aboard to search the Vessels But when a Ship drops her Anchor several Boats make from the Haven to carry those ashoar that are desirous to go Caffa is a great Town built at the bottom of a little Hill upon the Sea-shoar It extends it self more in length then breadth lying in length very directly from the South to the North encompass'd with very strong Walls that advance a little into the Sea which is the reason that when we take a Prospect of the City from the upper part of the Deck it seems to be built like a Half-Moon The Castle upon the South side stands upon a Rising Ground that commands all the parts thereabout being very large and the Residence of the Basha The other is not so big but well stor'd and defended with great Guns the Sea washing that side which is next to it They reck'n about 4000 Houses to be in Caffa of which 3200 are inhabited by Mahumetans Turks and Tartars and 800 by Christians Greeks and Armenians though the Armenians are more numerous then the Greeks The Houses are but small and all built of Earth as are also their Bazars or Market-places their Publick Structures Mosquees and Baths There is not one Building of Stone in all the City except eight Churches somewhat gone to decay formerly built by the Genoeses This Caffa was once call'd Theodosia which the Greeks built in the fifth Age. Afterwards it fell under the Dominion of the Genoeses with several other Sea-Port Towns in several parts of that Sea in the Thirteenth Age in the time of the Holy War and during the weak and low Condition of the Eastern Emperors But Mahomet the Second won all those Places from the Genoeses toward the end of the Sixteenth Age Caffa being taken in the Year 1574. The Soyl about Caffa is Dry and Sandy nor is the Water good but the Air is very pure and wholsom There are very few Gardens about it nor is there but little Fruit. However they bring great Quantities from the Neighbouring Villages though it cannot be said to be very delicious However I do not know whether there be any other City in the World where other Provisions are cheaper and better Their Mutton is exceeding well-tasted and not above one Farthing a Pound Their other Provisions of Bread Fruit Wild Fowl and Butter is sold proportionably at a cheaper Rate Salt is as good as giv'n ye and in a word whatever is necessary for Human Sustenance costs little or nothing Nevertheless by the way take notice that Fresh Fish is a very great Rarity and very small whatever that they catch in the parts round about the Harbour and that only at certain times as in Antumn and the Spring Almost all the Turks and Tartars that live in the Town wear little Bonnets of Cloath fac'd with Sheepskins But in regard that over all Asia Bonnets are most usually worn among the Christians those of Caffa are oblig'd to fasten to theirs a little piece of Cloath such as the Jews in Germany wear upon their Cloaks to distinguish 'em from the Mahometans The Road of Caffa is shelter'd from the Winds except it be to the North and South-East and the Ships lie at Anchor near the Shoar in Ten and Twelve Fathom Water Ouzie at the bottom and very safe There is also a great Trade driven there more then in any other Port belonging to the black-Black-Sea During the Forty Days that I staid there I saw come in and go out above Four Hunderd Sail of Ships not counting little Vessels that keep close to the Shoar The most usual and most considerable Trade which they drive consists in Salt Fish and Caveare which comes from the Lake Maeotis and is thence transported into Europe and as far as the Indies 'T is incredible what a World of Fish is caught in that Lake considering its extent And the reason which the Country People give for the Infinite Multitude of Fish there bred and taken is this For that the Water of that Lake being muddy thick and not very salt because of the Tanais that empties it self into it it invites not only the Fish out of Tanais and the black-Black-Sea but also out of the Hellespont and the Archipelago where they breed and grow fat in a small time Several Persons have assur'd me That they usually catch Fish in that Lake which weigh every one Eight and Nine Hunderd Pounds and of which they make between three and four Hunderd weight of Caveare 'T is true I never saw any such large Fish alive at Caffa however I am apt to believe it by the pieces of Fish which I have seen and the vast Quantities which they export into a Thousand Places Their Fishing lasts from October till April And perhaps it is the Mudd of that Water of Maeotis which makes 'em call it a Mersh for otherwise it would be more properly call'd a Lake in regard it bears Vessels of Burden nor do the Waters rise or fall and besides that it continually partakes of a great River and the Sea Next the Exportation of Caveare and Fish the most considerable Trade is driv'n in Corn Butter and Salt with which this City furnishes Constantinople and several other places The Caffa Butter is the best