Grand Signors very much delight in for the pleasures of Hunting and Hawking especially at the wild Duck and Heron. The fifth day after we departed from Adrianople and the forty second after we departed from Vienna we happily arriv'd at Constantinople and crossing through the City over to Galata went to the Ambassador's House While we stay'd there to winter we made a small Voyage to the Dardanells to the Ruins of Troy where we beheld nothing but Stones not worth the while of going so far to see Another day we took three Barks and Sail'd to Calcedon that lies upon the Sea There is in it a very ancient Church and they shew'd us the Room where the Council was held with the same Chairs which were then made use of Now it is only a Monastery where two Bishops after they had shew'd us what they could handsomly entertain'd us Then we went to view Pompey's Pillar at the mouth of the Black Sea Concerning the Channel of which Sea I must make one Observation that though there be no part of the Sea but has one Current yet this has two quite contrary one to another That part next to Europe carries the Vessel to the Black Sea and that next Asia brings it back again to the Mediterranean So that you have no more to do but to cross over from one Shore to the other The Winter being over the two French Gentlemen pursu'd their Voyage for Alexandretta But for my part I having another design in my head stay'd at Constantinople in expectation of a Caravan which the people told me from Month to Month was coming I was then ignorant and did not understand that every year there were five or six Caravans that went from Bursa Besides that sometimes eight or ten Merchants travelling together might go safe to Ispahan Which ignorance of mine made me stay longer than I intended At length after I had continu'd eleven Months in Constantinople I departed with a fair and numerous Caravan for Ispahan which was the first time I travell'd into Asia After that I made five others wherein I had time better to understand the Qualities of the Countries and the Genius of the People The three last times I went beyond Gauges to the Island of Java so that for the space of forty years I have travell'd above sixty thousand Leagues by Land never returning but once into Europe by Sea And thus in my six Voyages and by travelling different Roads I had the leisure and opportunity to see all Turky all Persia and all India particularly the famous Diamond Mines where no European had been before me Of these three great Empires therefore have I resolv'd to make an ample and exact Description and I will begin with the several Roads which may be taken from Paris into Persia. These Computations are made supposing a French Crown to be in value Sterling 54 pence or 4 s. 6 d. the reputed Par and that 12 Deniers make a Sous 20 Sous a Liver whereof 3 make an Escu By which Computation 10 Sous is in value 9 d. and 10 Deniers 3 q. Persian Money French English   l. s. d. q. ABassi 18 Sous 6 Deniers 0 01 04 2â…— 3 Abassi's and 1 Chayet 1 Ecu 0 04 06  2 Mamoudi's 1 Abassi 0 01 04 0â…– 2 Chayets 1 Mamoudi 0 00 08 0â…• Casbeké Simple 5 Deniers 1 Half-peny 0 00 01 2 4â— 100 Double Casbeké 11 Deniers 0 00 03 0 8â— 100 Bisti 1 2 Double Casbekés 0 00 06 1 74 100 Chayets 1 5 Double Casbekés 0 00 04 0â…• 1 Or 5 Abassi's 0 06 11 1 1 Toman 46 Livers 1 Denier â…• Piaster 3 09 00 0 9 â—5 Indian Money French English   l. s. d. q. LArins 5 1 Ecu French within 8 Sous 0 03 10 3â…• Demi-Larins 10 Half as much 0 01 11 1â…— Roupy of Gold 21 Livers 1 11 06  Roupy of Gold 30 Sous 0 02 03  Pecha 6 Deniers 0 00 00 1â…˜ Half Roupy 16 Sous 0 01 02 1â…— Quarter of a Roupy 7 Sous 6 Deniers 0 00 06 3 Pagods Demi-Pistol in Gold a Pistol is 11 Livers 0 08 03  Fano's 6 1 Ecu 0 04 06  Cheda Money 1. 2. 2 Sous 0 00 01 3 â— 5 Cheda 3. 4. 4 Deniers 0 00 00 1 â— 5 Achen Gold 16 Sous 8 Deniers 0 01 03  Macassar Gold 23 Sous 8 Deniers 0 01 09 1 â— 5 Camboya Silver 4 Sous 0 00 03 2 â— 5 Siam Gold 7 Livers 1 Sous 0 10 06 3â…— Siam Silver 32 Sous 4 Deniers 0 02 05 0â…– Asem Silver 23 Sous 0 01 08 2â…˜ Tipoura Silver 22 Sous 0 01 07 3â…• Arakan Money 21 Sous 0 01 06 3 â— 5 Pegu Silver 20 Sous 6 Deniers 0 01 06 1â…˜ Gold Fanos 15. 1 Real 0 04 04  Asem Fanos 22. 1 Ecu 0 04 06  China Goltschut 1350 Livers 101 05 00  China Silver pieces 59 Sous 8 Deniers 0 04 05 2â…˜ Japon Gold N o 1. 87 Livers 10 Sous 6 11 03  N o 2. 3. 29 Livers 31 Sous 4 Deniers 2 05 10 1 Japon Silver pieces 30 Sous 0 02 03  Silver Ingots N o 1. 24 Livers 10 Sous 1 16 09  2. 8 Livers 10 Sous 7 Deniers 0 12 09 2 1 10 3. 4 Livers 5 Sous 5 Deniers 0 06 04 3½ 4. 3 Livers 10 Sous 11 Deniers 0 05 03 3 â— 10 5. 3 Livers 8 Sous 8 Deniers 0 05 01 3â…• 6. 1 Liver 5 Sous 1 Denier 0 01 10 2 5 10 7. 1 Liver 9 Deniers 0 01 06 2 7 10 8. 16 Sous 4 Deniers 0 01 02 2â…˜ A Telle 4 Livers 5 Sous 0 06 04 2 Muscovy Gold 20 Sous 1 Denier 1 Half-peny 0 01 06 0 3 10 Muscovy Silver 1 Sous 0 00 00 3â…– THE CONTENTS OF THE Persian Travels The First BOOK of Monsieur TAVERNIER's Persian Travels Of the several Roads from Paris to Ispahan the chief City of Persia through the Northern Provinces of Turky Chap. I. OF the Roads from France to the hither parts of Asia and the places from whence they usually set out for Ispahan Pag. 1 Chap. II. Of the Road from Constantinople to Ispahan which the Author kept in his first Travels into Persia. 3 Chap. III. A continuation of the Road from Constantinople to Ispahan from the Borders of Persia to Erivan 10 Chap. IV. A continuation of the same Road from Erivan to Tauris 15 Chap. V. A continuation of the Constantinopolitan Road from Tauris to Ispahan through Ardeüil and Casbin 24 Chap. VI. The ordinary Road from Tauris to Ispahan through Zangan Sultany and other places 26 Chap. VII Of the Road from Smyrna to Ispahan through Natolia 32 Chap. VIII How the Author was rob'd near Tocat and of a certain sort of a rare and fine Wool which he first brought into France 40 Chap. IX Of the Road from Kerman to Ispahan and the fortune of Nazar Mahomet-Ali-Beg 42 Chap. X. Of the
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
Caravansera's and Government of the Caravans 45 Chap. XI Of the breeding nature and several sorts of camels 49 Chap. XII Of the Coyns and Money of Persia. 50 The Second BOOK of the Persian Travels of Monsieur TAVERNIER containing the several Roads from Paris to Ispahan the Capital City of Persia through the Southern Provinces of Turky and through the Deserts Chap. I. THe second Voyage of the Author from Paris to Ispahan and first of his Embarking at Marseilles for Alexandretta 53 Chap. II. The Description of Aleppo now the Capital City of Syria 57 Chap. III. Of the several Roads in general from Aleppo to Ispahan and particularly of the Road through the Great Desert Pag. 60 Chap. IV. Of the Road from Aleppo to Ispahan through Mesopotamia and Assyria which I travell'd in my third Voyage to the Indies 66 Chap. V. A Continuation of the Road from Nineveh to Ispahan together with the Story of an Ambassador call'd Dominico de Santis 72 Chap. VI. Of the Road which the Author kept when he travell'd the fourth time into Asia to go from Paris to Ormus And first of his Voyage from Marseilles to Alexandretta 78 Chap. VII A Continuation of the Road which the Author kept in the fourth Voyage into Asia and particularly of his passage upon the Tigris from Nineveh to Babylon 82 Chap. VIII A Continuation of the Road from Bagdat to Balsara and of the Religion of the Christians of St. John 87 Chap. IX A Continuation of the Road from Balsara to Ormus 94 Chap. X. Of the Author's first Voyage and the Adventures of the four French-men 95 The Third BOOK of the Persian Travels of Monsieur TAVERNIER containing the Author's Sixth and Last Voyages 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 Author's sixth and last Voyage from his setting out of Paris to his Landing at Smyrna 99 Chap. II. A Continuation of the Author's sixth Voyage as he travell'd from Smyrna to Ispahan 102 Chap. III. The Road from Aleppo to Tauris through Diarbequir and Van. 103 Chap. IV. Another Road from Aleppo to Tauris through Geziré and other places 108 Chap. V. The Road from Aleppo to Ispahan through the Small Desert and through Kengavar 109 Chap. VI. Another Road from Constantinople to Ispahan by the Euxine or Black Sea with some Remarks upon the principal Cities there abouts 113 Chap. VII The Road from Warsow to Ispahan over the Black Sea and from Ispahan to Mosco with the names of the principal Cities and Islands of Turky according to the vulgar pronunciation as they are call'd in the Language of the Turks 115 Chap. VIII Remarks upon the Trade of the Island of Candy and the principal Isles of the Archipelago as also upon some of the Cities of Greece adjoyning with a particular Relation of the present condition of the Grand Signor's Galleys belonging as well to the Isles as to the Continent 118 Chap. IX A Relation of the present State of Georgia 123 Chap. X. A Relation of the present State of Mengrelia 125 Chap. XI Of Comania Circassia and of certain people which they call Kalmouchs 126 Chap. XII Of the Ceremonies and Customs of the people of Comania and Circassia 129 Chap. XIII Of the lesser Tartars call'd Nogaies bord'ring upon Comania 132 The Fourth BOOK of the Travels of Monsieur TAVERNIER being a Description of Persia. Chap. I. OF the Extent of Persia and its Division into Provinces 141 Chap. II. Of the Flowers and Fruits of Persia of Turquoises and Pearls 144 Chap. III. Of the Beasts of Service of the Fish and Fowl of Persia. 145 Chap. IV. Of the manner of Building in Persia. 147 Chap. V. A Description of Ispahan the chief City of the Kingdom and Dominion of the King of Persia. 148 Chap. VI. Of Zulpha a City separated from Ispahan by the River Senderou 155 Chap. VII Of the Religion of the Persians of the great Feast of Hocen and Hussein and the Camel-Feast 160 Chap. VIII Of the Religion of the Gaurs the Relicks of the ancient Persians Adorers of Fire 163 Chap. IX Of the Religion of the Armenians and of their principal Ceremonies and how the Armenians Consecrate and Administer the Sacrament 169 Chap. X. Of the Ordination of their Priesthood and their Austerities 170 Chap. XI Of their Baptism 171 Chap. XII Of the Marriage of the Armenians 172 Chap. XIII How the Armenians Bury their Dead 173 Chap. XIV Examples of the Constancy of the Armenians in maintaining their Religion against the Persecutions of the Mahometans 174 Chap. XV. Of the Author's Reception at the Court of Persia in his sixth and last Voyage and what he did there during his stay at Ispahan 177 Chap. XVI Of the Honours and Presents which the Author receiv'd from the King of Persia. 