midst of the city, and forming a grand centre to all the different approaches. Mr. Fraser's description of this showy structure is too long for extract, and, after all, requires plans and elevations for distinct comprehension. Open squares, surrounded by arcades, baths, medressas or colleges, a mosque, and other buildings, highly ornamented and glittering with gold and silver, are connected with the mausoleum itself, of which the precise form is, in a great measure, concealed by a mass of wretched mud fabrics, that encompass it around.' Mr. F.'s visit to the interior was a dangerous enterprise, and only accomplished by the assistance of one of the individuals attached to the shrine.

On approaching by the way already described, we entered the magnificent gilded archway, and being admitted through Nadir's sillver gate, where we left our slippers in charge of the porter, we proceeded to the lofty central apartment, than which I have seldom seen a more happy union of the beautiful and the grand. It was difficult to say which was most to be admired, the great size and ele. gant proportions of this noble hall, or the richness and beauty of its ornaments, seen as they were by a mellow and uncertain light, which veiled every thing that might have been harsh or glaring. After viewing this apartment for awhile, we approached that which contains the shrine itself: pausing on its threshold, my guide bowing himself until his head touched the grouud, said a long prayer in Arabic, motioning me to follow him in action, as well as word, which I did implicitly, but, of course, without understanding one word. We then entered, and repeated forms of prayer at each of the four sides of the tomb, bowing, at every time, very low; after which we examined the apartment, and went through the rest of the place.

Although the Meerza assured me that this was the most private hour of the day, there was, nevertheless, no inconsiderable crowd about the tomb; a number of pilgrims were paying their devotions at the shrine, and performing, under the tuition of the khadums, the same ceremonies I had myself gone through. Many were seated in corners in the anti-rooms reading the Koran; and a multitude of gowned and turbaned figures flitted about through the lofty mysterious rooms; all was silent and death-like, except the low hum of prayer, or the subdued and measured intonations of those who recited the Koran, sounds producing an effect more striking even than total silence. I should gladly have enjoyed for a longer time the impressive scene before me, but I could not forget that I was in a place where a Christian, if discovered, would assuredly meet a violent death. I was sensible of the intrusion which I had committed, and felt as if many of the eyes around were suspiciously glancing at me. It was fortunate that the uncertain light aided my disguise, as the awkwardness of my movements in performing the ceremonies of the place, and the common gestures that accompany their religious ob servances, would unavoidably have betrayed me, had any attention been paid to our party. I saw that the khadum himself was uneasy

and hurried me rapidly from place to place; and I cannot but confess, that I felt relieved, when, after having seen every thing that is shewn of the place, and gone through all its ceremenies, we repassed the silver gate, crossed the Sahn, and retired from view into one of the cells of the Medressa Meerza Jaffier.'

When the government of the turbulent province of Khorasan was confided to one of the princes of the blood, it was necessary to find for him a minister of experience and commanding character, and the wuzeer Meerza Moossa was selected to fill the office. He is described as an able and well-informed man, of striking exterior and fascinating manners, but as also crafty, deceitful, and reckless of the means in pursuit of his end, With this person, and with several others of considerable note, Mr. Fraser had interesting conferences. But the most important information on the subject of his intended route, was obtained from the Ameerzadeh Nassr-u-deen Meerza, brother of the present monarch of Bockhara, Sooltaun Hyder. This prince had fallen-whether deservedly or otherwise, is not very elear-under the suspicion of his brother, and had, in consequence, taken refuge in the Persian territory. His appearance was little in his favour, but he proved, on further knowledge, remarkably intelligent, well-informed, and polite. In the mean time, Mr. Fraser's situation at Mushed became extremely critical. The peculiar circumstances of that capital have given it a character of sanctity, which made the presence of a heretic, pollution, and the heads of the several colleges began to bestir themselves on the subject; nor were those eminent judges of theological questions, the populace, slow in manifesting their sentiments on this alarming business. The affair of Mr. F.'s visit to the tomb of the Imaum had been suffered to transpire; the holy shrine had been contaminated by the gaze of an infidel; and we are sorry to say that, in compliance with the suggestions of some of his Mahommedan friends, who seemed to consider the thing as a mere jest, he affected to become a proselyte, and recited with much applause the Mussulman Culmeh. We trust that he did not stop short in this meritorious accommodation; and, although he give us no express information on the point, that he went fairly through the last probation in the novitiate of Islam. However this may have been, he gained nothing by his trimming; the sincerity of his conversion, after its first eclat, was pretty generally doubted, and, worst of all, his supply of cash began to run low in a place where bills of exchange were not negotiable. In addition to all these untoward circumstances, his intended route to Bockhara was ascertained to be impracticable from the agitated state of the intervening provinces. In the failure

