and Confederate with the Princes whose Dominions border upon those Seas who are all Enemies to the Port. And lastly That it behov'd him to consider that such a Permission would ruine a great Number of Seamen of the Signior's Subjects as well Turks as Christians for that in regard there is more Security in the European Navigation then in the Turkish the Venetians would have all the Carriage of Goods through the Black Sea and every one would Ship his Goods in their Vessels The Grand Vizier was sensible of this and therefore gave Orders to the Governor of Constantinople not to let any Venetian Ship pass into the Black-Sea The 30th my Grecian Guide unladed my Goods Baggage and whatever belong'd to me out of the Ship that brought me to Caffa and Ship'd it aboard another Vessel bound for Colchis Which done he went to the Customer of Caffa and told him That there were two Papa's aboard the Vessel of Azac who were desirous to Embark themselves in another Vessel being bound for Mingrelia That those Papa's carry'd several Trifles along with 'em as Books and other Things of no value for the Use of a Monastery and that if the Custom-House thought fit that he should send some of their Officers to search the Ship For the Oriental Christians as well as the Turks call Papa's all manner of Ecclesiastical Persons that Officiate in Holy Orders whether Single or Married and therefore my Guide thought fit that my Companion and my self should both take upon us the Title of Papa's To that purpose our Greek made 'em believe that we were going to the Italian Missionaries in Colchis and that we were of their Fraternity However the Customer sent his Officers aboard to search our Packs and our Greek came along with him Presently I open'd two Chests before the Searcher who put his Hand into one that was full of only Books Papers and Mathematical Instruments and finding nothing more at the Bottom then what he saw at the Top fell a laughing and ask'd the Man that brought him If such Rubbish as that were worth carrying out of Europe into Mingrelia With that I fumbl'd out one of those Pieces that are worth Three Shillings like a Man that had not much to spare but look'd upon five or six of those Pieces to be a great Treasure and presented the Searcher with it who refus'd it at first but took it at last when I told him 't was only to pay for his Boat which he could not deny and so went away without more ado My Guide went along with him and heard the Report which he made to the Customer That we had nothing but a few Books and Papers with some few Toys of Brass and Wood that were of little or no Value At the end of two Hours my faithful Guide return'd and told me That to protect us absolutely from any further danger of the Customers it behov'd us to give the Clerk of the Vessel as much as we had giv'n the Searcher in regard the Clerk took an exact Note of all that was embark'd and gives it every Evening to the Customer who keeps it for a Control to which I answer'd That he might do what he thought fit Thereupon presently calling to the Clerk Thou seest said he that the Searcher has found nothing in the Papa's Chests They have one more full of Papers and five or six Boxes of Pictures for their Church That they did not op'n 'em because the Air spoils the Colour of the Painting and because the Pictures were carefully ty'd up in Bundles and therefore I desire thee to accept of this Three Shillings which they give thee and to put down in thy Note no more then the two Chests which the Searcher has seen without taking Cognizance of the rest Upon which he let us carry away all that we had and bid us Farewel in the Name of God So that we carry'd off all our Goods in two Boats and put 'em aboard the Ship that was bound for Mingrelia Nor did any Body demand any thing of us For the Customers and the Seamen of the Ship which we left as well as of the other Vessel wherein we embark'd again really believ'd us to be Papa's and that all we carry'd with us was of little worth that the Sacks wherein I told 'em were our Provisions were full of nothing else beside For there are certain Slights and Shifts which we cannot so well set down that are absolutely necessary for those that travel Turkey that they who can make a right use of may pass securely and without trouble For thereby we avoid Forfeitures and ill usage and we free our selves dextrously from the Custom-Houses which take 'em all together are none of the severest But after all it requires Good Luck that is to say a prudent Conduct and a Contrivance proper to the Genius of the Turks and a Man must also be sure to watch his Opportunities The 25th of August the Vessel that brought us to Caffa fet Sail for the Fortress of Azac with three Saics of the same Burden in her Company The New Commander would not have had her set Sail till the return of the Courrier which he had sent to the Fortress to know whether they were at Peace with the Muscovites and whether there were any Pirates or not Cruising upon the Lake Maeotis The People of Caffa reck'n it 450 Miles from thence to Azac though it be not so much by Land in regard they travel it easily in Twelve or Thirteen Days As for the Streight of the Lake Maeotis or rather the Channel between the Lake and the Black-Sea it is about five Leagues in length Which Channel was by the Ancients call'd the Cimmerian Bosphorus but now the Moderns call it the Steight of Caffa and also the Mouth of St. John The great Vessels that go to Azac put in at Palestra which is Forty Miles from the Fortress and Twenty from the River Tanais for that there is not Water deep enough for 'em to Sail any farther The Fortress of Azac is Fifteen Miles from the River And it is very dangerous and hazardous to send either Men or Money to that Place for they are attack'd by strong Parties of the Muscovites as well by Sea as by Land The Commanders of this Fortress make always Leagues with the Neighborhood though they seldom last long for that either of one side or t'other there arise every day new Occasions to break ' em The Turks have two little Fortresses where they keep Garison at the Mouth of the Tanais upon the Banks of that great River which the Ancients call'd Orxentes and which the People of the Country call Don being about Fourscore Leagues in length They Fortifie the Mouth of this River with a vast Chain to prevent the Muscovites and Circassians from Roving with their great Barks upon the Lake and the Black-Sea For before those two Fortresses were built and this Chain fasten'd athwart the River those People came
Revenue is employ'd to keep the Places clean and neat to repair the Decays of time in the Building and Moveables for the buying of Lights and maintaining several Churchmen and a great number of Regents and Governors of Students and poor People They distribute Victuals every day to all that come and to people that are hir'd And of all these Legacies and Revenues three Great Lords of Persia have the Superintendency every one being appointed his Chappel He that at present takes Care of the she-Saints Chappel is an illustrious Ancient Person who has been Courtshi Bashi or Collonel of the Courtches which is a great Body of the Militia consisting of thirty Thousand Men. And the same Person is also Governor of Com. This City contains also several other Edifices very beautiful and sumptuous It is a very pleasant Place but for the Heat which is very excessive In the Summer the River that passes by it is no bigger then a small Rivulet but the Winter Thaws swell it to that degree with the Water that falls from the Mountains that it not only fills its own Channel which is as broad as the Seine at Paris but overflows a great part of the City They call it generally the River of Com but the true Name of it is Joubad-gan This City lies in 85. deg 48. min. of Longitude and 34. deg 30. min. of Latitude The Air is wholsom but extremely hot as I said before for it scalds in the Summer there being no place in all Persia where the Sun scorches more violently It abounds in all manner of Victuals and Fruits particularly in Pistachios The people also are very courteous and civil The most part of Topographers will have Com to be the same place which Ptolomy calls Gauna or Guriana And his Translator asserts it to be the same with Choama tho others will have it to be Arbacte or Hecatompyle Several Histories of Persia likewise relate this City to be very Ancient and that it was built by Tahmas when the Sun entred into Gemini that it was twelve thousand Cubits in compass and as big as Babylon I must confess there is no doubt but it was very large for there are many Ruins and Footsteps of Habitations to be seen round about it but it is much to be question'd whether it were so Ancient as the Reign of Tahmas Other Persian Histories deduce its Original from the first Age of Mahumetism and affirm that in the time of Mahomet there were in that place seven large Villages and that in the 83 Year of the Hegyra Abdalla Saydon Califfe coming into that Country with an Army joyn'd those seven Villages together with new Buildings enclos'd 'em with a Wall and made 'em one City and that afterwards this City encreas'd to that degree that it became twice as large as Constantinople For Mousa the Son of that Abdalla came from Basra to Com and brought with him the Opinions of Haly which they call the Religion of Shia or Imamism which was always profess'd in that place even to Martyrdom nor would the People suffer any other and therefore Temur-leng being of a contrary Belief utterly destroy'd the City Nevertheless by degrees they repair'd one part of it again but it did not begin to reflourish until this last Age and since that Sephy was there interr'd Abas the Second his Son and Successor banish'd thither such Persons as were fallen from his Favour to the end they might pray to God for his person and give thanks to heaven for their Lives which he had spar'd ' em Soliman at present reigning had made use of it to the same purpose sending thither all those whom he thought convenient to punish with Exile and the great number of exil'd persons of Quality it was that has restor'd the City to that Splendor wherein now it stands In the Year 1634. an Inundation of Waters ruin'd a thousand Houses and it is but three Years since that an Accident of the same nature had like to have ruin'd it all together For two thousand Houses and all the Ancient Houses were laid level with the Earth The Name is pronounc'd with a double m as if we should write the word Komm It is also call'd Darel mouveheldin that is to say The Habitation of pious People The Governor bears the Title of Darogué or Mayor Kachan Kachan The 17. we travell'd five Leagues cross the Plain We found it all the way cover'd with a moving Sand dry without either Villages or Water We lodg'd in a place call'd Abshirin or Sweet Water because there is in that place a Fountain of fair Water and Cisterns in the midst of six Carevanserais The 18. our Journey reach'd to Cashan where we arriv'd after we had travell'd seven Leagues steering toward the South over the Plain already mention'd and at the end of two Leagues we found the Soyl delightful and fertile stor'd with large Villages We pass'd through several and about half the way left upon the left hand at a near distance a little City call'd Sarou seated at the foot of a Mountain The City of Cashan is seated in a large Plain near a high Mountain It is a League in length and a quarter of a League in breadth extending it self in length from East to West When you see it afar off it resembles a half Moon the Corners of which look toward both those Parts of the Heavens The Draught is no true Representation either of the Bigness or the Figure as having been taken without a true Prospect And the reason was the Indisposition of my Painter who being extremely tir'd with the former days Travel was not able to stir out of the Inn where we lay All that he could do was to get upon the Terrass and take the Draught from thence There is no River that runs by the City only several Canals convey'd under Ground with many deep Springs and Cisterns as there are at Com. It is encompass'd with a double Wall flank'd with round Towers after the Ancient Fashion to which there belong five Gates One to the East call'd the Royal Gate as being near the Royal Palace that stands without the Walls Another call'd the Gate of Fieu because it leads directly to a great Village which bears that name Another between the West and North call'd the Gate of the House of Melic as being near to a Garden of Pleasure which was planted by a Lord of that Name The two other Gates are opposite to the South-East and North-East The one call'd Com Gate and the other Ispahan Gate be cause they lead to those Cities The City and the Suburbs which are more beautiful then the City contain six thousand five hundred Houses as the People assure us forty Mosques three Colleges and about two hundred Sepulchres of the Descendants of Aly. The Principal Mosque stands right against the great Market Place having one Tower that serves for a Steeple built of Free Stone Both the Mosque and the Tower are the