179 Chap. XVII How the King was pleas'd to divertise himself in the Author's Company 181 The Fifth BOOK of the Persian Travels of Monsieur TAVERNIER being a Politick and Historical Description of Persia with the Roads from Ispahan to Ormus Chap. I. OF the Genealogy of the Kings of Persia of the last Race 195 Chap. II. Of certain particular Actions which denote the Virtues and Vices of the Kings of Persia from Sha-Abas the first to Sha-Soliman the present King And first of Sha-Abas the Great 202 Chap. III. Of what fell out most memorable in the Reign of Sha-Sefi the first and particularly of the Death of Iman-Kouli-Kan and his three Sons Pag. 198 Chap. IV. The Tragical and memorable Story of Ralph Sadler Native of Zurich in the Reign of Sha-Sefi who had retain'd him in his Service 207 Chap. V. Of some particulars under the Reign of Sha-Abas the second 199 Chap. VI. Of the misfortune of Mahomet-Beg in the Reign of Sha-Abas the second 212 Chap. VII Of the Rebellion of the Prince of Jasque a Vassal to the King of Persia in the Reigns of Sha-Sefi the first and Sha-Abas the second 217 Chap. VIII Observations upon the Reign of Sha-Solimon the present King 218 Chap. IX Of the Government of Persia. 219 Chap. X. Of the first of the three Orders or States of Persia which comprehends the King's Houshold the Kans or Governours of Provinces and the Souldiery 221 Chap. XI Of the second Order containing all those that belong to the Ecclesiastical Law and their Courts of Justice and in general of all the Gown-men such as are chiefly the Officers of the Chamber of Accounts 226 Chap. XII Of the third Estate of the Kingdom comprehending the Tradesmen and Merchants as also the Trades Manufactures and Commodities of Persia. 229 Chap. XIII Of the Justice and Policy of the Persians 232 Chap. XIV Of the Manners and Customs of the Persians 234 Chap. XV. Of the Diseases of Persia and the manner of Curing them 239 Chap. XVI Of the Division of Time among the Persians 240 Chap. XVII Of the Feasts and
There are an abundance of Silk-Weavers in Cachan that are very good Workmen which make all the best purfl'd Sattins mix'd with Gold and Silver that come out of Persia. There they also coyn Money and make Copper-vessels which they vend in great quantities at a good distance off The Market-houses are very fair ones and well vaulted the Inns large and convenient but there was one among the rest which was very magnificent near the King's Gardens at the entry of the City As well the Inn as the Gardens were made by the order of Sha-Abas the first of that Name who was at a vast charge The Inn is above a hundred Paces square built of Brick two Stories high containing twenty-six vaulted Chambers of a reasonable bigness It was a Structure too fair to be so little regarded as now it is being much faln to decay In the middle of the Court was a Fountain to receive Water which is spoil'd The Persians and Turks are of that bad humor rather to build new Houses than to repair old Buildings For which reason they have since built at Cachan four or five Inns as fair and commodious as that of Sha-Abas This Custom is grown to that height that the Children are so far from taking care to repair the old Houses where their Parents liv'd that they will not so much as live in them after their decease covetous of the honour of building Houses for themselves Before we leave Cachan you must take notice that as you travel from that City to Guilan you cannot avoid travelling thorough Plains for twelve hours together which are all pure Salt and there is nothing to be met with by the way but one Cistern nor can the Water which is in it be otherwise than very bad Leaving Cachan you cross a Plain of three Leagues after which you enter in among the Mountains where you come to a very fair Inn of Brick From thence you descend a pleasant Vale where you travel a long time by the side of a River over a very narrow way At the end of the Valley you meet a great Wall which crosses it and joyns the two Mountains together This Wall is above a hundred Paces long above thirty Foot thick and fifty high It was the Work of the Great Sha-Abas whose design it was to stop the Waters that fall from the Mountain and to make a Receptacle for Water in that place to serve his occasions At the foot of the Wall there is a Sluce which being let down keeps in the Water but is pull'd up to let out the Water over all the neighbouring Lands to the Plain of Cachan From this Receptacle to Corou is about two hours travel Corou is a very large Village and well peopl'd in a Soil environ'd with high Mountains and planted with great store of Walnut-trees The Houses consist but of one low Story being built of Flint-stones but the Inn therein is very fair and commodious This Village consists but of one Street but it is almost half a League long and very troublesom in the Winter by reason of a great River that runs through it and the great quantity of Stones that lye in the way All about this Village as in several other places of Persia there are a great number of Shacales which are a kind of Foxes that in the night time make an ugly noise for if but one cry all the rest will make answer and set up a howling From Corou you must travel three Leagues between Mountains after which you have but twelve Leagues to Ispahan It is a continued Plain that extends it self beyond the City and in many places the Soil is very good At every three Leagues end you meet with Inns. The first is call'd Achaha-Agakamala the second which is the half-way between Corou and Ispahan is call'd Michiacour This place consists not only of one Inn for there are many others so that it resembles a large Village From Michiacour you come to Aganura another Inn but ill built and from Aganura after you have travel'd three Leagues through a fat and fertil Country you come to Ispahan CHAP. VII Of the Road from Smyrna to Ispahan through Natolia SMyrna is at this day for Trade whether it be by Sea or Land one of the most celebrated Cities of all the Levant and the greatest Market for all sorts of Commodities which are transported out of Asia into Europe or out of Europe into Asia Hither all the Western Fleets are most regularly bound that came formerly no farther than Ligorn and from whence at times most regularly appointed the fairest Caravans set out This City lyes in 50 Degrees of Longitude and 38 Degrees 45 Minutes of Latitude at the bottom of a Gulf in the Archipelago which is seven Leagues in length upon the right side of the Isthmus which begins to form the Peninsula of Clazomene right against the Iland of Schio It lyes in that part of the Lesser Asia which the Greeks possess'd under the Name of Iconium at a distance almost equal between Ephesus and Sardis and was one of the seven Churches mention'd in the Revelation of St. John It is at this day a great City built like an Amphitheater upon the descent of a Hill that looks toward the Summer-West But it is neither so great nor so beautiful as formerly it was as may be easily conjectur'd by the Ruines of certain Edifices that remain upon that Hill which from the middle to the top where the ancient City stood are altogether uninhabited There are also to be seen the Walls of a fair Castle and above that the Ruines of an Amphitheater where they say St. Polycarp was expos'd to fight with Lions This Amphitheater was not in the form of those other which are usually round for it contain'd but half a Circle being left open to the Sea-side The Turks have almost quite destroy'd it making use of the Stones to build a Fort two Leagues from the City upon the Gulf where the passage is very narrow which the Ships are forc'd to salute as they enter in and to speak with when they sail out Moreover that they might not be put to send for Stones a-far off they consulted whether they might not make use of the Stones of the Christians Monuments as also of those of the Jews which are near the Shore But they took very few whether out of kindness to the Tombs or whether they did not think them so proper for use as the Stones of the Amphitheater This Castle had not been long built but upon an occasion very remarkable In the last Wars of the Turks with the Venetians the Ottoman Fleet having been beaten in the Archipelago the Grand Signor resolv'd to re-fit another to Sea and thereupon sent to all the parts of his Empire where he knew any English or Holland Vessels usually were wont to ride to solicit them to serve him for his Pay More particularly he aim'd at those Vessels which were in Smyrna where there
River The sixth day we pass'd by the Walls of the ancient Philadelphia call'd at present Allachars which was also one of the Seven Churches of Asia There is something of Beauty still remaining in those Walls and the City is very large but ill peopl'd It is situated upon four little Hills at the foot of a high Mountain over-looking a fair Plain to the North that produces excellent Fruit. To witness its Antiquity there is yet the Ruines of an Amphitheater with certain Sepulchers from whence the Inhabitants report that the European Christians took out the Bodies that were buried there and transported them into Europe believing them to be the Bodies of Saints It is now all destroy'd but re-built of Earth by the Turks after their mode It was formerly one of the principal Cities of Mysia and in regard it was alway very subject to Earthquakes the most part of her Inhabitants liv'd in the Country The last time I travel'd that way in the year 1664 the seventeenth of June the Turks were feasting and rejoycing upon the News as they said which they had receiv'd of the defeat of the Christians in Candy But the News was false and only contriv'd to encourage the People for the Grand Signor was then making Levies in those Parts We lodg'd that day after seven hours travel upon the Bank of a small River a League and a half from Philadelphia The seventh day we travel'd eleven hours over a Mountain where those Trees plentifully grow that bear Galls and Valanede which is the shell or rind of an Acorn that Curriers make use of to dress their Leather We lodg'd in a Meadow on the top of a Mountain which is call'd Ijagli-bogase or The Mountain of Robbers The eighth day we continu'd our Journey over the same Mountain which is a very barren Country where there is no Provision to be had We travel'd but six hours and lodg'd near a River in a Plain call'd Sarrouc abaqui The ninth day the Caravan travel'd thorough dry Lands where there is not one Village to be seen and lodg'd near a Bridge built over a River call'd Copli-sou in the Plain of Inahi The tenth day after we had travel'd eight hours