From the Mouth of Pontus to the Mouth of Maeotis Eratosthenes reckons XV. XLV or 1545 Miles which together comes to XLI LXXXIV or 4184 Miles But Artemidorus and Isidorus reckon the Whole with Aegypt as far as Tanais LXXXVIII or 8800 Miles Pliny himself by whom all these Authors are quoted in more express Terms affirm'd the Length of Asia to be LXIII DCC Miles which to hold proportion with the former Numbers can be but 7050. However here the Plinian Interpreter forgetting himself suffers it to run on to 630750 perhaps because of the DCC that comes after the LXIII But this as it would exceed the Proportion formerly observ'd so it would bring back that Contradiction to common Sense and Reason which he seem'd before to endeavor to avoid The Breadth from the Aethiopick Sea to Alexandria XVIII LXXV or 1875 Miles reckoning the Miles as the manner then was by so many thousand Paces Strabo speaking of the Mountain Taurus running through the midst of Asia from West to East and measuring the Length of Asia by it affirms the Length of the Mountain to be 45000 Furlongs which comes to 5625 Italian or English Mile Matthias Quadus though he almost follows the Words of Strabo yet he makes a longer Mount Taurus for he accounts the Length of it 58060 Furlongs that is 7257 of our Miles and four Furlongs over and without particularizing the Breadth affirms it to exceed the Breadth of Europe and Asia put together Mercator extends the Length of Asia from the most Western Meridian passing through the 57th Degree of Longitude to the most Eastern passing through the 178th Degree including 121 Degrees which reduc'd to Miles comes to 7260. The Breadth he reckons from the Aequator to the 80th Degree of Northern Latitude which amounts to 4800 Miles Cluverius allots to Asia between the Hellespont and Malacca the farthest Emporium of India the length of 1300 German Miles which is of our Miles 5200 And for Breadth between the Mouth of the Arabian Gulph and the Promontory Tabis which is at the Streight of Anian 1220 German Miles which is of our Miles 4880. With this Measure Golnitius and Lucas de Linda exactly agree Martiny determines the Extent of Asia from West to East that is from the Archipelago to the Chinese Ocean to be 1750 Leagues from South to North that is from Malacca to the Sea of Tartary 1550 Leagues P. du Val accounts its Length from West to East that is from the most Western Parts of Anatolia to the Eastern Parts of China 2500 French Leagues the Breadth not comprehending the Isles 72 Degrees that is 1700 of the same Leagues and all under the Septentrional Temperate Zone except some Peninsula's which are found in the Torrid Zone Now to reduce all these several Computations to one Standard viz. of our own Miles there will be no great difference among the three Moderns last mention'd provided we reckon in Martiny's Account three Leagues to a Mile and in P. du Val's two French Leagues to a Mile according to which Reckoning all the Modern Accounts come short of the Ancient which is the more strange in regard late Discoverers have penetrated into such remote Easterly Parts of Asia as were altogether unknown in Strabo's Pliny's or Ptolomy's time and therefore may well be suppos'd to have stretch'd it to a far greater extent But some Mistakes may possibly arise from our not exactly enough accommodating of the Ancient Numbers or Measures to our own as may evidently appear by the vast Error that might easily have slipt from an inanimadvertency of Pliny's Numbers Of the Lakes or Seas of Asia THE greatest Lake if it be not more properly call'd a Sea not onely of Asia but generally so reputed of the World is the Hircanian Lake which contains in Length 270 German Miles in Breadth above 100 and although there be no visible Entrance of any other Sea into it yet in regard its Waters are generally Salt it is suppos'd to communicate with the Ocean or some other Sea by certain Subterraneous Passages as undoubtedly it partakes also of several great Rivers since in many Places it hath Fresh Water and abounds with some sorts of Fresh-water or River Fish The Ancients believ'd this to be a Bay of the Scythian Ocean but Herodotus one of the most ancient of the Greek Writers as also Aristotle and Diodorus were of a different Opinion affirming it to be a particular Sea by it self as being no where mix'd with the Ocean And Ptolomy for that Reason would rather have it call'd a Lake than a Sea to which Opinion of his many other Writers have given their Suffrage However it hath commonly had in times past the Appellation of The Caspian Sea and at present is term'd Mare di Sala or The Sea of Sala The next great Asian Lake is call'd Lacus Asphaltites or The Lake of Brimstone the same which in Holy Writ is call'd Mare Mortuum or The Dead Sea in regard the Water remains fixt and immovable in so vast a Circuit Upon this Lake stood the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra Admah and Zeboim the two first whereof are mention'd in Sacred Scripture to have been destroy'd by Fire from Heaven whereupon it hath been also known by the Name of The Lake of Gomorra And if the fore-mention'd much more this may be term'd a Lake in regard it is but very small in respect of that Over this Lake like as over that of Avernus or Aornus in Campania no Birds endure to fly neither are any Fish able to live in it by reason of the evil and noxious Savour and intollerable Stench of the Water which is not mov'd or stirr'd by any Wind because the Bituminous Quality thereof resists by condensing the Surface of the Water which is so thick that the heaviest Creatures are born upon it without swimming But it is not Navigable by any Ships both in regard of the thickness and immovableness of the Water and the noisomness of the Lake to all Passengers The next is the Lake or Sea in Persia call'd El-Catif The fourth is the Lake of Genesareth otherwise call'd Tiberius and by some The Sea of Galilee The fifth is the Lake Samochonites between which and that of Gennesareth the River Jordan flows Of the Chief Rivers of Asia THERE are many Rivers of Principal note in Asia as Euphrates Tigris Jordan Indus Ganges Ob c. Euphrates riseth in Great Armenia and is call'd by the Inhabitants generally Phrat But in its Progress through several Countries it changeth its Name for some space from its first rising it is call'd Pyxirates towards its entrance into the Mountain Taurus Omira again coming forth from out of the said Mountain it takes the Name of Euphrates afterwards it toucheth upon Mesopotamia on the Left Hand and Syria Arabia and Babylonia on the Right and then divides it self into several Arms one whereof takes its Course to Seleucia and falls into the River Tigris another runs through Babylon and loseth
Sea and as Olearius says is at this day call'd Cur or Aras The other which we now speak of glides from the North to the South through Persia by the Walls of the City Schiras and falls into the Persian Gulph From the Banks of this River the famous Cyrus was thrown in his Infancy and gave his Name to the Place and not to that where he was born which was call'd Agradat Most of the Persian Geographers as Olearius Garcias de Sylva Figueroa and others judge the River Cur or Bendemir to be the same with Araxes This Araxes is the biggest of all those Rivers which water the Provinces of Persia and Lara notwithstanding which it is not very broad but runs in a narrow Channel in many Meanders between high Mountains being well replenish'd with all sorts of Fish This River takes its Original out of the Mountain Jessel lying between the famous Cities Suster and Margascan formerly call'd Susa and Persepolis and first directingits Course Southward bends afterwards to the East separating the ancient Province of Susiana from the Western part of Carmania and so enters into the Kingdom of Persia and after having receiv'd the Waters of many little Rivolets and divided the Province of Kerman and the ancient Caramie Foelix finding its Current to the Sea stopt by the exceeding high Mountains it returns with great force to the North-East being grown bigger than before and much deeper by the Waters which fall from the fore-mention'd Mountains thence it again runs Southward visiting the ancient Gedrosie and at last falls into the Indian Sea making a spacious Bay Near the Ruins of Cehil Minar and the ancient Persepolis glides the River Pelevar which takes its Course towards the South and falls into the Cur after having first water'd one of the fruitfulest Parts of Persia Persia is very Mountainous in several Places but they are not altogether sterill for the Mountains of Neriz have many Iron Mines and some relate that many Smaragds are found in this Province About ten or twelve Leagues from Schiras are several high Hills full of Palm and Lentisk-Trees where breed many Wild Hogs The Inhabitants of Schiras which is common to all the other Provinces of this Kingdom are very white the Women generally beautiful and the Men well-proportion'd There is also a great Trade driven in Schiras occasion'd by the Caravans which coming from Samarcand and Zagatay pass through this Place with great Quantities of Silk Musk Rhubarb and Turcoises all which those of Chorazzan receive from the Merchants which come from Catay or the Northern China And by this means Schiras furnishes other Countries with Provisions as Wooll Copper and many other things besides Distill'd Rose-water for they make another sort than we in Europe by decocting the Roses They also get abundance of Silk from the Silk-worms they breed here and have likewise Rubies Balayses which come from the City Balasan and great store of Lazuus Stones and Tutty Persia or Fars is not very cold though its Situation be more Northerly than the other Provinces for in December all the Gardens about Schiras are green and the Trees retain their Leaves because the Ground being moisten'd by so many Rivers is not onely preserv'd from all extraordinary Scorchings but so cooled and the Fruit becomes ripe so late that it may be preserv'd all the Winter and kept very good till March. The Country about Schiras and the Plains between the Mountains and the River Pasa is naturally dry and barren The Country about Rexel near the Sea-coast yields very excellent Wheat and also good store of Fruit That Tract of Land which extends Southerly produces abundance of Dates as also the Ground about the City Com but no Vines The Country of Tarom with the other neighboring Places are all planted with Date-trees under whose the Inhabitants sow Cotton There is also abundance of Sweet-briar out of whose Flowers the Inhabitants distill a sort of Water which they call Gulaep that is Rose-water Out of the gaping Ciefts of a high Mountain in the Country Stahanon distils a Liquor or Juyce which the King of Persia causes to be gather'd by Persons sworn for that purpose which yearly take up thirty Meticals or about forty or fifty Ounces of the said Distillation which by the Persians is call'd Monmaky Cony that is Precious Water and is kept onely for the King's Use it being as they affirm an excellent Antidote against all Poyson and an infallible Remedy against inward Bruises as also outwardly apply'd for Sinew-strains Contusions and the like The King many times bestows some of it upon those Princes that are in League with him as an extraordinary Mark of his Favor In stead of this the Turks use Terra Sigillata the Mahumetans of the Eastern Countries Pazar Cony which is a kind of Jews-Gum gather'd at Maxulpata or Musulipatan in India but is not of that Vertue and Power as this of India About Schiras the Persians find a sort of bitter Root by the Apothecaries call'd Cost from the example of the Arabians and Persians though they generally add the Word Talk to the same viz. Cost-Talk that is Bitter Cost to distinguish it from the common Indian Cost which they call Cost Xerir that is Sweet Cost The Bitter Cost hath a Root very hard and firm of a yellow Colour somewhat inclining to white if it be fresh and good but if it be digg'd out of season or carelesly dry'd it becomes blue or brown The Shell or Rind is streak'd and the Pulp white and bitterish The old Roots are very unsavory and ill-tasted It is brought into Europe either in round Pieces or else in long Slices The Country about Lastan produces abundance of Ingo by the Apothecaries call'd Assa foetida In Fars and Persia especially about Schiras they have very excellent Wine the best in all Persia which they call Xarao or Charab and it is sent to all Parts of the Country especially to the Court for the King and his Nobles drink no other and if any Person of Quality entertains another he always treats him with this Wine This Province also produces Bezoar-stones which the Persians properly call Pazahar which is a Compound Word of Pa and Zahar the first signifying Against and the other Poyson They are chiefly found in a County call'd Stabanon three days Journey from Lara where also grows in the Fields a Plant like Saffron which the Goats eating causes the foremention'd Stones to grow in their Stomachs and are esteem'd above all other Gems by the King of Persia Nay the Fields wherein the said Goats graze are constantly guarded and the collecting of the Stones look'd after by Officers appointed particularly for that purpose There is also a Stone by the Physicians call'd Lapis Judaicus that is The Jews Stone and by the Persians and Arabians Ager Alyud that is The Stone of Judas There is likewise the Armenian Stone otherwise call'd Lapis Lazuli and in the Persian Tongue nam'd Ager Armeni
the aged People wear Cotton Coats They are taken to be a kind of Salvages divided into several Tribes The Habitations on this Plain are little Cottages and very mean according to the Nature of the Persians by the Tartars call'd Olack built of Straw and Bushes and within furnish'd with as bad Implements Five Leagues from the Entrance upon the Plain from the South towards the North stands a Chappel wherein lies bury'd Bairam Tecle Obasi who in the time of Schach Abbas when the Turks under the Command of the Bashaw Tzacal Ogli fell into Persia was a famous Robber and having under his Command a great company of the like Shifters turn'd his Praedatory Practise upon the Enemy for which the King not onely pardon'd his former Crimes but made him General of an Army of twelve thousand Men with which he did the Enemy more mischief than the King with all the rest of his Persian Forces and withal rais'd him to the Dignity of a Prince and gave him many Villages hereabouts On this Plain breed also a sort of wild Beasts not seen any where else in Persia which keep together in great Herds and are by the Turks call'd Tzeiran and by the Persians Ahu they are very swist-footed and shap'd like a Roe-Buck In most places of Mocan grows abundance of Liquorice to the thickness of a Man's Arm the Juice boyl'd out of the same is much better than our English or that which grows in Germany Ten Leagues up into the Plain from the River Cur flows a Brook call'd Baharu where many * Vulgarly call'd Turtles Tortoises are found which lay their Eggs on the high Banks and in the Fields in Holes made in the Sand against the Hills but always towards the South that so they may be the sooner hatch'd by the heat of the Sun Stream Aras Through Mogan or Mocan runs a River now call'd Aras and by the Ancients Araxis but not the Araxis in Persia by the Inhabitants call'd Cur and by some miscall'd Beademir The Ancients have perhaps given the Stream Araxis that Denomination from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is To break off or Rent asunder because by the violence of its Course it often takes away pieces of the Land leaving the Banks steep and jutting It springs from the Mountain Ararat in Aâ—menia and carries the Water of many Streams along with it the chiefest whereof are Carasu Senki Kerni and Arpa and at last sinks into the Ground near Carasu afterwards appearing again not far from Ordabath falls with great noise and violence which may be heard into the Province of Mocan for Mocan in respect of Armenia and Schirwan lies very low through Mocan it runs very slow towards the Caspian Sea and unites about a quarter of a League beyond the Village Tzawat six Leagues from the Sea in 39 Degrees and 40 Minutes Northern Latitude with the Stream Cyrus now call'd Cur which comes out of the North from Georgia or Gurstan Both these Rivers are very large each being a hundred and forty Paces broad the Water thereof smooth deep and brown-colour'd runs between two high Banks The conjoyn'd Streams of Aras and Cur are by the Inhabitants call'd Causchan The Village Tzawat The Village Tzawat hath receiv'd that Denomination from the Arabick word Tzawas which signifies a Passage or Through-fare because at the same place there also lies a Bridge cross the River over which none are permitted to come into Persia without a Pass Every Spring in March when the Water rises they have an Art to remove this Bridge left it should be broken for then the River overflows its Banks and the adjacent Plain above a League so that none can travel during that time The Province of Betziruan Description of Betziruan ON the West side of the Plains of Mocan lies a Countrey and Mountain call'd Betziruan which is water'd by a winding River so that those which travel through this Countrey to Ardebil are forc'd to cross the same Amongst several others there is one Village call'd Schechmuras where the Front of the Houses are built of Stone and the Back-parts cut into the Mountain but cover'd over with Canes Straw and the like On the top of the Mountain rises a clear and sweet Spring which passing between the Rocks breeds abundance of Craw-Fish Not far from hence are other Mountains of two Leagues long and behind them a Village call'd Disle in which the Indians that come to Trade at Schamachie built a Caravansera Anno 1639. Between these Mountains in divers place grow abundance of Fig-Trees Five Leagues from Disle lies the Caravansera Aggis built very large In this Way the Travellers never suffer their Horses or Camels to eat by reason of the poysonous Quality of the Grass of which some that have tasted dy'd soon after Somewhat farther lies the Village Tzanlu near a pleasant Hill surrounded with Gardens and Orchards Beyond Tzanlu lies Tzizetlu a Mountain three Leagues over By the foot of it glides the River Carusu which coming out of the Kilanean Mountains falls into the Aras It also runs by the Village Samiam under a Stone Bridge with six Arches Half a League from which and two little Leagues from the City Ardebil is the Hamlet Tzabedar Little Fewel is to be had hereabouts wherefore the Inhabitants burn Cows Horses and Camels Dung in stead thereof having first dry'd the same sufficiently in the Sun Having in this our Relation hitherto often made mention of the Caspian Sea it will not be amiss to give a short Description of it The Caspian Sea The several Denominations of the Caspian Sea THe Caspian Sea or Lake hath several Denominations from the divers adjacent Villages and Countreys viz. The Russians call the same Chualenca or Gualenscoi More the Moors Bohar Corsun that is Inclosed Sea which Name they also give to the Arabian Gulf the Persians Culsum a Name agreeing with the Red-sea the Latines both ancient and modern following the Greeks Mare Caspium and Hyrcanum as others from the City Bacuje in Schirwan Mare de Bacu also Kilan Giorgia Terkestan Corasum and Cunsar It s length and breadth The length of the Caspian Sea is by most Writers accounted fifteen days Voyage and the breadth eight in Boats with Oars without the help of the Wind. The length from the Mouth or Entrance of the Sea from Astrachan to Ferabath is accounted eight Degrees or a hundred and twenty German Miles and the breadth from the Province Churesin to the Circassian Mountain six Degrees or ninety Leagues Paskeart vande CASPISE ZEE The great Fish Naca There is a great Fish call'd Naca taken in this Sea having a short Head and Belly wide Mouth and round Tail three or four Yards thick This Fish doth great mischief to Fishermen for it will hang with its Head under Water and overset a Boat with its Tail if not opportunely prevented white- The white-White-Fish No less dangerous is the white-White-Fish
