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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Brigham Young University
http://archive.org/details/collectionsoftra15tave
COLLECTIONS
Q F
TRAV E
THROUGH
TURKY into PERSIA, and the EAST-INDIES.
* . Giving an Account of the «
detent ^>tate of tftote Countries
AS' ALSO *
A Full Relation of the Five Years WARS., between
,Auren<r*Zebe andlus Brothers in their Father's Lifetime, about the .Succeflion. And a Voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng*Zebe) with hVs Army from Vehli, to LSpor, from Labor to <Bembei\ and from \ thence to the Kingdom of I^achemire, by the Mogols, calluJ, The Ta~ radife of the Indies.
. • TOGETHER
With a Relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin^ and of their particular Manners and Trade.
To which is added
'ANew:Defcriptionofthe Grand Seignior's Seraglio^
4nd alfo of all the Kingdoms that encompafs the Enxine and Cafpian Sear.
BEI N.G-
The Travels of Monfieur TAVERNIER BERNIER,
and other gineat Men : Adorned with many Copper Plates.
* The Firfi. Volume.
., . .' . • LONDON,
Printed fot'Mofes Pitt at the 'Angel in St. Pauls Churchyard,
M.DC.LXXX1V.
1 \
VPB
T O THE MOST ACCOMPLISH'®,
AND
E MIN E KTLY LEARNED
DK DANIEL COX,
Dodor of P H Y S I C K.
SIR,
\lnce 'tis the Mode of the Age , that no Boo\ comes forth without a Dedication, I hop 1 (hall not he blamd for addref fing tbefe Travels to your Self, as being the Perfon that has contributed fo much to the Ornament and Perfe&ion of the whole Wor\\. Hereby have I favd the labour cf making Encomiums upon an Author y of whom Ton have teHifid pur Approbation , by the Encouragement Ton gave the Publisher. Nor is it reafonable, that - Tavernier coming into England, (hould prefer others before a perfon that hath fhewd him particular fyndnejjes. For my part , after 1 had ta\\n a ProfyeU of yeur perfonal Candor, I tyiew not where to give fo choice a Stranger better Accommodation : not without fome regard to my felf; fince I could not thin\ that
&2 he
The Epiftle Dedicatory.
be who bad been fo fynd to the Original Author, would be an Enemy to bis Interpreter. ZJpon which [core, as I prefumd at fir ft, I hope Ton mil pardon tbt far*- tber presumption of Styling my felfy
S I R ,
Your mod Humble Servant,
J. <P H I L L 1 <P S,
.
*
THE
1
THE
DESIGN
OF THE
■Itr
AUTHOR.
■
Where he gives a brief Relation of his firfl Travels through the heft parts of Europe as far a* Conftantinople.
F the effect of Education may be liken'd to a fecond Birth , I may truly fay , that I came into the World with a defire to travel. The daily difcourfes which feveral Learned men had with my Father upon Geographical fubje&s, which my Father had the reputation of understanding very well , and to which, though very young, I was with much delight attentive, infpir'd me betimes with a defign to fee fome part of thofe Countries , which were reprefented to me in the Maps , from which I never could keep off my Eyes. By two and twenty years of Age , therefore I had feen the faired Regions of Europe, Frame, England, the Low Countries , Germany, Switzerland-, Poland , Hungary , and Italy ; and I fpake indifferently well the Langua- ges mod neceffary and moft generally fpoken.
My firft fally was intp England , where at that time Reigned King James 5 from thence I pafs'd into Flanders to fee Antwerp, my Father's Native Country, and- lb into the Low Countries , where my inclination to travel became the ftronger , by reafon of the great concourfe of Stran- gers which I met at ^mjicrdam, that crouded thitherfrom all parts of the World.
Having feen what was moft confiderable in the united Provinces ?
I pafs'd into Germany , and when I came to Norimbergb , by the way of
Frankfort and i^ufpurgb , the noife of the Armies that were marching
into Bohemia to retake Prague , inftill'd into me a defire to go to the
Wars , where I might learn fomething that might be ufeful tome in the
feries of my travels. I was not above a days journey from Norimbergb,
when I met a Colonel of Horfe, whofe name was Hans Brcner , the
Son of Philip Brener , Governour of Vienna , who engag'd me to follow
him into Bohemia, Sometime after I bore the fame Colonel company
to Vienna, who prelented me to the Governour of Raab , his Uncle,
then Viceroy of Hungary alio- who receiv'd me into his Family as one
of his Pages. For it is a ufual thing in Germany for Gentlemen's Sons
tofervein that quality 'till five and twenty years of age, and feidonr
to quit that (ervice , 'till they have a Commtflion for a Cornet , or
Enfigns place. Four years and a half I ferv'd the Viceroy, when the
Prince of Mantua came tolicnns , to engage the Emperour in certain
f ]■ defigns
The Design of
defigns of his own without fuccefs. At that time the Count of \~Arc , whofe Sifter the Viceroy had Marry 'd, was chief Minifter to the Prince of CMantua ; and coming to vifit the Viceroy at Javarin , I was ap- pointed to attend him during his fray there. Upon his departure , he told the Viceroy , that the Prince of CMantua had noperfon about him that underftood the Language , and that therefore he might be fure that the Prince would take it for a great kindnefs, to permit me to attend his perfon during his fray at the Emperours Courr. This was a thing eafily granted to the Count of o4hr; who thereupon carry 'd one along with him to Vienna. , where having had the good fortune not to difpleafe the Prince , he teftify'd to me at his departure , that he mould be glad to fee me at CMantua , where he would not forget the fervices I had done him. This prefentlyinfus'd into me adefireof feeing Italy, efpe- cially upon the opportunity that orTer'd it felf not long after.
For Monfieur de Sabran, the King of France's Envoy to his Impe- rial Majefty, being to go for Venice, and defirous of one that under- ftood the Germ -n Language to bear him Company , I laid hold of the occafion^ fothat in eight days we got to Venice. While we ftay'd at Venice , I took a view to my great fatisfa&ion , of that moft Celebra- ted City, and in regard it is in many things like to i^fmfter dam, as in Situation, Greatnefs, Magnificence , Commerce , and Concourfe of Strangers, my being there did but ftill reinforce my inclination to Travel.
From Venice I went to CMantua with Monfieur de Sabran, where the Prince being glad to fee me again , gave me my choice of an Enfign, or of a place in the Company of the Ordonnance of the Duke his Father. I accepted the latter , as being glad to be under the Command of the Conde de Guiche , who was then Captain. At the Siege of CMantua I had like to have been flain , but for the goodnefs of a Cuirafs which I had chofen out of the Princes Magazin , being hit with two Bullets above and upon the left pap , which had enter'd , had not my Arms been excellent proof: So that after I was recover'd of my Bruifes , a longer flay at Mantua did not agree with my defire to travel.
Therefore fome time after the Siege was rais'd , I took leave of the Prince, who gave me an honourable Pafs, by vertue whereof five or fix Horfe-men bore me Company back to Venice. From Venice I .went to Lauretta , from Lauretta to Rome , from Rome to Naples , from whence returning to Rome again, I ftay'd there tenor twelve days. After that I went to fee Florence, Pifa, Ligom, and Genoa, from whence I Embark'd for Marseilles.
From Marseilles I hafted to Paris , where I could not ftay long ; for being defirous to fee Poland, Ipafs'd once more into Germany through Switzerland, after I had tak'n a furvey of the principal Towns of the Cantons. I went by the Rhine by Water , to vifit strasburgh and Brifack; thence by Land croffmg Suabia , I palTed through Ulme and ^sfufturgh to go to Munich. There I faw the Magnificent Palace of the Dukes of Bavaria , which William the fifth began , and which Maximilian his Son finifh'd , in the heat of the Wars that troubl'd the Empire. From thence I went the fecond time to Norimbergh , and Prague , and leaving Bohemia I enter'd into Silefia , and pafs'd the Oder at Breflavo. From Brefiaw I went to Cracovia , one of the greateft Cities of Europe , or rather a Town compos'd of three Cities , the ancient Seat of the King
' of
the AUTHO R.
of Poland. From thence, keeping the Vtjlula upon the left hand, I went to Warsaw , and faw there the Court of King Sigifmund , which is a noble and fplendid Habitation.
From warfare I return'd to Brejf.aw, taking the Road toward the Lower Sikfia, defigningto vifitoneof the principal Officers of theEmperours Houfhold, who was my particular acquaintance, But about two Leagues from Glogaw , meeting with Colonel Butler , a scotch Gentle- man , Colonel of one of the Emperours Regiments of Horfe, who afterwards kill'd walefteync in purluance of the Orders he receiv'd , I gave over my firft intended journey. His Wife was a great lover of the French , fo that being earnestly oblig'd by both together, I could not withftand the teftimonies of their kindnefs. There I understood that the Emperour was going to Ratisbone with his Son Ferdinand the Third, to Crown him King of the Romans h fo that I , who had feea the Coronations of the Kings of Hungary and Bohemia , being defirous to fee the third Solemnity alio , took leave of my Colonel , and halted to Ratisbone.
At that time arriv'd to Ratisbone feveral Jewellers , one of which came to his end by an accident fo tragical, that all the whole Court pity'd his untimely fate. He was the only Son of one of the richeft Merchants of Europe , that liv'd in Frankfort , whofe Father had fent him with Jewels to fell at the Coronation. For fear of being Robb'd he had conveigh'd them before into the hands of a. Jew in Ratisbone , his' Correfpondent, to be delivered to his Son at his coming. This young man arriving at Ratisbone , went to the Jew, who told him that he had receiv'd a fmall Casketof Jewels from his Father , which he might take away , when he pleas'd. At the fame time the Jew invited the young man to drink, and carry'd him to a publick Houfe upon the Key of the City, where they continu'd 'till about an hour after day was (hut in. At this time, both going out together, the Jew led the young man through a private Street where few people pals'd by , and there having ftabb'd him five or fix times in the Belly with a Dagger, left him wallowing in his Blood. A while after, one of the Emperour's Trumpets going that way in the dark, ftumbl'd at the Legs of the unfortunate youth , who ftill breath'd, and fell upon his Body. At firft feeling his hands wet , he thought it had been fome drunken fellow that hadeas'd his ftomach; but upon fecond thoughts, imaging it might be fome wounded perfon , he ran and call'd the Officers , who coming with Lanthorns , beheld the tropick fpedacle of a young man weltring in his own gore. Thereupon the Officers carrying the Body to the fame publick Houfe , as being next at hand , his lace was no fooner wafh'd , but the Woman and Maid of the Houfe .knew him to be the fame young man that had been there drinking with the Jew not long before. But as for the young man he prefently expir'd , without being able to make the leaft difcovery. However the Jew was feiz'd that evening, and being feiz'd , cofefs'd the Crime. The Imperial Laws ordain, that a Jew for killing a chriflian mould be hung upon a Gibbet by the Heels , and that two fierce Dogs rtiould be hung by him in the fame manner, to the end, that the Dogs in their madnels mould tear out his Bowels. But the Jews made fuch prefentsto theEmprefs that the Sentence was chang'd , though the punifhment was not much lefs rigorous. For his flelh was torn with red hot Pincers from feverat
[ 2 ] parts
'Tbe Design of
parts of his body , in feveral Streets of the Gity , and boyling Lead pour'd into the raw wounds 5 after which he was broken alive upon the wheel , at the publick place of Execution.
Being upon my departure from Ratisbone , I met with Father Jofeph , Refident there for the King of France , who knowing me in Pari* , pro- pos'd to me to go along with the Monfieur, the Abbot of chapes , Bro- ther of the Marfhal de ^umont , and Monfieur St. kiebau, who were then intending for Constantinople , and fo for Palejline. I lik'd the propo- rtion well , and immediately put my felf into the Society of thofe two Gentlemen, from whom I never feparated 'till they departed iotSyrU from Conjlantinople.
But before we left Germany , we refolv'd to fee the Court of Savony % whither we got in a few days. By the way we pafs'd through Prey- bergb , a fmall City , but well worth feeing , for the beauty of the Electors Tombs , and moft fplendid and magnificent both for Materials and Workmanship in all Europe. From thence we went and view'd the ftately Ca^le of K^iugufiburgh , feated upon a high Mountain, where- in among other things there is a great Hall , adorn'd from top to bot- tom with nothing but Horns faften'd to the Wall 5 .among the reft is the Head of a Hare with two Horns, fent the Elector by the King of Denmark for a great Rarity. In one of the Courts of the Palace ftands a Tree fo large in Body , and fpreading out the Branches at fo wide a diftance, that they will cover three hundred fixty five Tables with their fhade. And that which makes this Tree more wonderful is , that it is only Birch, that rarely grows to that Immenfity.
Drefde is the Refidence of the Elector , a little City , but a very neat one, and well fortify 'd; with a Stone Bridge over the Elbe, that parts the Old and New Town. The Palace is one of the largeft and faireft in Germany. But it wants a Piazza before it, the principal Gate ftan- ding juft at the bottom of a narrow Lane.
From Drefde we went to Prague , which was a third time that I faw that great and fair City, or rather three Cities together, only fepara- ted by the Mdlda,that throws it felf into the Elbe, fome five or fix Leagues below.
Having travers'd Bohemia , and touched upon the corner of Moravia , we enter'd ^iuftria , and came to Vienna , refolving there to Embark with all fpeed , becaufe the Winter came on.
We ftay'd one day at Presburgh to fee the great Church , and fome Relicks which they fhew'd us , and from thence fell down to t^Altenburgh.
K^iltenburgh is a City and Province belonging to the Count of i^frach. It was the Cnilds part of one of the Queens of Hungary , who upon her death-bed bequeathed it to one of the Lords of her Court , upon condition that he and his Succeffors fliould always keep fuch a number of Peacocks; for defect whereof , the Territory mould revert to the Crown.
Thence we came to Signet , from whence I took a little Boat and hafted to Raab , where I did my Devoirs to the Viceroy , who was glad to fee me , and gave noble entertainment to the Mejjieurs de chapes, and de St. Liebau. Here we ftay'd eight or ten days for the Bajha of Buda's Anfwer, whether he would give liberty to two French Gentlemen, to pafs with their Train through his Garrifon or no 5 which being return'd
fuch
r j. . , . - . (♦!.-'.
ite AUTHOR.
fuchaswecoulddefire, wc Embark'd at Comorra in a fort of Brigan- tines well fitted for defence and convenience. . ... „ , /
From Vienna, to Javarinwt laid three days upon the water, by reafbn of the great turnings and windings of the t)anaw. Leaving Javarm we lay at Comorra ; and from Comorra we row'd to Buda in two days. For the Road by Land is feldom travell'd , in regard that the Frontiers of both Empires are full of Thieves and Boothaylers. In fair weather you may go from Buda to Belgrade in lefs than eight days , but we were forc'd to ftay longer upon the Water, in regard of the Cold wea- ther.
It is the cuftom in Hungary, that in all Roads little frequented by Strangers, not to take any Money of the Traveller; For the Burghers lodge and entertain them civilly , for which the Burgo Mafter at the years end repays them out of the publick ftock. But befides , that they are not troubl'd with many paflengers ; Hungary , which is one of the beft Countries in Europe, affords provifion at fo cheap a rate , that to Belgrade it cofts us not above two Crowns a d ./ for fourteen people.
Buda ftands upon the right hand of the Danaw, about half ah hours' travelling from the River. The Bafia being ad vis'd of our arrival, fent his Squire with led Horfes , and feveral Slaves in very good Live- ries to conduct us to the Town. And though we ftay'd twelve days before we could fpeak wkh him , by reafon of his being fick at that time, yet he allow'd us a fair provifion of Mutton, Pullets, Rice, Butter, and Bread , and two Sequins a day for frriall expences. He was a comely perfon , and of a handfom carriage 5 and at our depar- ture , he fent fix Calefies with two Spahi's to conduct us to Belgrade , with order to defray our eXpences , which would by no means be accepted.
Coming to Belgrade we found the Sangiai as rude , as we had found the Bafia civil before. For he made a ridiculous demand of two hun- dred Ducats a Head , and for fifteen days prolong'd the conteft. But at length I fo terrify'd him , by threatning to fend our Complaints to the Ottaman Port , of his ill ufage of two Gentlemen , kinfmen to the Embaffador of France, that he was contented with fifty Ducats for all. Belgrade is fcituated upon a point of Land , where two great Rivers , the Vanaw and the Sava meet • and is futniuYd with Wine , Bread, and all forts of provilions at a cheap rate.
From BelgrAde we tooi fome Saddle Horfes, fbrfle Coaches for Adri- anople, as every one lik'd beft. Wep^fsMthfoughS^/*, a large and well peopl'd City , the Metropolis of the ancient Bulgarians , and the refidence of the Bajha of Romelii In it ftands a fair Mofquee, which hath been a Chriftian Church, built with fo much Art, that three men may go up to the top of the Steeple, and not fee one ano- ther.
From Sophia we came to Philippoli, between which Town and Mrt- ample we met with two Troops of tartars well mounted. When! they faw us , they made a Lane for us to pafs through tnem , with a defign moft certainly to have fall'n upon us ; fince they could not hope to do any good upon us, but by furprizie and number 5 for they were ill provided of Weapons , and we rarely well Arm'd. There- upon we alighted and Barricado'd up our felves with our Chariots,
Ira
/ \
The Design of
In the mean lime we fent our Spahi's to the Commander of thofe Tartars, to tell them , we would not ftir 'till they were gone \ and that being Souldiers as they were , they could not hope for any booty from us. The Commander anfwer'd , that he had divided his men in that manner only to do us Honour- but fince wedehYdthey fliould be gone , they requeued us but to fend them a little Tobacco. A boon which we rea- dily granted them , and lb we pafs'd on.
We came to Adrianople the three and twentieth day after we par- ted from Belgrade. Adrianople takes its name from the Emperour Adrian, being formerly call'd Orejtes. It is pleafantly fituatedat the mouth of three Rivers that throw themfelves into the Archipelago. The old Town is not very big, but the Turks dayly enlarge the Su- burbs , being a place which the Grand Signors very much delight in for thepleafures of Hunting and Hawking, efpecially at the wild Duck and Heron.
The fifth day after we departed from Adriample , and the forty fecond after we departed from Vienna , we happily arriv'd at Conftan- tinople, and eroding through the City over to Galata, went to the AmbafTador's Houfe. While we ftay'd there to winter \ we made a fraall Voyage to the Dardanells , to the Ruins of Troy, where we be- held nothing but Stones, not worth the while of going fo far to fee. Another day we took three Barks andSail'dro C alee don , that lies upon the Sea. There is in it a very ancient Church ; and they fhew'd us the Room where the Council was held , with the fame Chairs which were then made ufe of. Now it is only a Monaftery, where two Bifhops after they had (hew'd us what they could , handfomjy enter- tain'd us.
Then we went to view Pompefs Pillar at the mouth of the Black Sea. Concerning the Channel of which Sea , I muft make one Ob- fervation ; that though there be no part of the Sea but has one Current, yet this has two quite contrary one to another. That part next to Europe carries the VefTel to the Black -Sea; and that next Afi* brings it back again to the ^Mediterranean. So that you have no more to do but to crofs over from one Shore to the other.
The Winter being over , the two French Gentlemen purfu'd their Voyage for Alexandretta. But for my part, I having another defi^n in my head , ftay'd at Confiantmople , in expectation of a Caravan , which the people told me from Month to Month was coming. I was then ignorant , and did not underftand that every year there were five or fix Caravans that went from Burfa. Befides , that fometimes ei^ht or ten Merchants travelling together, might go fafe to ifpahan. Which ignorance of mine made me ftay longer than I intended. At length , after I had continu'd eleven Months in Confiantinople , \ de- parted with a fair and numerous Caravan for /Jpahan , which was the firft time I travelPd into A/ia. After that I made five others, wherein I had time better to underftand the Qualities of the* Countries and the Genius of the People. The three laft times I went beyond Gau- ges , to the Ifland of 'Java ; fo that for the fpace of forty years , I have travell'd above fixty thoufand Leagues by Land-, never retur- ning but once into Europe by Sea. And thus in my fix Voyages , and by travelling different Roads ? I had the leifure and opportunity
to
the AUTHOR,
to fee all Turky , all Perfta , and all India ; particularly the famous Diamond Mines, where no European had been before me. Of thefe three great Empires there'rbre have I refolv'd to make an ample and exacl: Defcription: and I will begin with the feveral Roads which may be taken' from Pari* into Perpa,
Thefe
Thefe Computations are made, fuppofing a French Crown to be in value Sterling 54 pence, or %s. 6*1. the reputed Par , and that 12 Denier s make a Sous, 20 Sous a Liver ; whereof 3 make an Efiu. By which Computation 10 Sou* is in value ?d. and 10 Denier s 3 q.
^Perfian Money.
A Baft ■ ■ 3 Abafli's W 1 Chayet —
2 Mamoudi's - ■
2 Chayets — ■ ■
Casbeke Simple
Double Casbeke ■
Bifti 1 —
Chayets 1 — « —
! Or
1 Toman ■
French.
18 Sous, 6 Deniers .
1 Ecu .
1 Abafli
1 Mamoudi
5 Deniers , 1 Half-peny
11 Deniers ■
2 Double Casbeke's — ►
5 Double Casbeke's — —
5 Abafli's .
46 Livers, r -Denier, 7 Piafter —
EngUjh.
I. $. D, q.
o 01 04 27 o 04 06 o 01 04 o 00 08 o 00 01
00 03
00 06
00 04
06 II
09 00
of of
■^ I 00
u joo , _24 1 1 o »
Olf
Indian Money.
Arins 5
» s Demi-Larins 10 Roupy of Gold Roupy of Gold Pecha
Half Roupy
Quarter of a Roupy
Pagods
Fano's 6
Cheda Money 1. 2.
Cheda 3. 4,
Achen Gold .
MacafTar Gold
Camboya Silver —
Siam Gold •-
Siam Silver Afem Silver
Tipoura Silver
Arakan Money
Pegu Silver
Gold Fanos 15.
Afem Fanos 22.
China Goltfchut
China Silver pieces — Japon Gold , N° 1.. N° 2. 3. Japon Silver pieces — Silver Ingots, iV*0 1. 2. I- 4-
5-
6.
7- 8.
French.
