uttering a groan, and even to smoke a nargil whilst writhing on the stake.'

6

I had several conversations with Mr. Barker regarding the Druses, with whom he was well acquainted, having resided two years amongst them. It is impossible to imagine the extreme barrenness of the rugged territory which they inhabit. It is a lofty chain of desolate hills hanging over the Mediterranean without a plain, a valley, or even a blade of grass or vegetation, excepting what has been industriously reared by the hand of man; and as there is hardly a particle of soil upon these dried and sun-beaten rocks, the inhabitants almost entirely subsist upon the produce of the silk-worm, with which they purchase corn. They cultivate the mulberry tree on graduated terraces, to prevent the rain from washing away the small quantity of earth which they may have collected; they are continually obliged to dig round these trees which are of the most diminutive size, and are even reduced to the necessity of pounding stones, in order to afford them sufficient nourishment. They reside in hamlets consisting of four or five houses, and a fountain or rivulet is so seldom seen, that it is not uncommon for the Druses to drive their goats six or seven miles to water. They are a quiet and orderly people, have little or no knowledge of the religion which they profess, and place implicit faith in their Okals or priests. They will neither eat nor drink in the house of a person employed in any public situation, because they ima. gine that his revenues are unjustly derived from the labours of the poor; and are nominally governed by two chiefs, the Ameer Basher, and Sheck Basher. The first of these stands appointed by the Grand Seignior, (or rather by the Pasha of Acre,) and although nominally the head, possesses but little authority, the whole power being in reality vested in the latter, who is a Druse. The Ameer Basher can only be chosen from a certain number of Turkish families resident among the Druses; and if he quarrels with the Sheck Basher, the latter has not only the power of displacing him, but of electing another person, though he cannot appoint himself. Mr. B. reckoned the population of the Druses, including the Christians who had settled amongst them, at about twenty thousand souls; they are tall and muscular, although they seldom or never eat animal food, and when they are enabled to procure this dainty, they eat it raw from motives of economy. The Druses inhabit that mountainous tract between Tripoli and Acre, where the injured and oppressed are sure of an asylum, and are never betrayed; they generally dress in white, and look like so many spectres moving amongst the rocks and precipices. We read in sacred history of the fine cedars of Libanus, but those trees are now only to be found in one particular spot of this great range, and that in so scanty a number as not to exceed four or five hundred.'

We have been induced to give insertion to this long extract, that our readers might be put into full possession of the whole of the information which it affords respecting this singular people, hitherto so little known, but respecting whom we hope ere long to receive more minute and accurate details.

Mr. Kinneir, having, in some degree, recovered his health,

sailed for Cyprus, and reached Famagusta, January 2, 1814. This place, once a fortress of great strength, is now dismantled, and its port, which could formerly admit vessels of considerable draught, is now choaked with sand and rubbish. On the 4th he set off for Larnica, where he remained several days, and availed himself of the opportunity to make short excursions into the country. The parts of the island through which he had hitherto travelled, are remarkably deficient in objects either of natural or artificial beauty, but the approach to the city of Nicosia, the ancient Tamasis, seems to have indemnified him for his disappointment.

(It) broke upon the view, at no greater distance than five or six hundred yards: it made a fine appearance, and bore a striking re.. semblance to Shiraz in Persia, when that beautiful city is first seen on issuing from the gorges of the mountains, behind the tomb of Hafiz. Like the capital of Fars, it is situated in a noble plain, bounded by lofty mountains, tipped with snow, whilst its numerous spires and minarets are seen to rise in the same manner above the branches of the trees; but the fine cathedral of St. Sophia, towering over the heads of all the other buildings, combined with the extent and solidity of the walls and bastion, gives an air of grandeur to Nicosia which Shiraz cannot emulate.'

