May 29.-I conversed with the Armenian Bishop, and Greek Priest Santoropolis, about the conversion of the Jews; for I think it is very necessary to make these people acquainted with the exertions that real Christians are making for the general promulgation of the Gospel. Santoropolis asserted, that all the children of Israel will be converted, with the exception of some tribes; this he endeavoured to prove in a curious manner by Ezekiel xxi. 12, 13. Jeremiah ii. 9. Apoc. ii. 9. Genesis xxxv. 23. I examined the Armenian Bible, and found that in Daniel viii. 14, there is the number 2068, whereas in our version it is 2300.

DEPARTURE FROM GUMUSHKHANE.

May 30.-I left Gumushkhane for Trebison. On the road I met with a very singular sort of man: he was dressed like an European, and was stretched out in the fields, near a fire, with a caravan of Turks, coming from Trebison, and going to Erzeroom; he spoke French and Persian. I asked him who he was, whence he came, and where he intended to go. He is the Gil Blas of the Armenians, Artemis by name, from Ech Miazin, coming from Russia, and going to India; he has written an account of his life and travels, in which he gives a very interesting account of the manners and customs of his

nation.

May 31.-I arrived at Trebison, and took up my abode. at the house of Mr. Brant, the British Vice-Consul, who received me with the greatest kindness. The day following I preached in the Consulate, and conversed with Mr. Brant about the Millennium.

June 2.-I called on the Greek Archbishop Constantios; he informed me that there are at Trebison 2000 Greeks, ten churches, and thirteen Priests. There are twenty villages belonging to it, in which are 3000 Greeks, and four monasteries. They are greatly oppressed by Omar Aga and Osman Aga Hypoglu.

June 3.-I called on His Excellency Osman Pasha, of Trebison, accompanied by Serpos, the Dragoman of Mr. Brant. The Sultan styles this Pasha his Dervish. He sent for two Dervishes, with whom I spoke in Persian and Arabic. His Excellency gave me letters of introduction to the Pasha of Erzeroom. Osman Pasha is devoted to the Sultan, and is a man of devout principles according to his Sect; and, as I am informed, a good General. Mr. Brant is a kind-hearted, open, intelligent gentleman; he pressed me to stay with him until my health was restored.

I met again with the Dervish Youssuff. No razor has passed over his head. The ancient forms and usages of the holy men of the East have remained, but their spirit has departed.

Signor Ghersi, the Sardinian Consul, advised me to go to Makariev, under the government of Nichney Novgorod, and from thence to Bokhara; for there is a great fair held every year at Makariev, at which are many persons from Bokhara.

HAMSHOON

Is a village, a few hours from Trebison, where the inhabitants were Armenians, but have turned Mohammedans.

Kroom, where Greeks have also turned Mohammedans. There are besides these, Greeks at Trebison, who outwardly profess the Mohammedan religion, but are Christians in secret.

June 8.-I left Trebison with a Tatar, a good for nothing fellow. Arrived in the evening at Turakapan, 27 miles from Trebison.

June 9.-Returned to Gumushkhane. Youssuf Pasha, a Pasha with two Tails, sent for me to converse with him. I spoke to him about Christ. In the evening I arrived at Tekka, 39 miles from Turakapan.

June 10.-Arrived at Baiboot, 42 miles from Gu

mushkhane, inhabited by 5000 Turks and 300 Armenians. Previous to the war with Russia, the Armenians amounted to 4000; but afterwards they emigrated with General Paskewitsh to Akhalzikh. The inhabitants of Baiboot fought most desperately against the Russians in the late

war.

June 11.-Arrived at Ashgala, formerly inhabited by 300 Armenians, who emigrated with Paskewitsh to Akhalzikh. I found only one family here. From this place I arrived the same day at Klise, a place with a hot spring, inhabited, before the war with Russia, by 300 Armenian families; there are now only ten, the rest followed the common example of their countrymen.

ARRIVAL AT ERZEROOM.