1 Ecu French, within 8 Sous —
Half of much « ■
21 Livers . .
30 Sous — . ■
6 Deniers ■ ' — >
16 Sous
7 Sous, 6 Deniers
A Telle — Mufcovy Gold - Mufcovy Silver
Demi-Piftot {in Gold a Piftol? is 11 Livers) ■ — ■ ■ — ■*
1 Ecu ■
2 Sous . ■
4 Deniers
16 Sous, 8 Deniers 23 Sous, 8 Deniers 4 Sous
7 Livers, 1 Sous — 32 Sous, 4 Deniers -
23 Sous —
2 a Sous
21 Sous '-
20 Sous, 6 Deniers 1 Real - 1 Ecu
Englijlj.
i< *♦ H. q;
o 03 10 3 "
0 01 11
1 11 06
o 02 03 o 00 00 o 01 02 o 00 06
5
If
1350 Livers
59 Sous , 8 Deniers ■
87 Livers, 10 Sous - —
29 Livers, 3 1 Sous, 4 Deniers —
30 Sous
24 Livers, 10 Sous ■
8 Livers, 10 Sous, 7 Deniers —
4 Livers, 5 Sous, 5 Deniers -
3 Livers, 10 Sous, 1 1 Deniers —
3 Livers, 8 Sous, 8 Deniers
1 Liver, 5 Sous, 1 Denier
1 Liver, 9 Deniers — ■
16 Sous, 4 Deniers ■
4 Livers, 5 Sous —
20 Sous, 1 Denier, 1 Half-peny — 1 Sous . « •
o 08 03
o 04 06 o 00 01 3 *• o 00 00 1 •*• o 01 03 o 01 09 l *
O OO 03 2 i.
o 10 06 3 f
O 02 O5 0 i
O Ol 08 2* o 01 07 3 i OOi 06 5* o Ol 06 1 f o 04 04 o 04 06 10 1 05 00 o 04 05
11 03
05 10
02 03 l6 09
12 09
06 04 05 03
2 A
6
2 o 1 o o o o 0
o
2 -*■
1 ©
3ii
05 01 3 t
01 01
10 2 d
06
2 -£
I o
001 02 2 * o 06 04 2 o 01 06 o -£ O 00 OO 3 f
THE
THE
CONTENTS
OF THE
Perfian Travels.
The Firft Book of Monfieur TAVEPJSLlE^s Perfian Travels. Of the feveral Roads from Paris to Ifyahan the chief City of Perfia, through the Northern Provinces of Turky.
Chap. I. f~\F *he R^ds from France to the hither parts of Afia, and
1 m the places from whence they ufually fet out for Ifpa-
^^ han. Pag. i
Chap. II. Of the Road from Conftantinople to Ifpahan , which the
Author kept in his firft Travels into Perfia. 3
Chap. III. A continuation of the Road from Conftantinople to Ifpahan,
from the Borders of Perfia to Erivan. 10
Chap. IV. A continuation of the fame Road from Erivan to Tauris. 15
Chap. V. A continuation of the Conftantinopolitan Road from Tauris
• to Ilpahan , through Ardeuil and Cafbin. 24
Chap. VI. The ordinary Road from Tauris to Ifpahan, through Z^ng^n,
Sultany, and other places. 26
Chap. VII. Of the Road from Smyrna to Ifpahan, through Natolia. 32 Chap. VIII. How the K^iutkor was rob'd near Tocat , and of a certain
fort of a rare and fine Wool , which he firft brought into France. 40
Chap. IX. Of the Road from Kerman to Ifpahan 5 and the fortune of
Nafcar Mahomet-Ali-Beg. 42
Chap. X. Of the Caravanfera's , and Government of the Caravans. 45 Chap. XI. Of the breeding-, nature , and feveral forts of Camels. 49 Chap. XII. Of the Coyns and Cteoney of Perfia. 50
The Second Book of the Perfian Travels of Monfieur TAVEPJ&IEP^, containing the feveral Roads from Paris to ljpahan , the Capital City of Perfia t through the Southern Provinces of Turky } and through the X>eferts.
Chap. I. HHHe fecond Voyage of the Author from Paris to Ifpahan, and
A frfi tf hi* Embarking at Marfeilles/^ Alexandretta. $3
Chap, II. The Description of Aleppo, now the Capital City of Syria. 57
[ * ] Chap.
Tbe CONTENTS of
Chap. III. Of the feveral Roads in general from Aleppo to Ifpahan , and. particularly of the Road through the Great Defert. Pag. 60
Chap. IV. Of the Road from Aleppo ^ Ilpahan, through Mefopotamia and AfTyria, which I travelled in my third Voyage to /^Indies. 66
Chap. V. ^ Continuation of the Road from Nineveh to Ifpahan, toge- ther with tbe Story of an K-Ambaffador call'd Dominico de Santis. 72
Chap. VI. Of the Road which the Author kept , when he traveled the
fourth time into Afn , to go from Paris to Ormus. Andfrfl of his
Voyage from Marfeilles to Alexandretta. 78
Chap. VII. ^ Continuation of the Road which the Author kept in the
fourth Voyage into Afia , and particularly of hispajfage upon the Tigris from
Nineveh to Babylon. 82
Chap. VIII. y^ Continuation of the Road from Bagdat to Balfara, and of the Religion of the Chriflians of St. John. 87
Chap. IX. otf Continuation of the Road from Balfara to Ormus. 94
Chap. X. Of the Author s frfl Voyage , and tbe Adventures of the four French-men. 95
The Third Book of the Terfian Travels of Monfieur TAVE^Kl £$t, containing the Author's Sixth and Laft Voyages, and the Roads through Turky into Terfea, through the Northern Provinces of Europe. With a DefcriptiOn of feveral Countries , lying upon the Black and Cafyian Seas.
Chap. I' (~\F the Author's fixth and laft Voyage from his fetting out of K^J Paris , to his Landing at Smyrna. 99
Chap. II. i~A Continuation of the Authors fixth Voyage , as he traveled from Smyrna to Ifpahan. 102
Chap. III. The Road from Aleppo to Tauris, through Diarbequir and Van. 10$
Chap. IV. Another Road from Aleppo to Tauris , through Gezire and other places. 108
Chap. V. The Road from Aleppo to Ifpahan through the Small Defert , and through Kengavar. 109
Chap. VI. Another Road from Constantinople to Ifpahan, by the Euxine or Black Sea ; withfome Remarks upon the principal Cities thereabouts. 113 Chap. VII. The Road from Warfow to Ifpahan , over, the Black Sea , and from Ifpahan to Mofco-, with the names of the principal Cities and //lands of Turky , according to the vulgar pronunciation , as they are call'd in the Language of the Turks, 115
Chap. VIII. Remarks upon the Trade of the Iftand of Candy , and the principal jfles of the Archipelago 5 as alfo upon fome of the Cities of Greece adjoyning ; with a particular Relation of the prefent condition of the Grand SignorV Galleys , belonging as well to the Jfles as to the Conti- nent. 118 Chap. IX. y-A Relation of the prefent State of Georgia. 123 Chap. X. 0/ Relation of the prefent State of Mengrelia. 125 Chap. XI. Of Comania, Circaflia, and of certain vetple which they call Kalmouchs. 126
Chap,
the Persian Travels.
Chap. XII. Of the Ceremonies and Cufioms of the People *7~Conunk and Circaflia.
Chap. XIII. Of the lejfer Tartars , call'd Nogaies a bord'rwo up Comania. ° *
J3*
129
on
The Fourth Book of the Travels of Monfienr TAVE%K1E^ being a Defcnpnon of <Perfia.
Chap. I. r-\F the Extent of Perfia , and its Divifan into Provin-
9tP' m °0hei FlTra "f FrmtS °fP?rU> °fT"l*<i[« ^d Pearls. \1\ Chap. III. Of the Beajls of Service , of the Fijh and Fowl of perfia J™
Chap. IV. Of the manner of Building in Perfia *5
c^Li£?f&&YA9 the **'«*** Ki^1
ChSaend«ou ^ ZU,Pha ' * CUy feparated fr°m IfPahan h ^e Rivel
ChaP; 'Jfi' ■ °f the> Rf%im i theF€rClmS '> °f the g^«t Feafil of Hocen *WHuffein, aad the Cgund- Feafi. J J "ULen
Chap VIII. .Of the Religion of the Gate, ^ *,&*, > ^ ]£° Perfians , .^rav 0/ F/V*. J **«'**
Chap. IX. 0/ the Religion of the Armenians, and of their PriJfJl Ceremonies ; and how the Armenians Confecrate and Admin, (I er the Sail ment. J *»cra-
Chap. X. Of the Ordinationof their Priefihood; andtheirAufierities ]*£ Chap. XL Of their Baptifm. J 7°
Chap. XII. Of the Marriage of //^Armenians. I^1
Chap. XIII. How the Armenians Bury their Dead 2^2
Chap. XIV. Examples of the Conflancy of the Armenians, inmaimal
mng their Religion againflthe Persecutions of the Mahometans t™
Chap XV. Of the Author's Reception at the Court of Perfia in his Ctxth
and lafi royage, and what he did there during his ft ay at I/pahan 1 Chap. XVI Of the Honours andPrefents which the Author received from
the King of Perha . >*j'vm
rf/Lv^ °f uhe Terfun Travels of Monfieur XffEILKlM* bong a Politick and Hiflori«l Jeknption of Terfia , with the Roads from Mahan
Ormus.
to
Cha
P' L 0F Rue G€ned0gy °f the KWZS °f Pcrfia> °f the lafi
ULZ: *f *?? i ^T^i^i ** ™> » tollman the
prejent King. And firft 0/Sha-Abas the Great.
I * * ] Chap,
The CONTENTS, &c.
Chap. III. Of what fell out tnojl memorable in the Reign of Sha-Sefi t'he fir/1 ; and particularly of the Death of Iman-Kouli-Kan , and his three Sons. Pag. 198
Chap. IV. The Tragical and memorable Story of Ralph Sadler, Native of Zurich, in the Reign of Sha-Sefi , who had retain d him in his Ser- vice. 207 C hap. V. Of fome particulars under the Reign of Sha- Abas the fesond. 1 99 Chap. VI. Of the misfortune s/'Mahomet-Beg, in the Reign of Sha- Abas the fecond. 212 Chap. VII. Of the Rebellion of the Prince of Jafque, a Vaffalto the King of Perfia, in the Reigns of Sha-Sefi thefirfl, and Sha- Abas the fecond. 217 Chap. VIII. Obfervations upon the Reign of Sha-Solimon the prefent King. 218 Chap. IX. Of the Government of Perfia. 219 Chap. X. Of the frf of the three Orders or States of Perfia , which comprehends the Kings Houjhold , the Kans or Governours of Provinces , and the Sonldiery. 221 Chap. XI. Of the fecond Order , containing all thofe that belong to the Ecclefiaflical Law , and their Courts of Juflice ; and in general of all the Gown-men, fuch as. are chief y the Officers of the Chamber of Account s. 226 Chap. XII. Of the third Ef ate of the Kingdom, comprehending the Trades- men and Merchants ; as alfo the Trades, Manufactures , and Commodi- ties of Perfia. 229 Chap. XIII. Of the juflice and Policy of the Perfians. 232 Chap. XIV. Of the Manners and Cufioms of the Perfians. 234 C hap. XV. Of the Difeafes (^Perfia, and the manner of Curing them. 239 Chap. XVI. Of the Divifion of Time among the Perfians. 240 Chap. XVII. Of the Feafts and ordinary Diet of the Perfians. 241 Chap. XVIII. Of the Marriages of the Perfians. 243 Chap. XIX. Of the Death and Burial of the Perfians. 244 Chap. XX. The Author departs from Ifpahan to Ormus , and defcribes the Road to Schiras. 245 Chap. XXI. Of the City of Schiras. 247 Chap. XXII. <si Continuation of the Road from Ifpahan to Ormus , from Schiras to Bander-Abafli. 251 Chap. XXIII. Of the j/land of Ormus , and of Bander-Abafli. 225 Chap. XXIV. Of the Roads by Land from Cafbin to Ifpahan , to the Frontiers of the Territories of the Great Mogul through Candahar. 257
THE
THE
CONTENTS
OF THE
Indian Travels.
The Figures of the Pieces of Gold, Silver, and Copper ^ and of the forts of Shells and Almonds that pafs for Money oyer all Jfia.
THe Money of Arabia. Pag. i
The Money currant under the Dominions of the Great Mogul, z The Money of a King and two Raja's , all three Tributaries to the Great Mogul. 3
Pieces of Gold calTd Pagods , which are currant in the Territories of the King of Golconda , the King of Vifapour, the Great Raja of Carna- tica, the Raja of Velouche3 and at the Diamond Mines. 4
The Money which the Englifh and Hollanders Coyn in the Indies. 5
The Money of the King of Cheda and Pera. 6
The Money of Gold and Tin of the King of Achen , with the Money in Gold , Coyn d by the King of Macaffar , and the Celebes. oiW the Silver and Coffer Money of the King of Camboya. 7
The Money in Gold , Silver , and Coffer , of the King of Siam. Ibid.
The Gold and Silver Money of the King of Afem , Tipoura , Arakin \ and Pegu. . 8
Lump or Pieces of Gold and Silver, which go for Money in the Kingdom (/-China, and the Kingdom of Tunquin. Ibid.
The Gold and Silver Money of Japon. 9
The Portraiture of the Silver Ingots of J apon, which go for Money. Ibid.
{JMoney that re^refents the Figi res of the twelve Signs ; and which were Coynd during the twenty four hours, that Jehan-Guir, King of the Indies, fer mitred QgeeH Nourmahall , his Wife, to Reign in his fie ad. 10
The Gold , Silver , and Copfer Money , which the Portugals Coyn in the Eaft-Indies. . 12
The Gold and Silver Money of Mufcovy. 13
The
The CONTENTS of
The Firfl: Book of the IN T> IAN Travels. What Roads to take in Travelling homlfyahanto A<rra} from Agra to Dehly and Gebanabat , where the Great M^w/ refides at prefent : And how to Travel alfo to the Court of the King of Golconda , to the King of ViUx- pflur , and to many other places in the Indies.
Chap. I. npWl? Road from Ifpahan /<? Agra through Comron, ir&fY is
\^ ■particularly defer ib'd the manner of Sailing from Or-
mus to Surat. Pag. 15.
Chap. II.' Of the Cufloms , Money, Exchange, Weight , and Me a fur es of
the Indians. 17
Chap. III. 0/ their Carriages, and the manner of travelling /» India. 27 Chap. IV. The Road from Surat fo Agra, through Brampour and Se-
ronge. ' 30
Chap. V. The Road from Surat /* Agra, through Amadabat. 36
Chap. VI. The Road from Ifpahan to Agra , through Candahar. 43 Chap. VII. The continuance of the fame Road from Dehly to Agra. 48 Chap. VIII. The Road from Agra to Patna W Daca , Cities in the
Province of Bengala , and of the quarrel which the Author had with
Cha-Eft-Kan, the Kings Uncle. jX
Chap. IX. The Road from Surat to Golconda. €q
Chap. X. Of the Kingdom of Golconda , and the Wars which it has
maintain d for feme few years lafl paf. 53
Chap. XL The Road from Golconda ^Maflipatan, or Mafalipatan. 69 Chap. XII. The Road from Surat to Goa , and from Goa to Golconda ,
through Vifapour. 71
Chap. XIII. Obfervations upon the prefent State of the City of Goa. 74 Chap. XIV. what the Author did during his fay at Goa, the lafl time he
went thither , in the year 1648. 78
Chap. XV. The Story of Father Ephraim , and how he was put into the
Incjuifition at Goa by a furprifal. 8 J
Chap. XVI. The Road from Goa to Maflipatan through Cochin , here
defcrib'd in the Story of the taking of that City by the Hollanders. 88 Chap. XVII. The paffage by Sea from Ormus to Maflipatan. 90
Chap. XVI II. The Road from Maflipatan to Gondicot , a City andGar-
rifen in the Province of Carnatica ; and of the dealings which the Author
had with Mirgimola , who commanded the King of Golconda'^ Army.
With a difeourfe at large concerning Elephants. 9 1
Chap. XIX. The Road from Gondicot to Golconda. 100
Chap. XX. The Author s return from Surat to Ormus. 105
The Second Book of the INDIAN Travels. Containing an Hiftorical and Political Defcription of the Empire of the Great Mogul.
Chap. I. A Relation of the lafl Wars oflndoRa.niwhich gives an infight into J^\t he prefent Eflate of the Empire and Court of the Moguls. 106
Chap.
the Indian Travels,
Chap. ' II. Of the Sicknef and fuppofed Death o/"Cha- Jehan Ming of India, and the Rebellion of the Princes bis Sons. Pag, 108
Chap. III. Of the Imprisonment of Cha- Jehan, and how he w<is pun/jl/d by Aurenge-Zebe his third Son , for the injuflice he had done Prince Bou la id his Nephew , the Grand child cf Jehan- Guir , to whom as to the Son of the Eldejl Son , the Empire of the Mogul belong d. Hi
Chap. IV. Of the flight of Dara-Cha/V the Kingdom of Scindi^WGu- Zerat j of the fecond battle which he fought againfl Aurenge-Zebe , his being tak'n Prisoner, and Death. 114
Chap. V. How Aurenge-Zebe cans' d himfelf to be declar'd King , and of the flight ^/Sultan-Sujab. 116
Chap. VI. Of the Imprisonment of Sultan-Mahomed , Aurenge-Zebe'i Eldejl Son ; andofSuhm Soliman-Chekour Eldejl Son ^/Dara-Cha. 117 Chap. VII. Of the beginning of Aurenge-ZebeV Reign , and the Death of Cha-Jehan his Father. 1 20
Chap. VIII. Of the preparations againfl the Feafl of the Great Mogul , when he is weigtid folemnly every year. Of the Richnefs of his Thrones , and the magnificence of his Court. 122
Chap. IX. Some other observations upon the Court of the Great Mogul. 124 Chap. X. Of the Commodities which are brought , as well out of the Domi- nions of the Great Mogul, as out of the Kingdoms 0/Golconda and Vilapour, and other Neighbouring Territories. 126
Chap. XI. Of Diamonds, and the Mines and Rivers where they are found} and firfl of the K^Author's journey to the Mines of Raolconda. 134
Chap. XII. The Authot 's journey to the other CMines ; and how they find the Diamonds there. 137
Chap. XIII. ^A Continuation of the Author's Travels to the Diamond CMines. 139
Chap. XIV1 Of the diverfity of Weights md at the Diamond Mines ; of the pieces of Gold and silver there currant ; and the Rule which they obferve to know the price of Diamonds. 1 40
Chap. XV. The Rule to know the jujl price and value of a Diamond of what weight foever , from three to a hundred , and upwards ; a Secret known to very few people in Europe. 142
Chap. XVI. Of Coloured stones, and the places where they are found. 137 Chap. XVII. Of Pearls, and the places where they fjh for them. 145^
Chap. XV III. How the Pearls are bred in the Oyjlers , and how they fflj for them , and at what time. 1/^6
Chap. XIX. Obfervations upon the fair ejl and largejl Diamonds and Rubies, which the Author hasfeen in Europe and Afia , represented according to the Figures in the Plates ; as alfo upon thofe which the Author fold to the King , upon his lafl return from the Indies 5 with the Figure of a large Topaz, , and the fairejl Pearls in the World. 1 48
Chap. XX. The forms of twenty Rubies which the Author fold to the King , upon his lajl return from the Indies. The firjl part of the Plate Jhews the weight, extent, andthicknefs of every Stone. 149
Chap. XXI. Of the Coral, and yellow Ember, and the places where 'tis found. 151 Chap. XXII. Of Musk and Bezoar , and fome other Medicinal Stones. 153 Chap. XXIII. Of the places where they flnd their Gold, both in Afia and America- 156
Chap. XXIV. The Relation of a notable piece of Treachery, whereby the Author was abus'd when he Embark' d at Gomrom for Surat. 157
The
The CONTENTS, &c
The Third Book of the IN V IAN Travels.
Chap. I. f\F the particular Religion of the Mahometans in the Eaft-
V_/ Indies. Pag. 159
Chap. II. Of the Faquirs , or poor Mahometan Volunteers in the Eaft-
Indies. 160
Chap. III. Of the Religion of the Gentiles , or Idolatrous Indians. 161 Chap. IV. Of the Kings and idolatrous Princes of Mia, 16$
Chap. V. what the idolaters believe touching a. Divinity. 1^4
Chap. VI. Of the Faquirs , or poor Volunteers among the Indians, and
of their Penances. 165
Chap. VII. Of the idolaters Belief touching the State of the Soul after
Death. 1 67
Chap. VIII. Of the Cujlom among the idolaters to Burn the Bodies of their
Dead. 168
Chap. IX. How the wives are Burnt in India , with the Bodies of their
deceasd Husbands. 169
Chap. X. Remarkable Stories of women that have been Burnt after their
Husbands deceafe. 171
Chap. XI. Of the mofl Celebrated Pagods of the idolaters in India. 173 Chap. XII. *-A Continuation of the Description of the principal Pagods
of the Indian idolaters. 1 77
Chap. XIII. Of the Pilgrimages of the idolaters to their 'Pagods. 179 Chap. XIV. Of divers Cuftoms of the Indian idolaters. Ibid.
Chap. XV. Of the Kingdom of Boutan , whence comes the Musk , the
Good Rhubarb , and fome Furs. 182
Chap. XVI. Of the Kingdom of Eipra. . 186
Chap. XVII. Of the Kingdom of Afem. 187
Chap. XVIII. Of the Kingdom of Siam. 189
Chap. XIX. Of the Kingdom of MacafTar , and the Ambaffadors which
^'Hollanders fent into China. ipi
Chap. XX. The ^Author purfues his Travels into the Eajl , and Embarks
at Mengrelia/?*' Batavia. The danger he was in upon the Sea • and his
arrival in the if and of Ceylan. 1^4
Chap. XXI. The Authors departure from Ceylan , and his arrival at
Batavia. 195
Chap. XXII. The Author goes to vifit the King of Bantam , and relates
fever al Adventures upon that Occafion. 1 96
Chap. XXIII. The Authors return to Batavia. His Revifiting the King
of Bantam. And a Relation of fever al extravigancies of certain Faquirs
in their return from Mecca. 199
Chap. XXIV. Of the war of the Hollanders, with the Emperour of
Java. 202
Chap. XXV. The Author Buries his Brother ; and is again quarreU'dwith-
all by the General and his Council. 103
Chap. XXVI. The Author Embarks in a Dutch Veffel, to return into
Europe. 204
Chap. XXVII. The Holland Fleet arrives at St, Helens. The Defcri-
ption of the ljland. 207
THE
Chap. I.
THE
FIRST BOOK
O F
Monsieur % A V E R N I E R>
Perfian Travels,
Containing the feveral
ROADS
From PARIS to ISPAHAN the Chief
City of <P E %. S I A,
Through the Northern Provinces of TVRltT.
CHAP. t
Of the %oads from France to the hither parts of Afia, and the Places from whence they ufually fet out for Ifpahan.
