir-apparent."Frazer's Hist. of Persia.

Camelopards.

(Concluded from page 226.)

It was noon; I was already beginning to feel the calls of hunger and thirst; and I found myself alone in a very barren spot, exposed to a scorching sun, and destitute of the slightest shelter from the heat, or provision against hunger.

In vain should I have tried to make use of my horse: panting and overstrained, he was incapable of serving me. Nothing therefore remained but to stay where I was till my men should begin to be uneasy at my absence, and set out in search of me. But at this distance, without any means of tracing me, how could I hope that they would be able to find me out?

From time to time I saw a few gellinots fly over my head. To deceive the time, as well as to appease my hunger, I killed some of these, and having succeeded in setting fire to some bushes, by means of my gun flint, and at the expense of one of my ruffles, which served me for tinder, I contrived to broil them.

At the moment that I almost despaired of receiving succour, I thought I heard at a distance some guns fired; and I need not say that this signal gave me great joy. I answered it by two shots: it was in fact made by some men of my troop who were looking for me. I soon heard their shouts they themselves were not long in appearing; and I set out with them on my return to the camp.

We had still time enough to advance two leagues before night. At the close of day we encamped under some aloes which we found on our way.

The next morning my whole party rejoined me, and we saw five other camelopards, to which we gave chace; but they (employed so many artifices, that after pursuing them the whole day, they escaped us at last, under favour of the night.

I was exceedingly vexed at this ill success; and what completely threw me into despair was, that having six-and-twenty mouths to feed, I found myself on the point of wanting provisions. I had nothing left but a few pounds of hippopotamus' flesh. Happily fortune favoured me; and the succeeding day was the most triumphant of my life.

I had gone out a hunting at sunrise, in hopes of getting some game for our food. After rambling about for some hours, we perceived, on turning round a hill, seven camelopards, which were im

mediately attacked by my hounds. Six of them took to flight in a body: the seventh, being separated by the dogs, made off in another direction.

I pursued this latter at full speed; but notwithstanding the efforts of my horse, it gained so much upon me, that at a turn of the road I lost sight of it; and I stopped again, confounded at my want of

success.

My dogs however were not long in coming up with it: they soon pressed so close upon the animal, that it was obliged to stop and defend itself. From the place where I was, I heard them give tongue with all their might; but the sounds appearing always to proceed from one spot, I conjectured that the animal was somewhere held at bay, and immediately spurred towards them.

In fact I had no sooner taken the next turn, than I perceived the camelopard surrounded by the dogs, and endeavouring to drive them off by kicking with great violence. I had nothing to do but to dismount, and with a single shot of my carbine bring down my game.

Delighted with my victory, I returned to summon my men, and make them flay and cut up the gigantic creature. While

I was looking about for them, I observed one of my Hottentots making signs to me with an air of great eagerness, of which, at first, I could understand nothing; but casting my eyes towards the quarter to which he pointed with his hand, I saw with surprise a camelopard standing under a large ebony tree, and assailed by my dogs. I thought that it was another, and ran towards it; but it was the same, which, just as I was going to give it a second shot, fell down dead.

Can you believe that I was almost frenzied with joy at this conquest? Hardships, fatigues, cruel want, uncertainty of the future, disgust at the past, all vanished at the sight of this new acquisition, which I could not satiate myself with contemplating. I measured its enormons height -I carried back my eyes with astonishment from the animal destroyed to the instrument of destruction. I called all my men again and again to admire it; though any of them could have done as much, and we had brought down much heavier and more dangerous animals. I was the first European who had killed one of the kind: I was about to enrich

natural history with it, to destroy romance, and substitute truth in its place.

All my men came running, and congratulated me on my triumph, except one alone, who remained behind. In vain did I hasten him by my voice and ges tures. He had fallen from his horse, and rubbed the skin off his shoulder, and came slowly on, holding his beast by the bridle. When he came within hearing, he told me of his fall. I, without hearing what he said, without thinking that he might stand in need of assistance, told him of my victory. He showed me his shoulder, I showed him my camelopard. I was in a state of intoxication, and should not have thought more of a wound of my own.

My first care after killing it, was to take all its proportions very accurately; my next to draw it, reducing my drawing by the scale of my measurements; during which time my men were employed in supporting the parts that I was drawing.

To say the truth, this operation seemed rather long to them. Dying as they were with hunger, having eaten nothing, any more than myself, for six-and-thirty hours, they eagerly anticipated the moment when it should be finished, and they might feed on the animal. Several of them had already begun to sharpen their knives on flints, to assist in its dissection. But as it was my intention to flay it myself, and preserve the skin, I took care not to suffer them to hack and tear it to pieces. In vain did they beg me to leave it, assuring me that I should find plenty more afterwards. I would not suffer myself to be cajoled by the arguments of these hungry men, but set to the work immediately.

I began by dividing the skin of the under part of the body from the insertion of the tail to the lower lip. I did not however touch upon the lower lip itself, because this part, being of a softer texture than the rest, would shrink more in drying if it were cut; which would disfigure the animal when its form was attempted to be restored by stuffing. After this incision, I made four others, one within each leg, going from the hoof to the belly, where they ended in the first.

