MORDECAI. Hamadan, a town in Persia, is the ancient Ecbatana. It is impossible to conceive a more charming situation, a country better suited to live happily in, than Hamadan and its neigh bourhood. The country is undulating, the soil rich, the water good, the climate singularly clear, healthy, and bracing ; with picturesque mountains at hand for retirement during the heats of summer. In the centre of Hamadan is the tomb of Bu Ali Bin Sina, and not far from it are those of Esther and Mordecai, which are held in great veneration by the Jews of the town, and kept in a perfect state of repair. On the dome over these tombs is an inscription to the effect that Elias and Samuel, sons of Kachan, finished building this temple over the tombs of Mordecai and Esther on the 15th of the month Adhar 4474. The tombs are made of hard black wood, which has suffered little from the effects of time during the 11i centuries theyhave existed. They are covered with Hebrew inscriptions, still very legible, of which Sir Johit Malcolm has given the following translation : ' At that time there was in the palace of Suza a certain Jew of the name of Mordecai ; be was the son of Jair of Shimei, whc was the son of Kish, a Benjamite, for Mordecai the Jew was the second of that name under the king Ahasuerus, a man much distinguished among the Jews, and enjoying great consideration among his own people, anxious for their welfare, an( seeking to promote the peace of all Asia.' Thu
traveller, unless told, would never recognise them as tombs. The entry is by a low door, anc the tombs occupy the whole of the internal spat( to the ceiling, leaving only a very narrow passag( for walking round the huge stonelike construction in the middle. Literally not an inch is left or the whitewashed wall on which the Jewish pil -gfims of a thousand years have not inscriber their names.—Makolm's Persia ; Ferrier's Journ. Porter's Tr.
MORE or Mudi. KARN. A land measure, sal( More or Mudi. KARN. A land measure, sal( to be of 45 each of 33 feet square, o about of an acre.