Man cannot travel in Afia, as they do in Europe ; nor at the fame Hours, nor with the lame eafe. There are no weekly Coaches or Wagons from Town to Town ; befides, that the Soil of the Countries is of feveral natures. In Afia you (hall meet with feveral Regions untiR'd and unpeopl'd, either through the badnefs of the Climate and Soil , or the floth of the Inhabitants, who rather choofe to live miferably, than to work. There are v aft Deferts to crofs, and very dangerous, both for want of Water , and the Robberies that the ssfrab* daily commit therein. There are no certain Stages , or Inns to entertain Travellers- The bed Inns, efpecially in Turkic , are the Tents which you carry along with you, and your Hofts are your .Servants, that get ready thofe Victuals which you have bought in good Towns. You fet up your Tent in the open Field, or in any Town where there is no Inn : and a good fhift too in temperate weather , when the Sun is not too hot, or that it does not rain. In the Carva»fera\ or Inns which are more frequent in Perfia than in Turkic, there are perfons that furnifli you with Provifions, and the firft come are bed ferved. As for Turkic it is full of Thieves , that keep in Troops together, and way-lay the Merchants upon the Roads , and if they be not very well guarded will certainly rob them: nay many times murder them. A mif- chief prevented in Perfia , by the well order'd convenience which is provided for Travellers. To avoid tbefe clangers and inconveniences, you are oblig'd to ftay
A for
The Persian Travels Book I.
for the Gcravans , that go for Pcrfia or the Indies , which never fet out but at certain times , and from certain places.
Thefe Caravans fet out from Con ft antinomic, Smyrna, and Aleppo. And it is from one of thefe Cities that a Traveller muft fet out, that intends iotPerfia, whether he keeps company with the Caravan, or will hazard himfelf alone with a Guide, as once I did.
I will begin with Conflantinople, from whence you may go either by Land or Sea : and either by Land or Sea there are two ways to go. The firft of thefe by Land is that which I took with Monfieur Chafes and Monfieur St. Lieban. By the way take notice',, that Vienna is the half-way near-upon between Paris and Conflantinople. The fecond Road is lefs frequented , but is lefs inconvenient and lefs dangerous : for there are no need of the Emperour's Pafports, which he does not grant very freely : befides that here is no fear of the Pirate* of Tunis or Argier, as when you embarque from Marseilles or Ligom. If you intend this way, you muft go to Venice ; from Venice to Ancona , from whence feveral Barques are bound every Week for Ragufa. From Ragufa you fail along by the Shore to Duraz.7.0 a Sea-Port of Albania ; from whence you travel the reft of the way by Land. From Duraz.z.0 to Albanopolis, diftant three days journey, from thence to Moneflier, juft as far \ from Monefiier you may either take the left hand through Sophia, and Philippopolis , or the right through In- guifeber, three days journey from Moneflier, and ten from Adrianople, from whence in five days you reach Conflantinople through Selivrea.
This laft way is part by Sea and part by Land : but there are two other ways alto- gether by Land , above and below Italy, according to the diftinction which Antiquity made of the two Seas that almoft encompals it. You may embark at Venice, and fayling along the Gulf which is free from Pirates , you muft double the Cape of Matapan, the moft Southern Point of all Europe, to enter into the Archipelago. The other way is from Marseilles or Ligom, from whence feveral VeiTels are bound for the Eaft. The fafeft way is to go along with the EngUfh or Holland Fleets , that ufually arrive at Ligom either in the Spring or in Autumn , and part juft againft the Morea , to the feveral parts whither they are bound. As the Wind ferves , thofe Fleets fometimes make Sail between the Hand of Elba and Italy, and by the Tower of Meffina : fometimes below Sicily and Sardigna, within fight of Malta. Thus you muft come within fight of Candy, whether you are bound for Conflantinople, Smyrna, or Alexandretta, from whence it is but three days jonrney to Aleppo : from one of which three Cities , you muft neceffarily begin your journey , if you intend for Terfia.
Some take 'Egypt in their way , ufing through Alexandria , Cairo , and Damiata, whence feveral VefTels are bound for Joppa ; or St. John's of Acra , which is not far off: from thence to Jerusalem or Damafcm, and from thence to Bagdat or Babylon.
If you will venture in a fingle VefTel not flaying for the Fleets, you may hire a VefTel from Ligom to Naples, from Naples to Meffina, keeping along by the Shore, and lying a-fhore every night. I took this way , and went from Meffina to Syracufe, where are to be feen the moft remarkable footfteps of Antiquity. 'Tis like a City under ground , and near to it is a great Rock which has been made hollow, at the bottom whereof if a man whifper, they that are at the top may hear him. They call this Rock Dionyftus the Tyrant's Ear : for being at the top, he eafily underftood what the People faid of him below , and difcovered the Counfels of the chief Men of Syracufe, whom he kept prifoners there. Syracufe has nothing of that fplendour which renown'd it when it was the Miftrefs of all Sicily, and when Greece, jealous of her power,madc War upon he*. But the Soil is very plentiful,and the Gallies of Malta very often take in their Provifions there. Near the City is a fair Convent of Capuchin Friers , going out of which you may walk for half an hour between two very high Rocks, where there are feveral little Cells with every one a Garden, where the Friers fometimes retire, and it is certainly one of the moft pleafing Solitudes in the World.
From Syracufe I went to Malta, where you muft wait for fome Ship that rs bound for the Eaft.
C H A P,
Chap. II. of Monfieur Tavernie'r, 3
CHAP. II.
Of the ^ad from Conftantinople to Ifpahan , tohich the Author kept in his firft Travels into Perfia.
T is ieldom that any Caravans go from Conftaminople into Perfia ; but from Burfa they go every two Months : Bur fa is the Capital City of 'Bitkynia , not above three clays journey from Conftantinople, or a little more. Thelc two Roads meet at Chabnngi , where you may be from Burfa in two Days : and ib I will only fpeak of the Roads from Confiantinople to Ifpahan. This Journey is to be under- taken either with the Caravan of Camels, or elfe ten or twelve Men in a Company, well mounted and well arm'd.
From Confiantinople , you crofs over to Scutari • upon the Coaft of Afia.
Setting out from Scutari , the firft days journey is very pleafant , over Fields gayly painted with Flowers in their l'eaibn. At firft for i'ome time together , on both fides the way , you lee nothing but fair Sepulchers with their Pyramids , and you may eafily difcern the Womens Monuments from the Mens. For there is a Turbant upon the Pyramid of the Mens Sepulcher, but the Pyramids of the Womens Monuments are trimm'd with the Head-Attire which is worn by the Women of the Country. That Evening you muft lye at Cartali , a Village of Bithynia , the next Day at Gebifa, anciently Lybiffa, famous for the Tomb of Hannibal. In that place there are two good Inns , and two fair Fountains.
The third Day you come to Ifnich , which is thought to be the ancient Nice a ; one part of the City is built upon the deicent of a Hill , the other part upon a Plain that reaches to the Sea , and makes the Cfolf of Ifnich. The Haven confifts of two Moles made of Free-ftone, and three great Enclofures encompals'd with Walls , which lervc inftead of fo many Arf'cnals , wherein there are Store-houfes full of large Timber, for building Houies and Galleys. The Country round about being an excellent place for Hunting , and the Soil bearing rare Fruits , and rich in Wine , caus'd Sultan Amuratt to build a Seraglio in the higheft: part of the Town, from whence there is a profpeft at the lame time both over the Sea and the Country. The Jews inhabit the greateft part of the Town, dealing chiefly in Timber and Corn. When the Wind ibrves, you may go from Conjlantindple to Ifnich in feven or eight Hours , there being no danger in the pafTage.
The fourth Day you ftay at Chabangi, a fmall Town built upon the fide of a Lake, call'd Chaban-Gigd, where there are two Inns. From the beginning of the Lake for two Leagues together you travel partly over Mountains , partly by the Lake- fide, where in i'ome places the Horfe will be up to the Belly. This Lake is not above ten Leagues in compafs ', but it yields great ftore of large Fi(h , infbmuch that I have bought a Pike two Foot and a half long for three Sous. Many Emperours have had a defign to make a Cutt out of this Lake into the Sea , for the more eafie tranf- por-ting to Confiantinople the Timber which grows upon the Mountains near the Lake. And if the Grand Vifter , who by a Miracle dy'd in his Bed, and left his Son fuc- cefTor to his Employment, had liv'd fome few Years longer , he had no queftion added this to the reft of thofe famous Works that eterniz'd his Memory.
Departing homChabandi, you come to lye at Night upon the Bank of a River call'd Zacarat, which runs Northward and falls into the Blach^Sea. It is a River plentiful inFifh, and you crofs over it with a wooden Bridge. There is neither Town, nor Inn in that place ; but a League from the River is a great Town call'd Ada, the chiefefl part of the Inhabitants whereof are Armenians. Thither we fent for excellent good Wine, and other necefTary refrefhments.
From that River to Cancoly, where you lye the next Night, and have your choice of four Inns •, you travel all the day in the Merfhes , over wooden Bridges and Caufeys.
tTuskebaftr is the next place, a fmall Village with two Inns. From thence to Car- gucjlar, a great Town, with one Inn-, built upon a River, where there is great ftore ofFifh taken, which the Inhabitants call Bourma-oalonky , that is to Iky, the
A 2 Fifh
The Persian Travels Book I.
Fifli with the long Note : It is fpeckl'd like a Trout :, but of a better taft , and more efteem'd. Pjolia, or Polls , is a City fcated at the foot of feveral Mountains, the Inhabitants whereof are for the raoft part Greeks,. Thefe Mountains are very high, and extend themielves along the Road for two days journey. They are full of leveral forts of Trees, which are ftreight and tall like Firr-trees •, and divided by fo many Torrents, which it would be hard to pafs over, were it not for the Bridges that the Grand Vifier Kuyrigli caus'd to be built. In regard the foil of thefe Moun- tains is very fat, there would be no drawing for the Horfes after great Rains or the melting of the Snow , had not the fame Vifier caus'd all the Ways to be Pav'd and Pitch'd , even as far as Conftantinople. A Work of great Charge, in regard there is not a Flint in any part of the Mountain, and for that the Stone is to be fetch'd a great way off. There are abundance of Pigeons as big as Hens, and of an excellent taft, which not only pleas'd our Appetites, but afforded us very good Paftime to (hoot them. Between the City and the Mountain, there is a Plain about two Leagues in length-, near to which, there glides a River that waters it,, and very much contributes to its fertility. It is an excellent Soil , and produces all things necefTary for Humane Life. Upon each fide of the way I counted above twenty Churchyards. For it is the cuftom of the Turks to bury near the Highway , be- lieving that the Travellers pray for the Souls of the deceas'd. Upon every Tomb, there is to be feen a Marble Pillar, half fix'd in the Earth : of which Pillars there are fo great a number, of various Colours, that it is from thence conje&ur'd, that there were a very great number of Chriftian Churches in Polia, and the parts there- abouts. They afTur'd me likewife , that there were a vaft quantity of thefe Pillars in the Villages up and down in the Mountains, which the Turks every day pull down to fet upon their Tombs.
Hendonrlour is a Village in the Mountains, where there is one Inn. Cjerradar is beyond the Mountains, where there are two Inns. Cargejlar has two Inns , and lyes in a good Country. CaragaUr, is a Town where there are two Inns. Cofiz.ar is a Village with one Inn.
Tocia is a great City fituated upon rifing Hills, that joyn to very high Moun- tains. Upon the Winter Weft, there appears a fair Champain Country, water'd by a Stream that falls into a River of a greater bignefs , call'd (jufelarmac. Upon the higheft of the (mailer Hills toward the Eaft , there is a Fortrefs , where a Tafia refides ; and in the Town is one of the faireft Inns upon the Road. The greateft part of the Inhabitants are Chriftian Greeks, who have the advantage to drink ex- cellent Wine , with which the Country furnifhes them in abundance.
ts4 gifenfalou (lands upon a River, and there is an Inn and a fair Mofquee in it.
Oz.eman is a little City , (eated at the foot of a Hill upon which there (lands a ftrong Caftle , and below two very commodious Inns. The River GnfeUrmac, broad and deep , wafhes the South>fide of the City, which you crofs , over one of the faireft Bridges that ever was feen. It confifts of fifteen Arches , all of Free- done , and is a Work that (hews the Grandeur of the Undertaker. Somewhat at a diftance from the Bridge (land fix Corn-Mills all together, with little wooden Bridges to go from one to another. This River falls into the Bnxin Sea, about eight ■lays journey from Oz.eman.
Az*ilar is a great Town , where there are two Ions. 'Delekiras is a great Village , with one Inn.
Thefe Four Days Journeys are very dangerous, by reafon that the Ways are narrow, and commodious for Robbers. They are very numerous in this Country -, and therefore underftanding that we were way-laid , we lent and defir'd a Convoy of the Tajha , who lent us fifty Horfemen.
uimafia is a great City, built upon an afcent in the hollow of a Mountain. It has no profpecl- , but only from the South over a fair Plain. The River that runs by it comes from Tocat , and throws it felf into the "Black^Sea, four days journey from Amafia. You crofs it over a wooden Bridge , fo narrow that not above three peribns can go a-breft. To bring frefh Water to the City, they have cut a League into Rocks as hard as Marble , which was a prodigious Labour. On the Weft-fide , upon a high Mountain , (lands a Fortrefs, where they can come by no other Water than
what $
Chap. II. of Monfiuer Tavernier. 5
what they prcferve in Cifterns when it rains. In the middle of the Mountain is a fair Spring, and round about it are feveral Chambers cut out of the Rock , where the I)er"jtchs make their abode. There are but two Inns, and thole very bad ones, in Amafia. But the Soil is good , and bears the beft Wine and Fruits in all Na- tolia.
Ainabachar , is the name of an Inn, diftant a quarter of a League from a great Town where they fetch their Provifions.
Turcall is a great Town near to a Mountain , upon which there ftands a Caftle, The River that comes from Tocatt wafhes theHoufes, and we caught excerlent^Fifh in it. In that place is another of the faired Inns upon the Road.
From Tiircall you may travel in one day to Tocatt , where the Road from Smyrna to I(pah,m meets.
Tocat is a good fair City built at the foot of a very high Mountain , fpreading it felf round about a great Rock that ftands almoft in the midft of the Town , upon the top whereof a high Caftle commands the neighbouring parts , with a good Garriibn in it. It is very ancient , and the remainder of three others that flood there in former times. The City is very well inhabited with Turks , who are the Lord Con- trollers, Armenians, Greeks, and Jews. The Streets are very narrow, but the Houfes are indifferent well built ; and among feveral Mofquees , there is one very magnificent, which feems to be newly rear'd. There was alfo a very fair Inn going up, which when I laft travell'd that way, was not quite finiuYd. There is one thing more particular and more commodious at Tocat, which is not to be found in any Inns upon the Road , That round about all the Caravan/era's in the Town , there are Lodgings which they let out to Merchants, that defire to be by themfelves out of the noife and hurry of the Caravans, whiles they ftay at Tocat. Befides that, in thofe private Lodgings you have your liberty to drink Wine, and provide for the reft of your Journeys which is not fo eafily done in the publick Inns, where the Turk* will have an eye upon the Merchants, to draw Money out of their pockets. The Chriftians have twelve Churches at Tocat , and there refides an Archbifhop, that has under him feven Suffragans. There are alfo two Monafteries for Men , and two for Women •, and for fourteen or fifteen Leagues round Tocat, the Country is all inhabited by Armenian Chriftians , but very few Greeks being intermix'd among them. The greateft part of thefe Chriftians are Tradefmen , and for the mod part Smiths. A fair River runs about half a quarter of a League from the City,which rifes near to Erz.erom , and is crofs'd at Tocat over a very beautiful ftone Bridge. Upon the North-fide of the City, it waters a Plain three or four days Journey in extent, and two or three Leagues broad. It is very fertil , and replenifh'd with fair Vil- lages very well peopl'd. A man may live very cheap at Tocat : the Wine is moft excellent, and all fort of rare Fruit very plentiful. It is the only place in all Afia where plenty of Saffron grows, which is the beft Commodity you can carry to the Indies, where a Pound, as the Years fall out, is worth thirteen or fourteen * Franks, * Every Frank though the Wax that prefervCs it , be as much in weight as the Saffron. This City, being 2 s. with the Lands belonging to it, ufually is the Dowager Sultanejfes Joynture. There ^erunS» is only an Am and aCady^ that command there in the behalf of the Grand Signor : for the Bajha, from whom they receive their Orders, lives at Siva* , which is the ancient Sebaflia, and a very great City, fome three days journey from Tocat. In fhort , Tocat is one of the moft remarkable Thoroughfares in the Eaft, where are continually lodg'd the Caravans from Perfia , Diarbequer , Bagdat , Conftantinople, Smyrna , Synopus, and other places •, and here the Caravans turn off, as they are varioufly bound. They that are for Confiantinople, take to the Winter Weft upon the right hand ; they that are for Smyrna, incline to the Summer Weft, upon the left hand. When you fet out either way out of Tocat, there is a Toll-gatherer, th*t counts all the Camels and Horfesthat pafs by,and exacts for every Camel a quarter of a Rixdollar, and for every Horfe half as much. As for the Horfes or Camels that carry the PafTengers or their Provifions, they pay nothing. This continual concourfe of the Caravans trolls the Money about at Tocat, and makes it one of the moft con- fiderable Cities of Turkic.
Setting out of Tocat to go to Erz.erom, youdifcovera little Village fo fituated under a Hill, as if the Mountain lay a top of it •, and between that Mountain and the River, the Road is very narrow where the Caravan is to pafs. In this Road it
% was7
The Persian Travels Book I,
was , that we met the Grand Vifier returning from Hunting , with a Train of four hundred men : fo foon as he perceiv'd us , he fil'd off all his men to give us liberty to pafs by. But among all the Company, there was not above four Fratfcs upon -which he particularly caft his Eye ; which made him fend for the Caravan Bachi to know who we were. The Caravan Bachi , to avoid the ill Coniequences of jealoufie which the Vifier might have of the Franks , at a time when the Grand Vifier made War in Ferfia , told him we were Jews • at which the Viper, fhaking his Head, reply'd only that we did not look like fuch , and happy it w«ts for us that he took no farther notice. For it was twenty to one , but that upon better confideration he might have fent after us to have flopt us. But when he came home to his Lodging he found a Capigi flaying for him , with Orders from the Grand Signor to take of? his Head , which were prefently executed. For Amurath being troubl'd tor the !ofs of his Army, had no way but to revenge himfelf upon the perfon that had the command of it.
Notwithftanding that the Caravans reft at Tocat, yet they flay likewifc two of three days at GharkUquen, which is not above two Leagues diflant from it ^ for Charkpqueu is a great Town in a lovely Country, between two fertil Hills, where there grows excellent Wine. It is for the mofl part inhabited by Chriftians, who are generally Tanners. The fine blew Goat-leather Skins being drefl in Tocat, and the Parts thereabout. It is thought the Water contributes very much to their Art. For Tocat is as famous for the blew Goats-leather Skins , as Diarbeqtiir and Bagdat are for the red, Moufful or the ancient Niniveh for the yellow, and Oarfa for the black. About two thoufand Paces from this Town , in the midfl of a Plain rifes a vafl Rock , upon the North-fide whereof you afcend about nine or ten Heps into a Chamber with a Bed , a Table , and a Cupboard in it, all hewn out of the Rock. Upon the Wefl-fide you afcend other five or fix fteps that lead to a little Gallery, about five or fix Foot long , and three broad , all hewn out of the Rock, though it be of an extraordinary hardnefs. The Chriftians affirm that St. Chryfoftom made this Rock his retiring-place during his Exilement, and that he had no other Bed or Bolfter than the Rock it felf , in a place where they fhew you the print of a Man's Body, Hence it is, that the Caravans, confifling for the mofl part of Chrifliari Merchants, flay at Charkliqtteu, to pay their Devotions to this Rock, where the Bifhop of the place , attended by fome Priefls , with every one a Taper in their Hands, goes and fays Mafs. But the main Reafon is , becaufe there grows excellent Wine in this place , which being cheaper by half here , than it is at Tocat , obliges the Armenians to flop here , to provide themfelves for the reft of their Journey.
Two Leagues from CharkUqueu , you crofs over very high Mountains , with Pre- cipices on both fides. It is the cuftom of the Armenians , when they hear of the approach of a Caravan , to ride out two or three days journey to meet their Coun- try-men and carry them frefh Provifions. Thofe of Charkliquea coming to meet our Caravan, three of the Armenians took a large Mornings-draught, which made them fo Pot-valiant , that they would needs ride before to the Town alone by them- felves •, but by the way they were fet upon by fix Horfe-men that came from the North, where there are higher Mountains than thofe which we were to crofs. Imme- diately the Thieves darted their Half-Pikes at the Armenians , in fo much that two of them fell down mortally wounded , and the other fav'd himfelf among the Rocks, but the Thieves got their Horfes and Goods, which were valu'd at ten thou- fand Crowns. The Caravan at the top of the Hill beheld the misfortune of thofe poor men which their own folly had brought upon them , but could not help them, by reafon of the narrownefs of the ways •, befides , that the Thieves knowing all the by-turnings , were prefently out of fight. And therefore it is a dangerous thing to leave the Body of the Caravan , either by flaying too far behind, or running too faft before : and fome have fuffcr'd for diftancing themfelves not above five hun- dred Paces from it.
The Caravans do not make their Journeys all alike , but come to their Stages fometimes fooner, fometimes later, according as they meet with Water and Inns, or places fit to pitch their Tents in , to which places the Natives bring Provifion and Provender from the Mountains. There are fome places where there is a necef- fity to provide Straw and Barley for two or three days. If you travel in May, when the Grafs is high , it cofls nothing to feed the Horfes and Camels. For as
foon
Chap, II. of Monpeur vernier. y
foon as the Caravan is lodg'd , the S..va: go arid cut the Grafs from off the Hil- locks, where it is much better then u x n e Plains. But while the Beads feed only upon Graii they are much wcakei. , and cannot travel fo far as at other times.
From the Mountain where the Armenians were fet upon } you come to Almoin, a little Village upon a River, which you crofs,over a Bridge of Wood.
Going out of Almow, you crofs a large Plain, at the end whereof you lodge upon the Bank of a fair River , call'd Toufanlou-fou , which falls into the River of Tocat.
