172 BAKTCHESERAT, 
chat, object of his worship ; nor can any thing divert 
' — ' his attention 
Pestruc- To describe what Bakteheserai was, it would 
tion caused 
by the Rus- be necessary to convey ideas at least adequate 
sian troops. J J 
to the present appearance of its ruins : and this 
is very difficult. The savage and the wanton 
barbarity of the Russians found in the magnifi- 
cence of this capital wherewith to exercise, in 
its full scope, their favourite passion for destruc- 
tion. The city was divided into several depart- 
ments ; the Greek colony alone occupying one 
entire and extensive valley. This they entirely 
demolished ; not leaving one stone upon another. 
The palace of the Khan, in the centre of the 
town, was the edifice where he usuallyresided; 
but he had a favourite and more pleasing retire- 
ment, in a magnificent mansion most delight- 
fully situate, beneath a mountain upon the 
sloping side of a beautiful vale. This they so 
(!) The eflieaey of iuward devotion, as contrasted with external offer- 
ings, is recommended with powerful simplicity in a specimen of early 
English puetry, as old as' the time of Queen Elizabeth, preserved in 
the Travels of “ Certaine Englishmen into Jarre Countries," printed in 
1609 . It is the end of a Latin inscription in the Church at Cologne (on 
the offerings of the Three Kings), thus translated into English metre. _ 
“ For Gold present a perfect heart; 
For Myrrh admit him tears ; 
For Frankincense, powre from thy brest 
A fume of humble praters !” 
