down with their Boats and Gruis'd about all over those Seas But there is a stop now put to their great Vessels However in the Night-time and by the power of Number they sometimes force their smaller Barks over the Chain but 't is very rarely that they will venture for fear of being sunk by the Shot from the two Forts There was also formerly another Fort three Leagues off from the Mersh call'd Tana belonging to the River Tanais but it is now ruin'd nor is it Azac as some would have it to be which is fifteen Leagues distant from it The 30th our Vessel put to Sea and Sail'd to a place call'd Donslow or the Salt-Pits which are great Mershes of Salt upon the Shoar fifty Miles from Caffa We arriv'd there the 31st in the Morning Immediately all the People went to Lade Salt for there was no Guard kept upon it and they assur'd us that Two Hunderd Vessels were Laden there every Year with Salt and that there was enough for twice as many if there were occasion These Salt-Pits are supply'd without any Charges For they only let in the Water into the Mersh which is a fat and hard Earth at the bottom There it congeals and becomes a white Salt which has all the good Qualities of Salt and among the rest that it preserves the Moisture of Salted Meats They only pay Three Shillings a Day to those that they employ to lade the Salt without any further Examination how much they carry away About a Mile from the Shoar there is a Habitation of the Tartars whither I went with some of my Servants to buy Provisions but I did not see in all that place above Ten or Twelve Houses with a little Mosquee Only round about it there was a great Number of Tents Round and Square very well clos'd together with several Wagons close and cover'd which serve 'em in stead of Houses The fairest of their Tents were very handsome being made of Round Poles lay'd a cross one upon another and cover'd without with large Furs very light and well stretch'd The Door is made after the same Manner with an opening at the Top for the Light to come in and the Smoak to go out The Door is shut with a piece of Felt. The inside is Hung with Tapestry and the Floor cover'd also with the same Every Family has one Tent of the same Fashion and two others The other is cover'd with a great Sarpler of Wooll for their Cattel and Horses The other cover'd with the same but not so handsome and much larger in the midst of which is a round Pit five Foot deep and two Foot wide and there it is that they dress their Vittles Here their Slaves lie and here they keep their Provisions for the Family The Tartars store up their Corn and their Forrage as do all the Country People in the East in deep Pits under Ground which they call Amber or Magazines Which they cover so exactly that you cannot discern where they have remov'd the Earth so that only they that made the Pits can tell where to find ' em The Tartars dig these Pits either in their Tents or in the Field and as I have said they cover these Pits so like the rest of the surface of the Earth round about it that you cannot perceive where they broak the Ground When they remove their Quarters they do it presently and without any Trouble their Tents being pull'd down and lad'n in less then Half an Hour Their most usual Carriage is by Oxen and Horses of which they breed a Great Number The People profess the Mahumetan Religion but intermix'd with strange Superstitions and Ridiculous Opinions of Fortune Telling and Divination The 2d of September the Wind blew hard and contrary so that we were constrain'd to return for Caffa in regard the Coast where we lay was very dangerous The Seventh at Midnight we put again to Sea with fair Weather which did not long continue For in the Morning rose a most furious Tempest insomuch that we were afraid of being cast away and that which encreas'd our fears was this that our Vessel was very deep Loaden not only the Hold being full but Twelve Foot High above Deck But the Storm thanks be to God was soon over and that which sav'd us was this that the Wind was with us Our Ships Lading consisted in Salt Fish Caveare Oyl Biscuite Wooll Iron Tin Copper Copper and Farthen Ware in all sorts of Harness Arms Utensils of Husbandry Cloth Linnen of all Colours Habits for Men and Women Coverlets Carpets Leather Boots and Shooes and in a word in all things most necessary for Mans Use There were all sorts of Grocery and Pothecary's Ware Spices Perfumes Drugs and all manner of Oyntments So that the Vessel seem'd to be a little Town where every thing was to be had besides the People that were aboard to the Number of a Hunderd The 8th in the Morning we discover'd the Coasts that bound the Lake Maeotis which were very High Lands about 30 Miles distant from us In the Evening we found our selves near Cape Cuodos which Ptolomy calls Cirocondoma shouting out far into the Sea the shoar being all very High Land and seen a great