nd, to speak the truth, though addressing an antiquary of your
celebrity, I felt that I would rather be one among the crowd in the
Graben at Vienna, or in our own Bond Street, than at liberty to range in
the ease of solitude among the ruins of the palaces of Darius.

At length the day of my departure came, and I left Persia with books
filled with remarks, and portfolios abounding in original sketches.
My ideas during the journey were wholly taken up with schemes for the
future, and, perhaps, like every other traveller, I nourished a sort of
sly and secret conviction that I had seen and observed things which
no one before me had ever done; and that when I came to publish to the
world the fruits of my discoveries, I should create a sensation equal at
least to the discovery of a new planet.

I passed at the foot of the venerable Mount Ararat, and was fortunate
enough to meet with a favourable moment for traversing the cold regions
of Arminia, _'nec Armeniis in oris stat glacies iners menses per
omnes'_; and I crossed the dangerous borders of Turkey and Persia
without any event occurring worthy of record. But I must request your
indulgent attention to what befell me at Tocat; for it is to that
occurrence you are indebted for this letter, and the world for the
accompanying volume.

It was at the close of a fatiguing days journey, that I and my escort,
consisting of two Tatars, two servants, and the conductors of our
baggage and post-horses, entered the city of Tocat. Our approach was as
usual announced by the howls of the _Surujees_, who more than usually
exerted their lungs in my service, because they felt that these sounds,
the harbingers of rest and entertainment, could but be agreeable to
weary and jaded travellers like ourselves. The moon was shining bright
as our cavalcade clattered over the long paved road leading to the city,
and lighted up, in awful grandeur, the turret-topped peaks which rear
their heads on the crest of the surrounding abrupt crags. On entering
the post-house, I was immediately conducted into the travellers' room,
where, having disencumbered myself of my cloak, arms, and heavy boots,
and putting myself at ease in my slippers and loose dress, I quietly
enjoyed, the cup of strong coffee and the _chibouk_, which were
immediately handed to me, and after that my dish of rice, my tough fowl,
and my basin of sour curds.

I was preparing to take my night's rest on the sofas of the post-house,
where my