principally of words that belong in common to the Turks and Tartars. It exhibits the Turkish language in a comparatively pure state, divested of the circumlocutory forms and foreign words adopted by the Turks of Constantinople, and restored to its pristine simplicity. So far from being written in the colloquial dialect of any particular district, this version corresponds in style and language with such books as are circulated among the Tartars in the south of Russia, and is therefore intelligible to all the different Tartar hordes scattered through that extensive region.

The first version of the Scriptures written in this plain, unadorned Turkish style, was that published at Oxford in 1666, at the joint expense of the philosopher Boyle and of the Levant Company. The translator was Mr. William Seaman, a moderate non-conformist, who had formerly been chaplain to an English ambassador at the Porte. This version was not free from faults, and it partook too much of the Constantinopolitan idiom to be readily understood by the Tartars. It served, however, as the basis of a translation which Mr. Brunton, Scottish missionary at Karass, undertook expressly for the benefit of the Tartar tribes. To avoid the errors into which Seaman had fallen, Mr. Brunton carefully examined the original text, and consulted, from time to time, the English, German, and other versions. In 1807 he published an edition of 500 copies of the Gospel of St. Matthew, in folio, and on blue paper. Never was an edition of any part of the Scriptures carried through the press under more untoward circumstances. The missionaries had difficulty in obtaining the materials requisite for printing, and, owing to the bad construction of their printing-office, their operations were often impeded by the inclemency of the weather; added to this, they were frequently driven, by the predatory incursions of the Tcherkessians, to bury their types in order to secure them. On the completion of this Gospel, the British and Foreign Bible Society sent supplies to Karass to print 5000 copies of the entire Testament. Mr. Brunton only lived to complete the translation, and died while it was being carried through the press. He was so intimately acquainted with the language in which he wrote, and his style was so pure and idiomatic, that the Tartars looked upon him as a renegade Turk. death, the sheets were corrected by Mr. Frazer, and the edition was completed in 1813.

After his

This edition obtained so extensive a circulation in the south of Russia, that another edition of 5000 copies was issued two years afterwards at Astrakhan. This was merely a reprint of the Karass edition, with a few emendations introduced by Mr. Dickson, one of the Scottish missionaries. A translation of the Old Testament was undertaken about the same time by Mr. Dickson. The Psalms were completed and published at Astrakhan in 1815, and a second edition of 3000 copies appeared at the same place in 1818. Mr. Dickson afterwards proceeded to render Mr. Brunton's version of the New Testament into a more polished style, and availed himself for this purpose of Ali Bey's Turkish version, which he compared with the original text, and with the principal modern translations. It does not appear, however, that any portion of this work has been published.

RESULT OF THE DISSEMINATION OF THIS VERSION.

Many years have now elapsed since direct intelligence concerning the spiritual state of the Tartar hordes has been obtained in this country. It is gratifying however to know, that when Dr. Henderson and Dr. Paterson visited Karass in 1820, they found that the Turkish-Tartar New Testament was well understood by the natives, and that in consequence of their reading it, their prejudices had in a great measure been softened down, and a general knowledge of the principles of Christianity had been diffused among them. A similar testimony to the value of this version was borne in 1835 by Mr. Galloway, a Scottish missionary employed by the British and Foreign Bible Society in disseminating the Scriptures among the Tartars.

ORENBURG-TARTAR.

SPECIMEN, FROM ST. JOHN'S GOSPEL, CHAP. I. v. 1 to 14.