way off From Caffa to this Point we sail'd all along in the Channel from whence to Mingrelia we always kept along by the shoar It is Six and Twenty Mile from Caffa to the Channel of the Lake Maeotis The Country on each side is all in Subjection to and inhabited by the Tartars but so very thinly that all the Coast is like a desert From the Channel of the Palus Maeotis to Mingrelia they reck'n it Six Hunderd Miles along the Coast which consists of pleasant Mountains cover'd with Woods inhabited by the Circassians whom the Turks call Cherks By the Ancients they were generally call'd Zageans as also Mountaineers Pomponious Mela calls 'em Sargacians They are neither the Subjects of the Port nor Tributary to it their Climate being very bad cold and moist it produces no Wheat nor indeed does it afford any thing that is rare and valuable which is the reason that the Turks leave all this vast Country to the Natives not worth the Toyl of Conquering nor the Charge of Keeping The Vessels that are bound from Constantinople and Caffa for Mingrelia cast Anchors in several places along these Coasts and stay at every place a Day or two During which time they Trade with the Cherks with their Arms i' their Hands For when any of them desire to come aboard they give Hostages and so they likewise do when any of the Seamen or Persons in the Ship desire to go ashoar which is very seldom for they are a very perfidious People and therefore they give three Hostages for one The Seamen carry thither all the very same Commodities which they carry into Mingrelia for which they take in Exchange Slaves of all Sexes and Ages Honey Wax Leather and Chacal-Skins which Chacal is
like Cages which they take off and hang on as they please themselves The Saics have no more then one Deck Nor but two Masts with a Boltsprit that is a Main Mast and Mizen These Masts carry but two Sails and for the most part but one They have no Shrouds but one that is very small which is fix'd to the Main Mast and hangs down upon the Deck They have no Skuttles at the top of their Masts So that the Turkish Seamen never run up to the Yards Arms to furl or loosen their Sails which is needless because the Yards Arm is always below upon the Deck so that when they would take the Wind they only draw up the Yards Arm to which the Sail is fix'd The Top-Sail is ty'd to the Yards Arm and when they would make use of it they pull up the Yards Arm with a Pully fasten'd to the Top-Mast-Head Thus it may be easily seen that they neither understand the Use of the Yard-Arms nor Masts of a Ship Neither have they in these Vessels either Pumps to pump out the Water nor Capstalls to weigh their Anchors but they empty out their Water with Pales and then when they weigh Anchor there are Twenty or Thirty Men that take hold of the Anchor-Cables that run through two small Pulleys fasten'd to the Prow of the Ship and draw up the Anchor with all their Might till it be high enough When a Vessel enters laden into any Port they fix four Anchors two to her Poop and two to her Prow and so let her lie And this is all I have observ'd in reference to the Building and Rigging of these sort of Vessels among the Turks As for their Navigation there is nothing of Art nor Security in it The best of the Turkish or Greek Pilots depend only upon a bare Experience without any Foundation of Rules They never make any use of Sea-Carts nor ever make those exact Observations like our Seamen of the Ships way every day set down in Journals by which Observations they know how far they are from the place whither they intend They understand very little of the Compass only they know that the Flowre de Luce always tends toward the North. When they are to make any Voyage they stay for a good Wind and fair Weather Nor do they when that is come presently put to Sea till they have staid eight or ten Hours to see whether the Weather will hold or no and generally they Sail along by the Shore having the Land always in sight But when they are forc'd to take the Main Sea then they make use of the Compass To which purpose they know either by report or experience upon which hand they ought to have the North that they may gain such a Harbour which is all they have to guide 'em for more then this they know not Were they to make long Voyages in the open Sea hardly one Ship would escape a Tempest which they happily avoid keeping as much as they can within sight of Land or near some Harbour When the Wind is very high they furl their Sails and let the Vessel drive with the VVaves If the VVind be contrary they never strive against it but vere about and rather return from whence they came then endure the Violence of a contrary Sea That which ruines 'em is when the VVind blows 'em upon the Shore for then they are so out of heart that they split immediately not knowing what it is to lie by I have heard several old Turkish Captains affirm