Godard from the Name of the Village where it was fought The Grand Vizier repair'd the loss of that Battel by a Treaty of Peace as Honourable and as Advantageous as if he had gain'd the Victory and perceiving the Signior's earnest desire to return to Constantinople carry'd him thither so well guarded that there was no Commotion to be fear'd where be stay'd till the beginning of the Year 1666. At what time he undertook the War of Candy in which he spent Three Years as has been already said Two Years after he began the War of Poland observing always his Fathers Great Maxim That it behov'd a Prime Vizier still to keep himself at the Head of an Army We departed from Andrianople the 9th of June and return'd to Constantinople the 15th The 17th by Break of Day M. de Nointel went incognito to visit the Caimacan and to demand a Passport for the Kings Ship The Caimacan return'd for answer that he had receiv'd no Orders from the Grand Vizier to give him one and therefore could not do it At which the Ambassador was very much surpriz'd and as highly concern'd and thereupon complain'd to the Caimacan of the Vizier's unkindness toward him Upon which the Caimacan made a shew of taking his Part and being concern'd for the Unjustice done the Ambassador and then concluded with his Excellency that they would send a particular Messenger and Letter 's to the Prime Vizier As for the Caimacan he fail'd not to send on his part to the Vizier an accompt of all that the Ambassador had told him and represented to him by way of Complaint On the other side M. de Nointel in his Letters tax'd the Vizier of Breach of his Word He conjur'd him not to injure his Patience which he had now contain'd as long as he could to let him know the Final Resolution of the Port and particularly to send him Order for a Pass for the Kings Ship The Expresses that carry'd these Letters set forth at several times The Caimacan's Messenger departed the 18th of June and the Nointel's the next Day The Caimacan's Messenger found the Court not far from Silistria from whence he return'd to Constantinople the Ninth of July So soon as he arriv'd his Master sent for the Ambassadors Chief Interpreter and told him that the Vizier had given no answer to his Express only had sent him word that he would let him understand the Signior's Pleasure by another way The Ambassadors Courrier was not return'd the 20th of July when I left the City and therefore I know not what answer he brought At the end of June the Ambassador sent for a Pass for the Director of the Levant Company and for my self a License to bring in a Parcel of Wine and another to be admitted into the Santa Sophia To which the Caimacan return'd for Answer That he could not grant any one of the Ambassador's Demands until he first knew the Vizier's Mind That it very much troubl'd him to refuse him such Trifles but considering how Things stood between the Grand Vizier and the Ambassador he should make himself a Publick Offender to grant Passes to his Excellency but that so soon as he had leave his Excellency should find the great Affection which he had for the French Nation This Refusal troubl'd me extreamly for that it seem'd to confirm the Report which ran about That the Grand Vizier intended to Arrest the Ambassador and all the French Nation I found I had a large Stock of Goods as much as two Horses could carry as I have said before My Comrades Baggage and my own was as much as would load four Horses more So that it was to no purpose to think of escaping by Flight much less of concealing our selves Besides this three other Considerations very much augmented my cares and my perplexity The first was That whatsoever way I took to get into Persia I could not get out of Turkey in three Months during which time the Port would have time enough to send their Orders to the utmost Limits of the Empire to stop the French if they design'd any such violent proceedings against ' em The second was That nothing of all that I carry'd of greatest Value had paid at the Custom-House so that if I happen'd to be search'd either at Constantinople or any other Cities of Turkey I could not expect any Assistance from the Ambassador The third was That because of the Heat of the Weather there was no Caravan that travell'd into Persia till October In the midst of this Intricate Perplexity GOD whose Infinite Favour I have always experienc'd in my most pressing Necessities shew'd me a ready way to make my escape from Constantinople The Grand Signior has a Fortress about Twenty Miles from the River Tanais over against that part where the great River discharges it self into the Lake Maeotis which Fort is call'd Azac The Port sends thither every Year a New Commander with Souldiers and Money and they send by Sea because it is not above 1300 Miles by Water and to avoid the Hazards by Land for fear of the Tartars Cossaques and Muscovites Moreover the Saique which is a sort of Turkish Vessel that takes the Commander aboard is not expos'd to the search of the Customers as are the rest of the Ships that Sail into the Black-Sea That which is aboard may be said to be free there being none but the Turkish Commander that has any Authority to take Cognizance of it This Saique touches at Caffa which is a City and famous Port in the Crimoean Tartary Whence all the Vessels that are bound for Mingrelia or Colchis put to Sea in the Months of September and October from whence it is not above seven or eight days Journey before ye enter into the Persian Dominions There is no shorter way from Constantinople to Persia nor less troublesom For the whole Voyage may be made in three Weeks all by Sea till within about Sixty Leagues yet is there no passage less us'd nor more unknown by reason of the Dangers of the Sea nor could I find any one Person at Constantinople that ever had undertaken it I met with a great many that confirm'd my Report and that had been at the Havens of Mingrelia where there are great Numbers of Armenians and Georgians the Subjects of the Persian King who told me that it was not above six or seven Days Journey from thence into their Territories The Dangers of this Passage which discourage People from attempting it are twofold First For that the Black Sea is very Tempestuous to the loss of the most part of the Vessels for want of skill and good Havens Besides that the People that inhabit between the Sea and the Persian Territories are naturally barbarous and wicked without any Religion and under no Government So that I should never have so much as dreamt of the Way of Colchis whatever might have been the Allurements of Curiosity or Easiness of Passage had not the Road
through Turkey presented it self much more Formidable considering the Mischievous Circumstances already mention'd But that which most inclin'd me to the Voyage by Sea was the Conveniency of the Saic bound for Azac which to me seem'd a most infallible way to get out of Constantinople without much Trouble and without any Danger unless it were that of the Black-Sea But that Sea so nam'd and so fam'd from terrible and frequent Shipwracks that happ'n in it for want of Skilful Pilots among the Turks made me tremble to think of it Nevertheless I saw the Hazards to which I expos'd my self and the Dangers of the Voyage however they did not terrifie me so much as the Dangers and Perils which I have mention'd either in staying any longer at Constantinople or in travelling quite through Turkey The Danger indeed of the Black-Sea was the greatest because it threaten'd the loss of all but it was more uncertain The Hazards of Turkey were less for there was no fear of Life's being lost or of losing entirely the whole Cargo But it was more difficult to be avoided so that at length I resolv'd for the Black-Sea and prepar'd to embark One of my Friends to whom I imparted my Design engag'd a Greek Merchant to assist me who was bound for Colchis and went in the Saic prepar'd for Azac He was a very honest Man besides that my Friend had some hank as well over his Estate as Person So that he oblig'd him to serve me to the uttermost of his Power under the forfeiture of his Friendship if he fail'd Thereupon the Greek Merchant undertook to help me and did it so cordially and sedulously that the Success answer'd both his Diligence and Fidelity He took upon him to hire Cabbins for me in the Saic never discovering for whom it was he put my Goods aboard some and some as he saw his Opportunity He gave me advice and necessary Instructions how to make my self respected in the Vessel and to get good Entertainment at Caffa whither I was first bound Among the rest of my Directions he order'd me to get good Recommendations to the Officer that was to Command at Azac and to take along with me the Signior's Pass As for the Recommendation I did not much fear to get it but the Pass drove me to despair because I had already been refus'd it Thereupon I discover'd my perplexity to M. de Nointel beseeching his Excellency to give me leave to make use of the Letters of Recommendation which I had from the English Ambassador who was at Paris when I departed thence for the English Ambassador at Constantinople that I might by his means obtain a Pass as an English-Man Which although M. de Nointel scrupl'd at first yet he consented at length when I told him the Urgency of my Occasions So that he caus'd his Secretary both to write and carry his Letter to the English Ambassador who was very glad to serve his Excellency in my behalf And indeed the Ambassador pursu'd his Kindness with the greatest Grace in the World and with a real Affection but without success For as the Caimacan was ready to sign the Pass Some-body gave him private Intimation to take a care what he did for that the Pass requir'd of him was for a French-Man under pretence of being English Which spoil'd all and made a Difference between the English Ambassador and the Caimacan who complain'd of the Surprize and between the English Ambassador and M. de Nointel whom he tax'd for having giv'n the Caimacan his private Intelligence The 19th of July the Greek Merchant who was to Conduct me to Mingrelia came to give me notice that the Saic lay at an Anchor near the Mouth of the Black-Sea and only expected a fair Wind. So that I would presently have gone aboard but my Friends did not think it convenient till the Vessel was ready to Sail for fear I should be discover'd for a French-Man Thereupon I staid three days with Signor Sinibaldi Fieschi Resident of Genoa at a Country-House which he had upon the Bosphorus and four days more at a fair Monastery of the Greeks at the end of the Channel upon Europe side over against the Harbour where the Saic lay at Anchor The Thracian Bosphorus is certainly one of the Loveliest parts of the World The Greeks call Bosphori those Streights or Arms of the Sea which an Ox may be able to swim over This Channel is about Fifteen Miles in length and about Two in breadth in most parts but in others less The Shores consist of Rising Grounds cover'd over with Houses of Pleasure Wood Gardens Parks Delightful Prospects Lovely Wildernesses Water'd with Thousands of Springs and Fountains The Prospect of Constantinople when ye behold it from the top of the Channel at the distance of two Miles is beyond compare as being to my Eyes as to all that ever saw it the most Charming Prospect that can be seen The Passage through the Bosphorus is the most lovely and fullest of Divertisement that can be made by Water And the number of Barks that Sail to and fro in fair Weather is very great The Resident of Genoa told me He made it his Pastime to tell the Boats that Sail'd to and fro before his House from Noon to Sun-set in what time he told no less then Thirteen Hunderd There are Four Castles that stand upon the Bosphorus well Fortifi'd with great Guns Two Eight Miles from the Black-Sea and Two more near the Mouth of the Channel The Two latter were built not above Forty Years ago to prevent the Cossacks Muscovite and Polanders from entring into the Mouth of the Channel who before made frequent Inroads into it with their Barks almost within sight of Constantinople The 17th by break of day I embark'd our Vessel being then under Sail. Above Fourscore Vessels of different Burthens put to Sea at the same time In ours there were about Two Hunderd Men the Commander of Azac with his Train to the Number of Twenty a Hunderd Janisaries Thirty Mariners and Fifty Passengers I had three Cabbins two for my Comrade and my self and the third for our Goods Our Servants lay upon the Deck Their Cabbins are very narrow and incommodious ours being at the Prow There were in all Thirty two in the Saic with a great Cabbin for the Captain very spacious and handsomely furnish'd wherein Ten Persons might lodge very conveniently But that which is very inconvenient in the Turkish Vessels is this That they make no Provision of any thing for Subsistance not so much as of Wood and Water for the rest might well be endur'd Every one has his Liberty to dress his Vittles three of four times a day The Fire Place is upon the Deck near the Poop where they who have any thing to dress carry their Kettle their Wood and their Water So that I have seen about Eighteen Pots together upon the Fire Their Places of Easement are with outside of the Ship near the Poop
