comes they set up a Candle or a lighted Lamp for a Signal Then it is also that they open all the Shops where they sell Tari which is a certain drink made of the juice of a Tree and is as sweet as our new Wines They fetch it some five or six leagues off upon Horses that carry two earthen-Bottles of each side and trot at a great rate of which there come every day to the City above five or six-hunder'd The King has a considerable Revenue by the Impost which he lays upon this Tari And for that reason he permits so many common Women in regard it is for their sake that so much Tari is consum'd those that sell it for that cause keeping their Shops by those Houses These sort of Women are so nimble and active that when the present King went to see Maslipatan nine of them undertook to represent the figure of an Elephant four making the four feet four the body and one the trunk upon which the King sitting in a kind of Throne made his entry into the City All the Men and Women of Golconda are well proportion'd and of comely statures and fair enough in their councenances only the Countrey-people are a little more swart The present King of Golconda bears the Name of Abdoul-Coutou-Sha and I will tell the Reader in a few words from whence he drew his Original In the Reign of Axbar King of India the Father of Jehan-Guir the Territories of the Great Moguls did not extend farther Southward then Narbider to that the River which runs by it and which coming from the South empties it self into Ganges separated their Dominions from the Territories of the Raja of Narsingue that stretch'd as far as Cape-Comorin the other Raja's being only his Subjects and depending upon him This Raja and his Successors have been always at Wars with them that succeeded to Tamerlane or Temur-leng in India and their Power was so great that the last Raja who was at War with Akbar brought into the Field four Armies under as many Generals The most considerable of his Armies lay in those Provinces which at this day are call'd the Kingdom of Golconda the second was quarter'd in the Provinces of Visapour the third in the Province of Dultabat and the fourth in the Territories of Brampour The Raja of Narsingue dying without Children the four Generals divided among themselves the Countreys which they possess'd with their Army and took upon them the title of Kings the one of Golconda the other of Visapour the other of Brampour and the fourth of Dultabat Though the Raja were an Idolater nevertheless his four Generals were Mahumetans and he of Golconda was of the Sect of Haly descended from an Ancient Family of the Turcomans which inhabit the Country of Hamadan in Persia. This General as I have said was more considerable than any of the rest and some few days after the death of the Raja they won a famous Victory from the Mogul so that he could not hinder them from assuming their several Sovereignties But after that Jehan-Guir the Son of Akbar conquer'd again the Kingdom of Brampour Cha-jehan the Son of Jehan-Guir recover'd the Kingdom of Dultabat and Aureng-zeb the Son of Cha-jehan recover'd some part of the Kingdom of Visapour As for the King of Golconda neither Cha-jehan nor Aureng-zeb disturb'd him but let him rest in peace upon condition that he should pay to the Mogul an annual tribute of 200000 Pagods At present the greatest Raja on this side Ganges is the Raja of Velou whose Territories extend to Cape-Comorin and who succeeded to some part of the Territories of the Raja of Narsingue But in regard there is no Trade in his Countrey and by consequence no concourse of strangers there is little notice taken of him The present King of Golconda has no Sons but three Daughters who are all married The Eldest Espous'd one of the Kinsmen of the Grand Chek of Mecca Nor must we forget some passages that fell out before this Marriage The Chek coming to Golconda in the habit of a Faquir for some Months lodg'd without the Gate of the Palace disdaining to give any answer to several Courtiers that demanded what his business was At length the thing being made known to the King he sent his chief Physitian who spoke good Arabick to know of the Chek what he had to request and the reason of his coming The Physitian and some other Lords of the Court that discours'd him also finding him to be a person of great Wit and Learning brought him to the King who was very well satisfi'd with his aspect and his presence But at length the Chek declaring to him that he came to Espouse the Princess that proposal very much surpriz'd the Prince and was look'd upon by the greatest part of the Court as made by a person not well in his wits At first the King only laugh'd at him But when he found him obstinately persevering in his demand in-so-much that he threaten'd the Countrey with some strange Calamity if the Princess were not given to him in Marriage he was committed to Prison where he lay a long time At length the King thinking it more to the purpose to send him back into his own Countrey caus'd him to be ship'd away at Mastipatan in a Vessel that carri'd Goods and Pilgrims to Mocca whence they travell by land to Mecca About two years after the same Chek return'd again to Golconda and order'd his affairs so well that he Espous'd the Princess and won an high reputation in the Kingdom which he governs at this day and is very Potent He it was that kept the King from surrendring the Fortress of Golconda whither he was retir'd when Aureng-zeb and his Son took Bagnabar as I shall tell you by and by threatning to kill him if he would not resolve to hold it out and not deliver the keys to the enemy This bold action wss the reason which made the King love him ever afterwards and that he takes his counsel in all weigty affairs not as he is the King's Son-in-Law but as he is a great Minister of State and the chiefest person next the King in all the Court He it was that has put a stop to the finishing the great Pagod in Bagnagar having threaten'd the whole Kingdom with some great Calamity if they went forward with the work This Prince is a passionate Lover of all those that profess the Mathematicks and understands them as well For which reason though he be a Mahumetan he is a great Favourer of all the Christians who are vers'd in that Science as he has particularly testifi'd to Father Ephrahim a Capuchin passing through Golconda for Pegu whither he was sent by his Superiors He did all he could to oblige him to stay in the Country and offer'd to build him a House and a Church at his own expences telling him he should neither want employment nor Hearers in regard there were several
of Christ was pierc'd the Figure whereof I caus'd to be drawn upon the Place The Armenians have this Lance in great Veneration saying that it was brought thither by St. Matthew Five Leagues from Erivan towards the South-East begins the Mountain Ararat which will be always famous for being the resting-place of Noah's Ark. Half a League from that Mountain where the Plain begins to grow level stands a Church upon a little Hillock close by which are several Pits like Wells They report that it was into one of these Wells that Cerda an Armenian King caus'd St. Gregory to be thrown because he would not Worship his false Gods Between this Church and Erivan are to be seen the Ruines of the Ancient Artaxate the Seat of the Kings of Armenia which demonstrate that it has been a great City besides there appear the Ruines of a fair Palace Erivan lyes in 64 Degrees 20 Minutes of Longitude 41 Degrees 15 Minutes of Latitude in a most plentiful Country of all things necessary for Humane Life but especially abounding in good Wine It is one of the best Provinces of all Persia and yields the King a very large Revenue as well by reason of the goodness of the Soil as for being the great Thoroughfare of the Caravans The yearly Revenue of the Governour only otherwise call'd the Kan of Erivan amounts to above 20000 Tomans which make 840000 Livres This City lying upon the Frontiers of both Empires has been taken and retaken by the Turks and Persians several times By which means the old City being ruin'd they have built a new one 800 Paces on this side upon a Rock at the foot whereof upon the West-side runs a rapid Stream it is call'd by the Name of Sangui-Cija and in many places it is deep and full of Rocks You cross it over a fair Bridge of three Arches in which are built little Chambers where the Kan retires in the heat of the day It is full of Fish especially Trouts which nevertheless are dear enough This River comes from a Lake called Gigaguni about 25 Leagues from Erivan toward the North and falls into the Aras that runs not above three Leagues off to the South Though this City be fortified to the West by the River yet it is never the stronger by reason of the Hills on the other side which command it and in regard it is built upon a Rock the Moats of the Fort are not above three or four Foot deep In some places the City is secur'd with a double Wall with several Towers but the Walls being only of Earth as are most of the Houses the Rain does more mischief than the Cannon would do That part of Erivan to the North-West is a kind of Suburb but far better inhabited than the City for there live all the Merchants and Artificers together with the Christian Armenians who have four Churches there with a Monastery And of late years they have built also a very fair Inn in the same Quarter In the City there only lives the Kan with the Military Officers and Souldiers the Kan's Lodgings lying upon the River The Governour is a Person of great Power and has always sufficient Forces about him to guard the Frontiers The Summer being very hot at Erivan he lyes in Tents upon the Mountains during the Heat When a Caravan arrives he is forc'd to give the King advice thereof and if any Ambassador come thither he is bound to maintain him at his own Expence and to cause him to be conducted to the Territories of the next Governour who is oblig'd to do the same So that Ambassadors are not bound to be at any Expences in the Territories of the King of Persia. Four Leagues from the City are high Mountains where the Natives that inhabit the hot and Sun-burnt Countries toward Chaldea come twenty thousand together to seek out good Pasturage for their Cattel and about the end of Autumn return again into their own Country I cannot compare this Mountainous Tract whether for its Valleys and Rivers or for the nature of the Soil to any Part that I have seen better than to that portion of Switzerland which is call'd the Country of Vaux and there is a Tradition among the Natives That certain People that inhabited between the Alpes and Mount Jura and which compos'd a Squadron of Alexander's Army having serv'd him in his Conquests seated themselves in this part of Armenia which they found so like their own Country From Tocat to Tauris the Inhabitants are for the most part Christians Which large Tract of Ground being that which the Ancients call'd the Province of Armenia 't is no wonder to meet with fifty Armenians for one Mahometan There are many ancient Armenian Families in Erivan which is their native Country but they are ill us'd by the Governours who being far distant from the Court do what they please This City not being far remote from the Province from whence the Silks come is the place where all the Buyers and Sellers resort But neither in Erivan nor in any other part of Persia are the Merchants put to open their Bales at the Custom-Houses as in Turkie They only pay certain Duties toward securing the Highways which Duties they call Raderies and those that gather them Raders The Kans or Governours of Provinces in Persia are civil to Strangers especially to those that they like or that shew them any thing of Curiosity The first time that I went into Persia I took a young Watch-maker with me and coming to Erivan I carried him to the Kan who was then Governour It was at a time when Watches were very rare in Persia and the Kan understanding what Trade the Young Man was of told us he was the first Watch-maker that ever had been in Persia Thereupon he brought the Young Man a Watch to mend and that he might have the pleasure of seeing him work he lodg'd us in a Chamber next his own and made us drink with him every day for he was a true Toper and compell'd us to drink with him from four in the Afternoon 'till near Midnight in a place which he had made on purpose in his Garden to take off his Glasses This was he that having deliver'd Erivan to Sultan Amurat went along with him to Constantinople and became his Favourite for teaching him to Drink Amurat left a Garrison of 22000 Men in the City but Sha-Sefi the Persian King begirt it presently with a strong Army and planting himself securely under one of the Hills that command the City he batter'd it incessantly with eight Pieces of Cannon the fourth day he made a Breach and though he had the repute of a Coward he was the first at the Assault and took the City and because they would not yield at his Summons he put all the Garrison to the Sword For which Amurat was quit with Sha-Sefi afterwards though not in so noble a way for entring a Victor into Bagdat he put all the Persians
of all these Places A Particular Relation of the Gallies belonging to the Grand Signor as well at Constantinople as in the Isles and other Parts of the Empire FOrmerly there lay in the Road of Constantinople above a hundred and fifty Galleys But the Grand Visier perceiving that so great a number did but cause confusion and that the Captain Basha could not conveniently take so great a burden as to look after such a number he gave order that no more than twenty-four should lie in the Port of Constantinople sending the rest to other Ports as well of the Continent as the Islands At present the Number of the Grand Signor's Gallies is fourscore thus distributed under the Command of their several Beys or Captains At Constantinople twenty-four under the Command of the Captain Basha or Admiral of the Sea who when he goes out upon any Expedition sends to the rest to meet him according to Orders When he goes in person to Sea he gives to every one of his Slaves besides their ordinary Habit a kind of Cassock of Red Cloth and a Bonnet of the same colour But this is only in the Admiral 's Gally and at his own Cost His Gally carries usually 366 Slaves and to every Seat of the Rowers a Bonne Vole These Bonne Voles are certain Volunteers that freely offer themselves to the Service of the Admiral and there is great care taken for their being well paid Their Pay is 3500 Aspers for their Voyage which generally continues seven or eight Months They feed as the other Slaves but if they Row negligently or lazily they are beaten worse than the Slaves for the Volunteers have nothing to do except it be to Row But the Slaves are put to several other Duties Take notice also that the Volunteers that serve in the General 's Gally have 500 Aspers more than those in the other Gallies that is to say 4000 Aspers for their Voyage which comes to 40 Crowns The Reer-Admiral carries Two hundred and fifty men as well Slaves as Volunteers That Galley and the great Tefterdar's or Treasurers are the best provided of any in the whole Fleet For the Reer-Admiral Basha has his choice to take four of the best men out of every Galley for his own or else to receive 3500 Aspers for every man which is paid by the Captain of the Galley which makes him the richest of all the Beys The great Tefterdar's Galley is one of the Twenty four Galleys of Constantinople and he sends a particular Treasurer in the quality of a Lientenant to command her That Command is very much contested for in regard that Galley is very well provided with all things and for that all the Captains Court the Tefterdar who when the Galleys return to Port rewards them according to their Merit The Janizary-Aga's Galley is of the same number but he never goes to Sea always sending one in his room The Bey of Rhodes that takes upon him the Title of Basha has eight Galleys The Bey of Stancho an Island about an hundred Miles from Rhodes Lieutenant to the Bey of Rhodes has one Galley The Bey of Sussam a small Island near Scio has one Galley and his Lieutenant another These Galleys are generally appointed to watch the Maltesi and Ligorn The Bey of Scio formerly had but three but since the War with Candy he has had six The Lieutenant of the Bey of Soio has two Gallies There be also three other Beys in the Island of Scio who have no dependance upon the Basha of Scio but buy their Provisions where they can find it best cheap The Bey of Smyrna and his Lieutenant have two Gallies but they can do nothing without the Orders of the Bey of Scio. The Bey of Metelin has two Gallies The Bey Cavale a small Bay twelve Miles on this side the Dardanells upon the Coast of Europe has one The Bey of Nestrepont seven The Bey of Napoli in Romania five The Bey of Coron one The Bey of Modon one The Bey of Famagosta six The Bey of Alexandria in Egypt five The Bey of Canée two Gallies The Bey of Candia one The Bey of Castel-Tourneze or Navarin two Gallies All these Gallies make up the number of Fourscore The light Gallies carry not above 196 men the four men that are wanting of two hundred being the Bey's profit Every Captain is allow'd thirteen thousand Piasters for his Provision and every Christmas he gives to every Slave a pair of Breeches and a Cassock of course Cloth with a scantie kind of a Cloak Every Slave has every day a pound and a half of good Bread and nothing else But upon Friday which is the Mahumetans Snnday they have hot Pease or Beans or Lentils boyl'd in Butter They receive also sometimes the Alms of the Greeks when they lie in any Port. But at Constantinople they fare somewhat better for twice a week as well the Turks as the Greeks and others come to the Bains and be stow their Charity of Rice and other good Victuals The Bains is the name of the place where the Sea-men are kept when they are not at Sea Sometimes when they are to go to Sea they will counterfeit themselves sick or lame but they are so narrowly observ'd that it serves them to no other purpose than to procure to themselves the more Blows CHAP. IX a Relation of the present State of Georgia GEORGIA which others call Gurgïe or Gurgistan extends Eastward to the Caspian Sea and upon the West is bounded by Mountains that part it from Mengrelia Formerly it was a Kingdom all the Inhabitants whereof were Christians of the Armenian and of the Greek Church but of late the Mahometans have got footing among them And the King of Persia having fill'd them full of Divisions has made two Kingdoms of it which he calls Provinces over which he has plac'd two Governors They are generally Princes of the Countrey who must turn Mahometans before they can be admitted to that Dignity When they are advanc'd they take upon them the title of Kings and while they have any Issue the King of Persia cannot dispossess their Children The most Potent of these two Kings is he that resides at Testis who in the Language of the Country is call'd the King of Cartele The present King is the last that has continu'd a Christian with his four Sons the Eldest of which the King of Persia having entic'd to Court partly by Promises and partly by Presents has won to Mahumetism Immediately thereupon he caus'd him to be declar'd King of the other Province These two Kings have each of them a Guard of Mahumetan-Horsemen under their own pay and at present I believe there are in both Kingdoms near upon 12000 Mahumetan Families The King of Testis coyns Mony in the King of Persia's Name and the Silver which he coyns is in Spanish Reals French Crowns and such other Money which the Armenians bring out of Europe for their Goods As to
the Justice of the Countrey neither the King himself nor the Mahometans have any thing to do with it A thief is acquitted paying seven-fold what he has stole two parts whereof go to the Party robb'd one part to the Judges and four parts to the King If the Thief has not wherewithal to make restitution he is sold If the Product do not yet equal the Sum if he have a Wife and Children they first sell the Wife and if that will not do then they sell the Children But if the Party robb'd be so merciful as to forgive the Thief his share then neither the King nor the Judges can demand any thing for their share If a man commit a Murder they condemn him to die and deliver him up into the hands of the Kindred of the Party slain to do Execution as they please themselves However it is in their power to pardon him if he be able to give sixty Cows or more to the next a-kin to the Party kill'd In matter of Debt a Creditor has power to seize upon all the Estate of the Debtor and if that will not satisfie he may sell his Wife and Children The Christians of Georgia are very ignorant especially in Matters of Religion They learn that little they know in the Monasteries as also to write and read and generally the Women and Maids are more knowing than the Men not only because there are more Religious Houses for Women than for Men but also because the Boys are bred up to labour or sent to the Wars For if a Virgin grows up and happens to be handsom some one or other presently endeavors to steal her on purpose to sell her into Turky Persia or the Territories of the great Mogul So that to prevent their being stoln their Fathers and Mothers put them very young into Nunneries where they apply themselves to study wherein if they attain to any proficiency they usually stay as long as they live After that they profess and when they come to a certain Age they are permitted to Baptize and to apply the holy Oyles as well as any Bishop or Arch-Bishop can do The Georgians are very great Drinkers and Nature has fitted them a Countrey that produces good store of Wine They love the strongest Drinks best for which reason at their Feasts both men and women drink more Aquavitae than Wine The women never eat in publick with their Husbands but when the man has invited his Friends the next day the Woman invites her She-companions And it is observable that at the Womens Festivals there is more Wine and Aquavitae drank than at the mens The Guest is no sooner enter'd into the Dining-room but he is presented with 2 or 3 Dishes of Sweet-meats and a Glass of half a pint of Aquavitae to excite his Appetite They are great Feeders upon Onions and Herbs which they eat raw out of the Garden The Georgians are also great Travellers and very much addicted to Trade they are very dext'rous in shooting with Bow and Arrows and are accounted the best Souldiers in all Asia They compose a great part of the King of Persia's Cavalry who keeps them in his Court at peculiar pay and relies very much upon their fidelity and courage There are several also in the Service of the Great Mogul The Men are very well complexion'd and very well shap'd and for the Women they are accounted the fairest and most beautiful of all Asia and therefore out of this Countrey it is that the King of Persia chooses all his Wives being not permitted to marry a Stranger Teflis where the Women have more liberty than in any part of Asia is the Capital City of Georgia well situated large and well built where there likewise is a great Trade in Silk CHAP. X. A RELATION of the present State of Mengrelia MEngrelia extends from a Chain of Mountains that separates it from Georgia to the Black-Sea and is now divided into three Provinces every one of which has their King The first is call'd the Province of Imareté or Bassa-Shiouk the king whereof pretends to a superiority over both the other which is the reason they are often at War and that with so much cruelty that when they have tak'n any Prisoners of either side they fell them into Turkie They are so accustom'd to sell one another in this Country that if a man or his wife have any occasion for money they will go and sell one of their Children and many times they will exchange a Child for Ribands or other Toyes at the Mercers Shops The second Province is that of Mengrelia and the King of this Province is call'd the King of Dadian The third is the Province of Guriel the King of which Province is call'd the King of Guriel The Province of Mengrelia was formerly subject to the King of Bassa-Shiouk who sent thither a Governour which is call'd in their language Dadian One of those Governours being a person of wit and courage gain'd so far upon the affection of the People that they chose him for their King The chief of the Province of Guriel seeing how the Dadian had obtain'd the Kingdom following the Example of Mengrelia shook off the Yoke of the King of Bassa-Shiouk and chose another King among themselves who keeps his Soveraignty to this day by the support of the Grand Signor For when the Dadian rebell'd he enter'd into an Alliance with the Grand Signor and oblig'd himself to furnish him every year with such a certain quantity of Iron upon condition that if the King of Bassa-Shiouk should war upon him he should furnish him with twenty thousand Horse Of which the Turk was very glad finding thereby the Country of Mengrelia divided which being united was able at any time to have disturb'd him with an Army of fifty thousand Men. The King of Bassa-Shiouk coynes money of the same bigness and weight with that of the King of Persia. But in regard it is not so fine metal as that of the King of Persia he would have much a doe to make it pass in the trade between his Subjects and the Persians which is very great had he not found an expedient by putting the King of Persia's name upon the Coyn as well as his own which makes it pass without any difficulty He would also put the Grand Signor's Name upon his Coyn but that the Turk coynes none but small money or Aspers excepting only some Ducatts which he coines at Cairo The King of Bassa-Shiouk as well as the King of Teflis coynes all sort of forreign money These three Kings of Bassa-Shiouk Mengrelia and Guriel are Christians also And when they go to war all the Ecclesiastical Persons attend them Arch-bishops and Bishops Priests and Monks not so much to fight as to encourage the Souldiers Being at Constantinople the first time I travell'd into Persia I saw there an Embassador from the King of Mengrelia whose behaviour gave all the Franks occasion of laughter The Present
Cirkassians Tartars and Muscovites live altogether by rapine and continual In-roads into one anothers Countries There are another sort of people which are call'd Kalmouchs that inhabit upon the Coast of the Caspian Sea between the Muscovites and the Tartars The men are strong but the most deformed under Heaven Their faces are so flat and broad that there is the bredth of five fingers between each Eye Their Eyes are very small and that little Nose they have is so flat that there is nothing to be seen but two little holes instead of Nostrils Their Knees also and their Feet turn inward When they go to the Wars they carry their Wives and their Daughters if they be twelve years of age along with them who fight as couragiously as the men themselves Their Arms are Bows Arrows and Skains with a great wooden Mace at the Pummel of their Saddles their Horses being the best in all Asia Their Captain is of some ancient Family but they more particularly choose him for his valour The Duke of Muscovia sends them presents every year to preserve their friendship which presents consist in Cloth And he grants them free passage through his Territories when ever they have a mind to invade the Mengrelians Georgians or Cirkassians at which sport they are much more dexterous than the lesser Tartars Sometimes they advance into Persia as far as the Province of the Usbekes which is a part of Great Tartary ranging up as far as Caboul and Candahar Their Religion is particular to themselves but they are great Enemies to the Mahumetans As for the Comouchs or people of Comania they are Mahumetans and very precise ones too They are under the protection of the King of Persia who makes great account of them in regard they defend the Passes into his Country on that side against the Kalmouchs They are habited both men and women like the Lesser Tartars fetching all the Silk and Calicut which they use out of Persia for as for Cloth they are contented with what they make in their own Country which is very course Circassia is a pleasant good Country and full of variety There are Plains Forrests Hills and Mountains abounding in Springs some of which are so large that some of them will serve seven or eight of the neighbouring Villages But on the other side in all the Rivers that proceed from these Springs there is not a fish to be seen Flowers they have in abundance especially fair Tulips There is a sort of Strawberry also with a short stalk of which five or six grow in a bunch the least are as big as a small Nut of a pale yellow Colour The Soil is so fertile that it brings forth without any great trouble a vast plenty of all sorts of Fruits Nor do the people need any other Gardens than their Fields which are cover'd with Cherry-trees Apple-trees Pear-trees Walnut-trees and all other useful Trees of the same nature but their chiefest Wealth consists in Cattel but especially in well-shap'd Horses not much unlike the Spanish Gennets They have also an abundance of Goats and Sheep whose Wool is as good as that of Spain which the Muscovites fetch away to make Felts They neither sow Wheat nor Oats but only Barley for their Horses and Millet to make Bread nor do they ever sow twice in the same place not but that the Land is good enough to bear Wheat but because they love Bread made of Millet better They have very good Fowl and Venison and Wild-Fowl more than they know what to do withal which they never hunt with Dogs nor fly their Hawks at for their Horses are so swist and so good that they will tire the Beast and force him to lye down and yield Ev'ry Horse-man has a Rope with a sliding-knot ready at the Pummel of his Saddle which they are so dextrous to throw about the neck of the Beast that begins to be weary that 't is twenty to one if they miss him When they have kill'd a Dear they cut off the legs and breaking the Bones eat the Marrow which they say is the best thing in the World to strengthen the Body When they go to steal Cattel they carry along with them great Cows-horns stuft with boyl'd Tripes cut in small pieces then watching their times when the Herdsmen are asleep when the Dogs begin to bark they throw to ev'ry one a Horn with which the Dog presently runs away and so while the Shepherds are asleep and the Dog is busie to get the Meat out of the Horn which is there ramm'd in on purpose the Thieves drive away what they please The Drink of the Sherkes is Water and Bosa Bosa is a Drink made of Millet as intoxicating as Wine which they want in the Country The Men and the Women Boys and Girls go habited all alike and their Habit is a colour'd Robe of Fustian with a kind of large Petticoat underneath with this they wear a little pink'd Wastcoat that reaches down to their Thighs and over that a Cassock of course Cloth that reaches down to their Knees girt about their Wasts with a Cord. The Sleeves of the Cassock are op'n below and above and sometimes they pin them behind their Backs They wear no Beards 'till they are sixty years of age And as for their Hair neither Men nor Women Boys nor Girls ever wear it longer than the tips of their Ears The Men both young and old shave the middle of their Heads about the bredth of two Fingers from the Forehead down to the Nape of the Neck and then instead of Hats or Head-clothes both Men and Women wear only a little Bonnet of the same Cloth as the Cassock made like a Night-cap 'T is true when the Maids come to be marry'd there is some distinction upon their Heads for then they fast'n to the hinder part of their Heads a round piece of Felt which they cover with a white Veil very artificially pleated Their Breeches are ty'd below their Knees and reach to their Ancles their Shooes which are of Cordovan both upper and under Leather have but one seam upon the upper part of the Foot being light and cut like a pair of Pumps As for their Beds they take several Sheep-skins and sow them together and then stuffing them full of Millet-leaves make a kind of Quilt Now when they beat the Millet the Leaf comes to be as small as the Chaff of Oats so that when the person rises off from the Quilt the Quilt rises and swells again of it self Their Cushions are of the same Make only sometimes they are stuft with Wool The People are neither Christians nor Mahometans all their Religion consisting in some Ceremonies which they perform with the greatest Solemnities which they can imagin for at that time old and young of all Ages and Sexes and all the whole Town must be there at the place appointed unless impotency or sickness excuses them I call them Villages for in all these Countries
in Arabia and at Balsara nevertheless from Bragdatt to the Island of Ceylan they traffick altogether with the Larin and all along the Persian Golf where they take 80 Larins for one Toman which is 50 Abassi's The Money currant under the Dominions of the Great Mogul ALL the Gold and Silver which is brought into the Territories of the Great Mogul is refined to the highest perfection before it be coined into Money The Roupy of Gold weighs 2 Drams and a half and 11 Grains and is valued in the Country at 14 Roupies of Silver We reckon the Roupy of Silver at 30 Sous So that a Roupy of Gold comes to 21 Livres of France and an Ounce of Gold to 58 Livres and 4 Deneer's This Gold is like that which we buy at 54 Livres an Ounce And if you bring this Gold in Ingots or Ducats of European Gold you shall have always 7 and a half profit if you can scape paying any thing to the Custom-houses The Half-Roupy comes to 10 Livres 10 Sous and the Quarter-Roupy to 5 Livres 5 Sous As I have said you must reckon the Silver Roupy at 30 Sous though it weigh not above 3 Drams whereas our pieces of 30 Sous weigh 3 Drams and half 4 grains but the Roupy is much the better Silver In a word they that understand Traffick well and carry hence Gold or Silver to the Territories of the Great Mogul get always 7 or 8 per Cent. profit provided they take care to shun the Custom-houses For if you pay them the 7 or 8 per Cent. which you might make profit goes to them and so the Roupy comes to 30 Sous the Half to 15 and the Quarter to 7 and a half the Eighth part to 3 Sous and 9 Deneers As for their Copper Money sometimes 't is worth more sometimes less as Copper comes to the Mint But generally the biggest sort is worth 2 Sous of our Money the next 1 Sous the next to that 6 Deneers As for their Shell Money the nearer you go to the Sea the more you give for a Pecha for they bring them from Maldives Fifty or 60 of these make a Pecha which is that piece of Coin that is worth but 6 Deneer's For their Money of Mamoudi's half Mamoudi's and Almonds all that sort of Money is only currant in the Province of Guzeratt the principal Cities whereof are Surat Barocha Cambaya Broudra and Amadabat Five Mamoudi's go for a Crown or a Real For small Money they make no use of these Shells but of little Almonds which are brought from about Ormus and grow in the Desarts of the Kingdom of Larr If you break one of the Shells it is impossible to eat the Almond for there is no Coloquintida so bitter so that there is no fear least the Children should eat their small Money They have also those little pieces of Copper which are call'd Pecha 6 Deneer's in value They give 20 for a Mamoudi and 40 Almonds for a Pecha sometimes you may have 44 according to the quantity which is brought For some years the Trees do not bear and then the price of this sort of Money is very much raised in that Country and the Bankers know how to make their benefit Fig. 1. The Roupy of Gold Fig. 2. The Half-Roupy of Gold Fig. 3. The Quarter-Roupy of Gold Fig. 4. The Roupy of Silver Fig. 5. Another Roupy of Silver Fig. 6. The Half-Roupy of Silver Fig. 7. The Quarter-Roupy of Silver Fig. 8. The Eighth part of the Roupy of Silver Fig. 9. Four Pecha's of Copper Fig. 10. Two Pecha's of Copper Fig. 11. One Pecha Money of Arabia Larin halfe Larin Money of y e Great Mogull The Money of a King and two Rajas Fig. 12. The Shells Fig. 13. A Silver-Mamoudi which is the Money of Guzerat Fig. 14. Half a Mamoudi Fig. 15. The Almond I have mark'd two sorts of Roupies the one square the other round The square one is as they coin'd it anciently the round ones are as they make them at this day The Money of a King and two Raja's all three Tributaries to the Great Mogul MAton-cha is a Tributary to the Great Mogul yet he has power to coin Monev When you are at Agra the Territories of this King lye to the North and before you can come at them you must pass over very high and cragged Mountains 'T is a good Country where are all things necessary for the support of humane life except Rice which is a great inconvenience to the Inhabitants who being all Idolaters are depriv'd thereby of their chiefest delicacies in regard they feed upon nothing so heartily as upon Rice They have excellent Corn and Grapes but they make on Wine though they make some Aqua Vitae They want neither Oxen nor Cows but their Horses are little weak and ill-shap'd All the Trade which these people have with their Neighbours is in Copper whereof they have two extraordinary Mines from whence they furnish the greatest part of the Mogul's Territories out of which they have Salt in Exchange not having any of their own This Salt costs them dear in regard it is four months travel to the place where they fetch it that is to say from the Territories of Maton-cha to the Indian Coast towards Bacaim They travel upon Oxen and the same Oxen carry their Copper There must be also some Mines of Lapis-Lazuli and Garnets in that Country in regard they bring several from thence Fig. 1 and 2. is the Money of Maton-cha Fig. 1. is the Silver-Money which weighs not above one dram and 19 grains and is of the same goodness as the Roupy The half-Roupy goes for 15 Sous and this for 16 Sous which is six and a half per Cent. more But certain it is that the more Northward you travel that way Gold and Silver is more scarce Fig. 2. These pieces of Copper go for the value of a Pecha of the Great Mogul they are heavier by half but the Copper is not so good as that of Pegu or Japan Fig. 3 and 4. is the Money of the Raja of Parta Jajoumola The Raja of Parta Jajoumola is one of the great Raja's on the other side of the Ganges His Territories are directly North of Patna night to the great Mogul's to whom he is Tributary and bordering upon the King of Bantam He is bound every year to send an Embassador with twenty Elephants to the Governour of Patna who sends them to the Great Mogul The greatest part of his revenue consists in Elephants Musk and Rhubarb He lays also a great Imposition upon Salt as well that which is spent by his own Subjects as upon that which is carried abroad This is all Sea-coast Salt which comes from the Territories of the Great Mogul and is brought from the Sea-coast to Ganges and so over Ganges is carried as far as the fiftieth and five and fiftieth Degree They lade above 150000 Oxen and for every burthen they
pay a Roupy at the Salt-Pits and no more afterwards through the whole Kingdom Had this Raja of Parta Salt of his own he would never be Tributary to the Great Mogul Fig. 5 and 6. is the Money of the Raja of Ogen The Raja of Ogen is also a Tributary to the Great Mogul his Country lies between Brampour Seronge and Amadabat and it is one of the best Soils in the Indies His Silver Money passes no-where but in his own Country not being suffer'd in the Mogul's His Silver Money goes for a quarter of a Roupy at 7 Sous 6 Deneer's but the Silver is base His Copper Money goes for 6 Deneers and is currant in the Mogul's Dominions as far as Agra For his smaller Money he makes use of those Shells whereof we have already spoken Pieces of Gold called Pagods which are currant in the Territories of the King of Golconda the King of Visapour the Great Raja of Carnatica the Raja of Velouche and at the Diamond Mines ALL the Pieces of Gold represented in the Plate of Golconda-Money pass through all these Countries at the same value and are about the weight of our half Pistol but the Gold is of a baser Mettal so that an Ounce is not worth above 42 or 43 Livres not going for more than four Roupies Peices of Gold call'd Pagods English Holland Money Fig. 1. The old Pagod Fig. 2. The King of Golconda's Pagod Fig. 3 and 4. The King of Visapour's Pagod Fig. 5 and 6. The Raja of Carnatica's Pagod Fig. 7 and 8. The Raja of Velouche's Pagod Fig. 9 10 11 and 12. are the Half-Pagods of those Kings and Raja's Fig. 13 14 15 16 and 17. are little Pieces of Gold call'd Fanos which are of different value There are some whereof six go to a Crown others from ten to fifteen and some are very base mettal This is the Money that passes all along the Coast of Coromandel from Cape Comorin as far as Bengala And they have very little other than that besides the Pecha of Copper and the Shells which pass for small Money The Money which the English and Hollanders Coin in the Indies FIgure 1 and 2. is the Money which the English coin in their Fort St. George or else at Madrespatan upon the Coast of Coromandel They call them Pagods as those of the Kings and Raja's of the Country are call'd They are of the same weight the same goodness and pass for the same value Formerly the English never coin'd any Silver or Copper Money for in some parts that border upon the Indians where they have Factories as at Surat Maslipatan or at Bantam they find it more profitable to carry Gold from England than Silver Gold lying in less room and not being so troublesome besides that by carrying Gold they more easily escape the paying those Customs which the Kings impose upon Gold and Silver But since the present King of England married the Princess of Portugal who had in part of her Portion the famous Port of Bombeye where the English are very hard at work to build a strong Fort they coin both Silver Copper and Tinn But that Money will not go at Surat nor in any part of the Great Mogul's Dominions or in any of the Territories of the Indian Kings only it passes among the English in their Fort and some two or three Leagues up in the Country and in the Villages along the Coast the Country people that bring them their Wares being glad to take that Money otherwise they would see but very little stirring in regard the Country is very poor and the people have nothing to sell but Aqua vitae made of Coco-Wine and Rice Fig. 3. and 4. is the Gold Money which the Hollanders coin at Palicate which is a Fort that they possess upon the Coast of Coromandel Those pieces are also call'd Pagods and are of the same weight with the others but for the goodness I think they are better by two or three in the hundred than those of the Kings and Raja's of the Country or which the English make I made this observation being at the Diamond-Mines and in other parts of the Indies where there is any great Trade For the first thing they ask you is whether you have any Pagods of Pelicate and if you have you speed much better in your business Fig. 5. and 6. is a Roupv of Silver which the Hollanders coin at Pelicate being of the same weight with those which the Great Mogul or the Kings of Golconda and Visapour make It has in the middle upon one side the mark of the Holland Company to distinguish it from others The Hollanders Roupies of Silver are quite contrary to their Pagods of Gold which are more esteemed by the Indians than those of the Princes of the Country For they make far less account of these Roupies of Silver and if you pay any great sum in these pieces though the Silver be as good as the others you must lose one half per Cent. Fig. 7. and 8. is the Hollanders small Copper-Money wherewith they ordinarily pay their Soldiers It has upon one side the mark of the Company And indeed the Hollanders who mind nothing but their profit had great reason to obtain leave to coin Money for bringing only Gold from Japan from Macassar only Gold in Powder and from China Gold in Ingots and selling all these to the Bankers they found that they lost five or six per Cent. which proceeded from the mistrust of the Changers and the chief of the Factories belonging to the Company Now they shun that loss and make the same profit which the Bankers did coining all these mettals into money Though in every Voyage which they make to Japan they generally lose one Vessel by storm yet some years they make five or six Millions of Livres profit all freights discharged and hazards escaped But that profit is quite lost since their loss of the Island of Formosa The Money of the King of Cheda and Pera. THis Money is of Tin and is coin'd by the King of Cheda and Pera. He coins no other Money than Tin Some years he found out several Mines which was a great prejudice to the English For the Hollanders and other Merchants buy it and vend it over all Asia Formerly the English brought it out of England and furnished great part of Asia where they consum'd a vast quantity they carried it also into all the Territories of the Great Mogul as also into Persia and Arabia for all their Dishes are of Copper which they cause to be Tinned over every month Among the meaner sort of people there is little to be seen but this Tin-money and the Shels call'd Cori which I have spoken of already The Money of the King of Beda and Pera. Money of the King of Achen Money of the King of Siam Fig. 3 and 4. is a piece that goes at the value of four Deneers Fig. 5 and 6. are their Shells
whereof they give fifty for the little piece of Tin The Money of Gold and Tin of the King of Achen With the Money in Gold Coin'd by the King of Macassar and the Celebes And the Silver and Copper Money of the King of Camboya FIg. 1 and 2. is the Money in Gold coin'd by the King of Achen in the Iland of Sumatra In goodness it is better than our Louis an Ounce being well worth fifty Franks This piece weighs 10 Grains and would be worth sixteen Sous and eight Deneers of our Money Fig. 3 and 4. is the small Money made by the same King being of Tin and weighs eight Grains The Tin being good I value it at 16 Sous a pound and then 75 of these pieces is worth one Sous of ours Fig. 5 and 6. is the Money in Gold of the King of Macassar or the Celebes This piece weighs twelve Grains and the Hollanders take it for a Florin of our Money which comes to 23 Sous and eight Deneers Fig. 7 and 8. is the Silver Money of the King of Camboya being good Silver and weighs thirty two Grains The piece comes to 24 Sous of our Money nor does the King coin it at any higher rate He has a great quantity of Gold in his Country but he never coins it into Money for he trades with it by weight as he does with his Silver according to the custom of China Fig. 9 and 10. is the Copper Money of the King of Camboya The King of Java the King of Bantam and the Kings of the Molucca Islands coin no other Money but pieces of Copper after the same form and manner As for their Silver Money they let it pass as it comes out of other Countries without melting it down In Bantam in all Java in Batavia and the Molucca's there is little other Money stirring but Spanish Reals Rixdollars of Germany and Crowns of France the greatest part being Half-Reals Quarters and Eighth parts But in Batavia they use besides for small Money Shillings double Sous and Sous as in Holland The Money in Gold Silver and Copper of the King of Siam Fig. 1 and 2. is the Money in Gold coin'd by the King of Siam and weighs 18 Grains more than our Half-Pistol The Gold is of the same Goodness and may be worth 7 Livres and one Sous of our Money When the Merchants that trade in that Country bring thence either Gold or Silver 't is for want of other Commodities as Silk Musk Sandal Wood Gum Lake Elephants teeth and other things For by carrying out Gold or Silver they reap but two in the hundred profit Fig. 3 4 5 and 6. is a piece about the bigness of a large Hazle-Nut flatted on the four sides like a semicircle three sides whereof are open like a Horse-shoe and upon two sides are certain of their own Letters There is no Money in the East so strangely coin'd as this It weighs three Drams and a half and 25 Grains and is as good as our Silver at three Livres and 10 Sous the Ounce It amounts to 32 Sous and 4 Deneers of our Money Fig. 6 7 and 8. is the Copper Money of the King of Siam and they give two hundred of these pieces for one piece of Silver For their small Money they make use of certain Shells that are gather'd upon the Sea-shore which they bring from Maldives The Gold and Silver Money of the Kings of Asem Tipoura Arakan and Pegu. ALL the Silver Money coin'd by the Kings whom I have nam'd is in goodness equal to our Crown rating it at three Livres ten Sous the Ounce as we rate our Crowns here Fig. 1 and 2. is the Silver Money of the King of Asem it weighs three Drams and four Grains and comes to 23 Sous of our Money Fig. 3 4. is the Silver Money made by the King of Tipoura Chatermani In the language of the Country he is call'd Dieu-Ara-gari which is stampt upon one side of the Money and upon the other Chatermani Roy de Tipoura His Country begins about twelve days journey from Daca toward the North-West This Money weighs two Drams and a half and twenty-two Grains and is in value twenty-two Sous Fig. 5 6. is the King of Arakan's Money It weighs two Drams and a half and 15 Grains which makes 21 Sous of our Money This King coins no Gold but he trafficks in Gold uncoin'd The Mettal is very base and not worth above 14 Carats a Carat being the third part of an Ounce The King however holds it at a high rate to keep it from being carry'd out of his Country In all Bengala this King is known by no other Name but the King of Mogue Fig. 7 and 8. is the King of Pegu's Silver Money and weighs two Drams and a half and twelve Grains which may come to about 20 Sous and six Deneers of our Money Fig. 9 and 10. are the King of Pegu's Fano's or little pieces of Gold and weigh not above 7 Grains to boot Fifteen of these little pieces pass for the value of a Real or one of our Crowns the Gold being course Fig. 11 12. are the Kings of Asem's Fano's they weigh also 7 Grains but they are a much baser Mettal than those of Pegu for twenty-two of them amount but to the value of our Crown Lumps or Pieces of Gold and Silver which go for Money in the Kingdom of China and the Kingdom of Tunquin YOu are first to take notice that in all the Kingdom of China and the Kingdom of Tunquin there is no Money coin'd either Gold or Silver that their small Money is Copper and that they make use in payments only of Lumps or Pieces of Gold and Silver which have every one their particular weight as is here'represented The Pieces of Gold mark'd Fig. 1 and 2. are by the Hollanders call'd Goltschut that is to say a Boat of Gold because they are in the form of a Boat Other Nations call them Loaves of Gold and there are but two different sizes of them The Gold is of such a goodness that an Ounce in France would not be worth less than 42 Franks The great Pieces come to twelve hundred Gelders of Holland Money and thirteen hundred and fifty Livres of our Money The other Piece which weighs but half as much is in value according to its proportion Money of the King of Asem The Iaponners Call these peices as well Silver as Gold Coupent In great payments they make use of Ingots that come to a hundred Franks in value and they have little Pieces of Silver that are not worth above a Sous When they buy any Commodity if they have not whole Pieces enough to make up the sum they have always instruments ready to cut off so much from a great piece as will perfect the payment When the Chineses transport their Golden Loaves or their Boats into other Countries the Merchants cut them in the middle not
appeas'd There is a wide Piazza upon one side of the City before the Palace and the first Gate wherein there is nothing of magnificence is guarded by a few Souldiers Before the King removed his Court from Agra to Gehanabad when he went into the Countrey for some time he gave to some one of his greatest Omrah's who was his Confident the Guard of his Palace where his Treasure lay and till the return of the King he never stirr'd out of the Gate where he lodg'd neither by night nor day At such a time as that it was that I was permitted to see the Palace of Agra The King being deparred for Gehanavad whither all the Court followed him together with the Women the Government of the Palace was given to one that was a great Friend to the Hollanders and indeed to all the Franguis Menheir Velant chief of the Holland-Factory at Agra so soon as the King was departed went to visit the Lord and to present him according to custom The Present was worth about 6000 Crowns and consisted in Spices Cabinets of Japan and fine Holland-Cloath He desir'd me to go along with him when he went to Compliment the Governour But the Lord being offended that he had put himself to so much charge forc'd him to carry the Present back again taking only one Japan-Cane of six that were in the Present telling him he would have no more out of the kindness which he had for the Franguiz Nay he would not so much as take the Gold-head and Ferula but caus'd them to be taken off The Complements being over the Governor ask'd Menheir Velant wherein he might serve him whereupon he desiring the favour that since the Court was gone he might see the inside of the Palace the Governor granted his request and order'd six men to attend him The first Gate where the Governor of the Palace lies is a long blind Arch which leads you into a large Court all environ'd with Portico's like our Piazza in Covent-Garden The Gallery in front is larger and higher than any of the rest sustain'd by three ranks of Pillars and under those Galleries on the other side of the Court which are narrower and lower are little Chambers for the Souldiers of the Guard In the midst of the large Gallery is a Nich in the Wall into which the King descends out of his Haram by a private pair of Stairs and when he is in he seems to be in a kind of a Tomb. He has no Guards with him then for he has no reason to be afraid of any thing there being no way to come at him In the heat of the day he keeps himself there only with one Eunuch but more often with one of his Children to fan him The Great Lords of the Court stay below in the Gallery under the Nich all the while At the farther end of this Court is another Gate that leads into a second Court encompast with Galleries underneath which are little Chambers for some Officers of the Palace The second Court carries you into a third which is the King's Quarter Cha-jehan had resolv'd to cover with Silver all the Arch of a Gallery upon the right-hand And a French-man Austin de Bordeaux by name was to have done the work but the King not finding any one in his whole Kingdom so capable as the French-man was to treat with the Portugals at Goa about some important affair he had at that time the design was laid aside For they being afraid of Austin's Parts poison'd him upon his return to Cochin This Gallery is painted with branch'd-work of Gold and Azure and the lower-part is hung with Tapestry There are several doors under the Gallery that lead into little square-Chambers of which we saw two or three open'd and they told us all the rest were such The other three sides of the Court lie all open there being nothing but a single Wall no higher than for a man to lean over On the side that looks toward the River there is a Divan or a kind of out-jutting Balcone where the King sits to see his Brigantines or to behold his Elephants fight Before the Divan is a Gallery that serves for a Portico which Cha-jehan had a design to have adorn'd all over with a kind of Lattice-work of Emraulds and Rubies that should have represented to the life Grapes when they are green and when they begin to grow red But this design which made such a noise in the World and requir'd more Riches than all the World could afford to perfect remains unfinish'd there being only three Stocks of a Vine in Gold with their leaves as the rest ought to have been and enamel'd in their natural colours with Emralds Rubies and Granates wrought into the fashion of Grapes In the middle of the Court stands a great Fat to bath in 40 foot in Diameter cut out of one entire grey-stone with steps wrought out of the same stone within and without As for the Monuments which are in and about Agra they are very fair ones for there is scarce an Eunuch belonging to the King 's Haram that is not very ambitious of leaving a fair Monument behind him Indeed when they have heap'd together great Sums they would fain be going to Mecca and making rich Presents to Mahomet But the Great Mogul unwilling to let his Money go out of his Countrey will seldom permit them leave to undertake that Pilgrimage and therefore not knowing what to do with their Money they employ a great part thereof in Monuments to perpetuate their Memories Of all the Monuments that are to be seen at Agra that of the Wise of Cha-jehan is the most magnificent she caus'd it to be set up on purpose near the Tasimacan to which all Strangers must come that they should admire it The Tasimacan is a great Bazar or Market-place compos'd of six great Courts all encompassed with Portico's under which there are Warehouses for Merchants and where there is a prodigious quantity of Calicuts vended The Monument of this Degum or Sultaness stands on the East-side of the City upon the River side in a great place enclosed with Walls upon which there runs a little Gallery as upon the Walls of many Cities in Europe This place is a kind of Garden with Compartiments like our Garden-plots but whereas our Walks are made with Gravel here the Walks are black and white Marble You enter into this place through a large Portal and presently upon the left hand you espy a fair Gallery that looks towards Mecca wherein there are three or four Niches wherein the Mufti comes at certain hours to pray A little beyond the middle of the place toward the Water are three great Platforms one rais'd above another with four Towers at the four Corners of each and Stairs within upon the top whereof they call the people before the time of their prayer On the top there is a Cupola little less magnificent than that of Val de
which caus'd great lamentations among them In this extremity the chiefest of their Priests fat himself down in the midst of them and covering himself with a sheet began to cry out that they who would have any Victuals should come to him when they came he ask'd every one what they would have whether Rice or Meal and for how many persons and then lifting up the corner of the sheet with a great Ladle he distributed to every one that which they asked for so that the whole multitude of four thousand Souls was fully satisfi'd My Servant did not only tell me this story but going several times afterwards to Brampour where I was known to the chief men in the City I enquir'd of several who swore to me by their Ram Ram that it was truth Though I am not bound to believe it The twenty-third we arriv'd at Doupar after we had travel'd eight leagues and cross'd several Torrents The twenty-fourth we travel'd four leagues and came to Tripante where there is a great Pagod upon a Hill to which there is a circular ascent of Free-stone every way the least Stone being ten foot long and three broad and there are several Figures of Damons in the Pagod Among the rest there is the Statue of Venus standing upright with several lascivious Figures about her all which Figures are of one piece of Marble but the Sculpture is very ordinary The twenty-fifth we travel'd eight leagues and came to Mamli The twenty-sixth we travel'd eight leagues more and came to lye at Machels The twenty-seventh we travel'd not above three leagues being to cross a wide River in Boats like Panniers which usually takes up half the day for when you come to the River side there is neither Pannier nor any thing else to cross it There was only one man with whom we bargain'd for our passage who to try whether our Money were good or no made a great fire and threw it into the flame as he does to all others that pass that way If among the Roupies which he receives he meets with any one that turns a little black you must give him another which he presently heats red hot when he finds his Money to be good he calls to his Companions to fetch the Manequin or Flasket-Boat which lay hid before in some other part of the River For these sort of people are so cunning that if they descry any Passengers afar off they will row their Mamequin to the other side because they will not be constrain'd to carry any person over without Money But the Money being paid the man that receives it calls his Companions together who take the Boat upon their Shoulders and when they have launch'd it into the River they fetch their Passengers and goods from the other side The twenty-eighth having travel'd five leagues they came to a place call'd Dabir-Pinta The twenty-ninth after twelve hours travel we came to lye at Holcora The thirtieth we travel'd eight leagues and came to spend our night at Peridera The first of October after we had travel'd ten leagues we came to lye at Atenara This is a House of Pleasure which the present King's Mother caus'd to be built There are many Chambers in a great Piazza belonging to it for the convenience of Travellers You must take notice that in all the Countries where we travel'd as well in the Kingdom of Carnatica as the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour there are no Physicians but such as attend Kings and Princes As for the common people after the Rains are fall'n and that it is time to gather Herbs you shall see every morning the good women of the Towns going into the Fields to gather such Simples which they know to be proper for such Diseases as reign in the Family T is very true that in great Cities there may be one or two men that have some common Receipts who go every morning and sit in some known places to give their Remedies to such as enquire for them whether they be Potions or Plasters First they feel their Pulses and then giving them some remedy for which they do not demand the value of six pence they also at the same time mutter certain words between their teeth The second of October we had but four leagues to travel before we came to Golconda We went immediately to the Lodging of a young Dutch Chirurgion belonging to the King whom the Sieur Cheteur Envoy from Batavia had left at Golconda upon the King 's earnest entreaty The King was always very much troubl'd with the head-ach for which reason the Physitians had order'd that he should be let blood in four places under the tongue but there was no person that would undertake to do it for the Natives of the Countrey understand nothing of Chirurgery Now before that Peter de Lan for that was the Dutch-Chirurgion's name was entertain'd in the King's service he was ask'd whether he could let blood To which he answer'd that there was nothing so easy in Chirurgery Some few days after the King sent for him and gave him to understand that he was resolv'd to be let blood the next day in four parts under the tongue as the Physitians had order'd but he should take a care of not drawing away above eight ounces De Lan returning the next day to Court was lead into a Chamber by three Eunuchs and four Old-women who carri'd him to a Bath and after they had undrest him and wash'd him especially his hands they anointed him with Aromatick-drugs and instead of his own European-Clothes they brought him a Robe according to the fashion of the Countrey After that they brought him before the King where he found four little Porringers of Gold which the Physitians who were present had weigh'd In short he let the King blood under the tongue in four parts and perform'd his business so well that when the blood came to be weigh'd it weigh'd but bare eight ounces The King was so satisfi'd with the Operation that he gave the Chirurgion three-hunder'd Pagods which comes to almost seven-hunder'd Crowns The Young-Queen and the Queen-Mother understanding what he had done were resolv'd to be let-blood too But I believe it was rather out of a curiosity to see the Chirurgion than out of any necessity which they had to be let-blood For he was a handsom young-man and perhaps they had never seen a stranger neer at hand for at a distance it is no improbable thing in regard the Women are shut up in such places where they may see but not be seen Upon this de Lan was carri'd into a Chamber where the same Old-women that had waited on him before he let the King blood stript up his arm and wash'd it but more especially his hands which when they were dry they rubb'd again with sweet-Oils as before That being done a Curtain was drawn and the Queen stretching out her arm through a hole was let-blood as was the Queen-Mother afterwards in the
him also to tell his Father when he saw him that he did not go over to Sultan Sujah but only with a design to observe what Forces he had and the Discipline of his Army and that he intended to have speedily return'd and to have given him an account of what he had done for his service Presently Orders came from Aureng-zeb that his Son should be sent to him so that Mahomed whether by constraint or willingly set forward for Jehanabat attended by the Guards which Emir-Jemla had appointed The King having notice of his arrival his Majesty order'd him a Lodging without the Palace and would not permit him to kiss his hands pretending he was not well All this while Soliman-Chekour after he had been betray'd by the Raja Roup had continu'd under the protection of Nacti-Rani in the Province of Serenaguer This Prince as stout as he was unfortunate was constrain'd to lead a Savage life among the Mountains for fear of falling into the hands of Aureng-zeb nor could he with all his Forces do him any harm in that place Beside Nacti-Rani had assur'd him with an Oath accompany'd with all the Ceremonies that could make it solemn and inviolable that he would rather lose his Territodom then that Aureng-zeb should do the least violence to that protection which he afforded him This was done upon the Banks of a River which passes through his Country where he wash'd his body in token of the purity of his Soul and being thus purify'd in the Water he made his protestations to Soliman-Chekour never to forsake him taking his Gods to Witness of the sincetity of his intentions Upon this Soliman-Chekour never took any farther care but every day went to divertise himself with hunting While he gives up himself to his pleasure Aureng-zeb marches his Army toward the Mountains thinking to force the Nacti-Rani to surrender Soliman-Chekour into his power But the Raja with a thousand men being able to defend the Avenues of his Country against a hundred thousand Aureng-zeb finding he could do no good that way has recourse to policy He undertakes at first to treat with the Raja but in vain for the Raja would not violate his Oath and his Priests assur'd him besides that Aureng-zeb should e're long be depos'd and that Soliman Chekour should Reign in his room Aureng-zeb thus prevented resolves to make another kind of War upon him Thereupon he forbids all commerce between his and the Raja's Subjects which was very prejudicial to the latter This caus'd the people to murmur at the protection which he had given to Soliman-Chekour and at length they publickly cry'd out that it was to the prejudice of the publick Their Priests also thus alarm'd began to doubt the truth of their Oracles and to think it convenient to put another interpretation upon them But the main thing was that the Raja Jessomseing who had betraid Dara-Cha wrote privately to Nacti-Rani that it was for the safety of his Person and Dominions to submit to Aureng-zeb and to surrender his kinsman up into his hands This advice of Jessomseing put him to a very great plunge dreading on the one side the breach of his oath on the other the revolt of his people Uncertain what course to take he consults the Bramins who gave their opinions that it was his duty rather to preserve his People and his Laws which would be both destroid should they fall into the hands of Aureng-zeb than to keep his Faith with a Prince from whom he could never expect any advantage These consultations being kept private from Soliman Chekour his ruine was concluded upon while he thought himself most secure Thereupon Nacti-Rani with a Salvo as he thought to his Honour and his Conscience return'd for answer to Jessomseing that he could not consent to betray the Prince but that Aureng-zeb might take his opportunity to seize his person yet preserve his reputation too in regard that Soliman Chekour was wont to go a Hunting upon certain Mountains in his Countrey with a small retinue and that it would be an easy thing for him to send a number of Souldiers sufficient to apprehend him So soon as Jessomseing had receiv'd this answer he gave order to his Son to see the business effected as the plot was laid So that Soliman Chekour one day going a Hunting to the usual place was snapt by a strong party that lay in Ambuscade The Prince presently apprehended the treason and defended himself with the assistance of his Attendants who were all slain he himself slew nine but at length over-number'd was taken and carri'd to Jehanabat When he came into Aureng-zeb's presence the King ask'd him how he did As well as a Prisoner of yours can do said he who expects no better usage from you than his Father receiv'd before The King bid him not be afraid that he had no design to put him to death but only to secure his person Aureng-zeb after that demanding of him what was become of all the Treasure which he had carri'd away the Prince made answer that he had spent a great part in raising Souldiers against him to have ruin'd him if it had been his good fortune That a good part was in the hands of Raja Roup whose avarice and perfidiousness was sufficiently known And that Nacti-Rani had got the remainder to deliver him to his enemies to the prejudice of his word and honour Aureng-zeb was surpriz'd and touch'd at the boldness of his Nephew but ambition shutting his eyes and stifling all thoughts of justice which the just remorse of Conscience might excite within him he gave order that Sultan Mahomet his Son and Soliman Chekour his Nephew should both be committed to the Fort of Goualeor to keep Morat-Bak-che company which was done the 30 th of Jan. 1661. Sultan Sujah who was yet alive but still liv'd miserably was the last thorn in Aureng-zeb's foot and the person that drew it out for him and rid him of his last pain was the King of Arakan whither the unfortunate Prince was at length forc'd to retire Who finding all his hopes to be lost began to think of a Pilgrimage to Mecca and from thence to go into Persia and implore a Sanctuary under the protection of that Prince To this purpose he thought he might obtain a Vessel from the King of Arakan or the King of Pegu to carry him to Mecca but he was ignorant that neither of those Kings had any Vessels that would live in the main Ocean So that he was constrain'd to stay with the King of Arakan an Idolater whose Daughter he desir'd in Marriage which the King granted and by whom he had a Son But that which ought to have been the greatest occasion of friendship between the Son-in-law and the Father-in-law was the greatest reason of their hatred and falling-out For some Lords of the Countrey who began to be jealous of Sultan Sujah buzz'd the King of Arakan in the ear as if he had an intention by vertue of
have by me that weighs an ounce and a half or thereabouts Being at Surat I went to visit the Embassador of the King of the Abyssins He shew'd us the Present which his Master had sent to the Great Mogul consisting of fourteen stately Horses the remainder of 30 the rest dying by the way and a great number of Slaves of both Sexes But what was most remarkable was a natural Tree all of Gold two foot and four inches high and six inches about in the stock It had ten or twelve branches some whereof shot out half a foot in length and an inch about others much smaller In some parts of the great branches appear'd certain bunches that resembl'd buds The roots of the Tree which were also natural were thick and short the longest not exceeding four or five inches The Natives of Monomotopa knowing the time of the year that the Commodities arrive come to Sofala and Chepon-Goura to furnish themselves Thither also come the Cafres of other Provinces and Kingdoms for the same purpose Whereupon the Governors of those places sell them what they want trusting them till the next year when they oblige themselves to bring their Gold which they are very punctual to do for else there could be no Trade between them The Natives of Monomotopa never live long by reason of the badness of the waters in the Countrey For at the age of five and twenty years they begin to be dropsical so that it is a great wonder if any among them live above forty years The Province where the River Sene has its head is call'd Monkaran and is under the Jurisdiction of a certain King beginning a hunder'd leagues or there-abouts above Chepon-Goura The people of that Countrey find great store of dust-Gold in the Rivers that fall into the Sene but it is much coarser than the other though they bring it to Chepon-Goura and Sofala The Countrey is very healthy and the people live as long as they do in Europe Some years there are Cafres that come from beyond the Province of Monkaran even as far as the Cape of good Hope The Portuguez have enquir'd after their Countrey and the name but they can tell no more only that it is call'd Sabia commanded by a King and that they are four months generally travelling to Sofala The Gold which they bring is very fine and in pieces like that of Monomotopa which they say they find in the high Mountains digging only ten or twelve foot in the ground They also bring great quantities of Elephants-teeth wherewith by their report the Countrey does so abound that you may see them in herds in the fields and that all the Palisado's of their Fortresses and the Pales of their Parks are made of Elephants-teeth Their usual Diet is Elephants-flesh which four Cafres will kill with their Ageagayes or a sort of Half-pikes The water of their Countrey is very bad which is the reason that their thighes are swell'd and it is a wonder to see any one of them free Beyond Sofala there is a Countrey commanded by a King who is call'd the King of Beroé In some parts of his Countrey there grows a Root about an inch-thick and of a yellow colour It heals all sorts of Fevers causing the Patient to vomit But because it grows very scarce the King strictly forbids his Subjects to export it The tast of it is very bitter upon the tongue As for Silver-Mines there are none in all Asia but only in Japon but some years since at Delegora Sangora Bordelon and Bata have been discover'd plentiful Mines of Tin to the great damage of the English there being now enough in Asia of their own besides CHAP. XXIV The Relation of a Notable piece of Treachery whereby the Author was abus'd when he Embark'd at Gomrom for Surat IN the Month of April 1665 being ready to depart from Gomrom for Surat in a Vessel that belong'd to a Holland-Broaker commanded by a Holland-Captain the English Agent gave me a Packet of Letters to deliver to the President at Surat The Packet was large containing not only the Companies-Letters but several private Letters to particular persons at Surat and other parts of India This Packet I receiv'd in the presence of one Casembrot a Hollander who inform'd another Dutch-man whose name was Wauwuck of it Thereupon they presently contriv'd a design to seize this Packet upon the report that ran of the rupture between England and Holland Casembrot having seen the bigness of the Packet gives Wauwuck a description of it and so both together they contrive another of the same form and bigness as neer as they could When I came a-board I took the English Packet and lock'd it up in my Bouccha which is the sort of Cloak-bag that is us'd in that Countrey and laid it behind my Bolster There were two Shallops sent a-board us wherein there were sixty bags of Silver containing some fifty some a hunder'd Tomans a piece These bags they unladed very leisurely to gain time watching when I would be gone to bed But when they saw that I did not go to rest the Dutch consulted together and agreed to let fall a bag of Tomans into the Sea and so came all a-board sending away a Shallop to Gomron for a Diver When I found that the Vessel would not set Sail till two or three hours after day-light I went to rest my Bouccha lying in the same place half out and half with in-side of my Bolster But when my Servants were gone and I alone and a-sleep in the Cabin they cunningly stole my Bouccha took out the English Packet and left the other which they had counterfeited in the place being only so many Letters of blank-paper Coming to Surat the sixt of May following I gave the Packet as I thought which I had receiv'd from the English Agent at Gomron to two Capuchin-Erlers to deliver to the President at Surat But when the President came to open the Packet before several of the Company there was nothing but white-paper made up in the form of Letters which when I heard too much to my sorrow I understood the villanous trick that Van-Wuck had put upon me I wrote a smart Letter of complaint to the Dutch-General in Batavia but finding no redress I was forc'd to undergo the hard censure of the English who would not permit me to justify my self However as it is rare to see treachery go unpunish'd the Complotters all dy'd miserably Van-Wuck fell into a violent Fevor and being charg'd with the theft thinking to defend himself with an equivocation that if he took the Cloak-bag he wish'd he might dye without speaking a word in three days ended his life just in the same manner and at the same time that he had imprecated upon himself Bozan his Lieutenant after a great debauch going to sleep upon the Terrass of the Cabin where he lay for coolness there being no Balisters rolling and tumbling in his sleep fell down and
