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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63439	The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne through Turky, into Persia and the East-Indies, for the space of forty years : giving an account of the present state of those countries, viz. of the religion, government, customs, and commerce of every country, and the figures, weight, and value of the money currant all over Asia : to which is added A new description of the Seraglio / made English by J.P. ; added likewise, A voyage into the Indies, &c. by an English traveller, never before printed ; publish'd by Dr. Daniel Cox; Six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. English	Tavernier, Jean-Baptiste, 1605-1689.; Phillips, John, 1631-1706.; Cox, Daniel, Dr.	1677 (1677)	Wing T255; ESTC R38194	848,815	637

Jurisdiction As I return'd from Persia in the Year 1655 I came to the Three Churches about the end of February the Caravan stay'd there eleven Days as well by reason of the great Snows that stop'd up the Ways as for that the Armenians resolv'd to keep their Carnival there and after that to perform their Devotions The next day I went to visit the Patriarch who was sitting cross-leg'd upon a Mat. There were four Archbishops and nine Bishops sitting about him in the same posture among whom there was one that spake very good Italian I stay'd with him three Hours and while we were discoursing together in came one of the Monks of the Convent who had not spoken to any person whatsoever in Two and twenty Years by reason of a Penance that was impos'd upon him Never did Man appear so meager and deformed but the Patriarch sent for him and by his Authority commanded him to break Silence which he did by speaking at the same Instant The Saturday before Shrove-Sunday the Patriarch invited all the Caravan as well Masters as Servants to hear Mass the next day and then to dine at the Covent Mass being concluded the People were brought into a long Gallery about 15 or 20 Foot broad there being a Table on both sides made of several Stones and Benches next the Walls At the upper end of the Gallery stands a Table four Foot square over which is a vaulted Roof sustain'd with four Pillars which serves for a Canopy in the midst whereof is a Chair set for the Patriarch who from thence has a full view of both sides the Gallery with two other Chairs of each hand for two Archbishops the other Archbishops Monks and Guests sate at the long Tables The Meat which they brought us was several sorts of Pilaw and several Dishes of Fish among the rest excellent Trouts The Pilaw was brought in forty wide Plates so well fill'd and so large that they were every one as much as a Man could carry They were all set down upon the Ground before the Patriarch who then Pray'd and gave Thanks Then six Bishops with Ladles took out the Meat out of the great Platters and putting it into lesser serv'd both the Tables Every one had also his earthen Pot of Wine which was very good and was fill'd again when it was empty The Patriarch and the two Archbishops eat nothing but two Eggs and a few raw Herbs no more did the other Archbishops that sate at the Table At the end of the Feast a Bishop comes with a Paper and Pen and Ink in his Hand and asks of every one what he pleases to Subscribe for the Benefit of the Church then every one proposing according to his Devotion the Bishop writes down the Names of the Persons and the Sum which they mention which he comes and gathers the next day There are some rich Merchants that will give two Tomans but the meanest Servant will give an Or. The Bishop having done writing the Table was clear'd and then they brought us Melons and other Fruits In a short while after the Bells rung to Evening Service and the People went to Church After Evening Service the Patriarch sent for me to behold a Combat of Bufalo's of which there are great store in that Country some serving to Till their Ground while the Female ones yield store of Milk of which they make Butter and Cheese and which they mingle with all sorts of other Milk There are some of these female Beasts that will give two and twenty Pints of Milk a day They brought us into a wide Enclosure to behold the Sport wherein there were eight Bufalo's To provoke them one against another they shew them a Red Cloth which puts them into such a Rage that there were two that dy'd with the stroke of their Horns upon the place and there were none of the rest 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 purpose to set it on Fire When the Wood was heap'd in as big a Pile as they intended one of the Archbishops presented a Taper of white Wax to all the Company both Masters and Servants who every one agreed with him what they should give the next day for their Tapers The Tapers being lighted the Patriarch with a Stick like a Bishop's Crosier march'd before singing an Hymn attended by all the Persons both Ecclesiastical 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 striving who should have the Honour One of the Merchants offer'd a quantity of Oyl for Lamps for the Church another out did him and a third proffer'd more than he and the Honour of Lighting the Pile was given to him that offer'd most Immediately upon that every one put out his Taper For they esteem it a most precious business believing that the lighting of one of those Tapers in a Sterm and throwing it into the Sea is a present Charm against Shipwrack For say they The Virgin Mary forty days after she was brought to Bed went to Jerusalem with Joseph and her Son and going into the Temple met old Simeon who taking the Child in his Arms began to sing the Song Lord now let thy Servant c. the Song being ended all the People began to cry that Christ was born and to publish it about the City Now in regard it was Night every one ran out with Torches in their Hands and some made Fires before their Doors where Christ was to pass along This Festival among the Armenians is like that of Candlemas-day and they call it in their Language Ter en Areche Where is the Lord The Armenians Masters and Servants drank all Night to make an end of their Carnival while the Patriarch was busie in dressing up the Church with its gayest Ornaments Ten Leagues from Erivan toward the North appears a great Lake wherein there is an Iland upon which is built a very fair Covent The Monks that live there live so austere a Life that they never eat Fish or Flesh above four times a Year neither do they speak one to another but upon those four Days The rest of the Year they feed only upon Herbs which they gather out of the Garden for say they it is not Fasting to eat either Butter or Oyl The Bread which they eat is brought from the neighbouring Villages and the Iland is replenish'd with all sorts of excellent Fruits On the one side of the Lake nearer to Erivan is a large Plain wherein there are six Monasteries One of which is entirely hewn out of the Rock with the Pillars that sustain it being seated in a very hard Rock The Armenians call that Church Kickart in their Language and the Turks in theirs Guieurghieche that is See and away In this Church according to the Traditions of the Armenians is kept the Lance wherewith the Side

