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RESTO — isGINtA
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1 ALR oe gy
TAVERNIER
__-1 |A Noble Man of France now living,
THROUGH
Cirky INTO Porta,
AN DsTHE
EAS T-INDIES.
Finifhed in the Year 1670,
GIVING AN
Account of the STATE of thofe eat
Together with a New Kelation of the Prefent
Grand Seignors SER AGLI O,
‘By. the fame Author.
= Maske Enolifh by ¢ P.
To which is added b
A Defcription of all the Kingdoms which Encompafs the
Euxine and Caspian Spas.
| By an Englz/hb Traveller, never before Printed,
LONDON:
Prinvéd for R. L, and M.P. and are to be fold by John Stark ey at the
ster in Fleet-ftreet, near Tem stim Bar, and Mofis Pitt at the
Angel in St. Paul's Sunchel: rd, 1678.
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TO THE 23:
RIGHT HONOURABLE
S' Thomas Davies, K*
2.
= : My Lord,
ROGx ng) LT cannot be thought
SNe SEF |
Lord Mayor of the City of Lo NDON, :
that the Author of thefe
Travels had he not ve-
rily believ:d that there-
by he had eminently
fi Ey ae =
ou 7 ES fervd his King and.
. = Country, would have
adventurd a Dedication to fo great a
Monarch as the King’ of France : Wherein
he prefumes to tell him, that he was the
perfon that had brought him from the In-
dies the faireft Jewels that at prefent adorn
his Crown:for which & feveral other fer-
vices done the Kingdom, His M* honou-
red him with theTitle of Noé/e.And indeed
it is not probable that a Potentate fo wife
and fo difcerning, had he not been con-
vine'd of the merit and good fervice of
his Subject, would have receivd him with
that efteem, or have honourd him with
| A that
[ 2 |
that Title which he beftow’d upon hini.
As for the Truth of whatis here compriz d,
there is his own Affeveration to his Prince
of the Exaétnefs which he has obfervd in
that particular ; which there is the lets
reafon to mifdoubt, in regard he has been
publick in the World for fome time with~
out the leaft blemifh of Contradiction.
Be pleas’d then, My, Lord to confider the
quality of this Work, and as you are in
high Dignity, governing that Famous
City which has fo great a fhare in the
Traffick of the Oriental world, vouch=-—
fafe it your acceptance, as it is now made
ferviceable to this City and the whole
Nation by
My Lord
Your Lordfbips
molt obedient Servant
J Phillips.
a wee
ff Maren.
SU ce cad och a ca oh hs oso 2 2s
I. 2
THE MOST ACCOMPLis HD,
AND
EMINENTLY LEARNED
D* DANIEL Cox,
Dogor-or Pry SiC K,
#
i
’ “~
pyppese se AInce tis the Mode of the Age, that no
CORN: Book comes forth without a Dedication,
I hope I (hall not be blam‘d for addref-
3 fing thefe Travels to your Self, as
oi Re being the Perfon that bas contributed
fo much to the Ornament and Perfeétion of the whole
Work. Hereby bave I favd the labour of making
Encomiums upon an Author , of whom You bave
teslifid your Approbation , by the Encouragement
You gave the Publifber. Nor 1s it reafonable, that
Tavernier coming into England, fbould prefer
others before a p:rfon that bath fhew d bim particular
kindneffes. For my part, after I bad taku a Profpett
of your perfoual Candor, 1 knew not where to give fo
choice a Stranger better Accommodation: not witbout
fome regard to my felf; fence I could not think -
. a2 — Oe
———_—~»—~-
The Epiftle Dedicatory.
be who bad been Jo kind to the Original Author, would
be an Enemy to bis Interpreter. Upon which foore,
as I prefum d at first, I bope You will pardon the far-
ther prefumption of Styling my felf,
SIR;
Your moft Humble Servant,
J. PHILLIPS.
awk I
CONTENTS
_ Perfian Travels.
——_______
The Firft Boox of Monfeur TAVER NIE R’s Per fiay
Travels. Of -the feveral Roads from Parts to Ifpaban the
chief City of Perfia, through the Northern Provinces
of Turky. |
iy places from whence they ufually fet out for Ifpa-
an. Pag. i
Chap. Il. Of the Road from Conftantinople ¢o Ifpahan , which we
Author kept in his firft Travels into Perfia. ; 3
Chap. lll. 4 continuation of the Road from Conftantinople to Ifpahan,
. from the Borders of Perfia to Erivan. 10
Chap. IV. 4 continuation of the {ame Road from Erivan ¢o Tauris, 15
Chap. V. 4 continuation of the Conftantinopolitan Road from Tauris
to Ifpahan , through Ardeitil and Cafbin. 24
Chap. VI. The ordinary Road from Tauris to I{fpahan, through Zangan ,
Sultany, ad other places. | 26
Chap. VII. Of the Road from Smyrna to Ifpahan , through Natolia. 32
Chap. VIII. How the Author was rob'd near Tocat , and of 4 certatn
fort of 4 rare and fine Wool , which he firft brought into France. 40
Chap. IX, Of the Road from Kerman 40 Ifpahan ; and the fortune of
Nazar Mahomet-Ali-Beg. 42
Chap. X. Of the Caravantera’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 Money of Perfia. +50
Chap. I. (Y' the Roads from France to the hither parts ofilhia and
The Secon¢ Boox of the Perfian Travels of Monfieur
TAVERNIER, containing the feveral Roads from
Paris to Ipaban , the Capital City of Perfia, through
the Southern Provinces of Turky, and through the
Deferts. : cil
Chap. I. He fecond Voyage of the Author from Paris to Ifpahan, and
of his Embarking at Marfeilles for Alexandfettas 53
‘Chap, I. The Defcription of Aleppo, ow the rhe city of Sy t 5 ;
Th CONTENTS of
Chap. Il. Of the feveral Koads in general from Aleppo to Ifpahan ,
oe EO of Mb Road through the Great Defert, Pag. 60
Chap. IV. Of the Road from Aleppo to I{pahan , through Mefopotamia
and Aflyria, which 1 travella in my third Voyage to the Indies. 66
Chap. V. 4 Continuation of the Road from Nineveh to Mpahan, toge-
ther with the Story of an\Ambaffador cab’d Dominico de Santis. 7
Chap. VI. Of the Road which the Author kept, when he travel’d the
fourth time into Afia, , to go from Paris to Ormus, And firft of his
Voyage from Marleilles to Alexandretta. ark:
Chap. VIL. 4 Continuation of the Road which the Author kept in the
fourth Voyage into Afia, and particularly of his paflage upon the Tigris from
Nineveh to Babylon. 82
Chap. VIII. 74 be prindebled of the Road from Bagdat to Balfara, and
of the Religion of the Chriftians of St. John. 87
Chap. IX. C4 Continuation of the Road from Balfara to Ormus. 94
Chap. X. Of the Author's firft Voyage, and the Adventures of the four
French-men. 7 95
“ie
TAVERNIER, containing the Author’s Sixth and
Chap. I. F the Author's fixth and laft Voyage from his fetting out of
O Paris, to his Landing at Smyrna. 99
Chap. II. C4 Continuation of the Author's fixth Poyage , as he travel’d
from Smyrna to Ifpahan, 103
Chap. HI. The Road from Aleppo to Tauris, through Diarbequir and
Van. IO
Chap. IV. Caather Road from Aleppo to Tauris , through Geziré pe
_ other places, * 108
Chap. V. The Road from Aleppo to Ipahan through the Small Defert ,
ana through Kengavar. | 109
Chap. VI. C4nother Road from Conttantinople fo Ifpahan, by the Euxine
or Black Sea ; with fome Remarks upon the principal Cities thereabouts, yy 3
Chap. VII. The Road from Warlow to I{pahan , over the Black Sea,
and from Mpahan te Molco; with the names of the principal Cities and
Iflands of Turky , according to the vulgar pronunciation, as they are
cal’d in the Language of the Turks, | 1r5
Chap. VIII. Remarks upon the Trade of the Mand of Candy , And the
principal ifles of the Archipelago; a allo upon fome of the Cities of
Greece adjoyning ; with a particular Relation of the prefent condition 6
the Grand Signor’s Gakeys , belonging as well to the Ifles as tothe Conti-
nent,
, 118
Chap. IX. 4 Relation of the prefent State of Georgia. 123
Chap. X. C4 Relation of the prefent State of Mengrelia, 135
Chap. XI. of Comania, Circaflia, and of certain people which they cal
Kalmouchs. e 126
Chap,
the Penstan Travels.
Chap. XII. Of the Ceremonies and Cuftoms of the people of Comania
and Circaffia. 129
Chap. XIII. Of the defer Tartars , call’d Nogaies , bord’ring upon
Comania. | 132
S aaaER SERRE ERE
The Fourth B o o x. of the Travels of Monfieur
TAVERNIE, being a Defcription of Perfia.
Chap. I. ()' the Extent of Perfia , «and tts Divifton into Provin.
ces. se
Chap. II. Of the Flowers and Fruits of Perfia, of Turquoifes and Pear eee 7
Chap. III. .of the Beafts of Service, of the Fifh and Fowl of Pertfia, I45
Chap. 1V. Of the manner of Building in Perfia. 147
Chap. V. <4 Defiription of Upahan , the chief City of the Ringdom
- and Dominion of the King of Perfia. 148
Chap. VI. Of Zulpha , 4 City feparated from Ipahan by the River
Senderou. ive 155
Chap. VIL Of the Religion of the Perfians ; of the great Feaft of Hocen
and Huffein, and the Camel-Feaft. | eS ee
Chap. VIII. Of the Religion of the Gaurs, the Relicks of the ancient
Perfians, Adorers of Fire. aoe 163
Chap. IX. Of the Religion of the Armenians, and of their principal
Ceremonies; and how the Armenians Confecrate and Adminifter the Sacra-
ment, a 169
Chap Xx. --0f the Ordination of their Priefthood; and their Aufterities, 4 70
Chap. XI. of their Baptifm. : 171
Chap. XII. Of the Marriage of the Armenians. ~ : , 172
Chap. XIII. How the Armenians Bury their Dead, 173
Chap. XIV. Examples of the Conftancy of' the Armenians, inmaintai-—
ning their Religion againft the Perfecuttons of the Mahometans. _ VW
Chap. XV. Of the Author's Reception at the Court of Perfiain his cae
and laft Voyage, and what he did there during his flay at Ifpahan. 177
Chap. XVI. Of the Honours and Prefents which the Author receiv’d from
the King of Perlia. tee 179
Chap. ‘XVII. How the King was pleas'd to divertife himfelf in the Author's
Company. os 18x
The Fifth Boox of the Perfian Travels of Monfieur
TAVERNIER, being a Politick and Hiftorical
Defcription of Perfia, with the Roads from Ifpaban
to Ormus. <
Chap. I. €2 the Genealoy of the Kings of Perla; of the Laff
Rice, . I95
Chap. Il. Of certain particular Actions which denote the Virtues and Vices
of the Kings of Perlia, from Sha-Abas the firff, to Sha-Soliman,she
prefent King. And firft of Sha-Abas the Great. 202
[| * 2 : Chap,
See CON TENT Sof
ee
The Firlt Boox of the INDIA N Travels. What
Roads to take in Travelling from I/pahanto Agra, from
+ Agra to Debly and Gebanabat, where the Great Moen
ylides at prefent: And how to Travel alfo to the
‘Court of the King of Golconda, to the King of /ifa-
pour , and to many other places in the Jndies. ;
Chap. I. TT He Road from Rahn to Agra through Gomron , where gs
' T particularly deferib’d the manner of Sailing from Or-
mus ¢o Surat. : Pag.
Chap. II, Of the Cuflems , Money, Exchange, weight , and Meafures of
the Indians.
Chap. Ill. of their Carviages, and the manner of travelling in India. i
Chap. 1V. The Road from Surat to Agra, through Brampour and Se-
-—ronge. fe)
Chap. V. The Road from Surat to Agra, through Amadabat. +3
Chap. VI. The Road from Ipahan to Agra, through Candahar. 43
Chap. VII. 7 he continuance of the fame Road from Dehly to Agra. 48
Chap. VILL The Road from Agra to. Patna and Daca, Cities in the
.. Province of Bengala, and of the quarrel which the Author had with
_ Cha-Eft-Kan, the King’s Uncle, 51
Chap. IX. The Road from Surat to Golconda. | 66
Chap. X. Of the Kingdom of Golconda, and the wars which it has
: maintain'd for fome few years laff paft. 63
Chap. XI. The Road from Golconda to Mailipatan, or Mafalipatan. 69
Chap. XII. © The Road from Surat to Goa, and from Goa to Galeinds
> —_ Vilapotir. 7 ; a1
ap. XIII. Obfervations upon the prefent State of t ty
Chap. XIV. what the fret did = his tu wecie a up Spinal
‘ ver thither , in the year 1648, . “8
ap. XV. The Story of Father i }
See Pde 4 ee ce Ephraim , and bow he was put into ~ :
Chap. XVI. The Road from Goa to Maflipatan through Cochin , here
deferib’d in the Story of the taking of that City by the Hollanders 9g
Chap. XVII. The paffage by Sea from Ormus ¢o Malflipatan,
Chap. XVIIL The Road from Maflipatan to Gundicetss City and me
rifon in the Province of Carnatica ; and of the dealin $ which : A “s
had with Mirgimola, who commanded the King 0 - Icond ened
With a difcourfe at large concerning Elephants ae tyes
Chap. XIX. The Road from Gondicot to Golconda, se
Chap. XX. The Author's return from Surat to Ormus ie
The Second Bo ox of th INDIAN Travels.
Containing an Hiftorical and Politica] DefCription of
_ the Empire of the Great Mogal, =
Chap. I. Relation of | the laft wars of I bi }
ndoftan which o; ; 3
5 Ax prefent Eftate of the Empire and ioe iy the Mose a
* ; 2 =
Chap,
~
< te
> eo
the Inpian Travels,
Chap. I. Of the SicknefS and fuppofed Death of Cha-Jehan King of India,
and the Rebellioin of the Princes his Sons, Pag. 108
Chap. Ill. Of the Lmprifonment of Cha-Jehan, and how he was panifh’a by
Aurenge-Zebe his third Son, for the injuftice he had done Prince Boulaki
his Nephew , the Grand child of Jehan-Guir, to whom as to the Son of the
Eldeft Son, the Empire of the Mogul belong’d. ea tat
Chap. bye the flight of Dara-Cha to the Kingdom of Scindi amd Gu-
zerat , of the fecond battle which he fought agaral Aurenge-Zebe, his
being tak’ Prifoner , and Death, , eee 114
Chap. V. How Aurenge-ZLebe caus’d bimfelf to be dectar'd King , and of
the flight of Sultan-Sujah. ‘y 116
Chap. VI. Of the Imprifonment of Sultan-Mahomed , Aurenge-Zebe’s
=
a
e ‘
Chap. XI. (Of Diamonds, andthe Mines and Rivers where they ave found;
‘ X%
Eldeft Son ; and of Sultan Soliman-Chekour Eldeft Son of Dara-Cha. 117
Chap. VII. Of the beginning of Aurenge-Zebe’s Reign, and the Death
of Cha-Jehan his Father. se aa
Chap. VIII. Of the preparations againft the Feaft of the Great Mogul ,
when he is weigh’d folemnly every year, Of the Richne{s of his Thrones ,
andthe m she of his Court, F335
Chap. IX.” Some other obfervations upon the Court of the Great Mogul. 124
Chap. X. Of the Commodities which are brought, as well out of the Domi-
aions of the Great Mogul,as out of the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vifapour;
and other Neighbouring Territories. eo
and firft of the Author's fourney tothe Mines of Raolconda. I
34
“<¢Chap. XI. The Author's Journey to the other Mines ; and how they find
- £he. Diamonds there. ° : “3 137°
Chap. XII. C4 Continuation of the Author's Travels to the Diamond
ines. grimy faa! 139
Chap. XIV. Of the diverfity of weights us'd at the mere Miness of
the pieces of Gold and Silver there currant ; and the Rule which they obferve
to know the price of Diamonds, : * | 140
Chap. XV. The Rale to know the juft price and value of a Diamond of
what weight foever , from three to a hundred , and upwards; a Secret
knowp to very few people in Burope. oo ee a eae *
Chap. XVI. Of Colour’d Stones, and the places where they are found, 137
Chap. XVII. Of Pearls, and the places where they fib for them. ras
Chap. XVII. How the Pearls are bred in the Oyfters, and how they fib
fer them, and at what time, : ~* 146
Chap. XIX. Obfervations upon the faireft and large? Diamonds and Rubies,
which the Author has feenin Europe and Afia, reprefented according tothe
Figures inthe Plates; as allo upon thofe which the Author fold to the King ,
upon his aft return from the Indies , with the Figure of a large Topas, and
the faireft Pearls in the world. 148
Chap. XX. The forms of twenty Rubies which the Author fold to the x 2
upon his laft return from the Indies. The firft part of the Plate {bews the
weight , extent , and thickne(s of every Stone, ‘ome 249
Chap. XXI. Of the Coral,and yellove Ember,and the places where tisfound.1 5 ¥.
Chap. XXII. Of Musk and Bezoar , and [ome other Medicinal Stoncs. 153
Chap. XXIII. Of the places where they find their Gold, both in Alia and
America. = _ eee
Chap. XXIV. The Relation of a notable piece of Treachery , whereby the
Author vas abus'd when he Embark'd at Gomrom for Surat. _ 157
~The
>
1
\
The CONTENTS, &c.
The Third Boox of the IND IAN Travels. -
Chap. I. F the particular Religion of the Mahometans iv the Eatt-
Indies. ; Pag. 159
Chap. II. Of the Faquirs, or poor Mahometan Volunteers in the Eatt-
Indies. ; 160
Chap. HI. - Of the Religion of the Gentiles, or Idolatrous Indians. 161
Chap. IV. Of the Kings and Idolatrows Princes of Afia. 163
Chap. V. what the idolaters believe touching a Divinity, 164. .
Chap. VI. Of the Faquirs , or poor Volunteers among the Indians, and
of their Penances. 165
Chap. VIL. Of the Zdolaters Belief touching the State of the Soul after
Death. . - 16
7
Chap. VIII. Of the Cuftom among the Idolaters to Burn the Bodies of their
Dead, 168
Chap. 1X. How the wives are Burnt ia India, with tBC Bodies of their
deceas'd Husbands, ’ 169
Chap. X. Remarkable Stories of women that have been Burnt after their
Husbands deceafe, - 171
Chap. XI. Of the moft Celebrated Pagods of the Idolaters in India. 173
Chap. XIL. 4 Continuation of the Defeription of the principal Pagods
fae Indian Idolaters, | 177
Chap. XIII. Of the Pilgrimages of the Idolaters to their Pagods. 179
Chap. XIV. Of divers Cuftoms of the Indian Zdolaters, ~~-Tbid.
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 Alem. 187
Chap. XVIII Of the Kingdom of Siam. 189
Chap. XIX. Of the Kingdom of Macaflar, and the Ambaffadors which
the Hollanders fext zzto China. 191
Chap, XX. The Author purfues bis Travels into the Eaff, and Embarks
at Mengrelia for Batavia. The danger he was in upon the Seas’ and his |
arrival ta the Iftand of Ceylan. — 194
Chap. XXI. The C4uthors departure from Ceylan, and his arrival at
Batavia. | 7 | 195
Chap. XXII. « The Author goes to vifit the King of Bantam, and relates
feveral Adventures pon that Occafion, | 196
Chap. XXIII. The Author's return to Batavia. His Revifiting the King
of Bantam, 4nd 4 Relation of feveral extravigancies of certate Faquirs
ig their return from Mecca. . I
99
Chap. XXIV. Of the war of the Hollanders, with the Emperour of
Java. , 202
Chap. XXV. The Author Buries his Brothers and is again quarrell’d with-
all by the General and his Council, * 203
Chap. XXVI. The Author Embarks in a Butch Veffel, to return into
Europe. 204
Chap. XXVII. The Holland Fleet arrives at St.Helens. The Deferi-
ption of the jfland. 20g 3
T HOE
Sire aes
D E.& 1G N
Or THE
AUTHOR.
Where he gives a brief Relation of his firft Travels ‘through the
beft parts of Europe as far as Conttantinople.
%¥ the effect of Education may be liken’d to a fecond
%# Birth, I may truly fay , that ]cameinto the World
with a defire to travel. The daily difcourfes
which feveral Learned men had with my Father
upon Geographical fubjeéts, which my Father had
the reputation of underftanding very well, and to
which, though very young, I was with much
delight attentive, in{pir’d me betimes witha 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 faireft Regions of
Europe, France, England, the Low Countries, Germany, Switzerland ,
Poland , Hungary , and /taly ; and I {pake indifferently well the Langua-
ges moft neceflary and moft generally {poken. :
My firft fally was into Eg/azd, where at that time Reigned King
James ; from thence I pafs’d into Flanders to fee Antwerp, my Father's
Native Country, and {fointothe Low Countries, where my inclination
to travel became the {tronger, by reafon ofthe great concourfe of Stran-
gers which I met at Cémfterdam , that crouded thither from all parts of
the World. 3
Having feen what was moft confiderable in the united Provitices }
I pa(s'd into Germany, and when I came to Norimbergh , by the way of
Frankfort and —4upurgh, the noile of the Armies that were marching —
into Bohemia to retake Prague, inftill’d into mea defire to go to the
Wars, where I might learn fomething that might be ufeful to me in the
feries of my travels. I was not above a days journey from Norimbergh,
when I met a Colonel of Horfe, whofe name was Hans Brener, thé
Son of Philip Brener , Governour of Vienna, whoengag’d me to follow
him into Bohemia, Sometime after I bore the fame Colonel company
to Penna, who prelented me to the Governour of Raab, his Uncle -
then Viceroy of Hungary allio; who receiv’d me into his Family as one
of his Pages. Forit isa ufualthing in Germany for Gentlemen’s Sons
to fervein that quality “ull five and twenty years of age, and feldom
to quit that fervice , “till they have a Commiffion for a Cornet, or
Enfigns place. Four years anda half I ferv’d the Viceroy, when the
Prince ‘of Atantua came toVienna, to engage the Emperour in certain
defigns
| Tbe Desion of
defigns of his own without fuccefs. At that time the Count of Are,
whole Sifter the Viceroy had Marry’d, was chief Minifter to the Prince
of Mantua; and coming to vilit the Viceroy at javarin , I was ap-
pointed to attend him during his {tay there. Upon his departure , he
told the Viceroy , that the Prince of Mantua had no perfon about him
that underftood the Language, and that therefore he might be fure that
the Prince would take it for agreat kindnefs, to permit me to attend
his perfon during his ftay at the Emperours Court. This was a thing
eafily granted to the Count of Wave; who thereupon carry’d one along
with him to Viewza, where having had the good fortune not to difpleafe
the Prince, he teftify’d to me at his departure, that he fhould be glad
to fee me at Mantua, where he would not forget the fervices I had
done him. This prefently infus’d into me adefire of leeing Jtaly , efpe-
cially upon the opportunity that offer’d it felf not long after.
For Monficur de Sabran, the King of France’s Envoy to his Impe-
rial Majefty, being to go for Venice, and defirous of one that under-
ttood the German Language to bear hina Company, I laid hold of the
occafion; fothat in eight days we got to Venice. While we {tay’d at
Venice, \took a view to my great fatisfacion, of that moft Celebra-
ted City, and in regard it isin many things like to Amflerdam, as in
Situation, Greatnefs, Magnificence, Commerce, and Concourfe of
Strangers, my being there did but ftill, reinforce my inclination to
"Tray Gherees | 3 -
From Venice I went to (Wautua with Monfieur de Sabran, where
the Prince being glad to fee me again, gave me my choice of an E
or of aplace 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 WVantua
[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 enterd, had not my Arms
been excellent proof: So that after I was recover'd of my Bruifes, a
longer ftay at Adantua did notagree with my defire to pres
Therefore fome time after the Siege was rais’d, I took leave of the
Prince, who gave me an honourable Pals, by vertue whereof five or fix
Horfe-men bore me Company back to Venice, From Venice | 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, Ligora, and Gezoa, from whence I Embark’d
for AZarfeilles, :
From Aarfeslles I hafted to Paris, where I could not ftay long; for
being defirous to fee Poland, I pafs’d once more into Germany through
Switzerland , after [had tak’n a furvey of the principal Towns of the
Cantons. I went by the Rhine by Water, to vilit Strasburgh and Brifack;
thence by Land croffing swabia, I paffed through Udwe and Ainfpureh
to go to Munich. ‘There I faw the Magnificent Palace of the Dukes
of Bavayia, which Wiliam the fifth began, and which Ataxigiljan 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 Bre ay. From
Breflaw 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
te AUTHOR.
of Poland. From thence, keeping the //fu/a upon the left Hand, I
went to Warfaw, and faw there the Court of King S7gifmund , which
isa noble and {plendid Habitation. ;
From Warfaw I return’d to Breflaw, taking the Road toward tbe Lower
Silefia , deligning§P vifit one of the principal Officers of the Emperours
Houfhold, who was my particular acquaintance. But about two
Leagues from Glogaw, mecting with Colonel Butler, a Scotch Gentle-
man , Colonel of one of the Emperours Regiments of Horle, who
afterwards kill’d wale/teyne in purfuance 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 earneftly oblig’d by both together, I could
not withftand the teftimonies of their kindnels. There I underftood
that the Emperour was going to Ratzsbone with his Son Ferdinand the
Third, toCrown him King of the Romans, fo that 1, who had feen
the Coronations of the Kings of Hungary and Bohemia, being defirous
to fee the third Solemnity allo, took leave of my Colonel, and hafted
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 Enrope, 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 deliver’d to his Son at his coming. This young
man arriving at Ratisbone , went tothe Jew, who told him that he had
receiv’d a {mall Casket of Jewels from his Father, whichhe mighttake
away, whenhe 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 afterday was fhut 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. Awhile 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
had eas’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 {pectacle 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 face was no fooner
wath’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 , cofefsid the Crime. The Imperial Laws
ordain, that a Jew for killing a Chri/tian fhould be hung upona Gibbet by
the Hecls, and that two fierce Dogs fhould be hung by him in the fame
‘manner, to the end, that the Dogs in their madnefs fhould tear out
his Bowels. But the Fews made fuch prefents to the Emprefs that the
Sentence was chang’d, though the punifhment was not much lefs
rigorous. For his flefh was torn with red hot Pincers from feveral
eee parts
The Desitcn of.
parts of his body , in feveral Streets of the City, and boyling Lead
pour’d into the raw wounds, after which he was broken alive upon
the wheel, at the publick place of Execution, Fes
Being upon my departure from Ratésbone , I met with Father Fofeph ,
Refident there for the King of Frazce, who xo in Parts, pro-
pos'd to me to go along withthe Monfieur, the Abbot of Chapes, Bro-
t
ther of the Marfhal de -4umont , and Monfieur St. Zichau, who were
then intending for Conftantinople, and fo for Palefline, 1 lik’d the propo-
fition well, and immediately put my felf into the Society of thofe two
Gentlemen, from whom I never feparated ‘till theydeparted for Syria
from Conftantinople, es ;
But before we left Germany, we refolv’d to fee the Court of Szvozy ,
whither we got in a few days. By the way we pals’d through Frey- _
bergh, a {mall City, but well worth fecing, for the beauty of the
Electors Tombs, and moft fplendid and magnificent both for Materials
and Workmanhfhip in all Ewrope. From thence we went and view’d
the flately Caltle of 4uguftburch , {eated upon a high Mountain, where-
in among other things there is a great Hall, adorn’d from top to bot-
tom with nothing byt Horns faften’d tothe Wall; 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 oneof the Courts of the Palace ftands »
a Tree {o large in Body , and {preading 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 isonly Birch, that rarely grows to that Immenfity. . 3
Drefde isthe Refidence of the Elettor, a little City, but avery neat —
one, and well fortify’d,; witha Stone Bridge over the E/be, that parts
the Old and New Town. The Palace is one of the largeft and faireft
in Germany. Butit 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 ratherthree Cities together, only fepara-
tee by the 44o/da,that throws it felf intothe E/be, fome five or fix Leagues
below. ,
> Hava, ayers d Bohemia, and touch’d upon the corner of Aforavia,
we enter'd C4ufria, and came to Vienna, yefolving 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
Altenburgh,
\Altenburgh is a City and Province belonging to the Count of
Arach, Tt was the Childs 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 Succeflors fhould always keep
fuch a number of Peacocks ; for defect whereof , the Territory fhould
revert to the Crown. ’
Thence we came to Signet , from whence ¥ took a little Boat and
hafted to Raab , whereIdid my Devoirs to the Viceroy , who was glad
to fee me, and gave noble entertainment to the Ateffeurs de Chapes, and
de St. Liebaw, Were we ftay’d eight or ten days for the Bafh2 of Buda’s
Anfwer, whether he would give liberty to two Freach Gentlemen , to
pals with their Train through his Garrifon or no; which being return’d
: : fuch
*.
he ALE OR,
fuch as we could deftre, we Embark’d at Comorra in a fort of Brigan-
tines well fitted for defence and convenience. 2g
From Vienna to Javarinwe laid three days upon the water, by reafon
of the great turnings and windings of the Dazaw. Leaving Favarin .
~ welay at Comorra , and from Comorra we row’d to Buda in two. days.
For the Road by Land 1s 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 lelsthan eight days, but we were
fore’d to ftay longer upon the Water, in regard of the Gold wea-
ther. | gi | re ae
It is the cuftom in Hungary; that in all Roads little frequented by
Strangers, not to take any Money of the Travellers 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 ; Huzgary, whichis oneof the
beft Countries in Ewrope , affords provifion at fo cheap a rate , that
to Belgrade it cofts us not above two Crowns a day for fourteen
eople. nae & 3 eld ree eR
e er {tands upon the right hand of the Dazaw, about half an hours
travelling from the River. The Ba/ba being advis'd of our arrival, fent
his Squire with led Horfes, and. feveral Slaves in ‘very good. Live-
ries to conduct us tothe Town. And though we ftay’d twelve days
before we could {peak with 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 fmall expences. . He
was a comely perfon, and of a handfom carriage; and at our depar-
‘ture, he fent fix Calebes with two Spahi’s to condué us to Belgrade}
with order to defray our expences, which would by no means be
accepted. cz : : ot pp BMe
Coming to Belgrade we found the Sangiai as rude , a3 we had found
the Ba/ba civilbefore. For hemade a ridiculous demand of two hin)
dred Ducatsa 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 Ottamanz Port, of his ill ufageof two Gentlemen , ‘kinfmentothe
Embaflador of France, that he was contented with fifty Ducats for
all. Belgrade is {cituated upon a point of Land , where two great
Rivers, the Dazaw and the. Sava meets and is farnifh’d with Wine’,
Bread, and all forts of provifions atacheap rate. .. gieis: PREE gn
From Belgrade we took fome Saddle Horles, fome Coaches for Adri-
anople, as every one lik’d belt. We pafs'd through Sophia, a large and
well peopl’d City, the Adetropolis of the ancient Bulgarians ; and -the,
refidence of the Baha of Romeli, In it ftands a fair Atofquce, 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. i PS, CHER bey a
From Sophia we came to Philippolt, between which Town and 4d7i-,
anople we met with two Troops of Tartars well mounted.’ When
they faw us, they madea Lane for us to pafs through them , witha
ac, moft certainly to have falln upon us; fince they could not
hope to do any good upon us, but by furprize and number for they
were il provided of Weapons, and we rarely well Arm’d. ‘There-
a
eX
upon we alighted and Barricado’d up out felves with our Chariots:
ra : In
' The Desicn of
In the mean time we fent our Spahz’s to the Commander of thole 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 an{wer’d, that he had divided his men in that manner
only to do us Honour ; but fince we defir’d they thould be gone, they
requefted us but to fend them a little Tobacco. A boon which we rea-
dily granted them , and {0 we pafs’d on.
We came to Cddrianople the three and twenticth day after we par-
ted from Belgrade. -ddrianople takes its name from the Emperour
Adrian, being formerly call’d Oveftes, It is pleafantly fituated at the
mouth of three Rivers that throw themfelves into the Archipelago,
The old Town is not very big, but the Turks dayly enlarge the Sy-
burbs , being a place which the Grand Signors very much delight in for
the pleafures of Hunting: and Hawking, efpecially at the wild Duck
and Heron. : :
The fifth day after we departed from Cdarianople, and the forty
fecond after we departed from Vienna, we happily arriv’d at Conftan-
tinople, and croffing through the City over to Galata, went to the
Ambaffador’s Houfe. While we {tay’d there to winter, we made a
fmall 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 and Sail’d to Calcedon , that lies upon
the Sea. There is in it a very ancient Church; and they thew’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 fhew’d us what they could , handfomly enter-
tain’d us, ° |
Then we went to view Pompey’s Pillar at the mouth of the Bleck
Sea. Concerning the Channel of which Sea > I muft make one Op.
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 Ewrope carries the Vellel to the Black Sea; and that
next C4fia 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.
: ; times eigh
or ten Merchants travelling together , might go fafe to Tile
Which ignorance of mine made me ftay longer than I intended. At
length, after I had continu’d eleven Months in Conftantinople, | de-
parted with a fair and numerous Caravan for Ypahan, which was the
~ firft time I travell’d into wpe After that I made five others wherein
I had time better to underftand the Qualities of the, Counties and
the Genius of the People. The three lait times I went beyond Gan.
oe to the Hland of Fave; fo that for the {pace of forty years, I
ave travell’d above fixty thoufand Leagues by Lands 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
~
CE, FS eee ee, ee ee ee
es, ,
PST eae GS
Oe ae ee Se ee ee, ee ee ee a Te
‘the AUTHOR:
to fee all Turky, all Perfia, and all Jndia; particularly the famous
Diamond Mines, where no Exropean had been before me. Of thefe
three great Empires therefore have I refolv'd to make an ample and
exa& Detcription: and I will begin with the feveral Roads which
may be taken from Parts into Po ih rane
- Place the Cuts as they are Paged.
PERSIAN Travels. Se
He Spear, Pag. 13. Erivan, p.15. Adoney of Perfia, p. 51. Bagdat, p 87s
Comouchs 5 p. 129. Perfian Seals, p. 178, 179. Gomrom , p. 257
Candahar , p.258. [9 Cuts.] — |
INDIAN Travels. - sie e
| a Money of the Great Mogul, of 4 King, avd two} oes. Page 2
Pieces of Gold cal’dPagods, p.5. Money of Beda, Pera “Achen,, Siam, p.7:
China Money, p.8. Japon Money, p.9. Silver Ingo s of Fapon , and reprefenting
the 12 Signs, p. 10. Portugals Mufcovy , 13, Stones, Diamonds, p. 148. 2 Cuts
more, p.149. BalaisRubies, p. 150. Pearls, p. 150. Musk Cat, p.153. Faquirs
Tree, p. 166. Faquir. p. 167 {14 Cuts.) aaa
Thefe
a are made, fuppofing a French Crown to be in value
Sterling 54 pence, or 4.5. 64, the reputed Par, andthat 12 Deniers
make a Sows, 20 Sows aLiver ; whereof 3 make an Eeu,
Computation 10 Sows isin value 94. and 10 Demers 3 4,
Perfian Money.
Bafh =
3 Abaffi’s and 1 Chayet —
2 Mamoudi’s -
2 Chayets —.—_—--—_-—_——
Casbeke Simple
Double Casbeké ——_—_—--——.
Bifti 1
Chayets 1
roy
1 Toman ————-——--——-
a ey ee
—
SL eC ee ee oe
ty nn ee ee
a ee
Indiana Money.
Arins 5 ——_——
Demi-Larins 10 —-~———
Roupy of Gold errons
Roupy of Gold
Pee eee
Half Roupy
Quarter of a Roupy
Pagods
Fano’s 6
Cheda Money 1, 2, ————
CHG et ee
Achen Gold etal
Piacaee Gig. —
Camboya Silver ——-_—___—.
Siam Gold
Siam Silver
Afem Silver ——___—___—
‘Tipoura Silver —————
- Arakan Afoney
Pegu Silver ‘-_-————-_——.
Gold Fanos 15, ————-—~
Afem Fanos 22.
‘China Goltfchut
China Silver pieces a Fate
Japon Gold, N° 1. ———_—
Sua 2. 3.
Japon Silver pieces —-_——
Silver Ingots, N° 1.
| 25
3.
———
ew
ee, nt
eee ee
ee
—_—_—_——_.
ee
a nme
—_—_—_-—.
ee
a
~~ —
ie 5:
+: “ane a, ’ é
Te —— _—.
a ee
Reese
Ati
_ Mutcayy<God ==
_ Maulcovy Silver manta
2 aoe
Se negli Ki:
French.
18°Sous, 6 Deniers —~-——
RE CEE SacLa fe IR gutnense ocala
SA Dati edleoros eed eee
1 Mamoudi
5 Deniers, 1 Half-peny
1 Ej Demers. Se ee
2 Double Casbekes .+—_
5 Double Casbekes —-——~ —
5 Abafii’s
46 Livers, 1 Denier, + Piafter —
—_—
---- ---
EF. a.
x EcuFrench, within 8 Sous —
Half as much
21. Livers
30 Sous )
6 Deniers ———- ——-_-__.
16 Sous —— -
7 Sous, 6 Deniers
Demi-Piftol (in Gold a Piftol
—
——— ee —
ee
et ee
~_—
5
# 11 Livers) —-——_—.
1 Ecu ——_—~_—.
2 Sous es,
4. Deniers ————_—_—____.____
16 Sous, 8 Deniers lass
23 Sous, 3 Deniers +2.
4. Sous
9 Livers; ‘i. Sous———
32Sous, 4 Deniers
23 Sous ies es Sa aa
22 Sous
mr
—
’
—_—
21 Sous
20 Sous, 6 Deniers ——-——
1 Real -———
1 Ecu
1350 Livers
59 Sous, 8 Deniers
87 Livers, 10 Sous
29 Livers, 31 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, 11 Deniers —
-_—__ -—_---- > -—-—_— +
oes
oe
——-
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 —
: Sous ——
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Chap, I.
THE
FIRST BOOK
OF
Monstreurn TAVERNIER’
Perfian Travels,
Containing the feveral
From PARIS to ISPAHAN the Chief
Giy of PER SI 4,
Through the Northern Provinces of TURKY.
: CIA aS
Of the Roads from France to the hither parts of Afia, and the Places 3
from whence they ufually fet out for Mpahan. Sat
Man cannot travel in Afis, as they do in Europe ; nor at the
s. fame Hours, nor with the fame eafe. There are no weekly
Coaches or Wagons from Town to Town; befides, that the
Soil of the Countries is of feyerak natures. In Afia you fhall
meet with feveral Regions. untill’d and unpeopl’d, either
Zp, 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 vaft Deferts to crofs, and very dangerous,
both for want of Water, and the Robberies that the erabs
daily commit thercia. There are no certain Stages, or Inns to entertain Travellers.
The beft Inns, efpecially in Turkie, are the Tents which you carry along with you,
and your Hofts are your Servants, that get ready thofe Vidtuals 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 Carvanfera’s or Inns which are more
frequent in Perfia than in Turkie, there are perfons that furnifh you with Provifions,
and the firft come are beft ferved. As for Turkic itis full of T eves, 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 timesmurder them. A mif-
chief prevented in Perfia, by the well ordet’d convenience which is provided for
Travellers, To avoid thefe dangers and inconycniences , you are oblig’d to oe
A : or
The Pernstan Travels Book I.
for the Caravans, that go for Perfia or the Indies, which never fet out but at certain
times, and from certain places. . ie
Thefe Caravans fet out from Confhantineple, Smyrna, and Aleppo. And it is front
one of thefe Cities that a Traveller muft fet out, that intends for Perfia, whether he
keeps company with the Caravar; er will hazard himfelf alone with a Guide , as once
I did. .
I will begin with Conffantinople, fom 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 whichTytoek withMonfieur Chapes and MonfieurSt. Lieban. By the way take
notice; that Viewna is the half-way nearxipon between Paris and C. onftantinople. ‘The
fecond Road is lefs frequented , but is lef inconvenient and lefs dangerous : for there
are no need of the Emperour’s Pafports, which he does not grant very freely: befides
that here isno fearofithe Pirates of Tuas or dArgien; aswhen you embarque frem ~
Marfeilles.or Ligora.’ Vf yourintend this way, banks goto Kenite ; from Venice
to Ancora, from whence feveral Barquesare bound every Week for Ragufa. From
Ragufa you fail along by the Shore to Durazzo aSea-Port of Albania; trom whence
you travel the reft of the way by Land. From Durazzo to Albanopolis, diftant three
days journey, from thence to Afoneffier, juft as far, from Adoneftier you may either
take the deft hand threugh Sophia, and Philippopolis, or the right through Iv.
guifcher, three days journey from Afoneftier, and ten from Adriauople, from whence
in fufellays you reach Conftantinople through Selivrea.
This lait way is part by Sea and part by Land : but there are two other ways alto-
gether by Land, above and below Jraly, according to the diitin€@tion which Antiquity
made of the two Seas that almoft encompafs it. You may embark at Venice, and
fayling al G ich is" irates,.you mult double the Cape. of
Matapan, the moft Southern Paint of all Evrope, to enter into the Archipelago. The
other way is from AZarfeilles or Ligorn, from oe feveral Veffels are bound for
the Eaft. The fafeft way is to go along with the, Envlifh or Holland Fleets, that
ufually arrive at.Ligorn either in the Spring or in Autumn, and part juft agninfe-the
Morea, to the feveral parts whither they are bound. As the Wind ferves, thofe
Fleets fometimes make Sail between the Iland of Elba and Jtaly, and by the Tower
of Meffina: fometimes below Sicily and Sardigna, within fight of Adalta. Thus you
muft come within fight of Gandy, whether you are bound for ct Smyrna,
or Alexandretta, from whence it is but three days jonrney to Aleppo: from one’ of
which, three Cities , you, muft neceflarily begin your journey, if. you intend. for
Perfia.
oe take ‘Egypt in their way, ufing through Alexandria, Cairo, and Damiata,
whence feveral Veffels are bound for Foppa; or St. Fobn’s of Aera, which is not
far off: from thence to Ferufalem or Damafeus, and from thence to Bagdat or Babylon.
~ If youwillventutein a fingle Veffel not ftaying for the Fleets, you may hire a
Veffel from Ligora to Naples, migra wr to Méffiza, keeping along by the Shore, and
lying a-fhore every night. I took this way, and went from Ateffina 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 topmay hear him. The
eall this Rock Diomyfius 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 {plendour
which renown’d it when it was the Miftrefs of all Sicily, and when Greece, jealous of
her power,made War upon hey. But the Soil is very plentiful,and the Gallies of AZalta
__ very oftefbtake in their Provifions there. Near the City isa fair Convent of Capuchin
_Friers, going out of which you may walk for half an hour between two very high
Rocks, where there arefeveral 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.
; edd went to Malta, wheré you muft wait for fome Ship that is Bound
So see,
tee Oe ae
2 *
CHAP,
Chap. IL of Monfieor Tavernier,
yf the Road from Conftantinople to Ifpahan 5; which the Author
kept in his firft Travels into Perfia. edd i |
T is feldom that ariy Caravans go from Conftaniinople into Perfia; but from.
Burfa they go every two Months: Burfa is the Capital City of Bithynia, not
above three days journey from Con/tantinople, or a littlemore, Thefe two Roads .
meet at Chabangi , where you may be from Burfa in two Days: and fo I will
only fpeak of the Roads from Conftaatinople to I/paban. This Journey is.to be under-
taken either with the Caravan of Camels, or elfe ten or twelye Men in a Company,
well mounted and well arm/’d. Tog
From Conftantinople , you crofs over to Scutaré, upon the Coaft of Afia. }
Setting out from Scutar: , the firft days journey is very pleafant, over Fields gayly
painted with Flowers in their feafon.. At firft for fome time together , on both fides
the way, you fee 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 Catal; a Village of Bithynia, the next Day at Gebifa,
aniciently 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 {nich , which is thought to be the ancient Nicea; one
part of the City is built uport the deicent of a Hill, the other part upon a Plain that
reaches to the Sea , and makes the Golf of Ifmich. The Haven confifts of two Moles
made of Free-{tone, and three great Enclofures encompaf{s’d with Walls, which fetve
inftead of fo many Arfenals, wherein there are Store-houfes full of large Timber,
fot building Houfes and Galleys. _ The Country round about being an excellent place
for Hutting, and the Soil bearing rare Fruits; and rich in Wine,,. caus’d Sulean
Amuratt to build a Seraglio in the higheft part of the Town, from whence there is
a profpect at the fame time both over the Sea and the Country. The ews inhabit
the gteateft part of the Town; dealing chiefly in Timber and Corn... When the Wind.
ferves, you may go from Conjtaxtinople to I{nich in feven or eight Hours, there being
no danger in the paflage. , .
The fourth Day you ftay at Chabangi, a {mall Town built upon the fide ef a Lake,
call’ Chaban-Gigul, 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 fonie 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 Fifth, infomuch that I
have bought a Pike two Foot and a half long for three Sous. Many Emperours have
ad a defign to miake a Cutt out of this Lake into the Sea, for the more eafie.tranf-
porting to Con/tantinople the Timber which grows upon the Mountains near the Lake.
And if the Grand Vier, whe by a Miracle dy’d in his Bed, and.left his Son fuc-
ceffer 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. be:
Departing from Chabandi, you come to lye at Night upon the Bank of a River call’d
Zacarat, which ruas Northward and falls into the Black Sea. It isa River plentiful
in Fith, and you crofs over it with a wooden Bridge. There is neither Town, -nor
Inn in that place; buta League from the River is a great Town call’d_Ada, the chiefeft
part of the Inhabitants whereof are Armenians... Thither we fent for excellént good
Wine, and other neceffary refrefhments. gash x 4
From that River to Cazcoly, where you lye the next Night, and have your choice
of four Inns; you travel all the day in tlie. Mexthes, over wooden Bridges and
Caufeys. | dy a aleeees aa ; na
Twkebafar isthe next place, a {mall Village with twoInns. From thence toGar-
sulle a great Town, with one! Inn; built upon a River, where there is great
ore of Fifh taken, which the Inhabitants call ila Oe that is to fay, the
| - Fifk
‘
The Pernstan Travels Rook I.
-Fith with the long Nofe: It is {peckl’d like a Trout; but of a better taft, and
more efteem’d, Polia, or Polis; is a City feated at the foot of feveral Mountains,
the Inhabitants whereof are for the moft part Greeks. Thefe Mountains are very
high, and extend themfelves along the Road for two days journey. They are fuil
of feveral forts of Trees, which are ftreight and tall like Firr-trees; and divided
by fo many Torrents, which it would be hard to pais over, were it not for the Bridges -
that the Grand Vifier Kuprigh caus’d to be built. In regard the foil of thefe Moun-
tains is very fat, there would be no drawing for the Horles 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 Conflantineple. A Work of great Charge, in regard there is
nota 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. Betiveen 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
= contributes to its fertility. It is an excellent Soil, and produces all things
neceflary for Humane Life. Upon. each fide of the way I counted above twenty
Churchyards, For itis 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 anumber, of various Colours, that it is from thence conjeturd, that
theté were a very great number of Chriftian Churches in Poliay and the parts there-
abouts. They affur’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 {et upon-thei = Rectameeaee
Bendestluer isa Village in the Mountains, where there is one Inn.
Gerradar is beyond the Mountains, where there are two Inns, .
--Cargeflar has two Inns, and lyes ina good Country.
Caragalar, is a Town where there are two Inns.
_, 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 Gufelarmac. Upon the
higheft of the imaller Hills toward the Eaft , there is a Fortrefs, where a Bafha
refides; and in the Town is one of the faireft Inns upon the Road. The greateft
partof the Inhabitants are Chriftian Greeks, who have the advantage to drink ex-
cellent Wine, with which the Country furnifhes them in abundance.
eA gifenfatou ftands upon a River, and there is an Inn and a fair Mofyuee
in it.
Oxeman is a little City 5 feated at the foot of a Hill upon which there ftands.a
ftrong -Caftle, and below two very commodious Inns, The River Gufelarmac,
broad and deep, wathes the Southsfide of the City, which you crofs, over one of
the faireft Bridges that ever was feen. It confifts of fifteen Arches, all of Free-
ftone , and is a Work that fhews the Grandeur of the Undertaker. Somewhat at
a -diftance from the Bridge ftand fix Corn-Mills all together, with little wooden
Bridges to go from one to another. This River falls into the Euxin Sea, about eight
days journey from Ozeman. t
Axilar is a great Town, where there are two Inns.
‘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 fent and defir’d a Convoy
of the. Bafha, who lent us fifty Horfemen. —
ee a great City, built upon an afcent in the hollow of a Mountain. It has
no prokpeét, 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, fonarrow that not above three perfons -
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 , ftands aFortrefs, where they can come by no other Water than
sb gm z& : what
ge
RE Sey
2 Ree © ee ees
Chap.If. of Monfiuer Tavernrer.
what they preferve in Cifterns when it rains. In the middle of the Mountain is§ fair
Spring, and round about it are feveral Chambers cut out of the Rock, where the
_Dervitchs make their abode. There are but two Inns, and thofe very bad ones,
in Amafia, But the Soil is good , and bears the beft Wine and Fruits in all Me-
tolia. Page :
Ainabachar, is the name of anInn, 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 the Houfes, and we caught excellent Fifh
in it, In that place is another of the faireft Inns upon the Road.
From Tyreall you may travel in one day to Tocart , where the Road from Smyrna
to I/paban mects. >
Tocat isa good fair City built at the foot of a very high Mountain, {preading it
felf round about a great Rock that ftands almoft in the midft of the Town, upen the
top whereof a high Caftle commands the neighbouring parts, with a good Garriton
in it. It is very ancient, and the remainder of three others that ftood there in
former times. The City is very well inhabited with Turks, whoare the Lord Con-
trollers, Armenians, Greeks, and Fews. 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 allo avery fair Inn going
up, which when I laf travell’d that way, was not quite finifh’d. There is one
thing more particular and more commodious at Tocat; which is not to be found in
any Inns upon the Regd , That round about all the Caravanfera’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 Czravaas, whiles they ftay at Tocar. Befides that}
in thofe private Lodgings you have your liberty to drink Wine, and provide for
the reft of your Journey; which is not fo eafily done in the publick Inns, where the
Turks 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 Monatfteries for Men, and
two for Women; and for fourteen or fifteen Leagues round Tocat, the Country is
all inhabited by Armenian Chrittians , but very few Greeks being intermix’d among
them. The greateft part of thefe Chriftians are Tradefmen, and for the moft part
Smiths. A fair River runs about half a quarter of a League from the City,which rifes
near to Erzerom, and is crols’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, andxeplenifh’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 Fruitvery plentiful. It is the only place in all A/a
where plenty of Saffron grows, which is the bef Commodity you can carry to the
Indies, where a Pound, as the Years fall out, is worth thirteen or fourteen * Franks,
though the Wax that preferves it, be as much in weight as the Saffron. This City,
with the Lands belonging to it, ufually is the Dowager Sultaneffes Joynture. -There
is only an Aga and aCady, that command there in the behalf of the Grand Signor: |
for the Balha, from whom they receive their Orders, lives at Sevas , which is the
ancient Sebaffia, and avery great City, fome three days journey from Tocat. In
fhort , Tocat is one of the moft #emarkable 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
Baie bound. They that are for Conftantinople, take to the Winter Weft upon
the right hand; they that are for Smyrna, incline to the Summer Welt, upomthe
left hand. When you fet out either way out of Tocar, there is a Toll-gatherer,
that counts all the Camels and Horfes that pafs by,and exatts for every Gamel a quarter
ofa Rixdollar, and for every Horfe half as much. As for the Horfes.or Camels that
carry the Paflengers or their Provifions, they paynothing, This continual concourfe
of the Caravans trolls the Money about at Tocats and makes it oneof the moft con-
fiderable Cities of Turkie. aoe . #49
Setting out of Tocat to go to Erzerom, youdifcovera little Village fo fituated
under a Hill, as if the Mountain Jay a top of it ; and between that Mountain and
the River, the Road is very narrow wheré the Caravan is to pais. In this Road it
: . wasy
* Every Frank
being 2 5.
{terling.
She: + iatioe?
fe
Ratt y
£ "g
wasy that we mét the Grand /’c/fer returning from Hunting , with a Train of four
hundred men: {o foon as he perceiv’d us, he fil’d off all his men to give us liberty
to pals by. But among all the Company, there was not above four Frazks upon.
which he particularly caft hisEye, which made him fend for the Caravan Bachi to
know who we were. The Caravan Bachi , to avoid the ill Confequences of jealoufie
which the Vifier might have of the Fravks, ata time when the Grand Vifier made
War in Perfia, told him we were Fews; at which the Vificr, fhaking his Head,
reply’d only that we did not look like fuch, and happy it was 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 ftopt us. But when he came home to his
Lodging he found a Capigi ftaying for him, with Orders from the Grand Sigzor to
take off his Head, which were prefently executed. For Amurath being troubl’d
for the lofs 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 ftay likewife two or
three days at Gharkliquen, which is not above two Leagues diftant from it; for
Charkliquen is a great Town in a lovely Country, between two fertil Hills, where
there grows excellent Wine. It is for the moft part inhabited by Chriftians, who
are generally Tanners. The fine blew Goat-leather Skins being dreft in Tocar,
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 Diarbequir and
Bagdat are for the red, Adouffil or the ancient Niniveh for the yellow, and Ourfa
for the black.. About two thoufand Paces from this Town , in the midft of a Plain
rifes a vaft Rock , upon the North-fide whereof you afcend about nine or ten fteps
into a Chamber-with a Bed >a Table>-and> ard in it, all hewn out of the
Rock. Upon the Weft-fide you afcend ether 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, confifting for the moft part of Chriftian
Merchants, ftay at Charkliquen, to pay their Devotions to this Rock, where the
Bifhop of the place, attended by fome Priefts, with every onc a Taper in their
Hands, goes and faysMafs. 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 ftop here, to provide themfelves for the reft of their Journey.
Two Leagues from Charkliquen , you crofs over very high Mountains, with Pre-
cipices on both fides. It is the cuftom of the Aymenians , when they hear of the
approach of a Curavaz, to ride out two or three days journey to meet their Coun-
try-men and carry them frefh Provifions. Thofe of Charkliquen 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
Worth, 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
toleaye the Body of the Caravan, either by ftaying too far behind, or running
too faft before: and fome have fuffer’d for diftancing themfelyes not above five hun-
dred Paces from it. i :
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 fromthe 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 AZzy,
when the Grafs is high, it cofts nothing to feed the Horfes and Camels. For as
oe | | feon
/
~The Pr x SIAN Travels - Book I.
Clothes, witha piece of a Stick, fet his Teeth in it, and
Chap. IL of Monfieur Tavernier.
foon asthe Caravan is lodg’d, the Servants go and cut the Grafs from off the Hil-
locks, where it is much better then upon the Plains. But while the Beafts feed:
only upon Grafs they are much weaker, and cannot travel fo far as at other
times.
From the Mountain where the Armenians were fet upon, you come to Almous,
a little Village upon a River, which you crofs, over a Bridge of Wood.
Going out af Almous, you crofs a large Plain, at the end whereof you ledge upon
the Bak of a fais River, call?d Toxfanlon-fo», which falls into the River of
Tocat. | aes)
. Having pafvd: this River, you afcend a high Mountain, which the People of the
Country call Kwra-bebir-beguiendren, or, the Mountain that ftops the Grand Signors ¢
for it isvery rugged, and you mult of heceffity alight, to afcend it. In that bad
Way two Horfes that carry’d each of them two Bales of Ezglifh Cloth burft under
theit Burthen, which prov’d excellent Food for feveral Turtars that were before us,
and: were pitch’d in the place where we intended to have lodg’d our felves; fo that
we were fored’to go a quarter of a League farther. Thele Tartars when they
heard of our-twodead 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
fothey eat it without any more a-do. I {aw one of them that took a piece of thofe
Horfes Flefh, and after he had beaten it foundly between two nafty Linnen
vour’d it witha very
a de ~
Pa SIS
te
greedy. appetite. neem es Bef
Upon the top of the Mountain which I have mention’d, there is a Plain, and itt
the mid’ft of the Plain a Fountain call’d Chef{me-beler, or, A Fountain of Cryftal; neax
to which, on the South-fide, there ftands a Village.
From the place where we lodg’d, we came toa little Towa called Adras, the In-
habitants whereof are all Armenians. Se
Afpidar is but two Leagues from Adras, and isbut.a Village.
Isbeder is. another Village in the Mountains, where the Caravan generally ftays one
or two days; as well to pay the Cuftom, whichis the fourth part of a Rixdollar upow
every Camel, and half as much for every Horfe ; asfor the excellency and cheaps
nefs of the Wine , where every Man provides for himdelf. : ;
_ Twice we pafs’d by and paid nothing, in regard that theCaravan was too ftrong .
for the Toll-gatherers; and were it not that they ftay for the Wine, they might go
- direétly: forward without paying any thing. ycons its =
Leaving Isbeder , we came to another great Town in the Mountains; all the
Houfes are hewn out of the Rockupon which itisteated, asiare alfo all the Stair.
Cafes. From this Village, having pafs’d a River, over a wooden Bridge , at the
end whereof there ftands an Inn., you come to Zacapa, another Village, from
whence througlvery narrow paflages, where youare forced to unload the Camels,
and carry your Goods upon Mens flioulders for thirty Pacestogether, you come
toencamp in a little Plain. It byes at the foot of a high Mountain , vehi
call. Dikynebell, beyond which lies the Town Kourd-Aga, after which’ youcrofs three
Rivers; one fordable ,. the other over two Bridges, and then you:come toa Village
cal?d Garmeru.
From Garmeruyou go to Seukmen, another Village; from Seuknen to Lonri; from.
Louri to Chaonquen, yehich are two very handiom Towns.
1 fawan Old Manat Obeouquem who was above a Hundred and Thirty Years old ’
who when Sultana Amurath belieged Bagdat, gave his’ whole Army as much Oats as
ferv’d theny one’ whéle day, In recompence whereof, the Su/taz exempted him and
his Children’ from: all Taxes and Tolls foritheirbivéss
Leaving Chaonquen, you come to ahigh craggy Mountain w ich is call’d Anggi-
dogii, or, The Bitter Mountain. The Ways being narrow, the @arav.n is fore’d
to travel fingle; and then it is that they count-all the Horle 5 arid: all the Camels;
everyHorfe and every Camel paying’to the Careyam-Maftera certain Duty, which
amounts to a good Sumif the Caravan be numero ‘Ohne part of that Money isto
-payfeven or eight Armenians y that. guard the:Caravan all the way ; another part
defrays
ch they .
Nat. F
8
The Persian Travels Book I.
defrays the Expences upon the Road; 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
Giogandereft, and from thence to Erzerom you meet only with three Villages by the
‘way, Achikala, Ginnis, and Higia, which are the Caravan’s Stages. During’ thefe
three aft days journeys, you keep all along the Banks of Exphrates for the moft
part, which is yet but narrow, taking its fouree Northward of Erzerom. Tis a
wonderful thing to fee the vaft quantities of large Ajparagus that grow all along
the River, with which you may load feveral Camels.
A League on this fide Fyzerom the Caravan is conftrain’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
goaway. The particular Bufinefs of the Bafha’s Lieutenant in meeting the Czravan,
is to fee whether the Merchants be well provided with Wines. And if he defire
3 _ Bottles, whether it be then, or in the City, where they are not afham’d to
vifit
every Merchant, there is no refufing them. For there grows no Wine at
Erzerom, all that is drank there being a {mall Wine of Afingrelia, which is always
green: which forces the Merchants to furnifh themfelves with Wine at Tocar,
which they may do fufficiently to laft them into Perfia.. The Officer of the Cuftom-
Houte generally allows the Caravan three days to reft; during which time he
fends to the principal Merchants fome Fruit and other {mall Refrefhments , by which
he isna Jofer. 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 Beulls; ‘caules the Caravan to ftay generally twenty or five
and twenty days at Erzerom. Se: |
Erzerom is a frontier Town of Turkie toward Perfia. It is fituated at the end
of a large Plain environ’d with Mountains, the Plain being beautif’d with many
fair Villages. If you take in the Caftle and the Suburbs it may pafs for a City,
but the Houfes are ill built of Wood , without any neatnefs or proportion, There
are fome Remains of Churches and of the ancient Buildings of the Armenians, by
which you may conjecture that it never was very beautiful. The Fortrefs ftands
upon a high ground, with a double Wall, {quare Towers clofe one to another,
and a pitiful Moat. The Bafharefides 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 fall Fort, wherein the Fanifary-
Aga lives, and where the Bajha has no Power. When the Grand Signor has a
mind to the Head of this Bafha, or any other confiderable perfon in the Province,
he fends a Capigi, with ordes 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
lat Travels into Perfia: For the Bajha of Erzerom 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 Bafha of Kars; and meeting this Capigi upon the Road in a Village,
upon his return for Confansinople, he would needs {hew me whether I would or No,
the Heads of the two Bafha’s, which he was carrying to the Grand Signor in a
Bag,
Between the fwrft 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 Erzerom to be ready upon all occafions when the Grand
| Sigvor makes War againft the Perfians,
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
_ Hot very good, and in regard the People’ are ftriétly forbid.to-drink Wine , the
Merchants are forc’d to buy it very privately, for fear it fhould come to the know-
ledge of the Gadi. Though it be very cold at Erzerom, 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, _
isveryfeyere. Silk, that comes out of Perfia, pays four and twenty Crowns for a
Camel’s
Poets
of Monfieur Tavernier.
Chap.lV.
Camel’s Load, which is eight hundred Pounds. For in the mountainous Coun-
tries a Camel’s Load is nomore; but in the plain and even Countries they make ’em
carry above ten hundred weight. A Load of Judian Calicutts pays a hundred
Crowns; but the Loads of Linnen are much heavier than thofe of Silk. As for
other Commodities, they pay Six per Cent. according to their value.
From this Stage the Caravan {ets forward to a Fortrefs call’d Haffan Kala, where
you muft pay half a Piafter for every Camel’s or Horfes Load going from Erzerem
-to Eyivan, but returning you pay but half as much.
Leaving thisFortrefs, you muft go and lodge at a Bridge near to a Village which
is call’d Choban-Cupri. Over this Bridge, which is the faireit 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 call’d Binxguiel , both which disburthen themfelves into
the Aras. The Caravan ufually 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 exaé& four Piafters upon eve
Camel’s Load, and two upon every Horfe-Load, whereas at Kars you are dit
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 defert 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 Sigwor always choofing that place
to rendezvouz his Army, whenever he intended to recruit it, and to lodge his
People there which he fent to build Villages, the King of Perfia has ruin’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 moft 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 Anikagaé , 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 — and empties it felf 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
the Caravan paffes by, the Peeple bring Horfes from feveral Parts tobe 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, lyesa great
Mountain which the People of the Country call A4ingol. In this Mountain there
are abundance of Springs, and from one fide of it falls Exphrates, 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 A4ingsl, which after many windings through the Upper
Armenia, where it receives many other Rivers that fwell its Streams; it difcharges
it felf into the Capian Sea, two days journey from Shamaki, upon the Frontiers
of the ancient Afedes. ee
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 ate Chriftians, thofe
few Mahumetans that live among them being fo fuperftitious, that they will not drink
the Water of any of thofe Rivers, nor wafhin them; believing them impure and
defil’d by the ufe which the Chriftians make of them. They have their particular ©
Wells and Cifterns by themfelves, which they will not fuffer a Chriftian to come
near. ; ; an cae
B Coma-
1O
The Pr ‘ stan Travels Book I.
Comafour is the firft Village where you lodge after you leave the Bridge of Choban-
Kupri, going to Erivan. 3
falicarcara is the next Stage to Comafour : this isa great Town alfo inhabited by
Chriftians, ‘but the Houtes are built all under-ground like Caves. ~ Coming thither
the feventh of AZarch 1655 , the Snow was fo deep that there was no travelling, fo
that we were forc’d to ftay there eight days. But the Cuftomer of Erzercm under-
ftanding in what a bad condition we were} came in perfon with five hundred Horle
to make way for us, and fent 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 own Interett.
For a new Officer being to fueceed him upon the 22° of March, and our Caravan
being very numerous , he would have loft above a hundred thoufand Crowns, had
we not come to Erzerom before that day. Many of the Paffengers 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. ee
The Caravan is ufually twelve days upon the Road, from Erzerom to Erivan:
Leaving Halicarcara , you ford the «Aras 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 ftands a Fortrefs call’d
Kaguifgan , which is the laft place which the Turks poffefs on that fide. The Gu-
ftomers that live there come to the Czravan to take their Toll , which is four Piafters
for every Camel Joaden, and two for every Horfe loaden. In the year 1655 the
Caravan lodging about a League from the Fortrefs of Kaguifgan, the Mountains
adjoyning being inhabited by Chriftian Armeniaus » 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 fatisfaétion. About four or five Months after, this
Bifhop had one of his Eyes ftruck “out a a Fanifary. 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
—— the Offender, but he fled, and left the Bithop without remedy of {atif-
action.
From the laft place where we encamp’d near the Aras, 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 Kars, and parts Turkie
from Perfiz. 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
topals fooften = os
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
Evivan.
2 Oe Aap Pt,
A Continuation of the Road from Conftantinople to I{pahan,
~ from the Borders of Perfia to Erivan. |
Bah
otha:
: 2 Se
“SHE firft Place worthy Obfervation, entring into Perfiz thorough
Armenia, is that which they call the Three Churches, three Leagues
from Erivan;, which Three Oburches, are three Monafteries diftant one
debs 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
‘~ . f “et = :
& Nunnery
re
~Chap.JilL of Monfiuer Tavernier,
Nunnery for Virgins. The Armenians call this place Egmiafin , or the Only Dangh-
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 himfelf appear’d , and that from that time the Devil furceas’d to moleft
them any more; fo that they finifh’d the Church. It is dedicated to St. Gregory,
-whom the Armenians have in very great veneration. And thete 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 folemh-
Devotion. . |
The Second is built in honour of a PrincefS that came with forty Virgins of Qua-
lity to vifitSt.Gregory. This Lady an Armenian King caus’d to be thrown into a
‘Well full of Serpents; but fhe receiv’d no harm. For fhe 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 het Companions, but they overcame
him by their Virtue: who thereupon, feéing he could not-have his Will’, put them
all to Death. 3 OB OUR. |
The Cuftom of all the Armenians, as well thofé that come out of Perfia, as thofe
that travel into Perfia, is to.perform their Devotions at thefeThree Churches. and the
Caravan {tops ufually five or fix days, during which time they Corifefs, and receive
-Abfolution from the Patriarch. SETI REED, SPN 8D 22S MEMEE EGET
- The Patriarch has under him forty feven Archbifhops, and every Archbifhop has
under him four or five Suffragans , with whom he lives ina Conyent; where there
are feyeral Monks under their Jurifdiction. So foon as they have faid their Mats,
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 Armenias 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
reafon of their poverty. Yet their defeét 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 Carage , which is an’Annual
Tribute that they owe to the A¢ahometan Princes, to whom they are fubjeé&t :- Other-
wife neceflity would force them to become A4ahometans', and they, their Wivés and
Children would be liable to be fold, which the Grand Patriarcl Jabours all he can
to prevent. Every Archbifhop fends him out of his Diocefs what ‘is neceflary 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 himfelf of a Revenue which
he has out of 400000 Villages, which the Archbifhop of St.Stephen’s affirm’d to me
to be under his Jurifdiétion, SRE O%
As I return’d from Perfia in the Year 1655, 1 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 refoly’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 nine Bithops fitting about him in the fame pofture, among whom there
was one that fpake very good Jtalian. 1 ftay’d with him three Hours; and while
we were difcourfing together, in came one of the Monks of thé Covent , who had
not fpoken to any perfon whatfoever in Two and twenty Years, by réafon of a
Penance that was impos’d upon him, Never did Man appear fo meager and de-
formed 3 but the Patriarch fent for him, and by his uthority commanded him to
break Silence , which he did , by {peaking at thé fame Inftanty >
The Saturday before oe the Patriarch invited all the’ Caravan , ds well
Matters as Servants, to hear Mafs the next day., and ‘then fo dine at thé Covent.
Mafs being concluded, the People were brought into a long Gallery, about 15.
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.
Foot fquare ; over which is ayaulted Roof fuftain’d with four Pillars; which tte
3 B 2 Ba ae
it
12
The Perstan 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 fate at the
long Tables. The Meat which they brought us was feveral forts of Pilaw, and feveral
Dithes of Fifh, among the reft excellent Trouts. The Pilaw was brought in forty
wide Plates, {fo 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 leffer, 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 Archbithops eat nothing but two
ie and a few raw Herbs; no more did the other Archbifhops that fate at the
able.
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 Deyotion , the Bifhop writes
down the Names of the Perfons, and the Sum which they mention; which he comes
and gathers the nextday. There’are fome rich Merchants that will giye 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 Bufalo’s,
of which there are great ftore in that Country, fome ferving to Till their Ground;
while the Femalevones'yield ftoreof Milk, of which they make Butter and Cheefe,
and which they mingle with all forts of other Milk: There are fome of thete female
Beafts that will give two and twenty Pints of Milk a day.
8
They brought us into a wide Enclofure, 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 fucha 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 Mafters 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
AOS te, 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
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 moft. Immediately upon that every one put out
his Taper: For they efteem it a Beh pas bufinefs, believing that the lighting
of one of thofe Tapers in aSterm, throwing it into the Sea, isa prefent Charm
* againft Shipwrack. For fay they, The Virgin airs forty days after fhe was
bro to Bed, went to Ferufalem with Fofeph and her Son; and going into the
ie € met old Simeon, who taking the Child inhis Arms, began to fing the Song,
Lora now let thy Servant, &c. the Song being ended , all the People began to cry
that Chrift was born, and to publith 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 aloag. This Feftival among the Armenians
is like that of Candlemas-day , and they call it in their Language, Ter en Areche ?
Where 15 the Lord? The Armenians, Maftersand Servants, drank ajl Night to make
an end of their Carnival, while the Patriarch was bufie in dreffing up the Church with
its gayeft Ornaments. ae
I could not believe there had been fo much Riches in the Chriftian Churches
under.the Power of the Mahumetans. It isnot a hundred Years fince this Patriarchal
Church was in a@ much meaner Condition: But fince the great Sha-Abas put the
Armenians upon Traffick, they have very much enrich’d hemfcbrs For'asthey —
got great Gains; fo they made great Vows, and gave largely to the ee
‘ wherein
4 or a
TJapermers Serhiari b CA te
é wy 7aV ag i3
J « cls Sag. oa
iit
at ) f" Ks hi) »
i ii i |
i Hl | | \! \ ii |
a ! HH | | i AM i ih | | | Wi H
wean E1111 itt iI qa
a | | , i! y
iil T ih i i) ND
Lil 7
eT See,
> ion hiidicintl Mpegs: Pass Posie Mee. a2.
oh ee ee
a Oe
wae
Dee seal
7 acinar ilo =
. sill sa i. 1 es
POSS Sa TE DESIST BS POOR Tee
Lghvonpuence e pes eee Mane
Bae ee ae y
ante» PNR a
Gad tags
ge MRE HS
"Chap.II. of Monficur Tavernier,
wherein there are now as rich Ornaments as in any Church of Chriftendom. The
Choir of the Church was hung round with a Venetian Tiflue 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 4vmenians 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 Leffons are reading they ftand up, All the Service-time
their Heads are cover’d, unlefs 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 fung 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 Bifhops 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 Archbitheps, Bifhops , and all the-People toKis. On
the one fide of the Coyer 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 Erivaa, toward the North, appears a great Lake , wherein
there is an Iland, upon which is built a yery fair Covent. The Monks that live there,
live fo auftere a Life, that they never eat Fith or Flefh above four times a Year;
neither do they {peak one to-another , but upon thofe 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 Fafting, to eat either Butter or Oyl, The Bread which they eat is
brought from the neighbouring Villages: and the Iland is replenifh’d with all forts
of excellent Fruits. ~
On the one fide of the Lake nearer to Evivaais 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 ina very hard Rock. The Armenians call that Church
Kickart in their Language, and the Turks in theirs Guicurghieche, 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 cans’d to be
drawn upon the Place. The Armenjans have this Lance in great Veneration, faying,
that it was brought thither by St. Afatthem,
Five Leagues from Erivan, towards the South-Eaft begins the Mountain Ararat 5
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, ftands a
Church upon a little Hillock , clofe by which are feveral Pits like Wells. They
report that it was into one of thefe Wells that Cerda, an Armenian King, caus
St. Gregory to be thrown, becaufe he would not Worfhip his falfeGods, Between
this Church and Evivaa 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. Degrees, 20 Minutes of Longitude; 41 Degrees, 15 Mi-
nutes of Latitude; in a moft plentiful Country of all things neceflary for Humane
Life, but efpecially abounding in good Wine. - It is one of the beft Provinces of
all Perfia, 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 Goyernour only, otherwife call’d the Kaz of Erivan,
amounts to above 29900 Tomans, which make 840000 Livres. This City lymg
upon the Frontiers of both Empires, has been taken and retaken by the Twks and
Perfians, feveral times. By whichmeans the old City being ruin’d, they have built
a new one, 800 Paces on this fide, upon aRock:, at the foot whereof, upon the
Weft-fide runs a rapid Stream: it is call’d by the Name of glee and in many
places it is deep and full of Rocks. You crofs it; ever 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 Fith, efpecially Trouts, which vag yi are dear enough: This River
comes from a Lake called Gigagént ; about 23 Leagues from Erivaa,; towratg ihe
: ort 3
13
14
and promis’d to {pare their Lives.
The Perstan Travels — Book I.
North, and falls into the Aras, that runs not above three Leagues off to the South, —
Though this City be fortified to the Welt by the River, yet it is never the ftronger,
by reafon 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 fecur’d with a double Wall with feveral Towers; but the
Walls being only ot Earth , as are moft of the Houfes, the Rain does more mit.
chief, than the Catinon 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, witha Monaftery. And of late years they have built alfo a very fair
Inn in the fame Quarter. In the City. there only lives the Kaw, with the Military
Officers and Souldiers, the Kan’s 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 Ambaffador come thither, he is bound to maintain
him at his own Expence, and to caufe him to be conduéted to the Territories of
the next Governour, who is oblig’d to do the fame. So that Ambafladors are not
bound to be at any Expences in the Territories of theKing 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 thoufand 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 Traé&t, whether for its Valleys
and Riverss.0r.for.the.matureof the Soil, to any Part that I have feen, 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
Alpes and Mount Fura, and which compos’d a Squadron of Alexanders Army,
having ferv’d him in his Conquefts, feated themfelves in this part of Armenia, which
they found fo like their own Country. From Toeat to Tauris the Inhabitants are
for the moft part Chriftians. Which large Tra&t of Ground being that which the
Ancients call’d the Province of Armenia , tis no wonder to meet with fifty Arme- -
mans 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 refort. But neither in Erivaw, nor in any other part of Perfia are the
Merchants put to open their Bales at the Cuftom.Houfes, as in Turkic. “They only
pay certain Duties toward fecuring the Highways; which Duties they call Rade-
vies, and thofe that gather them Raders. 7
The Kans or Governours of Provinces in Perfia are civil to Strangers, efpecially
to thofe that they like, or that fhew them any thing of Curiofity. The firft time
that I went into Perfia, 1 took a young Watch-maker with me, and coming to
Evivan , \ carried him to the Kaz who was then Governour. It was at a time
when Watches were very rare in Perfia; and the Kam, underftanding what Trade
the Young Man was of, told us he was the firft Watch-maker that ever had been
in Rerfia: 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 himevery 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 kad made on purpofe, in his Garden, to take off his Glaffes,
This was he, that having deliver’d Erivan to Sultan Amurat, went along with
him to Conftantinople, and became his Favourite for teaching him to Drink, _Amurat
left a Garrifon of 22000 Men in the City; but Sha-Sefi the Perfian King begirt it
prefently with a {trong Army ; and planting himfelf feeurely under one of the Hills
that command the City, he batter’d it inceffantly 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 Affault, and tookthe City: and becaufe they would not yield at his
Summons, he put all the Garrifon to the Sword. For which Amurat, was quit with Sha-
Sefi afterwards, though not in fo noble a way; for entring a Viétor into Bagdat, he
put all the Perfians to the Sword, after he had given themhis Word to the contrary,
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Chap. IV. of Monfieur Tavernre = 15
The Platform of Erivaz and the Suburbs.
The Town and Fort. ‘ os
The Suburbs, inhabited by the Armenian Chriftians.
The Church. }
The Convent.
The River of Sangui-cija.
The Stone-Bridge.
The Highway for the Caravans.
The Fort which Sha-Sefi built to batter the City.
The River that falls from the Mountain.
The Highway to Tauris. .
The Way to Feflis the chief City of Georgia, aud the Way to the Mountain
where the Kan of Erivan goes twice a Summer to drink. |
The Market-places, for Sale of Goods.
2 PAE MO mmo whe
CHAP. IY. |
A Continuation of the fame Road from Erivan to,Tauris.
W T ufually takes up ten days journey for the Caravan to go between Evivan
and Tauris; and Nacksivan is almoft in the mid-way between both. The
firft days jourfiey you travel thorough large Plains fow’d with Rice, and
water’d with feveral Rivulets. The next day you continue to travel through
Plains of the {ame nature, in fight of the Mountain Ararat; which is full of Mona-
fteries, leaving it upon the South. The Armeniani call this Mountain A4efefoufar,
The Mountain of the Ark; becaute the Ark of Noah reRed 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 J faw it for five days journey together.’ So
foon as the Armenians dilcover 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. The next day we lodg’d near to a Village where there was good Water,
falls into Ards, From this Inn to Waksivan is but a {mall Journey. MNaksivan,
3 Se ageergs | according
16
one Per stan Travels Book I.
according to the Opinion of the Armenians, is the moft ancient City of the World ;
built about three Leagues from the Mountain upon which the Ark of Woah refted:
from whence it alfo takes its Name; for Nak in the Armenian Tongue fignifies a
Ship, and Sivan, refling or repofing. "Twas a great City, now wholly ruin’d by
the Army of Sultan Amurath, There are the Remains of feveral rare Mofquees,
which the Turks have deftroy’d; for the Turks and Perfians deftroy one anothers
Mofquees as faft as they fall into one anothers poffeffion. 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 fay further, that he was Buried here; and that
his Wife has a Tomb at A4arante upon the Road to Tauris. There runs a little
River by Waksivan, the Water whereof is very good; 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 Sha-Abas King of Perfia, 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 fent all the Inhabitants of Zxifa
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 Guslan , whence the Silks come; and
where*the harfhnefs of the Climate kill’?d abundance of thofe poor People, that
were accuftom’d to a milder Air. The moft confiderable were fent to I/pahan,
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 fet the Ar-
mewians upon their Feetagain. Thele are they that built the City of Zufa, which
is only feparated from ene by the River of Senderox, calling it New Zulfa, to
diftinguih it from the old City, which was the Habitation of their Anceftors. A
third part of the People were difpers’d into other Villages between Jpaban and
Sciras. But the old People dying, the young ones generally turn A4ahumetans :
fo that now you can hardly meet with two Chriftian 4rmeniaas in all thofe fair
Plains, which their Fathers were fent to manure.
Among the Ruines of Waksivan appear the Ruines of a great Mofquee , which
was ene of the moft ftately Buildings in the World: which fome fay 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 Dwomo’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 leffening like aSpire, ends ina Point. The Building is all of Brick,
but as well the out-fide as the in-fide is over-{pread with a kind of Varnith of Parget,
wrought into Flowers, like Embofs’d Work. Tis thought to have been an Fdifice
- fet up by Temur-leng , when he had Conquer’d Perfia.
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
fend from time to time, to Rome, certain Children born in the Country, to learn
the Latin and Italian Tongues, and other neceffary Sciences. It is thought there are
in this Quarter above fix thoufand Souls that ablolutely follow the Doétrine of the
Church of Rome; only that they fing the Office and the Adaf 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 Avia, the Wine and Fruits that grow there are very
delicate, befides the abundance of all other things neceffary for Humane Life. Every
Covent ftands near a great Village: the chiefeft where I have been twice, is Aba-
vener , the fecond Abraghonnex, the. third Kerna, the fourth Soletak, the fifth
Kouchkachen , the fixth Giaouk, the feventh Chiabonnez , the eighth Araghouche,
the ninth Kauzuk, the tenth Kifoxk, which lyes upon the Frontiers of Curdiftan or
eA ffyria. Here it is, that the Armenians believe St. Bartholomew and St. Adatthew
to haye been Martyr’d, of which they pretend to fhew fome Relicks at this day.
Many A4shometans came thither out of Devotion, efpecially fuch as are troubl’d
, es with
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ChaplV. of Monficur Tavernier 47
with Fevers. There are two or three of thofe Covents, where they civilly entertain
fuch Chriftians as come out of Europe; though the Monks, there , are very poor,
They alto live very auftere Lives, feeding upon nothing but Herbs. That which
j makes them fo poor, is the often change of Tyrannical Goveraouts, whom they
3 are oblig’d to prefent with large Gifts. But in regard they cannot give much,
: thofe Governours 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 I/paban. ‘eeege a ;
A League and a half from the chief of thefe Covents there is a high Mountain,
feparated from all the reft, which rifes like a Sugar-loaf, as doth the Pike of Tena-
rif. 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’d to that place
will dye immediately. ,
When the Czravan 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 calPd
- Ecclifia, where live the richelt Armenians , that drive a great Trade in Silk, and
have built them a very fair Church. _
Two Leagues from Ecelifiz you muft crofs the River Aras in a Ferry-Boat, being
~as it were {queez’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 4-as. 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 Shambé,
all the Inhabitants whereof, as well Men as Women, grow Mad at 18 years of
age; but it is fucha Madnefs that is not mifchievous. Some believe it to be the
Punifhment of Heaven, for that their Forefathers in thefe Mountains perfecuted
St. Bartholomew and St. AZatthew.
- From hence to St. Stephen’s it is notabove a League, but the Way is very trouble-
fom. St. Stephen’s isa Covent built not above 30 Yéars ago. It ftands upon the
Mountains, in 4 barren place, and of difficult accefs. But the reafon why the
Armenians chole 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. AZatthew 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, tokeep the Water from being wafted. The Armenians go-to vifit
this Spring in great Devotion, haying laid the Water into the Covent with Pipes.
They alfo fay, ‘that in this place they found feveral Relicks which St. Bartholomew
and St. Adatthew teft 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; and recover its former
whitenefs after the death of the party.
A Jaw-Bone of St. Stephen the Martyr. 2
The Scull of St. ALatrhew. ’ ap ' ; :
e ABone of the Neck, and a Bone of the Finger of St. Fohn 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 Ditciples. noe
The Church is built in the form of a Crofs, as are all the Churches of the Arme-
nians; inthe middle whereof rifes a fair Duomo, round about which ftand 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 watted upon
the Walls: many Armenian Families have been very much endamag’d thereby; for
the Women were fo devout, that unknown. to their H isband s they {old their Jewels,
and their very Cloaths, to defray the Expencesof Building. |
The firft time that I] was at St. Srephen’s, in the company of fome Armenians,
two Bithops, attended by feveral other Monks, came out to meet us, and led us
; pt: : : 1AtO
18
The P ERSIAN Travels Book I,
into a great Hall, where we were very well treated. For it is the cuftom of the
Armenians, 2 little before Meals to prefent their Guefts a large Cup of Aqua-vite,
with Sweet-meats of all forts, befides Citron and Orange-peels candy’d , in feven
or eight Porcelan-difhes , laid ina great China-Bafin. This is a little Prelude to
excite the Appetite; for the Armemans, both Men and Women, will empty great
Cups of Aqua-vite. After Dinner they go to Church, where they fing certain
Hymns: when you return, there are a fuiticient number of Mattreffes or Quilts to
lye upon; for they ufeno other fort of Beds over all_dfia: only at Night you {pread
a Carpet upona Quilt, and fhut the Door. We faw 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 Adiffa 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 ‘ie Archbifhop. te
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 Archbifhop rifing from the Table
with all his Affiftants, and having made a Prayer for the Dead, {ent a Bifhop and
fix Monks to fetch the Corps; who returning a little after Midnight, the Body
was prefently laid in thé Church upon a Carpet fpread upon the Ground, with the
Face turn’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, daying certain Prayers every time. Then they covet’d him again, and faid other
Prayers which lafted half an Hour. Thefe Ceremonies perform’d, they carry’d the
Corps out of the Church with Croffes and Banners, and every one a Taper in his
Hand. As the Corps pafs’d by, one of the Bifhops put a Paper in his right Hand,
containing thefe Words , J 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 {mooth,
after which the Corps was let down 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 Affiftants took every
one a handful of Earth, which the Archbifhop bleft, and giving it to the Bithop,
a <— it ovér the Body. Then the Bifhop coming out again, the Grave was
I'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 Zu/f2, 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
lefs frequented. |
But to return to the High-Road from Naksivan; half a League from Naksivan
you meet with a River which falls into Aras, 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 J 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-gatherer
comes and takes his Duties, when the Caravan ftays not at Naksivan. You muft
pay ten Abalfi’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 Perfia with-
out fearching the Packs, The Governours alfo in their Provinces ave made to anfwer
for every Robbery committed: which makes it fo fafe travelling in Perfia, that you
need not keep ith the Caravan, unlefs you will your felf.
From
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‘
Chap.1V. of Monfieor Tavernren, 19
From this Bridge to Zu/fa is but one days journey 5 which Town being altogether
ruin’d, fhews the reafon wherefore the Caravan lodges upon the Bank of the River
five hundred Paces on this fide. ee
Ziulfa, the ancient Habitation of the Armenians which Sha-Abas carried into
Perfia, is a Town {quee2’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 ih 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 clapt
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 nee: ogia Nazar,
one of the chief Armenians that went out of Zalfa, growing rich by Trade, and
being in great reputation with Sha-Abas, and Sha-Sefi his Succeffor, who made him
Kelonter, or Chief Judge of the Armenian Nation, built two great Inns; for the
Honour of his Country, in Zu/f2, upon each fide of the River one. He fpent above
an hundred thoufand Crowns, but dying left two remarkable Pieces of Work
unfinifh’d: | a dies ae ee
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-Eaft, 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 I/jpahan. We left the Caravan, that takes
the great Road, and never goes the other way, becaufe itis 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 _4ras for five of fix
Hours, we came to Affabat, which lyes a League fromthe River, where we ftaid
above two Days todivert our felves. This is but alittle City, but a very neat one;
where there are four Inns, and every Houfe has itsFountain. 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 Revas, for which there is
a vaft utterance all over Perfia*and India. The Ronas isa 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€ture to all the Calicuts that come out
of the Afogul’s Country. Though the Roots which are pull’d out of the Earth are
, very long , yet they cutthem into pieces not above as long as a Man’s Hand, for
3 the better accommodation of Carriage. It is a wonderful thing to behold at Ormus
whole Caravans laden with this Romas, whith they Ship off from thence to the
Indies. ’
The Root is full of Juyce, and yields a very high Tin&ure; for I remember
that an Indian Veffelthat was laden with it, being caft away in the Road of Ormus,
: ae the Bags of Rovias floated , the Sea look’d of a red colour for feveral
ays. Ate : aa
Departing from Affabat , it behov’d us to provide our felyes with Straw and
Barley for our Horfes, underftanding that we fhould meet with none all that days
journey. From thence we travell’d upon a defcent for an hour together to the
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 {mall Stream. ws tee baie
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defcent for twe 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 Rowmi; but the Water of the River
is fo fowr and ill-tafted, efpecially when it is low, that it isnot to be drunk. About
a quarter of 2 League from the Bridge are three long Stones fet in the Ground like
Pillars: the Natives fay that they were plac’d there for a Monument, in the fame
place where Darizs the Son of Hy/tafpes was eleéted King by the cunning of the
Gentleman of his Horfe : from whence to Tauris is but half a League. The Moun-
tains of the Adedes which we crofs’d in this Road, and thofe which run along toward
the ancient Parthians, are the moft fertil in all Perfia. They bear Corn and Fruit
in- abundance ; for upon the high Mountains there are fair Plains fow’d with Wheat,
whicl 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 of Perfiathat wants Water ; and the produéts of thofe Fields are of a higher
rice,
: Now for the great Road. TheCaravan 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 Z#fa, though it be fo near it; becaufe 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 encompats’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 willhardly drink it,
The day following you travel through an ¢yen 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 A4arante, 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 peopl’d Villages. This Plain
does not extend above a League round about A@zrante , the Country beyond it
being all barren. However it isnot 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 Sugiae and AMarante,
who furmifh great part of theRead. At Adarante you muft pay thirteen Abaffi?s, or
four Crowns for every CamePs Load, for the fecurity of the Road.
Leaving Marante, you lodge the next night a League from Sophiava 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 Evivan, 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 A¢ediaz Mountains; but the Water is not
all of the fame goodnefs, for there is fome which cannot be drunk.
In the mid-way between Sophiana and Tauris, lyes a Hill, from whence you have
a profpe& over thote Plains, upon which the Army of Sultan Amurath Encamp’d,
when he befieg’d Taurss. The news coming to Sha-Sefi King of Perfia, that he
had burnt it, and-was marching further into the Country with a hundred thoufand
Men, Let bimcome, aid he, wethous any difturbance , I know bow to make the Turks
pay for their Invafion without ary great trouble. They were then not above fifteen
aa from J/pahan , when Sha-Sefi turn the courfe of afl the Streams both
oreand behind, which only:run from certain Springs , and are brought in Cutts
or Chanels into the Inland-parts of Perfie, where there are no Rivers: By which
means the whole Army of the Turks perifh’d for want of Water in thofe vaft wn-
water’d Countries where they had engag’d themfelves too far: :
Taures lyes in 83 Degrees, 30 Minutes of Longitude, and 40 Degrees, 15 Mi-
nutes of Latitude, in an@pen place where there is not a Tree to be {eens and
:: | S ers environ’d
Chap.V. of Monficur. TAVERNIER. | ot
SCI an a a nc tn. “rs J nga. ~ eens aa e Sox
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. 7Tis a good Country, and
fruitful in Corn; there is good Pafturage, and great ftore of Pulfe. Some think
that Tauri was the ancient Ecbatane , the Afetropols of the Empire of the Afedes.
It is at this day a great City and well peopl’d, as being the Mart for Turkie,
Mufcovy , the Indies, and Perfia. There are an infinite nnmber of Merchants,
and yaft quantities of all forts of Merchandize: particularly of Silk , which is
brought out of the Province of Guilaz , and other places. There is alfo a great
Trade for Horfes, which are handfom and cheap. Wine, Aqua-vite, and indeed
all forts of Provifions are cheap enough; and Money trolls about in that place
more than in any other part of Afia. Many Armenian Families have got great Eftates
there by Trade, and underftand it better than the Perfians. A little River , the
Water whereof is very good , runs through the middle of Tauris; it’s call’d Schein.
kate, over which there are three Bridges to crofs from one part of the City to the
other. |
The moft 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 moft. The tops of the Houles
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 Amurath; but it is almoftall rebuilt again. There
are in it Bazars, or Market-houles, which are well built, and many Inns very
commodious , two Stories high, The faireft is that of A4irza-Sad¢, 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. | ee
The great Trade of Tauris venders it renown’d over all Afia: for it has a con-
tinual Traffick with Turks, Arabians, Georgians, Adengrelians , Perfians , Indians,
Mufcovites, and Tartars. The Baxars or Market-houfes, which are cover’d , are
always full of Goods: for there are fome which are peculiar to the Handicraft-
Trades; the mof 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 faften their Doors only with wooden
Bolts. There are alfo Turners, that furnifh the neighbouring Parts with Spinning-
Wheels and Cradles ; and fome Goldimiths, that make trifles of Silver. But there is
abundance of Silk-weavers that are Artifts, and work very neatly; and indeed there
are more of thofe 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 Perfas; 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, Affes, or Mules,
and only of the hinder part of the Hide: but the Affes Hide has the bet
grain.
There are to be feen at Tauris, Ruines of the ftately 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 bignels. The moft magnificent
and the biggeft ftands as you go out of the Town, in the Road to Jahan. The
Perfians will not come neay it, but look upon it as defil’d, and a Mofquee of He-
reticks, in regard it was built by the Sous , or the followers of Omar. ’Tis a
vatt Struéture 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 Pantique, and abundance of
-Cifers and Arabian Letters in Gold and Azure. | Upon two fides of the Fore-front
are rear’d two Adinarets or Towers very high, but mot very wide, yet wit
togo up tothe top. They are lin’d with varnith’d Brick-work, which is th
Ornament of the Perfiax Buildings : and at the top ftand two Cxpola’s, form’d like
the Turbants which the Perfians. wear. The Gate of the Mofquee is not above faur
Foot wide, cut out of a great tranfparent white Stone, four and twenty Foot high,
and twelve broad. Entring at the Door of the Mofquee , you come into a {pacious
‘Duomo , thirty fix Paces in Diameter, rais’d upon twelve Pillars within, and fup-
ported by fixteen without , which Pillars ave very high, and fix Foot fquare. Below
there is a Baluftrade or Rails that run round about the Building , with Doors te go’
from
22
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 }
varnifh’d in Squares ot feveral Colours, with Flowers, Cifers, and Arabian Letters
intermix’d , and wrought in Embots’d-work , fo well painted, {0 well gilded;
that it feems to be but one piece of Werk, cut out with a -pair of Sciffars. From this
Duomo you pafs to another leffer, but more beautiful in its kind. The lower
part is of tran{parent 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 -
vernifh’d Brick-work , and Flowers embofs’d .4 la Morefque. Upon the firft the
Flowers are black upon green; 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 leffer Duomo, on the left hands °
ftands a Chair of Walnut-tree curioufly cary’d, and faften’d to the Wall; it ftands
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 Workmanthip;
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 tranfparent Stones, which when the Sun fhities
upon them look red: And fometimes after the Sun is fet, you may read at thofe
Stones by the reflexion of the Sun-beams.
Jut agente Motqanesen. te other fide is another Front , which is the only
Remain of a ruin’d Building. It was the abode of the Sheck-Jman, or the Chief Prieft.
There had been large Baths which belonging to it, but they are all deftroy’d ;
fome others there were of lefs 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 forfaken ;
by reafon they were made ule of by the Sounni’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. Fob» Baptift, where they fay one of his Hands was prefery’d a long
time. : :
The Capuchins have a very convenient Houfe at Tauris; for Afirza-Ibrabim'’Go-
vernour of the Province, whofe credit is equal to the Kaz of Tauris, which is —
the chiefeft Command .in Perfia, favours him very much with his proteétion. This
Governour has made himfelf very confiderable at Court, and very much refpeéted
by the King for his indefatigable pains, and his extraordinary agility in avgmenting
the King’s Revenue: having found out fuch ways for that purpefe 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 isa quality very rare among the Perfians :
He alfo takes great delight in the Mathematicks and Philofophy, difcourfing often
with Gabriel de Cninon, Governour of the Capuchins Covent in Tauris. But the
gteat defire which Afirza-Ibrabim had to have his two Sons taught by the faid
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 Afeidan , 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,
tlere being only the River between it. The name of it is Einali-Zeinali, and for-
‘merly there {tood upon the top of it a fair Hermitage of the Armenians , which the
Mahometans haye 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 2 Mona:
ftery, near to whieh are twoCaves, where are certain Sepulchers and Marble Pillars
lying
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.
a ee ee ee eee
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Chap.1V. of Monfieur Tavernier.
lying along upon the Ground. There are alfo in the Mofquee certain Tombs of
Bi. ancient Kings of the Adedes, the Remains whereof fhew that the Work was
very Excellent. :
Boon the Road from Tiaris to I/paban, about half a League from the utmoft
Gardens, between feveral 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,
and 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 Afollah that built.
it, out of what defign no perfon knew: nor can you come to Tamris upon that fide,
but you muft fee that Bridge, becaufe 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 Sha-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 Afollah 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 appear’d, that the Adilab had no other
ambition than to oblige the King to {peak to him.
A League from Tauris to the Weft, in the middle of a Field ftands a great Brick
Tower, call’d Kanbazun. It is about fifty Paces in Diameter, and though it be half
ruin’d, yet it isvery high. It feems to have been the Dungeon of fome Cattle, ;
there being very high Walls round about it; which though they be but of Earth,
neverthelels appear to be very ancient. It is not certainly knowa who built this
Tower, but the Arabian Letters upon the Gate afford us fome reafon to conclude
that it was a Adshometan Stru€ture. In the year 1651 there happen’d a terrible
Earthquake i Tauris and the parts thereabout , by which many Houtfes 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’d,
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 fay
that the Sifter of Jman-Riza lyes interr’d; and they have it in gfeat 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 Aggi>
fou, ox Bitter-water ; for the Water isvery 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 fal into it, prefently become
blind’, and ina fhort while are found dead by theShoar. This Lake takes its namé
from a Province and a little City, which are both call’d Roum, being not above eleven
Leagues from Tauris. °
In the middle of the Lake , upon the way that leads to a little City call’d Toke-
riam, there is a little Hill that rifes infenfibly, the afcent whereof is very {mooth,
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 gvater is of two diftin&
qualities: the firft Earth that is dig’d ferves to make Lin the next to that is a
hollew fpungy Stone, that is good for nothing: but und®r that again is a white
tranfparent Stone, which you may fee through as through Glafs , 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-Aba, as a
great Prefent, wherein there was a Lizard congeal’d of a Foot long. He that pre-
{ented it to the Governour had twenty Tomans, or three hundred Crowns; after-
wards I offer’d a thoufand for the fame Piece. In fome parts of the Province of
Mazandran, where the Enxin Sea ftretches fartheft into the Perfian Territories, thete
congeal’d Stones are to be found, butnot fo frequently as near the Lake Rowmi, 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 AZzrfeilles; till
1 could find what ufe to put themto 4
GH a-P.*
23
The Perstan Travels Book I,
CrP. N.
A Continuation of the Conftantinopolitan Road from Tauris to
Ifpahan , through Ardevil and Casbin.
Rom Tauris to I/pahan the Caravan makes it generally twenty-four days
journey.
_ The firft day you crofs over dry Mountains, and four Leagues fron
Tauris you meet with one of the faireft Inns in Perfia. This Inn Sha-Sef
caus’d to be built; it is very convenient, and large enough to lodge a hundred
perfons with their Horfes. Over all Perfia, efpecially from Tauris to I/pahan,
and from thence to Ormus, you meet every day with Inns at an equal diftance.
The next day you defcend 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 Ipaban. They that will go the ordinary road and the direét way through
Kom and Kachan, leave a Lake upon the left hand that parts the two Roads ; and
they that will go through Ardevil and Cufbin, 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 adozen 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 {mall a diftance from Tauris, lyes almoft 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 5 as allo
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 ina ftreight line, at a due diftance. It is of a moderate bignels,
and feated in a lovely opening of the Mountains. The next to the City, which is
cal?'d Sevalan, is the higheft in all Atedia. The Houfes of Ardevil are built of
Farth, as are moft of the Houfes in the Cities of Perfiz: 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
Welt. 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 Afeydan or Market-place isa very great one , more long than round ; where ftands
a very fine Inn, upon one fide, which the Kaa caus’d te be built. There are feveral
others in feveral parts of the City, which have the Pro{peét over feveral lovely Gar-
dens, efpecially that which belongs to the King; to which you go through a Jong
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 well
ftor’d with it, 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 Atshomeran Superftition ;
the Perfians having 1o 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 Perfiz to the Sepucher of Shu-
Sefi; which together with the vaft Trade of Silk, makes Ardevil one of the mott
confiderable Cities of all Perfia. There are feveral other Buildings added to the
Mofgiee wherein he lyes interr’d; the Entry whereof faces the Meydan, to which
it 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 Shops are built for Merchants and Tradet:
men.
Out
x
Chap.V. of Monfieer Tavernier.
Out of this Court you. pafs into another which is lefs, 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; either Pilgrims, or perfons whofe Crimes conftrain them
thither for Sanctuary. In that place you muft leave your Stick and your Sword,
before you go any farther, and give fomething befides to a AZoullak, who is always
attending there with Books. | at A EB
In that fecond 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 again the
King’s Kitchin. This Gate is cover’d with Plates of Silver; and in the Kitchin
there are about thirty Ovens contriv’d in the Wall, with as many great Caldrons
to drefs Pilaw and other Food, as well for the Poor as for the Officers of the AZofquee.
While thefe Alms are diftributing, the Mafter-Cook, who commands all the reft,
fets upon a Chair cover’d with Plates of Silver, and fees that every thing be done in
order. He fees to the meafuring out the Rice every day for the Kettles, and
caufes the Vittuals to be divided in his own fight: For there is an excellent Oeco-
nomy in the King’s Houfe. 4
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 thofe two Gates on the
right hand appears a little A¢Zo/quee, where are the Tombs of feveral Perfian Princes
of the Blood Royal. You muft havea great care not to tread upon the Thretholds
of the Gates; for it isa Crime not to be expiated without a fevere Punifhment.
From hence through a. little Ile , you come into the Body of the Church, richly
hung with Tapeftry, and fet about with high Desks, where lyea great many Books,
wherein the Agoullabs , or Doétors of the Law read continually, having Stipends
to Officiate in the Adofquee. At the end of the Body of the Asofquee , is a little
O€agonal Monument , like the Choir of a Church, in the midft whereof ftands 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 itature, and feems like a great Cheft,
having four Apples of Gold fet up at each corner. It is coyer’d with a Crimfon
Satin purf?'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 Silver; byt 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. , a
From the Duomo where ftands 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 AZo/quee is adorn’d within with a Painting of Gold
and Azure, a la More{que ; on the outfide, with a fair Varnith of feveral Colours,
like the ftately Adefquee at Tauris. re ‘
In the adjacent Parts round about Ardewil are feveral Monuments worth a Man’s
fight, being very ancient, and fome which are riih’d ; few by what rémairis the
care which they took to enrich them with curious Workmanthip. A quarter of:
a ee from the City ftands‘a. Adofquee , in which are the Tombs of the Father
and Mother of Sha-Sefi. It isa fair Stru€ture, with Gardens and Coutts, in one
of which there is a very clear Fountain where they keep Fifh. a
Ardewil ig 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 nimerons Caravans of Silk, which fometimes confift of eight or
nine hundred Camels, add very much. to its Grandeur, For baiigesest to Guilan
~ and Shamaqui, from whence thofe vaft quantities of Silk come and for that the
Road from both thofe places, to Conflautinople 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 Tavaiss agter ;
aA
og + 4 iiaieie 3 Py frore
25
fhe Bae Pai Travels Book I.
From Ardeiil to Cafein 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 utually five days between Ardeiil and Arion,
between Arion and Taron two, between Taron and Ca/bin two more. Half a League
on this fide Taron you muft crofs a great River over a ftene Bridge, and half a League
beyond you come to Kalkal.
eArion is a little City, Tarog and Kalkal are two great Towns; and there are
but thefe three places in all Perfia where there grow any Olives, or that they make
any Oyl. Leaving Katlkal, you travel over a Plain for three hours, at the end whereof
isa 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 allo 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 Ca/bin.
Cafbin lyes in 87 Degrees and 30 Minutes of Longitude, and 36 Degrees and
1g Minutes of Latitude. It is a great City, the Heeufes 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 belt 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 Adchometans; ot if there be any Chriftians, they are
’ very few.
The Soil about Cafbin 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 Perfia come from Adalavert, a little City twelve Leagues
from Jjpahan, toward the Eaft. Thefe are the beft Piftaches in the World, and
the ees a large extent, produces them in fuch abundance, that it
furnifhes all Perfia and the Indies. ci tee
Leaving Ca/bin , 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-Denghé. This isa 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 replenifh their Bottles. But generally they never lye
here; being defirous to go a League farther, for a good Inn’s fake, which makes it
a handfom Stage. |
At this Town of Denghé it is where the two Roads from Tauris to I/pahan meet :
the firft, through Ardeiil and Cafbin , 1 have already deferib’d. Hither alfo come
the Caravans that go for the Indies through Mefhebed and Candabar, and where they
feaye I/paban Road to take the left-hand Way, which carries them Eaftward.
oe ie eee
The ordinary Road from Tauris to Upahan, through Zangan,
Sultanie, and other places. |
E muft now return again to the Lake fix Leagues beyond Tawrss,
where they that will take the ordinary fhort way throug Z.7-
gan and Sultanie, leave the left hand way of «Ardewil and
Cafoin, This Lake is ufually full of large ted Ducks, which
aré very good Meat. 3
'_ From thence, after twelve or thitteen hours travel, in which time you meet with
three Inns, you come to Kavafhima, a mg Town in a deep Valley, that feems to
be well manur’d. There is in it only a fall Inn built of Earth, the Doors whereof
are fo low, that the People are fore’d to creep upon their knees to pet in.
The next da you come to another large Village call’d Turcoma, where the Soil
is fertil, chon it be very cold. There are feveral Caravanfern’s built like a long
atin < Alley
~
ee
a I Na i A hi A EN i eG he
F “sg ¥ 7 Sr ea Mn Set 2 SR ea ae Pr See ee
Sole Pac ap
= ee
conjectur’d by the Ruines that remain. 1
Chap. VI. of Monfieur Pavernie .
Alley cover’d, which are only of Earth, the Men lying at one end; and the Horfes
at another. at . igi See ae :
The next day you travel over an uneven and defert Country, and in eight hours
time you come to A@iana , 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
Ls
Per fia, - : Pray * 5
tae hours giter you leaye ALZana, you mutt crofs a River, ee Bet Bridie
which runs to decay; the Arches whereof are hollow within; it is built of Brick
and Free-ftone ; being near as long as Pout nenf in Paris. This Bridge ftands almoft
at the foot of a Mountain call’d Kaplenton. Sha-Abas caus-d all the way to be Pay’d,
becaufe the Land is fo fat and floughy, that when it thaws, or that the leaft Rain |
falls , it is impoflible 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 {pread Carpets in the moft flippery ways where
thofe Camels were to pafs: which mutt be ftill done in fome places, where the Pave-
ment is worn away. = ne 3 ‘ seal
_ Atthe lower part of the defcent toward Zjpahan, 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 Caj/piam Sea, after it has crofs’d the Province of Guilan,
where it is cut into feveral Channels. But generally the Corn and Fruits which
grow in Perfia by the help of Water fore’d into Channels, _a:
and much cheaper than thofe that grow in the Provinces whole Fer
ficial. Moreover, that fort of forc’d Grain will not keep above a Years. anc
you keep it longer, it breeds a Vermin that eats it. "Tis the fame thing if the Corn
grownd; and more than that, there breeds a Worm in the Flowr, that makes it
fo bitter that tis impoflible to eat it.
On this fide the Mountain Kaplexton , appear at a diftance two others very highy.
one toward the North call’d Saveland, another toward the South call’d Sehand :
From Sartcham you come to a River, by the Banks whereo
fo full , that
SR ee 8
From Zangan you go toan Inn, where you muft pay the.
ae
&
Subtanie is a very large City, which you Jeaye halfa Mile: :
toa Mountain. Formerly it had in: it vel y beautiful ALofyu0es So ag may be eafily
) ay Chriftian Churches alfo were con-
D2 verted
nels, are of Ii ems.
98
The Pernstan Travels Book I.
verted into Afofquees; and if you will beleive the Armenians , they will tell you,
that there were in Swltanie near eight hundred Churches and Chappels.
Three Leagues from Swltanie ftands an Inn, and a League farther a great Town
calP’d Jja, where there is another very commodious Inn, and moft 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 ftay to recruit their Bottles.
From Habar , after feven hours travel you come to a Village call’d Partiz, From
Zangan to Partin you reach in two days, It ftands in a fertil Plain, where there
are Teva 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 toa 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 ftanding, with the Tower of a Mofquee , which
is very high and flender. Then you come to a Mud-wall’d-Inn, built fome few years
fince; and near to that a Caftle 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 defeét of their fmalneds.
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, ftanding alone in a Field. Three
Leagues from thence you meet with another {pacious Inn, call’d Cochkeria ; and
four hours farther you come to the Inn Denghé, where the two Roads meet which
1 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 Ciftern-water, except in fome very few
. places, where it is very good. Four Leagues from Denghé is a fair Inn; and three
Leagues farther ftands another , about a Mile from a Village to the South ; wheré
there grows excellent good Wine, white and red. From this laft Inn to Swvais not
above three hours travel with the Caravan.
Sava is a ae City ina fertil Plain, where there are feveral Villages. The
greateft 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 finifh’d when I went laft to J/pabaw. 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 ae 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 5 and the Houfes
being only of Earth, are never the handfomer within-fide. At the entry into the
Town you muft crofs a River, over a ftone 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 moft remarkable in Kom is a large Adofquee,no lefs in veneration among
the Perfians, than the Adofquee of Ardeisil. ‘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 Jman-Hocen, who was the Son of Haly and Fatima-Zubra the Daughter
of Mahomet. The great Gate of the Afofquee anfwers to a Piazza more long than
broad , where ftands an Inn and certain Shops, which without-fide are fomewhat
beautiful. One of the fides of the Piazza is clos’d up with a low Wall, over
which appears the Shore, and a River which you crofs at the end of the Piazza, Over
the great Portal of the AZofquee ftands an Infcription, in Letters of Gold, in the
Praife of Sha-Abas the Second. The firft 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 fa the Chriftians to
ene ~ get
Chap.VI. of Monfieur Tavernier
get in to this Court, efpecially fuch whofe Habits and Afpeé 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. i: | |
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 Adjfguee are to be
diftributed every day, come and eat their proportion, and then go their ways. Thofe
Chambers ferve as an Afylum to thofe that cannot pay their Debts, as atthe Afofqnee
of Ardeiiil. Neither are thefe Priviledg’d places like ours, where they that retire
mutt live at their own Charge: For in Perfia they are fed at the Expence of the
Adofquee ; and being in that manner freed fromCare, their Friends more eafily bring
their Creditors to Compofition. 7
Out of the firft Court you pafs into a fecond , which is larger, and all pav’d; and
from that into a third, which is {quare, and rais’d like a Terra{s. You enter into it
through a large Gate , at the end of an open Paflage, where ftand the Lodgings of
the Afoullah’s. :
Out of that Court by an afcent of Brickwork of ten or twelve Steps, you enter
into a fair Court, which is alfo rais’d like a TerrafS3 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 fides of it is taken up with
the Front of the Afofquee , which is no difpleafing Stru@ure. There are three large
Gates belong to it, very well expanded, according to the mode of the Country ;
‘with a Brick-wall before, about the ab 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 feveral
Doétors, that hold Books in their hands, and read perpetually.
—. This Adofquce is Octagonal, and at every angle is a {mall wooden Door of Walnut:
tree, varnifh’d with grey and yellow. The Tomb of Sidi-Fatima is at the farther
part of the ALofquee, 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 Foot {quare ;
the Bars whereof are round, and knob’d in thofe places where they crofs each other 3
it is lighted by feveral Lamps of Gold and Silver: which altogether is very pleafing
to the Eye. The infide of the A&ofquee, to the elevation of the Angles that fupport
the Duomo, is compos’d of {quate Tiles varnifh’d over with divers Colours;. and
the Cupola of the Duomo, as alfo the Vault of the Portico of the Mofguee , is a Morefco
piece of Painting in Or and Azure. Upon each fide of the A4ofquee, 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 o 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 isa Door, over which there an is In:
{cription in Honour of Sha-Abas the Second. The Door being open’d, thews you
the place where the Body of that King repofes: and through another Door with
a Grate init, you may difcover, under a fimall Duomo, the Tomb of Sha-Sefi his
Father; which is cover’d with a Carpet of Cloth of Gold. They were conti-
aay at work upon the Tomb of Sha-dbas, which they faid, they would make very
amous,
I had not been two hours in Kom but a multitude of People ran by the Irin 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 Prophets to fight. Thereupon I werit
to the Piazza, which was fo crowded, that I had much ado to get tofee. In the
firft place a fufficient number of Tumblers and Puppet-players, divided into two
Bands, kept the middle of the Piazza, and made a fufficient Ring for the Combat.
Each Band held a Bull by the Horns, one of which they call’d Adshom
the other HYaly: and whether it were by accident, or by the cunning of
Mafters, after an obftinate Combat, wherein the Beafts foam’ | again wi
and rage ; Adahomet at length quit the Field, and yielded Hfaly the
=
all the People fhouted for joy, and-all the Piazza was fil 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 God ; shat Haly has made! At length they bring e Bull
Haly under a Gate; with his Head turn’d toward the People; where after at?
ave
29
4 ‘
The Perstan Travels Book I.
a Soe
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 Kaz or Governour
of Kom, who was prefent with a hundred Horfes richly trap’d to behold the Sight,
fent the Bull a Prefent of 50 Tomans, or 730 Crowns. They who accompany’d him,
and the chief Inhabitants of Kom, gave him {ome a Garment, others a Girdle.
Neither did the meaneft of the People {pare to fend or carry him Fruits; or other
things. according to theirabilitie.. . .* ©
The Kaa was a Lord who was very civil, and there was no Stranger that did not
commend his behaviour, in regard he was fo obliging. ae
So foon as.1 came to the place , whether it was that he perceiv’d me with a Dutch-
man that L had broughtalong from Confiantinople , or whether any one had inform’d
him that there were Strangers near him, he fent 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
I/paban , 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 Kae 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 hird to.
take an account every Week what.the. Commoc
care that no more thi
VCCK
t . ees ‘
+
There are an abundance of Silk-Weavers in Cachan that ave very good Work-
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-veflels, which they
vend in great quantities at a good diftance off, The Matket-houfes are very fair
; Sei ee ones,
in I/pahan, Cachan and Kom , boaft themfelyes particularly of the Tribe of
of Monheur Tavernier.
Chap. VI.
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 wére made by the order of Sha-Abas, the firft
of that Name, who was at a va{t charge. The Inn is above a hundred Paces
fquare, built of Brick two Stories high, containing twenty-fix vaulted Chambers
of a reafonable bignefs. It was a Stru€ture too fair to be fo little regarded, as
now it is, being much faln to decay. In the middle of the Court was a Fountain
to reecive Water, which is fpoil’d. The Perfians 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 Czchaz four or five Inns, as fait and commodious as that of Sha-
Abas. This Cuftom is grown to that height, that the Children ate fo fat from
taking care to tepair 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. 3 |
Before we leave Cachan you mutt take notice, that as you travel from that Gity
to Guilan you cannot avoid travelling thorough Plains for twelve hours together,
which are all pure Salt; arid there is nothing to be met with by the way, but one
Ciftern; nor can the Water which is in it be otherwife thanyety bad.
Leaving Cachan, you Ccrofs a Plain of three Leagues, after which you enter in
among the Mountains, where you come toa very fair Ifin of Brick. From thence
you defcend a pleafant Vale, where you travel a long tite by the fide of a Ri-
yer, over 4 very flarrow way. At the ehd of the Valley you mect a great
Wall, which croffes 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-dbas, whofe defign it was to ftop the Watérs 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 Goron, is about two hours
travel. ;
"Coron is a very large Village, and well peopl’d, in a Soil environ’d with high
Mountains , al planted with great ftore of Walnut-trees. The? Houfes confit
but of one low Story, being built of Flint-tones; 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 4 great River that
runs through it, and the great quantity of Stones that lye in the way, Ail about
this Village , as in fevéral other placés of Perfia, thete are a gteat number of Sha-
cales; which are a kind of Foxes, that in the night time maké an ugly noife; for
if but one cry, all the reft will make anfwér, andfetupahowhing. «|
From Coro you muft travel three Leagues between Mouiitdins, after which you
have but twelve Leagues to J/pahan. 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 pager sn ene the fecond, which is
the apa between Corow and Ijpahan, is call’d Afichiacour. This place confifts
not only of one Inn, for there até many others, fo that it refembles a large Vil-
lage. From Adichiaconr you comé to Acganura, another Inn, but ill built, and from
Aganura, after you have travel’d three Leagues through a fat and fértil Countty,
you come to J/paban.
31
39 The Perstan Travels Book I,
CHA Pe VE:
Of the Road from Smyrna to Ifpahan , through Natolia.
moft celebrated Cities of all the Levant, and the greateft Market for all
forts of Commodities which are tranfported out of -Afia into Eurcpe, or
out of Europe into Afia. Hither all the Weftern Fleets are moft regularly
bound, that came formerly no farther than Ligorn, and from whence, at times
moft regularly appointed , the fairelt 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 Z/thmus which begins to form the Peninfula of
Clazomene, right againft the and of Schio. It lyes in that part of the Leffer Afiz,
which the Greeks poflefs’d , under the Name of Iconium; at a diftance almoft equal,
between Ephefus and Sardis ; and was one of the feven Churches mention’d in the
Revelation of St. Fobn, 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 fo beautiful as formerly it was, as.may be eafily conje@tur’d by the
Ruines of certain Edifices that remain upon that Hill, which from the middle to
the top, where the ancient City ftood, 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. P. “was expos’d to fight with Lions. This Am-
phitheater was nabin the form raee other, which ie ufually round for it con-
tain’d but half a Circle, being left open to the Sea-fide. The T; urks have almoft
quite deftroy’d it: making ufe of the Stones to build a Fort two Leagues from the
Pas upon the Gulf, where the paflage is very narrow; which the Ships are fore?d
to jalute as they enter in, and to fpeak with when they fail out. Moreover,
that they might not be put td 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 Fews, which arenear the Shore: But they took very few, whether out of
kindnefs to the Tombs, or whether they did notthink 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 enetians , 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 Englifh or Holland Veflels ufually were wont to ride, to folicit them to ferve him
for his Pay. More particularly he aim’d at thofe Veffels which were in Smyrna,
where there were generally more than in any other Port. But the Captains , who
rejected 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, havirg no Caftle then built to command them.
The Grand Vifier nettl'd at the refu. © of the Captains, as an affront done to his
Mafter , and to fee that the Shipscould come in and go out, without any let or
moleftation , bethought himfelf (to the end he might keep them for the future under
fubje&ion ) of building a Fort upon the Gulf, in fuch a part where the Veffels muft
neceffarily touch; where now there lye great Cannons level with the Water, which
no Veffel can efcape. Ever fince the Convoys will not come to Smyrna, as they were
wont todo, but lye out atSea, out of the reach of the Fort.
Near to the Sea are yet to be feen fome Remains of a Church, two fides whereof
feem to have been diftinguifh’d into Chappels by little Walls, which are yet ftanding:
But the Natives doubt whether they be the Ruines of a Church dedicated to St. Paly-
carp, or of an ancient Temple of Fanus.
Smyrna has been oftentimes ruin’d either by the Wars, or by the Earthquakes
which often happen there. One time that I ftaid there, there happen’d one, which
did not laftlong, 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
: ; S= is at this day for Trade, whether it be by Sea or Land, one of the
t
~
Chap.VII. of Monfieur Tavernier. 33
Gity that looks toward the Winter-Weft, neat to the Sea, appear the Ruinés of
a Mole, and certain ancient Magazins. ;
The Englifh Merchants have dig’d among the Ruines of Smyrna, and have found
great ftore of fair Statues, which they tran{ported into their own Country. There
are ftill found fome or other every day; but when the Turks find any, they disfigure
them prefently. It may be conjectur’d , that there was one of a prodigious bignels,
by a great Toe broken off of fome one, and for which I paid furficiently, out of the
defire [ had to buy it. I fent it to Paris to a Perfon ef 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
Coloffus of Rhodes. 1%
Upon that fide of the City where the Mole was, ftands an old Caftle of no defence,
at the foot whereof the Sea makes a {mall Creek , where fometimes 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, 15000 Greeks, 8000 Armenians, and
about fix or feven thoufand fems. As for the Exropean Chriftians that Trade there,
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 Mofquees, the Fews
Leven 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 Grecks , the Armenians, and Fews live upon the Hill;
but all the lower part toward the Sea-is inhabited only by the European Chriftians,
Englifh, French, Hollanders, and Italians. The Greeks have alto inthe 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 Name
of Franks. Every Nation has its Conful: and the French Conful has two Vice-Confiuls
under him; the one at Scalanova, the other at Chio. ;
_ Scalanova, or the New Port, is two Leagues beyond Ephefus, and being a good
Haven, the Veffels were wont to unlade there, but the Turks would_ not permit
it any longer. For that Place being the Dowry of the Grand Signor’s Mother, the
Vice-Conful agreed with the Governour of Scalanova, who permitted the Tranfpor-
tation of Goods to Smyrna, which is not above three little days journey with the
Caravan: A thing that {poil’d the Trade of the City, and injur’d the Officets of the
~ Cuftom-Houfe. Whereupon they Petition’d the Grand Signor that no more Goods
might be unladed at Scalaneva: fo that now no more Veflels go thither , unlefs it
be to take in frefh Vidtuals. < ‘a ae
Chio is one of the greateft Ilands in the Archipelago , of which in another place:
but the Vice-Cenful that lives there has no more bufinefS there than the other at
Scalanova; for the Veffels that touch there , neither unlade nor export any Goods
from thence. ) 6
- The Quarter of the Franks is only a long Street, one fide whereof lyes upon the
Sea ; and as well for the Profpeét, as for the convenience of Unlading Goods, the
Houles upon the Sea are much dearer than thofe that lye upon the Hill,
_ The Soil about Smyrna is fertil, and abounds in all things neceffary for humane
fupport; but particularly in good Oyland géod Wine. There are Salt-Pits alfo half
a League from the City, toward the North. The Sea affords great ftore of good
Fifth, Fowl is very cheap; and ina word, Smyrna is a place of great plenty. There -
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 ie than in any other part of Turkie , there is no neceffity of taking
a Famfary along, when a man goes abroad. If a man loves Fowling, it is put
taking a Boat, which lands him two or three Leagues from the City, toward the
Mountains, where there is fomuch Game that he can never return emply For the
value of three Sous youmay buy a red Partridge at Smyrea, and all other Fowl! is
_ proportionably cheap. | Rep
~,, But if Smyrna have thefe great advantages, it has alfo its inconveniences: the
eats are very exceflive 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 my fail, tis very. bad 4 ae
2 nha-
The Perstan Travels Book I.
————— —-- ——
Inhabitants. Befides, there hardly paflesa Year but the City is infefted with the
Plague, which however is not fo violent as in Chriftendom. The. Turks neither fear
it nor flie it, believing altogether in Predeftination. Yet | believe, if the Inha-
bitants of Smyrna would take care to drain away the ftanding Puddles that gather
in the Winter about the City, they would not be fo frequently molefted with the
Plague as theysare. It is moft rife in Aday, Fane, and Fuly; but the malignant
Fevers that fucceed it in September and Oétober 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 isno Bafhain pase it being govern’d only
by a Cady, who is not fo fevere to the Chriftians as in other places: For fhould he
abufe his Office , Conftantinople is at hand, where you may complain to the Adjftz,
and have relief; who for fome good Prefent may be eafily perfwaded to depote the
Cady, as being glad of the opportunity to difplace him, and to put another in
his room. | a
The Cuftoms of Smyrna yield a great Revenue to the Grand Signor, being paid
there very exaétly 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 ablolute Matters 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 [ had of rich Merchandize: for the Turks have fuch a refpe& —
for that Sex, that they will not fo much as offer to fearch them. If aman be tak’a
in ftealing Cuftoms, there is no other punifhment than to pay double.
The Trade of Smyrna is very great, and ae Merchandizes which the
Franks tranfport from thence, are raw Silk, which the Armenians bring out of
Perfia; Chamlet-yarn, and Chamlet 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 Mattrefles, 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, une, and Ottober ; and depart
again to the Countries from whence they came the fame Months.
Ephefus 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 5 i together,
Franks and Hollanders, who took three Favifaries 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 toa great Village, where we {up’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 conjecture to be any thing elfe than the Ruines of fome Aque-
~ duct. From thence to Ephefws the way is very pleafant, through little Thickets
watred with Rivulets,
A quarter of a League from Ephefus you meet with another Afofquee , 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 Paflage. From thence you enter into
a large Cloyfter, the Arches whereof are fuftain’d with Marble Pillars of feyeral co-
fours, delicately wrought, and the lower part of the Gallery, which runs along three
of the fides, that confifts of great Squares of Stone. The Afofquee takes up the
fourth fide upon the left hand, the Gate being in the middle. The Afofquee it
felf isa 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 ta”
be admird. |
Ephefus does not look like a City, being fo abfolutely ruin’d , that there is not
4 Houfe ftanding. t was built upon the defcent of a Hill, in a fituation not ae
| 2 ; unlike
fag | eS ee ti ai ae
ee
= shap.VIt. of Monfieur Tavernier.
unlike that of Smyrna, at the foot whereof runs a Rivulet, after it has made a_
thouland 2Zeazders in the Meadows, The City feems to have been very large, for
you may difcern upon the top of the Gates the compafs of the Walls, with teveral
{quare Towers, fome of which are ftill ftanding: and there is one very remarkable, —
having two Chambers in it, one of which is a very fair one, the Walls and Paye-
ment whereof are Marble. at | Bate
The famous Temple of ‘Diaza ftood at the bottom of the Hill, near one of the
Gatesof the City. There remains nothing of it at.prefent but the great Portal, which
isentire. The Vaults of the Arches under ground ftand to this day, and are very large,
but all full of naftinefs. We went in with Lanthorns; and though yot muft creep to
get in, by reafon that the Wind has almoft ftopt up the Hole, by gathering the
Dutt 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. Fob
Baptiz’d the Chriftians. For my part, as I have feen in the Indies feveral Pagods and
Edifices much more beautiful than ever the Temple of Ephefus could be; I 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-
menians , but above all the Frazks, when they go to Ephefus always endeavour to
~ break off fome piece of that Bafin, to carry it away-with’em asa Relick: but the
Stone is fo hard, that they can break off but very little at a time.
han embols'd Figure of 2. Gartins
ave offer’d Money for liberty to
we had done, made no queftion but we would do fo again) thinking to furprize us
, ie E 2 2 2 aE
26 The Perstan Travels Book I.
as we were drinking Wine, in a place which they efteem Sacred, and by confe-
quence was among them accounted an aét of Sacriledge. Chriftian Dogs, cry’d they,
when they came near us, to eat and drink in a Molquee, and profane a holy place
as you do, at a time that renders the offence more criminal! No, cryd 1, antwering
for the reft, we drink no Wine, we drink nothing but Water, and you may taft it, Laid
I to him that was the moft bufie; with that I ¢aus’d a Glafs to be pour’d out and
giv’n him; and I gave one of the Turks a private wink, who underftanding it was
a promife of gratuity, turn’d about to his Comrades, and cry’d, Tis very true,
they drink no Wine. Wowever in regard they had Orders to bring us before the
Cady, there was no contending. Thereupon I and three others undertook to
and anfwer for all the reft. The Cady revil’d us as bad as the Ffanizary at firft;
but he was not only furpriz’d, but very much troubl’d, when they all unanimoufly
affirm’d that we drank no Wine , believing they were confederates with us: But
I had cunningly flipt eight Ducats into. the Hand of the Turk to whom I had made
a fign with my Eye, who over-joy’d at fo plentiful a grapuity, had over-perfwaded
his Comrades not to fay any thing againft us. The Cady though he did not like their
Teftimony, yet call’d for Coffee for us, according to the cuftom of the Country, and
fent us to his Lieutenant; who having been often greas’d in the Fift by the Smyria-
Merchants, receiv’d us very kindly, and told us that the Cady was but newly come
to his Place, and was needy; however a fmall matter would content him. There-
upon we gave the Lieutenant twenty-five Ducats, who moft certainly went {nips
with the Cady, and fo return’d us to our Company, who were much afraid we would
not have come of fo. |
Wewere refoly’d to return to Smyrna not the fame way we came; and fo we
took another Road, which was a very pleafant way, partly over firm Sands, and
partly thorough Meadows, where we met with feveral narrow Dikes very well
Pay'd. Then we crofs a rugged high Mountain; and lay in a Adshumetan
Barn. . eo |
The next day we return’d to Smyrua, having finifh’d our {mall Journey to Ephefis
m five days. When we told the Confuls how the Fanizary had betray’d uss they
made their Complaint to the fanizary Aga and the Cady, who, for his punifhment
put him out of the Confil’s fervice , which is an advantageous Employment. For
befides that the Conful’s Fanizaries are exempt from the Duties of War, they are
_ well plac’d; for there is never a Merchant that is not beneficial to them fome way
or other; efpecially at good times, as New-years-day and other Feftivals. Nor
could the Fanizary have been more feverely punifh’d; for the Turks love Money
above all things in the World.
But to return to our matter. The Rendezvouz of all the Caravans is generally
two Leagues from the City, near a Town call’d Pongarbachi. The day of their
fetting out being fix’d., every one provides himfelf for his Journey, and meets the
Evening before at the place appointed, to be ready at the hour.
From Smyrna to Tocat, is therty-live days journey with the Caravan, and the laft
time I went we made it thirty-eight from Pongarbachi.
The firft day we travel’d eight hours through a Country whofe profpe& was not
unpleafing, leaving fome Villages more than a League from the Road; and we
lodg’d in a Park, near the River Pattolws; whichis a mall River, the Sand whereof
fhines, and is of feveral colours. Which caus’d Antiquity to call Pactolus Golden-
Sanded. It falls from the Mountain Twolys, and after it has water’d the Territory
of Sardis , mixes with the River Hermus, that throws it felf into the Archipelago
through the Gulf of Smyrna. The Mouth of it is not above two or three Leagues
from the City, toward the North.
__ The next day in fix hours we came to Durgow, a little City ina Plain. All
Chriftians that live not in the Territories of the Grand Signor, and pas that Way,
once a Year pay Carrage, or a Tribute of four or five Crowns: but the Franks are
exempt , both at Durgont and over all Turkie. There refides a Bafba in this City ;
and we were conftrain’d to ftop there a whole day, becaufe the Caravan that
ores ofa arriv’d at that time, fo that they were forc’d to change their
te es
The third day, after five hours travel in extremi ty of Heat, we came to lodge
near a paltry Village.
The
Chap.VIE. of Monfieer Tavernier
The fourth day we travel’d fix hours, and ftop’d near to a finall River; In the
Morning we pats’d over the Ruines of the ancient Sardis, the Capital City of Lydia,
and Seat of King Crafws. There were ftill to be feen the Ruines of a large Palace
and two fair Churches, with a great number of Pillars and Corniches of Marble.
This City having held out fix Years againft the Army of Temsrleng , who befieg’d
it; fo foon as he had taken it, in revenge he utterly deftroy’d it. There is a
Village near Sardis of the fame Name, where ftood the City, which was one of the
Seven Churches mention’d in the Revelation. The fifth day we rede for feven hours
ee: a Country but ill manur’d, and took up our Stage in a Plain upon the fide
of a River. 3
The fixth day we pafs’d by the Walls of the ancient Philadelphia, call’d at prefent
Allachars, which was alfo one of the Seven Churches of fia. There is fomething
of Beauty ftill remaining in thofe Walls, and the City is very large, but ill peopPd.
At is fituated upon four little Hills, at the foot of a high Mountain over-looking
a fair Plain to the North, that produces excellent Fruit. To witnefs its Antiquity,
there is yet the Ruines of an Amphitheater, with certain Sepulchers, from whence
the Inhabitants report that the Exropean Chriftians took out the Bodies that were
buried there, and tranfported them into Europe , believing them to be the Bodies
of Saints. It is now all deftroy’d, but re-built of Earth x! the Turks after their mode.
It was formerly one of the principal Cities of Afjfia, and in regard it was alway very
_ fubjeé& to Earthquakes, the moft part of her Inhabitants liv’d inthe Country. The
laft time I travel’d that way, in the year 1664, the feventeenth of Fune, the Turks
- were feafting and rejoycing upon the News, as they faid, which they had receiv’d,
of the defeat of the Chriftians in Candy, But the News was falle, and only con-
triv’d to encourage the People; for the Grand Signor was then making Levies in
thofe Parts. We lodg’d that day, after feven hours travel , upon the Bank of a
- fimall River, a League and a half from Philadelphia.
The feventh day we travel’d eleven hours over a Mountain, where thofe Trees
plentifully grow that bear Galls, and Valanede, which is the fhell or rind of an
Acorn, that Curriers make ufe of to drefs their Leather. We lodg’d in a
Meadow on the top of a Mountain which is,call’d Ljagl-bogafe, or, The Afountain
of Robbers, ?
The eighth day we continu’d our Journey over the fame Mountain, which is
a very barren Country where there is no Provifion to be had. We travel’d but fix
hours, and lodg’d near a River in a Plain call’d Sarreucabaqui.
The ninth day the Caravan travel’d thorough dry Lands, where there is not one
Village to be feen, and lodg’d near a Bridge built over a River call’d Coph-fon, inthe
Plain of Juahi. 3 |
The tenth day, after we had travel’d eight hours over an uneven and barren
Country, we ftopt in a Valley near a River call’d Bana-fou, the Water whereof is
not good. In the Night there arofe a Tempeft that put us all ina diforder, and
the Rain that fell was as cold as if it had been in the depth of Winter. We were
wet to the Skins, and were forc’d to throw Coyerlets over the Bales to keep the
Goods from being {poyl’d. ‘
_ The eleventh day we travel’d through a pleafant Country, between Vales adorn’d
with a moft delightful Verdure , and we were in view as we pais’d along of certain
-hot Baths, though very little regarded. We lodg’d upon the Banks of a {mall River,
by the fide whereof we had travel’d for fome hours.
The twelfth day we continu’d our Road for fix hours between the fame Vallies,
and lodg’d by a River. ?
The thirteenth day we travel’d eight hours, and ftop’d near to a Village in a
Country call’d Doviagaffe. , i
The ith, after a Journey of feven hours we pafé’d by the Walls of Aphiom-
Carafjar , that is, The Black, City of Aphiom or Opinm; becaufe it has a Profpeét
over a fair and largeCountry well cultivated, where they fow great fhore of Pop-
pies, whence they draw their Opium or Aphiom, asthe Turks call it.
Aphiom-Caraffar is a great City, dirty and ill built, the ancient Name whereof
I could never learn, for the Greeks and Armenians are very ignorant. But ac-
cording to all probability and the fituation of the place, it ought to be the ancient
Fherapolis fituated upon the Adeander , a famous River of the Leffler Ajiw, that
winds
38
The Persian i Book I.
winds and turns the mo of any River in the World. And indeed we are the
more to feck , in regard the Turks change the ancient Names according to their own
cuitom and pleafure, and give no other Names to Rivers than that of the principal
City thtough which they pais; or elfe deriving their Names from the Colour of
their Sands. . There is to be feen in that City an ancient Caftle of Free-ftone upon
the Point of a high Rock , feparated from the Mountains that are next it toward
the South, which make a Semicircle. All the Armenian Chrittians, Subjeéts to the
King of Perfia , pafling thorough Aphiom-Caraffar muft there pay Carage, from which
they are not exempted, though they have paid it before at Erzerom or elfewhere. -
The Caravan does not ftop at Aphiom-Caraffar, as well for that there are no Inns but
what are ruin’d, as for that about.a League farther there is a place where you have
excellent Fifh, and very cheap, and they of the Gity bring Barley, Straw, and
other things which the Caravan wants. The Curavan therefore that day lodges upon:
the Banks of A4earder, which is to be crofsd over a Bridge not far diftant from a
{mall Village. In this River are great ftore of Crawfith and Carps; and the Fifher-
men will be fure to attend upon the Caravan. 1 have feen fome Carps there above
three Foot long. | | ¢
The fifteenth our Caravan began to part it felf, fome for Tocat, fome for the Road
to Aleppo; the one part taking the right-hand Road toward the Winter-Eaft, for
Syria; the other the left-hand Read North-Eaft, for Armenia. :
After we were parted, we travel’d two or three hours in fight of one another.
They that go to Aleppo , fall into Tarfis , where St. Paul was born, and from Tarfis.
to Alexandretta. But we continu’d our Road to Tocat, and after we had crots’d
a great Plain, having travel’d fix hours, we lodg’d ina Merfhy place near a final]
Village. There is one thing remarkable in this Road as in many others, which
manitefts the Charity of the Turks. For in moft of the high Roads, that are far
from Rivers, they have fet up Ciiterns, whither when the Rains fail, the neigh-
er bring Water for the Travellers, who would elfe be very much
diftrefs’d. a5 rae ih .
The fixteenth we travel’d eight hours through a very even Country, but ill ma-
nut’ds; where we faw a little City call?’d Boulavandi. There are fome Mofaqitees,
which the Turks have built out of the Ruines of the ancient Greek Churches, from
which they have taken Pillars‘of Marble, and other pieces of Architecture, to adorn
their Ghrnilcheneitkout aay order atall, which you meet with very often upon the
high Roads , the number is the greater , becaufe they never lay two Bodies in one
Grave. There is alfo in this City an Inn, cover’d with Lead , which is all the
Beauty of it; nor do Travellers make any ufe of it but only in foul weather. We
lodg’da League and a half from the City, and ftaid there all the next day.
The feventeenth we travel’d eleven hours through a mix’d and uneven Country,
and came to lodge in a Village where there are not above three or four Houfes,
. though there be excellent Pafturage about it. There is no Water » but what is
drawn out of threedeep Wellss for which reafon the place is call’d Enche-derin-gin.
The eighteenth we travel’d not above five hours through defert Countries, and
took up our Stage in a kind of a Bog, near a pitiful Village. ,
The nineteenth, after we had travel’d eight hours through fpacious defert Plains,
we pafs’d through a large Village, the Inhabitants whereof were gone with thcir
Cattel into the Mountains, for the cool Air, during the Summer time , according
to cuftom. There is an indifferent handfom Mofquee of Free-ftone; and indeed the
Village, the Name whereof the-People told me was T, fhaciclou , has been much bigger
than now itis, as may appear by the Ruines, In two hours after we came to lodge
beyond it ina Meadow, near-aRivulet. Siaes
he twentieth we crofs’d over defert Plains, but which feem’d: to have been for-
metly well manur’d; and after ten hours travel, we f{top’d in a Bottom near.a bad
ater. ESS ra : |
The twenty-firft, for ten hours the Country was all barren and defert, and we
came to lodge at the end of a long Plain » heartwo Wells, the Water whereof was
good for nothing. | HS sc | :
‘The twenty-fecond we travel’d through the fore-mention’d Plain, and met with
little Valleys where there was very good Pafturage. The Caravan ftop’d near to a
pitiful Village, and a hafty. Well. mE E |
The
Chap. VIL of Monfieur Ta vik NIE =
The twenty-third we travel’d not above five hours; becaufe it was the time of the
Turks Beiram, ot Eaffer , which our Caravan, confifting of Turks, would needs
folemnize. That day we travel’d through an indifferent good Country, and well
til?'d, where we difcover’d feveral fair Villages, and we lodg’d upon a rifing Ground,
from whence we had a very fair and far diftant Profpeé. |
‘The twenty-fourth we travel’d fix hours, and came to lodge in a Meadow where
the Water was bad. Near to that place, we difcover’d a Plain that extends it {elf
eight or ten Leagues in length , though it be not above one er two in bredth: it
feem’d like a Lake, and indeed it is only a falt Water congeal’d, and thickn’d into
Salt, which you can hardly diffolve but in fair Water. This Lake furnifhes almoft
all Watolia with Salt; where you may buy a Wagon-load drawn by two Bufalo’s
for 45 Sous. It is call’d Deuflag , or The Place for Salt ; and the Bajha of Couchahar,
about two days journey from it, gets by it 24000 Crowns a Year. Sultan Amurath
caus’d a Dike to be cut quite thorough it when his Army march’d to the Siege of
_ Bagdat, which he took from the Perfian.
The twenty-fifth we travel’d nine or ten hours, and met not with one Village,
the Country being all defert. We fodg’d upon a rifing Ground , near a good Foun-
tain call’d Cara-dache-cefmé, or, The Fountain of the Black Stone. |
The twenty-fixth we pafs’d through a great Village call’d Tfhekenagar, in a
pleafant fituation , but very ill built, and after we had travel’d eight hours, we
came to lodge in a delightful Meadow, near another Village call’d Romcouche.
The twenty-feventh we travel’d nine hours through Countries full of Licorice, and
having pafs'd a great Town call’d Beferguenlon , we lodg’d in a Meadow. ~
The twenty-eighth we crofi’d a great River, call’d Fechil-irma, over a long well
built ftone Bridge. At the end of the Bridge call?’d Keffre-kupri ftands a great
Village , wherein the greateft part of the Houfes are built under Ground, like
Foxes Holes. We put on farther, and after feven hours travel, we lodg’d below
another great Village call’d Adowchiour, where there are abundance of Greeks,
which they conftrain ever and anon to turn Turks.. The Country being inhabited by
Chriftians, and fit for the Plantation of Vines, there is Wine good ftore, and very
good, but it has the fcent of the Wines of Azjox, The Village is well fituated but
ill built, moft of the Houfes being under Ground, in fo much that one of the Com-
pany riding carelefly, had like to have faln into a Houte.
he twenty-ninth we rode for feven hours through a pleafant Country, where
we faw feveral Villages; near to one of which the Caravan lodg’d in a Meadow, cloie
by a Fountain. |
The thirtieth we rode through a flat Country, well manur’d, and ftop’d near.a
River wherein there was but very little Water: it is call?’d Cara-fou, or, The Black.
River. For two or three days together, at every two Leagues diftance we obferv’d
little Hillocks of Earth artificially rear’d, which they told us were rais’d during the
the Wars of the Greeks to build Forts upon, for Watch-Towers. |
The thirty-firft we travel’d a very uneven Country, but abounding in Wheat, and
after we had travel’d nine hours, we lodg’d in a Meadow near a River, which we
crofsd next Morning before day, over a {tone Bridge.
The thirty-fecond , after we had travel’d eight hours, we lodg’d by a River,
where we faw a great number of Turcomans: They are a People that live in Tents
like the Arabians, and they were then leaving that Country to go to another, having
their luggage in Wagons drawn by Bufalo’s. : :
The thirty-fecond we met again with Mountains and Woods, which we had not
feen in 18 days before, which had conftrain’d us to carry Wood upon our Camels
to drefs our Provifion: We were very {paring of it, and fometimes made ule of
dry’d Cows dung or Camels dung , when we came near the Waters where they were
wont todrink. We travel’d eight hours that day, and lodg’d in a Meadow where
the Grafs was very high, yet where there had been Houfes formerly ftanding.
The thirty-fourth we forded a deep and rapid Rivet a. the Name
of the Town next to it. A little above the place whefe we forded it, we faw a
~ ruin’d Bridge, which had been built overit, =
The thirty-fifth we travel’d eight hours through a fair Valley well manur’d , and
upon the left hand we left a Caftle rais’d upon a Rock, The Caravan lay that night’
The
as
eS
upon a rifing Ground near a Village. —
|
40
The Persian Travels Book I.
The thirty-fixth we travel’d through the fame Valley for eight or nine hours
longer; in this Valley were feveral pleafant Villages, but we lay by a fimall Ri-
er.
: The thirty-feventh we travel’d fix hours among the Mountains , where there are
fome very narrow Paflages, but ftore of Water, and we lay in a Vale abounding
in Pafturage. pe
The thirty-eighth we rode for four or five hours over a rugged Mountain in
craggy way, at the foot whereof we met with a Village call’d Taquibac; from
whence it is but five Leagues to Tocat. And thefe are all the Roads from Paris to
Ifpahan , through the Northern Territories of Turkée.
SCH Ae Dee VRE
How the Author was robb'd near Tocat, and of a certain fort of
rare amd fine Wool which he firft brought into France.
Aquibac is the place where the Perfian Caravan ules to meet, when it
departs from Tocat to Smyrna; and this is the only place in all the Road
where a Traveller ought to ftand upon his guard; by reafon of Thieves
who haunt thefe Quarters, and are great Matters in their Trade, Once
as I came out of Perfia they would needs give me a taft of their Art, notwithftanding
all the care I took. There were three or four of us that would needs ride before
with our Servants to Taquibac, in expeétation of the Caravan which was to come
the next day; where we fet up our Tents upon the Bank of a fmall River. I had
then a good many Bales of Wool, with which I made as it were a double Wail
about my Tent : {fo that there was but one paflage between the Bales, for one Mari.
‘In four of thefe Bales I had a quantity of Musk in lead’n Boxes, to the value of ten
or twelve thoufand Crowns: which Bales I put within-fide, fo that they touch’d
the Tent and my Beds-head. Next Night, it being very dark, the Thieves came,
and finding the outward Bales {mell fo ftrong of Musk , they thought one of thofe
Bales would be a confiderable Booty. The Bales were all ty’d together with a
Cord that kept them faft, nor was it eafie to undo them, without a noife. They
wak’d me with their buftle at firft, and I fent out my Servants to fee if they could
catch them; but they will lye fo clofe upon their Bellies, that in fuch a dark Night
as that was tis impofible to difcover them. Thereupon my Servants »went to fleep
again, and the Thieves to their work and having with a great deal of ingenuity
cut the Cord, they carried away the two Bales. In the Morning four or five of us
with a Camel-driver for our Guide purfu’d them, and in half an hour we met with
the marks of the Robbery; for the Rogues being mad that they. found nothing but
Wool, which they thought to be of no great value, fattest it in the High-way
for two or three Leagues together: fo that I caus’d it to be pickt up again, and
loft not above fifteen or twenty Pound. I {peak this to caution the Merchants thaw -
carry Bales of Silk or other rich Commodities ,. to beware of thefe Thieves; for
they will come creeping upon their Bellies, and then cutting the Bales with great
Razors, will prefently empty a Bale of one half of the Goods.
"Tis true, the Wool was of no great value for their ufe 5 but it was a fort of rare
and very fine Wool, which I carry’d out of Perfia to Paris, where fuch fine Wool
was never feen. . Asto the place where it isto be had, I met with one of the Gaures,
or Perfians that adore the Fire, who when I was at Ifpahan in the year 1647 fhew’d
me aSample of it, and inform’d me that the greateft part of this Wool comes from
the Province of Kerman, which is the ancient Caramania; and that the beft Wool
is to be met with in the Mountains that are next to the City that bears the name
of the Province: That the Sheep in thofe Parts have this particular property, that
when they have fed upon new Grafs from January till May, the Fleece falls off, of
it felf, and leaves the Sheep naked, and their Skins fmooth, like a Pig’s that is
{calded off; fo that there is noneed of fhearing them, as with us: after they have
ee ie “: gather’d
-
ani ence ee
Chap.VUI. of Monfieur Taverwnie Re AE
Pe See ere ~*~
gather’d it, they beat it, and the courfe Wool breaking, the fine only remains.
That if you traniport it, before you make it into Bales, you muft throw Salt-water
upon it, which keeps the Worms out of it; and preferves it from rotting. Now
you muft take notice that theynever dye this Wool, it being naturally of a clear
Brown, ora dark Ath-colour;, and that there is very little of it White, which is
alfo much dearer than the other, as well for that it is fearce , as becaufe that the
Muft?s, the Moullak’s and other perfons belonging to the Law, never wear any
Girdles or Vails (wherewith they cover their Heads when they pray) but White :
for at other times they wear them about their Necks ; as the Women do their
Scarfs.
Into this Province of Kerman almoft all the Gaures are retir’d, and they are
they that only Trade in this Wool, and have the wholé Manufa&ture of it. They
make thofe Girdles of it which they ufe in Perfia; and fome Pieces of Serge, which’
are almoft as fine and tranfparent, as if they were of Silk. I brought over two
Pieces into Frazce, and prefented one to the late Queen Mother, the other to
the Princefs of Orleance. ,
I could not drive any Trade in this Wool till the year 1654, returning out of
the Indies by Sea from Surat toOrmus. To which purpofe, I departed from Ormus,
and took Guides along with me to fhew me the way to Kerman, whither I could
not get on Horfeback in lefs than twenty-feven days. I dare fay that Alexander
the Great did not march this way into the Jzaies : for in the whole extent of the
the Country there is no Water to be met with but in fome certain places, and in
the hollow of fome Rocks, where there is not enough neither to water eight or
ten Horfes, Befides, in fome places a man is conftrain’d, by reafon of the Mountains,
to fetch a great compafs about; for a Foot-man that makes his way through thole
Rocks, fhall go farther in half an hour than a Horfe-man can do in four.
Kerman isa large City, which has been often ruin’d by being feveral times taken
and re-taken; nor is there any thing handfom in it, but only one Houte and: a
Garden, upon which the laft Kans have beftow’d a vaft expence to make the place
delightful, “They make there a fort of Earthen-ware which comes very near to
Porcelan, and looks as neat and as fine. As foon as I arriv’d, I went to vifit the
Kans, who made me very welcom, and gave order to the Gawres to furnifh me with
Bread and Wire, Pullets and Pigeons, which in thofe parts are fat, and as large
as little Capons, The Gaures are they that make the Wine, and to make it more
{weet and pleafant, they take away the Stalks, and never prefs any thing but the
meer Grape,
- The Kaz was but newly entred into the poffeffion of his Government, and being
defirous, according to the cuftom of the new Governours, to have a noble Sword
and Dagger, with a rich Furniture for his Horfe , which requir’d fome Jewels, I
prefented him with a Diamond worth eight hundred Crowns, which he caus’d to:
be fet in the end of the handle of his Dagger. He alfo defir’d to have of me as
“many more Jewels as came to feven or eight hundred Livres: and by the Prefent
and the Bargain I facilitated my purchafe of the Wool which I intended to buy.
Two days after he invited me to his Entry-Feaft, which he made for the chief of
the City; and knowing I wanted a Mule, hg fent me one well worth a hundred
Crowns, This is the Nobleft Carriage in all Perfia, which the great Perfonages.
choofe before Horfes , efpecially when they are in years. But it wasnot the Kan
alone who was civil tome. A young Lord, who liv’d in Kerman , and was at the
Feaft, whofe Father had been formerly Kan himfelf, took great delight to difcourfe
with me concerning my Travels; and_offer’d me his fervice in a very obliging
manner. Now the Perfians are very curious, and great admirers of the Rarities of
Forein Countries: which inclination led the young Lord to enquire of me whether
I had any Fire-Arms, telling me he would content me for them to my fatisfa€tion.
The next Morning I prefented him with a Carbine, anda pair of Piftols that pleas’d
him exceedingly; and a little Watch, for which I would take no Money, whereat he
feem’d to be not alittle troubl’d. However he fent me a itately Horfe worth about
two hundred Crowns, or twelve Tomas. This young Lord was of a clear humour, .
civil, accomplith’d, generous, and did every thing with a good grace. So that when he
fent me the Horfe, he fent toentreat me withal, if I did not like that Horfe, to come
and choofe which I lik’d beft in his Stable. a
42
The Perstan Travels Book I.
By the favour of this Lord and the Kaz, I made good the Purchafe that I intended.
For the People began to murmur (knowing what a Parcel I had got together )
and told the Kaz that I would carry away all the Cloth out of the Country, fo that
they fhould have none to fet the Poor on work. Thereupon the Kaz fent for me,
and for thofe reafons told me I muft buy no more. To fend off the blow, I made
anfwer, That it was the King of Perfia’s defire to try if we could make as fine Cloth
of his Wool in France, as they did in England and Holland; and that if it fucceeded,
I fhould bring Freach Workmen into Perfia, and fo by fetling the Trade in his own
Country, free him from the Charge of forein Manufactures. This filenc’d the Kan,
fo that I ftill bargain’d for more. But when I was return’d to Jjpahan, the People of
the Country would not keep touch with me. However, I wrote fo honie to the
Kaa, threatning withal to complain to the King, that he fearing the King’s dif-
pleafure , fore’d the Natives to fend me my Bargain to I/pahan.
Sis See
Of the Road from Kerman to Ifpahan; and the Fortune of Nazar
Mahomet-Ali-Beg. }
Rom Kerman to Ijpaban is no lefs than five and twenty days on Horfeback.
In thofe places where there is any Water, the Country is very good; but
thofe places are very rare; for the Road is generally Sandy, and offenfive
to the Eyes. The chiefeft comfort toa Traveller is, that every Evening
he. meets with an Inn, where there are Cifterns, which is a great refre(hment in
thofe defert Countries. « The moft part of thofe Inns were built fome Years fince
by the fpecial care of Adshomet-Ali-Beg , Nazar, or Grand Matter of the King’s
Houfe and Treafury; a Perfon the moft Virtuous of any that Perfia can boaft of
for many Years. He was Generous, and favour’d the Fravks in all things, for he
lov’d them exceedingly. He faithfully ferv’d his King , and defended the People
againft the Oppreffion and Infolencies of the Great ones; which drew upon him
the hatred of many: but ftill he preferyv’d himfelf by his fincerity and prudence; as
by the following Story wil! remarkably appear. ; oo
The Great Sha-Abas the Firft, being one day a Hunting in the Mountains far out
of fight from his followers, met a young Lad playing upon a Pipe by an Herd of
Goats, The King asking him fome Queftions, he anfwer’d him to the purpofe to
every one, not knowing who he was. The King furpriz’d at his Reparti’s, made
a fign to Iman-couli-Kan Governour of Schiras, who was juft come up to him, not to
tell the Goat-herd who he was. After that he proceeded to ask him other Que-
ftions,; to which the yeung Man anfwer’d fo {martly, that the King could not
choofe but ftand in an amaze. Thereupon the King ask’d the Kaa what he thought
of the Goat-herds Wit ? Who anfwer’d, that he believ’d if the Boy were taught
to Write and Read, he might do good fervice to his Majefty. Upon that the King
immediately caus’d him to be fent to School, where the young Lad being naturally
of a folid Wit, clear Judgment, and happy Memory, grew fo accomplith’d, and
fo well acquitted himfelf of feveral Employments which his Majefty beftow’d upon
him, that the King advane’d him to the Office of Nazar, or Grand Mafter of the
Houfe , and did him the Honour to call him A4ahomet-eAli-Beg. The King ob-
ferving his fidelity, and good management of all things, fent him twice Ambaflador
to the Great Afogul ,and both times was extremely pleas’d with his Negotiation. A&—
homet lov’d Juftice,and would not ftoop to be corrupted by Prefents: A thing which is
very rare among the Afahometans. This great Integrity of his made all the Lords
of the Court his Enemies, efpecially the Eunuchs and the Women , who have always
the King’s Ear. But while Sha-Abas liv’d, there was no perfon that durft open
his lips againft the Nazar, {o much was he in favour, and that juftly, with the —
King. Sha-Sefi fucceeding, his Grandfather Sha-Abas , and being very young, the
Nazar’s Adverfaries thought they had now a fair Game to play. Thereupon the
ie | Eunuchs,
Chap. IX. of Monfieur Tavernier.
Eunuchs, who are always at the King’s Ear, fuggefted tohim many things to the
difadvantage of the Grand Mafter; but whatever they faid, the King gave little
heed to their Tales. Atlength, one day when the King was looking upon certain.
Skains and Daggers fet with precious Stones; one of the Eunuclis told him thofe
were triffes, and then defir’d’ his Majefty to fend for a Scimitar that the Grand
Signor had fent Sha-Abas ; all over fet with Diamonds. True it is, that the Grand
Signor had fent a rich Scimitar to Sha-Abas ; but Sha-Abas had defac’d it long before
AMabhomet’s time , and had made a noble Jewel of the Stones that adorn’d it. There-
upon this Scimitar was fought for in the Treafury, where A¢chomet was chief Offi-
cer; but not being to be found, the King was troubl’d, finding it regiftred in the
Book of Prefents. Then certain Eunuchs and Grandees of the Court took their
opportunity to rip up A4ahomer’s Life, they reprefented to the King how many
Inns , Bridges, and Dikes A¢ahomer had built at his own charge, what a Houfe he
had rear’d for himfelf, fitting for his Majefty to live in: and aggravated withal,
that he could not do fuch great things as thofe, without purloining notably from
the Publick Stock; for which he fhould do well to call him toan account. As they
were thus difcourfing, A4ahomet came into the Prefence, to whom the King ( not
receiving him as he was wort to do) fpoke fome hard words about the Scimitar
that could not be found: telling him withal , that. he would fee if all the reft of the
things in the Treafury were agreeable to the Regifter, and then gave him fifteen days
time to give in his Account. fahomet not at all mov’d, reply’d to the King, that
if his Majefty pleas’d he might’ come to the Treafury to morrow: and withal be-
fought him fo todo, though the King a fecond time gave him fifteen days. There-
upon the King did go tothe Treafury next morning, according to AZzhomer’s defire,
and found all things in good order; having heard before what became of the Sci-
mitar. From thence he went to AZzhomer’s Houle, who made the King a mean
Prefent: For it is the cuftom, that he whom the King honours with a Vifit, muft
make a Prefent to his Majefty. After the King had receiv’d it, he walk’d up
and down, and view’d the Chambers, Halls, Parlours and Rooms of State; and
wonder’d to fee them fo ill fet out with plain Felts, and courfe Carpets; whereas
in other Lords Houfes a man could not fet his Foot upon any thing but Cloth of
Gold and Silk. For the King , as they had fet the Nazar out, expected to have
found other things; which made him admire at fo great a Moderation in fo high
a degree of Honour. Now at the end of a Gallery there was a Door lockt with
three great Padlocks. Of this the King took no notice: whereupon the AZeter,
who is the White Eunuch, and chief of his Chamber; ashe came back, fhew’d the
King the Door that was fo ftrongly Padlock’d, which made the King curious to
have it open’d: withal, asking Ad¢shomet what he had get there lock’d up with fo
much care? Oh Sir, faid he, it behovesme to keep that lockt, for there is all the
Eftate I have inthe World. All that your Majefty has feen in this Houfe is yours,
but all that is in that Chamber is mine, and I dare affure my felf, your Majefty
will be fo gracious as never to take it from me. Thole words inflam’d the King’s
curiofity fo, that he commanded the Door to be open’d: But he was ftrangely
furpriz’d, when he faw nothing more within than AZshomet’s Sheep-hook, thar lay
upon two Nails, his Scrip wherein he us’d to put his Vi€tuals, his Bottle for his
Water, His Pipe, and his Shepherd’s Weeds , all hanging againft the Wall. The
Nazar beholding the King’s aftonifhment at fuch a Sight, Sir, faid he, when the
King Sha-Abas found me in the Mountain keeping Goats, then that was all I had,
and he took nothing from me: I befeech your Majefty that you wottld not deprive
me of thefe thingsneither, but rather, if you pleafe, let me refume them again,
and fall to my old Calling. The King touch’d at fo high a piece of Virtue , caus’d
himfelf to be difapparel’d, and gave his Habit to the Naza, which is the greateft
Honour that the King of Perfia can beftow uponaSubje&. Thus A4ahomet continu’d,
and dy’d honoutably in his Employment. This brave Perfon was the Protector of
_ allthe Franks in Perfia: and if any one had done them wrong, upon complaint he
did them Jultice immediately. One day as I was fhooting Ducks, upon the River
of Ijpahan near the Nazar’s Gardens, with two Servants, fome of the Nazar’s
people that did not know me fet upon me, and would haye taken away my Gun;
which I would not let go till I had broke the Stock about the Shoulders of the one,
and flung the Barrel at the other's Head. a i I took fome of the Fram
: — 2 Ng along
43
tng
— The Perstan Travels Book I,
- Another time, Sha-Sefi being upon his return from Guilan, his Tents were
fet up near Zufa in ~Armenta, where the King ftaid to hunt two or three days.
Now among the reft of the Courtizans that follow’d the Court, to divertile the
King with Dancing and Mummery, there was one who was perfeétly handfom , to
* whom the King had already fent Prefents; which could not be unknown to any
Lord i’the Court, But the Nazar’s Son, for all that, being in the heat of Youth,
got this Courtizan to his Tent , and there lay with her: which came to his Father’s
Ears nextday, The Wzzar, whether out of his zeal to the King , o» whether it
were an effeét of his prudence to prevent the King’s anger,which would have certainly
been the death of hisSon, caus’d him to be drub’d, after the manner of the Country,
and baftinado’d all over, till the Nails of his Toes dropt off, and that his Body
was almoft a perfe&t Gelly. Which when the King underftood, together with the
Young Man’s Crime , he faid no more, but that the Nazar had done wifely by
punifhing his Son himéelf, to prevent his Juftice.
But to return to the Road from Kerman to I[paban. The fir day that I fet out
from Kerman , at my Stage in the Evening I met with a rich A<enilab , who feeing
I had Wine, civilly offer’d me“fome of his Ice to cool it. In retaliation, I gave
him feme of my Bottle. He invited me to his Houfe, which was well built,
with a handfom Garden with Water in it. He Be me with Spoon-meat,
according to the mode of the Country; and when I'took my leave, he fill’d my
Boracho with very good Wine. ”
The following days I faw nothing worthy obfervation , the Country being as I
have already deferib’d it: ss ' ;
Yezd lyes in the Road, almoft in the mid-way between Kerman and I/pahan, in
93 Deg. 15 Min. of Longitude , and 13 Deg. 45 Min. of Latitude. It isa great
own in the middle of the Sands, that extend themfelves for two Leagues round it:
fo that when you leave Yexd you muft take a Guide, for upon the leaft Wind the
Sand covers the Highway, whereby a man may be apt to fall into Holes, which
feem to have been either old Cifterns, or the Ruines of ancient Buildings. Between
the Town and the Sands there is a little good Soil, which produces excellent Fruits,
but above all, Melons of feveral forts: the Pulp of fome is green, of others yellow
and vermilion, and fome there are, the meat whereof is as hard asa Renneting.
There are alfo very good Grapes, and good Wine; but the Governour will not
permit the Inhabitants to make Wine. Some therefore they dry, and of the reit
they make a kind of Confection to eat with Bread. There are alfo abundance of
Figs, which are large and well tafted. They diftil vaft quantities of Rofe-water,
and another fort of Water with which they dye their Handsand Nails red , which
_ they {queeze out of a certain Root call’d Hing. There are three Inns i’th’ City,
and feveral Bazars or Market-places cover’d and vaulted, which are full of Mer-
chants and Workmens Ware-houfes. They alfo make at Yezd feveral Stuffs of
Silk intermix’d with Gold and Silver, which they call Zerba/fe; and another fort of
Stuff of all pure Silk, call’d Darai , like our {mooth ftrip’d Taffata’s. Other Stuff
they make, half Silk half Cotton; others all of Cotton, like our Fuftians. They make
alfo Serges of a particular Wool, which is fo fine and delicate, that it looks hand-
fomer, and is much better than Silk. :
Though I had nothing to do, I ftaid in Yezd three days, becaufe I met with
fome Armenans of my acquaintance. In which time I found the general Opinion
to be true. For certainly the Women of Yezd are the handfomeft Women in ‘ull
Perfia. There isno Feaft made, but five or fix of then: come to divertife the Guefts
with Dancing , who are generally none of the meaneft Beauties and Converfatiens
among them, However it comes to pafs, the Perfian Proverb is, That to live happy,
* sf mut have a Wife of Yezd, eat the Bread of Yezdecas, and drink. the Wine
fas, ‘ee
CHAP,
¢ bs be
Chap.X. of Monfieur Tavernier.
CHAP. &
Of the Caravanfera’s , and Government of the Caravans,
H E Caravanfera’s ave the Eaftern Inns, far different from ours; for
they. are neither fo convenient, nor fo handfom, They are built {quare,
much like Cloyiters, being ufually but one Story high; for it is rare
to fee one of two Stories. A wide Gate brings ye into the Court; and
in the midft of the Building , in the front, and upon the right and left hand, there
is a Hall for Perfons of the beft Quality to keep together. On each fide of the
Hall are Lodgings for every man by himfelf.- Thefe Lodgings are rais’d all along
the Court two or three Steps high , juft behind which are the Stables, where many
| times it is as good lying as in the Chamber. Some will rather lye there in the
Winter, becaufe they are warm, and are roof’d as well as the Chambers. Right
againft the Head of every Horfe there is a Nich with a Window into the Lodging-
Chamber, out of which every man may fee how his Horfe is look’d after. Thefe
Niches are ufually fo large, that three men may lye in them; and there it is that
the Servants ufually drefs their Viétuals.
There are two forts of Inns. For fome are endow’d; where you may be re-
ceiv’d for Charities fake; others, where you muft pay for what you call for. There
are none of the firft, but between Bada and Conftantinople. Nox is it lawful for
any others to build fuch, but only the Mother and Sifters of the Grand Si nor, OF
fuch Viziers, and Bafha’s as have been three times in Battel againft the Chriftians,
In thefe Inns, which are built out of Legacies, there is a very good allowance of
Diet to Travellers, and at your departure you have nothing to do but to thank
the Benefactor. But from Conffantinople to Perfia, there ate none of thole endow’d
Inns; only fuch where you have nothing but bare Walls. It is for you to provide
Utenfils for your Kitchin, and a Bed to lye on: as for Provifion, the people bring
Lambs, Pullets, Butter, and Fruits in their feafons: or elfe you may buy it, provide
before-hand by the Mafter of the Houle. There you alio meet with Barley ‘and
Straw for the Horfes, unlefs it be in fome few places that I have been at upon the
Road. Inthe Country you pay nothing for your Chambers; but in the Cities yu
pay fomething , though it be but a {mall matter. Ufually the €zravans never go
into the Towns, which are not able to contaififo many People and Horfes. When.
you come to your Quarters every one looks after his own Chamber, for there is no
regard to Poor or Rich: fometimes out of Breeding, or out of Intereft, an ordinary.
Tradefman will give way to a great Merchant; but no man is permitted to leave
the Chamber which he has once made choice of. In the night the Inn-keeper fhuts
up his Gates, being anfwerable for all things that fhall be loft, for which reafon he
keeps a Guard about the Inn.
As for the Perfian Caravanfera’s, they are more commodious, and better built
than thofe of Turkie , and at more reatonable diftances , throughout almoft all the
Country. By which defcription of Inns it is eafie to obferve, that though-thete
Caravanfera’s are not fo commodious for the Rich as our Exropean Inns, yet they
are more convenient for the Poor, to whom they never refufe to give admittance :
no perfon being oblig’d to eat or drink more than he pleafes; but every one being |
allow’d to {pend according to his Stock , without srumbling, » | Sie
You may travel in Turkie or Perfia, either with the Caravan, or elfe im company,
ten or twelve together , or elfe alone with a Guide. The fafeft way is to go with ©
the Caravan, though you are longer upon the Road, by reafon of the flownefs of
their march, efpecially when the Caravans confift of Camels. =a ge
The Caravans are as it were great Convoys, which confift of a good number of
Merchants, that meet at certain times and places, to put themfelves into 2 con-
dition to defend themfelves from Thieves, that are very rife in Troops in feveral
defert places upon the Road. Thefe Merchants choofe among themfelves a Caravan-
pi who orders them how they fhall march, affigns the places of lodging at
night, and who with the chief-of the Caravan,isa kindof Judge of the differences that
fall
a-
; 7
The Penstan Travels — Book I.
fall out by the way. There is no honeft man that covets the employment; for the
Caravan-Bafhi, being to difcharge feveral {mall duties upon the Road, however he
behave himfelf, is ftill fufpected for his fidelity. When the Turks are moft nume-
rous, they make choice of a Turk; when the Armenian Merchants are moft, they
choofe an Armenian.
There are two forts of Caravans. There are Caravans which confift of Camals,
which are the moft ufual ; in regard that Camels are cheap ,and for that fome Camels
will carry as much as three Horfes, others as much as four or five. But among
the Caravans of Camels, there are feveral Horfes and Mules, which the Merchants
themfelves ride upon; it being very tedious te ride upon a Camel when he only goes
a foot-pace, but very pleafant when he goes upon his large trot. . There are other
Caravans that confift only of Horfes; and among thefe, if the Merchant have none
of his own, he may hire one. The Servants ride upon thofe Horfes that are leaft
Jaden; but at Smyrna you may meet with feveral good Horfes very cheap, from
thirty to fixty Crowns. As for thofe perfons that are either unwilling or unable to
be at any expence, they make ufe of Affes, of which there are enow to be had.
Above all things, you muft take care to provide Pack-Horfes to carry your Wine;
for the Camel-Matters being Adahometans , will not permit you to lade their Camels
with any fuch Liquor, that Beaft being particularly confecrated to A4ahomet , who
lo ftriély forbad the ufe of Wine. You put your Wine in Bottles made of wild
Goats Skins, with the hairy fide turn’d innermoft , and well pitch’d within. There
are fome of thefe Bottles from which they take off the Hair; but they are not fo
good, as being feldom without holes. |
Thefe Camel-Matfters are an infolent fort of people, which you fhall never know
how to deal with, unlefs you can bring them to punifhment. There was one, that .
play’d me fome of his jades tricks in the Road from Smyrna to Tauris; but when I
came to Efcrivan,1 complain’d to the Kam, who prefently caus’d a hundred Baftnado’s
to be giv’n him upon the {pot. Nor is there any other way to bringthofe Scoundrels to
reafon, efpecially at Smyrxa and fuch other places, where the Merchants have their Con.
fuls,who upon the leaft complaint to the Cady have Juftice done them immediately.
The examples of fome of thefe Camel-drivers that have been paid off, keep the reft
in good decorum; and they will be very traétable for a good while after. |
The Journies of the Caravans are not equal , fometimes not above fix hours travel,
fometimes ten, and fometimes twelve; it being the convenience of Water , which
ig not every where to be met with, that is the Rule of Lodging the Caravan, At»
all times the Caravan travels more by night than by day; in Summer to avoid the heat,
and at other times, that you may be {ure to have day enough to fet up your Tents.
For if the Caravan fhould come to pitch in the night, it would be impofible for
them to find where to fet up their Tents, to drefs and look after their Beafts, make
ready their Kitchins, and provide things neceffary for fo large a Company. True
it is, that in the depth of Winter and in the great Snows, they feldom fet out till two
or three hours after midnight; and that fometimes they ftay till day-break. But
_ in Summer , according to the Journey which they intend , they fet out either at
midnight , or an hour after Sun-fet. The laft time I went from Smyrna the Caravan
confifted of fix hundred Camels, and almoft the fame number of Horfe. Sometimes
their number is greater, fo that the Camels going but by one and one after another,
a Caravan feems to be an Army ; and whether it be in travelling or lodging, they
take up a world of Ground. Now by reafon they travel all night in A/a, it happens
that the Air is indifferent wholfom , and that the Travellers, that lye for the moft
part upon a Carpet fpread upon the Ground, find themfelves very little inconye-
nienc’d by it. , 3 ,
The Camels that go into Perfia through the Northern Provinces of 7; urkie,
travel like Horfesin a Cart, by feven and feven; they are ty’d together by a Cord
about the bignefs of a Man’s littleFinger, and a Fathom long; faften’d to the Pack-
faddle of the Camel that goes before, and to the Head-harnefs of the Camel that
follows, Thofe little Cords are made no ftronger, to the end that if the Camel
before fhould chance to fall into any hole, the Camel behind fhould either keep him
up, orelfenot be pull’d in after the other. And to the end that the Camel-driver
who leads the foremoft, may know whether the other fix follow him or no, the
laft Camel has a Bell about his Neck, which if it ceafe to ring, ’tis a fign that
fome
Chap.X. of Monficur Tavernier.
fome one of the finall Cords is broken, and that a Camel has got a mifchance. The
feventh Camel generally carries the Provifions. For if a Merchant have fix Camels
laden, he is generally allow’d one to carry his Provifion 5 if he have but three, he
is allow’d but half a Camel’s load; but if he have nine or twelve, he pays nothing
for the carriage of his Provifions of Food, or any thing elfe that he pleafes. Every
Merchant with his Servants rides by the Camels that are laden with his Goods,
efpecially in the dark nights; for there are a fubtil fort of Thieves, that have
a trick to cut the two Cords behind and before, and without any noife drive
the Camel out of the way; for having no Hoofs, his Feet cannot be fhod, and
confequently he makes no noife. As well Merchants, as others, Camel-drivers
and Servants, keep themfelves from fleeping fometimes by finging , and fometimes
by taking Tobacco, and fometimes by difcourfe. |
The Caravan lyes in fuch’ places as they think moft convenient , chiefly near to
the Water-fide. When the Sun is fet, the Shaoux, who are a fort of poor people,
are diligent to guard the whole Field, and take care of the Goods. They walk up
and down, and either in the Aradian or Armenian Diale& they cry one to another,
God w one , and he is merciful; adding from time to time, Have a care of your felf.
When they fee that the time grows near to fet out, they give notice to the Caravan-
Bafhi, who gives order to bid them cry, Saddle your Horfes; and after that, to cry
again, Load. And it is a ftrange thing to confider, that upon the fecond Cry of
the Shaoux every thing is ready upon an inftant, and the Caravan begins to fet
forward in great order and great filence. Every one takes care to be ready, for it
is dangerous to be left behind, efpecially in thofe Countries which are haunted with
Thieves. The Wages of thefe Shaoux is the fourth part of a Piafter, for a Bale,
from Smyrna to Erivan. . in
When the Stages are long, and that they believe that they thall not get thither
by ten or twelve in the morning, every one carries two {mall Wallets on each fide
his Horfe, and when they come to the place where they intend to Break-faft, they
{pread a Carpet upon the Ground and fall to. os
When you go from Conflantinople , Smyrna, or Aleppo with the Caravan , it be-
hoves all people to carry themfelves according to the mode of the Country, in
Turkie like a Turk, in Perfia as a Perfian; elfe would they be accounted ridiculons,
nay fometimes they would hardly be permitted to pafs in fome places, where the
leaft mifcarriage makes the Governours jealous, who are eafily perfwaded to take
Strangers for Spies. Always, if you have upon the Road but an Arabian Vel,
with a mean Girdle , whatever Clothes you wear under, there is no danger of —
paffing any where: If you wear a Turbant, you muft of neceflity fhave off your
Hair, elfe it will never ftay upon the Head. As for Beards, they never mind them
in Turkie, the greateft being accounted the handfomeft 5 but in Perfia they fhave
their Chins, and wear their Muftaches : and I remember I have feen one of the
King of Perfia’s Porters, whofe Muftaches were fo long, that he could tye them
behind his neck , for which reafon he had a double Penfion. More than that, you
mutt provide your felf of Boots according to the cuftom of the Country: they are
made of red, yellow, or black Cordovan , lin’d with Linnen cloth; and in regard
they never reach higher than the Knee, they are as convenient to travel in as Shooes.
As for Spurs, they never wear any; for the Iron at the upper end of the Stirrop,
which is four-fquare, ferves to {pur the Horfe: fo much the-better, becaufe it is the
cuftom of all Aja to ride very fhort. 3
Before you fet out, you muft provide your felf of feveral Houfhold-Goods, efpe-
cially of thofe Bottles that are call’d Adatares, which are made of Bulgary-Leather 5
every man carries his own at the Pummel of his Saddle, or elfe faften’d to the Crupper
of the Saddle behind. Befides thefe you muft buy Borrache’s, the moft ferviceable ©
things in the Worlds for they will never break; and will hold above fifty Pints
at atime. The fmaller Bottles ferve to put Aqua-vite in: and the Leather whereof
they aremade, has that peculiar to it felf, that it keeps the Water frefh. Then
you muft provide Food, and make a provifion of Rice and Bisket as far as Tocat :
For as for Pullets, Eggs, and fuch like things, you meet with them almoft every
wheres as alfo with Provifion for your Horfes; and new Bread; unlefs in fome few
places, You mutt alfo carry a Tent with all its appurtenances, with a Mat:
trefs; and Clothes to cover the Horfes at night, efpecially in the time aad
3 Aeep
~
48
The PErnsitan Travels Book I.
deep Snows, wherein you fhall find them almoft buried the next mor-
ning.
Syhen the Caravan comes near the place where it intends to ftop, every Mer-
ehant rides before to take up a convenient place for himfelf and his Goods, for
which he covets a rifing Ground , that if it fhould happen to rain, the Water may
run from the Bales. They alfo in that cafe lay Stones under the Bales, anda Cloth
over them; and the Servants make a Ditch about the Tent for the Water to run
into. But if it be fair weather, there is no care tak’n to fet up the Tent: or
if it be, *tis folded up after Supper; to the end the Owners may have the more
liberty to look about them, and may be in a better condition to look after the
Thieves. But if there be any likelihood of foul weather, the Tent is let ftand till
the firft Cry of the Shacux. The Horfes are ty’d before the Tent with Cords faften’d
to a Nail, and their hinder Legs are ty’d with other Cords, to the end they may
not ftir out of their places. If it be not feafonable for them to eat Grafs, you
muft buy Barley and Straw of the Country-men that come to ferve the Caravan
there being no Oats, neither in Turkie nor Perfia.
In drefling your Vidtuals , you mutt follow the cuftom of the Country; which is,
to make a Hole in the Ground, and then kindling a Fire in it, to fet the Pot
over it.
But the greateft inconvenience which Travellers fuffer with the Caravans ,. is
this, that when they come to Waters, which are only Wells, or Cifterns, or Springs,
where only two or three can lade up Water at a time. For after the Caravan is
lodg’d, the Merchants fhall be forc’d to ftay for Water two or three hours together 5
for they that belong to the Beafts of Carriage, will not fuffer any perfon to take
any Water, till the Camels, Horles, Affes, and Mules are all ferv’d. Nor is there
_ any contending with thefe Camel-drivers and Muleters; for as they are a rude fort
of people, a Man runs the hazard of his Life by contefting alone: of which one
Example may fuffice for all.
Setting out one day from Bander-Abajfi , for Iipaban , with a Merchant of Babylon,
as we came to the Inn where we lay the firft night, which was call’d Guetchy , the
Merchant commanded one of his Slaves who was a Cufer of Mozambique , to fetch
him fome frefh Water, at the Ciftern, to drink: The Cafer went thither, and
return’d without any Water, telling his Mafter, that the Camel-drivers and Mu-
leters threaten’d to beat him, and would not let him come near the Ciftern. The
Merchant either ill advis’d, or not knowing the cuftom, bid him go back, and
kick thofe that refus’d him. Whereupon the Cafer returning, and finding the
fame refiftance as before, began to give ill language to the Camel-drivers, fo that
one of them happen’d to ftrike him. Upon that the Cafer drawing his Sword,
ran him into the Belly, fo that he fell down dead: Thereupon the whole Rabble
fell upon him, bound him, and carry’d him back to Bander-Abaffi for the Governour
to put him to death. The Mafter of the Cafer, accompany’d by feveral Merchants,
went to the Governour and reprefented to him the infolence of thofe people, and
how the bufinefs had happen’d. Upon which the Governour took the poor fellow out of
their hands, and caus’d him to be kept fafe; after that, he caus’d ten or a dozen
of thofe Muleters to be feiz’d, and order’d them to be foundly baftinado’d, for
hind’ring a Merchant’s Servant from fetching Water for his Mafter. He alfo put
others in Prifon; who had not been releas’d fo foon, but at the requett of thofe
Merchants whofe Goods they carry’d, and who ftood in need of their {ervice.
The Governour {pun out the bufinefs, on purpofe that the reft might be gone: but
as Loon as they were all departed except the two Brothers of the party flain, he told
them, he could not do them Juftice, becaufe their Brother belong’d to Schiras ; fo
that all that he could do, was to fend the Criminal thither. The Mafter of the Cafer
being rich, and loving the Slave, made haft to Schiras, to tell his Story firft to the
Kan, And I remember, two days journey on this fide Schiras, we met in the High-
way abundance of poor people , the kindred of the party flain, who were ftaying
for the Cufer , to carry him before the Kaz, and to demand Juftice. Two or
three Leagues alfo from Schiras 1 met the Father and Mother, together with the
Wife and Children of the deceas’d , who feeing me pafs along , fell at my Feet and
recounted to me their Grievances. I told them by my Kalmachi, that their bet
and fureft way was to take a piece of Money of the Cafer’s Malter , and fo to put up
the
Chap XL. of Monfieur Tavernier.
the bufinefs. This Propofal , that would have been accepted in Chriftendom, was —
rejected by thofe poor Mahometans ; in fo much that the Father tore his Beard , and
the Women their Hair, crying out, That if it were the cuftom of the Franks to
fell the Blood of their Kindred, it was not their cuftom fo to do. | When the reft
of the kindred came with the Cafer to Schiras, the Kan did all he could to perfuade
the Widow to take Money; but not being able to over-rule her, he was fore’d
to give the Cafer into their hands: and how they us’d him I cannot tell, being con-
ftrain’d at the fame time, to pafs from Schiras for I/pahan. ;
os JGR eae AS:
Of the breeding , nature , and [everal forts of Camels.
HE Female Camel bears her Burthen eleven Months; and her Milk
_is a fovereign Remedy againft the Dropfie. You muft drink a Pint of
it every Day for three Weeks together: and I have feen feveral Cures
wrought thereby at Balfara, Ormus, and in other places in the Perfian
Gulf, upon feveral Englifh and Holland Mariners. |
So foon as a Camel comes into the World, they fold his Feet under his Belly,
and make him lye upon them; after that they cover his Back with a Carpet that
hangs to the Ground , laying Stones upon each fide , fo-that he may not be able to
rife ; and thus they leave him for fifteen or twenty days. In the mean time they
give him Milk to drink, but not very often; to the end he may be accuftom’d to
drink little. This they do alfo to ufe them to lye down, when they go about to Lade ©
them ; at which time they will fold their Legs and lye down fo obediently, that it
is an admirable thing to confider. So foon as the Caravan comes to the place where it is
to lye, all the Camels that belong to one Mafter will range themfelves in a Circle,
and lye downupon their fore Feet; fo that it is but untying one Cord that holds
the Bales, and they will flide off gently from each fide of the Camel. When ’tis time
to lade again, the fame Camel comes and crouches down between the two Burthens,
and when they are faften’d, gently rifes{up with the Burthen again, which is done
without any trouble or noife. When the Camels are unladen ,. they let them go a-
field to feed upon the Heath and Bufhes, and half an hour before ‘Sun-fet they
return of themfelves, unlefs any one happen to wander, which they will call
again with a certain Cry which is natural to them. ‘When they return, they range
themfelves in a Circle, and the Muleters give to every one little Balls of Barley-
meal kneaded , as big as two Fifts. The Camel though he be of a large bulk, eats
very little, contented with what he meets with upon the Heaths, where he more
efpecially looks for Thiftles, of which he is a great lover. But it is more admi-
rable to confider with what patience they endure drowth: For one time that I
crofs’d over the Deferts, where we were 65 days upon the Road , our Camels were
nine days without Drink. But what is more wonderful is this, that when the
Camel is in the heat of Generation, he neither eats nor drinks for 4.0 days together ;
and he is then fo furious, that without great care you cannot avoid being bitten
by him: And where-ever he bites, he carries away a piece of the Flefh, At that
time iffues out of their Mouths a white Foam, befides that there appears on each
fide of their Chops two Bladders large and fwell’d, like the Bladder of a Boar. —
In the’Spring time all the Camel’s Hair falls off in threedays. The Skin remains
bare, and then the Flies are very troublefom. There isno way but to Tar them all
over: though it be a ventrous thing to come near them at that time.
_ A Camel muft be dréft as well as a Horfe, but the Camel- eal ufes any
Curry-comb , but only beats him all over with a{mall Wand, as Carpets are wont to
be dufted. If a Camel be hurt or gall’d under the Pack-faddle , they never apply
any thing to it, but only wath it well with Urine, without’ ufing any other Re~
medy.
: G There
re Uhre alate Shami Sc. coy eee apie to oe aman Diese RA. Sale 5 eR tae t S nti 5 alti ipa A elas SS ark
ogee? Lies ; : Oey ‘ t 4
50 The Penstan Travels Book I, —
: y 4
There are two, forts of Camels, the one which is proper for hot Countries,
the other for cold Countries, 4
The Camels in hot Countries, fuch as go from Ormus to Ipaban , cannot traye] |
if the Ground be dirty and lippery for their Bellies burft, while their hinder
Quarters rive from their Bodies. Thefe are {mall Camels , that carry not above
five or fix hundred Pound weight ; but they are kept for little, and endure Thirft
a long time. They donot tye them Head to Tayl, as they do the great ones, but
let them go as they pleafe themfelves, like a Herd of Cows.. The Camel-driver
follows them finging, and fometimes playing upon his Pipe: the louder he fings
and pipes, the fafter the Camels go; nay they will ftand {till when he gives over his _
Mufick. When the Camel-drivers come to a Heathy Ground, they will give then
leave to feed for half an hour, taking their Tabacco the while, and then finging
them together again, they fet forward. The Camels bred in the Deferts are hand. _
fom, but very tender, fo that they muft be gently us’d, and never be put upon
long Journies. However, they eat and drink lefs than others, and endure thirft
more patiently. : LIST,
The Camels of cold Countries, fuch as thofe that travel from Tauris to Conftan-
Stantinople, are large Camels, that carry great Burthens, and will pull themfelves out
of the dirt: But in fat Grounds and flippery Ways the Drivers are fain to {pread
Carpets, fometimes an hundred one behind another; otherwife their hinder Quarters
are alfo apt to rive from their Buttocks: but if the Road be flippery for too great
a diftance together, there is no way but to tarry till it be dry’d up and fair. Thefe
Camels ufually carry a thoufand Pound weight: but if the Merchant has any hank
upon the Camel-driver , he will lay upon every Camel fifteen hundred weight,
thereby making two of three Burthens. This the Merchants do, when theycome
near the Cuftom-Houfes, efpecially that of Erzerom, which is the moft fevere. The
Merchant does this for his own Profit: So that when the Cuftomer miftrufting,
demands how fo many Camels come to travel empty, he makes anfwer, that they were
Camels that carry’d Proyifion : But the Cuftomer moft commonly winks at that good
Husbandry of the Merchant, for fear of lofing his Cuftom, and obliging the Mer-
chant to take another Road. ie
_ There is as much knavery among the Camel-drivers ,. as among our Horfe-Courfers,
For I remember, that being once at Cafbiz, a Perfian Merchant, thinking he had
bought eight good Camels, was deceiy’d in four which he thought the beft: He
verily believing they had been fat and in good cafe, but they were only blown up.
For thofe Cheats have a trick to cut a Hole near the Tail, of which the Purchafer
takes no notice , and which they know neatly how to fow up again: In this Hole
they will blow till they have puft up a lean Camel, that he fhall appear as fat and
plump as the foundeft that ever fed: whereby they often deceive the quickeft
Bghits, cipecially when the Hair is all off, and that the bare Skin is all rub’d over’
with Lar.
on eR NEON EET GLE BF) Ee he gO
CYTE Tey eo hed eae: Sa
LEP SIOE: ry aahid ¢
one: aa ie coma gE
Of the Coyns and Money of Perfia.
N the firft place, you muft take notice that there are no Pieces of Gold coyn’d
in Perfia, but only fome few, to be thrown among the People when a new
King afcends the Throne ; which Pieces are neither currant.among the Mer-
#a chants, nor of a certain Price, When the Solemnity is over, they who get
the Pieces, are not fo curious to keep them , but carry them to the Changer, who
gives them the value in currant Money. Thefe Pieces of Gold may be worth jGve
* A Frank is *Franks, about the finenefs of Almain-Ducats.. Once I receiy’d ten thoufand of —
; worth 2s. them of one Merchant, at a prefix’d rate; for their value is uncertain.
ve Sterling, - In the fecond place obferve, That the Silver in Perfia is good, whether it be.
3 in Barrs, or in Plate, or in Money, and it is taken for its goodnefs. For when a
7 Ue Merchant
ee
AE ign ate,
x .
cee
Rese
mati Sen,
oe a ee
SHES. :
7°?
2 gene ®
Chap. XIL. of Monfieur Tavernier.
Merchant enters into Perfia, whether it be at Erivan or Tauris, where the Money
is coyn’d, he is oblig’d to tell whatSilverhe carry’s, to the end it may be melted
down and ftamp’d with the King’s Stamp; under a great Penalty, if difcover’d to .
be a concealer. But if a Merchant’s affairs will not permit him to ftay ar Erivan,
or at Tauris, and that he think it better to carry his Money to the Mint of I{pahan ;
*tis but taking a Note from the Mafter of the Mint either at Taurs or Erivan, to
atteft that he has declar’d the truth of what he carries, and it isexcufe enough.
But they that can cunningly carry their Silver to Erivan, when the Seafon is to
go to the Indies, make a great profit ef the Real, for the Merchants that go to
the Indies will give them thirteen and a half, or fourteen Shayez a piece » for as
many as they have. But there are few Merchants that carry their Silver to I {pa-
han; in regard the Matters of the Mints upon the Frontiers will be fure to prefent
them with a good piece of Silver Plate, rather than let them carry away -their
Bullion to I/pahan , to have the benefit of Coynage themfelves. ;
They that traffick into Guslan for Silks carry their Silver to Teflis, where the
Mafter of the Mint gives them 2 per Cent. profit for their Silver. The reafon is,
becaufe that which he gives them for it isa little fophifticated; but it paffes currant
all over Guilaz., ;
In the third place , you muit obferve , That upon the pieces of Silver, as well
for the King’s Duty as the Coynage of the Money, there is requir’d 7+ per Cent.
But upon the Copper Money, not above one half, or 1 per Cent. at moft. Whence
it comes to pafs, that when a Workman has need of Copper, rather than lofe time
in going to buy it, he will melt down his Ca/beke”s.
There are four feveral pieces of Silver Coyn, Abaff’s , Mamendi’s, Shaet’s, and
Biff?s: but as for the Biffi’s , there are very few at prefent.
; The Copper pieces of Coyn are call’d Cafbeké’, of which there are fingle and
ouble.
The fingle Cafbeke is worth five Deniers and a Half-peny of our Money.
The double Cafbeké is valu’d at eleven Deniers.
Four fingle Cafbeke’s , or two double ones, make a Biffi. :
Ten fingle Cafbeke’s, or five double ones, make one Shayet in value.
Two Shayet’s make a Mfamoudi.. —
Two Mamoud?’s make an Abaffi. :
- The Real or Crown of France is worth three -Abaffi’s and one Shayet; and
courting a Real at fixty Sous, an Abaffi is worth eighteen Sous, fix Deniers. Though
to fay truth, three Abaffi’s and one Shayet make three Half-pence more than the
Crown.
Number 1, and Number 2. Are two pieces, which upon one fide bear the
Names of the twelve Prophets of the Law of Afahomet , and in the middle this In-
{cription, La Illah allah Mahomet refoul Allah, Ali Veli Allah : on the back-fide,
‘The Conqucrour of the World, Abas Il. gives us permiffion to coyn this Money in the
Gity of Cafhan. :
Num. 1. Makes five Abajfi’s ; and counting our Crown at thirteen Shayer’s , it
comes to four Livres, twelve Sous, fix Deniers. ; |
Num. 2. Makes two Abajj’s and a half of our Money, or forty-fix Sous and one
Farthing,
‘Num 3. Is an Abajji, which comes to eighteen Sous, fix Deniers.
Num, 4. \s a Mamoudi, worth nine Sous and a Farthing,
Num. 5. 1s a Shayet, worth four Sous, feven Deniers, one Half-peny.
Num. 6. A Biffi, worth one Sous, ten Deniers. ees
Num. 7. The Copper Coyn, call’d Ca/beke’, worth five Deniers, one Half-peny.
Thefe Coyns, unlefs it be the Ca/beke, bear no other Inf{cription, but only the Name
of the King reigning when they were coyn’d; the Name of the City where they
were coyn’d; with the Year of the Hegyra of Adahomet. ~ ;
«
Though all Payments are made in Abaffi?s, as well at Ormus and other parts of -.
the Gulf belonging to the King of Perfia, as in the Iland of Babren, where is the
_ great Fifhery and Market for Pearls, yet there is no mention made but only of
Lar ins.
G 2 3 The
SB
52
The Pernstan Travels Book I.
The Larin is defcrib’d in the Money of Arabia, Eight Larinsmake an Or; four
and twenty make a Toman.
An Or is not the name of a Coyn, but of a Sum in reck’ning among Merchants.
One Or is five Abaffi’s. ) 3
A Toman is another Sum in payment: For in all Perfian Payments they make ufe
of only Tomans and Ors; and though they. ufually fay that a Toman makes fifteen
Crowns, in truth it comes to forty-ix Livres, one Peny and +.
As for pieces of Gold, the Merchant never carries any into Perfia , but Alman-
Ducats, Ducats of the Seventeen Provinces, or of Venice, and he is bound to carry
them into the Mint fo foon as he enters into the Kingdom; but if he can cunningly
hide them, and fel] them to particular perfons, he getsmore by it. When a Mer- |
chant goes out of the Kingdom, he is oblig’d to tell what pieces of Gold he carries
with him; and the King’s people take a Shayet at the rate of a Ducat, and {fome-
times they value the Ducat at more. But if he carry’s his Gold away privately and
be difcover’d, all his Gold is confifcated. i
The Ducat nfually is worth two Crowns , which in Perfia juftly comes to twenty-
fix Shayets ; but there is no price fixt in that Country for Ducats. For when the feafon
. is to go for the Indies, or that the Caravan fets out for Adecca, as well the Merchants
as the Pilgrims buy up all the Ducats they can find out, by reafon of their light-
nefs3 and then they rife to twenty-feven, and twenty-eight Shayets , and fometimes
more, a picce..
The end of the Roads from Paris to Ifpahan, through the
Northern Provinces of Turky.
Fe E
| of Monfieur TavERNIER.
Chap. =
THE SECOND BOOK
OF THE
PERSIAN TRAVELS
MoNSIEUR TAVERNIER:
Centaining the feveral
OA DS
From PARIS to IS PA HAN the Capital
Crry of PERSIA,
Through the Southern Provinces of TUR KY,
and through the DESERTS. :
CAA Py i
The fecond Voyage of the Author from Paris to Wpahan: and firft,
of bis Embarking at Marfeilles for Alexandretea.
HE Road from Conftantinople to Erivan, which with all thofe
other Roads through the Northern Provinces of Turkie, the
firft time [ travel’d into Perfia, I have amply deferib’d. It
behoves me now to treat of the Southern Provinces, and of
thofe through the Deferts, where there are feveral Emirs, or
Arabian Princes, of which feveralare very potent: For there
7 ) are fome of them that can bring 30000 Horfe into the Field,
five of which I have had the honour to difcourfe, and to oblige them with fmall
Prefents 3 in recompence whereof they fent me Rice, Mutton, Dates, and: Sherbet,
as long as I ftaid among them. ®
I embark’d at AZarfeilles in a Holland Veflel that carry’d five and forty Guns, =
from thence we fet fail for Adalta. At Malta we ftaid twelve days to carine the
Veffel , and to take in frefh Victuals. Among the reft we bought two thoufand
Quails, for there are a prodigious quantity in the Iland: but in two or three days
we found five or fix hundred of them deftroy’d by the Vermin that pefter’d the
p. ‘. 5 ad
From Afalra we fet fail for. Larzeca, a good Road in the Iland of Qyprus, to the
Welt of Fmagofta , which is not above a days journey from it by Land. As we
were making into the Road, about two or three hours after midnight, we perceiv’d.
a Veffel cloie upon us, and both the Ships Company began to cry out, for fear of
falling foul one upon anothers but the Veffel theer’d clear without any harm on
either fide. epee ,
: In.
‘ .
53
Ce eee
In the morning we caft Anchor, and went a-fhoar. It is a good half League
from the Road where the Confuls and Merchants, both Engli{h,Hollanders, and French,
live in a very pitiful Village. However there is a little Monaftery of Capuchins, who
officiate in the Chappel of the French Conful, and another of Religious Zralians,
that depend upon the Guardian of Ferufalem. We ftaid but two days at Larneca,
the Captain having nothing to do but to inform himfelf what bufinefs they might
have for him at his return; it being ufual to then to take in {pun and unfpun Cottons,
together with courfe Wool for Mattreffes. , 3
From Larneca "till we came in view of the Coaft of Syria, we had the Wind very
favourable, but at length coming to prove a littie contrary, inftead of carrying us
to Alexandretta, it caft us to the Northward, two or three Leagues higher, upon
the Coaft of Cilicia, toward a Town call’d Pazaffes. Half a League from that City
lyes a vait Rock, and between that Rock and the Land runs a very highSea: And
here it was that the people-of the Country believe that the Whale caft up Fonas
again, though the common Opinion reports it to have been done near Foppa in
Paleftine. All along that Coaft from Alexandretta t0¢Paiaffes , and farther, the
way is fo narrow and ftraiten’d by the Mountain, that in fome parts the Camels and
Horfes mult dip their Fect in the Sea: and y:t you muft pafs that way of nece‘iry,
travelling from Syria to CovStantinople. Between Alexandretta and Paraffcs it
was, that the Guevalier Panl, in a Veffel that carry’d only three hundred Men, mifs’d
but little of furprizing the Caravan that every Year carries the Tribute of Egypt
to Conftantinople ; which fince hath never been fent by Sea for fear of the AZaltefi.
This Knight had landed his Men, and laid themin Ambufcade; but unfortunately
his Defign was difcover’d, fo that the Caravan , that might have been eafily furpriz’d,
ftood upon their Guard.
We were near the Coaft, when we difcover’d a Skiff with fifteen or fixteen
Turks , that were fent by him that commanded four Galleys of Rhodes to demand the
Cuftomary Prefent from our Captain. Thofe Galleys then anchor’d at Paraffes,
and had there difcharg’d themfelves of their Provifions of War for Bagdat, which
the Grand Signor was going to befiege. And it is the cuftom, that when the Great
Turk’s Galleys are out at Sea, that whatever ftrange Veffel paffes by them muft
fend them a Prefent, either willingly or by force. When the Bafha of the Sea,
who is the Admiral of the Turks, is in Perfon at Sea, the Veffel which he meets
is not excus’d for 2000 Crowns; fo that when he fets out from Con/tantinople to cruife,
the Veffels of the Franks do all they can to avoid him. There are fome that will
feek to efcape in fight of the Galleys, but it has coft them dear. And it happen’d,
that one day the Wind flackning , they boarded a Veffel of Adarfeilles , the Captain
and Notary whereof were both feiz’d, and drub’d’till their Bodies were almoft
bruis’d to aGelly, and they had like to have dy’d upon it, without being the better
in their Purfes; for the rudenefs of the Chaftifement did not excufe them from: ~
paying the Money which was demanded. Whether our Captain knew any thing
of this Example, or whether it were out of his natural heat of Valour, he laugh’d
at the Skiff-men, bidding them be gone, and telling them he had no Prefents for
them but Cannon-Bullets.. Thereupon the Men return’d to their Galleys, who foon
deliver’d us from the true fear we were in, that the gallantry of the Captain had
drawn us into an inconvenience. For while we kept the Sea clofe by the Coaft, to
obferve the Countenances of the Turks, they weigh’d Anchor, and turn’d their
Prows toward Rhodes, - However, before they left us they fent usa Broad-fide, and
our Captain, whatever we could fay, fent them another, which render’d us more
guilty. For the Turks pretend that when their Navy is at Sea, or only one Squadron,
and that a ftrange Veffel is in fight, the is bound.to come as near as the Wind will’
permit her without being hal’d, for which they will otherwife make the Commander
Pay very feverely. The Confuls and Merchants. of Aleppo underftanding what had
pais’d, very much blam’d the Captain, fearing a worfe confequence of the bufinefs :
But by good fortune, the mifcarriage was ftif’'d and never went farther.
The fame day the Wind veering to the Weft-North-We&, we fail’d into the
Road of Alexandretta, where we cametoan Anchor, about a quarter of a League
from the Land. Upon the advice which they have out of Chriftendom, fo foon as’ -
they of Alexandretta difcover a Veffel, and. know what Colours fhe carries, the
Vice-Conful of the Nation to which the Veffel belongs , fails not to advertife the
Conful
Chap.I. of Monficur TaVERNIER.
Conful of Aleppo, by a Note which is carr’yd in four or five hours, though it be
more than two or three days journey on Horfe-back. For they tye a Note under
the Wing of a Pigeon, who is taught what to do, and fhe flies direétly to the place
whence {he was brought. For more furety, they ufually fend two, that if the
one fhould mifcarry ithe dark, which has many times happen’d, the other may
lupply the defect. i
Alexandretta is nothing elfe but a confus’d heap of paltry Houfes , inhabited by
the Greeks , who keep little Fudling-{chools, for the Mariners and others, the
meaner fort of the people: for the Merchants lye at the Vice-Confuls of the Nation.
There were but two then, the Englifh Vice-Conful and the French, who had each
of them a very convenient dwelling. However they muft be Men who love Money
at a ftrange rate, that accept of thole Employments. For the Air, like that of
Ormus, is generally fo bad, efpecially in the Summer, in fo much that they who do not
dye, cannot avoid very dangerous Diftempers. If there be any fo {trong that they
can hold out for three or four Years, and canaccuftom themfelves to bad Air, they
do well to ftay there; for for them to betake themfelves to a good Air, is to hazard
their Lives. Mr. Philips the Englifh Conful has been the only Perfon that ever liv’d
two and twenty Years at Alexandretta: but you muft know he was a brisk merry
Man, and of an excellent temper of Body; and yet for all that he had been fore’d
to be cauteriz’d. That which renders the Air fo bad, is the great quantity of
ftanding Pools and Plafhes in the neighbouring Plains, extending to the Eaft and
South; but when the great Heats begin to approach, the moft part of the Inhabi-
tants retire to a Village call’d Belan , upon the next Mountain to the City, where
there are very good Waters and excellent Fruits. They come alfo thither from
Aleppo, when there is any appearance of a Peftilence; and yet there are few people
in this Village, who are not troubl’d with a fort of Fever, that makes their Eyes look
yellow and hollow; which they never can remedy as long as they live.
About half a League from Alexandretta, on the right hand of the High-way,
juft againft the Merfh on the other fide, is a Tower whereon are to be feen the
Arms of Godfrey of Bulloign. In all likelihood it was built for the defence of the
‘High-way, which is enclos’d between thele two Merfhes , whofe Exhalations are
very noxious. :
It is but three little days journey from Alexandretta to Aleppo, and fome well
mounted have rid it in two. The Frazks are not permitted to go thither on Foot.
For before that Prohibition , in regard the way was fhort, every Sea-man that had
a hundred Crowns, more or lefs, went on Foot to Aleppo, and got ealily thither
in three days, with little expence. Now becaufe they, had but lithe Money to
fpend, and were willing to difpatch their bufinefs, they would not ftand to give Four
or Five in the Hundred extraordinary for what Goods they bought, which was of
dangerous confequence to the Merchants. For you muft obferve, that when the
Ships arrive, the firft Man that either out of rafhnefs or ignorance, gives two Sous
more for a Commodity that is not worth a Crown, fets the Price ,-and cautes all
the whole Commodity to be fold at that rate. So that the Merchants that lay out ten
or twelve thoufand Crowns together, are very careful left thofe Saylors fhould get
before them, and enhance the Price of the Market.
To remedy which inconvenience, the Merchants obtain’d an Order, That no
strane fhould be permitted to go a-foot from Alexandretta to Aleppo , but that
they fhould be bound to hire Horfes, and to give for every Horfe fix Piafters
thither, and fix back; which expence would foon eat out the Profit of a poor Ma-
riner’s {mall Sum.
Ufually you tay at Alexandrctta three or four days, as well to reft your felfs
as to make fome little Provifions. for your Journey to Aleppo. For though you
lag al good Stages at Evening , yet the Famzaries will be very glad’ ta eat
y the way. tnt
Setting a from Alexandretta, we travel’d over a Plain to the foot of aJMountain
which is call’d Belan. There is a wide Gap in the midft of this Mountain, which
giving liberty to the North-Eaft Wind, when it blows hard, doth fo enrage the
_ Road of Alexandretta, which is otherwife very calm , that. no Ship can ride there
at that time. In fo much that all Ships that happ’n tobe there when the Wind.
rifles, prefently weigh, and: get out toSea, for fear of being cat away. Almoft af
| the
“oy
55
56
_tranf{ported to Adaita, Sicily, and other parts of Italy.
The Penstan Travels Book II.
the top of the Mountain you meet with an Inn; but though it be a very fair one,
with Fountains round about it, yet Merchants never ftop there but go on a
little farther to a Grecian that {peaks good Jtalian , and whole entertainment is
indifferent good, confidering the Country. When you go away, you give him a Crown
for your accommodation, which is the manner at other Stages, by a cuftom, which
the Franks themtelves having eftablifh’d , will never be left off. ;
Defcending down the Mountain you difcover the City of Antioch , built upon
a Hill. Formerly the Road lay through that City, but the Fanizarics of the
place exacting a Piafter from every perfon that travel’d that way, that Road is now
difus’d. Antioch once made more noife in the World, being fal’n to ruine ever
fince the Channel , that ran from the City to the Sea, where Galleys might ride,
has been ftop’d up by the Sands that have encroach’d upon the Mouth of the
Haven. . : (cade i
_ When you are at the bottom of the Hill toward the North, you difcover a Caftle
built upon a Hill ftanding by it felt, \from whence you have a profpeét over a good
part of the Plain of Antioch. It is about fifteen Leagues long, and three broad, in
that part where the Road lyes. Somewhat more than half the way » you meet
with a long Caufey parted by feveral Bridges, by reafon of certain Rivulets that
crofs it, without which the Road were hardly paflable. The frequent Revolts of
Bagdat and Balfara, which the Grand Signor has been fore’d {fo often to befiege,
caus’d the Grand Vifier in the Reign of Achmat to undertake this Caufey, which
together with the Bridge was finifh’d in fix Months, that was lookt upon as a Mira-
cle. This was done for the more eafie paflage of the Artillery, and other Provifions
of War, that were brought out of Romania and Greece to the Siege of Bagdar,
which could never have been done, but for this Caufey. At the end of this Cauley
ftands a Bridge, very long and ftrongly built, under which runs a River, which,
with the other Rivulets that wind about the Plain, forms a Lake toward the South,
that is call’d the Lake of Antioch. This Lake affords a great Revenue, by reafon
of the Eels that are caught there, which are taken two Months béfore Lent, and
This Plain is very full of Olive-Trees; which produces that great Trade of Soap,
that is made at Aleppo , and tran{ported into Mefopotamia , Chaldea , Perfia, and
the Defert;, that Commodity being one of the moft acceptable Prefents that can be
made to the Arabians. Sallet-Oyl is alfo in great efteem among them: fo that
when you make them a Prefent of it, they will take off their Bonnets » and rub their
Heads, their Faces, and their Beatds with it, lifting up their Eyes to Heaven, and
cry in their Language, God be thank’d. Therein they have loft nothing of the
ancient cuftom of the Eaftern People 5 of which there is often mention made jn Holy
Scripture.
