Abassides, and which were now to see their humiliation; these keys, which the caliph sought and could not find; and this grief, above all, because this trait shows eastern manners most distinctly; this grief and supplication when the harem was to be broken up; and when the conquered monarch learned that his women were to be shown to the open day, as if all the signs of his misfortune had not affected him so much as this; this proof that he was no longer master of any thing, not even of the veil which secluded the women of his harem; that sacred veil, the right to which is the last which the Orientals relinquish.

We do not obtain general considerations and political reflections of this kind, in which modern historians take such delight immediately from Raschid-Eldin. Raschid-Eldin seems to me to be a great moralist, but such a moralist as are the writers of fiction; his writings, I mean, contain a striking and important moral. The reader has to find this moral for himself; the author does not express it. It does not interrupt the narrative. The drama is not stopped, that the author may come forward, and history of this kind has the more of truth and interest; it is a more faithful image of human affairs. This power of making a narrative which shall imbody a moral, of placing his actors on the stage in such a way as to please the fancy while he paints their characters at the same time, is strikingly evinced throughout the writings of Raschid-Eldin.

We have no space to follow M. Girardin in his sketch of another of the chapters of Raschid-Eldin's history. The passage which we have exhibited to the reader describes one of the most important epochs of Oriental history, for such must the fall of the Saracen empire be considered, in whatever light we view it. But the epochs of Oriental history, the fall of Oriental dynasties, are, almost proverbially, consigned by common consent to forgetfulness. It is not so much as a passage of history, therefore, that we have introduced this sketch in these pages; but as a specimen, and an interesting one, of the literature of the East; a literature which is the more interesting to us from the very broad divisions between it and our own. We shall be glad to see the second volume of the work, which has furnished the materials for this sketch, for, in the words of the French critic, whom we have followed, while it is honorable to begin enterprises like this, which are really public monuments, it is as honorable as it is unusual to complete them.

MISCELLANY.

A TREATY,

To settle and define the Boundary between the Territories of the United States and the possessions of Her Britannic Majesty in North America, for the final suppression of the African Slave Trade, and for the giving up of criminals, fugitives from justice, in certain cases.

Art.

WHEREAS Certain portions of the line of boundary between the United States of America and the British dominions in North America, described in the Second Article of the Treaty of Peace of 1783, have not yet been ascertained and determined, notwithstanding the repeated attempts which have been heretofore made for that purpose: and whereas it is now thought to be for the interest of both parties that, avoiding further discussion of their respective rights, arising in this respect under the said Treaty, they should agree on a conventional line in said portions of the said boundary, such as may be convenient to both parties, with such equivalents and compensations as are deemed just and reasonable: And whereas, by the Treaty concluded at Ghent on the 24th day of December, 1814, between the United States and His Britannic Majesty, an article was agreed to and inserted of the following tenor, namely: 10. Whereas the traffic in slaves is irreconcilable with the principles of humanity and justice: And whereas, both His Majesty and the United States are desirous of continuing their efforts to promote its entire abolition, it is hereby agreed that both the contracting parties shall use their best endeavors to accomplish so desirable an object:" And whereas, notwithstanding the laws which have at various times been passed by the two Governments, and the efforts made to suppress it, that criminal traffic is still prosecuted and carried on: And whereas the United States of America and Her Majesty, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, are determined that, so far as may be in their power, it shall be effectually abolished: And whereas it is found expedient, for the better administration of justice and the prevention of crime within the territories and jurisdiction of the two parties respectively, that persons committing the crimes hereinafter enumerated, and being fugitives from justice, should, under certain circumstances, be reciprocally delivered up: The United States of America and Her Britannic Majesty, having resolved to treat on these several subjects, have for that purpose appointed their respective Plenipotentiaries to negotiate and conclude a Treaty; that is to say, the President of the United States has, on his part, furnished with full powers Daniel Webster, Secretary of State of the United States, and Her Majesty, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Ireland, has on her part appointed the Right Honorable Alexander Lord Ashburton, a Peer of the said United Kingdom, a member of Her Majesty's most honorable Privy Council, and Her Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary on a Special Mission to the United States; who, after a reciprocal communication of their respective full powers, have agreed to and signed the following Articles:

ARTICLE I. It is hereby agreed and declared that the line of boundary shall be as follows:

Beginning at the Monument at the source of the river St. Croix, as designated and agreed to, by the Commissioners under the 5th Article in the Treaty of 1794, between the Governments of the United States and Great Britain; thence, north, following the exploring line run and marked by the surveyors of the two Governments in the years 1817 and 1818, under the 5th article of the Treaty of Ghent, to its intersection with the river St. John, and to the middle of the channel thereof; thence, up the middle of the main channel of said river St. John, to the mouth of the river St. Francis; thence, up the middle of the channel of the said river St. Francis, and of the lakes through which it flows, to the outlet of the lake Pohenagamook; thence, southwesterly, in a straight line to a point on the northwest branch of the river St. John, which point shall be ten miles distant from the main branch of the St. John, in a straight line, and in the nearest direction; but if the said point shall be found to be less than seven miles from the nearest point, or summit, or crest of the highlands that divide those rivers which empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the river St. John, to a point seven miles in a straight line from the said summit or crest; thence, in a straight line in a course about south eight degrees west to the point where the parallel of latitude of 46 deg. 25m. north intersects the southwest branch of the St. John; thence, southerly by the said branch, to the source thereof in the highlands at the Metjarmette portage; thence, down along the said highlands, which divide the waters which empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the head of Hall's stream; thence, down the middle of said stream till the line thus run intersects the old line of boundary surveyed and marked by Valentine and Collins previously to the year 1774, as the 45th degree of north latitude, and which has been known and understood to be the line of actual division between the states of New York and Vermont on one side, and the British Province of Canada on the other; and, from said point of intersection, west along the said dividing line as heretofore known and understood, to the Iroquois, or St. Lawrence river.

ARTICLE II. — It is moreover agreed, that, from the place where the joint-commissioners terminated their labors, under the sixth article of the Treaty of Ghent, to wit: At a point in the Neebrik channel, near Muddy lake, the line shall run into and along the ship channel, between St. Joseph and St. Tammany Islands, to the division of the channel at or near the head of St. Joseph's Island; thence, turning eastwardly and northwardly, around the lower end of St. George's or Sugar Island, and following the middle of the channel which divides St. George's from St. Joseph's Island; thence, up the East Neebrik channel, nearest to St.

George's Island, through the middle of Lake George; thence west of Jona's Island, into St. Mary's River, to a point in the middle of that river, about one mile above St. George's or Sugar Island, so as to appropriate and assign the said Island to the United States; thence adopting the line traced on the Maps by the commissioners, through the river St. Mary and lake Superior, to a point north of Ile Royal in said lake, one hundred yards to the north and east of Ile Chapeau, which last-mentioned island lies near the northeastern point of Ile Royal, where the line marked by the commissioners terminates; and from the last-mentioned point, southwesterly, through the middle of the sound between Ile Royal and the northwestern main land, to the mouth of Pigeon river, and at the said river to, and through, the North and South Fowl lakes, to the lakes on the height of land between lake Superior and the lake of the Woods; thence along the water communication to lake Saisaquinago, and through that lake; thence to and through Cypress lake, Lac de Bois Blanc, Lac la Croix, Little Vermilion lake, and lake Namecan, and through the several smaller lakes, straits, or streams, connecting the lakes here mentioned, to that point in Lac la Pluie or Rainy lake, at the Chaudiere Falls, from which the commissioners traced the line to the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods; thence along the said line to the said most northwest point, being in latitude 49 deg. 23m. 55s. north, and in longitude 95 deg. 14m. 38s, west from the observatory at Greenwich; thence, according to existing treaties, due south to its intersection with the 49th parallel of north latitude, and along that parallel to the Rocky Mountains. It being understood that all the water communications and all the usual portage along the lines from lake Superior to the Lake of the Woods, and also Grand Portage, from the shore of lake Superior to the Pigeon river, as now actually used, shall be free and open to the use of the citizens and subjects of both countries.

