KERBELA. gg] 
it is between Persia and the yet more sacred monuments of 
Kerb el a. 
On re-entering the gates of the British residence, at Bagdad, 
I found some of my Mahomedan servants, just come back from 
paying their duties at the shrine of Hossein in the latter place. 
Taking advantage of the protection that would be afforded to 
them, by a company of Sepoys marching that way to honour 
the marriage of a lady, the daughter of a great man from the 
East of the Indus, who had settled in that holy city, I had given 
my people permission to make their devotions in his train. On 
their return, my muleteer, as an offering of gratitude, presented 
me some sacred cakes, made of the earth which had borne the 
tent of their martyr; and which are kept in a sort of sanctuary 
near to the entrance of his tomb, being close to the spot where 
he was assassinated. The description of the manner of his 
death, given by the historian Gibbon, is particularly beautiful 
and affecting. The earth, even in its simple state, is purchased 
with avidity by the pilgrims, and is said to possess the most 
miraculous properties ; while the privilege of being interred near 
the remains of' the saint himself, is bought by the rich at the 
most extravagant prices. But Hossein is not the only star of 
this ascendant; a constellation, of smaller magnitude indeed, 
yet occupying the same heaven, share the devotion of the pil¬ 
grims, and at a smaller charge allow them cemeteries near their 
humbler graves. The revenues arising to the hierarchy of Ker- 
bela, from all these drains on the purses of its visitors, are 
enormous ; and must more than sufficiently pay for all the ex¬ 
pen ces of its state. Kerbela is about sixteen farsangs from Bag¬ 
dad ; the city is large, and crowded with inhabitants. Being 
respected as a place of refuge, the run-aways from both Turkey 
VOL. II. 
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