Picturesque Persian Funerals

Sa-ving an ocoasional xah kluik! from the throat of uue of the cnugle beaded and wild eyed dervishes stuiking aloi t. barefoot in the saud, uot a sauud breaks the .--nlhitss of r.lie bright Octobei' moruiug is oni caravan moves toward the bridge over the Holman river, that leads to the towu of Khanekin, the onstoms aiid saiiitary staüou of the Oitoraan goveruinent, aixmttliree bonrs distaiice from the Turko-Persiau froutier. It is a singular cavalcado we form, too, a veritable "cariivaii of the dead, " for the true pilgrims amuug us are niainIy flefouct Persiaiis, Whóae remaiiia are beiug conveyed direct to djenuet, the "gates of paradise, " at the ftet of thoir , great saiut aiid Aga, the Iman Husseiu, at Kerbela. lu front) aud perofaed high np on the biggest oamel that could be begged, borrowed or bired for the jonrney, rides our tshansh, or conductor, swarthy aud tnrbaiined, the bine in his garmeuts proclainiiug him a said or descendant of the prophet. The prophet, I may reroatk in passing, has a score of snch in every Peisian vilïaga He holds aloft the royal ensign of the einpire of the sun aud liou, beariug the uame of the sbah aud his ovvn bclow it in letters of gold. Followiug him march the naashkesh, or "carriers of the dead," each at the head of a long striug of uiules laden with the remains intrusted to them. Tho animáis are led by oharvadars - muieteers - aiul each bears two bodies, oue slung ou eitber side where the panuiers would ordinarily be. The corp.ses, when intact, are carried in hermetically closed oases, but comparativley few of these are to be found, as a rule, among these defuuet pilgrims. The expense woulrl be too great. So the pious Persian who desires to giye effect to the last wish of his departed pareuts waits antil nothiug of their rernains is left but the skeletou, which is then swathed in bandages, mummy fashiou, and haudad over to the iiaashkesh to be taken to the gate of paradise, which every good öhute firmly believesis at the exact spot where the saiuted Hnssein is buried iu Kerbela. Far the greater number of the mules comprised in our caravan are lacteu with such bandaged bones and swathed skeletons slung on each side, the outlines showing distinctly through wrappings as they swing to and fro with the rueasured paciug of the