over an uneven and barren Country we stopt in a Valley near a River call'd Bana-sou the Water whereof is not good In the Night there arose a Tempest that put us all in a disorder and the Rain that fell was as cold as is it had been in the depth of Winter We were wet to the Skins and were forc'd to throw Coverlets over the Bales to keep the Goods from being spoyl'd The eleventh day we travel'd through a pleasant Country between Vales adorn'd with a most delightful Verdure and we were in view as we pass'd along of certain hot Baths though very little regarded We lodg'd upon the Banks of a small River by the side whereof we had travel'd for some hours The twelfth day we continu'd our Road for six hours between the same Vallies and lodg'd by a River The thirteenth day we travel'd eight hours and stop'd near to a Village in a Country call'd Doüagasse The fourteenth after a Journey of seven hours we pass'd by the Walls of Aphiom-Carassar that is The Black City of Aphiom or Opium because it has a Prospect over a fair and large Country well cultivated where they sow great store of Poppies whence they draw their Opium or Aphiom as the Turks call it Aphiom-Carassar is a great City dirty and ill built the ancient Name whereof I could never learn for the Greeks and Armenians are very ignorant But according to all probability and the situation of the place it ought to be the ancient Hierapolis situated upon the Maeander a famous River of the Lesser Asia that winds and turns the most of any River in the World And indeed we are the more to seek in regard the Turks change the ancient Names according to their own custom and pleasure and give no other Names to Rivers than that of the principal City through which they pass or else deriving their Names from the Colour of their Sands There is to be seen in that City an ancient Castle of Free-stone upon the Point of a high Rock separated from the Mountains that are next it toward the South which make a Semicircle All the Armenian Christians Subjects to the King of Persia passing thorough Aphiom-Carassar must there pay Carage from which they are not exempted though they have paid it before at Erzerom or elsewhere The Caravan does not stop at Aphiom-Carassar as well for that there are no Inns but what are ruin'd as for that about a League farther there is a place where you have excellent Fish and very cheap and they of the City bring Barley Straw and other things which the Caravan wants The Caravan therefore that day lodges upon the Banks of Maeander which is to be cross'd over a Bridge not far distant from a small Village In this River are great store of Crawfish and Carps and the Fishermen will be sure to attend upon the Caravan I have seen some Carps there above three Foot long The fifteenth our Caravan began to part it self some for Tocat some for the Road to Aleppo the one part taking the right-hand Road toward the Winter-East for Syria the other the left-hand Road North-East for Armenia After we were parted we travel'd two or three hours in sight of one another They that go to Aleppo fall into Tarsus where St. Paul was born and from Tarsus to Alexandretta But we continu'd our Road to Tocat and after we had cross'd a great Plain having travel'd six hours we lodg'd in a Mershy place near a small Village There is one thing remarkable in this Road as in many others which manifests the Charity of the Turks For in most of the high Roads that are far from Rivers they have set up Cisterns whither when the Rains fail the neighbouring Villages bring Water for the Travellers who would else be very much distress'd The sixteenth we travel'd eight hours through a very even Country but ill manur'd where we saw a little City call'd Boulavandi There are some Mosquees which the Turks have built out of the Ruines of the ancient Greek Churches from which they have taken Pillars of Marble and other pieces of Architecture to adorn their Sepulchers without any order at all which you meet with very often upon the high Roads the number is the greater because they never lay two Bodies in one Grave There is also in this City an Inn cover'd with Lead which is all the Beauty of it nor do Travellers make any use of it but only in foul weather We lodg'd a League and a half from the City and staid there all the next day The seventeenth we travel'd eleven hours through a mix'd and uneven Country and came to lodge in a Village where there are not above three or four Houses though there be excellent Pasturage about it There is
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
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
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. 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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
carry'd one along with him to Vienna where having had the good fortune not to displease the Prince he testify'd to me at his departure that he should be glad to see me at Mantua where he would not forget the services I had done him This presently infus'd into me a desire of seeing Italy especially upon the opportunity that offer'd it self not long after For Monsieur de Sabran the King of France's Envoy to his Imperial Majesty being to go for Venice and desirous of one that understood the German Language to bear him Company I laid hold of the occasion so that in eight days we got to Venice While we stay'd at Venice I took a view to my great satisfaction of that most Celebrated City and in regard it is in many things like to Amsterdam as in Situation Greatness Magnificence Commerce and Concourse of Strangers my being there did but still reinforce my inclination to Travel From Venice I went to Mantua with Monsieur de Sabran where the Prince being glad to see me again gave me my choice of an Ensign or of a place in the Company of the Ordonnance of the Duke his Father I accepted the latter as being glad to be under the Command of the Conde de Guiche who was then Captain At the Siege of Mantua I had like to have been slain but for the goodness of a Cuirass which I had chosen out of the Princes Magazin being hit with two Bullets above and upon the left pap which had enter'd had not my Arms been excellent proof So that after I was recover'd of my Bruises a longer stay at Mantua did not agree with my desire to travel Therefore some time after the Siege was rais'd I took leave of the Prince who gave me an honourable Pass by vertue whereof five or six Horse-men bore me Company back to Venice From Venice I went to Lauretta from Lauretta to Rome from Rome to Naples from whence returning to Rome again I stay'd there ten or twelve days After that I went to see Florence Pisa Ligorn and Genoa from whence I Embark'd for Marseilles From Marseilles I hasted to Paris where I could not stay long for being desirous to see Poland I pass'd once more into Germany through Switzerland after I had tak'n a survey of the principal Towns of the Cantons I went by the Rhine by Water to visit Strasburgh and Brisack thence by Land crossing Suabia I passed through Ulme and Auspurgh to go to Munich There I saw the Magnificent Palace of the Dukes of Bavaria which William the fifth began and which Maximilian his Son finish'd in the heat of the Wars that troubl'd the Empire From thence I went the second time to Norimbergh and Prague and leaving Bohemia I enter'd into Silesia and pass'd the Oder at Bâ—eslaw From Breslaw I went to Cracovia one of the greatest Cities of Europe or rather a Town compos'd of three Cities the ancient Seat of the King of Poland From thence keeping the Vistula upon the left hand I went to Warsaw and saw there the Court of King Sigismund which is a noble and splendid Habitation From Warsaw I return'd to Breslaw taking the Road toward the Lower Silesia designing to visit one of the principal Officers of the Emperours Houshold who was my particular acquaintance But about two Leagues from Glogaw meeting with Colonel Butler a Scotch Gentleman Colonel of one of the Emperours Regiments of Horse who afterwards kill'd Walesteyne in pursuance of the Orders he receiv'd I gave over my first intended journey His Wife was a great lover of the French so that being earnestly oblig'd by both together I could not withstand the testimonies of their kindness There I understood that the Emperour was going to Ratisbone with his Son Ferdinand the Third to Crown him King of the Romans so that I who had seen the Coronations of the Kings of Hungary and Bohemia being desirous to see the third Solemnity also took leave of my Colonel and hasted to Ratisbone At that time arriv'd to Ratisbone several Jewellers one of which came to his end by an accident so tragical that all the whole Court pity'd his untimely fate He was the only Son of one of the riohest Merchants of Europe that liv'd in Frankfort whose Father had sent him with Jewels to sell at the Coronation For fear of being Robb'd he had conveigh'd them before into the hands of a Jew in Ratisbone his Correspondent to be deliver'd to his Son at his coming This young man arriving at Ratisbone went to the Jew who told him that he had receiv'd a small Casket of Jewels from his Father which he might take away when he pleas'd At the same time the Jew invited the young man to drink and carry'd him to a publick House upon the Key of the City where they continu'd 'till about an hour after day was shut in At this time both going out together the Jew led the young man through a private Street where few people pass'd by and there having stabb'd him five or six times in the Belly with a Dagger left him wallowing in his Blood A while after one of the Emperour's Trumpets going that way in the dark stumbl'd at the Legs of the unfortunate youth who still breath'd and fell upon his Body At first feeling his hands wet he thought it had been some drunken fellow that had eas'd his stomach but upon second thoughts imaging it might be some wounded person he ran and call'd the Officers who coming with Lanthorns beheld the tropick spectacle of a young man weltring in his own gore Thereupon the Officers carrying the Body to the same publick House as being next at hand his face was no sooner wash'd but the Woman and Maid of the House knew him to be the same young man that had been there drinking with the Jew not long before But as for the young man he presently expir'd without being able to make the least discovery However the Jew was seiz'd that evening and being seiz'd cofess'd the Crime The Imperial Laws ordain that a Jew for killing a Christian should be hung upon a Gibbet by the Heels and that two fierce Dogs should be hung by him in the same manner to the end that the Dogs in their madness should tear out his Bowels But the Jews made such presents to the Empress that the Sentence was chang'd though the punishment was not much less rigorous For his flesh was torn with red hot Pincers from several parts of his body in several Streets of the City and boyling Lead pour'd into the raw wounds after which he was broken alive upon the wheel at the publick place of Execution Being upon my departure from Ratisbone I met with Father Joseph Resident there for the King of France who knowing me in Paris propos'd to me to go along with the Monsieur the Abbot of Chapes Brother of the Marshal de Aumont and Monsieur St. Liebau who were then intending for Constantinople and so for Palestine I