This preparatory operation being finished, nothing remained but to flay the creature, in which I employed some of my men with their sharp knives. I took

care, however, that the hoofs and head should be left adhering to the skin; and this work, also, I performed myself, by cutting off the head at the last vertebra of the neck, and separating the hoofs, which are cloven, from the shank. Whilst I was thus employed, my Hottentots went to cut wood, and light a fire for our cookery. In their rambles they discovered a spring, to which I caused the skin to be carried to clean it from the blood and other impurities; after which I abandoned the body to my famished attendants.

The Hottentot who served me as cook, first took away some pieces, which he brought to me broiled, and which I thought excellent. He also put the shanks on the gridiron. Their marrow, which is as white and firm as mutton fat, was really delicious. I never ate any so fine, and I wanted nothing but toast to spread it upon.

After dinner I again set to work. My men, according to my orders, had smoothed a plot of ground about twenty feet square; and on this I caused the skin to be stretched with the hair uppermost, the edges being held down with large stones.

My intention was to dry it, to get out all the fat, and destroy all the causes of fermentation which might have damaged and made it corrupt. For this purpose I had large fires made, that I might have plenty of ashes; I then spread these ashes over the skin, taking care that they should cover it entirely, and evenly. I suffered it to remain in this state all night; and for fear some hyæna should come under cover of the darkness and gnaw it, I set up my tent close by my

treasure.

The dissection of the head and hoofs took me up all the following day. The hoofs gave me very little trouble; but this was not the case with the head. We began by raising the skin from the jaws and cheeks, and removing the flesh beneath, substituting tow in its place to restore and preserve its form. The eyes were treated nearly in the same manner. After taking out the globe of the eye, and drying the orifice with hot ashes, I filled this cavity also with tow, to support the eye-lids.

The most difficult operation was the extraction of the brain, which in the camelopard is very large. It gave me the

up

more trouble, as I wished to make neither incision nor fracture. At length I hit on a mode of imbibing and sponging it little by little. This was executed by means of an iron wire, the end of which was wrapped round with hair, and introduced into the hollow of the head. The skull being thus emptied, I filled it with hot ashes. I took care to renew the ashes on the skin from time to time; for which purpose I kept up very large fires for several days.

At length, after nine days of this hot tanning, finding that the leather, though not yet sufficiently dried to preserve it from decay, would however, by continu ing the same process longer, become too stiff to be managed, I caused it to be folded in four and bound with straps, the feet and head uppermost. In this state it made a package of six feet sqnare, and three feet and a half thick.

The inconvenience of dragging such a burthen with me during the whole of my journey, at first suggested to me the idea of leaving it in the care of a neighbouring horde of savages till my return; but I felt too great a value for my treasure to trust it out of my own keeping.

I was apprehensive too that the skin might be spoiled for want of care during my absence; and I was conscious how difficult it would be to obtain another, should I lose this which I had been so fortunate in acquiring.

My greatest difficulty was how to con. vey it away without a carriage; knowing as I did the impossibility of getting one to the spot. I had nothing but oxen for my expedition; but independently of the delays and inconveniences that so large a package would occasion us on the road, its enormous weight greatly exceeded what a common ox is able to carry, and would have been sufficient to crush the animal. I therefore purchased two of the strongest oxen belonging to the horde, and constructed a kind of litter; which being adapted to their shoulders, and obliging them to walk a breast, divided the burthen between them. The machine being finished, I made trial of it; and its success so much astonished the savages, to whom it was a novelty, that the whole horde was assembled at my departure to see and admire it.

I could give you many particulars of the natural history of the giraffe. This animal ruminates, in common with all

other horned and cloven-footed quadrupeds. It grazes likewise, but rarely, as pasturage is scarce in the land which it inhabits. Its usual food is the leaves of a kind of 'mimosa,' or plant called caanap.

The head is certainly the most beautiful part of the camelopard. Its mouth is small, its eyes lively and very open. Between the eyes and above the nose there is a very marked and prominent tubercle. This is not a fleshy excrescence, but a swelling of the bone, as are likewise the two little bunches or protuberances with which the back part of its head is armed, and which rise to the size of a hen's egg on each side from the root of its mane. Its tongue is rough, and terminates in a point. Both its jaws have six grinders on each side; but the lower one has besides eight cutting teeth in front, which the upper one is without. Its feet are cloven, they have no heel, and much resemble those of an ox, only at the first glance it may be observed that the fore feet are much larger than the hind. The leg is very slender; but the knee is protuberant, owing to the animal's kneeling down to rest. There is also a great callosity before, which proves that it usually reposes on its breast.

When the camelopard is standing still, and seen in front, as the forepart of its body is much larger than the hind, it entirely conceals it; and the animal then resembles the trunk of a withered tree.

The

Its gait in walking is neither awkward nor unpleasing; but in trotting it becomes ridiculous, and the animal appears lame from seeing its head perched on the end of a long unbending neck, swinging backwards and forwards, and moving all in a piece between its two shoulders, which seem to serve for hinges. length of the neck exceeding that of the legs by at least four inches, it is evident. that, added to the length of the head, it is sufficient to allow it to graze without difficulty, and consequently that it is not obliged for this purpose to kneel down, or to spread out its legs, as some travel. lers have said.

Its defence like that of the horse and other whole hoofed animals, is in its heels; and its hinder parts are so light and its kicks so rapid, that the eye can scarcely follow them; they are even sufficient to defend it against the lion, though not to repel the impetuous attack of the leopard.-Le Vaillant.