a great Wood through which is a broad Way shadow'd by high Trees This Road is very plashy because many little Brooks run in it which in the Winter makes it so deep and rotten that the Camels though they have long Legs often sink up to the Knees Four Leagues from this Village lies a strong large and populous Place call'd Saru where the King hath a magnificent Palace and thereby has gain'd the repute of a City though consisting chiefly of a sort of Thatch'd Houses except a few scatter'd Dwellings that are Tyl'd It is call'd Saru which signifies Yellow from the abundance of Oranges and other yellowish Fruits that grow about the same Beyond Saru lie several great Plains which in former Ages were overgrown with Woods but since that being clear'd and Manur'd they are become very fertile and the Ways which then were very deep are now the Ground lying open to the Sun become very hard and some places of late made into Pav'd Cawseys These Plains are also inhabited by several People most of them Christians sent thither from divers Countreys An. 1620. to make several Plantations especially from Armenia and Georgia The Way from Saru hath all along the sides Houses rais'd onely of Boughs and Mud viz. of the Trees which were cut down in the same place by the Inhabitants to make the Countrey fit for Cultivation This Province is divided from the South to the North by the River Teggine Rude which taking original out of the Mountains more Southward of the Rice-Valley runs through it as also the City Ferhabad two thousand Paces from which it discharges its Waters into the Caspian Sea having in the Way receiv'd so many Brooks Streams and Rivulets that from the City Saru it is Navigable with flat-bottom'd Boats made on purpose of the Bodies of great Trees to Row with Oars Some of them can carry ten or twelve Men or Goods of the like Burthen The Townsmen of Ferhabad often go out a Fishing for their Pleasure into the Caspian Sea with such Boats and make use of them in the City to go from one place to another The Brook Cinon About a League from Ferhabad glides the Erook Cinon which also sends its Water into the Caspian Sea and is somewhat broader than the Teggine Rude The Countrey Lahetzan The County Lahetzan where the best Silk is to be had campriseth the Towns Lenkeru Cutzesbar and Amelekende The Countrey of Chusistan Situation of Chusistan with us several Denominations CHusistan that is The Countrey of Chus lies between Fars or Persia and the Stream Ditzel and was anciently by Mercator and since by Olearius call'd Susiana and as the same Olearius believes comprised Elam from whence came the Elamites Cluverius will have Chusistan to be the ancient Assyria and Susiana the Countrey at this Day call'd Elaran in which he partly agrees with Olearius Bounds of Susiana Susiana as Ptolomy saith conterminates in the North wiâ—h Assyria in the West with Babylon in the East hath * Properly so call'd Persia and in the South Borders at part of the Persian Gulf. Susiana compris'd anciently Meltilene Elimais Cabamene Characene Cissia Chaltapitis and the fertile Countrey of Dera The eminentest Rivers which water'd Susiana Rivers were Moseus Oroates by Ptolomy nam'd Rhunates by Ammianus Vatrochites and Euleus by the Prophet Daniel Ulai both which had such exceeding clear Water that the Kings would have no other to drink The Inhabitants of Susiana were Elamites and Cossites Inhabitants Chief Cities The chiefest City was anciently call'd Susa mention'd by Daniel in the place where he speaks of the destruction of Persia and foretells the beginning of the Grecian Monarchy It is now nam'd Desu not far from which was the Royal Palace Susan lying at the Stream Ulai by Pliny call'd Uleus where Ahassuerus who Reign'd over a hundred and twenty seven Provinces made the great Feast to all his Princes mention'd in sacred Writ The other populous and Trading Cities are Alewas Ramehormus Schabur Asker and Arhan The Inhabitants who have the Mountains to the Northward of them are forc'd by the violent heat to retire amongst them during the Summer Carmania or Kermon otherwise Kirman The several Names THis ancient Countrey by Ptolomy call'd Carmania is at this day nam'd Kirman and by Niger Kerman from its Metropolis According to Cluverius it compris'd anciently these Territories viz. Modomastice Parepaphitis Cabadine and Chantonice but at this day onely Kirman Goadel and Ormus It is inhabited by the ancient People Isaticheans Zuthians Gadanopidrans Camelobocians By what People inhabited Sozotes Agdenites Rhudians Arians Charadreans Pasargades and Armozens The ancient Cities were Carmania Samydace Alexandria and Armuze It is water'd by one River nam'd Samydace hath the Mountain Semiramis and the Wilderness Reobarle Kermon or Carmania is divided into two Parts the one Great Carmania Division which conterminates with the Sea and is by the Persians call'd Erach Ajan the other which lies farther into the Country and was anciently nam'd Wild Carmania hath now the Denomination of Dulcinde or as Corsal saith Rasigut Erack Ajan compriseth yet two Kingdoms viz. Macran and Guadel Besides these two Carmania's this Countrey comprehends Mogostan and the Kingdom of Ormus Wild Carmania borders according to Ptolomy in the North upon Parthia the West verges Persia the South looks upon Great Carmania and in the East it lies terminated by Aria The old Wild Carmania compriseth the well known Kingdoms of Lara and Oessa commonly call'd The Kingdom of Monbareca or Mombareck from the Name of the Governor besides the Countreys of Mogosthan The Countreys which lie to the Northward from the Tigris and Euphrates at the side of Persia were formerly possess'd by one Mombareck Son to a mighty Arabian which Texeira places hard by Bagdad or Babylon where there are many good Cities as Magdon Oexa and Ooreca surrounded with rich Land yet lying waste for fear of the Turks who have many Garrisons in this Mombareck's Countrey to guard those which pay him Tribute The greater Carmania borders in the North upon Wild Carmania in the East faces Gedrosia the West looks upon a part of Persia and a part of the Persian Gulf and the South is limited by the Indian Sea The River Bagrada so call'd by Ptolomy and plac'd in Wild Carmania is now nam'd Bintmir or as others Budmir by Niger Biserti and in the Arabick as Thevet affirms Biquelmick This Countrey Davity tells was possess'd by Zizaerian Arabians that formerly dwelt in Bassora Wild Carmania as Maginus writes hath not one City nor indeed doth Ptolomy mention any therein Great Carmania boasts the River Bassiri and the Cape Jasquette or Jasques about twenty five or twenty six Leagues from Ormus near the Persian Gulf opposite to Arabia Felix Ortelius says Ptolomy call'd it The Cape of Ormus Up into the Countrey lie the Towns Sirgian Tesirco Serent and Kirman or Kirmon the chief City of the Region
Black Sea The first of them which rises Eastward is the Stream by the Ancients call'd Fasis and now Faso or Fas by the Scythians according to Thevet Debbassetcha and by the Inhabitants Rione which as Procopius affirms falls with such force and violence into the Sea that it makes the Water fresh for some Miles But this is contradicted by Agricola And Archangel Lamberti who hath seen the same several times says this River at first runs very swift from its Fountain Head but coming amongst the Plains it is so slow that 't is scarce discern'd to move and yet certain it is that its Water doth not commix with the Sea The Stream Faso disembogues it self into the Sea through two Mouths between which it makes an Island by the Ancients call'd Ea wherein the Turks in the Year 1578. built a Fort which was since pull'd down At the same time the Turkish Emperor Amurat took the City Teflis from the Persians supposing it would have been a very convenient Harbor for him to keep his Galleys in that from thence they might go with the more ease to conquer Persia which then he design'd and make himself Master of the City Colatis the Entrance and Key into the Countrey on that side to which purpose his Galleys also went a great way up the Stream But the Georgians having fortifi'd themselves at the Entrance of the River where it is narrowest Entertain'd them so roughly that they forc'd them to return Above the Island the Stream is above half a Mile broad where its Banks are also overgrown with Trees and frequented by Fishermen who come thither to catch Sturgeon Farther up into the River lie many small Islands of which several are Inhabited To each House which is built on the same belongs a small Barque made of a hollow Tree in which the Women Row from place to place Arrianus who by the Emperor Adrian's Command went to discover this River saith in one of his Letters that on the left side of the Mouth of the River he saw the Image of the Goddess Rhea in a Temple which in the time of the Emperor Emperor Zenon was Dedicated to the Virgin Recas The next River is Sceni-Skari that is The Horse-River by reason of its swiftness Arrianus and all those Geographers that follow him place other Rivers between the Faso and Sceni but by mistake for it is certain that the Sceni is the first Stream which falls into the Faso but afterwards receives the Abassin and Tachut the Abassin is the Glaucus of Strabo and the Tachut the Sigam of Arrian though he places it towards Copo There is at this day another Tract of Land through which this Stream flowing receives its Denomination TABULA COLCHIDIS HODIE MENGRELIE Next follows the River Enguria anciently call'd Asteltes which Arrian places near the Cianeus It falls with extraordinary swiftness from the Mountains inhabited by the Sovanies and swelling with the melted Snow that likewise glides from them to that heighth that it cannot be cross'd without a Barque The next in order to the Enguria is the Rivulet Heti which is not found in the Maps by reason of its smalness but is very eminent for a strange sort of Fish which is taken therein It discharges its Water into the Black Sea at a place call'd Gahbidas Another River nam'd d'Ochums glides through a Tract of Land call'd Tarscen from which perhaps the Name Tarsura had its original and by which it is mention'd in the Maps The next is the Echalis and after that the Stream Moquis which borrows its Denomination from the City and Bishoprick of Moquis through which it passes The last is the Stream call'd Coddors anciently Corax This divides Mengrelia from the Abascians as the Fasis from Guriel and Georgia In many places of Mengrelia are great Lakes especially on the Plains where the Ground sounds hollow when any one Rides over it which is no small testimony of the affinity between the Black and Caspian Seas to which may be added that in these two Seas one sort of Fishes are found for there is abundance of Sturgeon in the Black as well as in the Caspian Sea Several sorts of Sturgeon At the Mouth of the Paso and Enguria the Inhabitants catch abundance of Sturgeon from April till August of which they have three sorts one of which call'd Zuthi being of a far better taste than the rest is carry'd to the Court and dres'd for the King's Table The second sort call'd Angiachia differs not much from the first onely it is the bigger and the Flesh not altogether so good The third sort nam'd Poronci is yet larger and almost like a Buffalo but its Flesh is not comparable to the other The Inhabitants cut these Fish into pieces of two Hands breadth which the Salting dry in the Sun and afterwards use as Rarity Of the Rocs they make Caveare which putting into small Vessels they Salt setting it in the Sun till it condense into a Body or thick Substance The least Sturgeon call'd Zuthi hath a bigger Roe than the rest neither is any part of thrown away but the flat Bones which stick in the top of the Skin besides which it hath no other except a Gristle about a Finger thick which extends from the Head to the Tail The Fishermen have certain signs whereby to know when it is best Fishing as by the hollowness of the Water which from the melted Snow falling into the same is greedily coveted by the Sturgeon They also take here another sort of Fish call'd Suia and by the Turks Calcan Baluch which signifies a Pilcher being exactly of that form and cover'd with little Scales but hath two Eyes on one side the one grey and the other white This Fishing begins in December and continues till April In some Seasons there are abundance of Herrings in this Sea and the greater the number of them is the more Sturgeons they are sure to catch that year Anno 1642. the Sea had thrown so great a number of Herrings on the Shore between Trebizonde and the Countrey of the Abcassians that they lay above half a yard thick upon one another like a Bank There are also Oysters which the Fishermen throw into the Sea again when they catch them in their Nets yet some of them have course Pearls in them such as Pliny writes he saw in the Bosphorus of Thracia The Rivers are full of Voorn of which there are two sorts the one call'd Calmakka is very small and the other Aragoli which is bigger the first sort are catch'd in the North Sea and the other onely in the Rivers in which and on whose Banks are likewise Beavers contrary to Aristotle's opinion who affirms that no four-footed Beasts can live in the Sea Venison carry'd hence into Greece The Countrey abounds also with all manner of Venison and great numbers of Pheasants which Bird hath its Denomination from the River Fasis about whose Banks it breeds as also through all
it self in certain Lakes of Chaldaea but afterwards shoots it self forth again and from thenceforth anciently it ran directly towards the Sea where it disembogu'd it self with a great Mouth but since having that Course stopt by the People thereabout for the fertilising of the Ground it was forc'd to take its way through the Tigris again This River swelling like Nilus in some places useth to overflow the Fields of Mesopotamia and make them very Fruitful The River Tigris by the Inhabitants call'd Tigil in like manner hath its Source in Great Armenia in a plain Champaign place There where this River runs with a slow gentle Stream it is call'd Diglito where it carried with a swift precipitous Course Tigris which in the Median Language signifies A Dart. It breaks through the Lake Arethusa and a little after the Mountain Taurus hindring its Course makes it self a hidden way under Ground and rises on the other side of the Mountain then having pierc'd through another Lake nam'd Thospites sinks again under Ground and with another Subterranean Course measures six German Miles After it hath taken in other Rivers in Assyria and Armenia it separates Assyria from Mesopotamia and at Seleucia is divided into two Branches one whereof glides to Seleucia and the other to Ctesiphon and so makes as it were an Island though of no great Magnitude As soon as its Streams conjoyn into one again it is call'd Pasitygris At length it insinuates it self into a Lake of Chaldaea out of which having broken forth with great violence it directly tends to the Persian Gulph in which it terminates with two Out-lets The River Jordan springs from two Fountains though not far distant frnm each other the one of them nam'd Jor the other Dan of the contexture of which two Words is fram'd the Name of Jordan This River is extremely pleasant and beautiful in its Prospect About twelve Miles from its Source it runs into the Lake Samochonites thence into the Lake Genesara or Tiberias after which it waters Judaea and Samaria and lastly is immerst into the Lake Asphaltites or Dead Sea in the way making several Turnings and Windings as if loth to lose it self and its sweet Waters in such a noisom Sea In India are two most Noble Rivers Indus and Ganges Indus vulgarly Hiind or Inder rising from the Mountain Parapomisus takes in nineteen Rivers whereof the Chief are Hydaspis and Hypasus The greatest Breadth of this River is fifty Furlongs and the Depth of it fifteen Paces With seven Mouths it empties it self into the Sea Ganges now Guengam ariseth out of the Scythian Mountains affords in many places very rich Pearl and plenty of Gold-dust The least Breadth of this River is said to be two German Miles and its least Depth 100 Foot The grand Rivers of Tartaria Asiatica are Ob and Parapomisus now Orchardus both which fall into the Northern Ocean Rha now Volga Jaxartes now Chesel and the River Edel which disgorge into the Hircanian Sea Of Persia Oxus now Abia or Abiamu Arbis now Ilment and Samydaces Not to omit in Media the Rivers Cyrus Cambyses Amardus Strato and Corindas Of China Cantao Of the Chief Mountains of Asia THE Principal Mountains of Asia are in Colchis under the Turkish Empire Corax Not to speak of Caucasus which is accounted part of the Mountain Taurus as likewise Imaus in Scythia in Media Coronus Jasonius Orontes Zagrus and Choatras In Galatia Olgasis Didymus and that call'd The Tomb of the Celaeni In Bithynia Orminius In Phrygia the greater Cadmus In Mysia the lesser Mount Ida In Lydia Sipylus Tmolus Mesogys and Mimas In Caria Phaenix Mycale and Larmus In Phoenicia Mount Libanus Antilibanus and Carmelius In Antiochia Casius and Pieria In Mesopotamia Masius and Singaras In Arabla Petraea Sinai and Horeb In the Isle of Cyprur Mount Olympus In Palaestine Mount Gilead But the Mountain Taurus which extends from the Coast of Pamphylia over against that of the Isle of Rhodes through the whole length of Asia as already specified is certainly the biggest Mountain not onely of Asia but of the whole World if it be not rather a Conjuncture of several Mountains into one for so it seems to be by taking several Names as it passeth through several Places as Imaus Emodus Parapomisus Circius Chambades Pharphariades Croates Oreges Oroandes Niphates Caucasus Sarpedon Coracesius Cragus and at last Taurus again Those Gaps where the Mountain divides and affords Passage through are call'd Pylae i. e. Gates as the Pylae Armeniae Pylae Caucasiae Pylae Ciliciae which last is famous for that grand Overthrow given by Alexander the Great to Darius Codomannus King of Persia Of the Productions of Asia NO wonder the Luxury of the Persian Empire still overcame those that were Conquerors by the Sword as being anciently the Chiefest and still one of the Principal Kingdoms of that Quarter of the World which besides its fruitfulness of all things necessary for Humane Sustenance produces also all those richest of Commodities that have in all Ages been sought for from other the remotest Parts of the Earth and which especially at this day now that much more of Asia is discover'd than was formerly known render the Levantine Trade the richest and most flourishing of all others The Ancients were not silent of the great Riches of Asia but seem'd not to have that particular knowledge thereof that the late Voyages and the Relations of those who Traffick thither give us Pliny writes of great Quantities of Crystal found in several Parts of Asia particularly at Alabanda and Orthosia and Xenocrates of Ephesus is quoted by him to affirm That in the Isle of Cyprus and divers Parts of Asia great Pieces of Crystal have been thrown up in the Plowing of Lands The same Pliny makes mention of the Stones Alabastrites and Coralliticus the first to be found about Damascus in Syria the other in some other Parts of Asia Solinus having describ'd those two rich Gums of Arabia Frankincence and Myrrh and those two rare Birds the Phoenix and Cinnamolgus comes to speak of the Gems or Precious Stones of this Country and in particular of that famous Sardonix Stone which from the Coast of Arabia was presented to Polycrates King of Samus The other Stones he mentions are the Molochites something resembling in Colour a Smaragdus or Emerald onely of a deeper Green the Iris so call'd because held in the Sun it represents all the Colours of the Rain-bow the Androdamas so call'd as partaking something of the Nature of the Adamant or else because it abates the force of Anger and Passion and the Paederotes a very beautiful Stone and by some thought to be the same with the Opal Neither forgets he the Balsom of Judaea which indeed is generally accounted the richest of all other Balsoms not that of Peru it self excepted nor in India the Pepper and Eben-wood which are produc'd about Mount Caucasus nor in other Places the Adamant Magâ—â—â— and Lychnites Stones Neither omits he to
the troublesom Valley of Perdelisk and the other extends Eastward Three Leagues from Chivi lies another Village call'd Hoin and beyond it a Valley that is scatteringly inhabited Five Leagues from the before-mention'd Hoin appears the City Scial at the foot of a Mountain so inconsiderable that it is scarce worth the mentioning from whence you go through narrow Roads very foul and troublesom which brings you first to Derram in the Countrey of Taron where all the Fields quite to Caswin are Planted with Cotton Eight Leagues from Derram is the Village Ibrahim so denominated from the Builder thereof A League farther runs the Stream call'd Chizil-Uzen which augmented with several Brooks and Rivulets falls into the Caspian Sea From thence you soon arrive at Caswin The Province of Iran or Carabach Situation and Description THe Province of Iran by most especially by the Vulgar call'd Carabach lies between two famous Rivers viz. the Araxes and Cyrus now call'd Aras and Cur It compriseth part of Armenia and Georgia or Gurtz and is divided into sixteen Counties viz. Cappan Tzulfa Schabus Sisian Keschtas Sarsebil Eruan or Iruan Kerchbulach Achstawa Aberan Schorgel Sarschat Intze Thaback Meleck Thumanis Alget and Vzilder In these Counties are several fair Cities Villages and Fortresses of which the best known are Berde Bilagan Schemcur Kentze Bercuschat Nachtschuan Ordebat Bajefied Macu Magasburt Tiflis and Tzilder It is a very fertile Countrey abounding especially in Silk and hath been often Invaded by the Turk who borders upon it Drangiane or Sagistam Borders of Sagistam DRangiane at this day call'd Sagistam borders in the North and West with Aria in the East with Arachosia or Cabul and in the South at a part of Gedrosia The several Names of its Metropolis According to Olearius and Ananias the Metropolis of this Province is call'd Sistam which Ananias will have to be the City Propstasia of Ptolomy otherwise nam'd Phrada whereas Davity saith Sistan and Sagistam are two several Provinces and will rather have the City which Anaâ—ias calls Asiam to be the Propstasia of Ptolomy by reason of the similitude in the Names which will not hold good if as some are of opinion Sistan be a contraction of Sagistan The other Towns according to the same Ananias are Bigui which is the Begis of Ptolomy Canasi Mulete Bachagi Aeloud perhaps the ancient Aricada of Ptolomy and Timocaim of which last Marcus Paulus Venetus makes mention The chief Towns The chiefest Towns in this Province according to Olearius are Sistan Chaluck Ketz c. Ptolomy also places the River Drange in this Province which glides Southerly from the side of the Mountain Bagoe In the Maps and by Ananias this River is call'd Ilment but the whole Countrey being surrounded with Mountains hath so pent it up that it can scarce find any Passage There are but few Towns in this Province the People are under the Subjection of the Persian Sophi and use Persian Manners and Customs Here Texeira makes us believe contrary to the receiv'd Opinion that there is a Mountain on which some of the Persians to this day worship their ancient God Orimasda or the never-dying Fire The Countrey of Nixabur or Nisabur Situation of Nixabur THe Countrey of Nixabur is by Texeira plac'd between that of Carason Usbeck Tartary and Turkestan The Metropolis is also call'd Nisabur and according to Olearius not far from Mesched being in 102 Degrees and twenty Minutes Longitude and in 38 Degrees and 40 Minutes Northern Latitude The Countrey is full of Sandy Desarts which are in a perpetual motion as if they boyl'd though there be no Wind. Near the City Nisabur lieth a Mountain on which are found excellent Turkoises so call'd perhaps from the Name of the Countrey in which the Hill lies namely Turkestan The Province of Kilan or Gilan Denomination and Situation of Kilan THe Province of Kilan or Gilan by the Ancients call'd Hircania hath receiv'd that Denomination from a peculiar People nam'd Kileck It lies between high Mountains and the Caspian Sea like a Cross on an even Plain which being clayie Ground is much fertiliz'd with many Brooks and Rivers that fall from the neighboring Mountains but in some places it was heretofore unpassable by reason of the Water untill King Abbas rais'd a Cawsey which crosses the whole Countrey from Astarabath to Astara so that you may now travel with great ease It conterminates in the South with the Province of Erack in the North with the Caspian Sea and in the West and North-West at Schirwan or the Mountains of Schamachie and the Plains of Mocan This Province af Gilan is divided into twenty Counties Division in which there are several Towns Villages and Hamlets viz. Kisilagatsch Maschischan Buladi Cilekeran Disekeran Rihk Lahetzan Deschtewend Lengercunan Schichkeran Howe Lissar Kesker Masanderan Marancu Astara Nokeran Lemur Tzeulandan Rescht and Astarabath You enter this Province on the South from Erack through a narrow but well known Road by Writers call'd Caken or The Straight of Hircania but in the time of Alexander it was call'd Pylae and is the same which Olearius calls now The Caspian Gate The Way is very narrow through which you come into the Province of Kilan At the Mouth of this Pass are two Streams that coming from the right and left side of Erack conjoyn their Waves and gliding along come at last to a Stone Bridge which being Vaulted and accommodated with several Rooms of Entertainment supplies the place of a Caravansera and passing thence divide again and fall by two Mouths into the Caspian Sea Beyond the Bridge you come into a fair Road which presently divides it self into two Ways one leading to Ardebil and the other to Kilan the first is very troublesom and dangerous by reason of many Rocky Descents and steep Passages incumbred with great Stones and often so narrow that a Camel and a Horse can scarce pass one by another but the right Way that leads to Kilan is rather worse having such Caverns and Precipices that Travellers are forc'd to walk afoot and lead their Horses over the Mountains of which at the same Season one side is very cold and the other extream hot but more Northerly through Kilan are very pleasant Shades with all manner of Fruit-Trees and others fit for Timber In a Valley near the Stream Isperuth lies a Village call'd Pyle Rubar encompass'd with Hills Though this Village be at the Entrance into Kilan yet the Persians will not allow it to belong thereto but to the Mountains of Tarum A League from Pyle Rubar in the middle of the River Isperuth are to be seen the Ruines of an old Wall and Bridge destroy'd as they say by Alexander the Great The Country of Rescht The County of Rescht borders North on the Caspian Sea West with Kesker and East with the River Isperuth It hath a City of the same Name which is also the Metropolis it stands two Leagues