every leaf they are like our Lilly's but much bigger And to drink the infusion of the Roots of these Lilly's especially those whose Leaves are blackest for fifteen days together is a most Soveraign remedy against the Pox. Not long after came a Person of a goodly Aspect who seem'd to be an Arabian but he spoke the Persian Language whom Solyman Kan had sent to Compliment the Ambassador He carry'd us to the Tent which the Governour had caus'd to be set up in a Garden near the Town where he also Lodg'd the Capuchins The Ambassador also sent to Compliment the Kan by my interpreter and when the hour was come that we were to set forward he gave order to six of the Captains of his Cavalry to accompany the Ambassador The House where the Governour liv'd in was one of the most beautiful in Persia. And as for the Governour himself we found him in a Gallery that look'd upon the Garden the Floor being all spread over with a Tapestry of Gold and Silk with large Cushions of Cloth of Gold all along the Wall After some Questions and discourse concerning the Affairs of Europe they serv'd in Supper which consisted of several Dishes but no Wine was to be had our drink being only Sherbet and the juice of Granates with Sugar for those that desir'd it We were a long time at Supper for 't is the custom of Persia that when one man rises another takes his place and falls too in so much that the Master of the Feast must have the Patience to stay 'till several have tak'n their turns and when every one has done the Cloth is tak'n away without any more to do Here the Ambassador committed an absurdity for there are no Silver or Gold Spoons in Persia but only long Wooden Ladles that reach a great way Now the Ambassador reaching his Ladle to a Purslane-Dish full of Pottage that was scalding hot clap'd it presently into his mouth but finding it so hot that he could not endure it after several scurvy faces he threw it out of his mouth again into his hand in the presence of all the Company After we had stay'd five days at Sneirne the Caravan-Bashi signifi'd his desire to pursue his Journey Thereupon the Ambassador took his leave of the Governour presenting him with a Watch and a pair of Pistols who in retaliation presented the Ambassador with a stately Horse and a Colt of two years old The next day we dislodg'd and pursu'd our Road to Amadan which is not above three days Journey from Sneirne Amadan is one of the largest and most considerable Cities of Persia seated at the foot of a Mountain where do arise an infinite company of Springs that water all the Country The Land about it abounds in Corn and Rice wherewith it furnishes the greatest part of the neighbouring Provinces Which is the reason that some of the Persian States-men hold it very inconvenient for the King of Persia to keep Bagdat as well by reason of the vastness of the Charge as also for that it draws from Amadan that which should supply other Provinces On the other side it is easie for the Grand Signor to hold it by reason of the neighbourhood of Mesopotamia Assyria and the Arabs Enemies to the Persians by which means Provisions are very cheap which the people would not know where to put off if the King of Persia were Lord of Bagdat We staid at Amadan about ten days by reason of the Rains during which time the Caravans cannot travel While we tarry'd there we were visited by several Babylonian Christians who were glad to see that we had escap'd the Clutches of the Basha of Bagdat who had giv'n order to the Basha of Karkou and the Bey of Sharassou that commands the Frontiers of Turkie to seize us and carry us back to Bagdat For which we might have thank'd the Ambassador and a malicious Rabbi that came along with us in the Caravan from Aleppo who finding the Feast of the Tabernacles to be at hand and that we had a great way to Ispahan left us at Niniveh to keep the Festival with the Jews of Babylon Where that he might insinuate himself into the Basha's favour he inform'd him that there was a Fringuiz in the Caravan whom he look'd upon as a Spy and that he was an Envoy into Persia from the Commonwealth of Venice for he carry'd no Merchandize but had three Chests full of rich Habits and several other things which he took for Presens to the Persian King For out of vanity or folly the Venetian had several times open'd his Chest and expos'd his Gallantry to view And yet he was so clutch-fisted and niggardly in every thing that when there was any occasion to reward the Kan's Servant or any of the Country-men that brought us the Dainties of the place it came all out of my Pocket So that I left him to my Interpreter and the two Capuchins and with three Servants and a Guide after I had staid at Amadan three days I took Horse for Ispahan When I came there the Nazar or Master of the King's Houshold hearing I had left an Ambassador behind me with the Caravan enquir'd of me what manner of Person he was but I pretended I had had little converse with him unwilling to discover his mean Spirit The Evening before his Arrival the Nazar sent to give the Fringuiz notice in the King's Name that they should be ready to go meet the Ambassador the next day which we did and brought him into the City and through Ali's Gate that joyns to the King's Palace Now 't is the custom for all Ambassadors to salute that Gate by reason of a white Marble Stone made like an Asses back and which serves for a Step being as they report brought anciently out of Arabia where Ali liv'd So soon as you have strid over that Stone without touching it which were a great crime you enter into a kind of a Gallery where there are Rooms on each side which serves for a Sanctuary for Criminals which the King himself cannot fetch out of that place That day that the new King receives his Ensigns of Royalty he goes to stride over that Stone and if by negligence he should chance to touch it there are four Guards at the Gate that would make a shew of thrusting him back again But now the Master of the Ceremonies being ready to conduct the Ambassador to the Apartment alotted him as an Ambassador that came from three great Monarchs and a potent Commonwealth he desir'd to lodge at the House of one Pietro Pentalet descended from Venetian Parents whereupon the Master of the Ceremonies conducted him thither and caus'd his Dinner to be brought him While we were eating I counted thirteen Languages spoken at the Table Latin French High-Dutch English Low-Dutch Italian Portuguez Persian Turkish Arabic Indian Syriac and Malaye which is the Language of the Learned that is spoken from the River Indus to China and
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
when the North Wind blows it carry's them into the Sea where they perish There are in Cyprus three sorts of colour'd Earth a Grey-black a Red and a Yellow of which the Venetians fetch away great quantities for their courser sort of Painting There 's also a Mine of White Alome which is the stone call'd Damiantlius 'T is thought that the Ancients had a way to spin this Alome into a kind of Cotton and so to make out of it a certain sort of Cloth that would not consume in the Fire but only be the more perfectly whiten'd thereby The Indians formerly bury'd the dead bodies of their Kings deceas'd in Shrouds of this kind of Linnen and then putting them into the Fire found the bodies all reduc'd to ashes but the Cloth whole out of which they took the ashes and carefully put them into an Vrne which was prepar'd for their preservation When the Basha of Cyprus has a mind to view the Fortress of Famagosta he sends to give the Bey who is Governour thereof notice of it For it is at the Governours choice whether he will give him admission or no. The Basha Hali-Giorgi being a comely old man of above a hundred and two years of age setting out of Nicosia in his Litter with about two hundred Horse when he was come within half a League of Famagosta the Governour of the place sent his Lieutenant with a hundred Horse to Compliment him and to conduct him to the Town Immediately they took upon them the Guard of the Basha's Litter who was not permitted to take along with him above eight or ten of his principal Officers The Cannons roar'd at his entry and he was treated magnificently but he lay not in the Town being conducted back by the same party to the place where they met him in the Morning Upon the third day of October we set Sail about three a Clock in the Morning with a West-North-West Wind and about Noon we were within sight of Famagosta into which place we could by no means be admitted by reason of the Wars between the Turks and Venetians But as far as I could discern a far off there is no easie access to the Port and for the City I could descry no part of it The fourth by break of day we got sight of the Coast of Syria Cape Canger and the Golf of Antioch and about Evening we arriv'd in the Road of Alexandretta From thence we went to Aleppo and stay'd there from the seventh of October to the thirtieth of December On the thirtieth we set forward for Nineveh and with little variation of the Road which I have already describ'd in my third Voyage from Paris We arriv'd the second day of February at Moussul or Nineveh where we stay'd 'till the fifteenth 'till the Kilets or Boats of the Country could be got ready Our Kilet carry'd thirty Passengers and sixty hundred of Aleppo Weight or thirty three thousand pound of Paris Weight upon which the Tigris bore us from Moussul to Babylon CHAP. VII A Continuation of the Road which the Author kept in the fourth Voyage into Asia and particularly of his passage upon the Tigris from Nineveh to Babylon THE fifteenth of February we put off from Moussul and after we had swam six hours we came to lye near a hot Bath about a Musket-shot from the Tigris It was throng'd with Sick people that came thither for their Recovery We kept our selves upon the Watch all night but for all we could do the Arabs stole two Coverlets from a Merchant and a Turk's