ايرضي الله ده *

8

3

*

*

5

2

9

*

ه آنده

و همان بدایت ده بدايت ده كلمت بار ايردي و كلمت خدايده ايرني وكلمت خدا ايردي * ه وسيله سي برله هر نرسه بولدي و آنیسیز هیچ بر نرسه بولمادي كه بولدي * و اول روشني قرانكلقده يالدورايب حيات بار ايردي و اول حیات آدم لارنک روشنيسي ايردي . دورا و قرانكلق آني (ایچنده توتمادي بر آدم خدادان مرسول بولدي كه اسمي يحيا ايرني • همان شهادت اوچون كيلدي (يعني) نورغه شهادت بیرمک اوچون که سببندان همه ایمان روشنايي كيدور الار * * شول نور داكول ايردي لكن شول نورغه شهادت بیرمک اوچون كيلدي . بو كمسه جهانده ايرني و وسیله سندان حقيقي اول در که هر جهان كا كيلكان آدم غه نور بيرور * اوز خاصلارينه كيلدي و آنلار آني قبول اتمادي لار " اما ني جهان بولدي و جهان آني بلمادي قدر آني قبول قیلمشلار ایسا آنلارکا رتبت بيرمي ابنا خداي بولنمغه يعني آنلارغه که اسمینه ایمان که هم قاندان هم جسم ارادتندان هم انسان ارادتندان دوغمشلار داكول بلكه كيدور ديلار * و كلمت جسم بولدي و آرامزده ساکن بولدي و بز آئین جلالتين كوردوک تفكري ارادتندان آتادان بر دو غمشنک جلالتي داي مهرباني و حق برله مملو ايکان

13

14 *

11

*

10

*

12

THIS version is written in the dialect of the Kirghisian-Tartars, and was especially designed for the use of members of that nation residing in the Russian government of Orenburg. The dialect is spoken not only in Orenburg, but also in the vast tracts of country extending from the Caspian and Lake of Aral to the frontiers of China. It is the vernacular tongue of two distinct people, namely, of the true or Kara-Kirghis, who inhabit the banks of certain rivers in Southern Siberia, and of the Kazak-Kirghis, the present occupants of the Kirghis. Steppe. The latter are divided into three hordes, called the Great horde, Little horde, and Middle horde. The Great horde is reckoned among the tributaries of China, but the dependence is merely nominal. The other hordes, though in some degree subject to Russia, also preserve a sort of independence of their own. According to Russian authorities, the probable number of individuals composing the three hordes is from 2,000,000 to 2,400,000.

This version is not an original translation, but merely an accommodation of Mr. Brunton's Karass version to the peculiar idioms and orthography of the Kirghisian Tartars. Mr. Charles Frazer, one of the Scottish missionaries at Astrakhan, was employed in the preparation of the work. An edition of 2000 copies of the Gospel of St. Matthew was printed in 1818, and two years afterwards 5000 copies of the entire Testament were completed at the mission press of Astrakhan, at the expense of the Russian Bible Society. The Kirghisians are all Mohammedans, and, though once a civilised and literary people, are now in a state of semi-barbarism. Since the suspension of the Russian Bible Society there have been few opportunities of ascertaining what results have been wrought among this nation by means of the perusal of their vernacular Scriptures.

KARAITE-TARTAR.

SPECIMEN, FROM GENESIS, CHAP. I. v. 1 to 8.

و ير شكلسز و بوش ايدي و لبه نينك يوزلاري اولده تفکري کوک لارني و يرني يراتدي * اوستنده قرانكولق بار ايدي و صولارنینک یوزلاري اوستنده تنكري نينك روحي قيملدانور ايدي *

6

و تذكري ياروق بولسون ايتدي و ياروق بولدي ، و تنكري اول ياروقني كوردي كه بخشي ه و تذكري ياروقغه كون و قرانكولقغه كيچه ايدي و تذكري ياروقني قرانكولقدان آيرنې * و تذكري ايتذي صولار نينك آت قويدي و اينكير و ايرته بولغانچه برنچى كون بولدي و تذكري اول رقيعني قيلدي و رقيع نينك اور تاسنده بر رقیع بولسون و صولارني صولاردان آیرسون آستنده بولغان صولارني رقيع نينك اوستنده بولغان صولاردان آیرنمي و الاي بولدي * * و تذكري رقيع غه كوك لار ديب آت قويدي و اینکیر و ایرته بولغانچه ايكنجي كون بولدي *