Servants knows his business whether it be to carry the pot of Water to drink by the way or to give his Master his Pipe of Tobacco when he calls for it so that if the Master should bid one to do that which the other was appointed to do that Servant would stand like a Statue and never make him any answer But for the Slaves they are oblig'd to do what ever the Master commands them These Alacors having no other business but only to make clean the Houses eat the scraps of all the other Castes and so without scruple feed upon any thing There are none but those of this Tribe make use of Asses to carry away the filth of the Houses into the Feilds for which reason none of the rest of the Indians will so much as touch that Animal which is quite otherwise in Persia as well for carriage as to ride upon Moreover there are none of the other Indians except the Alacors that will eat Pig CHAP. IV. Of the Kings and Idolatrous Princes of Asia THE chiefest of the Idolatrous Kings of Asia are the King of Aracan the King of Pegu the King of Siam the King of Cochinchina and the King of Tunquin As for the King of China we know that he was an Idolater before the Tartars invaded his Dominions But since that we know not what to report of certainty in regard that the Tartars who are now Masters of the Country are neither Idolaters nor Mahometans but rather both together In the Islands the King of Japon the King of Ceylan and some petty Kings of the Molucoa Islands are Idolaters as are all the Raja's as well in the Empire of the Great Mogul as in the neighbouring Kingdoms of Visapour and Golconda In a word all the meaner sort of people as well in the Territories of the Great Mogul Kings of Golconda and Visapour as in the Isles of Achan Java and Macassar though their Kings are Mahumetans are all themselves Idolaters Some fifty years ago one of the Kings of Ceylan became a Christian and was baptiz'd by the name of John being call'd before the Emperor Priapender But as soon as he had embrac'd the Christian Faith the Princes and Priests of the Country set up another King in his room He endeavour'd all he could to bring his people to follow his example to which purpose he assign'd to the Father Jesuits twelve large Villages about Colombo for the bringing up the youth of the Country in their Colledges to the end that they being well instructed might instruct others For the King made it plain to the Jesuits that it was impossible for them so well to understand the Language of the Country as to be able to preach to the Natives Besides that they found the ingenuities of the Youth of Ceylan so quick and apprehensive that they learnt more Latin Philosophy and other Sciences in six months than the Europeans learnt in a year and that they put such subtle Questions to their Masters as were beyond imagination Some years after the King had profess'd Christianity a witty man of the Island of Ceylan and a good natural Philosopher whose name was Alegamma Motiar or the Master of the Philosophers after he had convers'd with the Jesuits and other Religious persons was inspir'd to turn Christian. Thereupon he went to the Jesuits and told them that he desir'd to be a Christian but withall he was very earnest to know what Jesus Christ had done and lest in writing They gave him the New Testament which he set himself to read with that heed and study that in less than six months there was hardly a passage which he could not repeat After that he again testifi'd to the Jesuits and other Religious persons that he had a great desire to turn Christian in regard he found their Religion to be such as Jesus Christ had taught but only he wonder'd that they themselves did not follow his example For that he could never find by his reading that Jesus Christ ever took any money of any body but that they took all they could get and never baptiz'd nor buri'd unless they were well paid But though he started the Question he was baptiz'd and afterwards became a sedulous converter of others CHAP. V. What the Idolaters believe touching a Divinity THough the Idolatrous Indians attribute to the Creature as to Cows Apes and several Monsters those Divine Honours which are only due to the true Deity yet they acknowledg one only Infinite God Almighty and only Wise the Creator of Heaven and Earth who fills all places with his presence They call him in some places Permesser in others Peremael and Westnon among the Bramins that inhabit the Coast of Cormandel It may be because they have heard that the Circle is the most perfect of all Figures therefore it is that they say God is of an Oval Figure for they have in all their Pagods an Oval Flintstone which they fetch from Ganges and worship as a God They are so obstinately wedded to this foolish imagination that the wisest among the Bramins will not so much as hear any argument to the contrary So that it is no wonder that a people led by such blind Guides should fall into such Abysses of Idolatry There is one Tribe so superstitious in reference to that Article that they carry those Oval Flints about their Necks and thump them against their Breasts when they are at their devotions In this dark and lamentable mist of Ignorance these Idolaters make their Gods to be born like men and assign them Wives imagining that theirs are the pleasures of men Thus they take their Ram for a great Deity in regard of the Miracles which they believe he wrought while he liv'd upon Earth Ram was the Son of a potent Raja who was call'd by the name of Deseret and the most vertuous of all his Children which he had by two lawful Wives He was particularly belov'd by his Father who design'd him to be his Successor But the Mother of Ram being dead the Raja's other Wife who had her Husband entirely at her beck prevail'd with him to exterminate Ram and his Brother Lokeman from his House and all his Territories upon whose exclusion the Son of that Wife was declar'd the Raja's Successor As the two Brothers were about to be gone Ram's Wife Sita of whom he went to take his leave and whom the Idolaters worship as a Goddess beg'd of him that she might not leave him having made a resolution never to forsake him whereupon they all three went together to seek their fortunes They were not very successful at first for as they pass'd through a Wood Ram being in pursuit of a Bird stray'd from the Company and was missing a long time insomuch that Sita fearing that some disaster was befall'n him besought Lokeman to look after him He excus'd himself at first by reason that Ram had oblig'd him never to leave Sita alone foreseeing by a Prophetick Spirit what would
Seed can be gather'd but the mischief is that before the Seed is ripe the wind scatters the greatest part which makes it so scarce When they gather the Seed they take two little Hampers and as they go along the Fields they move their Hampers from the right to the left and from the left to the right as if they were mowing the Herb bowing it at the top and so all the Seed falls into the Hampers Rhubarb is a Root which they cut in pieces and stringing them by ten or twelve together hang them up a drying Had the Natives of Boutan as much art in killing the Martin as the Muscovite they might vend great store of those rich Furs considering what a number of those Beasts there are in that Countrey No sooner does that creature peep out of his hole but the Muscovites who lye upon the watch have e'm presently either in the nose or in the eyes for should they hit e'm in the body the blood would quite spoyl the skin The King of Boutan has constantly seven or eight thousand Men for his Guard Their Weapons are for the most part Bows and Arrows Some of them carry Battel-axes and Bucklers 'T is a long time ago since they had the first use of Muskets and Cannons their Gun-powder being long but of an extraordinary force They assur'd me that some of their Cannons had Letters and Figures upon them that were above five-hunder'd years old They dare not stir out of the Kingdom without the Governor 's particular leave nor dare they carry a Musket along with them unless their next Kindred will undertake for them that they shall bring it back Otherwise I had brought one along with me for by the characters upon the Barrel it appear'd to have been made above 180 years It was very thick the mouth of the bore being like a Tulip polish'd within as bright as a Looking-glass Two thirds of the Barrel were garnish'd with emboss'd Wires with certain Flowers of Gold and Silver inlaid between and it carri'd a Bullet that weigh'd an ounce But I could not prevail with the Merchant to sell it me nor to give me any of his powder There are always fifty Elephants kept about the King's House and twenty five Camels with each a Piece of Artillery mounted upon his back that carries half a pound Ball. Behind the Gun sits a Cannoneer that manages and levels the Guns as he pleases There is no King in the World more fear'd and more respected by his Subjects then the King of Boutan being in a manner ador'd by them When he sits to do Justice or give Audience all that appear in his presence hold their hands close together above their forheads and at a distance from the Throne prostrate themselves upon the ground not daring to lift up their heads In this humble posture they make their Petitions to the King and when they retire they go backwards till they are quite out of his sight One thing they told me for truth that when the King has done the deeds of nature they diligently preserve the ordore dry it and powder it like sneezing-powder and then putting it into Boxes they go every Market-day and present it to the chief Merchants and rich Farmers who recompence them for their kindness that those people also carry it home as a great rarity and when they feast their Friends strew it upon their meat Two Boutan Merchants shew'd me their Boxes and the Powder that was in them The Natives of Boutan are strong and well proportion'd but their noses and faces are somewhat flat Their women are said to be bigger and more vigorous than the men but that they are much more troubled with swellings in the throat then the men few escaping that disease They know not what war is having no enemy to fear but the Mogul But from him they are fenc'd with high steep craggy and snowey Mountains Northward there are nothing but vast Forrests and Snow East and West nothing but bitter water And as for the Raja's near them they are Princes of little force There is certainly some Silver Mine in the Kingdom of Boutan for the King coins much Silver in pieces that are of the value of a Roupy The pieces are already describ'd However the Boutan Merchants could not tell me where the Mine lay And as for their Gold that little they have is brought them from the East by the Merchants of those Countries In the year 1659 the Duke of Muscovy's Embassadors pass'd through this Country to the King of China They were three of the greatest Noblemen in Muscovy and were at first very well receiv'd but when they were brought to kiss the Kings hands the custom being to prostrate themselves three times to the ground they refus'd to do it saying that they would complement the King after their manner and as they approach'd their own Emperor who was as great and as potent as the Emperor of China Thereupon and for that they continu'd in their resolution they were dismiss'd with their presents not being admitted to see the King But had those Embassadors conform'd to the custom of China without doubt we might have had a beaten rode through Muscovy and the North part of Great Tartary and much more commerce and knowledge of the Country than now we have This mentioning the Muscovites puts me in mind of a story that several Muscovy Merchants averr'd to be true upon the rode between Tauris and Ispahan where I overtook them of a woman of fourscore and two years of age who at those years was brought to bed in one of the Cities of Muscovy of a Male Child which was carry'd to the Duke and by him brought up at the Court. CHAP. XVI Of the Kingdom of Tipra MOst people have been of opinion till now that the Kingdom of Pegu lies upon the Frontiers of China and I thought so my self till the Merchants of Tipra undeceiv'd me I met with three one at Daca and two others at Patna They were men of very few words whether it were their own particular disposition or the general habit of the Country They cast up their accounts with small Stones likes Agats as big as a mans nail upon every one of which was a Cypher They had every one their weights like a Stelleer though the Beam were not of Iron but of a certain Wood as hard as Brazile nor was the Ring that holds the weight and is put thorough the Beam to mark the weight of Iron but a strong Silk Rope And thus they weigh'd from a Dram to ten of our Pounds If all the Natives of the Kingdom of Tipra were like the two Merchants which I met at Patna I dare affirm them to be notable topers for they never refus'd whatever strong Liquor I gave them and never left till all was out and when I told them by my Interpreter that all my Wine was gone they clapt their hands upon their stomachs and sigh'd These Merchants travell'd
Horn who came first aboard us I produc'd my Keys and offer'd my Chests to be open'd But the Zealander more civil than the Horner deliver'd me my Keys again and taking my word told me I was free to take away my goods And indeed I have always observ'd that the Northern people are always more rude and ungentile than the Southern As for the 17500 Florins which the General of Batavia promis'd should be paid me upon my arrival in Holland I receiv'd so many delays and put off's that I was at length forc'd to commence a Suit that lasted above two years nor could I get a publick Notary either at Amsterdam or the Hague that would make me out a Protest every one fearing the Directors who were both Judges and Parties At length after five years wrangling and jangling the Director wrote to my Brother at Batavia for I was then return'd again to the Indies that if I would accept of 10000 Livers he might receive it for me which he did and was forc'd to give them an acquittance for the whole This is the return which I made from the Indies in the year 1649 and the only time that ever I return'd by Sea having perform'd all the rest of my Travels by Land not counting my short Voyages through the Mediterranean for any thing And as for my first Travels I perform'd them all by Land from Paris through Germany and Hungary as far as Constantinople whither I return'd again in the year 1669. From Constantinople I went to Smyrna thence I sail'd for Ligorn from Ligorn I travel'd by Land to Genoa thence to Turin and so to Paris The End THE INDEX TO THE Indian Travels A. ABdoul-Coutou-Sha the present King of Golconda pag. 65. His Children 66. His reply to the Canoneer that would have taken off Aurengzeb's head 68. See Mirgimola Abdul Feta Gelul Eddin Mahomet 107. Aceph Ben Ali takes Mascate from the Dutch 145. His wondrous Pearl ibid. Agra the King's Palace there 48 49. Alegamma Motiar of Ceylan turns Christian and his answer to the Jesuits 163. Amadabat and the Trade thereof 37. Amber where found 151 152. Ambergreese where found 152. Apes their antipathy against the Crows 40. The danger of killing one ibid. Hospitals for them 48. How set together by the ears 94. Asem the Kingdom 187. Asouf-Kan's Policy 112. Assists Sha-Jehan ibid. Ast-Kan 60. Takes Dultabat 60 61. Atek 44. Ava 143. Augans a strange sort of people 44. Aureng-abat made a City 61. Aureng-zeb his cruelty at Callabas 33 35. His Dominions 106. His Power 108. His Ambition and craft he joyns with his Brother Morad-Backshe 110 defeats Dara-Sha ibid. deceives Morad and sends him to Prison ibid. He ascends the Throne 116. He affronts his Father 120. His Embassadors affronted by the King of Persia 121. His State when he sits upon his Throne 123. B. BAgnagar see Golconda pag. 61. Banarou 52. Bannians never kill any living thing 37. Their cruelty to them that do ibid. Their veneration for Apes 39 out-do the Jews 44. Bantam the King visited by the Author his Entertainment 196 197 c. Bargant 41. The Raja of Bargant entertains the Author Baroche 36. Begum Saheb 108 imprison'd by Aurengzeb depriv'd of her wealth her death suspected 113 114 restor'd to favour her wit 121. Bengala the Revenue of it 51. Bezoar 153 c. Boutan a Kingdom the Commodities thereof 182 183 c. Bramins a strange story of one 172. Brampour 31 a Tumuli there and the occasion ibid. Broakers Indian 133. Buildings publick in India how rear'd 35. C. CAboul pag 44. Callabas 33. Calicuts where made 31 33 40 43 52. Cambava 36. Caravasera's Indian the method therein 32. Cardamoms where had 73. Carriages Indian 27. Carriers the Order and Government among them Caste the signification and kinds 161 162. Cattel how fed in India 97. Chalaour 42. Cheats in Indian Commodities 132 133. Check of Mecca comes to Golconda in disguise 66. Marries the King's Daughter 67. Hinders him from surrendring to Aurengzeb 68. Cheraffs-Indian Bankers 22 subtiler then the Jews 23. Chineses poison the Dutch Souldiers 173. Chites 40. Chitpour ib. Cifers Indian 23. Cochin Besieg'd by the Dutch 88 Taken 89. Dutch make a mock King of it ibid. Collasar 33. Commodities of the Great Mogul's Countrey 126 c. and their price 128 129 130. Comoukes a description of the People and Countrey 204 c. Candevir 93. Corral Where found 151. Cottons where made 31 36. Where whiten'd 36. Coulour the Diamond-Mine 137 141. Coins Arabian 1. Mogul's 2. His Tributaries 3. Coins call'd Pagods 4 5. English and Dutch 5 6. Made by the King of Chida and Pera 6. By the King of Achen Kings of Macassar the Celebes and Camboya 7. By the King of Siam ib. By the Kings of Asem Tipoura Arakan and Pegu 8. Coins of China and Tunquin ib. Of Japon 9. Coins Indian representing the twelve signs 10. Coins Indian 22. Coins made by the Portugals 12. Coins Muscovian 13. Coins European their value in India 21 22. Coinage Indian 17. What loss what gain by it ib. Thrown about at the King's Ascent to the Throne 107. Currant at the Diamond-Mines 141. Cranganor 89 promis'd by the Dutch to Samarin ib. Demolish'd ib. Crocodiles may be wounded 55. How they dye ib. Customs Indian 17. Customs affronted by an English Captain 17. Exacted by the Persians from the English 75. D. DAca pag. 55. Daman besieg'd by Aureng-zeb 72. Dara-Sha his duty to his Father 108. Defeated by his Brother 110. He flies into Scindi he fights a second Battel with Aurengzeb He is betraid by Jessomseing 114 then by Gion-Kan 115. His death 116. Dehly 45. De Lan a Dutch Chirurgeon le ts the Mogul his Mother and Wife Blood 103. Dervichs 4. See Faquirs Diamonds a discourse thereof 134 c. The forms of several Diamonds 148 149. Vulgar error concerning the purchase of them 141. Diamond Miners their customs 138. Dultabat 60 61. Dutch send an Embassador to China 192. Their revenge upon the Jesuits 193. Dutch break their word with the King of Caudy 194 with the King of Achen at War with the King of Java 202 they quarrel with the Author E. ELephants destroy the Bannian's Idols pag. 34 the Woods of Mirda 43 affrighted the loss of Aurengzeb's Army 72 how taken 95 how tam'd ib. Their fury ib. The difference between them 96. Eaten by the Natives ib. How taken in Ceilan ib. The tusks due to the Lord ib. How the female receives the male ib. A remark peculiar to Ceilan Elephants ib. Their age ib. The number kept by the Great Mogul and his Expences 97 how wash'd 103. Emir-jemla 116 118. Emraulds the vulgar error concerning them 114. Eunuchs covetous of Monuments 5. Exchange Indian 26 27. F. FAquirs their manner of travelling pag. 41 their Habit and Arms ib. The respect given them ib. Their Religion 160 their Penances 165 c. Their extravagancies returning from Mecca Feast the Great Mogul's grand Feast
Every Kitchin has its Attagi-bachi that is to say its chief Director or Master-Cook And the Moutbak-Emin is the Intendant or Overseer who supplies the Kitchins with all that is necessary taking care also for the Tables of the Ambassadors according to the Orders he has receiv'd from the Grand Vizir The Halvagis are the Confectioners of whom I shall have occasion to speak more at large elsewhere They give also the same Name to those who serve the Grandees of the Seraglio and are permitted to go out of it and into it when they please The Baltagis are a robust sort of People imploy'd in the carrying of Burthens as Porters and Cleavers of Wood are amongst us Baltagi implies properly a Labouring Man who makes use of the Wedge The Hasteler-Agasi is the Overseer of the Infirmary who observes what comes in and what goes out and especially that there be no Wine brought in I shall have occasion also in my Relation to speak of two others to wit the Emirahour-bachi and the Ekmeggi-bachi who are two Officers belonging to the Sultan but have their Habitations out of the Seraglio The Emirahour-bachi is the great Gentleman-Usher who goes before the Grand Seignor when he appears in publick and in all Ceremonies The Ekmeggi-bachi is the Master-Baker who has the over-sight and gives direction for the Baking of all the Bread that is eaten in the Seraglio These two Imployments are not bestow'd on any of those who have their abode within the Seraglio but to Persons who live out of it but have the liberty of ingress into it egress out of it at any time To be short I shall have occasion to speak of the Caragi-bachi and of the Cham of the lesser Tartary and I have some curious Observations to make upon both of them The Caragi-bachi is the Chief of those who collect the Tributes and it is of him The Oeconomy of the Partizans or Collectors of publick Moneys as also of the Gemmerou-bachi or grand Farmer of the Customs and of the Bazarcan-bachi or Chief amongst the Merchants that the Grand Seignor makes use of to make Advancements when he wants Money and that there is not any in the Publick Treasury he being unwilling that they should meddle with the Secret Treasury They must of necessity find it out and it is no hard matter for them to do in regard that of all the Tributes Customs and other Impositions due to the Grand Seignor there is not any thing pay'd till the end of the Year and these Officers oblige Men to the payment thereof at the beginning of it All sorts of Persons what Religion soever they are of except the Mahumetan are oblig'd to pay the Tribute without any exception from the time of their settling in the Empire and having attain'd the sixteenth year of their Age. And this Tribute or Poll-Money amounts to five hundred and fifty old Aspers which neither rise nor fall but always keep at the same rate of eighty to a Piastro which in the French Money and consequently with little difference in ours amounts to five Crowns and 5 â— All other Christians who come into the Empire upon the score of Trade or Business though 't were but for one day are forc'd to pay at the first City where they arrive The forreign Greeks such as they from Muscovy or other places pay three hundred and fifty Aspers but the Armenians who come from Persia Georgia Mingrelia and other Countreys are tax'd but at three hundred As to the Christians whom they call Franguis they pay nothing and that has given much trouble to the Ambassadors of Europe especially to the French Ambassador there being more French that are Inhabitants in Turkey than there are of any other Nation And yet though the Turks make their Year to consist but of twelve Moons ours being near twelve and a half they make the Tributaries pay but for twelve Moons yet in requital and that nothing may be lost they make them pay that Tribute double every three and thirtieth year and are very frugal Husbands for the benefit and advantage of their Master There are but two Princes in the World that are known by the Name of Cham to The policy of the Port to keep the Cham of the lesser Tartary quiet wit the Emperour of great Tartary and the King of the little Tartary a Vassal to the Ottoman Monarchs I conceive my self oblig'd to give the Reader some information of the present condition of the latter When the Cham of the lesser Tartary enters upon the Government he comes to take his Oath of Fidelity to the Grand Seignor and the Turks look upon him no otherwise than as a Governour of a Province or at most but as a Vassal-Prince But those of his own Countrey the Muscovites the Poles the Georgians the Mingrelians and the other Nations bordering upon him treat him as a King when they write to him The Grand Seignor uses much Policy towards the Cham lest he should revolt from him and render himself more powerful than he is by Alliances with the neighbouring Princes For it is to be observ'd That the lesser Tartary whereof the City Cassa near the Cimerian Streight is the Metropolis is not a Countrey subdu'd by the Arms of the Ottomans The ancient Kings of it did only put themselves under the Grand Seigner's protection who receiv'd them into it upon condition that when the Father dy'd his Son or the next of kin his Successor was not to enter upon the Government till he had receiv'd the Investiture from the Port and taken the Oath of Fidelity to the Grand Seignor obliging himself to come to him upon the first Orders to that purpose The Grand Seignor promis'd in requital that he would not establish any other than what were of their race to command in the lesser Tartary And whereas there are two branches of that Family he keeps one of them always banish'd in the Island of Rhodes while the other governs But if after fifteen or twenty years there should be any suspition of this latter Family's having a design to render it self absolute he sends for the Cham and his Children when he has any and sending them to Rhodes brings thence him who was there in exile and orders him to reign in his turn for some years The form of his Oath you will find in the sixth Chapter of my Relation where I speak of the Hall of Audience and the manner in which that Prince is there receiv'd I have only now somewhat to say of the Moufti the Cadilesquer and the Cadis The principal Dignities of those who study the Law and the others relating to the Law which I shall do in few words Only let it be here observ'd in the general That according to the perswasion of the Turks the Civil Laws are part of their Religion and that having been given them by their Prophet they are deriv'd from God and require an implicite obedience 'T is
situated upon a Cold Sea But Ouffha is a midland Town 500 miles from Cassan which is near the Volga The Kalmukes are accounted good Souldiers being kept in continual Exercise by the Muscovites on the one side the Nagoyans and Cassachy-Horda on the other Their unmarried Women do not only accompany the Men unto the Wars but are said to be little inferiour unto the Men in Skill and Valour shooting almost as strongly and dexterously as the men from whom they cannot be distinguished by their Garb being apparelled and riding much after the same manner Both Men and Women in all their Expeditions seldom carry along with them fewer than 5 or 6 Horses apiece I cannot precisely determine what their Religion is but I do perceive by Converse with them that they have a more favourable opinion of the Christians than of the Mahumetans or of some of their fellow Ethnicks for if I mistake not they are Heathens I not being able to discern among them any Religious Worship excepting some kind of Adoration which they pay unto the Sun and Moon They have a very peculiar kind of Diet for besides Horse-flesh which is a great Dainty they scruple not to eat Snakes Adders Foxes and indeed even Carrion of divers sorts of Creatures such Food as to Europeans would be intollerable even in the greatest Famine They wear a kind of Caps or Hatts which are called by the Muscovites Coulpackes open before and behind with broad Brims on each side And thereupon they are called by the other Tartars Calmukes Eastward from these Calmukes inclining unto the South towards China live the Yurgeachians so named from their chief Town which some call Yurgeach others Jurgench Of which Countrey I cannot say so much as concerning the former having never been therein but once for in the Year 1620. there being great Wars in Jurgeach between the Chan or King and the Myrsa his Son some of the Nagoy Tartars hearing thereof invaded the Countrey who whilst they were united durst not peep out of their own Borders the Jurgeachians being a numerous and warlike People These Nagoys were all Volunteers who went without any Command from their own Prince or Allowance from the Muscovites without whose consent by mutual Agreement they are not permitted to war The news of their Expedition being brought unto Astracan the Voyvod who had not long before made a League with the Jurgeachians sent out Allye I suppose his true Name was Ali or Hali Myrsa a Tartarian Prince with a 1000 of his own Subjects and 500 Russes all Horse We were 20 days marching before we came unto the Borders of Jurgeach from Astracan whence we proceeded 10 days journey the Countrey through which we passed being miserably ravaged by the aforesaid Nagoys At the end of which 30 days by a reasonable Computation 't was judged we were distant from Astracan at least a 1000 miles about which time we overtook them in the Valley of Ougogura having got from the Jurgeachians an innumerable company of Cattle of divers sorts as Horse Kine Camels and Sheep We took all their Booty from them and as a further punishment for their Riot took away their own supernumerary Horses leaving them only a Horse a Man for to convey them home Then Ally Myrsa divided the Spoil half he bestowed upon those who did accompany him and sent the remainder for a Present unto the Voyvod returning nothing unto the Jurgeachians because they were taken from Thieves In the mean while the Prince of Jurgeach in a pitcht Battel overthrew his Father took him Prisoner put out both his Eyes and caused himself to be Crowned King He had a younger Brother whom fearing that in time he might occasion some insurrection he gave Command unto some of his Creatures that they should strangle him and bring his Head But divers of the Nobles by whose means he obtained the Soveraignty gaining intelligence thereof would not permit his Order to be put in execution but seizing on the Child sent him unto the Emperour of Muscovy with whom he re-mained when I was last at Astracan But I must return from the Jurgeachians unto the Caragans whom I have left behind and they do more immediately refer unto my promise which was to give an Account of all the Nations and Countreys incompassing the Caspian Sea The Countrey of the Caragans occupies most of that vast space which intercedes between the River Yeike and the Dominions of the Ousbegs or Tartars of Bouchara and their Territory surrounds the North-East corner of the Caspian Sea proceeding Southwards unto the River Jaxartes and some Hords of the said People do inhabit between the said River and the Oxus which divides the Tartars of Bochara and the Caragans from the Persians and the Tartars of Balk This Countrey of the Caragans is very desart and barren the People miserably poor their Houses are wretched Huts the greatest part under ground they are very tawny and ill-favour'd their Habitations are scatt'red scarcely deserving the Name of Villages And they have no Town as I have been informed besides Preesslannes which is situated on the South-side of the Jaxartes near the Caspian Sea which whilst I dwelt in Astracan was by surprize taken by the Cossacks but they had little cause to brag of their Victory finding little booty therein and the Caragans gath'ring together beat them out with great loss of Men forcing them to retire into an Island 2 or 3 leagues from the Land which they possess unto this day no Nation being able or else not caring to un-nest them although Tartars Persians and Muscovites do continually suffer by their Depredations Towards the East and by South of the Caragans dwell the Tartars of Bochara who are by divers called Yusbegs The Countrey which they possess is better watred and more fertile than most of the preceeding and there is great resort of Merchants from divers Parts unto them especially Persians Muscovites and several Nations of Indians as Moguls Boutans with many others whose Names I cannot recollect I have been also told That the Chineses do sometimes trade with them I am perswaded that this is the famed Kingdom of Cataye for the Catayans are a sort of Tartars and I know no other Tartars between this Countrey and China Caragan lieth from them to the North-West Urgenshe due North China to the East the Tartars of Balk to the South and the Persians South and by West and the Caspian Sea duely West They are almost continually in Wars with the Persians The next Countrey I am to describe is Persia in which Land I was never excepting once in that part thereof which borders upon the Comukes but I have conversed with several Persian Merchants at Astracan who came by Shipping from Gilan which when the Wind is very fair and good they sail in 2 or 3 days and nights They wear Turbants like the Turks and so do the Bouchars Therefore not having seen much of Persia nor having sufficiently informed my self
almost encompass it You may embark at Venice and saying along the Gulf which is free from Pirates you must double the Cape of Matapan the most Southern Point of all Europe to enter into the Archipelago The other way is from Marseilles or Ligorn from whence several Vessels are bound for the East The safest way is to go along with the English or Holland Fleets that usually arrive at Ligorn either in the Spring or in Autumn and part just against the Morea to the several parts whither they are bound As the Wind serves those Fleets sometimes make Sail between the Iland of Elba and Italy and by the Tower of Messina sometimes below Sicily and Sardigna within sight of Malta Thus you must come within sight of Candy whether you are bound for Constantinople Smyrna or Alexandretta from whence it is but three days journey to Aleppo from one of which three Cities you must necessarily begin your journey if you intend for Persia. Some take Egypt in their way using through Alexandria Cairo and Damiata whence several Vessels are bound for Joppa or St. John's of Acra which is not far off from thence to Jerusalem or Damascus and from thence to Bagdat or Babylon If you will venture in a single Vessel not staying for the Fleets you may hire a Vessel from Ligorn to Naples from Naples to Messina keeping along by the Shore and lying a-shore every night I took this way and went from Messina to Syracuse where are to be seen the most remarkable footsteps of Antiquity 'T is like a City under ground and near to it is a great Rock which has been made hollow at the bottom whereof if a man whisper they that are at the top may hear him They call this Rock Dionysius the Tyrant's Ear for being at the top he easily understood what the People said of him below and discovered the Counsels of the chief Men of Syracuse whom lie kept prisoners there Syracuse has nothing of that splendour which renown'd it when it was the Mistress of all Sicily and when Greece jealous of her power made War upon her But the Soil is very plentiful and the Gallies of Malta very often take in their Provisions there Near the City is a fair Convent of Capuchin Friers going out of which you may walk for half an hour between two very high Rocks where there are several little Cells with every one a Garden where the Friers sometimes retire and it is certainly one of the most pleasing Solitudes in the World From Syracuse I went to Malta where you must wait for some Ship that is bound for the East CHAP. II. Of the Road from Constantinople to Ispahan which the Author kept in his first Travels into Persia. IT is seldom that any Caravans go from Constantinople into Persia but from Bursa they go every two Months Bursa is the Capital City of Bithynia not above three days journey from Constantinople or a little more These two Roads meet at Chabangi where you may be from Bursa in two Days and so I will only speak of the Roads from Constantinople to Ispahan This Journey is to be undertaken either with the Caravan of Camels or else ten or twelve Men in a Company well mounted and well arm'd From Constantinople you cross over to Scutari upon the Coast of Asia Setting out from Scutari the first days journey is very pleasant over Fields gayly painted with Flowers in their season At first for some time together on both sides the way you see nothing but fair Sepulchers with their Pyramids and you may easily discern the Womens Monuments from the Mens For there is a Turbant upon the Pyramid of the Mens Sepulcher but the Pyramids of the Womens Monuments are trimm'd with the Head-Attire which is worn by the Women of the Country That Evening you must lye at Cartali a Village of Bithynia the next Day at Gebisa anciently Lybissa famous for the Tomb of Hannibal In that place there are two good Inns and two fair Fountains The third Day you come to Isnich which is thought to be the ancient Niceae one part of the City is built upon the descent of a Hill the other part upon a Plain that reaches to the Sea and makes the Golf of Isnich The Haven consists of two Moles made of Free-stone and three great Enclosures encompass'd with Walls which serve instead of so many Arsenals wherein there are Store-houses full of large Timber for building Houses and Galleys The Country round about being an excellent place for Hunting and the Soil bearing rare Fruits and rich in Wine caus'd Sultan Amuratt to build a Seraglio in the highest part of the Town from whence there is a prospect at the same time both over the Sea and the Country The Jews inhabit the greatest part of the Town dealing chiefly in Timber and Corn. When the Wind serves you may go from Constantinople to Isnich in seven or eight Hours there being no danger in the passage The fourth Day you stay at Chabangi a small Town built upon the side of a Lake call'd Chaban-Gigul where there are two Inns. From the beginning of the Lake for two Leagues together you travel partly over Mountains partly by the Lake-side where in some places the Horse will be up to the Belly This Lake is not above ten Leagues in compass but it yields great store of large Fish infomuch that I have bought a Pike two Foot and a half long for three Sous Many Emperours have had a design to make a Cutt out of this Lake into the Sea for the more easie transporting to Constantinople the Timber which grows upon the Mountains near the Lake And if the Grand Visier who by a Miracle dy'd in his Bed and left his Son successor to his Employment had liv'd some few Years longer he had no question added this to the rest of those famous Works that eterniz'd his Memory Departing from Chabandi you come to lye at Night upon the Bank of a River call'd Zacarat which runs Northward and falls into the Black Sea It is a River plentiful in Fish and you cross over it with a wooden Bridge There is neither Town nor Inn in that place but a League from the River is a great Town call'd Ada the chiefest part of the Inhabitants whereof are Armenians Thither we sent for excellent good Wine and other necessary refreshments From that River to Cancoly where you lye the next Night and have your choice of four Inns you travel all the day in the Mershes over wooden Bridges and Causeys Tuskebasar is the next place a small Village with two Inns. From thence to Cargueslar a great Town with one Inn built upon a River where there is great store of Fish taken which the Inhabitants call Bourma-balouky that is to say the Fish with the long Nose It is speckl'd like a Trout but of a better tast and more esteem'd Polia or Polis is a City seated at the foot of several Mountains the
Inhabitants whereof are for the most part Greeks These Mountains are very high and extend themselves along the Road for two days journey They are full of several sorts of Trees which are streight and tall like Firr-trees and divided by so many Torrents which it would be hard to pass over were it not for the Bridges that the Grand Visier Kuprigli caus'd to be built In regard the soil of these Mountains is very fat there would be no drawing for the Horses after great Rains or the melting of the Snow had not the same Visier caus'd all the Ways to be Pav'd and Pitch'd even as far as Constantinople A Work of great Charge in regard there is not a Flint in any part of the Mountain and for that the Stone is to be fetch'd a great way off There are abundance of Pigeons as big as Hens and of an excellent tast which not only pleas'd our Appetites but afforded us very good Pastime to shoot them Between the City and the Mountain there is a Plain about two Leagues in length near to which there glides a River that waters it and very much contributes to its fertility It is an excellent Soil and produces all things necessary for Humane Life Upon each side of the way I counted above twenty Churchyards For it is the custom of the Turks to bury near the Highway believing that the Travellers pray for the Souls of the deceas'd Upon every Tomb there is to be seen a Marble Pillar half fix'd in the Earth of which Pillars there are so great a number of various Colours that it is from thence conjectur'd that there were a very great number of Christian Churches in Polia and the parts thereabouts They assur'd me likewise that there were a vast quantity of these Pillars in the Villages up and down in the Mountains which the Turks every day pull down to set upon their Tombs Bendourlour is a Village in the Mountains where there is one Inn. Gerradar is beyond the Mountains where there are two Inns. Cargâ—slar has two Inns and lyes in a good Country Caragalan is a Town where there are two Inns. Cosizar is a Village with one Inn. Tocia is a great City situated upon rising Hills that joyn to very high Mountains Upon the Winter West there appears a fair Champain Country water'd by a Stream that falls into a River of a greater bigness call'd Guselarmac Upon the highest of the smaller Hills toward the East there is a Fortress where a Basha resides and in the Town is one of the fairest Inns upon the Road. The greatest part of the Inhabitants are Christian Greeks who have the advantage to drink excellent Wine with which the Country furnishes them in abundance Agisensalou stands upon a River and there is an Inn and a fair Mosquee in it Ozeman is a little City seated at the foot of a Hill upon which there stands a strong Castle and below two very commodious Inns. The River Guselarmac broad and deep washes the South side of the City which you cross over one of the fairest Bridges that ever was seen It consists of fifteen Arches all of Free-stone and is a Work that shews the Grandeur of the Undertaker Somewhat at a distance from the Bridge stand six Corn-Mills all together with little wooden Bridges to go from one to another This River falls into the Euxin Sea about eight days journey from Ozeman Azilar is a great Town where there are two Inns. Delekiras is a great Village with one Inn. These Four Days Journeys are very dangerous by reason that the Ways are narrow and commodious for Robbers They are very numerous in this Country and therefore understanding that we were way-laid we sent and desir'd a Convoy of the Basha who lent us fifty Horsemen Amasia is a great City built upon an ascent in the hollow of a Mountain It has no prospect but only from the South over a fair Plain The River that runs by it comes from Tocat and throws it self into the Black Sea four days journey from Amasia You cross it over a wooden Bridge so narrow that not above three persons can go a-brest To bring fresh Water to the City they have cut a League into Rocks as hard as Marble which was a prodigious Labour On the West-side upon a high Mountain stands a Fortress where they can come by no other Water than what they preserve in Cisterns when it rains In the middle of the Mountain is a fair Spring and round about it are several Chambers cut out of the Rock where the Dervichs make their abode There are but two Inns and those very bad ones in Amasia But the Soil is good and bears the best Wine and Fruits in all Natolia Ainabachar is the name of an Inn distant a quarter of a League from a great Town where they fetch their Provisions Turcall is a great Town near to a Mountain upon which there stands a Castle The River that comes from Tocatt washes the Houses and we caught excellent Fish in it In that place is another of the fairest Inns upon the Road. From Turcall you may travel in one day to Tocatt where the Road from Smyrna to Ispahan meets Tocat is a good fair City built at the foot of a very high Mountain spreading it self round about a great Rock that stands almost in the midst of the Town upon the top whereof a high Castle commands the neighbouring parts with a good Garrison in it It is very ancient and the remainder of three others that stood there in former times The City is very well inhabited with Turks who are the Lord Controllers Armenians Greeks and Jews The Streets are very narrow but the Houses are indifferent well built and among several Mosquees there is one very magnificent which seems to be newly rear'd There was also a very fair Inn going up which when I last travell'd that way was not quite finish'd There is one thing more particular and more commodious at Tocat which is not to be found in any Inns upon the Road That round about all the Caravansera's in the Town there are Lodgings which they let out to Merchants that desire to be by themselves out of the noise and hurry of the Caravans whiles they stay at Tocat Besides that in those private Lodgings you have your liberty to drink Wine and provide for the rest of your Journey which is not so easily done in the publick Inns where the Turks will have an eye upon the Merchants to draw Money out of their pockets The Christians have twelve Churches at Tocat and there resides an Archbishop that has under him seven Suffragans There are also two Monasteries for Men and two for Women and for fourteen or fifteen Leagues round Tocat the Country is all inhabited by Armenian Christians but very few Greeks being intermix'd among them The greatest part of these Christians are Tradesmen and for the most part Smiths A fair River runs about half a quarter
of a League from the City which rises near to Erzerom and is cross'd at Tocat over a very beautiful stone Bridge Upon the North-side of the City it waters a Plain three or four days Journey in extent and two or three Leagues broad It is very fertil and replenish'd with fair Villages very well peopl'd A man may live very cheap at Tocat the Wine is most excellent and all sort of rare Fruit very plentiful It is the only place in all Asia where plenty of Saffron grows which is the best Commodity you can carry to the Indies where a Pound as the Years fall out is worth thirteen or fourteen * Every Frank being 2 s. sterling Franks though the Wax that preserves it be as much in weight as the Saffron This City with the Lands belonging to it usually is the Dowager Sultanesses Joynture There is only an Aga and a Cady that command there in the behalf of the Grand Signor for the Basha from whom they receive their Orders lives at Sivas which is the ancient Sebastia and a very great City some three days journey from Tocat In short Tocat is one of the most remarkable Thoroughfares in the East where are continually lodg'd the Caravans from Persio Diarbequer Bagdat Constantinople Smyrna Synopus and other places and here the Caravans turn off as they are variously bound They that are for Constantinople take to the Winter West upon the right hand they that are for Smyrna incline to the Summer West upon the left hand When you set out either way out of Tocat there is a Toll gatherer that counts all the Camels and Horses that pass by and exacts for every Camel a quarter of a Rixdollar and for every Horse half as much As for the Horses or Camel that carry the Passengers or their Provisions they pay nothing This continual concourse of the Caravans trolls the Money about at Tocat and makes it one of the most considerable Cities of Turkie Setting out of Tocat to go to Erzerom you discover a little Village so situated under a Hill as if the Mountain lay a top of it and between that Mountain and the River the Road is very narrow where the Caravan is to pass In this Road it was that we met the Grand Visier returning from Hunting with a Train of four hundred men so soon as he perceiv'd us he fil'd off all his men to give us liberty to pass by But among all the Company there was not above four Franks upon which he particularly cast his Eye which made him send for the Caravan Bachi to know who we were The Caravan Bachi to avoid the ill Consequences of jealousie which the Visier might have of the Franks at a time when the Grand Visier made War in Persia told him we were Jews at which the Visier shaking his Head reply'd only that we did not look like such and happy it was for us that he took no farther notice For it was twenty to one but that upon better consideration he might have sent after us to have stopt us But when he came home to his Lodging he found a Capigi staying for him with Orders from the Grand Signor to take off his Head which were presently executed For Amurath being troubl'd for the loss of his Army had no way but to revenge himself upon the person that had the command of it Notwithstanding that the Caravans rest at Tocat yet they stay likewise two or three days at Charkliqueu which is not above two Leagues distant from it for Charkliqueu is a great Town in a lovely Country between two fertil Hills where there grows excellent Wine It is for the most part inhabited by Christians who are generally Tanners The fine blew Goat-leather Skins being drest in Tocat and the Parts thereabout It is thought the Water contributes very much to their Art For Tocat is as famous for the blew Goats-leather Skins as Diarbequir and Bagdat are for the red Moussul or the ancient Niniveh for the yellow and Ourfa for the black About two thousand Paces from this Town in the midst of a Plain rises a vast Rock upon the North-side whereof you ascend about nine or ten steps into a Chamber with a Bed a Table and a Cupboard in it all hewn out of the Rock Upon the West-side you ascend other five or six steps that lead to a little Gallery about five or six Foot long and three broad all hewn out of the Rock though it be of an extraordinary hardness The Christians affirm that St. Chrysostom made this Rock his retiring-place during his Exilement and that he had no other Bed or Bolster than the Rock it self in a place where they shew you the print of a Man's Body Hence it is that the Caravans consisting for the most part of Christian Merchants stay at Charkliqueu to pay their Devotions to this Rock where the Bishop of the place attended by some Priests with every one a Taper in their Hands goes and says Mass. But the main Reason is because there grows excellent Wine in this place which being cheaper by half here than it is at Tocat obliges the Armenians to stop here to provide themselves for the rest of their Journey Two Leagues from Charkliqueu you cross over very high Mountains with Precipices on both sides It is the custom of the Armenians when they hear of the approach of a Caravan to ride out two or three days journey to meet their Country-men and carry them fresh Provisions Those of Charkliqueu coming to meet our Caravan three of the Armenians took a large Mornings-draught which made them so Pot-valiant that they would needs ride before to the Town alone by themselves but by the way they were set upon by six Horse-men that came from the North where there are higher Mountains than those which we were to cross Immediately the Thieves darted their Half-Pikes at the Armenians in so much that two of them fell down mortally wounded and the other sav'd himself among the Rocks but the Thieves got their Horses and Goods which were valu'd at ten thousand Crowns The Caravan at the top of the Hill beheld the misfortune of those poor men which their own folly had brought upon them but could not help them by reason of the narrowness of the ways besides that the Thieves knowing all the by-turnings were presently out of sight And therefore it is a dangerous thing to leave the Body of the Caravan either by staying too far behind or running too fast before and some have suffer'd for distancing themselves not above five hundred Paces from it The Caravans do not make their Journeys all alike but come to their Stages sometimes sooner sometimes later according as they meet with Water and Inns or places fit to pitch their Tents in to which places the Natives bring Provision and Provender from the Mountains There are some places where there is a necessity to provide Straw and Barley for two or three days
Churches and of the ancient Buildings of the Armenians by which you may conjecture that it never was very beautiful The Fortress stands upon a high ground with a double Wall square Towers close one to another and a pitiful Moat The Basha resides there but in a very ill House all the Buildings about the Fortress being in a bad condition In the same Enclosure there is a little rising Ground upon which they have rais'd a small Fort wherein the Janisary-Aga lives and where the Basha has no Power When the Grand Signor has a mind to the Head of this Basha or any other considerable person in the Province he sends a Capigi with order to the Janisary to send for the Person to the little Fort where the Execution is presently done One Example hereof I saw in my last Travels into Persia For the Basha of Erzerom not having sent Twelve thousand Men so soon as the Grand Signor requir'd them for his Wars in Candy the same Capigi that brought the Sentence of his Death had the same Order for the Execution of the Basha of Kars and meeting this Capigi upon the Road in a Village upon his return for Constantinople he would needs shew me whether I would or no the Heads of the two Basha's which he was carrying to the Grand Signor in a Bag. Between the first and second Gate of the Fortress are to be seen four and twenty Pieces of Cannon most excellent Guns but lying one upon another without Carriages They lye at Erzerom to be ready upon all occasions when the Grand Signor makes War against the Persians There are in Erzerom several great Inns this City like Tocat being one of the greatest Thoroughfares in Turkie The Country about it bears Wine but not very good and in regard the People are strictly forbid to drink Wine the Merchants are forc'd to buy it very privately for fear it should come to the knowledge of the Cadi Though it be very cold at Erzerom Barley grows there in fourty days and Wheat in sixty which is very remarkable The Customs paid there for the carrying out of the Gold and Silver and upon all other Commodities is very severe Silk that comes out of Persia pays four and twenty Crowns for a Camel's Load which is eight hundred Pounds For in the mountainous Countries a Camel's Load is no more but in the plain and even Countries they make 'em carry above ten hundred weight A Load of Indian Calicutts pays a hundred Crowns but the Loads of Linnen are much heavier than those of Silk As for other Commodities they pay Six per Cent. according to their value From this Stage the Caravan sets forward to a Fortress call'd Hassan Kala where you must pay half a Piaster for every Camel's or Horses Load going from Erzerom to Erivan but returning you pay but half as much Leaving this Fortress you must go and lodge at a Bridge near to a Village which is call'd Choban-Cupri Over this Bridge which is the fairest in the whole Journey you cross two Rivers which there meet one is the Kars and the other is a Stream that falls from a Mountain call'd Binguiel both which disburthen themselves into the Aras The Caravan usually stays a day or two at this Bridge because the Caravan divides it self at this place some continuing on the High-road others taking the Road of Kars as well to avoid fording the Aras several times as the paying a great Duty upon the great Road where they exact four Piasters upon every Camel's Load and two upon every Horse-Load whereas at Kars you are dismiss'd for half so much I went Kars Road twice but it is longer and more troublesom than the other As soon as you leave the Bridge for the first four days you travel over woody Mountains and very desert Countries where you meet but with one Village but coming near Kars the Country is more pleasant and well manur'd bearing all sorts of Grain Kars is in 78 Deg. 40 Min. of Longitude and 42 Deg. 40 Min. of Latitude in a very good Soil The City is very large but thinly peopl'd though Provision be very plentiful and very cheap But the Grand Signor always choosing that place to rendezvouz his Army whenever he intended to recruit it and to lodge his People there which he sent to build Villages the King of Persia has ruin'd all the Country as he did at Sulfa and in many other Frontier places for nine or ten days journey together From Kars to Erivan the Caravan makes it nine days journey and lyes where it can find most convenience there being no certain Stages The first days journey ends at a Monastery and a Village the one no less deserted than the other The next day you come to the Ruines of a great City call'd Anikagaë in the Armenian Language the City of Ani which was the name of an Armenian King that was the Founder of it By the Wall on the East-side runs a rapid Stream that falls from the Mountains of Mingrelia and empties it self into the River of Kars This City was very strongly situated being plac'd in a Mersh where are to be seen the Remains of two Causeys that only led to the Town There are the Ruines of several Monasteries among the rest two that are entire suppos'd to be Royal Foundations From thence to Erivan for two days journey you meet with only two Villages near the last of which you ride by the side of a Hill whither when the Caravan passes by the People bring Horses from several Parts to be sold. The Great Road from the Bridge where the Caravan parts lyes thus Two Leagues from the Bridge on the right hand toward the South lyes a great Mountain which the People of the Country call Mingol In this Mountain there are abundance of Springs and from one side of it falls Euphrates from the other side the River of Kars which empties it self into the Aras fourteen or fifteen Leagues on this side Erivan The Aras which the Ancients call'd Araxes falls from other Mountains Eastward of Mingol which after many windings through the Upper Armenia where it receives many other Rivers that swell its Streams it discharges it self into the Caspian Sea two days journey from Shamaki upon the Frontiers of the ancient Medes The whole Country is inter-cut by the Rivers Aras and Kars and several other Streams that fall into them inhabited by very few but what are Christians those few Mahumetans that live among them being so superstitious that they will not drink the Water of any of those Rivers nor wash in them believing them impure and defil'd by the use which the Christians make of them They have their particular Wells and Cisterns by themselves which they will not suffer a Christian to come near Comasour is the first Village where you lodge after you leave the Bridge of Choban-Kupri going to Erivan Halicarcara is the next Stage to Comasour this is a great Town also
Jurisdiction As I return'd from Persia in the Year 1655 I came to the Three Churches about the end of February the Caravan stay'd there eleven Days as well by reason of the great Snows that stop'd up the Ways as for that the Armenians resolv'd to keep their Carnival there and after that to perform their Devotions The next day I went to visit the Patriarch who was sitting cross-leg'd upon a Mat. There were four Archbishops and nine Bishops sitting about him in the same posture among whom there was one that spake very good Italian I stay'd with him three Hours and while we were discoursing together in came one of the Monks of the Convent who had not spoken to any person whatsoever in Two and twenty Years by reason of a Penance that was impos'd upon him Never did Man appear so meager and deformed but the Patriarch sent for him and by his Authority commanded him to break Silence which he did by speaking at the same Instant The Saturday before Shrove-Sunday the Patriarch invited all the Caravan as well Masters as Servants to hear Mass the next day and then to dine at the Covent Mass being concluded the People were brought into a long Gallery about 15 or 20 Foot broad there being a Table on both sides made of several Stones and Benches next the Walls At the upper end of the Gallery stands a Table four Foot square over which is a vaulted Roof sustain'd with four Pillars which serves for a Canopy in the midst whereof is a Chair set for the Patriarch who from thence has a full view of both sides the Gallery with two other Chairs of each hand for two Archbishops the other Archbishops Monks and Guests sate at the long Tables The Meat which they brought us was several sorts of Pilaw and several Dishes of Fish among the rest excellent Trouts The Pilaw was brought in forty wide Plates so well fill'd and so large that they were every one as much as a Man could carry They were all set down upon the Ground before the Patriarch who then Pray'd and gave Thanks Then six Bishops with Ladles took out the Meat out of the great Platters and putting it into lesser serv'd both the Tables Every one had also his earthen Pot of Wine which was very good and was fill'd again when it was empty The Patriarch and the two Archbishops eat nothing but two Eggs and a few raw Herbs no more did the other Archbishops that sate at the Table At the end of the Feast a Bishop comes with a Paper and Pen and Ink in his Hand and asks of every one what he pleases to Subscribe for the Benefit of the Church then every one proposing according to his Devotion the Bishop writes down the Names of the Persons and the Sum which they mention which he comes and gathers the next day There are some rich Merchants that will give two Tomans but the meanest Servant will give an Or. The Bishop having done writing the Table was clear'd and then they brought us Melons and other Fruits In a short while after the Bells rung to Evening Service and the People went to Church After Evening Service the Patriarch sent for me to behold a Combat of Bufalo's of which there are great store in that Country some serving to Till their Ground while the Female ones yield store of Milk of which they make Butter and Cheese and which they mingle with all sorts of other Milk There are some of these female Beasts that will give two and twenty Pints of Milk a day They brought us into a wide Enclosure to behold the Sport wherein there were eight Bufalo's To provoke them one against another they shew them a Red Cloth which puts them into such a Rage that there were two that dy'd with the stroke of their Horns upon the place and there were none of the rest which were not very much lam'd The Sport being at an end they bring a great quantity of Wood which they pile together on purpose to set it on Fire When the Wood was heap'd in as big a Pile as they intended one of the Archbishops presented a Taper of white Wax to all the Company both Masters and Servants who every one agreed with him what they should give the next day for their Tapers The Tapers being lighted the Patriarch with a Stick like a Bishop's Crosier march'd before singing an Hymn attended by all the Persons both Ecclesiastical and Secular till they had in that manner walk'd three times about the Pile When the Pile came to be lighted there was great striving who should have the Honour One of the Merchants offer'd a quantity of Oyl for Lamps for the Church another out did him and a third proffer'd more than he and the Honour of Lighting the Pile was given to him that offer'd most Immediately upon that every one put out his Taper For they esteem it a most precious business believing that the lighting of one of those Tapers in a Sterm and throwing it into the Sea is a present Charm against Shipwrack For say they The Virgin Mary forty days after she was brought to Bed went to Jerusalem with Joseph and her Son and going into the Temple met old Simeon who taking the Child in his Arms began to sing the Song Lord now let thy Servant c. the Song being ended all the People began to cry that Christ was born and to publish it about the City Now in regard it was Night every one ran out with Torches in their Hands and some made Fires before their Doors where Christ was to pass along This Festival among the Armenians is like that of Candlemas-day and they call it in their Language Ter en Areche Where is the Lord The Armenians Masters and Servants drank all Night to make an end of their Carnival while the Patriarch was busie in dressing up the Church with its gayest Ornaments Ten Leagues from Erivan toward the North appears a great Lake wherein there is an Iland upon which is built a very fair Covent The Monks that live there live so austere a Life that they never eat Fish or Flesh above four times a Year neither do they speak one to another but upon those four Days The rest of the Year they feed only upon Herbs which they gather out of the Garden for say they it is not Fasting to eat either Butter or Oyl The Bread which they eat is brought from the neighbouring Villages and the Iland is replenish'd with all sorts of excellent Fruits On the one side of the Lake nearer to Erivan is a large Plain wherein there are six Monasteries One of which is entirely hewn out of the Rock with the Pillars that sustain it being seated in a very hard Rock The Armenians call that Church Kickart in their Language and the Turks in theirs Guieurghieche that is See and away In this Church according to the Traditions of the Armenians is kept the Lance wherewith the Side
to the Sword after he had given them his Word to the contrary and promis'd to spare their Lives CHAP. IV. A Continuation of the same Road from Erivan to Tauris IT usually takes up ten days journey for the Caravan to go between Erivan and Tauris and Nacksivan is almost in the mid-way between both The first days journey you travel thorough large Plains sow'd with Rice and water'd with several Rivulets The next day you continue to travel through Plains of the same nature in sight of the Mountain Ararat which is full of Monasteries leaving it upon the South The Armenians call this Mountain Mesesoufar The Mountain of the Ark because the Ark of Noah rested upon it It is as it were unfasten'd from the other Mountains of Armenia and from the half-way to the top it is continually cover'd with Snow It is higher than any of the neighbouring Mountains and in my first Travels I saw it for five days journey together So soon as the Armenians discover it they kiss the Earth and lifting up their Eyes to Heaven say their Prayers Yet you are to take notice that the Mountain is hid in Clouds for two or three Months together In the Plains that you cross in this second days journey to the Southward a League and a half from the High-way is to be seen a Work of great Art being the Ruines of a Magnificent Castle where the Kings of Armenia were wont to reside in the time of their Hunting Divertisements more especially when they continu'd their Sports at the Mallard and Heron. The next day we lodg'd near to a Village where there was good Water which constrain'd the Caravan to stay there there being none to be met with for ten Leagues farther The next day you must travel one by one through the Pass of a Mountain and cross a large River nam'd Arpa-sou which falls into Aras It is fordable when it is low but when the Snow melts and swells the Stream you must go a League out of your way to the Southward to cross it over a Bridge of Stone From thence you go to lodge near a Village call'd Kalifakiend where you are forc'd to fetch your Water a good way off The first days journey is through a Plain at the end whereof you meet with an Inn call'd Kara-bagler standing upon a Rivulet which was finish'd in 1664. The Head of this Rivulet springs three or four Leagues higher toward the North and half a League below Kara-bagler the Water congeals and petrifies and of those Stones is the Inn built The Stone is very slight and when they have need of it they make Trenches all along the Stream and fill them with the same Water which in eight or ten Months turns into Stone The Water is very sweet and has no bad tast yet the Country-men thereabouts will neither drink it nor water their Grounds with it The Armenians say that Sem the Son of Noah caus'd the Rock to be hollow'd out of which this River issues which four or five Leagues from its Head and two from the Inn falls into Aras From this Inn to Naksivan is but a small Journey Naksivan according to the Opinion of the Armenians is the most ancient City of the World built about three Leagues from the Mountain upon which the Ark of Noah rested from whence it also takes its Name for Nak in the Armenian Tongue signifies a Ship and Sivan resting or reposing 'T was a great City now wholly ruin'd by the Army of Sultan Amurath There are the Remains of several rare Mosquees which the Turks have destroy'd for the Turks and Persians destroy one anothers Mosquees as fast as they fall into one anothers possession This City is very ancient and the Armenians report that it was in this place where Noah went to live when he went out of the Ark. They say further that he was Buried here and that his Wife has a Tomb at Marante upon the Road to Tauris There runs a little River by Naksivan the Water whereof is very good the Spring whereof is not far distant from the Head of the River of Karabagler The Armenians drove a great Trade in Silk formerly in this Town which is now very much abated however there is a Kan which has the Command there All the Country between Erivan and Tauris was wholly destroy'd by Sha-Abas King of Persia and the first of that Name to the end that the Armies of the Turks not meeting with any subsistance might perish of themselves To this purpose he sent all the Inhabitants of Zulfa and the Parts adjoyning into Persia Old and Young Fathers Mothers and Children with which he planted new Colonies in several parts of his Kingdom He sent above 27000 Families of Armenians into Guilan whence the Silks come and where the harshness of the Climate kill'd abundance of those poor People that were accustom'd to a milder Air. The most considerable were sent to Ispahan where the King put them upon the Trade of Silk and lent them Commodities for which they paid upon the return of their Markets which suddenly set the Armenians upon their Feet again These are they that built the City of Zulfa which is only separated from Ispahan by the River of Senderou calling it New Zulfa to distinguish it from the old City which was the Habitation of their Ancestors A third part of the People were dispers'd into other Villages between Ispahan and Sciras But the old People dying the young ones generally turn Mahumetans so that now you can hardly meet with two Christian Armenians in all those fair Plains which their Fathers were sent to manure Among the Ruines of Naksivan appear the Ruines of a great Mosquee which was one of the most stately Buildings in the World which some say was built in memory of Noah's Burying-place As you depart out of the City near to the River that runs by it appears a Tower which is an excellent piece of Architecture It is compos'd of four Duomo's joyn'd together which support a kind of Pyramid that seems to be fram'd of twelve little Towers but toward the middle it changes its figure and lessening like a Spire ends in a Point The Building is all of Brick but as well the out-side as the in-side is over-spread with a kind of Varnish of Parget wrought into Flowers like Emboss'd Work 'T is thought to have been an Edifice set up by Temur-leng when he had Conquer'd Persia. THE PLATFORME OF BAGDAT A League and a half from the chief of these Covents there is a high Mountain separated from all the rest which rises like a Sugar-loaf as doth the Pike of Tenariff At the foot of this Mountain are certain Springs that have the virtue to heal those that are bit by Serpents in so much that Serpents carry'd to that place will dye immediately When the Caravan is ready to set out from Naksivan for Zulfa which is not above a days journey from thence the principal Armenians usually
is another way quite over the Mountain which is the nearer way by a League but 't is very troublesom and toylsom and therefore the less frequented But to return to the High-Road from Naksivan half a League from Naksivan you meet with a River which falls into Anas which is to be cross'd over a Stone-Bridge of 12 Arches though there be but little Water unless it be when the Snow melts or the Rains fall In a Meadow next the Bridge where we lodg'd one time that I travell'd that way there is a Spring of lukewarm Water which will loosen the Bellies of them that drink it At this Bridge it is that the Toll-gatherer comes and takes his Duties when the Caravan stays not at Naksivan You must pay ten Abassi's for every Camel's Loading or nine Livres which is for the securing the Highways These Duties are demanded in many places of Persia without searching the Packs The Governours also in their Provinces are made to answer for every Robbery committed which makes it so safe travelling in Persia that you need not keep with the Caravan unless you will your self From this Bridge to Zulfa is but one days journey which Town being altogether ruin'd shews the reason wherefore the Caravan lodges upon the Bank of the River five hundred Paces on this side Zulfa the ancient Habitation of the Armenians which Sha-Abas carried into Persia is a Town squeez'd between two Mountains through which the Aras runs leaving but little Land on either side It carries no Boats till about two Leagues below for upward it will hardly bear a piece of Timber and in regard the Country grows low and extends it self into Plains there is no fear of Rocks the course of the Stream being very quiet There was a fair Stone-Bridge which Sha-Abas caus'd to be broken down when he wholly destroy'd the Town that it might be no harbour for the Turks Neither by the Ruines nor by its Situation doth it appear to have been a City of any ancient Beauty the Stones were clapt unskilfully together without Morter so that the Houses were more like Caves than Houses The North-West side was most inhabited there being nothing on the other side worth taking notice of The Lands about Zulfa being very fertil there are certain Armenian Families return'd who live very quietly Cogia Nazar one of the chief Armenians that went out of Zulfa growing rich by Trade and being in great reputation with Sha-Abas and Sha-Sefi his Successor who made him Kelomer or Chief Judge of the Armenian Nation built two great Inns for the Honour of his Country in Zulfa upon each side of the River one He spent above an hundred thousand Crowns but dying left two remarkable Pieces of Work unfinish'd Half a League on this side Zulfa before you cross a Torrent that falls into Aras you may take your choice of two ways to go to Tauris The one upon the right hand leading to the South-East which is the ordinary Road the other upon the left hand toward the North-East which we took eight or ten in company together on horseback the last time I went to Ispahan We left the Caravan that takes the great Road and never goes the other way because it is full of Rocks and Stones that spoil the hooss of the Camels However I was willing to see a new Country which I shall describe before I come to the great Road. From the Torrent where we left the Caravan we went forward and lay at a Village not above a League and a half off The next day after we had kept along by the Banks of the Aras for five or six Hours we came to Astabat which lyes a League from the River where we staid above two Days to divert our selves This is but a little City but a very neat one where there are four Inns and every House has its Fountain The great plenty of Water makes the City very fruitful in all things more especially in good Wine This is the only Country in the World that produces the Ronas for which there is a vast utterance all over Persia and India The Ronas is a Root that grows in the Earth like Liquorice and is not much bigger The use of it is to dye Red and this is that Red which gives that beautiful tincture to all the Calicuts that come out of the Mogul's Country Though the Roots which are pull'd out of the Earth are very long yet they cut them into pieces not above as long as a Man's Hand for the better accommodation of Carriage It is a wonderful thing to behold at Ormus whole Caravans laden with this Ronas whith they Ship off from thence to the Indies The Root is full of Juyce and yields a very high Tincture for I remember that an Indian Vessel that was laden with it being cast away in the Road of Ormus where the Bags of Ronas floated the Sea look'd of a red colour for several days Departing from Astabat it behov'd us to provide our selves with Straw and Barley for our Horses understanding that we should meet with none all that days journey From thence we travell'd upon a descent for an hour together to the River Aras which we cross'd in a Boat and all the rest of the day we travel'd through Mountains over Torrents and Stones That Evening we lay upon the Bank of a small Stream The day following after we had travel'd through a spacious Valley for two or three hours we ascended a high Mountain at the top whereof we met with two or three pitiful Houses where we stopt that day The next which was the fifth after we left the Caravan we travel'd upon a descent for two or three hours till we came to a great Village neatly situated where there grows excellent Fruit. There we repos'd for an hour or two and from thence we came to a great Stone-Bridge on a River where there is no Water but when the Rains fall It falls into the Lake Roumi but the Water of the River is so sowr and ill-tasted especially when it is low that it is not to be drunk About a quarter of a League from the Bridge are three long Stones set in the Ground like Pillars the Natives say that they were plac'd there for a Monument in the same place where Darius the Son of Hystaspes was elected King by the cunning of the Gentleman of his Horse from whence to Tauris is but half a League The Mountains of the Medes which we cross'd in this Road and those which run along toward the ancient Parthians are the most fertil in all Persia. They bear Corn and Fruit in abundance for upon the high Mountains there are fair Plains sow'd with Wheat which are extraordinary fertil The Springs which rise there and Rains which fall give a fresher beauty and a higher tast to what grows there more than in any other part of Persia that wants Water and the products of those Fields are of a higher price Now
