Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/240

186 believe that the Nestorians generally looked upon this proceeding with suspicion, not so much on account of any plans which the zealous missionary had in view, but because the work was carried on under the sanction of Noorallah Beg, their avowed master and secret enemy. It appears that it was part of the doctor's plan to sink several wells within the walls of the house, in order to obviate the necessity of bringing water from the stream which runs below the village. The Nestorians stoutly refused to dig these wells, and on being expostulated with, demanded of the doctor whether he expected to be besieged. This fact, which I relate upon Dr. Grant's own testimony, is sufficient to prove that the Nestorians had some misgivings with respect to the undertaking; and I am inclined to believe, from the after-fate of the building, that the crafty Emeer, in giving his permission for its erection, secretly entertained the hope, that at no distant day it would be of essential service to him in his designs upon the indomitable Nestorians. He had not as yet sufficient power or authority to attempt himself the erection of a fortress in the Tyari country; but under the guise of friendship for Dr. Grant, to whom he was indebted for his valuable professional services, and of good-will towards the Nestorians who manifested some regard for him, he gave his sanction to the building of a mission-house, which he eventually hoped to turn into a castle. Supposing, however, that this hypothesis is well founded, the most prejudiced judgment must acquit the departed missionary of having been a conscious party to any such scheme of aggression on the part of the Coords, or of ever having knowingly acted otherwise than as he sincerely believed would tend to the spiritual and temporal benefit of the mountain Nestorians.

Whilst Dr. Grant was residing in the Tyari country Mutran Yoosef, the Chaldean bishop of Amedia, accompanied by a Dominican monk, found their way to Asheetha, and held a long conference with Mar Shimoon and several of his clergy. The object of this mission was to induce the Nestorian patriarch by promises of large sums of money, and political assistance from France, to submit to the Roman See. Mons. Boré, who had been deputed by the Society of Lyons to report upon the probable success of a scheme of this nature, had given his opinion