in all Turkey The Venetians have several times desir'd leave to Trade to this Town but it would never be granted In the Year 1672. Signor Quirini was at great Expences to obtain it and he had obtain'd it indeed but the Customer of Constantinople caus'd the Licence to be revok'd upon this Occasion All the Europeans have it agreed in their Capitulations That they shall pay no Customs but in such places where they unlade their Goods By Virtue of which Article the Venetians would pay no Customs at Constantinople for Goods that came in a small Vessel bound for Caffa which the Farmer of the Customs claim'd And Signor Quirini obtain'd an Order from the Defterdar to the Farmer not to take any Cognizance of what was in the said Venetian Vessel Which Defterdar is the High Treasurer of the Empire and has all the Customs under his Inspection But the Customer seeing this Order wrote to the Vizier That the Trade of the Venetians into the Black-Sea would be very prejudicial to the Grand Signior and the Port and that the particular Damage to his Highness was most visible in regard the Merchandize which is proper for the Black-Sea and brought from Venice pays Customs twice at their coming into the Port of Constantinople and going out That it was the same thing as to the Commodities that were brought out of that Sea and which the Venetians Export all which the Grand Signior would lose if the Venetians had Liberty to Trade thither in regard that by Virtue of their Capitulations they ought to pay no Customs but where they discharge their Merchandises Besides that to permit the Venetians an Entrance into the Black-Sea was to open a new way for the Christian Princes to Correspond
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
are of a Peculiar sort of Workmanship and shew the curiosity of the Artist For they are built one over the other and the uppermost is much higher and larger in the Diameter then that below which serves for a Basis to the other There are also three Hospitals in the City very neat and well in repair however there is no body lodg'd within 'em only they give Victuals to those that come twice a day These Hospitals at Tauris are call'd Ach-tucon that is Places where they spend a great deal of Victuals At the end of the City to the West upon a little mountain stands a Hermitage a very neat piece of Workmanship which they call Ayn Hali or the Eyes of Haly. This Califf whom their Prophet made his Son-in-Law was as the Persians report the most lovely man that was ever seen so that when they would signifie any thing that is extreamly handsom they say t is Haly's Eyes This Hermitage serves the Taurisians for a place of Devotion and the way to it for a walk of Pleasure Without the City of Tauris to the East appears a great Castle almost gon to decay which they call Cala-Rashidé It was built above 400 years ago by Cojé Reshid Grand Visier to King Kazan The Story reports that their King had five Grand Visirs because he did not believe that one could suffice to dispatch all the affairs of so great a Kingdom Abas the Great seeing that Castle ruin'd and judging it advantageously seated as well to defend the City as to command it caus'd it to be repair'd about fifty years since but his Successors not being of his opinion let it go to Ruin There are also to be seen the Ruins of the Principal Edifices and Fortifications which the Turks built there during the several times that they were Masters of it So that there are very few Rocks or Poynts of Mountains joyning to the City where nothing but the Ruins of Forts and Heaps of Rubbish are to be seen Of which I carefully survey'd a great Part but I could not discover any thing of Antiquity There is nothing to be digg'd up but Bricks and Flint Stones The onely Edifice that remains most entire among the Turkish Buildings is a large Mosquee the inside of which is inlay'd or rather pargetted with transparent Marble and all the Outside variegated in Mosaic work But the Persians account the Place defil'd because it was built by the Turks whose Faith they abominate Among the heaps of Rubbish of which I have spoken without the City to the South appear the Ruines of the Palace of the late Kings of Persia And to the East those of the Castle where they say Cosroes lodg'd and where he laid up the Holy Cros for Security and all those other sacred Spoyles which he brought away from Jerusalem The Piazza of Tauris is the most spacious Piazza that ever I saw in any City of the World and far surpasses that of Ispahan The Turks have several times drawn up within it Thirty Thousand Men in Battel Toward the Evening this Piazza is fill'd with all the meaner sort of People that repair thither for Sport and Pastime Where some are for Gaming some for Tricks of Activity some for seeing Jack-Puddings and Mountebanks act their Drolleries some for Wrestling others for Bull and Ram-fighting others for repeating Verses some reciting Stories in Prose and some to see