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In obedience to your Majesty's commands, I have
availed myself of my first leisure to record in the leaves
of my tablets the scenery and incidents which have
struck me as worthy of observation, during my journey
from the banks of the Tigris to those of this remote
river. Descriptions of the interesting countries through
which I have passed, with allusions to the manners and
customs of the people, I will not here repeat, as I have
made a careful history of them for your Majesty's perusal
when I shall return from my embassy.

After a journey of fifteen days I reached the valley of
Jordan, and, crossing the river the following morning,

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pitched my tent outside of the gates of this city. Here
we have been reposing for several days, in order to recruit
the weary and restore the energies of all after our
fatiguing march, much of which lay over arid plains.

Our first sudden appearance in this lovely valley created
both surprise and fear; and the inhabitants took up
arms to attack us and drive us back to the dark mountains
from which we had emerged. Not less than seven
thousand men were collected for this purpose in one night
and were discovered marshaled upon the plain before us
in hostile array at dawn.

Not wishing to appear like an enemy where I wished
to be at peace, I gave orders that not one of my legion
should leave the tents; and advancing with only my
armor-bearer, Ninus, and my venerable chief-captain,
Nacherib, I walked towards one who seemed to be their
leader.

As I drew near I could see that but few of the host carried
proper weapons of war, or wore steel armor, there
being visible but here and there a helm and nodding plume
in the whole fore-front of the array. The greater number
were armed with shepherd's crooks, hunting-knives, bills,
wolf-spears, and instruments of labor; yet they bore
themselves with a bold face, and were ranged in companies
and battalions with the regularity and precision of
a well-drilled army. A few ensigns fluttered above their
heads, the pennons flashing in the morning sun.

I was struck with the noble bearing of the leader, who
seemed a mere youth, though he towered above the ordinary
height of men. He wore a helmet and cuirass, and
held a sword in his hand.

Seeing me advance in a peaceful manner some paces

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before my two officers, he also came forward, and saluting
me with a courteous wave of his sword, said, in a Chaldaic
dialect, not unlike our own speech, so that I plainly
understood his words:—

“Who art thou, my lord! and whence comest thou
with an armed legion and so great a retinue? Is thy
mission one of peace or of war?”

“Peace, my lord captain,” I answered. “I serve the
King of Assyria, and am going on an embassy into the
land of Egypt; but have a message to deliver by the
way to the great Seer and Judge of thy country, Isamel,
the friend of the gods! Thou didst last night behold
an armed legion enter this valley with me. It is but my
body-guard given me by my master, the King of Nineveh,
to protect me against the wandering bands of the wilderness;
but, as thou perceivest, not numerous enough to
make war. If thou hast authority in this land, I crave
permission to cross the Jordan, and go on my way to
the palace of your governor, Isamel.”

When I had done speaking, the youthful warrior came
near to me, and again saluting me, said:—

“We welcome thee, O Assyrian, to our land! The
aged prophet, Samuel, whom thou callest Isamel, is at his
abode in Ramah, at least two days' march for thy caravan,
westward. He is a man of God, virtuous as judge,
undaunted in duty, gentle in heart, yet with a lion's
courage against evil. But thou errest, my lord, in supposing
he is now the Judge of Israel. We have now a
king like the nations around us!”

“This news had not reached our ears in Assyria,” I
answered. “Is the Prophet Isamel no more?”