That there are Fifteen Hunder'd Vessels upon the Black-Sea of which they lose a Hunderd every Year The most dangerous place where Shipwracks are most to be fear'd being at the Entrance of Bosphorus The Entrance into it is very Narrow where generally the VVinds encounter one another of which there is one that still keeps back the Vessels which if it be violent dings 'em upon the Coast which is full of sharp Rocks to the loss of so many Galleys and Ships that their Number is hardly to be numberd 'T is but a little while since that no less then seventeen Galleys were cast away in one day And there is no question but that the frequent Storms that arise at all seasons in the Black-Sea the Surges short and cutting one upon another its streight and narrow Channel and the dangerous Coasts that in part surround it are the chief cause of the several Shipwracks that happ'n there On the other side there is no doubt also but that skilful Pilots and good Seamen would save above half the Vessels which are there lost The Third of August in the Morning we arriv'd at Caffa after a Voyage of eight days all which time we had very fair Weather and little Wind. Upon the Fifth we spy'd the Point of the Tauric Chersonnese For the Greeks call that a Chersonnese which the Latins call a Peninsula and they gave that Name to this almost Tauric Island because it was first inhabited by the Scythians of Mount Taurus It lies toward the East and West being about 250 Leagues in Circuit that is 35 Leagues in length which I take from the North to the South and 55 Leagues in the broadest part But the Isthmus that joyns it to the Continent is not above a League in breadth The Modern Geographers call it Crim Tartary and Precopensian Tartary As much as to say Tartary full of Towns to distinguish the Tartars of this Peninsula that live for the most part in Cities especially all the Winter long from those other European Tartars which inhabit without the Peninsula call'd Nogays as also Hordes or Hordou a word which signifies an Assembly and of which the Turks and Persians generally make use to signifie the Camp of an Army or the Numerous Train of a Court The Country belonging to these two sorts of Tartars Precops and Nogays is that which we call the Lesser Tartary to distinguish it from the Asiatick Tartars that inhabit beyond the Lake Maeotis to the East of the Caspian Sea and thence as far as China The Sea-Coast of this Precopens Peninsula to speak of that part which shoots farthest into the Sea as far as Caffa consists of very high Shoars and Mountains cover'd with Woods and Villages And by the Accompt of the Seamen it is from Constantinople to Caffa through the Black-Sea 750 Miles Tho I know not how they reck'n nor how it can agree with what frequently happens for the Saics to make the Voyage in two Days and two Nights just And therefore by my Accompt it is no more then Two Hunderd Leagues Upon our coming to an Anchor our Vessel fir'd two Guns and the Commander design'd for Azac made all his Musketeers give the Castle a Volley Which done he went ashoar with the Officers that were come to receive him in the Basha's Name Both the City and Port are very free for you have Liberty to go in and out never asking any leave Nor do they come
was a signal that there were people come to sell either Slaves or other Merchandize Upon which they sent away their Long-Boat into which they who had a desire to come to the Vessel put themselves and their Wares and being brought aboard drove the Bargains as they could agree And indeed the War in Mingrelia was very favourable to our Merchants for the Abca's brought 'em all their Plunder and Booty to sell Among the rest there came one day to our Vessel an Abca of Quality having a Train of seven or eight Men at his Heels who seem'd to be the arrantest Rakehels in the World He brought three Slaves and his Men were loaden with Booty and among other Things they had got a Frame of an Idol all of Silver I caus'd 'em to be ask'd Where the Idol it self was To which they answer'd That they had left it in the Church not daring to carry it away for fear it should have kill'd ' em Our Vessel had Forty Slaves when I left it which the Turkish and Christian Merchants had bought for Arms Houshold-stuff and other Commodities They gave 'em what they pleas'd themselves and reck'nd twice as much as the Goods cost ' em They gave no more then Fifteen Crowns for Men from Twenty Five to Forty Years of Age and Eight or Ten for those that were older Handsom Maids from Thirteen to Eighteen were sold for Twenty Crowns others for less Women for Twelve and Childern for Three or Four A Greek Merchant that lay in a Cabin next to mine bought a Woman and a Child at her Breast She had incomparable Features in her Face and a truly Lilly-white Complexion and indeed I never saw more lovely Nipples and a rounder Neck nor a smoother Skin which