The miseries that succeeded nature kindly hid from his remembrance; the disorder possessed his brain, and he lay entranced on the ground in the streets of Koron.

After two days he arose from the ground, his knees tottering with the weight of his emaciated body; he cast his hollow eyes around him, and on every side saw the dismal marks of the all-destructive plague.

But what engaged his chief attention were two youths, who were kneeling on the ground beside an aged body, which was just sending forth his last pestiferous breath, as a deadly legacy between his children. Their pious tears and their duteous attention to the expiring sage, mixed with a submissive resignation to the will of Alla, struck the soul of Sadak, long before he perceived they were the sons of his strength, who were performing the last sad offices to Mepiki, the father of Kalasrade.

My children, my duteous children!' said the enervated Sadak, crawling with trembling limbs to their assistance, may Alla bless your pious care!-you are, indeed, the sons of

Sadak, and the offspring of Kalasrade !—-and

your father is better pleased to see you thus ' active in this vale of death than crowned 'with the conquest of unnumbered foes.'

The astonishment of Codan and Ahud, at the sight of their father, did not prevent their attendance on the dying Mepiki; they closed the eyes of their departing friend with pious tears, and embraced with reverence the dead body of their honoured ancestor.

The soul of Sadak was overcome by the piety of his children; and he whom embattled armies could not move from his post became the tender victim of paternal affection.

Codan and Ahud, perceiving their father fainting, ran to his assistance: new cares succeeded to increase their affliction; and the dying groans of Mepiki were scarcely remembered, while Sadak continued to faint in the arms of his children.

Thanks, gentle Codan! thanks, tender Ahud!' said Sadak to his children as he arose from the bondage of weakness: 'though 'nature is exhausted, my soul is revived by the behaviour of my sons; and Sadak rejoices to see the tenderness of Kalasrade triumphant over thy father's fierceness,'

Fountain of our life and leader of our 'thoughts!' answered Codan, thy children lift up their hearts to Alla, and bless him for 'the comforts he has given us in this scene of 'terrors.'

'Ah, my sons!' said Sadak, 'why should I "complain of bodily weakness, when the weak'ness of my mind is superior? Unsatisfied ' with the presence of my children, I burn to 'know what strange fatality has brought you' "to the city of Koron.'

6

Author of our being!' answered Ahud,

thy children have not been exempt from the "misfortunes of their parents. Soon after our 'father left us under the protection of the 'affectionate Mepiki, a slave hastened toward "the hut whither thy offspring had retired from the rage of the flame.-" Aged Mepiki!" 'said the slave, "retire with the children of Sadak; for behold the royal janisaries are advancing, and Amurath hath commanded the ' progeny of Sadak to be brought before him." 'Our aged parent wrung his hands at the ' relation of the slave; the janisaries were in sight, and Codan and myself only with thy 'father Mepiki.

VOL. II.

"Alas!" said the parent of our honoured 'mother Kalasrade, "five of my daughter's 'children are with the eunuchs at the ex-.

tremity of the garden, and to us there are ' little hopes of flight, to them is the certainty ' of condemnation,"

"Venerable sire!" answered the slave, "it will be vain to attempt the rescue of those who are absent from my lord; but if you and the children of Sadak will follow me ' into the forest that overshadows the village, 'I will engage to lead you in safety from the 'malice of your pursuers."

""Lead me, then," replied our sire Mepiki"lead me, faithful slave! from the tyranny of Amurath. For myself, indeed, it little matters whether I perish by age or by the sword; but these may live to revenge the 'blood of their ancestors."

Thus saying, Mepiki leaned on the slave; ⚫ and Codan and myself drawing our scymitars, 'we issued forth, and covered ourselves from the sight of the janisaries among the cedars of the forest.

'Here we continued till night; when the faithful slave besought us to follow him

through the forest, to a town about four leagues from the habitation of Mepiki.

Thinking ourselves too near the arm of "Amurath, we departed thence the following 'night to Barebo; and there continued, till a ' vessel which was trading to Ismir took us on 'board, and carried us to that pride of Asia.

'We continued in Ismir but a few days: 'the plague broke out in the suburbs, and raged with such violence, that Mepiki resolved to embark in the first vessel that left 'the city of Ismir.

This happened to be a merchant's sloop bound for Koron, in which we came with favourable gales, and landed not long since in this miserable city.

The mariners who came with us escaped not the pestilence, although they had left 'the city of Ismir; they were seized with the

contagion as soon as they landed, and the 'disorder raged with such violence, that ere half the moon was elapsed the whole city groaned under its wretched influence.

"The aged Mepiki for some time shut him'self and us up in an inner apartment, hoping 'to escape the contagion; but when he found "the deadly disorder had seized him, he com