to be the Caesius the Bustro to be the Gerras the Timeki or Terk to be the Alonia and the Kisilar to be the Adonta for between the River Albanus or Coisu and the Volga or Rha no other Rivers are to be found The Kingdom of Amadam THe Kingdom of Amadan or Hamadan is by Texeira call'd Amedon as also the chief City thereof which lying between Casbin and Curdistan extends thirty Leagues and boasts fifteen Towns the Inhabitants whereof are all Merchants Della Valle tells us that the City of Amadan lies in the Way which leads from Bagdad or Babylon to Ispahan and is large and populous and much frequented by Strangers though the Buildings are very mean rather like those in an ordinary Village yet behind these Houses are fair Gardens full of Fruit-trees so also are the Streets Markets and other publick Places which are also well furnish'd with all manner of Provision at reasonable Rates All the Streets where the Shops are by them call'd Bazars are Arch'd and Pillar'd like Piazza's It is exceeding cold here for you not onely see Ice in the Streets but it often Freezes any liquid thing in the Chambers though there is a constant Fire kept This City is the Residence of a Chan who hath many Towns and Villages under his Jurisdiction as also a Daroga or Deputy Thus much of every Province of the Kingdom of Persia in particular next we will give you an Account of what concerns Persia and all the Provinces in general and also of such Remarks of some Provinces in particular as shall be requisite to be spoken of viz. of the Air Property of the Soil Plants Beasts Customs Food Liquors Language Learning Funerals Arms Religions Government and what else is necessary to be describ'd Temperature of the Air. THe Air of these Countreys is for the most part very healthful and temperate with very little Rain especially towards the South and in some places as in Gamaron near the Sea-Coast not once in three years By reason of the vast Extent of Persia viz. from the twenty fifth Degree of the Equinoctial Line to the thirty seventh Degree Northward and likewise for the rough rocky Mountains of Taurus which run through the middle of the Countrey and spread out with several Arms the Air is not every where alike temper'd but different in many Provinces Such as dwell Southward from the Mountains feel the Heat exceedingly in the Summer but those to the Northward have the Seasons more temperate wherefore the Persian Kings us'd formerly at Set-times in the Year for their Pleasure and Health sake to remove their Courts to such Provinces where they judg'd the Weather would best agree with them for in the Summer they kept their Courts at Ecbatane now call'd Thus where because of the Mountains in the South-West it is very cool and in the Winter at Susa now Susistan which City lies next to the Northern Mountains on which the Sun-beams reflecting make the same a warm and delightful Place as appears by the Name for Susa in the Persian Tongue signifies a Lilly In September and March they remov'd to Persepolis and Babylon The Kings of Persia to this day make use of this convenience of the Air for Schach Abbas in the Winter resided in the Province of Mazanderan at Ferabath Schach Sefi according to the Custom of the Persian Kings often going on Progress sometimes kept his Court in Tabris otherwhile in Ardebil or Casbin But the present Seat of the Kings being in Ispahan is no inconvenient Place either in Winter or Summer because it is situate on a Plain three Leagues from the Mountains and enjoys commonly a very temperate Air. All Strangers in their travelling through Persia are sensible of this alteration of the Air in several places not without great prejudice to their Health being forc'd by reason of the excessive Heat to travel in the Night and rest in the Day especially between the Mountains where the Passage goes Southward But in all parts of Persia it is very cold in Winter and sometimes travelling Eastward with a Northerly Wind it is so exceeding cold that the Travellers lighting from their Horses in the Morning are so benumm'd that they can hardly stand Della Valle says that the Heat in Persia is not very great yet the Beams of the Sun in the Plains are much hotter than in Italy The Inhabitants in the Summer go Cloth'd in a thin Sute of Callico in which they walk and do all their Business Neither is the Cold troublesom to them partly because it is not very great notwithstanding it Snows much there and partly because it lasts but January and February Several Distempers in Persia. By reason of this difference in the Air there are several Places in Persia less healthful than others and the Inhabitants subject to all manner of Distempers and especially in Schirman and Kilan where Fevers and Agues much afflict them The Air at Tabris is accounted the most healthful in all Persia for the Inhabitants thereof are never sensible of any such Diseases nay they affirm that if any so troubled come thither they immediately recover from whence as the Inhabitants say the City Tabris or Tebris after the Kilan pronunciation hath receiv'd its Name for a Feaver is by them call'd Teb and Ris signifies To poure out But besides Agues and Feavers there are many other Distempers which rage amongst them as the Bloody-flux and Plague though not so often and vehement as in Europe also Morbus Gallicus by the Inhabitants call'd Schemetcaschi that is The Casehanian Pox because it is most there The Persians live long The Persians generally attain to a great Age many of them living above a hundred years and at that time when Olearius was in Persia the Governor was above a hundred and forty years old They commonly suffice themselves with a little and not too high Food and live for the most part very temperate The Soil Nature of the Soil AS to what concerns the Soil in this great circumference of Land it is of a different Nature for in some places it is exceeding fruitful by reason of the many Rivers which water the same especially on the side towards the Caspian Sea the rest is subject to great Drought and hath many Wildernesses and craggy Mountains But to speak in general most of these Provinces have plenty of several sorts of Grain and excellent Fruits as well of those that grow naturally them as transplanted from Europe and elsewhere The Soil in Persia specially so call'd is very dry and stonie and therefore requires much Manuring to fatten it by which and the Water convey'd in Pipes the Fields are fertiliz'd and produce several sorts of Corn and Fruit in great abundance About the Village Becktahab a League from Ispahan the Land is barren and white which Della Valle ascribes to the Salt with which it is mix'd The Champain except that of Kilan Olearius reporteth to be mix'd with red Gravel and
and to throw the same into the Sea and further that they should cause therein such violent emotions as should force it to throw up and disgorge that Wealth which was the occasion of its Pride Whereupon Mahadeu himself assisted on Bramma's side and the Deytes or Giants on the other so moved the Sea by shaking this Mountain that first it threw up the Money call'd Lecseny secondly the invaluable Jewel Consenchmany or a Carbuncle which in the night gives as great a Light as the Moon Thirdly the Tree Paersatich Fourthly her Silver Pot with the Water Sora Fifthly the Physician Dannewanter Sixthly Indema or the Moon Sevently the white Cow of Superfluity Camdoga Eighthly the Water of Everlasting Life call'd Ammaril Ninthly the Elephant with seven Trunks call'd Hierawanesti Tenthly the beautiful dancing Maid Remba Eleventhly the seven-headed Horse Exmognogora Twelfthly the Bowe Dennock Thirteenthly the Horn Sank And lastly the Poyson Sahar The Sea having by this great motion vomited up all these things became very calm Whereupon Mahadeu commanded the Mountain Meerparwat to be carried again to its place and left the Serpent Signage or Soesja to perform the same Then giving the conquer'd Treasures to several Countreys and People he return'd to Heaven Thus Kaurams Altar ended having lasted in the first Age 2500 Years Waras or Warrahas Altar the third WHen in the First Age the World was wholly spoil'd and no Belief amongst Men the Serpent Signage or Seesja with a hundred Heads who supported the World fainted through the weight of the Peoples sins insomuch that not being able to bear the same up any longer he went from it and thereby turning the whole World topsie-turvey at last thrust it into a bottomless Sea where all the Creatures were drown'd Thereupon Bramma the four-headed God implor'd Wistnow to fetch the World out of the bottomless Water and place it on the dry Land again Mahadeu's strange shape in his third appearance Mahadeu consenting to his Request descended in the following Shape viz. He had a Head like a Hog with two mighty Tusks bigger than those of an Elephant a Body like a Man with four Arms and Hands in one of which he held the great and terrible Sword Godda and on the first Finger of the other Hand a Ring in the third the before-mention'd great Horn which they call Sank and in the fourth the Book Kittaep In this manner Mahadeu descended first no bigger than a Dwarf but grew ere long to that horrible bigness before he came quite down that had the Earth been above the Waters and he stood upon it he would undoubtedly have touch'd the Heavens with his Head In this horrid Shape he div'd into the Deep where he kill'd the Monstrous Giant Hirnacks or Hirnacas which colour'd the whole Sea as red as Blood and Mahadeu made him his Footstool to tread on and striking his Tusks into the World pull'd up the same out of the Waters and calling the Tortoise and thousand-headed Serpent Signage to him he plac'd the Tortoise above the Waters and upon the Tortoise the Serpent Signage and above him the World This done he ascended again into Heaven and with one word Bramma created new Men. The Brahmans and other Tribes of the Indians seem highly to esteem this Appearance of Wistnow in the shape of a Man with four Arms and a Hogs Head for in the City Trimottam about Zinzi is a Pagode or Temple call'd Adi Warraha in which a Hogs head stands to publick view which the Brahmans affirm grew out of the Ground and worship as the Image of Wistnow in commemoration of his Birth in that shape Above Wistnow or Mahadeu sits the fair dancing Maid Remba with her Legs across under her The Giant Hirnacs representation The Giant Hirnacs lying under Mahadeu's Feet is represented in the shape of a horrible Demon with two Horns on his Haed mighty great Ears and bristly Hair on his Forehead and the Crown of his Head Cross his left Shoulder hangs a Black String his Body from Head to Foot full of bloody Spots His Fingers are like those of a Man but his Toes are rather Claws Thus ended Waras Altar having lasted 2700 Years in the First Age. Narsings Altar the Fourth WHen in the First Age the Giant Hirrenkessep had by great Penance and Religious Exercises moved Bramma the four-headed God to appear unto him and had obtain'd his Request he ask'd him what he desir'd whereto Hirrenkessep replied Hirenkessep's Request to Bramma Most powerful Bramma make me by your Favours a Monarch and mighty Prince on Earth and thereby grant that I may never be kill'd either by Heaven Earth Water Sun Moon Planets Clouds Wind Hail Snow Rain Thunder Lightning Birds Beasts Fishes Men Devils Serpents Adders Poyson Swords Arrows nor by any other Weapons neither without my House nor within it by Day nor by Night All which Bramma promising him the Giant Hirrenkessep raised himself and left off imploring Bramma any longer but marching into the Field conquer'd many Towns and Countreys and by Degrees subdu'd the whole World Which done he publish'd an Edict His Edict whereby he commanded all Men on pain of death to worship no Deity but him onely and that all those which should be found to do the contrary should die without mercy Waras of Warrahas autaer de derde Narsings autaer de vierde Wamans autaer de vyfde Mahadeu having perform'd all this in three days ascended up to Heaven again and so ended the fourth Altar in the first Age Cortesingke after a Reign of seventeen hundred twenty eight thousand years in which hapned all the foremention'd Wonders And notwithstanding the time of these Miracles doth not amount to more in all than seventy seven hundred years and three days yet it is to be understood that the seventeen hundred and twenty thousand years and three hundred and sixty two days were expir'd before between and after the Miracles Vanam's Altar the Fifth begins with the second Age Tretrsingke MAhadeu in the first Age had plac'd a Ragia Inder in Heaven to Govern the happy Souls as a Reward for his pious Life and continual Offerings which whil'st he liv'd on Earth he made every day in honor of Mahadeu with promise moâ—â—over that he should enjoy that place till some body else should exceed him for he had made a hundred Siasjas which are costly Offerings in honor of Mahadeu and besides all that forsook his Estate Wife and Children nay his own Life and spent all his time in Fasting and Praying Moreover in this second Age was born a Bell Ragia who growing up to a Youth betook himself to the reading of holy Books and amongst many other things read that a King was plac'd in Heaven to Govern the happy Souls till such time as some one should exceed him as abovesaid Since which this Ragia being a powerful King to exceed Ragia Inder in Piety spent whole days in searching and reading of holy Books nor
Cambaya erected in a Temple which is much frequented by the superstitious Benjans A Mile from the City is the Garden and Palace of Chanchonna Son to the great Byram Chan of Persia The Countrey of Cambaya to Amadabat is for the most part desolate and uncultivated In the Way are several Pits each above thirty Yards deep in which is salt Water though at a great distance from the Sea it is drawn out by Oxen. The Countrey about Amadabath is nothing but a vast Wilderness and the Ways very dusty and troublesom for Travellers The High-ways are Hedg'd in on both sides with a certain Fruitless and Leafless Plant which shoots forth onely little long Stalks of a deep Green both Winter and Summer out of which when broke asunder drops a milky Juice like that of green Figs and being very sharp eats into that part of the Skin on which it drops The Fields which border the High-ways are full of Ambe-trees which bear a Fruit like great Olives and also af Tamarind-trees Without the City are many great Tombs of Marble erected by the Moors and are much statelier than their Houses A League and a half from the City lies a great Village call'd Zirkes or Sirkesia where there is a very magnificent Tomb the whole Structure with its Floors being all of polish'd Marble and distinguish'd into three parts one whereof rests on a a hundred and forty Marble Pillars each thirty Foot high curiously adorn'd with Festunes and Pedestals after the Corinthian Order This Structure is said to be the Tomb of one Cacis Tutor to one of the Kings of Zurratte to whom they ascribe great Sanctity and Wonders and that the said King who with three other Kings lies buried in another Chappel built the same in commemoration of his Tutor At a certain time of the year most of the Mahumetans come hither in Pilgrimage firmly believing thereby to obtain pardon for their sins On one side of it is a large Pond About a Mile from the City is another fair Tomb of an eminent Mahumetan Merchant call'd Hajom Majom who being enamor'd of the Beauty of his Daughter and threupon Ravishing her was Beheaded by the King's Command and buried here with all his Family wherefore the Inhabitants to this day call the same Betychint that is The uncover'd shame of your Daughter De Stadt Souratte The Water of the foremention'd River is convey'd round the said Banquetting-house not far from which you come into another Garden over a high Stone Bridge four hundred Paces long and though this Garden be but small yet it is very pleasant and high and hath also at the end against the Bridge a brave Banquetting-house The Water in the droughty Season is drawn up but of the Wells by Oxen and put into two great Stone Cisterns before the Banquetting-house This Garden wherein commonly young Women Bathe themselves in the foremention'd Cisterns is call'd Nicunabag that is The Garden of Precious Stones and is said to have been made by a beautiful and rich Lady There is yet another delightful Garden with a Banquetting-house which was built by the Great Mogol Ecbar in commemoration of his conquering the last King of Zurratte call'd Sultan Mahomed Begeran in that very place whereby the Kingdom of Zurratte became subject to the Great Mogol Ten Leagues from Amadabath lies a little Town full of pretty Houses and Pagan Temples call'd Niervant Six Leagues from the said City also lies another Town call'd Mamadabad on the Bank of a pleasant River on the North side of it is a fair Palace The Inhabitants of this Town are for the most part Weavers Description of Suratte The City Surat or Surratte according to Davity the Village Surastra or Syrastra of Ptolomy is for its neatness by the Moors call'd The Mogol's Beard and lies in about 21 Degrees and about 30 Minutes Northern Latitude near the River Reinier or Reunier otherwise call'd Pani Hind that is The Water Indus and Tapi or Tapti and Tyndee two Leagues up into the Countrey from the Bay or Gulf of Cambaya The City extending along the Banks of the foremention'd River built square lies open towards the Water but inclos'd on the Land-side with Mud Walls and dry Ditches It hath three eminent Gates which are lock'd every Evening the one leads to the Village Brion which is a Throughfare for those that travel to Brotcha Cambaya and Amadabat the other to Brampour and the third to Nassary It is adorn'd with many fair Houses with flat Roofs built after the Asiatick manner There are also many stately Palaces in this City which for its defence hath a strong Castle near the River built after the manner of the Romans and surrounded with Walls of Free-stone and deep Moats which receive their Water out of the River Reinier It is an ancient Structure built by the Inhabitants long before the coming of the Portuguese into these Countreys or as some say by the Romans According to the Relation of the Inhabitants to Mandeslo the Turks coming thither with many Ships out of the red-Red-Sea and conquering several Places built this Fort which hath but one Gate towards the side of a great Plain or Market and is very strongly guarded none daring to come into the same but those that are upon Duty nor are any Persons Listed to serve in the same but native Indostans the Rasbutes though valiant Soldiers often mutinying against the Mogol the Benjans and Usbecks being accounted Enemies and the Benjans and Cambayans never serving for Soldiers accounting it a great sin to shed Blood Next to the Castle is the Nabab or Sultan's House and next to that the Custom-house and the Market to which the Inhabitants of the neighboring Villages and Strangers bring their Goods to sell The City Surratte is very populous and inhabited partly by native Indians and partly by Strangers and Foreigners for Trade The Indians of these Parts consist generally of Zurrattans Cambayans Benjans Brahmans Decans and some Rasbutes who are all generally Idolaters or Mahumetans the last mention'd are the smallest number and the Benjans are the richest driving the greatest Trade All these People live very quiet one amongst another for the Great Mogol though himself a Mahumetan makes no distinction amongst his People of several Religions but gives them Offices alike both at his Court and in his Army Amongst the Foreigners or Strangers the English and Hollanders drive the greatest Trade here besides which there are Portugueses Arabians Persians Armenians Turks and Jews wherefore Suratte is accounted one of the most eminent Cities for Trade in all India both in respect of its Haven and because the convenience of carrying the Commodities through all Suratte from Cambaya and other Places draws the Merchants thither The English and Dutch Traders have many fair Houses in the City very convenient to dwell in and also to stow their Goods The People of several Nations have each of them a Church here and their own Teachers Without