created at the same time both Envy and Compassion So that I could not chuse but cast a mournful Look upon her saying this to my self Unfortunate Beauty neither would I envy or compassionate thee were I in another Condition and that I did not find my self just upon the Brink of Danger threaten'd with the greatest Miseries imaginable if there can be a greater Misery then that of Slavery But that which surpriz'd me was this That these miserable Creatures were no way cast down nor did they seem sensible of the misery of their Condition At length when they had bought 'em their Masters took from them the Rags that cover'd 'em clad 'em with Linnen and new Habits and set 'em to work the Men and the Boys to moyl in the Ship and the Women to sow Nor did they seem to be much dissatisfi'd with their Habit or the Food which was giv'n only they did not like Working so that the Cudgel was forc'd to walk now and then to quick'n their Laziness We had a good Wind and we made use of Oars as well as Sails in our Bark And for my own part all my discourse was with Father Zampi what course I should take to prevent my falling into the Enemies Hand and my being plunder'd and assassinated by the Mingrelians Which discourse at length brought us to talk of those Persons whose Letters I had sent him He told me the French Ambassador's Letter was a Duplicate of one which he had sent the last Year for Attestations of the Religion of Colchis but when he gave it into my Hands and that I had read it I was surpriz'd to find that having been giv'n me for a Letter of Recommendation there should not be the least mention of my Name Which made me afraid lest Father Zampi should think that the Ambassador had not that Value and Kindness for me which I pretended to make him believe And therefore I thought my self oblig'd to shew him the Letter which the Ambassador had done me the Honour to write to the Prince of Mingrelia of which this was a Copy Thrice Illustrious Prince THE Emperor of France my Master having Commanded me to make use of his Protection to support your Interests in the Ottoman Court upon all Occasions that should offer I am glad of this Opportunity not only to Confirm it by this Letter but for that these two Gentlemen also the Sieur Chardin and the Sieur Raisin will give you farther Assurances of the same Thing in my behalf You will oblige me to believe 'em and in Consideration of that Value which I have for their Persons to support and defend 'em with all your Authority so long as they shall sojourn in your Court and when they depart from your Court in order to their going forward into Persia I hope you will freely grant 'em that Favour and add to the rest that one more of believing me to be Thrice Illustrious Prince Your most Humble and Obedient Servant De NOINTEL Ambassador for his Most Christian Majesty the Emperor of France at the Ottoman Port. About Midnight we arriv'd at the Mouth of the River Astolphus call'd by the Mingrelians Langur and which is one of the biggest Rivers in Mingrelia There we stopp'd and sent to Anarghie two of our Seamen to know what News of the Enemy and to see whether the People were not fled and in what condition they stood This Anarghia is a Village two Miles from the Sea the most considerable in all Mingrelia consisting of a Hunderd Houses but so far distant one from the other that it is two Miles from the first to the last There are always Turks in this Village that come to buy Slaves and have Barks ready to carry 'em away And it is said that this Village is built in the same place where formerly stood a fair and large City call'd by the Name of Heraclea The fifth before day the two Seamen return'd and brought us word that the Abca's had made no Inroads within Fifteen Miles of Anarghia but that things were quiet without any Disturbance or Alteration Thereupon Father Zampi desir'd 'em to Row hard to the end we might come early to the Village and Land our Goods before we should come to be seen by any Person All things fell out to our Wish and we took a Lodging at a Country-Mans House which was one of the best Accommodations in the Town For we had a great many Chests the biggest of which was full of Books Thereupon Father Zampi advis'd me to open it and take out the Goods in the sight of the People of the House to the end they might have no suspicion that we carry'd any Treasure in our Chests but might be ready to give it out that we were only Persons in Holy Orders for which reason we loaded our selves with a great Number of Books for our particular use I follow'd his Advice and found it to be very good For the People of the House were amaz'd to see nothing in such a large Chest but only Books and I am apt to believe they conceited there was nothing else in all the rest The ninth a Lay-Theatin came to see us He was the Physitian and Surgeon that serv'd all Mingrelia