to the Sword after he had given them his Word to the contrary and promis'd to spare their Lives CHAP. IV. A Continuation of the same Road from Erivan to Tauris IT usually takes up ten days journey for the Caravan to go between Erivan and Tauris and Nacksivan is almost in the mid-way between both The first days journey you travel thorough large Plains sow'd with Rice and water'd with several Rivulets The next day you continue to travel through Plains of the same nature in sight of the Mountain Ararat which is full of Monasteries leaving it upon the South The Armenians call this Mountain Mesesoufar The Mountain of the Ark because the Ark of Noah rested upon it It is as it were unfasten'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 first Travels I saw it for five days journey together So soon as the Armenians discover it they kiss the Earth and lifting up their Eyes to Heaven say 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 cross in this second days journey to the Southward a League and a half from the High-way is to be seen a Work of great Art being the Ruines of a Magnificent Castle where the Kings of Armenia were wont to reside in the time of their Hunting Divertisements more especially when they continu'd their Sports at the Mallard and Heron. The next day we lodg'd near to a Village where there was good Water which constrain'd the Caravan to stay there there being none to be met with for ten Leagues farther The next day you must travel one by one through the Pass of a Mountain and cross a large River nam'd Arpa-sou which falls into Aras It is fordable when it is low but when the Snow melts and swells the Stream you must go a League out of your way to the Southward to cross it over a Bridge of Stone From thence you go to lodge near a Village call'd Kalifakiend where you are forc'd to fetch your Water a good way off The first days journey is through a Plain at the end whereof you meet with an Inn call'd Kara-bagler standing upon a Rivulet which was finish'd in 1664. The Head of this Rivulet springs three or four Leagues higher toward the North and half a League below Kara-bagler the Water congeals and petrifies and of those Stones is the Inn built The Stone is very slight and when they have need of it they make Trenches all along the Stream and fill them with the same Water which in eight or ten Months turns into Stone The Water is very sweet and has no bad tast yet the Country-men thereabouts will neither drink it nor water their Grounds with it The Armenians say that Sem the Son of Noah caus'd the Rock to be hollow'd out of which this River issues which four or five Leagues from its Head and two from the Inn falls into Aras From this Inn to Naksivan is but a small Journey Naksivan according to the Opinion of the Armenians is the most ancient City of the World built about three Leagues from the Mountain upon which the Ark of Noah rested from whence it also takes its Name for Nak in the Armenian Tongue signifies a Ship and Sivan resting or reposing 'T was a great City now wholly ruin'd by the Army of Sultan Amurath There are the Remains of several rare Mosquees which the Turks have destroy'd for the Turks and Persians destroy one anothers Mosquees as fast as they fall into one anothers possession 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 say further that he was Buried here and that his Wife has a Tomb at Marante upon the Road to Tauris There runs a little River by Naksivan the Water whereof is very good the Spring whereof is not far distant 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 destroy'd by Sha-Abas King of Persia and the first of that Name to the end that the Armies of the Turks not meeting with any subsistance might perish of themselves To this purpose he sent all the Inhabitants of Zulfa and the Parts adjoyning into Persia Old and Young Fathers Mothers and Children with which he planted new Colonies in several parts of his Kingdom He sent above 27000 Families of Armenians into Guilan whence the Silks come and where the harshness of the Climate kill'd abundance of those poor People that were accustom'd to a milder Air. The most considerable were sent to Ispahan 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 suddenly set the Armenians upon their Feet again These are they that built the City of Zulfa which is only separated from Ispahan by the River of Senderou calling it New Zulfa to distinguish it from the old City which was the Habitation of their Ancestors A third part of the People were dispers'd into other Villages between Ispahan and Sciras But the old People dying the young ones generally turn Mahumetans so that now you can hardly meet with two Christian Armenians in all those fair Plains which their Fathers were sent to manure Among the Ruines of Naksivan appear the Ruines of a great Mosquee which was one of the most stately Buildings in the World which some say was built in memory of Noah's 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 support a kind of Pyramid that seems to be fram'd of twelve little Towers but toward the middle it changes its figure and lessening like a Spire ends in a Point The Building is all of Brick but as well the out-side as the in-side is over-spread with a kind of Varnish of Parget wrought into Flowers like Emboss'd Work 'T is thought to have been an Edifice set up by Temur-leng when he had Conquer'd Persia. THE PLATFORME OF BAGDAT A League and a half from the chief of these Covents there is a high Mountain separated from all the rest which rises like a Sugar-loaf as doth the Pike of Tenariff At the foot of this Mountain are certain Springs that have the virtue to heal those that are bit by Serpents in so much that Serpents carry'd to that place will dye immediately When the Caravan is ready to set out from Naksivan for Zulfa which is not above a days journey from thence the principal Armenians usually