Guandari at the place where it falls into this Bay sixteen Leagues Northward from the City Brotcha or Brotsch and according to Linschot fifty three Leagues from Diu. The compass and strength of it Cambaya being twice as big as Surratte is two hours walking in circumference and is surrounded with a double Stone Wall which hath twelve Gates It s chiefest Ornament consists in its great Suburbs The Streets are streight and broad and lock'd up every Night with a great pair of Gates The Houses are partly of Brick and partly of Free-stone but all kept very moist and consequently cool and would here be accounted but mean Houses yet are reckon'd the best in the Countrey being cover'd with Tyles and having Gutters to receive the Rain-water which in the three Summer Months falls in great abundance The Description The City is not very old and perhaps built out of the Ruines of some other It hath three great Market-places in the middle and fifteen pleasant Gardens full of Mangas-trees the Fruit whereof grows so plentifully here that they are sent to all the adjacent Countreys besides all which there are four Pools out of which the Inhabitants have Water all the year On one side of the City is a a square Pool rais'd with Marble and several Steps on which they descend to the Water for besides that which is sav'd in these Pools during the rainy Season there is little else in Cambaya This City hath no Haven of any great consequence put onely a bare Road by reason of the inconvenient Situation and low Shore yet it is call'd a Haven because of the great number of Ships which come thither from all Places At high-High-water the Ships may Anchor close before the City but lie dry at low-Low-water which are only small Vessels for Ships of Burthen are forc'd to lie a good distance from the Shore in deeper Water The Ebb and Flood of the Sea about Cambaya is exceeding swift the Sea rising in a moment and in less than a quarter of an hour to its usual heighth which is done with such wonderful swiftness that no Horse can out-run the same for it comes so furiously out of the Sea that like a great Current it overflows a vast Tract of Land Many Villages are under the Jurisdiction of this City where all Goods which are brought thither by Water pay Three per cent and Four if they come by Land This City was formerly the Seat of the King 's of Surratte and famous for Transporting of Agats and other Precious Stones Both without and within the City are many Hospitals for sick and maimed Beasts as is already mention'd which the Benjans look to and cure with great care for they abominate the killing of any Beast About a League and a half from Cambaya in the way to Amadabat lies a Village call'd Saima seven Leagues and a half farther Southwards another nam'd Mator and three from Cambaya another call'd Sarode which is inhabited by Rasbutes who Rob on the High-ways and Rivers Most of the Inhabitants are Pagans or Idolaters who are very careful in the preservation of their Laws the rest are either Moors or Mahumetans In the Village Cansari lying not far from the City stands a Pagode which hath several Cloysters and Walks on the out side built after a pretty kind of fashion as also the whole Structure which though it be not very big yet it is built in a handsom method Within this Pagode which belongs to the Indians call'd Vertias who shave the Hair from off their Heads stands upon a high Altar which is ascended by Steps an Idol with divers burning Lamps hung before him Hither resort many People to Offer Incense before the Idol Not far from hence is another square Pagode furnish'd with divers Idols A League from Cambaya lies the Village Agra which according to the Relation of the Benjans was anciently the Royal Seat and chief City of the Kingdom of Surratte Descriptio of the City of Brotcha The City of Brotch otherwise call'd Brotsch and Baroch and by Della Valle Barockci and Bebrug lies twelve Leagues Northward from Surratte and about two from the Sea side near the Northern Shore of the Stream Nardabat or Nardaba otherwise Nerheda which in a broad though shallow Channel glides by its Walls and coming down from beyond Decan and Mandou discharges its Water into the Bay of Bengala By reason of its great distance from the Sea it never comes up to the City though at high Flood The City which is pretty large lies on a Hill and is naturally well fortifi'd and by reason of its convenient Situation may be made the strongest Fortress of all India It is surrounded with Walls of hard Stone in manner like a Fort and strengthned with Bulwarks and hath three Land-Gates each with a Portal and according to the fashion of the Countrey is very strongly built besides two more along the side towards the River out of which the Water that is us'd in the City is fetch'd daily with Buffaloes There also with leave of the Receiver of the Customs many Boats with Wood are unladen On the Land they keep a strong Guard in several places without whose leave none may pass through them The Inhabitants relate and some old Rubies testifie that Brotcha was formerly a stately City but at present the best Houses are fall'n to ruine and few People of note inhabit the same Most of them being Benjans maintain themselves by making of Callicoes which they sell to a good advantage About the City or at the Foot of the Mountain lie two Suburbs call'd Poera inhabited by People of several Nations which also maintain themselves by making and Trading with Cotton Goods and they make the best Callico that is to be had in all Surratte and therefore send it to all parts of India They also make strip'd Stuffs half of Silk and half of Cotton which are much us'd and highly esteem'd in India for though it be wash'd never so often it changes not its colour The English have a Factory in this Town and pay Two per cent for all their Goods The Jurisdiction of this City The Jurisdiction of Brotcha extends over eighty four Villages and did formerly over three Towns which now have each a peculiar Governor Herbert affirms that it Commands over many great and remote Towns as Medapour lying seventeen Leagues from it Radgipour or Brodera six Leagues from thence Jown-basser seven Leagues from thence and many others which at this day have each their peculiar Lord of whom the Mogol receives yearly a Million two hundred and sixty thousand Momoedies for a Revenue The Harbor for Ships is before the River Nerheda in the open Sea without a shelter against the Winds For some Leagues about the City the Countrey is very plain and fertile being water'd by the River Navar or Nardabath Northward from Brotcha lies the Stream Dilavel and eight Leagues from the said City in the Way
to Cambaya you may see a great Village call'd Giambierser or Junbuglar otherwise Jambouser A Tomb whereto Pilgrimages are made Between Brotcha and Amadabat is the Tomb of a certain Mahumetan Saint call'd Polmedony being highly reverenc'd by the Inhabitants who out of a mad zeal go thither in Pilgrimage believing that they shall merit great things thereby and that they may seem to be the more penitent they load themselves with Iron Chains and Stones by which means they imagine they shall obtain fair Children Health Riches and what else their Hearts can wish or desire Description of Goga Goga is a Town or great Village lying about three Leagues from Cambaya near the Sea side where the Gulf or Bay of Cambaya grows narrower and appears like a River It is a pretty large Town but hath neither Gates nor Walls except towards the Sea side where there is a Wall of Free-stone near which is the Road and Place of Rendezvouz for the Portuguese Frigats which come as Convoys to their Merchants Ships and when laden conduct them to Goa and other of their Factories About nine Leagues Westward from Goa lie two Villages call'd Pattepane and Mangerel Bysantagan a City Bysantagan a great City lying in the midst of Surratte boasts twenty thousand Houses large Towers and Temples and in the middle of it a great Pool wherein the Inhabitants both Men and Women bathe themselves every day It is inhabited by Brahmans and was formerly but a mean Village but is come to its present splendor by the fertility of the Soyl about it which drew many People thither from other Places Pattan a very large City Pettan a large City six Leagues in circumference is surrounded with a Wall the Houses built of Stone In the middle of the City is a most magnificent Mahumetan Mosque built formerly by the Heathens on a hundred and fifty Pillars of Marble and other Stone Besides this there are many other fair Structures and without the City divers pleasant Gardens but most of them being decay'd have left their ruin'd Heaps to testifie their former splendor On the East side of the City stands a great Castle surrounded with high Walls and strong Towers and is the Residence of the Governor The Inhabitants are most of them Benjans who are exceedingly perplex'd by the Coelies being certain Robbers that dwell in an adjacent Territory who often force them to pay Contribution to the great prejudice of their Trade Cheytepour is a Town of Village lying six Leagues from Pettan and forty five from Amadabat built on the Banks of a pleasant Rivulet Messane an open Village lying seven Leagues and a half from Cheytepour hath an old decay'd Castle where the Governor resides with two hundred Horse A little League from Amadabat is a Village call'd Jessempour which hath a great Sary or House of Entertainment for Travellers A League and a half farther is another great Village nam'd Batova with a large Pool Three Miles from Batova is a Village nam'd Canis which lies near a River of the same Denomination Fourteen Leagues from Amadabat and nine from Brotcha is a little Town call'd Nariadet or Niriaud or Nieriaut built with fair Houses and Pagan Temples Seven Leagues and a half from Nariadet lies the Castle Wasset with the Villages Sejantra and Amenogy between both two or three Leagues one from another It is an old decay'd Structure built upon a high Hill near a River which falls into the Bay of Cambaya There are generally a hundred Horsemen in Garrison who in the King's Name receive one Ropia and a half for every Carr which the Caffilas drive by this Place Brodera a Countrey Town lies between Amadabat and Brotcha one and twenty Leagues Eastward from the first and thirty Westward from the last on a sandy Plain near a small Rivulet nam'd Wasset It was built by a Heathen call'd Rasia Ghie Son to Sultan Mahomed Begeran the last King of Surratte about a League and a half from old Brodera then call'd Radiapora which by this means was ruin'd and left desolate all the Inhabitants going to the new Brodera This Town or City which is surrounded with Walls and Bulwarks of Chalk and Stone hath five Gates one whereof is lately stopt up for want of a Way On the West side is a large Suburb inhabited by Weavers and Dyers who are for the most part Benjans Ketteyans and a few Moors Two hundred and twenty Villages are under the Jurisdiction of this City seventy five whereof pay Tribute to the Governor for the maintaining of his Soldiers the rest are by the King given to several of his Officers that by some heroick Exploits or good Service have oblig'd him in requital whereof he gives them the Revenues of the foremention'd Villages to maintain them Within the City are ten magnificent Houses Gardens and Tombs whereof one very stately built in the midst of an Orchard is the Tomb of a mighty Lord and all his Family Besides all these there are five pleasant Gardens full of Fruit-trees Flowers and Herbs On the East side right before the Gate that leads to Brotcha is a pretty deep Pool about half a Furlong broad and flank'd on one side with a Stone Wall from whence the Inhabitants fetch all their Water On the East side also about eight Leagues from Brodera lies a Village call'd Sindickera and five or six Leagues Westward from Brodera are eight or ten Village more which are all under the Jurisdiction of Brodera some Leagues from which towards the side of Amadabat lies a Castle or Fortress on a Mountain surrounded with a Wall near a small Brook More Northerly is an old decay'd Town call'd Surbrodra where there is a Custom-house Next to that is the Village Amemoygra where there is a Well of excellent Water Daman a large City with a Castle The City Daman lying on the right hand at the coming in of a Sea-Bay forty Leagues South-East from Diu in 20 Degrees Northern Latitude It is a great City situate near a River at the Sea and fortifi'd with a strong Castle Della Valle affirms that it is not very big but well built and surrounded with strong Walls like a Fortress This City was in the Year 1559. conquer'd by the Vice-Roy Constantine for the Crown of Portugal Conquer'd by the Portuguese for when the Portuguese had with the consent of the Inhabitants built a Fort near the City for the securing of their Trade the Inhabitants endeavor'd afterwards to force them from thence but the Portuguese being well fortifi'd oppos'd them and in a short time made themselves Masters of this Place making it an Example to all the Kings of India especially the Great Mogol who being warn'd by the Fall of his Neighbors would not permit any Europeans to build Forts in his Dominions nor give them a Foot of Land in possession The Blacks Natives of this Place Converted to Christianity are the best Musquetteers of all India of
which they have given sufficient testimony for about the Year 1644. when the Great Mogol's Son Besieg'd this City with ten thousand Men they behav'd themselves so bravely that the said Prince having lost a great number of his Men was forc'd to retreat from thence in a confus'd manner The Portuguese possess several Isles near Daman which pay Tribute to the King of Salsette wherefore he is call'd Choura of Daman Southwards from which lies a Place near the Sea call'd Dary beyond which is the Bay Kielme Mahi so call'd from two Villages lying near the Sea the one nam'd Kielme and the other Mahi and beyond them appears the City Bazaim The City Bazaim Sixty Leagues Southward from Deman near the Island Salsette lies the City Bazaim which Mercator affirms to be the Borace of Ptolomy in nineteen Degrees and a half Northern Latitude By reason of the many Rivers and Brooks the Way between Bazaim cannot be travell'd in less than three days The City being pretty large hath a convenient Harbor The whole Coast produces much Rice Pease and other Grain Oyl and Coco-nuts In the beginning of this Age many Houses were swallow'd up by an Earthquake in the room of which none have since been built On the Main Continent near the Island Salsette de Bazaim the Portuguese have a Fort call'd Manora and also a Village with many Hamlets near it â—â— Bay ende Stadt DABUL gelegen â—â—de noorder breetsâ—â—â— The Rock Asserim The Fortress or Rock of Asserim lies up some Leagues farther into the Countrey up which they generally climb bare-foot that so they may take the surer footing it being very high steep and slippery insomuch that those who ascend the same are in great danger of falling from the top to the bottom or else if they ascend on the other side they climb up by Ropes with which they hoise up Cows and other things which they want And though this Rock lie between many other which may easily be ascended yet it is so high above them that it seems to be a Fortress which Commands over the rest And as this Place is the Key to all the rest which the Portuguese possess to the Northward in India so it is likewise a great Eye-sore to the neighboring Kings who have for that reason practis'd divers ways to conquer the same which to prevent the Portuguese are continually upon their Guard especially at those Places which yield a good Prospect On the top of the said Rock is a large Plain surrounded with many great Stones which they throw down upon those that come to invade them Not onely the Soldiers but also the Inhabitants of the Place watch every Night and carry Torches made of a kind of Wood like Canes which last a long time and cannot be put out by any Wind or Rain which rather makes them burn the better This Place is also a Sanctuary for all Criminals who repairing thither for shelter are receiv'd and kept there for Soldiers which with their Wives and Children amounted formerly to about seven hundred The Portuguese conquer'd this Rock in the time of the Governor Francis Borrero The Countrey of Surratte The Countrey of Surratte is interlac'd by many Rivers viz. the Nardabat which takes its course by the City Brotcha and divides it self into two Arms about four Leagues from the City towards the South near the Village Hansoot in some places it is one and in others two Miles broad and is divided by many other Streams which have Passages into the Sea The Soil is for the most part clayie and mix'd with Sand except near the City where it is all Sand it extends East North-East and West South-West The other Rivers are Wasset and Bate which last springs out of the Mountains of Gate and falling into the Gulf of Bambain divides the Kingdom of Decan and Countrey of Surratte or Cambaya The Tapta otherwise Tyndee also glides between the Countrey of Surratte and that of the Benjans The River May otherwise Mehi or Guandari along whose Banks the City of Cambaya is built is dry at low Ebb except in three or four places which having always about four or five Foot of Water are dangerous to wade through without a good Guide because of the strong Current that is in them This River ebbs and flows daily seven Fathom perpendicular At High-water the Ships come to an Anchor close before the City but are left quite dry at low-Low-water The Ground being sandy and mix'd with Clay is much better and easier for those Vessels that lie dry upon it than if it were hard Sand. About a League Southward from Cambaya glides the River Mihi whose Shore must be travell'd at the low Ebb of the Sea and not without great danger because the Sea rising flows up above five Leagues and at low Tide you are forc'd to wade through two or three deep places if any one should venture to wade through at the coming in of the Tide he would undoubtedly be swallow'd by the Sea for when the Water flows with greater strength and higher than ordinary for it observes no Rule but rises and falls more or less according to the course of the Moon it carries and washes away both Horse and Man and oftentimes with such force that an Elephant cannot withstand the same nor all his weight prevent him from being carried away wherefore all travellers wait for a certain time to wade through the same viz. when the Sea is low which is at the new Moon at which time they may go over it in Coaches or on Horseback without any danger Coaches are commonly held fast on both sides that they may not be overturn'd by the Waves those that go on foot strip themselves naked and tying up their Clothes carry them on their Shoulders many times a whole Caravan with abundance of People travel over the same some in Coaches some in Waggons some on Horseback and others on foot both Men and Women stark naked accounting it neither shameful nor immodest The Soil between both viz. between the said River and the City Cambaya is firm and hard and is not overflown though plain and not far from the Sea In most Places of the Kingdom is excellent Water except in the City of Cambaya where there is great want of it There are several Pools of Water in the Towns and some of them so big that the Inhabitants filling them in the Winter have enough to serve them all the year In those Countreys which lie near the Indian Sea is a certain rainy Season or Winter viz. four Moneths in the year beginning in June when the Sun enters into the Tropick of Cancer and ending in September If it Rains out of the Season it is unusual but betokens a fruitful year for in the other eight Moneths the Weather is so serene and clear that there is scarce a Cloud seen in the Skie neither doth it rain constantly during the foremention'd four Months as in Goa but