ARTICLE III. In order to promote the interests and encourage the industry of all the inhabitants of the countries watered by the river St. John and its tributaries, whether living within the state of Maine or the province of New Brunswick, it is agreed that where, by the provisions of the present treaty, the river St. John is declared to be the line of boundary, the navigation of said river shall be free and open to both parties, and shall in no way be obstructed by either; that all the produce of the forest in logs, lumber, timber, boards, staves, or shingles, or of agriculture not being manufactured, grown on any of those parts of the state of Maine watered by the river St. John, or by its tributaries, of which fact reasonable evidence shall, if required, be produced, shall have free access into and through the said river and its said tributaries, having their source within the state of Maine, to and from the seaport at the mouth of the said river St. John, and to and round the falls of said river, either by boats, rafts, or other conveyance; that when within the province of New Brunswick, the said produce shall be dealt with as if it were the produce of said province: that, in like manner, the inhabitants of the territory of the Upper St. John determined by this treaty to belong to Her Britannic Majesty, shall have free access to and through the river for their produce, in those parts where the said river runs wholly through the state of Maine;

provided always, that this agreement shall give no right to either party to interfere with any regulations not inconsistent with the terms of this treaty, which the Governments, respectively, of Maine or of New Brunswick may make respecting the navigation of the said river, when both banks thereof shall belong to the same party.

ARTICLE IV. — All grants of land heretofore made by either party, within the limits of the territory which by this treaty falls within the dominions of the other party, shall be held valid, ratified and confirmed to the persons in possession under such grants, to the same extent as if such territory had by this treaty fallen within the dominion of the party by whom such grants were made; and all equitable possessory claims, arising from a possession and improvement of any lot or parcel of land by the person actually in possession, or by those under whom such person claims, for more than six years before the date of such treaty, shall, in like manner, be deemed valid, and be confirmed and quieted by a release to the person entitled thereto, of the title to such lot or parcel of land, so described as best to include the improvements made thereon; and in all other respects the two contracting parties agree to deal upon the most liberal principles of equity with the settlers actually dwelling on the territory falling to them respectively, which has heretofore been in dispute between them.

ARTICLE V. Whereas, in the course of the controversy respecting the disputed territory on the northeastern boundary, some moneys have been received by the authorities of Her Britannic Majesty's province of New Brunswick, with the intention of preventing depredations on the forests of the said territory, which moneys were carried to a fund called the "disputed territory fund," the proceeds whereof it was agreed should be hereafter paid over to the parties interested, in the proportions to be determined by a final settlement of boundaries: It is hereby agreed, that a correct account of all receipts and payments on the said fund, shall be delivered to the Government of the United States, within six months after the ratification of this treaty; and the proportions of the amount due thereon to the states of Maine and Massachusetts, and any bonds and securities appertaining thereto shall be paid and delivered over to the Government of the United States; and the Government of the United States agree to receive for the use of, and pay over to the states of Maine and Massachusetts their respective portions of said fund; and further to pay and satisfy said states, respectively, for all claims for expenses incurred by them in protecting the said heretofore disputed territory, and making a survey thereof in 1838; the Government of the United States agreeing with the states of Maine and Massachusetts to pay them the further sum of three hundred thousand dollars, in equal moieties, on account of their assent to the line of boundary described in this treaty, and in consideration of the equivalent received therefore from the Government of Her Britannic Majesty.

ARTICLE VI. It is furthermore understood and agreed, that for the purpose of running and tracing those parts of the line between the source of the St. Croix and the St. Lawrence river, which will require to be run