first persons I met on entering our village was my poor mother, who,
when she saw me, recollecting all the trouble she had been at to secure
my happiness, fell on my neck, and shed a torrent of tears. When her
first grief had subsided, she told me that my father had suffered much
from bruises, and from a blow received on the head; but that the rest of
the family were well; that our house had been considerably injured, many
of our things pillaged; and that my nuptial room, in particular, had
been almost totally destroyed. She informed me that the good Russian
captain had been the first to fall a sacrifice to the attack of the
Persians; for almost immediately after the explosion in my room, he had
rushed out to see what had happened, when two Persians seized him, one
of whom at once decapitated him: this was the head that I saw brandished
before me, when first I sallied forth. She then took me to a place of
shelter, and put on me what clothes could be found.

'The Persians, having completed their deeds of horror, had retired from
the scene of action, leaving to our unfortunate villagers the melancholy
task of burying the dead bodies of thirty wretched Russians, who had
fallen victims to their treacherous attack, and whose heads they had
carried off with them as trophies.

'After I had visited my father, and left my home in as comfortable a
situation as I could, under the existing circumstances, I determined
instantly to set out in pursuit of my wife. It was evident that she had
been carried away by some of those who had attacked our village, and
that she must have been taken to Erivan, as the nearest market for
slaves, for such was no doubt the purpose for which she had been seized.
My sword, pistols, and gun, which had formed part of the ornamental
furniture of my bridal chamber, were found buried in its ruins, and with
these for my protection, and with some pieces of silver in my purse, I
bid adieu to Gavmishlu, making a vow never to return until I had found
my Mariam.

'I travelled with hurried steps, taking the shortest cuts over the
mountains to Erivan, and as I crossed a branch of the high road I met
two horsemen, well-mounted and equipped, who stopped me, and asked
whither I was going, and upon what errand.

'I did not hesitate to tell them my wretched tale, hoping they might
give me some hint which might throw light upon the fate of my wife. This
they did indeed, but in a manner so cruel, that their words awake