about it a hundred other Shops in the Bazar the Cattel Corn Salt and Oyl-Market the Afrabnischins which are those that sell their Goods in Tents of the Villages belonging to Ardebil thirty three belong to the said Tomb as also five Houses in Serab in the City Tabris sixty Houses and a hundred Shops besides two Villages near the City several Caravansera's and Baths in the City Caswin as also in the Provinces of Kilan and Astara in the Plains of Mochan the Villages Abchur and Eleschur with divers others in the Counties Chalchal Kermuth and Hascheruth besides what comes out of Tartary and India where several Places inclin'd to the Persian Religion pay also Tribute to the same Moreover it is a Custom amongst the Persians that when they go to Travel or undertake any Business of concernment or when they are in Sickness or Trouble they make great Vows to Schach Sefi which they perform as surely and willingly as they would desire to be sav'd nay many of them when they come to celebrate the annual Obsequies of their Saint bring great Presents with them and often in their Wills and Testaments leave their whole Estates to the foremention'd Tomb where also there are daily Offer'd Sheep Horses Camels Money and other things Those that bring the Presents receive a handful of Anniseed in testimony that their Souls shall receive an extraordinary Consolation for the same The Presents are receiv'd by two sworn Stewards by them call'd Nessurtzian from the Arabick word Nessurt which signifies a Promise or Vow they sit every day in a House on the left side near the Metzid Tschillachane where between them stands a round Coffer cover'd with red Velvet into which is put the Money through a slit at the top The Camels Horses and Mules that are Offer'd are immediately sold and converted into Money but Sheep and Oxen are kill'd and distributed amongst the Poor To these Stewards Schach Ismael gave the Revenue of a large Village call'd Sultanabeth a League from the City Ardebil for their Maintenance but Anno 1618. this Village was demolish'd by Schach Abbas upon the approach of the Turkish Army together with the City Ardebil ARDEBIL Opposite to this Tomb is another little Chappel in which several eminent Persons also lie bury'd Four Leagues from Ardebil near Sultania Village Bâ—sun lies Busun a large Village with several other smaller thereabouts in a Valley full of good Pasturage for Cattel Five Leagues from Busun is another Village call'd Sengoa Sengoa beyond which are several steep Mountains and four Leagues farther another pleasant Valley with a remarkable Fountain Not far from this Valley Northwardly appears the Mountain Taurus by the Persians thereabouts call'd Perdelis near which on the South side is a Cavity which is worn by time above three Miles deep from the top of the Mountain and two Miles broad and serves for a Receptacle or Den for Thieves by whom Travellers sustain great mischief if they have not a considerable Party in company with them Through this Chasme or Gap runs the River Kisilosein which from thence precipitating it self River Kisilosein and descending through Kilan at last disembogues its white Water into the Caspian Sea Four Leagues from this Valley lies the Village Keintze and two Leagues from thence on the right hand a Village call'd Hatzimir and six Leagues farther there is another Town call'd Kamal beyond which lies Sencan to the Southward whereof appears a large Sandy barren Desart The City Caxem Caxem which Texeira calls Cahem and which Davity places in Margiana is the first City in Media upon the Road from Pâ—rsia It is considerably large comprising at least five thousand Houses standing on a Plain where sometimes they feel excessive Heats being under 32 Degrees and 5 Minutes Northern Latitude In this City is a very long Street being rather a Market-place full of Shops with all sorts of Commodities which though it be not so long as that of Schiras yet is much broader and beautifi'd with Trees that stand ranging on both sides and are a shade to the Houses But that which is most ornamental to this City is their stately Caravansera built An. 1610. being able to Lodge very many Strangers with all accommodation and convenience of Reception Near this stands a stately Palace erected by King Abbas which though but indifferent on the out-side yet magnificent and beautiful within and indeed one of the best contriv'd Houses that the King hath in his whole Dominions within whose Walls having pass'd one Garden you enter into another larger than the former being the Haram or Seraglio for his Women and surrounded with a Hedge of delicate Fruit-Trees The City Caxem is none of the biggest nor the least in this Province yet the Kings of Persia always held the same in great esteem partly because the People were civil and quieâ— and in their Dealings just and honest and party for its Wealth and flourishing Trade in all manner of Silk-Stuffs but especially the best and fairest Carpets of all Persia made in the Villages belonging to the Jurisdiction of this City none in all Persia comparing with them except those of Ispahan The Weavers live all together in a little part of the City inclos'd with a Wall and all those other Workmen who prepare and make ready the Silk But the Suburbs are much more pleasant than the City it self being full of delightful Gardens and having many fair Caravansera's for the reception and accommodation of Strangers There is no Water about this City but what is in Wells which nevertheless is very wholsom Moreover there is little good Water all the way between Ispahan and Casbin by reason of the thirsty and hot Earth but this want is supply'd by the abundance of Snow which lies thick on the tops of the Mountains all the year A days Journey from this City is a Village Village Cencem call'd Cencem whose adjacent Hills exhale bituminous and sulphureous Vapors which makes the Air very unwholsom especially in the Night when these Vapors chiefly rise they also make the Summer Heats extream sultry This Town hath onely one small Mosque in it and that not remarkable for any thing that may require a Description In the Year 1617 it had a hundred and fifty Families but the next year following they had been all swept away with a pestilential Distemper had not the Spanish Agent Garcias de Silva coming there by chance in his way to Hispahan given them advice to be Let-blood which prov'd a present Remedy Places lylng between Ardebil and Caswin In the Way from Ardebil to Caswin according to Della Valla lie these Places viz. Halfa League beyond Ardebil is a Village in the Turkish Language call'd Task-Chiesen that is Stone-cutters Town from the Artificers that Carve there in Stone Four Leagues farther stands Tagi Bujur and five Leagues beyond that Chivi where the Way which leads to Caswin parts into two Roads one whereof runs through
from the Caspian Shore and half a League Eastward from the Persichan by the Arabians call'd Husan plac'd in 85 Degrees and in 10 Minutes Longitude and in 37 Decrees Northern Latitude to which Olearius adds 35 Minutes The Houses in the City are not so beautiful as in other places though most of them are cover'd very artificially to keep out the Rain which falls there very often and in great abundance About the Houses are Planted Orange-Trees which bear twice a year There is also a Maidan or great Market-place which is very well supply'd with all sorts of Provision for the Table to be had at a very cheap Rate The Villages that belong to this County are Kisma Pumen or Fumen Tallum Scheft Dilum and Massula This County hath several Rivers which descending from the Hills are very well stor'd with Fish which yield the King a good Revenue by granting Licences to such as take them They discharge their Waters 〈…〉 the chiefest Persichan half a League Westward from the City Rescht More Westward Chestecan a little League farther Westerly Pischeru and Lissar over which lie several high Bridges and at last follows the Stream Tzomus The County Kesker The Territory Kesker borders Eastward with Rescht Northerly with the Caspian Sea and in the West with Lissar In this County are three and twenty Towns and Villages the first and chiefest is Kesker which gives Denomination to the whole Countrey the rest are Schacherruth Curab Enseli Dulab Schab and more Northerly Ruesseru Mianschaker Sengerbasara Howe Choseckkadehene Lenkeran and Kisikgatz and between the Mountains Kuawer Marancu Deschtewend Subel Drich Malule Busler Dubilcha Tifebihi and Talischeran The City Curab Curab vulgarly call'd also Kesker is situated like Rescht in a Wood two Leagues from the Caspian Shore yet hath great Respect and Priviledges as being the Birth-place of Schach Sefi the Son of Sefi Myrsa whose Queen fell in Labor as he went his Progress that way This County of Kesker hath store of fertilizing Streams the chiefest whereof are Feslei and Nasseru and boasts also a great Lake call'd Enseli abounding with Fish The Countrey of Kilan in the South is full of Woods and juts with two Promontories into the Sea one Eastward from Mazanderan and Ferabath and the other Westward from the Province of Astara In the Province of Lissar Westward from the Stream Nasseru run fourteen Rivulets the chiefest whereof are Dinatsar three Leagues from the Stream Nasseru Schiberu Chalesera Alarus and Nabarrus which last runs in the Province Lissar by the Village Sengerhasara More Westerly are many other Rivers the eminentest whereof in the Counties of Howelemur Nokeran und Astara are Lome Conab and Beskeschan over which lie great Bridges In the Province Astara the Stream Choskedehene disembogues into the Sea near a River of the same Denomination Choskedehene signifies properly A Dry Mouth because the Sea in that place is so shallow that no Fish can get over the Sands into the River Decription of Astara In the Territory of Astam lies the Town Astara which though it be the Residence of the Chan yet it hath no Walls Westward beyond Astara lies the Mountain Schindan before made mention of and upon it a Village call'd Schach Sahadan Borders of the County of Langercunan The County of Langercunan borders in the East with the Sea in the West with Astara and in the North at Maschischan This County hath a narrow Passage towards the side of Astara because at the foot of the wooddy Mountains which reach down to the Shore it is border'd by a deep Morass through which onely runs a narrow Cawsey at the farther end whereof a River call'd Serdane glides from the Mountains beyond which is the Village Lenkeran wash'd by a Brook nam'd Warasaruth This County and Village hath the Denomination of Anchor-Ground and Haven notwithstanding there is onely a little Inlet where the Land runs into the Sea with two Horns like a Half-Moon one of them lying before Lenkeran is cover'd with Woods and the other before Kisilagats with Canes None but small Boats can go into the same by reason of the shallow Water and is also very dangerous to Anchor in the Wind blowing hard from the North-East wherefore the Boats are generally hal'd ashore The Curtzibachi or Governor hath this Harbor and adjacent Villages for a part of his Revenue notwithstanding others say it belongs to Ardebil Through this Countrey from the Village Lenkeran to Kisilagats four indifferent deep Brooks under several Bridges râ—n into the Sea In the County Kisilagats about half a League from the Shore lie three or four Isles in the Sea viz. Saru so call'd from the redness of the Soil Alibaluch and Kellechol all which as also the main Shore are cover'd with Reeds The unwall'd Town Kisilagats signifying Red Mold lies two Miles North-West into the Countrey on a Plain near a Brook call'd Willeschi It was formerly bought by Sulsagar Chan of Ardebil and after his Decease Inherited by his Son Hossein Sultan who had possession of it in the Year 1635. The Kilan Mountains extend from hence North-Westerly and lessening stretch to the Desart of Mocan Not far from hence in a Hilly Countrey lie the Counties Cuawer Marancu Deschtewend and others and in the neighboring Mountains the Village Dubil otherwise call'd Chatifekekis which Village those People that inhabited it in the time of Schach Abbas were for their leud manner of living their promiscuous Sensualities Rapes and Incests committed one amongst another rooted out by the said King and the Village re-peopled with new Inhabitants Nature of the Soil The rich Countrey of Kilan hath a fat clayie Soyl and in some places where it is low deep Morasses Moreover between the Mountains and the Caspian Sea is a smooth Plain moistned by many little Brooks and Streams which fall out of the Mountains into the Sea It was formerly a troublesom Way to travel but Schach Abbas caus'd a Cawsey to be made through all Kilan from Astarabath to Astara by which means it is both safe and convenient to travel either on Foot by Horse or with Camels Productions of the Countrey The most peculiar Products of this Countrey are Silk exceeding large Grapes Tobacco Oranges Pomegranates Figs and Calabashes The Stock of the Vines about Astara grow generally to the thickness of a Man's Body the Calabashes are guided up by Poles like our Scarlet Beans for if they lie on the Ground they are apt to rot Wild Beasts The Mountains which look upon the Caspian Sea are overgrown with Woods wherewith indeed the whole Countrey of Kilan is environ'd and they abound with wild Beasts as Hogs Deer Goats with Horns of an exceeding length but not so crooked as those of Europe besides Beasts of prey as Tygers Leopards Wolves and Bears the first of which are so numerous that they are brought ten or twenty at a time to be sold and taught to follow the Chace in
of which so many breed here that the Fishermen dare not go into above four Fathom Water which Pomponius Mela seems to have observ'd when he saith in his Geography This Sea is more dangerous than any other by reason of the many Monsters that breed therein It hath been reported that in Kilan over against the Mountain Sahebelan where they breed most they are taken with Hooks fastned to thick Lines and Baited with Flesh Divers other sorts of Fish Nor doth it onely breed Monsters for contrary to the Opinion of Contareno and Bizarro it produces several sorts of excellent Fish as Salmon Sturgeon Carps an Ell long a sort of Herrings great Breams call'd Chascham Scwit or Schivit and a sort of Barbels a Yard and a half long but others less which are tough and not fit to be eaten The Inhabitants there catch another sort of Salmon-Trouts which they dry in the Smoak and Dress after this manner viz. They lay the smoak'd Fish wrapt in a Linnen or Cotton Cloth upon a hot Hearth and then cover it with Ashes till it be enough whereby it gaineth a most delicate taste This abundance of Fish breeding in the Sea causes the King of Persia to Farm out the Fishing thereof towards the Mouth of the fresh Rivers which brings him yearly considerable Sums of Money This Fishing Farm begins in September and lasts to the end of March during which time the Rivers are shut up to prevent Intruders that have no right to Fish there but all the rest of the year not onely the Rivers but the Sea it self lies free and open to all Persons This Sea in the Summer the Persians Tartars and Russians Navigate in sleight and miserable Vessels with which they dare not Sail but onely before the Wind nor venture from the sight of the Shore There are but few Harbors and those neither good nor safe the place between the Island Tzenzeni and the main Land is counted one of the securest and therefore the Persians always Anchor there in the Night they also us'd to Ride with their Vessels near Bacu Lenkeran and Ferabath according as the Wind favors them But the best in all that Sea is towards the East on the Tartars side and is call'd Chuaresm and Minkischlack but by some nam'd Manguslave This Sea according to Herodotus Ptolomy and Aristotle is distinct from all other being wholly inclos'd within the Land so that it may justly be call'd a Mediterranean from whence appear the Errors of Dionysius the Alexandrian Pomponius Mela Strabo Pliny Solinus Basilius Magnus and others who would make it to mix with the Scythian or Tartarick Sea or else a Bay of the Northern Ocean and not totally surrounded by the Land The Province of Mazanderan Borders of the Province of Mazanderan THe Province of Mazanderan or Mazanderon conterminates in the West with Gilan or Kilan the East Borders upon Estarabat the South touches Erack Media and a part of Gilan and the North verges with the Bacu or Caspian Sea Its length is accounted to be thirty Leagues and Compriseth twenty five Cities the Metropolis of which bears the same Denomination with the Province but Della Valla and Olearius name it Ferhabad and aver that formerly it was call'd Tahona Description of Ferhabad The City Ferhabad which lies about two thousand Paces from the Caspian Sea is in a great Plain and as Della Valla witnesseth in a few years after the first Building grew to the bigness of Rome or Constantinople but was not inclos'd with Walls Nor have the chief Cities in this Countrey any such Inclosures The Teggine Rude that is The Swist-River runs through the middle of the City over which there is but one Bridge but that neatly built in that place where commonly the greatest concourse or People is in other parts a good distance from the Bridge they Ferry over in slat-bottom'd Boats made of one great Tree This Place by reason of its nearness to the Caspian Sea and convenience of the beforemention'd River is accounted a Sea-port Town because the Ships Sail up to the aforenam'd Bridge where they drop their Anchors and though the Vessels are not very big yet all that drive this Trade viz. to the City Gilan Esterabad Bacu Demircapt and to Astracan in Muscovia lade and unlade here King Abbas not long since call'd it Ferhabad that is The City of perfect Joy which is an Arabick word compounded of Fer which signifies Joy and Habad that is Finished Two Reasons induc'd the King to build this City the one was a desire he had to beautifie his Kingdom and extend the Limits thereof for he built divers Cities in several other places the other was his kindness to this particular Region partly because it was the Birth-place of his Mother and partly because it was the strongest part of his Dominions for it lies on one side surrounded with the unnavigable part of the Caspian Sea and on the other with inaccessible Mountains through which none can come but by narrow and craggy Paths besides all which this Countrey lay remotest from the Enemy especially from the Turks The Houses in the beginning were not above a Story high and cover'd onely with Canes to keep out the Weather The Walls consist of a certain Stuff very common in this Countrey which being mix'd with Straw is call'd Calghil that is Straw and Earth to which a quantity of Sand being added and beaten like Mortar makes a most strong and durable Cement But the King's Palace is built of Sun-dry'd Brick which in the time of a great Fire proving a safeguard to it self and all within caus'd the King to command all the Houses to be built of the like Materials The City Eskerf Eastward from thence lies a City call'd Eskerf about two Leagues from the same Sea at the end of a large Plain near the foot of a Mountain which environs the same on the South side This City was also built by Abbas at the same time with Ferhabad It hath many Gardens and a great Bazar or Street full of Shops besides divers other meaner Houses standing without order among shady Groves in a delightful Plain which is full of Inhabitants sent thither by the King and is much frequented especially when the Court Resides there which is the greatest part of the Summer for in Winter Ferhabad was the Royal Chamber and this the King did to draw Inhabitants thither and cause a Trade and likewise because it was well seated for Hunting and other Recreations The Houses are built under high Trees and so shaded with the Boughs that they are scarce to be seen insomuch that one may doubt whether Eskerf be a City erected in a Wood or a Grove inhabited like a City In the middle of the Gardens behind the Houses stand Chambers or rather Galleries because they are onely cover'd on the top which being about a Man's heighth above the Ground are ascended to by Steps and serve both for Eating
Tagestan is divided into several Lordiships Division viz. Osmin by others Ismin Boinack c. each having a chief Town of the same Denomination in which the Governor hath his Residence Olearius is of opinion that a part of this Countrey was anciently possess'd by the Amazones which as Curtius affirms dwelt betwixt the Caspian Sea and Mount Caucasus The Metropolis The Metropolis of Tagestan call'd Saru lies partly upon and partly between the Mountains which are Rocky and at a distance appear as if they were cover'd with Mussle-shells for there is scarce any piece to the bigness of a Mans Hand but what hath five or more Shells sticking upon it The Stones of the Rock are as hard as a Pebble Beyond these craggy Mountains are good Pastures for Cattel Behind Tarcu lies the Castle Suchur In the City which hath no Walls are about a thousand Houses built after the Persian manner though somewhat sleighter Out of the Rocks spring several Brooks which with a pleasant murmuring noise glide down the Mountains through the City The Tagestans of Tarcu and those of Boinack that dwell towards the North are call'd Caitack Westward beyond Tarcu is another sort nam'd Cumuck and Casucumuck who are under the Jurisdiction of peculiar Lords The Tarcuan Tartars are not less in number than those of the Province of Boinack The Prince of Tarcu styl'd Surchow Chan boasted himself to be Extracted from the Family of the Kings of Persia with whom he always held an amicable Alliance and when the Tagestans made War upon each other he receiv'd Aid from Persia The Natives maintain themselves by breeding of Cattel which the Women take care of whil'st their Husbands Ride abroad to steal whatever comes to hand not sparing Men Women or Children for they account it no Sin to sell their nearest Relations Brothers or Sisters to the Turks Those that dwell near the Rivers live by Fishing especially by catching of Sturgeon which they take with strong Harping-Irons and the Pole to which the Line is fastned fix'd in the Ground The Diet of the Grandees or Chans is commonly Mutton cut into small Slices Their man of Eating and Drinking and roasted on a woodden Spit as also Sturgeon cut in little Pieces which being boyl'd with Salt they eat it with Butter and Vinegar They use no Knives but pull their Meat in pieces with their Fingers When any one of them lays down a Bone he that sits next to him taking it up picks it much cleaner and sometimes it is taken up by three or four after the same manner Their Drinking-Cups are long Cows Horns out of which they Drink a Liquor made of Barley and call'd Brega which in colour is like Mead. They are very boisterous in their Cups They spread their Tables on the Ground after the Persian manner All their Vessels consist in woodden Bowls and Troughs The Tartars of Tarcu are wild and valiant but the Women are very courteous they are all Mahumetans and suffer themselves to be Circumcis'd yet are great Zealots and some of the Tartar Women are privately inclin'd to the Christian Religion The Inhabitants of the Village Andre have amongst other Nuptial Ceremonies these following viz. Every Guest brings an Arrow with him which he shoots either into the upper part of the Wall or the Roof of the House where they stick till they rot or fall down of themselves what the signification hereof is none knows They are a valiant and undaunted People caring neither for the King of Persia nor the Great Duke of Muscovia but boast themselves Tagestans and consequently subject to none but God which their audaciousness depends chiefly on the inaccessible Mountains whither they retire when any stronger Enemy falls into their Countrey The Merchants that travel through their Dominions are forc'd to pay great Customs and yet if they are not strong enough to defend themselves are sure to be Robb'd and therefore they always go with the Caravans in great Companies This Countrey is under the Subjection of several Princes Government by one general Name call'd Myrsa but many Cities are Govern'd by a peculiar Lord yet they have a supream Commander nam'd Schemchi and by others Schafcal who is as a King and chosen by the throwing of an Apple viz. at the Election all the Myrsa's or Princes meet together and standing in a Ring their Priest throws a Gilded Apple amongst them and whoever he hits therewith is immediately chosen Schemchal who though he hath great Honor and Respect yet he finds but litte Faith and Obedience from them and therefore cannot be said to Govern with arbitrary Power He keeps his Court in a Village nam'd Andre situate on a Hill near the River Coisu His Habit is a Silk Coat of green Darai and over it a black Furr Mantle and when he Rides out he is commonly Arm'd with a Scimiter Bowe and Arrows Beyond Tarcu lies a wild and brambly Countrey Five Leagues from Tarcu lies the Stream Coisu which abounding with Fish takes its original from Mount Caucasus and runs very swift the Water muddy of a reasonable breadth and generally eighteen or twenty Foot deep which Olearius supposes to be the Albanus of the Ancients which according to Pliny falls into the River Cassia In this Water breeds abundance of Sturgeon and another sort of Fish not much unlike it Two Leagues and a half from Coisu runs a Brook nam'd Acsai which is not above twenty five Yards broad Some take this Acsai to be onely a Branch of Coisu which unites with the same again not far from the Caspian Sea If any Strangers are desirous to Ferry over this River with their Goods they are forc'd either to pay a great Sum of Money to the Inhabitants or else they take away their Goods Beyond Acsai is a barren Heath seven Leagues long Rivers half a days Journey beyond which runs the River Bustro which is also one of the chiefest and almost as deep as the Coisu the Water thereof is muddy but runs not so swift as the foremention'd it serves for a Boundary between Circassia and Tagestan Northward about two Leagues from the Caspian Shore it divides it self into two Branches one of which now call'd Temenki but formerly and by some to this day Terk is about thirty Yards broad and hath given the City by which it glides the Denomination of Terki which is the last Town in those Parts under the Czar of Muscovy the other beyond this and of the same bigness bears the Name of Kisilar because it carries along in its Sand a kind of Gold-dust and lying somewhat higher than the former is commonly dry'd up in the Summer The place of its disemboguing is about eight Leagues beyond the City Terki All these Brooks come Out betwixt the North and the West and the Kisilar is the last in these Parts but fifty six Leagues farther is the Volga which springs in the North. Olearius according to Ptolomy will have the Acsai
