fectly adapted for sugar growing. By the same ship a letter was received from a person of substance living at Bourbon, who declares his intention of coming to grow sugar. It appears that upon the latter island the inhabitants are highly dissatisfied; the French Government, declaring the slaves free, have allowed the planters only 25l. per head, and that payable by monthly instalments of il. On an adjoining farm, belonging to the Cotton Company, five acres of sugar-cane are growing most luxuriantly." "We hear that Mr. Moreland has been disposing of lands suitable for the cultivation of sugar, to several enterprising young men, who have both the knowledge and the means for making a bold experiment on a respectable scale. Success to their efforts! Courage to them to overcome the first difficulties, and a triumphant surmounting of every obstacle!"*

It is not impossible that indigo may be eventually cultivated in the Colony. It is indigenous there, and, it is said, "yields very largely." A respectable resident in the Colony, Mr. Wilson, "states that his attention was first forcibly drawn to the cultivation of this material, by some seed imported by Mr. Kenlock, from India; and, after a few experiments, the writer succeeded in manufacturing some samples, and this encouraged him to try indigo-planting on a more extensive scale. For this purpose he allowed all the plants to run to seed, and intended to plant equal quantities of Bengal and native indigo. He states that the country abounds in a variety of species of indigo, which he found to be rich and abundant, and to be used by the natives, who call it Umpekumbeto. On more extended investigation, he found that Natal possesses more species of indigo than the whole world besides. Hence he infers that this part of the African continent is its native soil and climate, where it would thrive if cultivated. He had obtained from 1-140th part of an acre the proportion of three hundred pounds of indigo per acre; and had ascertained that the plants would cross successfully. He observes, it is along the coast that we must chiefly look for cultivable land, at least for cotton and similar productions; which has also the advantage of being near the port. It also has the advantage of an abundance of natives—that great blessing of Natal, which a great many people seem anxious to have removed; but without them, though the country were as fruitful as Eden, it would avail us nothing. The time is fast approaching when we shall hear the Colonists saying, "I wish there were more natives." He adds, the growth of indigo is said to be somewhat uncertain; but in my opinion, if culti

1 City Article of the Times, extracted in Byrne's Emigrant Journal, May 1850. 2 Natal Witness (Newspaper), Feb. 8, 1850.

vated in conjunction with cotton, it will not be subject to so many casualties, and will be found a valuable article of exportation.' He says, 'just fancy from three hundred to five hundred pounds of indigo per acre at five shillings per pound !'"1

(To be continued.)

F. N. B.

MISSION TO KURDISTAN IN 1842.2

TOCAT is governed by a Muhassel or collector, appointed by the Pasha of Siras. Mohammed Aga, the present Muhassel, ordered us lodgings at the residence of the papal Armenian Bishop, who was then absent on a visit to Siras. Two priests, who had been educated at the Papal Armenian convent in Mount Lebanon, and afterwards sent to the Propaganda at Rome, bade us welcome to the house, and during our stay showed us much kindness. Connected with the episcopal residence is a neat church, sufficiently large to contain 600 people, built within the last few years, partly by subscriptions raised in this country, but chiefly by contributions made in France and Rome. The firman for building this church was obtained from the late Sultan, and three other new Papal churches (Syrian, Armenian, and Chaldean) are in course of being built at Bagdad with the same Imperial sanction. This is a contravention of an old Mohammedan law, which prohibits the erection of any new Christian temples, and only allows the repair of such as existed at the time of the Moslem conquest.

The chief part of the population of Tocat is Moslem; the Papal Armenians number 150 families; the Armenians amount to 2,000 families, with seven churches and two monasteries in the vicinity. The Greeks are estimated at 1,000 souls, with one church and three priests, under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of New Cæsarea.

Oct. 9th.-To-day, being Sunday, we went in the afternoon to the Greek church, which was opened for us by one of three men who occupy an adjoining house. Having brought our Prayer Books and Bibles with us, we read together the Evening Service for the 20th Sunday after Trinity, there being but a few persons with us, who had followed us into the church out of curiosity. No sooner did the clerk perceive we were performing our devotions, than he brought two lighted candles and placed them on the large candlesticks before the κатаπéтаσμа

Natal Witness, April 1847, quoted in Byrne's Emigrant's Guide to Port Natal. 2 Continued from p. 20.

Μυστηρίων. MUOTηpiwi. After our service was ended, we walked to the outskirts of the town, and engaged the services of an Armenian priest to show us the grave of Henry Martyn. Singularly, we alighted on the individual who had performed over his remains the rites of Christian burial; he conducted us to the large Armenian Cemetery, where he pointed out the small marble slab which covers the resting-place of the devoted priest and missionary. I recalled to mind on the spot, the self-devotion and piety of the deceased, and also his zeal in defending our holy religion against the infidels; and I offered up a secret prayer, that I might have grace given me to follow in his steps, even as he followed CHRIST. On leaving the spot, I put into the hands of the priest a small present for his trouble, whereupon he took off his turban, and standing at the head of the grave, offered up a prayer, apparently with much devotion, for the rest of the soul departed; that he might with patience and resignation await the consummation of his bliss, with all the faithful departed, at the final day of just retribution.

