“July 2d.—At two in the morning we set out. I hardly know when I have been so disordered. I had little or no recollection of things, and what I did remember, at times, of happy scenes in India or England, served only to embitter my present situation. Soon after removing into the air, I was seized with a violent ague, and in this state I went on till sun-rise. At fourteen miles, we found a fine caravansera, apparently very little used, as the grass was growing in the court. There was nothing all round but the barren rocks, which generally roughen the country before the mountain rears its height. Such an edifice, in such a situation, was cheering. Soon after, we came to a river, over which was a high bridge; I sat down in the shade under it, with two camel-drivers. The caravan, as it happened, forded the river, and passed on, without my perceiving it. Mr. C——, seeing no signs of me, returned, and after looking about for some time, espied my horse grazing; he concluded immediately that the horse had flung me from the bridge into the river, and was almost ready to give me up for lost. My speedy appearance from under the bridge relieved his terror and anxiety. The pass was a mere nothing to those at Bushire; in fact it was no part of the mountain we climbed, but only a few hills. In a natural opening in the mountains, on the other side, was a river, with most of its bed dry; and over it a bridge of many arches, which led us to an unwalled village, surrounded by corn-fields, which we reached at ten o’clock. Half the people still continue ill; for myself, I am, through God’s infinite mercy, recovering.”
“July 3d.—Started at three, full three hours after we ought, and, as was to be expected, we all got ill again, from being exposed to the sun six hours; for we did not get to our ground, Turcoman, till eleven o’clock. It was a poor village among the hills, over which our whole way lay, from Mianu. Ascending one, and descending another, was the whole of the variety, so that I do not know when we have had a more tiresome day.”
“July 4th.—I so far prevailed as to get the caravan into motion at midnight. Lost our way in the night, but arriving at a village were set right again. At eight came to Kilk caravansera, but not stopping there, went on to a village, where we arrived at half-past nine. The baggage not coming up till long after, we got no breakfast till one o’clock. In consequence of all these things, want of sleep, want of refreshment, and exposure to the sun, I was presently in a high fever; which raged so furiously all the day, that I was nearly delirious, and it was some time before I could get the right recollection of myself. I almost despaired, and do now, of getting alive through this unfortunate journey. Last night I felt remarkably well, calm, and composed, and sat reflecting on my heavenly rest, with more sweetness of soul, abstraction from the world, and solemn views of God, than I have had for a long time. Oh! for such sacred hours! This short and painful life would scarcely be felt, could I live thus at heaven’s gate. It being impossible to continue my journey in my present state, and one of the servants also being so ill that he could not move with safety, we determined to halt one day at the village, and sent on a messenger to Sir Gore Ousely, the ambassador, who was at Tebriz, informing him of our approach.”
“July 5th.—Slept all day, and at sun-rise prepared to proceed all the way to Tebriz, or at least to Seid Abad; but we did not set out till one in the morning. I was again dreadfully disordered with head-ache and fever. We got into a wretched hovel, where the raging fever almost deprived me of reason. In the cool of the evening we set out to go to Seid Abad, distant about twelve miles. When the caravan arrived near Seid Abad, it was a dark night, about eleven o’clock, and not one of the party knew where it was, nor could we discover it by the barking of the dogs, the usual sign. Once we heard the bark, and made sure of having attained our object; but found only some shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. These boors showed us which road to take, which we soon found ended in nothing; so returning, we tried to induce one of them to serve as a guide, with the promise of any sum of money he required: but all in vain. The only thing that remained to be done was to lie down on the spot, and wait patiently for the day: which I did, and caught such a cold, as, with all our other exposures, consummated my disorders. As soon as it was day, we found our way to the village, where Dr. —— was waiting for us. Not being able to stay for us, he went on to Tebriz, and we as far as Wasmuch, where he promised to procure for us a fine upper room furnished; but when we arrived, they denied that there was any such place; at last, after an hour’s threatening, we got admittance to it. An hour before break of day I left it, in hopes of reaching Tebriz before sun-rise. Some of the people seemed to feel compassion for me, and asked me if I was not very ill. At last I reached the gate, and feebly asked for a man to show me the way to the ambassador’s.”
At Tebriz he was confined two months by a fever, from which he did not expect to recover. He wrote to a friend—“We who are in Jesus, have the privilege of viewing life and death as nearly the same, since both are ours; and I thank a gracious Lord that sickness never came at a time when I was more free from apparent reasons for living. Nothing, seemingly, remains for me to do, but to follow the rest of my family to the tomb.”
The New Testament, which he was thus prevented from giving, in person, to the Persian monarch, was, after Mr. Martyn’s death, presented by the ambassador; and the king acknowledged the gift in the following letter:
“In the name of the Almighty God, whose glory is most excellent.
“It is our august command, that the dignified and excellent, our trusty, faithful, and loyal well-wisher, Sir Gore Ousely, Baronet, his Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador Extraordinary, (after being honoured and exalted with the expressions of our highest regard and consideration,) should know, that the copy of the Gospel, which was translated into Persian by the learned exertions of the late Rev. Henry Martyn, and which has been presented to us by your Excellency, on the part of the high, dignified, learned, and enlightened Society of Christians,[13] united for the purpose of spreading abroad the Holy Books of the Religion of Jesus, (upon whom, and upon all Prophets, be peace and blessings!) has reached us, and has proved highly acceptable to our august mind.
“In truth, through the learned and unremitting exertions of the Rev. Henry Martyn, it has been translated in a style most befitting sacred books; that is, in an easy and simple diction. Formerly, the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were known in Persia; but now the whole of the New Testament is completed in a most excellent manner: and this circumstance has been an additional source of pleasure to our enlightened and august mind. Even the four Evangelists, which were known in this country, had never been before explained in so clear and luminous a manner. We therefore have been particularly delighted with this copious and complete translation. Please the most merciful God, we shall command the select servants, who are admitted to our presence, to read to us the above mentioned book, from the beginning to the end, that we may, in the most minute manner, hear and comprehend its contents.
“Your excellency will be pleased to rejoice the hearts of the above mentioned dignified, learned, and enlightened Society, with assurances of our highest regard and approbation; and to inform those excellent individuals, who are so virtuously engaged in disseminating and making known the true meaning and intent of the holy gospel, and other points in sacred books, that they are deservedly honoured with our royal favour. Your excellency must consider yourself as bound to fulfil this royal request.”