About a League and a half beyond the Plain, you meet with a Rock, at the
foot whereof is a little deep Lake, wherein they catch a world of Fith that are
like our Barbels. I have kill’d them withm Piftol; and found them to be of an
excellent taft, though they ate not régarded at Aleppo.
Two hours after, you ford a River which is call’d Afrora, though if it have hap-
pen’d to rain, you muft ftay ’till the Waters are faln, Having paft the River,
upon the Banks whereof you ftay to feed your felf and your Horles , you come
to lye at a poor Village call’d Shaquemin, where there isan Inn. Here the Country-
people bring Provifions of Food to the Travellers; and whether youeat or no, you
muft pay a Piafter, according to the cuftom which the Franks have eftablifh’d.
After you have pafs’d the Plain of Antioch as far as Shaquemin , the Hortes in Summer
are fo terribly tormented with a fort of great Flies, that it were impoffible to travel
three or four hours together, were it not for going out of the Road, either to
the right, or to the left, and riding through the Fields, which are full of thofe
Burrs that our Clothworkers make ufe of: For in regard they grow as high as the
Crupper of the Horfe, they keep the Flies off from ftinging and tyring the Horfes,
Leaving the Village of Shaguemin , the Road lyes among Stones; and for half
this tedious way, for two or three Leagues round about » you fee nothing but the
Ruines of ancient Monafteries. There are fome of them which are built almoft all
of Free-ftone ; and about half a days journey toward the North, quite out of the
Road, ftands the Monaftery of St. Simeon the Stylite, with the remainder of his fo
famous
4
Chap. 11. of Monfieur Tavernier.
famous Pillar, which is ftill to be feen. The Franks that travel to Aleppo, ufually
go out of their way to fee that place. That which I find moft entire, and worthy
obfervation among the Ruines of thofe Monafteries , is the number of arch’d Cifterns
of Free-{tone, which time has not defac’d.
From Shaquemin you come to dine at a Village call’d Angare, where every Travel-
ler isentertain’d for his Piafter, as at the other Stages. Between the other Villages it is
ten hours journey; but between Angare and Aleppo , but three.We alighted at the
French Conful’s Houfe, at what time the Cuftomers came prefently to fearch our
Cloak-bags 5 after which we went to the Quaiffery, which is a place where all Strangers
are at the expence of half a Crowna day for themfelves, and a quarter fo much
for every Servant 5 and are well entertain’d.
CHAP.: IL
The Defcription of Aleppo, now the Capital City of Syria.
Leppo is one of the moft famous Cities in all Turkie, as well for the
bignefs and beauty of it, as for the goodnefs of the Air, and plenty of
all things, together with the great Trade which is driv’n there by
all the Nations of the World. It lyes in 71 Deg. 4.1 Min. of Longitude,
and 36 Deg. ry Min. of Latitude, in an excellent Soil. With all the fearch that
I could make, I could never learn how it was anciently call’d. Some would have
it to be Hierapolis, others Berea: and the Chriftians of the Country agree with
the latter. The Arabian Hiftorians that record the taking of it, call it only Aleb,
‘not mentioning any other name. Whence this Obfervation is to be made; That
if the Arabians call it Aleb, others Alep, the reafon is, becaufethe Arabians never
ufe the Letter P in their Language. This City was tak’n by the Arabians in the
‘fifteenth Year of the Hegyra of Mahomet, which was about the Year of CHRIST
637, in the Reign of Heraclivs Emperour of Conftantinople.
_ The City is built upon four Hills, and the Caftle upon the higheft that ftands
in the middle of Aleppo, being {upported by Arches in fome places, for fear the
Earth fhould tumble and moulder away from it. The Caftle is large, and may be
‘about five or fix hundred Paces in compafs. The Walls and Towers, though built
of Free-ftone , are of little defence. There is but one Gate to enter into it from
the South , over a Draw-bridge, laid over certain Arches crofs a Moat about fix or
feven Fathom deep: There is but one half of it full of Water, and that a ftanding
Puddle to boot; the reft is a meer dry Ditch: fo that it cannot be accounted a
wholfom place. However there is Water brought into the Caftle through a large
Pipe from the Fountains in the City: and there is a ftrong Garrifon kept
in it. | ‘
The City is above three Miles in circuit, and the beft half of it is unmoated ,
that Moat there, is not above three Fathom deep: The Walls are very jgood,
- and all of Free-ftone; with feveral fquare Towers, diftant one from the other about
fourfcore Paces; between which there are others alfo that are lefs. But thefe Walls
are not all of them of an equal height, for in fome places they are not above four
Fathoms from the Ground. There are ten Gates to enter into the City, without
either Moat or Draw-Bridge , under one of which there is a place that the Turks
have in great veneration, where they keep Lamps continually burning , and report
that Elifha the Prophet liv’d for ’fome time. > age
There is no River that runs through Aleppo ; and but only a finall one without
the City, which the Arabians call Corc. However, though indeed it be but pro-
perly a Rivulet, yet it is very ufeful to water the Gardens, where grows ati
abundance of Fruit, particularly Piftaches, much bigger; and better tafted than thofe ~
that comes from the parts near Cafbin. yg thouglt there be no River, yet there
are ftore of Fountains and Receptacles of Wa
‘diftant from the City. ’ |
7 = \ H ~The
ter, which they bring from two places, ©
57
oe
58
oe
The Perstan Travels Book II.
The Edifices, neither publick nor private, are very handfom, but only within-
fide; the Walls are of Marble of feveral colours, and the Cieling of Foliage
Fret-work, with Infcriptions in Gold’n Letters. Without and within the City
there are fix and twenty AL/quees, fix or feven whereof are very magnificent,
with ftately Duomo’s, three being cover’d with Lead. The chiefeit and largeft
of all, was a Chriftian Church which they call’d Atbha , or Liften’d unto: which is
thought to have been built by St. Helen. In one part of the Suburbs alfo ftands
another AZofguee , which was formerly a Chriftian Church. In that there is one
thing worthy obfervation. In the Wall upon the right fide of the Gate , there is
a Stone to be feen two or three Foot fquare , wherein there is the figure of a hand-
fom Chalice, and a Sacrifice over the hollow of it, with a Crefcent that covers the
Sacrifice , the two Horns whereof defcend juft upon thé brims of the mouth of the
Chalice. One would think at firft that thofe Figures were in A@fa:c-Work: but
it is all Natural , as I have found with feveral other Franks, having terap’d the Stone
with an Iron Inftrument, when the Turks were out of the way. Several Confuls
would have bought it, and there has been offer’d for it 2000 Crowns; but the
Bafha’s of Aleppo would never fuffer it to be fold. Half a League from the City
lyes a pleafant Hill, where the Franks are wont to take the Air. On the fide of
that Hill is to be feen a Cave or Grotto, where the Turks report that Hlaly liv’d
for fome few days; and for that there is an ill-fhap’dfigure of a Hand imprinted in
the Rock , they farther believe it to be the Hand of Hialy.
There are three Colledges in Aleppo, but very few Scholars, though there be
Men of Learning that belong to them, who have Salaries:to teach Grammar, and
their odd kind of Philotfophy, with the Grounds of their Religion, which are the
Principal Sciences to which the Turks apply themfelves.
The Streets of the City are all pav’d, except the Bazar’s, where the Merchants
and Handicraft-Tradefmen keep their Shops. The chiefeft Artiits, and the moft
numerous, are Silk and Chamlet-Weavers.
In the City and Suburbs there are about forty Inns; and fifty publick Baths, as
well for Women as for Men, keeping their turns. ’Tis the chiefeft Paftime the
Women have to go to the Baths; and they will {pare all the Week long to carry.
a Collation , when they go at the Weeks end to make merry among themielves, in
thofe places of privacy.
The Suburbs of the City are large and well peopl’d, for almoft all the Chriftians
have their Houfes and Churches there. Of which Chriftians there are four forts in
Aleppo, 1 mean of Eaftern Chriftians, that is to fay, Greeks , Armenians, Facobites
or Syrians , and Afaronites. The Greeks have an Archbifhop there, and are about
fifteen or fixteen thoufand in number; their Church is dedicated to St. George. The
Armenians have a Bifhop, whom they call Vertabet; and are about twelve thou-
fand in number; their Church is dedicated to the Virgin. The Facobites being
about ten thoufand, havea Bifhop alfo 5 and their Church is likewife dedicated to the
Virgin, as is that of the Armenians. The Maronites depend upon the Pope, not being
above twelve hundred ; their Church being confecrated to St. Eas. The Roman Catho-
licks have three Churches, ferv’d by the Capuchins , Carmelites , and Fefnites. They
reckon that in the Suburbs and City of _Aleppo there are about 250000 Souls.
There is a vaft Trade at Aleppo for Silks and Chamlets3 but chiefly for Gall-Nuts,
and Valanede, which is a fort af,
modities; the Merchants repairing thither from all parts of the World. For not
to fpeak of the Turks, Arabians, Perfians, Indians, there are feveral Engti{h, Italians,
French, and Hollanders , every Nation having their Conful to carry on their Interefts,
and maintain their Priviledges. ,
Nor does this place happ’n to be fo great a Mart, through the convenience of the —
two Rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, as fome have writt’n by which they fay fuch
vaft quantities of Commodities are tranfported and imported out and into the City.
Forhadthat been, I fhould never have cro{id the Defert, coming from Bagdat to
Aleppo, nor at another time, going from Aleppo to Balfara. And as for Euphrates,
certain it is, that the great number of Mills built upon it, to bring the Water to the
neighbouring Grounds, have not only render’d it unnavigable , but made it very
dangerous. eS en ,
t muft
Acorn-fhell without which the Curriers cannot drefs -
their Leather. They have alfo a great Trade for Soap, and for feveral other Com-
Fg a
Chap. IL of Monfteur Ta v ERNIER.
I muft confefs, that in the year 1638 I faw a great part of the Grand Signor’s
Army, and feveral Boats full of Warlike Provifions fall down the Stream, when
he went to befiege it: but then they‘were forc’d to take away all the Mills that
are upon the River; which was not done without a vaft trouble and expence. As
for Tigris, it isnot navigable till beyond Babylon down to Balfara, where you may
take Water, and be at Balfara in nine days, But the Voyage is very inconvenient,
for at every Town which the Arabs have upon the River, you muft be hal’d, and
be forc’d’ to leave fome Money behind you. Sometimes indeed the Merchants of
Mouffiul and Bagdat, and others that come out of Chaldea to Trade at Balfara, carry
their Goods by Water from Bagdat ; but in regard the Boats are only to be tow’d.
by Men, it takes them up a Voyage of feventy days. By this you may judge of
the time and expence of carrying Goods by Water up the River Exphrates to Birs
where they are to be unlad’n for Aleppo.
In fhort, if the convenience of Aorat-fou (for fo the Turks call Euphrates) were
to be had, and that Goods might be tranfported by that River, the Merchants
would never take that way: for the Arabian Princes, with their People and their
Cattel, lying all the Summer long upon the Banks of the River, for the fake of the
Water and the Grafs, would make the Merchants pay what Toll they pleas’d them-
felves. .
I faw an Example of this, coming one time from Babylon to Aleppo. In all which
Road we met but with one of thole Arabian Princes , who lay at Auna: yet he -
made us pay for every Camel’s Load forty Piasters. And which was worle, he
detain’d us above five Weeks, to the end his Subje&ts might get more of our Money
by felling us their Provifions. The laft time I pafs’d the Defert , I met another of
thefe Arabian Princes together with his Brother, both young Men: He would not
let us goa ftep farther , unlefs we would exchange two hundred Piaffers in fpecie
for Larins, the Money of the Country; and he fore’d us to take them, what-ever we
could urge to make it appear how much we fhould lofe by them. And indeed we
{rid as much as we could, for the difpute lafted two and twenty days to no purpofe ;
might overcoming right. By this you may guefs what the’ other Arabians would,
do, who are not a jot more civil, and whether the Merchants would get by taking
the Road of Euphrates.
The City is govern’d by a Bafba, who commands all the Country from Alexan-
dretta to Euphrates. His Guard ufually confifts of three hundred Men, and fome
years ago he was made a Vizier. There is alfo an Aga or Captain of the Cavalry,
as well within the City as without ; who commands four hundred Men.. There is
another Aga who has under him feven hundred Fanizaries, who has the charge of
the Gates of the City, to whom the Keys are carry’d every Evening, neither has
he any dependance upon the Bajha. The Caftle is alfo under another Commander;
fent immediately from Conftantinople, who has under him two hundred Musketeers,
and likewife the charge of the Cannon; of which there are about thirty Pieces;
eight great Guns, the Felipe! afinall fize. There is alfo another Aga or Captain of
the City, who commands three hundred Harquebuzes; befide a Son-Bafhi , who
is a kind of Provoft of the Merchants, or Captain of the Watch , going the round
every Night with his Officers through the’ City and Suburbs. He alfo puts in
Execution the Sentences of the Bafha; upon Criminal Offenders.
In Givils there is a Cadz, who fits fole Judge, without any Affiftants, of all
Caufes as well Civil as Criminal; and when he has condemn’d any Man to Death,
he fends him to the Baha, together with his Accufation; with whom the Bafha
does as he pleafes. This Cady makes and diffolves all Contracts of Marriagé 5. all
Aéts of Sale and Purchafe pafs in his prefence. He alfo creates the {worn Mafters
of every Trade, whomake their infpeétion that there may be no deceit inthe Work.
_ The Grand Signor’s Duties are receiv’d by a Tefterdar, ot Treaturer-General , who
has under him feveral Receivers in divers places. Bene
- In matters of Religion, the A4ufti is the Chief, and the Interpreter of the Law;
as well in relation to the Ceremonies, as in all Ecclefiaftical differences. Among
thefe Interpreters of the Law there is a Chieke or Doétor, appointed to inftruct thote
that ate newly converted to A4ahumetanifm, and to teach them the Maxims, and
Cuftoms of their Religion... ee
Three days after I arriv’d at Aleppo, Sultan Amurat made his Entry ; going 3a
H 2 _ his
x
ie
59
‘
Sn ee
60 The Perstan Travels Book II.
his Army, which was upon its march to the Siege of Babylon. Now you muft
take notice, that not far from Aleppo, toward the Eaft, there ftands a Houfe inha-
bited by the Dervies, which are a Religious Order among the Turks; though it for-
merly belong’d to the Monks of St. Bafil, and was a fair Covent. It is ftilh in good
repair, the Walls of the Chambers, Halls, and Galleries being all of Marble. All
the Dervies of this Houfe went half a League from the City, as far as Mount Ozeler,
to meet the Grand Signor ; and the Superiour, at the Head of the reft, having made
a Speech to his Highnef&s, two Dervies came and made their obeifance in particular,
Which being perform’d , from that place to the Caftle of Aleppo, for half an hours
march together; they went juft before the Grand Signor’s Horfe , turning round
continually with all their might, ’till they foam’d again at the Mouth , and dazl’d
the Eyes of thofe that beheld them. There are fome of thefe Dervies that will
turn in that manner for two hours together, and glory in that which we account
folly. my
While the Grand Signor ftaid at Aleppo, the Bajha of Cayro came thither with a
thoufand Fanizaries: And indeed, there never was a fight of Men more aétive, or
better order’d. Every one of them had Scarlet Breeches that reach’d down to
their Ancles, with a Turkie-Robe of Englifh Cloth , and a Waft-coat of Calicut
painted with feveral Colours. The moft part had Buttons of Gold and Silk; and
as well their Girdles as their Scimitars were adorn’d with Silver. The Balha
march’d at the Head of this Magnificent Regiment in a modeft Garb; but the
Harnefs of his Horfe was as rich as his Habit feemd to be carelefs; having {par’d
for no Coft to appear before the Grand Szgvor in a ftately Equipage.
There is a neceffity for a Man to ftay fome time at Aleppo, as well to difpofe
of his Affairs, and in expectation ’till the Caravaz be ready, unlefs he will venture
himfelf alone without a Guide, which I have done more than once. And thus much
for Aleppo, next to Conftantinople and Cayro, the moft confiderable City in all the
Turki fb. Empire. 7 | ee
~
OPE: Fe age © 8 F
Of feveral Roads in general from Aleppo to I{pahan, and par-
ticularly of the Road through the great Defert. |
Here are five principal Roads from Aleppo to Iipaban » which being added
to thofe other Roads which I have defcrib’d, through Natolia, make
_ fleven Roads into Perfia, parting from Constantinople , Smyrna, or
- Aleppo. os * i
The firft of ii five Roads, fetting out from Aleppo, is upon the left hand, to-
ward the Summer-Eaft, through Diarbek.and Tauris. The fecond dire€tly Eaft,
by. Mdefopotamia, through Afoufful and’ Amadan. The third upon the right hand,
toward the Winter-Eaft, through Bagdat and Keugavar. The fourth fomewhat
more to. the South, croffing a little Defert, through Ayna, Bagdat, and Balfara.
The fifth through the great Defert, which is an extraordinary Road, never travel’d
but once a year, when the Merchants of Turkie and Egypt go to buy Camels. . Of
thefe Roads J intend to treat diftinétly, and in feveral Chapters. And firk of
the Road through the great Defert. |
The Caravans that go to Balfara this way never fet out’till the Rains are fal’n,
that they may not want Water in. the Defert: and the Rain feldom holds up *till
December. This Caravan, with which I travel’d, fet out upon Chrifmas-day , con-
fifting of about fix hundred Camels, and four hundred. Men, Matters and Servants
together: the Caravan-Bafhi being only on Horfe-back, and riding before, to find
Water, and convenient places to lodge in. 3 a ola
I muft confefs T had the convenience my felf to ride my own Horfe, which I kept
_all the while I was at Aleppo. A liberty permitted the Franks only at Conftantinople,
Smyrna, and Aleppo: for at Damas, Seyde, or Cayro, none but the Confuls are fuffer’d
: . See to
Chap. of Monficur Tavernier.
Ses" a eeeemcnee = eae 3
to keep Horfes: others can only keep or hire Affes, which ftand ready in the
publick Streets at all times. 9. 7 ed |
The next day we diflodg’d by day-break , and by noon wecame to a place where
there were five Wells, about five hundred Paces diftant one from the other. The
Water was excellent , and caus’d us to replenith our Boracho’s : and about four a
Clock in the Afternoon , we lay at a place where there was no Water.
The next day near noon we met with two Wells, but the Water was not good,
and only the Camels drank of it, there we allo lodg’d that night. é
Having now travel’d two days in the Detert, I will defcribe it in a few words.
You begin to enter upon it two or three Leagues from e4leppo, where by
degrees you meet with nothing but Tents inftead of Houfes. It ftretches out to —
the Winter-Eaft, all along the Euphrates to Balfara, andthe Shoar of the Gulf of
Perfia; and upon the South to the Chain of Mountains that divides it from Arabia
| Petrea and Arabia the Happy. Thefe Deterts are almoft quite thorough nothing
but Plains of Sand, which in fome places lye loofer than in others; and are hardly
paflable ’rill the Rains are but newly fal’n, and have knit the Sands together. ’Tis
a rare thing {to meet with a Hill or a Valley in thefe Deferts; if you do, there
is as furely Water, and as many Bufhes as will ferve to boy! a little Rice. For
throughont the whole Defert there is no Wood to be found; and all the Bavins
and Charcoal that you can load upon Camels at Aleppo, will not laft above eight or
ten days. Therefore you muft take notice, that of fix hundred Camels that pafs
through the Defert, there are fcarce fifty laden with Merchandize, which is gene-
rally courfe Cloth, fome little Iron Ware , but-chiefly black and blew Calicuts,
which the Arabians make ufe of without ever whitening them. All the other
Camels are only laden with Provifion, and all little enough, fo many People being
to travel for fo many days through fo long a Tract of Ground where there is nothing
in the World to fuftain Life and Soul together.
For the firft fifteen days travel we met with Water but once-in two days, and
fometimes not above once in three days. The twentieth day after we fet out from
Aleppo, the Caravan lay at a place where there were two Wells, and the Water very
good. Every one was glad of the convenience of wafhing his Linnen, aud the
Caravan-Bafi made account to have ftaid there two or three days. But the News
that we receiv’d , caus’d us to alter our Refolutions. For we had no fooner giv’n
order to drefs our Suppers, when we faw a Courier with three Arabs , all mounted
upon Dromedaries, who were fent to carry the news of the Taking of Babylox
to Aleppo and other Cities of the Empire. They ftop’d at the Wells to let their
Beafts drink ; and immediately the Caravan-Bafhi, and the principal perfons of the
Caravan made them a {mall Prefent of dry’d Fruits and Granates. Who thereupon
were fo kind as totell us, that the Camels which carry’d the Baggage belonging to
the Grand Signor and his Train being tyr’d , his Officers would be fure to ‘feize
upon ours, if they fhould chance to meet with us: they advis’d us moreover not to
come near Ayna, left the Emir fhould ftop us.
Upon this news, we departed three hours after midnight 5 and keeping diretly
to the South, we put our felves into the midft of the Defert. — Se rs
Eight days after we came to lye at a place where were three Wells, and three
or four Houfes. We ftaid there two days to take freth Water, and we were juft
fetting forward again, when thirty Horfemen well mounted came from one of the
Emirs, to tell the Caravan-Bafhi that he muft ttop his C#ravaz. We ftaid im-
patiently for him three days, and at length he came, and was prefented by the
Caravan-Bafbi with a piece of Satin, half a piece’ of Scarlet Cloth, and two large
Copper Cauldrons. Now although thofe Cauldrons could not but be very acceptable
to an Arabian Prince, who moft certainly had none fuch in his Kitchin, yet he did
not feem contented with his Prefent, and demanded above four hundred Crowns. We
contefted {even or eight days to kave kept our Money in our Pockets, but in vain ;
fo that we were forc’d to rate one another, and to raife him hisSum; which being
paid, he treated the chief of the Caravan with Pilaw, Honey, and Dates, and when
he went away, gave them five or fix Sheep ready boyd. = |
Three days after we had left this Arabian Prince , we met with two Wells near
certain old decay’d* Brick Buildings. The Water of thofe Wells was fo bitter,
that the Camels would not drink it: however we fill’d our Boracho’s, thinking
it
61
~~
62.
Lhe Penstan Travels Book II.
it would have left its bitternefs by being boyl’d: but we found the contrary.
From thofe two Wells that were good for nothing, we travel’d fix days before
we met with any Water, which with the three days before, made nine; and all that
time the Camels never drank, as I have hinted already. At the end of nine days we
cro{s’d a Hilly Country for three Leagues together, at the feet of three of which Hills
there were three ftanding Pools. The Camels, that fmelt the Water half a League
off, put themfelves upon their great trot, which is their manner of running, and
no fooner came to the Pools but they crouded in all together , which caus’d the
Water to be thick and muddy. Thereupon the Caravan-Bajli refolv’d to ftay there
two or three days together, ’till the Water was fetl’d. Here we had alfo the
opportunity to boyl us fome Rice, there being good ftore of Buthes that grew about
the Lake. But above all, the People were over-joy’d that they had an opportunity
tomake Bread, which they do after the following manner. Firft they dig a round
Hole in the Ground, half a Foot deep, and two or three in diameter, which they
croud full of Bufhes, and then fet them on fire, covering them with Bricks or
~ Stones ’till they are red-hot. In the mean while they prepare their Dough upon
a Sora, or round piece'of Copper, which ferves at other times for Table and Table-
Cloth to eat upon. Then they take away the Afhes and Bricks, and making the Hole
very clean, put in their Dough, and cov’ring it again with the hot Bricks or Stones;
leave it fo’till the morning. The Bread thus bak’d is very well talted, not being
above two Fingers thick, and as big as an ordinary Cake.
While we ftay’d at the three Ponds, I {pent my time in killing Hares and Par-
tridge , of which there was very great plenty in thofe parts. The night before
we departed we fill’d our Boracho’s again , the Water being very good and clear;
though it be nothing but Rain-water prefery’d in thofe Cavities, which in the
Summer are dry again. Sot ite 7
But now the Caravan-Bajbi, feeing we had travel’d already nine days without
finding any Water ,. refolv’d to leave the South, and to keep to the W eft; and if he
met not with Water in two or three days, to take to the North-Ealt; or Winter-
Eaft, in queft of the River Exphrates.
Two days after we had chang’d our Road, we pafs’d between two little Hills
where we met with a Pond, near to which were two Arabian, each with his Wife
and Children , tending a Herd of Goats and a Flock of Sheep. They told us they
were going toward Adoufful, and put us in the beft Road to find Water , and indeed,
from a place to Balfara, we never travel’d three days together, but we met with
enough,
Five days after we had left thofe two Arabians, we difcover’d a large Palace all
of Brick, which fhew’d fome probability, that the Country had been formerly fow’d,
and that the Brickshad been burnt with the Straw. To the Palace belong’d three large
Courts; in every one of which were fair Buildings, with two Stories of Arches,
one upon another. Though this large Pile was ftanding, yet no body liv’d ‘in it,
nor could the Arabians , very ignorant in Antiquity, tell us by whom it was built.
Before the Gate of the Palace there is a Lake witha Channel, the bottom whereof
is brick’d, as alfo the Arch, which is even with the Ground. This the Arabians believe
tohave been a conveyance of Water from Exphrates: which furely could never be, in
regard that Exphrates is above twenty Leagues diftant.
From that Palace we kept to the North-Eaft , and after we had travel’d five days,
we arriv’d at a pitiful Town, formerly call’d Gifs, now AMeched-Ali, where Ali,
Mahomet’s Son-in-law tyes buried in a plain Afofquee. Generally there ftand four
Tapers lighted about the Tomb , and certain Lamps burning over-head, which are -
faften’d to the Roof. | :
Though the Perfians have Al in fo much veneration, yet they rarely go in Pil-
grimage to his Fomb. The reafon is, becaufe that there being no way to come at
it, but through Bagdat, which is under the Dominion of the Great Ti wrk, there is
a demand of eight Piaffers from every Pilgrim; which is an Impofition that no way
pleafes the King of Perfia. Sha-Abas {corning that his Subje&ts fhould be tributary to
the Turks, endeayour’d to divert them from this Pilgrimage by another fort of
Devotion, which he fet up at AZefhéed, upon the Road from Tauris to Candabar. Nor
have the Kings his Succeffors been lefs unwilling to give their Sibjeéts leave to. vifir.
their Prophet Ali, taking it for an Affront to pay Tribute to the Grand Signor.
Which
Chap.UL. of Monficur Tavernier.
i 2 eee oe Hinks
Which is the reafon that this Ado/quee is no more enrich’d by the Perframs. For
pefides the Lamps and Tapers that burn continually, there are only two Adoullah’s
that read the Alcoran according to cuftom. In this Town there are only three or
four bad Wells of brackifh Water, and a dry Channel, which they fay Sha-Abas
made to bring the Water of Exphrates to the Town for the benefit of the Pilgrims.
As for Food, we met with nothing but Dates, Grapes, and Almonds ,. which the
people told ata dear rate. When any Pilgrims come thither , which is very rare,
and that they want Vidtuals, the -Sheck. caufes a diftribution to be made among
~ them of Rice boyl’d with Water and Salt, and a little Butter pour’d a top. For
there is-no Pafturage for Cattel, and by confequence there can be no ftore of
Food. 7
Two days journey from dl?’ Town, by nine of the Clock in the morning we met
two young Arabian Lords that took upon them the name of Swrans. They were
two Brothers, one of the age of leventeen years, the other of thirteen; and as
we pitch’d our Tents , they pitch’d theirs clofe by us; which were of a very fine
Scarlet Cloth ; and among the reft there was one cover’d with Purple Velvet, lac’d
with arich Galoon-lace. So foon as they were fetl’d in their Tents, the Caravan-
Bajhi and I went to wait upon them; who underftanding that there were Franks
in the Caravan, ask’d me whether | had any Curiofities to fell them; but when |
made them anfwer that I had nothing worthy their purchafe, they would not
‘believe me, and therefore commanded the Curavan-Bafhz to fetch my Trunks, that
they might be open’d in their prefence. While they were opening , one of the »
chief perfons about thofe Princes would not fufler any of the reft of the Arabs to
come near, for though moft of the Arzbs are great Thieves, yet fome of them are
perfons of great integrity. Now I had in my company a young Painter, who had
in his Cheft feveral engrav’d Cuts, part Landskips, part Figures, together with
the Pi€tures of certain Courtifans drawn to the Wait. The young Lords made
choice only of twenty of thofe Courtilans, which I would have prefented to them;
but they gave me to underftand, that they knew how to pay for what they had,
and efpecially the youngeft, who fecm’d to be very generous; him I pleas’d in an
extraordinary manner; for his Teeth being very foul, I order’d a Chirurgeon that
I carry’d along with me at the fame time to clean them, which he did to the great
fatisfa€tion of the young Prince. Thereupon they fentme and my Train, of their
deft Viétuals they had. The Caravan-Bafbi pretented them with half a piece of
Scarlet, and two pieces of Tiffue of Gold and Silver. When we were ready to go,
the young Sultan gave me twelve Ducats for my Pictures, and fent the Caravan-
- Babi and my felf two Frails of the beft Dates that we had met with fince we left
Aleppo. a
Hise? midnight the Princes diflodg’d, and took to the North, toward Euphrates.
We fet forward after them, driving Northward toward the fame River. After we
had travel’d four days we met one of the moft potent Emirs of Arabia, who coming
from the South , and going Northward, was to crols the Road that we kept. He
was about fifty years of age, well made, and of a comely prefence. He had not
then above two thoufand Horfe , of thirty thoufand which we heard had pais’d by
fome days before. Behind the two thoufand Horfe were fifty Camels that carry’d
his Women; their Cajavas being cover’d with Scarlet-cloth fring’d with Silk. In
the midft of thefe Camels there were fix encompafs’d with Eunuchs, the Fringes of
the Cajavas being Silk, Silver, and Gold. The Arabians do not feem to be jealous
of their Wives, as in Turkée and other places; for they led their Camels by our
Caravan, never requiring us to retire, as is the euftom in other places. They lodg’d
a quarter of a League of, where we thought to have pitch’d , for the conveniency
of two or three Ponds, which they depriv’d us of. This Arabian Prince had a
great number of lovely Horfes richly harnefv’d : others he had that were neither
fadP’d nor bridPd, -yet the Riders would turn them with a Wand which way they
pleas’d, and upon a full gallop would ftop ’em, by only holding them b y the Hair.
He had fome Horfes of an cxceffive price; and this is to be obferv’d, that they are
never fhod. 7 ? 0 ts eee
The Caravan-Bafhi believing he fhould not elcape fcot-free from fo powerful a
Prince , among the Merchants of the Caravan found out a rich Saddie, with Bridle
and Stirrups, which were all fet out and garnifh’d with mafly Silver, with an
| “= 3 cae embroider’
Bud :
The Persia n Travels
eee
ee —
Book IT,
embroider’d Quiver full of Arrows, together with a Buckler , the whole coming
to about eleven or twelve hundred Livers, and adding to thefe of his own a piece
of Scarlet , four pieces of Tiffue of Gold and Silk, and fix pieces of Tiflue of Silver
and Silk, made a Prefent of all together to the Emir. But he refus’d all, demanding
only two hundred thoufand Piaffers for Larins : which exchange being no way for
the Merchants profit, rais’d a greatdifpute. But at length, confidering that it was
in his power to ftop and ftarve us there, we only endeavour’d a Compofition ; which
was obtain’d. Thereupon he took the Prefent, which perhaps he would not elle have
done. For two days that we ftaid to weigh the Money, he fent Provifions to the
chief of the Caravan; and at our departure, he fent us twelve Frails of Dates,
and four young Camels that might be worth about forty Crowns a-piece.
Two days after we met a Schek, who among the Arabians is one of the chief of
the Law. He was going to Mecca, crofs fome part of Arabia the Happy, with a
Train of ten or twelve Camels. He ftaid all night with us, and one of his Servants
having been dangeroufly wounded about two days before with a Musket-bullet,
my Chirurgeon dreft him, and gave him Salve and Tents, for which he was extremely
thankful. He fent me to Supper a great Dith of Pilaw, and the next day a whole
Sheep. The Caravan-Bafhi likewile prefented him with two Ells of Scarlet.
The next we met with nothing worth obfervation, but the day following we
met another Emir, of about Five and Twenty years of age, who came trom
Euphrates , and was travelling into the Happy e4rabia. He had with him about
five hundred Horfe, and three hundred Camels that carry’d his womem. He pre-
fently fent to know what Caravan it was, and underftanding that it lhe, of
many Franks, among whom there was a Chirurgeon: He fent again to delfire the
Caravan Bajfhi to follow with the Caravan, to the place where he intended to
pitch his Tents, which was not far out of the way. We did not think to have
gone fo far that day, but he led us to the beft water in allthe Defert. The Princes
Tent being fet up, he fent for my Chirurgeon , with whom I went along to know
what his pleafure was. He had upon his left Arm a Tetter, with a moft filthy
Scab as broad as a Crown piece; and this went and came at certain times in the
year. He prefently ask’d the Chirurgeon whether he could cure him? to whem
the Chirurgeon made anfwer, that the cure was not impoffible , provided he knew
where to get fuch remedies as were convenient: For had he faid, he could have abfo-
lutely cur’d him, the Emir would have carry’d him away with him, without
any farther Ceremony. Thereupon he would have giv’n the Ghirurgeon five hun-
dred Crowns to have bought Medicines. But I made anfwer, that the cure would
not coft fo much, and ‘that if the Chirurgeon could meet with proper Drugs, I
would lay out the Money my felf. The Emir content with that anfwer, fent one
of his chief People to Balfara, to come back with the Chirurgeon, when he had
bought his Medicines. He himfelf ftay’d three days in expeétation of him; but
after we had pretended to feek for what we wanted, up and down the Town ~
(for we enquired for fuch ne as we knew were not tobe had) we fent him back
word that we could not find what we look’d for, and defir’d his excufe, in regard
the attendance of the Chirurgeon would be of no ufe, where he had not proper
Saeiess which was the only way we could think of, to get cleverly rid of
im. : en
The next days Journey after we had left the e4rabian Prince , was through a
Country altogether uninhabited, but the day following, which was the fixty-
fifth and laft day of our being in the Defert, we met after fome time, with the
ruines of fome houfes on both fides the way; which made us conje@ure, that
fome great City had ftood formerly in that place. | |
At length we came to Balfara , which I thall defcribe in another place.
While I ftay’d at Balfara, which was about three weeks, an Ambaflador from
the Great AZogul arriy’d there; who from Conftantinople went to Bagdat to congra-
tulate the Grand Signor for the Conqueft of that City which he had taken in fo
fhort atime. The Emperour prefented him with three ftately Horfes, anda little
Watch, the Cafe whereof was fet with Diamonds and Rubies. But the Ambaf-
fador not knowing what belong’d to that little Engin, winding it up the wrong
way , broke the ftring. Coming to Balfara he fent to the Carmelites to defire them
to mend his Watch; for he fear’d the lofs of his head, fhould he return to his
| ne Mafter
&
~ Chap il. of Monfieur TavernizR, | 65
Mafter and not fhew him the Watch entire. It wat at their Houfe that I then lays _
and therefore not knowing what to do with it, they defir’d me to fhew my skiil :
Thereupon I put on a new ftring... But the Ambaffador when he underftood to
whom he was beholding , though it were but a trifle, profer’d me all the fervice
and kindnefs imaginable. Thereupon the Carmelites and Auguftin Fryars defir’d
me to requeft of the Ambaffador in their behalf, that he would obtain the Great
Turks protection for them, in ‘cafe he took Balfara , that their Houfes and
Churches might be preferv’d; which I did, and obtain’d by his means full pro-
tection fromthe Grand Vifrer. But they had no need of it, for the Turks didnot
make any attempt upon Balfara, hearing that the Perfians were advancing 5 befides
that the rainy feafon was at hand , which will not permit an Army to keep
‘the Field: So that had Bagdat held out eight days longer, the Grand Signor
would have been conftrain’d to have rais’d the Siege. :
Having fpoken of the Arabian Horfes, I muft needs fay, that there are fome
that are valu’d at avery high rate. The Afgul’s Ambaffador gave for fome three ,
four , and fix thoufand Crowns, and for another he offer’d eight thoufand Crowns ;
but the Horfe would not be fold under ten, and fo he left it. Whenhe was got
home into the Judies, and had prefented the Afogul thofe Horfes which he had carry’d
along with him, being very lovely Creatures; he told his Mafter how he had offer’d
eight thoufand Crowns for a Horfe more beautiful than any of them; but becanfe
the Owner would not Iet him go under ten, he lefthim. The King incens’d that
his Ambaffador had ftood for fo {mall a Sum, when it was for one of the greateft
_ Monarchs in the World, upbraided the poornefs of his Spirit, and banifh’d Kim
for ever from his prefence, into*a Province far diftant from the Court. Thereupon
the King wrote to the Exglifh to buy him the Horfe, who accordingly did fo, and
brought him to Soe ; fete the Governour re-paid them théir Money. But the
Horfe dy’d at Brampour.
Nor mutt I forget, that while I was at Balfara, twice there flew by fuch a pro-
digious number’ of Locufts, that a-far-off they appear’d like a Cloud, and darkn’d
the Air. They pafs by Balfura four or five times in the year, the Wind carrying
them into the Defert, where they alight, and moft certainly dye. Should they not
be thus wind-driv’n, there could nothing live upon the Earth in fome parts of
Chaldea. They fwarm all along the Perfian Gulf, and when the Veffels come to
Ormus at the time of the year, there are little Shops where people fell Locufts fry’d
‘in Butter to thofe that love that fort of Diet. Once I had the curiofity to open
the Belly of a Locuft fix Inches long, and found therein feventeen little ones that
ftirr’d , whence it is eafie to guefs how thofe Infeéts come to be fo numerous , efpe-
cially in hot Countries. _ scat etes
_ There are feveral Barks that go from Ormus to furnifh both fides of the Perfian
Gulf, where the people eat neither Bread nor Rice. I agreed with the Mafter of
one of thefe Barks, and made my agreement that the Bark fhould not be above
half laden; for generally they lade them too deep, and in foul weather they are —
fore’d to throw half the Freight over-board, to fave the reft.. 7 !
From Balfara to the mouth of the River Exphrates, it is reck’nd to be twenty
Leagues of Frefh-water. We ftaid feven whole days for a Wind, which proving
favourable, we came to Brander-ric, in forty-eight hours. This is the place where
you muft land, if you intend for Perfia, unlefs you are bound for Ormus. Brander-
rice confifts only of five or fix little Fifhers Hutts, which Hutts are only Hurdles fet
one againft another, and covet’d over, where they and their Families live. To the
ses come Affes fad’h with Dates, which I was forc’d to hire for want of
Horfes. x
We were fix days upon the Road from thence to Cazeram. This is a Mountainous
Country , where there is Wood enough; but you muft lodge in the Fields, for
__ there are no Inns upon the Road: The way is pleafant. in, fome places, along the
Banks of feveral Rivulets, and.through verdant Groves ftor’d with great quantities
of Turtles. We kil?’'d a good many; which we eat, part with Pilaw, inftead of
Henns ; fome we roited; making Sticks to ferve for Spits.
Cazerom is alittle City ill built, where there is but one Inn, and that none of the
mojbinviting to Strangersneither fe =, Sl af allay
From Cazierom to Schiras it is five days journey: The Road lyes over very craggy
a ecadie 1 Aountains,
The Persian Travels Book Il.
Mountains, which had been impaffable, but for the Liberality of l:-Couli-Kan,
Governour of Schiras. He made Ways where there were none before , and joyn’d
Mountains together by Bridges, in Countries which otherwife had been inacceffible.
In the midft of the Mountains is a wide gap or difcontinuance, from whence a
Plain extends it felf of about twenty Leagues in circuit. It is inhabited by Jews
only, who are Silk-Weavers. In thefe Mountains you meet with Tents, where the
Chaldeans fojourn, that come for cool Air and Pafturage in the Summer.
Coming to Schiras , | took Horle there for J/pahan, where J arriy’d in nine days.
The Country over which you travel, between thefe two Cities, is part Plains, part
Mountains; part wild, and part manur’d. Three days eae from Schiras you
pafs the Mountain of Mayen, a little City where there is nothing worthy obter-
vation. Two days journey from thence you enter upon the Plains of the Province
of Cufcuzar, where the King of Perfia keeps his Race-Horfes. The next day |
arriv’d at Yefdecas , where the beft Bread in Perfia is made. This is a little City
upon a Rock, wherein there is a very fair Inn: at the foot whereof runs a little
River that glides into the Valley, wherein grows that excellent Corn which is utter’d
in Bread from that City.
In three days I went from Yefdecas to Ijpahan. This was the firft Road from
Aleppo to Ifpaban. |
CA Py fy:
Of the Road from Aleppo to Upahan, through Mefopotamia
and Aflyria, which I traveld in my third Voyage to the In-
dies. — | si
Departed ftom Paris in my third Voyage to the Indies upon the fixth of
December 1643, and went to Ligern; where I found the Dutch Fleet ready
to fet Sail for the Levaat. The Veffel wherein I embark’d feeming rather a
mM Man-of-War than a Merchant-Man. We pafs’d through the Channel of
Meffina, and lay there at an Anchor four days before the City. From thence paf-
fing by the Aforea , we enter’d into the Archipelago, where the Fleet parted , ac-
cording as every Ship was bound. Our Ship fay?d dire@tly for the Port of Alexan-
dretta , but though the Wind were favourable, we were ftop’d for fome time by
a Pirate that met with us off the Eaftern Point of Candy. We endeavour’d to have
got clear of him; but the Pirate gaining upon us, we made ready. Thereupon the
Pirate gave us three Broad-fides, that went over the Ship without doing us any
harm: which we anfwer’d by as many from our Ship , the firft whereof brought his
Fore-maft by the Board; and the third Shot went through the Fore-caftle and kill’d
him fome Men , as far as we could difcern, At that very inftant one of our Mari-
ners cry’d out from the Top-maft-head , «4 Sail fiom the South. Thereupon the
Pirate left us, and made Sail after her: and we, glad of fuch an efcape , purfu’d our
Voyage to Alexandretta, where we happily attiv’d; from whence I took Horfe for
me » as I have already defcrib’d.
The fixth of AZarch I depatted from Aleppo in the company of two Capuchin
Friars, Father Raphael and Father Yves, and a Venetian whofe name was Dominico
de Santtis. :
From Aleppo to Bir, where you crofs the Exphrates, it is four days journey for the
Horfe-Caravan. The Country is well wooded, and well manur’d. 7
The feventh of Afarch the great Rains that fell hinder’d us from getting to the
ufual Stage , fo that we could not gain Telbechar, another Town, where there is no
Inn: which conftrain’d us to ftop a League on this fide, and to go to a Cave that
was able to contain three hundred Horfe. This is a Cave where the Bedouins or
Feeders of Cattel thereabouts oft retire, who live after the manner of the Arabs,
either in Rocks or in poor Hutts. The Cave has been hollow’d from time to time,
there being feveral Niches in it like little Chambers. Our Caravan-Bajhi fearing
Baek: fome
Chap.1V. of Monficur Tave enn 8.
fome Ambufcade, xode thither before to view the place , bnt finding it empty and
free, we refted there thatnight, andthe next night came tolye at A¢ezara, which
is only afmall Village without anInn: Neither was there any thing remarkable upon
thatRoad. Only thatnear the Cave, in the Mountain, there is very good Water :
And formerly upon the Mountain ftood a Caftle, of which fome ruines are ftill re-
maining. From thetopof the Mountain there is a fair Profpeét as far as you can fee ,
over very fair Plains on every fide , and in feveral places very good Land, water’d
by divers Channels which are brought from the River Euphrates. All the Rivolets
aifo that you crofs from Aleppo to Bir come trom the fame River.
The fourth day after we parted from Aleppo, being the ninth of Adarch, we
came to the banks of Euphrates. Bir is on the other fide of the River, and bes
caufe that fometimes the Goods cannot be unladen all in aday ; there isa fair and
large Inn, to defend the Merchants from the Bedoims, which would elle difturb
and rob them , were not they and their Goods in that manner fecur’d.
You crofs the Euphrates in large Ferry Boats, and as foonas you are got over the
other fide of the River, the Cuftomer and his Orficers comes and tells the Bales,
and writes down the names of the Merchants to whom they belong. The Caravan
does not lye in the Town, which is built like an Amphitheatre upon the brow of a
very craggy Mountain, but paffes forward over a fcurvy Road to an Inn upon the
top of the Mountain. Near the Inn there are feveral Chambers cut out of the Rock,
where they that cannot get room in the Inn are forc’d to lye. That Evening the
Cuftom-Officer comes to receive his duties, being two Pza/fers upon every load of
Goods, whether upon Horfe or Mule, though the Mules carry more than the
Horfes; and half a Piaffer for every Beaft that carries Provifions. But for Saddle
Horfes or Mules there is nothing demanded. | >
The Bir, or Berygeon, as the Natives callit, isa large City for an Eaftern City,
{cituated upon the brow of a Hill. Below upon the River ftandsa Caftle that de-
clares its Antiquity ; it is half as long asthe City, but nargow , and without any
other Fortification , faving only a Tower that {cours the River, in which there are
eight or nine pitiful Culverins. In the higheft part of the Town ftands another Caftle
where the Governour refides, who is an Aga, whom fome call a Bafha, having un-
der him two hundred Fasizaries, and four hundred Spahi’s. The City is ill built,
as are the moft part of the Cities of Turkie: But there are an extraordinary plenty
of sy things , excellent Bread, good Wine, and great {tore of the beft fort of
Fifh. ;
The tenth day after we had travel’d elev’n hours in the firft Lands of Adefopo-
tamia, that lyes between the two Rivers Exphrates and Tee » which at prefent they
call Diarbek, we came in the evening to Sharmely. This is a very good Town,
with a fair Inn, and Baths round about it. About twice Mufquet-Shot from
thence, ftands a Mountain alone by it felf, like Afontmartre near Pars >
Round abeut it are Plains, and at the top of it ftandsa Fortrefs , with a Garrifon
of two hundred Spah?s, by reafon that the Arabs fometimes crofs Euphrates,
and make incurfions upon thag fide. In the year 1631, the Grand Vizier retur-
ning from Bagdat, where he had loft the greateft part of the Grand Signor’s Army ,
not being able to take the City, fearing the lofs of his head if he return’d to €on-
ftantinople, and knowing himfelf to be in great efteem among the Sonldiers , re-
folv’d to quarter: himfelf upon this Mountain, and to erect a Fortrefs to fecure
himfelf from the tempeft that threaten’d him. No doubt but if he could have
brought about his defign, he might have made himfelf Mafter of all Azefopotamia ,
and would have put the Grand Sigvor to a great deal of trouble. For if you in-
tend for Aleppo, whither it be from Tauris, Mofjul, or Bagdat, unlets you travel tho-
rough the Defert, you muft pals through Sharmely , under the command of this
Fortrefs, for Provifion and Waters fake. The work was gone fo far forward ,
that there was a good defence rais’d, and the Vizier had already enclos’d all the
Mountain together with the Inn, with a Wall almoft twenty foot thick, and three
fathom high , when he was ftrang!’d by thofe in whom he moft confided , the Grand
Signor having gain’d them either by threats or by rewards. 36.
The eleventh , after a Journey of ten hours we came to Ourja , where the. Cara-
van wally ftays eight or ten days; forhere it is that they live that hire the Horfes
and the Mules, who have always fome bufinefé in this place. We lay at —
I 2 three
68
The Pr RSIAN tials Book II,
three or four hundred paces diftant from the City toward the North. When the
Inn is full, the reft retire into the Grorto’s which are near at hand, andare very
good quarters. Here the Toll-gatherer prefently comes and counts the Bales
without op’ning them. They that carry any Sacks muft pay for half a Load; if
not, he op’ns the Sack to fee if there be any Merchandife therein , for then the
Merchant muft pay the whole duty. ,
Ourfa is the Capital City of Adefopotama, built as they fay , in the fame place
where Abraham liv'd , and where ftood the ancient Edef/z , where the people of the
Country report, that King -Abagarus generally kept his Court. There are ftill to
be feen the ruines of a Caftle; from whence they add, that the fame King fent to
CHRIST for his Pi€ture, and offer’d him his Kingdom and his people to defend
him againft the fews, whom he underftood to be his Enemies. The Chronicles of
the Armenians report, that Abagarus was their Country-man , and that in his Reign
they began to be Chriftians, and to be Baptiz’d by the hands of an Apoftle ; whom
- CHRIST {ent to that Prince after hisRefurretion. Neither is this Caftle yet fo
far ruin’d , but that there is ftillto be feen a {pacious Hall, and three or four hand-
fora Rooms with fome relicks of Mofaick work. I was curious to fee what ever
was remarkable in this City. And firft they led me toa large Fountain which re-
fembles a Fifh-pond, the Spring whereof is under the Foundations of the principal
Mofquee, which was built in the honour of Abraham. The Chriftians of the Coun-
try fay, that it was in that place where hepray’d, before he went about to Sacri-
fice his Son Jfaac , and that two Springs of Water arofe fromthe two places where
he refted his knees, which now feed the large Fountain I have made mention of.
It is pav’d with Free-ftone, and {fo full of fith,that if you throw them ina little Bread,
they will follow you from place to place as you walk by the fide of the Pond. There
isno medling with them; for the Turks have a great veneration for thofe Fifth which
they call Abraham’s Fith. Befides that, the place about the Fountain where the
water wid’ns it felf to water all the City, is cover’d with very fair Carpets, for
about twenty paces in bredth. This Fountain at length falls into a little River that
runs by the Walls. As for the Grotto where the two Springs rife , there is no going
into it before you have pull’d off your Shooes , and it is a great favour for a Chriftian
to fee it; fuch a favour as coft me fix Piafters. I alfofawtheChurch, under the
portal whereof, they fay, St. Alexis liv’d feventeen years a private life. It ftands
in the middle of a Church-yard , in the higheft part of the Town , in the poffeffion
of the Armenians, But their principal Church is about a quarter of an hours
walking from the City , built by St. Ephrem, who isthere buried. The Monaftery
ftands yet entire, enclos’d with fair Walls. In the Church I faw a large Bible in
Armenian Charaéters. The Sepulchre of St. Ephren is in a Caye at the foot of the
Mountain, to which there alfo-belongs a Chappel, where they keep three or four
‘Lamps continually burning. There are other Grotto’s up and down the Mountain ,
where are to be feen very ancientSepulchers of the Chriftians. The City of Ourfz
is feated in a good foil, very well manur’d , which extends it felf out of fight to-
ward the Eaft, There are feveral pleafant Gardens near the walls, water’d by
little Channels brought thither by Art. The foil produces good Wine, fo that
aman may live as well at Ourfa, as in any part of Turkie. While I ftay’d there,
Tkilld abundance of Feldfares in thofe Gardens; and indeed there is great ftore of
wild Fowl all the Country over. The Walls of the City are of Freeftone, with
Battlements and Towers; but within, the houfes are final, ill built, and ruinous :
And there are feveral void fpaces in the City, which makes Ourfs to look rather
like a Defert than a Metropolis. The City isGoyern’d by a Bafha , who has under
him a hundred andfifty Famzaries , and fix hundred Spahi’s , ftanding more in need
of Cavalry than Infantry, by reafon of the Incurfions of the Arabians, efpecially
in Harveft time. In fhort, Ourfa is the place were they drefs fuch gréat quanti-
ties of Cordovan Skias, by reafon of the waters particular to the Country, which
give them that peculiar beauty. The Yellow Skins are dreft at Owrfa, the Blew
at Tocat, and the red Rat Diarbequir.
The twentieth of March, we fet out of Ourfa, and after a Journey of fix hours,
we lay at a pittiful Village where the Inn was fal’nall todecay. There is a Foun-
tain of excellent water by it, which is all the convenience of the place, for there.
is no Provifion to be had.
The :
Chap. IV. of Monfieur Tavernier.
The twenty-firft we travel’d nine hours, and came to lye near feveral Caverns
which are very deep; at the entry whereof there are little Rooms, which are fup.
pos’d to be the places where the People of the Country liv’d that fed their Cattel
thereabouts. There is alfo Rain-Water to be had in fome of the Concavities of the
Rock. ‘Half this days journey you muft pafs over Rocks, where it is almoft impof-
fible, and very dangerous to keep your Horfes back. Shay .
The twenty-fecond, having travel’d eleven hours, we lodg’d near a Cavern, having
forded a River that runs at the foot of it. There aré two great Grotte’s on each
fide, where Travellers take up their Quarters, and whither the Natives of the
Country bring Provifions both for Horfe and Man. The Toll-gatherers, coming
from a Fort about three Leagues diftant from thefe Caverns , here exaét two Piaffers
and a half for every Horfe and Mules Load; and {earch your Sacks, to fee if there be
no Merchantable Goods therein. About half the way of this days journey you meet
with a City quite deferted by the Inhabitants, and about an hours march after that,
with Tombs of Stone, in the middle whereof ftandsa Crofs, with Armenian Cha-
racters.
The twenty-third we travel’d elev’n hours, and lay at Dadacardin. This appears
to have been a great Town, but is all ruin’d: nor is there any thing remaining but
a long Stone-Bridge very well built, under which runs a River that is very broad
- when it overflows. The People of the Country have no other Habitations than the
- Hollows of Rocks; yet they bring to the Travellers Hens, Butter, Cheefe, and other
Provifions which they fell very cheap.
The twenty-fourth we trayel’d nine hours, and lay at a place call’d Cara, built
upon a Hill. The Caravan lay at the Inn; but the two Capuchins and I lay at a
private Chriftian’s Houfe, who carry’d us to the Church, where was then the Ver-
tabet or Bithop of Merdin. It was a pitiful poor Church, where they had nothing
but two Planks fupported with four Sticks inftead of an Altar. They dare not leave
any Furniture init, but as foon as the Prieft has faid Service, he muft have a care
to take away every thing, as well the Planks as the Covering of the Altar, which
was only a Painted Cloth: For the Turks that travel that way, if it be foul weather,
will break open the Door, put their Horfes there, burn the Altar, and take away
whatever they find. :
In the Village where we lay , there was a Pond , the fides whereof were fur-
rounded with fair Free-ftones, which were fetch’d from the Chriftian Churches, and
the Tombs of the Chriftians thereabouts. Among the reft, there was one very
large Stone , with an Epitaph upon it in large Latin Letters; whereby we knew it
to be the Tomb-ftone of a Norman Gentleman, who had been a Captain of Foot.
The Bifhop inform’d us, that it is recorded in the Armenian Stories, that the French
were a long time in this Country, at what time the Chriftians were Mafters of Syria:
This Country is all a large Plain, about twenty Leagues in length, which might be
well manur’d, and make the Inhabitants rich, did not the Tyranny of the Turks,
and the Incurfions of the Arabs reduce them to the utmoft degree of Poverty.
The twenty-fifth , after we had travel’d eight hours, we lay at a Village call’d
Coufafar, where there was no Inn, There were formerly three great Monatfteties,
a quarter of a League one from the other. The Turks have ruin’d two, all but the
Steeples of the Churches that belong’d to them. The third, which ftands all entire,
and is the faircht Pile of Building, ferves for a Afofquee. They Have made Shops
round about the Cloyfters, in the middle of which is a fair Spring of Water.
The twenty-feventh we lay ftill at Coufafar, being the place where you muft pay
the Cuftoms of Diarbequir, which is not above two em journey off;. amounting to —
two Piaffers anda fourth part, for every Load of Merchants Goods. ad
Merdin is not above two Leagues from Coufafar. This is a little City feated upon
a Mountain, with good Walls, and a fair Fountain reptenifh’d from the. Cattle ;
which ftands upon the North-fide, ina place yet higher, that cortimands thie City ;
four hun-
p Gioerida,
where there lives a Bafha, who has under him two hundred S
dred Fanizaries. Merdin is the place where was bort the Lady 14
the firft Wife of Pietro dela Valle, fo well known for his famous Travels.
As for Confafar, which is a large Village , it is inhabited for thé moft part by -
menian Chriftians and Nefforians. The Armenians on. Divine Service in their
own Language ; the Wefforians in the Chaldaic. Khe latter fhew’d me two Bible’
6 | in
Pay a
69
70
The Persian Travels Book Il.
in a large Volume, in the fame Language, writt’n in Vellum, all the Capital Letters
being in Gold and Azure. They {eem’d to be very old; and one of their. Priefts
told me, that it is 937 years ago fince one of them was writt’n , the other not
above 374 fince. When Service is done,they put them in a Cheft,and hide them under
Ground. I would have giv’n 200 Piaffers for the oldeft, but they durft not fell it,
in regard it belong’d to the Church, and was not at their difpofal. —
The twenty-feventh, after we had travel’d nine hours, we arriv’d at Karafara,
which had been formerly a Breat Town, and no doubt inhabited by Chriftians; as
appears by feven or eight Churches half ruin’d, though the Steeples are little the
worfe. They ftand at a good diftance one from the other; and upon the North-fide
of one of thofe Churches there is a Gallery, at the end whereof, through a little
Door you defcend about a hundred Steps, every Step being ten Inches thick. When
you come under the Church, you meet with a larger and bigger Vault , fupported
with Pillars. The Building is fo contriv’d, that there is more light below than in
that above; but of late years the Earth has ftop’d up feveral Windows. The great
Altar is in the Rock; on the right fide whereof is a Room, which receives the light
from feveral Windows contriv’d in the Rock. Over the Gate of the Church was
a great Free-ftone , wherein were certain Letters that I could not read. On the
North-fide of the fame Church under Ground are to be feen two great Cifterns, each
four hundred and fifty Paces long, with two great Arches, fuftain’d with feveral
Pillars. Every year they fil them with the Water that falls from the next Mountain,
and makes a kind of aRiver. A quarter of a League from the Church, you defcend the
Mountain for above a hundred Paces together among the Rocks, on each fide
whereof are Rooms cut out of the Rock. Upon every Door there is a Crofs; and
in every Room as it were a Bench, anda Table, with a little place about the length
- of a Man, like a Bedfted, all cut out of the Rock. At the bottom of the Rock is
a Hall, round about the Wall whereof is a Bench to fit on. The Roof is all plain,
withoutjany Arch; in the middle whereof there is a Hole to the top of the Moun-
tain: but in regard it gives no light, ’tis very probable ’twas only made to let out
the Smoak when they dreft their Meat; or elfe to let in the frefh Air; as Ihave
feen in many Villages upon the Perfian Gulf. Upon the higheft of thofe Mountains
ftands a paltry Village , where they buy their Vi€tuals. But before the Caravan
arrives, certain Merchants ride before to inform themfelves from the Herdf{men,
_ whether they know of any Thieves in the Grotto’s, that often hide themfelves there
in expectation of Prey.
In the year 1638, Sultan Amurat going to befiege aig , march’d this very way,
as well to fee thefe Ruines , as to give order for the demolifhing a Fort that ftood
not above two Leagues off of Karafera, which the Thieves of the Country made
their plage of retreat. He alfo at the fame time caus’d the Road to be clear’d for
four days journey, by ord’ring the Stones to be pickt up and laid in heaps, all along
the Road. He alfo built.a Bridge over the River. And indeed, that March of
the Grand Signor was very advantageous to all Travellers that pafs this way.
The twenty-eighth we travel’d eight hours, and came to Ne/bin, anciently Ni-
ibis. Two or three hours travel on this fide, near the Road, is a kind of Hermitage,
being a fmall Room enclos’d with Walls, the Door whereof is fo low, that a Man
muft creep upon his Belly to get in. Three or four Zews went and perform’d their
Devotions at this Hermitage , believing it to be the place where the Prophet Elifha
was buried.
The Country from Coufafar to Nefbin is a large Plain, where for the firft days
journey you fhall fee no other green Herb upon the Ground but only Pimpernel ;
the Roots whereof are fo large, that there are fome a Foot and a half in diameter.
The next day, the Fields are cover’d with a large thick Leaf, the Root whereof is
bulbous, and as big as an Egg. There are alfo great ftore of yellow, red, and
violet Flowers, Tulips of feveral colours, Emonies, and fingle Daffadillies. But
in general A4c/opotamia is a very barren Country, and there are very few places that
can be better’d by Art or Induftry.
Nefbin is only the Shadow of the ancient Nifibis, being now only a large Village ;
the Inhabitants whereof are Chriftians, both Armenians and Nefforians. Our Ca-
ravan lodged a little beyond , in a Church-yard adjoyning to one of the Armenian
Churches. The next day, hearing people fing, J went to the Church with the two
: Capuchins,
Chap. IV. of Monfieur Ta VERNIER, ot
Capuchins, where I faw an Armenian Bifhop, with his Miter » and a wooden Crofier,
accompany’d with feveral Priefts and a good Congregation, When Service was
done, after fome few Compliments between us, he Jed us down under the Church
into a Chappel, where he fhew’d us the Sepulcher of St. ames Bifhop of Nisibis,
In the Church-yard is a Stone about a Foot thick, and fix high; upon which were
laid feveral Candles of Wax and Tallow, which the Poor Offer in their NeceMities,
but efpecially in their Sickneffes. They believe that Stone to have been the Pedeftal
for the Statue of fome Saint, which the Turks have defac’d: fo that they give the
fame Honour to the Pedeftal, as they would have giv’n to the Statue. There are
alfo fome Roman Chiragters to be feen, but half worn out, and {paces brok’n off
in fome parts: fo that I could not learn, in Honour of whom that Statue was erected.
Half a League from Wi/bin runs a River, which you crofs, overa Stone-Bridge. In
the way to the River are feveral pieces of Wall, with an Arch, which made me con-
jeCture, that formerly the City extended as far as the River.
Twice Musket-fhot from the River, you meet with a Stone, half buried, upon
which are written certain Latin Words; whereby it appears that it was the Tomb-
ftone of the General of an Army that was a French-man: but I could not read his
Name, which time had defac’d. The fame Bifhop inform’d us, that formerly the
Moors having befieg’d the City, there came fuch a prodigious company of ftrange
Flyes, and did fo torment both-Men and Horfes, that they were forc’d to raife
the Siege. You mutt pay the fame Toll at Wi/bin as in other places, that is, two
Piafters and a half, for every Mule or Horifes Load. . We lay there three days toge-
ther , to furnith our felves with Provifions’till we came to AZoufful , which is five days
journey from Nifbin; the Country between beitig altogether defert and uninha-
bited. There is no Water to be found but in two places, and that not very good,
neither; rear to which you fhall fee fome few Herdimen grazing their Cattel. ;
“The firft of April we departed from Wifbin; and after we had travel’d eleven
hours, we lay near to a River, whither certain Shepherds brought us Hens to
fell. : cP | a
The fecond we trayel’d ten hours, arid lay at a paltry Town, where we met
with nothing to eat. | eee
_ The third we travel’d thirteen hours, and lodg’d by a pitiful Fountain, the Water
whereof was hardly good enough for our Horfes. | et cee
The fourth we travel’d ten hours, and came to lodge by the Bank of a little River,
near to which appear’d the Ruines of a Bridge and a Cattle. , .
The fifth we travel’d eleven hours 5 to reach AZonffisl, which is not far from the
ancient Nisiveh. ea eee
Mouffiel is a City that makes a great fhew without, the Walls being of Free-ftone ;
but within it is almoft all ruin’d, having only two blind Market-places, with a
little Caftle upon the Tigris, where the Bafha lives. In a word, there is nothing.
worth a Man’s fight in Afonfful, the place being only confiderable for the great.
concourfe of Merchants; efpecially the Arabians and Curds, which are the Inha-
bitants of the ancient Affpria, now call’d Cardiftan , where there grows great plenty
of Galls, and for which theré is a great Trade. There are in it four forts of
Chriftians , Greeks, Armenians , Nefforians, and Maronites. The Capuchins had a
pretty Dwelling upon the Tigris; but the Bafha laying a Fine upon them, becaufe
they went about a little to enlarge it, they were fore’d to quit it. The City is
govern’d by a Bafha, that has under him, part Faixaries, part Spabi’s, about three -
thoufand Men. ieeop > tecieiiar 7 1B
There are only two fcurvy Inns in AZouffid , which being full when we came, I
caus’d my Tent tobe fet up at the Meydan, or great Market-place. Soe,
Now to fay fomething in general of the difference of the two Rivers, Tigris and
Euphrates, in reference to their Courfe and Waters: I obferv’d that the Water of
Euphrates appear’d fomewhat red; and that the Stream was not fo fwift as that of
Tigris, which feem’d to be whitifh, like the Loire. As for its Courfe, “Euphrates
runs a far longer way than Tigris. But now let us crofs the Tigr#s 3 over a Sees
of Boats, to view the fad Ruines of a City that has made fuch a noife in the World;
though there be now {carce any appearance of its ancient fplendour.
Niniveh was built upon the left Shoar of the Tigris, upon Affyria-fide, being now
only a heap of Rubbifh extending almoft a League along the River, — are.
abundance
; .
The Ps rstan Lravels Book IL.
abundance of Vaults and Caverns uninhabited; nor could a man well conjecture
whether they were the ancient Habitations of the people, or whether any houfes
had been built upon them in former times ; for moft of the houfes in Turke are like
Cellars, or elfe but one Story high. Half a League from Tigris ftands a little Hill
encompas’d with Houfes, on the top whereof is built a Mofquee. The people of
the Country fay ‘twas the place where Jonas was bury’d; and for that place they
have fo great a veneration, that no Chriftians are fufter’d to enter into it, but pri-
vately, and for Money. By that means 1 got in with two Capuchin Fryars 4
but we were fore’d to put off our Shooes firft. In the middle of the Azo/quce food
a Sepulchre, cover’d with a Perfian Carpet of Silkand Silver , and at the four cor-
ners, great Copper Candlefticks with Wax Tapers, befides feveral Lamps and
Oftridge-Shells Hise hung down from the Roof. We faw a great number of AZoores
without, and within fat two Dervis reading the Alcoran. ) :
About a Musket-Shot from Afouffil toward the North-Eaft, ftands a great Ruin’d
Monaftery, enclos’d with high Walls, the greateft part whereof is ftill to be
feen. | : ie
We ftay’d ten days at Afouffud , and having provided all things ready for the reft
of our Journey, we fet forward for J/pahan. : |
‘ CH ABs
A Continuation of the Road from Nineveh to Wpahan : Together
with the Story of an Ambaffador , call’d Dominico de Santis,
Aving: pafs’d the Tigris, we ftay’d three quarters of an hours Journey
from Nineveh for fome Merchants that were to go along with the Cara-
van. The way which we took was not the ufual Road to Perfia;
Mit was a way wherein there were lefs Duties to be paid, and befides, it
was a fhort cut, the Caravan making but fifty-eight days Journey between Aleppo
and Ifpaban. From the very banks of the River to the place where we Lodg’d that
Evening , we faw nothing but continu’d Ruines, which makes me believe, it was the
place where the ancient sveveh ftood.
We ftay’d two days near the Méofyuce, where according to the tradition of the
Turks, Fonas was bury’d, and made choice of aCurd, or Affyrian for our Cara-
‘van-Bafbi , though the people are generally Thieves , and muft be carefully look’d
after. But it was a piece of Policy, becaufe we were to crofs the ancient e4fyria,
now callPd Curdiffans the Language of which Country isa particular Speech.
In the two firft days Journey we crols’d two {imall Rivers that fall from the Moun-
tains, and empty themfelves into Tigris. Our firft Journey was through a plain
Country all along by the fide of a little River; and the fecond Evening we lodg’d
by the fide of a great River that falls from the Mountains toward the North, and
running to the South, difcharges it felf into Tigris. It is call?’d Bobrus, being a very
rapid Stream, full of Fifth, but more efpecially excellent Trouts. The Caravan was
two days pafling that River, by reafon there were no Boats. For the people are
fore’d to tye long Perches four or five together one upon another , which the Natives
calla Kilet. They make it four-fquare, and put underneath it about a hundred
Goat-Skins full of wind, to the end the Kilet may not touch the water. Befides
the Merchant mutt be careful to {pread good ftore of thick Felts over the Kilet, of
which he muft be provided to keep off the Water, leaft the Bales that fink the Kilet
fhould take wet. At the four corners are four Perches that ferve for Oars, though
they avail but little againft the force of the Tide; fo that you muft be forc’d to hale ~
the Kilet four or five hundred Pacesa’ this fide up the River, and then rowdown
the Stream to the place where you intend to Land the Goods. When the Goods are
Landed, the men are forc’d again to draw the Kiles by main ftrength out of the
water, to takeaway the Goat-Skins which are then to be lad’n upon,the Mules appoin-
ted tocarry them. As forthe Horfes, Mules, and Affes, as wéll thofe that carri’d _
3 the
/
Chap.V. of Monfteur Tavernier. 73
Se a ets Rn ene eT et Se a eee a ‘
the Goods, as thofe upon which the Men ride 3, fo foon as the Herdf-men thereabout
{ee a Caravan coming, they flock to the River-fide. Thole people that wear nothing
but a courfe piece of Linnen or a Goat-skin to cover their nakednefs, take off their
Cloaths and wind them about their Heads, like a Turbant. Then every one tyes
a Goat-skin blow’d up under his Stomach; and then two or three of the moft expert
mounting the fame number of the beft Horfes, which are bridl’d, put themtelves
firft into the Water, while others follow them fwimming, and drive the Hortes
before them; holding the Beaft by the Tayl with one Hand, and {witching him
with the other. If they find any Horfe or Afs that is too weak, they tye a Goat-
skin under his Belly to help him. Confidering which difficulties, it cannot take
up lefs time than I have mention’d to get over a Caravan of five or fix hundred
Horfes. |
The Caravan being thus got over, for two or three days has but a very bad Road.
The firft days journey, the Horfes were continually in the Water up to the mid-leg 5
and the fecond, and part of the third we travel’d through a very detert Country,
where we met with very little food for our Horfes, and only a few Brakes to boyk
our Rice. Having got over this bad way, we came toa River call’d the great Zarbe,
over which we pafs’d upon.a Stone-Bridge of nine Arches, . Fhey report that this
Bridge was built by Alexander the Great,in his March againft Darius. A quarter ofa
League to the South-Eaft, two Rivers meet, which empty themfelves into Tigris. Lea-
ving the Bridge, we came to a Town call’d Sherazoul, built upon a rifing Ground, upon
three Redoubts. There refides a Bafha, who muft be brib’d with a imall Prefent to
let the Caravan pafs;, we lay by the Banks of a River, and ftaid there two days.
From thence we travel’?d one days journey over dry Mountains, not finding any
Water. But the next day we came into a pleafant Plain, ftor’d with Fruit-trees.
This was the Plain of Arbele, where Alexander defeated Darius; containing about
fifteen Leagues in all. It is water’d with feveral Rivulets , and in the middle of
the Mountain rifes a little Hill about half a League in circuit. It is all over cover’d
with the faireft Oaks that ever were feen; and on the top are the Ruines of a Caftle,,
that feems to have been a fumptuous Stru€ture. The Country-people fay that
Darius ftaid there while his Captains gave Battel to Alexander. Three Leagues:
from thence, near a great Mountain toward the North, are to be feen the Ruines
of another Caftle and feveral’ Houfes, where they add, that Darius fecur’d fome
of his Wives when he loft the Battel. This Caftle is feated in a moft lovely Profpect.
At the foot of the Mountain rifes a Spring , which a quarter of a League off {wells
into a River that bears good big Boats. It runs winding about the Mountains to
the Southward; fo that two days journey from the Hill, you crofs it near a Town
call’d Sherazoul, over a fair Stone-Bridge of nine Arches, whereof the Great Ska-
Abas caus'd three to be brok’n down, after he had tak’n Bagdat. ’ .
This City of Sherazoul is built after another manner than any other of the Cities
in thofe parts, being all cut out of a fteep Rock for a quarter of a League together 5
{fo that you muft go up to the Houfes by Stairs of fifteen, or twenty fteps, fome-
times more, fometimes lefs, according to the fituation of the place. The people
have no other Doors to their Houfes than only a thin round Stone, like a Mill-ftone,
which they will roll away when they go in or out, the fides of the Wall being fo cut
as to receive the Stone like a Cafe , being level with the Rock. |
The tops of their Houfes are like Niches in the Mountain, where the Inhabi-
tants have contriv’d Caves to keep their Cattel in: So that we judg’d it to be built
for a place of fafety to fecure the Inhabitants from the Incurfions of the Arabians
and Bedouins of Mefopotamia. ; . og be *
We came to Sherazoul upon Eaffer-Eve, and ftaid there three days to refrefh our ~
felves, after a Lent which we had kept very fparingly. Here } found certain —
Springs that rofe up in large Bubbles, which after | had mix’d with two Glaffes of
~ Wine and drank up, I found to have a Purgative quality, having a kind of Mineral
_taft. Thefe Springs boy! up near the fide of a River call’d e4ltun-fou, or, The
ee: of Gold, that falls into the River Tigris, three days journey on this fide
dat. a
F oo next day we lay at a pitiful Town, upon the Frontiers of Turkie and _
erfia. fe: oe
The next day, being the fifth after we fet out from Niniveh, we pats’d over .
Se ae feveral
74
The Persian Travels | Book If,
feveral Fenns and hot Waters, that part the two Empires. Entring thus into
Perfia, we met with a high Mountain cover’d with fair Oaks, which bear the Gall.
Nuts, fo high, that the Czravan was fome hours ere it could get to the top. As
we alcended, but efpecially when we were up, we heard feveral Muskets go off.
At firft we thought the people had been hunting the wild Boars or Stags, of which
the Mountains are full: but the report of the Guns being too loud and too thick
for Hunters, we ftood upon our guard; and I believe we fhould have mended
our paces, had we known what was intended us. Befides, I remember’d that the
Country-people would not fell any thing but for Powder and Bullet, which the
Curavan-Bafhi advis'd me not to let them have, for fear they fhould make ufe of it
againit our felves. From the Mountain we defcended into a fertil Plain, water’d
with feveral Rivers, and night approaching, we fet up our Tents, not fearing any
thing, becaufe we were in the Dominions of the King of Perfia, where there is
fo much fecurity in travelling. After that we fent our Servants to the Tents of
the Country-men, but they brought us nothing but Bread made of Acorns, than
which the poor people thereabouts eat no other. This Acorn is about the bignefs of
our Nuts; and once I met with a Branch that had thirty Acorns, and twenty-three
Gall-Nuts, all at one time growing upon it. |
The Province which we travel’d through then, compos’d the greateft part of
the ancient Afyria. But now to come to the Story of Dominico de Santis the Ve-
wetian. He had Letters of Credence from the Pope, the Emperour, the King of
Poland, and the Republick of Venice, to the King of Perfia ; and he went in the
Caravan through the Grand Signor’s Territories, never difcovering himfelf who
he was; but coming into Perfia, he took upon him without feat the Title of Ambaffa-
dor from the Commonwealth of Venice.
From the Plain where we lodg’d, it is two days journey to a good big Town, to
which belongs a FortrefS, where the Governour of the Province has a Lieutenant,
with about two thoufand Horfe under his Command. The Fortrets is upon the
right hand toward the South , after three hours riding upon the High-way. To
this Lieutenant , the Caravan-Bafhi was according to duty bound to give notice of
the Arrival of the Caravan, and an account of the Perfons and their Merchandize.
This Venetian was a perfon ill fitted for the quality of an Ambaflador, beifis-a
perfon of no Parts; which mademe wonder that fuch great Princes, and fo wife
a Commonwealth fhould fend fuch a perfon upon a Concern of that importance.
For the Grand Signor then affailing Candy , he was fent to excite the King of Perfis
to engage him in a War againft the Turk, thereby to keep off the Storm that
threaten’d Chriftendom. Thereupon I told the Ambaflador, that it was neceflary
for him to give the Commander of the Fort firft notice of his coming, to the end
he might give advice thereof to Solyman-Kan Governour of the Province, whofe
duty it was to advertife the King. Thereupon he requefted me to fend my Inter-
preter, which I did. Upon whofe intelligence the Lieutenant of the Fort came
to Compliment the Ambaffador on the behalf of the chief Commander, and to
conduét him to the Caftle.
' Thereupon the Ambaffador, my felf, and my Interpreter, together with fome
Armenian Merchants went with him , travelling for three hours over the Mountains.
By that time we came half the way, as we pafs’d through a Wood, we heard
as it were fome perfon givea Whiftle, at which when the Lieutenant perceiv’d us
to be fomewhat ftartl’d, he carry’d us to the place from whence the Whiftle came,
where we faw a Serpent about as big as a Man’s Thigh, and about twelve Foot
long , whole head was {queez’d between two Trees , that put him to pain. - From
that Mountain we defcended into a pleafant Plain, where the Commander of the
Fortrefs ftaid for us under his Tent. He had fet it up by the fide of a River, under
the fhade of feveral great Walnut-trees. So foon as he faw us, he rofe from his
_ $reat Silk Tapeftry Coverlet, and faluted us in a moft civil manner, telling us, that
_affuredly Sha-Abas, his Mafter , would be very glad to hear that the Monarchs of
Chriftendom had fent him an Ambaflador , and that he would write to Solyman-Kan,
whofe ol it was to advertife the Emperour. Thereupon he wrote and difpatch’d
away a Meffenger, giving him order to tell the Deroga, or Judge of the Town,
through which we were to pafs, that he fhould make Provifion for us and our
Horfes “till we came to the Governour. After he had ask’d us feveral Queftions
: = concerning
pean
Chap.V. of Monfieur Taver NiPn, ,
concerning the War between the Grand Signor and the Venetians , how many thou-
{and men he had as well by Sea as Land, and what number of Galleys and Ships?
wherein we fatisfy’d him according to the beft of our knowledge. After he
had civilly treated us, he fent his Lieutenant back with us again to the Caravan:
About ten a Clock the next night we diflodg’d ; and the Lieutenant and fix Souldiers
attended upon us; who told us he had order not to leave us, “till he had brought us
to Solyman Kan. ; wed
The next night we lodg’d between two Hills, among feveral Tents of Herds:
men. Here it was that the Commander had order’d that we fhould be treated by
the Deroga.. A Deroga, as {have faid, is the Judge of a Village: But this De-
voga was chief of many Families, fome of which were of A&efopotamia, others of
Arabia. Thefe are all Herdfinen that never live in Houfes, but retire with their
Cattle to the holes in the Rocks, where partly Nature , partly Art, have contri-
buted to-make them convenient Habitations,
So foon as we were alighted, four ancient men came and led the Ambafflador
and my felf to the Deroga’s Tent. It feem’d to confift of many Rooms, with a
Hall in the middle, {pread with fair Perfian Carpets. He caus’d us to fit down
upon Cufhions, and then prefented us with a Pipe of Tobacco, and Water to
wath our Feet. After he had nobly treated us, and that we were upon taking
our leaves, the Deroga was very much troubl’d that we had made a {mall Prefent
to his Son; -telling us , that it was a crime for him to take any thing of the King’s
Guefts, efpecially from Strangers that had come fo long a Journey.
The next day we lodg’d in a place where there was fuch a prodigious quantity
of Lillies that the Ground was almof cover’d with them. There were none that
were white, being for the moft part of a fair Violet colour, with a ftreak of Red
in the middle of every leaf; they are like our Lilly’s, but much bigger. And to
drink the infufion of the Roots of thefe Lilly’s, efpecially thofe whofe Leaves are
blackeft, for fifteen days together, is a moft Soveraign remedy againft the Pox.
Not long after came a Perfon of a goodly Afpect, who feem’d to be an Arabian,
but he {poke the Perfian Language, whom Solyman Kam had fent to Compliment the
Ambaffador. He carry’d us to the Tent which the Governour had caus’d tobe fet
up in aGarden near the Town, where he alfo Lodg’d the Capuchins. The Ambaffa-
dor alfo fent to Compliment the Kaz by my interpreter, and when the hour was
come that we were to fet forward , he gave order to fix of the Captains of his Ca-
valry to accompany the Ambaffador. “Ihe Houfe where the Governour liv’d in, was
one of the moft beautiful in Perfia. And as for the Governour himfelf , we found
him ina Gallery that look’d upon the Garden , the Floor being all fpread over with a
Tapeftry of Gold and Silk , with large Cuthions of Cloth of Gold all along the
Wall. After fome Queftions and difcourfe concerning the Affairs of Europe , they
ferv’d in Supper, which confifted of feveral Difhes; but no Wine was to be had ;
our drink being only Sherbet and the juice of Granates, with Sugar for thofe that
defir’d it. We were a long time at Supper, fortis the cuftom of Perfiathat when
one man rifes, another takes his place and fallstoo, in fo much that the Mafter of the
Feaft muft have the Patience to ftay ’till feveral have tak’n their turns; and when
every one has done, the Cloth is tak’n away without any more to do. Here the
Ambaffador committed an abfurdity; for there are no Silver or Gold Spoons in
Perfia, but only long Wooden Ladles thatreach a great way.Now the-Ambaffa.
dor reaching his Ladle to a Purflane-Dith full of Pottage that was fcalding hot ,
clap’d it prefently into his mouths but finding it fo hot that he could not endure
it, after feveral fcurvy faces, he threw it out of his mouth again into his hand,
in the prefence of all the Company. se |
After we had ftay’d five days at Sueirne, the Caravan-Bafhi fignifi'd his defireto
purfue his Journey. Thereupon the Ambaffador took his leave of the Governour,
prefenting him with a Watch and a pair of Piftols; who in retaliation prefented the
Ambaffador with a ftately Horfe, anda Colt of two years old. Thenext day we
diflodg’d , and purfu’d our Road to Amadan, which is not aboye three days Journey
from Sneirne. ee ©
_ Amadan is one of the largeft and moft confiderable Cities of Perfia, feated at the
foot of a Mountain, where do arife an infinite company of Springs that water alk
the Country. The Land aboutit hounds sere Rice , wherewith it Se
. ) a the
75
7
6
The P E S ve Travels Book II,
the greateft part of the neighbouring Provinces. Which is the reafon that fome
of the Perfian Statef-men hold it very inconvenient for the King of Perfia to keep
Bagdat, as well by reafon of the vaftnefs of the Charge , as alfo for that it draws
from Amadan that which fhould fupply other Provinces. On the other fide, it is
eafie for the Grand Signor to hold it, by reafon of the neighbourhood of Adefopo-
tamia, eAffyria, and the Arabs, Enemies to the Perfians : by which means Provi-
fions are very cheap, which the people would not know where to put off, if the
King of Perfia were Lord of Bagdat. : eee
We ftaid at Amadan about ten days, by reafon of the Rains; during which time
the Caravans cannot travel. While we tarry’d there, we were vifited by feveral
Babylonian Chriftians, who were glad to fee that we had efcap’d the Clutches of the
Bafha of Bagdat , who had giv’n order to the Bafha of Karkou, and the Bey of
Sharaffou that commands the Frontiers of Turkie, to feize us, and carry us back to
Bagdat. For which we might have thank’d the Ambaflador, and a malicious Rabbi,
that came along with us in the Caravan from Aleppo, who finding the Feaft of the
Tabernacles to be at hand, and that we had a great way to I/pahan, left us at LNi-
mivel, to keep the Feftival with the Fews of Babylon. Where that he might infi-
nuate himfelf into the Balha’s favour, he inform’d him that there was a Fringuiz
in the Caravan, whom he look’d upon as aSpy, and that he was an Envoy into Perfia
from the Commonwealth of Venice; for he carry’d no Merchandize, but had three
Chefts full of rich Habits , and feveral other things which he took for Prefens to
the Perfian King. For out of vanity or folly, the Venetian had feveral times open’d
his Cheft and expos’d his Gallantry to view. And yet he was fo clutch-fifted and
niggardly in every thing, that when there was any occafion to reward the Kan’s
Servant, or any of the Country-men that brought us the Dainties of the place, it
came all out of my Pocket. So that I left him to my Interpreter and the two Ca-
puchins, and with three Servants and 4 Guide, after I-had ftaid at Amadan three
days, I took Horfe for I/pahan, =
When I came there, the Nazar or Mafter of the King’s Houfhold hearing I
had left an Ambaffador behind me with the Caravan , enquir’d of me what manner
of Perfon he was, but I pretended I had had little converfe with him , unwilling
to difcover his mean Spirit. The Evening before his Arrival the Nazar fent to
give the Fringuiz notice in the King’s Name, that they fhould be ready to go
meet the Ambaffador the next day; which we did, and brought him into the City
and through «Als Gate, that joyns to the King’s Palace. Now ’tis the cuftom
~ for all Ambaffadors to falute that Gate, by reafon of a white Marble Stone made
like an Affes back, and which ferves for a Step: being, as they report , brought
anciently out of Arabia, where Ali liv’d. So foon as you have ftrid over that Stone
without touching it, which were a great crime, you enter into a kind of a Gallery,
where there are Rooms on each fide, which ferves for a Sanétuary for Criminals,
which the King himfelf cannot fetch out of that place. That day that the new King
receives his Enfigns of Royalty, he goes to ftride over that Stone; and if by negli-
gence he fhould chance to touch it, there are four Guards at the Gate, that would
make a fhew of thrufting him back again. :
But now the Mafter of the Ceremonies being ready to conduét the Ambaflador
to the Apartment alotted him, as an Ambaffador that came from three great Mo-
narchs, and a poten#Commonwealth, he defir’d to lodge at the Houfe of one Pietro
Pentalet, defcended from Venetian Parents, whereupon the Mafter of the Ceremonies
-conduéted him thither, and caus’d his Dinner to be brought him. While we were .
eating, I counted thirteen Languages fpoken at the Table; Latin, French » High-
Dutch , Englifh, Low-Dutch , Italian , Portuguex , Perfian , Turkifh , Arabic , Indian,
Syriac, and Malaye, which is the Language of the Learned, that is {poken from the
River Indus to China and Fapan , and in all the Iands of the Eaft, like Latin in
Europe ; not reck’ning the little AZrefco or Gibbrifh of the Country. So that it is
a difficult thing to obferve what is talk’d in one Company, where the Difcourfe
begins in one Language , is purfu’d in another, and finifh’d in a third: and for the
Turks and Armenians , they never {peak above three or four Languages at moft. -
Now tofhew you the Civility of the Perfians; the Mafter of the Ceremonies came
to the Ambaffador and told him, that if he did not like the Cookery of the Perfians,
he had Order from the Aremadonlet, who is as the Grand Vizier in Turkie, to offer him
Money
ms EO ry et ae g Re es ae! alle PR TS
Chap.V. of Monfieur TaveRNIERr,
Money inftead of Diet, to the end he might drefs his own Meat as he pleas’d him-
felf. Upon which the covetous Ambaffador accepted his offer, and two hours after
there was a Bag brought him of 50 Tomans, which amount to about 800 Crowns,
The Franks being offended at his bafenefs, flighted the Ambaffador, and left him
to‘keep Houfe by himfelf, which was poor enough God knows; an Onion or a Turnep
ferving his turn for a Meal. Some days after, he had Audience of the King, to
whom he prefented his Letters Credential from the Pope, the Emperour, the King
of Poland, and the Commonwealth of Venice. Thofe from the three laft were well
receiv’d, becaufe the Seals were of Gold, and for that the Paper was embelifh’d
with curious Flourifhes: but the Pope’s Letters were rejected with fcorn, becaufe
the Seals were only of Lead, as the Bulls are ufually feal’d , and for that the Writing
was very plain. For the Kings of Perfia , who are very nice, love things that are gay
to the Eye; otherwife they look upon themfelves to be affronted. Dominico de Santis
had better have tak’n upon him the meaner quality of an Envoy, than the title of
an Ambaffador, unlefs he had known better how to behave himfelf; efpecially being
fo eclips’d as he was by a real Ambaffador that arriv’d at J/pabanfome time after. All
the Franks went forth to meet him, and the Mafter of the Ceremonies made him
the fame proffers as he had done to the Venetian: but he nobly anfwer'd, That what-
ever it were that the King of Perfia fent him, he fhould take it for a very great
Honour: otherwife, if he would have eatenGold, the King his Mafter would have
allow’d him 30 Mules Load. Such perfons as behave themfelves with decency and
a good grace, are the perfons that the Chriftian Princes fhould fend into Perfia,
who are the moftrefin’d Wits, and the beft Politicians of all Afra oe
To conclude the Story of the Venetian , I will give you his Character. An Indian
naturally of a good Wit having embrac’d Chriftianity and an Ecclefiattical Life, went
to Rome to complete his Studies which he had begun at Goa; whither, the Pope;
taking an affection to him, fent him afterward as his’Vicar. Dominico de Santis
being then at Rome , put himfelf into his fervice , and follow’d him into the Jndies,
where I faw him the firft time I went, in a mean condition. Upon his return to
77
Venice, where he was in no credit before , he made people believe that he underftood .
the Trade of _Afia; whereupon fome particular Merchants ‘trufted him with fome
Goods, which were caft away at Seide. Thus poor and bare he return’d to Goa,
where he got 800 Crowns by a charitable Contribution. From thence he travel’d
to Ijpahan , where he fell into the acquaintance of Father Rigordi a Jefuite, with
whom he went into Polasd: where making his brags of the great knowledge he had
of the Affairs of Perfia, the King gave him that Commiffion which I have already _
mention’d. The Emperour follow’d his Example, and the Commonwealth of Venice
did the fame: and to give the more luftre and authority to his Embafly, they
the Pope to joyn with them. But alas! both Dominico de Santis, and all uch perlons
ashe, that go into Afia without Brains and good Behaviour, do but proftitute the
Reputation of the Princes that fend them. Such another was Father Rigordi, who
after he had been thruft out of Goa by the Portugals , went to Ijpaban, where he
infinuated himfelf by a Propofition which he made of Marrying, the King of Perfia,
who was then a very young Prince , to the Dutchefs of Orleance. Under which
pretence he was well receiv’d and treated by the King; from whom he alfo receiv’d
fome Prefents by virtue of that Propofal , which was good {port to the Dutchefs when
fhe heard of it.
‘As forthe Venetian, the Atemadonlet , who was very glad to be tid of him, defir’d
the Mufcovite Ambaffador, who was then upon his return home, to take him along
with him, which he did as far as the Cafpian Sea, where they take Shipping .
for Affracan; ,but there the Mufcovite told him he could carry him no further:
thereupon he was fore’d to come back to I/paban, and {o to travel to Goa, whence-the
Portugals thipt thim home for Charities fake. But when he came to Venice, has was
fo far from being well receiv’d, that the’Senate had like to have punifh’d him feverely
for giving fo bad an account of his Negotiation. SE
CHAP.
73
The Perstan Travels Book II.
Cie oe
Of the Road which the Author kept , when he Travell’d the fourth
time into Afia, to go from Paris to Ormus. And firft of his
Voyage from Marleilles to Alexandretta. |
Set out from Paris in the company of Monfieur d’ Ardiliere the eighteenth
of Funes 1651. and arrivd at Aarfeilles the fixteenth of F#ly. On the
twenty-fixth of Auguf? we fet Sail, with a favourable North-Weft Wind
that blew very briskly the two next days; but at length it grew fo very flack,
that coming about to the North-North-Eait, we made for Sardinia. Upon the fecond
of September by Sun-rifing, we dilcover’d the Weftern Coaft of Sardinia, fix Leagues
from the Land. About Noon the Wind chopping about again to the North-Weft,
we held on. our firft Courfe, and upon the third of September, we defcry’d the
Ifland Galita upon the Coat of Africa. On the fourth we difcover’d the Ifland of
Zambino before Tunis , and about Evening Cape Bon, which is the moft Southerly
Point of all Africa. The fifth we had a fight of the Iflandof Pantalaria, and the
Coaft of Sicily. The fixth we difcover’d the Ifland of Goza, and the feventh the
Caftle that bears the fame name. :
We landed at AZzlta upon the'day of the Nativity of the Virgin, whichisa great
day among the AZs/tefi, upon which they give thanks to God, forthat the Turks rais’d
their Siege upon that day.
The Grand-Mafter goes to the Church of St. ¥oh2, accompany’d with all the
chief Commanders in iets Robes of Command, and the greateft part of the Knights.
All the Country-men and Citizens are up in Arms upon that day, and march to the
Inn call’d the Auvernian-houfe, with the Knight that goes to fetch the Standard.
. This Knight is clad in a Caffock of Crimfon-Velvet , with a Crofs of the- Order, be-
fore and behind. ‘He wears a Helmet upon his head , and carries the Standard.upon
his fhoulders ; and by him marches the Grand-Mafter’s Page , who carries a Sword
in one hand, and a Dagger in the other, both very richly Embellifh’d, and giy’n
to the Order by CHARLES the fifth. The Page that carry’d the Sword and
Dagger was the youngeft Nephew of Pope Jumocent the tenth. The Souldiers andCitizens
marching before to the Church door, make a Lane for the Knight and the Page to
pafs on to the Altar, where the Knight makes three bows, and having done as much to
the Grand-Mafter, places himfelf on the right hand of the Grand-Mafters Chair,
and the Page on the left. Then the Mafs and the Mufick begins, and while the
Gofpel is reading , the Grand-Mafter takes the Sword and the Dagger out of the
Page’s hand, and holds them with the points upward all the remaining part of the.
Mafs. During the Elevation of the Hoft, the Knights repeats the fame Ceremony
as at the beginning, and then theBells ring, the great Guns go off, and the Soul-
diets give three Vollies, Mafs being ended, the Grand-Matter retires, accom-
pany’d as before, only that he isthen attended by all the Ecclefiaftical perfons of the
‘City, and coming out of the Church, he proceeds with all the Infantry marching
before him toward our ee of Vittory , where they all go in proceffion. While
they make a ftand in that place, the Souldiers give another Volley, which is an-
{wer’d by all the Canons in the Town, asalfo from the Shipsand Galleys. After that
they return to St. Fohn’s, and the Infantry Guard the Standard back to the Inn,
while the Grand-Mafter goes to his Palace. fe
The ninth we view’d the Fortifications , which are ftor’d with vefy fair pieces of
Canon. mie ;
_The tenth we faw the Pages perform their Exercifes before the Grand-Matter ,
weet are generally vaulting and handling their Arms, both Mufquet and
ike, 7 ‘ +
The elewnth we view’d the Arfenal, where I was affur’d that there were Arms
_ for twenty thoufand men, being in good order, and rarely well look’d after.
The next day we vifited the Infirmery , where the fick are ferv’d in Plate, as
well the poor as rich.
> She.
‘Chap.VI. of Monfieur Taver i ER,
The twentieth we fet Sail, having the Wind at Weit-South-Weft, and a freth-
gale; fo that upon the twenty-third we difcover’d the Coat of the Aforea , to which
we apptoach’d fo near, as todetcry Navarin. In the Evening we {aw the City of
- Coron, where there is a great Trade for Sallet-Oyl. From thence it was that the
Great Turk Embarqu’d for Candy in the year 1645. ;
The twenty-fourth the Wind was at Eaft-North-Eaft. In the Morning we difco.
ver’d the Cape of — , Which is the moft Southern Point of Land in Evrope,
lying in the AZorea , and at Noon the Iland of Cherigo, Se.
The twenty-fifth we drew near Cyprus, and delery’d a Mountain in that. Iland,
call’d Cameliere , with fome other Promontories toward the South. .
From the twenty-feventh da till we came to Alexandretta, we perceiv’d the
Sea to be all over cover’d with Pumice-ftones, which happ’nd from an Earth-
quake that had for fome time before {wallow’d up the Iland of Sastorini. Some
think that it proceeded from the abundance of Sulphur, of which that Country is
full, which took Fire, and was the death of above 750 of the Ilanders, that were
partly buried in the Ruines, and partly dy’d out of fear. They that remain’d alive;
became black like Charcoal; and the Vapours that afcended out of the Abyfs fully’d
all the Silver as far as Conftantinople ; the noite of the Earthquake being heard as far
as Smyrna.
The twenty-ninth , by break of day we difcover'd the Iland of Cyprus.
The firft of October by eight in the Morning we came to an Aa dhick before Salines,
which is one of the Ports of Cyprus, where our Confuls live. Here I ask’d feveral
of the Chriftians of the Country, how they did to live and pay their Carage ? Who
told me that it was with a great deal of difficulty, in regard the Iland was very bare
of Money; which was the reafon that many Chriftians turn’d Adahometans , to avoid
paying their Carage, which is a Tribute that the Grand Signor layes upon all
Chriftians throughout his Dominions. He exaéts from the pooreft fix Piasters a.
Head; but there are fome that pay a hundred, or a hundred and fifty: and this
Tribute is due fo foon as ever they come to be eighteen years of age.
The Land of Cyprus is one of the moft confiderable in the Mediterrariean Sea,
more to the Eaft than any of the reft, bearing the title of a Kingdom, as being
goo Miles in circuit. It is not all of the fame bredth, being of a triangular form,
the fides whereof are very unequal. To it there belong feveral Capes or Promon-
tories, the principal whereof are, St. Epiphanio, towatd the Weft; Cape de
Gate , toward the South, Cape Diegrega, toward the North-Eaft ; Cape Cormachiti,
toward the North, and Cape St. Azdrew, upon the moft Eaftern Point of the land.
The ‘principal Roads are that of Salines or Larneca, that of Paphos, and that of
Cerines or Cerigni. The Haven of Famagofta fignifies nothing as to great Ships, there
being none but finall Veffels that can ride there. The Venetians had formerly made
a {mall Mole there to harbour their Gallies, but it is now quite ruin’d. The Road.
of Cerines is that where the Barks and Galliots lye that come from Caramania, and
Payaffes; and where the Bafha’s land that are fent as Governours of the Ilahd from
Conjtantinople , who refide generally at Nicofia. That City is almoft in the middle of
the Iland, and was formerly a very large one, as appears by the compafs of the
ancient Walls. The new Walls are well terrafs’d within-fide, and in a good pofture
of defence, There are three Gates belong to the City, that of Famagofta, that of
Paphos, and that of Cerincs. The City it felf is no uncomely place, the Venetians
having adorn’d it with many fair Palaces, which the Turks demolith every day, out
of hopes to find hidd’n Treafure therein, and fell the Stones to build new Houtes.
The Cathedral that goes by the name of Santa Sophia is an ample and fair Structure;
of which the Turks have now made a Mofquee, together with one more, whick
was formerly a Monaftery belonging to the Aujtiv-Fryars, The Greeks have there four
Churches, and the Franks two; that is to fay, the Frezch Miffionary Capuchins, and
the Italian Miffionary Soccolans. The firft have a Church dedicated to St. ames; the
others another, which is call?’d Holy Rood Church. The Armenians alfo haye another
belonging to them, ‘which is a very neat Building, which was formerly a Monaftery
of the Carthufians. There it is that there is a Tomb, adorn’d with feveral Sculptures
of Religious Nunns, efpecially an Abbefs with a Crofs in her Hand; the Writing
about the Stone being in French Charaéters. The City is feated in a temperate Air
and a fertil Soil; abounding with Water, It extends more in length than ge
: foe = yin
79
yw
ht. SS See Pre he ee ER Ee > ee * Ce eS ee
SER ee RTM se EN, RR kL AN ee
The PeRst : N aivich Book IT,
having been anciently nine Miles in compafs; but the Venetians to make it {tronger,
reduc’d it to the circuit of three. The Work of the Fortification was fo neat, and
fuch a proportion obferv’d in allthings, that the moft famous Engineers efteem’d
‘it one of the moft ftately Fortrefles in the World , when Selim the Second fent an
Army againft it, under the Command of A4uffapha his Grand Vizser.
F amagofta is a Sea-Town upon the Eaft-fide of the Iland, and the chief Bulwark
‘of it. It is kept in good repair, the Caftle within being in form of a Cittadel. The
Turks have converted into pe the Churches of the Chriftians , who are not
fuffer’d to dwell in the City. They have only the liberty to come thither in the day,
and to open Shops, which they fhut up again atnight,and then go home to their Houtes
* ain the neighbouring Villages. The City is govern’d by a Bey, who has no depen.
dance upon the Governour of the Iland, who is oblig’d to maintain a Galley for the
guard of the Coatt. | .
Cerines is another little City, but without any defence, the Walls thereof being
all tumbl’d to ruine. Only there is a Fortrefs toward the Sea, well built , with
a Garrifon in it. There is alfo a handfom Monaftery of Religious Greeks , built
fomewhat after the French manner; wherein there are fome of the Cells which
ftand fo upon the Sea, that they can fifh out of the Windows. The Fields about
it bear Cotton, which is the chief Revenue of the Monaftery. There is only the
Fort of Cerines upon the North, where the Iland does not lye fo open,. as toward
the South and Eaft, which befides by that of Famagofta, are guarded by the Forts
of Salines, Limiffo, and Paphos. The Inhabitants of the llandare for the moft part
Greeks, efpecially in the Villages. They are clad after the /ra/ian manner, both
Men and Women; the Men wearing Hats like the Franks, and retaining their
ancient Cuftoms as much as is poflible for them to do. The Trade: of thé land lyes
in Cotton-wool , which is the beft in all the Eaft; and fome Silk , which is neither
good, nor very plentiful. _ However the iland is fertil enough, did it not want In-
habitants enow to till it. Asfor Bread, Wine, Cheefe, and Milk, they are all very
cheap, and there is Oyl enough to ferve the Iland. But for the Wine, it is tranf-
ported out of the Iland to all the places of Trade not far diftant. The beft grows at
the foot of Olympus, and is a delicious fort of Drink. The Country between Wicofia
and Famagofla produces Cotton , of which there grows alfo fome between Paphos_and
Limiffo. The chief place where the Silk is made is call’d Cytherea, a large Town
water’d with a fair River that runs from the Mountain of Venus. This River turns
feveral Mills, which are the chief Revenue of the Hand. There is Silk alfo made
between ‘Paphos and Limiffo; upon the Road between which two places you meet
with a Town call’d Pifcops , where are to be feen feveral Aquaduéts , that carry’d
the Water into the Rooms and Magazines where the people formerly made Sugar.
But fince the Iland was tak’n from the Venetians, one of the Bafha’s that was fent as
Governour, burnt up all the Sugar-Canes in the Country. Toward the Sea-fhoar
near Limiffo, is to be feen one of the faireft Gardens of Cyprus, which they call
Shiti ; to which there belongs a magnificent Houfe, and a Grove of Orange-
Trees. It was built by a rich Venetian, who had a good Eftate in Lands there-
abouts. - :
In Cyprus the people take a vaft number of Birds as big as a Lark, efpecially near
the Mountain of the Holy Grof. Inthe Months of September and Oétober , the
Country-people of the adjacent Villages make themfelves little Hutts in the Fields,
where ufually thofe Birds are wont to light, and feed upon the Seed of an Herb that
grows there, which when it is dry, the people daub over with Lime-twigs. But.
this they never do but when the North-Weft-Wind blows, and that the weather be
very cold, for with a Southerly Wind they never take any. Thefe Birds are ac-
counted great Dainties by the Venetians, who make no great Feafts in Garnival-
time wherein they do not fet thefe Birds upon the Table, pil’d up in Dithes like a
Pyramid. They buy them up every year; being firft prepar’d fit for exportation
by the people , who having pull’d off their Feathers, parboyl them, and pickle them
upin Barrels with Vinegar and Salt. When they are to be eat’n, they are fet upon *
a Chafing-difh, between two Difhes. Sometimes there are above a thoufand Barrels
exported out of the Iland; and indeed, were it not for this Trade, the poor people
would fee but very little Money. :
Upon the Mountain of the Holy Crof ftands 4 Church of the fame name; upon
4 2 which
Chap.VI. of Monfieur Tavernier pg.
ee SRR ASE” 9S OR SR RR a ape ree ce
which the report of the Country goes, that St. Helena returning from Fernfalem
left a piece of our Saviour’s Crofs with the Chriftians of Cyprus, who built a Church
there, by means of the Liberality of the fame Princefs. Afterwards thofe of the
Town of Leucara took it from hence, and carry’d it to their Church, where I fay
it. The piece is as big as the Palm of a Man’s Hand, fet ina great Crofs of Latten;
embo{s’d with feveral Figures. ie 28
In the Kingdom of Cyprus there is an Archbifhop and three Suffragans. The
Arch-bifhop takes upon him the Title of Nicofia; to which Famagofta belongs with
all the Country between Wicofia and Famagoffa, with the Territories of Nicofia and
all the Villages round. He has a Houfe about a League from Nicofia, whete the
chiefeft of his Revenue lies. Some years fince he caus’d the high Altar of the
Church to be painted and guilded, being a neat piece of Workmanthip. Thus
the Arch-bifhop has under his Jurifdi€tion all the middle part of the Ifland 5 and
fome part toward the Eaft. The Bifhops are the Bifhops of Paphos, Larneca, and
Cerines,
The Greeks are very much addi&ed to the obfervation of their ancient Cuftoms
and Ceremonies, and generally their Maffes are very long. Upon Sundays and
Holy-days they rife between one and two of the Clock in the Morning to Sing Mat-
tins. To which purpofe there is a Clerk that goes from door to door and knocks
with a Hammer, to wake the people , and then cries out with a loud voice > Chri-
fiians go to Church. The men and old women fail not to go as being more zealous 5
but the maids and young women never go out of doors in the night for fear of ‘the
Turks. There are feven or eight Villages, the Inhabitants whereof are Maronites ,
who came from Mount Libanus, and {peak Arabic at home, but Greek, among the
Iflanders. They follow the Romifh Religion, and have their Churches peculiar to
themfelves. © |
The Ifland of Cyprus is no wholefom Air, being fubje& to the fpoyl of a fort of
<
- Locufts, that fome Summers deftroy all their Fruit aud Corn, During the heats
they hover in the Air, which they will dark’n with their number like a thick
_ Cloud; but when the North Wind blows, it carry’s them into the Sea, where
they perifh. Sah
There are in Cyprus three forts of colour’d Earth, a Grey-black, aRed 5 and a
Yellow; of which the Venetians fetch away great quantities for their courfer fort
of Painting. There’s alfo a Mine ef White Alome, which is the tone call’d Dam.
antlins, *\'is thought that the Ancignts had away to {pin this Alome into a kind of
Cotton, and fo to make out of ita certain fort of Cloth that would notconfume in
the Fire, but only be the more perfe@ly whiten’d thereby. The Indians formerly
bury’d the dead bodies of their Kings deceas’d inShrouds of this kind of Linnen;
and then putting them into the Fire, found the bodies all reduc’d to afhes, but the
Cloth whole ; out of which they took the afhes, and carefully put them into an Vine,
which was prepar’d for their prefervation.
When the Bafha of Ops has a mind to view the Fortrefs of Famagofta , he fends
to give the Bey, who is Governour thereof, notice of it. For it is at the Gover-
nours choice whether he will give him admiffion or no. The Bafha Hali-Giorgi 5
being a comely old man of above a hundred and two years of age, fetting out of
Nicofia in his Litter with about two hundred Horfe, when he was come within
half aLeague of Famagoffa, the Governour of the place fent his Lieutenant with a
hundred Horfe to Compliment him, and to conduét him to the Town. Immediately
they took upon themthe Guard of the Bafha’s Litter , who was not permitted to take
along with him above eight or ten of his principal Officers. The Cannons roar’d at
his entry, and he’ was treated magnificently, but he lay not in the Town, be-
ing conduéted back by the fame party to the place where they met him in the Morning:
Upon the third day of October we {et Sail about thfee a Clock in the Mofaing with
a Weft-North-Weft Wind, and about Noon we were within fight of Famagofta ,
into which place we could by no means be admitted ; by réafon of the Wars be-
tween the Turks and Venetians. But as far as I could difcern a far off, there is no
-eafie accefSto the Port, and for the City I could defery no part of it.
The fourth, by break of day we got fight of the Coaft of Syria, Cape Canger ;
and the Golf of ‘Antioch , and about Evening we arriv’d in the Road of Aléx-
rettas “= Oates.
b ‘From
Si
82
Bituminous Springs, and other Streams of
The PERSIAN Travels Book II.
From thence we went to Aleppo, and ftay’d there from the feventh of October ,
to the thirtieth of December. eh .
On the thirtieth we fet forward for Nineveh, and with little variation of the Road
which I have already defcrib’d in my third Voyage from Paris. We arriv’d the fecond
day of February at Moufful or Nineveh , where we ftay’d’till the fifteenth, till the ©
Kilets or Boats of the Country could be got ready. Our Kélet carry’d thirty Paf-
fengers, and fixty hundred of Aleppo Weight, or thirty three thoufand pound of
- Paris Weight, upon which the Tigr bore us from Afoufful to Babylon,
| e206 BA Pe? VEL.
A Continuation of the Road which the Author kept in the fourth
Voyage into Alia, and particularly of his paffage upon the ‘Tigris
_ from Nineveh to Babylon. |
HE fifteenth of February we put off from Afonfal, and after we had
f{wam fix hours, we came to lye near a hot Bath , about a Musket-fhot
from the Tigris. It was throng’d with Sick people that came thither
for their Recovery. We kept our felves upon the Watch all night; but —
for all we coulddo, the Arabs ftole two Coverlets from a Merchant, and a Turk’s
Cloaths that was gone into the Bath.
The fixteenth, after we had row’d about five hours, we came to a huge Dam;
it is 200 Foot wide, and makes a fall in the River of about 20 Fathoms fteep. The
Arabians {aid that Alexander the Great made it to turn the courle of the River ;
others will have it, that Darius caus’d it to be made to hinder the paflage of the
Macedonians by Water. However, we were forc’d to land our felves and-our
Goods, and to lade them upon Horfes which the Arabs brought us. |
The paffing this Dam is worthy obfervation. For it is a thing of wonder to
fee the Kilet all of a fudden fall above fixfcore Foot, and yet to be kept by. the
Leather-Bottles ftill above Water. The Water-men that guide the Boat, tye them-
felves.and their Oars faft to a Pearch bent like a Semicircle , to defend themfelves
from the force of the Water. And indeed this is the Dam that renders Tigris un-
navigable. :
The Kilet being come to the place where we expected it, we put our Goods
aboard, and lay in the fame place upon the Bank of the River. For the Arabs, if they
perceive the Merchants afleep , cut the Cords of the Kiler, and fetting it a-drift,
{wim after it, and rifle away what they pleafe. 3 : ;
_ The feventeenth, after three hours rowing we met with the River Zab, that
empties into the Tigris, upon Chaldea-fide. Half a League above the River ftands
a fair Caftle of Brick upon a little Hill, but no body dwelling in it, it runs to ruine.
We were twelve hours that day upon the Water, and came to lye at a place which
was full of Wood, where we made great Fires, and fhot off our Muskets often in
the night to feare the Lions.
The eighteenth we were upon the Water eighteen hours, and lay upon the Bank
of the River, upon Affyriafide. That Evening the Arabs brought us Milk-Meats,
and frefh Butter. They. fwim from the other fide of the River with a Boracho under
their Stomachs, and another upon their Heads, wherein they bring their Commo-
dities; for which they will have no Money, but only Tobacco, or Bisket, or
Pepper. : eee
_ The nineteenth, in four hours time we met with a River call’d _Altum-fou, or The
— River of Gold. It flows from the Mountains of the Afedes, and I travel’d by the
fide of it for three days together, returning from Tauri to Aleppo, and paffing the
Tioris to Mefia. The Water of the River is of an excellent taft, and it falls into
Tigris upon Affyriafide. All along the cs , on the fame'fide, are great ftore .of
ot Water that {mell of Sulphur, All that
: day
&
Chap.VIL of Monfieur Tavernier,
Curds upon Mefopotamia fide, and the Arabs upon Affyria fide.. They were at War,
and both fides march’d in very good order. The Young men went formoft with Bows
and Atrows, and fome Muskets, but feveral Half-Pikes. Next to thetn their
Wives, Virgins, and Children, with their Cattel, Herds, and Camels; after which
march’d the Old men in the rear. As well the Gurds as the Arabians fent out Horte-
men to fcout upon the high Grounds; for as foon as they find any advantage, they
prefently {wim their Horfes over the River and fall on. Now becaufe we would
not truft thofe fort of People, we row’d nineteen hours to avoid ’em.
The twentieth ‘we were eleven hours upon the Tigris , and came to lye at a Town
cal?’d Tegrit, upon Mefopotama fide. There belongs to the Town a Caftle half
ruin’d, and yet there: are ftill ome handfom Chambers to be feen. Upon the North
and Eaft, the River ferves for a Moat, but upon the Weft and South it has a deep
Artificial one pav’d with Free-ftone. The Arabians fay that formerly it was the
ftrongeft place in all AZefoporamia, though it be commanded by two Hills not far from
it. The Chriftians dwelt half a League from the City, where the Ruines of a
Church and part of a Steeple are ftill;to be feen, whereby it appears to have been
a confiderable Pile of Building; . ©
The twenty-firft, after we had ‘row’d three hours, we met with a Town upon
Affyria fide , which was tal?'d Amer-cl-tour , from the name of a perfon that lyes
inter’d ina Monaftery, whom the people account to be a Saint. Therefore is it a
place of great Devotion among them, fo that grcat numbers of Votaries go thither
in private. That day we were twelye hours upon the Water, and lay upon the
Banks of the River. - ; 3 :
_. The twenty-fecond, having been upon the Water two hours, we met with a Sreat
Channel cut out of Tigris to water the Lands, which runs up as far as juft over.
againit Bagdar , and there falls into the Tigris again. Coming thither, we landed
upon Chaldea fide, by reafon that there were certain Turks with us, who would
of neceffity perform their Devotions at a place call’d Samatra. In the fame there
is a Mofquee not above half a League from. the River, to which many Adchometant
pay their Devoirs, efpecially Zdians and Tartars, who believe forty of their Pro-
phets to be buried there. When: they knew us to be Chriftians, they would not
permit us, no not for Money, to fet our Feet in it. About five hundred Paces
from the Adofquee ftands a Tower very ingenioufly built. There are two Stair-cafes
without, Soehalong to it, made twirling like a Periwinkle-fhell: one of which Stair-
cafes was built deeper into the Tower than the other.’ I would have taken better —
notice of it, could I have been permitted to have come nearer it: Only I obferv’d
that it was.made of Brick, and that it feems to be very ancient. If a League.
from thence appear three great Portals; that look as if they had been the Gates of
foe great Palace. And indeed it is not improbable but that there was fome great
City thereabouts; for; for three Leagues all along the River there is nothing to be
feen but Ruines. We were twelve hours that day upon the Water, and lay upon
the Banks of Tigris, according to cuftom. ;
The chiy shird, we were twenty hours upon the Water, and all the day long
we faw nothing upon either fide of the River but pitiful Hutts made of the Branches
of Palm-trees, where live certain poor people that turn the Wheels, by means
whereof they water the neighbouring Grounds. We alfo met that day with a River
call’d Odoine , that falls into Tégris upon the fide of the ancient Chalded, .
_ The twenty-fourth, we were twenty-two hours upon the Water togethet, never
ftirring off ftom the Kilet. The reafon is, becaufe the Merchants having tak’n out
of the Kilet all their Money and the beft part of ‘their Merchandizes, give them
to the Country-people , who carry them very faithfully to Bagdat, whither they
go to fell their own Commodities: which the Merchants do, to avoid the payment
of Five in the Hundred , in the Gity. I trufted them alfo with feveral things of
which they gave me a very good account, as they did to otherss being contented
with a {mall matter for their pains. : eee
. The twenty-fifth, about four of the Clock in the Morning we arriv’d at Bagdat;
which is as ufually call’d Babylon. They open the Gates by.fix, and .then the
Cuftomers come. to take an account of the Merchandize, and to fearch the Merchants.
themfelves, If they find nothing about em, sey let the Merchants go: nee
es = ocean 2 3 they
dey
«
33
3 day we faw none but 4rabs and Curds marching along the Banks of ‘the River, the
84
é | The Peak i on Pidval Book I],
at this day. 3 ¥
Baddas a City feated upon the River of Tigris, on the Coaft of Perfia , and fe.
parated from Adefoporamia by the fame River. It lyes in 33 Deg. 15 Min. of Ele.
vation, The Chronicles of the Arabians report that it was built by one of their —
Califfs nam’d eA lmanfour, in the year of the Hegyra of Mahomet 145, and of
Chriftianity 762, or thereabouts. They call it Dar-al-fani, that is » the Houfe of
Peace. Some fay it deriv’d its name from a Hermitage that ftood in a Meadow
where the City now ftands, whence it was call’d Bagdat , or, a Garden bequeath'd.
About forty years ago digging up the Foundations of an Inn, the Work-men found
_ a Body entire, habited like a Bifhop, with a Cenfor and Incenfe byhim. And in
the fame place feveral Cells of Religious Houfes fhew’d themfelves : which makes
it very probable, that where Bagdar is built there was anciently a great Monaftery,
with feveral Houfes where the Chriftians inhabited. The City is about fifteen
_ hundred Paces fong , and fev’n or eight hundred broad, and cannot poflibly be above
three Miles in circuit. The Walls are of Brick, and terrafs’d in fome. laces, with
large Towers like Baftions. Upon all rhefe Towers there are mounte about na
pieces of Cannon, the biggeft whereof carries not above afive or fix Pound Ball.
The Moats are wide , and about five or fix Fathomdeep. ‘There are not above four
Gates; three upon the Land-fide, and one upon the River, which you mutt crofs, over
a Bridge of thirty-three Boats, diftant one from the other about the bredth of one
Boat. The Caftle is in the City, near to one of the Gates call’d El-Afaazan , upon
the North fide. It is partly built upon the River, encompais’d only with a fingle Wall,
terrafs’d in fome places; and adorn’d with little Towers , upon which are planted
about a hundred and fifty Cannon , but without Carriages. The Moat is harrow,
and not above two or three Fathom deep, neither is there any Draw-Bridge before
the Gate. The Garrifon confifts of three hundred Fanizaries , commanded by an
Aga. The City is govern’d by a Bafha, who is generally a Vizier. His Houle
is upon the fide of the River, making a fair fhews and he has alway ready at com-
mand fix or fev’n hundred Horfe. there is alfo an Aga that commands thtee or
four-hundred Spahi’s. They have befides another fort of Cavalry which is call’d Gin-
guliler, that is to fay, Men of Courage, commanded by two Aga’s; and ufually there
are about three thoufand in the City and the Towns adjoyning. The Keys of the
Gates of the City and the Bridge-Gate are in the cuftody of another Aga, who
has under him two hundred Fanizaries. There are alfo fix hundred Foot-men,
who have their particular Aga, and about fixty Cannoneers, who were at that time
commanded by an expert Artiftthat went by the name of Signor Michail » who pafs’d
for a Turk, though he were born in Candy. He put himnfelf into the Grand Signer’s
fervice, when he went to befiege Bagdar, in the year 1638. Though the Turk had the
good fortune to carry the City in a fmall time; not fo much by virtue of the Breach
which Signor Michael had made in the Wall, as the Sedition and Revolt that hap-
pen’d at the fame inftant, the Story whereof was thus in fhort.
The Kan that faftain’d the brunt of the Siege at firtt, was originally an Armenian,
and his name was Sefi-couli-Kan. He had commanded the City a long time , and had
defended it twice from the Army of the Turks, who were not able to take it before.
But the King of Perfia having fent one of his Favourites to command in his room,
who had enter’d upon his Command before the Cannon had made the Breach, the old
Kan finding himfelf difplac’d by the Commiffion of the new Governour , rather
chofe to dye, than furvive the Affront which was put upon him. To which purpofe
he fent for his Servants , the Officers of the Army; his Wife and Son, and taking
three Cups of Poyfon in his Hand, he commanded his Wife, if ever the lov’d him, now.
to fhew the marks of her affe@ion by generoufly dying with him. He gave the
fame exhortation to his Son; and fo all three together drank up the Poyfon, which
procur’d their fpeedy death. The Souldiers,who had a great love for their Goyernour,
having
Chap. VIE. of Monfieur Tavernier.
having beheld fo difinal a Spectacle 5 and knowing the Grand Signor was preparing
for a general Affault , would not obey their new Kaw, but began to aé like Re-
yolters; and to that purpofe they agreed to deliver up the City, upon condition
they might march away with their Arms and Baggage : but the Turks did not keep
their words. For fo oon as the Turks Were got into the City, the Bafha’s told the
Grand Signor , that to weak’n the force. of the Perfian, it was neceffary for him
to put to the Sword all the Souldiers that were in the City: and thereupon there
were above twenty thoufand maffacr’d in cold Blood. The Turks had feiz’d upon
the Capuchins Manfion , but Signor Adichael chief of the Canoneers; got it to be
reftor’d them again. ; no ee
“As to the Civil Government of Bagdat , there is fone but a Cady, who does all,
acting even the Mufti, with a Shiekelaflon ox Tefterdar , who receives the Revenues
of the Grand Signor. There are in it five Adofquecs, of whith two are indifferently
well built, and sdori?é with Duomo’s cover’d with varnifh’d Tiles of different colours.
There are alfo ten Inns, all ill built, except two, which are reafonably convenient.
In general, the City is ill built ; there being nothing of beauty in it but the Bazars,
which are all arch’d; elfe the Merchants would not be able to endure the heats.
They muft alfo be water’d three or four times a day; for which office feveral: poor
people are hir’d upon the publick charge. The City is full of Trade, but not fo full
as it was, when in the hands of the King of Perfia: for when the Turk took it, he
kill’d moft of the richeit Merchants. However there is a great confluence thither
from all Parts; whither for Trade, or for Devotions fake , I cannot tell: becaute
they that follow the Sect of Haly , do believe that Haly liv’d at Bagdat. Befides,
all they that are defirous to go to Mecca by Land, muft pafs through Bagdat, where
every Pilgrim is forc’d to pay four Piaffers to the Bafba. You tuft take notice that
there are in Bagdat two forts of Afabometans , the firft are call’d Rafedi?s; or Here-
ticks; the fecond, Obfervers of the Law, in all things like thofe at Conftantinople.
The Rafedi’s will by no means eat or drink with a Chriftian, and very hardly with
the ret of the Adzhometans : or if they do happ’n to drink out of ie fame Cups
or to touch them, they prefently wath themfelves, as believing themfelves unclean.
The others are not fo ferupulous, but eat and drink and converfe with al the
World. In the 1639, after the Grand Signor had tak’a Bagdat, a Rafedi who
was a Carrier of Water not only refus’d to give a Few to drink, who defir’d it of
him in the Market-place , but abus’d him alfo in words. Thereupon the Few com-
plain’d to the Cady, who itnmediately fent for him, and caus’d his Boracho and his
Cup to be brought along with hims when he came before him, he ask’d for his Cup,
and gave the Few to drink , and then made the Porter drink alfo out of the fame
Cup: After that, he otder’d the Rafedi to be Baftinado’d , and this Leffon to be
taught him while he was chaftifing, That we ate all God’s Creatures, as well Maho-
metans,agChriftians and Féws. This hasmade them lefs zealous in their Superftition,
though they are the chiefet part of the Inhabitants of the City. |
As to their Funerals, I have particularly obferv’d, that when the Husband dyes,
the Wife pulls off all her Head-gear, and lets her Hair fall about her Eats; then
the all befmears her Face with the Soot of a Kettle, and having fo done , frisks and
leaps about after fuch a ridiculous manner, as fram others would rather produce
laughter than tears. All the kindred, friends and neighbours meet at the Houfe of
the deceasd, and {tay for the Celebration of the Funeral. At what time the Wo- -
men ftrive to out-vie one another in a thoufand Apith tricks, clapping their Cheeks,
yee like mad people; and then of a fudden fetting themfelyes to dance to the
ound of two Deunis, like thofe which the Tabor-and-Pipe-Men carry, upon which
the Worthen beat for a quarter of an hour. Among them there is one more ac-
cuftom’d to this fool’ty than the teft, that fills your Ears with mournful Dintis; to
~ which other Women make anfwer, by redoubling their Cries, which may be heard at
a great diftance. It would then be a vain thing to feek to cotafort the Children
of the deceas'd; for they feem to be fo much befide themfelves, that they are not
in a condition to hear arty thing. And they are oblig’d to carry dai felves in that
manner, unlefs they intend to'ruh the reproach of not’ having any kindnefs for
their Parents. When the Corps is carry’d to the Grave, abundarice of poor people
go before with Banners, and Crefcents at the ends of Sticks, finging moft difmal
Ditges all the way. The Womien are not to be at the Interrment , who are Rot
ser $Y.
86
a Hole for the Scaffolding. In fhort, according to the Defcription of Afofes there
The P ERSIAN Travels Book IL
to go abroad but only upon Thurfdays, when they go to the Sepulchers to Pray for
the Dead. And becaufe that by their Law the Husband is oblig’d to lye with his
lawful Wife upon Thuriday-night or Fryday-night , upon Wednefday-morning the
Women go to the Baths, where they perfume their Heads and Bodies with alweet
Water. They may go abroad fometimes at other feafons, when their Husbands
give them leave to vilit their Kindred, but then they are to be wrapt up from
Head to Foot,that it is impoflible for their Husbands themtelves to know them if they
meet ’em ithe Streets. By the way take notice, that the Perfian Women, unlels
they be fuch as are very poor, would rather ftay within all the days of their Lives,
‘than go abroad without a Horfe. And it is a certain fign to know a Curtifan from
an honeft Woman ; for that the Curtifans put their Feet in the Stirup, and the honeft
Women only in the Stirup-leathers. The Women of Bagdar are very richly habited,
after their fafhions; but they are not contented to wear their Jewels about their
Necks and Wrifts, for they hang them like Bracelets about their Faces, and will
bore holes in their Ears to put in a Ring. The Arabian Women only bore the
feparation between the two Noftrils, where they wear hollow Rings, as well to
{pare coft, as for lightnefs; for fome are fo big, that you may almoft thruft your Fift
through them. Beyond all this, the more to beautifie themfelves, they make a
round Ring about their Eyes with a certain fort of Blacking: And as well Men as
Women, in the Defert, put the fame near their Eyes, to preferve them, as they fay,
from the heat of the Sun. ;
Of Chriftians there are three forts: MNefforians , who have a Church Armenians
and Facobites, who have none, but go to the Capuchins , who adminifter the Sacra-
ments tothem. The Chriftians go in-Devotion to a Chappel, about a fhort quarter
of a League from the City, dedicated to a Saint whom they call Keder-Elias, paying
a {mall Fee, for admiffion, to the Turks, who keep the Keys. Two days journey
from the City ftands another ruin’d Church in a pitiful Village, where they fay,
that St. Simon and St. Fade were both Martyr’d and Buried. If a Chriftian dyes, alt
the reft come to his Burial, and returning home, find a Supper prepar’d to welcom
them; the next day they return to the Grave, and pray for the deceas’d; and the
third day there is a Dinner for all comers and goers. Sometimes there will be a
hundred and fifty perfons at a Burial. They repeat the fame Ceremonies for the
feventh, fifteenth, thirtieth and fortieth days afterwards; haying a great veneration
for the Dead, for whom they pray too often. This cuftom of Feafting is very in-
convenient for the Poor; for they being defirous to imitate the Rich, run them-
felves fometimes fo far in Debt , that they are fore’d to fell their Children to the
Turks to difcharge themfelves.
_ There are feveral Fews alfo in Bagdat, but more that come every year in Devotion
to vifit the Sepulcher of the Prophet Ezekiel, which is a day and a halfs journey
from the City. In fhort, fince the taking of Bagdat by Sultan Ammrat , the number
of Inhabitants cannot be lefs than fifteen thoufand Souls, which fhews that the City
is not peopl’d according to its bignefs. i |
About a day and a halfs journey from the Point of Azefopotamia, at diftance almoft
equal between Tigris and Euphrates, there appears a vaft Heap of Earth, which
the people call to this day Nemrod. It ftands in the midft of a wide Plain, and
may be difcover’d a great way off. The vulgar fort believe it to be the Remains
of the Tower of Babel; but there is more probability of the Arabians Opinion, who
call it Agartouf, and believe it to have been built by an Arabian Prince, who
always kept a Beacon at the top to affemble his Subjeéts together in time of War.
This Heap of Earth was about three hundred Paces in circuit; but it is not eafie
to guefs at the ancient height, the reft being fal’n to ruine, but only eighteen or
twenty Fathom. It is built of Brick dry’d in the Sun, every Brick being ten
Inches fquare, and three thick. The Building is thus rais’d. Upon every row of
Canes or Reeds bruis’d to pieces and mix’d with Wheat-ftraw, and fpred an Inch
and a half thick, lye feven orders of thefe Bricks with a little Straw between each;
then another Bed of Reeds, and fix rows of Bricks; then a third with five rows,
decreafing in that manner ’till you come to the top. The form of it feems to bave
been rather fquare than round; and in the higheft part of that which remains there
appears a Hole like a Window; if it were not rather an Out-let for Water, or
1S
Poy eS
7 OF BAGDAT ©
Chap. VII of Monficur Tavernier. 89
| ig no likelihood that this fhould be the Remains of the ancient Tower of Ba
De
The Plane of the City of Bagdat., which is to be compaf'd, as well
eee by Land as by Water , in two Hours.
A, The Ground-Plor.
Bg. The Fortref. .
~ C.. The Gate call’d Maazan-capi.
D: The New Bulwark. =
E, The Port where the Grand Signor erctted his firft Bat’ry, Anno 1638.
££, The Old Bulwark,
GG. The Gate in the Wall.
H. The Old Bulwark. 7
‘J. The Place where Amurat rais’d his fecond BatPry, when he made the Breach , and
took the City.
KK. The Gate in the Wall,
— L... The Old Bulwark:
M.. The Old Bulwark, z
N. Cara-capi; or the Black Gate.
| ©. The Old Bulwark,
~~ P. Sou-capi, or the Water-Gate.
% ee aes aii
i om AP. Vii
oF Continuation of the Road from Bagdat to Balfara : and of the
Religion of the Chriftians of St. John. ;
“4 HE fifteenth of AZarch we hir’d a Bark from Bagdat to Balfara. And
_ _ _weobferv’d, thata little beyond Bagdar the River Tigris divides it felf
into two Arms; the one which runs through the ancient Chaldea, the
| other keeps its courfe toward the Point of A4Zefopotamia; thefe two
Arms making a large Iland, crofs?d by feveral fmall Channels. : :
_ When we came to the place where Tigris divides it felf, we beheld as it were
the compafs of a City that might have formerly been a large League in circuit.'There
_ are fome of the Walls yet ftanding , upon which fix Coaches tiay go a-breft. They ~
are made of burnt Brick, every Brick being ten Foot {quiare, and three thick. The
Chronicles of the Country fay; that thefe were the Ruines of the ancient Ba-
byloz. ;
We follow’d that Arm of Tigris that runs along the Coaft of Chaldea; for fear
of falling into the hands of the Arabs , who were then at War with the Bafha of
Babylon, denying to.pay the ordinary Tribute to the Grand Signor. We were ten
days upon the Water in our paflage from Bagdat to Balfara, and lay every night
upon the Water, drefling our Victuals in the Bark. For when we came to any
Villages, we fent our Servants a-fhoar to buy Provifions, which we had very cheap.
Now the Towns we met with upon the Shoat wete thefe. Amurat, where there
"ood a Fort of Brick bak’d in the Sun; Manfoury, a great Town, Aagar, Gazer,
and Goro. At this laft place Euphrates and Tigris meet together: where are alfo
three Caftles to be feen; one upon the Point where the two Rivets meet, which is
the ftrongeft, and wheré the Son of the Prince of Balfura then commanded; the
fecond upon Chaldea fide ; and the third upon Arabia fide. Though the Cuftoms be
there exaétly demanded, and paid, yet they never fearch any perfon. The Tides
come up to that place : fo that having but fifteen Leagues to Balfara, we got thither.
in fey’n hours , having both Wind and Tide. cise =
All the Country between Bagdat and Balfara is inter-cut and parted by Dikes,
like the Low Countries; the two Cities lying a hundred and fixty Leagues one oo
€
*
The Persian Travels Book II,
the other. It is one of the beft countries in the poffeffion of the Grand Signor ,
being ftor’d with large Meadows and excellent Pafturage, where are bred infinite «
numbers of Beafts, efpecially Mares and Bufalo’s. “The Female Bufalo’s go twelve
Months, and yield fo. much milk, that there are fome which will give two and
twenty Pints. And there is {fo large a quantity of Butter made, that in fome Vil
lages upon the Tigris , we faw fometimes five and twenty, fometimes twenty Barks
fad’n with Butter, which the people fell all along the Gulf of Perfia, as well upon
Arabia, as Perfia fide. *
Half the way between Bagdat and Balfara , we perceiv’d feveral Pavilions {et
up in the Meadows along by the fide of the River. Upon enquiry we heard that
the Tefterdar was come from Confiantinople to gather the Grand Signor’s duty’s. For
from Bagdut to Gorno , for all the Bufalo’s as well Male as Female , there is to be paid
a Piafter and a quarter for every head once a year 3 which is worth yearly to the
Grand Signor a hundred and fourfcore thoufand Piaffers. Every Mare alfo pays two
Piafters, every Sheep ten Sous, which if the Country people were not very cunning,
would be worth fifty thoufand Piaffers more than it is. |
After.this we came to Gorzo, a Fortrefs upon the point where the two Rivers meet, .
befides two other finall Caftles upon each fide, fo that there is no pafling without
leave. Upon the Fort of Gorzo which was well furnifh’d with Cannon , we faw the
Prince of Balfara’s Son, who was Governour of the Fort. And here it is that the
Account of the Cuftomsis taken. But though they are very exact in fearching the
Barks, they are very civil, for they fearch no body. However left any Goods
fhould be hid between the Planks of the Ships , over which they generally throw Fa-
gots and Canes, the Cuftomers bring a great Piercer , with which they bore the fides
of the Bark quite through for the difcovery of conceal’d Goods. The Goods are
Regifter’d at Gorno, but the Cuftoms are always paid at Balfara, according to
the accompt giv’n fromtheFort, = 8 © | | 3
The fame day entring into the Channel that is cut out of Euphrates to. Balfara ,
we met the chief of the Holland Fa&tory taking his pleafure ina Boat cover’d with
Scarlet , who took me with him to Balfara. cs
Balfara ftands upon the fide of Arabia deferta, two Leagues from the Ruines-of
a City, which was formerly call’d Teredon, and anciently ftood in the Delert, to
which the Water. was formerly conyeigh’d out of Euphrates in a Brick Channel ftill
to be feeqs .
By the Ruines it appears to have been a great City, from whence the Arabians
fetch ‘away the Bricks and fell them at Balfara. The City of Balfara is half a
League from Euphrates, which the e4rabians in their Language call Sherel-areb .
or the River of Arabia. The Inhabitants of the City have made a Channel to it
about half a League long, which bears Veflels of 150 Tun; at the end where-
of ftands a Fort, fo that no Veffel can get into the Fort without leave. The Sea is
above fitteen Leaguesoff, but the Tidecomes up tothe Channel, and fills the River
other fifteen Leagues upward beyond Gorme. The Country is fo low, that were
itnot for a Dam that runs along the Sea-fhoar , it would often be in danger of being
drown’d. The Dam is above a League in length, and built all of Free-ftone fo ftrong,
that the fury of the waves can do them no injury,though it lie open to a Boyftrous Sea.
It is not above a hundred years fince Balfarabelong’d to the Arabians of the Defert,
and had no commerce with the Nations of Europe. For thofe people were contented
to eat their own Dates, having fo great a quantity, that they only live upon them.
Tis the fame thing all along the Gulf on each fide; for from Balfzra to the River
Indus for above fix hundred Leagues together, and all along the Coaft of Arabia to
Mafcaté, the poor fort of people know not what it isto eat Rice, but live upon
Dates and Salt-fith dry’d in the wind. The Cows eat no Grafs, and though they
go abroad in the fields, they find little or nothing among the bufhes which is
proper for them to eat. But every Morning before they drive them to the
Field, and when they return home , they give them heads of fith and Date-nuts
boil’d together. |
The Turks having had War with the Arabians took Balfara; and yet becaufe
the Arabians always hover’d about the Town , and made booty of all they could lay
their hands on, they were forc’d to come to an agreement with them , that the Arabs
fhould quietly enjoy all the Defert ’till within a League of the City; and that the
Turks
Chap.VIL. | of Monfieur ‘ig R
‘ Turks fhould remain peaceable Mafters of the City, where they have a Bafha for
Governour. But this Treaty endur’d not long 5 for inthe middle of the City there
is a Cittadel, call’d Aufhel Bafha, or the Bafha's Court, which the Turks built; fo
that the Garrifon being Turks and the Inhabitants Arabiaws , who could not endure
tobe curb’d , they oft-times quarrell’d with the Turks and.came to blows. There-
upon the Arabians of the Defert came to the relief of the Citizens and befieg’d the
Baha in the Fortrefs. At length becaufe there could be no fuch agreement made ,
but that one party or other took an occafion prefently to break it, there was one
Bafha whofe name was Aind, who after many contefts and revolts which had almoft
rdhim, refolv’d to rid himfelf of the trouble , and fold his Government for forty
houfind Piaffers to arich Lord in the Country, who prefently raisd afufficient
number of Souldiers to keep the people inawe. This great man took upon him the
name of Efrafias Bafba, being the Grandfather of Huffen Bafha, who was Gover-
nour at the time when I paf$’d through before. This Efrafias threw off the Turki(h
oak , and took upon himthe title of Prince of Balfara. As for the Bafha that fold
hie Government, he no fooner arriv’d at Conflantinople , but he was ftrangl’d. But
after Amurath had taken Bagdat , the Prince of Bal/ara was glad to feed him conti-
pually with Prefents that chiefly confifted in Horfes , which are very beautiful in that
Country. The Great Sha-Abas having taken Ormus, fent a powerful Army under
the.Command of Jman-Kouk-Kan Governour of Shiras,to take in Balfara. Whereupon
the Prince finding himfelf too weak to refift fo great a Pow’r, made an agreement with
the Defert Arabians to break down the Dam that ftops the Sea. Which being per-
form’d , in came the Sea tumbling fifteen Leagues to Baifara , and four Leagues be-
yond it, which conftrain’d the Perfians, furrounded with water, and hearing at
the fame time of the death of Sha- Abas,to raife their Siege.Since that inundation,feverat
Lands and Gardens have been utterly barren, or have born very little, by reafon of
the Salt which the Sea has left behind.
- The Prince of Baljzra has enter’d into Leagues with feveral ftrange Nations,. 4o
that whencefoever you come, you may be welcom. There is fo much liberty and fo
good order inthe City, that you may walk all night long in the Streets without mo-
leftation. The Hollanders bring Spices thither every year. The €xgli/b carry Pepper
and fome few Cloves; but the Portugals have no Trade at all thither. The Jzdians
bring Calicuts, Indigo, and all forts of Merchandize. In fhort, there are Mer-
chants of all Country’s, from Conffantinople, Smyrna, Aleppo, Damafcus, Cairo,
and other parts of Turkie , to buy fuch Merchandizes as come trom the Jndies , with
which they lade the young Camels which they buy in that place; for thither the
Arabians bring them to put themtofale. They that come from Diarbequir, Jfow-
ffl, Bagdat , Mefopotamia, and Affyria, fend their Merchandizes up the Tigris
by Water , but with great trouble and expence. In regard the Boats are to be tow’d
by men, that cannot go above two Leagues and a half in a day, and againft the
Wind they cannot ftir, which makes them oft-times between Balfara and Bagdat
tobe above fixty.days, nay there have been fome that have been three months upon
the Water. Ris ” ‘
The Cuftoms of Balfara amount to-five in the hundred , but generally you have
fome favour fhew’d you, either by the Cuftomer or the Prince himfelf, that the
Merchant does not really pay above four in the hundred. ‘The Prince of Balfaea is
fo good a Husband, that he lays up three millions of Levers ina year. His chiefeft
Revenue is ‘in four things , ete , Horfes, Camels , and Date-trees , but in the
faft confifts his chiefeft weglth. For all the Country from the meeting of the two
Rivers to the Sea, for the{pAce of thirty Leaguestogether,isall cover’d with thefeTrees;
nor does any one dare to/toucha Date, ’till he has paid for every Tree three fourths
of a Larin, or nine Sous French. The profit which the Prince makes upon money ,
Art to bring upt
wherein they hee the top
whereof
85
90
~The Per my ws Travels Book II,
whereof ends in one fingle Nut, which being cover’d with Earth produces the Palm.
tree. Moft of the people of the Country do fay, that in regard there is among the
Palm-trees the diftinétion of Male and Female, that therefore they mutt be planted
one by another , for that otherwife the Female Tree will bear no Fruit. But others
affirm that nicety to be unneceffary, and that it fuffices, when the Male is in Bloflom
to take a Flower from the Male, and put it into the Heart of the Female a little
above the Stem, for unlefs they fhould do fo, all the Fruit would fall off before it
¢€ame to maturity. 7 ;
There is at Balfara a Cady that adminifters Juftice , and who is eftablifh’d by the
authority of the Prince that commands there. In the City are alfo three forts of
Chriftians, Facobites, Nefforians, and Chriftians of St. Fohn. There is alfo a Houfe
of Italian Carmelites; and there was a Houfe of Portugal Auflin-Friars, but they have
forlak’n the Town ever fince their Country-men quitted the Trade.
The Chriftians of St. ¥obn are very numerous at Bulfara, and the Villages there-
abouts; who anciently liv’d by the River of ¥ordan, where St. Foba Baptiz’d; and
from whom they took their Name. But fince the time that ALshomet conquer’d
Paleftine, though Adahomet formerly gave them his Hand and his Letters of Pri-
viledge that they fhould not be molefted, neverthelefs they that fucceeded the
falfe Prophet refolv’d to extirpate them all; to which purpofe they ruin’d their
Churches, burnt their Books , and exercis’d all manner of cruelties upon their Per-
fons: which oblig’d them to retire into Mefopotamia and Chaldea, and for fome time
they were under the Patriarch of Babylon, from whom they feparated about a
hundred and fixty yearsago. Then they remov’d into Perfia and Arabia, and the
Towns round about Balfara ; as Souter, Defpoul , Rumez , Bitoum,, Mono, Endecan,
Calafabat, Aveza, Dega, Dorech, Mafquel, Gumar, Carianous, Balfara, Onexer, Zech,
Loz4, Nor do they inhabit City or Village by which there does not run a River.
And many of their Bifhops have affur’d me, that the Chtiftians in all the foregoing
places make above five and twenty thoufand Families. There are fome among them
who are Merchants; but the moft part of them are Trades-men , efpecially Gold-
{fmiths, Joyners, and Lock-finiths. a
Their Creed is full of fables and foul errours, The Perfians and Arabians call them
Sabb: , a People that have forfak’n their own Religion, to take up a new one. In
their own Language they call themfelves Afendai Fabia, or Difciples of St. John,
from whom, as they afcertain us, they have receiv’d their Faith, their Books, and
their Traditions. Every year they celebrate a Feaft for about five days, during
which time they go in Tsiore to their Bifhops, who Baptize them according to the
Baptilm of St. Fohz.
They never Baptize but in Rivers, and only upon Sundays. But before they
go to the River they carry the Infant to Church, where there is a Bifhop who
reads certain Prayers over the Head of the Child; from thence they carry the Child
to the River, with a Train of et Women, who together with the Bithop
§° up to the knees inWater.Then the Bifhop reads again certain Prayers out of a Book
which he holds in his Hand, which done-he iprinkles the Infant three times, {aying,
Beefmebrad er-Rabi, Kaddemin, Akreri, Menbalel gennet Alli Koulli Kralek; or, Inthe
Name of the Lord, firft and laft of the World and of Paradife, the high Creator of all
a things. After that, the Bifhop reads fomething “again in his Book, while the God-
father plunges the Child all over in the Water ; afterwhich they go all to the Parents
Houfe to feaft. If any tax their Baptifm for infufficient, in regard the Three Perfons
of the Divinity are not nam’d therein , they can make ne rational defence for them-
felves, Nor have they any knowledge of the Myftery of the Aigy Trinity, ‘only
they fay that Chrift is the Spirit and Word of the Eternal Fathet. They are fo
blind as to believe the Angel Gabriel to be the Son of God}, begotten upon Light;
yet will not believe the Eternal Generation of Chrift, as God. Yet they confefs
¢ became Man, to free us from the Punifhment of Sin: and \that he was conceiv’d
in the womb of a Virgin without the knowledge of Man, by means of the Water
of a certain Fountain which the drank of, They believe he was crucif?d by the
Fews; that he rofe the third day; and that his Soul acending to Heaven , his
Body remain’d on Earth. But like the Mahometans they corrupt their Faith, by
faying, that Chrift vanith’d when the ews came to take him, auc that he deluded
their cruelty with his Shadow. a
In
—
Chap. VILL. of ‘Monfeur ose a NIER.
In the Euchariit they make ufe of Meal or Flow’r, kneaded up with Wine and.
Oyl: For, fay they, the Body of Chrift being compos’d of the two principal parts,
Fleih and Blood, the Flowr and the Wine do moft periectly reprefent them;
befides, that Chrift at his Supper made ufe of Wine only, and not of Water. They
add Oy!, to fignifie the benefit we receive by his favour of the Sacrament, and to
put us in mind of our Love and Charity towards God and our Neighbour. To
make this Wine, they take Grapes dry’d in the Sun, which they call in their Lan-
uage Zebibes, and cafting Water upon them, let them fteep for fo long a time.
he fame Wine they ufe for the Confecration of the Cup. They make ufe of
Raifins, in regard they are more eafie to be had than Wine, the Perfians; efpe-
cially the Arabians , under whofe Government they live, not permitting , nor indeed
allowing them the ufe of it. Of all people that follow the Law of A¢zhomer, there
are none fo oppofite to other Religions, as thefe Perfrans and Arabians about Balfara.
The words of their Confecration, are no other than certain long Prayers, which
they make to praife and thank God, at the fame time bleffing the Bread and Wine,
never making mention of his Body and Blood; which they fay is not at all neceflary,
becaufe God knows their intentions. After all the Ceremonies are ended, the
Prieft takes the Bread, and having eaten fome of it, diftributes the reft to the
People. se:
= to their Bifhops and Priefts, when any one dyes , who has a Son, they choofe
him in his place; and if he have no Son, they take the next a-kin that is moft
capable and beft inftructed in their Religion. ‘They that make the Eleétion, fay
feveral Prayers over him that is elected. If he be a Bifhop, after he is receiv’d, and
that he go about to Ordain others, he ought to faft fix days, during which time
he continually repeats certain Prayers over him that is to be ordain’d Prieft, who
alfo for his part fafts and prays all the faid time. And whereas I fay the Father
fucceeds the Son, itis to be obferv’d, that among the Chriftians in thofe Parts,
both Bithops and Priefts marry, asdo the reft of the people; only if their firft Wife
dye, they cannot marry another unlefs fhe be a Virgin. Moreover, they that are
admitted to Ecclefiaftical Funétions, muft be of the race of Bifhops or Priefts; and
their Mothers muft have been always Virgins when they were marry’d. All their
Bifhops and Priefts wear their Hair long, and a Jittle Crofs wrought with a
Needles, sto 2 si ts :
_ When there is any Wedding to be, the kindred and perfons invited go toge-
ther with the Bridegroom, to the Houfe where the Bride lives. Thither comes
the Bithop alfo, and approaching the Bride, who is fitting under a Canopy, he
asks her if fhe be a Virgin. If the anfwer that fhe is fo, he makes her confirm it
by an Oath. After which he returns to the Guefts, and fends his Wife with fome
other skilful Women to make an infpetion. If they find her to be a Virgin, the
- Bithop’s Wife returns and makes Oath of it; and then they all go to the River,
where the Bifhop re-baptizes the Couple to be marry’d. Then they return toward
the Houle, and making a ftop before they come quite near it, the Bridegroom takes
the Bride by the Hand, and leads her feven times from the Company to the Houfe,
the Bithop following them every time, and reading certain Prayers. After that
they go into the Houle, and the Bride and Bridegroom place themfelves under the
Canopy, where they {et their Shoulders one againft another, and the Bifhop reads
again, caufing them to lay their Heads together three times. Then op’ning a Book of
Divination , and looking for the moft fortunate day to confimmate the Marriage,
he tells them of it. But if the Bifhop’s Wife do not find the Bride to be a Virgin;
the Bifhop can proceed no farther, fo that if the young Man have itill a mind; he
muft go to fome meaner Pricft to perform the Ceremony. Which is the reafon
that the people take it for a great difhonour to be marry’d by any other than the
Bifhops; for when a Prieft marries, tis an infallible fign that the Bride was no Virgin.
The Priefts allo, in regard they take it to be a great Sin for a Woman to marry
not being a Virgin, they never marry any fuch but by conftraint, and to avoid
enfuing inconveniencies , for fometimes in defpite they will turn Adahometans. The
reafon of the Infpection is, that the Husbands may not be deceiv’d, and to keep the
young Girls in awe. . od Deak = A re
As to what they believe touching the Creation of the World, they fay, that the
Angel Gabriel undertrking to create the World according to the command ws
; : M2 9
Ol
92
The Pr ou: Paces Book II.
a a
God gave him, took along with him three hundred thirty-tix thoufand Demons,
and made the earth fo fertile, that it was but to Sow in the Morning and Reap at
Night. That the fame Angel taught Adam to Plant and Sow , and all other neceffary
Sciences, Moreover that the fame Angel made the feven lower Spheres, the leatt
whereof reaches to the Center of the World, in the fame manner as the Heavens
do, all contriv’d one within another. That all thefe Spheres are of different
Metals, the firft next the Center is of Iron, thefecond of Lead, the third of Brafs,
the fourth of Laten, the fifth of Silver, the fixth of Gold, and the feventh of
Earth. ‘The feventh is that which contains all the reft, and is the chiefeft of all, as
being the moft fruitful and profitable to Man, and the moft proper to preferve Man.
kind, whereas the reft feem rather to be fram’d for its deftruction. They believe
that over every Heaven there is Water, whence they conclude that the Sun {wims ina
Ship upon that Water, and that the Maft of his Ship isa Crofs, and that there are a
great number of Boys and Servants to guide the Ships of the Sun and Moon,
Befides , they have the Picture of a Barque, which they fay belong’d to the Angel
Bacan , whom God fends to vifit the Sun and Moon , to fee whither they move right
or no, and keep elofe to their duty.
In reference to the other World and life to come , they believe there isno other
World, but where Angels and Devils, the Souls of good and bad refide. Thatin
that World there are Cities, Houfes, and Churches » and that the Evil Spirits have
alfo Churches, where they pray, finging and rejoycing upon Inftruments, and
Feafting as in this World. That when any one lies at the point of death , three
hundred and fixty Demons come and carry his Soul to a place full of Serpents, Dogs,
Lyons, Tygres, and Devils, who, if it be the Soul of a wicked man, tear it in
pieces; but being the Soul of a juftman, it creeps under the bellies of thofe Crea-
tures into the prefence of God, who fits in his feat of Majefty to judge the World.
That there are Angels alfo that weigh the Souls of Men in a Balance , who being
_ thought worthy, are admitted immediately into Glory. That the Angels and
Devils are Male and Female, and beget Children. That the Angel Gabriel is the
Son of God engender’d upon Light, and that he has a Daughter call’d Souret who
has two Sons. That the Angel Gabriel has feveral Legions of Demons undef hint,
who are inftead of Souldiers, and others that are his Officers of juftice , whom he
fends from Town to Town, and from City to City , to punith the wicked.
-Inreference to Saints, they hold that Chrift left twelve Apoftles to Preach to the
Nations. That the Virgin AZzry is not dead, but that fhe lives fomewhere in the .
World, though there be no perfon that can tell where fhe is. That next to her
St. Fobx is the chiefeft Saint in Heaven, and next to them Zacharias and Elizabeth ,
of whom they recompt feveral miracles and Apocryphal tales. For they believe
that they two begat St. Fobn only by embracing, that when he came to be of
age they Marry’d him, and that he had four Sons which he begat upon the waters of
Fordan. That when St. Fobn defir’d a Son, he ray’d to God, who drew him one out
of the water; fo that St. fohn had nomore to ie with his Wife but only to give her
the Child tobring up. That he dy’d a natural death, but that he commanded his
Ditciples to Crucifie him after hisdeath , that he might be like Chrift. Laftly , that
he dy’d in the City of Fajer , and that he was bury’d in a Chryftal Tomb , brought
by miracle to the City , and that this Sepulchre was in a certain Houfe near the River
Fordun. ui | ee
“They highly honour the Crofs, and fign themfelves with it; but they are very
carefubof letting the Turks obferve them; and during theix eremonies, they feta
Watch at their Church doors: for fear the Turks fhould enter, a lay fome unjuft
Fine upon them. When they have ador’d the Crofs, they take it in two pieces ,
which they never put together again , till their Service rebegins. The reafon why
they 10 adore the Crofs isdrawn out of a Book which they have, Entitued The Di-
van» Where it is written that every day early in the Morning , the Angels take the
Crofs and put it in the middle of the Sun, which receives his light from it, asthe
Moon alfodoth hers. They add, that in the fame Book are Pictur’d two Ships, one
of which is nam’d the Sun, the other the Moon; and that in every one of thefe
_ Ships there isa Crofs full of Bells: And moreover , that if there-were not a Crofs in
thofe two Ships, the Sun and Moon would be depriv’d of Light, and the Ships would
fuffer Shipwrack.
Their
Chap. VIII. of Monfieur T a VERNTER,
Their chief Feftivals are three. The one in Winter, that lafts three days, in
memory of our firft Parent and the Creation of the World. The other in the
Month of -Auguf?, that alfo lafts three days, which is call’d the Feaft of St. ¥ohn,
The third which lafts five days in Fume, during which time they are all re-baptiz’d.
They obferve Sunday, doing no work upon that day. ‘They neither Faft nor do any
penance. They have no Canonical Books, but a great number of others that treat
of nothing but Witchcraft, in which they believe their Priefts to be very crafty ,
and that the “Devils are at their beck. They hold all Women to be unclean,
and that itisnotat all available for them to come to the Church. >
They have one Ceremony , which they call the Ceremony of the Hen, of which
they make great Accompt, which is not lawful for any to perforni but a Prieft Borh
of a Virgin at the time of her Marriage. Whena hen is to be kill’d, the Prieft
puts off his‘ordinary habit, and puts on a Linnen Cloth, girding his waite with a
fecond , and throwing a third about his fhoulders like a Stole. Then he takes the
Fowl, and plunges it in the water to make it clean 5 after which he.turns toward
the Eaft and cuts off the head , holding the Body in his hand ’till it has bled out all the
blood. While the Hen bleeds , with his Eyes lifted up to Heaven , asif he were in
an extafie, he repeats in his own Language thefe words following :_ Jn the mame of God;
this fle(h be profitable to all that eat of it? They obferve the fame ceremony
when they kill Sheep. For firft, they cleanfe the place very carefully where the
Sheep is to be kill’d , wathing it with water, and ftrewing it with boughs , nor is the
number of people {mall that affifts at this Ceremony, as if it were at fome folemn
Sacrifice. If you ask them why.it is not lawful for the Laity to kill Fowls? They
anfwer that it is no more lawful for them to kill than to confecrate thems and that is alf
the reafon which they bring. They eat of nothing dreft by the Turks; and if a
Turk, ask them for drink , fo foonashe hasdrank, they break theCup. And tomake
the Turks more hateful, they Pi@ture Mahomet like a great Gyant, fhut-up in Prifon
in Hell with four more of hisParents; and they fay, that all the Twrké are carry’d
into the fame place full of wild Beaftsto be theredevour’d. te
They pretend all to Salvation. For fay they, after the Angel Gabriel had fram’d
eAnd who indeed was able to make way for Rivers thr
and to give every thing its proper place? Moreover
la ve al free , and obtain Salvation,
ians havea ftrange Antipathy againft the Blew Colour call’d Indigo,
which they will not fo much as touch. For certain Fews dreaming that their Law
fhould be abolith’d by St. Feba, told it their Country-men. Which they under-
ftanding , and feeing that St. fobs prepar’d to Baptize Chrift, in a great rage ,
fetch’d a vait quantity of Indigo, which they call Ai in their Language, arid flung it
into fordan. They add alfothat thofe waters continu’d unclean for fome time, and
had hinder’d the Baptifin of Chrift, had not God fent his Angels with a large Veffe!
of water, which he caus’d them to fill out of Fordan before the ews had defil'd it
with Indigo, for which reafon God particularly Cuts’d that Colour.
CHAP.
ad seu 4 pn
es
4
The Per tra 8 Travels Book II.
C.J Ps he
A Continuation of the Road from Balfara to Ormus.
He tenth of April we fet out from Balfura for Bander-Congo , for which
paflage we hir’d a Terrade or a Barque for the purpofe; for they which
are laden with Dates are generally fo overcharg’d , that if a Storm rifes,
they are in danger of being overiet. The River of Balfara is very dan-
gerous, by reafon of the Sands which alfolieup and down the Perfian Gulf, and
are very prejudicial to Navigation in that place. On both fides the Gulf that fepa-
rates Perfia from e4rabia the Happy , live a fort of poor people that follow no other
Trade than fifhing , fo poor, that when they bring fifh to your Veffel, they require
nothing for it but Rice; and not the beit neither, but fuch courfe ftuff as we feed
our Hens and Pigs withall. I gave them a Sack of thirty or forty pounds, and bid
them make merry withit, but theytoldme, they muft be careful howthey fpent |
fuch Rice as that, unlefs it were be their Sick, or at their Weddings ; fo that if
the reft of Arabia the Happy be like that, affuredly ’tis rather a moft unfortunate
Country. 7
There are feveral Ifles in the Perfian Gulf , but the chiefeft of all is the Ife
of Baharen, where they fifh for Pearls, of which I have {poken in its proper
Jace. 3 .
. Near to the place where Exphrates falls from Balfara into the Sea, there isa little
Ifland , where the Barques generally come to an Anchor, in expeétation of the wind,
There we ftay’d four days, whence to Bandar-Congo it is fourteen days Sail, and we
pot thither the twenty-third of April. This place would bea far better habitation
Poe the Merchants than Ormus, where it is very unwholefom and dangerous to live.
But that which hinders the Trade from Bandar-Congo , is becaufe the Road to Lay
is fo bad, by reafon of the want of Water, and craggy narrow ways , which only
Camels can endure, but from Ormus to Lar the way is tollerable. We ftay’d-at
Bandar-Conge two days , where there is a Portugas Faétot , who receives one half of
the Cuftoms by agreement with the King of Perjiz. By the way take notice, that
they who will go by Water from Ormus to Balfara , mult take the Natives for their
Pilots , and be continually founding befides.
The thirtieth , we hir’d a Veifel for Bander-Abaffi, and after three or four
hours Sailing, we put intoa Village upon the Sea-fide, in the Ifland of Keck.
mifhe.
Keckmijhe is an land three Leaguesabout , and about five or fix from Ormus. It
exceeds in Fertility all the Iflands of the Eaft, that produce neither Wheat nor Bar-
ley, but at Keckmifhe is a Magazine of both, without which Ormus would hardly
fubfift, in regard it furnifhes gS als SELEY moft of their Provifion for their Horfes.
There is in the Ifland a Spring of good Water, for the prefervation of which, the
Perfians have built a Fort, leaft the Portugals when they held Ormus, fhould get it
into their Poffeffion, oa |
In 1641. aud 1642. the Hollanders falling out with the King of Perfia about their
Silk Trade , befieg’d this land. For the Ambafladors of the Duke of Holffein com-
ing into Perfia, the Dxtch were jealous that they came to fetch away all the Silk ;
and thereupon enhanc’d the Market from forty-two to fifty Tomans. When the
Ambaffadors were gone, the Dutch would pay no more than forty-four, which was
two Tomadns more than they were us’d to do. The King netl’d that they would not
ftand to their words , forbid that they fhould make tale of their Goods ’till they had
paid their Cuftoms, from which ’till that time they were! exempted, .. Thereupon
the Hollanders befieg’d the Fortrefs of Keckmifbe, but the Heats. were fo intollera-
ble , that they were forc’d to quit their defign with great lofs of their Men;
and at length by great Prefents to the chief Courtiers, they obtain’d to pay no more
than forty-fix Tomans. }
Larec is an Mfland nearer to Ormus than Keckmifhe, well inhabited » and fo ftor’d
with Stags and Hinds, that in one day we kill’d five and forty.
From Keckgnifhe we Sail'd for Ormus , where we arriy’d the firft of Atay. Uhad
; put
Chap. X. of Monfieur Tavernier.
put my choiceft Goods in a Cheft directed for the Hollaad Commander at Ormus , by
“which means I got the Cuftom free. mais.’
The Perfian Gulf is the moft dangerous Gulf I know , by reafon of the thallow-
nefs and {harp Promontories that point out into the Sea; and therefore the beft way
is to take a Pilot at Ormus or Bander-Congo » and the moft proper Pilots are the Fifher-
men, who are only skill’d in that Sea and no farther. The Soyl about the Perfiar
Gulf is dry Sand and without Water, fo that it is impoflible to Travel by Land from
Ormusto Balfava. The Merchants would be glad to find a way through the Coaft
of Arabia to get to Mafcatée , whence there might a cut be made to Sinds, Din,
or Surat, whicharethe three chief Portsof Jndia. During the difference between
the King of Perfia and the Hollanders , the Emir of Vodana an «Arabian Prince ,
offer’d to fhew them an eafie Road from Mafeate to Balfara. But the Hollanders
fearing to break with the King of Perfia, where they vended above fifteen or
fixteen hundred thoufand pounds of their Pepper, and paid therewith for all their Silk,
did not think it worth their while to quit Ormus to fettle themfelves at AZsf-
cate.
Had it been yielded to, the way had been from Ralfara to Elcatif a Sea-Town
in Arabia the Happy, where there is a Fifhery for Pearls that belongs to the Emir
of Elcatif. From Elcatif to Mafcalat, another City of Arabia, and the refidence
of another Emir. From Mafcalat to Vodana, a good handfom City feated upon the
meeting of two little Rivers that carry Barques to the Sea, and run together by the
finglename of Adeyefur. The Soylabout Vodana produces no Corn, and very little
Rice; but it abounds in Fruits, efpecially Prunes and Quinces, which are not fo
fowr as ours, and are eaten by the Natives as Pears. There are extraordinary good
Melons and great Store of Grapes, of which the ¥ews, who inhabit the beft part of
the City, are permitted to make Wine. From Vodana to the Gulf, the County
of each fide is full of Palm-Trees, the Dates being the Food of the common people,
who have not Money to buy either Corn or Rice. From Vodana to Mafcate it is
but fifteen Leagues, though by the Maps, which are Erroneous, the way is defcrib’d
to be much Jonger. | Ma
Being at Ormus, the Emir of Vodanafhew'd me a Pearl tranfparent and perfectly
round, that weigh’d feventeen Abas, or fourteen Carats and feven Eights, for in
all the Pearl Fifheries of the Eaft. they ufe no other weights but 4bas, which make
feven Eights of aCarat. 1 offer’d him 300000 Piaflers, or 60000 Roxpies for the
fame Pearl, but the Emir refus’d to take it, telling me that he had been offer’d
more Money for it by feveral Princes of Afia, who had fent to him to buy it, but
that he was. refoly’d never to part with it. ae :
Cr yee 3. |
Of the Authors firft Voyage , and the adventures of four French-
men.
Departed out of Parts in the year 1657, and Embark’d at Mar/esles for
Ligorn.
We fet Sail from Ligorn {even Veflels together, two bound for Venice, one
for Conftantinople , one for Aleppo, and three for Smyrna, in one of which be-
ing a Dutch Veffel | Embark’d. But before I leave Smyrna, to begin my Journey
from Tauris, give me leaveto relate the ftory of four Freachmen, the various acci-
dents whereof will much enlight’n the Reader into the Cuftoms and Manners, as
well of the Turks as Perfians. eee
While I ftay’d the departure of the Caravan, which could not be ready in five or
fix Weeks, as alfo upon the advice of a rich Few anda Merchant of Jewels at Couftan-
tinople, who had feveral Pearls tofell , aswellfor their beauty as their bignefs, the
bet Commodity a man cancarry tothe Indies, 1 fent to Conffantinople a perfon that -
carry’
9%.
96
-defiring to fee the Goods, which made up the other part of the payment, the Gen-
The Pers Ff Travels | Book II,
carry’d along with me, one that was well vers’d in that fort of Commodity. There
wasa Norman Gentleman nam’d de Reville then at Smyrna, who would needs accom.
pany my Faétor, fo that they went both together in a Veffel that carry’d the French
Ambaffador and his Lady to Conftantinople. This Gentleman had two or three thou.
{and Ducats in his Purfe , wanting neither wit nor courage, befidesa good pretence ;
but perhaps he was more hafty in his proceedings than the. referv’dnefs of that Coun.
try requir’d. He had left the Service of the Mufcovites , thinking to find an employ.
ment in the Service of the Venetians at Candy ; but failing in his expectations, he re.
folv’d to travel into Perfia. Whilehe was at Conffantinople, the Fews, who lay hold
upon all opportunities of gain, foon found out my Factor, and befides the Pearls
which he defir’d to fee, they fhew’d him {feveral other richStones to try whether
they could draw him in; for he had refus’d the Pearls becaufe they held them at too
highaRate. The Norman Gentleman fell into their acquaintance; and picking out
the richeft, told him, that being refolv’d for the Zndies, he had a mind to lay
out four thoufand Ducats in Pearls. He addedalfo, that he would pay him half in
Money , half in Goods, and at the fame time fhew’d the Few two thoufand Ducats , *
which the Few had already devour’d with hiseyes. Some four days after, the Few
brought the Gentleman four fair Pearles with fome Emraulds; and you may be fure
they eafily agreed upon the price, in regard the Gentleman hada defign to puta
trick upon the Few.» Thereupon he fhews his Ducatsafecond time, which the Few,
who thought he had a Cully, prefently told out as his own. After that the few
tleman without any more ado told him., that all the Merchandize which he had to
pay him, was a good ftrong Quartan Ague which had held him along time, and
jndeed fuch a one, that he could not poflibly meet with a better,but that he would no
over-rate it, in regard he ask’d but two thoufand Ducars for it. The ew who
was rich and in great credit at Court, was fo incensd at his raillery , that he had
like to have made a wicked ftir about it. For as he had heard him fay, thatthe
Gentleman was going into the Indies and Perfia, he might have eafily caus’d him to
have been apprehended for a Spy. But in regard the Fews can do nothing in point
of Trade without the affiftance of the French Merchants, he adviz’d with fone of
them, who perfwaded him that it was an A& of folly , which it better became him
toexcufe, and defir’d him to take his Goods again, and putup the bufinefs; which
with much ado they perfwaded himto condefcend to. The Gentleman fearing leaft
the Fews underhand fhould do him a private mifchief , ftole away with what {peed he
could , and return’d to Smyrna.
De Reville being thusreturn’d to Smyrna, put himfelf into an Almadier, which isa
{mall Veflel of War, that generally touches at Ohio and Rhodes , being bound for
prus , from whence there is always fome convenience or other to get to Alexan-
retta. From thence he went to Aleppo; and while he ftay’d there he met with two
French men, the one whofe name was Neret, the other Hautin , who was an Ac-
comptant. They had four wooden Chefts full of falfe Stones ready fet, by which
they flatter’d themfelves to be great gainers in Perfia. They went from Afur{eilles to
Seyde, from 40% to Dama , hearing that there was an opportunity to Travel to
Bagdat with the Topigi-Bafhi. This Topigi-Bajhi or chief of the Engineers, was
he that affitted Amurath in the taking of Bagdat, in recompence whereof the Grand
Signor gave him a Timar , or Lordfhip in Damas worth four: thoufand Crowns a
year. Now it washiscuftom every year to vifit Bagdat, and to ftay there during the
Seafon , that there was any probability of the King of Perfiz’s befieging it; which
Seafon not lafting above three or four Months, when that was over, he return’d to
Damas. He ufually had about thirty Horfe with him , with whith he nevermade
it above eighteen or twenty days, taking the fhorteft cut direétly through the
Defert , where the Arabs are commanded to bring him Viatuals upon the Road.
And he is willing at any time when he has this opportunity , to condué the Franks
that defire it that way, in regard they are never ungrateful to him for it. Thefe
two Franks therefore having defir’d that they might be taken into his Company, -
the Topigi-Bajhi readily confented; provided they could ftay ’till he went , which
would not be ’till two or three Months; with which anfwer they were well fatisf’d.
But the two Franks had not ftay’d at Damas above feven or eight days but they fell
acquainted with a Spabi, a Renegade of Afurfeilles, who proffer’d to carry them -
eas | through.»
~
Chap.X. of Monfieur Tavernie R;
through the Road of AZefoposamia, fo that they fhould be at [/pahan before the
Topjgi-Bafhi {et out from Damas. Thereupon they privately departed out of Damas
without acquainting the Topig:-Ba/hi , who underftanding they were gone after the
courtefie he had offer’d them, was fo enrag’d at theiruncivillity , that he fent two
‘of his Arabian Servants direétly through the Wildernefs to the Bajha of Bagdar, to
give him advice of two Franks that were to pafs that way who were moft certainly
Spies, defcribing them withall from head to foot. et!
In the mean while the twoFranks being arriv’d at Ourfa,the Spahi,as he had contriv’d
his own defign at Damas, goes to the Bafha of Ourfa, and informs him that he had con-
dusted thither two Frazks, who could be no other. than Spies. Thereupon the
Bafha feiz’d upon them and alltheir Goods, among the reft he laid his paws upon
feven hundred Piafters, of which the Spahi no doubt had his fhare.. And this
may ferve for inftruction to Travellers to have a care how and with whom they Travel
in Turkie. oy
While the two Frevch men were in hold at Ourfa by one fort of Treachery ,
the Norman Gentleman and his Companion arriv’d at Bagdat. But they had no
fooner fet their feet upon the thore, when the Bafha verily believing them to be
the perfons , of whom the Topigi-Bafhi had giv’n him notice, caus’d them to be
brought before him, and feiz’d upon their Goods and Letters, of which they had
feveral for the Confiul of Aleppo, and other rich Merchants for Perfia. The Bajha
fent for the Capuchins to read thofe Letters , but not believing them, he fent for
a Sicilian Phyfitian which he had in his Service, and his Treafurer who had beena
Slave tak’n in Candy. But neither Phyfitian, Treafurer, nor Capuchins would. in-
terpret any thing in prejudice of the French men; yet all that could not preferve
them from being fhut up in-a Stable full of dung , and from being threaten’d to be
Shot out of a Cannon’s mouth if they would not confefs the truth. -Thereupon the
Capuchins and the Cadi beg’d him to fufpend his Sentence’till the Arrival of the chief
of the Cannoniers, to which he readily confented. —
When the Topigi-Bafhi came , the Rajha commanded the Prifoners to be brought
‘before him. But when the Topigi-Bafhi deny’d them to be the perfons, the Bafha
grew into fuch a rage, that he no lefsreproach’d the Topigi-Bafli for Treachery ,
than he had accus’d the others. Which fo incens’d the Topigi-Bajhi on the other
fide , that he never left ’till he had obtain’d the releafe of the two Freach men; yet
fot fo, but that the Bafba would have hisdue 5 fo that Reville was fore’d to leave
fome of his Ducats behind which the Jew fhould have had.
But now to return to Smyraa where 1 expeéted the Caravan for fome time in order
to my Me baa Perfia. Every thing being provided , we fet forward in the Road
for Tauris, which I have at large defcrib’d nor was there any thing worthy obfervation
all the way. I will only take notice, that when we departed from Tocat , in re-
gard the heat was fo extream , we left the common Road toward the North; and
todk the way through the Mountains, where there is always a frefh Breeze and ftore
of fhady Lanes. In many of which high Mountains we met with Snow , and abun-
dance of excellent Sorrel; and upon the tops of fome of thofe Mountains, we
met with feveral forts of fhellg, as it had been upon the Sea fhore, which is very
extraordinary. From Erzerom we went to Cars; from Cars we came to Evrivan.
The Kan was not there then, being retir’d during the heat into the Mountains,.a
days Journey from the City. His Lieutenant telling me that I could not well pafs
farther without paying my io! to the Kan; I follow’d his advice, and found him in.
his Tent ina fair Dale, where there was a great quantity of Snow: and where when it
began to melt, appear’d feveral beautiful Flowers, fo that Summer and Winter feendte
to lodge both in the fame place. The Kaz entertain’d both me and all my Company moft
nobly for ten days. Idroye alfo a fmall Trade with him. For I durft not fhew hi
the rarities I had , being defign’d for the King. For asin India, foin Perfia, nei-
ther will the King look upon any thing which his Subjeéts have feen before, nor will
the Subje& buy any thing which the King hagfeen , it belts an affront to prefent,
any thing to the King whichrhe had formerly yiew’d, and the Subje& buys nothing
. 6
rare but what. he intends to prefent. ... 2. 49> fr? ae
Being paft Erivan you may leave your Caravan when you pleafe , by reafon of thé
fecurity of the Roadsin Perfia.. And indeed I intended to have vifited the Kan of
—Gengéa; but finding the Road fo full of Rocks and a aa where a man was
a conti-
*
“Whe Pensiax Trovels Book IL.
iecaigaitietiads ne ee at
continually in danger of breaking his Neck, I turn’d my Horfes head and met the
Caravan at Nacksivan in the Road to Tauris. : .
From Tasris to I/paban 1 met with nothing worthy obfervation. When I came
to the Court I was well receiv’d by the King, and I fold him as many Jewels
and other Goods of great value, as came to fixty-two thoufand Crowns. But of
this more in another place.
Chap. I. of Monfieur T AVERNIER
| THE THIRD BOOK
a ee
PERSIAN TRAVELS
— Monsreur TAVERNIER:
3 CONTAINING —
The Aurnors Sixth and Lat VOYAG E,
= And the :
Through TU RKY into PERSIA, through
the Northern Provinces of EUROPE.
ss +
f
With a Defcription of feveral Countries lying upon
the Black, and Cafpian SEAS.
CHAP. LI
Of the Authors fixth and laft Voyage from his Jetting out of Paris,
to his Landing at Srayrna.
Set out of Paris in the year 1663. for Lyons, with fix feveral Servants
of feveral profeffions, which I thought moft proper for my bufinefs. I
carry’d with me the value of about four hundred thoufand Livers > partin
Jewels, part in Goldfmiths work and other curiofities, which I defign’d
for the King of Perfia and the Great Mogul. Being at Lyons I bought a
Steel Mirrour round and hellow , about two foot anda half in Diameter,
would immediately melt a Half-Crown by the heat of the Sun-beams: and —
if you fet a Candle by it inthe night,you might read two hundred Paces off in your
Bed by the refleétion. _ | alae Be
From Lyons I rode to Marfeilles , and fet Sail for Ligorn the tenth of Fanuary,
1664. in a fmall Bark , but being fcar’d by a great Veffell that we faw off at Sea ,
we came to an Anchor in the Port of Agaie, two Leagues from Frejus, where
there ftood a pittiful Fort with two or three Houfes. There we alfo went afhore and
faw a Garden, the Alleys of which were diftinguifh’d with rows of Citron and Orange
Trees, which look’d as Green in the depth of Winter as in the midft of Summer ,
with feveral other curiofities after the mode of Ftaly. We were no fooner got
aboard again, but we perceiv’d another Veffel making into the fame Port with fulk.
“Sail. It was a Veffel wiaich the Mafters of the Forein Office at Toulon, had fetout.
2 to
i (Joy
i ae
- '
ee
The Persian Travels Book IIL
to force all Ships that were bound into Jtaly to pay certain Cuftoms , which thofe
of Marfeilles d pot pay when they came into the Port of Towlon. Thereupon
foreteeing that.there would be mifchief done , { call’d for my little Chefts that con.
tain’d my Goods of greateft value, carrying fome part my felf, and Siving the
reft to one of my moft trufty Servants, thinking to have skipt into a Genoa Bark
that lay hard by us; but inftead of leaping a-board, I fell into the Sea: where }
teaton of the Tumult! had perifh’d without relief, had I not by good fortune laid hold
of « Cable and redeem’d my felf. At what time one of my Servants luckily coming to
my ayd, with much ado drew me up fafe ‘ei
Having efcap’d this danger, I got a-fhoar with fuch of my Servants as I had
about me, and meeting with a Bark of Frontignan that carry’d Languedock-Wine to
the Coaft of Italy, 1 hid him for Ligora; and fetting Sail , we firlt touch’d Vill).
franca, and afterwards at Afonaco.
At Monaco\ went a-fhoar, and went to wait upon Madam the Princefs, who
fhew’d me the Rarities in the Caftle; among the reft, feveral pieces of extraordina
Painting , feyeral pieces of Clock-work and Goldfmiths-work. But among all her
Curiofities the fhew'd me*two pieces of Cryftal , about the bignefs of two Fifts each
in one of which there was above a Glafs full of Water, inthe other a good quan
=, ot Mols which were clos’d in by Nature when the Cryftal firft con.
geal’d. 3
Monaco ig a Caftle fituated upon a fteep Rock , advancing out into the Sea:
which advantage, together with others which it receives from Art and Nature, renders
it one of the moft confiderable Forts in Jraly,
The next day finding the Frontignan-Veflel to be deep-laden, and that it made tittle
way, I took a Faluke , and kept along by the Shoar, which was moft pleatantly
adorn’d with beautiful Villages and Houfes, as far as Savova; where I chang’d my
Faluke , to compleat the eft of the way which I had to Gevoa. Half the way we
did very well, but the Wind rifing, we were forced to put in toa great Town
where we landed; and from thence , haying but nine Miles, 1 got in good time by
Horfe to Genoa. There can be no Profpest certainly more pleafing than that nine
Miles riding. For on the ‘one fide you {ee nothing but a continu’d Row of magni-
ficent Buildings and lovely Gardens; on the other a calm Shoar > upon which the
Waves feem not to beat, but lovingly to kifs. ?
Arriving at Genoa, I met with the reft of my Servants ; and at the end of two
days I embarqu’d for Ligorn, where we arriv’d in four and twenty hours.
From Ligorn I went to the Court of Florence, to wait upon the Grand Duke By
whom I had the honour to be admitted into his Chamber, where I found no body
attending but one Mute, who had a long time ferv’d his Highnefs: and I obferv’d that
they underftood one another by Signs, as perfe@ly as if the Mute had had his Speech
and Hearing. So that when-ever the Duke fent him into his Clofet for any Papers
or other thing whatfoever, he never fail’d to bring the right. pee
- After I had tak’n my leave of the Duke, he fent me a noble Prefent of Wine
and Fruits, but that which I valu’d more than all the reft, was a Cafe of Medicaments
Counter-poyfons , in the compofition whereof the Italians are very exquifite
And yet they did me no fervice; for when I came into the hot Countries their
fermentation was fo ftrong, that all the Oylsand Treacles broke their feveral Boxes
eH! ‘satin ee of that precious Prefent. 7
- #he next day, being the twenty-fixth of d wi
Servants ina Durch Veitel call’d The Fuftice. eee eee ee
The twenty-feventh we ftaid in the Road » €xpecting the reft of the Fleet , con-
fifting of eleven Ships, two Men of War, and nine Merchant-men; four of which
were bound for Smyrna, three for Ancona , and two for Vevice. About feyen that
evening we fet Sail, and all that night the Wind was favourable, but blew hard and
veer'd often; which was the reafon that two of our Fleet feparated Kedah us, fteering be-
tween the Ifle of Elbe and Corfica, while we kept on between the Ile of Elba and Teal
~ The twenty-eighth by eight in the Morning we found our felves between P. a
Ferraro and Piombizo, and it being fair Weather, we had a pleafant prof cét of
thofe two Places. From thence we fteer’d between two Tlands he one call'd Pal.
pracret vis ‘other being namelefs. About fix hours after we faw Portolongone,
: ates sata diftance we defcry’d Atonts-Chrifto. An#eur after Noon we dil.
3 ? coverd
Bg os eta "os
cto Eres "
a
Chap. [of Monfieur TAVERNTIER, i0i
cover’d Caftiglon-fere , all the reft of the day we cozfted by the flands of Gigio and
Sanuti. 5. ee ee |
The twenty-ninth, with the fame Wind at North-Weft, by Morning we difco-
yer’d the Ilands of Pontia and Palmerola, and about Evening thote of Venritione
and Jfebia. Night approaching , and there being no news of the Ships we had loft,
inftead of making the Pharo of Adeffina, it was refolv’d that we fhould fteer a
Courfe round about AZe/fiza, where we expected to overtake them. At eleven a
Clock in the Evening we had but little Wind at North-North-Weft, fo that we
made not above fourteen Leagues of way. aha |
_ The thirty-firft the fame Wind continu’d, with a high Seas; but about nine at
Night the Wind chopping about to the Welt , we kept our former Courfe. ag
The fifth of April, by eight of the Clock in the Morning we difcover’d the three
Hands that lye before Trepano, Levanzo, Maretima, and Favacna, ss
The fecond and third the Weather was ill, and the Wind unconftant, fo that we
made but little way. ears
The fourth, by break of day we difcover’d the Hand of Pamtalarea. : OG
The fifth by Morning we found our felves within a League and a half of the
Coaft. of Sicily, juft againft Cape Paffaro, at what time, the Weather being fair, we
had a view of Monnt Gibello , all cover’d with Snow. Doubling the Cape in the
Afternoon, wwe difcover’d the Coaft of Saragof:. The fixth we had little or no
Wind. But the feventh in the Morning, the Weather being fair, we difcover’d
Cape Sp.-rtivente; and the fame Wind continuing all that day, toward Evening we
faif’d in view of other Ilands of Calabria, — ae one.
The eighth we found our felves near to Cape Borfano , and all the reft of the day
we fail’d in view of Cape Srifo and Cape delle Colonne, =
The ninth we made little way. But on the tenth in the Morning the Wind
coming about to the South , we found our telves at the Entry of the Gulf of Vewce,
between Cape St. AZary and the Coaft of Greece , where the Mountains were cover’d
with Snow. About ten of the Clock we tack’d to our own Courle, while the Ships
that were bound for Venice and Avcona entred the Gulf.
The tenth by Morning we faw two little Iflands, the one call’d Fawno; the other
Meylera, and were in fight of Corfu. About Noon, the Wind being at Eaft, we
kept out at Sea: and about Evening abundance of little Birds lighted upon our
Cordagé, of which we caught enow to make a lufty Fricaffie. We alfo caught four
Falcons, Owls, and good ftore of Turtles.
~ The eleventh and twelfth the Wind being at Eaft,we lay hovering about the Shoar,
without making any way. . .
_ The fourteenth and fifteenth having the Wind at North-Weft , we were two days
without feeing Land, yet we caught good ftore of Birds. Sap =
The fixteenth the fame Wind continuing, we found our felves near the Hfland of
Zant. From eight in the Morning ’till three in the Afternoon we were becalm’d;
but then a good brisk Weft Wind carry’d away all our little Birds.
The feventeenth and eighteenth we were becalm’d.
The nineteenth in the Morning, the Wind being at North-Weft , we difcover’d
Cape Gullo, between Afodon and Coron, in the Morea. ‘
The twentieth , with the fame Wind that blew frefh, we found our felves by
Morning within two Cannon-fhot of Cape A/Zatapan , which is the moft Southern Cape
of all Exrope. About Noon the Wind coming full Weft, in three hours we pafs’d
by the Point of the Ifland Cerigo. | |
The twenty-firft in the Morning, we difcover’d the Iflands of Caravi and Falconera
on the one fide, and Cape Schilli on the other hand. Two hours after, having a
it Gale at South-Weft, about Evening we were in view of the Ifland of
t. George. Of OE : ian
~The srenyaiaiahe though the Wind flackn’d , yet we made fome ways for in
the Morning we found our felves between the Ifland of Zea and the Morea, near
to another Cape delle Colonne + afterwards we difcover’d the Mand of Necropont,
and doubl’d the Cape three hours after Noon, having left fight of the Ifland of
Asdros by ten in the Forenoon. eee ;
The twenty-third the Wind blowing frefh all the night, by morning we found
out felves near the land of Jpfera. At noon we made the Point of peice
; ,,
102.
\
og ge
oes
The Penden Treveh. Book IL
Chio, near to the Land; and that night we came to an Anchor near the Caftle, being
becalm’d. - ; :
The twenty-fourth the Wind rofe at North-Weft , which blew us into the Port
of Smyrna. |
The twenty-fifth we went a-fhoar, having had as quiet a paflage as ever I had
in my Life for twenty days together.
CARY. oe cg si
A Continuation of the Author’s fixth Voyage, as he travel'd from
Smyrna to Mpahan. :
E ftaid at Smyrna from the twenty-fifth of April to the ninth of |
June, during which time there happ’nd fo terrible an Earthquake,
that I had like to have tumbl’d out of my Bed.
The Caravan being ready to fet out for Tauris, I took with
me three Armenian Servants , befides sie that I carry’d out of France to ferve me
upon the Road.
We fet out of Smyrna upon Monday the ninth of Zune at three a Clock in the ©
afternoon. The Caravan rendevouz’d at Pont-garbafhi, three Leagues from the City,
confifting of fix hundred Camels, and almoit the fame number of Horfe. We fet
out the next night, two hours after midnight. As for the Road I fhall fay nothing,
only relate fome Paflages that fell out by the way. Se
_ Being come to-Erivan , the fourteenth of September we encamp’d in a pleafant
green place between the Caftle and the old Town; for we would not lye in the
Inn , becaufe we heard that feveral fick people lodg’d there. We ftaid there two
days; during which time I refolv’d to wait upon the Kan, I found him in a Room
made in one of the Arches of the Bridge which is built over the River , which
have defcrib’d already, with feveral Captains and Officers about him: when he chad
ask’d me whence I came , and whither I*was travelling , he caus’da Glafs of Liquor
to be fill’d me. After that I prefented him with a Profpetive-Glats , fix pair of
ordinary Speétacles, twelve other pair of Speéacles that caft feveral Reflexions,
two little Piftols, and a Steel to ftrike Fire, made like a Piftol. All which pleas’d
him extremely well, efpecially the Speétacles, for he was fixty years of age. Thereupon ~
he commanded a Lamb, Wine, Fruit, and Melons to be carry’d tomy Tent, and
that I fhould want nothing. After that we fate down to Dinner, but I obferv’d
the Kan himfelf drank no Wine, though he prefs’d me to it. The reafon Was,
becaufe he was an Ags, that is, one that had made his Pilgrimage to Adecca; for
then it is not lawful todrink Wine, or any other inebriating Drink. After Dinner,
finding. him,in a pleafant humour, I refoly’d to complain to him of one of the
Cuftom-Officers about an injury he had done me. For it is ufual with the Cuftomer
in this place to op’n the Chefts of all the Merchants, both Turks and Armenians, to
the end that if they have any thing of Rarity the Kan of Erivan may fee it: for
many times , he buyes what pleafes him beftto fend totheKing. This Officer would
not excufe me for his Cuftom, and therefore at my very firft arrival he would have me
to op’n my Chefts, and becaufe did not do it according to his Orders » he ask’d me
very rudely why I had not obey’d his Commands : I anfwer’d him as furlily,that I would
op’n my Cheft no where unlefs it were in the prefence of the King , and that as for him,
iknew him not: Upon that he threaten’d me, that if he did not find my Chefts
op’n the next day , he would op’n them by force; thereupon I faid no more, but
bid him have a care I did not make him repent of what he had done already. This
was the ground of the Quarrel, and I was about to have complain’d to the Kan;
buthis Nephew intreated me for the love I bare him, not to fay any thing of it, and
promis’d to fend the Cuftomer to me to beg my Pardon, which he did, and the
Cuftomer was forc’d to crave it heartily. To avoid the fame inconvenience for the
future, I defir’d the Kan to give me his Pafport , tothe end I might pafs Cuftom-
we aie aed re,
Lie
Chap.IIL of Monfieur Tavernier, 103
free through the Territories of his Government, which he freely and courteoufly
granted me: Come , faid he, and dine with me to morrow , and you {hall have it.
The twenty-fixth of September we departed from Erivan, andthe ninth of Novem.
ber we came to Tauris, taking the ordinary Road. EAE :
At &rivan two of my Servants, the one a Watch-maker, the other a Gold-{nath,
dy’d; I left them fick there, but caus'd them to be buried in the Church-yard
belonging to the e4rmenzans. One of them dy’d in fifteen days, of a Gangrene,
which eat out his Mouth and Throat; being the Difeafe of the Country. | Though
had the 4 menians known that one of them had beena Proteftant, they would nevér
have allow’d him to have been bury’d in their Church-yard. .
Here obferve the exact juftice , wherewith the Perfians preferve the Goods of
Strangers, For the Civil Judge hearing of the death of the Watch-maker , caus’d
his Chamber to be feal’d up, to the end the Goods might he preferv’d for the
j kindred of the deceas’d, if they came to demand them. I return’d to Tauris a
) twelve-month after, and found the Chamber clofe feal’d up. 7
| We ftaid twelve days at Tauris : during which time I refolv’d to attend the Ka
of Shamaqui , a frontier Town of Perfia toward the Cafpian Sea; but I found him
not there, in regard it was Harveft feafon , at what time he goes to gather the
King’s and his own Duties. | 3 Ses
Two days journey on this fide Shamagni you pafs the Aras, and for two days _
journey you travel through a Country all planted with white Mulberry-Trees; the
Inhabitants being all Silk-Weavers.. Before you come to the City, you muft crofs
over feveral Hills: But I think I fhould rather have call’d it a great Town, where
there was nothing remarkable but a fair Caftle which the Kaa built himfelf, I fpeak
of the time paft : For as I return’d from this prefent Voyage of which Phow write; —
when [ came to Tauris | underftood , that there had happen’d fuch a terrible Earth-
uake in the Town as had laid all the Houfes in a heap; none efcaping that difmal
‘ibverttOu, but only one Watch-maker of Gexeva, and one more who was a Camel-
driver. I had feveral times defign’d to return into France through Adufcovy;, but
1 durft never adventure , being certainly inform’d that the AZu/covite never permitted
any perfon to go out of Afifcovy into Perfia, nor to come out of Perfia into Aduf-
couy. So that it was by particular connivence that that favour was granted to the ©
Duke of Holffein’s Ambaffadors. This laft time I was refolv’d to have try’d whe-
ther I could have open’d a Paflage from Perfia through Adufcovy into France , but the
Ruine of Shamaqui deterr'd me. = : ats
We departed from Tauris the twenty-fecond of November, from whence to Cafban
we met with nothing confiderable, but only one of the A&dcovite Ambafladors
upon his return into his own Country, with a {mall Retinue of fixty, his Companion
dying at Ijpabam. MEE BRS BE eB prs
“Upon Sunday the fourteenth of December taking Horfe by three of the Clock in
the morning, the Tee bearing very well, we came to J/paban about fioon: but in
regard itwas flippery before day, and very plafhy after the Sun wasup, the Journey
was both tedious and troublefom.
. CHAP. Kil
The Road from Aleppo to Tauris, through Diarbequir and Van:
Here are two Roads more remaining to be defcrib’d; one through the
North part of Turkie, the other through the South. Fhe fieft through
Diarbequir and Van, and fo to Tanres ; the fecond through Ana, and
the fmail Defert leading to Bagdar. hee
1 will deferibe the firft of thefe Roads, and make a skip at the firft leap to Bir;
whither f have already led you in the Road from Aleppo. ©
From Bir or Beri, you travel all along the River Buphrates to Cacheme.
From Cachemd you come to Afilefara, where you pay the Cuftoms of el
when
The Perstan Travels Book Ui], |
when you do not pafs through the City, which amounts to four Péaffers for every
Horfe-load, he
From AMilefara you come to the River Arzlan-chaye, or, the Lion River , by
_reafon of the rapidity of the Stream which falls into Euphrates, 7
From Arzlan-chaye you go to Senerak, . Vhis is a City, water’d by a River, that
alfo falls into Exphrates. It is énviron’d with a great Plain to the North, the Wet,
and South. The way which the Horfes, Mules, and Camels keep is cut through
the Rock like a.Channel, two Foot deep, where you mutt alfo pay half a Piafher
for every Horfe-load. ~ . ve
From Sexerak you come to Bogazt, where there are two Wells, but not a Houfe
near; and where the Czravan ulually lodges.
From Bogazi you come to Deguirman-Bogazi, and from Deguirman-Bogazi to
Mirzatapa, where there is only an Inn. : )
From AZirzatapa you come to Diarbequir , which the Turks call Car-emu.
Diarbequir is a City fituated upon a rifing ground, on the right fide of Tigris,
which in that place forms a Half-moon; the defcent from the Walls to the River
being very fteep. It is encompats’d with a double Wall; the outward Wall being
ftrengthned with fixty-two Towers, which they report were built in Honour of
the fixty two Difciples of JESUS CHRIST. ‘The City has but three Gates,
over one of which there is an Infcription in Greek and Latiz, that makes mention
of one Conftantine. There are in it two or three fair Piazza’s, and a magnificent
Mofquee, which was formerly a Chriftian Church. It is furrounded with very decent
‘ Charnel-houfes, near to which the Afoullah’s , Dervi?s, Book-fellers and Stationers
do live, together with all thofe other people that concern the Law. About a
League from the City there isa Channel cut out of Tigris, that brings the Water
to the City: And. in this Water are all the red Marroquins wafh’d that are made
at Diarbequir, furpaffing in colour all others in the Eaft: which Manufacture éitiploys
a fourth part of the Inhabitants of the City.. The Soil is very good, and yields
according toexpeétation ; there is excellent Bread and very good Wine, nor is there
any better Provifion to be had in any part of Perfia: more efpecially, there is a fort of
Pigeons which in goodnefs excel all the feveral kinds that we have in Europe. The
City is very well peopl’d, and it is thought there are in it above twenty thoufand
Chriftians, The two thirds are Armenians, the reft Nefforians, with fome few
Facobites. There are alfo fome few Capachins , that have no Houle of their own, but
are forc’d to lodge in an Inn. |
_ The Bafha of Diarbequir is one of the Viziers of the Empire. He has but an incon-
fiderable Infantry, which is not much requifite in that Country; the Gerds and Arabs
which infeft that Country being all Horfe-men. But he is ftrong in Cavalry, being able
to bring above twenty thoufand Horfe into the Field. A quarter of anhours riding
on this fide Diarbequir there is a great Town with a large Inn, where the Caravans
that go and come from Perfia rather choofe to lye than at Diarbequir; in regard that
in the City-Inns, they pay three or four Piaffers for every Chamber, but in the
Country-Inns there is nothing demanded, Soe a
At Diarbequir, you crofs the Tigris , which is always fordable unlefs when the
Snow and Rains have fwell’d it; for then you muft go a quarter of a League higher, ”
and crofs it over a great Stone-Bridge. Half a League on the other fide of Tigris
ftands a Village, with an Inn, which is the Rendevous of the whole Caravan, and
where they that firft come have time enough to provide themfelves for a Journey of
nine or ten days, as far as Berlis, For though you may find Towns and Inns thick
enough upon the Road, yet there is no good Bread tobe metwith. 4
When the Caravan proceeds, the firft days journey is fourteen hours on Horfe
back , and you come to lye at Shaye-batman, where you mutt pay a Piaffer for every
Horfe-load. Mans 7 :
+» From Chaye-batman you come to Chikaran. :
From Ghikera to Aze#, which you leave half a League from the great Road,
bie the Toll-gatherers take their Toll , which is four Piaffers upon every Horfe~
From Azouyou come to Ziarat; from Ziarat to Zerque, where you.pay a Duty
of two Piaffers for every Horfe-load. |
_ From Zerche to Cochakan. pt.
os | From
ie.
Chap. iil. of Monfieur Taver vf ER.
From Cochakan to Carakan, a bad Inn; where you enter among the Mountains,
that being full of Torrents reach as far as Betlis. "ane
From Carakan to Betls, a ee belonging to a Bey or Prince of the Country, the
moft potent and moft confiderable
of all the reft , for he neither acknowledges the
Grand Sigvor nor the Perfian : whereasall the other Beys are Tributary either to the
oneor the other. And it is the Intereft of thofe two Potentates to correfpond with
him; for it’s an eafie thing for him to ftop up the paflage from e4leppo to Tau-
vis, or from Tauris to Aleppo; the Streights of the Mountains being fo narrow,
that ten Men may defend them ‘againft a thoufand. Coming near Berlis you muft
travel a whole day among high fteep Mountains, that reach two Miles beyond, with
Torrents on each fide ; the way being cut out of the Rock oneach fide, where there
is but juft room for a Camel to pafs. The City ftands between two high Mountains,.
equally diftant one from the other, and about the height of AZonrmartre. It is built
like a Sugar-loaf, the afcent being fo fteep on every fide, that there is no getting
to the top, but by wheeling and winding about the Mountain. The top of all is a Plat-
form, where ftands a Caftle well built, at the Gate whereof is a Draw-Bridge. Then
you pafs through two great Courts, and then into a third, oppofite to the Bey’s
Apartment. It is very troublefom to get up to the top of the Caftle, and a Man
mutt be very well Hors’d that does it. There is no other perfon but the Bey and his
Efquire , who is permitted to ride up on Horfe-back. There is one Inn within the
City, and another as it were without, in which the Merchants rather choofe to
lye than in the other, by reafon that it is ready to be overflown when the Torrents
{well, that run through every Street. The Bey, befide the ftrength of his Paffes,
is able to bring aboye five and twenty thoufand Horfe into the Field; and a very
confiderable Body of Foot, compos’d of the Shepherds of the Country, who are to
be ready at a Cail I went to wait upon the Bey himfelf, and made him a Prefent
of two pieces of Satin, the one ftreakt with Silver, and the other with Gold: two
white Bonnets, fuch as the Turks wear, very fine, and adorn’d with Silver at the top;
together with a fute of Handkerchiffs, ftreak’d with Red and Silver. While I
ftaid with the Bey, who fent for Coffee for me according to the cuftom, a Courier
came to him fromthe Bafha of Aleppo, to defire him that he would deliver up into
his hands a French Chirurgeon that was his Slaye, having been tak’n in Candia;
complaining withal, that he had run away from him with the value of three thou-
fand Crowns. The Bey, who underftood what belong’d to a Sanctuary, and was
refolv’d to proteét the Frenchman, {chool’d the Meffenger fo feverely, that he
threaten’d to put him to death if he did not get him gone prefently , charging him
to tell his Mafter withal, that he would complain to the Grand Sigvor of his. info-
lence, and that if he were ftrang’d, he might thank himfelf. And indeed it
behov’d the Great Turk to keep fair correfpondence with him, in regard that if the
Perfians {hould at any time befiege Van, the Grand Signor muft march werope The
By Country to relieve it; who has Forces enow to oppofe him if he fhould be his
nemy, “a
But to travel through the Country of the Curds is very pleafant: for if on the
one fide the ways are bad, and difficult to be travel’d, in other places you have a
mm profpedt of feveral forts of Trees, as Oaks and Walnuts, and not a Tree which is
© not embrac’d with a wild Vine. Below the Mountains, in theLevel, grows the beft
~ Wheat and Barley in all the Country,,
-~
4
you pay two. RIES
Taduan is a great Town within a Cannon: ke
where Nature ,has made a Hav’n, fhelter’d from all the Winds; being clos’d on
fides with high Mountains, the entry inté which though it feem narrow. is, ye
free. It is able to contain twenty or thirty great Barks, and when it is fait
ther, and that the Wind feryes, the Merchants poealy Ship off the
from thence to Van: fromwhence it is but four and twenty hours fail, anda
ood paffage, whereas by Land from Taduan to Van it is eight eae
Hoste Returning back, you may alfo take Water at for Taduan.
t of the Lake of Yar, in fuch a part,
y on
ae ne =
“= Fro
+.
Taduan to Karmoufheé..
From Karmoufhé to Kellat. cant eee alec ate ce ont
From Kellat to Algiaonx , a {mall City, where y ui pay one Piaster for every pu
7 : =O ‘ro
f~-
i ss ‘
Se seh
=
105
From Betlis, where you pay five Piaffers for every Horfe-load ,_ to Taduan , where
The Perstan Travels Book Il.
From Agiaonx to Spanktsere.
From Spanktiere to Souter.
From Soier to Argiche.
From Argiche to Quiarakierpou. ‘
From Quiarakierpou to Perkers.
From Perkeri to Zuarzazi.
From Zuarzazin to Souferat.
_ From Souferat to Devan, where two Piaffers are gather’d for every Horfe-load,
or elfe you muft pay at Van.
From Devan to Vaz, where there is a Duty of two Tomans and four Abaffis to
be paid for evéry Horfe-load. For though Vaz be in the Territories of the Grand
Signor, yet the Perfian Money is better lik’d than his own Coyn.
‘Van is a great City upon the fide of a wide Lake of the fame name. There is a
good Fortrefs belongs to it, that is feated upon the top of a high Mountain which
ftands by it felf There is but one fort of Fifh in the Lake, a little bigger than
a Pilchard, of which they take great ftore in the Month of April. For about a
League from the Lake there is a great River that is call’d Bendmahi, which de-
fcending from the Mountains of Armenia, empties it felf into the Lake. Now in
March when the Snow melts and fwells the River, vaft numbers of thefe Fifh come
down the River into the Lake; which the Fifher-men obferving, fo ftop up the
Mouth of the River that the Fifh cannot go back; for elfe they would not ftay
above forty days; at which time they catch’em up in wide-mouth’d Baskets at the
Mouth of the River,thinking to return ; it being lawful for any man to fifh. The people
drive a Sreat Trade in thefe Fifh, tranfporting them into Perfia and Armenia; for,
the Perfians and Armenians both, drinking Wine at the end of their Feafts, they
then bring this Dith to the Table for a relifhing-bit. The people of Vay tell a
Story, how that there was a certain rich Merchant who farm’d the whole Fithery,
paying a good fum of Money for it to the Bajha; who thereupon ftri@ly forbad
any to fifh but the Merchant, whereas before it was free for any man. But when
the Fifhing-feafon came, and that the Merchant thought, to have caught his Fifh,
he met with nothing but Serpents. So that aftér that time the Fifhery was never
more farm’d. And there feems to be fomething in it; for the Bafhas, whoare-a
fort of people that will lofe nothing they can get, would be certain to farm the:
Fifh again and again, were there not fome ftrange reafon to hinder it. There are
two principal Iflands in the Lake of Van; the one call’d Adaketons, where there
ftand two Covents of the Armenians , Sourphague and Sourp-kara: the other Ifland
is call’d Limadafi, and the name of the Covent is Limquiliafi, all which Armenian
Monks live very aufterely.
From Van to Darcheck, | : 3
_ From Darcheck.to Nuchars it ftands in the Territoriés of a Bey of Curdiftan,
being a paltry Village confifting of two or three little Houfes. Thefe Bey’s area
kind of particular Lords, upon the Frontiers of both the Empires: of Turkie and
Perfia, who care for neither: for they lye fo fecure among the Mountains, that
there is no affaulting them by force. The Curds in general are a brutifh fort of
people; who though they ftile themfelves AZchometans , have very few AMoullah’s to
inftruét or téach them. They have a particular veneration for black Grey-hounds >,
fo that if any perfon fhould be feen to kill one of them, he would be knock’d o’the *
Head immediately. Neither does any one dare to cut an Onion with a Knife in their
prefence 5 but it muft be fqueez’d between two Stones by him that intends to make
ufe of it; fo ridiculoufly fuperftitious they are.
The Bey to whom Wauchar belongs has his Toll-gatherers in that place, who exact
. fixteen Abaff’s for every Horfe-load, befides a Prefent which the Ca/avan-Bafhi
is oblig’d to prefent him, which comes fometimes to feven or eight Tomans , fome-
times more: for otherwife the Bey would be fure to watch the Caravan at fome
feurvy place, and plunder it to fome purpofe. As once it happen’d to a Caravan,
with which my Nephew went along in the year 1672; though he had the good
luck to lofe nothing more than one Camel laden with Evglifh Cloth, and another
with his Provifion. The Bafha of Van and the Kan of Tauris took the Field with an_
intention to remedy thefe diforders: efpecially the Bafha of Van , who perceiving -
that the Merchants would forfake that Road by reafon of the Injuries they eayly
: receiy'd,
*
ge
Chap. IV.
recel
ee
ea
of Monfieur Tavernier. “107
vd, was refolv’d to make the Bafha reftore fome part of his Goods which he
had taken from the Merchants; and for the future to leave two of his Subjeéts in
Tauris, and twoin Van, that thould be refponfible for what mifchief fhould be done
to the Caravan. Fo
r otherwife the Merchants like this way beft, as being the neareft
from Aleppo to Tauris , and where they pay lefs Duties. ; .
From Nuchar to Kuticlar, is a long Journey through the Mountains, by the fide
of feveral Torrents, which are to be crofs’d in feveral places. This bad way brings
Fifty ?the Hundred
profit to the Bey of Nuchar;, for were the Caravan to travel
through Plains, or alevel Country, one Horfe or Camel would carry as much as two
or three, and the Merchant would pay Cuftom for no more. Here therefore the
Caravan-Bafbi and the Merchants muft underftand one another , and agree as cun-
ningly as they can together. 2
From Kuticlar to Kalvat.
From Kalvat to Kogta.
From Kogia to Darkavin.
Inns.