and Iberia as also a part of Armenia and some of Albania within whose Limits as Strabo tells us is inclos'd the Countrey inhabited by the Moschi for Georgia extends in length from the Eastern Shore of the Black Sea almost to the Caspian Others make Georgia comprise the ancient Iberia and the Countrey of Georgia mention'd by Pliny and Mela. It hath for Neighbor on the East the Countrey of Albania now under the Jurisdiction of the Persians and wherein the Towns of Bacu and Demircapi or Derbend lie and bending from thence a little Southerly it touches upon the Province of Scirvan in the West it verges with the Black Sea Its Bounds in the North fronts the Caspian Mountains which are Branches of Mount Caucasus and extend along from the Black to the Caspian Sea and defend Georgia from the Northern Blasts as also from the Invasion of the Salvages on the South it conterminates with that part of Armenia which borders upon Media and somewhat lower Westerly towards Trebizonde with a part of Cappadocia and is by the Circassian and Caspian Mountains divided from Muscovy It s several Denominations The right Name of this Countrey according to Texeira is Gurgistan that is The Countrey of the Gurgians It is also call'd Garia and Chartuelaba as a Georgian in the Countrey Language Chartueli or Kartueli which word Della Valle affirms to signifie a Christian The Turks name them Kurchin or Gurgin or Jurian to which must be added the Turkish word Lar a sign of the plural Number and is pronounced Jurianu-Lar The Name of Georgia or Georgians some suppose they have receiv'd from St. George whom they highly reverence and carry his Picture in their Standards though Postellus affirms from the information of the Georgians in Constantinople that the Name of St. George is altogether unknown to them Division of the Countrey Georgia is by some divided into several Provinces the chiefest whereof are Imereti or Busciaciuk Cacheti Cardel or Carduel Curiel and Mengrelia This Countrey of Georgia is very fertile It s Fertility and in many places produces plenty of Corn Wine and other Fruits Most of the Vines grow up by the Trees There are likewise many Woods and Mountains and abundance of Mulberry-ttees for the feeding of Silk-worms which furnish Persia with great quantities of Silk Wild Beasts are also here in great numbers Wild Beasts and likewise Faulcons and Eagles which they call Avigi Rivers and Lakes It is water'd by the Rivers Araxes now call'd Aras Cyrus now Cur and the Canak The Cyrus or Cur which the Natives of the Countrey call Ser the Turks Chur and others Elkar takes its original with the Araxes out of Mount Taurus in Armenia from whence it glides down to the Plains of Georgia where augmented with the Waters of many Rivers and at last united with the Araxes disembogues into the Caspian Sea There are also two very eminent Lakes the one call'd Geluchalatdu in the North is four days Journey in circumference and hath on its Banks the Castle of St. Leonard the other nam'd Esechie is taken for the ancient Lake Licinitis The People very courteous The Georgians are very civil and courteous after their manner The Nobles are call'd Asnaure which going continually Arm'd always maintain War against the Unbelievers or Mahumetans But they are not so much inclin'd to Learning as the Greeks neither are they so ambitious proud and subtle but very meek and honest of an affable nature and so easie of belief that their greatest misfortunes have fall'n upon them from the Mahumetans through their too much credulity Cootwick tells us that the Georgians are much inclin'd to Drinking and that they will not Engage with an Enemy before they have drank their Fill. The Women are very courteous civil modest and the best featur'd in all Asia both Men and Women are tall and slender having generally brown Hair black full Eyes white and ruddy Complexions occasion'd perhaps by the abundance of Wine which they drink The Language one through the whole Countrey Through the whole Countrey is but one sort of Language spoken which being peculiar and common to these People is by them call'd Cardueli it is written with two distinct Characters or Letters the one call'd Cudsuri which is us'd onely in godly Books and in their Churches and the other Chedroli is us'd in all other Affairs The Alphabet of the vulgar Georgians hath thirty six Letters shap'd like those represented in the Sculp Figueroa tells us that the Georgian Characters differ from the Caldean Hebrew and Armenian and that they write like the Europeans from the left hand to the right They are of the Greek Church The Georgians receiv'd the Christian Religion in the time of the Emperor Constantine who kept his Court at Constantinople from the Greeks by means of a strange Slavess of whom they relate many great Wonders but to this day none of them know her Name yet the Roman-Catholicks in their Book of Martyrs call her Ancella And as they receiv'd the Christian Religion from the Greeks so they likewise observe their Church Ceremonies and Liturgies They perform Divine Service in their own Language and not in the Greek as Minadoi and others affirm nor do they boast the antiquity of their Church as the Greeks do and though they acknowledge the Patriarch of Constantinople yet nevertheless they are not subject to him for they chuse their own Church-Rulers They bear great reverence to Rome St. Peter St. Paul and the Pope to whom contrary to the Greeks they attribute the antiquity of their Church They shun the company of the Armenians and abhor their Superstition but affect the Latines and Roman-Catholicks and what Conquests soever the Turks and other People have gain'd over them yet they have always remain'd firm in the Christian Faith and though their Princes have very often apostatiz'd and forc'd many after several ways to change their Opinions yet nevertheless the Christian Religion hath gotten the upper hand and the Christians have regain'd the Dominions which they had lost or forc'd their Princes again to embrace Christianity which they had forsaken Many Ways lead into Georgia especially three the first and shortest whereof is through Constantinople from whence they travel thither by Land viz. through Scutarie in Asia with the Caravans who go along the Way of Trabizonde and finish their Journey in a Moneth though it is much shorter over the Black Sea viz. in five or six days more or less according to the Season The second Way is through Persia from whence they go easily with the Caravans into the Prince Luarsab's Countrey The third and last Way is through Poland cross the Black Sea from whence in a few days you arrive in Georgia as we said before This Countrey was formerly Govern'd by a King Government whom the Persians as Texeira affirms call'd Schach of Gurgistan for Anno 1430. Cara-Issuf falling into Gurgistan
Mengrelians for accounting them delicate Meat They have no Corn neither do they make use of Salt There are an innumerable company of Hawk sand Falcons which they teach so well in eight days that letting them flie at the Game they return with the same upon the gingling of a Bell and are from thence lent to Constantinople Persia and Georgia Their manner of living Hunting and Hawking is their chiefest Business and Recreation They inhabit neither in Towns nor Castles but fifteen or twenty Families together who erect Tents or Huts on the top of some pleasant Hill which they fortifie with a kind of Pallisado's that they may not be suddenly surpris'd and taken by their own Natives Some affirm that the Woods are their places of Residence and that when once they setlte themselves in any one place they never desert the same They endeavor to take away and sell one another for Slaves to the Turks who highly esteem these Countrey People Riches and Trade Their Riches and Merchandise consist in all manner of Skins Wax Honey and Slaves Their Nobles commonly sell their Vassals to the Turks in Barter for other Commodities There come yearly into the Haven of Eschissumuni several Ships from Lazi Trebizonde Constantinople and Caffa where they stay sometimes all the Winter The Merchants which come in them go not ashore with their Commodities but sell them aboard having beforehand given Oath or Hostages not to hurt one another Amongst other Customs peculiar to these People one is That they neither bury nor burn their Dead but put the Corps into the Body of some hollow Tree hanging up the Arms and Garments of the Deceased about it They go Cloth'd after the manner of the Circassians onely their Hair they wear otherwise Habit. They let their Mustacho's grow but shave their Beards On the contrary the Papari let all their Beards grow They maintain constant Wars against the Circassians and Mengrelians Wars and are good Soldiers both on Foot and on Horseback knowing well how to manage Fire-arms as also Simiters Bowes and Arrows The Alans and Zichi agree for the most part in their manner of Living with the Sovanians and Abcassians The Caracholians dwell also to the Northward of Mount Caucasus Some call them Caraquirquez that is Black Circassians for Cara is Black in the Turkish Language But they are of a fair Complexion and therefore we may rather suppose that this Name was given them because the Air of that Countrey which they inhabit is always dark and cloudy and full of Snow They speak the Ottoman Tongue notwithstanding they dwell in the midst of so many several forts of People but so exceeding quick that they can scarce be understood The Jesuite Archange Lamberti affirms that these People had their original from the Hunnes At the Black Sea dwell a sort of Mahumetans call'd Lesgi who acknowledge no Prince abroad but being divided amongst themselves are under many petty Governors in their Language call'd Myrza or Princes of which some have scarce twenty Men under their Command Moreover they are a robust and rude kind of People chusing rather to live in Villages in the Countrey than in wall'd Cities They are salvage and cruel and implacably hated by their Neighbors as a People that live by robbing and stealing The People call'd Lazi or Curten The Curten are Herdsmen THe People call'd Lazi otherwise Curten border upon Georgia and the Countrey of Trebizonde They inhabit the high Mountains along the Shore of the Black Sea They are a laborious People bred in the Woods and spend their whole Lives in no other Employment but keeping of Cattel The Black Sea The several Names of this Sea THe Water known to us by the Name of the Black Sea perhaps from the Example of the Greeks who according to Bellonius call'd the same Maurothalassa that is Black Sea or as Niger affirms by the Grecian Navigators Maurum is by the Inhabitants of Mengrelia and by the Italians call'd Mar Majore that is The Great Sea and by the ancient Greek and Latine Writers is mention'd under several Denominations for Herodotus sometimes calls it The Cimmerian Sea then The North Sea and in his fourth Book Auxiotheaton that is Worth the seeing Plutarch in the Life of Pompey and Eumenes and after him Ptolomy and Jornandes call it The Pontick Sea Pliny Pontus Axenus that is A Sea without Harbors But the common Name which the Latine Writers give it is Pontus Euxinus which in the Greek signifies A Sea with Harbors and is so call'd per antiphrasin as Ammianus Marcellinus affirms or that afterwards her Shores were provided of Harbors Towns and other Accommodations whereas before it was inaccessible and desolate and that so this Sea from Axenus or Harborless became Euxenus or Receptive It is subject to Storms The Black Sea is subject to many Storms and tempestuous Weather especially in Winter when the North Wind blowing cross the same fills the Skie over this Sea with Clouds and Darkness whenas inother Countreys it makes a serene clearness so that Horace justly said Illic umbrosiae semper stant aequare nubes incerta dies that is There always lie dark Clouds on this Sea from whence probably the Name of The Black Sea which is given to it proceeds There are no Islands in this Sea unless some small Rocks mould be nam'd Isles which lie near the Coast The Cossacks from Poland come into this Sea as Pyrates to meet with the Turks Frequented by the Cossacks and are absolute Masters thereof their place of Residence is at the entrance of the River Niger beyond the Mouth of the Black Sea Aelian tells us that there are many Tunneys caught in the Black Sea though Archangel Lamberti during his stay in Mengrelia never saw more than one of them which was brought as a strange Fish to the Patriarch's Table neither did the Fishermen of the Countrey know it but Aelian may perhaps have mistaken a Sturgeon for a Funny The Province of Circassia Who the Circassians are THe ancient People Zyches or Zyges according to Stephanus and Strabo whom Pliny places in the Asiatick Sarmatia about the Lake Meotis are at this day as George Interian and Scaliger affirm call'd Circassi or Circassians but amongst themselves Adiga and by the Poles Pient-Zorsti that is Inhabitants of the five Mountains Bronjof calls them Pythagoreans Ananias Pitorses Ramusco Comans and their Countrey Comania but Comania comprehends Colchis or Mengrelia Georgia and Albania These Circassians are those which are call'd Mamelus or Mamelucks and by the Turks in the time of the Soudans Zerhars There are two remarkable Streams The Rivers the one call'd Pisi which falls into the Lake Calbane the other Sil glides by Cabarta There are many other Rivulets of little note because a Man may wade over them The Countrey of Circassia shews it self like a Semi-circle from the South-West to the North Bounds where a large Inlet
made by one to another in the presence of one single Witness without any farther Ceremony How they order their Children The Women being generally Deliver'd of their Children on Beds of Straw and Chaff made for that purpose carry the Child to the next River though full of Ice and washing it give it the Name of the next strange Person that comes into the House When a Noblemans Child comes to the age of three or four years it is given to one of his Servants to be brought up and instructed after their manner Their manner of living They live for the most part upon Sturgeon and other Fish though sometimes they eat both tame and wild beasts Their Bread is principally of Barley and the usual Drink of the common People is Water but they make a Liquor of a sort of Grain which they call Boeza or as John de Luca saith they mix their Water with Honey and Barley which letting stand ten days to soak they afterwards boyl whereby it becomes pleasant to the taste and as strong as Wine In stead of Cups or Glasses the Vulgar use the Horns of wild Buffalo's or other Beasts but the Nobles drink out of Golden Cups worth from three to five hundred Ducats some also are of Silver out of which they drink with great deliberation and Ceremony and commonly in the Name of God and their Saints or deceased Friends They commonly sleep with a Coat of Mayl under their Heads in stead of a Pillow and with their Arms by them As soon as they rise they put on the foremention'd Coat of Mayl The Men and Women lie together but Head to Feet yet on one Bed which is commonly made of Leather and fill'd with Rushes and Rose-Leaves John de Luca affirms That the Houses are made of two rows of Poles stuck in the Ground between which they lay plash'd Boughs which they cover with Mortar and Straw nor are the Princes Palaces built of better Materials though bigger The Circassians often Engage with the Tartars for there is not a year passes but the Tartars as well Mogaians as others make Incursions into their Countrey on purpose to get Slaves The continual Alarms in which their Enemies keep them Their Arms. hath made them the best Horsemen in all these Parts They use Arrows which they shoot forward and backward and wear a Sword by their Sides and a Helmet on their Heads which covers their Faces they also use Lances and Javelins all which they handle with extraordinary dexterity They never make any difficulty to rob one another Thievery encourag'd which makes Stealing common here for they never punish those which are taken in the Fact may ancient People and Persons of Quality never proffer any Drink at Meals to young Folks if they have not committed some notable Robbery Their Opinions in Religion The Circassians are of different Opinions for some follow Mahumetanism others the Greek Church but the number of the Mahumetans is far the greater for though the Priest who is at Derki Baptizes yet he instructs them little in Matters of Religion wherefore they daily turn Turks and retain nothing of the Greeks but the Custom of carrying Meat to the Graves of the Dead and to keep some Fasts In the Countrey of Cudosci or Holy Places are abundance of Rams Heads which be Relicks of the Curbans or Offerings made there On the Trees also hang Bowes Arrows and Swords which are sighs of the Promises they made to the Deceased and therefore are so revereric'd that the greatest Robbers will not touch them The Circassians incline much to Paganism and though they suffer themselves to be Circumcis'd and Believe in God yet they have neither Scripture Priest nor Temple but at some set-times make their own Offerings especiallyon Elias's day Ceremonies at the Death of a Nobleman Upon the Decease of a Nobleman both Men and Women coming into the Field kill a Goat at for an Offering and hanging his Skin Upon a Pole having first made Merry with the Flesh some Men stepping forth Pray to the Skin one after another which done they all depart home The Skin remains on the Pole till such time as they take it down to make room for another After this they raise a great Bed of Earth in the Fields on which they lay the Corps having first been imbowel'd and for the space of eight days his nearest Relations Friends and Vassals come to visit him and bring him Presents of Silver Cups Bowes Arrows and other things then they take a great Tree hollowing the Body into the form of a Chest into which they put the Corps with the foremention'd Presents and so carry it in great State to the Burying-place Some of these Circassians as Soranzo affirms are free others pay Tribute to the Precopenses or Crim Tartars but as others assert they neither acknowledge the Turks nor Tartars but are Govern'd by five prime Heads George Interian attests Their Degrees that there are Nobles Subjects and Slaves amongst them the Nobles being the chiefest have many Vassals under them whom they Govern by an arbitrary Power allowing none to be above them but God neither have they any Judges nor any written Laws but make use of their own Authority in deciding of Differences Some affirm that they Serve the Turk Persian and Muscovites for Pay They have no Money in this Countrey especially in those Places lying up into the Land No Money here but value all things by Bokissins which are pieces of Linnen or Woollen Cloth They Fight on Horseback Arm'd with Bowes Arrows Swords and Lances There are no Fotts in all the Countrey but onely a few old Towers to which the People repair in time of War They Fight daily against the Tartars who inclose them in all parts but are so much valianter that a few Circassians are able to put a considerable number of Tartars to flight because they are much nimbler stronger and generally better Arm'd Albania EAstward from Georgia lies Albania so call'd from the River Albanus by Nicephorus Zuirie and by others Chipiche and Zitracha as also according to Castaldus Garzena because the Inhabitants are inclin'd to Prognostications which the Hebrews call Garazenes But the Names Dhipiche and Zatracha are given them from two great Cities whose Jurisdictions were very large Cluverius tells us that Albania is the Eastern part of Georgia between Iberia and the Caspian Sea Dagestan is also accounted a part of Albania which borders in the East upon part of the Caspian Sea in the West at Georgia in the North faces a part of the Asiatick Sarmatia near Mount Caucasus and in the South looks upon part of Great Armenia towards the side of the River Gur or Chiur anciently Cyrm It lies between very high and almost inaccessible Mountains which soon lose the Way out of Tartary into Persia The Cities and chief Towns of Albania The Towns of this Territory according to Niger are Chipicher Tarracosia