believe it a Sin to suffer Wine to be publickly drank therein The People come in Pilgrimage from all parts of Persia to the Sepucher of Sha-Sefi which together with the vast Trade of Silk makes Ardevil one of the most considerable Cities of all Persia. There are several other Buildings added to the Mosquee wherein he lyes interr'd the Entry whereof faces the Meydan to which it is joyn'd upon the South-side with a large Portal The Gate is chain'd with Chains fasten'd a-cross with great Rings which if any Criminal Offender can but touch and enter into the first Court he is safe for no person can apprehend him This is a large Court yet more in length than breadth without the Wall whereof that looks upon the Market-place several Shops are built for Merchants and Tradesmen Out of this Court you pass into another which is less and pav'd with broad Stones with a Rivulet running through the middle The Entry into it is through a Door fortifi'd with Iron Chains like the former and is made at a corner of the great Court upon the left hand It brings you presently under a Portico where there are fair Balconies rais'd after the fashion of the Country Those Balconies are full of several People either Pilgrims or persons whose Crimes constrain them thither for Sanctuary In that place you must leave your Stick and your Sword before you go any farther and give something besides to a Moullah who is always attending there with Books In that second Court through which the Rivulet glides on the one side are Baths on the other Granaries for Rice and Corn and upon the left hand at the end of the same Court there is a little Door which brings you to a place where the Royal Alms are distributed to the Poor Morning and Evening being just against the King's Kitchin This Gate is cover'd with Plates of Silver and in the Kitchin there are about thirty Ovens contriv'd in the Wall with as many great Caldrons to dress Pilaw and other Food as well for the Poor as for the Officers of the Mosquee While these Alms are distributing the Master-Cook who commands all the rest sets upon a Chair cover'd with Plates of Silver and sees that every thing be done in order He sees to the measuring out the Rice every day for the Kettles and causes the Victuals to be divided in his own sight For there is an excellent Oeconomy in the King's House At the end of the Portico beyond the first Court there are two Gates one beyond another both cover'd with Plates of Silver between those two Gates on the right hand appears a little Mosquee where are the Tombs of several Persian Princes of the Blood Royal. You must have a great care not to tread upon the Thresholds of the Gates for it is a Crime not to be expiated without a severe Punishment From hence through a little I le you come into the Body of the Church richly hung with Tapestry and set about with high Desks where lye a great many Books wherein the Moullahs or Doctors of the Law read continually having Stipends to Officiate in the Mosquee At the end of the Body of the Mosquee is a little Octagonal Monument like the Choir of a Church in the midst whereof stands the Monument of Sha-Sefi It is only of Wood but curiously carv'd and inlaid It exceeds not the height of a Man of an ordinary stature and seems like a great Chest having four Apples of Gold set up at each corner It is cover'd with a Crimson Satin purfl'd with Gold and all the other Tombs that are by it are cover'd with Silks as rich As well in the Choir as in the Body of the Church there are abundance of Lamps some of Gold some of Silver but the biggest of all is of Silver gilded and vermilion'd and neatly engrav'd There are also six great Branches of a curious sort of Wood cover'd with Silver with great Wax Candles in them which are never lighted but at their great Festivals From the Duomo where stands the Tomb of Sha-Sefi you go under a little Vault which encloses another Monument of another King of Persia whose Name I could not learn It looks like another great Chest curiously wrought and cover'd with Satin The Roof of the Mosquee is adorn'd within with a Painting of Gold and Azure a la Moresque on the outside with a fair Varnish of several Colours like the stately Mosquee at Tauris In the adjacent Parts round about Ardeüil are several Monuments worth a Man's sight being very ancient and some which are ruin'd shew by what remains the care which they took to enrich them with curious Workmanship A quarter of a League from the City stands a Mosquee in which are the Tombs of the Father and Mother of Sha-Sefi It is a fair Structure with Gardens and Courts in one of which there is a very clear Fountain where they keep Fish Ardeüil is not only famous as I have said already for the Royal Sepulchers which are in it and for the Pilgrimages which have been made to it from all parts of Persia but the numerous Caravans of Silk which sometimes consist of eight or nine hundred Camels add very much to its Grandeur For being near to Guilan and Shamaqui from whence those vast quantities of Silk come and for that the Road from both those places to Constantinople and Smyrna lyes through this City there is a continual confluence of Merchants and all sorts of Merchandizes are here to be had as well as at Tauris From Ardeüil to Casbin you travel through a good Country for every three or four Leagues you meet with little Rivers that fall from the Northern Mountains and water the Earth The Caravan is usually five days between Ardeüil and Arion between Arion and Taron two between Taron and Casbin two more Half a League on this side Taron you must cross a great River over a stone Bridge and half a League beyond you come to Kalkal Arion is a little City Taron and Kalkal are two great Towns and there are but these three places in all Persia where there grow any Olives or that they make any Oyl Leaving Kalkal you travel over a Plain for three hours at the end whereof is a Way which you cannot get over in less than four hours The way is so bad that the Horses and Mules can hardly get up but for the Camels they must take the lower Road which is also very tedious and full of Stones which the Torrents tumble down and it is three or four Leagues about When you are up the Country is level and you have not above three Leagues to Casbin Casbin lyes in 87 Degrees and 30 Minutes of Longitude and 36 Degrees and 15 Minutes of Latitude It is a great City the Houses whereof are low and ill built except seven or eight which are next to the King's Gardens It has no Walls and indeed the best half of the City is
in Gardens There are three Inns with Market-places round about one of the three being large and commodious It is inhabited altogether by Mahometans or if there be any Christians they are very few The Soil about Casbin produces Pistaches The Tree that bears them is never bigger than a Walnut-tree of ten or twelve years old The great quantity of Pistaches that are exported out of Persia come from Malavert a little City twelve Leagues from Ispahan toward the East These are the best Pistaches in the World and the Country being of a large extent produces them in such abundance that it furnishes all Persia and the Indies Leaving Casbin you come to a little Village where there is but one Inn and you travel that day six Leagues through Countries fertil enough and well water'd The next day you travel through a good Country and in nine or ten hours you come to Denghé This is a great Village at the foot of a Hill through which there runs a fair River It abounds with excellent both White and Claret Wine where the Travellers take care to replenish their Bottles But generally they never lye here being desirous to go a League farther for a good Inn's sake which makes it a handsom Stage At this Town of Denghé it is where the two Roads from Tauris to Ispahan meet the first through Ardeüil and Casbin I have already describ'd Hither also come the Caravans that go for the Indies through Meshéhed and Candahar and where they leave Ispahan Road to take the left-hand Way which carries them Eastward CHAP. VI. The ordinary Road from Tauris to Ispahan through Zangan Sultanie and other places WE must now return again to the Lake six Leagues beyond Tauris where they that will take the ordinary short way through Zangan and Sultanie leave the left hand way of Ardeüil and Casbin This Lake is usually full of large red Ducks which are very good Meat From thence after twelve or thirteen hours travel in which time you meet with three Inns you come to Karashima a large Town in a deep Valley that seems to be well manur'd There is in it only a small Inn built of Earth the Doors whereof are so low that the People are forc'd to creep upon their knees to get in The next day you come to another large Village call'd Turcoma where the Soil is fertil though it be very cold There are several Caravansera's built like a long Alley cover'd which are only of Earth the Men lying at one end and the Horses at another The next day you travel over an uneven and desert Country and in eight hours time you come to Miana a little City situated in a Marsh where you pay a Toll for Guarding the Highways In this City is one of the fairest Inns in all Persia. Two hours after you leave Miana you must cross a River over a fair Bridge which runs to decay the Arches whereof are hollow within it is built of Brick and Free-stone being near as long as Pont neuf in Paris This Bridge stands almost at the foot of a Mountain call'd Kaplenton Sha-Abas caus'd all the way to be Pav'd because the Land is so fat and sloughy that when it thaws or that the least Rain falls it is impossible for the Caravan to pass Besides there are a sort of Camels in Persia that when it comes to rain in a deep Soil are not able to keep their Legs nay through the weight of the Burthens which they carry their very Quarters will rive from their Shoulders and their Bellies will burst So that before the way was pav'd they were forc'd to spread Carpets in the most slippery ways where those Camels were to pass which must be still done in some places where the Pavement is worn away At the lower part of the descent toward Ispahan upon the knap of a Hill which stands by it self appears an old forsak'n Fortress it is near the Highway and a River which falls into the Caspian Sea after it has cross'd the Province of Guilan where it is cut into several Channels But generally the Corn and Fruits which grow in Persia by the help of Water forc'd into Channels are of little esteem and much cheaper than those that grow in the Provinces whose Fertility is not Artificial Moreover that sort of forc'd Grain will not keep above a Year and if you keep it longer it breeds a Vermin that eats it 'T is the same thing if the Corn be grownd and more than that there breeds a Worm in the Flowr that makes it so bitter that t is impossible to eat it On this side the Mountain Kaplenton appear at a distance two others very high one toward the North call'd Saveland another toward the South call'd Seharâ—â—â— there is a third which cannot be seen in Ispahan-Road being too far out of the way near the City of Hamadan These three Mountains are full of Springs from whence most of the Streams do fall that water Persia And the Persians do say that formerly there were many more of these Springs but that about a hundred Years ago several of them have been dry'd up or otherwise no body can tell what is become of them There are several Villages near the Mountain that pay nothing to the King but are oblig'd to send him a certain quantity of Rice and Butter for the use of the Mosquee at Ardeüil They have also one great Priviledge That if a Man commits a Murther and flyes to any of these Villages he cannot be apprehended nor can the King himself punish him Leaving the River that runs at the foot of the Mountain Kaplenton you come to a fair Inn call'd Tshamalava built some years ago and for thirteen hours after travelling over a very barren Country you meet with another Inn which is call'd Sartcham standing in a very desert place which makes the Raders that lye there to secure the Highways very insolent finding themselves so far from any Towns or Villages From Sartcham you come to a River by the Banks whereof you travel a good while till you come to an Inn which is call'd Digbé near a large Village The Structure is very handsom the lower part being of Free-stone undulated with red and white and very hard The next day you travel a very uneven Country till you fall into a deep Valley at the end whereof you meet with Zangan a great Town and ill built However it has a very fair Inn which when I went last to Ispahan was so full that I had like to have lain abroad in the Rain but for the Courtesie of two Armenians From Zangan you go to an Inn where you must pay the Duties due to the Kan of Sultanie Sultanie is a very large City which you leave half a Mile from the Road near to a Mountain Formerly it had in it very beautiful Mosquees as may be easily conjectur'd by the Ruines that remain Many Christian Churches also were converted into Mosquees and if
you will beleive the Armenians they will tell you that there were in Sultanie near eight hundred Churches and Chappels Three Leagues from Sultanie stands an Inn and a League farther a great Town call'd Ija where there is another very commodious Inn and most excellent Wine From thence you go to Habar an ancient City and of a large extent but very much ruin'd inhabited by Armenians for the most part Here for the good Wines sake the Travellers stay to recruit their Bottles From Habar after seven hours travel you come to a Village call'd Partin From Zangan to Partin you reach in two days It stands in a fertil Plain where there are several other Villages It is not above three Leagues broad being enclos'd on each side to the East and West with a row of high Mountains Having pass'd this Plain you come to a barren Country and ill inhabited which lasts all the day till you come to Sexava You pass by the Ruines of a Village where there are but two Houses standing with the Tower of a Mosquee which is very high and slender Then you come to a Mud-wall'd-Inn built some few years since and near to that a Castle call'd Khiara upon the peek of a Hill but very ill built Sexava is a little City in a Soil that bears excellent Nuts The Inns that are there being built of Earth and being but little are very handsom and convenient their number supplying the defect of their smalness From Sexava after seven hours travel you come to a great Inn call'd Idgioup which was formerly a nobler place than now it is standing alone in a Field Three Leagues from thence you meet with another spacious Inn call'd Cochkeria and four hours farther you come to the Inn Denghé where the two Roads meet which I spake of in the foregoing Chapter From Denghé to Kom are three days journey over a barren dry and desert Country where there is no Water but Cistem-water except in some very few places where it is very good Four Leagues from Denghé is a fair Inn and three Leagues farther stands another about a Mile from a Village to the South where there grows excellent good Wine white and red From this last Inn to Sava is not above three hours travel with the Caravan Sava is a good City in a fertil Plain where there are several Villages The greatest Trade of the Town is in little grey Lamb-skins the curl whereof is very neat of which they make Furrs Two or three Leagues beyond Sava the Country is very well manur'd and after you have forded a River half a League from the City after two hours travel you come to one of the fairest Inns in all Persia which was finish'd when I went last to Ispahan From thence to Kom it is about seven or eight hours journey through a dry and sandy Road but half a League on this side Kom the Land is very good and fruitful Kom is one of the great Cities of Persia in a fat Country abounding in Rice There grow also excellent Fruits particularly large and excellent Granates The Walls are only of Earth with little Towers close one to another and the Houses being only of Earth are never the handsomer within-side At the entry into the Town you must cross a River over a stone Bridge and then turning to the right hand over a fair Key you come to an Inn very well built and very convenient That which is most remarkable in Kom is a large Mosquee no less in veneration among the Persians than the Mosquee of Ardeüil There it is that you may see the Sepulchers of Sha-Sefi and Sha-Abas the Second as also the Tomb of Sidi-Fatima the Daughter of Iman-Hoven who was the Son of Haly and Fatima-Zuhra the Daughter of Mahomet The great Gate of the Mosquee answers to a Piazza more long than broad where stands an Inn and certain Shops which without-side are somewhat beautiful One of the sides of the Piazza is clos'd up with a low Wall over which appears the Shore and a River which you cross at the end of the Piazza Over the great Portal of the Mosquee stands an Inscription in Letters of Gold in the Praise of Sha-Abas the Second The first place that you enter into is a Court of more length than breadth which may be term'd a Garden in regard that on each side of the Alley in the middle which is pav'd there are several square Beds of Flowers yellow Jasmin and other Plants which are rail'd in by a Rail that runs all the length of the Alley on each side It is not an easie thing for the Christians to get in to this Court especially such whose Habits and Aspect they do not like But as I cloth'd and carry'd my self I never was deny'd entrance into any place either in Persia or India In this first Court on the left hand as you enter are little Chambers where they that receive the Alms which by the Foundation of the Mosquee are to be distributed every day come and eat their proportion and then go their ways Those Chambers serve as an Asylum to those that cannot pay their Debts as at the Mosquee of Ardeüil Neither are these Priviledg'd places like ours where they that retire must live at their own Charge For in Persia they are fed at the Expence of the Mosquee and being in that manner freed from Care their Friends more easily bring their Creditors to Composition Out of the first Court you pass into a second which is larger and all pav'd and from that into a third which is square and rais'd like a Terrass You enter into it through a large Gate at the end of an open Passage where stand the Lodgings of the Moullah's Out of that Court by an ascent of Brickwork of ten or twelve Steps you enter into a fair Court which is also rais'd like a Terrass in the midst whereof is a fair Fountain It is continually fill'd by little Pipes of Water which run into it and is empty'd by others that carry the Water into several parts of the whole Enclosure There are some Buildings in this Court but one of the sides of it is taken up with the Front of the Mosquee which is no displeasing Structure There are three large Gates belong to it very well expanded according to the mode of the Country with a Brick-wall before about the height of a Man with Holes in it for Light made like a Lozange The Threshold of the middle Gate is cover'd with a plate of Silver and between these three Gates and that of the Duomo are several Doctors that hold Books in their hands and read perpetually This Mosquee is Octagonal and at every angle is a small wooden Door of Walnut-tree varnish'd with grey and yellow The Tomb of Sidi-Fatima is at the farther part of the Mosquee there being only room for one Man to pass between the Wall and the Tomb. It is encompass'd with a large Silver Grate sixteen
were generally more than in any other Port. But the Captains who rejected his Proposition of fighting against the Venetians believing that he would put some force upon them suddenly hois'd Sail and got away it being at a time when he could not keep them in having no Castle then built to command them The Grand Visier nettl'd at the refusal of the Captains as an affront done to his Master and to see that the Ships could come in and go out without any let or molestation bethought himself to the end he might keep them for the future under subjection of building a Fort upon the Gulf in such a part where the Vessels must necessarily touch where now there lye great Cannons level with the Water which no Vessel can escape Ever since the Convoys will not come to Smyrna as they were wont to do but lye out at Sea out of the reach of the Fort. Near to the Sea are yet to be seen some Remains of a Church two sides whereof seem to have been distinguish'd into Chappels by little Walls which are yet standing But the Natives doubt whether they be the Ruines of a Church dedicated to St. Polycarp or of an ancient Temple of Janus Smyrna has been oftentimes ruin'd either by the Wars or by the Earthquakes which often happen there One time that I staid there there happen'd one which did not last long but was very terrible About sixty Paces from the Sea are to be discern'd the Ruines of great Walls two Foot under Water and at the end of the City that looks toward the Winter-West near to the Sea appear the Ruines of a Mole and certain ancient Magazins The English Merchants have dig'd among the Ruines of Smyrna and have found great store of fair Statues which they transported into their own Country There are still found some or other every day but when the Turks find any they disfigure them presently It may be conjectur'd that there was one of a prodigious bigness by a great Toe broken off of some one and for which I paid sufficiently out of the desire I had to buy it I sent it to Paris to a Person of Quality who look'd upon it as a great Curiosity This Toe was of a hard white Stone and well shap'd and by the proportion whereof the Figure could not be judg'd to be less than the Colossus of Rhodes Upon that side of the City where the Mole was stands an old Castle of no defence at the foot whereof the Sea makes a small Creek where sometimes the Gallies of the Grand Signor lye The City is well peopl'd containing no less than fourscore and ten thousand Souls There are reckon'd no less than 60000 Turks 15000 Greeks 8000 Armenians and about six or seven thousand Jews As for the European Christians that Trade there their number is very small Every one of these Nations has the exercise of their Religion free to themselves The Turks have in Smyrna fifteen Mosquees the Jews seven Synagogues the Armenians but one Church the Greeks two and the Latins three There are also French Jesuits and Italian Observantins or a sort of Grey Franciscans The Turks the Greeks the Armenians and Jews live upon the Hill but all the lower part toward the Sea is inhabited only by the European Christians English French Hollanders and Italians The Greeks have also in the same Quarter an old Church and some few small Houses where Sea-men make merry All these different People of Europe are generally known in Smyrna by the Name of Franks Every Nation has its Consul and the French Consul has two Vice-Consuls under him the one at Scalanova the other at Chio. Scalanova or the New Port is two Leagues beyond Ephesus and being a good Haven the Vessels were wont to unlade there but the Turks would not permit it any longer For that Place being the Dowry of the Grand Signor's Mother the Vice-Consul agreed with the Governour of Scalanova who permitted the Transportation of Goods to Smyrna which is not above three little days journey with the Caravan A thing that spoil'd the Trade of the City and injur'd the Officers of the Custom-House Whereupon they Petition'd the Grand Signor that no more Goods might be unladed at Scalanova so that now no more Vessels go thither unless it be to take in fresh Victuals Chio is one of the greatest Ilands in the Archipelago of which in another place but the Vice-Consul that lives there has no more business there than the other at Scalanova for the Vessels that touch there neither unlade nor export any Goods from thence The Quarter of the Franks is only a long Street one side whereof lyes upon the Sea and as well for the Prospect as for the convenience of Unlading Goods the Houses upon the Sea are much dearer than those that lye upon the Hill The Soil about Smyrna is fertil and abounds in all things necessary for humane support but particularly in good Oyl and good Wine There are Salt-Pits also half a League from the City toward the North. The Sea affords great store of good Fish Fowl is very cheap and in a word Smyrna is a place of great plenty There is a lovely Walk all along the Sea to the Salt-Pits where generally abundance of People walk in the Summer-time to take the fresh Air and there being more liberty at Smyrna than in any other part of Turkie there is no necessity of taking a Janisary along when a man goes abroad If a man loves Fowling it is but taking a Boat which lands him two or three Leagues from the City toward the Mountains where there is so much Game that he can never return empty For the value of three Sous you may buy a red Partridge at Smyrna and all other Fowl is proportionably cheap But if Smyrna have these great advantages it has also its inconveniences the Heats are very excessive in Summer and indeed they would be insupportable were it not for the Breezes that come off the Sea these Breezes rise about ten in the Morning and continue till the Evening but if they fail t is very bad for the Inhabitants Besides there hardly passes a Year but the City is infested with the Plague which however is not so violent as in Christendom The Turks neither fear it nor flie it believing altogether in Predestination Yet I believe if the Inhabitants of Smyrna would take care to drain away the standing Puddles that gather in the Winter about the City they would not be so frequently molested with the Plague as they are It is most rife in May June and July but the malignant Fevers that succeed it in September and October are more to be fear'd more People dying of them than of the Pestilence In all my Travels I never was in Smyrna at these unfortunate Seasons There is no Basha in that City it being govern'd only by a Cady who is not so severe to the Christians as in other places For should he
abuse his Office Constantinople is at hand where you may complain to the Mufti and have relief who for some good Present may be easily perswaded to depose the Cady as being glad of the opportunity to displace him and to put another in his room The Customs of Smyrna yield a great Revenue to the Grand Signor being paid there very exactly But were there a certain Rate put upon Commodities the Merchants who would otherwise be losers would not study so many ways as they do to deceive the Customers For those Customers lay what Price they please upon Commodities valuing that at a thousand Crowns which perhaps is not worth three hundred being absolute Masters of the Rate In my last Voyage to Smyrna four Dutch Women that went thither in our Ship from their own Country carry'd a-shoar under their Coats whatever I had of rich Merchandize for the Turks have such a respect for that Sex that they will not so much as offer to search them If a man be tak'n in stealing Customs there is no other punishment than to pay double The Trade of Smyrna is very great and the principal Merchandizes which the Franks transport from thence are raw Silk which the Armenians bring out of Persia Chamlet-yarn and Chamlet or Goats-hair which come from a little City call'd Angouri fifteen or sixteen days journey from Smyrna Cotton twisted Skins and Cordovans of several colours Calicuts white and blew great quantities of Wool for Mattresses Tap'stries quilted Coverlets Soap Rhubarb Galls Valanede Scammony and Opium which four last Commodities are to be had in the Countries near to Smyrna but not in great quantities The Caravans come generally to this Town in the Months of February June and October and depart again to the Countries from whence they came the same Months Ephesus not being above a day and a halfs journey from Smyrna on Horse-back I took an opportunity to go thither There were twelve of us that joyn'd together Franks and Hollanders who took three Janisaries along with us and three Horses to carry our Provision We travel'd this little Journey in the Summer and setting out of Smyrna about three of the Clock in the Afternoon we rode through a Country part Plains and part Hills till we came to a great Viliage where we sup'd After we had staid there three hours we took Horse and travel'd till Midnight to avoid the Heats By the way we met with nine or ten Arches very narrow which we could not conjecture to be any thing else than the Ruines of some Aqueduct From thence to Ephesus the way is very pleasant through little Thickets watred with Rivulets A quarter of a League from Ephesus you meet with another Mosquee which was formerly a Christian Church built out of the Ruines of the Temple of Ephesus This Mosquee stands enclos'd with Walls and you must ascend up to it by two Ascents of twelve Steps a-piece which bring you to a large Passage From thence you enter into a large Cloyster the Arches whereof are sustain'd with Marble Pillars of several colours delicately wrought and the lower part of the Gallery which runs along three of the sides that consists of great Squares of Stone The Mosquee takes up the fourth side upon the left hand the Gate being in the middle The Mosquee it self is a wide Arch supported by five Columns all of most exquisite Work There are four of Marble and every one of a different Colour but the fifth is a most rare piece being of Porphyry and the bigness of it makes it so much the more to be admir'd Ephesus does not look like a City being so absolutely ruin'd that there is not a House standing It was built upon the descent of a Hill in a situation not much unlike that of Smyrna at the foot whereof runs a Rivulet after it has made a thousand Maeanders in the Meadows The City seems to have been very large for you may discern upon the top of the Gates the compass of the Walls with several square Towers some of which are still standing and there is one very remarkable having two Chambers in it one of which is a very fair one the Walls and Pavement whereof are Marble The famous Temple of Diana stood at the bottom of the Hill near one of the Gates of the City There remains nothing of it at present but the great Portal which is entire The Vaults of the Arches under ground stand to this day and are very large but all full of nastiness We went in with Lanthorns and though you must creep to get in by reason that the Wind has almost stopt up the Hole by gathering the Dust about it yet when you are in you may go upright for the Arches are high and fair and little the worse Near the Gate lye four or five Columns upon the Ground and near to that a Fountain ten Foot in Diameter and two deep The People of the Country report that it was the Fountain wherein St. John Baptiz'd the Christians For my part as I have seen in the Indies several Pagods and Edifices much more beautiful than ever the Temple of Ephesus could be I believe it rather to have been a Basin wherein the People put their Offerings of which there are several such that belong to the Indian Pagods The Greeks and Armemenians but above all the Franks when they go to Ephesus always endeavour to break off some piece of that Basin to carry it away with 'em as a Relick but the Stone is so hard that they can break off but very little at a time Not far from the Temple appears another Gate of the City over which there lyes a great Stone seven or eight Foot square with an emboss'd Figure of Q. Curtius that Famous Roman who threw himself Horse and Arms into the gaping Earth for the good of his Country Many Merchants have offer'd Money for liberty to carry it away but cannot obtain leave About five hundred Paces from Ephesus is the Grotto which they call the Seven Sleepers at the bottom of the same Hill where the City was built From Ephesus we went to Scalanova which is not above two Leagues off By that time you come half the way the little River that runs by Ephesus falls into the Sea in the mouth whereof there are always a great number of Greek Barks fishing for Sturgeon Of the Spawn of this Fish they make Gaveare and drive a great Trade in it in those Parts then they take the most delicate and smallest Entrails of that Fish which they fill with the same Spawn of which they make a kind of a flat Pudding as long as a Bisket which they call Botargo This they dry in the Smoak and cut it afterwards in slices to eat Upon this and the Cuttle-fish the Greeks generally feed during their Lent which is very austere Scalanova is a Port of which I have already spoken and thither we came by seven a Clock in the Evening where the
no Water but what is drawn out of three deep Wells for which reason the place is call'd Euche-derin-giu The eighteenth we travel'd not above five hours through desert Countries and took up our Stage in a kind of a Bog near a pitiful Village The nineteenth after we had travel'd eight hours through spacious desert Plains we pass'd through a large Village the Inhabitants whereof were gone with their Cattel into the Mountains for the cool Air during the Summer time according to custom There is an indifferent handsom Mosquee of Free-stone and indeed the Village the Name whereof the People told me was Tshaciclou has been much bigger than now it is as may appear by the Ruines In two hours after we came to lodge beyond it in a Meadow near a Rivulet The twentieth we cross'd over desert Plains but which seem'd to have been formerly well manur'd and after ten hours travel we stop'd in a Bottom near a bad Water The twenty-first for ten hours the Country was all barren and desert and we came to lodge at the end of a long Plain near two Wells the Water whereof was good for nothing The twenty-second we travel'd through the fore-mention'd Plain and met with little Valleys where there was very good Pasturage The Caravan stop'd near to a pitiful Village and a nasty Well The twenty-third we travel'd not above five hours because it was the time of the Turks Beiram or Easter which our Caravan consisting of Turks would needs solemnize That day we travel'd through an indifferent good Country and well till'd where we discover'd several fair Villages and we lodg'd upon a rising Ground from whence we had a very fair and far distant Prospect The twenty-fourth we travel'd six hours and came to lodge in a Meadow where the Water was bad Near to that place we discover'd a Plain that extends it self eight or ten Leagues in length though it be not above one or two in bredth it seem'd like a Lake and indeed it is only a salt Water congeal'd and thickn'd into Salt which you can hardly dissolve but in fair Water This Lake furnishes almost all Natolia with Salt where you may buy a Wagon-load drawn by two Bufalo's for 45 Sous It is call'd Deuslag or The Place for Salt and the Basha of Coushahar about two days journey from it gets by it 24000 Crowns a Year Sultan Amurath caus'd a Dike to be cut quite thorough it when his Army march'd to the Siege of Bagdat which he took from the Persian The twenty-fifth we travel'd nine or ten hours and met not with one Village the Country being all desert We lodg'd upon a rising Ground near a good Fountain call'd Cara-dache-cesmé or The Fountain of the Black Stone The twenty-sixth we pass'd through a great Village call'd Tshekenagar in a pleasant situation but very ill built and after we had travel'd eight hours we came to lodge in a delightful Meadow near another Village call'd Romcouché The twenty-seventh we travel'd nine hours through Countries full of Licorice and having pass'd a great Town call'd Beserguenlou we lodg'd in a Meadow The twenty-eighth we cross'd a great River call'd Jechil-irma over a long well built stone Bridge At the end of the Bridge call'd Kessré-kupri stands a great Village wherein the greatest part of the Houses are built under Ground like Foxes Holes We put on farther and after seven hours travel we lodg'd below another great Village call'd Mouchiour where there are abundance of Greeks which they constrain ever and anon to turn Turks The Country being inhabited by Christians and fit for the Plantation of Vines there is Wine good store and very good but it has the scent of the Wines of Anjou The Village is well situated but ill built most of the Houses being under Ground in so much that one of the Company riding carelesly had like to have faln into a House The twenty-ninth we rode for seven hours through a pleasant Country where we saw several Villages near to one of which the Caravan lodg'd in a Meadow close by a Fountain The thirtieth we rode through a flat Country well manur'd and stop'd near a River wherein there was but very little Water it is call'd Cara-sou or The Black River For two or three days together at every two Leagues distance we observ'd little Hillocks of Earth artificially rear'd which they told us were rais'd during the the Wars of the Greeks to build Forts upon for Watch-Towers The thirty-first we travel'd a very uneven Country but abounding in Wheat and after we had travel'd nine hours we lodg'd in a Meadow near a River which we cross'd next Morning before day over a stone Bridge The thirty-second after we had travel'd eight hours we lodg'd by a River where we saw a great number of Turcomans They are a People that live in Tents like the Arabians and they were then leaving that Country to go to another having their luggage in Wagons drawn by Bufalo's The thirty-second we met again with Mountains and Woods which we had not seen in 18 days before which had constrain'd us to carry Wood upon our Camels to dress our Provision We were very sparing of it and sometimes made use of dry'd Cows dung or Camels dung when we came near the Waters where they were wont to drink We travel'd eight hours that day and lodg'd in a Meadow where the Grass was very high yet where there had been Houses formerly standing The thirty-fourth we forded a deep and rapid River call'd Jangou from the Name of the Town next to it A little above the place where we forded it we saw a ruin'd Bridge which had been built over it The thirty-fifth we travel'd eight hours through a fair Valley well manur'd and upon the left hand we left a Castle rais'd upon a Rock The Caravan lay that night upon a rising Ground near a Village The thirty-sixth we travel'd through the same Valley for eight or nine hours longer in this Valley were several pleasant Villages but we lay by a small River The thirty-seventh we travel'd six hours among the Mountains where there are some very narrow Passages but store of Water and we lay in a Vale abounding in Pasturage The thirty-eighth we rode for four or five hours over a rugged Mountain in craggy way at the foot whereof we met with a Village call'd Taquibac from whence it is but five Leagues to Tocat And these are all the Roads from Paris to Ispahan through the Northern Territories of Turkie CHAP. VIII How the Author was robb'd near Tocat and of a certain sort of rare and fine Wool which he first brought into France TAquibac is the place where the Persian Caravan uses to meet when it departs from Tocat to Smyrna and this is the only place in all the Road where a Traveller ought to stand upon his guard by reason of Thieves who haunt these Quarters and are great Masters in their Trade Once as I came out of Persia they
would needs give me a tast of their Art notwithstanding all the care I took There were three or four of us that would needs ride before with our Servants to Taquibac in expectation of the Caravan which was to come the next day where we set up our Tents upon the Bank of a small River I had then a good many Bales of Wool with which I made as it were a double Wall about my Tent so that there was but one passage between the Bales for one Man In four of these Bales I had a quantity of Musk in lead'n Boxes to the value of ten or twelve thousand Crowns which Bales I put within-side so that they touch'd the Tent and my Beds-head Next Night it being very dark the Thieves came and finding the outward Bales smell so strong of Musk they thought one of those Bales would be a considerable Booty The Bales were all ty'd together with a Cord that kept them fast nor was it easie to undo them without a noise They wak'd me with their bustle at first and I sent out my Servants to see if they could catch them but they will lye so close upon their Bellies that in such a dark Night as that was t is impossible to discover them Thereupon my Servants went to sleep again and the Thieves to their work and having with a great deal of ingenuity cut the Cord they carried away the two Bales In the Morning four or five of us with a Camel-driver for our Guide pursu'd them and in half an hour we met with the marks of the Robbery for the Rogues being mad that they found nothing but Wool which they thought to be of no great value scatter'd it in the High-way for two or three Leagues together so that I caus'd it to be pickt up again and lost not above fifteen or twenty Pound I speak this to caution the Merchants that carry Bales of Silk or other rich Commodities to beware of these Thieves for they will come creeping upon their Bellies and then cutting the Bales with great Razors will presently empty a Bale of one half of the Goods 'T is true the Wool was of no great value for their use but it was a sort of rare and very fine Wool which I carry'd out of Persia to Paris where such fine Wool was never seen As to the place where it is to be had I met with one of the Gaures or Persians that adore the Fire who when I was at Ispahan in the year 1647 shew'd me a Sample of it and inform'd me that the greatest part of this Wool comes from the Province of Kerman which is the ancient Caramania and that the best Wool is to be met with in the Mountains that are next to the City that bears the name of the Province That the Sheep in those Parts have this particular property that when they have fed upon new Grass from January till May the Fleece falls off of it self and leaves the Sheep naked and their Skins smooth like a Pig 's that is scalded off so that there is no need of shearing them as with us after they have gather'd it they beat it and the course Wool breaking the fine only remains That if you transport it before you make it into Bales you must throw Salt-water upon it which keeps the Worms out of it and preserves it from rotting Now you must take notice that they never dye this Wool it being naturally of a clear Brown or a dark Ash-colour and that there is very little of it White which is also much dearer than the other as well for that it is scarce as because that the Mufti 's the Moullah's and other persons belonging to the Law never wear any Girdles or Vails wherewith they cover their Heads when they pray but White for at other times they wear them about their Necks as the Women do their Scarfs Into this Province of Kerman almost all the Gaures are retir'd and they are they that only Trade in this Wool and have the whole Manufacture of it They make those Girdles of it which they use in Persia and some Pieces of Serge which are almost as fine and transparent as if they were of Silk I brought over two Pieces into France and presented one to the late Queen Mother the other to the Princess of Orleance I could not drive any Trade in this Wool till the year 1654 returning out of the Indies by Sea from Surat to Ormus To which purpose I departed from Ormus and took Guides along with me to shew me the way to Kerman whither I could not get on Horseback in less than twenty-seven days I dare say that Alexander the Great did not march this way into the Indies for in the whole extent of the the Country there is no Water to be met with but in some certain places and in the hollow of some Rocks where there is not enough neither to water eight or ten Horses Besides in some places a man is constrain'd by reason of the Mountains to fetch a great compass about for a Foot-man that makes his way through those Rocks shall go farther in half an hour than a Horse-man can do in four Kerman is a large City which has been often ruin'd by being several times taken and re-taken nor is there any thing handsom in it but only one House and a Garden upon which the last Kans have bestow'd a vast expence to make the place delightful They make there a sort of Earthen-ware which comes very near to Porcelan and looks as neat and as fine As soon as I arriv'd I went to visit the Kan who made me very welcom and gave order to the Gaures to furnish me with Bread and Wine Pullets and Pigeons which in those parts are fat and as large as little Capons The Gaures are they that make the Wine and to make it more sweet and pleasant they take away the Stalks and never press any thing but the meer Grape The Kan was but newly entred into the possession of his Government and being desirous according to the custom of the new Governours to have a noble Sword and Dagger with a rich Furniture for his Horse which requir'd some Jewels I presented him with a Diamond worth eight hundred Crowns which he caus'd to be set in the end of the handle of his Dagger He also desir'd to have of me as many more Jewels as came to seven or eight hundred Livres and by the Present and the Bargain I facilitated my purchase of the Wool which I intended to buy Two days after he invited me to his Entry-Feast which he made for the chief of the City and knowing I wanted a Mule he sent me one well worth a hundred Crowns This is the Noblest Carriage in all Persia which the great Personages choose before Horses especially when they are in years But it was not the Kan alone who was civil to me A young Lord who liv'd in Kerman and was at the
Feast whose Father had been formerly Kan himself took great delight to discourse with me concerning my Travels and offer'd me his service in a very obliging manner Now the Persians are very curious and great admirers of the Rarities of Forein Countries which inclination led the young Lord to enquire of me whether I had any Fire-Arms telling me he would content me for them to my satisfaction The next Morning I presented him with a Carbine and a pair of Pistols that pleas'd him exceedingly and a little Watch for which I would take no Money whereat he seem'd to be not a little troubl'd However he sent me a stately Horse worth about two hundred Crowns or twelve Tomans This young Lord was of a clear humour civil accomplish'd generous and did every thing with a good grace So that when he sent me the Horse he sent to entreat me withal if I did not like that Horse to come and choose which I lik'd best in his Stable By the favour of this Lord and the Kan I made good the Purchase that I intended For the People began to murmur knowing what a Parcel I had got together and told the Kan that I would carry away all the Cloth out of the Country so that they should have none to set the Poor on work Thereupon the Kan sent for me and for those reasons told me I must buy no more To send off the blow I made answer That it was the King of Persia's desire to try if we could make as fine Cloth of his Wool in France as they did in England and Holland and that if it succeeded I should bring French Workmen into Persia and so by setling the Trade in his own Country free him from the Charge of forein Manufactures This silenc'd the Kan so that I still bargain'd for more But when I was return'd to Ispahan the People of the Country would not keep touch with me However I wrote so home to the Kan threatning withal to complain to the King that he fearing the King's displeasure forc'd the Natives to send me my Bargain to Ispahan CHAP. IX Of the Road from Kerman to Ispahan and the Fortune of Nazar Mahomet-Ali-Beg FRom Kerman to Ispahan is no less than five and twenty days on Horseback In those places where there is any Water the Country is very good but those places are very rare for the Road is generally Sandy and offensive to the Eyes The chiefest comfort to a Traveller is that every Evening he meets with an Inn where there are Cisterns which is a great refreshment in those desert Countries The most part of those Inns were built some Years since by the special care of Mahomet-Ali-Beg Nazar or Grand Master of the King's House and Treasury a Person the most Virtuous of any that Persia can boast of for many Years He was Generous and favour'd the Franks in all things for he lov'd them exceedingly He faithfully serv'd his King and defended the People against the Oppression and Insolencies of the Great ones which drew upon him the hatred of many but still he preserv'd himself by his sincerity and prudence as by the following Story will remarkably appear The Great Sha-Abas the First being one day a Hunting in the Mountains far out of sight from his followers met a young Lad playing upon a Pipe by an Herd of Goats The King asking him some Questions he answer'd him to the purpose to every one not knowing who he was The King surpriz'd at his Reparti's made a sign to Iman-couli-Kan Governour of Schiras who was just come up to him not to tell the Goat-herd who he was After that he proceeded to ask him other Questions to which the young Man answer'd so smartly that the King could not choose but stand in an amaze Thereupon the King ask'd the Kan what he thought of the Goat-herds Wit Who answer'd that he believ'd if the Boy were taught to Write and Read he might do good service to his Majesty Upon that the King immediately caus'd him to be sent to School where the young Lad being naturally of a solid Wit clear Judgment and happy Memory grew so accomplish'd and so well acquitted himself of several Employments which his Majesty bestow'd upon him that the King advanc'd him to the Office of Nazar or Grand Master of the House and did him the Honour to call him Mahomet-Ali-Beg The King observing his fidelity and good management of all things sent him twice Ambassador to the Great Mogul and both times was extremely pleas'd with his Negotiation Mahomet lov'd Justice and would not stoop to be corrupted by Presents A thing which is very rare among the Mahometans This great Integrity of his made all the Lords of the Court his Enemies especially the Eunuchs and the Women who have always the King's Ear. But while Sha-Abas liv'd there was no person that durst open his lips against the Nazar so much was he in favour and that justly with the King Sha-Sefi succeeding his Grandfather Sha-Abas and being very young the Nazar's Adversaries thought they had now a fair Game to play Thereupon the Eunuchs who are always at the King's Ear suggested to him many things to the disadvantage of the Grand Master but whatever they said the King gave little heed to their Tales At length one day when the King was looking upon certain Skains and Daggers set with precious Stones one of the Eunuchs told him those were trifles and then desir'd his Majesty to send for a Scimitar that the Grand Signor had sent Sha-Abas all over set with Diamonds True it is that the Grand Signor had sent a rich Scimitar to Sha-Abas but Sha-Abas had defac'd it long before Mahomet's time and had made a noble Jewel of the Stones that adorn'd it Thereupon this Scimitar was sought for in the Treasury where Mahomet was chief Officer but not being to be found the King was troubl'd finding it registred in the Book of Presents Then certain Eunuchs and Grandees of the Court took their opportunity to rip up Mahomet's Life they represented to the King how many Inns Bridges and Dikes Mahomet had built at his own charge what a House he had rear'd for himself fitting for his Majesty to live in and aggravated withal that he could not do such great things as those without purloining notably from the Publick Stock for which he should do well to call him to an account As they were thus discoursing Mahomet came into the Presence to whom the King not receiving him as he was wont to do spoke some hard words about the Scimitar that could not be found telling him withal that he would see if all the rest of the things in the Treasury were agreeable to the Register and then gave him fifteen days time to give in his Account Mahomet not at all mov'd reply'd to the King that if his Majesty pleas'd he might come to the Treasury to morrow and withal besought him so to do though the King a second time
the spot Nor is there any other way to bring those Scoundrels to reason especially at Smyrna and such other places where the Merchants have their Consuls who upon the least complaint to the Cady have Justice done them immediately The examples of some of these Camel-drivers that have been paid off keep the rest in good decorum and they will be very tractable for a good while after The Journies of the Caravans are not equal sometimes not above six hours travel sometimes ten and sometimes twelve it being the convenience of Water which is not every where to be met with that is the Rule of Lodging the Caravan At all times the Caravan travels more by night than by day in Summer to avoid the heat and at other times that you may be sure to have day enough to set up your Tents For if the Caravan should come to pitch in the night it would be impossible for them to find where to set up their Tents to dress and look after their Beasts make ready their Kitchins and provide things necessary for so large a Company True it is that in the depth of Winter and in the great Snows they seldom set out till two or three hours after midnight and that sometimes they stay till day-break But in Summer according to the Journey which they intend they set out either at midnight or an hour after Sun-set The last time I went from Smyrna the Caravan consisted of six hundred Camels and almost the same number of Horse Sometimes their number is greater so that the Camels going but by one and one after another a Caravan seems to be an Army and whether it be in travelling or lodging they take up a world of Ground Now by reason they travel all night in Asia it happens that the Air is indifferent wholsom and that the Travellers that lye for the most part upon a Carpet spread upon the Ground find themselves very little inconvenienc'd by it The Camels that go into Persia through the Northern Provinces of Turkie travel like Horses in a Cart by seven and seven they are ty'd together by a Cord about the bigness of a Man's little Finger and a Fathom long fasten'd to the Pack-faddle of the Camel that goes before and to the Head-harness of the Camel that follows Those little Cords are made no stronger to the end that if the Camel before should chance to fall into any hole the Camel behind should either keep him up or else not be pull'd in after the other And to the end that the Camel-driver who leads the foremost may know whether the other six follow him or no the last Camel has a Bell about his Neck which if it cease to ring 't is a sign that some one of the small Cords is broken and that a Camel has got a mischance The seventh Camel generally carries the Provisions For if a Merchant have six Camels laden he is generally allow'd one to carry his Provision if he have but three he is allow'd but half a Camel's load but if he have nine or twelve he pays nothing for the carriage of his Provisions of Food or any thing else that he pleases Every Merchant with his Servants rides by the Camels that are laden with his Goods especially in the dark nights for there are a subtil sort of Thieves that have a trick to cut the two Cords behind and before and without any noise drive the Camel out of the way for having no Hoofs his Feet cannot be shod and consequently he makes no noise As well Merchants as others Camel-drivers and Servants keep themselves from sleeping sometimes by singing and sometimes by taking Tobacco and sometimes by discourse The Caravan lyes in such places as they think most convenient chiefly near to the Water-side When the Sun is set the Shaoux who are a sort of poor people are diligent to guard the whole Field and take care of the Goods They walk up and down and either in the Arabian or Armenian Dialect they cry one to another God is one and he is merciful adding from time to time Have a care of your self When they see that the time grows near to set out they give notice to the Caravan-Bashi who gives order to bid them cry Saddle your Horses and after that to cry again Load And it is a strange thing to consider that upon the second Cry of the Shaoux every thing is ready upon an instant and the Caravan begins to set forward in great order and great silence Every one takes care to be ready for it is dangerous to be left behind especially in those Countries which are haunted with Thieves The Wages of these Shaoux is the fourth part of a Piaster for a Bale from Smyrna to Erivan When the Stages are long and that they believe that they shall not get thither by ten or twelve in the morning every one carries two small Wallets on each side his Horse and when they come to the place where they intend to Break-fast they spread a Carpet upon the Ground and fall to When you go from Constantinople Smyrna or Aleppo with the Caravan it be hoves all people to carry themselves according to the mode of the Country in Turkie like a Turk in Persia as a Persian else would they be accounted ridiculous nay sometimes they would hardly be permitted to pass in some places where the least miscarriage makes the Governours jealous who are easily perswaded to take Strangers for Spies Always if you have upon the Road but an Arabian Vest with a mean Girdle whatever Clothes you wear under there is no danger of passing any where If you wear a Turbant you must of necessity shave off your Hair else it will never stay upon the Head As for Beards they never mind them in Turkie the greatest being accounted the handsomest but in Persia they shave their Chins and wear their Mustaches and I remember I have seen one of the King of Persia's Porters whose Mustaches were so long that he could tye them behind his neck for which reason he had a double Pension More than that you must provide your self of Boots according to the custom of the Country they are made of red yellow or black Cordovan lin'd with Linnen cloth and in regard they never reach higher than the Knee they are as convenient to travel in as Shooes As for Spurs they never wear any for the Iron at the upper end of the stirrop which is four-square serves to spur the Horse so much the better because it is the custom of all Asia to ride very short Before you set out you must provide your self of several Houshold Goods especially of those Bottles that are call'd Matares which are made of Bulgary-Leather every man carries his own at the Pummel of his Saddle or else fasten'd to the Crupper of the Saddle behind Besides these you must buy Borracho's the most serviceable things in the World for they will never break and will hold above
threats or by rewards The eleventh after a Journey of ten hours we came to Ourfa where the Caravan usually stays eight or ten days for here it is that they live that hire the Horses and the Mules who have always some business in this place We lay at an Inn three or four hundred paces distant from the City toward the North. When the Inn is full the rest retire into the Grotto's which are near at hand and are very good quarters Here the Toll-gatherer presently comes and counts the Bales without op'ning them They that carry any Sacks must pay for half a Load if not he op'ns the Sack to see if there be any Merchandise therein for then the Merchant must pay the whole duty Ourfa is the Capital City of Mesopotamia built as they say in the same place where Abraham liv'd and where stood the ancient Edessa where the people of the Country report that King Abagarus generally kept his Court. There are still to be seen the ruines of a Castle from whence they add that the same King sent to CHRIST for his Picture and offer'd him his Kingdom and his people to defend him against the Jews whom he understood to be his Enemies The Chronicles of the Armenians report that Abagarus was their Country-man and that in his Reign they began to be Christians and to be Baptiz'd by the hands of an Apostle whom CHRIST sent to that Prince after his Resurrection * Neither is this Castle yet so far ruin'd but that there is still to be seen a spacious Hall and three or four handsom Rooms with some relicks of Mosaick work I was curious to see what ever was remarkable in this City And first they led me to a large Fountain which resembles a Fish-pond the Spring whereof is under the Foundations of the principal Mosquèe which was built in the honour of Abraham The Christians of the Country say that it was in that place where he pray'd before he went about to Sacrifice his Son Isaac and that two Springs of Water arose from the two places where he rested his knees which now feed the large Fountain I have made mention of It is pav'd with Free-stone and so full of fish that if you throw them in a little Bread they will follow you from place to place as you walk by the side of the Pond There is no medling with them for the Turks have a great veneration for those Fish which they call Abraham's Fish Besides that the place about the Fountain where the water wid'ns it self to water all the City is cover'd with very fair Carpets for about twenty paces in bredth This Fountain at length falls into a little River that runs by the Walls As for the Grotto where the two Springs rise there is no going into it before you have pull'd off your Shooes and it is a great favour for a Christian to see it such a favour as cost me six Piasters I also saw the Church under the portal whereof they say St. Alexis liv'd seventeen years a private life It stands in the middle of a Church-yard in the highest part of the Town in the possession of the Armenians But their principal Church is about a quarter of an hours walking from the City built by St. Ephren who is there buried The Monastery stands yet entire enclos'd with fair Walls In the Church I saw a large Bible in Armenian Characters The Sepulchre of St. Ephren is in a Cave at the foot of the Mountain to which there also belongs a Chappel where they keep three or four Lamps continually burning There are other Grotto's up and down the Mountain where are to be seen very ancient Sepulchers of the Christians The City of Ourfa is seated in a good soil very well manur'd which extends it self out of sight toward the East There are several pleasant Gardens near the walls water'd by little Channels brought thither by Art The soil produces good Wine so that a man may live as well at Ourfa as in any part of Turkie While I stay'd there I kill'd abundance of Feldfares in those Gardens and indeed there is great store of wild Fowl all the Country over The Walls of the City are of Freestone with Battlements and Towers but within the houses are small ill built and ruinous And there are several void spaces in the City which makes Ourfa to look rather like a Desert than a Metropolis The City is Govern'd by a Basha who has under him a hundred and fifty Janizaries and six hundred Spahi's standing more in need of Cavalry than Infantry by reason of the Incursions of the Arabians especially in Harvest time In short Ourfa is the place were they dress such great quantities of Cordovan Skins by reason of the waters particular to the Country which give them that peculiar beauty The Yellow Skins are drest at Ourfa the Blew at Tocat and the red Rat Diarbequir The twentieth of March we set out of Ourfa and after a Journey of six hours we lay at a pittiful Village where the Inn was fal'n all to decay There is a Fountain of excellent water by it which is all the convenience of the place for there is no Provision to be had The twenty-first we travel'd nine hours and came to lye near several Caverns which are very deep at the entry whereof there are little Rooms which are suppos'd to be the places where the People of the Country liv'd that fed their Cattel thereabouts There is also Rain-Water to be had in some of the Concavities of the Rock Half this days journey you must pass over Rocks where it is almost impossible and very dangerous to keep your Horses back The twenty-second having travel'd eleven hours we lodg'd near a Cavern having forded a River that runs at the foot of it There are two great Grotto's on each side where Travellers take up their Quarters and whither the Natives of the Country bring Provisions both for Horse and Man The Toll-gatherers coming from a Fort about three Leagues distant from these Caverns here exact two Piasters and a half for every Horse and Mules Load and search your Sacks to see if there be no Merchantable Goods therein About half the way of this days journey you meet with a City quite deserted by the Inhabitants and about an hours march after that with Tombs of Stone in the middle whereof stands a Cross with Armenian Characters The twenty-third we travel'd elev'n hours and lay at Dadacardin This appears to have been a great Town but is all ruin'd nor is there any thing remaining but a long Stone-Bridge very well built under which runs a River that is very broad when it overflows The People of the Country have no other Habitations than the Hollows of Rocks yet they bring to the Travellers Hens Butter Cheese and other Provisions which they sell very cheap The twenty-fourth we travel'd nine hours and lay at a place call'd Cara built upon a Hill The Caravan lay
days journey you shall see no other green Herb upon the Ground but only Pimpernel the Roots whereof are so large that there are some a Foot and a half in diameter The next day the Fields are cover'd with a large thick Leaf the Root whereof is bulbous and as big as an Egg. There are also great store of yellow red and violet Flowers Tulips of several colours Emonies and single Daffadillies But in general Mesopotamia is a very barren Country and there are very few places that can be better'd by Art or Industry Nesbin is only the Shadow of the ancient Nisibis being now only a large Village the Inhabitants whereof are Christians both Armenians and Nestorians Our Caravan lodg'd a little beyond in a Church-yard adjoyning to one of the Armenian Churches The next day hearing people sing I went to the Church with the two Capuchins where I saw an Armenian Bishop with his Miter and a wooden Crosier accompany'd with several Priests and a good Congregation When Service was done after some few Compliments between us he led us down under the Church into a Chappel where he shew'd us the Sepulcher of St. James Bishop of Nisibis In the Church-yard is a Stone about a Foot thick and six high upon which were laid several Candles of Wax and Tallow which the Poor Offer in their Necessities but especially in their Sicknesses They believe that Stone to have been the Pedestal for the Statue of some Saint which the Turks have defac'd so that they give the same Honour to the Pedestal as they would have giv'n to the Statue There are also some Roman Characters to be seen but half worn out and spaces brok'n off in some parts so that I could not learn in Honour of whom that Statue was erected Half a League from Nisbin runs a River which you cross over a Stone-Bridge In the way to the River are several pieces of Wall with an Arch which made me conjecture that formerly the City extended as far as the River Twice Musket-shot from the River you meet with a Stone half buried upon which are written certain Latin Words whereby it appears that it was the Tomb-stone of the General of an Army that was a French-man but I could not read his Name which time had desac'd The same Bishop inform'd us that formerly the Moors having besieg'd the City there came such a prodigious company of strange Flyes and did so torment both Men and Horses that they were forc'd to raise the Siege You must pay the same Toll at Nisbin as in other places that is two Piasters and a half for every Mule or Horses Load We lay there three days together to furnish our selves with Provisions 'till we came to Moussul which is five days journey from Nisbin the Country between being altogether desert and uninhabited There is no Water to be found but in two places and that not very good neither near to which you shall see some few Herdsmen grazing their Cattel The first of April we departed from Nisbin and after we had travel'd eleven hours we lay near to a River whither certain Shepherds brought us Hens to sell. The second we travel'd ten hours and lay at a paltry Town where we met with nothing to eat The third we travel'd thirteen hours and lodg'd by a pitiful Fountain the Water whereof was hardly good enough for our Horses The fourth we travel'd ten hours and came to lodge by the Bank of a little River near to which appear'd the Ruines of a Bridge and a Castle The fifth we travel'd eleven hours to reach Moussul which is not far from the ancient Niniveh Moussul is a City that makes a great shew without the Walls being of Free-stone but within it is almost all ruin'd having only two blind Market-places with a little Castle upon the Tigris where the Basha lives In a word there is nothing worth a Man's sight in Moussul the place being only considerable for the great concourse of Merchants especially the Arabians and Curds which are the Inhabitants of the ancient Assyria now call'd Curdistan where there grows great plenty of Galls and for which there is a great Trade There are in it four sorts of Christians Greeks Armenians Nestorians and Maronites The Capuchins had a pretty Dwelling upon the Tigris but the Basha laying a Fine upon them because they went about a little to enlarge it they were forc'd to quit it The City is govern'd by a Basha that has under him part Janizaries part Spahi's about three thousand Men. There are only two scurvy Inns in Moussul which being full when we came I caus'd my Tent to be set up at the Meydan or great Market-place Now to say something in general of the difference of the two Rivers Tigris and Euphrates in reference to their Course and Waters I observ'd that the Water of Euphrates appear'd somewhat red and that the Stream was not so swift as that of Tigris which seem'd to be whitish like the Loire As for its Course Euphrates runs a far longer way than Tigris But now let us cross the Tigris over a Bridge of Boats to view the sad Ruines of a City that has made such a noise in the World though there be now scarce any appearance of its ancient splendour Niniveh was built upon the left Shoar of the Tigris upon Assyria-side being now only a heap of Rubbish extending almost a League along the River There are abundance of Vaults and Caverns uninhabited nor could a man well conjecture whether they were the ancient Habitations of the people or whether any houses had been built upon them in former times for most of the houses in Turkie are like Cellars or else but one Story high Half a League from Tigris stands a little Hill encompas'd with Houses on the top whereof is built a Mosquée The people of the Country say 't was the place where Jonas was bury'd and for that place they have so great a veneration that no Christians are suffer'd to enter into it but privately and for Money By that means I got in with two Capuchin Fryars but we were forc'd to put off our Shooes first In the middle of the Mosquée stood a Sepulchre cover'd with a Persian Carpet of Silk and Silver and at the four corners great Copper Candlesticks with Wax Tapers besides several Lamps and Ostridge-Shells that hung down from the Roof We saw a great number of Moores without and within sat two Dervi's reading the Alcoran About a Musket-Shot from Moussul toward the North-East stands a great Ruin'd Monastery enclos'd with high Walls the greatest part whereof is still to be seen We stay'd ten days at Moussul and having provided all things ready for the rest of our Journey we set forward for Ispahan CHAP. V. A Continuation of the Road from Nineveh to Ispahan Together with the Story of an Ambassador call'd Dominico de Santis HAving pass'd the Tigris we stay'd three quarters of an hours Journey from Nineveh for some
the Venetians to make it stronger reduc'd it to the circuit of three The Work of the Fortification was so neat and such a proportion observ'd in all things that the most famous Engineers esteem'd it one of the most stately Fortresses in the World when Sclim the Second sent an Army against it under the Command of Mustapha his Grand Vizier Famagosta is a Sea-Town upon the East-side of the Iland and the chief Bulwark of it It is kept in good repair the Castle within being in form of a Cittadel The Turks have converted into Mosquees the Churches of the Christians who are not suffer'd to dwell in the City They have only the liberty to come thither in the day and to open Shops which they shut up again at night and then go home to their Houses in the neighbouring Villages The City is govern'd by a Bey who has no dependance upon the Governour of the Iland who is oblig'd to maintain a Galley for the guard of the Coast. Cerines is another little City but without any defence the Walls thereof being all tumbl'd to ruine Only there is a Fortress toward the Sea well built with a Garrison in it There is also a handsom Monastery of Religious Greeks built somewhat after the French manner wherein there are some of the Cells which stand so upon the Sea that they can fish out of the Windows The Fields about it bear Cotton which is the chief Revenue of the Monastery There is only the Fort of Cerines upon the North where the Iland does not lye so open as toward the South and East which besides by that of Famagosta are guarded by the Forts of Salines Limisso and Paphos The Inhabitants of the Iland are for the most part Greeks especially in the Villages They are clad after the Italian manner both Men and Women the Men wearing Hats like the Franks and retaining their ancient Customs as much as is possible for them to do The Trade of the Iland lyes in Cotton-wool which is the best in all the East and some Silk which is neither good nor very plentiful However the Iland is fertil enough did it not want Inhabitants enow to till it As for Bread Wine Cheese and Milk they are all very cheap and there is Oyl enough to serve the Iland But for the Wine it is transported out of the Iland to all the places of Trade not far distant The best grows at the foot of Olympus and is a delicious sort of Drink The Country between Nicosia and Famagosta produces Cotton of which there grows also some between Paphos and Limisso The chief place where the Silk is made is call'd Cytherea a large Town water'd with a fair River that runs from the Mountain of Venus This River turns several Mills which are the chief Revenue of the Iland There is Silk also made between Paphos and Limisso upon the Road between which two places you meet with a Town call'd Piscopi where are to be seen several Aquaeducts that carry'd the Water into the Rooms and Magazines where the people formerly made Sugar But since the Iland was tak'n from the Venetians one of the Basha's that was sent as Governour burnt up all the Sugar Canes in the Country Toward the Sea-shoar near Limisso is to be seen one of the fairest Gardens of Cyprus which they call Shiti to which there belongs a magnificent House and a Grove of Orange-Trees It was built by a rich Venetian who had a good Estate in Lands thereabouts In Cyprus the people take a vast number of Birds as big as a Lark especially near the Mountain of the Holy Cross. In the Months of September and October the Country-people of the adjacent Villages make themselves little Hutts in the Fields where usually those Birds are wont to light and feed upon the Seed of an Herb that grows there which when it is dry the people daub over with Lime-twigs But this they never do but when the North-West Wind blows and that the weather be very cold for with a Southerly Wind they never take any These Birds are accounted great Dainties by the Venetians who make no great Feasts in Carnival-time wherein they do not set these Birds upon the Table pil'd up in Dishes like a Pyramid They buy them up every year being first prepar'd fit for exportation by the people who having pull'd off their Feathers parboyl them and pickle them up in Barrels with Vinegar and Salt When they are to be eat'n they are set upon a Chafing-dish between two Dishes Sometimes there are above a thousand Barrels exported out of the Iland and indeed were it not for this Trade the poor people would see but very little Money Upon the Mountain of the Holy Cross stands a Church of the same name upon which the report of the Country goes that St. Helena returning from Jerusalem left a piece of our Saviour's Cross with the Christians of Cyprus who built a Church there by means of the Liberality of the same Princess Afterwards those of the Town of Leucara took it from hence and carry'd it to their Church where I saw it The piece is as big as the Palm of a Man's Hand set in a great Cross of Latten emboss'd with several Figures In the Kingdom of Cyprus there is an Archbishop and three Suffragans The Arch-bishop takes upon him the Title of Nicosia to which Famagosta belongs with all the Country between Nicosia and Famagosta with the Territories of Nicosia and all the Villages round He has a House about a League from Nicosia where the chiefest of his Revenue lies Some years since he caus'd the high Altar of the Church to be painted and guilded being a neat piece of Workmanship Thus the Arch-bishop has under his Jurisdiction all the middle part of the Island and some part toward the East The Bishops are the Bishops of Paphos Larneca and Cerines The Greeks are very much addicted to the observation of their ancient Customs and Ceremonies and generally their Masses are very long Upon Sundays and Holy-days they rise between one and two of the Clock in the Morning to Sing Mattins To which purpose there is a Clerk that goes from door to door and knocks with a Hammer to wake the people and then cries out with a loud voice Christians go the Church The men and old women fail not to go as being more zealous but the maids and young women never go out of doors in the night for fear of the Turks There are seven or eight Villages the Inhabitants whereof are Maronites who came from Mount Libanus and speak Arabic at home but Greek among the Islanders They follow the Romish Religion and have their Churches peculiar to themselves The Island of Cyprus is no wholesom Air being subject to the spoyl of a sort of Locusts that some Summers destroy all their Fruit aud Corn. During the heats they hover in the Air which they will dark'n with their number like a thick Cloud but