aboard to search the Vessels But when a Ship drops her Anchor several Boats make from the Haven to carry those ashoar that are desirous to go Caffa is a great Town built at the bottom of a little Hill upon the Sea-shoar It extends it self more in length then breadth lying in length very directly from the South to the North encompass'd with very strong Walls that advance a little into the Sea which is the reason that when we take a Prospect of the City from the upper part of the Deck it seems to be built like a Half-Moon The Castle upon the South side stands upon a Rising Ground that commands all the parts thereabout being very large and the Residence of the Basha The other is not so big but well stor'd and defended with great Guns the Sea washing that side which is next to it They reck'n about 4000 Houses to be in Caffa of which 3200 are inhabited by Mahumetans Turks and Tartars and 800 by Christians Greeks and Armenians though the Armenians are more numerous then the Greeks The Houses are but small and all built of Earth as are also their Bazars or Market-places their Publick Structures Mosquees and Baths There is not one Building of Stone in all the City except eight Churches somewhat gone to decay formerly built by the Genoeses This Caffa was once call'd Theodosia which the Greeks built in the fifth Age. Afterwards it fell under the Dominion of the Genoeses with several other Sea-Port Towns in several parts of that Sea in the Thirteenth Age in the time of the Holy War and during the weak and low Condition of the Eastern Emperors But Mahomet the Second won all those Places from the Genoeses toward the end of the Sixteenth Age Caffa being taken in the Year 1574. The Soyl about Caffa is Dry and Sandy nor is the Water good but the Air is very pure and wholsom There are very few Gardens about it nor is there but little Fruit. However they bring great Quantities from the Neighbouring Villages though it cannot be said to be very delicious However I do not know whether there be any other City in the World where other Provisions are cheaper and better Their Mutton is exceeding well-tasted and not above one Farthing a Pound Their other Provisions of Bread Fruit Wild Fowl and Butter is sold proportionably at a cheaper Rate Salt is as good as giv'n ye and in a word whatever is necessary for Human Sustenance costs little or nothing Nevertheless by the way take notice that Fresh Fish is a very great Rarity and very small whatever that they catch in the parts round about the Harbour and that only at certain times as in Antumn and the Spring Almost all the Turks and Tartars that live in the Town wear little Bonnets of Cloath fac'd with Sheepskins But in regard that over all Asia Bonnets are most usually worn among the Christians those of Caffa are oblig'd to fasten to theirs a little piece of Cloath such as the Jews in Germany wear upon their Cloaks to distinguish 'em from the Mahometans The Road of Caffa is shelter'd from the Winds except it be to the North and South-East and the Ships lie at Anchor near the Shoar in Ten and Twelve Fathom Water Ouzie at the bottom and very safe There is also a great Trade driven there more then in any other Port belonging to the Black-Sea During the Forty Days that I staid there I saw come in and go out above Four Hunderd Sail of Ships not counting little Vessels that keep close to the Shoar The most usual and most considerable Trade which they drive consists in Salt Fish and Caveare which comes from the Lake Maeotis and is thence transported into Europe and as far as the Indies 'T is incredible what a World of Fish is caught in that Lake considering its extent And the reason which the Country People give for the Infinite Multitude of Fish there bred and taken is this For that the Water of that Lake being muddy thick and not very salt because of the Tanais that empties it self into it it invites not only the Fish out of Tanais and the Black-Sea but also out of the Hellespont and the Archipelago where they breed and grow fat in a small time Several Persons have assur'd me That they usually catch Fish in that Lake which weigh every one Eight and Nine Hunderd Pounds and of which they make between three and four Hunderd weight of Caveare 'T is true I never saw any such large Fish alive at Caffa however I am apt to believe it by the pieces of Fish which I have seen and the vast Quantities which they export into a Thousand Places Their Fishing lasts from October till April And perhaps it is the Mudd of that Water of Maeotis which makes 'em call it a Mersh for otherwise it would be more properly call'd a Lake in regard it bears Vessels of Burden nor do the Waters rise or fall and besides that it continually partakes of a great River and the Sea Next the Exportation of Caveare and Fish the most considerable Trade is driv'n in Corn Butter and Salt with which this City furnishes Constantinople and several other places The Caffa Butter is the best in all Turkey The Venetians have several times desir'd leave to Trade to this Town but it would never be granted In the Year 1672. Signor Quirini was at great Expences to obtain it and he had obtain'd it indeed but the Customer of Constantinople caus'd the Licence to be revok'd upon this Occasion All the Europeans have it agreed in their Capitulations That they shall pay no Customs but in such places where they unlade their Goods By Virtue of which Article the Venetians would pay no Customs at Constantinople for Goods that came in a small Vessel bound for Caffa which the Farmer of the Customs claim'd And Signor Quirini obtain'd an Order from the Defterdar to the Farmer not to take any Cognizance of what was in the said Venetian Vessel Which Defterdar is the High Treasurer of the Empire and has all the Customs under his Inspection But the Customer seeing this Order wrote to the Vizier That the Trade of the Venetians into the Black-Sea would be very prejudicial to the Grand Signior and the Port and that the particular Damage to his Highness was most visible in regard the Merchandize which is proper for the Black-Sea and brought from Venice pays Customs twice at their coming into the Port of Constantinople and going out That it was the same thing as to the Commodities that were brought out of that Sea and which the Venetians Export all which the Grand Signior would lose if the Venetians had Liberty to Trade thither in regard that by Virtue of their Capitulations they ought to pay no Customs but where they discharge their Merchandises Besides that to permit the Venetians an Entrance into the Black-Sea was to open a new way for the Christian Princes to Correspond
Father's bring 'em up to Thievery and their Mothers to Obscenity Mingrelia is at present very much dispeopl'd there not being in it above Twenty Thousand Inhabitants Though it is not above Thirty Years ago that there was no less then Fourscore Thousand The cause of which Decrease proceeds from their VVars with their Neighbours and the vast number of People of both Sexes which the Nobility have sold of late Years For a long time there has been drain'd out of Mingrelia every Year either by Purchase or Barter above Twelve Thousand Persons all which are sold to the Mahometans Persians and Turks there being none but they that deal in that sort of Traffic in those parts They carry Three Thousand every Year directly to Constantinople which they have in Exchange for Cloth Arms and other things which they carry as I have said into Mingrelia To which purpose there came every Year Twelve Sail of Ships from Constantinople and Caffa and above Sixty Feluques from Gorica Trissa and Trebisond The Commodities which they export from Mingrelia besides Slaves are Silk Linnen Thread and Wov'n Linseed Hides Martins Beavers Box VVax and Honey The Honey of Mingrelia is very Good and there are two sorts of it the one Red the other White the White is not so plentiful as the other but it is much better and more Sweet Sweeter indeed then refin'd Sugar very delicious to the Tast and Crumples between the Teeth Besides their Garden Honey there is another sort is found in the Trunks and Clefts of Hollow-Trees in great abundance which the Vessels from Caffa carry into Tartary where they make a very strong Liquor of it mix'd with Barley The Turks make great profit of their Mingrelion Trade selling for Four what they buy for one Crown but their greatest advantage is by their Slaves Certainly the Inhumanity of these Mingrelians their unnatural Cruelty toward their own Country Men and particularly of some of 'em toward their own Flesh and Blood are things hardly to be Credited They Study Opportunities to fall out with their own Vassals meerly to find a Pretence to Sell 'em with their Wives and Children They force away their Neighbours Children from the Embraces of their Parents to the same end and sometimes they will sell their own Children Wives and Mothers And I have been shew'd several Gentlemen who have been so Prodigiously Unnatural One of those Gentlemen sold Twelve Priests in one Day In which Piece of Impiety there is one particular passage so strange that it deserves to be related as an Example not to be Parallell'd This Gentleman fell in Love with a Lady whom he resolv'd to Marry tho he had a Wife already To which purpose he Courted the Lady and obtain'd her Good VVill. Now it is the Custom in Mingrelia to purchase their Wives and they Buy 'em according to their Quality their Age and their Beauty Thereupon the Gentleman not knowing where to raise the Sum which he had promis'd for the Enjoyment of his Mistress nor to defray the Expences of his Wedding but by selling of Slaves and for that reason reduc'd to Despair bethought himself of a Piece of Treachery the most Infamous and VVicked that could be To that purpose he invited Twelve Priests to his House to hear a Solemn Mass and offer a kind of Sacrifice upon which the Priests went very Chearfully never Dreaming that he intended to have sold 'em to the Turks the like Practice having never been heard of before in Mingrelia The Gentleman on the other side receiv'd 'em very Courteously caus'd 'em to say Mass and to offer an Ox and afterwards gave 'em an Entertainment But after he had made 'em to take a Hearty Cup he caus'd his Servants to seize 'em Bind 'em Shave their Heads and their Beards and the Night following carry'd 'em to a Turkish Vessel where he sold 'em for Houshold Goods and other Necessaries but finding he had not yet enough to pay for his Mistress and his Nuptials this Tyger went and fetch'd his own VVife and sold her to the same Vessel All the Trade in Mingrelia is driv'n by way of Barter for there is no set price of Money among the People the currant Money are the Piasters Dutch Crowns and Abasse's which are Pieces made in Georgia and Stamp'd with the Persian Stamp to the value of Eighteen Pence every Piece 'T is true that the Prince of Mingrelia