of his specific plan, he was successful in procuring much valuable information concerning that state, of which we can only afford space for a few particulars.

The father of the present monarch of Bockhara, was the celebrated Shah Murad, better known as Beggy Jan, a singular but able and enterprising prince, of whom Sir John Malcolm, in his valuable history of Persia, furnishes many interesting particulars. He extended his dominions at the expense both of the Persians and the Affghauns, taking Merve from the former and Balkh from the latter. He was succeeded by Shah Hyder, the reigning king, who is described as an amiable and an unambitious man; charitable, just, and devoted to the observances of his religion. He practises the most rigorous selfdenial, preaches frequently, regularly reads prayers, and has a class of pupils to whom he delivers theological prelections. His court is extremely splendid, the different classes wearing distinct and appropriate uniforms, and the state ceremonial seems to be strictly enforced. Learned himself, he is an encourager of learning, and the arrangements of his court in the reception of strangers of all ranks seem to be adjusted on a scale at once judicious and munificent. He maintains an efficient army, all cavalry, but his warlike enterprises have not been either sanguinary or successful. The population of his kingdom is so variously estimated as to be utterly uncertain: one guess gives it at 3,600,000. On the whole, Bockhara appears to be well governed, and the people to be peaceful and contented.

The neighbouring kingdom of Ferghauna, now known by the name of Kokaun, resembles in nearly all respects of inhabitants, climate, produce, and government, the dominion of Shah Hyder, excepting that its ruler Omer Khan, is less of a dervish, and not so ostentatious in his administration. He is described as a mild, good, and equitable sovereign, ruling over a happy and contented people.

Khiva or Khyvah, the cradle and remains of the once mighty empire of Khauresm,' is now shrunk into the territory of a Tartar chief, whose ambition is happily repressed by his want of efficient power, and whose ferocity is compelled to waste itself on minor objects, from inability to expatiate in a wider scene of devastation. To this ruffian, Mahomed Raheem Khan by name and title, the Russian officer, Mouraviev, was sent as an ambassador, ostensibly on an errand of amity, but really, in furtherance of those ambitious views which are continually enlarging the Asiatic frontier of Muscovy. The captain's story is not particularly attractive, and we shall not entangle ourselves in the details of his book; he saw but little,

for he was kept in close custody during his stay at Khyvah, and his interview with the Khan was neither interesting nor of advantageous result. There is one point, however, on which he is at variance with Mr. Fraser, and on which we confess we are inclined to think him right. Mr. F. affirms that there is nothing like evidence in favour of the belief that any part of the Oxus ever reached the Caspian Sea,' and he mentions, with much nonchalance, the supposed dry channel of a branch of the Oxus, that had the appearance of having led to the Caspian,' which is described by Captain Mouraviev. Now we really think that Mr. F. is rather too peremptory in this matter, and that his expectations of evidence' are, under all the circumstances, somewhat unreasonable. In the first place, local tradition is positive on the fact that the Oxus did once flow into the Caspian; ascribing the change of its course to the effects of an earthquake which happened 500 years back, and turned it by a new and shorter channel into the sea of Aral. Secondly, the Russian officer, Prince Bekevitch, who was afterwards murdered by the natives, affirmed that he actually found the embouchure of the ancient river in the bay of Balkan, on the shore of the Caspian, and that he traced it upward for a distance of five versts before he lost its traces. Thirdly, Capt. Mouraviev crossed the supposed dry bed twice, and we will venture to affirm that if his description be accurate, and we see no reason for scepticism, it can apply to nothing else than to the deserted channel of some considerable river. As this is a matter which has been much discussed, and some of our readers may feel interested in it, we shall translate Captain M.'s

statement.