though it be Gold by reason the King ofttimes enhances the value of it The places where Cloves grow are Amboyna Ellias Seram and Bouro The Islands of Banda also in number six viz. Nero Lontour Poulcay Roseguin and Grenapuis bear Nutmegs in great abundance The Island of Grenapuis is about six Leagues in compass and ends in a sharp point where there is a continual fire burning out of the Earth The Island Damme where there grows great store of Nutmegs and very big was discover'd in the year 1647 by Abel Tasman a Dutch Commander The price of Cloves and Nutmegs as I have known them sold to the Hollanders at Surat was as follows The Mein of Surat contains forty Serres which make thirty-four of our Pounds at sixteen Ounces to the Pound A Mein of Cloves was sold for a hundred and three Mamoudi's and a half A Mein of Mace was sold for a hundred and fifty-seven Mamoudi's and a half Nutmegs for fifty-six Mamoudi's and a half Cinnamon comes at present from the Island of Ceylan The Tree that bears it is very much like the Willow and has three Barks They never take off but the first and second which is accounted the best They never meddle with the third for should the Knife enter that the Tree would dye So that it is an art to take off the Cinnamon which they learn from their youth The Cinnamon Spice is much dearer to the Hollanders than people think for the King of Ceylan otherwise call'd King of Candy from the name of his principal City being a sworn Enemy to the Hollanders sends his Forces with an intention to surprize them when they gather their Cinnamon so that they are forc'd to bring seven or eight hundred men together to defend as many more that are at work Which great expence of theirs very much enhances the price of the Cinnamon There grows upon the Cinnamon Tree a certain fruit like an Olive though not to be eaten This the Portugals were wont to put into a Caldron of Water together with the tops of the Branches and boil'd it till the Water was all consum'd When it was cold the upper part became a Paste like white Wax of which they made Tapers to set up in their Churches for no sooner were the Tapers lighted but all the Church was perfum'd Formerly the Portugals brought Cinnamon out of other Countries belonging to the Raja's about Cochin But the Hollanders have destroyd all those places so that the Cinnamon is now in their hands When the Portugals had that Coast the English bought their Cinnamon of them and usually paid for it by the Mein fifty Mamoudi's Drugs that are brought to Surat and brought from other Countries with the price of every one by the Mein Salt Armoniack according to the usual price costs by the Mein twenty Mamoudi's Borax comes unrefin'd from Amadabat as does Salt Armoniack and costs by the Mein thirty-five Mamoudi's Gum-Lack seven Mamoudi's and a half Gum-Lack wash'd ten Mamoudi's Gum-Lack in sticks of Wax forty Mamoudi's There are some of these Sticks that cost fifty or sixty Mamoudi's the Mein and more when they mix Musk in the Gum. Saffron of Surat which is good for nothing but for colouring four Mamoudi's and a half Cumin White eight Mamoudi's Cumin Black three Mamoudi's Arlet small three Mamoudi's Frankincense that comes from the Coast of Arabia three Mamoudi's Myrrh that which is good call'd Mirra Gilet thirty Mamoudi's Myrrh Bolti which comes from Arabia fifteen Mamoudi's Cassia two Mamoudi's Sugar Candy eighteen Mamoudi's Asutinat a sort of Grain very hot one Mamoudi Annise-Seed Gross three Mamoudi's and a half Annise-Seed small and hot one Mamoudi and a half Oupelote a Root fourteen Mamoudi's Cointre five Mamoudi's Auzerout from Persia a hundred and twenty Mamoudi's Aloes Succotrine from Arabia twenty eight Mamoudi's Licorice four Mamoudi's Lignum Aloes in great pieces two hundred Mamoudi's Lignum Aloes in small pieces four hundred Mamoudi's Vez-Cabouli a certain Root twelve Mamoudi's There is a sort of Lignum Aloes very Gummy which comes to by the Mein four thousand Mamoudi's Gum-Lake for the most part comes from Pegu yet there is some also brought from Bengala where it is very dear by reason the Natives fetch that lively Scarlet colour out of it with which they paint their Calicuts Nevertheless the Hollanders buy it and carry it into Persia for the same use of painting That which remains after the colour is drawn off is only fit to make sealing Wax That which comes from Pegu is not so dear though as good for other Countries The difference is only this that it is not so clean in Pegu where the Pismires soul it as in Bengala where it grows in a heathy place full of Shrubs where those Animals cannot so well come at it The Inhabitants of Pegu never make any use of it in painting being a dull sort of people that are in nothing at all industrious The Women of Surat get their livings by cleansing the Lake after the Scarlet colour is drawn from it After that they give it what colour they please and make it up into Sticks for sealing Wax The English and Holland Company carry away every year a hundred and fifty Chests The price is about ten Sous the pound Powder'd Sugar is brought in great quantities out of the Kingdom of Bengala it causes also a very great Trade at Ougeli Patna Daca and other places I have been told it for a very great certainty by several ancient people in Bengala that Sugar being kept thirty years becomes absolute poison and that there is no Venome more dangerous or that sooner works its effect Loaf-Sugar is also made at Amadabat where they are perfectly skill'd in refining it for which reason it is call'd Sugar Royal. These Sugar-Loaves usually weigh from eight to ten pound Opium is brought from Brampour a Town of good Trade between Agra and Surat The Hollanders buy great quantities which they truck for their Pepper Tobacco also grows in abundance round about Brampour sometimes there has been so much that the Natives have let vast quantities rot upon the ground for want of gathering Coffee grows neither in Persia nor in India where it is in no request but the Hollanders drive a great Trade in it transporting it from Ormus into Persia as far as Great Tartary from Balsara into Caldea Arabia Mesopotamia and other Provinces of Turky It was first found out by a Hermite whose name was Scheck-Siadeli about twenty-years ago before which time it was never heard of in any Author either ancient or modern Deceits in Silk Wares Plain Silk Wares may be alter'd in length breadth and quality The quality shews it self when they are of an even thread when the weight is equal and when there is no Cotton thread in the West The Indians not having the art of guilding silver put into their strip'd Wares threads of pure Gold so that you must count the quantity