Oct. 10th.-Left Tocat at eight A.M., accompanied by two guards, sent with us by the Governor, and travelled over a mountainous and wild district, until we reached a Derbend, called Kura Beli, the Wolf's Back. It snowed much all the morning, and our journeying was rendered more difficult, because we had taken the summer in preference to the winter-road-the former being the shorter of the two. The country around, towards noon, looked grand in the extreme; the high mountains, the trees, and the ground beneath us were covered with snow, and the occasional glimpses through a dark and lowering cloud made the face of nature sparkle with ten thousand lustres, and afforded us a temporary relief from the inclemency of the storm. We reached the Derbend, situated in a wild mountainpass, at one o'clock, and alighted to await our baggage, which had taken a different road. Here we received a hearty welcome from the guard, who soon added fuel to the large fire which was burning at one end of the room, and busied themselves in drying our cloaks, which were thoroughly wet. Our Tartar having brought a leg of mutton from Tocat, slung at his saddle, one of the guards converted the ramrod of his musket into a spit, and soon prepared us an excellent luncheon of cubb, with leben, or sour milk, which they had salted and preserved in a bladder. I was much struck with the cheerfulness of the men; possessing so few of the comforts of life, and obliged to do hard service, they appeared contented and happy. The Derbend, where they spent the time of their freedom from duty, was built of logs of wood, placed horizontally one above the other, and plastered with mud to fill up the crevices. Two

rough diwans formed of unhewn stones, made even with earth, and covered with fragments of old carpeting, a few cooking utensils and bed-quilts, formed the furniture of these rough and weather-beaten soldiers. The room itself was very small, and yet six guards, two large Curdish dogs, and a Curdish sheep, seemed to find a comfortable shelter under its roof. The walls were hung round with muskets, pistols, and other warlike implements. The whole was rustic in the extreme; and in our reflections on the novel scene before us, we forgot the toil and fatigue of our morning journey.

At one P.M., we left the Derbend, and in one hour's ride we came to a spot where a whole family was murdered by the Curds a few years ago, on their way from Bagdad. Several small gravestones mark the spot where they were buried. The country now became level, and showed signs of a better cultivation than we had yet seen; this is the work of the Curds, who inhabit the district around during three parts of the year, but the season being now so far advanced, they had all left to seek for warmer winter quarters. A few piles of stones seen here and there over the plain, served to point out the rustic graves of this wild and wandering people. Two hours before reaching Ghirkhan, we came in sight of the lofty Yuldáz Dagh, or Mountain of the Stars, rising like an immense pyramid from the plain. The heavy clouds, which were being fast drifted by the wind, occasionally hid its snowy summit from our view, while ever and anon the sun shone from the blue expanse above, and lighted up into glory the mighty pillar which seemed to support the heavens. The Yuldáz Dagh is within a few miles of Ghirkhan, a Mohammedan village of 100 houses, which we reached at five P.M., nine hours since leaving Tocat.

Oct. 11th.-Left Ghirkhan, at half-past six, A.M. Our road to-day lay for the most part over high table-land; sometimes well cultivated, and at other times quite barren. We suffered much from the cold, notwithstanding every effort to keep ourselves warm. Two hours from Ghirkhan is a Derbend of six guards, very similar to that I described yesterday. Here we waited half-an-hour for the baggage-mules, and then proceeded on our journey. A small stream ran close by the road-side, into which, about one hour from the Derbend, flowed a copious spring, consisting of three volumes of water; one, upwards of six inches in diameter. The spring is situated close to the bank of the stream, and literally gushes out of the soil. We noticed a village or two in the mountains at some distance, but not one in the direct road. Before reaching Siras is an extensive tableland, about twenty miles by twelve, bounded on the S. and S. W. by the horizon, and on the N. and N.E. by a low range of hills.

Siras, the ancient Sebaste, and one of the principal towns of Cappadocia, is situated in an extensive and well cultivated plain, which we reached by a gradual descent after leaving the tableland. The entry to the town was dirty in the extreme, arising from the narrowness of the streets, and the numerous streams, which ran in every direction about the environs. A good wall surrounded the town, but is at present in a very bad condition, and like the town itself, (the residence of a provincial Pasha,) for the most part in ruins. The Tartar having presented our firmân to his Excellency, lodgings were allotted to us in the house of a respectable Armenian merchant, residing in the suburbs, and six mounted guards were commanded to escort us as far as Delikli Tash on the morrow, and a written order given that an equal number, or more, if necessary, should be supplied thence, as the state of the roads might require. This night we had a comfortable lodging and a hearty supper, by which we were quite recruited for the next day's journey.

The Papal Armenians in Siras are but few in number, and hold their religious services in a private house. The Armenians reckoned at 1,050 families, with three churches (one in course of being built), and a bishop. The Greeks do not exceed twenty families; they also have one church and a priest.

are

Siras is famous for its excellent honey; the chief article of export trade is wool, which is here manufactured into hose, gloves, &c. and sent into every part of the empire.

Oct. 12th.-Left Siras at eight A.M. and after traversing the plain for an hour, we came to a broad stream of the Kizzil Irmak, now almost dry, over which is a bridge of eighteen arches. Soon after, we began the ascent of the lofty hills which bound the extremity of the plain, and our road lay again over high table-land, similar to that we had crossed yesterday. The soil was rich, but there scarcely appeared any traces of cultivation in the whole day's journey. Two hours and a half from Siras is a post in the mountains, consisting of two narrow pathways, separated by a mass of rock called in Turkish Teifté Kardash, "The Two Brothers," from a tradition that two brothers, the one resident at Bagdad and the other at Constantinople, crossed here without meeting, while each was journeying on a visit to the other. From the pass we descended into a narrow valley, bounded at the southern extremity by a long chain of mountains covered with snow, running due north and south. In this valley is a salt spring, which was not worked when we passed, the winter season having set in. The water is drawn up from a deep well, and then poured out into pans, and the salt procured by evaporation. After ascending the mountains in our front, the road continued over table-land with the lofty Tajar Dagh