“The Seer of God's people,” here answered a grave

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and elderly personage, with the scars of battles on his
brow, who with others of the Hebrews drew near, “still
lives, my lord of Ashur. He is yet, as ever, loved and
honored for his great age, profound wisdom, and celestial
virtues. But becoming too aged to rule the land,
disturbed by a long war with our hereditary foes, the martial
nation of the Philistines, although often delivering
us from them by a divine courage, he yielded the authority
to his two sons! But these men inherited not their
father's ability and wisdom, nor the friendship of God,
and all the land rose up under their weak rule and demanded
of the Prophet to elect and anoint over us a
king in their place. The Prophet would have dissuaded
us from having a king, saying: `He will take away
your possessions and make your sons the servants of his
palace, drives of his chariot, his horsemen and guards
of his body, and your daughters slaves to do the labors
of his household! All of you will be at the service of
your king, and without power to follow your own way,
but only be made the obedient servitors of his power.
Then you will repent and wish again for the liberty to
elect your own Judges, as you have done for four hundred
years, even since the days of Joshua and the elders
of his day.' But, my lord of Ashur, the multitude did
not hearken to the words of the Seer, and were so clamorous
for a king that he anointed a young man by the
name of Saul of Benjamin, son of Kish, a mighty man
of valor whom God pointed out to him.”

“And is Saul now your king?” I asked of the grave
Hebrew who had spoken.

“He is, O most noble lord, and has been for some
time. He is a notable warrior, and has fought for us,

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and won great victories against the Philistines at the
head of our armies. As a soldier he has no superior;
but he is of a gloomy, sad, melancholy, wayward temper
of late, and the whole land sighs for the mild and firm
dominion of the wise and good Prophet.”

“Thou speakest boldly of thy king?” I said, surprised
at this freedom of speech, where each word might
be reported to his monarch, and his imprudence cost him
his head.

“So do all men, my lord, who are men;” he answered.
“God has given a king to us in his anger, as was said, and
we now feel it. Even the great Prophet has of late departed
from him in displeasure to see him no more, on
account of his impieties and cruelties! Nay, God seems
to have deserted him.”

“Happy the day,” said the young chief, “when his
brave and wise son, the Prince Jonathan, shall be king
in his father's place.”

I was amazed, your majesty, at the audacity and boldness
of speech of these Hebrews! They are a fearless
race, saturnine in complexion, with brilliant black eyes,
raven hair, and faces full of intelligence and genius. I
like them much. I learned from them why they were
not armed any better. It seems that their conquerors,
the Philistines, have once overrun the country and disarmed
the whole land, city by city, leaving them only
implements of toil! Under their king they hoped in
some measure to retrieve these disgraces, but he had
achieved no permanent good to his kingdom by his victories,
the Philistines still holding part of the land, and
constantly offering battle.

After some further conversation, the chiefs, satisfied

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of the peaceful character of my retinue, retired from the
field, and reported to the council or senate in the principal
city of the valley, four miles distant.

In a few hours a messenger came to me with an invitation
to go to the city, and permission for my caravan
to encamp near the gates, by a certain sacred fountain.

With pleasure I accepted this courtesy of the Hebrew
people, and resuming our march we crossed the Jordan
at a ford kindly indicated by the young chief, who having
first come over, guided us to the western shore, the water
having been no deeper than our saddle girths. Thus
we all safely passed the swift stream, and in an hour
afterwards had reached the pleasant field, shaded by a
grove; where we were to encamp. How shall I describe
to your majesty the beauty of the scenery, on all sides
presenting a singular mingling of the wildest rocks, with
the most lovely vales! Fields of corn shining as if a
snow of golden flakes had descended upon them, charming
vales, pleasant pastures, gardens, vineyards, villas,
castles, and fortified cliffs; with the ever present flowing
river, and the dark mountains beyond, with the bright
deep blue sky above, all combined, afford to the eye the
most delightful entertainment.

The populousness, too, of this land is wonderful to behold.
The people fil the fields, the roads, the avenues,
travel to and fro among the hills, crowd the gates of the
towns, throng the paths to the spring and to the river; and
are in gardens, vineyards, shops, bazzars, and market-places
innumerable. In Assyria, all our population is centered
in the city, save a few shepherds and rude tillers of
the soil. Here the country has the life of a city; and the
inhabitants are not peasants nor rude serfs, but

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intelligent and active, self-possessed men, free from all the
awkwardness and ignorance that is supposed to characterize
the rustic. The very ploughmen have the bearing
of metropolitans and civilians near a court, and walk and
speak with a striking air of independence. All can read
their sacred books, (which are the most wonderful in the
world,) and have the ability to copy them. Descended
from the same Chaldaic ancestry, twelve tribes born of
twelve brothers, they are equal in rank, bear a striking
natural likeness to each other, and have one language.
In speech as well as in blood they are allied to Assyria,
through Abram their chief. Though I have been here
but nine days, I have already learned much of their
manners, customs, religion, and polity. The elders,
venerable and dignified men, chosen in every city for
their wisdom and years of experience, have been courteous
to me beyond expression.