Having pafs'd this River, you afcend a high Mountain, which the People of the Country call Kara-behir-beguiendreny or, the Mountain that flops the Grand Signers % foe it is very rugged, and you muft of necefftty alight , to afcend it. In that bad Way two Horfes that carry'd each of them two Bales of Engliflj Cloth burfc under their Burthen , which prov'd excellent Food for feveral Tartars that were before us, and were pitch d in the place where we intended to have lodg'd our felves •, fo that we were fore'd to go a quarter of a League farther. Theie Tartars when they heard of our two dead Horfes, made immediately to the Mountain fifteen or fixteen of them with all joy imaginable, to devour it. They flea'd the Horfes , and when they came back ( for I ftay'd to fee them ) they brought every one a great piece of Flefh between the Saddle and their Horfes backs. For by that means the Flefh mortifies , and bakes as it were , through the motion and heat of the Horfe , and lb they eat it without any more a-do. I faw one of them that took a piece of thofe Horfes Flefh, and after he had beaten it foundly between two nafty Linnen Clothes , with a piece of a Stick , fet his Teeth in it , and devour'd it with a very greedy appetite.
Upon the top of the Mountain which I have mention'd, there is a Plain, and in the mid'ft of the Plain a Fountain call'd Chefme'-bcler, or, A Fountain of Cry flat ; near to which, on the South-fide, there, ftands a Village.
From the place where we lodg'd , we came to a little Town called Adras, the In- habitants whereof are all Armenians.
Ajpidar is but two Leagues from Adras, and is but a Village.
Jsbeder is another Village in the Mountains, where the Caravan generally ftays one or two days-, as well to pay the Cuftom, which is the fourth part of a Rixdollar upon every Camel , and half as much for every Horfe j as for the excellency and cheap- ness of the Wine , where every Man provides for himfelf.
Twice we pafs'd by and paid nothing, in regard that the Carravan was too flrong for the Toll-gatherers *, and were it not that they flay for the Wine , they might go dire&ly forward without paying any thing.
Leaving Isbeder , we came to another great Town in the Mountains *, all the Houfes are hewn out of the Rock upon which it is feated , as are alfo all the Stair- Cafes. From this Village , having pafs'd a River, over a wooden Bridge , at the end whereof there flands an Inn , you come to Zacapa , another Village , from whence through very narrow paflages , where you are fore'd to unload the Camels, and carry your Goods upon Mens flioulders for thirty Paces together, you eome to encamp in a little Plain. It lyes at the foot of a high Mountain , which they call Dikmbell, beyond which lies the Town Kourd-Aga , after which you crofs three Rivers ; one fordable , the other over two Bridges , and then you come to a Village call'd Garmeru.
From Garment you go to Seukmen, another Village *, from S<?#£w« to Louri; from Louri to Chaouq ueu , which are two very hand lbm Towns.
I law an Old Man ztChaoucjiieu who was above a Hundred and Thirty Years old, who when Sultan Amurath befieged Bagdat , gave his whole Army as much Oats as ferv'd them one whole day. In recompence whereof, the Saltan exempted him and his Children from all Taxes and Tolls for their Lives.
Leaving Chaouqueu , you come to a high craggy Mountain whichjis call'd Aaggi* dogii, or, The Bitter Mountain. The Ways being narrow, the Ckravan is fore'd to travel fingle:, and then it is that they count all the Horfes, and all the Camels} every Horfe and every Camel paying to theCaravan-Maftera. certain Duty, which amounts to a good Sum if the Caravan be numerous. One part of that Money is to pay feven or eight Armenians , that guard the Caravan all the way ; another part
defrays
8 The Persian Travels Book I.
"-* •"■••
defrays the Expences upon the Road *7 and the remainder is the Captain of the Ca- ravan's Profit.
Having pafs'd this Mountain , you come to lodge in a Plain which they call Gioganderef , and from thence to Erz.erom you meet only with three Villages by the wayj Achihala, Ginnis,ind Higia, which are the Caravans Stages. During thei'e three laft days journeys , you keep all along the Banks of Euphrates for the mod part , which is yet but narrow, taking its fouree Northward of Erz.erom. 'Tis a wonderful thing to lee the vaft quantities of large AJparagtu that grow all along the River , with which you may load ieveral Camels.
A League on this fide Erz.erom the Caravan isconftrain'd to ftop", for the Officer of the Cuftom-Houfe accompani'd with the Bajha's Lieutenant , comes here and tyes all the Bales and Chefts with a crofs Cord , upon which he puts a Seal , to the end that when the Merchants come to the Town , they may not be able to take out any Bags of Money, or any pieces of Stuff on purpofe to hide them till they go away. The particular Bufinefs of the Bajha's Lieutenant in meeting the Caravan, is to fee whether the Merchants be well provided with Wines. And if he defire any Bottles , whether it be then , or in the City, where they are not alham'd to vifit every Merchant, there is no refufing them. For there grows no Wine at Erz.erom, all that is drank there being a fmall Wine of Mingrelia, which is always green ; which forces the Merchants to furnifh themfelves with Wine at Tocat, which they may do fufficiently to laft them into Perfia. The Officer of the Cuftora- Houfe generally allows the Caravan three days to reft:, during which time he fends to the principal Merchants fome Fruit and other fmall Refreftiments, by which he is no lofcr. After the three days are over, he comes and opens all the Bales and Chefts , and takes a particular account of all the Merchandizes. This Search and the changing of Beafts , caufes the Caravan to ftay generally twenty or five and twenty days at Erz.erom.
Erz^erom is a frontier Town of Turtle toward Perfia. It is fituated at the end of a large Plain environ'd with Mountains , the Plain being beautifi'd with many fair Villages. If you take in the Caftle and the Suburbs it may pals for a City, but the Houfes are ill built of Wood , without any ncatnefs or proportion. There are fome Remains of Churches and of the ancient Buildings of the Armenians, by which you may conje&ure that it never was very beautiful. The Fortrefs ftands upon a high ground , with a double Wall , fquare Towers clofe one to another, and a pitiful Moat. The Bajha refides there but in a very ill Houfe, all the Buildings about the Fortrefs being in a bad condition. In the fame Enclofure there is a little rifing Ground upon which they have rais'd a fmall Fort , wherein the Janifary- Aga lives, and where the Bajha has no Power. When the Grand Signer has a mind to the Head of this Bajha, or any other confiderable perfon in the Province, he fends a Capigi, with order to the Janifary to fend for the Perfon to the little Fort, where the Execution is prefently done. One Example hereof I faw in my laft Travels into Perfia : For the Bajha of Erz.erom not having fent Twelve thoufand Men fo foon as the Grand Signor requir'd them for his Wars in Candy, the fame Capigi that brought the Sentence of his Death , had the fame Order for the Exe- cution of the *BaJha of Kars ; and meeting this Capigi upon the Road in a Village, upon his return for ConjlantinopU, he would needs (hew me whether I would or no, the Heads of the two Bajlia^s , which he was carrying to the Grand Signer in a Bag.
Between the Jfirft and fecond Gate of the Fortrefs are to be feen four and twenty Pieces of Cannon , moft excellent Guns , but lying one upon another without Carriages. They lye at Erz.erom to be ready upon all occafions when the Grand Signor makes War againft the Per fans.
There are in Erzerom feveral great Inns •, this City , like Tocat , being one of the greateft Thoroughfares in Turkie. The Country about it bears Wine , but not very good , and in regard the People are ftri£tly forbid to drink Wine , the Merchants are fore'd to buy it very privately , for fear it fhould come to the know- ledge of the Cadi. Though it be very cold at Erz.erom, Barley grows there in fourty days , and Wheat in fixty , which is very remarkable. The Cuftoms paid there for the carrying out of the Gold and Silver, and upon all other Commodities, is very fevere. Silk , that comes out of Perfia , pays four and twenty Crowns for a
Camel's
Chap.IV. of Monfieur Tavernier. 9
Camel's Load , which is eight hundred Pounds. For in the mountainous Coun- tries a Camel's Load is no more ^ but in the plain and even C ountries they make 'em carry above ten hundred weight. A Load of Indian Calicutts pays a hundred Crowns-, but the Loads of Linnen are much heavier than thole of Silk. As for other Commodities, they pay Six per Cent, according to their value.
From this Stage the Caravan lets forward to a Fortrels calPd HajjanKala, where you muft pay half a Piafter for every Camel's or Horfes Load going from Erzerem to Erivan , but returning you pay but half as much.
Leaving this Fortrels, you wuft go and lodge at a Bridge near to a Village which iscalPd Choban-Cupri. Over this Bridge, which is the faireft in the whole Journey > you crofs two Rivers which there meet, one is the Kars, and the other is a Stream that falls from a Mountain cail'd cBingiucl , both which disburthen themfelves into the Aras. The Caravan dually ftays a day or two at this Bridge \ becaufe the Cara- van divides it felf at this place, fome continuing on the High-road , others taking the Road of Kars , as well to avoid fording the Aras feveral times , as the paying a great Duty upon the great Road , where they exact four Piafters upon every Camel's Load , and two upon every Horfe-Load , whereas at Kars you arc dif- mifs'd for half fo much.
I went Kars Road twice :, but it is longer , and more troublefom than the other. As foon as you leave the Bridge , for the firft four days you travel over woody Mountains, and very delert Countries, where you meet but with one Village •, but coming near Kars the Country is more pleafant, and well manur'd } bearing all forts of Grain.
Kars is in 78 Deg. 40 Min. of Longitude, and 42 Deg. 40 Min. of Latitude} in a very good Soil. The City is very large, but thinly peopl'd , though Provifion be very plentiful and very cheap. But the Grand Signor always choofing that place to rendezvouz his Army , whenever he intended to recruit it , and to lodge his People there which he lent to build Villages :, the King of Perfa hasruin'd all the Country, as he did at Sulfa , and in many other Frontier places, for nine or ten days journey together.
From Kars to Erivan the Caravan makes it nine days journey, and lyes where it can find molt, convenience , there being no certain Stages. The firft days journey ends at a Monaftery and a Village , the one no lefs deferted than the other. The next day you come to the Ruines of a great City, call'd Anikaga'e , in the Armenian Language the City of Ani , which was the name of an Armenian King that was the Founder of it. By the Wall , on the Eaft-fide , runs a rapid Stream that falls from the Mountains of Mingrclia, and empties it lelf into the River of Kars. This City was very ftrongly fituated •, being plac'd in a Merfh , where are to be feen the Remains of two Caufeys that only led to the Town. There are the Ruines of feveral Monafteries :, among the reft two that are entire , fuppos'd to be Royal Foundations. From thence to Erivan for two days journey, you meet with only two Villages; near the laft of which you ride by the fide of a Hill , whither when t\\t Caravan paffes by, the People bring Hories from feveral Parts to be fold. The Great Road from the Bridge, where the Caravan parts, lyes thus :
Two Leagues from the Bridge , on the right hand toward the South , lyes a great Mountain which the People of the Country call Mingol. In this Mountain there are abundance of Springs , and from one fide of it falls Euphrates, from the other fide the River of Kars , which empties it felf into the Aras fourteen or fifteen Leagues on this fide Erivan. The Aras, which the Ancients call'd Araxes, falls from other Mountains Eaftward of Mingol, which after many windings through the Upper Armenia, where it receives many other Rivers that fwell its Streams ^ it dii'charges it lelf into the Cajpian Sea , two days journey from Shamaki , upon the Frontiers of the ancient Medes.
The whole Country is inter-cut by the Rivers Aras and Kars , and feveral other Streams that fall into them , inhabited by very few, but what are Chnftians •, thofe few Mahumetans that live among them being fo fuperftitious , that they will not drink the Water of any of thofe Rivers , nor wafh in them ; believing them impure and defil'd by the ufe which the Chriftians make of them. They have their particular Wells and Citterns by themfelves , which they will not fuffer a Chriflian to come near.
B Coma-
io The Persian Travels Book I.
Comafiur is the firft Village where you lodge after you leave the Bridge of Choban- Ki4fri , going to Erivan.
Haltcarcara is the next Stage to Ccmmfokr : this is a great Town alfo inhabited by Chriftians, but the Houfes are built all under-ground like Caves. Coming thither the feventh of March 1655, the Snow was ib deep that there was no travelling, fo that we were forc'd to ftay there eight days. But the Cuftomer of Erz.enm under- ftanding in what a bad condition we were , came in perlbn with five hundred Horle to make way for us , and lent for the Country-people round about to clear away the Snow. But it was not fo much out of Kindnefs to us, as for his ownlntcreft. For a new Officer being to fueceed him upon the 22d of Mt.rch, and our Caravan being very numerous , he would have loft above a hundred thoufand Crowns, had we not come to Erurom before that day. Many of the PafTengers were almoft blinded by continual looking upon the Snow, the colour whereof very much dims the Sight: for prefervation whereof the Travellers are wont to wear black Cyprefs Hoods , made on purpofe, over their Faces. Others wear furr'd Bonnets, fring'd about with Goats-hair, which being long, falls over their Eyes , and does altogether as well as the Hood.
The Caravan is ufually twelve days upon the Road, from Erz.tr om to Erivan. Leaving Halic-arcara*, you ford the J4ras three times, and crofs it the next day again: for it winds exceedingly. A League and a half from the place where you ford it the fourth time , upon the top of a high Mountain (lands a Fortrefs call'd Kaguifgan , which is the laft place which the Turks pofTefs on that fide. The Cu- ftomers that live there come to the Caravan to take their Toll, which is four Piafters for every Camel loaden, and two for every Horle loaden. In the year 1655 tne Caravan lodging about a League from the Fortrefs of Kagmfgan, the Mountains adjoyning being inhabited by Chriftian Armenians , there came to us a poor Bifhop attended by fifteen or fixteen perfons , among which there were certain Priefts, who brought us Bread, Fowl, and Fruit, defiring the Charity of the Merchants, who recompenc'd them to their fatisfaftion. About four or five Months after, this Bifhop had one of his Eyes ftruck out by a Janifary. That wicked Fellow came to the Town where the Bifhop liv'd, and lighting upon the Bifhop, ask'd him for Money, which becaufe the Bifhop had none to give him, in a rage he ftabb'd him im the Eye with his Dagger. Complaint was made to the Aga , who 'tis thought would have puniih'd the Offender, but he fled, and left the Bifhop without remedy of i'atif- faftion.
From the laft place where we encamp'd near the Arat, we went and lodg'd the next day upon the fame River , in the fight of a Village not above a quarter of a League. The next day we crofs'd the River that runs from Kan, and parts Turkic from ferfia. The next day we ftop'd upon the Banks of Aras , half a League from a little Town •, and this is the laft time you fee this River which you are conftrain'd to pafs fo often.
Leaving Aras , we came to lodge in a Plain , in fight of a Town which is not far diftant. The next day the Caravan lyes in the Field, and the next day it comes to a place where there are three Churches, whence it is but half a days journey from Erivan.
CHAP. III.
A Continuation of the ^oad from Conftantinople to Ifpahan, from the Borders of Perfia to Erivan.
TH E firft Place worthy Obfervation , entring into Tcrfia thorough Armenia, is that which they call the Three Churches, three Leagues from Erivan, which Three Churches , are three Monafteries diftant one from the other. The biggeft and the faireft is the Refidence of the Patri- arch of the Armenians. There is anot her to the South of that, about a Musket-fhot diftant, and another a quarter of a League from it toward the Eaft, which is a
Nunnery
Chap.IIL of Monfiuer Ta vernier. ii
Nunnery for Virgins. The Armenians call this place Egmiafin , or the Only daugh- ter, which is the Name of the chief Church. You may find in their Chronicles, That it began to be Built about three hundred Years after Chrift, and that the Walls being rais'd to a good height, the Devil came in the Night and pull'd down what they built up in the Day \ which he did for feveral Years : but that One Night Chrift himlelf appear'd , and that from that time the Devil furceas'd to moleft them any more } ib that they finifh'd the Church. It is dedicated to St. Gregory, whom the Armenians have in very great veneration. And there is a Table of Stone, whereupon, according to their Chronicles, Chrift refted when he appear'd to St. Gregory. They that go into the Church , kifs this Stone with a very i'olemn Devotion.
The Second is built in honour of a Princeis that came with forty Virgins of Qua- lity to vifit St. Gregory. This Lady an Armenian King caus'd to be thrown into a Well full of Serpents-, but fhe receiv'd no harm. For (he liv'd therein 14 Years by a great Miracle , and from that time to this, the Serpents that breed thereabouts never did any harm. That Idolatrous King had a defign to have enjoy'd that Princefs, who was very handfom , and all her Companions*, but they overcame him by their Virtue: who thereupon , feeing he could not have his Will , put them all to Death.
The Cuftom of all the Armenians, as well thofe that come out of Perjiay asthofe that travel into Perfia, is to perform their Devotions at theteTbree Churches ; and the Caravan ftops ulually five or fix days , during which time they Confefs, and receive Abfolution from the Patriarch.
The Patriarch has under him forty feven Archbifhops, and every Archbifhop has under him four or five Suffragans , with whom he lives in a Convent, where there are feveral Monks under their Juriicliclion. So loon as they have faid their Mafs, which is generally done an Hour after Day, they all go to work , and to dig and delve for their living. The Revenue of the Patriarch is 600000 Crowns or there- abouts : for all the Armenian Chriftians that are above fifteen Years of age , ought to pay him yearly five Sous. However there are many that do not pay him , by realbn of their poverty. Yet their defect is fuppli'd by the rich , who fometimes pay him two or three Crowns a Head. But this Money does not ftay in the Pa- triach's Pocket : nay he. is fometimes behind-hand •, for he is engag'd to relieve the poor Armenians , who have not wherewithal to pay the Car age , which is an Annual Tribute that they owe to the Mahometan Princes , to whom they are fubjecT: : Other- wife necefiity would force them to become Mahometans ; and they, their Wives and' Children would be liable to be fold, which the Grand Patriarch labours all he can to prevent. Every Archbifhop fends him out of his Diocels what is necefTary to be rais'd for that intent. So that the Patriarch does but only receive it with one Hand , and pay it with the other} making no Profit to himlelf of a Revenue which he has out of 400000 Villages, which the Archbifhop of St.Stephen\ affirm'd to me to be under his Jurifdiftion.
As I return'd from Perfia in the Year 1 655 , I came to the Three Churches about the end of February ; the Caravan ftay'd there eleven Days, as well by reafon of the great Snows that ftop'd up the Ways, as for that the Armenians relblv'd to keep their Carnival there, and after that to perform their Devotions. The next day I went to vifit the Patriarch , who was fitting crofs-leg'd upon a Mat. There were four Arch- bifhops, and nineBifhops fitting about him in the lame pofture, among whom there was one that fpake very good Italian. I ftay'd with him three Hours \ and while we were difcourfing together, in came one of the Monks of the Covent , who had not lpoken to any perlbn whatfoever in Two and twenty Yeats , by realbn of a Penance that was impos'd upon him. Never did Man appear fo meager and de- formed •, but the Patriarch lent for him , and by his Authority commanded him to break Silence , which he did , by fpeaking at the fame Inftant.
The Saturday before Shrove-Sunday the Patriarch invited all the Caravan, as well Mailers as Servants, to hear Mafs the next day , and then to dine at the Covent. Mafs being concluded, the People were brought into a long Gallery, about 1$ or 20 Foot broad, there being a Table on both fides, made of feveral Stones, and Benches next the Walls. At the upper end of the Gallery ftands a Table four Footfquare, over which is a vaulted Roof fuftain'd with four Pillars , which l'erves
B 2 ior;
12 The Persian Travels Book I.
for a Canopy : in the midft whereof is a Chair fet for the Patriarch , who from thence has a full view of both fides the Gallery} with two other Chairs of each hand, for two Archbifhops : the other Archbifhops, Monks, and Guefts late at the long Tables. The Meat which they brought us was leveral forts of Pilaw, and feveral Diffecs of Fifh , among the reft excellent Trouts. The Pilaw was brought in forty wide Plates , lb well fill'd and fo large , that they were every one as much as a Man could carry. They were all fet down upon the Ground before the Patriarch ; who then Pray'd and gave Thanks. Then fix Bifhops with Ladles took out the Meat out of the great Platters, and putting it into lefTer, ferv'd both the Tables. Every one had alfo his earthen Pot of Wine , which was very good , and was fill'd again when it was empty. The Patriarch and the two Archbifhops eat nothing but two Eggs , and a few raw Herbs •, no more did the other Archbifhops that fate at the Table.
At the end of the Feaft , a Bifhop comes with a Paper and Pen and Ink in his Hand , and asks of every one what he pleafes to Subfcribe for the Benefit of the Church', then every one propofing, according to his Devotion , the Bifhop writes down the Names of the Perfons , and the Sum which they mention , which he comes and gathers the next day. There are fome rich Merchants that will give two Tomans, but the meaneft Servant will give an Or. The Bifhop having done writing, the Table was clear'd , and then they brought us Melons and other Fruits. In a fhort while after the Bells rung to Evening Service , and the People went to Church.
After Evening Service the Patriarch fent for me to behold a Combat of TSufaWs, of which there are great ftore in that Country, fome fervingto Till their Ground -7 while the Female ones yield ftore of Milk, of which they make Butter and Cheefe, and which they mingle with all forts of other Milk : There are fome of thefe female Beafts that will give two and twenty Pints of Milk a day.
They brought us into a wide Endofure, to behold the Sport, wherein there were eight Bufalo's. To provoke them one againft another, they fhew them a Red Cloth , which puts them into fuch a Rage , that there were two that dy'd with the ftroke of their Horns upon the place , and there were none of the reft which were not very much lam'd. The Sport being at an end , they bring a great quantity of Wood , which they pile together on purpofe to fet it on Fire. When the Wood was heap'd in as big a Pile as they intended , one of the Archbifhops prefented a Taper of white Wax to all the Company, both Matters and Servants , who every one agreed with him what they fhould give the next day for their Tapers. The Tapers being lighted , the Patriarch with a Stick like a Bifhop's Crofier, march'd before, finging an Hymn, attended by all the Perfons both Ecclefiaftical and Secular, till they had in that manner walk'd three times about the Pile. When the Pile came to be lighted , there was great ftriving who fhould have the Honour. One of the Merchants offer'd a quantity of Oyl , for Lamps for the Church •, another outdid him , and a third proffer'd more than he*, and the Honour of Lighting the Pile was given to him that offer'd raoft. Immediately upon that every one put out his Taper : For they efteem it a moft precious bufinefs:, believing that the lighting of one of thofe Tapers in a Sterm , and throwing it into the Sea, is a prefent Charm againft Shipwrack. For fay they , The Virgin Mary, forty days after fhe was brought to Bed , went to Jerusalem with Jofeph and her Son :, and going into the Temple met old Simeon, who taking the Child in his Arms , began to fing the Song, Lord now let thy Servant , &c. the Song being ended , all the People began to cry that Chrift was born , and to publifh it about the City. Now in regard it was Night , every one ran out with Torches in their Hands , and fome made Fires before their Doors , where Chrift was to pafs along. This Feftival among the Armenians is like that of Candlemas-day % and they call it in their Language , Ter en Arechc f Where is the Lord? The Armenians , Mafters and Servants, drank all Night to make an end of their Carnival, while the Patriarch was bufie in drefling up the Church with its gayeft Ornaments.