min. Lat. In a Country abounding in all forts of Cattel Zenjon 73 deg 36 min. Long. 36 deg 5 min. Lat. Famous for its antiquity and formerly the Persian University Zertah 79 deg 30 min. Long. 32 deg 30 min. Lat. The biggest City in the Province of Belad-Ciston abounding in Wine and Shell-fruit Zour 70 deg 20 min. Long. 35 deg 32 min. Lat. A City in the same Province Zouzen 85 deg 15 min. Long. 35 deg 39 min. Lat. In the Province of Mazandran Zourend 73 deg 40 min. Long. 31 deg 15 min. Lat. In the Province of Kerman where there is great store of curious Potters ware where also grows the Root Hanna with the juice whereof the Persians dye their Nails and the Breasts and Tails of their Horses The End of the Third BOOK THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE TRAVELS OF MONSIEUR TAVERNIER BEING A DESCRIPTION OF PERSIA CHAP. I. Of the Extent of PERSIA and its division into Provinces PERSIA according to the present State of the Empire to the North is bounded by the Caspian Sea Southward by the Ocean Eastward it joyns to the Territories of the Great Mogul Westward to the Dominions of the Grand Signor the two Empires being parted by the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates But that you may the better understand the full extent of the Dominions of the Persian King you are to know That this great Monarch besides that Tract of Ground which is properly call'd Persia possesses a vast part of the ancient Assyria and the great Armenia the ancient Kingdoms of the Parthians and Medes the Kingdom of Lar the Kingdom of Ormus and all Eastward of Persia beyond Candahar almost as far as the Kingdom of Scindi But because those Europeans that have Travel'd before me either were not so curious or had not perhaps the opportunity to learn the true number of the Provinces that compose the whole Continent of Persia I have undertak'n though the Persians themselves are ignorant enough to give the best account I can finding it necessary for the better satisfaction of the Reader to take some notice of the Names of Places according to the ancient Geography The first is the Great Armenia which our Maps without any ground or reason at all call Turcomannia in regard they might have more properly call'd it Ermonick in general since the Inhabitants are the greatest part Armenians That part whereof which is situated between the two Rivers of Araxes and Cyrus at this day call'd Aras and Kur by the Natives is call'd Iran or Cara-bag being one of the most beautiful and richest pieces of Land in all Persia the principal Cities of which are Erivan Nacksivan Zulpha and Van. The second is Diarbeck formerly Mesopotamia between Euphrates and Tigris the chief Cities whereof are Bi r Car-Emir or Diarbequir Ourfa Moussul Geziré Merdin c. The third is Curdistan formerly Assyria extending all along the East-side of the River Tigris from the Lake Van to the Frontiers of Bagdat the principal Cities are Niniveh Sherisoul Amadié Sneirne Betlis and Salmastre The fourth is Hierak-Arabi otherwise the Country of Babylon or Chaldea the principal Cities whereof are Felougia upon Euphrates Bagdat upon Tigris Mershed-Ali Gourno and Balsara and in the Country of Bourous Sharaban Eronnabat c. The fifth is Hierak-Agemi or the ancient Parthia the principal Cities whereof are Hispahan Toushercan Hamadan Cashan Kan and Casbin and perhaps Yesd if it be not rather in Kerman or Sigistan The sixth contains Shirvan all along the Caspian Sea where stand the Cities of * Derbent in the Persian Tongue signifies ae Strait Gate and Demir-Capi in the Turkish ae Gate of Iron near to which place were the ancient Caspian Gates or Caspiae Pylae of the Ancients Derbent or Demir-Capi Baku and Shamaki and the Province of Edzerbaijan wherein stand the Cities of Tauris Ardevil and Sultany Which two Provinces comprehend the ancient Media within a very little extending to the very Shoar of the Caspan Sea The seventh contains Kylan and Mazandran lying likewise upon the Caspan Sea formerly Hyrcania wherein are the Cities and Towns of Firuzcuh Sukar-abad and Mibnikiellé at the entry of the Mountains Giru Talara-pesct and Saru in the Plain Ferh-abad Ciarman and Gscref toward the Sea The eighth is Estarabad formerly Margiana which extends to the River Ruthkhané-kurkan which the Ancients call'd Oxus the principal Cities whereof are Estarabad Amul Damkam The ninth contains the Province of the Usbeck-Tartars comprehending all the ancient Sogdiana and Bactriana the chief Cities whereof are Balk Samarcand and Boccara c. The tenth is Corassan formerly Aria with some part of Bactriana the chief Cities whereof are Eri Meshed Nisabur Thun c. The eleventh Sablestan formerly Peloponnesus the principal Cities whereof are Beksabat Asbé Bust Sarents the Territory and City of Candahar being also comprehended within the extent of this Province together with Duki and Alunkan upon the Frontiers of the Great Mogul's Dominions The twelfth is Sigistan formerly Drangiana the principal Cities whereof are Sistan Shalack and Kets The thirteenth comprehends all the Territories of the ancient Arachosia bord'ring upon the Kingdom of Scindi not having any Cities that we know of The fourteenth is the Province of Makran lying all along upon the Sea of Mogostan formerly Gedrosia the chief Cities whereof are Makran Firhk Chalak and the Port of Guadel toward Guzerat The fifteenth Kerman formerly Caramania extending as far as the Gulf of Ormus the chief Cities whereof are Kerman Bermazir the Port of Kuhestek and the Cape of Jasques The sixteenth is Farsistan or that part of Persia so properly call'd the chief Cities whereof are Schiras Caseron Benarou Firus-abat Darab-guier c. To which you may add the little Province of Laraston with the City of Lar just against Ormus But this Province formerly extended no farther than Benarou two days journey from Lar before Sha-Abas conquer'd the Kingdom of Lar and then the Kingdom of Ormus Now they are both united though they have both several Governours as they had distinct Princes before The Ports in this Province upon the Persian Gulf are Bander-Abassi and Bander-Congo There are two other little Ports in the Persian Gulf about thirty hours sail from the Mouth of Euphrates but not capable of receiving any other than small Barks which are very much to be admir'd for in regard the Inhabitants are ignorant of the use of Iron it is strange to see their Boats made so handsom and strong withal the Planks being only ty'd together with a Cord which is made of a kind of Hemp tak'n from the out-side of the Coco-nut The last is the Province of Cursistan formerly Susiana which Euphrates and Tigris joyning together separate from Chaldea the principal Cities whereof are Suster anciently Susa the Capital City of the Empire of King Ahasuerus Ahawas Scabar Ramhormus c. The temper of the Air in Persia varies according to the variety of situation The Country of

