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Do you believe in our holy Prophet, upon whom be peace and blessing? We do not, said the Englishman,

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. Curses be on the infidel! said the priest, blowing over each shoulder to keep off impurity.

Wherefore did you travel hitherward? said the Chief. I am going to India. »

Does a woman govern Hind too? - She does," said the Englishman.

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Yalan! lies! » exclaimed the Chief.

What the country conquered by Nadir, owned by Shah Jehan, governed by the daughter of a Frengi infidel!» exclaimed Timour the scribe, no longer able to contain his astonishment. "That cannot be. He is the grand-father of lies ! »

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. He lies! he lies! he lies! » was exclaimed by all around. - Perhaps they are magicians, these Franks; Allah bilir, God only knows, said the Chief, extremely puzzled what to make of his prisoner, and not knowing exactly how to dispose of him to his own advantage. He was about dismissing him from his presence, when the Englishman, lifting up his voice, said, "Let me ask, O Khan, wherefore have you made me prisoner, and stolen my goods from me? I have done nothing against you. My country is not at war with yours. This is not right. You must allow me to depart, and restore my property.

The Chief, as well as the vizier and others of his court, were startled at this speech, and a long pause ensued, when the Chief said, « Bakalum we will see. You will receive good treatment. We will send you fruit, camel's milk, and a lamb with a fat tail. Go, and make your mind easy. "

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The Chief would have broken up the assembly; but his curiosity to inspect what had been taken from the Frank being too intense to be postponed, the various articles were brought in, and displayed before him and his court. First were exhibited the articles found on his person, a watch, a knife, sketch-book, a pocket-compass, pencils, and other small things often found in a gentleman's pockets. They seemed to know the use of the watch, although the article before them,

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compared to the ponderous ones used and prized by the people of the East, was so small, that they despised it as a child's toy. What attracted their principal attention was the sketchbook, where they found a great variety of drawings, -portraits of men and women, of horses, and things illustrative of the East. They laughed maliciously at the portraits of Persians.

« See!" said one, «see! here is a lying Kizzil bash red head. May his house be ruined. Look at his curls! Aman! Aman! wonderful things are here! » As I live, " said another, here is our Omar Aga! See, his little eyes! See, his cap! that is his very cap. This man must be a magician! Allah! Allah! And a horse!-look at this horse! See, the bridle, the stirrups, the saddle, and the saddle-cloth! He is a Shaitan-a devil!.

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Thus did they wonder at and criticise everything that came before them, until the heavier part of the plunder was brought forth and exhibited. The camel, which carried the canteen and the bedding, had fallen a prey to the marauders; but the remainder of the baggage had escaped. The canteen, after many awkward attempts, having been opened, every article which it contained, one by one, was displayed before the Chief, who, together with his surrounding courtiers, in utter ignorance of the use of the things which it contained, turned them over and over, like a company of happy monkies frolicking amongst cocoa-nuts. They all looked about for something to taste. One lout gulped down a draught of ketchup from the cruets; another appealed to his prophet in lamentation, after having filled his mouth with cayenne pepper; and a third, having tossed off a whole bottle of ink, was seen shortly after, with bitter curses, throwing off black streams from his stomach. Such varieties of excitement had never before been witnessed in Tartary. But the thing which, above all others, attracted their attention, and baffled their powers of comWhen prehension, was the patent brass travelling bedstead. taken out of its case, it lay before them in disjointed parcels, exciting their cupidity by the brilliancy of its polish, and flattering the rapacious old Chief, that he was the possessor

of so many bars of solid gold. When they attempted to put it together, to discover what might be its use, a most extraordinary scene took place, some pulling one thing, some another; at one time setting the machinery up perpendicularly, at another horizontally.

Where is the Frank?» at length roared out the much-bepuzzled Chief. The Englishman, having been brought in all haste, was soon entreated to satisfy their curiosity. He did not hesitate to do so, seeing that he might be benefited by civility; and he accordingly put his bed together, placing the curtains over it, and spreading the hair-mattress in its appointed place. The bed was adopted as the future throne of the Chief, upon which he was immediately seated and enshrined; and, by way of completing the farce, the blankets were transformed into cloaks, one of which soon graced the person of the Khan, whilst the counterpane was carried before him by his groom as a saddle-housing.

The excitement having ceased, the Chief became anxious to settle the destination of his prisoner.