who died about Twenty Years ago began to Coyn Money of his own But the Mint did not work long in regard there was but little Silver brought into the Country and for that the Country produces none at all no more then it does Gold or any other Metal I know not what is become of that Gold-Gravel and Golden-Sand which the People spong'd out of the VVater with their Sheep-Skins according to the Ancient Stories and which gave occasion to the Fable of the Golden Fleece There is no such thing in Colchis nor in the Mountains or Rivers adjoyning So that which way soever ye go there is no possibility of Reconciling Antiquity with the present Times Mingrelia of it self is not able to raise above Four Thousand Men fit to bear Arms which are also all Cavalry for the most part there not being above Three Hundred Foot to joyn with these Horsemen Nor are the Souldiers Marshall'd into Regiments and Companies But every Lord and every Gentleman leads his own People to the Fight without Order without Ranks without Officers and they follow their Leader whether it be in Flight or to the Charge The VVars of the Mingrelians and their Neighbours are indeed but meer Incursions and Boots-Halings and when they make their Inroads into the Enemies Country they fall on with an Extraordinary Fury for they want neither Courage nor Resolution VVhen they have put the Enemy to Flight they vigorously follow the pursuit and over-run all the Country Burn and Plunder all before 'em carry away Prisoners of all Sexes and Degrees and then retreat with the same Impetuosity They take as many Prisoners as they can so that when they have Dismounted any one presently they leap from their Horses bind the Person Vanquish'd with the Cords which they carry at their Girdles as I have said and deliver 'em to the Custody of their Servants He that has taken a Prisoner has Power over him of Life and Death he may dispose of him as he pleases but generally they make 'em their Slaves and sell 'em to the Turks On the other side when these People are invaded they shew themselves at the Ford of some River where they lay their Musketeers in Ambuscado endeavouring to prevent the Enemies Passage At what time if the Enemy forces his way they fly to the VVoods leaving the Country to their Mercy So that the VVars with these People never last long In less then Fifteen Days the VVar is at an end and the Enemy retreats after he has ravag'd and ransackt all the Country The Revenues of the
could discover the high Lands of Trebisond on the one side and of the Abca's on the other and that very easily because the Black Sea beginning to wind toward the Abca's Coasts Anarghia stands far out in the circular circumference of those Coasts answering to Trebisond The Black-Sea is 200 Leagues in length wanting Twelve or Fifteen lying just East and West The broadest part North and South from the Bosphorus with Boristhenes is three degrees which part is the Western end of the Sea the Opposite part not being above half so broad The Water of this Sea seem'd to me less Clear less Green and less Salt then the Water of the Ocean Which proceeds as I am apt to believe from the great Rivers that empty themselves into it and for that it is shut up in its self as it were in the bottom of a Sack so that it ought to be more properly called a Lake then a Sea like the Caspian Sea With which it agrees in this that is common to both that in neither of the two Seas there are any Islands And therefore 't is in vain to seek for the reason of its Denomination from the colour of the Water The Greeks gave it its Name from the Dangerous Navigation dayly experienc'd by those that ventur'd into it by reason of the Tempests there more frequent and boistrous then in other Seas Axenos signifying inhospitable and that will not suffer any Person to come near it The Turks therefore for the same reason call it Cara Denguis or the Furious Sea Cara which in the Turkish Language properly signifies Black denoting also furious dangerous terrible and serving usually in that Idiom for an Epithite given to thick Forrests rapid Rivers and steep and rugged Mountains Now the reason why the Storms are more Violent and Dangerous in that then in other Seas is first because the Waters are contracted within a narrow Channel and have no Outlet the Bosphorus not being to be accompted an Outlet by reason it is so very streight And therefore the Waters being Violently agitated by a Storm and not knowing where to have Room and being strongly repell'd by the shoar they Mount and rowle aloft and beat against the Ship on every side with an Invincible swiftness and force Secondly because there are few or no Roads in that Sea which are shelter'd from the Wind but where there is more danger then in the open Sea All the Black-Sea is under the Dominion of the Grand Signior there is no Sailing there without his leave so that there is no great fear of Pyrates which in my Opinion are a greater danger then the Sea it self All that Day we sayl'd with a Contrary Wind which was the reason we did not make above Six Leagues however in the Evening we bore into a River call'd Kelmhel deeper and almost as broad as the Langur but not so rapid The 30th Two Hours before Day we set sail by the light of the Moon and by Noon we made the River Phasis and bore up into it about a Mile to certain Houses where the Master of the Feluke was desirous to unlade some of his Goods The River Phasis takes its rise out of Mount Caucasus call'd by the Turks Fachs though as I observ'd the People of the Country call it Rione I saw it first at Cotatis where it runs in a narrow Channel very swiftly yet sometimes so low that it is easily fordable But where it discharges it self into the Sea which is about Fourscore and Ten Miles from Cotatis there the Channel is about a Mile and Half Broad and Sixty Fadome deep being swell'd before that by several lesser streams that pour themselves into it The Water is very good to Drink though somewhat Muddy thick and of a Leaden colour of which Arrian asserts the cause to be the Earth that is intermix'd with it He farther adds and other Authors also affirm the same that all the Ships took in Water at Phasis out of an Opinion that the River was sacred or believing it to be the best Water in the World There are several small Islands at the Mouth of the River which appear very delightful as being shaded with thick Woods Upon the biggest of which to the West are to be seen the Ruins of a Fortress which Sultan Murat caus'd to be built in the Year 1578. For he had made an Attempt to Conquer all the Northern and Eastern Coasts of the Black-Sea But this Enterprize did not succeed according to his Design For to that purpose he sent his Galleys up the River Phasis but the King of Imiretta having laid considerable Embuscado's where the River was narrowest Murat's Galleys were defeated one sunk and the rest forc'd to fly The Fortress of Phasis was tak'n by the Army of the King of Imiretta reinforc'd by the Prince's of Mingrelia and Guriel The Castle was presently demolish'd wherein there were 25 Pieces of Cannon which the King caus'd to be carry'd to his Castle of Cotatis where they are now again in the Hands of the Turks by the late surrender of the Castle belonging to that place I fetch'd a Compass about the Island of Phasis to try whether I could discover any Remainders of the Temple of Rhea which Arrian says was to be seen in his time but I could not find the least Footstep of any such thing Yet Historians affirm that it was standing entire in the time of the Grecian Empire and that it was Consecrated to the Worship of Christ in the Reign of the Emperour Zeno. I sought likewise for the great City call'd Sebasta which Geographers have plac'd at the Mouth of Phasis but not a Brick to be seen no more then of the Ruines of Colchis All that I observ'd conformable to what the Ancients have wrote concerning that part of the Black-Sea is only this That it abounds in Pheasants Of which there are some Authors and among the rest Martial who say That the Argonauts first brought those Birds into Greece where they had never been seen before and that they gave 'em the Name of Pheasants or Phasiani as being taken upon the Banks of Phasis This River separates Mingrelia from the Principality of Guriel and the petty Kingdom of Imiretta Anarghia is distant from it 36 Miles All the Coast is a low Sandy Soyl cover'd with Woods so thick that a Man can hardly see six Paces among the Trees In the Evening I caus'd the Master to put to Sea with a fair Gale and at Midnight we Sail'd before a Haven call'd Copoletta belonging to the Prince of Guriel The 30th after Noon we arriv'd at Goniè distant from Phasis about 40 Miles the Sea-Coast being all exceeding High-land and Rocks some cover'd with Wood and others naked It belongs to the Prince of Guriel whose Territories extend to a River about half a Mile from Goniè Goniè is a large Castle four-square built of hard and rough Stones of an extraordinary bulk seated upon the Sea-side upon a
Translated In the Name of GOD Soveraignly-Merciful And indeed the Arabian word Rahmen which signifies Merciful is an Incommunicable Attribute of GOD and which they never make use of but in speaking of the Divine Clemency All the Mahometans believe that this Invocation conceals great Mysteries and encloses an infinite number of Vertues For they have it always in their Mouths rising sitting taking a Book or an Instrument in their Hands or a Pen. In a word they believe they shall not prosper in any thing which they undertake if they do not begin with this Invocation They assure themselves that Adam and Eve spoke it before they went about any Business It is set at the beginning of every Chapter in the Alcoran And it is evident that it is in Imitation of the usual Sayings of the Jews and Christians the one always beginning thus Our Aid be in the Name of GOD who Created Heaven and Earth and the other with these words In the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost I shall speak in another place of the Seal which is fix'd to this Patent and of what is grav'd within The Figure under it is call'd Nishan that is the Signal and also the Flourish beneath the Subscription It is here drawn with a Ruler but in the Original it is made of the Tails of Letters The Secretary who is us'd to write this Subscription draws those Tails so streight and so equal that you would take 'em for Lines drawn by Rule and Compass The whole Subscription is in Colour'd Letters except the word which signifies Lord of the World and those which I have Translated Absolutely Commands which are in Letters of Gold The words Zels Ziouzoumis are ancient Turkish still in use in the Lesser Tartary They signifie properly My Words or I speak And Tamberlain being the first that made use of those words in his Patents the Kings of Persia have still retain'd the Custom The twelve Names which are in the middle of the Flourish beneath the Subscription are the Names of the twelve Pontiffs real and lawful Successors of Mahomet according to the Persian Belief 5. The Governours in Persia are distinguish'd into Great and Petty Media and Georgia for Example are great Governments Caramania and Gedrosia petty Governments Therefore they call Beglerbeg which signifies Lord of Lords the Governour of a Great Government and the Viceroy of a Petty Government they call a Kan 6. Deston Tahem-ten-ten and Feribours are the Names of the ancient Persian Heroes or if you please of the Old Giants which deriv'd their Being from the ancient Fables These are the Alcides's and the Theseus's of the Persians and as the Grecian Alcides had several Names so likewise has the Persian but the most common Name which they have alway in their Mouths is that of Rustem 7. Ardevon is the Name of an Ancient Giant or Hero who as the Persians say conquer'd all Asia and setl'd the Seat of his Empire in Persia Their Histories have not preserv'd the Memory of any of his Atchievements but their Romances feign an infinite Number which are altogether fabulous 8. In the Original it is Who unloose all sorts of Knots 9. There is no People in the World more sottishly devoted to Judicial Astrology then the Persians Of which being to speak in another place I shall say no more here but that the Persians rank all Penmen Books and Writings under Mercury whom they call Attared and hold all People born under that Planet to be endu'd with a refin'd penetrating