Wolves dance The People of Tauris take great delight to see that sort of Sport insomuch that they bring those Dancing Wolves a hundred Leagues an end after they are well taught And such as are best instructed are sold for five hunder'd Crowns a piece many times also great Quarrels arise about these Wolves which are not easily appeas'd Nor is this Piazza empty in the day time as being a Market for all sorts of Provisions and things of small Price There is also another Piazza at Tauris which appears in the Plate before the demolish'd Castle call'd the Castle of Jafer-Pacha This was a Place for the Rendezvous and exercise of the Souldiers belonging to the Garrison now it serves for the Shambles where they kill and dress all sorts of large Meat which is sold in all parts of the City I have with great diligence endeavour'd to understand the number of the Inhabitants in Tauris but could never have a just account but I think I may truly reck'n it to amount to 550 Thousand Persons yet several Persons in the City would make me believe there could not be less than Eleven hundred Thousand The number of Strangers also which are there at all times is very great for that they resort thither from all parts of Asia Nor do I know of any sort of Merchandize of which there is not there a Magazine to be found The City is full of Artists in Cotton in Silk and in Gold The fairest Turbans in Persia are there made And I have heard several of the Principal Merchants of the City affirm that there are above six thousand Bayles of Silk wrought out in Manufacture every year The Trade of the City extends all over Persia and Turky into Muscovy Tartary to the Indies and over the Black-Sea The Air of Tauris is cold and dry very good and healthy nor can any man complain that it contributes to any bad disposition of Humors The Cold continues there a long time in regard the City is expos'd to the North for the Snow lies nine months in the year upon the tops of the Mountains that surround it The Wind blows almost every day Morning and Evening It also rains very often unless it be in the Summer nor is the Sky but seldom without Clouds any season of the Year It is seated in 38. deg of Latitude and 82 of Longit. It abounds with all things necessary for human Support so that a Man may fare there deliciously and very cheap The Caspian Sea which is not above forty Leagues distant affords 'em Fish And some they also take in the River of Agi before mention'd but that is only when the water is low The usual price of Bread is three pound for a penny and of a pound of Flesh Three half pence In the Summer there is great plenty of Venison and water Fowl But they kill very little Venison or other wild Beasts There are also Eagles in the Mountains one which I have seen sold by the Country people for a groat Persons of Quality let fly the Sparrow-Hawk at the Eagle which is a Flight full of Curiosity and much to be admir'd For the Sparrow-Hawk soaring above the Eagle stoops of a sudden with that swiftness strikes her Pounces into his sides and with her wings continually beating upon his head sends him in a short time to the ground Yet sometimes it happens that both the Eagle and the Sparrow-Hawk come both to the Earth together In the same manner the Sparrow-Hawks will many times stop the flight of hunted Stags and render the Chace much
Godard from the Name of the Village where it was fought The Grand Vizier repair'd the loss of that Battel by a Treaty of Peace as Honourable and as Advantageous as if he had gain'd the Victory and perceiving the Signior's earnest desire to return to Constantinople carry'd him thither so well guarded that there was no Commotion to be fear'd where be stay'd till the beginning of the Year 1666. At what time he undertook the War of Candy in which he spent Three Years as has been already said Two Years after he began the War of Poland observing always his Fathers Great Maxim That it behov'd a Prime Vizier still to keep himself at the Head of an Army We departed from Andrianople the 9th of June and return'd to Constantinople the 15th The 17th by Break of Day M. de Nointel went incognito to visit the Caimacan and to demand a Passport for the Kings Ship The Caimacan return'd for answer that he had receiv'd no Orders from the Grand Vizier to give him one and therefore could not do it At which the Ambassador was very much surpriz'd and as highly concern'd and thereupon complain'd to the Caimacan of the Vizier's unkindness toward him Upon which the Caimacan made a shew of taking his Part and being concern'd for the Unjustice done the Ambassador and then concluded with his Excellency that they would send a particular Messenger and Letter 's to the Prime Vizier As for the Caimacan he fail'd not to send on his part to the Vizier an accompt of all that the Ambassador had told him and represented to him by way of Complaint On the other side M. de Nointel in his Letters tax'd the Vizier of Breach of his Word