It

From my researches it results that the dry channel of the ancient Oxus and its origin at the point marked on the map of Central Asia; after a short course to the west it turns off to the south-west, and after holding this direction for some length, it runs parallel to the Balkan mountains, situated at the point of the bay of that name. then turns anew to the west, and throws itself into the Caspian by two mouths, one separating the mountains of the greater, from those of the lesser Balkan, the other more to the south, almost at the southern extremity of this bay. I have seen the traces of this river on the way from Krasnovodsk to Khiva. By the northern route I crossed the dry channel of the Amou-Deria, near the wells of Bech-Dichik; in this part the bed is called Ous-Boï; it is 100 sagenes (650 French feet) in width, and 15 (about 100 French feet) deep. This deep furrow is distinguished on the sandy and level steppe, by its abrupt and almost perpendicular banks, which have in some parts given way, and the sand has accumulated in such a way as to form a gradual descent to the channel of the river. The bottom is distinguished in a very striking manner, by the quality of its soil, from the steppe which

surmounts it, for it is carpetted with verdure and trees, and often furrowed by little rivulets of fresh water; reeds also grow there, and caravans on their way to Khiva commonly seek shelter in it. The Turcomans who are addicted to robbery, lurk in it, and convey their booty to the southward by following the direction of its bed.'

'Ŏn the southern route between Krasnovodsk and Khiva, I passed this channel somewhat nearer the sea at a place where it is called Engundj; the nature of the banks and bed is the same as at Ous-Boï, and is by so much the more in contrast with the steppe, as the latter does not here produce the smallest bush; the banks are not, however, so high nor so steep. A little more to the south, the dry Engundj turns to the east, and thrown back by its left bank, which is very lofty, it resumes its westerly direction: opposite this steep bank, the right side of the river is on an inclined plane, and goes off into the level of the steppe.'

That I may bring together all the proofs relative to the ancient existence of this river, I shall refer to other testimony. The Khivians and the Turcomans of the coast affirm that at a distant epoch, the channel in question conveyed the waters of a great river which flowed into the Caspian; that it was then called neither Ous-Boi, nor Engundj, but Amin-Deria, because it was the same river which in our days waters Central Asia, and falls into the lake Aral. They assert also that their habitations were situated on the banks of this river, which is proved by the remains, still visible, of canals which served to water cultivated lands, as well as by the ruins of different edifices.'

• It is also known, according to the traditions of the Turcomans, that the mouths of these rivers were farmed out by the sovereigns of the country, and that the ground was well cultivated. Although the ancient bed of the Oxus is in many parts entirely choked up with sand, there are, nevertheless, found upon its banks mulberry-trees which have never grown in the country round Balkan, and which must have been brought from Khiva or from Bockhara by the stream.

Most assuredly Mr. Fraser has dismissed all this in by far too summary a manner.

We have left ourselves no room for comment on the homeward route, which led Mr. F. to Astrabad by a new and interesting road. He every where found, both among the Khoords and the Toorkomans, who occupy with doubtful allegiance, the northern frontier of Persia, a hospitable reception; and his narrative exhibits characteristic traits of these wandering tribes, which we regret to pass by; but, as another volume is promised, we may perhaps have an opportunity of recurring to the subject. We have derived so much instruction as well as gratification from Mr. Fraser's publications hitherto, that the prospect of another quarto-generally a rather formidable anticipation to reviewers-affords us real pleasure.