and let my Servant ride to look after ' em The Lay-Brother was also a Horseback and it rain'd as hard as it could pour after two days insomuch that the Fryer had like to have been drown'd about a League from the Castle in a deep Ditch that overflow'd its Banks into which his Horse fell and out of which with much ado we recover'd him half dead I shall not relate the Hardships I endur'd both that and the following days as being constrain'd to march afoot in a rainy season through the Woods full of Water and Mud where I went for the most part up to the Knees only in a word that 't was impossible for any Person to endure more then we did For my own part I was quite spent All that I had left was a remainder of Courage and Resolution to do and suffer whatever befel me to save those Goods that were entrusted to my Care In the Evening we arriv'd at Anarghia wet to the very Skin Anarghia being six Leagues from the Castle of Sabatar The 12th I was to have Embark'd but was prevented by the News that was spread about of several Barks of the Mingrelians and Abca's that were Cruising upon the Coasts of Mingrelia Which was very true for they had taken several Barks of the Country and one among the rest wherein I was concern'd Yet the unspeakable trouble which this delay gave me did not proceed so much from its keeping me in continual Fears and Dangers as that it seem'd to threaten me that I should never get rid of ' em The 19th Father Zampi had Intelligence that the Day before they had forc'd open the Church-Doors taken away all that was in the Church had open'd the Sepulcher and carry'd all that one of the Theatins who was left to look after the House had hid in the Tomb and that there was nothing left standing but the Wall This News put me into a terrible fright considering I had left above Seven Thousand Pistols buri'd in the Church Upon which I dispatch'd away a Messenger to my Comrade thinking to have found him at the Castle but he was already gone to the Theatins Residence to know what course we should take to repair so great a Misfortune of which he had Notice as soon as my self But he wrote me word That Thanks be to GOD they had not so much as touch'd our Money having found it in the same place where we had buri'd it VVhich good News wonderfully reviv'd my Spirits looking upon so great a Favour of the Almighty as a sign of his Attonement so that I went to encourage the Turks whose Feluke I had hir'd to set Sail with all speed The 27th I departed from Anarghia my Feluke being a Vessel of good Burthen wherein there were near Twenty Persons the one half Slaves the rest Turks which I the rather permitted the Master to take in that we might be the better able to defend our selves against the Rovers that infested the Coasts After an Hours Sailing we got into the Main Sea For the Langur which we left is very rapid and runs with a furious Stream and besides he must be a skilful Pilot that carries a laden Vessel down that River by reason of the many Flats where they stick upon the Sands I staid all Day-long near the Shoar at the request of the Master of the Shallop who expected two Slaves to be brought him that Evening While I tarry'd at Anarghia I was invited to two Christnings whither I went to observe the manner of the Mingrelian Baptism and found that Father Zampi had been very exact in his Relation For the Ceremony was no otherwise then thus perform'd in a Neighbours House adjoyning to the Lodging where I lay He sent for the Priest about Ten a Clock in the Morning who was no sooner come but he went into the Buttry where they kept the Wine and sate himself down upon a Bench without any other then his ordinary Habit and then fell a reading in a Book that was half torn about the bigness of a New Testament in Octavo Not that the Child was brought to him when he began to read for the Father and Godfather did not bring him till a quarter of an Hour after and then appear'd a little Boy of about five Years of Age at what time the Godfather brought also a little Searring Candle and three Grains of Incense The Candle the Godfather likewise lighted and fix'd it to the Door of the Cellar where though it was burnt out before the Child was Baptiz'd they did not light up another and as for the three Grains of Incense they were strew'd upon a few Embers and smoak'd away All this while the Priest read on very fast and with a low Voice and in such a careless manner as if he never minded what he did The Father and Godfather went to and agen all the time and so did the Child that did nothing but eat At length after an Hours reading there was a Bucket of warm Water got ready into which after the Priest had pour'd about a Spoonful of Oyl of Walnuts he bid the Godfather undress the Child which was done and the Child put naked into the Bucket where as he stood upon his Feet the Godfather wash'd his Body all over and when he had well wash'd him the Priest