clear-sighted and fubtil Wit 10. Caagon is the Name of an Ancient King of China Nor is there any one over the whole East whose Memory is more Venerable It seems by what they report that he was more particularly Illustrious in his Country for his Government in Peace and Administration of Justice then for his Feats of Arms. Therefore the Eastern Monarchs assume his Name to themselves as the Roman Emperors call'd themselves Caesars Moreover it has the same signification in Persia as August in English so that when the Persians would express any thing that is Great and Royal they say Caagoniè Thus I have explain'd the truth of this little Figure and I believe we shall be as little troubl'd to understand the whole Language of this Patent though Metaphor and Hyperbole are therein most furiously injur'd 11. The Term which I have Translated Flowre of Merchants signifies Exquisite Choice Elected or most Excellent The Persians use it commonly as an Epithet for all sorts and Conditions of Men Great Lords Foreign Ministers Merchants and bring it down even to Tradesmen 12. It is in the Persian Nor by Importunate Flatteries nor by Hanghty Demands 13. The word which I have Translated To Incourage signifies properly To Water 14. These words In Dignity and Virtue are not in the Patent only I have put 'em in the place of those that are which signifies the Seal of great Quality resembling the Sun 15. These words are to be referr'd to the words Absolutely Commands which are under the Flourish beneath the Subscription They are call'd here The Decree of the Lord of the World Tamberlain was the first that made use of these lofty Expressions Now the Grand Signior and the Indian Monarch make use of 'em as well as the King of Persia while every one maintains that it belongs to him only and assumes it as his most Glorious Title In the Persian Language it is Saheb-Cerani It may be also interpreted Master of the Age but the other Translation is more clear and intelligible and discovers more plainly the sottish pride that is contein'd in it 16. We shall speak more particularly in another place of the Marks by which the Persians distinguish Times and Seasons Here therefore I shall say no more then for the understanding of the Date that the Month Shavel is the tenth and that the Arabians have given Epithets to all the Months as for Example to the First the Epithet of Sacred to the Seventh that of Praise-worthy to the Ninth that of Blessed and to this here mention'd the Stile of Honourable The word Hegyra which is Translated Flight proceeds from a Verb which signifies to fly as also to retire So that the Hegyra of the Mahometans is the same thing with the Exodus of the Hebrews And without doubt Omar had that same Exodus in his Mind when he setl'd the Mahometan Epact from the time of Mahomet's departure from Mecca which was the place in Arabia where Idols and Idolatry were most in Esteem 17. In the Original it is Hamhager that is Flying together 18. As the Arabians as we have said gave Epithets to the Months the Persians also have given Epithets to the Principal Cities of their Empire Ispahan and Casbin are call'd The Seat of Monarchy Canhadar A Secure Retreat Asherif was call'd The Ennobl'd because Abas the Great built a Spacious and Sumptuous Palace and usually kept his Court there when he was in the
Patent I was fully discharg'd But I was afraid lest the Prince would make use of that pretence to view my Goods whether I would or no. And this was that which encreas'd my Fears and made me insist upon having an Officer to conduct me For my reason told me that such a Provision would render the Viceroy more responsible for any Accident that should befall me and that my Guide would secure both my Person and my Goods And indeed the greatest part of my Fears were dissipated when I saw my self quite free of Tefflis for then I began to conceive good hopes of all the rest of my Journey That Day I travell'd two Leagues through a Passage of the little Mountain that lies to the South of the City and lay at a Great Village call'd Sogan-Lou or the Place of Onions built upon the River Cur. The 1st of March I travell'd Eight Leagues in a fair Plain where the Road was indifferently streight leading to the North-East Within three Hours I came to a Village consisting of about a Hunderd and Fifty Houses call'd Cupri-Kent or the Village of the Bridge Because there is a very fair Bridge that stands not far from it built upon a River call'd Tabadi This Bridge is plac'd between two Mountains seperated only by the River and supported by Four Arches unequal both in their Heighth and Breadth They are built after an Irregular form in regard of two great Heaps of a Rock that stand in the River upon which they have laid so many Arches Those at the two ends are hollow'd on both sides and serve to lodge Passengers wherein they have made to that purpose little Chambers and Portico's with every one a Chimney The Arch in the middle of the River is hollow'd quite through from one part to the other with two Chambers at the Ends and two large Balconies cover'd where they take the cool Air in the Summer with great delight and to which there is a Descent of two pair of Stairs hewn out of the Rock Adjoyning to this fair Bridge there stands an Inn now ready to go to decay However the Structure is Magnificent having several Chambers with every one a Balcony that looks out upon the Water Neither is there a fairer Bridge nor a more beautiful Inn in all Georgia The Second we Travell'd Nine Leagues among Mountains very rugged and difficult to cross So that we were twelve Hours ere we got to our Journeys end though we Travell'd at a good rate About Sun-set we arriv'd at a great Village call'd Melik-Kent or the Royal Village built upon a point of one of those High Mountains The Third we Travell'd eight Leagues i' the Mountains where we were much perplex'd and where we did nothing but ascend and descend At length we lay at a Village as big as Melik-Kent The Fourth we Travell'd only three Leagues and before Noon we came to a Town that consisted of about Three Hunderd Houses call'd Dily-jan It is seated upon a River call'd Acalstapha at the Foot of a High and Dreadful Mountain which together with the rest that we pass'd the preceding days was a part of Mount Taurus There was every where great plenty of Water and here and there some Plains that were but small but very fertile The Goodness of the Soyl thereabout is not to be imagin'd nor the Number of Villages that are to be seen on every side There are several that stand so high-rais'd upon the points of the Rocks that you can hardly have a sight of ' em The most part are inhabited by Georgian and Armenian Christians but not intermix'd Those People having such an inveterate Antipathy one against the other that they cannot live together nor in the same Villages In all these Mountains are neither Inns nor publick Houses however Travellers are lodg'd in the Countrymens Houses very conveniently where there is plenty both of Meat and Drink For my part I wanted nothing for my Guide rode still before when we were got about half way so that when I came to the Village I still found a large Chamber empty Stables a good Fire and Supper ready The first days Journey I would have paid my Landlord but my Guide would not permit me telling me 'T was not the Custom and that I should rather give Him what I intended the Man of the House Which was the reason that the next Days I only caus'd something to be given in private to the People where I Lodg'd And indeed 't is very good Travelling with these Guides for they cause yee to be diligently attended All Night long my Chamber was guarded by the People of the Village who kept Watch as well in Obedience to the Commands which were laid upon 'em as for my Security though there was no danger to be fear'd The most part of the Houses of these Villages are in truth no more then Caverns For they are hollow places made in the Earth The rest are built of great Beams of Timber up to the Roof which is made like a Terrass and cover'd with Turf Only they leave a hole open in the middle to let in the Light and let out the Smoak which hole they stop up as they please themselves Which sort of Caverns have this Convenience that they are very warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer nor is it an easie thing for Thieves to break into ' em The Borough of Dily-jan and all the Country round about for six Leagues distance to the North and South and very far to the East and West belongs to Kamshi-Can and is call'd the Country of Casac It holds of Persia and depends upon that Kingdom after the same manner as Georgia that is to say it is always Govern'd by its own Natural Princes from Father to Son Abas the Great subdu'd it at the same time that he Conquer'd Georgia The Inhabitants of Casac are Mountaineers stout and fierce Originally descended from those Cosaques that inhabit the Mountains to the North-East of the Caspian Sea The Fifth we Travell'd five Leagues over that dreadful Mountain already spok'n of There are two Leagues from the Town of Dily-jan which stands at the very Foot of the Hill to the Top another of even Ground to the Top of all and two Leagues of Descent again A tedious Days Journey which I thought would have kill'd me For I was troubl'd with a terrible Dysentery which forc'd me to alight altogether and then two Men held me up as I went and a third lead my Horse The Mountain is most dreadfully laden with Snow there being nothing else to be seen at the Top neither Tree nor Plant. The Road also lay through a narrow Path of Snow hard'nd by the Feet of Horses and Travellers so that if they did but slip their Feet out of the Path they sunk up to the Belly in the looser Snow Nor is there any passing over this Mountain when the Snow-falls or when the Wind blows for then the print of the
Feet is lost and it is impossible to find the way Which is the loss of many People and Beasts every Year Nor does this Snow ever melt the Mountain being continually cover'd with it It separates Georgia from Armenia and I was no sooner over it but I found a Country quite of another Form and Fashion For whereas on the other side there was nothing to be seen but very high Mountains and some few small Plains between 'em and a Woody Country very well Peopl'd here on this side we saw spacious Plains with little Hillocks cover'd alike with Snow bare of all sort of VVood but what was planted about the Villages VVe lodg'd at Kara Pheshish a great Borough seated at the Foot of the Mountain which we cross'd over and upon the Banks of the River Zengui VVhich River waters one part of Armenia the Greater In making the Geographical Description of the Country as I pass'd along I never mind any Author whether Ancient or Modern finding 'em all so opposite one to another and altogether dark and confus'd VVhich was the same thing that Strabo said of the Authors that preceded him and whoever will take the pains to compare those that have follow'd him either with the Ancients or among themselves will be of the same Opinion As for example in Caldea or Assyria which at present they extend almost to the Mediterranean Sea though Herodotus Pliny Strabo Ptolomy and the other most Celebrated Ancient Geographers enclose it between the Desert of Arabia and Mesopotamia I have also observ'd one thing in the Government of Persia which has made me since believe that although Authors have set different Bounds and Limits to the Countries yet that they might have all written very true and justly and as Things stood in their Times when the Governments were enlarg'd or confin'd within narrower Bounds as the Supreme Governor pleases or as necessity requires for then the Province that gives the Name to the Government has not the same Limits nor observes the same Situation as before And therefore I will mark out the Extent and Situation of the Country where I pass'd as I found 'em and if I must follow the Ancient Authors it shall be only those of the Persian Geography Some there are among 'em who divide Armenia into Three parts The first which they call properly by that Name the second which they call Turcomannia and the third to which they give the Name of Georgia But the greater Number divide it only into two parts the Upper and the Lower The Lower which is sometimes call'd the Lesser sometimes the Western but generally the Lesser is under the Dominion of the Turks The Upper