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What is an Ingliz good for? inquired the Chief. «Can he tend camels? Can he look after sheep? Can he weave tents or make carpets? Can he ride, go on a chappao, wield a lance, kill, slay, and bind a prisoner? Can he sow and reap? Who knows what he may be good for? Speak-tell me, you Timour, who have seen the world. "

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If you will allow your slave to speak, said Timour the scribe, I will make a representation of such things as I have heard in Persia. These Ingliz are men that possess bits of the world in every portion of it, north, east, west, or south, there they are, buying, selling, fighting, praying, improving, destroying, in short, they are to be found in everybody's business; so much so, that when an Englishman appears, one must say Penah be Khoda! trust in God! But what I have heard them to be mostly famous for, is-broad cloth and penknives; they can all make broad-cloth and penknives, of that I am certain; they can also make chintz, and white pots, pans, and plates; therefore, if my humble advice be followed, your slave would say, let him make cloth. »

VOL. III.

18

You have not said ill," said the Chief, « by my head, you have not said ill—bakalum !~let us see. Now, khojah, now, O priest tell me your opinion..

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May I be your sacrifice, said the holy man, my word can only be given in conformity with the injunctions of the blessed Koran. The infidel has confessed that he believes not in our holy prophet, therefore, what is left for him but death -Katl! Katl!-let him die, that is my word. » The Chief listened with attention to the words of his counsellors, and when they had done speaking there ensued a pause; but it was evident that his heart was set upon broad cloth. therefore, said All you have said is good- God be praised. He may be a magician, he may be worthy of death, and he may have the evil eye; but if he makes cloth, he is the man for us. We require cloth-I want a cloak-the troops want clothes and we shall all be benefited; therefore, let us instantly order him to begin. You, O Timour, you will immediately undertake that service. Go-I have said. »

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Timour, the scribe, made a low inclination of the body, said, Upon my eyes be it, and left the presence. He went straight to where the Englishman was confined, and informed him of the decree that had gone forth concerning him.

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The Englishman stood in utter surprise. «Cloth! he exclaimed. What makes you think I can make cloth? I am a man of the pen a traveller one who goes about seeing

things. I wear cloth, but I do not make it. »

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"What news is this? Are you run mad? said the mirza.

Do you wish to be treated like a slave?

die? You must begin this very moment. »

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What dirt do you eat? said the Englishman.

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silkworm or a spider, that I can at a moment's notice sit down and spin from my body and make cloth, as they make silk or web? Such a thing has never been seen. Go tell the Khan that I have no objection to make cloth, if he provide me with wool from his flocks, a spinning machine, and a loom in which I can weave it; when all is prepared, I will with pleasure make as much cloth as you like. » Timour looked

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disappointed; but went his way to represent the state of the case to the Chief.

You have eaten dirt, mirza,» said the Chief. "Wherefore did you say that the Ingliz can make cloth without materials, when, if we had all the Frank requires, we could make it as well as they? It is plain that he is a man like another. We must send him to the obah, and make him do good service. Let him feed the dogs, and churn the butter. He must make roghun (preserved butter), and earn his maintenance. »

Upon this, the vizier was ordered to send the miserable man to the nearest obah, there to be set to work in some of the various employments to which slaves were usually appointed.

The Englishman was conducted to a large encampment, the tents of which consisted of a framework of the bee-hive form, covered over with thick felts, variously ornamented about the doorway with tassels and embroidery. These, collected in considerable numbers, pitched without a plan, contained a large community, whose principal occupation consisted in taking care of their horses, looking to their arms, and lounging about in idle state, whilst the domestic concerns, and all the various details of the sheep and cattle tending, and their produce, devolved upon the women.

The whole encampment turned out to gaze at the stranger, particularly the women, who, with faces unveiled (for such is the Tartar custom), flocked, with looks of curiosity and interest, to take a minute survey of him. The dogs of the obah, which were numerous and fierce, darted upon him with savage fury, and would have torn him to pieces had he not been protected; but, what was his dismay when he was informed, that his duties for the future were to look after these very dogs, to feed them, and to be ever on the alert at night, when they were more than usually clamorous and violent!

His life passed on in dull uniformity, looking after the dogs, occasionally varied by shaking the skins in which the milk. was enclosed to make butter.

One day he perceived that a great sensation of distress and uneasiness was pervading the camp, and discovered that there was sickness in the case. A maiden, the most beautiful, and

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