took out of a Leather Pouch that hung at his Girdle as much Myrone or Oyl of Unction as came to the weight of a Pea and gave it to the Godfather who Anointed with it almost all the parts of the Childs Body as the top of the Head the Ears Forehead Nose Cheeks Chin Shoulders Elbows Back Belly Knees and Feet All which time the Priest read on still nor did he give over till the Godfather had again drest the Child Which being done the Father brought in Wine Bread and a piece of boyl'd Pork and first gave the Child to eat then presented the Priest the Godfather the Guests and all the House and then they all sate down to the Table nor was there hardly one that was not drunk before he went I have also seen Mass perform'd in the same place which is done with the same Carelessness and Irreverence and altogether as has been related in a Treatise of the Mingrelian Religion And once it was my hap to see one very pleasantly interrupted For as I was flying with one of the Theatins we pass'd along before a Church where they were saying Mass At what time the Priest that said it understanding that we enquir'd the way of the People that stood at the Door Stay a little cry'd he from the Altar I 'll come and tell ye Immediately after he came to the Door muttering his Mass between his Teeth and after he had ask'd us whence we came and whither we went he shew'd us the way and so return'd to the Altar again The 29th betimes i' the Morning we put to Sea the weather being clear and fair and then we
could discover the high Lands of Trebisond on the one side and of the Abca's on the other and that very easily because the Black Sea beginning to wind toward the Abca's Coasts Anarghia stands far out in the circular circumference of those Coasts answering to Trebisond The Black-Sea is 200 Leagues in length wanting Twelve or Fifteen lying just East and West The broadest part North and South from the Bosphorus with Boristhenes is three degrees which part is the Western end of the Sea the Opposite part not being above half so broad The Water of this Sea seem'd to me less Clear less Green and less Salt then the Water of the Ocean Which proceeds as I am apt to believe from the great Rivers that empty themselves into it and for that it is shut up in its self as it were in the bottom of a Sack so that it ought to be more properly called a Lake then a Sea like the Caspian Sea With which it agrees in this that is common to both that in neither of the two Seas there are any Islands And therefore 't is in vain to seek for the reason of its Denomination from the colour of the Water The Greeks gave it its Name from the Dangerous Navigation dayly experienc'd by those that ventur'd into it by reason of the Tempests there more frequent and boistrous then in other Seas Axenos signifying inhospitable and that will not suffer any Person to come near it The Turks therefore for the same reason call it Cara Denguis or the Furious Sea Cara which in the Turkish Language properly signifies Black denoting also furious dangerous terrible and serving usually in that Idiom for an Epithite given to thick Forrests rapid Rivers and steep and rugged Mountains Now the reason why the Storms are more Violent and Dangerous in that then in other Seas is first because the Waters are contracted within a narrow Channel and have no Outlet the Bosphorus not being to be accompted an Outlet by reason it is so very streight And therefore the Waters being Violently agitated by a Storm and not knowing where to have Room and being strongly repell'd by the shoar they Mount and rowle aloft and beat against the Ship on every side with an Invincible swiftness and force Secondly because there are few or no Roads in that Sea which are shelter'd from the Wind but where there is more danger then in the open Sea All the Black-Sea is under the Dominion of the Grand Signior there is no Sailing there without his leave so that there is no great fear of Pyrates which in my Opinion are a greater danger then the Sea it self All that Day we sayl'd with a Contrary Wind which was the reason we did not make above Six Leagues however in the Evening we bore into a River call'd Kelmhel deeper and almost as broad as the Langur but not so rapid The 30th Two Hours before Day we set sail by the light of the Moon and by Noon we made the River Phasis and bore up into it about a Mile to certain Houses where the Master of the Feluke was desirous to unlade some of his Goods The River Phasis takes its rise out of Mount Caucasus call'd by the Turks Fachs though as I observ'd the People of the Country call it Rione I saw it first at Cotatis where it runs in a narrow Channel very swiftly yet sometimes so low that it is easily fordable But where it discharges it self into the Sea which is about Fourscore and Ten Miles from Cotatis there the Channel is about a Mile and Half Broad and Sixty Fadome deep being swell'd