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MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF ALL NATIONS.

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FIRE TEMPLES IN PERSIA.

[Illustration:  Persian Temple]

These mystical relics are but a short journey from the celebrated ruins of Persepolis.  Mr. Buckingham describes them in his usual picturesque language:  “Having several villages in sight, as the sun rose, with cultivated land, flocks, trees, and water, we arrived at the foot of the mountain, which forms the northern boundary of the plain of Merdusht.  The first object we saw on the west was a small rock, on which stood two fire altars of a peculiar form:  their dimensions were five feet square at the base, and three at the top, and they were five feet high.  There were pillars or pilasters at the corners, and arches in the sides.  In the centre of each of these, near the top, was a square basin, about eight inches in diameter, and six in depth, for the reception of the fire, formerly used by the disciples of Zoroaster in their worship.”

Like Pythagoras, it may be here observed, Zoroaster, the inventer of Magic, or the doctrines of the Magi, admitted no visible object of devotion except fire, which he considered as the most proper emblem of a supreme being; these doctrines seem to have been preserved by Numa, in the worship and ceremonies which he instituted in honour of Vesta.  According to some of the moderns, the doctrines, laws, and regulations of Zoroaster are still extant, and they have been lately introduced in Europe, in a French translation by M. Anquetil.

Mr. Buckingham notices an existing custom, which he attributes to this reverence to fire.  “Throughout all Persia, a custom prevails of giving the salute ‘Salami Alaikom,’ whenever the first lighted lamp or candle is brought into the room in the evening; and this is done between servants and masters as well as between equals.  As this is not practised in any other Mahommedan country, it is probably a relic of the ancient reverence to fire, once so prevalent here, though the form of the salute is naturally that of the present religion.”

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THE NATURALIST.

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WHALE CHASE.

A Scottish journal, the Caledonian Mercury, describes the following animated scene, which lately took place off the town of Stornoway, in the island of Lewis.  An immense shoal of whales was, early in the morning, chased to the mouth of the harbour by two fishing-boats, which had met them in the offing.