which they sometimes call the Eastern sometimes the Great but usually the Greater is a Province of Persia To the small or Lesser Armenia they assign for Bounds the Great Armenia to the East Syria to the South the Black-Sea to the West Cappadocia to the North and they place the Great Armenia between Mesopotamia Georgia Media and Armenia the Less Which Situation agrees in part with that of the Ancient Geographers who enclose Armenia the Less between Cappadocia and Euphrates and Armenia the Greater between Euphrates and Tygris But it no way corresponds with that of some Authors as is to be seen who put Syria the Shoars of the Mediterranean Sea and the Banks of the Caspian in Armenia of which they make Edessa to be the Capital City Neither do Authors differ less about the Denomination of this Country while some derive the Name of Armenia from Armenius a Rhodian or Thessalian Others with far more Reason from Aram which might have some Relation to the Hebrew word Ram which signifies High or Elevated either because the Country lyes High and for that several of the Eastern Mountains make a part of it or else because it fell as his share to Aram the Grand-Child of Noah who therefore call'd it by his own Name And therefore Hayton who was King of the Country derives this Name of Armenia from Aram-Noah But how uncertain soever this Etymology may be I had rather give credit to it then to another Story which he reports of Armenia that is to say that it was the Province where Salmanassar planted the Greatest part of the Jews which he took Prisoners in the Conquest of Palestine The Holy Scripture where ere it has occasion to mention it calls Armenia Ararat Certainly it is one of the most lovely and most Fertile Countries of Asia It is water'd by Seaven large Rivers which is the reason in my opinion that obliges the most part of the Interpreters of the Old Testament to place the Terrestrial Paradise in this Province However it were Armenia is renown'd for several other Famous Accidents and Events There is not any other Country wherein were fought so many Bloody Battels nor with greater Numbers on both sides It has had particular Kings of its own at several times though they could not preserve their Dominion while as Histories assure us all the most Eminent Captains that ever invaded Asia subdu'd it under their Subjection in their several turns It was the Theatre of the last Wars between the Turks and Persians while the Turks fought to have had it all entire though at length they were content to share it with the Persians yet not so but that they have had the greatest part The 6th I continu'd my Journey half dead as I was with Cold and a Dysentery But the hopes I was in to meet at Erivan with all necessary Accommodations for my Cure made me hasten thither notwithstanding all the Pains that I felt So that we Travell'd Four Leagues and arriv'd at Bichni a considerable Village seated at the Foot of a Mountain upon the River Zengui We lodg'd at a fair Armenian Monastery built between the Village and the Mountain This Monastery is an Ancient Foundation between Eight and Nine Hunderd Years standing The Cloister is built after the Fashion of the Country encompass'd with High and Thick Walls of Free Stone Near to the Monastery are to be seen the Ruines of Towers Castles and Ramparts in so great a Number that it renders very probable what the People of the Country report that Bichni has been one of the strong Places of Armenia I lodg'd in the Convent where the Monks receiv'd me with great Civility and put me into the fairest Apartiment they had only I could by no means prevaile with 'em to let me have a Fowl to make a little Broth because it was their time of Lent So that my Guide was forc'd to use his Authority even to the holding up his Cane to procure me a few Eggs. Toward the Evening I had a desire to Drink some Coffee which my Guide brought me boyl'd with a little Sugar and of that I Drank Four small Glasses as hot as I could which done I lay'd me down well cover'd before a good Fire To which feeble Remedy it pleas'd GOD to give so great a
are of a Peculiar sort of Workmanship and shew the curiosity of the Artist For they are built one over the other and the uppermost is much higher and larger in the Diameter then that below which serves for a Basis to the other There are also three Hospitals in the City very neat and well in repair however there is no body lodg'd within 'em only they give Victuals to those that come twice a day These Hospitals at Tauris are call'd Ach-tucon that is Places where they spend a great deal of Victuals At the end of the City to the West upon a little mountain stands a Hermitage a very neat piece of Workmanship which they call Ayn Hali or the Eyes of Haly. This Califf whom their Prophet made his Son-in-Law was as the Persians report the most lovely man that was ever seen so that when they would signifie any thing that is extreamly handsom they say t is Haly's Eyes This Hermitage serves the Taurisians for a place of Devotion and the way to it for a walk of Pleasure Without the City of Tauris to the East appears a great Castle almost gon to decay which they call Cala-Rashidé It was built above 400 years ago by Cojé Reshid Grand Visier to King Kazan The Story reports that their King had five Grand Visirs because he did not believe that one could suffice to dispatch all the affairs of so great a Kingdom Abas the Great seeing that Castle ruin'd and judging it advantageously seated as well to defend the City as to command it caus'd it to be repair'd about fifty years since but his Successors not being of his opinion let it go to Ruin There are also to be seen the Ruins of the Principal Edifices and Fortifications which the Turks built there during the several times that they were Masters of it So that there are very few Rocks or Poynts of Mountains joyning to the City where nothing but the Ruins of Forts and Heaps of Rubbish are to be seen Of which I carefully survey'd a great Part but I could not discover any thing of Antiquity There is nothing to be digg'd up but Bricks and Flint Stones The onely Edifice that remains most entire among the Turkish Buildings is a large Mosquee the inside of which is inlay'd or rather pargetted with transparent Marble and all the Outside variegated in Mosaic work But the Persians account the Place defil'd because it was built by the Turks whose Faith they abominate Among the heaps of Rubbish of which I have spoken without the City to the South appear the Ruines of the Palace of the late Kings of Persia And to the East those of the Castle where they say Cosroes lodg'd and where he laid up the Holy Cros for Security and all those other sacred Spoyles which he brought away from Jerusalem The Piazza of Tauris is the most spacious Piazza that ever I saw in any City of the World and far surpasses that of Ispahan The Turks have several times drawn up within it Thirty Thousand Men in Battel Toward the Evening this Piazza is fill'd with all the meaner sort of People that repair thither for Sport and Pastime Where some are for Gaming some for Tricks of Activity some for seeing Jack-Puddings and Mountebanks act their Drolleries some for Wrestling others for Bull and Ram-fighting others for repeating Verses some reciting Stories in Prose and some to see Wolves dance The People of Tauris take great delight to see that sort of Sport insomuch that they bring those Dancing Wolves a hundred Leagues an end after they are well taught And such as are best instructed are sold for five hunder'd Crowns a piece many times also great Quarrels arise about these Wolves which are not easily appeas'd Nor is this Piazza empty in the day time as being a Market for all sorts of Provisions and things of small Price There is also another Piazza at Tauris which appears in the Plate before the demolish'd Castle call'd the Castle of Jafer-Pacha This was a Place for the Rendezvous and exercise of the Souldiers belonging to the Garrison now it serves for the Shambles where they kill and dress all sorts of large Meat which is sold in all parts of the City I have with great diligence endeavour'd to understand the number of the Inhabitants in Tauris but could never have a just account but I think I may truly reck'n it to amount to 550 Thousand Persons yet several Persons in the City would make me believe there could not be less than Eleven hundred Thousand The number of Strangers also which are there at all times is very great for that they resort thither from all parts of Asia Nor do I know of any sort of Merchandize of which there is not there a Magazine to be found The City is full of Artists in Cotton in Silk and in Gold The fairest Turbans in Persia are there made And I have heard several of the Principal Merchants of the City affirm that there are above six thousand Bayles of Silk wrought out in Manufacture every year The Trade of the City extends all over Persia and Turky into Muscovy Tartary to the Indies and over the Black-Sea The Air of Tauris is cold and dry very good and healthy nor can any man complain that it contributes to any bad disposition of Humors The Cold continues there a long time in regard the City is expos'd to the North for the Snow lies nine months in the year upon the tops of the Mountains that surround it The Wind blows almost every day Morning and Evening It also rains very often unless it be in the Summer nor is the Sky but seldom without Clouds any season of the Year It is seated in 38. deg of Latitude and 82 of Longit. It abounds with all things necessary for human Support so that a Man may fare there deliciously and very cheap The Caspian Sea which is not above forty Leagues distant affords 'em Fish And some they also take in the River of Agi before mention'd but that is only when the water is low The usual price of Bread is three pound for a penny and of a pound of Flesh Three half pence In the Summer there is great plenty of Venison and water Fowl But they kill very little Venison or other wild Beasts There are also Eagles in the Mountains one which I have seen sold by the Country people for a groat Persons of Quality let fly the Sparrow-Hawk at the Eagle which is a Flight full of Curiosity and much to be admir'd For the Sparrow-Hawk soaring above the Eagle stoops of a sudden with that swiftness strikes her Pounces into his sides and with her wings continually beating upon his head sends him in a short time to the ground Yet sometimes it happens that both the Eagle and the Sparrow-Hawk come both to the Earth together In the same manner the Sparrow-Hawks will many times stop the flight of hunted Stags and render the Chace much