before that by several lesser streams that pour themselves into it The Water is very good to Drink though somewhat Muddy thick and of a Leaden colour of which Arrian asserts the cause to be the Earth that is intermix'd with it He farther adds and other Authors also affirm the same that all the Ships took in Water at Phasis out of an Opinion that the River was sacred or believing it to be the best Water in the World There are several small Islands at the Mouth of the River which appear very delightful as being shaded with thick Woods Upon the biggest of which to the West are to be seen the Ruins of a Fortress which Sultan Murat caus'd to be built in the Year 1578. For he had made an Attempt to Conquer all the Northern and Eastern Coasts of the Black-Sea But this Enterprize did not succeed according to his Design For to that purpose he sent his Galleys up the River Phasis but the King of Imiretta having laid considerable Embuscado's where the River was narrowest Murat's Galleys were defeated one sunk and the rest forc'd to fly The Fortress of Phasis was tak'n by the Army of the King of Imiretta reinforc'd by the Prince's of Mingrelia and Guriel The Castle was presently demolish'd wherein there were 25 Pieces of Cannon which the King caus'd to be carry'd to his Castle of Cotatis where they are now again in the Hands of the Turks by the late surrender of the Castle belonging to that place I fetch'd a Compass about the Island of Phasis to try whether I could discover any Remainders of the Temple of Rhea which Arrian says was to be seen in his time but I could not find the least Footstep of any such thing Yet Historians affirm that it was standing entire in the time of the Grecian Empire and that it was Consecrated to the Worship of Christ in the Reign of the Emperour Zeno. I sought likewise for the great City call'd Sebasta which Geographers have plac'd at the Mouth of Phasis but not a Brick to be seen no more then of the Ruines of Colchis All that I observ'd conformable to what the Ancients have wrote concerning that part of the Black-Sea is only this That it abounds in Pheasants Of which there are some Authors and among the rest Martial who say That the Argonauts first brought those Birds into Greece where they had never been seen before and that they gave 'em the Name of Pheasants or Phasiani as being taken upon the Banks of Phasis This River separates Mingrelia from the Principality of Guriel and the petty Kingdom of Imiretta Anarghia is distant from it 36 Miles All the Coast is a low Sandy Soyl cover'd with Woods so thick that a Man can hardly see six Paces among the Trees In the Evening I caus'd the Master to put to Sea with a fair Gale and at Midnight we Sail'd before a Haven call'd Copoletta belonging to the Prince of Guriel The 30th after Noon we arriv'd at Goniè distant from Phasis about 40 Miles the Sea-Coast being all exceeding High-land and Rocks some cover'd with Wood and others naked It belongs to the Prince of Guriel whose Territories extend to a River about half a Mile from Goniè Goniè is a large Castle four-square built of hard and rough Stones of an extraordinary bulk seated upon the Sea-side upon a
since at this City and is now going in all hast to the Palace which is the a Refuge of the Universe You must of necessity fully and exactly b inform your self of his designs and what Petitions he has to make to the most High Court and when you rightly understand ' em see that you use your best Endeavour that they may be favourably answer'd We shall be very desirous to know what Effect and Success our Recommendation shall have and after what Manner this Hlustrious Friend shall be receiv'd and entertain'd We also desire you to send us the good Tydings of his Health We pray to God that he may have the favour and the happiness to be well receiv'd of our Great King To whom I wish that c all the World may pay Homage and that he may prosper in all his Undertakings The Eternal God grant ye long life a The Persian word which I have translated the Refuge of the World is Alempenha Alem signifies the whole entire World or Universal Nature Penha a Retreat a Haven a Place of Security and to which a Man may have recourse b In the Original it is that they inform themselves For the Eastern People addressing themselves to Persons of Quality to denote the Person make use of the Third Person Plural and when they mean themselves speak in the Third Person Singular Which is also the Proper Idiom of the Holy Language c In the Persian it is That all Souls may serve his Name his Name Repetition is a Figure very frequent in the Oriental Languages and questionless borrow'd from the Sacred Language Of which there are a Thousand Examples in the Original Bibles as in the 68. Psalm v. 13. They are fled they are fled That is They are absolutely fled And Psalm 8. 