From Darkavin to Soliman-Sera: al) which four places are very convenient
From Soliman-Sera to Kours: in that City refides a Bey, who is tributary to the
King of Perfia. He lives in an ancient Caftle about half a League off, where the
Caravan pays nine Abalfi’s for every Horfe-load , befides a Prefent. But that Prefent
pi et in Sugar-loaves, Boxes of Treacle, or Marmaled; for he ftands fo
much upon
and tart.
isHonour, that he {corns to take Money... The Wine of Kours:is {weet
Froni-Keatstodoieie serfs = ee Sets a ABs Beir *
From Devogli to. Checheme. About half way between thefe two places you crofs
a Plain, which upon the South extends it felf a League to the Mountains, but upon
the North fide enlarges it felf out of fight. Upon the High-way, on the left hand
ftands a Rock three hundred Paces in compafs, and about fourfcore Foot high; round
about it were to be feen feveral Dens, which moft certainly had been the Habi-
tations of thofe that fed their Cattel thereabouts. Under the Rock, which is
hollow, appears a Fountain of clear cold Water ,: wherein there was great ftore of
Fifth; thoufands of which would come up to the top of the Water , when a maf
threw any Bréad into it. The Fifh had a great Head, and a large Muftache. I fhot
a Carbine into the
River charg’d with Hail-fhot , upon which they all difappear’d,
but prefently five or fix return’d wounded to the top of the Water, which we
eafily took. The Armenians laught at me for fhooting, believing it had been iinpol-
fible to catch them in that manner; but they admir’d when they beheld them again <« __
turning up their bellies at the top of the. Water. The Turks and fome of the Armenians a.
would not eat of them, believing them to be defi’: but the Armenians that had
been in Europe laugh’d at their Superftition, and fell to , when they were Mireles 6
From Ovecheme to Davajhiler. a
From Davafhiler
Camel’s-load, ande
From Aderand to
to Marand; a City where you mutt pay fixteen baffi’s for a.
ight for a Horfes.
Sefian.
From Sefian to Tauris. Thefe ate the two biggeft days journies throughout the
Road.
~ Returning out of Perfia this way; we could not get Bread for Money ; fo that
wewere fore’d to give the Women fome Trifles which they lov’d better. Though
the People are Adahometans , yet they will not {pare to drink luftily.
7.
7 Afjyria bring their
Tobaceo, and Gall-nuts. It is feated upon a high Mountain, to Be tes ortormot
FR rd ie cae i (Se ca EOL GE DRE yeaa 8 OR BN RR Soke Sp ee a eR ~ eh
me oF a5 iia <: a %: aie ; ‘ is Sale
* v . : “ae : © - -
‘ ‘ ee 7 ree
“The Pexstan Travels Book IIL.
“= C HAP. LY.
Another Road from Aleppo to Tauris, through Geziré and other
places.
WRom Aleppo to Bir or Beri, where youmutt crols Euphrates, days
Erom Bir to Ourfa, days |
From Ourfa to Diarbequir, days —
From Diarbequir to Gerire,egiays :
Gegiré is a little City of Afefopotamia, built upon an Jfland in the River Ligris ;
which i there to be crots’d over a fair Bridge of Boats. Here the Merchants meet
to buy Gall-nuts and Tobacco. The City is under the Jurildiétion of a Bey.
Having paft the Tigris, all the Country between that and Tawres is almott equally
divided between Hills and Plains; the Hills are cover’d with Oaks that bear Galls,
and fome Acorns withal, The Plains are planted with Tobacco, which is tranfported
into Turke , for which they have a very great Trade. One would think the Country
were poor, feeing nothing but Galls and Tobacco; but there is no Country inthe
World where there is more Gold or Silver laid out , and where they are more nice
in taking Money that is in the leaft defeftive either in weight orgoadnels of Metal.
For Galls being a general Commodity for Dying , and no where to be found:ogood
as there, bring a vaft Trade to the Country ; wherein there are no Villages, yet it.
is over-{pread with Houfes a Mufquet-fhot one from another; and every Inbabitant
has his quarterof his Vineyard by himfelf, where they dry their Grapes: for they
make ne Wiwies Svs dets ss Sai te 2 cre . ‘
From Geziré to Amadi¢, days —
BANA
*
2
_ Amadi¢ is a good City, to which the Natives of a great part of
you cannot get in lefs than an hour.. Toward the middle of the Rock three or four
large Springs fall down from the Cliffs, where the Inhabitants are forc’d to water
their Cattel and fill their Borachio’s every morning, there being no Water in the
City. Itis of an indifferent bignefs, and in the middle is a large Piacza, where
all forts of Merchants keep their Shops. It is under the Command of a Bey that is
able to raife eight or ten thoufand Horfe, and more Foot than any other of the
Beys , by reafon his Country is fo populous. |
From Amadie to Gioufmark, days 4
From Gioufmark to Alback, days 3
From Alback, to Salmafire, days . 3
Salmajtre is a pleafant City upon the Frontiers of the Affyrians and. Adedes, and
the firft on that fide in the Territories of the Perfian King. ‘The Caravan never
lyes there, becaufe it would be above a League out of the way: but when the
Caravan is lodg’d , two or three of the principal Merchants withthe Caravan-Bafhi
according to cuftom go to wait upon the Kaz. The Kaz is fo glad that the Caravan
takes that Road, that he prefents the Caravan-Ba{bi and thofe that go with him, with
the Garment of Honour, or the Calaat, the Bonnet, and Girdle , which is the
$reateft Honour that the King or his Governour can do to Strangers.
From Salamaftre to Tauris, days ee 4
In all thirty-two days journey this way from Aleppo to Tauris. But though this
be the fhorteft cut, and where they pay leaft Cuftoms, yet the Merchants dare hardly
venture for fear of being ill us’d by the Beys.
Terex, whofe Capital City the Perfians call Cherijar, is a Province between AL1-
andran and the ancient Region of the Perfias known at this day by the name of
Hierac , to the South-Eaft of Ipaban. Tis one of the moft temperate Countries,
‘that has nothing in it of the contagious Air of Guilax, where the King goes for the
_ purity of the Air, and for his fport of Hunting; befides, that it produceth ex-
cellent Fruits in'many places. The Capital City whereof, which fome call by the
name of the Province, is of a moderate compafs, but there is nothing worthy obfer-
vation in it: only a League from it are to be feen the Ruines of a great City, which
. had
s
Chap.V. of Monfieur Tavernier.
had beentwo ‘Leagues in'Circuit. There were abundance of Towers all-of burnt
Brick, and Pieces“of the Wall ftanding. There were ‘alfofeveral Letters in the
Stones-which ‘were cemented into the Walls; but neither Ti urks 5 Perfians , nor Ara-
bianscould under{tandtthem. The City-is round feated upon-a high Hill, at the top
whereof ftood'the Ruines of a Caftle, which’the Natives fay was the Refidence of -the
Kings of Perfia. |
3 “CHAP. V. :
The Road from Aleppo to Hpahan through the {mall Defert , and
through Kengavar.
Will deferibe thisRoad as if J were to-réture from J/pabzn to Aleppo. This
Road liesthrough Kengavar , Bagdat , and Anna, where you enter into the
Defert , whichTcall The tittle Defert, becaufe you get over it in far lefs time
than the great Defert thatextends Southwardsto Arabia the Alappy, and where
you may often find Water , all the whole Journey being not far diftant from the River
Euphrates. ‘A man that iswell mounted may ride'this way from [pahan to Aleppo in :
three and thirty days, as I have done, and perhaps in lets, if the Arabian, whom
- take for your guide at Bagdar, ‘knows the fhorteft cut thtough the Wilder-
The Horfe Caravans travelling from I/pahan to Kengavar are fourteen or fifteen
daysapon the Road, but being well mounted ten or twelve ina'Company , youmay
Ride it in five or fix days. The Country through which you travel , is very
fertile in Corn and Rice, it produces alfoexcellent Fruits and good Wine , éfpeci-
ally about Kengavar, which is a large Town and well peopI’d.
From Kengavar-to Bagdat | was ten days upon the Road. The Country is not ‘e
fertite but very ftony infome parts. And it confifts in Plains and {mall Hulls, there
being not a Mountain in all the Road. . | ;
- Now for a man that travels quick , the Road lies thus:
. From Ifpaban to Confar.
From Confar to Comba.
From Comba to Oranguie.
From Oranguié to Nahboiand. 1 An
From Nahoiand to Kengavar. ; POE SOS AE
_ Fron Kengavar to Sabaua. Bio GEES HS
From Sabana to Polifha, or the Bridge-Royal, being a great Stone Bridge,
From Polifha to Mardacht. ; : .
From Maidacht to Erounabad.
From Erounabad to Conaguy. |
From Conaguy to Caflifciren. | Bese
From Cajlifctren to Iengut-Conagny. | ae
From Jengui-Conaguy to Cafered.
From Cafered to Charaban.
From Charaban to Bourous. E
From Bourous to Bagdat. wus :
_ There are fome ,. who inftead of paffing through Kengavar, take Amadan ;
one of the moft confiderable Cities of Perfia in their way, ahd fo from thencé to
Toucheré, but the way is longer, and according to the Road which I have itt dow ,
you are to leave Amaa an to the North upon the right hand. » . ae
Between Sabana and Polifha you leave the only hi h Mountain. ini all the Road
to the North. It isasfteep and’as ftraight as a Wall, and ag high as you tati fee;
you may obferve the Figures of men clad like Priefts, with Sutplices an Cenfors in
- their hands, and yet neither can the Natives tell you, no Sa imagin the
meaning of thofe Sculptures. At the foot of the Rock rttis a River, over which |
there ga Bridge of:bthhe. oe tC Tita
eee About
ee oe ey
About a days journey beyond the Mountain you meet with a little City, whofe
fituation, the Streams that water it, the good Fruits that grow there, and parti.
cularly the excellent Wine which it affords, render a moft pleafant Manfion. The
Perfians believe that Alexander when he return’d from Babylon dy’d in this place,
what-ever others have writt’n that he dy’d at Babylon, All the reft of the Country
from this City to Bagdat isa Country of Dates, where the people live in little Hutts, |
made of the Branches of Palm-trees.
From Bagdat to Anna youride in four days, through a defert Country, though
it lye between two Rivers.
Anna is a City of an indifferent bignefs, that belongs to'an Arabian Emir. For
about half a League round about the Town, the Lands are very well manur’d, being
full of Gardens and Country-houfes. The City for its fituation refembles Paris ;
for it is built upon both fides of the River Exphrates; and in the midft of the River
is an Ifland, where ftands a fair AZo/quee.
From Anna to Adached-raba is five days riding , and from Adached-raba to Taiba,
five days more.
Mached-raba is a kind of a pe upon the point of a Hill, at the Foot whereof
{prings a Fountain like a large Vafe , which is very rare in the Deferts. The place
is encompa{s’d with high Walls, defended by certain Towers, and in which are
little Hurts where the Inhabitants keep their Cattel, of which there is great ftore,
but more Mares and Horfes than Cows. :
Taiba is alfo a fortif'd place in a level Country, or a high Bank of Earth and
Brick bak’d in the Sun. Near to the Gate a Fountain fprings out of the Earth, and
makesakind ofa Pond. This Road is moft frequented by thofe that travel through
the Defert from Aleppo or Damas to Babylon, or from Damas to Diarbequir, by
reafon of this Fountain. __
From Taiba to Aleppo is but three days journey; but thefe three days are the
moft dangerous of all the Road for Robbers, in regard that all the Country is inha-
bited only by the Bedouins , or Arabian Shepherds, who make it their bufinefs only
to plunder and fteal. :
® Now to take the fame Road from Aleppo to Ifpahan, it lyes thus:
From Aleppo to Taiba, days
From Tuzba to Mached-raba, days
From Mached.raba to Anna, days
From Anna to Bagdat, days
From Bagdat to Bourous, days
From Bonrous to Charaban, days
From Charaban to Cafered, days
From Cafered to Conaguy , days
From Conaguy to Cafjifcerin , days
From Caffifcerin to another Conaguy, days
From Conagny to Erounabad, days ~
From Erounabad to Adaidacht , days
From Maidacht to Sahana, days *
From Sabana to Kengavar, days
From Kengavar to Nahouand, days
From Nahowand to Oranguie , days
From Oranguie to Comba, days
» From Comba to Confar , days
From Confar to Ifpaban , days
So that whether you travel. from Aleppo to Ipahan , or from Ifpahan to Aleppo,
you may eafily ride it in thirty days. | :
From whence I make this Obfervation , That a man making it but two days”
more from .Alexandretta, and finding a Ship ready there to fet Sail for AZzrfeilles,
with a fair Wind he may travel from J/pahan to Paris in two months.
Another time , having an occafion to go from Aleppo to Kengavar , and fo to
Bagdat ; and from therice, fo through the Defert; at Bagdat I met with a Spaniard
that was travelling the fame way, with whom I luckily met to bear half the harges
of the Guide; which as foon as we had hir’d for fixty Crowns, we fet forward from
: : Bagdat
iia. i woe ao. me mee)
a a ee yi AE, i ok PY ee Wis.“ SN oe i ia.
Se er ee Se eld
‘ noe ey ae j
ie
Cliake V. of Meafieur TavERNIER.,
PN Dg ag a EL SRS ATE ET
Bagdat; the Spaniards and I 9 and our Arabian , who was afoot, walk’d about Piftol
Shot before our Horfes. From thence to Azma we met with nothing remarkable ,
but only that we faw a Lyon and aLyonefs in the A& of Generation: Whereupon
our Guide believing we had been atraid, told us, that he had met them oft’n ;
but that he never found them do any harm. ae 7
The Spaniard according to the humour of his Nation; was very referv’d ,
and contenting himfelf with an Onion, or fome fuch fmall matter at meals, never
made much of his guide; whereas I was mightily in his favour, in regard there was
never a day pafs’d wherein he did not receive of me fome good bufinefs or other.
We were not above a Mufquet Shot from Azza when we met with a comely old
man, who came up to me, and taking my Horfe by the Bridle; Friend, faid he,
come and wath thy feet and eat Bread at my Houfe. Thou art a Stranger, and fince
] have met thee upon the Road, never refuie me the favour which I defire of thee:
The Invitation of the old man was fo like the cuftom of the people in ancient times,of
which we read fo many Examples in Scripture, that we could not choofe but.go
along with him to his Houte , where he Feafted us in the beft manner he could ,
giving us over and above Barly for our Horfes and for us he kill’d a Lamb and fome
Hens.. He was an Inhabitant of -dvaa, and liv’d by the River, which we were
oblig’d to crofs to wait upon the Governour for our Paflports, for which we paid two
Piafters apiece. We ftaid at a Houte near the Gate of the City to buy Proyifions
for our felves and our Horfes; where the woman of the *Houfe having a-lovely
{prightly Child of nine years of age, 1 wasfotaken with her humour, that I gave
her two Handkerchiefs of Painted Calicut, which the Child fhewing her Mother,
all we could do could not make her take any Money for the Provifions we had agreed
for. 4 7 spores Ph 55 pies t 55%
Five hundred paces from the Gate of the City, we met a young man of a good
Family , for he was attended by two Servants , and rode upon an Afs, the hinder
part of which was Painted red. He accofted me in particular, and after fome
Compliments that pafs’d , /s it poffible , faid he, that I fhould meet a Stranger , and
have nothing to prefent him withall? He would fain have carry’d us to a Houfe in the
Country whether he was going ; but feeing we were refolv’d to keep our way, he,
would needs give me his Pipe, notwithftanding all the excufes I could. make ,
and though I told him that I never took any Vobaccoy fo that I was conftrain’d
to accept of it. — | !
About three Leagues from Azza, we were going to eat ee Ruines of
certain Houfes, and had thought tohave lain there tillmidnight, when we perciv'd
two Arabians fent by the Emir, to tell usthathe had fome Letters which he would
put into our own hands to the Bafha of Aleppo, towhich purpofe he had order to
~ bring us back. There was no refufing, fo thatat our coming into the Gity the next
day we faw the Emir going to the A4ofquce, mounted upon aftately Horfe ,. and
attended by a great number of people afoot , withevery one a great Poniard {tuck
in their Girdles: As foon as we faw him we alighted, and ftanding up by the
Houfes, we faluted him ashe pais’d by. Seeing our Guide, and threatning to rip
up his Belly 5 Ye Dog, faidhe, J well give ye your reward, and teach ye to ony
Strangers away before I fee them, Carry them, faid he, to the Governours, Houle
‘till I return from the Ao/guee. Returning from the AZofquce , and being feated
in a fpacious Hall, he fent for us and our Guide, whom he threatn’d again for
carrying us out of the Town without giving him notice. But the Governour
pleaded his excufe, and appeas’d the Emir. After that he fent for Coffee for us,
and then caus’d us to open the Budget that we carry’d behind our Horfes, to fee
whether there were any thing that pleas’d him or no. In. my Budget were two.
pieces of Calicut exquifitely painted, for two Coverlets of a Bed; two pieces. of
Handkerchief of Calicut; two Perfian Standifhes beautify’d with Fapon Varniths
two Damafcene Blades, one inlaid with. Gold, the other with Silver. Allwhich
he Jik’d , and made me give him. In the Spansards Budget he found nething but
a few old Clothes: But afterwards being known to have had fome Diamonds about
him, the French Gonful at Aleppo fentenc’d him to pay me half. the charges of what
I gave the Emir. | Aneel th pleas See!
The Prince fatisf’d with what he had tak’n, gave order that we fhould be fur-
nifh’d with all neceflary Provifions for our felves and our Horles: but being provided.
before ,
Ait
yw SD agree Sg i 4 eo ee ees AT ’ ae x. ie
pees sae Fs eis Saas a
112.
-T-made anfwer,
,
4
The P ERSI ae Falvel) Book NT.
;
before, we only took three or four handfuls of excellent Dates, to thew that we
did not flight his kindnefs.
Between Anna and Mached-raba is the Guide to take fpecial care fo to order his
Stages, as to come every morning to the Wells by break of day, for fear of meeting
the Arabs, that come to fetch Water there by that time the Sun is up, who are
apt enough to be injurious to Travellers.
At Mached-raba | faw one of the moft beautiful Virgins that ever I beheld in my
life. For I had given a Piaffer to an Arab to get me fome Bread, and going to fee
whether it were bak’d , I found the Virgin putting it into the Oven, who bein
alone, made me a fign to retire. There I alfo faw a Colt of that wonderful fhape, that
the Baha of Damas had offer’d three thouland Crowns for it. dp a
Coming to Taba, we did not go into the Town, but lay without under the Walls,
Only our Arab went in and brought us chopt Straw for ourCamels. The Governout
of the Town came along with him, and demauded: twenty Péafters of every one, for
certain Duties which he pretended payable to him. We knew there were but four
due, and refus’d to pay any more; but the Arab having a mind to put a trick upon
_ the Spaniard, gave me a wink , intimating to me that I fhould not trouble my felf;
Thereupon the Governour incens’d goes back to the Town » and by and by returns
with an Iron Chain; and had certainly carry’d the Spaniard fetter’d to the Fort » had
he not laid down the twenty Péa/ters. For my part , I was difcharg’d for my four
Piafters , according to cuftom.
Drawing near to Aleppo, the firft Houfes that we came at bordering upon the
Detert, were the Houfes of the Arabs and Bedoitins; the fecond of which being the
Habitation of a Friend of our Guide’s, I deliyer’d my Horfe to the Guide, to whom I
had fold it before at his own earneft requeft ; for I was refolv’d to go a-foot to Aleppo:
and therefore that I might fave the Cuftom of a parcel of Turquoifes that I had
about me, I put them in the Pouches which I carry’d behind my Horfe, and threw
the Pouches into a little Cheft, as if they had been things of no confequence; and
defir’d the Man of the Houfe to keep them a day or two. ‘The Arab told me , that
two after, I found nothing miffing. c
When I came to Aleppo, the Evglifh Conful ask’d me what news from I/pahan :
that he muft of neceffity know better than I, in regard the Exglifh
Prefident ther fent away an Exprefs to him while I was there ; and that he went
away with t apuchins and an Arabian Guide. Thereupon the Conful- mif.
trufting fome mifchief was befal’n them, requefted the Bafha to lend him fome of his
Soldiers, who readily granted him eight Men » part Arabians, part Bedouwins. Thefe
the Conful order’d to difperfe themfelves upon feveral Roads in the Wildernefs , to
fee if they could meet with any tidings upon the Way. In a fhort time two
of them return’d with two little Pouches, in one of which was the Packet of Letters.
They reported alfo, that in a by-place between Taiba and Afached-raba they faw
the Bodies of four dead Men lying upon the Sand. One of them which was in black
Clothes, being hack’d and mangled in a moft miferable manner; but the Bodies of the
other three were entire, though-run through in feveral places. Some time after the
perfons themfelves that did the fa& told both at Diarbequir and Damas , how it came
to pafs. For certain Merchants of Damas going to Diarbequir, perceiv’d four Men
early in the morning at certain Wells where they were to ftop; whereupon they
fent two of their Company before to know who hed were. But the Aufin-Frier
having a little parcel of Diamonds about him, and believing them to be Thieves,
inconfiderately let fly his Gun and kill’d one of them immediately upon the place :
the Merchants feeing one of their companions dead > fellall at once upon the other
three, cut the Awfin-Frier to pieces, and flew the reft, and fo without rifling them
purfu’d their Journey. ;
From Aleppo 1 went to Alexandretta, and there embarqu’d in a Veffel of ALar-
feilles, with a favourable Wind, ’till we came to make the Coaft of Candy, where
We were beealm’d for two days. One morning by break of day we difcover’d a
Pickaroon, whereupon feeing we could not avoid being fetch’d up by him, we
made ready. He made two or three {hot at us, which did us no other harm but
only touch’d the Beak-head of the Ship. Our Gunner made a fhot at him, which
brought down his Top-gallant; a fecond went through and through the great Cabin,
and
were it all Gold it fhould be fafe; and indeed when I fent for them within a day of
Chap.VI. of Monfieur Tavernier.
and caus’d a great diforder in his Ship, as far as we could difcern with our Profpedtive-
Glaffes. But when the Wind began to blow frefh, the Pirate, who had enough
of us, and had difcover’d another Veffel which perhaps he thought better prize,
made all the Sail he could from us toward the other Veffel. Thereupon we purfu’d
our Voyage witha fair Gale, and came to A@dlta. sore
From alta we departed feven or eight in company, in two of the Pope’s Gallies,
ftaying three days at Syracufe, and one at Aéeffina; where our Company increafing ,
we hir’d a Feluck for Naples. But as we were coafting by the Shoar to the Port
of Naples, fo terrible a Tempeft furpriz’d us near to Paolo, that we were fore’d to
put in there upon Palm-Sunday. The next day we went to fee the Covent of
St. Francis of Paolo; the way to it lying between a high Mountain on the right, and
a Precipice onthe left hand. This Mountain leans fo, that it feems to be tumbling
down; and there is a good height upon the Rock the feeming print of a Hand » which —
as the report goes, was the print of St. Francis’s Hand, who fuftain’d it a whole
day, and kept it from falling. From Paolo we went to Naples, were we arriy’d
upon Eajfer-eve ; and as we enter’d into the City, the great Guns went off round
the City, in honour of the Refurreétion. At Rome we all feparated , according as
our Bufinefs led us. ae
SOA Bo VE
Another Road from Conftantinople to Ifpahan , by the Euxin
or Black Sea; with fome Remarks upon the principal Cities
thereabouts. |
Here are three Roads yet remaining, leading out of Europe into Perfia
or the Indies. That of Conftantinople , all along the Coafts of the Black
Sea; that of Warfovia, croffing the fame Sea at 7: rebifond; and that
of AMofco, down the Volga, which has been amply defcrib’d by Olearius,
Secretary to the Embafly of the Duke of Hoiffein. In this and the next Chapter
I hall defcribe the Way from Conftantinople, all along the Black Sea, and that from
Warfovia; not knowing any perfon that has hitherto mention’d any thing upon this
fubjeét. And firft of all 1 will give a fhort Defcription ‘of the principal Places that
lye upon that Sea, aswell upon the fide of Exvope as of Afia, with the juft diftances
of one Place from another.
The principal Cities upon the Black Sea, on the Coaft of Europe.
_ From Conftantinople to Varna they count it two hundred Miles, four of which
make an Alman League; miles 200
From Varna to Balfhike , miles 7 36
From Belfhiké to Bengali, miles a? 70
From Bengali to Conftance , miles 3 _ 60
From Conftance to Queli, miles
. 25
Near to this City of Queli the great Arm of Daaow throws it felf into the Black
Sea, Here is the grand Fifhery for Sturgeon. a
From Queli to Aquerman, miles aimee
The City of Aquerman belongs to a Kaz of the leffer Tartary ; but it is not the
place of his refidence , for he keeps his Court at Bafha-Serrail , twenty- ive liles up
in the Land.
From Aquerman to Kefet or Kaffa, miles (eee | 350
This is a great City, and a place of great Tradé, ie are above a
thoufand Families of the Armenians , and about five hundred Greeks. They have
every one their Bifhop, and feveral Churches. St. Peter’s is the biggeft, very large :
_ and very beautiful, but it falls to decay, becaufe the Chriftians have not att
? P enoug
e
The Persian Travels
Book III,
enough to repair it. Every Chriftian aboue fifteen years of age, pays a Pia/fer and
ahalf tribute to the Grand Signor , whois Lord of the City; and he fends a Baha
that lives in the ancient City call’d Frink-HeffJar. However the Kaa of the Leffer
Tartary extends his Jurifdiétion as far as the Gates of Kaffa.
From Kaffa to Afjaque , miles 90
eA aque is the laft City in Europe, belonging alfo to the Grand Signor. By
it runs a great River of the fame name , the other fide being in the Territories of
the Duke of A4ufoovy. Down this River come the Coffacks that do fo much mit.
chief to the Turks. For fometimes they come withthreefcore or fourfcore Gelia’s
which are a kind of Brigantines, the bigger fort of which carry a hundred and
fifty men, the lefsahundred. Sometimes they divide themfelves into two parts ,
oneof which makes Havock toward Conffantinople, the other Ravages the Coaft of
cAfia, as far as Trebizond. |
~ The Coaft of Europe bord’ring upon the Black Sea is 861 miles in length.
The chief Cities upon the Black Sea on the Coaft of Alia, which w
7 1170 miles in length, ,
From Conftantinople to Neapoli , miles 250
In this City are made the greateft part of the Galleys and Veffels that belong to
the Grand Signor. } i
From WNeapoli to Sinabe, miles ; 250
From Simabe to Ouma , miles 240
From Ouma to Kerafon , ‘miles ' 150
From Kerafona to Trebifond, miles a 8o
From Trebifond to Rife, miles Srey 100
From Rife to Guni, miles eS, ; poe ae. 100
The City of Guni belongs halfto the Grand Sigor,and half to the King of A¢enorelia,
with whom he keeps a good Correfpondence, becaufe the greateft part of the
Steel and Iron that is fpent in Turkse comes out of Adengrelia through the Black
Sea. 3 7
- The only good Posts upon the Black Sea from Conffantinople to Mengrelia ,
att 3
t pee Sinabe , or Sinope, Onnye, Samfom, Trebifond, Gommé.
_ The Haven of Quitros isvery deep, and the Veffels lie thelter’d from the winds,
but the entrance into it is very bad, which only the Pilots of the place, or they
who have often accuftom’d themfelves to that Trade can only find out. It feems that
anciently there had been moft ftately Buildings round about the Port; and feyeral
noble Pillars are to be feen all along the fhore, not to {peak ef thofe which have
been Trdlborted to Conftantinople. Near the City toward the South ftands a high
Mountain, whence there flows good ftore of excellent Water, which at the
bottom gathersinto one Fountain. :
_To go from Conftantinople for Perfia by Sea, you muft embark at Conftantinople
for Trebifond, and many times for Rife or Gumi, which are more to the North.
‘They that Land at Trebifond go dire@ly to Erzerom , which is not above five
days Journey off, and from Erzerom to Erivan or Tunis. But there are few that
will venture upon this Sea where there is no good Anchorage; befides that it is
{ubject to prodigious Tempefts , from which there are very few good Ports to defend
them ; which is the reafon it is call’?d Cara-dengwis, or the Black Sea: The Eaftern
people giving to allthings, mifchievous and dangerous, the Epithet of Black.
They that are Bound for Rife or Guni, goto Teflis the Capital City of Giorgia,
and thence to Erévan, for though the way be bad, yet it is far better and {moother
than the Road to Tauris.
__ The principal places from Teflis to Erivan are thefe, together with their re-
{pective diftances. | |
From Teflis to Soganlouk, leagues 3
From Soganlonk to Senouk-kupri , leagues 7
From Senouk-kupri to Guilkac, leagues 7
From Guilkae to. Daksou, leagues 6
a
Chap.VII. of Monfieur Tavernier.
From Dakson to Achikent, leagues
From Achikent.to Dillow, leagues
From Dillon to Yaxegi, leagues
From Yazegi to Bicheni , leagues
From Bichem to Erivan, leagues
From €vivan you keep the ordinary Road-to Tauris.
NBA WA
> Sa he Ad:
The Road from Warfow to l{pahan, over the Black Sea, and from
Ifpahan to Mofco; with the Names of the principal Cities and
Iflands of “Turky according to the vulgar pronunciation , and as
they are call’d in the Language of the Turks.
Rom Warfow upon the left hand of the Viffula, the ordinary refidence of
the Kings of Poland, to Lublin, days 6
From Lublin to Iluove, days 5
There all the Bales are open’d, and the Cuftomers take Five in the Hun-
dred for their Merchandize. 3 | aa ee
From Iluove to Faflovieer, days So ee ee
This is the laft City of Poland toward Moldavia, where if you fell any quantity
of Goods, you muft pay Five per Cent.
From Faflovieer to Yafhe, days 8
This is the Capital City of Afoldavia, and is the Refidence of the Vaywood which
the Grand Signor fends to govetn in the Country. There they open all the Bales,
and there is a Roll of what every Merchant ought to pay, which may amounts to
Five per Cent.
From Yafhé to Ourfhaye, days aa 3
This is the laft City of Afoldavia , where there is no Cuftom to be paid.
From Ourfhaye to Akerman, days 4
Here they never open the Bales, but they take Four in the Hundred.
_ From Akerman to Oxon; days eon
Here they never open the Bales, but the Cuftom amounts to Two per Cent,
From Ozou to Precop, days - | TaEEESIo
Neither do theyghere open the Bales, but truft to the Merchant’s word , and
the Cuftoms amount to Two and a half per Cent. = 7
From Precop to Kaffa, days 5
Nor are the Bales open’d here, but the Cuftom comes to Three per Cent.
Thus from Warfow to Kaffathe Journey takes up one ahd fifty days, in the Wagon,
which is the manner of Carriage in thofe Countries. All the Cuftoms amount to
Eighteen and a half per Cent. to which you mutt add the Carriage, and Paflage by
Sea to Trebizond, where you pay three Piafters for every Mules-load, and four for
every Camels-load.
Obferve by the way, that the Armenians do not ufually take fhipping at Trebizond,
but go to another Port more to the Weft, upon the fame Coaft, where they never
pay above a Piaffer and a half for a Camels-load. This Port, call’d Onnie, isa very
good Haven; and there is another a little farther off , call’d Samfox , which is no bad
one , but the Air is unwholfom and dang’rous. My
There is alfo another Road from Warfow to Trebizond, thorter by three days
journey. ~ | . ae,
From Warfow to Yafhe, according to the Road already fet down, days - 31
From Yafhe to Galas, days Sea 8
All Merchandize is Tax’d at this place, and the Duties are tak’n at Galas, ace.
' cording to the Note which the Merchant brings from Galas, Galas is a City of
Moldavia. a eee ee
a Ps = From
7. iia ae yg tie oe ve — 7 a ee ele bret. 4 ee. | ees 2 Ok es ee ee
Foal nose CA ge eS ae Mg are =< SEN MMR et ty Snot PCM TIER asc ee ick ec ee Pas eee nee SF
Be silly voit ye a oe SS cee: : DEN ees ip: Seer : Be ies ee Rese ae 98 fy aS Sees Sie peat inc.” 4 Sn ey Fp
met aA Bg I aces EG ec FE EES Eg i SiS isan mA adn ne oe We a
ee 6 16
;
re
GS
Book Ill.
The Perstan Travels
From Galas to Megin, days I
The Bales are not open’d here, but the Merchant pays three and a half, or four
per Cent.
From Megin to: Mangalia, days 8
_ This is one of the four Ports to the Weft upon the Black Sea, and the beft of
all. , .
The three others toward the South wpon the Coaft are Kavarna, Balgik, and
Varna. At Mangalia they demand but half a Piajler for every Bale. Croffing
from thence to Trebifond you haye five days Journey to Erzerom.
Now to the Road of A“ifcovy, which having been exactly defcrib’d by Olea.
rim, going into Perfia, 1 will defcribe it returning out of Per/ia.
Having led the Reader to Shamaqui, \ will return home from thence.
From Shamaqui to Derbent, days 7
< Derbent, which the Turks call Demir-Capi, is the laft City within the Jurit.
di&tion of the Perfians, by which there runs a River which is call’d Shamourka.
~ From Derbent to Tetarck, days 8
By this Town runs a River which is call’d Bocan.
From Tetark to Affracan they hire fmall Barks with a dozen Oars. All along
_ the fhoar the Offers grow fo very thick , that they afford fhelter for the
Barks in fowl weather. If the Wind ferve they will put upa little Sail and-be at _
Afiracan in four or five hours; but if they only Row, they cannot be there in
nine. :
When you Embark upon the Cajpian Sea, where you only creep along by the
fhore , you muft provide your felf with Water for the three firft days, inregard
the Water is bitter and ill tafted all along the Coaft all that while; but for the
reft of the Voyage it is very good. If you carry heavy Goods, you. may hire
large Boats to fave charges. - ee
When you come to Affracan you unlade your Goods; at what time the Officer
comes, and fealing up every Bale, caufes them to be fent to the Merchants lodg-
ing. Three days after the Cuftomer comes to op’n the Bales, and takes five per
Cent. If the Merchant hap’n to want money, and takes it up at aifracan to
pay again at Adofcow , he pays fometimesthirty per Cent, according to the rate of
Gold Dueats. |
If a Merchant have any Diamonds or any other Jewels, and let it be known ,
he pays five per Cent. But if a Merchant have any Jewels or any other rarities ,
and tells the Governour that he intends to carry them to the Grand Duke, the
Governour fends a Convoy with him either by Land or Water, that cofts him no-
thing ; and moreover fends a Gourrier before to the Court to give notice of his
coming. There is very good Wine at Affracan , but better at Shamaqui , where
J advife 'the Traveller to provide himfelf. ®
From Affracan to Mofcow you take Shipping in great Barques that make ufe
both of Oars and Sails rowing againft the Tide, and weigh what ever you put
_ aboard, to a very Coverlet. Generally you pay for every pound fourteen Cayz,
or three Abafi’s and a half, and an Abaffi makes eighteen Sows and three De-
U1€T S$.
In Wufcovy they reck’n the way neither by leagues nor miles, but by Shage-
rons , five of which make an Italian mile. it Soe
From Afiracan to €ourmija , Shagerons ; : 300
From Gourmija to Sariza, ha. ze 209
From Sariza to Sarataf, ha. . é . 350
From Sarataf to Samarat, ha. 200
From Samarat to Semiriskat , fha. 3.00
From Semiriskat to Coulombe , ha. 150
» From Conlombe to Cafan , ha. 200
This is a great City with a tout Fortre&.
From Cafan to Sabouk-fha, tha. ses 200
From Sabouk-fha to Godamijan, tha. Za 55)
From Godami jan to Niguina, ha. 280
- Wiguina is a large and well Fortifi?d Caftle.
From Niguina to Mouror , tha. 300
From
Se aN, esa Nanaia cas «© Mom <P ap Sanco OR ie ee ga eR a hd Cee RSet eae hot
LP Aad as ae Siaereres Ene PRGA NS os or ToS RR SRE gh Saree
“ : 2 eeegeiaedennn aa =: : :
; a
‘Chap. VIL. of Monfieut o AV-E RN
From Mouron to Cajin, fha. roo
From Cafin to Mofcow , fha. | 250
So that from Ajfr<can to Mofcow they count it fhe. 29§0
which makes 590 Jralian miles.
At Sarataf you may go athore, and fo by Land to A4ofcow. When the Snow is
gone you travel in Wagons, but when the Snow lies, inSledges. Ifa manbe alone,
and that his Goods weigh not above two hundred pounds Paris weight, they put
them into two Bales; and laying them upon the Horfes back fetthe man in the
middle, paying for Carriage as much as from Affracan to Mifcew.
From Sarataf by Land to Inferat 3 days Be aT O
From Inferat to Tymnck, days 246
From Tymnck to Canquerma , days S-
From Canquerssa to Volodimer, days | 6
Volodimer isa City bigger than Confiantinople, where ftandsa fair Church upon a
Mountain in the City , having been formerly the refidence of the Emperours them-
felves. |
From Voledimer to Adofcow, days 5
In all, days ; . ae
Obferve by the way that they never go afhote at Serataf but in cafe of neceflity,
when the River begins to be Frozen. For from Serataf to Inferat isa Journey of ten
days, inall which time there is nothing to behad, either for Horfe or Man. The
Cuftom is the fame at Mofcow as at Affracan, that is Five per Cent. All the Afia-
ticks , Turks, Perfians, Armenians, and others, lodge in a fort of Inns: but the
Evropeans lie in a place by themfelves altogether. we eS
4
The Names of fome Cities and places belonging to the Empire of the Grand
Signor, « they are vulgarly cal?d, and in Turkih.
NBR ee © after it was taken by A4ahomet the fecond, the twenty-feventh of
May, 1453. was call’d by the Turks [ffam-Bol;, Iftam fignifying Security, and
Bol, Spacions » large, or great , as muchas to fay, Great Security.
‘Vulgar, Turkifh.
Aadrianople , Edrene.
Burfe , Broufa. ’
Belgrade , Beligrade.
Buda , Boudim.
Grand Cuire , Metr.
Alexandretta in Egypt , . Iskendrie.
Mecca » _ Meqquie.
Balfara , Bafra.
Babylon , Bagdat.
Nineveh , Mouffoul.
Nifibis Nisbin.
Edeffz, Ourfa,
Tiqueranger , Diarbequir,
Eva-togea , Tokat.
Teve Tonpolis , Erzerom,
Shamiramager , Van.
Ferufalem , Kouttheriff,
Damas , Cam.
Tripoli in Syria, Cam Taraboulous.
Aleppoy Haleb. eee
Tripoli in Barbary , Taraboulous. —
Tunis | Tunis. >) eae
Al gier , Gezaiir.
Candy , Guirir. ae
Rhodes , Rodesg am
Cyprus , - Kebres. pe,
Chio
a ae
Lhe P ERSIAN Travel Book LUI.
Chio, ae Sakes.
Methelin , Medilli.
Smyrna , Izmir.
Trey, Eski Iftamboul.
Lemnos , Limio.
Tenedos Bopeeact
Negropont ; Eghirbos.
The Dardanels ; i | Bogaz-ki.
Athens , : Atina.
Barut , Biroult.
Soa ; , Saida.
yre Sour,
_ St. Fohn of Dacres , Acra.
Antioch 5 Antexia.
Trebizond, Tarabozan.
Sinopus , Sinap.
In the Fortrefs of Sizopus, at the lower part of the Wall there is a Stone to be
feen , where there is an Infcription in Latin abbreviated , with the word Rome in it ;
whence fome conje&ture may be made that the Romans built it. —
The Mediterranean Sea, _. Akdeniis.
The Ocean , 7 | Derijay Mouhiit.
The Black Sea, | Kara-Deniis,
CHAP. VIIL
Remarks upon the Trade of the Ifland of Candy and the principal
Ifles of the Archipelago , as alfo upon fome of the Cities of
Greece adjoyning ; with a particular Relation of the prefent Con-
dition of the Grand Signor’s Galleys , belonging as well to the
Ifles as to the Continent.
Of the ISLAND of CANDY.
UT of the Ifland of Candy Strangers export great {tore of Wheat and
Sallet-Oyl, all forts of Pulle, Cheefe , yellow Wax, Cottons, Silks,
but more efpecially Malmfey, wherein confifts its chiefeft Trade. When
Vintage draws near, the Country-people that are to gather the Grapes
wrap their Feet in a piece of a Boar’s Skin, which they tye together upon the
upper part of the Foot witha piece of Pack-thred, to preferve their Feet from the
violent heat of the Rocks upon which they are to tread. Thofe Skins are brought
out of Raffia by the Ruffes, that bring Botargo and Caviare to Conftantinople , where
they have a vaft vent for it all over Turkie , Perfia, and Ethiopia; where they that
follow the Greek and Armenian Church , eat little or nothing elfe all the Lent. By
the way take notice, that the Turks make a certain Glew out of Sturgeon, which is the
beft in the World,fo that whatever is faften’d with it,will rather break in another place
than where it is glewd. They make it thus: When they have caught a Sturgeon, they
pull out his Guts, and then there remains a Skin that covers the Flefh; this Skin
they take off from the head to the belly. It is very clammy, and about the thick-
nefs of two Sheets of Paper, which they roll as thick as a Man’s Arm, and let it
dry in the Sun. When they ufe it, they beat it with a Mallet, and when it is
well beat’n they break it into pieces, and fteep it in Water for half an hour in a
little Pot. =
When the Venetians were Mafters of Candy, they that had committed any Crime
which deferv’d Death, if they could get out of the Ifland before they were appre-
hended ,
Chap. VI. of Monfieur Tavernier. 119
a
hended, went directly to Conflantinopole , to beg their pardon, For you maft know,
that no perfon but the Ambaffador of the Commonwealth of Venice had the Pri.
viledge to pardon Crimes committed in Casdy. For example, when Signor Der-
vifano was Ambaffador for the Commonwealth of Venice at Conftantinople , a Candiot
having a defire to lye with a Woman by force, fhe told him fhe would fooner eat her
Child’s Liver than yield to his Luft. Whereupon, the Villain enrag’d he could not
compafs his defign , took his opportunity, kill’d the Child, cut out the Liver, and
made the Mother eat it, and then flew the Mother alfo. Upon this he fled to Con-
dantinople, to beg pardon of the Ambaflador , and obtain’d it there: But the
ainbafiial at the fame time wrote word to the Governour of Candy to put him to
death at his return; having only granted him his Pardon, to preferve his Priviledge.
And indeed, to fpeak truth,the Cavdiors are the moft wretched people under Heaven.
Of th ISLAND of CHIQ.
4% HE City of Chio, which gives the Ifland its Name, contains about thirty thou-
fand Inhabitants; where there are little lefs than fifteen thoufand Greeks,
eight thoufand Latins, and fix thoufand Turks. ,
Among the feveral Greck, and Latin Churches, the laft of which hath continu’d
ever fince the time that the Geroefes poffefs’d the Ifland, there are fome indifferent
handfom Struétures. The five principal Latia Churches are the Cathedral, and
the Churches belonging to the Efcolantines , the Dominicans , the Fefuites , and the
Capuchins, The Turks have alfo their Mofquees, and the Fews their Synagogue.
Four Miles from the City, near to the Sea-fide is tobe feena vaft Stone, which
was cut out of fome Rock; it is almoft all round., only the upper part, which is
flat, and fomewhat hollow, round about the upper part, and in the middle, are
laces like Seats , cut into the fameStoné; of which there is one higher than the reft,
hike a School-mafter’s Chair, and Tradition reports that this was Hlomer’s School,
where he taught his Scholars. !
In this Ifland there is fuch an infinite number of Partridges, that the like is not to
be found inany part ofthe World. Butthat which isa greater Rarity is this, that the
Natives breed them up, as we do our Poultry, but after a more pleafant manner ;
for they let them go in the fields all the day long, and at night every Country-man
calls his own feverally home to Roeft by a particular Note, whither they return like
a Flock of fo many Geefe. Aig iii, 2 RP
There are great quantities of Damasks and Fuftians wrought in the Ifland of Cue
which are tran{ported to Grand Cairo, and to all the Cities upon the Coaft of Bar.
bary, Natolin, and particularly to Conftantinople. ee Ot eee
“Three Leagues from the Ifland of Chio, upon a Mountain to the South there grows »
a peculiar fort of Trees, the Leaves are fomewhat like a Myrtle, their Branches
fo long that they creep upon the ground ; but which ismore wonderful , that when
they are down, they rife again of themfelves. From the beginning of May to
the end of Fue, the Inhabitants take great care to keep the Earth under the Tree
very clean ; for during thofe two Months there iffues out a certain Gum from the
joynts of the Branches ,. which drops upon the ground; this is that which we call
Maftick,, and the Turks, Sakes, according to the Name which they give the Ifland.
The Ifland produces great ftore of this AZaj/tick , which is fpent in the Seragiio of
Conftantinople , where the Women continually chew it, to cleanfe and keep their Feeth
white. hen the Majfick Seafon draws near, the Grand Signor every year fends
a certain number of Bejfangi’s to take care that it be not exported , but be pre-
fery’d for the ufe of the Seraglio. If it beaplentiful year for Adaffick,the Beftang’s
that cull out the leffer fort to fell, put it into little Bags and feal it up, which Bags
being fo feal’d, are never queftion’d by the Cuftom-houfe Officers. 1 he Ifland alto
. yields very good Turpentine. ee
oF
120
,
The Pan fai AN Tia: Book UI.
Of th ISLAND of NAXIS,
Here is not one Port belongs to this Ifland, the Veffels that ate Bound thi.
ther for Trade , being fore’d to ftay in the Haven of the Ifle of Paros, call’d
Derion fix miles from Nasi, which is one of the belt Havens in the Archipelago ,
able to contain a thoufand Ships. There are the ruines of a Wall ftill to be deen
that made a Mole, where four or five Galleys might ride. There are alfo the
ruines of feveral Houfes of the ancient Dukes , the Stables ftanding almoft whole,
all Arch’d, and built of Marble. “Thefe Dukes were alfo Lords of twelve other
iflands. As for the Ifland it felf, it is well ftor’d with Villages, and has three good
Cities, Barequa, Qifa, and Falet. :
_Near this Ifland within a ftones throw, there is a curious piece of Antiquity
Rill to befeen. It isa flat Rock, as big about in compafs-as the ancient Court of
the Loxvre. In the middle of this Rock it was that the Temple of Bacchus was
built all of Marble, of which there is nothing but the Foundations that remain,
The Gate is ftill ftanding made of three Stones, whereof two make the fides, and
the third lies acrofs. From the Ifle to this Rock there is a fair Stone Bridge of Free-
ftone, upon each fide whereof are to be feen the Pipes that convey’d the Wine
into the Temple, that was drank at the Feaft of Bacchus. Naxis allo is the Ifland
that produces the beft Emeril. 7 ;
As to the Inhabitants themfelves , if the Husband or Wife happens to dye, the
Survivor never ftirs out of the Houfe in fix Months after, upon any bufinefs how
urgent foever, no not to hear Mafs. There are both Zatins and Greeks in the
Ifland , but the latter are the moft numerous, There is a Latin Arch-bifhop , and
Canons belonging to the AZetropelitan Church, with two Religious Houfes , one of
Capuchins , and the other of Fefuites: The Greeks alfo have their Arch-bifhop.
ithe iilend of Naxis is fixfcore miles in compafs, being one of the faireft and
pleafanteft Ilands in the Archipelago. The ancient Dukes made it their refidence ,
whence they command the greateft part of the Cyclades. There is great plenty of
White Salt made in Maxis , and it produces excellent Wine both White and Claret,
which caus’d the Inhabitants to build a Temple to Bacchus , who according to their
ancient Tradition chofe that Ifland for his Habitation. The Ifland produces excel-
lent Fruits, feeds great ftore of Cattle, and abounds in feveral other things necef-
fary for human fupport. There are alfo in it large Woods full of fnall Deer, and
frequented by a great number of Eagles and Vultures.
ee leee the names of the Cyclades, as the people of the Country pronounce .
them.
1. Deloa or Sdilis. : 11. AMiconoa.
a asal he 12. Tenoa or Tino.
3. Andros. i 13. Sciroaor Sira.
4. Paros. | 14. Subinma. ae
§. Nicaria. 15. Syphnus or Sifante.
6. Samoa. . : 16. Nixcia. :
9. Pathmoa. 5 2 17. Chios or Scio.
8. Olearoa. pe ee 18, Aftypalea. —
9. Sitino. 3 19. Amorgus or Amorgo.
10, Rhena. : :
Of the Ilands of Zea, of Milo, i Paros, 4nd other Iflands |
go of the Archipelago. - :
is nothing to be Exported but Valanede , to dye Leather withall. Neither
are there any Goods. Imported into it but what the Pirates bring in, which
5 very few, in regard the Iflanders are careful to provide themielves other-
where. ae .
Te Ais an Ifland wherein there is nothing remarkable, and from whence there
Atle
Chap. VIL of Monficur Tavernier.
Milo affords nothing but Millftones to grind Wheat, which are carry’d to Conftan
ee where there is no Trade neither, has nothing remarkable in it but one
Greek,Church, very well built allof Mable, call’d Our Ladys Church.
Asfor the Iflands of Sifante and Miconoa , in regard there is nothing of Trade in
either but only with the Pirates, who fometimes touch there, if there be any Coz:
fils that live there , it is only to buy their ftol’n Goods, ,
Of the City of Athens , Corinth, Patras, Coron, a#d Modon.
T HE City of Athens is about four miles diftant from the Sea, and contains
two and twenty thouland Inhabitants, twenty five thoufand Greeks , five or fix
thoufand Latins, and athoufand Turks. Amongall the Antiquities that yet remain,
thofe in the Caftle are the beft preferv’d. The Caftle ftands upon a Hill, upon the
North defcent whereof fome part of the City ftands. It enclofes a very fair and
foacious ‘Temple , built all of white Marble from the top to the bottom, fupported ©
by ftately Pillars of black Marble and Porphiry. In the front are great Figures of
Armed Knights ready to encounter one another. Round about the Temple, except
upon the Roof, which is all of flat Marble Stones well order’d, are to be feen all the
famous Aéts of the Greeks in finall carving, every Figure being about two foot and a
half high. Round about the Temple runs a fair Gallery, where four perfons may
walk a-breft. It is fupported by fixteen Pillars of white Marble upon each of the
fides, and by fix at Seto , being alfo pav’d and cover’d with the fame Stone.
Clofe to the Temple ftands a fair Palace of white Marble, which now fallsto decay.
Below the Cattle, and at the point of the City toward the Eaft, ftand feventéen
Pillars, the remainder of three hundred, where anciently, they fay , ftood the
Palace of Thefeus firft King of the e4thenians. Thete Pillars are of a prodigious
bignefs , every one eighteen foot about. They are proportionable in height , but
not all of a piece, being thwarted moft of them by Stones of white Marble , one
end-whereof refts upon one Pillar, and the other upon that which follows it ;
which was the fupport of the whole building. Upon the Gate, which is yet entire,
are to be feen thefe words upon the front without. | : )
‘ Aide ASnvat onstas 4 adel modus,
The City of Athens was affuredly the City of Thefeus. 7 |
Within-fide of the fime City thefe other words aré Engravd,
’ Aisle AStvot Adlginvs vol Sxl Onrdag mAs,
The City of Athens is the City of Adrian , and not of The-
{eus. : ;
ine are in Athens feveral other pieces of Antiquity which are well worthy to
Cen. ae
LENE, Pe
sapege
he a
every year.
Nite
Grad
‘There are Confals in Athens , Patras Coron , Moder and Napoli of Ronse 3
| Q. : ‘The
eo = The Pe RSIAN Travels Book LI.
The Athenian Merchants buy up Tiffues, Velvets, Satins, and Cloth, with
which they ferve other Countries adjoyning. The Commodities which Foreigners
export from thence, are, Silks, Wool, Sponges, Wax , Cordivan-Leather , and
Cheefe. Which is all that canbe faid ig few words, of the Trade of all thefe
Places.
A Particular Relation of the Gallies belonging to the Grand Signor, as well
at Conftantinople, as tmthe djles and otber Parts of the Empire,
leys: But the Grand Vifier perceiving that fo great a number did but caufe
confufion, and that the Captain-Bajha could not conveniently take fo great a burden
as to look after fuch a number, he gave order that no moré than caps ous fhould
lie in the Port of Con/Bantinople , fending the reft to other Ports, as well of the Con.
tinent, as the Iflands. : ;
At prefent the Number of the Grand Signor’s Gallies isfourfcore, thus diftributed
under the Command of their feveral Beys or Captain. =
At Con antinople, twenty-four under the Command of the Captain-Bafha, or Ad-
miral of the Sea, whowhen he goes out upon any Expedition, fends to the reft to
meet him according to Orders. When he goes in perfon to Sea, he gives to every
one of his pSlayes, befides their ordinary Habit a kind of Caffock of Red Cloth ;
and a Bonnet of the fame colour. But this is only in the Admiral’s Gally; and at
his own Coft. His Gally carries ufually 366 Slaves, and to every Seat of the Row-
ers, a Bonne Vole. Uhefe Bonne Foles are certain Volunteers that freely offer them-
tclies es the Service of the Admiral, is sas Pe great ate gaken ict their being
Wellpaid. Theig Pay is 3500 sAfpers for their Voyage, which generally continues
earer ryt ‘hey lee other oe but if they Row negligent-
ly or lazily, they are beaten worfe than the Slaves; for the Volunteers have nothing
to do except itbe to Row: But the Slaves are put to feveral other Duties. Take
notice alfo that the Volunteers that ferve in the General's Gally, have 500-Afpers
more than thofe in the other Gallies, that isto fay, 4000 Ajfpers for their Voyage,
which comes to 40 Crowns.
_ The Reer-Admiral carries Two hundred and fifty men, as well Slaves as Volun-
teers, hat Galley and the great Tefterdar’s or Treafurers, are the beft provided
of any in the whole Fleet: For the Reer-Admiral Bafa has his chdice to take
four of the beft men out of every Galley for his own, or elfe to receive 3500 Alpers
for every man, which is paid by the Captain. of the Galley; which makes him the -
-_richeft of allthe Beys.
_- The great Tefterdar’s Galley isone of the ‘Twenty four Galleys of Conftantinople,
and he fends a particular Treafurer, in the quality of a Lieutenant, to command
her. That Command is very much contefted for, in regard that Galley is very
well provided with all things; and for that all the Captains Court the Tefterdar,
who, when the Galleys return to Port, rewards them according to their Merit.
© famzary-Aga's Galley is of the fame number; but he never goes to Sea,
always fending one in his room.
: The Bey of Rhodes, that takes upon him the Title of Bafha, has eight Gal-
cys. - ts ;
The Bey of Staache, an Wland about an hundred Miles from Rhodes, Lieutenant
tothe Bey of Rhodes, has one Galley. 5 Ea
The Pry of Suffam, a finall land near Scio, has one Galley, and his Lieutenant
another. Thefe Galleys are generally appointed to watch the Adaltefi, and Li-
Orn. ' ; ,
: ene Bey of Scio formerly had but three; but fince the War with Candy, he has?
1X. ; a
The Lieutenant of the Bey of Scie has two Gallies. There be alfo. three other
Beys inthe Ifland of Scio, who have no dependance upon the Bafa of Scio, but buy
their Provifions where they can find it belt cheap. :
The Bey of Smyrna and his Licutenant have two Gallies 5 but: they can do nothing
without the Orders of the Bey of Scio. ris
Pony there lay in the Road of Conjtantinople above a hundred and fifty Gal.
Chap.1X. of Monfieur Tavernier, 123
£ Metelin has two Gallies. ee peo es i isda 4. * ai tw
The By Cavale, afimall Bay, twelve Miles onthis fide the Dardanells, upon the
Coaft of Ewrope, has one. , ) !
The Bey of Neftrepont , feven.
The Bey of Napoli in Romania, five.
The Bey of Coron, one. ©
The Bey of Aodon, one. io iba E otis
The Bey of Famagofta, fix. gio?
The Bey of Alexandriain Egypt, five. 2.03
The Bey of Canée, two Gallies. . i Og
The Bey of Candia, one. ; = |
The Bey of Caftel-Tournexe or Navarin, two Gallies. ‘
All thefe Galliesmake up the number of Fourfcore.* pod k,
The light Gallies carry not above 196 men, the four men that are wanting of
two hundred, being the Bey’s profit. : ?
Every Captain is allow’d thirteen thoufand Piaffers for his Provifion; and every
Chrifimas he gives to every Slave a pair of Breeches, and a Caffock of courfe Cloth,
witha {cantie kind of a Cloak. | fae
Every Slave has every day a pound and a half of good Bread, and nothing elfe.
But upon Friday, which is the Adahumetans Sunday, ‘they have hot Peafe, or Beans,
or Lentils boyd in Butter. They receivealfo fometimes the Alms of the Greeks,
when they lie in any Port. But at Con/tantinople es te fomewhat better 5 for
twice aweek, as wellthe Turks, asthe Greeks and others, come to the Bains, and
beftow their Charity of Rice and other good Vidtuals. The Bains isthe name of
the place where the Sea-men are kept when they arenotatSea, 1
Sometimes when they are to go to Sea, they will counterfeit themfelves fick of
lane, but ae are fo narrowly obferv’d, that it ferves them to no other purpofe than -
to procure to themfelves the more Blows.
OHA 'P. ee |
~ A Relation of the prefent State of Georgia:
EORG1.A, which others call Gurgre, or Gurgiffan, extends Eaftward
to the Ca/pian Sea; and upon the Welt is bounded by Mountains: that;
part it from Aéengrelia. Formerly it was a Kingdom, all the Inhabi+
tants whereof were Chriftians, of the Armenian, ‘andof the: Greek;
Church, but of late the Adshometans have got footing among them. And the
King of Perfia having filPd them full of Divifions; has made two Kingdoms of it,
which he calls Provinces; over whichhe has plac’d two Governots.., They are ge-
nerally Princes of the Countrey, whomuft turn A¢zhometans before they can bead-
mitted to that Dignity. When they are advanc’d, they take upon them the title
ee and while they have any Iffue, the King of Perfia cannot difpoffefs their
Children. -
The moft Potent of thefe two Kings, is he that refidesat Teflis, who in the Lan:
guage of the Country is call’d the King of Cartelé. The prefent King is the laft
that has continuw’d a Chriftian; with his four Sons , the Eldeft of which, the King
of Perfia having entic’d to Court, partly by Promifes, and partly by Prefents, has
won to Adahumetifm. Immediately thereupon; he caus'd him to be declar’d
»King of the other Province. ; Me.
~Thete two Kings have each of them a Guard of A¢abumetan-Horfemen under
their own pay; and at prefent I believe there are in both Kingdoms near upon
12000 Mahumetan Families. — ae oe
The King of Tefiis coyns Mony in the King of Perfia’s Name; and the Silver
which he coyns, is in Spamilh Reals , Freneh Crowns, and fuch other Money,
which the Armenians bring out of Europe for their Goods. As to the Juftice of the.
Countrey, neither the King himfelf ; nor the AZahometans have any thing to oe
: Q 2 with
124;
The P ERSIAN Travels Book I.
with it. A thief is acquitted, paying feven-fold what he has ftole, two parts
whereof go to the Party robb’d, one part to the Judges, and four partsto the
King. If the Thief has not wherewithal to make reftitution, he is fold: If the
Produ& donot yet equal the Sum, if he have a Wifeand Children, they firft fel]
the Wife, and if that will notdo, then they fellthe Children: But if the Party
robb’d be fo merciful, as to forgive the Thief his fhare,* then neither the King nor
the Judges can demand any thing for theirfhare. If a man commit a Murder, the
condemn him to die,and deliver him up into the hands of the Kindred of the Party flain,
to do Execution as they pleafe themfelves. However , it is in their power to par.
don him, if he be able to give fixty Cows or more to the next a-kin to the P
kil’d. In matter of Debt, a Creditor has power to feize upon all the Eftate of the
Debtor , and if that willnot fatisfie , he may fell his Wife and Children.
The Chriftians of Georgia are very ignorant , efpecially in Matters of Religion,
They fearnthat little they know, in the Monratteries, as alfoto write and read; and
generally the Women and Maids are more knowing than the Men ; not only be.
caufe there are more Religious Houfes for Women than for Men, but alfo becaufe
thé Boysarebre| up to labour, orfent tothe Wars. For if a Virgin grows up, and
happensto be handfom, fome one or other prefently endeavors to fteal her, on pur.
polé to fell her into Turky, Perfia, or the Territories of the great Adogul. So
that to prevent their being ftoln, their Fathers and Mothers put them very young
into, Nunneries, where they apply themfelves to ftudy ; wherein, if they attain to
any proficiency, they ufually flay as long as they live: After that, they profefs,
ahd when they come toacertain Age, they are permitted to Baptize, and to apply
the holy Oyles, as well as any Bifhop or Atch-Bifhopcan do.
The Georgians are very great Drinkers ; and Nature has fitted them a Countrey
that produces good ftore of Wine. . They love the ftrongeft Drinks beft ; for which
reafon, at their Feafts both men and women drink more e4gua vite than Wine. The
women never eat in publick with their Husbands $ but when the man has invited his
Friends, the next day the Woman invites her She-companions. And it is obfery-
able that at the Womens Feftivals there is more Wine and Aquavite drank than at
themens. The Gueftis no fooner enter’d into the Dining-room, but he is prefent-
ed with 2 or 3 Difhes of Sweet-meats, anda Glaf of half a pint of Aquavite to excite
- his Appetite. They are great Feeders upon Onions and Herbs, which they eat
raw out of theGarden. The Georgians are alfo great Travellers,and very much addi-
ced to Trade; they are very dext’rous in fhooting with Bow and Arrows, andare
accounted the beft Souldiers in all Afia.They compofe a great part'of the King of Perfia’s
Cavalry, who keeps them in his Court at peculiar pay, and relies very much upon their
fidelity and courage. There are feveral alfo in the Service of the Great Mogull.
The Men are very well complexion’d. and very well fhap’d; and for the Women,
they are accountéd the faireft and moft beautiful of all Afias; and therefore out of
this Countrey itis that the King of Perfia choofes all his Wives, being not permitted
tomarry a Stranger. Teflis, where the Women have mote liberty than in any
part of Afia, is the Capital City of Georgia, well fituated, large and well built ,
where there likewife isa great Trade in Silk. 2am .
CHA P.
Chap.X. of Monficur Favernien.
GH fe Pe aks
A RELATION of the prefent State of Mengrelia.
r Engrelia extends from a Chain of Mountains, that feparatesit from Gear-
gia to the Black-Sea, and is now divided into three Provinces (every one
of whichhas their King. The firftis call’d the Province of Jmareté, or
Baffa-Shiouk,, the king whereof pretends to a fuperiority over both the
other, which is the reafon they are often at War, and that with fo much
cruelty, that when they have tak’n any Prifoners of either fide, they fell them into
Turkic. hey are fo accuftom’d to fell one another in this Country, that if a man or
his wife have any occafion for money, they will go and fell one of their Children, and
many times they will exchange a Child for Ribands or other Toyes at the Mercers
Shops.
The fecond Province is that of A¢engrelia, and the King of this Province is eall’d the
King of Dadian. : |
he third is the Province of Guriel, the King of which Province is call’d the King
of Guriel.
The Province of Mengrelia was formerly fubjeét to the King of Baffa-Shiouk.,, who
fent thither a Governour, which is call’d in their language Dadian.
One of thofe Governours being a perfon of wit and courage, gain’d fo far upon the
affection of the People, that they chofe him fortheir King. =
The chief of the Province of Guriel, feeing how the Dadian had obtain’d the King-
dom, following the Example of Afengrelia, thook off the Yoke of the King of Baffa-
Shionk,, and chofe another King among themfelves, who keeps his Soveraignty to this
day, by the fupport of the Grand Signor. For when the Dadian rebelld he enter’d into
an Alliance with the Grand Signor, and oblig’d himfelf to furnifh him every year with
fuch a certain quantity of Iron, upon condition that if the King of Baffa-Shiouk fhould
war upon him, he fhould furni(h him with twenty thoufand Horfe. Of which the Turk,
was very glad, finding thereby the Country of Fe divided, which being united,
was able at any time to have difturb’d him with an Army of fifty thoufand Men.
The King of Baffa-Shiouk, coynes money of the fame bignefs and weight with that
of the King of Perfia. But in regard it isnot fo fine metal as that of the King of Perfia,
he would have much adoe to make it pafsin the trade between his Subjeéts and the
Perfians, which is very great, had he not found an expedient by putting the King of
Perfia’s name upon the Coyn as well as his own, which makes it pafs without any diffi-
culty. He would alfo put the Grand Signor’s Name upon his Coyn, but that the Turk
coynes none but {mall money, or -A/pers, excepting only fome Ducatts which he coines
at Cairo, The King of Baffa-Shiouk, as well as the King of Teflis coynes all fort of
forreign money.
Thefe three Kings of Baffa-Shiouk, Mengrelia and Guriel, are Chriftians alfo.
And when they go towar, all the Ecclefiaftical Perfons attend them , Arch-bifhops and
Bithopsy Priefts andMonks: not fo much to figMt as to encourage the Souldiers.
Being at Conftantinople the firft time I travell’d into Perfia J {aw there an Embafla-
dor from the King of Afengrelia, whofe behaviour gave all the F ranks occafion of laugh-
ter. The Prefent which he made the Grand-Signor was in Iron and Steel, and a great
number of Slaves. The firft time of his Audience, he had a train of above 200 Perfons.
But every day he fold two or three to defray his expences; So that at his departure, he
had none but his Secretary and two Vaflals more left. He was a man of prefence but no
wit : and every time he went to vifitthe Grand-Vifier, he prefum’d to wear the white
Bonnet which all the Franks wonder’d at; when they faw that the Grand Vifier wink’d
at it, For fhould any other Chriftian have done fo, he had been moft certainly put to
death, or conftrain’d to turnAfzhumetan. By which it was a arent how much the
Grand Signor valu’d the Friendfhip of the ae of Adengrelia, and how careful he is of
offending thofe that are fent from his Court. He knew tl ofe People fuffer no affronts,
but upon the leat word prefently draw 5 befides that there is nothing to be got by
provoking them.
Phis Embaffadour going once upon a vifit into the Country, returning home was
furpriz’d
125
: 126
The Persian Travels, Book IL.
ao ae ee ee ee
{urpriz’d with a Storm, whereupon he pull’d off his Boots and carri’d them under his
Coat, choofing rather to go bare-foot to his lodging , then to fpoil his Boots,
- Another time, it being the cultom of all Catholick Ambafladors to go to Mats to
the Covent of Grey Friars in Pera, upon St. Franeis’s day, the Adengrelian Ambaf.
fador after Mafs was done, coming out of the Church; and feeing feveral baubles
which the Pedlers expofe in the Cloyfter upon that day, bought a Tin Ring,
two or three {mall Looking-Glaffes,. and a Pipe, which he put in his mouth,
and went piping all the way ith Street, as Children do coming from Fairs.
But to return to the matter, you muft take notice that there are not only Iron
Mines, but alfo Mines of Gold and Silver in two places five or fix days Journey
from Teflis, the one call’d So#anet, the other Oberet. But the mifchief is, the
people can hardly be got to work there , for fear the Earth fhould tumble down, and
buty them in ae the , as it hasmany times happen’d.
There is allo a Mine of Gold near toa place which is call?’ Hardanoufhe, anda
Mine of Silver at Gunifhe-Kone , five days Journey from Erzerom, and asimany from
Trebifond.
As for the people themfelves both Georgians and Mengrelians , they never
trouble themfelves about the jgnorance and vicioufnes of their Priefts, or whether
they beable to inftrué&tthemor no. The richeft among them are they which are in
inoht credit, and abfolutely give Lawstothe poor. There are alfo fome heads of .the
Church , that affume fuch a jurifdiétion over the people, as te fell them both to the
Turks and Perfians, and they choofe out the hand{om’ft Children, both Boys and Girls,
to getthe more money , by which authority alfo the great men of the Country enjoy
Marry’d Women and Maids at their pleafure. ‘They will choofe out their Children
for the Bithops while they,are yet in their Cradles; and if the Prince be diffatisf'd at it,
all the Clerey ions ah tie that pies, toa.choss. and then together by the Ears
they go. In whi : il carry away whole Villages, and fell all the
ch Skirmithes they will
poor people to the Turks and Perfians. And indeed the cuftom of felling men and
women is fo common in that Country , that a man may almoft affirm it to be one of
their chiefeft Trades. p> a |
a
The Bithops diffolve Marriages when they pleafe , and then Marry again after they
~ have fold the firft. If any of the Natives be not Marri’d to his fancy, he takes
another for fuch a time as he thinks fit, for which he pays her all the while as the
Turks do. Very few of thele people know what Baptifinmeans. Only two or three
days after the woman is brought to bed, the Prieft comes and brings a little Oyl,
mumbles over a few Prayers, and then anoints the Mother and the Infant, which
they believe to be the beftBaptifm in the World. In fhort they are a people of
no Devotionatall, neither in their Ceremonies nor in their Prayers. Bat there
are great ftore of Nunneries, where the young Maids apply themfelves to their
Studies , and after fuch an age, whether they ftay in the Nunneries or betake
themfelves to the Service of any of the great Lords, they Confefs, Baptize,
Marry , and perfornt all other Ecclefiaftical Funétions, which I never knew practis’d
in any other part of the World befide: | oa
| CHAP XT.
Of Comania, Circaffia, and of certain people which they call
Kalmouchs. :
mania is bounded toward the Eaft by the Cafpian Sea, Weftward by the
_, Mountains that divide it from Circajfia; Northward it lies upon A4u{covia;
Ly que Southward it. is bounded by Georgia. From, the Mountains that
“* bound upon the North-Eaft to Terck:, which is the River that parts,
Mofcovia from. Comania , it is all a level Country excellent for Tillage , and aboun-
ding in fair Meadows and Pafturage. However it is not over-peopl!’d, which is the
reafon they never Sow twice together in one place. The Climate is much the fame
: , 5
Chap.XL of Monfieur Taver i ER. me 127
OT tn | LT Sa SRE RRR RRs cA ace mas
as between Paris and Lion , where it Rains very much; and yet the Country people
have cut feveral. Channels from the Rivers to water the Grounds after they have
Sow'd them, which they learnt from the Perfians. Thofe Rivers fall from the Sou-
thern Mountains, being not at all tak’n notice of inthe Map. There is one among
the reft avery large River , which can be forded at notime.: They call it Coyafon ,
or The thickwater, inregard itis continually muddy, the ftream being fo flow, that
they can hardly difcern which way itruns. It fall gently into the Cafpian Sea to
the South of the mouth of Volga. Not far from this River, in the months of Oéfo-
ber and November , all along the Shore of the fame Sea, you may fee vaft fhoals of
fifh about two footlong. Before, they. have two legs, like a Dog’s legs , behind in-
ftead of legs they have only claws. - Flefh they have none, but only fat with a bone
inthe middle. Now in regard they are but flow pac’d when they come upon Land,
the Country people eafily knock them on the head, and make Oy! of them}
which is the greateft Trade they have.
The people of Comania, commonly call’d Comouchs , dwell for the moft part at
foot of the Mountains,becaufe of the Springs fo plentiful in thofe places, that in fome
Villages you fhall have above twenty or thirty. Three of thefe Spings meeting to-
ether, make a ftream ftrong enough to drivea Mill. But thisis not the fole reafon,
Ee there is Water enough inthe plain. But inregard they area people that only live
upon the fpoil and plunder of their Enemies , and of one another, as they are in
continual fear of being fet upon, they love to dwell near the refuge of the Moun-
tains, whither they fly with their Cattle upon any occafion of danger. For all
the people round about , as Georgians, Mengrelians, Cirkaffians, Tartars, and A{-
covites, live altogether by rapine , and continual In-roads into one anothers
Coultiquwaseer oo ieee) itches ty
There are another fort of people which are call’d Kalmouchs, that inhabit upon
the Coat of the Cafpian Sea between the Afnfcovites and the Tartars. The men
are ftrong , but the moft deformed under Heaven. Their faces are fo flat and broad,
that there is the bredth of five fingers between each Eye. Their Eyes are very
{mall , and that little Nofe they have isfoflat, that there is nothing tobe feen but
two little holes inftead of Noftrils. Their Knees alfo and their Feet turn inward.
When they gotothe Wars, they carry their Wives and their Daughters, if they
be twelve years of age, along with them, who fight as couragioufly as the men
themfelves. Their Arms are Bows, Arrows, and Skains, with a great wooden
Mace at the Pummel of their Saddles; their Horfes being the beft in all fa. Their
Captain is of fome ancient Family, but they more particularly choofe him for his
valour. The Duke of A#ifcovia fends them prefents every year, to preferve their
friendfhip , which prefents confift in Cloth.. And he grants them free paflage
through his Territories, when ever they have a mind to invade the Adengrelians ,
Georgians, or Girkaffians , at which fport they are much more dexterous than the
leffer Tartars. Sometimes they advance into Perfia, as far as the Province of the
Ulbekes , which isapart of Great Tartary, ranging up as far as Caboul and Canda-
har, Their Religion is particular to themfelves, but they are great Enemies to
the Mahumetans.
As for the Comouehs or people of Comania, they are Adabumetans ; and very pre-
cife ones too, “They are under the protection of the King of Perfiz, who makes
great account of them, in regard they defend the Pafles into his Country on that
fide againft the Kalmouchs. ‘lhey are habited both men and women like the Leffer
Tartars, fetching all the Silk and Calicut which they ufe out of Verfia; for as for
Cloth , they are contented with what they make in their own Country, which is -
very courfe. :
CGircaffia is a pleafant good Country , and full of variety. There are Plains, For-
refts, Hills, and Mountains abounding in Springs, fome of which are fo large ,
that fome of them will ferve feven or eight of the neighbouring Villages. Buton the
other fide , in afl the Rivers that proceed from thefe Springs, there is not a fifh
to be feen. Flower’ they havein abundance, efpecially fair Tulips. There is a
fort of Strawberry alfo witha fhort ftalk, of which five or fix grow in a bunch;
the leaft are as big as a {mall Nut, of a pale yellow Colour. The Soil is fo fertile,
that it brings forth without any gréat trouble a vaft plenty of all forts of Fruits.
Nor do the people need-any other Gardens than their Fields which are Reyes with
; ass * S . erry-
ed
738%
“that a Caffock of courfe Cloth that
Tie P E ‘ "i; an Travels Book Ill.
Cherry-trees, Apple-trees, Pear-trees, Walnut-trees , and all other ufeful Trees
of the fame nature: but their chiefeft Wealth confifts in Cattel , but efpecially in
well-fhap’d Horfes, not much unlike the SpamifhGennets. “They have allo an abun.
dance of Goats and Sheep, whofe Wool is as good as that of Spain; which the Adu:
covites fetch away to make Felts. They neither fow Wheat nor Oats, but only Barle
for their Horfes, and Millet to make Bread; nor do they ever fow twice in the fame
place: not but that the Land is good enough to bear Wheat , but becaufe they love
Bread made of Millet better. “They have vefy good Fowl, and Venifon, and Wild-
Fowl more than they know what to do withal; which they never hunt with Dogs,
nor fly their Hawks at; for their Horfes are fo {wift and fo good, that they will
tire the Beaft, and force him to lye down and yield. Evry Horfe-man has a Rope
with a fliding-knot ready at the Pummel of his Saddle, which they are fo dextrous
to throw about the neck of the Beaft that begins to be weary, that ’tis twenty to
one if they mifs him. When they have kil?’d a Dear, they cut off the legs, and
breaking the Bones , eat the Marrow, which they fay is the beft thing in the World
to ftrengthen the Body. When they go to fteal Cattel, they carry along with
_ them great Cows-horns ftuft with boyl’d Tripes cut in fmall pieces; then watch-
ing their times; when the Herdfimen are afleep, when the Dogs begin to bark,
they throw to ev’ry one a Horn, with which the Dog prefently runs away: and fo
while the Shepherds are afleep, and the Dog is bufie to get the Meat out of the
Horn, which is there ramm’d in on purpofe, the Thieves drive away what they
pleafe. . :
The Drink of the Sherkes is Water and Bofz. Bofa is a Drink made of Millet,
as intoxicating as Wine , which they want in the Country.
The Men and the Women, Boys and Girls go habited all alike, and their Habit
is a colour’d Robe of Fuftian , with a kind of large Petticoat underneath, with
this they wear a little pink’d Waftcoat that reaches down to their Thighs; and over
reaches down to their Knees, girt about their
Watts with a Cord. The Sleeves of the Caffock are op’n below and above, and
fometimes they pin them behind their Backs. They wear no Beards’till they are |
fixty years of age. And as for their Hair, neither Men nor Women , Boys-nor
Girls, ever wear it longer than the tips of their Ears. The Men, both young and
old, fhave the middle of their Heads about the bredth of two F ingers from the
Forehead down to the Nape of the Neck: and then inftead of Hats or Head-clothes,
both Men and Women wear only a little Bonnet of the fame Cloth as the Caffock,
_ made like a Night-cap. Tis true, when the Maids come to be marry’d there is
_ tome diftin€tion upon their Heads for then they faft’n to the hinder part of their
Heads a round piece of Felt , which they cover with a white Veil very artificially
pleated. Their Breeches are ty’d below their Knees, and reach to their Ancles;
their Shooes, which are of Cordovan, both upper and under Leather, have but
one feam upon the upper part of the Foot, being light, and cut like a pair of
umps. eee ee 3 :
As for their Beds, they take feveral Sheep-skins and fow them together , and
then ftuffing them full of Millet-leaves, make a kind of Quilt. Now when they
beat the Millet, the Leaf comes to be as fall as the Chaff of Oats; {0 that when
the perfon rifes off from the Quilt , the Quilt rifés and fwells again of it felf. Their
Cuthions are of the fame Make, only fometimes they are ftuft with Wool.
The People are neither Chriftians nor A4ahometans , all their Religion confifting
in fome Ceremonies which they perform with the greateft Solemnities which they
canimagin: for at that time old and young of all Ages and Sexes, and all the whole
Town. muft be there at the place appointed, unlefs impotency or ficknefs excufes
them. I call them Villages, for in all thefe Countries their is neither Fortre{s
nor City: and as for their Villages, they are all built after the fame Model, round,
with a Piazza in the middle, accordingto the Figure.
—— 64
CHAP.
4
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Pe
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RON: AIGA IEE A Rie
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Perfian Travels
Lage. J 249 5
-aoand IVY} “2 97
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“, :
THE PLATFORME OF ONF OF THE VILLAGES OF THE, COMOl!
eR
ae
Chap. XII. of Monfieur Tavennien. 129
On 5 See we aa es P
Of the Ceremonies and Cuftoms of the People of Comania and
Cicatia. <=" ceil |
He Principal of all the Feafts which the Comouchs and Sherkes or Cirkaffi-
ans make, is that which they make at the end of Autumn, after this
- pfanner. Three of the ancienteft of the Village are appointed to ma-
nage it, and to difcharge themfelves of a Duty impos’d upon themin
the company of afl the people. Thefe three old men take a Sheep or a Goat, and having
mutter'd certain Prayers over the Beaft, they cut the throat of it: after they have
dreft it very clean, they boil it whole, all but the Gathers, and them they roaft.
The Sheep being boil’d, they fet it upon a Table, and carry it into a large Barn,
where the People are appointed tomeet: ‘Lherethe three old men ftand upright
before a Table, and all the People, Men, Women and Children behind them. When
the Table upon which the Meat ftands, is brought in, two of the three old mencut
off the Legs and the roafted Gathers, and hold them up above their heads, and the
third holds upa great Cup of Bofa in the fame manner, to the end the people behind.
may fee them. When the people fee the Meat and Bofa fo lifted up, they proftrate
themfelves uponthe ground, and fo continue till all the reft of the Meatbe fet up-
on the leffer Table, and that the old men have faid fome few word. Then the two
oldmen that held up the Meat, cut off two little pieces, and give each of them a
piece to him that holds the Cup, which being done, they take each of them a piece
for themfelves. When they have all three eaten of the meat, the oldman that holds.
the Cup, drinks firft, then gives the two old men to drink, firft to him upon the
right hand, next to him upon the left, never letting go the Cup all thewhile. This
firft Ceremony being thus accomplifh’d, the two oldmen turn toward the Affembly,
and go and prefent both of the Meat and the Drink , firftto their Chief or Lord, then
toall-the people, whoequally eat their fhare, both men and women. Thatwhich
remains of the four feet, is carry’d back to the Table, and the three old men eat it.
This done, they go and place themfelves at the Table, where the Mutton is fet,
where the oldeft of the three taking the Head, eatsa little Morfel, after him, the
fecond, andnext to him, the third does the fame. Then the firft old man commands —
the reft to be carry’d to the Lord, who receives it with a great deal of refpeét, and
after he has giv’n it to his nexta-kin, ortheFriend whom he loves beft, the Head is
givn from one to another, tillitbe eatnup. This being done, the three old men
begin to eat of the Mutton a bit or two, and the Lord of the Village is call’d, —
who comes with his Bonnet in hishand, ina trembling pofture; to whom, one of the
oldmen prefenting a Knife, he cuts off a piece of Mutton, and eats, and having
drank a Cup of Befa, he returns to his Seat. After him, all the people, according
to their turns in quality, doas much, and then , for the Bones the Children go to-
gether by the ears among themfelves.
They have another Feat before they begin to Mow their Meadows; at which
time all the people of the Village, that have wherewithal, take every one aGoat ,
( for in their Ceremonies they efteem Goats better than Sheep ) and for the poor,
they join eight or ten together for a Goat. Letthembe Goats, Sheep or Lambs, when
they are all brought together,they cut their I hroats, and then flea off the skin, leavin
the four feetand the Head in it. Thenthey ftretch the Skin with fticksthat crols
from one foot to the other, and fet it up ona Pole fix’d inthe Earth, the top whereof
enters into the head of the Beaft, as is to be feen in the Figure of the Village, and
as many Beafts astherearekill’d, fomany Polesare planted in the midft of the Vil-
lage, withevery one a particular Skin upon it ; to which, every one that paffes by,
maks a profound obeyfance. — : =
Ev'ry one having boil’d his Goat, brings it into the void place in the middle of .
the Village, and fets it upona great Table with the reft. There is the Lord of the
Village with his Servants, and fometimes the Lord of fome other Village is invited.
Now all this Victuals being upon the Table, sts the oldeft men of the ven.
: ‘ . at
130 Tbe Perstan Zravels Book Ill, |
fitdownand eat a Bitortwo: Thenthey callthe Lordof the Town, and if there
be anyother Lord; they come both together, with fome other of the Seniors of the
Parifh ; who being fet down, eat up-one of the Beafts, which the oldmen had fet
apart for them; the reft is divided among the people, fitting upon the ground.
There are fome Villages where you fhall have fifty Goats and Sheep, or Lambe
and Kids, kilPd together at onetime. As for their Bofz, there are fome that brin;
above 2-0 Pints; others more orleis, according totheir quality. All the day, long
they eat and drink, and fing and dance to their Flutes a dozen together , which are
in fome meafure harmonious, as confifting of fevéral parts, and decreafing propor:
tionably from the Treble to the Bafe. When the old men have folac’d themfelyes
with eating and drinkiug, they go home, and leave the young people, Men and Wo.
men, Boysand Girls to bemerry by themfelves: They ftay as long as there is any
Drink 5 and thenext day they go early to Mowing.
They have other Ceremonies particular-only to their Families. Once a year in
every Houfe they make a Crofs after the Form of a Mallet, about five Foot high ,
_ the two Sticks that compofe the Crofs, being as big as a man’s Arm. — This the Mafter
of the Houfé fets in the Evening near the Door in his Chamber, and calling aH his °
Family together, gives themevery one a lighted Wax-Candle, Then firft he fixes
his own to the Crofs, next his Wife ftickshers, and fo all the Children and Servants:
If the Children be foyoung, that they cannot do it themfelves, the Father and Mo-
ther doit for them. If one of the Candles burn out before it be’put out, ’tisa Pro:
guoftick that he or fhe that fix’d it there, -fhall not live out their year. If the Can. |
dle falls, then he whofe Candle it was, fhall be robb’d, or be fore’t to fly for his”
Life. . ie
If it thunders, all the people run out of the Village , and the young people »gf
both Sexes fet themfelves to finging and dancing in the prefence of their Eldets:
- . And if any one be Thunder-ftruck, they bury that perfon honourably,. believing him
to be a Saint. Befides that, they fend over all the Countrey for a white Goat,
which they breed up and keep in the Village where it happen’d to thunder, having it
in great veneration, till thundring in another place, the people fend for it thither
allo. If the Thunder fall upon any of their Houfes, though it kill neither Man ,
Woman, Child, nor Beat, all that Family fhall be kept upon the publick ftock-all
that year, without being ty’d to any Labour but of Singing and Dancing. Thete
people, during thattime, go from Village to Village Dancing and Singing at peoples
Doors, but never going into their Houfes, for which the Inhabitants are bound to
bring them out fomething to éat. . 3 be -%
‘There isa day inthe Spring, when all that have been ftruck’n with Thunder, nieet
together in the Village where the white Goat is kept ; who has always a Chvefe hang-
ing about his Neck as big as a Parma-Cheefe. This Goat they take and carry to the
Village of the chief Lord of theCountrey. They never go in, but the Lord with
ail the reft of the Village coming out, they all together proftrate themfelves before
the Goat. Having faid fome Prayers, they take away his Cheefe, and immediately
put another in its place. The Cheefe which was taken away, isat the fame time cut
into little pieces, and diftributed among thepeople. After that, they give the
Strangers toeat, and beftow their Alms upon them; fo that by this wandring from
Village to Village, they get good ftore of Money.
_ they have among them but only one Book;, and itis as big asone of our largéft
Folie’s, and it lies in the hands of an oldman, who has only the priviledge to touc
When that oldman is dead, they choofe another old manto keep the Book ;
Duty it isto go from Village to Village, where he hears of any fick people.
carries the Book with him, and after he has lighted up a Wax-Candle, and pu&l the
people out of the Room, he lays the Book upon the Stomach of the fick perfonj opens
it, and reads in it, then blows over it fev’ral times, fo that the Breath pafles toward
the mouthof the Party: Then he caufes the party difeas’d to kifs'the Book feveral
* times, and as often lays it upon hishead, whichis a Ceremony of half an hour. When
the old man goes away, one giveshim a Beef or a Heifer; another gives him a Goat;
every one according to their Quality and Eftate. —
They have alfo Old Women that take upon them to cure the Sick. Thefe Women
feel the body of the fick party, all over, but more particularly they handle and grope |
that part where the diftemper lies : during which time they let go feveral belches out
of
jf
than the
lng.very wae clad they keep fire all night in the places where theyfleep, = ss
ae
5
belches. The ftanders by hearing them belch in that manner and fetch fuch vilanous
fighs from their ftomacks, believe their friend to be dangeroufly ill, and that the louder
the Women belch,the more eafe and comfort they receive ; but whether they co orno, .
the women are well payd for their pains. When any one feelsa pain in the Head, they
fend for the Barber, who gives two cutts upon the Head acrofs with the ralor, and then
ures Oy! into the wound. For they believe the Head-ache proceeds only froma
{wind beeween the. flefh and the bone, for which the Incifion opens a paflage to let
“At their Funerals they that are the near Relations or Friends of the dead, fome cut
- their faces, and other parts of their Bodies with tharp flints, others proftrate themfelves
upon the ground, and tear their hair ; fo that when they return from the Burial, they -
are all of agore blood: However, notwithftanding all this affliction, they never
pray for the Dead. ie
As to their Marriages: When a young man hasfeen a Virgin which he has a liking
to, he fends one of his friends to agree with her Parents or her Tutor, what he'will
ive forher. Commonly the guift confifts in Horfes, Cows or fome other fort of Cat-
tcl. When the agreement is made, the Parents and Kindred of the party thereby con-
tracted, together with the Lord of the place,’ go to the Houfe where the Virgin lives
and bring her tothe Bridegrooms Houfe, where there is a Feaft ready prepar’d 5
_and after they have made merry, and fung, and dane’d for a while, the Bride-
groomand Bride go and lye together, without any other Ceremony. If the Man and
Maid are of two Parithes, the Lord of the Village where the Man lives, accompany
him and his Kindred to the next Village altogether, to fetch the Bride from
thence..0 8 7 7 Poe eae eet G3
_ Ifa Man and the Wife have no Children, hie is permitted to take feveral Wives one
after another till he have Iffue. If a marri’d Woman have a Gallant, and that the
Husband fhould come andfind his Wife a bed withhim, he goes away again without
{aying a word, and never takes any further notice of it. The Womanalio in the fame
cafe, doesthe like by the man. Nay, the more Gallants a Woman has, the more the 1s
rofpeéted.: And’ it is a common cuftom when they fall out, to taunt one artother ,
ey,were not ugly, or ill natur’d, or difeas’d, they would have more Admirers
‘The People ate ofan excellent Complexion, efpecially the Women,
eon
One
ry he
who are extreamly #
ty years. They. re ve y laborious, and work themfelves in the Iron Mines, w ich
they melt afterwards ind forge into feveral Tooles and Implements. They make abun-
- dance of Embroidery of “Gold and Silver for their Saddles, their Quivers, and their
Pumps, as alfo upon the Calicut of which poea make their Handkerchiefs
ee =
often together, fo that they cannot be
_ Ifthe man andthe woman happen to quarre ) |
reconcil?’d : the Husband complaining firft to the Lord of the Place, He fends for
the Woman, and having giv’n order to fell her, gives the Man another. But if the
Woman complain firtt, the Man is ferv’d the fame fawce. If a Man or Woman be a
difturber of their ‘Neighbours, if the Neighbours complain to the Lord, he prefently
cautes the party tobe apprehended and fold to the Merchants that buy Slaves, for they
are refolv’d they will live in quiet. ,
They that take upon them the quality of Gentlemen, fit ftill, donothing, and {peak
very little, In an evening they ride out, andmeet fome twenty or thirty together to go
31
of their moathes,and the more fick the party is, the louder and thicker, they fetch their
ly fair, and finely thap’d , and keep their beauty till five and fortyor
a ftealing. Norio they rob only their Enemies, but their Neighbours, from whom
Slaves to the
the chi on they take are Cattle and Slaves. All the Country-people are
Lord of the Village where they live, whom he imploys to till his Land,
and cut Wood for him upon occafion, of which they fpend vaft quantities. For no
OS 2 O- Fe - eg aes? Pen -
a ee
= Cc H.AP. XT
of the leffer Tartars, call’d Nogaies, bord’ring upon Co-
- mania. |
HE lefler Tartars have a very ancient race of Horfes, which they breed
up even to Superftition; fo that it would be among them an a& of
Sacriledge to fell them to ftrangers, as being not a little curious
how they fell them to one another. Thefe are the Horfes which they
ride, fifty or fixty in a Troop together when they go a thieving ; and fometimes
a hunder’d together, when they defign any Incurfion upon their Enemies. When
the old Men come to be infirm and impotent, if they know any ftout young Man
that is a Souldier, they willlend him one of their Horfes (if he have none of his
own ). to make an Incurfion, upon condition to have half of the Booty. Man
times they run up as far as Hungary, near to Comora and Favarin. Thele Horfes,
partly by nature, partly by early cuftom, will travel four or five days together
with a handful of Grafs giv’n them once in eight or ten hours, and a little Water
every four and twenty hours. But they never go a robbing with them ’till they
come to be feven or eight years old: befides ‘that, they muft undergo a very
fevere education ere they make ufe of them in thofe hardfhips. Their Bit is only
a piece of Iron with a Buckle on each fide, to which they faft’n the Bridle and
Head-ftall. For eight days together they put under the Saddle a bag of Gravel
or Earth. The firft day the Sack is a Horfe-man’s weight ; and fo they add to it
every day, ’till it come to be double the weight at the end of the eight days. As
they increafe every day the weight upon the Horfes back; ‘they abate every day
the gode Provender and Drink. During thefe eight days, they get up and walk
the Horfe two or three Leagues. Thenext eight days, they abate every day of
the weight, *till the Sack be quite empty. Proportionably alfo they abate him of
his Meat and Drink as in the firft eight days, and every day take up the Girt
a hole fhorter. The three or four latt days they afford the Horfe neither Proven-
der nor Drink , according as they find him able to endure hunger and thirft, and
the labour which he is to undergo. The laft day, they work him’till’he be all over
of a Sweat; then they unbridle and unfaddle him » and pour upon him the coldeft
Water they can meet with. That done, they lead him into a field, and tye him:
by the leg with a Cord, at fuch a length as they intend he fhall feed; yet ftill from
day to day allowing him more Rope, ’till at laft they let him loofe , and feed with
the reft of the Horfes. This terrible fafting and labour , during which time, that
little which they do eat and drink , they eat and drink with the Bit in their mouth,
brings them to be fo lean and out of fieth, that their very bones are’ ready ‘to ftart
out-of their skins: So that if any one fhould fee them in that miferable condition,
that does net know the nature of the Horfes, would think they would never be fit
for good fervice. The hoofs of thefe Horfes are fo hard that they never thooe -
them, and yet they will leave the prints of their feet in the Earth, or upon the Ice,
as if they had been fhod. Thefe Tirtars are fo curious in having Horfes that will
endure labour, that fo foon as they fee any handfom Colt in their Breed, they
prefently take him up, to fchool him as I -have related = but hardly ten in fifty endure
the tutoring, . a |
As for their Diet, ’tis a great advantage for thefe Tartars to ride a Mare » in
regard they drink the. Milk. They that ride Horfes ; carry along with them a
little Bag full of pieces of Cheefe dry’d in the Sun; they have alfo a {mall Boracho
of Goat-skin, which they fill with Water — they meet with it, into’ which
they put two or three bits of their hard Chee » which foftens with thé motion of
the Horfe , the Boracho being ty’d under his Belly: and thus the Water becomes
a kind of fowr Milk, which is their ordinary Drink, ,
_ As for their Inftruments of Cookery, every Horfe-man has a large wooden Ladle
anging at the Pommel of his Saddle, out of which the rider drinks himfelf§"and gives
| his Horfe likewife to drink, They that encounter them , can hope for no better Booty
at Tl ee gt thar
‘»
a
2s
Chap.XIII. of Monficot Tavernier.
than their Horfes , but they are very hard tobe tak’n; for when one of thefe Horfes
perceives that his Rider is flain, he follows thofe that fly with all the {wiftnefs ima-
ginable. Befide that, thofe Horfes being carri’d into other Countries, are prefently
fpoil’d , and come to nothing, | Pe |
Their Cloathing is only a Sheep-skin, which in Winter they wear with the wool
‘next their Bodies; in the Summer turning the other fide. They that dre the Nobi-
lity of the Countrey, wear Wolves-skins, with a kind of Shirt, and Breeches of
courfe Fuftian of divers Colours, which the Taylor gets little credit by fha-
Mg , “:
: Their Women are very white and well proportion’d, but their Facesare broad, and.
their Eyes little, fo that by thirty years of Age they become very deformed. There’
—
133
isnot aman but has two or three Wives, which they never choofe but out of their —
own Tribe. Every Tribe has a Chief; who is one of the Nobility of the Countrey,
andcarries for his Banner a Horfe-tail faften’d to a half-Pike, and dy’d into the Co-
Jour belonging to the Tribe. Whenthey march, every one knows where to place
himfelf, and how much groundgthey ought to take up for their Tribe and their
Cattel ; one Tribe neverencroaching upon another. r
The Women and Maids are generally clad in alarge Shirt that reaches down to
their feet. Upon their Heads they wear a large whige Vail, their Fofeheads being
bound about with a large black Handkerchief ty’d in five or fix Rolls. The Noble
fort of Women and Maids wear over this Vail a Bonnet open behind, which comes
down upon their Foreheads like athree-corner’d Cap: Oneofthefe Points ftands up
inthe midft of the Forehead, lin’d with Velvet, Satin, or Cloth of Gold, and fet
with fmall pieces of Gold and Silver, and falfe Pearls, of which they alfo make
themfelves Bracelets: Their Breeches are of fingle-colour’d Cloth, and for Shoes:
and Stockings, they only wear a Cordovan Boot of what Colour they pleafe, neatly
2d. tds oe !
When a young manintends to marry, it behoves him to give the Father and the
Mother of bs
tel, which is done in the prefence of the greateft part of the ancienteft of the Tribe,
and a Afoullah befide. When the Agreement ismade, the young man has the liber-
ty to fee his Miftrefs, but not till then: For before, he has only the information of
her Mother, his Sifters, or fuch Women as were his own Friends. Befides the
three Wives which the man is allow’ to take, he may keep feveral female Slaves;
but the Children are ftillflaves, and can never inherit. Thefe Tartars are of a ve-
ry hot conftitution, though not fo hot as the women. Both the one and the other
-arevery fair-haird, but the men have little or no Beards: So that if there be any
Moullah. ~ P ste Sera
_ one that has more Beard than ordinary, and can but writeand read, they make hima»
: . , : af 3 set eae v2 PET ee ~% ue mee Ae
Thefe people have no Houtes, butlive in Tents, orin Waggons which are drawn
after them where-ever they go. The Tents are for the old people and little Chil-
dren, with their Slaves that attend them. The young women ride in Waggons
clos’d up with Boards, and to let in the Air, upon one fide they open a Window
that is made like a Lattice. In the Evening they are permitted to fpend a little
time inthe Tents. ‘When the Girls have attain’d to the age of ten or twelve Years,
they never ftir any more out of their Waggons till they are married, not fo much
as for the neceffities of Nature , but in the middle of the Waggon there is a Plank to
be takemup; and if it be ina place where they ftay, a Slave prefently comes and
éleanfes all ynderneath. The Maidens Waggon is eafie to be known, as being
painted with Flowers; and generally there is a Camel ty’d to the Tail of it, befmear’d
with feveral colours, and feveral Nolegays or Pofies of Flowers ftuck about the Head )
of the Beal 2samaiie ee. a | q eee
The young men have alfo every one their Chariot, wherein they only carry a Bo-
racho of Horfe-skin, containing about 38 Quarts, which they ufually fill with
Mares-Milk , whichis very fowr. They have alfo every one anothe: ‘Waggon next
to that wherein they ride themfelves; wherein they carry opened Sarat he's full of
Cows-Milk, which is very fowr. At Meals they drink this Milk: But before they
powr it out, they ftir itinthe Boracho with a great Stick, that the Curd may mix
with the thin Milk. Butthe Mares-Milk is only for th
~
before. they drink of either, they mix it with” water.
> Mafter and Miftrefs, though -
hen a Friend comes to fee’
: . thet,
Maid a certain quantity of Horfes, Bullocks or Cows, or other Cat- *
134
a eee A ee |
m, they fetch out their dri’d Cheefe, which they call Kourout, and breaking it
oe little Bite eat it with frefh Butter. At their Feafts they fometimes kill od
Sheep, fometimes old Goats. But for their Horfes they never kill them but at the
Funerals of their Kindred, at the Birth of a Child, or at their Marriage-Feafts, op
laftly, when their Friends return laden with Spoil from any incurfion, and are {tor
with Slaves. Theynever drink any thing but Mares-Milk or Cows-Milk, and when’
they canget neither, they will endure thirft for three or four days together before
they will drink Water, being always grip’d witha terrible Colick when they drink
it. They never eat any Salt, being of an opinion that it is naught fer the Eyes,
They live long, and are very ftrong, and feldom fick, nor do they refufe aay ic
‘but Swines-flefh. a = es * &S>
Their Countrey is very level, only for fome few Hills in fome places. Phe
have great ftore of Pafture-grounds, and every Tribe has their peculiar Wells to
water their Cattel. In the Winter they lodge upon the banks of great Rivers, near
to Woods and Marifhes, fuffering their Herds jo feed at liberty. When the’Snoyy
is very deep, the Cattel fcrape it away with their feet to come at tht Grafs,
though they mect with very little elfe but Reeds and Buthes. In the mean while the _
men cut down the Woods , .make great Fires, and employ themfelves in Fi ing,
There are fome parts of thet River. wnere the leaft Fifth they take is about four or
five foot long; and fome there are above ten or twelve foot in length, Somesthey
dry inthe wind, and preferve againft Summer; fome they fimoke in holes which they
makein the Earth: As for the fmaller fort, they boilthem, and eat them without
Salt or any other. feafoning. When they have eat’n their Fith, they {coop upa large
wooden Ladle full of the Fifh-water and gulp itdown. As for Bread, there is no
talk of itin their Countrey. _ . E
~ When they are not at Wardiabatte but newly return’d from any Incurfion,
they {pend their time in Hunting, but cannot endure any other Hounds except
Greyhounds: So that he muft be a very poor Tartar indeed that do’s not keep
aGreyhound. Take notice however by the by, that thefe petty Tartars, concerning
whom have laft difcours’d, are certain people adjoyning to Comania, which the
Turks, Perfians and Mengrelians call Nogazes, who may be well reckon’d among the
numberof the petty Tartars, in regard they are all under one Prince, whom the
Grand Signor appoints King over all Petty Tartary, and who receives his inveftiture
at Confbantinople. :
Thefe Tartars are all Mahumetans. Nor have they any Phyfitian among them;
making ufe only of certain Simples of which they have a traditional knowledge.
When the fick perfon lies in any extremity, they fend fora Moullah, who comes with
the Alcoran, which he opens and fhuts three times, faying certain Prayers, and lay-
. ing it upon the fick perfon’s face. If by chance the fick perfon recover, they at-
tribute his recovery to the Sanaity of the e4lcoran, and prefent the Afoullah with
aSheep or aGoat: If he die, all hisKindred meet and carry him to the Grave with
great Teftimonies of Sadnefs, crying continually 4/2, Alla When he is interr’d,
the Moullah mutters certain Prayers ov’r the Grave, and is paid for his pains according
tothe wealth of the Heirs. For the poor he generally {pends three days and three
nights in that exercife, for the rich he as ufually fpends a Month, never ftirring all
the while from the Grave; and fometimes fev’n or eight.
When any one of them is wounded, they ufe no other Salve but only boil’d Flefh,
which they apply hot to the wound. If the wound be deep, they thruft in a piece
of Fatas hot as the wound can endure it; and if the perfon be able to killa Horfe,
the wound is cur’d fo much the fooner;, for the Flefh and Fat of a Horfe are much
_ more medicinable than the Flefh of any other Creature.
Were it not the Cuftom of the Tartars to buy their Wives when they marry, there
would be fewer Whores, But in regard there are an abundance of poor young men
that have not wherewithal tobuy Wives, they never marry at all. This is that which
~ makes fo many Souldiers among them, and emboldens ’em to invade their Neigh-
bors, and to get fomething whereby they may be enabl’d to buy thema Wife. For
the Virgins they are nev’r to bedefil’d, being always fhut up in their Waggons: But
forthe Women they are oft’n debauch’d, appointing their private Meetings, when
they go to etch water for their Cattel, when their Husbands are a-hunting, or look-
ing after their Herds. Nor is it a hard thing to conceal it fromtheir Husbands, in
regard the Tartars are not in the leaft prone to Jealoufie. By
-
By the way take notice,that the Wogazes,though they live almoft after the fame tian.
ner as the Tartars, and are under the {ame Prince, yet they perfectly hate, them;
reproaching them for effeminate, becanfe they live in Houfes and Villages, whereas
the true Souldier fhould live in Tents as they do, to be ready upon all occations,
They that run a-foot, as well in thefe Countries, as in Perfia, when they are wea-
ry, take Walnuts and bruife them, and then rub the Soles of their feet with them
before the fire as hot as they can endure it; which prefently makes them frefh
again.
| Having thus done with all the feveral Roads; here follows an Alphabetical Table
ooo and Latitudes of all the Principal Cities of the whole Empire of
| Pega. | :
|
’ *
é : ; ae %-
SAG AALS TEGEE Ria ce ate oa
‘ ‘
—_————
#
LL "3 i
* > : 7
Soo
zg zits
| LONGITUDES and LATITUDES
pena OF THE
Principal Cities of PERStA, according as the Geogtaphers
| ) 3 of thofe Countriesplace them.
. «
| Be )
. , Amoul is in 72 Degrees, 20 Min. of Longitade, 36 deg:of Latitude. The
Lands about this City abound in Prunes. ,
. Abeher, in 74 deg. zo min. Long. 36 deg. 15 min. Lat. 12 Leagues from Cashin,
a final! City; but the Land isgoodabout it. << 2
’ >
Abfecun, in 79 deg. 15 min. Long. 37 deg. 1 Mminfs Lt, A finall City in an ex-
Te 2 Ae tee eS :
cellent Soil. PSH 2 NE Eo hee ant
Abdchi!, in 60 deg. 20 min: Long. 36 deg: 4 min. Lat, The Inhabitartts are moft
Chriftians y and there are many ancient Churches in it. It depends upon Si-
tany. | a SBE Wee
a 70 deg. 15 min. Long. zudeg.15 min. Lat. A fmall City half rvin’d,
inthe Province of Belad-Cowrefton, ina Soil that yields excellent Fruits.
. Arbella, 69 deg. 50imin.Long. 36 deg. 20 min. Lat. A {mall Champaign City,
where Provifions are Cheap.
Ardevil, 62 deg. 30 min. Long: 38 deg. 15 min. Lat.
Ardefton, 77 deg. 10 min. Long. 33 deg. 7 min, Lat. Famous for the Copper
Veffels that are there made. ms, . A
Arion, 74 deg. 32 min. Long. 32 deg. 25 min. Lat. One of the three places:
where Olives grow inall Perfia. | : :
Ales a 63 deg. go min. Long. 34 deg. 50 min, Lat. » A fimall City toward
Amadan, Sagi
Ava, 75 deg. 109 min. Long. 34 deg. go min. Lat. This is a very finall
place. ae gt 7 ee
Axadkar or Yevin,§2 deg. 15 min. Long. 36deg. 32 min, Lat. A City ina great
Plain, where there are above four hundred Channels under-ground. eer
B. cs ee =
Bab El Abub, ot, the Gate of Gatess cal’d alfa Démir-capi , or, the Gate’ of
Tron. The Tartars call it Aonjon: 75 deg.15.min. Long. 45 deg. 3 min. Lat. It
hasbeen formerly a ftrong place. oo Badkeifty
136
The Pe none an Travels Book IIE
Badkeiff , 85 deg. 32 min. Long. 35 deg. 20 min. Lat. Afmall, but moft pleafant
City, and well built. ES :
Bafte, 80:deg. r5 min. Long. 29 deg. 15 min. Lat. A City in the Province of
Kerman, where in Summer the Mornings are very cold, the Afternoons hot; yet
_ the Air very good.
Bafrouche , fee Mahmeter. : | ; 7
Beylagon, 63 deg. 52 min. Long. 41 deg.20 min. Lat. A City toward the Cefpian
- Sea , in a Country abounding in Corn and Fruit.
Balk, 91 deg. 36 min. Long. 38deg. 10 min. Lat. Three days journey from
Moultan: ‘
Bem, or Bembe; 74. deg.15 min. Long. 28deg.20 min. Lat. Thought to have
been built by Caliph Mouktadar, near the great Defert of Ber {ham. A
Berdoe, 63 deg. 15 min. Long. 35 deg. 30 min. Lat. It lyes furrounded with
Pafture-grounds, which breed great ftore of Cattel.
Berzendé, 63 deg.14 min. Long. 37 deg. 40min. Lat. Here are made a fort of
courfe Druggets for ordinary people.
Befion, 79 deg. 15 min. Long’ 37 deg. 20 min, Lat. It lyes in a Country
abounding in Gorn and Fruits.
Bimoncheer, 74 deg. 10 min. Long. 37 deg. 30 min. Lat. Here is great Trade
for Silk,
Boft, 91 deg. 28 min. Long. 32deg. 16min. Lat. A great City, to which be.
longs the fuireft and ftrongeft Caftle in all Perfia.
Bourou-Ferde , 74. deg. 30 min. Long. 34.deg. 20 min. Lat. Famous for Saffron,
and for being the native City of many Learned Men.
am CC.
Chemkon , 63 deg. 15 min. Long. 41 deg. 15 min. Lat. —
Chiras, 78 deg. 13 min. Long. 29 deg. 36 min. Lat. |
_Chirvan, ot Erivan;, 63 deg. rs min. Long. 38 deg. 32min. Lat. Here all the
Silk-Caravans rendevous; and itis one of the richeft Kavzats or Governments in Perfiai
D.
Dankon, 78 deg. 15 min. Long. 30 deg. ry min. Lat. A bad Town, in a bad
Soil. ‘
Darabguired, 80 deg. 15 min.Long. 30deg.15 min. Lat. In feveral parts round
about this City they meet with Salt of feveral colours, as red and green, black
and white. Here they alfo make long-neck’d Glafs-Bottles, which are very curious
work; norare they without Sider to fill thofe Bottles, in regard of the great plenty
of Apples thereabouts. Near to the City there is a Sulphur-Mine, and great ftore '
of Mummy, very much efteem’d in Perfia.
Debefton, 80 deg. 15 min. Long. 38 deg.15 min, Lat. This is not properly a
City, but a great many Villages joyn’d together. :
Deras, 79 deg. 30min. Long. 31 deg. 32 min, Lat.
Devinmaat , 62deg. 5 min. Long. 38 deg. 40 min. Lat.
DinVer, 63 deg. 15 min. Long. 35 deg. Lat. A City in a fruitful Soil, ftor’d
with AdZofquees.
Doulad, 74 deg. 15 min. Long. 37 deg. ;omin. Lat. The Country about is full
of black Mulbery-trees. :
Dourak, 74,deg. 32 min. Long. 32 deg. 15 min. Lat. Here they make the loofe
Caffocks without Sleeves which the Arabians wear. Neat to this City the Rivers
Tigris and Euphrates , meeting at a place call’d Hella, make a Marth, where grow
the Reeds of which the Eaftern people make their Pens,
. E. %
‘Elalbetem » 87 deg. 15 min. Long. 37 deg..15.min. Lat,
leib , 7odeg.15. min. Lon. 32 deg. 15, min. Lat.
Enderab, 93 deg. 15 min, Long. 32 deg. 15 min. Lat.
Erwan,
—
, Chap.XIII. of Monfieur Tave R NIE R,
Erivan, fee Onrvan. . — )
Efpharaten, 81 deg. 40 min. Long. 37 deg. rg min. Lat. The Country about it
abounds in Pears and Apples.
Eftakee, 78 deg. 30min. Long. 30deg. rg min. Lat. The ancient City in the
Province of Fars, properly Perfia, ina Soil abounding in Vines and Date-trees.
Efterabat, 75 deg. 35 min. Long. 36 deg. 50 min. Lat. “3
®
, F.
Ferah, 18 deg. 15min. Long. 39 deg. 15 min. Lat. Built by eZbdalla the Soni
of Taber, in the time of AZaimon Re(hid , Caliph of Bermi-Abbas.
Ferouzabad, 82 deg 32 min. Long. 30 deg. 10 min. Lat. Anciently call’d Hour:
betthion. cd
Gireftes 73 deg. 40min. Long. 31 deg. 10min. Lat. One of the biggeft Cities
in the Province of Kerman. ‘The Trade of the City confifts in Hones and Wheat.
Girreadegon, vulgarly Soo » 75 deg. 35 min. Long. 34 deg. 1 utin, Lat. -
Gontem, 74.deg. 46min. Long. 37 deg. 20min. Lat. A little City, full of Silk-
Twifters.
H.
Hamadan, 75 deg. 20 min. Long. 34deg.Lat. The Country about ‘it breeds
great ftore of Catte |
Hafu-Eltaf , or, The Center of Beauty; 72 deg. 32min. Long. 34 deg. 40 min.
Lat. At this day almoft ruin’d.
Hawas, 75 deg. 40min. Long. 33 deg. 1g min. Lat.
Heaye, 74.deg. 35min, Long. 31 deg. 50 min, Lat. 7
Helaverde, 91 deg. 30 min, Long. 35 deg. 15. min, Lat. Built by Abdalla be-
fore mention’d. | ate ee et
Herat, 85 deg. 36 min. Long. 36 deg. 56 min. Lat. A City in the Province of
Cara{fan , where Sultan Heuffein-AGrza tounded:feveral Colledges for Youth.
Hely-Medi, 73 deg.45 min. Long. 32 deg. 5 min. Lat.
Heffne Ebneamadé , 70 dég.45 min. Long. 26 deg. 20 min. Lat,
Hurman, 85 deg. rs min. Long. 32 deg. 30 min, Lat. A fmall City, ina bad Air.
¥emnon, 78de& 15 min. Long. 36 deg. 40 mim Lat. The Trade of it is in
Copper Manufactures. lat Se oo eet ee
Fend-Babour, 75 deg. 5 min. Long. 31 deg. ry min. Lat. A very ftrong place,
famous for the Tomb of Adelek-Yakonb-Sha, King of Schiras.
Irfon, 80 deg. 35 min. Long. 36 deg. somin, Lat.
Iipahan, ox Hilpaban; 86 deg. 40 min. Long. 32 deg. 40 min, Lat.
ra K.
Kaar, 78 deg.4o min. Long. 42 deg. 32 min. Lat.
Kajhan, 76deg. 15 min. Long. 34.deg. 40min, Lat.
__ Kafre-Chirin, 71 deg. 50min. Long. 34.deg. 40min. Lat. Built by Noxfhirevon-
Aadel, furnamed the Juft; and upon the aéts and deeds of this King is all the Mora-
lity of the Perfians founded. | : a
Kaien, 83 deg. 20 min. Long. 36 deg. 32 min. Lat. Said to breed the choiceft
Wits of all Pe SEserte . ane
eg.25 min. Long, 37 deg.2¢ min. Lat. One of the chiefelt Cities
n Gulan.. : . ee:
: Kalin , 87 deg. 5 min. Long.35 deg. 35 min.Lat. In an excellent Soil for Cattel and
ruit, —ouriiagre pepe:
- Karkonb, 74 deg. 4g min. Long. 32deg. rg min. Lat,
Rafbin, 73 deg. il Long. 36 deg. 15 min. —
_Kalaar, 76
. Kaffe:
\
438 Tbe Penstan Travels Book IIL
Kafre-le-lehous , or Kengavat , 76 deg. 20 min. Long. 33 deg. 35 min. Lat.
Kazeron, 88 deg. 30 min. Long. 28 deg. 30 min, Lat. The Country about
produces Oranges, Limons, and Cyprefs-trees. |
_ Kerah, 86 deg. 40 min. Long. 34deg. 15 min, Lat.
Kerman or Kirman, 81 deg. 15 min. Long. 29 deg. 30 min. Lat.
Kervak,, 87 deg. 32 min. Long. 34.deg. 15 min. Lat.
Kirmenfha, 63 deg. 45 min. Long. 34. deg. 37 min. Lat. e
Kom, 75 deg. 40min, Long. 35 deg. 35 min. Lat.
Kouh de Mavend , 74,deg. 15 min. Long. 36 deg. 15 min, Lat. the finalleft now ;
which was once the largeft City in Perfia.
Koucht , 83 deg. 40 min. Long. 33 deg. 20 min. Lat. In a foyl excellent for .
Corn and good Fruits. ,
Koy , 60 deg. 40 min. Long. 37deg. 40 min. Lat.
Kevachir , or Verdechir, 80 deg. 30 min. Long. 28 deg, ry min. Lat.
L.
Lahijon , 4, deg. 23 min. Long. 37 deg. 15 min. Lat. The Trade of “the Towa
confifts in Stuffs, half Silk, half Cotton, call’d Tefsile.
Louffek, fee Touffea.
7 ae M..
Maameter , or Barfrouche , 77 deg. 35. min. Long. -36 deg. 50 min. Lat.
Mehronyon, or Bebbehon, 75 deg. 15 min. Long. 39 deg. 35 min. Lat.
Meraque , 71 deg, 20 min. Long. 37 deg. 40min. Lat. It ftands in one of the —
Gardens of Perfia. )
Merend , 63 deg. 15. min. Long. 37 deg. 37min, Lat. ' :
Mervafaé, 87 deg. 32 min. Long. 34 deg. 15 min. Lat. in a fertile Country for
Cornand Fruit.) > 7
Merverond, 88 deg. 40 min. Long. 34. deg. 30min.Lat. in a fertile Country.
Mefched, look Tous. at i -
Moukgn, or Derbent, 20 Leagues from the Cajpian Sea, 63 deg. rs min. Long.
37 deg. 40 min. Lat. :
Mourjan, 84. deg. 15 min. Long. 37 deg. 15 min. Lat. A City welf peopPd,
wherein there are feveral Adofquces , and fair Piazza’s.
N.
Nacksivan , or Nachevan, 61 deg. 32min. Long. 39 deg. 40 min. Lat. :
Natel, 77 deg. 40 min. Long. 36deg. 7 min. Lat. in a fertile Country for Paftu-
rage. : :
Nehavend, or Nahoiiand, 73 deg. 45 min. Long. 34. deg.20 min. Lat. The
Country people aver this City built beforethe Loxfon, or the Flood. —
Neher-Terij , 75 deg.oomin. Long. 32 deg. 40 min. Lat,
Neffah, 84 deg. 45 min. Long. 38 deg. 40 min. Lat,
Nichabar , 80 deg. 55 min. Long. -36 deg. 20min. Lat.
O.
Oujon, 61 deg. 35 min. Long. 32 deg. 24 min. Lat. To this City finely feated,
belongs a fair Caftle. Batt hee :
R.
_ Rachmikdon , 87 deg. 34.min. Long. 35 deg. 15 min. Lat. , ees Eee
~ Rem-bormow , 74.deg. 45 min. Long’ 31 deg. 45 min, Lat.» In this City Sednon,
Haly’s potter Father was born. Ss :
__ Rey, 76 deg. 20min. Long. 35 deg: 35 min Lat. Inthe beftSoil of all Perf. fo
Wheat oa and Perce ss | x
Roudbar , 75 deg. 37 min. Long. 37 deg. 21 min. Lat. in the Province of Guilan —
Royon, 71 deg. 36 min, Long. 36 deg. 15 min. Lat. ia the Province of Mazxandran,
we
Ghap.XUIL. of Monfieur Tavernier. 139
“x
. ‘
)
j ay
3 ofl ons ew MI Oli ; S.
Saaffour , 86 deg. 20 min. Long. 35 deg. 15 min, Lat. |
Saon, 76 deg. 20 min. Long. 36 deg. 15 min. Lat. In the Province of Guilay.
Sary, 78 deg. 15 min. Long. 36 deg. 4o min. Lat. Seated among the Copper-
Mines. ‘ ,
Sczevoar, 81 dey. 5 min. Long. 36deg. 15 min.Lat. Near this City the people
gather great quantities of Manna.
Semiron , 71 deg. 30min. Long. 34.deg. 40 min.Lat. A pleafant City ftor’d with
ood Water and Fruits.
Serijr-el-lan, 63 deg. 15 min. Long. 45 deg. somin. Lat.
Serke[s, or Serakas, 85 deg. 35 min. Long. 36 deg. 15 min. Lat. A pleafant
City for Scituation , and plenty of Waters. ?
Sermeghon, 87 deg. 37 min. Long. 37 deg. 32 min. Lat. Ina fertile Soil, yet
not very plentiful.
Servefton , 78.deg. 15 min. Long. 29 deg. 15 min. Lat. In a Soil abounding with
Gardens.
Servon , 79 deg. 15 min. Long. 32 deg. 15 min. Lat. In a Soil abounding with
Wine and Dates.
Surjon , 74.deg. 40min.Long. 30 deg. 20 min. Lat. Where the beft Perfian Car-
pets aremade , and Shaads, or Girdles of Goats Hair curioufly wrought:
Sobreverede, 73 deg. 36min. Long. 36 deg. ¢ min. Lat.
Shufs, 73 deg. 45 min. Long. 32 deg. 15 min. Lat. —*
Sultanie, 76deg.15 min. Long. 39deg. 4omin, Lat. Where the Mornings and
Evenings are very cold; all the reft of the day very hot.
*
A
T,
Tzberon, 80 deg. 34 min. Long. 35 deg. 20 min. Lat. ) |
Talikon, 88 deg. 15 min. Long. 36 deg. 32 min. Lat, In a Country plentiful in
Corn, Fruit, and good Water. |
Tauris, otherwile call’d Sfernerdehi, 63 deg. 15 min. Long. 39 deg. 10 min.
at.
Tebcfs, 80 deg. 40min. Long. 38 deg. 1g min. Lat.
Tefirs, 60 deg. 15 min. Long. 43 deg. 15 min. Lat.
Toukon, 82 deg. 45 min.Long. 38deg.40min, Lat. |
Tsufi, or Mefhed, 82 deg. 30 min. Long. 38deg.40 min. Lat. ;
Touffea, otherwile call’d Louffek, 85 deg. 40 min. Long. 37 deg 50 min. Lat:
Y.
Yefd, 79 deg. 15 min. Long. 32 deg. 1§ min. Lat.
Yevin, fee Azadkar:
» 7. ' oan
Zemma, 89 deg. 14min.Long. 38 deg. 35 min. Lat. In aCountry abounding in
all forts of Cattel.
Zenjon, 73 deg. 36 min. Long. 36 deg. g min. Lat. Famous for its antiquity ;
and formerly the Perfian Univerfity. | : .
Zertah, 79 deg. 30min, Long, 32 deg. 30 min, Lat. The biggeft City in the
Province of Belad-Cifton, abounding in Winé ahd Shell-fruit. cad
Zo , 70deg.20min. Long. 35 deg. 32 min. Lat. A City in the fame Pro:
vince. "3 eee
Zouzen, 85 deg. 15 min. Long. 35 deg: 39 min. Lat. In the Province of Afz-
zandran. . Be Oh Se : |
| 52 Zourends
140 | The Pe y vi Trbvels Book II],
Zourend , 73 deg. 40min. Long. 31 deg. 15 min. Lat. In the Province of Key.
man, where there is great ftore of curious Potters ware, where alfo grows the Root
Hanna, with the juice whereof the Perfians dye their Nails, and the Breafts and
Tails of their Horfes.
The End of the Third BOO K.
y*
THE
Chap. I. of Monficur Tave A heen. ©
THE FOURTH BOOK
OF THE
TIPA VE ES
Monsreun TAVERNIE R:
BEING, A
DESCRIPTION
Oe eee
=
GHA P< 4
Of the Extent of PERSIA, and its divifion into Provinces.
ERSIA, according to the prefent State of the Empire , to the North
is bounded by the Ca/pian Sea, Southward, by aie Ocean ; Eaftward it
joyns to the Territories of the Great Adgul; Weltwatd , to the.
Dominions of the Grand Signor; the two Empires being parted by
the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates.
But that you may the better underftand the full extent of the
Dominions of the Perfian King , you are to know, That this great
Monatch, befides that Tra& of Ground which is properly call’d Perfia, pofleffes
a vaft part of the ancient Afjria and the great Armenia, the ancient Kingdoms of
the Parthians atid Medes, the Kingdom of Lar, the Kingdom of Ormus , and all
Eaftwatd of Perfia beyond Candahar, almoft as far as the Kingdom of Scindi.
But becatfe thofe Exropeans that have Travel’d before me, either were not fo
curious, or had not perhaps the opportunity to learn the true number of the Pro-
vinces that compofe the whole Continent of Perfia, I have undertak’n, though thé
Perfians therifelves are ignorant enough, to give the beft account I can, finding
it neceflary for the better fatisfaétion of the Reader, to take fome notice’ of the
Names of Places according to the ancient Geography. =
The fig is the Great Armenia, which our Maps without any ground or reafon
at all call Turcomamias in regard they might have more properly call’d it Ermenick
in general, fince the Inhabitants are the greatelt part ~A7menians, That part
whereof which is fituated between the two Rivers of Araxes and ooh at this day
eall’d Aras and Kur, by the Natives is call’d van, or Cara-bag , being one of the’
mot beautiful, and richeft pieces of Larid in all Perfias the principal Citics of which
The
are Erivan, Nacksivan, Zulphay and Van.
*
141
ACC CO CC CL LALA CLL LL LOL AL AA Ce,
142 The Persian Fravels, Book IV,
The fecond is Diarbeck, formerly Atefopotamia , between Euphrates and Tigris ;
the chief Cities whereof are Bir, Car-Emir or Diarbequir, Ourfa, Moufful, Gexiré,
Merdin , &c. : 3 +c cue
The third is Curdiftan, formerly Affyria, extending all along the Eaft-fide of the
River Tigris , from the Lake Yan.to the Frontiers of Bagdar , the principal Cities —
are Niniveh, Sherifoul, Amadie, Sneirne, Betlis, and Salmaftre.
The fourth is Hierak Arabi, othéerwile the Country of Babylon or Chaldea ; the
principal Cities whereof are Pelougia upon Euphrates, Bagdat upoti Tigre, Merfhed.
Ali, Gourno, and Balfara;, and inthe Country of Bourows, Shar aban, Erounabat, &c,
The fifth is Hierak-Agemi, or the ancient Parthia; the principal Cities whereof
are H:/pahan, Toufhercan, Hamadan, Cafhan, Kan, and Cafbin; and perhaps Yefd , if
it be not rather in Kerman or Sigiftan.
The fixth contains Shirvan, all along the Cafpian Sea , where ftand the Cities of
* Derbentis * Derbent or Demir-Capi,Baku,and Shamaki; and the Province of Edzerbaijan ; wherein
“a ne fans ftand the Cities of Tauris, Ardevil, and Sulrany. Which two Provinces comprehend
4 ee ahs the ancient AZedia within a very little, extending to the very Shoar of the Ca/pan Sea,
and Demir- The feventh contains Kylan and Mazandran, lying likewife upon the Ca/pan Sea,
Capi in the formerly Hyrcania; wherein are the Cities and Towns of Firuzcuh, Sukar-abad, and
San tes _ Aionikiellé at the entry of the Mountains, Girs, Talara-pefct, and Saru, in the Plain;
sear 10 which Eerh-abad}Ciarman, and Gfcref , toward the Sea.
place were the The eighth is Eftarabad , formerly Margiana , which extends to the River Ruth-
_ancient Ca- — khané-kurkan, which the Ancients cal?’ Oxus; the principal Cities whereof are
{pian Gates, Ejiarabad, Amul, Damkam.
Pyle of the The ninth contains the Province of the Ufbeck:Tartars, comprehending all the
Ancients. ancient Sogdiana and Battriana; the chief Cities whereof are Balk, Samarcand, and
Boccara, &e. 3
The tenth is Coraffan , formerly Aria, with fome part of Battriana ; the chief
Cities whereof are Eri, Mefhed, Nifabur, Thun, &c. -
The eleventh Sableftan , formerly Peloponnefus, the principal Cities whereof are
Beksabat , Afbé, Buf?, Sarents; the Territory and City of Cazdabar being alfo com.
prehended within the extent of this Province, together with Duki and Alunkan, upon
the Frontiers of the Great A4ogul’s Dominions.
' The twelfth is Sigiftan, formerly Draigiana; the principal Cities whereof are
Siftan, Shalack,, and. Kets, — ;
The thirteenth comprehends all the Territories of the ancient Arachofia, bord’ring
upon the Kingdom of Scizdi, not having any Cities that we know of.
The fourteenth is the Province of Makran , lying all along upon the Sea of AZog-
Stan, formerly Gedrofia ; the chief Cities whereof are A¢4akran, Firhk,, Ohalak, and
the Port of Guadel toward Guzerat.
The fifteenth Kerman, formerly Caramania, extending as far as the Gulf of Ormus ;
- ae Cities whereof are Kerman, Bermazir, the Port of Kwheftek, and the Cape
OFF gues? ae st St
The fixteenth is Farfiftan, or that part of Perfia fo properly call’d, the chief
Cities whereof are Schira:,Caferon, Benarou, Firus-abat, Darab-guier, &c. To which
you may add the little Province of Laraffon, with the City.of Lar, juft againft Ormus.
But this Province formerly extended no farther than Benarou, two days journey from
Lar, before Sha-e4bas conquer’d the Kingdom of Lar, and then the Kingdom of
Ormus. Now they are both united; though they have both feveral Governours, as they
had diftin& Princes before. The Ports in this Province upon the Perfiaw Gulf are
Bander-Abaffi and Bander-Congo.
There are two other little Ports in the Perfian Gulf, about thirty hours fail from
the Mouth of Expbrates, but not capable of receiving any other than finall Barks 5
which are very much to be admir’d; for in regard the Inhabitants are ignorant of
the ufe of Iron, it is ftrange to fee their Boats made {fo handfom and ftrong withal ;
the Planks being only ty’d together with a Cord, which is made of a kind of Hemp
tak’n from the out-fide of the Coco-nut. “ial
Theat is the Province of Curfitan , formerly Sufiana, which Euphrates and Tigris
joyning together feparate from Chaldea ; the principal Cities whereof are Suffer, an-
ciently Sufa, the Capital City of the Empire of King Ahafuerus, Abawas,Scabar, Ram-
hormus, Rc, . ee 2 ;
The
Sie
‘ i
Chap. be of Monfieur TaveRNIER.
Mao ESS
The temper of the Air in Perfia varies according to the variety of fituation. The
Country of Edzerbaijan is very cold, but very healthy. The Air of AMlazandran
is very unwholfom 5 for being a low. fenny Country; arid full of Infects, when the
Waters dry up in the Summer , the Infeéts alfo dye and infeét the Air. Sometimes
thofe bad Waters over-flow the Country; in fo much that the Inhabitants receive
a tinéture in their Complexions from the colour of the Earth. The Province of
yilan is included in the Province of AZazandran; and the Air is fo unwholfom, that
the People cry of him that is fent to command there, Has he rebb’d, flo?’n, or mir
sher’d, that the King fends him to Guilan ? :
At Ifpahan, which is almoft in the middle of Perfia , there are fix months of hot,
-and fix months of cold weather. The Snow falls three or four times in a feafon, and
- fometimes fo very thick, that there is hardly any travelling upon the Road. About
a League from the City, toward the Mountain, there ftands a Stone about two or _
three Foot high, which when the Snow hap’nstocover, prognofticates a plentiful
Year; and the firft Countey-man that carries the news thereof tothe King, receives a
hundred Tomans. As for Rain, there is very little falls there , unleds it be in Apri/,
and then it fometimes rains very hard. | -
In the Southern Provinces, the heats are very exceflive, and kill abundance of
our Europeans, efpecially thofe that are giv’n to drink. |
All Perfia is water’d with little Rivers, but there is not one navigable River
through the whole extent of it, unlels it be Aras, or the Araxes of the Indians,
which carries fome few flat-bottom’d Boats. The other Rivers, inftead of growing
bigger, the farther they keep their courfe from the Springs , grow fhallower for want
of Water, by reafon of the infinite number of Kreifes or Channels, which they cut
out of the Rivers to water the Lands , which would not bring forth fo much as only
Grafs without the help of thofe Cuts; unlefs it be in the Province of Mazandran,
which from September to March feems a kind of Terreftrial Paradife , through the
pleafing variety of Herbs and Fruits. However, Perfia in general being thus water’d,
is a mott fruitful Country: though it be true, that many of their Springs and Chan-
nels are loft and brok’n. And Afirza-Ibrabim Governour of the Province of Edzer-
baijan told me one day, that in the very Territory of Taurss, there were aboye two
~ hundred Springs utterly loit , either by accident or negligence.
As for their Gardens, they water them with Well-water, by the help of a Wheel -
and an Ox; but the running Water is much better , asnot being fo cold, and more
fatning to the Eatth. And therefore the Fruits that grow in the Mountains which
are only water’d by the Rain or by the Dews, are much better tafted, and keep
longer.
Perf is a mountainous Couritry, but for the moft part the Mountains are very
dry and barren. As for Woods, thes are none inall the Country. ‘Travellers are
alfo forc’d to go a great way out of their Road tofind a Spring, and fometimes they
fhall ride ten or twelve Leagues, before they meet with any Water but what they
carry in their Bottels. There are fome Mountains out of which they dig Salt, as
Stones out of a Quarrey. There are alfo Plains where the Sand is nothing but Salt,
though it be not {fo favoury as our Northern Salt.
Of late feveral Copper-Mines have been found out, of which the Natives make all
forts of Kitchen-Houfholdttufi Their Lead comes from Kerman; their Iron and
Steel from Corafan and Kafbin , though not fo good as that of Spain, -Their Steel is
very fine, with a fmooth grain, and grows very hard in the Water ; but it is as brittle
as Glafs. Neither will this fort of” Steel agree with the Fire: fo that if the Fire
have not more than a double heat when the Steel is forg’d, it will look juft like a
piece of burnt Charcoal. The Steel which we call Damas-Steel comes from the
Indies, and the Perfians call it Gauberdar. Hil dere
There are alfo fome*Mines of Gold and Silver in Perfia, wherein it appears that
they have anciently wrought. Sha-Abas alfo try’d again, but found his expenice to
~ be more than his profit: whence it is become a Proverb in Perfias Nokre Kerven
dehkrarge nobbaffel; The Silver-Mine of Kerven, where they fpend ten to get nine.
which is the reafon that all the Gold and Silver of Per/ia comes out of Forein Countries:
. | pit aia, tase les e: < 10
dod ghgtidies deabrec8e <.
or : by 4
144. be Persian Travels Book IV.
CGxdkt. AP. Dae
Of tke Flowers and Fruits of Pexfia, of Turquoifes and Pearls.
HE Flowers of Perfia are nothing comparable to our European Flowers,
neither for variety nor beauty. For having pats’d the Tigris in the
Road to Perfia, you meet with nothing but Rofes and Lillies, and fome
other Fruits peculiar to the Country.
As for Rofes, they have great {tore , which they diftil, as they do Orange-flowers,
and tranfport the Waters into all the Eaftern parts of Afia. :
J never left the Court of Perfia, but fome of the Lords, efpecially four of the
white Eunuchs, beg’d of me to bring them fome Flowers out of France; for they
have every one a Garden before their Chamber door : and happy is he that can
prefent the King with a Pofie of Flowers in a Cryftal Flower-Pot. |
There are in Perfia Apples, Pears, Oranges, Granates, Prunes, Cherries, Apricots,
Quinces, Chefinuts, Medlers, and other forts of Fruit, which is not generally fo well.
tafted as ours. |
Their Apricots indeed , efpecially the leffer fort, are better than ours. When you
op’n this Apricot, the Stone cleaves in two, and then the Kernel, which is only a {mall
Skin, as white as Snow, is more pleafing to the taft than if it had been pre.
ferv’d.
As for their Melons, they are moft excellent , and very plentiful, neither is it fo
dangerous to eat them to excels , as ours. “There have been fome that have eat’n fix
and thirty pound in a day, and have never been the worfe. There is a prodigious
quantity of them fold in J/paban ; where they are brought to Market, from midnight
till four a Clock in the afternoon. Thofe Melons which are firft in feafon, and are
call’d Guermez, are infipid, and taft of nothing but Water. However the Phyficians
_advife you to eat them, faying that they plump up the Flefh, and renew the*habit
of the Body. The next to the Guermez , are better than they, and they increafe
in goodnels ’till they come to be quite out of feafon; the laft of which they keep
all the Winter long.
Though they have fuch vaft plenty, yet they never leave but one Melon upon a
ftalk , and when it is as big as a Nut, the Gard’ner, or his Wife, or his Children, lye
down upon the ground and lick off the Down, which they fay keeps the Melon
from being {weet, and rip’ning kindly.
The Perfians have alfo a particular fort of Quince-Pepin, but not fo good as ours,
which they fry unpar’d , cafting great ftore of Salt in the Pan to excite thirft, and
' then prefent them to their Friends at their Collations. They have alfo Almonds and
Figs, but few Small-nuts or Wall-nuts. — ,
Oy! they-have none, -but in the Provinces of A4az andran and Guilan, which furnith
all the reft of Perfia; but the Olivesare rotten, black , gravelly, and not worth any
thing, compar’d with Provence-Olives.
_ Armenia, Mengrelia, Georgia, and Media abound in Vineyards. They bury their
Vines all the Winter, and take them up again in the Spring by reafon of the cold.
In the hotter Countries they drefs their Vines as we do, without any under-propping
them. >: There are three forts of Wines in Perfia, That of Yefd is very delicate ;
that of I/paban but ordinary: that of Yefd is tranfported to Lar, where there lives
a great numberof Fews, who care not to live but where they may have good Wine,
‘and that at acheap rate. It is alfo carry’d toOrmus , where it is fold half in half
cheaper than the Wine of Schiras. As for the Wine of Schiras, it is made of one
only Grape , {weet in taft , but which heats the Mouth extremely. This fort of
Grape is call’d Kichmifhé; it is a whité Grape, without any ftone, as vulgarly believ’d ;
but‘however it-has a ftoné, though it be hardly to be perceiv’d, which neverthélefs
-_will:appear in. new Wine , when it frets like a little Ligament. “Théy fay that’ the
_ Wine of Ifpaban is cold upon the Stomach, but that it fumes into the Head. For
its coldnefs upon the Stomach I can fay little, but I know it will warm the Head, if
a man takestoo much of it. In Perfia they never keep their Wine in Tuns, but in
: great
great earthen Veffels bak’d in an Oven, either glaz’d, or elfe fmear’d over with thé
fat of a Sheepsrump, ftop’d up with wood’n Covers, cover’d over again with a great
piece of red Calicut, that lyes.over all the lids of the Pots.
The King and his Lords have other forts of Cellars for magnificence, where they
treat fuch as they invite. Thefe are four fquare Rooms not above three or four fteps
deep, with a Well in the middle, the floor being fpread with Turkie Carpets.
Now at the four corners of the Well ftand four great Bottles containing twenty
Pintsa piece, the one of White, the other of Claret. Between the great Bottles
ftands a row of leffer Bottles fill’d, a Bottle of White; and a Bottle of Red. In
the Cellar-Wall are feveral niches one above another, and in every nich a Bottle,
fill vary’d Gules and Argent, a very plealant fight to good Companions ina Room,
which is as light as day. ¥
As for Herbs and Roots they have very good in Perfiz, but above all, moft .—
excellent Roman Lettuee. But there isno fort of Pulfe, nor can they finda way to
make Peafe grow among them. The Carmelites carry’d Afparagus , Artichoaks, and
Succory, which were never feen there before, but how begin to thrive very
well. zs es
As for Turquoifes and Pearls I fhall {peak thereof in my difcourfe of Jewels, to-
ward the end of my Indian Travels.
*
Piacoa GOA Peed rh ee
$f ee Se 4 ik ° ° ae
_Of the Beats of Service ; of the Fifh and Fowl of Perfia.
He Beafts for fervice in Perfia, are Horfes, Mules, Affes, and Camels:
The Horfes of Perfia are but of an ordinary ftature , lef than ours ,
_ very narrow before , but very {wift and light. They carry their heads
| - very ill in running, by reaton of the cuftom to which tlie Perfians ufe
them. For they have got a trick of managing their Horfes, yét fever getting upon
their backs} they teach them to Amble by tying their feet with two Cordsof art
equal length , tothe middle whereof are faften’d two other Cords that are faften’d
to the Saddle , which two Cords keep their feet fo, that they cannot ftir but at fuch
adiftance, and fo they deal with their Mules upon which the old men génerally .
covet to ride. The Horfes of Perfia are very docible , andeafily brought up. They
give them nothing elfe from one Evening to another but a Sack full of chopt Straw;
| with a-meafure of Barley which they mingle together with the Straw, to the end
they may eat both together. When the Barley is newly ear’d, they give it them
for fourteen or twenty days together to purge their bodies, as we for the fame end
put our Horfes to Grafs in the Spring. The Perfian Horfes hold out very well till
eighteen or twenty years of age; but they never cut their Stone-Horfes in that Coun-
try. Inthe Winter, they never take off their Shooes , but only Froft-nail them.
Their Furniture is very light and handfomly made, And this is furthet obferv’d ,
that whereas we keep Goats in our Stables and Inns, the Perjians kéep Hogs. ~
There are two fort of Affes in Perfiz. Thofe that are bred in the Country onl
ferve to carryburthens; but there are a fort of Arabian Affes that are fwift and ver
handfom, excelling in price the common fort of Horfes. The Merchants of Jahan
keep thefe Affes intheir Country Houfes, taking it fora great piece of Grandeut
to Ride every Morning:to their Shops. | GAZ 0S oi aaa
Some parts of ‘Perfia are perplex’d alfo with wild Beafts, as Lyotis, Beats, and
Leopards,but there are but-very few ; nor have we heard that ever they did any great
mifchief, Porcupines’ they have alfo ; and I my felf faw brought before the
King two men, the one of which was Shot through the Thigh; and through
the Leg with a Porcupine’s Stag! The fecond was kilPd, the Porcupine havin
darted. his Quill a little above a aah arough his Breft. As for their Fifth,
there are an abundance of Carps,; Trouts, and Pikes in the River Aras, bat int
all thevother Rivers of Perfia there is but one oi of Fifth ; which is - Hs %,
opt es Baas 4 Barbi 3
146 The Penssan TLravels Book IV.
Barbel, In the fubterranean Channel which they bring to water their fields there
is another fort of Fith very plentiful of bones, and as little as can well be eaten,
Where the white Mulberies grow by the River fide , fo foon as they begin to
/ bear fruit, ’tis very good paftime to fee the Crabs, as big as the Palm of a man’s hand,
come out of the River after Sun-fet, and climb the trees to eat the fruit, and then by
break of day return into the River again, They are delicate food, far beyond Crey-
fifh, but a hot provocative Diet, as the Phyficians well obferve.
During the Froft they bring from the Cg/pian Sea great ftore of Salmon or Salmon-
Trouts , four or five Foot long. The Province of Media is well ftor’d with Sturgeon
from the mouth of the River Araxes. In the fame Sea there is a certain Fifh like
a Carp, which they falt and dry like our Herrings. From the Perfian Gulf comes °
nothing but Salt-fifh , which is tranfported over all the Kingdom. *
Their Fowls are much the fame that we have in Europe, only I do not remember
that 1 ever faw any Quails in the Country. As for theimPigeons , they fly wild
about the Country; but only fome which they keep tame in the City, wherewithal
~ to decoy the reft: which is a {port the Persians ufe in hot weather as well as in cold.
Now in regard the Chriftians are not permitted to keep thefe Pigeons, fome of the
vulgar fort will turn A¢ahomerans to have that liberty. There are above three thoufand
Pigeon-houles in Jjpaban. For every man may build a Pigeon-houfe upon his own Farm,
which yet is very rarely done; all the other Pigeon-houfes belong to the King , who
draws a greater Revenue from the Dung than from the Pigeons : which Dung , as
they prepare it , ferves to fmoak their Melons. .
Poultrey is very plentiful in Perfia; and the Armemans brought out of Exrope
tle way how to fat,Capons; the firft fo fatted they prefented to the King , who lik’d
them fo well, that he order’d that the richeft of the Armenians fhould be commanded
to provide him fuch a number every year. There are no Turkeys in all fa; but
the Armenians trafficking to Venice carry’d fome from thence, which when the King
had tafted, he lik’d fo well, that he order’d the Armenians to breed him up fuch
a number , and to ftock the Kingdom with them. But the Armenians, feeing the King
would impofe a new Tribute of Turkeys as well as Capons, grew negligent, and
fuffer’d the Chickens to dye asfoon as they were hatch’d. ‘Thereupon the Perfians
fufpeéting the.fraud , commanded the Armenians to keep the dead Turkeys, that the
might be Judges how they came by their deaths: And it was my wonder to fee fo |
many young Turkeys hanging againft the Walls of fome Houfes in Zulpha , that
occafion’d this Story to be told me. ‘ , ,
All forts of Water-fowl are as plentiful in Perjia , as with us.
Upon the Frontiers of Media and Armenia, at a certain feafon of the year are to
be feen a great number of Birds, much like to our Owzils. Much about the fame time
the Corn begins to appear, but then is the ground cover’d with fuch infinite fwarms
of Locufts, that the Armenians are forc’d to betake themfelves to their Proceffions,
and to water the ground with a Water which they fetch a great way off, whereinto
the Bodies of feveral martyr’d Chriftians were thrown. Three days thefe Pro-
ceffions and waterings of the ground continue , and after that , whether it be that the
fore-mention’d Birds do eat the Locufts , or only drive them away, in two or three ~
days the Country is clear of them. ;
“As for Birds of prey, the Country wants none, Falcons, Sparrow-haws, Lane-
rets, ce. of which the King of Perfia is very well provided , having above eight
hundred ing tohisGame. Some of thefe Birds are taught to fly at the wild
Boar, or wild Afs, or wild Goat 5 others at Cranes, Herons, wild Geefe, and Par-
tridge. The chiefeft of which Birds are brought from the Southern Mountains,
extending from Schiras to the Perfian Gulf. 4
The King takes great delight to hunt the Boar and Hart , and if it come to pats
that the Game out-run the Dogs, then they Ict fly one of their Hawks, who pre-
fently feizes the head, and while fhe is continually pecking and difturbing the
Bette Does are prefently at his heels. The Hawks are to ftop like a
Horfe at full fpeed: elfe they would never quit their prey, which they prefently
do, as foon as ever the Falconer fhews them their reward. Now their way of
ord’ring or making the Hawk is this. They take the skin of a Hart, head, body,
and legs, and ftuff it with Straw, to the end it may be like the Beaft which the:
intend to reprefent in the nature of a Quarry. When they have fet it in the a
where
Chap.VI. of Monfieur Tavernier. 447
where they ufually train up the Hawk, they lay meat upon the head; or in the
holes of the eyes, to the end the Bird may be fure to feize thofe parts at his down.
come. Being accuftom’d to feed in this manner for fome days together, they fix the
Beaft upon a Plank with four Wheels, and caufe it to be drawn with long Cords by
certain men, thatmend their pace ev’ry day, ’till at length it isdrawn by a Horfe
at full fpeed, whereby the Bird is accuftom’d by degrees not to forfake her prey.
After the fame manner they counterfeit all other forts of Quarrys to enter their
Hawks , as well wild Boars, wild Affes 5 as Hares and Foxes. Some there are that
will order a Crow with the fame induftry as you would make a Hawk. They have
have alfo a certain Beaft which they call Once, which has a {potted skin like a Tiger,
but which is neverthelefs very gentle and tame 4 this a Horfe-man will carry behind
him, and when he fees a wild Goat, he fets down the Qace , which is fo nimble , that
in three leaps he will be upon the back of the wild Goat ; though the wild Goat be
a very {wift Creature. The Once immediately ftrangles him with his fharp teeth;
But if by accident the wild Goat get from him, the Ovce will ftand ftill in the fame
place abafh’d and troubl?’d, fo that an Infant may take him and kill him, without
the leaft refiftance made in hisown defence. __ leaiel oss !
The Kings of Perfia take great delightvin Hunting , andin that {port it is that
they love to thew themfelves magnificent: Infomuch that Sha-Sefi defirons to treat all
the Ambaffadors then at his Court,which at that time were the Tartarian, Mufcovite,
and Indian,carry’d them along with him into the field, and having tak’n a great number
' of Harts, Fallow-dear, Hinds, and wild Boars, he caus’d them all to be made ready to
be eat’n the fame day: And while he was feafting , an Architeé& had order to raife
a Pyramid of the heads of thofe Beafts in the middle of I/pahany of which there are
{ome remains to this day. When the Architeét had rais’d it to a confiderable height,
he came very pleafantly to the King , and told him he wanted nothing but one
head of fome great Beaft to finifh the Work. The King, whether in his Wine,
or to fhew the Ambafladors how abfolute he was over his Subjeéts , turning briskly
toward the Architeét, Thou fay/# well, faid he, nor do I know where to meet with
a Head more proper than thy owaz. Thereupon the miferable Archite& was fore’d
to fubmit his own Head, the King’s Command being prefently put in execution.
C idk Be ok
Of the manner of Building in Perfias
N regard there is little Wood or Stone in Perfia, all the Cities, except fome
Houtes, are generally built of Earth, but of an earthen , or rather a kind of
Potter’s Clay, fo well wrought, that you may cut it like Turf, being wrought
to a juft confiftency. The Walls are made with lays of Earth, according to
the proportion intended , and between every lay of Earth, three Foot high, two
or three rows of Bricks bak’d in the Sun. Thefe Bricks are made in a fquare Mold
three fingers thick, and feven or eight inches broad: and for fear they fhould cleave
with drying in the Sun, they lay over them pounded Straw to keep them from
chopping in the heat. They never lay the fecond Lay ’till the firft be dry, nor
the fecond Lay to be fo broad as the lowermoft. Thofe Buildings which are made
of Brick bak’d in the Sun are very handfom; and after the Wall is rais’d, the Mafon
pldifters it over with a Morter made of Potter’s Clay mingled with Straw} fo that
the defeéts of the Building being cover’d, the Wall appears very firth and clofe.
Then the Work-man plaifters the Morter over again with a Lime mixt with AZufcovy-
Green , which he pounds with acertain Gum, to render the Lime more glutinous -
and. then rubbing the Wall over with a courfe Brufh , it becomes as it were-damaskd
and filyer’d, and looks like Marble. The poor are contented with only bare Walls,
or fome courfe daubing that cofts little. The middle of the Houfe confifts of a larges
Portico, twenty or thirty Foot {quare; and in the middle of the Porrico a Fountain
full of Water. It is all open upon one fide , and pron the Portico to the Pia fo
; 2 ountain
148 | The Penst AN ‘Travels Book IV,
Fountain all cover’d’with Carpets. At every corner of the Portica is a Room to fit
and take the frefh Air; and behind another large Room, the floor whereof is {pread
with Carpets, Mattrefles, and Cufhions, according to the quality of the Matter of
the Houfe. Upon the two fides of the Portico are two other Chambers , and doors
fo go from one Chamber to another: and thus are the Houfes of the great Lords
built, but only they are more {pacious. For their Houfes confift of four great Parlours,
that look toward the our corners of the World, and every Parlour has two Chambers
upon each fide, which make eight Chambers, that {urround a great Hall in the
middle. The King’s Palace is alfo built after the fame fafhion : and generally the _
Perfian Houfes are very low, it being’a rare thing to fee one three Stories high. Yet
all their Chambets'and Rooms are arch’d, wherein the Perfian exceeds us. For with.
out all that trouble and time that we {pend , they will prefently raife an Arch {o
broad and high as eafily demonftrates the skill of the Work-man. The tops of their
Houfes are flat and terrafs’d being plafter’d with Earth mixt with Straw chopt
very fmall, and well temper’d , which they bind together with a layer of Lime beat’n
for feven days together , which makes it as hard as Marble, and if they want Lime,
they pave the Terrafs with fquare Tiles bak’d in an Oven, fo that the Rain can do
no harm. But they are very careful to fhovel off the Snow, for fear it crack the
Terrafs with lying. Without the Houtes fhow nothing , but within they are curioufly
painted with Birds and Flowers,wherein the Perfians are no bad Artifts. They take great
delight to have feveral little Chambers, with feveral Doors, and Lattice-windows, the
quarrels whereof are of Glafs of various colours. This fort of glazing ferves generally,
and indeed more properly,for the Apartments where the Women may come.For they
might have Cryftal-windows if they pleas’d, but they glaze the void {paces in this
manner, that their Women may not be feen ; after they have fram’d the op’n place that
gives light, like a Flower-Pot with feveral Flowers in it, which the Glafs of feveral
colours imitates to the life; whereby it is impoffible that the Windows fhould be
peer’d through ; befides, that it is pleafant to the Eye. The Doors of their Houfes
ate of Tchinar-Wood, which is very noble, and their Wainfcoting is as neat. The
Perfians that love oftentation, always difplay their rich Carpets, Mattreffes, Cuthions,
Coverlets, and all the moft coftly Furniture they have, in the fore part of their
dwellings : For the Haram, or the Women’s Quarter is but meanly adorn’d, in regard
they are never vifited by any men but their Husbands. In fome of their Rooms they
have very narrow Chimnies; for the Perfians fet all their Wood upright which they
burn, becaufe of the Smoak; befides, they make but {mall Fires, in regard they have.
fo great afcarcity of Wood. When they would go to fleep, they lye down upon a
Plank cover’d with a Carpet, and wrap themfelves in a quilted Blanket. Inthe Sum-
mer they fleep in the open Air , upon their Terraffes, and in regard the Women lye
there too, there is an order obtain’d, that the AZouAzhs that fing upon the ALo{quees
fhall not prefame to go up in the morning , becaufe it might be their hap to fee the
Women as way Nes it being one of the higheft pieces of infamy imaginable for a
Woman to be difeover’d with her Face op’n.
There are fome Houfes that belong to great Lords, that have a fquare place before
their Doors, where they that ‘come to vifit them may put their Horfes, to the end the
Street fhould not be pefter’d. If you look upon the Front-of their Houfes, there is
little ornament to be feen, unlefs it be upon fome which have been lately built.
i. Crk? 27y.
A Defcription of Wpahan , the chief City of the Kingdom and Do-
minions of the King of Perfia.
Spaban,Sphahan,or Sphaon, as the Perfians pronounce it which fome Travellers have
too unwarily affirm’d to bea fine City, lyes in the Province of Hierac, which -
ge part of the ancient Kingdom of the Parthians.{t is the Capital City
AB of all Perfia, and a very large place, where the King ufually keeps his Court.
The Records of the Perfians Dictare that formerly it was two contiguous Towns, one
| part
Chap.V. of Monfieur Tave = NIE R.
art whereof belong’d to Haider, and the other to Neamed-Olabi , two parts. of
Ifpaban till retaining thofe twonames , which has occafion’d great quarrels and de-
bates among the people, while they have both been eager to prefer their own quarter.
Nor indeed could. J/pahan be accompted other than a Village, before Sha-Aba had
conquer’d the Kingdoms of Lar and Ormu. But then obterving fo fair a Situa-
tion, where he might as well be near the Provinces which he had newly conquer’d ,
as for the defign which he had to extend his Dominions to the Eaft and Weft, “as he
‘had enlarg’d them to theSouth, he quitted Ca/bin and Sulrany to refide at Iipaban ,
asin the center of his Empire. 2h
This City is feated in a vaft plain, which extends it felf three ways fifteen or
twenty Leagues. Upon the South about two Leagues from J/pahan viles a very high
Mountain , on the top whereof toward the Weft are to be feen the remains of a
very {trong Fortrels , where Darius kept himfelf; when e4lexander gave Battle to
hit in that Plain. In the fide of the Rock isa Grotto, either natural or artificial,
or both, outof which iffues a natural Spring of excellent Water, where a Dervis
ufually inhabits. 7
The Circuit of Zfpaban, taking the Suburbs all in, isnot much lefs than that of
Paris, but the number of Inhabitants is ten times greater at Pars than at Ypaban.
Nor is it a wonder that a City thould be fo large and vet fo ill peopl’d , where every
Family has its particular Houfe, and every Hb6ufe its particular Garden. What
ever way you come to it you may difcoyer firft the Towersof the Mofquees, and then
the Trees that environ the Houles, fothat dieahas feems rather a Forreft than City.
The Plain being fertile is well inhabited, but there areno Villages init, only three or
four Houfes inaplace together. SAP Me LISS: BSS 5 SP.
“The Walls of I/paban ate of Earth, to which do belong fome pittiful Towers
svithout Battlements or Platforms , Baftions or Redoubts, or any other Fortifica-
tion. The Moats alfo are as bad , neither broad nor deep, but alwaysdry. In
‘fome places alfo the people have beaten down great gaps in the Wall, to get the
neareft way into the City, yet they reckon ten Gates, which are but of Earth
however, and of no defence; the chief of which are Der-Vafalfehab, not far
from the King’s Palace, Der-Tokshi, Der-Mark, Der-Vafal-Lembon , Der-Nafan-
Abad, Der-Sha, and Der-Dekt. “The Gates are made of Planks rudely joyn’d
together, and ‘cover’d with plates of, Iron four fingers broad , and as thick as a
Crown, fatten’d with flat-headed Nails. The Keys are never carry'd to the Go-
vernour , but left with a filly Porter that op’ns and fhuts the Gates as he pleafes
‘himfelf; for indecd there isno neceflity of fhutting the Gates when there are fo many
other ways into the City. -—
- The City of J/paban isill laid out; for the Streets are narrow and unequal, and
for the moft part dark, becaufé of the Arches that go from one Houfe to another ,
fo that aman is forced fometimes to feel his way for two hundred paces. Moreover
the Streets are many times annoy’d with Loads of Ordure and the Carcaffes of dead
Beafts , which caufe a moft filthy ftench, and would be very infeRtious certainly ,
but for the wholefomnefs of the Air. Inthe moft part of the Streets are Wells,
which are ftop’d up in Summer, and open’d in the Winter to carry away the Rain
and the Snow into the Arch’d Channels which run under Ground through the middle
of the Street. There are alfo before every Door certain Troughs to receive the
filth and ordure of every Family ; which the Country-men come and carry away to
Dung their Grounds. Every morning the Country-man comes*with his Ads to lade
149
Dung; and it is obfervable that he is more diligent to seo away the Dung of the |
my)
Armenians , Franks, and Fews that drink Wine, than of the Perfians that drink
none. And thisis the profit of the Servants of the Houfe that fell an Affes Load
of Dung for five, and {ometimes for ten or twelve Kasbethe. 5 gee
The Streets of [paban , as of all the reft of the Cities of Perfia are not pav’d ,
which makes them very incommodious both Summer and Winters For in the Sum-
mer the dut puts out your Eyes, unlefs it be in the Streets where the great Mer-
chants live, and about the Adeydan, where there are people hir'’d to water the
Streets Morning , Noon, and Night. Thofe people go about the Streets alio with
a Boracho fall-of Water, and a-Glafs, with ice in a Bag, to give them drink
that defire it: Nor do they take any money , being paid out of the Legacies leftb
perfons deceafed for. that purpofe. Inthe Winter this duft turns to vas
ey
150
The Persian Travels Book LV.
the leg deep; though it be very true that there are very few people to be feen
then-in the Street; for in regard of the vaulted Channels that run through every
Street, fhould the foak’d Earth chance to fail under the Horfe, it might endanger a
Limb. Befides, the Perjfians are fo fuperftitious, that they will hardly receive
a man within their doors with a {pot of Dirt upon his Gloathes, for fear of being
defil’d by him. ,
You fhall alfo meet with little Holes againft the Walls of the Houfes in the op’n
Street , where the Perfians are not afham’d to fquat and Pifs in the face of all the
World. If there be any running Water in the Street, they take a little in their
Hands and wafh their Member with it; or if there be no Water, they rub it againft
a Stone or the Wall, which they take for a great piece of gentility and mo
defty. :
That which farther contributes to the naftinefs of the Streets of Zjpahan, isy
that the Butchers throw the Blood and Excrements of the Beafts which they kill
into the Streets. If a Herfe or a Mule, a Camel or an Afs dye , they prefently
throw him into the Street. True it is, that there are people who come prefently to
buy it of the Owner ; who make Hariffé, which they fell to the poor Work-men,
This Hariffé is thus prepar’d; they boyl the fleth of the dead Beaft with Corn, and
after it is well boy!’d they mafh it together, ’till it becomes like a Pottage. They alfo
make Hariffé of good Mutton ; both which forts they fell in the Market-place, or
great Meydan of the City. ,
Though the City of Z/pahan be dirty, yet there isa Way for perfons of ability to
avoid it; for they never ftir but on Horfe-back, with two or three Lackeys 5 call’d
Coatres, that run before to make room. For the Men are all upon the falfe Gallop
in the Streets, without any fear of hurting the Children: by reafon that the Chil-
dren are not fuffer’d to play in the Streets like ours, but as foon as ever they come
Fe gers, they fit down by their Parents, to be inftruéted by them in their Pro-
feffion. et ore ete :
_ Thefe Valets or Foot-men make a Trade of Running 3 of which the King and
the Lords have feveral in their fervice ; it being a piece of grandeur to keep a
great many. They ferve from Father to Son, undergoing an Apprentifhip in
Running. From fix to feven years of age, they only fet themfelves to walk flowly. The
next year they run a League at a time upon a handfom trot , the next year after they
run two or three Leagues, and fo proportionably for the reft. Ateighteen years of age
they are allow’d a Scrip of Flowr,with a flat piece of Copper to bake their Bread upon,
anda Bottle of Water; all which they carry about them when they run. For thefe
people when they are fent Poft never take the Caravan-Road , but the fhorteft cuts
through the Deferts, and muft therefore accuftom themfelves to carry their Provifion,
The King and the Lords have no Chatres, but what are Mafters; which degree they are
not to afrive at without fome Ceremony and performing a Race, like our Femmy
and the Butcher of Croyden.
If he be a Lord that owns the Chater who defites to be a Mafter; he fends for all
his Friends, fets up a Scaffold in the Adeydan, provides a Collation; and fends
for the Curtifansto divert the Company. Now there is not one of thefe Guefts
that does not bring fomething to give this Chater after the Race is run, either a
Bonnet or a Girdle , or fome other thing, part of which the Chater gives to his
fellows. Then the Chater appears with his Legs greas’d, his Thighs bare, only a
flight fhort pair of loofe Breeches, and a Girdle with three little Bells hanging upon
his Belly. Thus accouter’d he ftarts from 4l-Capi, and between Sun-rifing and
Sun-fetting he runs backward and forward to a Stene a League and a half from the
City toward the Mountains; running in that time fix and thirty of our common
Leagues, or ahundred and eight Miles. While he runs, there is Kourouk,in the
Meydan, and upon all the Road where he runs, and three or four Horfe-men that
continually ride to and fro, to fee that there be no deceit in the Chater’s Race; whe
when he approaches near the City, ride before to give notice of hiscoming. Every
time he ftarts and returns, the Drums and Trumpets found; at the end of the Race
there ftand fevéral perfois with Arrows in their Hands, and ev’ry time he comes to
the Stone they give him an Arrow , which he carries back every courf{e to Ali-Capri.
Every time he returns, the Curtifans rub him and make much of him. . All the time
he runs, he eats nothing ; but drinks Sherbet now and then. If he aequit sini
wells
Chap.V. of Monfieur Tavernier. 151
well, which appears by the number of Arrows brought back, he is admitted a Mafter
by the approbation of the King’s Foot-men’, who are fuperior to all the reft. The
Kans or Governours of Provinces run their own Ghaters with the fame Ceremonies,
and in the fame manner. : |
The Fortrets of J/pahaa, is nothing at all confiderable. It joyns to the Wall upon
the South fide of the City, and is twice as long as broad; but without any defence in
the world, unlefs it be of fome pitiful Towers made of Earth. Here it is that the
King keeps all the Rarities which he has purchas’d, or that has been prefented to
him. For as to his main Treafure , I believe it confifts chiefly inGold-Plate. Within
the Fortrefs there is a large Field, fow’d every year with Rice and Corn; hard by
which ftands the Houfe of the Capuchin-Friars.
Ipahanin general, unlefs it be the A4eydaz and fome few arch’d Streets where the
Merchants live , ismore like a great Village than a City, the Houfes ftanding at a
ditance one from the other, with every one a.Garden , but illdook’d after, not
having any thing in it perchance but only one pitiful Tree< true it is that they begin
to build better of late days, but it is without the City. As for the Women, ’tis
not a pin matter whether they live out of the City or within, in regard they never
ftir out of doors, and as feldom goa-foot. Be
The Adeydan or great Piazza of Ijpahan was the contrivance of the great Sha-
Abas, who had never done it, if a great Prince of the ancient Race of the Kings
of Perfia had not refus’d him the old Aseydan, with feveral Priviledges, and the
Houfe that ftood by it. Thereupon he defign’d thisnew Piazza, to draw off the
Merchants, and to {poil the old Market-place, by their departure from that quarter of
the City which is lefS inhabited at this day. It is not far from this old Adeydan , that
the Aujtin-Friars on the one fide, and the Carmelites on the other have their. Habi-
tations, There are alfo two fides of that Afeydan entire , under the Portico’s, where
fit only fuch people as fell Herbs, Fruit, and Vi€tuals, the other two fides are almoft
faln to decay 5 but when it was all ftanding , it was as handfom as the new one: and,
itis to be wonder’d, that the Prince, who built it; did not choofe the place where
Sha- Abas has built his, as being near the Water, and confequently far more conye-
nient. , ,
The great AMeydan then is a place about feven hundred Paces long, atid between
two and three hundred broad. It has Buildings upon all the four fides; it lyes
in length dire&tly North and South; the Fronts are every one Portico’d, and Ter-
raid at the top; and on the City-fide are little Chambers nine or ten Foot high;
which fall very much to decay, being only built of Brick bak’d in the Sun. They
are inhabited, the greateft part of them, by the moft infamous Curtifans of the
City. At fome Paces diftance from the Portice’s , is a Channel which is pav’d with.
ftone, and runs round about the Piazza; Sha-Abas caus’d feveral Trees to be
planted by the fide of it, but both the Channel and the Trees being altogether
negleéted , are faln to decay; befides, that the fmell of the Water in the Summer
time is very noyfom. ;
In the midft of the Piazza ftands a kind of a May-Pole, or Maft of a Ship, where
the people exercife fhooting at Birds. When the King comes to fhoot , they fet
a Cup of Gold upon the top of the Maft, which he is to ftrike down with an Arrow...
To which purpofe he muft ride full fpeed, nor is he permitted to. fhoot "till after
he has paft the May-Pole, turning himfelf upon the crupper of his Horfe : a remain
of the ancient cuftom of the Parthians, that kill’d theit Enemies flying. |
The Cup belongs to him that ftrikes it down, and I have feen Sha-Sefi;Grandfather
of the prefent King, in five Courfes ftrike down three Cups. 1453
From this Maft or May-Pole down to the great Asofquee , they fell nothing but »
Wood and Charcoal : from the fame Pole to the Sun-Dial upon the North-fide,are none
but fuch as fell old Iron-Tools, old Haxnefs for Horfes, old Coverlets, and other old
‘Brokery-ware, asin our Long-Lane. , on edie
From the Pole to another Adofquee, to the South, juft againft the Sun-Dial, is the
place for all the Poulterers. The reft of the Piazza toward the Palace, is always kept
clean, without any Shops, becaufe the King comes often abroad in the Evening to {fee
Lions 4 Beets Bulls , Rams 5 Cocks, and all other fort of Creatures fight which are
thi er, ; iiavpinder pi. alte am 7 “8 9
The people of Jjpaban, asin many other Cities aré divided into two parts, the
one
a
152
a great confluence of people from all parts.
_ Atthe other end of the fame Front , where it joyns to that upon the Weft, there
_ the like. In the fame Enclofure alfo the Franks, who are under the King’s Wages,
-. — As for the King’s Palace, I cannot make any handfom defcription of it, in regard
Furniture, I fhall fay no more of them here. ©
The Persian Travels Book IV,
ne call’d Hedari, the other Nametlai ; and upon all the Combats of Beafts before.
mention’d, there are always very confiderable Wager$laid between thefe two Tribes.
The King , who isancuter, gives to the Mafter of the Beaft that gets the upper
hand fometimes five, fometimes ten, fometimes twenty Tomans, according to the valye
of the Wager laid; and he that wins the Wager , prefents the Mafter of the
the Beaft likewife. They have alfo a Sport at breaking of Eggs, by knocking the ends
one againft another, fome of which Eggs come to three or four Crowns. The
Hens that lay them are bred ina Country which they call Saufevare, about a hun.
dred leagues from J/pahan, towatd the Province of Karafon, the Cocks of which
Country are bigger and ftronger than other Cocks, and coft fome of them a hindred
Crowns. There are a fort of Tumblers alfo, that after Dinner fet up their Stages in
the Adeydan, and toward the Evening, they that play the Afaid-Adarians come and: en.
compais a {quare place with a courte piece of Calicut, and then through another
very fine Cloth , the Wenches fhew.a thoufand tumbling Tricks and antick Poftures,
When they have done, they come and ask the Spectators for Money, who give them
every one what they think fit. Every Friday, which is as it were Market-day; the
Country-folks bring to Town what they have made in the Villages, as Doors and
Windows fitted to be hung up, Window-frames , Locks, and other things of that
nature. Upon that day alfo they fell Mules, Horfes, Camels, and Affes, which brings
Upon the Weft fide, where ftands the Gate of the Palace, and_Al’s Gate, be
tween the Canal and the Portico’s are rang’d fome feventy Pieces of Cannon upon
their Carriages. Thefe Guns, together with the Sun-Dial, were brought from Ormy
by the Great Sha-Abas, of which the Exglifh ought to have had their fhare; for with-
out their affiftance he never could have tak’n the Town. 24
From the corner of that Front, which touches upon the Eaftern Front of the
Mofquee , in the middle are all Sadlers Shops; and from that A@/quee to another
corner that touches upon the Weftern Front , live the Book-fellers , Book-binders,
and Trunk-makers. In the middle of the Southern Front ftands a.Portal, with 2
Tower upon each fide , which leads to a Adofquee , the Gate whereof is cover’d_ all
over with Plates of Silver , and is certainly the neateft Portal and faireft Entrance
intto any Adofquee of Perfia.
is a great Portal that leads'to'a falfe Gate of the King’s Palace; near to which ; as
{oon as you are enter’d, you meet with the Apartment of the Great Treafurer,
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 falfe Gate all the
King’s Provifions are carry’d into the Palace. This way alfo enter they that are
entertain’d for the Manufaétury of the King’s Tiffues, Silks, Sattins, Coverlets , and
and live at Zulpha, come every day to work; as alfo all the moft particular and
eminent Artifts that the King hires. | ge
- The Weftern Front, which makes one of the two lengths of the Afeydan, is thus
appointed; from the Southern angle that touches the Trunk-maker’s quarter, live
all your Pedlers that fell all the {mall Commodities of Nerimberg and Venice.
there is nothing of Beauty either in the Building or in the Gardens. I think I
have been as far in the Houfe as a man could go, every time I was fent for by His
Majefty; but excepting only four Rooms which they call Divans , 1 faw nothing
but pitiful low Galleries , and fo narrow that hardly two men could pafs a-breft in
ent. In: one of thofe Galleries I had audience of the King, in the Garment of
Honour which he*had beftow’d upon me. But in regard I have fpok’n of two of
them in another place , and that the other two are much alike both Building aad ;
© From the King’s Palace Gate to Haly’s Gate live the Goldfimiths, Lapidaries, and
Gravers of Stones for Seals: Haly’s Gate is a@ phiin Gate, naked of Work; of
which I have already {pok’n. bE BIS SRE ge IOLer FOR TS at
~ Between Haly’s Gate , and the other angle of the fame Weftern Front, ftands.
a great Gate which leads into a Bazar, where all the Armenians that live at Zulfa
keep their Shops, atid fell all forts of Cloth that comes out of Ewrope, and ee ni
choiceft
Chap. IIL. of Monfieur Tavernier.
choiceft Wares of ‘Perfia. At the end of that Bazar ftands a fair Inn two Stories
high, which the Mother of Sha-Abas the fecond caus’d to be built. In the middle
flands 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 Perfia this advice; that if
his Goods be not very heavy , he never hire a low Chamber, : as being three times
dearer than thofe above: For the Chambers which the Sun lies upon moft in the
Symmer, are the Chambers which coft leaft. Not but all the Chambers inthe Inn
are Tax’d at the fame rate by the King 5 but the Hoft for his profit will find fome pre-
tence or other tor raife his price, pretending thofe Chambers be hir’d already which
voudefire, efpecially if they be corner Chambers , which are the largeft and moft
commodious. And indeed without this collufion Chambers would be very cheap.
The beft convenience of thofe Inns is,that a man is more fecure in one of them then ina
private Houfe: For there if it happ’n that apiece of Goodsbe ftoP?’n; or that your
Chapman prove infolvent for Goods bought,the Inn-keeper is to make all good; being
by the Law to receive fo many blows a day: ’till he pays the fum demanded. The
Merchant alfo gives two in the hundred for every thing that he fells, and when the
Market is done they prefently go to the Hoft, who fets down in his Book the qua-
lity of his Goods, and the names both of buyer and feller. If he knows:not the
buyer, he is bound to go and enquire after him, and if he be not folvent, the
Merchant takes his Goods again. Sometimes the Merchant to fave the-two in the
hundred, combines with the Purchater to carry away fome of his Goods without the
knowledge of the Hoft, which is done by greafing his Deputies fift, who will pre-
fently fhut his Eyes. But then if the Purchater proves infolvent , the Merchant
dares not complain , becaufe his Goodsare not Regifter’d in the King’s Book, whom
he hag iefrandediofshis-Cuttomii ot int soc) Meter a eo) eto.
- No Jefs fecure are the Bazars or Market-places’, where the Merchants fhut up
a5
their Shops very flightly , the Bazrs being ftrongly guarded both within and with- |
outall night long. As for the petty Stalls in the Adeydan , every one puts up his
‘Ware ina Box Padlock’d up, and then lay them down at one end of the place one
byanother. As for the courfe fort of Ware, as Tents, Cords, Ropes, and fuch
other things they only heap them under a large Coverlet faften’d at the four
corners by four fticks, for the A¢Zeydaz alfo is as ftrongly guarded as the Bazar.
Between Haly’s Gate and that which leads to the Bazar where the Armenians keep
their Shops , live allthofe that deal in Ru/fia Leather, making Borachio’s to tye under
the Horfes Bellies , little Buckets, and Furniture for Horfe-men, as.alfo Bowyers,
Fletchers, and Forbifhers.. From the Jaft Gate to the end of the Gallery , live all
the Druggifts and Apothecaries. | :
At the Angle upon'the two fronts upon the Eaftand North, there isa Gate that
leads to the Great Bazar; next to that live-only your Sails-men that fell whole Ha-
bits for men’, as Shirts, Sheets, Hofe, and the like. There be alfo thole that fell
Leather Shooes for men and women; which Shooes are always worn by perfons of
uality.
Out of this Bazar you go into another full-of men that work in Copper, fuch as
make Pots, Plates, and other Utenfils for the Kitchin. Here alfo live thofe that
make Files, andthe blades of Sythes. The reit of the Bizar is poffely’d by Dyers
‘of Calicut; andat the endof the Bazar isa fair Inn, where all the Merchants live
that fell Musk, Rafia Leather, and Furrs. :
I have in another place obferv’d that the King has a great Revenue out of the Ba-
zars and Inns which he has caus’d to be built ,. which is particularly laid out in_pro-
vifion for his Table. For the Law of Afahamer forbidding Princes to impofe Taxes
or Cuftoms upon the people, they do not believe that the money which arifes from :
- thence is fit to be employ’d or laid out for the neceflaries of life, believing that their
food fo purchas’d would do themno good. By virtue of this prohibition of Adahomer
it is,that the Merchants take all the liberty they can to deceive the King of his Cuftoms,
believing that they cannot offend the Prince,while they tran{grefS not the Law. Befides,
that if they thiol pay all the King’s Duties, the price of Goods would rife fo high,{fo as
to fpoil the wholé Courfe of Trade and Commerce. Neither would the Revenue of
the Caravanfera’s, Bazars, and Gardens fuffice for the Kings Kitchin, were not
the feveral Kans or Governours of Provinces oblig’d to fupply that expence
every Week in their turns , whereby thofe — the King little or natant
| pon
Upon the North-Front of the Afeydan, are made under the Portice’s feparations
for Chambers, that look upon the Piazza, where people go to fmoak Tobacco ang
drink Coffee. The Seats of thofe Rooms are plac’d as in {o many Amphitheaters,
and in the midft of every one ftands a large Veflel full of running Water, wherewith
- their Pipes be cleans’d when they are over-fowl.All the Per fiaws that haveany {pare time,
ai not every day to refort to thote places between feven and eight in the Morning,
where the Owner of the Room prefently brings them every one their Pipe and
their Dith of Coffee. But the Great Sha-dbas, who was a man of a great undty.
ftanding, finding thofe places were only fo many Meeting-houfes , where men affem.
bI’d to talk and prattle of State-affairs, a thing which no way pleas’d him > to break
the neck.of thofe petty Cabals, he order’d that a AMonllah fhould be ture to be
betimes at every place before the reft of the people came thither, and that he fhould
entertain thofe lobacco-whiffers, and Coffee-quaffers, fometimes with a Point of the
Law, fometimes with Hiftory, fometimes with Poetry. This cuitom is till obferv’d : {
that after this entertainment has lafted two or three hours, the Afoullah rifing up,
crys to every one in the Coffee-Room, Come my Mafters , in good time, let’s all noy
retire every man to his bufinef. Straight every one retires upon the Moullah’s words,
who is liberally entertain’d all the while by the Society. ,
In the midft of the North-Front ftands a great Portal, with a large Dial over it,
which Sha-dbas brought from Ormus when he took it from the Portugals. But the Dial
is of no ule, nor iseverlike to be. Round the Tower of that Portal runs an op’a
Gallery, with a kind of a Cieling over head fupported with Pillars; from whence
every Evening about Sun-fet, and at Midnight, a noife of Drums and Trumpets is
to be heard through the whole City. Though the truth is, the Mufick would never
charm a curious Ear. Out of fome parts of the Gallery are contriv’d little Dormi:
tories, where the chiefeft of the Court lye. In all the Cities where the Kavs refide
is the cuftom of making this ratling noife of Drums and Trumpets obferv’d, and
On each fide of the Portal, under the Horologe, are five or fix Banks of Jewellers,
who there put to fale certain parcels of Pearls, Emralds, Granats, and T ifes,
which are not of any great value: every parcel being fet by it felf ina Difh, and
the whole Stall cover’d with a filk Net , to:preferve the Stones from being ftoln.
Juft againft the fame-Portal , going toward the South-Front , you meet with two
little Goals five or fix Foot high, and fev’n or eight diftant one fromthe other. Here
the men play at Pall-mall on horfe-back, the Horfe-man being to ftrike the Ball run- -
ning at full fpeed, between the two Goals.
Through that Portal you enter into an Enclofure much like the place where the
Fair of St’ Germans is kept, and there it is that the Merchants of Gold and Silver-
‘Tiffues and other rich Stuffs, with all your fineft forts of Calicuts and Linnens » keep
their Shops.
The Court fide of the Meydan, which is upon the Eaft, and which anfwers to the
grand Front where the King’s Houfe ftands, is thus appointed. In the middle ftands
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 varnith’d over. You afcend nine or ten fteps, the Port
of Hlaly facing it on the other fide of the Piazze. From the end of the Portico’s
that touch the North fide of the AZofquce , live the Shop-keepers that fell fowing-
Silk, and {mall Manufaétures of Silk., as Ribands, Laces, Garters, and other things
of the fame nature. From the Mofquee to the other end, are all Turners , that make
Cradles for Children, and Spinning-Wheels. There are alfo fome Cotton-beaters,
that make quilted Coverlets. Without the Portico’s are none but Smiths > that make
Scyths, Hammers, Pincers, Nails, and fuch like things ; with fome few Cutlers.
This is all Hage befaid of Ijpaban, and that great Piazza, which fome perhaps
have fet out in’better colours. But I have reprefented all things as they are, as
. being one that have feen them oftner, and beheld them a longer time than ever any
Frank that Travel’d into. Affa. 7
48 0 ee
CHAP,
Chap. VI. of Monfieur Ta VER NEBR.
Tics. Sobighies aaiek
Of Zulpha, a little City , feparated from Ipahan by the River
Senderou:
Ulpha, which otliers call Fulpha and Giolphia,, is diftant from Ipahan to-
ward the South half an hours walk, the River Senderou running almoft at
an equal diftance between the two Cities. “Che way that leads from one
4 City to another is a Walk fome fifteen hundred Paces long, and feventy
broad, almoft equally divided by the River. It begins from a Pavilion or Tabernacle
forty Foot fquare , which joyns to the hinder part of the King’s Houfe , with a
double Story , to which feveral Windows give light; clos’d with wooden Lattices
very artificially wrought. None but the King and his Houfhold pafs that way into
the Walk, . For they that go from Ijpahan to Zulpha , find the way into the Walk
through a Gate which is clofe adjoyning to the Tabernacle. This Walk is call’d
the Strect of Tcharbag ; or the Street of Four Gardens. . Par ere far
A Channel runs ail along the Walk from the Tabernacle, where a little Rivulet
falls into it, and fills it as far as the great Bridge. The two fides of the Channel
which are pav’d with Stone, and are'two or three Foot broad, make one way, which
Paflengers may, and many times do take for the ufual way both for Horfe and Foot,
lyes upon each fide of the Walk , behind the Trees, which are planted in a ftreight
line to the very Walls of the King’s Gardens, which clofe the Alléy on each fide.
It is a kind of a Caufey of Free-ftone, fomewhat rais’d, and four or five Foot broad.
There is but one row of Trees on each fide, ftraight and high , call’d. Tchinards,
with one tuft at the top. The fpace between the Channel and the Trees is not
pavd, but lyes common , and is fometimes fow’d. , About two hundred Paces from
the Tabernacle or Banqueting-houfe, the River falls into a great Pool, about thirty
or thirty-five Foot in diameter; and in that place, as.alfo in others fomewhat beyond
it; where there are alfo other Pools, the Walk is crofs’d by aCaufey pav’d and rais’d,
ten or twelve Foot broad,as the reft are. Upon the left hand of the firft Pool ftands
another Tabernacle or Banqueting-houfe, much alike in ftruéture and bignefs to the
former ; in which place, in a low arch’d Room with a Fountain of Water in the
middle , you may go and drink Coffee. From that Houle to the Bridge the Walk
defcends, and the Water makes fome falls rel Ren? ;
All the Gardens on each fide of the Walk , both on this fide and beyond the Bridge;
belong to the King. But you muft not imagin that thefe Gardens, or that of
Hezardzerib, which is the fairelt of all Perfia, are fo curioufly fer out, nor fo welk
kept as ours in Ewrope. For they have no fuch lovely Borders, nor fuch clofe Walks
of Honeyfuckles and Jafmin as are to be feen in the Gardens of Europe. They
fuffer the Grails to grow in many places; conterited only witha good many great
pip sec. tufted a-top, and planted ina line , which is all the grace of the Gardens
of Perfia. : ;
In 5 fide of the Walls between which the Walk runs, at a true diftance of
fpace, are gates neatly contriv’d, and over each a little Room. Almoft in the middle
of the Walk between the great Banqueting-houfe and) the Bridge , upon the left
hand, ftands a Houfe of the Derzv?’s, to whom the King has giv’n one of his Gardens
to build upon., There they keep the Relicks of Haly, or {ome other Prophet ; for
you fhall fee them ftanding under a certain Arch, before which the Perfiazs make
a moft profound Reverence. Thefe Dervi’s come every Afternoon about three or
four a Clock into the Bazars of Ijpaban ; every two, an old one and a young one,”
choofing his quarter: They go from Shop to Shop, inftructing the People upon fome
Point or other of the Law: the young Derz:’s anfwering the old ones at certain
times. Their Habit is only two Sheep-skins or Goat-skins, the ofle hanging before,
the other behind ; with a great leathern Girdle, four or five fingers broac ; garnifh’d
with feveral great Plates of Latten. They. throw another Sheep-skin crofs their
Shoulders, which they tye before,under their Chins. Upon their Heads they only wear,
a little Lamb-skin in form of a Bonnet, letting the feet hang down to their Necks,
. ; V2 _ over
Lhe-Pixsran Travels Book IV.
over their Cheeks. They carry a great Club in their hands , as the Painters reprefent
Fohn the Baptift in the Wildernefs. Between their girdles and their watts they ftuff
a company of pittiful Flowers, or eHea fort of Herbs, which after Exhortation ;
both the young and the old Dervis beftow upon the Merchants. and Tradefinen ,
fro whoin at the fanie time they receive Alnis. » Toward the Evening they go home
again, and I forgot to tell you, that before the door of the Houfe ftands always a
large Veflel of Water wit feveral little Cups , and Ice in the Summer, where all
paffengers may drink upon free-coft. — | Rae
The River of Senderon, which as well as the reftof the Rivers of Perfia, except
the &4ra , is not able to carry a Boat, is avery great relief to Tpahan. Behind
the Mountains of the South beyond Zwfais another River, call’d Abkwren, which
about five or fix Leagues above J/paban rons within a League and a half of Senderoy.
Shu Abas the firft attempted to have joyn’d the two Rivers together, to which pur:
fe he went about to have remov’d certain Rocks that ftood in his way , but not
ing able to compais his defign, his Succeffors laid afide all the thoughts of attem.
pting any more. Could it have been done, the Champaign of f{pukan would have
been one of moft fertile and delicious places in the Worlds whereas now the River
8 of noufe, tunning through Defert Countries and Plains of Salt. - As for the River
of Senderou, in Winter it over-flows, butin Summer it has very little Water, being
oftner foarded than crofs’d over upon Bridges. About four Leagues above d{paban the
are conftrain’d ‘to force it into their Lands to water their Fields and Grounds, which
elfe would produce nothing at all. Wells they have a great many in feveral places
but befides, that they are not able to furnith that great quantity of Water which is
neceflary ; the River Water is much better to fatten the Land. Now you mutt ob.
ferve that their Channels never return to the River, being wafted upon the Ground ;
fo that the River of Jfpaban being very much: wafted before it comes to the City, by
reafon that it is ftill leffen’d by fo many Channels , about tén or twelve Leagues from
thence , it énds as it were quite {pent in a few Merthes, This {carcity of Water,
which is fo general over all Perfiz , is the reafon that they ate extraordinary Husbands
of ‘it, and buy itvery dear. Therefore is the faperintendant of the Water, which
brings the King in a very confiderable Revenue, one of the moft contended for em-
ployments in the whole Court. For every Garden is Tax’d more or lef: according
to its bignef$, forthe Water it requires once a Week; which Water is let go into
the quarters which have need of it, every Garden having a particular Channel
whence they have their Water by turns. But you muft have acare of attempting
to bring this Water in before your turn, for fhould it come to be known » an eafte
Fine would not excufe the matter. I knew two Franks, who betaufe they prefum’d
‘to take in Water in the night time before it was their turn » had like to have loft all
their Land by Confifcation , had it not been for the particular favour of the King to
the Franks; and yet all that fayour didnot excufe them from being foundly amerc’d,
There are four Bridges a quarter of a Leagues diftance one from another that crofs
‘the River of Senderou'to Ifpahan. That which croffes the walk bears the name of
di-Kan, who caus’d it to be built, being alfo call’d the Bridge of Zulfz. It
is ‘built of good Brick joyn’d together with Free-ftone, and very level, not being
higher in the middle than at either end. It is not above three hundred and fifty paces
long, and twenty broad, being fupported by feveral finall Arches of Stone which
ate verylow. Of each fide there is a Gallery eight or nine foot broad which runs
fromone end to the other, feveral Arches twenty-five or thirty foot high fupporting
the Platform, where when the heat is not extream, they that pleafe may walk for the
fake of the frefh Air. But the mof ufual paflage is under the Galleries, where
there are feveral out-lets upon the River to let in the freth Air. For the Galleries
are very high from the level of the Bridge , to which you afcend by eafie fteps , the
middle of the Bridge not being above twenty-five foot broad , ferving for Waggons
_and Pack-horfes. There is alfo another way all atong by the Water fide, where
there are feveral Stones laid to ftep upon, to keep you from being watchet. It
croffes through all the Archés of the Bridge , through little doors made in every
Arch from one end to the other, defcending from the Bridge by a little pair of
ftaits, tak’n out of the thicknéfs of the Arches fupporters. There is another Stair-
cafe'to afcendiup to the Galleries of about two fathoms broad » with ftays or Rails
on both fides. : This Bridge is truly a yéery neat piece of Atchitefture, if J may not
fay the neateft in all Perfia. There
Chap.VIi. of Monficur Tavernier. 157
» There are alfo three other Bridges upon the River, one above the Brids
Zulfa, and two below. . The firt but meanly built, but very peti eA ‘a one
tisadbebines , when they travel Weftward., who would -elfe be forc’d to goa great’
way about, through the whole City of J/pahan. be i
The firft of the other two Bridges below the Bridge of Zalfa, wasbuilt by Shas
Abasthe fecond, Father of the prefent King. It is almoft equal to it in Stru@ture ;
put it has one panticular beauty , which is a hexagonal place in the middle of the
Bridge, which catifes the Water to fall in that part with a pleafing noifé. For that
peing the déepeft part of the River , Sha-Abas refolv’d to build a Bridge there;
partly for the Gaurs fake, to the end, they might not come through the walk of
Teharbag , and that going from I/paban they might have afhorter cuthome. The
Habitation of thé Gaurs is only a large Village, the firft Houfes whereof are but a
little way from the River; though the walk that goes from J/pahan to the King’s Bridge’
js both longer and broader than that of Teharbag, planted on both fides with a row of
Trees, but nd Channelinthe middle.
Before each of the Avenues to the Bridge ftands a Houfe that belongs to the
King for his divertifement. That upon the left fide of the River toward Ifpahan,
was by the great Sha- Abas giv’n to the Capuchins, For asfoonas they came to Tfpa-
han, upon their Examination , the ig was extreamly tak’n with their behaviour,
He ask’d them how they liv’d, and whether they took any money ? To which the
Capachins making anfwer , that they never handled any money but contented thems
felves with Alms; the King believing his Subjects, would give them very little ,
beftowdd that Houfe and Garden upon them. ” But they ftay’d not long there, be-
caufe it was too big for them to repair , and too fat from he Ci » fothat the Roman:
Catholicks in the Winter could not get to their Chappel. -Now they have built them-
felves a very Handfom Houfe not far from the King’s Palace, at the Coft of Father
Fofeph, one of their own order. ;
~ There is another old Bridge a quarter of a League below the Gaurs Bridge,
qyhich is upon the Road from J/paban to Schiras.
But to return to the long-walk of Tcharbag, which continues above eight hun.
dred paces beyond the Bridge of Zu/fato the andet of Hezardgerib. The Rivu-
fét'thiat pales that other part of the walk, comes from the fame River which they
have cut three or four Leagues above J/paban, When you have walk’d about four
hundred paces, you meet with a fall of Waters that tumbles into a Pool, from
whence. there are twelve fteps to afcend to the end of the Alley. The walk is
fronted by the great Houfe which ftands before the Garden of Hezardgerib, or
the theufand Acres, The Houfe confifts but only of one great Hall over the Gate ,
. an4four fall Chambers at the four corners of it. = pA
Hezardgerib is the faireft Garden in Afia, though it would be accounted no-
thing in Europe. However as it lies upon the defcent of a Hill, it confifts of fixteen
Teraffes, fuftain’d by a Wall fixteen or feventeen foot high. There is but little
Water inany of the Wells; but that which has moft is in the fourth Terrafs. That
is a great Octagonal Pool about a hundred and twenty foot in Diameter, round
about which are feveral Pipes that throw up the Water about three foot high, and
there are three fteps down tothe Water. A Channel pav’d with Stone runs through
the principal Alley , which goes no farther than the building. This Channel is as
wide asthatof the Channel of Tcharbag, whence it is fupply’d as being right oppo-
fite toit, In the tenth Terra/s you meet with another Fountain of the fame bignefs
and form with that in the fourths and in the laft which terminates the Grand Alley
and the length of the Garden, there is another Channel which croffes all the Alleys y
which, like the great one compofe the length of the Alley. Befides this, there
are op’n Rooms to take the frefh Air , feme falls and murmurs of Water, but for
borders and clofe Alleys, and Arbours, you muft expect no fuch thing , either in
Hezardgerib , nox in any other part of Perfi. tone
Having walk’d in the great walk of Tcharbag, you meet upon the right hand
with a'Street between two Walls of the Gardens that belong to the King, which
ns leads you to Zwlifa, not above two or three Mufquet Shots diftance
boy pe ee
~ Bulfa a Colony of Armenians which Sha. Abas brought from Zulfa a Giry of
Armenia , is fo auch encreas'd for fome years fince , that it may now oe a
"ete arge
_1§8
The P ersian TZravels Book lV.
See the Defcri-
ption of Zul-
pha.
large City, being almoft.a League and a half long, and near upon half as much
broad. There are two principal Streets which contain near upon the whole length
one whereof has on each fide a row of T chinars, ‘the roots whereof are refreth’d by a
{mall Channel of Water, which by a particular order the Armenians bring to the
City, to water their Gardens. The moft part of the other Streets have alfo a row of
Trees, and:a Channel. And for their Houfes, they are generally better built, and
more chearful than thofe of J/pahan. .
How they came to be fetled here, I have already defcrib’d: And now the number
of Inhabitants is ftrangely increas’d by the acceflion of feveral other Chriftians of
" divers Sects, as Facobites, Copbtes, and Nefterians , who formerly liv’d in the Suburbs
of Jjpaban. Neither was Sha-e4 bas fo cruel in tran{planting the Armenians away
out of their own Country; for they were all at that feafon poor labouring men,
who knew not at all what belong’d to Trade. Since that time they are grown ve
rich : fo that the Armenians have no caufe to be covetous of the Habitations of their
Anceftors, And now I will tell you how they came to be fuch great Proficients in
Trade.
Sha-Avas, who was aman of a great Genius, and a perfon of great undertaking,
confidering that Perfia was a barren Country, where there was little Trade, and b
confequence little Money, refolv’d to fend his Subjeéts into Europe with raw Silks,
fo to underftand whence the beft profit would arife, to bring Money into his Country,
To which purpofe, he refoly’d to make himfelf Mafter of all the Silk in his own
Country, by purchafing it himfelf at a reafonable rate, tax’d by himfelf, and to
reap the gains by his Factors: and withal, thought it neceflary to feek an Alliance
with the great Kings of Ewrope , to engage them on his fide againft the"Turk, He
firftfent to the King of France, Henry the Fourth. . But he dying before the Am-
baffador arriv’d, anfwer was made the Ambaflador, That if the King of Perfia
had any thing to fay to the King of France, Lewis the Thirteenth, he muft fend a
new Ambaflador, which wasneverdone.
Three or four years after he fent an Ambaffador to the King of Spain , accom.
pany’d with a Perfian Merchant ‘of I/pahan, putting into their hands a confiderable
be their Guide and Interpreter. The Perjian Merchant would have fold the
Silks, as was the King’s-order, and have bought a Prefent more becoming. But
the Ambaflador over-rul’d by the Friar, refolv’d to prefent the King of Spain with —
the Bales.of Silk. .The Merchant not able to oppofe the Ambaffador , returns home
forthwith to give an account to the King, who approy’d his management. The
Ambaffador proceeds, and coming to the Spanifh Court, prefents his Bales of Silk
to the King , whoask’d the Ambaffador whether his Mafter took him for a Woman,
that he had fent him fo many Bales of Silk to fpin; and immediately fent away the
Prelent to his Queen, prefenting the Ambaflador but very meanly: who thereupon
feeing the Errour he had committed, made haft home; but upon his return, the’
Perfian King having notice of the ill fuccefs of his Negotiation , caus’d his Belly to-
be ript op’n in the publick Market-place. '
About fifteén Se after, he trufted a confiderable quantity of Silk with a
Merchant’s Son of J/paban, and fent him to Venice: whowhen he came there, took
a ftately Lodging, and fpent his Money ata ftrange rate, efpecially among the
Courtifans ; to maintain which expence, he continual y fold great quantities of Silk.
The Vevetians feeing a private man live fo fplendidly among them, and not believing
fo great a quantity of Goods could belong to one fingle Merchant , but rather
imagining him to be a Faétor for fome Company who fuffer’d for his folly, wrote to
all the Ports of the Levant, and having intelligence who he was, the Senate thought
fit to feize his Perfon and his Goods, before he had confum’d all; at the fame
time giving a civil account to the King of Perfia, what they had done. To which the
Perfian King return’d a moft obliging Anfwer of Thanks, fending withal an intelligent
Perfian Merchant to take an account of what was left , to whom the Venetians were
very punctual. As for the Prodigal Perfian, who thought it not his wifeft way to
return ito, Perfia, what became of him is not material to this Story. “s
Sha- Abas by thefe Experiments obferving the little inclination of his Subjeéts to
Trade. who were naturally addiéted to Pride and Expence, which is no part of a
Merchant’s bufinefs, caft his Eyes upon the Armenians, men able to. enue the
Sie abour
quaneity of Bales of Silk. He alfo fent along with them a Portuguez Auftin-Friar, —
~~
ee A OLE SEL oT SRT RE MRED ese
' labour of long Journeys, fober perfons, and great Husbands, and fuch who being
Chriftians, might more freely Trade among the Chriftians ; and made choice of
them, as being moft proper and fit for Trade. Whereupon ; picking out the mot
Judicious among them , he deliver’d to every one fo many Bales of Silk, according
zo their Capacity, for.which they were to pay at their retutn, a reafonable Rate .
tax’d by the King, who allow’d them what more they got for their Expences and
Gans, Lhofe people ina fhort time became fo expert, that there is not any fort
of Trade which they will not now undertake; for now they run as far as-Tyaqudns
Fava, and the Philippines, and indeed over all the Eaft, except China and Fapan. But
if they donot thrive, they never return, as being a place where they muft either
give an exact Account, or elfe fuffer the quick and fevere Juftice of Drubbing, which
never fails thole Faétors tHat are ill Husbands for their Mafters.
_ And indeed the Armenians are fo much the more fit for Trading, becaufe they
are a people very {paring , and very fober, though whether it be their virtue or.
their avarice, I know not. For when they are going a long Journey, they only
make provifion of Bisket, {moak’d Bufalo’s flefh, Onions, bak’d Boetbicilist Wine,
and dry’d Fruits, They never buy freth Viatuals, but when they meet with Lambs
‘ or ‘Kids very cheap in the Mountainous Countries; nor is there one of them
that does not carry his Angle to fifh withal, when.they come to any Ponds or
Rivers. All thefe Provifions coft them little the Carriage. And when they come
to any Town where they are to ftay, they club five or fix together, and lye in an
empty Chamber which they furnifh themfelyes; every one carrying his Materchs,
his Coverlet, and his Kitchin-Inftruments, which is a great piece of Thrift. When
they travel into Chriftendom, they carry along with them Saffron, Pepper, Nutmegs,
and other Spices; which they exchange in the Country-Towns for Bread, Wine,
Butter, Cheefe , Milk-Meats , and other Provifions which they buy of the poor Wo-
men. When they return out of Chriftendom, they bring along with them all forts
of Mercery-ware , and Pedlery-ware of Woremberg and Venice; as little Looking
glalles, trifles of Tin enamel’d , falfe Pearls, and otier things of that nature; which
pays forthe Vidtuals they call for among the Coulntry-people. |
In the beginning of their Trade, there return’d very few Caravans into Perfia
without two hundred thoufand Crowns in Silver, belide Englijh and Dutch Clothes,
fine Tiffues, Looking-glaffes, Venice-Pearls, Cochenel, and Watches; which they
thought moft proper for the Sale of Perfia and India, arts
‘At length thofe Armenians became fo exquifite in Trade, that feveral of them
have left Eftates of two, fome twenty thoufand Tomans. But the richeft among
them was Cotgia, or Monfieur Petrus, who left forty thoufand Tomans in coyn’d Money,
belides his Horfes, Furniture, and Lands in the Country, his Jewelsand Plate; all
which are never reckon’d a Merchant’s Eftate, but only the ready Cafh with which
he trades. Cotzia Petrus was very much efteem’d for his Charity, and the great
Church which he built, which is a kind of Covent, with a Bifhop and Monks. Nor
is the fair Market-place , all environ’d with Shops, a little beholding to his Gene-
rofity. :
The Armenians of Zulpha have this advantage over all the Chriftians of the Eaft,
that they enjoy Lands and Priviledges, the King not permitting the leaft injuftice
to be done them, nor that any ALsbometan fhould live at Zulpha. They have alfo
the priviledge to be as well clad as the Perfians, aud to make ule as they do of Bridles
of Gold and Silver. Their Wiyes alfo are very richly habited, in ftrip’d Sattins
purffd with Gold, and orher rich Ewropean Silks,
The King names whom he pleafes among the Armenians to be their Chief; whom —
_ they call Kelovter, who judges all their differences, and taxes them to make upthe ~
Sum which they are to pay to the King every year. ite:
The Language of the Armenians is either vulgar or learned: the learned is only
uvd by the Ecclefiatticks, in reference to their Religion. They write like us, from
the left to the right, having found out peculiar CharaGters about four years fince.
They have three Languages very natural to them, which however arevery different :
the Armenian , which is their ancient Country-fpeech, which they have preferv’d
from Father to Son; the Perfian, which is the Language of the Country where they
live; and the Turkifh, of which they make very much ufe in courte of Trade. As
for their Women, they ipeak nothing but the Armerian, as having no connate with
angers,
160
ea " \ : ——
The PeEnsian Travels ook IV,
ftrangers, and never ftirring out of their houfes. There are fome Armenians {peak
Italian and French, as having learnt it in Exrope.
‘There are in Zupha fifteen or fixteen Churches and Chappels of the Armenians,
among which you are to count two Nunneries for Women. ‘There are in J/pahan
Aufiin-Friars , Carmelites , and Capuchins, and in*Zulpha Fefusts, The Fefies that
came laft have but a little Houfe, but to make them amends they have a large Garden,
Though the number of the Religious Teachers is far greater then the number of
Hearers: for in all J/paban and Zalpha, take the Franks that come out. of Europe, or
born in Perfia, as well Men as Women, there are not. fix hundred perfons that profefs
the Catholick Religion. © As for the Armenians, they are fo obftinately fix’d to their
own Religion, that they will hearof no other; and nothing but Money has fome-
times caus’d them to feign the embracing of another. Fridr Ambrofe a Capuchin ftaid
awhile at Zulpha, to whom feveral of the principal Armenians came to School to
learn French , in hopes of eftablifhing a Trade withyFravce. But the Armenian
_ Archbifhop and Bifhops fearing left the Children fhould be infeéted with fome other
Religion, excommunicated all Fathers that fent their Children to School. And finding
that they little regarded the Excommunication, they fhut up the Church doors , and
ftir’d up the People againft the Religious Fravks ; fo that Father Ambrofe was forced’
to leave Perfia, and retire to Surat. Ss ’
Moreover there are in J/pahan both Fews and Yndiax Idolaters. Norare the Few: —
fo miferable and beggarly, as they feem to be: they intrude, according to cuftom, into
all Bufinefs , fo that if any has a mind to buy or fell any rich Jewel, he need do no
more but {peak tothem. Inthe Reign of Sha-Abas, the Athemadoulet perfecuted them
fo grievoufly, that either by force or by cunning he caus’d them to turn Adahometans,
but the King underftanding that only power and fear had conftrain’d them to turn,
fuffer’d them to refume their own Religion , and tolivein quiet. *
_ There are about ten or twelve thoufand Banians in I{paban, who are known by their
yellow Complexions, or rather by a yellow Mark made with Saffron upon the top of
their Foreheads. Their Turbants are lefs than ufual, and their Shooes are almoft like
ours, embroider’d with Flowers a-top. They are all Bankers, and very knowing in
Money. The greatelt part of the Money of the principal Money’d men of J/baban
is in their hands for improvement fake. So that if you want a confiderable Sum, you
may have it the next day upon good Security,and paying fevere a Intereft,which thofe.
Banians will tqueez up fometimes to’ 18 per Cent. But if it be not very privately —
exacted and paid, the Law of A¢zhomet , which forbids the taking of Intereft , lays
hold upon the whole Sum, and confifcates it every Penny. 7
© APs Vii
of the Religion of the Perfians; of the great Feaft of Hocen and
Huflein, and the Camel-Feaft.
*
HE difference among the AZzhometans , doth not confit in the different
Explanations which they put upon the Alcoran ; but inthe feveral Opi-
nions which they hold concerning the firft Succeffors of Adahomet, from
which have aris’n two particular Seéts entirely oppofite; the Seét of the
Sunnis, and the Se& of the Schiais.
The firft, who are of the Turki(h belief, maintain that Abou-baker fucceeded im-
mediately to A¢shomet, as his Vicar or Vicegerent ; to him Omar; to Omar Ofman;
‘to Ojman Mortuz-Ali, Nephew and Son-in-law to Afahomet by Marriage of his
— Daughter. That Ofman was Secretary to Mahomet , a perfon of Courage , as well
asthe other three: and that they were all valiant Souldiers, and great Captains,
_ who extended their Conquefts more by force of Arms than by Reafon. And thence it
comes that the Suzvis will not allow of Difputes, but propagate and maintain theit
‘Religion altogether by force.
The Schsats, who are of the Perfian belief, deteft Abou-baker, Omar, and Ofman , %
Ufurpers to the Suceeffion of A4sbomet, which only belong’d to Haly, his Beier
Pee, 3 an
Chap.VII. of Monfieur TavERNIE “a
—_———— rr
and Sonin Law. They hold that this {fucceffion confifts in elev’n High Priefts defcen-
dants from Haly, whomakes the twelfth in this order. 1. Haly, Son of sAboutaleb.
2, Hocen, eldeft Son of Hali. 3. Huffein, his fecond Son, who fuffer’d death in
defence of his Father’s Succeffion: The place where, the Sunnis gave him battel
and flew him, is call’d Kerbela near to Babylon, andis aholy place in high venera-
tion among the Perfians. 4 Iman-zin-el-Abedin. 5. Mahomet-el-Baker. 6. Lafer-
eLScadek, who introduc’d the Law into Perfia, that if any Chriftian, few, or Idolater
turn’d Mahumetan, he fhould be declar’d general Heir to his Family to the exclufion of
Brothers and Sifters, and that he might allow what he pleas’d to his Father and Mother.
Whence arofe two mifchiefs, that fome Armenians , Chrifhians, and Fews turn’d
| Mabwmetans , to get the Eftate of the Family, and others turn’d Adahumerans to keep
their pofleffions.. 7. Mouffa-Katzem. 8. Hali-el-Rezza, whofe Tomb at ALefhed is as
highly venerated among the ‘Perfians,as Mahomet’s among the Turks. 9. Aahammet-el-
Joiiad. 10. Hali-el-Hadi. 11. Hocen-el-Askert. 12. Moubemmet-el-Moubadi Shaheb-za-
man. The Perfians hold the fame belief as to the laft Iman, as we do of Enoch and
Elias; whichis the reafon that feveral people leave them in their Wills Houfes ready
furnifh’d , Stables full of ftately Hortes , and other neceflaries fot them to make
ufe of when they return to Earth again. They attribute to this Jmam'the Sirname
of Zabeb-zaman, or Lord of Time. — |
Thefe two Se&ts of Sunnis and Schias over-run the three principal Kingdoms of
.o
India, viz. the Great Mogul’s, the King of Golconda’s, and the King of Vifapour’s. -
The firft and laft being Sunnis, that is to fay, both the Kings and Lords of the
Court; for their Subjects are moft of themIdolaters. Some Schias there are in the
Courts of both Kings; if gt the Officers of the Army are for the moft part
Perfians , though in outward fhew they may follow the Religion of the Prince.
