career, and seen him at intervals
ever since. Charley Standish is now a chief mate on board a great
merchantman of the same class as the "Melbourne."

THE PARSEES.

The Parsees are supposed to be descendants of the ancient Persians,
who, after the defeat of their King Yezdezerd, the last of the dynasty
of Sassan, by the followers of Mohammed, fled to the mountains of
Khorasan. On the death of Yezdezerd, they quitted their native land,
and putting to sea, were permitted to settle at Sanjan, a place near
the sea-coast, between Bombay and Surat, about twenty-four miles south
of Damaun.

The Parsees are now chiefly settled in Bombay, numbering about one
hundred and fifteen thousand souls, or one fifth of the population.

The most enterprising, in a commercial point of view, of the various
races of Bombay, are the Parsees, some of whom are even more wealthy
than the most successful of the European merchants. They bear the very
highest character for honesty and industry, and are intelligent and
benevolent. The late Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy was a faultless model of
a merchant prince, in integrity, enterprise, and munificence. He
founded a hospital that bears his name, and made himself conspicuous
for his active benevolence up to the day of his death.

Great numbers of the poorer Parsees are clerks in the government
offices--a species of service for which they are peculiarly fitted, on
account of their attention to business, industry, and general
intelligence. Their inclinations are essentially pacific; and such a
phenomenon as a Parsee soldier is almost unknown.

The Parsees are alive to the advantage of affording a good education
to their children; and among the largest seminaries in the city of
Bombay are those belonging to this community. A Parsee school is an
interesting sight. The children are decidedly pretty; and as they sit
in rows, with glittering, many-colored dresses, and caps and jewels,
they look like a gay parterre of flowers.

On account of their peculiar religious belief, the Parsees are known
also as "Fire Worshippers;" but however great their awe for fire and
light, they consider them only as emblems of a higher power. The
Parsees pay reverence to two kinds of fire--the Adaran, lawful for the
people to behold; and the Behram, which must be seen by none but the
chief Dustoor, or priest, and must be screened from the rays of the
sun. When required for a new temple, a portion of the sacred fire