chain" of which I suppose it a link does not extend quite so far as the shores of the Persian Gulf. "This long and lofty range of mountains formerly divided Media from Assyria, and now forms the boundary of the Persian and Turkish empires. It runs parallel with the river Tigris and Persian Gulf, and almost disappearing in the vicinity of Gomberoon (Harmozia) seems once more to rise in the southern districts of Kerman, and following an easterly course through the centre of Meckraun and Balouchistan, is entirely lost in the deserts of Sinde."- Kinneir's Persian Empire.

Page 209.

That bold were Moslem, who would dare
At twilight hour to steer his skiff,

Beneath the Gheber's lonely cliff.

"There is an extraordinary hill in this neighbourhood, called Kohé Gubr or the Guebre's mountain. It rises in the form of a lofty cupola, and on the summit of it, they say, are the remains of an Atush Kudu or Fire Temple. It is superstitiously held to be the residence of Deeves or Sprites, and many marvellous stories are recounted of the injury and witchcraft suffered by those who essayed in former days to ascend or explore it."- Pottinger's Beloochistan.

Page 210.

Still did the mighty flame burn on.

"At the city of Yezd in Persia, which is distinguished by the appellation of the Darûb Abadut, or Seat of Religion, the Guebres are permitted to have an Atush Kudu or Fire Temple (which, they assert, has had the sacred fire in it

since the days of Zoroaster) in their own compartment of the city; but for this indulgence they are indebted to the avarice, not the tolerance of the Persian government, which taxes them at twenty-five rupees each man."-Pottinger's Beloochistan.

Page 214.

while on that altar's fires

They swore.

"Nul d'entre eux oseroit se perjurer, quand il a pris à témoin cet élement terrible et vengeur." - Encyclopédie Françoise.

Page 215.

The Persian lily shines and towers.

"A vivid verdure succeeds the autumnal rains, and the ploughed fields are covered with the Persian lily, of a resplendent yellow colour."- Russel's Aleppo.

Page 222.

Like Dead Sea fruits, that tempt the eye,

But turn to ashes on the lips.

They say that there are apple-trees upon the sides of this sea, which bear very lovely fruit, but within are all full of ashes." Thevenot. The same is asserted of the oranges there; v. Witman's Travels in Asiatic Turkey.

"The Asphalt Lake, known by the name of the Dead Sea, is very remarkable on account of the considerable proportion of salt which it contains. In this respect it surpasses every other known water on the surface of the earth. This great proportion of bitter tasted salts is the reason why

CC

neither animal nor plant can live in this water.' - Klaproth's Chemical Analysis of the Water of the Dead Sea, Annals of Philosophy, January 1813. Hasselquist, however, doubts the truth of this last assertion, as there are shell-fish to be found in the lake.

Lord Byron has a similar allusion to the fruits of the Dead Sea, in that wonderful display of genius, his third Canto of Childe Harold, magnificent beyond any thing, perhaps,

that even he has ever written.

Page 222.

While lakes, that shone in mockery nigh.

"The Suhrab or Water of the Desert is said to be caused by the rarefaction of the atmosphere from extreme heat; and, which augments the delusion, it is most frequent in hollows, where water might be expected to lodge. I have seen bushes and trees reflected in it, with as much accuracy as though it had been the face of a clear and still lake." Pottinger.

"As to the unbelievers, their works are like a vapour in a plain, which the thirsty traveller thinketh to be water, until when he cometh thereto he findeth it to be nothing.”. Koran, chap. 24.

Page 223.

A flower, that the Bidmusk has just passed over. "A wind which prevails in February, called Bidmusk, from a small and odoriferous flower of that name."

"The

wind which blows these flowers commonly lasts till the end of the month."- Le Bruyn.

Page 223.

Where the sea-gipsies, who live for ever on the water. "The Biajús are of two races; the one is settled on Borneo, and are a rude but warlike and industrious nation, who reckon themselves the original possessors of the island of Borneo. The other is a species of sea-gipsies or itinerant fishermen, who live in small covered boats, and enjoy a perpetual summer on the eastern ocean, shifting to leeward from island to island, with the variations of the monsoon. In some of their customs this singular race resemble the natives of the Maldivia islands. The Maldivians annually launch a small bark, loaded with perfumes, gums, flowers, and odoriferous wood, and turn it adrift at the mercy of winds and waves, as an offering to the Spirit of the Winds; and sometimes similar offerings are made to the spirit whom they term the King of the Sea. In like manner the Biajús perform their offering to the god of evil, launching a small bark, loaded with all the sins and misfortunes of the nation, which are imagined to fall on the unhappy crew that may be so unlucky as first to meet with it." Dr. Leyden on the Languages and Literature of the Indo-Chinese Nations.

Page 223.

The violet sherbets.

"The sweet-scented violet is one of the plants most esteemed, particularly for its great use in Sorbet, which they make of violet sugar."- Hasselquist.

"The sherbet they most esteem, and which is drank by the Grand Signor himself, is made of violets and sugar."— Tavernier.

"

Page 224.

The pathetic measure of Nava.

"Last of all she took a guitar, and sung a pathetic air in the measure called Nava, which is always used to express the lamentations of absent lovers."

Page 227.

Her ruby rosary.

Persian Tales.

"Le Tespih, qui est un chapelet, composé de 99 petites boules d'agathe, de jaspe, d'ambre, de corail, ou d'autre matière precieuse. J'en ai vu un superbe au Seigneur Jerpos; il étoit de belles et grosses perles parfaites et égales, estimé trente mille piastres." Toderini.

Page 247.

A silk dyed with the blossoms of the sorrowful tree Nilica. "Blossoms of the sorrowful Nyctanthes give a durable colour to silk."- Remarks on the Husbandry of Bengal, p. 200. Nilica is one of the Indian names of this flower.Sir W. Jones.-The Persians call it Gul. — Carreri.

Page 261.

When pitying heaven to roses turn'd

The death-flames that beneath him burn'd.

Of their other Prophet Zoroaster, there is a story told in Dion Prusaus, Orat. 36., that the love of wisdom and virtue leading him to a solitary life upon a mountain, he found it one day all in a flame, shining with celestial fire, out of

which he came without any harm, and instituted certain sacrifices to God, who, he declared, then appeared to him.v. Patrick on Exodus, iii. 2.