But the King of Golconda Koutoub-Sha is a zealous Schiars.
I come now to the Grand Feftival of the Perfians , which is the famous Feaft of
Hocen and Huffein. %
Eight days before the Fettival begins , fome of the more zealous fort black all their
Bodiesand their Faces, and go naked in the Streets with only a covering about their
_ feeret parts. They carry two Flints, one in each hand, which they knock one
againft another, wrything their Bodies, and making a thoufand antick Faces and
all the while crying out, Huffein, Hocen; Hocen, Huffein; which they act and
{peak with fo much Labour, ’till they foamagain at the mouth. In the Evening ,
the devout people admit them into their Houfes, and feed them very well. During
thofe days, asfoon as the Sun is fet, you fhall fee at the corners where feveral Streets
meet, Pulpits fet up for certain Preachers, who prepare the people that flock to
hearthem to the devotion of the Feaft. Now in regard all Ages and Sexes go,
oe is no time in all the year fo favourable for the Women to meee their Gat
ants. “a! ;
In the year 1667. the third of Fuly , 1 faw the Feftival by the favour of the Nagar;
who appointed me a place juft againft the Dela where the Kigg fate. This Dela
is a Room built with a jetting upon that fide of the A4cidan next the Palace Gate,
one ftory high. Several Pillars fuftain the flat bottom or floor of the Déla, en-
rich’d with a Grotefco work of Gold and Azure, in the mid’{t whereof there was a
Fountain that was fill’d with Water by the contrivance of aPipe. The Stage or
Délawas op’nupon three fides, the longeftfide jetting out upon the Prazza. Upon
the Wall of the oppofite fide, which was clofe , were to be feen feveral Enghfp and
Hollanders, both men and women piétur’d with Bottles and Glaffes in their hands, as
if they were drinking to one another. Sha-Abas the fecond caus’d this Painting to
be drawn by a Hollander. 7
About fev’n a Clock in the Morning med the fecond , who fince has chang’d |
his name to Sha-Soliman the fecond , came and feated himfelf upon his Throne fet.up
inthe mid’ft of the Déla, all his Nobility Randing about him. So foon-as he was
fatedown, the Great Provoft appear’d at the end of the Piazza mounted upon a
fair Horfe, attended by certain young Lords , who caus’d the people , confifting of
the Companies of the two quarters of the City, which are twelve in all, to ad-
vance to the places which were defign’d them. For formerly the Companies would
ftrive for the way; and therefore the King to prevent diforder, order’d there
fhould be a Prevoft, or Matter of the er place them without diduomes
3°
160
The Pers an Travels Book IV,
As he was about his duty, a Horfe-man entred the Piazza, arm’d with a Bow, 2
Quiver, and a Scimitar, follow’d by feven Men that carry’d every one a Pike upright in
their hands, with every one a Man’s Head at the top. Thole were the Heads of cer,
tain Ujbeck-Tartars, the neighbouring and mortal Enemies of the Perfians , which
thofe men had cut off from the fhoulders of their conqyer’d Foes. The King caus’d fiye
Tomans a piece to be giv’n to them that carry’d the Heads , and ten Tomans to their
Leadet: After themventer’d three hundred Turks, which were fled from the Borders
of Turkie,from whence the Country-people were tak’n by force,and fent to the Wars
of Candy. They complain’d, that whereas they were wont to be fent to their Winter.
Quarters about the middle of O¢tober, the Turk kept them to the fame hard feryice
in Winter as in Summer. All thefe were order’d to advance into the middle of the
' Piazza, where they made their obeyfance to him three times, and then humb
befought him that they might dwell in his Kingdom,with their Wives, their Children,
and their Cattel. The King order’d Money to be diftributed among them, and that
they fhould have Lands affign’d them to manure. Then the Provoft caus’d the Com.
panies to advance, every Company having the Thill of a Wagon carry’d before him;
upon every of which Thills was a Bier three or four Foot high, the Wood of the Thill
being painted with a Grorefco of Gold andSilver,and the Bier cover’d with Sattin.When
the firft Company had order to march, three Horfes were led before, richly harnefyds
when they were come about a hundred Paces forward into the Piazza » IN view of
the King, they that led the Horfes caus’d them to gallop, andthen all the Company
fell a running and dancing about with the Bier. Befides that, every one flung up his
fhort Caflock , his Girdle , and Bonnet , put their fingers in their mouths , to whiftle
as loud as they could. While the naked people, with their Flint-ftones in their hands,
ran knocking their Stones together, crying out, Aluffein Hocen, Hocen Huffein , rill
they foam at the mouth ee Not omitting to wryth their Bodies, and to make all the
{curvy Faces as before deferib’d. — ge three Companies fucceeding one another
in the fame Formalities, by and by"tame two Companies more with a little Bier
- upon-their Thills, and in each Bier a little Child that lay as if dead. They that accom.
?
pany'd thefe two Biers wept and figh’d moft fadly. Thefe two Infants reprefented
the Children of Huffein , who when the Prophet was flain, were tak’n by Yersd, Caliph
of Bagdat, and put to death. :
Upon this occafion you fhall fee a great number of Curtifans that come to the
Ceremony fall a weeping, who thereby believe their Sins are forgiv’n.
When all the people were come into the Piazza, notwithftanding all the care and
good order that was tak’n, there were feveral that went to Sharps , accounting it a
steat honour to fight fmartly in the King’s prefence 5 and farther believing that if any
one be kill’d upon that occafion, he fhall be Sainted , as indeed every one gives fome.
thing toward his Interrment. The Grand Provoff feeing the Quarrel grow hot, and
fearing more mifchief, fent for five Elephants, which ceas’d the Combat, by drawing
the Eyes of the Spectators upon them. The Elephants ‘march’d one before another,
according to their Pay that was allow’d them, and their skill in War. Not that the
King of Perfia makes any ufe of them in the Field, but only for State, keeps fuch
as the Indian Princes pretent him withal. Thofe five Elephants were cover’d with
Houtes of Cloth of Gold, with a Fringe of the fame round about. “And upon the
firft, which was the higheft and the biggeft , fate two Men , the one upon the neck,
who guides the Elephant; the other upon the crapper, carrying the King’s Arm’s
in a Standard fix’d to a Half-Pike. Upon the other four fate only one Man apiece,
who were the Governours. When they came before the place where the King fate,
they were all rank’d five a-breft, at what time the biggeft, which was inthe middle,
ftretch’d out his two fore-legs forward, and his two hinder-less backward, ’till
his belly almoft touch’d the ground; after which manner the Elephant makes his
obeyfance. The other four did thefame. Then laying their Trunks upon the sround
and raifing them again over their heads three times more , they were made to ‘ftan
with their heads where their tayls ftood , and their Houfes were tura’d ‘up, to
thevend the King might fee in what condition they were, and whether well look’d
after or no: which being done, they were led away again,
‘Upon one fide of the Room where the King ftood , alittle Scaffold swas ‘fet up,
cover’d with Tap’ftry, fome five Foot lower than the Kings. In the middle of the
Scaffold flood a great Elbow-Chair cover’d with black Velvet, where fate a Adoullch
: < — Bi with
~Chap.VIII. of Monficur Taverwrisn,
with fix other Moullah’s round about him. The Afoullah made a Difcourfe upon the
Death of Hufein and Hocen of about half an hour long ; which being ended, the
King caus’d a Calzat or Habit of Honour to be giv’n him, as alfo to the others, though
not fo rich. When they had all put onthe Habit, the fame Afoullah retirn’d to
his Chair, and made a Prayer for the health of the King ; and the profperity of his
ingdom. em . > |
: Al thefe Ceremonies lafted from feven in the Morning’till Noon ; at what time the
163,
King retir’d into his Haram. As for the People, they carry their Biers up and down |
the City, and where-ever two Companies meet , whether it be for the upper hand,
or. to get formoft , they prefently fall together by the Ears , and knock one another
down: for they are not permitted to carry,any other Arms than good big Clubs,
almoft as big as Levers.
Some time after the Feaft of Huffein and Hocen, the Perfians celebrate ariother Fetti-
val, which they call the Feaft of the Camel, in remembrance of Abrabam’s Sacrifice.
They have a great reverence for this Feftival, faying that it was a Camel and not a.
Ram which God feiit to reprieve Z/hniael ( affirming that I{hmael was to have been
facrific’'d , and not J/aac.) They choofe out for this Ceremony on® of the faireft’
Camels they can meet withal; and adorn and drefs him up with feveral Plates of
counterfeit Gold and Silver; and then lead him without the City to a place which is
before a Afofquee on the other fide of the River of Z/paban, upon Zulpha fide ; the’
Ree: or Provoft accompanying the people. “The King was formerly wont to be at
this Feaft, accompany’d with his Nobility; arid I have feen him there; btit of late
years hé never goes, the Deroga fupplying his place. wi so AAM eOVE
When the King went thither, feveral AZviillahs er for half an hour, after which
the King took akind of a Jav’lin and darted it againft the Camel: but now in the abfence
of the King, the Deroga gives the firft ftroak. At the fame time they fling the Camel to
the ground,with Ropes ty’d to his legs,and cutting offhis head and neck together,they
divide ‘the reft of the Body into eleven parts more , to thé end all the twelve Com-
panies may have every one their fhare. Every Company carries their fhare to the
Mafter of the Companies Houte, who is generally the ancienteft among them. Which
part iskept and falted up ’till the next Feaft, and the piece the year before, fo ’till
then preferv’d,is then boyl’d with Rice, and is the foundation of the Feaft for the chief
of the Company, who-take it for an honour to eat of it: For the reft , they boyl
Rice with Mutton and Hens, and befides that, diftribute large Alms to the Poor.
cH A Be Wel
Of the Religion of the Gaurs,, the Relicks of the ancient Perfians,
adorers of Fire:
Here are no men in the world fo fcrupulous of difcovering the Myfteries
of their Religion , as the Gaurs; fo that I was fore’d to frequent their.
company very much in moft of my Travels; to pick out what 1 have here
to deliver. ;
Of the prefent Condition of the Gaurs.
Fter the Perfians began to perfecute the Gaurs, great numbers of them retir’d
to Surat, and others into the Province of Guzerat. Now the King of Perfia
lets them live in quiet 5 and there are now above 16000 in Kerman, where I ftaid
three Months in the year 1654: All that live in India aré Tradefinen , and for the
moft part Turners in Let thole in Kerman deabin Wook: . Four days journey from
whence ftands their principal Temple, where their Chief Piieft-refides; whither they
are once in their lives oblig’d to go in Pilgrima; , There are fome of thefe Gaurs live
near I/paban. Sy gaa TREE Se. ‘ages
al
x3 ge
164 The Penstan Travels Book IV,
Of their Original , and their Prophets,
Hey fay that the Father of their Prophet was a Frank by Nation, whofe Name
- was Azer, and a Carver by Trade. That he left his own Country to live in theirs,
which at that time was the City of Babylon; where he took a Wife who call’d her {elf
Daeghdon. That one night his Wife dreamt that God had fent an Angel from Para.
dife to wifit her, who brought her very rich Cloathes, which fhe put on. That a
Celettial Light prefently over-fpread her Face, and tender’d her as beautiful as the
Sun ; and that when fhe wak’d fhe found her felf with Child, which Child proy’d tg
be the Prophet Ebrahim-xer-Atencht, That the Aftrologers of that time, by their
skill in the Stars knew of the Birth of that Infant fent by God , who was to govern
Men, and reign in their Hearts. That thofe Aftrologers went and declar’d the fame
thing tothe King, telling him that there was a Child fuddenly to be born, that
would one day deprive him of his Crown. Whereupon the faid King , call’d New.
brout, and a great Tyrant, caus’d all the Women*with Child to be put to death, through
the whole extent of his Dominions. ee
But by a Miracle the big Belly of the Mother of their Prophet not appearing , the
remain’d undifcover’d , and brought forth a Son. Her Husband, who knew nothing
of this Myftery; fearing he fhould lofe his head if he did not difcover the bufinefs to
the King, before he found it out another way, went and confefs’d that he had a Child
born, but that he knew nothing of her being with Child. fe
Now you muft know, that contrary to the cuftom of other Children , that ery &
foon as they come out of the Mothers womb, this Child laugh’d fo foon as he was born,
For being to triumph over the Hearts of the people, he was to thew figns of joy; fo
that the people began already to xejoyce in their future felicities, This being fignifi’d
to the King, he call’d his Aftrologers together, to tell him the meaning of fo extraor.
dinary a thing, and what would become of the Infant. But the Aftrologers not
being able to fatisfie him, he fent for the Infant, and would have flain him with a Sword
with his own hand; but God dlry’d up his Arm immediately, fo that he could not.
However, not terrifi'd with fo great a punifhment, tran{ported with Choler, he caus’d
a great Fire to be kindled, and commanded the Infant to be thrown into it. But by.
the power of God, the Fire which he had prepar’d to confume the Infant turn’d into
a Bed of Rofes, where the Child mot {weetly repos’d.
They who from that hour began to honour the little Prophet, took away fome of
that Fire, which has been preferv’d to this time. They keep it, fay they, in honour of
fo great a Miracle , and they have it in great venération , becaufe it difcover’d the
merit of their Prophet.
Neverthelefs the King ftop’d not there, but ftill obftinate in his impiety, notwith-
ftanding all thefe Miracles, he prepar’d new torments for the little Infant; but God
chattis’d his incredulity and that of his people very feverely, by fending fuchan infinite
number of Flies, ‘and that of fuch a peftiferous nature, that who-ever were ftung with
, them dy’d without remedy, unlefs they immediately came and worfhip’d the Prophet,
and kifs’d his Feet, in teftimony of their repentance. As for the King , who ftill con-
tinu’d in his impenitency, an exemplary fate befel him. For one of thofe Flies ftinging
him in one of his Ears, he dy’d a moft tormenting death. ©
» His Succeffor was Sha-Glochtes. He alfo at the beginning of his Reign began to
perfecute the little Infant, who now began to increafe in yearsand virtue. The King
imprifon’d him: but he was aftonifh’d when he heard that one of his Horfes, which
he always confided in when he went to Battel, as being affur’d of Vigtory when he
. rode him, had loft his four legs. Thereupon, wifer than his Predeceffor, and acknow-
ledging from whence fo dire a Correétion proceeded, he fent for the Prophet out of
Prifon, ask’d pardon for his incredulity, and pray’d him by his interceffion to reftore
his Horfe his legs again. The Prophet willing to do him that favour, pray’d to God
four times, and every time he pray’d one leg return’d to the Horfe again. The King
beholding fuch a Miracle, was half converted; but being defirous to be farther con-
wine’d, he defir’d the Prophet to throw himfelf into a Bath of melted Silver, which
he would provide for him ; promifing, if he came out fafe, that he and all his People
would receive him as one fent from God, and be obedient to his Precepts in allthings.
The Prophet refolutely undertook his offer, and the Bath being ready, ead
| < e earlefly
“an S
Chap. VIII. of Monfieur Tavernier.
ae <Se |
fearlefly into it 5 and as he went in; fo he came out without the leaftharm. Then
the King and all the people that were, prefent ador’d him for a real Prophet, and
ave himthe name of Zer-Areuche , or Wajh’d in Silver. 2 ee
°° The Prophet perceiving that all the people had him.in fo much veneration, with.
drew himfelf, and would not be feen any more. Nor do they juftly know what
became of him; which makes the greateft part of the Gamrs believe » that he was
zak’n up into Paradife both Soul and Body together. Others fay , that having found
an Iron Coffin upon the Road near Bagdat, he put himfelf into it, and was carry’d
- into Heav’n by the Angels. hey allow their Prophet three Children , whoare not
vet come into the world, though their names be already giv’n them. They fay
that this Prophet €brahim walking one time upon the River without a Boat, three
drops of his nature fell from him upon the water, which are ftill preferv’d there.
That their God will fend a Virgin, very much belov’d by him , upon the fame River ,
who by the reception of the firlt drop fhall become big of the firft Child , whom
they call beforehand Ouchider. He thall come into the world with authority , and
fhall caufe his Fathers Law to be receiy’d, and confirm it, not only by. his eloquent
Preaching , but by many miracles. The fecond , whofe name is Oachiderma , {hall
be conceiv’d after the fame fafhion ; he fhall afit his Brother, and by caufing the
Sun to ftand ftill ten years, fhall convince all the world of the Truth of his Doérine.
The third fhall be conceiv’d by the fame Mother, and fhall be call’d Seotet-hotires -
He hall come with more authority than his two Brothers, and fhall perfeétly reduce
all people to the Religion of their Prophet. After which fhall be the univerfal
Refurreétion, at what time all the Souls, either in Paradife or Hell, fhall return
to take poffeffion of their Bodies. ‘Then fay they, fhall all the Mountains, and all
the Minerals in the world be melted, and fhall fill up the great Chaos of Hell,
whereby the Manfion of the Devils fhall be utterly deftroy’d? After this the
world fhall be levell’d , and be made fit to inhabit, and men fhall have every one
their apartment anfwerable to the degree and quantity of the good which they did ia
their life time: but that their chief. delight fhall be to behold and praife God and
Ebrabim their Prophet. . They add that before the Refurreétion., thofe that are in
165
Paradife do not behold the face of God, nonot the Angels themfelves, except only ,
one, who is always attendant on him to receive and execute his commands. They
alfo fay that God will have pity upon the Damn’d, and that they fhall go into
Paradife, as having fuffer’d enough already for their fins, By which it-appears,
that the Paradife of the Gawrs is lefs remote from fenfe than that of Ad4ahomer’s in-
vention; and that they have a confus’d knowledge of the myfterics of Chriftian
Religion. ee. | 2S:
Of the Books of the Gaurs.
ee a being taken up into Paradife, they receiv’d by his means
feven Books of Laws, which God of his goodnefs fent them to inftru& them
in the way of theirSalvation, They alfo receiv’d feven others, containing an inter-
pretation of all the Dreams that could be Dream’. | Laftly feven others, wherein
were written all the fecrets of Phyfick ,. and all the poflible means for the long prefer-
vation of health. They fay that fourteen of :thefe Books, which contain’d the expli-
cation of Dreams and fecretsof Phyfick are loft; for that Alexander the Great carry’d
them away, as efteeming them a vaft treafure , and for the Books of their Religion,
becaufe they were written in a language that none but the Angels underftood , Alex-
ander for madnefs caus’d them to be burnt: for which rafhne{s of his, God punifh’d
him, and affli€ed him with that terrible ficknefs whereof. he Dy’d. Some Dostors
and Priefts that had hid themfelves in the Mountains. to fave their lives from his But-
chery, after Alexander was Dead, met again together, and compos’d one Book
by the ftrength of theirmemories. I faw that Book which is a good large one, and
written in a di t CharaGter, cither from the Arabian, Perfian, or Indian.
Their Priefts themfelves that read. in that Book hardly underftand what they.
read, but they have other Books that explain what, is, contain’d therein. When
they read in that Book, asalfowhen they, peay 2 tye a Handkerchief about,
their mouths, asif they were afraid their words fhoutd puild mix with the Air and receive
any impurity. i eee ;
The Persian Travels BookIV.
Of the manner of their Baptifm.
He Gaursnever ufe Circumcifion ; but at the Bitth of their Children praQife
T fomething like our Baptifm. For ome days after the Child is born, they wath it
with Water whérein certain Flowers are firft “4 ak and during that dipping , the
Prieft, who is prefent, makes certain Prayers. If the Child dye without that Wathing,
they do not believe but that it goes to Paradife, but they hold that the Parents thall
give an account for their neglect of the Infant, becaufe that Wathing increafes his
favour and his merit in the fight of God.
of their M arriages,
a Religion of the Gaurs permits them to have five Wives, if they can maintain
them; nor isit laudable to repudiate any one but in cafe of an evident Adultery,
or that the turn Adabometan; belides, it behoves her Husband to ftay a whole year,
to fee whether fhe will repent orno. If fhe come and acknowledge her fault to the
Prieft , he enjoyns her Penance for three years; after which he remarries them, and
they become man and wife again. |
As to the Ceremony of Marriage, the Prieft, when the Couple come to him, asks the
Man and the Woman in the prefence of Witnefles whether they both confent ; then
taking a little Water he fays a few Prayers over it, and then wafhing both their Fore.
heads he pronounces certain words, and there’s all. But they are not to marry within
the third degree 3 nor do they know what it means to defire a Difpenfation.
But you muft obferve by the way; that though they are allow’d five Wives; there is
but one which can be truly faid to be marry’d , with whom they are oblig’d to lye at
leaft two nights in a week, Fryday and Saturday, and fhe always goes before the reft.
But if {he have no Children in feven years, the man is allow’d to marry another, but not
to repudiate the other , whom he is bound ftill to maintain according to his quality.
So foon as Women or Maids perceive the cuftom of Nature upon them, they pre-
fently leave their Houfes, and ftay alone in the Fields in little Hutts made of Hurdles
or Watlings, with a Cloth at the entring in, which ferves for a Door. While they are
in that condition, they have Meat. and Drink brought them every day, and when they
are free; they fend according to their quality, a Kid, ora Hen, or a Pigeon for an
Offering , after which they go to the Bath, and then invite fome few of their Kindred
to fome {mall Collation.
Of their Fafts, Feafts, and principal Ceremonies,
eG Gaurs drink Wine both men and women, and eat Swines-flefh, provided it be
of their own breeding and feeding. They are very careful left their Hogs eat
any ordure; for fhould they perceive that they had devour’d any thing of naftinefs,
they are ftri€tly forbid’n to eat them. . They never pare their Nails; fo that if by way
of difgrace, or by any misfortune they are conftrain’d to cut their Nails or their Hair,
they carry that which they cut off to fome place:appointed without the City for that
purpote. Five days ina year they abftain from Meat, Fifh, Butter, and Eggs ; and three
other days they faft altogether ’till Evening. They have alfo thirty Holy-days in
honour of thirty of their Saints, which they keep very ftri€tly, no man daring to work.
_ But theday of the Birth of their Prophet is celebrated with an extraordinary Pomp;
befides ; that then they beftow large Alms. : 7 |
_ There is one day in the year when all the Women of every C ity and Village meet
together to kill all the Frogs they can find in the fields, and this is done by the Com-
mand of their Prophet, who was one day very much annoy’d by them,
. Their Priefts have feveral Books*full of {mall Pi€tures in Water-Colours , ill done,
reprefenting how the feveral Sins of Men fhall be punifh’d in Hell, efpecially Sodomy,
which they abominate. Fa ae Se | ‘a Svage aed ,
Sie age: | Of their Funerals, :
W Hen the Gaurs are fick they fend for their Priefts, to whom they maké a kind of
Confeffion ; whereupon the Priefts enjoyn them to give Alms, and other good
Works, to gain patdon of their Sins. SS hey
preBitee . sastec! 2 SPA RRR Se Ee ta
They neither burn nor bury their dead, but carry the Corps without the City
into.a wall’d place, where are abundance of Stakes feven or eight Foot high , fix’d
in the ground, and tye the dead Corps to one of the Stakes, with his Face toward
the Eaft. ‘They that accompany the Corps fall'to their Prayers at a diftance, ’till
the Crows come; for thofe Cemitaries draw the Crows to them. If the Crow chances
to faften upon the right Eye of the deceas’d , then they believe the perfon to be
happy, and for joy they give large Alms, and make a Feaft in the field. But if the
Crow fixes upon the left Eye, then they take it for an ill Omez, return home fad ,
without {peaking to one another; give no Alms, nor eat nor drink. 2
Of their Adoration of Fire,
He Gaurs would not be thought to give Honour to Fire under the title of Ado:
J. ration. For they do not account themfelves Idolaters, faying that they acknow-
_ edge but only one God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, whom they only adore. As
for the Fire, they preferve it and reverence it, in remembrance of the great Miracle,
by which their Prophet was deliver’d from the Flames. One day being at Kerman,
] defir’d to fee that Fire, but they anfwer’d me, they could not permit me. For fay
they, one day the Kaz of Kerman being defirous to fee the Fire , not daring to do
otherwife, they fhew’d ithim. He it feems expected to fee fome extraordinary
prightnels, but when he faw no more then what he might have feen in a Kitchin
or a Chamber-fire, fell a fwearing and {pitting upon’t as if he had been mad. Where-
_ upon the Sacred Fire being thus profan’d , flew away in the form of a white Pigeon.
The Priefts confidering then their misfortune, which had happen’d through their own
indifcretion , fell to their Prayers with the People, and gave Alms; upon which, at
the fame time , and in the fame form the Sacred Fire retufn’d to its place: which
makes them fo {hy tofhew it again. When they put any perfons to their Oaths, they
Swear them before this Fire, for they think no perion fo impious, as to fwear falfe _
. before that Sacred Fire, which they take for theWitnels of their Oath. Their
Priefts put:them indread of very great punifhments, and threat’n them that the hea-
venly Fire will forlake them, if they prove fo wicked asto {wear falfely before it.
Of their Manners and Cuftoms,
He Language of the Gaurs is different from the Perfians, as is their Character and
manner of Writing. They love to feaft, and to eat and drink well, being very
profufe of their Wine and Strong-water. They never eat Hates, becaufe they have
their monthly Purgations, like Women : for the fame reafon they mever eat Miulber-
ries, believing that they partake of the nature of Women and Hares.
Tf, when they comb their Hair or their Beards,amy one hair happ’as to fall upon their
cloaths, thefe cloaths mult be wafh’d.in the ftale of a Cow or anOx to purifie them
again. If by chance they happ’n to touch any ordure or maftinefs, when they come
home they mutt wath rhemelves inthe fameUrin.. If one of their Priefts meet aidead —
Corps in the High-way, and chances to fee it, he is oblig’d to wath himtelf in Cows-
Pils, which they hold to be a good Purification: an Opinion held in fome parts of
India alfo. 1 ask’d’one of their Priefts how they came to underftand the virtue of this
Urin; who anfwer’d me, that a certain perfon who was contemporary with the firit
Man, having his Arm bruis’d and very black, by reafon of fome accident that befelhim
through the malice of the Devil, fell afleep in the fields, and as he lay, an Ox ftaling,
a drop of the Urin flew upon his Arm, and prefently heal’d that part which it wet, and
reftor’d it to its former whitenefs: which the man perceiving when he wak’d, pre-
fently follow’d the Ox, and ftaid by him till he ftal’d again, and then receiving the
Pifs upon the whole wound, was perfectly cur’d. They alfo preferve it, and compound
it with a Water, which they caufe them to drink who have committed any Sin, after
they have been at Confeffion for it. They call that Water the Cazi’s Water, which
Urin ought to be preferv’d forty days, with an infufion of Willow-Bark, and certain
Herbs. When any perfon is confefs’d of hisSin, if it bea crying Sin, the party is
bound to ftay ten days in the Czzi’s Houfe, and not to eat or drink but what the
Prieft gives them. And in order to Abfolution, the Prieft {trips him naked, and
tyes a little Dog to his right great Toe, which he leads with him about the Cari's
Houife —
168
_ The Persian Travels Book IV,
Houfe wherever he goes, fometimes a whole day, fometimes longer , according
to the hainoufnefs of the crime. In that pofture he defires the Cazs to purifie him ,
telling him that for his part he believes himfelf to be purify’d. The Prieft makes anfwer
that itis the Dog that muft purifiehim, andnothe. After that he powrs the com.
pounded water feven times upon his head, then gives hima draught to drink, and fo he
is abfoly’d. This penitence cofts the criminal Sawce, who is afterwards bound to
feaft all his friends at the Caz7’s Houfe. Being furpriz’d at this fuperftition, I ask’d
whether the women were fhrifted thus by the Cazi;, but I found that the Cuzi’s
Wives confels.and abfolve the women and maids. :
One more ftrange cuftom they have , that when a man is upon the point of death ;
they take a little Dog and fet it upon the expiring parties breft. When-he is jut
breathing his aft, they put the mouth of the Dog to the mouth of the perfon dying,
and caufe him to bark twice in that pofture, that the Soul of the deceas’d may enter
into the Dog , who they fay will deliver it into the hands of the Angel appointed
to receive it. Moreover when any Dog happ’ns to dye, they carry him out of the
City, and pray to God for the Carrion, as if the Beaft receiv’d any kindnefs after
death by their Prayers.
Of the Beafts, which they love or hate.
Hete are fome Beafts which the Gaurs do ‘mightily refpe&, and to which they
give a great deal of Honour. ‘There are others which they as much abhor,
and which they endeavour’d to deftroy as much as inthem lies, believing that the
were not created by God , but that they came out ef the body of the Devil, whofe
ill nature they retain.
The Beafts which they principally admire aré the Cow, the Oxe, and the
Dog. They are exprefly forbid to eat of the flefh of a Cow or an Oxe, or tokill
them. The'reafon why they fo efteem thefe Creatures is, becaufe the Oxe labours »
for man , and Ploughs the Ground that produces his food. As for the Cow they
more dearly affect her for the Milk fhe gives, but efpecially for the purifying qua-
lity of her Urine. ~ Bs me
The Creatures which they abhor are Adders, Serpents, Lizards, Toads, Frogs,
Creyfifh , Rats, Mice, but above all the reft Cats, which they fay are the refem-
blance of the Devil, who gave them fo much ftrength that a man can hardly kill
them; fo that they rather fuffer the inconveniency of Rats and Mice, than ever to
keep a Cat in their Houfes. :
s for the other Animals before-mention’d, if any of the Gaurs fall fick, they
hire poor people to go and find thofe Creatures out and kill them; which they reck’n
in the number of thofe good works that comfort the Souls of the deceas’d. The rea-
fon why they hate them fo, is, becaufe they believe the Devils make ufe of them
to torment the Damn’d; and therefore they doa work of charity that deftroy them,
whereby they mitigate the pains and torments of Souls in Hell.
The laft King of thefe Gaurs waseShasIesherd, who was driv’n out of his Country
by Omar the fecond’y fucceffor to D4zhomer. |
fer). £40 ae 9
:& bgt aes S
ere: 2
eo *,
ee nen A am =
Of the RELIGION of the ARMENIANS, and
of their Principal CEREMONIES.
CHA P... IX.
How the Armenians Confecrate and Adminifter the Sacrament.
-_
Ince the e4rmenians Traded into Enrope and began to be Travellers, their
Churches are better fet out then they were heretofore. They {pare no coft
to adorn the Choir and the Altar ; you tread upon rich Carpets, and for the
ftru€ture and embellishments of it, they employ the beft Workmen and the
choiceft Materials they can meet with. From thebody of the Church to. the Choir
there is ufually an afcent of five or fix Steps. Nor is there above one Altar in any
Church, upon which they fet the Confecrated Bread, before they fet the Chalice where
the Wine is. When the Mafs for the Ceremony isfaid by an Arch-bifhop, at the rea-
-ding of the Gofpel they light an abundance of Wax Tapers, which Tapersarelike .
Torches. After the Gofpel is read, feveral of the Woviczates take fticks in their
Hands about five foot long, at the ES a Latteri Plates with little Bells
hanging about them, which when they are fhak’d, imitate the found of ‘Cymbals.
Other Moviciates there are which hold a Copper Plate in their Hands hung about
with Bells, which they ftrike one ee another: and at the fame time the Ecclefi-
afticks and Laity fing together indifferent Harmonioufly. All this while the Arch-
bifhop has two Bifhops of each fide of him, who are in the roomof a Dean anda
Sub:dean; and whenit is time, he goes and unlocks a Window in the Wall on the
Gofpel fide, and takes out the Chalice where the Wine is. Then with all his
Mufick he takes a turn about the Altar, upon which he at length fets down the Cha-
lice; faying certain Prayers. After that, with the Chalice in his hand, and the Bread
upon the Chalice, he turns toward the people , who prefently proftrate themfelves
upon the Ground, beat their Brefts, and kifs the Earth, while the Arch-bifhop
pronounces thefe words, This is the Lord who gave his Body and Blood for you. Then
he turns toward the Altar, and eats the Bread dip’d in the Wine; for they never
drink the Wine, but only dip the Bread in it. ‘That. done, the Arch-bifhop
turns once more toward the people with the Bread and Chalice in his hand,
and they that will receive , come one after another to the bottom of the Choir,
whither it is not lawful for any Lay-perfon whatfoever to afeend; to whom the
Arch-bifhop gives the Bread dip’d in Wine that is in the Chalice , which Bread is
without leven , flat, and round, about as thick asa Crown, and as big as the Hoft
of the Mafs, being Confecrated the day before by the Prieft , whote Office it is.
They never put Water in their Communion-Wine 5 affirming that Water is for Bap-
tifm, and that Chrift when he inftituted the Holy Supper drank it pure , without
any mixture of Water. 3 Ae
When the Armenians come to the Communion , the Arch-bifhop or the Prieft
fays thefe words: Iconfefs and believe that this is the Body and Blood of the Son of God, —
who takes the fins of the World, who 1 not only ours , but the Salvation of alt
Mankind. “The Pricit repeats thefe words three times to the people , to inftruct
them and to teach them to what end they receive the Sacrament. Every time the Prieft
faysthe words, thepeople fay after him word for word; and when the Prieft ferves
the people, he breaks the Hoft into little bits which he dips in the Wine, and
gives to every one of the Communicants. That which I moft wonder at is, that
they give the Communion to Children of two or three months old, which their
Mothers bring in their arms; though many times, the Children put it out of their
mouths again. They never adminifter the Sacrament all the time of their Lent, for
then they never fay Mafsbut upon Sunday noon, which they call Low-Mats, at which
time they never fee the Prieft, who hasa Curtain drawn before the Altar, and only
seads the Gofpel and Creed aloud. Sometimes upon Thwrfday in the Paffion week
if ' 7 . tney
170
J
The P ERSIAN T romele Book LV.
they fay Low-Mafs about noon, and then they Confefs and adminifter the Sacrament:
But generally they ftay’till Saturday, and then theCommunicants, after they haye
receiv’d, are permitted to cat Fifth, Eggs, Butter, Oy!, or any thing elfe except Fleth
Upon Eafter-day, by break of day, the Prieft fays Low-Mafs, Confefles, and Admini.
{ters , after which it is lawful to eat Flefh. But the Beafts muft be kill’d upon Eaffer.
day, aa: fo much as upon Eaffer-eve. They have four other Feafts in the year,
wherein they obferve the fame Ceremony, eating neither F lefh, F ifh, Eggs, Butter,
nor Oy! for eight days: which four Feafts are Chriffmas,the Afcention,the Annunciation,
and St. George’s. Before this laft Feaft they ftretch their devotion to the utmoft, for
fome will faft three days, fome five, one after another.
| CH A Px:
‘Of the ordination of their Priefthood ; dnd their Aufterities,
Hen a Father defigns his Son to the Priefthood, he carries him to the
Prieft, who puts the Cope, op’n on both fides, about his Shoulders .
after which the Father and Mother take him home again. This:
Ceremony is repeated feven times in feveral yeats, according to the
years of the young Child, ’till 4 to be of age to fay Mafs. If he be not de.
fign’d for a Monk, but for the-Priefthood, after the fourth time of putting on the
Chafuble or op’n Cope, they marry him: for their Priefts marry once, but if that Wife
dye, if they intend to marry again, they muft give over faying Mafs. The fix firtt
Ceremonies being over, when the Youth comes to the age of 18 years, at what time.
they are capable of faying Mafs, as well thofe who are defign’d for Monks, as thofe
_ who are marry’d Priefts, they proceed to the feventh and laft Ceremony, which
tuft be perform’d by an Archbifhop or a Bifhop; who invefts the young Prieft with _
all the Habits which the Priefts wear that fay Mafs. © That being done , he goes into
the Church, out of which he is not to depart for whole year; during all which
time he is altogether employ’d in the fervice of the Church. The Prieft who is iat.
ry’d, muft be five days after he has faid Mafs before he returns home to eat or drink,
or lye with his Wife. And as well the Monks as Priefts, when they intend to fay
Mals again , muft remain five days in the Church , without either going to bed or
touching any thing with their hands, unlefs it be the Spoon where-with they eat their
meat: not daring all the while to {pit or blow their nofes. The next five days after
they have faid Mafs, though fuch days upon which they might otherwife eat Fleth
and Fifth, they are oblig’d to feed upon nothing elfe but Eggs without Butter, and
Rice boyl’d with Water and Salt. The morning before they celebrate Mafsif the Prieft
have by chance fwallow’d a drop of Water, he muftnot fay Mats. |
Their Aufterities are fuch , that many of their Bifhops never eat Fleth or Fith above
four times a year; but more then that, when they come to be Archbifhops, they only
live upon Pulfe. They have fix months and three days ina year wherein they keep
Lent, or particular Fafts, which you pleafe to call them; and during all that time,
as well the Ecclefiaftical perfons as the Laity, feed only upon Bread, and fome few
Herbs which grow in their Gardens. There was an Armenian of Zilpha whole fuper-
{tition was fo great, that he made his Horfe to faft with him , allowing him but ve
little either to eat or drink for a whole week together. As for the poor labouring
people, they only feed upon Pulfe , boyl’d in Water and Salt: for during their chief
Lent, they are permitted no more then others, to eat cither Butter or Oyl; nay
_ though they fay a dying, ir is not lawful for them to eat Flefh upon thofe days wherein
that diet is forbidd’n. They may only eat Wall-nuts or Small-nuts » Almonds or Pifta-
ches, or fome fuch other Fruit that <ffords no Oyl; and they have this farther liberty,
- pound them, and put them among their Pulfe or their Herbs , and boy! them ae
Ice, as ;
CHAP.
x
Chap.XI. of Monfieur T ‘ VERNIER,
a
CH: AP Sh
Of thew Baptifm.
2 1S the cuftom of the Armenians to Baptize their Iiifants upon Sunday ;
, or if they Baptize any upon the week-days, it is only in cafe of neceffity
when they think they will not live. The Midwife-carries the Infant to
Church, and holds it in her arms, ’till cither the Archbifhop, the Bifkop;
or the Prieft has faid fome part of the Form of Baptifta. Then he that baptizes cakeéc
the Infant which is naked, and plunges it in the Water, and then taking it out again
puts it into the hands of the God-father , and goes on with the Prayers. While is
reads them, with the Cotton which he has in his hand he twifts a ftring about half
an Ell long. Me makes another alfo of red Silk, which is flat, then twifting thote two
ftrings together, he puts them about the Child’s neck. They fay, that thefe two
ftrings, one of white Cotton, and the other of red Silk, fignifies the Blood and Water
which flow’d from the Body of Curis, when he was wounded with the Lance upon
theCrofs. Having ty’d the cord about the neck of the Child, he takes the holy Oyl
-and anoints the Child in feveral parts of the body, making the fign of the Crofs in
every place where he drops the Oyl; every time pronouncing thefe words, J baptize
thee in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. He fir anoints the
- Forehead, then the Chin, then the Stomach, the Arm-holes; the Hands and Feet.
As to the making this Oyl, you muft know, that every feven years, upon the Eve
of our Lady in September, againft which day they obferve a {mall Levr of eight days,
the Patriarch makes this holy Oy, there being no perfon but he who has power to
‘make it. He utes all forts of fragrant Flowers, and Aromatical Drugs; but the
principal Flower is that which the Armenians call in their Language Balafjan-F agueé,we
inours, the Flower of Paradife. ‘When the Oyl is made, the Patriarch fends two
Bottles to all the Covents of Afia, Europe, and Africa, without which they cannot
baptize. , |
The Ceremony of Baptifm being over, the God-father goes out of the Church with
the Infant in his arms, and a Taper of white Wax in each hand. According to the
quality of the perfon, when the Child is —_ out of the Church , the Trumpets,
Drums, Hautboys, and other, Inftruments of the Country make a hideous noife, and
go before the Infant to the Parents Houfe, where being arriv’d, the God-father
delivers the Child to the Mother. She proftrates her felf at the fame time before the
God-father , killing his feet; and while fhe continues in that pofture, the God-father
kiffes her head. Neither the Father nor God-father names the Child, but he that
baptizes gives him the Name of the Saint whofe Feftival falls upon the Sunday on which
the Child is baptiz’d. If there be no Saint’s day that Sunday in the Almanack , they
take the next Name whofe Feftival {ucceeds the Sunday of Baptifm, fo that they have
no affected Names among,them. Upon the return of the God-father with the Child
home, there is a Feaft prepar’d for all the Kindred and Friends, and him that baptiz’d
the Infant, with whom all the Priefts and Monks of the Covent, at leaft of the Parifh,
go along. The poor people were wont to be fo prodigal at thefe Feafts, as alfo
upon their Marriages and Burials, that the next day they had not wherewithal to
to Bly Viatuals, much lefs to pay what they have borrow’d for fo needlefs an expence.
But now the poor Armenians are grown fo cunning to avoid the Baftinado’s which
are giv’n to Debtors upon the foles of the Feet, when they cannot pay, according to -
the cuftom of Perfia; that they carry the Child to Church upon the week-days,
without any Ceremony, with tears in their eyes; pretending it to be fickly and like
to dye, and fo make no Feafts at all. :
If the Women lye in fifteen of twenty days; of two months before Chriffmas; they
defer the baptizing the Infant till the Feftival, provided the Infant be healthy. Then
in all the Cities and Villages where the Armeniaas live ; if there be any River or
Pond, they make ready two or three flat-bottom’d Boats, fpread with Carpets to
walk upon; in one of which upon Chriftmas-day they fet up a kind of an Altar.
In the morning by ay all the Armenian Clergy, aswell of that place as of the _
parts adjoyning , get into the Boats in their Habits, with the Crofs and Banner. ~~
‘ > t ey
a
172
The Persian Travels Book LV.
they dip the Crofs in the Water three times, and every time they drop the Holy Oy}
upon it. After that they ufe the ordinary form of Baptifin , which being done,
the Arch-bifhop or the Minifter plunges the Infant in the River or Pond three times ,
faying the ufual words, J Baptife, Gc. and the fame anointings as before : though
it {eemsa wonder to me that the extremity of the weather does not kill the Child,
The King of Perfia is many times prefent at this ceremony when it is perform’d at
Ifaban , riding on Horle-back to the fide of the River with all his Nobility. The
remony being over he-goes to Zulpha to the Kelonter’s Houte » where there js an
entertainment prepar’d for him. Neither is there any place in the World where 2
King may be entertain’d with lets charge than in Perfia. For if any private perfon
yavite the King , and that His Majefty pleafestodo him that Honour , ’tis but for the
inviter to go to the chief of the Officers, and to carry him twenty Tomans, or three
hundred Crowns, and to tell him withall, that the King has promis’d to accept of a
{mall Collation with his Slave. For then the Governour is oblig’d to fend to the
Honfe of him that treats the King all things neceffary for the entertaihment. Elfe
it were impoflible to be done, in regard the King eats in nothing but in Gold Plate.
At the end of the Feaft the King is always prefented with fome European Rarity,
not lefs worth than four or five thoufand Crowns, Or if the perfon have no Rari
to prefent, it fuffices to offer in a Bafon the valuein Venetian Ducats of Gold, with
all the fubmiffion imaginable. Befides all this, fome Prefents muft be giv’n to fome
of the Lords and principal Eunuchs of his train; and others fent to the Queen Mo.
ther, if living, and tothe Sultane/s , his Wives and Sifters. Thus though the enter.
tainment may be made with little trouble , yet otherwife it proves fomewhat expen.
five; though the Armenians of Zulpha axe well enough able to bear the charge. |
was twice at thisCeremony upon Chriffmas day in Ifpaban. The firft time I faw Sha.
Sefi, and the fecond time Sha-Abas the fecond, who drank both fo hard » thatin
their Drink they committed thofe crimes that very much ftain’d their memories:
For Sha-Sefi returning home ftab’d his Wife, the Mother of Sha-Abas. - Sha-Abas ano.
ther time returning home in drink, would needs drink on, and force three wo.
men to drink with him; who finding he would not give over, ftole out of hisCom.
pany. Ihe King perceiving them gone without taking leave, in amad humour fent
his Eunuchs for them, and caus’d them to be thrown into the Fire, where the
poor women were burnt, for there is no refifting nor examining the Kings com:
mand.
CHAP. XIL
Of the Marriages of the Armenians.
HE Armenians Marry their Children before either party have feen each
other, nay before the Fathers or Brothers know any thing of it. And
they whom they intend to Marry muft agree to what their Fathers or
Parents command them, When the Mothers have agreed among them-
{elves they tell their Husbands, who approve what they have'done. Upon this
Approbation , the Mother of the Boy , with two old Woinen and a Prieft coffe to
the Honfe where the Mother of the Daughter lives, and prefent her a Ring from
him whom they intend to betroth. The Boy appears afterwards , and the Prieft
reads fomething out of the Gofpel asa bleffing upon both parties; after which they
give him a fum of Money according to the quality of the Father of the Girl. That —
done, they prefent the company with drink , and this is call’d a betrothing or afi-
ancing. Sometimes they agree a Marriage when the Children are not above two ot
three years old, fometimes two women that are friends being both with Child at one
time together , will make a match between the two Children before they are born, if
the one bea Boy and the other aGirl. So foonas they are born the Contra@ is made
and when once the Boy has giv’n the Ring , though it be twenty years after before
they are Marry’d, he is bound every year upon Eaffer.day to fend his Miftris a
new Habit with all the trimming belonging to it according to her quality. Three
days
;
Chap. XO. | of Ménfieur Tave ‘ sti fe
ee
SE a AE en is RE ES DE Ee ia aE A ROR i Ol RT dene echt :
days before the Celebration of Marriage, the Father and Mother of the Boy prepare
a Feaft , which is carry’d to the houfe of the Father and Mother of the Girl, where
the kindred of both parties meet. The Men are in one place by themfelves, and
the Women in another; for they never eat together at publick Feafts. The Evening
before the Nuptials the Bridegroom fends a Habit to the Bride; and fome time after
he comes to receive what the Mother of the Bride has provided for him, on her part.
If the Bride has no Mother, fome ancient Woman next a-kin drefles the Bride. At
length the Bride gets upon one Horfe, and the Bridegroom upon another,’ each
$$$ $$$
173
ee ae
Horfe being {umptuoufly harnefs’d, with Bridles and Saddles of Gold and Silver, if »
the perfons be rich: thofe that are poor, and have not Horfes of their own , repair
to the Great men, whowillingly lend theirs upon fuch an occafion. Asthey fet out
fromthe Virgins habitation, the Bridegroom goes before with a Veil of Carnation-
Tiffany upon his Head, or elfe of Gold and Silver Net-work, the Mefhes whereof are
very clote , that reaches below the Stomach. He holds in hisHand one end of a
Girdle fome three or four Ells long, and the Bride that rides behind holds the other.
She is alfo cover’d with a large white Veil from head to foot, that {preads allo 2
od way over the Horie. Under which Veil, that rather feems a large white
Sheet, the Bride is hid in fuch a manner, that there is nothing to be feen of her but
her Eyes. “wo Men walk on either fide of each Horfe, and if they be Children
of three or four years old ( for fo young they marry) there are three or four Men
to hold them in the Saddle, according to the quality of their Parents. A great
Train of young Men, the kindred and acquaintance of both parties, follow after,
fome a-horfeback, fome a-foot, with Tapers in their hands, as if they were soing in
Proceffion : and befides all thefe, the Drums, Trumpets, Hautboys and other Initru-
ments of the Country, all attending to the Church-door. When they are alighted,
one makes way for the Bridegroom and Bride, who advance up to the foot of
the Altar, ftill holding the Girdle in their hands. Then the Bridegroom and the
Bride meet, and lean forehead to forehead. Then comes the Prieft, and turning his
back to the Altar, lays his Bible upon their Heads, inftead of a Desk, a weight fuffiz
ciently heavy, as being a thick ponderous Folio. ‘There he lets it lye while he
reads the Form of Matrimony, which Office is moft utually perform’d by a Bithop or
an Archbithop. The Form is very much like ours. The Bifhop demands the Bride-
groom, Wilt thon have fuch a one tothy Wife ? then to the Bride he fays, Wilt thou
have fuch-a one for thy. Hufband? te which they both anfwer with a nod of the Head.
The Matrimonial Benediétion being giv’n, they hear Mafs; which being ended, they
return both together to the Daughters habitation, in the fame order as they fet out.
Thefe Nuptials laft three days: where the Women drink more than the Men. The Man
goes to Bed firft, the Woman pulling off the man’s Breeches, though fhe does not
lay afide her Veil ’till the Candle be put out. Let it be what time in the year it will,
the Woman rifes before day. So that there be fome Armenians that in ten years
after they are marry’d never daw their Wives faces, nor ever heard them fpeak. For
though her Husband may {peak to her, and all the reft of her kindred, yet the never
anfwers but with a Nod. The Women never eat with their Husbands; but if the
Men feaft their Frinds today, the Women feaft theirs the next day.
A.D. Sete ds
How the Armenians Bury their Dead.
~%
‘O foon as any perfon dyes, one appointed for the Services of the Dead runs
-immediately to the Church fo fetch a Pot of Holy-water, which he prefently
‘pours into a great Veffel full of Water, into which they put the dead Corps.
Mf This man is call’d Mordichou , or the perfon that wathes the Dead, which
Mor dichow’s ave fo much detelted among the people, that it isan ignominy to eat or
drink with thofe fort of people. Whatever the-party deceas’d has about him at the
time of hisdeath belongs to them, though it be any excellent Jewel, for it is the
caftom of the Eaft to lye in their Breeches, Shirt , and Waftcoat, in regard they
: never
ont (2-39 Ye
174
The Perstan Travels Book IV,
never make ufe of Bed-cloaths.So foon as the Corps is ae drefs it witha clean
white Shirt, a pair of Breeches, a Waftcoat , anda Bonnet, all new, never having
been worn before. Then they put the Body in a linnen Sack, and fow up the mouth
of it. That being done, the Priefts come and take up the Body to carry it to Church,
which is attended by all the kindred and friends of the deceas’d, with every one a
Taper in his hand. Being come to Church, they fet down the Corps before the Altar,
where the Prieft fays certain Prayers, and then fetting up lighted Tapers roung
about the Corps, they leave it fo all night. The next day in the morning a Bitho
or an ordinary Prieft fays Mats, at the end whereof they carry the Body before the
door of the Bifhop’s houfe, attended as before; at what time the Bifhop comes forth
and faysa Prayer for the Soul of the deceas’d. Then eight or ten.of the poorer fort
that are next at hand , carry the Body to the Church-yard. All the way they fing
certain Dirges, which the Priefts continue, while the Body is let down into the Grave.
Then the Bifhop takes three handfuls of Earth, and throws them one after another
into the Grave, pronouncing thefe words, From Earth thou cam ft, to Earth thou:fhalt
return, and flay there "till our Lord comes. Thefe words being faid, they fill up the
Grave. Thole of the kindred and friends that will go back find a Collation ready;
and if any other perfons will go along, they are not refus’d. For feven days aify
they allow Dinners and Suppers to certain Priefts and poor people, if they are per.
fons of ability: believing no Soul departed can be fav’d , unlefs the furvivors are at
that expence. Whence it comes to pafs, that fo many of the poor people are fo
miferable , and Slaves to the Aahometans , by borrowing Money to defray thofe
expences , which they are not able to pay again.
When an Archbifhop or a Bifhop dyes, they add this farther Ceremony, that an
Archbithop or a Bifhop writes a little Note , and cutting op’n the Sack puts the Note
into the Hand of the deceas’d , wherein are thefe words, Remember thy Jelf, that
from Earth thon cam’, and to Earth thou {halt return. |
If a Slave dye before enfranchiz’d , when the Body is brought into the Church,
_ the Mafter writes a Note, wherein are thefe words; Let bim not grieve, I make him
free, and give him his liberty. For they believe that he would be reproach’d in the
other World for being a Slave , for which his Soul might fuffer tribulation. If the
Mafter be dead, the Miftrefs does the fame. If an Armenian makes away himfelf, they
never carry the Body out of the door of the houfe, but make a hole in the wall,»
where they can moft conveniently, and carry him to his Grave without any Ceremony.
The night preceding the Featt of the Holy Crof, Men, Women, and Children go
to the Church-yard , whither they carry good ftore of Food , not forgetting their
Wine. Immediately they fall a weeping over the Graves of the dead, and after
they have fpent fome time in that doleful Exercife, they all fall to eating and drinking;
thus paffing the whole night by turns, in blub’ring, eating, and bubbing.
- As for the poor people , they would think themfelves undone, and the moft
unfortunate in the world , fhould’they want Provifion and Wine to go to the Church-
yards, thenight before the Feaft of St.George, where they go to frolick it, rather then
to pray for the Dead. pak gi 3 La es |
There may be fome few Armenians that embrace Mahometanifn for worldly Intereft,
but they are’ generally the moft obftinate perfons in the world, and moft firm to
their fuperftitious Principles,
GH A Por sky.
Examples of the ConStancy of the Armenians , in maintaining
their Religion againft the Perfecutions of the Mahometans.
"TP is the cuftom of the Armenians, that when any one of them apoftatizes, and
_ defires to return again to the Church, he cannot have Abfolution but at the
fame City or Village where he firft abjur’d his Religion. nie
Now it happen’d that a young Armenian being fent to Smyrna with a very
confiderable quantity of Goods, and falling to debauchery, turn’d A¢ahometan, a
the
*
Ghap.X1V. of Monfieur T AVERNIER,
i . an sn la ae
the end he might defraud his Father and his Brethren of their Eftate, according to
aly’s Law, already mention’d. But after he had {pent good part of the Good
Elaihery, he return’d to the Three Churches pate Se Grand Patriarch
fiv’d, to be abfolv’d from his Fault, but the Patriarch telling him he muft goto the
Bifhop of Smyrza, he went accordingly; and in fome few days after he had under-
one the Penance enjoyn’d him, he went to the Cudi, and with a great Refolution,
Sir, faid he, you kyow that fome years fince I turn’d Mahometan;, now I come to
declare before ye that J have repented, and do repent of the foul Crime I committed,
when I deny’d the Saviour of the World, and embracd your wicked Law. Vhe Cadi, who
thought it had been at firft only fome evaporation of Extravagance , endeavour’d
to reclaim him by,fair words and promifes; but when he heard him perfift in his
refolution, when he heard him curfe and blafpheme A4chomet » he caus’d him to be
carty’d to the Piazza, where he was cut to pieces immediately, For no perfons go
withmore courage and joy to fuffer for their Faith, then the Armenians.
In the year 1651 there happen’d to be a Wedding between a young Turk and
2 Virgin of the fame Nation. To this Wedding was invited.an Armenian Lady,
who was a great friend of the Bridegroom’s Mother. The Armezizn had an only Son
of about twelve years of age, that earneftly defir’d to go along with her; at fiurt
fhe refus’d him, knowing that after the age of five or fix years, no Youth is permitted
tobe in company with the Turk:{h Women or Maids. But the Boy ftill preffing his
Mother , and being feconded by an Aunt, who to pleafe her Nephew, told her the
might let him go in Girls Apparel; at laft the indulgent Mother, over-rul’d by
theimportunity of the Child, took him along with her in a female drefs. Three davs
the folemnity of the Turkijh Weddings laft: but the very firft day, an old Gipfj=
Twk cafting her Eye upon the young Armenian, and finding him too fparkifh and
toonimble for a Girl, fufpeéted his Sex; and calling his Mother afide, told her, that
by all the geftures and aétions of the Child, fhe could be no Girl, but a Boy in dif
guife. The Mother not only deny’d the matter, but allo feem’d highly offended
at the old Womans fufpition ; sae as much incens’d to have her judgment que-
ftion’d ,.decoy’d the Child among the Eunuchs of the Family, and caus’d him to be
fearch’d ; and finding her felf in the right, {pred it prefently about thehoufe. Im
mediately the people cry’d that the Chambers were defil’d, that the Armenian Lady
had done it in derifion of their Law 5 and feizing Mother, Aunt, and Youth, carry’d
them all before the Bafha, demanding Juftice. The Bafha dilmifs'd the Mother
and the Aunt, but kept the Youth fix or few’n days, hoping the rage of the people
would be over. But in vain he ftrove to plead for the Child , though the Father
175
ae ee ene
offer’d them half the weight of him in Gold, for the Bafha was fore’d to deliver him
upinto the hands of the marry’d Womans kindred; who carry’d the Child to the
Market-place of the City, where they ftript him ftark naked; and firft they flea’d
him from his Neck behind down to the Waft , and fo left him with a Guard upon
him a night. The Cadi and Afoullah’s exhorted the Child to turn ALdsometaa , and
they would preferve him from further mifchief. His Mother beg’d him to have pity
upon her and himfelf, and to turn Adabometan to fave his life. But neither tears,
nor all the tender words that grief and affection could infpire , could fhake the con-
ftancy of the Infant, who with a refolute utterance anfwer’d , that he had: hitherto
fuffer’d, and ftill would faffer patiently, and that nothing gtiev’d him, but that his
Mother fhould exhort him to deny bis Saviour. Next day the pitilefs Turks came
and flea’d all his Breaft and his Stomach, and fo left him all night under a Guard,»
intending to have flea’d him part by part every day. But the Bafha abhorring
their Cruelty, came the next day with his Guards, and caus'd his Head to be ~
cut off. Pgkew og ae
Van isa City peopld as well with e4rmenians as Turks; fo that it is a ufual
thing for the Armenianand Turkifh Boys to play together. One day it unfortu-
nately fell out, that the Boys playing one among another, and flinging Stones at each
other, an Armenian Boy hit a young Turk full upon the Temples, and ftrook him
dead. Pretently the other Turki/h Boys and the Rabble feiz’d him, and carry’d him
to the Bajba; the Father and Mother of the Child flain follow’d with hideous out-
crys, bawling for juftice, or that the Boy fhould turn A¢ahometan to expiate his —
fault. The Armenian Parents offer’d a large fum of Money to redeem their Child;
but the adverfe party obftinate againft all accommodation,the Bafha was conta to
os . eliver
176
The Pers [A at Travels Book LV. )
deliver the Child, giving fentence that the young Armenian fhould endure the fame
death the Turk had fuffer’d, and no other. Immediately the Turks hurry’d the
poor Child to the place where he had unfortunately flain his play-fellow; and after the
Parents of the young Turk had had the two firft hits, he was prefently brain’d 4
fhow’r of Stones from the Rabble. Yet as near death as he knew himfelf to be,
without any difturbance at all, he exhorted his weeping play-fellows to ftand firm
to the Faith of Jefus Chrift, for which he was going to dye.
Another time an Armenian Merchant coming from the Indies to Grand Cairo §
went to the Coffee-houfe according to cuftom, being a rendefvous of all the Mer.
chants in the Town. There falling into difcourfe, by reafon of the heat of the
weather , he took off his Bonnet made after the Armenian fathion of divers Colours,
and laid it behind him, keeping his black Cap only upon his head. ©» When the A@oullg,
came about to haiten the people to go away according to the cuftom , which I haye
already declar’d , the Armenian haftily rifing up, a Turk, concealing the Merchant’s
Bonnet, clap’d his ownBonnet upon his head. Upon that all the Turkifh Merchants
that were there came and congratulated the Armenian Merchant, telling him » how
glad they were to fee that he had embrac’d the good Law. At which words the
Armenian {urpriz’d , takes off the Turbant, throws it to the Ground before all the
Company, and ftamp’d it underfoot. This a€tion of contempt fo enrag’d the Turks,
that they carty’d him before the Bajha, before whom it was in vain to juttifie himfelf,
or toaffirm that the Turbant was malitioufly put upon hishead; for the Turks fivore
the contrary , and that he took it of his ownaccord, and therefore he mutt either
turn Turkor dye for it. Upon his refufal they put him in Prifon, and in a few days
the fentence was brought him fromthe Aéufti and Cadi, that he muft either turn or
be burntalive. The feverity of the fentence overpower’d him at firft to embrace the
Mahumetan Law. But fout or five years after returning ftom the Indies to Cairo, he
came where the Bafha was fitting in Council with the Grandees of the Country, and
Setting asnear the Adufti as he could, and throwing his Turbant in his face ; There
Dog , faid he , Thou wert the caufe that Ihave worn it fo long , of which I have repen.
ted, and do repent from the bottom of my heart, for I know that neither thow nor thy
Law are worth a Straw. Atthe fame time the croud laid hold of him,and drag’d him to
the Piazza, where he dy’d in the midft of the flames with an admirable con.
ftancy. . bi
A rich Merchant of Zulpha, call’d Cotgia Soultenon, was fo well belov’d by Sha.
Sefi, that he often went to Dine at hishoufe, But one day it fell out that the King
having eat and drank to excefS, upon his return home fell crop-fick , upon which the
report ran that the Armenian had poyfon’d him. Which report coming to his ears,
fearing leaft the King fhould dye, andhimfelf be put to cruel Torments , he tooka
dofe of Poyfon and dy’d. Which when the King , who was well again the next day,
underftood , he was very much troubl’d for his death, :
The fame Cotgia Soultenon had a Cafer fent him from Melinda for a Slave; who'being
young and very apprehenfive foon learnt the Perfian and T urkifh Languages , and was
inftruéted in the Chriftian Religion, and Chriften’d by thename of Huzod or Fofeph,
After his Mafter’s death he turn’d ALchumetan , and fo continu’d twenty years.
At the end whereof returning to Zulpha, he beg’d pardon of the Church;
and all the reft of his days fo crucify’d himfelf with Fafting, that every one pitty’d
him; and when the Armemian Bifhops told him he had done well » he made no other
anfwer, but that he was not worthy to live upon the Earth who had deny’d his
Saviour, only he hop’d that he would have mercy upon him; and fo continu’d his
auftere penance ’till he dy’d. |
: piece a | eae P.
Chap.XV. of Monfieur Tayernrer. 177
CHAPS }
Of the Author's reception at the Court of Perfia im hws fixth and
laft Voyage , and what he did there during his ftay at I{pahan.
Arriv’d at Ijpaban the 20th of December , 1664. So foon as the Nazar
was inform’d of my arrival, he fentthe Kelonter or chief of the Armenians
with feven or eight more to congratulate my arrival, and to affure me of all
the kind Offices he could do me, The next day he fent the fame Armenians
with four Horfes; and to tell me thatthe King had a defire to fee what I had brought;
for which purpofe the Kedonter had order to furnifh me withmen. Thereupon J
took Horfe, accompany’d by all the Franks that were at Zulpha. When I cameto
Court, Iwas brought into the place where all the great Ambaffadors had audience,
where I found attending the Nwzar, and Father Raphael fuperior of the order of
| the Capuchins ready to deliver me my Box of Jewels which J had left with him in
the Covent for more fecurity. After I had expos’d my Goods upon a fair Table
cover’d witha Carpet of Gold and Silver, and that the Nazar had difpos’d every
thing in order with his own hand, the King enter’d, attended only by three Eunuchs
for his Guard , and two old men, whofe office it was to pull off his Shooes when he
goes into any Room fpread with Gold and Silk Carpets, and to put them on again
when he goes forth. The King had nothing on but a fingle pair of Drawers of
Taffata, chequer’d red and white,which came half way the Leg, his feet being bare;
a fhort Caffock that came but half way his body, witha large Cloak of Cloth of ,
Gold with hanging-fleeves down to the Ground, furr’d with Sable Martin. The
firft thing I fhew’d was a large Candleftick of Chryftal of the Rock, the richeft
piece of that nature that ever was feen. The next was a fuit of Vapeftry hangings
held up by féveral men, asI had appointed. The Nazar then caus’d me to advance
and do my obeyfarice to the King, who prefently knowing my Face again; Ob ,
fid he to the Nazar , This is the Fringui Aga who fold me fo many Rarities about
fix years azo, when Mahomet Beg was Athemadoulet. After that the Nazar fhew'd
him all my Rarities as they lay in order. Among the reft I befought His Majeity
by Frier Raphael, to accept of a great Steel Mirror, which when he look’d in,
he wonder'’d to fee his Face fo big. But when Frier Raphael had told him the nature
of it, he caus’d it to be held to one of his Eunuchs, which had a monftrous Hawk
Nofe, the fight whereof held him in laughter and divertifement for above a quarter
of anhour. After that the King retir’d, leaving me alone with the Nazar and
Friar Raphel. As for my Jewels I put them up my felf, and had a place aflign’d
me to Lock them up and keep the Key, but for my large pieces of Gold{miths
- work, the Nazar committed them to the truft of one of the principal Officers of
the Houte. ;
| The next day early in the morning the Nazar fent for me and Fathet Raphael,
and made his Secretary write down the price of every thing, according to his de-
mands. He had alfo his own Artifts to prize them; but that I did not value, in
regard I knew the price much better then they. After he had fhew’d the Jewels,
price and all tothe King , we were feveral times before we could agree, but at
length he told me, that the King would give me Twenty-five in the Hundred profit
for all the Stones; leaving me the Pearls, which he thought I might put off at a’
better price in the Jndies ; which was an offer I could not refute, and therefore
I fign’d the Agreement according to the Nazar’s defire: Which when his Majefty
had fen, he bid the Nazar tell me I fhould be his Jeweller in Ordinary, and that
for my fake all the Franks fhould be the better us’d within his Territories, and
that I thould have any favour of him that 1 defir’d. 1 befought his Majefty to
give me his Patent with his Seal affix’d, whereby I mi ht be priviledg’d to Trade
in his Dominions, without paying Cuftom for fuch and fuch Merchandize , and in
in fuch manner as I fhould think fitting. I alfo befought him gracioufly to grant
his Proteétion to a Nephew of mine, whom I had left at Tauris to learn the Lan-
guage, that he might be ferviceable to his Majefty when I was dead and gone.
§ ; de | There-
nepal
173 The Persian Travels Book IV.
- MGS erie ce. eee
Thereupon he caus’d my Nephew to be enrol’d prefently as one of his Domenick
| Servants, and order’d the Wazar-to take particular care of him.
The next day after my agreement with the Nazar, the King gave audience in.
the great Hall of the Palace to the Ambaflador of the Ujbeck-Tartars. All the
Lords and Officers of the Crown ftood’ in the Court where the Ambaflador was to
pafs: there were, alfo nine ftately Horles, whole Furniture was very rich, and all
different. Two Harneffes were cover’d with Diamonds, two with Rubies , two
with Emralds, two with Turquoifes, and one embroider’d with fair Pearls, Had
he been an. Ambaffador froma Monarch for whom the King of Perfia had had 4
greater efteem than he had for the Cham of Tartary, there had been thirty Horfes,
for according to the value which the King puts upon the Prince that fends to him,
he either augments or abates of the number of his Horfes of State, Every Horfe
is ty’d by the Reins to a Nail of Gold faften’d in the Ground » witha Hammer of
Gold lying by. There was another Nail of Gold behind , with a Cord ty’d to it,
that held their hinder legs. ‘They fet alfo before every Horfe a Caldron of Gold,
out of which they draw up Water into a great Manger; though all this be only for
State , for they never water their Hortes in that_place.
Out: of the firft Court the Ambaflador enter’d into a large Gallery, between
along File of Mufqueteers on each fide. Thence he enter’d into a Garden
through an Alley about eight Fathom broad , all pay’d with great Marble Stones,
in the middle of which runs a Channel of Water four Foot wide » with feveral
Water-works that {purted out of the Channel at equal diftances. On each fide of
the Walk to the Hall where the King fat, there is a Pondalmoft as long as the
Walk, and in the middle of the Pond another fort of Water-works. Several Offi-
cers of the Army were rang’d all along the Alley; and at the end of one of the -
Ponds were four Lions ty’d; and at the end of the other, three Tigers couchant
upon Carpets of Silk, having Men to guard them with Half-pikes in -their hands,
The Hall took up more ground in length then in bredth, being op’n every way;
the Cieling was fuftain’d by fixteen wooden Pillars, of eight pannels every one,
and of a prodigious thicknels and height. As well the Cieling as the Pillars were
all painted with Foliage-work in Gold and Azure, with certain other Colours mix’d
therewith. In the middle of the Hall was a Vafe of excellent Marble, with a
Fountain throwing out Water after feveral manners. The Floor was {pread with
Gold and Silk Carpets, made on purpofe for the place: and near to the Vafe was
a low Scaffold one Foot high, twelve Foot long, and eight wide, cover’d with a
magnificent Carpet. Upon this Scaffold fate the King upon a four-{quare Cuthion
of Cloth of Gold, with another Cufhion behind him cover’d with the fame, fet up
againft a great Tap’{try-Hanging, wrought with Perfian Charaéters, containing
the Myfteries of the Law. On each fide of the King ftood feveral Eunuchs with
Mutquets in their hands. The King commanded the Ashemadoulet and four others
to fit down by him, and the «Athemadoulet made me a fign to fit down ; but the
King knowing how little the Franks care for fitting crofs-leg’d, order’d me to be
_ told that I might ftand upright, if I thought good. The King was clad ina
‘Silk ftreak’d with Gold: His Cloak was a Gold-ground with Flowers of Silk and
Silver, Furr’d with a Martin Sable, the blackeft and moft glift’ring that ever
was feen. His Girdle was very rich, and upon his Bonnet he wore a plume of He-
rons Feathers faften’d with a tranfparent Jewel; in the middle of the Jewel was
a Pear-fafhion’d Pearl, fet with great Topaze’s and Rubies.
About half an hour after the King was fat, the Nazar and the Mafter of the ~
Ceremonies brought the Ambaflador, who neither himfelf nor any of his Train were
very well clad , and caus’d him to ftay at the foot of the fteps into the Hall from the
Garden. When the Ambaffador had afcended the fteps, he proftrated himfelf be-
~ fore the King, then advancing nine or ten paces he did the fame again; after which
the Mafter of the Ceremonies caus’d him to fit down, leaving between him and the
ing fpace enough for eight men. After that I obferv’d that the Nazar went often
between the King and the Ambaffador, and between the Ambaflador and the King;
but I couldnot tell what they faid. So that I being by that time quite tyr’d-, made
my obeyfance to the King , and went home to my Lodging.
The next day the Nazar fignify’d to me that it was the King’s pleafure to favour
me witha compleat Calzat, or Habit of Honour, and to pay me my money. ~ a
, . : ie
Pi eae er o- This ts f God
worthy to be praya.
The King adore
belongs raz) Sil
OWiakemet O-
Fg Dig jit
£Z Lif
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—- ee ea y
ww
‘
.
a)
IN
,
wr) =e
\)
YW,
= \\ - -
Pe CN A
-\ xe
‘I y) <4
,
N Xy
] - The Se > great L Taracters with tho/e y are upon the
Side of the Names of the 12 frophets fignifie.
Jo the lame of Cod.
Cod mheo 1 the: aid of Vlahometl.
She Aung 1 who has all porwer.
Sever. cat, ore ELfetesent, é Lnoufre
Shefe are the names of the four Lrophets
that haue followed the Poctrine of Haly.
—E
<p pee a
oe
~ lad 74
Lerjian Travell
the Prophets.
<<,
us | Ths Contaiwne y Hames o f 12
V Prophets mouthout ther furmames.
Ofseu
Mor fra
Maham
Mahome
That whichts under the flames of |
the 12 Prophets fignt/te war follors.
7° whe at this tune ensoyes y Kingdome
The Vicloriwus Abas the Sec ond.
Be,
this 15 ya” 1s
c . di
on y. Kings /eale
{
pe ae a fad ar ae ae <a
ashy ‘su Nae ee we race of
Soph .
©
Ct, * “ae “Gast - -
w. 1s Contemnd ny _feale of the
Thas tf 5, 10. é
; Pod Ai madoulet or firft Mintjler of Stile & if
ty \ + 72 + 5 Jeale in the Originall is felt behind. noe man
ay psfio DN Leg dare ing to fix Acs feale on fide of 4 Kina:
g J (ft we
ee ‘fly ir ees |,
SDS gy ° GP PLIST”
are ease, nT Se
OSs Seb Bye MIB ay he Wah
SLR Oe a Sieh oe
o *
Chap. XVI. of Monfieur Tavernier,
The next day in the Morning being fent for to the Court, I found the Nazar
the Grand Treafurer, and feveral other great Officers expeéting me in the Ce
{ury, where the Monty lay ready in feal’d Bags. My Sum amounted to three
thoufand four hundred and fixty Tomans, of which the Treafurer would have
abated me a hundred and fixty for Fees. After a long conteft, I gave him half; and
carry’d away my Money ; having firft weigh’d two Bags, Toman by Te oman, and then
weigh’d the reft of the Bags, Bag by Bag. Rivas
| Ge HsA.Psc. XV 1,
Of the Honours and Prefents which the Author receiv’d from the
King of Perfia. 7
HE day following one of the Nazar’s principal Officers brought me
the compleat Calaat, confifting of Veft, Tunick or Super-Veft, Girdle,
and Bonnet. He alfo deliver’d me three Patents , feal’d by his Majeity
and the Atrhemadoulet, which exempted me from paying any Cuftoms
within his Kingdom. Another to the Kaz of Schiras, with a little Seal or Signet,
come him to let me have three Loads of good Wine when I travel’d that
way. A third with his Signet, in favour of my Nephew at Tauris; wherein
the King declar’d that he own’d him as his Domeftick Servant, and that he was under.
his Protection.
The Firt PareNnvr ran thus:
11 HE Command of him whom all the Univerfe obeys has been made;
Tt That the Beglerbegs of High Nature, the victorious and great Lords,
Ornaments of the Kingdom, Poljeffors of Honour, the Fudges in high place,
prattifers of Fuftice, the Viliers who preferve Reafon, and have in their
thoughts the removal of Vice, and the Commiffioners who act in affairs and
difficulties of the Palace, the Overfeers of the Roads, and the Confervators
of the good Cuftoms of the well.order’d Kingdoms of Kragon (which God
preferve from all misfortune) M AY KNOW, That whereas the choiceft
of his Refemblers and Companions,* Aga TA VERNIER, French
Merchant has brought fo many Rarities of all forts to the prefence and view
of the Lieutenant of the Eagles, who has all things according to his wilh,
has found the degree of favour and good wil, «And whereas we have com-
manded him to perfect fome Bufinefs for Us, which fo [oon as he has finifh'd,
he is to bring to the holy and pure view, Therefore through what{oever Road
or Coaft of Our Thrice-fpacious Kingdom the above-nam'd fall have a defire
' or occafion to paff, Let not the Recetvers of the Palace, out of any feeming
expectancy from the above-nam'd , give him any trouble or moleff ation, But
let them know, that it is necef[ary for them to give him all honour, and to
make much of him, that he may go where he pleafes, And whereas the
Seal of High Nature, the Light. of the Univerfe of Kragon, of thrice-
noble extraction, the Mafer 7 the Age, has illuminated and adorn’d this
Writing, Let them reff there, and give Credence to it, By the thrice-high
Command, &c. op Ae
Kragon: A King of China, fo renown’d for his Jultice, Victory, and Magnanimity,
that fometimes the Kings of Perfia affume that Title in their Patents, and fometimes
in honour of him, ftile themfelves his Lieutenants.
Receivers of the Palace, are Farmers of the Cuftoms and other Subfidies.
yee The
199
;
ene i Lbe Peen'st ano Travels Book IV.
a The Second P A rE WN Tt,
’<"Fo the Governour of Schiras ,
HE Command of Him whom all the world ought to obey, is fuch, That
ah the Iluftrious and High Lord, whofe Office ought to be honour’d, the
“ Governour and Prototype of Vifiers and Grandees, Mirza:Mahomet-Sa dée,
the Vifier of Fars may be affur'd of Royal Favours when he understands the
Contents of this Command. He fball give three Loads of wine , of that
which he has in his custody, to the Cream of his Equals, Aga TAY ER.
NIER, French Aterchant, and you fball take an Acquittance. Call
the Grand Viliers , aud Officers of Cuftoms , and Guarders of Paffes alfo let
them not moleft him at all, let them take nothing from him, let them permit
him to go and come as he pleafes, and let them obey him. Given the Month
of Jamady-Elaker, i the Hegyra of Mahomet 1075.
January,
1665.
The Cream , is the Chara&er of an honeft man'among the Eaftérn people.
But to return to the Calaat.. You muft take notice, that the Perfiaws calla Calaat,
any Prefent which one perfon makes t8*anothet inferior to him in dignity’; fome-
times a Veft alone , fometimes a Tunick with the Girdle only, fometimes a Tur.
bant, or a Horfe, with Bridle and Saddle; to thofe in the Army the King fends a
Sword or a Dagger 5 and all thefe go by the name of Calaat’s. - Secondly, you mutt
_. take notice, that when the King fends a Calaat to a Governour of a Proyince , he
names himfelf the perfon, that\is\to:carry it. For both in 7; urkie and Perfia, the
Receiver of the King’s Prefent is oblig’d to’ pay.the Meffenger, in fo much that
_» fometimes they hardly feape for'a thoufand Tomens. But when the Culaat is fent to
any private perfon, the Nazar choofes out of his Domeftick Servants one to carry it.
I gave twenty-five Tomans into Father Raphael's hand, who order’d his bufinefs with
fo good a grace,’ and fo advantageoufly for my Purfe, that he complemented away
the Meffenger very well fatisf’'d with half. |
The next day the azar fent tome to put on my Calaat, and to come and do
my obeyfance to the King , who was that day to go abroad. Thereupon I fummon’d
together all the Fraaks, and order’d the Trumpets and Drums to be made ready as
I rode from the Palace home, For then the people come out to fee who the King
has honour’d that day, who is always known by his Habit, which is till the newek
and gayeft of all the reft, eke
_ It happen’d, that the King being indifpos’d did not go away that day; however
L apply’d my felf to the Mazar, and told him how much I was oblig’d to the King
for the honour he had done me, and that I was tefolv’d to thew my felf before the
greateft Monarchs in Ewrope inthe Habit he had beftow’d upon me; that they might
behold the beauty and richnefs of my Calzat.. The Nazar fail’d not to repeat my
Compliment to his Majefty; who thereupon order’d me the Perfian Cloak , with
hanging-fleeves , and fac’d with fable Martins,
Two or three days after the Nazar fent for me again to Court, whither I went,
accompany’d by the Zulphian Franks, as before. I was no fooner come to the Palace,
but the Nazar met me in the great Hall , attended by two Officers, who carry’d
the Cloak which the King had appointed for me, and prefently taking the Cloak
out of their hands, he put it about my fhoulders, faying thefe words, Jris the
- King’s pleafiure to honour thee entirely. It was a mot magnificent piece of Silk, and
very richly furr’d, having been yalud at eight hundred Crowns, In this 1 was
particularly beholding to the Nazar, who might have fent me my Cloak home to my
- Lodging as well as the Calaat ; but he was pleas’d to put it upon my back in the Palace
with his own hands, to {pare me the charges of a new Prefent. “After this the Nazar
took me by the hand, and led nie to the Hai} , where the King was fitting aie a
eis a = . jarge
-*
Chap. XVII of Monfieur Tavernier.
——___
large Cufhion, having no more than twelve Eunuchs for his Guard; fome with Bows
and Arrows 5 and fome with Mutquets. By that time I had adyanc’d two or three
paces in the Hall, the Nazar order’d me to fall upon my knees, and touch the
Ground with my forehead; then taking me by the hand , he led me within two or
three paces of the place where the King was fitting , where I was order’d to make
the fame obeifance as before ; after that he caus’d me to retire feven or eight paces, and
there toftand. And then it was that His Majefty was pleas’d to tell me that hehad
contriv’d the Models of feveral pieces, which he would have made in France and
ask’d me whether I would carry them along with me, or whether! would prefently
fend them into Frazce to be made up while I difpatch’d my bufinefS in the Indies 2
I told His Maiefty , that fo foon as he would be pleas’d to deliver them to me, I
would fend them for France. After this and fome other difcourfe I made my obei-
fance, and retir’d toward thedoor of the Hall. Having thus done my duty to the
King, I went and kifsd the Nazar’s hand; and then taking Horfe at the Palace-
Gate , with the reft of the Frazks that accompany’d me, we rode home with the
Trumpets and Drums of the Country before us. When we came to Zulpha with
our. Torches before us, for it was three hours after Sun-fet, the Men and old
“Women came out of their Houfes to fee us pafs along , and*feveral prefented us
with Fruits, Sweet-meats, and Wine, obliging us to drink almoft at every Houfe
till we got home. ' :
oie BH gle he Ane ea i bE |
How the King was pleasd to divertife himfelf in the Author’s Com-
pany. , ?
‘Bout two days after betimes in the Morning I was fent for to the Court in
ISL
that haft, that I had fcarce time to make me ready. WhenIcameto .
Court, Ifound the Nazar, Father Raphel, and two Hollanders, upon whom
the Nazar had began to cafta particular eye of favourall together. After ’
we had ftay’d a while, the Nazar brought us tothe Room where the King was ,
fitting upon a low Pallet, with two Mattreffes cover’d with a rich Carpet. He
lean’ his back againft a large Cufhion four foot long, having before him eight or
ten Plates of Fruits and Sweet-meats. ‘Before him alfo ftood two Bottles, with long
round necks of Venice Chryftal ftop’d with Pitch, full of Seliras Wine, with a.
Cup of pure Gold; upon one fidea kind of a very finall Fat and with a handle,within
three or four Fingers full of the fame Wine, with a Gold Ladie that helda good
Chopine of Parts. The Bottles were for the King’s drinking; that inthe Fat for thofe -
that the King did the Honour to drink with him. After we came inand had made
our feveral obeyfances; faid the King to Father Raphael, Raphael, bia, bia, that
is, come hither , come hither , who thereupon rifing 4 and falling upon his knees when
he came near the King 5 Raphael, continu’d the King, if thou wilt drinkWine, fay
here , if wot, be gone. The Fryar unaccuftom’d to drink Wine , reply’d that fince
His Majefty did him fo great an Honour , he waswilling todrink alittle. *Tis very
well, anfwer’d the King fmiling , go then and take thy feat. Thereupon the King
commanded one of the Dutch-men to fill fome Wine, which he did, but with a
trembling hand Heav’n knows, as never having been at fuch a Feftival before.
And I obferv’d that having laid his Hat upon the Carpet, the King commanded
him to put it on, it being a very ignominious thing in Perfia to be bare-headed.
Thus the greatJadle went about very fimartly , confidering it was but early in the
Forenoon: But at length the King bethinking himfelf that the Fraaks were not uled
to drink without eating , gave fuch order, that immediately they {pread before us
a Sofra of Cloth of Gold inftead ofa Table-Cloth; and over that a Leather Covering .
of the fame length and bredth, andover that a fort of Bread as long as the Sofras
for had the Sofra been ten Ells long, the Bread muft have beenaslong. This Bread
is no thicker then a piece of Paper, and folds fike a Napkin. It is aa oe a
OLIN g-
.
(182
The PE i stan Travels Book IV. |
Roilling-pin; and bak’d upon Plates of Tinn’d Copper. This Bread is never eat’n)
but only ferves for a Vable-Cloth to preferve what falls from the Dithes > and what
every man leaves particularly upon his own Plate , which isall wrap’d up in the Lea.
ther and giv’n to the poor. Next to that they fet upon one end of the Sofra a fort
of moft excellent Bread two foot long, andone broad, then which never was better
~eat’n in the World. By and by follow’d Boyl’d and Roaft flefh and fith, with two
Chefts of Limons of A¢azandran, and Granates from Schiras.
After we had made a large Breakfaft , the King was pleas’d to put me upona dit.
courfe of my Travels into the Indies, and ask’d me what Princés I had had accefs to,
and how many I knew by their faces? Then caufing a Satchel to be brought him,
he open’d it himfelf, and fhew’d me feveral portraitures in Miniature. Prefently |
knew Sha.Gehan , Aurenge-Zebe, and three of hisSons; the King of Golconda and
Vifapour ; Sha-€/}-Ran,and two Raja’s. Among the reft he fhew’d me a Perfian Lady’s
Picture and gave it me; to the end, faidhe, that your French Ladies may fee how
our Perfian Ladies are clad: After that he fhew’d me the Pidtures of two Venetiaa
Curtifans, the one a Widow, and the other a Virgin, with a Parrot upon her
hand clad a‘ter the Fremch mode. Upon which the King putting the queftion to
me which I lik’d beft? I reply’d that fhe pleas’d me beft who had the Parrot upon her filt,
And why not the other faidthe King? Becanfe , anfwer’d 1,° {he looks liké one .
that had renounc’d the world. Thereupon the King falling into’ a laughter, and
turning toward Father Raphael; Patri, Patri, faidhe, is it poffible that fuch a Lady
as this fhould have renounc’d the World? This led us into a difcourfe of beauty ,
wherein when the King demanded my opinion, I told him that Womens beauty
depended very much upon the Cuftom of the Country ; for that in Fapan Women
with broad faces were moft’ in requeft ; in China finall feet were admir’d; in the Ifles
of Borneo and Achen, Women the blacker their Teeth were, the more they were
belov’d; that’ inthe Ifland of ALicaffer , to make their Women lovely , they pull |
out four of their Teeth when they are young, to put in four of Gold in their
room; asl have feen a Captain of ¥ava, who pull'd out four of his fore Teeth,
and fet four Diamonds in their place. In fhort , 1 told His Majefty that in his own
Dominions full Eye-brows which meet together were highly efteem’d; whereas the
Women of Fravce pull themup by the Roots. But which, {aid the King, doft thou
like beft ; the black or the fair? Sir, continwd I, were f to buy Women as I
' purchafe Diamonds, Pearls, and Bread, I would always choofe the white. With
that the King fell a laughing , and orderd me a brimmer in his own Cup, which
was a great Honour indeed. From hence we fell into'a more ferious difcourfe con.
cerning the prefent State of Europe , {peaking very low, and the rett of the Com.
pany retiring all the while out of hearing. Only I obferv’d that there was one Lord
middle ag’d , and clad after the Georgian mode , who ftood within:five or fix paces
behind the King , and that many times as the King drank , he only wet his Lips,
and gave the reftto that Lord to drink , which when he had done, he retir’d again
to his place. Upon inquiry I found he was the Kings Uncle by the Mother's
fide..
While we were talking of fetious things the Curtifans were bid to retire out of
the Hall ,. which they did, into a Gallery that look’d upon a Garden, where they
fate , where immediately a Sofra was laid before them cover’d with Fruits and Swect:
meats, andone of their Society continually powr’d out the Wine which they drank
round without intermiffion: One would haye thought they fhould have been fad ;
yet when they came in again , no man could perceive they had been drinking.
Atte they had Danc’d awhile, they were order’d to retire again, and the King
fent for his Mufick; which was both Vocal and Inftrumental , his Inftrumental
Mufick confifted of a kind of a Lute, a Guittar, a Spinet, and two or three Bafe
Flutes. He had alfo in the Gallery where the Curtifans were > 4 large Ebony Cabi-
' fet eight foot high, adorn’d with feveral Silver figures, which prov'd to be an
Organ that went alone. It was part of the prefent which the Mufcovite Ambafladors
made the King , which he order’d to be fet a going , that we might hear it as we
fate. No fooner had the Organ ftop’d, but the Curtefans were call’d in agains
and the King caus’d the Gold Ladle to go round , commanding that no man thould ,
feaveadrop. When every man had done, the King was pleas’d to ask me which
of the Curtifan’s I thought to be handfomett 2 Thereupon I rofe up, and taking-a
Wax:
*
Chap.XVIL of Monfieur Tavernier.
Wax-Candle in my hand, I went and view’d them all. The King laugh’d, and
being very glad to fee my face among theirs, Bring hither , faid he, her to whom
thon baft moft a fancy. n obedience to which, I pick’d out the eldeft, as I thought,
and led her to his Majefty, who caus’d us to fit down by him. Then the King
pointing to another , And why ; faid he, did you not choofe yonder Girl , which 1s
younger and handfomer ; commanding them both to kifs me one after another, that
I might underftand the difference between the Careffes of one and the other.
But I reply’d, that weye I to choofe again, 1 would make the fame choice, be-
lieving prudence to accompany age. However I befought his Majefty to confider,
that it was not for me to look upon elder or younger, and that though he had ©
givn me the cere to fend the elder home to my Lodging , yet it was not in my
pow’r to accept of his favour, in regard I hada Wife, to whom I never had been
unfaithful.
We had thus droll’d together ’till eleven a Clock at night, when the King
ftarted another Queftion, Whether any one prefent knew how to Sing ? It hap-
pen’d that there was one Monfieur Daulier there, that Play’d upon the Virginals, and
pretended to Sing, who immediately began a Court-Air. But his Voice being a
high-pitch’d Voice, and for that the Perfians are altogether for Bafes, the King
did not like him. When I perceiv’d that, being in a merry vein, though I knew
nota Note , yet having a good deep voice, and clear, I fung an old Air that came
intomy head, which begins,
Fill all the Bowls then, fill’em high ,
Fill all the Glaffes there , for why
Should every Creature drink, but I?
__ The King was fo pleas’d, that he cry’d out, Baricala, Baricala, as much as to
fay , Ob the works of God! an expreffion of admiration ufual among the Per-
fans.
& By this time it was very late, and the King growing fleepy, gave us leave to de-
Pare which we did very willingly, having had hard labour for feventeen hours
together. ote
The next night the King fell a drinking again , and there was in his prefence
ane4ys or Pilgrimnewly return’d from Afecca,and confequently oblig’d never to drink
Wine after that. While this 4g: ftaid, there was one of the Perfian Lords got
fo impertinently fuddl’d; that he twice {truck the e4gi’s Turbant from his head,
refus’d to drink when the King commanded him, play’d the fool with the Curti-
fans when they were dancing , and committed fo many other aéts of folly, that the
King incens’d at fuch a continuation of Buffonry, in a great fury, This Rafcal,
faid he , has loft all his refpett, and thinks he is no more my Slave ; drag him out by
the feet, and throw him to the Dogs to cat. Immediately tour or five of the King’s
Officers came and drag’d bim out of the Hall by the feet , and every body wonder’d
he was not thrown to the Dogs, according to the King’s Command; but ’tis
thought that fome of the King’s Women beg’d for him, fo that his punifhment was
chang’d.
There was one of the Curtifans that gave one of her Companions a box on the
ear, not in the King’s prefence , but in the Gallery where they were drinking
together. However fhe did not ftrike fo foftly,.but that the King heard the noife
of the blow. Whereupon he commanded her that had giv’n the blow to be had
before the Deroga or Judge of the Town, whom he order’d to expunge her out
of the number of Curtifans, and to put another in her place; that fhe fhould
have a hundred Tomans giv’n her, and that the Deroga fhould caufe her to be
marry’d. :
The next day I waited on the King , and receiv’d thofe Models which he had -
befpoke me to fend into France. They were the Patterns of certain Drinking-
Cups and Trenchers, with the Model of a Dagger drawn with his own hand: for
he had learnt to draw of a couple of Durch-men that were in his Service. The
3 | Dagger
\
184 The Persian Travels Book IV,
Dagger was to be Goldfmith work enamel’d. When I had receiv’d his Inftruétions
I took my leave of his Majefty: and then going to wait upon the Nazar at his
Country-houfe, I took leave ef him alfo , who affur’d me of his affeétion upon all
occafions , and did me feveral kindneffes at my departure.
The End of the Fourth BOOK;
2:72 E
AO Phe tS MO ine Soule Bene te ie MRTET Py ae
3 Sag
;
~
Chap. L
of Monfieur Tavernier. - 195.
THE FIFTH BOOK
OF THE
PERSIAN TRAVELS
b Mons suk TAVERNIER:
BEING. © &
A Politick and Hiftorical Defcription of PER SIA:
With the
ROADS
ISPAHAN to ORMUS,
? | CHAP. I.
The Genealogy of the Kings of Perfia, of the laft Race:
Fter that Tamerlane had extended his Conquefts into 4/ia, and de-
feated the Army of Bajazet, whom, he took Prifoner, together with _
his Wife, he return’d into Perfiz, where at that time livd a Cheikh,
, whofe name was -4:dar, a perfon in high reputation for his Holi- |
nefs. He was a perfon of great wit, and: the firft in the dignities of the Law,
which gain‘d him great authority and belief among the people. He gave great
honour to Tamerlane, and fhew’d Eminent kindnefles to all the Officers of his Ar-
my ;' in recompence whereof, Tamerlane, who was a generous Prince, and full
of gratitude, made a Prefent to the Chesk of a great number of Captives,”
which he brought along with him out of Tarky. The Cesk planted one part ,
of thefé Slaves about -4rdevile, and feated the other near his: own refidence, /
Now in regard he aflum’d to himfelf to be defcended ina direct line from ALaho-
met, he cover'd his head after another manner then all the reft of the Perfans,.
wearing a kind of flat Bonnet, growing broader and broader to the top, and fo
pleighted, as to make twelve Pleights of a Ruff, in honour of the twelve Pro-
phets. In the middle, a kind of a Pyramid about a fingers length feem‘d to rife
out of the Bonnet, but was indeed fow'd to it. Such a Bonnet as this the Cheik
appointed all the Slaves to wear that Tamerlane had giv’n him, and this is that
which at this day diftinguifhes their Succeflors from the other Perfians. And it
is the cuftom, where Kans or Governours of Provinces refide, that all the Sophies.
both in the City and the neighbouring parts, meet in the Piazza every Friday; ,
in the afternoon, where they pray to God for the health of the King and,
tlie Kan, and for the profperity of the Kingdom; after which the es ad
? Aa ‘them
q96 The Panstan Travel: Book V,
a A CLO AL I
ne eee nw
them Victuals to eat, not without fome other effects of his Liberaliry.
The Cheiks Sons confidering of what a number of Slaves they were Matters,
_ and that the greateft part of the people, prepoflefs’d in favour of their Father,
out of the opinion they had of his Sancticy, took their part; the more pow-
_ erfully to engage them, fhew’d themfelves liberal to all, and when they foung
themfelves ftrong enough, revolted again{t flamour King of Perfia, their law-
ful Soveraign. After many Skirmifhes, at “length they gave him Battel- near ro
Tauris, wherein dzimout was defeated, and {lain by the hand of 7/mael Soph;, the
Cheiks third Son, who is properly to be accounted the firft King of that Race:
I mean of the Race of them that did not embrace the -d/coran, but according
to the Interpretation of Healy, ALahome:s Son-in-Law.
To Lfmael Sophi facceeded Sha-Tammas his. Son, and to Sha-Timmas Shan
Ifmael the fecond, who reign’d but a fhort while ; for his cruelties conftrain’d the’
Nobility of the Country to fet up in his room Afahomet-Coda bende his Bro-
ther ; though little skill’d in the affairs of Government or War. Many thought he
was blind,but he was only dim-fighted,through the application of a hor fron to his |
eyes, by the Command of his unnatural Brother in the beginning of his reign. He was
the Father of Sha Abbas, that fuceeeded him, who fetl’d the atlairs of Perf,
in a very good condition.
Sha Abbas the firft, by his Valour and good Conduct gain’d the name of
Great. When he came to his Throne, upon the North and Weft fide he found |
nothing. in his power but the City of Casdin ; but afterwards, as he was 2 per- |
fonage of great wit as well as courage, partly by poliey, and partly by force,
he recoverd feveral Provinces to the Welt, and conquer’d the Kingdoms of
Lar, Ormus, and Candabar. ee
Of many Sons that Sha-.dbbas had;.not one furviv’d but only Sophi-Afirza,
a Prince of great wit, and dextrous.at his Arms. Al} the people lov’d him,
‘which made his Father jealous of him ,* that he waited for his death to |
afcend the Throne. And that which augmented his jealoufie was, for that one
pee hunting, Sophi-Mirza drew the ficit arrow ata’ Boar; it beinga
capital crime in Perfia to fhoot before the King. However Sha 4bbas for the
time conceal’d his difpleafure, unwilling to fly out in fury againft the Prince, in
regard he had no more Sons. But Sopi-Adirza having had a Son by a Slave,
which pleas’d him, Sha -Abbas’s joy encreafing as the Child grew, his jea-
loufie alfo daily encreas’d againft the Father of the young Prince ; fo that being no
longer able to diffemble his fear, he caus’d his eyes to be put out. Nay his
jealoufie went a great way farther; for he now fear’d the blind Prince, and
having therefore refoly’d his death, he commanded.a Lord of the Court td bring
him his head. The Lord in an aftonifhment refus'd to obey the King, and be-
fought him rather to take away his life, than to conftrain him to embrue his
hands in the blood.of his Prince. .The King offended at him for his refufal, ba-
_. nifh’d him jhis Court; and the next day gave the fame command to. another
» Lord, who without any fcruple put it-in execution, and brought him the head |
of his Son in a Bafon of Gold, That obje& of pity brought him to ‘himéelf;
fo that not being able to look upon fo fad a {pegtacle. without tears ‘in his
eyes , upbraiding the villany of the Lord, he expell’d him from his fight,
forbad. him his prefénce for ever, and fequefterd all his eftate, only allowing
him. a. Mamoudi, or nine French Sous aday.. The other Lord, who had fo ge-
neroufly: refus'd to aid him in fo bloody am att, the King recall’d from Exile,
and beftow:d upon him one of the beft Governments of the Empire. , __
Ever fince that, time all the Male Children of the Blood Royal are fhut up
in the Womens Haram, where they are bred up in ignorance, having only, two
or three Eunuchs to. teach: them to write and read, and to keep them company
_ dn their recreations, whether it be in fhooting with a Bow, or riding about the
Gardens upon an Afs ; for they never allow ’em a Horfe : befides char all that time
theyyare. never permitted to fee the people. In this manner ic was that She
_ Abbas bred up his little Grandfon, many days caufing bua ce take Opium. to
render -him-more ftupid. So that when he came to the Throic, after hjs Grande
fathers ‘death, the Phyfiicians thought it convenient that he fhould dviak Wy ie
ro reftore Wis natural heat, and renew his vigor. Sha dove: rignd funy year
-_
~
‘
& +
a ee
m™ ~
Chap. L. _ of Monfie
teens tenn ipsnseoninienns
eeeeeeteeeeee ee
a a
ur TaveRNiE® Io7
and dy’d at the end of the year 1628. Before he dy’d, he gave command, that
he fhould be buryd in fome place unknown to all the world ; and that they
fhould fet his Grandchild upon his Throne, and give him the ‘name of Mad
Sef. st
ie foon as Sha Abbas’s eyes were clos’d, the General of the Horfe, and thé
chief Captain of the Harquebufles, with whom the Commands were left, rodé
in all hatte to pee and coming to the Palace, defir’d to {peak with the Mo-
ther of the Child. The Mother was in a fad affright, believing that they came
to put the young Prince to death. But when they had. diffipated her fears,
and that fhe underftood that they came to fet him upon the Throne by the
command of his Grandfather, fhe embrac’d the young Bisgce and return’d him _
jnto the hands of the Eunuchs. When he was come out of the Haram, the two
_ Lords, attended by feveral others, faluted him King, and acknowledg’d him for
their Soveraign, At the fame time they took off his Clothes and tore them.
which in Perfia is a mark of mourning ; and according to cuftom, pit him on
another plain Garment, which he wore till midnight. Then they diftob’d him
again, and put him on his Royal Robes, and-fet him upon the Throne, where
all the Lords came and did him homage, and the, next day he was acknowledg’d
by all the Acclamations of the people. For when the Royal Habit is put upon
the new King, the Drums, Trumpets, Timbrels, Hautboys, and other Inftru-
ments, make a din ina peculiar place of the A4eydan appointed for that purpofé.
Which is the Signal to give notice to the people to meet the next morning, to
acknowledg the new King. Sha-Sefi for many years was a Novice in the art
of Government. But time opening his eyes, the firft remarkable thing which
he did, being at Cashin, wasto cut off the head of 4l-Kouli-Kan, that great
Captain who had conquer’d the Kingdoms of Lar and Ormus for Sha Abbas ;
and the heads of three of his Sons. After that, returning to //paban, he cut
off the heads of feven of the principal Lords of his Court ; and by little and
little took the Goyernment into his own hands. Of thofe Lords whom fani-Kan
was the chief.
For ’tis thought that Sha Abbas had left a private order with ALirza Take,
and the Dowager Switanefs, to rid themfelves of thofe Lords fo foon as Sha-
Sefi fhould be fetl’d in his Throne, and. that they had plac’d Governors in all places
where in the King might confide. Thefe Lords having finoak’d the private order of
Sha-Abbas, and believing that the time of execution drew near, prevented the
Athemadoulet Mirza Take; for meeting one morning before the Palace-door,
they kil’d the Porter, and entring his Bed-Chamber, ftab’d him before he could
rife. After this execution, they went to the King, whom 7am-Kax boldly told,
that they had flain AZirza Take. The King at that time diflembling his anger at fo
bold an enterprize, and an attempt upon the Royal Authority, anfwerd him,
that he had done very well, and that he had prevented thofe orders which he
intended to have giv’n him. The Swltanefs his Mother then govern’d the King-
dom, together with the -Athemadouler, from whom fhe receiv’d four hundred
Ducats in Gold every day for her little pleafures ; and held a private Coun-
cil with him in her Haram, where he had free admiifion, as being cut clofe. In -
this Council it was, that thefe two perfons overthrew in the night whatever the
Lords concluded in the day ; chang’d the Kings mind, and over-rul'd his thoughts
as they pleas’d themfelves, by vertue of that power which they had over him.
Eight or nine days after, as thefe Lords were fitting in Council with the King,
an. Eunuch enter’d, which was the fignal for the King to get out of the way ;
and as foon as the King was gone, the Chamber was fill’d with Eunuchs, that
rufhing in immediately fell upon Fani-Kan and his Accomplices, and cut off their
heads. Their heads and bodies were immediately expos’d to the view of the
people in the Afeydan; and for that it is not the cuftom in Perfia to take any
cognizance of what the King does, the moft part of the eople, fpurning the
heads with their f€et, cry’d one to another, See the heads aft thofe Dogs that have
difobey'd the will of the Kin : . ; ea ee :
— Ltold ye, that ALirza T: ke was clean cut ; which occafions a particular ftory :
He was Governour of Guilan in the Reign of Sha Abbas, and having abus’d one —
of his Pages, the y@hng Ladd ftole fecretly to Z/paban, and made his ¢om-_
gece ee woe Rat plaine
s “
198
_in the belly, and hardly knowing what he had done, went to bed dgain, The
. , ye
The Perstan Travels Book V.
plaint to the King; who having heard it, immediately fent him to be Go.
vernout of Gwilan, in the place of Mirza Take, and orderd him ‘to feng
him his head by one of the Officers, which he difpatch’d along with him. The
King alfo, in regard the Page was very young, appointed him a perfon able __
to advife him in his affairs. In the mean while Mirra Take miffing his Pa ¢,
and making no qneftion but he was gone to make his complaint to the Kin :
which would of neceflity prove his ruin, if nor prevented; he refolv’d to qj.
vert the ftorm by punifhing himfelf, and caus’d that part to be cut clean off
that committed the crime. At the fame time, and in that bad condition Where-
in he then was, he caus’d himfelf to be put into a Litter, and taking his Chj- >
rurgeon along with him, he gets to I{paban by another way which was not
ufually travel’d, for fear of meeting the Page, and caufing himfelf to be car.
ry’d into the Palace in that pitiful and languifhing eftate, defir’d to fpeak with
the King, who was furpriz’d at his arrival. But the Kam having prefented
him ina Plate of Gold with the undoubted marks of his repentance, befoughr
his Majefties pardon. Whereupon the King confidering the rigor and extraor-
dinary punifhment which he had inflicted upon himfelf,fent him back to his Govern-
ment, and recall’d the Page, whom he otherways gratifid. And this was the
man whom Sha Abbas upon his Death-bed order’d that Sha-Seft fhould make
Arhemadoulet , as being the fitteft for the employment of any perfon in his
Kingdom. Si ee : :
Sha-Sefi not content to have rid himfelf of the Lords that had prefim’d to
invade his Authority, was refolvd to have the head of -4li-merdan-Kan, Go-
vernour of Candahar ; of whom he was jealous, by reafon of his vaft riches, his
Plate being all Gold, and his Houfe as magnificently furnifh’d as the Kings. But.
the King could not bring about his defign ; for the Kan being prefs’t to come
to Court, and believing it was only to take away his head, to free himfelf from
the danger, deliver'd Candahar to the Great Afogul, by whom he was kindly
entertain’d, and highly carefs’d. Neither was li-merdan-K an’s wealth of his
own: getting, but left him by inheritance, as being defcended from the ancient
Kings of Candabar, who were originally Zartars. Now whatever favours or ad=
vancement the Great AZogu/ beftow’d upon -Ali-~merdan-Kan, the fame did the —
Perfian King beftow upon his two Sons; whereas all the world believ’d, that
after fuch a piece of Treafon committed by their Father; the King would have
ript up their bellies. This piece of policy of Sha-Sefi was very advantageous
to Sha-dAbbas the fecond, when he befieg’d Candahar with fifty thoufand men.
For the greateft part of the AZoguls Army being compos’d of Perfians, they
remembring how kindly Sha-Scf had us’d the two Sons of Ali-merday-Kan,
made little refiftance againft the King of Perfiz, who enter’d Candabar ina f{mall.
time. The Great A¢ogwi troubl’d at the lofs, ask’d h-merdan-Kan, by what
means he might retake Candahar; who prefently made anfwer, that it would |
_ be very eafie, if he could find fich another Traytor as he had been,
But to return to Sha-Sefi; his Reign was very violent, of which I will give
%
you this Example :
_ One day the King returning from the Xelonters Houfe in Zulpha, having
drank to excefs, commanded that the Swltanefs fhould come to him; who un-
derftanding that he was in drink, made no great hafte, fo that the King in the
mean time fell afleep. But waking again foon after, and not feeing the Queen,
he calPd for her a fecond time; of which when the had notice, fhe came im=
mediately. When fhe came into the Chamber, fhe percciv’d the King afleep,
and in expectation of his waking, hid her felf in a Nich behind the Hangings ;
where generally the Mattrefles and Coverlets are laid by, The King waking,
and not yet perceiving the S#lrane/s, in a great chafe demanded why fhe was
fot yet come, The Queen-Mother, who was a Georgian Slave, and mortally
hated the young Sw/ranefs, who was the Daughter of the King of Georgia, and
therefore difdain’d by her, took an occafion to put her out of the Kings fa-
vour ; and having firft fpok’n ill of her, made a fign to the King to Jet him
underftand that the young Queen was hid in fuch a Nich. Upon that the King
rifing in 4 great fury, ftab’d the poor Princefs with his Dageet four or five times
next
‘i
~~ : ; : Py
“ ae >=
Chap.l of Monfieur Tavernier:
next day, forgetful of the fact, he call’d for the Queen ; but when they told
him what had happen’d, he began to be deeply fenfible of his error, and {or-
row’d exceffively ; and at the fame time fent an exprefs order through his Ter-
ritories, that no man fhould drink Wine, and that the Gov¥ernours fhould break
all the Wine-Veflels wherever they found any, and fpill the Wine. But this
order did not laft above a year. | |
During the Reign of Sha-Sefi, the Kan of Evivan fent him a Colt, which
I faw, which was begot by a Mule. Not long after the King dy’d ofa Surfet, with
excefs of drink ing, after he had reign’d fourteen years. ee :
Sha Abbas the fecond was fet upon the Throne at Cashin, with the ufual
Ceremonies, at the end of the year 1642, and made his entry into T{pahan in
the beginning of the year following. Upon the day of the Solemnity all the
Citizens were order’d to be in Arms, and to march out of the City, where they
were fil’d off upon each fide of the Road. In the fame manner were all the -
ftanding Infantry and Cavalry rang’d for five Leagues together. All the Road
fortwo Leagues together without the City was coverd with Tiflues of Gold
and Silver, with Carpets of Silk, and other rich Stuffs ; all which cofts the King
nothing. For the Ssa-Bander, who is like our Mayor, takes care to tax every
one what he is to furnifh toward that Solemnity. The Englifb and Hollanders
went alfo forth to meet the King ; among whom I was one. When we came near
the King, 7aa:-Kan,General of the Cavalry, gave the King notice who we were.
- Whereupon we all alighted, and the King holding his Leg ftretcht out of his
Stirrup, we all kifs’d his Boot. When he came where the way began to be
fpread with rich Carpets, he found the Grand Jd@zfti and the Grand: Cadi, at-
tended by a great number of Afoxllahs, who made a Prayer after their man-
ner. Prayers being ended, the King rode on, the 4themadoulet being on the
Jeft hand, which is the moft honourable, and the General of the Cavalry onthe
right, yet not even with him, but fo as that their Horfes heads reach’d to the
Crupper of his. There was no perfon bat the King that rode over the Tiffue,
that Honour belonging to him alone ; nor is the way fpread above the breadth
-of the Stuff; and as foon as the King is pafs’d over it, the people fall to fcram-
bling, and carry away every one what‘ they can get for themfelves. .
‘About a quarter of a League from //paban is a Garden, with a Great Room.
over the Gate, where the King made a halt, thinking to have made his Entry
- into the City. But an Aftrologer came to him, and told him, that the hour
was paft, and that he muft tarry three days before the hour would prove pro-
pitious again. So that he was conitrain’d to betake himfelfto the Garden of He-
_zardgerib till the time came ; whither the Nobility alfo were all fore’d to come be-
times in the morning, and to ftay till the evening. The day that the King
made his Entry, the way from the Garden to the City was alfo fpread with
Carpets. For three days together the Fire-works play’d in the Afeydan; and
round the Piazza from top to bottom were lights hung out; and’ in the prin-
cipal Inns, the riche{t Merchants had adorn’d the Doors and Windows of their
Chambers, according to the Mode of the Country ; and I believe it coft the
Chief of the Holland Company, above nine hundred Tomans.
In the year 1643, came the Prince of the Usbecks in perfon to defire aid of
Sha Abbas againft his Children, who had caus'd his own Subjects to rebel and
make war againft him. His eldeft Son firft took Arms, and getting the advan-
‘rage of a Battel, the other Brother treacheroufly took part with him; which —
nothing difmay’d the Father, to whom the chief of the Nobility ftill adherd.
Toward the end of the year 1642, the Prince loft another Battel and his left
eye, which was fhot thorough with an Arrow ; which conftrain’d him, fo foon
as he was cur’d of his wound, to come and crave fuccour from the King of
Perfia ; which he eafily obtain’d. Sha Abbas defigning to receive him honou-
rably fent above ten thoufand Horfe as far as Ca/ban, which is fot rdays jour- -
ney. from J/pahan, and five or fix thoufand Foot two da 's journey from thence.
to meet him. Every day he was attended by different Officers. Every day they -
Pe:
fet him up a new Tent, and fpread new Carpet ;; and every day chang’d ‘the
twelve Horfes that were led before him, whofe furniture was all over cover’d’
with Jewels. For a League and a half from the City the way was fpread saad
; att
~
?
199.
200
x
The Persian Travels © Book V
all forts of Silk Stuffs to the very Palace ; and the King of Perfia went him-
felf to meet him, as far as where the Stuffs were begun to be laid. Though
Sha Abbas was very young, yet he was refolv'd to fhew, that he look’d upon
himfelf as a potent King in the peaceable pofleffion of his own Dominions, and
that he went to meet a dethron’d Prince, that came to defire his Aid. For fo foon
as he perceiv'd the King of the Tartars, he made a thew of {purring on. his
Horfe ; and being come up to his Horfes head, he put his foot out of the Stir
rup, as if he intended to have alighted, but did not. The Tartarian Prince, as
old as he was, prefently leap’t to the ground from his Saddle to falute the
Perfian King , who return’d him fome flight Compliments about his havin
alighted ; at which time the Athemadonler and other Lords remounting him, the
two Kings rode together upon the Silks, the King of Perfia giving the left hand
to the Tartar. The King of Perfia very generoufly lent him a confiderable
affiftance of ry000 Horfe, and 8000 Foot, and fixty thoufand Tomans in Mo-
ney. The Tartar in Exchange gave him one of his Provinces bordering upon
Perfiz, which yeilded him a very good Revenue, in regard the Inhabitants were
all Shepherds, or Turcomans, that breed an infinite number of Cattel, where-
in the wealth of that Province confifts.
While he reign’d, he had a prefent made him from the Governour of Schiras,
of a wild Afs, whofe Skin was as red as Scarlet, having a Horn growing out
of his forehead about a foot long. | ;
Sha Abbas reign’d about twenty-four years, and dy’d at Tehzon, of an ine
flammation in his throat, which came by exceflive drinking. His body by his
own order was buri’d at Keur. So foon ashe was dead, the Lords that were
about him, fent advice of his death to the Prince that now reigns, by the To-
pigi-Bafba, who is General of the Mufqueteers, and Adirza Bayad the Cheif of
the Aftrologers. So foon as they came to the door of the Haram, they de-
fir'd to fpeak with the Mother and the Son; who believ’d them come upon
fome difmal defign, But they preféntly confirm’d them to the contrary. For as
foon as the Prince came forth of the Flaram, they fell at his feet, and faluted
him King, declaring the death of his Father. Whereupon the Prince imme-
diately tore his Garment according to the cuftom. And indeed they have ano-
ther cuftom, that as foon “as the new Prince comes after much entreaty out
of the Haram, he throws him(felf to the ground, atthe door of the Haram,
and then rifing and fitting upon his heels, one of the Lords that are fent, girds
the Scimiter about his wafte, faying thefe words, Atay it pleafe your Majefty to
remember your Slave, that had the Honour to gird you with this Scimiter. Which
done, he goes and fets the Trumpets a founding, and the Drums beating, where-
upon all the people in the morning come running to the Gate of the Palace,
crying out, Patfba Salamalek, I falute thee Emperor. Which is all the Cere-
mony usd when any King of Perfia afcends the Throne. For I never faw any
Crown fet upon the head either of Sha Abbas or Sha Sef. Only in Perfia they
gird on the Scimiter, as in Turhy they put on the Bonnet of the Sophi?s, which
is very richly fet with Jewels, but has not the leaft refemblance of a Crown,
The fame Ceremony of girding on the Scimiter, is us’d to the Mogul, the Kings
of © Seay and Golconda ; and they alfo put the Bonnet upon their heads, which is
fet with the richeft Jewels in the pofleffion of thofé great Monarchs,
Sha-Sefi the fecond, fome time after his coming to the Throne, fell dange-
roufly fick, not having ever enjoy’d a perfect health before. Now it is the cuftom
in thofe Countries, that upon fuch an occafion all the Lords of the Court, and
Governors of Provinces, give a fum of money, according to their willingnefg and
liberality. This fam is ufually in Gold, which they put into a Bafon very richly
fet with pretious Stones, and bear it three times over the Kings head, pro-
; P
—houncing thefe words, Patfha Bafhena Olfon, This moncy ts facrified for the health
of the Kings head. If the King recover all that money is giv’n to the poor, to
which the King and his Haram add very liberally. But if the King dies, the
money is put into the Treafury, and the poor have nothing. The twentieth of
<duguft 1667, was the critical day of his diftemper, and every one thought he
would have dy’d. Upon which all the Grandees of the Court feeing him in that
condition, went to the Aofqnee calVd Babaron, which is Without the City, to
pray
di
cereal narnia eyo
Chap. I. of Monfieur Taver NieER. d0L
ee Se SRR SS TET TS NN er EN Sa BS
yray for his health, and altogether gave near a thoufand Tomans to the poor, -
The next day they commanded the Chriftian drmensans to pray for the rete
very of the King. Whereupon as well the Ecclefiafticks as the Laity went to
their prayers upon the fide of the River which is between I fpahan and Zulpha
They alfo fent their Kelonter, with fifty Tomans in Gold, to bear over the Kings
head; though the -4rmenians pronounce not the fame words as the Perfians,
frying only, Berai te Sadduk , deftin'd for lms. :
Thus the danger being over in a few days, they made it their bufinefS to re-
cover him to a perfect habit of health; but in regard the King continu’d in
a Janguifhing condition, and for that the Phyficians could not difcover the canfe
of the diftemper, the King began to beleive that it proceeded from the igno-
rance of the Phyficians ; for which reafon fome of them had receiv’d none of the :
beft entertainment already. At length it came into the thoughts of fome others
of the Phyficians, who were afraid for themfelves, that in regard Perfia Was
thus doubly afflicted, with Famine and the SicknefS of the King, both at one
time, it muft of neceffity be the Aftrologers faulr, that mifs’d the favourable
hour when the King fhould have afcended the Throne. Thus being troubl’d at
their difgrace, pretending to have no lefs skill in future knowledg than the
Aftrologers, who had not chos'n a true time for the King to afcend the Throne,
they concluded that for the perfect recovery of his health, and the reftoring of
plenty to the Nation, it was neceflary to renew the Ceremony ata lucky hour,
and to change his name. This propofition pleas’d the King and his Council.
The Phyfitians and Aftrologers joining together, obferv’d the firft unlucky day,
which would certainly be follow’d by another that would prove fortunate. Now
there being among the Gasres, {ome that pretend them{elves defcended from
the Raftavs, who were ancient Kings of Perfia and Parthia, that very morning
one of thofe Gawres fetting himfclf upon the Throne, with his back againft a
wooden Figure which reprefented him to the life, all the Grandees of the Court
came and did him homage as their King, as he had order’d them to do. This
action lafted till the favourable hour was come, which happen’d a little before
Sun-fet, Then it was that an Officer of the Court came behind and cut off the
head of the wooden Figure, while the Gasre immediately took his heels and
fled. Prefently upon that the King appear’d in the Hall, upon whofe head when
they had put the Bonnet of Sop/:, and re-girt him with the Scimitar, he afcend-
ed the Throne, and took the name of Soliman. He was forced to att this Co-
medy to fatisfie the Law, which contriv'd that he fhould change his. Name,
and take a new poffeffion of his Throne, by ejecting a Ufurper that had wrong- -
fully claim’d it. For whieh reafon the Gasre was fet up as Pretender, as laying
claim to the ancient Lineage of the Perfian Kings, and being of a different
Religion. From that time the King recovering, and the Famine decreafing,
the Phyficians were in great repute, and the Aftrologers were caft out of fa-
your, exeept two or three of the moft skilful. ;
- Sha-Soliman before his coming to the Crown, had convers’d with none but
Women and black Eunuchs; from whom he could not learn the art of Ruling.
At prefent he only divertizes himfelf with his Wives in going a hunting, very
rarely troubling himfelf with bufinefs, but relying wholly upon his Minifters of
State, He will not be feen for ten or twelve days together; all which time
there are no Petitions to be preferr’d, nor Complaints to be made,
202
as
The Pep ort N Travels Book 7
i nn
CHAP. IL
Of certain particular Aétions which denote the Vertues and Vices
of the Kines of Perlia, from Sha Abbas tve Jefe to Sha-Soliman
the prefent King. And firft of Sha-Abbas the Great,
Ha- Abbas, who was a paffionate Lover of Honour, fought all ways ima.
ginable to furnifh his Empire with the fupports of wealth and goad
Government. He would not futter any Jndsan or Banian to live asa Trader jn
his Dominions ; they having crept in fince under the Reigns of Sha-Sefi the firft,
and Sha-~Abbas the fecond, who came very young to the Throne. Neither had
Sha-Abbas any reafon to permit them to trade in his Kingdom ; for they are
worfe Ufurers than the ?ews, and feldom it happens, but that they have all the
Money in the Nation, which they take up at nine or ten in the hundred 5 and Tet
out again upon pawns at two and a half per Cent. a month. From fuch devou-
ring Pefts and Vipers as thefe, Sha-Abbas thought it but reafonable to preferve
his people ; fo that before thefé Vermin crept into Perfia, the Money was all
in the hands of the Armenians of Zulpha, And indeed thofe Banians have been
the ruin of many poor people, of which I will only bring one example among
many.
I was at //paban in the year 1662, when one of thofe Banians lent fix or
feven Tomans per Cent. a month to a poor Perfian, who had utter'd’ feveral
pieces of Linnen upon the place. Thofe Banians will have their intereft paid
every month; but the Perfian had flipt three or four, having no Money to
ay, in regard his Debtor could not pay ‘him. Thereupon the Baniah dunn’d
a perpetually, and tlreaten’d to have him druab’d till he pay’d it, according
to the Perfian cuftom. The Mother of the Perfian troubl’d-to fee het Son haunt-
ed in that manner, one morning as he was going to the Adeydan, bid him, if
he met the Banian, that he fhould be fure to bring him home, and the would
pay him his intereft, and fome of the principal, with fome Money thot fhe-had
fav’d of her own. Toward evening the Bawian met his Debtor, whom he rea-
dily follow’d home upon promifé of payment. The Mother detir’d him to fer
upon the Courf, which is the place where they make their fires, it being cold
fhowy weather, and fet fruits before him to eat. While he.thus eat and warm’d
himfelf, night came on: apace, and the woman putting him in-hopes of payment,
{pun out the time fo long, that the Banian not being unaccuftom’d to cold wea-—
ther and Jate hours, was eafily perfwaded to ftay all night at the Perfizas Houfe.,
When "twas time to go to bed, the Banian threw himfelf upon one Quilt, and
the Perfian upon. another.. About two hours after midnight, the Mother comes
foftly into the Chamber, wirh a‘fharp Razor in her hand, intending to have
cut off the Banians head ; but unfortunately ‘miftaking, kill'd fer own Son in-
ftead of the Baniam The Banian having had fuch an efcape, ‘ftole cunningly out
of the Houfe, and declaring the murther to the Doan-bequé, or the Chief Jattice,
He caus’d the woman to be apprehended, and brought before him 3 who con-
fefling the fact, he-commanded her to bé ty’d to the tail of a young Mule,
and. to be dragg’d about the City till the Mule had kick’d her to death,
Inthe year 1667, eight or ten days before I departed from I(paban, there
wag a Banian found buri'd in a Street near the Capuchins houle ; they had cat
off his arms and legs, and fo put him into the hole ; but buri’d him fo fhallow that
the Dogs fcrap’d away. the Earth, and diftover’d him; but who committed
_ the fact, was not then known.
_ Sha Abbas was not only willing that ‘all the trade fhould be in the hands of _
his Subjects, to make profit thereby, and to. draw the Money into his King-
dom; but he would not fuffer it to be tran{ported when it was brought in,
He faw that the Pilgrimages of his Subje&ts to Afecca, their Expences and Pre-
fents carry'd out abundance of his Ducats of Gold ; therefore more politick than
religious, he firove to hinder thofe Pilgrimages as much as in him lay ; ard |
going
De Te Oe DE ae we WOR a ee ‘hi. Fae ene Spr
Chap af Monfieur Tavernier
ving himfelf in perfon to AdLefhed in Pilgrimage to the Tomb of Iman-rez, al-
ready {poken of, over which one of the Legs Of Mahsmers Came] hangs asa
a great Relict; and upon his return relating and giving out ftrange Miracles
of Iman-rez, on purpofe to divert his Subjeéts from going to. Afecca.
Among, the reft of the cunning knacks that Sha-Adbbas made ufe of, to know
how fquares went in his Kingdom, without trufting ‘too much to his Minifters,
he oft’n difguis’d himfelf , and went about the City like an ordinary inhabi-
rant, under pretence of buying and felling, making it his bufinefs to dilcover
whether Merchants us’d fale weights or meafures or no. To this intent one evening
going out of his Palacein the habit ofa Countryman, he went to a Bakers to buy a
Man of Bread, and thence to a Cook to buy a AZan of Roft-meat, (a Alan
is fix Pound, fixteen Ounces to the Pound ). The King having bought his Bar-
ains return’d to Court, where he caus’d the Athemadounletr to weigh both
the Bread and the Meat exaétly. He found the Bread to Want fifty-feven
Drams, and the Meat forty-three. The King feeing that, fell into a great chafe
againft three or four of them that were abont him, whofe bofinefs it. was to
Jook after thof things ; but efpecially againft the Governour of the City, whofe
Belly he had caus’d to have been ript up, but for the interceffion of certain
Lords. .Befides the reproaches that he. threw upon them for béing - fo
negligent in their Employments; and for their little affeGion to the publick
good, he laid before them the injaftice of falfe weights; and how fadly the
cheat fell upon poor men, who having great Families, and thinking ‘to give
them eight hundred Drams of Bread, by that fraud depriv’d them of a han-
dred and forty three. Then turning to the Lords that were prefent, he de-
manded of them, what fort of juftice ought to be done thofe people? When
none of them daring to open their mouths, while he was in that paffion, he com-
manded a great Oven to be made in the Piazza, together with a Spit long
enough to roaft a man; and that the Oven fhould be heated all night, and
that they fhould make another fire to be kindI’d hard by the Oven. The next
morning the King caus’d the Baker and the Cook to be apprehended, and to
be led quite thorough the City, with two men going before them, who cry’d
to the people, We are going to put the Baker into a red hot Oven made in
the Piazza, where he is to be bak’d alive, for having utter’d Bread by falfe
weights ; and the Cook is to be roafted alive, for having fold meat by falfe
weights. Thus thofé two men ferv’d for an example not only to = ay
but to all the Kingdom, where every one dreaded the fevere jJuftice of Sha
Abbas, : .
Book V.
foe oP LEE STAN: Lravels
CHAP. UT.
p. yF what fell out moft memorable. in the Reign of Sha-Sefi the fri 5
ind particulsrly of the death of Iman-Kouli-Kan, and his thres
“Sons. re | Hip.
Min: Kouli-Kan wag the lat Kan of Schiras ; whofe Government extended
over the Province of Lar, to the Golf of Perfia, under the Reign of Sha.
Abbas 3 thefe Kans being the moft potent in all Perfia. Iman-K oulj-
_ Kan was he who in-the Reign of Sha-Abvas conquer’d the greateft part of thé
Kingdom of Zar, and the Kingdom of Ormus, with all the Coaft of the Per
fran Golf} from Cape Pafques to Balfara. — a | ;
. This Jman-Kouli-K an was prodigioufly rich, belov’d and refpected by all the
world; befides he was wonderfully. magnificent, his expences almoft equalling
the Kings ; which occafion’d Sha-Abbas, who difcours’d with him one day parti-
cularly npon that Subject, to tell him, that he defir’d him to fpend gery day
one -Mamoudy lefs than he, that there might be fome difference between the
expences of a King and a Kan. : 4 owe 7m |
“The noble qualities of this Iman-Kouli-Kan had gain’d the affections of the
people 3 for he was*magnificent and liberal ; highly recompenc’d brave Soldiers
and ‘Students ; he lov’d Strangers, and had a particular -caré to -cherifh Arts
and Sciences. To which purpofe he built a fair Colledg at Schéras, for the in-
ftruction of Youth ; and feveral Inns, as well in the ‘City ‘as: upon the. Road,
for the benefit of Travellers.s-He cdus’d Mountains to be cut thorough to fhor-
ten the. way ;.and joit’d others by Bridges, of fuch an adventyrous Structure,
%,
that itis’ hard to'vonjeCure how fuch prodigious Arches could bé made over
4
fuch vaft Précipices and- Torrents. get dts ger
“Now imtregard: Jman-Kouli-Kan was ftrick’n in years, He’ feldom ‘went to
Court; ¢hufing rather to continue in his Government, where-he was belov’d and .
_ nefpetted by: all men. -But the King being young, and the Gayernment of the’
Kingdom: ‘in the hands:‘of the Queén-Mother and the -Athemadoxulet, who were
extreamly jealous of the Kaz, thofe two perfons link’d together in intereft for
the maintenance of the Kings Authority and their own,’ fretted to., fee the
Kan’s Court almoft as fplendid as the Kings; and that ‘nothing of the’ Réve-’
nue of Schiras, Lar, Ormus, or any part of the Pevfiz2 Golf came to the Kings .
Coffers, as being folely at.the difpofal of the Kan; but that on the contrary, -
the King was oblig’d to fend him Money to pay the Army, But that which
troubled the Queen-Mother moft of all, was the preteniion of the.Kan’s eldeft -
Son to the Crown, whowas alfo a perfon ofa daring and ambitious courage.
For the Kings of Perfa efteem it a great Honour to beftow upon any Kan or
great Lord, one of their Wives out of their Royal Haram ; and Sha-Abbas
had given to Jman-Kouli-Kan one of his own proper Wives, whom he lov’d
extreamly. °Tis thought io when fhe left the Haram fhe was three months
_ gone with Child by Sh2-4bbas, for fomewhat above fix months after the was.
* bedded by the’ Kaw, the ayia of a Son, of which the King was the reputed
Father, and who being born before Sha-Sefi, pretended a right before him to
the Throne. -By vertue of this claim, contrary to the will of Sha-Abbas in
favour of Sha-Sefi, this ambitious Lord, who only pafs’d for the Kan’s eldeft —
Son, vehemently ‘follicited his Father to feize upon Sha-Sefi, and to make him-
felf King, or at leaft to op’na way for him to the Throne. Now it happen’d,
that one day being a hunting with the young King near Schiras, the impatient
young Lord coming to his Father ; Sir, faid he, fee now the Opportunity that
offers’. you the Throne ; for will go prefently and bring you Sha-Sef’s head, _
Bur the Kan holding his Son by the, Arm, told him, that he would never con-
_ fet ‘td ‘the death of his King ; protefting to him, rather to dye a thoufand
deaths ;“addiig withall, that ir was the Kings will to appoint Sha-Sefi to fuc-
ceed him, as being the Son of his Son, and confequently his lawful Heir ; that
a a : ye IS See the
Chap. Il. of Monfieur Tavernier. 205
the young Prince was recommended to his care; and in regard he had pro- — =
mis’d and fworn, he was fo far from falfifying his truft, that he would main«
tain his poffeffion to the latt gafp. ,
This generous refolution of the Kan broke the young Lords defign upon
the Kings perfon. However the Sz/tane/s being not ignorant of the train that
was laid for the young King, and againft the repofe of the Kingdom, thoughe
it her wifeft way to prevent the blow, and to rid her félf of fuch perfons as
had confpir’d the death of the King. The Kan’s two other Sons took part with
him they call’d their elder Brother. And as for the Kans himéelf, though he
were upright in his Loyalty, yet his power, his wealth, his reputation among
the Souldiery, and the affection that the people bare him, concurr’d together nor
only to render him fofpected, but guilty. The Szltanefs and the _Athemadoulet
rook counfel together, which way to divert the ftorm that threaten’d the Kings’
head, to whom they reprefented, that he was not fafe in his own perfon fo
Jong as Jmanx-Kenli-Kan and his three eldeft Sons liv’d. The King eafily be-
liev'd them, and refolv’d to be rid both of Father and Sons together ; but
the difficulry was to get ’em to Court, wherein opportunity it felf afliited
them. For at that time murarh the Great Turk at the head of a vaft Ar-
my, Was already advane’d within the Confines of Perfia, had tak’a Erivan, and
had ruin’d Tauris. Upon the firft news of this march, the King fends for alk
the Kans and Governours to attend his perfon, with all the Forces under their
command. Among the reft, the Ka» of Schiras receiv’d the fame orders; who’
thereupon affembl’d all his Troops, both Horfe and Foot, who were not only
the moft numerous, but the beft difciplin’d and ftouteft Souldiers of all Perfia.
As he was upon his march to Cashin with his three Sons, the eldeft having
well confider’d of affairs ; Sir, faid he, We are making haft to the King, to the
end our heads meay the fooner fall at our feet. Perhaps my Son, reply’d the Kan,
thon maift peak the truth ; but to this day I never was a Rebel aganft the K ing,
Ihave done whatever she commanded , and whatever may happ'n I will obey hing —
till death. The Kan arriving at Cashin; was by the King welcom’d with great de-
monftrations of joy. Some days after, he took a general Mufter, and then
made a great Feaft which lafted three days, to which all the great Lords and
| Kans that were at Casbin were call’d. The three Sons of lwan-Kouli-Kan were
of the number ; but the Father excus’d himfelf, as well by reafon of his age,
as alfo reprefenting to his Majefty, that it better beficced him to employ his
time in taking care of his affaires, and in praying for his Majefty ; however
if it were his Majefties exprefs command, he would not fail to obey ; to which
the King return’d for anfwer, thar the Kam of Schiras was at his liberty to do
ashe thought fit. The third day of the Feaft the King rofe from his Seat, —
and going out of the Hall, without fpeaking a word to any perfon, went into _ Ars
a Room hard’by. Half an hoor after, three fturdy refolute Fellows with fome —
other Ragamuffin attendants, entring the Hall with their Scimeters drawn, feiz’d
upon the Kans three Sons, and cut off their heads. They were put into a
Gold Bafon, and prefented to the King ; who commanded the Fellows to carry es
them to their Father, and as foon as he had feen them, to take off his head ee
to make the fourth, The Affaffinates found him at his prayers; but being in- -
terrupted to fee the heads of his three Sons, he defir'd leave only to conclude, ge
whiclt having done, with a countenance undifturb’d, and without any other
words or expreflions in his mouth than what is ufually faid among the Per—-
fians, Let the Kings will be done,he {ubmitted to adeath which he might have eafily
avoided. The four heads were brought back to the King, to be fent into
the Haram to his Mother. So foon as he had taken off the heads of the
Father. and the three Sons, the King difpatch’d away certain Chappars.or Co
riers, with order to the Lieutenant of the Kaz, to put to death alPth@reft of
the Children. ‘The eommand was obey'd, and they were all put to death, but
only two that were at Nurfé, whom their Nurfes fo we na Fd, that never
any tidings could be heard either of the Nurfes or of the Children. oF Ses
After the death of Jman-Kouli-Kan, the Province bitas, with its de-
pendances, has been govern’d by a Vizir, rees with the King what
Rent to pay him yearly, In the years 1665 a ‘ ‘ou the Viair gave od
; 2 eee a
206
agreed oF
< as
> ts
+ a af
oe
.
The PERSIAN Travels Book ¥.
thoufand Tomans a year. But in the year 1667, the King abated him ‘¢j
thoufand Tomans, in regard he had taken from him a finall part of his Goy
ment to pleafure a Favourite. Fe
Befides what the Governour of Schiras pays to the King in ready Money,
he is oblig’d every year to fend hima prefent of all the rarities that TOW
or are bred in the Province. Thefe Prefents confift in Horfes, of which there
‘is the beft breed of any Province of Perfia. In Granates, Oranges, and Le.
mons, fweet Oils and Waters of feveral forts, efpecially Oil of Roflés, with
which the women rub their bodies and heads; and the water of a certain
Flower that grows upona tree not much unlike our Willows, Which Water js
call’d 4rak-Bilmitfhe, which is a great refrefhment to thofe that ufe it; be.
fides other Oils and Eflences which the Governour is oblig’d to prefenr, Yet
were he only oblig’d to. prefent the King, the expence might be born well
enough ; but for fear of being difplac’d by any other Favourite, he is cor.
ftrain'd to make Friends of all the other great Lords and Favourites at Courr;
which there,is no way to do, but by continual prefents. Whereas the ancient
Kans, who ‘were a kind of petty Soveraigns in their Governments, were only
‘wont to fend a few Baskets of new Fruits in their. feafon for the fervice of
the Kings Table. To defray this expence, the Governours are forc’d to ty-
rannize over the people; who when they come, as many times they do, two
or three: Villages together, to complain to the King, are fore’d after long wait-
ing, to return with empty Purfes home again, by reafon that they who fhould
give them admiffion, are the only perfons that debar them from it ; and pa-
tiently to fubmit to the Extortions of the Vizir; which is a piece of policy pra-
ctis'd likewife by all the other Kans and Governours of the Perfiazn Provinces,
As for Sha-Sefi himfelf, he was very fevere, and one whofe punifhments oft’n
amounted to acts of cruelty. One day being a hunting, a poor Countryman
appear'd from behind a Rock, with a paper in his hand, being deputed by the
Village to make fome complaint to the King. But while the poor man cry'd
for juftice, the King without making any anfwer, {hot two arrows into his body
and flew him. That which mov’d Sha-Sefi to this act of cruelty, was becaufe
‘he had fome of his Wives with him in company. For then there js no mercy
to thofe poor people that happ’n to be in the way where the King chances
to paf$ by; no not for them that are in the Country round about, where the
Eunuchs have order to kill all men they meet. When the King gives notice
of his intention to carry his Wives into the Country, this is call’d Cosrouk ;
and there is nothing more troublefome nor more inconvenient in the world to
the poor people that live in the Villages through which thefe women are to
pafs ; for upon notice giv’n them, they muft leave their Houfes for a League
or two of either fide. When there is a Courouk at Ifpaban, let the weather be
never fo bad, the people muft leave their Houfes, and if they have no Friends
in fome diftant quarter to retire to, they have no way but to repair to the Moun-
tains. Such. is the excefs of the jealonfie of the Kings of Perfia; which indeed
derives it f€lf to all his Subjects, who will not permit their women to be {een
ght
ern-
* “by any but their own Husbands.
The Perfians both men and women are fo addicted to take Tobacco, that
totake their Tobacco from them, is to take away their lives. So that if the
King fhould prohibit Tobacco for any time, he wauld lofe a good part of his
revenue. However Sha-Scf in a humor having once forbidd’n Tobacco to be
taken in any part of his Dominion, his Spies ¢ that are in every City ) found
in the Indian Inn two rich Merchants of that;Nation fmoaking their nofes. Imme-
diately they were feiz’d, bound, and carry’d to the King, who commanded. forth-
_with that Juftice thould be done upon them in the Ade:dan, which was that
Would have repriev’d them upon the place.
they figpfld pour melted lead down their throates till they were dead.
_. The people thought the King had only intended to have fcar’d them, and
‘Wo Infomuch that four Banians went
to the Athemadouler, and offer’d to pay two thoufand Tomans into the Kings
Treafary, fo that he would be pleas'd to {pare the two Merchants lives. ‘The
chief Minifter made the propofal, but the King falling into a paffion, and asking
the dthemadonler, whether thofe Indian Dogs thought that a King of Perfia wii ,
“ ; Okk-
*
Chap. IV. of Monfieur Tavernier. 207
RR So 5 ae RAE ee Ss eis 28 os
fell Fuftice, fent a fecond order for the execution of the Merchants without
delay. .
The fame Sha-Sefi having giv’n command that the Eyes of a young Lord
of the Court fhould be put out, one of the principal Officers of the Houfe
being prefent, and feeing the Executioner prick the eyes of the unfortunate
young man with the point of a fimall knife, fhut his own eyes and turn’d.away
his head, as abhorring fuch a fpectacle, The King perceiving it, and vex’d to
fee thofe figns of pity, and a diflike of an act that he approv'd ; What, faid he
ina fury, are thou Afraid to punifh the wicked? And at the fame time com-
manded his eyesto be pull’d out of his head. Berea oe
It is a cuitom, that if any man points at the King as he pafles along in the
Street, or upon the Road, he muft lofe his hand. One day Sha-Sefi being in the
Country, two Merchants of Conjtantinople were upon the Road, where the King
and his Train were to pafs. They ftopp’d to fee the King, and when he came
near, one of the Merchants pray’d his Friend that oft’n had feen him, to fhew him
which was he. The other knowing that only the King wears the Heron tops
in his Bonnet, innocently lifted up his hand to diftinguifh him, by pointing, from
the reft of the Lords that follow’d him. For which ac two Horfement came
prefently to him, and cut off his hand with a Scimiter.. 7
é (CALA Te
The nappa and memorable Svory of Ralph Sadler, Nitive of Zurich,
in the Reign of Sha-Sefi, who had retain d him in his Service.
[Pee Sadler, born in Zarich, was a Watchmaker by Profeflion, who put him-
felf into the fervice of the Emperors Refident at the Ortoman Court,
‘with whom he went to Con/tantinople. This man I defir'd to take along with
me into Perfia; and coming to J/paban, he fet himfelf to work, and made a finall
Watch about the bignefs of half a Crown ; which being a neat piece of work,
the Englifh would needs buy, to prefent it to lman-Couli-Kan, paying the
price demanded, which was two hundred Crowns. Jan-Couli-Kan prefented
it to the King; who was mightily pleas’d with it, in regard it was the leaft
ftriking Watch that ever had been feen by the King, who therefore carry’d it
hanging about his Neck under his Clothes, in a Gold Chain. One day the King
happening to wind up his Watch, and turning the Key the wrong way, broke
the Fofil, for whieh he was fo much troubl’d, that he fent for the Watch-
maker from J/paban to Cashin; whither when Ra/ph came, he prefently made
the Watch as good as ever. The King thus fatisfy’d in his work and in his per-
fon, order'd him a Penfion of thirty Tomans, and Diet for him anda man, and
provifion for two Horfes ; commanding him withall to make fome new pieces
of work. Now a skilful workman in the fervice of the Perfian King, has this
advantage, that if he pleafes the King, befides his Wages that are duly paid,
the King out of his liberality beftows on him a prefent, which ufually amounts
to a third part or half his Wages; or elfe his Wages are rais’\d, which is more
advantageous than a prefeént. 3 ores
Ralph was obligd every morning to wait upon the King at his rifing, to
wind up his Watch; and was fo much in the Kings favour, that every morn-
ing when he came out of the Kings Chamber, he had a Glafs of Wine pre-
fented him, asa mark of efteem. And indeed the King had fuch an affection
for him, that to retain him in his fervice he often follicited him to turn ALaho-
meéetans ; KEES Cees Gales
The Embaflador of Hol/teim coming to Z/paban, and feeing Ralph fo much in
favour with the King, endeavour’d to gain his Friendfhip. —
Thus Ralph oft’n keeping compan te the Embafladors, and having one
time tarry’d till late at night upon the debauch with them, returning home of
= / is
208 |
—
a ee ae on
The Persian Travels | Book Vv.
his Lodging, where he kept a young Wesforian girl, in the Gourt of the Hone
met a young Perfian, Brother to one of the Kings Porters. The Perfi.in know-
ing himfelf guilty, and furpriz’d to fee Ralph fo foon return’d, skip’t over the
Wall into the Garden and fled. The next day Ralph (who knew who he Was
told” his Brother of it, and defir’'d him to fpeak to the young Perfian not to
come any more to his Honfe ; for if he did, he muft expect what follow’d,
Some days after, the Embaffadors treated all the Franks ; when Ralph he.
ginning to be warm, call’d the young Perfran to mind, and flipping home With
out taking his leave, open’d the door foftly, and found the young Perfias again
with his Miftris. Thereupon Ralph calling his Slaves to help him, bound hig
arms, and ty’d him toa Tree inthe Court; and fo leaving him there, Went to
bed. By and by one of Ralp#’s Servants, who knew the Perfia», fella Jeering
him; which fo incens’d the Perfian, that he having his feet at liberty, and the
fellow within his reach, gave him fuch a kick upon the bottom of his belly,
that he firft fwooned away, and then dy’d. The other Slaves leeing him full,
waken’d Ralph with their cries, who therewpon fhatching up a Piftol that wag
charg’d with a brace of Bullets, fhot the Perfian into the head. The Perfay
being thus flain, Ralph went in the morning to wind up the Kings Watch ; and
being ask’d by the King, as he was wont to do, what news in F/pahen, told
him plainly what he had done, and the reafon why. The King upon his re-
port told him, he had done well according to the ftritnef$ of the Country,
‘The Athemadoulet at that time was Mirza-Také, who hated Ralph. For the
Armenian Merchants having prefented the Athemadouler with = Watches
at atime, it happen’d that once he fent to Ralpo above thirty Watches toge-
ther to be mended. For which the At hemadouler, to gratifie him, and knowin
that he kept ‘four or five Servants, and feven or cight Horfes, {ent him fifteen
or twenty Camels load of Straw and Barley for his Horfes. But Ralph ftight-
ing {uch a prefent as that, Go ( faid he to the Athemadoulets Servant ) tell thy
Mafier, that I am neither a Horf? nor an Afs, and therefore let him eat his
Prefent himfelf. Which meffage fo provok’d the Arhemadeuler; that he ftudy'd
nothing but revenge. a LA de,
_ Thereupon the <Athemadorler, whofe bufinefs it is to attend the King when |
he rifes, and to report to him the news of the Town, told him, among the
' reft, what Ralph had done. The King reply’d, that Ralph had confefs'd it to
him already. and that he had pardon'd him, in regard he had reafon to doas.
he did. But the Athemadouler made anfwer, that RalpS had mine’d the mat-
ter; and reprefented the ftory to the King far otherwife than it was, making
the wort of it he could upon Ralph's fide ; and the more to incite the King, _
he put him in mind of the fair occafion he had to force him to turn Aduffulman,there
being no way to expiate his crime, but by turning Afahometan, or fuffering the
Law. The King thus over-rul’d, fent for Ralph, told him, he was now better .
ieform’d of the crime he had committed, and that muft either turn AZz-
hometan or dye. Thereupon the King fent him to Pin Eight days after,
the King (who had a great love for him, and therefOre troubl'd that he muft
be conftrain’d to put him to death, unlefs he would turn Mahumetan,) fent for
him again, and offer’d him two thoufand Tomans, after a powerful perfwafion
by words, but all fignify’d nothing. Upon that he fent him back again to Pri
fon. But yet remembring that he had once approv’d the fact, he fent for i
a fecond time, and offer’d him ten thoufand Tomans, and a Wife out of his
4laram, with all her Jewels ; all which Ralph refus’d, with the fame refolo-
tion as before. The King incens’d at the fiercenef$ of his refolution, deliver’d
him to the Brother of the party flain, to execute the Law upon him. The
Hlolftein Embafladors were refoly’d to have bee’d his life; but the Athema-
douler, fmelling their defign, would not permit them Audience. However, the —
King commanded all the Franks, and all the Armenian Clergy to be prefent at
the Execution, to fave all his blood, and put him in a Coffin; he commanded
alfo, that he fhould be buried at Zulpha in the Armenian Church-yard, and
have a Tomb made over him. , ‘
Thereupon Ralph was lead to the Meidan, with that triangular Inftrument of
Wood which: the Perfians calla Palenk , about his neck. Thig Palenk was "a
: caufe
Chap. V. of Monfieur T a , ERN ER.
caufe. that the Brother of the deceas’d, who was to be the Executioner, not
only mifs'd his firft blow , but wounded himfelf in the Leg, while his Skain
peing born off by one of the fides of the triangular Inftrument,by the force of the
plow lighted upon himfelf. Whereupon the people making a great fhout
hinder’d farther execution for that time. The King being advertis’d thereof, re~
manded him to Prifon, and after a few days fent for him a third time intro
his prefence ; but though the King offer’d him a thoufand Tomans, and that .
the Lords urg’d him to turn, though it were but fora while, and in outward
ypearance ; yet neither threats nor promifes could move the Zurickian, who
was thereupon executed at the end of Oétober, 1637. 3
All the Franks willingly contributed to raife him a Tomb; which was co-
verd with afinall Dzomo, fupported with four Pillars, ten or twelve foot high,
The Armenians have made hima Saint; fo that when they are fick of a Fea-
ver, they come and make their devotions at this Tomb ; and every time they
come, thev carry away a piece of a Stone; fo that the Tomb wants repair-
ing every year. io
“The Athemadouiet, to the end the King might be the lefs fenfible of the
want of him, had told the King, that his Majefty would find no great mifS
of him, in regard he had a Servant whg was almoft as good as himfelf. But
fome few days after, the Kings Watch that he always carry’d about him, be-
ing out of order, and Relpss Apprentice not being able to remedy the fault;
the King for madnefs that he had been the Watchmakers death, threw the
Watch at the -dthemadoulets head. There, cry’d he, Dog as thon art, by thy
advice I put Ralph to death , the moft skilful man of his Profeffion that ever
will come into my Kingdom. Thou deferveft for thy counfel, to have thy belly ript
up. But I fwear by my Tnrone, that from this time forward I will never put a
a Chriftian to death for his Religion, And I queftion whether any of you would
have bad the fame courage to have ay'd for rhe Law of Haly. And indeed they
have been very cautious ever fince ; nor has any of the Frazks been put to
death, though they fave flown out before the King in words and actions rafh
enough.
; CHAP, V. | |
Of fome particulars under the Reign of Sha- Abbas the fecond.
\ Ha-Abbas the fecond, Son of Sha Sef, was no lefS crue] then his Father ia
and would be no Jefs punctually obey’d.
He had two Sifters, which he marrid to two of the richeft Lords of his
Kingdom,, though of a very mean extraction. Some time after, the King un-
derftanding that they were both with-Child, orderd Phyfick to be given them.
to deftroy the fruit of their Wombs. About three months after, he was told
that. they were big again ; then he fuffer'd ‘em to be brought to bed; but com-.
199.
manded that they fhould not give the Children any nourifhment, but Jet’em
ftarve to déath. .
The fame.Sha bbas caus’d the tongue of one that fill'd him Tobacco tobe
cut out: for a word fpok’n idly. For the King calling for Tobacco, one of the.
Pages ran haftily for ic to him that had it in charge, and bid him difpateh ;
who anfwer'd him briskly, Gehennemé fabreijlé, that is, to Hell, have a tittle pa~
tience. The King being inform’d of it, commanded his tongue. to be cut out.
The poos man defir’d him that was the Executioner, to cut it.as deep as he
could in his throat, and to leave it very fhort ; by which means he fpoke fome
words mufiling. 9 ——i
The people cry’d out againft the Mazar, who being a perfon of low ex-
traction, and advanc’d to that high dignity ina fhort time, grew fo proud that.
he contemy’d all the Lords of the Court, There was no dealing with i
ahd... Sees about
ge A
- nard. After they had heated themtelves a ‘little with Wine, the King drew a’
en re enna dteentinerapenmtentiperishas se intionpatioare ce,
The P E5R YS 2 AGN: Travels Book V.
a eee.
about. any bufinefs, unlefs he were firft prefented ; and he paid no body wirh-
out Making fome advantage of it. Every body had reafon to complain; yer
ro perfon knew how to come at the King ro make their complaints. At length
they bethought themfelves of making their application to two. black Eunuchs,
who had the Kings ear in the niglhr. Cne was call’d “{ga-Saron, who wag
the Azterer or Matter of the Wardrobe ; and the other wiga-Kafoar, or high
Treafurer. Thefé two Eunuchs. feeing the King in a good humour one night,
let fall certain words concerning. the Nazar; and his management of affairs and
thence flid into a difeourfé of his injuftice, thar caus’d the people to cryout againgt
him, and fpeak eviLof his Government. Now it happen’d one morning» that the
King intending to go a hunting, the Grand Matter, who had always a large train ap
tending him, coming to the Kings Tene, the Azerer deny’d him entrance. About
the fame time the King came forth, and feeing the Nazar, commanded his Officers
to take off the Bonnet from the head of that Dog that took Gifts from his
people ; and that he fhould fie three days bareheaded in the heat of the Sun,
and as many nights in the Air. Afterwards he caus’d him to be chain'd about
the neck and arms, and condemn’d him to perpetual imprifonment, with a Ma-
moudy a day for his maintenance ; but he dy’d for grief wizhin eighty days
after he was put in prifon. Et ;
jafer-Kan, being a generous Lord, and one that kept a magnificent train, was
Governour of <djterabat. At firlt he was very mild, but at laft he began to
exact fuch fams from the people, that his oppretlions were very heavy ; nor
were thefé violences of his conceal’d from the Kings ear; who being one da
drinking with fome of his Lords, and fecing the Mafter of his Mutick in the.
Room, who was a merry droll, and had always fome pleafant news or other
to tell the King ; his Maiefty. was pleas’d to ask. him, what the people faid of
jafer-Kan; addiag withall, that he had made him Governour of feveral Pro-
vinces, and h.d never heard any complaint of him before; but that now he was
accns’d of ftrangely tyrannizing over the people. The Mufick Matter being a
meer flatterer, and knowing that fafer-Kan was extreamly belov’d by the re)
confidently averr’d, that the Governour was falfly aceus’d, and that he had al-
ways known him apter to give than to receive. There was at the fame time
in the Room, an gis call’d ALanouchar- Kan, Jately return’d from a Pilgrimage
to’ Afecca s him the King alfo ask’d, what was his opinion of 7afer-Kan, and his —
Government, being a perfon that had been long acquainted with bim ; to whom
3 i
the gis, thinking to pleafe the King, rcturn’d the fame anfwer. that the Mu-—
fick Mafter had giv’n. Whereupon rise Ping, who had been well inform’d of
g |
oe
the Kans behaviour, turning toward the Lords that were prefent, whar think
jen, faid he, of thefe two Flatrerers. that ablolutely know the contrary to what
) eB, ) ) YR! -
1a¢y [peaR? And at the fame time commanded two of the Mafick Mafters
teeth to be pull’d out of his mouth , and to be driv’n into the head of the’
gis; Which had like to have coft him his life, being a very old man. As for
ja4er-Kan, be was difgrac’d for atime, bat being a perfoa endow’d with noble.
qualities, valiant, generous, and pleafing in converfation, he was recall’d to Court, |
and knew fo well how to make his tale good, that his: Majetty gave him the
Government. of Shemelonboftan, of which Semeran is the Capital City. Shemelon-
voflan fignifies a Country manur’d to bear fruit. Noris there any Province in’
Jafia that fo abounds in Paftures and Caftles, that daily full to ruine.
jafer-Kan being reftor’d to favour, the King fent for feveral Lords of the’
Court to come and drink with them. He alfo commanded five French Artifi-
cers which he had jin his fervice to wait upon him, a Goldfnith nam’d Sain,
two Watchmakers Lagis and Varin, end two Musket-makers Afarais and Ber-
-
*: Ruby our from off his finger, which I fold for him a hundred Tomans, and a Dia- |
(4fet-Kan, with whom he was whifpering, at the fame time: Now though the’
mond jewel worth thirteen or fourtcen’ hundred Tomans,'which he gave to.
Wazar were at a diftance, yet without doubt fomewhat of the difcourfe was’
heard; infomuch that the Wine émboldning him, he told ‘the King alond, that
if be would let him have but four thoufind ‘Horfe, he would cut ‘all that: Rab- |
st
-
ble :o pieces. The King bid him hold his tongue and ‘go to fleep; teftifying —
his
- Chap. V. “of Monfieur Tavenrnizr. 211
his difpleafure at his difcourfe. For the Nazar conjectur’d that the King was
talking to fafer-Kan about the incurfions which the Usbeck Tartars often made
from Adéf/bed fide. As for the Franks three of the five. were gone home to
fleep, Swi, Lagis, and Bernard: Maras and Varin ftay’d behind in the Room.
But Mara:s beng of a bumor that when he was drunk he could not hold his
rongue, and having heard what the Mazar faid, he likewife took upon him
to tell the King, that if the King wanted a General, there was none fitter to
make a General than 7afer-Kan, and prefently began a long repetition of his
raifes. The King commanded him to hold his tongue, which he did for awhile,
but then falling again into his former impertinencies, the King commanded him
ro be dragg'd out of the Room by the feet, and that they fhould rip up his
belly. Thereupon Marars was {ciz’d upon by the Meter, who having a great kind-
nefs for the Franks, and knowing that the King had a fingular love for Afa-
vais, delay’d the execution of the Kings command, pulling his Cloathes off very
flowly ; and finding - that the King did not rife to go into his Haram, which is
the fign of no pardon to be given, he caus’d him to be drage’d as near the
perfon of the King as he could, thereby to try whether the King would have
compaflion on him or no; while certain Lords took the boldnefs to implore
the Kings mercy in his behalf. At laft when the King faw him dragg’d along,
~ he conimanded the Officers to let him go, and withall order’d him to put on
his Cloathes again, and refume his place. e
The King of Perfia’s eldeft Son comes very raw to the Throne ; and his firft
divertifement is to make fhort journeys into the Provinces, thereby by little
and little to gain the knowledg.of fuch things as concern him. Above all things
he never fails to vifit the principal Church of the Armenians at Zulpha. That
which makes him {0 curious, is his defire to fee the Armenian women, who
gre very handfom ; being alfo further incited thereto by the Sultaneffes, who are
glad of any recreation, And then he has a Coxrouk through all Zulpha, at
what time all the men muft retire to J/pahan, or to their Friends at a diftance.
Sha-Abbas the fecond went feveral times in that manner to Zulpha; and one
day among the reft, upon the report of the beauty of the Wife of the Ke-
lonter Gorgia Safras, Son of Kelonter Gorgia Nazar , the King having feen
her, lik’d her very well, and defir’d her to go along with the Sultaneffes, who
carry’d her into the Haram, where fhe continu’d fifteen days, and then retarn’d
home witha fair Neck-Lace of Pearls, which the King gave her when fhe went
away.
To fay the truth of Sha-Abbas the fecond, he was a man too much given
to drink, and too much govern’d by his paflion; otherwifé ‘he was a lover of
juftice, and very magnificent and generous to Strangers, . ,
Sh ae
The Persian. Travels Book V.
‘CHAP. VI.
61 beh Beg was born at Tauris, the Son ofa Taylor, who bred him-a Scho.
VE |]
ar. He had’a quick apprehenfion, and was naturally enclin’d to vertue .
and being defirous to advance himfelf in the world, he had the good luck to ob.
tain the employmeft' of A¢ajor-Bafhi, or chief of the Effayers and Refiners of Mo.
ney, who has a power to vifit all places where money is coyn’d. After that, he
became acquainted with the dila'Verdi Beg, or Mr. God(gifr, the Kings chief
Hontfman, by the title of Mert-Shekar-Bafbi, who gladly prefented him to the
King, to whom the King was very thankful,fo foon as he had found the nobleQua-
hties of the perfon he had prefented. Thereupon {0 foon as A¢ahomet Als- Beg.orand
Mafter of the Kings Houfe dy’d, the King beftow’d that Employment upon Mahy-
met Beg, who not only gain’d the favour of his Majefty, but the good will of aj
the Lords of the Court. He had a great refpect for them all, without medlin
with any of their employments, and fuppreft his revengeful {pirir, not finding it
feafonable as yet to difclofe his paffions.
-. Kalife Sultan at that time Athemadoulet hapning to dye, the King conferyg
that place upon ALchomet Beg, who at firft behav’d himfelf in thar employment to
the fatisfaction ofall men. He apply’d him(elf particularly to the fearching Out
of Mines ; for there had a report ran among the people for many years, that if
‘certain mountaines nine or ten miles from I{paban toward the Weft weré well
_ digg’d into, their might be found ftore of Gold, Silver and Copper. To which
purpofé he made ufe of a Norman, whofe name was La Chapelle de Han, who
vanted atithat time to have great skill in Chymiftry, Mines and Minerals, for which
reafon‘he was recommended by the Governor of Z/pahan to the Arhenadoulet then
at Casbin with the King, who preféntly fene him back again to the Governour to
farnifh him with all things neceflaty for his Expences, and for the work which he
undertook in the Mountains. Thither went La Chapelle, and after fifteen days
toyl return’d to //pahan with two or three hunder’d weight of earth,and fet up fur-
naces to draw out the metal. The -Athemadoulet was {d wife as to give order to
the Governour of J/paban,and three or four more perfons of Quality to overview
the Norman, to fee that he play’d no foul play. But though there was not &
much as a half peny worth of filver in all the-earth from the ‘bottom to the top,
though the Perfans watch’d him {0 narrowly as they did, he made a fhift to fhuf-
fle in an Abaffi among the earth,as it was in the furnace without being perceiv'd.
Neverthelefs the 4themadoulet, to whom it was carry’d, prefently found out the
. cheat, though he took no notice of it, hoping to make better ufé of the Norman
in other things ; only he forbad him to dig any more in that place, in regard the
expence would exceed the profit.
La Chapelle, who was very skilful at putting off his merchandize, and one who
knew to make the beft ufe of the leaft {mackering that he might perhaps have in
Mechanicks;and-the power of Motion, had the cunning to amufe the 4rhemadoulet
for ten years together,being a paflionate Lover of new Inventions 3.and the better
to infinuate himfelf into theKings favour aflum’d to himélf theInvention of feveral
Rarities which he fhew’d the Kirg, who thereupon allow’d him a very handfome
penfion. Thus encourag’d,he undertook to caftCanons, bring the water to the
top of the Kings houfe, and feveral other things, yet when all his defigns fail’d for
want.of Art, and that he found he could do no more good in Perfiz; refolving for
Tndia,he dy’d at Ormus, > |
_ The -4themadouler miffing of Gold and Silver Mines, apply’d himfelf to the dif
covery of Copper Mines, wherein he was more fortunate ; for in thofe Mines he
alfo found'veins of Azure, of which‘there isa »great quantity confum’d in painting
the Groteféo ‘Fionrifhes upon the Ceilings: and ‘Arehes of their Honfes.He alfo found
out a Mine of Lead near Yerde : -and'being ftil upon new <difcoveries, he found out
: spas er |
)f the misfortune of Mahomet Beg in the raigne of Sha-Abbas the
wi > fecond, . -
a
: Sea 4
Chap. VI. of Monficur TaveRrNrer.
4 Mine of Talk, Stone, Allum, and Coles,but of neither fo good as in other Coin-
tries. He was fo obftinate in the fearth of Metals, that if any perfon had an occa-
fion to {peak with him, let him be never fo bufie npon never fo important affairs
it was enough to bring him fome ftones of a fuppofed Mine, or fomething rare B
ther for Colour, Figure or Weight. He alfo gave full power to them that broughe
him any tidings of a Mine to go to the place, and to prefs the Countrymen from |
their labour to dig in the Mountains and break up rocks: and’ if they found ‘no-
thing he caft the fault upon the ignorance of the Labourers. a
He alfo apply’d himfelf to the ftudy of Mechanic Motions.. He would have.
found an Invention, whereby the half Vail that hangs in the Kings Megeler , or
Council Chamber, and is drawn to and fro by certain Officers in the Summer, to.
gather the cool Air, fhould have bin made by Engine-work. Then he tooka fan-
cy for water Engines, the moftneceflary thing inthe world for Perfiz to relieve
the drowth of the Country, but wanting neceflaries, as Beams, Rafters, Wheel-
work, Cordage and Iron, he could not begin thofe Engines, the figures whereof
La Chapelle had left him in a Book.
But as Mahomet Beg was ftudious in thefe things, {0 was he Ambitious and Re-
vengeful to that height that he could not obferve a moderation in his refentment
—. againft thofe that had given him any diftafte. In his height of Paflion he caus’d
feveral Kans to be depriv’d of their Provinces, and by confifcating their Eftates
reduc’d them to utmoft neceflity. ; :
The Kan of Erivan had a Son who wasa lovely and a well proportion’d Gentle-
man, and always attended at the Kings Elbow.One day that the King was drinking
with fome Lords, he commanded the Kan of Erivans Son to carry a Gold Cup
fall of Wine to the Arhemadouler, who perceiving that he had enough already,
made a fign with his eye to the young Lord to return it back. The young Lord
ffing by the King told him ingenioufly that the dthemadouler had no defire to
drink, whereupon the King commanded him to go and powre the Wine into-his
bofome. As the one vvas oblig’d to obey, the drhemadoulet vvas fore’d to fuf-
fer, and to permit the young manto open his bofome and povvre dovvn the
Wine ; for not daring to fhevv his Anger, he vvas fore’d to diflemble. the beft he
could for that time. But having refolv’d to revenge the aifront upon the Kan of
Erivan Father of the young Lord, vvho had only done vvhat the King command-
ed him, he refolv’d to lay hold upon the opportunity that prefented it felf,knovy-
ing that there vvere feveral complains come againit him from the Armentans of
Evivan. Thereupon the Arhemsadoulet fends for the Keloater, encourages him -in
his fuit, and gives him inftructions hovv to proceed. To this end Mahomet
Beg appoints him to meet him fuch an hour at the Kings Stables, whither the
King prefently coming, the Kelonter threw himfelf at the Kings feet, and be-
fought him for Juftice againft the Kan of Erivans oppreffions : while Mahomet
Beg fai’d not to heap up aggravations againft the Governour, and the King,
though he had heard but one fide,as eafily condemn’d him upon the Accufation of
the Kelonter and his Prime Minifter. Thereupon an Officer of the Kings , call’d
Negef-Couli-Beg, a man of a quick and active {pirit was commanded to go in all
hafte, and feize upon the Perfon of the Kas. Who being come to Erivan found
him upon his feat of Juftice, confifcating and condemning to fine and Corporal
punifhment a near Kinfman of the Kelonters. The Meflenger boldly enrer’d into
the Afegeler or Council Chamber, goes directly to the Kan, told him he was the
Kings prifner, and gave him a blow with his fit upon the neck, about which he
was to wear the Triangle of great thick pieces of wood already defcrib’d, into’
which the neck is enclos’d, while the Arms and Hands of the Prifner are pat
through another piece of wood that crofles the Triangle, which is a great pain to’
the Prifier. Thus was the Kan carry’d night and day to J/pahan, but when he
came there the King fhew’d him more mercy, and allowed him his houfe for a
prifon, yet not fuffering him to go to the Bath, nor to fhave his hair, norto ftir
out of the Apartment where his women were. Thefe are penalties impos’d upon
thofe that fal] into difgrace at Court, whom the King fhuts up in their houfes, in-
tending no feverer punifhment. For the Kan being belov’d by the King was re-
ftord to his favour, and to his former charge of faperintendant of the Kings
Maofquee. ; . ae ae
| “Ge? Neither
Rat,
214
~The Perstan Travels Book V.
es
eet ee etme aetna area
Neirher did this fright’n others from bearing up again{t the Power of Mahomet
Beg , though every one had not the fame ficccefs. For ill it far'd with the Go.
vernour of Schiras, who was call’d Afirza Haddi. He was a perion of great wealth
and knowledge,and one day in Council-took upon him to tell ALehomed Bee,that he
was not of his opinion,and withall to lay before him his defects,and il] conduct Bar
the Primce Minifter fo deeply lay’d to heart the boldnefs of Ad@irza Kade: that he
refolv’d to revenge himfelf by all means imaginable. He fuborn’d fale witneffes,
and other perfons to make complaints before him of the Governour of Sehirgs.
There was a neceflity for the party accus‘d to appear before Mahomet Beg ag his
Judge, but the Governor trufting to his Innocence, nere minded the rage of his ad-
verfary, not believing he could receive any injury from him. In the mean time
Mahomet Beg inform’d the King what he pleas‘d himfelf, and overpow’ring ‘him
by his authority, confifeated all Afirza Haddi’s Eftate, and fent him to prifon to.
the Houfe of the Nazar, who was call’d //mael Beg. When he came there the
bung him upon Tenter-hooks by the feet againft the wall,and drub’d him fo long,
that he was forc’d to be carri’d into another Room upon a Slaves back. His Liey.
tenant and an Eunuch,that had bin his Treafurer,were ferv’d in the fame fawce, and
all three put into a high Chamber that ferv’d inftead of a prifon. His Vizier or
Lieutenant was releas’d ina fhort while,butAZirza Hada: and his Eunuch were ftil]
kept clofe.
Nor is the manner of his revenging himfelf upon Afir-Kaffem-Beg, the Deroga,
or Provolt of I/paban \efs remarkable. While Afahomer Beg was only ALajer-Ba-
foi, there was fome gold Plate ftoll’n out of the Kings Kitchin. Thereupon the
Deroga fent his Officers to feize upon all the Goldfmiths in J/pahan, that knew
nothing of the matter, as being utterly innocent of the Robbery. Inthe mean
time he put them all in prifon, and lockt them clofe up, intimating to them thar
he was refolv’d not to releafe them without a good fum of money. The poor’
Goldfimiths thus ill us’d, apply’d themfelves to the AZajer Bafhi, who fent his Of-
ficers to entreat the Deroga to confider that the Gold-fimiths were innocent of the
Robbery,and that being in fome manner under the Jurifdiction of the ALayer-Bafhyi,
as being Artificers in Gold and Silver, he ought not to refute to difcharge them at
his requeft.. But the Devoga not feeing the money come, bid the Officers of Ma-
homet Beg tell their Mafter that he knew what belong’d to his Employment , and
further, id he, Let the Taylors Son meddle with his own bufinefs ; tell him wirhall,
added he, that of he pleafes I will foew him his Sifter’s drawers. For a little before .
the Deroga had by his Spies furpriz’d her toying in a Garden with two young
Lords , from whom he fqueez’d a confiderable fum of money. Afahomer Beg nor
powerful enough then to profecute his revenge, let it fleep, but when he came to
the height of preferment, he remember’ the Deroga, and bethought himfelf
which way to ruin him. Nor wasit long ere an opportunity offer'd ic felf. For
there being a report that the Enemy appear’d about Cazdabar, a Frontier Town
of Perfia upon the Afogulls Territories, the Athemadouler adviz'd the King to
raife a good number of Souldiers about //p2han, as being lufty nimble fel-
lows and us’d to labour, and to fend them to Caydaliar, to be ready againtt all
accidents. The King having an entire confidence in the themadoutet,order’d him
to lofe no time, but to commit the management of the Levies to fuch perfons as
had perfect knowledge of the plainCountry. Then Afahomer Beg,{tudying his re-
venge,told the King that there was no perfon fitter for the employment than the
Deroga, Mir Kaffembeg,who according to his cruel and covetous humor,foon abus’d
his Commiffion, the thing which he, whohad procur’d it, chiefly defir’d.For
whereas the King intended that none fhould be enroll’d but thofe that were wil-
ling, the Deroga forc’d every body,efpecially the Sons of the richeft Farmers,who
rather than part with their Sons gave the Deroga his own demands to {pare them,
~ When AZahomet Beg had got matter enough againft the Deroga, he underhand
ftirr’d up the Country people to make their complaint, giving them to underftand
that it was contrary to theKings intention to have them tormented in that manner,
that his Commiffion was only to lift thofe that would go of their own accord. The
Villages,eafily encourag’d,fent their Deputies to 7/pahan, whom he kindly recei- ©
wd and prefented the fame hour to the King. His Majefty having heard them,
and Mahomet Beg having feconded their complaint, the King order’d econ
7 ou
te -
a
ee
Chap. VI. of Monfieur Ta v eR NIER.
{hould make an exact lift of what the Commiffioners of the Deroga had robb’d
them of. »AZabomet Beg lott no time, but by vertue of his Authority and the
Kings command, fent his pierre into all the Villagés to take the Oath of eve-
ry Countryman to the end they fhould declare the truth, under the penalty of a
Fine and Corporal punifhment, of what had been exacted from them to the ut-
moft Shayet. This Oath was to be put in Paper, fign’d by every one that made it,
in thefe words, Let my head be confifcated to the King, and my goods to his Divan,
if I obey not puntiually the Order of his Majefty. The accompt being made of all
the money for which they had compounded with the Deroga, it was prefented by
Mahomet Beg,who aggravated the Tyranny of the Deroga, and reprefented to his
Majefty that for thirty years he had thus devour'd the Territories of I {pahan.
Therenpon.by the command of the King,who was then ac Ifpaban, the Deroga was
ro be carry’d into the AZeydan, and being ty’d up by the heels to receive a certain
number of Baftinado’s upon the feet for {o many Fridays one after another ; and
moreover the nerves of his heels were to be cut, and his ankles to be boar’d tho-
rough. The Kings command being thus feal’d, Mahomet Beg committed the ex-
ecution thereof to his trufty Inftrument NegefCoali-Beg, who coming to Ifpaban ~
affembl’d the chief of the City, together with the Yizir or Governour, and the
Deroga or Provoft, who thought of nothing ; being met, before they broak open
the Ringe Seal they made a publick Prayer for the profperity of the King; which
being ended, the Vizier open’d the Letterand read it with a loud voice. When
the Vszsr came to read the Sentence againft the Deroga, he was feiz’d with aftonifh-
ment;at what time/Vege/-Cowli-Beg coming to the Deroga,and ftriking him upon the
Neck with his fift, threw him down under his Horfes feet, and caus’d him to be
bound according to cuitom. Immediately he was hurridto the Piazza, whtre
he receiv’d fo many Baftinado’s upon the foles of his feet that his nayls fell off.
The next Friday they brought him to, the fame place, where they repeated the
fame Execution, and board his ankles. The Deroga being very ancient, his pains
put him into fuch a conditionas mov’d Wegef-Coxli-Beg him({elf to compaffion,who
wrote prefently to Court, that the continuance of fo much-torment, would infal-
libly be the death of the old man. Upon that the King order’d that there fhould
no more be done to him ; only that he fhould be fhut up in the inner part of his
Houfe with his Wives, depriving him of his employment, but leaving him his
Eftate. : 3
, But A¢ahomer Beg nothaving yet compleated the revenge he fought, was re-
v'd after he had thus tormented him, to deprive him alfo of his Eftate,. To
which purpofe he advanc'd to the Office of Derega, a Georgian Renegado who
was call’d Padada-Beg, whom he taught all the tricks imaginable to pick the
peoples pockets. The defign of A¢ahomet Beg in this, was to let the King under-
itand, that if the new Deroga could heap up fach a fum of money in five or fix
months, what a prodigious fum muft A¢ir-Kaffembeg have heap’d up in fo many
years, In fhort, the new Deroga inftructed and encourag’d by ALahomer Beg, le-
© yy’d unjuttly fach a vaft number of fines, committed fo many extortions and ra-
pines upon the people, that at the end of fix months the people began to tumult
at the Palace gate. The Divan Begui,who is the firft Minifter of Juftice, rook the
peoples part ; whereupon Afahomer Beg perceiving he had been too hafty in his
defign to be reveng’d upon the Divan Bequi, who had crofs’d his defigns, one
morning caus’d feveral. files of Mufqueteers to be drawn up at the Kings Haram.
The King furpriz’d at the fight, AZabomer Beg told him that his -Majefty was not
fafe fo long as the Divan Bequi {tirrd up the people to Rebellion: which fo in-
cens’d the King, that he caus’d the Groom Porter to go immediately and pull out
the Divan Bequi's eyes, which was immediately done; nor did the old man fay.
any more, but with his face.all befmear’d with his own goar,defir’d the fervant
upon whofe arms he lean’d, to turn him toward AZecca that he might pray for the
profperity of the King. All his goods were confifcated and brought into theTrea-
fry ;butAZir K afem-beg ftill enjoy’d his,though he was fore’d to {pend the remain-
der of his days in his own houfe. eed
Thus AZabomer Beg preferv’d himéelf ftill in the Kings favour, and had removd
- all thofé perfons from the Court that had no kindnefs for him, and was indifferently
fafe, till A4ir-Tchekar-Bafhi another favourite, whom the King highly lov’d, began
| 2 2 tO
re
21g.
a
FE be Persian Travels ~ Book V.
a make head againtt him. Thefe two haughty fpirits would not give an inch one
to another : and both equally ftrove to poflefs the Kings favour, to have the ditt
pofal of Affairs, Air-Tchekar-Bafbi, who had breught Mahomet Beg into Fa.
vour, being the elder pretended a refpect due to his years, and ALahomer Beg pre.
tended more due from him by reafon ofhis place. During this conteft ran a re.
port of a rebellion upon Georgia fide. Whereupon the Athemadoulet perfwaded
the King to fend Mir-Tchekar-Bafhi, lately made Koular Agafi or General of the
Slaves toward Georgia, that fo he might remove his Rival from Court. The Fa.
vourite fers forward with a flying Camp, but not finding any Enemy that oppos’d
him, wrote back to the King that he faw no appearance of an Enemy, and that
therefore it was a needlefs thing to tire the Souldiers ina Country where there
was no face of War, and begg’d his Majefties leave to return. The Athemadouler
on the other fide Jabour’d to hinder his return by preaching to the King the aq.
vantages of the ftay of thofé forces in thofe parts.
In this interim the Usbek Tarrars had made inroads upon the Frontiers of Cg.
: raffan, and had flain feveral of AZanourcheks people,who was governor of the Pro-
vince. ALahomet Beg who was his Kinfinan, gave the King to underftand that the
Kan of Coraffan had behav’d himfelf valiantly, but conceal’d the defeat of the
Kan, On the other fide the Ko#lar Agafi fent Letter upon Letter to the King,
but perceiving that none of them came to the Kings hands, he {ent to Z/pahan one
of his difcreeteft and moft trufty fervants, who coming to Court intermix’d hitn-
felfamong the reft of the Lackeys. The Athemadouler {pying an unknown face,and
being always miftruftful, demanded who he was? To whom the Meflénger an-
fwer’d that he was a poor Souldier upon the frontiers of the Kingdom , who be-
caufe he could not get his pay there was come to Court to fee if he could there
get any recompence for his fervice: upon which reply the Athemadoulet took no
farther notice of him. Prefently after, the young man meeting. the A&ter told
him he had Letters of importance to deliver into the Kings own hand,of which the
Meter giving notice to the King, the meflenger was immediately call’d in. The
King having read the Letters which difcover'd to him what the 4themadoulet had
conceal’d from him touching the no neceflity of keeping forces upon the Frontiers
of Georgia, and the lofs which the Kan of Koraffan had receiv’d, tranfported with
choler againft his prime Minifter,fent for him,and after he had moft bloodily revil’'d
and reproach’d him, he was within a little of killing him with his own hands. But
the Nazar and fome other Lords there prefent took the boldnefs to reprefé
to the King the long fervices which AZahomer Beg had done the Kingdom, and that
fince his Majefty had rais’d him from the duft to the higheft honours of the King-
dom, it would not be for his honour to deftroy at one blow a perfon that he had
lov’d, and might ftill be ufeful to him.. This difcourfe fomewhat appeas’d the
King, fo that he only gave him in cuftody to the Nazar. Three days after the
King exil'd him toXom,with all hisFamily,not permitting him to fhave himfelfgo
to the Bath, or tocome abroad. This Exilement lafted for feveral years. But my
Letters from Perfia in the year 1674. enform’d me that Sha Solyman, the prefent
King,has reftor’d him to his Primier Dignity, and that he ftill governs as Athema-
douler, the King finding no man more capable than himfelf.
Py
Chap. VII.
of Monfieur'T 4 v ERNIER,
CHAP. Vi.
Of the Rebellion of the Prince of Jafgue, a raja to the King of Perfia,
in the raigus of Sha-Scfi I. and Sha-AbbasII,. ;.
een Cape fafque, aid Cape Guadel which are the two moft Southern points
of Perfia, there liesa mountainous and. merfhie Country, which extends. ic
felf from the Ocean toward the Province of Kerman, and in feveral places is inac-
ceffible. It is poflefs‘d by three petty Princes, the one a Mahumetan, the other
two toward the Eaft both Idolaters. The firft is the moft potent of .the three,
and neareft to the Province of Ormus.He alfo affumes the title of Prince of falquesas
his Anceftors did before him. Now after Sha-Abbas the firft had conquer’d Or-
mus, he went about to have made himfelf mafter of all the coaft that extends it felf
beyond Cape fafque ; but meeting with refiftance, he only obtain’d that the Prince
of the Country fhould acknowledge the King of Perfia for his Lord, and that as his
Vaflal he fhould pay him an annual'tribute. And indeed during the raign of Sha-—
Abbas, who knew how to make himfelf fear’d, the Prince of /a/que pay’d his tri-
bute very orderly. But Sha-Sefi fucceeding his Grandfather very young, this
tributary Prince fhook off his yoak, and refus’d to pay. Which not being tegard-
ed in the raign of Sha Sefi, the Prince of fa/que thought to do the fame inthe
raign of Sha Abbas the fecond. But at length after he had refus’d to pay for fome
years, the Kan of Ormus pretending the Country to be under his Jurifdiction, and
that the Kings honour was concern’d in the Princes refufal, incited Sha -Abbas to
fend forces againft him to reduce him to obedience. The King granted. the Com-
miffion to/him that had undertaken the bufinefs: who prefently gathering toge-
ther an Army of 20000 men, the moft part Horfe, thought to have furpriz’d his
Enemy.To which purpofe that he might take the neareft way, he march’d direét-
ly toward Cape fafgue. But as it was the fhorteft cut, it was the moft dangerous;
infomuch that the Kaa, who hunted all the way he march’d , according to the
cuftom of Perfia, had the misfortune to fall into a bogg, where he was {tif?’d, to-
gether with 20 or 30 horfemen more. The death of the Kan being divulg’d, the
Army retreated back again: but as foon as the King receiv’d the news, he’ fent
the Brother ofthe deceas’d Kan to fucceed him. Inthe mean while the Rebel
Prince believing within himfelf, that he was not to be thus at quiet, and expe¢ting
to be attack’d by the new Kan, ftood upon his guard. And indeed the new Kvn
mareh'd with all the fpeed he could, and enter’d the territories of the ‘rebellious
Prince, but being beat’n was forc’d to make more hafte back again to Ormus, ‘with
the Jofs of an abundance of men. ol
The Prince of 7a/gxe puft up with this fuccefS , did not believe that the Perf-
ans- would be fo hafty-to come again: and thereupon he refolv’d upona Voyage for
Mecca to give the Prophet thanks for -his Victory. To which end he embarqu'd
at the neareft place he could to Cape fafque, thence to make fail toward Arabia.
But the Governor of Kan underftanding his defign-by his fpies, way-laid him by
Sea, took him and brought him to Ormus. At that time the heats being excel-
five, the Governour-was retir’d, according to cuftome, to the Mountains fome
‘ten or twelve Leagues from.the City, whither the Prince was carry’d and brought
‘tothe Kans tent. ‘But while the Kanwas expecting the return of the Mefleiger
‘which-he had fent to the King for orders what to do with the Prifner, the Princes
‘wif€ hearing of her-husbands misfortune, and being a woman of a manlike -cou-
fage, taking along with-her about five or-fix hundred horfe,with little noife and
by long marches the at length fell unawares upon the Kan about’ midnight, ‘kill’d
‘him -with:her-own’hand, cut in pieces the greateft part of his men, whom fhe
found-afleep, carry’d away ten or twelve of his wives, and fet her husband at li- .
‘berty in {pite of the Perfians,who had not time to rally themfelves. ! :
The news of this defeat coming to Gourt, the’King being highly incens’d, fent
away the third Brother tobe governour of Ormus, with {pecial command oe
i ' \over-
218
<The PERS TAN Tenails Book Y.:
Governours of Schiras, Lar and Kerman forthwith to raife 30000 horfé to revenge
affront and reduce the Rebel. The Ka» of Ormus march’d at the head of thar
Army, and gave Battel, but the Prince being fuccour’d by the other two Idola~
trous Princes his neighbours, the Perfians were again beaten. Only the Prince of
fafque loft his Lieutenant General, a valiant Captain, and a very good Soul-
The King underftanding that the Lieutenant General was the Kavs Prifner, gave
him leave to do with him what he would, in revenge of his Brothers death : who
thereupon devis'd the moft cruel torments that ever were heard of. For he firf
caus’d the body of the Lieutenant General to be larded with lighted Candles, and
then fetting him upon a Camel order’d him to be led foftly about the {treets eve-
ry day in the very heat of noon. A torment almoft infutterable, which the hero-
ic Indian neverthelefS endur’d with an invincible courage. After the Kan had
tormented him in this manner three days together, the chief of the Holland Com-
pany and other ftrange Merchants abhorring fo much cruelty, begg’d of the Kan
to furceafe his rigour, who readily granted them their requett.
CHAP) VUE
Obfervations upon the raigne of Sha Soliman the prefent King.
"A Li-Couli-Kan had bin three or four times exil’d from the Court, for {peaking
with two much liberty. For he was bold and could not keep his tongue be-
tween his teeth. For which reafon he was call’d the Kings Lyon, who was wont
to chain him up wken he had no occafion for him, and to Jet him loofe when he
had any bufinefs for himtodo. The laft time he was exil’d, he was kept five or
fix years in a Fortrefs out of which he had never ftirrd : but one day, having a
fmooth tongue, he overperfwaded the Commander to give him leave to go a
hunting with him.When he return’d, with the help of fome of his fervants, he fell
upon the Commander, and gave him fo many Baitinadoe’s upon the feet, that he
had like to have kill’d him: telling him withall, that ir was to teach him his duty
hot to leta man go that the King had committed to his charge. Sha Sephi,though
very young, hearing of this, and defirous to fee 4/i-Coul:-Kan, notwithf{tanding
all the endeavours of the Grandees to hinder his return, commanded him to be fet
at liberty, and that he fhould have a better allowance to live upon. Two or three
days after, the King fitting in Council, the whole Aflembly was amaz’d to {ee
<ili-Couli-Kan enter, who approaching his Majefty with a profound reverence,
told him that the Lyon being now let loofe was humbly come to kifs his hands,
Thereupon the King fell a laughing, and cafting a favourable glance upon him told
him he had done well. Nor was it long ere the King finding him no Jefs_pleafant
‘inconverfation, then a valiant and expert Captain, made him Generaliflimo of his
Armies,as he had bin in the raigne of Sha Abbas.
| When the Court faw -4li-Couli-K an {0 well receiv’d,every one then labour’d to
teftifie their joy for his return. They fent him Horfes, Mules,Camels,rich Carpets,
andyevery thing fit to furnifha Lords houfe. But all this while he wanted money,
which becaufe he could not meet with among the Perfians, he was fore’d to have
recourfe to the Armenians, of whom he defir’d to borrow five or fix hunder’d
Tomans. As for the Kalenter he would have had the fim lent, but the reft would
- mot. Thereupon the King taking a walk to Zalpha, Ali-Couli-Kan put it into
his head to go and fee the great Cathedral belonging to the -dArmemans, where
_ feweral Bifhops with feveral Monks refide.The King entring into the Church, where
_-theBithop ftood ready at the'head of theClergy to receive him,and feeiag all things
new and ftrange, as coming but lately out of the womens Haram, ask’d his fa-
vourite what fort of people thofe were clad infuch an extraordinary manner.
<Ali-Couli- Kan told him they were Devils, Devils! faid the King, What! added
he,doft bring me into a houfe of Devils?TheKing thus incens’d againft the Armenians,
iat re-
+
Chap. ix: of Monfieur Tavern NieR,.
refolv’d to force "em to” turn Mahbumetans. But Ali-Couli-K an, being a Georgran, 2s
repenting that he had rais’d the Kings indignation to fo high a pitch, and not be-
lieving it would be any advantage to him for the Armenians to turn Mahumet ans,
contented himéelf only with frighting them,which was enough to bring the drme-
nians Upon their knees, and to make them come and beg the Interceiffion of his
~ guthority. Which favour, as he order’d it, coft the Armenians ten thoufand To-
mans to the King, and four or five thoufand Tomans to his Favourite...
The 23. of September 1677. the King made a Gavalcade, then which there could
be nothing imagin’d more magnificent. All the richeft Furniture was brought our
of the Exchequer into the A¢eydan. The golden buekets to water the Horfes. The
olden Fat out of which they take the water, together with the buckles, harnefS
and nails of gold, to which the Horfes are ty’d. After the King had play'd at
Mall, as I have already defcrib’d, and had alfo fhot at the Goblet upon the top of
the Maft in the middle of the AZeydan, he went and fate in the Divan, which is
over the Gate call'd 44) Capi, where he had the paftime to fee Lyons, Bulls,
Bears, Tygres and Rams fight. But that which was moft admirable, was to fee a
man ftand upright upon the Saddle while the horfe ran full {peed, which he did
three times the whole length of the A¢eydan. The firlt time, ’tis true, he fell,but
the two laft times he ftood firm. | |
On day the fame -4/:-Couli-Kan prefented two handfom Youths to’ the King,
which had both delicate voices. The King hearing them fing, was very much -
troubl’d that he could not make ufe of them in his Maram, which -Ali-Conli-Kan
obferving, fent for a French Chirurgeon, and promis‘d him a great reward if he
could cut the youths and fave their lives. The Chirurgeon for lucre of a large
recompence, cut them both and cur’d’em very well. Which done , Ah-Goxli-
Kan, prefented the two youths to the King, who was furpriz’d to fee them, but
was well pleas’d that he had got two fiich new attendants in his Haram, But fee
the reward of fuch a wicked action, -4/:-Couli-Kan dy’d foon after. The Chir-
urgeon never was pay'd: and being advis’d to prefent a Petition to the King by
the Meter, the Meter ask’d him whither he would turn AZabometan : which when
the Chirurgeon deny’d to do, the Meter bid him be gone like a Rafcal, telling
him withall that he did not think the Religion of the Chriftians had permitted
fuch acts of villany.The two youths were born at Cafhan,and had both Fathers and
Mothers, and were promisd in Marriage. When their Parents heard of it, they
came to //pahan, to weep over their Children. Which the King obferving, to
appeafe their forrow, gave them a Penfion during life, ee fnkens
CHAP. IX,
Of the Government of Perfia.
T H E Government of Perfia is purely Defpotick or Tyrannical. For the King
has the fole powre of life and death over all his Subjects, independent from
his Council, and without any Trials or Law-proceedings. He can put to what
death he pleafes the chief Lords of the Kingdom, no man daring to difpute the _
reafon : nor is there any Soveraign in the world more abfolute then the King of
Perfia. :
The King deceafing and leaving Male Iffue behind him, the Eldeft afcends the
Throne,while his Brothers are kept in the Haram,and their eyes are put out:and if
there be the leaft {ufpicion of any contrivance againft the King, they are forth- -
with put to death without any farther examination, And not only they, but the
Children alfo of theKings Brothers and Sifters.I remember when I firft travell’d in-
to Perfia, they were not fo rigorous, but were contented to move a red hot iron
to and fro before their eyes. But Sha-Sefi perceiving his command had bin neg-
ligently executed, and that the poor unhappy Princes seus fome fight left them,
| d & he
'
220
The P " RSIAN Travels a Book V
he order’d their eyes to be digg’d out of their heads. Sha-Sefi’s cruelty Went
yet farther, for he fpar’d not his Eldeft Son Sha Abbas, the lawful Heir to
his Throne, ordering one of his Eunuchs to move an Iron before his eyes,no man
being able to tell the reafon.But the Kunuch compaffionating the young Prince,dig
indeed move an Iron, but nota red hot Iron before his Eyes,and teaching him
to counterfeit himfelf blind, preferv'd his fight till his Father lay upon his
death-bed: at which time his Father was very penitent, for having put out the
eyes of his Eldeft Son, to whom the Throne of right belong’d. The Eunuch
feeing the King fo fadly afflicted and ready to give up the ghoft, affur’d him
that he would reftore the Prince to his fight, and to comfort him at his death,
brought ic with perfect eyes to the bed fide. Thegfight of which pro-
jong’d the Kings life till next day ; and gave him time to command all the Gran.
dees of the Court to obey Sha Abbas his Eldeft Son, as his lawful Succeffor ang
their King, sy
Bat to returh to thefe blind Princes ; There were feveral at I/paban when I was
there: and I knew one particularly , who is ftill alive, and isa perfon of ex.
cellent natural parts. As blind as he is, he is a great lover of Curiofities, and hag
built him a Houfe in Z/pahan, which is worthy a mans fight.” He is overjoy'd
when any perfon brings him any rarities out of Exrope, feeling them in his
hands, and caufing his Eunuchs, which are very apprchenfive, totell him the
meaning of every thing. He is agreat admirer of Clock-work and Watches,
and can tell by his finger when a Watch is right in the Cafe. To know what
aClock it is, he has little points fet up in the Dial-plate, anda halfthand, to
the end he may not be- deceiv’d which part of the hand points to the
hour. By means of certain figures which he makes of foft wax, and iets in or-
der upon a Table, he will caft up an accompt very exactly. Several other good
qualities } admir’d in him} and it griev’d me to fee aman reduc’dto that
miferable Condition , only becaufe he was of the blood Royal of Per-
4.
"moog the Employments of the Kingdom generally fall from Father to Son,
yet'the King if the pleafes may bequeath the Governments of Provinces or any
other dignities to any of his Goxlams which are his Slaves, if he find them ca-
pable, and thinks they may be fit for his fervice. The Father to leave the Em-
ployment to his Family, labours by degrees to introduce his Son, and to obtain
the Survivorfhip for him. But if the Father dye, and leaves the Survivorthip to
an Infant, there is generally a perfon of Age and Experience fent along with him.
Some there are alfo that obtainemployments by prefenting the Favourites at
Court,
The State of Perfia is diftinguifh’d like moft of the Ezropean States, into three
Bodies. The firft isthat of the Sword, which anfwers to the Nobility, and com-
prehends the Kings houfhold, the Kans, and all the Souldiery. The fecond is that
of the Quill, comprehending all thofe that belong to the Law and the Courts of
fe The third is compos’ of Merchants, WHandicrafts-men and La-
ourers,
CHAP,
|
z
Chap. X.
of Monfieur Taverwnyi Ee
CHAP, X,.
Of the firft of the three Orders or States of Perfia, which comprebends
the Kings Boufbold, the Kans or Governours of Provinces, and the
Souldrery. on 3 ,
r
of Riches. His office is the fame with the Grand Vizir’s in Turkies and may
be cofapar’d to the ancient ALayors of the Palace in France. In regard -all the. af-
fairs of the Kingdom pafs through his hands, he ought to be rather a Gownman
then a Souldier: and herein he only differs from the Grand V heier, -who is always
to beat the head of the Army, and for every flight fault or diftafte is fubje& to
be ftrang!’d by the Grand Signior. Whereas in Perfia where the Government is
milder, the Prime Miniiters generally dye in their beds, or if they are Depos’d,
they are only exil’d to fome frontier City, where they live. as. private
men. : aaa :
When the King is young, the Prime Minifter has a hard game to play, for then
the Favourite Eunuchs and the Sultaneties difannul and cancel in the night what-
ever orders he makes in the day time. )
The Nazar or Seer has the charge ofall the Kings goods, ‘of his breeds of hor-
fes, of his moveables, of his Cloaths and Plate: much like the grand Mafter of
the Kings Houfe in France. sorting RAIS
The AZehter, who is always a white Eunuch, is the firft Gentleman of the Kings
Chamber, and follows the King witha kind of bag hanging by his fide full of
handkerchiefs. And as he is always at the Kings elbow, if he have the Kings
ear, it is eafie for him to befriend or do unkindnefles, as his inclination leads him.
During the minority of the King, fome of thefe A4Zedrers have been known to go-
vern the Kingdom.
ss ap E Primier Mijnifter of the Kingdom is call’d Arhemadoulet, or the fapport
The A4ir-Akbor-Bafbi, or Grand Efquire, has the Charge of the Kings Stables, —
which as well as the Gate of Ali-Capri, are a place of Refuge, and whoever faves
him(felf therein, let it be for Murther or Debt is fafe. All the Horfes in the Kings
- Stable are mark’d with a hot iron upon the left hip, and thofe that belong to pri-
vate perfons upon the right. Thofe thatthe King gives to them that ferve in his
Armies, have the Kings mark, and are not to be fold, but they may be chaffer'd
away. If any of thofe Horfes happens to dye in a Horfe-mans bands, he mutt
flea off the Kings mark, and carry it to the under Officers of the General of the
Cavalry, to have another, otherwife he would be fore’d’ to buy another at his
own expences. Thofe people by laying the skin in the water, know, though by
what art I cannot tell, whither the Horfe dy’d of age or ficknefs, or whither he
were malitioufly kil’d. For in times of Peace there are fome Horfemen that will
kill their Horfes, to fave the Charges of keeping any more than themfelves: then
at the next Mufter they bring the skin of their Horfe,with the mark on,to the Of-
ficers, and getanother, unlefs they be found out. Nor are their Horfes only
mark’d, but their Scimitars, Mufquets, Bows and Quivers, all which they muft
thew to the Commiffioners every Mutter. 7
Sha-Abbas the fecond being at Casbin in the year 1654, took a general view
of his Cavalry, which lafted for ten or twelve days. For the King fitting in the
Portal of one of his Gardens, with. his Officers ftanding about him, every day
caug’d fo many troopers to ride by him : which were all ftout active men and well
mounted. Every Souldier gallop’d fingly by him ; and coming juft under the
King, he fhot an Arrow againft a Butt of Turf that was thrown up upon his left
hand, and when the Mufter was over, the King advanc’d the Pay of every Horfe-
man, who according to the fentence of the Judges had fhot neareft the
mark, : |
I was then at Cashin, and I remember one Souldier, who quite contrary to what
the other Horfe-men did, walk’d his Horfe along by the King, and never thot, but
only lay’d his hand upon his breft, and then upon his forehead , which is) the
oe Dd 2 _ ~ Cere-
022...—”—~—‘(Wie. PER SWAN Travels Book V.
ne
— - a — cette
—
Ceremony of Salutation us’d by the King. He was a very homely fellow, with
a flat tawny countenance: {0 that his behaviour and_ his pretence ottending the
King, ina chafe he commanded that black rafcal to be cafhier’d out of his fervice,
Immediately they took away his Horfe and his Arms, and were going about to
have drubb’d him,but that the General of the Cavalry made them a fign to let
him alone. Immediately the General gave the King to underftand that he Was
one of the beit Souldiers in the Army : as he had fignally made it appear atthe
Sieges of Erivan and Candahar. Upon that the King caus'd his Horfe and Arms
to be reftor’d him again, and commanded him to ride by him as the reft.of the
Souldiers had done. When he came againit the Butt, inftead of obeying the Kings
command, he turn’d his Horfé to the right-and left, without faying a word. The
General fearing he would offend the King again, bid him fhoot. Waar Shall I fhoor
at : Sir faid he. Againft the place where all the reft have shor, anfwer’d the Gene-~
ral. Then the Souldier fhaking his head and fimiling, ’7is nor my way, {aid he, 10
[pend my Arrows againft a wall; for I know how to make ufe of ?em better against the .
body or head of the Enemies of my King. 1 would then fhact thrice before another
could fhoot once. At the famé time he draws out two Arrows out of bis Quiver,
one of which he held in his mouth, and put the other to his bow: and then fer~
ting {purs to his Horfe he out-rid the Butt for the nonce, to fhoot backward,
which he did, and hit the very middle of the white, then turning his horfes head
and paffing the Butt as before, he fhot the fecond Arrow into the fame hole,
whence they had pulPd the firft Arrow. Then the General approaching near the
King, told him that by what he had heard and feen, he might well believe that
Horfeman to be as brave a Souldier as any in the Army: which his Ma jetty con-
fefs’d, and from three Tomans advane’d his pay to 5 Tomans.
The ALir-Shikar-Bafbi, or the Grand Matter of the Hunt, who is alfo employ’d
as Grand Falconer. He has under hima thoufand Officers, anda great number of
Birds of prey,and manag’d Hawks. Bos
‘The Seguan Bafhi receives the orders of the Grand Mafter of the Hunt. He has
charge of the Doggs, Lyons, Leopards, and other Beafts for Chace.
The Kindar Bafhi, who has charge of the Kings Saddles.
ane Zinkan-Courlfhifi isthe chief of the Querries, that hold the Kings ftirrup,
when he gets a Horfeback. :
The Kelege-Courlfhifi carrys the Kings fword.
The Orcaje-Courlfhifi carrys his Bow and Arrows.
The Vakanviex is as it were the chief Secretary of State an employment never
conferr’d but upon a Favourite. He alfo reads all Petitions and Papers that are re-
prefented to the King.
The Kafna lar-Bafbi is he that keeps all the Money which is in the Kings Cof-
fers, whom we cal] the High Treafurer.
The I/bik--Agafi-Bufbi isthe Grand Matter of the Houthold,who has feveral Of:
ficers under him.
‘The Adchmender Bafhi is the Matter of the Ceremonies.
The Hakim- Ba/fki is the Kings chief Phyfitian,by whofe allowance all the Phy fiti-
_ ans of the Kingdom are licens’d.
The Munedgin Bafhi is the chief of the Aftrologers.
The Divan-Bequi is the chief Jufticiar, as well in Ciyil as in Criminal caufes, and
he keeps his Court either in 4/ Capi, or in the Kings Houfe, where his Majelty
fometimes prefides himfelf when he pleafes. Before him as being an Officer of
great Authority all the Criminals in the Kingdom make their appeal,and he makes
out procefs againft the Kans,and other Grandees of Perf. |
The Deroga is much like the Lieutenant Criminal in France, from whom it is
lawful to appeal before the Divan Begai. He has an eye upon Robberies, Batte- .
Ties and Murthers, and he has power to fupprefs Houfes of Debauchery. If he
catch any debauch’d perfons, he has power to give them the Baftinado, or to fine
Pies moft commonly he {pares corporal chaftifement to punith their pur-
es. | 7
‘The Sofragi-Bafni is he that {preads the Sofra before the King. |
The Chirakgi-Bafhi is he that has charge of the Wine : chiefly the Schiras wine,
which is. particularly kept for the King, who feldom drinks any other. Nor can
: . “gee SS mae any
Chap. X. of Monfieur Tav erRNifeR.
any particular perfon in Schivas make Wine till the Court be firtt ferv’d, and that
with the leave of the C4iraregi-Bafhi ; there being none but the Franks and ews
that make it.
The Atefbeal-Bafhi is the chief of the Torch-bearers; who furnifhes the
Court with Candles, which are all of Wax. To this Mefheal-Bafhi belong all the
fines of thofe that play at Cards or Dice; the Law of AZshomet forbidding all
Games of hazard. This Officer has feveral inferior Officers under him, who go
from place to place to fpy where they can find any perfons at play: and he has
ower to break open any houfe, unlefs the Matter be of great Quality. 5
The Kahuergi-Bafbi is he that has care of the Kahwe, the Role-water,; and
other. diftillations which the Perfians drink ; as Bilmifhe, made of the buds of
brown Sallows. ? |
The Kara-Sztafbe is the King’s Chirutgeon, or Barber, who lets him Blood, and
fhaves his Head ; and cannot part with his place to another. ;
The Cdpigi-Bafbi is the great Porter; who has under him feveral other Of-
ficers. | >it
The Afelikulrug agear is he that has charge of the Stuffs for the King’s Houfhold,
and puts them out to the Taylors. He takes an account of the fhreds and old ha-
bits, which ferve to make Clothes for the Souldiers, deducting for them out of
their pay. .
The Golander- Bafs is the chief of the Foot-men, sophie)
The AZir-24e, or the Prince of the Seals, is the Superintendent of the Seals ;
and for profit, is one of the beft employments in the Kingdom. He has the fale
of the Canal-water to the Countrey-men; for which he makes the Farmers pay
a fevere rate. ; iF
The Karkrone is the Houfe for the Royal Manufactures, where the Gold and
Silver-Carpets are made, as alfo thofe of Silks and Wortted, together with Tit
fues, Velvets, and Taffeta’s. There are other Workmen that make Coats of Mail,
Bows, Arrows, Scimitars, and other Arms. In other Apartments are Limners
that paint in Water-colours ; Lapidaries, and Goldfmiths, that only make Silver-
Rings. For in regard the Perfians cannot fay their Prayers when they have any
Gold about em, they never wear Jewel or Ring of Gold, becaufe it would be
troublefome to pull.’em off, and lay ’em up fo many times a-day. And therefore
the King of Perfia caufes all his Jewels to be fet in Silver, as we fet all our Stones
in Gold. As for working Goldfmiths, they have none in Perfa; all their Gold
and Silver-Plate being wrought by the Copper-fmiths in round figure, for they
have not the art to frame an Oval. ot P SBhstnsey
The Nakkafhe-Bafhi is the Serjeant-Painter, who only works in miniatare ;
they cover their Pictures with a Varnith made ef Maftich fteep’d in a certain Oil
that diftills from a Rock that points upon the Cajpian-Sea not far from Shamatri.
It diftills ont of the Rock at firft like water; but afterwards it thickens till it be-
come as thick as Sallet-Oil, preferving ftill its whitenefs. There are alfo three
other Rocks not far from the former, from whence this Oil diftills ; but. it is
thicker, and-of darker colour.
The Negeach- Bafhi is the chief of the Joyners.
The Emvardar-Bafhi has the charge of the King’s Granaries, and other Provi-
fions, haying feveral Officers under him.
The Odeudar-Bajhi is the Matter of the Woodyard.
The moft part of thefe Officers have their diet in the King’s Houfe, or elfe an
allowance of Diet from thence. ners
The Tn/remal-Bafhi is the Clerk of the Kitchen. He orders. what {hall be
ferv’d up to the King, and when the Table is clear’d, he fticks his Knife in the beft
difh, and orders it to be carri’d home to his own Houfe. memes” |
Now for the Officers of War, the principal are.; Firft, the Sepeh-Salar, Gene-
raliffimo of the King of Perfia’s Armies, who is never conftitated but in time of
War; which being ended, his employment ceafes, His place in Council is im-
mediately next to the 4themadouler, Pe .
Now in regard the Militia is divided into three forts, there are alfo three Ge-
nerals, The three Bodies of the Militia are the Gorfchis, the Gonlams, and the
Tufenlegis: : Wah : 93
- The
223
The Px RSIAN'T ravels Book V.
The ‘Corfchis are detcended from a forreign race, which have ftilla great repute
for their Valour. Thefe people live in Tents, like the Turcomans ; and they fend
their Youth betimes to the King. They furnith their Youth alfo with all necef.
faries, and maintain them till they come to be taken notice of by the King. They
are all Horfé-men, wel! paid, and well look’d to, and are many times advane’d to
the Supreme Dignities of the Kingdom. They are generally cal?'d Kefel- Bashi,
or Red-heads, becaufe that formerly they wore red Bonnets. It is faid that the
King has about 22000 of theft Corchis in pay, all good Souldiers, that do won-
ders in Battel, Shu-Abbas the firft did what he could to abolifh this Militia, and
to fet up the Gowlams in their ftead. His hatred againft them was only becanfe
he thought them too powerful ; for he was wont to fay to his Favourites, that
nothing but the Puiflance of the Co:chis, could oppofé the Royal Power. There-
upon he took away fome of their Priviledges, and gave them to the Doulam;;
but he could not bring about his defign any farther.
- The General of the Corchis is call’d Cor/chi-Ba/hi, and ought to be one of their
Body ; nor can the King impofe another upon them. The A4im-Ba/bi commands
a thoufand Men, the Y#x-Bafhi commands a hundred, and the Om-Baf>i com-
mands ten. The Cor/ehi-Bafbi has 150 Tomans a year ; the Adim-Bafhi fixty-two ;
the Ywz-Bafhi thirty, and the Om-Ba/hi fifteen. The pay of every Horfe-man.is
from nine to fifteen Tomans a year. Befides, every year the King makes a gene-
ral Mutter, and then he gives to the Corft+:s a third part more than their ufaal
pay; however, to fome more, to others lefs, either according to favour or merit,
When the King has refolv’d to put a great Man to death, he commits the execu-
tion of his command to a Corfchi.