I could not believe there had been fo much Riches in the Chriftian Churches under the Power of the Mahumetans. It is not a hundred Years fince this Patriarchal Church was in a much meaner Condition : But fince the great Sha-Abas put the Armenians upon Traffkk , they have very much enrich'd themfelves : For as they got great Gains', fo they made great Vows, and gave largely to the Church:
wherein
,i ■ ;>,.
•-.
I
V
/ 'i
!
I i
i* . b
Uavcrmcrs \Pcritan travel: *j£</
Chap.III. f/Mon(ieur Tavernier, 15
wherein there are now as rich Ornaments as in any Church of Chriftendom. The Choir of the Church was hung round with a Venetian TifTue of Gold. The Pavement alfo of the Choir and the Body of the Church , together with the Steps to the Altar , were fpread with rich Tapeftry. For they all put off their Shooes before they go into the Church •, nor do the Armenians kneel as in Europe, but ftand all the while upright. When they hear Mafs, they fit after the Mode of the Country, but when the Leflbns are reading they ftand up. All the Service-time their Heads are cover'd , unlets at the Elevation of the Hoft, for then they take off their Bonnets , and kifs the Earth three times. There was upon the Altar a Crofs, with fix Candlefticks of Gold-, and upon the Steps to the Altar four Candlefticks of Silver five Foot high. After they had lung feveral Hymns, the Patriarch feated himfelf in a Chair cover'd with Silk Tapeftry, four Archbifhops fitting with their Backs to a Pillar at his right hand. The Service was folemnly perform'd by an Archbifhop , with two Bilhops on each fide of him. After the Archbifhop had made certain Prayers , he took the Book wherein he had read the Gofpel and gave it the Patriarch , the Archbifhops , Bilhops , and all the People to Kifs. On the one fide of the Cover of that Book there are two Relicks enchas'd , which are cover'd with Cryftal , which was the fide of the Book that was given to be Kifs'd. The Ceremony being ended , many went to Kifs the Patriarch's Hand , and fo retir'd.
Ten Leagues from Erivan , toward the North , appears a great Lake , wherein there is an Hand , upon which is built a very fair Covent. The Monks that live there, live fo auftere a Life, that they never eat Fifh or Flefh above four times a Year : neither do they fpeak one to another , but upon thole four Days. The reft of the Year they feed only upon Herbs, which they gather out of the Garden: for fay they, it is not Falling , to eat either Butter or Oyl. The Bread which they eat is brought from the neighbouring Villages : and the Hand is replenifh'd with all forts of excellent Fruits.
On the one fide of the Lake nearer to Erivan is a large Plain , wherein there are fix Monafteries. One of which is entirely hewn out of the Rock , with the Pillars that fuftain it, being feated in a very hard Rock. The Armenians call that Church Kickart in their Language , and the Turks in theirs Guieurgbieche , that is , See and away. In this Church , according to the Traditions of the Armenians , is kept the Lance wherewith the Side of Chrift was piere'd *, the Figure whereof I caus'd to be drawn upon the Place. The Armenians have this Lance in great Veneration, laying, that it was brought thither by St. Matthew.
Five Leagues from Erivan , towards the South-Eaft begins the Mountain Ararat ; which will be always famous for being the refting-place of Noah's Ark. Half a League from that Mountain , where the Plain begins to grow level , Hands a Church upon a little Hillock , clofe by which are feveral Pits like Wells. They report that it was into one ofthefe Wells that Ccrda , an Armenian King, caus'd St. Gregory to be thrown , becaufe he would not Worfhip his falfe Gods. Between this Church and Erivan are to be feen the Ruines of the Ancient Artaxate , the Seat of the Kings of Armenia , which demonftrate that it has been a great City ', befides , there appear the Ruines of a fair Palace.
Erivan lyes in 64 Degict=, 20 Minutes of Longitude •, 41 Degrees, 15 Mi- nutes of Latitude •, in a moft plentiful Country of all things neceffary for Humane Life , but efpecially abounding in good Wine. It is one of the beft Provinces of all Per/id, and yields the King a very large Revenue, as well by reafon of the goodnefs of the Soil , as for being the great Thoroughfare of the Caravans. The yearly Revenue of the Governour only , otherwife call'd the Kan of Erivan, amounts to above 20000 Tomans, which make 840000 Livres. This City lying upon the Frontiers of both Empires, has been taken and retaken by the Turks md Per/ians, feveral times. By which means the old City being ruin'd , they have built a new one , 800 Paces on this fide , upon a Rock , at the foot whereof, upon the Wefl-fide runs a rapid Stream : it is call'd by the Name of Sattgui-Cija. and in many places it is deep and full of Rocks. You crofs it, over a fair Bridge of three Arches, in which are built little Chambers, where the Kan retires in the heat of the day. It is full of Fifh , efpecially Trouts, which neverthelefs are dear enough. This River comes from a Lake called Gigagmi , about 25 Leagues from Erivan, toward the
North,
14 The Persian Travels Book I.
North, and falls into the Arat, that runs not above three Leagues off to the South. Though this City be fortified to the Weft by the River, yet it is never the ftronger, by reaibn of the Hills on the other fide which command it : and in regard it is built upon a Rock , the Moats of the Fort are not above three or four Foot deep. In fome places the City is lecur'd with a double Wall with feveral Towers j but the Walls being only of Earth , as are moft of the Houfes, the Rain does more mil- chief, than the Cannon would do. That part of Erivan to the North- Weft, is a kind of Suburb, but far better inhabited than the City : for there live all the Mer- chants and Artificers , together with the Chriftian Armenians , who have four Churches there, with a Monaftery. And of late years they have built alfo a very fair Inn in the fame Quarter. In the City there only lives the Kan , with the Military Officers and Souldiers-, the KatPs Lodgings lying upon the River. The Governour is a Perfon of great Power , and has always fufficient Forces about him to guard the Frontiers. The Summer being very hot at Erivan , he lyes in Tents upon the Mountains during the Heat. When a Caravan arrives , he is fore'd to give the King advice thereof: and if any Ambaflador come thither, he is bound to maintain him at his own Expence , and to caule him to be conducted to the Territories of the next Governour , who is oblig'd to do the lame. So that AmbafTadors are not bound to be at any Expences in the Territories of the King of Perfia. Four Leagues from the City are high Mountains , where the Natives that inhabit the hot and Sun-burnt Countries toward Chaldea , come twenty thouland together , to feek out good Pafturage for their Cattel, and about the end of Autumn return again into their own Country. I cannot compare this Mountainous Traft , whether for its Valleys and Rivers, or for the nature of the Soil, to any Part that I have fcen, better than to that portion of Switzerland , which is call'd the Country of Vaux : and there is a Tradition among the Natives, That certain People that inhabited between the Aipes and Mount Jura, and which compos'd a Squadron of Alexander's Army, having ferv'd him in his Conquefts, ieated themfelves in this part of Armenia , which they found fo like their own Country. From Tocat to Taurti the Inhabitants are for the moft part Chriftians. Which large Traft of Ground being that which the Ancients caU'd the Province of Armenia , 'tis no wonder to meet with fifty Arme- vims for one Mahometan. There are many ancient Armenian Families in Erivan, which is their native Country :, but they are ill us'd by the Governours , who being far diftant from the Court, do what they pleafe. This City not being far remote from the Province from whence the Silks come , is the place where all the Buyers and Sellers rcfort. But neither in Erivan , nor in any other part of Perfia are the Merchants put to open their Bales at the Cuftosn. Houfes , as in Turkic They only pay certain Duties toward fecuring the Highways } which Duties they call Rade- rics , and thofe that gather them Raders.
The Kans or Governours of Provinces in Perfia are civil to Strangers , efpeciajly to thofe that they like, or that (hew them any thing of Curiofity. The firft time that I went into Perfia , I took a young Watch-maker with me , and coming to Erivan , I carried him to the Kan who was -then Governour. It was at a time when Watches were very rare in Perfia ; and the Kan , understanding what Trade the Young Man was of, told us he was the firft Watch-maker that ever had been in Perfia: Thereupon he brought the Young Man a Watch to mend, and that he might have the pleafure of feeing him work , he lodg'd us in a Chamber next his own, and made us drink with him every day •, for he was a true Toper, and compell'd us to drink with him from four in the Afternoon 'till near Midnight, in a place which he had made on purpofe, in his Garden, to take off his Glaffes.
This was he , that having deliver'd Erivan to Sultan Amur at , went along with him to Conftantinople , and became his Favourite for teaching him to Drink. Amur at left a Garrifon of 22000 Men in the City *, but Sha-Sefi the Perfian King begirt it prefently with a ftrong Army \ and planting himfelf feeurely under one of the Hills that command the City, he batter'd it incefTantly with eight Pieces of Cannon : the fourth day he made a Breach, and though he had the repute of a Coward , he was the firft at the Aflault , and took'the City : and becaufe they would not yield at his Summons, he put all the Garrifon to the Sword. For which Amutat, was quit with Sha- Sefi afterwards , though not in fo noble a way j for entring a Viclor into Baodat, he put all the Per fians to the Sword, after he had given them his Word to the contrary, and promis'd to Ipare their Lives. The
Chap.IV. o/Monfieur Tavernieb. 15
The Platform of Erivan and the Suburbs,
A. The Town and Fort.
B. The Suburbs, inhabited by the Armenian Chrifiians,
C. The Church.
D. The Convent.
E. The River of Sangui-cija.
F. The Stone-Bridge.
G. The Highway for the Caravans.
H. The Fort which Sha-Sefi built to batter the City.
I. The River that falls from the Mountain.
K. The Highway to Tauris.
L. The Way to Teflis the chief City of Georgia \ and the Way to the Mountain
where the Kan of Erivan goes twice a Summer to drinks M. The Marketplaces', for Sale of (foods.
CHAP. IV.
A Continuation of the fame ^oad from Erivan to Tauris.
T ufually takes up ten days journey for the Caravan to go between Erivan and Tauris \ and Nachsivan is almoft in the mid-way between both. The firft days journey you travel thorough large Plains ibw'd with Rice , and water'd with feveral Rivulets. The next day you continue to travel through Plains of the fame nature , in fight of the Mountain Ararat, which is full of Mona- fteries, leaving it upon the South. The Armenians call this Mountain Mefefvufart The Mountain cf the Arkj becaufe the Ark of Noah refted upon it. It is as it were unfaften'd from the other Mountains of Armenia , and from the half-way to the top, it is continually cover'd with Snow. It is higher than any of the neighbouring Mountains -, and in my firft Travels I faw it for five days journey together. So foon as the Armenians difcover it , they kifs the Earth , and lifting up their Eyes to Heaven, fay their Prayers. Yet you are to take notice, that the Mountain is hid in Clouds for two or three Months together. In the Plains that you crofs in this fecond days journey, to the Southward a League and a half from the High- way, is to be feen a Work of great Art \ being the Ruines of a Magnificent Caftle, where the Kings of Armenia were wont to refide in the time of their Hunting Divertifements ", more efpecially when they continu'd their Sports at the Mallard and Heron. T he next day we lodg'd near to a Village where there was good Water, which conftrain'd the Caravan to ftay there \ there being none to be met with for ten Leagues farther. The next day you muft travel one by one through the Pafs of a Mountain , and crofs a large River nam'd Arpa-fou , which falls into Aras. It is fordable when it is low, but when the Snow melts and fwells the Stream , you muft go a League out of your way to the Southward to crofs it, over a Bridge of Stone. From thence you go to lodge near a Village call'd Kahfahiend, where you are fore'd to fetch your Water a good way off. The firft days journey is through a Plain , at the end whereof you meet with an Inn , call'd Kara-bagUr, ftanding upon a Rivulet-, which was finifti'd in 1664. The Head of this Rivulet fprings three or four Leagues higher toward the North-, and half a League below Kara-bagUr , the Water congeals and petrifies -, and of thofe Stones is the Inn built. The Stone is very flight ; and when they have need of it , they make Trenches all along the Stream, and fill them with the fame Water, which in eight or ten Months turns into Stone. The Water is very fwect, and has no bad taft -, yet the Country-men thereabouts will neither drink it , nor water their Grounds with it. The Arme- nians fay, that Sem the Son of Noah caus'd the Rock to be hollow'd, out of which this River iflues', which four or five Leagues from its Head, and two from the Inn, falls into Aras. From this Inn to Naksivan is but a fmall Journey. Ni.kuvnn,
according
6 * "The Persian travels Book I.
according to the Opinion of the Armenians, is the mod ancient City of the World •, built about three Leagues from the Mountain upon which the Ark of Noah reiled : from whence it alio takes its Name^ for Nakjm the Armenian Tongue fignifies a Ship , and Sivan , refirng or repofwg. 'Twas a great City, now wholly ruin'd by the Army of Suit an Amur at h. There are the Remains of feveral rare Mofquees, which the Turks have deftroy'd , for the Turks and Perfia?2s deftroy one anothers Mofquees as faft as they fall into one anothers pofTefTion. This City is very ancient, and the Armenians report that it was in this place where Noah went to live , when he went out of the Ark. They lay further, that he was Buried here } and that his Wife has a Tomb at Mar ante upon the Road to Tauris. There runs a little River by Naksivan , the Water whereof is very good 3 the Spring whereof is not far diftant from the Head of the River of Karabagler. The Armenians drove a great Trade in Silk formerly in this Town , which is now very much abated : however, there is a Kan which has the Command there. All the Country between Erivan and Tauris was wholly deftroy'd by S ha- Abas King of Pcrfia, and the firft of that Name-, to the end that the Armies of the Turks, not meeting with any fubfiftance, might perifh of themfelves. To this purpofe , he lent all the Inhabitants of Zulfa and the Parts adjoyning into Perfia, Old and Young , Fathers, Mothers, and Chil- dren , with which he planted new Colonies in feveral parts of his Kingdom. He fent above 27000 Families of Armenians into Guilan , whence the Silks come *, and where the harfhnels of the Climate kill'd abundance of thofe poor People , that were accuftom'd to a milder Air. The mod confiderable were fent to Ifpahan, where the King put them upon the Trade of Silk, and lent them Commodities, for which they paid upon the return of their Markets , which fuddenly let the Ar- menians upon their Feet again. Thele are they that built the City of Zulfa, which is only feparated from J/pahan by the River of Senderou, calling it New Zulfa , to diftingui(h it from the old City, which was the Habitation of their Anceftors. A third part of the People were dilpers'd into other Villages between Ifpahan and Sciras. But the old People dying , the young ones generally turn Mahumttans .- fo that now you can hardly meet with two ChriAian Armenians in all thofe fair Plains, which their Fathers were fent to manure.
Among the Ruines of Naksivan appear the Ruines of a great Mofquee , which was one of the moil ftately Buildings in the World : which i'ome fay was built in memory of Noa\?% Burying-place. As you depart out of the City , near to the River that runs by it, appears a Tower, which is an excellent piece of Architecture : It is compos'd of four Duomo's joyn'd together, which fupport a kind of Pyramid, that feems to be fram'd of twelve little Towers ^ but toward the middle it changes its figure, and IcfTening like a Spire, ends in a Point. The Building is all of Brick, but as well the out-fide as the in-fide is over-fpread with a kind of Varnifh of Parget, wrought into Flowers, like Embofs'd Work. 'Tis thought to have been an Edifice let up by Temur-leng , when he had Conquer'd Pcrfia.
Between Naksivan and Zulfa , on each fide , as well- to the North as to the South, there are ten Covents of Chriftian Armenians , diftant about two or three Leagues one from the other. They acknowledge the Pope , and are govern'd by certain Religious Dominicans of their own Nation. And to keep up their Religion, they lend from time to time, to Rome , certain Children born in the Country, to learn the Latin and Italian Tongues, and other necefTary Sciences. It is thought there are in this Quarter above fix thoufand Souls that abfolutely follow the Do&rine of die Church of Rome; only that they fing the Office and the Mafi in the Armenian Tongue, that all the People may hear and underftand them. The Archbifhop, being chofen, is fent to Rome to be confirm'd. He refides at a great Town , which is one of the moft lovely places in all Afia ; the Wine and Fruits that grow there are very delicate, befides the abundance of all other things necefTary for Humane Life. Every Coventftands near a great Village : the chiefeft where I have been twice, is Aba- rener, the fecond Abraghonnex , the third Kerna, the fourth Soletak_, the fifth Kouchkachen , the fixth Giaoukj, the feventh Chiabonnez. , the eighth Arag'.ouche, the ninth Kauz~uk^, the tenth Ktfouk^, which lyes upon the Frontiers of Curdiftan or asfffyria. Here it is , that the Armenians believe St. Bartholomew and St. Matthew to have been Martyr'd, of which they pretend to fhew fome Relicks at this dav. •Many Mahometans came thither out ©f Devotion , eipecially fuch as are troubl'd
with
Chap.I V. of Monfieur Tavernier.
with Fevers. There are two or three of thofe CoventSj where they civilly entertain fuch Chriftians as come out of Ettropc ; though the Monks j there , are very poor. They alio live very auftere Lives , feeding upon nothing but Herbs. That which makes them fo poor , is the often change of Tyrannical Govemours , whom they are oblig'd to prefent with large Gifts. But in regard they cannot give much, thofe Govemours have no kindnefs for them-, for which reafon , being inftigated by thofe other Armenians who are able to oblige them , they ufe them fo feverely that they are often fore'd to complain to the King *, which I have many times feen done at Jjpahan.
A League and a half from the chief of thefe Govents there is a high Mountain, feparated from all the reft, which rifes like a Sugar-loaf, as doth the Pike of Tena- riff. At the foot of this Mountain are certain Springs , that have the virtue to heal thofe that are bit by Serpents*, in fo much that Serpents carry'dto that place will dye immediately.
When the Caravan is ready to fet out from Naksivan for Zulfa , which is not above a days journey from thence , the principal Armenians ufually go out of the way to the Covent of St. Stephen , which lyes to the South.
Now the Road from Naksivan to St. Stephen's lyes firft to a great Village call'd Ecclifia , where live the richeft Armenians , that drive a great Trade in Silk * and have built them a very fair Church.
Two Leagues from Ecclifia you muft crofs the River Arat in a Ferry -Boat , being as it were fqueez'd between two Mountains in that place : Once I went over upon the Ice. About two Musket-fhots from thence , you muft crofs , over a Bridge, another River that falls into the Aras. From the foot of the Bridge you begin to afcend a little Hill , at the top whereof you meet with a great Village, call'd Shamhe', all the Inhabitants whereof, as well Men as Women , grow Mad at 18 years of age •, but it is fuch a Madnefs that is not mifchievous. Some believe it to be the Punifhment of Heaven , for that their Forefathers in thefe Mountains perlecuted St. Bartholomew and St. Matthew.
From hence to St. Stephen's it is not above a League , but the Way is very trouble- fom. St. Stephen's is a Covent built not above 30 Years ago. It ftands upon the Mountains , in a barren place , and of difficult accefs. But the reafon why the Armenians chofe that place before any other, is becaufe that St. Bartholomew and St. Matthew retir'd thither in the time of their Perfeeution. They add , that St Matthew did a Miracle in that place : for that there being no Water there before, he only ftrook his Stick upon the Ground , and prefently there arofe a Spring. This Spring is about half a quarter of a League from the Covent, under a Vault with a good Door to it, to keep the Water from being wafted. The Armenians go to vifit this Spring in great Devotion , having laid the Water into the Covent with Pipes. They alfo fay, that in this place they found feveral Relicks which St. 'Bartholomew and St. Matthew left there , to which they add a great many others •, among the reft a Crofs , made of the Bafin wherein Chrift wafh'd his Difciples Feet : In the middle of the Crofs is a white Stone , which , as they report , if you lay upon a Sick perfon , will turn black if the perfon be likely to dye j and recover its former whitenefs after the death of the party.
A Jaw-Bone of St. Stephen the Martyr.
The Scull of St. Matthew.
A Bone of the Neck , and a Bone of the Finger of St. John Baptift.
A Hand of St. Gregory . who was the Difciple of Dionyfius the Areopagite.
A little Box , wherein they keep a great number of pieces of Bones , which they believe to be the Relicks of the Seventy Two Difciples.
The Church is built in the form of a Crofs , as are all the Churches of the Arme- nians • in the middle whereof rifes a fair Dnomo, round about which (land the Twelve Apoftles. Both the Church and Covent are of Free-ftone , and though the whole Edifice be not very big , there has been abundance of Gold and Silver wafted upon the Walls : many Armenian Families have been very much endamag'd thereby ^ for the Women were fo devout, that unknown to their Husbands they fold their Jewels, and their very Cloaths , to defray the Expences of Building.
The firft time that I was at St. Stephen's , in the company of fome Armenians, two Bifhops , attended by feveral other Monks , came out to meet us , and led us
C iHto
8 The Persian Travels Book I.
into a great Hall , where we were very well treated. For it is the cuftom of the Armenians , a little before .Meals to prefent their Guefts a large Cup of Aqua-vit«, with Sweet-meats of all forts , befides Citron and Orange-peels candy'd , in leven or eight Porcelan-difhes , laid in a great China-hsXm. This is a little Prelude to excite the Appetite •, for the Armenians, both Men and Women , will empty great Cups of Aqua-vitae. After Dinner they go to Church , where they fing certain Hymns : when you return , there are a fufficient number of MattrefTes or Quilts to lye upon •, for they ufe no other fort of Beds over all Afia : only at Night you ipread a Carpet upon a Quilt, andfhutthe Door. We law not the Archbifhop all that Evening, only at Church.
About Midnight all the Bells rang , and every body rofe to go to Church. I believe it was more than ufual , becaufe it was Shrovetide ; for both the Office and the Miffa were both concluded by break of day. Between eight and nine in the Morning the Cloth was laid*, before which time we faw abundance.of the neigbouring Country People , who brought Wine, Fruits, and other Provifions , and prefented all to the Archbifhop.
