THE EUNUCH OF ABYSSINIA. 
23 
took his seat near our nummuds, and declared himself the hap¬ 
piest of men in finding himself in the company of Englishmen ; 
winding up his general compliments to our nation, with a par¬ 
ticular eulogium on the talents and virtues of our countryman, the 
late Rev. Henry Martyn, who, he said, had passed some time under 
his roof, during his apostolic sojourn at Shiraz. A succession 
of kindly smiles brightened the black visage of the Hadge, while 
he dwelt on the merits of the meek man of God; though it was 
in that city, and probably under his roof, that he composed 
many of the queries relative to the Mahomedan faith, none of 
which have yet been answered by the wisest sages and moollahs 
of Persia. Indeed, these staggering doubts cast upon the creed 
of Mecca, have afforded unceasing occupation to the pen of 
Mirza Bezoork, the devout and learned minister of Abbas 
Mirza; but, after eight years’ consideration, discussing, and 
writing on these stubborn points, still his labours, like the web 
of Penelope, seem sans Jin ; for, dissatisfied with what is done, 
he frequently obliterates in one day what has been the toil of a 
year at least. 
August 18th. At half-past four o’clock in the day, we bade 
adieu to our good-humoured companion ; and to the joy of his 
crammed-up numerous attendants, left them room to stretch 
themselves in our vacated quarters. The weather was fine, and 
the road excellent, running along the valley north-west. At the 
distance of about twelve miles we came to a particularly wild 
track, watered by a narrow stream, apd crossed by an old bridge 
of three arches, considered by our guards the very den of the 
thievish tribes ; and many dreadful narratives were recounted of 
the robberies and murders committed on or near the spot: but 
all here appeared equally free from hostile footstep as the rest of 