The Gouler--Agafi is General of the Geulam:, or Slaves. For indeed they are
either Slaves, or the Sons of Slaves of all forts of Nations, who do the King ve-
Tan Service: They are for the moft part runnegade Georgians ; and there are
about 18005 of thefe Goulams, being all Horfe-men; whofe pay is from five to
eight Tomans atyear. The Corfchis are very good Husbands; but the Goulams,as
foon as they have receiv’d their pay, fall a drinking and fwaggering ; whereas the
other, if he has a Piajter to {pare, will buy a Sheep with it: For in regard they
live in Tents, their Riches confifts in Flocks, Yhe greateft part of the Court of
Perfia is made up of thefe two Bodies, The Gox/ams have this peculiar to them-
felves, that they are very rarely known to revolt. For being all Slaves, and of
different Nations, there are no ties of Affection or Kindred between them: And
if the ‘King has an occafion to punifh any of them, the chief of their Body is to
execute his orders. The Goulams carry no other Arms befides a Bow and Ar-
rows, with a Skain. “Though fome wear Coats of Mail, and Head-pieces: others
Vambraces and Battel-Axes. Thefe Horfe-men never entrench in the Field like
ours in Evrope, nor have they any Field-Marfhals to affign them quarters. For
after the chief have taken up the beft places, the reft {et up their Tents as neer
as they can to the Pavillion of the General.
~ The Tafenkgiler—Agafi is the General of the Tufexkgis, who'compofe the third
Body of the Militia. This part of the Souldiery was bat lately inftituted, being
compos’d of men taken from the Plough, as being moft fic for labour. They are
Foot-men with only a Scimiter and a Musket. But when they march, they have
a Horfe or a Mule between three or four, to carry their Baggage and Provifions.
Their pay is not above four or five Tomans a year. And for their Officers, their
pay is more or lefs according to their Quality and Command. They are inno
great reputation, being Jaugh’d at by the old Souldiers, as being a company of
ae Countrey-men, that dare not look an enemy in the face. Not but that the
nfantry of Perfia is able todo good fervice ; though, as numerous as they are,
the King never makes ufe of them, but in café of neceffity. When he marches in
ot he fends for eight or ten thoufand, which he fends for out of what Province
ftpleafes him, and they prove very ufeful to the Army, as Sutlers. This Infan-
try is compos’d of the Countrey-men that live in Tents, abiding in the Mountains
all the Summer, and betaking themfelves in. the Winter to the hot Countrreys.
Every Tribe or Family knows how many men it ought tofet out. And there is
not a Foot-man that has not his new-Suit in his Cheft, and his Musket and Scimi-
ter in very good order, They are well train’d, and well difciplin’d ; for ene
Did three
.
three months the Governor of the Province takes a review of all the Souldiers
in his Province, and caufés them to be exercis’d in his own prefence. They are
order’d to fhoot ata mark, and they that hit it, are fure to have fome reward
from the Governor. When the King fends for any part of his Infantry, they pre-
{ently know who is to lead ’em ; and they are all lufty, and well clad, never put-
ting on their beft Clothes but when they mufter, or march into the Field. The
ay to the King little or nothing: for of all their Cattel great and fmall, they pay
but one in the hundred to him, and one 4éba/fi, or £8 Sous of our Money, .
The Efbck--dgafi, or chief of the Kefheksh:’s, who are the King’s Guards, and
carry a Musket witha very wide bore. They were but lately inftituted by the
Athemat-douler, when he intended to deftroy the Divan-begui. This Officer has
about 2000 men under him, of which be difpofes every night a certain number,
round about the Palace. When the King fits in Council, he ftands there with a
Battoon in his hand, and throws himfelf to the ground when the King beckons to
him to come and receive any command from his mouth. The Topigi-Bafhi is the
Mafter of the Ordnance, and ehief of the Sea-affairs, but he has Jittle to do in
either employment. For, as for the Cannon, there are only fome two or three
pittiful Guns in fome of the Frontier-towns: And for Ships, there are none in
Perfia but what come from Exrope or the Zndies to Ormns or Balfara, The Per-
fans themfelves have no other Ships than fome few large Barks in the Perfian-
Gulph, and in fome parts of the Ca/pian-Sea, where they keep a Fleet againit the
Usheck, Tartars, the Kalmoukes, and other people. .
As for the Kazs or Governors of Provinces, they are generally chofen out of
the body of Cor/chi’s and Goulams ; who are handfom perfons, and generally much
more Valiant than the natural Perfians. For the natural complexion of the Per-
fians is not good, as may be feen by the Gavres, the original Inhabitants of the
Countrey, who are for the moft part tann’d, and ill-fhap’d. So that there is hardly
a Perfian, from the King to the meaneft of his Subjects, who is not a Georgsan, or
fprung from the loins of Georgidns. For they fetch a great number of Slaves
outof Georgia ; by the frequent Marriages of whichwomen, the Georgian Valour
and Beauty are become Natives of Perfia.
The Kans or Governors of Provinces are as fo many petty Kings, fear'd and re-
fpected by all the people. And when they are fettl'd, they are never depos’d, but
upon repeated complaints of their exceffive Tyranny. There are fome of thefe
Governments that yield the Kan feven or eight thoufand Tomans. But they are
bound to prefent the King every year at Nowrons, or New-years-tide.
Winder the Kans there are alfo Governors of leffer quality, who are alfo im-
mediately preferr’d by the King, and cannot be deposd by any perfon but bim~
felf. If they abufe their Authority, the complaints brought againft him are firft
carri’d to the Kan, ; which, if they concern the Government of the Kingdom,
the Kan is bound to inform the King thereof. But if the complaints are not
confiderable, then the Kan may do Juftice himfelf, and make the S#ltans know
their duty.
There is yet a third fort of Governors, call’d 4/:phs, who are the King’s Lieu-
tenants in places where he had Kans in former times; or where he ought to have
them ftil!, but only to fave charges. For in the Provinces where Kans Govern,
they and their Officers, almoft equalling in name and number the Officers of the
King’s Houfhold, devour all the profits of the Province, but what the Kan is ob=
lig’d annually to pay. |
By what I have wrote as well concerning the King’s Houfhold, the Governors
of ‘his Provinces, and the Officers of his Army, it may be eafily concluded that
the King of Perfia’s Court is the moft magnificent and glorious of all the Courts
of Afia ; and befides, that it is the moft Polite and Civil of all the Orient, —
i nt CHAP,
—
Chap. VI. of MonficurTaveRNier. 225.
226
CHAP. Ar.
Of the fecond Order, containing all thofe that belong to the Ecclefiagt;.
cal Law, and their Courts of Justice ; and, in general, of all the
Gown-men; fuch as are chiefly the Officers of the Chamber of Ac-
counts. |
Te E fecond of the three Eftates of Perfia comprehends the Gown-men, fuch
4. as are the Doctors of the Law, the Officers of Juftice, and thofe of the
Chamber of Accounts.
As the Athemat-doulet is the Prime Minifter in Temporals, the Sedre is the
Prime Minifter in Spirituals, and the High-Prieft of the Law. However, he does
not pretend to take place. before the 4themat-doulet either in Council, or inthe
publick Ceremonies. There is this difference between the Sedre and the Mufti in
Turkey, that in Perfia Ecclefiaftical Dignities are no bar from Civil Employments ;
fo that the Sedre is many times made -4themat-doulet. bi
The Dignity of Sedre is not limited to one fingle perfon, but may be divided
between two, in regard there are two forts of Legacies, the one from the King’s
of Perfia, the other from particular perfons. Therefore for the more careful
Superintendency over thefe two forts of Legacies, there are fometimes two Se-
dres appointed. The one is call’d Sedre-Kras, particular or peculiar Sedre, who
manages all the Revenues of the Royal Foundations, and diftributes them to the
Mullaks and Students according to their merit. The other is call’d Sedre-2l-man-
koxfat, who has the management of private Foundations. In the year 1667 the
King created two Sedres, and marri’d them to two of his Sifters.
_, The Sedre has two men under him, whofe Authority is almoft equal to
theirs. The one is call’d ‘Sheik-el-felom, and the other Cadi: and thefe are
they that decide all controverfies in Religion,judge of Divorces, make Contraéts
and publick Acts, Thefe two Dignities are in the King’s nomination: and in all.
the principal Cities of the Kingdom there are two of thefe Ecclefiaftical Judges
for all matters that concern the Law.
To every A4o/quce there belongs a Pichnamaz, who is always firft there before
Prayers begin ; and he teaches the people to Pray by learning of him,having their
eyes always fix'd upon him tothat end. This Picknamaz is the fame with him
whom the Turks call Iman. The Moullah’s are the Doctors of the Law, as are
the Hodgia’s in Turkey, and they are well paid out of the Legacies giv’n to the
A1ofquees, for reading every Friday, and interpreting the 4/coran to the people.
He that reads, fits ingone Chair; and he that interprets, in another, fomewhat
lower upon the left-hand of the Reader. . They are alfo bound to teach the Sci-
ences to all thofe that require it: and, as'a mark of Sanctity, they wear a great
white Turbant, with a fingle Chamlet-habit of the fame colour. Their gate is
grave, and their difcourfe very ferious ; yet all this is but pure hypocrify. When
they light into any confiderable company of people, they prefently rife, and ex-
hort em to go to Prayers. At the fame time they wafh their heads, their hands,
and their feet, and {pread a felt upon the ground, or if they are poor, a fingle
mat. Upon this, at one end, the AZaul/a kneels, at the other lies a flat Stone about
the bignefs of the paulm of a man’s hand, which was brought from AZecca,
Which Stones the Afoullah’s always carry about ’em; for being commanded
_ while they are at their devotions often to kif the ground, they rather chooft
to kifs a Stone brought from fo holy a place, than the prophane Farth. They
have a kind of a Mariners compafs, which directs them punctually where AZecca
ftands, to the end they may know which way to turn when they fay their Prayers,
The Prayer which the AZoulla’s make, feems to be accompani'd with a great deal
of zeal, and they take great notice all the while whether’ the company be atten-
tive orno. Some Perjians are {fo fuperftitious, that a Vizir of Schiras fafferd
his leg to rot off, becaufe he would not let a Chriftian Chirurgeon touch him, for
fear of being defil’d. -
There
The Persian Travels Book V.
Chap. XI of Monfieur:TavirNier. ‘299
There belongs alfo to every Jofquee a Montevelt, who looks after the tepairs
of the Building, and the Provifion of what belongs to the Ado/quee ; together
with a Afonazen, who cries morning and evening from the top of a Tower, Thar
riere is bat one God, and that Mahomet is his Prophet. .
Colledges, the Perfians call Adédrefe; where there are a great number of Scholars
pred up at little charge, out of the Legacies left to the Foundations. They al-
Jow them a Chamber without any Furniture, they being to provide a Coverlet
and a Mattre/s for themfelves. They have no certain Mafters, but fometimes
they go for their inftructions to one, fometimes to another, feldom to the Princi-+
al of the Collédg, who is call’d AZonderes, and is generally the greatett Block-
head of them all. But there are feveral other perfons in every good: City
that are forward to teach the Sciences to purchafe honour to themfelves.
For which reafon they are very liberal, to get a great company of \Fol+
lowers together, who are as fo many Trumpets to publifh the wifdom of their
Akvoom or Doctor. But when their Liberality ceafes, the*Trampets want breath at
the fame time. in
Now. as to their manner of ftudying, the Student firft reads two or three ‘lines,
and then the Doctor Expounds. Then another reads two or three lines moré, and
fo one after another; every one rifing up out of refpect after he has done reading, —
and ftanding upright till the Doctor bids him fir down again. One of thefe
Doctors fhall teach all manner of Sciences in one day ; for he is not learnéd that
» cannot talk of all. And certainly had the Perfians thofe advantages of Books, and
that method of ftudy which we have im Europe, they would prove to be menof
great underftanding: for with thofe little helps they have, they will give mgood
account of their own Theology, of Logick, Phyfick, and the Mathemaricks,
wherein they ftrive to reach the bottom of things as deep as they can. Their
Books ate for the moft part the works of an ancient Perfian Author, whofe name
was Kodgia Nefir in the City of Thox/s, in the Province of Koraffan. "Tis. very
probable he was well skill’d in the Greek and Arabick, having tranflated into Per-
fan feveral Books out of thofe two Languages. They have fome pieces of 4ri-
ftotle which are accounted the beft ih the Weft: The dlmag:ftes of Ptolemy, which
they call Adagefti; fome tractates of Exclide, fome fragments of Archimedes :
the Opricks of Ebne, Heifter, and other excellent Books. Some have dffirm’d
that they have been skill’d in the do¢trin of Sines and Tangents for above this 860
years : and indeed they are very curious at this day in Mathematical Inftrunidnts.
They have alfo a great inclination to Poetry, the gpiefeft grace whereof bid died
lieve to confift in defign of accidents, and high comparifons, obferving rhime as:we
do. As for Phyfick, they have Galen, whom they call Galenous pe ae EE
they call Abonalt, or great Father ; and Hermes Trifregifius, whom. they call O
mous. The moft confiderable of their Hiftorians is Ronze ef Sapha, who wrote 2
Chronology from the Creation of the World to his time ; wherein there are
abundance of fables, but little truth. He fays that the World was inhabited by
Devils for an infinite number of years before the Creation of 4dam, and that God
for their enormities depriv’d them of their power upon earth, and gave it to man
to manage. Their Books, though deer, are very common, and every Trades-man
buys ‘em, being very ambitious to learn the Sciences themfelves, and to encou-
rage their children to do fo too. They fend them betimes to the School, which
they call Meklebe; of which there are feveral inevery Quarter.”
hideous noife in their Schools, repeating their Leffons altogether aloud, while the
Mafter corrects every Boy that does not keep along with the Cry. As for the .
children of perfons of Quality, they have Tutors at home, never ftirring out
» of doors cil) they are 18 years of age, unlefs it be to go a hunting or a fhoot-
ing now and them. Hence it comes to pafé, that the Children are difcreet civil
and maven ; fo that you fhall never hear an ill word come out of their
mouths. “ “ ee:
Inthe Chamber of Accounts are many Officers, whom I fook upon as Gown~
men. All the Books and Regifters pafs through their hands, particularly fuch Pa-
pers as concern’d the King’s Revenue. All which are regifter’d in the Chamber of
Accounts at Ifpaban, which is. call’d Defter-Krone, As to the Fee-Lands call’d
| Moulkerbar, which belong to particular perfons, they a: to the Kiag a eae ,
: € annu
!
i en ee ama rry ST eee eee
y28 The Persian Travels Book V.
4 ac a ree Oe
annual Rent, which the Governors of Provinces exact with a fevere extort.
OM 203; : 7
The AMeftempti and the Memalek. are they that value the Rent of all Lands
in Demefn, which is one of the principal charges of the Defter-Kroon. The
alf take cognifance of all the King’s Farms, Quit-Rents, Provifions, and Ey.
pences of Receivers and Collectors. There is alio a Mefiempti to value Lega
cies. , '
The Naczer controuls the AZeftempt: and the ALemalek , and bis hand is requirg
to all Papers of difpatch. °
The Deroga or Provoft of the Defrer-Kroon is to profecute and punifh all thar
are guilty of falfe Receipts, or of Exaction, ‘ . !
Into this Office are detiver’d all the Grants and Affignations of the wages of
the King’s Officers. Every man comes and receives his own, or fends for it to
thofe places upon which this Money is affign’d. |
_In every Village or Borough there isa Xess, or chief of the place, to whom
the Officers apply themfélves for their Money: for fhould they terrify. the
~ Countrey,>man, he would run quite away, and pay nothing. The greateft cheat jg
this Chamber of Accounts, is, that in regard the Officers keep the Roll of the
Officers wages, they will give them divers Bills to receive little parcels at fever,
places diftant from one another, till the Sum be made up ; to which trouble rather
than the Kings fervant will be put,he will give a good gratuity to the Officer to pay
him all together. But becaufe the Officers are not able to fatisfy all that come, there »
are certain Thabsilders or hoarders up of Rent, who buy for ready Money as cheap
as they can, fuch Bills as private men come to receive at the Chamber ; and when
they have got a good number together, they go and receive them altogether at
the Chamber, and make great advantage. By this mifgovernment of the D-fier-
Kroon, feveral perfons are very much oppreft.. For he that has but 30 Tomansa
year, fhall be fore’d to give a good fhare out of it to have the reft. in ready Mo-
Po ae has been often the ruine of the Perfian Army, through the abutes
and defalcations. put upon the poor Souldiers. During the Reign of Sia~ Abbas
the 2; and toward the beginning of the Reign of Sha-Sefi his Son, the Exche-
quer was better regulated ; but when the Perfizns came to be at Peace with their
Neighbours, the King and his Lords have minded nothing lefs than the payment
of the Souldiery. . | :
_. The greateft part of the Lands in Perfia belong to the King, and are only farm’d
by private perfons. The reft.of the Lands are meafur'd, and every Land pays fo
much a meafure. The King alfo has a vaft income by the Merchandizes that
pay Cuftom and Toll. The Port of Bander-Abafi alone brings him one year
with another, when leaft, befides accidents, neer upon 20000 Tomans, Bh
ae | | Lice 6 EAP
Chap.XI. of Monfieur er RNIER. 999°
CHAP. Xil,
Of the third Effate of the Kingdom, comprehending the Lrade{men and
: menos : as alfo of the Trades, Manufattures, and Commodities
of Pertia.
ye Commerce of Perfia,as in all other Kingdoms, confifts in the Trade of the
Country and Forraign Traffick. Only with difference, that the Country
Trade is in the hands of the Perfians and fews, the forraign Traffic in the hands
of the drmenians only, who are as it were the Kings and the Noble mens Fa-
ctors to fell their filk. ,
As for the Handicraft trades, there are fome Corporations that pay a certain
yearly duty to the King, as Shoemakers, Cutlers, Smiths,and others. Some are
free, as the Joyners and Mafons: though he get by their labour as much as others
pay him in money.For when the King requires twenty Mafons for a work which is
Anhaft, the Marmar Bafhi who is their Chief, fummons them together, and they
that give moft are excus’d. For when the King requires but twenty, he fummons
forty : and thus every man lives by his calling. The practice is the fame with the
Chief of the Joyners, and all other Trades, who are Officers pay’d by the King,
andnever work unlefs they pleafé themfelves, commanding all that are under their
rifdiction. As for Carpenters and Joyners work, the Perfians know little what
longs to it, which proceeds from the fcarcity of Wood , that does not allow
them materials to work upon. So that for Chairs, Tables and Bedfteads , there
-are no fuch things to be feen in Perfia: the Joyners bufinefS being only to make
Doors and Frames for Windows, which they make very neatly of feveral pieces
of wood join’d together, fo that a man can hardly pat a Tennis Ball through the
holes where they put the glafs. Nor can it be expected that the Perfans fhould
work like other Ewzopeans, having no other Tools then a Hatchet, a Saw, and a
Chizzel , and one fort of Plainer,which a Frenchman brought among theni.
Their nobler Arts are Writing, for Printers they kndw none. All their Books
are writtn, which is the reafon they fo much efteem that Art. There was an
Armenian who had fet up a Printing-Prefs at Z/pahan, and had Printed the Epiftles
of St. Paul, the feven Penitential Pfalms, and was going about to Print the whole
Bible, but not having the way of making good Ink, and to avoid the ill confequen-
ces of the Invention, he was forc’d to break his Prefs. For on the one fide the
Children refus'd to learn to write, pretending they wrote the Bible themfelves, on-
ly to get it the fooner by heart: on the other fide many perfons were undone by
it,that got their living by writing. | :
The Perfans ufe three forts of hands, ihe firft is call’d Weftalick,or the Set-hand :
the fecond Shakefte or Divanni, which is their Court-hand: the third Weskre, or
the Running-hand, very like the 4rasic. They write with fmall Jxdian Reeds ;
and fay, that to write well,a man ought to lean fo flightly upon his Pen,that fhould
a fly ftand upon the other end it would fall out of his hand. When they write they
hold their Paper in one hand to turn it according to the motion of the Pen, other-
wife they could not make their dafhes large and free, as the Character requires.
They make their Paper of Cotton Fuftian, very courfe, brown, and of no ftrength,
for the leaft folding tears it. They fleek it with a fleek ftone, and then rubit over
to make it more fleek, Their Ink is made of Galls and Charcoal pounded together
with Soot. : a
_ The Perfians reck’n four Languages among ’em. The Perfian call’d Belick, that
is,fweet and pleafing. The Tarkifh,call’d Sciafeer, or the Rodomontado Language.
The -4rabian,to which they give the Epithite of Fe/chifb or Eloquent: and the
fourth, call'd Cobahet,or the Speechof the Country people. The: Perfizn in ufe
among the Gentry. is compos’d almoft of all rabic words : by reafon that the
Perfianis very barren. But the Gibbrith of the Country people is fo corrupt that
they in the City can hardly underftand’em. The -4rabian is the Language of thé
, in which tongue their Books are pean The Language of the Court
e¢ 2 iS
230
The Pers ; an Travels Book V.
is Terkifh, but much more foft and elegant then at Conftantinople. As for the
Perfian Language, it is fpoken in the Courts of the Great AZogul, and the Kings of
Golconda and Vifapoxr, in all whicl#Courts a Noble man would take it for an af.
front to be fpok’n to in the /ndian Language.
As for their Painters they only paint in’ miniature, and for Birds and Flowerg
_ they will draw them indifferently well: But for figures and ftories they know Not
what belongs to any fuch thing. : 3
The Perfians are moft excellent Artifts for manufactures of Gold,Silk and Silver
of which their rich Carpets and Tiflues are made :,nor do their Gold and Silver
Manufactures ever grow black or loofe their lufter by long wearing or lying by,
There are abundance that work in Silk ftuffs of all forts, and others thar make
Bonnets and Girdles of Gold and Silk, Others there are whofe bufine(S it is to
faft'n flowers of Gold and Silver to their Taffata’s, with gum water, of which
the women make Shifts and Drawers. And now they begin to make fich large
quantities of Taffata’s, that they care not for the ftulfs which are brought out of
India, though they be much finer,
They alfo make great quantities of Linnen Cloth of all forts of colours, upon.
which they faft’n feveral flowers with gum water, and fome figures, though the
Law forbid it. Which they learnt to do upon the Armenians carrying out of Ey-
rope {ome ill-favour'd cuts and pieces in diftemper which they bought here without
judgment : thefe pieces they hang before their doors, and thofe hollow places .
in the walls where they put their Quilts and Carpets when they rife. :
The Perfians are excellent Artifts at Damafquing with Vitriol, or engraving Da-
mask-wife upon Swords, Knives, and the like. But the nature of the Steel which
they make ufé of, very much contributes to their Art, in regard they cannot
perform the Jame work neither upon their own nor ours.This fteel is brought from
Golconda, and isthe only fort of iteel which cane be damafqu’d, For when the
workman puts it inthe fire, he needs no more then to give it. the redneS of a
Cherry, and inftead of quenching it in the water as we do, to wrap it in a moift
Linnen cloth: for fhould he give it the fame heat as to ours, it would grow fo
hard that when it came to be wrought it would break like glafs. fpeak this to’
undeceive thofe people who think our Scimitars and Cur-laffes are made of fteel
of Damafeu, which isa vulgar error ; there being no {teel but that of Goleond
that canbe Damask’'d. )
The Perfians are alfo excellent Artifts at making Bows and Arrows, and fuch
other. weapons as are us’d in that Country. As for Bridles and Saddles their Ar-
tifts far exceed ours,efpecially in their fowing,which they do fo neatly and with fo
much art witha kind of back-ftitch, that it looks almoft like an embroidery.There
are an infinite number that live by dreffing Seal-skins and Goat-skins, the firft to
make boots for the Gentry and better fort of Merchants, the Jatter for the poor
eople. : , ,
: There is alfo a fort of earthen ware made at Kerman which is very fine, and be-
ing brok’n looks as white within as without. It does not endure heat {0 well as
Porcellane, which has this quality, that if you powre never fo hot liquor into a
Porcellane cup,neither the foot nor the brims a-top will be any thing the warmer.
There are abundance of poor people that get their living by mending glafs To-
bacco-pipes, for when they are brok’n they join them together again with a cer-
tain maftic made of lime, and the white of an egg, then with a Diamond-pointed
piercer they make holes in the glafs, and bind the pieces together with a thin
_Latten-wire.
The moft confiderable commodities of Perfia are the Silks which come out of
. the Province of Guilan, But there is not fo much tranfported out of he as men
a
benags? For formerly great quantities of Velvets, Tiflues and Taffata’s were.
tranfported out of Perfia into thefe parts:but now we make them better and cheap-
~ er in Exrope. :
There is alfo.a vaft quantity of flat filk tranfported out of Perfia into Turkie ;
Mufcovy and Poland, which the women ufe in embroidery : for the Colours being
lively, they embroider. their fhifts, hankerchers, vails, and other linnen with
it. n
The Seal-skins and Goat-skins which are drefs’t in Perfia are tranfported by the
Hollan-
Chap. XII. of Monfieur it 4 VERN re R. s
Hollander into India and fapan, Great quantities alfo of both are tranfported into
Mufcovy and Poland, ; |
» The Ronas, that famous Root, of which I have already fpoken, is tranfported
over all /ud:a, where there is alfo a great vent of Perfian fruits pick?d in Vinegar
as alfo of their {weet waters. | >
Their Piftaches grow in great abundance about Cashin ; Almonds from the Terri-
tories of Ye/dand Kerman, Raifins from feveral parts of the Kingdom, efpecially
from Schiras: And their purgative Prunes, which they call Alonbacara, froin the
Frontiers that border upon Tartary. |
Great ftore of Quinces candied, and boxes of Marmaled made at Balfara are
thence tranfported"nto India, where they are bought up by the Mabomet tae and
Portugucfes. For the Banians will eat none,for fear they fhould by accident bury a
fly in their f{tomachs.
Great itore of dry’d Fruits are brought out of the Country ofthe Afedes, and
tranfported to Tocat, to Diarbequir, Nineveh and Dagdat. Among the reft a fore
of fall Abricots, very pleafing to the tafte, which being boyl’d in water make a
pleafancfyrrup, and are the only diet for the fick in thofe parts, oe
There are alfo great ftore of painted Calicuts made in Perfia, which being:
courfe, are only worn and made ufe of by the poor, fo thar there is very little
tran{ported out of the Country,but what is carried into Turkic. :
The Perfians alfo make a great deal of money of their Cattel; and to begin
with their Camels, they fell vaft numbers of them into Armenia and Watolia. But
the Governours of the Provinces are very unwilling to part with them; which
very much abates the trade. For the Turks very highly efteem the Perfian Camels,
as being ftronger than their own. They alfo (ll great ftore of Horfes and Mules ;
but that trade is not fo confiderable, the chiefeft part being only fent into Judia,
As for their Sheep, ’tis a wonderful thing to fee what prodigious numbers come
out of the Province of the, AZedes and the Higher Armenia, and the Forraign Mer-
chants come as far as Tauris and Hamadan to fetch them away. They drive them
as far as Conftantinople and Adrianople, and the greateft part of the Mutton which
is {pent in Natolia and Romania comes out of Perfia, which very much enriches
Perfia with ready mony. But when Lamb is in feafon, as we travel with the Ca-
ravans,we meet at every turn with flocks after flocks,the leaft of which confifts of
a thoufand Lambs: and in regard there are fome of thofe Lambs that are weary,
and lag behind, we buy them at a very cheap rate, the Shepheards that are not
able to carry them,being gladto be rid of’em. | eae
Formerly the Merchant Fewellers brought fome Turquoifes of the old rock out
of Perfa; but for thefe r5 years laft paft there have bin none found. - The laft
time I was there I could only meet with three, which were but reafonable. As
for thofe of the new rock, they are of no value, becaufe they do not keep their
colour,but turn gréen in a little time:
a
23%
232
Mint Yeo s Travels Book V.
% .
CHAP. XIIL .
Of the Fuftice and Policy of the Perfians.
He Juftite of the ba is very exact and very {peedy. Suits are determin’g
T upon the place without any need of Advocates or Proctors. Not but that
the Officers of Juftice are eafie to be corrupted,but in their un jutt exactions, which
they carry as fecretly as poffibly they can, they are fooner faciffi'd then the Turks:
and if their injuftice be difcover’d, upon complaint to the King they are punifhr
without mercy. - :
The Kans do Juftice in their Provinces,as reprefenting the Kings perfon.. Be-
fides thar, the King has a Divan Bega: in every City,and the Kan places under him
a Deroga, who is like the Lieutenant Criminal in Freace. He has under him an
Alatas, who isa kind of Captain of the watch ; who goes about the {treets in the
night to hinder diforders, and carries all people to Prifon that he finds abroad at
unfeafonable hours, if they cannot give a good accompt of themfélves, There
isalfo a Kelonter, that is, the chiefeft or greateft, who {eems to refemble the Tri-
bune of the People among the Romans, or the Provoft of Merchants in France.
The Kelonter is only refponfible to the King, who places one in every City, and it
is his bufinefs to defend the People from the injuftice and oppreffions of the Go-
vernours,
Murther is feverely punifh’d, nor will money fave the Criminal. When the
Murtherer is tak’n, they carry him before the Divan Begui, who makes quick
work, For he delivers him to the Parents or kindred of the perfon flain, who
carry him to the place of execution, and without any compaffion torture him to
~ Yremember the Kan of Schiras had a Favourite, who falling in love witha
young Perfian Gentleman, would needs endeavour to have the ule of his body.
One day meeting upon the Road together,and lying at night undeér the fame Tent,
the Favourite about midnight came to his bed fide, and after many follicitations
would have fore’d him. But being violently refitted. the Favourite for madnefs
to fee himfelfdifappointed, and liable to be diftover’d,ftabb’d the young Gentle-
man to the heart, and fled to the Moufftains. The Marther being divulg’d, the.
Mother, Widow and Sifter of the young man repair’d to the Kan for Juftice, who
willing to fave his Minion, offer’d them money: but they {corning his proffer,
threaten’d to complain to the King. The Kan being thereupon conftrain’d to pur-
fue his Favourite, at length took him and fént him to I{pahan, telling them that
he would not judge of the Affair, but refer it to the King. The Mother, Widew
and Sifter immediately follow’d the Murtherer to I{panan ; and demanded Juftice
of the King with that eagernefs, that though the King had an inclination to have
fpar'd the Kan’s Favourite for his Mafters fake, he was fore’d to abandon him, and
to bid them pay themflves with his blood. Immediately he was carri’d to the
MMeydan, where the Widow firft ftabb’d him to the heart with a Dagger, then the
Mother took her rurn, and after the Sifter; and then holding a Cup to receive his
blood, drank every one a cup full to quench the thirft of their revenge,
"Nor are they {0 exact in the punifhment of Marther only; for they punifh dif
orders in houfes of Debauchery with a proportionable ftrictnefs, of which 1 will
give the Reader two examples. A young Hollander, coming to U{pahan, prefently
ut himielf into a Perfan habit ; and going in the evening toa houfe of good fel-
owfhip, met with certain Perfans, with whom he ha pend to quarrel,and being
ten for his pains, thought it not convenient to itay any Jonger where he
had bin fo ill entertain’d. Thereupon the Dutch Interpreter went and complain’
to the drhemadouler, who inform’d the King. The King immediately fent for the
people that had beaten the HoHander, and ask’d them why they abus’d a ftranger?
To which the others made anfwer that they faw no ftranger, but only a man clad
after the Perfian garb. Whereupon the King told the Interpreter, that if the Datch-
man had worn his own Country habit, his Subjects durft not have abus’d him, but
as the cafe ftood, he had no reafon to punifh ’em. - One
;
‘Chap. X. - of Monfieur Tavernicr.
One day it happend that there was a great hubbub in one of thofe houfes of
debauchery, where the woman had proftiruted her own Daughter. The King in-
form’d of it, commanded the Mcther to be thrown headlong from a Tower : and
that the Daughter fhould be torn a pieces by his doggs, which he keeps a purpofe
for fuch chaftifements. ——*
Above all things there is an extraordinary care taken for the fecurity of the .
High-ways. For which purpofe guards are fet at convenient diftances, who are
ready to purfue upon the leaft noife ofa Robbery, and who examin people whence
they come and whither they go. If they anfwer not as they fhould,or trip in their
Aniwers, they carry them before the next Governor. Thole Radars are {9 potted.
over all Pera, that you need no more then fend to the places where they keep
ftation, to know what is become of any perfon that has committed acrime. For it
js impoffible to fcape, all the Pafles are fo well guarded. If any one endeavours
to trayel through the Mountains or unfrequented roads, then the Radars who are
in all places, feize fuch perfgns upon fafpition, for not taking the direct
road. ‘
As the Caravan was one day fetting out from Tasris for I/pahan,a poor fellow took
an occafion to rob a Cloak-bag during the hurly-burly of packing up,and fled crofs
the fields not knowing his way: the Merchant miffing his goods,complain’d to the:
Governour who having fought for him in vain, fent order to the Guards of the’
High-ways, to make a ftrict examination, and to fend the perfon to him fo foon.
as they had feiz’d him. Ina fhort time the Thief was conftrain’d to forfake his
Cloak-bag and to come a thwart the fields for water. Who being examin’d by the
Radars why he came alone by fuch a by way, and not knowing what to anfwer,.
was carti'd to the Governour. He was foon convicted and. condemn’d to death,
for Thieves find no mercy. in Perfia. Only they are varioufly put to death. For.
fometimes they are ty’d to a Camels tayl by the feet, and their bellies rip’t open.
Sometimes they are buried alive all but their heads, and ftarv’d to death: in
which torment they will fometimes defire a Paflengesto cut off their heads;
though it be a kindnefs forbidden by the Law. But the moft cruel punifhment of.
all, is when they fet the Thief a Horfe-back, with his extended Arms faften’d toa
long {tick behind ; then larding him with lighted Candles, they fuffer the Candles
to burn into his yery bowels. Another and I met two in this mifery, who defir’d,
us to haiien their deaths, which we durft not do, only we gave them a Pipe of
Tobacco according to their. defire. wa .
As for thofe that fteal-in Cities, they tye them by the heels to the tayl of a Ga-
mel, and rip up their bellies : and then as the Camel drags the poor eesti along
the ftreets, while one goes before him crying, Tae King has punifl’d him for fi
a crime. If yet he be not dead,they hang him upon thenexttree. =
The Radars have little wages, which makes them ufe their Rhetoric to get
what honeftly they can out of the Travellers, to whom they tell long ftories of
their care for the fecurity of the high-ways.
If it happen that a Merchant be rob’d, the Governour of the Province is to
make good to the Merchant whatever he has loft, according as he fhall make out
by his Oath or his Book. Nor dare the Governors deny fatisfaction, fearing a
complaint at J/pahan. 1 my felf was rob’d of two Bales of goods, between Lar
and Schiras, to the value of 1400 Piafters, but upon complaint to the Governour
upon my own oath and fhewing him my Book, he pay’d me all my lofs in gold,’ _
and gave me a prefent in wine befides. :
The Pofts or Shappars are thofe that carry the Kings difpatches to the Gover-
nours of Provinces, When they are fent any whither, the Kings Efquire - finds
them a Horfe, and a manthatruns to the end of the Stage, to bring him back
again. . If thefe Curriers meet a Horfeman upon the road, they have power to dif-
mount him, if their own be not fo good, or be tyr’d : and the Horfeman-muft ei-
ther run after his Horfe, or fend fome body to the end of the Stage. Sometimes
thefe Curriers abufing their power, within a quarter of an hour after they have
chang’d their Horfe, if they. meer another better mounted, they will take
away his Horfe too. Nor dares the Horfeman refift, thoagh he be never fo muek
too ftrong ; for there is no pardon for them that lay fo much as a finger upon one
of thele Shappars, at other times they will pretend to take away a mans Horfe
only |
233
only to get money. But they are forbid to deal fo by the Frawks; and I have
pafs’d by them,when they have faid nothing to me. a
Their Government in relation to Belly-timber is the beft in the world. For there
is a AZohtefeb, who is the chief of the Government, whofe bufinefs it is to feta
rate upon all forts of Provifion, being affifted by three or four more Affeffors,
- Every firft day of the week there is a public Proclamation of taxe upon the
weight of every thing. Which Affeflors in the evening advize together againg
the next day whether to raife or abate the price before fet. This order Was efta~
- blith’d by the great Sha bbas, and was in his raign more punctually obferv’g
then it has been fince. By the by obferve, that all provifions of belly-timber are
fold by weight and not by meafure : fo that you may fend a Child to Marker;
for ifthe Commodity be not weight,’tis well if the buyer be fatisfy’d with havin
his money again. For if the feller be difeover'd to {ell by fall weights, they are
led about the ftreets with a Takrekolas,or a Bonnet like a Bee-hive upon their heads,
and a Bell about their necks to expofe ’em firft to the laughter of the people > after
that they are fin’d, and receive fo many drubs upon the foles of their
feet. pe
If this good order were not obferv’d in Perfia, the poor would fuffer very much,
’ For the handicraft tradefinen that work all day in fhops remote from their houfes,
where their wives are continually fhut up, eat nothing at noon buta little fruit in
feafon : and then in the evening when they leave work, they go to the Marker
and buy for their Families bovld or roaft meat, of which there is great plenty,
Therefore are they {0 exact, leaft fo many poor labouring men fhould be de-
ceiv’d. :
One day a Baker of the City came to the Ka#, complaining that the Judge of
the «Government had fet too low a price upon bread fo that he fhould be a great
lofer. To whom the Kan made anfwer, that twas not his bufinef$ to alter the
price: bidding him go to the Magiftrate that was concern’d, « But the Baker belie-
ving the Kan could do an¥ thing, fent him aprefent of fifty Tomans. The Kan
feeing the ill defign of the Baker to opprefs the poor people, and the ill opinion he
had of him as a feller of Juftice, commanded him to be carri’d to the Piazza and
7 “there to be drub’d upon the foles of his feer till he pay’d the other fifty Tomans,
iF which the Kaz forthwith diftributed to the poor , and caus’d thesprice of bread
grr! to be abated inftead of raifing it.
Ct BaP? IV:
Of the Manners and Cuftomes of the Perfians.
He Manners and Cuftomes of the people are ufually correfpondent to their
‘4 Religion. The Perfians never preferve the name of their’ Predeceffors, but
like the 7ews, for diftinction fake, fay, fuch a one, the Son of fuch a one. When
they Circumcife a Child and give hima Name, they write three or four Names
like Lots in Paper , which are drawn by a Child, and which-the Child draws, that
is the Name of the Child. The women that are barren, fwallow that which is
eat from the Child,believing it will make them conceive. |
_ The Perfians are generally. very inquifitive after the time to come, confulting
their Aftrologers like Oracles: The King has always two or three by him, to tell
him the good or bad hour. There isan Almanac which is fold every year in Per-
fia, which they call Tacuim ; but is indeed an Ephimerides, containing the Longi-
tudes and Latitudes of the Planets, the Conjun¢tions and Oppofitions ; and other
fach'things.. This Tacvim is full of predictions about Wars, Sicknefles and Famin.
ir fets the proper feafons to put on new-cloathes, to let blood, to Purge, or tra-
vel, with many other inftructions of the fame nature. » They give great credit to
this Tacuim, and they that can get one, govern themfelves in all things according
to the Rules there fet down, Others to know the fuccefS of their affairs, go to
wet * . “ a
- a Doctor of the Law, and defire him to open the 4/-couran, and to tell them the
iflue of their bufinefs. Thereupon the Doétor muttering fome ftrange words ;
opens the Book, and if he meets with affirmative commands, he declares thers os af
undertaking fhall profper. If negatives, he diffwades from the enterprize. . I re-entitl’d tos
member a Gardiner belonging to the Capuchin Friers, would needs go to one ofits exccl=- ”
thofe ALozllah’s, to know whether he fhould get by an Ox that he was about to es we
bay. Whereupon the Afowl/ab affar’d him he fhould reap great profit by his bar-ie’ sa
ain: but quite coatrary, the Ox dy’d upon his hands within three days, to the _
reat aftonifhment of the Gardiner. Whena Capuchin tax’d the Afoullah for the
falfities of his pretended Art, the AZoxllah reply’d, that God knew that the Gar.
diner would fpend his Money upon lewd Women, and therefore took from hint
the means and fupport of his debauchery.
They alfo ufe a fort of divination, which is cal?’d Rambé, by even or odd. the
| Mafters of which myftery, call’d Rarsmals, keep Shops on purpofe to delude the
| cople. When they fee people coming, they have perfons fuborn’d on purpote ;
| who holding out their hands fhut, ask the Rammal what he thinks they have ity
. their hands. The Rammal at firft feems to be ata ftand; throwing certain Dice
_call’d Kiabetain, the fpecks whereof are fome even, fome uneven ; but when there
Alcouran is -
are people enough gathered together, he tells point by point how many {pecks his
fellow-Cheat has in his hands. Who counterfeiting aftonifhment, encourages the
poor filly creatures that ftand gazing, tofpend fomething for a lye which they felt
| them. They alfo make ufe of the Fal; which is to open a Book,& by numbers even
| or odd, to prognofticate good or bad fortune. In their interpretation of dreams,
| the Interpreter foretells the future to him that enquires conformable to what he
| fays he faw in his dream. Hehasa great Book lying before him, full of little
. Pictures and Grorefco-work, wherein he ftrives to thew the people fome Fantafm or
| Apparition, which they will tell you they faw in the night. Thefe cheats are
| ufually practis'd about the Palace, where all the idle people flock together; as al-
| fo upon the Road to Zulpha, where they lye upon the Road to catch the filly
| Paflengers.
The Perfians are mightily addicted to ill language, and foul-mouth’d reproaches,
| So that when two men fall out, inftead of fighting with their fifts, they fight with
| their tongues, and curfe one another. But they never blafpheme God: for if
| they fhould hear one fwear, or wifh themfelves at the Devil, they would cry out
inan aftonifhment, Js nor that Fellow a fool to give himfelf upon truft to the Devil,
| and renounce Paradife? When they would affirm any thing to be true, all their
Oaths are Ser-azirefha, By the King’s beloved head; or, Erva pigumbir, by the
Spirit of theProphet. I remember once at Galata, walking with fome of the
French Embaflador’s Servants, we faw two Turks at Cuffs; after they were par-
ted, one of them gave the other a thoufand curfes ; to which, the other reply’d
no more than only this ; I wifh, faid he, thy Soul may have no more repofe in
Paradife, than the Hat of a French-man has in this World, alluding to our manner
of falutation, and putting off our Hats fo often as we do.
The Perfians are naturally great Diffemblers and Flatterers ; and they make it
their ftudy to acquire efteem and applaufe. They love to give and receive Pre-
fents: more efpecially to prefent the King. Which Prefents are valu’d, and ac-
cording to the eftimate, they muft fend ten per cent. to the Serjeant Porter, and
five per cent, to his Deputy: which, if they do not pay willingly, they are fote’d
to pay: which I faw the Deputy of the Hol/and-Company forc’d to do.
The Luxury and the Expences of the Perfians is exceffive, as I have in feveral
places obferv'd. And though it be againft the Law of ALahomet to make ufe of
Gold or Silver-plate, which fets afide that metal only for Commerce and for Mo-
n€y ; none but the poor obferve that Law, for the rich make no {cruple to tranf-
grefs it. ey . carck tee
The Perfians are very much accuftom’d to make mutual Vifits one to another at
their folemn Feftivals, and to wifh one another good cheer, and a merry feafon.
The more noble fort ftay at home to expect the Vifits of their Inferiors ; after
that they get a Horfeback, and return their Vifits. The C#rtifans continue their
Vifits all the year long, and going to the Noble-mehs Houfés, ftay in the great
Hall till they come out of their Harams. Whither, when the Noblemen come,
7 Ff they -
:
236°
The PER SI A N Travels Book V
they lay their hands upon their ftomachs, and bow, which is their manner of 2.
Juting the Company that tarries for them. After fome few Compliments, they
get a Horfeback, attended by all their Vifitants, who accompany them to the
King’s Houfe, in-expectation of fome kindnefs, by vertue of their favour. The
favours which the King ufially does to fuch people, is ro fend them to the Gover.
nours of Provinces with a Hawk or a Calaat, with order that the {aid Governours
remember the Serjeant Porter.
The Kaz being advertiz'd that the Ca/laar is coming, he rides forth of the Ci
to meet it, attended by all his principal Officers, the chief of the Gity, and the
greatelt part of the inhabitants. The Juglers alfo mutt give their attendance, to.
gether with the Drums and Trumpets, and all the Mufick-nta kers. They rendezs
vouz ufually ina Garden one or two leagues from the City, where the King’s Meg.
fenger ftays with the Calaat. So foon as the Governour perceives him, he makes
a low obeyfance, and a Prayer for the King ; giving God thanks for that the King
is pleas’d to preferve him in his memory : then he puts on the Calaar, which js
according to the quality of the Governour: fometimes the Robe alone 3 fomen
times Robe and Cloak: fometimes Robe, Cloak, Girdle, and Bonnet; to Which,
if he be a Grandee, are added the Scimitar and Dagger: which method is alfy.
obfery’d toward Embaffadors. When the Kan has put on the Calaat, he returns
to the City with all his Retinue, goes to the King’s Houfe ; (for the King has a
_ Houfe in every City,) kifles the Columns of the Gate, and makes certain other
Prayers for the profperity of the King : At length he rides home, where he makes
a great Feaft, fhewing the Ca/aar to all perfons that come to him, who by way of
complement cry Adoxbarek-bafber, that is, may it be bleft, and prove a good omen,
The Perfians are not much addicted to play : for befides, that the Law forbids
it; the ALe/haldar-Bafei has a power to fine and punith Gametters,as I have faid
already. For which reafon he has fpies, to which the meaner fort of people dare
not refufe entrance into their Houfes: but the richer fort langh at ‘ems; and will
give ’erh nothing. Among the Perfian Games, there is one game at Cards which
the Perfians call Gengefé. We have but four diftine& marks upon ours, but they
have eight. They alfo play at a kind of Chefs, and at Trifrac s which two Games
are moft inufé. The Shopkeepers play in the Streets with little Marble-bowls,
hot much unlike our Childrens Bowling-ftones. But as for Bowling-greens, or
Tennis-Courts, they know not what they mean.
Neither the Perjians nor any of the Eaftern People accuftom themflves to
walk as wedo. And therefore when they {ee us walking to and fro together ina
Garden-Ally for two or three hours together, they are amaz’d. They only fpread
a Carpet in the faireft place of the Garden, and fet themfelves down to ¢ontem-
plate the verdure of the place : and if they rife, ’tis only to pull the fruit from
the trees. For they love to eat what they gather themfelves, never caring for
what others have handl’d.
The Men never dance, only the Women of Pleafure, which are always fent for
to their Feafts; where they dance open-fac’d, and thew a thoufand ftures to
divertife theGompany. Their jnglers are every jot as good as ours;but whereas ours
make ufe of Balls, they thew their tricks with large Hen-eggs. Their Dancers
upon the Ropes far exceed ours. I have feen fome of them that have ty’d aR
to the top of a high Tower, and faften’d the other to the “ground, and then waik-
ing up to the top with their counterpoifes in their hands, have laid themfelves up-
_ on the Rope upon their backs, and have flid to the bottom with a fwiftne® tike
lightning, | E
The Perfians are altogether as faperftitious as the Turks. Before they fay their
Prayers they are oblig’d to wath: every one having a Refervatory for water in
his own Honfe, which is always full of water. They plonge their heads in the
water, wath their mouths, rub theit forheads; and if a man fhews them any natti-
nef in the Veflel, cheré’s water enough, they cry, for purification ; though, if it
be Pond-water, it muft be four‘or five foot deep. But if it be Running-water,
the leaft quantity in the World ferves to purify ’em, and render ‘em fit to pray:
while they ground their beliefupon this maxim of the Law of Mahomet, that if it
fhould ran through Pifbkt/, or Camels-dung,it would be fafficient for purification.
There is onefort of wathing appointed by their Law, which is, to go to their
: : . Baths
,
Chap. XIV. of Monficur TAvERNt BR.
Baths after they have been with their Wives; and there are fome {oy fuperititious
as to go there every day. Thefe Baths are round Chambers, fo clofe, that there
js no light but what comes from little round windows made in the top of the
roof. Inthe firft place, there is the Krafiné, which isa Chamber feven. or cight
foot {quare ; where, in the middie of the Room, isa great Copper-plate; in the
form of a flat Bafon, and underneath they make a fire of Brufhes or Horfe-dung :
{o that the Plate heats all the water which is in the Chamber: When it is hor
enough, a fervant belorging to the Bath goes up to the Terras, and winds a horn,
to give notice to them that have a mind tocome. Should a Perfian ora ALahu-
metan mifs once in eight days, he would feel an itching all over his body not to be
endur’d. For the pores, which the heat of the Bath had open’d, coming to be
fhut, the vapours of the body not able to get out, prick and tickle the skin. The
Men go early in the morning, and ftay till two hours after Suh-rifing: At the en-
try of the Bath is the place where they undrefs ; and when they are {tript all
but the fecret parts, which they cover with a napkin, they pour hot water upon
their fhoulders; and then comes a manand rubs off all the fweat and filth of the
Body with a coarfe Cloath; after whichthey plunge themfelves into a Refervato-
ry of hot water, which they call Kolletaiz, But thefe common Baths are very
dangerous, and ‘many people of both Sexes have got the fowl Difeafe, who were
never addicted to impurity. | | | es ee
There are alfo in Perfia hir'd people, which they call Sakz’s, whofe bufinefg it is
to give water to the people as they go along the Streets. Their Barbers ate very
neat, and furpafs ours for lightnefs of hand ; for a man can hardly feel their Ra-
fors. They,have alfo.a Knife to pare the nails of the hands and feet, which they
do very dextroufly. . As for their Beards, thofe that belong to the Law cut it wit
Sciflers, but they leave it not fo long as the Turks do, by much. But the Courtiers
and Souldiers fhave all off, except from their upper-lips, where they take it fora
markof great honour to wear long AZx/taches, which they fay is the ornament of
the face. .
The habit of the Perfians isa Robe which they call Cgbzye, that comes down
a little below their knees. This is of very fine quilted Cloath, well cotton’d in
the Winter, but much thinner in the Summer... Thefe Linnens would be very
cheap, but that the Perfons of Quality change their Robes every day. Their
Sleeves are long, and clofe to their arms, and reaching as far as the wrift.. The
Robe is fit to their Bodies as far as the Waft ; but then it is made wide and loofe,
Over this they wear a noble Girdle of Silk, adorn’d at the end wich flowers of
Gold, over which they were another Girdle of fine Kerman-wool.. The. richer
fort are fo vain as to wear three Girdles, two of Silk, and one of Kerman-wool,.
which is ty'd eppermoft.. Under the Robe or Veft they wear a fhort Waftcoat of
flower’d Fuftian quilted, their Shirts being of Silk of divers colours, They ufe
as little Soap in Perfia as they can ; for Soap is very rare in Perfiz. When we
come out of the Zndies, we are forc’d to bring with us Linnen enough to ferve us
for fix months, and then to carry it back again; for they wafh much better in Jn-
dia then in Perfia. Their breeches being of Silk, come down to their Ankles,
without any codpieces. Their Se/fe, or Bonnet, whith we call a Turban, is made
of a-piece of fine Silk mingl’d with Gold, being in form much like our large
Pompions; the top thereof is a little flat; and here it is that the end of the
‘Silk being garnifh’d with flowers of Gold and Silver, ends in a kind of Pofie,
Thefé Bonnets are very heavy, efpecially thofe that are for the moft part nothing
but Gold and Silver. The meaneft of thofe is worth 200 Crowns ; but there are
fome which the King and the great Lords wear, that are worth four or five
hundred, You fhall feldom meet an Officer of any Quality that does not wear a
tich Jewel in his Bonnet, The Courtiers and Souldiery wear their Daggers upon
their ftomachs, ftuck in their girdles. The meaneft Souldier inlays the handle and
theath of his Dagger ; but the Grandees have them all befet with Pearls. There
was in the handle of Sha--dbbas the Second’s Dagger, a Diamond of above fixty
Carats, which, with fome other Stones that belong'd .toit, was valu’d at 13000.
Tomak3, oF 200000 Crowns. Over their Velt wear a Jufticoar, much like
ours. It is faften’d at the top with’a button’: andor oft: ufually they have nine.
tufted buttons before fet by three and three — equal diftance: but re eT
) 2 erve
e
he
ee Teka’
*
238
~The Persvan Travels Book V;
—_—-~..
-ferve for ornament. This Jufticoar is either of Cloath, or Tiflue ; which in Win:
ter is lin’d with AZartins, or elfe with a grey Lambskin that comes from Korafzy,
And indeed the Perfians |ove diverfity of colours in their habits: for their Jufticoar —
is of one colour,their Veft of another,their Breeches of another; and their Shooes,
efpecially the Womens, are green, red, yellow, or-violer. The Girdle and Turban
are always of ftrip’d Stuit, unlefs it be the Adoxz/lab’s, which. are always
lain.
3 Befides all this, in the Winter they weara long Cloak down to their heels, with
fleeves of the fame length, lin’d with rich Furs. The Perfons of Quality, and
fome of the meaner fort of people make no more of Cloath of Gold and Siver,
then we do of: Druggets. A man that has but feven or eight Tomans a year, thal]
{pend fivé’in Clothes; which excefs in habit is crept down among the Rabble,
that a man can hardly tell the Servant from the Matter. And it isa Proverb among
the Perfians, Corbebé Lebas, fine Clothes make Men eftcem’dat Count. Neither
Sha-Abbas the Second, nor his Grandfather Sha-Abbas the Firlt, would allow of
this diforder, but that Men fhould go clad according to their conditions. For one
day, feeing one of his Servants with a pair of Cloath of Gold-breeches, deman:
ded what wages he had? but when he underftood that ‘it was nothing neer
fufficient to maintain him at that rate; to deter others from the like vanity, he
order'd him fo many Ba/tinadoes upon the foles of his feet, that he dy’d ina few
days. Others fay that the Fellow being furpriz’d at the King’s Queition, made
him an{wer, that being troubl’d with the Gout, he had been advis’d to wear that
fort of Stuff for its warmth. To which the King reply’d, that he had been told
a very bad remedy, and that he would fhew him a better and a fhorter way
to cure the Gout, and fo commanded him to be drubb’d, as before is rela-
_ ted,
_ In regard it is very cold in Perfia, they make ufe of three forts of Furs. The
Lamb and Fox’s skin for the meaner fort, together with the Cat’s and Fox’s. skin,
But the third fort, which is the AZcrtin’s Fur, is for Grandees of the Court, and
other Perfons of high Quality. They have alfO a way to. make Caflocks that
will keep oat the rain, the wind, and the cold, which are made of Kerman-
wool, as our Felr-makers make their Hats. .
And now I have faid ’tis cold, give me leave to tell ye how they warm them-
felves. In all Houfes there are little Chambers, in the middle whereof there is
a fquare hole about a foot deep, and three or four foot long, according to. the
bignefs of the Chamber. Over the -hole is a thing like-one of our Tabourets,
which covers the hole with a large Carpet, to keep in the heat of that which is
Kindl'd in the hole ; fo that being plac’d under the Tadbouret as far as the watt,
though as cold as ice betire, in a minute you fhall be almoft ina fweat, and be
ready to fall a-fleep, if you take not a great care. All the Nobility have Cham-
bers with Chimneys, where they fet the Wood upright ; the Mantle-tree comes |
_ forward, low, and femi-cjrcular. It is two°or three foot deep, and as many wide,
to avoid fmoaking, == me
_ They are full of their Compliments, which they call Tiavexea: and their man-
ner of falutation is quite different from.ours. For they never uncover their
heads, but bow, and Jay their right-hand upon their brefts: When they come
into the company of their Betters, they fall upon their knees to {et themfelves
upon their heels, which isa mark of refpe@. frig
The Women in Perfia are very richly habited; but their habit is all of
a piece, though little different in fhape from the Mens. _ It is open before,
and comes not down below the calf of theleg. Their Girdle is not ty’d faft,
_ bat hangs carelefly : their Sleeves are alfo clofe to their arms, and reach to their
_ they fometimes add more, which is. fale, to make a long Jock that is done
wrilts. Upon their heads they wear a little Bonnet rais’d like a little fpire, and
-adorn’d with pretious Stones, according to their Quality 5 from which Bonnet
‘falls a veil behind, which is very graceful. They wear. Breeches like the men,
“and their. Shooes are almoft like theirs. The Women of Orzeus wear only a fin-
‘gle pair of Breeches with a fhift over them. The Armenian ‘Women wear
befides, alittle Jufticoar without fleeves, and upon their heads,.a fine Linnen-
Coif ty’d under their chins. Their hair is gather’d into a long trefs, to which
-
up
Chap.XIl. of Monfieur TavERNIER.
up in a Velvet or Sattin-Cafe embroider'd, and hangs behind down to the
watt. . . o
Handfome Women are very plentiful in Perfia, as well the tawny as the white
For the Merchants that bring both from all parts, choofe the handfomeft they
can pick out, The white Women are brought from JdZufcovia, Poland, Ciraffia,
Mengrelia, Georgia, and the Frontiers of Yarrary. The black from the coatt of
“Melinda, and the Red-Sea. :
. The Pevfan Women are feen by none but their own Husbands, They are very
dle in their Houfés, not fo much as looking after any thing of Houfewifery. . In-
deed every thing is at the Husband’s difpofal, fo that the Women are rather Slaves
then Wives. They fpend their time in taking Tobacco, after feveral fathions.
When they go to the Baths, fhe’s the Woman that wears the beft Clothes, and
brings the beft Collation. They that have Slaves, caufe ’em to rub their ana
their legs, and their thighs, till they fall afleep ; having no other divertifement *
their voluptuous Prifon. The higher a man is in dignity, the more he glories in
having a great number of Wives and Slaves; and his abfolute power keeps them
in order either willingly, or by conftraint,
There are two forts.of Eunuchs for the guard of the Sultanefles and the Wives
of the Nobility :. Some are white, but they never come neer the Women, but are
order’d to guard the firit doors of the Haram. The others are black, frightful
to look upon, and flat-nos’d ; who attend only upon the Women. If there bea
neceffity for a Woman of Quality to go abroad, the Eunuchs go before and be-
hind with Battoons in their hands, to make the Corrozk, and drive all the people
out of the way. When the King goes into the Countrey, if any one be afleep in
the high-way, and be perceiv’d before he wakens, he is immediately cut to pieces
ashe lies. Inthetime of S4a--4bbas the Second, one of the Fellows that help’d
to fet up the Womens Tents, being weary, fell afleep in one of them upon the
ground. When the Women came, they, fecing a man afleep, fet up a thrieking ;
upon which, the Eunuchs coming in, wrapt up the Fellow in the Carpet as he lay,
and carrying him into the Fields, buried him alive, Carpet and all.
aye CHAP. XV, ae
Of the Difeafes of Perfia, and the manner of curing them...
4H E Perfian Children are feldom fick of the finall-Pox, but in lieu of that,
they are very fubjé& to. Scald-pates, till ten or twelve years old. Which, it
may be; proceeds from their fhaving {0 young, and fo often: for they fhave at
five or fix months old, and two or three times a week, 4
‘As to the Pox, the Perfians would be more troubl’d with it, but that the dry Air
of the Countrey is an enemy to it: befides, they never lye twice with the fame
Woman, without going to the Bath to fweat out the venom of that diftemper.
As for the Gout, or Gravel, the Perfians know not what it means: But the r-
menians are troubl’d with the latter, efpecially thofe that in their youth accuftom’d |
themfelves to drink more Wine then Water. _ i dee salt
To thofe that are troubl’d with the Cholick, they ufually prefcribe the eating of
Horfe-flefh ; and [| have feen many cur’d by that means. ale pene: ae
Generally the Perfians, efpecially the rich, or thofe that have wherewithal to
live handfomely, are much lefs fubject to Sicknefs then the people; of Exrope.
‘Some take the reafon to be, becaufe of their China-drink, which.they drink every
Spring, boyling an ounce in three.pints of water, and {0 cc tinuing the Dofe for
tenor twelve days one after the other : all which time th : a ep a very nroderate
diet, and eat no fruit for a month together, This drink caufes the Patient to fweat ;
and the fweat being wip’d off, dyes the Linnen, nay the very walls of the Cham-
235
For —
ber of a yellow.colour. As for any method of Phyfick, they have none-in Verfa.
a The P ERS AN Travels Book V.
For the Dyfentery, they, take fower.Curdl’d-milk, with Rice unbruis’d boyld jp
- water, to which they add a little Rhubarb powder’d,
__At the beginning of a Diftale they forbid Bread, and inftead thereof preferibe
‘Rice boyl'd in Hen-broath, or fometimes in fair water. For diet is the chief Re-
medy which the Phyfitians prefcribe in all Difeafes, and account mott foveraign,
Indeed the remedy is well preferib’d in many diftempers ; however it is by them
. never prefcrib’d according to reafon or method, but only according to cuftom,;
2 whereby it often comes to paf$ that they forbid that which is good, and pre{cribe
that which is bad,If the Patient be fo poor as not to be able to fend fora Phyfitian,
two or three men fet him upon an Afs, with a Scarf about his neck, whicledenores
him to bea fick perfon, and fo lead him to the Phyfitian ; who prefently feels bis
Pulfé, lets him Blood, and by and by taking his Pen in his hand, ina final! piece of
: Paper prefcribes more Hog-wath at one {troke, then three mens bellys are able to .
contain, — 7
2 When a Phyfitian is call’d to a Confiltation, he pretends not to take any Money :
ee But his 4tar or Apothecary finds a way to have the Doctor fatisfi'd for his pains,
They never permit the Sick to change their Linnen, how nafty foever ic be.
When they come home to the Patient, though they find him ready to expire, they
tell the Servants that he will certainly recover ; but then, on the other lide, they
go to the Parents or Kindred of the Patient, and tell them that the Patienc js in a
- defperate condition, and cannot live. By this means they fave their credit ; ‘for
= happen what will, they have cold truth either of the one fide, or the other.
tie
%
ta
= Bie a Of the adrvifion of Time among the Perfians, -
fone Perfians divide the natural day into four parts. The firft is from Sun-
4 -rifing to.Noon; the Second from Noon to Sun-{ér: The third from Sun-fet
till Midnighy; and the fourth from Miduight till Sun-rife. At Midnight, Morning,
and Sunfet, they make a moft horrible din in every great City, of Kettle-Drums,
Haur-boys, Latten-Pafons, and other Inftruinents : upon which there are certain
men hird to play for a quarter of an hour together, in fome place where they
maay be heard all over the City. They have alfo great Cornets, about {even foot |
long, with deep mouths, which may be heard above half a league. But thefe
Cornets are never us’d but in Cities where the Kans or Governouirs refide. Thefe
Inftruments are alfo always employ?d at their great Solemnities ; as alfo when the
King creates any-new Officer or Governour. Thefé Inftraments have alfo a pri-
viledg to play at all Houfes where they underftand there is a Male-child born,
The meaner fort dare not refufe ‘em ; but the Nobility value not their priviledg
a The Perfians in the computation of time make ufe of Lunar-months. The firtt
MMotharrem, the fecond Cepher, the third Rebia-el-dvel, the fourth Akner, the
fitth Gemadil-Avel,the fixth Gemadil-Akner,the feventh Regeb, the eighth Shaabon,
the ninth Ramezan, the tenth Shaval, the eleventh Zikadé, the twelfth Z:l-
hagge. ‘And every’Month begins from the firft appearance of the Crefeenr.
An their Aftronomical Accounts, and the Calculations of the Longitude and La-
titude of the Planets, for the compofing their Almanacks, they make ufé of Solar-
Months, thus call’d: Azar 34-days. Onzon 30 days. jar 31.: Harizon 30, Te-
moure 3%, Ab 31.Eiloul 30.Techrion-el-Avel 3% .Techrion-el-ilans 30.Ranon-el-Avel
31.Kanon-Elfani 31. Shaabat 28 or 29,anfwering to our February. The firft month
eS; Azar begins upon our eleventh of Afarch: fo that it anfwer'd'toour month of
Fae! March before the Gregorian Reformation. Therefore they. call this month —
a _ Mah- Roami, or the Reman months. They alfo make ufe of the Egyptian months,
| which are thus call'd : Terverdin, Evdi-be-hoit, Kourdad, Tir, Mordad, Sheriver,
; ee Mohré,
;
|
.
|
¥
Chap XVII. of Monfieur TaveRNIeER.
Mobhré, Abon, Azer, Dei, Bahmen, Efpendarmouzé, The firft month, Fe-verdix
begins with the Vernal Equinox, every month not containing above 30 days ad-
ding the five which remain to the end of the year,which they call Kramf Monte»
yelze. PSE yio¥ ar | ’
The day of the Vernal Equinox is the firft day of the year,which they call Weo-
zonze, and is one of their Principal Feftivals. .For that day all the Grandees
ear at Court, and prefent the King according to their quality. If they can
meet with nothing that is rare, they prefent him in Ducatts.of Gold,and there are
fome that prefent him to the number of ten Thoufand. They alfo give God. thanks
for preferving them to fee the new year, and for preferving the frnits of the Earth
from bad feafons,for the Corn is by that time well come up.Upon this firft day of
the year, ifa Perfan has not money to buy him a new habit,he will go and mort-
gage his own body to have one. So proud and luxurious are the Perfians from the
higheft to the loweft.
| CHAP. XVII. Bog:
Of the Feafts and ordinary Dict of ‘the Porfians. ets
To Perfians are nothing eager after delicacies or dainties; ‘both othe nobler
4 and the meaner fort being very temperate in dyet. Ja regard that wood is
fo {carce and dear about Z/pahan, they never cat boyl?’d meat above vace aday >
d as for their Dinner which they call Share, it confifts of bread, cheefe-curds,
milk, burnt wine, melons and other fruits in feafon, to which che rich add'wet
and dry fweet-meats: At night their ufual food is P:/aw and roft meat. They buy
their Provifion from hand to mouth, efpecially the A¢ahumetans, which is a double
charge. But for the Armenians, they live thriftily, and buyat once a good .quan-
tity of provifions to laft for fo long time.
Muttons, Kidds, Pullets and Pidgeons, are the ufual dyet of the Perfans ; for
as for Beef they very rarely eat it. The King and the great Lords will eat a piece
of a Hare fometimes when they have beena hunting : but when they have kill’d
a wild Boar, they fend it always to fome Chriftian, in expectation to be prefenved
for the honour donethim. They have no-diverfity of Vicbuals »or made Dithes in
Perfia, their dyet being more proper to fatisfic hanger, then to pleat a nice palate.
Mutton and Lamb would be very goodin Perfa, if they knewthow to roaft it our
way. But the Perfians roaft,only atan oven, which isa hole made:in -the:ground
two foot and a‘half broad, and five or fix foot deep. They burn nothing but
bufhes, and a‘kind of Turf mix’d with the dang of -Cattel, :and-dry’d in the-Sun.
There are feveral roafting'Cooks at //paban, that roafta whole Sheepat a time,
where he that comes ‘to buy may have as much cut-out ashe pleafes. ‘Other
Cooks fhops are only for'boyl’d meator rice : ‘their fruits which they pickle ep in
Vinegar being the only fawce which they have.
As for their Bread itis very white, for they have wheatenough to farnifh the
whole Kingdom. They’bake every day, making:uptheir Dow in the form of a-
thin Cake, ftrow’d over with Sefamum. They bake thefe Cakes in their Ovens ‘in
the ground, covering the batch over with hictle round flint ftones, that are quick-
ly hot andretainahe‘heat. At J/pabawthey make a great ‘fire in an carthén pot, —
and when it is hot’theypread the Dow againft the fides of the pot. The “r-
menians make afort of bread as thin as Paper, which they bake upon a thin Iron
plate whichisas'thinas paper. Their Plate and Dithes are of red Gopper tinn’é
withinfide. ‘For'they are forbid to make ufe of Silver by the Law of ALahomer.
Nor does the King ufe any other then Gold Plate, of which “he has great ftore.
They ‘have alfo'a fort of Porcellane made at Kerman, Yo eat their broths they
make ufe ‘of wood’n fpoons : for-as'for theiriice, which is thick, they take it np
sited iefs a oie
‘in their‘fingersjand wipe their hands:upon their erchiefs. ts,
‘The firft thing fet upon the Table is the Pipe, the Tobacco, and ee of
oe offee 5
24.1
242 ~~ The Be RSLTAN Travels Book V.
Coffee ; and indeed thus it is that they begin all their debauches. They fuck and
{moak of their Tobacco through water in a long glafS bottle, by which means jt
comes cool into their mouths : elfe they would never be able to take ir all da
long astheydo. They fing very little in their Cups : but they recite a vaftnum-
‘ber of wicked Verfes, which they rehearfe with a great deal of gravity. The
are fo accuftomed to take Tobacco, both men and women, that a poor tradefinan
that has not above five Sows to {pend, will lay out three of them in Tobacco, [g
they had none, they fay they fhould not have damaqne, that is, gladnets in their
hearts. Many will confef$ that their exceflive taking Tobacco is hurtful ; but if
you tell ’em of it, they anfwer ina word, ddedehond, ’Tis the cuftome. :
Befides their Tobacco they have alfo Opium made of Poppies,cut as tltey grow,
out of which they draw the juice and make it into Pills. They take no more at firft
then the head of a pin, increafing their dofe by degrees,till they come to take the
quantity of halfa wall-nut. When they are come to that pitch they dare not give
over , for fear of endangering their lives, or addicting themfelves to drink wine.
In their youth you fhall fee thefe Theriakis or takers of Opium, with pale penfive
and dejected countenances, and the ufe of their {peech almott loft : If they omit
to take for a day together this ill-continued drug that heats their brains, and cau-
fes them to act ridiculoufly and to talk idly, when it has done working, they are
as cold and ftupid as before, which obliges ’em to take it again. For this reafon
they are fhort liv’d: or if they do five till forty, they complain heavily of the
pains that proceed from the cold venome of the herb. They that have a mind to kill
themfelves, fwallowa large piece, and drink Vinegar after it, to prevent the re-
lief of any other Counterpoyfon, and {0 they dye fimiling.
They have another fort of drink to make themfelves merry , which they call
Kokemaar, compos’d of boyld Poppy feed. They take it in broth, and there are
particular houfes call’d Kokemaar Krone, where people meet to divertife thofe
that fee the ridiculous poftures which that intoxicating drink caufes them to thew.
Before it works they quarrel with one another, and call one another al] to naught,
but never fight. When the drug begins to work, they grow friends; and fome are
for making complements, others for telling along tedious ftory,which renders them
very vain. They have alfo another fort of liquor , which is call’d Bongue, very
bitter, being made of the leaves of Hemp and fome other drug mix’d with it. It
makes thofe that ufe it fhamefully foolifh and ridiculous, which is the reafon the
Law has forbid that and not the former. The Usbecks have brought into Perfa,
the Cuftome of taking in Pipes Tchowherfe, which is the flower or rather the
woolly fubftance which is found in hemp-clofes. This fills the head with ftrange
conceits,fometimes pleafant and fometimes furious ; thofe that take it being quite
befides their fences for two or three hours.
Their Feafts are thus order’d : The guefts come in the morning to the houfe
whither they are invited, and all the day long they {pend their time in taking To-
bacco and telling ftories. Between whiles they have Sweetmeats , Coffee, and
Fruits fet before them. Inthe evening the Sofra is {pread, and the table ferv’d
with boil’d and roaft. Ifthe perfon that treats be of any quality, he has a kind
of a Governour of his houfe, that fits upon his heels with a Ladle or great wood-
en fpoon in his hand. Then the Inviter makes his complements to the chief of his
guefts, afluring him that the entertainment is only provided for him, only at his
command he is ready to let the reft fhare with him.. The Complements being thus
pafs'd, the Governour of the Houfe with his great Spoon puts rice and meat
upon the little plates, which the fervants prefent by equal portions to
every one of the guefts. Then they fall too, taking out the rice by
handfuls, and the meat with their fingers. Sometimes they mix curdl’d milk
‘with their rice and meat, and making up a lump of all together-as big as a Ten-
nis ball, put it all in their mouths at a time, which is the reafon they never fit
long at Table ; one making room for another till they have all done: for as foon
as one has done, another comes into his place without any farther Ceremony. They
‘have feveral Liquors in the room in Porcellain Veflels, but at meals they only
drink to drive down their meat and to prevent thirft. When all is done, th
bring a Bafon with an Ewre full of hot water to wath their hands and faces, After
which the Inviter complements his guefts, and every one returns home ; at which |
time
ee te. *
a : ; <
time the fervants are very diligent to bring every man his fhoes, in hopes of fome
‘ jittle piece of filver. gels ; ;
The Armenians entertain their friends in the fame manner ; only that they be-
gin their Feaits with a cup of ftrong water, and fome {weet-meats, after which
they give a couple of hard Eggs to every one of the guefts. The Perfians alfo bave
{oon done, but the Armenians eat fwift, anda long time without drinking, which
they neverdo till the end of the meal. After they have given thanks and taken
away the cloth, then they fall to drinking to excefs. He thar gives the enter-
tainment never thinks he has done well, till his guefts are not able to find the way
out of the room, and the more they tumble about the room, the lefs he thinks
he has fpent his money in vain. :
- Toconclude, the Perfian’s are very Gentile,and afford their victuals with a free-
will to all that will come and eat with them at Supper time: admiring at the
cuftome of the Franks, who fhut their doors when they fit down to their
meals. |
‘CHAP. XVIil
Of the Marriages of the Perfians.
cs He Perfians betroth their Children very young, that is at nine or ten years 5
but among the drmenians there are fome marry’d and lye together at five
or fix. The Law of A¢ahomer allows them but four lawful Wives, whom they
call Nekba. But there are others whom they call dmcutba or hir’'d women, and
of whom they may have as many as they can keep, and for fo long time as they
pleafe, which is racifi’d by the allowance of the Judg. They may alfo enjoy the
Slaves whom they purchafe. The Children both of the one and the other are ac-
compted lawful, and inherit all alike, without the diftinction of Elder or Younger;
bet rwe Daughters can have but the thare of one boy. When the womans time
th © wes hird is out, the man. difmiffes her, and the is oblig’d to ftay forty days
betore fhe engage again, that it may appear whither fhe be with Child or
no. : = Sips ale
The man gives to the woman that he marries a Dowry affign’d upon his Eftate,
and fends her money and filks to make her cloaths. The maid alfo fends fomething
to him , but very little, and all by the interpofition and intercourfe of the women. os
For the two parties never fee one another. Upon the wedding day, they fend to
the Bridegrooms houfé, by the found of Drums and Trumpets, certain Horfés and
Men laden with the Brides goods, which is many times done out of vain-glory,.
and more for fhew then fubftance. The Bridegroom isled a foot, attended by fe-
veral women with Tapers in their hands, and a noife of Drums and other Inftru-
ments marching before them. Being come to the door of the Bridegrooms Houfe,
if he have promis’d a larger Dowry to the woman then he is able or willing to
give, he keeps his door fhut. The Parents of the Maid knock, and he declares he
will not have her at that price. But at length after fome contefts on both fides.
they agree, and the Virgin enters with her Mother and all her Kindred. Then the
Mouliah reads the conditions of Marriage ; which being done, the women retire
into the inner part of the Houfe, the men feafting by themfelves,and the won en by
themfelves.. .. . J ae
_ This is all that is doné upon the Wedding-day, but the following: eure hot al-
ways fo pleafing, and it often follows that both parties do noragree, or that the
husband mifufes his wife. Then the woman that requires feparation, requires the
Dowry promis’d her by her husband : which the man oft-times refufes and if the
perfifts in her demand,is many times fo feverely us’d by him,that fhe is conftrain’d
tocry,l'th Devils name let me go, demand novhing of thee Then they both repair to
the Caf, or Cheit-Lefloon, w oa a Doétor of the Law, and in his prefénce
they difcharge one another. This they may do by their Law beat is
Gg «After
ee
ae ee,
oP tk ae
Pie i 8 ea
rye
“244
“The PERSIAN Travels Book V
an steers ene ne te eee
Soe
After that, the fame woman can never retusa to her Husband again,
The Children derive their Nobility from the Father, whither he be born of a
Slave,-or an Amoutha, or a Legitimate wife. The Nobility of the Perfians which
is call’d Negaber, is founded upon their being defcended from Mahomet. The
who claim that extraction, have the title of Adir or Prince: and their Daughters
carry the appellation of A4irza or Princefs. They are very numerous and ve
poor. But the title of A4r without a good Eftate or high Employment fignifies
little or nothing.
*% | |
7 CHAP. XIX.
Of the Death and Burials of the Perfians.
“yi the Cuftome among the Perfians, that when the Patient lyes very dange-
roufly ill, they light feveral fires upon the Terraf$ of the Honfé, to give the
People notice to pray for him. So foon as the breath is out of his body, the
whole houfe rings with cries and lamentations, efpecially of the women who tear
their hair, and fhew fuch antick poftures, that a man would think them poflefs'd,
In the midft of their tears they make long repetitions of the worthy actions of the
deceas’d , and every foot they fet upa yelling. Then they go and advertize the
Caji, that fuch a one is dead ; to whom the Caf antwers Swcioama Salamet-Bafket.
May your head be in fafety. In the mean while he {eals a Licence to the AZour-
derchour, to take the body and wafh it in a houfe which is built on purpofe near a
running water.After that come a great number of ALcxdlah’s, with the Enfigns of
the Ado/quee which are long ftais like Pikes,at the end whereof are thia plates of
Iron aa Latten, fo weak that they bend downward with the leaft motion: the
bodies of the ftayes being wrapt about with certain pieces of Taffata. Thefe AZou!-
Jabs tear their throats crying out d//a, lla, Alls, repeating nothing el{e, and
dancing fometimes upon cone foot and fometimeés upon another; and becaufe they
that baul loudeft get the moft money, they put their thumbs in their ears with
theirdingers upon their cheeks, and tear their throats with all the force they have.
The body being wafh’d, the cloaths of the deceas’d belong to the ALoarderchour,
When they carry the Beire, it is the cuftome that every one that meets it, prof-
fers their fhoulders to help carry, while the others eafe themfelyes; for which
the Kindred of the deceas’d make fome acknowledgment: If he be a perfon of
Quality, all his Horfes are bridl’d and fadd!’d, and others perhaps borrow’d : One
carries his Turban, another his Scimitar, another his Bow, another his Arrows,
- another his Buckler, and whatever elfe is of any ufe to fet forth his Quality and
. his Courage. Thebiggeft Church-yard that belongs to L/pahav, is Calrefton;
but there is not one handfome Tomb in it. The-Armenians lay a great ftone over the
grave,and the rich fet up an Arch with four Pillars, under which they eat and drink
in the fhade when they vifit the Tombs of their Anceftors.
Their graves are fix foot long, fimfoot deep, and two foot wide, wherein they
lay the bodies with their faces turn’d toward A¢ecca ; and then they fet up two
tiles of each fide his face to keep the earth from falling upon it. If he be a rich
man, or haye begn a ftout Souldier, they bury with him his Turbant, Scimitar,
Bow and Arrows, and fet Victuals by him ; which part of the hole being made up
with brick, the reft is fill’d up with earth. The Afoxlla’s alone return to the
honfe'of the deceas'd, where they-haye meat fet before ’’em, and are aifo farther
_ pay’d for their finging and bawling. . .A while after the Kindred coming to vifit the
the two Angels Neguir and Adanguer, revive the dead as far as his wait ; ask him
Heir, diftqurfe him upon the contempt of the world, tell him that it is but as-a
Caravan, Jome of which arrive fooner at their journeys end then others. Eight.
gays after the Heir returns their vifits. As for the Grandees they order in their
Wills that their bodies hall be either carry’d to Mecca or Mefhed. =. *
As well the Perfians as the Turks, believe that as foon as the grave is fill’d, that
the
:
ee ae ae a aS
Ne a Tee a eS ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee See ee, ee Se ee
ChapXX. of Monficur Tavern IER.
Ta Ri a ii le a a
the reafon of Faith, and which way he faid his Prayers, and that according to his
merits they ufe him well or ill. As for the torment of Souls before the Refar-
rection, that only confilts in a grief for not having arriv’d to thofe perfections
and Sciences to which they might have attain'd, and confequently for not having
attain’d to that perfection which God requir’d of them. Others hold that the
Souls of the unfortunate are tormented with Dreams and Vifions ; but that the
Souls of the happy always enjoy the fight of pleafing objects ; till the Sabeb—2/-
zaman, ot Matter of time thall come to confirm the Law of ALzbomer, who fhall
‘kill. Dedgar, who is like our Aarichrif?, with his own hand ; at which time all
then alive fhall dye in an inftant, and then fhall happen the general Kefarrection,
“ which they call Adoaveder—hechre. That the fame Bodies and Souls fhall unite to
appear at the day of Judgment before the Throne of the great Judge of the
world ; and that to go thither they muft pafs over a bridge call’d Podfrar, thar-
r then the edge of a razor, which neverthelefs the Mutialmen hall pals over
without any danger with the fwiftnefs of a bird. But that misbelievers ‘hall fall
as foon as ever they fet their feet upon it, and fhall fall into a torrent of fire a-
mong a thoufand Devils arm‘d with Cramp Irons, Pincers, and tenter-hooks. So
that.it isa kind of a Proverb among the Perjians, if a man cannot obtain of. ano-
ther the Juftice of his bargain, or to yield to right, We//, fays he, before thou
-_ paffeft Polferat, thou fhalt reftore it me double, for 1 will rake hold of thy Coat, and
hinder thee from getting over till thou haf? given me fatisfattion; But the crafter
fort laugh at this, and make anfwer with a fimile, Well, well, we will venture
flamblin as we pafs aver Polferat. The Porter of Paradife whom they call Ryw-
fun thall open them the gate. There they fhall fit upon the banks of the gieat
Kaufer, which is a fountain wheére*their Prophet-thall-give them of the water to
drink out of a Ladle, and that afterwards they fhall have a great number of women
created on purpofe for them, with all forts of moft delicious food. And for fear
of fouling this place of recreation and holinefs with the excrements of eating and
drinking, they fay, that thofe things fhall always evacuate in a perfum’d fweat, and
that they themfelyes fhall always remain in that condition. Others more refin’d,
and not believing material enjoyments, affirm that Beatitude confifts in the perfect
knowledge of the Sciences ; and for the fences they fhall have their fatisfaction
according to their quahty. |
-
C Fd AS. ies
The Author departs from Upahan io Ormus, and defcribes rhe Road to
Schiras. .
League from the City, ina field whither fome of my friends would needs ac-
any me. About ten aclock at night, I fet forward again, and trayell’d till
break of day ; andthenI came to a place where the Radars kept guard halfa
league from a great Town call’d J/p/haneck , which you are to crofs. About ten
a clock in the forenoon I came to ALahiar, where there is avery good Inn. But
H Set forth out of L/pahan the 24. of Feb. 1665. in the afternoon, and ftai’d a -
co
245
the Land between this and //pahan is all very barrenand without wood. =~ a
The 26rh, three hours after midnight, I fet forward through a dry Plain, which —
begins to grow more fruitful, about a League from Com/he a great City, where
f arriv’d by eleven a Clock in the morning. In it are feveral Inns, and indifferent
handfome ones, confidering that they are built only of Earth. This City 1s com-
_ pos'd of a row of Villages that extend about half a League in Jength. About
fqnee with a pond |
ying that they
three quarters of a League on this fide the City ftands a neat 44
full of fith. But the AZoul/abs will not permit you to catch any,
belong to the Prophet to whom the A4o/guee is dedicated. However becaufe it is —
a thady place in the Summer, Travellers rather choofe to lye by this. pond,then to
: Ae 2 She.
fhut themfelves up in the City.
*
-
246
«
The Per oe AGM? avels Book V
The 27th I travell’d from four in the morning till ten in the forenoon, through
a plain fow’d with ftore of grain, and lodg’d in an Inw call’d Adaksonbe.
ek 28th I departed two hours after midnight , and after eight hours traye|
through a barren plain, I arriv’d at Yefdecas, a little City built upon a rock in the
midft of a great Valley, and lodg’d in an Inn at the foot of the Rock. The fame
day in the morning I pafs’d_ on toa neat houfe with fine Gardens, call’d Amnebad,
built by Zan-K ouli-Kan,Governor of Schiras,
The firft of A¢arch I departed an hour after midnight, anda little after I crog’g
a fhort mountain, but fo rugged and fo craggie, that they have given it the name
of Kotel-Innel-tebekeni, that is, the AZourtain that breaks the Horfes flocs. The.
next day we pafs'd by a feurvy Caftle call’ Gombeffala; then travelling through
flat Country, I came by ten in the morning to Dehigherdox, or the Village of
Wall-nuts. I endur’d very fharp weather all the morning, for all that Country,
and that which I travell’d the next day, is very cold at fome times of the
rear.
The fecond day I travell’d from midnight till tena clock in the morning, through
the Snow over a barren Plain to come to Cuzkwzar, where there is a new Inn well
built. .
The third I wasa horfeback from five in the morning till noon, firft over the
fame Plain by a Lake fide in a very bad way cover’d with fnow that hid the holes,
then pafling a tedious long and rugged mountain, | defcended to a Village call’
Afepas, where there is to be feen an old ruin’d Caftle upon the point of a Hill. The
Inhabitants were all Georgsans by defcent, but now turn’d all AZahumetans. I met
with wine and fifh, in regard of the many Rivolets, but the Caravanfira is old, and
ill provided.
The fourth, fetting out by day-break, I rode over a Plain, which Sha “bba: the
firft gave the Georgians to till, and in eleven hours I came to Ondgiom, a large Vil-
lage upon a River, over which there is a fair ftone bridge.
The fifth, I got a horfeback by two a clock in the morning,and had two leagues
in the firft place of deep miery way ; afterwards I pafs'd a fteep Mountain, craggy
and durty. I pafsd through a Village call’d /man Shade, from the name of one of
their Prophets that lyes buried there, and gave the Mountain its name , being
all cover’d with bitter’ Almond-trees. I travell’d fometime between rude and
craggy rocks , after which I met with a {mall River, which runs to AZayma little
City where I lodg’d in a fair Inn. .
The fixth, I departed three hours after midnight, and travell’d through a large
Plain encompafs’d with high and ragged Mountains ; upon one of which that is
divided from the other, ftood a Caftle which they fay was ruin’d by Alexander the
Great, of, which at prefent there doe$ not remain the leaft fign or footftep. I
crofs'd the river of Adayne over two ftone Bridges, and then camé to -Abgherms ;
_a place that ftands ina Plain where there is an Inn half built; fo call’d by reafon of
a Spring of hot waters that rifes not far from it. In the morning I pafs’d overa
_ fair andlong Caufey, cal?'d Poxligor, being above 500 paces long, and 15 broad,
divided alfo by certain Bridges, to give the water free paflage, by reafon the
Country,is very full of merfhes, At the end of this Caufey ftands an Inn very well
built, but the gnats that haunt it will not fuffer it to be frequented. I pafs‘d along
by the foot ofa Mountain, and after three hours travel, I ftopp’d a while at an
Inn that ftands at the foot of another fteep and craggie mountain.
Larriv’d at Schiras about fix aclock at night. Buthere give me leave before!
enter the City, to make two obfervations, the one touching the Road from J/pa-
han to Schiras,the other concerning the ruins of Tche-elminar.
As to the Road from I{pahan to Schiras, obferve that in winter time when the
_ Snow is fallen, when. you come to Yefdecas, you muft of neceffity leave the direct
‘Toad, becaufe it is impoffible to pafs the itreights of thofe Mountains,which I have
Mention'd. Therefore you muft keep the left hand road eaftward, through the
Plains,taking a guide along with you. ;
_ This way, which is the longer by two days journey, was formerly unknown,
becaufe of a@River, that in one place beats upon a fteep rock, and clofes up the
paflage. But Jman-Konli-K an with a vaft expence of time and money , caus’d a
4 ,
Chap. XX1. of Monficur Ta¥ PRNIERS =
way to be levell’d out of the Rock about 15 or 20 foot above the River, which
he fecur’d to the water-fide with a Wall three or four foot high. This way con-
tinues for half a league, and then you come to lye ata great Village in a Plain
where you take Guides to fhew you the Fords of the River, :
Having paft the River,you crofs over feveral fertil Plains waterd with great ftore
of Rivers. Then you afcend a Mountain, from whence you have but a league
and a half to Tche-elminar. |
At the point of the Mountain, upon the right-hand of the great Road,are to be
feen twelve Pillars ftill ftanding, that forma kind of a fquare. In the {paces of
the Mountain are a great number of Viehes, that are oppofit to the Pillars, and
were certainly the places where the ancient Perfians put their Idols. Theneeyou
come to Tche-elminar ; where are to be feen a great many old Columns, fome
ftanding, and fome lying upon the ground, and fome ill-fhap’d Statues, with little
four-fquare dark rooms. All which together, eafily perfwades me, who have well
confider’d the principal Pagods of Iedia, that Tehe-clminar was only a Temple
formerly dedicated to Idolatrous worfhip. And that which confirms my opinion,
is, that there is no place more proper for an Idolatrous Temple then this, by rea-
fon of the abundance of water. Befides, that the dark Rooms could be no other
then the Chambers for the Priefts,; and where the Rice and Fruitsthat were the
feigned nourifhment of the Idols, were the better fecur’d from gnats and
flies.
Leaving Tche-ebninar, you come to lye at a Village half a league farther, where
is very good Wine. From thence to Schiras is a hard days journey ; efpecially
when the Snow begins to melt: for then the Road looks likea little Sea,
CHAP. XX"
Of the Gty of Schiras.
she City of Schiras lies in 78 degr. 15 min. of Longitude, and 29 deg. 36
‘min. of Latitude. It is feated in a Plain that extends it felf about four
leagues from the North to the South, and from the Weft to the Eaft about five
' leagues. Upon the South-eaft there is a Lake of falt water four leagues in com-
pafs : leaving the Plain as you travel to the South, you pafs between two Monn-
tains, which are not fo clofe, but that they leave room for certain pleafant Va leys
a league and a half wide. } | En ae og ae
The Soil about Schiras is good, and fruitful ; and it is particularly famous for
the moft excellent Wines of all Perfia. As for the City it felf, there ts nothng
handfome in it: for it looks rather like a Town half ruin’d then a City. For~-
merly it was begire with walls of Earth, which are now utterly decaid. The
Honfes are of the fame Earth dri’d in the Sun, and whiten’d over with lime ; 10
that when it happens to rain, when the Earth comes to be well moiiten’d, the
Houfes fall of themfelves. Only the Colledg which Jman-Kowli-Kan built, and
fome of the Afofquees are are of Brick: and the beft of thofe Afofquees is call’d
Sha-Shiragwe, Which out of a particular devotion is Kept fomewhat better in re=
pair. However, there is nothing in it worth taking notice of. Upon the North-
eaft fide, the City runs within a quarter of a league of the Mountain: and from
a Stone-bridg, as you go out of the City to the foot of the Mountain, is a Jong
Street in a fireight line, where there ftands a A4Zo/quee, built by Iman-Kouli-K an.
’ Without, it appears fair enough; but within, i falls to ruine. There is an Oéo-
gonal Piazza before the Gate, and in the middle of the Piazza an Offogonal Vafe,
which is fill’d by a little ftream that runs through the Street from the Mountain.
Both fides of the Street from the A4o/quce to the Mountain are wall’d in: and at
_ certain fpaces are great Gates one againft another, with rooms over them ; the
Windows whereof open into the Gardens behind the walls ; all along by which
ruhs a row of Cypre(-trees in a direct line: and in the middle of the Street;
| about
_248
ee re
The Persian Travels ’ Book V.
_ about two hunder’d paces on this fide the Ao/guee, is another Vafe, which receives
the {ame water as it runs from the Mountain. This Street was made by Jay.
Kouli-Kan, after he had cut the Mountain at the end of it, to fhorten the Way
from Schiras to I/pahan. ;
There are in Schiras three or four Glafs-houfes, where they make great and
fall Bottles, to tranfport the Sweet-waters that are made in the City. There
are alfo madé the feveral forts of Vellels wherein they pickle their fruits of alj
forts, which they fend in great quantities into /adia, to Sumatra, Batavia, and
other places.
There is no Silk made, nor any other manufacture in Schiras: only there. are
fome few Céites or Painted-cloaths made there, which neverthelefS are very
coarfe, and in ufe only among the meaner fort.
As you go out of the City upon the North-weft fide, you meet with a Jon
Alley or Walk, in three parts whereof are plac’d three Stones, which they cal
Mills. At the end of this walk is a Garden call’d Bay-Sha, or the King’s Garden,
Over the Gate whereof is a great Room half ruin’d: and at the end of a large
Walk planted with Cyprefs-trees, ftands a neat piece of building, bat altogether
neglected. Upon the left-hand whereof is a great Pond pav’d wirh: Free-ftone,
being all the beauties of the Garden: which, it is true, was full of Fruit-
trees, Rofes and fafmins; yet, for’ want of order, it look’d like a Wilder-
nefs. *
From the Garden to the Hill is a Plain of two leagues long, and one broad;
which is all but one large Vinyard belonging to fevera] perfons. Beyond the Vinyard
rife very high Mountains, from whence fall {@veral little Springs that forma River,
which is call’d Bend-Emuir, from the name of a Town where the biggeft Spring
rifes. This River of Bend- Emir waters the whole Vineyard of Sch:ras 3 where it
never rains from Spring till Autumn: which is the reafon that in the Summer
there isno water in the very Channel next the City.
Their Wines are the beft in Perfia; but there is not fo great a quantity made
as people imagin. For, of all this great Vineyard, and in all the places round
about the. City for four or five leagues together, good part of the Grapes are
drid, and a greater quantity pickl’d: and of the Wine, there are many Veffels
full, which are burnt for the benefit of the poor Travellers, and Carriers, who find
it a great refrefhment to drink it with water. .
Their Wine; as all other things, is fold by weight, and not by meafure. In the -
year 1666, a moft plentiful year for Wine, the Provifion of the King’s Houfe
amounted to so000 Afens of Kewkne, or the ancient Azen containing, nine pound
of ours, at fixteen ounces to the pound, (being the only weight for Wine,) and the
King allows as much to the Franks, as for his own Houfhold. The Jews of Schi-
ras, Who boaft themfelves of the Tribe of Levi, make above a hunder’d and ten
thoufand AZens, it being their chiefeft livelihood; but the Governour of. Schiras
Knows how to fhare with them in their profit. The whole account of Wine made
| at Schiras amounts to 200025 Jens, or 4125 Tuns, at three hunder’d:pints to the
Fume ces
~ InSchiras is an ancient ALofquee, wherein is the Sepulcher of a Sadi, whom the
Perfians efteem the beit of their Poets. It has beena very fair one, accompanid
with a large Building, which was onge a Colledg; bat it runs to ruine, as do alfo
many other Edifices within the City: Juft againft this AZo/quee you defcend bya
pair of Stairs into a large Well, at the bottom whereof is a /a/e full of Fith,
which no-body dares to touch, it béing Sacriledg to rob the Sadi of what belongs
tohim. A little beyond this 2Zofquee, upon a high Rock, ftand the ruines of a
Caftle ; and upon the top of all the Rock isa'fquare Well cut out of the Rock.
“Itis very deep, and ten or twelve foot broad : formerly, they told me, their
Adalterefies were all thrown into it. There is one wonderful Well in this City ;
~ which is Is years rifing, and 15 years falling ; that is, the water is one fifteen -
years rifing to the top, and another fifteen years finking to the bottom.
‘There are in Sediras two or three Bazars well built, through the midft whereof
the water raifs in a Channel. 4
To the South- weft, a good league from the City, there is alittle Hill divided
from the great Mountain, upon which Hill are three Gates to be feen, the remain-
oe eee es : der
Chap.XXI. of Monfieur Tavernier.
der of an Idolatrous Temple. There were four Gates, but the South-Gate is
tumbl’d down: the reft are ftanding, compos’d of three Stones : Upon both the
Stones that make the Jaums, there are two figures in half Relief, with their faces
one looking upon another, with their arms extended; one holding in his hand a
Pan, out of which iffues a flame of fire ; and the other a Towel folded up. The
other Statue holds as it were a Parfe in one hand, and a bowl of Fire in the other;
the Figures being as big as the Life, only their faces are fpoil’d; and as for the
other doors, they are both the fame. i
Two Mufquet-fhot from thence, in a plain, rifes a little Mountain, from the
North-fide of which fall many Springs that meet in a large Pond full of Fith.
Some high Trees grow there, to fhade the Habitation of a Derv?’s that lives there.
The place is pleafant, and all the Springs together fill a Channel large enough to
water the neighbouring Fields. Here it was that certainly the ancient Idolaters
came to wafh, and thence went to the Temple to fay their Prayers, and make
their Offerings.
Half a league beyond, at the foot of.a Mountain, is a place about Joo paces in
compa{S, whence there fall a good number of Springs that meer in a Pond, en-
viron’d with high Trees, and full of Fifh. In one corner of the Mountain — ftand
Figures, cut out of the Rock much bigger than the Life. The two which are ,
uppermoft look one upon another; and that upon the left-hand carries a large
Turbanr, fach as the Grand Vizier of Con{tantinople wears when he goes to the
Divan. From his Tzrbant to the middle of his Forhead, he was bound with the .
Trefles of his own hair, the ends whereof were faften’d together with large
Buckles behind in his neck. His habit was a Robe afterthe ancient fathion,: with
a kind of a Cutlace by his fide. Nor did the oppofite Statue much differ
from this, only inftead of a Turbant,he wore a kind of Miter upon his head. The
two other Statues underneath the former, ftretch’d forth their arms one to
the other: the one reprefenting a Man, the other a Woman. The Man feem’d to
prefent the Woman a Nofegay of Flowers ; but in truth it was a difficult thing to
difecern them, in regard they were both cover’d with a Fig-tree that grew juft be-
fore them out of the rock. 7
About two thoufand paces farther, there is a Lake of falt water about ten
leagues in compafs, which is fill’d by feveral Springs that fall from the Mountains :
and here it is that the people make a great quantity of Sale. There runs into it
alfo a falt River, over which you crofs upon a large frone-Bridg about three miles
from Schiras, in the way to Bander+tbaffi. Ka Tse teettty «
Half a league from the City are two remarkable Wells: the one upon the top
of the Mountain, the other upon the deftent, cut out of the Rock: both ,of an
extraordinary depth. There is‘no water in either, becaufe they are half full of
Stones, which they that come to. fee the Wells, throw into em. There are alfo
to be feen the ruines of a Caftle formerly builr there for the Guard of the High-
ways. But fince /man-Kouli-Kan made the new way, he caus‘d all thofé For-
trefles to be defac’d, as being expenfive to the King, and burthenfome to the Mer-
chant, from whom the Guards exacted Toll in thofe places, Now all the ways are
free, and the Merchants travel fecurely.
About half aleague from the City, toward the North, upon the brow of a
_ high Mountain, ftands a little AZ0fguee, like a Hermitage: and fifteen foot below
it gufhes out a fair Spring, which is the beft in the places neer to Schiras. Neer
to it is a lietle place encompaft with a Pale, with four Pillars that uphold a Ceeling. —
Here ir is that a Dervis fits, and entertains all them that come, to vifit him, to
whom he prefents Tobacco, according to the cuftom of the Countrey. This
place is one of the beft Profpects in all Syria, from whence you behold, one way
all the plain of Schiras, andall the City from one end to the other, withthe Gar-
dens. But people go not thither for the fair Profpect, or to vific the Dervis, but
to admire a Cyprefs-tree not above three or four paces from the Profpect, planted
among the Rocks; and of that bignefs, that four men can can hardly fathom it :
¥ is proportionably high, and is ]ook’d upon to be the faireft Cyprefs-tree in all
Yr
era, where fo many grow befides. This Tree is fed by the Spring which I have _
mention’d, falling fume eight or ten foot below into a Ciftern, whicl is always
full; whence through a Canal it runs into a Garden in the plain fome feven of
eight
tein
The PERSIAN “Travels ~ Book v.
eight hunder’d paces from the Mountain. In this Garden are to be feen the re-
mains of a Palace of one of the ancient Kings of Perfia:yet what is ftill to be feen
does not declare it to have been very magnificent. The King was call’d Pa dpa
qurefbelthe Scald-pated King.A thing not to be wonder’d at, in regard there are
few Perfians but {uch as either have, or have had {cald heads.
Two leagues from Schiras, to the South-weft, at the foot of the great Moun-
tain, ftands a Hermitage, call’d Pir-Bonno, where three or four Dervis live, as be-
ing a pleafant place ; for the Dereis always choofe out the moft delightful places
to pitch their Tents in: where they fit fmoaking their Pipes with that gravity,
that if. the King himfelf fhould come by, they would not ftir to give him re-
verence. That which adds to the pleafire of that Hermitage, is a fair Spring of
water that refrefhes the Garden, and the number of fair Trees that are about
it.
About a quarter of a league from the City, toward the Weft, ‘is to be feen a
Church-yard encompaft with Walls ; in the middle whereof, looking toward
Mecca, ftandsa Monument very much frequented by the Dervis,and other devour
people, who fay their Prayers there, it being the Sepulcher of Hoxgia Hafiz, for
whom they have a very great veneration. The year of his deceafe is fet down
_ upon his Tomb ; being in the year 1381: and he purchas’d that great. efteem
among the Perfans, for having compos’d a great Book of Morality, and for thar
he was alfo one of the beft Poets of his time.He has left one great Poem behind him
in the praife of good Wine ; which has caus’d many to aver, that Hongia~Hafiz
was no good Mu/ful-man, in regard he has {0 highly prais’d a thing which is fo
ftri@tly forbidd’n by the Law of ALahomer.
Neer to the Church-yard is a fair Garden, which men go to fee for the beauty
of the Cyprefg-trees, which are its chief ornament. They are to be admir'd for
their height and bignefs, among which there is one that was planted by the hand
of Sha-Abbas the Great himfelf, inthe year 1607; and it may well deferve to
have been planted by the hand of a Monarch ; for it was bigger then the reft that
had been planted above a hunder’d years before.
Without the City, upon the North-fide, at the foot of the Mountain, is a Gar-
den belonging to the ancient Kings of Perfia, call’d Bag-Firdous. It is fall of
Fruit-trees, and Rofe-trees in abundance. At the end of the Garden, upon the
defcent of a Hill, ftands a great piece of Building, and below a large Pond af-
fords it water. The rich Inhabitants of Schiras have been formerly very curious
to have fair Gardens, and have been at great expences to that purpofe. But nei-
ther at Schiras, nor at Z/paban, is there any thing that may compare with thofe
lovely Paradifes of France and /raly.
There are many Inns in Schiras, but the Franks generally lodg at the Convent
of theCarmelite Friars:and they that would be-more private,lodg at another Houfe
that belongs alfo to the fame Friars, which they would fain fell, as being a charge
to’em at this time, — ome
: ~~ Re od
: 3 as
. ee ao *
oe
Chap.XXII. of Monfieu? T aveRNieR. d5t
CHAP. XXUL :
A continuaticn of the Road fron I{pahan to Ormus, from Schiras to
: Bander-Abaffi,
Ts E fixth of AZarch, by eight of the Clock in the morning, I departed from
Schiras ; and after fix hours travel through the plain that continues fertil for
a league together beyond the City, [came to an Inn call’'dBadaadgi. The water is
bad, being as it were luke-warm. Here cold weather begins to ceafe. The next
. day [fet out by break of day, and came to a large and well-built Inn, only it ftood
remote from any Town. It is call’d Mouxaffer1, and is the only place in Perfia
where I met with black Saligots, or Water-nuts, as big and as good as ours in
Dauphine. The Countrey breeds nothing but Goats and Sheep: and about two
leagues off runs a River along by the Mountain to the Weft. :
The 18¢4 I departed by day-break, and travell’d eleven hours through a ftone-
Countrey, cover’d with bitter Almond and Turpentine-Trees, 1 lodg’d in a fair
Inn, call’d Patra, neer, to a River that comes from the Weft, and makes the Coun-
trey fertil. There is fome Wood in the Valleys, and fome Villages appear on the
other fide of the River toward the South. :
The r9r4 I fet out by four of the Clock in the morning, and travell’d along a
Valley, wherein were many Villages receiving the benefit of the River laft mene
tion'd. About eight in the morning I ftopt at an Inn built in an Oétogonal form, a
good league from the River, with feveral Villages between. The name of the
Inn is Kaffer, :
The 20¢4 IJ fet out two hours after midnight, and travell’d til] ten in the morn-
ing through a dry Valley. By the way I met feveral Shepherds and Herdfinen,
who were forfaking the hot Countreys, and driving toward Schiras for cool=
nefs. |
They that travel upon their own Horfes, and would fee one of the richeft parts
of Perja, and fome Antiquities, fetting out from Kaffer, inftead of following the
Caravan-road,take the right-hand way by the fide of the River, that runs a league
and a half from the fame Inn. When you have paft the River, the way is very
ftreight, and lies for two leagues together through a fteep Rock, the Mountain up-=
on the right, and the River upon the left, where there is not room in fome places
for two Horfes to ride a-breft. All along this way, toward the top of the Moun-
tain, are little paths that lead to Caverns, fome of whith-are fo large, that they
will contain two or three thoufand men. Having paft this way, you come into a
Plain call’d Dadivan, four or five leagues in circuit ; the greateft part of which
is planted with Orange-trees, Citrons, and Granats. Some of theft Orange-trees
two men can hardly fathom, being as high as our Walnut-trees; and this is one of
the moft delicious fituations in all Perfia, I have travell’d through ic feveral
times, and fometimes only to divertife my felf. The reft of the Plain is fow’d
with Rice and Wheat. You fet up your Tents under thefe Trees, and then the
Countrey people bring Provifion of feveral forts, efpecially Partridges, Hares, and
wild Goats. The River that crofles the Plain is full of Carps, Barbels, Pikes, and —
Crey-Fifh. I remember one time a Countrey-man carri’d- me down to the water,
and before my face rook up a Fith with his hand. He was fo nimble at it, that
having caught one which he did not think big enough, he threw it back again, and
took up another. Now in regard that Travellers generally ftay about ten or
twelve days in that place, the Tumblers that live there-abouts, fail not to come
and give you a Vifit, to fhew.ye fome of their tricks, and to taft your Schiras
Wine. The Englifh and Hollanders ufually {pend the end of the Summer in this
Plain, for the benefit of the River, and the Trees: which become fo large and
fair, by means of the River, which the Countrey-men bring in by Canals, and fhut
it up in Ponds, among the Trees, to water their Grounds ; which is all the good
this River does in Perfia: for all the reft of its courfe is through cragged Rocks,
and falt Marfhes. apa | :
| Hh The
252
The PERSIAN. Travels Book V_
The 20th of Adarch, by ten in the morning, I cameo an Inn which was eall’d
Monfrek, which is a-lone-Houfe at the foot of a Rock. There is a Spring about
five hunder’d paces from it, but the water is hot, and has a fulphury taft ; fo that
the Cattel will hardly deink it. Therefore you muft go to a Ciltern about two
Maufquet-fhot from the Inn, where there is one newly fet up, inftead of another
that was there before, into which a Jew once chanc’d to fall in, and was therefore
broken by the fuperftitious A¢abometans.
Three quarters of a league from AZoufhetz are two roads that lead to Lar, the
one for the Camels, the other for the Horfes and Mules. The firft is the long-
eft by three days journey, and is call’d the {toad of the Defert ; for afier you
have pait a great Town inhabited only by Camel-Maiters, where you lye the firft
night, between that and Lar, you fhall meet with nothing of Houfes but onl
' Herdfmens Tents, that feed {umetimes in one place, fometimes in another. Upon
the Camels Road there are another fort of Fow! like the great Partridges in their
bodies, but their legs and feet refemble thofe of wild Ducks. ‘The Camels take
this Road, becaufe it is impoflible for them to pafs the Mountain farren, over
which the Horfes and Mules are hardly able to travel.
[fet out from Afoa/bek the 21th of March, at two in the morning, and having
travell’d till eight through a plain, but ftony Countrey, I came to the litele City of .
jarron, which is rather to be call’d a Forreft of Palm-trees that bear excellent
Dates. Ilodg‘d in an Inn five hunder’d paces from the City, and ftaid there two
days.
The 24+A, fetting out prefently after midnight, I travel!’d a good hour, and then
I began to mount the fteep Mountain of /arron, which is very high, and very long ;
but the defcent is the moft dangerous that ever I faw in all my Travels;and befides
that, the Moon did not thine. Being at the top, after you have defcended three or
four hunder’d paces, you meet with a Bridg of one Arch, that reaches from one
Mountain to another ; a bold piece of Architecture, not enough to be admir’d,
being rais’d at the charges of /m:an-Kosli-Kan for the benefit of Travellers. Be-
ing come to the bottom of this, you mutt pafs two others as fteep in their aftent
as inthe defcent ; upon the top of one of which ftands a Ciftern, which, though
it be very large, is generally emptied by the end of the Summer. Upon thefe
Mountains there is fuch an infinite quantity of Partridg, that a man cannot mi
that will but fhoot. By eight in the Morning I came to an Inn which is call’d
Shakal, which is a-lone Houfe in a Defert Countrey, but ftor’d with bitter Almond-
trees, and Turpentine-trees. Approaching neer to the Inn, you meet with two
or three Cifterns, which are a great comfort to Travellers, water being very
{carce upon this Road. There are at Shakal nine or ten Radars for the Guard of
the Road, who are alfo Mafters of the Inn: So foon as you are alighted, they ask
you if you will eat any Kid, being fure of their blow, and having no more to do
but to go to the Mountain and fetch one, where they fwarm. There are ftore of
Partridges, which are almoft as big as Pullets; of which you may eafily kill as
many as you pleafe. Bi
« The 25h I travell’d five hours, from-morning till noon. “An hour after I took |
Horfe, I met with a Mountain, the defcent whereof was very fteep. They call it
. the Mountain of Hyfhen, ar the foot whereof is a Fountain of excellent water.
A good league farther you meet with a fair Inn call’d Monexere, in the midft of a
pleafant Grove, where there is an excellent Spring of water; but becanfe there
is no food to be had, you muft go as far as Detadombe, a Village feated in a plain.
A quarter of a league on this fide, upén the top of a Mountain, appears the ruins
of an old Caftle; the Village it {elf being furrounded with Palm-trees. The Ian
is a good one, provided with a very good Ciftern.
-. The 2574 I travell’d through a plain for three hours, and ftopt at Banarox, a lit
‘tle-City well built, at the foot of a high Mountain ; upon which appears the re-
mains of a large Caftle. Benarou is the Frontier Town of the Province of Fars,
bordering upon the Province of Lar.
The 26th I departed an hour after midnight, and travelPd edildte iA the Ped
ing, partly through the Plain, and partly through the Mountains, where I faw an
_ old Tower forthe guard of the Road. I ftaid at Bidry, a little City feated upon a
__ plain, that borders upon a high Mountain. The Inn is new, and very magnifi-
cently
| ee
pi
Chap XX1. of Monfieur T a TE RATE Re, 24 3 :
FE ogi RRR eR - i ONR e .RSTTY OR” olor arenes 5 eueeememenen a ae
cently buile by the Mother of Aimas, Kan of Lar, when the great Sha~Abbas
took this Countrey from the Gasres, whom he conttrain'd to turn A¢abue
met ans. 2 : ;
The 27 I fet out at four of the Clock in the morning, and about feven Tf paft
through a Village feated ina fimall plain. A league from thence I lodg’d in an Inn
call’d Pai-Cotali; that i§to fay, the foot of the Mountain, as being builr at the
foot of the Mountain. From thence to Lar is not above four or five hours tra~
yelling; but the way is’very bad, and feveral {wift Torrents are to be’
aft over. "
_ You may take another Road from Bibry, upon the right-hand toward the Weft ;
_jtis the fhorter way by two or three leagues: but fo bad, and fo narrow, that in
manv places two Horfemen cannot ride a-brett, being for the moft part all Rocks .
and Precipices. :
Lar is the Capital City of the Province of the fame name, which formerly
bore the title of a Kingdom. It is but of an ordinary bignefs, encles’d on bork
fides with high Mountains, being built round about a Rock, upon which there
ftands a Caftle of Free-ftone, wherein the King keeps a Garrifon. The whole
Couatrv is very hot, nor have they any water but Rain water, which they pre-
ferve in Cifterns, and which fometimes caufes a wide Torrent that runs by one -
fide of the City, and falls from a Cafcade two ftories high, made of Free-itone. In
the City and parts adjacent, grow a great number of trees. efpecially Date trees
and Tamarisk. The Gardens alfo and Mountains are full of Orange trees.
There are but two Inns in Lar, the one within the City, which is not avery
good one; the other at the end of the City toward Ormus, which would be
convenient,but that ir is always afloat when the Reins fall; for which reafon the’
Franks generally lye at the Hollanders Houle at the end of the City. And there
-
' isa neceffiry for ftaying at Lur, to change the Camels; for the Camels that come
from Jfpaban can go no further ; every City having their particular priviledges.
Which fometimes proves prejudicial to the Merchent, in regard the Governour
will delay the change of the Camels till he is prefented.
The Fortref§ of Lar takes up the whole furface of the top of the Rock; and
there is but one way to climb it up, with great difficulty. Itis more long than
broad ; and the four corners are fortifi'd with four Baitions, or Bulwarks, between
which are rais’d feveral Towers, for the Souldiers Lodgings. That Fortrefs is the
Royal Prifon, whither the King fends fuch Prifoners*as he takes: in war or fur-
prizes by ftratagem. I met with two there, one a Prince of Georgia, the other
of Afengrelia. The two Princes had each of them a Tomana day allow’d them,
and ten or twelve Servants to wait upon them. Upon one of the cornets of the
Caftle, toward the Weft, was built a Banquetting Houfe with three or four Cham-
bers. Inthe middle of the Court ftands the Magazine, full of Bows and Arrows, _—
Bucklers and Muskets, enough to arm fifteen hundred men. For the Inhabitants
of the Province, but more efpecially of the City of Lar, are accounted the beft
Mafqueteers in Perfiz, and the beit at making the Barrels of Muskets, all but the
Breach, which they know not how to order fo well as we. The Governours Houfe
anfwers to the great Road; but there is nothing at all of neatnefs without, only .
before the door there isa good handfome Court, about fixty paces fquare, and
_ clos’d in with Walls, which leads you into two large Bazars of good Stone, very
well arch’d. Boe,
The moft part of the Inhabitants of Lar are Jews, who are famous for feveral :
Silk Manufactures, efpecially for making neat Girdles. The Countrimen were up- .
on their heads a kind of a felt of fine wool, and very well wrought. “It refembles
a Cap not yet fhap’d, with four Corners behind, and cut on the fides;and thefe forts
of Caps are made at Kerman. ae. eae
There are an infinite nimber of Cifterns, as well within the City, asin the parts
adjacent ; and all but little enough, in regard that fometimes it does not Rain for
three years together. When the Rains fall they do not fill their Cifterns the’ firft
: day, but rather cover them quite up, till the earth be well foak’d. Now for the
diftri (
bution of this water they take an excellent courfe ; for they never keep open’
above three Cifterns at a time ; and when they do op’n, them, the Governour or.
fome other perfon appointed for that purpofe, is prefent ; fo precious is water
ban : HK ht 2 :
in’,
ey ‘The Piwsian Travels Book V,
in that place, though never fo bad. The water thus ftanding in the Cifterns (ome.
times for many years togecher, breads worms, fo that whither you ftrain ir, or
boil it, there will appear a kind of foulnefs in it, which is the feed of thefé worms,
And this corruption it is that breeds worms in the legs.and feet of men; which
puts me in mind, that after my return to Paris, the fifth time of iny
travelling, I had one came out of my left foot an El] ana half long, and another
from under the ankle of my right foot half an Ell long. .
The firft of -4pri I fet out from Lar by five in the morning, and travell’d t)j)-
three in the afternoon, through a barren {tony Country, except it were only one
Village calPd Tcherkab ; near to which I met withe6me Corn-land, and feveral
Palm-trees. Ilodg’d ata little Inn call’d Shimzenghi. Itis low, built like 4
Crofs, with four doors to receive the cool winds every way. All the Inns are
built in this fafhion between this and Bander, and near to one another for the eae
of Travellers. As for the Beafts, they lye without, for they have no Stables. All
the Houfes from Lar to Ormus are built after one manner. For there isa kina
_ of a Pipe, like a Chimney, that runs from the botcom to the top to gather wind,
- The fecond I left Shamaenghi about four in the afternoon, becawle the hear is
cool’d by a gentle breeze toward the evening. Three hours I travell’d through a
barren Plain, afterwards over mott fearful Rocks, and about ten at night I came
to Cormout, a great Village well ftor'd with Palm-trees.
From Lar to Cormont is the worlt way in all Peifz, For many times there js
no water to be found.
The third,I parted from Cormout a little after midnight ; and having travell’d -
ven hours in very bad way, fullof great ftones and filrhy puddles, I came to a
new Inn call’d Zenguidalen. In the middle of it is alittle vale of running water,
fed by alittle ftream that falls from the Mountain. Bat the water being fame
| thing brackifh, they have fince that built a very fair Ciltern. They alfo broach’d
the Mountain to bring the water into a Plain, which was barren before, but is
now fruitful, and beautifi'd with two good Villages. This was done by a rich
Merchant, whofe Children enjoy the Revenues of both, :
___The fourth, fet forward an hour after midnight, and travell’d through an an-
“inhabited Countrey, full of wide Torrents when the rain falls. There are but
-two finall Inns upon the Road, and about eight in the morning I arriv’d at that
which they call Gourba-Sarghant. It was built with the Money which a Merchant
of Ormus left for that purpefe ; whofe ftrength fail’d hig in that very place, -for
want of arefting place. This Inn is not far from a Village that ftands upon the
Mountain to the North.
The fifth, fetting out a little after midnight, I travell’d till feyen in the morning .
through a dry and defert Countrey, yet ftor’d with Lentisk-trees, and lay ata good
Village call’'d Canvreftan,* where the people were mowing large Fields of Barly.
Here, if the Inn be full, you may lye at the Countrey-mens Houfes, who are ace
enfton?d to entertain Travellers, and get well by it. This place is famous for
water-Melons, as big as our Pumpkins ; and are the beft in all Perjiz. The meat
is very red, and as {weet as Sugar, which is a great refrefhment to Travellers,
The Kelonter of the place gave me two Raddithes, one weighing 30, the other 45
pounds, and were very good meat. ig : '
"The 6:41 fet out after midnight, and travell’d till it was day through plains of -
. Sand, over which it is impoffible to find the way without a guide. About three
a Clock in the morning I crofs'd over two Bridges joyn'd together by a long
Caufey. Before I came to the firft, I rode over another for a good quarter
of a league, which Caufey runs on a great way to the fecond Bridg, under
Which flows a. falt River; the fhoar of which is” full of moving fands; fo
that before thofe Bridges were made, it was dangerous to foard it without a -
guide. esa ; EPs
_ This Caufey and the two Bridges were made and built by a Perfan, whofe name
was 4ly; who wanting employment at home, apply’d himfelf to rhe King of
Goleqnda, who lik’d him fo well, that he made him’ General of his Army. Being
thus advane’d, he alfo turn’d Merchant, and trading firft with one Veflel, then with
two, gota great Eftate. At length, all that he had thus got in forty years, to
get himfelf a name in Perfia, he employ’d in making this Caufey and the two
Bridges, OR ee ae ate ‘ : | Phe -¢
-
es
_
Chap.X-XIIL. of Monfieur T avERNIER.
Thefe Bridges are both built over a River that comes from toward Kerman
and ‘is fwell’d by other ftreams that fall from the Mountains with a great
noife, and difcharges it felf into the Perfian Gulph, neer to Bander-Congo;
but becomes brackifh by paffing through Mountains that are nothing but Salt.
From the great Bridg to Guichs is one of the moft pleafant Countries. in all
- Perfia, being a continu’d Grove, Gwitchi isa place accommodated with two Inns,
2
one a very fair one, and gonvenient; the other very ill feated, by reafon of the
duft that continually annoys it, ftanding upona fandy ground. It ftands neer ten
or twelve Arabian Tents ; fo that asfoon as you come to the Inn, the drabian
Women prefently bring Milk and Butter, and other refrefhments. fia
, : 7 . e. “
A league anda half from Gzirch: you mect with two Roads, one upon the left-
hand that feems more beaten, the other upon the'right. There a man may
-eafily be deceiv’d that has no guides. For the left-hand way is a dangerous paf-
fage, and a kind of a continu’d Labyrinth among Rocks and Precipices. The
right-hand way, which is the bett, is all upon the fand to Bander-Abaffi, and is
ufually a days journey. You meet with two Inns by the way, the laft of which
is call’d Bend-Ali, built by the Sea-fide.
From Ben-.Ali to Bander-Abaffi, is but.a little more then two leagues through
a Countrey abounding in Palm-trees. oe
CHAP. XXUL
. Of the Iffand of Ormus, and of Bander-Abafii.
Rmus is an Iland in 92.4. 42. . of Longitude, and in 25.4, 30. m. of Lati+
tude. Itliesat the mouth,of the Perfian Gulph, two good Leagues from
the firm Land. There is neither tree nor herb that grows in it :. for itis all over
cover'd with Salt, which is very good andas white asfnow. And as for the
black:fhining Sand-duft of Orzeus, it is very much us’d for ftandifhes.
Before the Portuguefes came to Ormus, there was a City where the Kings of
Ormus, who were alfo Kings of Larr, refided. When the Portugals took it,there
were in it two young Princes, Sons of the deceafed King, whom they carri’d into
Spain, . Where, in regard they were handfomely proportion’d, though fomewhat
{warthy, the King entertain’d them very kindly, and gave them an honourable al+
lowance. One day that he had fhew’d them the Efcurial, and all the chief pieces —
of Architecture in AZadrid, the King ask’d them what they thought of living in
Spain. To whom they anfwer'd,that they had feen nothing but what was_ worthy
admiration, but then fetching a deep figh, and perceiving the King defirous to
know the meaning of it, they gave him to underitand that it was for grief that
they muft never more fit under their own Tree, For near to the City of Oram
was a Baunians tree, being the only tree that grew in the Ifland. :
The Portugals being matters of the Ifland from an ill-built City, rear’d it to that
hight of Magniticence which that Nation admires ; fo that the very barts of their
doors and’ windows were all guilt. The Fortrefs was anoble thing, and in good
repair ; and they had alfo a ftately Church dedicated to the Virgin, where they
were alfg wont to walk. For other place of promenading they had none. Since.
the Perfians took it, the Caftle indeed ftands in good repair, with a Garrifon .ia
it: bu the City isgone to ruine ; for the Dutch carried moft of the ftones away
to build Battavia. | | nee
Between the Ifland of Ormus, and the Continent the Sea is not very deep ; for.
the great fhips that fail in and out of the Guif,pafs by the other fide of the Iland.
As for the Fortrefs which ftands upon a poynt of the Ifland, it is almoft encompats’d"
with the Sea, and lyes right over againft Perfia. * oe
Bander Abaffi, {0 call'd becaufe the great Sha-Abbas the firft-brought it into re~
es. js at prefént a City reafonably well built sang ert with large ware-
oufes, over Which are the lodgings of he Mee fhile the Portugucfes. kept
Ormus, though they liv’d in the City, all the
the moft fecuge Landing-place upon all the Coaft, About 15 years ago it was an
op’n town, but becaufe it was an eafie thing then to get into the Town, gues?
es a Beg ec le eee
x “
_
» See
'
bf
trade was at Bandar-Abaff, as being — =
?
256 | Ti be Per stAN Ti ravels. Book V
the Cuftome-houfe in the night, it has bin fince enclos’d with walls. To this place
come all the fhips that bring Commodities from Jedia for Perfia, Turkie, or any
part of fia or Exrope. And indeed it would be much more frequented by the
Merchants from al! Regions and Countries. 3
But the Air of Bander is fo unwholefome and fo hot, that no ftrangers can live
there, in probability of health, untefs it be in the months of December ,fanuary,Fe~
bruary and March ; though tlre Natives of the Country may perhaps itdy without
prejudice to the end of pri/. After that they retire to the cooler Mountains,
two or three days journey off, for five or fix months, where they eat what they
gain'd before. They that venture to ftay at Gomron during the hot weather, gee
a malignant Fever, which if they fcape death, is hardly evercur’d. However it
bequeaths the yellow Jaundies during life to the party. AZarch being pafs’d the
wind changes, and blowing at weft fouth weft, in.a fbort time it grows fo hot
and fo-ftifling, that it almoft takes away 2 mans breath. Titis wind ts by the dra-
bians call d El-Samiel, or the poyfonous wind, by the Perfians Bade-Stmbour , be-
-eaufe it fuffocates and kills prefently. The flefh of them that are thus ftif?'d feels
like a glewie fat, and as if they had been dead a month before.
In the year 1632. riding from J/pzban to Bagdat, Land four more Perfian Mer-
chants had bin ftif?'d but for fome Arabians. that were in our Company. For
when they perceiv’d the wind, they caus’d us to light, lye down upon our bellies
and cover our felves with our Cloaks. We lay fo for halfan hour, and then rifing
we faw our horfes were in fuch a fweat, that they were hardly able to carry us.
This happen’d to us two days journey from Bagdut. But this is obfervable, that
if a man be ina Boat upon the water when the {ame wind blows, ir does no harm
though he were naked at the fame time. Sometimes the wind is {fo hot that it
burns like Lightning.
And as the Air of Gomron is fo bad and dangerenss the foil is worth nothing:
For it is nothing but Sand, nor is the water in the Cifterns very good. They that
will be at the charge fetch their water'from a fountain three leagues froin Bander,
call’d'the water of Zia. Formerly there was not an herb to be fven: but by often
watering the ground, Lettice, Radifh and Onions have begun to grow.
: The People are fwarthy, and wear nothing about them but only a fingle fhirt.
Their ufual dyet is dates and fifh. Which is almoft the dyer of their Cartel, for
when they come home from browfing the barren bufhes, they give them the
heads and guts of their fifh boy!l’d, with the kernels of the Dates which they eat.
The Sea of Bander produces good Soles, good Smelts and Pilchards. They that
will have oyfters muft have em’ caught on ptrpofe,for the people eat none.
Upon Land they want neither for wine of Scsiras nor Y:fa4; nor for Mutton, Pi-
geons and Partridge,which are their ordinary dvet.
' There are two Fortrefles, ope npon the Ealt, the other toward the Weft. , The
“Town increafes in trade and building, and fills with inhabitants, who: build their
hhoufes with the remaining ruins of Ormus.
_. The reafon why the Trade is fetrl’d rather at Band:r Abaffi, then at Bander Con-
z go, where the Air is good and the Water excellent,is becanfe that between Ormus
*-and Congo lie feveral Iflands, which make the paflage for fhips dangerous, befitles
that the often change and veering of the wind is reqtir’d : neither indeed is there
water enough for a Veflel of 20 or 25 guns. Then the way from Coxgo to Lar is
very bad. From Bander Abaffi to Lar it is very good, and provided with good
Inng? ¢>'teeceetee 35 Soo ames,
From the day that a Merchant takes up mony at Gomron, he is bound to return |
_ it in three months, and the change goes from fix to,twelve per Cent. “When the
_ Goods come to //pahan or any other place, the Merchant isnot to touch them,
“till he has pay’d the money which he borrow’d, unlefS the Creditor will truft
him farther. Some Turkifh and Armenian Merchants take up nota jomron tO
° _ pay it at Sarat ; where they take up other money for J/pahan ; at een fo
Erzerom or Bagdat, paying the old debt with the new fums, which they take up
in each place. . The money taken up at Erzerom is paid at Burfa, Conftantiaople ot
Smyrna. Money taken up at Bagdat is pai'd at Aleppo, ae bees”
_ - Lalways made accompt,that to take up money at Golconda for Ligorn or Venice,
_
at change for change,the monéy returns at the cheapeft rate, to 95 per Cent. but
more oftentimes it amounts to a hunder’d, — Ss a ge BAP.
a a age
1
}
.
atnrtinatiiiie inctaiaeere sate
“ ; : :
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a
pays 3
Ww * . ‘
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.
. :
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a
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a we —~
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5 y
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,
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‘ 5
ek
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be - ‘ . -
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4 .
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é
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Se,
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Bs
‘
° ’
' Inn nere low.
te interrd Mare
Wde Lalirz. Px $s
2 The Platforme
at oe ~ » Bandar ANbafrr SU
ode o>’ Ormus % ¥Ney thouring
Keren ee 3,0 Sles
$i Se aay
E-RSTAV_ G
OLPHE
nae? athe Gye te
— ee?
—
eee: ee
. Chap.XXIV. of Monfieur 'T A VeERNIE Re oe
| ee = aie ie me
| : CHAP. XXIV.
= Of the Road by Land from Casbin to ifpahan to the Frontiers of t1
Territories of the Great Mogul, re Candahar. te
an ab. moft ufual road from I/paban to Candahar, which the Merchdare coat The Perf.
| in regard of the plenty of water which they meet with,lies thus, ©... an count
the diftances
From I[pahin to Sakunegi. Agats 9 ~ Of placesby
From &2kinegi to Mouchena de Radar. tise i fe ;
From Mouchena de Radar to Nanni. 8 Provence”
From Nanni to Danaragquie. 15 ee
From Danaraguie to Bafibad. 15
From Bafabad to Abiger. _ ire Ny ioe
» From Abiger to Biabaiatt. 25
From Bzabanact to Cafeni. cs
From Cafeni to Samagi, 10
_ From Samagi to Sadarou. 2 ee :
From Sadarou to Chechme-cha. vase oe .
From Chechme-cha to Karte. 3 14 hee ¥
From Karte toTabas ville. 4 = ee
From Tabas toE lpague. “ -
From Efpaque to Teogue. 7 |
From Teogue to Talkeaue. 6
From Zalheaue to Cors. IO
From Cors to Tefaitan. 9
From Zefaitan to Berjan. “
From Berjan to Moti. 7
From Moti toSarbicha. 5
From Sardicha to Mont. 7
From Mont toDourat. $2) = Sy : 2
From Dourat to Chechmeband. ee 60%
From Chechmeband to Zel.1. 10 a
From Zela to Fara, ville. 0 Tag
From Fara to Tecourmazetan. 6
From Tecourmazetan to Siabe. eer
From Stabe to Bacon. . 4
- From Bacou to Dilaram. 6
From Dilaram to Chaquilin. 4
From Chaguilan to Dexkak. -
From Dexkak to Griche,ville. — 12
From Gricheto Kouskienogout. : Io
- From Kouskienogout to Candahar. 12 pee rus
ug this while the Men ride upon Horfés, and the goods are carri'd by oy 4
a mats BS oe . .
‘The City of Candahar isthe chief of one of the Conquer’d Provinces of Perfia ;
having been often the occafion of war between the Kings of Perfa and India. At
length Sha -dbbas became Mafter of it, the Prince that then raign’d there,
choofing to put himfelf under the Protection of the King of Perfa rather then of
great Afogull: but upon this condition, that the Governour fhould be always.one
of his race. And therefore -dlimerdan-Kan was the Son of the laft Prince of
Candahar. That Prince left behind him fuch a vaft Treafury , that his Plate
ee” a was
wa se Ph : z
Lafey Spare cow
$ ee
ee
=i
ieee *.
ook V.
was all of Gold, and he had fo much Gold in his Coffers, that. when he went
to the Great Adogul he would not accept of any thing for his maintenance
but contented himfelf with one of the higheft Dignities in the Empire:
which he enjoy’d till his death. At /ebenabad he built a moft neat Houfe, with
a fair Garden upon the River. |
-He got his wealth in fome meafure, for the greateft part came by Inhe-
ritance, by the great advantages which he made of the Caravans that then
afs'd oftner through Candahar then they do now adays. For by delayin
the Merchants at the Cuftome-houfe, and by treating them himfelf, and’ pe.
ceiving treatments from them again, he caus’d them to {pend their Provig-
ons, which they were fore’d to recruit again at Caadedar,
The Grand, Sha -Abbas left the peaceable Pofleffion of Candabar to Sha.
Sefi his Grand-child. In whofe time limerdas-Kan deliver’d it up to the
a ES
The Persian Iravels
= PRLS eae nena
Great Mfoy.l. Sha Abbas the Second retook it’ in the year 1650. Where-.
upon Sha-gehan fent his eldeft Son’ to drive him out. But though his Army —
confifted of three hundred thoufand men, yét the place was fo well defend.
ed that he loft the beft part of his Army before it. The next year Sha4-
jeban fent another Army under the Command of Sulrar Saja, but he had.
no better fucceis then his Brother. Thereupon Begum Saheb, Sha-fehans el-
deft Daughter, and paffionately belov’d by him even to Inceft, bearing the
greateft fway in the Kingdom, and having a vaft Treafure, rais’d an ie -
al-
at her own charges, and made Axurengzeb Commander of it. After many
faults, -durengzeb dilcourfing with his Generals one day who fhould have the
honour if he took the City, and being told that his Sifter would have the '
honour in regard the had rais'd the Army, the Prince either jealous of*his
Sifter, or elfe not loath to give occafion of being envy’d by his Brothers . af.
faulted it. no more, and when the rains came, rais‘d his fiege. ;
A, The Principal Citadel.
B. Ancther Citadel. |
C,. The Mountain that reach’d to the next Citadel, which Sha Sef cut away after
he took the City. 3 |
- D. The Governours Houle.
E. The Lodgings for the Officers and Souldiers.
F. The Piazza of the City.
G. The great ftreet.
H. The two Caufeys that lead to the City.
7. The Path that leads from the Azexfh to the City.
K. The lefler way that leads from the City to the Citadel.
Thus I have finifh’d the moft confiderable Obfervations as well in reference
to Turkie as to Perfia. I have been curious to underftand things, and have lookt
with a {trict eye upon them: and Iam oblig’d to inform the Reader, that he - E
’ Inuft not travel into fa, in expectation of mending his experience in any of the
nobler Arts of Painting, Sculptare, Gold{miths work, or Turning. As for the ~
Coverlets, Embroideries, Tiffues of Gold and Silver,. which are made in Perfia
and which we admir’d formerly in France, all thefe give place to our new
manufactures. Infomuch that the Perfians themfelves admire the rich goods of
Europe, and when we carry any thither, they are immediately bought up by
the King and the Nobility. They neither underftand any thing of Architeéture :
nor is there any thing in-all 4/2 that equalls the Riches and Beauty of the
Lour:, or of any other of the Kings houfes in France, which infinitely excell in
workmanfhip all the magnificence of the Eaftern Monarchs. Which has made —
me with aftonifhment admire that fo many Travellers have afcrib’d to Pe
and other Regions of fa, thofe beauties for which they were never beholdne ,
*
either to Art or Nature. For if all they have faid had been true, thofewon-
ders could never have efcaped my fight ; and I dare affure the Read Lha
deferib'd the naked truth of-things as really they are. = apes
oe se Toe
13 oe
ate
oe
the firft Part of Afian Travels,
The End of the Relations of Perfia: and of
3
a
>
‘
a
fi
Litfia a Jraucll.
on te ans sik Soe ‘Rib chibi ne ss 6
#.. See. SoBe ee oe Te ZEB 2d
i Spits
BEER sotedllitaicicadac
THE
PeNL DD.k Xx
TO THE
Perfian Travels.
Armenians, their behaviour) at
A. Church, 13. Remov'd by Sha-Abbas,
16. Their Religion, ib. Their cuftom
Ccident that befell the Author before meals,18: Great Traders,
at Balfara. 64,65.)159. Their Languages, ib; Their
Aleppo deferib'd, 57. Marriages, 172. Their Chriftnings;
Alexandretta, 55. Zhe road dan-\171,c. Their Burials, Att :
gerous for Ships, ib. Artaxate, 13. “yn
Ali-Kouli-Kan Ais Story, 218, Afiaticks idle,
aI Alf aragus wild, g.
Allachars,-- vid. Philadelphia. Affaque, 114,
Aftracan, 116. : |
Affrology admird by the Perfi:
ans, 234.
Athemadoutet, vid. Officers.
Almanack Perfian, 234.
Almerdan-Kan delivers up.Can-
dahar to the Mogul, 198. His an-
fwer to the Mogul, ib.
Amadan.defcrib'd, 75. Athens, 121.
Amadie, 108, Aydar, 195.
Amafia, 4. “SRL A ot
Anna, I1f. B.
Antioch, 56. ence
Aphian Caraffar, 37. | ) Agdat devil pag. i:
Arabian Princes exatt from she| Balfara, 88,25 <¢:
Caravans, 59, 61,63. Saker, how pu ib
Aras anciently Araxes, 9, ‘Band »- Ab:
Arbele Plain, 73... eae fede by Sha-Abas,
- Arch-Bifbop of Armenia, 16x YF
Ardevol defcrib'd, 24. “Baptin * the ee ows I 1.
hi
-
| 260
__ St. Bartholomew, 16, 17.
Batha of Cyprus, 81.
Bedovins, what ; and bow they
live, 66.
Beauty among the Arabs, 112.
Betlis, 109.
Bey, what, 105, 106.
Bifbop Armenian durzd, 18.
Books Perfian, 227, 229.
Bread, how made in the Defert,
62.
_ Bufalo’s;-- fighting of Bufalo’s,
an Armenian {port, 12.
C.
Achan, pag. 30.
Calaat, how receiv'd by the
Kans, 236.
Camels, their breeding, nature,
and feveral forts,
Camel-drivers, a rude fort o
people, 48. One-killd by a Cafer,
ib. Great cheats, so. i ;
‘Candahar defcrid’d, 258.
“Caudy, remarks upon the Trade
*
OF BLESS LSS
Ee Carriage’ what, 11, Where paid,
ga
Caravans, where they fet out, 2.
Constrain'd to ftop, 8, 9, 11.
Caravanferas, the order among
them, 45. |
Casbin, 26.
Cazerom, 6§.. diy |
Ceremony of the Taper among the
Armenians, and the occafion, 12,
At the Enthronement of the King,
200, &c. 3
Chamber of the King’s Accounts,
2 2p a, -
_ Charkliquen deferie'd, 6:
Children of the King's of Perfia,
how bred, 196. . |
Chimneys, how made in Perfia,
238, yo Teo
<2i0,119, potas eS
- Chriftians of St. John, and their
GR
Pe
. opine o, &e.
oftom’s: Rock, 6.
Churches, the three Churches, t0,|
11) Lhe richnefs. of the ‘Armenian | 20, $9, 106,407, 112,115; £16)
_ Churches, 12,13. —
Cure, 240.
him, 72,56.
~The IN prEx.
Circaffia, 126. Cuffoms of the peo.
ple, 129.
~ Gruility of two Atabians very
remarkable, v1.
Coffee-houfes in[petted by Sha-
Abas, 14.
\ Colledges Perfian, 229742. 203
Comania , 126, Cuftoms of the
people, 129.
Combat between two Bulls, one
call'd Ali, the other Mahomet, 29.
Comouks ,_ their Cuftoms and
Feasts, 128, c. ao
Conftancy of the Armenians iy
defending their Religion, 174,
Corgia Petrus Ais Wealth, 159,
Corinth, 121.
Coron, ib.
Corou, 31. é
Covents Armenian, 16.
Courriers Arabian ufe Dromeda-
ries for (peed, 61.
Coins of Peta, $6; 8c.
~Curtifrns, Low adritinguifl’d-%6,
Cuftomers of Bagdat, 83.
Curdcs, 2 flrange fort of Arabs,
106. :
Cuftoms of Perfia, 234.
Cyclades Iflinds, 110. i
‘Byprian Birds, 8o., - ; ie
Cyprus deferi6'd, 79,
D.
Anger of leaving the Cara-
van, pag.6, ;
Darius, 73. oa)
Debauchery punify'd,.252.
Dengbe, 26. | : |
Dervichs, the ftrange reverence
they gave to. Sultan Amutat, 60.
Defert defcri’d, 6%.
Diarbeguir deferzé'd, 1064,
Diet of the Perfians, 241,
Difeafes of Perfia, 24¥9.° Their
Dilpofition of the Perfians, 235.
Domenico Santis, the sory of
Dromedaries'; {ee Courrier.
Duties, where paid, 9; 10, 14,38,
Eccli-
“The Inve x
E.
Cclifia, 17.
Embaffzdors expences born in
Perfia, 14.
Embaffador Indian, the story of
him, 65.
Emirs of Arabia, 63, 64.
Ephefus, 34.
Erivan deferi6d, 13. Betraid;,
retaken by the Perfian, 14.
. Erzerome an eee 8,
_ Euphrates, 8, 58.71.
Exchequer Perfian, 227.
: Government of Perfia, 219.
rand Signhior’s power over hy
Bafhas, 8. 4 oe
Gregory, St. martyr d, I
Gu/ph Perfian, 95. _ :
Guni, 114,
H.
be of the Perfians, 23.4,
Halicarcara, 10,
Haly not much relorted to by the
Perfian Pilgrims, and why, oa
St. Helena, 22.
Hizargerib the faireft Garden of
Ezekiel the Prophet, his Sepul-|Perfia, 157,
86.
z,
Faft of’ Hozen and Huflein,
160.
St. Francis of Paolos Miracle,
119,28
Franks zz Alexander’s Army, 14.
Seat themlelves near Erivan, ib.
High- ways, how fecur'd zn Per-
fia, 233.
Strangers bound.to hire Horfes
from Alexandretta to Aleppo, 55.
Horfes Arabian, 65.
I,
Afer-Kan, the Story of A 210,
Janizary Strikes out an Arme-
Funerals at Bagdat deferib’ d, 85,| nian Bi/hop's eye, 10.
86. Inconvenient to the poor, ib.
Funerals of the Perfians, 244.
G,
f ae of the Grand Signior ;
their demands when out at
Sea, 54, Their prefent condition,
be.
Gaming not allowd, 236.
Gaures, their as A and pre-
fent condition, 163. Their Orzgiual
and Prophets, 164. Their Books,
165, eir Baptifin, Marriages,
Feafts, Fafts and Funerals, 166.
Jafque, the Prince there of Re-
bels,
Fealoufie of the Perfians, 239.
Iman-Kouli-Kan, the story of his
death, 104, 5c.
Jonas Whale, 5
Ifpahan fully deleril! 4,148, Se.
Sr. Jude, 86
Fustice of the Perfians, 232.
K.
Affa the City, 113.
Kaguifgan Fort, 10,
Kalmouchs, what fort of people;
Their adoration of Fire, 167. Thezv| 127.
manners and cuftoms, ib. Bealts
which they love or hate, 168.
Genealogy of the Perfian Kings,
Kans of Perfia, 14. (evil to fran.
gers, ib. 224.
Kan of Brivan, detrays the Town,
and teaches the Grand Signior to
‘
Georgia, the prefent State eof it,| drink, 14. The pany: Kerman tina
123.
Gezire, 108. ee
Godfrey of Bologne’s Arms, 55.]
Gorno ee 68.
to the Author,
Kan of Kan, bis fad end, 30.
Kars delcrib? a, 9. a
Keckmith, 49. Befieg’d dy t
{Hollander, ib. I re . _ Kee
262
The In‘ p ®°x.
Kerman de(crib'd, 41.
Kilet, 82.
King of Perfia’s favours, 236.
Kom defcrid'd, 28.
L.
N.
Ackfivan decrib'd,16.
— Names and Employments of
the Officers of the King’s Houfe,r x1,
Gc, Of the Military Officers, x23.
Naxis, 120.
Lance that pierced the fide of| Nazar; vid. Officers.
if of Antioch, 56.
Chrift, £3:
Languages usd in Perfia, 229.
Lar de(crib'd, 253. |
Latitudes of the chiefeft Cities
of Perfia, 135.
Locufts, 65, 8.
Longitudes of the principal Cr-
ties of Perfia, 135, Se.
M.
Ahomet-Ali-beg, the ffory of
him, 42, Sc. He punifhbes bis
own Son, 44.
Mahomet-beg , Ais misfortune,
212, Revengeful, 214, Ge.
Malta, the great Ceremony of the
grand Mufter upon Lady-day, 78.
Manners of Perfia. See Ciffoms.
Marante, 20.
Market-price , how fetthd, 55,
234.
Marriages of the Perfians, 243.
Meal, the firange nature of Per-
fian meal, 27.
Mengrelia, the prefent State of
LB why
Meflina defcri6'd, 2,
Milo Ifland, 120.
Mirza-Ibrahim, 23.
Mirza-Take, Azs frory, 197.
Modon, 121,
Money of Perfia. See Coins.
Monuments ‘Turkith, 3, 4, 24,
2s.
Mother kills her own Son inftead
of a Bannian, 202.
~ Moulla’s, 226.
Mouffal defcrzb'd, 71.
Murder committed in the Defert,
112. Punifh'd in Perfia, 232.
Nemrod, or the {uppofed Tower
of Babel, 86.
Nibia defcribd, 3.
Niniveh, 71.
Noah, where he liv’d. 16. His
Wife, where buried, 20.
Nogaies, (herr Cufloms, 132, &c.
O.
@ vee of the King’s Hou:
holdz2. Military, 123. Ec-
clefisstick and Judicial, 226.
Ormus, 255.
Ozeman, 4.
¥:
Aros Iflind, 12.
Paffige of the Author from
Niniveh fo Babylon, 82. From Bag-
dat fo Balfara, 37. From Balfara to
Ormus, 94,
Paffengers ; fee Travellers.
Patras.-¥4
Patriarch of the Armenians, 11,
Feafts the Caravan, 12.
Pearls of great beauty and va-
Jue, 95, 144.
Perfia, zts extent and Provinces,
141.Lhe Flowers and Frusts there-
of, 144. The Beasts of fervice, 145.
Fifh and Fowl! there, ib, Buildings,
147,
Perfians, thezy Superftztion, 24.
Lhezr manner of Entertainment, §.
Their Gvility, 97. Their extrava-
gancy in Apparel, 2.38. Ther Re-
Ligson, 160. Their Feasts and Diet,
241. Artifts, wherein, 130. Com-
modsties of the Countreys, ib. Their
manners and cuftoms, 234.
Philadelphia zow Allachars, 31.
: Places
The In pex.
Places of priviledg, 24)
Plains of Salt, 31, 39.
Polia ov Polis, 4.
Policy of the Perfians, 232.
Pointing at the King of Perfia,
lols of the hand, 204.
Porter of the King of Perfia de-
Jov'd by bim for his whiskers, 47.
Printing mot usd; and why,
229.
Proverb in Perfia about living
happy, 44:
Q.
Quitros Haven, 114.
R.
Adars; what, 233.
Rafedi’s ; what, 85. Severe-
ly chaftizsd for Super ftztzou, ib.
~ Restoration for robbery, how
made, 233.
River that peutrifies, 15.
Relicks Armenian, 17.
Roads from \rance to Conftan-
tinople ; 2. krom Conilantinopiazo
ifpahan; 3. From the borders of Per-
fia to Erivan; 10. From Erivan fo
Tauris; 15. From ‘Tauris to Hpa-
han through Tauris and Casbin; 2
From Tauris to If{pahan through
Zangan avd Sultain; 26. brom
Smyrna fo Hpahan; 32. From Ker
man to Hpahan; 41. vom Paris to
Ifpahan another way; 53. From
Aleppo to Ifpahan through thé
great Defert; 60. Through Mefopo-
tamia and Aflyria; 66. From Nini-
veh fo Ifpahan; 72. fom Smyrna to
Ifpahan; 102. Irom Aleppo to Tau-
ris through Diarbequir and Van;
103, Through Gezire; 108. From
Aleppo to Ifpahan through the [mall
Defert and Kengavar; 109. From
Conftantinople to Ifpahan dy the
Euxin-Sea; 113. From Warfaw to
Ifpahan over the black Sea; and
Ifpahan to Mofco; 11§. rom Or-
mus fo Schiras; 245. om Mpahan
to Ormus, from Schiras to Ban-
dar-Abafli; 251. From Casbon fo
3 es
pahan, avd fo through Candahar
to the Frentiers of the Mogul, 257,
Robbery committed upon the Au-
thor weer Tocat, 40.
Kobbery ; how punify d, 243.
Lock of a flrauge nature; 104.
S.
ee Ralph; his (ad ftory; 204,
Sa!lmatftre; 208.
Samatra, 2 place of Devotion
among the Mahumetans; $ 3.
Santorini, @ remarkable Ifland ;
79.
Sardis; 37.
Sava; 28.
Schiras; 66. Defcribd'd; 247.
Seal of the King of Perfia, 179.
Sedre, Lis Office, 226.
Sefi-Kouli-Kan Governor of Ba-
bylon; Ais death, 84, 85. \
Sem ie Son of Noah, 15.
Sexava, 28.
Sha-Abas, 158. Sends to Henry
4th of France, ib. To Spain, ib. Hes
aufwer, ib. He turns Merchant, ib.
Kind to the Capuchins; 157. Hrs
macdnels in drink;172. He punifbes
the Baker and Cook; 203.
Sha-Abas the [ecoud, 209.
Shambe; the Inhabitants mad at
18 years of age; 17.
Shappars, what; 233. Their pri-
viledges, ib.
Sha-Sefi deffroys the Turks Ar-
my; 20. His madne{s in drink, 198.
His cruelty, 206.
Shaoux; what they are, 47.
Sherazoul, 73.
Sidi Fatima, 29.
Sinopus, 118.
Smyrna Jargely de{cribd; 32;
Se.
Sophiana; 20.
St. Simon; 86.
St, Stephens; 17.
Story of four French-men; 9 §.
Students Perfian; 227.
Sultan Amurat makes his entry
into Aleppo; 6,
Sul-
26 2
264
,
Sultain de(crzb'd; 27.
Superstition of the Perfians; 236.
Ef,
Amerlane; 195.
Tartars eat raw Hor{e-fle/h;\ from Marfeilles to Alexandretta, 78
The Authors firft Voyage, 95. From
-. Leffer Tartars; 132.
The Iv pF x
RO ENA ERR Bet nk
Turguoifes; 144.
V.
An; 106.
Voyage; The Authors Voyage
Tauris de{crzb'd; 20; 21; Sc. And | Paris to Smyrna, 99.
the places adjacent; 23.
Temple of Ephefus. See Ephefus.
Teren; 108.
Thievery punifld, r% 3.
Tigris; 71.
Time; how divided by the Per-
fians; 240.
Tocat; §.
Tocia; 4.
Tower of Babel; vid. Nemrod.
Travelling very fecure in Per-
TU 25%.
fia;
_ Travellers; how to behave them-
felves; 47.
The treachery of a Yanizary; 35;
{Sc
Turkey; bad travelling in Tur-
key; t.
Turks; thezr Super ftition; 9.
W.
Arter bitter, 64.
Perfia, 156,
Women of Bagdat, 86. Of Arabia
ib, Of Perfia, 239. |
' Wool of Perfia very fine, 40.
Writing Perian, 229.
SCUYCE iN
“*
Efde defcrib'd, 44.
_ Yefdecas, 66.
hi
| fea Ifland, 120.
Zulpha deferi6'd; 19,15 §,157,
6
C.
TRAVELS
Joun Baprista Tavernier,
BARON of AUBONNE,
THROUGH
Curky and Perlia
IN D PRS
During the {pace of Forty years.
Giving an Account of the prefent
State of thofe Countries, wz. of their
Rericion, GoverNMENT, Customs,
and ComMMERce.
AS ALSO
The Figures, Weights, and Value of the Money
and Couns feverally currant therein.
#
The Second Part:
DESCRIBING
INDIA andthe ISLES Adjacent.
a,
Made Englifh by 7. P.
LONDON:
Printed in the Year, 1678.
_ a
4, meena <a
{
| |
:
ES
=
Part TL
THE
FIGURES
Of the PIECES of
Gold, Silver, and Copper:
AND OF
The Sorts of Shells and Almonds that pafs
for MONEY over all ASIA.
The Money of Arabia.
Half-Larin, Fig. 2.
Larin, Figure 1.
BHIS Money (Fig.1.) is cali'd
Larin, and fignihes the fame
with our Crowns. The Five
Pieces are as much in value
as one of our Crowns; and
the Ten Half-Larins as much.
Only the Five Larins want in
weight Eight Sous of. our
Crown. This is that which the
Emirs, or Princes of Arabia
take for the Coining of their
Money ; and the profit which
they make by the Merchants
that travel through the Defart,
either into Perfia or the Indies.
For then the Emirs come to the
Caravans, to take their Tolls, and to change their Crowns, Reals, or
Ducats‘of Gold, for thefe Larins. For they muft of neceffity pafs
_The Author not ha«
Ving given an account of
the weight or finenefs
of the Coins he treats
of, but having only ex-
prefs'd their value in
French Livres, it is
thought fir for rhe bet-
ter reduction thereof
into Englifz Coin,to ad-
vertife , That Three
French Livres make a
French Crown, which
ey in Exchange
om §4 pence to 58
pence half-penny ; fo
that a French) Livre may
be in value as the Ex-
change goes, from 18
pence to 19 pence half-
penny. And twenty Sous
make a Livre.
that way. And they muft ufe very fmooth words to boot; for there is nothing
to be got by rough Languages.
Money, then will they refufe to take their Toll; but making as if
If they fee the Merchants wil] not change their
they had
fot time to caft up the accompt, they go a hunting, and leave the Merchants
fifteen or twenty days without faying any thi
*
more to them; while they
In the mean time fpend their provifions , not howing where to get more.
if the Caravan goes on without paying their Tolls, thefe 4rabian Princes will
either cut them in pieces, or take away their Camels, or rob them of all
they have, as they have féveral times done. In one Journey that
I made,
One of thefe Princes kept us one and twenty days ; after which we thought our
felves hap
If thefe five Larins did but weigh as much as the Crown, or Real
the Merchants would never be much troubled. But when they come
gr the Indies, they muft carry their |
y to be quit of him, when we had given him whatever he demanded.
of Spain,
to Perfia,,
ney to the Mint, as I have faid in
another place, and loofe above eight Sous in a Crown, which amounts to
14 per Cent. As for what rémains, the Larins are one of the ancient Coins.
7 : FB
t
—
An account of the Money of Asia. Part l,.
of Afia : and though at this day they are only currant in Arabia, and at Bal-
‘fara, neverthelefs, from Bragdarr to the Ifland of Ceylan, they traffick altogether
with the Larin, and all along the Perjian Golf; where they take 80 Larins for
one Toman, whichiss0 -dbaffr's.
ee ee een mE Le
The Maney currant under the Dominions of the Great Mogul,
LL the Gold and Silver which is brought into the Territories of the
*& Great Mogul, is refined to the higheft perfection before it be coined into
Money. : . 3
c The Roupy of Gold weighs 2 Drams and a half, and xr Grains, and is. ya-
lued in the Country at 14 Roupies of Silver. We reckon the Roupy of Sil-
ver at 30 Sous. So that a Roupy of Gold comes to 21 Livres of France ;
and an Ounce of Gold to 58 Livres, and 4 Deneer’s. This Gold is like that
which we buy at 54 Livres an Ounce. And if you bring this Gold in Ingots,
or Ducats of Exropean Gold, you fhall have always 7 and a half profir; if
you can fcape paying any thing to the Cuftom-houfes. The Half-Roupy comes
to ro Livres ro Sous; and the Quarter-Roupy to 5 Livres 5 Sous. As |}
have faid, you muft reckon-the Silver Roupy at 30 Sous, though it weigh
not above 3 Drams; whereas our pieces of 30 Sous weigh 3 Drams, and half
4 grains ; but the Roupy is much the better Silver. In a word, they that
underftand Traffick well, and carry hence Gold or Silver to the Territories
of the Great AZogul, get always 7 or 8 per Cent. profit, provided they take
care to fhun the Cuftom-houfes, For if you pay them, the 7 or 8 per Cent,
which you might make profit, goes to them; and fo the Roupy comes to
30 Sous, the Half to 15, and the Quarter to.7 and a half, the Eighth part
to 3 Sous and 9 Deneers.
As for their Copper Money, fometimes ‘tis worth: more, fometimes lefs, as
Copper comes to the Mint. But generally the biggeft fort is worth 2. Sous
of our Money, the next x Sous, the next to that 6 Dencers. |
As for their Shell Money, the nearer you go to the Sea, the more you
give for a Pecha; for they bring them from AZLuldives. Fifty or 60 of theft
make a Pecha, which is that piece of Coin that is worth but 6 De-
neer’s.
For their Money of Mamoudi’s, half Mamoudi’s, and Almonds, all that fort
of Money .is only currant in the Province of Gwzeratt, the principal Cities
whereof are Surat, Barocha, Cambaya, Broudra, and Amadabat. Five Mamoudi’s
go for a Crown, or a Real. For {mall Money they make no ufe of thefe Shells,
but of little Almonds, which are brought from about Ormus, and grow in
the Defarts of the*Kingdom of Zarr. If you break one of the Shells, it is
- impoffible to eat the Almond, for there is no, Cologusntida fo bitter ; fo that
there is no fear leaft the Children fhould-eat their fall Money. ‘They have
alfo thofe little pieces of Copper which are call’d Pecha, 6 Deneer's in value,
They give 20 for a Mamoudi, and 46 Almonds for a Pecha ; fometimes you
may have 44, according to the quantity which is brought. For fome years
the Trees do not: bear, and “then the price of this fort of Money is very
3 Buch raifed in that Country ; and the Bankers know how to make their be-
nefit. : Pa.
_ Fig. 1. The Roupy of Gold: Fig. 2. The Half-Roupy of Gold. Fig. 3.. The
eee Roupy of Gold. | ir
ge ig 4: The Roupy of Silver: Fig. ¢. Another Roupy of Silver. Fig. 6. ‘The
Half-Roupy of Silver. Fig. 7. The Quarter-Roupy of Silver, Fig. 8. The
Eighth part of the Roupy of Silver. | | Se
‘ ac 9. Four Pecha’s of Copper, Fig.10, Two Pecha’sof Copper, Fig.11,One
echa, # | See
By Fig. 12.
.
a
age Money of - Arabia Larin& halfe Lf rsh Fests 17 Fk:
NS Money of § Gre eZ ge FE1. (CB accuse?
FE. 2.
‘e088
eae a cies ree: oy :
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9 ML ele A eel
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| Part I. An account of the Money of Asta, °
_ Fig. 12, The Shells. Fig. 13. A Silver-Mamoudi, which is the Money of
Gueerat. Fig. 14. Half a Mamoudi. Fig. 15. The Almond.
[have mark’d two forts of Roupies, the one fquare, the other round. The
fquare one is as they coind it anciently ; the round ones are as they make
-them at this day,
The Money of a King and two Raja’s, all three Tributaries to
: the Great Mogul. |
Mae isa Tributary to the Great Afogul ; yet he has power to coin Mo-
ney. When you are at -dgra, the Territories of this King lye to the North ;
and before you can come at them,you muft pafs over very high and cragged Moun-
tains. “Tis a good Country, where are all things neceflary for the fapport of humane
life, except Rice, which is a great inconvenience to the Inhabitants, who being all
Idolaters, are sag thereby of their chiefeft delicacies, in regard they feed upon
nothing fo heartily as upon Rice. ‘They have excellent Corn, and Grapes, but they
make no Wine, though they make fome quaVire. They want neither Oxen nor
Cows ; but their Horfes are little, weak, and ill-fhap’d.. All the Trade which
thefe people have: with their Neighbours, is in Copper, whereof they. have
two extraordinary Mines, from whence they furnifh the greateft part of the
Mogul’s Territories ; out of which they have Salt in Exchange, not. having
any of their own. This Salt cofts them dear, in regard it is four months tra-
vel to the place where they fetch it, that is to fay, from the Territories of
Maton-cha to the Indian Coaft towards Bacaim. They travel upon Oxen, and
the fame Oxen carry their Copper. There muft be alfo fome Mines of Lapa-
Lazuli and Garnets in that Country, in regard they bring feveral from thence. |
_ Fig. 1, and 2. is the Money of ALaton-cha,
, Fig. 1, is the Silver-Money, which weighs not above one dram and 19 grains,
and is of the fame goodnefs as the Roupy. The half-Roupy goes for 15 Sous,
and this for 16 Sous,«which is fix and a half per Ceut. more. But certain it is,that the
more Northward you travel that way, Gold and Silver is more fearce. Fig. 2.
_ Thefe pieces of Copper go for the value of a Pecha of the Great Afogul ; they
are heavier by half, but the Copper is not fo good as that of Peg or fapan.
Fig. 3, and 4. is the Money of the Raja of Parta fajoumola.
The Raja of Parta fajoumola, is one of the great Raja's on the other fide of the
Ganges. His Territories are directly North of Patna, nigh to the great AZogul’s,
to whom he is Tributary, and bordering upon the King of Baxtam. He is bound
‘every year to fend an Embaflador with twenty Elephants to the Gover-.
nour of Patna; who fends them to the Great Afogul. The greateft part of
his revenue confifts in Elephants, Musk, and Rhubarb. He lays alfo a great
Impofition wpon Salt, as well that which is {pent by his own Subjects, as
upon that which is carried abroad. This is all Sea-coaft Salt, which comes
ee Territories of the Great Afogul, and is brought from the Sea-coaft
to Ganges, and {0 over Ganges is carried as far as the fiftieth and five and
fiftieth Degree. ‘They lade above 1 godoo Oxen ; and for every burthen they
pay 2 Roupy at the Salt-Pits, and no more afterwards through the whole King-
dom. Had this Raja of Parta Salt of his own, he would meyer be Tributary
tothe Great AdLogul. i273 -eise
Fig. 5, and 6. is the Money of the Raja of Ogen,
The Raja of Ogen is alfoa Tributary to the Great AZogu/ ; his Country ‘ies.
between Brampour, Seronge, and Amadabat , and it is one of the beft Soils in
ane a ; *E 2 Fig. 5.
An account of the Money of Asta. Part TI.
the Indies. His Silver Money pafles no-where but in his own Country, not be-
ing faffer’d in the Afogui’s. His Silver Money goes for a quarter of a Roupy,
at 7 Sous 6 Deneer’s; but the Silver is bafe. His Copper Money goes for
6 Deneers, and is currant in the AZogal’s Dominions as far as gra. For his
fmaller Money he makes ufe of thofe Shells whereof we have already {po-
ken, :
Pieces of Gold called Pagods, which are currant in the Territories
of the King of Golconda, the King of Vifapour, the Great Raja
of Carnatica, the Raia of Velouche, aud at the Diamond Mines.
“= gates the Pieces of Gold reprefented in the Plate of Golcondz-Money, pats
through all thefe Countries at the fame value, and are about the weight of
our half Piftol ; but the Gold is of a bafer Mettal, fo that an Ounce is not worth
above 42 or 43 Livres; not going for more than four Roupies.
Fig. 1. Is one of the ancient Pagods, at the time when the Raja’s were
Mafters of the Kingdom of Golconda, and they are only ftampt upon one fide
as you fee. They are as heavy as the new ones ; and though they be no
better Gold, yet fome years fince they went at 20, and 25 per cent. more
than the new ones; the reafon is, for that the Bankers being all Idolaters,
they are fo fuperftitious as to believe, that if they melt down that Money,
fome calamity will befall their Country ; and they hold this for fach a cer-
tain truth, that for fear the King of Golconda fhould melt ic, they paid him
for certain years 20coo Pagods. But you muft obferve, that thefe old Pagods
are no-where currant but in the Kingdom of Golconda. For my part, I think itis
more for their profit than out of any fuperftition, that they make ufé of thenrin
_ that manner. For in all the Kingdom of Golconda, in matter of trade, they never
mention any but the old Pagods, though they make their payments in new Pagods,
or Roupies ; and in this cafe they who receive thofe new Pagods,or thofe Ronpies,
play their game fo well, that they gain a fourth part, ora half, and f{ometimes one
per Cent. alledging for the reafon, that thofé new Pagods are either the King of
Vifapour's, or the Raja of Carnatica’s, or the Raja of Velouche’s, or the Englifh,
or the Hollanders. And they make as much of the Roupies ; for there is no
confiderable payment made, which is not received by the Cheraff or Banker,
making it good to the Seller, who fometimes has no need of his Money in
a month or two, and fo he receives the intereft of it, though it be but for
two days. If the payment be made in old Pagods, and that the fum amount
to two or three hundred, or three or four thoufand, the Banker takes them
all, and viewing them one after another, he divides them into five or fix
parts ; and then poifing them all, he fays of fome, that they are more us‘d
than others, and that having paffed through many hands, there is a walte of the -
mettal about one per Cent. Others, fays he, want not above half one per
Cent. others but a fourth part. Thefe Pagods have been bor’d fome half tho-
rough, others a quarter thorough ; and it is a wonderful thing what this boring
amounts to. For in regard thefe Pagods are very thick, and cannot be clipt,
thofe that are Mafters of the trade, take a Piercer,-and pierce the Pagod tho-
rough the fide, half way or more, taking out of one piece as much Gold as
comes to two or three Sous. And ‘provided they be nofiitaken in the fact,
they chufe rather to follow this trade than any other; t being no handy-
craft tradesmen among the /ndians, that gain more thaithree Sous a day.
After they have drawn out the piercer, they knock the holes with a
little hammer, and are fo cunning in clofing up the again, that he muft.
be very skilful indeed, that can difcover the cheat. For this reafon, they ne-
ver receive any payment till they have fhew’n the Pieces to the Cheraff or
Banker; and though he looks only on two or three Pieces, he takes a Sous.
They have alfo another cunning trick, and the more the Banker is in seit
,
ages peices of Gold call Pagods. “rt 1 ints
1. FE. 2. FES. IL 4:
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Part. = Anaccount of the Money of Ast x
the more he gains; for if he makes any payment, according to the quantity
of the fam, he puts the Pagods by fifty ora hundred together in little bags
and feals them up with his Seal, and writes upon.the bag the number of the
Pagods within ; and fo delivers them to him to whom he makes the pay-
ment. When the party makes ufe of them, he never opens the bag, ‘bur gives
them as they are, to him to whom they are due; who goes to the fame Ban-
ker that feal’d the bags. The Banker teeing his Seal whole, makes anfiver,
that the Pieces are good, and in that manner they fhall pafS all the year
without opening the bags. But when ever they change the hand, they fend
for the fame Banker, who always will have fo much per Cent. for his vifit.
But as I have faid, the Merchant leaves them in his hand to get intereft ;
who then pays eight per Cent. for a year, and fometimes twelve. Thus the
Bankers have always the greateft part of the Money in the Kingdom in their
hands, of which they miake large profit. "Tis the cuftom in that Country,
every Month to pay the Soldiery ; but. for the moft part, the Soldiers, Cap-
tains,,and other Officers will not ftay ftill the Month be up; but come to the
Bankers, who difcount after the rate of eighteen or twenty per Cent. by the
year, befides that they pay them in thefe Pagods, againft which others would
often object. If there be any large Diamond to be fold in any Country, thefe
Bankers have intelligence of it prefently ;. or if there be any fair Ruby, ’tis >
not long before they have it in pawn; for every year when the Merchants
return from Pega, and have any Rubies, moft commonly they are in debt;
and in regard itis the cuftom to pay within fifteen days after the Merchant
comes afhoar, he pawns his beit goods he has for payment, as well of the
freight of the Ship, as of what hewmay have taken up at Pegw. After that
he fells the worft of his goods to pay the Banker, who lent him the Money
upon his arrival. “Thofe that work in the Diamond Mines, or the Merchants
“that hire the Mine, when they have any fair Stones, they {ell them to thefe
Bankers, becaufe there is ready Money ; or elfe they pawn them to the Ban-
kers, till they can find a Chapman to buy them. :
Fig. 1. The old Pagod.
Fig. 2. The King of Golconda’s Pagod.
Fig.3, and 4. The King of Vifapozr’s Pagod.
Fig.5, and 6. The Raja of Carnatica’s Pagod.
Fig. 7, and 8. The Raja of Velouche’s Pagod. 44
Fig. 9, 10,11, and 12. are the Half-Pagods of thofe Kings-and Raja's.
Fig. 13, 14, 15,16, and 17. are little Pieces of Gold call’d Fanos, which are
of different value. There are fome whereof fix go to a Crown; others from
ten to fifteen ; and fome are very bafe mettal. This is the Money that paffes
all along the Coaft of Coromandel; from Cape Comorin as far as Bengala. And
they have very little other than that, befides the Pecha of Copper, and the
Shells, which pafS for {mall Money.
The Money which thé Englifh and Hollanders Coin in the Indies.
Fe I, and 2. is the Money which the Engli/h coin in their Fort St. George,
or elfe at Afadrefpatan, upon the Coaft: of Coromandel. They- call-them
Pagods, as thofe of the Kings and Raja’s of the Country are call’d. They
are of the fame weight, the fame goodnefs, and pafs for the fame value. For-
merly the Englifh never coin'd any Silver or Copper Money; for in fome
parts that border upon the Jndians, where they have Factories, as at Surat,
Maflipatan, Ofyat Bantam, t find it more profitable to carry Gold from
England, than Silver; Gold lying in lefs room, and not being fo trou-
blefome ; befides; that by carrying Gold they more eafily efcape the
paying thofe Cuftoms which the Kings impofe upon Gold and Silver, But _
ay ; *B ;
3 _fiace
.
Su
11 RA REE es Re Re ee
fince the prefent King of England married the Princefs of Portugal, who had
in part of her Portion the famous Port of Bombeye, where the Englifb are
_ very hard at work to build a itrong Fort, they coin both Silver, Copper
and Tinn. But that Money will not goat Swrat, nor in any part of the Great
Mogul’s Dominions, or in any of the Territories of the Judian , Kings ; only it
pafles among the £nglifb in their Fort, and fome two or three Leagues y
in the Country, and in the Villages along the Coait ; the Country people that
bring them their Wares, being glad to take that Money ; otherwife they would
fée but very little ftirring, in regard the Country is very poor, and the people
have nothing to fell but 4g#a vite, made of Coco-Wine and Rice.
Fig. 3. and 4. is the Gold Money which the Hollanders coin at Palicate
which is a Fort that they poflefs upon the Coait of Coromandel. Thofe pieces
are alfo calf'd Pagods, and are of the fame weight with the others; bur for
the goodnefs, [ think they are better by two or three in the hundred, than
thofe of the Kings and Raja’s of the Country, or which the Englifo make,
I made this obfervation, being at the Diamond-Mines, and in other parts of
the Indies where there is any great Trade. For the firft thing they ask yoy
is, whether you have any Pagods of Pedicate ; and if you have, you {peed much
better in your bufinefs.
Fig. 5, and 6. is a Roupy of Silver, which the Hollauders coin at Pelicate,
being of the fame weight with thofe which the Great A£ogw/, or the Kings of
Golconda and Vifzpour make. It has in the middle upon one fide the mark of the
Flolland Company, to diftinguifh it from others. The Hollanders Roupies of Silver
are quite contrary to their Pagods of Gold, which are more efteemed by the Ju-
dians than thofe of the Princes of the Country. For they make far lefs account
of thefe Roupies of Silver; and if you pay any great fum in thefe pieces,
though the Sitver be as good as the others, you mutt lofe one half per Cent.
Fy. 7, and %. is the Holtanders {mal] Copper-Money, wherewith they or-
dinarily pay their Soldiers. [It has upon one fide the mark of the Company.
And indeed the. Hollanders, who mind nothing but their profit, had great reafon
to obtain leave to coin Money ; for briaging only Gold from fapan, from ALa-
caffar only Gold in Powder, and from Coixz Gold in Ingots, and felling all
thefe to the Bankers, they found that they loft five or fix per Cent. which
proceeded from. the miftruft of the Changers, and the chief of the Fado.
ries belonging to the Company. Now they fhun that lofs, and make the fame
profit which the Bankers did, coining all thefe mettals into money. Though
in every Voyage which they make to fapaa, they generally lofe one Veflel
by ftorm; yet fome years they make five or fix Millions of Livres profit,
all freights difcharged, and hazards efcaped. But that profit is quite Joft,
fince their lofs of the Ifland of Formofa.
_ Ihe Money of the King of Cheda and Pera.
“Paes is of Tin, and is coin’d by the King of Cheda and Pera. He
coins no other Money than Tin. Some years he found eut feveral Mines,
which was a great prejudice to the Englifh. For the Hollanders and other
Merchants bay it, and vend it over all .4fa. Formerly the Englifh brongbt
it out of Exglad, and furnifhed great part of .4/i2, where they confum’d a
vaft quantity ; they carried it alfy into all the Territories of the Great ALogul,
as alfo into Perfi2z and Arabia; for all their Dithesare of Copper, which they
eaafe to be Tinned over every month. Among the meaner fort of people, there
is little tevbe feen but this Tinsmoney, and the Shels call’d Cow ; which J
have {poken of already. + |
5
Fig. i, and 2. is that great piece of Tin, which weighs an @ince and ahalf, »
and in that Countrygoes for the value of two of our. Sous. But in regard
that Tin is there ‘at 14 Sous a pound, it is not worth above one Sons me
‘oe three
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fi, The Monerv of the King of: Poo ,
Beda and Pera |
3 (Money of the King of Achen.
Part Il. = Ap account of the Money of Arak
three Deneers. This piece of Tin is only thick’ in the fides, the middle be-
ing as thin as Paper. :
Fig. 3, and 4. is a piece that goes at the valde of four Deneers.
Fsg. §, and 6, are their Shells, whereof they gives fifty for the little piecé
of Tin.
The Money of Gold and Tin of the King of Achen. With the Money
“jn Gold Coin'd by the King of Macaflar, and the Célebes, And
the Silver and Copper Money of the King of Camboya.
rg. 1, and 2. is the Money in Gold coind by the King of dchen, in the
L Iland of Sumatra. In goodnefs it is better than our Louis ; an Ounce be-
ing well. worth fifty Franks. This piece weighs 19, Grains, and would be
worth fixteen Sous and eight Deneers of our Meney. =” ;
. Fig. 3,,and 4. is the fmall._ Money made by the fame King, being of Tin,
and weighs eight Grains. The Tin being good, I value it dt 16 Sous a pound;
and then 75 of thefe pieces is worth one Sous of ours. . __ :
Fig. §, and 6. is the Money in Gold of the King of ALacaffar, or the Ce-
Iebes. This piece weighs twelve Grains, and the Hollanders take it for a Florin
of our Money; which comes to 23 Sous and eight Deneers. — - (See
_ Fig. 7, and 8. is the Silver Money of the King of Camboya ; being good
Silver, and weighs thirty, two Grains. The, piece comes to 24 Sous of our
Money ; nor does-the King cojn.it at any higher rate. He hasa great quan-
tity of Gold in his Country, but he never coins it into Money ; for he trades
with it by-aveight, as he does with his Silver, according to the cuftom of
China. ar ; , '
Fig. 9, and ro. isthe Copper Money of the King of Camboya. The King of
fava, the King of Bantam, and the Kings of the Afolucca Iflands coin no other
Money, but pieces. of Copper after the fame form and manner. As for their
Silver Money, ne! let it pafs as.it comes out.of other Countries, without
melting it down. In Bantam, inall.?ava, in Batyia, and the Afolucca's, there
is little other Money ftirring, but Spanifb Reals, Rixdollars of Germany, and
Crowns of France; the greateft part being Half-Reals, Quarters, and Bighth
parts. But in Batavia they ufe befides for fmall Money, Shillings, double Sous
and Sous, as in Holland:
The Money in Gold; Silver, and Copper, of the King of Siam.
4% r, and 2. is the Money in Gold, coin’d by the King of Siam ; and weighs
4 18 Grains more than our Half-Piftol. The Gold is of the fame Goodnefs,
and may be worth 7:Livres and oné Sous of our Money. When the Mer-
chants, that trade in that Country, bring thence either Gold or Silver, ‘tis for
want of other Commodities, as Silk, Musk, Sandal, Wood Gum Lake, Ele<
phants teeth, and-other things. For by carrying out Gold or Silver, they reap but
two in the hundted profit. é we i.
_ Fig. 3; 4, 5, and 6. is a piece about the bignefs of a large Hazle-Nat, flatted
on thé four fides, like a femicircle, three. fides whereof are open likéa Horfe-
thoe ; and upon two fides are certain of their own Letters. There is no Money.
in the Eaft fo ftrangely coin’d- is. It weighs three Drams and a half, and
25 Grains, andsis as good as Silver at three Livres and ro Sous the
Ounce. It amounts to 32 Sous and 4 Deneers of our Money. - ;
Fig. 6, 7, and 8. is the Copper Money of the King of Siam ; and they give
two hundred of thefe pieces for one piece of Silver. For their {mall Money,
iets they |
~
7 =
a
An ghcival of the Money of Asta. — Part IL
they sake ufe’ of certain Shells that are gather’d upon the Sea-fhore, which a
they bring from AZaldives. : ! | :
>
Ihe Gold and Silver Money of the Kings of Afem, Tipoura,
Arakan, aud Pegu.
LL thé Silver Money coin’d by the Kings whom I have nam’d, is in
-goodnef$ equal to our Crown, rating it at three Livres ten Sous the Ounce,
as_we rate our Crowns here. :
_ Fig,.t, and 2. is the Silver Money of the King of 4/em; it weighs three
Drams and four Grains, and comes to 23 Sous of our Money.
. Fig. 3, 4. is the Silver Money made by the King of Tipoura Chatermani!
In the language of the Country, he is call'd Diew-Ara-gari, which is ftampt
upon one fide of the Money, and upon the other Chatermani Roy de Tipoura;
His Country begins about twelve days journey from Daca toward the North-
Welt. This Money weighs two Drams and a half, and twenty-two Grains,
and is in value twenty-two Sous. | .
Fig. 5, 6. is the King of 4rakai's Money, It weighs two Drams and a half,
and rs Grains, which makes 21 Sous of our Money. This King coins no Gold;
but he trafficks in Gold uncoin’d. The Mettal is very bafe, and not worth
above 14 Carats, a Carat being the third part of an Ounce. The King how-
éver holds it at a high rate, to keep it from being carry’d out of his Coun
try. In all Bengala this King is known by no other Name but the King of
Afogue. :
“Pe 7, and 8. is the King of Pegy’s Silver Money, and weighs two Drams
and a half, and twelve Grains, which may come to about 20 Sous, and fix
Deneers of our Money.
. Fig. 9, and ro. are the King of Pegn’s Fano’s, or little pieces of Gold, and
weigh-not above 7 Grains to boot. Fifteen of thefe little pieces paf$ for the
value of a Real, or one of our Crowns, the Gold being courfe.
Fig, 11, 12. are the Kings of A/em’s Fano’s ; they weigh alfo 7 Grains;
But they are a much bafer Mettal than thofe of Pegw, for twenty-two of them
amount but to the value of our Crown.
Lumps or Pieces of Gold and Silver which go for Money in the
Kingdem of China, and the Kingdom of Tunquin.
{7 OU are firft to take notice, that in all the Kingdom of China, and the
& ‘Kingdom of Tunqun, there is no Money coin’d, either Gold or Silver;
that their fmdll’ Money is Copper, and that they make ufe in payments only
of Lumps:or Pieces of Gold: and Silver, which have €very one their particu
lar weight, as is here reprefented.
The Pieces of: Gold amark'd: Fig,.1, and 2. are by the Hollanders call’d Golte
Schut, that is to fay, a Boat of Gold, becaufe they are in the form of a Boat.
_ Other Nationsicall' them Loaves of Gold ; and there are but two different fizes
of them. The Gold is of fuch a goodnefs, that an Ounce in France would
not be worth lefs than 42 Franks, The great Pieces come to twelve hum
dred ‘Gelders of Holland Money, and thirteen hundred and fifty Livres of our
Money. The other Piece, which weighs but half as much, is in value accor
ding to its proportion. 7
As for their Pieces of Silver, they are of feveral fizes, and different weight.
Fry. 3. weighs fix Drams and a half, and 23 Grains; and the Silver being
Money of the King of Asem. Travellsin India.
: oF tia. Wy. Te 10. F-9.
e@ ©™®@
?
iii
3.
Lage: Peiciied
bo is The li apouterst Catt the/e epewes as well Sie rer as Gold Ci oupent. al
TM
ay
ey
} pee
wil ane ie Lie nt
iii i wr ml = (| i = iba il ul il
li iil cl ul Hida
FE. |
Petce Hh nearer Hii
of Gold. i “
ih i
* im vi .
yen 5. “e ml | ) }
I mul mi i i mt Hh " mn ‘a i i Hh Hh
of the Money of Asta, % -9
yery near in goodnefs to the Parifizn, it comes to fifty-nine Sous, and eight
Dencers of our Money. The other Pieces, as well great as {mall, are in value
according, to thei weight. | !
In great payments they make ufe of Ingots, that come to a hundred Franks
in value; and they have little Pieces of Silver that are not worth above a
ous. 2
° When they buy any Commodity, if they have not whole Pieces ehongh to
make up the fum, they have always inftruments ready, to. cut off fo much
from a great piece as will perfect the payment. : eo
When the Chinefes tranfport their Golden Loaves, or their Boats, into’othér
Countries, the Merchants: cut them inthe middle, not daring to truft the CAi-
ne(zs, Who have often deceiv'd them; and none have been more cheated than
the Hollanders. For they have a way to ftuff their Loaves of Gold, infomuch
that you fhall fometimes find in the middle, a third part of Copper or Silver.
in all forts°of Bargains the Chinefes are fo cunning, that there’ are few ftran-
gers whom they do not over-reach; efpecially, in Batavia, the Hollanders
when they come firft. They carry their weights always ‘along with them,
being like a Rowan Beam, or a Stelleer, about eight Inches long, with which
they weigh all the Gold and Silver which they receive. As for the fmall Money
both in China and Tunquum, it is of Copper. It is made as m Fig. 4. They
alfo thread thefe pieces, there being a hole in the middle, 12, 25, 50, and
300 upon. a firing ; becaufe they will not put themfélves to the trouble of
telling them, when the number exceeds a dozen.
Part Il. Anaccount
Tie Cold and Silver Moncy of Japon.
<A. LL the «Gold that comes from 7apon, is of the fame goodnefs; fome-
sf & what better than our Louis; and is about that goodnefs for which we
a my about 50 Franks the Ounce. } } ee
“sFic. x. This picce of Gold weighs one Ounce and fix Drams, at fifty Franks
the Ounce, comes to 87 Livres and xo Sous. | cable
Fig. 2, and 3. Every one of thefe pieces is of Gold, and every one weiglis
a third part of the great one ; which is half an Ounce; and 48 Grains ; and
comes.to 29 Livres, 3 Sous, and 4 Deneers. bes ete
_. Fig. 4. This, as it is mark’d, is the backfide of the three pieces of Gold.
> Fig. §, and 6. are pieces of Silver of the fame weight ; every one weigh-.
_ ing 4 Grains lefs than our pieces of 30 Sous; though it go neverthelef$ for
the fame: value. As for the Silver, it is the fame in goodnefs with our Mo-
? aey. However, in the Territories of the Great Afogal!; whither the Hollan-
ders carryall their Silver, their Bars, and Japon pieces, to coin them into Mo-
ney, fometimes they fell them to the Bankers, where they have no conve-
venience of coinage, as at Surat and gra; and thefe Bankers give them from
two to three in the hundred more than they will give for our Crowns, Rix-
dollars, or Spanifh Reals.
Fig. 7. is the backfide of the two Silver pieces.
The Portraiture of the Silver Ingots of Japon, which ga for Money.
| Said before, that all the Silverthat comes out of fapon, is equal in goodnefé to
our Crowns. Sta nee f
Fig. x. An Ingot of this form weighs feven ounces, at three Livres ten Sous
the ounce : the whole comes to twenty four Livres, and ten Sous, me ES.
| | *C Fig. 2,
—
EP account of the Money of Asia. Part II
_ Fig, 2. Weighs two ounces, three drams and an half: the whole comes to eight
Livres, ten Sous, and feven Deneers.
Fig. 3. Weighs once ounce, half a dram, and twelve grains: the whole come,
to four Livres, five Sous, and five Deneers.
Fig. 4. Weighs one ounce, eight grains : the whole comes to three Livres, ten
Sous, and an eleven Deneers. ,
Fig. 5. Weighs feven drams, one quarter, and {even grains: the whole comes .
to three Livres, eight Sous, and eight Deneers.
Fig. 6. Weighs two drams and an half, and twenty four grains: the whole
comes to one Livre, five Sous, and one Deneer.
Fig. 7. Weighs two drams, twenty four Deneers: the whole comes to one
Livre, nine Deneers.
Fig. 8. Weighs one dram and an half, and twenty four grains : the whole comes
to fixteen Sous, and four Deneers.
Fig.9. Is the Copper-Money which they thread by fifteen, thirty, fifty
to the number of 600. which is the value ofa Tell in Silver. Over all Zapon they
reckon by Tells: and the Hollanders reckon, that a Tell makes three Gelders
and an half of their Money, which comes to four Livres, and five Sous of
ours. ey
| Fig. Xo. Is the back-fide of the Copper-piece.
Money that reprefents the Figures of the twelve Sigus; and which
were Coined during the twenty four hours, that Gchan-guir, Kzng of
soe py permitted Queen Nourmahall, Ais Wife, to Reign in bis
fread.
QUlean Selim, otherwie called Gehanguir Patcha, the ninth King of the Zndis
7 ans, Father of Cha-gehan, was a great Lover of Women: but he had a par-
ticular-affection for one among the reft, which he kept in his Seraglio ; and which
he had Efpous’d, as meriting more than ordinary. She was a Woman of a Sublime
Wit, and very liberal ; and fhe knew fo well how to pleafe tle King’s humour, and
to divertize him, that he could not live without her. She had two Names; the
one was WVour-gehan-begum, which fignifies the light of the World; and this was
the Name which was engraven upon her Signet: for as I have obferv’d in my
Relations, they never Sign any thing, but only fet their Seals. The other Name,
by which fhe was call’d at Court, was Nour-mahall, which fignifies the Light of
the Seraglio. She was always a great enemy to the King’s two Sons ; more ¢€
‘cially to the fecond, who was called Sw#ltan Kourom: and who afterwards
coming to the Throne, called himfelf Cha-gehan. He fet himfelf to oppofe all the
defigns of this PrincefS: who, for her part, had iuch an Afcendant over the King,
that the perfwaded him to fpend the greateft part of the year in the Country, un-
der-hand foliciting certain Raja’s upon the Frontiers to rife againft him, that fhe
might engage him in the Wars, and keep him from the company of his Sons. This
Queen, being altogether Ambitious, made it her bufinefs to pleafe the King, that
fhe might the more eafily accomplifh her defigns ; and having a great defire to
_ eternize her Memory, fhe could not think of a better way, than to Coin a good
quantity of Money in her own Name: and of a different ftamp from that which
the Jndian Kings were wont to Coin. For you muft take notice, that all the Coins
of thofe Kings have only the Chara¢ters of the Countrey upon each fide of the
Piece. But this Queen caus’d one of the twelve Signs to be ftamp’d upon
_ upon each fide of Hers, which is contrary to the Law of Mahomet, that forbids all
Manner of reprefentations. However, fhe had never brought her defign about,
hhad Sultan Kourom been at Court. But fhe took her time, when the King had
causd the eyes of his eldeft Son,Sultan Kofrou to be put out,becaufe he had taken
up Arms againft him, with an intention to depofe him from his Throfte. For after
he had obtain’d that Victory, he fent his fecond Son, Sultan K ourom, into Decat, -
3 ae | with
~s me.
Tramells in India-
&
er : 2
fe a ee
* Ga tee
Part IL. = An account of the Money of AG 2
- with a powerful Army againft the King of Vifapour, who was in Rebellion, Queen
Nourmaball feeing her felf deliver’d from thofe that were able to crof$ her de-
figns, and particularly from Satan Kovrom, the moft Potent, and the moft inve-
terate of all her enemies, ‘and believing it feafonable to difeover her purpofe to
the King, fet her felf to flatter him more than fhe was wont; inventing new
ways to divertize him,fometimes with Hunting,and fometimes in the Haram,with
Balls and Comedies: One day that the King was extremely well-pleas’d, and
having drank briskly, began to be very merry; after the Queen had Dane’d in
his prefence, he took her, and fet her by him, protefting to her, that he
Jov'd her above all the Princefies in his Court ; and that but for her, he had dy’d
for grief, to fee that his Son Sultan Kofrow fhould be fo traiteroufly bold, as to
endeavour to deprive him of his Scepter. The Queen feeing the King fo highly
affected toward her, faild not to make ufe of fo favourable an opportunity. To
which parpofe, Sir, faid fhe, if it be true that your Majefty has that kindnef$ for
mé, of which you would perfwade me to aflure my felf, I know you will grant
me one favour which I have paffionately defir’d a long time; that I may only
Reign as Sovereign the fpace of twenty four hours. This requeft furpriz’d the
King, and kept him very fad for fome days, being unwilling to deny her any
thing, and yet being as loth to grant her a Boon of fohigha nature. In the mean |
time the Queen ply’d the King with Paftime and Divertifements, pretending to
take no notice of his melancholy. At length the fift day after fhe had made her
Petition, the King no longer able to refift her Charms, nor the ftrong Paffion he
had for her, told her he would retire for twenty four hours, and that fhe might
aflume the abfolure Command of the Kingdom during that time. At the fame time
he caus‘d'all the Graadees that were then at Court, to be fent for into his prefence,
' and then commanded them to obey her, and punctually to execute her Orders, as
if it were he himfelf that fpoketo them. It was a long time before that the
Queen had made every thing ready, and that fhe had fecretly hoarded up great
quantities of Gold and Silver in all the Cities where the Mints were appointed,
and had diftributed the Stamps as fhe thought convenient. And indeed it was a
wonderful thing; that a Woman fhould fo politickly carry on fo great a defign, as
to have four and twenty Stamps engrav’d; and to keep in a readinefS in Gold and
Silver above two Millions in all the Cities, without being difcovered to the King,
orany of the Court. There were none but the Mint-Matters that knew any thing
of her defign,whom fhe engag’d by large promiiés,and larger hopes ; as believing
that fhe could certainly obtain her defire one day of the King; and then, if the
had her Materials ready, that fhe could do her bufinefs in-twenty four hours. The
day beiig appointed, fhe fent away Meflengers to all the Cities; commanding them
on that day to Coin Rowpics of Gold and Silver, to the value alxeady mention’d.
‘When the King and the Grandees came to underftand. the. bufinefs, they were
ftrangely furpriz’d; efpecially Su/rax Kozrem, the Queens, implacable. enemy,
who, as fome perfons of the Countrey affur'd me, fainted away-at the news, and
did not come to himfelf in a good while after. The thirg was: fo fuddenly done,
efpecially in the Citiés neer at hand, that within two hours after fhe was fate up-
on the Throne, fhe caus’d feveral quantities of that Gold and Silver to be thrown
among the people, which during the Reign of Gehan-guir went currantly for Rou-
pies. But when Sultan Kowrom, who took upon him the Namé, of C4a-geban came
to the Crown after the death of his Father, he forbad all perfons to ufe thofé
Roupies upon-pain of death, and commanded all that had any of them, either in
Gold or Silver, to-carry them to the Mint ; where they fhould receive the value
of them, to the end they might be melted down. For which reafon they aré at
prefent Very rare, particularly thofe in Gold ; among the reft; two: or three of
them are fo hard to be found, that an hundred Crowns has been given for one of
them... The Roupies of Goldare worth one and twenty Livres of our Money :
and thofé of Silver, thirty Sous. The Queen, during her Reign of twenty four
hours, had that refpect for the King, that on the back-fide of the Pieces whereon
Se
the twelve Signs were Engraven, fhe caus‘d the Name of Gehan-gair to be ftamp’d |
" Perliaps the Readér may be curious:to know from whence this Illuftrious Queen
a L&. * of
C2
with her own, and the name of the place where they were Coind, all in Axabsck
eit are - St Sipe apes rete <, ;
‘
12 An account of the Money of Asta. Part IE
of the Indians defcended : and therefore for his fatisfaction, I will tell him ina
few words. Her Father, a Perfian by Nation, a man naturally Ambitious, and who
in-his own Country was no more than a bare Captain of Horfe, without any
hopes of riling to any higher preferment, travel'd into the /xdées, to ferve the
Great Afogul, who was then Geban-gair, with an intention of raifing his For-
tune jn a ftrange Country. Geban-gur had then many Enemies, the Kings of
Golconda and Vifapoxr being in Rebellion againit him, and feveral Raja's having
taken their part. $o foonas he came to kifs the Kings Hands, the King took
a liking to him, and gave him immedjately the Command of five hundred
Horfe. And becaufe he was very well skill’d in Aftrology, ( which is a Science
to which the -dfaticks are very much addicted) the King efteem’d him the
more, and in a fhort time made him General of his Army. But afterwards,
forgetting his duty, and the benefits he had/ received, he join'd with Sultan
Kofrou, Gehan-guir's eldeft Son; and having gain’d a great part of the Army,
they confpir’d together to depofe the King, and fet up his Son in his ftead.
There was at that time in the Court, an Exnach of great wit, who did more
_Mifchief to the Army in his Clofer, than he could have done in the Field,
This Eanuch, {0 foon as intelligence was brought of the Rebellion, told the
King, that if his Majefty pleas’d, he would deliver Kofrow and the Perfian Ge-
neral into his hands in a fhort time, without fo much as ftriking one ftroke,
or lofing one man. He was as good as his word in part, for he fo order’d
his bufinefs, by his politick contrivances, that the General was brought to the
King, who would not prefently put him to death. Swlran Kofrow etcap’d that
bout, and continu’d the War many years againft his Father, who at length took
him in Fight, and caus’d his eyes to be pull’d out. The King detaining the
General in cuftody, his Wife and his Daughter found a way to fave his life, as
you fhall hear. The Daughter of the Perfan General, who was his only
Child, was about fourteen years of Age, the moft accomplith’d Beauty at
that time in al] the Kingdom; fhe was moft rarely educated, and could both
write and r@ad the drabian, Perfian, and Indian Languages. The Mother and
the Daughter went every day to Court, to hear what would become of the
General ; and underftanding at Jength, that the King intended either to put him
to death, or to banith him, they came to the Haram, and cafting themfelves_
at his Majefties feet, they humbly begg’d pardon, the one for her Husband,
the other for her Father ; which they eafily obtain'd; the King being furpriz’d
at the Beauty of the Virgin, to whom he afterwards furrender’d his Affections,
All the Court was aftonifh’d afterwards, how the General and his Wife could
keep, fo private,a Daughter that was fo incomparably fair, that it fhould not
come to the Kings knowledg. At length he lov'd her fo tenderly. that not
being able to deny her the liberty of Reigning one whole day in his place,.
he gave her leave to fhare with him afterwards in the Government, And fhe
it was, that gave motion to all the moft important Atiairs of State; the King
excufing himfelf to the Grandee’s of his Court, who wonder’d why he let the
Queen bear fo great a fway, by telling them that ~he was fit for the Go- |
‘ vernment, and that it was time for him to take his eafe.
Fig. 1, and 2. is as all the reft are, the backfide of the Twelve Signs. Fig. 1.
is the backfide of the Ram, and Fig.2. of Cancer. Both of them fignifie the
fame thing; it being the Name of the King,.Queen, and City where they were
ftamp’d. Thefe two were coin'd at dmadabat.
The Gold, Silver, and Caper Money which the Portugals coim in
| the Eaft Indies.
pablo.
T He Gold which the Portugals Coin in Goa is better than our Louiffe’s of Gold, —
and weighs one grain more than our half Piffol, At the time whenI wasin —
Goa, this piece was: worth four Ronpies, or fix Franks, They hold it up at fo j
is aa
oe .
Ligeia IM
es ty: ots
ae . “4 "
Neh ar seigd spe oa °
Aaa Ie of “Y Ae ait “ae
bg a
+
PLES gnc
-
Ma Gros
Page.12.13 . = aero m India.
Portugall Money.
Tt
Part. I. An account of the Money of Asta,
high a rate, to the end the Merchants, who come from all the Coafts of India
thither with their Wares, may not tranfport it out of the Countrey. This piece
js called St. Tomas. Formerly when the Portuguex had the Trade of Papon, ALa-
caijar, Sumatra, China and Mofambique, which they ftill preferve ; ahd is the
place whither the Zzdians bring the Gold’of the 4éaffins and Saba, it was a won-
derful thing to fee the quantity of Gold which the Portuguez Coind, and the fe-
veral pieces of workmanfhip which they fram’d in Gold, and fent into Forreign
Countreys, even to the Wes?-Indies, by the way of the Philippine Iflands. But
now they have no other places but only A4ofzmbique to furnifh them with Gold,
they keep up thofe Pieces.called St. Téoxafs’s at a very high rate, left they fhould
be carried out of the Countrey, as I faid before. They have alfo Silver Pieces,
which they call Pardos, which go for the value of 27 Sous of our Money: As al-
{o a great quantity of {mall Copper and Tin-Money, not much unlike that of the
Kings already mentioned, which they thread upon ftrings in particular numbers,
The Gold and Silver Money of Mufcovy.
I Have obferved in my Relations, that in all parts of our Esrope; where they
Coin Money, there are great Sums tranfported all over .4fia, where they go
currantly. But for the Money of AZufcovy there is great lofS in tranfporting it
any where elfe ; becaufe the Prince enhances it to fo high a value. The pieces as
we lof Gold as Silver are very good Metal; for the Gold in worth is fome-
what higher than our Lewzs. :
Fig, 1 and 2. This piece of Gold weighs 14 Grains; and to take the Gold at
48 Grains the Ounce, would amount to 20 Sous, one Deneer, and one half-peny
of our Money. But going in AZufcovy for 24 Sous, there would be nineteen and
an half lofs to tranfport it any where elfe.
- Fig. 3 and 4. Isa piece of Silver that weighs eight Grains ; and to take an
Ounce of Silver at three Livres ten Sous, it comes to a Sous of our Money. But
in the Countrey you have but fifty of thefe pieces, or at moft fometimes fifty two
for one of our Crowns, or a Real of Spain, or an High-German Rixdollar.
~ Fig. ¢ and 6. Isa piece of Silver alfo which only goes in A¢fcovy. But I
cannot tell in what Province it is Coin’d, in regard there are no Arms upon it, and
that the moft knowing perfons, to whom I fhewed them, could not tell mé what
the Characters meant ; which makes me think it is very ancient. The piece weighs
25 Grains, which comes to three of our Sous, one Deneer, and one half-peny.
This is all that 1 could collec of moft cértainty, concerning the Money and
Coins of the Eaft, during the long courfe of my Travels. Nor do I believe that
any perfon has undertaken, before mé, to write upon the fame Subje@. If any
one of my Readers defires to fee the real Pieces themfelves, as well in Gold and
Silver, as in Tin, Copper, Shells and Almonds, he may, without queftion, obtain
the Favour from Aonfiexr, the,firft Prefident, to whofe Study I devoted them all,
together with certain Medals, of which that Supreme Senator, moft skilful in An-
tiquity, has great ftore, being ftill curious in fearching after what is rare.
The end of the Coins.
eo #RAVELS
13
eh!
be = ‘ Oo ae ; Pgs Sey ba ¢ ie SS a rete del ia
; $f pst nie gis ae eee : ; es ick na fc 4 Eke th Af tes pk
cae - a 3 ae Se a od? oO oe jes a
| S/S aah, 0 na ea a
N set ee ee :
aati? 20 33; Pity ies oes
ie ~ eles Teeagrt 43 Sais: ; ‘<
: \ ’ i Ae} see> | Clete ©
| * POR ek
* ~ ; .
x
a
hs a eae pas fot got sci @fl.. Sie a “att :
ce | “bas. Sie atin emitAscn ts adi Se st pica ies tadw at as 19987
ete <2 Sadw. sm 127 20h thoy » Soe tiie is |
gt E ) . Soprry caog of lees 2, Sim Bk ale |g os nly of
: aks fiog-licd 2p Bos a : gare Wid er amos tite aalert:
So a5. OS Bios ait SiMe eRe. eis: stioe 7 cst < ilao> 4 ax Bg ci eiz:
Book I. | Ic
PRAY ELS
PN 11 A
The Firft Book.
What Roads to take, in Travelling from Upahan
to Agra, from Agra to Dehly and Gehana-
batt, where the Great Mogul Refides at pre-
fent : And how to Travel alfo to the Court of the
King of Golconda; to the King of Vilapour,
and to many other Places in the Indies.
GC He.2 i
The Road from \fpahan to Agra through Gomron: Where is particu-
larly de{cribé'd the manner of Sailing from Ormus to Suratt.
N this Relation of my Jndiax, I will obferve the fame Method as in the Reci-
tal of my Perfian Travels ; and begin with the defcription of the Roads,
which lead you from J/paban to Dehbly and Gehanadatt, where the Great A40-
gul Refides at prefent.
Though the /ndies ftretch themfelves front Perfa for the {pace of above 400
Leagues together, from the Ocean to that long Chain of Mountains that runs
through the middle of -4fa trom the Eaft to the Weft, and which was known to
Antiquity by the Name of Afount Cancafus, or Mount Taurus; yet there are not {0
many aways to travel out of Perf into the Indies, as there are to travel out of
Turky into Perfia; by reafon that between Perfia and the Indies there are nothing
but vaft Sands and Defarts,where there is no water to be found. So that you have
but two Roads to choofe, in going from I/pahan to Agra. The one is partly by
Land, and partly by Sea; taking Ship at Ormas, The other altogether by Land,
through Candahar. The firft of thefe two Roads is amply defcrib’d, as far as Or-
mus, at the end of my firft Book of my Perfian Trgvels. So that Lam now only
to {peak of the manner of Sailing from Ormusto Suratt. s,s,
There is no Sailing at all times upon the Jndian as upon the Exropean Seas:
You muft obferve the proper feafons, which being elaps’d, there is no more ven-
toring. The Months of Movember, December, January, February and March, are
the only Months in the year to Embark from Ormus to Swratt ; and from Sarat,
Te"
16
mere teen
An account of the Moncy of Asia Part
eae
to Ormus: But with this difference, that there is.no ftirring from Srart after the
end of February; but you may Sail from Ormus till the end of ALarcé, or the fig.
teenth of 4pril: For then the Wéftern-winds, that bring rain along with them
into [adia, begin to blow. During the fitit four Months there blows a North-eaft-
wind, which carries them from Saratt to Ormus in fiftcen or twenty days. Then
veering a little to the North, it ferves as well for thofe that are bound for Saratr,
as thofe that are bound from thence, Then the Merchants generally provide for
a Voyage of thirty, or five and thirty days. But if they would Sail from Ormas
to Swratt in fourteen or fifteen days; they maft take Shipping either in ALirch, op
at the beginniig of April; for then the Weitern-wind blows full in their
Stern. :
The Veffels which Sail from Ormus ron Within fight of AZafcure upon the Coaft
of -drabia, bearing off to Sea for fear of coming too near the Perjian Coaft. They
that come from Surart, do the fame thing, to make the Entry of the Gulf. Bur
neither the one nor the other touch at AZafcate, to avoid paying Cultoms to an
Arabian Prince, who took that place from the Portugals.
Mafcate is a City fituated: juft by the Sea-fide, over againft three Rocks that
make the Entry into the Harbour very difficult, and at the foot of a Mountain
upon which the Porrwgals have three or four Forts. It is obferved that ALa/Care,
Ormus, and Balfara, are the three places in the Eaft where the heat is mot in-
fupportable. Formerly only the Hollanders and Exglifo underftood this Courfe
of Navigation ; but fome years after the -drmenians, ALahometans, Indians, avd
Banians, have built them Veflels.. But it is not {0 fafe to Embark in them, for
they neither underftand the Sea fo well, nor are they {0 good Pilots.
The Vellels that Sail to Saratr, which is the only Part in the Empire of the
Great Adogul, Sail within fight of Dix, and the Poiur of St. fob», and come to an
“Anchor afterwards in the Road of Covali, which is not above four Leagues from
Swratt, and two from the Mouth of the River toward the North. They tranfport
their Wares from one place to another, either by Waggons, or in Boats. For
great Veflels cannot get into the River of Swrart till they have unladen, by reafon
of the Sands that choak it up. *The Hollanders return as foon as they have landed
their Wares at Couali, and {o do the Exgli/>, it not being permitted to either to
enter into the River. But fome years fince, the King has given the Engli/h a place
to Winter in, during the rainy Seafons.
' Suratt isa City of an indifferent bignefs, defended by a pittiful Fortrefs, by the
foot whereof you mutt pafs, whither you go by Land or by Water. It has four
Towers at the four Corners, and in regard there are no Platforms upon the Walls,
Guns are planted upon woodden-Scatfolds. The Governour of the Fort only com-
mands the Souldiers in the Fort, but has no Power in the City, wich has a par-
ticular Governour to receive the King’s Cuftoms, and other Revenues (hrough the
Extent of his Province. '
The Walls of the Town are only of Earth, and the generality of the Houfes
like Barns, being built of Reeds, plaiftered with Cow-dung, to cover the void
fpaces, and to hinder them without from difcerning between the Reeds what is
done within. In all Surat there be but nine or ten Houfes which are well built :
whereof the Cha-bander, or chief of the Merchants has two or three. The
reft belong to the AZzhumetan Merchants ; nor are thofe, wherein the Englifs
and Hollanders dwell, lefs beautiful ; every Prefident, and every Commander, be-
ing careful to repair them ; which they put upon the account of their Gompa-
nies. However, they do but hire thofe Houfes ; the King not fuffering any Frank,
to have an Houfe of his own, for fear he fhould make a Fortrefé of it. The Ca-
puchin Friars have built them a very convenient Convent, according to the Mode
our Exropean Houfes, and a fair Church; for the building of which, I furnifh’d
‘them with good part of the Money. But the Purchafe was made in the Name
of a Maronite Merchant of Aleppo, whofe Name was Chelebi, of whom I have
fpoken in my Per/ian Relations, ;
CHAP.
a stnnreimttnpnapbocchei pbc pecepitbeiouhia bo ete
Book I. Travels in Inprta a.
