Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-01-25
A Female Ledyard in Persia.
LETTER FROM REV. J. PERKINS.
OROOMIAII. Per-


FEW evenings ago knock at the door
of our mission premises was soon followed
by the quick step of native, who came to
Dr. Wright with the statement that there
stood in the street a woman, who knew no
language, aud was entirely unattended, ex-
cept by a Koordish muleteer moment
aiterward another native came with the adj
dltional statement; the lady is dressed in
English clothes, and says, in your language,
will you give me little water 7" DIR. Wright,
whose curiosity and establishment could
hardly be otherwise than highly excited, by
the announcement of lady in European
costume, speaking English in the street, at
night, and unattended in this remote bar
barous land, where tie appearance of a
I European man is a thing of very rare oc-
currence, soon had occular proof of what
his ears were so reluctant to admit-a bOnd
tide European Lady standing before him.
having letter for Mr.. Stocking from an
acquaintance of his at Mosul, which intro
duced to us Madame Pfeiffer, of Vienna,
who had performed the circuit ofthc world
thus far, alone, and was now fastening to-
ward her home.
Who then is Madam P(eiller! She is a
German lady, fifty years old, of great intel
llgencc and most perfect accomplishments,
and to appearance thoroughly sane on every
subject, unless it be her style of travelling,
which is, at least, somewhat pecullar.-
Madam Pieiller, leaving her husband and
her two sons, Zone of them an officer of
government, and the other an artist, about
two years ago started on her tour around the
the world. An aged gentleman of her ac-
quaintance accompanied her for some time
but finding she was obliged to protect him,
she left him and proceeded alone. From
Europe, Madam Pleilfer went to Brazil,
where she admired the brilliant flowers and
the magnificent forests more than almost
any thing else that she has SEEM and where
she came very near being murdered by a
black rulllan, who attempted to rob her.
She carries scars of the wounds then re-
ceiycd, but states, with evident satisfaction,
that she had cut off three of his fingers in
self-delence, when several persons proyiden-
TALLY came to her rescue. She had intend
ed to cross the continent from Rio to the
Pacific Ocean; but finding things in too
dlsordered state to admit of it, she took
passage in sailing vessel at Rio, in which
she doubled Cape Horn and went to Chill
and after short stay at Valparaiso, she
took passage in another vessel for Tahiti,
where she made an agreeable visit, among
the mementos of which she has Queen Po-
mares autograph. From Tahiti our hero
inc traveller proceeded to China, where she
visited several of the points most accessible
to the foreigners, minglng socially with the
missionaries there, whom she mentions IA
milarly by name, as DIR. Bridgman, DR..
Bull, Mr.. Gutzlai, &c; the autograph of
the last named she has IN Chinese. One of
the strongest impressions which she seems
to have brought from the Celestial EN-
pire," is the imminent insecurity of foreign
ers at Canton From China, Madam Pieif-
fer went to Calcutta, and from that city
travelled over land, across British India, to
Bombay, passing through great variety of
incidents and adventures on the way, and
holding much pleasant intercourse with the
Protestant missionaries, (though herself
born and educated Cathoic) at various
stations and of different nations From
Bombay, Madam Pieifer went in steamer
to Bassorah: and thence to Bagdad and
from Bagdad she travelled in company with
a caravan to Mosul, as a memento of which
place she has a sculptured figure of the hui
man head, taken from the ruins of ancient
5 Ninevah. From Mosul she crossed the
formidable Koordish mountains to Groom
ah, caravan Journey of twelve days, (but
! protracted in her case, by tedious delays, to
twenty days,) in company with Koordlsh
muleteer, on route of greater exposure,
, humanity speaking, than any other she has
t travelled during her circuit of the world.
= After a visit Of one day with us, Madam
p. fastened on towards Tabreez, intending
! to 90 thence through Georgia to Tifiis, and
a thence across the Caucasus, through Euro
r plan Russia, to Vienna, hoping to reach her
h home about the first of November. The
: adventurous circumstances of Madam Ptelf-
: fer, during many parts Of her tour, invest it
: with the most romantic and thrilling inter-
est. Think, for instance, in her passage
across the Koordish mountains, of savage
e Koord, pointing to the tassel on the Turk
o ish fez (cap) she wore, to which he took IA
= fancy, and demanding it of her by the sig
nhcant gesture of drawing his hand across
z his Understanding, Of course, Give me
the tassel as you value your head and she
$ in turn repeling the demand by gestures,
e unable TO speak to him word orally, III
= any language he could understand. Through
d many such adventures she made her way
&c safely to OToomiah, carrying about her per-
son large sum of money, 10y accidental
y necessity rather than choice) over the wild
r regions of Koordistan in manner which
seems truly marvellous. Herpractical mot
" to is, never betray fear; and 10 her strict
adherance to that she expresses herself as
IL greatly indebted for her success in travel
ling, On the road, Madam Pleifier in these
C regions wears the large veil, conceallng most
n of the person, which is commonly worn here
by native females when they go abroad, and
l. rides astride, as they also ride, but her 9TH
d or garments, with the exception OF the
D. Turkish cap above named) are sufficiently
European in appearance to distinguish her
It from natives. Her language Oh the way
in these lands, is wholly the language Of
signs, dictated by necessity, and which she
1t seems often to have made very expressive
N On the last days ride, before reaching Oroo'
miah for instance, the stage being two ordl'
nary stages, and the muleteer, at one time,
Il proposing to halt till the next day, she would
rest her head upon her hand, as emblemati.
cal of sleep, aud repeat Oroomlah; and
ID when the muleteer, from regard to his tired