On the first day of my arrival, I had hardly got my
tent pitched, ere a deputation waited upon me from Jericho,
the chief city in this valley. I was about to dine.
They were pleased with, and greatly admired the elegance
of my silken tent, the beauty of the plate upon my table,
and the exquisite shape of the furniture. I seemed to
them as a great king, from the magnificence of my appointments,
and they treated me with but little less distinction
than they would have shown your majesty in
person. I invited them to dine with me, but they excused
themselves, saying they had prepared a banquet,
of which they came to invite me to partake, inasmuch as
they desired to show their regard for the high and mighty
Prince, my master, by their attention to his ambassador,
who had honored their country by passing through it.

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Attended only by Ninus and the brave Nacherib, I accompanied
them to the gates of the city. Upon my way
I perceived that the army which had been collected so
suddenly from both sides of the river to oppose my march
had as suddenly dissolved, all the persons who had assembled
at the war cry, hastening again to the occupations
from which the alarm trumpet had called them.
There seems to be among them no standing army, save
a body guard of two thousand men for the king's person,
and a thousand for his son, the popular young
Prince Jonathan; but all the males are trained soldiers,
except a tribe of priests, and are ready for war and the
battle field at the summons of the moment.

Upon passing into the great gate of the city several
noble looking men, most of them with flowing white or
gray beards, rose up from seats placed in the corridor
each side of the entrance, and saluted me with graceful
dignity. A large throng of people stood around observing
me with curiosity. One of these elders then addressed
to me a few words of kind welcome to the city,
and expressed the desire of his fellow-citizens to render
my brief sojourn pleasant among them.

I replied in a suitable manner, and was then invited
to a seat by his side upon a sort of dais; for I perceived
that this principal gate was made use of as an ordinary
hall of council for the senators of the town, being the
most public place within the walls. Here they were accustomed
to receive the visits of their friends, the homage
of the citizens, and honor from all, young and old.
No one passed them without an obeisance of respect; and
I observed, while I sat there, that sometimes they would

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gently detain a passing young man, and give him some
words of advice or of mild reproof.

After a conference of some length, during which it
gave me satisfaction to reply to many inquiries which
they made about Assyria and your majesty—and it
pleased me to hear their remarks and expressions of surprise
at many of the things which I communicated to
them—after an hour passed thus agreeably in their
benign society, came the steward of the chief elder and
informed him that the banquet was prepared. I accompanied
him, followed by the other elders and some of the
chief citizens, with the two military chiefs, the younger
of whom I learned was called Joab, a young soldier of
great promise as well as prowess. But I pass over the
incidents of this feast, as it presented no particulars sufficiently
interesting to detain your majesty. It was chiefly
characterized by simplicity and temperance.

By the close of the second day I had become acquainted
with many of this remarkable people, and held many
conversations with their Rabbis or men of learning, who
readily gave me access to their sacred books, and cheerfully
recounted to me such events in the history of their
nation as my curiosity led me to make inquiries about.

From these books, and from their remarkably clear
traditions, as well as from a personal record which I have
had the privilege of perusing and copying, I am able to
furnish your majesty with an interesting account of the
history of this nation from the time when Remeses the
Prince of Damascus terminated his letters to King Sesostris,
to the coronation of their first king, the warrior
Saul, now upon the throne.