Cloaths that was gone into the Bath The sixteenth after we had row'd about five hours we came to a huge Dam it is 200 Foot wide and makes a fall in the River of about 20 Fathoms steep The Arabians said that Alexander the Great made it to turn the course of the River others will have it that Darius caus'd it to be made to hinder the passage of the Macedonians by Water However we were forc'd to land our selves and our Goods and to lade them upon Horses which the Arabs brought us The passing this Dam is worthy observation For it is a thing of wonder to see the Kilet all of a sudden fall above sixscore Foot and yet to be kept by the Leather-Bottles still above Water The Water-men that guide the Boat tye themselves and their Oars fast to a Pearch bent like a Semicircle to defend themselves from the force of the Water And indeed this is the Dam that renders Tigris unnavigable The Kilet being come to the place where we expected it we put our Goods aboard and lay in the same place upon the Bank of the River For the Arabs if they perceive the Merchants asleep cut the Cords of the Kilet and setting it a-drift swim after it and rifle away what they please The seventeenth after three hours rowing we met with the River Zab that empties into the Tigris upon Chaldea-side Half a League above the River stands a fair Castle of Brick upon a little Hill but no body dwelling in it it runs to ruine We were twelve hours that day upon the Water and came to lye at a place which was full of Wood where we made great Fires and shot off our Muskets often in the night to scare the Lions The eighteenth we were upon the Water eighteen hours and lay upon the Bank of the River upon Assyria-side That Evening the Arabs brought us Milk-Meats and fresh Butter They swim from the other side of the River with a Boracho under their Stomachs and another upon their Heads wherein they bring their Commodities for which they will have no Money but only Tobacco or Bisket or Pepper The nineteenth in four hours time we met with a River call'd Altum-sou or The River of Gold It flows from the Mountains of the Medes and I travel'd by the side of it for three days together returning from Tauris to Aleppo and passing the Tigris to Mesia The Water of the River is of an excellent tast and it falls into Tigris upon Assyria-side All along the Tigris on the same side are great store of Bituminous Springs and other Streams of hot Water that smell of Sulphur All that day we saw none but Arabs and Curds marching along the Banks of the River the Curds upon Mesopotamia side and the Arabs upon Assyria side They were at War and both sides march'd in very good order The Young men went formost with Bows and Arrows and some Muskets but several Half-Pikes Next to them their Wives Virgins and Children with their Cattel Herds and Camels after which march'd the Old men in the rear As well the Curds as the Arabians sent out Horse-men to scout upon the high Grounds for as soon as they find any advantage they presently swim their Horses over the River and fall on Now because we would not trust those sort of People we row'd nineteen hours to avoid ' em The twentieth we were eleven hours upon the Tigris
the heat of the Sun-beams and if you set a Candle by it in the night you might read two hundred Paces off in your Bed by the reflection From Lyons I rode to Marseilles and set Sail for Ligorn the tenth of January 1664. in a small Bark but being scar'd by a great Vessell that we saw off at Sea we came to an Anchor in the Port of Agaïe two Leagues from Frejus where there stood a pittiful Fort with two or three Houses There we also went ashore and saw a Garden the Alleys of which were distinguish'd with rows of Citron and Orange Trees which look'd as Green in the depth of Winter as in the midst of Summer with several other curiosities after the mode of Italy We were no sooner got aboard again but we perceiv'd another Vessel making into the same Port with sull Sail. It was a Vessel which the Masters of the Forein Office at Toulon had set out to force all Ships that were bound into Italy to pay certain Customs which those of Marseilles would not pay when they came into the Port of Toulon Thereupon foreseeing that there would be mischief done I call'd for my little Chests that contain'd my Goods of greatest value carrying some part my self and giving the rest to one of my most trusty Servants thinking to have skipt into a Genoa Bark that lay hard by us but instead of leaping a-board I fell into the Sea where by reason of the Tumult I had perish'd without relief had I not by good fortune laid hold of a Cable and redeem'd my self At what time one of my Servants luckily coming to my ayd with much ado drew me up safe again Having escap'd this danger I got a-shoar with such of my Servants as I had about me and meeting with a Bark of Frontignan that carry'd Languedock-Wine to the Coast of Italy I hir'd him for Ligorn and setting Sail we first touch'd Villa-franca and afterwards at Monaco At Monaco I went a-shoar and went to wait upon Madam the Princess who shew'd me the Rarities in the Castle among the rest several pieces of extraordinary Painting several pieces of Clock-work and Goldsmiths-work But among all her Curiosities she shew'd me two pieces of Crystal about the bigness of two Fists each in one of which there was above a Glass full of Water in the other a good quantity of Moss which were clos'd in by Nature when the Crystal first congeal'd Monaco is a Castle situated upon a steep Rock advancing out into the Sea which advantage together with others which it receives from Art and Nature renders it one of the most considerable Forts in Italy The next day finding the Frontignan-Vessel to be deep-laden and that it made little way I took a Faluke and kept along by the Shoar which was most pleasantly adorn'd with beautiful Villages and Houses as far as Savona where I chang'd my Faluke to compleat the rest of the way which I had to Genoa Half the way we did very well but the Wind rising we were forc'd to put in to a great Town where we landed and from thence having but nine Miles I got in good time by Horse to Genoa There can be no Prospect certainly more pleasing than that nine Miles riding For on the one side you see nothing but a continu'd Row of magnificent Buildings and lovely Gardens on the other a calm Shoar upon which the Waves seem not to beat but lovingly to kiss Arriving at Genoa I met with the rest of my Servants and at the end of two days I embarqu'd for Ligorn where we arriv'd in four and twenty hours From Ligorn I went to the Court of Florence to wait upon the Grand Duke By whom I had the honour to be admitted into his Chamber where I found no body attending but one Mute who had a long time serv'd his Highness and I observ'd that they understood one another by Signs as perfectly as if the Mute had had his Speech and Hearing So that when-ever the Duke sent him into his Closet for any Papers or other thing whatsoever he never fail'd to bring the right After I had tak'n my leave of the Duke he sent me a noble Present of Wine and Fruits but that which I valu'd more than all the rest was a Case of Medicaments and Counter-poysons in the composition whereof the Italians are very exquisite And yet they did me no service for when I came into the hot Countries their fermentation was so strong that all the Oyls and Treacles broke their several Boxes that I could save nothing of that precious Present The next day being the twenty-sixth of March 1664 I embarqu'd with all my Servants in a Dutch Vessel call'd The Justice The twenty-seventh we staid in the Road expecting the rest of the Fleet consisting of eleven Ships two Men of War and nine Merchant-mon four of which were bound for Smyrna three for Ancona and two for Venice About seven that evening we set Sail and all that night the Wind was favourable but blew hard and veer'd often which was the reason that two of our Fleet separated from us steering between the Isle of Elbe and Corsica while we kept on between the Isle of Elba and Italy The twenty-eighth by eight in the Morning we found our selves between Porto Ferraro and Piombino and it being fair Weather we had a pleasant prospect of those two places From thence we steer'd between two Ilands the one call'd Palmajela the other being nameless About six hours after we saw Portolongone afterwards at a distance we descry'd Monte-Christo An hour after Noon we discover'd Castiglon-sore all the rest of the day we coasted by the Ilands of Gigio and Sanuti The twenty-ninth with the same Wind at North-West by Morning we discover'd the Ilands of Pontia and Palmerola and about Evening those of Ventitione and Ischia Night approaching and there being no news of the Ships we had lost instead of making the Pharo of Messina it was resolv'd that we should steer a Course round about Messina where we expected to overtake them At eleven a Clock in the Evening we had but little Wind at North-North-West so that we made not above fourteen Leagues of way The thirty-first the same Wind continu'd with a high Sea but about nine at Night the Wind chopping about to the West we kept our former Course The first of April by eight of the Clock in the Morning we discover'd the three Ilands that lye before Trepano Levanzo Maretima and Favagna The second and third the Weather was ill and the Wind unconstant so that we made but little way The fourth by break of day we discover'd the Iland of Pantalarea The fifth by Morning we found our selves within a League and a half of the Coast of Sicily just against Cape Passaro at what time the Weather being fair we had a view of Mount Gibello all cover'd with Snow Doubling the Cape in the Afternoon we discover'd the Coast of Saragossa The sixth
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