Great Sha-Abas having taken Ormus sent a powerful Army under the Command of Iman-Kouli-Kan Governour of Shiras to take in Balsara Whereupon the Prince finding himself too weak to resist so great a Pow'r made an agreement with the Desert Arabians to break down the Dam that stops the Sea Which being perform'd in came the Sea tumbling fifteen Leagues to Balsara and four Leagues beyond it which constrain'd the Persians surrounded with water and hearing at the same time of the death of Sha-Abas to raise their Siege Since that inundation several Lands and Gardens have been utterly barren or have born very little by reason of the Salt which the Sea has left behind The Prince of Balsara has enter'd into Leagues with several strange Nations so that whencesoever you come you may be welcom There is so much liberty and so good order in the City that you may walk all night long in the Streets without molestation The Hollanders bring Spices thither every year The English carry Pepper and some few Cloves but the Portugals have no Trade at all thither The Indians bring Calicuts Indigo and all sorts of Merchandize In short there are Merchants of all Country's from Constantinople Smyrna Aleppo Damascus Cairo and other parts of Turkie to buy such Merchandizes as come from the Indies with which they lade the young Camels which they buy in that place for thither the Arabians bring them to put them to sale They that come from Diarbequir Moussul Bagdat Mesopotamia and Assyria send their Merchandizes up the Tigris by Water but with great trouble and expence In regard the Boats are to be tow'd by men that cannot go above two Leagues and a half in a day and against the Wind they cannot stir which makes them oft-times between Balsara and Bagdat to be above sixty days nay there have been some that have been three months upon the Water The Customs of Balsara amount to five in the hundred but generally you have some favour shew'd you either by the Customer or the Prince himself that the Merchant does not really pay above four in the hundred The Prince of Balsara is so good a Husband that he lays up three millions of Liuers in a year His chiefest Revenue is in four things Money Horses Camels and Date-trees but in the last consists his chiefest wealth For all the Country from the meeting of the two Rivers to the Sea for the space of thirty Leagues together is all cover'd with these Trees nor does any one dare to touch a Date 'till he has paid for every Tree three fourths of a Larin or nine Sous French The profit which the Prince makes upon money proceeds from this that the Merchants that come from abroad are oblig'd to carry their Reals to his Mint where they are Coyn'd and converted into Larins which is worth to him eight in the hundred As for his Horses there is no place in the world where there are more fit for travel or handsomer shap'd for there are some that will travel thirty hours together and never draw bit especially the Mares But to return to the Palm-trees it is worth observation that there is more Art to bring up those Trees than any other The Natives dig a hole in the ground wherein they heap a great quantity of Date-nuts in a Pyramidical form the top whereof ends in one single Nut which being cover'd with Earth produces the Palm-tree Most of the people of the Country do say that in regard there is among the Palm-trees the distinction of Male and Female that therefore they must be planted one by another for that otherwise the Female Tree will bear no Fruit. But others affirm that nicety to be unnecessary and that it susfices when the Male is in Blossom to take a Flower from the Male and put it into the Heart of the Female a little above the Stem for unless they should do so all the Fruit would fall off before it came to maturity There is at Balsara a Cady that administers Justice and who is establish'd by the authority of the Prince that commands there In the City are also three sorts of Christians Jacobites Nestorians and Christians of St. John There is also a House of Italian Carmelites and there was a House of Portugal Austin-Friars but they have forsak'n the Town ever since their Country-men quitted the Trade The Christians of St. John are very numerous at Balsara and the Villages thereabouts who anciently liv'd by the River of Jordan where St. John Baptiz'd and from whom they took their Name But since the time that Mahomet conquer'd Palestine though Mahomet formerly gave them his Hand and his Letters of Priviledge that they should not be molested nevertheless they that succeeded the false Prophet resolv'd to extirpate them all to which purpose they ruin'd their Churches burnt their Books and exercis'd all manner of cruelties upon their Persons which oblig'd them to retire into Mesopotamia and Chaldea and for some time they were under the Patriarch of Babylon from whom they separated about a hundred and sixty years ago Then they remov'd into Persia and Arabia and the Towns round about Balsara as Souter Despoul Rumez Bitoum Mono Endecan Calufabat Aveza Dega Dorech Masquel Gumar Carianous Balsara Onezer Zech Loza Nor do they inhabit City or Village by which there does not run a River And many of their Bishops have assur'd me that the Christians in all the foregoing places make above five and twenty thousand Families There are some among them who are Merchants but the most part of them are Trades-men especially Goldsmiths Joyners and Lock-smiths Their Creed is full of fables and foul errours The Persians and Arabians call them Sabbi a People that have forsak'n their own Religion to take up a new one In their own Language they call themselves Mendai Jahia or Disciples of St. John from whom as they ascertain us they have receiv'd their Faith their Books and their Traditions Every year they celebrate a Feast for about five days during which time they go in Troops to their Bishops who Baptize them according to the Baptism of St. John They never Baptize but in Rivers and only upon Sundays But before they go to the River they carry the Infant to Church where there is a Bishop who reads certain Prayers over the Head of the Child from thence they carry the Child to the River with a Train of Men and Women who together with the Bishop go up to the knees in Water Then the Bishop reads again certain Prayers out of a Book which he holds in his Hand which done he sprinkles the Infant three times saying Beesmebrad er-Rabi Kaddemin Akreri Menhal el gennet Alli Koulli Kralek or In the Name of the Lord first and last of the World and of Paradise the high Creator of all things After that the Bishop reads something again in his Book while the God-father plunges the Child all over in the Water after which they go all
three or four Months when that was over he return'd to Damas. He usually had about thirty Horse with him with which he never made it above eighteen or twenty days taking the shortest cut directly through the Desert where the Arabs are commanded to bring him Victuals upon the Road. And he is willing at any time when he has this opportunity to conduct the Franks that desire it that way in regard they are never ungrateful to him for it These two Franks therefore having desir'd that they might be taken into his Company the Topigi-Bashi readily consented provided they could stay 'till he went which would not be 'till two or three Months with which answer they were well satisfi'd But the two Franks had not stay'd at Damas above seven or eight days but they fell acquainted with a Spahi a Renegado of Marseilles who proffer'd to carry them through the Road of Mesopotamia so that they should be at Ispahan before the Topigi-Bashi set out from Damas. Thereupon they privately departed out of Damas without acquainting the Topigi-Bashi who understanding they were gone after the courtesie he had offer'd them was so enrag'd at their uncivillity that he sent two of his Arabian Servants directly through the Wilderness to the Basha of Bagdat to give him advice of two Franks that were to pass that way who were most certainly Spies describing them withall from head to foot In the mean while the two Franks being arriv'd at Ourfa the Spahi as he had contriv'd his own design at Damas goes to the Basha of Ourfa and informs him that he had conducted thither two Franks who could be no other than Spies Thereupon the Basha seiz'd upon them and all their Goods among the rest he laid his paws upon seven hundred Piasters of which the Spahi no doubt had his share And this may serve for instruction to Travellers to have a care how and with whom they Travel in Turkie While the two French men were in hold at Ourfa by one sort of Treachery the Norman Gentleman and his Companion arriv'd at Bagdat But they had no sooner set their feet upon the shore when the Basha verily believing them to be the persons of whom the Topigi-Bashi had giv'n him notice caus'd them to be brought before him and seiz'd upon their Goods and Letters of which they had several for the Consul of Aleppo and other rich Merchants for Persia. The Basha sent for the Capuchins to read those Letters but not believing them he sent for a Sicilian Physitian which he had in his Service and his Treasurer who had been a Slave tak'n in Candy But neither Physitian Treasurer nor Capuchins would interpret any thing in prejudice of the French men yet all that could not preserve them from being shut up in a Stable full of dung and from being threaten'd to be Shot out of a Cannon's mouth if they would not confess the truth Thereupon the Capuchins and the Cadi beg'd him to suspend his Sentence 'till the Arrival of the chief of the Cannoniers to which he readily consented When the Topigi-Bashi came the Basha commanded the Prisoners to be brought before him But when the Topigi-Bashi deny'd them to be the persons the Basha grew into such a rage that he no less reproach'd the Topigi-Bashi for Treachery than he had accus'd the others Which so incens'd the Topigi-Bashi on the other side that he never left 'till he had obtain'd the release of the two French men yet not so but that the Basha would have his due so that Reville was forc'd to leave some of his Ducats behind which the Jew should have had But now to return to Smyrna where I expected the Caravan for some time in order to my Journey into Persia. Every thing being provided we set forward in the Road for Tauris which I have at large describ'd nor was there any thing worthy observation all the way I will only take notice that when we departed from Tocat in regard the heat was so extream we left the common Road toward the North and took the way through the Mountains where there is always a fresh Breeze and store of shady Lanes In many of which high Mountains we met with Snow and abundance of excellent Sorrel and upon the tops of some of those Mountains we met with several sorts of shells as it had been upon the Sea shore which is very extraordinary From Erzerom we went to Cars from Cars we came to Erivan The Kan was not there then being retir'd during the heat into the Mountains a days Journey from the City His Lieutenant telling me that I could not well pass farther without paying my duty to the Kan I follow'd his advice and found him in his Tent in a fair Dale where there was a great quantity of Snow and where when it began to melt appear'd several beautiful Flowers so that Summer and Winter seem'd to lodge both in the same place The Kan entertain'd both me and all my Company most nobly for ten days I drove also a small Trade with him For I durst not shew him the rarities I had being design'd for the King For as in India so in Persia neither will the King look upon any thing which his Subjects have seen before nor will the Subject buy any thing which the King has seen it being an affront to present any thing to the King which he had formerly view'd and the Subject buys nothing rare but what he intends to present Being past Erivan you may leave your Caravan when you please by reason of the security of the Roads in Persia. And indeed I intended to have visited the Kan of Gengéa but finding the Road so full of Rocks and Precipices where a man was continually in danger of breaking his Neck I turn'd my Horses head and met the Caravan at Nacksivan in the Road to Tauris From Tauris to Ispahan I met with nothing worthy observation When I came to the Court I was well receiv'd by the King and I sold him as many Jewels and other Goods of great value as came to sixty-two thousand Crowns But of this more in another place THE THIRD BOOK OF THE PERSIAN TRAVELS OF MONSIEUR TAVERNIER CONTAINING The AUTHOR's Sixth and Last VOYAGE And the ROADS Through TURKY into PERSIA through the Northern PROVINCES of EUROPE With a Description of several Countries lying upon the Black and Caspian SEAS CHAP. I. Of the Authors sixth and last Voyage from his setting out of Paris to his Landing at Smyrna I Set out of Paris in the year 1663. for Lyons with six several Servants of several professions which I thought most proper for my business I carry'd with me the value of about four hundred thousand Livers part in Jewels part in Goldsmiths work and other curiosities which I design'd for the King of Persia and the Great Mogul Being at Lyons I bought a Steel Mirrour round and hollow about two foot and a half in Diameter would immediately melt a Half-Crown by
and Rains have swell'd it for then you must go a quarter of a League higher and cross it over a great Stone-Bridge Half a League on the other side of Tigris stands a Village with an Inn which is the Rendevous of the whole Caravan and where they that first come have time enough to provide themselves for a Journey of nine or ten days as far as Betlis For though you may find Towns and Inns thick enough upon the Road yet there is no good Bread to be met with When the Caravan proceeds the first days journey is fourteen hours on Horse-back and you come to lye at Shaye-batman where you must pay a Piaster for every Horse-load From Chaye-batman you come to Chikaran From Chikaran to Azou which you leave half a League from the great Road where the Toll-gatherers take their Toll which is four Piasters upon every Horse-load From Azou you come to Ziarat from Ziarat to Zerque where you pay a Duty of two Piasters for every Horse-load From Zerche to Cochakan From Cochakan to Carakan a bad Inn where you enter among the Mountains that being full of Torrents reach as far as Betlis From Carakan to Betlis a City belonging to a Bey or Prince of the Country the most potent and most considerable of all the rest for he neither acknowledges the Grand Signor nor the Persian whereas all the other Beys are Tributary either to the one or the other And it is the Interest of those two Potentates to correspond with him for it 's an easie thing for him to stop up the passage from Aleppo to Tauris or from Tauris to Aleppo the Streights of the Mountains being so narrow that ten Men may defend them against a thousand Coming near Betlis you must travel a whole day among high steep Mountains that reach two Miles beyond with Torrents on each side the way being cut out of the Rock on each side where there is but just room for a Camel to pass The City stands between two high Mountains equally distant one from the other and about the height of Montmartre It is built like a Sugar-loaf the ascent being so steep on every side that there is no getting to the top but by wheeling and winding about the Mountain The top of all is a Platform where stands a Castle well built at the Gate whereof is a Draw-Bridge Then you pass through two great Courts and then into a third opposite to the Bey's Apartment It is very troublesom to get up to the top of the Castle and a Man must be very well Hors'd that does it There is no other person but the Bey and his Esquire who is permitted to ride up on Horse-back There is one Inn within the City and another as it were without in which the Merchants rather choose to lye than in the other by reason that it is ready to be overflown when the Torrents swell that run through every Street The Bey beside the strength of his Passes is able to bring above five and twenty thousand Horse into the Field and a very considerable Body of Foot compos'd of the Shepherds of the Country who are to be ready at a Call I went to wait upon the Bey himself and made him a Present of two pieces of Satin the one streakt with Silver and the other with Gold two white Bonnets such as the Turks wear very fine and adorn'd with Silver at the top together with a sute of Handkerchiffs streak'd with Red and Silver While I staid with the Bey who sent for Coffee for me according to the custom a Courier came to him from the Basha of Aleppo to desire him that he would deliver up into his hands a French Chirurgeon that was his Slave having been tak'n in Candia complaining withal that he had run away from him with the value of three thousand Crowns The Bey who understood what belong'd to a Sanctuary and was resolv'd to protect the French-man school'd the Messenger so severely that he threaten'd to put him to death if he did not get him gone presently charging him to tell his Master withal that he would complain to the Grand Signor of his insolence and that if he were strangl'd he might thank himself And indeed it behov'd the Great Turk to keep fair correspondence with him in regard that if the Persians should at any time besiege Van the Grand Signor must march through the Bey's Country to relieve it who has Forces enow to oppose him if he should be his Enemy But to travel through the Country of the Curds is very pleasant for if on the one side the ways are bad and difficult to be travel'd in other places you have a prospect of several sorts of Trees as Oaks and Walnuts and not a Tree which is not embrac'd with a wild Vine Below the Mountains in the Level grows the best Wheat and Barley in all the Country From Betlis where you pay five Piasters for every Horse-load to Taduan where you pay two Taduan is a great Town within a Cannon-shot of the Lake of Van in such a part where Nature has made a Hav'n shelter'd from all the Winds being clos'd on all sides with high Mountains the entry into which though it seem narrow is very free It is able to contain twenty or thirty great Barks and when it is fair Weather and that the Wind serves the Merchants generally Ship off their Goods from thence to Van from whence it is but four and twenty hours sail and a very good passage whereas by Land from Taduan to Van it is eight days journey on Horse-back Returning back you may also take Water at Van for Taduan From Taduan to Karmoushé From Karmoushé to Kellat From Kellat to Algiaoux a small City where you pay one Piaster for every Load From Agiaoux to Spanktiere From Spanktiere to Soüer From Soüer to Argiche From Argiche to Quiarakierpou From Quiarakierpou to Perkeri From Perkeri to Zuarzazin From Zuarzazin to Souserat From Souserat to Devan where two Piasters are gather'd for every Horse-load or else you must pay at Van. From Devan to Van where there is a Duty of two Tomans and four Abassis to be paid for every Horse-load For though Van be in the Territories of the Grand Signor yet the Persian Money is better lik'd than his own Coyn. Van is a great City upon the side of a wide Lake of the same name There is a good Fortress belongs to it that is seated upon the top of a high Mountain which stands by it self There is but one sort of Fish in the Lake a little bigger than a Pilchard of which they take great store in the Month of April For about a League from the Lake there is a great River that is call'd Bendmahi which descending from the Mountains of Armenia empties it self into the Lake Now in March when the Snow melts and swells the River vast numbers of these Fish come down the River into the Lake which the Fisher-men
under the Jurisdiction of a Bey Having past the Tigris all the Country between that and Tauris is almost equally divided between Hills and Plains the Hills are cover'd with Oaks that bear Galls and some Acoms withal The Plains are planted with Tobacco which is transported into Turkie for which they have a very great Trade One would think the Country were poor seeing nothing but Galls and Tobacco but there is no Country in the World where there is more Gold or Silver laid out and where they are more nice in taking Money that is in the least defective either in weight or goodness of Metal For Galls being a general Commodity for Dying and no where to be found so good as there bring a vast Trade to the Country wherein there are no Villages yet it is over-spread with Houses a Musquet-shot one from another and every Inhabitant has his quarter of his Vineyard by himself where they dry their Grapes for they make no Wine From Geziré to Amadié days 2 Amadié is a good City to which the Natives of a great part of Assyria bring their Tobacco and Gall-nuts It is seated upon a high Mountain to the top whereof you cannot get in less than an hour Toward the middle of the Rock three or four large Springs fall down from the Cliffs where the Inhabitants are forc'd to water their Cattel and fill their Borachio's every morning there being no Water in the City It is of an indifferent bigness and in the middle is a large Piazza where all sorts of Merchants keep their Shops It is under the Command of a Bey that is able to raise eight or ten thousand Horse and more Foot than any other of the Beys by reason his Country is so populous From Amadié to Giousmark days 4 From Giousmark to Alback days 3 From Alback to Salmastre days 3 Salmastre is a pleasant City upon the Frontiers of the Assyrians and Medes and the first on that side in the Territories of the Persian King The Caravan never lyes there because it would be above a League out of the way but when the Caravan is lodg'd two or three of the principal Merchants with the Caravan-Bashi according to custom go to wait upon the Kan The Kan is so glad that the Caravan takes that Road that he presents the Caravan-Bashi and those that go with him with the Garment of Honour or the Calaat the Bonnet and Girdle which is the greatest Honour that the King or his Governour can do to Strangers From Salamastre to Tauris days 4 In all thirty-two days journey this way from Aleppo to Tauris But though this be the shortest cut and where they pay least Customs yet the Merchants dare hardly venture for fear of being ill us'd by the Beys Teren whose Capital City the Persians call Cherijar is a Province between Mazandran and the ancient Region of the Persians known at this day by the name of Hierac to the South-East of Ispahan 'T is one of the most temperate Countries that has nothing in it of the contagious Air of Guilan where the King goes for the purity of the Air and for his sport of Hunting besides that it produceth excellent Fruits in many places The Capital City whereof which some call by the name of the Province is of a moderate compass but there is nothing worthy observation in it only a League from it are to be seen the Ruines of a great City which had been two Leagues in Circuit There were abundance of Towers all of burnt Brick and Pieces of the Wall standing There were also several Letters in the Stones which were cemented into the Walls but neither Turks Persians nor Arabians could understand them The City is round seated upon a high Hill at the top whereof stood the Ruines of a Castle which the Natives say was the Residence of the Kings of Persia. CHAP. V. The Road from Aleppo to Ispahan through the small Desert and through Kengavar I Will describe this Road as if I were to return from Ispahan to Aleppo This Road lies through Kengavar Bagdat and Anna where you enter into the Desert which I call The little Desert because you get over it in far less time than the great Desert that extends Southwards to Arabia the Happy and where you may often find Water all the whole Journey being not far distant from the River Euphrates A man that is well mounted may ride this way from Ispahan to Aleppo in three and thirty days as I have done and perhaps in less if the Arabian whom you take for your guide at Bagdat knows the shortest cut through the Wilderness The Horse Caravans travelling from Ispahan to Kengavar are fourteen or fifteen days upon the Road but being well mounted ten or twelve in a Company you may Ride it in five or six days The Country through which you travel is very fertile in Corn and Rice it produces also excellent Fruits and good Wine especially about Kengavar which is a large Town and well peopl'd From Kengavar to Bagdat I was ten days upon the Road. The Country is not so fertile but very stony in some parts And it consists in Plains and small Hills there being not a Mountain in all the Road. Now for a man that travels quick the Road lies thus From Ispahan to Consar From Consar to Comba From Comba to Oranguié From Oranguié to Nahoüand From Nahoüand to Kengavar Fron Kengavar to Sahana From Sahana to Polisha or the Bridge-Royal being a great Stone Bridge From Polisha to Maidacht From Maidacht to Erounabad From Erounabad to Conaguy From Conaguy to Caslisciren From Caslisciren to Iengui-Conaguy From Iengui-Conaguy to Casered From Casered to Charaban From Charaban to Bourous From Bourous to Bagdat There are some who instead of passing through Kengavar take Amadan one of the most considerable Cities of Persia in their way and so from thence to Toucheré but the way is longer and according to the Road which I have set down you are to leave Amadan to the North upon the right hand Between Sahana and Polisha you leave the only high Mountain in all the Road to the North. It is as steep and as straight as a Wall and as high as you can see you may observe the Figures of men clad like Priests with Surplices and Censors in their hands and yet neither can the Natives tell you nor any person imagin the meaning of those Sculptures At the foot of the Rock runs a River over which there is a Bridge of Stone About a days journey beyond the Mountain you meet with a little City whose situation the Streams that water it the good Fruits that grow there and particularly the excellent Wine which it affords render a most pleasant Mansion The Persians believe that Alexander when he return'd from Babylon dy'd in this place what-ever others have writt'n that he dy'd at Babylon All the rest of the Country from this City to Bagdat is a Country of Dates
where the people live in little Hutts made of the Branches of Palm-trees From Bagdat to Anna you ride in four days through a desert Country though it lye between two Rivers Anna is a City of an indifferent bigness that belongs to an Arabian Emir For about half a League round about the Town the Lands are very well manur'd being full of Gardens and Country-houses The City for its situation resembles Paris for it is built upon both sides of the River Euphrates and in the midst of the River is an Island where stands a fair Mosquee From Anna to Mached-raba is five days riding and from Mached-raba to Taïba five days more Mached-raba is a kind of a Fortress upon the point of a Hill at the Foot whereof springs a Fountain like a large Vase which is very rare in the Deserts The place is encompass'd with high Walls defended by certain Towers and in which are little Hutts where the Inhabitants keep their Cattel of which there is great store but more Mares and Horses than Cows Taïba is also a fortifi'd place in a level Country or a high Bank of Earth and Brick bak'd in the Sun Near to the Gate a Fountain springs out of the Earth and makes a kind of a Pond This Road is most frequented by those that travel through the Desert from Aleppo or Damas to Babylon or from Damas to Diarbequir by reason of this Fountain From Taïba to Aleppo is but three days journey but these three days are the most dangerous of all the Road for Robbers in regard that all the Country is inhabited only by the Bedouïns or Arabian Shepherds who make it their business only to plunder and steal Now to take the same Road from Aleppo to Ispahan it lyes thus From Aleppo to Taïba days 3 From Taïba to Mached-raba days 5 From Mached-raba to Anna days 5 From Anna to Bagdat days 4 From Bagdat to Bourous days 1 From Bourous to Charaban days 1 From Charaban to Casered days 1 From Casered to Conaguy days 1 From Conaguy to Cassiscerin days 1 From Cassiscerin to another Conaguy days 1 From Conaguy to Erounabad days 1 From Erounabad to Maidacht days 1 From Maidacht to Sahana days 1 From Sahana to Kengavar days 1 From Kengavar to Nahoüand days 1 From Nahoüand to Oranguie days 1 From Oranguie to Comba days 1 From Comba to Consar days 1 From Consar to Ispahan days 1 So that whether you travel from Aleppo to Ispahan or from Ispahan to Aleppo you may easily ride it in thirty days From whence I make this Observation That a man making it but two days more from Alexandretta and finding a Ship ready there to set Sail for Marseilles with a fair Wind he may travel from Ispahan to Paris in two months Another time having an occasion to go from Aleppo to Kengavar and so to Bagdat and from thence so through the Desert at Bagdat I met with a Spaniard that was travelling the same way with whom I luckily met to bear half the Charges of the Guide which as soon as we had hir'd for sixty Crowns we set forward from Bagdat the Spaniard and I and our Arabian who was afoot walk'd about Pistol Shot before our Horses From thence to Anna we met with nothing remarkable but only that we saw a Lyon and a Lyoness in the Act of Generation Whereupon our Guide believing we had been afraid told us that he had met them oft'n but that he never found them do any harm The Spaniard according to the humour of his Nation was very reserv'd and contenting himself with an Onion or some such small matter at meals never made much of his guide whereas I was mightily in his favour in regard there was never a day pass'd wherein he did not receive of me some good business or other We were not above a Musquet Shot from Anna when we met with a comely old man who came up to me and taking my Horse by the Bridle Friend said he come and wash thy feet and eat Bread at my House Thou art a Stranger and since I have met thee upon the Road never refuse me the favour which I desire of thee The Invitation of the old man was so like the custom of the people in ancient times of which we read so many Examples in Scripture that we could not choose but go along with him to his House where he Feasted us in the best manner he could giving us over and above Barly for our Horses and for us he kill'd a Lamb and some Hens He was an Inhabitant of Anna and liv'd by the River which we were oblig'd to cross to wait upon the Governour for our Passports for which we paid two Piasters apiece We staid at a House near the Gate of the City to buy Provisions for our selves and our Horses where the woman of the House having a lovely sprightly Child of nine years of age I was so taken with her humour that I gave her two Handkerchiefs of Painted Calicut which the Child shewing her Mother all we could do could not make her take any Money for the Provisions we had agreed for Five hundred paces from the Gate of the City we met a young man of a good Family for he was attended by two Servants and rode upon an Ass the hinder part of which was Painted red He accosted me in particular and after some Compliments that pass'd Is it possible said he that I should meet a Stranger and have nothing to present him withall He would fain have carry'd us to a House in the Country whether he was going but seeing we were resolv'd to keep our way he would needs give me his Pipe notwithstanding all the excuses I could make and though I told him that I never took any Tobacco so that I was constrain'd to accept of it About three Leagues from Anna we were going to eat among the Ruines of certain Houses and had thought to have lain there 'till midnight when we perciv'd two Arabians sent by the Emir to tell us that he had some Letters which he would put into our own hands to the Basha of Aleppo to which purpose he had order to bring us back There was no refusing so that at our coming into the City the next day we saw the Emir going to the Mosquée mounted upon a stately Horse and attended by a great number of people afoot with every one a great Poniard stuck in their Girdles As soon as we saw him we alighted and standing up by the Houses we saluted him as he pass'd by Seeing our Guide and threatning to rip up his Belly Ye Dog said he I will give ye your reward and teach ye to carry Strangers away before I see them Carry them said he to the Governours House 'till I return from the Mosquée Returning from the Mosquée and being seated in a spacious Hall he sent for us and our Guide whom he threatn'd again for carrying us out of the Town without giving him
yields very good Turpentine Of the ISLAND of NAXIS THere is not one Port belongs to this Island the Vessels that are Bound thither for Trade being forc'd to stay in the Haven of the Isle of Paros call'd Derion six miles from Naxis which is one of the best Havens in the Archipelago able to contain a thousand Ships There are the ruines of a Wall still to be seen that made a Mole where four or five Galleys might ride There are also the ruines of several Houses of the ancient Dukes the Stables standing almost whole all Arch'd and built of Marble These Dukes were also Lords of twelve other Islands As for the Island it self it is well stor'd with Villages and has three good Cities Barequa Qüsa and Falet Near this Island within a stones throw there is a curious piece of Antiquity still to be seen It is a flat Rock as big about in compass as the ancient Court of the Louvre In the middle of this Rock it was that the Temple of Bacchus was built all of Marble of which there is nothing but the Foundations that remain The Gate is still standing made of three Stones whereof two make the sides and the third lies across From the Isle to this Rock there is a fair Stone Bridge of Free-stone upon each side whereof are to be seen the Pipes that convey'd the Wine into the Temple that was drank at the Feast of Bacchus Naxis also is the Island that produces the best Emeril As to the Inhabitants themselves if the Husband or Wife happens to dye the Survivor never stirs out of the House in six Months after upon any business how urgent soever no not to hear Mass. There are both Latins and Greeks in the Island but the latter are the most numerous There is a Latin Arch-bishop and Canons belonging to the Metropolitan Church with two Religious Houses one of Capuchins and the other of Jesuites The Greeks also have their Arch-bishop The Island of Naxis is sixscore miles in compass being one of the fairest and pleasantest Islands in the Archipelago The ancient Dukes made it their residence whence they command the greatest part of the Cyclades There is great plenty of White Salt made in Naxis and it produces excellent Wine both White and Claret which caus'd the Inhabitants to build a Temple to Bacchus who according to their ancient Tradition chose that Island for his Habitation The Island produces excellent Fruits feeds great store of Cattle and abounds in several other things necessary for human support There are also in it large Woods full of small Deer and frequented by a great number of Eagles and Vultures Here follow the names of the Cyclades as the people of the Country pronounce them 1. Deloa or Sdilis 2. Giaroa 3. Andros 4. Paros 5. Nicaria 6. Samoa 7. Pathmoa 8. Olearoa 9. Sitino 10. Rhena 11. Miconoa 12. Tenoa or Tino 13. Sciroa or Sira 14. Subiuma 15. Syphnus or Sifante 16. Nixcia 17. Chios or Scio. 18. Astypalea 19. Amorgus or Amorgo Of the Islands of Zea of Milo of Paros and other Islands of the Archipelago ZEA is an Island wherein there is nothing remarkable and from whence there is nothing to be Exported but Valanede to dye Leather withall Neither are there any Goods Imported into it but what the Pirates bring in which are very few in regard the Islanders are careful to provide themselves otherwhere Milo affords nothing but Millstones to grind Wheat which are carry'd to Constantinople Paros where there is no Trade neither has nothing remarkable in it but one Greek Church very well built all of Marble call'd Our Lady's Church As for the Islands of Sifante and Miconoa in regard there is nothing of Trade in either but only with the Pirates who sometimes touch there if there be any Consuls that live there it is only to buy their stol'n Goods Of the City of Athens Corinth Patras Coron and Modon THE City of Athens is about four miles distant from the Sea and contains two and twenty thousand Inhabitants twenty five thousand Greeks five or six thousand Latins and a thousand Turks Among all the Antiquities that yet remain those in the Castle are the best preserv'd The Castle stands upon a Hill upon the North descent whereof some part of the City stands It encloses a very fair and spacious Temple built all of white Marble from the top to the bottom supported by stately Pillars of black Marble and Porphiry In the front are great Figures of Armed Knights ready to encounter one another Round about the Temple except upon the Roof which is all of flat Marble Stones well order'd are to be seen all the famous Acts of the Greeks in small carving every Figure being about two foot and a half high Round about the Temple runs a fair Gallery where four persons may walk a-brest It is supported by sixteen Pillars of white Marble upon each of the sides and by six at each end being also pav'd and cover'd with the same Stone Close to the Temple stands a fair Palace of white Marble which now falls to decay Below the Castle and at the point of the City toward the East stand seventeen Pillars the remainder of three hundred where anciently they say stood the Palace of Theseus first King of the Athenians These Pillars are of a prodigious bigness every one eighteen foot about They are proportionable in height but not all of a piece being thwarted most of them by Stones of white Marble one end whereof rests upon one Pillar and the other upon that which follows it which was the support of the whole building Upon the Gate which is yet entire are to be seen these words upon the front without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City of Athens was assuredly the City of Theseus Within-side of the same City these other words are Engrav'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City of Athens is the City of Adrian and not of Theseus There are in Athens several other pieces of Antiquity which are well worthy to be seen Corinth which formerly made such a noise in the world is now a Village of some five or six and twenty houses but all of them the Habitations of rich Greeks The Town lies at the foot of the Castle which is seated upon an inaccessible Rock guarded by the Greeks commanded by an Aga. Corinth Exports great quantities of Currants Patras does the same which is all the Trade of those two places Coron and Modon drive a Trade in Sallet-Oyl which is so good and so plentiful that several English Dutch and other Ships are load'n away with it from thence every year There are Consuls in Athens Patras Coron Modon and Napoli of Romania The Athenian Merchants buy up Tissues Velvets Satins and Cloth with which they serve other Countries adjoyning The Commodities which Foreigners export from thence are Silks Wool Sponges Wax Cordivan-Leather and Cheese Which is all that can be said in few words of the Trade
which he made the Grand-Signor was in Iron and Steel and a great number of Slaves The first time of his Audience he had a train of above 200 Persons But every day he sold two or three to defray his expences So that at his departure he had none but his Secretary and two Vassals more left He was a man of presence but no wit and every time he went to visit the Grand-Visier he presum'd to wear the white Bonnet which all the Franks wonder'd at when they saw that the Grand Visier wink'd at it For should any other Christian have done so he had been most certainly put to death or constrain'd to turn Mahumetan By which it was apparent how much the Grand Signor valu'd the Friendship of the King of Mengrelia and how careful he is of offending those that are sent from his Court He knew those People suffer no affronts but upon the least word presently draw besides that there is nothing to be got by provoking them This Embassadour going once upon a visit into the Country returning home was surpriz'd with a Storm whereupon he pull'd off his Boots and carri'd them under his Coat choosing rather to go bare foot to his lodging then to spoil his Boots Another time it being the custom of all Catholick Ambassadors to go to Mass to the Covent of Grey Friars in Pera upon St. Francis's day the Mengrelian Ambassador after Mass was done coming out of the Church and seeing several baubles which the Pedlers expose in the Cloyster upon that day bought a Tin Ring two or three small Looking-Glasses and a Pipe which he put in his mouth and went piping all the way i' th Street as Children do coming from Fairs But to return to the matter you must take notice that there are not only Iron Mines but also Mines of Gold and Silver in two places five or six days Journey from Teflis the one call'd Soiianet the other Obetet But the mischief is the people can hardly be got to work there for fear the Earth should tumble down and bury them in the Mine as it has many times happen'd There is also a Mine of Gold near to a place which is call'd Hardanoushé and a Mine of Silver at Gunishé-Koné five days Journey from Erzerom and as many from Trebisond As for the people themselves both Georgians and Mengrelians they never trouble themselves about the jgnorance and viciousnes of their Priests or whether they be able to instruct them or no. The richest among them are they which are in most credit and absolutely give Laws to the poor There are also some heads of the Church that assume such a jurisdiction over the people as to sell them both to the Turks and Persians and they choose out the handsom'st Children both Boys and Girls to get the more money by which authority also the great men of the Country enjoy Marry'd Women and Maids at their pleasure They will choose out their Children for the Bishops while they are yet in their Cradles and if the Prince be dissatisfi'd at it all the Clergy joyns with him that makes the choice and then together by the Ears they go In which Skirmishes they will carry away whole Villages and sell all the poor people to the Turks and Persians And indeed the custom of selling men and women is so common in that Country that a man may almost affirm it to be one of their chiefest Trades The Bishops dissolve Marriages when they please and then Marry again after they have sold the first If any of the Natives be not Marri'd to his fancy he takes another for such a time as he thinks fit for which he pays her all the while as the Turks do Very few of these people know what Baptism means Only two or three days after the woman is brought to bed the Priest comes and brings a little Oyl mumbles over a few Prayers and then anoints the Mother and the Infant which they believe to be the best Baptism in the World In short they are a people of no Devotion at all neither in their Ceremonies nor in their Prayers But there are great store of Nunneries where the young Maids apply themselves to their Studies and after such an age whether they stay in the Nunneries or betake themselves to the Service of any of the great Lords they Confess Baptize Marry and perform all other Ecclesiastical Functions which I never knew practis'd in any other part of the World beside CHAP. XI Of Comania Circassia and of certain people which they call Kalmouchs COmania is bounded toward the East by the Caspian Sea Westward by the Mountains that divide it from Circassia Northward it lies upon Muscovia and Southward it is bounded by Georgia From the Mountains that bound upon the North-East to Tercki which is the River that parts Moscovia from Comania it is all a level Country excellent for Tillage and abounding in fair Meadows and Pasturage However it is not over-peopl'd which is the reason they never Sow twice together in one place The Climate is much the same as between Paris and Lion where it Rains very much and yet the Country people have cut several Channels from the Rivers to water the Grounds after they have Sow'd them which they learnt from the Persians Those Rivers fall from the Southern Mountains being not at all tak'n notice of in the Map There is one among the rest a very large River which can be forded at no time They call it Coyasou or The thick water in regard it is continually muddy the stream being so slow that they can hardly discern which way it runs It falls gently into the Caspian Sea to the South of the mouth of Volga Not far from this River in the months of October and November all along the Shore of the same Sea you may see vast shoals of fish about two foot long Before they have two legs like a Dog's legs behind instead of legs they have only claws Flesh they have none but only fat with a bone in the middle Now in regard they are but flow pac'd when they come upon Land the Country people easily knock them on the head and make Oyl of them which is the greatest Trade they have The people of Comania commonly call'd Comouchs dwell for the most part at foot of the Mountains because of the Springs so plentiful in those places that in some Villages you shall have above twenty or thirty Three of these Spings meeting together make a stream strong enough to drive a Mill. But this is not the sole reason for there is Water enough in the plain But in regard they are a people that only live upon the spoil and plunder of their Enemies and of one another as they are in continual fear of being set upon they love to dwell near the refuge of the Mountains whither they fly with their Cattle upon any occasion of danger For all the people round about as Georgians Mengrelians
cold Now in regard the Christians are not permitted to keep these Pigeons some of the vulgar sort will turn Mahometans to have that liberty There are above three thousand Pigeon-houses in Ispahan For every man may build a Pigeon-house upon his own Farm which yet is very rarely done all the other Pigeon-houses belong to the King who draws a greater Revenue from the Dung than from the Pigeons which Dung as they prepare it serves to smoak their Melons Poultrey is very plentiful in Persia and the Armenians brought out of Europe the way how to fat Capons the first so fatted they presented to the King who lik'd them so well that he order'd that the richest of the Armenians should be commanded to provide him such a number every year There are no Turkeys in all Asia but the Armenians trafficking to Venice carry'd some from thence which when the King had tasted he lik'd so well that he order'd the Armenians to breed him up such a number and to stock the Kingdom with them But the Armenians seeing the King would impose a new Tribute of Turkeys as well as Capons grew negligent and suffer'd the Chickens to dye as soon as they were hatch'd Thereupon the Persians suspecting the fraud commanded the Armenians to keep the dead Turkeys that they might be Judges how they came by their deaths And it was my wonder to see so many young Turkeys hanging against the Walls of some Houses in Zulpha that occasion'd this Story to be told me All sorts of Water-fowl are as plentiful in Persia as with us Upon the Frontiers of Media and Armenia at a certain season of the year are to be seen a great number of Birds much like to our Owzils Much about the same time the Corn begins to appear but then is the ground cover'd with such infinite swarms of Locusts that the Armenians are forc'd to betake themselves to their Processions and to water the ground with a Water which they fetch a great way off whereinto the Bodies of several martyr'd Christians were thrown Three days these Processions and waterings of the ground continue and after that whether it be that the fore-mention'd Birds do eat the Locusts or only drive them away in two or three days the Country is clear of them As for Birds of prey the Country wants none Falcons Sparrow-haws Lanerets c. of which the King of Persia is very well provided having above eight hundred belonging to his Game Some of these Birds are taught to fly at the wild Boar or wild Ass or wild Goat others at Cranes Herons wild Geese and Partridge The chiefest of which Birds are brought from the Southern Mountains extending from Schiras to the Persian Gulf. The King takes great delight to hunt the Boar and Hart and if it come to pass that the Game out-run the Dogs then they let fly one of their Hawks who presently seizes the head and while she is continually pecking and disturbing the Beast the Dogs are presently at his heels The Hawks are taught to stop like a Horse at full speed else they would never quit their prey which they presently do as soon as ever the Falconer shews them their reward Now their way of ord'ring or making the Hawk is this They take the skin of a Hart head body and legs and stuff it with Straw to the end it may be like the Beast which they intend to represent in the nature of a Quarry When they have set it in the place where they usually train up the Hawk they lay meat upon the head or in the holes of the eyes to the end the Bird may be sure to seize those parts at his down-come Being accustom'd to feed in this manner for some days together they fix the Beast upon a Plank with four Wheels and cause it to be drawn with long Cords by certain men that mend their pace ev'ry day 'till at length it is drawn by a Horse at full speed whereby the Bird is accustom'd by degrees not to forsake her prey After the same manner they counterfeit all other sorts of Quarrys to enter their Hawks as well wild Boars wild Asses as Hares and Foxes Some there are that will order a Crow with the same industry as you would make a Hawk They have have also a certain Beast which they call Once which has a spotted skin like a Tiger but which is nevertheless very gentle and tame this a Horse-man will carry behind him and when he sees a wild Goat he sets down the Once which is so nimble that in three leaps he will be upon the back of the wild Goat though the wild Goat be a very swift Creature The Once immediately strangles him with his sharp teeth But if by accident the wild Goat get from him the Once will stand still in the same place abash'd and troubl'd so that an Infant may take him and kill him without the least resistance made in his own defence The Kings of Persia take great delight in Hunting and in that sport it is that they love to shew themselves magnificent Insomuch that Sha-Sefi desirous to treat all the Ambassadors then at his Court which at that time were the Tartarian Muscovite and Indian carry'd them along with him into the field and having tak'n a great number of Harts Fallow-dear Hinds and wild Boars he caus'd them all to be made ready to be eat'n the same day And while he was feasting an Architect had order to raise a Pyramid of the heads of those Beasts in the middle of Ispahan of which there are some remains to this day When the Architect had rais'd it to a considerable height he came very pleasantly to the King and told him he wanted nothing but one head of some great Beast to finish the Work The King whether in his Wine or to shew the Ambassadors how absolute he was over his Subjects turning briskly toward the Architect Thou say'st well said he nor do I know where to meet with a Head more proper than thy own Thereupon the miserable Architect was forc'd to submit his own Head the King's Command being presently put in execution CHAP. IV. Of the manner of Building in Persia. IN regard there is little Wood or Stone in Persia all the Cities except some Houses are generally built of Earth but of an earthen or rather a kind of Potter's Clay so well wrought that you may cut it like Turf being wrought to a just consistency The Walls are made with lays of Earth according to the proportion intended and between every lay of Earth three Foot high two or three rows of Bricks bak'd in the Sun These Bricks are made in a square Mold three singers thick and seven or eight inches broad and for fear they should cleave with drying in the Sun they lay over them pounded Straw to keep them from chopping in the heat They never lay the second Lay 'till the first be dry nor is the second Lay to be so broad as
in Trade Sha-Abas who was a man of a great Genius and a person of great undertaking considering that Persia was a barren Country where there was little Trade and by consequence little Money resolv'd to send his Subjects into Europe with raw Silks so to understand whence the best profit would arise to bring Money into his Country To which purpose he resolv'd to make himself Master of all the Silk in his own Country by purchasing it himself at a reasonable rate tax'd by himself and to reap the gains by his Factors and withal thought it necessary to seek an Alliance with the great Kings of Europe to engage them on his side against the Turk He first sent to the King of France Henry the Fourth But he dying before the Ambassador arriv'd answer was made the Ambassador That if the King of Persia had any thing to say to the King of France Lewis the Thirteenth he must send a new Ambassador which was never done Three or four years after he sent an Ambassador to the King of Spain accompany'd with a Persian Merchant of Ispahan putting into their hands a considerable quantity of Bales of Silk He also sent along with them a Portuguez Austin-Friar to be their Guide and Interpreter The Persian Merchant would have sold the Silks as was the King's order and have bought a Present more becoming But the Ambassador over-rul'd by the Friar resolv'd to present the King of Spain with the Bales of Silk The Merchant not able to oppose the Ambassador returns home forthwith to give an account to the King who approv'd his management The Ambassador proceeds and coming to the Spanish Court presents his Bales of Silk to the King who ask'd the Ambassador whether his Master took him for a Woman that he had sent him so many Bales of Silk to spin and immediately sent away the Present to his Queen presenting the Ambassador but very meanly who thereupon seeing the Errour he had committed made hast home but upon his return the Persian King having notice of the ill success of his Negotiation caus'd his Belly to be ript op'n in the publick Market-place About fifteen years after he trusted a considerable quantity of Silk with a Merchant's Son of Ispahan and sent him to Venice who when he came there took a stately Lodging and spent his Money at a strange rate especially among the Courtisans to maintain which expence he continually sold great quantities of Silk The Venetians seeing a private man live so splendidly among them and not believing so great a quantity of Goods could belong to one single Merchant but rather imagining him to be a Factor for some Company who suffer'd for his folly wrote to all the Ports of the Levant and having intelligence who he was the Senate thought fit to seize his Person and his Goods before he had consum'd all at the same time giving a civil account to the King of Persia what they had done To which the Persian King return'd a most obliging Answer of Thanks sending withal an intelligent Persian Merchant to take an account of what was left to whom the Venetians were very punctual As for the Prodigal Persian who thought it not his wisest way to return into Persia what became of him is not material to this Story The Platform of the famous Fortress of Candahar which is the Best Place in all Asia And indeed the Armenians are so much the more fit for Trading because they are a people very sparing and very sober though whether it be their virtue of their avarice I know not For when they are going a long Journey they only make provision of Bisket smoak'd Bufalo's flesh Onions bak'd Butter Flowr Wine and dry'd Fruits They never buy fresh Victuals but when they meet with Lambs or Kids very cheap in the Mountainous Countries nor is there one of them that does not carry his Angle to fish withal when they come to any Ponds or Rivers All these Provisions cost them little the Carriage And when they come to any Town where they are to stay they club five or six together and lye in an empty Chamber which they furnish themselves every one carrying his Mattress his Coverlet and his Kitchin-Instruments which is a great piece of Thrift When they travel into Christendom they carry along with them Saffron Pepper Nutinegs and other Spices which they exchange in the Country-Towns for Bread Wine Butter Cheese Milk-Meats and other Provisions which they buy of the poor Women When they return out of Christendom they bring along with them all sorts of Mercery-ware and Pedlery-ware of Noremberg and Venice as little Looking-glasses trifles of Tin enamel'd false Pearls and other things of that nature which pays for the Victuals they call for among the Country-people In the beginning of their Trade there return'd very few Caravans into Persia without two hundred thousand Crowns in Silver beside English and Dutch Clothes fine Tissues Looking-glasses Venice-Pearls Cochenel and Watches which they thought most proper for the Sale of Persia and India At length those Armenians became so exquisite in Trade that several of them have left Estates of two some twenty thousand Tomans But the richest among them was Cotgia or Monsieur Petrus who left forty thousand Tomans in coyn'd Money besides his Horses Furniture and Lands in the Country his Jewels and Plate all which are never reckon'd a Merchant's Estate but only the ready Cash with which he trades Cotgia Petrus was very much esteem'd for his Charity and the great Church which he built which is a kind of Covent with a Bishop and Monks Nor is the fair Market-place all environ'd with Shops a little beholding to his Generosity The Armenians of Zulpha have this advantage over all the Christians of the East that they enjoy Lands and Priviledges the King not permitting the least injustice to be done them nor that any Mahometan should live at Zulpha They have also the priviledge to be as well clad as the Persians and to make use as they do of Bridles of Gold and Silver Their Wives also are very richly habited in strip'd Sattins purfl'd with Gold and other rich Europaean Silks The King names whom he pleases among the Armenians to be their Chief whom they call Kelonter who judges all their differences and taxes them to make up the Sum which they are to pay to the King every year The Language of the Armenians is either vulgar or learned the learned is only us'd by the Ecclesiasticks in reference to their Religion They write like us from the left to the right having found out peculiar Characters about four years since They have three Languages very natural to them which however are very differente the Armenian which is their ancient Country-speech which they have preserv'd from Father to Son the Persian which is the Language of the Country where they live and the Turkish of which they make very much use in course of Trade As for their Women they
Mother of the Girl where the kindred of both parties meet The Men are in one place by themselves and the Women in another for they never eat together at publick Feasts The Evening before the Nuptials the Bridegroom sends a Habit to the Bride and some time after he comes to receive what the Mother of the Bride has provided for him on her part If the Bride has no Mother some ancient Woman next a-kin dresses the Bride At length the Bride gets upon one Horse and the Bridegroom upon another each Horse being sumptuously harness'd with Bridles and Saddles of Gold and Silver if the persons be rich those that are poor and have not Horses of their own repair to the Great men who willingly lend theirs upon such an occasion As they set out from the Virgins habitation the Bridegroom goes before with a Veil of Carnation-Tiffany upon his Head or else of Gold and Silver Net-work the Meshes whereof are very close that reaches below the Stomach He holds in his Hand one end of a Girdle some three or four Ells long and the Bride that rides behind holds the other She is also cover'd with a large white Veil from head to foot that spreads also a good way over the Horse Under which Veil that rather seems a large white Sheet the Bride is hid in such a manner that there is nothing to be seen of her but her Eyes Two Men walk on either side of each Horse and if they be Children of three or four years old for so young they marry there are three or four Men to hold them in the Saddle according to the quality of their Parents A great Train of young Men the kindred and acquaintance of both parties follow after some a-horseback some a-foot with Tapers in their hands as if they were going in Procession and besides all these the Drums Trumpets Hautboys and other Instruments of the Country all attending to the Church-door When they are alighted every one makes way for the Bridegroom and Bride who advance up to the foot of the Altar still holding the Girdle in their hands Then the Bridegroom and the Bride meet and lean forehead to forehead Then comes the Priest and turning his back to the Altar lays his Bible upon their Heads instead of a Desk a weight sufficiently heavy as being a thick ponderous Folio There he lets it lye while he reads the Form of Matrimony which Office is most usually perform'd by a Bishop or an Archbishop The Form is very much like ours The Bishop demands the Bridegroom Wilt thou have such a one to thy Wife then to the Bride he says Wilt thou have such a one for thy Husband to which they both answer with a nod of the Head The Matrimonial Benediction being giv'n they hear Mass which being ended they return both together to the Daughters habitation in the same order as they set out These Nuptials last three days where the Women drink more than the Men. The Man goes to Bed first the Woman pulling off the man's Breeches though she does not lay aside her Veil 'till the Candle be put out Let it be what time in the year it will the Woman rises before day So that there be some Armenians that in ten years after they are marry'd never saw their Wives faces nor ever heard them speak For though her Husband may speak to her and all the rest of her kindred yet she never answers but with a Nod. The Women never eat with their Husbands but if the Men feast their Frinds to day the Women feast theirs the next day CHAP. XIII How the Armenians Bury their Dead SO soon as any person dyes one appointed for the Services of the Dead runs immediately to the Church to fetch a Pot of Holy-water which he presently pours into a great Vessel full of Water into which they put the dead Corps This man is call'd Mordichou or the person that washes the Dead which Mordichou's are so much detested among the people that it is an ignominy to eat or drink with those sort of people Whatever the party deceas'd has about him at the time of his death belongs to them though it be any excellent Jewel for it is the custom of the East to lye in their Breeches Shirt and Wastcoat in regard they never make use of Bed-cloaths So soon as the Corps is wash'd they dress it with a clean white Shirt a pair of Breeches a Wastcoat and a Bonnet all new never having been worn before Then they put the Body in a linnen Sack and sow up the mouth of it That being done the Priests come and take up the Body to carry it to Church which is attended by all the kindred and friends of the deceas'd with every one a Taper in his hand Being come to Church they set down the Corps before the Altar where the Priest says certain Prayers and then setting up lighted Tapers round about the Corps they leave it so all night The next day in the morning a Bishop or an ordinary Priest says Mass at the end whereof they carry the Body before the door of the Bishop's house attended as before at what time the Bishop comes forth and says a Prayer for the Soul of the deceas'd Then eight or ten of the poorer sort that are next at hand carry the Body to the Church-yard All the way they sing certain Dirges which the Priests continue while the Body is let down into the Grave Then the Bishop takes three handfuls of Earth and throws them one after another into the Grave pronouncing these words From Earth thou cam'st to Earth thou shalt return and stay there 'till our Lord comes These words being said they fill up the Grave Those of the kindred and friends that will go back find a Collation ready and if any other persons will go along they are not refus'd For seven days also they allow Dinners and Suppers to certain Priests and poor people if they are persons of ability believing no Soul departed can be sav'd unless the survivors are at that expence Whence it comes to pass that so many of the poor people are so miserable and Slaves to the Mahometans by borrowing Money to desray those expences which they are not able to pay again When an Archbishop or a Bishop dyes they add this farther Ceremony that an Archbishop or a Bishop writes a little Note and cutting op'n the Sack puts the Note into the Hand of the deceas'd wherein are these words Remember thy self that from Earth thou cam'st and to Earth thou shalt return If a Slave dye before enfranchiz'd when the Body is brought into the Church the Master writes a Note wherein are these words Let him not grieve I make him free and give him his liberty For they believe that he would be reproach'd in the other World for being a Slave for which his Soul might suffer tribulation If the Master be dead the Mistress does the same If an Armenian
about his having alighted at which time the Athemadoulet and other Lords remounting him the two Kings rode together upon the Silks the King of Persia giving the left hand to the Tartar The King of Persia very generously lent him a considerable assistance of 15000 Horse and 8000 Foot and sixty thousand Tomans in Money The Tartar in Exchange gave him one of his Provinces bordering upon Persia which yeilded him a very good Revenue in regard the Inhabitants were all Shepherds or Turcomans that breed an infinite number of Cattel wherein the wealth of that Province consists While he reign'd he had a present made him from the Governour of Schiras of a wild Ass whose Skin was as red as Scarlet having a Horn growing out of his forehead about a foot long Sha Abbas reign'd about twenty-four years and dy'd at Tehzon of an inflammation in his throat which came by excessive drinking His body by his own order was buri'd at Kour So soon as he was dead the Lords that were about him sent advice of his death to the Prince that now reigns by the Topigi-Basha who is General of the Musqueteers and Mirza Bayad the Cheif of the Astrologers So soon as they came to the door of the Haram they desir'd to speak with the Mother and the Son who believ'd them come upon some dismal design But they presently confirm'd them to the contrary For as soon as the Prince came forth of the Haram they fell at his feet and saluted him King declaring the death of his Father Whereupon the Prince immediately tore his Garment according to the custom And indeed they have another custom that as soon as the new Prince comes after much entreaty out of the Haram he throws himself to the ground at the door of the Haram and then rising and sitting upon his heels one of the Lords that are sent girds the Scimiter about his waste saying these words May it please your Majesty to remember your Slave that had the Honour to grid you with this Scimiter Which done he goes and sets the Trumpets a sounding and the Drums beating whereupon all the people in the morning come running to the Gate of the Palace crying out Patsha Salamalek I salute thee Emperor Which is all the Ceremony us'd when any King of Persia ascends the Throne For I never saw any Crown set upon the head either of Sha Abbas or Sha Sefi Only in Persia they gird on the Scimiter as in Turky they put on the Bonnet of the Sophi's which is very richly set with Jewels but has not the least resemblance of a Crown The same Ceremony of girding on the Scimiter is us'd to the Mogul the Kings of Visapour and Golconda and they also put the Bonnet upon their heads which is set with the richest Jewels in the possession of those great Monarchs Sha-Sefi the second some time after his coming to the Throne fell dangerously sick not having ever enjoy'd a perfect health before Now it is the custom in those Countries that upon such an occasion all the Lords of the Court and Governors of Provinces give a sum of money according to their willingness and liberality This sum is usually in Gold which they put into a Bason very richly set with pretious Stones and bear it three times over the Kings head pronouncing these words Patsha Bashena Olson This money is sacrific'd for the health of the Kings head If the King recover all that money is giv'n to the poor to which the King and his Haram add very liberally But if the King dies the money is put into the Treasury and the poor have nothing The twentieth of August 1667 was the critical day of his distemper and every one thought he would have dy'd Upon which all the Grandees of the Court seeing him in that condition went to the Mosquee call'd Babaron which is without the City to pray for his health and altogether gave near a thousand Tomans to the poor The next day they commanded the Christian Armenians to pray for the recovery of the King Whereupon as well the Ecclesiasticks as the Laity went to their prayers upon the side of the River which is between Ispahan and Zulpha They also sent their Kelonter with fifty Tomans in Gold to bear over the Kings head though the Armenians pronounce not the same words as the Persians saying only Berai te Sadduk destin'd for Alms. Thus the danger being over in a few days they made it their business to recover him to a perfect habit of health but in regard the King continu'd in a languishing condition and for that the Physicians could not discover the cause of the distemper the King began to beleive that it proceeded from the ignorance of the Physicians for which reason some of them had receiv'd none of the best entertainment already At length it came into the thoughts of some others of the Physicians who were afraid for themselves that in regard Persia was thus doubly afllicted with Famine and the Sickness of the King both at one time it must of necessity be the Astrologers fault that miss'd the favourable hour when the King should have ascended the Throne Thus being troubl'd at their disgrace pretending to have no less skill in future knowledg than the Astrologers who had not chos'n a true time for the King to ascend the Throne they concluded that for the perfect recovery of his health and the restoring of plenty to the Nation it was necessary to renew the Ceremony at a lucky hour and to change his name This proposition pleas'd the King and his Council The Physitians and Astrologers joining together observ'd the first unlucky day which would certainly be follow'd by another that would prove fortunate Now there being among the Gaures some that pretend themselves descended from the Rustans who were ancient Kings of Persia and Parthia that very morning one of those Gaures setting himself upon the Throne with his back against a wooden Figure which represented him to the life all the Grandees of the Court came and did him homage as their King as he had order'd them to do This action lasted till the favourable hour was come which happen'd a little before Sun-set Then it was that an Officer of the Court came behind and cut off the head of the wooden Figure while the Gaure immediately took his heels and fled Presently upon that the King appear'd in the Hall upon whose head when they had put the Bonnet of Sophi and re-girt him with the Scimitar he ascended the Throne and took the name of Soliman He was forc'd to act this Comedy to satisfie the Law which contriv'd that he should change his Name and take a new possession of his Throne by ejecting a Usurper that had wrongfully claim'd it For which reason the Gaure was set up as Pretender as laying claim to the ancient Lineage of the Persian Kings and being of a different Religion From that time the King recovering and the Famine
in that employment to the satisfaction of all men He apply'd himself particularly to the searching out of Mines for there had a report ran among the people for many years that if certain mountaines nine or ten miles from Ispahan toward the West were well digg'd into their might be found store of Gold Silver and Copper To which purpose he made use of a Norman whose name was La Chapelle de Han who vanted at that time to have great skill in Chymistry Mines and Minerals for which reason he was recommended by the Governor of Ispahan to the Athemadoulet then at Casbin with the King who presently sent him back again to the Governour to furnish him with all things necessary for his Expences and for the work which he undertook in the Mountains Thither went La Chapelle and after fifteen days toyl return'd to Ispahan with two or three hunder'd weight of earth and set up furnaces to draw out the metal The Athemadoulet was so wise as to give order to the Governour of Ispahan and three or four more persons of Quality to overview the Norman to see that he play'd no foul play But though there was not so much as a half peny worth of silver in all the earth from the bottom to the top though the Persians watch'd him so narrowly as they did he made a shift to shuffle in an Abassi among the earth as it was in the furnace without being perceiv'd Nevertheless the Athemadoulet to whom it was carry'd presently found out the cheat though he took no notice of it hoping to make better use of the Norman in other things only he forbad him to dig any more in that place in regard the expence would exceed the profit La Chapelle who was very skilful at putting off his merchandize and one who knew to make the best use of the least smackering that he might perhaps have in Mechanicks and the power of Motion had the cunning to amuse the Athemadoulet for ten years together being a passionate Lover of new Inventions and the better to insinuate himself into the Kings favour assum'd to himself the Invention of several Rarities which he shew'd the King who thereupon allow'd him a very handsome pension Thus encourag'd he undertook to cast Canons bring the water to the top of the Kings house and several other things yet when all his designs fail'd for want of Art and that he found he could do no more good in Persia resolving for India he dy'd at Ormus The Athemadoulet missing of Gold and Silver Mines apply'd himself to the discovery of Copper Mines wherein he was more fortunate for in those Mines he also found veins of Azure of which there is a great quantity consum'd in painting the Grotesco Flourishes upon the Ceilings and Arches of their Houses He also found out a Mine of Lead near Yerde and being still upon new discoveries he found out a Mine of Talk Stone Allum and Coles but of neither so good as in other Countries He was so obstinate in the searth of Metals that if any person had an occasion to speak with him let him be never so busie upon never so important affairs it was enough to bring him some stones of a supposed Mine or something rare either for Colour Figure or Weight He also gave full power to them that brought him any tidings of a Mine to go to the place and to press the Countrymen from their labour to dig in the Mountains and break up rocks and if they found nothing he cast the fault upon the ignorance of the Labourers He also apply'd himself to the study of Mechanic Motions He would have found an Invention whereby the half Vail that hangs in the Kings Megeler or Council Chamber and is drawn to and fro by certain Officers in the Summer to gather the cool Air should have bin made by Engine-work Then he took a fancy for water Engines the most necessary thing in the world for Persia to relieve the drowth of the Country but wanting necessaries as Beams Rafters Wheel-work Cordage and Iron he could not begin those Engines the figures whereof La Chapelle had left him in a Book But as Mahomet Beg was studious in these things so was he Ambitious and Revengeful to that height that he could not observe a moderation in his resentment against those that had given him any distaste In his height of Passion he caus'd several Kans to be depriv'd of their Provinces and by confiscating their Estates reduc'd them to utmost necessity The Kan of Erivan had a Son who was a lovely and a well proportion'd Gentleman and always attended at the Kings Elbow One day that the King was drinking with some Lords he commanded the Kan of Erivans Son to carry a Gold Cup full of Wine to the Athemadoulet who perceiving that he had enough already made a sign with his eye to the young Lord to return it back The young Lord passing by the King told him ingeniously that the Athemadoulet had no desire to drink whereupon the King commanded him to go and powre the Wine into his bosome As the one vvas oblig'd to obey the Athemadoulet vvas forc'd to suffer and to permit the young man to open his bosome and povvre dovvn the Wine for not daring to shevv his Anger he vvas forc'd to dissemble the best he could for that time But having resolv'd to revenge the affront upon the Kan of Erivan Father of the young Lord vvho had only done vvhat the King commanded him he resolv'd to lay hold upon the opportunity that presented it self knovving that there vvere several complains come against him from the Armenians of Erivan Thereupon the Athemadoulet sends for the Kelonter encourages him in his suit and gives him instructions hovv to proceed To this end Mahomet Beg appoints him to meet him such an hour at the Kings Stables whither the King presently coming the Kelonter threw himself at the Kings feet and besought him for Justice against the Kan of Erivans oppressions while Mahomet Beg fail'd not to heap up aggravations against the Governour and the King though he had heard but one side as easily condemn'd him upon the Accusation of the Kelonter and his Prime Minister Thereupon an Officer of the Kings call'd Negef-Couli-Beg a man of a quick and active spirit was commanded to go in all haste and seize upon the Person of the Kan Who being come to Erivan found him upon his seat of Justice confiscating and condemning to fine and Corporal punishment a near Kinsman of the Kelonters The Messenger boldly enter'd into the Megeler or Council Chamber goes directly to the Kan told him he was the Kings prisner and gave him a blow with his fist upon the neck about which he was to wear the Triangle of great thick pieces of wood already describ'd into which the neck is enclos'd while the Arms and Hands of the Prisner are put through another piece of wood that crosses the Triangle which is a great