He conjur'd him not to injure his Patience which he had now contain'd as long as he could to let him know the Final Resolution of the Port and particularly to send him Order for a Pass for the Kings Ship The Expresses that carry'd these Letters set forth at several times The Caimacan's Messenger departed the 18th of June and the Nointel's the next Day The Caimacan's Messenger found the Court not far from Silistria from whence he return'd to Constantinople the Ninth of July So soon as he arriv'd his Master sent for the Ambassadors Chief Interpreter and told him that the Vizier had given no answer to his Express only had sent him word that he would let him understand the Signior's Pleasure by another way The Ambassadors Courrier was not return'd the 20th of July when I left the City and therefore I know not what answer he brought At the end of June the Ambassador sent for a Pass for the Director of the Levant Company and for my self a License to bring in a Parcel of Wine and another to be admitted into the Santa Sophia To which the Caimacan return'd for Answer That he could not grant any one of the Ambassador's Demands until he first knew the Vizier's Mind That it very much troubl'd him to refuse him such Trifles but considering how Things stood between the Grand Vizier and the Ambassador he should make himself a Publick Offender to grant Passes to his Excellency but that so soon as he had leave his Excellency should find the great Affection which he had for the French Nation This Refusal troubl'd me extreamly for that it seem'd to confirm the Report which ran about That the Grand Vizier intended to Arrest the Ambassador and all the French Nation I found I had a large Stock of Goods as much as two Horses could carry as I have said before My Comrades Baggage and my own was as much as would load four Horses more So that it was to no purpose to think of escaping by Flight much less of concealing our selves Besides this three other Considerations very much augmented my cares and my perplexity The first was That whatsoever way I took to get into Persia I could not get out of Turkey in three Months during which time the Port would have time enough to send their Orders to the utmost Limits of the Empire to stop the French if they design'd any such violent proceedings against ' em The second was That nothing of all that I carry'd of greatest Value had paid at the Custom-House so that if I happen'd to be search'd either at Constantinople or any other Cities of Turkey I could not expect any Assistance from the Ambassador The third was That because of the Heat of the Weather there was no Caravan that travell'd into Persia till October In the midst of this Intricate Perplexity GOD whose Infinite Favour I have always experienc'd in my most pressing Necessities shew'd me a ready way to make my escape from Constantinople The Grand Signior has a Fortress about Twenty Miles from the River Tanais over against that part where the great River discharges it self into the Lake Maeotis which Fort is call'd Azac The Port sends thither every Year a New Commander with Souldiers and Money and they send by Sea because it is not above 1300 Miles by Water and to avoid the Hazards by Land for fear of the Tartars Cossaques and Muscovites Moreover the Saique which is a sort of Turkish Vessel that takes the Commander aboard is not expos'd to the search of the Customers as are the rest of the Ships that Sail into the black-Black-Sea That which is aboard may be said to be free there being none but the Turkish Commander that has any Authority to take Cognizance of it This Saique touches at Caffa which is a City and famous Port in the Crimoean Tartary Whence all the Vessels that are bound for Mingrelia or Colchis put to Sea in the Months of September and October from whence it is not above seven or eight days Journey before ye enter into the Persian Dominions There is no shorter way from Constantinople to Persia nor less troublesom For the whole Voyage may be made in three Weeks all by Sea till within about Sixty Leagues yet is there no passage less us'd nor more unknown by reason of the Dangers of the Sea nor could I find any one Person at Constantinople that ever had undertaken it I met with a great many that confirm'd my Report and that had been at the Havens of Mingrelia where there are great Numbers of Armenians and Georgians the Subjects of the Persian King who told me that it was not above six or seven Days Journey from thence into their Territories The Dangers of this Passage which discourage People from attempting it are twofold First For that the Black Sea is very Tempestuous to the loss of the most part of the Vessels for want of skill and good Havens Besides that the People that inhabit between the Sea and the Persian Territories are naturally barbarous and wicked without any Religion and under no Government So that I should never have so much as dreamt of the Way of Colchis whatever might have been the Allurements of Curiosity or Easiness of Passage had not the Road