Mr. K. was introduced to the Archbishop, in whose extensive palace he took up his residence. This personage, who holds the second rank in the island, originally occupied the humble station of a deacon, but by dexterous management, he raised himself to his present office, which gives him the immediate cognizance and control of all affairs connected with the Greeks. Cyprus is the official property of the Capudan Pasha, who practises every possible mode of extortion, both on Turks and Christians; but the latter are, in addition to the demands of the government, compelled to contribute towards the support of a number of lazy and avaricious monks.' The island is productive and advantageously situated for commerce, but under such a system as this, it is, of course, in a state of the utmost depression. The Governor and the Archbishop frequently monopolize the whole yearly produce of corn, at their own arbitrary valuation, and then either retail or export it at their pleasure. From Cerina, the ancient Cerinia, Mr. K. had intended immediately to embark, but the government vessel was absent; in addition to which disappointment, he was not able to procure even a 'habitable apartinent.' He was, however, extricated from this dilemma by the courtesy of Signora Loretti, wife of the Captain with whom he was to have sailed: this lady, an old dame with ' a very long waist,' invited him to her husband's country-house, where he was hospitably received and pleasantly lodged. The estate surrounding the house, consisting of several hundred acres

of excellent land, had cost Captain Loretti about twenty shillings. The Signor himself soon returned. He seems to have both amused and teazed Mr. K. by his eccentricities of character and manner. He was a native of Dalmatia, in person tall and sinewy, dressed in a mongrel fashion, half Turk, half Frank. He boasted of his learning, though ignorant to excess; pretended to speak ten different languages, though hardly able to make himself understood in one; to crown this whimsical farrago of follies, he was vain, rude, and presuming, yet kind, hospitable, and 'attentive. After a warm contest with this original personage, who pressed his guest to spend some days with him, the boat was permitted to carry our traveller across, under the command of the mate.

It was Mr. Kinneir's intention to make the coast of Caramania, at Kelendri, but the vessel was driven considerably to the westward, and it was by no means easy to procure horses to convey him to that town. Ibrahim, the Tatar, who had never recovered from the effects of the fever which seized him at Latakia, was with great difficulty conveyed from place to place. After travelling about five miles, they reached the residence of the Turkman chief, who was the proprietor of the horses which they had hired. He insisted that the party should not depart till morning; but in the middle of the night, Mr. K. was awaked by preparation for dislodgment. A body of horse, he was informed, was approaching to enforce the payment of tribute, which his host told him he never condescended to pay, and was therefore about to retire to his mountain holds. This intelligence rendered it equally necessary for Mr. Kinneir to decamp, since, in the event of being overtaken, his baggage would have been, without any ceremony, appropriated to make good the Turkman's deficiency. The poor Tatar was fast approaching the term of his career, and was obliged to be held on horseback by two men hired for that express purpose; he held up only as far as Kelendri, where he died, requesting his employer to take charge of his money, and to deliver it to his wife, lest she should be defrauded of it by the rapacity of his countrymen. 'I shall ever,' says Mr. Kinneir, pity and regret the un'timely fate of this excellent young man, who had served me faithfully for eight months.' Mr. K. and his servant, whom he had equipped in the cap and jacket of the Tatar, pursued their route through the romantic scenery of Cilicia Trachea, a province deriving this, its ancient name, from its rugged and rocky surface. That part of it which lies between Kelendri and Caraman, is one immense forest of oak, beech, fir, and juniper; inhabited chiefly by a few straggling tribes of Turkmans, who breed camels, horses, and black cattle. No sheep were seen, but in every direction were flocks of goats,

guarded by large and shaggy dogs, remarkable for strength, sagacity, and fierceness.

Caraman, the capital of Caramania, stands at the southern extremity of the great plain of Iconium, which spreads out its perfect level to an immense extent without a tree or shrub, though some portions of it are fertile. This extensive flat is so much infested by banditti, that Mr. Kinneir was unable to procure either horses or a guide to enable him to visit a mass of interesting ruins at the foot of Karadja Dag, a lofty peak which rises suddenly from the plain. On the 8th of February, he reached Konieb, anciently Iconium, the capital of Lycaonia. This city, like most others in Asia Minor, is in a state of rapid decay. It contains several handsome mosques, and some beautitiful Arabesque sculpture on the gates of the deserted colleges. In one part of the city wall, Mr. K. discovered an alto relievo about nine feet in length, and containing 10 figures, each about eighteen inches high. Of the execution of this sculpture, he speaks in raptures, but as we do not discover any remarkable traces of connoisseurship in his comments on works of art, we are unable to form a correct estimate of the value of his opinion. The subject is a Roman Prince,' seated, in the act of receiving a ball the symbol of empire, from another person dressed in flowing robes, and attended by three Roman soldiers. Some of the figures which had been mutilated, we are informed that the Turks had attempted to restore, in a most absurd style of execution indeed, but still the very attempt is so little à la Turc, that we should like to know Mr. K.'s authority for ascribing it to this iconoclastic nation.

