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38 more convenient for travelling to Lahore. We employed that time in studying the Persian language, as the knowledge of it would facilitate our getting an engagement. But we could not remain there long, being continually illtreated and robbed, and we therefore thought it preferable to go overland to Lahore, by the way of Hispahan, Heirat,. and Cabul. On this journey we had again to endure a great deal of annoyance from the Persians, who being defeated by the Russians in war, were anxious to revenge them-selves on us ; they treated us, in fact, worse than their dogs, cheating, robbing, and insulting us to such a degree, that M. De Turk on one occasion cocked his pistol to fire at a radar ( road-keeper ) who was very insolent ; but I prevented him from executing his design. Arriving at Hispahan, we found there a gallant governor, Hosruff Khan, from whom we met with a kind reception, and who gave us some medical practice, by appointing us to attend about forty Russian prisoners, some of whom were suffering from wounds and others from fevers. At this time we learned that the Russians were at Tabris, that Abbas Mirza had taken flight,together with his wives, to Hamedan, and that the latter had upbraided the Molla ( high priest) for having induced the Shah to wage war with the Russians, by assuring him that the Persians would remain unhurt by the fiery balls of the Russian guns, as his prayers would render them invulnerable. The priest took their reproof so much to heart, that he soon afterwards died. It is commonly said, that Abbas Mirza exclaimed, on that occasion " Pul bigirend, we pes birovend " — "The Russians shall take money, and go back to their country." In consequence of the fatigues and toils which we had to enduro at Shiras, as well as on our journey to hispahan, my companion caught a nervous fever, which weakened his mind and body to such a degree, that he no longer wished to go on to Lahore, and he persuaded me to return with him to Bagdad At Hispahan, a conspiracy was formed by the native doctors against our lives,of which we were informed by an Armenian, and, by the interference of the governor, we were preserved. I availed