126 
A CBTJSADE IN THE EAST. 
vain and self-constituted judges to say that these people, 
taught from infancy to regard their peculiar belief as the only 
true means of salvation, shall be rewarded for their sincerity 
by everlasting torture ? Oh, ye who are wrapt in the selfish¬ 
ness of a single idea ! ye who bode destruction to others ! 
look out upon the broad universe, and learn that there are 
millions of human hearts as sincere and devoted as yours, and 
that there is a Divine power, great and good and merciful 
enough to save all, even to the weakest and the most be¬ 
nighted. 
At last the prayers are ended, and now the toils of the 
world commence again. But first, a general smoke is neces¬ 
sary to refresh the system for another tug. The chiboucks 
being emptied in due time, a few skirmishing attempts are 
made at the log again—mere individual trials of strength. 
The whole gang finally prepare to begin work in earnest; but 
j ust as you imagine they are going to run the log out of the 
water with a general rush, a casual remark, dropped in con¬ 
versation, arouses the attention of the whole party. This has 
to be discussed in all its bearings, controverted, illustrated by 
anecdotes, sustained and repeated, till the subject is suffi¬ 
ciently exhausted for the present; and then the ropes are 
stretched, the shouting commences, and the beam, after many 
back-slides, is fairly landed on terra firma. You feel a sense 
of relief, an inward thankfulness, when this victory of human 
force over inert matter has been achieved ; and, leaving the 
turbaned gang to smoke the pipe of triumph, and talk over 
the struggle past and prepare for the struggle to come, walk 
on in search of further novelties. All the workmen, those 
who wield the adze, the hatchet, and the saw, the master 
mechanics, as well as the common laborers, are so much like 
our friends of the beam, in their various branches of industry, 
that it is unnecessary to call your attention to them; and we 
leave them now, chatting, smoking, and praying, in the hope 
that, by the threats and promises of his Highness Abd-ul-Me- 
jid, and the spiritual aid of the Prophet, the bridge will be 
completed some time during the present month—or century. 
The difficulty of introducing any thing having a tendency 