As your majesty possesses a copy of the roll of

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parchment on which the ancient epistles of Prince Remeses
(written now four hundred and ninety years since) are
inscribed, on reference to them to refresh your recollection,
you will learn that he parted from the leader Musis,
or Moses, as his countrymen term him, in the desert of
Arabia about two months after the departure from Egypt.
It was the intention of the Prince of Damascus to have
accompanied the Hebrews in their march to the conquest
of the land their God had promised them; but having
offended their Deity by worshiping the golden calf, Apis,
a god of Egypt, in the justice of His divine anger He
decreed that they should be withheld from the possession
of their promised country until forty years had passed.

Prince Remeses alludes to this in the following passage
in his parchments, which, as nearlyl as I recollect,
reads as follows:

“Moses informs me, my dear father, that in punishment
of this sin of the Hebrews, their God will cause
them to wander blindly many years in the wilderness
ere He bring them to the land promised to their fathers,
and will subject them to be harassed by enemies on all
sides; some of whom have already attacked them in their
march, but were discomfited by the courage of a Hebrew
youth, called Joshua, who promises to become a mighty
warrior and leader of Israel, and whom Moses loves as
an own son.”

“In view, therefore,” continues the letter of Remeses,
“of this long abode in the desert of the Hebrews, I shall
to-morrow join a caravan which will then pass northward
on its way into Syria from Egypt. It will be with profound
regret that I shall bid adieu to Moses, to Aaron,
to Miriam, their venerable sister, and all the friends I

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have found among this wonderful people. Will not the
world, which has beheld the wonders worked for their
release from Egypt, watch from afar the further progress
of this army of God?”*

Thus writes Remeses at the close of his series of Letters
to his father, King Sesostris; and from that time
we, in Assyria, have learned nothing more of the history
of this people, save that at this moment they are
inhabiting this beautiful land, twelve powerful nations
united under one king, a realm of warriors, priests, and
wise men, simple and pastoral in their habits, patriarchal
in their customs, and eminently favored of the gods.

As every thing relating to such a people whose past
history is constantly intermingled with that of the divine
gods is of deep interest, and as your majesty enjoined
me to make myself acquainted with whatever concerned
their polity and customs, their religion and government, I
shall briefly avail myself of the narratives of their sacred
books, of their private records and written traditions,
and of the conversation of their learned men, to which
I have given all my time during the past eight days,
(being delayed by the illness of some of my people,) to
present to your majesty a clear outline of their history,
taking it up where it was dropped by the Prince of Damascus.

The interval of four hundred and ninety years up to
the present day could not be otherwise than abundant in
events of the deepest interest. While I shall consult
brevity, I shall at the same time endeavor to give a distinct
outline of their extraordinary career.

When the warrior prophet, Moses, had descended from

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the mountain of Heaven with the tables of alabaster on
which his God had inscribed with his finger the laws He
desired the Hebrews to observe, say the sacred books,
and beheld the people worshiping the golden god of the
Egyptians, he, in his great grief and anger, cast the
tablets upon the earth and shivered them into fragments.
Destroying the idol, he slew three thousand of its worshipers!
and for their sin, the intentions of their mighty
God were so changed towards them that He plagued them
in their passage through the wilderness in such a manner
that they lost their way continually for the space of
forty years, even until all who were over twenty years
of age when they left Egypt had died, and were buried
in the sands or amid the rocks of the desert, save two
great and good men, Joshua and Caleb. These, alone,
were saved for their faithfulness, virtues, and courage.

Moses having atoned to his God for the idolatry of the
people, by the blood of the offenders, went again up into
the mountain at His command, and received a second
time tables of the law from Heaven. These laws are
still piously preserved and obeyed by this people; are
inscribed in letters of gold upon the walls of their civic
temples, or synagogues, and proclaimed once in seven
days aloud in the entrances of the cities. They are ten
in number, and embrace all human duty to the gods and
to man.

They command the worship of one God; forbid the
adoration of material idols; the profanation of the sacred
names; command the observance of every seventh day
as holy; obedience to parents; forbid murder, impurity,
theft, false testimony, and avarice! Such pandects,
methinks, are worthy to be received by all people.

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