“Shrieks now rose on all sides:-men, women, and children, finding no safety in their tents, were seen rushing from them half naked, and attempting to fly; the dogs, frightened at the uproar, barked and bit at everything;-the cattle, partaking of their terror, broke down their slender inclosures, and scoured over the plain; and the tents, the slight fastenings of which were cut by the horsemen, or burst by the flying cattle, were overturned, and their contents scattered abroad. Fires now burst forth in some, which, blazing abroad, threw a wild red gleam over the scene of tumult and carnage.

"No opposition could be offered to us, for none of our enemies could find arms or horses, nor had they any rallying point to form upon. We had but to slaughter, and mercilessly did we that morning avenge our murdered friends :-men, women, and children, fell indiscriminately in the grey dawn; for all passed so rapidly, that before the light was clear, the whole was nearly over.

"But our task was not at an end. We had, it is true, destroyed the principal division of the camp, while our friends had been as successful with another of nearly equal size; but there were several smaller Aouls in the neighbourhood, and it was soon discovered that the fugitives had gone to join one of these, the inhabitants of which, having taken the alarm, had armed themselves, and were now advancing to ascertain and oppose the force of their enemy.

"Poor wretches! the effort was worse than useless. Not a man of our party had fallen; not a scratch was received by us in the first encounter; so that, intoxicated with carnage, and undiminished in num bers, we swept on like a whirlwind to meet them. But not a moment did they withstand the shock: their numbers were sinall; they had not two hundred men, indifferently armed and mounted; and when they saw us, reeking with the slaughter of their friends, come thundering down upon them, they broke and fled: it was then too late; we overtook them in a moment, and many were at once borne down and trodden under foot. The remainder, however, seeing that nothing was to be gained by flight, took courage from despair, and boldly faced us. This was the first resistance we had met with, and I soon found all my skill called into action. "My friend and master, Selim Beg, was among the foremost of his party in pursuit: he had charged through the enemies' troop, and when they rallied he found himself in advance of his own men, and almost surrounded by five or six of the enemy. In the whole affair I had kept my eye upon him, pressing forward as close as possible to his side; and now we were together, opposed, as I have men

tioned, to some of the stoutest champions of the enemy, rendered resolute by despair. At the first charge, Selim's spear entered deeply into the breast of his opponent's horse, which, rearing upright, caught the blow intended for its rider; unable to recover itself, it fell backwards upon him ; but the spear was broken, and while thus disarmed, the lance of another, at full speed, had reached within a yard of Selim's body. I saw the coming danger, and believed him lost, but rushed with my drawn sword upon the fellow, while, almost mad with alarm, I uttered a loud shout; he started at the noise, and swerved from his course the spear but grazed the shoulder of Selim, though the shock almost overthrew his horse ;-but my sword descended on the neck of the foe as he passed, and he rolled from his horse upon the ground. I gazed at his huge body for an instant, as he lay, and drew my long-held breath; but this ill-timed pause was nearly fatal. I was recalled to myself by a blow, which, parried by Selim's sword, whistled harmlessly past my head, and we were instantly and closely engaged with two others of the enemy, who came spurring to support their fellow comrades. Others of our people now joined us, just as Selim had succeeded in cleaving his opponent's head; while I, less fortunate, received a blow on the neck, which, though the wound it inflicted was slight, almost tumbled me from my horse; and I might have fared ill enough, had not my old friend Hamet, who, from the first rencounter had kept me in view, spurred up at the moment, and thrust his lance through the man who dealt it.

"I saw nothing more for some time; but, indeed, the whole was over-the flower of the enemy's force had been destroyed, and the rest in flight fell an easy prey, or escaped by the fleetness of their horses and superior knowledge of the ground. Our men now halted, and stragglers from the pursuit came in to the loud shouting of their comrades. We returned to the scene of our first attack, while a small force was sent to the inferior camps to seize the women and children, and bring the most valuable of the movables to the place of rendezvous.