7. v5 The man the man That is the Perfect Man Afterwards I went and took leave of the Principal Lords of the Court and among the Rest of the General of the Mint This Lord who was call'd Mahamed Shefi perswaded me to go to Ispahan by the way of Ardevil assuring me that I should not fail to sell in that City Thereupon I promis'd him so to do and took along with me a Letter of Recommendation to the Governor of that City who was his near Kinsman Which I thus Translated into French GOD Thrice High and Potent Lord Glorious Majesty worthy to be call'd Celestial Elect of the Governors Deputy Lieutenants and Happy Men Fountain of Grace Honour and Civility Exemplar of Purity Model of Generosity and Manificence Heart Sincere Real and Faithful Protector of his Intimate Friends and Kindred My most Excellent Lord and Master I beseech the most High God to preserve your Health and prolong your Life Having paid you my due Respects and Homage These are to let you understand Great Sir whose Wit is Clear and Glistering like the Sun That Mr. Chardin the Flower of European Merchants intending to go through Casbin to the Magnificent Palace which is the Refuge of the Universe I who am your Real Friend perswaded him out of a desire to serve you to go through the Sacred Ardevil He carries with him certain Commodities of an Extraordinary value which he will shew in the presence of your thrice a Noble Person I am certain you will buy if you meet with any thing that is worth your having and I am assur'd your Highness will command your People to take care of this Noble Stranger I am preparing to go for Tifflis with God's Assistance toward the end of the next Month Zilhage If I can serve your Excellency in that Country you will do me a great Honour to let me know it I beseech ye to believe that a richer Present cannot be made me then to bring me Tydings of your good Health God through his favour preserve your Illustrious Person till the Day of Judgement I am the true Friend of the Thrice High and Thrice Illustrious Lords Geonbec Hiaiabec and Mahamed-bec I am apt to believe for my own Repose the Continuation of their Health The Seal contain'd a Verse or Sentence of which this was the Meaning I have wholly left my Destiny to God I Mahamed Shefi his Creature Upon the outside of the Letter at one Corner was written in a small Character God preserve the happy Condition of my Friend While I stay'd at the Camp there arriv'd a Courier from the King who brought his Majesties Answer touching the Patriarch's Business And I understood at the Governours that the Contents were That the Chief Ministers were of Opinion that the Treasure at Ecsmiazin should be sold with all the Ornaments and all the Wealth belonging to the Church and Convent and that the Money that was made of it should go to the payment of the Patriarch's Debts And that this Resolution had been taken except Opposition had been made by the Armenians by representing that all that Money would nothing near satisfie the Patriarch's Concerns and that if they took away from Ecsmiazin its Treasure and its Ornaments they would ruine a place that drew a world of Company into Persia and which yearly paid a very great Rent occasion'd by the Devotion and Concourse of the Eastern Christians That upon that the King had decreed That the Money should be levy'd in Armenia upon all the Christian Villages to satisfie the Customer of Constantinople whom there was a necessity to see paid The Patriarch was over-joy'd at the News and made a Present to him that brought it but it displeas'd all the honest People in the City who were vex'd to the Souls to see the Prelate so insensible of the Violence they were going to offer to thousands of Poor Christians to pay for the Expences of his irregular Ambition The 8. an hour before day I parted from Erivan and travell'd four Leagues over the little Hills and through Valleys the Country which I cross'd being full of Villages In one of which that was a very fair and large one I lodg'd call'd by the name of Daivin The 9. we travell'd five Leagues through a Country that was very level and fertile That which they call the Mountain of Noah lying upon the Right Hand We directed our Course South-West and lay at a Village call'd Kainer The 10. we continu'd the same Road and travell'd eight Leagues Upon the left hand after we got half the way we left a great Town call'd Sederec Which is as it were the Capital of the Province of Armenia call'd Charour The Sultan of which Province resides in that Town That Night we had but a very bad Lodging in an old ruin'd Inn near to a Village call'd Nouratchin The 11. We travell'd four Leagues upon the same Road and through a very fair Country but not so level nor smooth as being stony and full of little Hills We also ferry'd over a River call'd Harpasony that waters all the Neighbouring Lands It separates the Government of that part of Armenia of which Erivan is the Capital from that