in general flourished better in Europe than in Perfia, where they were ftill ignorant of the ufe of the globe, and only made ufe of an aftrolabe, for the inftruction of their studients they could however, name all the signs of the Zodiac, and let him know, that they were acquainted with the names of many of the other ftars.

At another time, he had the curiofity to go into a Metzid or fchool, near his quarters, where they inftruct their children. The young scholars fat all round clofe to the wall, the Mollah, or school-mafter, with fome other aged perfons, fitting in the midst of the hall, whither they alfo invited him as foon as they faw him enter. The Mollah permitted him to turn over the Koran he had in his hand, which done, he took it back and kissed it, and then offered it to him to kifs, which he declining, and kiffing another inftead of it, which he held in his hand, the mafter told him with a fmile, he had done very well. Our author faw here among the reft, an Aftrologer of near 65 years of age, who was reading Euclid to his. difciples. Our Author knew the book by the figures, and having made fome demonftrations. as well as he could exprefs himself, the old man was fo pleased with him, that he pulled out his brass astrolabe, and asked him whether he had ever seen fuch an inftrument, or knew the use of it. Our Author no fooner answered. in the affirmative, and that he had one at his lodgings; but he was fo urgent with him, to fee it, that he went home to fetch it, and alfo brought

brought the globe along with him. They were much furprized at these inftruments, and much more when they understood that he had made the aftrolabe himself, and being defirous of feeing how he could divide the degrees with. fuch exactness, as they had no inftruments fit for that purpose, he fhewed them how this might easily be performed; at which the old man was fo well fatisfied, that he ever after gave him all poffible demonftrations of his friendship, frequently vifited him, and gave him the longitude and latitude of the chief cities of Afia, which he afterwards compared with his own obfervations, and found very exact.

The 7th of February, being the 21ft day of their principal Faft or Lent, the Perfians celebrated their feftival in memory of their great Patron Hali, which was performed in a house built for that purpose without the city. Oppofite a gallery in which were the Khan, the Calanter, and other principal courtiers, was placed an open chair, eight feet high, under a kind of linnen canopy; for the Chatib or Prelate, who was dreffed in blue, the mourning colour of the Perfians. He read for two hours in a book of the life and memorable actions of Hali, finging out his words in a loud and doleful, yet intelligible voice, except when he came to fome extraordinary paffage, or moral fentence, when he only pronounced the first word, the reft being fung by the Priests who furrounded him in great numbers; and at the end of every fuch paflage, one of them cried

out, God's curfe on him who killed Hali. When the whole affembly answered, Rather more than lefs. On his coming to a paffage where Hali tells his children, that he fhall not live long, and prophecies by whom he is to be killed, the Perfians begin to weep.

When the Chatib had ended, the Khan fent him a filk garment, and then the proceffion began, in which three camels carried three coffins, covered with black cloth, which represent those of Hali, and his two fons. These were followed by two chefts covered with blue cloth, full of the religious treatises written by Hali; next appeared two very fine horses, carrying upon their faddles, bows, arrows, turbants, and flags. Then came a man carrying on the top of a long pole, a kind of tower, to which was fastened four fcymeters, fo covered with ribbons, that they could fcarce be distinguished. In the rear came many men with little boxes on their heads, in which the Koran lay open. The boxes were covered with feathers and flowers, and the men came dancing and leaping in cadence, to a doleful tune played on hautboys, timbrels, flagelets, and tabours, while on the other fide, many boys danced and fung together, clapping one another upon the fhoulders, and repeating the name of Hali and thofe of his two fons, Haffan and Hoffein. This festival is celebrated the fame day all overPerfia. The day after the faft, the Khan made a magnificent entertainment for the whole court, at which the Ambaffadors were present.

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On the 27th, the meffenger fent to Ispahan, returned with orders for the departure of the Ambaffadors, at which they were greatly rejoiced, and refolved to amufe themselves with hunting before they left Scamachie. As the Khan was prevented from going with them by fome extraordinary bufinefs, he fent them his huntfman, with his hounds and hawks, and.. among the reft a leopard, fo well taught, that he would ftart and take a hare, as well as a greyhound, and was as much at command as a fetting dog.

On the 1st of March, the Perfians celebrated another festival called Chummehater, in memory of the day when Hali took poffeffion of the eftate of Mahomet. Upon this occafion the Khan treated the Ambaffadors under a tent near the river fide, and they had the diverfion of feveral forts of dancing. In particular a youthplayed extremely well upon two little cimbals, dancing to them with great address; and an Arabian Moor leaped and danced between the Porcelain dishes in which the meat was brought up, with such skill as not to touch one of them. The Khan being alfo difpofed to fhew a trial of his fkill at the bow, caufed one of the rings. with which the Perfians bend their bows, and which they commonly wear upon their thumbs, to be faftened to a horse-hair, and held by a boy at above fix paces distance, when he cut it twice one after another with his arrow, and an apple being thrown up into the air, he shot it with a firelock.

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On the zoth of March, the Khan came in company with Calenter to take leave of the Ambaffadors, he being going a journey, and not expecting to return before their departure; but his phyfician, who pretended to fome skill in aftrology, having obferved, that the sky told him it was no lucky hour to enter into the Ambaffadors lodgings, they fell to drinking plentifully in the court. When the Khan taking particular notice of a very handsome lad who was one of the Ambassador Cruftus's pages, afked the phyfician whether he were not a very fine boy, and faid, that he wished he was his fon, upon which the phyfician began to confult the heavens again; though it was neither night nor a clear fky, and told the Khan that if by viewing the boy again he could imprint a ftrong idea of him in his imagination, and would immediately go and pay a vifit to one of his women, he might infallibly get fuch another boy, which he and his com pany believing, he viewed the boy once more, and then getting on horfeback immediately departed.

On the 24th, the Khan of Scamachie fent away the ufual New-year's-gift for the Sophi, which confifted of fome very fine horses richly harneffed. Some camels laden with Ruffia leather, feveral rich ftuffs, 30 bags filled with fwans down, and a great number of handsome boys and girls. The Khan at the same time going his journey, left the management of the Ambaffadors affairs to the Calenter, who immediately after fent to their quarters the fum

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