June 12.-I arrived at Erzeroom, and was kindly received by Mr. Zohrab; soon after, Sir Henry Willock, and Major Willock called on me, and gave me some medicine, for I was very unwell; they had just arrived from India. I was informed by Mr. Zohrab, that 97,000 Armenians had emigrated with General Paskewitsh, from Erzeroom and the neighbouring countries; first to Lori, then to Akhalzikh. When the Russians came to Erzeroom, the Armenians poured out their vengeance against the Turks for all they had suffered from them in former times. When the Russians retired, Paskewitsh told them, he was apprehensive, if they remained, that the Turks would fall again upon them; moreover, this shrewd General, through his influence with their Bishop, induced the whole Armenian and Greek population to emigrate with him, except 48 Armenian Catholics, and 100 Armenians, who remained at Erzeroom.

June 14.-I called on His Excellency, the Pasha Mohammed Asad, who speaks Persian very well. I met here likewise with Captain Woynikoff, a Russian Commissary, who came to sell the houses of the Armenians who had emigrated. There were in this place 17,000 Armenians

before the invasion of the Russians. The ancient name of Erzeroom is, in Armenian, Garim. Having no inducement to stay longer at Erzeroom, I left this place the same day, and arrived at Hussein Kale, 18 miles from Erzeroom. Here I met with Major Wilson, late Resident at Busheer, and Mr. Wilson, brother of Mrs. McNeill, in Persia: he requested me to go back with him to Erzeroom, which I did. He delivered to me the following letter of Dr. McNeill, from Persia.

My dear Sir,

Tabreez, May 25, 1831.

I have just heard, that we may expect the pleasure of seeing you once more in Persia: and as my friend, Major Wilson, who has for some years been resident in the Persian Gulf, is about to set out on his way to Trebizond; I thought it would be a gratification for you both to meet on the road, and that a few lines, to save the formality of an introduction without them, would be acceptable to you as well as to him.

Your friends here will be very glad to see you again, and amongst them none will be more rejoiced than, my dear Sir, Your's, very sincerely,

JOHN MCNEill.

June 19.-I set out again for Bayazid, and on the following day arrived at Dehar.

June 23.-I arrived at the Armenian convent Utshkelesea, i. e. Three Churches, the same name by which Ech-Miazin is also called. Utshkelesea was built by Turtat, King of Armenia, after he was baptised by Gregorius Lusaworitsh, or the Enlightener. I here met with five Monks, and one Khalifa, i. e. Superior, whose name is Kalust; he is nominated by the Cathokhikos of EchMiazin. Felizian Zaremba, the dear and excellent missionary, whom I met with at Shooshe in Karabagh, and is frequently mentioned in my travels to Persia, distributed Bibles and tracts here. The Armenian name of the Convent is Surp Hoannes (Holy John), and the name of the

place is Titz-Wan: the province is called Pakrewan. Gregorius Lusaworitsh baptised here, in the third century, 124,000 persons. The Priests are very ill treated by some Curdish Chiefs.

Ten thousand families of Armenians emigrated from the neighbouring places; say Bayazid, Diordeen, Nahya, Alashkia, Khamur, and Tutawaz. Old men, and poor people only, who had nothing to lose, remained behind.

YESEEDEE.

At Kara-Bulagh, 12 hours from the convent Utsh-Kelesea, are Yeseedee, worshippers of the Devil. They divide themselves, in Mesopotamia, into five sects; viz. Danadea, Mamusea, Darea, Khaldea, Sanjaar. Besides the Turkish and Curdish, they speak a language (as Artemis asserts) only known to themselves. Their Priests, who are called Meshayikh, transmit their secret knowledge from father to son. In taking an oath, and on many other occasions, they cross themselves; with this difference only from the Christians of Mesopotamia, that they fold their hands, raising only the middle fingers, which they place one against the other. When they drink red wine, they raise the glass with both hands, asserting, that the wine is the blood of Christ, and if a drop of it falls upon the ground, they lick it up with their tongues. They are very hospitable, and have a great veneration for the Devil, to whom they pray once a year in the night time, which night is called "Lailat Almehya," or Night of Life. They call him Sagheer, i. e. the "Little One," or "Little God;" at enmity with God now, but who will be restored to his former dignity and honour. If any person draws a circle round a Yeseedee, he will remain in it till he dies, unless some one erases it. They lament their dead forty days, sitting all that time on the ground. In commemoration of the three days of repentance of the Ninevites, they sit

• This latter observation is found in the book of Artemis.