CH Apel.
Of the Cuffoms, Money, Exchange, Weights and Meafures
| of the Indians. ) /
O avoid Repetitions, which cannot be fhunn’d in the Courfe of long Travels ;
it behoves me to let the Reader underftand what belongs to the Cuftom-
houfes, Money, Exchange, Weights and Meafires of the Ludians.
When your Commodities are unladen at Syratt, you muft carry them to the
Cuftom-houfe adjoyning to the Fort. They are very fevere, and very exact in
fearching the people. Particular Merchants pay from four to five per Cent at the
Cuftom-houfe for all forts of Ware. But for the Englifb and Holland-Company,
they pay Jefs: But I believe if they did but caft up what it cofts them in Depu-
tations and Prefents which they are oblig’d every year to fend to the Court,
they would not pay much lefs for their Wares, than particular Merchants.
Gold and Silver pay two in the Hundred, and when it is brought into the
Cuftom-houfe, the Mafter of the Mint comes and takes it, and Coins it into the
Money of the Countrey. They agree with him upon the day wherein he will un-
dertake to return the new Pieces: And for fo many days as he makes them ftay.
after that, he pays them Intereft, accordinggto the proportion of the Silver
which he receives. The /udians are very fubtil and crafty in matters of Money
and Payments; three or four years after the Silver is coin’d, it lofes: half per
Cent. and goes at the fame rate as old Silver; for, fay they, it is impoffible bur
that it fhould lofe in pafling through fo many hands. You may carry all forts of
Silver into the Dominions of the Great A¢ogu/. For in all the Frontier Cities
there is a Mint, where it is purihed to the higheit perfection, as is all the Gold.
and Silver in Zndia, by the King’s Command, and coin’d into Money. Silver in Bars,
or old Plate, which is bought without paying for the fafhion, is the Silver by
which you fhall lofe leaft : For as for coin’d Silver, there is no avoiding the lofs
of the Coinage. All their bargains are made, with a condition to pay. in coin’d
Silver, within the prefent year... And if you make payment in old Silver, you
muft refolve to Jofe according to the time fince it was firft coin’d. In all places
far remote from Cities, where the vulgar people have fo great knowledg in Sil-
yer, and where there are no Changers, they will not receive a piece of-Silver,
without putting it inthe fire, to try whether it be good orno: And this is the
common practice at all Ferries and paflages over Rivers. In regard their Boats
are only made of Ofier, covered over with.an Ox-hide, and by confequence are
very light ; they keep them in the Woods, and will not take them upon their
fhoulders, till they have received their Money. .
As for their Gold, the Merchants have to many cunning tricks to hide it, that it
feldom comes to the knowledg of the Cuftomers. They do all they can to fhift off
paying the Cuftoms;and that, fo much the rather, becaufe they do net run fo much
hazard as at the Cuftom-houfes of Ezrope. For in the Indian Cuftom-houfes, if
aman be caught in the fraud, he is quitted by paying double ; ten in the hundred,
_ inftead of five : The King comparing the venture of the Merchant to a game at
Hazard, where he plays quit or double. The King had granted to the Englifh
Captains, that they fhould not be fearch’d when they came a-fhore. But one day
one of the Englifh Captains going to Tata, one of the greateft Cities in Judia, a
little above the Mouth of the River Zndow, as he was going to pafs the River, he
was {topp’d by the Officers of the Cuftom~houfe, who fearch’d and riffd him,
What-ever he could alledg to the contrary. They found Gold about him, of
which he had already carried off feveral quantities, at feveral times, that he had
gone from his Ship to the City; but they quitted him, upon paying the ufual
Cuftom. The Lxglif>-man, vex'd at fuch an affront, réfolv’d to revenge himfelf;
Which he did after a very pleafant manner. He caus’d a ee to be roafted,
and putting it, together with the dripping, and fawce, in a China-platter, covered
With a linnen-cloath, he gave it a Slave to bring along after him to the City;
oan 8, imagining
18
Travels in Txora Part Tl.
imagining what would fall out. As it pafs’d before the Cuftom-houfe, while the
Governors or the. Cha-bazder, and the Mint-Mafter were fitting in the Divan;
they fail’d not to ftop him; and as the Slave went forward with the Plate cover’d,
they told his Mafter that he muft come into the Cuftom-houfe, and that they
muft fee what he carried. —The more the Englifb-man cry'd, that the Slave car~
ried nothing that paid any duties, tte lefs he was believd; fo that after a lon
debate he took the Plate from his Slave, and carried it himfelf into the Divan ;
the Governour and the Cha-bander, gravely ask’d him, why he would not be obe-
dient to the Laws? Upon which the Eng/ifh-man, replying ina great heat, that he
carried nothing which paid any duty, threw the Pigg among them with fich a fy.
ry, that the Sawce and Pigg flew all upon their Garments. Now in regard that
Swines-flefh is an abomination to the AZahometans, who believe every thing de-
fil’d that touches it; they were forc’d to change their Clothes, take down the
Tapeftry of the Divaz, to pull down the Divan it elf, and build another, not da.
ring to fay any thing to the Englifb-man; for the Cha-bander, and Mint-matter
are very obfervant to the Company, by whom they reap a great deal of profit,
As for what concerns the Heads of the Companies, as well Englifh, as Dutch, and
their Affociates, they have {0 great a refpect for them, that they never fearch
them at all, when they come a-fhore ; though they will not ftick to conceal their
Gold, like particular Merchants, and to carry it about them. The Trade of Tata,
formerly very great,begins now to decay, becaufe the Mouth of the Rivers grows
more dangerous, and full of fhallows every day more than other, the Sand-hills
having almoft choak’d it up. .
The Exglifh finding they had learn’d the trick of rifling their Clothes, ftudid out
other little ways and contrivances to conceal their Gold: And the fafhion of wear-
ing Perriwigs being newly come out of Enrope, they hid their facobus’s, Rofem
Nobles, and Ducats m the net of their Perriwigs, every time they came a-fhore,
There was a Merchant that had a mind to convey fome boxes of Coral into
Swratr, without the knowledg of the Cuftomers. He fwam then into the Town,
fome days before the Ship was unladed, when it might be done fecurely before
the Cuftomers had any fufpition of any thing. But the Merchant repented him
_ afterwards, the Commodity being {pol’d. For the water of Swratt River being al-
_ fot worth fo much as they by four Sous of our Money.
ways thick and muddy, there clung to the Coral, which had lain a Jong time in
the water, a flimedike a white cruft or skin, which was difficult to be got off ;
that after the Coral was polifh’d, he loft by it above twelve per Cent.
I come now to the Moffey which goes for currant through the whole extent of
the Great AZogul’s Dominions ; and to all the forts of Gold and Silver, whichis
carrid thither in /ugots to make profit thereof. _ | i 3
In the firft place you muft obferve that it is very profitable to buy Gold and
Silver which has been wrought, to melt it into /ngots, and to refine it to the
higheft purity : For being refin’d, you pay not for the portage of the Alloy, which
was mixd with it before: And carrying the Gold and Silver in wedges, you pay
neither to the Prince nor to the Mint what they exact for Coinage. If you carry
coin'd Gold, the beft pieces are 7acovus’s, Rofe-Nobles, Albertus’s, and othér ancl-
__ ent Pieces, as well of Portugal, as of other Countreys, and all forts of Gold that
_ have been coin’d in former Ages. For by all thofé old Pieces the Merchant is
fare to gain. You may alfo reckon for good Gold, and which is proper to be car
rid thither, all the Ducats of Germany, as well thofe coin’d by the feveral Prin-
ces, as by the Imperial Towns, together with the Ducats of Poland, Hungary},
Swedeland and. Danemark; and indeed all forts of Ducats are taken to be of the
fame goodnefs. Fhe Venetian Ducats of Gold formerly pafs'd for the beft, and
were worth four or five of our Sovs, more than any others; but about a dozen
years ago they feem to have been alter’d, not going now for any more than the
reft. There are alfo Ducats which the Grand Seignior coins at Cairo, and thoft of
Sally, and Morocco: But thefe three forts are not fo good as the others, and are
_ Overall the Empire of the Great AZogul, all the Gold and Silver is weighd
with weights, which they call Zola; which weigh nine Deneers, and eight grains
of our weights. When they have any quantity of Gold and Silver to fel, the Jn-
dians we yellow Copper-weights, with the King’s mark, to avoid coufenage. sae
gees 2 with
sets we: ELLE RS OL A. aE aS Tamme cs eee
Book L. Travels in Ynxpta. ig
with thefe weights they weigh all the Gold and Silver at once, provided it a~ «
mount not to above a hunder’d Tolla’s. For the Changers have no other weights,
but from one Tolle toa hunder’d; and a hunder’d ToHa’s come to 38 Ounces,
21 Deneers, and 8 Grains. As for the Gold and Silver which is not coin’d,
if there be much, they eflay it; and having put it to the touch, they bid ro
the utmoft value to out-vye one another. |
In regard there are fome Merchants that have above forty or fifty thoy-
fand Ducats at a time, the Jndians weigh them with a weight which is juf?
the weight of a hunder’d Ducats, which is alfo mark’d with the Kings Mark;
and if the hundred Ducats weigh lefs than the weights, they put in fo many litzle
ftones till the Scales are even ; and after all is weigh’d, they make good to the
Changer the weight of thofe little ftones. But before they weigh thefe Gold-
Coins, whether they be Ducars or other Pieces, they put the whole quantity into
a Charcoal-fire,till they be red-hot ; and then quench the fire with water,and take
them ont again. This they do to find out them which are falfe,and to melt off the
Wax and Gum,which is cunningly dropt upon them to make theim weigh the more.
But becaufe there are fome Pieces fo artfully hollow’d and ftopt up again, that you
camot perceive it,though they have been in the fire,the Changers take the Pieces,
and bend them;by which they know whether they are good or no;and thofe which
they fufpect they cut in pieces. After they have viewed them all, they refine
thofe which they do not take co be good, and pay for fo much as proyes to be
good, as for good Ducats. All this Gold they coin into that fort of Money which
they call Roupies of Gold; except thofe Ducats, which are ftampd only upon
one fide, which they fell to the Merchants that'come from Tartary, and other
Northern Parts, as from the Kingdoms of Boutau, A/en, and other remote parts. —
With thefe Ducats the Women of thofé Countries chicfly adorn themfelves,
hagging them upon their Head-attire, and fixing them upon their forheads. As
for the other Ducats, that have no figures, they are not fo much as enquir'd after
by the Northern Merchants. :
As for all the other Pieces of Gold, there are great quantities of them fold
| to the Goldfmiths, to the Gold-wyar-drawers, and in general to all that werk
in Gold. For if they could put their Metal unmade into Roupies, they would
never coin ; which they can only do at the Coronation of their Kings, to throw
Silver Roupies among the people ; or to fell them to the Governours of the
Provinces, and other Grandees of the Court, who then want great quantities
of them to prefent to the new King at his firft coming to his Throne. For
they have not always Jewels or other things rich enough to prefent him, as
well as that time, as at another Feftival, of which 1 fhall fpeak in due place,
when they weigh the King every year. At fuch times I fay, they are very
glad of Gold Roupies ; as alfo to prefent to fuch Favourites at the Court, by
whofe intereft they hope to gain higher Commands, and more confiderable Go-
yernments.
In one of my Travels, I found by experience the vertne of thefe Roupies of
Gold. Cha-jeban, Father of Orang-zeb who now reigns, had given to one of the
Lords of his Court, the Government of the Province of Tata, whereof Symds
is the Metropoigs. Now though the very firit year of his Government, there
were very great complaints made againft him, by reafon of the Tyranny which
he exerciféd over his people, and his great extortions, the King fuffer'd him
to continue four years, and then recall’d him. All the people of Tara were
overjoy'd, believing the King had call’d him away, only to put him to death;
but it fell ont quite otherwife ; for the King carefs’d him, and gave him the
Government of Halabas, more confiderable than that which he had quitted.
This kind reception, which he had at the Kings hands, proceeded from this,
that before he came to Agra,he had fent before hima prefent of so000 Roupics of
Gold, and about 20000 Roupies of Gold more to Begum-Sabeb, who had then
the whole power in her hands; as alfo to other Ladies and Lords at the
Court, to fupport his Reputation. All the Courtiers are very defirous to have
d great quantity of Gold ; becaufe it lies ina little room, and then becaufe they
covet, as a great Honour,to leave vaft Sums behind them, to their Wives and Chil-
dren, of which the King muft not know. For as I fhall tell you in another place,’
} AD 2
when
20
Travels in Inpra. . ———sPart Il,
@ when any great Lord dies, the King is Heir to all his Eftate ; his Wife having no
more than his- Jewels. ; Vea a ft averty ies ghee
- But to return to our Roupies of Gold ; you muft take notice; that they are
not fo currant among the Merchants. For in regard one of them is not worth
above fourteen Roupies, which make one and twenty Livres of our Money, at
thirty Sous the Roupie, and that there are few of thefe Roupies of Gold to be
had, but in the Houfes of Great Men ; when it falls out that-they make any pay-
ment, they will put them ata Roupie of Silver, or at leaft-at.a fourth part of a
Roupie more than it is worth, which will never turn: to the: Merchants | profit,
Cha-Eft-Kan the King’s Unckle, to whom I had fold a parcel of Goods at. 96000
Roupies; when he came to pay me, ask’d me what Money I would be content to
take, whether Gold or Silver. Before I could return him an anfwer, he added,
that if I would leave it to him, I fhould take Gold Roupies ; Nor did: he give me
this advice, but becaufe he believ’d it would turn to his advantage: I told him |
I would be rul’d by him; thereupon he caus‘d his Servants to tell me out fo ma-
rly Roupies in Gold, as made up the juft Sam which was due: But. he would force
me to take the Roupie in Gold for fourteen Roupies and an half in.Silver, though
among the Merchants they went but for fourteen. 1 was not ignorant of it; but
Ithought it beft to receive my Money according to the Prince’s humour, in hopes
he might make me amends another time, either for the whole, or part of what
‘Imight Jofe. I let him alone two days, after which I went to him again, and told
him f had tried to put off his Roupies at the price I had. received them ; {0 that
in the’ payment of 96000 Roupies , I had loft 3428 and one 16th, the Roupie of
Gold which he fore’d me to take at fourteen Roupies and an half of: Silver, bein
worth but fourteen. Thereupon he fell into a paffion, and told me he would fee
as many Lafhes beftow’d upon the Changer, or Holland-Broker, whofe fault {0+
ever it were ; that he would teach them to underftand Money ; thar they were
old Roupies, and were worth more bya fixteenth part of a Silver ‘Roupie, than
the Roupies which were coin’ at that time. In regard I. knew the humour of
the Afiatic Princes, with’ whom there is no contelting, 1 let him fay what he
pleas’d ; but when he came to himfelf, and began to put ona {miling look, I de-
fir’d him that he would be pleas’d to let me return the Summ which I had. re-
ceived,the next day; or elfe that he would be pleas’d to pay me what was wanting,
and that I would take a Roupie at r4and one 16h. fince he affur'd me they were
worth fo much. The Prince fora while gave mea {curvy look, not fo much as
fpeaking one word. At length he ask’d me, whether I had ftill the Pearl, which
he had refus’d to buy. I told him I had, and immediately pull'd it ont of my
Bofome, and gave ithim. The Pearl was large, and of a good water, but ill-
fhap’d ; which.was the reafon he refus‘d it before... When I had givén it to him,
well, faid he, let us talk no more of what is paft; how much will you have, ina
word, for this Pearl? I ask’d him feven thoufand Roupies, and indeed rather than
I would have carri’d it into France, I would have taken three. If Igive thee,
‘faid he, feven thoufand Roupies for this Pearl, I fhall make thee amends for the
Jofs thou complain’ft of in the firft bargain. Come to Morrow, and I will give
thee five thoufand Roupies, and that’s very fair: Thou fbalt have alfo a Calaat
and'an Horfe. Imade my obeyfance to him, and defir’d him togive me an Horfé
that fhould be young, and fit for fervice, becaufe 1 had a great journey to take.
The next day he fen® me a Robe, a Cloak, two Girdles, and a Cap; which is all
_ the Apparel that the Princes are wont to give to thofe to whom they intend any
Honour. The Cloak and Robe was of Satin purfled with Gold ; the two Girdles
ftrip’d with Gold and Silver ; the Cap was of Calicut, dy’d into. a. Flame-colour,
ewith ftripes of Gold 4 The Horfe had no Saddle, but. was covered with a green
Velvet foot-cloath, edg’d about with.a {mall Silver-fringe. The Bridle was very
ftrait, with Silver-ftuds in fome places. I believe the Horfe had never been
back’d ; for fo foon as I brought him to the Holland-Honte, where I then lodg’d,
a young man got upon his back ; but he was no fooner on, but the Horfe flung
and prane’d at that rate, that having kick’d down an Hutt that ftood in the Court,
he had like to have kill’d the Hollander. Finding that. fuch a Refty-Horfe was
“not for my turn, I fene him back to Cha-eft-Kan, and relating the Story to him,
I cold him I did not believe that he defir'd I fhould return into. ia
”
“profit eleven per Cent.
the Roupy is in weight eleven Deneers and. fourteen Grains ; bur the Seat
Book I, — Travels. in. Ispiac’
bring him back fome rarities which I had promis‘d. him, as he made me be-
lieve he did. All the while I talk’d, he laugh’d, and afterwards fent for the.
Horfe which his. Father in his life timesns’d to ride upon. It wasa tall Per—
fian Hore, that had formerly coft:five thoufand Crowns, but was.then twenty
eight.-years’ old. They brought him bridl’d and faddl’d, and the Prince would.
needs have me get up in his prefence. He had one of the moft. ftately, walks
that ever I knew in a Horfe ; ahd when I alighted, well, faid he, art thou fa-
risfied? I dare: fay, that Horfe will never give thee a fall. I thank’d him;
and at the fame time took my leave of him; and the next day, before my
departure, he fent mea great Basket of Apples. It was one of. the fix that Cha=,
jehan had {ent him, as they came from the Kingdom of Kachemir ; there was
jn the Basket alfo a great Perfian Melon: All this might be worth a hundred.
Roupies, which I prefented to the Holland Commanders Wife. As for the
Horfe, I rode him to Golconda, where I fold him for five hundred Roupies;,
gs old as he was, being a good lufty Beaft. ss! <n ae
To return to-our difcourfe of Money, I will add this to what I have
faid already, that you muft never carry: Lowis’s of Gold. to the Jndies, nor
Spanifo nor Italian Piftols, nor any other fort of Money coin‘d within thefe
few years ; for there is great lofs by its; for the Z#dians refine all, and count
only upon the refinings: Laftly, every. one ftrives to fteal the cuftom of their
Gold ; and» when the Merchant has got the knack of concealing it, he may
gain five or fix of our Sous in€very.Ducat. ST ee a
- I come now'to the forts of Silver Money ; which you muft diftinguifh in-
to Money of the Country, and Forreign Money: And firft of the. Forreign
Comms. ise 28s fro : 3 . sy
The Forreign Silver Coins which are carried into the. Indies, are the Rix;
dollars of Germany and the Reals of Spain. The firft are brought by the Merchants
that come’ from Poland, from the Leffler Tartary, and the Borders of ALu{co-
via; The others by thofe that come from Conftantinople, Smyrna, atid Aleppo;
and the greateft part by the -drmenians, who {ell their Silk into Evrope. All
~ thefe Merchants endeavour to convey-their Silver through Perfa without be-
ing. difcovered ; for if the Cuftomers. find it out, they will be forced to carry
their Silver to the Mint-Mafters to be coined into -dbajfis, which is the Kings
Coin ; and thefe 4bafis being carried into /ndia, are again coined.into Rou-
pies, whereby the Merchant lofes ten and a quarter per Cent. as well by reafon of
the coinage, as by paying the Kings duties in Perfias, Se yh
To let you underftand in a few words, how they came to lofe this ten and
a quarter pe? Cent. froi~ Perfia to the Indies; and fometimes more, according
to the nature of the Reals, which they ufually carry into Perfia ; you: mutt
call to mind, what I) have already faid concerning the Money and Exchanges
‘of Perfia, in the firft Volume. I obferv’d, that a Real in Perfa goes for 23
‘Chaez, which make three 4éa/i’s and a quarter; and that fometimes, when
Silver is fearce, they will give a Chaez and a half for one. That the .dbaffe
‘is worth four Chaez, and the Toman fifty -Abaffi's, or two hundred Chaez. If
you carry fix Tomans and a half to the Jndies, you have for every Toman twenty-
“nine “Rowpies and a half; and confequently for fix Tomans and a half, a hundred
‘and ninety-one Roxpies and:a quarter. If you carry to the Judes Reals of Sevile,
for a hundred you fhall have from 213 to 215 Roupies. If you carry Aexs-
can Reals, for a-hundred you fhall: have no more than 212. So that when
for a hundred Reals you have but two hundred and twelve Roupies, you gain
ten Reals anda quarter, in an hundred Reals; but by the Sevsdliaw Reals you
There are three or four. forts of Spanifo Reals, and they give for a hundred
according to their goodnefs, from 218 to 214 .and 215. Roupies. The beft -
of all are thofe of Sevi/, for when they are. full weight, they will give for
a hundred, 213 Roupies ; and fometimes 215, according as Silver is either
fcarce or plentiful. Sear aan Gea
feven Grains and a half.
rE
The Real of Spain ought to weigh three Drams,
more than two Roupies: ‘But> the Silver of the Roupies is much better, For
ea},
a neste,
22
Travels in Inpta, Part II.
Real, like our white Crown, is but juft eleven Deneers. The A4exican Real
goes at ten Deneers and twenty-one Grains. For the Spanifh Real, that weighs
feventy-three Vals, you have four Mamoudi’s and a half, and one Mamoudi is
worth twenty Pecha’s ; but they muft be very good, and as I have faid al-
ready, feventy-three Vals in weight: eighty-one Vals making an Ounce, one
Val coming to {even Deneers.
For the Rixdollars of Germany, in regard they are heavier than the Reals,
they will give you for an hundred, as high as an hundred and fixteen Roupies.
Where you are to take notice, that in giving for an hundred Reals, or an hun-
dred Rixdollars, two hundred and fifteen, or two hundred and fixteen Roupies,
it feems that every Roupy ought to be worth lefs than thirty Sous. But if
the Merchant count the portage of the Silver, and the Cultoms, he will find
that every Roupy will ftand him in more. But that the Merchant may make
his profit, he muft take notice, that all the Reals of Afexice, and thofe of Sevil,
are in weight one and twenty Deneers and eight Grains, that is, five hundred
and twelve Grains; and for thofe that are no better than our white Crown,
they are to be in weight one and twenty Dencers and three Grains, which
makes five hundred and nine Grains. Al) Dollars and Reals are weighd, a
hundred at a time, and when they are wanting in weight, they add little ftones,
as when they weigh Gold, according to what I fhall tell you by and by.
We come now to the Money of the Country. The Judian Money is the
Silver Roupy, the Half, Quarter, Eighteenth and Sixteenth part. The weight
of the Roupy is nine Deneers and one Grain; the value of the Silver is ele-
ven Deneers and fourteen Grains, They have alfo another fort of Silyer Mo-
ney, which they call Mamoudi’s, but this goes no-where but in Surat, and in
the Province of Guzerar.
The Jndians have alfo a fort of {mall Copper Money, which is call’d Pecha;
which is worth about two of our Liards, a Liard being the fourth part of a
Sous. There is alfo. the Half Pecha, two Pecha’s, and Four Pecha’s, Accor-
ding to the cuftom of the Province where you travel, you have for a Roupy
of Silver more or lefS of theft Pecha’s. In my laft Travels, a Roupy went
at Surat for nine and forty Pecha’s. ‘But the time was, when it was worth
fifty, and another time, when it went but for fix and forty. At gra and Ge-
hanabat , the Roupy was valued at fifty-five and fifty-fix Pecha’s. And the
reafon is, becaufe the nearer you go to the Copper Mines, the more Pecha’s
you have for a Roupy. As for the Mamoudi, it is always valued at forty
ecna s.
There are two other forts of {mall Money in the Dominions of the Great Afo-
ge#ll, which are little bitter Almonds and Shells. Thefe little bitter Almonds,
which are brought out of Perfia, are only made ufe of in the Province of Guze-
ratt ; as I have obferved in the firft part of my Relations. They grow in dry and
barren places among the Rocks, and the Tree, that bears them, is almoft like our
Baftard Spanifb-Broom. They call thefe Almonds Baden: Nor is there any Colo-
ae fo bitter. They give for a Pecha fometimes thirty five, and fometimes
orty. |
- Their other {mall Money are the little Shells which they call Cori; the fides
whereof turn circularly inward : Nor are they to be found in any part of the
World, but in the AZs/dives Iflands. They are the greateft part of the Revenue
of the King of that Ifland. For they are tranfported into all. the Territories of
the Great Afogull ; into the Kingdoms of Fifaponr and Golconda; and into the
Iflands of America to ferve inftead of Money. Near the Sea they give 80 fora
Pecha. But the further you go from the Sea, the lef you have ; fo that at gra,
they will not give you above so or ss fora Pecha. As to what remains accord-
‘ing to the Accompt of thé Indians
100000 Roupies make a Lekke,
- Ieooce Lekks make a Kraur.
__Yoooo0o Kraur’s make a Padan,
00000 Padan’s make a Nil.
In the*Jndies, the Village muft be very finall, where there does not refide a Ban-
ker, whom they call Cheraff; whofe bufinefS it is to remit Money and che of
Exchange.
Book I. Ee Leet ae Bey eae RT
Oper all the Emm h 4
: myptre of | the Yreat:
Mogull and in other parts of Sndia
the Sdotaters. though they Her in thew
languages make use. of these sort tof Cofers
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Exchange. In regard that thefe Bankers hold a Correfpondence with the Gover-
nours of the Province, they raife as they pleafé themfelves, the Roupie for the
Pecha’s, and the Pecha’s for the Shells, All the Jews that deal in Money and Ex-
change in the Empire of the Grand Seignsor, are accounted a moft fubtil fort of
people. But in the Indies they would Ed fcarce thought fit to be Apprentices to
thete Bankers. They have one very bad cuftom in making of Payments ; And Thave
already obferv’d it, in reference to their Roupies of Gold. When they make any
Payment in that fort of money, they tell ye, ‘twas a great while ago that any
Silver Roupie was coind; that they are worth lefs than thofe which are new, or
but lately coin’d ; for that by pafling through many hands they wear away, and
become lighter. And therefore when you make any bargain, you muft always
dgreé te be paid in Roupies Cha-jenni, that is, in new Silyer ; etherwife, they will
SN
f
24 Travels in Iwota. Part IL.
ae Sar nese ner r nT nr a e omennner en a a a EY a eS ae ae
pay you in Roupies coin'd fome fifteen or twenty years ago, and upward; where-
by you will lofe four in the hundred. For they will have one fourth, or at leaft
one eighth per Cent. allow’d for thofe that were coind but two years before: So
that the poor people that cannot read the year wherein the Roupies were coined,
are fubject to be cheated ; for they will always abate a Pecha or half a Pecha upon
a Roupie, or three or four Cori’s upon a Pecha.
- As for counterfeit Silver, there is very little among them. If you receive one
falfe Roupie ina Bagg from any particular perfon, ’tis better to cut it to pieces,
and lofe it, than to {peak of it; for if it fhould come to be known, there might
be danger in it. For you are commanded by the King’s Law to return the Bagg
where you received it; and to return it from one to another, till you can find out
the Counterfeiter ; who, if he be apprehended, is only fentenc’d to lofe his hand,
If the Counterfeiter cannot be found, and that it be thought that he who paid
the Money is not guilty, he is acquitted upon fome fmall amercement. This brings
great profit to the Changers. For when there is any Summ of Money received
or paid, the Merchants caufe him to Jook it over, and for their pains, they have
one fixteenth of a Roupie in the hundred.
As for the Money which is paid out of the Sarquer, or King’s Exchequer, there
is never any found that is counterfeit : For all the Money that is carried in thither,
is exactly view’d by the King’s Bankers: The Great Lords have alfo their par-
ticular Bankers. Before they put up the Money into the Treafury, they throw
‘it into a great Charcoal-fire, and when the Roupies are red-hot, they quench the
fire, by throw water upon it; and then take out the Money. If there be any
Piece that is White, or that has the leaft mark of Alloy, it is prefently cut in
pieces. As often as thefe Roupies are cafried into the Treaftry, they mark the
Pieces with a Puncheon, which makes an hole, but not quite through ; and there
are fume Pieces that have feven or eight holes made in that manner, to fhew that
they have been fo many times in the Exchequer. They are all put, a thoufand
Pieces together, ina bagg, feal’d with the Seal of the great Treafurer ; and
the: number of years fuperfcrib’d, fince they were coind. And here you are to
take notice, whence the Treafurers profit arifes, as well that of the King’s Trea-
furer, as that of the particular Treafurers of the Great Lords of the Kingdom.
When there is any bargain made, they agree for new Roupics coin'd the fame
year: but when they come to receive the payment, the Treafurers will make it
in old Roupies, wherein there is a lofS of fix per Cent. So that if they will have
new Silver, the Merchants muft compound with the Treafarer. In my fift Voy-
age, I went to vifit Cha-E#-Kan according to my promife, to let him have the
firft fight of what I brought along with me. So that as foon as I arrived at Sz-
ratt, 1 fent him word; and received his Orders to meet him at Choupart, a City
in the Province of .Decan, to which he had laid Siege. Coming to him, ina lit-
tle time, and a few words, I fold him the greateft part of what I had brought along
with me out of Evrope: And he told me that he expected every day, that Money
fhould be fent him from S#ratt to pay the Army, and to pay me alfo at the fame
time for what he had bought of me. I could not imagin however, that fo greata
Prince as he, that commanded fo great an Army, had not ftore of Money by him;
but rather conjectur’d, that he had an intention to make me fome abatement, up-
on thofe Pieces which he would put upon me in payment, as he had ferv’d me be-
fore. It fell out, as I farefaw. But for Provifions for my felf,; my Men, and my
Horfes, he took. fuch order, that there was great plenty brought me, night and
morning, and for the moft part he fent for me my felf, to his own Table. Ten or
twelve days thus paft away, and not a word of the Money that I expected: So
that being refolv’d to take my leave of him, I went to his Tent. He appeared to
be fomewhat furpriz’d, and looking upon me witha frowning-brow ; wherefore |
will you be gone, faid he, before -you are paid? or who d’you think, fhall pay
.you afterwards, if you go away before you receive your Money? Upon thefe words,
with-a- countenance as ftern as his, my King, replied I, will fee me paid. For his
goodnefs is fuch, that he caufes all his Subjects to be paid, that have not received
fatisfaction for fuch Goods as they fell in forreign Countries. And what ‘courfe
will he take, anfwer'd he in a great choler: with two or three ftout Men of War,
faid I, which he will {end either to the Port of S#ratt, or toward the Coafts to
: ; , wait
Book I. ~ Travels in Ispta.
SS ee Pte ‘init
wait for the Ships that come from AZocca, _He feemed to be netled at that reply,
but not daring to give any more way to his choler, he ordered his Treafarer im-
mediately to give mea Letter of Exchange to Aurengabad. 1 was the more
glad of that, becaufe it was a place through which I was to pafs in my way to
Gol:anda; befides that, it would fpare me the carriage and the hazards of my
Money. The next day I had my Bill of Exchange, and took leave of the Prince,
who was nothing difpleafed, but told me, that if I return’d to the Judies,; [ thould:
not fail to come and fee him, which I did in my fixt and laft Voyage. When I
came to Suratr, he was at Bengala; where I fold him all the reft of my Goods that
Icould not put off either to the King of Perfia, or the Great Adogul.
But to return to the payment of my Moncy, I was no fooner arrived at Aureng-
abat, but I went to find the great Treafurer ; who no fooner faw me, but he told
me, he knew wherefore I came; that he had received Letters of advice three
days before, and that he had already taken the Money out of the Treafury to pay
me. When he had brought me all the Baggs, I caufed my Banker to open them,
who faw them to be Roupies, by which I was to lofe two in the hundred. Upon
that I thank’d the Treafurer very heartily, telling him, I underftood ‘no fuch deal-
ing, and that I would fend and complain of him to Cha-Eft-Kam; and déclare
to him, that he fhould either give order that I fhould be paid in new Silver, or
elfe let me lidve my Goods again, which I prefently did. But not receiving an
anfwer fo foon as I knéw I might have done, I went to the Treafurer, ‘and’ told
him, I would go my felf, and fetch away my Goods. I believe he had received. or-
der what to do; for feeing I was refolved to go; he told me he was very unwilling
I fhould put my felf to fo much trouble, and that it would be better for as to- agree
among our felves. After many contefts about the two in the hundred, which hé
would have made me lofe, I was contented to abate one, and had loft the other,
had I not happily met with a Banker who wanted Silver, and had a Bill of Ex-
change to pay at Golconda ; fo that he was glad to make ufe of mine, and gavé
me a Bill to be paid at Golconda, being my full Summ, at fifteen days fight. :
The Changers to try their Silver, make ufe of thirteen little pieces,-oné half
Copper, and the other Silver, which are their Sayes, ’
The manner how Y
their thirteen Say- VJ
Pieces are filld; the
upper-half being Cop-
per, and the lower-
half Silver.
‘Thefe
ct,
‘Travels in Ixpia. Part I.
Thefe thirteen pieces differing all in goodnefs, they never make ufe of them,
but when any queftion arifes concerning a fmall quantity of Silver, or of any
wrought Silver. For they refine all their great quantities. All that kind of Silver
is bought by the weight which they call 7o/az, which weighs nine Deneers, and
eight Grains, or 32 Val’s; 81 Val’s, making an Ounce: So that an hundred Tolla’s
make 38 Ounces, 2x Deneers, and 8 Grains.
See here the differences of the thirteen Goodneffes of Silver.
HE firft, which is the loweft in goodnefs, they take at fifteen Pecha’s to the
‘ Tolla, which makes of our Money nine Sous, two Deneers.
The fecond, at eighteen Pecha’s, which make ten Sous, two Deneers.
The third, at ten Pecha’s, wHich make twelve Sous, fix Deneers.
The fourth, at thirteen Pecha’s, which make fourteen Sous, fix Deneers.
The fift, at fixteen Pécha’s, which make fifteen Sous, ten Deneers.
The fixt, at nineteen Pecha’s, which make feventeen Sous, fix Deneers.
The feventh, at thirty-three Pecha’s, which make nineteen Sous, two De-
neers.
The eighth, at thirty-five Pecha’s, which make twenty Sous, ten Deneers.
_ The ninth, at thirty-eight Pecha’s; which make twenty-two Sous, fix De-
neers.
The tenth, at forty Pecha’s, which make twenty-four Sous, two Deneers.
The eleventh, at forty-three Pecha’s, which make twenty-five Sous, ten De-
neers. ‘ ;
The twelfth, at forty-fix Pecha’s, which make twenty-feven Sous, fix Deneers. |
The thirteenth, at forty-nine Pecha’s, which make nineteen Sous, two De-
neers,
Here it will not be amifs to give you an hint, how far the cunning extends, not
only of the Cheraffs or Changers, but of all the Zndians in general; and it fhall
fuffice to give you one example, whith is very particular, and of which our
Europeans make no account: Which is this ; that of all the Gold, which re
‘ mains upon the ftone upon which they make the Eflay, and of which we make no
reckoning, they are fo far from lofing the leaft atome of that fmall matter, that
they fetch it all off, by means of a Ball made half of Black-pitch, and half of
Soft-wax, with which they rub the ftone that carries the Gold; at the end of
fome years the Ball will fhine, and then they get out all the Gold that fticks to it.
This Ball is about the bignefS of one of our Tennis-Balls ; and the Stone is fuch
a one as our Goldfiniths generally ufe. :
Thus much of the Cuftom-honfes and Money currant among the Indians. It
remains to fpeak of their manner of Exchange.
As all the Goods which are made in the Empire of the Great A4ogull, and
fome part of the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vifapour are brought to Surat to be
tranfported into feveral parts of 4fia and Europe ; the Merchants, when they go
from Sarat to buy Commodities in the feveral Cities where they are made, as
at Lahor, Agra, Amadabat, Seronge, Brampour, Daca, Patna, Banarou, Golconda,
Decan, Vifapour, and Dultabat, take up Money at Sarat, and are difcharg’d at the ©
places where they go, by giving kind for kind. But .when it happens that the
Merchant is fhort of Money in thofe places, and that there is a necefficy for him
to take up Money to compleat his Markets, he muft then return it at Saratt with-
in two Months, paying monthly for the Change. 3 3
From Lahor to Suratt the Exchange goes at fix and a quarter per Cent.
From 4madabat, from one, to one and an half.
From Serongz, at three.
From Brampour, from two and an half, to three.
From Daca, at ten.
From Banarou, at fix. , eee oe
» From the three laft places they make their Bills of Exchange only to .dgre "
,
¢
Book I. | Travels in Ixpia.
and at Agra they make others for Suratr, the whole at the fame price as I ave
~ fet down.
From Golconda, from four to five,
And for Goa the fame.
From Decan at three.
From Vifapour at three. ,
From Dl:abat, from one to one and an half.
Some years the Exchange rifes from one to two per Cent. by reafon of certain
Raja’s or petty Vaflal Princes that difturb Trade, every one pretending that the
Merchandizes ought to pafs through his Countrey, and pay Toll. There are two
particularly between Agra and Amadabatt; the one called the Raja of Antivar;
and the other the Raja of Bergam, who very much moleft the Merchants for_
this very caufe. But you may avoid paffing through the Territories of thefe Prin-
ces, taking another road from gra to Swratr, thorough Seronge and Brampour.
- Bur they are fertil Lands, divided with feveral Rivers, without Bridges or Boats,
and it is impoflible to go that way, till two months after the rains are fallen,
Which is the reaion that thofe Merchants who muft be at Seratt when the feafon
permits them to take the Sea, are forced to pafs through the Territories of thefe
two Raja's, becaufe they can pafs that way at all times, even in the time that the
rains fall, which only knit and harden the Sand. ;
Nor are you to wonder that the Exchange runs fo high; for they that truft out
their Money, run the hazard, by obligation, of lofing their Money, if the Mer-
chants fhould be robb’d. : . |
When you come to Suratt to Embarque, there is Money enough. For it is the
greateft Trade of tht Grandees of the /ndies to venture their Money by Sea_
from thence for Ormus, Balfara, and Afocca ; nay even as fir as Bantam, Achen,
and the Philippine lands. For Afocea and Balfarz, the change runs from 22 to
24 por Cent. And to Ormas, from 16 to 20. And to the other places which I have
named, the change runs proportionable to the diftance.
| have but one word to fay of their Weights and Meafures ; I have given you
in the Margin the fift part of an Ell of sdygra, and the fourth part of an Ell of
Amadabat and Suratt. As for their Weights, the Aden is generally 69 Pound, and
the Pound 16 Ounces. But the 4Ze# which they weigh their-/sdico withal, is
but 53 Pound. At Swrarr they talk of a Serre; which is one and three fourths of
-a Pound, and the Pound is 16 Ounces.
veo oe
CHAS Hs
Of their Carriages, and the manner of Travelling in India.
ee
Bits we fet forward upon the road, it will be convenient to fpeak of their
Carriages, and the manner of travelling in Jndia ; which, in my opinion, is
more commodious than any thing that has been invented for eafe in France or
Italy, Quite otherwife it is in Perfia, where they neither make ufe of Afies,
Mules, or Horfes, but tran{port all theit Wares to the Jndies upon Oxen, or in
Wains, their Countreys being fo near to one another. If any Merchant carries an
Horfe out of Perfia, ‘tis only for fhew, or to walk in his hand, or to fell to tome
Tidian Prince. - s a
They will lay upon an Oxes back 300; or 350 pound weight. And it isa won=
derful thing to fee ten or twelve thoufand Oxen at atime all laden with Rice,
Corn and Salt, infuch places where they exchange thefe Commodities: Carrying
Corn where only Rice grows, Rice where only Corn grows, and Salt where there
iIsnone at all. They make ufe of Camels fometimes, but very rarely, they being
particularly appointed to carry the luggage of great Perfonages. When the fea-
fon requires hait, and that they would {peedily conveigh their Merchandize to
Suratt to thip them otf, theyJoad them upon Oxen, and not in Wains. And in re-
gard that the Territories of the Great Magara ycry well manur'd, the Fields
. % i ae are
=
x.
i
i and
me
a
a
oe
wer
rar
Re
mE
“,
a
IPO R eee
28
Travels in Inpra. Part IT
are fenc’d with very good Ditches ; and to every Field there belongs a Pond to
preterve the water. There is this great inconvenience for Travellers ; that when
they meet with thefe numerous Caravans in ftreight places, they are fore’d to
ftay two or three days till they are all paft by. They that drive thefe Oxen, follow
no other Calling as long as they live, nor do they dwell in houfeés ; yet they carry
their Wives and Children along with them. There are fome among them that have
an hundred Oxen of their own, others more or le{$; and they have always One,
who is their Chief, that takes as much ftate as a Prince, and has his Chain of Pear]
hanging about his neck. When the Caravan that carries the Corn, and that which
carries the Salt happen to meet, rather than yield the road, they frequently enter
into very bloody Difputes. The Great Afoguil confidering one day that thefe
quarrels were very prejudicial to Trade, and the tranfportation of neceflary Pro.
vifions from place to place, fent for the two Chiefs of the Caravan, and after he
had exhorted them, for the common good and their own intereft, to live quietly
together, and not to quarrel and fight when they met, gave to each of thema
Leck, or an hundred thoufand Roupies, and.a Chain of Pearl.
That the Reader may the better underftand the manner of travelling in the J,
dies,he is to take notice,that among the Idolaters of that Countrey there are four
Tribes, which are called AZanari’s, each of which may confift of an hundred thou-
fand Souls. Thefe people live always in Tents, and live only upon the tranfporting
of Merchandize from Countrey to Countrey. . The firft of thefe Tribes carry no-
thing but Corn, the fecond Rice, the third Pulfe, and the fourth Salt, which they
fetch from Szratr, and all along from as far as Cape-Camorin. Thele Tribes are
alfo diftinguifhed in this manner: Their Priefts, of whom I fhall {peak in another
place, mark the forheads of the firft, with a red-Gum, about the bredth of a
Crown ; and then they draw a ftreak all the length of his nofe, fticking grains of
Wheat upon it, fometimes ten; and fometimes twelve. Thofe of the fecond Tribe
are mark’d with yellow-Gum in the fame place, with grains of Rice. Thofe of.
the third are mark’d with a grey-Gum, down to the fhoulders, and grains of
og Thofe of the fourth Tribe carry tied about their necks a Bagg, with a
great lump of. Salt in it, weighing fometimes eight or ten pounds, (for the hea-
Vier it is, the more they glory in carrying it; ) and with this Bagg they thump
their ftomacks, as a fign of repentance every morning before they fay their Pray-
ers. They have all in general a little line or twift, like a Scarf, gbout their necks,
at the end whereof hangs a little Silver-box, like a Relique-box, wherein they
enclofe a little fuperftitious writing which their Pricits give them ; they tie them
alfo about their Oxen and other Cattel, which are bred in their Herds, for which
they have a particular affection, and love them as tenderly as children, efpecially
if they have no children of their own. Their Women wear only a piece of Ca-
_. licut white or painted, fome fix or five times»doubled from their wafts down-
ward. From their wafts upward they cut their flefh into feveral forms of
Flowers, as they,do that apply Cupping-glafles, which they paint in various
colours with the juice of Grapes, that their skin feems to be all made of Flowers.
Every morning, while the men load the Beafts, and that the Women fold up the
Tents, the Priefts that follow them, fet up in the moft convenient place of the
_ Plain where they lodg’d a certain Idol in the form of a Serpent in wreaths, upon
a Perch fix or feven foot high ; to which they come all in files to worthip, their
Women going three times about. After the Ceremony is over, the Priefts take
ee of the Idol, and Joad it upon an Ox particularly appointed for that pur-
pofe. | , |
The Caravan of Waggons feldom exceeds the number of an hundred or two
hundred at moft. Every Waggon-is drawn by ten or twelve Oxen ; and attended
by four Souldiers, which the erfon that owes the Merchandize is oblig’d to pay.
Two of them march upon excl fide of the Waggon, over which there are two
Ropes thrown a-crofs, the ends whereof they hold in their hands, to the end, that
_if the Waggon come to lean on one-fide in ill-way, the two Souldiers on the
pie ae may keep it from over-turning, by pulling the Ropes with all their
reneth.
All the Waggons that come to Swratr, either from Agra, or any other parts
of the Empire, and which return through Agra, or fanabatt, are bound to el
2 , ac
Book L. Trave ls in In DIA.
pack the Lime that comes from Barocha, which, after it is temper’d, and laid on
becomes as hard as Marble. -
I come now to the manner of travelling in Zadia, to which purpofé they make
ufe of Oxen inftead of Horfes, and there are fome, whofe pace is as eafy as ie
amble of our Hackneys. But you muft take a care, when you either buy or hire
an Ox to ride upon, that the horns be not above a foot in length. For if they be
longer, when the flies begin to fting, he will chafe, and tofs back his horns, and
frike them into the ftomack of the Rider, as oftentimes it has hapned. Thefe
Oxen are rid like our Horfes, and inftead of Snaffles or Bitts, they have only a
Rope drawn through the mufcly part of the muzzle or noftrils. In firm ground
where there are no ftones, they never fhooe their Oxen; but only in rough pla-
ces, where not only the ftones but the heat will waft and chop the hoof. Where-
as in Europe we tie our Oxen by the horns, the Zadians only put a thick trufs upon
their necks, that keeps faft a Coller of Leather four fingers broad, which they
have nothing to do but to put about their necks when they faften them to the
Waggon. . E:
They ufe alfo for Travel little Coaches, but very light, that will hold two
erfons ; but generally they ride alone for more eafe, carrying only their ne-
ceflary Cloak-Bags along with them ; witha fimall Veffel of Wine, and a {mall
quantity of Provifions, for which there is a proper place under the Coach,
where they tye the two Oxen. Thefe Coaches have their Curtains and Seats
like ours, yet are not hung: But in my laft Travels I caus‘d one to be made after
our manner; and the two Oxen that drew it, ccit me near upon fix-hundred
Roupies. Nor isthe Reader to wonder at the price ; for there are fome of
thefe Oxen that are very ftrong, and that will travel upon the trot twelve or
fifteen leagues a-day for fixty days together. When they have gone half the
days journey, they give them two or three Balls,as big as one of our two-penny-
loaves, of Wheat kneaded up with butter and black-fugar. The hire of a Coach
comes to a Roupie a-day more or lefS. From Saratt to Agra is forty days jour-
ney, and you pay for the whole journey from forty to forty-five Roupies. From
Suratt to Golconda, being almoft the fame diftance, the fame price is obferved ;
and by the fame proportion you may travel over all the Zadves. .
They who have more to fpend, for their own eafe make ufe of a Pallanquin,
wherein they travel very commodioufly. This is a fortf little Couch ffx or fe-
ven foot long, and three broad, with balifters round about it. A fort of Cane,
call’d Bambouc, which they bend like an Arch, faftains the covering of the Pal-
languin, which is either of Satin or Cloath of Gold ; and‘when the Sun lies up-
on one fide, a Slave that goes by the fide, takes care to pull down the covering.
Another Slave carries at the end of a long ftick a kind of Target of Ofier, cover-
ed over with fome gentile ftuff, to preferve the perfon that is in the Pallanguin
from the heat of the Sun, when he turns and lies upon his face. The two ends of
the Bambouc are fattned on both fides to the body of the Pallanguin between two
fticks join’d together like a Salrir or St. adrews-crofs, every one of thofe two
fticks being five or fix foot long. There are fome of thefe Bambouc’s that coft
two-hundred Crowns ; | my felf have paid an hundred and twenty. Three men
for the moft part apply themfelves to each of thefe two ends to carry the Pal-
languin upon their thoulders ; fome on the right,and {ome on the leftjand they go
fwifter than our Sedan-men, and with a much more eafy pace, as being that which
they practice from their youth. You give to every one for all things not above
four Roupies a Month ; but it ftands you in above five if the journey be long, and
exceed fixty days labour. 5 See
Whether it be in Coach, or Pallanquin, he that will travel honourably in the
Indies, muft take along with himtwenty or thirty armed men, with: Bows and
Arrows fome, others with Mufquets’; and they have the fame rate with thofe
that carry the Pallanquin. Sometimes for more magnificence they carry a Ban-
ner, as the Englifh and Hollanders do, for the honour of their Companies.
Thefe Souldiers are not only for fhew, but they watch for your defence, keeping
Centinels, and relieving one another, and are very ftudious to give content. For
you muft know,’ that in the Towns where you take them into fervice, they have
a Chieftain, that is refponfible for their fidelity, who for his good word has two.
Roupies a-piece of every one. : In
‘
20 | Travels in Invi:
weno:
In the great Villages there is generally a A¢chumetan that commands, of whom
you i, Mutton, Pullets, or Pidgeons. But where there live none but Z2.
nians, there is nothing but Flower, Rice, Herbs and Milk-meats to be had.
The great heats in India enforcing the Travellers, that are not accuftomed to
them, to travel by night, and reft in the day-time; when they come into any
fortified Towns, they muft be gone before Sun-fet, if they intend to travel that
night. For night coming on, and the Gates being fhut, the Commander of the
place, who is to anfwer for all the Robberies that are committed within his Ju-
rifdiction, will let no perfon ftir forth, telling them that it is the King’s order, to
which he muft be obedient. When 1 came to any of thofe Towns, I bought my
Provifions, and went out again in good time, and ftaid in the Field under fome
Tree, in the freth air, till it was time to fet forward.
They meafure the diftances of places in India by Gos,and Coffes. A Gos is about
four of our common leagues, and a Coffe one league, It is now time to travel
from Sarat for Agra, and /anabat, and to obferve what is moft remarkable upon
the Road.
C Hee, fV.
The Road from Surat to Agra, through Brampour and Seronge.
Am no lef§ well acquainted with all the principal Roads cht lead to the chief
Cities of India, than thote of Tirkey and Perfia; for in fix times that I have
travell’d from Paris to I/paban, { have gone twice for one from //pahan to Agra,”
and many other places of the Great AZogw/’s Empire. Put it would be tirefome to
the Reader to carry him more than once the fame way, on purpofe to makea
relation of every particular journey,and the accidents that accompany them ; And
therefore it will fuffice to give an exact defcription of the Roads, without parti-
cularizing the diftinct times that I went.
There are but two Roads from Surat to Agra, one through Brampoxr and Se
ronge, the other through «dmadabat. The firlt fhall be the Subject of this Chap-
ter.
From Surat to Barnoly, coites 14
Barnolyis a great Borough-Town, where you are to ford a great River; and
this firft days journey you crofs a mixt Countrey, part Wood, part through Fields
of Wheat and Rice. :
From Barnoly to Bahar, cottes. 10
Bahor is alfo a large Village upon a Lake, about a league in compats. Upon
the fide whereof is to be feen a good fubftantial Fortref$; though there be no
ufe made of it. Three quarters of a Jeague on this fide the Village you ford a
fmall River, though not without great difficulty, by reafon of the Rocks and
Stones that hazard the over-turning of the Coach, This fecond days-journey
you travel almoft altogether through Woods. |
From Balor to. Kerkoa, or as itis call’d at this day, Carvanfera de la Begum,
coftes. .
This Carvanfera or Inn is very large and commodious ; being built out of Cha-
rity by Begum-faheb the Daughter of Cha-jehan. For formerly the journey from
Balv to Navapoura was too great: And this place being upon the Frontiers of
thofe Raja's that fometimes will not acknowledg the Great AZogu/, whofe Vallals
they are, there was no Caravan that paft by oO was not abufed ; befides that
it is a wooddy-Countrey. Between Carvan{:ra and Navapoura you ford a Ri-
ver ; as alfo another very neer to Navapoura.
From Kerkoa to Navapoura, coftes.
Navapoura is a great Town full of Weavers ; but Rice is the greateft Com-
modity of that place. There runs a River through the Countrey, which makes »
it very fruitful, and waters the Rice, that requires moifture. All the Rice which
grows ia this Countrey has one peculiar quality, that makes it more igre
: eireem
Book I. TTROAS Th: Tas 5.
efteemd. The grain of it is lefs by one half, than the grain of she common
Rice ; and when it is boil'd, no fnow is whiter ; but befides all that, it {incl's of
Musk ; and all the Grandees of the Zndians eat no other. When they would
make an acceptable Prefent to any one in Perfia, they fend him a fack of this
~ Rice. This River which pafles by Kerkoa and thofe other places I have men-
tion'd, empties it felf into the River of Sarar.
From Navapoura to Nafarbar, coftes. 9
From Nafarbar to Dol-medanyg oftes. 74
From Dol-medan to Senquera, Coftes. q
From Senquera to Tallener, coftes. Io
At Tallener you are to pafs the River, which runs to Baroche ; where it is very
large, and empties it felf into the Golf of Cambaya.
From Tallener to Choupre, coftes, Is
From Coxpre to Senguclis, coftes. 13
From Senguelis to Nabir, coftes. Io
From Nabir to Badelpoura, coftes. 9
At Badelpoura it is, where the loaded Waggons pay the duties of Bramponr ;
but the Waggons that carry nothing but Paflengers, pay nothing. ‘
From Badelpoura to Brampour, coftes . io -
Brampour is a great City, very much ruin’d, the Honfes being for the mot
part thatch’d with ftraw. There is alfo a great Caftle in the midft of the City,
where the Governour lies ; the Government of this Province is a very confidera-
ble command ; and is only conferr’d upon the Son or Unckle of the King. And
Asreng-xeb, the prefgnt King, was a long time Governour of this Province in the
Reign of his Father. But fince they came to underftand the ftrength of the Pro-
vince of Bengala, which formerly bore the Title of a Kingdom, that Province is
now the moit confiderable in all the Afogu/’s Countrey. There is a great Trade
in this City, and as well in Brampore, as over all the Province, there is madea
prodigious quantity of Calicuts very clear and white, which are tranfported into
Perfia, Turkey and Maufcovia, Poland, Arabia, to Grand Cairo, and other places.
There are fome which are painted with feveral colours, with flowers, of which
the Women make Veils and Scarfs; the fame Calicuts ferve for Coverlets of
Beds, and for Handkerchiefs. There is another fort of Linnen which they never
dye, with a ftripe or two of Gold or Silver quite through the piece, and at each
end from the bredth of one inch to twelve or fifteen, in fome more, in fome lefs ,
they fix a tiflue of Gold, Silver, and Silk, intermix’d with Flowers, whereof
there is no wrong-fide, both fides being as fair the one as the other. If thefe
pieces, which they carry into Poland, where they have a vaft utterance, want at
each end three or four inches at the leaft of Gold or Silver; or if that Gold or
Silver become tarnifh’d in being carried by Sea from Sxrat to Ormus, and from
Trebizan to Mangala, or any other parts upon the Black-Sea, the Merchant fhall
have much ado to put them off without great lofs.He mutt take care that his goods
be packt up in good Bales, that no wet may get in; which for fo long a Voyage
tequires great care and trouble. Some of thefe Linnens are made purpotely for
Swathbands or Shafhes, and thofe pieces are call’d Ornis. They contain from.
15 to 20 Ells; and coft from an hunderd to an hunderd and fifty Roupies, the leaft
nut being under ten or twelve élls. Thofé that are not above two ells long are worn
by the Ladies of Quality for Veils and Scarfs, of which there is a vaft quantity ven-
ded in Perfia and Turkey. They make at Brampour alfo other forts of Cotton-Linnen;
for indeed there is no Province in all the Jndies which more abounds in Cotton.
When you leave the City of Brampoure, you muft pafs another River, befides.
that which [have mention’d already. There is no Bridge, and therefore when the _
water is low, you ford it ; when the rains fall, there are Boats arte 2
From Surat to Brampour it is 132 Coftes ; and thefe Coftes are very fort in the
Indies ; for you may travel one of them in a Coach in lefS than an hour. »
I remember a ftrange tumult at Bramponre, in the year 1641, when I re-
turned from -Agra to Surat; the caufe whereof was thus, in fhort : The
Covernour of the Province, who was the King’s Nephew by the Mother’s-fide,
had among his Pages a young Boy that was very beautiful, and of a very good.
Family, who had a Brother in the City that liy’d’as a Dervich ; and for fede
a
21
nA es 8 ee,
aN ey
Travels in Iwpia. Part If
x,
all the Town had a very great veneration, One day the Governour, being alone jg
his Ghamber, did all that lay in his power, by vertue of Gifts and Carelles to have
had the ufe of his Body ; but the Boy detelting his abominable purpole, madé his
efcape from him,and came and told his Brother. The Dervich without deliberating
what Councel he had to give his younger Brother, gave him a Sword, fich g
one as he might eafily hide under his Garment; and told him, that if the
Governour urg’d him any more, that he fhould make a fhew of complying
with him, but that when he went about to do the fact, he fhould be fare to
run himinto the Guts. The Governour, wh@knew nothing of what the Page
had reveal’d to his Brother, ceas’d not every day to court him to confent to
his infamous luft; and being one day alone with him in a finall Apartment of
a Banquetting-Houfe, at the lower end of his Garden, he {1 for his Page ty
fan him, and to keep off the Flies, after the fathion of the Country ; for it was
about noon, when every one goes to fleep. Then did the Covernour begin
again to prefs the young Page ; and finding that he made no re iitance, he
thought he fhould fuddenly accomplifh his defign, But the Page feeing him
ready to commit the act, ftabd him three times into the Belly, before he
could open his mouth to cry out tor help. That done, the Page went out
of the Palace, without any difturbance In his countenance; fo that the Guards
believ’'d that the Governour had fent him out upon fome errand. The Der-
vich underftanding by his Brother what had paisd, to fave him from the fury
of the people, and to difcover the Infamy of the Governour, caus’d the reft of
the Dervichs his Companions, to take the Banners of ALabomer , that were
planted round the AZofguce ; and at the fame time with loud cries encourag’d
all the reft of the Dervichs, Faguirs, and others that wert good ALahumetans,
to follow him. In lefs than an hours time he had got together an infinite
multitude of the Rabble, and the Dervich marching at the head of them, they
made directly to the Palace, crying out with all their might, Ler ws dye for
Mahomet, or let as have that infamous perfon deliver'd up into our hands, tothe
end the Dogs may eat him after lis death, not being worthy to be enterr’a aizong the
Muffelmen. The Guard of the Palace was not ina condition to refilt io great
a Multitude, fo that they muft have been forced to have yeilded to their fury,
had not the Deroga of the Town, and fome five or fix Lords, found a way
to make themfelves to be heard, and to appeafe them, by reprefenting to them,
that they ought to have fome refpect to the Nephew of the King; by
that means obliging them to retire. That night the Body of the Governour
was fent to gra, with his Haram; and Cha-jeban, who then reign’d, being
inform’d of the accident, was not much troubi’d, becaufe he is Heir to all the
oods of his Subjects ; and at the fame time he beftow'd upon the Page 4
fmall Government in the Province of Bengala.
From Brampour to Piombi-fera, coftes : j
Before we go any farther, you muft take notice, that where-ever you mett
with the word Sera, it fignifies a great Enclofure of Walls and Hedges, within
which are about fifty or fixty Huts, cover'd over with Straw. There are fome
men and women that there put to fale Flower, Rice, Butter, and Herbs, and
make it their bufinefs to bake Bread and boil Rice. If there be any Adabu-
metan in that place, he will go to the City, and buy a little piece of Mut
ton, or a Fowl! ; and thofe that fell Victuals to the Travellers, always cleanfe
the Hut which they take up, and put into it a little Bed with girths, to lay
a Mattrefs er Quilt upon, which the Travellers carry along with them,
From Piombi-fera to Pander, coftes
from Pander to Balki-fera, coftes ;
From Balki-fera to Nevilk:-fera, coftes
From WNevilks-fera to Confemba, coftes
From Confemba to Chempore, coftes
From Chenipore to Charava, coftes
From Charava to Bich-ola, coftes
From Bich-ola to Andy, coftes .
: At dndy you muft pals a River that falls into Ganges, between Banaron an
Abna, m
CO GWM Mr BAvs
[we
From
———$
Book I. ST RR Be
From Audi to Onquenas, coftes
From Onguenas to Tiquery, coltes
From Tiguery to Tool-meden, cottes
From Tool-meden to Nova-fera, coltes
From Nova-fera to Ichavonr, coltes
From Jchavour to Signor, coftes |
From Signor to Chekaipour, coltes .
From Chekaipour to Dour-ay, coftes
From Dour-ay to Afer-kaira, coftes
From Afer-kaira to Telor, coftes
From Telor to San-kaira, coites *
From San-kaira to Seronge, coftes I2
Seronge isa great City, the moft part of the Inhabitants whereof are Banian
Merchants, and Handicraft-trades-men from Father to Son, which is the reafon
that there are in this City feveral Houfes of Stone and Brick. There is alfo a
reat Trade forall forts of painted Calicuts, which are called Chites, which is the
cloathing of all the meaner fort of people both in Perfia and Turkey : Of which
in other Countreys alfo they make ute; for Coverlets for Beds, and Table-napkins.
They make the fame fort of Calicuts in other Countreys as well as at Scronge,
but the colours are not fo lively ; befides, that they wear out with often wath
ing. Whereas thofe that are made at Seronge, the more you wafh them, the
fairer the colours fhew. There runs a River by the City, the water whereof has
that vertue, that it gives that beauty and livelinefs to the colours. And all the
while the rains fall, the Workmen will make thefe prints upon, their Cottons, ac-
cording to the Patterns which the Forreign Merchants give them; for when the
waters are ceas'd, the water is the thicker; and the oftener they dip their Cali-
cuts, the better the colours hold. | :
There is alfo made at Seronge another fort of Calicut, which is fo fine, that when
aman puts it on, his skin fhall appear through it, as if he were naked. The Mer-
chants are not permitted to tranfport it. For the Governour fends it al] to the Se-
vaglio of the Great Afogu/, and to the principal Lords of the Court. Of this,
the Sulranefles, and great Noblemen’s Wives make them Shifts and Garments in
hot-weather : And the King and the Lords take great pleature to behold them in
thofe Shifts, and to fee them Dance with nothing elfe upon their Bodies.
From Brampore to Seronge is an hundred and one coites, which are longer than
thofe from Swrat to Brampore ; for the Coach is a full hour, and fometimes five
quarters, going one of thefe coftes. In thefe hundred leagues of the Countrey
you travel whole days journeys along by moft fertil Fields of Corn and Rice, be-
ing lovely Champaign, where you meet with very little Weed ;. and from Seronge
to Agra, the Countrey is much of the -fame nature: And becaufe the Villages
lye thick together, your journey is the more pleafant ; befides, that you may reit
when you pleate.
From Seronge to Madalki-fera, cofies.
From ALadalki-fera to Poulki-fera, coltes.
From Poulki-fera to Ka/ariki-fera, coftes.
From Kafariki-fera to Chadolki-fera, coftes.
From Chadolki-fera to Callabas, cottes.
Callabas is a great Town, which was formerly the Refidence of a Rajz, who
paid Tribute to the Great AdZogu/. But when Orang-2eb came to the Crown, he
not only cut off his, but a great number of the heads of his Subjects. There are
two Towers near the Town, upon the high-way, and reund about the Towers are
feveral holes, like windows; and in every hole, two foot diftant one from ano-
ther, there is fix’d-a man’s head. In my laft Travels in the year 1665, it had not
been long fince that Execution had been done ; for then all the Heads were whole, -
and caus’d a very ill {mell. |
From Callabas to Akmate, coftes 2
From Akmate to Collafar, coftes , St o
Collafar is a little Town, all the Inhabitants whereof are Idolaters. As 1 patt
through it upon my laft Travels, there were brought to it eight Pieces of Ar-
tillery, the one carrying 48 pound-Bullet, the reft 36. Every Piece was drawn.
*K F by
9 W9 Wy 03 Wan a Ret
=_-
A Aw rv av
~
oe eee
ceeeemtae
Travels in Inpia. Part IL.
‘ Ce a
by 24 Yoke of Oxen. Avery ftrong Elephant follow’d the Artillery, and when
they came to any bad-way, where the Oxen were ata ftand, they brought up the
Elephant, who heav’d the Cannon forward with his Trunk. Without the Town,
all along the high-way, there grows a vait number of great Trees, which the
call ALangues 5 and in-many places neer the Trees are to be feen little Pagodg,
with every one an Idol at the door. The Elephant pafling by one of the Pagods
before which I was lodg’d, at the door whereof there ftoad three Idols about five
foot high ; fo foonas he came near one, he took it up in his trunk, and broke it in
two pieces ; the next he took, he threw it up fo high, and {0 far, that he broke
it in four pieces ; and carried away the head of the third along with him, Some
thought that the Gové@rnour of the Elephant had taught him what to do, and made
figns to him, which however I did not obferve ; neverthelefs the Banians were
very much offended, though they durft not fay any thing ; for there was a Guard
of above two thoufand men that convoy’ the Artillery, all Souldiers of the
King, and Mahometans, befides Franguis, or Franks, Englifh and Hollauders that
were Cannoneers. The King fent this Artillery to his Army in Decan,being at Wars
with the Raja Seva-gi, who the year before had plunder'd Sarat; of whom |
fhall have occafion to fpeak in another place.
From Collafar to Sanfele, coftes 6
From Sanfele to Dongry, coftes fe a
From Doxgry to Gare, coftes 3
Gare is a itrait paflage of the Mountains, a quarter of a league in length, the
defcent whereof leads from Surat to Agra. At the entry thereof you {ce the
ruins of two or three Caftles, and the Road is fo narrow, that two Waggons can
hardly goa breaft. They that come from the South to go to gra, as trom Sz
rat, Goa, Vifapore, Golconda, Afaflipatan, and other places, cannot avoid thefe
fireights, there being no other Road but this, efpecially if you‘ take the Road
from Amadabat. Formerly there was a Gate at each end of the ftreight, and
at that end which is next to -dgra, there are five or fix Shops of Banians, that
fell Flower, Butter, Rice, Herbs and Pulfe. In my laft Travels I ftaid at one of
thefé Shops, to tarry for the Coaches and Waggons, all the Paflengers alighting
at the foot of the Streights. Not far otf there is a great Magazin full of facks
of Rice and Gorn ; and behind every fack lay a Serpent thirteen or fourteen foot
long, and proportionable in bigneis. A Woman that went to fetch Corn out of
one of thofe facks, was bitten by one of thofe Serpents, and perceiving her {elf
Wounded, ran out of the Magazin, crying out Rum, Ram, that is, O God, O God;
whereupon feveral Banians, men and women came running to her relief, and
bound her arm very hard above the wound, thinking to ftop the venom {rom run-
ning any higher. But all in vain, for immediately her face fwell’d, and turn’d black,
and fhe dy’d in lef$ than an hour. The Ragipon's,who are the beft Souldiers among
the Indians, and are ail Idolaters, came in juit as the woman was expiring, dnd
about four of them entring with their Skains, and Half-pikes in their hands iato
the Magazin, kill’d the Serpent.. The people of the Village took and threw it
without the Town, and immediately there came a great number of Birds of prey,
which lighting upon the Carrion, devour'd it in Jefs than an hours time. The Pa-
rents of the woman took her body, carri’d it to the River, wafh’d it, and then
burnt it. I was fore’d to ftay two days at that place, becaufe there was a River
to pats, which inftead of falling, fwell'd at that time, by reafon of the rains that
fell for three or four days together : So that I was conftrain'd to go half a league
lower before I could crofs it. They always endeavour'd to ford this River; for
otherwife they muft be compell’d to unload the Waggon into the Boats; and allo
to carry the Goods in their arms for above half a league, which is worfe way
than can be imagin’d. The people get their livings by the Paffengers, from whom
they extort as much as they can, there being none but they that know the ways:
Otherwife it would be an eafy thing to make a Bridg, there being _no want either
of Wood or Stone near at hand. For the paflage is nothing but thorough Rocks,
that lie between the Mountain and the River; fo that the waters when they
{well, everflow all the Road, in-fo-much that no-body can pafs it, but they
who are very well acquainted with it. ;
From
ad
Book I. Travels in Enpra.
From Gate to Nader, coltes 4
Nader is a great City upon the defcent of a Mountain, at the top whereof. is
akind of a Fortref$; all the Mountain being encompaft with walls. The greateft
art of the Houfes, as in all other Cities of Zidia, are thatch’d with itraw, one
Story high ; but the Rich-men’s Houfes, are two Stories, and terrafs'd. Round
about thc City are feveral great Ponds to be feen, which were formerly encom-
pait with hewn-ftone, but now are not at all look’d after; yet there are very fair
Monuments about them. The fame River which we paft the day before,and which
we repais four or five Coffes on this fide Nader, encompafles three parts of the
City and Mountain, like a Penrnfula, and after a long winding-courfe which it takes,
falls at length into Ganges. At Nader they make a great quantity of quilted-
Coverlets, {ome white, others embroidered with Flowers of Gold; Silk and Satin.
~ From Nader to Bargui-fera, coftes 9
- From Bargui-fera to Trie, coftes 3
From Trie to Goxalear, coftes Ms
» Goualeor is a great City ill-buile, like all the reft, after the manner of the Jn-
dians ; it is built alb along the fide of a Mountain that fies upon the Weft-fide of
it; and which at the top is encompaft with Walls and Towers. ‘Theré are in this
Enclofure feveral Ponds made by the rains ; and what they fow there is fufficient
to keep the Garrifon: For which reafon it is efteem’d one of the beft in the Zz-
dies.. Upon the defcent of the Hill, which looks towards the North-eaft, Cba-
jeban built an Houfe of Pleafure ; from whence there is a Profpect over all the
City, and indeed it may ferve for a Garrifon. Below the Houfe are to be feen fe-
yetal idols cut out of the Rock, reprefenting the fhapes of their Gods: And.
among, the reft, there is one of an extraordinary heighth. . ge “a
~ Since the ALahometan Kings became Mafters of this Countrey, this Fortrefs of
Gon. or is the place where they {ccure Princes and great Noblemen. Cha-jehan |
coming to the Empire by foul-play, caus‘d all the Princes and Lords whom he
miltrufted, to be feiz’d one after another, and fent them to the Fortrefs of Go#a-
leor ; but he {utfer’d them all to live, and enjoy their Eftates. -A#reng-zeb his Son
acts quite otherwife : For when he fends any great Lord to this place, at the end
of nine or ten days he orders him to be poilon’d ; and this he does that the peo-
ple may not exclaim againft him fora bloody Prince, So foon as he had in his
clucches Prince ALorat-Bakche his youngeft Brother, whom he engaged to take
Arms againft his Father Cha-jehan ; and who being Governour of the Province
of Gzerat, took upon him the Title of King, he fent him to this Fortrefs, where
hedy'd. They hate made hima moft pe en Monument in the City ina
Mofyuee, which they built on purpofe, wit
rounded with Vaults and Shops over them. For it is the cuftom of the Indians,
when they rear any publick Building, to make a great Prazza before “#t, wheré
they keep their Markets, with a Foundation for the Poor, to whom they give
Alms every day, as being to pray to God for him that rais’d the Fabrick, 7
Five Cojt’s from Goualeor, you ford a River which is call’d Lantke.
From Goualeor to Paterki-fera, coftes 3
From Paterki-fera to Quariqui-fera, coftes , : Io
There is a Bridg at Paterki-fera, confitting *of fix wide Arches ; and the River
you go over is call’d Quarinado.
From Quariki-era to Dolpoxra, coftes 6
At Dolpoxra there is a great River which is call’d Chammelnadi, to which there
belongs a Ferry-Boat: The River it felf falls into thé Gemena between Agra and
Halabas. ; : eri
From Dolpoura to Mina{qui-fera, coftes sie 8.)
At Mina/qui-fera there is a River, which is call’d Fagounadi, You pafs it over
a very long Bridg, built of Stone, the name whereof is Faoulcapoul, -
From A4inafgui-fera to this Bridg, coftes ° Cie >-,. 8
Not far from this Bridg it is, that they view the Merchants Goods, that when
they come to -4gva they may not be deceiv'd of, their duties, But more parti-
cularly to fee whether among the Casks of Fruits pickl’d in Vinegar, in pots of
Glaf, there be no flasks of Wing, 2
a great Piazza before it all fur-
Le
36
~ adjacent to the City, they alfo make Indigo of the fame nature of that of
Travels im Inpta. Part II.
From the Bridg /aoxlcapoul to Agra, coftes 4
So that from Seronge to gra it is an hundred and fix Coffes, which are ordinary
leagues ; and ftom Surat to gra, 339.
ei pe
CyPA PY.
The Road from Surat to Agra through Amadabat.
[Rom Sarat to Baroche, coftes ! . 22
All the Countrey between thefe two Cities is full of Corn, Rice, Millet, and
Sugar-Canes. Before you enter into Baroche, you muft Ferry over the River
which runs to.Cambaya, and falls into the Golf that carries the fame name,
Baroche is a great City, to which there belongs a Fortrefs, of which there is
no ufé made at this time. But the City has been always very famous, by reafon
of the River, which has a particular quality to whiten their Cottons ; which are
brought thither from all parts of the Great Afogul’s Territories, where they have
not that convenience. In this place are made a great quantity of: Batfa’s, or long
and large pieces of Cotton. Thefe Cottons are very fair, and clofe woven; and
the price of thefe pieces is from four to an hundred Roupies. You muft pay
Cuftom at Baroch- for all Goods that are brought in and carrid out. The Eng-
lif) have a very fair Houfé in the City ; and 1 remember once, that coming thi
ther one day in my return from Surat to Agra with the Prefident of the Englifr,
prefently the Mountebanks came about him, and ask’d him if he would fee any
of their tricks. The firft thing they did was to light a great fire, and to heat cer-
tain Iron-chains red-hot, and wind them about their bodies, making as if they fele
a great deal of pain, but in truth receiving no harm at all. Then they thruft a
pire of a ftick into the ground, and ask’d the Company what Fruit they would
ave. One told them, he would have Afengues; then one of the Mountebanks
hiding himfelf in the middle of a Sheet, ftoopt to the ground five or fix times
one after another. J was fo curious to go up ftairs, and look out of a window, to
fee if 1 could fpy what the Mountebank did 3 and perceived, that after he had
cut himfelf under the armpits with a Razor, he rubb’d the ftick with his Blood.
After the two firft times that he rais’d himfelf, rhe ftick feem’d to the very eye to
grow. The third time there fprung out branches with young buds, The fourth
time the Tree was covered with leaves; and the fift time it bore flowers. The
Prefidentof the Exgli/h had then his Minifter with him, having brought him from
Amadabat to Chriften the Commander of the Hollander’s Child, to which he had
promifed to be Godfather. The Exglifh Minifter protefted that he could not give
his confent that any Chriftian fhould be a fpectator of fuch delufions. So that as
foon as he faw that thofe Mountebanks had of a dry-ftick, in lefS than half an
hour, made a Tree four or five foot high, that bare leaves and flowers as in the
- Spring-time ; he went about to break it, protefting he would not give the Com-
munion to any perfon that fhould ftay any longer to fee thofe things. Thereupon
the Prefident was forc’d to difimifs the Mountebanks, who wander about the
Countrey with their Wives and Children juft like Gipfies ; and having given
aaa the value of ten or twelve Crowns, they went away very well con-
tented. 3
They that are curious to fee Cambaya, never go out of their way above
five or fix Coftes, or thereabout. For when you are at Baroche, inftead of
going to Broxdra, you may go directly forward to Cambaya, from thence af-
terwards to Amadabat. - But whether it be for bufinefs, or out of curiofity,
the latter Road is never to be taken; not only becaufe it is the longeft way,
but becaufe of the danger in croffing the mouth of the Golf.
Cambaya isa great City at the bottom of the Golf that bears its name.
Here it is that they fhape thofe fair gars, that come from the Zndies, into
Cups, Hafts of Knives, Beads, and other forts of Workmanfhip. In the. parts
Sar-
Book >. Tramh dno.
Sargue(s; and it was famous for traffick at the time when the Porrigzefes flou-
rif'd in India. There are to be feen at this day, in the Quarter neat the
Sea, very fair Houfes, which they had built, with very rich Furniture, after
the Portugal manner ; but now they are uninhabited, and fall to decay every day
more and more. There were then fuch good Orders obferv'd in Cambaya,
that two hours after day was fhut in, every Street was Jockt up with two
Gates, which are ftill to be feen; and ftill they continue to lock up the prin-
cipal Streets, as alfo the Streets that lead into the Town. One of the chief
reafons why the Town has loft the greateft part of its Trade is, becanf€ that
formerly the Sea run clofé up to Cambaya, fo that little Veflels eafily anchor’d
by it; but afterwards the Sea daily loft in that part, fo chat a finall Ship could
not ride within five or fix Leagues of the City.
There are a great number of Peacocks in the Jndies, efpecially in the Ter-
sitories Of Baroche, Cambaya, and Broudra. ‘The flefh of the young ones is
white and well-tafted, like ours, and you fhall fee vaft numbers of them all
day in the Fields, for at night they rooft upon the Trees. “Tis a hard mat-
terto come near them in the day, for as foon as they perceive themfelves
hunted, they fly away as fwift as a Partridg among the Bufhes; fo that it is
jmpoffible for any man to follow them without tearing his Cloaths all to rags 5
therefore are they only to be taken in the night time, to which purpofe they
have this invention. They approach the Tree witha kind of a Banner, upon
which there is a Peacock painted to the Jife on both fides; at the wup of the
ftitk are faften’d two lighted Candles, the brightnefs whereof amazig the Pea-
cock, caufes him to ftretch out his Neck toward the end of the ftick, to which
there is a Rope ty’d with a fliding knot, which he that holds the Banner draws,
when he finds that the Peacock has put his Neck into it. Lut you mui have
acare of killing either Bird, or any other Animal in the Territories, of which
the idolatrous Raja’s are Mafters; which it is nothing dangerous to do in thofe
parts of the Judies, where the Governours are Mahomet att and give liberty
to Fowl or Hunt. It happen’d one time that.a rich Perfian Merchant, pal-
fing through the Territories of the Raja of Daxtivar, fhot a Peacock upon the
road, and kill'd it, either out of rafhnefS, or ignorance of the Cultoms of the
Country. The Basnians incens’d at the attempt, which is accountéd among
them a moft abominable facriledg, feiz’d upon the Merchant, and all his Mo-
ney to the value of 300000. Roupies, and tying him to a Tree, whipt him 1s
forerrible a manner for three days together, that the man dyd.
From Cumbaya you go toa litde Village diftant, fome three Coftes, where
there is a Pagod, to which all the Judian Qurtifans come to make their Of-
ferings. ‘This Pagod is full of a great number of naked Images, among the
reft, chere is'a large Figure of one that féems to refemble -4pollo , with his
privy parts all uncover'd. When the old Curtifans have got together a good
fum of Money in their youth, they buy yonffe Slaves, whom they teach to
Daunce, and fing wanton Songs, and inftruct in all the myfteries of their in-
famous Art. And when thefe young Girls are eleven or twelve years old,
their Miftreffes fend them to this Pagod, believing it will bring them good
fortune, to otfer and furrender*up themfelves to tltis Idol,
From this Pagod to Chiidabad you have fix Coftes. This is one of the faireft
Houfes of the great Afogul, with a wide Enclofure, wherein he has vatt Gar-
dens, and lange Ponds, with all the pleafures and curiofity whereof the Ger
nius of the Indians is capable. :
From Chiidabad to Amadabad you have but five Coftes; and fo I retum te
Baroche, and the common Road. al
From Baroche to Brondra, Coftes ee 22
Broudra isa great City ftanding in a fertil Soil, wherein there is a vaft Trade for
Calicuts. | . ae
From Broudrato Neriade, coftes ee 18
From Weriade to Avsadabat, coftes rae. i, 2.20
Amadabat is one of the greateft Cities in India, and where there is a mighty
Trade for Silk-Stuffs, Hangings of Gold and Silver, and others mix'd with Silk 5'
for Saltpeter, Sugar, Ginger candid and raw ; Tamarins, Mirobolans =,
naigo,’
— Fravels in Ixoia. Varta
Indigo, which is made at a great Town, not far from -dmadabar, called Sarguer
There was in that place a Pagod, which the A¢abametan’s have pull'd down, ang
built a AZofquee in the place. Before youenter into it, you mult crofs three large
- Gourts pav’d with Marble, and encompa{t with Galleries ; nor muft you enter jintg
the third Court till you have pull'd off your thooes. The infide of the Afofauee
is adorn’d with. AZofxic-work, the greateft part whereof is of dgats of divers
colours, which zhey fetch from the Mountains of Cambaya, not above two dayg
journey off. There are feverat Sepulchres of the ancient Idolatrous Kings, that
look like little Chappels, of .A4ofaic-work, built upon a Vaut that is under the Se.
pulchre. There runs a River from -dzzadabat toward the North-wett, which dy-
ring the rainy-feafons that continue three or four Months together, is very wide
and rapid, and does much mifchief every year, It is fo with all the other Rivers
in India ; and after the rains are fallen, you mutt ftay fix weeks or two months
before you can ford .Amadabat-River, where there is no Bridg. _ There are
two.or three Boats ; but they are of no ufe, when the ftream is fo {wift ; fo thar
you mutt ftay till the waters are fall’n. But the people of the Countrey will not
ftay fo long ; for to crofé from one River to another, they only make ufe of Goat.
skins,which they blow up and fill with wind, and then tye them between their {to-
macks and their bellies. Thus the poor men and women fwim crofs this River,
and when they would carry their children along with them, they put them in:
certain round pots of Earth, the mouth whereof is four-fingers wide, and drive
the Pots before them. This puts me in mind of a Paflage, when I was at Ama-
dabat in the year 1642, which is toc remarkable to be omitted. Ad
A Countrey-man and a Countrey-woman one day paft the River as I have rela-
ted, and having a child about two years old, they put it into one of thefe Pots, fo
that there was nothing but the head gppear’d. Being about the middle of the
River, they met with a little bank of Sand, where there lay an huge Tree, which
_ the ftream had carri‘d thither ; whereupon the Father fhov’d the Pot toward that
part, to reft himf@F a-while. When he came near the Tree, the trunk whereof
y fomewhat above the water, a Serpent leapt out from among the roots, into
the Pot where the Infant was. The Father and the Mother frighted at the acci-
dent, and having almoft Joft. their fenfes, let the Pot go a-drift where the {tream
carrid it, and lay almoft dead themfélves at the bottom of the Tree. About two
leagues lower, a2 Banian and his Wife with alittle Infant, were wathing themfelves
in the River before they went to eat. They defcry’d the Port a-far-off, with the
half of the Infant’s-head that appear’d above the hole. The Banan immediately
{wims to the relief of the child, and having ftopp’d the Pot, drives it to the fhoar.
_ The Mother follow’d by her own, comes prefently to take the other child out of
the Pog, at what time the Serpent that had done no harm to the other child,
fhoots out of the Pot, and winding about hers, ftings it, and infufes its venom in-
to the Infant, {o that it dy’d immediately. However, the accident, being fo ex-
traordinary, did not trouble thofé.poor people ; who rather believ'd it to have
happen’d by the fecret difpofal of their Deity, who had taken from them one
child, to give them another for it, with which opinion they prefently comforted:
themfelves. Some time after, the report of this accident coming to the ears of
the firft Countrey-man, hecomes to the Bayidw to tell, him how tbe mifchance
had happen’d, and to demand his child of him; the other /ndiaw affirming that
the child was his, and that his God had fent it him, in the place of that which
was dead. To be fhort, the bufinefS made fo loud a noife, that it was at Jength
brought before the King, who order’d, that the child fhould be reftor’d to the
Fathers <7 cp fee
At the fame time there happen’d another very pleafant accident in the fame
City of Amadabat. The Wife of a rich Merchant Banian, nam’d Saintidas, ne-
ver having had a child, and manifefting her eager defire to have one, a fervant of
the Houfe took her a-fide one day, and told her, that if fhe would but eat that
which he would give her, fhe fhould be with child.. The woman :defirous # know
what fhe was to eat, the fervant told her it was a little fith, and that the fhould
eat but three or four. Now the Religion of the Banians forbidding them to eat
any thing that has life, fhe could not refolve at firft to yield to his propofal ; but
the feryant haying. promifed her that he would-fo order the matter, os
u
’
Book L. Travels in Ixpia. : 39
fhould not know whether it were fifh or ro, that fhe eat, fhe ie to try his
receit, and went the next night to lie with her Husband, according to the in-
fruction which fhe had received from the fervant. Some time after, the woman
perceiving that fhe was big, her Husband happen‘d to die, and the kindred of the
deceafed would have his Eftate. The Widow oppofed them, and told them that
it behov'd them to ftay, till they faw whether the child fhe went withal, would
live or no. Her kindred were furpriz’d to hear fuch news that they fo little ex-
- pected, and tax’d her for one that either ly’d or jefted with them; knowing thar
the woman had liv’d fifteen or fixteen years with her Husband, yet never had
been with child. Seeing therefore that her kindred ftill tormented her, the went
and threw her {elf at the Governour’s feet, to whom fhe related all that had paft ; ©
who thereupon order’d that the kindred fhould ftay tilf the woman was deliver'd.
Some days after fhe had lain-in, the kindred of the deceas'd Merchant, who
were perfons of Credit, and gap'd after {0 fair an inheritance, affirm’d that the
child was not legitimate, and that fhe had it not by her Husband. The Gover-
nour, to underftand the truth of the matter, calls for the Phyfitians ; who con-
cluded, that the Infant fhould be carri‘d to the Baté4, faying, that if the Receit
which the Mother had made ufe of, were real, the fweat of the child would
fmell of fith; which was done accordingly, and the Experiment provd true.
Thereupon the Governour order’d that the child fhould have the Eftate, the Mer-
chant being fo proud to be his Father: But the Kindred, troubl'd that fuch a.
fat Morfel had efcap’d their mouths, appeal’d to the King. Upon their relation of
the ftory, the King wrote to the Governour to fend him the Mother and the In-
fant, to the end the Experiment might be made in his prefence: which having
the fame fuccefs as before, the kindred furceas’d their claim, and the Eftate re-
main’d to the Mother and the Infant. Paes
[ remember alfo another pleafant Story which was rélated to me at madabat,
where I have been ten or twelve times. A Merchant with whom I oftem dealt,
and who was very well belov’d by Cha-Eft-Kan, Governour of the Province, and
the King’s Unckle, had the reputation never to have told a lye. Cha-Eft-Kan,
after the three years of his Government were expir’d, according to the cuftom of
the Great AZogul, and that Aureng-zeb, the King’s Son was come into his place,
retir'd to .dgra, where the Court then was. One day, difcourfing with the King,
he told him, that he had {een many rare things in the Governments, with which
his Majefty had honour’d him, but that one thing above al! the reft had aftonifh’d
him, to have met with a Rich Merchant that had never told a lye, and -yet he
was above threefcore and ten years of age. The King furpriz’d at a thing fo ex-
traordinary, fignified to Cha-Ejt-Kan,his defire to fee the erfon, and commanded
him to fend for him to .4gra, which he did. The Old-man was very much —
troubl’d, as well in regard of the length of the way, it being a journey of 25 or
or 30 days, as for that he was to make a Prefent to the King. In fhont, he pro-
vided one, efteem’d at forty-thoufand Roupies, to carry Berlé in, enchas'd with ~
Diamonds, Rubies, and Emraulds. When he haa made his obeyfance to the King,
and given him his Prefent, the King ask’d him only wh was his name, to whom
he replied, that he was call’d the man that had never to d alye. Then the King
ask’d him who was his Father? Sir, faid he, I cannot tell; his Majefty fatish'd
with that anfwer, {topt there, and unwilling ro trouble him any farther, comman-
ded an Elephant to be given him, which is a very great Honour, and ten-thoufand
Roupies to bear his charges home, :
The Banians have a great Veneration for Apes, and there are fome which they
breed up in their Pagods to worship. There are three or four Houfes in Amad-
abat which they make ufe of for Hofpitals for Cowes, Oxen, Apes, and other
fick or maim’d Beats; and they carry all they can find thither to preferve them.
This is alfo very remarkable, that every Tuefday and Friday, all the Apes i the
places adjoyning to Amadabat, of their own accord come to the City, and get
upon the tops of their Houfes, where they lye, during the exceffive heats. And
therefore upon thofe days the people never fail to fet ready in their Ter-
rafles, Rice, Millet, ugnt Canen in their feafons, and other fuch-like things. For
if the Apes did not find their provifion when t reame, they’ would break the
.
Tiles where-with the reft of the Houfe is cover'd, and do’ a great deal oa
Se lef.
Travels in Inpta. Part If.
chief. And you muft here take notice alfo, that the Ape never eats any thin
which he does not very well like the {cent of before-hand ; and before he {wal-
lows any-thing, he lays up his Magazin againft future hunger ; filling his bags
with provifion, which he keeps till next day,
I have faid, that the Banians have a particular Veneration for the Ape; of
which I will give you one Example, among many, that I could bring. Being one
day at Amadabat, at the Houfe belonging to the Hollanders, a young man of thar
Nation newly arriv’d to ferve in the Factory, not knowing the cuftom of the
Countrey, and feeing a great Ape upon a Tree in the Court, would needs thew a
piece of activity, or rather a trick of youth, to kill the Ape with a finall Gun,
{ was at Table then with the Dutch-Commander ; and we no {ooner heard the
blow, but we heard as foon aloud noife of Baniars, that wait upon the Holland.
Company, who came to complain bitterly of him that had kill’d the Ape. The
would all have been gone ; fo that the Commander’ Rad much ado, and made
many excufes before he could appeafe them, and oblige#hem to ftay.
In the Neighbourhood about Amadabar, there hs ie number of Apes.
And this is obfervable, that where there are a great hamber of thole Anj-
mals, there are very few Crows. For as foon as they’ AAve built their Nefts
and laid their Eggs, the Apes get upon the’Trees and’ ow their Fegs to
the Ground. One day returning from -4gra, and depart Out of _Amada-
bar with the Englifh Prefident, who came hither about fom bufinefé; and was
returning to Surat, we pafs'd through a little Forreft of Tréés, call’d Mangues,
fome four or five Leagues from -Amadabat ; there we faw “X>vaft number of
great Monkeys, male and female, and many of the females holdjng their young
ones in their Arms. We had each of us our Coach, and the Englifh Prefi-
dent caufing his to ftop, told me he had an excellent and very neat Harque-
bu{s, that was prefented him by the Governour of Daman, and knowing
Y could aim well, he defir’d me to try it, at one of thofe Apes. One of my
Servants, who was born in the Country, making me a fign not to venture,
I endeavoured to diffwade the Prefident from his defign ; but it was impof-
fible; fo that I took the HarquebufS, and kill’d a female Monkey, who lay
firetch’d out upon the Boughs, letting her little ones fall to the ground, But
it fell out as my Servant had forewarn’d me. For immediately all the
Monkeys that were upon the Trees, to the number of fixty, came down in
a great fury, to have leap’d into the Prefidents Coach, where they would
foon have ftrangled him, had we not. prevented them by clofing the. Shutters,
and had we not hada great number of Servants, that with much ado kept
them off. And thongh they came not to my Coach, yct 1 was very much
afraid of my felf; for they purfued the Prefident’s Coach above a League, and
they were ftout lufty Monkeys.
From Amadabat to Panfer, coftes 13
From Paxferto Mafana, coftes | 14
From Mafana to Chitpour, coftes , 14
Chitpour is a very good City, {0 called by reafon of the great Trade for painted-
Calicuts, which are called Chistes : Near which, fome four or five-hundred paces
toward the South, there runs a final] River. Arriving at Chitpour in one of my
Voyages, I pitch’d my Tent under two or three Trees at the end of a wide-place
neer the Town. A little while after I faw four or five Lions appear, which were
brought to be tam’d ; which they told me took them up five or fix months ; and
their way todo it, is this: They tye the Lions at twelve paces diftance one from
another by the hinder-legs, with a Rope faften’d to a great woodden-ftake fer deep
in the ground,with another cord about the neck ,which the Mafter holds in his hand.
Thefe Stakes are planted in the fame Line, and in another Parallel they ftretch out
another Cord as long as the fpace,which the bodies of the Lions {0 difpos’d of, as I
have defcrib'd, take up. The two Cords which hold the Lion ty'd by the two
hinder-feet, give him liberty to fpring out as far as that sonagord 3 Which is a
mark to thofe that ftand to provoke and incenfe the Lions, by throwing itones and
pieces of wood at them, not to venture any farther: The people run to fee the
fight, and when the Lion, provok'd, gives a {pring toward the Cord, the Mafter
holds
“ Bai
cel ‘
. , ;
6
a neni
Book I. Travels in Impta.
holds another in his hand, ty’d about his neck, that pulls him back. Thus they
accuftom the Lion by degrees to be familiar with the people, and at my coming
to Chiapour, I faw this Divertifement without ftirring out of my Coach.
The next day I had another, meeting with a knot of Faguirs, or Mahometan
Dervichs. I counted fifty-feven, among whom, he that was the Chief or Supe-
rior, had been Grand Efquire to Cha-jehan-guir, having left the Court, when
Sultan Boulaki, his youngeft Son, was ftrangl’d by Order of Cha-jehan ; there
were four others, who next to the Superior, were chief of the Company, who
had been alfo great Lords in the fame Cha-sehan’s Court. All the Cloaths thofe
five Dervichs had, were only four ells of Orange-colour-Calicut to hide what
modefty will have hid before and behind, and every one of them a Tygers-skin
over their fhoulders ty’d together under their chins. They had led before them
eight fair Horfes faddl’d and bridI’d ; three whereof had Bridles of Gold; and
. Saddles cover’d with Plates of Gold, and the other five had Bridles of Silver
cover'd with Plates of Silver, and a Leopard’s-skin upon every one. The other
Dervichs had only a Cord for their Girdle, to which was faften’d a piece of Cali-
cut only to cover their private parts. Their hair was ty'd in wreaths round about
their heads after the manner of a Turbant. They were all well-arm’d, the moft
part with Bows and Arrows, fome with Muskets, and others with Half-pixes,with
another fort of weapon which we have not in Europe ; that is to fay, a fharp piece
of Iron like the fide of a Platter without a bottom, which they wind eight or ten
times about their necks, and carry like a Calves Chaldron. They draw out thefe
Iron-Circles as they intend to make ufé of them ; and they will throw them with
fuch a force againft a man,that they fhall fly ‘as fiift as an Arrow, and go very neer _
to cut a man in two in the middle. They had every one,befides all this,an Huntisg-
Horn, which they wind, making a predigious noife when they come to any place,
‘and when they go away ; together with a Grater or Rafp, being an Iron-Initru-
ment, made like a Trowel. This is an Inftrament which the Zudians carry gene-
rally about them when they travel, to {crape and make clean. the places where
they intend to reft ; and fome of them, when they have fcrap’d all the duft to-
gether into an heap, make ufe of it inftead of a Mattrefs or Pillow to lie eafily
upon. There were fome of them that were arm’d with long Tucks; which they
had bought either of the Englifh or Portugals. Their Luggage confifted of four
great Chefts full of Perfian and Arabian Books, and fomesKitchen-houfholdftatf :
They had alfo ten or twelve Oxen to carry their fick. When the Dervichs came
to the place where I lay with my Coach, having about fifty perfons with me, as
well of the people of the Countrey, as of my own fervants; the Chief or Su-
perior of the Troop feeing me fo well-attended, enquird what 4g4 that was ;
and defir’d me to let him have that place which I had taken up, as being the niott
convenient in all that place, for him and his Dervichs to lodg. When they told
me the quality of the Chief, and the four Dervichs that attended him, I was wil-
ling to be civil, and to yield to their requeft ; and thereupon I left them the place
free. After they had well-water'd the place, and laid the duft, they lighted two
fires, as if it had been in the froft and fhow, for the five principal Dervichs, who
fate and chat’d themfelves before and behind. That very evening, after they had
fupp’d, the Governour of the Town came to complement the principal Der-
vichs, and during their ftay, fent them Rice and other things, which they are ac-
cuftom’d to eat. When they come to any place, the Superior fends fome of his
Crew a begging into the Towns and Villages, and what Alms they get, is a
fently diftributed equally among them; every one of them taking care to oil
his own Rice. What is over and above they give to the Poor in the evening 5 for
they referve nothing till next day. gee
I2
From Chit pour to Balampour, coftes ;
From Balampour to Dantivar, coftes i ar Ir
17
From Dantivan to Bargant, coftes | ae ee
Bargant is in the Territories of a Raja, to whom Leal ud duties. In one of
my journeys to -4gra, pafling through Barganr, I did not the Raja, but only
his Lieutenant, who was very civil to me, and made me a Prefent of Rice, Butter,
and Fruit in feafon, To make him amends, I gave him sighs Shafhes of pir
an
AL
42 Travels in Inpta. Part If.
+e and Silk, four Handkerchiefs of painted Linnen, and two Bottles, the one full of
Aquavit, andthe other full of Spanifb-W ine. At my departure he fent a Con-
voy of twenty Horfe four or five leagues along with me. aan
One evening, being about to lodg upon the Frontiers of the Territories of the
Raja of Bargant, my people came to me and told me, that if we took the Road
through Bargant, we thould go neer to have all our throats cut, for that the Raja
of that place livd altogether upon Robbery. So that unlefs | hir'd an hunder‘d
more of the Countrey-people, there was no likelihood of efcaping thofé Free-
booters. At firit largu’d with them, and tax’d their Cowardice, but fearing to
pay for my rathnefs afterwards, I fent them to hire fifty more, for three days
only,that we crofs'd the Raja’s Countrey : for which they ask’d me every one four
Roupies,which is as much as you give them for a whole Month. The next day as I
was about to fet forward, my Guard came and told me they would leave me,
and that they would not venture their lives, defiring me not to write to gra to
their Captain, who was refponfible for them, that they had left me againft my
will. Three of my fervants alfo did as they did, fo that I had no body left with
me, but a man that lead an Horfe in his hand, my Coachman, and three other fér~
vants, and fo I fet forward under the protection of God. About a league from
the place which I had left, | perceived {ome part of my Convoy following me,
Thereupon I ftopt my Coach to ftay for them, and when they came neer, I bid
them advance if they intended to go along with me. But feeing them fearful,
and unrefolv’d, I bid them go about their bufinefs, telling them I had no need of
{uch Cowards as they were. About a league from thence I difcover’d upon the
brow of an Hill about fifty Horfe, four of which came riding up to me; whenI
perceived them, I alighted out of my Coach, and having with me fome thirteen
Spit-fires, I gave to every one of my men an Harquebufs. The Horfé-men ap-
proaching, I kept my Coach between them and me, and had my Gun ready cockt,
in café they fhould aflail me. But they made me a fign, that I fhould fear nothing ;
_ only that the Prince was a Hunting, and had fent to know what Strangers e
through his Territories: I made anfwer, that I was the fame Franguy that had
palt by five or fix weeks before. By good luck, the very fame Lieutenant to |
whom I had made the Prefent of 4guavite and Spanifb-Wine, follow’d thofe |
four Horfemen, And after he had teftify’d how glad he was to fee me, he ask’d
me if I had any Wine; I told him I never travell’d without that: For indeed the
Englifo and Hollanders had prefented me with feveral Bortels at Agra. So foon
as the Lieutenant was return’d to the Raja, the Raja bimfelf came to me, and
told me I was welcome; and bid me reft my {elf in a fhady-place which he
pointed to, about a league and an half from the place where we were. In the
evening he came, and we ftaid together two days to make merry ; the Raja bring-
ing along with him certain Morrice-dancers, without which the Perfians and In-
dians can never think themfelves heartily merry. At my departure the Raja lent
me 200 Horfe,to convoy me to the Frontiers of his Territories, for three days to-
gether ; for which I only gave them three or four pound of Tobacco, When I
came to -dmadabat, the people would hardly believe that I had had fo kind a re-
ception froma Prince, that’ was noted for abufing ftrangers that paft through his
Countrey. 3
From Bargant to Bimal, coftes:
+5
From Bimal to Modra, coftes — 15
From Moedra to Chalaour, coftes To
Chalaozr is an ancient Town upon a Mountain, encompaft with Walls, and very
difficult to come to. There is a Lake at the top of the Mountain, and another
below ; between which and the foot of the Mountain lies the Road to the
Town. Zi "
From Chalaour to Cantap, coftes
12
From Cantap to Setlana, coftes 15
- From Setlana to Paiavafeny, coftes ; 14
From Palavafeny to Pipars, coftes II
from Piparsto Adirda, coftes 16
_ From Dantivar to Murda is three days journey, being a mountainous Countrey
that helongs to Raja's, or particular Princes that pay tribute to the Great weiss
| | A
Book I. Travels an Inpta.
In recompence whereof the Great AZogu/ gives them Commands in his Arinies ;
by which they gain much more than they loofe by the tribute which they
ay
"irds is a great City, but ill-built. When I came thither in one of my Jndian-
journeys, all the Inns were full of Paflengers, in regard that Cha-jehan’s Aunt, the
Wife of Cha-Eff-Kan, was going that way to marry her Daughter to Sul+an
Sujah, the fecond Son of Cha-yehan; I was forc'd to fet up my Tent upon a Bank,
with Trees on both fides: But I was not a little furpriz’d two hours afterward, to
fee fifteen or twenty Elephants loofe, that tore down the boughs as far as they
could reach, breaking off the huge Arms of Trees, as. if they had been but fimall
faggot-{ticks. This fpoil was done by the order of the Begum, in revenge of the
Atfront which the Inhabitants of AZ:rda had put upon her, who had not waited
on her, and made her a Prefent as they ought to have done.
From Airda to Baronda, coftes . 12
From Baronda to Coetchiel, coftes : 18
From Coetchiel to Bandar-Sonnery, coftes | 14
From Bandar-Sonnery to Ladona, coftes | 16
From Ladona to Chafox, coftes Pees I
From Chafou to Nowali,coftes = a 2 SAG)
From Nouali to Hindoo,coftes { Ss rae
From Hindoo to Bagiana, coftes — Io
Thefe two laft places are two Towns, where, as in all the Countre round
about, they make Jndigo-Plate, which is round ; and as it is the best of all the Zz-
digo’s, {0 is it double the price. sa
From Baniana to Vettapour, coftes . oo 7
Vettapour is an ancient Town where they make woollen-Hangihgs. ane
From Vettapour to Agra, coftes . a2
From Sarat to Agra is in all, coftes 41g
If you could divide your journeys equally into thirteen CoSées a-piece, you
might go to Swrat in thirty-three days; but becaufe you reft, and ftay at fome
places, it is generally thirty-five or forty days journey.
~ = —_ < x o ‘ ;
me 2 ey Bee se .
The Road from Mpahan to Agra, through Candahar.
o .
] Have made an exact defcription of fome part of the Road, and broughy
the Reader as far as Candahar; it remains, that I carry him from Candahar
to Agra; to which there are but two ways to go, either through Caboul, or
through Aflulran. The latter way is the fhorter by ten days journey. But
the Caravan never goes that way. For from Candahar to Multan you travel
almoft all the way through Defarts ; and fometimes you travel three or*four
days without mecting any water. So that the moft ordinary and beaten
Road, is through Caboal. Now from Candahar to Cabonl, is twenty-four days
journey ; from Cabonl to Lahor, twenty-two ; from Lalor to Dehiy, or Ge-
hanabat, eighteen; from Dehly to Agra, fix ; which with the fixty days jour-
ney from J/paban to Farat, and the twenty from Farat to Candahar, makes
in all from J/pahban to Agra, an hundred and fifty days journey. But the
Merchants that are in hafté, take Horfes, three or four together in a company,
and ride the whole journey in fixty, or fixty-five days at moft,
Multan is a City where there is made a vaft quantity of Linnen Calicuts,
which was all tranfported to Tura, before the Sands had ftop’d ap the mouth
of the River ; but fince that, it is carry’d all to Agra, and from 4gra to Sa-
rat, as is the greateft part of the Merchandize which is made at Lahor. But
in regard carriage is fo dear, very few Merchants traffick either to AZalran or
at Labor ; and many of the Workmen have alfo deferted_thofe places, fo that
“ie | is
te Kings Revenues aré very much diminifhed in thofe Provinces, Adutan,
4.
2
>
ee
Tioelt in Ista Part ll
is the place whither all the Banians come, that trade mto Perfa, where the
follow the fame Trade as the Jews, and out-do them m Ufury. They havea
particular Law among them, which permits them to eat Fowl upon certain
days in the year; and not to have more than one Wife among two or three
Brothers, the eldeft whereof is accounted the Father of the Children. This
City alfo breeds abundance of Dancers, of both Sexes, that {pread themfelves al]
over Perfia.
I come now to the Road from Candabar to Agra, through Caboul and Labor,
From Candahar to Charifafar, coftes 6
From Charifafar to Zelate, coltes Iz
From Zelate to Betazy, coftes 8
From Betazy to Mezour, coftes — 6:
From Mezoxr to Carabat, coftes . - 17
From -Carabat to Chakenicouze, coftes : I
From Candahar to Chakenicouze, a Frontier Town of the Indies, is en
try under the command of feveral Princes, that acknowledg the Perfian Em-
peror.
From Chakenicouze to Caboul, coftes ; 40
In all thefe forty Coftes of way, there are but three pitiful Villages ; where
fometimes, though very rarely, you have Bread and Barley for your Horfes;
but the fureft way is to carry provifion along with you. In the Months of
fuly and -Auguft, there blows a hot Wind in thofe parts, that takes away a
mans breath, and kills him upon the place ; being of the fame nature with
thofe Winds, of which I have f{poken in my Perfian Relations, that blow at
certain feafons near Babylon and Afou/ful.
Caboul is a large City, very well fortified’; and isthe place where thofe
of Usbek come every year to fell their Horfes. They reckon, that there are
bought and fold, every year, above fixty thoufand. They bring alfo out of
Perfia, great numbers of Sheep, and other Cattel; it being the general Con-
coutfe of Perfians, Tartarians, and Indians. There is alfo Wine to be had;
but Provifions go off at a very good rate.
Before I go any farther, I muft take notice of one thing in particular, con-
cerning the people call’d -4ugans, who inhabit from Candahar to Caboul, to-
watd the Mountains of Balch, a fturdy fort of people, and great Robbers in
the night-time. It is the cuftom of the /ndians to cleanfe and {crape their tongues
every morning with a crooked piece of aroot, which caufes them to void a great
quantity of Flegm and Rhume, and provokes vomiting. Now though thofe
people that inhabit the Frontiers of Perfia and’ Jndia’ practice the fame thing;
neverthelefs they vomit very little in the morning, but when they come to eat,
as foon as they have fwallowed two or three bits, their lungs begin to {well,-and
they are conftrain'd to go forth and vomit; after which, they return again to
their Victuals with a very good appetite. Should they not do fo, they would
not live above thirty years; and befides, they would be troubl’d with the
Dropty.
- From Caboul to Bariabe, coftes 19
From Bariabe to Nimela, coftes 17
- From Nimela to Aliboua, coftes 19
From Aliboua to Taka, coftes 17
From Taka to Kiemri, coftes . 6
From Kiemri to Chaour, coftes 14
From Chaour to Novechaar, coftes 14
From Novechaar to Atek, coftes 19
Arek is a City fituated upon a point of Land where two Rivers meet together.
‘Tis one of the beft and ftrongeft Garrifons the Great AZogul has ; into which
there is no ftranger permitted to enter without a Paflport from the King. Father
Roux the Jefuit and his Companion, going this way to J/pahan, and not having
the King’s Paffport, were fore’d to return back to Labor, where they embark’d
upon the River for Scimd:, from whence they paft into Perfia,
From tek to Calapane, coftes 16
From Calapane to Roxpate, coftes x6
Book I. Travels in Inpia 43
ae amas = GREE ST TE gg IE OEE ELIS, AT ETT TRC ES Gn) en
From Koupate to Toulapeca, coftes , eZ
From Toulapeca to Keraly, cottes ; 19
From Keraly to Zerabad, coftes ee
From Z Meee to Imiabad, coftes 18
From Imiabad to Labor, coftes ; ae
Labor is the Metropolis of a Kingdom, built upon one of the five Rivers that
defcend from the Mountains of the North to fwell the River /udzs.; and give
the name of Peniab to all the Region which they water. This River at this time
flows not within a league of the Town, being fubjet to change its Channel, and
many times does very great mifchief to the adjoyning Fields, through the rapid
deluges which it makes. The City is large, and extends it felf above a league in
length. But the greateft part of the Houfes, which are higher than thofe of
Agra and Deli, fall to ruine, by reafon of the exceflive rains that have overflowed
a great number of them. The King’s Palace is an indifferent fair one, and is not,
as formerly it was, upon the River, which is fall’n off above a quarter of a league
from it. There is Wine to be had at Lasor.
I muft obferve by the by, that after you have paft Labor, and the Kingdom of
Kakemir; that lies upon it toward the North, none of their Women have any hair
upon any part of their bodies, and the Men but very little upon their chins.
From Lahor to Menat-kan, coftes 12
From Menat-kan to Faty-abad, coftes 15
From Faty-abad to Sera-dakan, coltes | I5
From Sera-dakan to Sera-balour, coftes 15
From Sera-balour to Sera-dourai, coftes Zs 12
From Sera-doxrai to Serinde, coftes my F 17
From Serinde to Sera- Mogoul, cottes haga 15
From Sera-Aogoul to Sera-Chabas, coltes ¢ 14
From Sera-Chabas to Dirasril, coftes 17
From Dirauril to Sera-Crindal, coftes — 14
From Sera-Crindal to Guienaonr, cottes 21
From Guienaour to Dehly, coftes 24
Before you go any farther, you are to take notice that all the way from Labor
to Debly, and from Dehly to Agra, is a continual Walk fet on both fides with fair
Trees ; an object moft pleafing tothe fight: But in fome places the Trees are
decaid, and there is no care taken to Plant others in their itead.
Debly is a great City near the River Gemma, which runs from the North to
the South, afterwards from the Weit to the Eaft; and after it has paft by Agra
and Kadsone, empties it felf into the Ganges. After Cha jehan had built the new
City of Gehanabad, which he call’d by his own Name ; and where he chofe rather
to keep his Court, than at Agra, becaufe the Climate is more temperate. Dehly
is almoft come to ruine, and indeed is nothing but an heap of Rubbifh ; there be-
ing no other Houfes remaining but only for poor people. The Streets are narrow,
and the Houfes of Bambouc, as over all the reft of the Jndses. Neither are there
above three or four Lords of the Court that refide at Dehly; where they fet up
their Tents in great Enclofures, and in the fame mranner lodg’d the Reverend.
Jefuit that was at Court. :
Gehanabad , as well as Dehly, is a great City ; and there is nothing but a fingle
Wall that makes the feparation. All the Houfés of particular men confiit of great —
Enclofures, in the midft whereof is the place for Lodgings. The greateft part of
the Lords do not live in the City, but have their Houfes without, for the con-
veniency of the water. As you enter into Gehanabad from Dehly, you meet with
a long and broad Street, on each fide whereof are Vaults, where the Merchants
keep fhops, being only plat-form’d at the top. This ftreet ends in the great Piazza
before the King’s Houfe ; and there is another very fair and large Street, that
runs toward another Gate of the fame Palace, in which live the gregt Merchants
fhat keep no Shops. ; apy geegr
The King’s Palace takes up above half a league in’ circuit: The Walls are of
fiir cut-Stoné with Battlements. The Moats are full of water, pav'c with Free-
ftone. , The great Gate of the Palace has nothing in it of magnificence ; no more
than the firft Court, into which the great Lords may enter upon their Elephants. .
Having
ree
A6
Travels in Iwota. Part IL.
Having paft that Court, you enter into another long and large paflage, with fair
Portico’s on both fides. Under which are feveral little Chambers, where part of
the Horfe-Guard lies. Thefe Portico’s are rais’d fome two foot above the ground,
and the Horfés which are ti’d without, feed upon the fteps. In fome places there
are great Gates that lead to feveral Apartments; as to the Womens Lodgings,
and to the Seat of Juftice. Inthe midit of the pallage runs a Cut full of water,
leaving a fair Walk on each fide, where, at equal diftances, are little Bafons op
Fountains.
This long Paflage carries yon into a great Court, where the Omra’s, that is to
fay, the great Lords of the Kingdom, fuch as the Bajba’s in Turkey, and the Kan’s
in Perfia, keep Guard in Perfon. They have low Lodgings round about the Court,
and their Horfes are tid to their doors.
From this fecond Court you pafs into a third, through a great Portal; on one
fide whereof there is a little Hall, rais’d fome two or three ficps high from the
ground. This is the Wardrobe where the Royal Garments are kept ; and from
whence the King fends for the Ca/aat, or a whole Habit for a man, when he
would honour any Stranger, or any one of his own Subjects. A little farther, un-
der the fame Portal, is the place where the Drums, Trumpets, and Haurboys are -
laid up ; which they found and beat a little before the King enters into bis Judg-
ment-Seat, to give notice to the Omrah’s ; and they make the fame noile when
the King is ready to rife. Entring into the third Court, you fee the Diva before
you, where the King gives Audience. This is a great Hall rais’d fome four-foot-
high above the fuperfcies of the Court, with three fides open. Thirty-two Pil-
~Jars fuftain as many Arches ; and thefe Columns are about four-foot-fquare, with
Pedeftals and Mouldings. When Cha-jebaa firtt began to build this Hall, he in-
tended to have enrich’d it, and inlaid it all over with thofe Stones that feem to be
naturally painted, like thofé in the Great Duke of Tfcany’s Chappel. But having
made a trial upon two or three Pillars, about two or three-foot-high, he found
that there would not be Stones enough, of that fort, in the World to finifh the
work ; befides the vaftnefs of the Sum it would come to. So that he left of
his defign, contenting himfelf with a Painting of {everal flowers. :
In the middle of this Hall, next to the fide which looks toward the Court,
there is a Throne erected upona kind of Theater, where the King gives Audience,
and pronounces Judgment. The Throne is a little Bed, with four Columns, about
the bignef$ of one of our Field-Beds, with a Canopy, Backpiece, Boulfter and
Counterpoint, alt embroider’d with Diamonds. Belides, all this, when the King
comes to fit upon the Throne, they throw over the Bed a Coverlet of Cloath of
Gold, or fome other richly-embroider’d Silk ; and he afcends by three little
fteps, two-foot-broad. On one fide of the Bed is erected an Umbreilo upon
a Staff, as long as an Half-Pike. Upon one of the Pillars of the Throne hangs
one of the King’s Weapons; upon another his Buckler; upon another his Sci-
metar ; and then his Bow and Quiver of Arrows, and other things of the fame na-
ture.
_ Below the Throne there is 2 place fome twenty-foot-f{quare, encompaft with
Balufters, which at fome times are cover'd with Plates of Silver, at other times
with Plates of Gold. At the four Corners of this {mall enclofure fit the four Se-
cretaries of State, who as well in Civil as Criminal Caufés, do the duty of Ad-
vocates. Many Lords ftand about this Baluftrade ; and there is alfo the Mufick
plae’d, that plays all the while the King is in the Divan. This Mufick is fo {weet
and foft, that it never takes off the mind from the ferioufnefs of bufinefs at that
time manag’d. The King being fat upon his Throne, fome great Lord ftands by
him ; generally it is fome one of his own Children. Between eleven a Clock
. and Noon, the Nahas, who is the chief Minifter of State, like the Grand Vizier
in Turkey, makes a report to the King of what has paft in the Chamber where he
Prefides, which is at the Entry of the firft Court; and when he has done {peak-
ing, the King rifes. For you muft take notice, that from the time that the King
is fate upon his Throne, till he rifes, no perfon whatfoever is permitted to ftir out.
of the Palace; and yet I can fay that the King difpenc’d with my performance of
oe fo generally obfery’d by all the Court: The occafion whereof was thus
in hort. “ee
‘Being
tr
Book I. Travels in Inpta
Being one day going out of the Palace,while the King was fitting in the Divan,
upon fume urgent bufinefs that would, admit of no delay, the Captain of the
Guards held me by the arm, and told me I fhould go no farther; I contelted and
argued the Cafe with him for fome time, but finding his ufage to, be very boifte-
rous, | lfted up my Cane, and had certainly ftrook him in my paffion, had not two
or three of the Guards that faw all the paffages, held my hand. Happily for me
at that time,the Wahab, who was then the King’s Unckle, eame by, and being in-
formed of the ground of our quarrel ; order’d the Captain of the Guards to let
_mego. After that he made a report to the King how the matter ftood ; and to-
ward evening the Wahab {ent me one of his Servants to tell me, it was his Ma-
jelty’s pleafure, that I might come in or go out of the Palace, though he were
frting inthe Divan, as I pleas’d my felf ; for which I went the next day, and re-
turn’d thanks to the Wahab.
Toward the middle of the fame Court there is a fmall Channel fome five or
fix inches. broad, where while the King is fitting upon the Seat of Juftice, they
that have bufinefg are to ftand. Further it is not lawful for them to go, till they
are call’d ; and Embafladors themfelves are not exempted from this cuftom.
When an Embaffador comes as far as this Channel, the Mafter of the Ceremonies
calls out toward the Divan where the King is fitting, that fuch an Embafiador
craves Audience of his Majefty. Then one of the Secretaries of State declares
it to the King ; who oftentimes makes as if he did not hear: But fome time after
lifting up his eyes, he cafts them upon the Embaflador, making him a fign by the
fame Secretary, that he may approach.
From the Hall of the Divan, turning to the left, you walk upon.a Terrafs,
where you difcover the River. Over this Terrafs the King pafles into a littlée”
Chamber, from whence he goes into his //aram. In this little Chamber it was
that I had my firft Audience of his Majefty ; as I fhall relate in another
place.
Upan the left-hand of the Court where the Divan is built, ftantls a little
Mofguee neatly built ; the Czpola whereof is cover'd with Lead perfectly guilded.
Here the King goes to hear Prayers every day, except it be Fridays, when he is
to go to the great AZofqvee, which is a very fair one, and placd upon an high
Platform, rais’d higher than the Houfes of the City, and there is a noble afcent to
it. That day that the King goes to the Afe/guee, they place huge rails of wood
round about the fteps, as well to keep off the Elephants, as out of refpect to the
Mofquee.
The right-fide of the Court is taken up with Portico’s, that make a long Gal-
lery, rais\d from the ground about half a foot ; and thefe are the King’s Stables,
into which you have many doors to enter. They are alfo full of ftately Horfes,
the worft whereof ftands the King in three-thoufind Crowns; and there are
fome that coft him ten-thoufand. At the door of every one of thefe Stables
hangs a kind of Mat made of Bambouc, that cleaves like our Ofiers. But where-
as we bind our Ofier-twigs with the fame Ofier, they bind their Bambguc’s with
wreath’d-Silk, which is delicate work, but very tedious. Thefe Mats are to hin-
der the Flies from tormenting the Horfes ; there being two Grooms to an Horfe;
one of which is ftill employ’d in fanning the Beaft. There are alfo Mats fpread
before the Portico’s, and before the Stable-door ; which they fpread or take
away as occafion requires. And the Floor of the Gallery is coverd with fair
Carpets, which is taken away in the evening, and the Horfes Litter ftrow’d in
the fame place. Which Litter is nothing but the Horfe-dung drid in the Sun, and.
then fqueez’d a little flat. The Horfés that are brought into Zndia cither outof
Perfia, Arabia, or the Countrey of Usbech, change their food : For in Jndéa they
never give them Hay nor Oats. Every Horfe in the morning having for his pro-
portion three loaves made of Meal, Wheat, and Butter, as big as one of our fix-
penny-loaves. “Tis an hard matter to bring them to this diet at firft ; it being
fometimes three or four Months before they cam do it. The Grooms forc'd to
hold their tongue in one hand, and to thruft down the bread with the other.
When Sugar-Canes or Millet are in feafon, they give them that dict about noon;
and in the evening, two hours before Sun-fet, they give them a meafure of Gar-
den-Chiches which the Groom fqueezes between two ftones, and mixes with war
ter.
a me ee
, Taavrls im Inpia. Pare ay -
ter. This is inftead of Barley and Oats. As for the King’s other Stables, where
he has alfo very fine Horfes, they are {curvy places, ill-built, which deferve not to
be mention’d. . : :
The Gemene is a fair River that bears good big Boats, which running to yr,
lofes its name, falling into Ganges at Hallabas. The King has feveral fill gy;.
gantines at Gehanabad upon the River, to take his pleafure in ; and they are very
curioufly trimm’d after the manner of the Countrey.
acaeenenammennaeneanameen et
CHAP. VHi
The continuance of the {ame Road from Dehly to Agra.
From Dehly to Badelpoura, coftes g
LL From Badelpoura to Pelvel-ki-fera, coftes 18
From Pelvel-ki-fera to Cotki-fera, coftes Is
From Cotki-fera to Cheki-fera, coftes 16
At Cheki-fera is one of the greateft Pagods of the Indians, together with an
Hofpital for Apes; as well for thofe that breed there-abouts, as for thofé that
come from the neighbouring-parts, which the Banians are very careful to feed,
This Pagod is call’d AZatura, and it was formerly in far greater veneration than
it is at thisday. The reafon is, becaufé the Gemene ran then juft at the very foot
of the Pagod ; wherein the Banians, as well thofe of the Countrey, as thofe that
came from remote parts in Pilgrimage, had the convenience to wath themfelves
before they went to their Devotions ; and when they had perform’d them, to
wath again before they eat ; which they are not to do ere they have wafh’d ; be-
lieving alfo that if they wath in running-water, their fins will be the more eafily
defacd.. But fome years fince the River, changing its courfé more to the North-
ward, comes not within a good league of the Pagod, which is the reafon thar the
Pilgrims have deferted ir.
From Cheki-fera to Goodki-fera, coftes 5
_ From Goodki-fera to Agra, coftes 6
Agra lies in 27 deg. 31 min. of Lat. and in a Sandy-foil, which caufés extre-
mity of heat. It is the biggeft City in /ndia, and formerly the Refidence of their
Kings. The Houres of great Perfons are fair, and well-built; but the Houfes of
the meaner-fort are as plain, as in all the other Cities of India. They are builta
good diftance one from another, and hid by the height of their Walls, to keep
their Women from being feen: So that it may be eafily conjectur'd that their
Cities are nothing fo pleafant as ours in Ewrope. Add to this, that Agra being en-
compaft round with the Sands, the heats are there very exceffive, which con-
ftrain'd Cha-jehan to remove from thence, and to keep his Court at Gehanabad.
All that is remarkable in -4gra is the King’s Palace ; and fome Monuments as
well near the City, as in the parts about it. The Palace of the King is a vaft piece
of ground encompaft with a double-wall, which is terraf’'d in fome parts, and
in thofe parts are built certain Lodgings for fome of the Officers of the
Court: The Gemeue runs before the Palace; but between the Wall and the
River there is a large fpace of ground, where the King caufes his Elephants to
fight. This Field is on purpofe near the water, becaufe that the Elephant which
gets the victory, being ina fury, they could not bring him to himfelf, did they
not drive him into the River : to which end they are fore’d to have recourfe to
Policy, by tying Squibs and Crackers to the end of an Half-Pike, and then giving
fire to them to fright him into the water: for when he is in but two or three-
~ foot-deep, he is prefently appeas’d. :
There isa wide Piazza upon one fide of the City before the Palace, and the
firft Gate, wherein there is nothing of magnificence, is guarded by a few Soul-
diers. Before the King removed his Court from Agra to Gehanabad, when he
went into the Countrey for fome time, he gave to fome one of his greateft
Omrah’s, who was his Confident, the Guard of his Palace, where his Treafire lay ;
an
i. ane.
Bookel. | Travels | it Iwnpta. 49
and till the return of the King he never ftirr’d out of the Gate, where he lode’d;
neither by night nor day. At fucha time as that it was, that | was permitted to
fee the Palace of égra. The King being departed for Gehznavad, whither all the
Court followed him, together with the Women, the Government of the Palace
was given to one that was a great Friend to the Hollanders, and indeed to al! the
Franguis. Menbeir Velant, chief of the Holland-Fattory at Agra, fo foon as thé
King was departed, went to vifit the Lord, and to prefent him aecording to
cuftom. The Prefent was worth about 6000 Crowns, and confifted in Spices,
Cabinets of fapan, and fine Holland-Cloath. He defird me to go along with
him when he went to Compliment the Governour. But the Lord being offended
that he had put himfelf to fo much charge, fore’d him to carry the Prefenr back
again, taking only one fapan-Cane, of fix that were in the Prefent, telling him he
would have no more, out of the kindnefs which he had for the Franguiz. Nay,
he would not fo much as take the Gold-head and Ferula, but caus’d them to be
taken off. ‘The Complements being over, the Governor ask’d A¢enheir Velanr,
wherein he might ferve him: whereupon he defiring the favour, that fince the
Court was gone, he might fee the infide of the Palace, the Governor granted his
requeft, and order’d fix men to attend him, Loe Tee ee
The firft Gate where the Governor of the Palace lies, is a Jong blind Arch,
which leads you into:a large Court all environ’d’with Portico’s ; lilse our Piazza
in Covent-Garden. ‘The Gallery in front is larger and higher than any of the reft,
fuftain’d by three ranks of Pillars, and under thofe Galleries on the other fide of
the Court which are narrower and lower, are little Chambers for the Souldiers
of the Guard. Inthe midft of the large Gallery, is @ Nich in the Wall, into
which. the King defcends out of his Haram by a privaté pair of Stairs, and
when-he is in, he feems to be ina kind of a Tomb. He has no Guards with him
then, for he has no reafon to be afraid of any thing; there being no way to
come at him. In-the heat of the day he keeps himfelf there only with one
Eunuch. but more often with one of his Children, to fan him. The Great Lords
of the Court ftay below in the Gallery under the Nich all the while. |
At the farther end of this Court is another Gate that leads into a fecond’
Court encompaft with Galleries, underneath which, are |ittke Chambers for fome
Officers of the Palace. The fecond Court carries you into a third, which is the
King’s Quarter. Cha-jeban had refolv’d to cover with Silver all the Arch of a
Gallery upon the right-hand. And a French-man, daf'iz de Bordeanx by name,
tras to have done the work: but the King not finding any one in his whole King-
dom fo capable as the Frexch-man was to treat with the Portwgals at Goa about
fome important affair he had at that time ; the defign was laid afide: For they
being afraid of -Aw/in’s Parts, poifon'd him upon his return to Cochin. This Gal-
lery is painted with branch’d-work of Gold and Azure, and the lower-part is
hung with Tapeftry. There are feveral doors under the Gallery that lead into
little {quare-Chambers ; of which we faw two or three open’d, and they told us
all the reft were fuch. The other three fides of the Court Ite all open, there be-
ing nothing but a fingle Wall, no higher than for a man to lean over. On the
fide that looks toward the River there is a Divan, or a kind of out-jutting Bal-
cone, where the King fits to fee his Brigantines, or to behold his Elephants fight.
Before the Divan is a Gallery, that ferves for a Portico ; which Cha-jeban had a
defign to have adorn’d all over with a kind of Lattice-work of Emraulds and Ru-
bies that fhould have reprefented to the life Grapes when they are green,and when’
they begin to grow red. But this defign which made fucha noife in the World,
and requir’d more Riches, than all the World could afford to perfect, remains
unfinith’d ; there being only three Stocks of a Vine in Gold, with their leaves, as
the reft ought to have beens and enamel’d in their natural colours, Em-
ralds, Rubies and Granates wrought into the fafhion of Grapes, In-
of the Court ftands a great Fat to bath in, 40 foot in Diameter,
entire grey-ftone, with fteps wrought out of the fame ftone
Olt. + “Ss4 foie 00 a eee
As for the Monuments which are.in and about sdgra, they are very fair ones ;
for there is fcarce an Eunuch belonging to the King’s Haram, that is not very.
ambitious of leaving a fair Monument behind ge Indéed, when ~ aed
. GA éa oe as
nd with-
50
‘men alw
| | \
Travels in Iypta. Part 0
heap'd together great Sums, they would fain be going to Adecca, and ma-
king rich Prefents to AZabomer. But the Great Mogul, unwilling to let his
Money go out of his Countrey, will feldom permit them leave to undertake
that Pilgrimage: and therefore not knowing what to do with their Money,
they employ a great part thereof in Monuments, to perpetuate their Memo-
ries.
Of all the Monuments that are to be feen at -4gra, that of the Wife of
Cha-jehan is the mott magnificent; fhe caus’d it to be fer up On purpofe near
the Tafimacan, to which all Strangers muft come; that they fhould admire jr,
The Tafimacan is a great, Bazar, or Market-place, compos'd of fix great Courts,
all encompafled with Portico’s ; under which there are Warehouies for Mer.
chants ; and where there is a prodigious quantity of Calicuts vended. The
Monument of this Degum, or Sultanefi, ftands on the Eaft-fide of the City,
upon the River fide, in a great place enclofed with Walls, upon which there
Tuns a little Gallery, as upon the Walls of many Cities in Exrope. This place
is a kind of Garden with Compartiments, like our Garden-plots ; but whereas
our Walks are made with Gravel, here the Walks are black and white Marble.
You enter into this place through a large Portal ; and prefently upon the left
hand you efpy a fair Gallery, that looks towards Adieca; wherein there “are
three or four. Niches, wherein the A¢#fii comes at certain hours to pray. A
little beyond. the middle of the place, toward the Water, are three great Plat-
forms, one rais’d above another, with four Towers at the four Corners of each,
and Stairs within, upon the cop whereof they call the people before the time
of their prayer. On the top there isa Cupola, little le{s magnificent than that
of Val de Grace in Paris; it is cover’d within and without with black Marble,
the middle being of Brick. Under this Cxpole is an empty Tomb; for the Be-
gum is inter’d under-the Arch of the loweft Platform. The fame change of
Ceremonies which is obferv’d under ground, is obferv’d above. For they change
the Tapeftries, Candles, and other Ornaments at feveral times, and there are
always Adoilai’s attending to pray. I faw the beginning and compleating of
this great work, that coir two and twenty years labour, and twenty thonfand
ays at work; fo that you cannot conceive but that the Expence mutt
be exceflive. Cha-jeban had begun to raife his own Monument on the other
fide of the River ; but the Wats with his Son, broke off that defign, nor did
Aurengzeb, nOW reigning, ever take any care to finifh it. There is an Eunuch
who commands two thonfand men, that is entru{ted to guard not. only the
Sepulcher of the Begum, but alfo the Tafimacan,
On another fide of the City, appears the Sepulcher of King -dkabar. And
as for the Sepulchers of the Exnuchs, they have only one Platform, with four
little Chambers at the four Corners. When you come to agra from Dehli),
you meet a great Bazar; near to which there is a Garden, where King feban-
uire, Father of Cha-jehan, lies interr’d. Over the Garden Gate you fee the
omb it felf, befet with Portraitures, coverd with a black Hearfe-Cloath, or
Pall, with Torches of white Wax, and two fefaxs attending at each end. There
are fome who wonder, that Cha-jehan againit the practice of the ALabumet ans,
who abhor Images, did permit of carving ; but the reafon conjectur’d at is,
ea is done upon the confideration that his Father and himelf learnt from
the fefuites certain principles of Mathematicks and Aftrology. Though he had
not the fame kindnefs for them at another time; for going one day to
vifit an Armenian, that lay fick, whofe name was Corgia, whom he lov’d very
well, and had honour’d with feveral Employments, at what time the e/wites,
who liv’d next to the <drmenians houfe, rang their Bell; the found thereof fo
difpleas’d the King, as being a difturbance to the fick perfon, that in a great
fury he commanded the Bell to be taken away, and hung about his Elephants
: heck. Some few days after, the King feeing his Elephant with that great
Bell about his neck, fearing fo great a weight might injure his Elephant, caus’d
the Bell to be carried to the Couteval, whichis a kind of a rail’d place, where
a Provoft fits as a Judg, and decides differences among the people of that
Quarter, where it has hung ever fince. This .drmenian had been brought up
with Cha-jehans and in regard he was an excellent Wit, and an ia ee mi
: 4 e
*
Book I. Travels in Inpta.
he was very much in the Kings favour, who had confer’d upon him many fair
Commands, though he could never either by threats or promifes win him to
turn ALahomet an. .
CHAP. Vill we
The Road from Agrato Patna, aud Daca, Cities in the Provimee of
Bengala, and of the Quarrel which the Author had with Cha-Eft-
Kan, the King’s Unckle.
| Departed from Agra toward Bengala the 25th of November 1665, and that
day I reach’d no farther than a very bad Inn, diftant from Agra, coltes 3
The 26th I came to Beruzabad, coftes 9
This is a little City where,at my return,I received eight thoufand Roupies,being
the remainder of the Money which Giafer-Kan ow’d me for Wares that he had
bought at fanabat.
The 27¢h to Serael Morlides, coftes 9
The 2874 to Serail Ejtanja, coftes 14
The 29th to Serail Haii-mal, coftes 12
The 30th. to Serail Sekandera, coftes 13
The 1 ft of December to Sanqual, coftes 14
I met that day 1 roWaggons,every Waggon drawn by fixOxen,& in every Waggen
0600 Roupies. This is the Revenue of the Provinceof Beng ilz,with all charges de-
fraid, and the Governor’s Purfe well-fill’d, comes to 5 ;00000 Roupies. A league
beyond Sanqual, you muft pafs a River call’d Saingoxr, which runs into Gemiue, not
above half a league diftant from it. You pafS over this River of Sasgour upon
a Stone-bridg, and when you come from toward Bergala to go to Seronge or Sa-
rat, if you have a mind to fhorten your journey ten days, you muft leave -dgra-
Road, and come to this Bridg, and fo Ferry over Gemine ina Boat. But generally
Ayra-Road is taken, becaufe the gther way you muft travel five or fix days to-
gether upon the ftones; and alfo for that you are to pais through the Territories
of certain Raja’s, where you are in danger of being robb‘d. :
The fecond day I came to an Inn call’d Cherourabad, coftes 12
When you are got about half the way, you pafs through Gianabad, a little
City, near to which, about a quarter of a League on this fide, crofling a Field
of Millet, | faw a Rhinoceros feeding upon Millet-Canes , which a little Boy
of nine or ten years old gave him to eat. When I came near the Boy, he
gave me fome Millet to give the Rhinoceros ; who immediately came to me, open-
ing his chops three or four times ; I put the Millet into his mouth, and when he
had fwallow’d it, he ftill open’d his mouth for more.
The 3d I came to Serrail Chajeada, coftes Io
The 4th'to Serrail Atakan, coftes 13
The sth to Aureng-Abad, coftes 9
Formerly this Village had another name; but being the place where -Aureng-
zeb gave Battel to his Brother Sw#/tan Sujah, who was Governor of all the Pro-
vince of Bengala; Aureng-zeb, in Memory of the Victory he had won, gave it.
his own name, and built there a very fair Houfe, with a Garden, and a little
Mofquee.
The 6th to Alinchan, coftes “43
Two leagues on this fide .dlinchan, you meet the River Ganges. Monfiewr Ber-
nier the King’s Phyfitian, and another perfon whofe name was Rachepot, with
whom L travell’d, were amaz’d to fee, that a River that had smade fuch a noite
in the World, wasno broader than the River Seine before the Lovre ; be-
lieving before, that it had been as wide as the Danaw above Belgrade. There is
alfo {o little water in it from AZarch to June or uly, when the rains fall, lea
will not bear a {mall Boat. When we came to Ganges, we drank every one of Usa
sii 3 Gyafs
er
: 52 Travels in Inpia. Part I.
LT ee A ttt At a
te
a he
a
Glafs of Wine, mixing {ome of the River-water with it; which causd a griping
in our bellies ¢ But our Servants that drank it alone, were worfe tormented than
we. The Hollanders, who have an Houfe upon the Bank of Ganges, never drink
the water of this River, until they have boil'd it. But for the natural Inhabitants
of the Countrey, they are fo accuftom’d to it from their youth, that the King
and the Court drink no other. You fhall fee a vaft number of Camels every
day, whofe bufinefS only it is to fetch water from the Ganges.
The 7+4, I came to Halabas, coftes : 8
Halabas isa great City, built upon a point of Land where Ganges and Ge-
mine meet. There is a fair Cafthe of hew’n Stone, with a double Moat; where
the Governour refides. He is one of the gréatelt Lords in Luda; and bein
very fickly, he has always about him ten Perfian Phylicians. He had alfo in
his {ervice, Claudius Maille of Bourges, who practiles Chyrurgery and Phytick
both together. This was he that advisd us not to drink of Ganges Water,
which would put us into a loofenefs; but rather to drink Well-wacer, The
chief of thefe Perfia» Phyficians, whom this Governour hires with lis Money,
one day threw his Wife from the top of a Battlement to the ground ; prompt-
€d to that act of cruelty, by fome jealoufies he had entertain d. He choughe
the fall had killd her, but fhe had only a Rib or two bruisd; whereupon the
Kindred of the Woman came and demanded juftice, at the feet of the Gover-
nour. The Governour fending for the Phyfician, gommanded him to be gone,
refolving to retain him no longer in his fervice, The Phytician obey’d , and
putting his maim’d Wife ina Pallanquin, he tet forward upon the Road with
all his Family. But he was not gone above three or four days journey from
the City, when the Governour finding himfelf worfe than he was wont to be,
fent to recall him; which the Phyfician perceiving, ftab’d his Wife, his four
Children, and thirteen female Slaves, and return’d again to the Governour, who
{iid not a word to him, but entertain’d him again into his fervice.
The eighth day L crofs’d the River ina large Boat, having ttay’d from morn-
ing till noon upon the bank-fide, expecting Monfieur AZail/e, to bring me a Pals-
port from the Governour. For there ftands a Derega upon each fide of the
River, who will not fuifer any perfon to pafs without leave ; and he takes no-
tice what fort of Goods are tranfported ; there being due from every Waggon
four Roupies, and from every Coach one ; not accounting the charge of the
Boat,which you muft pay befide. The fame day I went to Sadoul-ferasl, coftes 16
The ninth, to Yakedel-fera, coltes To
The tenth, to Bosraki-fera, .coltes . 10
The eleventh, to Banarou, calftes Io
Banarow is a large City, and handfomly built ; the moft part of the Houfes
being either of Brick or Stone, and higher than ia any other Cities of Jndia ;
but the inconveniency is, that the Streets are very narrow. There are many
Inns in the Town; among the reft, one very large, and very handfomely built.
In the middle of the Court are two Galleries, where are to be fold Calicuts,
Silks, and other forts of Merchandife. The greateft part of the Sellers, are
the Workinen themfélves ; fo that the Merchants buy at the firft hand. Thefe
Workmen, before they expofe any thing to fale, muft go to him that has the
ftamp, to have the Kings Seal fet upon their Linnen and Silks ; otherwife they
would be fin’d, and lambafted with a good Cudgel. This City is {cituated
upon the North fide of Ganges, that rans by the Walls, and into which there
falls alfo another River, fome two Leagues upward toward the Weft. In Banarox
ftands one of the Idolaters principal Pagods, whereof I fhall {peak in my fecond
Book, when I come to treat of the Religion of the Banians. .
About five hundred paces from the City Northward, there is a Aofauee,
where are to be feen many ALahomeran Sepulchers ; whereof fome are very
curious pieces of Architecture, The faireft are every one in the middle of a
Garden enclofed with Walls, wherein there are Holes fome half a foot fquare,
through which Paflengers may have a fight of the Tomb within. The moft
confiderable of all is as it were a four fquare Pedeftal, every {quare whereof
is forty paces wide. In the midit of this Platform rifes a Column thirty-two
or thirty-five foot high, all of a piece, which three men can hardly embrace.
: The
Book I. Travels in Inpta.
- The Stone is of a grey colour, and fo hard that I could not fcrape it with my
Knife. As it is Pyramidical, there is a great Bowl at the top, which is en-
compafs'd at the upper end with hage Grains of Wheat. All the fronts of
the Tomb are full of figures of Animals cut. in the Stone ; and it has been
higher above ground than now it feems to be, for feveral old men, that look’d
to fome of the Sepulchers, affur’d me, that within thefe fifty years it had funk
above thirty foot into the Earth. They tell you moreover, that it is the Se-
pulcher of one of the Kings of Bowtan, who was interr’d here after he had left
his own Countrey to conquer this Kingdom, out of which he was driven by
the Succeflors of Tamerlane. The Kingdom of Boxtan is the place from whence
they fetch Musk, and I will give you a defcription of it in my third Book,
I ftay'd at Banaroa the 12th and 13+; and during thofe two days it rain’d
continually, but not fo as to ftop my journey ; fo that the evening of the thir-
teenth day I crofs’d the Ganges, with the Governours Pafs-port. Before you
. go into the Boat, they fearch the Travellers baggage; wearing Apparel how-
ever pays nothing of Cuftom, but only Merchandife.
The 13th, Lwent to Baterpour, coftes
The 14th, to Satraguy-fera, coftes 3 : |
The 15th, to AMomarky-fcra, coftes se ee EAE
The fame day in the morning, after I had travePd two Leagues, I crofs'd a
River call’d Carnafarfou ; and three Leagues from thence I crofsd another,
which they call Saode-fox ; both which I foarded,
The 16th, to Gourmabad, coftes 8
This is a Town upon a River call’d Gondera-fow, which is crofs’d over a Stone-
Bridg. | :
The 17th, to Saferon, coftes es 4
“Saferon is a City at the foot of certain Mountains, near to which there is
a great Lake. In the middle whereof there is a fimall Ifland, with a fair Mofquee
built upon it ; wherein is to be feen, the Sepulcher of a Nuab or Favourite,
call’d Selim-Kan ; who built it when he was Governour of the Province. There
is a fair Bridg to crofs over into the Ifland, pavd and lin’d with large free
Stone. Upon one fide of the Lake isa great Garden, in the middle whereof
is another fair Sepulcher of the Son of the fame Nabab, Selim-Kan, who fuc-
ceeded his Father in the Government of the Province. If you would go to
the Mine of Sowlmelpour, whereof I fhall fpeak in the laft Book of thefe Re-
lations, you muft leave the great Road to Patna, and bend to the South through
Exberbourgh, and the famous FortrefS of Rhodes, of which I fhall treat in the
fame place. me
The 18rh, I ferry’d ina Boat over the River Sonfox; which defcends from”
the Southern Mountains ; after you have crofs’d it, the Merchandife pays a cer-
tain Toll.
The fame day I travel’d on to Daond-Nagar-fera, where there is a fair
Tomb, coftes 9
The 19th, to Halva-fera, coftes Io
The 20th, to Aga-fera, coftes : : 9g
In the morning I met a hundred and thirty Elephants, great and fimall, which
they were leading to Dehli to the great Adogul.
The one and twentienth, to Patna, coftes 10
Patna is one of the greateft Cities of India, upon the Bank of Ganges, to-
ward the Weft ; not being lefs than two Leagues in length. But the Houfes
are no fairer than in the greateft part of the other Cities of Jndsa 5 being
coverd with Bambouck, or Straw. The Holland -Company have a Houfe there,
by reafon of their Trade in Saltpeter, which they refine at a great Town call’d
Choupar, which is alfo fcituated upon Ganges, ten Leagues above Patna.
Coming to Patna, we met the Hollanders, in the Street returning from Chox-
par, who ftop’d our Coaches to falute*us. We did not part, till we had emptied
two Bottles of Schiras Wine in the open Street; which is not taken notice of
in that Country, where people meet with an entire freedom without any Cere-
mony. isis
I ftay’d eight days at Parna, during which time there fell out an accident,
“CO.
which
54
Re
Travels iM Inpia. Part. il,
which will let the Reader underftand, that Sodomy does not go. altogether un-
punifh’d among the ALahumerans. A Adimbachi, who commanded. a thoufand
Foot, went about to abufe a young Boy in his fervice ; and who. had fevera}
times refifted his attempts ; complaining alfo to the Governour, and telling
him withall, that if his Mafter perfifted to. urge him any more, he would cer-
tainly kill him. At length the Captain took his opportunity, ata Houte which
he had in the Country, and fore’d the Boy. The Boy orewhelim’d With grief
and rage, took his opportunity alfo to revenge himfelf; and being one day hunt-
ing with his Mafter, about a quarter of a League from any of his other Sep.
vants, he got behind him, and cleft his head with his Hanger. After he had
done, he rode full fpeed to the City, crying out all the way, that he had kilPg
his Mafter for fuch a reafon ; and went immediately to the Governours Lodg-
ing, who fent him to prifon; but he let him out at the end of fix months ;
and notwithftanding all the endeavours which the Captains Kindred us’d to have
had him put to death, the Governour durft not condemn him, for fear of the
people, who affirm’d that the Boy had done well.
I parted from Patna in a Boat for Daca, the nine and twentieth of fany-
ary, between eleven and twelve at noon; and had the River been deep, as it
nfee to be after the Rains, I had taken Boat at Hal/abas, or at leait ar Bg
HAT OH,
The fame day I came to lye at fera-Beconcour, coftes If
Five Leagues on this fide Beconcour, you meet with a River call’d Pompon-
fou, which comes from the South, and falls into Ganges.
The thirtieth to Sera-d’ Erija, coftes I
The one and thirtieth, after we had travel’d four Leagues, or thereabout,
we met with the River Kaoa, which comes from the South. Three Leagues
lower, you meet with another River call’d Chanon, which comes from the
North. Four Leagues farther, you difcover the River Ergvga, which runs from
the South ; and at length, fix Leagues beyond, the River qxera, falling from
‘the fame part of the World; all which four Rivers lofé their Names in the
Ganges. All that day I faw great Mountains toward the South, diftant from
Ganges fometimes ten, and fometimes fifteen Leagues, till at length I came
to lodg in Afonger-City, coftes 18
The firft day of January, 1666, after | had gone by Water two hours, I faw
“the Gander ‘fall into the Ganges, flowing from the North. This is a great Ri-
ver, that carries Boats.
That eveining I Jay at Zangira, coftes 8
But in regard of the winding of Ganges all that days journey, I might well
reckon them by Water two and*twenty Leagues.
The fecond day, from between fix in the morning till eleven, I faw three
Rivers that threw themfelves into Ganges ; all three defcending from the North.
The: firft is call’d Ronova, the fecond Tue, the third Chanan. |
I came to lye at Baguelpoxr, coftes 18
The third, after four hours upon the Ganges, I met the River Katare, which
comes from the North ; and lay at a Village call’d Pongangel, at the foot of
certain Mountains that defcend to Ganges it felf, coftes 13
The fourth, an hours rowing beyond Pongangel, 1 met a great River, calld
Mart-Nadi, coming from the South; and I lay at Rage-Achale, coftes 6
Rage-Mehale, is 2 City upon the right hand of Ganges; and if you go by
Land, you fhall find the high-way, for a League or two, pav'd with Brick to
the Town. Formerly the Governours of Bengala refided here; it being au
excellent Country for hunting, befides that it was a place of great Trade. But
now the River having taken another courfe, above a good half League from the
City, as well for that reafon, as to keep in awe the King of -dracan, and fe-
‘veral Portzguefe Banditi, who are retir’'d to the mouths of Ganges, and made
-excurfions even as far as Daca it felf; both the Governour and the Merchants
have remov'd themfelves to Daca, which is at prefent a large City, and a
Town of great Trade. i
The fixth,being arriv’d at a confiderable Town, calP’d Donapour, fix Leagues from
Rage-Mehale, ¥ parted with Monfieur Bernier, wha was going to ll
: an
Book I. Travels in Inp ia 55
and thence to Ogouli by Land ; for when the River is low; there is no going by
Water, by reafon of a great Bank of Sand that lies before a City call’d Szun-
tiqus. :
[lay that night at Toutiposr, diftant froin Rage-mebale, coftes . 12
I faw there at Sun-rifing a great number pf Crocodiles lying upon the Sand.
The feventh, I came to 4cerar, coftes 2
From -Acerat to Daca, it is counted by Land forty-five Leagues. All ela
day Ifaw fuch a vaft number of Crocodiles, that I had a great défire to fhoot
_ at one, to try whether the vulgar report were true, that a Musket-fhot would
not pierce their skin. The bullet hit him inthe jaw, and made the blood gufh
out; however he would not ftay in the place, but plung’d into the River.
The eighth, I faw again a great numbet lying upon the bank of the River; and
made two fhot at two with three bullets at atime. As foon as they were woufi-
ded, they turn'd themfelves upon their backs, opening their throats, and did upon
the {pot.
That day I came to lie at Doxlondia, coftes 17
The Crows were here the caufe that we found a very fair Fifh, which the Fifher-
men had hid among the Ofiers by the fide of the River ; for when our Water-imen
faw the Crows in great numbers hovering, and making an hideous noife about the
Ofiers, they prefently conjectur’d that there was fomething more than ordinary <.
and they made fo diligent a fearch, that at length they found an excellent difth of
meat. :
The ninth, two hours after noon, we met with a River call’d Chativor, that rons
from the North, and we lay at Dampour, coftes : I
The tenth, we lay by the River-fide ina place remote from Houfes; and we
travell’d that day, coftes ts
~ The eleventh, toward evening, being come to that part where Ganges divides it
felf into three Arms, whereof one runs to Daca; we lay ata large Town, upon
the entry of the great Channel, which Town is call’d fatrapour, coftes - 20
They that have no luggage, may make a fhort-cut from fatrapoar to Daca, and
fave much ground, by reafon of the many windings of the River.
The twelf, about noon, we paft by a large Village call’d Bagamara, and came to
lie at Kafiata, another great Town, coftes 11
The thirteenth, about noon we met with a River, two Jeagues from Daca,
call’d Laquia, which runs from the North-Eaft. Iuft againft the Point where the
two Rivers join, there ftands a Fortrefs of each fide, with feveral pieces of Can-
non. Half aleague Jower, appears another River call’d Pagalv, apon which there
is a fair Bridg of Brick, which A4:rz4-AdZola caus’d to be built. River comes
from the North-Ea‘t ; and half a league upward appears another River calPd Ca+
damtali, that runs from the North, over which there is another Bridg of Briek.
On both fides of the River are feveral Towers, as it were enchas’d with féveral
heads of men, executed for robbing upon the high-way.
About evening we came to Daca, having travell’d by water that day,coftes 9
Daca isa great Town, that extends it felf only inlength; every one coveting to
have an Houfe by the Ganges-fide. The length of this Town is above two leagues.
And indeed from the laft Brick-Bridg which I mention’d, to Daca, there is but one
continued row of Houfes feparated one from the other; inhabited for the moft
part by Carpenters, that build Galleys and other fmall Veffels. Thefe Houfes are
"properly no more than paltry Huts built up with Bambowe’s, and daub'd over with —
fat Earth. Thofe of Daca are not much better built: The Governor's Palace is
a place enclos’d with high Walls, in the midft whereof is a pittiful Houfé, built
only of Wood. He generally lodges in Tents, which he caufes to bé fet ap ina
great Court of that knclofure. The Hollanders finding that their Goods wére not
fafe in the ordinary Houfes of Daca, have built them a very fair Howfe ; and the
English have another, which is reafonably handfom. The Charch of the <4xftin-
Friers is alt of Brick, and is a very comely Pile. Fe ae
When I travell’d laft to Daca, the Nahab Cha-Eft-Kan, wito was then Gover-
nor of Beng ala, was at War with the King of Arakan, whofe Naval-Force confifts
Ae of 200 Galeafles, attended by féveraf other finaller Veflels. Theft
afeaffes run through the Gulf of Bengata, and efiter into the mouth of sie Mh
the
OS,
56 Travels in Inpta. Pare.
a ee
the Sea flowing up higher then Daca. Cha-Eft-Kan, Uncle to King dureng-
zeb, the prefent AZogu!/, and the beft Head-piece that ever was in all his errito-
ries, found out a way to corrupt feveral of the King of -dracan’s Captains, fo thar
ef a fudden forty Galeailes, commanded by Portzgals, came and joind themfelves
with him. ‘To engage more firmly all this new multitude to bis fervice, he
gave a larger pay to all the Portwgal~Officers, and to the Souldicrs proportiona~
blv : But thofé of the Countrey had no more than their ordinary pay doubl’d,
"Tis an incredible thing to fee how {wiftly thef¢ Galeafles cut their way in the wa-
ter. Some are fo long that they carry fifty Oars of a fide ; but they have but
two men roan Oare: There are fome very curioufly painted, and upon which
there is no coft of Gold and Azure fpar’d, The Hollanders have {ome of their
own to tranfport their Goods ; and fometimes they are forc’d to hire others,
whereby many people get a good livelihood. —
The next day after my arrival at Daca, which was the 14th of /axsary, I went
to wait upon the Nahab; and prefented him with a Garment of Cloath of Gold,
Jac’d with a Gold-needle-work Lace of Point of Spain; with a Scarf of Gold
and Silver of the fame Point; anda very fair Emrald-Jewel. Toward evening,
- being return’d to the Hollander’s Houle, where I lodg’d, the Wahab fent me Gra-
nates, China-~Oranges, two Perfian-Melons, and three forts of Pears. |
The fifteenth, I thewed him my Goods, and prefented the Prince with a Watch,
ina Gold-Enamell’d-Cafe ; with a pair of little Piftols inlaid with Silver, and a
very fair Profpective-Glafs. What I gave to the Father and the Son, a young
Lord, about ten years old, ftood me in above five thoufand Livres.
The fixteenth, | treated with him about the Prizes of my Goods: And at length
I went to his Steward to take my Letter of Exchange to be paid at Cafen-Bazar,
Not but that he would have paid me my Money at Daca; but the Hollanders, who
under{tood things better than I did,told me it was very dangerous to carry Mony to
Cafen-Bazar,whither there was no going,but over the Ganges by water,the way by
land being full of Bogs and Fers. And to go by water is no lef{s dangerous, by reafon
that the Boats which they ufe, are very apt to tip over upon the leaft ftorm: And
when the Mariners perceive that you carry Money along with you, ’tis an eafy
thing for them to overfet the Boat, and afterwards to come and take up the
Money that lies but at the bottom of the River.
The twentieth, I took leave of the Nahbab, who defird me to come and fee
him again, and caus’d a Pafs to be deliver'd me, wherein hie gave me the title of
one of the Gentlemen of his Houfe, which he had done before, when he was Go-
vernor of Amadabad, when I went to him, to the Army, in the Province of Decan,
into which the Raja-(eva-gi was enter’d, as I fhall relate inanother place. By ver-
rue of thefe Pafles I could travel over all the Countreys of the Great Afogul, as
being one of his Houfhold.
The one and twentieth, the Hollanders made a great Feaft for my fake; to
which they invited the Englifh, and fome Portuguefe’s, together with the -daftin-
Friers of the fame Nation. ;
The two and twentieth, I made a Vifit to the Exglif>, whofe Prefident then was
Mr. Prat. |
From the twenty-third to the twenty-ninth, I bought up Goods, to the value
of 11000 Roupies ; and after I had embark’d them, I took my leave.
The twenty-ninth, in the evening, I departed from Daca, the Hollanders bear-
ing me company for two leagues, with their little Barques Arm’d; Nor did we
{pare the Spanifb-Wine all that time. Having been upon the River from the
twenty-ninth of fanuary to the eleventh of Feéruary, 1 left my Goods and Ser-
vants in the Barque at 4cerat ; where I took a Boat that carri’d me to a great
Village call’d ALirdapour.
‘The next day I hir’d an Horfe for my felf, but not finding another for my Lug-
gage,I was fore’d to hire two Women, who carri’d it for me.’ That evening I ar-
riv’d at Cafen-Bafar, where | was welcom’d by Afenheir Arnold Van Wachttendonk ,
Director of all the Ho/land-Factories in Bengala,who invited me to lie at his Houtfe.
The fourteenth, ALenheir Wachttendonk return’d to Ouguely, where is the Gene-
ral Factory. The fame day one of my Servants brought me word that my
People and Goods, which I had left behind in the Bargue, had been in very
‘ great
-
rn oe >
POSES Ee a
Book I. Travels in Inpia.
- great danger, by reafon of the high Winds that had blown for two days to-
ether.
The fifteenth, the Hollanders lent me a Pallekis, to go to Afade/ou-bafark:.
This was a great Town three ‘Leagues from Cafen-bafar, where lay Cha-Ejt-
Kans Receiver General, to whom I prefented my Bill of Exchange. He told
me it was very good, and that he would willingly have paid me, had he not
receiv'd order the night before, not to pay me, in café he had not paid me al-
ready. Hedid not tell me the reafon that mov’d Cha-Eft-Kaz to act in that
manner ; fo that I went home to my Lodging infinitely furprizd at his pro-
ceeding.
The fixteenth, I wrote to the Nahas, to know the reafon why he had for-
bad his Receiver General to pay me.
The feventeenth in the evening, I took water for Oxgueli, in a Bark of four-
teen Oars, which the Hollanders lent me; and that night and the next I lay
upon the River.
The nineteenth toward evening, I pafs’d by a large Town call’d Nandi, far-
ther than which the Sea does not flow. Here the Wind blew fo fiercely, and
the Water grew fo rough, that we were forced to ftay three or four hours,
and ly by the fhore. : Steg coe ee,
The twentieth, I arriv’d at Oxgueli, where I ftay’d till the fecond of ALarch.
During which time the Hollanders bid me very welcome, and made it their
bufinefs to fhew me all the divertifements which the Country was capable to
afford. We went feveral times in Pleafure-Boats upon the River, and we had
a Banquet of all the Delicacies that the Gardens of Ezrope could have atforded
us. Salads of all forts, Colewarts, Afparagus, Peafe, but our chiefeft Difh was
fapon Beans ; the Hollanders being very curious to have all forts of Pulfe and
Herbs in their Gardens, though they could never get Artichokes to grow in
that Country.
The fecond of March I left Ongueli, and the fifth arriv’d at Cafendafar.
The next day lwent to ALadefou-Barfaki, to know whether the Nabab had
fent any other orders to his Receiver. For I told youa little before, that f
wrote upon the place to Cha-Ej?-Kan, to complain of his proceedings, and
to know the reafon why my Bill of Exchange was not paid. The Director
of the Holland Factories writ a Letter alfo in my behalf, which I enclofed,
wherein he repre‘ented to the Nzbas, that I was too well known to him, as
having been formerly with him at madabar, in the Army in Decan, and othet
places, to deferve fuch hard ufage. That he ought to confider, that I bein
the only perfon that brought the chiefeft rarities of Ewrope to the Jndies, ig
was not the way to make me eager of returning any more, as he himfelf. had
invited me to do, to fend me away in a difcontent. Befides, that the credit
of my report would difcourage others from coming to the Indies, fearing the
fame ufage as I had receiv’d. Neither mine nor the Directors Letter producd
that effect which we expected. Nor was I much better fatisfi’d with the new
order which the Wahab fent to his Receiver; which was to pay me, abating
twenty thoufand Roupies of the fum which we had agreed upon; and if f
would not take the remainder, that I might come and fetch my goods again.
This ill dealing of the Nahab, proceeded from a feurvy trick that was play'd.
me by three Canary-birds at the Great Afogal’s Court. The ftory whereof
was thus in fhort:
Axnrengzeb, that now reigns, at the inftigation of two Perfians and a Banian,
has brought up a cuftom very much to the difadvantage of Merchants, that .
come out of Ewrepe, and other parts, to fell Jewels at Court. For whether
they come into Jndia either by Land or Sea, the Governour of the place
where they firft arrive, has order to fend them to the King, togethe with
their goods, whether they will or no. As the Governour of Sarat dealt by
me, in the year 1665, fending me to Dehli, or fehestiats where the King
was. There were then attending upon his Majefty, two Perfans and a Banian,
who are entrufted to view and examine all the Jewels which are to be fold
to the King. One of thofe Perfans is call’d Nabab-Akel-K an, that is, the Prince,
of the Spirits ; who keeps all the Kings Jewels, The name of the bie is
as | RAH
i
57
¢
6 Travels in Iypia. Parc. IL.
Mirza-Moxfon, whole bufinefs is to rate every itone. The Baxiay, whofe
name is Nalikan, is to fee whether the Stones be falfe or not, or Whether they
have any defect. Thefe three men have obtain d a Licence from the King, to
view, before ever he does, whatever forreign Merchants fhall bring to Court,
and to prefent their goods to him themfelves. And though they are under an
Oath not to take any thing from the Merchants, yet they EXtort whatever
they can get from them, though it be to their ruine. When they fee any thing
that is lovely, and likely to bring great profit, they would perfwade you to
fel] it to them for lefs by half than the thing is worth 5 and if you refufe to
let them have it, when they are in the Kings prefence, they will {et a price
upon it at half the value; knowing that darengzed is not very covetous of
Jewels, loving his Money far better. Upon the Kings Fettival-day, of which
J fhall fpeak in another place, all the Princes and Nobility of the Court pre-
fent him with moft magnificent gifts. And when they cannot meet with Jewels,
they fend him Roupies of Gold, which the King likes far better than Stones ;
though Jewels are the more honourable prefent. Therefore when this Feftival
draws nigh, he iflues out of his Treafury, a great quantity of Diamonds, Ru-
bies, Emrauldsy and Pearls, which he who is entrufted to prize the Stones, de-
livers to feveral.Merchants to fell to the Nobility, who are bound to prefent
the King ; by which means the King gets the Money and his Jewels again.
There is alfo another thing very difadvantageous to a Merchant Jeweller,
which is, that when the King has feen the Stones, no Prince or Nobleman
that knows of it, will ever buy them. Befides, while thete three perfons, who
are entrufted to view the Jewels, are confidering and examining them at their
Lodgings, feveral Banians refort thither, who are expert, fome in Diamonds,
fome in Rubies, fome in Emraulds, and others in Pearls, who write down the
weight, goodnefs, cleannefs, and colour of every piece. So that when a Mer-
chant goes afterwards to any Prince or Governour of any Province, thefe people
fend them a note of what he has, and the price, which they fet down at half
the value. For in trade thefe Banians are a thoufand times worfe than the
7ews ; more expert in aH forts of cunning tricks, and more malicioufly mifchie-
vous in their revenge. Now you fhall hear what a trick thefe unworthy peo-
ple ferv’d me.
When Larrivd at Gehanabad, one of them came to my Lodging, and told
me, he had order from the King to fee what I had brought, before I expos’d
my goods in the Kings prefence. They would have rather that the King had
not been at Gehanabad, for they would have thea endeavour’d to have bought
them themfeives, to gain thereby, by felling them again to the King, or the
Nobility upon occafion ; which they could never perfwade me to. The next
day they came to fee me all three, one after another ; and they would needs
have of me, amongft other things, a Jewel of nine great Pearls, in the fathion
of a Pear, the biggeft whereof weigh’d thirty Carats, and the leaft fixteen;
together with another fingle Pearl like a Pear, of fifty-five Carats. As for
the jewel, the King took it; bur for the fingle Pearl, they finding that what-
ever they could fay, 1 would not be wrought upon to fell them any bargains, -
fo order’d it, that before I had thew’d my Jewels to the King, Giafer-Kan
the Kings Uncle faw, and kept it, telling me he would give me as good a
price as the King; and defir’'d me not to fpeak of it, for indeed he had a de-
fign to make a prefent to the King.
When the King had made choice of fuch of my Jewels as he pleas’d, Giafer-
Kan bought of me feveral pieces, and at the fame time agreed with me for
the great Pearl. Some days after he paid me, according as we had agreed, €x-
cept for the Pearl, upon which he would have abated me ten thonfand Rov-
_ pies. For the two Perfians and the Banian had malitioufly inform’d him, that
at my firit arrival, they could have bought the Pearl for eight or ten thoufand
Roupies leis than I had valu’d it to him; which was abfolutely falfe. There-
upon Giafer-Kan telling me, that if I would not take his Money, I might
have my Jewel again; I took him at his word, affuring him, he fhould never
fee it again.as long as he lJiv’d. And I was as good as my word. And indeed
cat which made me the more refolute was, that I was refolv’d to carry fome-
| . thing
BookL ‘Travels in Inia
el
fomething which was confiderable to Cha-E/f-K an; for could I have had my liber-
ty upon my arrival at Surat to have gone to him, I would never have fcen
the King at Gebanabad; about which I had a very great quarrel with the Go-
yernour of Swrat. For when I came to vifit him, he told me prefently, that
the cafe was alter’d from what it had been fince my laft being there, for that
the King was refolv’d to have the firft view of all Curiofities imported into
his Kingdom. I was above four Months contending in vain with the Gover-
nour; but nothing would ferve ; I muft go tothe King, and for fear I fhould
take another Road, he fent fifteen Horfemen along with me as far as Sha-
laour.
When I went for Bengala, thefe Overfeers of the Jewels, out of meer fpite,
and, it may be, fet on by Giafer-Kan, to be reveng’d of me for denying to
fet him have my Jewel, writ to Cha-Ejf- Kan, that I intended to fhew him
certain Jewels, among the reft avery fair Pearl, which I had fold to Gsafer-
Kan; but that he had given it me again, becaufe he underftood that I would
have made him pay for it, ten thoufand Roupies more than it was worth.
They wrote alfo the particular proportion of all the other Stones which |
carry’d. And upon this falfe and malicious advice .it was, that Cha-Ejt- Kan,
who receiv’d not this information till he had deliver’d me my Bill of Exchange,
would abate me for my whole parcel, twenty thoufand Roupies, which he
reduc’d at length to ten thoufand; and well I had it too.
Since I told you before, what @ Prefent I gave to Cha-Efi-Kam; | think
jt not amifs to tell you, what I gave the King, to Wahab Grafer-Kan, to the
Eunuch of the Grand Begum, -durengzeb’s Sifter, the Great Treafurer, and the
Porters of the Treafury. For you muft take notice, that whoever-he be, that
craves Audience of the King, they ask him in the firft place, where the Pre-
fent is which he intends for the King; and examine whether it be fitting to
prefent to his Majefty. For no man muft come into his prefence empty handed,
though it be an honour dearly purchasd. Coming then to Gehanabad, 1 went
to make my obeifance to the King ; and this is the Prefent which I made
him.
In the firft place, a Buckler of Brafs highly embofs'd, and very richly guilt,
the coft of the Guilding alone amounting to two hundred Ducats of Gold, or
eighteen hundred Livres; the value of the whole piece coming to four theu-
fand three hundred feventy eight Livres. In the middle thereof was the ftory
of Curtivs, who threw himfelf and his Horfe into the Barathrum, when the
Barth gap’d, near Rome. Round the outermott Circle of the Buckler, was re-
prefented the fiege of Rochel. It was wrought by one of the beft Workmen
in France, by the order of Cardinal Richlier. All the great Lords that were
about Awrengze at that time, were charm’d at the beauty of the Workman-
fhip, and told him, he could not do better, than to put it upon the great -
Elephant, which carry’d the Standard before his Majefty when he march’d into
the Field.
I prefented him alfo with a Battle-Axe of Chryftal of the Rock, the fides
whereof were fet with Rubies and Emraulds, enchas’d in Gold in the body of
the Chryftal, which coft three thoufand one hundted and nineteen Livres.
Moreover, I prefented him with a Saddle after the Turky fafhion, embroi-
der'd with little Rubies, Pearls, and Diamonds, which coft two thoufand eight
hundred and ninety-two Livres.
I prefented him alfo with another Saddle and Foot-cloath, embroiderd with
Gold and Silver, to the value of one thoufand feven hundred and thifey Livres.
ne whole Prefent amounting to twelve thoufand one hundred and mincteen
ivres, .
The Prefent which I made to Giafar-Kan, the Great Aogal’s Unkle, was a
Table, with other nineteen pieces to make a Cabinet, all nataur! Stones, of divers
colours, reprefenting the fhapes of feveral Birds and Flowers. The work was
made at Florence, and coft two thoafand one hundred and fifty Livres. —
A perfect Ruby Ring, which coft one thonfand and three hundred Livres. .
To the great Treafurer, I prefented a Watch ina Gold Cafe, fet with fimall
Kmraulds, at fevyen hundred and twenty Livres.
a
* TZ To
60
Travels in Iwpta. Pare IL
Fac BE TARAS Thee mame eee
———
To the Porters of the Kings Treafury, and thofe that deliver out the Mo-
ney out of the Treafury, two hundred Roupies, at three hundred Livres,
To the Eunuch of the Great Begum, Sifter to Aurengreb, a Watch in a painted
Cafe, which coft two hundred and fixty Livres.
All thefeé Prefents which I made; as well to the Great Afogul, as to Chy-
Eft-Kan, Giafer-Kan, his Majefties Uncles ; as alfo the Great Treafurer, to the
Stewards of the Houfes of the Kan’s, and thofe that brought me twice the
Calaat, or Habit of Honour from the King, and as many times from the Ze-
gum his Sifter, and once from Giafar Kan; all thefe Prefents, I fay, came to
twenty-three thoufand one hundred fourfcore and feven Livres. So true it ig,
that they who have any bufinefs to do at the Court of the great Princes, as
well in Tarky asin Perfia and in the Indies, muft not pretend to do any thing
in reference to their affairs, till they have their Prefents; and thofe very con-
fiderable, ready. Befides, that his Purfe muft be continually open to divers
‘Officers of meaner reputation, who may be able to ferve him. I did not
mention in my firft Volume the Prefent which I made to him that brought
me the Ca/gat from the King of Perfia, to whom I gave two hundred Crowns,
= sel SUNN
CHA P:+ Tt:
The Road from Syrat to Golconda,
¢
| Have made feveral journeys to Golcondan, and have taken feveral Roads;
fometimes by Sea embarking from Ormus for AZalifpata ; fometimes {et-
ting out from gra, but moft often from Szrat, which is the chiefeft land-
ing-place of Jndolftan. But in this Chapter I will only fpeak of the common
Road from Surat to Golconda; wherein I comprehend that of -4gra; which
Road comes in at Dulrabat, as { fhall afterwards relate, making mention only
of two journeys which I made in 1645, and 1652, for fear of tiring the
Reader. ,
I departed from Swrat in the year 1645, upon the nineteenth of fwnxary,
and came to ly at Cambari, coftes
From Cambari to Barnoli, coftes ms)
From Barnoli to Beara, coftes 12
From Beara to Navapour, coftes 16
This is the. place where grows the beft Rice in the World, that fimells like
Musk. 7 ,
From Navapour to Rinkula, coftes 18
- From Rinkula to Pipelnar, coftes 8
From Pipelnar to Nimpour , coftes 17
From Nimpour to Patane, coftes 14
From Patane to Secoura, coftes 14
From Secoura to Baquela, coftes Io
From Baguela to Difcon, coftes 2! To
-From Dsfcon to Dultabat, coftes se)
Dultabat is one of the beft Fortreffésjin the Kingdoms of the Great AZLogul,
upon a Mountain every way fteep; the only way to it being fo narrow, that
caus’d him to have fix b
‘but one Horfe, or one Camel can goat atime. This City is at the foot of
the Mountain, very well wall’d. *And this place of fuch ‘importance, which
the Mogul’s loft, when the Kings of Golconda and Vifapour revolted from them,
Was retaken in the Reign of /ehan-guire, by a fubtle ftratagem. Sultan Courom,
who was afterwards call’d Cha-jehan, commanded in Decan the Army of the
King his Father ; and .4f/-Kan, Father in Law to Cha-Eft-Kan, who was. one
of the Generals, gave the Prince fome fort of language which fo highly offend-
ed him, that a fending for one of his Papouche’s, or Shoo’s, he
ows given him upon the Bonnet; which amions the
’ Hastans
Book Tf. ° Travels in Teoia.
Indians is the higheft indignity can be put upon a man, after which he is no more
to appear in the Prince’s prefence. This was done by confent between the Prince
and the General, to deceive the World, more efpecially any Spies which the King
of Vifupour might have in the Prince's Army. . The report of Aff-Kan's difgrace
was immediately fpread abroad: and he himfelf flying for Sanétuaay to the King
of Vifapour, who had not cunning enough to difcern the impofture, was welcomd.
by the fame King, and affur’d of his protection. -dff-Kan fecing himfelf fo well~
réceiv’d, begg’d leave of the King, that he might retire with ten or twelve of
his Women, and as many of his Servants, into the Fortrefs of Dzltabar; which
was granted. He enter’d the Town with eight or ten Camels, the two Cajava’s
or Litters on each fide of the Camel being clofe fhut, to keep the Women from
being feen. But inftead of Women, he had put into every Cajava two Souldiers,
all bold and refolv’d men, as were alfo every one of the fapposd Eunuchs that
led the Camels: fo that he had-no great difficulty to cut the Gatrifon in pieces,
not being upon their guard; and to make himfelf Mafter of the place, which has
been ever fince under the Power of the Great Adogul. There are in the place a
ereat number of excellent Pieces of Cannon, and the Cannoniers are generally
Englifh ot Hollanders. Trae it is, that there is one little Mountain higher than’
the Fortrefs ; but there is hardly any way to it, but through the fame Fortrefs.
There was a Dutch-Engineer, who after he had ferv'd the King fifteen or fixteen
years, defir’d leave to be gone, and the Holland-Company it felf, that had recom-
mended him to the Service, did all they could to obtain it ; but they could ne-
ver procure it ; becaufe he was an excellent Cannonier, and very skilful in making
Firé-works. The Raja feffeing, who is the moft Potent of all the Idolatrous
Princes of India, and who was moft powerfully Inftrumental to put the Crown
upon Avreng-zeb’s Head, was fent as Generalifimo of the Army of this King,
againft the Kaja Seva-gs and paffing by the Fortrefs of Dxlrabat, this Datch-
Cannonier went to wait upon him, all the Cannoniers of the Army being Fran- .
guis,as wellashe. The Hollander laying hold of this opportunity, told the Raja,
that if he would procure hima Licence to depart, he would fhew him a way to
get up Cannon, and to mount them upon that Mountain which commanded the
Fortrefs : for they had already wall’d it about, and put Souldiers upon it to keep
it fecure. The Raja pleas’d with his propofal, aflur’d him that he would procure
him the King’s Licence, if he perform’d what he had propos'd. Thereupon the
Hollander undertaking and accomplifhing his defign, the Raja was’ as good as his
word, and obtain’d of the King to difmifs the Dutch-Cannonier: who came to
Surat when I was there, about the beginning of the year 1667; whencé he em-
bark’d for Holland. es
From Dultabat to Asreng-abat, coftes 4
Aureng-abat was formerly but a Village, till Avreng-zeb made it a City, though
it be not wall’d. It grew to be thus enlargd, as well by reafon of a Lake two
leagues about, upon which the Village is built, as for the Memorys-fake of his
firft Wife, who is dead, by whom he had his Children. She is Interr’d toward.
the end of the Lake, upon the Weft-fide, where the King has built a AZofquec, with
a ftately Monument, and a fair Inn. The A4Zofguee and the Monument. were rear’d
at a great expence, being cover'd with white-Marble, which is brought from La-,
hor by Waggon ; being a journey of four Months. Going one time from Sw#rat
to Golconda, 1 met five days journey from Axreng-abat, more than three-hunder‘d
Waggons laden with this Marble, the leaft whereof was drawn by twelvé
Oxen.
From -Auretg-abat to Pipols, coftes ee 8
From Pipoli to Aubar, coftes : 1 ae 12
From Axubar to Gaifemner, coftes | to
From Guifemner to Affi, coftes iz
From -Afti to Sarver, coftes 16
From Sarver to Lefona;coftes . .. 16
. iz
From Lefona to Nadour, coftes oe e, = Roe
At Nadoxr you muft crofs a River which runs into Ganges ; and pay for every
Waggon four Roupies ; befides that, you muft have a pafs from the Gover-
nor, ji aay
From
Travels in Inpta. Part I]
From Wadour to Patonta, coftes
: by 9
From Patonta to Kakeri, coftes on
From Kakeri to Satapour, coftes ys
From Satapour to S:tanaga, coftes 12
From Sstanaga to Satanagar, coftes Io
At Satanagar you begin to enter upon the Territories of the King of Go/-
conda.
From Satanagar to Melvari, coftes , 16
From MMelvar: to Girballi, coftes 12
From Girball: to Golconda, coftes 14
So that from Sarat to Golconda there are, coftes 32
All this I travell’d in twenty-feven days. I made five journeys more in
Travels in the year 1653. And I alfo took another Road from Piplenar, where t
arriv’d the eleventh of AdZarch, fetting out from Swrar, the fixth,
The twelfth, to Birgam,
The thirteenth, to Omberar.
The fourteenth, to Enneque-Tenque, a ftrong Fortrefs, that bears the name of
two Indian Princefles. It ftands upon a Mountain fteep every way ; there being
but one afcent to it upon the Eaft-fide. Within the enclofed compafs of the
Walls there is a large Pond, and Ground enough to fow for the maintenance of five
or fix-hunder’d men. But the King keeps no Garrifon therein, fo that it falls to
ruine.
The fifteenth, to Geroul,
The fixteenth, to Lazour, where you are to crofs a River; upon which, about a
Cannons-fhot from the fording- place, are to be feen feveral large Pagods of the
Gountrey, whither great numbers of Pilgrims repair every day.
The feventeenth, to Aur eng-abad.
The eighteenth, to Pipelgan, or Piply.
The nineteenth, to Ember.
The Twentjeth, to Deogan.
The one and twentieth, to Patris,
The two and twentieth, to Bargan.
The three and twentieth, to Palam.
The four and twentieth, to Candear, a Jarge Fortrefs, but upon one fide com-
manded by an high Mountain.
The five and twentieth, to Gargan,
The fix and and twentieth, to Wagooni.
The feven and twentieth, to Jndove.
The eight and twentieth, to [ndelvai,
_, Lhe nine and twentieth, to Regivadi, Between thefe two laft places there is a
little River which feparates the Territories of the Great Mogul, from the Domi-
nions of the King of Golconda. |
The thirtieth, to AZafapkipet.
The.one and thirtietieth, to A4irel-mola-kipet.
To go from Agra to Golconda; you muft go to Brampoxr, according to the Road
already defcrib’d trom Brampour to Dultabat, which is five or fix days journeys
off; and from Daéabat to thofe other places before fet down.
You ma take another Road to go from Szrar to Golconda; that is to fay,
through Goa and Vifapour ; as I thall inform ae in the particular relation of my
journey to Goa, Icome now to what is moft worthy obfervation in the Kingdom
of Golconda: And to relate what happen’d in the laft Wars the King maintain’d
againft his Neighbours, during the time that I have known the Indies,
CHAP.
Book I. Travels in Inpra.
isso uc ee
e ‘
Of the Kingdom of Golconda, and the Wars which tt has maintain d
for fome few years lift paff. —
"HE whole Kingdom of Golconda, take it in general, is a good Countrey,
abounding in Corn, Rice, Cattel, Sheep, Poultry, and other neceflaries for
human life. In regard there are great ftore of Lakes in it, there is alfo great
ftore of Fifh. Above all the reft, there is a fort of Smelt, that has but one bone
in the middle, which is moft delicious food. Nature has contributed more than
Art, toward the making thefe Lakes, whereof the Countrey is full; which are
generally in places fomewhat rais’d, fo that you need do no more than make a lit-
tle Dam upon the plain-fide to keep in the water. Thefe Dams or Banks are fome-
times half a league long: and after the rainy feafons are over, they open the
Sluces from tine to time to let out the water into the adjacent Fields, where it
is receiv’d by divers little Channels to water particular grounds. — sete
Buonagar is the name of the Metropolis of this Kingdom ; but-vulgarly it is
call’d Golconda, from the name of a Fortrefs, not above two leagues diftant from
it, where the King keeps his Court. | This Fortrefs is about two leagues in cir-
cuit, and by confequence requires a numerous Guard. It is as it were a Town
where the King keeps his Treafure: having left Bagnagar, ever fince it was fack’d
by the Army, which dureng-zeb brought again{t it. : ;
Bagnagar is then the City, which they vittgarly call Gelconda ; and it was foun-
ded by the Great Grandfather of the prefent King ; upon the importunity of one
of his Wives, whom he paffionately lov’d, whofe name was Nagar. Before that,
it was only a place of Pleafure, where the King had very fair Gardens, till at
length his Wite continually reprefenting to him the delicacies of the fituation for
the building a City and a Palace, by reafon of the River; he laid the foundations,
and order’d that it fhould bear the name of his Wife, calling it Bag-Nagar, that
is to fay, the Garden of Nagar. This City lies in feventeen degrees of Eleva-
tion, wanting two minutes. The Countrey round about isa flat Countrey, only
neer the City are féveral Rocks, as you fee about Font.in-Bleaw. A great River
wathes the Walls of the City upon the South-welt-fide, which, neer to ALaflipa-
tan, falls into the Gulf of Bengala. At Bagnagar you crofs this River over a
Bridg no lefs beautiful than Pont-Newf at Paris. The City is little lefs than Or-
leans, well-built, and full of windows. © There are many fair large Streets, bat not
being well-pav’d: they are dufty, as are all the Cities of Perfia and India, which
is very offenfive in the Summer.
Before you come to the Bridg, you muft pafs through a large Suburb. call'd
Erengabad, about a league in length ; where live all the Merchants, the Brokers,
Fandierifect trades, and in general, all the meaner fort of people; the City
being inhabited only by perfons of Quality , Officers of the King’s Houfe,
Minifters of Juftice, and Officers of the Army. From ten or eleven in the
forenoon, till four or five in the evening, the Merchants, Brokers and Work-
men come into the City to trade with the Forreign Merchants; after which time
they return to their own Houfes. In the Suburb are two or three fair Af0/ge#ees,
which ferve for Inns for the Forreigners, befides feveral Pagods in the Neighbour-
ing-parts. Through the fame Suburb lies the way to the Fortrets of Gol-
conda.
So {oon as you are over the Bridg, you enter into a large Street, that leads
you to the King’s Palace. On. the right-hand are the Houfes of fome Lords of
the Court ; and four or five Inns two Stories-high : wherein there are fair Halls,
and large Chambers to let in the frefh Air. At the end of this Street there is a
large Piazza ; upon which ftands one of the fides of the Palace; in the middle
whereof there isa Balcone, wherein the King comes to fit, when he pleafes to
sive Audience to the People. The great Gate of the Palace ftands not upon, this
Piazza, but upon another very neer adjoyning ; and you enter firft into a large
Court
Travels in Inpta. Part
Court furrounded with Portico’s, under which lies the King’s Guards. Out of
this Court you pafs into another, built after the fame form, encompatt with {@-
veral fair Apartments, the Roofs whereof are terra({s‘d. Upon which, as upon
thofé where the Elephants are kept, there are very fafr Gardens, wherein there
grow Trees of that bignefs, that it is a thing of great wonder, how thofe Arches
fhould bear fo vaft a burthen. .
About fifty years fince, they began to build a magnificent Pagod in the Cit :
which would have been the faireft in all Zndia, had it been finith’d. The Stones
are to be admir‘d for their bignefS$: And that wherein the Nich is made, which js
on that fide where they.fay their Prayers, is an entire Rock, of fuch a prodigious
bulk, that it was five years before five or fix-hunder’d men, continually employ’d,
could hew it out of its place. They were fore’d alfo to row] it along upon an En-
gine with Is, upon which they brought it to the Pagod ; and feveral affirm’d
to me, that there were fourteen-hunder’d Oxen to drawit. fF will tell you here-
after the reafon it remains imperfect: For had it been finifh’d, in all reafon it had
excell'd all the boldeft Structures of Afia.
On the other fide of the Gity, as you go to A“aflipatan, there are two great
Lakes, being each about a Jeague in compafs, wherein there ride feveral Pinks
richly adorn‘d for the King’s Pleafure ; and upon the Banks are feveral fair Houfes
that belong to the Principal Lords of the Court. |
Upon three fides of the City ftands a very fair AZo/quee, wherein are the Tombs
of the Kings of Golconda: and about four in the afternoon there is a Dole of
Bread and P:lau to all the Poor that come. If you would fee any thing that is
rare, you muft go to view thefe Tombs upon a Feftival-day. For then from
morning till night they are hung with rich Tapeftry. :
As for the Government and Policy which is obferv’d in this City : In the firft
place, when a Stranger comes to the Gates, they fearch him exactly, to fee if he
have any Salt or Tobacco-about him ; for thofe Commodities bring the King his
greateft Revenue. - Sometimes a Stranger fhall wait a day or two, before he thal
have leave to enter. For a Souldier firft gives notice to the Officer that com-
mands the Guard, and then he fends to the Deroga, to know what he {hall do,
Now, becaufe it many times happens that the Deroga is bufy, or gone to take a
walk out of the City, or elfe for that fometimes the Souldier himfelf pretends he
_ cannot find the Deroga, only to create himfelf more errands, to get the more Mo-
ney ; a Stranger is forc’d to endure all this delay, fometimes, as | have faid before,
for a day or two.
When the King fits to do Juftice, I obferve that he comes into the Balcéne that
looks into the Piazza, and all that have bufinefS ftand below, jutt again{t the place
wheré the King fits. Between the People and the Walls of the Palace are fix'd
in the ground three rows of Poles, about the length of an Half-Pike, to the ends
whereof they tye certain ropes a-crofs one upon another. Nor is any perfon
whatfoever permitted to pafs beyond thofe bounds, unlefs he be call’d. This Bar,
which is never fet up, but when the King fits in Judgment, runs along the whole
bredth of the Piazza; and juft againft the Baleone there is a Bar to open, to let
in thofe that are call’d. Then two men, that each of them hold a Cord by the
end, extended all the bredth of the paflage, have nething to do bur to let fall the
Cord, for any perfon chat is call'd to ftep over it. A Secretary of State fits be-
low under the Balcone, to receive all Petitions; and when he has five or fix to-
gether, he puts them in a Bag, and then an Eunuch, who ftands in the Balcone neer
the King, lets down a fring, to which the Bag being ti’d, he draws it up, and pre-
fents it to his Majefty. :
Every Munday the chiefeft of the Nobility mount the Guard , every one
in their turn, and are never reliey'd till at the eight days end, - There are fome
of thefe Lords that have five or fix thoufand men under their command;
and they lye cncamp’d in their Tents round about the City. When they mount
the Guard, every one goes from his own Habitation to the Rendevouz ; but
when they are reliev’d, they march in good order over the Bridg, thence
through the long Street into the Piazza, where they draw up before the
Balcone. In the firft place, march ten or twelve Elephants, more or lefs, ac-
cording to the quality of the Captain of the Guard, There are fome of thefe
. . Elephants
ne ere eerste we a
Hook (= Travels in Tania, 6
TT ee eee a eee eens re ne ure
Elephants that carry Cages, which in fome fort refemble the Body of a little
Coach; there are others that have but one man to guide them, and another
iq the Cage who carries a Banner. en
After the Elephants, follow the Camels by two and two, fometimes to the
number of thirty or forty. Every Camel carries a kind of Packfaddle, upon
which is faften’d a little Culverine, which a certain Engineer, clad in a skin from
head to foot, and fitting upon the Crupper of the Camel, with a lighted Match
in his hand, dextroufly manages from one fide to another before the Balcone
where the King fits. : 8
After them come the Coaches, attended by the Domeftick Servants of the -
Commander: Next to them follow the lead-Horfes, and then the Lord appears,
to whom all this Equipage belongs, attended by ten or twelve Curtifans, that ftay
for him at the end of the Bridg, and skip and dance before him to the Piazza.
Behind him the Cavalry and Infantry march in good order : Which being a fhew,
wherein there was much of delight and ftate, all the while I ftaid at Bagnabar,
which was about four Months, I had the divertifement to fee them out of my
Lodging in the great Street every week as they march’d by. Mee?
The Souldiers wear no ether Clothes than only three or four ells of Calicut,
with which they cover half their Bodies behind and before. They wear their
hair very Jong, and tie it upin a knot upon the top of the crown, like the wo-
men, who have no other Headgear than only a piece of Linnen with three cor-
ners, one that comes to the middle of the head, and the other two, which they
tie under their chins. The Souldiers do not wear Hangers or Scimitars like the
Perfians ; but broad Swords like the Switzers, as well for a thruit, as a blow,
which they hang in a Girdle. The Barrels of their Muskets are ftronger than
ours, and much neater ; for their Iron is better, and not fo fubject to break.
Their Cavalry carry Bows and Arrows, a Buckler and a Battel-Ax, an Headpiece
anda Jacket of Mail, that hangs down from the Headpiece over their Shoul-
ders.
There are fo great a number of common Women as well in the City as in the
Suburbs, and in the Fortre{s, which is like another City, that there are generally
above twenty thoufand fet down in the Deroega’s Book ; without which licence, it
is not lawful for any Woman to profefs the irade. They pay no tribute to the
* King ; only they are oblig’d to come, a certain number of them, with their Gu-
vernefs, and their Mufick every Friday, and prefent themfclves before the Balcone.
If the King be there, they dance before him : if he intend not to come,an Eunuch
comes into the Balcone, and makes them a fign to retire. In the cool of the
evening they ftand at the doors of their Houfes, which are for the moft part little
Huts ; and when night comes, they fet up a Candle or a lighted Lamp fora Signal: .
Then it is alfo that they open all the Shops where they fell Zari ; which is a cer-
tain drink made of the juice of a Tree, and is as {weet as our new Wines. They
fetch it fome five or fix leagues off, upon Horfeés, that carry two earthen-Bottles of
each fide, and trot at a great rate ; of which there come every day to the City:
above five or fix-hunder'd. The King has a confiderable Revenue by the Impoft
which he lays upon this Tari. And for that reafonhe permits fo many common
Women, in regard it is for their fake that fo much Tars is confum’d ; thofe that
fell it, for that caufe, keeping their Shops by thofe Houfes. _
Thefe fort of Women are fo nimble and active, that when the prefent King went
to fee Afaflipat an, nine of them undertook to reprefent the figure of an Elephant 5
four making the four feet, four the body, and one the trunk; upon which the
King, fitting ina kind of Throne, made his entry into the City. :
All the Men and Women of Golconda are well proportion’d, and of comely
ftatures; and fair enough in their councenances ; only the Countrey-people are a
little more fwart.
The prefent King of Golconda bears the Name of 4bdonl-Cowtow-Sha ; and I
will tell the Reader in a few words, from whence he drew his Original. In the
Reign of Axbar King of India, the Father of feban-Guser, the Territories of the
Great Afoguds did not extend farther Southward then Warbider ; to that the River
which rans by it, and which coming from the South, empties it felf into Ganges,
feparated their Dominions fromthe Territories of the Raja of Narfingue, that,
ae; ftretch’d
-
2
Travels in Inpta. Part I]
ftretch’d as far as Cape-Comorin, the other Raja’s being only his Subjects, and de-
pending upon him. This Xaja and his Succetlors have been always at Wars with
them that fucceeded to Tamerlane or Temur-leng in India; and their Power wag
{6 gréat, that the laft Rajz, who was at War with ~#kbar, brought into the Field
four Armies under as many Generals. The moft confiderable of his Armies layin
thofé Provinces, which at this day are call’d the Kingdom of Golconda ; the fecond
was quarter’d in the Provinces of Ys/apozr, the third in the Province of Dultabar,
and the fourth in the Territories of Brampour. The Raja of Narjfingue dying without
Children, the four Generals divided among themfelves the Countreys which they
pofiefs'd with their Army,and took upon them the title of Kings,the one of Golcoy.-
da,the other of Vifapour,the other of Brampour,and the fourth of Dulrabat.Though
the Raja were an Idolater, neverthelefs his four Generals were Mahumetans 5 and
he of Golconda was of the Sect of Haly, defcended from an Ancient Family of the
Turcomans,which inhabit the Country of Hamadan in Perfia. This General,as I have
faid, was more confiderable than any of the reft; and fome few days after the death
of the Raja, they won a famous Victory from the AZogul; fo that he could not
hinder them from afluming their feveral Sovereignties. But after that, Pehan-
Guir, the Son of Akbar, conquer’d again the Kingdom of Brampour, Cha-sehan
the Son of 7eban-Guir recoverd the Kingdom of Dulrabat, and Aureng-xeb the
Son of Cha-jeban recover’d fome part of the Kingdom of Vifzpour. As for the
King of Golconda, neither Cha-jehan, nor Aureng-zeb difturb’d him, but let him
reft in peace, upon condition that he fhould pay to the AZogu/ an annual tribute of
20-000 Pagods. At prefent the greateft Raja on this fide Ganges is the Raja of
Velou, whole Territories extend to Cape-Comorin, and who fucceeded to fome part
of the Territories of the Raja.of Narfingue: But in regard there is no Trade in
his Countrey, and by confequence no concourfe of ftrangers, there is little notice
taken of him. The prefent King of Golconda has no Sons, but three Daughters,
who are all married. be
_ The Eldeft Efpous’d one of the Kinfinen of the Grand Chek of Afecca. Nor
muft we forget fome patlages that fell out before this Marriage. The Cdck coming
to Golconda inthe habit of a Faqwir, , for fome Months lodg’d without the Gate
of the Palace, difdaining to give any anfwer to (everal Courtiers, that demanded |
what his bufinefs was. At length the thing being made known to the King, he
fent his chief Phyfitian, who fpoke good 4rabick , to know of the Cack what he
had to requeft, and the reafon of his coming. The Phyfitian, and fome other
Lords of the Court that difcours’d him alfo, finding him to be a perfon of great
Wit and Learning brought him to the King, who was very well fatish’d with his
afpect and his prefence. But at length the Céek declaring to him, that he came
to Efpoufe the Prineefs ; that propofal very much furpriz’d the Prince, and was
look’d upon by the greateft part of the Court, as made by a perfon not well in
his wits. At firft the King only Jaugh’d at him. But when he found him ob
_ ftinately perfevering in his demand, in-fo-much that he tbreaten’d the Countrey
with fome ftrange Calamity, if the Princef$ were not given to him in Marriage, he
‘was committed to Prifon, where he lay a long time. At Jength the King think-
ing it more to the purpofe to fend-him back into his own Countrey, caus’d him to
be thip’d away at AZaflipataz, in a Veffel that carr’'d Goods and Pilgrims to Mo-
a, whence they travell'd by land to Afeceaz. About two years after the fame
Chek return’d again to Golconda, and order’d his affairs fo well, that he Efpous’d the
Princefs, and won an high reputation’in the Kingdom, which he governs at this
day, and is very Potent. He it was that kept the King from furrendring the For-
trefs of Golconda, whither he was retir’d, when ureng-zeb and his Son took Bag-
nabar,as 1 fhall tell you by and by, threatning to kill him, if he would not refolve
to hold it out, and’not deliver the keys to the enemy. This bold ation. wss the
reafon which made the King love him ever afterwards ; and that he takes his
counfel in al! weigty affairs, not as he is the King’s Son-in-Law, but as he is a great
“Minifter of State, and the chiefeft perfon, next the King, in all the Court. He it
Was that has put a ftop to the finifhing the great Pagod in Bagnagar, having
threaten’d the whole Kingdom with fome great Calamity, if they went forward
with the work. This Prince is a paffionate Lover of all thofe that profefs the
Mathematicks, and underftands them as well. For which reafon, though a
a ~ a Ma-
>
Book I. Travels in Iva.
4 Mahumetan, he is a great Favourer of all the Chriitians, who are vers’d in
that Science, as he has particularly teftif’d to Father Ephrahim, a Capuchin,
affing through Golconda for Pegu, whither he was fent by his Superiors. He
did all he could to oblige him to ftay in the Country, and offer’d to build him
4 Houfe and a Church at his own expences ; telling him, he fhould neither
want employment, nor Hearers, in regard there were feveral Portuguefe
Chriftians, and feveral Armenians that came thither to trade. But Father Epora~
jm having a particular Order to go to Pegw, could not accept of his Offer ;
yet when he went to take his leave of the Czeck, he prefented him with a Ca/zar,
the moft noble that was in his Wardrobe ; being the whole habit; the Cap, the
Cabay or large Vett, the -drcalow or fhort Caflock, two pair of Drawers, two
Shirts, and two Scarfs, which they wear about their necks, and over their heads to
keep off the heat of the Sun. The Friar was furpriz’d at the prefent, and gave
the Check to underftand, that it was not proper for him to wear it : however the
Check would force him to take it, telling him he might accommodate fome of his
Friends with it. Two months after Father Epsraim beftow'd the fame Prefent
upon me, being at Swrat ; for which I return’d him thanks. 2
The Check {eeing he could not detain the Father, and unwilling he fhould’ go a
foot from Golconda to Maflipat.an, oblig’d him to take an Oxe, with two.Men to
lead it; and becaufe he could not perfwade him to take alfo thirty Pagods, which
he prefented the Father withall, he commanded the two men, when they came
to Majlipatan, to leave the Oxe and the thirty Pagods with him, which they
did very punétually ; for otherwife at their return to Golconda, they had for-
feited their lives. I will finifh the Hiftory of Father Epsraim, when I come
to the defcription of Gea, which is the principal place that the Portugals have
in the Indies.
The fecond Daughter of the King of Golconda was married to Sultan ALa-
bumad, the eldeft Son of -Aurengzeb ; the occafion whereof was this: AZir-
imola, Generaliffimo of the King of Golcond«’s Army, and who had been very
erviceable to his Mafter, to fettle the Crown upon his head, according to the
cuftom, left with the King asa mark of his fidelity, both his Wife and Chil-
dren in Hoftage ; for he was fent to reduce certain Raja’s in Bengala, that were
in Rebellion. He had feveral Daughters, but only one Son, who had a great
stain, and made a great noife at Court. The reputation and riches which AZir-
gmola had gain’d, rais’d him up feveral Enemies, who endeavour’d in his ab-
{ence to ruine him, and to put him out of*the Kings favour. They pretended
that the great power of Atirgimola was very much to be fufpected ; that all
his defigns tended to dethrone him, and to fettle the Kingdom of Golconda up-
on Kis own Son; that it behov’d him not to ftay till the remedy were paft
cure, but to rid himfelf of an Enemy, fo much the more to be fear’d, the clofer
he kept his intentions; and that the fhorteft and beft way was to poyfon him.
The King being eafily perfwaded, gave them leave and authority to act as they
pleas’d for his fecurity; but having mifs’d of their defign for three or four
times together, AZsrg:mola’s Son began to fmell the plot; and immediately
gave advice thereof to his Father, It is not known what inftructions he re-
ceiv’d from his Father ; but fo foon as he had his anfwer, he went to the King,
and {poke boldly to him, taxing him with the fervices which his Father had done
him, and that without his affiftance he had never come to the Crown. ¥he young
Lord,naturally of a fiery.difpofition,kept on this difcourfe,fo difpleafing to the King,
till ar length his Majefty flung away ; and the Lords that were prefent, fell
upon the young man, and bafely mifus‘d him. Atthe fame time alfo he was
arrefted and committed to prifon, together with his Mother and Sifters. Which
action, as it made a great noifé at Court, coming to AZirgimola’s ears, fo in-
cens’d him, that having an Army under his command, and being belov’d by the
Soldiers, he refolv’d to make ufe of the advantages he had, to revenge him-
felf for the injury done him. He was then not far from Bengala, being {ent,
as I faid before, to reduce certain Raja’s to obedience, whofe Territories lye
upon the Ganges ; and Sultan-Sujab, Cha-jehan’s fecond Son, being then Gover-
nour of Bengala, the General thought it his beft way to addrefs himfelf to
him; as being the next Prince, with whom he tight join his Forces againft
K2 ‘the
67
62 Travels in ‘Inpra. Part I
a
eae
the King of Golconda, whom he look’d upon now no more as his Matter, but
as one of his moft inveterate Enemies. Thereupon he wrote to the Prince to
this effect : That if he would join with him, he would give him an opportnu-
nity to poflefs himfelf of the whole Kingdom of ‘Golconda ; and that he thould
not neglect fo fair an opportunity to enlarge the Dominions of the Great A.
ul, the fucceffion whereof might as well concern him, as any of the reft of
tis Brothers. But the Anfwer which S#lran-Suja fent him, was contrary: to
his expectation ; who told him, that he could not tell how to trufta perfon,
who as he went about to betray his King, might more eafily be drawn to be-
tray a Foreign Prince, whom he had inveig!'d only for the fake of his Re-
venge ; and that therefore he fhould not rely upon him. Upon Sultan-Sijah’s
refufal, Adirgimola wrote to Aurengzeb, who was then in his Government of
Brampoure, who being not fo nice as his Brother, accepted of the propofal that
was made him. Thus while A@irgimola advanced with his Troops toward Bug-
ndbar, -Aurengzcb haften’s toward Decan, and both Armies being join’d, they
came to the Gates of Bagwabar before the King was ina pofture to receive
them. He had only time to retreat into his Fortrefs of Golconda, to which
Aurengrcb, after he had riff'd the City of Baguabar, and plunder’d the Palace,
lay'd a clofe Siege. The King feeing himfclf thus vigoroufly prefi’d, fent away
to Airgimola his Wife and Children very honourably. For there is vertue and
generofity in the Zndians, as well as in the Europeans ; of which I will give you
an illuftrious Example inthe perfon of the King of Golconda. Some days after
the Enemy had befieg’d the Fortrefs, a Canoneer efpying 4urengzeb upon his
Elephant, riding about to view the Fortifications of the Caftle, told the King,
being then upon the Baition, that if he pleas’d he would fetch off aurengzed
with a Canon-fhot; and at the fame time was abgut to give fire ; but the King
holding his hand, told him he perceiv'd it well enough, but that it behov’d
Kings to be better Husbands of the Lives of Princes. The Canoneer obey’d
the King, and inttead of fhooting at urengzeb, he took off the Head of the
General of his Army, who was a little before him; which put a ftop to the
Affault they were about to have giv’n, the Army being in a confufion. upon
his death. 4bdul-jaber-Beg, General of the King of Golconda’s Army. lving not
far from the Camp, witha fiying Army of four thoufand Horfe, underftanding
the diforder of the Enemy by reafon of the Jofs of their General, laid hold of
fo favourable an opportunity, gavg¢, them a defperate charge in that confufion,
and putting them to the rout, purfu’d them till night, for four or five Leagues,
Some few days before the General’s death, the King of Golconda finding that
his provifions fail’d him in the Fortrefs, was about to have deliver'd the Keys ;
but as I faid before, Adirza-ALahomed, his Son-in-Law, fhatch’d them out of
his hand, and threatn’d to kill him, if he perfever’d in that refolution. Which
was the reafon, that the King who lov’d him nor before, had ever after the
greateft affection imaginable br him as long as he liv’d.
Aurengreb pens thus conftrain’d to raife his Siege, ftay’d fome days to rally
his Troops; and having receivd a recruit of frefh men, return’d again to the
Siege, with new refolutions. But ALirgimola, who had ftill fome kindnefs for
the King remaining in his breaft, wonld not permit -4wrengzed to ufe the ut-
moft of ¢xtremity, but by his wit and good management gain’d a fufpenfion
of Arms. :
Cha-jzhan, the Father of -Aurengzeb, had formerly had great kindnefles
fhew’n him by the King of Golconda, to whom he fled, after he had loft the
Battel, together with his eldeft Brother, which he fought againft Pehan-gmir
his Father, with whom he made War. The eldeft Son was taken, and 7ehan-
guir caus'd his eyes to be put out; but Cha-jehan being more wary, fled, and
was entertaind by the King of Golconda, with whom he enter’d into a particular
and ftrict friendfhip ; Cha-jehan making an Oath to his Benefactor, that he would
never wage War againit him upon any occafion whatever. Mirgimola there-
fore knowing that it would be no difficult thing to bring two Kings, that were
Friends, to an accommodation, wrought underhand with both, toward the con-
clufion of a Peace. And he fo brought his bufinef$ about, that the King of Gol-
conda writ a Letter firft to Cha-jehan, wherein he fubmiffively requefted him
to
Book I. Travels in Inpta.
to be an Arbitrator between arengzed and him, promifing to. fubmit whoily
to him, and to fign fuch Articles as he fhould propofe. By the fame policy of
Mirgimola, Cha-jeban was advisd, in anfwer to the King of Golconda’s Letter,
to propole a Match between his fecond Daughter and Saltan Mahomed, the Son
of Aurengreb, upon condition that after the death of the King her Father, the
Son-in-Law fhould inherit the Kingdom of Golconda. This propofition being
accepted, the Peace was concluded, and the Nuptials celebrated with an ex-
rraordinary Magnificence. As for Mirgimola, he quitted the fervice of the
King of Golconda, and went with durengzeb to Brampour. Soon after Cha-jehan
made him his Prime Minifter of State, and Generaliffimo of his Armies; and he
it was. that fo potently affifted Aurengzeb to get the Crown, by the defeat of
Sultan-Sujah. For Mirgimola was a perfon of great wit, and no lefs underftand-
ing in Military than in State a ‘airs. I had occafion to fpeak with him feveral
times; and I have no lefs admir’d his juftice, than his difpatch to all people that
had to do with him ; while he gave out feveral Orders, and fignd feveral
Difpatches at the fame time, as if he had bur one entire bufinefs in hand.
The other Princef$ of Golconda was promis’d to Sultan Sejed, another Chek.
of Mecca; and the Match went on fo fairly, that the day was appointed for
the celebration of the Nuptials; but Abdoul-faber-Beg, General of the Army,
with fix other Lords, went to the King to divert him from his intention ; and
they brouglit it fo to pafg, that the Match was broken off, and the Princefs was
given in Marriage to Mirza~Abdoul-Cofing, the Kings Coufin; by whom fhe
has two Sons; which have wholly annull’d thé Pretentions of urengzec’s Son ;
whofe Father now keeps him in Prifon, in the Fort of Gavaleor, for having ta-
ken his Uncle Sultan Swja’s part againft him. The Princefs had been given be-
fore to Mirza-Abdoxul-Cofing, but for his debauchery, whjch render’d him little
regarded by the King. But fince his marriage he is very much reclaim’d.