men imagin For formerly great quantities of Velvets Tissues and Taffata's were transported out of Persia into these parts but now we make them better and cheaper in Europe There is also a vast quantity of flat silk transported out of Persia into Turkie Muscovy and Poland which the women use in embroidery for the Colours being lively they embroider their shifts hankerchers vails and other linnen with it The Seal-skins and Goat-skins which are dress't in Persia are transported by the Hollander into India and Japan Great quantities also of both are transported into Muscovy and Poland The Ronas that famous Root of which I have already spoken is transported over all India where there is also a great vent of Persian fruits pickl'd in Vinegar as also of their sweet waters Their Pistaches grow in great abundance about Casbin Almonds from the Territories of Yesd and Kerman Raisins from several parts of the Kingdom especially from Schiras And their purgative Prunes which they call Alonbacara from the Frontiers that border upon Tartary Great store of Quinces candied and boxes of Marmaled made at Balsara are thence transported into India where they are bought up by the Mahometans and Portugueses For the Banians will eat none for fear they should by accident bury a fly in their stomachs Great store of dry'd Fruits are brought out of the Country of the Medes and transported to Tocat to Diarbequir Nineveh and Dagdat Among the rest a sort of small Abricots very pleasing to the taste which being boyl'd in water make a pleasant syrrup and are the only diet for the sick in those parts There are also great store of painted Calicuts made in Persia which being course are only worn and made use of by the poor so that there is very little transported out of the Country but what is carried into Turkie The Persians also make a great deal of money of their Cattel and to begin with their Camels they sell vast numbers of them into Armenia and Natolia But the Governours of the Provinces are very unwilling to part with them which very much abates the trade For the Turks very highly esteem the Persian Camels as being stronger than their own They also sell great store of Horses and Mules but that trade is not so considerable the chiefest part being only sent into India As for their Sheep 't is a wonderful thing to see what prodigious numbers come out of the Province of the Medes and the Higher Armenia and the Forraign Merchants come as far as Tauris and Hamadan to fetch them away They drive them as far as Constantinople and Adrianople and the greatest part of the Mutton which is spent in Natolia and Romania comes out of Persia which very much enriches Persia with ready mony But when Lamb is in season as we travel with the Caravans we meet at every turn with flocks after flocks the least of which consists of a thousand Lambs and in regard there are some of those Lambs that are weary and lag behind we buy them at a very cheap rate the Shepheards that are not able to carry them being glad to be rid of ' em Formerly the Merchant Fewellers brought some Turquoises of the old rock out of Persia but for these 15 years last past there have bin none found The last time I was there I could only meet with three which were but reasonable As for those of the new rock they are of no value because they do not keep their colour but turn green in a little time CHAP. XIII Of the Justice and Policy of the Persians THe Justice of the Persians is very exact and very speedy Suits are determin'd upon the place without any need of Advocates or Proctors Not but that the Officers of Justice are easie to be corrupted but in their unjust exactions which they carry as secretly as possibly they can they are sooner satisfi'd then the Turks and if their injustice be discover'd upon complaint to the King they are punisht without mercy The Kans do Justice in their Provinces as representing the Kings person Besides that the King has a Divan Begui in every City and the Kan places under him a Deroga who is like the Lieutenant Criminal in France He has under him an Aatas who is a kind of Captain of the watch who goes about the streets in the night to hinder disorders and carries all people to Prison that he finds abroad at unseasonable hours if they cannot give a good accompt of themselves There is also a Kelonter that is the chiefest or greatest who seems to resemble the Tribune of the People among the Romans or the Provost of Merchants in France The Kelonter is only responsible to the King who places one in every City and it is his business to defend the People from the injustice and oppressions of the Governours Murther is severely punish'd nor will money save the Criminal When the Murtherer is tak'n they carry him before the Divan Begui who makes quick work For he delivers him to the Parents or kindred of the person slain who carry him to the place of execution and without any compassion torture him to death I remember the Kan of Schiras had a Favourite who falling in love with a young Persian Gentleman would needs endeavour to have the use of his body One day meeting upon the Road together and lying at night under the same Tent the Favourite about midnight came to his bed side and after many sollicitations would have forc'd him But being violently resisted the Favourite for madness to see himself disappointed and liable to be discover'd stabb'd the young Gentleman to the heart and fled to the Mountains The Murther being divulg'd the Mother Widow and Sister of the young man repair'd to the Kan for Justice who willing to save his Minion offer'd them money but they scorning his proffer threaten'd to complain to the King The Kan being thereupon constrain'd to pursue his Favourite at length took him and sent him to Ispahan telling them that he would not judge of the Affair but refer it to the King The Mother Widow and Sister immediately follow'd the Murtherer to Ispahan and demanded Justice of the King with that eagerness that though the King had an inclination to have spar'd the Kan's Favourite for his Masters sake he was forc'd to abandon him and to bid them pay themselves with his blood Immediately he was carri'd to the Meydan where the Widow first stabb'd him to the heart with a Dagger then the Mother took her turn and after the Sister and then holding a Cup to receive his blood drank every one a cup full to quench the thirst of their revenge Nor are they so exact in the punishment of Murther only for they punish disorders in houses of Debauchery with a proportionable strictness of which I will give the Reader two examples A young Hollander coming to Ispahan presently put himself into a Persian habit and going in the evening to a house of
another sort of Fowl like the great Partridges in their bodies but their legs and feet resemble those of wild Ducks The Camels take this Road because it is impossible for them to pass the Mountain Jarron over which the Horses and Mules are hardly able to travel I set out from Moushek the 21 th of March at two in the morning and having travell'd till eight through a plain but stony Countrey I came to the little City of Jarron which is rather to be call d a Forrest of Palm-trees that bear excellent Dates I lodg'd in an Inn five hunder'd paces from the City and staid there two days The 24 th setting out presently after midnight I travell'd a good hour and then I began to mount the steep Mountain of Jarron which is very high and very long but the descent is the most dangerous that ever I saw in all my Travels and besides that the Moon did not shine Being at the top after you have descended three or four hunder'd paces you meet with a Bridg of one Arch that reaches from one Mountain to another a bold piece of Architecture not enough to be admir'd being rais'd at the charges of Iman-Kouli-Kan for the benefit of Travellers Being come to the bottom of this you must pass two others as steep in their ascent as in the descent upon the top of one of which stands a Cistern which though it be very large is generally emptied by the end of the Summer Upon these Mountains there is such an infinite quantity of Partridg that a man cannot miss that will but shoot By eight in the Morning I came to an Inn which is call'd Shakal which is a-lone House in a Desert Countrey but stor'd with bitter Almond-trees and Turpentine-trees Approaching neer to the Inn you meet with two or three Cisterns which are a great comfort to Travellers water being very scarce upon this Road. There are at Shakal nine or ten Radar's for the Guard of the Road who are also Masters of the Inn So soon as you are alighted they ask you if you will eat any Kid being sure of their blow and having no more to do but to go to the Mountain and fetch one where they swarm There are store of Partridges which are almost as big as Pullets of which you may easily kill as many as you please The 25 th I travell'd five hours from morning till noon An hour after I took Horse I met with a Mountain the descent whereof was very steep They call it the Mountain of Hâ—shen at the foot whereof is a Fountain of excellent water A good league farther you meet with a fair Inn call'd Mouezeré in the midst of a pleasant Grove where there is an excellent Spring of water but because there is no food to be had you must go as far as Detadombé a Village seated in a plain A quarter of a league on this side upon the top of a Mountain appears the ruins of an old Castle the Village it self being surrounded with Palm-trees The Inn is a good one provided with a very good Cistern The 25 th I travell'd through a plain for three hours and stopt at Banarou a little City well built at the foot of a high Mountain upon which appears the remains of a large Castle Bonarou is the Frontier Town of the Province of Fars bordering upon the Province of Lar. The 26 th I departed an hour after midnight and travell'd till nine in the morning partly through the Plain and partly through the Mountains where I saw an old Tower for the guard of the Road. I staid at Bihry a little City seated upon a plain that borders upon a high Mountain The Inn is new and very magnificently built by the Mother of Aimas Kan of Lar when the great Sha-Abbas took this Countrey from the Gaures whom he constrain'd to turn Mahumetans The 27 th I set out at four of the Clock in the morning and about seven I past through a Village seated in a small plain A league from thence I lodg'd in an Inn call'd Pai-Cotali that is to say the foot of the Mountain as being built at the foot of the Mountain From thence to Lar is not above four or five hours travelling but the way is very bad and several swift Torrents are to be past over You may take another Road from Bihry upon the right-hand toward the West it is the shorter way by two or three leagues but so bad and so narrow that in many places two Horsemen cannot ride a-brest being for the most part all Rocks and Precipices Lar is the Capital City of the Province of the same name which formerly bore the title of a Kingdom It is but of an ordinary bigness enclos'd on both sides with high Mountains being built round about a Rock upon which there stands a Castle of Free-stone wherein the King keeps a Garrison The whole Country is very hot nor have they any water but Rain water which they preserve in Cisterns and which sometimes causes a wide Torrent that runs by one side of the City and falls from a Cascade two stories high made of Free-stone In the City and parts adjacent grow a great number of trees especially Date trees and Tamarisk The Gardens also and Mountains are full of Orange trees There are but two Inns in Lar the one within the City which is not a very good one the other at the end of the City toward Ormus which would be convenient but that it is always afloat when the Rains fall for which reason the Franks generally lye at the Hollanders House at the end of the City And there is a necessity for staying at Lar to change the Camels for the Camels that come from Ispahan can go no further every City having their particular priviledges Which sometimes proves prejudicial to the Merchant in regard the Governour will delay the change of the Camels till he is presented The Fortress of Lar takes up the whole surface of the top of the Rock and there is but one way to climb it up with great difficolty It is more long than broad and the four corners are fortifi'd with four Bastions or Bulwarks between which are rais'd several Towers for the Souldiers Lodgings That Fortress is the Royal Prison whither the King sends such Prisoners as he takes in war or surprizes by stratagem I met with two there one a Prince of Georgia the other of Mengrelia The two Princes had each of them a Toman a day allow'd them and ten or twelve Servants to wait upon them Upon one of the corners of the Castle toward the West was built a Banquetting House with three or four Chambers In the middle of the Court stands the Magazine full of Bows and Arrows Bucklers and Muskets enough to arm fifteen hundred men For the Inhabitants of the Province but more especially of the City of Lar are accounted the best Musqueteers in Persia and the best at making the Barrels of Muskets
all but the Breach which they know not how to order so well as we The Governours House answers to the great Road but there is nothing at all of nearness without only before the door there is a good handsome Court about sixty paces square and clos'd in with Walls which leads you into two large Bazars of good Stone very well arch'd The most part of the Inhabitants of Lar are Jews who are famous for several Silk Manufactures especially for making neat Girdles The Countrimen were upon their heads a kind of a felt of fine wool and very well wrought It resembles a Cap not yet shap'd with four Corners behind and cut on the sides and these sorts of Caps are made at Kerman There are an infinite number of Cisterns as well within the City as in the parts adjacent and all but little enough in regard that sometimes it does not Rain for three years together When the Rains fall they do nor fill their Cisterns the first day but rather cover them quite up till the earth be well soak'd Now for the distribution of this water they take an excellent course for they never keep open above three Cisterns at a time and when they do op'n them the Governour or some other person appointed for that purpose is present so precious is water in that place though never so bad The water thus standing in the Cisterns sometimes for many years together breads worms so that whither you strain it or boil it there will appear a kind of foulness in it which is the seed of these worms And this corruption it is that breeds worms in the legs and feet of men which puts me in mind that after my return to Paris the fifth time of my travelling I had one came out of my left foot an Ell an a half long and another from under the ankle of my right foot half an Ell long The first of April I set out from Lar by five in the morning and travell'd till three in the afternoon through a barren stony Country except it were only one Village call'd Tcherkah near to which I met with some Corn-land and several Palm-trees I lodg'd at a little Inn call'd Shamzenghi It is low built like a Cross with four doors to receive the cool winds every way All the Inns are built in this fashion between this and Bander and near to one another for the ease of Travellers As for the Beasts they lye without for they have no Stables All the Houses from Lar to Ormus are built after one manner For there is a kind of a Pipe like a Chimney that runs from the bottom to the top to gather wind The second I left Shamzenghi about four in the afternoon because the heat is cool'd by a gentle breeze toward the evening Three hours I travell'd through a barren Plain afterwards over most fearful Rocks and about ten at night I came to Cormout a great Village well stor'd with Palm-trees From Lar to Cormout is the worst way in all Persia. For many times there is no water to be found The third I parted from Cormout a little after midnight and having travell'd seven hours in very bad way full of great stones and filthy puddles I came to a new Inn call'd Tenquidalen In the middle of it is a little vase of running water fed by a little stream that falls from the Mountain But the water being something brackish they have since that built a very fair Cistern They also broach'd the Mountain to bring the water into a Plain which was barren before but is now fruitful and beautifi'd with two good Villages This was done by a rich Merchant whose Children enjoy the Revenues of both The fourth I set forward an hour after midnight and travell'd through an uninhabited Countrey full of wide Torrents when the rain falls There are but two small Inns upon the Road and about eight in the morning I arriv'd at that which they call Gourba-Sarghant It was built with the Money which a Merchant of Ormus left for that purpose whose strength fail'd him in that very place for want of a resting place This Inn is not far from a Village that stands upon the Mountain to the North. The fifth setting out a little after midnight I travell'd till seven in the morning through a dry and desert Countrey yet stor'd with Lentisk-trees and lay at a good Village call'd Cauvrestan where the people were mowing large Fields of Barly Here if the Inn be full you may lye at the Countrey-mens Houses who are accustom'd to entertain Travellers and get well by it This place is famous for water-Melons as big as our Pumpkins and are the best in all Persia. The meat is very red and as sweet as Sugar which is a great refreshment to Travellers The Ketonter of the place gave me two Raddishes one weighing 30 the other 45 pounds and were very good meat The 6 th I set out after midnight and travell'd till it was day through plains of Sand over which it is impossible to find the way without a guide About three a Clock in the morning I cross'd over two Bridges joyn'd together by a long Causey Before I came to the first I rode over another for a good quarter of a league which Causey runs on a great way to the second Bridg under which flows a salt River the shoar of which is full of moving sands so that before those Bridges were made it was dangerous to foard it without a guide This Causey and the two Bridges were made and built by a Persian whose name was Aly who wanting employment at home apply'd himself to the King of Golconda who lik'd him so well that he made him General of his Army Being thus advanc'd he also turn'd Merchant and trading first with one Vessel then with two got a great Estate At length all that he had thus got in forty years to get himself a name in Persia he employ'd in making this Causey and the two Bridges These Bridges are both built over a River that comes from toward Kerman and is swell'd by other streams that fall from the Mountains with a great noise and discharges it self into the Persian Gulph neer to Bander-Congo but becomes brackish by passing through Mountains that are nothing but Salt From the great Bridg to Guitchi is one of the most pleasant Countries in all Persia being a continu'd Grove Guitchi is a place accommodated with two Inns one a very fair one and convenient the other very ill seated by reason of the dust that continually annoys it standing upon a sandy ground It stands neer ten or twelve Arabian Tents so that as soon as you come to the Inn the Arabian Women presently bring Milk and Butter and other refreshments A league and a half from Guitchi you meet with two Roads one upon the left-hand that seems more beaten the other upon the right There a man may easily be deceiv'd that has no guides For the
daring to trust the Chineses who have often deceiv'd them and none have been more cheated than the Hollanders For they have a way to stuff their Loaves of Gold insomuch that you shall sometimes find in the middle a third part of Copper or Silver In all sorts of Bargains the Chineses are so cunning that there are few strangers whom they do not over-reach especially in Batavia the Hollanders when they come first They carry their weights always along with them being like a Roman Beam or a Stelleer about eight Inches long with which they weigh all the Gold and Silver which they receive As for the small Money both in China and Tunquum it is of Copper It is made as in Fig. 4. They also thread these pieces there being a hole in the middle 12 25 50 and 300 upon a string because they will not put themselves to the trouble of telling them when the number exceeds a dozen The Gold and Silver Money of Japon ALL the Gold that comes from Japon is of the same goodness somewhat better than our Louis and is about that goodness for which we pay about 50 Franks the Ounce Fig. 1. This piece of Gold weighs one Ounce and six Drams at fifty Franks the Ounce comes to 87 Livres and 10 Sous Fig. 2 and 3. Every one of these pieces is of Gold and every one weighs a third part of the great one which is half an Ounce and 48 Grains and comes to 29 Livres 3 Sous and 4 Deneers Fig. 4. This as it is mark'd is the backside of the three pieces of Gold Fig. 5 and 6. are pieces of Silver of the same weight every one weighing 4 Grains less than our pieces of 30 Sous though it go nevertheless for the same value As for the Silver it is the same in goodness with our Money However in the Territories of the Great Mogul whither the Hollanders carry all their Silver their Bars and Japon pieces to coin them into Money sometimes they sell them to the Bankers where they have no convevenience of coinage as at Surat and Agra and these Bankers give them from two to three in the hundred more than they will give for our Crowns Rixdollars or Spanish Reals Fig. 7. is the backside of the two Silver pieces The Portraicture of the Silver Ingots of Japon which go for Money I Said before that all the Silver that comes out of Japon is equal in goodness to our Crowns Fig. 1. An Ingot of this form weighs seven ounces at three Livres ten Sous the ounce the whole comes to twenty four Livres and ten Sous Fig. 2. Weighs two ounces three drams and an half the whole comes to eight Livres ten Sous and seven Deneers Fig. 3. Weighs once ounce half a dram and twelve grains the whole comes to four Livres five Sous and five Deneers Fig. 4. Weighs one ounce eight grains the whole comes to three Livres ten Sous and an eleven Deneers Fig. 5. Weighs seven drams one quarter and seven grains the whole comes to three Livres eight Sous and eight Deneers Fig. 6. Weighs two drams and an half and twenty four grains the whole comes to one Livre five Sous and one Deneer Fig. 7. Weighs two drams twenty four Deneers the whole comes to one Livre nine Deneers Fig. 8. Weighs one dram and an half and twenty four grains the whole comes to sixteen Sous and four Deneers Fig. 9. Is the Copper-Money which they thread by fifteen thirty fifty to the number of 600. which is the value of a Tell in Silver Over all Japon they reckon by Tells and the Hollanders reckon that a Tell makes three Gelders and an half of their Money which comes to four Livres and five Sous of ours Fig. 10. Is the back-side of the Copper-piece Money that represents the Figures of the twelve Signs and which were Coined during the twenty four hours that Gehan-guir King of the Indians permitted Queen Nourmahall his Wife to Reign in his stead Silver Ingots of Iapan Money representing the 12 Signes Perhaps the Reader may be curious to know from whence this Illustrious Queen of the Indians descended and therefore for his satisfaction I will tell him in a few words Her Father a Persian by Nation a man naturally Ambitious and who in his own Country was no more than a bare Captain of Horse without any hopes of rising to any higher preferment travel'd into the Indies to serve the Great Mogul who was then Gehan-guir with an intention of raising his Fortune in a strange Country Gehan-guir had then many Enemies the Kings of Golconda and Visapour being in Rebellion against him and several Raja's having taken their part So soon as he came to kiss the Kings Hands the King took a liking to him and gave him immediately the Command of five hundred Horse And because he was very well skill'd in Astrology which is a Science to which the Asiaticks are very much addicted the King esteem'd him the more and in a short time made him General of his Army But afterwards forgetting his duty and the benefits he had received he join'd with Sultan Kosrou guir's eldest Son and having gain'd a great part of the Army they conspir'd together to depose the King and set up his Son in his stead There was at that time in the Court an Eunuch of great wit who did more mischief to the Army in his Closet than he could have done in the Field This Eunuch so soon as intelligence was brought of the Rebellion told the King that if his Majesty pleas'd he would deliver Kosrou and the Persian General into his hands in a short time without so much as striking one stroke or losing one man He was as good as his word in part for he so order'd his business by his politick contrivances that the General was brought to the King who would not presently put him to death Sultan Kosrou escap'd that bout and continu'd the War many years against his Father who at length took him in Fight and caus'd his eyes to be pull'd out The King detaining the General in custody his Wife and his Daughter found a way to save his life as you shall hear The Daughter of the Persian General who was his only Child was about fourteen years of Age the most accomplish'd Beauty at that time in all the Kingdom she was most rarely educated and could both write and read the Arabian Persian and Indian Languages The Mother and the Daughter went every day to Court to hear what would become of the General and understanding at length that the King intended either to put him to death or to banish him they came to the Haram and casting themselves at his Majesties feet they humbly begg'd pardon the one for her Husband the other for her Father which they easily obtain'd the King being surpriz'd at the Beauty of the Virgin to whom he afterwards surrender'd his Affections All the Court was astonish'd afterwards how the
ours yet are not hung But in my last Travels I caus'd one to be made after our manner and the two Oxen that drew it cost me near upon six-hundred Roupies Nor is the Reader to wonder at the price for there are some of these Oxen that are very strong and that will travel upon the trot twelve or fifteen leagues a-day for sixty days together When they have gone half the days journey they give them two or three Balls as big as one of our two-penny-loaves of Wheat kneaded up with butter and black-sugar The hire of a Coach comes to a Roupie a-day more or less From Suratt to Agra is forty days journey and you pay for the whole journey from forty to forty-five Roupies From Suratt to Golconda being almost the same distance the same price is observed and by the same proportion you may travel over all the Indies They who have more to spend for their own ease make use of a Pallanquin wherein they travel very commodiously This is a sort of little Couch six or seven foot long and three broad with balisters round about it A sort of Cane call'd Bambouc which they bend like an Arch sustains the covering of the Pallanquin which is either of Satin or Cloath of Gold and when the Sun lies upon one side a Slave that goes by the side takes care to pull down the covering Another Slave carries at the end of a long stick a kind of Target of Osier covered over with some gentile stuff to preserve the person that is in the Pallanquin from the heat of the Sun when he turns and lies upon his face The two ends of the Bambouc are fastned on both sides to the body of the Pallanquin between two sticks join'd together like a Saltir or St. Andrews-cross every one of those two sticks being five or six foot long There are some of these Bambouc's that cost two-hundred Crowns I my self have paid an hundred and twenty Three men for the most part apply themselves to each of these two ends to carry the Pallanquin upon their shoulders some on the right and some on the left and they go swifter than our Sedan-men and with a much more easy pace as being that which they practice from their youth You give to every one for all things not above four Roupies a Month but it stands you in above five if the journey be long and exceed sixty days labour Whether it be in Coach or Pallanquin he that will travel honourably in the Indies must take along with him twenty or thirty armed men with Bows and Arrows some others with Musquets and they have the same rate with those that carry the Pallanquin Sometimes for more magnificence they carry a Banner as the English and Hollanders do for the honour of their Companies These Souldiers are not only for shew but they watch for your defence keeping Centinels and relieving one another and are very studious to give content For you must know that in the Towns where you take them into service they have a Chieftain that is responsible for their fidelity who for his good word has two Roupies a-piece of every one In the great Villages there is generally a Mahumetan that commands of whom you may buy Mutton Pullets or Pidgeons But where there live none but Banians there is nothing but Flower Rice Herbs and Milk-meats to be had The great heats in India enforcing the Travellers that are not accustomed to them to travel by night and rest in the day-time when they come into any fortified Towns they must be gone before Sun-set if they intend to travel that night For night coming on and the Gates being shut the Commander of the place who is to answer for all the Robberies that are committed within his Jurisdiction will let no person stir forth telling them that it is the King's order to which he must be obedient When I came to any of those Towns I bought my Provisions and went out again in good time and staid in the Field under some Tree in the fresh air till it was time to set forward They measure the distances of places in India by Gos and Costes A Gos is about four of our common leagues and a Coste one league It is now time to travel from Surat for Agra and Janabat and to observe what is most remarkable upon the Road. CHAP. IV. The Road from Surat to Agra through Brampour and Seronge I Am no less well acquainted with all the principal Roads that lead to the chief Cities of India than those of Turkey and Persia for in six times that I have travell'd from Paris to Ispahan I have gone twice for one from Ispahan to Agra and many other places of the Great Mogul's Empire But it would be tiresome to the Reader to carry him more than once the same way on purpose to make a relation of every particular journey and the accidents that accompany them And therefore it will suffice to give an exact description of the Roads without particularizing the distinct times that I went There are but two Roads from Surat to Agra one through Brampour and Seronge the other through Amadabat The first shall be the Subject of this Chapter From Surat to Barnoly costes 14 Barnoly is a great Borough-Town where you are to ford a great River and this first days journey you cross a mixt Countrey part Wood part through Fields of Wheat and Rice From Barnoly to Bahor costes 10 Bahor is also a large Village upon a Lake about a league in compass Upon the side whereof is to be seen a good substantial Fortress though there be no use made of it Three quarters of a league on this side the Village you ford a small River though not without great difficulty by reason of the Rocks and Stones that hazard the over-turning of the Coach This second days-journey you travel almost altogether through Woods From Balor to Kerkoa or as it is call'd at this day Carvansera de la Begum costes 5 This Carvansera or Inn is very large and commodious being built out of Charity by Begum-saheb the Daughter of Cha-jehan For formerly the journey from Balor to Navapoura was too great And this place being upon the Frontiers of those Raja's that sometimes will not acknowledg the Great Mogul whose Vassals they are there was no Caravan that past by which was not abused besides that it is a woody-wooddy-Countrey Between Carvansera and Navapoura you ford a River as also another very neer to Navapoura From Kerkoa to Navapoura costes 75 Navapoura is a great Town full of Weavers but Rice is the greatest Commodity of that place There runs a River through the Countrey which makes it very fruitful and waters the Rice that requires moisture All the Rice which grows in this Countrey has one peculiar quality that makes it more particularly esteem'd The grain of it is less by one half than the grain of the common Rice and when it is boil'd no
heard and to appease them by representing to them that they ought to have some respect to the Nephew of the King by that means obliging them to retire That night the Body of the Governour was sent to Agra with his Haram and Cha-jehan who then reign'd being inform'd of the accident was not much troubl'd because he is Heir to all the goods of his Subjects and at the same time he bestow'd upon the Page a small Government in the Province of Bengala From Brampour to Piombi-sera costes 5 Before we go any farther you must take notice that where-ever you meet with the word Sera it signifies a great Enclosure of Walls and Hedges within which are about fifty or sixty Huts cover'd over with Straw There are some men and women that there put to sale Flower Rice Butter and Herbs and make it their business to bake Bread and boil Rice If there be any Mahumetan in that place he will go to the City and buy a little piece of Mutton or a Fowl and those that sell Victuals to the Travellers always cleanse the Hut which they take up and put into it a little Bed with girths to lay a Mattress or Quilt upon which the Travellers carry along with them From Piombi-sera to Pander costes 3 From Pander to Balki-sera costes 6 From Balki-sera to Nevilki-sera costes 5 From Nevilki-sera to Consemba costes 5 From Consemba to Chenipore costes 3 From Chenipore to Charava costes 8 From Charava to Bich-ola costes 8 From Bich-ola to Andy costes 4 At Andy you must pass a River that falls into Ganges between Banarou and Patna From Andi to Onquenas costes 4 From Onquenas to Tiquery costes 5 From Tiquery to Tool-meden costes 4 From Tool-meden to Nova-sera costes 4 From Nova-sera to Ichavour costes 4 From Ichavour to Signor costes 5 From Signor to Chekaipour costes 3 From Chekaipour to Dour-ay costes 3 From Dour-ay to Aser-kaira costes 3 From Aser-kaira to Telor costes 3 From Telor to San-kaira costes 3 From San-kaira to Seronge costes 12 Seronge is a great City the most part of the Inhabitants whereof are Banian Merchants and Handicraft-trades-men from Father to Son which is the reason that there are in this City several Houses of Stone and Brick There is also a great Trade for all sorts of painted Calicuts which are called Chites which is the cloathing of all the meaner sort of people both in Persia and Turkey Of which in other Countreys also they make use for Coverlets for Beds and Table-napkins They make the same sort of Calicuts in other Countreys as well as at Seronge but the colours are not so lively besides that they wear out with often washing Whereas those that are made at Seronge the more you wash them the fairer the colours shew There runs a River by the City the water whereof has that vertue that it gives that beauty and liveliness to the colours And all the while the rains fall the Workmen will make these prints upon their Cottons according to the Patterns which the Forreign Merchants give them for when the waters are ceas'd the water is the thicker and the oftener they dip their Calicuts the better the colours hold There is also made at Seronge another sort of Calicut which is so fine that when a man puts it on his skin shall appear through it as if he were naked The Merchants are not permitted to transport it For the Governour sends it all to the Seraglio of the Great Mogul and to the principal Lords of the Court. Of this the Sultanesses and great Noblemen's Wives make them Shifts and Garments in hot-weather And the King and the Lords take great pleasure to behold them in those Shifts and to see them Dance with nothing else upon their Bodies From Brampore to Seronge is an hundred and one costes which are longer than those from Surat to Brampore for the Coach is a full hour and sometimes five quarters going one of these costes In these hundred leagues of the Countrey you travel whole days journeys along by most fertil Fields of Corn and Rice being lovely Champaign where you meet with very little Wood and from Seronge to Agra the Countrey is much of the same nature And because the Villages lye thick together your journey is the more pleasant besides that you may rest when you please From Seronge to Madalki-sera costes 6 From Madalki-sera to Poulki-sera costes 2 From Poulki-sera to Kasariki-sera costes 3 From Kasariki-sera to Chadolki-sera costes 6 From Chadolki-sera to Callabas costes 6 Callabas is a great Town which was formerly the Residence of a Raja who paid Tribute to the Great Mogul But when Orang-zeb came to the Crown he not only cut off his but a great number of the heads of his Subjects There are two Towers near the Town upon the high-way and round about the Towers are several holes like windows and in every hole two foot distant one from another there is fix'd a man's head In my last Travels in the year 1665 it had not been long since that Execution had been done for then all the Heads were whole and caus'd a very ill smell From Callabas to Akmate costes 2 From Akmate to Collasar costes 9 Collasar is a little Town all the Inhabitants whereof are Idolaters As I past through it upon my last Travels there were brought to it eight Pieces of Artillery the one carrying 48 pound-Bullet the rest 36. Every Piece was drawn by 24 Yoke of Oxen. A very strong Elephant follow'd the Artillery and when they came to any bad-way where the Oxen were at a stand they brought up the Elephant who heav'd the Cannon forward with his Trunk Without the Town all along the high-way there grows a vast number of great Trees which they call Mangues and in many places neer the Trees are to be seen little Pagods with every one an Idol at the door The Elephant passing by one of the Pagods before which I was lodg'd at the door whereof there stood three Idols about five foot high so soon as he came near one he took it up in his trunk and broke it in two pieces the next he took he threw it up so high and so far that he broke it in four pieces and carried away the head of the third along with him Some thought that the Governour of the Elephant had taught him what to do and made signs to him which however I did not observe nevertheless the Banians were very much offended though they durst not say any thing for there was a Guard of above two thousand men that convoy'd the Artillery all Souldiers of the King and Mahometans besides Franguis or Franks English and Hollanders that were Cannoneers The King sent this Artillery to his Army in Decan being at Wars with the Raja Sova-gi who the year before had plunder'd Surat of whom I shall have occasion to speak in another place From Collasar to Sansele costes 6 From Sansele to Dongry costes 4 From Dongry
that were upon the Trees to the number of sixty came down in a great fury to have leap'd into the Presidents Coach where they would soon have strangled him had we not prevented them by closing the Shutters and had we not had a great number of Servants that with much ado kept them off And though they came not to my Coach yet I was very much afraid of my self for they pursued the President 's Coach above a League and they were stout lusty Monkeys From Amadabat to Panser costes 13 From Panser to Masana costes 14 From Masana to Chitpour costes 14 Chitpour is a very good City so called by reason of the great Trade for painted-Calicuts which are called Chites Near which some four or five-hundred paces toward the South there runs a small River Arriving at Chitpour in one of my Voyages I pitch'd my Tent under two or three Trees at the end of a wide-place neer the Town A little while after I saw four or five Lions appear which were brought to be tam'd which they told me took them up five or six months and their way to do it is this They tye the Lions at twelve paces distance one from another by the hinder-legs with a Rope fasten'd to a great woodden-stake set deep in the ground with another cord about the neck which the Master holds in his hand These Stakes are planted in the same Line and in another Parallel they stretch out another Cord as long as the space which the bodies of the Lions so dispos'd of as I have describ'd take up The two Cords which hold the Lion ty'd by the two hinder-feet give him liberty to spring out as far as that long Cord which is a mark to those that stand to provoke and incense the Lions by throwing stones and pieces of wood at them not to venture any farther The people run to see the sight and when the Lion provok'd gives a spring toward the Cord the Master holds another in his hand ty'd about his neck that pulls him back Thus they accustom the Lion by degrees to be familiar with the people and at my coming to Chiapour I saw this Divertisement without stirring out of my Coach The next day I had another meeting with a knot of Faquirs or Mahometan Dervichs I counted fifty-seven among whom he that was the Chief or Superior had been Grand Esquire to Cha-jehan-guir having left the Court when Sultan Boulaki his youngest Son was strangl'd by Order of Cha-jehan there were four others who next to the Superior were chief of the Company who had been also great Lords in the same Cha-jehan's Court All the Cloaths those five Dervichs had were only four ells of Orange-colour-Calicut to hide what modesty will have hid before and behind and every one of them a Tygers-skin over their shoulders ty'd together under their chins They had led before them eight fair Horses saddl'd and bridl'd three whereof had Bridles of Gold and Saddles cover'd with Plates of Gold and the other five had Bridles of Silver cover'd with Plates of Silver and a Leopard's-skin upon every one The other Dervichs had only a Cord for their Girdle to which was fasten'd a piece of Calicut only to cover their private parts Their hair was ty'd in wreaths round about their heads after the manner of a Turbant They were all well-arm'd the most part with Bows and Arrows some with Muskets and others with Half-pikes with another sort of weapon which we have not in Europe that is to say a sharp piece of Iron like the side of a Platter without a bottom which they wind eight or ten times about their necks and carry like a Calves Chaldron They draw out these Iron-Circles as they intend to make use of them and they will throw them with such a force against a man that they shall fly as swift as an Arrow and go very neer to cut a man in two in the middle They had every one besides all this an Hunting-Horn which they wind making a prodigious noise when they come to any place and when they go away together with a Grater or Rasp being an Iron-Instrument made like a Trowel This is an Instrument which the Indians carry generally about them when they travel to scrape and make clean the places where they intend to rest and some of them when they have scrap'd all the dust together into an heap make use of it instead of a Mattress or Pillow to lie easily upon There were some of them that were arm'd with long Tucks which they had bought either of the English or Portugals Their Luggage consisted of four great Chests full of Persian and Arabian Books and some Kitchen-housholdstuff They had also ten or twelve Oxen to carry their sick When the Dervichs came to the place where I lay with my Coach having about fifty persons with me as well of the people of the Countrey as of my own servants the Chief or Superior of the Troop seeing me so well-attended enquir'd what Aga that was and desir'd me to let him have that place which I had taken up as being the most convenient in all that place for him and his Dervichs to lodg When they told me the quality of the Chief and the four Dervichs that attended him I was willing to be civil and to yield to their request and thereupon I left them the place free After they had well-water'd the place and laid the dust they lighted two fires as if it had been in the frost and snow for the five principal Dervichs who sate and chaf'd themselves before and behind That very evening after they had supp'd the Governour of the Town came to complement the principal Dervichs and during their stay sent them Rice and other things which they are accustom'd to eat When they come to any place the Superior sends some of his Crew a begging into the Towns and Villages and what Alms they get is presently distributed equally among them every one of them taking care to boil his own Rice What is over and above they give to the Poor in the evening for they reserve nothing till next day From Chitpour to Balampour costes 12 From Balampour to Dantivar costes 11 From Dantivar to Bargant costes 17 Bargant is in the Territories of a Raja to whom you pay duties In one of my journeys to Agra passing through Bargant I did not see the Raja but only his Lieutenant who was very civil to me and made me a Present of Rice Butter and Fruit in season To make him amends I gave him three Shashes of Gold and Silk four Handkerchiefs of painted Linnen and two Bottles the one full of Aquavitae and the other full of Spanish-Wine At my departure he sent a Convoy of twenty Horse four or five leagues along with me One evening being about to lodg upon the Frontiers of the Territories of the Raja of Bargant my people came to me and told me that if we took the Road through
where while the King is sitting upon the Seat of Justice they that have business are to stand Further it is not lawful for them to go till they are call'd and Embassadors themselves are not exempted from this custom When an Embassador comes as far as this Channel the Master of the Ceremonies calls out toward the Divan where the King is sitting that such an Embassador craves Audience of his Majesty Then one of the Secretaries of State declares it to the King who oftentimes makes as if he did not hear But some time after lifting up his eyes he casts them upon the Embassador making him a sign by the same Secretary that he may approach From the Hall of the Divan turning to the left you walk upon a Terrass where you discover the River Over this Terrass the King passes into a little Chamber from whence he goes into his Haram In this little Chamber it was that I had my first Audience of his Majesty as I shall relate in another place Upon the left-hand of the Court where the Divan is built stands a little Mosquee neatly built the Cupola whereof is cover'd with Lead perfectly guilded Here the King goes to hear Prayers every day except it be Fridays when he is to go to the great Mosquee which is a very fair one and plac'd upon an high Platform rais'd higher than the Houses of the City and there is a noble ascent to it That day that the King goes to the Mosquee they place huge rails of wood round about the steps as well to keep off the Elephants as out of respect to the Mosquee The right-side of the Court is taken up with Portico's that make a long Gallery rais'd from the ground about half a foot and these are the King's Stables into which you have many doors to enter They are also full of stately Horses the worst whereof stands the King in three-thousand Crowns and there are some that cost him ten-thousand At the door of every one of these Stables hangs a kind of Mat made of Bambouc that cleaves like our Osiers But whereas we bind our Osier-twigs with the same Osier they bind their Bambouc's with wreath'd-Silk which is delicate work but very tedious These Mats are to hinder the Flies from tormenting the Horses there being two Grooms to an Horse one of which is still employ'd in sanning the Beast There are also Mats spread before the Portico's and before the Stable-door which they spread or take away as occasion requires And the Floor of the Gallery is cover'd with fair Carpets which is taken away in the evening and the Horses Litter strow'd in the same place Which Litter is nothing but the Horse-dung dri'd in the Sun and then squeez'd a little flat The Horses that are brought into India either out of Persia Arabia or the Countrey of Vsbech change their food For in India they never give them Hay nor Oats Every Horse in the morning having for his proportion three loaves made of Meal Wheat and Butter as big as one of our six-penny-loaves 'T is an hard matter to bring them to this diet at first it being sometimes three or four Months before they can do it The Groom is forc'd to hold their tongue in one hand and to thrust down the bread with the other When Sugar-Canes or Millet are in season they give them that diet about noon and in the evening two hours before Sun-set they give them a measure of Garden-Chiches which the Groom squeezes between two stones and mixes with water This is instead of Barley and Oats As for the King 's other Stables where he has also very fine Horses they are scurvy places ill-built which deserve not to be mention'd The Gemene is a fair River that bears good big Boats which running to Agra loses its name falling into Ganges at Hallabas The King has several small Brigantines at Gehanabad upon the River to take his pleasure in and they are very curiously trimm'd after the manner of the Countrey CHAP. VII The continuance of the same Road from Dehly to Agra FRom Dehly to Badelpoura costes 8 From Radelpoura to Pelvel-ki-sera costes 18 From Pelvel-ki-sera to Cotki-sera costes 15 From Cotki-sera to Cheki-sera costes 16 At Cheki-sera is one of the greatest Pagods of the Indians together with an Hospital for Apes as well for those that breed there-abouts as for those that come from the neighbouring-parts which the Banians are very careful to feed This Pagod is call'd Matura and it was formerly in far greater veneration than it is at this day The reason is because the Gemene ran then just at the very foot of the Pagod wherein the Banians as well those of the Countrey as those that came from remote parts in Pilgrimage had the convenience to wash themselves before they went to their Devotions and when they had perform'd them to wash again before they eat which they are not to do ere they have wash'd believing also that if they wash in running-water their sins will be the more easily defac'd But some years since the River changing its course more to the Northward comes not within a good league of the Pagod which is the reason that the Pilgrims have deserted it From Cheki-sera to Goodki-sera costes 5 From Goodki-sera to Agra costes 6 Agra lies in 27 deg 31 min. of Lat. and in a Sandy-soil which causes extremity of heat It is the biggest City in India and formerly the Residence of their Kings The Houses of great Persons are fair and well-built but the Houses of the meaner-sort are as plain as in all the other Cities of India They are built a good distance one from another and hid by the height of their Walls to keep their Women from being seen So that it may be easily conjectur'd that their Cities are nothing so pleasant as ours in Europe Add to this that Agra being encompast round with the Sands the heats are there very excessive which constrain'd Cha-jehan to remove from thence and to keep his Court at Gehanabad All that is remarkable in Agra is the King's Palace and some Monuments as well near the City as in the parts about it The Palace of the King is a vast piece of ground encompast with a double-wall which is terrass'd in some parts and in those parts are built certain Lodgings for some of the Officers of the Court The Gemene runs before the Palace but between the Wall and the River there is a large space of ground where the King causes his Elephants to fight This Field is on purpose near the water because that the Elephant which gets the victory being in a fury they could not bring him to himself did they not drive him into the River to which end they are forc'd to have recourse to Policy by tying Squibs and Crackers to the end of an Half-Pike and then giving fire to them to fright him into the water for when he is in but two or three-foot-deep he is presently
I made five journeys more in my Travels in the year 1653. And I also took another Road from Piplenar where I arriv'd the eleventh of March setting out from Surat the sixth The twelfth to Birgam The thirteenth to Omberat The fourteenth to Enneque-Tenque a strong Fortress that bears the name of two Indian Princesses It stands upon a Mountain steep every way there being but one ascent to it upon the East-side Within the enclosed compass of the Walls there is a large Pond and Ground enough to sow for the maintenance of five or six-hunder'd men But the King keeps no Garrison therein so that it falls to ruine The fifteenth to Geroul The sixteenth to Lazour where you are to cross a River upon which about a Cannons-shot from the fording place are to be seen several large Pagods of the Countrey whither great numbers of Pilgrims repair every day The seventeenth to Aureng-abad The eighteenth to Pipelgan or Piply The nineteenth to Ember The Twentieth to Devgan The one and twentieth to Patris The two and twentieth to Bargan The three and twentieth to Palam The four and twentieth to Candear a large Fortress but upon one side commanded by an high Mountain The five and twentieth to Gargan The six and twentieth to Nagooni The seven and twentieth to Indove The eight and twentieth to Indelvai The nine and twentieth to Regivali Between these two last places there is a little River which separates the Territories of the Great Mogul from the Dominions of the King of Golconda The thirtieth to Masapkipet The one and thirtietieth to Mirel-mola-kipet To go from Agra to Golconda you must go to Brampour according to the Road already describ'd from Brampour to Dultabat which is five or six days journeys off and from Dultabat to those other places before set down You may also take another Road to go from Surat to Golconda that is to say through Goa and Visapour as I shall inform you in the particular relation of my journey to Goa I come now to what is most worthy observation in the Kingdom of Golconda And to relate what happen'd in the last Wars the King maintain'd against his Neighbours during the time that I have known the Indies CHAP. X. Of the Kingdom of Golconda and the Wars which it has maintain'd for some few years last past THE whole Kingdom of Golconda take it in general is a good Countrey abounding in Corn Rice Cattel Sheep Poultry and other necessaries for human life In regard there are great store of Lakes in it there is also great store of Fish Above all the rest there is a sort of Smelt that has but one bone in the middle which is most delicious food Nature has contributed more than Art toward the making these Lakes whereof the Countrey is full which are generally in places somewhat rais'd so that you need do no more than make a little Dam upon the plain-side to keep in the water These Dams or Banks are sometimes half a league long and after the rainy seasons are over they open the Sluces from time to time to let out the water into the adjacent Fields where it is receiv'd by divers little Channels to water particular grounds Bagnagar is the name of the Metropolis of this Kingdom but vulgarly it is call'd Golconda from the name of a Fortress not above two leagues distant from it where the King keeps his Court. This Fortress is about two leagues in circuit and by consequence requires a numerous Guard It is as it were a Town where the King keeps his Treasure having left Bagnagar ever since it was sack'd by the Army which Aureng-zeb brought against it Bagnagar is then the City which they vulgarly call Golconda and it was founded by the Great Grandfather of the present King upon the importunity of one of his Wives whom he passionately lov'd whose name was Nagar Before that it was only a place of Pleasure where the King had very fair Gardens till at length his Wife continually representing to him the delicacies of the situation for the building a City and a Palace by reason of the River he laid the foundations and order'd that it should bear the name of his Wife calling it Bag-Nagar that is to say the Garden of Nagar This City lies in seventeen degrees of Elevation wanting two minutes The Countrey round about is a flat Countrey only neer the City are several Rocks as you see about Fontain-Bleau A great River washes the Walls of the City upon the South-west-side which neer to Maslipatan falls into the Gulf of Bengala At Bagnagar you cross this River over a Bridg no less beautiful than Pont-Neus at Paris The City is little less than Orleans well-built and full of windows There are many fair large Streets but not being well-pav'd they are dusty as are all the Cities of Persia and India which is very offensive in the Summer Before you come to the Bridg you must pass through a large Suburb call'd Erengabad about a league in length where live all the Merchants the Brokers Handicraft-Trades and in general all the meaner sort of people the City being inhabited only by persons of Quality Officers of the King's House Ministers of Justice and Officers of the Army From ten or eleven in the forenoon till four or five in the evening the Merchants Brokers and Workmen come into the City to trade with the Forreign Merchants after which time they return to their own Houses In the Suburb are two or three fair Mosquees which serve for Inns for the Forreigners besides several Pagods in the Neighbouring-parts Through the same Suburb lies the way to the Fortress of Golconda So soon as you are over the Bridg you enter into a large Street that leads you to the King's Palace On the right-hand are the Houses of some Lords of the Court and four or five Inns two Stories-high wherein there are fair Halls and large Chambers to let in the fresh Air. At the end of this Street there is a large Piazza upon which stands one of the sides of the Palace in the middle whereof there is a Balcone wherein the King comes to sit when he pleases to give Audience to the People The great Gate of the Palace stands not upon this Piazza but upon another very neer adjoyning and you enter first into a large Court surrounded with Portico's under which lies the King's Guards Out of this Court you pass into another built after the same form encompast with several fair Apartments the Roofs whereof are terrass'd Upon which as upon those where the Elephants are kept there are very fair Gardens wherein there grow Trees of that bigness that it is a thing of great wonder how those Arches should bear so vast a burthen About fifty years since they began to build a magnificent Pagod in the City which would have been the fairest in all India had it been finish'd The Stones are to be admir'd for their bigness And that
opinion that Elephants do great matters in War which may be sometimes true but not alwaws for very often instead of doing mischief to the Enemy they turn upon those that lead them and rout their own party as Aureng-Zeb found by experience at the Siege of this City He was twenty days before Daman and resolv'd at length to Storm it upon a Sunday believing that the Christians were like the Jews and would not defend it upon that day He that commanded the Place was an old Souldier who had serv'd in France and had three Sons with him In the Town were eight hundred Gentlemen and other stout Souldiers who came from all parts to signalize their valour at that Siege For though the Mogul had in his Army above forty thousand men he could not hinder relief from being put into Daman by Sea in regard that he wanted Ships The Sunday that the Prince intended to Storm the Governour of Daman as had been order'd at the Councel of War caus'd Mass to be said presently after Midnight and then made a Sally with all his Cavalry and some part of his Infantry who were to fall on upon that quarter which was guarded by two hundred Elephants Among those Elephants they flung a great number of Fire-works which so affrighted them in the dark of the Night that knowing not whither they went nor being to be rul'd by their Governours they turn'd upon the Besiegers with so much fury that in less than two or three hours half the Army of Aureng-Zeb was cut in pieces and in three days the Siege was rais'd nor would the Prince after that have any more to do with the Christians I made two Voiages to Goa the one at the beginning of the year 1641. the second at the beginning of the year 1648. The first time I stay'd but five days and return'd by Land to Surat From Goa I went to Bicholly which is upon the main Land thence to Visapour thence to Golconda thence to Aureng-abat and so to Surat I could have gone to Surat without passing through Golconda but my business led me that way From Goa to Visapour costes 85 Which takes up generally eight days journey From Visapour to Golconda costes 100 Which I travel'd in nine days From Golconda to Aureng-abat the Stages are not so well order'd being sometimes sixteen sometime twenty five sometimes twenty Leagues asunder From Aureng-abat to Surat takes up sometimes twelve sometimes fifteen sometimes sixteen days journey Visapour is a great scambling City wherein there is nothing remarkable neither as to the publick Edifices nor as to Trade The Kings Palace is a vast one but ill built and the access to it is very dangerous in regard there are abundance of Crocodiles that lie in the Water which encompass it The King of Visapour has three good ports in his Dominions Rejapour Daboult and Crapaten The last is the best of all where the Sea beats upon the foot of the Mountain and you have fourteen or fifteen Fathom Water near the Land Upon the top of the Mountain there is a Fort with a Spring of Water in it Crapaten is not above five days journey from Goa to the North. And Rabaque where the King of Visapour sels his Pepper is as far distant from it to the East The King of Visapour and the King of Golconda have been formerly tributary to the Great Mogul but now they are absolute of themselves This Kingdom was for some time disquieted by the revolt of Nair-seva-gi Captain of the King of Visapour's Guards After which the young Seva-gi his Son conceiv'd so deadly a hatred against the King that he made himself the head of certain Banditi and as he was both wise and liberal he got together so many Horse and Foot as made a compleat Army the Souldiers flocking to to him from all parts for the reputation of his Liberality And he was just about to have led them to action when the King of Visapour happen'd to dye without Children so that with little or no trouble he got possession of one part of the Coast of Malavar taking Rejapour Rasigar Crapaten Daboul and other places They report that upon his demolishing the fortifications of Rasigar he found vast Treasures which help'd him to pay his Souldiers who were alwayes well paid Some years before the death of the King the Queen perceiving no probability of having any Children adopted a little Boy upon whom she bestow'd all her affections and caused him to be brought up in the Doctrine of Haly's Sect The King upon his Death-bed caus'd this Adopted Son to be Proclaim'd King but Seva-gi having a numerous Army continu'd the War and much disturb'd the Regency of the Queen At length he made the first propositions for Peace which was concluded upon conditions that he should quietly enjoy the Territories which he had subdu'd that he should become Tributary to the King and pay him the half of all his Revenue The young King being thus fix'd in his Throne the Queen Regent went in Pilgrimage to Mecca and I was at Ispahan when she pass'd through the Town in her return home When I made my second Voiage to Goa I embark'd in a Dutch Vessel call'd the Maestricht which carry'd me to Mingrela where I landed the eleventh day of January 1648. Mingrela is a large Town extended half a League in length upon the Sea in the Territories of Visapour It is one of the best Roads in all India where the Hollanders take in fresh Provisions every time they sail to block up Goa as also when they are bound upon Trade for many other parts of India For at Mingrela there is both excellent Water and excellent Rice This Town is also very famous for Cardamoms which the Eastern people esteem the best of Spices not being to be had in any other Countrey which makes that sort of Commodity very scarce and very dear There is also made great store of course Calecuts that are spent in the Countrey besides great quantities of course Matting that serves to pack up goods So that both in respect of Trade as also for the furnishing their Ships with fresh Provisions the Hollauders have a Factory in the Town For as I said before not only all Vessels that come from Batavia from Japon from Bengala Ceylan and other places and those that are bound for Surat the Red Sea Ormus Balsara c. both going and coming come to an Anchor in the Road of Mingrela but also while the Hollanders are at Wars with the Portugals and lye before the Bar of Goa where they have usually eight or ten Sail they send their small Barks to Mingrela for Provisions For the Hollanders lye eight Months in a year before the mouth of the Port of Goa so that there can nothing pass into Goa by Sea all that time You must also take notice that the Bar of Goa is also stopt up some part of the year by the Sands which the South and West-winds that precede
pens These Pencils did him a great kindness For the Maltese calling for such a deal of Tobacco which is always cut and ti'd up in white-paper for the profit of the seller who weighs both Tobacco and Paper together these Papers Father Ephraim kept very charily and with his Pencil wrote therein whatever he had studi'd at any time though he lost the sight of one of his eyes through the darkness of the Chamber which had but one window half a foot square and barr'd with iron They would never so much as lend him a Book or let him have an end of Candle but us'd him as bad as a certain Miscreant that had been twice let out already with his Shirt sulphur'd and a St. Andrews-Cross upon his stomach in company with those that are lead to the Gallows and was then come in again Father Ephraim having staid 15 days in the Convent of the Capuchins to recover his strength after 20 months imprisonment return'd for Madrespatan and passing through Golconda went to return his humble thanks to the King of Golcolda and his Son-in-law who had so highly interess'd themselves for his liberty The King importun'd him again to stay at Bagnagar but seeing him resolv'd to return to his Convent at Madrespatan they gave him as before an Oxe two Servants and Money for his journey CHAP. XVI The Road from Goa to Maslipatan through Cochin here describ'd in the story of the taking of that City by the Hollanders AFter the Dutch had dispossess'd the Portugals of whatever they had in Ceylan they cast their eyes upon Cochin in the Territories whereof grows the Bastard Cinnamon which hinder'd the utterance of Ceylan Cinnamon For the Merchants seeing that the Hollanders kept up their Cinnamon so dear bought up that of Cochin which they had very cheap and that coming into request was transported to Gomron and distributed there among the Merchants that came from Persia from Tartary from Moscovia from Georgia Mingrela and all the places upon the black Sea It was also carried away in great quantities by the Merchants of Balsara and Bagdat who furnish Arabia as also by the Merchants of Mesopotamia Anatolia Constantinople Romania Hungary and Poland For in all those Countries they use it either whole or beaten in most of their meats to heighten the taste thereof The Army which was commanded out of Batavia for the Siege of Cochin landed at a place call'd Belli-Porto where the Hollanders had a Fort made of Palm-Trees It is near to Cranganor a small City which the Hollanders took the year before not being able to take Cochin then though they had made some attempts upon it So soon as the Army landed they murch'd within Cannon-shot of the City there being a River between them and the City That part where the Hollanders encamp'd is call'd Belle-Epine where after they had fortifi'd themselves as well as the Nature of the place would permit they rais'd some Batteries which could not much annoy the City by reason of the distance They lay there till they had recruits of more men for they had but three Ships full though he that commanded them were one of the bravest Captains of his time Some few days after the Governour of Amboyna arriv'd with two Ships more and afterwards a Dutch Captain brought a great number of Chinglas who are the Natives of the Island of Ceylan For the Forces of the Hollander would not be so considerable as they are did they not make use of the Natives of the Country to fill up the Companies which they bring out of Europe The Natives of Ceylan are good for digging Trenches and raising Batteries but for a Storm they signifie little Those of Amboyna are good Soldiers four hundred of which were left at Belle-Epine The Body of the Army took Shipping again and landed near to Cochin not far from a Church dedicated to St. Andrew where the Portugals with certain Malavares seem'd to have stay'd ashore for the Hollanders coming But seeing the Enemy to land with so much resolution they only gave them one Volly and retreated In their March the Hollanders descry'd certain Companies of Portugueses near the Sea-shore others somewhat farther up in the Land in a Church call'd St. Johns Thereupon they sent out some Horsemen to discover their number but the Portugals still retreated after they had set fire to the Church Thereupon the Hollanders made their approaches to the Town and after they had besieg'd it for some time a French Soldier who was under their pay seeing a Pannier ty'd at the end of a Cord hanging over one of the Bastions ventur'd notwithstanding all the Bullets that flew about his Ears to see what was in it But he was strangely surpriz'd to find nothing but a languishing infant which the Mother had hung there that she might not see it perish for hunger The Soldier mov'd to compassion took the Infant and gave it such as he had to eat at which the Dutch General was so incens'd saying that the Soldier should have let the Infant perish that he call'd a Council of War where he would have had the Soldier run the Gauntlet which was very cruel but the Council moderating the sentence condemn'd him only to the Strappado The same day ten Soldiers out of every Company were commanded to go to one of the Houses of the King of Cochin but they found no body there having plunder'd it the year before At which time the Hollanders slew four Kings of the Country and six hundred Blacks nor did there escape but only one ancient Queen who was taken alive by a common Soldier call'd Van Rez whom the Commander of the Army made a Captain immediately for his reward They left one Company in that House but the Queen stay'd there but six days for they gave her into the custody of Savarin one of the most potent of the petty Kings upon that Coast to whom the Hollanders had promis'd to give the City of Cranganor if they took Cochim provided he would be faithful to them Six weeks pass'd ere any thing considerable was done but then the Hollanders storming the Town by night were repuls'd and lost abundance of men slain and taken Prisoners through the Governour of Cranganors fault who commanded them and was drunk when the assault was made Two months after the General of the Hollanders resolv'd to make another assault in the same place and because he would not want men he sent for those that lay upon the side of Belle-epine But by misfortune the Frigat struck upon the Sands and splitting abundance of the Soldiers were drown'd They that could swim got to land near Cochin not finding any other place convenient and were all taken Prisoners by the Portugals being not above ten in all Soldiers and Mariners The General however would not give over the assault but causing the Sea-men to land he arm'd some with half-Pikes others with Swords to others he gave hand-Granadoes and about ten a Clock in
of the way are enemies to them that are bred on the other side so that they dare not cross from one side to the other but they are in danger of being immediately strangl'd Here we had good sport in setting the Apes together by the ears which is done after this manner This part of the Countrey at every leagues end is clos'd up with Gates and Barricado's where there is a good Guard kept and where all Passengers are examin'd whither they go and whence they come so that men may safely travel there with their Money in their hands In several parts of this Road there is Rice to be sold and they that would see the sport cause five or six Baskets of Rice to be set in the Road some forty or fifty paces one from the other and close by every Basket they lay five or six Battoons about two-foot-long and two inches about then they retire and hide themselves presently they shall see the Apes on both sides of the way descend from the tops of the Bambou's and advance toward the Baskets which are full of Rice They are about half an hour shewing their teeth one at the other before they come near the Baskets sometimes they advance then retreat again being loath to encounter At length the female-Baboons who are more couragious than the males especially those that have young ones which they carry in their arms as Women do their Children venture to approach the Basket and as they are about to put in their heads to eat the males on the other side advance to hinder them Immediately the other party comes forward and thus the seud being kindled on both sides they take up the Battoons that lie by the Baskets and thrash one another in good earnest The weakest are constrain'd to flie into the wood with their pates broken and their limbs maim'd while the Masters of the Field glut themselves with Rice Though it may be when their bellies are full they will suffer some of the female-party to come and partake with them The four and twentieth we travell'd nine leagues all the way being like the Road the day before as far as Naraveron The five and twentieth after a journey of eight hours through a Countrey of the same nature meeting at every two or three leagues end with Gates and Guards we came in the evening to Gazel The six and twentieth we travell'd nine leagues and came to lie at Courva where there was nothing to be found neither for Man nor Beast so that our Catte were forc'd to be contented with a little Grass which was cut on purpose for them Courva is only a celebrated Pagod by which at our arrival we saw several bands of Souldiers pass by some with Half-pikes some with Muskets and some with Clubs who were going to joyn with one of the principal Commanders of Mirgimola's Army who was encamp'd upon a rising-ground not far from Courva the place being pleasant and cool by reason of the great number of Trees and Fountains that grace it When we understood the Captain was so neer we went to wait upon him and found him sitting in his Tent with many Lords of the Countrey all Idolaters After we had presented him with a pair of Pocket-Pistols inlaid with Silver he demanded of us what had brought us into that Countrey but when we told him that we came to attend Mirgimola Generalissimo of the King of Golconda's Army about business he was infinitely kind to us However understanding that he took us for Hollanders we told him we were not Hollanders but French-men Thereupon not understanding what Nation we were he fell into a long discourse with us about the Government of our Countrey and the Grandeur of our King Six or seven days before they had taken five or six Elephants three whereof had escap'd having kill'd ten or twelve of the Natives who assisted in the Chace in pursuit whereof the General was preparing and because we could not stay to see the sport we were contented to inform our selves of the manner of hunting that vast Animal which is thus They cut out several Alleys or Walks in the Wood which they dig full of great deep holes and cover with Hurdles strow'd over with a little earth Then the Hunters hooping and hollowing and beating up Drums with Pikes that have Wild-fire ti'd to the end of them force the Elephant into those Walks where he tumbles into the holes not being able to rise again Then they fetch Ropes and Chains and some they bring under their bellies others they wind about their legs and trunk and when they think they have sufficiently hamper'd the Beast they have certain Engines ready wherewithal to draw him up Nevertheless of five three escap'd notwithstanding the cords and chains about their bodies and their legs The people told us one thing which seem'd very wonderful which was that these Elephants having been once deceiv'd and having escap'd the snare are very mistrustful ever after and when they get into the Wood again they break off a great bough from one of the Trees with their trunk with which they examine every step they go before they set down their feet to try whether there be any hole or no in their way So that the Hunters that told us the Story seem'd to be out of hopes of ever taking those three Elephants which had escap'd Had we been assur'd that we might have been eye-witnesses of this miraculous precaution of the Elephant we would have staid three or four days what-ever urgent business we had had The Captain himself was a kind of a Brigadeer that commanded three or four-thousand men who were quarter'd half a league round the Countrey The seven and twentieth after two hours travel we came to a great Village where we saw the two Elephants which had been so lately taken Every one of the two wild Elephants was plac'd between two tame ones Round about the wild Elephants stood six men with every one an Half-pike in their hands and a lighted-Torch fasten'd at the end of the Pike who talk'd to the Beasts giving them meat and crying out in their language Take it eat it The food which they gave them was a little bottle of Hey some pieces of brown-Sucre and Rice boil'd in water with some few corns of Pepper If the wild Elephants refus'd to do as they were bidden the men made signs to the tame Elephants to beat them which they did banging the refractory Elephant upon the head and forehead with their trunks and if he offer'd to make any resistance the other Elephant thwackt him on the other side so that the poor Elephant not knowing what to do was constrain'd to learn obedience Being thus fall'n into the Story of Elephants I will add some other observations which I have made upon the nature of those Animals Though the Elephant never meddles with the female after he is once taken yet he is sometimes seiz'd with a kind of lustful rage One
