ttractive; there were only goods of the
plainest description exposed; while in Constantinople the most
costly shoes and slippers, richly embroidered with gold, and even
ornamented with pearls and precious stones, are to be seen under
glass cases.

I had arrived at Tebris at a rather unfavourable time--namely, the
fast month. From sunrise to sunset nothing is eaten, nobody leaves
the house, there are neither visits nor company--indeed, nothing but
praying. This ceremony is so strictly observed that invalids
frequently fall victims to it, as they will take neither medicine
nor food during the day; they believe that if they were to eat only
a mouthful, they would forfeit the salvation to be obtained by
fasting. Many of the more enlightened make an exception to this
custom in cases of illness; however, in such an instance the
physician must send a written declaration to the priest, in which he
explains the necessity of taking medicine and food. If the priest
puts his seal to this document, pardon is obtained. I am not aware
whether this granting of indulgences was taken by the Mahomedans
from the Christians, or the reverse. Girls are obliged to keep
these fasts after their tenth year, and boys after their fifteenth.

It was to the courteousness of Dr. Cassolani, and his intimacy with
some of the principal families in Tebris, that I was indebted for my
introduction to them, and even for my presentation at court,
notwithstanding the strict observance of the fast.

There was no viceroy in Tebris until about six months since, but
only a governor; the present reigning schach, Nesr-I-Din, raised the
province of Aderbeidschan to a vice-royalty, and decreed that every
eldest son of the future inheritor of the empire should reside here
as viceroy until he came to the throne.

The last governor of Tebris, Behmen Mirza, the schach's brother, was
a remarkably intelligent and just man. He brought the province of
Aderbeidschan into a flourishing condition in a few years, and
everywhere established order and security. This soon excited the
envy of the prime minister Haggi-Mirza-Aagassi; he urged the schach
to recall his brother, and represented to him that he would engage
the affections of the people too much, and that he might at last
make himself king.

For a long time the schach paid no attention to these insinuations,
for he loved his brother sincerely; but the minister did not rest
until he had attained his wishes. Be