While examining these reliefs I beheld an unwieldy Turk, with a protuberant belly and-erect carriage, slowly advancing towards me, attended by a servant, who carried his pipe. He wore a kouk, a long yellow robe, trowsers made of scarlet, Angora shawl, and was in every other respect, dressed like a man of rank. He asked me who I was, whence I had come, and whither I was going, and why I looked so earnestly at the figures on the wall. When I had replied to his different questions, he sat down upon a bank and invited me to smoke a pipe with him, offering at the same time tobacco from his bag, which was made of green silk embroidered with gold. He told me that his family were once powerful at Iconium, but that of late years the greatness of the Osmanlis had also declined, and he feared that a prophecy which foretold the destruction of their power, would soon be realized. After he had smoked his pipe, he wished me good morning, and continued his walk with the same dignified pace along the foot of the wall.'.

Mr. Kinneir is a military man, and throughout his journey, he kept military objects steadily in view; but even with this excuse, there is something rather whimsical in the thorough-bred spirit which he continually manifests. When he visits Cyprus, he can-VOL. X. N.S.

L

not help intimating that it would make a vastly convenient and important acquisition to England, and now, at Iconium, we learn from him how easily this part of Asia Minor might be taken from the Grand Seignior, and with how little trouble and expense it might be sustained. Upon this subject we have some doubts; but were his representation correct, there are still some trifling considerations connected with the question of right, which must be disposed of before his scheme can be, with perfect propriety, carried into effect, and which we should hope, would not be so coolly disregarded as he seems to wish they should.

After passing through Ladik, Eilgoun, and Ak Shehr, Mr. K. reachedOfium Kara Hissar, the Black Castle of Opium, so called from the vast quantities of that drug grown and prepared there: the average produce is ten thousand oke, or about 30,000 lbs. This place was suffering under the double scourge of famine and the flour-dealing rapacity of the Pasha, who had monopolised the importation trade, and retailed it at his own price. The famine had taken place in consequence of the folly of the surrounding farmers, who, finding that the opium growers bad realized enormous profits the preceding year, had neglected the corn husbandry, and filled their fields with poppies. The effect might have been anticipated they could find no market for their opium; they had no corn for the necessary consumption; they ruined themselves, and starved their neighbours. The fever, which had never entirely left Mr. K., together with fatigue and bad accommodation, had now so much reduced his strength, that he was under the necessity of hastening forward, leaving unnoticed much which he had intended to examine minutely. From Kutaiah, the ancient Cotyæum, he travelled in company with an unfortunate Jew merchant, who was a complete slave to the caprices of his Tatar, although he paid his tormentor twice the usual salary. He was invariably placed in the lowest seat, not permitted to approach the fire, and his coffee was handed to him after every one else had been served; he was mounted upon the worst horse, but whenever the Tatar chose to exchange, the poor Israelite was compelled to dismount in the middle of the road, without daring to express a murmur; he was frequently obliged to follow the Tatar at full speed, and seldom travelled a stage without a tumble in the mud.' At Choocoorjee, there was a heavy fall of snow, through which they reached, after various accidents, a village called Turba, whose inhabitants are exempt from tribute, on the express condition that they act as guides to all persons passing these mountainous regions; they are held accountable for all who perish in the snow, and train dogs to discover lost travellers by the scent. Here the party was detained two days, until several other travellers were collected. Mr. K. then hired twenty of the villagers to precede them with long poles in order to track the