and Confederate with the Princes whose Dominions border upon those Seas who are all Enemies to the Port. And lastly That it behov'd him to consider that such a Permission would ruine a great Number of Seamen of the Signior's Subjects as well Turks as Christians for that in regard there is more Security in the European Navigation then in the Turkish the Venetians would have all the Carriage of Goods through the Black Sea and every one would Ship his Goods in their Vessels The Grand Vizier was sensible of this and therefore gave Orders to the Governor of Constantinople not to let any Venetian Ship pass into the Black-Sea The 30th my Grecian Guide unladed my Goods Baggage and whatever belong'd to me out of the Ship that brought me to Caffa and Ship'd it aboard another Vessel bound for Colchis Which done he went to the Customer of Caffa and told him That there were two Papa's aboard the Vessel of Azac who were desirous to Embark themselves in another Vessel being bound for Mingrelia That those Papa's carry'd several Trifles along with 'em as Books and other Things of no value for the Use of a Monastery and that if the Custom-House thought fit that he should send some of their Officers to search the Ship For the Oriental Christians as well as the Turks call Papa's all manner of Ecclesiastical Persons that Officiate in Holy Orders whether Single or Married and therefore my Guide thought fit that my Companion and my self should both take upon us the Title of Papa's To that purpose our Greek made 'em believe that we were going to the Italian Missionaries in Colchis and that we were of their Fraternity However the Customer sent his Officers aboard to search our Packs and our Greek came along with him Presently I open'd two Chests before the Searcher who put his Hand into one that was full of only Books Papers and Mathematical Instruments and finding nothing more at the Bottom then what he saw at the Top fell a laughing and ask'd the Man that brought him If such Rubbish as that were worth carrying out of Europe into Mingrelia With that I fumbl'd out one of those Pieces that are worth Three Shillings like a Man that had not much to spare but look'd upon five or six of those Pieces to be a great Treasure and presented the Searcher with it who refus'd it at first but took it at last when I told him 't was only to pay for his Boat which he could not deny and so went away without more ado My Guide went along with him and heard the Report which he made to the Customer That we had nothing but a few Books and Papers with some few Toys of Brass and Wood that were of little or no Value At the end of two Hours my faithful Guide return'd and told me That to protect us absolutely from any further danger of the Customers it behov'd us to give the Clerk of the Vessel as much as we had giv'n the Searcher in regard the Clerk took an exact Note of all that was embark'd and gives it every Evening to the Customer who keeps it for a Control to which I answer'd That he might do what he thought fit Thereupon presently calling to the Clerk Thou seest said he that the Searcher has found nothing in the Papa's Chests They have one more full of Papers and five or six Boxes of Pictures for their Church That they did not op'n 'em because the Air spoils the Colour of the Painting and because the Pictures were carefully ty'd up in Bundles and therefore I desire thee to accept of this Three Shillings which they give thee and to put down in thy Note no more then the two Chests which the Searcher has seen without taking Cognizance of the rest Upon which he let us carry away all that we had and bid us Farewel in the Name of God So that we carry'd off all our Goods in two Boats and put 'em aboard the Ship that was bound for Mingrelia Nor did any Body demand any thing of us For the Customers and the Seamen of the Ship which we left as well as of the other Vessel wherein we embark'd again really believ'd us to be Papa's and that all we carry'd with us was of little worth that the Sacks wherein I told 'em were our Provisions were full of nothing else beside For there are certain Slights and Shifts which we cannot so well set down that are absolutely necessary for those that travel Turkey that they who can make a right use of may pass securely and without trouble For thereby we avoid Forfeitures and ill usage and we free our selves dextrously from the Custom-Houses which take 'em all together are none of the severest But after all it requires Good Luck that is to say a prudent Conduct and a Contrivance proper to the Genius of the Turks and a Man must also be sure to watch his Opportunities The 25th of August the Vessel that brought us to Caffa fet Sail for the Fortress of Azac with three Saics of the same Burden in her Company The New Commander would not have had her set Sail till the return of the Courrier which he had sent to the Fortress to know