Journal ten thousand Curdes Subjects to the Turk deserting their Countrey went and desir'd other Lands of Schach Abbas King of Persia who giving them a sufficient Maintenance occasion'd a War between the Turks and Persians They have absolute Command in some parts of their Territory as in Gozire a City of Mesopotamia built on an Isle in the River Tigris and in the Mountains by the Inhabitants call'd Tor. The Inhabitants are very valiant and are look'd upon to be able to do great prejudice to the Turk against whom they commonly maintain War Their Arms are Bowes Arrows Shields and Simiters Their Religion Their Religion is that of the Mahumetans either according to the Turkish or Persian way as they see convenient Moreover they are strongly inclin'd to divers Superstitions which are peculiar to them and savor much of Idolatry Some affirm that they worship the Devil because he should not do them or their Cattel any hurt Many Chaldean Christians of the Sect of the Nestorians or Jacobites live in the Dominion of the Curdes and Serve them in the Wars THE EMPIRE OF THE Great Mogol AND INDIA Of India in general India why so call'd INDIA is so call'd from the River Indus and the Word East generally added to India because it is the most Easterly part of Asia and hence America or the New-found World has borrow'd the Name of West-India in opposition to it It s Division Extent and Bounds Ptolomy affirms that anciently and to this day India is divided into two great parts whereof one which extends from the River Indus to Ganges is by the Persians call'd Indostan that is The Countrey of Indus and by the Greek and Latine Writers India intra Gangem or India within Ganges The other part is call'd Mangi or India extra Gangem or Without Ganges The first comprehends all the Countreys under the Great Mogol's Jurisdiction as also the Kingdom of Narsinga or Bisnagar Kannara Orixa the Coast of Cormandel and Malabar the Kingdom of Golconda and many others The second part without Ganges contains the Kingdom of Bengala Arracan Pegu Siam Malacca Cambaya Champa or Tzampa Lao Cochinchina besides many lesser and lastly the vast Empire of China Both these parts also comprehend divers Islands amongst which Japan if so it be is the most Eastern as also the most eminent This whole vast Countrey according to the ancient and modern Writers conterminates on the West with the River Indus the Countrey of Arachosia and Gedrosia on the South with the Indian Sea on the East with the Eastern Shore and on the North with some Branches of Mount Taurus or Imaus a part of Taurus Texeira tells us that India begins at the end of the Kingdom of Macran The largeness of its Circuit lying in 106 Degrees of Longitude and extends to 159 from East to West a Degree being reckon'd to be fifteen Leagues a Tract of eight hundred Leagues in a direct Line India also extends from North to South from the Equinox to the Cape of Malacca almost to the 40. Degree the utmost part of China a Tract of about six hundred Leagues not reckoning the Indian Isles some of which lie a great way to the Southward of the Equinoctial The most eminent Rivers of India are the Indus and Ganges Rivers which come from the Northward out of the Mountains Imaus and Caucasus by the Inhabitants according to Castaldus call'd Dalanguer and Nangracot and both as the Inhabitants affirm spring from one Head though some Geographers make the distance between them to be a hundred and eighty Leagues and others but a hundred and thirty though the first seems most probable because the Ganges takes its course Easterly and the Indus Westerly Philostratus places the Head of the River Indus in Mount Caucasus and makes the same in some places to be a League and a half broad and transplanting abundance of Soil along with it which like the Nile in Egypt makes the adjacent Grounds exceeding fertile MAGNI MOGOLIS IMPERIVM The Course of the River Indus The Indus or Send thus enrich'd with the Waters of other Rivers takes its course Southward through the Provinces of Attack Backor and Tatta and near the City Dul which gives its Denomination to the same it discharges its Water through two Mouths into the Ocean and not through seven as Texeira affirms These Openings are in 23 Degrees and 35 Minutes Northern Latitude Most Maps and many Geographers are greatly mistaken in placing this River as if it fell into the Sea near the utmost Point of the Gulf of Cambaya but this is a great error and as wide from the truth as the whole Countrey of Zuratte is broad for the Indus runs not from the East to Zuratte as it should do if it disembogu'd at Cambaya but the River which discharges its Water into the Bay of Cambaya is another call'd Mehi The River Indus hath divers Isles especially near its Mouth which are very pleasant and fruitful and one City nam'd Varaxes Pliny affirms that nineteen Rivers contribute their Waters to the Indus the chiefest whereof are the Hydaspes now call'd Moltan which receives four other lesser Streams the Catabra the Hypasis and Acesina The Course of the River Ganges The River Ganges now call'd Gangia arises from Mount Caucasus and bends its course to the South through or between the Rocks of the Province of Siba and soon after becomes very broad then proceeding on its course Southward it receives by the way the Waters of thirty Rivers as Ananias saith or according to Pliny ninety so that it swells exceedingly and spreads above four Miles in breadth yet not above eight Fathom deep and at last after a long course falls through many Mouths into the Sea the chiefest whereof and most Westerly is Satigan or Satiguam so call'd from a City of that Name built on its Banks a Sea-port Town where the Portuguese us'd to drive a great Trade the other being the most Easterly is also near a famous Sea-Harbor and is call'd Chatigan both which are under the Jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Bengala The Ganges at last discharges its Water through two noted Mouths into the Bay of Bengala These Mouths Ptolomy places in the eighteenth and nineteenth Degree of Northern Latitude but Barros and Linschot set them in twenty two or twenty two Degrees and a half Accounted holy and why Those of Bengala as the same Linschot writes affirm the Head of Ganges to be in the terrestrial Paradise and therefore account the Water thereof holy and for that cause the Benjans and other Indian Heathens go thither in Pilgrimage to bathe themselves and to drink of it and the Inhabitants of Bengala lying on their Death-beds cause themselves to be thrown into the said River or at least to have their Feet dipt in A Pint of Water a thing very remarkable of the Ganges Lighter than other Water is not above half so heavy as that of
World which we inhabit they call Boulocon This Boulocon say they comprehends seven Worlds more each separated from the other by a Sea The World seated at the Center they say is surrounded with a Sea of clear sweet Water the next to it with a Sea of Milk on which they make the Mountain Tricoweta stand which is 10000 Leagues high and as many broad the third with a Sea of Butter the fourth with a Sea of Tayer or Cream the fifth with a Sea of Wine the sixth with a Sea of Syrrup the seventh with a Sea of Salt Water which is our World all which have their Names from those Seas which surround them According to others there are seven Seas in this our World alone viz. one of Water one of Milk one of Cream one of Butter one of Salt one of Sugar and one of Wine Matsjas of Matx autaer d'eerste Kaurams of Kourmas autaer de tweede In the Watery Sea they place five Paradises in the Milky Sea the Spiritual Priests which are call'd Jogues in the third by them nam'd The Glory of Divenderen those which are inclin'd to Bodily Pleasures in the fourth which is The Glory of Brama the Happy and Fortunate in the fifth which is The Glory of Wistnow the Unfortunate in the sixth call'd The Glory of Kailasan the Poor and in the seventh call'd The Glory of Vajacandam the Rich. The Mountain Merowa In this World they place the Mountain Merowa which they affirm higher than the eight foremention'd Worlds which are above Boulocon and extends a vast way downwards below Patalam or The Infernal Pit and that the Sun Moon and Stars move about it and that those which shall taste of the Fruits which grow thereon will never be hungry dry nor grow old On this Mountain come no Humane Creatures except the Deweta's which are the Sons of Diti Wife to Cassiopa And notwithstanding they ascribe the Beginning and Creation of the World to Bramma yet they seem to make the World in a manner perpetual ascribing to it four Ages The four Ages of the World The first they call Critaigom or Cortesuigke the second Tretasuigke or Treitagom the third Duaparugam or Duapersuigke the fourth Caligom or Calisuigke The three first are already expired but the last is still in being The first Age say they continu'd 17 Lak and 28000 Years each Lak they reckon to be 100000 Years the second 12000 Lak and 96000 Years the third 8 Lak and 64000 Years the fourth Age which is yet running will last 4 Lak or 432000 Years of which according to their Annual Accounts are already expir'd to this present Year 1671 4772 Years So that the World according to their Calculation will scarce ever have an end for they certainly affirm That a thousand times turning of the Four Ages Cotesuigke Tretasuigke Dwapurâ—gam Callisuigke is but onely one day in the Account of Bramma who they say is to live a hundred Years of such Days and that fifty thereof are already past and the one and fiftieth running on They believe a general Conflagration of the World After the expiration of this time they believe the World shall be consum'd by Fire after which the surface of the Earth will be cover'd with Water and the Rain fall in such abundance as if it were powr'd out of the Trunk of an Elephant and not long after Bramma will die In these four Ages great Miracles and Wonders have as they affirm been perform'd by four of their Idols of which they make mention in their Writings call'd The Ten Altars The ten Appearances of Wistnow And as they affirm their Supreme God Wistnow or Mahadeu performed these Miracles in this lowermost World in ten peculiar Bodily Shapes which is also mention'd by Barthrouherri in his Book of Conversation where he saith Wistnow hath taken the trouble upon him of being reborn ten times and that these Births were in the manner following First Wistnow was born and appear'd as a Matja or Fish Secondly As a Gourma or Tortoise Thirdly Like a Warraha or Hog Fourthly Like a Narafimha half Man half Lion Fifthly By the name of Wamana a little Brammasary Sixthly By the name of Paresje Rama a Settrean Seventhly By the name of Deserratha Rama An Ajot-ja Eighthly By the name of Cristna Brother to Bella Rama a Settrean Amongst all the ten Appearances this is accounted the most eminent for when Wistnow came into the World by the name of Cristna he was accompanied with his whole Godhead and left the Heavens empty when as in the other Appearances he came onely with a part of his Godhead like a Spark which flies from a Great Coal of Fire Ninthly By the name of Boudha And tenthly In the shape of Kelki or a Horse Kircher relates from the Information of Henry Roth a Jesuit long conversant in these Parts That the Heathen Indians which live about Ganges acknowledge in some measure a Trinity They acknowledge in some measure a Trinity and affirm that the second Person hath already appear'd nine times in the Flesh and is to appear once more The Persons of the Trinity are by them nam'd Brahma Bexno and Mahex which are all one and the same in Nature though distingush'd by several Names as Acher that is Immovable Paramanand or Supreme Lord On s or Being and many such like Moreover that which Mahadeu perform'd in the World in each of the formention'd Bodily Shapes some relate more at large and being written in their Vedam or Law-book is to this effect Matsjas or Matx Altar the First The charge of Bramma BRamma who is represented sitting on a Water-Lilly with four Heads and as many Arms and resides in the Air hath the charge of the Vedam or Law-Book which the Giant Sancasoor otherwise call'd Bhensasar taking from him dived with them into the Sea whereupon Bramma complain'd to Mahadeu or Wistnow and desir'd his Assistance who granting his Request descended into the Sea in the shape of a Fish and swam through the Ocean to find out the Giant Sancasoor whom he slew and brought back the Book of the Law to Bramma wherewith Matx Altar which had lasted 2500 Years ended Caurams or Courmas Altar the Second The Riches of the Sea THe Sea with its Surging Billows swelling up to the Clouds burst forth in these Words viz. Who is so powerful as I and possesses as many Riches as lie hid in my glased Halls the Moon hath her habitation there The Water of Everlasting Life which being drunk makes all Men happy is hid therein There is Hierawanhsti the Elephant with seven Trunks the seven-headed Horse Exmognogora or Sepmogroot and whole Fields of Corral c. This highly incens'd Mahadeu who commanded the Deytes a Family of the Giants and the four-headed God Bramma to go to the River Siamboerwetty and the Golden Mountain Meerparwat or Merouwa 40000 Leagues high and lying in the Center of the World near the foremetion'd River
of the Earth that it may rather be call'd a River than a Spring The Water thereof is so exceeding cold that one cannot hold ones Hand in it The Garden is very large and pleasant having many brave Walks and abundance of Fruit-trees as Apples Pears Plumbs Apricocks and Cherries and also many Fountains and Fish-ponds Not far from Achiavel is another brave Royal Garden in which are all the foremention'd things for recreation but it excells in having a Pond full of Fish which upon calling or throwing of Bread into the same appear above Water the biggest of them have been seen with golden Rings in their Noses with Mottoes engraven on them which are said to have been put on by order of the famous Nourmehalle Queen to the Great Mogol Schach Selim. A Description of the Mosque at Baramoulay About as far from the City Cachemire as Send-brary is a Place call'd Baramoulay where a curious Mosque is built and in it a brave Tomb of one of the famous Mahumetan Pires or Saints which daily as the Moors relate works miraculous Cures upon the Sick which resort in great numbers to the said Tomb. Near this Mosque is a Kitchin in which are many great Copper Kettles full of Flesh and Rice which perhaps is the Load-stone that draws the Poor thither and the Miracle which cures them On the other side is a Garden about which are Chambers for the Mollahs who quietly spend their Lives there A wonderful Stone There is also another Wonder viz. there is a thick round Stone which the strongest Man can scarce lift up from the Ground yet nevertheless eleven Men by the help of the foremention'd Saint may take up the same without any trouble by putting each of them onely one Finger thereto Eleven Mollas saith F. Bernier who was present Anno 1664. at the working of this Miracle standing close round about the said Stone with their long Coats prevented the exact discerning after what manner they lifted up the same but all of them said that they touch'd it not but onely with the ends of their Fingers and that the Stone felt as light to their appearance as a Spunge As for my part who well observ'd them and look'd upon them with a curious Eye I could not perceive but that they took great pains and made use of their Thumbs besides their Fingers yet I forgot not to cry with the rest of the Mollas and other Spectators Coramet Coramet that is A Miracle A Miracle and at the same time gave a Ropia to the Mollas earnestly desiring them to let me be one of the eleven which should next lift up the same which at first they would not grant till throwing them another Ropia and seeming really to believe the Miracle one of them gave me his Place they judging amongst themselves that ten of them would be enough though I took no pains to lift it up so nimbly that I should not perceive them but they were exceedingly deceiv'd for the Stone which I lifted not but with the end of my Finger stirr'd not till they pushing the same on me I was forc'd to put my Thumb to it also in which manner we lifted the Stone though with great trouble from the Ground yet when I saw they all look'd angrily upon me and being a Stranger fear'd they might have ston'd me I readily cry'd out with the rest Coramet and gave them another Ropia A considerable distance from Baramoulay is a great Lake through the midst of which runs a River to Baramoulay It is full of Fish especially Eels and swarms with Geese wild Ducks and other Water-fowl which draws the Governor of Cachemire thither to spend the Winter In the midst of this Lake is a Cell with a little Garden about it which is said to drive after a strange manner upon the Water In this Place a Recluse spends his Life without ever coming from thence They relate divers Stories concerning this Hermitage but by most it is generally believ'd that an ancient King of Cachemire out of curiosity built the same on great pieces of conjoyn'd Timber About this Lake is also a remarkable Spring which boyling leisurely rises very slowly with little Bubbles and also casts up a certain fine Sand which returns back to the bottom after the same manner as it came up In a moment after the Water becomes still without boyling or casting up the Sand and then begins a fresh as before yet without observing exact times between It is said that this Wonder proceeds from a Man's speaking or standing near the same especially if he stamp with his Foot against the Ground In the Mountains is a great Lake which is full of Ice in Summer and resembles a little Icy Sea for the Winds breaking the Ice asunder moves the same up and down The Stone Sengsafed Next you come to a Place call'd Sengsafed which signifies A White Stone which is very eminent because it is overgrown with several sorts of Flowers all the Summer and at all times when many People travelling that way make a great noise there instantly falls a great Shower of Rain But whether this be true or no may be a little question'd for when Schach Jehan went over the same some years since he thought he should have dy'd there by reason of an excessive and unusual Shower of Rain notwithstanding he had given strict order to make as little noise as was possible The same happens often on the Mountain Pire Penjale The Character of the Cachemirans The Cachemirans are accounted a beautiful People and have as handsom Bodies as the Europeans having no resemblance at all with the Tartars onely they have little Eyes like those of Cachever and great Tibet their Neighbors The Women are very slender and streight Bodied which makes most of the Strangers that come to the Mogol's Court covet them for Wives to have Children by them that may be whiter than the Indians and so pass for right Mogollans Women of any Quality come seldom into the Streets but the meaner sort scruple it not These People are very crafty and more subtil and ingenious than the Indians and no less addicted to Poesie and other Sciences than the Persians Moreover they are very Lahorious and quick of apprehension and are good Artists in making Sedans Bedsteads Cupboards Desks and other neat Works They varnish their Wood-work very curiously and imitate the Veins of a certain Wood on any thing what they please by Inlaying it with Gold Wyres But that which is remarkable and peculiar to these People and that which brings a Trade and Money into their Countrey is the great number of Sashes or Chales which they make and also teach their Children the Art of making them These Chales are certain pieces of Stuffs about an Ell long and three quarters broad Embroider'd at both ends The Mogols and Indians both Men and Women wear them on their Heads or throw them over their Shoulders like a Cloak
the City the Inhabitants have many pleasant Gardens and Banquetting-houses along the side of the River Chief Remarks in Suratte Amongst the Remarks which this City hath the chiesest is a mighty Pond with divers Angles rais'd with Free-stone in a manner like Steps on which the People descend to the Water in the middle of which lies an Isle that none can have access to but in a Boats or by swimming On one side of this Pond is a pretty long broad and deep Channel or Moat over which lie several Bridges that lead to another larger Pond which here would be accounted a great Lake though there it be look'd upon as a very small one This also hath many Angles and is wall'd about with Free-stone with which also the sides of the Moat are strengthned Between the great and lesser Ponds near the Moat stands a Tomb of two eminent Mahumetans which kill'd one another This Pond or Pool was in the beginning of this Age made by a rich Inhabitant of this City with the expence of his whole Estate insomuch that his Daughter became miserably poor none of the Townsmen once relieving her though her Father had for their accommodation and the publick good exhausted all his Treasure The Pool is call'd Gopi Telau from the Builder whose Name was Gopis Without the City towards the Sea side is a every pleasant Garden which formerly belong'd to the King of Suratte It is but little yet full of Trees Plants and Herbs There is also a little Kiosk or cover'd place built at the end of the Garden over a large Pool which is no less commodious to the Inhabitants than the Pool at Suratte Not far from thence stands a Mosque also built over a Pond before the Gates thereof sit commonly many People on the Ground begging Alms of those that pass by Within the Mosque near the Wall in a narrow dark Corner stands a little Marble Pyramid call'd Pyr that is Old which perhaps is the Burying-place of one whom they worship as an ancient Saint There is generally a great resort to this Mosque not onely of Mahumetans but also of Heathens or Idolaters who give sufficient testimonies of their superstitious and ridiculous Worship The Entrance is always crowded with People especially Women those that go into the Mosque strow Flowers and Rice for an Offering to which purpose there stand many at the Door who sell the same But the Idolaters are much more zealous herein than the Mahumetans On the North side of the City is another great Pool encompass'd with a Wall of Free-stone having eighteen Angles each twenty five Yards broad The Legend of Oman Hidal Chan. with Stone Steps to descend In the middle stands the Tomb of the Builder call'd Omar Hidal Chan a Mahumetan who as the Inhabitants relate was a General in his Life-time they also tell many strange Tales of him viz. That he Encountred with the Devil and conquer'd him but out of compassion releas'd him again That he convey'd the Stones to this Building by Leopards and Tygers And that he threw the Mountain Morna lying not far from Derman with his own Hands from the ancient City Reinier In this Pool they gather rain-Rain-water which in the dry Seasons for it often happens that not a drop of Rain falls there in a whole year is wholsomer to be us'd than the Water out of the River Reinier which is brackish with the ebbing and flowing of the Sea On the North side of the City stands an Indian Wonder-tree under whose Boughs and Shadow may lie three or four thousand Men. Under the same Tree is a Chappel in which a Benjan Saint call'd Gemsch lies buried Before the Door stands an Image in a very horrid shape Divers Lamps burn night and day in this Chappel whither a great number of Idolaters repair to perform their Devotion About a League and a half Northward from the Mouth of the River Tapti or Reinier The Haven or Harbor of Sohali and four or according to Mandeslo two Leagues from the City of Suratte is a Road or Harbor by the Inhabitants call'd Sohali or Swali or Suhali from the neighboring Village It extends North-East and by East and South-West and by West under 21 Degrees and fifty Minutes between the Main Continent and the Sand-banks which are dry at low Water or very shallow It is defended from all Winds except the Southern and a Musquet-shot broad at the Mouth where the Ships lade and unlade and hath at high Water seven and at low five Fathom with a hard and even Ground The Goods are from thence carried by Land which is very plain in Carrs or in Boats up the River to the City Suratte The English and Hollanders have several Huts along the Shore where they first unlade their Commodities and afterwards put them into their Store-houses It is impossible for any Ship to ride at an Anchor here from May to September by reason of the great Storms and Tempests mix'd with Thunder and Lightning which to avoid the Ships go to the Cape of Comori Cormandel and Bengala till such time as the foremention'd blustering Season is over and then they return again All the Countrey about Surratte is very plain and the whole year round very green and pleasant About the Village Sohali grow many Coco Tamarind and other Fruit-trees Both within and without the City are many Gardens full of all sorts of Fruits as Oranges Lemmons Citrons Peaches and others Not far from the City lies a very fruitful Grove of tall Coco-nuts Citrons Oranges Tamarinds and other Indian Fruit-trees and is not only able to furnish the City with Wood but also the adjacent Towns nay they whole Province with Timber for the building of Houses and Shipping Fertility of the Soil The Soyl about the City is also very fertile and yields abundance of Rice Barley Beans and what else is requisite for humane subsistance There are also many excellent Pastures and consequently abundance of Cattel as Buffaloes Oxen Sheep Goats and all manner of Venison as also many Asses but few Camels and Horses This City under whose Jurisdiction are above four hundred Villages is Govern'd by a Sultan who determines all Cases in Surratte and the adjacent Villages and receiving the Customs and Revenues sends them to the Mogol Besides him there is another Officer appointed by the Mogol to Govern the Castle with whom the Governor of the City hath nothing to do they live both very magnificently especially he of the City the King's Standard being always carried before him and the Drums beating when he goes out The Derivation of the Name and Situation of Cambaya The City of Cambaya first receiv'd that Denomination though corruptly from the Portuguese for its right Name is Cambewath or Cambebath that is The City Cambe It lies in a pleasant Plain in the innermost Jaws of the great Gulf of Cambaya so call'd from the City near the Shore of the River Meli or Mai otherwise