Now the King of Golconda does not ftand in fo much fear of the AZoguls ;
for in imitation of them, he keeps his Money in his own Country , =e has
already hoarded up a Treafury fafficient to inaintain his Wars. Befides, he is
altogether addicted to the Sect of Haly, fo that he will not wear a Bonnet, like
the other ALabumetans, becaufe they fay Haly wore none; but another fort of
attire for the head.’ Which is the reafon that the Perfians, that come into Jada
to feek their fortune, apply themfelves rather to the King of Golconda then to the
Great AZogul. Such is the condition of the King of Vifapoxr alfo, whom the
Queen, Sifter to the King of Golconda, takes care to educate in the Sect of Haly,
which invites great numbers of Perjians into her Service.
CHAP. XI.
The Road from Golconda to Maflipatan, a/. Mafalipatan.
From Maflipatan they count it an hunder’d coffes or leagues, taking the right
way. But if you go by the Diamo -Mine, which in thePerfan Language is
call’d Contour, in the Indian, Gans; they reckon it an hunder’d and twelve
leagues: and this is the Road which I generally cook. ;,
From Golconda to Tenara, coltes ee eS
Tenara isa {weet place, where there are four very fair Houfes, to every one of
which belongs adarge Garden. One of the four ftanding upon the left-hand along
the High-way, is much more beautiful then any of the other three. It is built of
Free-ftone two ftories high, wherein there are feveral fair Galleries, Halls, Par-
lors, and lodging-Chambers. Before the front of the Houfe is a large four-{quare
Piazza, little inferior to the Place Royale in Paris... Upon every one of the other
three fronts there is a great Portal, on each fide whereof theré is a fair Platform
rais’d from the earth above four or five-foot-high, and well-Arch’d, where Tra-
Vellers of Quality are lodg’d, On thé top of each Portal there is a rom J
eT;
ee
70
Travels in Ippta. Part. I
lufter, and a little Chamber for the Ladies. When Perfons of Quality care not to
be in their Houfes,, they fet up Tents in their Gardens ; and you mutt take Notice
that there is no dwelling for any perfon but only in the three Houfes ; for the
fourth, which is the faireft, belongs only to the Queen. When fhe 1S NOt there
however, any body may fee it, and take a walk in the Garden, which is a yep
lovely place, and well-ftor’d with water. The whole Piazza is encompaft with
feveral Chambers for the lodging of poor Travellers ; who every day toward the
evening have an Alms beftow’d upon them, of Rice, or Pulfe, which they boij
ready to their hands. But for the Idolaters that eat nothing which is provided
by other hands, they give them flower to make Bread, and a | ittle Butter, For
when their Bread is bak’d like a broad thin Cake, they dip it in the melted-But.
ter.
From Tenara to fatenagar, coftes
12
From fatenagar to Pateng:, coftes 7 12
From Pateng: to Pengeul, coftes 14
From Pengeul to Nagelpar, coftes I2
From WN agelpar to Lakabaron, coftes I
From Lakabaren to Coulour or Gani, of which I fhall fpeak in my difcourfe of
the Mines, coftes Ir
The greateft part of the way from Lakabaron to Coulour, e{pecially when you
come near to Conlour, is very rocky ; fo that I was forc’d in fome places to take
my Coach off the Carriages, which was prefently done. If you meet with any
good Earth between thofe Rocks, there you fhall find Caffa-Trees, that bear the
beft Cafiz, and the moft laxative in all /udia. Which I found by its working with
my men that eat of it by the way.
There runs a great River by the Town of Coxlour, which falls into the Gulf of
Bengala neer Maflipatan.
From Coulour or Gani, to Kah-Kaly, coftes 12
From Kab-Kaly to Bezouar, coftes 6
Near to Bezozar you mult repafs the River of Coxlour.
From Bezouyar to Vouchir, coftes | 4
From Vouchir to Nilimor, coftes 4
About half the way between Vouchir and Nilimor, you mutt crofs a great
River upon a Float-boat of Timber, there being no other kind of Boat in that
place.
From Nilimor to Milmol, coftes 6
From 4“4i/mo/ to Maflipatan, coltes 4
Mafl:patan is a great City, the Houfeggwhereof are only of Wood, built at a
diftance one from another. The place it felf, which ftands by the Sea, is famous
for nothing but the Road for Ships which belongs to it, which is the beft in the
Gulf of Bexgala ; and from hence they fet Sail for Pegs, for Siam, for Aracan,
for Bengala, for Cochinchine, for Mecca, and for Ormus, as alfo for the Iflands of
Madagafcar, Sumatra and the Manille’s,
You mutt take notice, that from Golconda to Majflipatan, there is no travelling
by Waggons, by reafon of the high Mountains , Lakes and Rivers that make the
Road very ftreight and impaffable. “Tis a very difficult thing to carry a little
Coach thither ; for I was forc’d to have my own taken off the Carriages, and'fo
to have it lifted out of the bad way. The Road is every jot as bad between
Golconda and Cape-Comorin ; a Waggon being hardly fo much as made mention of
all the ways for that there is no other way to travel, or for the carriage of
Goods, than with Horfes and Oxen. But inftead of Coaches, they have the con-
venience of Pallekie’s, wherein you are carried with more {peed and more éafe
than in any part of Jadia.
CHAP.
a
BPookL —Traoels in Inia
CHAP. XI.
The Road from Surat to Goa, and from Goa to Golconda thycugh
Vifapour.
OU may go from Swrat to Goa, partly by Land, and partly by Sea. But the
Road being very bad by Land, generally Travellers go by Sea, and hiring an
Almadicr, which is a Barqne with Oars, they go by the Shoar to Goa: though
fometimes the Afalavares or Indian Pirats are very much to be fear’d all along
thofe Coafts, as I fhall tell you in due place.
The way from Svrat to Goa, is not reckon‘d by Coffes, but by Gos, one of which
makes four of our common Leagues,
From Sarat to Daman, gos 7
From Daman to Baffain, gos Io
From Baffain to Chaoul, gos 7
From Chaoul to Daboul, gos 12
From Daboxl to Rejapour, gos Io
From Rejapour to Mungrela, gos 5 9
From Adingrela to Goa, gos 4
In all from Svrat to Goa,gos, , bs 61
The great danger which you run along the Coaft, is the hazard of falling into
the hands of the A/alvares, who are violent ALahumetans, and very cruel to the
Chriftians. Lfaw a bare-foot Carmelite-Friar who had been taken by thofe Pirats.
This Friar, to get his ranfom the fooner, they put to that kind of torture, that his
right-arm was fhorter by one half then his left, and fo it was with one leg. The
Captains do not give above fix Crowns to every Souldier for the whole fix months
that they are ufually out at Sea: Then the Souldiers may return home, and if
their Captains ‘vill have them ftay longer, they muft allow ’em more pay. They
feldova venture cotabove 20 or 25 leagues at Sea, which is no great hazard of
the Veflel. Sut (ometimes the Portugues foap them, and then they either hang
‘em up prefently, or throw ’em over-bourd. Thefe Malavares carry fometimes
200, fometimes 250 men, and they fail together in Squadrons of ten or fifteen
Barques to attack a great Vellel, not caring’a rufh for the great Guns. They come
board and board {0 {uddenly, and caft fuch a quantity of Pots of Artificial Fire
upon the deck, that if there be not fpeedy remedy appli'd, they will prefently do
a world of mifchief. Generally our Seamen, knowing the cuftom of thefe Pirats,
when they come within ken, prefently fhut up the Scuttles, and fill the deck with
water, to hinder the Fire-Pots from doing execution.
An Englifh Captain, whofe name was Mr. Clark, coming from Bantam to Sa-
rat, not far from Cochin, met a Squadron of thefe ALalvares, confifting of 25 or 30
of thefe Barques. Who came board and board, and vigoroufly attackd him.
The Captain feeing he could not withftand their firft Fury, put fire to fome Bar-
rels of Powder, and blowing up the deck, blew a great number of the Pirats into
the Sea. Neverthelefs, the reft were nothing difcourag’d, but boarded the Ship
a fecond time. The Eng/j/b Captain feeing there was no help, put his men into
two Shallops, and ftaying behind in his Cabin, where the Pirats could not enter fo
fuddenly, he fet fire to a Train which he had laid, that reach’d to all the reft of
the Powder, and at the fame time leaping into the Sea, was taken up by his own
men. Inthe mean time the Ship being all a-fire, the Pyrats leapt into the Sea
alfo. But for all this, the two Shallops, wherein there were about forty Engh/h,
were taken by the reft of the Afalvares, that were Frefh-men; and I was then
at breakfaft with the Englifb Prefident, Mr. Fremelin, when he receivd a Letter
from Captain Clark, that he was a Slave to Samorin, who is the moft confidera-
ble King all along the Pirats Coaft. The Prince would not leave the Englifh in
the hands of thole Scoundrels, knowing that they would have been in great dan-
ger of their lives, by reafon that above twelve-hunder’d Women had loft their
Husbands, in the two times that the Ship had been fir'd. However the ne, ,
| ound
er ne ee
ne
paid for the Ranfom of the Captain and the other Sea-men, immediately the
Prefident fent the Money, and I faw them at their return, fome in health, 0-
thers in violent Feavers. The Afa/avares are a People fo fuperttitious, that
they never touch any thing that is foul or foyl’d, with their Right Hands, but only
with the Left, the Nails of which Fingers they let grow, and ufe inftead of
Combs, for they wear their Hair long like the Women, tying ic about their
Heads in wreaths, aud binding it witha Linnen cloath with three corners,
Since I have mention’d Dama», I will tell you in a few words how that
City was-befieg’d by -dareng-Zeb the prefent Great Mogul. Some are of
opinion that Elephants do great matters in War; which may be fometimes
true, but not alwaws; for very often inftead of doing mifchief to the Enemy,
they turn upon thofe that lead them, and rout their own party as -dureng-
Zeb found by experience, atthe Siege of this City. He was twenty days be-
fore Daman, and refolv’d at length to Storm it upon a Sunday, believing that
the Chriftians were like the Jews and would not defend it upon that day, He
that commanded the Place wasan old Souldier, who had ferv'd in France,
and had three Sons with him. Inthe Town were eight hundred Gentlemen,
and other ftout Souldiers, who came from all parts to fignalize their valour
at that Siege. For though the Adogu/ had in his Army above forty thou-
fand men, he could noc hinder relief fram being put into Daman by Sea, in
regard that he wanted Ships. The Sunday that the Prince intended to Storm,
the Governour of Daman, as had, been orderd at the Counce! of War, caus‘d
Mafs to be {aid prefently after Midnight,and then made a Sally with all his Cavalry
and fome part of his Infantry, who were to fall on upon that quarter which was
guarded by two hundred Elephants. Among thofe klephants they flung a great
number of Fire-works which fo affrighted them in the dark of the Night,
that knowing not whither they went, nor being to be ral’d by their Go-
vernours, they turn’d upon the Befiegers with {0 much fury, that in lef$ than
two or three hours half the Army of Aureng-Zeb was cut in pieces, and
in three days the Siege was raisd nor would the Prince after that, have any
more to do with the Chriftians.
I made two Voiages to Goa. the one atthe beginning of the year 1641.
the fecond at the beginning of the vear 1648. The firft time I ftay’d bue
five days, and return’d by Land to Sarat. From Goal went to Bicholly, which
is upon the main Land, thence to V:fapour, thence to Golconda, thence to .da-
reng-abat, and foto S#rat. Icould have gone to Surat without paffing through
Golconda, but my bufinefs led me that way.
From Goa to Vifapour, coftes. 85
Which takes up generally eight days journey.
From Vifapour to Golconda, coftes. Too
Which I travel’d in niné days. |
From Golconda to -Aureng-abat, the Stages are not fo well order’d, being
fometimes fixtcen, fometime twenty five, {ometimes twenty Leagues afinder.
From 4dureng-abat to Surat takes up fometimes twelve, fometimes fifteen,
fometimes fixteen days journey. |
Vifapour is a great fcambling City, wherein there is nothing remarkable ,
neither as to the publick Edifices, noras to Trade. The Kings Palace is a vaft
one but ill built; and the accefS to it is very dangerous, in regard there are
abundance of Crocodiles that lie in the Water which encompafs it. The King
of Vifapour has three good ports in his Dominions, Rejapowr, Dabouit, and Cra~
paten. The laft is the beft ofall, where the Sea beats upon the foot of the
Mountain, and you have fourteen or fifteen Fathom Water near the Land. Upon
the top of the Mountain there is a Fort, witha Spring of Water in it. Cra-
paten is not above five days journey from Goa to the North. And Rabague,
where the King of Vi/apour fels his Pepper, is as far diftant from it to the
Eaft. The King of Vifapoxr and the King of Golconda have been formerly tri-
butary to the Great Mogal. but now they are abfolute of themfelves. eh
is
— NANT
Book i. Travels mn Inpra.
This Kingdom was for fome time difquieted by the revolt of Nuir-fiva-gi, ap=
win of the King of Vifapour's Guards 5 After which the young Seva-g: his Son
conceiv'd fo deadly a hatred againft the King, that he made himfélf the head
of certain Banditi , and as he was both wife and liberal, he got together fo
many Horfe and Foot, as made a compleat Army ; the Souldiers flocking to
rohim from alf parts, for the reputation of his Liberality. And he was jutt
about to have led them to action, when the King of Vifapoxr happen’d to
dye without Children, fo that with little or no trouble he got pofleffion of
one part of the Coaft of g@alavar ; taking Rejapour, Rafigar, Crapaten, Da-
bol, and other places. They report that upon his demolithing the fortifica-
tions of Rafigar, he found vaft Treaf«res, which help’d him to pay his Soul-
fliers, Who were alwayes well paid, Some years before the death of the
King, the Queen perceiving no probability of having any Children, adopted a
little Boy, upon whom fhe beftow’d all her affections , and caufed him to be
brought up in the Doctrine of Haly’s Sect. The King upon his Death-bed
caussd this Adopted Son to be Proclaim’d King; but Seva-gi having a nume-
rous Army continu’d the War, and much difturb’d the Regency of the Queen,
At length he made the firft propofitions for Peace; which was concluded
upon conditions, that he fhould quietly enjoy the Territories; which he had
fibdu’d, that he fhould become Tributary to the King, and pay him the half
of all his Revenue. The young King being thas fix’d in his Throne, the Queen
Regent went in Pilgrimage to Afecca; and I was at J/pahan, when fhe pats'd
through the Town in her return home.
When I made my fecond Voiage to Gea, I embark’d in a Dutch Vellel call’d
the Maeftricht, which carryd meto Adingrela; where I landed the eleventh
day of january, 1648. =
Mingrela is a large Town, extended half a League inlength upon the Sea,
inthe Territories of /ifapozr. It is one of the beft Roads in all Jndiz, where
the Hollanders take in frefh Provifions every time they {ail to block up Goa,
ss alfo when they are bound upon Trade for many other parts of Jndia. For
at Mingrela there is both excellent Water, and excellent Rice. This Town
is alfo very famous for Cardamoms, which the Eaftern people eiteem the beft of
Spices, not being to be had in any other Countrey ; which makes that fort
of Commodity very fcarce and very dear. There is alfo made great ftore of
courfe Calecuts, that are fpent in the Countrey ; befides great quantities of
courfe Matting, that ferves to pack up goods. So that both in refpect of
Trade, as alfo for the furnifhing their Ships with freth Provifions, the Hol-
laders have a Factory in the Town. For, as I faid before, not only all Vef-
tls that come from Batavia, from japon, from Bengala, Ceylan, and other
places, and thofe that are bound for Srar, the Red Sea, Ormus, Balfara, ec.
both going and coming, come to an Anchor in the Road of Mingrela, but
df while the Hollanders are at Wars with the Portugals, and lye before the
Bir of Goa, where they have ufually eight or ten Sail, they fend their finall
Birks to Adingrela for Provifions. For the Hollanders lye eight Months ina
year before the mouth of the Port of Goa, fo that there can nothing pafs in-
t0 Gea by Sea all that time. You muftalfo take notice, that the Bar of Goa
i alfo ftopt up fome part of the year by the Sands which the South and
Weft-winds that precede the great Rains, caft up; fo that there is not a-
bove a foot, or a foot and a half Water for very {mall Boats. But when the
great Rains come, the Water fwells and carrying away the Sands, Opens A
pillage for the great Veflels, :
*L CHAP:
NE ei nstiettmesea
?
ne a or ee
ct
Travels in Inpia. Part JJ
es
CHAP. XII.
Obfervations upon the prefent State of the City of Goa.
(3° A lies in 15 Degrees, 32 minutes of Latitude,in an Ifland fix or feven leagues
J about, upon the River of Afandoua, ten leaguts from the mouth of the
River. The Ifland abounds in Corn and Rice, and bears feveral forts of Fruit, ag
Mangas, Anana’s, Adam’s- Figs, and Coco’s. But moft certainly a Pippin js fi
beyond all thofe fruits. All thofe that have feen Europe and Afia, agree with
me, that the Port of Goa, the Port of Conffantinople, and the Port of Toxlou, are
three of the faireft Ports of all our vaft Continent. The City is very large, ang
~ the Walls are of good Stone. The Houfes are for the moft part very magnj-
ficently built, efpecially the Viee-Roy’s Palace. There are in it a great number of
Apartments, and in one part of the Rooms and Chambers, which are very large,
hang feveral Pictures, wherein are feverally painted by themfelves, the Ships that
come from Lisbox to Goz, with thofe that are bound from Goa to Lisbon, with the
name of the Vetlel, the Captain, and the number of Guns which the Ship carries,
If the City were not fo clofely environ’d with Hills, it would doubtlefs be better
inhabited, and the air would be much more wholfome. But.thefe Mountains
keep off the cool winds, which is the reafon that the heats are very exceffive,
Beef and Pork is the ordinary diet of the Inhabitants of Goa. They have good
ftore of Poultry, and fome few Pidgeons; but thongh Goa be very neer the Sea,
Fith is very {carce. They have abundance ofall forts of Sweet-meats, and feed upon
them very much. : ‘
Before the Hoilanders had brought down the power of the Portugals in India;
there was nothing to be feen at Goaz, but Magnificence aad Riches: but the Dac
having every where got their Trade out of their hands, they have loft their
{prings of Gold andSilver,and areffallen from their former fplendor.In my firft Voy-
age to Goa I met with people of fafhion, that had above two-thoufand Crowns
Revenue ; at my fecond Voyage the fame perfons came privately to me in the
evening, to beg an Alms ; yet abating nothing, for all that, of their inkerent pride
and haughtinefs: Nay, their Women will come in Pal/eki’s to the door, and flay
while a Boy, that attends them, has brought you a Complement from his Miftrefs,
Then ufually you fend them what you pleafe, or carry it your felf, if you havea
curiofity to fee their faces; which rarely can be done, becaufe they cover then-
{elves with a veil from head to foot. Moreover, if you go your felf ro prefent
them your Charity, they will give you a little note, containing a recommendation
of fome religious Perfon, who fignifies what fubitantial perfons they have been,
and how they came to fall to decay. Sometimes, if the perfon be handfom, the
is defir'd to walk in; and to take a Collation, which lafts moft commonly till the
next-day. Hadnot the Portzgals {o many Fortreffes to keep upon the Land 5 or had,
“not, out of their contempt of the Hollander they neglected their affairs, they could
never have been reduc‘ to fo low a condition. :
The Portuguefes have no fooner made the Cape of Good-Hope, but they are all
Fidalgues or Gentlemen ; and add the Title of Dom to the fingle name of Pedro
or Feronimo, which they receiv’d at their Baptifm: From whence they are cilld
the Fidalgues or Gentlemen of the Cape of Good-Hope. As they change thelt
Names, they alfo change their Nature ; for it may be truly faid, that the /vdian-
Portugals are the moft revengeful perfons, and the moft jealous of their Wives of
any perfons inthe World, And when the leaft fufpition creeps into their noddles,
they rid themfelves of them either by Poifon or Dagger. If they have an enc-
~ my,they never pardon him;but if he be a perfon of that courage that they dare not
grapple with him,theirMafters have attending upon them a fort of blackSlaves,that
if they command them to kill any one, the Slaves will do it with a blind obe-
dience ; which they do either witha Dagger, or a Piftol, or elfe by knocking the
party onthe head with a club, which they always carry, about the length of an
HalfPike, Ifithappen that they ftay too long before they can meet with an op-
3 . portunity
¢
Book IL. TT G06 £6 Tsepia
ortunity ere they can difpatch their mifchief; and that they cannot conveniently
meet the perfon to be murther‘d, in the Fields or in the City, they are no fich
saints, but they will kill him at the very Alrar, while he is at his devotions; of
which I faw two fatal prefidents, the one at Goa, the other at Daman. At Daman
three or four of thefe black Slaves perceiving fome perfons whom they were to
murther, at Mafs in the Church, difcharg’d their Muskets at. them through the
windows, Never confidering what other mifchief they might do to any other
erfons, againft whom they had no quarrel or defign. The fame thing happen’d
at Goa, Where feven men were kill’d clofe by the Altar, and the Prieft that faid
Mafs was dangeroufly wounded at the fame time. Nordo their Courts of Juftice
take any cognizance of thefe crimes, for generally the guilty perfons are the
chiefeft of the Countrey. As for their Suits of Law, there is no end of them,
for they are manag’d by the Canarins, who are Natives of the Countrey, whofe
pafine(s it is to follow the Law ; the moft fubtil and crafty fort of people in the
orld.
Lr return to the ancient Power of the Portugals in India, moft certain it is,
that if the Hollanders had never come among them, you fhould not have feen a
bic of Iron in any Portugal Merchant's Honfe ; but all Gold or Silver; for they
needed no more than to make three or four Voyages to fapan, the Péilippin, or
Molucca Iflands, or to China to enrich themfelves ; gaining at ‘their return above
five or fix for one upon rich Merchandizes. The very Souldiers as well as the
Captains and Governors enrich’d themfelves by Trade. There was not any per-
fon, unle(S it be the Governor, who was nota Trader ; or if he does Trade, it is
in anether man’s name, for he has Revenue enough without it. Formerly it was
one of the faireft employments of the Werld to be Vice-Roy of Goa: and there
are but few Monarchs, that have Governments at their difpofal, which are equal
in value to fome of thofe which depend upon this /ice-Roy. The chief Command.
isthat of Afozambique for three years. In thofe three years the Governor gets
above four or five-hunder’d-thoufand Crowns, and fometimes more, if in al] that
time they receive no.lofles from the Cafres. Thefe Cafres are people that bring
_ Gold for the Commodities which they carry away; and if any one of. them
happen to dye, going or coming, whatever you trufted them withall is loft with-
out redemption. The Governour of Afozambique trades alfo with the Negro’s
that inhabit all along the Coaft of AZelinda ; and they ordinarily pay for the
goods they buy, cither in Elephants Teeth, or Ambergreefe. When I was laft
inGea, the Governour of Afozambique, who return’d to Goa after he had been
three years in his Command, had by him only in Ambergreefe, two hundred
thoufand Crowns, not reckoning his Gold, and his Elephants Teeth, which a+ .
mounted to a far larger fum. 7 .
The fecond Government was that of Afalaca, by reafon of the Cuftom which
was there to be paid. For it isa Streight through which all Veffels that are
bound from Goa, for fapon, China, Cochinchina, fava, Macaffar, the Phillippin
lands, and many other places, muft of neceffity pafs. They may fail another
way by the Ifland of Swaatra, toward the Weft, and fo through the Streight
of Soude, or elfe leave the Ifland of 7ava to the North ; but when the Ships
return to Goa, they muft fhew a difcharge from the Cuftom-Houfe of AZalaca,
which obliges them to go that way. | ;
The third Government is that of Ormus, by reafon of the great Trade which
isthere, and the Cuftom which all Ships are to pay that are bound in and.
out of the Perfan Golf. The Governour of Ormus exacted great Tolls from
thofe that went to the Hland of Bakren to fifh for Pearls, for if they did not
take a Licence from him, he would fink their Veflels. The Perfrans at prefent
exact. this Cuftom from the Englifo, who have a fimall fhare in that Trade, as
Ihave related in my Perfian Voyages. But though they are fevere enough to the
Merchants, their Cuftoms amount to nothing near fo much as what the Porta-
guefes made of it. The Hollanders are inthe fame condition at Malaca, not re-
ceiving hardly fufficient to pay their Garrifon which they keep there.
The fourth Government is that of J4o/cate,, the revenue whereof was very
great. For all Veficls that are bound from Judia, from the Perfian Golf, from
the Red Sea, and from the Coaft of Adeknda, muft come under the Point of
ig Mu{-
ee eenamamnainiaaiiel meinen,
’ Ne eee,
Travels in Ixpta. Part I
ce ace,
= sea
Maufcate, where they generally take in frefh Water. If there be any Ships that
would not come to an Anchor there, the Governour fent for his Cuftom, which
was four in the hundred; and if they refus’d, the Governour had his Galeatles
ready to fink them.
The fifth Government was that of the Ifland of Ceyland, to which belong’g
‘all thofe places which the Portugals had, as well upon the Coatt of ALglayzy
the Golf of Bengala, and other parts of Jadsa ; the worlt of which employ-
ments was worth ten thoufand Crowns per ann.
Befides thefe five great Governments, which were at the difpofal of the Vice.
Roy, he had abundance of other Offices in his Gift, as well In Goa, as in other
parts of India. The very day that he makes his Entry into Goa, the Captain
of his Guards gets above four thoufand Crowns. The three Offices of Engi
neer Major, Vifiter of the Forts, and chief Matter of the Ordinance , yeilded
every year twenty thoufand Pardo’s; every Pardo being worth twenty-feven
Sous of our Money. The Portwguefes were then all very rich; the Nobilit
by reafon of their Governments and Commands, the Merchants by their Trade,
till the Englifo and Hollanders cut them fhort. When they had Ormws, they
would not let any Merchant pafs by Sea into Zvdia ; fo that they were forced
to go by Land through Candabar. Then, when the Twrky, Perfian, Arabian,
Mujfcovite, Polonian, and other Merchants arriv’d at Bander—Abaj/y, they joind
together, and deputed four of the moft experiencd perfons among them, to
view all the forts of Commodities, and to underftand their quality and price,
After they have made their report,they agree upon thgir price,and fetch away their
goods, which are diftributed to every one proportionably according to the number
of Merchants .It is alfo the cuftom ofall -d/a,that there is nothing fold,but a Bro-
ker hag a hand in the Bargain. They make good the Money to. thofé that
have fold, and receive it from them that buy; and there are fome forts of
Commodicies upon which there is due to them for Brokage, fometimes one in
in the Hundred , ‘fometime one and a half, and two.
At that time the Portaguefes made great profit, without any lofs. For the
Vice-Roy took care to preferve them againit the Pyrats. Who afloon as the
Rains are over, and that it was feafonable to put to Sea, always fent a fuff-
cient convoy to guard the Merchants twenty-five or thirty Leagues to Sea,
the AZalvares not daring to ftir above fifteen or twenty. The Captains of the
Galiots, and the Soldiers drive a fimall Trade alfo in their Voyages, and inre-
gard they pay no cuftom, they gain enough to maintain themfelves handfome-
ly all the time they lye in Garrifon, which is during the Rains. There was alfo
care taken for the advancement of the Soldiery; for every Soldier that came
from Portga/, after nine years fervice, had fome Command either by- Sea or
Land beftow’d upon him; and if he would not accept of it, they gave him
leave to Trade as a Merchant. So that if there happen’d to be any perfon of
underftanding among them, he could not fail to raifeé his fortune, having all
the credit he could defire. For there were people enough that being glad to
let out their Money, would venture with him at Cent. per Cent. upon his re-
turn. If the Veffel be loft, they that lend their Money, lofe either their
Money or their goods; but if the Ship come fafe home, of one they make
three or four.
The Natives of the Country, call’d Canarins, are not permitted to bear
any Offices among the Lortuguef?s, but only in reference to the Law, that is
to fay, either as Advocates, or Sollicitors, or Scriveners ; for they keep them
very much under. If one of thefe Canarins or Blacks, happen to ftrike a White
or E£xropean, there is no pardon for him, but he muft have his hand cut of.
_As well the Spaniards as Portuguefes, make ufe of them as Receivers, and to fol-
Jow their bufinefs. And in the ALanilia’s, or Philippin lands, there are fome
of thefe Blacks fo rich, that many of them have offer’d twenty thoufand Croi-
fats to the Vice-Roy, for liberty to wear Hofe and Shoo’s, which they are not
permitted to wear. Some of thefe Blacks have thirty Slaves attending upon
them, very richly habited ; but only they go barefoot. And had the Portugals
permitted them to fet out Ships of their own, and to have chofen Captains and
other Officers at their own pleafure, the Portuguefes would not have = furch
. arge,
ios
oo ye ~
tn anna
Book T. Travels in Ixpia aes
a Ep Ap
large, at leaft not fo eafie Conquefts in the Indies. Thefe Blacks are very =
couragious and good Soldiers, and feveral of the Religious Orders. have aflur’d
fe, that they will learn more in fix months in one of their Colledges, than
the Portaga! Children in a year, whatever Science you put them to ; which is
the reafon that the Portugals keep them fo low. The natural Inhabitants of
the Country about Goa, are Idolaters, and worfhip feveral forts of idols, which
they fay are the Refemblance of feveral that have done good works, to whom
they ought to give praife by adoring their Portraitures. There are many of
the(e Idolaters who worfhip Apes. And therefore in the Ifland of Saifete, there
was.a Pagod, where the Idolaters kept in a Cheit, like a Tomb, the Bones and
Nails of an Ape, which they faid had been mighty ferviceable to their Anceftors,
by bringing news and intelligence to them, when any holtile Princes profecuted
them ; for which purpofé they would fometimes fwim through the very Sea
it felf. The Indians come from feveral parts in proceffion, and make Offerings
+o this Pagod. But the Clergy of Goz, efpecially the Inquifitors, caus’d the
Tomb one day to be taken away, and brought it to Goa, where it remain’d a
ood while, by reafon of the difference which it made between the Ecclefiatticks
and the people. For the Idolaters oifering a great {um of Money to have their
Reliques again, the people were willing to have reftor'd them ; faying, that the
Money would do well upon any occafion of War, or elfe ro relieve the poor.
But the Clergy were of a contrary opinion, and maintain’d that fucha piece of
Idolatry was not to be endur’d upon any account whatfoever. At length the
Arch-Bifhop and the Inquifitors, by their own Authority,- took away the Tomb,
and fending it ina Veflel twenty Leagues out to Sea, caus'd it to be thrown
to the bottom of the Ocean. They thought to have burn’d it, but the Idola-
ters would have rak’d up the Afhes again, which would haye been but a new food
to their Superftition. ee
There are in Goa abundance of Clergy-men; for befides the Arch-Bifhop and
his Clergy, there are Dovsnicans, Anjftin-Fryars , Francifcans, Barefoot Carme-
lite:, fefuits, and Capuchins, with two Religious Houfes, whereof the -4z/fin-
,
Fryars are Directors or Governours. The Religious Carmelites, that came laft,
ate the beft feated ; for though they are fomewhat at adiftance from the heart
of the City, yet they have the advantage of a fine Air, and the moft healthy
fcituation in all Goa. It ftands upon arifing ground, free to rhe refrefhment of
the Wind ; and it is very well built, with two Galleries one: over the other.
The Auftin-Fryars, who were the firft that came to Goa, were indifferently well
fated, at the foot of a little rifing ground, their Church alfo itanding upon a
rifing ground, with a fair Piazza before it; but when they had built their Ha-
bitation, the 7efaits defir’d them to fell that rifing ground, which was then a
void place, under pretence of making a Garden in it for the recreation of their
Scholars. But after they had purchas’d it, they built a moft ftately College
upon the fame ground, which quite ftops and choaks up the -4uftin-Fryars Co-
vent, fo that they have no Air at all. There happend feveral Contefts about
this bufinefS, but at length the 7e/uits got the better. The fefuites at Goa,
are known by the name of Paxlifts; by reafon that their great Church is dedi-
cated to St. Pasl. Nor do they wear Hats or Corner-Caps, as in Eyrope, but
only a certain Bonnet, refembling the Skull:of a Hat without the Brims ; {ome-
what like the Bonnets which the Grand Segnors Slaves wear; of which I have
given you a defcription in my relation of the Seraglio. They have five Houfes
in Goa, the College of St. Paul, the Seminary, the Profeflors Houfc, the Mo-
viciate, and the Good Jefus. The paintings in this Houfe are admirable pieces ae
of Workmanfbip. In the year 1663 the College was burnt by an accident
which happen’d in the night, fo that it.coft them near fixty thoufand Crowns
to rebuild it. AI
~The Hofpital of Goa was formerly the moft famous in all Zédéa, For in re-
gard the Revenues thereof were very great, the fick perfons were very care-
fully look’d after. Bur fince the change of the Governours, there ‘is but very
bad accommodation ; and feéveral of the Exropeans that have been put in, have
never come forth again, but in their Coffins. - However, they have lately found
out a way to faye fome by frequent Bloodletting. They let Blood fometimes, -
as
»
6
Travels in Inxpta. Part. IL
acters tt CC CL LA A AL OI NG Ct
as occafion requires, thirty or forty times, even as often as any ill-blood comes
forth; asthey did by me one time that L was at Swrat. Butter and fleth js very
dangerous to them that are fick, and many times cofts them their lives. Formerly
they made feveral forts of well-tafted diet for thofe that recoverd: Now the
ferve the Patient only with young Beef-broth, and a difh of Rice. Ufually ‘the
poorer fort that recover their health, complain of drowth, and call for water,
But they that look after them, being only Blacks, or Mongrels, a fort of covetous
and pittilefs people, will not give them a drop, unlefs they put Money in their
hands ; and to colour their wickednefS, they give it them by ftealth, pretendin
what they do to be againft the Phyfitian’s order. As for Sweet-meats and Pre.
ferves, there isno want of them ; but they are not a diet which contributes over.
much to the reftoring of decaid ftrength, efpecially in thofe hot Countreys, where
the body requires rather cooling and refrefhing nourifhment.
I have forgot one thing in reference to their more frequent blood-lettings than
among us Earopeans. Which is, that to bring their colour again, and to reftore
them to perfect health, they order the Patient to drink for twelve days together
three glaffes of Cow’s Urine; one in the morning, another at noon, and another at
night. But in regard it isa very naufeous fort of drink, the Patient {wallows as
little as he can, how defirous foever he may be of his health. They learnt this
remedy from the Idolaters of the Countrey ; and whether the Patient will take
it or no, they never let him ftir out of the Hofpital, till the twelve days are ex-
pir’d wherein he ought to drink it.
“CHAP, XIV.
What the Author ded, during his flay at Goa, the Lift time he went
thither in the year 1648,
- W O days before I departed from A4ingrela tor Goa, I wrote to AMonfieur
St. Amant, who was Engineer, to fend me a Man of War, for fear of the
Malvares which are upon the Coaft, which he immediately did. I parted from
~ Mingrela the 20th of January 1648, and arriv’d at Goa the 25¢h. And in regard
it was late, I ftaid till rhe next morning before I went to vifit the Vice~Roy, Don
Philip de Mafcaregnas, who had formerly been Governor of Ceylan. He made
me very welcome, and during the two months that I tarri’d at Goa, he fent to me
a Gentleman five or fix times, who brought me ftill to the Powder-Houfe, which
was without the City, where he often us'd to be. For he took great delight in
levelling Guns, wherein he ask’d my advice, efteeming’ very much a Piftol very
curioufly and richly inlaid, which I prefented him at my arrival. This Piftol the
French-Conful at Aleppo gave me, the fellow of it being unhappily loft: for elfe
the Pair had been prefented by the French-Nation to the Baba, who might then
have boafted himfelf the Mafter of the faireft, and beft-made pair of Piftols in all
Afia. The Vice-Roy admits no perfon whatever, no not his Children to fit at his
Table. But there is a little partition in the Dining-room, where there is a Cloath
laid forthe Principal Officers, as is ufual in the Courts of the German-Princes.
_ The next day LT went to wait upon the Arch-Bifhop, and the next day after I de-
fign'd to have vifited the Inquifitor ; but I underftood by one of his Gentlemen
that he was bufy, writing into Portugal; there being two Ships ready to weigh
Anchor, that only ftaid for his difpatches. After the Ships were fet fail, he fent
the fame Gentleman to tell me that he expected me at the Inquifition-Houfe,
about two or three in the afternoon. I fail’d not to gothither at the time pre- :
fix'd. When I came, a Page brought me into a large Hall, where after I had walkd
a quarter of an hour, an Officer came and carri‘d me into the Chamber where the
Inguifitor was. After I had paft through two Galleries, and {ome Chambers, I en-
terd intoa little Chamber where the Inquifitor fat at the end of a great Table
like a Billiard-Table, which, as well as the Chairs and Stools in the Chamber, oe
: 3 cover’
mar ro eran eeiaeeeaaaneseisentipnhewacasonsnsiiensenennigtessincligt
| Book I. Travels in Ix DIA. 19
cover'd with green Cloath, fuch as is carri'd out of England. He told me 1 was
welcome, and after a Complement or two, he ask’d me what Religion I was of?
J anfwer’d him, of the Proteftant Religion. He ask’d me then, if my Father and
Mother were of the fame Religion ; and after E had fatisfi?d him that they were
fo;He told me again I was welcome,calling ont at the fame time for fome other per-
fons to enter. Thereupon, the Hangings being held up, there came in ten or twelve
rfons out of another room hard-by. The firft of the Train were two Anftin-
Friars, follow’d by two Dominicans, two barefoot-Carmelites, and fome other of
the Clergy ; whom the Inquifitor told who [ was, and aflur’d them I had brought
no prohibited Books ; for indeed, knowing their orders, I had left my Bible at
Mingrela. We difcours’d about two hours of feveral things, but particularly of
my Travels; the whole Company teiftifying their defire to hear me make fome
repetitions. Three days after the Inquifitor fent for me to dine with him at a fair
Houfe, about half a league from the City, which belongs to the Barefoot-
Carmelites. It is one of the lovelieft Structures in all the Zadses ; and I will tell you
in fhort how the Carmelites came by it. There was a Gentleman in Goa, whofe
Father and Grandfather had got great Eftates by Merchandizing; and he it was
that built this Houfe, which might well have paft for a moft noble Palace. He
had no mind to Marry, but being altogether addicted to his devotions, he very
much frequented the -4z/tin-Friars, to whom he fhew’d himfelf fo affectionate,
that he made his Will, wherein he gave them all his Eftate, provided they would
bury him on the right-fide of the High-Altar, where he intended a {umptuous
Monument. Now according to the common report, this Gentleman was a Leaper,
which fome jealous perfons endeavour’d to make the Wogld believe, feeing he had
giver away all his Eftate to the duftiz-Friars. Thereupon they told him that
the ground on the right-hand of the High-Altar was a place only fit for a Vice-
Roy ; and that a Jeaprous perfon was not to be laid there: which was the opinion
of the generality of the people, and of a good part of the -4w/fin-Friars them-
felves. Thereupon fome of the Fathers of the Covent coming to fpeak with the
Gentleman,on purpofe to perfivade him to choofé fome other are in the Church,
he was fo offended at the propofal, that he never went more to the 4aftia-Friars,
but always went to perform his devotions among the Carmelites, who receiv’d
him with open arms, and accepted the conditions which the other had refus‘d.-
Nor did he live long after he had interefted himfelf with that Order ; fo that the
Carmelites having magnificently burid him, enjoy’d all his Eftate, with this fame
Houfe, where we were fplendidly entertain’d with Mufick all the time of Din-
ner. )
| ftaid at Goa from the twenty-firft of faesary till the eleventh of AZarch, de-
parting thence that very day in the evening, after I had taken leave of the Vice-
Roy. I begg’d leave alfo of the Vice-Roy for a French-Gentleman, whofe name
was Belloy, to go atong with me : which was granted me ; but through the impru-
dence of that Gentleman, who did not tell me the reafon of his coming to Goa, he
had like to have been taken from me again,and it was an even-lay,that we had not
been both carri’d to the Inquifition. This Gentleman had left the place of his
Nativity to travel over Holland, where having run himfelf in debt, and finding no
perfon that would lend him any Money, he refolw’d to go for India. Thereupon
he lifted himfelf as a private Souldier upon the accompt of the Hol/znd-Com-
pany ; and came to Batavia at the fame time that the Holkanders made War againft
the Portwguezcs in Ceylan. Being arriv’d, they fent him away among the recruits
which were fent into that Ifland; and the Holand-General teeing fuch are- *
inforcement of ftour men commanded by a French-Captain, whofe name was
St. Amant, a perfon of great’ courage and experience ; he retolv’d to befiege WVe-
gembe, 2 comiderable Fort in the Ifland of Ceylan. They made two affaults,
Wherein the French-men behav’d them(elves valiantly, efpecially St Amanr, and
john de Rofe, who were both wounded. The General of the Dateh, feeing them
to be two fuch men of courage, made a promite that if Negombe were taken,
one of them two fhould be Governor. The place was taken, and the General
kept his word with St. Amant : but the News being carrrd to Baravia, a young
Gentleman of kin to the General, and but newly arriv’d out of Holland, obtain'd.
to be Governor of Negombe, to the prejudice of St. dmant, and came aghn :
order
80 Travels in Inpia. Part. II.
\
order from the Gouncil at Batavia to difplace him. St. Amant incens’d at fich
ill-ufage, inveigles to his Party a matter of fifteen or twenty, moit part French.
Souldiers, among whom were AZonfieur Belloy, Marefts, and john de Rofe, and re-
volts to the Porruguexes. The Portugals encourag’d by the reinforcement of fiach
a ftout, though fmal! number of men, ftorm’d Negombe again, and took it at the
fecond aflault. At that time was Don Philip de Mafcaregnas Governor of Ceylay,
and all the places belonging to it, under the Juri{diction of the Portugals, He
liv’d alfo at the City of Colombo ; and then it was, that having receiv'd Letters
from Goa that the Vice-Roy was dead, and that the Council and all the Nobility
defir’d him to come and fucceed in his place, he refolv’d to fee St. Amant and his
Companions before his departure, to the end he might beftow upon them fome
proper reward. So foon as he faw them, he was refolv d to take them along with
him to Goa: Whether it were that he thought he might have better opportu-
nities to advance them there ; or that he thought it convenient to have ftout men
about him, by reafon of the A@a/avares who lay in wait for him with forty Vef-
fels, whereas he had but twenty-two. But theywere no fooner come to make
Cape-Comorin, when the winds rofe, and fuch a tempett follow d, that the Veflels
were difperced, and many of them unfortunately caft away. They that were in
Don Philips’s Vellel did all they could to get to the fhoar, but feeing they could
not, and that the Ship was ready to fplit, St. Amant and his fix other Compani-
ons threw themfelves into the Sea with cords and pieces of planks, and fo beftirrd
themfelves, that they made a fhift not only to fave themfelves, but Don Philip
alfo. Hereupon Dox Philip coming to Goa, after he had made his entrance, gave
to St. Amant the Command of Grand Matter of the Artillery, and Superintendent-
General over all the Forts which the Portaguezes had in Jndia. He marrid him
alfo to a young Virgin, with whom he had twenty-thoufand Crowns, whofe Fa-
ther was an Exgli/b-man, who had quitted the Company, and marrid a Natural
Daughter of one of the Yice-Roy’s of Goa. As for fobn de Rofe, he defir’d leave
of the Ysce-Roy to return to Colombo, where, by his favour, he marrid a young
Widow, half Native, half Portag@exe, by whom he hada fair fortune. AfLarefs
the Vice-Koy made Captain of his Guards, the moft confiderable Command in all
his Court, being oblig’d to {4arefts for his life, who was the perfon that bore him
‘upon his fhoulders to fave him from drowning. Ds Belloy defir'd leave that he
might go to Afacao, which was granted him. For he under{tood that the greateft
part of the Portugal-Gentry retird to that place, atter they had got Eftates by
Merchandizing ; that they were very courteous to ftrangers, and withal extremely
addicted to play, which was Dz Belloy’s chief delight. He liv’d two years at
Macao, very much to his content ; for when he wanted Money, the Gentry lent
it him freely. One day he had won above fix-thoufand Crowns; but going to
play again, he was fo unfortunate as to lofe it all, befides a good fum of Money
which his friends had lenthim. Being thus at a Jofs, and finding that no-body
would lend him any more Money, he began to {wear againft a Picture that hung
in the room, which was the Portraiture of fome Papiftical Saint ; faying in his
paffion, that it was an ufval thing with them that plaid, that if they faw a Saints
Picture hang in their fight, it made them lofe; and that if that Picture had not
been there, he had certainly won. Immediately the Inquifitor was inform’d of
this, (for in every City in /ndia under the Jurifdiction of the Portuguexes there is
one. -However his power is limited; having no other authority than to ize
the perfon of him that fays or acts any thing againft their Religion, to hear the
» Witnefles, and to fend the Offender with the examinations to Goa in the firft Ship
which is bound thither: where the Inquifitor-General has an abfolute Power
either to abfolve him, or to put him to death. Thereupon Dz Belioy was put a-
board a finall Veflel of ten or twelve Guns Joaded with frons; with a ftrié charge
to the Captain to keep him fafe, and fome threats that he {hould be anfwerable
for him if he efcap’d. But fo foonas the Ship was out at Sea, the Captain, who
was of anoble difpofition, and knew Dz Belloy to be of a good Family, took off
his irons, and made him fit at his own Table ; giving him alfo Linnen, and other
convenient Apparel neceflary for the Voyage, which was to cortinue forty days.
They put into Goa the nineteenth of February 1649; and the Ship was no fooner
come into Harbour, but St, dmant came a-board by the Governor's order, as well
ieee 4°
bo AE arene SET ne ae 2 |
Book 1. — Travels in Ixpsa.
to receive his Letters, as to hear what news in China. But his farprize was
very great, to fee Belloy in that condition, and that the Captain would-not let
him go, before he had furrender’d him up into the hands of the Inquifitor. Ne-
yerthelefs, in regard that St. Amant was a perfon of great:credit, he obtain’d
of the Captain, that Belloy fhould go along with him into the City: As for Belloy
he immediately and for the nonce fhifted himfelf into his old Cloaths, which
were all to tatters and full of Vermin ; and St. Amant, who knew: there was
nodallying with the Inquifition, took that feafon to prefent him to the Inqui-
fitor ; who feeing a Gentleman in fuch a fad condition, had fome compaflion upon
him, and allow’d him the whole City for his Prifon; on condition he fhould
"ee
fyrrender his body upon demand, when he underftood what was inform’d againft .
him. Inthe interim St. Amant brings Du Belloy to my Lodging juft as I was.
going to vifit the Arch-Bifhop of Adira, whom I formerly knew at Conftanri-
wople, When he was Prior of the Francifcans at Galata. \defir'd them to ftay
a while and to dine with*me, which they did; after which I proffer'd my Houfe
and Table to Dz Belloy, who liv’d with me; and for whom [ alfo bouglit two
new Suits of Apparel, and Linnen convenient. However, all the while that I
ftay’d at Goa, which was ten or twelve days, I could not perfwade the Sieur
Ds Belloy to put on thofe new Cloaths, not knowing the reafon, though: he
promis'd me every day. But being upon my departure, I told him I was go-
ing to take leave of the Vice-Roy ; whereupon he defir’d me to procure leave
for him alfo; which I did. We departed toward evening in the fame Veflel
wherein I came, and about midnight the Sieur Bed/oy began to fhift himfelf, and
when he had done he threw his old raggs into the Sea; {wearing againft the In-
quifition like a mad man; I underftanding nothing all this while of the bufinefs.
When, I heard him fwear in that manner, I told him we were not yet ‘out of
the Portugals hands; neither were he and] with five or fix Servants, able to
defend our felves againft forty Sea-men that belong’d to the Ship. I ask’d him
then, why he {wore fo heaftily againft the Inquifition ; he reply’d, that he would
tell me all the circumftances of the ftory ; which he did when we came to A4in-
grela, which was about eight a Clock in the morning. When we landed we
met certain Hollanders with the Commander, who were eating Oylters and
drinking Sack upon the Shoar. Immediately they ask’d me who that perfon was
with me. I told them it was a Gentleman who attending the Frexes Ambafla-
dor into Portugal, had taken Shipping there for Jndia, together with four.of five
inore whom he had left at Goa ; but that neither the fcituation of, the place, .
nor the humour of the Portugals pleafing him, he had -defir’d my affiitance in
his return for Ewrope, Three or four days after, I bought him an Oxe-to carry
him to Sarat; arid I gave him a Servant to affift him, together with a Letter
to Father Zenon, a Capuchih, wherein I defird him to fpeak to my Broker to
pay him ten Crowns a month for his fubfiftence, and to defire of the Englifh
Prefident to embark him for Evrope with the firft opportunity. But it fell out
contrary to my intentions ; for Father Zenon carri‘d him back again along with
him to Goa, where he had fome bufinef$ to do for Father Ephraim his Com-
panion; of whom I fhall fpeak in the next Chapter. Father Zenon without
doubt believ’d, that Dx Belloy making his appearance to the Inquifition, and
defiring his pardon, might have eafily obtain’d it. “Tis very true he did obtain ,
it, but it was after he had been two years in the Inquifition, from which he
was not difcharg’d but with a Sulphur’d Shirt, with a St. Andrews Crofs apon
“his Stomack. There was with him another Gentleman, call’d Lewis de Bar upon
the Seine, who was us’d in the fame manner; and they always put them to ac-
company thofé who were put to death. Thé Sieur Dx Belloy did very ill to
return to Goa, and worfe to appear afterwards agaif at ee - aie the
Hollanders, who underftanding he had formerly revolted out of their fer-
vice, by the intelligence they receiv’d from their Commander at Swrar, feiz’d
his perfon, and fent him away in a Ship that was going for Batavia. They pre-
tended that they fent him to the General of the Company, to do with him as
he fhould think fitting. But Iam in part aflur’d, that as foon as the Veflel was
out at Sea, they put the poor Gentleman intoa Sack, and threw him into the
Sea, This was the end of the Sieur Da Belloy. ) 7
*M ) As
ed
8 2
Part IL
Se
Travels in Inpia.
As for Sieur des Mareffs, he was a Gentleman, born in the Dauphinate, near
to Loriol, who having kill’d his Adverfary in a Duel, fled into Poland, where
he fo far fignaliz’d himfelf, that he won the efteem and affection of the General
of the Polonian Army. At that time the Grand Seégnior kept in the Prifon of
the Seven Towers at Con/tantinople, two Noble Polonians ; whereupon the Po.
lonian General obferving the courage and addres of this Des ALarefts, who was
a daring Fellow, and a good Engineer befides, made a propotal to him, to go to
Conftantinople, and to endeavour, if he could by any means in the world, to
fer thofé Princes.at liberty. Det Adarefts willingly accepted the employment,
and ‘without doubt he had fucceeded in his defign, had he not been difcovered
by fome Turks, who accus’d him for having been too circumfpect in viewing
the feven Towers, féeing him with a Chalk Pencil in his hand, ready to take
the draught thereof, which feem’d to tend to no good defign. This had been
‘enough to have ruin’d the Gentleman, had not Monfieur de Cefy the French
Ambafladour ftiff'd the further examination of the bufinefs by fome prefenr;
which in Tzrky is the moft fovereign remedy upon all accidents of danger ; telling
the Vifer, that he was only a French Gentleman that travel’d for his pleafure, and .
one that was going for Perfis with the firft opportunity. However it was not
Maurefts defign at that time to go very far, for he intended to have return’d into
Poland, fo {oon as he had us’d his ntmoft endeavours to fet the Princes at liberty;
but for his own fafety it behov’d himto give it out that he was gone to Perfia;
and at length he was conftrain’d to go thither indeed. As for the Grand Seiguior,
he had refolv’d never to fet the two Noblemen at liberty. Bur at length they
were {0 fortunate’as to gain the love of a young Turk, who was the Son of the
Captain of the Seven Towers; with whom the Father ufually trufted the Keys
to open and fhut the Gates of the Prifon. The night.appointed for their flight,
he made as if he had fhut fome doors, the- Padlocks whereof he left all open,
But he durft not do fo by the two firft Gates, near one of which the Captain
with a ftrong Guard lay, for fear of being difcover’'d. The young man, who
had entirely devoted himfelf to ferve the Princes, having forefeen this difi-
culty before, had bethought himfelf of Rope-Ladders to get over the two
‘Walls; to which purpofe it was neceflary to have a correfpondence within and
without. Finding therefore that becaufe the utmoft of feyerity was not usd
toward thofe Princes, they had the liberty to receive feveral Difhes of Meat
from the French Ambafladors Kitchin, the Clerk of the Kitchin was made of the
plot, wha thereupon fent them in feveral Cords in Pafties, whereof they made
Ladders. The bufinefs fucceeded fo well, that the efcape was made, and the
young Txrk fled with the Polonian Lords into Poland, where he turn’d Chriitian,
and receiv’d ample rewards both in Employments and Money. The fame gra-
titude proportionably was obferv’d toward thofe;who had contributed toward
the liberty of the Princes, who amply acknowledg’d. the fervices which they
had receiv’d from every one of them.
In the mean time the Sieur Des ALarefts arrives at J/paban, and addreffing
himfelf to the Capuchin Fryars, they brought him to my Lodging, where he
had the freedom of my Table, and a Chamber. He ftaid fome time at Jjps-
han, during which he got acquainted with the Englifo and Hollanders, who had
a great efteem for him, finding him te be a perfon of merit. But it happend
one day, that his curiofity putting him upon a bold attempt, had like to have
been the *ruine of him and all the Franks in Ifpahan. Near the Inn where'we
lodg’d there was ‘a large Bath, where the men and women by turns take their
times to come and bath themfelves-; and where the Queen of Vifapour, during
-her ftay at J/pahan, as fhe return’d home to AZecca, delighted to go and prattle
with the French mens Wives. The Sieur Des Aarefts having a paflionate de-
fire to fee what the women did, fatisfi'd his curiofity, by means of a cranny in
the Arch of the Vault, which he had obferv’d when he went thither ; for having
found out a way without fide to get up to that Arch, through a blind hole that
was next to the Inn where we lay, the Arch being flat, as I have deferib’d them
in my relations of Perfiz, and the Seraglio, he laid himfelf upon his belly, and
faw throngh the cranny what.he fo much long’d to behold. - He was at this {port
fome ten or twelve times; and not being able to contain him({elf, he told me
~ ; | one
Book I Tra00s ih ent a
ane day what he had done, I bid him have a care of going there any more
for fear of ruining himfelf and all the Frezch men in the City. But he contrary
to my advice went thither two or three times after that, till ar length he was dif.
coverd by one of the women of the Bath that took care of the Linnen, and
dry them without » upon Perches as high as the top of the Arch, to which
they get up by a little Ladder. The woman feeing a man lying all along upon
his belly, {eiz’d upon his Hat, and began to cry out. But AZareffs, to get him-
felf out of the mire, and to hinder the woman from making more noife, put
two Zomans into her hand. When he return’d to the Ino, I pe iv’d him to look
as if he had been fcar’d, and conjecturing that fome ill a had_ befall’n
him, I prefs‘d him to confefs what was the matter. He was loath at firft, but
at length he confefs’d how he had been difcover’d by a woman, and how he had
ftop’d her mouth with money. Thereupon I told him, that there was a neceflity
for him to fly, for that the danger was far greater than he imagin’d. The b
Prefident alfo, to whom I thought it convenient to tell what had pafs’d, was of
the fame opinion ; upon which we gave him a Mule, and as much money as was
neceflary for him, ordering him to go to Bander, and thence by Sea to Surar.
[gave him a Letter of Recommendation to the Englifh Prefident, who was my
Friend ; whom I alfo defir’d to let him have two hundred Crowns, if he had oc-
cafion for them. I wrote very much in his commendation; and mention’d the
proffer which the Dwch Prefident at L/paban had made him, to fend him with
Letters to the General, who would not fail to employ him according to his
merit. For indeed at that time that the Hollanders had War with the Portuguefes
in Ceylan, any perfon of wit and coutage, like the Sieur Des AZarefts, was very
acceptable to them. Which made them very earneft with him, to take an em-.
ployment among them ; and to that end, they carefSd him, and prefented him
very nobly during his ftay at Z/pzban. But he told them, that not being of their
Religion, he was unwilling to ferve them againft the Portaguefes; which was
the only reafon that hinder’d him from accepting the offers which I had made
him. Thefe particalars | wrote in his behalf to the Englifh Prefident at Sxrat ;
fo that the Sieur Des AZurefis being defirous to go to Goa to ferve the Portu-
gals, the Prefident wrote in his behalf to the Vice-Roy, by whom he was very
much belov’d, relating to him, befides, what the Hollanders had profter’d him,
that his recommendation might be the more acceptable. Thereupon the Vice-
Roy made him very welcome ; and upon the Sicur AZarefts defire. to be em-
ploy’d in Ceylan inthe Portygal Army, he fent him away with the firft oppor-
tunity, with Letters of Recommendation to Don Pd:lip de ALafcaregnas, who.
was then Governour of Ceylan, and all thofe places that belong’d to it. under
the jurifdiction of the Porruguefes. It happend three days after, that they loft.
Nagombe, and when they retook it, the Sieur AZare/fs was one of thofe that
receiv’d moft wounds, and won moft honour inthe Aflaults. He it was that.
afterwards was moft inftrumental in faving Don Philip from being drown’d; fo
that when Don Philip came to be Vice-Roy of Goa, he could not think he de-
ferv’d a lefs reward than the Command of his Guards; in which employment he
dy’d within three or four months. He was'very much lamented by the Vice-
Roy, by whom he was éntirely belov’d. But he left his Eftate to a Prieft, witly
whom had contracted a particular friendfhip; upon condition that he fhould
oly pay me two hundred and fifty Crowns that. I had lent him; which how-
ever 1 had much ado to get out of the Prieft’s Clutches.
While I ftay’d at Goa, | was told a pretty ftory concerning a Caravel, or
Portugal Vellel, which arriv’d there but a little before, and came from Lisbon, |
When fhe was about to make the Cape of Good Hope, there happen’d fucha
violent Tempeft, as lafted five or fix hours, and put the Marriners to fuch a
wnplus, that they knew not where they were. At length they fell into a Bay, .
Where they faw feveral Inhabitants ; and as foon as they came to an Anchor, they
beheld the fhore cover’d with men, women, and children, that teftifi’da ftrange
amazement to fee white people, and fuch kind of building as the Caravel. The
mifchief was, that they could not underftand one another, but by figns. But
after the Porrugals had giv'n thofe Cafres Tobacco, Bisket, and Water, the next
day the people brought them a great wae young Oftriches, and one :
eR Fowt
a
Travels in Inpra. Part II
Fowl! that feem’d to refemble large Geefe, but fo fat, that they had very little
lean. The Feathers of thofe Birds were very lovely, and thofe upon the bell
proper for Beds. One of the Portuguefe Mariners fold me a large Cuthion ftufft
with thofe Feathers, and related to me what had happend to them in that
Bay, where they ftay’d feven and twenty days. They gave thofe Cafres one
thing or other every foot, as Knives, Axes, falfe Coral, and falfé Pearls, oy
of hopes to have difcover’d fome Trade, and particularly whether they had
any Gold; for they obferv’d that fome of them wore pieces of Gold in their
Ears; fome beat€m thin upon one fide; and others like the Nails of a Lock,
They brought two of the people to Goa; and I faw one of them that wore
feveral of thofe pieces of Gold in feveral parts of each Ear. The Mariner
told me, that there were fome of their women that wore of thofe pieces of
Gold under their Chins, and in their Noftrils. Eight or nine days after the
Porthgals arriv’d in that Bay, thofe Cafres brought them little pieces of Am-
bergreefe, fome Gold, but very little ; fome Elephants teeth, but very finall;
fome Oftriches, and other Birds; fome Venifon ; but for Fifth, there was abun-
dance, The Portugals endeavour'd all they could by figns to know where t
found the Ambergreefe, for it was very good. The Vice-Roy fhew’d mea
a piece that weigh’d not above half an Ounce, but he affur’d me withall, that
he had never feen fo good. They alfo labour'd to difcover where they had
the Gold. After the Elephants teeth they made no great enquiry, feeing a great
number of Elephants that came to drink at a River that threw it {lf into the
_ Bay. At length after they had ftay’d three weeks,the Portugals finding it impoffible
for them to difcover any thing more, becaufe they underftood not one ano-
ther, refolv’d to fet fail with the firft wind. And becaufe they had always
fome of thefe Cafres aboard, in regard they were very liberal of their Tobacco,
Bisket, and ftrong Water, they thought good to bring two of them along in
the Veflel; in hopes that they might learn the Portagwefe Language, or that
there might fome Child be found out that might underftand what they faid,
The Mariners told me, that when they fet fail, after the Cafres faw that they
had carri’d two of their people away, who perhaps were no. inconfiderable
perfons, they tore their Hair, ftruck their Breafts as if they had been frantick,
and fet up a moft horrible yelling and howling. When they were brought to Goa,
they could never be brought to learn any thing of the Porrwgal Language. So that
they could gettout of them nothing of that further difCovery at which they
aim‘d; of a Country from whence they only brought away two pound of Goll,
three pound of Ambergreefe, and thirty-five or forty Elephants teeth. One of
the Cafres liv’d but fix months, the other fifteen; but both languifh’d and pind
to death for grief to be fo trapann’d. .
From Goa I pafs’d to Adingreda, where there fell out an accident not to be
forgotten. An Idolater dying, and the Fire being ready prepar’d for the burn-
ing of the Body, his Wife who had no Children, by the permiffion of the
Governour, came to the Fire, and ftood among the Priefts and her Kindred,
to be burnt with the Body of her deceas’d Husband. As they were taking
three turns, according to cuftom, about the place where the Fire was kindI‘d,
there fell of a fudden fo violent a Shower, that the Priefts willing to get out
of the rain, thruft the Woman all along into the Fire. But the Shower was
fo vehement, and endur’d fo long a while, that the Fire was quench’d, and the
Woman was not burn’d. About midnight fhe rofé, and went and knock’d at
the door of: one of her Kinfinens Honfés, where Father Zenon and many Hol-
landers faw her, looking {o gbaftly and’ grimly, that it was enough to have
fcar’d them; however the pain that fhe endur’d did not fo far terrifie her, but
that three days after accompany’d by her Kindred, the went and was burn'd
according to her firft intention.
CHAP.
Book lL. Tr avels in In DIA. : 85
CHAP. XV.
The Story of Father Ephraim, and how he was put into the Inquifition
at Goa by a furprifal,
HE Chek; who had marri’d the Eldeft of the Princefles of Golconda, not be-
ing able to perfwade Father Ephraim to ftay at Bagnabar, where he promis’d
to build him an Houfe and a Church, gave him an Ox and two Men to carry him
to Maflipatan, where he ftaid to embark for Pegz, according to the order of his
Superiors. But finding no Veflel ready to fet fail,the Englifh drew him to Madref-
atan,where they have a Fort call'd St.George,and a general Factory for every thing
that concerns the Countreys of Golconda, Pega and Bengala. They over-perfwa-
ded him that he might reap a fairer Harveft in this place, than in any other part
of the Zndies; to which end they prefently built him a very neat Houfe, and a
Church. But in the conclufion, the Enghfb fought not fo much the intereft of
Father Ephraim, as their own. For Madrefpatan is but half a league from St.
Thomas, a Sea-Town upon the Coaft of Cormandel, indifferently well-built, as for-
merly belonging to the Portugals. In that place there was a very great Trade,
efpecially for Calicuts, and a very great number of Merchants and Workmen liv’d
there, the greateft part whereof defir'd to inhabit at ALadre/patan with the Eng-
iio, but that there was no place for them to exercifé their Religion in that place.
But when the Exglifb had built a Church, and perfwaded Father Ephraim to ftay,
many of the Porruguexes quitted St. Tomas, by reafon of the frequent Preaching
of Father Ephraim, and his great care as well of the Natives, as of the Portz-
als, Father Ephraim was born at duxerre, the Brother of Alonfieur Chateau de
Boys, Counfellor of the Parliament of Paris; who was very happy in learning
Languages, fo that ina little time he fpoke Exgli/b and Portuguez perfectly well.
But now the Clergy of St. Dhevsas-Church feeing Father Ephraim in to high a re-
patation, and that he drew the -srateft part of their Congregation to Maalpe
tan, were fo enrag’d againft hin, that they refolv’d to ruine him. And thus they
laid their plot. The Englifh an¢yPortuguexes being neer-neighbours, could not
choofe but have feveral cuarediine among another, and ftill Father Ephraim
was appli'd to for the compofing their differences. Now one day it happen’d, that
the Porruguexes quarrell’d on purpofe with fome Engl/b Mariners that were in
St. Thomas-Road, and the Engl,fb came by the worft. The Englifp Prefident re-
folving to have fatisfaction for the injury,a War broke out between the two Na-
tions: which had ruin’d all the Trade of that Countrey, had not the Merchants
on both fides been very diligent to bring things to an accommodation: not know-
ing any thing of the wicked contrivance of particular perfons againft Father
Ephraim. But all the interpofition of the Merchants avail’d nothing : the Friar
muft be concern’d in the affair, he muft be the Mediator to act between party
and party, which he readily accepted. But he was no fooner enter’d into St. T40-
mas, but he was {eiz’d by ten or twelve Officers of the Inquifition, who fhipp’d
him away in a Frigat that was bound at the fame time for Goa. They fetter'd and
manacl’d him, and kept him two and twenty days at Sea, before they would let
him once put his foot a-fhoar : though the beft part of the Mariners lay a-fhoar |
every night. When they came to Goa, they ftaid till night before they would land’
Father Ephraim, to carry him to the Jnqnifirion-Houfe. For they were afraid,
left if they fhould land him in the day, the people fhould know of it, and rifé in
the refeue of a perfon, who was in an high veneration over all Jndia. The news
was prefently {pread abroad in all parts, that Father Ephraim was in Been a.
tien, which very much amaz’d all the Freachmen. But he that was moft fur-
priz’d, and moft troubl’d at it was Friar Zenon, the Capuchin, who had been for-
merly Father Ephraim's Companion ; who after he had confilted his friends, re-
folv’d to go to Goa, though he were put into the Juquifrion himfelf. For when
a man is once fhut up there, if any one Have the boldnefé to fpeak to the Inquifi-
tor; or to any of his Councel in his behalf, he is prefently put into the a,
alfo,
Q
Travels in Ixpia. Part. Lf
a enEnEnEnnSnTmmmerriianortsr ane Saaremaa
alfo, and accounted a greater Offender than the other. Neither the Arch Bithop
nor the Vice-Roy themfelves dare interpofe ; though they are the only two per-
fons over. whom the Jrquifition has no power. For if they do any thing to oilend
them, they prefently write to the Inquifitor and his Council in Portugal, and as the
King and the Inquifitor- General commands, they either proceed againft, or fend
_thofe two great perfons into Portugal. 5: ee
Notwithitanding all thefe confiderations, Father Zenon, taking along with him
the Sieur de la Boulay,, a decaid Gentleman, goes to Goa; where, when he arriv’d,
he was vifited by fome friends, who advife him: to have a care not to open: his
mouth in the behalf of Father Epéraim, unlets he intended to bear him company
in the Znquifition. Father Zenon {ecing he could do nothing at Goa, advis'd the
Sieur de Boulay to return to Surat : and goes himfelf directly to ALadre/paran, more
particularly to inform himfelf concerning the reafon of Father Epirain’s being
fent-away. But when he underftood how he had been betraid at St. Tomas, he
refolv’d to have fatisfaction, and without acquainting the Englifb-Pretident, com-
municates his defign to the Captain that commanded in the Fort: Who being in-
cens’d, as were a’ the Souldiers, at the injury done Father Ephraim, not only
approv’d, but alfo promis’d Father Zenon to affiit him in his defign. Thereupon
the Father fets his {pies ; and underftanding by them, that the Governor of St.7/0-
mas went every Saturday-morning, early, to a Chappel upon a Mountain half a
league from the City, dedicated to the Virgin-AZary, he caufes three lron-Bars to
be fix’d in the window of a little Chamber in the Covent, with two good locks to
the door, and as many padlocks. And having fo done, he goes to the Governor
of the Fort, who was an /ri/z-man, and a very ftout perfon; who with thirty
Souldiers, and Father Zenon , iflu’d out of the Fort about midnight, and hid them
felves till day near the Chappel, in a part of the Mountain, where they could: not
be difcover’d. The Governor of St. Zaomas came exactly, according to.hits cuftom,
alittle after Sun-rifing ; and as foon as ever he alighted from his Palleguin, was
immediately furpriz’d by the Ambufcade,and carrid to Afaflipat an, into the Cham-
ber in the Covent which the Friar had provided for him: The Governor thus
furprizd, made great proteitations againit Father Zenon, and threaten’d him with
what the King would do when he fhould come ty hear what he had _prattis’d
againft the Governor of one of his Garrifons. T° which Father Zenon {aid no
more. but only that he believ’d that he was bett@r us’d at ALsdre/patan, than Fa-
ther Ephraim was us’d at the /ngu:fition at Gos gicics he had fent him: That if
he would obtain liberty for Father Ephraim to iron, he would leave him in the
fame place where they had feiz’d his perfon, with as much Juftice, as he had to
fend Father Ephraim to Goa, Many people came to the Eng/:/b Pretident, de-
firing him to ufe his authority for the Governor’s liberty. But his anfwer was,
that the Governor was not in his jurifdiction, neither could he compel Father Ze-.
non to releafe him, who had been one of ,the Authors of the injury which had.
been done his Companion. So that he contented himfelf only to defire of Fa-
ther Zenon that his Prifoner might dine at his Table inthe Fort, promifing him to:
return him when he fhould require his body; a requeft which he eafily obtain’d,
but could not fo eafily keep his word. For the Drummer of the Garrifon being a
French-man, with a Merchant of JZarferlles, call’d Robol:, thenin the Fort, two
days after came to the Governor, and promis’d him, for a good reward, to pro-
cure his efcape. The agreement being made, the Drummer in the morning beat
the Reveiilex fooner than he was wont to do, and lowder, while ool: and the Go-
vernor let themfelves down at a corner of a Baftion that was not very high; and
were prefently as nimbly follow’d by the Drummer ; fo that AZadre(patan and St.
Thomas being but half a league afunder, they were all three in the Town before
their efcape was known, The whole City greatly rejoyc'd at the return of their
Governor, and immediately difpatch’d away a Barque to Goa to carry the news.
The Drummer alfo and the Merchant fet fail at the fame time, and when they
_ came to Goa with Letters of recommendation in their behalf, there was no Houle
or Covent which did not make them Prefents: The Vice-Roy alfo himfelf carefs'd.
them extremely, and took them into his own Ship to have carri’d them into Por-
rvgai along with him; but both he and the two French-men dy’d at Sea.
Never
Boost. .. deazels ta Tra.
Never did any, Vice-Roy depart from Goa fo rich as Don Philippo de Mafcareg-
yas; for he had a great parcel of Diamonds, all large ftones, from ten Carars to
forty. He fhew’d me two when I was at Goa, one whereof weigh'd 57 Carats, the
other 67 and an half ; clean Stones, of an excellent water, and cut after the /n-
dian manner. The report was that the Vice-Roy was poifon'd in the Ship, and
that it was a juft punifhment of Heaven, for that he had poifon’d feveral others,
efpecially when he was Governor of Ceylan. He had always moft exquifite poi~
fons by him, to, make ufe of when his revenge requir’d it: for which reafon, ha-
ying raisd himfelf many enemies, one morning he was found hung in Effgse in
Goa 3 When I was there in the year 1648.
In the mean time, the Imprifonment of Father Ephraim made a great noife in
Europe; Monficur de Chafteau des Bois his Brother complain’d to the Portzgal Em-
paflador, who prefently wrote to the King his Mafter to fend a pofitive command
by the firft Ships, that Father Ephraim fhould be difcharg’d. The Pope alfo wrote,
declaring that he would excommunicate all the Clergy of Goa, if they did ‘nor fer
him at liberty. But all this fignif'd nothing. So that Father Ephraim was be-
holding for his liberty to none but the-King of Golconda, who had a Jove for him,
andwould have had him have ftaid at Baguagar. For the King was thenat Wars with
‘the Raja of Carnatica, and his Army lay round about St. T/omas’s, Hearing there-
fore what a bafe trick the Portuguezes had plaid with Father Ephraim, he tent Or-
ders to his General Adirgimola to lay fiege to. the Town, and put all to Fire and
Sword, unlefs the Governor would make him a.firm promife that Father Epsraim
fhould be fet at liberty in two months. A Copy of this Order was fent to the
Governor, which fo alarm’d the Town, that they difpatch’d away Barque after
Barque, to prefs the Vice-Roy to ufe his endeavours for the releafe of Father
‘Ephraim, ~Thereupon he was releas’d ; but though the door were fet open, he
would not ftir, till all the Religious Perfons in Goa came in Proceffion to fetch
him out. When he was at liberty he fpent 15 days in the Convent of the Capu-
chins. Lhave heard Father Ephraim fay feveral times, ‘that nothing;troubl’d him
{9 much all the while of his imprifonment, as to fee the ignorance of the Inquifitor
and his Councel, when they: put him any queltion: and that he did not believe
that any one of them had ever read the Scripture. They laid him in the fame
Chamber, with a A4Zaltefe, who never {poke two words without.a defperate oath 5
and took Tobacco all day, and a good part of the night, which was very offenfive
to Father Ephraim. , 7
When the Inquifitors feize upon any perfon, they fearch him prefently ; and as
for his Goods and wearing-Apparel, it is fet down in-an Inventory, to be returnd »
him again in cafe he be acquitted ; but if he have any Gold, Silver, or Jewels,
that is never fet down ; but is carri’d to the Inquificor to defray the expences of |
the Procefs. They fearch’d the Reverend Father Ephraim, but found nothing in
his Cloak-pockets, unlef$ it were a Comb, an Inkhorn, and two or three Hand-
kerchiefs. But forgetting to-fearch the little Pockets which the Capuchins carry
in their fleeves toward their armpits, they left him four or five black-lead pens.
Thefe Pencils did hima great kindnefs. For the A4a/refe calling for fuch a deal of
Tobacco, which is always cut and tid up in white-paper, for the profit of the
feller,;who weighs both Tobacco and Paper together : thefe Papers Father Ephraim
kept very charily, and with his Pencil wrote therein whatever he had ftudid at
any time : though he loft the fight of one of his eyes, through the darknefs of
the Chamber, which had but one window, half a foot fquare, and barr’d with iron,
They would-never fo much as lend him a Book, or let hit have an end of Candle;
but us’d him as bad as a certain Mifcreant’that had been twice let out already with »
his Shirt fulphur’d, and a St, «dudrews-Crofs upon his ftomach, in company with
thofe that are lead to the Gallows, and was thencome inagain. ©
Father Ephraim having ftaid 15 days in the Convent of the Capuehins to re-
cover his firength after 20 months imprifonment, return‘d for Madrefpatan, and
paffing through Golconda, went to return his humble thanks to.the King of Gol-
colda and his Son-in-law, who had fo highly interefs’d themfelves for his liberty.
The King importun’d him again to fta |
turn to his Convent at ALadrefpatan; t
yants, and. Money for his journey.
gave him as before, an Oxe, two Ser-
CHAP,
Fae ieee feeing him refolv’d to re-
88 Travels in Inpia. .. Pare}
CHAP. XVI.
The Road from Goa to Maflipatan through Cochin, here defcrie'd in
the Story of the taking of that City by the Hollanders.
os the Dutch had difpoflefs'd the Portugals of whatever they had in Cey-
lan, they caft their eyes upon Cochin, in the Territories whereof grows’
the Baftard Cinnamon, which hinder’d the utterance of Ceylan Cinnamon. For
the Merehants feeing that the Hollanders keyx up their Cinnamon fo dear, bought
up that of Cochin, which they had very cheap; and that coming into requett,
was tranfported to Gomron, and diftributed there among the Merchants that
camé from Perfiz, from Tartary, from Afofcovia, from Georgia, Mingrela, and
all the places upon the black Sea. It was alfo carried away in great quantities
by the Merchants of Balfara and Bagdar, ‘who furnifh Arabia; as alfo by the
Merchants of ALefopotamia, Anatolia, Conftantinople, Romania, Hungary, and Po
land. For in all thofe Countries, they ufe it either whole or beaten in moft
of their meats, to heighten the tafte thereof.
~ The Army which was commanded out of Batavia for the Siege of Cochin,
Janded at a place call’d Belli-Porto; where the Hollanders had a Fort made of
Palm-Trees. It is near to Cranganor, a {mall City which the Hollanders took
the year before; not being able to take Cochin then, though they had made
fome attempts upon it. So foon as the Army landed, they march’d_ within
Cannon-fhot of the City, there being a River between them and the City.
That part where the Hollanders encamp’d, is call’d Belle~Epine, where after they
had fortif’d themfélves, as well as the Nature of the place would permic, they
rais’d {ome Butteries, which could not much annoy the City, by reafon of the
diftance. They lay there till they had recruits of more men; for they had
but three Ships full, though he that commanded them were one of the bravelt
Captains of his time. Some few days after, the Governour of Amboyna au-
riv’d with two Ships more, and afterwards a Dutch Captain brought a great
number of Chinglas, who aré the Natives of the Ifland of Ceylan. For the
* Forces of the Hollander would not be fo confiderable as they are, did they not
make ufe of the Natives of the Country to fill up the Companies which they
bring out of Ezrope. The Natives of Ceylen, are good for digging Trenches,
and raifing Batteries, but for a Storm they fignifie little. Thofe of Amboyna ate
good Soldiers, four hundred of which were left at Belle-Epine. The Body of
the Army took Shipping again, and landed near to*Cachin, not far from a Church
dedicated to St. Andrew; where the Portugals, with certain A¢alavares, {eem’d
to have ftay’d afhore for the Hollanders coming : But feeing the Enemy to land
with fo much refolution, they only‘gave them one Volly and retreated. In
_ their March the Hollanders defcry’d certain Companies of Portuguefes near the
Sea-fhore, others fomewhat farther up in the Land, in a Church cail’d St. fobns.
Thereupon they fent out fome Horfemen to difgover their number; but the
Fortugals ftill retreated, after they had fet fire to the Church. Thereupon the
Ffollanders made their approaches to the Town; and after they had befieg’d
it for fome time, a Freeh Soldier, who was under their pay, feeing a Pannier
ty’d at the end of a Cord, hanging over one of the Baftions, ventur’d not-
withftanding all the Bullets that flew about his Ears, to fee what was in it. But
he was ftrangely furpriz’d, to find nothing bata languifhing Infant, which
the Mother had hung there, that fhe might not fee it perifh for hunger. The
Soldier mov’d to compaffion, took the Infant and gave it fuch as he had to
€at; at which the Dtch General was {0 incens’d, faying that the Soldier fhould
have let the Infant perith, that he call’d a Council of War, where he would
have bad the Soldier run the Gauntlet, which was very cruel; bur the Coun-
cil, ‘moderating the fentence,, condemn’d him only to the Strappado.
The fame day ten Soldiers our of every Company were commanded'to go
to one of the Houfes of the King of Cochin; but they found no body there,
, : . 3 having
OO oie nai ia i Ricans ae tne eee 5
Book I. Travels in Inpra.
ene
aving plunder’d it the year before. At which time the Hollanders
cat the Country, and fix hundred Blacks ; nor did their efcape one oe
ancient Queen, who was taken alive by a common Soldier, call’d Van Rez
whom the Commander of the Army made a Captain immediately, for his re
ward. ‘They left one Company in that Houfe; but the Queen ftay’d there but
fix days, for they gave her into the cuftody of Savarin, one of the moft
otent of the petty Kings of that Coaft, to whom the Hollanders had promis’d
to give the City of Cranganor, if they took Cochim, provided he would be faith-
fyl to them.
Six weeks pafs’d ere any thing confiderable was done; but then the Ho/-
landers, ftorming the Town by night, were repuls’d, and loft abundance of men;
fain and taken Prifoners, through the Governour of Cranganors fault, who
commanded them, and was drunk when the affault was made. Two months after,
the General of the Hollanders. refolv’d to make another affault in the famé
lace ; and becaufe he would not want men, he fent for thofe that lay upon
the fide of Belle-cpine. But by misfortune the Frigat ftruck upon the Sands,
and {plitting, abundance of the Soldiers were drown’d. They that could {wim,
ot to Jand near Cochin, not finding any other place convenient, and were
ail taken Prifoners by the Portagals, being not above ten in all, Soldiers and
Mariners. The General however would not give over the aflault, but caufing
the Sea-men to land, he arm’d fome with half-Pikes, others with Swords, to
others he gave hand-Granadoes, and about ten a Clock in the morning he began
the aflault, with four Companies, confifting each of a: hundred and fifty men.
The Hollanders loft abundance of men in this lait affault, and fo did the Portu-
geefes, for they defended themfelves ftoutly, being feconded by two hundred
Soldiers, who were all Dutch-men, but had fided with the Portnguefes, becaufe
their Countrymen had bated them fix months and a half pay for the lofs of Tosan,
Without the affiftance of thefe Soldiers, the City had never held out two months,
there being among them one of the beft Durch Engineers of his time, who
had left his Countrymen by reafon of their ill ufage of him.
At Iength the Hollanders having enter’d the Town toward evening, on Cali-
vete fide ; and being Mafters of the chief Bulwark, the Portugals came to a
Capitulation, and the City was furrender’d. The Portagals by their Articles
march’d out of Cochin with their Arms and Baggage; but when they came out
ofthe City where the Hollanders were drawn up in Battalia, they were all fore'd
to quit their Arms, and to lay them at the Generals feet ; except the Officers,
who kept their Swords. The General had promis’d the Soldiers the Pillage
of the Town, but not being able to keep his word, for feveral plaufible
reafons which he told, he promis’d them fix months pay, which in a ftw days
after was reduc’d to eight Roupiesa man. Samarin alfo demanded of him the
City of Cranganor, according to his promife ; which the General made good;
but he caus’d all the Fortifications to be flighted firft, and left Samarin nothing
but the bare Walls. For being of a very mean Extraction, he was naturally as
cruel and barbarous in his difpofition. One time the Soldiers being fo put to
it for four days together, that they could get no food for money, two of them
had {omewhere taken a Cow and kill’d’her ; for which the General, when he
came to know of it, caus’d one of them to be hang’d immediately, and had or-
hy the other to have run the Gauntlet, had not King Perca*interceded for
im. :
King Perea was a petty King of that Country, with whom the General was
then in Treaty ; and the Treaty being at length concluded, the General mufter’d
all his Land and Sea-men, to the number of about fix thoufand men. A few
days after, he fent fome Companies to befiege the City of Cananor, which fur-
render’d without any refiftance. When they return’d, the General caus‘da Crown
to be made for the new King of Cochin, the other being ¢ ell’d his Country.
And upon the day which he had appointed for this moft oleae Epeamerion, tine Ge-
neral fat upon a kind of a Throne, at the foot whereof, a AZalavare or Pirat,
being led thither between three Captains of each fide, fell upon his knees to
receive the Crown from the Generals hand, and to do homage for a petty
Kingdom, that is to fay, the little City of Cochin. and its Territoriés, which’
* N
were
Travels in Ixota. Part. I],
vere very finall) The King and the King-maker were both alike. For no doubt
it could. not but be a pleafant fight, to fee a Hollander, that had been on}
the’Cook of a Ship, crowning a miferable Pirat with thofe hands that had ofi’ne;
handled-a Ladle than a Sword. . i
In the mean time the Ships that carried the Inhabitants of Cochin to Goa,
return’d laden with the fpoils of thofe diltretled people 5 for contrary to the
Articles of Capitulation, the Hollanders were no fooner out at Sea, but the
took from thofe poor Creatures whatever they had, rifling both men and women,
without any regard to fex or modefty. ,
The General being return’d into Batavia, they fent a Governour to Cochin,
who to make the place the ftronger, demolifh’d a great part of the City. But
this Governour us’d the greateft rigor imaginable, even towards the Soldiers,
he fhut them up in the City as if they had been in a Prifon; nor could they
drink either Wine, or Szry, or Strong-water, by reafon of the great Impofts
which he laid upon them. ( Swry isa drink which flows from the Palm-trees, )
So that when the Portugaefes kept Cochin, men might live better for five or fix
Sous, than under the Hollander for ten. This Governour wac fo fevere, that
~ he would banifh a man for the fmalleft fault in the world, to the Ifland of Cey-
lan, to a place where they made Brick, fometimes for five or fix years, fome-
times as along as the party livd. For it is oftentimes obferv’d, that when any
one is banifh’d thither, though the fentence be only fora term of years, yet
the Exile never obtains his freedom afterwards.
CHAP. XVII’
The Paffage by Sea from Ormus to Maflipatan,
| departed from Gomron to Majlipatan the eleventh of A/zy, 1652, and went
aboard a great Veflel of the King of Golconda’s, which is bound every year
from Perjia,laden with fine Calicuts, Chites, or Calicuts painted with a Pencil,which
makes them much more beautiful and dearer than thofe which are printed,
The Holland Company are wont to allow to thofe Vellels which belong to any
of the Kings or Princes of Jadia, a Pilot, and two or three Gunners ; neither
the Zzdians nor Perfians being expert in Navigation. In the Veflel where I was
aboard, there were but fix Dztch Mariners at moft, but above a hundred Na-
tives. , We failed out of the Perfian Golf with a pleafing and favourable Gale ;
but we had not faild very far before we found the Sea very rough, and the
Winds at South-Weft, fo violent, though ful! in our Stern, that we were not
not able to carry out more than one fmall Sail. The next day, and for fome
days after, the Wind grew more violent, and the Sea more boifVrous ; fo that
being in the fixteenth Degree, which is the elevation of Goa, the Rain, the
Thunder, and Lightning, renderd the Tempeft the more terrible; infomuch
that we could not carry out any other than our top-fail, and that half furl’d.
We pafs'd by the AZu/dives Ilands, but were not able to difcern them, befides
that the Ship had taken in very much water in the Hold.. For the Ship had
lain five months in the Road of Gomron, where if the Mariners “are not very
careful to wafh the Planks that lye out of the water, they will be apt to gape,
which caufes the Ship to leak when fhe is loaden. For which reafon ‘the Hol-
landers wath the outfide of their Ships morning and evening. We had in our
Veffcl five and fifty Horfes, which the King of Perfia had fent as a Prefent to
the-King of Golconda; and about a hundred Merchants, Perfians and Armenians
together, who were Traders to India. One whole day and night together
there rofe a.crofs Wind, fo violent, that the Water rowl’d in from Stern to
Stern, and the mifchief was, that our Pumps were nought. By good fortune
there was a Merchant that had two Bails of Kuffi2 Leather, befides four er
five Sadlers that knew how to fow the Skins, who were very {erviceable as welk
| to
Book I. Travels in Ixpia.
Se cocci IMMER NTT ge peat Sp PRN aI RM Se Ma lec ene tag
to the whole Ship as to themfelves. For they made great Buckets of the Skins,
four Skins to a Bucket, which. being let down from the Mafts with Pullies;
through certain great Holes which were cut in the Deck; drew up a vaft quan-
rity of Water. The fame day the violence of the Tempeft continuing, there
fel] three Thunderbolts ito the Ship. The firft fell upon the Boltfprit, and
(plit jt quite in two ; and running along upon the Deck kill’d three men. The
fecond fell two hours after, and kill’d two men, fhooting along as the other
did from Head to Stern. The third follow’d prefently after, the Mafter, the
Mafters Mate,and my felf ftanding together near the main Mask, At what time the
Cook coming to ask the Mafter whether he fhould take up the Victuals, the Thun-
derbolt took him in the lower part of his Belly, made a little hole,and took off
all the Hair as clean as they drefs a Pig with hot water and Rofin, without doing
him any more harm. Only when they came to anoint the little hole with Oil
of Coco’s, he roar’d out through the fharpnefs of the pain which he endur’d.
The twenty-fourth of fre in the morning, we difcover’d Land ; and ma-
king toward it, we found our felves before Ponte de Galle, the firft Town in the
land of Ceylan, which the Hollanders had taken from the Portugals. From
thence to the Road of Maflipatan we had very good weather; where we ar-
riv'd the fecond of 7#y, an hour or two after Sun-fet. There I went afhore,
and was moft civilly treated by the Dzrch Prefident, and Merchants; as alfo by
the Englifh.
fire cighveenth and nineteenth of 7une, the Sieur Dz 7ardin and 1, bought us
two Pallek:’s, and fix Oxen to carry our felves, our Servants, and our Luggage.
Our defign was to have gone directly to Golconda, there to have fold the King
aparcel of Jong Pearls, the-leaft whereof weigh'd thirty-four Carats, and the
biggeft thirty-five, with fome other Jewels,the moft part whereof were Emraulds.
But the Hollanders afluring us, that our journey would be to no purpofe, in
regard the King would buy nothing that was rare, or of a high price, tll AZr-
gimola, Mis General and prime Minifter of State, had viewd the Commodity ;
underftanding therefore, that he was then at the Siege of Gandicot, in the Pro-
Yince of Carnatica, we refolv’d to go thither to him,
patente LC TE TE TL SL
CHAP, XVII.
The Road from Maflipatan ¢o Gandicot, a Gty and Garrilon in the
Province of Carnatica. And of the dealings which the Author
had with Mirgimola, who commanded the King of Golconda’s
Army. With a defcourfe at large concerning Elephants.
WE fet forth from AfZaflipatan the twentieth of Zane , about five of the
Clock in the Evening.
The next day, being the one and twentieth, we travell’d three Leagues, and
lay. at a Village call?’d Nelmol. 3 ,
The two and.twentieth, we travel’d fix Leagues, to Wox/ir, another Village 5
crofling the River upon a floating Bridge, before we came thither. Cie
The three and twentieth, after we had travel’d fix hours, we came to Pate-
met, a pitiful Village, where we were conftrain'd to lye three days by rea-
fon of the Rains 7 eae
The twenty-feventh, we came to a great Town, call’d Betonart 5 not being
able to travel above a League and a half, becaufe the Road was all overflow’d.
There we were fored to ftay four days, for the Rains had fo fweld the Ri-
ver which we were to crofs, that the Ferryman, could not govern his Boat a~
sainft the violence of the Stream, There we alfo left the Horfes which the
¢
King of Perjia fent tothe King of Golcoudas ‘which by that time were reduc’d to
hifty, : . ‘ : ee. yh,
kN 2 While
G2
Travels in Uxpta. Part. II
SG sc Son an a ae
While we ftay’d at Bezexart, we went to fee feveral Pagods, of which the
Country is full; there being more than in any other part of Inds2; for unleg
it be the Governours of Towns; and fome of their Domefticks, all the reg of
the Inhabitants are Idolaters. The Pagod belonging to the Town of Bezowary
is a very large one, but not clos’d with Walls; it confifts of fifty-two pi}
twenty foot high, that uphold a flat roof of Free-ftone ; they are adorn’d With
feveral embofs’'d Figures of ugly Devils, and feveral forts of Creatures. Some
of thofe Devils are made with four Horns, others with many Legs and Many
Tails, others lilling out their Tongues, and others in feveral other Fidiculoys
poftures. The fame Figures are cut in the Stone of the Roof, and betwee,
the Pillars ftand the Statues of their Gods upon Pedeftals. The Pagod is byjj
in the midft of a Court, of 2 greater length than breadth, encompats’d with
Walls, which are adorn’d within and without,, with the fame Figures as the
Pagod ; and a Gallery upheld by fixty-fix Pillars, runs round the Wall, afte
the manner of a Cloyfter. You enter into this Court through a wide Portal,
upon which are two Niches, one above another, the firft upheld by twelve,
the other by eight Pillars. At the bottom of the Pillars of the Pagod, are
certain old Z#d:an Characters, of which the Priefts.of thofe Idolaters themt{elyes
can hardly tell the meaning,
We went to fee another Pagod, built upon a Hill, to which there is an at
cent of a hundred and ninety-three fteps, every one a foot high. The Pagod
is four-{quare, with a Cupola at the top; and has the fame embofé’d Figures,
as the Pagod of scxowart, round about the Walls. Inthe middle, there is an
Idol fitting crofs-leg’d, after the manner of the Country ; and in that fitting
poiture it is about four foot high ; upon the Head it hasa Triple Crown, from
which four Horns extend themf{élves ; and it has the Face of a man, turn’d to-
ward the Eaft. The Pilgrims that come out of devotion to thefe Pagods, when
they enter, clafp their hands together, and rear them up to their foreheads;
then they advance toward the Idol, toffing their two hands fo clafpt together,
and crying out {everal times Ram, Ram, that is to fay, God, God. When the
come near, they ring a little Bell that hangs upon the Idol it felf; after they
have befmeard the Face, and feveral parts of the Body, with feveral forts of
Painting. Some there are that bring along with them Viols of Oil, with Which.
they anoint the Idol ; and befides, they make an Ottering to it of Sugar, Oil,
)
ars
-and other things proper to be eaten; the richer fort alfy adding pieces of Sil-
ver. There are fixty Priefts that belong to this Idol, and maintain themfelves,
their Wives, and Children upon the Offerings brought,to the Idol. But to the
end the Pilgrims may believe the Idol takes them, the Priefts let them lye
two days, and the third day in the evening they take them away, When any
Pilgrim goes to a Pagod, to be cut’d of any diltemper, he brings the Figure
of the Member affected made either in Gold, Silver, or Copper, according to
his quality, which he offers to his god ; and then falls a finging, as all the reft
do, after they have offer’d. Before the Gate of the Pagod, there is a flat
Roof, upheld by fixteen Pillars, and right againft it, is another upheld by eight ;
which ferves for the Priefts Kitchin. On the South-fide there is a large Plat-
form cut in the Mountain, where there isa pleafing Made of many fair Trees,
and feveral Wells digg’d in the ground. Pilgrims come far and near to this
Pagod ; and if they be poor, the Priefts relieve them with what they receive
from=the rich, that come there out of devotion. The great Feaft of this Pa-
god is im the month of Oétaber, at which time there is a great concourfe of
people from-alk parts. While we were there, there wasa Woman that had
not ftirr’d out ef the Pagod for three days together; and her prayer to the
Ido! was, finee fhe had loft her Husband, to know what fhe fhould do to bring
up her Children. Thereupon asking one of the Priefts, wherefore fhe had no
anfwer, or whether fhe was to have any anfwer or no; he told me, that fhe
Tauft wait the pleafure of their Ged, and that then he would give her an an-
fwer to what fhe expected. Upon this I miftrufted fome cheat, and to difco-
ver it, Erefolv’d to go into the Pagod when all. the Priefts were abfent at Dinner,
there being only one that ftood at the Gate, whom I fent to fetch me fome
water at a Fountain two or three Musket-fhot from the place. During that
Bec time
Book I. Travels in Inpta. *92
time I went in, and the Woman hearing me, redoubl‘d her cries ; for there being
no light in the Pagod, but what comes in at the door, itis very. dark. I felt my
way to the Idol, and by the glimmering light obferv’d an hole behind the Idol.
{could not do this fo quickly, but that the Prieft return’d before I had done ; He
curft me for prophaning his Temple, as he call’d it. But we became fuddenly very
good friends by the mediation of two Roupies which I put into his hands, where-
upon he prefently prefented me with fome of his Berle.
The one and thirtieth, we departed from Bezowarr, and paft the River which
runs to the Mine of Gam or Colour. It was then neer half a league broad, by
reafon of the great rains which had fall’n continually for eight or nine days to-
gether. After we had travell'd three leagues on the other fide of the River, we
came to a great Pagod built upon a large Platform, with an afcent of 15 or 20
fteps. Within it ftood the Figure of a Cow, all of very black-Marble; and a
number of deformed Idols four or five-foot-high; fome having many heads
ae fnany hands and legs : and the moft ugly are moft ador’d, and receive moft
Offerings. :
A quarter of a league from this Pagod is a large Town; but we travell’d three
leagues farther, and came. to lie at another Town, call'd Kab-Kali, neer to which
there is a {mall Pagod, wherein there ftand five or fix Idols of Marble very well-
made. : Ps ey
The firft of -Auguft we came to a great City call’d Condevir, with a double-
Moat, pav’d at the bottom with Free-ftone. The.way to this Town is clos’d on
each fide with ftrong Walls, and at fuch and fuch diftances are built certain
round Towers of little or no defence. This City toward the Eaft ftretches out to
a Mountain about a league in compafs, and furrounded with Walls, At the di-
ftance of every I50 paces, there is as it were an half-Moon, and within the Walls
are three Fortrefles.
The fecond, we travell’d fix leagues, and lay at a Village call’d Copemour.
The third day, after we had travell’d eight leagues, we came to danquige, a
very fair Town, where there is a very large Pagod, with abundance of Chambers
which were built for the Priefts; but are now gone to ruine. There are alfo in
the Pagod certain Idols, but very much maim’d, which the people however very
fuperftitioufly adore.
The fourth, we travell’d eight leagues, and came to lie at the Town of No/-
drepar. Half a league on this fide there isa great River; but at that time it had
but little water in it; by reafon of the drowth.
The fitth, after eight leagues journey we Jay at Condecaur: .
The fixth, we travell’d feven hours, and lay at a Village call’d Dake, -
The feventh, after three leagues journey we came to Velour, where there are
many Pagods, and having crofs’d a great River, a quarter of a league farther, we
travell’d fix leagues, and came to Gandaron. | . |
The eighth, after a journey of eight hours we lay at Serepelé, a fmall Vil-
age.
The ninth, we travell’d nine leagues, and lay ata good Town call’d Ponter.
Bee tenth, we travell’d eleven hours, and lay at Senepgond, another good
own.
The eleventh, we went no farther than Palicat, which is but four leagues from
Senepgond ; and of thofe four leagues we travell’d above one in the Sea, up to the
Saddles of our Horfes in water. There is another way, but it.is the farther about
by two or three leagues, Palicat is a Fort that belongs to! the Hollanders that
live upon the Coaft of Corcmandel ; and where they have their chief Factory,
where lives alfo the chief Intendent over all the reft that are in the Territories of
the King of Golconda. There are ufually within the Fort 200 Souldiers, or there= —
abouts, befides feveral Merchants that live there upon the account of Trade; and
feveral others, who having ferv’d the Company according to their agreement,
retire to that place. There alfo dwell fome of the Natives of the Countrey ;, fo
that Pulicat is now as it were a little Town. Between the Town and the Caftle ,
there is a large diftance of ground, left the Fort fhould be annoid by fhot from
the Town, ‘The Baftions are well-ftor'd with good Guns: And the Sea comes
up to the very Wall of it; but there is no Haven, only a Road. We itaid in the
own
greet Fre
a
94.
Travels in Inpia. - Part I.
it eee’
Town till the next day in the evening, where we obferv'd, that whea the Inhabi.
tants fetch their water to drink, they ftay till the Sea is quite out; and then dig.
ging holes in the Sand as neer the Sea as they can, they meet with freth.
ater. : ie? Fs
ae twelth, we departed from Calicat; and the next morning about ten of the
clock wé came to AZadref/patan, otherwile call’d Fort St. George, which belongs to
the Englifb, having travell'd not above feven or eight leagues that day. We lay
at the Covent of Capuchins, at what time Father Ephraim, and Father Zenoy
were both there. }
The fifteenth, we went to St. Taomas’s Town, to fee the -4x/fin-Friars, and the
Jefuits Church, in the firft whereof is an Iron-lance, wherewith they fay that Sr,
Thomas was martyrd. |
Thetwo and twentieth, in the morning we departed from ALadrefpatan, and
after'a journey of five leagues we arriv’d at a large Town call’d Serravaron,
_. The'three and: twentieth, after 7 leagues travel, we came to Oxdecor, thé whole
days journey being over a flat fandy Coustrey. On each fide there are only Copfes
of Bambou’s that grow very high, Some of thefe Copfes are fo thick, that ir is im-
poffible for a man to get into them; but they are pefter’d with prodigious num<
bers of Apes: Thofé that breed in the Copfes upon one fide of the way, are ene-
mies to them that are bred on the other fide ; fo that they dare not crofs from
one fide to the other, but they are in danger of being immediately ftrangI'd,
Here we had good {port in fetting the Apes together by the ears; which is done
after this manner. This part of the Countrey, at every leagues end, is clos’d up
with Gates and Barricado’s, where there is a good Guard kept, and where all Paf-
fengers are examin’d whither they go, and whence they come; fo that men may
fafely travel there with their Money in their hands. In feveral parts of this Road
there is Rice to be fold; and they that would fee the fport, caufe five or fix
Baskets of Rice to be fet in the Road, fome forty or fifty paces one from the
other,.and clofe by every Basket they lay-five or fix Battoons about two-foot-long,
and two inches about ; tlien they retire and hide themfelves: prefently they fhalt
fee the ‘Apes on botli fides of the way defcend from the tops of the Bambon’s,
and advance toward the Baskets which are full of Rice: They are about half an
hour fhewing their teeth one at the other before they come near the Baskets ;
fometimes they advance, then retreat again, being loath to encounter. At length
the female=Baboons, who are more couragious than the males, efpecially thofe
that haye young ones, which they carry in their arms, as Women do their Chil-
dren, venture to approach the Basket, and as they are about to put in their heads
to eat, the males on the other fide advance to hinder them. Immediately the
other party comes forward, and thus the feud being kindled on both fides, they
take up the Battoons that lie by the Baskets, and thrafh one another in good
earneft. The weakeft are conftrain’d to flie into the wood with their pates bro-
ken, and their limbs maim’d; while the Mafters of the Field glut themfelves with
Rice. Though it may be, when their bellies are full, they will fuffer fome of the
female-party to come and partake with them.. |
The four and twentieth, we travell’d nine leagues, all the way being like the
Road the day before, as far as Naraveron. Bee
The five and twentieth, after a journey of eiglit liours, through a Countrey of
the fame nature, meeting at every two or three leagues end with Gates. and
Guards, we came inthe evening to Gazel.
The fix and twentieth, we travell’d nine leagues, and came to lie at Courvd,
where there was nothing to be found neither for Man nor Beaft, fo that our Cat-
tel were forc’d to be contented with alittle Grafs, which was cut on purpofe for
them. Cozrva is only acelebrated Pagod ; by which, at our arrival, we faw {e+
veral bands of Souldiers pafs by, fome with Half-pikes, fome with Muskets, and
fome'with Clubs, who were going to joyn with one of the principal Comman-
ders of AZirgimola’s Army, who was encamp’d upon a rifing-ground not far from:
_ Courva; the place being pleafant and cool, by reafon of the great number of
Trees and Fountains that grace ir. When we underftood the Captain was fo neer,
we went to wait upon him, and found him fitting inhis Tent with many Lords of
the Countrey, all Idolaters, After we had prefented him witha pair of Pocket-
Piftols
ta
Book I. Lravelsin Tess x «.
Piftols inlaid with Silver, he demanded of us what had brought us into that
Countrey ; but when we told him that we came to attend Mirgimola, Generalif-
fimo of the King of Golconda’s Army, about bufinefs, he was infinitcly kind to us :
However, underitanding that he took us for Hollanders; we told him we were not
Hollanders, but £rexch-men. Thereupon, not underftanding what Nation we
were, lie fell into a long difcourfé with us about the Government of our Coun-
trey; and the Grandeur of our King. Six or feven days before, they had taken five.
or fix Elephants, three whereof had efeap’d, having kill?d ten or twelve of the
Natives who affilted in the Chace; in purfuit whereof the General was prepa-
ring ; and becaufe we could not ftay to fee the fport, we were contentéd to inform
our felves of the manner of hunting that vaft Animal ; which is thus, They cut
out feveral Alleys or Walks in the Wood, which they dig full of great deep holes
ind cover with Hurdles ftrow’d over with a little earth. Then the Hunters héop-
ing and hollowing, and beating up Drums, with Pikes that have Wild-fire tid to
the end of- them, force the Elephant into thofe Walks, where he tumbles into the
holes, not being able to rifeagain. Then they fetch Ropes and Chains : and fome
they bring under their bellies, others they wind aboat their legs and trunk, and
when they think they have fafficiently hamiperdthe Beaft; they have certain En-
gines ready, wherewithal to draw him up. » Néverthelefs, “of five
notwithftanding the cords and chains about their bodies and their legs. The
people told us one thing which feem’d very wonderful ; which was, that thefe
Elephats having been once deceiv'd and having efcap’d the fhare,are very miftruft-
ful ever after ; and when they get into the Wood again, they break off a great
bough from one of the Trees with their trunk, with which they éxamine’ every
ftep they go, before they fet down their feet, to try whether there be any liole or
noin their way. Sothat the Hunters that told us the Story, feem’d to be out of
hopes of ever taking thofe three Elephants which had efcap'd. Had we been
dflur’'d that we might have been eye-witnefles of this miraculous precaution of .
the Elephant, we would have ftaid three or four days, what-ever urgent’ bufinefs
we had had. The Captain himfelf was a kind of a Brigadecr, that commanded
three or four-thoufand men, who were quarter’d half a league round the
Countrey. 5 ‘
The feven and twentieth, after two hours travel, we came to a great Village’,
where we faw the two Elephants which had been fo lately taken. Every one of
the two wild Elephants was placed between two.tame ones. Round about the
wild Elephants {tood fix men, with every one.an Half-pike in their hands, and a
lighted-Yorch faften’d at the end of the Pike, who talk’d to the Beafts, giving
them meat, and crying out in their language, 72ke it, eat st. The food which‘ they -
gave them was a little bottle of Hey, fome pieces of brown-Sucre, and Rice boil’d
in water, with fome few corns of Pepper. If the wild Elephants refus’d to do as:
they were bidden, the men made figns to the tame Elephants to beat them, which
they did, banging the refractory Elephant upon the head and forehead with their
trunks and if he offer'd to make any refiftance, the other Elephant thwackt him
on the other fide ; fo that the poor Elephant, not knowing what to do, was con-
ftrain’d to learn obedience. | : .
Being thus fall’n into the Story of Elephants, I will add fome other obferva-
tions, which I have made upon the nature of thofe Animals. Though the Ele-
ve, three eftap’d,
95
phant never meddles with the female, after he is once taken, yet he is fometimes __
feiz’d with a kind of luftfulrage. One day that Sha-jehan was ah Hunting upon’
one of his Elephants, with one of his Sons that fate by him to fan him, the Ele=~
_phant became fo furious by reafon of his Iuft, that the Governor who was by no"
means able to mafter him, declar’d to the King, that to allay the fury of the Ele-
phant, who would elfe doubtlefS,bruif¢ 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
facrifice his for the fafety of the King and the Prince his Son. Only he defir'd
his Majefty to take care of three finall Children which he miuft leave behind him.
Having fo faid, he threw himfelf under the Elephant’s-feet, who had no fooner
taken him in his trunk and {queez’d him to pieces with his feet, but he grew as
quiet and peaceable as before. The King, as an acknowledgment for fo famous a’
deliverance, gave to the poor two-hunderd-thoufand Roupies, and highly ei
ever
Travels in Inpia. Part IT.
every one of the Sons of him that had fo generoufly laid down his life for the
fafety of his Sovercign. ~
I obferved alfo, that though the Elephant’s skin be very hard while he is alive,
yet when he is dead, the skin is juft like melted-glue.
Elephants are brought from feveral parts of Jndia ; as from the Ifland of Ce)-
lan, where they are very {mall ; but the molt couragious of all : trom the Ifle of
Sumatra; from the Kingdom of Cochin; from the Kingdom of Szam 5 and from
the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Bowtam neer the Great-Tartarie. They are
brought alfo from the Coaft of, AZelinda, Ealtward of ffrica: where they are
in very great numbers, according to the report of a Porrugueze-Captain, made at
Goa, who came from thence to make fome peapieint againit the Governor of Af.
xambique. He told me that he had feen all along that Coait feveral Parks that
were empal'd with nothing but Elephants-teeth, the leaft of which Parks is above
a league about : He added farther, that the Blacks of the Countrey hunt their
Elephants, and eat the flefh. But they are oblig’d to give the tufhes of every one
they kil! to the Lord of the place. When they intend to take their Elephants in
the ‘fland of Ceylan, they make a long lane, clos’d ia on both fides, fo that the Ele-
phant can neither run to the right nor to the left: this Jane is broad at the firft, but
grows narrower and narrower, till there is no more room left at the farther-end
than for the female-Llephant to lie down, which muft be one that is covetous of
the male at the fime time. Though ‘fhe be tame, yet fhe is bound with good
Ro, cs «nd Cords, and by her cries will call the male-Elephant, who prefently runs
through the lane towards her. Now when the Elephant comes where the Jane
grows narrow, they chat lie hid for that purpofé, immediately barricado up the
lane behind, and when he comes neer the female, there is another barricado {ét up
that ftops him from going any farther. When he is thus between the Barricado’s,
they fo intangle his legs and trunk with ropes and cords, that he is foon taken, ha-
ving no way to help himfelf. The tame way they ufe for the moft part in the
Kingdoms of Sam, and Peg#, only that the Natives there mount the female-
Elephant, and go to find out the male in the Forrefts. And when they have met
with his haunt, they tye the female to the moft convenient place they can find,
and then they fix their fhares for the Elephant, who in a fhort time haftens
toward the female, hot for generation where her cries call him.
This is obfervable of the female-Elephant, that when fhe begins to be hot, fhe .
gathers together a great heap of herbs and weeds, and makes her felf a kind of
bed fome four or five-foot-high from the ground, where contrary to the cuftom
of all other creatures, fhe lies upon her back, in expectation of the male, whom
fhe calls to her by a peculiar cry.
This is alfo particular to the Elephants in the Ifle of Ceylan, that only the firft
Elephant which the female produces, has any tufhes. And it is alfa obfervable,
that the Ivory which comes from -d4chen 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 Eaft-Zndies, which makes it more efteem’d, and dearer
‘ than any other.
When the Merchants bring Elephants to any place to fell; ’tis a pleafant fight
to fee 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 fomething or other to eat. While the young
Elephants, which are very wanton, are bufily taking what is offer’d them, the
children leap upon their backs : but then the young Elephants, that lately ftopt
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 themany harm. |
Notvvithitanding all the enquiry I have made, I could never find exaétly hovy
long an Elephant vvill live. Nor can all the governors and keepers of thofe
Creatures tell you more, then that fuch an Elephant has been the poffeffion of their
Father, their Grandfather, and great Grandfather. And by that computation, I
found that they had liv’d fome of them fix-fcore, or an hunder’d and thirty
years,
The
ok: = Jee @ Sav
Ee RET Te I TL che. LLL ORR SE aie ee i RE ie pe
The greateft part of thofe that have made Relations of dia, boldly affirm
that the Great Mogul keeps three or four-thoufand Elephants. But being my
(elf at fehanabad, where the King at prefent refides, he that was chief Mafter of
the Elephants, aflur’d me that the King had not above five-hunder'd Elephants,
which were call’d Elephants of the Houfe; made ufe of only to carry the Women,
their Tents, and Luggage ; but that for the Wars, he only kept fourfcore, or four-
feore and ten at moft. The nobleft of the latter fort is always referv'd for the
King’s Eldett Son, the allowance for his food and other neceflaries being 500
Roupies a month, which comes to 750 Livres. There are fome that are fot al-
low'd above 50, others 40, others 30, and fome but 20 Roupies. But thofe Ele-
hants that are allow’d an hunder’d, two-hunderd, three-hunder’d or: four-
hunder’d Roupies a-~month, have belonging to them certain Horfe-men that live
ypon the fame pay, and two or three young fellows to fan them during the heat
of the weather. All thefe Elephants are not always kept in the City: the
greateft 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 lefS they eat at home, the more they gain into their own
urfes. Segara SI cele oo dich gy
The twenty-feventh of duguft, we travell’d fix leagues, and lay at a great Town
call'd Ragia-peta. ee er i
The twenty-eighth, after eight leagues journey we came to Ondeconr.
The twenty-ninth, after nine hours travel we arriv’d at Oxtemeda, where there
is one of the greateft Pagods in all Zvdia, It isall built of large Free-ftone, and
ithas three Towers, where there ftand feveral deform’d figures of Embofs‘d-
work. It is encompaft with many little Chambers for the Priefts Lodgings : five-
hunder’d paces beyond there is a wide Lake, upon the banks whereof are built
feveral Pagods eight or ten-foot-{quare ; and in every one an Idol reprefenting the
fhape of fome Devil, with a Brameré, who takes care that no ftranger that is not
of their fuperftition, fhall come to wath, or take any water out of the ake. ik
any ftranger defires any water, they, bring it in earthen-pots: and if by chance
their-pot touches the ftranger’s Veflel, they break it immediately. They told: me
alfo, that if any ftranger, not of their fuperitition, fhould happen by accident to
—
- wath in that Lake, they muft be fore’d to drain the Lake of all the water. that
- was in at that time. As for their Alms, they are very charitable ; for there pafles
by no perfon in neceffity, or that begs of them, but they give them to eat and
drink of fuch as they have. There are feveral Women that fit upon the Road,
whereof fome of them always keep fire for Travellers to light their Tobacco by.
Nay, they will give a Pipe to fome that have none at all. -Others boil Rice with .
Quicheri, which is a grain fomewhat like our Hemp-feed: Others boil Beans
with their Rice, becaufe the water wherein they are boil’d never puts thofe that
are over-hot into a Pleurify. There are Women that have vow'd to perform thefe
acts of Charity to ftrangers for feven or eight years, fome for more, fome for lefs,
according to their convenience. And to every Traveller they give fome of their
Beans, and Rice-water, and an handful of Rice to eat. There are other Women
upon the high-way, and in the fields, looking behind their Horfes, their Oxen,
and their Cows, who have made vows never to eat but what they find indigéfted
in the dung of thofe Beafts, Now in regard there is neither Barly nor Oats in that
-Countrey, they give their Cattel certain great crooked Peafe, which they bruife
a
before between two Milkftones ; and then lay them in fteep for half an hour;
for they are a very folid fubftance, and hard to be digefted. ‘They give their Cat-
tel thefe Peafe every evening ; and in the morning they feed them with two-
pound of dark-brown-Sugar, like Wax, kneaded together with as much Meal, and
one-pound of Butter, whereof the Oftlers or Grooms make little round Balls
which they thruft down their throats ; for otherwife they would never eat them.
Afterwards they wafh their mouths, that are all over clamnrd, efpecially their
teeth, which makes them have fuch an averfion againft that Ber od. All the
day Jong they pull up the grafs and weeds by the roc ts, and give their Cattel, be-
ing very careful of létting them eat any of the earth. +
The thirty’th, we travell’d eight leagues; and lay at a place call’d Gonlupalé.
iS The
98 Travels in Ixpia. : Part. I
EE TE SS YE ie Sr einem oro
The one and thirty’th, after we had travell’d nine hours, we fiopt at Gogeroy,
The firtt of September we travell’d but fix leagues, and came to hie at Gandicas
It was but eight days before, that the Wahab had taken that City, after a Slege of
three months. Nor had it beer taken without the affiftance of certain Frenehp
men, who had forfaken the fervice of the Dur c4-Company, by reafon of ill ufage,
They had alfo feveral Exgl:/o and Durcs-Cannoneers, with two or three Ltetlians,
which mainly forwarded the furrender of that place.
Gandicot is one of the ftrongeft Cities in the Kingdom of Curnatica. It is fitua-
ted upon the point of an high Mountain; there being but one afcent to ir, not
above twenty or five and twenty-foot-broad at moft; in fome places not above
feven or cight-foot-wide. On the right-hand of the way, which is cut Out of
the Mountain, there is a moft hideous precipice; at the bottom whercof rung a
vaft River. Uponthe top of the Mountain there is a fmal! plain, about a Cuarter
of a league broad, and about half a league long. This is all {ow’d with Rice and
Millet, and water’d with many little Springs. The top of the plain on the South.
5 fide, where the City is built, is encompaft with precipices, two Rivers running at
the bottom, which form the point. So that there is but one Gate to enter into
_ the City from the plain-fide ; and that too fortif’d with three good Walls of
Free-{tone, with Moats pav’d at the bottom with Free-ftone ; fo thar the befieged
had but only one quarter of the City to defend, containing about five-hunderd
paces. They had but two Iron-Guns, the one carrying twelve-pound-Ball, the
other eight. The one was planted upon the Gate, the other upon a point of a
kind of a Baftion. So that until the Wahab had found the way to mount his Can-
non upon a very high place neer the City, he loft a great number of men by fe-
veral fallies which the Befieged made. The Raja that was within, was efteem’d
one of the braveit and moft experienc’d Captains that ever were amongft the Ido-
laters : whereupon, the Wahab finding that the place was not to be taken, unlefs he
could get up his Cannon to the top of that fteep afcent, fent for all the French.
men that were in the King’s fervice, promifing to every one four months extraor-
dinary payy if they could find a way to: mount his Cannon upon the top of fucha
place ; wherein they had the good-hap to. be very fuccesfal. For they mounted
four. pieces of Cannon, and-were {0 profperous, a5 to hit the great Gun that was
planted upon the Gate, and render‘it unferviceable. At Jength, when they had
beaten down good part of the Wall of the City, the Befieged game to capitulate,
and march’d out of the Town upon very good Articles. The day we arriv’d, all
the Army was encamp’d at the foot of the Mountain, in a plain, through which
there ran a very fair River; where the Nahad mufterd his Cavalry, and found
them ina very good condition. An Englifb-Cannoneer and an Stalian feeing Mon-
fieur jardin and my felf pafs by, guefs’d us to be Frangui’s ; and becaufe it was
late, accofted us very civilly, and oblig’d us to ftay with them all night. By them
we underftood that there was in the City a Freach-Engineer, whofe name was
Claudius Maille of Bourges, and that he was emp!oy’d by the Wahab to caft fome
pieces of Cannon which the Wah2é intended to Jeave in the City. tat
The next day we went into the City, and found out ALzille’s Lodging, having
been acquainted with him at Bataviz; who informing the Wabab of our arrival,
he prefently fent us Provifion for our {elves and our beafts. '
‘The third day we went to wait upon the Nzbab, who had pitch’d his Tents up-
on’ that. part of the plain neer the place where the Way*is cut out of the Rock.
We:thform’d him of the caufe of our coming, telling him that we had fome com-
modities that were rare, and worth the King’s buying ; but that we were unwil-
ling: to fhewithem to the King till he had feen, them ; believing it our duty to
render him that refpect. The Wabab was very well-pleas'd with our Comple-
ment ; and after hethad eaus’d us to be prefented with Berl, we took our leaves
of him, and rcturn'd to our Lodgings , whither he fent to us two Bottles of
‘Wirle,one of Sack, and the:other of Schiras, which is a rare thing in thatCountrey.,
‘Thefourth day we waited upomhim again,and carried along with us fome Pearles
of dh extraordinary weight. beaury and bignefs : the leaft whereof w sighed twenty
four Caratts. After he had vewd them and fhew’d them to fome of thé Lords that
were about himhe ask’d the price, which when we had fet him,he return’d us our
Jewels and told ashe would confider of it,
The
Book L. 3 Travels In Inpta.
The tenth day he fent for us in the morning, and after he had caus’d us to
fit down by him, he fent for five finall Bags full of Diamonds, every Bag con-
taining a good handful. They were loofe Stones, of a very black Water, and
very {mall ; none of them exceeding a Carat, or a Carat and a half; but other-
wife very clean. There were fome few that might weigh two Carats. After
the Wab2b had fhew’n us all, he ask’d us whether they would fell in our Coun-
try. We made anfwer, that they might have been for fale in our Country,
provided they had not been of a black Water; for that in Evrope we never.
efteem’d any Diamonds, but fuch as were clean and white, having but a finall
efteem for any others. It feems, that when he firft undertook the Conqueft of
this Kingdom for the King of .Golconda, they inform’d him that there were Dia-
mond Mines init. Whereupon he fent twelve thoufand men to dig there; who
~ ina whole years time could find no more than thofe five fmall Bags full. Where-
a
upon the Nabab perceiving that they could find none but brown Stones, of a
Water enclining much more to black than white, thought it but lofs of time;
and fo fene all the people back to their Husbandry.
The eleventh, the French Canoneers came all to the WVahabs Tent;-com-
plaining that he had not paid them the four months pay which he had pro-
mis'd them; threatning him,that if he did not difcharge it, they would leave him ;
to which the Vabab promis’d to give them fatisfaction the next day.
The twelfth,the Canoneers not failing to give him another vifit,the Wzhbab paid
them three months, and promis’d to pay them the fourth kefore the month
were out; but fo foon as they had receiv’d their Money, they fell a feafting
one another, fo that the Dancing Wenches carried away the greateft part of
their Coin. mer,
The thirteenth, the Wahab went to fee the Guns which AZaille had under-
taken to caft. For which purpofe he had fent for Brafs from all parts, and
got together a great number of Idols which the Soldiers had pillag’d out of |
the Pagods as they march’d along. Now you muft know, that in Gandé-
cot there was one Pagod, faid to be the faireft in all India, wherein there were
feveral Idols, fome of Gold, and others of Silver ; among the reft there were
fix of Brafs, three fitting upon their Heels, and three upon their Feet, ten foot
high. Thefe Idols were made ufe of among the reft. But when AZaille alfo
had provided all things ready, he could not make thofe fix IdoJs run, that were
taken out of the great Pagod of Gandicor, though he melted all the reft. He
try'd feveral ways, but it was impoffible for him to dc it, whatever expence
the Nabab was at; nay though the 2Vabaé threaten’d ti hang the Priefts for
having inchanted thofé Idols. And thus Afaille could never make any more than
only one fingle piece, and that fplit upon trial; fo that he was fore’d to leave
the work unfinifh’d, and foon after left the Nahabs fervice.
The fourteenth, we went to take our leaves of the Nuhab, and to know
what he had further to fay to us, concerning the Commodities we had then.
fhew’n him. But then he told us, he was bufie at prefent about the examina~
tion of certain Offenders which were brought before him. For it is the cuftom
of that Country, never to put a man in Prifon ; but as foon as the Offender is taken,
he is examin’d, and fentence is pronounc’d upon him, aecording to his crime,
which is immediately executed ; or if the party taken, be found innocent, he is as
foon acquitted, And let*the controverfie be of what nature it will, it is pre«
fently decided. | i ee
The fifteenth in the morning, we went to wait upon him again, and were im-
mediately admitted into his Tent, where he fate with his two Secretaries by
him, The Mabab was fitting according to the cuftom of the Country, baré-foor,
like one of our Taylors, with a great number of Papers fticking between bis Toes,
and others between the Fingers of his left hand, which Papers he drew: forntimes
from between hisToes,fomtimes from between hisFingers,and order'd what anfwers
fhould be given toevery one. After his Secretaries h wrote the anfwers,he caus’d
them to read them,and then took the Letters and feal’d them himfelf; giving fome
to Foot Meffengers, others to Horfemen. For you muft know, that all thofe Let-
ters which are fent by Foot-Pofts all over India, go with more fpeed than
thofe which are carried by Horfemen. The reafon is, becaufe at the end of
w Oe every
ae
Fae ONE NESTOR Sale INS cy aaa
TOO
Travels wm Inpia. Part IL
emer eee nenetitnant apy
every two Leagues there are little Huts, where there are men always ready,
who are engag’d to run away immediately ; fo that when one of thefe men that
carries the Letters, comes to one of thefe Huts, he throws the Letters into the
Hut, and then he that is appointed, runs with them to the next Stage. They
~ Jook upon it as an ill Omen, to give the Letters into the Metiengers hands,
ping them on behin
but they muft be thrown at his, feet, and he muft gather them up. It is to
be obferv’d alfo, that the Highways in moft parts of Juda, are like Walks of
‘Trees; and that. where there are no Trees, at every five hundred paces di-
ftance there ate fet up little Heaps of Stones, which the Inhabitants of the
next Vilages are bound to white-wafh from time to time, to the end thofe
Letter-Carriers.may not mifs their ways in dark and Rainy nights. While we ftay’d
with the Wahab, certain Officers came to tell him, that they had brought cer-
tain Offenders to the door of his Tent. He was above half an hour before he |
return’d them any anfwer, writing on, and giving inftructions to his Secretaries ;
but by and by, all of a fudden he commanded the Offenders to be brought in,
and after he had examin’d them, and made them confets the crime of which
they ftood accus’d, he was above an hour before he faid a word, {till writing
on, and employing his Secretaries. In the mean while feveral: of the Officers
of the Army came to tender their refpects tq him in a very fubmiflive manner,
all whom he anfwer’d.only with*a nod. There was one of the Oltenders which
were brought before him, had broken into a Houfe, and had kill'd the Mother
and three Children. He was condemned upon the fpot' to have his Hands and
Feet cut off, and to be caft out into the high way, there to end his days
in mifery. Another had rob’d upon the Highway ; for which the Wabab or-
der’d his Belly to be ript up, and himfelf to be caft upon the Dunghill. I know
not what crimes the other two had committed, but their Heads were both
cut off. When we perceiv’d him 4t a little Jeifure, we ask’d him whether he
had any other Commands to lay upon us, and whether he thought our Com-
modities fitting to be fhew’n to the King. . He anfier’d, that we might go to
Golconda,and that he would write to his Son in-our behalf,and that his Letter would
be there fooner than we. ,And in} order to ur ,journey, he order’d us fixteen
Horlemen to convoy us, and; to -provide us ne¢eflaries upon the Road, till we
came toa River thirteen Leagues from Gandicor, which no perfons are to pals,
unlefs they have the Nababs Pafsport, to keep, the Soldiers from running from
their Colours,
4 \@HAP., XIX,
S ee me The Rosé from Gandicot to Golconda:
“T' HE fixteenth in the morning, we fet out of Gandicot , accompanied. with
Aythe greateft part of the Canoneets, who brought us the firit days journey up-
on Our: way ; and that day having travel’d feven Leagues, we came to lye at
Yrs
w Se
Wheels and.
ar their Coa shes. and Waggons, they faften them between two Boats, by the
~ Sa eee ee EEo
Book I. Travels in Inpta. 1or
Stall. As. for the Oxen that carry the Luggage, as foon as ever they come to
the River fide, and that they have unladed them, they only -drive them into
the River, and they will {wim over of themfelves. There are four men
that ftand upright at the four Corners of the Boat, and row it along with
proad pieces of Wood, made like Shovels. If they do not all ftrike their
froakes together, but that any of the four miffes, the Boat will turn round
rwo or three times ; and the itream carries ita great way lower than where
they intended to land. , =
The eighteenth, after five hours travel we arrivdat Aforimal.
The nineteenth, we travel’d nine Leagues, and lay at Santefela.
The twentieth, we travel’d nine Leagues more, and lay at Goremeda.
The one and twentieth, after fix hours travel, we fpent the night at Kaman,
, Frontier Town in the Kingdom of Golconda, till the Conquelt of Curnatica by
Mirgimola. ; °
The two and twentieth, we travel’d feven Leagues, and came to lye at Eme-
lipata. When we were about half the way, we met above four thoufand per-
foas, men and women; and above twenty Palleki’s, in every one whereof was.
an Idol. They were adorn'd with Coverings of Sattin, purfled with Gold, and
Velvets with Gold and Silver Fringe. Some of thefe Palleks’s were born by
four men; others by eight, and fome by twelve, according as the Idols were
in bignefs and weight. On each fide of the Pallekze, walk’d a man, witha large
Fan in his hand, five Foot in compafs, made of Oftriches and Peacocks Feathers,
of various colours, The Handle of the Fan was five or fix foot long, laid all
over with Gold and Silver, about the thicknefS of a French Crown. Every one
was officious to carry one of thofe Fans, to keep the Flies from the Idols
Face. There was another Fan which was carried clofe by the Idol, fomewhat
larger than the former, without a handle, and was born juft like a Target. It
was adorn’d with Feathers of fevera] colours,, and little Bells of Gold and Sil-
ver, round about the edges, He that carried it, went always near the Idol upon
the fame fide, to fhade tne Idol; for to have fhut the Curtains would have
been too hot. Ever and anon, he that carried that fort of Fan, Brandifh’d it
inthe air, to make the Bells ring ; which they prefum’d to be a kind of Paftime
ro the Idol. All thefe people with their Idols came from Brampour, and the
adjacent. parts, and were going to vifit their great Ram, that is to fay, their
chief God, who ftands in a Pagod in the Territories of the King of Carnanca.
Thev had been about thirty days upon the Road, and were to travel fourteen
or fifteen more, before they came to -this Pagod. One of my Servants, who
was a Native of Brampour, and of the fame Superftition, beg’d me to give him
leave to bear his Gods company, telling me withall, that he had made a Vow
long fince to go this Pilgrimage. I was conftrain’d to let him go. For hadI
not given him leave, [knew he would have taken it, by reafon he had much
acquaintance and kindred among the Rabble. About two months after, he re-
turn’d again to us to Surat, and becaufe he had faithfully ferv’d Monfieur fardin
and my felf, we made no fcruple to take him again. Asking him fome queftions
about his Pilgrimage, he related to me this following paflage: Six days after
he left. me, all the.Pilgrims had made an account to go and. lye at fauch a Vil-
lage, to which before they came they were to crofs a River, that has but little
Water in Summer, fo that it is eafily fordable. “But when it rains in /ndia, the ©
Water falls with fuch a force, that it feems to be a perpendicular deluge; and
in Je( than an hour er two, a fmall River fhall fwell three or four foot high.
The Rains having overtaken thofe Pilgrims, the River was fwell’d in that man-
ner, that it was impoflible to pafs it that day. Now becaufé it is not necellary
for Travellers in-Judsa to carry provifions, efpecially for the Idolaters, Who never
eat any thing‘ that) ever had life; in regard that in the leaft Village you may
meet with abundance of Rice, Meal, Butter , Milk Meats, Lentils, and other
Pale, befides Sugar, and Sweet-Meats, dry and moift. The people were very.
much furpriz’d, having no Victuals, when they, eame and faw the River {well’d,
in fhort, they had nothing to- give.their Children to eat; which caus’d great.
lamentations among them. In this extremity the chiefeft of their Priefts fat himfelf
down in the midft of them, and covering himfelf with a fheet,began to ery out that.
they
aa RR hh" a een
[02 Travels in Inpra. - Part. IL.
they who would have any Victuals fhould come to him; when they came, he
ask’d every one what they would have, whether Rice, or Meal, and for how
many peérfons ; and then lifting up. the corner of the fheet, witha great Ladle
he diftributed to every one that which they asked for; fo that the whole mals.
tude of four thoufand Souls was fully fatisid. My Servant did not only telj
me this ftory, but going feveral times afterwards to Brampour, where | was
known to the chief men im the City, I enquir’d of feveral, who fwore to ine
by their Ram, Ram, that it was truth. Though I am not bound to believe ir,
The twenty-third, we arriv’d at Dowpar, after we had travel'd eight leagues,
and crofsd feveral Torretits.
The twenty-fourth, we travel’d four leagues, and came to Tripanre ; where
there is a great Pagod upon a Hill, to which there is a circular afcent of Free.
{tone every way; the leaft Stone being ten foot long, and three broad: and
there are feveral Figures of Daemons in the Pagod. Among the reft, there jg
the Statue of Venus, ftanding upright, with feveral lafcivious Figures about
hef 3 all which Figures are of one piece of Marble ; but the Sculpture is very
ordinary. .
The ‘pareaioy fill we travel’d eight leagues, and came to Afamli. ;
The twenty-fixth, we travel’d eight leagues more, and came to lye at Ag.
hel,
The twenty-feventh, we travel’d not above three leagues, being to crofsa
wide River in Boats like Panniers ; which ufually takes up half the day ; for
‘When you come to the River fide, there is neither Pannier nor any thing elfe
to crofs it. There was only one man, with whom we bargain’d for our paflage ;
Who to try whether our Money were good or no, made a great fire and threw
it into the flame, as he does to all others that pas that way. If among the
Roupies which he receives, he meets with any one that turns a little black, you
muft give him another, which he prefently heats red hot; when he finds his
Money to be good, he calls to his Companions to fetch the Manequin or Flasket-
Boat, which lay hid before in fome other part of the River. For thefe fore
of people are fo cunning, that if they defcry any Paflengers afar off, they will
row their Mamequin to the other fide, becaufe they will nor be conftrain’d to
catry any perfon over without Money. But the Money being paid, the man
that receives it calls his Companions together, who take the Boat upon their
Shoulders, and when they have launch’d it into the River, they fetch their
Paffengers and goods from the other fide.
The twenty-eighth, having travel'd five leagues, they came toa place calld
Dabir-Pinta.
The twenty-ninth, after twelve hours travel, we came to lye at -Holcora.
The thirtieth, we travel'd eight leagues, and came to fpend our night at Pe-
ridera. :
The firft of Ofober, after we had travel’d ten leagues, we came to lye at
Afenara, This isa Houfe of Pleafure, which the prefent King’s Mother caus’d
to be built. There are many Chambers in a great Piazza belonging to it, for
thé convenience of Travellers.
You muft take notice, that in all the Countries where we travePd, as well in
the Kingdom of Carnatica , as the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vifapour, there
are no Phyficians, but fuch as attend Kings and Princes. As for the common
people, after the Rains are fall’n, and that it is time to gather Herbs, you fhall
fee every morning the good women of the Towns going into the Fields, to
gather {uch Simples which they know to be proper for fuch Difeafes as reign:
ii the Family. “Tis very true, that in great Cities there may be one or two
Men that have forme common Receipts, who go every morning and fit in fome
known places, to give their Remedies to fuch as enquire for them, whether
they be Potions or Plaifters. Firft they feel their Pulfes, and then giving them
fomé reniedy, for which they do not demand the value of fix pence ; they
alfo at the fame time mutter certain words between their teeth,
The f€cond of Ofober, we had but four leagues to travel before we came
to Golconda. We went immediately to the Lodging of a young Datch Chi-
rurgion, belonging to the King, whom the Sieur Chetexr, Envoy from ions
de a
I a a <a enn
Book L. Travels in Tupra. 103
had left at Golconda upon the King’s earneft entreaty. The King was always
yery much troubl’d with the head-ach: for which reafon the Phyfitians had or-
der’d that he fhould be let blood in four places under the tongue ; but there was
no perfon that would undertake to do it: for the Natives of the Countrey un-
derftand. nothing of Chirurgery. Now before that Peter de Lan, for that was
the Dxtch-Chirurgion’s name, was entertain’d in the King’s fervice, he was ask’d
whether he could let blood ? To which he anfwer’d, that there was nothing {0
eafy in Chirurgery. Some few days after the King fent for him, and gave him
to underftand that he was refolv’d to be let blood the next day in four parts un-
der the tongue, as the Phyfitians had order’d, but he fhould take a care of not
drawing away above eight ounces. De Lan returning the next day to Court;
was Jead into a Chamber by three Eunuchs, and four Old-women, who carri'd
him to a Bath, and after they had undreft him, and wafh’d him, efpecially his
hands ; they anointed him with Aromatick-drugs, and inftead of his own
European-Clothes, they brought him a Robe according to the fafhion of the
Countrey. After that, they brought him before the King; where he found four
little Porringers of Gold, which the Phyfitians, who were prefent, had weigh'd,
In fhort, he let the King blood under the tongue in four parts, and perform’d his
bufinefs fo well,that when the blood came to be weigh’d, it weigh’d bat bare eight
ounces. The King was fo fatisfi’d with the Operation, that he gave the Chirar-
gion three-hunder'd Pagods, which comes to almoft feven-hunder’d Crowns.
The Young-Queen and the Queen-Mother underftanding what he had done, were
refulv’d to be let-blood too. But I believe it was rather out of a curiofity to
fee the Chirargion, than out of any neceffity which they had to be let-blood.
For he was a handfom young-man ; and perhaps they had never feen a {tranger
neer at hand, for at a diftance, it is no improbable thing, in regard the Women are
{hut up in fuch places where they may fee, but not be feen. Upon this, de Lan
was carri’d into a Chamber where the fame Old-women that had waited on him
before he let the King blood, ftript up his arm, and wafh’d it, but more efpecially
his hands; which when they were dry , they rubb’d again with fweet-Oils
as before. That being done, a Curtain was drawn, and the Queen ftretching out
her arm through a hole, was let-blood ; as was the Queen-Mother afterwards
in the fame manner. The Queen gave him fifty Pagods, and the Queen-Mother
thirty, with fome pieces of Cloath of Gold.
Two days after we went to wait upon the Wuhab’s Son, but were told we
could not fpeak with him that day ; the next day receiving the fame anfwer, we
were advertiz’d upon enquiry, that we might wait long enough in that manner ;
that he was a young Lord that never ftirrd from the King; or that if he did
-Jeaye the Court, it was only to keep his Miffes company in his own Haram.
The young Chirargion feeing us fo delaid, offer'd to fpeak to the King’s firft Phy-
fitian, who was alfo of the King’s Council, and who had teftifd a ee affection
coward the Batavian-Envoy, and for de Lan himfelf; for which reafon, he thought
he might embrace an opportunity to do hima kindnefs. In fhort, de Lan had no
fooner {poke to him, but he fent for us, and having, after much civility fhewn us,
inforn’d himfelf of the caufe of our coming, he defir’d us to fhew him our
Pearls, which we did the next day. After he had view’d them, he made us feal
them up again in our own bags: for all that is prefented to the King muft be
{eal'd with the Merchants-Seal ; and when the King has had a fight of the Com-
modity, it is fea?d up with his own Seal, to prevent any fraud, Thereupon we
left the Pearls, fo feal’d up, in his hands, who promis’d to fhew them to the
King, and to give us a good account of the truft we had put into his
hands. . Pe ee
The next day about nine of the Clock before noon we went to the River to
fre how they wafh the King’s and the Great Noble-men’s Elephants. The Ele-
phant goes up to the belly in the water, and lying down upon one fide, with his
trunk he throws the water feveral times upon that fide which lies out of the
water ; and when he has foak’d himfelf fufficiently, the Mafter comes with a
i kind of a Pumice-ftone, and rubbing the Elephant’s-skin, cleanfes it from alf the
filth that clings to it. Here fome believe, that when this creature is once laid
| down, it cannot rife of its felf; which is contrary to what [ have feen. For
when
Travels nm Inpra.
Part Il.
when the Mafter has well-cleans’d the one fide, he commands the Elephant to
turn the other, which the beaft immediately does; and when both fides are
well-wafh’d, he comes out of the River, and ftays a-while upright upon the
bank~fide to dry himfelf. Then comes the Matéer witha pot full of fome red or
yellow colour, and ftreaks the beaft in the forehead, about the eyes, upon the
breaft, and all behind, rubbing him afterwards with Oil of Coco’s to ftrengthen °
the nerves; and fome when all is done, he faftens a gilt-Plete upon their fore-
heads.
The fifteenth, the chief Phyfitian fent for us, and return’d us our bags again,
feal’d with the King’s Signet, wherewith his Majefty had feal’d them after he had
Jook’d upon them. He demanded the price’; which we told him: Whereupon,
an Eunuch that ftood by him, and wrote down every thing, wondring at the high-
price of the Pearls, told us that we took the King of Golconda’s Courtiers for
perfons that had neither knowledg nor judgment; and that he faw every day
things of greater value brought to the King. I briskly retorted upon the
Eunuch, that he vvas better skill’d in the price of a young Slave, than the value
of a Jevvel; and fo faying, yve put up our Pearls, and return’d to our Lode.
ing. The next day vve fet out from Golcoada for Sarat, m vvhich Road there js
nothing confiderable but vvhat [have already defcrib’d, only this is to be re-
member’d, that vve vvere not gone above five days journey from Golconda, but
the King, vvho had not heard in tvvo days after vve vvere gone, vvhat I had re-
torted upon the Eunuch, fent four or five Horfe-men after us vvith Orders, if
they overtook us, to bring us back: but in regard vve vvere got one days
Journey into the Territories of the AZogul before one of the Horfe-men over-
took us, (for the reft ftaid upon the Frontiers of the tvvo Kingdoms; ) I, that
Knevv the humour of the Countrey very vyell, made anfvver for my {elf and
Companion, that at that time our bufinefs vvould not permit us; and that there-
fore vve begg’d in moft humble manner his Majefty’s pardon; and after-
vvards I made my Companion allovv my reafons, |
Being arriv’d at Surat, Adonfieur de Jardin dy’d of an overflovving of choler:
And I.made a fall account to have gone to 4gra to Sha-jehan vvho then reign’d,
But at the fame inftant the Wahab, Sha-Eft-Kan, the King’s Brother-in-Lavy,
and Governor of the Province of Guzerat, {ent one of the principal Officers of
his Houfe to me from 4madabat, to tell me he underftood I bad fome extraor-
dinary Jevvels to fell ; for vvhich reafon he vvould be glad to fee me, and that
he vvould pay me as much for them as the King fhould do. I receiv’d this
Meflage vvhile Sieur de fardin lay fick, and the ninth day after his death I got
to Amadabat, and {pake vvith the Nabab. Novy in regard he vvas a man that
underftood Jevvels perfectly vvell, vve prefently came to an agreement: {0 that
vve had no difpute together, but about the quality of the Coin to be paid.
He allovv’d me tvvo forts to choofe, Roupies of Gold, or Roupies of Silver:
but the Prince feeming to intimate to me that he fhould not be vvell-pleas’d to
let fuch a Sum in Silver be feen to go out of his Houfe, he vvifh’d I vvould
rather accept my payment in Roupies of Gold, that made not fuch a great
heap. I confented to his defire ; and he fhew’d me yery fair Gold, and many
Roupies, that had not feen the Sun in a long time. But in regard the price
currant of a Roupy of Gold,is not above fourteen Roupies of Silver,and for that he
would lave had me taken my Roupies at fourteen and a half, or at Jeaft for
fourteen and a quarter, it had like to have fpoil’d our bargain; for I gave him
to underftand, that in fo large a fum, it would not quit coft to lofe a fourth
part in every Roupy of Gold. At length to pleafe him, I was fore’d to take
the Gold at fourteen Roupies of Silver and an cighth part. Thus a Prince
otherwife magnificent and generous, yet in matter of buying and felling,
would needs approve himfelf to be a good Husband. While I ftay’d at <ma-
dabat, he {ent me every day to my Lodging four Silver Plates of Pilaw, and
other excellent Dyet ; and one day that the King had fent him as many Apples
as ten or twelve men could carry, he fent me as many as for their rarity at
Atmadabat, were worth three or four hundred Roupies. Befides all this, he
gave meacompleat Habit of Honour, witha Sword and a Cangiar, worth a
thoufand Roupies ; and refolving alfo to give me a Horfe, he ask’d me ee
Lita
Book L. Travels in Iypta.
kind of one I would have. I told him, fince he was pleas’d to give me my
choice, that I rather defird a young lively Horfe, rather than an old one.
Thereupon he fent me one that was {@ given to bounding and prancing, that
he threw a young Hollander out of the Saddle ; but upon my defire to have
him chang’d,~he-fent me another, which I fold afterwards for four hundred
Roupies. :
From 4madabat 1 return’d to Sarat ; from Sarat I travel’d again to Gol-
conde, and thence to the Mine to buy Diamonds. From whence returning back
for Sarat, I refolv’d for Perfiz.
ee
.
CTS RX:
My return from Surat to Ormus,
Be upon my return to Swrat from the Diamond Mine, I underftood that
the War was proclaim’d between the Eaglife and the Hollanders, and the
latter would fend no more Ships into Perfz. The Englifb alfo gave out the
fame refolutions ; for indeed they had fent four Ships into PerGa, which they
expected back every hour. While I was thus in fear of fiaying long in a
place where I had no bufinefé, there arriy’d at Swrar five great Dutch Ships
from Batavia; three of which being rather Men of War, than Mérchant-Men,
were order’ to be unladen with all fpeed, with an intention to look oat
for the four Englifh Vellels that were expected out of Perfia. The other two
were appointed to follow two or three days after, being in that time to
take in provifions for the whole Fleet. :
In one of thofé two Veflels I embark’d, and fetting fayl the eighth of 7a-
nuary, We came before Diz the twelfth, where we overtook the other three
Ships. There it was debated at a Council of War, what courfe to fteer to
meet the Englifh ; and it was refolv’d, that we fhould fteer away for Scind:,
where we arriv’d the twentieth of the fame month, and ftay’d there till the
twenty-cighth, and then ferting fail with a fair Wind, we ‘landed at Gomrom
the feventh of ALarch,
The End of the Firft Book.
*p TRA=
105
106 ei) es ne Part I
——
=k A a |. oe Bees
INDIA.
The Second Book.
Containing an Hiftorical and Political Defcription
of the Empire of the Great Mogul.
GHA P.. Iv
A Relation of the laft Wars of Indolitan; which gives an injight
into the prefent Effate of the Empire and Court of the Moguls.
Have written this Hiftory in fuch manner, as I knew things to be trans:
acted, during my ftay in the Country ; leaving it to the Reader to make his
_ Own reflections as he pleafes ; it being fufficient for me to make a faith
ful defcription of the Porent Empire of the Moguls , according to thé
Obfervations I have taken upon the place,
This great and vaft Empire, which contains the greateft part of Indolftan,
and which extends from the Mountains on this fide the River Indus, to the
Mountains on the other fide of Ganges ; borders Eaftward upon the Kingdoms
_ Of -dracan, Tipra, and Afia. Toward the Welt upon Perfia, and the Usbeg Tartars,
‘Southward upon the Kingdoms -of Golconda and Vifapour. Northward it .runs
_ pas faras the Mountain Cascafws, North-Eaftward the Kingdom of Bautam,
_ ‘whence comes our Musk, parts it. North-Weitward it borders upon the Coun-
try of Chegathay, or the Usbegs,
They are call'd Afoguls, that is, white of complexion ; for the laft Conque-
rors of the Judies were Whites ;- the Natives being all Brown, or Olive-colour.
AAureng-zeb, the prefent Emperor, is the eleventh in a direct line, of the
Defcendants from the great Temur-Leng, commonly call’d Tamerlane; the ex-
tent and renown of whofe Conquefts, from China to Poland, has exceeded all
the actions of the greateft Captains of the former Ages. His Succeffors com-
pleated the Conqueft of all India between the two Rivers, with the deftructios
of feveral Kings. So that s4ureng-zeb has at this time under his Dominion,
the Territories of Gonzerat, Decan-Dehly, Multan, Lahor, Kafhemire, Bengala,
, and many other Territories; not to mention feveral Raja's, or petty Kings, who
pay him Tribute, and are his Vaflals. The Succeffion of the Kings of India is
as follows : :
_ X. Termur-Leng, that is to fay, the Lame, becaufe one of his Legs was fhorter
than the other, lyes buried at Samarchand, in the Country of Chegathay, or the
Useeg Tartars, being the place of his Nativity.
2. Miram=
Book IL. Travels in Ixpta. | 107
2, Miram-Cha, the Son of Temurleng.. !
_ Saltan Mahomet, the Son of Miram-Cha,
. Sultan Aboufaid-Mirza, the Son of Adahomet.
. Hameth-Sheck,. the Son of Sultan Abonfaid. SH 3 c2 Seen :
6. Sultan Babur, that is, the Valiant Prince, the firft AZogul thatwas of greateft
power in India. He dy’d in the year 1532. ae
7. Homajon, that is, the Happy, the Son of Sultan Babur, dy’d in the year
1¢f2- 5
% Abdul Feta Gelal-Eddin Mahomet, commonly call’d -Akabar, that is, the
Great, reign’d fifty four years, and dyd in the year 1605. 2 aealbi
9. Sultan Selim, otherwife call’d fehan-guir Patfoa, that is, the Victorious
Emperor of the World, fucceeded Akabar his Father, and dy’d 1627.. He had
four Sons, the eldeft nam’d Sultan Kofrou, the fecond Sultan Kourom, the third
Sultan Perviz, the fourth Cha-Daniel. eke. " "op
0. Sultan Kourom, the fecond of the four, fucceeded fehan-guir his Father ;
and was acknowledg’d by all the Nobility, at the Caftle of -4gra2, by the Name
of Cha-Bedir: Mahomed, but he would be call’d Cha-jehan, that is, King of the
World. wis Cg
11. Asreng-zeb, that is; the Ornament of the Throne, is the prefent Mo-
narch. é i,
The following Figure fhews you.,what forts of pieces the Kings caufe to
be thrown among the people when tliey come to the Throne. They repre-
fent the Arms or Signets of the Kings which I have nam’d. The biggeft, in
the middle, was Cha-jehan’s, the tenth King. Thefe pieces are moft of them
Silver ; there being very few of Gold. And as for ureng-zeb, he never coind
any particular pieces to throw away at his Coronation,
108
| oa ‘an Ixpta. Part. If
The Great Afogul is without all queftion the richeft and moft potent Mo-
narch of -4fia; the Territories which he poflefies, being his own Hereditar
Poffeffion ; and being abfolute Mafter of all the Territories whence he receives hi‘,
Revenues. For inthe Territories of this Prince, the great Lords are but the
Royal Receivers, who give an account of the King’s Revenues to the Governours
of the Provinces, and they to the chief Treafurers and Controllers of the Ey.
chequer. :
CHAP. Tf.
Of the Sickne[s and {upposd Death of Cha-jehan, King of India, ang
: the Rebellion of the Princes his Sons.
Se great King had reign’d above forty years, not fo much as a King over
his Subjects, but rather as a Father over his Family and Children. Infomuch,
that during his Reign there was fuch a ftrictnef$ in the Civil Government, and
particularly for the fecurity of the High-ways, that there was never any oc~
cafion to put any man to death for Robbery. In his declining years he fanci’d
a young Lady of an extraordinary Beauty, that was not above thirteen years
of age; and becaufe the ftrength of nature would not permit him to fitisfe
his paffion, he took certain provocatives, which were fo hot, that he fell there-
upon into a diftemper that had almoft kill’d him. This oblig’d him to fhut
himfelf up in his Haram, together with his Women, for two or three months ;
during which time he appear’d very rarely to the people, and that at a great
diftance too, which made them believe he was dead. For they are oblig’d by
Cuftom to fhew themfelyes to the people three times ina week, or in fifteen
days at moft.
Cha-fehan had fix Children, four Sons and two Daughters. The Name of
the eldeft was Dara-Cha, the fecond Was call’'d Sultan Sujah, the third -Aureng-
eb, and the fourth Aforad-Bakche. The eldeft of his two Daughters was call'd
Legum-Saheb,-and the name of the fecond was Rauchenara Begum.
Cha-jehan Yov'd all his four Sons alike, and had made them Governours or
Vice-Roys of four of his principal Provinces or Kingdoms. Dara-Cha, who
was the eldeft, ftay’d with his Father in Desly, and had the Government of
the Kingdom of Sandi, into which he put a Deputy. Szltan Sujah had for his
fhare the Government of Bengala, Asreng-z.eb was Vice-Roy of the Kingdom
of Decan; and Morad-Bakche of the Kingdom of Guzerat. But though Cha-
jehan endeavour’d to give equal content to his four Sons, their Ambition was
not fatisf'd with this divifion, but ruin’d all the good defigns which fo kind a
Father had lay’d to preferve peace among his Children. ,
Cha-jehan being thus fick, and retir’d into the Womens quarter, without
thewing himfelf for many days; the report ran that he was dead, and that
Dara-Cha conceal’d his death, to gain time to provide for himfelf, and to {e-
cure the Empire. True it is, that the King believing he fhould dye, commanded
Dara-Cha to call together all the Omrabs or Lords, and to feat himfelf upon
the Throne, which belong’d to him, as the eldeft of his Brothers. He alfo tefti-
frd the defire he had to fee him quietly fetled in the peaceable poffeffion of
the Empire. And this intention of his was look’d upon as the more juft, in re-
gard the other three Brothers had been for fome time obfery’d to have le(s
refpect for their Father, than Dara-Cha. Dara-Cha, who honour’d and refpect-
ed the King with a real tendernefs, made anfwer to the King, that he defir’d
of Heaven nothing more than the prefervation of his Majefties life, and that {0
Jong as Reaven thould continue that prefervation, he fhould take it to be a
greater honour to continue him({elf a Subje&, than to afcend the Throne, And
indeed he was never abfent from his Father, that he tight be the better able
to ferve him in his ficknefS; and becaufe he would be prefent upon all occa-
-
as >; = .
fions,:
— wi
Book I. Travels in Inpta.
{jons, he lay by his Fathers Bed-fide, upon a Tapeftry fpread upon the ground.
During the falfe report of the death of Cha-sehan, his three other Sons im-
mediately rebell’d, every one laying claim to their Fathers Crown. Morat-
Bakche the youngeft, who had the Government of Guzerat, fent away Forces
immediately to befiege Szrar, the moft confiderable Port, and moft frequented
of any other all over Judia. The City made ho refiftance, for the Walls are
very weak, and broken down in feveral places. But they defended the Citta-
del, where the Treafure was, very {ftoutly ; though the young Ambitious Prince
did all he could to make himfelf Mafter of it. Chabas-Kan, one of his Eu-..
nuchs, who was General of his Army, an induftrious and active perfon, and who.
carrid on the Siege with all the experience of an old Captain; when he faw
he could not carry the Caftle by main force, caus’d it to be undermin’d in two
places, by the afliftance of an Ezropean Engineer, which took eifect ; fo that
upon the twenty-ninth of December, 1659, he threw down a good part of the
Walls, and fil?d up the Moat ; which very much terrifid the befieg’d, But
they prefently recover’d their courage, and though they were but a {mall num-
ber, they defended themfelves for above forty days, to the great dammage and
flaughter of ALorat-Bakche’s Army. Chabas-Kah, provok’d at fuch a vigorous
refiftance, fought for all the Wives and Children, Parents and. Kindred of the
Canoneers that were within the Caftle, to place them at the head of his men,
when they made their approaches. He alfo fent one of the Brothers of the
Governor of the place, to offer him advantageous conditions, But the Goyer-
nor, being a very loyal perfon, and uncertain of the Kings death, rejected ‘all
his offers. The Eunuch perceiving the Refolution of the Governour, threaten’d
the befieged to kill all their Wives and Children, Parents and Kindred, if they
did not furrender the place the next day. But neither did any of thofe confi-
derations prevail, till at Icngth the breach being made wider, and the number
of defendants decreafing, the Governor furrender’d upon honourable conditions ;
which were punctually perform’d by Chabas-Kan, who {eiz'd upon all the Trea-
fare, and carried it to madabat ; where Morat-Bakche was bufily employ’d
in {queezing the people to get Money. |
The news of the taking S#rat being brought to this Prince, he prefently
provided himfelf a Throne, and fitting upon it on the day which was appointed
for the Ceremony, he caus’d himfelf to be declared King, not only of Guze-
rat, but of all the Dominions of Cha-jehan his Father’ At the fame time he
alfo coin’d Money, and fent new Governors into all the Cities. But his tottering
Throne, not being well fix’d, fell foon to the Ground; and the youngeft of all
the Brothers, for having ufurp’d a Scepter that no ways appertain’d to him,
was confin’d to a fevere imprifonment. Prince Dara-Cha fain would have re-
liev’d Surat ; but it was impoffible. For befides that he was bufied in the affiftance
of his Father the King, his fecond Brother Swéran-Sujah, more powerful than
Morat-Bakche, found him far more work to do. He was already advanc’d into
the Kingdom of Lahor, having abfolutely reduc’d the Kingdom of Bengala. All
that Dara-Cha could do, was to fend Soliman Checour his eldeft Son, with an
Army againft Sultan Sujab, The young Prince having defeated his Uncle, and
driven him back into Bengala, the Frontiers whereof he fecur’d with good Gar-
rifons, return’d to Dara-Cha his Father. In the mean time AZorat-Bakche, ac-
knowledg’d for King in the Kingdom of Gxzerat, bends all his Force and Coun-
fels to make himfelf Emperor of the /ndies, to deftroy his Brothers, and to
fix his Throne either in Agra or Jehanabat. z
Whiles thefe things pafs'd, -4ureng-xeb as ambitious, but more crafty than
his Brothers, lets them alone to kindle the firft Fires; and conceals his own
defigns, which afterwards appear’d fo much to the damage of the reft. At
firft he feign’d to lay no claim to the Empire, but liv’d a private life, like a
Dervich, or Religious Hermit. And the better to act his part, he declar'd to
his younger Brother A4Zorat-Bakche , whom he faw to be fe ambitious, how
willing he fhould be to affift him in his defigns ; telling him, that becaufé he
merited the Empire by his Valour, he would aid him with his Money and his
Forces to overthrow Dara-Cha, who only ftood in his way. The young Prince,
blinded with the hopes of his good Fortune, eafily belicy’d Anreng-xeb, pe
/ ©
E09
110
Travels in Ixpia. Part IL
fo, joining Forces together, he advances towards gra, to make himéelf Matter
of that City. Dara-Cha marches to meet them,; but the Battel was as im.
prudently mannag’d by him, as fortunately fought by his Brothers., For Dara-
Cha, confiding too much in the principal Officers of his Army, againft the ad-
vice of his General, who was his. chief Minifter of State, and faithful. to him ;
thought himfelf fure of the Victory, by falling on before his Brothers had
time to repofe themfelves: The firit onfet was very rude and bloody, where
Morat-Bakche, full of fire and courage, fighting like a Lyon, was fhot with fiye
Arrows into the body. The Victory leaning to Dara-Cha, Aureng-zeb retreated ;
but foon turn’d head again, when he faw thofe Traytors advancing to his aid,
who were in the Army of Dara-Cha, and who had treacheroufly deferted him,
after he had oft his beft Officers and his General. With this affiftance Ayrengs
zeb renews the fight againft Dara-Cha ; who feeing himéfelf betray'd, and unable
to maintain the fight with the {mall number of men which he had left, retreats
to .dgra, where the King his Father was, who beganto mend. The King ad-
vis'd his Son to retire to the Fortrefs of Dehly, and to carry the Treafure that
was in Agra with him ; which he did without delay. Thus the Victory fell in-
tirely to dureng-xeb and Morat-Bakche, who before the end of the Battel, be.
ing weaken’d with the lofs of blood, was fore’d to retire to his Tent, to have
his wounds dreft. Now it was an eafie thing for 4ureng-zeb to gain thofe
Traytors, as well by reafon of the vaft Treafures which he had, as alfo for that
the Jndians are very inconftant, and want generofity. Befides, the Commanders
are generally Fugitive Pevfans, perfons of little worth, who are altogether
for them that give moft. Cha-Eft-Kan, who was Uncle to thefe four Princes,
whofe Mother was the King’s Sifter,went over to Anreng-zeb with the greateft part
of the principal Commanders that had adher’d to Dara-Cha, and Mor at-Bakche,
and had forfaken their Mafters. A¢orat-Bakche then began to fee his Error in
having trufted Asreng-zeb, who feeing himfelf favour’d by Fortune, Joft no time
to accomplifh his ends. Thereupon Aorat-Bakche fends to his Brother for the
half of the Treafure that he had feiz’d, that he might retire to Gazerat, But
<Anreng-zeb for anfwer affur’d him, that he had no other defign than to ad-
vance him to the Throne, to which purpofe he defir’d to confer with him by
word of mouth. Morat-Bakche in order to that, finding himfelf indifferently
well reeover’d of his wounds, goes to vifit his Brother, who kindly welcom’d
him, extoJl’d his courage, and told him he deferv’d the beft Empire of the’
world, The young Prince was charm’d by the melody of fiich fweet language,
while his Eunuch, Shabas-Kan, did all he could to make him fenfible of the
{nares that were laid for him. But when Morat-Bakche fhould have taken the
Eunuchs advice, it was too late ; for dureng-zeb had already laid his plot to
deftroy him. He invites Adorat-Bakche to a Feaft ; and the more the one ex-
cufes himfelf, the more the other .prefles him to come. The young Prince
perceiving he would take no denial, refolv’d to go, for fear of difcovering the
miftruft he had, although he verily believ’d that thar day would be the laft of
his life, and that fome deadly poyfon was brew’d for him, However, he was
deceiv’d in that particular, for —dureng-zeb not aiming at his life then, con-
tented himfelf only to deprive him of his liberty, and fo inftead of advancing.
him to the Throne, fent him away, to be fafely kept in the Caftle of Ga=
valeor,
CHAP.
ee i gh Ro, eee eee
Book Il. Travels in Inpta. eT
CHAP. IIL
Of the Imprifonment of Cha-jehan, and how he was pumjfb'd by
Aureng-zeb Ais third Son, for the injuftice he had done Prince
Boulaki 4s Nephew, the Grandchild of Gchan-guir, to whom, as
to the Son of ihe Eldest Son, the Empire of the Moguls be-
long d.
Gen King of India, Sonof Achbar, and Grandchild to Houmajon;
reignd very peaceably during the fpace of twenty-three years, equally
belov'd both by his Subjects and Neighbours. But his life feem’d too long
to his two Sons, who were both ambitious to reign. The eldeft rais’d a power-
ful Army near Lahor, with an intention to have furpriz’d his Father, and to
have poffefs’d himfelf of the Throne by force. The King incens’d at the info-
lence of his Son, refolv’d to chaftife him; meets him with a confiderable Army,
defeats him, and takes him Prifoner, with many of the moft confiderable No-
bility that adher’d to him. After which, out of a natural affection to his Chil-
dren, he fav’d his life, but put out his Eyes. And when he was blind he. al-
ways kept him about his perfon, with an intention to have prefer'd his eldeft
Son Bowlaki to theCrown, whofe Father had already many Sons, but all-very young.
But Sultan Courom, his fecond Son, believing it his right to be prefer’d before a
Nephew, refolv’d to leave no ftone unturn‘’d to remove him from his hopes,
and to fettle himfelf in poffeffion before the death of his Father. However
he conceal’d his intentions from him, appearing outwardly very obedient to
his Father, who always kept about him the Children of his eldeft Son. By
that fubmiffion he more eafily brought about his defigns; for having by that
means gain’d the good will of his Father, he obtain’d leave to carry along with
him:the blind Prince, his eldeft Brother, to his Government of the Kingdom Decan,
He laid before his Father, that it would be far better to remove from his fight,
an object that could not chufe but be fo afflifting to him; and that the Prince
himfelf, being blind, would {pend the reft of his days more comfortably in
Decan, where he might be more retir’'d. The King, not penetrating into his
defign, readily confented to his requeft. Who when he had that poor Prince
~ in his Clutches, made him away with that fecrefie which was not to be difco-
ver'd ; and under the moft plaufible pretence imaginable, to conceal him from
the eyes of men. ,
After the death of the blind Prince, S/tan Courom took upon him the name
of Cha-jehan, that is, King of the World; and to uphold his Title, he rais‘d an
Army to finifh what his Brother had begun, which. was to dethrone his Father,
and to take poffeffion of the Empire. The King incensd as well at the death
of his Son, as atthe attempt againft his own perfon, fent a confiderable Army
to chaftife Courom for fo bold an Enterprize, But the rebellious Prince finding
himfelf too weak to ftand his Fathers force, quitted the Kingdom of Decaz,
and with certain Vagabonds that follow’d him, wander’d from place to place,
till he came to Bengala,where he rais’d an Army with an intention to give theKing
Battel. To which purpofe, paffing the Ganges, he marches directly toward the
Kingdom of Lahor ; whom the King in perfon met, with an Army much more
numerous and ftronger than his. But Geban-guir being old, and wearied with
the troubles that his Sons had put him to, dy’d by the way, leaving Chayehan
atliberty to purfue his own defigns. However before he expir'd, the good King
had time to recommend his Grandchild Boulaki to Afeuf-Kan, his Generaliffimo
and primé Minifter of State, who was Protector of the Empire. He commanded
alfo all the Officers of the Army to acknowledg him for King, as being the
lawful Heir ; declaring Sultan Komrom a Rebel, and incapable of the Succeffion. —
Moreover he made dfowf-Kan to fwear in particular, that he would never —
fuffer Bonlaki to be put to death, which way foever affairs went ; which A fonf-
Kan {ware upon his Thigh; and as religioufly obfery’d as tothe Article o ig
pur,
I1i2
Travels in Upta. Part. IT
putting him to death; burt not as to that of helping him to the Crown, which
he defign’d for Cha-jehan, who had married his eldeft Daughter, the Mother of
four Princes, and two Princefles.
The news of the Kings death being known at Court, caus'd a general ]a-
mentation. And prefently all the Grandees of the Kingdom fet themfelves to
execute the ‘Kings Will and Teftament, acknowledging Sultan Boulaki for Em.
eror, who was very young. That Prince had two Coufin-Germans, who were
oth of them by the Kings confent turn’d Chriftians, and made publick pro«
feffion thereof. Thofe two young Princes, being very apprehenfive, perceiy’d
that -4/o“f-Kan, Father-in-Law to Cha-jehan, and Father of Cha-E/t-Kan, had
no good intentions toward the young King, and gave him notice of it; whict
coft them their lives, and the King the lofs of his Dominions. For the youn
King, having no more wit than was agreeable to his age, openly declar’d to
Afonf-Kan what his Coufins had reveal’d to him in private, and ask’d’ the Ge-
neral whether it were truc, that he had a defign to fet up his Uncle againg
him or no. -Afzof-Kan immediately accus’d the Reporters of falfity and im-
pudence, and prote{ted his fidelity to his King, and vow’d to fpend the laft
drop of his blood to preferve him in the poffeffion of the Empire. However
feeing his Confpiracy difcover’'d, he refolv’d to prevent the punifhment ; to
which end having got the two Princes into his pofleffion, he put them both
to death. But before that, in regard of his power in the Army and in the
Empire, he had already brought over to Cha-jehaus party the greateft part of
L
the Commanders and Lords of the Court ; and the better to play his game,
and deceive the young King, he rais’d a report that Cha-jehan was dead ; and
becaufe he had detir’d to be buried near his Father Gehan-guir, the body was
to be brought to gra. This Stratagem being cunningly manag’d, Afouf-Kan
himfelf gave advice of the feign’d death to the King ; telling the King Withall,
that it would be but a common civility for him to go and meet the Corps
when it came within a League or two of the City, being an Honour due toa
Prince of the Blood of the AZogz/s. All this while Cha-jchan kept himfelf sn-
cognito, till coming within fight of the Army that lay about Agra, he caus'd
himfelf to be put into a Coffin, wherein there was only a hole Jeft for him to
breath at. This Coffin being carri’d under a moving Tent, all the principal Officers
who were of the plot with -4/o#f-Kan, came to perform the ufvial Ceremonies
of State to the body of the deceas’d Prince, while the young King was upon
the way to meet the body. But then Afonf-Kan finding it feafonable to exe-
cute his defign, caus’d the Coffin to be open’d, and Cha-jehan rifing up, and
fhewing himiclf to the eyes of all-the Army, was faluted Emperor by all the
Generals and other principal Officers, who had their Cue ready ; fo that the
name of C/a-jeha2 running in a moment from one mans mouth to another, the
Acclamation became publick, and the Empire was fetled upon him. The young
King hearing the news by the way, was {0 furpriz’d, that he thought of no-
thing but how to fave himfelf by flight, being upon a fudden forfaken by all
his followers. And Cha-jehan not believing it any way neceflary to purfue him,
fuffer’d him to wander a long time in Judia like a Fakir. At length he retir’d
into Perfia, where he was magnificently receiv’d by Cha-Sefi, who allow'd
him a penfion fit for fo great a Prince, which he ftill enjoys.
Chayehan having thus ufurp’d the Crown, the better ro fecure himfelf, and
to ftifle all Factions that might arife during the life of the lawful Prince, whom
he had fo unjuftly defpoiled of his right, by degrees put to death all thofe
that had fhew’n any kindnefS to his Nephew. So that the firft part of his
Reign was noted for many acts of cruelty, that blemith’d his reputation. No
Jefs unfortunate was the end of his Reign. For as he had unjuftly depriv’d the
Tawfal Heir, of the Empire which belong’d to him; he was himfelf, while he
yet liv’d, depriv’d of his Crown by Ausreng-xeb his own Son, who kept him
Prifoner in the Fortrefs of Agra. : 7
For after Dara-Cha had loft the Battel againft his two Brothers, Aureng-zeb and
Morat-Bakche, in the Plain of Samonguir, and was treacherou y abandoned by the
principal Officers of the Army, he retir’d into the Kingdom of Labor, with all the
. Treafore which the confufion of his affairs would fuffer him 3 get together. ~
| ee tae
x
en ae ene a wie eal
— fi : - wee Bp
Book IL. Travels in Iota.
ie marcia oi gma SS ee es Sn ee aR a, :
the King to refit the violence of his victorious Sons, fhut himfelf up in the
Caitle of Agra, to the end he might not be furprizd, but have time and
leifure tO obterve how far the infolence of his children would tranfpore them.
ag for Anrengzeb, who had Moerat Bakche fafe enough, he enters gra, feigning
ro believe a report that Cha-jeban was dead, that he might have iberty to get
into the rortrefs, where he faid one of the Omra’s would make it out. The more
ne reported the death of Cha-jehan, the more did the King endeavour to let the
people know he was alive. But finding both Power and Fortune had taken
“Aureng-200'S party 5 and being alfo in great necefliry for want of water, he fent
Fazel-Kai, orand Matter of his Houfhold, to aflure his Son that he was alive ;
and withal to tell him that it was the King’s command, that he fhould retire to
his Vice-Roy-fhip in Decan, without putting him to any more vexation, and that
upon his obedience, he would forgive whatever had paft. Aurengzeb, firm in his
re(ylution, return’d for anfwer to Fazel-Kan, that he was certain that the King
his Father was dead, and that upon that account he had only taken Arms to fe-
cure the Crown to himfelf, which he thought he deferv’d, as well as the reft of
his Brothers. That if his Father were living, he had too great a refpect for him
oundertake the leaft enterprize that fhould difpleafé him ; and therefore that
he might be certain he was not dead, he defir’d to fee him, and to kifs his feet ;
ond having fo done, he would retire to his Government, and punctually obey his
Commands. Fazel-Kan return’d this anfwer to the King, who declar’d that he
fhould be glad to fee his Son, and fent back Fazel-Kan, to tell him he fhould be
welcome. But zreng-zeb more cunning than Cha-jehan, affur’d Faxel-Kaz that
he would not fet his foot in the Caftle, till the Garrifen that was-in it fhould be
feat away to make room for his men. _ For the Prince was afraid, and not without
reafon. if he fhould adventure into a Fortre{s where he was not abfolute Mafter
himfelf, left they fhould feize his perfon, of which the King being apprchentive,
confented to his propofal, not being able to do better at that time. ‘Thereupon
the Garrifon which belong’d to Cha-jehan was fent out of the Caftle, and another
of -dureng-2eb’s enter’d, commanded by Sultan Mahomet the eldeft of his Sons,
ty whom he gave order to fecure his Father’s perfon. When they were thus got
jn, and his Father fafe, he delaid feeing his Father from day to day, waiting (as he
gave out for excufe) a kind opportunity for the enterview ; and pretending his
Attrologers did not prefently think it feafonable, he retir’d into the Countrey, to
a Houfe about two or three leagues from -dgrz, which very much difpleafed the
people, who waited every day for the fortunate hour, from which they expected
aconclufion of their miferies by the Father and Son’s difvourfe together. But
Aureng-2eb, Who was In no great haft to {ee his Father, took up another refolu-
tion, which was to feize upon all his Fathers treafure, which Dara-Sha had not
time to carry away. He alfo fhut up in the fume Fortrets Begum-Sabeb his Sifter,
to keep the King company, by whom fhe was entirely belov’d: and took into
his own hands all the wealth fhe had got, by her Father’s liberality.
Cha-jehan enrag’d to fee himfelf us’d in that manner by his own Son, made an
attempt to efcape, and kil’d fome of the Guards that oppos’d him ; which
caus'd Aureng-xcb more ttrictly to confine him. In the mean time it was a Won-
derful thing to fee that not one of the Servants of fo great a King fo much as
offer’d to help him; that all his Subjects fhould forfake him, and turn their eyes
upon the rifing-Sun ; acknowledging only dvreng-Xev tor King, while they feemd
to have forgotten Cha-jehan, though ftill alive. Thus this great Monarch fadly
ended his days in Prifon, and dy’d in the Forerets of Agra in the year 1666
the laft time that I was in Judsa.
During his Reign he had begun to build the City of Pebanabad, though he had
not quite finifh’d it, and therefore he defir’d to fe it once more before he dyd 5.
but tureng-2eb would not givé him leave, unlefs he would be cqntent to go an
come back by water, or elfe to be confin'd to the Cattle of ehanabad, as he was
at gra, which refafal of his Son did fo torment him, that it haften’d Itis end.
Which as foon as -Aareng-zeb heard of, he came to <gra, and feiz’d upon all the.
Jewels, whick he had not taken from his Father while he liv’d. Begur-Sabed.
had alfo a quantity of Jewels, which he had not taken from her when he put her
into the Caftle. But now, becaufe fhe had formerly taken her Father's part, he
r NaS found
Se ee Me nec |
IT4
Travels in Inpta. Part. I
found out a way to deprive her of them after a very plaufible manner ; makin
a thew of beitowing very great Honours and Carefles upon his Sifter, and takin |
her along with him to /ehauabad. But in a fhort time after we heard the news
of her death; which prov’d, and all people fufpected her to have been poifon'd
et tl i il gs
CHAP. Iv.
Of the Flight of Dara-cha to the Kingdoms of Scindi and Guzerat - of
the fecond Battel which he fought againff Aureng-zeb; Hys being
taken Prifoner, and death,
tN Ar a-cha having carri’d along with him the beft part of the Gold and Silver
which was in the Fortref of Agra by his Father’s advice, and being got in-
to the Kingdom of Lahor, was in good hopes to have rais’d an Army in a thor,
time to have ftopt the proceedings of his Brother. His moft faithful Servants
and Friends had always accompani’d him in his misfortune. And as for his Eldeft
Son, Soliman Shekour, he went, with the Raja Roup, into the Territories of tha
Raja’s own demeans, to levy men; carrying along with him five-millions of
Roupies, which make of our Money feven-millions and y00000 Livres, But
that great Sum opening the Raja Roup’s eyes, he mott treacheroufly and ing.
moufly feiz’d upon it; whereupon Soliman Chekour, fearing he fhould proceed
farther, and make fome attempt upon his perfon, fled in all haft into the Kingdom
of Ssreneguer, under the protection of the Raja Nakti-Rani, who more foully
and bafely deliver’d him up fometime after to Aur eng-x.e4,
Dara-cha having notice of the Raja Roap’s treafon, and feeing all his friends
had forfook him, and were revolted to Aureng-xeb, quitted Labor, and retir’d in-
to the Kingdom of Seindi.* Before he left the Fortrefs, he fent all the Gold,
Silver, Jewels and Wealth that was in the Fort, away by water to Baker, a Fort
in the midft of the River Indus. To guard all that Wealth, he left an Eunuch,
and fix-thoufand men, with all provifions necefla ry fora Siege ; after that he went
to Scindi,where he left feveral great pieces of Cannon.Then he march’d through the
Ferritories of the Raja of Kachnagana, who made him mountainous promifes to
no effect ; then he came into the Kingdom of Gexerat, where the people receiv’d
him as their lawful King and Heir to Cha-jehan. He fent his Orders to all’ the
. Cities, and particularly to Swrar, where he appointed a Governor ; but the Gover-
nor of the Fortrefs, who was left there by Morat-Bakche, refus’d to {ubmit to
Dara-cha, {0 that he was fore’d to let him alone.
In the mean time Dara-cha receiv’d news at Amadabat, that [effomfeing, one of
the moft potent Raja’s in all India, was falPn off from Aureng-zeb, The fame
Raya alfo folicits him to advance with his Army. Dara-cha confiding in his
words, follow’d his counfel, and march’d to Emir, which was the place of Rende-
Vouz appointed. But Raja feffomfeing being regain’d by the perfwafions of Raja
/effeing, more potent than him(elf, to favour Adureng-xeb, never met according to
his promife ; nor did he come till the laft pufh ; and then only with a defign to
betray the poor Prince. Thus the two Brothers meeting, they came to a Battel
which lafted three days: but in the heat of all the Fight, feffomfeing fhewing an
apparent treachery, went over to dareng-zeb ; upon which Dara-cha’s Souldiers
immediately fled. Dara-cha having thus loft all his hopes, and finding Fortune con-
trary to all his expe€ations, fled away likewife with his Wives, fome of his Chil-
dren, and his moft faithful Servants, in an equipage that drew compaffion. But
coming to madabat, the Governor having declar’d for Aureng-zeb, deni'd him
entrance. Thereupon he difcamp’d in the middle of the night, and took the road
for Seindi, t
He arriv'd at Seindi, with an intention to pafs into Perfia, where Cha-Abas the
Second expected him with a magnificent Retinue, anda refolation to have aan
| im’
Book IL. Travels IN Ixpta.
him with Men and Money. But not daring to truft himfelf by Sea; as he pafs'd
through the Countrey of the Patanes, in the way to Candahar, he was unworthily
petraid by one of the Lords of the Countrey, call’d Gion-Kan; who had been an
Officer under the King his Father, and who having been condemm’d for his crimes
py the mouth of his Father, and ready to be thrown under the Elephant’s-feet,
had been pardon’d at the interceffion of Dara-cha. For an addition to his affliction,
before he came to Gion-Kan’s Houfe, he receiv’d the news of the death of that
articular Wife which he lov’d moft entirely, and which had always accompani’d
him in his misfortunes. He underftood that fhe dy’d through heat and drowth,
not being able to get a drop of water in the Countrey to refrefh her “thirft.
The Prince was fo mov’d at the news, that he fell down, like one that had been
ftrack quite dead 5 and when he came to himfelf, he tore his clothes in the ex-
ces of his grief: an ancient cuftom ftill contina'd in the Eaft. He had always
fhewd himielf infenfible upon all other occafions of misfortune, but this fatal
froke fo deeply pierc’d him, that he would receive no confolation from his friends,
After this, he clad himfelf according to his misfortune ; and inftead of a Turbant,
he only put about his head a piece of coarfe Calicut. In this miferable equipage he
enter’'d into the Houfe of the Traytor Gion-Kan, where being laid down to reft
himfelf upon a Field-bed, a new fubjec&t of forrow awak’d him, For Gron-Kan
having a defign to feize Sepper-Shekour, Dara-cha’s fecond Son, the young Prince,
though buta Youth, made a bold refitiznce, and with his Bow and Arrows laid
three men upon the ground; but not being able to refift a multitude, he was. at
length taken. Dara-cha waker’d with the noife, faw before his eyes his Son,
whom they were leading toward him, with his hands ty'd behind him. Then the
miferable Father of the young Prince, no longer misdoubting the horrid treafon
of Gion-Kan, could not refrain from letting fall in his paffion thefe expreffions.
Finifh, faid he, ingrateful and infamous Villain as thon art, finifh the work, thou haft
begun; we are become Vittims to bad Fortune, and Aureng-zeb’s uanjuft Ambition,
But remember that I only deferve death for having favrd thy life: for never Prince
of the Royal Blood had his hands ty’d behind him before. Gion-Kaa in fome mea-
fire mov'd at thefe words, caus’d the little Prince to be unbound, and only fet
guards upon Dara-cha and his Son. At the fame time he alfo fent exprefles to
Raja Feffomfeing, and to Abdulla-~Kan, to give them advice that he had feizd up-
on Dara-cha and his Train, Thereupon they made haft to fhare in the fpoils
of that poor Prince. But they could not be to {wift, but that Gron-Kan
had feiz’d upon all that Dara-cha had of moft precious in the World; ufing
as inhumanly both his Wives and his Children, The Raja and Aédulla being ar-
tiv'd, provided Elephants for the Prince, his Son, and his Wives, and carrid them
away immediately to fehanabat ; the people crowded to behold them, every one
being defirous to fee the Prince whom they fo earneftly defir’d to have had for their
King. -dureng-eb caufed them to be fhewn in all the Streets and Market-places:
of Jehanabat, that no man might queftion hereafter their being taken; and as if
hehad glori’?d in his treachery toward his Brother, he prefently condemn’d and
fent him away to the Caftle of ir. But of all that crowded to behold, not
one would ftir to afift or fuccour their lawful Prince. Only fome few generous
Souldiers who had ferv’d him, and had receiv’d fome kindnefles from him, {eeing,
themfelves not able to deliver their Prince, yet defirous to fhew him fome proofs
of their acknowledgment, fell with all their fury upon the Traitor Gion-Kan, who
though he were refcu’d from them at that time, yet foon after met with the re-
pats due to his crime ; for le was kill’d as he was crofling a Wood in his retura
ome.
In the mean time -4areng-zeb, like a good Polititian, and an extraordinary Dif-
fembler, gave it out, that it was by no order of his that Dara-cha was feiz'd ; on-
ly he defir'd him to retire out of the Kingdom, which he refufing to do, Gion- Kan,
unknown to him, had unworthily feiz’d his perfon; and without refpect to the
Royal-Blood, had fhamefully ty’d the hands of the young Sepper-Shekour behind
him: which being a crime and an indignity. done to his Majefty, had been punifh’d
by the death of Gion-Ka» and his accomplices. But this was only publifh’d to
abufé the people; for had it been true, dwreng-zeb would never haye given order
tohave his Brother’s head cut off. aie las
* Q-2 For
lis
116 Travels in Inpta. Part If
For Dara-Cha being fent from /ehanabat with a Guard to the place of his,
imprifonment ; when he came to a fair place where he thought to repefe him
felf, they drefs’d up the Tent where he was to leave his Head. After he had
eaten, Seif-Kan came and brought him the fentence of his Death. Dara-Cha
feeing him enter, told him he was very welcome, and that he was glad to tee
one of his moft faithful Servants. Seif-Kan made anfwer, that indeed he had
formerly been one of his Servants, but that now he was the Slave of tea
zeb, who had commanded him to bring him his Head. Mutt I dye then; faid
Dara-Cha, *Tis the Kings command, reply’d Seif-Kan, and J am entrufted to
execute it. Sepper-Chekour, who. lay in an anti-Chamber of the Tent, Waking
upon this conteft , would. have feiz’d upon certain weapons which had beer
taken from him, with an intention to have affifted his Father ; but he was pre-
vented by thofe that accompany’d Se:f-Kan. Dara-Cha would have made fome
refiftance himfelf, but feeing it was in vain, he only defir’d time for his devo.
tions, which was granted him. In the mean time Sepper-Chekour was taken from
him ; and while they held him a ftory, a Slave took off Dara-Cha’s Head,
which was carried to <dureng-zeb by Seif-Kan. This bloody Tragedy bein
thus acted, Sepper-Chekour was fent to the Caftle of Gowaleor, to keep his Uncle
Morat-Bakche company. As for the Wives and Daughters of Dara-Cha,
they were allotted an Apartment in areng-zeb’s Haram,
CH APY:
How Aureng-zeb caus'd bimfelf to be declar'd King ; and of the Flight
of Sultan-Sujah,
AS it is the cuftom at the performance of that Ceremony, for the new King
to feat himfelf upon the Throne; there was not much time requird to
prepare one, in regard that Cha-jehan before his imprifonment had finith’d that
_ which the Great Tamerlane had begun ;. which was the richeft and moft magni-
ficent that ever was feen. But as the Grand Cadi of the Empire, and Chief
of the Law was to Proclaim the new King, Avreng-xeb found himfelf oppos’d
by him. For the Cadi told him, thet the Law of 4/homet and the Law of Na-
ture equally forbad him to declare him King, while his Father liv’d ;. befides,
that he had put his elder Brother to death, to whom the Empire belong’d af-
ter the death of Cha-jehan their Father. This ftout refiftance of the Cad: did
not a little perplex dureng-zeb ; and therefore that he might not feem to ap-
pear irreligious, he call’d all the Doétors of the Law together, to whom he
reprefented the incapacity of his Father to govern, through age and many infir-
mities that troubled him ; as for Dara-Cha his Brother, he had put him to death;
~ becaufe he wasa flighter of the Law, drank Wine, and favour’d Infidels, Thofe
reafons, intermix’d with threats, caus’d his Council of Gonfcience to conclude,
that he deferv’d the Empire, and ought to be proclaim’d King ; though the
Cadi obftinately perfifted in his firft refolution. There was no other remedy
therefore , but to remove him from his employment, as a difturber of the
publick peace, and to chufe another for the Honour of the Law, and the Good
of the Kingdom. The perfon who, was elected by the Council was {yon con-
firm’d. by Aureng-ze5 ; in acknowledgment whereof, he proclaim’d him King
the twentieth of Oétober, 1660. This Proclamation being made in the Mofquee,,
Aureng-xeb feated himfelf upon the Throne, and rec¢iv’d the Homages of all
the Grandees of the Kingdom. a
However, -dreng-zeb did not think his Throne faft enough, nor himfelf fe-
cure in the Empire, fo long as Sultan Sujah was raifing a powerful Army in
Bengala to releafe his Father. Thereupon he fent a confiderable_ Force againft
him, under the Command of Sultan Mahomed his eldeft Son; to whom he ap-
pointed for his Lieutenant the Emir-femla, one of the greatett Captains that
ever came out of Perfiz into India. His great Conduét and Courage had ren-
der’d him a perfon to be reverenc’d by all pofterity, had he: been faithful fo.
| the
Book IL. Travels in Inpia, fay
StS emer Ting OREO AE En
the Princes whom he ferv’d. But firft he betray'd the King of Golconda, un-
der whom he advanc’d his Fortune; and next to him. Cha-jehan, under whofe
rotection he rofé fo high, that there was not a Nobleman in all Judiz more
owerful or richer than he. Otherwife he is both belov’d and fear'd by the
Soldiers, and perfectly underftands the Art of War, according to. the cuftom
of the Country. The two Armies engaging feveral times, the Victory was fome-
times on the one fide, and fometimes on the other ; fo that Saran ALahomed
finding it likely ro bea tedious War, affifted by the. Counfels of his Lieute-
nant, refolv’d to add policy to ftrength. Thereupon he treats underhand with
the Officers of his Uncle’s Army, makes them magnificent promifes, and {0 ear-
neftly follicites them to come over to 4zreng-xeb’s party, whom he call’d the
Pillar and Protector of AZabomer’s Law, that he gain’d the principal, to whom
he fent confiderable Prefents, to confirm them in their refolutions. This was a
mortal blow to Sultan-Sujah, againft which he could not.provide. For they that
adhear’'d to him being a mercenary generation, that ferves whoever gives moft,
finding they had little more to expect from a Prince whofe Exchequer. was
empty, refolv’d to drive a Trade with ureng-zeb , who was Matter of all the
Treafure in the Kingdom. And thus did —4ureng-zeb debauch the Army of his
Brother, who in the laft Battel, feeing himfelf abandon’d by all his Soldiers,
was forc’d to fave himfelf by flight, with his Wives and Children. The Tray-
tors afham’d of their treachery, did not fo fmartly purfue the unfortunate Prince
as they might have done, but prefently fe!l ‘to plund’ring his Tents and Bag-
sage; which Emsr-femla futfer’d them to do, in recompence of their Trea-
fon. Sultan-Sujah in the mean time croffing the Ganges with his Retinue, re-
tir’d fome time afterwards into the Kingdom of -4rakan, upon the Confines of
Bengala, where we fhall leave him for a time.
CHAP VL
Of the imprifonment of Sultan-Mahomed , Aureng-zeb’s eldcft fom ;
ava of Sultan Soliman Chekour, c/des? fon of Dara-Cha.
T Hough -Aureng-zeb were efteem’d avery great Politician, and were fo in-
deed, yet he fail’d in his Politicks, to truft his Son with fuch a power-
ful Army, under the Conduct of a Captain who had already betray’d two Matters,
However at length he began to be jealous, left Heaven fhould infpire his own
Son to revenge the crimes which he had committed, And upon this, receiving
intelligence, that Sw#ltan Mahomed began to be very penfive and melancholy,
He then abfolutely believ’d that his Son was practifing mifchief againft him ;
for the better difcovery whereof, he wrote to Emir-femla. But the Letter un-
happily mifcarrying, was taken by Sultan Mahomed’s Guards, and giv'n to the
young Prince; who being a perfon of a quick apprehenfion, conceaPd the bu-
finefs from Emir-femla ; and fearing left he fhould receive other Orders more
precife to take away his life, he refolv’d to pafs the Ganges, and throw himfelf
upon his Uncle S#tan Sujah ; from whom he expected more mercy than from
his Father. With this refolution he feign’d to go a fifhing, and pafling the Ganges,
with feveral Officers that adher’d to him, he went directly to Sultan Saah’s
Camp, which lay on the other fide of the River; the S#/ran having rais’d a
confiderable Force in the Kingdom of Arakan. Sultan Mahomed coming into
his Uuncles prefence, threw himfelf at his feet, begging his pardon for having
taken Arms againft him, as being fore’d thereto by his Father. Now though
Sultan Sujah had reafon enough to believe, that AZabomed’s coming into his
Camp, was only a trick of his Father, to fend his Son as a Spy to difcover his
condition ; yet being a vertuous and generous Prince, and feeing his Nephew
ee at his feet, he could not but raife him up ; after which, embracing,
fim, he aflur’d him of his protection againft Aureng-2cb, Some days after, thefe,
two
Se
118 Travels in Inpra. — Part. IL
s an RE a Gn ae
two Princes made an attempt, and patling Ganges, and fetching a compafs thought
to have furpriz’d the Enemies Army, who dreamt not of their coming, They
made 3 vigorous onfet, and kilfd a great number of men. But when they found,
the whole Army had taken the Alarum, they contented themfélves with the
mifchief they had done, and repafs'd the Ganges, for fear of being furrounded
by number. ; i
— Emir-femla had already given intelligence to dwreng-zcb of the flight of his
Son; which fenfibly griewd the Father, though he durft not thew his anger,
for fear of incenfing the Emir to betray him, as he had betray’d his Father,
Thereupon he cunningly wrote to him, that he rely’d altogether upon his pru-
dence and policy to retrieve his Son to his duty; that he was young, and that
what he had done,,was only out his heat of youth, and the inconitancy inc}.
cident to his’ years. The confidence which Aureng-zeh feem’d to put in Epny.
jemla incited the General to ufe all his endeavours to get Mahomet out of
Sultan Sujal’s hands. Thereupon he gave the young Prince to underftand his
Fathers good intentions toward him, and that he was ready to receive him
with open Arms, fo that he would but make good ule of his Refidence with Suitay
Sah, which he'might pretend was done for the advantage to his Father, and for
which his Father would have. rather caufe to extol his prudence and affection
than otherwife. The young Prince eafily futter’d himiélf to be perfwaded, and
the fame way he went to his Uncle’s, the fame way he return’d to his Fathers
Camp; where Emir-femla receiv’d him honourably, and with ail the demon-
{trations of joy.. He advis'’d him alfo, to tell his Father when he aw him, that
he did not go over to Sultan Swjah,*but only with a defign, to obferve what
Forces he had, and the Difcipline of his Army ; ond that he intended to have
{peedily return’d, and to haye given him an account of what he had done
for his fervice. Prefently Orders came from “tureng-zeb, that his Son fhould
be feat to him; fo that ALchomed, whether by-conftraint, or willingly, fer for-
ward for jsbanabat, attended by the Guards which Emir-femla had appointed,
The King having notice of his arrival, his Majefty order’d him a Lodging with- ’
out the Palace, and would not permit him to kif his hands ; pretending he
was not well. :
All this while Solitzan-Chekour, after he had been betray’d by the Raja Roup,
had continu’d under the protection of Naéfi-Ranr in the Province of Serenaguer,
This Prince, as ftout as he was unfortunate, was conftrain’d to lead a Savage
life among the Mountains, for fear of falling into the hands of ureng-zeb, nor
could he with all his Forces do him any harm in that place. Befide Waéti-
Kam had aflur’d him with an Oath, accompany’d with all the Ceremonies that
could make it folemn, and inviolable; that he would rather lofe his Territo-
dom, then that -dureng-zeb fhould do the leat violence to that protection
which he afforded him. This was done upon the Banks of a River, which pafles
through his Country, where he wafh’d his body, in token of the purity of his
Soul ; and being thus purify’d in the Water, he made his proteftations to Soli-
man-Chekour, never to forfake him, taking his Gods to Witnefs of the fince-
rity. of his intentions. Upon this, Soliman-Chekour never took any farther care,
but every day went to divertife himfelf with hunting. While he gIVeS up
himfelf.to his pleafure, Azreng-zeb marches his Army toward the Mountains,
thinking to force the Naéti-Rani to furrender Soliman-Chekour into his power,
But the Raja with a thoufand men being able to defend the Avenues of his
Country againfta hundred thoufand, Aureng-zeb finding he could do no good
that way, has recourfe to policy. He undertakes at. firft to treat with the Raja,
bur in vain, for the Raja would not violate his Oath; and his Priefts aflur’d
him befides, that Aureng-zeb fhould ere long be depos’d, and that Soliman
Chekour thould Reign in fis room. mee
Aureng-zeb thus prevented, refolves to make another kind of War upon hin.
Thereupon he forbids all commerce between his and the Rajas Subjects ; which
Was very prejudicial to the latter. This caus’d the people to murmur at the
protection which he had given to Soliman-Chekours and at length they publickly
cryd out, that it was to the prejudice of the publick. Their Priefts alfo, thus
alarn’d, began to doubt the truth of their Oracles, and to think it convenient
| to
Book II. Travels in Inpta.
to put another interpretation upon them. But the main thing was, that the Raja
effomfeing who had betraid Dara-Cha, wrote privately to Waéts-Rani, that it was
for the fafety of his Perfon and Dominions, to fubmit to A#reng-zeb , and to fur-
render his kinfman up into his hands. This advice of fefomfeing put him to a very
reat plunge ; dreading on the one fide the breach of his oath ; on the other;
the revolt of his people. Uncertain what courfe to take, he confults the Bra-
mins, Who gave their opinions that it was his duty rather to preferve his People
and his Laws, which would be both deftroid, fhould they fall. into the hands of
Ayreng-zeb, than to keep his Faith with a Prince from whom he could never ex-
pect any advantage. Thefe confultations being kept private from Soliman Che-
kour, his ruine was concluded upon, while he thought himfelf moft fecure. There-
upon Naéti-Rani, with a Salvo, as he thought, to his Honour and his Confcience;
return’d for anfwer to /efomfeing, that he could not confent to betray the Prince ;
but that 4ureng-xcb might take his opportunity to feize his perfon, yet preferve
his reputation too: in regard that Sol:man Chekour was wont to go a Hunting up+
on certain Mountains in his Countrey with a finall retinue, and that it would
be an cafy thing for him to fend a number of Soaldiers fufficient to apprehend
him. nee se, gatas
So foon as Peffomfeing had receiv’d this anfwer, he gave order to his Son to fee
the bufinefs etfected as the plot was laid. So that Soliman Chekour one day going
a Hunting to the ufual place, was fnapt by a ftrong party that lay in Ambutfcade.
The Prince prefently apprehended the treafon, and defended himfelf with the af~
fiftance of his Attendants, who were all flain; he himfelf flew nine, but at length
over-number’d, was taken and carr’d -to /ehbanabat. When he came into
Aureng-2eb's prefence, the King ask’d himshow he did? As well asa Prifoner of
yours can do, faid he, who expects no better ufage from you, than his Father re-
ceiv’d before. The King bid him not be afraid, that he had no defign to put him.
to death, but only to fécure his perfon. -dureng-zeb after that, demanding of
him what was become of all the Treafure which he had carr?d away, the Prince
‘made anfwer that he had {pent a great part in raifing Souldiers againft him to have
raind him, if it had been his good fortune: That a good part was in the hands of
Raja Roxzp, whofe avarice and perfidioufnefs was fufhciently known. And that
Natti-Rani had got the remainder to deliver him to his enemies, to the prejudice
of his word and honour. -4#reng-zeb was furpriz’d and touch’d at the boldnefs
of his Nephew ; but ambition {fhutting his eyes, and ftifiing all thoughts of
juftice, which the juft remorfe of Confcience might excite within him, he gave or-
der that Saltan Mahomet his Son, and Solsman Chekour his Nephew fhould both be
committed to the Fort of Goxaleor to keep Aforat-Bak-che company, which was
done the 30th of fan. 1661. Ss 2 - es
Sultan Sujah, who was yet alive, but ftill liv’d miferably, was the laft thorn in
Aureng-xeb’s foot; and the perfon that drew it out for him, and rid him of his
laft pain, was the King of -4rakan, whither the unfortunate Prince was at length
fore’d to retire. Who finding all his hopes to be loft, began to think of a Pilgri-
mage to Afecca, and from thence to_go into Perfia, and implore a Sanctuary. un-
der the protection of that Prince. To this purpofe he thought he might obtain
a Veflel from the King of -4rakan, or the King of Pegw, to carry him to Mecca:
but he was ignorant that neither of thofe Kings had any Veflels, that would live in
the main Ocean. So that’ he was conftrain’d to ftay with the King of -4rakan, an
Idolater, whofe Daughter he defir’d in Marriage, which the King granted, and by.
whom he had a Son. Bat that which ought to have been the greateft occafton of
friendfhip between the Son-in-law and the Father-in-law, was the ereateft reafon
of their hatred and falling-out. For fome Lords of the Countrey, who began to
be jealous of Sultan Sujab, buzzd the King of Arakan in the ear, as if he had an
intention by vertue of his Marriage, to difpoflefs him of his Fhrone, and to leave
itto his own Son. The Pagan King eafily believ’d what they faid. Nor were
thefe fupitions ill-grounded ; for Sultan Sujah having good ftore of Gold and
Jewels, eafily corrupted feveral A4ahumetans that liv’d in the Kingdom of -dra-
kan, and with thofe and about two-hunder’d men more that had follow’d him, af-
ter the rout of his Army, he indertook a moft bold enterprize, which was yet a
mark rather of defpair than courage. He appointed a day to thofe of his party,
to
120
Travels in Inpia. Part Il.
ee ee
ee
to force the Palace, and after they had put all the Royal Family to the Sword, to
proclaim him King of drakav. But this Plot being difcover’d the day it fhould
have been executed, Saltau Srjah, and Sultan Bangue, his Son, had no other way
to fave themfelves, but by flight into the Kingdom of Peg#, But their way lying
over Mountains almoft impaflable, and through thick Forrefts full of Tigers and
Lions, and being alfo clofely puriu’d, their flight avaiPd them little or nothing,
Sultan Bangue however being behind, to keep the Purfuers in play while his Fa-
ther and his Family gaind ground, ftoutly defended himfelf againft the firft At
{ailants, but at length being overpower’d by number, he was taken together with
his two little Brothers, his Mother and his Sifters; who were all put in Prifon, —
where they were very ill-us’d. But fome time after, the King having a defire to
marry the eldeft Sifter of Sa/t21 Bangue, they had a little more liberty allow’d
them. However they enjoy’d it not long, for the young Prince being of a tur-
bulent and ambitious {pirit, plotted new treafons againft the King, which being
difcover’d, the King immediately caus’d the whole Family to be put to death, nor
{paring the young Princefs his Wife, though fhe were big with Child.
As for Saltan Sujab, who was formoft among thofe that fled, it is moft generally
thought that either he was flain by the Souldiers who were fent to apprehend
him, or that he was torn in pieces by the Tigers and Lions ; of which thofe For-
refts are full.
Gaeroe. ya,
Of the Geginning of Aureng zcb’s Reign, and ihe Death of Cha-jehan
his batber.
ae days before he afcended the Throne, he fent to his Father to fend him
fome of his Jewels, to the end he might appear before his people with the
fame magnificence as his Predeceflors had done. Cb.-feban taking this requeft
of his Sons for an affront put upon him in Prifon, fell into fuch a rage that he con-
tinu’d mad for fome days, and had like to have dy’d vponit. In the excefs of his
vexation he cal]l’d feveral times for a Morter and a Petile, threatning to beat all his
Jewels to powder, before his Son fhould have them. But Beguam.Sahed, his eldelt
Daughter, never forfook him, throwing her felf at his feet, and ‘by vertue of that
criminal power which fhe had over him, as being both his Daughter and his
Wife, kept hind from ufing that extremity; more out of a defign to preferve the
Jewcls for her felf, than for her Brother, to whom fhe had always been a mortal
enemy.. For this reafon, when ereng-zeb afcended the Throne, he had no more
than one Jewel upon his Bonnet: This Bonnet cannot be call’d a Crown ; and by
confequence neither can the Ceremony be call’d a Coronation.
At the time that zreng-zcb took pofleffion of the Throne, he would not eat
any wheaten-bread, nor meat, nor fith, but fed upon barly-bread, herbs and {weet-
meats, which was a kind of Penance that he impos’d upon himfelf for fo many
Crimes
When dureng-zeb was fettl'd in the Empire, feveral Embafladors came to 7¢34-
nabat to congratulate him, on the behalf of the Kings their Mafters, as from the
King of the Usbeck Tartars, the Sheriif of Adecca, the Prince of Balfara, and the
Kings of Arabia Felix, and Ethiopia. The Hollanders alfo fent ALenheir Adrican,
chief of their Factory in Szrat, who was kindly receiv’d, and firft difpatch’d. For
“tisa piece of State, to keep the Embaffadors a good while at Court before they
nave Audience. All thefe Embafladors prefented Ayreng-zeb with the rarities of
their Conntrey ; who to get himfelf a good name in 4fa, {ent them away very
-wellfatisfid, =.
_ Some months before the death of Cha-jel-an, Aureng-zeb fent an Embaflador
into Perfia, who was magnificently receiv’d. Fora month together he was nothing
but featted and carefs’d with all manner of divertifements. The day that he was
a to
Book II. Travels in tnpta
12]
to make his Prefent from the Great Mogul, the King-of Perfiz fate upon his >’
Throne in a moft magnificent habit; and having receiv'd the Embaflador’s Pre-
fent,he prefently divided it in contempt among theOfficers of hisHoufe ; only keep-~
ing for him felfa Diamond that weigh'd ce Carats. Some few days after he call’d
for the Embaflador, and after fome difcourfe,he ask’d him if he were of the Se& of
theTurks ? To which the Embaflador returning an anfwer,and leting {ome words fall
againftHaly,theKing ask’d him what his name was. ? He reply’d thatCha-jehan had
given hint theName of Baubee-kan,that is,Lord of a free beart;and had honour’d him
with one of the chief employments at Court. Then th’art a Villain,reply’d the King
of Perfia, with an angry countenance, to defert thy Sovereign in his neceffiry
having receiv’d fo many favours from him, aud to ferve a Tyrant, that keeps his
Father in Prifon, and has maffacr’d all his Brothers. How dares he, purfu’d the
King, take upon him the arrogant Title of Alem-guir Aureng-fha, or King of all
the World, who never conquer’d any thing, but poflefles all he has by treachery
and parricide ? Haft thou been one of thofe that counfell’d him to fhed fo much
blood, to be the Executioner of his Brothers, and to keep his Father in Prifon?
Thou art not worthy to wear a Beard ; and with that immediately caus’d it to be
fhav’d off ; which is the greateft indignity that can be put upon a man in that
Countrey. Shortly after he commanded the Embaflador to return home, fending
along with him for a Prefent to 4ureng-zed, an fiunder’d and fifty beautiful Horfés,
with a great quantity of Gold and Silver-Carpets, Cloath of Gold, rich Shathes,
and other Stuffs, to a vaft value. When Basbec-kan was come back to -4gra,
where the King then was, dureng-zeb incens’d at the affront which the Sop of
~ Perfia had giv’n him in the perfon ef his Embaflador, he took the Horfes and fent
fome of them into the great Psazza, others to the corners of the Streets, caufing
it to be proclaim’d that the followers of Ha/y could not ride thofe Horfes without
being Wigss, that is to fay, unclean, as coming from a King that did not obey the
true Law. After that he caus’d the Horfes to be kill’'d, and all the reft of the
Prefent to be burnt; uttering many reproachful words againft the King of Perfa;
with whom he was mortally offended. Acapietil :
At length Cha-jehan happ’ning to dye toward the end of the year 1666,
Aureng-zeb found himfelf rid of an object that every hour reproach’d his Tyran- ,
ny; and began to enjoy himfelf with more delight. Soon after he receiv’d his
Sifter Begum-Saheb into favour, reftoring to her all her Governments, and giving
her the Name of Cha-Begum, that is to fay, Princefs Queen. The truth is, fhe is
a Woman of prodigious parts, and able to govern the whole Empire. And had
her Father and Brothers taken her counfel at the beginning of the War, dureng-
zeb had never been King. As for Rauchenara Begum his Sifter, the had always
taken his fide, and when fhe heard he had taken Arms, fhe fent him all the Gold
and Silver fhe could procure. In recompencé whereof he promis’d her, when he
came to be King, to give her the Title of Cha-Begwm, and that fhe fhould fit up-
ona Throne: in all which he was as good as his word ; and they continu’d very
loving together till I was laft at Genanabat: but then they were not fo good
friends, upon this occafion. The Princefs having cunningly ftoll’n into her Apart-
ment a handfom young fellow, could not fo privately let him out again after fhe
had quite tir’d him ; but the King was advertiz’d thereof. Thereupon the Prin-
ce(s, to prevent the fhame and reproach, rah to the. King in a great pretended.
ftight, and told him that there was a man got i
Chamber, and that his intention was certainly either to have kill’d or robb’d her:
that fuch a thing was never feen; that it concern’d the fafety of his Royal Perfon,’
and that he would do well to punith feverely the .Eunuchs that kept guard that
night. Prefently the King ran in perfon with a great number of Eunuchs, fo that
the poor young man had no way to efcape but by leaping out of a. window into
the River that runs by the Palace-walls ; whereupon a world: of-people ran oft to
feize him ; the King commanding them to do him no harm, but to carry him to
the Officer of Juitice : However he has been not heard of ever fince that time.
Be
oy
into the Haram, even to her very
CHAP,
122
& a
Travels in Inpia. Part I
CatA P: VEE
Of the Preparations againft the Feaft of the Great Mogul, when be
is weighd folemnly every year. Of the richnefs of bis Thrones,
and the Magnificence of his Court.