whether they were at Peace with the Muscovites and whether there were any Pirates or not Cruising upon the Lake Maeotis The People of Caffa reck'n it 450 Miles from thence to Azac though it be not so much by Land in regard they travel it easily in Twelve or Thirteen Days As for the Streight of the Lake Maeotis or rather the Channel between the Lake and the Black-Sea it is about five Leagues in length Which Channel was by the Ancients call'd the Cimmerian Bosphorus but now the Moderns call it the Steight of Caffa and also the Mouth of St. John The great Vessels that go to Azac put in at Palestra which is Forty Miles from the Fortress and Twenty from the River Tanais for that there is not Water deep enough for 'em to Sail any farther The Fortress of Azac is Fifteen Miles from the River And it is very dangerous and hazardous to send either Men or Money to that Place for they are attack'd by strong Parties of the Muscovites as well by Sea as by Land The Commanders of this Fortress make always Leagues with the Neighborhood though they seldom last long for that either of one side or t'other there arise every day new Occasions to break ' em The Turks have two little Fortresses where they keep Garison at the Mouth of the Tanais upon the Banks of that great River which the Ancients call'd Orxentes and which the People of the Country call Don being about Fourscore Leagues in length They Fortifie the Mouth of this River with a vast Chain to prevent the Muscovites and Circassians from Roving with their great Barks upon the Lake and the Black-Sea For before those two Fortresses were built and this Chain fasten'd athwart the River those People came
before he mounts the Horison thwart an obscure Night Principal Type of things created Instrument of the Creation of the World the highest of the Race of Adam Soul of the great Apostles and Messengers Thou art that Lord through whom one Verse in the Alcoran promises the fulfilling of our desires Thou art that Sun through whom another Verse tells the Sovereign Beauty shall be seen Light of Eyes Crown of Prophesie Idol of the Angel Gabriel Thou art in the world a world of vertue and dignity Thou art upon the Earth a Sun of Majesty and Grandeur The Sea is not rich and liberal but by the gifts of thy munificent Hands The Angel Treasurer of Heaven reapes his Harvest in the Fertil Gardens of the purity of thy Nature Moses who divided the Sea is the Porter of the Throne of thy Justice Jesus the Monarch of the Fourth Heaven keeps guard before the veil of the Throne of thy Glory That incomprehensible Painter who drew the Mole at one stroke of his Pencil koun-fikoun never made so fair a Portraiture as the globe of thy Visage From thy descent into the Cradle to the last day of thy Life the Angels who Register Words never heard thee speak a word which did not ravish God himself with Joy No man in whatsoever condition he is can resemble God so much as thou dost But if there could be an Image to represent God as he is it could be no other then thy self that Embassador whom out of his extraordinary Clemency he sent to the Earth Happy and holy is the man who believes all that God has spok'n in the Alcoran according to the sence which his Prophet has observ'd in the Book of his sentences If he should be compar'd with any other exalted Being there could not be found a more perfect exemplar then Mahomet The second Song O unexpressible man who hast no Equal but Mahomet the Elect Prophet God has assign'd upon thy Love the Dowry of the Ladies of Paradise The Primum Mobile would never dart the Ball of the Sun through the Trunk of Heaven were it not to serve the morning out of the extreme Love she has for thee What is the power of the Stars and Destiny in comparison of thine and what is the Light of the Sun compar'd with that of thy Understaning Destiny does but execute thy Commands The Sun is enlightned by the beams of thy Knowledge When the numerous Train of thy Majesty goes in its Pomp we see the Sphear bound to the hand of the Captain that guides it like a little Bell at the neck of a Mule Let not Hercules vaunt any more the Force of his Courage For who would endre a Fly to brave it upon the wings of the great Phoenix of the East Had Hercules seen the Valour of thy Arm in one Action assuredly the Bird of his Soul would have brok'n the Cage of his Body and fled for fear The immense Sea of thy merit tosses up surges above the Heavens and upon this Sea of Vertue the Tempests of Adversity cause no more disorder then Rushes in the Water If thy Glory be weigh'd in the Balance of exalted Sence the highest mountains weigh'd against it would appear no more then the Seed of Lentils In the great Career of Happiness where the Transparts of those who run the Race makes 'em like Horses that get the Bit in their Teeth and throw their Riders And causes 'em with the force of their Spurs to prick an Artery at what time the Angel of Death comes like a fatal Physitian to take 'em by