CONTENTS. xi The Mountains of Buctiari-Their general features, ve- Reach Isfahan-Julfa-The Armenians-Plans for the improvement of their condition-A Convent and a Nunnery-A vestry dinner-Depart for Tabreez-Fur- ther detention-Adventures in a tomb-Journey over untrodden ground-Castor oil and leeches-General Tabreez-Costume-Distaste for manufactures-Abbas Meerza's palace-The Ark-The Russian deserters- Bayazeed-Gloomy reflections-Departure for Arzeroum- Ararat again-Review of Sir R. K. Porter's hypothesis regarding the Ark—The Koords—A Koordish camp— Costume-New companions-Interesting march-Sin- A PILGRIMAGE. CHAPTER I. Arab trading vessels-Arrival at Muscat-Visit to Seid Syud the Imaum-His character-His naval forceHis horses-Leave Muscat-Arab seamen-Voyage up the Persian gulph-Bushire-The Armenian school. HAVING ascertained that there was neither a merchant ship, nor a Company's cruizer in the harbour bound for the Persian Gulph, I ventured to quit Bombay on the 18th of February 1831, in an uncouth Arab trading boat bearing the appellation of a buggala. The appearance of the vessel did not offer much prospect of comfortable accommodation; but what it wanted in luxury it seemed to supply in novelty and romance. Buggalas are large boats averaging from one to two hundred tons burthen; they VOL. I. B have high sterns and pointed prows, one large cabin on a somewhat inclined plane, galleries and stern windows: they usually carry two large latteen sails, and occasionally a jib; are generally built at Cochin and other places on the Malabar coast, and are employed by the Arab and Hindoo merchants on the trade between Arabia, Persia, and the Indian coast. The Nasserie, on which I engaged a passage for the sum of one hundred and fifty rupees, was manned by about forty or fifty natives of Grane, or Koete, on the western side of the Persian Gulph, and commanded by a handsome Nacquodah in the prime of manhood. The sailors acknowledged a kind of paternal authority on the part of this commander, and mixed with their ready obedience to his mandates a familiarity quite foreign to English notions of respect, and the due maintenance of subordination. The Nacquodah took no share in the navigation of the vessel while it was crossing to Muscat, this duty being entrusted to an old Arab who understood the use of the sextant, and who was so correct in his observations that we made Ras-el-had within an hour of the time he had predicted we should. The voyage was, as most voyages are during a favourable season, as pleasant as gentle gales, sunny skies, and moonlight nights could make it, and at the same time as monotonous as it could be rendered in the absence of society, a clear deck, (for ours was covered with cotton bales and rice bags,) and varied scenery. Reaching Muscat on the 3rd of March, after an absence from Bombay of eleven days, I took up my quarters at the house of Reuben Aslan, a Jew agent for the Bombay Government, and was treated with as much cordiality as if I had been "one of the tribe of Israel." Conformably to custom, I intimated to his highness the Imaum my desire to pay my respects in person, and was soon afterwards informed that his highness was prepared to receive me. The visit was one of considerable interest. Imaum's palace was close to the water's edge in front of the town, and his highness received Reuben and myself in an arbour or veranda open to the sea. At the entrance to the veranda stood several well dressed Arabs armed with The |