While we were at Breakfaft news came that a certain Bifhop was dead , in his return to the Three Churches - whither he was fent by the Patriarch to gather certain Duties due from the Villages. Immediately the Archbiihop rifing from the Table with all his Afliftants , and having made a Prayer for the Dead , fent a Bifhop and fix Monks to fetch the Corps ', who returning a little after Midnight , the Body was prefently laid in the Church upon a Carpet fpread upon the Ground , with the Face tura'd toward the Altar. In the mean time , a great number of Wax-candles were lighted , and all the reft of the Night two Monks watch'd by turns to Pray for the Dead. Early in the Morning the Archbifhop, the Bifhops and all in Religious Orders, faid the Office for the Dead, which lafted half an Hour-, and at the end of the Mafs they brought the Corps to the Altar, fo that they made the Feet of the Corps to touch it. Having fo done, they took off the Linnen Cloth that cover'd his Head , at which time the Archbifhop anointed him in fix places with the Holy Oyl, faying certain Prayers every time. Then they cover'd him again, and faid other Prayers which lafted half an Hour. Thefe Ceremonies perform'd, theycarry'd the Corps out of the Church with CrofTes and Banners , and every one a Taper in his Hand. As the Corps pals'd by, one of the Bifhops put a Paper in his right Hand, containing thefe Words, I came from the Father, and I return to the Father. Being brought to the Grave , upon a little Mountain near the Covent, and fet down, they faid other Prayers which lafted a quarter of an Hour. In the mean time a Bifhop going down into the Grave , took away all the Stones and made the place fmooth, after which the Corps was letdown wrapt in a large Linnen Sheet. Then the Bifhop, according to their cuftom, rais'd his Head a little higher than his Body, turning his Face to the Eaft. Which being done , the Archbifhop and Afliftants took every one a handful of Earth, which the Archbifhop bleft, and giving it to the Bifhop, he ftrew'd it over the Body. Then the Bifhop coming out again , the Grave was nll'd up.
From St. Stephen's there is a defcent for a League together to Aras , by the fide whereof you are to keep along till you come to Zdfa , where you come into the high Road again. There is another way quite over the Mountain , which is the nearer way by a League , but 'tis very troublefom and toylfom , and therefore the lei's frequented.
But to return to the High-Road from Naksivan « half a League from Naksivan you meet with a River which falls into Avas, which is to be crofs'd over a Stone- Bridge of 12 Arches, though there be but little Water, unlefs it be when the Snow melts, or the Rains fall. In a Meadow, next the Bridge, where we lodg'd one time that I travell'd that way, there is a Spring of lukewarm Water , which will loofen the Bellies of them that drink it. At this Bridge it is that the Toll-gatheter comes and takes his Duties , when the Caravan (lays not at Naksivan. You muft pay ten Abaft? s for every Camel's Loading , or nine Livres , which is for the fe- curing the Highways. Thefe Duties are demanded in many places of Perfm with- out fearching the Packs. The Governours alio in their Provinces are made to anfwer for every Robbery committed : which makes it fo fafe travelling in Ptrfia, that you need not keep with the Caravan, unlefs you will your ML
From
Chap.IV. fl/Monfieur Ta ve rnie r. 19
From this Bridge to Zulfa is but one days journey, which Town being altogether ruin'd, (hews the reafon wherefore the Caravan lodges upon the Bank of the River five hundred Paces on this fide.
Zulfa, the ancient Habitation of the Armenians which Sha-Abas carried into Per fa , is a Town fqucez'd between two Mountains , through which the Aras runs, leaving but little Land on either fide. It carries no Boats till about two Leagues below, (for upward it will hardly bear a piece of Timber) and in regard the Country grows low and extends it felf into Plains, there is no fear of Rocks , the courfe of the Stream being very quiet. There was a fair Stone-Bridge, which Sha-Abas caus'd to be broken down ; when he wholly deftroy'd the Town , that it might be no harbour for the Turks. Neither by the Ruines, nor by its Situation, doth it appear to have been a City of any ancient Beauty •, the Stones were elapt unskilfully together without Morter , fo that the Houfes were more like Caves than Houfes. The North- Weft fide was moft inhabited , there being nothing on the other fide worth taking notice of. The Lands about Zulfa being very fertil, there are certain Armenian Families return'd, who live very quietly. Cogia Naaar, one of the chief Armenians that went out of Zulfa , growing rich by Trade , and being in great reputation with Sha-Abas, and Sha-Sefi his SuccefTor, who made him Kelonter, or Chief Judge of the Armenian Nation, built two great Inns, for the Honour of his Country, in Zulfa , upon each fide of the River one. He fpent above an hundred thouland Crowns, but dying left two remarkable Pieces of Work unfinifh'd.
Half a League on this fide Zulfa, before you crofs a Torrent that falls into Aras, you may take your choice of two ways to go to Tauris. The one upon the right hand, leading to the South-F.aft , which is the ordinary Road •, the other upon the left hand, toward the North -Eaft , which we took eight or ten in company together on horfeback , the laft time I went to IJpahan. We left the Caravan , that takes the great Road, and never goes the other way, becaufe it is full of Rocks and Stones that fpoil the hoofs of the Camels. However I was willing to fee a new Country, which I fhall defcribe before I come to the great Road.
From the Torrent where we left the Caravan , we went forward , and lay at a Village not above a League and a half off.
The next day, after we had kept along by the Banks of the Aras for five or fix Hours „we came to AJlabat , which lyes a League from the River , where we ftaid above two Days to divert our felves. This is but a little City, but a very neat one '? where there are four Inns , and every Houfe has its Fountain. The great plenty of Water makes the City very fruitful in all things *, more efpecially in good Wine. This is the only Country in the World that produces the Ronas, for which there is a vaft utterance all over Perfa and India. The Ronas is a Root that grows in the Earth like Liquorice, and is not much bigger. The ufe of it is to dye Red, and this is that Red which gives that beautiful tin&ure to ah1 the Calicuts that come out of the Mogul's Country. Though the Roots which are pull'd out of the Earth are very long , yet they cut them into pieces not above as long as a Man's Hand , for the better accommodation of Carriage. It is a wonderful thing to behold at Ormut whole Caravans laden with this Ronas , whith they Ship off from thence to the Indies.
The Root is full of Juycc , and yields a very high Tin&ure \ for I remember that an Indian Vefiel that was laden with it , being caft away in the Road of Ormns, where the Bags of Ronas floated , the Sea look'd of a red colour for feveral days.
Departing from Aflabat , it behov'd us to provide our felves with Straw and Barley for our Horfes , understanding that we fhould meet with none all that days journey. From thence we travell'd upon a defcent for an hour together to die River Aras, which we crofs'd in a Boat-, and all the reft of the day we travel'd through Mountains,, over Torrents and Stones. That Evening we lay upon the Bank of a fmall Stream.
The day following, after we had, travel'd through a fpacious Valley for two or three hours , we afcended a high Mountain , at the top whereof we met with two or three pitiful Houfes , where we ftopt that day.
The next, which was the fifth after, we left the Caravan, we travel'd upon a
C 2 defcent
io The Persian Travels Book I.
defcent for two or three hours , till we came to a great Village neatly fituated, where there grows excellent Fruit. There we repos'd for an hour or two-, and from thence we came to a great Stone-Bridge on a River where there is no Water but when the Rains fall. It falls into the Lake Roiimi ; but the Water of the River is fo fowr and ill-rafted, efpecially when it is low , that it is not to be drunk. About a quarter of a League from the Bridge are three long Stones let in the Ground like Pillars : the Natives fay that they were plac'd there for a Monument, in the fame place where Darius the Son of Hyfiajpes was elected King by the cunning of the Gentleman of his Horie : from whence to Tauris is but half a League. The Moun- tains of the Medes which wt crofs'd in this Road, and thofe which run along toward the ancient Parthians, are the moft fertil in all Ptrfia. They bear Corn and Fruit in abundance -, for upon the high Mountains there are fair Plains fow'd with Wheat, which are extraordinary fertil. The Springs which rife there, and Rains which fall give a frefher beauty and a higher taft to what grows there , more than in any other part otPerfia that wants Water ^ and the products of thofe Fields are of a higher price.
Now for the great Road. The Caravan having crofs'd the Stream where we left it, lodges the next Night upon the Banks of Aras, over which it ferries the next Mor- ning. It does not go thorough Zulfa , though it be fo near it -7 becauie that on the other fide of the City there are three Leagues of Way very bad and unfre- quented. For which reafon you muft leave Zulfa on the right hand , which is not much out of the way. After two hours travel you go by a Bridge which is call'd Sugiac ; after which you come upon Heaths encompafs'd with high Rocks. All this days journey you meet with no Water, but only one little Fountain, and the Water is fo bad that the Beafts will hardly drink it.
The day following you travel through an even Country, but very barren : where you meet with nothing but a forlorn Inn ; though it be a place where Coft has been beftow'd , and built all of Free-ftone, that was fetch'd a great way off. The next Stage is Marante , famous for the Burying-place of Noah's Wife. The Town is not very big •, refembling rather a Thicket than a City : but the fituation is very pleafant, in the middle of a fertil Plain adorn'd with feveral well peopPd Villages. This Plain does not extend above a League round about Marante , the Country beyond it being all barren. However it is not altogether unprofitable : for being a continual Heath , it affords feeding for the Camels , which are there bred for the Caravans. Which is the reafon that there are fo many Camel-Mafters at Sugiac and Marante, who furnifh great part of the Road. At Marante you muft pay thirteen Abafjfs, or four Crowns for every Camel's Load , for the fecurity of the Road.
Leaving Marante, you lodge the next night a League from Sophiatia in a bufhy Plain, where the Water is worth nothing } after you have travell'd a mix'd Country, barren enough , where you meet with but one Inn in a Valley : but it is a very fair one. Sophiana is an indifferent large City, which you cannot fee till you come within it , by reafon of the great number of Trees planted in the Streets and round about it , which makes it look rather like a Foreft than a City.
The next day, which is ufually the tenth days journey from Erivan , the Caravan, having crofs'd fair, large and fertil Plains, arrives at Tauris. Thofe Plains are water'd with feveral Streams that fall from the Median Mountains \ but the Water is not all of the fame goodnefs, for there is fome which cannot be drunk.
In the Enid-way between Sophiana and Tauris, lyes, a Hill, from whence you have a profpeft over thofe Plains , upon which the Army of Sultan Amurath Encamp'd, when he befieg'd Tauris. The news coming to Sha-Sefi King of Perjiaf that he had burnt it, and was marching further into the Country with a hundred thoufand Men , Let him come , laid he , without any difiurbance , I kgow how to make the Turks fay for their Invafion without any great trouble. They were then not above fifteen days march from Ijpahan , when Sha-Sefi turn'd the courfe of all the Streams both before and behind , which only run from certain Springs , and are brought in Cutts or Chanels into the Inland-parts of Pcrfia, where there are no Rivers: By which means the whole Army of the Turks perifh'd for want of Water in thofe vaft un- water'd Countries where they had engag'd themfelves too far.
Tauris lyes in 83 Degrees, 30 Minutes of Longitude \ and 40 Degrees, 15 Mi- nutes of Latitude , in an open place where there is not a Tree to be feen •, and
environ'd
Chap.IV. of Monfieur Tavernier. it
environ'd with Mountains on every fide , but only upon the Weft. The furtheft Mountain is not above a League from the City •, but there is one which almoft touches it , being only feparated from it by the River. 'Tis a good Country, and fruitful in Corn ; there is good Pafturage , and great ftore of Pulfe. Some think that Tauris was the ancient Ecbatane , the Metropolis of the Empire of the Medes. It is at this day a great City and well peopl'd , as being the Mart for Turtle, Mufcovy , the Indies , and Per fix. There are an infinite number of Merchants, and vaft quantities of all forts of Merchandize : particularly of Silk , which is brought out of the Province of Gitilan , and other places. There is alfo a great Trade for Horfes, which are handibm and cheap. Wine, Aqua-vitae, and indeed all forts of Provisions are cheap enough •, and Money trolls about in that place more than in any other part of Afiu. Many Armenian Families have got great Eftates there by Trade, and underftand it better than the Per fans. A little River , the Water whereof is very good , runs through the middle of Tauris j it's call'd Schein- kaie , over which there are three Bridges to crofs from one part of the City to the other.
The mod part of the Buildings in Tauris are of Bricks bak'd in the Sun-, the Houfes not being above one or two Stories high at mpft. The tops of the Houfes are terrafs'd ; the Roofs within are vaulted, and plaifter'd with Earth mix'd with chopt Straw, which they whiten afterwards with Lime. In the year 1638 the City was almoft ruin'd by Sultan Amur ath', but it is almoft all rebuilt again. There are in it Bazars, or Market-houfes , which are well built, and many Inns very commodious , two Stories high. The faireft is that of Mirza-Sadi, Governour of the Province, who caus'd it to be built with a Market-houfe adjoyning, to which he has added a Mofquee and a Colledge, with good Revenues.
The great Trade of Tauris renders it renown'd over all Afia : for it has a con- tinual Traffick with Turkf, Arabians , Georgians, Mengcelians , Perfians , Indians, Muscovites , and Tartars. The Bazars or Market-houfes , which are cover'd , are always full of Goods: for there are fome which are peculiar to the Handicraft- Trades} the moft part whereof are Smiths, fuch as make Saws, Axes, Files, and Steels to ftrike Fire , with Tobacco-ftoppers belonging to them. Some there are that make Pad-locks : for the Eaftern People fatten their Doors only with wooden Bolts. There are alfo Turners, that furnifh the neighbouring Parts with Spinning- Wheels and Cradles : and fome Goldlmiths, that make trifles of Silver. But there is abundance of Silk-weavers that are Artifts, and work very neatly, and indeed there arc more of thole than of any other Trade. Here it is that they drefs the greateft part of the Shagrin Skins that are vended fo plentifully all over Perfia; for there are none unlefs it be the Country-people , but wear Boots or Shooes of Shagrin- Leather. This Leather is made either of the Hides of Horfes , AfTes , or Mules, and only of the hinder part of the Hide : but the AfTes Hide has the beft grain.
There are to be feen at Tauris, Ruines of the (lately Edifices round about the great Piazza, and the neighbouring Parts: they have alfo let run to ruine four or five Mofquees of a prodigious height and bignefs. The moft magnificent and the biggeft ftands as you go out of the Town , in the Road to IJhahan. The Perfians will not come near it, but look upon it as defil'd , and a Molquee of He- reticks , ill regard it was built by the Sounnis , or the followers of Omar. 'Tis a vaft Structure fairly built , the Front whereof is fifty Paces broad , with an afcent of eight Steps. It is lin'd without with Brick-work varnifh'd with different Co- lours ', and adorn'd within with very fair Painting A V antique , and abundance of Cifers and Arabian Letters in Gold and Azure. Upon two fides of the Fore-front are rear'd two Minarets or Towers very high , but not very wide , yet with Stairs to go up to the top. They are lin'd with varnifh'd Brick-work , which is the ulual Ornament of the Pcrfian Buildings : and at the top ftand two Cupola's, form'd like the Turbants which the Perfians wear. The Gate of the Molquee is not above four Foot wide , cut out of a great traniparent white Stone , four and twenty Foot high- and twelve broad. Entring at the Door of the Mofquee , you come intd a fpacious \Duomo , thirty fix Paces in Diameter, rais'd upon twelve Pillars within, and fup- ported by fixteen without , which Pillars are very high, and fix Foot iquare. Below there is a Baluftrade or Rails that run round about the Building , with Doors to go
from
17 The Persian Travels Book I.
from one fide to the other: and the Foot of every Pillar, which is of white Marble, is hollow'd into little Niches equal with the Floor, where the People put their Shooes , when they go farther to their Devotions. The infide of the Walls is varmfh'd in Squares of feveral Colours , with Flowers, Cifers, and Arabian Letters intermix'd , and wrought in Embofs'd-work , fo well painted, lb well gilded, that it feems to be but one piece of Work, cut out with a pair of ScifTars. From this Duomo you pafs to another lefifer , but more beautiful in its kind. The lower part is of traniparent white Stone , of the fame nature with that in the Front, cut in great Panes like a Door that never opens. This Duomo has no Pillars , but eight Foot high , it is all of white Marble , where are to be feen Stones of a prodigious length and bredth : The infide of the Vault is a violet Enamel , painted with all • forts of Flowers in Flat-work , but the outfide of both the Duomo's is cover'd with vernifli'd Brick-work , and Flowers embofs'd A la Morefyue. Upon the firft the Flowers are black upon greeny upon the fecond , white Stars upon black: which diverfity of Colours is very pleafing to the Eye.
Near the Door out of which you enter into the IeflTer Duomo , on the left hand, ftands a Chair of Walnut-tree curioufly carv'd, and faften'd to the Wall ; it (lands upon a Platform rais'd fix fteps high, without any Canopy. On the right hand ftands another Chair of the fame Wood, and an exquifite piece of Workmanfhip 5 with a kind of State over it of the fame Wood, faften'd to the Wall. There is a little Rail about it-, and the Platform is four fteps high. On the South-fide of the Mofquee there are two white traniparent Stones , which when the Sun (nines upon them look red : And fometimes after the Sun is let, you may read at thofe Stones by the reflexion of the Sun-beams.
Juft againft the Mofquee on the other fide is another Front , which is the only Remain of a ruin'd Building. It was the abode of the Sheckjman^ or the Chief Prieft. There had been large Baths which belonging to it , but they are all deftroy'd -, fome others there were of Iefs note , which are not lookt after.
In the great Piazza of Tauris and in the parts adjoyning , ftands a fair Mofquee, a Colledge , and a Caftle , which fall to decay •, thefe Buildings being forfakeh j by reafon they were made uie of by the Sonant's, which were followers of Omar. Near the fame Church is a ruin'd Church of the Armenians , whether they fay St. Helena fent the true Crofs. There is another Mofquee , which was formerly a Church dedicated to St. Jo/wBaptift , where they fay one of his Hands was preferv'd a long time.
The Capuchins have a very convenient Houfe at Tauris \ for Mirz.a-Ibrahim Go- vernour of the Province, whofe credit is equal to the Kan of Tauru , which is the chiefeft Command in Perfia, favours him very much with his protection. This Governour has made himfelf very confiderable at Court , and very much relpe&ed by the King for his indefatigable pains , and his extraordinary agility in augmenting the King's Revenue : having found out fuch ways for that purpofe as never entred into the thoughts of any that preceded him in the fame Employment. He is very curious to learn all the Noble Sciences,which is a quality very rare among the Virfians : He alfo takes great delight in the Mathematicks and Philofophy, difcourfing often with Gabriel de Ckincn, Governour of the Capuchins Covent in Tauris. But the great defire which Miraa-Ibrahim had to have his two Sons taught by the laid Gabriel , was the chief motive that made him fo favourable to that Covent. He bought the Friers a place to build their Houfe, and liberally furnifh'd them for the Expence of the Work.
When the Sun fets and rifes , there are a certain Company of People who are oblig'd to make a hideous noife with Drums and Trumpets in the Meidan, or great Piazza of the City. They ftand upon one fide of the Piazza in a Gallery fomewhat rais'd , which is a Cuftom obferv'd in all the Cities under the Perfian Government. As you go out of Tauris upon the North-fide , there is a Mountain clofe by, there being only the River between it. The name of it is Einali-Zeinali, and for- merly there flood upon the top of it a fair Hermitage of the Armenians , which the Mahometans have converted into a Mofquee. At the bottom of the Mountain ftands a Fortrefs and a Mofquee, which they let go to ruine, becaufe they were built by the Ottomans. A little farther upon the brink of the Precipice ftands a Mona- ftery, near to which are two Caves, where are certain Sepulchers and Marble Pillars
lying
Chap.lV. of Monfieur Tavernier. 23
lying along upon the Ground. There are alfo in the Mofquee certain Tombs of the ancient Kings of the Me ties , the Remains whereof fhew that the Work was very Excellent.
Upon the Road from Tauris to Jfpahan, about half a League from the utmoft Gardens , between ieveral knaps of the Mountain which you leave upon the right hand , upon the top of the higheft of all, where there never was any Water, jfhd where it is impoflible to bring any , appears a Bridge fifty Paces long , the Arches whereof are very fair ones, but it falls to decay. It was a Mollah that built it , out of what defign no perfon knew : nor can you come to Tauris upon that fide, but you mud fee that Bridge , becauie there is no other way, there being nothing but Water and Precipices on either hand. Afterwards he confefs'd that he built it out of meer Vanity, knowing that Ska-Abas, the firft of that Name was to come to Tauris. The King indeed came fome time after, and feeing an unprofitable Bridge upon the top of a Mountain, he demanded who built it, and what was his defign. To whom the MolUh return'd this Anfwer, Sir, faid he, I built that Bridge , that when your Majeity came to Tauris^ you might inform your felf from the mouth of him that built it. By which it appeared , that the Mullah had no other ambition than to oblige the King to fpeak to him.
A League from Tauris to the Weft, in the middle of a Field ftands a great Brick Tower, call'd Kanhaz,un. It is about fifty Paces in Diameter, and though it be half ruin'd, yet it is very high. It feems to have been the Dungeon of Tome Caftle, there being very high Walls round about it \ which though they be but of Earth, nevertheless appear to be very ancient. It is not certainly known who built this Tower , but the Arabian Letters upon the Gate afford us feme reafon to conclude that it was a Mahometan Structure. In the year 1651 there happen'd a terrible Earthquake in Tauris and the parts thereabout , by which many Houfes were over- turn'd , and this Tower then cleaving from the top to the bottom , a good part of it fell down , and fill'd up the hollow within-fide.
Befides the little River that runs by Tauris, there is another bigger to be crofs'cl, about half a League from the City, over which there is a very fair Stone-Bridge. Near to it ftands a Sepulcher, cover'd with a little Duomo , where the Perfians lay that the Sifter of Iman-Riz,a lyes interred \ and they have it in great veneration. The River that runs under the Bridge comes from the Mountains of the North , and falls into the Lake Roumi , thirteen or fourteen Leagues from Tauris. They call it Aggu fou , or Bitter-water ; for the Water is very bad , and without any Fifh. The Lake which is fifteen Leagues in compafs , has the fame quality, the Water being blackifh : the Fifh that happen into it out of other Rivers that fall into it , prefently become blind', and in afhort while are found dead by theShoar. This Lake takes its name from a Province and a little City, which are both call'd Roumi, being not above eleven Leagues from Tauris.
In the middle of the Lake , upon the way that leads to a little City call'd Toko- riam, there is a little Hill that rifes infenfibly, the afcent whereof is very fmooth, and out of it there rife many little Springs. The farther they run from the Head, the wider grow the Streams : and the Earth which they water is of two diftinft qualities : the firft Earth that is dig'd ferves to make Lime : the next to that is a hollow fpungy Stone , that is good for nothing • but under that again is a white tranfparent Stone, which you may fee through as through Glaft , which being fmooth and polifh'd ferves to adorn the Houfes. This Stone is only a congelation of the Waters of thefe Streams •, for fometimes you fhall meet with creeping Animals con- geal'd within. The Governour of the Province feat one piece to Sha-Abas , as a great Prefent, wherein there was a Lizard congeal'd of a Foot long. He that pre- fented it to the Governour had twenty Tomans , or three hundred Crowns •; after- wards I offer'd a thoufand for the lame Piece. In fome parts of the Province of Maz.andran , where the Euxin Sea ftretches fartheft into the Perfian Territories, thefe congeal'd Stones are to be found , but not fo frequently as near the Lake Rcumi ■ and you fhall many times find pieces of Wood and Worms congeal'd in the Stones. I brought away a Camels-loading of thefe Stones , and left them at Marfeilles - till I coulcl find what ufe to put them to,
«Z H A P
The Persian Travels Book L
CHAP. V.
