For an opportunity of going with a caravan travellers, whose business is not very urgent, have often to wait several months. I have known some wait for upwards

of a year. But those who are in much haste, and can bear such a mode of travelling, may go with those public messengers called Tartars, who make all possible expedition. But even opportunities of thus travelling are very uncertain, as are all things in the East relating to comfort and convenience.

On account of the desert marauders, and the usually unsettled state of these countries, the opportunity of travelling with a caravan is generally eligible in the proportion of its size. It frequently consists of several hundred animals, with an uncertain and various company of muleteers, merchants, travellers, and, it may be, pilgrims; all, or most of them, fiercely armed with guns

slung at their backs, sabres by their sides, and their girdles bristling with long daggers and pistols.

All these warlike instruments will often be carried by one man, filling an European with infinite compassion for the burdensome infliction beneath which he swelters in the broiling sun. But a man generally assumes importance in proportion to the number of weapons he carries; and a very useful object is answered if an attack on the caravan is prevented by the warlike appearance of its members.

The motley assemblage that usually accompanies a caravan is variously mounted. The muleteers and poorer pilgrims commonly walk, as indeed the former generally must, in order to whip on the cattle, and be ready to rectify any misadventures or disturbance of the balance in their burdens. But sometimes there are a few spare asses in the caravan, on which they treat themselves with a ride when weary. The asses, however, greatly preferring to browse along as independent members of the party, are often very hard to be caught when their services are required.

Some travellers who join caravans ride their own beasts; but this is not at all the most expedient course; and most people hire the beasts belonging to the muleteers. In this case the traveller has no trouble about them. Moslems are certain to obtain the best horses the caravan can afford; the native Christians, if there be any of the party, are next considered; and Franks, if they have no servants to bluster for them and drub the muleteers, must be content with the refuse of the two former denominations. But in ordinary circumstances it little signifies with what powers, besides that of supporting fatigue, one's beast is endued, the pace of a caravan seldom averaging more, if so much, as three miles an hour. It is of importance only in reference to the fear of attack and the prospects of escape; and these are always matters of consideration.

The mounted travellers may be divided into three classes: those who ride saddle-horses, with servants in attendance; those who, having but little baggage, choose to ride upon it; and those who join the party on their own donkeys, which they sometimes relieve by walking, though many

ride the little creatures continually through stages of thirty or more miles, for many successive days.

It may be added, that in proceeding towards Bagdad, through Persia, one can seldom join a caravan, or, in going from the same place, meet one in which are not a considerable number of dead bodies, in the course of being taken to the holy places near Kerbela, on the Euphrates, for interment.

The contradictory reports which we heard of the time when the caravan was to start placed us in the unpleasant situation of holding ourselves in readiness to depart at a moment's notice, without being certain that we should go for several days. At last, after I had the preceding night gone to rest in the persuasion that our stay would be considerably prolonged, I was awakened very early in the morning, by the information that the muleteers were come with our horses. These were two, one for each traveller

and his baggage.

Thus summoned to depart, we took a hasty breakfast, while the men disposed our baggage on the horses. My beast bore my saddle-bags thrown over a high pack-saddle. One bag contained a small portmanteau, and the other a carpet bag, and another of biscuits and dates. Over this was spread one of those thick quilts which are used in the East both for beds and bed-covers, a blanket and a pillow, forming altogether a saddle for me by day and a bed by night. These articles, with a leathern water bottle dangling at the left saddle-bag, to which it was attached by a hook, formed the sum of the effects intended for use during the long and arduous journey before us. And all was not so intended, for my portmanteau was filled chiefly with papers, which I supposed I might need sooner after my arrival in England than I should be able to receive them by way of Bombay.

We then equipped ourselves in our Oriental dresses. This, in my case, consisted of a Persian black cap of Khorassan lambskin, a Turkish gown, an Arabian black cloak, and the necessary appendage of mustaches. Thus attired, we threw our legs widely astraddle over the heap of bed and baggage, and bade farewell to the city of the Caliphs. Penny Magazine.

NOTES.-Tartars are couriers or postmen. Marauders are robbers. Motley means mixed, varied. Rectify is to set right. Moslems are Mussulmans or believers in Mahomet. City of the Caliphs is Bagdad.

QUESTIONS.

What is a caravan in the East? Why do people travel in companies? How long will people wait for a caravan? What are Tartars? How many are there in a caravan? How are they armed? Why? What have muleteers to do? Whose horses do people ride? How fast do they go? Who get the best horses? How may the party be divided? Where are dead bodies often found in caravans? Where are they being taken? What are holy places? Describe the baggage on one horse. How was the traveller dressed? Where was he going?

TRAVELLING IN THE EAST.

PART II.-HEAT OF THE CLIMATE.

THE first day's journey from a great city in Europe seldom presents aught to the traveller to awaken his suspicion that more than an excursion of pleasure lies before him. In the East it is not so. Generally one comes upon a city with little previous intimation of its existence, and, on leaving it, soon, enters on scenes as wild and rude as those of the wilderness. It was so with us. The first day's journey was a type of many following days, and was not calculated to fill our minds with very sanguine expectations of enjoyment from the travel we then commenced.

Our road lay over a parched and barren plain, with no cultivation except in the immediate vicinity of Bagdad. Indeed, in this part of the country, cultivation is seldom found but in the near neighbourhood of towns and villages; nor, perhaps, could produce be raised beyond the vicinity of the rivers, now that the magnificent and extensive system of aqueducts and canals is completely ruined, which the kings reigning in Babylon and Susa seem to have created, and by which this territory was once watered and made amazingly fruitful. For there are

several months-nearly half the year-in which not a drop of rain falls; and the climate is so intensely warm that, without some mode of irrigation, every green thing dries up as if it had been baked in an oven.

In the month of July, at Bagdad, I have known the quicksilver in the thermometer stand in my cool room at 102° of Fahrenheit, at 118° in the open shade, and at 142° after a few minutes exposure to the sun. If it be asked how Europeans can at all live in so warm a place, I will just mention that they, in common with the more respectable natives, remain in cellars during the greater part of the day, and sleep at night on the flat roofs of their houses. The dark and damp vaults are not particularly agreeable to those who are accustomed to well-furnished rooms with carpeted floors, and the cheerful light streaming in at the windows.

Well, we rode over this burning plain without so strong a consciousness of the blessings of sunshine as in England one is apt to entertain. I soon felt that I was

getting thirsty, and reposed with much complacency on the consideration that I had a bottle of water below me. The men also became thirsty, though better able from use to bear thirst than an European. One of them spied out my bottle, and, without asking my leave, came to help himself to a draught. I certainly had no objection, though I thought he might as well have consulted me in the matter.

The man, however, spurted out his first mouthful with great abhorrence; and, on inquiry, I made the felicitous discovery that the servant at Bagdad, instead of filling it with pure water, had loaded it with red clay and water, with a far more than equal proportion of the former. The motion of the horse had well compounded the ingredients into mud, which even an Arab could not tolerate as drink, though the natives are by no means squeamish when thirsty.

On inquiring when we should arrive at some water, I could learn of none nearer than the river Dialah, and many long hours must elapse before we could reach it. The men, more provident than we, had furnished themselves with melons; and so intense was my longing for