day that Sha-jehan was an Hunting upon one of his Elephants with one of his Sons that sate by him to fan him the Elephant became so furious by reason of his lust that the Governor who was by no means able to master him declar'd to the King that to allay the fury of the Elephant who would else doubtless bruise him to pieces among the Trees there was no way but for one of the three to forfeit his life and that he would willingly sacrifice his for the safety of the King and the Prince his Son Only he desir'd his Majesty to take care of three small Children which he must leave behind him Having so said he threw himself under the Elephant's-feet who had no sooner taken him in his trunk and squeez'd him to pieces with his feet but he grew as quiet and peaceable as before The King as an acknowledgment for so famous a deliverance gave to the poor two-hunder'd-thousand Roupies and highly advanc'd every one of the Sons of him that had so generously laid down his life for the safety of his Sovereign I observ'd also that though the Elephant's skin be very hard while he is alive yet when he is dead it is just like melted-glue Elephants are brought from several parts of India as from the Island of Ceylan where they are very small but the most couragious of all from the Isle of Sumatra from the Kingdom of Cochin from the Kingdom of Siam and from the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Boutam neer the Great Tartarie They are brought also from the Coast of Melinda Eastward of Affrica where they are in very great numbers according to the report of a Portugueze-Captain made at Goa who came from thence to make some complaint against the Governor of Mozambique He told me that he had seen all along that Coast several Parks that were empal'd with nothing but Elephants-teeth the least of which Parks is above a league about He added farther that the Blacks of the Countrey hunt their Elephants and eat the flesh But they are oblig'd to give the tusks of every one they kill to the Lord of the place When they intend to take their Elephants in the Island of Ceylan they make a long lane clos'd in on both sides so that the Elephant can neither run to the right nor to the left this lane is broad at the first but grows narrower and narrower till there is no more room left at the farther-end than for the female-Elephant to lie down which must be one that is covetous of the male at the same time Though she be tame yet she is bound with good Ropes and Cords and by her cries will call the male-Elephant who presently runs through the lane towards her Now when the Elephant comes where the lane grows narrow they that lie hid for that purpose immediately barricado up the lane behind and when he comes neer the female there is another barricado set up that stops him from going any farther When he is thus between the Barricado's they so intangle his legs and trunk with ropes and cords that he is soon taken having no way to help himself The same way they use for the most part in the Kingdoms of Siam and Pegu only that the Natives there mount the female-Elephant and go to find out the male in the Forrests And when they have met with his haunt they tye the female to the most convenient place they can find and then they fix their snares for the Elephant who in a short time hastens toward the female hot for generation where her cries call him This is observable of the female-Elephant that when she begins to be hot she gathers together a great heap of herbs and weeds and makes her self a kind of bed some four or five-foot-high from the ground where contrary to the custom of all other creatures she lies upon her back in expectation of the male whom she calls to her by a peculiar cry This is also particular to the Elephants in the Isle of Ceylan that only the first Elephant which the female produces has any tusks And it is also observable that the Ivory which comes from Achen when it is wrought has this peculiar quality with it that it never grows yellow like that which comes out of the Continent and from the East-Indies which makes it more esteem'd and dearer than any other When the Merchants bring Elephants to any place to sell 't is a pleasant sight to see them go along For in regard there are generally old and young together when the old ones are gone by the children will be running after the little ones to play with them and give them something or other to eat While the young Elephants which are very wanton are busily taking what is offer'd them the children leap upon their backs but then the young Elephants that lately stopt for the lucre of victuals perceiving their Dams a great way before them double their pace and playing with their trunks throvv the children off their backs to the ground yet vvithout doing them any harm Notvvithstanding all the enquiry I have made I could never find exactly hovv long an Elephant vvill live Nor can all the governors and keepers of those creatures tell you more then that such an Elephant has been in the possession of their Father their Grandfather and great Grandfather And by that computation I found that they had liv'd some of them six-score or an hunder'd and thirty years The greatest part of those that have made Relations of India boldly affirm that the Great Mogul keeps three or four-thousand Elephants But being my self at Jehanabad where the King at present resides he that was chief Master of the Elephants assur'd me that the King had not above five-hunder'd Elephants which were call'd Elephants of the House made use of only to carry the Women their Tents and Luggage but that for the Wars he only kept fourscore or four-score and ten at most The noblest of the latter sort is always reserv'd for the King 's Eldest Son the allowance for his food and other necessaries being 500 Roupies a month which comes to 750 Livres There are some that are not allow'd above 50 others 40 others 30 and some but 20 Roupies But those Elephants that are allow'd an hunder'd two-hunder'd three-hunder'd or four-hunder'd Roupies a-month have belonging to them certain Horse-men that live upon the same pay and two or three young fellows to fan them during the heat of the weather All these Elephants are not always kept in the City the greatest part being led out every morning into the fields or among the thickets where they feed upon the branches of Trees Sucre-canes and Millet to the great detriment of the poor Countrey man But not a little to the profit of their Keepers for the less they eat at home the more they gain into their own purses The twenty-seventh of August we travell'd six leagues and lay at a great Town call'd
to give me my choice that I rather desir'd a young lively Horse rather than an old one Thereupon he sent me one that was so given to bounding and prancing that he threw a young Hollander out of the Saddle but upon my desire to have him chang'd he sent me another which I sold afterwards for four hundred Roupies From Amadabat I return'd to Surat from Surat I travel'd again to Golconda and thence to the Mine to buy Diamonds From whence returning back for Surat I resolv'd for Persia. CHAP. XX. My return from Surat to Ormus BEing upon my return to Surat from the Diamond Mine I understood that the War was proclaim'd between the English and the Hollanders and the latter would send no more Ships into Persia. The English also gave out the same resolutions for indeed they had sent four Ships into Persia which they expected back every hour While I was thus in fear of staying long in a place where I had no business there arriv'd at Surat five great Dutch Ships from Batavia three of which being rather Men of War than Merchant-Men were order'd to be unladen with all speed with an intention to look out for the four English Vessels that were expected out of Persia. The other two were appointed to follow two or three days after being in that time to take in provisions for the whole Fleet. In one of those two Vessels I embark'd and setting sayl the eighth of January we came before Diu the twelfth where we overtook the other three Ships There it was debated at a Council of War what course to steer to meet the English and it was resolv'd that we should steer away for Scindi where we arriv'd the twentieth of the same month and stay'd there till the twenty-eighth and then setting sail with a fair Wind we landed at Gomrom the seventh of March. The End of the First Book TRAVELS IN INDIA The Second Book Containing an Historical and Political Description of the Empire of the Great Mogul CHAP. I. A Relation of the last Wars of Indolstan which gives an insight into the present Estate of the Empire and Court of the Moguls IHave written this History in such manner as I knew things to be transacted during my stay in the Country leaving it to the Reader to make his own reflections as he pleases it being sufficient for me to make a faithful description of the Potent Empire of the Moguls according to the Observations I have taken upon the place This great and vast Empire which contains the greatest part of Indolstan and which extends from the Mountains on this side the River Indus to the Mountains on the other side of Ganges borders Eastward upon the Kingdoms of Aracan Tipra and Asia Toward the West upon Persia and the Usbeg Tartars Southward upon the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour Northward it runs up as far as the Mountain Caucasus North-Eastward the Kingdom of Bantam whence comes our Musk parts it North-Westward it borders upon the Country of Chegathay or the Usbegs They are call'd Moguls that is white of complexion for the last Conquerors of the Indies were Whites the Natives being all Brown or Olive-colour Aureng-zeg the present Emperor is the eleventh in a direct line of the Descendants from the great Temur-Leng commonly call'd Tamerlane the extent and renown of whose Conquests from China to Poland has exceeded all the actions of the greatest Captains of the former Ages His Successors compleated the Conquest of all India between the two Rivers with the destruction of several Kings So that Aureng-zeb has at this time under his Dominion the Territories of Gouzerat Decan-Dehly Multan Lahor Kashemire Bengala and many other Territories not to mention several Raja's or petty Kings who pay him Tribute and are his Vassals The Succession of the Kings of India is as follows 1. Termur-Leng that is to say the Lame because one of his Legs was shorter than the other lyes buried at Samarchand in the Country of Chegathay or the Usbeg Tartars being the place of his Nativity 2. Miram-Cha the Son of Temurleng 3. Sultan Mahomet the Son of Miram-Cha 4. Sultan Abousaid-Mirza the Son of Mahomet 5. Hameth-Sheck the Son of Sultan Abousaid 6. Sultan Babur that is the Valiant Prince the first Mogul thatwas of greatest power in India He dy'd in the year 1532. 7. Homajon that is the Happy the Son of Sultan Babur dy'd in the year 1552. 8. Abdul Feta Gelal-Eddin Mahomet commonly call'd Akabar that is the Great reign'd fifty four years and dy'd in the year 1605. 9. Sultan Selim otherwise call'd Jehan-guir Patsha that is the Victorious Emperor of the World succeeded Akabar his Father and dy'd 1627. He had four Sons the eldest nam'd Sultan Kosrou the second Sultan Kourom the third Sultan Perviz the fourth Cha-Daniel 10. Sultan Kourom the second of the four succeeded Jehan-guir his Father and was acknowledg'd by all the Nobility at the Castle of Agra by the Name of Cha-Bedin Mahomed but he would be call'd Cha-jehan that is King of the World 11. Aureng-zeb that is the Ornament of the Throne is the present Monarch The following Figure shews you what sorts of pieces the Kings cause to be thrown among the people when they come to the Throne They represent the Arms or Signets of the Kings which I have nam'd The biggest in the middle was Cha-jehan's the tenth King These pieces are most of them Silver there being very few of Gold And as for Aureng-zeb he never coln'd any particular pieces to throw away at his Coronation The Great Mogul is without all question the richest and most potent Monarch of Asia the Territories which he possesses being his own Hereditary Possession and being absolute Master of all the Territories whence he receives his Revenues For in the Territories of this Prince the great Lords are but the Royal Receivers who give an account of the King's Revenues to the Governours of the Provinces and they to the chief Treasurers and Controllers of the Exchequer CHAP. II. Of the Sickness and suppos'd Death of Cha-jehan King of India and the Rebellion of the Princes his Sons THis great King had reign'd above forty years not so much as a King over his Subjects but rather as a Father over his Family and Children Insomuch that during his Reign there was such a strictness in the Civil Government and particularly for the security of the High-ways that there was never any occasion to put any man to death for Robbery In his declining years he fanci'd a young Lady of an extraordinary Beauty that was not above thirteen years of age and because the strength of nature would not permit him to satisfie his passion he took certain provocative's which were so hot that he fell thereupon into a distemper that had almost kill'd him This oblig'd him to shut himself up in his Haram together with his Women for two or three months during which time he appear'd very rarely to the people and that
his Marriage to dispossess him of his Throne and to leave it to his own Son The Pagan King easily believ'd what they said Nor were these supitions ill-grounded for Sultan Sujah having good store of Gold and Jewels easily corrupted several Mahumetans that liv'd in the Kingdom of Arakan and with those and about two-hunder'd men more that had follow'd him after the rout of his Army he undertook a most bold enterprize which was yet a mark rather of despair than courage He appointed a day to those of his party to force the Palace and after they had put all the Royal Family to the Sword to proclaim him King of Arakan But this Plot being discover'd the day it should have been executed Sultan Sujah and Sultan Bangue his Son had no other way to save themselves but by flight into the Kingdom of Pegu. But their way lying over Mountains almost impassable and through thick Forrests full of Tigers and Lions and being also closely pursu'd their flight avail'd them little or nothing Sultan Bangue however being behind to keep the Pursuers in play while his Father and his Family gain'd ground stoutly defended himself against the first Assailants but at length being overpower'd by number he was taken together with his two little Brothers his Mother and his Sisters who were all put in Prison where they were very ill-us'd But some time after the King having a desire to marry the eldest Sister of Sultan Bangue they had a little more liberty allow'd them However they enjoy'd it not long for the young Prince being of a turbulent and ambitious spirit plotted new treasons against the King which being discover'd the King immediately caus'd the whole Family to be put to death not sparing the young Princess his Wife though she were big with Child As for Sultan Sujah who was formost among those that fled it is most generally thought that either he was slain by the Souldiers who were sent to apprehend him or that he was torn in pieces by the Tigers and Lions of which those Forrests are full CHAP. VII Of the beginning of Aureng-zeb's Reign and the Death of Cha-jehan his Father SOme days before he ascended the Throne he sent to his Father to send him some of his Jewels to the end he might appear before his people with the same magnificence as his Predecessors had done Cha-jehan taking this request of his Sons for an affront put upon him in Prison fell into such a rage that he continu'd mad for some days and had like to have dy'd upon it In the excess of his vexation he call'd several times for a Morter and a Pestle threatning to beat all his Jewels to powder before his Son should have them But Begum-Saheb his eldest Daughter never forsook him throwing her self at his feet and by vertue of that criminal power which she had over him as being both his Daughter and his Wife kept him from using that extremity more out of a design to preserve the Jewels for her self than for her Brother to whom she had always been a mortal enemy For this reason when Aureng-zeb ascended the Throne he had no more than one Jewel upon his Bonnet This Bonnet cannot be call'd a Crown and by consequence neither can the Ceremony be call'd a Coronation At the time that Aureng-zeb took possession of the Throne he would not eat any wheaten-bread nor meat nor fish but fed upon barly-bread herbs and sweet-meats which was a kind of Penance that he impos'd upon himself for so many crimes When Aureng-zeb was settl'd in the Empire several Embassadors came to Jehanabat to congratulate him on the behalf of the Kings their Masters as from the King of the Usbeck Tartars the Sheriff of Mecca the Prince of Balsara and the Kings of Arabia Felix and Ethiopia The Hollanders also sent Menheir Adrican chief of their Factory in Surat who was kindly receiv'd and first dispatch'd For 't is a piece of State to keep the Embassadors a good while at Court before they have Audience All these Embassadors presented Aureng-zeb with the rarities of their Countrey who to get himself a good name in Asia sent them away very well satisfi'd Some months before the death of Cha-jehan Aureng-zeb sent an Embassador into Persia who was magnificently receiv'd For a month together he was nothing but feasted and caress'd with all manner of divertisements The day that he was to make his Present from the Great Mogul the King of Persia sate upon his Throne in a most magnificent habit and having receiv'd the Embassador's Present he presently divided it in contempt among the Officers of his House only keeping for himself a Diamond that weigh'd sixty Carats Some few days after he call'd for the Embassador and after some discourse he ask'd him if he were of the Sect of the Turks To which the Embassador returning an answer and leting some words fall against Haly the King ask'd him what his name was He reply'd that Cha-jehan had given him the Name of Baubec-kan that is Lord of a free heart and had honour'd him with one of the chief employments at Court Then th' art a Villain reply'd the King of Persia with an angry countenance to desert thy Sovereign in his necessity having receiv'd so many favours from him and to serve a Tyrant that keeps his Father in Prison and has massacr'd all his Brothers How dares he pursu'd the King take upon him the arrogant Title of Alem-guir Aureng-sha or King of all the World who never conquer'd any thing but possesses all he has by treachery and parricide Hast thou been one of those that counsell'd him to shed so much blood to be the Executioner of his Brothers and to keep his Father in Prison Thou art not worthy to wear a Beard and with that immediately caus'd it to be shav'd off which is the greatest indignity that can be put upon a man in that Countrey Shortly after he commanded the Embassador to return home sending along with him for a Present to Aureng-zeb an hunder'd and fifty beautiful Horses with a great quantity of Gold and Silver-Carpets Cloath of Gold rich Shashes and other Stuffs to a vast value When Baubec-kan was come back to Agra where the King then was Aureng-zeb incens'd at the affront which the Sophi of Persia had giv'n him in the person of his Embassador he took the Horses and sent some of them into the great Piazza others to the corners of the Streets causing it to be proclaim'd that the followers of Haly could not ride those Horses without being Nigss that is to say unclean as coming from a King that did not obey the true Law After that he caus'd the Horses to be kill'd and all the rest of the Present to be burnt uttering many reproachful words against the King of Persia with whom he was mortally offended At length Cha-jehan happ'ning to dye toward the end of the year 1666. Aureng-zeb found himself rid of an object that every hour reproach'd
It is not above a hundred years since this Mine was found out by a Country-man who digging in a piece of ground to sow Millet found therein a pointed Stone that weigh'd above twenty-five Carats he not knowing what the Stone was but seeing it glister carry'd it to Golconda where as it happen'd well for him he met with one that traded in Diamonds The Merchant informing himself of the place where the Stone was found admir'd to see a Jewel of that bigness not having seen any one before that weigh'd above ten or twelve Carats However his report made a great noise in the Country insomuch that the Mony'd men in the Town set themselves to work and causing the ground to be search'd they found and still do find bigger Stones and in greater quantity than in any other Mine For they found a great number of Stones from ten to forty Carats and sometimes bigger among the rest that large Stone that weigh'd nine hundred Carats which Mirgimola presented to Aureng-zeb But though this Mine of Coulour be so considerable for the quantity of great Stones which are there found yet the mischief is the Stones are not clean the Waters having something of the quality of the Earth where they are found If the Ground be mershy the Water enclines to black if it be red there is a redness in the Water in other places the Stones appear somewhat greenish in others yellowish such a diversity of Soils there is between the Town and the Mountain Upon the most part of these Stones after they are cut there appears a kind of greasie moisture which must be as often wip'd off As for the Water of the Stones it is remarkable that whereas in Europe we make use of day-light to examine the rough Stones and to judg of their Water and the specks that are found therein the Indians do all that in the night-time setting up a Lamp with a large Wiek in a hole which they make in the Wall about a soot square by the light whereof they judg of the Water and clearness of the Stone which they hold between their Fingers The Water which they call celestial is the worst of all and it is impossible to discern it so long as the Stone is rough The most infallible way to find out that Water is to carry the Stone under a Tree thick of Boughs for by the verdure of that shade you may easily discern whether the Water be blewish or no. The first time I was at the Mine there were above sixty thousand persons at work men women and children the men being employ'd to dig the women and children to carry the Earth After the Miners have pitch'd upon the place where they intend to work they level another place close by of the same extent or else a little bigger which they enclose with a Wall about two foot high In the bottom of that little Wall at the distance of every two foot they make small holes to let in the water which they stop up afterwards till they come to drain out the water again The place being thus prepar'd the people that are to work meet all together men women and children with the Workmaster in the Company of his Friends and Relations Then he brings along with him some little Image of the God that they adore which being plac'd upright upon the ground they all prostrate themselves three times before it while their Priest says a certain prayer The prayer being ended he marks the forehead of every one with a kind of Glue made of Saffron and Gum to such a compass as will hold seven or eight Grains of Rice which he sticks upon it then having wash'd their bodies with water which every one brings in his pot they rank themselves in order to eat what the Workmaster presents them before they go to work to encourage them both to labour and be faithful This Feast consists of nothing else but every one his Plate of Rice distributed by the Bramin for an Idolater may eat any thing from the hands of one of their Priests The Plates are made of the Leaves of a certain Tree not much unlike our Walnut-tree Leaves Besides this every one has a quarter of a pound of Butter melted in a small Copper pot with some Sugar When their Feast is over the men fall to digging the women and children to carry Earth to the place prepar'd in that manner as I have already describ'd They dig ten twelve and sometimes fourteen foot deep but when they come to any water they leave off All the Earth being carry'd into the place before-mention'd the men women and children with Pitchers throw the water which is in the drains upon the Earth letting it soak for two or three days according to the hardness of it till it come to be a kind of Batter then they open the holes in the Wall to let out the water and throw on more water still till all the mud be wash'd away and nothing left but the Sand. After that they dry it in the Sun and then they winnow the Sand in little Winnows as we winnow our Corn. The small dust flies away the great remains which they pour out again upon the ground The Earth being thus winnow'd they spread it with a kind of Rake as thin as they possibly can then with a wooden Instrument like a Paviers Rammer about half a foot wide at the bottom they pound the Earth from one end to the other two or three times over After that they winnow it again then and spreading it at one end of the Van for fear of losing any of they Earth the look for the Diamond Formerly they were wont to pound the Earth with great Flint-stones instead of wooden Rammers which made great flaws in the Diamonds and is therefore now left off Heretofore they made no scruple to buy those Diamonds that had a green outside for being cut they prov'd very white and of an excellent water Since they have been more nice for there was a Mine discover'd between Coulour and Raolconda which the King caus'd to be shut up again by reason of some cheats that were us'd there for they found therein that sort of Stones which had this green outside fair and transparent and which appear'd more fair than the others but when they came to the Mill they crumbl'd to pieces CHAP. XIII A Continuation of the Authors Travels to the Diamond Mines I come to the third Mine which is the most ancient of all in the Kingdom of Bengala You may give it the name of Soumelpour which is the name of the Town next to the place where the Diamonds are found or rather Gonel which is the name of the River in the Sand whereof they seek for the Stones The Territories through which this River runs belong to a Raja who was anciently tributary to the Great Mogul but revolted in the time of the Wars between Sha-jehan and Gehan-guir his Father So soon
as Sha-jehan came to the Empire he sent to demand his Tribute of this Raja as well for the time past as to come who finding that his Revenues were not sufficient to pay him quitted his Country and retir'd into the Mountains with his Subjects Upon his refusal Sha-jehan believing he would stand it out sent a great Army against him perswading himself that he should find great store of Diamonds in his Country But he found neither Diamonds nor People nor Victuals the Raja having burnt all the Corn which his Subjects could not carry away so that the greatest part of Sha-jehans Army perish'd for hunger At length the Raja return'd into his Country upon condition to pay the Mogul some slight Tribute The Way from Agra to this Mine From Agra to Halabas costes 130 From Halabas to Banarous costes 33 From Banarous to Sasaron costes 4 From Agra to Saferon you travel Eastward but from Saferon to the Mine you must wind to the South coming first to a great Town costes 21 This Town belongs to the Raja I have spoke of From thence you go to a Fortress call'd Rodas costes 4 This is one of the strongest places in all Asia seated upon a Mountain fortifi'd with six Bastions and twenty-seven pieces of Cannon with three Moats full of Water wherein there are good Fish There is but one way to come to the top of the Mountain where there is a Plain half a League in compass wherein they sow Corn and Rice There is above twenty Springs that water that Plain but all the rest of that Mountain from top to bottom is nothing but a steep Precipice cover'd with over-grown Woods The Raja's formerly us'd to live in this Fort with a Garrison of seven or eight hundred men But the Great Mogul has it now having taken that Fort by the policy of the famous Mirgimola which all the Kings of India could never take before The Raja left three Sons who betray'd one another the eldest was poison'd the second went and serv'd the Great Mogul who gave him the command of four thousand Horse the third possesses his Fathers Territories paying the Mogul a small Tribute From the Fortress of Rodas to Soumelpour costes 30 Soumelpour is a great Town the Houses whereof are built of Earth and cover'd only with Branches of Coco-trees All these thirty Leagues you travel through Woods which is a very dangerous passage as being very much pester'd with Robbers The Raja lives half a League from the Town in Tents set upon a fair rising ground at the foot whereof runs the Gouel descending from the Southern Mountains and falling into Ganges In this River they find the Diamonds For after the great Rains are over which is usually in December they stay all January till the River be clear by reason that by that time in some places it is not above two foot deep and in several places the Sand lies above the water About the end of January or the beginning of February there flock together out of the great Town and some others adjoining above eight thousand persons men women and children that are able to work They that are skilful know by the sand whether there be any Diamonds or no when they find among the sand little Stones like to those which we call Thunder-Stones They begin to make search in the River from the Town of Soumelpour to the very Mountains from whence the River falls for fifty Leagues together Where they believe there are Diamonds they encompass the place with Stakes Faggots and Earth as when they go about to make the Arch of a Bridg to drain all the water out of that place Then they dig out all the Sand for two foot deep which is all carried and spread upon a great place for that purpose prepar'd upon the side of the River encompass'd with a little Wall about a foot and half high When they have fill'd this place with as much Sand as they think convenient they throw water upon it wash it and sift it doing in other things as they do at the Mines which I have already describ'd From this River come all those fair Points which are call'd natural Points but a great Stone is seldom found here The reason why none of these Stones have been seen in Europe is because of the Wars that have hinder'd the people from working Besides the Diamond Mine which I have spoken of in the Province of Carnatica which Mirgimola caus'd to be shut up by reason of the yellowness of the Diamonds and the foulness of the Stones there is in the Island of Borneo the largest Island in the World another River call'd Succadan in the Sand whereof they find Diamonds as hard as any in the other Mines The principal reason that disswaded me from going to the Island of Borneo was because I understood that the Queen of the Island would not permit any Strangers to carry away any of those Diamonds out of the Island Those few that are exported being carry'd out by stealth and privately sold at Batavia I say the Queen and not the King because in that Island the Women have the Soveraign Command and not the Men. For the people are so curious to have a lawful Heir upon the Throne that the Husband not being certain that the Children which he has by his Wife are his own but the Wife being always certain that the Children which she bears are hers they rather choose to be govern'd by a Woman to whom they give the Title of Queen her Husband being only her Subject and having no power but what she permits him CHAP. XIV Of the diversity of Weights us'd at the Diamond Mines Of the Pieces of Gold and Silver there Currant and the Rule which they observe to know the Price of Diamonds AT the Mine of Raolconda they weigh by Mangelins a Mangelin being one Carat and three quarters that is seven Grains At the Mine of Gani or Coulour they use the same Weights At the Mine of Soumelpour in Bengala they weigh by Rati's and the Rati is seven eighths of a Carat or three Grains and a half They use the same Weights over all the Empire of the Mogul In the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour they make use of Mangelins but a Mangelin in those parts is not above one Carat and three eighths The Portugals in Goa make use of the same Weights in Goa but a Mangelin there is not above five Grains As for the Money in use First in Bengala in the Territories of the Raja before mention'd in regard they lye enclos'd within the Dominions of the Great Mogul they make their payments in Roupies At the two Mines about Raolconda in the Kingdom of Visapour the payments are made in new Pagods which the King coins in his own Name as being independent from the Great Mogul The new Pagod is not always at the same value for it is sometimes worth three Roupies and a half sometimes more and sometimes less
flaw the first Carat were worth 160 Livres but for that reason I reckon it not at above 150 and so by the rule it comes to 11723278 Livres 14 Sous and 3 Liards Did the Diamond weigh no more than 279 Carats it would not be worth above 11676150 Livres so that the nine 16 ths comes to 47128 Livres 14 Sous and 3 Liards The Great Duke of Tuscany's Diamond weighs 139 Carats clean and well-shap'd cut in facets every way but in regard the water enclines somewhat toward the colour of Citron I do not value the first Carat above 135 Livres so that by the rule the Diamond ought to be worth 2608335 Livres A Diamond by the Miners is call'd Iri which the Turks Persians and Arabians call Almas CHAP. XVI Of Colour'd Stones and the Places where they are found THere are but two places in all the East where Colour'd-Stones are found within the Kingdom of Pegu and the Island of Ceylan The first is a Mountain twelve days journey or there-abouts from Siren toward the North-east the name whereof is Capelan In this Mine are found great quantities of Rubies and Espinels or Mothers of Rubies yellow Topazes blew and white Saphirs Jacinths Amethysts and other Stones of different colours Among these Stones which are hard they find other Stones of various colours that are very soft which they call Bacan in the language of the Countrey but are of little or no esteem Siren is the name of the City where the King of Pegu resides and Ava is the Port of his Kingdom From Ava to Siren you go by water in great flat-bottom'd-Barks which is a voyage of sixty days There is no going by land by reason the Woods are full of Lions Tigers and Elephants It is one of the poorest Countreys in the World where there is no Commodity but Rubies the whole Revenue whereof amounts not to above a hunder'd-thousand Crowns Among all the Stones that are there found you shall hardly see one of three or four Carats that is absolutely clean by reason that the King strictly enjoyns his Subjects not to export them out of his Dominions besides that he keeps to himself all the clean Stones that are found So that I have got very considerably in my Travels by carrying Rubies out of Europe into Asia Which makes me very much suspect the relation of Vincent le Blanc who reports that he saw in the King's Palace Rubies as big as eggs All Rubies are sold by weights which are call'd Ratis that is three grains and a half or seven 8 ths of a Carat and the payments are made in old Pagods A Ruby weighing one Ratis has been sold for Pagods 20 A Ruby of 2 Ratis and one 8 th Pagods 85 A Ruby of 3 Ratis and one 4 th Pagods 185 A Ruby of 4 Ratis and five 8 ths Pagods 450 A Ruby of 5 Ratis Pagods 525 A Ruby of 6 Ratis and a half Pagods 920 If a Ruby exceed six Ratis and be a perfect Stone there is no value to be set upon it The Natives of the Countrey call all Colour'd-Stones Rubies distinguishing them only by the colour Saphirs they call Blue-Rubies Amethysts they call Violet-Rubies Topazes Yellow-Rubies and so of other Stones The other place where Rubies are found is a River in the Island of Ceylan which descends from certain high Mountains in the middle of the Island which swells very high when the rains fall but when the waters are low the people make it their business to search among the Sands for Rubies Saphirs and Topazes All the Stones that are found in this River are generally fairer and clearer than those of Pegu. I forgot to tell you that there are some Rubies but more Balleis-Rubies and an abundance of Bastard-Rubies Saphirs and Topazes found in the Mountains that run along from Pegu to the Kingdom of Camboya Colour'd-Stones are also found in some parts of Europe as in Bohemia and Hungary In Hungary there is a Mine where they find certain Flints of different bigness some as big as eggs some as big as a man's fist which being broken contain a Ruby within as hard and as clean as those of Pegu. In Hungary there is a Mine of Opals which Stone is no-where else to be found in the World but there The Turquoise is no-where to be found but in Persia. Where there are two Mines The one is called the Old-Rock three days journey from Meched toward the North-west near a great Town which goes by the name of Michabourg The other which is call'd the New-Rock is five days journey off Those of the New-Rock are of a paler blue enclining to white and less esteem'd so that you may have a great many for a little Money Some years since the King of Persia commanded that no Turquoises should be digg'd out of the Old-Rock but only for himself making use of those Turquoises instead of enamelling to adorn Hilts of Swords Knives and Daggers of which the Persians are altogether ignorant As for Emraulds it is a vulgar error to say they come originally from the East And therefore when Jewellers and Gold-smiths to prefer a deep-colour'd Emrauld enclining to black tell ye it is an Oriental Emrauld they speak that which is not true I confess I could never discover in what part of our Continent those Stones are found But sure I am that the Eastern-part of the World never produc'd any of those Stones neither in the Continent nor in the Islands True it is that since the discovery of America some of those Stones have been often brought rough from Peru to the Philippine-Islands whence they have been transported into Europe but this is not enough to make them Oriental Besides that at this time they send them into Spain through the North-Sea CHAP. XVII Of Pearls and the Places where they Fish for them IN the first place there is a Fishery for Pearls in the Persian Gulf round about the Island of Bakren It belongs to the King of Persia and there is a strong Fort in it Garrison'd with three hundred men The Water which the people drink in that Island and all along the Coast of Persia is brackish and ill-tasted so that only the Natives of the Country can drink it Fresh water costs Strangers very dear for the people fetch it sometimes one League sometimes two Leagues from the Island from the bottom of the Sea being let down by a Rope with a Bottle or two ty'd about their wastes which they fill and stop it well and then giving the Rope a twitch are hall'd up again by their Companions Every one that fishes pays to the King of Persia five Abassi's whether he get any thing or no. The Merchant also pays the King some small matter for every thousand Oysters The second Fishery for Pearls is right against Bakren upon the Coast of Arabia the happy near the City of Catifa which together with all the Country about it is under the Jurisdiction of an
to the King of Persia. It is in shape and bigness like an Egg boar'd through in the middle deep colour'd fair and clean except one flaw in the side They will not tell you what it cost nor let you know what it weighs only it appears by the Register that it has been several years in the Kings Treasury Numb 2. Is the Figure of a Balleis Ruby sold for such to Giaser-Kan the Great Moguls Uncle who paid 950000 Roupies or 1425000 Livres for it But an old Indian Jeweller affirming afterwards that it was no Balleis Ruby that it was not worth above 500 Roupies and that Giafer-kan was cheated and his opinion being confirm'd by Sha-jehan the most skilful in Jewels of any person in the Empire Aureng-zeb compell'd the Merchant to take it again and to restore the Money back Numb 3 and 4. Is is the Figure of Ruby belonging to the King of Visapour Numb 4 is the height of the Stone above the Gold And Numb 3 is the roundness of the Beazil It weighs fourteen Mangelins or seventeen Carats and a half a Visapour Mangelin being but five Grains It cost the King 14200 new Pagods or 74550 Livres Numb 5. Is the Figure of a Ruby that a Banian shew'd me at Banarous it weighs 58 Rati's or 50 Carats and 3 quarters being of the second rank in beauty In shape it is like a Plump Almond bor'd through at the end I offer'd 40000 Roupies or 60000 Livres for it but the Merchant demanded 55000 Roupies Numb 6. Is the Figure of a great Topaz belonging to the Great Mogul nor did I see him wear any other but that all the while I was in India This Topaz weighs 181 Rati's and half a quarter or 157 Carats and three quarters It was bought at Goa for the Great Mogul and cost 181000 Roupies or 271500 Livres of our Money Numb 7 8 9. Are the Figures of three several Rubies belonging to the King of France Numb 1. Is the Figure of a Pearl which the King of Persia bought at the Fishery of Catifa in Arabia It cost him 82000 Tomans or 1400000 Livres of our Money at forty-six Livres and six Deneers to a Toman It is the fairest and most perfect Pearl that ever was yet found to this hour having no defect Numb 2. Is the Figure of the biggest Pearl that ever I saw in the Court of the Great Mogul It hangs about the artificial Peacocks neck that adorns his great Throne Numb 3. Is the Figure of a Pearl that I sold to Cha-Est-Kan the Water is somewhat saint but it is the biggest Pearl that was ever carried out of Europe into Asia Numb 4. Is a great perfect Pearl as well for its Water as for its form which is like an Olive It is in the midst of a Chain of Emraulds and Rubies which the Great Mogul wears which being put on the Pearl dangles at the lower part of his Breast Numb 5. Is a Pearl perfectly round the biggest I ever saw and belongs to the Great Mogul The like could never be found for which reason the Great Mogul lays it up very charily and never uses it For if it could be match'd both would make a Pair of Pendants for the Ears set between Rubies or Emraulds according to the custom of the Country there being no person of any quality that does not wear a Pearl between two colour'd Stones in his Ear. The forme of three Balais Rubies belonging to his Majestie transparent quite through CHAP. XXI Of Coral and Yellow Amber and the places where it is found COral but little valu'd in Europe is highly esteem'd in all the three other parts of the World and there are three places where they fish for it upon the Coast of Sardigna That of Arguerrel is the fairest of all The second place is call'd Boza and the third is neer the Island of St. Peter There are two other places upon the Coast of France the one neer the Bastion of France the other at Tabarque There is also another Fishery upon the Coast of Sicily neer Trepano but the Coral is small and ill-colour'd There is another upon the Coast of Catalogna neer Cape de Quiers where the Coral is large and of an excellent colour but the branches are short There is a ninth Fishery in the Island of Majorque much like that neer the Island of Corsica And these are all the places in the Medsterranean-Sea where they fish for Coral for there is none at all in the Ocean Because that Coral grows under the hollow Rocks where the Sea is deep the Fishers fix two spars of wood a-cross fastening a great piece of Lead in the middle to make it sink after that they wind carelesly about the spar good store of tufted Hemp and fasten the wood to two Cords one end whereof hangs at the Poop the other at the Prow of the Vessel Then letting go the wood with the stream or current by the sides of the Rock the Hemp twists it self among the Coral so that sometimes they stand in need of five or six Boats to pull up the wood again and if one of the Cables should chance to break with the stress all the Rowers are in danger to be lost While they tear up the Coral thus by force there tumbles as much into the Sea as they fetch up and the bottom of the Sea being generally very ouzy the Coral will be eaten as our fruits are eaten by the worms so that the sooner they get it out of the mud the less it will be wasted This puts me in mind of one thing that I saw at Marseilles in a Shop where they dealt in Coral It was a great piece of Coral as big about as a man's fist which because it was a little worm-eaten was cut in two pieces When it was so cut there was a worm that stirr'd and had life and liv'd for some months after being again put into the hole For among some branches of Coral there engenders a kind of spongy-matter like our honey-combs where these worms lye like bees Some think that Coral is soft in the Sea though in truth it be hard But this indeed is as true that in certain months of the year you may squeze out of the end of a branch a kind of milky-substance and this perhaps may be a kind of seed which falling upon any thing that it first meets with in the Sea as if it light upon a dead Skull the blade of a Sword or a Pomgranate produces another branch of Coral And I have seen a Pomgranate and had it in my hand that had fallen into the Sea about which the Coral had twin'd at least half a foot high They fish for Coral from the beginning of April to the end of July to which purpose there are employ'd above 200 Vessels some years more and some years less They are built all along the River of Genoa being very swift Their sails are very large for more swiftness so that there
be eaten But the deceit is harder to be discover'd when they make little Purses of the skin of the belly of the Beast which they sow up with strings of the same skin which are like the true bladders and then fill those Purses with what they have taken out of the right bladders and the other fraudulent mixture which they design to put among it True it is that should they tye up the bladder so soon as they cut it off without giving it air or time to lose its force the strength of the perfume would cause the blood to gush out of the nose so that it must be qualifi'd to render it acceptable or rather less hurtful to the brain The scent of the Beast which I carri'd to Paris was so strong that I could not keep it in my Chamber for it made all peoples heads ake that came neer it At length my Servants laid it in a Garret and cut off the bladder and yet the scent remain'd very strong This creature is not to be found in 65 degrees but in 60 there are vast numbers the Countrey being all over cover'd with Forrests True it is that in the months of February and March after these creatures have endur'd a sharp hunger by reason of the great Snows that fall where they breed ten or twelve foot deep they will come to 44 or 45 degrees to fill them themselves with Corn and new Rice And then it is that the Natives lay gins and snares for them to catch them as they go back shooting some with Bows and knocking others o' the heads Some have assur'd me that they are so lean and faint with hunger at that time that you may almost take them running There must be surely a prodigious number of these creatures none of them having above one bladder no bigger than a Hen's-egg which will not yield above half an ounce of Musk and sometimes three or four will not afford an ounce and yet what a world of Musk is bought up The King of Boutan fearing that the cheats and adulterations of Musk would spoil the Musk-Trade order'd that none of the Bladders should be fow'd up but that they should be all brought to Boutan and there after due inspection be seal'd up with his Seal Yet notwithstanding all the wariness and care of the King they will sometimes cunningly open them and put in little pieces of Lead to augment the weight In one Voyage to Patna I bought 7673 bladders that weigh'd 2557 ounces and an half and 452 ounces out of the bladder Bezoar comes from a Province of the Kingdom of Golconda toward the Northeast It is found among the ordure in the paunch of a wild-Goat that browzes upon a certain Tree the name whereof I have forgot This shrub bears little buds round about which and the tops of the boughs the Bezoar engenders in the maw of the Goat It is shap'd according to the form of the buds or tops of the branches which the Goats eat which is the reason there are so many shapes of Bezoar-Stones The Natives by feeling the belly of the Goat know how many Stones she has within and sell the Goat according to the quantity This they will find out by sliding their hands under their bellies and then shaking both sides of the paunch for the Stones will fall into the middle where they may easily count them all by their feeling The rarity of Bezoar is in the bigness though the small Bezoar has the same vertue as that which is larger But there is more deceit in the large Bezoar for the Natives have got a trick to add to the bigness of the Stone with a certain Paste compos'd of Gum and something else of the colour of Bezoar And they are so cunning too to shape it just like natural Bezoar The cheat is found out two ways the first is by weighing the Bezoar and then steeping it in warm water if neither the water change colour nor the Bezoar lose any thing of its weight the Stone is right The other way is to thrust a red-hot Bodkin of Iron into the Stone if the Bodkin enters and causes it to fry there is a mixture Bezoar is dearer according to the bigness of the Stones advancing in price like Diamonds For if five or six Bezoars weigh an ounce an ounce will be worth fifteen or eighteen Franks but if it be a Stone of one ounce that very ounce is well worth 100 Franks I have sold one of four ounces and a half for 2000 Livres I have been very curious to inform my self of all things that concern'd the nature of Bezoar but could never learn in what part of the body of the Goat it was to be found One time among the rest having oblig'd several Native Merchants by putting off for them a great quantity of Bezoar upon my request though it be death without mercy to transport any of these Goats out of the Countrey they brought me six Goats by stealth to my lodging When I ask'd the price of them I was surpriz'd when they told me one was worth but three Roupies that the two other were worth four Roupies and the three others four and three quarters a piece I ask'd them why some were more worth than others but I found afterwards that the first had but one Bezoar that the rest had two or three or four The six Goats had in all seventeen Bezoars in them and a half one as big as the half of a Hazel-nut The inside was like the soft ordure of the Goat the Bezoar lying among the dung which is in the belly of the Goat Some averr'd that they grew right against the liver others right against the heart but I could never find out the truth As well in the East as West there are a great quantity of Bezoars that breed in the same manner in Cows of which there have been some that have weigh'd seventeen or eighteen ounces For there was such a one that was giv'n to the Great Duke of Tuscany But those Bezoars are little esteem'd six grains of the other Bezoar working more powerfully than thirty of this As for the Bezoar which breeds in Apes as some believe it is so strong that two grains work as effectually as six of Goat's-Bezoar but it is very scarce as being only sound in those Apes that breed in the Island of Macassar This sort of Bezoar is round whereas the other is of several fashions as I said before As the Apes Bezoar is stronger and scarcer than the Goats so it is dearer and more sought after a piece as big as a nut being sometimes worth a hunder'd Crowns The Portugals make great account of this Bezoar standing always upon their guard for fear of being poison'd There is another Stone in great esteem that is call'd the Porcupine's-Stone which that creature is said to carry in its head and is more precious than Bezoar against poison If it be steep'd in water a quarter of an
hour the water becomes so bitter that nothing can be more bitter There is also a Stone sometimes found in the belly of that creature of the same nature and as good as that which comes from the head nevertheless with this difference that being steep'd in water it loses nothing of its weight nor bulk as the other does I have bought in my time three of those Stones One of them cost me 500 Crowns and I exchang'd it to advantage I paid four-hunder'd Crowns for the other which I keep the other was sold me for 200 Crowns which I presented to a friend There is the Serpent-Stone not to be forgot about the bigness of a double and some are almost oval thick in the middle and thin about the sides The Indians report that it is bred in the head of certain Serpents But I rather take it to be a Story of the Idolater's Priests and that the Stone is rather a composition of certain drugs Whatever it be it is of excellent vertue to drive any venom out of those that are bit by venomous creatures If the person bit be not much wounded the place must be incis'd and the Stone being appli'd thereto will not fall off till it has drawn all the poison to it To cleanse it you must steep it in Womans-milk or for want of that in Cows-milk after the Stone has lain ten or twelve hours the milk will turn to the colour of an Apostemated matter The Arch-Bishop of Goa carrying me to his Cabinet of Rarities shew'd me one of these Stones and after he had assur'd me of the rare qualities it had he gave it me Once as he cross'd a Mersh in the Island of Salseté where Goa stands one of the men that carri'd his Pallequis béing half naked was bit by a Serpent and heal'd at the same time I bought several but there are none but the Bramines that sell them which makes me believe that they compound them There are two ways to try whether the Serpent-Stone be true or false The first is by putting the Stone in your mouth for then it will give a leap and fix to the palate The other is by putting it in a glass full of water for if the Stone be true the water will fall a boyling and rise in little bubbles up to the top of the Glass There is another Stone which is call'd the Serpent's-Stone with the hood This is a kind of Serpent that has a kind of a hood hanging down behind the head as it is represented in the Figure And it is behind this hood that the Stone is found many times as big as a Pullet's-egg There are some Serpents both in Asia and America of a monstrous bigness 25 foot long as was that the skin whereof is kept in Batavia which had swallow'd a Maid of 18 years of age These Stones are not found in any of those Serpents that are not at least two foot long This Stone being rubb'd against another Stone yields a certain slime which being drank in water by the person that has the poison in his body powerfully drives it out These Serpents are no-where to be found but upon the Coasts of Mclinde but for the Stones you may buy them of the Portugueze Mariners and Souldiers that come from Mozambique CHAP. XXIII Of the Places where they find their Gold both in Asia and America JApon which consists of several Islands Eastward of China bending to the North some people believing that Niphon which is the biggest is in a manner join'd to the firm Land is that Region of all Asia that yields the greatest quantity of Gold Though others believe it is found in the Island of Formosa and carri'd thence to Japon For as long as the Hollanders have had the Island they could never yet tell what is the Trade of that Coast whence they believe the Gold comes There comes also Gold from China which the Chineses exchange for the Silver which is brought them For price for price they love Silver better than Gold because they have no Silver-Mines Yet it is the coarsest metal of all the Asiatsck Gold The Island of Celebes or Macassar produces Gold also which is drawn out of the Rivers where it rowls among the Sand. In the Island of Achen or Sumatra after the rainy season when the Torrents are wasted they find veins of Gold in the Flints which the waters wash down from the Mountains that lye toward the North-east Upon the West-side of the Island when the Hollanders come to lade their Pepper the Natives bring them great store of Gold but very coarse metal if not worse than that of China Toward the Thibet which is the ancient Caucasus in the Territories of a Raja beyond the Kingdom of Cachemir there are three Mountains close one by another one of which produces excellent Gold the other Granats and the third Lapis-Lazuli There is Gold also comes from the Kingdom of Tipra but it is coarse almost as bad as that of China and these are all the places in Asia that produce Gold I shall now say something of the Gold of Africa and the places where it is found in greatest quantities Observe by the way that the Vice-Roy of Mozambique has under his Command the Governors of Sofala and Chepon-Goura The first of these two Governments lies upon the River Sene sixty leagues from the Mouth of the River and the other ten leagues higher From the Mouth of the River to those very places on each side of the River great numbers of Negro's inhabit which are all commanded by one Portugueze The Portuguezes have been Masters of this Countrey for many years where they take upon them like Lords and make War one upon another for the slightest occasions in the World some of them having under them five-thousand Cafres which are their Slaves The Governor of Mozambique furnishes them with Calicuts and all other necessary Commodities which they want which he sells them at his own rates When he enters upon his Government he carries with him great quantities of all sorts of Commodities especially Calicuts dy'd black His Correspondents also in Goa send him every year two Vessels which he sends to Sofala Chepon-Goura and even as far as the City of Monomotopa the chief City of a Kingdom of the same name otherwise call'd Vouvebaran distant from Chepon-Goura fifty leagues or there-abouts He that commands all that Countrey assumes the name of Emperor of Monomotopa extending his Dominions as far as the Confines of Prestor John's Countrey From this Countrey of Monomotopa it is that the most pure and finest Gold of all Africa comes where they dig it with ease out of the earth not being put to labour above two or three foot deep In some places of that Countrey which are not inhabited by reason of the scarcity of water the people find great pieces of Gold of several forms and weights upon the surface of the earth some of which weigh an ounce One I
befall her should she be left to her self Nevertheless Lokeman being over perswaded by the prayers of his fair Sister went to seek for Ram his Brother but in the mean time Rhevan another of the Idolaters Gods appear'd to Sita in the shape of a Faquir and beg'd an Alms of her Now Ram had order'd Sita that she should not stir out of the place where he left her which Rhevan well knowing would not receive the Alms which Sita presented him unless she would remove to another place which when Sita had done either out of negligence or forgetfulness Rhevan seiz'd upon her and carry'd her into the thick of the Wood where his Train stay'd for him Ram at his return missing Sita fell into a swoon for greif but being brought again to himself by his Brother Lokeman they two immediately went together in search of Sita who was so dearly belov'd by her Husband When the Bramins repeat this Rape of their Goddess they do it with tears in their eyes and great demonstrations of sorrow adding upon this subject an infinite company of Fables more ridiculous to shew the great courage of Ram in pursuit of the Ravisher They employ'd all Creatures living upon the discovery but none of them had the luck to succeed only the Monkey call'd Harman He cross'd over the Sea at one Leap and coming into Rhevans Gardens found Sita in the extremity of affliction and very much surpriz'd to hear an Ape speak to her in her Husbands behalf At first she would not give any credit to such an Embassador but the Ape to shew that his Commission was authentick presents her with a Ring which her Husband had giv'n her and that she had left behind her among her Furniture She could hardly however believe so great a Miracle as that Ram her Husband should make a Beast speak to bring her the news of his health and to testifie as he did the marks of his affection But the Ape Harman wrought Miracles himself for being taken for a Spy by some of Rhevans Servants who therefore would have burnt him he made use of the fire which they had prepar'd to burn him to set Rhevans Palace on fire which he almost consum'd to the ground with all the tatters and rags which were ty'd to his tail and his body When the Ape had thus done the better to escape out of Rhevans hands he took the same way he came and repassing the Sea again at one jump he came and gave Ram an account of his adventures and told him in what a sorrowful condition he had found Sita who did nothing but mourn by reason of her absence from her Husband Ram touch'd with his Wives affection resolv'd to deliver her out of Rhevans hands whatever it cost him whereupon he rais'd Forces and being guided by the Ape at length he came to Rhevans Palace that still smoak'd the fire had been so great and by reason that Rhevans Servants were dispers'd Ram had an easie opportunity to see his belov'd Sita again whom Rhevan abandon'd wholly to him flying for fear to the Mountains Ram and Sita were infinitely overjoy'd at their coming together again and return'd very great Honours to Harman who had done him so eminent service As for Rhevan he spent all the rest of his days like a poor Faquir seeing his Country ruin'd by Ram's Troops who was resolv'd to be reveng'd for the injury which he had receiv'd and from this Rhevan it was from whence that infinite multitude of Faquirs that swarm all over India first took their Original CHAP. VI. Of the Faquirs or poor Volunteers among the Indians and of their Pennances THE Original of the Faquirs as I said before came from that Rhevan whom Ram dispoil'd of his Kingdom at which he conceiv'd such an unspeakable sorrow that he resolv'd to lead a Vagabond life and to wander about the world poor stript of all and in a manner quite naked He found a now to follow him in a course of life that gives them so much liberty For being worship'd as Saints they have in their hands all opportunities of doing evil These Faquirs wander generally in Troops every one of which has a Superior And in regard they are quite naked Winter and Summer lying upon the hard ground when it is cold the young Faquirs and others that are most devout go in the afternoon to seek for the dung of Cows and other Creatures of which they make their fires They rarely burn Wood for fear of killing any living Animal which is wont to breed in it and therefore the Wood wherewith they burn their dead is only such as has floated long in the Water which never breeds any sort of living Creature The young Faquirs having got together a good quantity of dung mix'd with dry turf make several fires according to the bigness of the Company round about every one of which the Faquirs seat themselves When they grow sleepy they lay themselves upon the ground spreading the Ashes abroad which serve them for a Mattress without any other Canopy than that of Heaven As for the Faquirs that do Pennance when they are laid down in the same posture as you see them in the day time they kindle a good fire on each side of them for otherwise they would not be able to endure the cold The rich Idolaters account themselves happy and their Houses to be fill'd with the benedictions of Heaven when they have any of these Faquirs for their Guests which the more austere they are the more they honour and it is the glory of the Troop to have one among them that does some considerable act of Penance These Crews of Faquirs many time joyn together to go in Pilgrimage to the Principal Pagods and publick Washings which they use upon certain days in the year in the River Ganges whereof they make the chiefest account as also in that which separates the Territories of the Portugals of Goa from the Dominions of the King of Vssapour Some of the most austere Faquirs live in little pittiful Huts neer their Pagods where they have once in four and twenty hours something to eat bestow'd upon them for God's sake The Tree whereof I have giv'n the description is of the same sort as that which grows neer Gomron which I have describ'd in my Persian Relations The Franks call it the Bannians-Tree because in those places where those Trees grow the Idolaters always take up their quarters and dress their victuals under them They have those Trees in great reverence and oft-times build their Pagods either under or very neer them That which the Reader sees here describ'd grows at Surat in the trunk whereof which is hollow is the figure of a Monster representing the face of a deform'd Woman which they say was the first Woman whose name was Mamaniva thither great numbers of Idolaters every day resort neer to which there is some Bramin or other always appointed to be ready to say Prayers and receive
the Alms of Rice Millet and other Grains which the charitable bestow upon them The Bramin marks the forhead of all both Men and Women that come to pray in the Pagod with a kind of Vermillion wherewith he also besmears the Idol for being thus mark'd they believe the evil Spirit cannot hurt them as being then under the protection of their God Number I is that part where the Bramins paint their Idols such as Mamaniva Sita Madedina and others whereof they have a great number Numb 2 is the figure of Mamaniva which is in the Pagod Numb 3 is another Pagod neer the former There stands a Cow at the door and within stands the figure of their God Ram. Numb 4 is another Pagod into which the Faquirs that do Penance often retire Numb 5 is another Pagod dedicated to Ram. Numb 6 is a Hut into which a Faquir makes his retirement several times a year there being but one hole to let in the light He stays there according to the height of his devotion sometimes nine or ten days together without either eating or drinking a thing which I could not have believ'd had I not seen it My curiosity carri'd me to see one of those Penitents with the President of the Dutch-Company who set a Spy to watch night and day whether any body brought him any victuals But he could not discover any relief the Faquir had all the while fitting upon his Bum like our Taylors never changing his posture above seven days together not being able to hold out any longer by reason that the heat and stench of the Lamp was ready to stifle him Their other sorts of Penance out-doing this might be thought incredible were there not so many thousand witnesses thereof Numb 7 is the figure of another Penitentiary over whose head several years have past and yet he never slept day nor night When he finds himself sleepy he hangs the weight of the upper part of his body upon a double-rope that is fasten'd to one of the boughs of the Tree and by the continuance of this posture which is very strange and painful there falls a humour into their legs that swells them very much The Figure of a Penitent as they are represented in little under the Banians great Tree Numb 9 is the posture of another Penitent who every day for several hours stands upon one foot holding a Chasing-dish in his hand into which he pours Incense as an Offering to his God fixing his eyes all the while upon the Sun Numb 10 and 11 are the figures of two other Penitents sitting with their hands rais'd above their heads in the air Numb 12 is the posture wherein the Penitents sleep without ever resting their arms which is certainly one of the greatest torments the body of man can suffer Numb 13 is the posture of a Penitent whose arms through weakness hang flagging down upon his shoulders being dry'd up for want of nourishment There are an infinite number of other Penitents some who in a posture quite contrary to the motion and frame of nature keep their eys always turn'd toward the Sun Others who fix their eyes perpetually upon the ground never so much as speaking one word or looking any person in the face And indeed there is such an infinite variety of them that would render the farther discourse of them more then tedious True it is that I have hid those parts which modesty will not suffer to be expos'd to view But they both in City and Countrey go all as naked as they came out of their Mothers wombs and though the Women approach them to take them by the fingers-ends and to kiss those parts which modesty forbids to name yet shall you not observe in them any motion of sensuality rather quite contrary seeing them never to look upon any person but rowling their eyes in a most frightful manner you would believe them in an extasie CHAP. VII Of the Idolaters belief touching the estate of the Soul after death 'T IS an Article of the Idolaters Faith that the Souls of Men departing out of the body are presented to God who according to the lives which they lead orders them another body to inhabit So that one and the same person is born several times into the World And that as for the Souls of wicked and vicious persons God disposes them into the bodies of contempt'ble Beasts such as Asses Dogs Cats and the like to do Penance for their crimes in those infamous Prisons But they believe that those Souls that enter into Cows are happy presuming that there is a kind of divinity in those creatures For if a man dye with a Cows-tail in his hand they say it is enough to render him happy in the other World The Idolaters believing thus the transmigration of the Souls of men into the bodies of other creatures they abhor to kill any creature whatever for fear they should be guilty of the death of some of their kindred or friends doing Penance in those bodies If the Men in their life-time are famous for their vertuous deeds they hold that their Souls pass into the bodies of some Potent Raja's where they enjoy the pleasures of this life in those bodies as the reward of those good works which they did This is the reason why the Faquirs put themselves to such horrible Penances But because that all are not able to endure so much torment in this World they labour to supply the defect of that cruel Penance by good works And besides they charge their Heirs in their Wills to give Alms to the Bramins to the end that by the powerful effect of their Prayers their God may assign them the body of some Noble Personage In January 1661 the Broaker belonging to the Holland-Company whose name was Mondas-Parek dy'd at Surat He was a rich Man and very charitable giving his Alms very liberally as well to the Christians as to the Idolaters the Capuchins at Surat living one part of the year upon the Rice Butter and Pulse which he sent them This Banian was not sick above four or five days during all which time and for eight days more after he was dead his Brothers distributed nine or ten-thousand Roupies and in the burning of his body they mix'd Sandal-wood and Lignum-Aloes with the ordinary wood believing that by that means the Soul of their Brother transmigrating into another body he would come to be some great Lord in another Countrey There are some that are such fools that they bury their treasure in their life-time as it is the usual custom of all the rich Men in the Kingdom of Asen to the end that if they should be condemn'd to the body of some poor miserable person they might have wherewithal to supply their necessities I remember one day that I bought in India an Agate-Cup half a foot high he that sold it me assur'd me that it had been buried under ground above 40 years and that he kept it to
and be acquainted among the Nobility their Weddings are very pompous and expensive The Bridegroom is mounted upon an Elephant and the Bride rides in a Chariot the whole Company carrying Torches in their hands They also borrow of the Governour and the Nobility of the place as many Elephants and prancing Horses as they can get And they walk some part of the night with Fire-works which they throw about the Streets and Piazza's But the greatest expence to those that live three or four hundred Leagues from it is to get the water of Ganges for in regard they account that water sacred and drink it out of devotion it must be brought them by the Bramins and in Earthen Vessels glaz'd within side which the chief Bramin of Ingrenate fills himself with the purest Water of the River and then seals up with his own Seal They never drink this water till the end of the Feast and then they give their guests three or more glasses apiece This water coming so far and the chief Bramin demanding a Tribute for every pot which contains a Pail-full sometimes a wedding comes to two or three thousand Roupies The eighth of April being in a City of Bengala call'd Malde the Idolaters made a great Feast according to the particular Custom of that place they all go out of the City and fasten Iron hooks to the boughs of several Trees then come a great number of poor people and hang themselves some by the sides some by the brawn of their backs upon those hooks till the weight of their body tearing away the flesh they fall of themselves 'T is a wonderful thing to see that not so much as one drop of blood should issue from the wounded flesh nor that any of the flesh should be left upon the hook besides that in two days they are perfectly cur'd by such Plaisters as their Bramins give them There are others who at that Feast will lye upon a bed of nails with the points upward the nails entring a good way into the flesh however while these people are under this Pennance their Friends come and present them with Money and Linnen When they have undergone their Penance they take the presents and distribute them to the poor without making any farther advantage of them I ask'd one why they made that Feast and suffer'd those severe Penances who answer'd me that it was in remembrance of the first man whom they call'd Adam as we do In the year 1666 I saw another sort of Penance as I cross'd the Ganges upon the Bank of which River they had prepar'd a clean place where one of the poor Idolaters was condemn'd to rest upon the ground touching it only with his hands and feet which he was to do several times a day and every time to kiss the earth three times before he rose up again He was to rise up upon his left foot never touching the ground with his right all the while And every day for a month together before he either eat or drank he was oblig'd to this posture for fifty times together and consequently to kiss the ground a hundred and fifty times He told me that the Bramins had enjoin'd him that Penance because he had suffer'd a Cow to dye in his House and had not lead her to the water to be wash'd before she dy'd When an Idolater has lost any piece of Gold or Silver or summ of Money either by negligence or as being stoln from him he is oblig'd to carry as much as he lost to the great Bramin for if he does not and that the other should come to know of it he is ignominiously cast out of his Tribe to make him more careful another time On the other side the Ganges Northward toward the Mountains of Naugrocot there are two or three Raja's who neither believe God nor the Devil Their Bramins have a book containing their Belief full of ridiculous absurdities whereof the Author whose name is Baudou gives no reason These Raja's are the Great Moguls Vassals and pay him Tribute To conclude the Malavares carefully preserve the nails of their left hands and let their hair grow like women's These nails which are half a finger long serve them instead of Combs and it is with their left hand that they do all their drudgery never touching their faces nor what they eat but with their right hands CHAP. XV. Of the Kingdom of Boutan whence comes the Musk the good Rhubarb and some Furs THE Kingdom of Boutan is of a large extent but I could never yet come to a perfect knowledg thereof I have set down all that I could learn at Patna whither the Merchants of Boutan come to sell their Musk. The most excellent Rhubarb comes also from the Kingdom of Boutan From hence is brought also that Seed which is good against the worms therefore call'd Wormseed and good store of Furs As for the Rhubarb the Merchants run a great hazard which way soever they bring it for if they take the Northern Road toward Caboul the wet spoils it if the Southern Road in regard the journey is long if the Rains happen to fall there is as much danger that way so that there is no Commodity requires more care then that As for the Musk during the heats the Merchant loses by it because it dries and loses its weight Now in regard this Commodity pays twenty-five in the hundred Custom at Gorrochepour the last Town belonging to the Great Mogul next to the Kingdom of Boutan when the Indian Merchants come to that City they go to the Officer of the Custom-House and tell him that they are going to Boutan to buy Musk or Rhubarb and how much they intend to lay out all which the Officer Registers with the name of the Merchant Then the Merchants instead of twenty-five agree with him for seven or eight in the hundred and take a Certificate from the Officer or Cadi that he may not demand any more at their return If the Officer refuses a handsom composition then they go another way over Desarts and Mountains cover'd with Snow tedious and troublesome till they come to Caboul where the Caravans part some for great Tartary others for Balch Here it is that the Merchants coming from Boutan barter their Commodities for Horses Mules and Camels for there is little Money in that Country Then those Tartars transport their Commodities into Persia as far as Ardevile and Tauris which is the reason that some Europeans have thought that Rhubarb and Wormseed came out of Tartary True it is that some Rhubarb comes from thence but not so good as that of Boutan being sooner corrupted for Rhubarb will eat out its own heart The Tartars carry back out of Persia Silks of small value which are made in Tauris and Ardevile and some English Cloth brought by the Armenians from Constantinople and Smyrna Some of the Merchants that come from Caboul and Boutan go to Candahar and thence to Ispahan whether they