"To one, like me, unaccustomed to carnage, it was an appalling scene. In the intoxication of youthful spirits, maddened by the shouting and the din of arms, the atrocities that were committed by the uncertain light of early morning, had, in a great measure, escaped my notice :-in the eagerness of doing, I hardly looked at what was done but now, as we returned to the scene of horror, with spirits satiated with carnage, and saw the victims of our fury, cold, silent, stiffening in their blood, with what different feelings did I view it! Life

less mothers were there, with their pale and mangled children, who, in their vain attempt at flight, had fallen under our unsparing swords. Miserable old women, with their grey hair clotted with blood, and young girls, lovely as the Houries of Paradise, their bosoms gashed with wounds, lay trampled on by the cattle, among burnt

and overthrown tents, and all the melancholy wreck into which the demoniacal work of a few minutes had transformed a populous and well-ordered camp. When these terrible effects of our prowess flashed upon my inexperienced eyes, I became rooted to the spot: however unmoved the hardy and valiant heroes of our land might

be, I was overwhelmed with sadness and horror. It recalled to my memory most vividly and painfully a scene of my childhood, which had begun to fade like a dream of the night; the slaughter of my clan, and the death of my mother, were again before my eyes, and the visions of glory and promotion, after which I had panted so ardently, became for the time worthless and disgusting."

In this affair Ismael serves with distinction, and the Toorkomans return to the Aoul loaded with spoil, and carrying with them about two hundred female prisoners. The women of the tribe come forth to meet them, anxious at once to receive intelligence of the safety of their relatives, and of the value of the plunder. The female captives constitute the only portion of the spolia opima, which they consider de trop, since, without this reinforcement, they already felt themselves quite equal to discharge the functions of wives and mothers to the tribe, even had its male population been greater. Ismael is received by Shireen, to whom he brings a little girl as a present, with every demonstration of strong affection. The passion of these lovers, however, necessarily remains secret, for the Khan has promised his daughter's hand to another, and the discovery of their attachment would be followed by the ruin of their hopes. All this part of the narrative is admirably executed. The beautiful, the loving Shireen, trusting with woman's confidence in the man she loves, and giving up all for his sake, is drawn with a pencil at once delicate and happy. The heart of Ismael, too, is agitated by passion, deep and tempestuous. They meet, as they love, in secret. In all countries human nature is the same, and the natural consequences of such

an attachment follow. Shireen is about to become a mother, and the discovery of her situation by the enraged Khan must insure the death of both. The lovers meet in tears, and part in agony. No light seems to glimmer in their horizon,-all is darkness and despair. Under these circumstances, the mysterious Dervish again appears to Ismael, as he ruminates on the consequences of his guilt in a dark and solitary glen. He takes him severely to task for his past conduct, but promises to provide for his safety and that of Shireen. This promise he keeps. Selim, the brother of Shireen, and the bosom-friend of Ismael, has discovered her situation, and comes not to reproach him for his per fidy, but to save him from its consequences. He gives him a horse of true Arab blood, ycleped Boorrauk, directs him on the path to the desert, and bids him instantly to fly. His sister's life he promises likewise to preserve. The parting of the friends is affectionate, and Ismael mounts Boorauk, and sets forward on his journey. There is great talent and imagination in the description of his sufferings in the desert, but we have no room for a swatch. He encounters the deadly Sirocco, and is in imminent peril of his life. Hope again seems gone, when the Dervish re-appears, and conducts him to a cave, where he remains in safety for. two days, when, the storm having passed, he continues his route under. happier auspices. At the extremity. of the desert he encounters a stranger, who turns out to be Ibrahim, brother of Nader Khouler Beg, the Wellington of Persia, whose power rivals. even that of the Shah. With this personage, who declares himself to have been an intimate friend of his father, Ismael unites himself, and they jour ney onward together. Ibrahim is a fine character, well and powerfully delineated; brave, wild, and fearless, courting danger for its own sake; generous and kind-hearted. Their route lies past the village in which Ismael was born. He beholds his pa ternal house in ruins, and the spot desolate. We now come to one of the best specimens of powerful description which these volumes afford. We consider it in all respects admirable. They are beset by a powerful band of Toork oman robbers.

behind with his spear. The moment I saw how matters were situated, I took a deliberate aim with my arrow; and just as the fellow was rising to make his thrust, he received it up to the feather in his heart. Ut tering a loud yell, he fell backwards, checking his horse so rudely that it also reared and fell-blocking up the path so effectually, that had his companions been close at his heels, they could not have advanced a step.