THE Karaites, or "Sons of the Text," are a Jewish sect, so called from the Hebrew word, to read; on account of their reverence for the written law. They are the Protestants of Judaism, and are distinguished from other Jews by their rejection of the oral law, and of all traditionary interpretation, and by their exclusive attachment to the Scriptures of the Old Testament as the only infallible source and test of truth. This sect, according to Dr. Henderson and other authorities, was, in all probability, originally the same with that of the Sadducees, one of the sects into which the Jewish nation was divided about two hundred years before the coming of Christ. The erroneous doctrines which were entertained by the Sadducees during the time of our Lord appear to have formed no part of their original creed, and it has been thought that the adoption of these unscriptural tenets, by the disciples of Sadok, gave birth to the Karaim.

No statistical accounts have been given recently of the Karaite Jews, but it is certain that they are very few in number as compared with the Jews of the Rabbinical sect. About the middle of the seventeenth century there were 2000 Karaites in Poland, 70 in Constantinople, 1200 in Theodosis, 300 in Cairo, 200 in Damascus, 30 in Jerusalem, 100 in Babylonia, and 600 in Persia. At the present day the Karaites are dispersed through various parts of Russia, in Austria, Turkey, Egypt, Abyssinia, Hindoostan, and Palestine. They are highly esteemed by the nations among whom they dwell on account of their amiable and moral deportment; but by their Rabbinical brethren they are held in utter abhorrence.

The Karaites have long been in possession of a Tartar version of the Old Testament. The date and author of this ancient document are alike unknown; but we find a quotation from it (consisting of the first three verses of Genesis) in an epistle, dated 1691, written by Gustavus Peringer, and inserted in Tenzel's Monthly Accounts. Further descriptions of this version were subsequently given by Wolfius and others: yet little was known concerning it in Europe until Dr. Pinkerton, when travelling in the Crimea, visited one of the settlements of the Karaites, and purchased a complete copy. The two books of Chronicles do not appear to have been inserted in this version, but it comprises all the other books of the Old Testament. It is written in the Rabbinical character, with the addition of certain points and signs indicative of the pronunciation of Tartar sounds. The headings of the chapters are in Hebrew, and the first and last verses of every book, with the exception of the Minor

Prophets, are also given in Hebrew. The dialect in which the translation is made was at one time supposed to be the Jagatai, spoken by the Tartars of Bokhara. This hypothesis, however, was unsupported by history or experience; and it has since been proved that the Karaite-Tartar (as this dialect is termed) could never have been vernacular or even intelligible to any Tartar nation. The words, indeed, are mostly of Tartar origin, but they are ranged in the exact order of the Hebrew, and the style, construction, grammatical observances, and idioms, are all conformable to the Shemitic type. This version is, in fact, so truly Hebrew in its character, that to the Turks and Tartars it is a sealed book: and even Tartar Jews, if unacquainted with their ancient language, are unable to read it. Nor is it likely to be of more general service even in Biblical criticism; for notwithstanding the known attachment of the Karaites to the letter of the sacred text, many of the interpretations in this version are obviously drawn from the Chaldee Targums, and from the renderings in Rabbinical commentaries. On account of this deficiency in point of practical utility, the British and Foreign Bible Society have printed but a small specimen portion of this version. An edition of 2000 copies of the book of Genesis was published at their expense in 1819, at the mission press of Astrakhan: these copies were sent to various parts of Russia and Tartary; but, not being found available for missionary purposes among any of the Tartar tribes, no further portions of the version have been issued by the Society. An edition of the entire version has been subsequently published by the Jews of South Russia, who defrayed the expense by means of subscriptions collected for the purpose: the work, which is in two volumes, is said to be very inaccurately printed.

TSCHUWASCHIAN.

FOR SPECIMEN OF THE TSCHUWASCHIAN VERSION, see PLATE 8, PAGE 334.