least prone to Jealousie By the way take notice that the Nogaies though they live almost after the same manner as the Tartars and are under the same Prince yet they perfectly hate them reproaching them for effeminate because they live in Houses and Villages whereas the true Souldier should live in Tents as they do to be ready upon all occasions They that run a-foot as well in these Countries as in Persia when they are weary take Walnuts and bruise them and then rub the Soles of their feet with them before the fire as hot as they can endure it which presently makes them fresh again Having thus done with all the several Roads here follows an Alphabetical Table of the Longitudes and Latitudes of all the Principal Cities of the whole Empire of Persia. THE LONGITUDES and LATITUDES OF THE Principal Cities of PERSIA according as the Geographers of those Countries place them A. A Amoul is in 72 Degrees 20 Min. of Longitude 36 deg of Latitude The Lands about this City abound in Prunes Abeher in 74 deg 20 min. Long. 36 deg 15 min. Lat. 12 Leagues from Casbin a small City but the Land is good about it Absecun in 79 deg 15 min. Long. 37 deg 10 min. Lat. A small City in an excellent Soil Abdehil in 60 deg 20 min. Long. 36 deg 24 min. Lat. The Inhabitants are most Christians and there are many ancient Churches in it It depends upon Sultany Ahwaz 70 deg 15 min. Long. 31 deg 15 min. Lat. A small City half ruin'd in the Province of Belad-Cowreston in a Soil that yields excellent Fruits Arbella 69 deg 50 min. Long. 36 deg 20 min. Lat. A small Champaign City where Provisions are Cheap Ardevil 62 deg 30 min. Long. 38 deg 15 min. Lat. Ardeston 77 deg 10 min. Long. 33 deg 7 min. Lat. Famous for the Copper Vessels that are there made Arion 74 deg 32 min. Long. 32 deg 25 min. Lat. One of the three places where Olives grow in all Persia. Assed-Abad 63 deg 40 min. Long. 34 deg 50 min. Lat. A small City toward Amadan Ava 75 deg 10 min. Long. 34 deg 40 min. Lat. This is a very small place Azadkar or Yevin 82 deg 15 min. Long. 36 deg 32 min. Lat. A City in a great Plain where there are above four hundred Channels under-ground B. Bab El Abab or the Gate of Gates call'd also Demir-capi or the Gate of Iron The Tartars call it Monjou 75 deg 15. min. Long. 45 deg 15 min. Lat. It has been formerly a strong place Badkeist 85 deg 32 min. Long. 35 deg 20 min. Lat. A small but most pleasant City and well built Baste 80 deg 15 min. Long. 29 deg 15 min. Lat. A City in the Province of Kerman where in Summer the Mornings are very cold the Afternoons hot yet the Air very good Bafrouche see Mahmeter Beylagon 63 deg 52 min. Long. 41 deg 20 min. Lat. A City toward the Caspian Sea in a Country abounding in Corn and Fruit. Balk 91 deg 36 min. Long. 38 deg 10 min. Lat. Three days journey from Moultan Bem or Bembe 74 deg 15 min. Long. 28 deg 20 min. Lat. Thought to have been built by Caliph Mouktadar near the great Desert of Bersham Berdoe 63 deg 15 min. Long. 35 deg 30 min. Lat. It lyes surrounded with Pasture-grounds which breed great store of Cattel Berzendé 63 deg 14 min. Long. 37 deg 40 min. Lat. Here are made a sort of course Druggets for ordinary people Beston 79 deg 15 min. Long. 37 deg 20 min. Lat. It lyes in a Country abounding in Corn and Fruits Bimonoheer 74 deg 10 min. Long. 37 deg 30 min. Lat. Here is great Trade for Silk Bost 91 deg 28 min. Long. 32 deg 16 min. Lat. A great City to which belongs the fairest and strongest Castle in all Persia. Bourou-Jerdé 74 deg 30 min. Long. 34 deg 20 min. Lat. Famous for Saffron and for being the native City of many Learned Men. C. Chemkon 63 deg 15 min. Long. 41 deg 15 min. Lat. Chiras 78 deg 15 min. Long. 29 deg 36 min. Lat. Chirvan or Erivan 63 deg 15 min. Long. 38 deg 32 min. Lat. Here all the Silk Caravans rendevous and it is one of the richest Kanats or Governments in Persia. D. Dankon 78 deg 15 min. Long. 30 deg 15 min. Lat. A bad Town in a bad Soil Darabguired 80 deg 15 min. Long. 30 deg 15 min. Lat. In several parts round about this City they meet with Salt of several colours as red and green black and white Here they also make long-neck'd Glass-Bottles which are very curious work nor are they without Sider to fill those Bottles in regard of the great plenty of Apples thereabouts Near to the City there is a Sulphur-Mine and great store of Mummy very much esteem'd in Persia. Debeston 80 deg 15 min. Long. 38 deg 15 min. Lat. This is not properly a City but a great many Villages joyn'd together Deras 79 deg 30 min. Long. 31 deg 32 min. Lat. Devinmaat 62 deg 5 min. Long. 38 deg 40 min. Lat. Din Ver 63 deg 15 min. Long. 35 deg Lat. A City in a fruitful Soil stor'd with Mosquees Doulad 74 deg 15 min. Long. 37 deg 50 min. Lat. The Country about is full of black Mulbery trees Dourak 74 deg 32 min. Long. 32 deg 15 min. Lat. Here they make the loose Cassocks without Sleeves which the Arabians wear Near to this City the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates meeting at a place call'd Hellá make a Marsh where grow the Reeds of which the Eastern people make their Pens E. Elalbetem 87 deg 15 min. Long. 37 deg 15. min. Lat. Eltiib 70 deg 15. min. Lon. 32 deg 15. min. Lat. Enderab 93 deg 15 min. Long. 32 deg 15 min. Lat. Erivan see Chirvan Espharaïen 81 deg 40 min. Long. 37 deg 15 min. Lat. The Country about it abounds in Pears and Apples Estakré 78 deg 30 min. Long. 30 deg 15 min. Lat. The ancient City in the Province of Fars properly Persia in a Soil abounding in Vines and Date-trees Esterabat 75 deg 35 min. Long. 36 deg 50 min. Lat. F. Ferah 18 deg 15 min. Long. 39 deg 15 min. Lat. Built by Abdalla the Son of Taher in the time of Maimon Reshid Caliph of Berni-Abbas Ferouzabad 82 deg 32 min. Long. 30 deg 10 min. Lat. Anciently call'd Hourbecthion G. Girefte 73 deg 40 min. Long. 31 deg 10 min. Lat. One of the biggest Cities in the Province of Kerman The Trade of the City consists in Hones and Wheat Girrcadegon vulgarly Paygon 75 deg 35 min. Long. 34 deg 15 min. Lat. Goutem 74 deg 46 min. Long. 37 deg 20 min. Lat. A little City full of Silk-Twisters H. Hamadan 75 deg 20 min. Long. 34 deg Lat. The Country about it breeds great store of Cattel Hasn-Eltaf or The Center of Beauty
the King's Gardens which close the Alley on each side It is a kind of a Causey of Free-stone somewhat rais'd and four or five Foot broad There is but one row of Trees on each side straight and high call'd Tchinards with one tuft at the top The space between the Channel and the Trees is not pav'd but lyes common and is sometimes sow'd About two hundred Paces from the Tabernacle or Banqueting-house the River falls into a great Pool about thirty or thirty-five Foot in diameter and in that place as also in others somewhat beyond it where there are also other Pools the Walk is cross'd by a Causey pav'd and rais'd ten or twelve Foot broad as the rest are Upon the left hand of the first Pool stands another Tabernacle or Banqueting-house much alike in structure and bigness to the former in which place in a low arch'd Room with a Fountain of Water in the middle you may go and drink Coffee From that House to the Bridge the Walk descends and the Water makes some falls All the Gardens on each side of the Walk both on this side and beyond the Bridge belong to the King But you must not imagin that these Gardens or that of Hezardgerib which is the fairest of all Persia are so curiously set out nor so well kept as ours in Europe For they have no such lovely Borders nor such close Walks of Honeysuckles and Jasmin as are to be seen in the Gardens of Europe They suffer the Grass to grow in many places contented only with a good many great Fruit-trees tufted a-top and planted in a line which is all the grace of the Gardens of Persia. In each side of the Walls between which the Walk runs at a true distance of space are gates neatly contriv'd and over each a little Room Almost in the middle of the Walk between the great Banqueting-house and the Bridge upon the left hand stands a House of the Dervi's to whom the King has giv'n one of his Gardens to build upon There they keep the Rellcks of Haly or some other Prophet for you shall see them standing under a certain Arch before which the Persians make a most profound Reverence These Dervi's come every Afternoon about three or four a Clock into the Bazars of Ispahan every two an old one and a young one choosing his quarter They go from Shop to Shop instructing the People upon some Point or other of the Law the young Dervi's answering the old ones at certain times Their Habit is only two Sheep-skins or Goat-skins the one hanging before the other behind with a great leathern Girdle four or five fingers broad garnish'd with several great Plates of Latten They throw another Sheep-skin cross their Shoulders which they tye before under their Chins Upon their Heads they only wear a little Lamb-skin in form of a Bonnet letting the feet hang down to their Necks over their Cheeks They carry a great Club in their hands as the Painters represent John the Baptist in the Wilderness Between their girdles and their wasts they stuff a company of pittiful Flowers or else a sort of Herbs which after Exhortation both the young and the old Dervi's bestow upon the Merchants and Tradesmen from whom at the same time they receive Alms. Toward the Evening they go home again and I forgot to tell you that before the door of the House stands always a large Vessel of Water with several little Cups and Ice in the Summer where all passengers may drink upon free-cost The River of Senderou which as well as the rest of the Rivers of Persia except the Aras is not able to carry a Boat is a very great relief to Ispahan Behind the Mountains of the South beyond Zulfa is another River call'd Abkuren which about five or six Leagues above Ispahan runs within a League and a half of Senderou Sha-Abas the first attempted to have joyn'd the two Rivers together to which purpose he went about to have remov'd certain Rocks that stood in his way but not being able to compass his design his Successors laid aside all the thoughts of attempting any more Could it have been done the Champaign of Ispahan would have been one of most fertile and delicious places in the World whereas now the River is of no use running through Desert Countries and Plains of Salt As for the River of Senderou in Winter it over-flows but in Summer it has very little Water being oftner foarded than cross'd over upon Bridges About four Leagues above Ispahan they are constrain'd to force it into their Lands to water their Fields and Grounds which else would produce nothing at all Wells they have a great many in several places but besides that they are not able to furnish that great quantity of Water which is necessary the River Water is much better to fatten the Land Now you must observe that their Channels never return to the River being wasted upon the Ground so that the River of Ispahan being very much wasted before it comes to the City by reason that it is still lessen'd by so many Channels about ten or twelve Leagues from thence it ends as it were quite spent in a few Mershes This scarcity of Water which is so general over all Persia is the reason that they are extraordinary Husbands of it and buy it very dear Therefore is the superintendant of the Water which brings the King in a very considerable Revenue one of the most contended for employments in the whole Court. For every Garden is Tax'd more or less according to its bigness for the Water it requires once a Week which Water is let go into the quarters which have need of it every Garden having a particular Channel whence they have their Water by turns But you must have a care of attempting to bring this Water in before your turn for should it come to be known an easie Fine would not excuse the matter I knew two Franks who because they presum'd to take in Water in the night time before it was their turn had like to have lost all their Land by Confiscation had it not been for the particular favour of the King to the Franks and yet all that favour did not excuse them from being soundly amerc'd There are four Bridges a quarter of a Leagues distance one from another that cross the River of Senderou to Ispahan That which crosses the walk bears the name of Alywerdi-Kan who caus'd it to be built being also call'd the Bridge of Zulfa It is built of good Brick joyn'd together with Free-stone and very level not being higher in the middle than at either end It is not above three hundred and fifty paces long and twenty broad being supported by several small Arches of Stone which are very low Of each side there is a Gallery eight or nine foot broad which runs from one end to the other several Arches twenty-five or thirty foot high supporting the Platform where when