"Ibrahim, meantime, had entered and got his horse under cover; then, calling me to assist him, we hastily rolled some large stones to the entrance, so as to impede the enemy's progress. This was soon done, for the stones formerly used still lay there. We then hurried above, to defend our castle.

"It was full time; for now the whole party of horsemen, sixteen in number, had come up or were close at hand; and three or four were entering the outer gateway together. Scarcely had the first got beyond the threshold when the report of Ibrahim's matchlock was heard, and the Toorkoman, dropping the reins, rolled on the ground; the ball had passed through his body. Nor was I less fortunate in my aim: as the horse of the second, terrified at the noise and fire of the matchlock, reared and turned round, my arrow struck the rider behind the ear: he fell immediately; and sharp as his foot still stuck in the stirrup, his ter rified horse dragged him at speed down the steep, scattering in confusion the rest, who were all busily ascending.

"The sudden fate of these men checked the fury of their comrades' onset. Not possessed of any fire-arms themselves, they dreaded the effect of these weapons so much, that no one cared to expose his person; while Ibrahim, unwilling to expend his ammunition, would not fire again until certain of doing execution: my arrows too were precious, for of them no supply was to be had. Thus there was a cessation of hostilities on either side, the enemy having collected under shelter of the wall, and we remaining on the watch to shoot the first who might make his appearance.

"This pause was of no long duration; we soon became sensible that the enemy had dispatched one or two of their number round the walls to see if entry might be obtained by some other passage less exposed than the gateway. The first unfortunate spy, however, had no sooner turned the corner, than he became exposed to our shot, and Ibrahim's matchlock sent him sorely wounded back to his companions.

"The enemy had now lost four of their party, and the majority of the rest, in all probability, would willingly have given up a contest against men so desperate, in which, at best, so little was to be gained. But there were among them some of a more determined spirit, who urged on the rest to revenge their fallen companions, and ex

erted themselves successfully to inspire them with confidence. On hearing the re port of Ibrahim's matchlock, they concei ved that he must now be unarmed, and they resolved to make a desperate and simultaneous attack upon our barricadoes. At once the whole party rushed to the outer gateway, some on horseback, some on foot ; and regardless of my arrows, which flew not without effect, the principal body pressed forward to the entrance of the tower, while some returned my discharge of ar rows from their own bows. ⚫ Below! be low!' cried Ibrahim, we must defend the entrance to the last; we must not lose our horses. Follow me quickly.' And he rushed down to the gateway of the tower, the barricadoes of which the Toorkomans had already commenced pulling down.

"My spear now pierced one of the foremost, while Ibrahim blew out the brains of another on the spot with his pistol. AIlah il Allah!' cried they, as they gave back for a moment at this unexpected assault; they have more guns!' But their rage and determination was now at its height; they returned to the charge, while we, on our part, dealt them ghastly wounds with our spears and swords. But stone after stone was now falling, and the large breaches gave entrance to their spears, which not only prevented our opposing them so effectually, but slightly wounded us both. We were about to abandon our horses, and to retreat to the platform above, there to sell our lives as dearly as possible, when a confused noise without struck our ears, and caused a momentary pause in the efforts of our antagonists.

"The sound came nearer and nearer, and was like the tramp of horse. We are gone,' cried Ibrahim; it is a fresh party of Toorkomans-let us ascend and die hard there!" At this moment, we heard a hurrah! mingled with 'Kuzzilbash! Kuzzilbash!' and accompanied with several shots and loud cries. Allah hu Akber!' cried Ibrahim, they are my Kuzzilbashes!-we are safe, praise be to Allah and the Prophet!-Ha, my good steed!' as the horses neighed loud at the noise of the tumult, we shall now face the villains on equal terms, nor need to fly again.' Up he bounded to the platform on the summit, whither I quickly followed him ; and from thence, indeed, we saw an animating scene. There were the few remaining Toorkomans flying like chaff before the wind, before a party of 40 or 50 Kuzzilbash horsemen, fully equipped, whose matchlocks every now and then rang upon the ear, and a horse of the fliers was seen to fall, or a fur cap to roll along the ground. Nearer at hand, fifteen or twenty more of our deliverers, having put most of the dismounted Toorkomans to death, strove who should enter first, and release those who had been