Villages as Doors and Windows fitted to be hung up Window-frames Locks and other things of that nature Upon that day also they sell Mules Horses Camels and Asses which brings a great confluence of people from all parts Upon the West side where stands the Gate of the Palace and Ali's Gate between the Canal and the Portico's are rang'd some seventy Pieces of Cannon upon their Carriages These Guns together with the Sun-Dial were brought from Ormus by the Great Sha-Abas of which the English ought to have had their share for without their assistance he never could have tak'n the Town From the corner of that Front which touches upon the Eastern Front of the Mosquee in the middle are all Sadlers Shops and from that Mosquee to another corner that touches upon the Western Front live the Book-sellers Book-binders and Trunk-makers In the middle of the Southern Front stands a Portal with a Tower upon each side which leads to a Mosquee the Gate whereof is cover'd all over with Plates of Silver and is certainly the neatest Portal and fairest Entrance into any Mosquee of Persia. At the other end of the same Front where it joyns to that upon the West there is a great Portal that leads to a false Gate of the King's Palace near to which as soon as you are enter'd you meet with the Apartment of the Great Treasurer who is a white Eunuch and having the Keys of the Chamber where the Money lyes takes care to pay what-ever the King orders him Through that false Gate all the King's Provisions are carry'd into the Palace This way also enter they that are entertain'd for the Manufactury of the King's Tissues Silks Sattins Coverlets and the like In the same Enclosure also the Franks who are under the King's Wages and live at Zulpha come every day to work as also all the most particular and eminent Artists that the King hires The Western Front which makes one of the two lengths of the Meydan is thus appointed from the Southern angle that touches the Trunk-maker's quarter live all your Pedlers that sell all the small Commodities of Norimberg and Venice As for the King's Palace I cannot make any handsom description of it in regard there is nothing of Beauty either in the Building or in the Gardens I think I have been as far in the House as a man could go every time I was sent for by His Majesty but excepting only four Rooms which they call Divans I saw nothing but pitiful low Galleries and so narrow that hardly two men could pass a-brest in ' em In one of those Galleries I had audience of the King in the Garment of Honour which he had bestow'd upon me But in regard I have spok'n of two of them in another place and that the other two are much alike both Building and Furniture I shall say no more of them here From the King's Palace Gate to Haly's Gate live the Goldsmiths Lapidaries and Gravers of Stones for Seals Haly's Gate is a plain Gate naked of Work of which I have already spok'n Between Haly's Gate and the other angle of the same Western Front stands a great Gate which leads into a Bazar where all the Armenians that live at Zulfa keep their Shops and sell all sorts of Cloth that comes out of Europe and other the choicest Wares of Persia. At the end of that Bazar stands a fair Inn two Stories high which the Mother of Sha-Abas the second caus'd to be built In the middle stands a great Fountain with four great Gates which lead into four other Inns. Here by the way let me give a Traveller and a Trader in Persia this advice that if his Goods be not very heavy he never hire a low Chamber as being three times dearer than those above For the Chambers which the Sun lies upon most in the Summer are the Chambers which cost least Not but all the Chambers in the Inn are Tax'd at the same rate by the King but the Host for his profit will find some pretence or other to raise his price pretending those Chambers be hir'd already which you desire especially if they be corner Chambers which are the largest and most commodious And indeed without this collusion Chambers would be very cheap The best convenience of those Inns is that a man is more secure in one of them then in a private House For there if it happ'n that a piece of Goods be stol'n or that your Chapman prove insolvent for Goods bought the Inn-keeper is to make all good being by the Law to receive so many blows a day 'till he pays the sum demanded The Merchant also gives two in the hundred for every thing that he sells and when the Market is done they presently go to the Host who sets down in his Book the quality of his Goods and the names both of buyer and seller If he knows not the buyer he is bound to go and enquire after him and if he be not solvent the Merchant takes his Goods again Sometimes the Merchant to save the two in the hundred combines with the Purchaser to carry away some of his Goods without the knowledge of the Host which is done by greasing his Deputies fist who will presently shut his Eyes But then if the Purchaser proves insolvent the Merchant dares not complain because his Goods are not Register'd in the King's Book whom he has defrauded of his Custom No less secure are the Bazars or Market-places where the Merchants shut up their Shops very slightly the Bazars being strongly guarded both within and without all night long As for the petty Stalls in the Meydan every one puts up his Ware in a Box Padlock'd up and then lay them down at one end of the place one by another As for the course sort of Ware as Tents Cords Ropes and such other things they only heap them under a large Coverlet fasten'd at the four corners by four sticks for the Meydan also is as strongly guarded as the Bazar Between Haly's Gate and that which leads to the Bazar where the Armenians keep their Shops live all those that deal in Russia Leather making Borachio's to tye under the Horses Bellies little Buckets and Furniture for Horse-men as also Bowyers Fletchers and Forbishers From the last Gate to the end of the Gallery live all the Druggists and Apotheearies At the Angle upon the two fronts upon the East and North there is a Gate that leads to the Great Bazar next to that live only your Sails-men that sell whole Habits for men as Shirts Sheets Hose and the like There be also those that sell Leather Shooes for men and women which Shooes are always worn by persons of quality Out of this Bazar you go into another full of men that work in Copper such as make Pots Plates and other Utensils for the Kitchin Here also live those that make Files and the blades of Sythes The rest of the Bazar is possess'd by Dyers of Calicut and