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-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
Bank of Ganges toward the West not being less than two Leagues in length But the Houses are no fairer than in the greatest part of the other Cities of India being cover'd with Bambouck or Straw The Holland Company have a House there by reason of their Trade in Saltpeter which they refine at a great Town call'd Choupar which is also scituated upon Ganges ten Leagues above Patna Coming to Patna we met the Hollanders in the Street returning from Choupar who stop'd our Coaches to salute us We did not part till we had emptied two Bottles of Sohiras Wine in the open Street which is not taken notice of in that Country where people meet with an entire freedom without any Ceremony I stay'd eight days at Patna during which time there fell out an accident which will let the Reader understand that Sodomy does not go altogether unpunish'd among the Mahumetans A Mimbachi who commanded a thousand Foot went about to abuse a young Boy in his service and who had several times resisted his attempts complaining also to the Governour and telling him withall that if his Master persisted to urge him any more he would certainly kill him At length the Captain took his opportunity at a House which he had in the Country and forc'd the Boy The Boy o'rewhelm'd with grief and rage took his opportunity also to revenge himself and being one day hunting with his Master about a quarter of a League from any of his other Servants he got behind him and cleft his head with his Hanger After he had done he rode full speed to the City crying out all the way that he had kill'd his Master for such a reason and went immediately to the Governours Lodging who sent him to prison but he let him out at the end of six months and notwithstanding all the endeavours which the Captains Kindred us'd to have had him put to death the Governour durst not condemn him for fear of the people who affirm'd that the Boy had done well I parted from Patna in a Boat for Daca the nine and twentieth of January between eleven and twelve at noon and had the River been deep as it uses to be after the Rains I had taken Boat at Hallabas or at least at Banarou The same day I came to lye at sera-Beconcour costes 15 Five Leagues on this side Beconcour you meet with a River call'd Pomponsou which comes from the South and falls into Ganges The thirtieth to Sera-d ' Erija costes 17 The one and thirtieth after we had travel'd four Leagues or thereabout we met with the River Kaoa which comes from the South Three Leagues lower you meet with another River call'd Chanon which comes from the North. Four Leagues farther you discover the River Erguga which runs from the South and at length six Leagues beyond the River Aquera falling from the same part of the World all which four Rivers lose their Names in the Ganges All that day I saw great Mountains toward the South distant from Ganges sometimes ten and sometimes fifteen Leagues till at length I came to lodg in Monger-City costes 18 The first day of January 1666 after I had gone by Water two hours I saw the Gandet fall into the Ganges flowing from the North. This is a great River that carries Boats That eveining I lay at Zangira costes 8 But in regard of the winding of Ganges all that days journey I might well reckon them by Water two and twenty Leagues The second day from between six in the morning till eleven I saw three Rivers that threw themselves into Ganges all three descending from the North. The first is call'd Ronova the second Then the third Ghanan I came to lye at Baquelpour costes 18 The third after four hours upon the Ganges I met the River Katare which comes from the North and lay at a Village call'd Pongangel at the foot of certain Mountains that descend to Ganges it self costes 13 The fourth an hours rowing beyond Pongangel I met a great River call'd Mart-Nadi coming from the South and I lay at Rage-Mehale costes 6 Rage-Mehale is a City upon the right hand of Ganges and if you go by Land you shall find the high-way for a League or two pav'd with Brick to the Town Formerly the Governours of Bengala resided here it being an excellent Country for hunting besides that it was a place of great Trade But now the River having taken another course above a good half League from the City as well for that reason as to keep in awe the King of Aracan and several Portuguese Banditi who are retir'd to the mouths of Ganges and made excursions even as far as Daca it self both the Governour and the Merchants have remov'd themselves to Daca which is at present a large City and a Town of great Trade The sixth being arriv'd at a considerable Town call'd Donapour six Leagues from Rage-Mehale I parted with Monsieur Bernier who was going to Casenbasar and thence to Ogouli by Land for when the River is low there is no going by Water by reason of a great Bank of Sand that lies before a City call'd Santiqui I lay that night at Toutipour distant from Rage-mehale costes 12 I saw there at Sun-rising a great number of Crocodiles lying upon the Sand. The seventh I came to Acerat costes 25 From Acerat to Daca it is counted by Land forty-five Leagues All that day I saw such a vast number of Crocodiles that I had a great desire to shoot at one to try whether the vulgar report were true that a Musket-shot would not pierce their skin The bullet hit him in the jaw and made the blood gush out however he would not stay in the place but plung'd into the River The eighth I saw again a great number lying upon the bank of the River and made two shot at two with three bullets at a time As soon as they were wounded they turn'd themselves upon their backs opening their throats and di'd upon the spot That day I came to lie at Douloudia costes 17 The Crows were here the cause that we found a very fair Fish which the Fisher-men had hid among the Osiers by the side of the River for when our Water-men saw the Crows in great numbers hovering and making an hideous noise about the Osiers they presently conjectur'd that there was something more than ordinary and they made so diligent a search that at length they found an excellent dish of meat The ninth two hours after noon we met with a River call'd Chativor that runs from the North and we lay at Dampour costes 16 The tenth we lay by the River-side in a place remote from Houses and we travell'd that day costes 15 The eleventh toward evening being come to that part where Ganges divides it self into three Arms whereof one runs to Daca we lay at a large Town upon the entry of the great Channel which Town is call'd Jatrapour costes 20 They that have no
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
the morning he began the assault with four Companies consisting each of a hundred and fifty men The Hollanders lost abundance of men in this last assault and so did the Portugueses for they defended themselves stoutly being seconded by two hundred Soldiers who were all Dutch-men tho they sided with the Portugueses because their Countrymen had bated them six months and a half pay for the loss of Touan Without the assistance of these Soldiers the City had never held out two months there being among them one of the best Dutch Engineers of his time who had left his Countrymen by reason of their ill usage of him At length the Hollanders having enter'd the Town toward evening on Calivete side and being Masters of the chief Bulwark the Portugals came to a Capitulation and the City was surrender'd The Portugals by their Articles march'd out of Cochin with their Arms and Baggage but when they came out of the City where the Hollanders were drawn up in Battalia they were all forc'd to quit their Arms and to lay them at the Generals feet except the Officers who kept their Swords The General had promis'd the Soldiers the Pillage of the Town but not being able to keep his word for several plausible reasons which he told he promis'd them six months pay which in a few days after was reduc'd to eight Roupies a man Samarin also demanded of him the City of Cranganor according to his promise which the General made good but he caus'd all the Fortifications to be slighted first and left Samarin nothing but the bare Walls For being of a very mean Extraction he was naturally as cruel and barbarous in his disposition One time the Soldiers being so put to it for four days together that they could get no food for money two of them had somewhere taken a Cow and kill'd her for which the General when he came to know of it caus'd one of them to be hang'd immediately and had order'd the other to have run the Gauntlet had not King Perca interceded for him King Perca was a petty King of that Country with whom the General was then in Treaty and the Treaty being at length concluded the General muster'd all his Land and Sea-men to the number of about six thousand men A few days after he sent some Companies to besiege the City of Cananor which surrender'd without any resistance When they return'd the General caus'd a Crown to be made for the new King of Cochin the other being expell'd his Country And upon the day which he had appointed for this most solemn Coronation the General sat upon a kind of a Throne at the foot whereof a Malavare or Pirat being led thither between three Captains of each side fell upon his knees to receive the Crown from the Generals hand and to do homage for