carry Coral in Beads yellow Amber and Lapis Lazuli Beads if they can meet with it The other Merchants that come from the Coast of Multan Lahor and Agra bring only Linnons Indigo and store of Cornelian and Christal Beads Those that return through Gorrochepour and are agreed with the Officer of the Custom-House carry from Patna and Daca Coral yellow Amber Bracelets of Tortois-shells and other Shells with great store of round and square thick pieces of Tortois When I was at Patna four Armenians who had been before at Boutan return'd from Dantzick where they had made certain Figures of yellow Amber representing the shapes of several Creatures and Monsters which they were carrying to the King of Boutan who is an Idolater as are all his people to set up in his Pagods For the Armenians for Money will sell any thing of Idolatry and they told me besides that if they could but have made the Idol which the King of Boutan bespoke of them they should have done their business Which was to have been a Monsters head with six horns four ears four arms and six fingers upon every hand all of yellow Amber but they could not find pieces big enough The Caravan is three months travelling from Patna to the Kingdom of Boutan It sets out from Patna about the end of December and eight days after arrives at Gorrochepour From Gorrochepour to the foot of the high Mountains is eight or nine days journey more during which the Caravan suffers very much hardship for the Country is nothing but wide Forrests full of wild Elephants So that the Merchants instead of taking their rests are forc'd to watch keep fires and shoot off their Muskets all the night long For the Elephant making no noise in treading would else be upon the Caravan before they were aware not that he comes to do any mischief to the men but to get what victuals he can find You may travel from Patna to the foot of those Mountains in Palleki's But generally they ride upon Oxen Camels or Horses bred in the Country Those Horses are generally so little that when a man is upon the back of them his feet touch the ground but they will travel twenty Leagues an end and never bait or else with a very small one Some of those Horses cost two hundred Crowns for indeed when you come to cross the Mountains you can make use of no other sort of carriage but them in regard of the narrowness and ruggedness of the Passes which many times put the Horses very much to it as strong and as low as they are Five or six Leagues beyond Gorrochepour you enter into the Territories of the Raja of Nupal which extend to the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Boutan This Raja is a Tributary to the Great Mogul and pays him every year an Elephant for his Homage He resides in the City of Nupal from whence he derives his Title but there is little either Trade or Money in his Country which is all Woods and Forrests The Caravan being arriv'd at the foot of these Mountains which are call'd at this day by the name of Naugrocot abundance of people come from all parts of the Mountain the greatest part whereof are women and maids who agree with the Merchants to carry them their goods and provisions cross the Mountains which is eight days journey more The women carry upon each shoulder a woollen Roll to which is fasten'd a large Cushion that hangs down upon their backs upon which the man sits There are three women to carry one man relieving one another by turns And for their luggage and provisions they lade them upon Goats that will carry a hundred and fifty pound weight apiece Those that will ride are in many places forc'd to have their Horses hoisted up with Cords They never feed them but morning and evening mixing a pound of meal half a pound of brown Sugar and half a pound of Butter together with water sufficient In the evening they must be contented only with a few flat Peason bruis'd and steep'd half an hour in water The women that carry the men get for their ten days travel two Roupies apiece and as much for every burthen which the Goats carry and for every Horse which they lead After you have pass'd the Mountains you may travel to Boutan upon Oxen Camels Horses or Palleki's which you please The Country is good abounding in Rice Corn Pulse and store of wine All the people both men and women are clad in the Summer with a large piece of Fustian or Hempen-Cloath in the Winter with a thick Cloth almost like Felt. Both men and women wear upon their heads a kind of Bonnet much like our drinking Cans which they adorn with Boars teeth and with round and square pieces of Tortois-Shells The richer sort intermix Coral and Amber Beads of which their women make them Neck-Laces The men as well as the women wear Bracelets upon their left hands only from the wrist to the elbow The women wear them strait the men loose About their necks they wear a silken twist at the end whereof hangs a Bead of yellow Amber or Coral or a Boars Tooth which dangles upon their breasts On their left sides their Girdles are button'd with Beads of the same Though they be Idolaters yet they feed upon all sort of food except the flesh of Cows which they adore as the common Nurses of all men they are besides great lovers of strong water They observe also some Ceremonies of the Chineses burning Amber at the end of their Feasts though they do not worship fire like the Chineses For which reason the Merchants of Boutan will give at Patna for a Serre of large pieces of yellow Amber as big as a Nut bright and clean thirty-five and forty Roupies The Serre of yellow Amber Musk Coral Ambergrise Rhubarb and other Drugs containing nine Ounces to the pound Saltpeter Sugar Rice Corn and other Commodities are also sold by the Serre in Bengala but the Serre contains seventy-two of our Pounds at sixteen Ounces to the Pound and forty Serres make a Mein or 2824 Pounds of Paris To return to yellow Amber a piece of nine ounces is worth in Boutan from 250 to 300 Roupies according to its colour and beauty Coral rough or wrought into Beads yields profit enough but they had rather have it rough to shape it as they please themselves The Women and Maids are generally the Artists among them as to those toys They also make Beads of Crystal and Agat As for the Men they make Bracelets of Tortoise-shell and Sea-shells and polish those little pieces of Shells which the Northern people wear in their ears and in their hair In Patna and Daca there are above two thousand persons that thus employ themselves furnishing the Kingdoms of Boutan Asem Siam and other Northern and Eastern parts of the Mogul's Dominions As for Wormseed the Herb grows in the Fields and must dye before the
Pardo's in Diamonds gave order to two men which he had fee'd for the purpose that as soon as the Fathers had made their purchase he should give notice to the Officer of the Custom-House at Bicholi Bicholi is a great Town upon the Frontiers of those Lands that part the Kingdom of Visapour from the Territories of the Portugals there being no other way to pass the River which encompasses the Island where the City of Goa is built The Fathers believing that the Customer knew nothing of their purchase went into the Boat to go over the River but as soon as they were in they were strictly search'd and all their Diamonds confiscated To return to the King of Macassar you must know that the Jesuits once endeavour'd to convert him and perhaps they might have brought it to pass had they not neglected one proposal which he made them For at the same time that the Jesuits labour'd to bring him to Christianity the Mahumetans us'd all their endeavours to oblige him to stick to their Law The King willing to leave his Idolatry yet not knowing which part to take commanded the Mahumetans to send for two or three of their most able Moulla's or Doctors from Mecca and the Jesuits he order'd to send him as many of the most learned among them that he might be instructed in both Religions which they both promis'd to do But the Mahometans were more diligent then the Christians for in eight months they fetch'd from Mecca two learned Moulla's whereupon the King seeing that the Jesuits sent no body to him embrac'd the Mahumetan Law True it is that three years after there came two Portugal Jesuits but then it was too late The King of Macassar being thus become a Mahumetan the Prince his Brother was so mad at it that when the Mosquee which the King had caus'd to be built was finish'd he got into it one night and causing the throats of two Pigs to be cut he all besmear'd the walls of the new Mosquee and the place which was appointed for the Moulia to perform Divine Service with the blood so that the King was forc'd to pull down that and build another After which the Prince with some Idolatrous Lords stole out of the Island and never since appear'd at Court CHAP. XX. The Author pursues his Travels into the East and embarks at Mingrela for Batavia The danger he was in upon the Sea and his arrival in the Island of Ceylan I Departed from Mingrela a great Town in the Kingdom of Visapour eight Leagues from Goa the fourteenth of April 1648 and embark'd in a Dutch Vessel bound for Batavia The Ship had orders to touch at Bokanour to take in Rice Whereupon I went ashore with the Captain to obtain leave of the King to buy Rice We found him upon the shore where he had about a dozen Huts set up which were cover'd with Palm-leaves In his own Hut there was a piece of Persian Tapestry spread under him and there we saw five or six women some fanning him with Peacocks Feathers others giving him Betlé others filling him his Pipe of Tobacco The most considerable persons of the Country were in the other Huts and we counted about two hundred men that were upon the Guard arm'd only with Bows and Arrows They had also two Elephants among ' em 'T is very probable that his Palace was not far off and that he only came thither to take the fresh air There we were presented with Tari or Palm-wine but being new and not boil'd it caus'd the head-ach in all that drank it insomuch that we were two days before we could recover it I ask'd the reason how the Wine came to do us so much prejudice to which they answer'd me that it was the Planting of Pepper about the Palm-trees that gave such a strength to the Wine We were no sooner got aboard but a mighty tempest arose wherein the Ship men and goods had all like to have been cast away being near the shore but at length the wind changing we found our selves by break of day three or four Leagues at Sea having lost all our Anchors and at length came safe to Port in the Haven of Ponté de Galle the twelfth of May. I found nothing remarkable in that City there being nothing but the ruins made by the underminings and Canon-shot when the Hollanders besieg'd it and chas'd the Portugals from thence The Company allow'd ground to build upon to them that would inhabit there and land to till and had then rais'd two Bulwarks which commanded the Port. If they have finish'd the design which they undertook the place cannot but be very considerable The Hollanders before they took all the places which the Portugals had in the Island of Ceylan did believe that the trade of this Island would have brought them in vast sums could they but be sole Masters of it and perhaps their conjectures might have been true had they not broken their words with the King of Candy who is the King of the Country but breaking faith with him they lost themselves in all other places thereabouts The Hollanders had made an agreement with the King of Candy that he should be always ready with twenty thousand men to keep the passages that hinder the Portugals from bringing any succours from Colombo Negombe Manar or any other places which they possessed upon the Coast. In consideration whereof the Hollanders when they had taken Ponte Galle were to restore it to the King of Candy which they not performing the King sent to know why they did not give him possession of the Town to which they return'd answer that they were ready to do it provided he would defray the expences of the war But they knew that if he had had three Kingdoms more such as his own he could never have payd so great a sum I must confess indeed the Country is very poor for I do not believe that the King ever saw fifty thousand Crowns together in his life his trade being all in Cinnamon and Elephants As for his Cinnamon he has no profit of it since the Portugals coming into the East Indies And for his Elephants he makes but little of them for they take not above five or six in a year but they are more esteem'd than any other Country Elephants as being the most couragious in war One thing I will tell you hardly to be believ'd but that which is a certain truth which is that when any other King or Raja has one of these Elephants of Ceylan if they bring him among any other breed in any other place whatever so soon as the other Elephants behold the Ceylan Elephants by an instinct of nature they do him reverence laying their trunks upon the ground and raising them up again The King of Achen with whom the Hollanders also broke their word had more opportunity to be reveng'd upon them then the King of Candy For he deni'd them the transportation of Pepper
either the heat or scituation of the Climate makes these Cafres so black Being desirous to know the reason and why they stunk so terribly I learnt it from a Girl that was bred up in the Fort who was tak'n from her Mother as soon as she was born and was white like our women in Europe she told me that the reason why the Cafres are so black is because they rub themselves with a Greafe or Ointment compos'd of several sorts of Drugs wherewith should they not anoint themselves very often and as soon as they were born they should become Hydropsical as the Blacks of Africa and the Abyssins are or like the people of Saba that never live above forty years and are always troubl'd with one Leg twice as big as the other These Cafres as brutish as they are have yet some knowledg of Simples which they know to apply to several Diseases which the Hollanders have several times experienc'd Of nineteen sick persons that we had in our Ship fifteen were committed to the care of these Cafres being troubl'd with Ulcers in their Legs and old wounds which they had receiv'd in the wars and in less then fifteen days they were all perfectly cur'd Every one of these had two Cafres to look after him and according to the condition of the wound or Ulcer they went and fetch'd Simples which they bruis'd between two Stones and apply'd to the sore As for the other four they were so far gone with the Pox that they would not trust the Cafres with them having been given over at Batavia and so they all dy'd between the Cape and St. Helens In the year 1661 a Gentleman of Britanny being at Batavia was so bit by the Gnats in the night that his Leg exulcerated presently in such a manner as to puzzle all the art and skill of the Chirurgeons in that Town When he came to the Cape of good Hope the Captain of the Ship sending him ashore the Cafres came about him and after they had beheld him they told him if he would trust to them they would cure him The Captain thereupon committed him to their care who cur'd him and made him a sound man in less then fifteen days When a Ship comes to an Anchor in the Cape it is the fashion for him that commands the Ship to give leave to some part of the Mariners and Souldiers to go ashore to refresh themselves The sickly have first leave by turns and go to the Town where they are dyeted and lodg'd for seven or eight Sous a day and are very well us'd It is the custom of the Hollanders when they stay here to send out parties of Souldiers upon the discovery of the up-land Country and they that go farthest are best rewarded With this design a party of Souldiers under the Command of a Serjeant far advanc'd in the Country and night coming on they made a great fire as well to keep themselves from the Lions as to warm themsèlves and so lay down to sleep round about it Being asleep a Lion came and seiz'd one of the Souldiers Arms which the Serjeant perceiving immediately shot the Lion with his Carbine but when he was dead they had much ado to open the Lions mouth to get out the Souldiers Arm. Thus it appears a vulgar error to believe that Lions will not come near the fire As for the Souldier the Cafres cur'd his Arm in twelve days There are in the Fort abundance of Lions and Tigers Skins among the rest there was the Skin of a Horse which the Cafres had kill'd it was white cross'd with black streaks spotted like a Leopard without a Tail Two or three Leagues from the Hollanders Fort there was a Lion found dead with four Porcupines Quils in his body the third part whereof had pierc'd his flesh So that it was judg'd that the Porcupine had kill'd the Lion The Skin with the Quils in it is kept in the Fort. A League from the Fort is a fair Town that grows bigger and bigger every day When the Holland Company arrives there with their Ships if any Souldier or Mariner will live there they are very glad of it They have as much ground as they can mannage where they have all sorts of Herbs and Pulse and as much Rice and as many Grapes as they can desire They have also young Ostridges Beef Sea-fish and sweet water To catch the Ostridges when they please they got their Nests when they are young and driving a stake in the ground tye the Birds by one Leg to the stake and when they are old enough they come and take them out of the Nest from whence it is impossible to fly away When the Hollanders began to inhabit the Cape they took a young Girl from her Mother as soon as she was born she is white only her Nose is a little flat A French man got her with Child and would have marry'd her but the Company were so far from permitting him that they took away above a hundred Livres of the Maids wages from her to punish her for the misdemeanour which was somewhat hard There are great numbers of Lions and Tigers which the Hollanders have a pretty invention to take they fasten a Carbine to a stake driv'n into the Earth and lay meat round about the Gun which meat is fasten'd with a string to the Trigger So that when the Beast snatches the meat the string pulls the Trigger and the Gun going off hits the Lion either in the throat or the breast The Cafres feed upon a Root like our Skerrets which they roast and make bread of Sometimes they grin'd it into flower and then it tasts like a Walnut For their food they eat the same Root raw with raw Fish with the Entrails of Beasts out of which they only squeeze the ordure As for the bowels of the wild Beasts the women wear them dry'd about their Legs especially the bowels of those Beasts which their Husbands kill which they look upon as a kind of Ornament They also feed upon Tortoises when they have so far heated them at the fire as to make the Shells come off They are very expert in darting their Azagaya's and those that have none make use of pointed sticks which they will lance a great way With these they go down to the Sea-side and as soon as ever they spy a Fish near the top of the water they will not fail to strike him As for their Birds which are like our Ducks whose Eggs are without any Yolk they breed in such great quantities in the Countrey that in a Bay about eighteen Miles from the Cape you may knock them on the head with a stick The Hollanders once carried a young Cafre to the General at Batavia who bred him carefully up teaching him to understand the Dutch and Portugal Languages perfectly well At length being desirous to return into his Country the General gave him very good Cloaths and good Linnen hoping that he
time seems so splendid is but a tottering fortune upon which neither the Son nor the Father himself what repute soever he may be in can make any sure relyance The Bassa's who have the denomination of Vizirs carry three Banners or Standards Observations upon the Standards at the top of which there is a Horse-tayl fasten'd put into what colour they please themselves green only excepted though they are permitted to paint the Staff to which the Standard is fasten'd with that colour The Origine of this Custom was thus according to the Story which the Turks relate of it Having one day given Battel to the Christians their Standard was taken in the heat of the Engagement and the General of the Turks perceiving that the loss of the Standard was a discouragement to the Souldiers who were beginning to take their flight he with a Cymitar cut off a Horse's tayl and fasten'd it to the top of a half-Pike and advanc'd it on high crying out Here is the Grand Standard let him who loves me follow me Immediately the Turks re-assum'd courage and having rally'd renew'd the Charge and gain'd the Victory The Officers who are about the Persons of the Bassa's have also their Standards but they are not allow'd to add thereto one of those tayls and it is to be observ'd that the Bassa's who are not Vizirs can carry but two of them as the Beys who are inferiour to the Bassa's and Governours of lesser Provinces carry but one of them When the Grand Seignor goes into the Country there are seven Standards carry'd in regard that according to the Turks the World is divided into seven parts or seven Climats whereof the Grand Seignor is Master if taken according to its breadth and 't is for that reason that in their language they give him the title of Master of all Kings This is grounded upon what Mabomet said That he who after his death should be Master of those Territories where his Sepulchre were found should assume the title of Master or chief of all the Kings upon Earth They add that there are but three Empires which are those of Constantinople Babylon and Trebizond And 't is for that reason that the Grand Seignor wears three plumes of black Heron-tops in his Turbant Take notice by the way that they are only the Herons of Candia which have their tops perfectly black the Herons of all other Countries having them either white or of a mixt colour And because there must be a considerable quantity of them to make up a plume it must accordingly be of a very great value which possibly has occasion'd its being out of use in Europe For as to all the Princes of Asia they have still a great esteem for the Heron-tops but they must not have the least defect and if the points of them be ever so little broken there is no account made of them as being things of very little value By those three Heron-tops upon the Grand Seignor's Turbant it is known that the Grand Vizir is in the Army inasmuch as at that time he wears but two of them and the thing is worthy our observation When the Army is to march the Grand Seignor gives order for the drawing up of those Troops which are at Constantinople and the parts adjacent and having the Grand Vizir near him he presents him to them for their General The Souldiers at that time say not a word nor do they make the ordinary salute till after the Grand Seignor has caus'd one plume of the Heron-tops to be taken out of his Turbant and to be put upon that of the Grand Vizir and upon that Ceremony the whole Army salutes him and acknowledge him for their General and from that very time are to receive their Pay from him Having spoken of the Bassa's in general it is requisite I should give some Idea of those who are advanc'd to the principal Charges of the Empire and I shall bring into that List the Grand Vizir accompany'd by six others who have the quality of Vizirs the Caimacan the Bassa of the Sea and the Aga of the Janizaries after whom I shall come down to the Beglierbeys and to the Sangiacbeys and to the Bostangi-Bachi who has one of the most eminent Charges of the Port. The Vizir-Azem or Grand Vizir is the Lieutenant-General of the Empire and of The Honours and Disadvantages attending the Charge of Grand Vizir the Armies the principal Person of the Council and he who under the Grand Seignor's Orders has the absolute disposal of all Affairs relating to the State or to the War having in his custody the Imperial Seal He is attended by and has assistant to him in the Divan six other Vizirs whom they call Vizirs of the Bench and who are properly Counsellors of State but yet such as have not any deliberative voice and come not into the Divan but only to be consulted upon some point of Law wherein they are well skill'd without intermedling with the Government of the State or concerning themselves in any Affair unless their advice be requir'd There are also five Beglerbeys on whom the Grand Seignor bestows the qualification of Vizirs and are possess'd of the greatest and wealthiest Governments of the Empire to wit the Bassa's of Babylon Cairo Buda Natolia and Romania The three former who are the three principal had heretofore the priviledge exclusively to all the other Bassa's of having carried before them in the same manner as the Grand Vizir had the three Horse-tayls of which I have related the Story But at the present that priviledge extends to the two other Bassa's of Natolia and Romania and they are all five equal as to that point I am now to return to the Grand Vizir who has a magnificent Court answerable to the greatness of the Master whom he serves and there are in his house above two thousand Domesticks Though he lyes expos'd as well as the other Bassa's to the indignation of the Prince and forc'd to send him his Head when he requires it yet does the Grand Seignor in the Affairs of greatest importance and such as concern the State comply much with the Sentiments of his Grand Vizir and his Propositions in Council are as so many definitive Sentences 'T is that which renders his Power so absolute that in all the Empires and Kingdoms of the World there is not any chief Minister of State whose Authority can be parallel'd to that of the Grand Vizir Whoever comes to make him a Visit he rises not out of his Chair either to give him a reception or to conduct him out again unless it be the Mufti who is the principal Person relating to the Law of Mahomet upon whose access the Grand Seignor himself rises from his Throne But this is particularly worth our observation That as it belongs only to the Grand Vizir to propose all Affairs of importance so does it concern him to be very careful
not to advance any thing that may be displeasing to the Grand Seignor for if it should so happen he gives immediate Order for the strangling of him without making him any answer at all upon this Maxime of the Ottoman Court that there must not be any thing propos'd to the Prince which may give him any cause of dissatisfaction The Caimacan is the Captain and Governour of the City of Constantinople Lieutenant A Priviledge particular to the Caimacan to the Grand Vizir yet so as not to have any Authority but only in his absence And then he performs all the functions of that important Charge he has the absolute Command and gives Audience to Ambassadors He is not subject as the other Bassa's are to that rigorous necessity of resigning his Head upon this account that if he does any thing which may be displeasing to the Grand Seignor he lays the blame thereof upon the Grand Vizir from whom he receives his Orders The Bassa of the Sea is the Admiral and Captain-General of the Naval Forces The Beys Governours of the Maritime Provinces and such as are oblig'd to maintain the Grand Seignor's Galleys in good order are to obey the Commands they receive from him and to go to Sea upon the first advertisement they receive to that purpose The Janizary-Aga whom the Turks call Yengeri-Agasi is the Colonel-General of The number of the real Janizarles the Janizaries This Charge is very considerable inasinuch as the Turkish Infantry at this time does for the most part pass under the name of Janizaries though such as are really Janizaries who derive their Institution from Ottoman the First and their great Priviledges from Amurath the Third do not at this day amount to a Body of above five and twenty thousand Men. They have excellent Regulations amongst themselves and are distributed into several Chambers in the spacious Lodgings whereof they are possess'd whether it be at Constantinople or in other places The order observ'd there is so excellent in all things and so exactly maintain'd that they live more like Religious Persons than Souldiers and though they are not forbidden to marry yet it is very seldom that they do it The great Priviledges which they enjoy all over the Empire wherein they are so highly respected induce abundance of Persons meerly in order to their exemption from the paying of Taxes and their being discharg'd from publick Duties to prevail with the Officers by Money to protect them and make them pass for Janizaries But they receive no Pay from the Prince and all their advantage is restrain'd to the enjoyment of those Priviledges which indeed are great enough It is by this intermixture of the real Janizaries with those who are admitted by corruption that the number of them amounts at this day to above a hundred thousand and yet not accounting any but such as are effectively Janizaries their Body has sometimes been so dreadful as that they have unthron'd the Ottoman Monarchs and chang'd the whole face of the Empire of a sudden The Power of their Aga is very great and there is not any Person can approach the The great Priviledge of the Aga. Prince as he is permitted to do For he may come into the Grand Seignor's presence with his arms at absolute liberty and with a confident deportment whereas all the other Grandees of the Port without any exception even to the Grand Vizir himself dare not appear before him otherwise than with their arms cross their bodies and the hands one upon the other on the breast as the mark of a profound submission The Beglerbeys are in dignity next the four first Bassa's and are as 't were so many Soveraigns in the general Governments of the Empire whereof the Grand Seignor bestows the Command on them But in regard it is not my design to speak of the Government of Turkey any further than is requisite for the Subject whereof I treat there is not any necessity that I should inform the Reader of the number of those Beglerbeys and it is enough that I have nam'd the five principal ones of whom I shall have occasion to speak elsewhere I shall only add here That those great Bassa's have under them a certain number of Sangiac-Beys who are Governours of Sangiacs or particular Provinces as the Sangiacbey of Salonica or of Morea And whereas there will also be frequently mention'd some others under the Denominations of Spahis Zaims and Chiaoux we must give a short account of those three sorts of Persons The Spahis who make up a Body of about fifteen thousand Men are a kind of Knights who would pass for the Gentry or Nobility of the Country and stand very much upon their Gallantry They are maintain'd out of the Revenue of the Timars that is to say out of the Mannors or Commanderies which the Grand Seignor bestows on them according to the recompence he would make them for their services Those Timars cannot be taken away from them unless they be negligent in their duty which is that they should be in the Army when the Grand Vizir is there in person These are the happiest Persons in all the Ottoman Empire and as it were petty Soveraigns in the places where they command The Zaims differ not much from the Spahis and as the other have the Command and Revenues of certain Lands or Fiefs which the Grand Seignor bestows on them There is a very great number of them over all the Empire and they look on themselves as the Lords and Barons of the Country The Turkish Cavalry consists of the Zaims and the Spahis and they know what number of Horse they are to bring into the Field according to the Revenue of their Timars The Chaoux or Chiaoux-Bachi is the Chief of all the Chaoux of the Empire whose imployment it is to carry the Prince's Commands to any part either within his Territories or without and to be sent upon Embassies though indeed they are but as so many Messengers or Expresses 'T is ordinarily into their custody that Prisoners of Quality are committed and they suffer them not to be out of their sight And thus you have an account of the principal Charges and Dignities of the Empire all possess'd by Persons taken out of the rank of the Ichoglans I now come to the Officers of the Seraglio and in regard they are Eunuchs on whom the Grand Seignor bestows the most eminent Charges and who besides have the Government of the Ichoglans I shall follow the order of the things in my placing of them here before I say ought of the second order or rank of tributary Children or such as are taken in War who are the Azamoglans Of the Eunuchs there are also two ranks There are some white who have endur'd only a simple castration and there are black ones who have all cut off even The prodigious number of Eunuchs all over the East with the belly Both sorts of them are severe
found any particular divertisement therein especially when there are Limbs lost or broken he orders every one to receive a Purse which as I told you amount to five hundred Crowns The distribution of those Presents is greater or lesser according to his being in a good or bad humour and sometimes there are distributed at his departure thence to the number of ten Purses The Treasurer who is always attending on him and has ordinarily brought along with him fifteen or twenty thousand Ryals in Gold and Silver stands ready upon a beck to obey his Orders But this is worth our observation That when the Prince is ready to bestow his Liberalities on those who had behav'd themselves valiantly in that exercise the Grandees The counterfeit modesty of the Grandees of the Port. of his Court who had appear'd therein as well as others purposely shift themselves out of the way and leave him to make his Presents to other less considerable Persons as being such as stand more in need of them than they do This is their custom ordinarily whether it proceed from Generosity or from a counterfeit and personated Modesty it matters not And after the Grand Seignor is withdrawn it is lawful for those who are left in the foresaid Court and are skil'd in the handling of the Dart to spend the remainder of the day in that Exercise But those how great soever their performances may be and what wounds soever they may receive are not to expect any Presents There 's no Prince to be a spectator of their Gallantry nor Treasurer to distribute his Liberalities They only lay some wagers amongst themselves and he who gives the fairest blow wins and the fairest blow is in the head or face There is ever and anon an Eye struck out or a Cheek carried off and that Solemnity proves very fatal in the end to some of them And this is an account of all that is observable in the said first Court Let us now make our entrance into the second and observe what is most remarkable in all its Appartments CHAP. III. Of the second Court wherein are the little Stables the Kitchins and the Divan THE PRINCIPAL HEADS A square and spacious Court and its Embellishments The Janizaries extremely sprightful active and well order'd The number of the Kitchins The ordinary dishes of meat that are serv'd up in the Seraglio The way of ordering the Pilau A particular way of roasting in the Levant The Turks cannot endure the Hare Conserves of all sorts Several compositions of Sherbet Receptacles for all the waters of the Seraglio The little Stables The Quarter of the Eunuchs OUt of the first Court into which the Bassas and Grandees of the Port may come on Horse-back and where they are oblig'd to alight if they intend to go any further there is an entrance into another through a second Gate kept as the former by fifty Capigis The second Court much more noble and more delightful then that whereof we gave you the precedent description is neer three hundred paces square and only the walks leading to the several Appartments are pav'd the rest being in Grass-plots planted about with Cypress and water'd by Fountains with rails all about to hinder people from going upon the grass Over the gate of that Court may be seen these words written in great golden Characters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 La Illahé Illa Alla Muhammed Resoul Alla. That is to say There is no other God than God Mahomet is sent by God Resoul signifies sent which is the greatest Title given by the Turks to their Prophet On both sides of that Court there runs a very noble Gallery the pillars whereof are of marble all along which the Companies of the Janizaries are drawn up and disciplin'd The Janizaries well order'd when the Grand Seignor orders them to shew their activity and to appear well arm'd at the arrival of some Ambassador who is to have Audience On the right hand behind the Gallery where the Janizaries are drawn up on the Divan-dayes that is to say upon Council-dayes are the Kitchins and the Offices of the Seraglio distinct one from the other and every one serv'd by its peculiar Officers Heretofore there were nine of them but now that number is reduc'd to seaven Every Office or Kitchin has its chief Director or Master-Cook and there is a Superintendent above them all named the Akegi-bachi who has the command over four hundred Cooks The chiefest of these Kitchins which is for the Grand Seignior himself is called Hasmoutbak The number of the Kitchins The Second is called Valede-Sultanum-Moutbaki and is design'd for the Sultanesses as for instance the Mother the Wife or to say better the Princess for whom the Grand Seignor has the greatest kindness and who had the happiness to bring into the World a Successor to the Empire as also for his Sisters and Daughters The third Kitchin which they call Kisler-Agazinum-Moutbaki is appointed for the Overseer of the Appartment of the Women and the other Negro-Eunuchs who are employ'd about the guarding of them The fourth is for the Capou-Agasi or Grand Master of the Seraglio who has the greatest access to the Grand Seignor's Person and whose Charge as I said elsewhere generally extends over whatever enters into the Palace And this Kitchin serves also for the Officers of the Divan The fifth is for the Chasnadarbachi or the chief Person concern'd about the Treasury and for those who are under his jurisdiction and obey his Orders The sixth is for the Kilargibachi or principal Cup-bearer and those who have their dependance upon him The seaventh and last is that of the Sarai-Agasi and of all the Officers who are under his charge Lastly as for the Bostangis whose work lies in the Gardens they dress their Meat themselves and appoint some among them to execute that Office and they provide the Commons for all the rest There are also some of these Bostangis employ'd in the Offices design'd for the Grand Seignor There enters no Beef into the Kitchins of the Seraglio but the ordinary consumption The ordinary meats serv'd up in the Seraglio of every day including all as well those who eat within as without may amount to Five Hundred Sheep in which number must be comprehended Lambs and Kids and the greatest part of those Sheep are brought from the Frontiers of Persia which Country excels all others as to that creature According to this proportion of Mutton may be computed the quantity of Pullets Chickens and young Pidgeons the number whereof is limited according to the Seasons as also what may be consum'd in Rice and Butter for the Pilau which is accounted the best dish in Turkey and all over the East Those Nations who are lovers of Temperance and do not much study the satisfaction of the palate seldom have any other dish and that not being contemptible some haply will give me thanks for communicating the ordering of it The Turks
are several sorts Heretofore the Pages were allow'd only a long piece of Linnen Cloath which came only twice about their wasts but upon observation made that they abus'd them and that handsome young Lads playing together snatch'd that piece of Linnen one from the other purposely to discover their nakedness they use in the Baths only such Garments of Linnen as are sow'd close above and reach from the waste down to the feet much after the manner of a Woman's Petti-coat At their coming out of the Bath they have two other sorts of Linnen to dry themselves withal of the largeness of ordinary Table-Cloaths whereof the one is Red with a bordure of Silk of three fingers breadth which covers them as soon as they are out of the water from the waste downwards to the Ham and the other is white wherewith they rub themselves For these two sorts of Towels they have but one name to wit Péchetamal On one side of the Fountain which is in the midst of the Domo there is an entrance why the Levantines do not use Paper undecently into the bath and near that is the Hall where they uncloath themselves in the Winter-time A little Gallery which lies on the left hand leads to the places design'd for the casing of nature and every seat has a little Cock which supplies them with weter to wash themselves after they have done It is accounted a heinous sin among them to make use of Paper for that purpose and the reason they give for it is this that possibly the Name of God might be written upon it or it might contain some Text of the Law which would be a profanation of it and consequently ought to be avoided Besides they have another opinion That Paper is not so proper so well to make clean that part which the necessity of the Body does ordinarily so much defile but that there may be something of ordure left and that being oblig'd to present themselves before God with an absolute Purity of Body and Mind their Prayers could not be heard if they should not be wholly clean The Persians are yet more scrupulous than the Turks upon this account For though The Persians more scrupulous than the Turks they both agree in this That their Devotions are ineffectual nay indeed that they are not in a condition to perform them without crime if they be not pure as to Body and Mind Yet the former are of a perswasion That the least ordure which through negligence or inadvertency might remain upon their persons or their garments would render their Prayers fruitless and criminal which the Turks somewhat less superstitious as to that particular will not acknowledge Certain it is also That in Persia they are extraordinary Lovers of cleanliness insomuch They are great lovers of clean 〈…〉 that I have observ'd That at Ispahan the Metropolis of that Country where the Streets are not pav'd when there falls a little Snow or Rain which must occasion some dirt few people will come out of their houses unless they be forc'd thereto by some Concern of great importance And when they do go abroad at such a time at the house door into which they are to enter they put off their shooes their upper-Garment the Cap which covers their Turbants and if they have the least dirt or filth about them they think themselves impure and that it would be a disrespect to the person whom they are to visit Nay a Persian shall be very scrupulous and make a great difficulty to receive a man into his house in foul weather and if any one presents himself into that pleasure he makes a sign to him with his hand to keep at a certain distance from him in the place wherein he is to enter into discourse with him For if by chance as he comes out of the Street where there is some dirt and where horses pass to and fro and may cast some of it upon him he has the least spot of any daggling about him and afterwards touch the Person whom he comes to visit this latter would be nagis that is to say unclean and thereupon be oblig'd immediately to change his cloaths so great is the Superstition of the Persians as to that particular At the end of the Gallery there is a door which gives you passage into three Chambers Chambers very divertive and Commodious which are so many Baths for the use of the Grand Seignor's Quarter There is adjoyning to the last of those Chambers a spacious place pav'd Checquer-wise with Marble of different colours and there the Ichoglans are trimm'd This place has a little eminency in the midst of it from which there is a gentle descent of all sides that the Water wherewith the Barbers wash their Heads and Beards may the more easily be carried off and the place be alwaies kept clean On both sides of the Wall whereby it is enclos'd there is a great double Cock with two Keyes belonging to it which at the same mouth supplyes them alternately with either hot water or cold and that falls into a Basin or Receptacle of White Marble wherein three or four men may bathe themselves without any inconvenience or trouble one to the other There is also at one of the ends a little Room of Black and White Marble and there the Barbers who have no knowledge of any other Profession put up all their necessary Utensils and Instruments as Razors Hones Balls and those Irons wherewith they pare their Nails for as for Linnen they do not use any and those who are to be shav'd come in stark naked from the Waste upwards and are cover'd from thence downwards only with a Cloath which reaches to the Ankle 'T is a great Rarity to meet with any one among those Barbers that knowes how to let blood and their Lancets are much like the Fleams wherewith our Farriers bleed Horses Opposite to the Chamber of the Barbers there are three other Rooms arch'd with Marble the largest whereof much surpasses in Beauty those that are adjoyning to it The Floor of it is of white and black Marble and the Walls are done about with square pieces that are white and blew and in every one of them you find a Flower in emboss'd Work done to the Life and which a man would take for enamell Little Lamines or Plates of Gold cover the junctures of those square pieces and there cannot any thing be imagin'd more pleasant and divertive than that Chamber is In the Roof of it there are several round holes of about half a foot diameter over which there are little Glasses made in the fashion of Bells order'd as the Venice-Looking-Glasses are lest any one should have the curiosity to get up to the Roof and laying himself upon his belly think to see what is done in the Bath The place has no light but what it receives by the means of those holes and while some body is in the Bath But especially when
them Its Revenues consist principally in the collection of the Tributes and in the Customes and the three Tefterdars or Treasurers-General give an account to the Grand Vizir of the Receipts of the Provinces That Principal Minister has the custody of one Key of that fourth Chamber of the Treasury and the first Tefterdar has that of another and besides that it is always seal'd with the Grand Seignor's Seal It is not ordinarily open'd but upon those days on which the Divan sits that is on Council-days either for the reception of Money into it or for the taking of any out to defray the Charges of the Empire What is so receiv'd into it is for the most part in Silver and as to the Species of Gold Coins that are brought into that Chamber they come from four Sources two whereof are upon a Foreign account and the other two upon that of the Country One of the two former consists in the Commerce of the French English Dutch Italians Moscovites and Polanders who bring in Ducats out of those Provinces The other is the annual Tribute which the Cham of the Lesser Tartary the Princes of Transylvania Moldavia and Walachia the Republick of Ragusa and part of Mingrelia and Russia are to pay the Grand Seignor in Gold which amounts to very great Sums One of the two Sources of the Country proceeds from what is found upon the removal of the Bassa's whereof the very coined Gold makes the best part the other from the Revenue of Egypt where there is an annual coinage of a certain number of Sequins according to the quantity of Gold which is brought thither out of Ethiopia and being coin'd into Sequins is all convey'd thence into the Treasury The Revenue of Egypt may amount yearly to twelve millions of Livers that is The Revenues of Egypt how employ'd about one million and two hundred thousand Pounds Sterling which must be divided into three parts Five millions of the twelve are brought into the Grand Seignor's Treasury Four millions of the foresaid Sum are employ'd in the maintenance of the Officers and Soldiers of that Kingdom And the other three are design'd for the rich Present which the Grand Seignor sends every year to Mecha for the Expences which relate to Religious Worship and to fill the Cisterns of Arabia which are supply'd with Water brought by Land many days Journeys Of the five Millions which are brought into the Seraglio the greatest part is in Sequins according to the quantity of Gold which the Abyssines bring into Egypt and the rest in Dutch Rix-Dollars All is brought together into the Coffers of the fourth Chamber of the Publick Treasury But as to the Sequins they are carried into the Secret Treasury which it is time for us now to open and give the Reader an account of according to the description which has been made to me thereof by two men whom their Employments oblig'd to enter into it often CHAP. IX Of the Secret Treasury THE PRINCIPAL HEADS A Vault under ground into which few Persons have access The great frugality of the Emperour Amurat. Ibrahim his Successor charg'd with evil Conduct The Grand Seignor's precautions for the security of his Treasure His Liberalities to the Grandees of the Port. WIthin the fourth Chamber of the Treasury you find a door laid all A Vault under ground into which few have access about with good store of Iron-bars which opens the first passage to the place that contains the Grand Seignor's Secret Treasure It is never open'd but when he himself has a mind to enter into it and he do's not enter into it but when the Grand Vizir advertises him that it is time for him to do so and that there is a considerable Sum to be carried in In the first place by the light of Torches they go down a Stair-Case of ten or twelve steps at the bottom of which after an advancement of seven or eight paces further they find a second Door fortify'd with Iron-work as the former but much less so that a man is oblig'd to stoop ere he go into it When it is open'd and that they have made their entrance through it as if they had pass'd through a Wicket they are under a great Vault where they find a great many Coffers of the same largeness as those of the Chamber we came last out of In those Coffers they have for these many years layd up all that was not expended The great frugality of the Emperour Amurat upon the Publick account of the great Revenues of the Ottoman-Monarchs and so it may be call'd his Private Exchequer into which there is nothing but Gold has entrance all the Silver being carried into the other Treasury to be thence taken out again and dispos'd of as occasion requir'd After the death of Amurat Ibrahim his Successor in the Throne found in that Treasury four thousand Bags which they call Kizes and every Bag contains fifteen thousand Ducats of Gold which amount to thirty thousand Crowns and those reduc'd to our Pounds come to thirty Millions Sterling 'T was the same Amurat a prudent and valiant Prince a man of great Parsimony and as great Conduct in Military Affairs of whom I have often had occasion to make mention who enter'd into a War against the King of Persia and besieg'd Bagdet or Babylon which he took on the 22th of December 1638. I remember that I was then but five days Journey from that place in the Deserts of Arabia as having left Aleppo in order to my going to Balsara and that of the Threescore and five dayes which the Caravan spent in that Journey for nine of them we were destitute of Water which must needs press very hard both on the Men and the Camels Ibrahim therefore at his coming to the Crown found in the secret Treasury that Ibrahim charg'd with ill management of the Treasury prodigious quantity of Gold whereto he could not make any augmentation nay some on the contrary are of opinion That he was forc'd to use some part of it through his ill Conduct of the Warr of Candia True it is That the long continuance of that Warre made a great hole in the Revenues of the Empire but there are Two great Reasons which divert me from giving absolute credit to such as affirm That those Exigencies reach'd the Secret Treasury For in short it is as 't were a fundamental Law among them That before any thing is taken out thence it is requisite the Empire should be in imminent danger of ruine And it is manifest That though the Turks could not reduce Candia under their Jurisdiction yet their Empire was so far from being near its decadence that it still continu'd powerful Besides it is to be observ'd That when the Grand Seignor loses a Battle it is a disadvantage to his Provinces upon the score of their being thereby depopulated and so much the less cultivated but that it is an advantage to his Coffers
the Treasury of the Ottoman Monarchs and there are yet some very Remarkable passages to be The Ancient Custome practis'd when the Grand Seignor drinks between Meals communicated relating to the other Quarters of the inner part of the Seraglio Between the Treasury and an obscure Vaulted Gallery in length between Fifteen and Twenty paces which conducts you to an Iron-Door by which there is a passage into the Gardens you find on the left hand the Appartment of the Pages of the Kilar or the Cup-Bearer's Office That is the place where they prepare the Sherbets and other Liquors for the Grand Seignor's own drinking and where they keep the Wine if it happens that he drinks any as Sultan Amurath did of whom I have often had occasion to speak 'T is an ancient Custome That when the Grand Seignor calls for Water to drink between meals every time he so calls costs him ten Sequins or Chequins The Ceremony observ'd therein is this In the Chamber call'd the Haz-Oda which is the Appartment of the Forty-Pages who are alwayes near the Grand Selgnor's Person there is perpetually one of them standing Sentinel at the Entrance which leads to the Cup-Bearer's Office where two Pages of the same Quarter are in like manner upon the Sentry When the Grand Seignor is thirsty and calls for water the Page of the Haz-Oda immediately makes a sign to the two Pages of the Kilar of whom one advances up to the Kilar-bachi or Cup-Bearer himself crying out Sou which signifies Water to advertise him that the Prince would drink and the other runs to the door of the Haz-Oda where the most ancient of the Forty Pages gives him Ten Sequins That Page is the Treasurer of the said Chamber and he payes the small Sums which the Grand Seignor gives order for an Office which might be call'd in English The Treasurer of the petty Enjoyments The Water is sometimes brought in a Cup of Gold sometimes in a Vessel of Pourcelain placed upon a large Server of Gold about two foot diameter and enrich'd with Precious Stones within and without That is look'd on as one of the richest pieces of Plate belonging to the Seraglio The principal Cup-Bearer who is a white Eunuch carries it with great Ceremony attended by a hundred Pages of the Kilar whom he ordinarily has under his Charge and upheld under the Arms by two of them who walk on both sides of him For it is requir'd That he should carry it lifted up above his head and so he cannot see his way but by looking under it When he is come to the Door of the Haz-Oda the Pages of the Kilar who have accompany'd him so far pass no further save only the two who uphold his Arms and the Pages of the Chamber go along with him quite into the Grand Seignor's Presence But when they come to the door of the Chamber two of the more ancient among them take the places of the two Pages of the Kilar and compleat the conducting of the Kilargi-Bachi under the Arms to offer the Cup to the Prince When he has not any thing to say to him he carries it back again into the Kilar but if he will take his opportunity to entertain him with some Affair he delivers the Cup and the Server into the hands of one of the Pages who led him under the Arms and he delivers it to those who belonging to the Cup-Bearer's Office waited there in expectation of his return 'T is in the same place to wit that under the over-sight of the Cup-bearer they keep A way to quench thirst at meals wholly particular to the Levantines all sorts of refreshing and cooling Waters as that of Peaches Cherries Raspices and such other fruits The Turks do not drink during their refection that is not till they have given over eating and because it is possible they may be dry whilst they eat take here the manner how they quench that thirst They are serv'd at Table with these Waters in great Cups of Pourcelaine which hold about two Quarts and the better to distinguish them they put into every one of those Cups some of the same fruit from which the Water that is therein had been extracted and which they had preserv'd for that purpose Every one has lying by him a Wooden spoon which holds three or four times as much as any of our ordinary ones and whereof the handle is of a length proportionable for as to Gold or Silver spoons it is not their custome to use any With those spoons they can take out what is in the Cups according to the Water which they most fancy and so they suspend thirst taking ever and anon some spoonfuls of it It is also in the Cup-bearers Appartment that the Treacle is made which the Turks The Composition of Treacle call Tiriak-Farik and there is a great quantity of it made because they use it as an Universal remedy and charitably bestow it on all sorts of people as well in City as Country who are desirous of it The Vipers which are us'd in this composition are brought out of Aegypt and they make no account of those which other Countries afford or they are of opinion at least that the former are much the better for that purpose Before the Appartment of the Kilar there is a Gallery whereof the floor is pav'd A stately service of Gold Plate with square pieces of Black and White Marble and sustain'd by eight fair Pillars of White Marble and at the end of it is a little Quarter where the principal Cup-bearer has his residence There also are the Lodgings of his Substitute the Kilarquet-houdasi who is not an Eunuch as the Kilargi-bachi is and who at his removal out of the Seraglio is ordinarily advanc'd to the charge of a Bassa The Kilargi-bachi has in his custody all the Gold and Silver-plate the Basins the Ewers the Bowls the Cups the Servers and the Candlesticks the greatest part of that service being garnish'd with Diamonds Rubies and Emeralds and other pretious Stones of value As for golden Dishes and Candlesticks without any additional embellishments of precious Stone there are some so large and so massy that there must be two men to carry one of them These Candlesticks are made after a fashion quite different from ours They are ordinarily two or three Foot high upon a Base of above twelve inches Diameter and the upper part thereof is as t were a Box or kind of Lamp with its beak and it may contain above a pound of suet 'T is to prevent the fall of any thing upon the Carpet that they make the foot of the Candlestick so large as I told you and besides it is requisite that it should bear some proportion to the height The match or wieke which they put into the Suet beaten into small bits is about the bigness of a Man's thumb and consequently must needs make a great light in the Room As to the Kilarquet-houdast he
he had so easily accustom'd himself that many times he spent three days together in a continu'd debauch The only Wine he drunk was that of the Island of Tenedos the most excellent of any of the Islands of the Archiphelago and the least intoxicating and he soon became as good a proficient in the drinking of it as the Master who had taught him to do it This Persian Governour was a man extreamly inclin'd to debauchery insomuch that before his perfidious delivery of the place to Amurath as I pass'd through Erivan in one of my Voyages to Persia he intreated me to make my abode there for the space of fifteen days and to humour him there was a necessity of spending whole nights in drinking so that I saw him not all the day long which I question not but he employ'd in the management of his affairs and taking his repose But at the long run lewd actions meet with the punishment they justly deserve Persidiousness punish'd Shach-Sefi King of Persia would not entertain any proposition of Peace no nor so much as give audience to an Ambassador from the Grand Seignor whom I saw sent back from Ispahan where I then was unless Amurath would deliver up the Traytor in order to his punishment Whereupon they being both one day at their ordinary debauch in the Belvedere the Grand Seignor without any formality order'd him to be Strangled in his presence It was sometimes also Amurath's custome to bring into that pleasant place the The Fortune of a beautiful Sicilian Lady Principal Sultanesses as his Mothers his Sisters and such others as he had the greatest kindness for But his most frequent assignations there was with a Sicilian Lady for whom he had a great affection and who being extreamly handsome and of a mild disposition obtain'd of him whatere she desir'd She was taken at Sea by the Pyrates of Barbary as she was upon her Voyage into Spain in order to her intermarriage with one of the Grandees of that Countrey And the Bassa of Algiers sent her a Present to the Grand Seignor who took a particular fancy for her and made her as happy as a Woman can be who must endure the restraint of the Seraglio From that door of the Hall which gives entrance into the Flower-garden you pass The Grand Seignor's Bed-Chamber on the right hand into a kind of Gallery about fifty paces in length and twelve in breadth the pavement whereof is a Chequer-work of Black and White Marble At the end of it there is a great Structure which is wholly of Marble and what first entertains the Eye is a pretty large Door over which there is a kind of a flat arched Roof And both the Roof and the Door are adorn'd with flowers in emboss'd work and amongst those flowers there are certain impresses cut in the Marble and all curiously Gilt. About five or six paces from that Door you come to another not inferiour to it as to beauty which is that of the Grand Seignor's own Chamber It s Cieling or arched Roof is according to the model of the Winter-room whereof I have given you a Description at the beginning of this Chapter The only difference between them is in what issues out of the Augles of the little Arches and whereas in the other Room they represent the bottoms of Lamps gilt with Gold in this they are balls of Rock-Crystall cut Facet-wise with an inter-mixture of precious stones of different colours which must needs give a very divertive entertainment to the Eye The floor of it is cover'd with Carpets which as to beauty and excellency of Workmanship exceed those of the other Chambers and the same thing is to be said as to the Quilts the Counterpanes and the Cushions the most part of this furniture being adorn'd with an embroidery of Pearls and the whole Room which is very spacious having in all parts several other sumptuous embellishments And whereas this Room was Originally design'd for the Grand Seignor's Summer-Divertisement it is accordingly the more lightsome and has large Windowes on three sides of it As to the Sultan's Lodging he complies with the custome of the Countrey or rather that of all the Eastern parts There is no Bed-stead set up but towards the Evening the Pages spread three Quilts one upon the other at one of the corners of the Chamber and place over it a Canopy of Cloth of Gold garnish'd with an embroidery of Pearls On the right hand as you come into this Room there is a Cup-board or Press The ancient Veneration for Mahomet's Standard wrought within the very Wall where they keep the Bajarac that is to say the Standard of Mahomet which has these words for its Impress or Motto Nasrum min Allah that is in our Language The assistance is from God This Standard was heretofore in so great veneration amongst the Turks that when there happen'd any Sedition either at Constantinople or in the Armies there was no safer or more expeditious remedy to appease it then to expose that Standard to the sight of the Rebels And that very Expedient has many times prov'd very fortunate to the Ottoman Princes when they have been reduc'd to their great extremities by the secret Combinations of some Factious persons Then does the Grand Seignor send some of the Mollahs who are in the nature of Priests amongst the Turks with the Standard and being come up to the first ranks of the Rebellious Forces they speak to them in their Language to this effect This Banner is the Standard of the Prophet all they who are faithful and obedient ought to come to submit themselves at the Foot of this Standard and they who will not come to it are Unbelievers and they ought to be destroyed But some years since the Turks made it appear that they made but little account of that Standard for Hassan one of the Bassa's who gave the Grand Seignor so much trouble in the year 1658. turn'd his back on Mahomet's Banner and follow'd by his own party compass'd the design he was engag'd in Out of the Grand Seignor's Chamber there is a passage into a great Hall the place appointed for the reception of the Pages who approach his Person and there is adjoyning A word further of the Prince's Appartment to it a Bath which is fill'd by three Cocks where they wash themselves when they go to their Devotions Out of the same Hall there is an ascent of some steps which brings you to a small Closet only Wainscoted about but well Painted and well Gilt. That Stair-case is alwayes cover'd with a red Cloth the Room is open of all sides having fair Windowes wherein Talc is us'd instead of Glass and from thence you have in a manner the same Prospect as from the Belvedere built by the Emperour Amurath CHAP. XVI Of the ordinary employments of the Grand Seignor The particular inclinations of the Emperour-Regent Mahomet IV. And the present State of the
Character I come now to the present state of the Ottoman Family and to the particular inclinations The present State of the Ottoman Family of the Grand Seignor who now Reigns Mahomet the Fourth of that Name the Son of Ibrahim and a Circassian Lady was born in the Year 1643. and he is by that account got into the Thirty fourth year of his Age and the Twenty fourth of his Reign He has two Brothers Bajazet and Orchan but they are by another Mother who is still living and is perpetually studying how to preserve them He has also a third Brother named Solyman who is the second of the Sons of Ibrahim according to the order of their Nativities But the Mother of the last mentioned Son is dead and thence it comes that the Souldiery who conceive greater hopes of that Prince than of either Bajazet or Orchan his Brethren pity him the more and have the greater affection for him upon that very score of his having lost the support which he might have expected from a Mother Ever since the time of Bajazet the Second who first introduc'd that inhumane and cruel Custome of securing the Throne of the Sultan-Regent by the death of his Brethren few of those unfortunate Princes have escap'd the Barbarisme of their Elder-Brother and they amongst them who have been treated with somewhat less of inhumanity have pin'd away their lives in a strict and doleful Imprisonment being not permitted to see any body This was the Treatment of Ibrahim the Father of Mahomet during the Reign of Amurath his Brother the Son of Achmet by Kiosem a Woman of Excellent parts and well vers'd in the management of Affairs Mahomet's Brothers are now treated after the same rate and the Mother of Bajazet and Orchan uses all the endeavours she can to secure to them the affections of the great Officers of the Port and the Janizaries who are somewhat disgusted with the capricious humour and extraordinary covetousness of Mahomet This Prince was advanc'd to the Throne in the Year 1650. after the death of Ibrahim his Father who was strangled by the Janizaries in a Sedition He being then but Seven years of age the Regency was bestow'd during his minority on the Old Sultaness Mother to Ibrahim who soon after abus'd her authority and rais'd a dangerous Faction against her Grand-Child Mahomet wherein she lost her life The present Grand Seignor who is a Person much addicted to his Pleasures and An extraordinary Example of a Father and Son successively Grand Vizirs takes a particular diversion in Hunting leaves the management of Affairs to his Grand Vizir Achmet who has succeeded Coprogli his own Father in that principal Charge of the Empire 'T is a thing which may well pass for a Prodigy amongst the Turks and such as that there has not yet been any example of it seen as perhaps there will not be any other hereafter I have shewn that it is a thing absolutely contrary to their Politicks and therefore had it not been for the great and particular obligations which the Empire had to Coprogli who on the other side cunningly represented to the Grand Seignor that he never durst trust any but his own Son with the Secret of Affairs whereof he only had the Key this very Achmet who next to the Sultan is the Principal Person of the Empire would have been at present but a simple Bey or Captain of a Galley The Grand Seignor Mahomet is handsome enough as to his Person his Stature somewhat The Pourtraiture of Mahomet IV. the present Prince exceeding that of the middle sort of persons he has not too much corpulency and his health is in an uncertain state He is very much troubled with a Fall which he receiv'd in the violence of his Game some years since by leaping his Horse over a broad Ditch And whereas that passion is still predominant in him this inconvenience attends it That when he is not somewhat favourable and indulgent to himself in that violent Exercise he is sometimes taken off his Horse in a miserable condition the Remedies which might be apply'd to that indisposition taking no effect by reason of the little care he takes to preserve himself He is a person of an unconstant and unquiet disposition which creates the greater trouble to those who wait on him and though they study his humours yet is it a hard matter to satisfie him He has a Son who has been circumcis'd with great solemnity at the age wherein that Ceremony is to be perform'd The Sultaness his Mother a Woman of a Magnificent humour to augment the Pomp and Splendour of that Action to the eyes as well of the Turks as Forreiners would have the Garment which the Young Prince wore that day to be all cover'd with Diamonds and to that end caus'd several Rich Pieces of the Treasury to be broken but after the Solemnity all the Precious Stones were carried back into it again I said erewhile that the present Sultan Mahomet is extreamly addicted to Hunting and makes it so much his Darling Divertisement that he makes less account of the lives of Men than he does of his Dogs and withal that he is of a very covetous humour I shall in one single Example make a sufficient discovery of both those inclinations in him and that will also further make it appear how well he was skill'd in that Knack of exercising great Liberalities without any deduction out of his Revenues When the Grand Seignor goes a Hunting there are Orders sent to a great number of people for the space of four or five Leagues about the place where he intends to Hunt in order to the surrounding of a certain quantity of Ground and for the enclosing of it so well as that nothing can escape thence 'T is not to be imagin'd this can be done without great destruction to the Country and much inconvenience to the poor people who are forc'd to leave their work to carry on an Exercise which is much more toilsome then it in which they many times come off with the loss of Limb or Life or some other disastrous Accident These continual impositions of trouble and toil put many people into the repining humour insomuch that an Eunuch who was in favour having one day taken the freedom to represent to the Grand Seignor the prejudice his Subjects underwent by those courses which occasion'd the spoyling of their Grounds and the loss of their Lives he grew very angry and after some dayes imprisonment he gave him a shameful ejection out of the Seraglio But in process of time the mischievous Inconveniences occasion'd by this insatiable pursuance of his Pleasures in Hunting increasing more and more the Grand Vizir and the other Bassa's resolv'd to intreat the Moufti to make a Remonstrance to him of the ill consequence thereof he being the only person who might presume to speak any more of it to the Grand Seignor The Moufti would by no means hearken
Empire As also with his mention of a place on the West-side of the Volga where he sayes Astracan was formerly situated Concerning both which Cities I shall declare divers things I have Collected out of several European and Arabian Writers which either are not commonly known or little regarded But I must necessarily premise somewhat concerning the Antient Inhabitants of the Country wherein these Cities are situated The first Nation of whom I find any mention who made any fix'd habitation in these Quarters were the Chazari so named by the Latines and Greeks but by the Mahumetans Alchozar and Gorjani This Nation during the Reign of the Emperour Justine like a Torrent Overflowed all that Vast Continent which lies between China and the Boristhenes Conquered part of India All Bactria Sogdiana and made the Persians Tributary by whom they are always called Turks and their Prince Chacan a Title formerly common unto all great Turkish Emperours This Mighty Monarch having conquered the Igors or Jugurs Avares Chuni or Huns Abtelites or White Huns and all other Tribes of Turks and Tartars together with the Alani whose Dominion then extended as appears by Marcellinus from the Boristhenes far beyond the most North-East part of the Caspian Sea entred into a League with Justine and styles himself in his Letters Lord of the Seven Climates of the World His Acts may be read at large in Theophilactus Simocatta Excerptis de Legationibus and divers others of the Bizantine Historians This Nation Assisted the Emperour Heraclius in his Wars against the great Cosroes whom by their Assistance he overcame These Chazari were also possessed of all that part of Taurica Chersonesus which is plain and fit for feeding Cattle they being addicted after the manner of all other Scythian Nomades unto a Pastoral life which Peninsula from them was untill the Famous Irruption of the Tartars in the Thirteenth Century called Cassaria or Cazaria and afterwards more corruptly by the Genoeses Venetians and other Latines Gazaria I find mention of these Chazari or Chozars in divers Persian and Arabian Historians and Geographers Abulpharagius acquaints us with an Expedition they made into Persia the 183. Year of the Hegira which was after our Account in 799 from whence they returned with great Spoile and above 100000 Captives and afterwards in the 514 th Year of the Mahumetan Epocha being A. C. 1120. they made another Inroad accompanied by the Comanians whom the Arabians call Kaphjaks Frequent mention is made of them by that Deservedly Celebrated Arabian Geographer Al Edrisi who flourished in the 548 th year of the Hegira of Christ 1153. He always calls the Caspian Sea Mare Chozar And all that Country on the North and to the West of the Caspian Sea Terra Chozar He acquaints us that the Residence of the Prince of Chozar was not far above the Mouth of the Volga which the Tartars call Athel which name I suppose it derived from Attila that Renowned King of the Hunns being so called in the Relation of the Ambassadors who were sent by the Emperour Justine unto the Great Chacan of the Turks residing in the East Al Edrisi and his Epitomizer commonly known by the Name of Geographus Nubiensis intimate That these Chozars inhabited divers other Cities but that this was the Metropolis he suppresses the Name styling it only from the River the City of Athel and declares it was divided by the River the chief and greatest part being on the West-side and that the other less considerable on the East-side was inhabited only by the meaner sort of People and Merchants it being a place of great Trade that which made it more considerable was the liberty allowed unto all of the Publike Profession and Exercise of their respective Religious Perswasions Jews Christians Mahumetans and Idolaters being there equally countenanced which I suppose might occasion that Dialogue published out of an Ancient Hebrew Manuscript by L'Empereur between the Author a Jewish Rabbi and the King of Chozar This City is said to have been extended along the River three miles in length and it's breadth proportionable the Western part well fortified adorned with the Emperours Palace and several other eminent Structures Nassir Eddin who wrote at the latter end of the 13th Century calls this City in his Geographical Tables Balanjar and from him Abulfeda they place it in 46 degrees 30 minutes of Northern Latitude where within six or eight minutes our best Geographers seat Astracan And questionless this was that City which our Author and Olearius call Old Astracan These Chazari did I suppose conserve their vast Dominion without any great Interruption at least until A. C. 900. For Alferganus who lived about that Time places no other Nation in his Table of Climes between China and the Boristhenes And Eutichius who wrote about 30 or 40 years after makes mention of them as a mighty Nation and many amongst them converted unto the Christian Belief About the middle of the 10th Century these Chazari gave place unto the Cumanians or Comanians who were also a Turkish Nation known unto the Turks Persians and Arabians under the Name of Kaphjack whether they expelled the Chazari or that the former becoming the more Eminent Tribe gave Law and Name unto these latter as hath since frequently happened among the Tartars I will not here undertake to determine but this is certain that suddenly the Name of Chazari was extinct and all that Tract of Land from the Nepper unto Turkestan 1500 miles beyond the Volga was inhabited by these Cumanians who were often troublesome unto the Russes Lithuanians Hungarians and other Neighbour-Nations But this People was almost totally destroyed by the Tartars in that great Inundation which happened at the beginning of the 12th Century soon after the death of Jingiz Chan whose Son Hocota being chosen Emperour sent his Nephew Batu or Bathy the Son of Tussy Jingiz Chan his Eldest Son with 400000 Men to invade the Northem Parts of Asia The Cumani for divers years valiantly resisted and made the greatest opposition the Tartars met with in all their Conquests repuls'd them in two pitch'd Battels but then growing secure and dispersing upon the Tartars retreat they were unexpectedly surprized the whole Countrey over-run above 200000 killed their King Kuthen hardly escaping with 40000 into Hungary where he met with a kind reception had land allotted him and his Company which Region is called Campus Cumanus unto this day This Countrey was so miserably wasted by the Tartars that in the Years 1253 and 1254 when Rubriquis passed through it going unto and returning from his Ambassage to Mangu Chan there was no fixed habitation excepting a few Cottages in the Island where Astracan is now situated But Bathy having destroyed the Comanians ruinated their Cities and established his own Dominion began to think of a fix'd abode which after long observation he chose near the River Volga on the East-side and immediately beneath the River Actabon a great Arm of the Volga and
