RETURN-MRS. PERKINS'S STATE OF HEALTH. 461 The materials, both for the building and the wall, being taken from the earth on the spot, and the price of labor being extremely low, render the expense of their erection very moderate. How happy should we have felt, could we, with safety, have gone directly to this summer-retreat to reside. But so impaired was Mrs. Perkins's health, that previous journeying, to raise her prostrated system, appeared quite indispensable, to the reasonable hope of permanent relief, even from the more healthy air of Mt. Seir. CHAPTER XXVIII. RETURN TO AMERICA. WHILE first preparing to leave my native country, the inquiry was often addressed to me, by friends, 'Do you not expect to return?' To which I as often replied, 'I do not expect, nor desire to return; nothing but calamity could bring me back; and this I cannot of course desire.' The prostration of Mrs. Perkins's health and the rapid inroads of an alarming disease, proved in the event to be such a calamity. Entire relaxation from care and labor, a temporary retreat from the pestilential climate of Oróomiah and a long voyage, were the means to which, in the opinion of those competent to judge, we were clearly called upon to resort, or soon be compelled to yield to the still more trying alternative of abandoning forever our missionary field. There is a sensitiveness in the christian community on the subject of the return of missionaries, and to some extent, doubtless, a reasonable one. Missionaries should certainly not return without imperative and unavoidable reasons, incurring thereby as they must, heavy expenses, as well as serious interruption of their work. And as the above general statement, in relation to our own case, may be an insufficient explanation, I will give the circumstances more at length, which I can best do by a brief reference to documents. From a letter addressed to a Secretary of the American Board, respecting the state of Mrs. Perkins's health, more than a year previous to our leaving the field, is the following, viz., "Probably few, if any, missionaries have left America, with health and constitutions more perfect than Mrs. P. possessed, when we came to this country. And few, you are aware, have been subjected to exposures and trials to surpass hers, particularly in the early part of our missionary experience. The result is that her originally fine constitution is broken down, and an alarming disease seems to be settling upon her. You may recollect the sufferings which Mrs. P. encountered, on our way to Persia, and the very severe sickness she experienced, 462 VIEWS OF THE MISSION. immediately after our arrival at Tabréez. Recovery from that sickness seemed entirely beyond the reach of hope for some time; nor did she ever fully recover from the effects of it. Though she has since enjoyed tolerable health, much of the time, still, to one previously acquainted with her, it has always been obvious, that her constitution was irreparably injured by her sickness at Tabréez. The climate of Oroomiah has affected her seriously. Often has she suffered severe attacks of fever; and she has been so much afflicted with ophthalmy, during a considerable part of our residence here, as to be unable to read and write. Mrs. P.'s repeated bereavements, in the death of our three children, have also borne heavily upon her already impaired constitution. Each has been more severe than the previous, in proportion to the increased age of the loved object removed, and has given to her system a correspondingly more serious shock. "The result of these sicknesses and trials is, that for the last two years and a half, Mrs. P. has had symptoms of epilepsy, and within the last few months, she has had two severe attacks of that disease. The last occurred a few days ago, since the death of William, our only child. The symptoms have appeared when her system has become febrile, which is very often the case with us all, in this climate." The following is a communication of a later date, addressed to me by the other members of our mission. Rev. J. Perkins, 66 Oróomiah, 17th Nov. 1840. DEAR BROTHER,-When the subject of Mrs. Perkins's health was last discussed by the mission, we fondly hoped that the careful use of necessary precautions would prevent a frequent recurrence of the attacks to which she is subject, or greatly mitigate their violence; so that your valuable labors would be saved to our mission without a greater sacrifice on the part of yourself and family, than that to which we are all subjected by a residence in this insalubrious climate; but the distressing nature of Mrs. Perkins's last illness has led us to take a different view of this painful subject. Deeply sensible, as we are, of the greatness of the loss which we must sustain in your removal from the field of our common labors, we can no longer withhold our unqualified consent to any measures which hold out a prospect of relief to our dear afflicted sister; and we are decidedly of the opinion, that it is expedient for you, by the first safe opportunity, to endeavor, by exercise and change of scene, to effect a change in Mrs. Perkins's general health. We would leave it entirely to your own discretion to decide on the length of your journey, and the expediency of a voyage to America, believing that you will be guided by a sense of duty, and that TIES TO OUR FIELD-OPINION OF PHYSICIANS. 463 the duration of your absence must depend upon circumstances which cannot now be anticipated. We feel that in your affliction, we are afflicted; we pray that this heavy trial may be blessed to both yourselves and us; that you may both be sustained in it by the gracious hand of our heavenly Father; and that, if the will of God be so, the life of our dear sister may be spared, and her health restored. We commit and commend you and yours, dear brother, to the care of Him who never slumbers nor sleeps, and who, we are confident, will never leave you nor forsake you, least of all when you are passing through the deep waters of affliction. Be assured that our sympathies and our prayers will follow you, and that we are, with much affection, (Signed) Your brethren and fellow laborers, A. L. HOLLADAY, The lateness of the season, when the above letter was written, forbade our attempting to journey at least until the ensuing spring. Nor is it prudent to travel with a family, over the snowy heights of Armenia, until the summer months. During the interval, Mrs. P. was twice visited with serious illness, but we had no other alternative than to wait patiently for a proper season of the year to journey for her benefit, being diligently engaged, meanwhile, in our pressing missionary labors. And when the time at length came, how did our hearts shrink from leaving, even temporarily, the charming field in which we had been permitted to strike the first blow and toil so long, especially at a period, when we were not only going forth, weeping and bearing precious seed, but coming again with rejoicing, bringing our sheaves with us. There, too, are our children's sepulchres, and the ten thousand nameless ties that bind us to our Persian home. We left Oróomiah, with the general expectation of finding it necessary to visit America, though with some hope that a journey into Turkey might suffice; and we waived the full decision of the question, until we reached Constantinople. There we had an opportunity of consulting several eminent English physicians, particularly Drs. Davy (a brother of Sir H. Davy) and Dorson, who were sent out by the British government, to regulate the hospital system of the Turks, and who were very kind, in attending to Mrs. P.'s case. They and our missionary friends were of opinion, that nothing promised so much for the benefit of her health as the contemplated voyage. And it is my grateful privilege to record, that our anticipations of benefit from this measure have been happily realized in the improvement of her health. 