and doing of Penance Out of the City Cambaya saith Peruschi go many Heathens in Pilgrimage to the River Ganges in Bengala sometimes to the number of forty or fifty thousand all those accounting themselves happy that have been bath'd in the foremention'd Stream and they certainly believe they shall be sav'd if on their Death-beds they can but get some of the Water of the Ganges to drink Since the Benjans have a peculiar Opinion of the Creation and Original of Men and differ in this point from the Brahmines notwithstanding they account them to be their Teachers it will not be amiss to declare the same as it is taken out of their Law-book call'd Shaster The Opinion of the Benjans concerning the Creation God seeing himself alone he studied after what manner he might manifest to others his Splendor and Power for he foresaw that his Greatness and Glory would remain obscure and never be known if he did not communicate them to Mortals The most convenient means therefore to attain to this his desire was to Create the World and all the Creatures which are in the same And in order hereunto he first made the World beginning with the four Elements which were to be the Foundation thereof viz. the Earth Air Water and Fire which in the beginning being mix'd together were separated after this manner First he blew on the Water with a large Sarbatane or the like Instrument which thereupon bubling up came to be a great Body in the form of an Egg which by degrees extending became the light and clear shining Firmament of Heaven which surrounds the whole World This separation being made the Earth remained mix'd with a Matter like Sediment of Water of which God afterwards made a round Ball and call'd the Lower World of which the firmest part became Earth and the other being the weakest the Sea both which making the exact Figure of a Globe God plac'd the same in the midst of the Firmament which surrounds the Sea and Earth After this God Created a Sun and Moon which he placed in the Firmament to make a distinction of the Times and Seasons And by this means the four Elements which before were confusedly mix'd together were separated and distinguish'd and each confin'd to its proper place The Elements thus setled each perform'd its Office The Air fill'd all things that were empty the Fire by its Heat gave warmth to all and the Earth and Sea produc'd their several Creatures God giving a generative Power to all to multiply and increase according to their several kinds And thus the great World being perfected was divided into four Parts viz. East West North and South This World was to last four Ages and to be inhabited by divers sorts of People which were to be produc'd from four Men and four Women as we will instantly relate God having thus created the World and the Creatures he proceeded to create Man and thereupon commanded the Earth to produce that excellent Creature out of its Bowels First it put forth the Head and soon after all the other Parts into which God breathing Life the Lips grew red the Eye-lids open'd and made two sparkling Stars to appear the other Parts of the Body began to move and his Senses with Wisdom knew their Creator and worshipp'd him And because this Creature which was made for Society should not be alone God gave him a Woman for his Companion which resembled him as well in his Sense Reason and Spirit This first Creature was call'd Pourus and his Wife Parkoute they liv'd together like Man and Wife and fed upon the Fruit of the Earth without killing any living Creature These two Persons living thus together begat four Sous the first whereof was call'd Brammon the second Kutterey the third Schuddery and the fourth Wyse These four Brothers were of different Constitutions the four Elements giving to each a different Temper Brammon having participated of the Earth was Melancholly Kutterey being hot of Temper had a Warlike Spirit Schuddery being of a cold moist Constitution was of a meek Spirit and Wyse being of an angry Disposition had a quick Wit Moreover God endu'd Brammon according to his Nature with Wisdom and through him publish'd his Laws and Commandments for he judg'd his reserv'd Life and serious Countenance most fit for that purpose and therefore he gave him a Book wherein was set down how he would be serv'd and which also treated of other things concerning Religion God also according to the Constitution of Kutterey gave him Power to rule Kingdoms with a Scepter to keep the People in awe and make the Commonalty work and labor for the Publick Good And as a sign of this Power God gave him a Sword in his Hand the proper Instrument of his Victory and Dominion Schuddery according to his natural Inclinations God judg'd fit for Traffick whereby he might furnish all parts of the Earth with such things as they stood in need of by means of Navigation and as a Token of what he was appointed for as also to mind him of his Employment God gave him a pair of Scales with a Bag full of all sorts of Weights as proper Instruments of his Calling Wyse according to his Disposition God endu'd with a Genius of inventing all manner of Mechanical Arts giving him a Bag full of Tools and Instruments for the working of such things withal as his Fancy should direct The World being thus far compleated God gave not Pourous and Parkoutee any Daughters lest Works which hitherto he had preserv'd from all Uncleanness might be defil'd by the incestuous Conjunction of the Brothers with the Sisters wherefore God being willing to preserve the Innocence and Holiness of their first Parents resolv'd to ordain such means for the propagating Mankind as might correspond with the Work of the Creation by making four Women for the Sons of Pourous anst Parkoutee whereof one was sent to the East another to the West a third to the North and a fourth to the South that being thus separated one from the other the Propagation of Man kind might be the sooner compleated in all Parts of the Earth The eldest Son of the first Man call'd Brammon became Great being highly esteem'd by his other Brothers as well for his Age as his great Merits but especially for the Converse he often held with God concerning Religion and the manner of Worship wherein he instructed his Brethren reading the Book which was given him by God containing the Secrets and Manner of worshipping him with great Care and Reverence God revealing himself to him very often in Person And as God had created Man in a pleasant and delightful Place situate in the Belly and Navel of the Earth where the Sun makes no Shadow at Noon so he resolv'd to send the Brothers which were come from the Centre of the World to the Circumference thereof to People it Wherefore he commanded Brammon to take the Book wherein were written the Laws of God
which have no peculiar Name but belong to other Villages are in general call'd Bary One Kos from hence lies the Village Worry and two and a half further another call'd Attrowaad adorn'd with a Pagode built on a Mountain which may be seen at a considerable distance Two Kos and a half further lies the Village Badaraly and as much beyond that the Dorp Kerwes two Kos more from which is Secoery Five Kos from hence is a Pagode from whence you may plainly see the City Mirsie with its Castles and Towers Seven Kos from the Village Secoery lies Raiabaeg a pretty large and Trading In-land City fortified with a Castle and belonging properly to the King's Consort About one Kos from the City is a fair Well and two Kos further runs the River Gagni Three Kos and a half from this City of Raiabaag is another City call'd Gotterny which hath a Fortification at one of its Gates A Cannon-shot from thence are two Villages call'd Coetesy and Omgar and half a Kos further the eminent River Corstena one Kos and a half from which is the Village Eynatour beyond that the Dorp Caterna and one Kos and a half further the River Agery with the Villages Tangely and Erary Three Kos from Erary is the City Atteny and one Kos beyond the City Bardgie from whence to Agger is three Kos and a half more three Kos thence to the City Talsenge and as much from thence to Hamowaere Tickocata lies three Kos further and about six from Visiapour having Nouraspour and Sirrapour between both Tickocata is an In-land City provided with a large Sarry or Publick Inn for Travellers The Kingdom of Cuncan is water'd by several Rivers viz. A little to the Northward of Goa is the River Madre Dios and beyond the City Banda the River Dery falls into the Sea and is Navigable in small Vessels Two Kos from the City Kaiabaag glides the River Corstena which passes through the whole Country of Cuncan to the Jurisdiction of Masilipatan about three Kos from whence the Stream Agry hath its Course Between the two Towns Great and Little Graeen runs a large River call'd Coecenna on whose Banks those Towns are situate The River Coyna which signifies Great Water passing through the Village Helewaek hath its Original near the City Chaury lying twelve Gau or thirty six Leagues up into the Country and extends it self in several Branches beyond the Metropolis Visiapour and the whole Kingdom of Cuncan The River Ghayhkeer discharges its Water into the River Helewacko whose Shore is border'd by many Dorps and planted with Cocos and other Trees very delightful to the Spectators This River hath its rise out of the Mountains of Ballagata and posses by the City Eabul into the Indian Sea where it makes a convenient Bay From the North to the South Point cross this Bay is a Bank which at low Water is quite dry so that those which sail up the River to the City must pass along close by the South Point At the entrance is commonly five or six Fathom Water at low Tide Four Leagues to the Southward of Dabul and thirty to the Northward of Goa glides the River Zanguizar by Barbosa call'd Cinguicar Its entrance into the Sea is in 17 Degrees and 13 Minutes Northern Latitude and makes a large Bay or In-let with several commodious Roads for Shipping Next is the River Bardes which runs by a Town call'd Banda The Stream Aliga of Sintacora which rises in the Mountains of Gate from thence taking its Course to the Westward falls into the Sea opposite to the Island Anchedive in 14 Degrees and a half of Northern Latitude The many Rivers and Brooks which flow through this Country of Cuncan make the same very fruitful especially in the production of Rice which is sow'd in such Grounds as lie low and are overflow'd in the Winter Yet it produces but little Corn but abundance of Areka and Betel especially on the Banks of the River Betel The Fruit Mangas growing in Ballagate are highly esteem'd weighing about two Pound a spiece and are of a much pleasanter taste than those which grow in Charanna Quindor Mandanagor and Dultabado and especially those of Nisamoxa Ballagate and Decan produce also abundance of Grapes but inferior to those of Spain and also great Quantities of Cotton and Silk There are likewise divers sorts of Stones found in Ballagate as Amethysts Chrysolites and Hemathites or Blood-stones and by Decan beyond Ballagate very rich Diamonds are found on the Mountain which the Portuguese call Rocca Velha that is The Old Rock Some of these Precious Stones which are cut naturally are in the Country Language call'd Naiffez and are by the Indians esteem'd above all others By Ustabado is a certain Stone found by the Arabians call'd Hageramini and by the Portuguese Pedra Armenia that is The Armenian Stone because the same sort being of a blueish green are found in Armenia The Moors make use of them in their Sickness to provoke Urine About the Countries of Ballagate is a sort of excellent Varnish Here are also many Tygers and Serpents of a prodigious length and bigness The Natives of Decan and Cuncan are either Decangeans or Cuncanyns and corruptly by the Portuguese call'd Canaryns and Corumbyns but besides there are Moors Persians Benjans and other Heathen People which far exceed the Natives in Number Linschot tells us That the Inhabitants both in Complexion Constitution and Clothes do very much resemble those of Zurratte and the Benjans But Barbosa makes them Black and Barthema Sallow or Swarthy They are naturally Valiant being for the most part extracted from Strangers excellent Horse-men and well skill'd in managing of Elephants but they are very proud insolent and self-conceited Their Women are much enclin'd to Venery Their Clothes are either of Silk or Cotton except their Shoes which are open at the Toes and lac'd over their bare Feet on the top yet Pyrard saith That they are Red sharp-toe'd gilt and open on the top The Women walk with their Faces veil'd and the Children stark naked till their seventh or eighth Year They eat all things without distinction except Cows Hogs and Buffaloes which Beasts according to an ancient Custom of the Brahmines are accounted Holy nay they are so superstitiously grounded in this belief that they sleep a nights under these Beasts and catch their Dung in their Hands imagining that thereby they do their Gods great Service They also abstain from all sorts of Fish Most of their Houses are built of Straw with such little Doors that they are forc'd to creep in and out Their Furniture is inconsiderable for a Mat spread on the Ground serves them in stead of a Bed and a Hole digg'd in the Earth for a Mortar to stamp their Rice in There are many Gold and Silver-smiths among them and also very good Artists in the working of other Minerals besides many other Handicrafts and Tradesmen Physicians Chirurgeons Carpenters Masons and the like Every Child is
take them away On the North side of the City as you go to Ispahan lies a Mountain over which you travel along a Stony Road through which runs a Stream which waters all the adjacent Gardens and Orchards Three Leagues to the Northward of Schiras stood a large Caravansera which though half ruin'd yet by its great Walls and Arches sufficiently testifies its former Magnitude This Province contains four great Cities besides Schiras viz. Casirum Bunitzan Firusabath and Astar as also the Towns Arboy Chiminar Sava the Metropolis of Savas formerly the Country of the Massabates It comprises likewise Firusbate Berdezzil Senorgande Cazaran by Texeira call'd Carriu and by Ananie Casrum also Camara Zemilen Bendarepe Serustan Agiane c. Texeira also places in this Province these Towns and Villages viz. Tarum Iaharom or Jarum Lasta or Lastan Stahabanon Neriz Pacah Daragued and Duzgun near Lastan between Comoron and the City Lara eighteen Leagues from Ormus There are also the Cities of Rey and Gibal The first City of this Province according to Figueroa is Guin as also Benaru with the Ruins of the Castle Gabriel in the utmost Confines of the Kingdom of Lara though both Places lie very near one another in a great Plain The City Guin is separated from the rest of Persia by high Mountains over which you must travel to go to Jarum and thence with the Caravans through the Desart It is apparent that this City hath been built many Years and Peopled by a Colony of Persians because the Inhabitants are of a better Spirit and more Morallised than the neighbouring wild Arabians Their Complexion also is whiter and the Habit of the Women neater and more Civil On the left Hand going from Guin lies a Village call'd Denia full of fair Houses About two days Journey from Guin lies the little City Horum so call'd from its Beauty and great plenty of Dates as also another of the same denomination between Cabrestan and Lara Between Guin and Horum you meet with a barren and uninhabited Desart of three days Journey not having in all that way above two Pits of Water The Village Tarum which is the Chief of many Villages was much decay'd Anno 1630. The Inhabitants thereof are subject to the Prince of Lar. It hath under its Jurisdiction the Village Seid Geuder beyond which is a large Plain and at a small distance runs the Brook Absciur which signifies Salt Water A little further is a Village call'd Pelengon that is A Panther so nam'd from the great number of that sort of Beasts breeding thereabouts Two Leagues from Pelengon you come to a narrow way between the Mountains in the Persian Tongue call'd Der Tenghi Cebar Rud that is The narrow Gate of four Streams because in Rainy Weather four great Currents which come from several Places unite their Waters there After three or four Leagues travelling through a pleasant Way you come to a Place call'd Curihazirgon that is The Merchants Grave perhaps so call'd because a Merchant died and was buried there Four Leagues further lies a solitary and ruin'd Place nam'd Ser Zehi Rizevon about which stands onely a few Huts shaded on one side by a Grove of Date-trees And four Leagues further is Tastek inhabited by none but the Rabdary or Watchmen to guard the Way Two Leagues from Tastek along an even Way between the Mountains lies a Place call'd Abi Dungher the utmost extent of the Dukedom of Lar and the beginning of the Country which belong'd to the King of Ormus when he was absolute Master of Persia and Arabia The Road from Schiras to Ispahan Travelling from Schiras to Hispahan you pass by these Places viz. First the Village Zargan in which is a handsom and well-built Mosque Four Leagues further you come to Mahin which being an open Town contains between five and six hundred Houses but is so inclos'd with Gardens and Orchards of all sorts of Fruit-trees that it rather seems at a distance a shady Grove than a Town A little forward from Mahin you come to another Village call'd Amanzada consisting onely of a few Houses all enclosed within a Wall'd Caravansera in which stands also a rich Pagode out of whose Revenue all Travellers that rest there are maintain'd for three days The whole way from Mahin to this Caravansera is very craggy and troublesom to travel and is border'd on the left Hand by a high Mountain whose top lies crown'd with Snow till the middle of Summer Three Leagues from Amanzada lies Ugion a Village on a Plain and between both a very steep Mountain whose Southern side is full of Lentisk Trees out of which drops Mastick In this Place stands a Mosque to which the Natives shew great Reverence by reason of a Tomb in which lies Interr'd one of Aly's Successors and the Villagers report that many sick blind and decrepit People have receiv'd Health and been restor'd to their Sight and Limbs by imploring the aid of the foremention'd Person whom they account a Saint The Plain on which this Village is situate is water'd by a small River whose Stream though muddy is yet very full of Fish Four Leagues from Ugion is Acopas a small Village enclos'd with a Mud-wall and surrounded with high Mountains In the middle of the Village on a Mount stands a small decay'd Fort round about which and within the Walls are above a hundred Houses most of them Inhabited by Circassians Hard by stands a large Caravansera and not far from it a Garden planted with divers sorts of Fruit-trees and curious Walks of Cypress and Palm-trees which one Alavardy Chan planted a little before his death Four or five Leagues from Acopas lies Curcuzar a small Fortified Town with a Caravansera adjoyning All the way between Acopas and Curcuzar is low and Morassie the Air also is unwholesom Wherefore the Persians have not without great reason call'd this Place Curcuzar which signifies Infectious Air. Beyond this is the Village Dergriger three Leagues from which stands a Caravansera and another pretty Town next to which follows Comixan containing about fifteen hundred Families A little beyond Comixan lies the Dorp Mahiar And lastly between that and Hispahan about a League from the latter is a Village nam'd Jarustan The Province of Persia is water'd by a large River call'd Cur which is a corrupt Name of Cyrus Philip of Ferara in his Geography Olearius and others will have this to be the same River which the Latins call'd Begradas But Della Valle contradicts this Opinion affirming That Bendemir is the Name of a Bridge which lies cross the River near the way coming from Ispahan to Schiras but its right name is Curis as is before mention'd for Bend-Emir signifies The Bridge of Emir because the Persians call a Bridge Bend and Emir was the Name of the Builder The ancient Writers make mention of two Rivers in Asia which bear the Name of Cyrus the one whereof having washt Armenia and Albania discharges its Water into the Caspian