the Arm of the Soul Thou shalt escape this rude Career as the Sun passes on from the East They shall carry before thee the honourable Standard of the Supreme Majesty and behind thee the Spoyls as marks of the Victory And in this Race were all the Inhabitants of the world as brave as Hercules the most undaunted of 'em all would not have the Courage to stand a moment before thee God shall create a Body of Air that shall cry with a loud voice on his behalf Victory Victory There is none so stout as Aly. There is no Sword like to Sulfagar that Hero's Sword with two Poynts The third Song Thou from whose purity the Heav'n of Unsinfulness draws its Lustre The Sun is made a Crown of Glory of the shadow of thy Umbrello Jesus the great Chymist made use of the Earth of the Portal of thy Prudence for red Sulphur of which he compos'd the Taksir and the Stone Phale by means whereof he understood all things and heal'd all men The eternal Painter painted a great many Images and brought to light a great many Ideas with a design to form thy lovely Countenance but he found none that came near thy Beauty The Faulcon of thy Umbrello having extended his wings has found the Birds of the seventh Heaven nestling under the large Feather of thy left wing Who ever has seal'd his Heart with thy Love has found that his Heart is become a Mine of precious Stones The most powerful Creature of all things admir'd upon the sixth day of the Creation that Superiority of Excellency which thou hast above all his other Creatures Upon the memorable day of thy Victory the Sweat of thy hands was to thy Enemies a profound Deluge that swallow'd 'em up like the Sea Thou Vulture of the heav'nly Constellation didst fly upon the Blood as a Dog upon the water Insipid Poet who comparest to the Sea the sweat of the hand of thy Hero Thou art astonish'd at the Thought that comes into thy Head that the Sea which resembles that Sweat is the blew Sea Who ever has lifted up the hand of Necessity toward the Portal of thy Beneficence he has it always return'd back full of what he desir'd O divine and Sacred Host who givest the Saints to drink out of the Bason of Paradise To speak something in thy Praise we must needs say that Nature is only adorn'd and enrich'd by thee A thousand and a thousand Years together the heavens considering the high Price of thy pure Essence beheld the water of the Fountain of Paradice muddy in comparison of that As well God as Mahomet has always found thy Opinion the most just The one gave thee a Sword with two poynts the other a most incomparable Virgin Had not thy perfect Being been in the Idea of the Creator Eve had been eternally a Vrgin and Adam a Batchelor The fourth Song Great Saint who art the true Mansion of God as the Prophet teaches in the Book of his Sentences Thou art also the 16 Kebleh of the World and of Religion the Soul of the World of Mahamed Thy Mouth is the Treasure of sublimest Sense thou hast placed thy Mouth upon the Fountain of understanding and knowledge which is the Mouth of Mahamed Thou art the Pontiff who art only found worthy to enter into the Sanctuary of the
other side he admires and embraces with a particular affection Probity Justice and whatever other eminent Vertues where ever they shine forth Therefore our Predecessors have always had a most particular esteem and affectionate good will for the glorious Kings of Persia but more especially for your Highness so famous over all the Earth for being adorn'd with all the splendour of vertuous Encomiums And as we have no less high thought and no less an esteem of your Merit we promise to our selves the same good will and kindness for Us as you had for Them In confidence whereof we desire your Majesty to grant your Protection to Father Stephen of Ameria and the rest of his Companions who are going into the Province of Georgia not in pursuit of their own Honour but only for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls And we beseech you to defend and shelter 'em by your Authority from the Injuries of the Schismaticks who follow the Ceremonies and Opinions of the Greeks to the end they may with freedom and unmolested employ themselves in the duty of their Function We desire and expect also from your signal Clemency the same favour and protection for all those other Catholicks that are dispers'd through the vast extent of the Kingdoms and Provinces under your Dominion Whom we recommend as far as in us lies to your Royal Generosity and Goodness In recompence whereof we pray continually to God with all our hearts that his Omnipotent Right Hand may send your Highness a particular knowledge of his Divine Truth that he will pour upon you all manner both of Spiritual and Temporal Blessings and to grant you perpetual prosperity Given at Rome in the greater St. Maries under the Seal of the Fisher March 8. 