464 DEPARTURE-CROSSING THE PLAIN. The inhabitants of Oróomiah have a quaint saying to express their strong attachment to their native soil, "Beat me, but do not drive me away from Oróomiah;" and to this sentiment our hearts could fully respond, when, on the morning of July 5, 1841-we found ourselves ready to commence our journey. Our house was filled with Nestorians during the forenoon, who came to express to us their sorrow at our departure, and tender to us their best wishes and prayers for our safety on the way and our speedy return. Thus occupied, we lingered until afternoon, then dined and united in prayer with our missionary companions, closed the doors of our dwelling and mounted our horses. The members of the mission accompanied us a few miles from the city. So large a crowd had assembled around our gate, when we started, to bid us farewell, that we found it extremely difficult to make our way through them. And a number of our Nestorian acquaintances followed us far on the road, the venerable Mar Elias, though on foot, being the last to turn back, who, in spite of our remonstrances, walked by the side of our horses, between two and three miles, in the hot sun, before he would give us his parting benediction. As we rode across the great plain, I was forcibly impressed, as I had so often been before, with its surpassing beauty and fertility. On every side, it was now waving under an abundant wheat harvest, which the busy, joyful reapers were cutting down and gathering into stacks. "Not another so charming a scene," I remarked, "shall I witness until I reach America." Nor then," replied Mr. Breath, who is from Illinois, "will you behold such a land, unless you see the American bottom, on the Mississippi." 66 We rode twelve miles, to the village of Chungaralée, where we found our tent, which had been carried forward by the muleteer, already pitched upon the green grass, on the bank of the beautiful Nazlóo river. We took some refreshments, had evening worship and retired early to rest, filled with tender recollections of Oróomiah, and with trembling solicitude for the result of the great undertaking before us. July 6. We rose at day-break, rode briskly before our loads, twenty miles, and reached Gavalân about nine o'clock in the morning. Mar Yohannan had preceded us a week, to obtain permission from his friends and make preparation to accompany us. Our mission had tried to dissuade him; but he had been too long and too ardently bent on visiting the goodly land and the good people that had sent the missionaries, to be turned from his purpose, especially when such an opportunity as that of accompanying me presented. We told him that we could not help him to any means for travelling; but he was resolved on going at his own expense. Our mission requested me to take care of him, justly deeming it a matter of high importance that he should be benefitted and not injured, by this great and novel undertaking. The bishop had not obtained his father's permission, though he had been importuning him so long, BISHOP'S DEPARTURE-MINERALS-SALMAS 465 and had the whole time been fully resolved on the enterprise at all hazards. He soon engaged his episcopal brother, Mar Joseph, who had accompanied us to Gavalán, to intercede with his father on the subject. It was deeply interesting to observe the importance in his mind of securing that point, (though resolved on going perhaps even without it,) evincing a very commendable degree of dutifulness in the son, who is more than forty years old, and a bishop, whom custom requires even his parents to address by the title of Abóona, our father, as well as to salute him by kissing his hand. He was, however, doubtless, influenced by the strong impression which exists in all orientals, that no enterprise will prosper, if undertaken without a father's sanction and a father's blessing. In the evening, they all came to our tent, the father's permission having been finally obtained. The venerable old man committed his son in a very formal manner to my hands, and I engaged to take care of him. July 7. Very early this morning, the bishop sent his bed (a single Yorgan, comforter, and pillow) and Hoorjin, carpet-bag, to our tent to be put up with our loads. Soon afterward, his mother and sisters, their hearts failing them, despatched a brother to take back the effects and thus prevent his going. But it was too late. The loads were on the horses and on the way. The villagers also assembled and added their remonstrances to those of the family. But the bishop had obtained his father's permission; and with this he felt at liberty to break over all remaining barriers. Pushing his way through the great concourse, he suddenly mounted his horse and rode away. The declivity on the western side of the ridge, which separates Oróomiah from Salmás, is long and gradual. About half way down is a level section, which, as we crossed it, rung and reverberated as though the ground were hollow under our feet,—a circumstance that I have often noticed here and elsewhere, in the East, and may be somewhat peculiar to lime-stone countries. A great variety of minerals arrested our attention. This, like all the Koordish ranges, and indeed all the wild mountains on our route, would afford rich fields for geological investigation. I picked up specimens only of quartz and marble on this ridge. I was tempted to gather many more, but too long a land journey lay before us, to allow the additional weight to our loads. The district of Salmás is much colder and less fertile than Oróomiah, but is still a delightful valley, containing about fifty villages, some of which are quite large, each numbering two or three thousand inhabitants. Dilmân, in the centre, is a fine walled town, and the residence of the governor, Yâhya Khân, a Koord, whose sister is the favorite wife of the king. The town of Salmás, in the upper end of the valley, is the old Armenian capital, now much in decay. Mr. Ainsworth, an English traveller, sent out under the joint patronage of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge and the Geographical Society, states that there is no such town as |