at the end of the Bazar is a fair Inn where all the Merchants live that sell Musk Russia Leather and Furrs I have in another place observ'd that the King has a great Revenue out of the Bazars and Inns which he has caus'd to be built which is particularly laid out in provision for his Table For the Law of Mahomet forbidding Princes to impose Taxes or Customs upon the people they do not believe that the money which arises from thence is fit to be employ'd or laid out for the necessaries of life believing that their food so purchas'd would do them no good By virtue of this prohibition of Mahomet it is that the Merchants take all the liberty they can to deceive the King of his Customs believing that they cannot offend the Prince while they transgress not the Law Besides that if they should pay all the King's Duties the price of Goods would rise so high so as to spoil the whole Course of Trade and Commerce Neither would the Revenue of the Caravansera's Bazars and Gardens suffice for the Kings Kitchin were not the several Kans or Governours of Provinces oblig'd to supply that expence every Week in their turns whereby those expences cost the King little or nothing Upon the North-Front of the Meydan are made under the Portico's separations for Chambers that look upon the Piazza where people go to smoak Tobacco and drink Coffee The Seats of those Rooms are plac'd as in so many Amphitheaters and in the midst of every one stands a large Vessel full of running Water wherewith their Pipes be cleans'd when they are over-fowl All the Persians that haveany spare time fail not every day to resort to those places between seven and eight in the Morning where the Owner of the Room presently brings them every one their Pipe and their Dish of Coffee But the Great Sha-Abas who was a man of a great understanding finding those places were only so many Meeting-houses where men assembl'd to talk and prattle of State-affairs a thing which no way pleas'd him to break the neck of those petty Cabals he order'd that a Moullah should be sure to be betimes at every place before the rest of the people came thither and that he should entertain those Tobacco-whiffers and Coffee-quaffers sometimes with a Point of the Law sometimes with History sometimes with Poetry This custom is still observ'd so that after this entertainment has lasted two or three hours the Moullah rising up crys to every one in the Coffee-Room Come my Masters in good time let 's all now retire every man to his business Straight every one retires upon the Moullah's words who is liberally entertain'd all the while by the Society In the midst of the North-Front stands a great Portal with a large Dial over it which Sha-Abas brought from Ormus when he took it from the Portugals But the Dial is of no use nor is ever like to be Round the Tower of that Portal runs an op'n Gallery with a kind of a Cieling over head supported with Pillars from whence every Evening about Sun-set and at Midnight a noise of Drums and Trumpets is to be heard through the whole City Though the truth is the Musick would never charm a curious Ear. Out of some parts of the Gallery are contriv'd little Dormitories where the chiefest of the Court lye In all the Cities where the Kans reside is the custom of making this ratling noise of Drums and Trumpets observ'd and not elsewhere On each side of the Portal under the Horologe are five or six Banks of Jewellers who there put to sale certain parcels of Pearls Emralds Granats and Turquoises which are not of any great value every parcel being set by it self in a Dish and the whole Stall cover'd with a silk Net to preserve the Stones from being stoln Just against the same Portal going toward the South-Front you meet with two little Goals five or six Foot high and sev'n or eight distant one from the other Here the men play at Pall-mall on horse-back the Horse-man being to strike the Ball running at full speed between the two Goals Through that Portal you enter into an Enclosure much like the place where the Fair of St. Germans is kept and there it is that the Merchants of Gold and Silver-Tissues and other rich Stuffs with all your finest sorts of Calicuts and Linnens keep their Shops The Court side of the Meydan which is upon the East and which answers to the grand Front where the King's House stands is thus appointed In the middle stands a Duomo cover'd with a kind of bak'd Earth and as well the Duomo as the Portal which is very high are all varnish'd over You ascend nine or ten steps the Port of Haly facing it on the other side of the Piazza From the end of the Portico's that touch the North side of the Mosquee live the Shop-keepers that sell sowing-Silk and small Manufactures of Silk as Ribands Laces Garters and other things of the same nature From the Mosquee to the other end are all Turners that make Cradles for Children and Spinning-Wheels There are also some Cotton-beaters that make quilted Coverlets Without the Portico's are none but Smiths that make Scyths Hammers Pincers Nails and such like things with some few Cutlers This is all that can be said of Ispahan and that great Piazza which some perhaps have set out in better colours But I have represented all things as they are as being one that have seen them oftner and beheld them a longer time than ever any Frank that Travel'd into Asia CHAP. VI. Of Zulpha a little City separated from Ispahan by the River Senderou ZUlpha which others call Julpha and Giolpha is distant from Ispahan toward the South half an hours walk the River Scnderou running almost at an equal distance between the two Cities The way that leads from one City to another is a Walk some fifteen hundred Paces long and seventy broad almost equally divided by the River It begins from a Pavilion or Tabernacle forty Foot square which joyns to the hinder part of the King's House with a double Story to which several Windows give light clos'd with wooden Lattices very artificially wrought None but the King and his Houshold pass that way into the Walk For they that go from Ispahan to Zulpha find the way into the Walk through a Gate which is close adjoyning to the Tabernacle This Walk is call'd the Street of Tcharbag or the Street of Four Gardens A Channel runs all along the Walk from the Tabernacle where a little Rivulet falls into it and fills it as far as the great Bridge The two sides of the Channel which are pav'd with Stone and are two or three Foot broad make one way which Passengers may and many times do take for the usual way both for Horse and Foot lyes upon each side of the Walk behind the Trees which are planted in a streight line to the very Walls of