A Continuation of the Conftantinopolitan %oad from Tauris to Ifpahan, through Ardevil and Casbin.
FlRom Tanris to Ifpahan the Caravan makes it generally twenty-four days J journey. The firft day you crofs over dry Mountains , and four Leagues from Tanris you meet with one of the faireft Inns in Perfia. This Inn Sha-Sefi caus'd to be built', it is very convenient, and large enough to lodge a hundred perfons with their Horles. Over all Terfia, efpecially from TanrU to lft dim, and from thence to Ormus , you meet every day with Inns at an equal diftance.
The next day youdefcend a Mountain, in very rugged and narrow way. At the foot of this Mountain there are two ways for the Merchants to choofe that will go to Iftahan. They that will go the ordinary road and the direft way through Kom and Kachan , leave a Lake upon the left hand that parts the two Roads -7 and they that will go through Ardevil and Cajbin , two other good Cities , leave the Lake upon the right hand , and coaft along by the fide of the Mountain. From Tauris to Ardevil it is not above a dozen Leagues •, and having pafs'd the Lake, the Country is very good : Which is the Road I intend to defcribe firft.
Ardevil being at fo fmall a diftance from Tauris, lyesalmoft in the fame Degrees and Minutes of Longitude and Latitude. This City is famous , as well for being the firft Market of Silks that come from Guilan , from which it is not far off-, as alio for the Sepulcher of Sha-Sefi, the firft of that Name , King of Perfia. The avenues to it are very pleafant , being as it were Alleys of great Trees, which are call'd Tchinar, planted in a ftreight line , at a due diftance. It is of a moderate bignefs, and ieated in a lovely opening of the Mountains. The next to the City, which is call'd Sevalan, is the higheft in all Media. The Houfes of Ardevil are built of Earth, as are moft of the Houfes in the Cities of Perfia: but the Streets are very uneven , dirty , and narrow. There is but one which is handfom , at the end whereof is built the Armenian Church. A little River runs through the middle of the City , which defcending from the neighbouring Mountains runs from Eaft to Weft. It is by Induftry brought into many Cutts to water the Gardens , and in many places there are very fair Trees planted, which are very delightful to the Sight. The Meydan or Market-place is a very great one , more long than round ; where ftands a very fine Inn, upon one fide, which the Kan caus'd to be built. There are feveral others in ieveral parts of the City, which have the Proipett over feveral lovely Gar- dens, efpecially that which belongs to the King •, to which you go through a long and ftately Walk of four rows of Trees , at the end whereof ftands a large Gate that gives you entrance. Though the Country about Ardevil be proper to bear Vines , yet there are none thereabouts •, nor is there any Wine made till about four or five Leagues from the City. The Armenians that dwell in the City are very welj ilor'd with if, though there be no place in all Perfia , where there is fo much Caution to be us'd , either as to the Importing it, or the Drinking it} both which muft be done very privately : Which proceeds from the Mahometan Superftition ; the Perfians having lb peculiar a Veneration for that place , that they believe it a Sin to fuffer Wine to be publickly drank therein.
The People come in Pilgrimage from all parts of Perfia to the Sepucher of Sha- Sefi; which together with thevaft Trade of Silk , makes Ardevil owe. of the moft considerable Cities of all Perfia. There are feveral other Buildings added to the Mofyitte wherein he lyes interr'd', the Entry whereof faces the Aleydan, to which ir is joyn'd upon the South-fide with a large Portal. The Gate is chain'd with Chains faften'd a-crofs with great Rings} which if any Criminal Offender can but touch, and enter into the firft Court , he is fafe \ for no perfon can apprehend him. This is a large Court, yet more in length than breadth, without the Wall whereof that looks upon the Market-place, feveral Shop? are built for Merchants and Trades- men.
Out
Chap. V. of Monfieur Tavernier. 25
Out of this Court you pafs into another which is lets , and pav'd with broad Stones, with a Rivulet running through the middle. The Entry into it is through' a Door, fortifi'd with Iron Chains like the former, and is made at a corner of the great Court upon the left hand. It brings you prefently under a Portico , where there are fair Balconies rais'd after the fafhion of the Country. Thofe Balconies are full of feveral People :, cither Pilgrims , or perfbns whole Crimes conllrain them thither for Sanctuary. In that place you rauil leave your Stick and your Sword, before you go any farther :, and give fomething befidcs to a Monllah, who is always attending there with Books.
In that iecond Court through which the Rivulet glides , on the one fide are Baths, on the other Granaries for Rice and Corn :, and upon the left hand , at the end of the fame Court , there is a little Door which brings you to a place where the Royal Alms are diftributed to the Poor, Morning and Evening -, being juft againft the King's Kitchin. This Gate is cover'd with Plates of Silver; and in the Kitchia there are about thirty Ovens contriv'd in the Wall , with as many great Caldrons to drels Pilaw and other Food, as well for the Poor as for the Officers of the Mofquee. While thefe Alms are diftributing, the Mafter-Cook , who commands all the reft, lets upon a Chair cover'd with Plates of Silver, and lees that every thing be done in order. He fees to the meafuring out the Rice every day for the Kettles , and caufes the Victuals to be divided in his own fight: For there is an excellent Oeco- nomy in the King's Houfe.
At the end of the Portico beyond the firft Court there are two Gates, one beyond another, both cover'd with Plates of Silver; between thole two Gates on the right hand appears a little Mofiquee , where are the Tombs of feveral Per/tan Princes of the Blood Royal. You muft have a great care not to tread upon the Thresholds of the Gates :, for it is a Crime not to be expiated without a levere Punifhment. From hence through a little He , you come into the Body of the Church, richly hung with Tapeftry, and let about with high Desks , where lye a great many Books, wherein the Moullabs , or Doctors of the Law read continually , having Stipends to Officiate in the Mofqme. At the end of the Body of the Mofcpiee , is a little Octagonal Monument, like the Choir of a Church, in the midft whereof Hands the Monument of Sha-Sefi. It is only of Wood , but curioufly carv'd and inlaid. It exceeds not the height of a Man of an ordinary ftature , and feems like a great Cheft, having four Apples of Gold let up at each corner. It is cover'd with a Crimfon Satin purfi'd with Gold *, and all the other Tombs that are by it , are cover'd with Silks as rich. As well in the Choir as in the Body of the Church , there are abun- dance of Lamps, fome of Gold , fome of Silvery but the biggeft of all is of Silver, gilded and vermilion'd, and neatly engrav'd. There are alio fix great Branches of a curious fort of Wood, cover'd with Silver, with great Wax Candles in them, which are never lighted but at their great Feftivals.
From the Duomo where Hands the Tomb of Sha-Sefi, you go under a little Vault, which enclofes another Monument of another King of Perfia , whofe Name I could not learn. It looks like another great Cheft, curioufly wrought, and cover'd with Satin. The Roof of the Mofqnee is adorn'd within with a Painting of Gold and Azure, a la Morefqite ; on the outfide, with a fair Varnifh of feveral Colours, like the ftately Mofquce at Tauris.
In the adjacent Parts round about Ardeiiil are feveral Monuments worth a Man's fight, being very ancient*, and fome which are ruin'd , fhew by what remains the care which they took to enrich them with curious Workmanfhip. A quarter of a League from the City ftands a Mofqaee , in which are the Tombs of the Father and Mother of Sha-Sefi. It is a fair Structure $ with Gardens and Courts , in one of which there is a very clear Fountain where they .keep Fifh.
Arde'nil is- not only famous , as I have faid already , for the Royal Sepulchers which are in it, and for the Pilgrimages which have been made to it from all parts of Perfia ; but the numerous Caravans of Silk, which fometimes confift of eight or nine hundred Camels , add very much to its Grandeur. For being near to (juilan and Shamaqui , from whence thofe vaft quantities of Silk come •, and for that the Road from both thofe places , to Conftantinople and Smyrna , lyes through this City, there is a continual confluence of Merchants, and all forts of Merchandizes are here to be had as well as at Tauriik
D Ftwfl
2 6 The Persian Travels Book I.
From Arde'uil to Cajbin you travel through a good Country •, for every three or four Leagues you meet with little Rivers that tall from the Northern Mountains, and water the Earth. The Caravan is ufually five days between Arde'uil and Ariony between Arion and Tar on two , between Taron and Cafbin two more. Half a League on this ficle Taron you muft crofs a great River over a ftone Bridge, and half a League beyond you come to Kalhal.
nArion is a little City, Taron and Kalkal are two great Towns , and there are but theie three places in all Terjia where there grow any Olives, or that they make any Oyl. Leaving Kalkal, you travel over a Plain for three hours, at the end whereof is a Way which you cannot get over in lefs than four hours. The way is fo bad that the Horfes and Mules can hardly get up •, but for the Camels, they muft take the lower Road, which is alio very tedious, and full of Stones which the Torrents tumble down, and it is three or four Leagues about. When you are up , the Country is level, and you have not above three Leagues to Cajbin.
Cajbin lyes in 87 Degrees and 30 Minutes of Longitude, and 36 Degrees and 15 Minutes of Latitude. It is a great City, the Houfes whereof are low and ill built ; except feven or eight , which are next to the King's Gardens. It has no Walls, and indeed the bed half of the City is in Gardens. There are three Inns, with Market-places round about •, one of the three being large and commodious. It is inhabited altogether by Mahometans \ or if there be any Chriftians , they are very few.
The Soil about Cajbin produces Piftaches. The Tree that bears them is never bigger than a Walnut-tree of ten or twelve years old. The great quantity of Pifta- ches that are exported out of Perjia come from Malavert, a little City twelve Leagues from I/pahan , toward the Eaft. Thefe are the beft Piftaches in the World , and the Country being of a large extent, produces them in fuch abundance, that it furnifhes all Perjia and the Indies.
Leaving Cajbin , you come to a little Village where there is but one Inn *, and you travel that day fix Leagues through Countries fertil enough , and well water'd.
The next day you travel through a good Country, and in nine or ten hours you come to Denghe. This is a great Village at the foot of a Hill , through which there runs a fair River. It abounds with excellent both White and Claret Wine , where the Travellers take care to replenilh their Bottles. But generally they never lye here ♦, being defirous to go a League farther , for a good Inn's lake , which makes it a handfom Stage.
At this Town of Denghe it is where the two Roads from Tauris to Ifpahan meet : the firft, through Ardeuil and Cajbin , I have already defcrib'd. Hither alfo come the Caravans that go for the Indies through Mejhehed and Candahar, and where they leave I/pahan Road to take the left-hand Way , which carries them Eaftward .
CHAP. VI.
T7;e ordinary <I{oad from Tauris to Ifpahan , through Zangan, Sukanie, and other places.
WE muft now return again to the Lake fix Leagues beyond Tauris, where they that will take the ordinary fhort way through Zan- gan and Sultanie , leave the left hand way of ^Ardeuil and Cajbin. This Lake is ufually full of large red Ducks , which are very good Meat.
From thence, after twelve or thirteen hours travel , in which time you meet with three Inns , you come to Karajlrima , a large Town in a deep Valley, that feems to be well manur'd. There is in it only a fmall Inn built of Earth, the Doors whereof are fo low, that the People are fore'd to creep upon their knees to get in.
The next day you come to another large Village calPd Turcoma , where the Soil is fertil, though it be very cold. There are feveral Caravanjera's built like a long
Alley
Chap, VI. of Monfieur Tavernier. 27
Alley cover'd , which are only of Earth , the Men lying at one end , and the Horles at another.
The next day you travel over an uneven and defert Country, and in eight hours time you come to Miana , a little City fituated in a Marfh , where you pay a Toll for Guarding the Highways. In this City is one of the faireft Inns in all Perfia.
Two hours after you leave Miana, you muft crofs a River, over a fair Bridge which runs to decay, the Arches whereof are hollow within-, it is built of Brick and Free-ftone , being near as long as Pont neuf'm Paris. This Bridge ftands almoft at the foot of a Mountain call'd Kaplenton. Sba-Abas caus'd all the way to be Pav'd becaufe the Land is lb fat and floughy, that when it thaws, or that the leaft Rain falls , it is impofftble for the Caravan to pafs. Befides , there are a fort of Camels in Perfia , that when it comes to rain in a deep Soil , are not able to keep their Legs: nay through the weight of the Burthens which they carry, their very Quarters will rive from their Shoulders , and their Bellies will burft. So that before the way was pav'd , they were forc'd to ipread Carpets in the mod flippery ways where thofe Camels were to pafs : which muft be ftill done in fOme places , where the Pave- ment is worn away.
At the lower part of the defcent toward Ijpahan , upon the knap of a Hill which ftands by it felf, appears an old forfak'n Fortrefs : it is near the Highway, and a River , which falls into the Cajfian Sea, after it has crofs'd the Province of Cjuilan, where it is cut into feveral Channels. But generally the Corn and Fruits which grow in Perfia by the help of Water forc'd into Channels, are of little efteem, and much cheaper than thofe that grow in the Provinces whole Fertility is not Arti- ficial. Moreover, that fort of forc'd Grain will not keep above a Year} and if you keep it longer, it breeds a Vermin that eats it. 'Tis the fame thing if the Corn be grownd \ and more than that , there breeds a Worm in the Flowr , that makes it i'o bitter that tis impofllble to eat it.
On this fide the Mountain Kaplenton, appear at a diftancetwo others very high, one toward the North call'd Saveland , another toward the South call'd Seband: there is a third, which cannot be feen in Ijpahan-Road , being too far out of the way, near the City of Hamadan. Thefe three Mountains are full of Springs , from whence moft of the Streams do fall that water Perfia : And the Perfians do fay, that formerly there were many more of thefe Springs , but that about a hundred Years ago feveral of them have been dry'd up , or otherwile no body can tell what is become of them.
There are feveral Villages near the Mountain that pay nothing to the King , but are oblig'd to fend him a certain quantity of Rice and Buttcr,for the ufe of the Mofiqu.ee at Ardciiil. They have alfo one great Priviledge , That if a Man commits a Mur- ther, and flyes to any of thefe Villages , he cannot be apprehended , nor can the King himfelf punilh him.
Leaving the River that runs at the foot of the Mountain Kaplenton , you come to a fair Inn call'd Tjhamalava , built fome years ago : and for thirteen hours after, travelling over a very barren Country, you meet with another Inn , which is call'd Sartchant , Handing in a very defert place : which makes the Raders, that lye there to fecure the Highways , very infolent * finding themfelves fo far from any Towns or Villages.
From Sartcbam you come to a River, by the Banks whereof you travel a good while j till you come to an Inn which is call'd JDigbe , near a large Village. The Structure is very handfom , the lower part being of Free-ftone undulated with red and white , and very hard.
The next day you travel a very uneven Country, till you fall into a deep Valley, at the end whereof you meet with Zangan , a great Town and ill built. How- ever, it has a very fair Inn, which when I went laft to JJpaban was fo full, that I had like to have lain abroad in the Rain , but for the Courtefie of two Armenians. From Zangan you go to an Inn , where you muft pay the Duties due to the Kan of Snltanie.
Suit anie is a very large City , which you leave half a Mile from the Road , near to a Mountain. Formerly it had in it very beautiful Mofjuees , as may be eafily conje&ur'd by the Ruines that remain. Many Chriftian Churches alfo were con-
D 2 verted
28 ^be Persian Travels Book I.
verted into Mofquces\ and if you will beleive the Armenians , they will tell you, that there were in Sultanie near eight hundred Churches and Chappek
Three Leagues from Sultanie (lands an Inn , and a League farther a great Town calPd Ija, where there is another very commodious Inn, and raoft excellent Wine.
From thence you go to Habar, an ancient City and of a large extent , but very much ruin'd, inhabited by Armenians for the moft part : Here , for the good Wines fake the Travellers flay to recruit their Bottles.
From Habar , after feven hours travel you come to a Village call'd Vartin. From Zangan to Part in you reach in two days. It (lands in a fertil Plain , where there are ieveral other Villages. It is not above three Leagues broad , being enclos'd on each fide , to the Eaft and Weft , with a row of high Mountains.
Having pafs'd this Plain , you come to a barren Country and ill inhabited , which lafts all the day, till you come to Sexava. You pafs by the Ruines of 'a Village, where there are but two Houfes (landing , with the Tower of a Mofquee , which is very high and (lender. Then you come to a Mud-wall'd-Inn , built fome few years fince i and near to that a Caflle call'd Khiara , upon the peek of a Hill , but very ill built.
Sexava is a little City in a Soil that bears excellent Nuts. The Inns that are there, being built of Earth , and being but little , are very handfom and convenient, their number fupplying the defect of their fmalneis.
From Sexava , after feven hours travel, you come to a great Inn , call'd Idgioup, which was formerly a nobler place than now it is, (landing alone in a Field. Three Leagues from thence you meet with another fpacious Inn , call'd Cochkeria - and four hours farther you come to the Inn Denghe , where the two Roads meet which I fpake of in the foregoing Chapter.
From Denghe to Kom , are three days journey, over a barren , dry, and defert Country, where there is no Water but Ciflern-water, except in fome very few places, where it is very good. Four Leagues from Denghe is a fair Inn ; and three Leagues farther fb.nds another , about a Mile from a Village to the South . where there grows excellent good Wine , white and red. From this lad Inn to Suva is not above three hours travel with the Caravan.
Sava is a good City in a fertil Plain , where there are feveral Villages. The greatefl Trade of the Town is in little grey Lamb-skins, the curl whereof is very neat , of which they make Furrs. Two or three Leagues beyond Sava the Country is very well manur'd , and after you have forded a River half a League from the City, after two hours travel, you come to one of the faireft Inns in all Perfia , which was finifli'd when I went lad to I/pahan. From thence to Kom it is about feven or eight hours journey, through a dry and fandy Road : but half a League on this fide Kom the Land is very good and fruitful.
Kom is one of the great Cities of Perfia, in a fat Country abounding in Rice. There grow alfo excellent Fruits , particularly large and excellent Granates. The Walls are only of Earth , with little Towers clofe one to another ^ and the Houfes being only of Earth , are never the handfomer within-fide. At the entry into the Town you mud crofs a River , over a (lone Bridge , and then turning to the right hand over a fair Key, you come to an Inn very well built and very convenient. ,
That which is mod remarkable in Kom is a large Mofquee, no lefs in veneration among the Perfians, than the Mofquee of Ardeiiil. There it is that you may fee the Sepul- chers of Sha-Sefi and Sha-Abas the Second •, as alfo the Tomb of Sidi-Fatima , the Daughter of Iman-Hocen , who was the Son of Haly and Fatima-Zuhra the Daughter of Mahomet. The great Gate of the Mofquee aniwers to a Tiaz.z.a more long than broad, where dands an Inn and certain Shops, which without-fide are fomewhat beautiful. One of the fides of the Piaz.z.a is clos'd up with a low Wall , over which appears the Shore, and a River which you crofs at the end of the Piaz.z.a. Over the great Portal of the Mofquee dands an Infcription , in Letters of Gold , in the Praife of Sha-Abas the Second. The fird place that you enter into is a Court of more length than breadth , which may be term'd a Garden , in regard that on each fide of the Alley in the middle , which is pav'd , there are feveral fquare Beds of Flowers •, yellow Jafmin, and other Plants •, which are rail'd in by a Rail that runs all the length of the Alley on each fide. It is not an eafie thing for the Chridians to
get
Chap.VI. of Monfieur Tavernier. 29
get in to this Court , cfpecially fuch whofe Habits and Afpect they do not like : But as I cloth'd and carry'd my felf, I never was deny'd entrance into any place either in Perfia or India.
In this firft Court, on the left hand as you enter, are little Chambers, where they that receive the" Alms which by the Foundation of the Mofquee are to be diftributed every day, come and eat their proportion, and then go their ways. Thole Chambers ferve as an Afylum to thole that cannot pay their Debts , as at the Mofquee of Ardeuil. Neither are thele Priviledg'd places like ours, where they that retire mull live at their own Charge : For in Perfia they are fed at the Expence of the Mofquee ; and being in that manner freed from Care , their Friends more eafily bring their Creditors to Compofition.
Out of the firft Court you pal's into a fecond , which is larger, and all pav'd ', and from that into a third , which is fquare, and rais'd like a Terrals. You enter into it through a large Gate , at the end of an open Paflage , where ftand the Lodgings of the Moullah's.
Out of that Court by an afcent of Brickwork of ten or twelve Steps, you enter into a fair Court, which is alio rais'd like a Terrals y in the midft 'whereof is a fair Fountain. It is continually fill'd by little Pipes of Water which run into it , and is empty'd by others that carry the Water into feveral parts of the whole Enclofure. There are fome Buildings in this Court, but one of the fiVes of it is taken up with the Front of the Mofquee , which is no difpleafing Structure. There are three large Gates belong to it , very well expanded , according to the mode of the Country j ' with a Brick-wall before , about the height of a Man , with Holes in it for Light, made like a Lozange. The Threfhold of the middle Gate is cover'd with a plate of Silver ; and between thefe three Gates and that of the Duomo , are ieveral Doctors, that hold Books in their hands, and read perpetually.
This Mofquee is Octagonal , and at every angle is a fmall wooden Door of Walnut- tree, varnifh'd with grey and yellow. The Tomb of SiduFatima is at the farther part of the Mofquee , there being only room for one Man to pafs between the Wall and the Tomb. It is encompafs'd with a large Silver Grate , fixteen Footlquare; the Bars whereof are round , and knob'd in thofe places where they crofs each other , it is lighted by Ieveral Lamps of Gold and Silver : which altogether is very pleafing to the Eye. The infide of the Mofquee, to the elevation of the Angles that fupport the Duomo, is compos'd of fquare Tiles varnifh'd over with divers Colours :, and the Cupola of the Duomo, as alfo the Vault of the Portico of the Mofquee , is a Morefco piece of Painting in Or and Azure. Upon each fide of the Mofquee, and near the fide where the Tomb of Sidi-Fatima ftands , appears a great Hall, where the Royal Alms are diftributed to the Poor,which confift of Pilaw and other diet,very well dreft.From this Tomb you turn to the left hand toward an Afcent , diftant five and twenty or thirty Paces*, and at the top of this Afcent is a Door, over which there an is In- fcription in Honour of Sha-Abas the Second. The Door being open'd, fhews you the place where the Body of that King repofes : and through another Door with a Grate in it, you may difcover, under a fmall Duomo , the Tomb of Sha-Sefi his Father-, which is cover'd with a Carpet of Cloth of Gold. They were conti- nually af work upon the Tomb of Sha-Abat, which they faid, they would make very famous.