a petty Kingdom that is to say the little City of Cochin and its Territories which were very small The King and the King-maker were both alike For no doubt it could not but be a pleasant sight to see a Hollander that had been only the Cook of a Ship crowning a miserable Pirat with those hands that had oft'ner handled a Ladle than a Sword In the mean time the Ships that carried the Inhabitants of Cochin to Goa return'd laden with the spoils of those distressed people for contrary to the Articles of Capitulation the Hollanders were no sooner out at Sea but they took from those poor Creatures whatever they had rifling both men and women without any regard to sex or modesty The General being return'd into Batavia they sent a Governour to Cochin who to make the place the stronger demolish'd a great part of the City But this Governour us'd the greatest rigor imaginable even towards the Soldiers he shut them up in the City as if they had been in a Prison nor could they drink either Wine or Sury or Strong-water by reason of the great Imposts which he laid upon them Sury is a drink which flows from the Palm-trees So that when the Portugueses kept Cochin men might live better for five or six Sous than under the Hollander for ten This Governour was so severe that he would banish a man for the smallest fault in the world to the Island of Ceylan to a place where they made Brick sometimes for five or six years sometimes as along as the party liv'd For it is oftentimes observ'd that when any one is banish'd thither though the sentence be only for a term of years yet the Exile never obtains his freedom afterwards CHAP. XVII The Passage by Sea from Ormus to Maslipatan I departed from Gomron to Maslipatan the eleventh of May 1652 and went aboard a great Vessel of the King of Golconda's which is bound every year from Persia laden with fine Calicuts Chites or Calicuts painted with a Pencil which makes them much more beautiful and dearer than those which are printed The Holland Company are wont to allow to those Vessels which belong to any of the Kings or Princes of India a Pilot and two or three Gunners neither the Indians nor Persians being expert in Navigation In the Vessel where I was aboard there were but six Dutch Mariners at most but above a hundred Natives We sailed out of the Persian Golf with a pleasing and favourable Gale but we had not sail'd very far before we found the Sea very rough and the Winds at South-West so violent though full in our Stern that we were not not able to carry out more than one small Sail. The next day and for some days after the Wind grew more violent and the Sea more boist'rous so that being in the sixteenth Degree which is the elevation of Goa the Rain the Thunder and Lightning render'd the Tempest the more terrible insomuch that we could not carry out any other than our top-sail and that half furl'd We pass'd by the Maldives Islands but were not able to discern them besides that the Ship had taken in very much water in the Hold. For the Ship had lain five months in the Road of Gomron where if the Mariners are not very careful to wash the Planks that lye out of the water they will be apt to gape which causes the Ship to leak when she is loaden For which reason the Hollanders wash the outside of their Ships morning and evening We had in our Vessel five and fifty Horses which the King of Persia had sent as a Present to the King of Golconda and about a hundred Merchants Persians and Armenians together who were Traders to India One whole day and night together there rose a cross Wind so violent that the Water rowl'd in from Stern to Stern and the mischief was that our Pumps were nought By good fortune there was a Merchant that had two Bails of Russia Leather besides four or five Sadlers that knew how to sow the Skins who were very serviceable as well to the whole Ship as to themselves For they made
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
are no Gallies can reach them There are seven men and a boy to every Barque They never fish above forty miles from the Land where they think there are Rocks for fear of the Pyrats from which they make all the Sail they can when they see them and easily scape them through the nimbleness of their Vessels I have one observation to make concerning Coral in respect of the Eastern-people The Japonners make little account of Jewels or Pearls valuing nothing so much as a good grain of Coral wherewith they pull the string that shuts their Purses such as we had formerly in England So that they strive who shall have the fairest grain of Coral hanging at the end of the Silk-string that draws their Purses For this reason a piece of Coral as big as an egg fair and clean without any flaw will produce what any man will ask in reason for it The Portugueses have assur'd me they would sometimes give 20000 Crowns for such a piece And no wonder they will give so much Money for a piece of Coral who despising all other Jewels and Pearls care for nothing but that which is in no esteem any where else They set a great value upon the Skin of a certain Fish which is rougher than a Seal-skin Upon the back of the Fish there are six little holes and sometimes eight somewhat elevated with another in the middle in the form of a Rose They make Scabberds for Swords of the Skin and the more those holes grow in the form of a Rose the higher value they put upon them having giv'n ten-thousand Crowns for a Skin To conclude the discourse of Coral you must know that the meaner sort of people use it for Bracelets and Neck-laces all over Asia especially toward the Northern Territories of the Great Mogul and all along the Mountains as you go to the Kingdom of Asen and Boutan Yellow-Amber is only found upon the Coast of Prussia in the Baltick-Sea where the Sea throws it upon the Sand when such and such winds blow The Elector of Brandenburgh who is Sovereign of that Coast farms it out for 20000 Crowns a year and sometimes 22000. And the Farmers keep guards on both sides of the shoar in regard the Sea casts it up sometimes upon one side and sometimes upon the other to prevent the stealing of it Amber is nothing but a certain congelation made in the Sea like a certain Gum for you shall find in several pieces Flies Gnats and other insects congeal'd therein I saw seven or eight Flies so congeal'd in one peice In China when any great Lord makes a Feast it is for his Grandeur and Magnificence to cause three or four several sorts of Perfuming-pots to be set upon the Table and to throw into every one of them a vast quantity of Amber for the more it burns and the bigger the pieces are the more magnificent is the Entertainment accounted The reason of this custom is because they adore the fire and besides that the Amber casts forth a scent pleasing to the Chineses there is a kind of Oil in it that flames after a more unusual manner than other materials of fire This wast of Amber makes it the best Commodity that could be imported into China if the Trade were free for Strangers At present the Hollanders have engross'd all this Trade to themselves and the Chineses come all to Batavia to buy it As for Amber-grise there is no person in the World that knows either what it is or where or how it is produc'd But the fairest probability is that it must be only in the Eastern-Sea though some parcels have been found upon the Coast of England and in some other parts of Europe The greatest quantity is found upon the Coast of Melinda but more especially in t he mouth of a River call'd Rio de Sena The Governor of Mozambique gets in the three years of his Government above 300000 Pardo's of Amber-grise every Pardo containing 27 Sous of our Money Sometimes they meet with very large and very considerable pieces In the year 1627 a Portugal setting Sail from Goa to the Manilles after he had past the Streight of Malacca was by tempest driv'n near an unknown Island where they came to an Anchor Several of the Ship's-Company ventring a-shore met with a River and going to bath themselves in it one of them found a great piece of Amber-grise that weigh'd thirty-three pounds but falling together by the ears about their shares the Captain to reconcile them told them 't was pitty to deface it in regard it was a Present fit for the King and therefore advis'd them to present it to the Vice-Roy who would no doubt reward them for their pains By that means the Captain got the parcel out of their clutches and presenting it to the Vice-Roy got a reward for himself and the Party that found it but the rest had nothing at all In the year 1646 or 1647 a Middleburgher of good quality found a piece of forty-two pounds upon the Coast of the Island of St. Maurice where he commanded for the Holland-Company East of the Island of St. Lawrence and sent it to Batavia but there being a mark as if some piece of it were broken off the Zelander was accus'd to have taken half and turn'd out of his Command whatever he could say to justify himself The Best Which yeilds Musk CHAP. XXII Of Musk and Bezoar and some other Medicinal Stones THE best sort and the greatest quantity of Musk comes from the Kingdom of Boutan from whence they bring it to Patna the chief City of Bengala to truck it away for other Commodities All the Musk that is sold in Persia comes from thence And the Musk-Merchants had rather deal with you for Coral and Yellow-Amber than for Gold or Silver in regard the other is more in esteem among the Natives where they live I was so curious as to bring the Skin of one to Paris of which I caus'd the figure to be cut After they have kill'd the creature they cut off the bladder that grows under the belly as big as an egg neerer to the genital parts than to the navil Then they take out the Musk that is in the bladder which at that time looks like clottedblood When the Natives would adulterate their Musk they stuff the bladder with the liver and blood of the Animal slic'd together after they have taken out as much of the right Musk as they think convenient This mixture in two or three years time produces certain Animals in the bladder that eat the good Musk so that when you come to open it there is a great wast Others so soon as they have cut off the bladder and taken out as much of the Musk as that the deceit may not be too palpable fill up the Vessel with little stones to make it weight The Merchants are less displeas'd at this deceit than the former by reason that they do not find the Musk to
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
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
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
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