day that Sha-jehan was an Hunting upon one of his Elephants with one of his Sons that sate by him to fan him the Elephant became so furious by reason of his lust that the Governor who was by no means able to master him declar'd to the King that to allay the fury of the Elephant who would else doubtless bruise him to pieces among the Trees there was no way but for one of the three to forfeit his life and that he would willingly sacrifice his for the safety of the King and the Prince his Son Only he desir'd his Majesty to take care of three small Children which he must leave behind him Having so said he threw himself under the Elephant's-feet who had no sooner taken him in his trunk and squeez'd him to pieces with his feet but he grew as quiet and peaceable as before The King as an acknowledgment for so famous a deliverance gave to the poor two-hunder'd-thousand Roupies and highly advanc'd every one of the Sons of him that had so generously laid down his life for the safety of his Sovereign I observ'd also that though the Elephant's skin be very hard while he is alive yet when he is dead it is just like melted-glue Elephants are brought from several parts of India as from the Island of Ceylan where they are very small but the most couragious of all from the Isle of Sumatra from the Kingdom of Cochin from the Kingdom of Siam and from the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Boutam neer the Great Tartarie They are brought also from the Coast of Melinda Eastward of Affrica where they are in very great numbers according to the report of a Portugueze-Captain made at Goa who came from thence to make some complaint against the Governor of Mozambique He told me that he had seen all along that Coast several Parks that were empal'd with nothing but Elephants-teeth the least of which Parks is above a league about He added farther that the Blacks of the Countrey hunt their Elephants and eat the flesh But they are oblig'd to give the tusks of every one they kill to the Lord of the place When they intend to take their Elephants in the Island of Ceylan they make a long lane clos'd in on both sides so that the Elephant can neither run to the right nor to the left this lane is broad at the first but grows narrower and narrower till there is no more room left at the farther-farther-end than for the female-Elephant to lie down which must be one that is covetous of the male at the same time Though she be tame yet she is bound with good Ropes and Cords and by her cries will call the male-Elephant who presently runs through the lane towards her Now when the Elephant comes where the lane grows narrow they that lie hid for that purpose immediately barricado up the lane behind and when he comes neer the female there is another barricado set up that stops him from going any farther When he is thus between the Barricado's they so intangle his legs and trunk with ropes and cords that he is soon taken having no way to help himself The same way they use for the most part in the Kingdoms of Siam and Pegu only that the Natives there mount the female-Elephant and go to find out the male in the Forrests And when they have met with his haunt they tye the female to the most convenient place they can find and then they fix their snares for the Elephant who in a short time hastens toward the female hot for generation where her cries call him This is observable of the female-Elephant that when she begins to be hot she gathers together a great heap of herbs and weeds and makes her self a kind of bed some four or five-foot-high from the ground where contrary to the custom of all other creatures she lies upon her back in expectation of the male whom she calls to her by a peculiar cry This is also particular to the Elephants in the Isle of Ceylan that only the first Elephant which the female produces has any tusks And it is also observable that the Ivory which comes from Achen when it is wrought has this peculiar quality with it that it never grows yellow like that which comes out of the Continent and from the East-Indies which makes it more esteem'd and dearer than any other When the Merchants bring Elephants to any place to sell 't is a pleasant sight to see them go along For in regard there are generally old and young together when the old ones are gone by the children will be running after the little ones to play with them and give them something or other to eat While the young Elephants which are very wanton are busily taking what is offer'd them the children leap upon their backs but then the young Elephants that lately stopt for the lucre of victuals perceiving their Dams a great way before them double their pace and playing with their trunks throvv the children off their backs to the ground yet vvithout doing them any harm Notvvithstanding all the enquiry I have made I could never find exactly hovv long an Elephant vvill live Nor can all the governors and keepers of those creatures tell you more then that such an Elephant has been in the possession of their Father their Grandfather and great Grandfather And by that computation I found that they had liv'd some of them six-score or an hunder'd and thirty years The greatest part of those that have made Relations of India boldly affirm that the Great Mogul keeps three or four-thousand Elephants But being my self at Jehanabad where the King at present resides he that was chief Master of the Elephants assur'd me that the King had not above five-hunder'd Elephants which were call'd Elephants of the House made use of only to carry the Women their Tents and Luggage but that for the Wars he only kept fourscore or four-score and ten at most The noblest of the latter sort is always reserv'd for the King 's Eldest Son the allowance for his food and other necessaries being 500 Roupies a month which comes to 750 Livres There are some that are not allow'd above 50 others 40 others 30 and some but 20 Roupies But those Elephants that are allow'd an hunder'd two-hunder'd three-hunder'd or four-hunder'd Roupies a-month have belonging to them certain Horse-men that live upon the same pay and two or three young fellows to fan them during the heat of the weather All these Elephants are not always kept in the City the greatest part being led out every morning into the fields or among the thickets where they feed upon the branches of Trees Sucre-canes and Millet to the great detriment of the poor Countrey man But not a little to the profit of their Keepers for the less they eat at home the more they gain into their own purses The twenty-seventh of August we travell'd six leagues and lay at a great Town call'd