I had not been two hours in Kom , but a multitude of People ran by the Inn Gate, all in extraordinary haft. Asking what the matter was, they anfwer'd me, that it had been a day long defign'd for the two Trophets to fight. Thereupon I went to the Piazza , which was lb crowded , that I had much ado to get to fee. In the firft place a fufrkient number of Tumblers and Puppet-players , divided into two Bands, kept the middle of the Piazza, and made a fufrkient Ring for the Combat. Each Band held a Bull by the Horns, one of which they call'd Mahomet , and the other Holy : and whether it were by accident , or by the cunning of the Bull- Mafters, after an obftinate Combat, wherein the Beafts foam'd again with heat and rage ; Mahomet at length quit the Field , and yielded Haly the Victory. Then all the People fhouted for joy , and all the Piazza was fill'd with the noife of Flutes and Hautboys -, and every one coming as if it were to adore Haly , cry'd out, "Behold the Works of Cjod , that Haly has made ! At length they bring the Bull Haly under a Gate , with his Head turn'd toward the People ; where after they
have
30 The Persian Travels Book I.
_ . *.
have rub'd him to refrefh him , after a Combat fo courageoufly maintain'd , every one fends him Prefents , which are all the Tumblers profit. The Kan or Governour of Kom , who was prefent with a hundred Horfes richly trap'd to behold the Sight, lent the Bull a Prefent of 50 Tomans , or 750 Crowns. They who accompany'd him, and the chief Inhabitants of Kom, gave him lbme a Garment, others a Girdle. Neither did the meaneft of the People fpare to fend or carry him Fruits , or other things , according to their abilities.
The Kan was a Lord who was very civil , and there was no Stranger that did not commend his behaviour, in regard he was fo obliging.
So foon as I came to the place , whether it was that he pcrceiv'd me with a Dutch- man that I had brought along from Confiantinople , or whether any one had inform'd him that there were Strangers near him , he lent for us, and after he had ask'd us fome Queftions concerning the occafion of our Travelling , he fent for a Seat and caus'd us to fit down. Then he ask'd us whence we came, and what we did at IJpahan ; to which when we had anfwer'd him , that we went to wait upon the King, he approv'd our Intention , complaining that we had not given him advice of our Arrival. In the Evening he fent us feveral Delicacies , among the reft , fix fair Melons , and four Bottles of excellent Wine.
He appear'd to me fo brave and generous a Perfon , that I was very much trou- bled afterwards for his being in dis-favour with the King , and his death , which enfu'd. For this Kan finding the Walls of the City, which were only of Earth, and the Bridge over the River to be out of repair, without writing to the King , of his own head, laid a flight Impofition upon every Basket of Fruit that was brought into the City. Now there are in all the Cities of Perfia , perfons who are hir'd to take an account every Week what the Commodities may be worth , and to take care that no more than l'uch a Toll be laid upon any thing •, which they tax among themfelves, and when they have let the Rate, they caufe it to be cry'd at the beginning of every Week. Sha-Sefi then reign'd, it being the year 1632. The King being inform'd by thefe people of the Impoft which the Kan had fet upon Fruit without his knowledge , was foenrag'd againft him, that he caus'd him to be brought in Chains to Ijpahan , where he us'd him with a ftrange feverity. For at that time the Son of the Kan flood at the King's Elbow, it being his Office to give him his Pipe and his Tobacco, which is a very honourable Employment in Perfia. When the Kan came , the King caus'd him to be carry'd to the Gate of the Palace, in the prefence of all the People , and then commanded his Son to pull the Hair of his Father's Muftaches by the roots from his Skin. After that he commanded him to cut off his Nofe and his Ears*, after that to put out his Eyes , and laftly to cut off his Head. When he had done the Execution according to the King's pleafure, he commanded him to go and take pofTeffion of his Father's Government , and allowing him an experienc'd Old Man for his Lieutenant, he fent him to Kom with thefe words', If thou gover??fi no better than this dead, Dog hat done , I will fut thee to a more cruel death than this.
Leaving Kom, for four hours you travel over a fair Champain Couatry, after which you come to a fair Village with five or fix Inns in it. Beyond that is nothing but Sand , till you come to a place call'd Abfihirim , or Frejh-water, where there are three Inns at a diftance from any Villages. From Abfchirim to Cachan is fix hours Journey through a Corn Country , and ftor'd with great Villages.
Cachan is a large City, well peopl'd , and furnifh'd with all things necefTary for humane fubfiftance : There is an old Wall about it which is fain down in many places , fo that there is no need of feeking for Gates to get into the City. On that fide which looks toward Ifpahan the Soil is good , and produces great ftore of Fruit and Wine , which the Jews take care to make. It is reckon'd that there are in Cachan a thoufand Families of Jews ; in Ijpahan about fix hundred •, but in Kom there are not above nine or ten. Not but that there are many Jews in Perfia , but thofc that live in Ijpahan , Cachan and Kom , boaft themfelves particularly of the Tribe of Jtidah.
There arc an abundance of Silk-Weavers in Cachan that are very good Workr men , which make all the beft purfl'd Sattins mix'd with Gold and Silver, that come out of Perfia. There they alfo coyn Money, and make Copper-vefTels , which they vend in great quantities at a good diftance off. The Market-houies are very fair
one?,
Chap. VI. of Monfieur Ta vernier. 31
ones, and well vaulted, the Inns large and convenient: but there was one among the reft which was very magnificent , near the King's Gardens , at the entry of the City. As well the Inn as the Gardens were made by the order of Sha-Abas, the firft of that Name , who w«s at a vaft charge. The Inn is above a hundred Paces fquare, built of Brick two Stories high, containing twenty-fix vaulted Chambers of a realbnable bignefs. It was a Structure too fair to be fo little regarded, as now it is, being much fain to decay. In the middle of the Court was a Fountain to receive Water, which is fpoil'd. The Pcrfans and Turks are of that bad humor, rather to build new Houfes than to repair old Buildings. For which reafon they have fince built at Cachan four or five Inns , as fair and commodious as that of Ska- Abas. This Cuftom is grown to that height , that the Children are lb far from taking care to repair the old Houfes where their Parents liv'd, that they will not fo much as live in them after their deceafe , covetous of the honour of building Houfes for themfelves.
Before we leave Cachan youmuft take notice, that as you travel from that City to (Julian you cannot avoid travelling thorough Plains for twelve hours together, which are all pure Salt •, and there is nothing to be met with by the way, but one Ciftern •, nor can the Water which is in it be otherwife than very bad.
Leaving Cachan , you crofs a Plain of three Leagues , after which you enter in among the Mountains , where you come to a very fair Inn of Brick. From thence you defcend a pleafant Vale, where you travel a long time by the fide of a Ri- ver, over a very narrow way. At the end of the Valley you meet a great Wall, which crofTes it, and joyns the two Mountains together. This Wall is above a hundred Paces long , above thirty Foot thick, and fifty high. It was the Work of the Great Sha-Abas , whofe defign it was to flop the Waters that fall from the Mountain , and to make a Receptacle for Water in that place , to ferve his occafions. At the foot of the Wall there is a Sluce , which being let down keeps in the Water-, but is pull'd up to let out the Water over all the neighbouring Lands to the Plain of Cachan. From this Receptacle to Corou , is about two hours travel.
Corou is a very large Village , and well peopl'd , in a Soil environ'd with high Mountains , and planted with great ftore of Walnut-trees. The Houfes confut but of one low Story, being built of Flint-ftones } but the Inn therein is very fair and commodious. This Village confifts but of one Street , but it is almoft half a League long , and very troublefom in the Winter , by reafon of a great River that runs through it, and the great quantity of Stones that lye in the way. All about this Village , as in feveral other places of Perfia , there are a great number of Sha* coles \ which are a kind of Foxes, that in the night time make an ugly noife^ for if but one cry, all the reft will make anfwer, and fet up a howling.
From Corou you muft travel three Leagues between Mountains, after which you have but twelve Leagues to JJpahan. It is a continued Plain that extends it felf. beyond the City, and in many places the Soil is very good. At every three Leagues end you meet with Inns. The firft is call'd Achaha-Agakamala ; the fecond, which is the half-way between Corou and JJpahan, is call'd Michiacour. This place confifts not only of one Inn , for there are many others , fo that it refembles a large Vil- lage. From Michiacour you come to Aganura, another Inn , but ill built •, and from Agamtra , after you have travel'd three Leagues through a fat and fertil Country, you come to JJpahan.
CHAP,
j2 The Persian Travels Book L
CHAP. VII.
Of the %oad from Smyrna to Ifpahan , through Natolia.
S
Myrna is at this day for Trade , whether it be by Sea or Land , one of the mod celebrated Cities of all the Levant , and the greatell Market for all forts of Commodities which are tranfported out of Afia into Europe , or out of Europe into Afia. Hither all the Weftern Fleets are mod regularly bound , that came formerly no farther than Ligorn , and from whence , at times moil regularly appointed , the faireft Caravans fet out.
This City lyes in 50 Degrees of Longitude-, and 38 Degrees, 45 Minutes of Latitude •, at the bottom of a Gulf in the Archipelago , which is feven Leagues in length , upon the right fide of the Ifihmm which begins to form the Peninfula of Claz,omene , right againft the Hand of Scbio. It lyes in that part of the LefTer Afiay which the Cjreeks pofTefs'd , under the Name of honium ; at a diftance almoft equal, between Ephcfm and Sardis ; and was one of the feven Churches mention'd in the Revelation of St. John. It is at this day a great City, built like an Amphitheater, upon the defcent of a Hill that looks toward the Summer- Weft. But it is neither fo great , nor lb beautiful as formerly it was , as may be eafily conje&ur'd by the Ruines of certain Edifices that remain upon that Hill , which from the middle to the top , where the ancient City flood , are altogether uninhabited. There are alfo to be feen the Walls of a fair Caftle , and above that the Ruines of an Amphi- theater, where they fay St. Polycarp was expos'd to fight with Lions. This Am- phitheater was not in the form of thole other, which are ufually round:, for it con- tain'd but half a Circle , being left open to the Sea-fide. The Turks have almoft quite deflroy'd it : making ufe of the Stones to build a Fort two Leagues from the City, upon the Gulf, where the pafTage is very narrow , which the Ships .are forc'd to falute as they enter in, and to fpeak with when they fail out. Moreover, that they might not be put to fend for Stones a-far off, they confulted whether they might not make ufe of the Stones of the Chriftians Monuments , as alfo of thofe of the Jews , which are near the Shore : But they took very few, whether out of kindnefs to the Tombs, or whether they did not think them fo proper for ufe as the Stones of the Amphitheater. This Caftle had not been long built, but upon an occafion very remarkable. In the laft Wars of the Turks with the Venetians , the Ottoman Fleet having been beaten in the Archipelago , the Grand Signor refolv'd to re-fit another to Sea , and thereupon fent to all the parts of his Empire , where he knew any Englifi) or Holland VefTels ufually were wont to ride , to folicit them to ferve him for his Pay. More particularly he aim'd at thofe VefTels which were in Smyrndy where there were generally more than in any other Port. But the Captains , who reje&cd his Propofition of fighting againft the Venetians , believing that he would put fome force upon them , fuddenly hois'd Sail and got away •, it being at a time when he could not keep them in, having no Caftle then built to command them. The Grand Vifier nettl'd at the refufal of the Captains, as an affront done to his Matter , and to fee that the Ships could come in and go out , without any let or moleftation , bethought himfelf ( to the end he might keep them for the future under fubjeclion ) of building a Fort upon the Gulf, in lbch a part where the VefTels muft necefTarily touch-, where now there lye great Cannons level with the Water, which no VefTel can efcape. Ever fince the Convoys will not come to Smyrna , as they were wont to do , but lye out at Sea , out of the reach of the Fort.
Near to the Sea are yet to be feen fome Remains of a Church, two fides whereof Teem to have been diftinguifh'd into Chappels by little Walls, which are yet {landing : But the Natives doubt whether they be the Ruines of a Church dedicated to St. Pdy- carp, or of an ancient Temple of Janus.
Smyrna has been oftentimes ruin'd either by the Wars , or by the Earthquakes which often happen there. One time that I flaid there , there happen'd one, which did not laft long , but was very terrible. About fixty Paces from the Sea are to be difcern'd the Ruines of great Walls two Foot under Water \ and at the end of the
City
Chap. VII. of Monfieur Tavernier. 33
City that looks toward the Winter-Weft , near to the Sea , appear the Ruines of a Mole , and certain ancient Magazins.
The Englijh Merchants have cUg'd among tbe Ruines of Smyrna , and have found great ftore of fair Statues, which they traniported into their own Country. There are ftill found fomc or other every day, but when the Turks find any, they disfigure them prefently. It may be conjeftur'd , that there was one of a prodigious bignefs, by a great Toe broken off of fome one, and for which I paid fufficiently; out of the defire I had to buy it. Lfent it to Paris to a Perfon of Quality, who look'd upon it as a great Curiofity. This. Toe was of a hard white Stone, and well fhap'd, and by the proportion whereof, the Figure could not be judg'd to be lefs than the Colojfus of Rhodes.
Upon that fide of the City where the Mole was, (lands an old Caftle of no defence, at the foot whereof the Sea makes a fmall Creek , where ibmetimes the Gallies of the Grand Signor lye.
The City is well peopl'd * containing no lefs than fourfcore and ten thoufand Souls. There are reckon'd no lefs than 60000 Turks , 1 5000 Greek* , 8000 Armenians , and about fix or feven thoufand Jews. As for the European Chriftians that Trade therej their number is very fmall. Every one of thefe Nations has the exercife of their Religion free to themfelves. The Turks have in Smyrna fifteen Mofquces , the Jews ieven Synagogues , the Armenians but one Church , the Greeks two , and the Latins three. There are alfo French Jefuits , and Italian Obfervantins , or a fort of Grey Francifcans. The Turks , the Greeks , the Armenians , and Jews live upon the Hill ; but all the lower part toward the Sea is inhabited only by the European Chriftians, Englift, French, Hollanders, and Italians. The Greeks have alio in the fame Quar- ter ^ an old Church, and fome few fmall Houfes, where Sea-men make merry.
All thefe different People of Europe are generally known in Smyrna by the Namd of Franks. Every Nation has its Conful : and the French Conful has two f^ice-Confuls under him •, the one at Scalanova > the other at Chio.
Scalanova, or the New Port j is two Leagues beyond Ephefus , and being a good Haven, the Veflels were wont. to unlade therej but the Turks Would not permit it any longer. For that Place being the Dowry of the Grand Signorh Mother, the VTce-Conful agreed with the Governour of Scalanova, who permitted theTranfpor- tation of Goods to Smyrna, which is not above three little days journey with the Caravan : A thing that fpoil'd the Trade of the City, and injur'd the Officers of the Cuftom-Houfe. Whereupon they Petitioned the Grand Signor that no more Goods might be unladed at Scalantva : fo that now no more Vends go thither , unlefs it be to take in frefh Victuals.
Chio is one of the greateft Hands in the Archipelago , of which in another place : but the Vice-Ctnful that lives there has no more bufinefs there than the other at Scalantva ; for the VefTels that touch there , neither unlade nor export any Goods from thence.
The Quarter of the Franks is only a long Street * one fide whereof lyes upon the Sea*, and as well for the Profpeft, as for the convenience of. Unlading Goods > the Houfes upon the Sea are much deargr than thofe that lye upon the Hill.
The Soil about Smyrna is fertil, and abounds, in all things necefTary for humane fupport •, but particularly in good Oyl and good Wine. There are Salt-Pits alfo half a League from the City> toward the North. The Sea affords great ftore of good Fifh*, Fowl is very cheapo and IE a word, Smyrna is a place of great plenty. Ther£ is a lovely Walk all along the Sea to the Salt-Pits , where generally abundance of People walk in the Summer-time to take the frefh Air: and there being more liberty at Smyrna than in any other part of Turkic , there is no neceflity of taking zjanifary along, when a man goes abroad. If a man loves Fowling, it is but taking a Boat, which lands him two or three Leagues from the City,, toward the Mountains , where there is fo much Game that he can never return empty. For the value of three Sous you may buy a red Partridge at Smyrna , and all other Fowl is proportionably cheap. ,
But if Smyrna have thefe great advantages, it has alfo its inconveniences: the Heats are very excefiive in Summer , and indeed they would be infupportable, were it not for the Breezes that come off the Sea: thefe Breezes rife about ten in the Morning, and continue till the Evening", but if they fail, tis very bad for the
E In ha-
34 The Persian Travels Book I.
Inhabitants. Bcfides , there hardly paffes a Year but the City is infefted with the Plague, which however is not lb violent as in Chriftendom. The Turks neither fear it nor rue it, believing altogether in Predeftinatiota. Yet I believe, if the Inha- bitants of Smyrna would take care to drain away the (landing Puddles that gather in the Winter about the City, they would not be fo frequently molefted with the Plague as they are. It is moft rife in May , June , and July, but the malignant Fevers that fucceed it in September and October are more to be fear'd , more People dying of them than of the Peftilence. In all my Travels I never was in Smyrna at thefe unfortunate Seafons. There is no Bajba in that City % it being govern'd only by a Cady , who is not fo fevere to the Chriftians as in otner places : For fhould he abui'e his Office , Constantinople is at hand , where you may complain to the Mufti, and have relief-, who for fome good Prefent may be eafily perfwaded to depofe the Cady , as being glad of the opportunity to dilplace him , and to put another in his room.
The Cuftoms of Smyrna yield a great Revenue to the Grand Signor , being paid there very exaetly.But were there a certain Rate put upon Commodities,theMerchants, who would otherwife be lofers , would not ftudy fo many ways as they do to deceive the Cuftomers : For thofe Cuftomers lay what Price they pleafe upon Commodities, valuing that at a thoufand Crowns , which perhaps is not worth three hundred, being abfolute Mafters of the Rate. In my laft Voyage to Smyrna, four 'Dutch Women that went thither in our Ship from their own Country, carry'd a-fhoar under their Coats whatever I had of rich Merchandize: for the Turks have fuch a refpecl for that Sex , that they will not fo much as offer to fearch them. If a man be tak'n in ftealing Cuftoms , there" is no other punifhment than to pay double.
The Trade of Smyrna is very great, and the principal Merchandizes which the Franks tranfport from thence , are raw Silk , which the Armenians bring out of Verfia; Chamlet-yarn , and Cham let or Goats-hair, which come from a little City call'd Angouri , fifteen or fixteen days journey from Smyrna ; Cotton twifted •, Skins and Cordovans of feveral colours*, Calicuts, white and blew, great quantities of Wool for MattrefTes, Tap'ftries, quilted Coverlets, Soap, Rhubarb, Galls, Va- lanede, Scammony, and Opium-, which four laft Commodities are to be had in the Countries near to Smyrna , but not in great quantities. The Caravans come generally to this Town in the Months of February, June, and OtJober ; and depart again to the Countries from whence they came the fame Months.
Ephefm not being above a day and a halfs journey from Smyrna , on Horfe-back I took an opportunity to go thither. There were twelve of us that joyn'd together, Franks and Htllanders , who took three Janizaries along with us, and three Horfes to carry our Provifion.
We travel'd this little Journey in the Summer, and fetting out of Smyrna about three of the Clock in the Afternoon , we rode through a Country part Plains, and part Hills , till we came to a great Village, where we fup'd.
After we had ftaid there three hours, we took Horfe and travel'd till Midnight, to avoid the Heats : By the way we met with nine or ten Arches , very narrow \ which we could not conjefture to be any thing elfe than the Ruines of fome Aque- ducl. From thence to Ephefus the way is very pleafant, through little Thickets watred with Rivulets.
A quarter of a League from Ephefus you meet with another Mof/uee , which was formerly a Chriftian Church, built out of the Ruines of the Temple of Ephefus, This Mofquee ftands enclos'd with Walls, and you muft afcend up to it by two Afcents of twelve Steps a-piece, which bring you to a large PafTage. From thence you enter into a large Cloyfter , the Arches whereof are fuftain'd with Marble Pillars of feveral co- lours, delicately wrought -, and the lower part of the Gallery, which runs along three of the fides , that confifts of great Squares of Stone. The Mofyuee takes up the fourth fide upon the left hand , the Gate being in the middle. The Mofquee it felf is a wide Arch , fupported by five Columns, all of moft exquifite Work. There are four of Marble, and every one of a different Colour -, but the fifth is a moft rare piece , being of Porphyry, and the bignefs of it makes it fo much the more to be admir'd.
Ephefus does not look like a City, being fo abfolutely ruin'd , that there is not a Houfe ftanding. It was built upon^fhe defcent of a Hill , in a fituation not much
unlike
Chap.VII. of Monfieur Tavernier,
unlike that of Smyrna, at the foot whereof runs a Rivulet, after it has made a thoufand Meanders in the Meadows. The City feems to have been very large , for you may dilcern upon the top of the Gates the compafs of the Walls, with ieveral Jquare Towers , fome of which are ftill (landing : and there is one very remarkable, having two Chambers in it* one of which is a very fair one , the Walls and Pave- ment whereof are Marble.
The famous Temple of 'Diana flood at the bottom of the Hill , near one of the Gates of the City. There remains nothing of it at prefent but the great Portal, which is entire. The Vaults of the Arches under ground ftand to this day, and are very large, but all full of naftinels. We went in with Lanthorns^ and though you mufl creep to get in, by reafon that the Wind has almofl ftopt up the Hole , by gathering the Dud about it , yet when you are in , you may go upright •, for the Arches are high and fair , and little the worfe. Near the Gate lye four or five Columns upon the Ground, and near to that a Fountain, ten Foot in Diameter, and two deep. The People of the Country report , that it was the Fountain wherein St. John Baptiz'd the Chriftians. For my part, as I have feen in the Indies Ieveral Pagods and Edifices much more beautiful than ever the Temple of Ephefa could be •, 1 believe it rather to have been a Bafin wherein the People put their Offerings , of which there are feveral fuch that belong to the Indian Pagods. The Greeks and Arme- Italians , but above alt the Franks , when they go to Ephefa always endeavour to break off fome piece of that Bafin , to carry it away with 'em as a Relick : but the Stone is fo hard , that they can break off but very little at a