1668. and the first of our Pontificate We have already given an account in part of what the Cosaques did this year upon the Caspian Sea of the Commissioners which they sent to Court with whom the Council was not satisfi'd what means were us'd to discover their Intentions and whether there were not some deceit conceal'd under that Deputation We shall here add the second Inroad which they made and what spoyl they committed more in Persia the same year 1668. While they were therefore disputing at Ispahan whether they should take 'em for Friends or Enemies The Cosaques whose Commissioners were now returning back as all that they had done was only to amuse the Persians though they had been treated with good words and had receiv'd promises very advantageous for their Colony continu'd their design of plundering and pillaging all the Maritime Regions of Persia to the East To which purpose they quit Save and directing their March toward the more Eastern Provinces of the Caspian Sea they sail'd seventy Leagues without being descry'd from the Land and land at Ferhabaad the Capital City of Mazenderaan They landed in the disguise of Merchants went up and down the Market places and into the Shops like People that had no great skill in Traffick and yet had something both to buy and to sell They let go their Ducats of Gold for five Shayet which make not so much as two Shillings sold English Cloth for four Abasses or five shillings six pence the Ell. On the other side the Persians while this Trade lasted caress'd the Cosaques at a high rate finding 'em such admirable Customers and Chapmen both together and look'd upon 'em as Cullies and Novices which their kind Stars had brought among 'em But the sixth day continuing their Game at the hour prefix'd among themselves at what time they had scatter'd themselves in several parts of the City to avoid suspicion they drew their Swords slew all they met plunder'd the Houses and laden with Booty after they had kill'd above five hundred persons they return'd to their Vessels lying still out of ken at Sea The most considerable and a loss not to be repair'd was the ruine of the King's Palace a most stately Pile seated in the midst of the City wherein was kept a vast Treasure of Dishes and Basins of Porcellane or China Cornaline Agate Coral Amber Cups of Crystal of the Rock and other Rarities without number which those Barbarians either broke or carry'd away They also brake the great Haouse or Tangi being a Jasper Fountain cover'd with Plates of Gold and erected within the Palace Every time I think of the Magnificence and Delightfulness of that place where I was in the year 1666. I cannot but lament its hard Fate and had the Reader seen the Description which I have made of it he would acknowledge that such a wonder of Art deserv'd a kind of perpetuity In Ferhabaad and the parts adjoyning there are some few Christians still remaining of that vast number which Habas the Great formerly brought in to people that Country some sixty years ago which has so much lessen'd their Number that there is not the sixtieth part of what there was before and the most part of these for worldly Interests have embrac'd the Mahumetan Superstition Those few Christians that remain'd knowing that the Cosaques were likewise Christians to save themselves from their fury and their Houses from being plunder'd when they saw 'em coming cri'd out Christous Christous and the better to let 'em understand they were Christians sign'd themselves with the sign of the Cross from head to foot so that the Cosaques hearing 'em invoke that adorable Name and seeing how they cross'd themselves not only spar'd their lives but protected their Houses The Inhabitants of Ferhabaad who had sav'd their lives by flight return'd the next day betimes in the Morning to pick up what was left of their Goods but while they were thus busily employ'd the Cosaques landed a second time and now more greedy of humane Bloud than of Plunder kill'd about seven hundred and took as many Prisoners and then retir'd for good and all By this time Winter was come which they resolv'd to spend in Persia and to that purpose they sought out for a Place where they might quarter together in security Now just against the City of Ferhabaad there lies a Peninsula or Tongue of Land that runs forward into the Caspian Sea about ten or eleven Leagues This place did abound in Harts wild Boars wild Goats and other sorts of wild Venison It is also full of Forests and fresh Water nor does it want any thing that is convenient for the support of Humane Life and is therefore a most convenient place for Habitation The Persians call it Mionnè-Kellè or the Middle-siz'd Horn thereby denoting a Tongue of Land that runs out into the Sea there it was that the Cosaques entrench'd themselves To which purpose they made their Prisoners work day and night to dig a large Trench about their Camp and then with several great Trees pester'd one within another and fill'd up with Turf they rais'd a kind of a Bulwark upon which they planted their Badeliegè or great Guns for their better