the first it dismisses which empties it self into the Caspian-Sea having run a course of near 400 miles and received several other Branches from the foresaid River about 7 Leagues East off the main River He had newly began this City at the return of Rubriquis from his Embassage unto Mangu Chan in the year 1246 and called it Serai Which City was enlarged and beautified by all his Successors unto the time of its destruction by Tamerlane which was almost 150 years Bathy was succeeded by Barcah who was the first professed Mahumetan Emperour he by Hocola or Hoctay Contemporary with Hayton the Armenian who hath in his History largely discoursed concerning him I should here mention all the other Emperours interceeding between Hocota and Tucktamisch who was dispossessed by Tamerlane together with their Acts but that I hasten unto that which most immediately concerns our present Design and give some account of this City which as I said was first named Serai which interpreted signifies only a Dwelling or Habitation the beginning of it being a Palace built for Bathy You may see what our Traveller says concerning it Page 112. Besides him I find two Authors who make particular mention thereof the first is in the History of Arabshiade published by Golius This Author represents it as one of the greatest and most populous Cities in the Universe agrees with our Traveller in the situation only he calls that Branch which runs out of the Volga and passes to the South-East Sencle The other is Michovius who wrote his History of the Tartars in the year 1515. He afaffirms That in his time there remained the ruines of 300 Temples besides the Walls of the City and several other Magnificent Structures The Tartars have several times attempted to re-edifie ' it but divisions amongst themselves Wars with the Muscovites and attempts of the Cossacks caused them to retire unto places of greater security But because little mention is made of this great Revolution by any European Writer I shall here present the Reader with an account thereof out of the most Authentick Turkish Arabian and Persian Writers For Calcondilas is greatly mistaken who seems to have received by his confident way of writing most particular information when as nothing can be more remote from the truth than what he affirms viz That Tamerlane after several attempts and two or three Battels was forced to retire and glad to secure his Retreat by a Peace he first made with Tuckthamisch which was by both afterwards kept inviolably which is contrary to the Reports of much more Authentick Historians The Origin Progress and Event of this War was after the ensuing manner Tamerlane being in effect Prince but in name only Courachan the Greeks call it Kurgan that is Viceroy or General over all those Countries which are comprehended between the Oxus and Juxartes wherein Bochara Samarchand and several other famous Cities were contained extended his Conquests towards Balch and Chorasan the Aria of the Antients which progress of his filled Thuetamisch Emperour of Serai the City we have before mentioned with jealousies of his growing Greatness whereupon gathering a numerous Army he resolved to invade him using no formality or so much as pretence he thought to have surprized his Enemy but Tamerlane one of whose Master-pieces was to gain early Intelligence of whatsoever was designed or transacted by neighbouring Princes having timely notice of his intention gathering all his own Forces together with considerable assistance from his Confederates marched directly towards his Enemy and passing the Jaxartes met him to his no small astonishment on the Borders of his own Countrey for the Jaxartes only divided their Territories After a most obstinate bloody fight Tamerlane gained the Victory yet neither absolute nor without great loss but it was sufficient that he had secured his own Dominion After this Success he did for divers years attend other Conquests and having subdued a great part of India all Persia Media Armenia Assyria Mesopotamia Babylonia and Syria he resolved to requite the Invasion of Thuctamish whereupon having drawn together an Army of 500000 men he marched through Media Atropatia then and still called Shervan passed the Portae Caucasiae which the Persians name Derbent thence through Dabestan and the great Desart between that and Astracan then named Gitturchan and having wasted all that spacious Countrey on the West-side of the Volga depopulated and dismantled divers fair Cities the ruines of several being yet visible to those who Navigate the Volga as we are informed by Olearius he passed the Volga and on the East-side encountred Thuctamisch who had collected a mighty Force having besides his own Hords the assistance of the Tartars of Cassan Tumen Kalmuke and Dabestan and his Army by this accession was more numerous than that of his Enemy The Battel was long doubtful and exceeding all that happened in that Age for carnage and cruelty both Parties being full of hatred unto their Adversaries and knowing that this Fight would lose or gain them a mighty Empire They fought three days with little intermission and it could not be discerned which had the advantage But that which is thought chiefly to have occasioned Tamerlane's Victory was the departure of a great Tribe from Thuctamisch whose Prince Ectave pretended he had received some great injury or affront but 't was indeed thought he was corrupted For retreating unto Amurath the Turkish Emperour he after the same manner betrayed Bajazet who soon after succeeded revolting at the beginning of the fight unto Tamerlane Thuctamisch being defeated with great difficulty made his escape leaving his Countrey exposed unto the sury of the Zagataians whom so great a slaughter of their own Friends had highly exasperated They spared nothing that was capable of being spoiled demolished Serai together with Seraichick upon the Jaick and Gitturchan which were the only considerable Cities on the East-side of the Volga and leaving the Countrey a meer Desart killing or captivating the Inhabitants driving away the Cattle they returned into Persia with great Booty This happened in the 791 year of the Hegira A. C. 1388. Serai and Saraichick never regained their former splendour but Giturcan now Astracan did by degrees recover but never arrived to that heighth it attained unto during the Empire of the Chazari and Zavolgensian Tartars For Josaphat Barbaro and Ambrosio Contarini who were both Ambassadors from the Venetians unto Usun Cassan Emperour of Persia and well acquainted with those Parts Barbaro living sixteen years at the City Tana on the mouth of the River Tanais and Contarini being forced in his return from Persia to reside there some months They I say both tell us That this City before its destruction by Tamerlane was a very famous Emporium all the Silks most of the Spices and other Commodities which were afterwards brought down to Syria were then carried by Shipping to Astracan which they both name Citrachan and thence by Land in a few days to Tana whether the Venetians sent
Sea which he makes less than in truth it is as I could largely demonstrate though he hath pretty well salved the mistake by his allowance of a thousand Miles for Bays broken Ground and Promontories Lastly Our Author is greatly mistaken when he affirms There is no Nation of Tartars between those of Bochara and China whereas indeed several very Potent Kingdoms intervene And yet he hath luckily Andabatorum more hit upon the Truth where he assures us there are no Catayans between the Usbeg Tartars and China For indeed there is at present no Catayne besides China which is so called by all Tartars Persians Arabians and other Mahumetans as also by the Muscovites and other Nations who travel thither by Land either in the Quality of Ambassadors or Merchants Though formerly there was a mighty People either Turks or Tartars they being both Originally the same as to Extract Language Manners Religion and Government who lay directly in the way between Persia and China and were certainly the Chatae of Ptolomy but almost extirpated by Jingiz Chan whom they vigorously resisted And the remainder have ever since gone under the more general Names of Mogulls and Tartars as I shall hereafter more clearly and fully demonstrate in a Discourse which I have long ago written and may speedily publish concerning the Beginnings and Progress of the Turkish and Tartarian Nations and Empires Right Honourable and my most Worthy Lord BEing given to understand That I have been represented unto your Lordship by several who bear me no good will as a Person possessed with that Vanity which ordinarily prevails among Travellers of affirming I was well acquainted with divers Countreys and Languages whereunto I am utterly a stranger And perceiving that none of my Discourses have more exposed me unto this Censure than a pretended monstrous rash Assertion but indeed a real Truth That I knew and had visited all the Countreys surrounding the Black and Caspian Seas I thought my self necessarily obliged in order unto my Vindication to draw up a short Account of all those Countreys which do incompass the forementioned Seas most of which Places I have personally surveyed and fear not any Reprehension or Confutation being resolved to declare nothing but what I saw or received from such who were best able to give me full and faithful Information And I am well assured That the more strict and judicious Enquiry is made into this my Report the more favour and credit I shall gain with your Lordship and all other considering impartial Persons I shall first begin with the Black Sea as being that wherewith I was first acquainted and near unto this most famous City of Constantinople where your Lordship may easily learn whether I am guilty of either falshood or mistake and if I am found upon due Enquiry to declare any manifest Untruth I deserve not only unparalleld Reproaches but the most severe and exemplary Punishments which I should justly merit when owing Life and Liberty unto your Lordships Bounty and Compassion I should instead of a grateful Acknowledgment present your Honour with a heap of impudent Falsities I will begin my Relation or Peregrination from that side of the Black Sea on which Constantinople is situated and round the said Sea until I return to Scodra which is in Asia opposite thereunto The first Province is Romella the second Wallakie the third Ackremen the fourth Crim the fifth the great Desart of Ingul and Ungule which is between Crim and Asshowa the sixth is the Little Nagoy the seventh Circassia the eighth Abassa the ninth is Mingrellia then Georgia and lastly Anatolia All which Countreys are subjected unto the Turk besides the great Desart the Little Nagoy and Circassia I shall now mention the most noted Places which I know from Fennara which is about the entrance into the Black Sea unto the River of the Danaw so to the Neistre from thence unto the Nepper so round about Crim unto the Gulf that goeth from the Black Sea into the Teine Sea and thence unto Asshowa As I said near the Entrance into the Black Sea is Fennara then Innatada Missewra Warna Balshick Mangalley Constancha Karaharman Keelley Ackremen Osshackowa upon the mouth of the River of the Neppre Now I shall declare the Distances of these Places from each other the number of miles being the space betwixt what forgoes and immediately ensues From Finnara to Inatada 80 miles to Missewra 90 to Warna 100 to Balshick 16 to Mangalley 40 to Constancha 40 to Caraharman 40 to Kelley 80 to Ackremen or Beallohorda 100 to Osshakowa 80 in all 666 miles and from Osshakowa which is in the mouth of the Nepper unto the River Don or Tanais is 500 miles the Voyage by Sea and journeying by Land being much at one viz. 1186 miles unless you go by Land unto Precop about Crim and so unto Asshowa where the Don falls into the Teine Sea Palus Maeotis and then it amounts unto at the least 1500 miles Were it not for the forementioned great Rivers of the Danaw Danubius and the Nepper Boristhenes there would be almost continual Wars between the Turks and Tartars and the Poles Lithuanians and Muscovites for the Danaw is one of the greatest Rivers in the World arising in Dutchland whence it passes through Hungary Wallachy and at the Town of Kelley falls into the Black Sea It hath four Mouths or Entrances into the said Sea which the Turks call Bohasses Boctegen Bohasse Edreleisse Bohasse Sullena Bohasse and Kelley Bohasse It abounds with Fish as Sturgeon Morone and Sheveroke besides divers sorts of smaller Fish The Neistre is a River that comes from Lithuania and runs into the Black Sea under Bealohorda The Nepper comes from Lithuania and Russland runs by Smolensko and Kiovia to the Porrocks or Falls thence to Aslamgorode and falls into the Black Sea at Osshakowa It abounds with many sorts of good Fish and all along its Banks feed innumerable wild Beasts of divers kinds The Town of Aslamgorod stands upon the Nepper and in former times there dwelt in it two Brothers Ingul and Ungul who fell first at variance which ended in cruel Wars by reason whereof the adjacent Countrey became though otherwise pleasant and fruitful a very Wilderness And besides the Cossacks increasing on both sides the Nepper and upon the Don would never since suffer that Countrey to be quietly possessed by these or any other Hords of Tartars so that now it lieth waste being a vast Desart 500 miles over and 1000 miles long from the shallow Waters near Precop unto the Countrey of Muscovy About 1625 the Grand Seignior sent an Army from Constantinople to rebuild Aslamgorod with Orders to inhabit the Countrey and invite such thereunto as would become subject unto the Turkish Government But they who arrived finding the Town of great Compass built only a Castle on the Bank of the Nepper and left 300 Men in Garrison At the same time Shaugary Prince of Crim being beat out
of his Countrey by his General Chan Timur Myrsa retired unto the Cossacks upon the Nepper and having contracted a Friendship with them and the bordering Russes by their assistance he gathered an Army of 40000 Men and marched towards Crim leaving behind him a revolted Ottoman with a Brigade of 3 or 4000 Men who immediately after the departure of Sultan Shaugary marched directly towards Aslamgorod and early in a Morning surprized the Castle then in the possession of the Turks put every Man in Garrison to the Sword slighted the Walls and other Fortifications retired with the Spoyl and marched to joyn Sultan Shaugary who in the interim arrived near Precop where he was met by Chan Timur and totally defeated but by good fortune escaped and by the way of Astracan got to Persia. From the Nepper we will pass unto Crim with which Countrey I am well acquainted having against my will resided there some years Crim is a small Land so near as I can conjecture 200 miles long and 50 miles broad but is wonderfully populous and exceedingly fruitful abounding with Corn and Grass the only scarcity they have is Wood which grows no where but upon the Sea-Coast from Bakessey Seray unto the Town of Crim which in former times was the chief City All the rest of the Land is a Plain where they have no Wood to burn nor any sort of Fewel but Fissheke Fusshane Curay and Stroa The Land is inclosed with the Sea excepting at two places Precop and Arbotka By Precop there is a narrow passage through which you may go to the Nepper Lithuania or Muscovy through the Desarts of Ingul and Ungul and there is a Water comes from the Teine Sea called the shallow Water and goeth along the Desart until it comes to Precop upon West-side of Crim and by North where it turns back on the North-side of Crim is almost surrounded with Water for the Black Sea is on the one side and the Ratten Sea on the other which latter produces nothing but Salt for it is so salt that no Fish can live therein I have reason to know it because I lived in a Village which was called Seekely Otta Mamutachy The Towns round about Crim on the Sea-side are these Precop Cuslowa Crim Caffa Kerse and Arbotka and within the Land Carasu Ackenesh Messheite and Bakessy Seray The Town of Arbotka lieth on the North-East side of Crim between the Black and Ratten Seas which there come so near together that there is no more Land between them than that whereon the Town of Arbotka stands and without Arbotka is a great Field 50 miles long inclosed with Water where the Tartars in Winter do keep their Hergels or Horses which Field goeth to the shallow Waters where I ran away from the Tartars I shall here take my leave of Crim and pass unto the Little Nagoy to Asshowa on the River Don which runs down from Bealla Ossharra through the Country of Russia between Russia and Lithuania until it comes to Peilesboy not far from the Wolga for from Peilesboy to the River Camusshanka is not above 20 miles all level which is called Perewolog where the Cossacks do draw their Strukes or Boats upon Wheels to the River of Camusshanka by which they pass into the Volga whereupon this Place is called Perewolog The Don runs down between the Little Nagoy and the Desarts of Ingel and Ungule so to Asshowa right under the Town and there falls into the Tein Sea This River is full of Fish especially Sturgeons well inhabited by Cossacks for there are seldom less than 10000 upon it besides those that go on Freebooting There are also 16 Gorodkees or strong Skonces well manned and with store of great Guns they being in continual fear of the Turks and Tartars and sometimes also of the Muscovites The Little Nagoy lies between the Tein and Caspian Seas the former on the West the latter on the East Shercassen to South and the Volga on the North and there is never a Town in all this Countrey excepting Asshowa It is inhabited by Tartars who go altogether in Hords their Prince in my Time was Cassay Myrsa whom the Tartars call also Sultan Ulugh or the Great Prince They sowe no Corn but Pross which they sowe upon the Sea-side up unto Asshowa and after sowing they depart with their Hords and graze up and down the Desarts to the Don to Capbane Shurpoha Yedecul Comma and Curray to Masshargorodoke and to Shercassen Land under the Rivers Terigke and Balke and almost to Pettigor and by the River of Cupba and back again unto the Black Sea Thus they ramble all the Summer until their Harvest be ripe and their Pross gathered and put into Yams under ground after which they settle from Asshowa all along the Sea-side amongst the Reeds and leave their Horses to winter in the Desarts So I shall leave the Little Nagoy and pass unto Temerassa in Shercassen Land which is 500 miles from Asshowa Now in all Circassia are but two Towns Temerossa on the Black Sea upon the Gulf that goeth from the Black Sea into the Tein Sea right over against Arbotka The other is Tumein upon the Caspian Sea the distance between them being 1100 miles and all the rest of the inhabited Places are only Cubbacks made in the Woods piled round with Timber Their Houses are very high in the midst whereof they make the Fire Their Men are proper Men very like the Irish both for person and garb for they go in Trowses with short Mantles wear long Hair on both sides of their Heads with a shorn Crown between Their Women are very beautiful and loving to Strangers for if a Stranger come unto their Houses their young Women and Maidens will look Lice in their Shirts and all about them the most private parts not excepted and will allow them the liberty to examine and handle all parts of their Bodies besides their Breasts The Circassians are excellent Horsemen and very couragious but withal exceedingly ignorant and superstitious for when they kill a Goat or Kid they cut off the privy parts and cast it against a Wall if it stick they pray to it if otherwise they cast it away and spread the Skin upon Stakes place it in their Corn-fields and worship it They have no Writing among them yet pretend to be good Christians Do strangely bewail the Dead making great Cryes scratch their Hands and Faces until they draw much Blood knock their Foreheads against the ground until Knobs arise bigger than Plums The Men are notorious Thieves stealing from each other and he that steals most is accounted the bravest Fellow Their Countrey is very fruitful abounding with most sorts of Grain and they have store of excellent Grass They have also much Fruit growing wild many sorts of Beasts as Harts Hinds Kine Eissubrass Hogs and great Adders The considerable Rivers which I know are Cubba which runs from Pettigor between Shercassen Land and the Little Nagoy betwixt
Termerossa and Asshowa 20 miles from Temerossa it falls into the Jein Sea and hath a Course of 500 miles The next is the River of Balke which comes out from Cabardy and falls into the River of Terigke 200 miles from its Source which River of Terigke descends from the Mountains between Shollohofe Knasse and Mundarawa Knasse runs through the Countrey almost due East passes by Goracho Colloda thence to the Shussa and the Shunsa so on to the Weistra and 6 miles from Tumein between Tumein and the Commocks Countrey it falls into the Caspian Sea having a Course of 600 miles There is another River called Tumenka which is a branch of Terigke runs through Tumeine Town and 3 miles beyond it enters the Caspian Sea There is also another River which they call Keeslar which falls out of Terigke and 60 miles from Tumeine is received by the Caspian Sea Having formerly mentioned Pettigor I shall give you some Account thereof Pettigor being interpreted is in English 5 Hills They are five very great and high Mountains distant about 500 miles from the Black Sea and 700 from the Caspian beyond Cabardy I came thus to know them In the year 1618. I was sent with Shiedake Myrsa from Astracan to the Little Nagoy to seize upon Orrake Myrsa who being informed of our coming fled up to Pettigor yet he made not such hast but we overtook him and having fought overcame him and took away his Hords by which means I became acquainted with Pettigor Nevertheless there are higher Hills than Pettigor as Sneesnagore in Cabardy which is incredibly high which is in English the Hill of Snow for upon that and Shadgore which signifies a wonderful high Hill and overtops the former and so along for 100 miles from Cabardy to Shollohofe prodigious quantities of Snow are lodged which it's thought were never dissolved since the Creation I asked a Circassian Whether ever any Man arrived at the top of Shadgore which to me seemed much elevated above the rest who answered me They had a Tradition among them that formerly a Bohatteere whose Name was Hroda attempted to climb it and after two or three days hard labour arrived not unto the middle but after a few days being better accommodated he returned with a resolution if it were possible to see the top but was never afterwards heard of and added That it was to that day customary for the neighbouring Circasstans at a certain season of the year with divers Ceremonies and great Lamentations to bewail his loss The next Countrey to Sheercassen Land is Abassa which is situated between Circassia and Mingrellia and the Inhabitants are a kind of Circassians Mingrellia is under the Dominion of the Turks and lies on the Black Sea Of these two Countreys I have no great knowledge having only coasted them three or four times in Boats when I was among the Cossacks where also we landed divers times taking store of Kine and Sheep but no Prisoners because they affirmed themselves to be Christians They are a proper handsome People but very poor and notorious Thieves for they steal not only Goods but even Women and Children from each other and sell them unto the Turks and Tartars chiefly for Salt which is there very scarce Next unto Mingrellia is Georgia whose Inhabitants are little better than the former only they have a kind of Scripture for they worship Idols or Images yet have Cloisters and a sort of Monks with some Priests of the Greek Belief I once landed in Georgia with an Army of 5000 Men we marched up into the Countrey until we came within a days journey of Deimur Capou or the Iron Gate which is a narrow passage between Georgia and Anatolia with Rocks on each side and a strong Town built in the midst We stayed ten days ravaging the Countrey they told us this Town and Castle belonged to the King of Persia and there is no other passage out of Georgia into Persia but through it The next Countrey unto Georgia is Anatolia where our Traveller resided several years having been sold by the Precopensian Tartars unto a Turkish Spahi or Timariot of which Countrey and the Manners of the Inhabitants he gives a large Description But we being sufficiently informed thereof by divers intelligent Europeans who dwelt long in those Parts shall with our Traveller pass on to those Countreys which are less known But first we will take his Account of the Periplus of the Euxine or Black Sea From Fennara which is at the head of the Strait or Gulf that enters the Black Sea to Precop is 700 miles from thence to Caffa a noted City and Port in Crim 300 miles to Asshowa 500 miles to Temerossa 500 miles to Mingrellia 400 miles to Trebezond 400 miles and from thence unto Constantinople 1000 miles in all 3800 miles Thus much I know of the Black Sea which I have three times coasted by Sea and traced above half by Land so that now it is time to speak concerning the Caspian Sea and shew all the Kingdoms and Countreys which lie upon it beginning at Astracan and proceeding thence Eastwards until I return unto the same City from the South Astracan is placed on a rising ground not far from the mouth of the Volga from which it is not distant above 50 miles it is in an Island on the Great Nagoy side made by the River Volga and a branch thereof having the Caspian Sea on the South The Town or City is secured by a strong Castle furnished with store of great Ordnance and in the midst of the Castle is a Roskade which commands both Castle Town and the Fields round about for above a mile The Tartar's Town is adjoyning placed near unto Cutuma which is a River naturally derived from the Volga or one of its many branches so that the Town is incompassed with Waters having the main body of the Volga on the West and Cutuma on the East Now if you would know whence the Volga comes I will acquaint you with what I have learned from the Muscovites It s utmost Source is said to be at the foot of a great Tree whence it runs unto Jerislave 1000 miles whence it proceeds to Neisna 500 miles and thence unto Cassan 300 miles from Cassan to Samara 500 to Saratoft 350 miles to Saraichena 350 and thence unto Astracan 500 miles from whence it is as we said before unto the Caspian Sea 50 miles in all 3550 miles The Volga is a wonderful great River abounding with divers sorts of great Fish as Sturgeon Bellouke Severuke Shelren Sterleke Som Sassan Suke Soudake Konnee Sablee Lessee Wobla Tarane and many others both great and small which I cannot readily call unto remembrance notwithstanding that I dwelt there ten years The Volga enters the Caspian Sea by 22 mouths and upon each of them is an Oughsuke or Fish-wear for to take Sturgeon every one of which Oughsukes is called by the name of the Water as Soellova Dertullee Bosserigee and
Ruslowa upon the main Wolga Cokelou Beerullee Ewansuke Mansor Argeessan Keessan Camusshuke Naowara Tussockly Collobery Malla Collobery Yamansuke Eirichsha Surka Libessha Bussan Carabussan Bealla Wolloskee In all which Oughsukes or Wears they take no Fish besides Sturgeon They are made of Shigenas or long Poles made sharp at one end and beaten into the ground under Water and a pleiting made of Rods somewhat resembling Osier after the manner of our Matts which are fastned to the Poles and hinder the Fish from passing up the River And Houses are built near the Wears for the Convenience of the Fishers 40 50 more or less according unto the greatness of the Water or resort of Fish and twice every day usually in the morning and evening they set about their Fishery They imploy only long slender Poles with an iron Hook or Cruke in the end baited and do ordinarily take 400 every day in the smaller and 600 in the larger Streams The Sturgeon they take is all salted excepting that wherewith they serve the Town of Astracan where a whole fair Sturgeon may be bought for ten pence English and when the great Caravan comes from Russia it takes off most of their Fish which is conveyed into divers parts of Muscovy but chiefly unto the great City of Mosco They return also with great quantities of Caviar and Salt there being not far from the Volga on the Little Nagoy side great Salt-pits which yield an immense quantity of Salt prepared yearly by the heat of the Sun without any further trouble than taking it off the superficies of the Water where it daily kerns The Volga a little above Seraichena 500 miles from Astrachan dismisses a great Branch named Actabon which passing through the Desarts of the Great Nagoy through Bussane enters the Caspian Sea The remainder of the Volga after having parted with several smaller Branches most of which joyn with the forementioned River divides the Little and Great Nagoy passes under the Town of Astrachan whence it proceeds unto Ruslowa on the South-west side of Crosna Boggar then falls into the Caspian And the distance between the East-side of the Volga near Astrachan and the River Actabon is about 20 miles which is mostly Water and Islands And that the Course of the Volga from its first Source until it doth dis-embogue it self into the Caspian Sea can be no less than what we have asserted is hence confirmed That the Snow which falls abundantly in Russia and begins to be dissolved about the latter end of April and do mightily increase the Waters of the Volga come not unto Astrachan until Midsummer when it so raises the Volga that overflowing the Banks it covers with his Waters all the Islands near Astrachan so that from the Little Nagoy unto Actabon in the Great Nagoy all the Countrey seems excepting a Hillock or two one continued Lake or a great Gulf of the Sea Wherefore they who go in the Spring from Astrachan to fetch Wood having cut it make great Floats which are lifted up when the River overflows and guided each by a few Men until they are brought unto Astrachan or those other places for which they are designed The most remarkable Towns and Habitations upon the Volga between Seraichena and Astrachan which are 500 miles distant from each other are Camena Rokegowa Osshenofka Chornoyar Borisse Offatalka Poollowoy Collmakof Satone Cossoyar Crosnoyar Nassonoyar Satone Yanatavy Daneelofka Perre Ousshake Eillansuke Eiskyborro Crukla Bussan Balsheeke Tollotonygorod Dolgoa Goradocha which was old Astrachan Sharina Bogor which is near Astrachan besides many other Places with whose Names I have not charged my memory We will now pass over the Volga through Astrachan into the Great Nagoy The Great Nagoy may be properly enough divided into Islands and Continent the former are made by the Volga and several Rivers which fall out of it variously mix'd with each other and are all at length emptied into the Caspian Sea Those Rivers or Branches have their several Names those which I remember are Cuttoma Boulda Malla Guellusa Creewantya Busane Actabon and Bereket The Kingdom of the Great Nagoy is all plain and desart 1200 miles in length between Astrachan and Samara 500 miles in breadth from the said Astrachan unto the River of the Yeike or Jaick There is no Wood in all this Countrey except what grows near the Rivers It hath no Towns or fix'd Habitations though it had formerly divers and some among them very considerable as Czarofsgorod or Czarofs Pollate in English the Emperor's Town which formerly must needs have been as its Name imports an Imperial or Capital City I have often viewed it with admiration and cannot compute it to have been less than 20 miles in Circuit I have told fourscore great eminent Buildings which must have been either Moschees Pallaces or Caravanseraies and some of them 6 miles distant from the other The Muscovites are of divers Opinions concerning its Destruction Some say it was ruined by the Cossacks but the Cossacks who are ready enough to brag of their Atchievements know nothing thereof only that they have often dispossessed the Russes when they endeavoured to rebuild part of it For indeed the Situation is very excellent having the Volga on one side the Actabon on the other The Countrey very beautiful healthful and fertile and yet notwithstanding all these encouragements it is not yet inhabited not by the Russes because it standing on the main Land they would be continually exposed unto the Inroads of the Tartars nor by the Tartars because its nearness unto the Rivers would render them obnoxious to the Russes every time the great Caravan passes that way which is at least twice each year Yet the Muscovites do frequently fetch Brick and Stones from this ruined City wherewith they have built a great part of Astrachan and the neighbouring Forts or Towns where such solid Materials are imployed But besides this Serai for so the Tartars call any fix'd Habitation there were in ancient times five or six more down along the Rivers side in each of which formerly dwelt a Chan but Time and Wars have almost entirely ruined them There is also another Serai upon the River Jaick named Seraichika where is said formerly to have been the Residence of a great Myrsa or Chan but 't is now quite ruinated The Tartars who inhabit the Great Nagoy both Men and Women are very proper at least of much taller Stature than many other Tartars but have ill-favoured Countenances broad Faces flat little Noses small Eyes sunk in their Heads all which are common to most of the Eastern Tartars But the Tartars of Crim are more comely which I suppose may partly proceed from their Wives who are many of them Captive Circassians Russes Poles Hungars and of divers other Nations The Nagoy Tartars are also Black or rather Tawny which I Conjecture is not so much natural as proceeding from the heat of the Sun which is in these Parts some Months of the Year much
more Excessive than one would expect from the Climate And besides their Children go stark naked during the great heats in Summer It is also remarkable That the Cold in Winter in the same Country is exceeding severe and one would think to them who have such mean accommodation intollerable These Nagoy Tartars have great store of Cattle as Kine Sheep Horses and Camels and yet notwithstanding they are very ill clad most of their Clothing being Sheep-Skins and those but scurvily dressed They have no sort of Corn or Grain mightily scorning the Europeans and Persians whose chief Diet they say is the top of a pitiful weed Polygamy is not only allowed but altogether in fashion among them most having divers Wives more or fewer according unto their Quality and Ability who unless they are Captivated by War are such as they buy of their Parents or Kindred for Cattle If one Brother dye the other takes all his Wives who are usually 5. or 6. But if all the Brothers die either in War or by Diseases then they are devolved like other Goods and Chattels unto the Elder Brother's Son they never suffering any married Woman during life to go out of the Kindred Here our Author hath inserted a Discourse concerning divers odd and some barbarous Customes which have long prevailed among the Nagoy Tartars and wherewith they will not easily Dispence But they giving little light unto History or Geography I have not thought them worthy the trouble of transcribing ner do I apprehend they would afford any considerable instruction or divertisement unto the Reader These Tartars of the Great Nagoy when they remove their habitation transport their Houses from place to place in Waggons with 4 Wheels which are drawn usually by Camels thoy pass up and down the Country in great Hordes their ordinary march is from the Volga unto Buskowshake thence to Voroslane Samara Eirgeesse Eishene Ougogura Reimpeska and all along under the Calmukes Country untill they arrive at the Jaick or Yeike Sometimes they pass by Cassoone Aurrow Camoyes Samar and so to Saraichika This is ordinarily their Summer Progress Against Winter they return unto those parts of the Country which border upon the Caspian Sea As Baksake upon the Caspian Sea Beallnssa Kitgach Sheennamara Coudake Caradowan Actabon and higher upon the Volga scattering themselves upon the Sea-shore and Banks of the Rivers among the Reeds and VVoods or wheresoever they find the Climate most mild and best Defence against the Cold which in the VVinter is in those Parts extremely severe so that 't is hard to determine whether they suffer more from the Heat in Summer or Cold in Winter During which latter Season they leave their Hergels or Horses and most of their greater Cattle to shift for themselves in the Deserts Having had often occasion to mention the River Jaicke or Yeike I shall here give a short account of what I have observed and learnt concerning its Rise and Course It comes from the Calmukes Land where it is thought to spring though some of the Russes affirm it Fountains are more Remote in Siberia the Southern parts of which is also inhabited if not possessed by the Kalmukes some of whose Ulusses or Hords are subject unto the Muscovites others in League with them but they have sometimes cruel Wars and did formerly destroy Tumen with some other Towns and Castles of the Russes who they apprehended did incroach too fast upon them But to return unto the Course of the Yeik after it hath passed through the Calmukes Country it divides the Great Nagoy from Cassachy Horda and after it hath passed in all a Thousand miles throwes it self into the Caspian Sea a little below Seraichika This is a very large River and the Land on each side well cloathed with Wood Grass divers sorts of Herbs and wild Fruits and the VVater full of good Fish which Conveniences do oft-times invite the Cossacks to make their abode there and from thence they make Incursions on divers parts bordering on the Caspian Sea This River among divers other Fish doth so wonderfully abound with Sturgeon that a man may stand upon the Pank side with a Pole in hand arm'd at the end with an Iron Crook make choice of what Sturgeon best pleaseth him which he shall rarely fail of taking though never so inexpert in Fishing if he have but strength or help to draw it on Land Not far from the Mouth of the Jaick in the Caspian Sea near the Shore are many Coves and Corners which they call Lapateens and Cultukes which are alwayes full of Swans usually swimming on the Sea which are so numerous that it is impossible to make any reasonable Computation thereof These Swans after Midsummer every Year cast their Feathers a little before which time there parts from Astracan many Boats which are manned by Russes and most of them are their Youth after a passage of 500 miles they arrive at these places which the Swans mostly haunt and having filled their Boats with Swans Skins and Feathers they return unto Astracan where a great Trade is driven with the Persians who give ordinarily a Dollar apiece for these Skins The next Country unto the Great Nagoy towards the East is Cassachy Horda which hath as I said on the West the Jaick by which it is divided from the Great Nagoy On the North the Kalmukes North East the Yurgeach or Jurgench Tartars and to the South the Caspian Sea and Caragans who inhabit on the North East side of the Caspian Sea These Cassachy Tartars march up and down the Country much after the manner of the Nagoys They have frequent Wars with the Kalmukes and Yurgeachians but seldome with either Nagoys or Caragans Only after the manner of most other Tartars they will clandestinely steal even from those Neighbours with whom they have the most uninterrupted and profound Peace Cassachy Horda is altogether Desart excepting some Woods Northward bordering upon the Kalmucks where there are divers small Rivers which empty themselves into the Jaick which River is also in most places bordered with Woods unto its Entrance into the Caspian Sea And therefore the Inhabitants may well be named Cassachy Horda or Wild people as the name imports They sowe no sort of Corn their chief Food being Horse-flesh and Mares milk which is also common to divers other Nations of the Tartars On the North of Cassachy Horda dwell the Kalmuke Tartars if such a life as they lead may be called dwelling The Country they inhabit deserves a better People the Land abounding with all things necessary for a Comfortable subsistence This Country hath store of Sables Marterns Black Foxes Squerrils and several other sorts of Furs which they Exchange with the Russes for Aqua-vitae Mead Tobacco and other Commodities This Country hath some Towns as Siberia the Head of a Province of the same name and Tumen both which the Russes have gained from them Ouffha Wadle Sellona Lucomoria which latter place they say is
concerning it I shall pass through it unto the Comukes Land of which I have obtained more perfect knowledge both by War and Traffick This Countrey is bounded on the South by Persia on the East by the Caspian Sea Westward by Circassia and on the North by the River of Tumeine on which stands a Town of the same Name from which unto Chahamate the most Northerly Habitation of Persia is 600 miles A great part of this Countrey especially Westward is very mountainous I could never learn where it doth exactly terminate I have been in four of their Towns The first is Tarkee where Gildar whom they own for their Prince doth ordinarily reside The second is Derbeine in the Mountains The third Derevena in the same mountainous Tract The fourth Kossa upon a River of the same Name not far from the place where it empties it self into the Caspian Sea These Comukes are proper Men and very couragious and that which makes them more daring and adventurous than most Tartars is the goodness of their Horses and the advantage of their Arms both offensive and defensive for they seldom engage in Wars without Helmets Jacks of Steel Shirts of Mail and Targets which excepting those times wherein they fight hang behind their backs being very light and not very large and therefore not cumbersome They have as other Tartars both Bows and Cymetars and withal never go without Lances which they use with great strength and dexterity In their Apparel they differ little from the Circassians but as for Religion they are generally Mahumetans and their Language is in substance the same with other Tartars their vicinity unto the Persians Muscovites and Sheercasses having somewhat disguised it The Countrey they inhabit abounds with Wood part of it is hilly with small pleasant Valleys between the Hillocks and in some places especially towards Persia and thence into the Land it hath many great and almost inaccessible Mountains by reason of their heighth and steepness This Land was reduced under the Government of the Russes many years ago after the ensuing manner Evan Vassillywich being Czar or Emperour of Russia after he had taken Cassan and Astracan sent part of his Army into Circassia where they took in Tumeine Another Body entred the Comukes Countrey and possessed themselves of Derevena Derbeine Tarkee and Kossa The Russe Emperour constituted a Voyvod whom he ordred to reside in Tarkee and left with him 10000 Men he ordered also at the same time another considerable Brigade to stay at Coisa where he left a great number of Boats and other Vessels who had brought supplies of Men and Provisions from Mosco and other Parts of his Dominions And having as he apprehended secured his new Conquests he returned unto Mosco Immediately after his retreat the Comukes gath'red their whole Force and set down before the Town of Tarkee which after a vigorous resistance they took and in it with the Voyvod several Officers of divers Nations whom with the common Souldiers they sold unto the Circassians Tartars and other neighb'ring Nations so that few were ever afterwards recovered From Tarkee they marched unto Koisa which by the instruction of Captives they did pretty regularly besiege and assault and after some repulses took it by storm killing all the Russes excepting such as escaped in the Ships and Boats which lay before the Town The Russe Emperour being speedily informed of these Successes immediately raised a great Army with which he ordred all the Cossacks between the Don and Volga unto the River of Tumeine to joyn his Forces and assist them in order unto the recovery of what he had lost and utter extirpation of the Comukes Who hearing how highly the Czar was exasperated and how great a Force was ready to invade them they began to be solicitous about the Event and having consulted together agreed to make some kind of submission and sue for pardon and peace Whereupon they sent Ambassadors unto Tumeine where the Russe Army was encamped and after a Treaty with the Czar's Plenipotentiaries they agreed upon these Articles That the Comukes should restore the Towns they had taken and aid the Emperour with such a number of Souldiers as he should require against any Enemy whatsoever whereunto their Heads being sworn they have inviolably observed the Agreement unto this day But it 's time we take our leave of Gildar Prince of Terki and his Comukes and proceed into Shercassen Land part of which as I hinted before lyes upon the Black Sea and extends it self unto the Caspian This side of Circassia which borders upon the Caspian Sea is a very plentiful Countrey and as for Fish it is so wonderfully plentiful that in Tumeine you may ordinarily purchase a good Sturgeon for two pence and sometimes for a penny a most prodigious quantity of Fish being taken in the River of the Weestra and about the Island of Chekeine which is off at Sea not far from Tumeine On the main Land over against this Fishery 4 miles above the River of Terike there is a great Well made by a Spring which falls from a Rock on the side of a great Hill and immediately fills this little Lake which whether it is Natural or Artificial I know not The Water of this Lake is so scalding hot that the Fishers flinging in their Sturgeon or other Fish it is in a short time boyled as if over a fire the heat being so intense that no Man can detain his Hand in it for a moment from which strange Quality it derives its Name being called by the Russes Goracha Colloda or the Scalding Well I shall conclude my Discourse with a short Account of the Little Nagoy or of that part thereof which confines upon the Caspian for all that space between Tumeine and Astracan is by many ascribed unto the Nagoy Tartars I did before declare That the Little Nagoy is for the most part a wide waste Desart the worst of which is all that Tract which lyeth between Tumeine and Astracan These Tartars have no Town but only Asshowa which is not properly theirs though lying in their Countrey being possessed by the Turks There is a sort of People in this Countrey whom the Tartars call Sigakes I could never learn what their Language is or from what Place or Nation they proceed nor could I understand after what manner they live whether they have any Religion or Civil Government Their chief Subsistence is what they gain from the Tartars for they gather sometimes 2 or 3000 and rob the smaller Hords of the Tartars and those which are most remote from help But sometimes the Tartars discovering the place of their Retreat or Rendevous surround them with their Carts and then fall in cut them all off never giving Quarter unto any no Crime being so severely punished amongst the Tartars as Thievery which makes me apprehend that these Sigakes are some of their own People who formerly deserted them upon some extraordinary occasion But whatsoever is the reason
they do most irreconcileably hate each the other The most noted Places on that side the Little Nagoy which regards the Caspian Sea and lye all along the Coast from Tumeine to Astracan are Sheerlona Yeare where I was first taken Prisoner by the Tartars Peremetka Arsi Bash Moyackee Bealla Oshera Bashmachake Kaboylly Machakofska Chostoway and so over the Volga unto Astracan And to conclude all I shall here enumerate all the Places on the Coast near Astracan which have Names that are considerable for Havens Trade Fishing or any other remarkable Circumstance Soteeza Bockgra Ueuslowa Cossa Beerulska Cossa Ewanshoska Cossa Seamme Bogoroffe Tussocleoff Lapateene Chaska Cossa Crosna Bogore Cocklouska Cossa Owarska Cossa Comashaska Cossa Colloberinska Cossa Cocktabow Bussanska Lapaten Kara Bussan which last place is not far from Sheene Mare which I have formerly mentioned I cannot so exactly tell the Circumference of the Caspian as of the Black Sea having been only on the North and West side but howsoever I shall from what I have seen and learnt from Experienced persons be enabled to approach very near unto the Truth The Distance between Astracan and the Jaick is 500 miles from thence unto the Confines of Bochara 500 miles From Jaxartes to Persia and thence unto Gilan is according unto my Information 1100 miles From Gilan unto Koisa 500 miles From thence unto Astracan as much in all 3100 miles But if any person should endeavour by Land to Travel round this Sea or in a Voyage by Sea follow the Coast he would make at least a Thousand miles more for this Sea is full of great Gulphs Bays and broken ground so that the Calculation I make is upon a direct passage by Sea suppose from Astracan to Gilan from thence to the Oxus from the Oxus to the great North-East Bay into which the River Jem falls which is full of Islands and broken Grounds Shelves Sand and Shallow Water and from thence back to Astracan Having presented your Lordship with a short but true Account of those Countries encompassing and lying between the two forementioned Mediterranean Seas I shall no less briefly and faithfully declare by what Accidents I came unto this Knowledge which cost me so dear that I suppose the most inquisitive person would not purchase the gratification of his Curiosity at a far less Expence of time and trouble than I have imployed though often against my will in my Travels and Enquiries I was born in Ireland yet of English Extract My Family Noble but my Estate not corresponding with my Quality being ambitious and withal naturally inclined to fee Forraign Countries I hoped to Raise my Fortune by my Sword After I left Ireland before I had been long in England an opportunity presenting it self I engaged in the Service of the King of Sweden who had then Wars with the Muscovite having given some Considerable proofs of my Courage I was gradually raised unto a Considerable Command but being engaged too far in a Body of the Enemies I was unhappily taken Prisoner by the Russes and carried Prisoner unto Plescow then in their possession having at the same time Arrears due unto me from the Swede above 5000 Dollars The Swedes taking no care for my Enlargement being willing I suppose to save so great a Summe of Money as at my Return I should have challenged after Three years close Imprisonment I was proffered Liberty by the Muscovite upon condition I would faithfully serve him against all his Enemies whereunto assenting I was sent unto Moscow and there before the Chancellor sworn a Tolmack and preferred unto a Command little inferiour unto what I enjoyed before And the Poles advancing towards Moscow with a great Army fearing lest I should go over unto them I was sent unto Astracan where I remained 10 years being continually Employed against the Tartars and Circassians By which means I came to know Pettigor Sneesnagor Shadgore Cabardye and the Great and Little Nagoy the Comukes the Tartars of Cassan the Kalmukes Cassachy Horda Caragans Ungensh and Usbeg Tartars During which Wars I conflicted with great difficulties and hardship In making long Journies faring hardly Nor was it a small labour to make floates in order unto our passing over the great Rivers I have mentioned to say nothing of the Danger Besides we run great hazards in our Journeying over those waste wide howling Desarts which on every side surrounded us frequently wanting provisions and sometimes Guides so that had we failed never so little in our Conjectures we had all perished After Ten years hard Service in my Return frrom Convoying Shollohofe Knez into Shercassen Land I was taken Prisoner by the Tartars of the Little Nagoy and by them carried unto Assowa upon the Mouth of the Tana or Don. There I was sould unto a Precopensian Tartar who carried me along with him towards Crim But upon the shallow Waters I very happily made my Escape I had little Knowledge of the Country but having formerly understood by our Cossacks at Astracan that great Bodies of the same name mortal Enemies unto the Tartars dwelt upon the Nepper not far beyond Crim by the help of the Sun and Stars I journeyed due West many days without any disastrous Adventure until I found them who gave me a very kind reception In this escape I traversed almost the whole Desart of Ingile and Ungule Dorosensko who then Commanded all the Cossacks upon the Nepper immediately made me a Poskofneke from which time for the space of almost two years I did accompany them in divers Expeditions in which we visited most of those Countries which lye upon the Black Sea to the no small vexation and loss of the Inhabitants We kept a Correspondence with the Cossacks upon the Don and frequently assisted each other And being all Foot and the Country exactly level we travelled surrounded with Wagons which they call a Tabor for fear of the Tartars who often set upon us but were as often repulsed we being well accommodated with Fire-Arms and small Field-pieces which the Tartars do exceedingly fear and will not ordinarily attempt closely unless they have greatly the Odds in Number But at length it was my ill Fortune between the Nepper and the Don to be again taken by the Tartars and by them carried into Crim where I lived long in great misery and was at length sould unto a Timariot Spahi living in Anadoule Anatolia or Asia minor with whom I lived 5 years but in more easie servitude than among the Tartars And to make my service less irksome my Master bestowed on me a Wallachian Woman whom I received for my Wife though without the usual Solemnities of Marriage which are practised among Christians Understanding at length that a Lord Ambassador was resident at Constantinople in behalf of the King of Great Brittain and to manage the Affairs of the English Nation in Turkey I prevailed with my Master whose Favour I had gained to grant me my freedom together with my Wives if I
should procure an hundred Dollars Whereupon he dismissed me in the company of a Turk his Friend who upon my humble supplication unto your Lordship receiving the forementioned Sum did in the behalf of his Friend before the Cady make me free and leave the Woman also at my Disposal At the same time I very happily met with some Vallachian Gentlemen who were sent on a Message from their Vayvod unto the Grand Signior They gladly received my Woman and took her along with them promising upon their Return into their own Country to Restore her unto her Parents Now that I may fully satisfie your Lordship that I had really visited all those Countries which I have mentioned I beseech your Lordship let your Interpreter try me in those Languages wherein he is skilled and as for others wherewith he is not acquainted I am ready to converse with any of those Nations whom I pretend to know For although I have never conversed much with Books yet my great Travels accompanied with a pretty good Memory will sufficiently Qualifie me to pass through the Countries I shall hereafter mention To begin my Progress from Constantinople I can pass over from Scutery and thence by the help of my Turkish Language pass through all Anatolia Thence leaving Armenia on my right hand and having the Black Sea on the left go through Georgia Mingrellia Abassa and Shercassen Land with the same Tongue and another which with little variation is common unto them all Thence into the Comukes Country who are a sort of Tartars and do agree with others of the same name in speech as indeed most Tartars do only they who are Mahumetans and converse much with the Turks use divers Arabick and Turkish words whereunto the Heathen Tartars are strangers From Comukes Land I can pass into Persia but I am not so well acquainted with their Country and Language as I have elsewhere acknowledged Therefore to return unto Constantinople I can proceed from thence unto Romella or Romania through Wallachy Bealla Horda Crim the Great Desart I have so often mentioned of Ingell and Ungull the Little Nagoy so over the Volga unto Astracan thence through the Great Nagoy and leaving the Caspian on my Right hand into the Caragans Country and so through Boghar into Persia. I can also by my knowledg of the Languages peculiar unto the following Countries traverse all Ireland England Norway Sweden Finland Leifland Poland Russia Mordwa Sheremessa Cassan Kalmukes Land Cassachy Horda Yurgench and leaving China on the left hand through Bochara into Persia. And now Sir nothing remains But that I make most humble and hearty acknowledgment of your great Generosity and Christian Charity in delivering a Stranger out of a Captivity wherein I had Otherwise continued without hope of seeing my Friends or Country And were I as expert at my Pen as I have heretofore been at managing a Sword I would by Consigning my Travels to Writing leave behind me a lasting Monument of your Fame But being for want of Learning and by long Disuse of my Mother Tongue rendred unfit for such a Work I shall wheresoever I come proclaim your Worthiness and continually pray unto the Omnipotent GOD to return your Kindness into your Bosome a Thousand fold And shall ever remain during Life Your Faithfull Slave Astracan FINIS Books sold by Moses Pitt at the Angel in St. Paul 's Church-Yard Folio THeses Theologicae variis Temporibus in Academia Sedanensi editae ad disputandum propositae Authore Ludovico de Blanc verbi Divini Ministro Theologiae professore In qua exponitur sententia Doctorum Ecclesiae Romanae Protestantium 1675. Price 20 s. Dr. Henry Hammond's Sermons 1675. A Table of Ten thousand Square Numbers by John Pell D. D. stitcht 1 s. 6 d. Tuba Sentoro-Phonica or the Speaking-Trumpet being an Instrument of Excellent Use both at Sea and Land by Sir Samuel Morland Price of the Book 1 s. of the Instrument 2 l. 5 s. Articles and Rules for the Government of His Majesties Forces by Land during this present War 1673. 1 s. 6 d. Bailii opus Hist. Chronol vet Nov. Test. 1663. Becmanni Exercitationes Theol. Contra Socinianos 1643. An History of the Church by Alex. Petrey 1662 Catalogus Librorum in Regionibus Transmarinis nuper Editorum The History of Don Quixote 1675. 10 s. The Commentaries and Life of Julius Caesar Containing his Wars in Gallia and the Civil Wars betwixt him and Pompey with the Notes of Clement Edmonds 1677. 16 s. Quarto Thesaurus Numismatum Antiquorum cum Commentariis Jac. Oiselii 1677. 20 s. Joannis Bonae Cardinalis Opera Theologica 1677. 16 s. Georg. Hicks Sermon before the Lord Mayor on 1 Cor. 10. 13. 1677. 6 d. Dr. Pell's Introduction to Algebra 7 s. Nich. Mercatoris Logarithmo-Technia sive methodus construendi Logarithmos 1668. Jac. Gregorii Exercitationes Geometricae 1668. 2 s. Love only for Love sake a Dramatick Romance by Sir Richard Fanshaw 3 s. 6 d. Mori Enchiridion Metaphysicum 1671. 10 s. Snellii Typhis Batavus Ludg. Bat. 1624. 5 s. Petrus Paaw de Ossibus Amst. 1633. 5 s. Dr. Thomas Jacomb on the Eighth Chapter of the Romans 8 s. A Letter from a Gentleman of the Lord Howard's Retinue to his Friend in London dated at Fez. Nov. 1. 1670. 6 d. Dr. Wallis Opera Mechanica 22 s. Hieronymi Mercurialis de Arte Gymnastica Libri sex cum figuris 1672. Pignorii Mensa Isaica 1669. Pharmacopeia Hagiensis 1659. Augustana 1672. J. Crellii Ethica Aristotelica Christiana 16 s. Joan. Binchii Mellificium Theologicum 16 s. Theod. Kerkringii D. M. Spicilegium Anatomicum Continens Observationum Anatomicarum rariorum centuriam unam nec non Osteogeniam foetuum in qua quid cuique ossiculo singulis accedat Mensibus quidve decedat in eo per varia immutetur tempora accuratissimè oculis subjiciuntur 1670. Fortunius Licetus de Monstris ex recensione Gerardi Blasii qui Monstra quaedam Nova Rariora ex recentiorum Scriptis addidit Editio novissima Iconibus illustrata 1665. Compleat Clark Containing the best Presidents 1677. 12 s. Holy Fast of Lent defended 1667. 6 d. A Looking-Glass for all New Converts 1667. 1 s. There is newly published two Recantation-Sermons Preached at the French-Church in the Savoy by two Converted Romanists Mr. De la Motte late Preacher of the Order of the Carmelites and Mr. De Luzanzy Licentiate in Divinity wherein the Corrupt Doctrines of the Church of Rome are laid open and confuted Both Printed in French and English Also two other Sermons one Preached before the King at White-Hall Jan. 30. 1676. by Henry Bagshaw D. D. the other before the Lord Mayor Decemb. 19. 1675. by John Cook A Modest Survey of the most material things in a Discourse called the Naked Truth 6 d. A New Dictionary French and English by Guy Miege 1677. Marshal Turenne's Funeral Sermon 1677. Jer. Horrocii Angl. Opusc. Astron. 1673. An Historical Vindication of
the Church of England in Point of Schism by Sir Ro. Twisden The last Siege of Mastricht Sept. 5. 1676. Dr. Tillotson s Sermon before the King Apr. 18. 1675. Dr. Wilkins's Three Sermons before the King March 7. 1669. and Feb. 7. 1670. Dr. Jo. Tillotson's Rule of Faith 1676. Octavo Rhetores saelecti Demetrius Phalerius Tiberius Rhetor Anonymus Sophista Severus Alexandrinus Grecè et Lat. per Tho. Gale Soc. Coll. M. 1676. A Scriptural Catechism according to the Method observed by the Author of the Whole Duty of Man 1676. Howe of delighting in God of the Blessedness of the Righteous Two Vol. Art of Speaking by M. du Port-Royal 1676. A Discourse of Local Motion undertaking to demonstrate the Laws of Motion and withal to prove that of the seven Rules delivered by Mr. Des Cartes on this Subject he hath mistaken Six Englished out of French 1671. 1 s. The History of the late Revolution of the Empire of the Great Mogol with a description of the Countrey in two Volumes 7 s. The History of the Conquest of the Empire of China by the Tartars 1671. 4 s. Mystery of Iniquity unvailed in a Discourse wherein is held forth the opposition of the Doctrine Worship and Practices of the Roman Church to the Nature Designs and Characters of the Christian Faith by Gilbert Burnet 1 s. A Collection of Popish Miracles wrought by Popish Saints both during their lives and after their death collected out of their own Authors 1 s. Treatise of the Holy Communion 1677. 2 s. 6 d. Theod. Turqueti De Mayerne De Arthritide Accesserunt ejusdem Consilia aliquot Medicinalia 1 s. A new way of curing the Gout and Observations and Practices of relating to Women in Travel 3 s. Elenchi Motuum Nuperorum in Anglia pars tertia sive Motus Compositi Ubi G. Monchii è Scotia progressus nec non Aug. Caroli Secundi in Angliam Reditus ejusdemque Regiae Majest per Decennium gesta fideliter enarrantur 1676. Gualteri Needham Disputatio Anatomica de Formato Foetu 1677. 3 s. 6 d. Buxtorfius's Epitome of his Hebrew Grammar Englished by John Davis 1658. 1 s. 6 d. The Fortunate Fool or the Life of Dr. Cenudo a Spanish Romance 1670. 2 s. The Adventures of Mr. T. S. an English Merchant taken Prisoner by the Turks of Argiers with a description of that Kingdom and the Towns and Places thereabouts 1670. 1 s. 6 d. Contemplations on Mortality 1670. 1 s. A Discourse written to a Learned Frier by Mr. Des Fourneillis shewing that the Systeme of Mr. Des Cartes and particularly his Opinion concerning Brutes does contain nothing dangerous and that all he hath written of both seems to have been taken out of the First Chapter of Genesis To which is annexed the Systeme General of the Cartesian Philosophy 1 s. The Relation of a Voyage into Mauritania in Africk by Roland Frejus of Marseilles by the French King's Order 1666 to Muley Arxid King of Taffaletta c. with a Letter in Answer to divers Questions concerning their Religion Manners c. 1671. 1 s. 6 d. A Genuine Explication of the Visions in the Book of Revelation by A. B. Peganius 1671. 2 s. Prodromus to a Dissertation concerning Solids naturally contained within Solids laying a foundation for the rendring a rational account both of the Frame and the several Changes of the Mass of the Earth as also the various Productions of the same By Nich. Steno 1671. 1 s. 3 d. Basileus Valentinus of Natural and Supernatural things also of the first Tincture Root and Spirits of Metals and Minerals how the same are Conceived Generated Brought forth Changed and Augmented Whereunto is added Frier Bacon of the Medicine or Tincture of Antimony Mr. John Isaac Holland his Works of Saturn and Alexander Van Suchten of the Secrets of Antimony out of Dutch 1671. 2 s. The Poetical Histories being a compleat Collection of all the Stories necessary for a perfect understanding of the Greek and Latin Poets and other Ancient Authors written Originally in French by the Learned Jesuite P. Galtruchius Now Englished and Enriched with Observations concerning the Gods worshipped by our Ancestors in this Island by the Phoenecians and Syrians in Asia with many useful Notes and occasional Proverbs gathered out of the best Authors Unto which are added two Treatises One of the Curiosities of Old Rome and of the difficult Names relating the Affairs of that City The other containing the most remarkable Hieroglyphicks of Egypt The Third Edition with Additions By Marius D' Assigny B. D. 3 s. 6 d. An Essay about the Origine and Virtues of Gems by the Honourable Robert Boyle 1 s. 6 d. Idem Lat. twelves 1 s. Sir Samuel Morland's Arithmetick with several useful Tables and a Perpetual Almanack 1673. 3 s. A Compleat Treatise of Chyrurgery containing Barbetts Chirurgery Mindererus of Diseases Incident to Camps and Fleets With a Chyrurgeon's Chest of Medicines and Instruments c. 6 s. Dr. Lower de corde Amster 1671. 3 s. Dr. Grews Anatomy of Vegetables 1672. 2 s. Crowei Elenchi Script in Scripturam 3 s. 6 d. Eugelenus de Scorbuto Fred. Deckeri Exercitationes Medicae Grotii via ad Pacem Alb. Gentilis de Armis Romanis De Imperio De Legationibus De Nuptiis Hammond de Confirmatione Hugenii momenta Desultoria Paraei Chronologia Sacra Thruston de Respiratione Mr. Boyle of Hidden Qualities of the Air against Hobs and of Attraction by Suction 2 s. 6 d. Mr. Boyle of Effluviums of fire and flame and of the previousness of Glass 3 s. Memoires of Mr. Des-Ecotais formerly stiled in the Church of Rome The most Venerable Father Cassianus of Paris Priest and Preacher of the Order of the Capucins or the Motives of his Conversion In English 2 s. In French 2 s. In French and English 4 s. All Printed 1677. Dr. Edward Stillingfleet and Mr. Burnet Conference about Religion at London Apr. 3d. 1676. with some Gentlemen of the Church of Rome As also a Letter to a Deist in Answer to several Objections against the Truth and Authority of Scripture 1677. Les Memoires De Madame la Princesse Marie Mancini Colonne G. Connetable du Royaume de Naples 1677. La vie et les Actions Memorables de Lieut. Amiral Michel de Ruyter 1677. 5 s. Duodecimo Compendium Biblicum continens Ex 23202. versiculis totius veteris Testamenti Tantum versiculos 2289. non tamen integros in quibus omnes universi veteris E. voces tam primitivae quam derivativae tam Hebraicae quam Chaldaicae Authore Jo. Leusden 1673. 4 s. A Paradise of Delights or an Elixir of Comforts offered to Believers in two Discourses the first on Heb. 6. 17 18. the second on Rom. 8. 32. By Robert Wyne 1 s. Grotii Sophompaneas Gronovius in Livium Primrose Ars Pharmaceutica Scbook de Pace Suetonius Swalve Alcali Severini Synopsis Chyrurgiae Terentii Flores Trelcatii loci Communes Balduinus de Calceo Nigronius de Caliga Veterum Accesserunt ex Q. Sept. Fl. Tertulliani Cl. Salmasii Alb. Rubenii Scriptis plurima ejusdem Argumenti 1667. Pauli Barbetti opera Chirurgica Anatomica 1672. Praxis Barbettiana Cum notis Fred. Deckeri 1669. Ottonis Tachenii Hippocrates Chymicus 1671. Theodori Kerckringii D. M. Commentarius in Currum Triumphalem Antimonii Basilii Valentini à se latinitate donatum 1671. Jo. Pincieri M. D. Aenignatum Libri Tres cum solutionibus 1655. Francisci Redi Experimenta circa res diversos naturales speciatim illas quae ex Indiis adferuntur 1675. Aulus Gellius Besterfeldus Redivivus Herls Wisdoms Tripos Wilkins Beauty of Providence FINIS
the heat is not extream they that please may walk for the sake of the fresh Air. But the most usual passage is under the Galleries where there are several out-lets upon the River to let in the fresh Air. For the Galleries are very high from the level of the Bridge to which you ascend by easie steps the middle of the Bridge not being above twenty-five foot broad serving for Waggons and Pack-horses There is also another way all along by the Water side where there are several Stones laid to step upon to keep you from being watchet It crosses through all the Arches of the Bridge through little doors made in every Arch from one end to the other descending from the Bridge by a little pair of stairs tak'n out of the thickness of the Arches supporters There is another Stair-case to ascend up to the Galleries of about two fathoms broad with stays or Rails on both sides This Bridge is truly a very neat piece of Architecture if I may not say the neatest in all Persia. THE PERSIAN GOLPHE There are also three other Bridges upon the River one above the Bridge of Zulfa and two below The first but meanly built but very commodious for the Armenians when they travel Westward who would else be forc'd to go a great way about through the whole City of Ispahan The first of the other two Bridges below the Bridge of Zulfa was built by Sha-Abas the second Father of the present King It is almost equal to it in Structure but it has one particular beauty which is a hexagonal place in the middle of the Bridge which causes the Water to fall in that part with a pleasing noise For that being the deepest part of the River Sha-Abas resolv'd to build a Bridge there partly for the Gaurs sake to the end they might not come through the walk of Tcharbag and that going from Ispahan they might have a shorter cut home The Habitation of the Gaurs is only a large Village the first Houses whereof are but a little way from the River though the walk that goes from Ispahan to the King's Bridge is both longer and broader than that of Tcharbag planted on both sides with a row of Trees but no Channel in the middle Before each of the Avenues to the Bridge stands a House that belongs to the King for his divertisoment That upon the left side of the River toward Ispahan was by the great Sha-Abas giv'n to the Capuchins For as soon as they came to Ispahan upon their Examination the King was extreamly tak'n with their behaviour He ask'd them how they liv'd and whether they took any money To which the Capuchins making answer that they never handled any money but contented themselves with Alms the King believing his Subjects would give them very little bestow'd that House and Garden upon them But they stay'd not long there because it was too big for them to repair and too far from the City so that the Roman-Catholicks in the Winter could not get to their Chappel Now they have built themselves a very handsom House not far from the King's Palace at the Cost of Father Joseph one of their own order There is another old Bridge a quarter of a League below the Gaurs Bridge which is upon the Road from Ispahan to Schiras But to return to the long-walk of Tcharbag which continues above eight hundred paces beyond the Bridge of Zulfa to the Garden of Hezardgerib The Rivulet that passes that other part of the walk comes from the same River which they have cut three or four Leagues above Ispahan When you have walk'd about four hundred paces you meet with a fall of Waters that tumbles into a Pool from whence there are twelve steps to ascend to the end of the Alley The walk is fronted by the great House which stands before the Garden of Hezardgerib or the thousand Acres The House consists but only of one great Hall over the Gate and four small Chambers at the four corners of it Hezardgerib is the fairest Garden in Asia though it would be accounted nothing in Europe However as it lies upon the descent of a Hill it consists of sixteen Terasses sustain'd by a Wall sixteen or seventeen foot high There is but little Water in any of the Wells but that which has most is in the fourth Terrass That is a great Octagonal Pool about a hundred and twenty foot in Diameter round about which are several Pipes that throw up the Water about three foot high and there are three steps down to the Water A Channel pav'd with Stone runs through the principal Alley which goes no farther than the building This Channel is as wide as that of the Channel of Tcharbag whence it is supply'd as being right opposite to it In the tenth Terrass you meet with another Fountain of the same bigness and form with that in the fourth and in the last which terminates the Grand Alley and the length of the Garden there is another Channel which crosses all the Alleys which like the great one compose the length of the Alley Besides this there are op'n Rooms to take the fresh Air some falls and murmurs of Water but for borders and close Alleys and Arbours you must expect no such thing either in Hezardgerib nor in any other part of Persia. Having walk'd in the great walk of Tcharbag you meet upon the right hand with a Street between two Walls of the Gardens that belong to the King which Street leads you to Zulfa not above two or three Musquet Shots distance off Zulfa a Colony of Armenians which Sha-Abas brought from Zulfa a City of Armenia is so much encreas'd for some years since that it may now pass for a large City being almost a League and a half long and near upon half as much broad There are two principal Streets which contain near upon the whole length one whereof has on each side a row of Tchinars the roots whereof are refresh'd by a small Channel of Water which by a particular order the Armenians bring to the City to water their Gardens The most part of the other Streets have also a row of Trees and a Channel And for their Houses they are generally better built and more chearful than those of Ispahan How they came to be fetled here I have already describ'd And now the number See the Description of Zulpha of Inhabitants is strangely increas'd by the accession of several other Christians of divers Sects as Jacobites Cophtes and Nestorians who formerly liv'd in the Suburbs of Ispahan Neither was Sha-Abas so cruel in transplanting the Armenians away out of their own Country for they were all at that season poor labouring men who knew not at all what belong'd to Trade Since that time they are grown very rich so that the Armenians have no cause to be covetous of the Habitations of their Ancestors And now I will tell you how they came to be such great Proficients