more easie to the Pursuers But if this were so observable that which I am going to say is no less remarkable which is That they assur'd me that in the parts adjoyning to Tauris there grow no less then threescore sorts of Grapes Not far from the City in the neighbouring Parts are to be seen great Quarries of white Marble of which there is a sort that is transparent The People of the Country affirm it to be the water of a Mineral Fountain congeal'd and hardne'd by degrees and indeed there are not far from it two considerable Mines the one of Gold and the other of Salt But there has been no working in the Gold Mine for this long time because they always found that the Profit never defray'd the Expences of the Labour There are also several mineral Waters Of which the most frequented are those of Baringe half a League from Tauris and those of Seid-Kent another Village which is six Leagues from the City These Waters are sulphureous but there are others that are cold others boyling hot I do not know whether there be any City in the World concerning the Original and first Name of which there is a greater Dispute among Modern Authors We shall produce the Opinion of the most celebrated only it will not be amiss in the first place to take notice that the Persians call the City Tebris and that when we call it Tauris as the People of Europe generally do it is only in compliance with the common Custom and to the end I may be the better understood Teixera Olearius and some other Authors maintain that Tauris is that City which Ptolomy in the fifth Table of Asia calls Gabris the G. being put in the stead of T. an Alteration frequent in the Greek Language as they assert Leonclavius Jovius and Aython will have it to be that City which the same Ancient Geographer calls Terva instead of Tevra by a transposition of the Letters of the word But Terva being plac'd in Armenia and it being certain that Tauris is seated in Media those two Names can never be appropriated to the same City So that without doubt the Resemblance of the word deceiv'd those Authors Tebris is a Persian word and was given to the City in the year 165. of the Hegyra as we shall declare more at large And therefore in regard it was several years ago since Ptolomy wrote we must believe that Terva and Gabris are both very different from Tauris Niger asserts it to be Tigranoama other Authors take it to be Tigranocerta Some there are of Opinion that it is the Susa of Media so famous in Scripture tho others believe it to be the City which in the Book of Esdras is call'd Acmatha or Amatha Some place it in Assyria as Ptolomy and his Interpreter Others in Armenia as Niger Cedrenus Aython and Jovius Marcus Paulus Venetus places it in the Country of the Parthians Calchondylas removes it a little farther that is to say into the Province of which Persepolis was formerly the Metropolis In short there is a strange Confusion in the Variety of Opinions upon this Subject But the most rational in my Opinion is that of Molets who has translated and commented upon Ptolomy of Ananias Ortelius Golnits Teixera de la Vall Atlas and almost all the modern Geographers that Tauris is the Ancient and Celebrated Ecbatana so frequently mention'd in Holy Writ and in the Ancient Sories of Asia Minadoi an Italian Author if I am not deceiv'd has set forth a Treatise to prove it However give me leave to add this that there are no Remainders to be seen at Tauris either of the Magnificent Palace of Ecbatana where the Monarchs of Asia kept their Courts in Summer nor of that of Daniel which was afterwards the Mausoleum for the Kings of Media of which Josephus speaks in his tenth Book and which he assures us stood entire in his time If then these stately and magnificent Palaces were standing not above sixteen Ages ago in the Place where Tauris now stands the very Ruins themselves are now not to found For among all those that are to be seen within the Circuit of that City there are none but what are of Earth Brick or Flint which were not Materials anciently made use of in Media for the building of sumptuous Palaces The Persian Historians unanimously agree the Time when the Foundations of Tauris were laid to be in the year 165. of the Hegyra but they do not concur in other particulars Some ascribe the Foundation of it to the Wife of Haron-Reshid Califf of Bagdad call'd Zebd-el-Caton which signifies the Flower of Ladies They report that she being desperately sick a Median Physitian cur'd her in a short time For which the Princess not knowing what Reward to give him bid him make choice of his Recompence where upon the Physitian desir'd that she would build a City in his Country to the Honor of his Memory Which after she had perform'd with great Care and Diligence he call'd the City Tebris as a Memorial that it ow'd its Original to Physick For that Teb signifies Physic and Ris is the Participle of Ricten to power forth scatter abroad or give a Largess This is what some relate to which there are others that tell a Story not much unlike For they say that Halacoucan General to Haron Reshid having been two years sick of a Tertian Ague of which he never expected to be cur'd was strangely deliver'd from his Distemper by an Herb which he found in the same place where Tauris now stands And that to perpetuate the Memory of such a fortunate Cure he built this City and call'd it Tebrift the Ague is gone For Teb signifies also an Ague and rift comes from the Verb Reften to go away But that afterwards either by Corruption or because it runs smoother upon the Tongue it was call'd Tebris instead of Tebrift Mirzathaer one of the most Learned Persons of Quality that are in Persia the Son of Mirza Ibrahim Treasurer of the Province gave me another Reason of the Etymology that is to say that at the Time when this City was built the Air was extremely wholesom and preservative against Agues Which extraordinary Quality drew a world of People to it and that therefore it was call'd Tebris as if man should say the Expeller of Agues The same Lord also further assur'd me that there are in the Kings Treasury at Ispahan certain Medals with the Inscription of that Zebd-el-Caton which were found at Marant a city near to Tauris with a great number of others both of Gold and Silver being the Coyns of the Ancient Kings of Media And that he had observ'd others with Greek Figures and Inscriptions wherein he remembred the word Dakianous And then he ask'd me if I knew who that Dakianous was To which I answer'd that I did not understand the name but that it might be very probably the Name of Darius In the 69. year after the
Foundation of Tauris the City was almost ruin'd by an Earth-quake But Montevekel Califf of Bagdad of the Race of the Abas's who then Reigned not only repair'd but enlarg'd it A hundred fourscore and ten years after that the 14 of the Month Sefer another Earthquake more violent than the former utterly ruin'd it in one night The Persian Geography relates how that at the same time there resided in the City a Learned Astrologer of Shiras call'd Aboutaher or Just Father who foretold that the said Earth-quake should happen upon the Sun's entrance into Scorpio in the year 235. of the Hegyra which answers to the year 849. of the Christian Epoche and should overthrow the whole City To which when he found the People would give no Credit he went and was importunat with the Governor to force the People out of the City The Governor who was also the Califfs Lieutenant over all the Province being always a great Admirer of judicial Astrology gave way to his Importunity and did all the could to send away the People into the Country But finding that they still lookt upon the Prediction of the Earth-quake to be a meer Chimera and suspected some mischievous Design in the Governor he could not perswade above one half of the People to stir which fell out to their Destruction For the Earth-quake happ'ned exactly at the Hour mention'd in the Prediction to the overwhelming of forty thousand Persons The next year Emir Diueveron the Son of Mahamed-Rondain-Aredi Vice-Roy of Persia receiv'd Orders from the Calif to rebuild it larger and fairer than it was before and to know of that famous Astrologer Aboutaker under what Ascendant he should begin to work Who bid 'em begin when the Sun was in Scorpio and assur'd 'em the new City should never be troubled more with any Earth-quakes but that it was threatned with great Inundations of Water To which the History adds that the Event has in all respects verifi'd the Truth of the Prediction After this new Restoration Tauris came to be wonderfully enlarg'd famous and flourishing They assure us that in the Reign of Sultan Cazan which is about 400 years ago it extended in breadth North and South from the little Mountain of Ain Ali to the opposite Mountain call'd Tchurandog and in length from the River Agi to the Village Baninge which is two Leagues beyond the City The same History also observes for a Proof of the multitude of the Inhabitants where-with that City was peopl'd that the Pestilence happening among 'em there dy'd 40 thousand in one quarter before they were miss'd In the year 896. of the Hegira and 1490. of Christ the Princes of the Race of Sheith-Sephi having invaded Persia remov'd the Seat of the Empire from Ardevil which was their own Country to this City In the year 1514. Selim took it upon Composition two years after the King of Persia who thought himself not safe there retir'd from thence and seated himself at Casbin Selim stay'd not long at Tauris but he carry'd away with him a wealthy Booty and three thousand Families of Artificers the most part Armenians whom he settled in Constantinople Soon after his Departure the Inhabitants of Tauris rebell'd and falling unexpectedly upon the Turks made a most famous havock of the Enemy and became Masters of the City But Ibraim Basha General to Soliman the Magnificent severely reveng'd this Rebellion in the Year 955. of the Hegyra and Year of our Lord 1548. For he took the City by Assault and gave the Plunder of it to his Army who committed therein all manner of Inhumanity even to an Excess unheard of before In a word all that could be call'd Cruelty Fire and Sword was there put in Execution The Palace of King Tahmas and all the most considerable Structures were destroy'd and levell'd with the Earth Yet notwithstanding all these Calamities the City lifted up her head again at the beginning of Amuraths Reign and with the Assistance of some few Persian Troops put to the Sword all the Turkish Garrison consisting of Ten thousand men Amurath dismay'd at the Courage of the Taurisians sent a powerful Army under the leading of Osman his Grand Visir utterly to destroy and wholly to subdue the Inhabitants This Army enter'd the City and pillag'd it in the Year 994. by the Mahometan Accompt and the Year of our Lord 1585. at what time the Visir caus'd all the Fortifications which the Turks had raised before to be repair'd But eighteen years after this Expedition in the Year 1603. Abas the Great retook Tauris from the Turks with a small Force but with that Policy Diligence and Bravery which is hardly to be credited He divided the stoutest of his Soldiers into several small Bodies who surpriz'd the Corps du Guard and cut their Throats in such a moment of time that they had no notice of it in the Town These Troops were follow'd by a Body of five hundred Men disguiz'd like Merchants who enter'd the City with a plausible Story that they had left the Caravan a days journey behind Which the Turks readily believ'd because it is the Custom of the Caravans that upon their Approach near to Great Cities the Merchants go before besides that the Turks never dreamt but that they had been examin'd by the Corps du Guard Abas follow'd close and seeing his men were enter'd flew into the City at the head of six thousand Men while two of his Generals did the same on two other sides of the Town So that the Turks finding themselves surpris'd surrender'd only upon condition of sparing their Lives And the History farther observes that in this Expedition it was that that same Potent Prince first order'd one Brigade of his Army to carry Musquets and finding the good Effect of 'em order'd a mixture of fire-Arms among all his Forces Whereas before the Persians never made use of Guns in any of their Wars Now that we may not omit any thing in the History of Tauris that is worthy Observation it behoves us also to let ye know what the Armenian Authors have wrote concerning it They report that this City is one of the most Ancient in all Asia and that it was formerly call'd Sha-Hasten or the Royal Place for that the Persian Monarchs there kept their Court and that afterwards a King of Armenia who was call'd Cosroes chang'd the Name of it from Sha-Hasten into Tauris which in the Armenian Language signifies a Place of Revenge for that he there defeated the King of Persia who had murder'd his Brother The Government of the Province of Tauris is the Chiefest in all the Empire and annext to the Dignity of the Captain General-ship It brings him in thirty thousand Tomans Yearly which amount to much above a Million sterling besides Casualties which are very considerable in the Asiatic Governments The Governor bears the Title of Beclerbec He maintains three thousand Horse and has under him the Governors or Kan's of Cars Oroumi Maraga Ardevil and