THE Tschuwaschians inhabit both sides of the Volga in the governments of Nijnii Novgorod, Kasan, and Orenburg. They are also found in Simbirsk and Viatka. Many of them are still idolaters, and offer sacrifices on a kind of altar called Keremet. The structure of their dialect is essentially Tartar; their mode of declension, and also of conjugation, are very much alike; and three parts of the words are unquestionably derived from that idiom. The rest of the words are chiefly Samoiede and Finnish; there are also many words which present a surprising resemblance to the corresponding terms in Coptic.

A Bible Society was formed in Simbirsk in 1817, partly for the purpose of furnishing the Tschuwaschians with the New Testament in their own dialect. In 1818, the Four Gospels were translated from the Sclavonic under the superintendence of the Society; and two years afterwards the entire Testament, after having been collated with the Greek original, was completed at press at Kasan, under the care of the Archbishop of Kasan, to whose diocese the people belong. The edition, which was printed in Russian characters, consisted of 5000 copies, and was issued at the expense of the Russian Bible Society.

TRANS-CAUCASIAN TARTAR.

SPECIMEN, FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. v. v. 1 to 12.

PI

A V

و جمعیت لری کوروب واغه چقدی و او ترندن منکره شاکرو لری او ننک یانه کلدیلر واغربی اچوب اوناره تعلیم ویروبن ویدیکه ، خوشا رونده فقیر اولا لمرتک حالته زیرا که کو کرنک پادشاہلیغی ٥٢ اوندارنک در خوشا غمکین لرنگ حالنه زیرا که تسلی تا یه بقدرار - خوشا حلیم ارنک حالنه زیرا که بریک وار نلری اوله جقدر اره خوشا او نارینک حالند که عدالت آج وصوم زور لر زیرا که او نار و به جکدار خوشیار هم اید نار یک حالته زیرا که او ناره رحم او لنج قدره خوشا قلبی پاک اولانلر تک حالته زیرا که اولاد اللهی کوره جکدار ، خوشا صلح و برنارنگ دانه زیرا که اللهنك اوغل لری مایلنج قدرار . خوشا عدالت ایچون مظلوم اولانگر یک حالنه زیرا که کو کارنک پادشاه لغی او نلرنگ دره ای خوشا سیزنک حالنکزه که سیزه یمان و بوب وزحمت ویروب و هر طور نالایق سوزلا من دن اوترو یلان ون سیزنک دقنگزوه و یه جکدر لر * شاو اولنگ و وجد ایلینک زیرا که سیزیک اجر ناز کوکار وه بیوک ورچون سیزون ایره لو اولان پیغمبر لره وه همان بوطور ایله زحمت و برو بدرار

۱۲

A PECULIAR and rather corrupt dialect of the Turkish is spoken by the greater part of the Moslem population in Georgia, Shushi, Shirwan, Derbend, Baku, Karadagh, and North-west Persia. As it is vernacular to numerous tribes in all the Russian provinces beyond the Caucasus, this dialect has been termed, by way of distinction, the Trans-Caucasian. It differs in many respects from its cognate dialects spoken in Kasan and the Crimea. It has none of the sweetness and dignity of the Turkish; and till reduced to grammatical principles by the German missionaries, did not even hold the rank of a written tongue.

The first work written in this dialect was a translation of the New Testament by Messrs. Zaremba and Pfander, agents of the Basle Missionary Society. They at first experienced great difficulty in preparing this translation; for the Armenians of Shushi, though acquainted with the dialect as a colloquial medium, were unable to write it, and the Turks were unwilling to lend any aid to the undertaking. Afterwards, however, an efficient assistant was found in Mirza Ferookh, an Armenian of Shushi, who in early youth had been carried captive into Karadagh, adopted into the family of the khan, and instructed in all the learning of Persia. After spending seventeen years at the court of his royal patron, he bethought himself of his parents and his native village, and made his escape thither. He originally joined the missionarics with a view of learning the Russian language; but they employed him in translating this version of the New, and part of the Old Testament, into his native dialect, and the work was blessed to the conversion of his soul. An edition of 1000 copies of the Gospel of St. Matthew was printed about the year 1836 by the British and Foreign Bible Society. Since that period all direct missionary efforts in the circulation of this version have been suspended by an imperial ukase.