Ruslowa upon the main Wolga Cokelou Beerullee Ewansuke Mansor Argeessan Keessan Camusshuke Naowara Tussockly Collobery Malla Collobery Yamansuke Eirichsha Surka Libessha Bussan Carabussan Bealla Wolloskee In all which Oughsukes or Wears they take no Fish besides Sturgeon They are made of Shigenas or long Poles made sharp at one end and beaten into the ground under Water and a pleiting made of Rods somewhat resembling Osier after the manner of our Matts which are fastned to the Poles and hinder the Fish from passing up the River And Houses are built near the Wears for the Convenience of the Fishers 40 50 more or less according unto the greatness of the Water or resort of Fish and twice every day usually in the morning and evening they set about their Fishery They imploy only long slender Poles with an iron Hook or Cruke in the end baited and do ordinarily take 400 every day in the smaller and 600 in the larger Streams The Sturgeon they take is all salted excepting that wherewith they serve the Town of Astracan where a whole fair Sturgeon may be bought for ten pence English and when the great Caravan comes from Russia it takes off most of their Fish which is conveyed into divers parts of Muscovy but chiefly unto the great City of Mosco They return also with great quantities of Caviar and Salt there being not far from the Volga on the Little Nagoy side great Salt-pits which yield an immense quantity of Salt prepared yearly by the heat of the Sun without any further trouble than taking it off the superficies of the Water where it daily kerns The Volga a little above Seraichena 500 miles from Astrachan dismisses a great Branch named Actabon which passing through the Desarts of the Great Nagoy through Bussane enters the Caspian Sea The remainder of the Volga after having parted with several smaller Branches most of which joyn with the forementioned River divides the Little and Great Nagoy passes under the Town of Astrachan whence it proceeds unto Ruslowa on the South-west side of Crosna Boggar then falls into the Caspian And the distance between the East-side of the Volga near Astrachan and the River Actabon is about 20 miles which is mostly Water and Islands And that the Course of the Volga from its first Source until it doth dis-embogue it self into the Caspian Sea can be no less than what we have asserted is hence confirmed That the Snow which falls abundantly in Russia and begins to be dissolved about the latter end of April and do mightily increase the Waters of the Volga come not unto Astrachan until Midsummer when it so raises the Volga that overflowing the Banks it covers with his Waters all the Islands near Astrachan so that from the Little Nagoy unto Actabon in the Great Nagoy all the Countrey seems excepting a Hillock or two one continued Lake or a great Gulf of the Sea Wherefore they who go in the Spring from Astrachan to fetch Wood having cut it make great Floats which are lifted up when the River overflows and guided each by a few Men until they are brought unto Astrachan or those other places for which they are designed The most remarkable Towns and Habitations upon the Volga between Seraichena and Astrachan which are 500 miles distant from each other are Camena Rokegowa Osshenofka Chornoyar Borisse Offatalka Poollowoy Collmakof Satone Cossoyar Crosnoyar Nassonoyar Satone Yanatavy Daneelofka Perre Ousshake Eillansuke Eiskyborro Crukla Bussan Balsheeke Tollotonygorod Dolgoa Goradocha which was old Astrachan Sharina Bogor which is near Astrachan besides many other Places with whose Names I have not charged my memory We will now pass over the Volga through Astrachan into the Great Nagoy The Great Nagoy may be properly enough divided into Islands and Continent the former are made by the Volga and several Rivers which fall out of it variously mix'd with each other and are all at length emptied into the Caspian Sea Those Rivers or Branches have their several Names those which I remember are Cuttoma Boulda Malla Guellusa Creewantya Busane Actabon and Bereket The Kingdom of the Great Nagoy is all plain and desart 1200 miles in length between Astrachan and Samara 500 miles in breadth from the said Astrachan unto the River of the Yeike or Jaick There is no Wood in all this Countrey except what grows near the Rivers It hath no Towns or fix'd Habitations though it had formerly divers and some among them very considerable as Czarofsgorod or Czarofs Pollate in English the Emperor's Town which formerly must needs have been as its Name imports an Imperial or Capital City I have often viewed it with admiration and cannot compute it to have been less than 20 miles in Circuit I have told fourscore great eminent Buildings which must have been either Moschees Pallaces or Caravanseraies and some of them 6 miles distant from the other The Muscovites are of divers Opinions concerning its Destruction Some say it was ruined by the Cossacks but the Cossacks who are ready enough to brag of their Atchievements know nothing thereof only that they have often dispossessed the Russes when they endeavoured to rebuild part of it For indeed the Situation is very excellent having the Volga on one side the Actabon on the other The Countrey very beautiful healthful and fertile and yet notwithstanding all these encouragements it is not yet inhabited not by the Russes because it standing on the main Land they would be continually exposed unto the Inroads of the Tartars nor by the Tartars because its nearness unto the Rivers would render them obnoxious to the Russes every time the great Caravan passes that way which is at least twice each year Yet the Muscovites do frequently fetch Brick and Stones from this ruined City wherewith they have built a great part of Astrachan and the neighbouring Forts or Towns where such solid Materials are imployed But besides this Serai for so the Tartars call any fix'd Habitation there were in ancient times five or six more down along the Rivers side in each of which formerly dwelt a Chan but Time and Wars have almost entirely ruined them There is also another Serai upon the River Jaick named Seraichika where is said formerly to have been the Residence of a great Myrsa or Chan but 't is now quite ruinated The Tartars who inhabit the Great Nagoy both Men and Women are very proper at least of much taller Stature than many other Tartars but have ill-favoured Countenances broad Faces flat little Noses small Eyes sunk in their Heads all which are common to most of the Eastern Tartars But the Tartars of Crim are more comely which I suppose may partly proceed from their Wives who are many of them Captive Circassians Russes Poles Hungars and of divers other Nations The Nagoy Tartars are also Black or rather Tawny which I Conjecture is not so much natural as proceeding from the heat of the Sun which is in these Parts some Months of the Year much