it There are but few Mosques at Casbin The chiefest of which by them call'd Metshid-guima or the Mosque of the Congregation was founded by Haron-Reshid Califf of Bagdat in the year of the Hegyra 170. The Royal Mosque call'd Metshid-sha is one of the largest and fairest in all Persia being seated at the end of a spacious Street planted with fair Trees which begins from one of the Gates of the Palace Royal. This Mosque was almost all built at the expences of Tahmas and in his Life time his Father Ishmael having laid the Foundations but dying before they came to be even with the street There are also several handsome buildings among the Caravanserai's or Publick Inns. That which they call the Royal Inn contains 250 Channels has a large Fountaine planted with Trees in the middle of the Court and two Gates which the lead in the Court from two streets full of shops where the most costly sort of Merchandises are sold But chiefest Grace and Ornament of Casbin consists neither in Inns nor Baths nor in Bazars nor in Markets Tobacco Coffee or strong-water Houses where the Persians debauch themselves but in the great number of Palaces of the Persian Grandees which they keep in their possession from Father to Son by reason of the long residence of the Court at Casbin from time to time But there are not so many Gardens in Casbin as in most part of the other City of that Province because the soyl is Sandy and dry for want of water there being only a little River which is no more then an Arm of the River Charoud not sufficient to to supply the Grounds about it So that they are forc'd to bring their water from the Mountain in Subterraneal Channels which they call Kerises that empty themselves into Vaults thirty foot deep which though it be cool is nevertheless heavy and insipid Which want of water is also the reason that the Air of Casbin is heavy thick and not very healthful especially in Summer by reason that the City not having a running stream has neither any sinks to carry away the filth of the Town Yet notwithstanding this same scarcity of water the City abounds in Meat and all manner of Provisions for that the Plains that lie round about it are so well water'd that they feed a world of Cattel and produce a prodigious plenty of Corn and Fruits Among the rest the fairest Grape in Persia which they call Shahoni or the Royal Grape being of a Gold Colour transparent and as big as a small Olive These Grapes are dry'd and transported all over the Kingdom They also make the strongest Wine in the World and the most luscious but very thick as all strong and sweet wines usually are This incomparable Grape grows only upon the young Branches which they never water So that for five months together they grow in the Heat of Summer and under a scorching Sun without receiving a drop of water either from the skie or otherwise When the Vintage is over they let in their Cattel to browze in the Vineyards afterwards they cut off all the great Wood and leave only the young stocks about three foot high which need no propping up with Poles as in other places and therefore they never make use of any such supporters There is also great Plenty of Pistachio's in those parts where the Air is very hot in the Summer all the day long by reason of the high Mountain that lies to the North. But on the other side the Nights are so cold that if a Man expose himself never so little to the air after he is undrest he is sure to fall sick Casbin lies in 85. deg and 5. min. of Long. and in 36. deg and 35. min. of Latitude The most part of our European Chorographers who have discours'd of the Cities of Persia affirm Casbin to be the ancient Arsacia and that before it was call'd Europa till the Parthians gave it that name from Arsaces the first of their Emperors that is it the same with that City which the Greeks call'd Ragea and the holy Scripture Rages of Media Some are of opinion that it was that same Casbira of which Strabo makes mention but the Persian Histories will not allow it to be so ancient The History entitl'd Elbeijon or the Explication relates That this was founded by Shapour the Son of Ardeshir-babecon and that he gave it the name of Shaepour as much as to say the City of the Kings Son For Shae signifies a King and Pour in the ancient Persian a Son Whence the name of Sha-pour which the ancient Greeks call Sapores The History entitl'd Teduine affirms that the City which was call'd Shaepour was not Casbin and that it was not built on the same place where Casbin now stands but at least three Leagues above toward the West at the Concourse of two Rivers the one named Haroud already mention'd which springs from the Mountain Alou-vent and the other call'd Ebher-roud or the River of Ebher I have heard several Persons of Quality affirm that there are in that place vast heaps of Ruins to be seen and all Authors agree that the two Towns call'd Sartshé not far from thence were built in the Reign of Ardeshir-babecon Another Persian History compos'd by an Author call'd by the name of Ambdalla relates that Casbin had its first Rise from a Castle which the King last mention'd caus'd to be built to stop the Inroads of the Deilemites that came down from Mount Alouvent and ravag'd all the Territory That this Castle was seated in the middle of the City where is now the Royal Piazza of Casbin and that it was ruin'd by the Arabians in the time of Osman one of Mahomets first successors And indeed almost all their Histories make mention of this Castle and say that after it was demolish'd it was rebuilt again much larger then before and a great Town rais'd round about it Mousael-hadibilla the Son of Mahomet-mehdy Califf of Bagdat caus'd it to be surrounded with walls in the 170. year of the Hegyra and about a thousand paces from it built a little City which he call'd by his own name Medina-Moussi which name one large Ward or Quarter of Casbin carrys to this day Moubarec-suzbee one of the Califfs free'd Servants who had the Government of the Province and to whom the work was recommended built another City at an equal distance and call'd it Moubarekié for the preservation of his name which the Persians some time after call'd Moubarec-abad Moubarec signifying blessed abada habitation Haron-Reshid Brother and Successor to Mousa-elhadi joyn'd these three little Cities into one by filling up the void space with a great number of buildings and then order'd the whole to be encompass'd with Walls and Fortifications Which work was begun in the 190 year of the Hegyra Haron also had a design to have made it a Bull-wark against the Incursions of the Hircanians and Deilamites and a Magazine for the warr
Their Graves are confus'd among those that lie buried round bout the Monuments that were erected over 'em having bin beaten down by the Turks and Tartars that invaded those places and sacrific'd those structures to the honour of their Saints the grand Enemies and Persecutors of the Descendants of Aly. They made search for these Graves after the Califf became Master of the City again but how easily they may be deceiv'd in this search is no difficult thing to conjecture For in the Year 1667. they found out one that put the whole City into confusion For they affirm'd the Grave upon which a large Monument had been built a hundred years before out of an assurance that one of Aly's descendants was buried there to be the Sepulcher of one Yuzbec a Preacher The People enrag'd that they had worshipped for a whole Age together a Place in their Opinion more worthy of Execration ran in a heat to pull down the Monument dug down the Earth that was at the top and round about it and made a common road over it But what happen'd afterwards is much more Remarkable And that is this that one of the great Persian Doctors undertook to write a Treatise on purpose that there was never any such person as Yuzbec buried there Upon which the People again offended to see themselves made the sport of their Doctors fancies have left the place as indifferent and will neither pollute nor give it Reverence The Governor of Cashan carries the Title of a Darogué as do all the other Governors of the City 's of Parthia A Lord that was one of my good Friends call'd Rustan-bec Brother to several Governors Provinces had the Government of that City the first time that I pass'd through it The two years of his Government being ended the City was so well satisfi'd in his conduct that they sent some of their Members to petition that he might be continu'd two years longer but their Petition was rejected as being contrary to custom to continue such Officers longer then the usual time The 19. our Horses were so tir'd that we were forc'd to stay at Cashan We departed the 29. and travell'd seven Leagues the two first cross the Plain where the City was built the rest over a Mountain which was of a good height but not difficult to ascend At the top we met with a very large and fair Caravanseray and a little further with a wide Lake which serves for a Receptacle to receive the melted Snow and Rain that falls from the Parts thereabouts from whence they let go the water into the Plain of Cashan as they have need Abas the Great rais'd up two strong Dams about it to the end it might hold more Water and to prevent the Water from wasting He also caus'd several Causeys to be made in the same place for the Convenience of Travellers Being descended from the Mountain you enter into a deep Valley very narrow and about a League in length all which space of Ground is stor'd with Houses Vineyards and Gardens so close one to another that it seems to be but one Village of a League in length Several delightful and clean Streams derive their Springs from that Plain which preserve the Air wonderfully cool all the Summer so that it is a place the most charming and delightful that a man shall meet with in that scorching Climate For the Sun has so little Power there that the Roses were not then blown the Corn and Fruit were also then green and but half ripe and yet they had reap'd their Harvest and had eaten ripe Fruit a Cashan at month before We lodg'd at the end of that lovely Plain in a Caravanseray there built which they call'd Carou Some of our own modern Authors assert That this Valley was the Place where Darius was murder'd which is not improbable for that the History observes that Bessus and Nabarzanes after they had committed that Treacherous Murder upon the Prince took several Roads the one for Hyrcania and the other for Bactriana and Cashan is exactly the Place that leads directly to those two Provinces The 21 we travell'd eight Leagues two along the foot of the Mountains between which that Valley lies and six in a pleasant Vale stor'd with a great number of Villages where we met with several Caravanseray's upon the Road we alighted at one that was larger and fairer then the rest call'd Aga-Kemal from the name of a rich Merchant that built it and several other publick Structures about Ispahan The 22. our Journeys was not above five Leagues in the same Plain where Aga-Kemal stands We travell'd so hard that by nine a Clock at night we arriv'd at Moutshacour which is a large Village consisting of about five hundred Houses where there are several Inns and Gardens and great plenty of Water The 23. we set forward late to the end we might not come to Ispahan before day We travell'd the nine Leagues which we had to ride over lovely Plains still directing our Course to the South as in our former Journeys and pass'd by so many Caravanserays and Villages drawing near that great City that we thought our selves in the Suburbs two hours before we got thither We enter'd the City by five a Clock in the Morning all in good health Thanks be to God The end of the First Book THE INDEX A. ABas the Great ruins the Frontiers of Persia 348 Abca's a thieving people 77 Abrener peopl'd with Roman Catholics 346 Adoption the manner of it Mengrelia c by the women 146 Akalzikè the Description of it 168 Alexander K. of Imiretta 136 Alexander Son of Levan Prince of Mingrelia 136 Amazons 187 c. Anarguia a Town in Mingrelia 111 116 Arakilvank a famous Armenian Monastery Araxes the River 347 348 Archylus Son of Shanavas Can 139 crown'd K. of Imiretta by his Father 140 Armenia divided and bounded 242 c. Armenian Traditions fabulous 252 Aron 413 Author Author's departure from Paris p. 1. His Motives for the second Voyage to Persia 2. Made the King of Persia's Merchant ib. He designs for the Black-Sea and Colchos 16 c. His distress at Isgaour 108. He sends an Express to the Theatin Superior 109. His Answer ibid. The Author's Surprise 110. The Market-place fir'd 111. The Superior comes to him and carries him off 112. Amingreham Slave draws Compassion from the Author 115. The French Embassadors Letter in behalf of the Author 116. He arrives at the mouth of the River Astolphus 116. He takes a Lodging in Anarghia 117. Visited by a lay Theatin ibid. A Lady furnishes him with Provisions 118. He is advis'd to pretend himself a Capuchin ibid. He departs from Anargy 119. The Occasions of his Misfortunes ibid. Visited by the Princess of Mingrelia 121. She invites him to Dinner 122. The Consequences ibid. 123 c. He buyes his Goods 125. He is robb'd the by Mingrelians 126 c. He flies upon a Rumour of the Turks being entred into Mingrelia