28 His great Feaft begins the fourth of Movember, and lafts five days. They
ufually weigh the King at the time of his Birth; and if he weighs more
than he did the year before, there is great rejoicing. When he is weigh’d he
feats himfelf upon the richeft of his Thrones ; and then all the Grandees of
the Kingdom come to congratulate and prefent him. The Ladies of the Court
fend him their Prefents alfo, as likewife do the Governours of Provinces, and
others in great Employments. The Prefents confift of Jewels, Tiflues, Carpets
and other Stuffs ; befides Camels, Elephants, Horfes, and indeed any thing thar
israre and of value. Tis faid he receives that day thirty Millions of Livres,
They begin to prepare for this Feaft the feventh of September, about two
Months before it begins. The firft thing they do, is to cover the two great
Courts overhead, from the middle of each Court to the Hall, which is open
upon three fides. The Pavilions that cover thefe two void places, are of Pur-
ple Velvet, Embroider’d with Gold, and fo weighty, that the Pofts which fuftain
them are as big. as the Maft of a Ship; fome thirty, fome forty foot high.
There are thirty-eight of thefe Pofts to uphold the Tent in the firft Court;
and thofe next the Hall, are plated with Gold as thick as a Ducket. The reft
are plated with Silver of the fame thicknefs. The Cords are of Cotton of divers
colours; fome of them as big as a good Cable. ; )
The firft Court is furrounded with Portico’s and little Chambers, where the
Omrahs keep Guard. For every eight days the Omrahs relieve the Guard;
and during thofe eight days, the Omrah who is upon the Guard, has a Dith of
Meat ont of the Kings Kitchin. When he fees it coming afar off, he makes
three obeyfances, laying his hand three times upon the Ground, and three times
upon his Head, crying ont at the fume time, God preferve the Kings health,
ake him long Life and Victory over his Enemies. They take it for a great
Honour to Guard the King; and when they go upon the Guard, they put on
all their moft famptuous Apparel ; and their Horfes, Camels, and Elephants
are all richly adorn’d. Some of the Camels carry a fmall Piece of Ordinance,
with a man behind to fhoot it off. The meaneft of thefe Omrahs commands
a thoufand Horfe; but if he be a Prince of the Blood, he commands fix thou-
fand.
~ The Great AZogul has feven Thrones, fome fet all over with Diamonds ; others
with Rubies, Emraulds, and Pearls.
-. The largeft Throne, which is fet up in the Hall of the firft Court, is in form
like one of our Field-Beds, fix foot long, and four broad. The Cufhion at the
back is round like a Bolfter; the Cufhions on the fides are flat. ,
_ 4 counted about a hundred and eight pale Rubies in Collets , about this
Throne, the leaft whereof weigh’d a hundred Carats; but there are fome that
weigh two hundred. Emraulds I counted about a hundred and fixty, that weigh’d
fome threefcore, fome thirty Carats. | :
_ The under-part of the Canopy is all embroider’d with Pearls and Diamonds,
with a Fringe of Pearls round about. Upon the top of the Canopy, which is
made like an Arch with four Panes, ftands a Peacock, with his Tail {pread,
confifting all of Saphits, and other proper colour’d Stones ; the Body is of bea-
ten Gold, enchas’d with feveral Jewels; and a great Ruby upon his breaft, at
which hangs a Pearl, that weighs fifty Carats. On each fide of the Peacock
ftand two Nofe-gays, as high as the Bird, confifting of feveral forts of Flowers,
all of beaten Gold enamel’d. When the King feats himfelf upon the Throne,
there is a tranfparent Jewel, with a Diamond Appendant, of eighty or ninety
Carats, encompafs’d with Rubies and Emraulds, fo hung that it is always z his
ye.
?
Book I = Travels im Invi
ye. The twelve Pillars alfo that uphold the Canopy, are fet with rows of
fir Pearl, round, and of an excellent Water, that weigh from fix to ten Ca-
rats apiece. At the diftance of four feet, upon each fide of the Throne, are
lacd two Parafols, or Umbrello’s; the handles whereof are about eight foot
high, covered with Diamonds ; the Parafols themfélves are of crimfon Velvet,
embroider’d and fring’d with Pearls. ;
This is the famous Throne which Tamerlane began, and Cha-jehan finith’d;
which is really. reported to have coft a hundred and fixty Millions, and five
hundred-thoufand Livres of our Money.
Behind this ftately and magnificent Throne there is another lefs, in the form
of a Tub, where the King bathes himfelf; it is an Oval, feven foot long, and
five broad. The outfide whereof fhines all over with Diamonds and Pearls ;
but there is no Canopy over it.
Coming into the firft Court, on the right hand, you fee a particular Tent,
where during all the Feaft, the Morice-Dancers are appointed to make fport,
while the King fits upon his Throne. On the left hand is another Tent, appointed
for the principal Officers of the Army and Houfhold. Pree
In the fame Court, while the King fits upon his Throne, are to be feen thirty
Horfes, fifteen upon one fide, and fifteen upon the other, lead by two men.
Their Bridles are vety fhort, but for the moft part enrich’d with Diamonds,.
Rubies, Emraulds, and Pearls, the Bits whereof are of pure Gold. Every Horfe
wears between his Ears a rich Plume of Feathers, with a little Cufhion upon
his Back, ty’d on with a Surcingle; both being embroider’d with Gold; and
about his Neck hung fome fair Jewel, which was either a Diamond , a
Ruby, or anEmrauld. The worft of thofe Horfés coft three thoufand, fome
fve thonfand Crowns ; and fome there were, that were never bought under
ten thoufand. The young Prince, who was between feven and eight years old,
ae upon a Horfe no higher than a good big Greyhound, but very well
apd.
Recut an hour after the King has bin fitting upon his Throne,feven ftout Elephants
bred up for War, are brought out. One of thofe Elephants has his Seat fix’d
upon his back, if the King fhould have a mind to ride out. The others are
cover’d with Cloaths richly embroider’d, with ‘Chains of Gold and Silver about
their Necks; and there are four that carry the Kings Standard upon their Crup-
pers, faften’d to a Half-Pike. which a man feated on purpofe clofe by, holds
upright with his hand. Thefé Elephants are brought within fifty paces of the
hrone, and when they come before the King, hey make their secetiices to
him, laying their Trunks to the ground, and then lifting them up above their
Heads three times; every time he makes a great cry, and then turning his
back to the King, one of the Leaders turns up the Cloath, that the King may
fee he is in good cafe. There belongs alfo to every one a Cord, which is put
round his body, to fhew how much he is grown fince the laft year. The firft
of thefe Elephants, which the King moft efteems, is a great furious Creature,
that has five hundred Roupies allowd him every month. He is fed with good
Victuals, and a great quantity of Sucre, and they give him qua-vite to drink.
When the King rides forth upon his Elephant, the Omrahs follow on Horfeback.
And when he ridés on Horfeback, the Omrahs follow him on foot.
A‘ter the King has feen his Elephants, he rifes up, and goes into his Haram
through a little oval door behind the Throne. | sat
The five other Thrones are fet up in another magnificent Hall in another
Court, alf cover’d over with Diamonds, without any colour’d Stone. ;
When the King has ftaid about half an hour, he comes out again, attended
by three or four Eunuchs, and feats himfelf in the other Hall, upon the middle-_
moft of the five Thrones, where the Omrabs come, as long as the five days of
the Feftival laft, and make their Prefents to’ him, . is a
3 CHAP.
on Sn eR ee
————_____
4123
—a2
Travels in Inpta. Part. I
CPAP, 26,
Some other Obfervations upon the Court of the Great Mogul,
Frer Aureng-zeb had fetled himfelf in the Empire, which he ufurp’d from
A his Father and his Brothers, he impos'd upon himfelf a very fevere penance,
eating nothing but Pulfe and Sweet-meats, which has made him very meagre
and Jean, All the time the Comet lafted in the year 1665, which appear’d
very great in the Jidies, where I then was, ~dureng-zeb drank nothing but Wa.
ter, and eat nothing but Bread made of Millet ; whith fo impair’d his health,
that it had like to have coft him his life. Befides, he always lay upon the
ground, only with a Tigers Skin under him; fince which time he has never been
perfectly well.
I {aw him drink three feveral times, while he fate upon his Throne ; to which
purpofe he had brought him a large Cup of Chriftal of the Rock, round and all
of a piece, with a Gold Cover, enrich’d with Diamonds, Rubies, and Emraulds,
the foot thereof being of the fame. But no perfon fees the King eat, only his
Wives and his Eunuchs. And it is but very rarely that he goes to Dine or
Sup with any of his Subjects. When Iwas laft in Ind:a, Giafer-Kan, who was
his Grand Vier, and his Uncle by marriage of his Wife, invited the King to
fee a new Palace which he was building, who went accordingly, and it was the
greateft Honour his Majefty could do him ; in retaliation whereof, Giafer-Kan
and his Wife prefented him with Jewels, Elephants, Camels, Horfes, and other
things, to the value of a Million and fifty thoufand Livres of our Money. For
Giafer-Kan's Wife is the moft magnificent and liberal Woman in all Sndia, and
{pends more her {elf than all the Kings Wives and Daughters, which makes
her Husband in debt, though he be almoft Lord of all the Empire. —
When the King is carried in his Palleki to the Afofquee , one of his Sons
follows him a Horfeback, and all his Omrahs and Officers of his Houfhold come
behind him a foot. Thofe that are AZahumerans ftay for him at the top of
the afcent to the Aofquee, and when he is ready to come out, they march
before him to the Gate of his Palace. Eight Elephants always go before the
King, to every one of which belong two men; one to Jead the Elephant, and
the other, who fits upon his back, carries a Standard fix’d to a Half-Pike, The
other four carry Seats or Thrones upon their backs, the one fquare, the other
round ; one cover’d, the other inclos’d with Glafs of feveral fathions. Wher
the King goes abroad, he has ufually five or fix hundred men to attend him
for his Guard, arm’d every one with a kind of an Half-Pike. To the heads of
their Pikes they tye two Squibs crofs-wife, about a foot long, and as big as
a mans Arm, which will carry the Half-Pike five hundred paces. The King
is alfo attended by three or four hundred Mufquateers; but they are very
| ses, and hardly know how to fhoot off their pieces. He has alfo a cer-
tain number of .Cavalry, which are Soldiers much alike. A hundred Eyropeans
might well beat a thoufand Indians ; but they would hardly accuftom them-
felves to live fuch fober lives. For as well the Horfe as the Infantry will live
upon K neaded with Water and brown Sugar; but in the evening, when
they have convenience, they make Quxichery, which is Rice boil’d in Water and
Salt, with a Grain fo call’d. When they eat it, they ftir it with the
ends of their Fingers in melted Butter, which is the ufual food of the Sol-
diers and poor people. Befide, the heat would kill our Souldiers, who would
never be avle to endure the Sun all the day long, as the Indians do. By the
way, give me leave to tell you, that the Country people have no other cloath-
ing than a piece of Linnen to hide their fecret parts, being miferably poor ;
for if their Governours know they have any thing about them, they feize it
either as their right, or by force. There are fome Provinces in India that
lye wafte, the Natives being forc’d to fly, by reafon of the cruelty of their
Governours, Under the pretence of being A4ahametans they perfecute the “2
; : ; Be Id o-
Book iL. Travels in Inpta.
Jdolaters beyond all meafure ; and if any of them embrace ALahumet ifm, ’tis onl
pecaufe they would not work any longer. For then they turn Souldiers or a
who area fort of people that profefs a renunciation of the World, and live upon
Alms, but are indeed very Rafcals. They reckon that there are in India 800000
of thefe Mahwmetan Faquirs, and twelve hunder’d-thoufand Idolaters.
Once in fifteen days the King goes a Hunting, mounted upon his Elephant, and
{ continues during the chafe. All the Game he takes is brought within Musket-
thot of his Elephants. Which confifts generally of Lions, Tigers, Harts, and wild-
Goats. For they will not meddle with Boars, as being A¢azhymetans. When he
returns home, he puts himfelf into his Pallekz, and goes in the fame order, and
with the fame Guard, as when he returns from the A4o/gzee, faving that when he
oes a Hunting, he is attended with three or four-hunder’d Horfemen, that ride
without any difcipline in the World. |
As for the Princefles, as well the Wives, Daughters and Sifters of the King
they never ftir out of the Palace, unlefs it be to fpend a few days in the Countrey
for their pleafure. Some of them go abroad, but very rarely,to vifit fome great
Noble-mens Wives, as the Wife of Giafer-Kan, who is the King’s Aunt. But that
isonly by particular leave of the King. And then it is not the cuftom as in Perf,
where the Ladies make their vifits only by night, and with a great number of
Eunuchs, who clear the Streets of all people they meet. For in the AZogul’s
Court, they ufually go out about nine in the morning, with only three or four
Eunuchs, and ten or twelve Slaves, which are inftead of Maids of Honour.
The Princefles are carri’d in Palleki?s cover’d over with Embroider'd Tapeftry,
and a little Coach to hold one fingle perfon that follows the Palleki, drawn by
two men, the wheels not being above a foot in diameter. The reafon why they
carry that Coach along with them, is, becaufe that when the Princefles arrive at
the Houfe where they intend to alight, the men that carry the Palleki, not being
permitted to go any farther than the firft Gate,they then take their Coaches,and are
drawn by their female-Slaves to the Womens Apartment. I have alfo obferv’d,
that in all the Houfés of great Noble-men, the Womens Apartment is at the far~
ther-end of all. So that you muft crofs two or three great Courts, and a Garden
or two, before you can come at it.
When the Princefles are married to any of the Court-Grandees, they become
abfolute Miftrefles of their Husbands; fo that if they ftudy not to pleafe them,
and do not as they would have them, in regard of their free accefs to the King;
they over-rale the King many times to their prejudice, even to the turning them
out of their employments. Stier
As it isa cuftom that the firft-born oan is Heir to the Throne, though he be
the Son of a Slave, fo foon as the Princeffes of the King’s Haram perceive that
there is any one among them big with Child,they ufe all the artifices imaginable to
make them mifcarry. Infomuch that being at Patna in the year 1666, Cha-E/t-
Kan’s Chirurgeon aflurd me, that the Wife of Cha-Ejt-Kan had procur’d the
mifcarrying of eight Women, becaufe fhe would fuffer no other Womens Children
but her own.
CHAP,
125
en
a
ic Oe eee
Of the Commedities which are brought as well out of the Dominions
i is .
of the Great Mogul, as out of the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vify.
pour, avd other nesghbouring Terrstorces.
UE will be neceflary for the Reader to take notice what I have already {aid con.
cerning the Weights and Meafures in ufe among the /ud,ans, where I {poke cone
=e cerning the AZines, and the Serre. Now for the Codir.
The Codit isa meafure for all Commodities that are meafur'd by the Ell of
which there are feveral forts, as in Ewrope there are feveral forts of Ells. The
Cobit is divided into 24 Tafors: and in regard the greateit part of the Commo-
dities of Jndia are utter'd at Surat, I have given you a defcription in the margin
of the fourth part of a Surat-Cobit, divided into fix Ta/ors,
Of their Silk,
Kates a Village in the Kingdom of Bengala, {ends abroad every year
two and twenty-thoufand Bales of Silk ; every Bale weighing a hunder’g
pound. The two and twenty Bales make two millions and two-hunder’d-thoufand
pound, at fixteen ounces to the pound. The Hollanders afually carry away fix or
feven-thoufand Bales,and would carry away more,did not the Merchants of Tartar ;
and the Afogui’s Empire oppofe them: for they buy up as muchas the Hollander ;
the reft the Natives keep to make their Stuffs. his Silk is all brought into the
Kingdom of Guzerar, the greateft part whereof comes to madabar, and to Surat,
where it is wrought up.
In the firft place they make Carpets of Silk and Gold, others of Silk and
Silver, others ali of Silk: For the Worfted- Carpets are made‘at Vettapour, fome
twelve leagues from 4gra.,
In the fecond place they make Satins with ftreaks of Gold and Silver; others
plain: with Taffata’s after the fame fafhion. .
In the third place they make Patoles, whicii are a fort of Silk-ftuff very thin,
‘but painted with all forts of Flowers, the manufacture whereof is at Amadabat.
They coft from eight Roupies to forty the piece. This is a Commodity wherein
the Dxtch will not futfer any one of the Hollanders to trade in particular : for
they tranfport it to the Philippine-L/lands, to the Iflands of Borneo, java, Sumatra,
and other neighbouring Iflands. :
The raw-Silk of K spa is yellowifh, as are all the raw-Silks that come from.
Perfia and Sicily; but the Natives of Kafembafar have a way to whiten it, with
a Lye made of the afhes of a Tree which a3) call Adam’s Fig-tree ; which-
makes it as white as the Paleftine-Silk. The Ho landers fend away all their Mer-
chandize which they fetch out of Bengala, by water, through a great Canal'thar
runs from Kafembafar into Ganges, for fifteen leagues together ; from whence
it is as far by water down the Ganges to Onguely, where they: lade their Ships.
Of the Calicuts : and firft of the painted Calicars, call’d Chites,
t
Hites or Painted Calicuts, which they call Calmendar, that isto fay, done with
a Pencil, are made in the Kingdom of Golconda; and particularly about
Maflipatan. But there is made fo little, that though a man thould employ all
the Workmen that underftand the art of weaving Calicuts, he would hardly
find enough to make three Bales, | .
The Chites which are made in the Empire of the Great Afogul are all Printed ;
and nothing fo beautiful, neither for the figures nor the finenefS of the Linnen.
Thofe which are made at Lavor, are the coarfeft, and confequently the cheapeft of
all, They are fold by Corges, every Corge confifting of twenty pieces, which coft
from 16 to 30 Roupies, sd ae ;
| he
BTS a ee a ee UN © REE ENE TEETE L ND SEIN A ORRLTE CS
The Chires which are made at Seronge, are fold from 20 to 50 Roupies the
Corge, OF thereabouts,
Thefe Chites ferve for Coverlets for Beds, for Sofra’s or Table-cloaths after the
Countrey-fafhion, Pillowbears, Handkerchiefs, but more efpecially for Wattcoats
ag well for the men as women in Perfia. =e
‘The fine Calicut-Chites are made at Brampour; and are us’d for handkerchiefs
by thofe that fnuff Tobacco. | —
The women alfo, over all 4/4, make Veils of thefe Calicuts, to wear over their
heads, and about their fhoulders, which Veils are call’d Ormis.
The Bafta’s or Calicuts painted red, blue, and black, are carri’d white to Agra,
and Amadabat, in regard thofe Cities are neareft to the places where the Indigo is
~~ made that is us’d in colouring. They coft from two Roupies to 30 or 40 a-plece,
according to the finene{s and the quantity of Gold at the ends, and fometimes up-
on the fides. The Indians have a way to dip fome of thefe Calicuts ina certain
water that makes them look like Water’d-Chamlets, which adds alfoto the
rice. |
That fort which is fold for two Roupies, and fo onward till ye come to twelve,
is tranfported to the Coaft of Afelinda, and it is the greateft. Trade the Governour
of Mozambique drives, who fells them to the Cafres, that vend them again among
the Aby/fins, and into the Kingdom of Saba: for thofe people not underitanding
the ufe of Soap, need no more but only to wafh thefe Calicuts in water. That
fort which is valu’d from 12 Roupies upward, is tranfported to the PAilippine-_.
Iflands, the Iflands of Borneo, 7ava, Sumatra, and other adjacent places. here
the women wear no other clothes, than a fingle piece of this Calicut. One part
whereof, without cutting it, ferves for a Petticoat; the other they wind about
their ftomachs and their heads.
White Calicuts.
mens Bue Calicuts come partly from -4gra, and about Labor, part from Bews-
gala: fome from Brouda, Baroche, Renonfari, and other places. They
are brought out of the Loom to Rexonfari, and Baroche, where they are whiten’d
by reafon of the convenience of their Meadows, and the great ftore of Limons
that grow thereabouts. For the Calicuts are never fo white as they fhould be,
till they are dipt in Limon-water.
The Calicuts that come from gra, Labor, and Bengal, are fold by the Corge,
and they are of feveral prices, from feventeen Roupies to three or four-hunder’d,
as the Merchant will have them woy’a. cit
The Calicuts that come from Renonfari, and Baroche, aré one and twenty cubits*
long, new out of the Loom; but in the whitening they fhrink to twenty cu-—
bits. ,
Thofe of Brovda twenty cubits from the Loom, and fhrink in the whitening to
nineteen and a half.
- All the Calicuts or Bafta’s that come from thefe three Cities, are of two forts:
for fome are broad, fome are narrow. The narrow are thofe I have already men-
tion’d, the prices whereof are various, from two AZamoudi’s to fix..
The broad Bafta’s are a cubit, and one third part wide ; the whole piece twenty
cubits long. The ufual price of them is from five AZamoudi’s to twelve: buta
Merchant being upon the place, may caufe them to be made much more large and
fine, till they are worth five-hunder’d AZamondi’s a-piece. I faw two pieces fold
for a thoufand ALamoud:’s. ree avauenles
The Englifo bought one, and the Hollanders another, each piece containing eigh
and twenty cubits. ‘is —
Mahamed Alibeg returning into Perfia out of India where he had.
baffador, prefented Cha-Sef the fecond witha Coco-nut, about the bigs
Auftrich-egg, all befet with Pearls ; and when it was open’d there was taken out
of it a Turbant that had fixty cubits of Calicut in length to make it, the Cloath be-
ing fo fine,that you. could hardly feel it in your hand, For ey will {pin their thread
fo fine, that the eye can hardly difcern it, or at leaft it feems to be but a Cob-
web, r
Tiviffed
wy re
128
— Travels in Vypra. Part. II
Twifted-Cotton,
‘Otton twifted and untwifted comes from the Provinces of Brampour and Gy.
zerat. Untwifted Cotton is never tranfported into Exrope, being too cum.
berfome, and of little value ; only they fend it to Ormus, Balfara, and fometimes
to the PAilippine-Llands, and the Iflands of Sinde. As for the twifted Cottons,
the Englifh and Hollanders tran{port a good quantity, not of the fineft, but of that
fort which is priz’d from fifteen to fifty Mamonds's: \t ferves for wieks for Can-
dles, for Packfaddles, and for the ground of Silk-ftafts.
7, ndigo.
Ndigo comes from feveral parts of the Great Afogul’s Empire ; and according
to the diverfity of the places it differs in quality, and confequently in price,
In the firit place, it comes from the Territories of Biana, Indoua, and Corfa, a
day or two’s journey from gra: which is efteem’d the beft of all. It is made
alfo eight days journey from Swrar, ina Village call’d Sarquefs, two leagues
diftance from dmadabar. Here the flat /ndigo is made. There is alfo Indigo \it-
tle inferior in goodnefs and price, which comes from the King of Golconda’s Ter-
ritories. The AZein of Surat, which contains 42 Serre’s, or 34 and a half of our
pounds, is valu’d from 15 to20 Roupies. They make as good as this at Barache,
That which is made up about Agra is made up in half Balls, and is the moft fought
for in all India. It is fold by the AZein, which in thote places contains 60 Serres,
or 5x and three quarters of our pounds. The ufual price is from’ 36 to’ go Rou-
pies. There grows alfo /ndico fome 36 leagues from Brampour, about a great
Village call’d aout, and round about the neighbouring Towns in the road to Surat:
Of which the Natives ufually make above a hunder’d-thoufand Roupies.
There comes Jndigo allo. from Bengala, which the Holland-Company tran{ports
for Adaflipatan. But they buy this /udigo, and that of Brampour and -Amadabat,
cheaper by 24 in the hunder’d, than that of gra.
Indigo istmade of an Herb which they fow every year after the rains are over:
which when it is grown up, is very like ourHemp. They cut it three timesa
year; firft when it is about-two or three foot high ; and they cut ic within half
a foot of the ground ; the firit cutting far exceeds the two latter. The fecond
cutting is worfe than the firft by ten or twelve in the hunder’d, and the third
worfe than the fecond by twelve in the hunder’d. The difference is found
‘by breaking a piece of the Pafte, and obferving the colour. The colour of
that /ndigo which is made of the firft cutting, is a Violet-blue, but more brisk
and lively than the two others: and that which is made of the fecond is more
lively than the third,
Wher they have cut the Herb, they throw it into Pits which they make with
Lime, which becomes fo hard, that you would judg it to be one intire piece of
Marble. They are generally fourfcore or a hunder’d paces in circuit ; and being
half full of water, they fill them quite up with the Herb. Then they bruife and
jumble it in the water till the leaf, for the ftalk is worth nothing, become like a
kind of thick mud. This being done, they let’ir fettle for fome days ; and when
the fétling is all at the bottom, and the water clear above, they let out all the
water. When the water is all drain’d out, they fill feveral baskets with this flime,
and in plain Field you fhall fee feveral men at work, every one at his own baf-
ket, making up little pieces of Zndigo flat at the bottom, at the top fharp like an
egg. Though at Amadabat they make their pieces quite flat like a {mall cake.
Here you are to take particular notice, that the Mérchants, becaufe they would
not pay cuftom for an unneceflary weight, before they tranfport their Indigo out
of Ajia into Europe, are very careful to caufe it to be fifted, to feparate the duft
from it; which they fell afterwards to the Natives of the Countrey to dye their
Calicuts. They that fift this Zndgo muft be careful to keep a Linnen-cloath be-
fore their faces, and that their noftrils be well-ftopt, leaving only two little holes
for theireyes. Befides, they muft every half hour be fure to drink milk, which
is 4 great prefervative againft the piercing quality of the duft, Yet eles
: : anding
Book IL. Travels in a A;
franding all this caution, they that have fifted Jndigo for nine or teh days, thal]
{pit nothing but blew for a good while together: Once I laid an Egg in the
morning among the fifters,; and when I came to break it in the evening it was
al] blew within. |
As they take the Pafte out of the Baskets with their Fingers dipt in Oil, and
wake ic into Lumps, or Cakes they lay them in the Sun to dry. Which is the
reafon that when the Merchants buy /ndigo, they burn fome peités of it, to try
whether there be any duft among it. For tHe Natives who take the Pafte out
of the Baskets to make it into Lumps, lay it in the Sand, which mixes with the
Pafte, and fouls it. But when the Merchants burn it, the Zzdzgo turns to Afhes,
and the Sand remains, The Governours do what they canto make the Natives
leave their Knavery; but notwithftanding all their care, there will be fome de-
ceit.
Salt~Peter.
Ct ftore of Salt-Peter comes from gra and. Patna; but the refin’d cdfts
three times more than that which is rot. The Hollanders have fet up a
Ware-Houfe fourteen Leagues above Patna, and when their Sal-Peter is re-
find, they tran{port it by Water by Oguel:, A Mein of refin’d Salt-Peter is worth
feven Mamoudv’s. »
Spice.
Cie Ginger, Pepper; Nutmegs, Nutmtg-Flowers, Cloves and Cinna-
mon, are all the different forts of Spices known to us. I put Cardamom
and Ginger inthe firft place, becaufe that Cardamom grows in the Territories
of Vifapour, and Ginger in the Dominions of the Great AZogal. And as for
other Spices, they are brought from other Foreign parts to Sw/at, which is the
grand Mart. .
Cardamom is the moft excellent of all other Spices, but it is very fcarce;
and in regard there is no great ftore in the place where it grows, it is only
made ufe of in d4fa, at the Tables of great Princes. Five hundred pound of
Cardamoms, are priz’d from a hundred to a hundred and ten Reals.
Ginger is brought in great quantities from Amadabat, where there grows
more than in any other part of 4/2; and it is hardly to be imagin’d how much
there is tranfportéd candited into Foreign parts. = § #4) 69 St
Pepper is of two forts, There is a fore which is very: ftiall, another fore
much bigger; both which forts are diftinguifh’d: into fmall and great Pepper;
The larger fort comes from the Coaft of Aalavare ; and Tuticorin and Calicut
are the Cities where it is brought up. Some of this Pepper comes from the
Territories of the King of Vifapour, being vended at Rejapour, a little City in
that Kingdom. The Hollanders that purchafé it of the AZalavares; do not give
Money for it, but feveral forts of Commodities in Exchange ; as Cotton, Opium,
Vermillion, and Quickfilver ; and this is the Pepper which is brought into Ex-
rope. As for the little Pepper that comes from Bantam, dfchen, and fome other
parts toward the Eaft, there is none of it carriéd out of 4fia, where it is {pent
-# Pee
129°
in yaft quantities, efpecially among the Afabumerans, For there are double thé.
Grains of fall Pepper in one pound, to what there are of the great Pepper}
befides that the great Pepper is hotter in the mouth, yaa =e
The little Pepper that comes to Swrat, has been fold fome years for thi -
teen or fourteen Mimoudi’s thé Mein; and fo much [have feen t .
give for it, to tranfport-it to Ormns, Balfara, and the Red Seas 4
great Pepper which the Hollanders fetch from the Coaft of AZalava Z
dred pound in truck brihgs them in not above thirty-eight ” Reals
Commodities which they give in Barter, they, gain Cent. per Cen
The Nutmeg, the Nutmeg-Flow’r, the. Clove, an ramon,
Spices which the Hollanders have in their own hands. The three firft come
from the Afolneca Hands ; the fourth, which’ is Cinnamon, from the Ifland of
Ceylan,
* Ss Ts
are the only :
130
Travels in Inpia. Part I.
"Tis obfervable of the Nutmeg, that the Tree which bears it is never planted
which has been confirm’d to me by féveral perfons that have liv’d feveral years
inthe Country. They related to me, that the Nutmeg being ripe, feveral Birds
come from the Iflands toward the South, and devour it whole, but are fore’d to
throw it up again before it be digefted. The Nutmeg then befmear’d with a
vifcous matter, falling to the ground takes root, and produces a Tree, which
would never thrive were it planted. This puts me in mind of making one
obfervation upon the Birds of Paradife. Thefe Birds being very greedy after
Nutmegs, come in flightsto gorge themfelves with the pleafing Spice, ar the
feafon, like Felfares in Vintage time ; but the ftrength of the Nutmeg {0 intoxj-
cates them, that they fall dead drunk to the Earth, where the Emets jn a fhore
time eat off their Legs. Hence it comes, that the Birds of Paradife are {aid to
have no Feet; whichis not true however, for I have feen three or four thar
had Feet ; and a French Merchant fent one from -dleppo asa Prefent to Lewis
the Thirteenth that had Feet; of which the King made great account, as being
a very lovely Fowl.
But notwithftanding all the Hollanders Projects, you may buy Cloves at
Macafar without purchafing them of the Hollander ; in regard the Iflanders
buy them of the Darch Captains and Soldiers, which the Hollanders have in
thofe place where the Cloves grow, giving them in exchange Rice, and other
neceflaries for the fupport of life, without which they would ftarve, being very
fadly provided for.
When the Natives of Aacaffar are thus furnifh’d of Cloves , they barter
them in Exchange for fuch Commodies as are brought them ; fometimes they
give Tortoife-Shells in exchange, and Gold Dutt ; by which the Merchant gains
fix or feven in the hundred, being better than the Money of the Ifland, though
it be Gold, by reafon the King ofttimes enhances the value of it. The places
where Cloves grow, are -dmboyna, Ellias, Seram, and Bouro,
The Iflands of Banda alfo, in number fix, viz, Mere, Lontour, Poulcay, Rofe-
guin, and Grenapuis, bear Nutmegs in great abundance. The Ifland of Grena-
pHs; is about fix Leagues in compafs, and ends in a fharp point, where there is
a continual fire burning out of the Earth. The Ifland Damme, where there
grows great ftore of Nutmegs, and very big, was difcover’d in the year 1649,
by Abel Tafman, a Dutch Commander.
The price of Cloves and Nutmegs, as 1 have known them fold to the Hol-
landers at Surat, was as follows.
The Mein of Szrat contains forty Serres, which make thirty-four of our
Pounds, at fixteen Ounces to the Pound.
A Mein of Cloves was fold for a hundred and three Mamoudi’s and a half.
A Mein of Mace was fold for a hundred and fifty-feven Mamoudi’s anda
Nutmegs for fifty-fix Mamoudi’s and a half.
Cinnamon comes at prefent from the Ifland of Ceylan. The Tree that bears
it-is very much like the Willow, and has three Barks. They never take off but
the firft and fecond, which is accounted the beft. They never meddle with the
third, for fhould the Knife enter that, the Tree would dye. So that it isan
art to take off the Cinnamon, which they learn from their youth. The Cinna-
of Coe dearer to the Hollanders than people think ; for the King
of Ceytan, otherwite call’d King of Candy, from the name of his principal City,
being a fworn Enemy to the Aollanders, fends his Forces with an intention to
furprize them; when they gather their Cinnamon; fo that they are fore’d to
bring feven or eight. hundred. men; together to defend as many more that are at
work, Which great; expenee of theirs very much enhances the price of the
Cinnamon. There grows upon the Cinnamon Tree a certain fruit tke an Olive,
aueh not to be eaten. This the Portugals were wont to put into a Caldran
of Water, together with the tops of theBranches, and boil’d ir till the Water
was all’ confum’d, When it was cold, the upper part became a Pafte like white
Wax; of which they made Tapers to fet, up in their Churches, for no fooner
were the Tapefs lighted, but all the Church was perfum’d. Formerly the Por-
éugals brought Cinnamon out of other Countries, belonging to the Raja’s abot
3 # Cochin.
there is no Venome more dangerous, ort
fe ne eee i Bill
Book I. Travels in Inpia.
Cochin. But the Hollandors have deftroyd all thofe places, fo that the Cinna~
mon is now in their hands. When the Portugals had that Coaft, the Englifle
bought their Cinnamontof them,and ufually paid for it by theMein 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 ufual price, cofts by the Mein twenty
Mamoudi’s.
Borax, comes unrefin’d from -dmadabat, as does Salt Armoniack, and cofts
by the Mein thirty-five Mamoudi’s. ay
Gum-Lack, feven Mamoudi’s and a half.
Gum-Laek wafh’d, ten Mamoudi's.
Gum-Lack in fticks of Wax, forty Mamoudi's.
There are fome of thefe Sticks that coft fifty or fixty Mamoudi’s the Mein;
and more when they mix Musk in the Gum. .
Saftron of S#rat,which is good for nothing but for colouring, four Mamoudi’s
aNd a hayf.
Cumin White, eight Mamoudi’g, | Fre
Cumin Black, three Mamoud?’s.
Arlet fimall, three Mamoudi’s.
Frankincenfe, that comes from the Coaft of -4rabia, three Mamoudi’s,
Myrrh, that which is good, call’d ALirra Gilet, thirty Mamoudi’s,
Myrrh Bolti, which comes from Arabia, fifteen Mamoudi’s;
Caffia, two Mamoudi’s.
Sugar Candy, eighteen Mamoudi’s.
Afatinat, a fort of Grain, very hot, one Mamoudi.
Annife-Seed Grofs, three Mamoudi’s and a half.
Annife-Seed fimall and hot, one Mamoudi and a half. E
Oupelote, a Root, fourteen Mamoudi’s.
Cointre, five Mamoudrs.
Auzerout, from Perfia, a hundred and twenty Mamoudrs.
Aloes Succotrine, from 4raéia, twenty eight Mamoudi’s.
Licorice, four Mamoudi’s.
Lignum Aloes, in great pieces, two hundred Mamoudi's.
Lignum Aloes, in {mall pieces, four hundred Mamoudi’s,
Vez-Cabouli, a certain Root, twelve Mamoudi’s.
_ There is a fort of Lignum Aloes very Gummy, which comes to, by tlie
Mein, four thoufand Mamoud?’s.
Gum-Lake for the moft part comes from Pegs ; yet there is fome alfo brought
from Bengala, where it is very dear, by reafon the Natives fetch that lively Scar-
let colour out of it, with which they paint their Calicuts. Neverthelefs,
the Hollanders buy it, and carry it into Per( for the fame ufe of painting.
That which remains after the colour is drawn off, is only fit to make fealing
Wax. That which comes from Pegs is not fo dear, though as good for other
Countries. The ditterence is only this, that it is not fo clean in Pega, where
the Pifinires foul it, as in Bengala, where it grows ina heathy place, full of
Shrubs, where thofe Animals cannot fo well come at it. The Inhabitants of
Peg never make any ofé of it in painting, being a dull fort of people, that are ~
in nothing at all induftrious. ah
The Women of Surat get their livings by cleanfing the Lake after the Scar-
let colour is drawn from it. After that they give it what colour they_pleafe,
and make it up into Sticks for fealing Wax. The Englifo and Holland Company
an away every year a hundred and fifty Chefts, The price is about ten Sous
the pound. ee,
Powder’d Sugar is brought in great quantities out of the Kingdom of Ben-
gala; it caufes alfo a very great Trade at Ongeli, Patna, Daca, and other places,
I have been told it for a very great certainty, by feveral ancient people in
Bengala, that Sugar being kept thirty years becomes abfolute poifon, and that
hat fooner works its effect. Loaf-Sugar
aS S is
133
132
Travels im Inpta. Part. IL
ig ulfo made at Amadabar, where they are perfectly skill’d in refining it; fop
Which redfon itis cal’d Sugar Royal. Thefe Sugar-Loaves ufually weigh from
eight to ten pound.
Opium is brought from Brampour, a Town of good Trade between 4org and
Surats'The Hollanders buy great quantities, which they truck for their Pep-
er.
‘ Tobacco alfo grows in abundance round about Brampour ; fometimes there has
Been fo much that the Natiyes have let vaft quantities rot upon the ground
for want of gathering. ’
‘Gatfeé grows neither in Perfia nor in India, where it is in no requeft ; but
the Hollanders drive a great Trade in it, tranf{porting it from Ormes into Perfia
as far as Great Tartary, from Balfara into Caldea, Arabia, Mefopotamia, and
other Provinces of Turky. It was firft found out by a Hermite, whofe name
was Scheck-Siadcli, about twenty-years ago, before which time it was never
heard: of in any Author either ancient or modern.
u Deceits in Silk Wares,
Plain Silk Wares may be alter’d in length, breadth, and quality. The qua-
lity fhews it felf when they are of an-even thread, when the weight is equal,
and when there is no Cotton thread in the Weft.
The Zudians not having the art of guilding filver, put into. their ftrip’d
Wares threads of pure Gold, fo that you muft count the quantity of Gold
threads to fee whether the Si/k have its due number. And this alfo you mutt
obferve in your Silks wov’n with Silver. As for Taffata’s, you are only to mind
whether the pieces be all of a finenefs, and to fee by unfolding fome of them,
that there be nothing within to augment the weight, and then weighing all
the pieces by themfelves, to fee that they all agree.
The colours of thofé Carpetts which are made in India, do not laf
long as the colour of thofe which are made in Perfia ; but for the workman-
fhip it is very lovely. The eye of the Broaker is to judg of the largenefs,
beauty, and finenefs of thofe Carpetts which are wrought with Gold and
Silver, and whether they be fine and rich. But whether they be Carpetts,
or other Stuffs mix’d with Gold and Silver, it behoves the Buyer to pull out
fome of the Gold and Silver Threads, to fee whether they be of the right
value or no.
Deceits.in the White Calicuts.
The deceits ufually put upon Calicuts, are in finenefs, length, and breadth.
Every Bale may contain two hundred pieces ; among which they will juggle
it five or fix or-ten, lefS fine, or lefS white, fhorter or narrower than accor-
ding to the fcantling of the Bale, which cannot be found out but by examining
them piece by piece. The finene(s is difcern’d by the eye, the length and breadth
yy the meafire. But the Indians’ practife a more cunning way, which is to
7 ae number of threads which ought to be in the breadth, according to
the nencfs of the fcantling. When the number fails, it is either more tranf-
parent, more narrow, or more courfe. The difference is fometimes fo difficult
to be pereeiv’d, that there is no way to find it out but by counting the threads.
And yet this difference in a great quantity comes toa great deal. For it is no-
thing to coufen°a Grown. or two Crowns, in a piece that comes but to fifteen
ot twenty Crowns. Thofé that whiten thefe Calicuts, to fave charges of a
few: Limons, will knock the Calicuts exceffively upon a Stone, which does fine
_ Caticuts a great injury, and loars the price.
_As for their Calicuts dy’d blew or black, you. muft take care that the Work-
men do not knock them after they are folded, to make them look fleek ; for many
tint y-when they come to be unfolded, you fhall find holes in the creafes.
_ As for your painted and printed Calicuts, which are painted and printed as
they ‘come out! of the Loom, the Merchant muft take care that what he be-
fpeaks ‘be finifh’d before the end of the Rains, for the thicker eee is
geal Pi &, Bact age : Z waoere
Book I. Travels in Tuoik
where they are wath’d, the more lively will the printed and painted colours ap-
ear. It is eafy to diftinguifh between the printed and the painted Calicuts ;
and between the neatnefs of the work: but for the finenefS and other qua-
Jities, they are not {o eafily difcern’d ; and therefore the Broaker muft be more
careful.
Cheats in Cotton.
s,s E cheat inthe weight is twofold. The firft, by laying them ina moift
place ; and thrufting in the middle of every Skain fomething to add to the
weight. The fecond, in not giving good weight when the Broaker receives it
from the Workman, or Merchant that delivers it.
There is but one cheat in the quality, that is by putting three or four Skains,
of a coarfer Commodity than that which .is uppermoft, into one Afein.
Which in a great quantity mounts high ;- for there are fome Cottons that
are worth an hunderd Crowns the JZesn. Thefe two cheats being often
usd by the Holland-Company , there is no way but to weigh your Com-
modity in the prefence of the Dutch-Coimmander, and his Councel, and to
examine every dein, Skain by Skain. When this is done, they who are
order’'d to be at this €xamination, are oblig’d t6 fix to every Bale a ticket
of the weight and quality: for if there be a faileur, they who fix the ticket
are engag’d to make good what is wanting.
Deceits in I ndigos
Have told you, that when the Work-men have made up the Indigo-Pafte into
lumps, with their fingers dipt in Oil, they lay them in the Sun a drying. Now
thofe that have a defign to cheat the Merchants, dry them in the fand, to the end
that the {and fticking to the Indigo, fhould encreafé the weight. Sometimes they
lay up their Pafte in moift places, which makes it give, and confequently renders
it more heavy. But if the Governour of the place difcovers the cheat, he makes
them feverely pay for it: and the beft way of difcovery is to burn fome pieces of
Indigo, for the fand will remain.
Indian Broakers.
“THE Broakers are as it were the Mafters of the ZrdsanFamilies ; for they have
all Goods at their difpofal. The Work-men choofe the moft aged and moft
experienc’d, who are to endéavor equal advantages for the whole Tribe they under-
take for. Every evening that they return from their bufinefs,and that, according to
the cuftom of the Jud:ans, who make no Suppers, they have eaten fome little
piece of fiweet-meat, and drank a glafs of water, the eldeft of the Tribe meet at
the Broaker’s Houfé, who gives them an account of what he has done that day,
and then they confulr what he is to do next. Above all things, they caution him
to look to his hits, and to cheat, rather than be cheated.
133
AN RR RCE RE we 23: RENE ee Be it ae Cee oF ME i a ee ee
tac 8 Seb J : a ‘ hse 3
, o
Travels in Inpta. Part II.
CHA Powah
Of Diamonds, and the Mines and Rivers where t hey are found ; and
| first of the Author's journey to the Mine of Raolconda,
ae E Diamond is the moft precious of all Stones, and it was in that fort of
Commodity wherein I moft dealt. And therefore to acquire a perfeé ex-
perience, I went to all the Mines ; and to one of the Rivers where they are
found. To which purpofe I travell’d to four Mines; of which 1 will give youa
defcription ; and of one of the Rivers where I have alfo been. :
The firft of thefe Mines, where I was, is in the Territoriés of the King of /;-
fapoxr, in the Province of Carnatica ; and the place is call’d Raolconda, five days
journey from Golconda, and eight or nine from Vifapoar. This Mine was difcover’d
not above two-hunder’d years ago, as I was inform’d by thofe of the Coun-
trey.
Round about the place where the Diamonds are found, the ground is fandy, full
of Rocks, much refembling ‘the parts near Fountain-Bleau. There are in the
Rocks feveral veins, fome half a finger, fome ‘a whole finger-wide: And the
Miners make ufe of Irons with hooks at the end, with which ‘thep pick out the
earth or fand, which they put into tubs, and among that earth they find the Dia-
monds. But becaufe thefe veins do not run always ftreight, but fometimes down,
fometimes upward, the Miners are conftrain‘d to break the Rock, following always
the trace of the veins: When they have open’d all the veins, and taken out all
~ the4and, then they wafh it two or three times over to look for the Diamonds,
In this Mine it is that they find the cleaneft Stones, and of the whiteft water.
But the mifchief is, that to fetch the fand out.of the Rock, they are forc’d to
ftrike fuch terrible blows with a great Iron-leaver, that they flaw. the Dia-
mond, and make it look like Cryftal. Which is the reafon there are found fo
many foft Stones in this Diamond-Mine, though they make a great fhew. If the
Stone be clean, they only give it a turn or two upon the wheel, not caring to fhape
it, for fear of lofing the weight. If there be any flaws, or any points, or any
black or red {pecks in it, they cut all the Stone into Foflets ; or if there be only
a little flaw, they work it under the ridg of one of the Foflets, to hide the de-
fect. Now becaufe a Merchant defires rather to have a black {peck than a red
one; ’tis but burning the Stone, and the fpeck becomes black. This trick at
length [ underftood fo weil, that when I faw any Stories in them that came from
the Mine made into Foflets, efpecially very {mall ones, 1 was certain there was
either fome fpeck or fome flaw in the Stone.
There are feveral Diamond-Cutters at this Mine, but none of them have above
one Mill, which is of Steel. They never cut but one Stone at a time upon each
Mill, cafting water continually upon the Mill, to find out the grain of the Stone ;
which being found, they pour on Oil, (not {paring for powder of Diamonds, though
it be very dear,) to make the Stone flide the fafter ; and they lay on more
weight than we do. I have feen them lay upon one Stone an hunder’d and fifty
pound of Lead. I muft confefs it was a great Stone, which weigh’d an hunder’d
and three Carats, after it was cut; and the Mill was like ours, only the great
Wheel was turn’d by four Negro’s. The Zndians are not of the fame opinion that
we ares for they do not believe that the weight gives any lufter to the Stones.
If theirs be not fabject to take their lufter, ’tis becaufe there is always a Boy that
{tands with a thin woodden-flice jin his hand, and waters the Wheel continually
. With,Oil and Powder of Diamonds. Befides, their Wheel does not go {0 faft as
ours, becaufé the Woodden-wheel that turns the Steel-wheel, is not above three -
foot in Diameter.
They cannot give that lively polifhment to Stones, as we give to ours in Exrope ;
and I believe the reafon to be, becaufe their Wheel does not run fo flat as ours.
For in regard it is of Stee], to rub it upon the Emeril, as muft be done every
four and twenty hours, the Tree muft be taken off, which can never be put on-
again
*
ee re
aeeteeeeeeeee eee
A es Sia ee oe
Book II. TiG0CIh th Apt k
again fo as to run fo flat as it did. Had they the invention of Jron-mills, upon
which they never ufe Emeril, but only the File, becaufe there is no neceflity to
take off the Tree to file the Mill, they might polith their Stones better than they
do. Ihave told you they muft either rub the Mill with Emeril, or file it every:
four and twenty hours. For when the Stone has run for fome time, that part of
the Mill becomes as {inooth and bright as glafs: fo that if you do not rough it
again either with Emeril or the File, the powder will not ftay ; whereas if the
owder ftay, there is more work done in an hour than otherwife in two.
Though a Diamond be naturally very hard, having a kind of a knot, as you fee
jn wood, the Indian Lapidaries will cut the Stone, which our European Lapidaries
find great difficulty to do,and ufually will not undertake to perform; which makes
the Jndi:ans require fomething more for the fafhion. :
As for the Government of the Mines, they trade very freely, and very faith-
fully. They pay two per cent. to the King for all that they buy: befides that, he
has alfo a duty from the Merchants for Jeave to dig. The Merchant after he has
made fearch with the Miners, who know all the places where the Diamonds grow,
choofes out a place about two-hunder’d paces in compafs, where they fet at work
fometimes fifty, fometimes an hunder’d Miners, as they are in haft of work. And
from the day that they begin to work, to the day that they end, the Merchants
pay to the King two Pagods a-day; and four when they employ an hunder’d
men.
Thefe poor people never get above three Pagods all the year long, though they
underitand their bufinefs extremely well ; fo that their wages being fo fimall, they
make no {cruple, when they can handfomely, to’ hide a Stone for their own pro-
fit: and in regard they are quite naked, only for a rag about their privities, fome-
times they are fo dextrous as to fwallow the Stone. The chief of the Merchants
who employ thefe Miners fhew’d me one of them, that had cozen’d him of a
Stone, and had put it into the corner of his eye, but he took it from the fellow
fo foon as he had difcover’d the cheat. To prevent this cozenage, there are twelve
or fifteen in fifty, who are engag’d to the Merchant, that he fhall have no injury
done. him, nor any thefts committed. If by accident they meet with a Stone
that weighs 14 or 16 Carats, they prefently carry it to the Mafter of the work,
who gives him in recompence the Sarpo, which isa piece of Calicut to make
him a Bonnet, to the value of 25 Sous, together with half a Pagod in Silver, or
elfe a whole Pagod, when he gives him neither Rice nor Sugar.
The Merchants that come to trade at the Mines keep their Lodgings ; and every
morning about ten or eleven a clock, after they have din’d, the Mafters of the
Miners bring their Diamonds to fhew them. If the Stones are large, or that there
be fo many as amount from two-thoufand to fixteen-thoufand Crowns, they will
leave them with the ftrange Merchant feven or eight days, for the Merchants to’
confider. When the Merchant has feen the Stones, it becomes him to agree upon
the price ina fhort time. Otherwife the party that owes the Scones, takes them
away again, and you fhall never fee the fame Stones again, unlefS mix’d with
others. When the bargain is concluded, the Purchafer gives a Bill of Exchange
upon the Banker. If you have agreed to pay him in four days, and make him ftay
onger, you muft pay him down one and an half in the hunder’d for a months in-
tereft. Moft commonly when they know the Merchant to be fifficient, they
Will choofe to take a Bill of Exchange for gra, for Golconda, or Vifapour, but,
more efpecially for Surat, as being the moft frequented Port in all India, where ;
they may furnifh themfelves with all Commodities which they want. agents
"Tis very pleafant to fee the young children of the Merchants and otheripe ple
of the Countrey, from the age of ten to fifteen or fixteen years, who feat. em-
felves upon a Tree that lies in the void place of the Town: Every one of them
has his Diamond-weights ina little Bag hanging at one fide, on the other his Purfe
With five or fix-hunder’d Pagods in Gold init. There they fit expecting when
any perfon will come to fell them fome Diamonds. If any perfon brings them a
Stone, they put it into the hands of the eldeft Boy among them, who is as it were
their chief ; who looks upon it, and after that gives it to him that is next him;
by which means it goes from hand to hand, till it return to him again, none of the.
reft {peaking one word, After that he demands the price,’ to buy it if posting :
te
135
136
Travels m Inpta. Part. II
but if he buy it too dear, "tis upon his own account. In the evening the children
compute what they have laid out, then they look upon their Stones, and feparate
them according to their water, their weight, and clearnefs. Then they bring them
to the great Merchants, who have generally great parcels to match: and the pro-
"fit is divided among the children equally ; only the chief among them has a fourth
in the hunder’d more than the reft. As young as they are, they {0 well underftang
the price of Stones, that if one of them have bought any purchafe, and is willip
to lofe one half in the hunder’d, the other fhall give him his Money. They thal
hardly bring you a parcel of Stones, above a dozen, wherein there is not fome
flaw or other defect. z
When I came to the Mine, I went to wait upon the Governour, who told me
I was welcome ; and becaufe he made no queitton but that I had brought Gold
with me, (for they talk of nothing under Gold at the Mines,) he bid me only lay
it in my Chamber, and he would undertake it fhould be fafe. Thereupon he pre-
fented me with four fervants to watch my Gold day and night, and to follow my
orders, bidding me withal fear nothing, but eat, drink, and fleep, and take care of
my health; but withal he told me I muft be careful of not cheating the King,
Thereupon I fell to buying, and found profit enoagh, above twenty in the hunder’d
cheaper than at Golconda.
{ have one thing to obferve which is more than ordinarily curious, concerning
the manner how the Jndians, as well ALabumetans as \dolaters, drive their bar-
gains. Every thing is done with great filence, and without any talking on either
fide. The buyer and the feller fit one before another like two Taylors, and the
one of the two opening his Girdle, the feller takes the right-hand of the purcha-
fer, and covers his own hand and that with his Girdle: under which, in the pre-
fence of many Merchants that meet together in the fame Hall, the bargain is fe-
cretly driven without the knowledg of any pérfon. For then the purchafer nor
feller fpeak neither with their mouths nor eyés, but only with the hand, as thus,
When the feller takes the purchafer by the whole hand, that fignifies a thoufand,
and as often as he fqueezes it, he means fo many thoufand Pagods or Roupies, ac-
cording to the Money!in queftion. If he takes but half to the knuckle of the
middie-finger, that’s as much as to fay fifty: The finall end of the finger to the
firft knuckle fignifies ten. When he grafps five fingers, it fignifies five-hunder’d;
if but one finger, one-hunder’d. This is the myftery which thé Jdians ufe in
driving their bargains. And many times it happens, that in the fame place, where
there are feveral people, one and the fame parcel fhall be fold feven or eight cimes
over, and no perfon know that it was fold in that manner every time. :
As for the weight of the Stones, no perfon can be deceiv’d in them, unlefs he
purchafé them in hugger-mugger. For if they are publickly bought, there isa
perfon on purpofe paid by the King, without any benefit from particular perfons,
whofe place it is to weigh the Diamonds ; and when he has fpoken the weight,
the buyer and féller are fatisfi'd in his words, as not being a perfon any way ob-
lig’d to favour any perfon. | |
= Having difpatch’d all my bufinefs at the Miné, the Governour appointed me fix
Horfé-men to convoy me through the Territories under his Government, which
-exterids to a River that feparates the Kingdom of Vifapour from that of Golconda.
‘Fis‘a very difficult thing to crofs that River, it being deep, broad and rapid ; be-
fides that, there are no Boats. But they ferry over Men, €arriages, Oxen and
Coaches upon-a round Veflel, ten or twelve foot in Diameter, made of Ofier-
twigs, like out Plaskets, and cover’d without with Ox-hides ; as I have already
related. They might eafily ufe Boats, or make a Bridg ; but the King of Gol-
conda will not faffer either, becaufe the River parts the two Kingdoms. Every
evening the Ferry-men on both fides are bound to carry to two Governours on
each fide the River, an exact account of the Perfons, Carriages and Merchandizes
which they ferri’d over that day.
© (Coming to Golconda, I found that the perfon whom I had left in truft with my
Chamber, was dead : but that which I obferv’d moft remarkable, was, that I found
the door fealed with two Seals, one being the Cadi’s or chief Juftice’s, the other
the Sha-Bander’s, or Provoft of the Merchants. An Officer of Juftice, together
with she Servants: I: had:lefy behind, watch’d.the Chamber night and aes A his .
e Sr cer
wy
ope Tamme ts
Book TL =——“‘Travels in Inpta.
Officer hearing of my arrival, went and gave notice to the Cadi and Sha-Bander;
who fent for me. The Cad: prefently ask’d me, if the Money I had left in the
Chamber where the perfon dy’d were mine, and how I could prove it. I told
him L had no better proofs than the Letters of Exchange which I had brought
to the Banker thar paid it by my order to the perfon deceas’d ; to whom I
had alfo giv’n farther order, that if the Banker paid me in Silver, he fhould
change the fum into Gold. Thereupon the Bankers were fent for, who affirm-
ing the payments accordingly, the Cads fent his Deputy to op’n the Chamber
door; nor would he leave me, till I had counted over my Money, and had
afur’d him it was right. After that I return’d to the Cadi and the Sha-Bander,
and fignif’d as much to them; and having paid them fome Fees which they
demanded, to the value of four Crowns and a half of our Money, I return’d
them my thanks for their care, This I relate to fhew the juftice of the Coantry.
, Se s
CHAP. XIL ‘
The Authors Fourney to the other Mines ; and how they find the
Diamonds there.
Spe journey from Golconda Eaftward there is another Diamond Mine;
call’d in the language of the Country Gam, in the Perfian tongue Conlour,
It is near a great Town, by which the fame River runs, which I crofs’d coming
from the other Mine; and a League and a half from the Town is a high Moun-
tain in the form of a Half-Moon; the {pace between the Town and the Moun-
tain is a Plain where they dig and find Diamonds. The nearer they dig to the
Mountain, the larger Stones they find; but at the top they find nothing at
all.
It is not above a hundred years fince this Mine was found out by a Country-
man, who digging in a piece of ground to fow Millet, found ther€in a
pointed Stone that weigh’d above twenty-five Carats ; he not knowing what
the Stone was, but feeing it glifter, carry’d it to Golconda, where as it happen’d
well for him, he met with one that traded in Diamonds. The Merchant in-
forming himfelf of the place where the Stone was found, admir’d to fee a fewel
of that bignefs, not having {een any one before that weigh’d above ten or twelve
Carats. However his report made a great noife inthe Country ; infomuch that
the Mony’d men in the Town fet themfelves to work, and caufing the ground
to be fearch’d, they found, and ftill do find bigger Stones, and in greater quan-
tity than in any other Mine. For they founda great number of Stones from
ten to forty Carats, and fometimes bigger ; among the reft that large Stone
that weigh’d nine hundred Carats, which ee prefented to -4ureng-zeb.
But though this Mine of Cowlozr be fo confiderable for the quantity of great
Stones which are there found, yet the mifchief is, the Stones are not clean ;
the Waters having fomething of the quality of the Earth where they are found,
If the Ground be merfhy, the Water enclines to black ; if it be red, there is @
others yellowifh ; fuch a diverfity of Soils there is between the Town and
Mountain. Upon the moft part of thefe Stones after they are cut, there ap
a kind of greafie moifture, which muft be as often wip’d off. eae
As for the Water of the Stones, it is remarkable, that whereas in Ewrope
we make ufe of day-light to examine the rough Stones, and to judg of their
Water, and the fpecks that are found therein, the Zndiams do all that in the
night-time, fetting up a Lamp with a large Wiek, in a hole which they make
in the Wall, about a foot fquare; by'the light whereof they judg of the Wa-
ter and clearne(s of the Stone, which they hold between their Fingers. The
Water which they call celeftial is the worft of all, and it is impoffible to difcern
it fo long as the Stone is rough. The moft ere to find out that ad
ae ery
rednef$ in the Water; in other places the Stones pt fomewhat greeni ‘ia.
e€ ne
&
~~
137
138
>
Travels in Inpta. Part I].
ter, is to carry the: Stone under a Tree thick of Boughs, for by the Verdure
of that fhade you may eafily difcern whether the Water be blewith or no.
The firft time I was at the Mine, there were above fixty thoufand perfons
at work, men, women, and children; the men being employ’d to dig, the
women, and children to carry the Earth.
After the. Minera have pitch’d upon the place where they intend to work,
they level another place clofe by, of the fame extent, or elfe a little bigger,
which they enclofe with a Wall about two foot high. In the bottom of that
little Wall, at the diftance of every two foot, they make {mall holes to Jet in the
water ; which they {top up afterwards,till they come to drain out the water again,
The place being thus prepar’d, the people that are to work meet all together,
men, women, and children, with the Workmatter in the Company of his Friends
and Relations. . Then he brings along with him fome little Image of the God
that they adore ; which being plac’d upright upon the ground, they all pro-
{trate themfelves three times before it, while their Prieft fays a certain prayer.
The prayer being énded, he marks the forehead of every one with a kind of
Glue, made of Saffron and Gum, to fuch a compafs as will hold feven or eight
Grains of Rice, which he ftieks upon it; then having wafh’d their bodies with
water, which every one brings in his pot, they rank themfélves in order to eat
what the Workmafter prefents them, before they go to work, to encourage
them both to labour and be faithful. This Feaft confifts of nothing elfe but every
one his Plate of Rice, diftributed by the Bramin; for an Idolater may ¢at any
thing from the hands of one of their Priefts. The Plates are made of the Leaves
of a-certain Tree, not much unlike our Walnut-tree Leaves. Befides this, eve-
ry one has a quarter of a pound of Butter, melted in a final] Copper pot with
fome Sugar.
When their Feaft is over, the men full to digging, the women and children
. to carry Earth to the place prepar’d in that manner as L have already defcrib’d,
to any water they leave off. Allthe Earth being carry’d into the place before-
mention'd , the men, women, and children with Pitchers throw the water which
is in the drains upon the Earth, letting it foak for two or three days,according to the
hardhefS of it, till it come to bea kind of Batter ; then they open the holes in
the. Wall to let out the water, and throw on more water ftill, till all the mud
be wath'd away, and nothing left but the Sand. After that they dry it in the
Sun; dn¢ then tkey winnow the Sand in little Winnows, as we winnow our
Corn. The finall duft flies away, the great remains, which they pour out a-
gain upon the ground. :
The Earth being thus winnow’d, they fpread it with a kind of Rake, as thin
as they poffibly can; then with a wooden Inftrument, like a Paviers Rammer,
about half a foot wide at the bottom, they pound the Earth from one end to
the others two or three times over. After that they winnow it again then; and
dpecadiig it at one end of the Van, for fear of lofing any of they Earth, the look
They dig ten, twelve, and fometimes fourteen foot deep ; but when they come
_ Formerly they were wont to pound the Earth with great Flint-ftones, inftead
which made great flaws. in the Diamonds, and is there-
Contour and Raolconda, which the King caus‘d to be fhut up again, by reafon of
fome cheats that were us’d there ; for they found therein that fort of Stones
;Which had this;green outfide, fair and tran{parent, and which appear’d more
fair than the others s but when they came to the Mill they crumbl’d to pieces,
¥
-’ CHAP.
Book I. Fravels in Ixpra. , | 139.
CHAP. XII.
A Continuation of the Authors Travels to the Diamond Mines.
come to the third Mine, which is the moft ancient of all, in the Kingdom
| of Bengala. You may give it the name of Soumelpour, which is the name of
the Town next to the place where the Diamonds are found ; or rather Gouel,
which is the name of the River in the Sand whereof they feek for the Stones.
The Territories through which this River runs, belong to a Raja, who was
anciently tributary to the Great AZogu/, but revolted in the time of the Wars
between Sha-jehan and Gehan-guir his Father. So foon as Sha-jehan came to
the Empire, he fent to demand his Tribute of this Raja, as well for the time
paft, as to come ; who finding that his Revenues were not fifficient to pay him,
quitted his Country, and retird into the Mountains with his Subjects. Upon
his refufal, Sha-jeban believing he would ftand it out, fenta great Army againft
him, perfwading himfelf that he fhould find great ftore of Diamonds in his
Country. But he found neither Diamonds, nor People, nor Vittuals, the Raja
having burnt all the Corn which his Subjects could not carry away ; fo that
the greateft part of Sha-jehans Army perifh’d for hunger, At length the Raja
return’d into his Country, upon condition to pay the AZogul fome flight
Tribute. -
The Way from Agra to this Mine.
From gra to Halabas, coftes 130
From Halabas to Banarous, coftes + 3z
From Banarous to Safaron, coftes. 4
From -dgra to Saferon you travel Eaftward; but from Saferou to the Mine
you muft wind to the South, coming firft toa great Town, coftes | 25
This Town belongs to the Raja I have fpoke of. From thence you go to
aFortre{s call’d Rodas, coftes hoe 4
This is one of the itrongeft places in all 4/2, feated upona Mountain, for-
tif’d with fix Baftions, and twenty-feven pieces of Cannon, with three Moats
full of Water, wherein there are good Fifh. There is but one way to come
to the top of the Mountain, where there is a Plain half a League in compafs,
wherein they fow Corn and Rice. There is above twenty Springs that water
that Plain; but all the reft of that Mountain from top to bottom is nothing
but a fteep Precipice cover’d with over-grown Woods. The Raja’s formerly
usd to live in this Fore with a Garrifon of feven or eight hundred men. But
the Great AZogul has tt now ; having taken that Fort by the policy of the fa-
mous Airgimola, which all the Kings of Jndia could never take before. The
Raja left three Sons, who betray’d one another ; the eldeft was poifon’d, the
fecond went and ferv’d the Great AZogu/, who gave him the command of four
thoufand Horfe ; the third poffeffes his Fathers Territories, paying the AZogul
a {mal] Tribute. |
From the Fortrefs of Rodas to Soumelpour, coftes 36
Soumelpour is a great Town, the Houfes whereof are built of Earth, and co-
ver'd ay with Branches of Coco-trees. All thefe thirty Leagues you travel
through Woods, which is a very dangerous paflage, as being very much pefter’d
with Robbers. The Raja lives half a League from the Town, in Tenrsfet upon
a fair rifing ground, at the foot whereof runs the Gowel, defeending from the
Southern Mountains, and falling into Ganges. eee BAEK
In this River they find the Diamonds. , For after the great Rains are over,
Which is ufually in December, they ftay all Panuary till the River be clear; by,
reafon that by that time in fome places it is not above two foot deep, and
in feveral places the Sand lies above the water. About the end of january.)
or the beginning of February, there epee Papen out of the great Town,
: 2
140
Travels m Inpta. Part. Ik
and fome others adjoining, above eight thoufand perfons, men, women and
children, that are able to work. They that are skilful know by the fand whe.
ther there be any Diamonds or no, when they find among the fand little
Stones like to thofe which we call Thunder-Stones. They begin to make fearch
in the River from the Town of Soumelpour to the very Mountains fram whence
the River falls, for fifty Leagues together.
Where they believe there are Diamonds, they encompafs the place with
Stakes, Faggots, and Earth, as when they go about to make the Arch of a
Bridg to drain all the water out of that place. Then they dig out all the
Sand for two foot deep, which is all carried and {pread upon a great place
for that purpofe prepar’d upon the fide of the River ; encompats’d with
little Wall about a foot and half high. When they have filPd this place with
as much Sand as they think convenient, they throw water upon it, wath
it, and fift it ; doing in other things as they do at the Mines which I have
already defcrib‘d. :
From this River come all thofe fair Points which are call’d natural Points:
but a great Stone is feldom found ‘here. The reafon why none of thefe Stones
have been feen in Ewrope, is becaufe of the Wars, that have hinder’d the people
from working.
Befides the Diamond Mine which I have fpoken of in the Province of
Garnatica, which Mirgimola caus’d to be fhut up, by reafon of» the yellownef§
of the Diamonds, and the foulnefs of the Stones; there is in the Ifland of Bor-
neo, the largeft IMand in the World, another River call?’d Sxecadan , in the
Sand whereof they find Diamonds as hard as any in the other Mines. The
rincipal reafon that diflwaded me frgm going to the Ifland of Borneo was,
b oatite I underftood that the Queen of the Ifland would not permit any
Strangers to carry away any of thofeé Diamonds out of the Ifland. Thofe few
that are exported, being carry’d out by ftealth, and privately fold at Baravia,
I fay the Queen, and not the King, becaufe in that Ifland the Women haye
the Soveraign Command, and not the Men. For the people are fo curious to
have a lawful Heir upon the Throne, that the Husband not being certain
that the Children which he has by his Wife are his own; but the Wife being
always certain that the Children which fhe bears are hers, they rather choofe
to be govern’d by a Woman, to whom they give the Title of Queen; her
Husband * being only her Subject, and having no power but what fhe permits
him.
,-€ HAP. XIV.
Of the diverfity of Weights usd 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.
“AT the Mine of Raolconda they weigh by Mangelins, a Mangelin being
one Carat and three quarters, that is feven Grains.
- Atthe Mine of Gani or Coulour they ufe the fame Weights.
At the Mine of Soxmelpour in Bengala, they weigh by Rati’s, and the Rati
is feven eighths of a Carat, or three Grains and a half. They ufe the fame
Weights over all the Empire of the AZogui. 7
In the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vifapour, they make ufe of Mangelins ;
but a Mangelin in thofe parts is not above one Carat and three eighths. The
— Portugals in Goa make ufe of the fame Weights in Gea; but a Mangelin there
is not above five Grains.
As for the Money in ufe: Firft, in Bengala, in the Territories of the Raa
before mention’d, in regard they lye enclosd within the Dominions of the
Great Afogul, they make their payments in Roupies, ? Zi
Book II. Travels in Ixpta.
At the two Mines about Raolconda in the Kingdom of Vi/apoxr, the payments
are made in new Pagods, which the King coins in his own Name, as being inde-
endent from the Great A4Zogul. The new Pagod is not always at the fame value =
for it is fometimes worth three Roupies and a half; {ometimes more, and fome-
times le(S ; being advanc’d and brought down according to the courfé of Trade
and the correfpondence of the Bankers with the Princes and Governors. ;
At the Mine of Colozr or Gani, which belongs to the Kingdom of Golconda
they make their payments in new Pagods, which are equal in value to the King of
Vifapour’s. But fometimes you are fore’d to give four in the hunder’d more, by
reafon they are better Gold, and befides, they will take no others at the Mine.
Thefe Pagods are coin’d by the English and Hollanders, who, whether willingly or.
by force, are priviledg’d by the King to coin them in their Forts: And thofe of
the Hollanders coft one or two per cent. more than the Englifo, by reafon they are
better Gold, and for that the Miners choofe them before the other. But in re-
ard the Merchants are prepoflefs’d that the Miners are a rude and favage fort of
people, and that the ways are dangerous, they ftay at Golconda, where the Work-
matters keep correfpondence with them, and fend them their Jewels. There they
pay in old Pagods coin’d many ages ago by feveral Princes that Reign'd in Judia
before the Mahumetans got footing therein. Thofé old Pagods are worth four
Roupies anda half, that is to fay, a Roupy more than the new : not that there is
any more Gold in them, or that they weigh any more. Only the Bankers, to ob-
lige the King, not to bring down the price, pay him annually a very great Sum, by
reafon they get very much by it. For the Merchants receive none of thofe Pa-
ods without a Changer to examin them, fome being all defac’d, others low-metal,
others wanting weight : fo that if one of thefe Bankers were not prefent at the
receipt, the Merchant would be a greater Jofer, fometimes one, fometimes five,
fometimes fix ?th hunder’d: for which they alfo pay them one quarter in the
hunder’d for their pains. _When the Miners are paid, they alfo receive their Mo-
ney in the prefence of Bankers, who tells them which is good, and which
is bad; and has for that alfo one quarter ith hunder’d. In the payment of
a thonfand or two-thoufand Pagods, the Banker, for his fee, puts them into a bag,
and feals it with his Seal ; and when the Merchant pays for his Diamonds, he
brings the Geller to the Banker, who finding his bag entire, aflures the party that
all is right and good within ; and fo there is no more trouble.
s for the Roupies, they take indifferently, as well the. Great Mogul’s as the
King of Golconda’s : by reafon that thofe which that King coins, are to be coin’d,
by Articles, with the Great AZogul’s ftamp. :
"Tis an idle thing to believe that vulgar error, that it is enough to carry Spices,
Tobacco, Looking-glaffes, and fach trifles to truck for Diamonds at the Zudian-
Mines: For I can aflure ye, thefe people will not only have Gold, but Gold of the
beft fort too.
As for the roads to the Mines, fome fabulous modern relations have render’d
them very dangerous, and fill’d them full of Lions, Tigers, and cruel People; but
I found them not only free from thofe wild creatures, but alfo the People very
loving and courteous.
From Golconda to Raolconda, which is the principal Mine, the road is as follows :
the road being meafur’d by Gos, which is four French-leagues.
From Golconda to Canapour, one Gas. : 5
From Canapour to Parquel, two Gos and a half.
From Parguel to Cakenol, one Gos.
From Cakenol to Canal-C andanor, three Gos. Pics
From Canol-Candanor to Setapour, one Gos. ye
From Serapour to the River, two Gos. :
That River is the bound berween the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vifaponr.
From the River to dépour, three quarters of a Gos. im
From Alpour to Canal, three quarters of a Gos,
From Canal to Raolconda, two Gos and a half,
Thus fromGolconda to the Mine,they reckon it feventeen Gos,or 68 French-Leagues.
~ yom Golconda to the Mine of Coulour or Ganiy is reckon’d thirteen Gos and
three quarters, or 55 F rench-leagues, :
| Froy
14]
ee cashes enn” =—RSEAEERRRSR a a SR SSST G S aaa
142
~ Fravels in Invia. Part. I]
From Goleonda to Almafpinda, three Gos and a half,
From Almajpinda to Kaper, two Gos.
From Kaper to Montecour, two Gos and a half,
From AMontecour to Naglepar, two Gos.
From WNaglepar to Eligada, one Gos and a half,
From Eligada to Sarvaron, one Gos.
From Sarvaron to Mellaferox, one Gos.
From Aeliaferon to Ponocour, two Gos and a quarter.
At Ponocour you only crofg the River to Coulonr.
CHAP. XV.
The Rule to know the just price and value of a Diamond of what
| sas :
weight foever, from three to a hunderd, and upwards: a fecret
known to very few people im Europe.
[ Make no mention of Diamonds of three Carats, the price thereof being fuf-
ficiently known.
Firft chen, as to others above that weight, you muft know how much the Dia~
‘mond weighs, and fee if it be perfect; if it be a thick Stone, well-fquar’d, and:
haveeall its corners, if the water be white and lively, without fpecks and flaws,
If it be a Stone cut in Facets, which we call a Rofe-Diamond, you mutt take no-
tice whether the form be round or oval, whether it be of a fair breadth, and nor
of Stones clapt together; whether it be of a good water, and without {pecks or
flaws.
_ Such a Stone weighing one Carat, is worth 150 Livres or more. _Now to know
how much’a Stone of the fame perfection, weighing 12 Carats, is worth.
_Moltiply 12 by 12, it makes 144. Then multiply 144 by 150, which is the
price of a Stone of one Carat, it comes to 21600 Livres. ‘
As for Example.
I2
XZ
144
Iso
od : 7200
{te Sai 144
gr To tremeeme es
i BEG OO livres.
To know the price of ‘imperfect Diamonds, you muft obferve the fame rule,
grounded upon the price of a Stone of one Carat.
You have a Diamond of fifteen Carats fhewn ye, neither of a good water, nor
good form, and full of fpecks and flaws befides : fuch a Diamond cannot be worth
above 6o, or 80,.or r00 Livres at moft, according to the goodnefs of the Stone.
Multiply therefore the weight of the Diamond of 15 Carats by 15: then multi-
ply the product, which is 125,by the value of the Stone of one Carat, which we
will grant to be 80 Livres, thé product whereof is 10000 Livres, the price of a
Diamond of 15 Carats.
ory e
: cas % os 2 tis ‘ oe <
mes. © SS Dee See , Rs ny At :
Seton '
2 zs
Book IL. Travels in Ixpvia. 149
Beare ee enone cance SB nan ENE RIMS. TRE AUT WRITE GIES teem Sar reve
The Example.
15
15
—)
cy | a
a re!
r2 ¢
8o
a ee
S eeaanettidienenceiaaeinll
Toooo livres.
By that it is eafy to difcover the difference between a perfect and an imperfect
Stone. For if that Stone of 15 Carats were perfect, the fecond multiplication
fhould be wrought by rs0, which is the price of a perfect Stone of one Carat :
and then the Diamond would come not to 10000 Livres, but to 33750 Livfes,
that is 23750 Livres more than an imperfect Diamond of the fame weight. Eat,
By this rule obferve the price of two the greateft Diamonds of the World for
Cut-ftones, the one in fa, belonging to the Great Afogul; the other in Europe,
in the pofleffion of the Duke of Tx/cany. _ |
The Great AMogul’s Diamond weighs 279 and 9 16th Carats. It is of a perfect
ood water, of a good fhape, with only a little flaw in the edg of the cutting be-
ow, which goes round about the Stone. Without that flaw, the firft Carat were
worth 160 Livres, but for that reafon I reckon it not at above 150 5 and fo by the
tule-it comes to 11723278 Livres, 14 Sous, and 3 Liards. Did the Diamond
weigh no more than 279 Carats, it would not be worth above 11676150 Livres,
{> that the nine 16ths comes to 47128 Livres, 14 Sous, and 3 Liards. :
The Great Duke of Tu/cany’s. Diamond weighs 139 Carats, clean and well-
fhap’d, cut in facets every way « but in regard the water enclines fomewhat to-
ward the colour of Citron, Ido not value the firft Carat above 135 Livres; fo
that by the rule the Diamond ought to be worth 2608335 Livres.
A Diamond by the Miners is call’d /7:, which the Turks, Perfians and Arabians
call Almas.
CHAP. XVI.
Of Colour'd Stones, and the Places where they are found.
Here are but two places in all the Eaft where Colour’d-Stones are found,
within the Kingdom of Pegs, and the Ifland of Ceylan, The firft is a Moun~
tain twelve days journey, or there-abouts, from Siren, toward the North-eaft 5
the name whereof is Capelan. In this Mine are found great uantities of Rubies,
and Efpinels, or Mothers of Rubies, yellow Topazes, blew and white Saphirs, Ja-
cinths, Amethyfts, and other Stones of different colours. . Among thefe Scones
which are hard, they find, other Stones of various colours,. that are very foft,
which th¢y call Baca» in the language of the Countrey, but are of little..or no
efteem. : eS,
Siren is the name of the City where the King of Pegs refides and 4va is the
Port of his Kingdom. From -4va to Siren you go by water in great flat-bottom’d-
Barks, which is a voyage of fixty days. There is no going by land, by reafon the
Woods are full of Lions, Tigers, and Elephants. It. is one of the pooreft Coun-
treys in the World, where there is no Commodity but-Rubies ; the whole Re-
venue whereof amounts not to above a hunder’d-thoufand Crowns. Among:
all the Stones that are there found, you fhall hardly fee one of three or four Ca~,
rats
aa S ape eRe ans ne eee
144 -dravels in Iwoia. Part II.
rats that is abfolutely clean, by reafon that the King ftrictly enjoyns his Subjegt
not to export them out of his Dominions ; befides that, he keeps to himfelf all the
clean Stones that are found. So that I have got very confiderably in my Travels
_by carrying Rubies out of Europe into dfra. Which makes me very much fufpegt
the relation of Vincent le Blanc, who reports that he faw in the King’s Palace
Rubies as big as eggs.
All Rubies are fold by weights, which are call’d Raris; that is, three grains and
a half, or feven 8+4s of a Carat: and the payments are made in old Pagods. ;
A Ruby weighing one Ratis, has been fold for Pagods =
A Ruby of 2 Ratis and one 8r/, Pagods $5
A Ruby of 3 Ratis and one 4th, Pagods 185
A Ruby of 4 Ratis and five 8¢4s, Pagods ie
A Ruby of 5 Ratis, Pagods 525
A Ruby of 6 Ratisand a half, Pagods ae | : 920,
If aRnby exceed fix Ratis, and be a perfect Stone, there is no value to be fet
upon it. | 7
: The Natives of the Countrey call all Colour’d-Stones Rubies, difting aithing
them only by the colour. Saphirs they call Blue-Rubies, Amethyfts they call
Violet-Rubies, Topazes Yellow-Rubies ; and fo of other Stones. \
The other place where Rubies are found, is a River in the Mand of Ceylan,
which defcends from certain high Mountains in the middle of the Ifland ; which
fwells very high when the rains fall ; but when the waters are low, the people
‘make it their bufinefS to fearch among the Sands for Rubies, Saphirs and Topazes,
All the Scones that’are found in this-River, are generally fairer and clearer than
thofe of Pegu. -
I forgot to tell you that there are fome Rubies, but more Balleis-Rabies, and an
abundance of Baftard-Rubies, Saphirs and Topazes ‘found in the Mountains that
run along from Pegs to the Kingdom of Camboya:
Colour’d-Stones are alfo found in fome parts of Exrope, as in Bohemia and Hun-
gary. In Hungary there is a Mine where they find certain Flints of different big-
ch, fome as big as eggs, fome as big as a man’s fift, which being broken, contain
a Ruby within as hard and as clean as thofe of Pega. ni
In Hungary there is a Mine of Opals, which Stone is no-where elfe to be found
in the World but there.
The Tzurquoife is no-where to be found but in Perfa. Where there are two
Mines. The one is called the O/d-Rock, three days journey from Meched, toward
the North-wetft, near a great Town which goes by the name of AL;chabourg.. The
other which is call’d the Wew-Rock is five days journey off. Thofe of the New-
Rock are of a paler blue enclining to white, and lefS efteem’d, fo that you may
have a great many fora little Money. Some years fince the King of Perfia com-
manded that no Turguoifes fhould be digg’d out of the O/d-Rock, bat only for him-
felf ; making ufe of thofe Twrquoifes inftead of enamelling, to adorn Hilts of
Swords, Knives and Daggers; of which the Perfans are altogether ignorant.
As for Emraulds, it is a vulgar error to fay they come originally from the Eaft.
And therefore when Jewellers and Gold-fmiths, to prefer a deep-colour’d Em-
rauld enclining to black, tell ye, it isan Oriental Emrauld, they fpeak that which
is not'true. { confefs I could never difcover in what part of our Continent thofe |
Stones ar¢ found. But fure Iam, that the Eaftern-part of the World never pro-
ty | thofe Stones, neither in the Continent, nor in the Iflands. True itis, —
that fince'the difcovery of America fome of thofe Stones have been often brought
rough fromy Perwto the Philippine-Iflands, whence they have been tranfported in-
to Exrope; but this is‘not enough to make them Oriental. Befides that, at this
time they fend them into Spain through the North-Sea.
* hod at
he CHAP.
a Ss Se 3 oe eat
: | | oe ae
Book IL. Travels inInpia. | 14s.
LCD CL LLL LO LLL OTL ALLTEL
CHAP. XVIL
Of the Pearls, and the Places where they Filo for them.
ty the firft place, there is a Fifhery for Pearls in the Perfian Gulf, round
about the Ifland of Bkren. It belongs to the King of Perfia, and there is
a ftrong Fort in it, Garrifon’d with three hundred men. The Water which
the people drink in that Ifland, and all along the Coaft of Perfia, is brackifh
and ill-tafted, fo that only the Natives of the Country can drink it, FreYh wa-
ter cofts Strangers very dear ; for the people fetch it fometimes one League,
fometimes two Leagues from the Ifland, from the bottom of the Sea, being
let down by a Rope, with a Bottle or two ty’d about their waftes , which
they fill, and ftop it well ; and then giving the Rope a twitch, are hall'd -up
again by their Companions. ree, ia BST 3h
Every one that fifhes pays to the King of Perfia five -Abaff’s, whether he
get any thing or no. The Merchant alfo pays the King fome {mall matter
for every thoufand Oyfters.
The fecond Fifhery for Pearls is right againft Bakren upon the Coaft of -dra-
bia the happy, near the City of Catifa, which together with all the Country
about it, is under the Jurifdition of an -4rabian Prince. The Pearls that’ are
fft’d in. thefe places are fold to the Indians, who are not fo nice as we;
for they give a good price for all, as well the uneven as the round ones. Over
all Afia they chufe the yellow Water enclining to white; for they fay thofe
Pearls that encline fomewhat to a Gold colour, are more brik, and never
change colour; but that the white ones will change in thirty-years years time,
throughthe very heat of the weather and the fweat of the perfon that wears them,
fandaloufly yellow. :
There is a wondrous Pearl in the poffeffion of an Arabian Prince, that took
Mafeate from the Portugals. He then call’d himfelf Jmenseé Prince of AZaf-
caté; being known before only by the name of dceph Ben-dli Prince of No-
reonaé. It is but a fimall Province, but it is the beft of all in the Happy “ra-
bia. Therein grow all things neceffary for the life of man; particularly, de-
licate fruits, but more efpecially moft excellent Grapes , which would make =
moft incomparable Wine. This Prince has the moft wonderful Pearl in the
world, not fo much for its bignefs, for it weighs not above twelve Carats and
one fixteenth, nor for its perfect roundnefs, but becaufe it is fo clear and ‘fo
tranfparent that you may almoft fee through it. The Great AZogul offer’'d him
by a Banian forty thoufand Crowns for his Pearl, but he would not accept
it, By which you fee, that it is more profitable to carry Jewels that are rare
out of #xrope into -4fa, than to bring them out of -dfa into Exrope ; unlets
it be to fapan or China, where Jewels are little efteemd. _
There is another Fifhery for Pearls in the Sea that beats againft the Walls
of a great Town calf’d Afanar, in the Ifland of Ceylan. For their roundnefs and
their Water, they are the faireft that are found in any other Fifhery ; but they
rarely weigh above, three or four Carats. =e
There are excellent Pearls, and of a very good water, and large, whichare
found upon the Coaft of fapan; but there are few fifh’d for, in regard Jewels
are of no efteem among the Natives. een
There are other Fifheries in the Weft Zndies ; in the firit place all along the
Iand of Cxbagna, three Leagues in compafs, lying ten Degrees and a half’ of
Northern Latitude, a hundred and fixty Leagues from Sante Domingo. The Pearls
care fmall, feldom weighing above five Carats. = = a
The fecond Fifhery is ia the Ifland of ip le or the Ifland of Pearls,
a League from Cubagna, but much bigger. This Fifhery is not the moft plen-
tifal, but itistie moft efteem’d of all thofe in the Weft Jndiecs, by reafon the
Pearls are of moft excellent water, and very large. 1 fold one Pear-fafhion’d
to Sha-Eff-Kan, the Great Adoguls Uncle, that weigh’d fifty-five Carats. 7
| ae
ee
he
The third Fifhery is at Camogere, near the Continent.
The fourth at Rio dela Hacha, all along the fame Coatt.
The fifth and Jaft, at St. AZartha’s, fixty Leagues from Rio de la Hacha, Ay
thefe three Fifheries produce very weighty Pearls ; but they are generally ill
fhap’d, and of a water enclining to the colour of Lead.
As for Scotch Pearl, and: thofe that are found in the Rivers of Bavaria, tho
a Neck-lace of them may be worth a thoufand Crowns, yet they are age
to be compar’d with the Eaftern and Weft Indian Pearls.
Some years fince there was a Fifhery difcover’d in a certain place upon the
the Coaft of fapan, and I have feen fome which the Hollanders have brought
thence.. They are of avery good water, and large, but very uneven.
Take,this obfervation along with you, touching the difference of their wa-
ters. fome being very white, others inclining to yellow, others to black, others
to: a:leaden colour. As for the laft, there are no fuch but only in America,
which proceeds from the nature of the Earth at the bottom of the Water,
which is generally more ouzy than inthe Eaft. I onee met with fix Pearls in
the return of a Cargo from the Weft Jndies that were perfectly round, but
black like jet, which weigh’d one with another twelve Carats. I carried them
into the Eaft Jndies to put them off, but could meet with no Chapman to
buy them. As for thofe that incline to yellow, it proceeds from hence, that
the Fifhermen felling the Oyfters to the Merchants in heaps, while they flay
fourteen or fifteen days till the Oyfters Jofe their water, the Oyf{ters waft and be-
gin to fmell, for which reafon the Pearl grows yellow by infection, which ap-
pears to be a truth, in regard that where the Oyfters preferve their liquor the
Pearls are white. Now the reafon why they. ftay till the Oyfters open of them-
felves, is becaufe that if they fhould force them open, they might perhaps in-
jure and cut the Pearl. In fhort, the Eaftern people are much of our humour
in matter of whitenefé, for they love the qwhiteft Pearls and the blackeft Dia-
monds ; the whiteft bread, and the faireft women.
?
| CHAP. XVUE
How the Pearls are bred in the Oyfters; huw they Fife for them,
and at what time.
Gone ancient Writers have vulgarly reported, that Pearls are produc’d by
the Dew of Heaven, and that there is but one in an Oytter ; but experience
teaches the contrary. For the Oyfter never ftirs from the bottom of the Sea,
where the Dew can never come, which is many times twelve fathoms deep;
befides, that it is as often obferv’d, that there are fix or feven Pearls in one.
Oyfter ; and I have had in my hands an Oyfter, wherein there were above ten
beginning to breed. “Tis very trae, that they are not always of the fame bignefs ;
for,they grow in an Oyfter after the fame manner as Eggs inthe Belly of a
Pullet. But I cannot fay there are Pearls in all, for you may open many Oyfters
and find none, : 7
‘Tis no advantage to them that fifh for Pearls; for if the poor people could
find any other employment, they would never ftick to fuch a one as meerly keeps
them alive. But the Land is fo barren, that you may travel twenty Leagues before
you meet with one blade of Grafs ; and the people are fo miferably poor, that
they. feed upon nothing but Dates and Salt-fith.
They fifth in the Eaftern Seas twice a year; the firft time in ALZarch and April,
the fécond time in -4ugu/? and Seprember; and they keep their Fairs in june
and November. However they do not fith every year ; for they that fith, will
know beforehand whether it will turn to account or no. Now to the end they
_tnay not be deceiv’d, they fend to the places where they are wont to fith,
feven or eight Barks, who bring back each of them about a thoufand Sia
"a whic
Book IL. Travels im Invia,
which they open, and if they find not in every thoufand Oyfters to the value
of five Fano’s of Pearl, which amounts to half a Crown of our Money, ’tis a
fign that the Fifhing will not turn to account, in regard the poor people would
‘not be able to defray their charge. For partly for a ftock to fet out, and partly
for victuals while they are abroad, they are fore’d to borrow Money at three
and fotr in the hundred a month. So that unlefs a thoufand Oyfters yeild
them five Fano’s of Pearls, they do not fifh that year. As for the Merghants,
they muft buy their Oyfters at hap-hazard, and be content with what they
find inthem: If they meet with great Pearls, they account themfelves happy ;
which they feldom do at the Fithery of Afanar, thofe Pearls being fit for little
elfe but to be fold by the Ounce, to powder. Sometimes a thoufand Oyfters a-
mounts to feven Fano’s, and the whole Fifhery to a hundred thoufand Piafters,
The Hollanders take of every Diver eight Piafters, in regard they always attend
the Fifhery with two or three fmall Men of War, to defend them from the
Malavares Pyrats. )
The more Rain falls in the year, the more profitable the Fithery happens to
be. They fith in twelve fathom water, five or fix Leagues off at Sea, ‘fome-
times two hundred and fifty Barks together, among which there is not ‘above
one or two Divers at moft. ei4
There is a Cord ty’d under the Arms of them that dive, one end whereof is
held by them that are in the Bark. There is alfoa great ftone of eighteen or
twenty pound ty’d to the great Toe of him that dives; the end of the Rope
that faftens it being alfo held by them in the Veflel. The Diver has befide a
Sack made like a Net, the mouth whereof is kept open with a Hoop. Thus
provided, he plunges into the Sea, the weight of the ftone prefently finki
him; when he is at the bottom, he flips off the ftone, and the Bark puts of
Then the Diver goes to filling his Sack, as long as he can keep his breath ;
which when he can do no longer, he gives the Rope a twitch, and is prefently
hall’'d up again. Thole of A4anar are better Fifhers, and ftay longer in the wa-
ter than thofe of Bakren and Catifa; for they neither put Pincers upon their
Nofes, nor Cotton in their Ears, as they do in the Per(an Gulf. . :
After the Diver is draw’n up, he ftays half a quarter of an hour to take
breath, and then dives again, for ten or twelve hours together. As for the
Oyfters themfelves, they throw ‘em away, as being ill-tafted and unfavoury.
To conclude the difcourfe of Pearls, you are to take notice, that in Europe
they fell them by the Carat weight, which is four Grains. In Perfia'they Il
them by the Abas, and one Abas is.an eighteenth lefs than: our Carat. . Ia-the
Dominions of the Adogal, the Kings of Vifapour and Golconda weigh ‘them-by
the Ratis, and one Ratis is alfo an eighteenth lefs than our Carat. ee
Goa was formerly the greateft place of the world for the trade of Jewels
and Pearls. You muft know therefore, that in Goa, and in all other places which
the Portugals had in the Jndses, they us’d a particular weight to fell their Pearls
‘by, which they call Chego’s ; the proportion whereof to Carats appears in the
following Table. oe: IH"
Ae Caras
147
148
Travels in Inpta.
Fe Part Il.
ig a ge a terrence tere NS mae Mere ae, eee et ey
Carats. Chegos. Carats. Chegos.
Seren nc rc c re eee CEES MASPOSERL SELES US Mer oR a A ECTS AEE Re
i 5 21 ————- ——_——. 306
§ sideman FUSS 2.2 336 ;
3 ——___-———— I Land ahalf 23 367 &a quarter
4——_-—— 1 2 4.00
j-o_ 21 25 =. 430
6 27 26 469 & aquarter
7 whi 34 xy : 06 &a quarter
8 44 28 ——-— ig & a quarter
9 - 5 29 Jo4
10 wee 09 39 ———— 625
ee 84. 31———. . ~ —. 667 K aquart.
12 ot —— 100 32 Ji |
£5 act 117 33 756anda quart. }
14 o—~ = 136 34 802 and 3 quart.
15 arabes TES 35 850 and a quart.
16 a. 177 & 3 quart. 36 goo
5 nn 200 & aha 37 gso and a half
£8 Sateen 228 38 ———— 1002 and 3 quar.
19 ———--————- 20 K ahalf 39 1056 ;
20 - 277 & 3 quar. 4o- —————— 1111 anda quar.
CHAP. XIX,
Obfervations upon the faireft and largeft Diamonds and Rubies which
the Author has [een in Europe and Afia, rere ented according to the
. Figures in the Plates ;.as al'o upon thofe which tke Author fold to the
Number ¥,
King upon his last return from the Indies: with the Figure of a
7 lage Tip and the faireft Pearls iu the World.
His Diamond belongs to the Great AZogu/, being cut, into the fame form ; and
it weighs 319 Ratis and an half, which make 279 and nine 16ths of our Ca-:
rats: when it was rough, it weigh’d 907 Ratis, which make 793 Carats,
Numb. 2.
Is the figure. of 2 Diamond belonging to the Great Duke of Tu/eany. It weighs
©2339 Carats and. an half: the fault of it is, t
Citron-colour.
©
| Numb. 3.
hat the water enclines fomewhat toa
Is a Stone that weighs 176 and one 8th Mangelins, which makes 242 Carats and
five 16ths. A Mangelin coming to one and three 8ths of our Carats. Being at
Golconda \ faw this Scone; and it was the biggeft that ever I faw in my life in a
Merchant’s-hands, It was valu’d at sooooo Roupies, or 75.0000 Livres of our
Money : I offer’d 400000 Roupies, but could not have it.
Sat ‘
Sigine.
mete b Tos,
ay
oe
Is the figure of a Diamond which I bou
Ratis, or 157 Carats and a quarter.
es
Numb, 4,
MS
ght at Amadabat ; atid it weigh'd 17%
\
Nan, §
Page. Ly Oo. Jeti in India.
WLW
———
} Paye Le : Travells in India.
‘ ee
yf Ay "
AMT \\,
| * be \
OQ
ih MN,
\,
The Bottome.
The upper Lark
i Lhickn
Oty |
‘ y Lower part
~
x
cfs
AN y reft are white any Cleare |
c
? : - let
A. Le a Diamond cleane of a faire Vio: ;
: and were Cutt in Indra .
BC Are two of apale rofe Cotour
: ‘ —
D.TIs one of an Cartraordinary faire Tao three helow ». es Se
are foule
WIALCE..
Book TL. Travels in Inpta.
: Numb. §.
Is the figure of the fore-mention’d Diamond, after it was cut on both fides z
there remaining 94 Carats and a half; the water being perfect. The flat-fide
where there were two flaws below, was as thin asa fheet of brown-paper : When
the Stone was cut, I caus’d all that thin fide to be taken off, with one part of the
end aboye, where there remains one little fpeck of a flaw. |
Numb. 6.
Is another Diamond which I bought at the Mine of Cowlour. It is fair and
clean, and weighs 36 Mangelins, or 63 and 3 8+4s of our Carats.
Numb. 7 and 8.
Are two pieces of a Stone that was cut in two, which be'ng entire, weigh’d 75
Mangelins and a half. or 104 Carats. Though it were of a good water, it feem’d
fo foul in the middle, that, in regard it was large, and held at a high price, there
was ne’re a Banian would venture uponit, At length an Hollander bought it,
and cutting it in two, found in the iniddle of it eight Carats of filth like a rotten—
weed, The {mall piece happen’d to be clean, excepting a little flaw hardly to be
perceiv’d, but for the other, wherein there are fo many other crof$ flaws, there
was no way but to make feven or eight pieces of it. The Hollander ran a great
rifeo in cutting it a-funder; for it was very great luck that ic had not broke into
ahunder’d pieces. Yet for all that it did not turmto account ; {0 that it is in vain
for another to buy that which a Bavian refutes, =
CRAP SG
The Forms of twenty Rubies which the Author fold to the King
upon his laft return from the Indies. The firft part of the Plate
jsoews the weight, extent, and thicknefs of every Stone. ©
Numb. Ti
| the Figure of a Ruby that belongs to the King of Perfia, It’ is in fhape
and bignefs like an Egg, boar’d through in the middle, deep colour’d, fair
and clean, except one flaw in the fide. They will not tell you what it coft,
nor let you know what it weighs; only it appears by the Regifter that jr
has been feveral years in the Kings Treafury. + . :
Numb, 2.
etry?
Hind jd 4
_Is is the Figure of Ruby belongin to the King. of Vifapour, Numb, 4, is
the height of the Stone above the Gold, And Numb. 3, is the.roundnefé of the
Beazil::
: I59 2 Travels in Inpra. Part Uy.
: Beazil. It weighs fourteen Mangelins, or feventeen Carats and a half; a Vif,
pour Mangelin being but five Grains. It coft the King I4200 new Pagods, or
74550. Livres. |
Numb, a
Is the Figure of a Ruby that a Banian fhew’d me at Banarous ; it Weighs
g8 Rati’s, or 50 Carats and 3 quarters; being of the fecond rank in beauty. In
fhape it is like a*Plump Almond, bor’d through at the end. I offer’d 40000
Roupies, or 60000 Livres for it; but the Merchant demanded 55000 Roupies,
Numb. 6,
eS Is the Figure of a great Topaz belonging to the Great Mogul; nor did]
SE. fee him wear any other but that, all the while I was in Jndis. This Topaz
i weighs 181 Rati’s and half a quarter, or 157 Carats and three quarters. It
ot was bought at Goa for the Great AZogul, and coft 181000 Roupies, or 271500
Livres of our Money.
it ye Numb, 7) 8, 9.
Are the Figures of three feveral Rubies belonging to the King of France;
Numb. x.
Is the Figure of a igen which the King of Perfia bought at the Fifhery of
Catifain Arabia. It cofthim 32000 Tomans, or 1400000 Livres of our Money,
at forty-fix Livres and fix Deneers to a Toman, [t is the faireft and moft per-
fect Pearl that ever.was yet found to this hour, having no defect,
Numb. 2...
Is the Figure of the biggeft Pearl that ever I {aw in the Court of the Great
Mogul, It hangs about the artificial Peacocks neck that adorns his great Throne,
% : Numb, 3.
be: Is the Figure of a Pearl that I fold to Cha-Eff-Kan; the Water is fome-
oe what faint, but it is the biggeft Pearl that was ever carried out of Enrope into
a Afi :
Numb. 4: j
é, . Isa great perfect Pear L as well forts Water as for ‘its form, which is like
— an Olive. Itis in the midft of a Chain of Emraulds and Rubies, which the Great
a: Mogul wears ; which being put on, the Pearl dangles at the lower part of
. his Breatt. ee
i eo A
Same) oy A- «ot Wilembe gid fi -
Is a Pearl perfectly: round, the biggeft lever faw, and belongs to the Great
Moga. The like could never be found; for which reafon the Great Adogal att
‘it up very charily, and: never ufes! it. For if it could be match’d, both would —
make.a Pair of Pendants for the Ears, fet between Rubies or Emraulds, accor-
: ding to the cuftom of the Country ; there being no perfon of any quality that
2 does not wear a Pearl between two colour’d Stones in his Ear,
ee | 7 : :
> i : .
f - . * i y > PTO ae a 4
pag ns Rite "a Sell ‘ ‘ iis , LAS id. G4 Mit? ei <
a ' ise na x : : ; : é ; : <
Le arte 2: - ; ; t j ry ‘ 4
aL . h. ‘pirat Meets Pr’ ft #) ey, { r
* wat a inagee = ge Fo ath tied Saws a S ais pitti gs - Pot s
« hes ‘.
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Page.Jgo. Travells in India.
i
Page J50 - Travels un Indra
e
belonging to his Maze [tre e
tranfpa rent guite through.
Se, 2 % “ed :. CR °
vl he fe P*7722 of th PLE OB a laws St Zé hie.
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Book dl. = Travels in Anpia Lea:
\
CHAP. XXt
Of Coral, and Yellow Amber; and the places where st is found.
Oral, but little valu’d in Exrope, is highly efteem’d in all the three other parts
of the World; and ghere are three places where they fifh for it upon the Coaft
of Saraigna. That of Arguerrel is the faireft of all. The fecond place is call’d
Boza; and the third is neer the Ifland of St. Peter. There are two other places
— upon the Coaft of France, the one neer the Baftion of France; the other at Tz
barque. There is alfo anothér Fifhery upon the Coaft of Sicily, neer Trepano, but
the Coral is fmall, and ill-colour’d. There is another upon the Coaft of Catalogna,
neer Cape de Quiers; where the Coral is large, and of an excellent colour, but
the branches are fhort. There is a ninth Fifhery in the Ifland of Majorque, much
like that neer the Ifland of Corfica. And thefe are all the places in the AZedster-
ranean-Sea, where they fith for Coral ; for there is none ataJl inthe Ocean.
Becaufe that Coral grows under the hollow Rocks where the Sea is deep, the
Fifhers fix two {pars of wood a-crofs, faftening a great piece of Lead in the mid-.
dle to make it fink : after that they wind carelefly about the fpar good ftore of
tufted Hemp, and faften the wood to two Cords, one end whereof hangs at the
Poop, the other at the Prow of the Veflel. Then letting go the wood with the
ftream or current by the fides of the Rock, the Hemp twifts it felf among the
Coral, fo that fometimes they ftand in need of five or fix Boats to pull up the
wood again: and if one of the Cables fhould chance to break with the ftrefs, all
the Rowers are in danger to be loit. While they tear up the Coral thus by force,
there tumbles as much into the Sea as they fetch up: and the bottom of the Sea
being generally very ouzy, the Coral will be eaten as our fruits are eaten by the
worms ; fo that the fooner they get it out of the mud, the lefs ic will be wa-
fted.
This puts me in mind of one thing that I faw at AZLurfeilles in a Shop where
they dealt in Coral. It was a great piece of Coral, as big about as a man’s fift,
which becaufe it was a little worm-eaten, was cut in two pieces. When it was
fo cut, there was a worm that ftirr’d, and had life, and liv’d for {ome months after,
being again put into the hole. For among fome branches of Coral there engen-_
ders a kind of {pongy-matter, like our honey-combs, where thefe worms lye like
bees. 3
Some think that Coral is foft in the Sea, though in truth it be hard, But. this
indeed is as true, that incertain months of the year you may fqueze out of the.
end of a branch a kind of milky-fubftance ; and this perhaps may be a kind of
feed, which falling upon any thing that it firft meets with in the Sea (as if it light
upon a dead Skull, the blade of a Sword, or a Pomgranate) produces another
branch of Coral. And I have feen a Pomgranate, and had it in. my hand, that had
fallen into the Sea, about which the Coral had twin’d at leaft half a foot high. —
They fith for Coral from the beginning of April to the end of fuly ; to which
pirpot there are employ’d above 200 Veffels, fome years more, and fome years
es. They are built all along the River of Genoa, being very {wift. Their fails
are very large for more {wifinefs, fo that there are no Gallies can reach them.,
There are feven men and a boy to every Barque. They never fifth above forty
miles from the Land, where they think there are Rocks, for fear of the Pyrats,
from which they make all the Sail they can when they fee them, and. eafily fcape
them through the nimblenefs of their Veflels. | ene
[have one obfervation to make concerning Coral, in refpect. of the Eaftern-
people. The faponners make little account of Jewels or Pearls ; valuing nothing.
{o much as a good grain of Coral, wherewith they-pull the ftring that fhuts their
Purfes, fuch as we had formerly in England. So:that they ftrive who fhall have
the faireit grain of Coral hanging at the end of the Silk-ftring that draws their
Purfes, For this reafon a piece of Coral as big as an egg, fair and clean without
any flaw, will produce what any man will ask in reafon for it. The Parengecles
162
‘Travels in Inpta. ~ Pare: ie
ever he could fay to juftify himfelf.
a eRe
‘have aflur’d me they would fometimes give 20000 Crowns for fuch a piece. And-
no wonder they will give fo much Money fora piece of Coral, who defpifing al]
other Jewels and Pearls, care for nothing but that which is in no efteem any where
elfe. They fet a great value upon the Skin of a certain Fifth which jis rougher
than a Seal-skin. Upon the back of the Fifh there are fix little holes, and fome.
times eight, fomewhat elevated, with another in the middle; in the form of 4
Rofe. They make Scabberds for Swords of the Skin ; and the more thofe holes
grow in the form of a Rofe, the higher value they put upon them; having giy’n
ten-thoufand Crowns for a Skin. To conclude the difcousfe of Coral, you mutt
know that the meaner fort of people ufe it for Bracelets and Neck-laces al] over
Afia, efpecially toward the Northern Territories of the Great Mogul ; and all —
along the Mountains as you go to the Kingdom of Afen and Boutan.
Yellow- Amber is only found upon the Coaft of Praffia in the Baltick-Sea, where
the Sea throws it upon the Sand when fich and fuch winds blow.. The Elector
of Brandenburgh, who is Sovereign of that Coaft, farms it out for 20000 Crowns
a year, and fometimes 22000, And the Farmers keep guards on both fides of
the fhoar, in regard the Sea cafts ic up fometimes upon one fide, and fometimes
upon the other, to prevent the ftealing of it.
Amber is nothing but a certain congelation made in the Sea, like a certain Gum;
for you fhall find in feveral pieces, Flies, Gnats, and other infects congeal’d thereig,
I faw feven or eight Flies fo congeal’d in one peice.
In China, when any great Lord makes a Feaft, it is for his Grandeur and Mag-
nificence to caufe three or four feveral forts of Perfiiming-pots to be fet upon the
Table, and to throw into every one of them a vatt quantity of Amber; for the
more it burns, and the bigger the pieces are, the more magnificent is the Enter-
tainment accounted. The reafon of this cuftom is, becaufe they adore the fire ;
and befides, that the Amber cafts forth a {cent pleafing to the Chinefes, there isa
Kind of Oil in it, that flames after a more unuftial manner than other materials-of
fire. This wait of Amber makes it the beft Commodity that could be imported
into China, if the Trade were free for Stfangers. At prefent the Hollanders have
engrofs’d all this Trade to themfelves, and the Chinefes come all to Batavia to
buy it.
As for Amber-grife; there is no perfon in the World that knows either what it
is, or where, or how it is produc’d. But the faireft probability is, that it muft be
only in the Eaftern-Sea: though fome parcels have been found upon the Coaft of
Lngland, and in fome other parts of Europe. The greateft quantity is found upon
the Coaft of ALelindz, efpecially in the mouth of a River call’d Ri de Sena. The
Governor of ALozambique gets in the three years of his Government above
300000 Pardo’s of Amber-grife, every Pardo containing 27 Sous of our Money,
Sometimes they meet with very large and very confiderable pieces, In the year
1627 a Portugal fetting Sail from Goa to the Afanilles, after he had paft the
Streight of AZalacca, was by tempeft driv’n neer an unknown Ifland, where they
came to an Anchor. Several of the Ship’s-Company ventring a7fhore, met with
a River; and going to bath themflves in it, one of them found a great piece of
Amber-grife that weigh’d thirty-three pounds ; but falling together by the ears
about their fhares, the Captain, to reconcile them, told them ’twas pitty to deface
it, in tegard it was a Prefent fit for the King ; and therefore advis’d them to prefent
it to the Vice-Roy, who would no doubt reward them for their pains. By that
means the Captain got the parcel out of their clutches, and prefenting it to the
Vice-Roy, got a reward for himfelf ; ad the Party that found it: but the reft had
nothing atall,
In the year 1646 or 1647, a Middleburgher of good quality found a piece of
forty-two pounds upon the Coaft of the ifland of St. Maurice, where he com-
manded for the Holland-Company, Eaft of the Iland of St. Lawrence, and fent it
to Batavia: but there being a mark, as if fome piece of it were broken off, the
Z elander yas accus’d to have taken half, and turn’d out of his Command, what-
? &
CHAP,
See
za be ge:
“
3 bites
5 te tl i an ed
Mh
wilds Msp
cast Which y
B
ee
00k TL.’ Travels in essa 153
a
~
; CHAP. XXII.
Of Musk and Bezoar ; and {ome other Medicinal Stones.
. |
‘
Ea
®@ se
s
au HE beft fort, and the greateft quantity of Musk, comes from the Kingdom
of Boxtan, ftom whence they bring it to Patna, the chief City of Bengala,
to truck it away for other Commodities. All the Musk that is fold in Perfiz comes
from thence. And the Musk-Merchants had rather deal with you for Coral and
Yellow-Amber, than for Gold or Silver; in regard the other is more in efteem
among the Natives where they live. I was fo curious as to bring the Skin of one
to Paris, of which-I caus’d the figure to be cut.
After they have kill’d the creature, they cut off the bladder that grows under
the belly as big as an egg, neerer to the genital parts than to the navil. Then they
take out the Musk that is in the bladder, which at that time looks like clotted-
blood. When the Natives would-adulterate their Musk, they ftuff the bladder
__ with the liver and blood of the Animal flic’d together, after they have taken out
as much of the right Musk as they think convenient. This mixture in two or
three years time produces certain Animals in the bladder that eat the good Musk ;
fo that when you come to open it, there is a great waft. Others, fo foon as they
have cut off the bladder, and taken out as much of the Musk, as that the deceit
may not be too palpable, fill up the Veffel with little ftones to make it weight.
The Merchants are Jefs difpleas’d at this deceit ‘than the former, by reafon that
they do not find the Musk to be eaten. But the deceit is harder to be difcoverd,
when they make little Purfes of the skin of the belly of the Beaft, which they
fow up with ftrings of the fame skin, which are like the true bladders ; and then be
fill thofe Purfes with what they have taken out of the night. Hfedders, and the
other fraudulent fnixture which they defign to put among it’ True it is, that
fhould they tye up the bladder fo foon-as they cut it off, wee giving it air or
time to lofe its force, the ftrength of the perfume would caufe the blood to gufh
out of the nofe, fo that it muft be’qualifi'd to render it acceptable, or rather lefs
hurtful t6 the brain. The fcent of the Beaft which I carri’d to Paris, was fo
ftrong, that I could not keep it in my Chamber; for it made all peoples heads ake
that came neer it. At length my Servants laid it ina Garret, and cut off the
| bladder, and yet the fcent remain’d very ftrong. This creature is not to be found
‘ in 65 degrees, but in 60 there are vaft numbers, the Countrey- being all over co-
ver'd with Forrefts. True it is, that in the months of Feéraary and arch, after
thefe creatures have endur’d a fharp hunger, by reafon of the great Snows that
fall where they breed, ten or twelve foot deep, they will come to 44 or 45 de-
grees to fill them themfelves with Corn and new Rice. And then it is that the
Natives lay gins and fnares for them to catch them as they go back: fhooting
fome with Bows, and knocking others o’the heads. Some have affur’d me that
they are fo Tean and faint with hunger at that time, that you may almoft take
them running. There mutt be furely a prodigious number of thefe creatures, none
of them having above one bladder no bigger than a Hen’s-egg, which will not —
yield above half an ounce of Musk: and fometimes three or four will not afford
an ounce ; and yet what a world of Musk is bought up? re
The King of Bowtan fearing that the cheats and adulterations of Musk would a
fpoil the Musk-Trade, order’d that none of the Bladders fhould be fow’d up, but ax,
that they fhould be all brought to Boxtan, and there, after due infpection, be feal’d
up with his Seal. Yet notwithftanding all the warinefs and care of the King, they
will fometimes cunningly open them, and put in little pieces of Lead to augment
the weight. In one Voyage to Patna I bought 7673 bladders, that weigh'd 2557
ounces and an half; and 452 ounces out of the bladder, :
Bezoar comes from a Province of the Kingdom of Golconda toward the North-
eaft. It is found among the ordure in the paunch of a wild-Goat, that browzes
upon a certain Tree, the name whereof I have forgot. This fhrub bears little
buds, round about which, and the tops of the oes the Bezoar engenders te
W
i54
Travels in Ippra. Part I. .
LLL LLL EEOC CL ACEC CTL,
the maw of the Goat. It is fhap’d according to the form of the buds or tops of
the branches which the Goats eat: which is the reafon there are fo many fhapes
of Bezoar-Stones. ‘The Natives, by feeling the belly of the Goat, know how
many Stones fhe has within, and fell the Goat according to the quantity. This
they will find out by fliding their hands under their bellies, and then fhaking both
fides of the paunch ; for the Stones will fall into the middle, where they may
eafily count them all by their feeling,
. The rarity of Bezoar is in the bignefs ; though the {mall Bezoar has the fame
vertue as that whichis larger. But there is more deceit in the large Bezoar ; for
the Natives have gota trick to add to the bignefS of the Stone, with a certain
Paite compos'd of Gum, and fomething elfe of the colour of Bezoar. And they
are {0 cunning too, to fhape ir juft like natural Bezoar. The cheat is found out
two ways; the firft is by weighing the Bezoar, and then fteeping it in warm wa-
ter; if neither the water change colour, nor the Bezoar lofé any thing of its
weight, the Stone is right. The other way is to thruft a red-hot Bodkin of Iron
into the Stone ; if the Bodkin enters, and caufes it to fry, there isa mixture. Be-
zoar is dearer according ro the bignef$ of the Stones, advancing in price like Dia-
monds. For if five or fix Bezoars weigh an ounce, an ounce will be worth fifteen
or eighteen Franks; but if it be a Stone of one ounce, that very ounce is well
worth 100 Franks, I have fold one of four ounces and a half for 2000 Li-
yres, :
* [have been very curious to inform my felf of all things that concern’d the
bature of Bezoar ; but could sever learn in what part of the body of the Goat
it was to be found. One time among the reft, having oblig’d feveral Native Mer-
chants by putting off for them a great quantity of Bezoar; upon my requeft,
though it be death without mercy to tranfport any of thefe Goats out of the
Countrey, they brought me fix Goats by ftealth to my lodging. When I ask’d
the ptice of them, I was furpriz’d, when they told me one was worth but three
Roupies ; that the two other were worth fout Roupies ; and the three others
four and three quarters a piece. I ask’d them why fome were more worth than
others:; but 1 found afterwards that the firtt had but one Bezoar, that the reft
had two, or three, Or four. The fix Goats had inall feventeen Bezoars in them,
and a half one, as big asthe half of a Hazel-nut. The infide was like the foft
ordure of the Goat, the Bezoar lying among the dung, which is in the belly of
the Goat. Some &averr’d thar they grew right againft the liver, others right
againit the heart, but I could never find out the truth.
As well in the Eait, as Weft, there are a great quantity of Bezoars that breed
in the fame manner in Cows ; of which there have been fome that have weigh’d
fevcnteen or cighteen ounces; For theré was fuch a one that was giv’n to the Great
Duke of 7: jceny, —ButchofeBezoars are little efteem’d, fix grains of the other
pan
Bezoar working page Shee! than thirty of this. |
As tor the Bezoar/which breeds in Apes, as fome believe, it is fo ftrong, that two
grains work as efiectudily as fix Of \Goat’s-Bezoar: but it is very fcarce, as being
only found in'thote.Apes that breed in the Ifland of Afacaffar. This fort of Be-
zoar is round, whereas.the other is of {everal fafhions, as I faid before. As the
Apes Bezoar is ftronger, and: fearcer than the Goats, fo it is dearer, and more
foughtiafter ; a piece as big as anut, being fometimes worth a hunder’d Crowns.
The Porengals make great account of this Bezoar, ftanding always upon their
guard for fear of being poifon’d. Riese ree
There i8aniother Stone in great efteem, that is call’d the Porcupine’s-Stone,
which that creaturé.is faid to carry in its head, and is more precious than Bezoar
‘againit poifon. If itbe-fteep’d in water a quarter of an hour, the water becomes
do bitter, that nothing can be-more bitter, fometimes.
imevhe belly of that creatine-of the fame nat :
‘from ithe head ;: neverthelefs with: this difference, that being.
lofes nothing of its weight for! bulk, as the other-dees. . 1have' bought i
time'three Of thofe Stones. One of them cof me. oo Crowns, and |
at-toadvantage:... Dpaid-four-hunder’d Crowns for th other, which I
other was fold:mie for 200 Crowns, which I prefented toa friend.
eet S508 30 Say wedopod al) to coc tags 3 5g hie
DF iye ae?
r
Sh waa a ee
eae ee There
Book IL. Travels in Inpta.
There is the Serpent-Stone not to be forgot, about the bignefs of a double ;
and fome are almoft oval, thick in the middle, and thin about the fides. The /n
dians report that it is bred in the head of certain Serpents. But I rather take it
to be a Story of the Idolater’s Priefts, and that the Stone is rather a compofition
of certain drugs. Whatever it be, it is of excellent vertue to drive any venom
out cf thofe that are bit by venomous creatures. If the perfon bit be not much
wounded, the place muft be incis’d ; and the Stone being applid thereto, will not
fall off till it has drawn all the poifon toit. To cleanfe it, you muft fteep it in
Womans-milk, or for want of that, inCows-milk ; after the Stone has Jain ten or
twelve hours, the milk will turn to the colour of an Apoftemated matter. The
Arch-Bifhop of Goa carrying me to his Cabinet of Rarities, fhew’d me one of
thefe Stones : and after he had affur’d me of the rare qualities it had, he gave it.
-me. Once as he crofs’d a Merfh in the Ifland of Salfere where Goa itands, one of
the men that carri’d his Pallequis, being half naked, was bit by a Serpent, and heal’d
at the fame time. I bought feveral ; but there are none but the Bramines that
fell them, which makes me believe that they compound them. There are two
ways to try whether the Serpent-Stone be true or falfe. The firft is, by. putting
_ the Stone in your mouth, for then it will give a leap, and fix to the palate.. The
other is, by putting it in a glafs full of water ; for if the Stone be true, the wa-
ter will fall a boyling, and rife in little bubbles up to the top of the G@afs,
There is another Stone, which is call’d the Serpent’s-Stone with the hood. This
isakind of Serpent that has a kind of a hood hanging down behind the head, as
it is reprefented in the Figure. And it is behind this hood that the Stone is found,
many times as big as a Pullet’s-egg. There are fome Serpents both in fa and
America of a monftrous bignefs, 25 foot long ; as was that, the skin whereof is
kept in Batavia, which had {wallow’d a Maid of 18 years of age. Thefe Stones
are not found in any of thofe Serpents that are not at leaft two foot long. This
Stone being rubb’d againft another Stone, yields a.certain flime, which be-
ing drank in water by the perfon that has the poifon in his body, powerfully drives
it out, Thefe Serpents are no-where to be found but upon the Coafts of ALelinde s
but for the Stones you may buy them of the Portaguece Mariners and Souldiers
that come from ALozambique, : :
= i
f
pe an
=.
erg ter eet
Travels in Inpta. are al.
CHAP: XAG
Of the Places where they find thetr Gold both in Afia und America.
: | Apon, which confifts of feveral Iflands Eaftward of China, bending to the North,
fome people believing that Wiplon, which is the biggeft, is in a manner join’d ty
the firm Land, is that Region of al] -Afa that yields the greateit quantity of Gold:
Though others believe it is found in the Ifland of Formofa, and carri’d thence tg
japon. For as long as the Hollanders have had the land, they could neyer
yet tell what is the Trade of that Coaft, whence they believe the Gold comes,
There comes alfo Gold from China, which the Chinefes exchange for the Silyer
which is brought them. For price for price, they love Silver better than Gold
becaute they have no Silver-Mines. Yet it is the coarfeft metal of all the 4,
tsck Gold. ;
The Ifland of Celebes or Afacaffar produces Gold ald, which is drawn out of
the Rivers, where it rowls among tle Sand.
In the land of -dchen or Sumatra, atter the rainy feafon, when the Torrents are
waited, they find veins of Gold in the Flints, which the waters wath down from
the Mountains that lye toward the North-eaft. Upon the Weit-fide of the Ifland,
when the Hollanders come to lade their Pepper, the Natives bring them great
ftore of Gold, but very coarfe metal, if not worfé than that of Chin,
Toward the Tiber, which is the ancient Caacafus, in the Territories of a Raja,
beyond the Kingdom of Cachemir,there are three Mountains clofe one by another,
one of which produces excellent Gold, the other Granats, and the third Lapis~
Lazuls,
There is Gold alfo comes from the Kingdom of Tipra, but it is coarfé, almoft
as bad as that of China; and thefe are all the places in 4/4 that produce Gold.
¥ thall now fay fomething of the Gold of Africa, and the places where it is found
in greateft quantities. |
Obferve by the way, that the Vice-Roy of Afozambigue has under his Com-
mand the Governors of Sofala and Chepon-Gorra. The firft of thefe two Go-
vernments lies upon the River Seve, fixty leagues from the Mouth of the River;
and the other ten leagues higher. From the Mouth of the River to thofe very
places on each fide of the River, great numbers of Negro’s inhabit, which are all
commanded by one Portugueze. The Portnguezes have been Matters of this
Countrey for many years, where they take upon them like Lords, and make War
one upon another for the flighteft occafions in the World; fome of them having
under them five-thoufand €afres, which are their Slaves. The Governor of Afo-
zambique furnifhes them with Calicuts, and all other neceflary Commodities
which they want, which he fells them at his own rates. When he enters upon
his Government he carries with him great quantities of all forts of Commodities,
efpecially Calicuts dy’d black. His Correfpondents alfo in Goa fend him every
year two Veflels, which he fends to Sofala, Chepon-Goura, and even as far as the
City of Monomotopa, the chief City of a Kingdom of the fame name, otherwife
call?'d Vouvebaran, diftant from Chepon-Goura fifty leagues, or there-abouts: He
that commands all that Countrey, aflumes the name of Emperor of Monomotopa,
extending his Dominions as far as the Confines of Preffer Pobn’s Countrey. From
this Countrey of Afonomotopa it is, that the moft pure and fineft Gold of all Africa
comes; where they dig it with eafe out of the earth, not being put to labour
above two or three foot deep. In fome places of that Countrey which are not
inhabited by reafon of the fcarcity of water, the people find great pieces of Gold,
of feveral forms and weights, upon the furface of the earth; fome of which
weigh an ounce, One Ihave by me that weighs an ounce and a half, or there-
abouts. Being at Swrar, I went to vifit the Embaflador of the King of the
by fins. He thew’d us the Prefent which his Mafter had fent to the Great AZo-
gui, confilting of fourteen ftately Horfes, the remainder of 30, the reft dying by
the way; and a great number of Slayes of both Sexes. -But what was *
; remarka-
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The Figure Of a
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are reprefented m
Little under the Baz
<MlamLs great Tree.
J/riwvells
wn India .
Book .? Travels in Inpra. : 137 :
ee ee a en
remarkable, was a natural Tree, all of Gold, two foot and four inches high, and
fix inches about in the ftock. It had ten or twelve branches, {ome whereof fhot
out half a foot in length, and an inch about ; others much finaller. In fome
parts of the great branches appear’d certain bunches that refembl’d buds. The
roots of the Tree, wliich were alfo natural, were thick and fhort ; the longeft not
exceeding four or five inches, Sear aS
The Natives of AZonomotopa knowing the time of the year that the Commo-
dities arrive, come to Sofala and Chepon-Goura to furnifh themfélves. Thither
alfo come the Cafres of other Provinces ind. Kingdoms for the fame purpofe.
Whereupon the Governors of thofe places fell them what they want, truiting
them till the next year, when they oblige themfelves to bring their Gold, which
they are very punctual to do, for elfe there could be no Trade between them.
The Natives of A4onomotopa never live long, by reafon of the badnefs of the wa-
ters in the Countrey: For at the age of five and twenty years they beginto be
dropfical ; fo that it is a great wonder if any among them live above forty years,
The Province where the River Sene has its head, is call’d AZonkaran, and is under :
the Jurifdiction of a certain King, beginning a hunder‘d leagues, or there-abouts,
above Chepon-Gorra. The people of that Countrey find great itore of duft-Gold
in the Rivers that fall into the Seve; but it is miuch coarfer than the other, though
they bring it to Chepon-Goura and Sofala. The Countrey is very healthy, and the
people live as long as they do in Exrope. Some years there are Cufres that come
from beyond the Province of Afonkaran, even as far as the Cape of good Hope.
The Portuguex have enquir'd after their Countrey, and the name; but they can
tell no more, only that it is call’d Sabia, commanded by a King ; and that they
are four months generally travelling to Sofala. The Gold which they bring is
very fine, and in pieces like that of AZonomotopa, which they fay they find in the
high Mountains, digging only ten or twelve foot in the ground, They alfo bring
great quantities of Elephants-teeth ; wherewith, by their report, the Countrey
oes fo abound, that you may feé them in herds in the fields ; and that all.the
Palifado’s of their Fortrefles, and the Pales of their Parks, are made of Elephants-
reeth. Their ufual Diet is Elephants-flefh ; which four Cafres will kill with
their Ageagayes, ora fort of Half-pikes. The water of their Countrey is very
bad, which is the reafon that their thighes are fwell’d, and it is a wonder to fee
any one. of them free. “s
Beyond Sofala:there is a Countrey commanded by a King whio is call’d the
King of Beroé. In fome parts of his Countrey there grows a Root about an inch-
thick, and of a yellow colour. It heals all forts of Fevers, caufing the Patient
to vomit. But becaufe it grows very fcarce, the King ftrictly forbids his Subjects
to export it. The taft of it is véry bitter upon the tongue. rip eae
As for Silver-Mines, there are none in all -4fa but only in Zapon; but fome
years fince, at Delegora, Sangora, Bordelon and Bata, have been difcover’d plenti-
ful Mines of Tin, to the great damage of the Engli/b, there being now enough in
Afia of their own befides.
af HAP. XXIV.
The Relation of a Notable piece of Treacherg, whereby the Author was
abus'd when he Embark'd at Gomrom for Surat,
.
ee
' * ; SW, ‘
N the Month of April 1665, being ready to depart from Gomrom for Surat, tn
a Veflel that belong’d to a Holland-Broaker, commanded by a el na-Captain,
the Englifh Agent gave me a Packet of Letters to deliver”ro the Prefident at
Surat. The Packet was large, containing not only. the Companies-Letters, but
feveral private Letters to particular perfons at Surar and other parts of India.
This Packet Ereceiv’d in the prefence of one Cafembrot, a Hollander, who inform’d
another Dutch-man, whofe name was Wauwuck, of it, Thereupon they eae
contriv
ee ets eee
eee
Traves in Tear Part. if.
=
contriv’d adefign to feize this Packet, upon the report that ran of the rupture
between England and Holland. Cafembrot having {een the bignefs of the Packer,
gives Wasweck a defcription of it, and {o both together they contrive another of
the {ame form and bignefs as neer as they could. When Lcame a-board, I took
the Engli/» Packer, and lock’d it up in my Bowccha, which is the fort of Cloak-
bag that is us‘d in that Countrey, and laid it behind my Bo/fter. There were two
Shallops fent a-board us, wherein there were fixty bags of Silver, containing {ome
fifty, {ome a hunder’d Tomans a piece. Thefe bags they unladed very leiftrely to
gain time, watching when I would be gone to bed. But when they faw that I did
not go to reft, the Dutch confulted together, and agreed to let fall a bag of Tomans
into the Sea; and fo came al] a-board, fending away a Shallop to Gowron for a Di-
ver. When I found that the Vefiel would nor fet Sail till two or three hours after
day-light, L went to reit,my Boxscha lying in the fame place, half out,and half with
in-fide of my Boliter : But when my Servants were gone, and I alone and a-fleep
in the Cabin, they cunningly ftole my Boxccha, took out the Exglif> Packet, and
left the other which they had counterfeited, in the place; being only {0 many
Letters of blank-paper. Coming to Szrar the fixt of AZay following, I gave the
Packet, as I thought, which I had receiv'd from the Engh Agent at Gomron, to
two Capuchin-Friers to deliver to the Prefident at Svrat. But when the Prefi-
dent came to open the Packet before feveral of the Company, there was nothing
but white-paper made up in the form of Letters ; which when | heard, too much
to my forrow, I underftood the villanous trick that YanJ¥ick had put upon me.
I wrote a {mart Letter of complaint to the Durch-General in Batavia, but finding
no redrefs, | was fore’d to undergo the hard cenfure of the Engli/b, who would
not permit me to juftify my felf. However, as it is rare to fee treachery go un-
punifh’d, the Complotters all dy’d miferably. Van-Wuck fell into a violent Fe-
vor, and being charg’d with the theft; thinking to defend himfelf with an equi-
vocation, that if he took the Cloak-bag, he wifh’d he might dye without fpeak-
ing a word, in three days ended his life juft in the fame manner, and at the
fame time that he had imprecated upon himfelf. Bozan his Lieutenant, after a
great debauch, going to fleep upon the Terrafg of the Cabin, where he lay for
cooinefs, (there being no Balifters,) rollingand tumbling in his flecp, fell down, and
the next day was found dead in the Sea.
The Captain, four or five days after his arrival at Surar, being met jn the Streee
by a Makomeran, who-was jealous of his Wife, and being miftak’n by him for
one among fevera] Franks, that had parted him, and kept him from correcting
his Wife fome few days before, was ftabb’d by him in three or four places with a
Dagger,and kill’d him out-right, And this was the end of thofe treacherous people,
The End of the Second Book.
Book UI. Travels in Inpta. leg
=F
TRA ees
FN DLA
The Third Book.
CHAP. I. Baad |
Of the particular Religion of the Mahometans én the Eaft Indies.
HE diverfity of Opinions among the ALahometans, does not confit
in the different Expofitions which they put upon the -d/coran ; but
in the contrariety of Belief which they receiv’d by Tradition from
the firft Succeflors of ALshbomer. From thence there {prung two
Sects, directly oppofite: The one, which is call’d the Sec& of the Sounnis, fol-
low’d by the Turks ; and the other of the Chiais, which is adher’d to by the
Perfians. Iwill not enlarge my felf upon thefe two Setts, that divide all Ale
humetifs ; it being my defign, only to.tell you how the condition of that falfe
Religion ftands in the Empire of the Great Adogu/, and inthe Kingdoms of Gol-
— gonda and Vifapour. Bee 3
When Aahbwmetifm was firft brought into the Judies, there was an excefs of
pride, but no devotion among the Chriftians ; and the Idolaters were an effe-
minate people, able to make little refiftance ; fo that it was eafie for the AZa-
bumetus to fubdue both the one and the other by force of Arms, which the
did {o advantageoufly, that many, as well Chriftians as Idolaters, embrac’d the
Mahumetan. Religion. :
The Great Adogul, with all his Court, follows the Sect of the Sounnis ; the
King of Golconda, that of the Chiais. Inthe King of Vifapour’s Territories the
Sounnis and Chiais are mingl’d together; which may be faid alfo of the Court
of the Great Adogul, in regard of the great numbers. of Perfiaus that flock thi-
ther to ferve in his Armies. True it is, that though they abhor the Soxzanis,
yet they adhere to the Religion of the Prince ; holding it Iawful for the pre-_
fervation of their Eftates to conceal their belief. As for what concerns the King-
dom of Golconda, Koutonb-Cha, the prefent King, very zealoufly maintains the
Law of the Chiais ; in regard the Grandees of his Court are almoft all Per- |
bANS. ‘
: daveng-z0b teltifies above all things an extraordinary devotion for the Sect
of the Sennis ; of which he is fo :zealous an obferver, that he farpaffes all
his Predeceffors in outward profeffion.; which was the Cloak under which he
ufurp’d the Crown. When he took :pofleffion of his Throne, he gave it gut
that he did it only out of a defign to caufé the Law of Adahomer to be more
firictly obferv’d, which had been very much neglected in the Reign of Sé4
jehan his Father, and Gehau-guir his Grandfather ; and to fhew himfelf BH
zealous to the Law, he turn’d Faguir or Dervichy that is, poor Volunteer ; at
unde
160 - Fravels in Lwora. Pact Tl.
under that falfe pretence of Piety he cunningly made way to the Empire. And
indeed though he has a great many Perfans under his pay, yet he will not
mit them to keep hoty the day. confecrated to the memory of Hofen and
er
fenfir, the two Sons of Ali, who were put to death by the Sounnis; befides
that they, to p
leafe him, are willing enough to conform.
| CHAP. II.
Of the Faquirs, or poor Mahometan Volunteers in the Eaft Indies,
Hey reckon that there are in the Zndies eight hundred thoufand Fagquirs,
and twelve hundred thoufand Idolaters ; which is a prodigious Number.
They are all of them, Vagabonds, and lazy Drones, that dazle the eyes of
the people with a falfe zeal, and make them believe that whatever comes out
of their mouths is an Oracle. ee ee
There are feveral forts of Afabometan Faguirs. The one fort go almoft naked,
like the Idolatrous Faguirs, having no certain abode in the world, but giving
themfelves up to all manner of uncleannefs. ‘here are others whofe Garments
are of fo many different pieces and colours, that a man can hardly tell of what
they are made. Thefe Garments.reach down to the half Leg, and hide the rags
that are underneath. They go generally in Troops; and have their Superiour
of the Gang, who is known by his Garment, which is generally poorer, and
confifts of more patches than the other. Befides, that he draws after him a
reat Iron Chain, which is ty’d to his Leg, and is about two ‘Ells longy and
proportionably thick. When he fays his prayers, he does it with’a loud voice,
and ratling his Chainall the while, which is accompany’d with an affected gra-
vity, that draws the Veneration of the people. In the mean time the people
‘prepare Dinner for him and his company, in the place where he takes up his
ftand, which is ufually in fome ftreet or publick place. There he caufes his
Difciples to fpread certain Carpets, where he fets himfelf down to give audi-
ence to the people. On the other fide, the Difciples go about publifhing through
the Country the vertues of their Mafter, and the favours he receives from
God, who reveals his moft important fecrets to him, and gives him power
to relieve perfons in affliction by his counfél. The people, who give credit to
him, and believe him to be a holy man, approach him with a great devotion,
and when they come near him, they pull off their Shoes, and proftrate them-
felves to kifS his feet. Then the Faguir, to fhew his humility reaches out his
hand to kifS ; that done, he caufes them that come to confult him, to fit down
_ by him, and hears every one apart. They boaft themfelvés to havea prophetick
Spirit ; and above all to teach barren women a way how to have Children, and
to be belov’d by whom they pleafe. |
‘There are fome of thefe Faguirs who have above two hundred Difciples, or
moré, which they aflemble together by the found of a Horn, or the Beat of
a Drum; When they travel, they have their Standard, Lances, and other Wea-
pons Bip eo pitch in the ground, near to their Mafter, when he repofes in
any place. Nas
The third fort of Eaft Indian Faquirs, are thofe that being born of poor Pa-
rents, and defirous to underftand the Law, to the end they may become Moxlla’s
or Doétors, retire to the Afofquees, where they live upon the Alms which is
given them. They employ all their time in reading the -d/coran, which they
gét ‘by heart; and if they canbut add to that ftudy the knowledg of fome
natural things, and an exemplary life withall, they come to be chief’ of the A40/-
quees, and to the dignity of AZoullzhs, and Judges of the Law. Thofe Faquirs
have their Wives ; and fome, out of their-great zeal to imitate ALahbomer, have
three or four; ‘thinking they do God great fervice in begetting many Children,
to be followers ofthei® Hawg. *- + 6 Ge Sta ,
la | . CHAP
Book nS Travels mn Inpra. 161
CHAP. IIL
Of the Religion of the Gentiles, or Idolatrous Indians.
pee Idolaters among the Indians are fo numerous, that they are reckon’d
to be five or fix for one ALahomeran. It feems a wonderful thing, that
fach a prodigious multitude of men fhould be cow’d by a handful, and,
bow fo eafily under the yoak of the A¢ahometan Princes. But that wonder well
may ceafeé, when we confider that thofe Idolaters are not in union among
themfelves ; for Superftition has introduc’d fuch a diverfity of Opinions
and Cuftoms, that they can never agree one with another. An Idolater will
not eat Bread nor drink Water in the Houfe of any one that is not of his Caffe 5
though it be more noble, and much more fuperior to his own. Yet they all eat
and drink in the Bramins Houfes, which are open to all the world. A Caffe a-
mong the Idolaters, is very near the fame thing which was anciently call’d a
Tribe among the Jews. And though it be vulgarly believ’d, that there are fe-
venty-two Castes, yet I have been inform’d by fome of their moft ingenuous
Priefts, that they may be all reduc’d into four principal ones, from whence all
the reft drew their Original.
The firft Caffe is that of the Brammins, who are the Succeflors of the an-
cient Brachmans, or Indian Philofophers, that ftudy’d Aftrology. You may alfo
meet with fome of their ancient Books, in reading whereof the Brammins {pend
all their time; and are fo vers’d in their obfervations, that they never fail a
minute in the Eclipfes of the Sun and Moon. And to preferve this knowledg
among themfelves, they have a kind of Univerfity, ina City which is call’d
Bewarex, where they make all their Exercifes in Aftrology, and where they
have Doctors that expound their Law, which they very ftrictly obferve. But in
regard they are fo great a number, and cannot all come to ftudy at that Uni-:
verfity, they are all very ignorant, and confequently very fuperftitious 5 thofe
that go for the moft refin’d Wits, being the greateft Sorcerers.
The fecond Caffe is that of the Rafpoures or Kerris, that isto fay, Warriors
and warlike people. Thefe are the only Idolatrous Jndians that have any cou-
rage to fignalize themfélves in War. All the Raja’s that I have fo oft’n men-
tion’d, are of this Caffe. Thefe are fo many petty Kings, whom their difunion
has render’d Tributary to the Great Afogv/. But in regard'that the greateft part
of them are in his fervice, they are highly recompenc’d by the large Salaries
they receive for the fmall Tribute which they pay. Thefe Raja’s, and the Rafpoutes
their Subjects, are the chiefeit fapport of the Dominions of the Great Moguls
for indeed the Raja's felons and Peffomfeing were thofe that lifted up dureng-
zeb to the Throne. But you muit take notice, that all of this fecond Caffe
are not Warriors ; for they are the Rafpoxtes only that go to War, and are all.
Horfemen. But for the Ketris, they are degenerated from their Anceftors, and
of Soldiers are become Merehants. :
The third Cafte is that of the Bannians, who are altogether addicted to
Trade ; of whom fome are Sheraffs or Bankers, others broakers, employ'd bes
tween Merchant and Merchant for buying and felling. Thofe of this Cajfe are
{o fabtil and nimble: in Trade, that as I have faid before, the Zews may be their
Prentices. They accuftom their Children betimes to fly idlenefs. And inftead of
fuffering them to lofe their time in playing in the ftreets, as we generally do, they
teach them Arithmetick ; which they are fo perfect at, that without making:
ufe either of Pen and Ink, or Counters, but only of their memories, they will
ina moment caft up the moft difficult account that can be imagin’d. They.
always live with their Fathers, who inftruct them in Trade, and do nothing but
what they fhew them. If any man in the heat of paffion chafe at ‘em, they
hear him patiently without making any reply, and parting coldly from him,
will not fee him again in three or four days, when they think his paffion may
be over, They never eat any thing that has me 3 nay they would rather dye,
than
—
Travels in Inpra. Part I.
than kill the fimalleft Animal or Vermin that crawls ; being in that point above
all things the moft zealous Obfervers of the Law. They never fight, nor go
to War; neither wil! they eat or drink in the Houfe of a Rafpoute, becaute
they kill the Vidtuals they eat, all but Cows, which they never touch.
The fourth Ca/fe is that of the Charados or Soudras; who g0 to War as
well as the Ra/poxres, but with this diiference, that the Rafpoutes ferve on Horfe-
back, and the Charados on Foot. Both of them take it for an Honour to dye
in Battel ; and Iet him be Horfe or Foot, that Soldier is accounted infamous
that retreats in Fight; tis an eternal blot in his Family. Upon which fubje@
Twill tell you a ftory. A Soldier who was paffionately in love with his Wife,
and reciprocally below’d. by her, had fled from the fight, not fo much out of
any fear of death, as out of a confideration of the grief which it would o¢-
cafion to his Wife, fhould he leave her a Widow. When fhe knew the reafon
of his flight, as foon as he came to the door, fhe fhurt it againft him, and or-
der'd him to be told, that the could never acknowledg that man fora Husband,
who had preferr’d the Love of a Woman before his Honour ; that fhe did not
defire to fee him any more, as being a ftain to the Reputation of her Family ;
and that {the would endeavour to teach her Children to have more courage than
their Father. The “Wife continuing firm to her refolution, the Husband to re-.
gain his Honour and her affection, return’d to the Army, where he fo behay’d
him(clf, that he became famous; and having highly made amends for his Cow-
ardife, the door of his Houfe was again fet open, and his Wife receiv’d him
with her former kindnefé.
The reft of the Natives, that are not reckon’d in the number of thefe Caftes,
are call’d Panzecour, Thefe are fach as employ themfelves in Handicraft Trades ;
among which there is no other diftinétion, but according to the Trades which
they follow from Father to Son. So that a Taylor cannot prefer his Son, but
only in-his own Calling, though he be never fo rich; nor marry either Son or
Daughter, but to one of his own Craft. By the fame rule, when a Taylor dies,
all thofe of his own Trade accompany the Corps to the place where it is burnt ;
and the fame practife is obferv’d in all other Trades. eee A ESS
Among the particular Ca/fes, there is one that goes by the name of Alecors,
whofe employment is only to clean Houfes; for which every Family pays him
fomething once a month, according to their proportion and quality. Ifa perfon
of quality in the Indies keeps fifty Servants, let him be Mahometan or Idola-
ter, there is not one of them will take a Befome in his hand to {weep the
Houfe ; for he would think himfelf affronted, it being one of the greateft {corns
you can put upon an Judian, to call him -dlacor. Befides, every one of thofe
Servants knows his bufinefs ; whether it be to carry the pot of Water to:
drink by the way, or to give his Matter his Pipe of Tobacco when he calls
for it; {0 that if the Mafter fhould bid one to do that which the other was ap-
pointed to do, that Servant would ftand like a Statue, and never make him
any anfwer. But for the Slaves, they are oblig’d to do what .ever the Mafter
commands them. Thefe -Alacors having no other bufinefs but only to make
clean the Houfeés, eat the fcraps of all the other Cafes ; and fo without fcruple
feed upon any thing. There are none but thofe of this Tribe make ufe of Afies,
to carry away the filth of the Hovfes into the Feifds ; for which reafon none of
the reft of the Indians will fo much as touch that Animal ; which is quite o-
therwife in Perfia, as well for carriage, as to ride upon. Moreover, there are
none of the other Indians, except the —dlacors that will eat Pig,
travels 1¢ tania
Rook. UL: ..
CHAP. lv.
Of the Kings and Idolatrous Princes of Afia.
THE chiefeft ofthe Idolatrous Kings of -4fz,are the King of Aracan,the King
of Peg, the King of Siam, the King of Cochinchina, and the King of Tan-
vin. As for the King of China, we know that he was an Idolater before the
Zartars invaded his Dominions. But fince that, we know not what to report
of certainty, in regard that the Zartars who are now Matters of the Country,.
are neither Idolaters nor A¢ahometans, but rather both together. In the Iflands,
the King of 7apon, the King of Ceylan, and fome petty Kings of the Molucc
Iflands are Idolaters ; as are all the Raja’s as well in the Empire of the Great
Mogul, as in the neighbouring Kingdoms of /xfapeur and Golconda. ' In a word,
all the meaner fort of people, as well inthe Territories of the Great Ad<ogul
Kings of Golconda and Vifapoxr, as in the Ifles of chan, fava, and Macaffar,
. shough their Kings are AZahnmetans, are all themfelves Idolaters. .
Some fifty years ago, one of the Kings of Ceylam became a Chriftian, and
was baptiz’d by the name of fohn, being call’d before the Emperor Priapen-
ger. But as foon as he had embrac’d the Chriftian Faith, the Princes and Priefts
of the Country fet up another King in his room. He endeavour’d all he could
~ to bring his people to follow his example ; to which purpofe he aflign’d to
the Father 7efwits, twelve large Villages about Colombo, for the bringing up
the youth of the Country in their Colledges; to the end that they being well
inftructed, might inftruct others. For the King made it plain to the 7efuits, that it
was impoffible for them fo well to underftand the Language of the Country, as
to be able to preach to the Natives. Befides, that -they found the ingenuities
of the Youth of Ceylan fo quick and apprehenfive, that they learnt more La-
tin, Philofophy, and other Sciences in fix months, than the Evropeans learnt in
a year; and that they put fuch fubtle Queftions to their Mafters, as were be-
yond imagination. > ae
Some years after the King had as Chriftianity , a witty man of the
Ifland of Ceylan, anda good natura
Moriar, or the Mafter of the Philofophers, after he had_convers’d with the
efuits and other Religious perfons, was infpir’d to turn Chriftian: Thereupon
f: went to the efits, and told them, that he defir'd to be a Chriftian ; bur
withall he was very earneft to know what Jefus Chrift had done, and: left in
writing. They gave him the New Teftament, which he fet himfelf to read with
that heed ‘and ftudy, that in lefs than fix months there was hardly a paflage
which he could not repeat. After that he again teftifid to the 7e/wirs and o-
ther Religious perfons, that he had a great defire to turn Chriftian, in regard
he found their Religion to be fuch as Jefus Chrift had taught ; but only he won-
derd that they themfelves did not follow his example. For that he could ne-
ver find by his reading, that Jefus Chrift ever took any money of any body ;
‘but that they took all they could get, and never baptiz’d nor burid unlefs
they were well paid. But though he ftarted the Queftion, he was baptiz’d, and’
afterwards became a fedulous converter of others.
*Y 2 GHAR.
¢
Philofopher, whofe name-was Alegamma |
164
fon that Ram had oblig’d him never'to leay
went together in fearch of Sita,
‘Travels in Inpta. Part. It
CHA PE Y:
Whit the Idolaters believe touching a Divinity.
Hough the Idolatrous Jnudians attribute to the Creature, as to Cows, A ;
T and 'feveral Monfters, thofe Divine Honours which are only due to the
true Deity ; yet they acknowledg one only Infinite God, Almigh ?, and onl
Wife, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, who fills all places with his prefence,
They call him in fome places Permeffer, in others Peremael, and Weftnon among the
Bramins that inhabit the Coaft of Cormandel. It may be, becaufe they have
heard that the Circle is the moft perfect of all Figures, therefore it is that
they fay God is of an Oval Figure; for they have in all their Pagods an Oval
Flintftone, which they fetch from Ganges, and worfhip as a God, They are
obftinately wedded to this foolifh imagination, that the wifeft among the Brg.
mins Will not fo much as hear any argument to the contrary, So that it js no
wonder that a people led by fuch blind Guides, fhould fall into fuch Ab rfles
of Idolatry. There is one Tribe fo fuperftitions, in reference to that Article, thar
they carry thofe Oval Flints about their Necks, and thump them againft their
Breafts, when they are at their devotions. In this dark and lamentable mift of
ignorance, thefe Idolaters make their Gods to be born Jike men, and afficn
them Wives, imagining that theirs are the pleafures of men. Thus they take
their Xam for a great Deity, in regard of the Miracles which they believe he
wrought while he liv’d upon Earth. Ram was the Son of a potent Raja, who
was call’d by the name of Deferer, and the moft vertuous of all his Children,
which he had by two lawful Wives. He was particularly belov’d by his Father,
who defign’d him to be-his Succeflor. But the Mother of Ram being dead,
the Raja’s other Wife, who had her Husband entirely at her beck, prevaild
with him to exterminate Ram and his Brother Lokemas from his Houfe, and
all his Territories ; upon whofe exclufion the Son of that W ife was declar'd the
Raja's Succeflor. As the two Brothers were about to be gone, Ram’s Wife
Sita, of whom he went to take his leave, and whom the Idolaters worthip
as a Goddefs, beg’d of him that fhe might not leave him, having made a refo-
lution never to forfake him ; whereupon they all three went tegether to feek
their fortunes: They were not very fuccefsful at firft; for as they pafs’d through
a Wood, Ram -being in purfuit of a Bird, ftray’d from the Company, and was
miffing a long times infomuch that Sita fearing that fome difafter was befalPn
him, befought Lokeman to look after him. He excus’d himfelf at firft, by rea-
€ Sita alone, forefeeing by a Pro-
phetick Spirit what would befall her, fhould fhe be left to her felf. Never-
thelefS Lokeman being over perfwaded by the prayers of his fair Sifter, went
to feek for Ram his Brother ; but in the mean time Rhevan another of the I-
dolaters Gods, appear’d to Sita in the fhape of a Faguir, and beg’d an Alms
of her. Now Ram had order’d Sita, that fhe fhould not ftir out of the place
where he left her; which Khevan well k
which Sita prefented him, unlefs the would remove to another place ; which
when Sita fad done, either out of negligence or forgetfulnels, Rhevai feiz'd
upon her, and carry’d her into the thick of the Wood, where his Train ftay’d
for him. Ram at his return miffing Sita, fell into a fwoon for greif, but be-
ing brought again to himfelf by his Brother Lokeman, they two immediately
uta, who was fo dearly belov’d by her Husband,
When the Brains repeat this Rape of their Goddefs, they do it with tears
in their eyes, and great demonftrations of forrow ; adding upon this fubject,
an infinite company of Fables more ridiculous, to fhew the great courage of
Kam in purfuit of the -Ravither. They employ’d all Creatures living upon the
difcovery ; but none of them had the luck to fucceed, only the Monkey call’d
Harman. He. crofs'd over the Sea at one Leap,
dens, found Sita in the extremity of affliction; and very much furpriz’d to hear
an
nowing, would not receive the Alms:
and coming into Rhevans Gar- |
an Ape fpeak to her in her Husbands behalf. At firft the would not give any
credit to fuch an Embaflador ; but the Ape, to fhew that his Commiflion was
guthentick, prefents her with a Ring which her Husband had giv’n her, and
that fhe had left behind her among her Furniture. She could hardly however
believe fo great a Miracle, as that Ram her Husband fhould make a Beaft fpeak, .
to bring her the news of his health, ahd to teftifie,as he did, the marks of his
affection. But the Ape Harman wrought Miracles himéfelf, for being taken for
a Spy by fome of Rsevans Servants, who therefore would have burnt him he
made ufe of the fire which they had prepar’d to burn him, to fet Rhevans Pa-
lace on fire, which he almoft confum’d to the ground, with all the tatters and
rags which were ty’d to his tail and his body. When the Ape had thus done
the better to efcape out of Rsevans hands, he took the fame way he came,
and repaffing the Sea again at one jump, he came and gave Ram an account
of his adventures; and told him in what a forrowful condition he had found
Sita, who did nothing but mourn by reafon of her abfence from her Husband
Ram touch’d with his Wives affection, refolv’d to deliver her out of Rbevans
hands, whatever it coft him; whereupon he rais’d Forces, and being guided
by the Ape, at length he came to Rhevans Palace, that ftill fmoak’d, the fire
had been fo great; and by reafon that Rbevans. Servants were difpers’d, Ram —
had an eafie opportunity to fee his belovw’d Sita again, whom Rhevan aban-
don’d wholly to him, flying for fear to the Mountains. Xam and Sita were
infinitely overjoy’d at their coming together again, and return’d very great
Honours to Harman, who had done him fo eminent fervice. ; Ss
As for Rbevan, he fpent all the reft of his days like a poor Faguir, feeing
his Country ruin'd by Ram’s Troops, who was refolv’d to be reveng’d for the
injury which he had receiv'’d; and from this Rhevan it was, from whence that
infinite. multitude of Faquirs, that fwarm all over India, firft took their Ori+
ginal,
CHA P,. VI,
Of the Faquirs, or poor Volunteers among the Indians, and of
their Pennances, eta |
Eee Original of the Faqwirs; as I faid before, came from that Rbevan;
whom Ram difpoil’d of his Kingdom; at which he conceiv’d fuch an un-
fpeakable forrow, that he refolv’d to lead a Vagabond life, and to wander about
the world, poor, ftript of all, and ina manner quite naked. He found a now
to follow him in a courfe of life that gives them fo much liberty. For being
worfhip’d as Saints, they have in their hands all opportunities of doing evil.
‘Thefe Fagairs wander generally in Troops, every one of which kas a Supe-
rior. And in regard they are quite naked, Winter and Summer lying upon the
hard ground, when it is cold, the young Faquirs, and others that are moft de>
vout, go in the afternoon to feek for the dung of Gows and other Creatures,
of which they make their fires. They rarely burn Wood, for fear of killing
any living Animal which is wont to breed in it ; and therefore the Wood where-
with they burn their dead, is only fach as has floated long in the Water, which
never breeds any fort of living Creature. The young Faquis having got toge-
ther a good quantity of dung, mix’d with dry turf, make feveral fires, accor-_
ding to the bignefS of the Company ; round about every one of which the Fa-
quirs feat themfelves. When they grow fleepy, they lay themfelves upon thé
ground, {preading the Afhes abroad, which ferve them for a Mattrefs ; without
any other Canopy than that of Heaven, = oe :
. As for the Faquirs that do Pennance, when they are laid down in the fame
pofture as you fee them in the day time, they kindle a good fire on each fide
of them, for otherwife they would not be able to endure the cold, Pere
ola-
a =
Travels in Inpra. Part. IT. 7
Idolaters account themfelves happy, and their Houfes to be fill’d With the
benedictions of Heaven, when they have any of thefe Fuquirs for their Guetts
which the more auftere they are, the more they honour: and it i€ the glory of
the Troop to have one among them that does fome confiderable act of Pe.
ae Crews of Faquirs many time joyn together to go in Pilgrimage to the
Principal Pagods, and publick Wafhings, which they ufe upon certain days in the
year in the River Ganges, whereof they make the chiefeft account; as alfO in
that which feparates the Territories of the Portygals of Goa from the Dominions
of the King of Yifapour. Some of the mott aultere Fagurs live in little pitti-
ful Hats neer their Pagods, where they have once in four and twenty hours fome.
thing to eat beftow’d upon them for God’s fake. The Tree whereof I have giv'n
the defcription, is of the fame fort as that which grows neer Gomron, which I have
defcrib’d in my Perfian Relations. The Franks call it the Bannians-Tree, becaufe
in thofe places where thofe Trees grow, the Idolaters always take up their quar-
ters, and drefs their victuals under them. They+have thofe Trees if great re.
verence, and oft-times build their Pagods either under or very neer them. That
which the Reader fees here defcrib’d, grows at Szrat; in the trunk whereof,
which is hollow, is the figure of a Monfter, reprefenting the face of a deform’d
Woman, which they fay was the firft Woman, whofe name was Mamaniva ; thi-
ther great numbers of Idolaters every day refort : neer to which there is fome
Bramin or other always appointed to be ready to fay Prayers, and receive the
Alms of Rice, Millet, and other Grains which the charitable beftow upon them,
The Bramin marks the forhead of all, both Men and Women, that come to pra
in the Pagod, with a kind of Vermillion, wherewith he alfo befmears the Idol ;
for being thus mark’d, they believe the evil Spirit cannot hurt them, as being then
under the protection of their God. ' :
Number 1, is that part where the Bramins paint their Idols; fach as iama-
mva, Sita, Madedina, and others ; whereof they have a great number.
Numb. 2, is the figure of A4amaniva, which isin the Pagod.
_ Numb. 3, is another Pagod neer the former. There ftands a Cow at the door,
and within ftands the figure of their God Ram.
Numb. 4, is another Pagod, into which the Fagsirs, that do Penance, often re-
tire.
Wumb. 5, is another Pagod dedicated to. Ram. ‘
Wumb. 6, isa Hut into which a Faquir makes his retirement feveral timesa
year, there being but one hole to let in the light. He ftays there according to the
height of his devotion, fometimes nine or ten days together, without either ear-
ing or drinking ; a thing which I could not have believ’d, had I not feen it. My
curiofity carri‘d me to fee one of thofe Penitents, with the Prefident of the Durch.
Company, who fet a Spy to watch night and day whether any body brought him
any victuals. But he could not difcover any rélief the Faguir had, all the while
fitting upon his Bum like our Taylors, never changing his pofture above feven days
together, not being able to hold out any longer, by reafon that the Heat and ftench
of the Lamp was ready to ftifle him. Their other forts of Penance out-doing
this; might be thought incredible, were there not fo many thoufand witnefles
Namb,7,is the figure of another Penitentiary, over whofe head feveral years
have paft ;“and yet he never flept day nornight. When he finds himfelf fleepy,
he hangs the weight of the upper part of his body upona double-rope that is
faften'd to one of the: boughs of the Tree; and by the continuance of this pofture,
‘which is very ‘ftrange and painful, there falls a humour into their legs that {wells
them very much. °° .
« Wamb. 8, is the figure of-two poftures of two doing Penancé; who, as
long:as they live, carry their arms above their heads in that manner; which cau-
fes certain Carnofities'to breed in the joynts, that they can never bring them down
again. Their hair grows down to their wafts, and their nails are as ng as their
fingers. ' Night and'Day, Winter and Summer they go always ftark naked in the
fame pofture,€xpos'd to the heat and rain, and the ftinging of the Flies; from
‘which they ‘have not ‘the ufe of their hands to rid themfelyes. In erie
pee: iow necef-
Book Hi) Teevilir Iypin eee
a we.
neceflities they have other Fagzirs in their company always ready to affift
them.
Numb. 9, is the pofture of another Penitent, who every day for {everal hours
ftands upon one foot, holding a Chafing-dith in his hand, into which he’ pours In-
cenfe, as an Offering to his God, fixing his eyes all the while upon the Sun.
Numb. 10 and 11, are the figures of two other Penirents fitting with their
hands rais’d above their heads in the air.
Numb. 12, is the pofture wherein the Penitents fleep, without ever refting
their arms ; which is certainly one of the greate{t torments the body of man can
{uffer.
Numb. 13, is the pofture of a Penitent, whofe arms, through weaknefs
hang flagging down upon his fhoulders, being dry’d up for want of nourith-
ment.
There are an infinite number of other Penitents; fome who ina pofture quite
contrary to the motion and frame of nature, keep their eys always turn’d toward
the Sun. Others who fix their eyes perpetually upon the ground, never fo much
as {peaking one word, or looking any perfon in the face. And indeed there is fuch
an infinite variety of them, that would render the farther difcourfe of them more
then tedious. : . ed
True it is, that Ihave hid thofe parts which niodefty will not faffer to. be ex-
pos'd to view. But they both in City and Countrey go all as naked as they came
out of their Mothers wombs; and though the Women approach them to take
them. by the fingers-ends, and to kifS thofe parts which modefty forbids to name ;
yet fhall you not obferve in them any motion of fenfuality; rathér quite contrary,
fecing them never to look upon any perfon, but rowling their eyes in a moft fright-
ful manner, you would believe them in ar*extafie. :
CHAP. VII.
Of the Idolaters belief touching the eftate of the Soul after death.
at IS an Article of the Idolaters Faith, that the Souls of Men departing out of
the body, are prefented to God ; who according to the lives which they
lead, orders them another body’ to inhabit. $o that one and the fame perfon is
born feveral times into the World. And that as for the Souls of wicked: and vi-
cious perfons, Ged difpofes them into the bodies of contempt’ble Beafts, fuch as
Affes, Dogs, Cats, and the like ; to do Penance for their crimes in thofe infamous
Prifons, But they believe that thofe Souls that enter into Cows are happy ; pre-
fuming that there is a kind of divinity in thofe creatures. For if a man dye with a
Cows-tail in his hand, they fay it is enough to render him happy in the other
World.
The Idolaters believing thus the tranfinigration of the Souls of men into the
bodies of other creatures, they abhor to kill any creature whatever, for fear they
thould be guilty of the death of fome of their kindred or friends doing Penance
in thofe bodies. a
If the Men in their life-time are famous for their vertuous deeds, they hold
that their Souls pafs into the bodies of fome Potent Raja’s : where they enjoy
the pleaftres of this lifé-in thofe bodies, as the reward of thofé good works which
they did. . ee ea
This is the reafon why the Faguirs put themfelves to fuch horrible Penances. _
But becaufe that all are not able to endure fo much torment inthis World, they
labour ro fupply the defect. of that cruel Penance by good works. And befides,
they charge their Heirs in their Wills to give Almsto the Bramins, to the end that:
by the powerful effect of their Prayers, their God may affign them the body of
fome Noble Perfonage, BY is ioe a 7
fey
we
Th
rg Soe Rs: OT eee Parc II.
ee ee
7 acc ma ee eg i
a ee ce ae
In fanuary 1661, the Broaker belonging to the Holland~Company, whofe name
was Mondas-Parek , dy d at Seat. He was a rich Man, and very charitable, giving
his Alms very liberally as well to the Chriitians as to the Idolaters ; the Capu-
chins at Sgrar living one part of the year upon the Rice, Butter and Pulfe which
he fent them. This Baniaa was not fick above four or five days ; during all
which time, and for eight days more after he was dead, his Brothers diftributed
nine or ten-thoufand Roupies ; and in the burning of his body they mix’d Sandal-
wood, and Lignam-Aloes, with the ordinary wood, believing that by that means
the Soul of their Brother tranfmigrating into another body, he would come to
be fome great Lord in another Countrey. There are fome that are fuch fools
that they bury their treafure in their life-time, as it is the ufual cuftom of all the
rich Men inthe Kingdom of fen; to the end that if they fhould be condemn’d
to the body of fome poor miferable perfon, they might have wherewithal to fup-
ply their neceffities. I remember one day that I. bought in Jndia an Agate-Cup.
half a foot high; he that fold it me, aflur’d me that it had been buried under
roundabove 4o years, and that he kept it to ferve his occafions after death;
ee that it was to hima thing indifferent whether he buried his Cup. or his Mo-
ney. In my laft Voyage I bought of one of thefe Idolaters fixty-two Diamonds,
of about fix grains a~piece ; and while I was wondring to fee {0 fair a parcel, he
told me I needed not to wonder; for he had been fifty years getting them to-
gether, to ferve him after his death, but that having occafion for Money, he was
fore’d to part withthem. This buried treafure ftood the Raja Seva-Gi in great
ftead, when he took Arms againft the Great Adoga/, and the King of Vifapour,
For that Raja having taken Callian Biondi, a {mall City in the Kingdom of P ifa~.
pour, by the advice of the Bramins, who affur’d him he fhould find great ftore of
treafure buri’d, caus’d the greateft part thereof to be demolith’d; and found {9
much wealth, as to maintain his Army, which was above thirty-thoufand Men. It.
is impoffible to convince thefe poor Idolaters of their errors ; in regard they will
hear no reafon, but fubmit themfelves altogether to their old forms and ‘cu-
ftoms.
SrtA. VIII.
Of the Cuftom among the Idolaters ta burn the Bodies of their Dead,
TH cuftom of burning the Bodies of the dead’is very ancient among the
Gentiles; which Ceremony they moft commonly perform by the banks of
Rivers, where they wath the dead; which is the laft purgation of them from
ther fins, Nay, their fuperftition is fo great fometimes, that they will carry the
fick perfon, death approaching, to the bank of fome River or Pond, and put his
feet in the water. As nature fails,they dip him deeper and deeper, till at length they
hold him expiring up to the chin in the River :. to the end that at the fame time
thay the Soul departs out of the Body, both Body and Sou} may be cleans’d from.
all defilement ; and then plunging the newly dead Body over head and ears, they
bring it out, and burn it in the place appointed ; which is generally neer fome Pa-
god. Fhere are fome perfons that, make it their. bufinefs to fetch Wood, and agree
what they fhall-haye for their pains. An Idolater being dead, all thofe of his
Cafte or Tribe aflemble together at the Houfe of the deceas'd, and Jaying the
Body upona Beer cover’d with clean fine Linnen according to his Quality and
Eftate, they follow the Beer, which is carri‘d by fuchas are appointed for that
purpofe to the place where the Body isto be burn’d, As they go along they fing
certain. Prayers to their God, pronouncing feveral times. the words Ram, Ram,
while another going before the Beer, founds.a little Bell, to advertize the living to
pray/farthe dead. The Body being fet down by the bank of the River or Pond,
they firft plunge it into the water, and then they burn it, According to the qua-
lity of the deceas’d they alfo mingle with the ordinary wood Sandal-wood, ee
! Sain’ ; : other
Book IL. — Travels in Inpra
other Sweet-woods. But the Idolaters do not only burn the Bodies of the 1a |
bie the Bodies of the living. They fcruple to killa ferpent, or a loufe, but ac-
count it a meritorious thing to burn a living Wife with the Body of the deceas’d
Husband.
GHAP X
How the Wives are burnt in India with the Bodies of their
deceasd Husbands.
/
T is alfo an ancient cuftom among the Judians,that the Husband happening to dye,
the Wife ¢an never marry again. So that as {oon as the Mani dead, the Wife
retires to bewail her Husband ; fome days after that, they {have off her hair;
the lays afide all the ornaments of her apparel ; thé takes off from her arms and
Jegs the Bracelets which her Husband put on when he efpous’d her, in token of her
fubmiffion, and her being chain’d to him: and all the reft of her life the lives
lighted and defpis’d, and in a worfe condition than a Slave in the very Houfe
where fhe was Miftrefs before. This unfortunate condition cayfes them’ to hate
life, fo that they rather choofe to be buri’d alive with the body of their déceas’d
Husbands, then to live the fcorn and contempt of all the World. Befides that,
the Bramins make them believe, that in dying after that manner, they fhall re-
vive again with him in another World, with more honour and more advantages
than they enjoy’d before. Thefe are the motives that perfwade the Women to
burn with their Husbands ; befides that, the Priefts flatter them with a hope,
that while they are in the midft of the flames, before they expire, Ram will
appear, and reveal wonderful vifions to them; and that after their Souls
have tranfmigrated into various Bodies, they thall at length obtain a high degree
of Honour to eternity, |
However, there is no Woman that can burn with her Husband’s body, till the
has the leave of the Governor of the place where fhe inhabits, who being a Af4-
humetan, and abhorring that execrable cuftom of Self-murder, is very fhy to per-
matthem. Befides, there are ee oo that have no children, that lye
under the reproach that forces them to'Violent death. For as for the Widows
that have children, they are by no means’ permitted to burn themfelvés ; bu
quite the contrary, they are commanded to live for the education of the chil
dren, Thofe Women whom the Governour will not permit to burn themfelves,
fpend the reft of their lives in doing Penance, and performing works of Charity.
Some make it their bufinefs to fit upon the Road to boyl certain Pulfe in water,
and to give the liquor to Travellers to drink. Others fit with fire always ready
for them to light their Tobacco. Others make vows to eat nothing but the un-
digefted grains which they find in Cow-dung.
The Governour finding no perfwafions will alter the Woman’s refolution, but
more efpecially perceiving by the fign which his Secretary makes him, that he has
teceiv’d the Coin, in a furly manner gives the Woman leave, bidding the Devil
take her and all her kindred. . tee
When they haye got this leave, their Mufick begins to ftrike up, and away they
ding to the Houfé of the deceas’d, with Drums beating, and Flutes playing before
them ; and in that manner they accompany the perfon.that is to be burnt, to the
place appointed. All’ thé kindred-and friends of the Widow that is todye, come
to her, and congratulate her for the happine(S the is to enjoy in the other World :
and for the honour which the Caffe the is of receives by her generous refolution,
the drefles her felf as the were going to be marri‘d, and fhe is conducted in trie
umph to the place of execution, For the noifé is loud of Mifical Initruments,
and Womens -Voices, that follow her finging Songs in honour of the miferable
creature that is going todye. The Bramins that geeen ges her, exhort her to
give publick teftimonies of her conftancy and courage ; y many of our Evropeans
; are
170
Travels in Vapta”. Part. II
are of opinion, that to take away the fears of death, which naturally terrifies hy-
manity, the Priefts do give her a certain Beverage to ftupify and diforder the
fenfes, which takes from her all apprehenfion of her preparations for death, Tis
for the Brgmins intereft that the poor miferable creatures fhould continue in their
refolutions ; for all their Bracelets as well about their legs as their arms, the Pen.
dents in their ears ; their Rings fometimes of Gold, fometimes of Silver; (for
the poor wear only Copper and Tin,) all thefe belong to the Bramins, who rake
for them among the afhes when the party is bufrn’d.
I have feen Women burnt after thiee feveral manners, according to the differ.
rence of the Countrey. In the Kingdom of Gwzerar, as far as dyra and Dehlj,
they fetup a littl Hut about twelve foot {quaré upon the bank of a Pond op
River. “Tis made of Reeds, and all forts of {mall Wood, with which they min-
gle certain pots of Oil and other Drugs to make it burn more vehemently. The
Woman is plac’d in the middle of the Hut, in a half-lying-down pofture, leanin
her head upon a kind of a wooden Boliter, and refting her back againtt a Piltar,
‘to which the Bramin tyes her about the middle, for fear fhe fhould run aw,
when fhe feels the fire. In this pofture fhe holds the body of her deceas’d Hut.
band upon her knees, chewing Betlé all the while : and when fhe has continu’d: jn
this poiture about half an hour, the Brain goes out, and the Woman bids them
fet fire to the Hut; which is immediately done by the Bramins, and the kindred
and friends of the Woman; who alfo caft feveral pots of Oil into the fire, to put
the Woman the fooner out of her pain. After the Woman is burnt, the Bramins
fearch the afhes for all her Bracelets, Pendants and Rings, whether Gold, Silver,
Copper or Tin, which is all free booty to themfelves.
In Bengala they burn the Women after another fafhion. In that Countrey a.
Woman muit be very poor that does not accompany the Body of her deceas’d
Husband to the Ganges to wath his Body, and to be wath’d her {elf before the js
burnt. I have feen dead Garkafles brought to the Ganges above twenty days
journey oit from the place, and {melt em to boot; for the feent of them has
een intoll erably noyfom. There was one that came from the Northern Moun-
tains neer the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Sovran, with the body of her Hut
band carri’d ina Waggon; fhe travelld twenty days a-foot, and neither eat nor
rank for. 15 or 16 days together till fhe came to the Gager, where after the had
wath’d the body that ftank abominably, and had afterwards wath’d her felf, the
was burnt with him with an admirable conftancy. Before the Woman that is to
be burnt, goes the Mafick, confitting of Drums, Flutes and Hautboys, whom the
Woman in her beit Accoutrements follows, dancing up to the very Funeral-pile,
upon which the gets up, and places her felf as if the were fitting up in her Bed;
and then they lay a-crofs her the body of her Husband. When that is done, her
Kindred and friends, fome bring her,a Letter, fome a piece of Calicut, another
“pieces of Silver or Copper, and defire her to deliver them to. their Mother, or
Brother, or fome other Kinfnan or Friend. When the Woman fees they have all
done, fhe asks the Standers-by three times, if they have nothing more of {er-
‘Vice to command her ; if they make no anfwer, fhe ties up all fhe has got ina.
piece of Taffata, which fhe puts between her own belly, .and the body of her
Husband, bidding them to fet fire. to the Pile; which is prefently done by the
Bramins and her Kindred. I, have obferv’d, becanfe there is {carcity of Wood
in Bengala, that when thefe poor Creatures are half griddl’d, they caft their
bodies into the Ganges, where the remains are devour’d by the Crocodiles.
k muft not forget a. wicked. cuftom praétis’d by the Idolaters of Bengala.
When a Woman is brought to bed, and the Child will not take to the Teat,
they carry it out of the Village, and putting it into a Linnen Cloth, which they
faft’n by the four Corners to the Boughs of a Tree, they there leave it from
Morning till evening. By this means the poor Infant is expos’d to be tormented
‘by the Crows, infomuch that there are fome who have their eyes pickt out of
their. heads: which is the reafon that in Bengala you thall fee many of thefe Ido-
faters that have but one eye, and fome that have loft both. In. the evening they
fetch the child away, to try whether he will fack the next night ; and if he till
refute the teat, they carry him again to the fame place next morning ; which they
do for three days together ; after which, if the Infant after that refutes to fuck, st
a age See ae 3 believe
nn
a et
Book HL. | Travels in Ant ERE
“t
believe him to bea Devil, and throw him into Ganges, or ardin Vee meee
or River. In the places where the Apes:breed, ne poor Phe oe
expos'd to the Crows ; for where the Ape difcovers a.Neft: of thofe Birds, he -
climbs the Tree, and throws the Neft one way, and the Eggs another. Some-
times fome charitable people among the Englifh, Hollanders, and Portugals, com-
paflionating the misfortune of thofe Children, will take them away from the
Tree, and give them good ‘education. | ee he 4
. All along the Coaft of Coromandel, when the. Women are to be burnt with
their Husbands, they make 4 great hole in the ground nine or ten foot. deep,
and twenty-five or thirty foot fquare, into which they throw a great quantity
of Wood and Drugs to make the fire burn. more fiercely. . When the fire is
kindled, they fet the body of the man upon the brink; and then prefently up
comes the Woman dancing and'chewing Berlé ; accompany’d by her Friends it
Kindred, with Drums beating, and Flutes founding.. Then the Woman takes
three tiitns round the hole, and. every time fhe has gone. the round, fhe kiffes
her Friends and Kindred. After. the third, time the Bramins cait the Carcafs
of her Husband into the flame; and the. Woman, ftanding. with her ae TRE
the fire, is pufht in by the»Braminsalfo;,and, tumbles. backward. Then. her
Kindred and ‘Friends caft Oil-and other! combunttible ;Drugs upon the-fire, to
mre it burn more vehemently, that the Bodies: may: be te fooner con-
In moft places upon the Coaft of Coromand:l, the’ Women are not) burnt
with their deceas’d Husbands, but they are buried alive. with them in holes
which the Bramins make a foot deeper than the: tallnef$,of the man. and, wo-
man. Ufually they chufe a Sandy place; fo that when the man and womanare
both let down together, all the Company with Baskets of Sand fill up the hole
above half a foot higher than the furface of the ground, after which they
jump and dance upon it, till they believe the woman to be ftiff'd. ined
When fome of the Idolaters upon the Coaft of Coromandel are upon the point
of death, their Friends do not carry them to the fide of a River or Lake to
‘cleanfe their Souls, but they carry them to the fatteft Cow they can find;
and laying the fick party juft behind the Cow, they lift up her Tail, and pro-
voke her to pifs. If the pif, fo that it falls upon the face of the fick party, all
the Company are overjoy’d, faying, that his Soul is happy. But if the Cow
do not pifs, to wafh the fick parties face, they burn him with a great deal of
fadnefs. If a Cow be fick, the owner muft-be.carefal to lead her to a Pond
‘or River; for fhould fhe dye at his Houfe, the Bramins. would fine him... _.
CHAP, xX. 3
Remarkable Stories of Women that have been burnt after their
Husbands deceafe.
A Raja Of Velow having loft his City and his life, through the of
| of a Battel’ gain’d againft him by the King of V:/apour’s General, he |
was extreamly lamented at “Court. Eleven of his Wives alfo were’ no lefs
‘concern’d for ‘his: death, and refolv’d to be burnt when his, Body was
‘burn’d. The General of ¥i/apowr’s Army underftanding their refolution, thought
at firft to divert them, by promifing them all kind ufage. | But finding perfwa-
‘fions would not prevail, he order’d them to be. fhut. up im aRoom. He who
‘had the order, going to put! it in execution, the, Women in a rage told him,
that “twas to no purpofé to keep them’ Prifoners, for if they might not have
eave to do what they had refolv’d, in three hours there would not one of
‘them be alive. The perfon entrufted, laugh’d at their threats ; but the Keepe
of thofé women opening the door at the end of the ehree hours, found ¢l si
: 5 ,
bel
Travels in Inpia. Part IL.
ee A A LS CC cr
i72
ewe eee at ae ees,
all ftretch’d out dead upon the place, without any mark in the world to be
feen that they had any way haften’d their own deaths.
Two of the moft potent Raja's of India came to Agra in the year 1642,
to do homage to Sha-jehan, who then reign’d ; who not having acquitted them.
felves as they ought to have done,in the judgment of the Grand Mafter of the Kings
Houfhold, he told one of the Raja’s one day, in the prefence of the Kin :
that they had not done well, to behave themfelves in that manner toward {o
great 4 Monarch, as was the King his Mafter: The Raya looking upon himéelf
to be a great King, and a great Prince, he and his Brother having brought along
with them a Train of ry or 16600 thoufand Horfe, was netl’d at the bold
reproof which the Grand Mafter gave him, and drawing out his Dagger, flew
him upon the place, in the prefence of the King. The Grand Mafter falling at the
feet of his own Brother, who ftood clofe by him, he was going about to re-
venge ‘his death, but was prevented by the Raja’s Brother; who ftab’d him,
and laid him athwart his Brothers Body. The King, who beheld thefe two
murthers one upon the neck of the other, retir’d into his Haram for fear. But
prefently the Omrahs and other people fell upon the Raja’s, and cut ‘em to
ieces. The King incens’d at fuch an attempt committed in his Houfe and ja
is prefence, commanded the Raja’s bodies to be'thrown into the River ; which
their Troops ‘that they had left about -4gra underitanding, threaten’d to
enter the City and pillage ir. But rather than hazard the City, the King was
advis’d'to deliver them the Bodies of their Princes. WHen they were to be-burn’d,
thirteen Women belonging to the two Raja’s Houfes, came dancing and leaping,
and prefently got upon the Funeral pile, holding one another by hands, and
being prefently after ftiff'd with the fmoak, fell together into the fire. Prefently
the Sramins threw great heaps of Wood, pots of Oil, and other combuftible
matter upon them, 'to difpatch them the fodner.
I obferv’d a ftrange paflage at Patna, being then with the Governour, a youn
Gentleman of about twenty-four ‘years of age, in his own-Houfe. While I was
with ‘him, in came a young womtan, very handfome, and niot above two and
and ‘twenty years-old, who defird leave of the Governour to’be burnt with
the Body of her déceas’d Husband. Fhe Governour compaffionating her youth
and beauty, endeavour'd to divert! her from ‘her refolution ; but finding he could
hidt- prevail, with a furly countenance, ‘he ask’d her whether fhe underftood what
the torment of ‘fire was, ‘and whether fhe had ever burnt her fingers ?- No, no,
anfwer’d fhe more ftoutly than before, I do not fear fire, and to let’you know
as much, fend’ for a lighted Torch hither. ‘The Governour -abominating ‘her
anfwer, in great paflion bid her go to the Devil. Some young Lords that were
with the Governour, defird him to try the woman, and to call for a Torch;
which with much ado he did, anda lighted Torch was brought. So foon as
the woman faw the lighted Torch coming, fhe ran to meet it, and held her
hand in the flame, not altering her countenance in the leaft; ftill fearing her
arm along up to the very elbow, till her flefh look’d as if it had been broil’d ;
whereupon the Governour commanded her out of his fight.
‘A’ Bramin coming ‘to Patna, and aflembling all his Tribe togethér, told them,
that they, muft give him two thoufand Roupies, and twenty-feven Ells of Cali-
cut. To svhich the chief among them made him anfwer, that they were poor, and
could not poffibly raife fuch a fum. However he perfifted in his demand, po- |
fitively a@hriniig to them, ‘that he’ would flay -there without eating or: drink-
fig till they broeghe him the ‘Money-and-the:Gloath. With’ this refolution he
‘chimib’d’ a “Treejcartd vfetting' in the fork berwéen the boughs, remain’d there
without eating Or “drinking for feveral ‘days. The noife ofthis extrava-
nce coming to’ the* ears‘ of’ the: Hollanders where weilay, we fet Sentinels
‘to watch ‘whether it were trae,’ that-a’ man could et, fo Jong without vidtu-
sy whichthe did for thirty'days cogether. “The one and: thirtieth day of fuch
an éxttadrdinary Faft, the’ Iddlaters fearing to -kill one of their Priefts for want
“of "gtatiring ‘him His demand , © club’d- together, and brought him his twenty-
feven’ ENS of Calicut,'and two thoufand*Roupies. So foon asthe Bramin {aw
‘the’ Money? arid: the? Cloath,’ he caine down’ from the-Tree ; and after he had
‘Upbraided thofeof his'Tribe' for wanv Of ‘Charity, he diftributed all the Roupies
: So he ~ among -
S
Book III. Tea
among the poor, referving only five or fix for bimfelf. The Cloth he cat into
little pieces, and gave away, keeping only to himfelf enough to cover his own
nakednefs ; and having made this diftribution, he difa pore of afudden, and no
body knew what became of him, though diligent fearch was made after him.
When a Chinefe lies at the point of death, alt his Kindred and Friends gather
about him, and ask him whether he intends to go ; they tell him alfo, that if
he want any thing, he need but only ask and have, let it be Gold, Silver, ora
Woman. When they are dead they perform many Ceremonies at their Funerals
which confifts chiefly in artificial fires; wherein the Chinefes are the mott expert
in the world; fo that he muft be a very poor man that has no fire-works at
his Funeral. Befides that, they put Money ina little Box, and bury it by the
deceasd ; and leave good ftore of victuals upon the Grave, ont of an opinion 4
that they rife and eat. Which the Souldiers of Batavia obferving, us’d to fill
their Bellies at thefe Graves every time they walk’d their rounds. But wher
the Chinefes perceiv’d it, they poyfon'd the victuals to fpoil the Dutchmens feaft-
ing. The Townsmen of Batavia taking the Souldiers part, accus'd the Ch-
nefes for poyfoning feveral of the Dutch. But the Chinefes pleaded, that. if the Sol-
diers had over-eat themfelves, or furfeted themfelves upon what was Jeft.for the
dead to eat, ’twasnone of their faule ; for that they did not leave their,victuals for
the Souldiers ; and befides that, among all the multitudes which they had bu-
ried, they never had heard the leaft complaint before of any one that ever came
by any harm by eating their food. Thus the bufinefs was hufh’d over; nor did
the Souldiers dare to pilfer any more. | pape
CHAP. IX.
Of the moft celebrated Pagods of the Idolaters iw India.
HE Jndian Idolaters have a great number of Temples, fmall and grear,
4S which they call Pagods, where they pray to their Gods, and make their
Offerings. But the poor people that live in the Woods and Mountains, and re-
mote from Towns, are contented only with fome ftone, whereon they make a
rude kind of Nofe, and paint it with fome Vermilion colour, which ferves all
the whole neighbourhood to worfhip. fe
The four moit celebrated Pagods, are fagrenate, Bauarous, Afatura, and Th-
peti. 3
z fagrenate is one of the mouths of Ganges, whereupon is built the Great Pa-
god, where the 4rch Bramin, or chief Prieft among the jIdolaters keeps _his
refidence. The great Idol that ftands upon the Altar in the innermoft part.of
the Pagod, has two Diamonds for his Eyes, and another that hangs about kis
heck, the leaft of thofe Diamonds weighing about forty Carats. About his
Arms he wears Bracelets fometimes of Pearls, and fometimes of Rubies; and
this magnificent Idol is call’d Refora. The Revenues .of this -Pagod are futh-
cient to feed fifteen or twenty thoufand Pilgrims every.day ; which isa ea
-ber often {een there, that Pagod being the greateft place of devotion in all 4u-
dia. But you muft take notice, that no Goldfmith is fuffer’d to enter this god,
‘becaufe that one of them being Jock’d in all night.Jong, ftole a Diamond .qut
of one of the Idols eyes. ‘As he was about to.go out, when the,;Pagod .was
open’d in the morning, he ;dy’d atthe ‘door ; their God, .as they alirm, Te-
-venging his own facriledg. ‘That which renders this Pagod, which isa large build~
ing, the moft confiderable in: all Zudia,\is, becavfe.it vis, firuated upon the Gan-
ges; the Idolaters believing thatthe swaters of .thatRaver have a particular
quality to cleanfé them from :their fins. ;Thatywhich makes it fo rich ¢ for.it
’maintains above twenty -thoufand {Cows}) >is the: vaft Alms that are continually
‘beftow'd' by fo incredible a multitude :as:comes- from all parts. Which Alms.
are not fo much at the -difcretion.of the Donor, as at the. will, of aati’
3)
at
— Travels in Inpia. Part IT
Prieft, who before he gives them leave to fhave and wath in Gazges, taxes
them according’ to their quality, of which he has information. Thus he. col-
leéts vaft fums, of which he makes little or no profit himfelf; all going to feed
the poor, and the repair of the Pagod. The chief Bramin caufes Victuals to
be diftributed to the Pilgrims every day ; as Milk, Rice, Butter, and Whear;
‘but to the poor, who want wherewithall to cook it, they diftribute their food
‘ready drefst. In the morning they boil a quantity of Rice in Earth’n pots
of different bignefs ; and at the hour when the Pilgrims come for their mear,
“the chief Bramin orders another Bramin to take a pot of boil'd Rice ; this pot
‘he lets fall; and if there be five, the pot breaks into five equal parts, and eve-
ry one takes his own fhare. And in the fame manner he breaks it into more
“pieces, if there be more perfons, to whom he is to diftribute the food. Which
‘ts a thing very ftrange and worthy obfervation. They never boil twice in an
“Earthen pot; but in a Copper pot; nor have they any other Dithes, than only
“certain Leaves, which they faften together, and a certain kind of a Bafon, a-
“bout a foot in compafs, wherein they melt their Butter, and ftir the Rice with
“the ends of their fingers when they eat. They have alfo a kind of a Shell,
“wherein they pour their melted Butter, which they will {wallow down, as we
do Sack. . | |
__ Now for the defcription of a particular Ido] which ftands upon the Aftar in
‘the Pagod of Pagrenare: It is cover’'d from the Shoulders downward’ with a
“great Mantle that hangs down upon the Altar. This Mantle is of Tiflue of
Gold or Silver, according to the Solemnities. At firft it had neither feet nor
hands ; but after one of their Prophets was taken up into Heaven, while they
were.Jamenting what to do for another, God fent them an Angel in the like-
nefs of that Prophet, to the end they might continue their Veneration toward
him. Now while this Angel was bufie in making this Idol, the people grew
fo impatient, that they took him out of the Angels hands, and put him into
the Pagod without hands or feet, but finding that the Idol appear’d in that °
manner too déformed, they made him hands and arms of thofe fmal Pearls
Which we call Ounce-Pearls. As for his feet, they are never feen, being hid un-
der his Cloak. There is no part op’n but his hands and feet ; the head and
body being of Sandel-wood ; round about the Dzomo, under -which this Idol
ftands, being’ very high, from the bottom to the top, are only Niches filP’d
with other Idols ; the greateft part whereof reprefent moft hideous Montfters,
being all of different colours. On each fide of this Pagod, there ftands ano-
ther much lefs, where the Pilgrims make their leffef Offerings. And fome
that. have in ficknefs, or upon bufinefs made any Vows to any Deity, bring thi-
ther the refemblance thereof in remembrance of the good whichethey have re-
ceiv’d, They rub this Idol every day with fiveet Oils, that make it of a black
colour. And at the right hand of this Idol fits his Sifter, who ftands upon her
feet, and is well clad, being call’d by the name of Satora; upon his left, ftands
his Brother, cloath’d all over alfo, whom they call Balhader. Before the Idol,
_fomewhat toward his left hand, ftands the Idols Wife upon her feet, all of mafly
s ole by the name of Remin; whereas the other three are only of Sandal-
Ww Se : ‘
The rwo other Pagods are appointed for tlie refidence of the chief Bramin,
_and other Bramins that officiate in the great 'Pagod. All thele Bramins go with
their heads bare, and for the moft part fhav’d ; having no other Cloathes but
_ only one piece: of Calicut, with one half whereof they cover their bodies ;
' the other part férves them inftead of a Scarf. Near the Pagod ftands the Tomb
: Of one of their Prophets, whofe name was Caéir, to whom they give great
honour. You are to-take notice alfo , that their Idols ftand upon a kind of
“Altar, encompafs’d with Iron Bars. For no perfons.are to touch them, but only
Cettain Bramzins, appointed for that fervice by the chief Bramin.
ee Next co that of fagrenate, the moft famous Pagod is that of Banarous, be-
ing alfo feated upon the Ganges, in a City that bears the fame name. Thiat
_which ‘is moft remarkable is, that from the Gate of the Pagod to the: River
there is a defcént all of Stone; near to which are certain. Platforms,, and fmall
_ blind Chambers, fome for the Bramins lodging, others where they drefs their
victuals ;:
Book: UI. Travels dnt Inp PA: I 15
victuals ; for fo foon as the Idolaters have faid their Prayers, and made their Of.
ferings, they drefs their food, not fuffering any Perfon to tonch it but themfelves;
for fear left any unclean perfon fhould come neer it. But above all things, they
paffionately defire to drink of Ganges water; for as often as they drink ir, they
are wath’d, as they believe, from all their fins. Great numbers of thefe Brawzizis
go every day to the cleaneft part of the River, where they fill their little round
earthen-pots full of water, the mouths whereof are very {mall, and contain every
one of them a Bucket-ful]. Being thus fill’d, they bring them before the great
Prieft, who covers them with a fine piece of flame-colour’d Calicut, three or four
times doubl’d, to which he fets his Seal. The Bramins carry thefé pots, fome
fix of them ty’d together with fix little, cords faften’d to the end of a ftick as
broad as lath, fhifting their fhoulders often; travelling fometimes three or four
hunder’d leagues with thofe precious burthens up into the Countrey. Where they
fell it, ro prefent it; but that is only to the rich, from whence they expect
great rewards. There are fome of thefe Idolaters, who when they make any
great Feaft, efpecially when they marry their children, will drink four or five-
hunder’d Crowns in this water. They never drink of it till rhe end of their meals ;
and then a glafs or two according to the liberality of the Mafter of the Feaft, The
chief reafon why they efteem the water of Ganges fo highly, is, becaufe it never
putrifies, nor engenders any vermin; though I know not whether they mav be
believ'd, confidering the great quantity of dead bodies which they fling into the
Ganges, ‘ ! ;
The body of the Pagod of Banarons is made like a Crofé, as are all the reft of
the Pagods, the four parts whereof are equal. In the midft there is a Cwpola
rais’'d very high, the tap whereof is pyramidal; at the end alfo of every four
parts of tl Coa there is a Tower, to which there is an afcent on the out-fide.
Before you @@me to the top, there are feveral Balconies and Niches wherein to
take the frefh air : and round about are figures of all forts of creatures, but very
Leud work. Under the Duomo, in the middle of the Pagod there is an Altar, like
a Table, eight foot long, and fix foot broad, with two {teps before, that ferve for
a footftool, which is cover’d fometimes with a rich Tapeftry, fometimes with
Silk, fometimes with Cloath of Gold or Silver, according to the folemnity of
their Feftival. Their Altars are cover’d with Cloath of Gold or Silver, or elfe
with fome painted Calicuts. Approaching the entry of the Pagod, you fee the
Altar right before ye, together with the Idols which are upon it. For the Wo-
men and Virgins worfhip without, not being permitted to: enter the Pagod, no *
more than is a certain Tribe which is among them. Among the Idols that ftand
upon the great Altar, there is one plac’d upright fome five or fix foot high; but
you can fee neither arms, nor Jegs, nor body: nothing appears but the head and |
neck, all the reft being cover’d down to the Altar with a Robe that fpreads i felf
below. Sometimes you fhall fee the neck fet out with fome rich Chain either of
Gold, Rubies, Pearls, or Emraulds. This Idol was made in honour and likenefs of
Bainma-dou, who was heretofore a very great and holy Perfonage among them,
whofe name they oft’n have in their mouths. Uponthe right-fide of the Altar
ftands the figure of a Chimera, part Elephant, part Horfe, part Mule, It is of
maffive Gold, and they call it Garoz, not fuffering any perfon to approach it but
the Bramins. They fay it is the refemblance of the Beaft which carri’d that holy
perfon when he liv’d upon earth. And that he travell’d long journeys upon his.
back, to fee if the people remain’d in their duty, and whether they did no wrong
one to another. Between the great Gate and the great Altar upon the left-hand,
there isa littlé Altar,upon which there ftands an Idol of black Marble fitting crofs-
lega’d, about two foot high. While I was there, a little Boy who was the Son of
the High-Prieft ftood upon the left-fide of the Altar, and all the peacrrer him .
certain pieces of Taffata, or embroider’d Calicut, like Handkerchiefs, all which he
return’d to the people again after he had wip’d them upon the Idol. Others
threw him Bracelets of Coral, others of yellow Amber; others threw him fruits
and flowers ; whatever they threw him, he rabb’d it upon the Idol, put it to.
his lips, and then reftor’d it to the people. This Idol is call’d Adordi-Ram, that
is to fay God-Adorli, and was the Brother of him that ftands upon the great Al-
tar, sage
Under
4
*,
176
>
~ which the Raja
~ Travels, in Invi | Part. If,
Under the Portal of the Pagod fits one of the principal Bramins with a great
Bafon by him, full of a yellow colour mix’d with water. All thefe spOor Idolg-
térs come and prefent themfelves before him, who gives them a mark from be-
tween the eyes to the top of the nofe, then upon the arms, and upon the ftomach ,
by which marks they know who have wafh’d themfelves in Ganges, and who Not,
Thofe thac never wafh’d themi{elves but in the waters of their own Wells, or haye
only fent for it from the River, they do not believe to be perfectly purif'd, and
by conféquence they are not to be mark‘d with that colour. By the way take
notice, that thefe Idolaters are mark’d with different colours, according to the
Tribe they are of. But in the Empire of the Great AZogul, they who are painted
with yellow compofe the biggeft Tribe, and are the leaft defil’d. For when they
are neceffitated to the deeds of nature, fome think it not enough to wath ‘the part
defil’d ; but they firft rub the part with a handful of fand, and then {cour it With
water. After fo doing, they affirm their bodies to be clean, and thar they can
eat their food without fear.
Neer to this great Pagod upon the Summer-weft, ftands a kind of a Colled :
Fe eing, the moft Potent of all the Idolaters in the Mogul’s Em-
pire, buile for the education of the youth of the better fort. I faw two of the
children of that Prince there at School, who had for their Matters feveral Brg.
mins, Who taught them to write and read in a language peculiar to the Idolaters
Priefts, and far different from the fpeech of the common people. Entring into the
Court of that Colledg, and cafting my eyes up, I difcover’d two Galleries that
went round the Court, where I faw the two Princes fitting, attended by {éyeral
petty Lords and Bramins , who made feverat Mathematical Figures upon the
ground with chalk. The two Princes feeing me, {ent to know who I was; and
underftanding that I was a Frank, they fent for me up, and ask’deme fevera}
queftions touching Ezrope, and particularly touching France. Wh feupon there
being two Globes inthe room which the Hollanders had giv’n the Bramins, ¥
fhew’d the Princes where France Jay upon one of them. After Uhad taken leave,
Task’d one of the Bramins when I might fee the Pagod open: he anfwer’d me,
the next morning before Sun-rifing. When I came there, I obférv’d before the
door, a Gallery fupported with Pillars, where there was already a great crowd of
men, women and children expecting when the Pagod would be open’d. By and
by, the Gallery, and a great part of the Court being full, there came eight Bra-
mins, four of each fide of the Gate, with every one a Cenfer in his hand, follow’d
“by a rabble of other Bramins that made a hideous noife with Drums and other In-
ftruments. The two eldeft of the Bramins fing a Song ; and then all the people,
falling into the tune, fall a finging and playing, with every one a Peacock’s-tail, or
fome other kind of flabel, to drive away the flies, that the Idol may not be an-
annoid when they op’n the Pagod. This fanning, and the Mufick, lafted a good
half hour. Then the two principal Bramins made a great noifé three times with
_ two little Bells, and with a kind of a Mallet knockt at the Pagod-door. Which
was prefently open’d by fix Bramins within, difcovering, fome fix or feven paces
from the entrance, an Altar with an Idol upon it, which they call Ram, Ram, the
Sifter of Aforli-Ram. Upon her right-hand fhe has a child made like a great Cz-
péa, which they call the God La-kemin, and in her left-arm a little Girl, which
they call the Goddefs Sita. So foon as the Pagod was open, and that a great Cur-
tain was drawn, the people, who perceiv’d the Idol, fell upon the ground, laying
their hands upon their heads,and proftrating themfelves three times. Then rifing up,
' they threw great quantities of Nofegays and Garlands to the preifts ; with which
the Bramins touch’d the Idol, and then feftor’d them again. Before the Altar ftood
a Brare:n, who held in his hand a lamp of nine weeks lighted, upon which he caft
{ncenfe every foot, and then held it to the Idol. All thefe ceremonies lafted above
an-hour; after which the people depafted, and the Pagod was fhut. They pre-
fented the Idol with great ftore of Rice, Meal, Butter, Oil; and Milk-meats, of
which the Bramins lofe nothiag. Now in regard. this Idol is the reprefentation of
a Woman, the Women all invoke it, and call her their Patronefé: which is the
reafon that the place is generally crowded with Women and Maidé. The Raja, to
have this Idol in the Pagod of his own houfe, and for taking it out of the great
Pagod, has expended as well upon the Bramins, as in alms to the poor, above five
Lacres of Roupies, or 750000 Livres of our Money, - On
Book IIL. Travels In Ixy Ae
On.the other fide of the Street where the Colledg is built, there ftands another
Pagod, call’d Richourdas, from the name of the Idol. which is Ra a
rar: and fomewhat lower upon another finall Altar ftands another Idol, which they
call Goupaidas, the Brother of Richourdas. You fee nothing but the face of al
theft Idols, which is either of wood or jet; unlefS it be the Idol of Aforly-Rum,
‘ which ftands in the great Pagod ftark naked. As for the Idol Ram-Kam, which
ftands in the Raja’s Pagod, it has two Diamonds inftead of e i i
\, yes, which the Prince
causd to be fet there, witha Coller of Pearl, and Cano j
rted with four Silver-Pillars. Pe ee ee
Some eight days journey from Banarows, bending Northward, you enter into
. a) you enter int
a Mountainous Countrey ; but which fometimes op’ns it felf me very late
pee fometimes three or four leagues in length. They are very fertil in-Corn,
ice, Wheat and Pulfe. But that which is the plague and ruine of the people of
9g
that Countrey, is the vaft number of Elephants that breed there, and devour their .
Harveft. If a Caravan pafs through any part of that Countrey where there are
no Inns, in regard the people are fore’d to lye in the op’n Fields, they have much
ado to defend themfelves from the Elephants that will come to take away their
provifions. To skare them, the people make great fires, fhoot off their Muf-
kets, hooping and hollowing ever and anon. — In this place there is another Pagod
well-built, and very ancient, adorn’d with many figures both within and without,
which are only the reprefentations of Maids and Women ; fo that Men are feldom
known to repair thither for devotion’s-fake ; and therefore it is call’d the Wo-
mens Pagod. There is an Altar in the middle, as in other Pagods; and upon the
Altar an Idol of mafly Gold, four foot high, reprefenting a Maid ftanding upright,
which they call Ram-Marion. At her right-hand ftands a Child of matfy Silver,
about two foot high ; and they fay that the Maid liv’d a very holy life, that that
Child was brought to her by the Bramins to be inftructed in her belief, and in the
knowledg of well-living : but that after two or three years that the Child had liv’d
with her, the Infant grew fo knowing and ready-witted, that all the Raja’s of the
Countrey long’d for her company ; fo that being ftoll’n from her one night, fhe
was never {een afterwards. Upon the left-hand of this Idol {tands another Idol,
reprefenting an old Man; who, as they fay, was the fervant of Ram-AZarion
and the Infant: for which reafon the Bramins do very much reverence this Idol.
They never come but once a year in devotion, but they muft be there upon a pre-
fix’'d day, which is the firft of Movember, though they never op’n the Pagod till
the full of the Moon. During thofe fifteen days, the Pilgrims, as well Men
as Women, faft from time to time, and wath themfélves three times a-day, not
mains a hair in any part of their bodies, which they take off with a certain
earth, oe
CHAP. XII.
A Continuation of the de{cription of the principal Pagods of
the Indian Idolaters.
eg to the Pagods of ugrenate and Bavarous, the moft confiderable
is that of AMatura, about eighteen leagues from -4gra, upon the way to
Dehly. It is one of the moft fumptuous Edifices in all Judia, and the place to
which the greateft number of Pilgrims was wont to refort: But now there are
very few or none ; the Idolaters having infenfibly loft the réverencé which they -
had for that Pagod, fince the River of Gemena, that formerly ran by that Pagod,
has ig ke courfe, above half a league fromit., For it requires fo much
time to retu
thany times defil’d again before they could reach it. Though this Pagod ttand in
a bottom, yet you may difcover it five or fix leagues before you come at it, the
building being very lofty and’ magnificent. The eae are of a red colons
, * A’a whic
}
to the Pagod, after they have wafh’d'in the River, that they were
178
Travels in Inpta. Part. if,
which they fetch from a Quarry neer Agra. They cleave like our Slates, fome
of them being fifteen foot long, and nine or ten foot broad, yet nor above
‘fix fingers thick, efpecially when you cleave them as you would have them for
ufe ; They alfo make very fair Pillars. The FortrefS of -d4gra, the Walls of fehan
nabat, the King’s Houfe, the two AdLofywees, and feveral Noblemens Houfes are
all buile of this Stone.
The Pagod is built upon a great Platform of an Oéogonal Figure, pav’d with
Free-ftone ; being adorn’d round about with the figures of alk forts of Creq.
tures, efpecially Apes. There is an afcent to it two ways of fifteen or fixteen
fteps a-piece, every ftep being two foor broad, for two perfons-to go a-breft
One of the afcents leads up to the great Portal of the Pagod, the other behing
up to the Chancel. The Pagod does not take up above half the Platform, the
other half ferving for a Piazza before it. The Structure is in the form of a
Crofs, like the reft of the Pagods, in the midit whereof a great Dzomo, with
two others of each fide fomewhat lefs, advance ‘them{elves above the reft of
the building. The out-fide of the building from top to bottom is adorn’
with the figures of Rams, Apes and Elephants, and feveral* forts of Mon
fters. From one foot below every one of thefe Duomo’s, to the Roof, at
fuch and fuch {paces, are Windows, fome five, fome fix feet high, and to
every Window belongs a Balcone, where four perfons may ftand. Every Bal-
cone is cover'd with a little Arch, fupported by four Pillars, others by eight,
every two touching one another. Round about the Dwomo’s are Niches fill'd
with the figures of Demons. Some with four arms, fome with four legs.
Some with mens heads npon the bodies of Beafts, and long tails that hang
down to their thighes: There are abundance of Apes ; and indeed it is an
ugly fight to behold fo many deform’d fpedtacles. There is but one great
door to the Pagod, upon each fide whereof there are Pillars and Figures of
Men and Monfters. The hinder-part is clos’d with a clofe Balifter of Stone-
Pillars five or fix inches in Diameter, into which, as into a kind of Saittum
Santtorvm, none but the Bramins are permitted to enter: but for Money, I got
in, and faw a {qQuare' Altar fome fifteen or fixteen foot from the door, co-
verd with an old Tiffue of Gold and Silver, upon which ftood the great Idol,
_ which they call Ram, Ram. You fee nothing but his head, which is of a very
black Marble, with two Rubies inftead of eyes. All the body, from the thoul-
ders to the feet, is cover’d with a Robe of Purple-Velyet, with fome {mal}
embroidery. There are two other Idols on each fide of him two foot high, ap~
parell’d in the fame manner ; only their faces are white, which they call Bec-
chor, There I alfo faw a Machine fixteen foot {quare, and between twelve and
fifteen foot high; cover’d with painted Calicuts, reprefenting the fhapes of- De-
vils, This Machine running upon four Wheels, they told me, Was a moving
Altar, upon which they carri’d their great God in Proceffion to vifit the other
Gods, as alfo to the River, whither alt the people went upon their great Fefti-
_ ¥al.
The fourth Pagod is that of Tripeti, in the Province of Carnatica, toward the
Coat of Coromandel, and Cape Comorin. 1 faw it as I went to Maflipatan, It isa
Pagod to which there belong a great number of little lodgings for the Bramins :
fo that altogether it feems to be a great Town. There are feveral Ponds round
about it; but their fuperftition is fo great, that no Paflenger dare take any water
out-of them, but what the Bramin gives him. |
CHAP.
Book IIL. Travels in Inpia | | 179 |
.
CHAP. XIH.
Of the Pilgrimages of the Idobiters to their Pugodi.
te the Idolaters under the Dominion of the Great Afogul , and other
Princes, both on this fide and beyond Ganges, at leaft once in their lives
go in Pilgrimage to one of thefe Pagods that I have nam’d; but moft gene-
rally to that of Zugrenate, as being the firit and moft confiderable above all the.
reft. The Bramins and rich people go oftner. For fome go every four years;
fome every fix, or eight ; and putting the Idols of their Pagods upon Pallekies
cover’d with Tiflues, they ae with their Bramins, as it were in proceffion to
the Pagod which they moft efteem.
They go not in Pilgrimage one by one, or two and two, but whole Towns,
and many times feveral Towns together, The poor that go a great way,
are fupply’d by the rich; who fpend very freely in fuch aéts-of Charity. The
rich travel in Pallekies or Chariots, the poor on foot, or upon Qxen; the Wife
carrying the Child; and the man the Kitchin Implements. u
The Idol which.they carry in proceffion, by way of vifit, and out of refpect
to the great Ram-Ram, lies at length ina rich Palleky, cover’d with Tiflue
of Gold and Silver, fring’d as richly ; the Mattrefs and Bolfter being of the
fame ftuff under the head, feet, and elbows. The Bramins alfo. diftribute Fla-
bels to the moft confiderable of the Company, the handles whereof being eight
foot long, are plated with Gold and Silver. The Flabel being three foot in Dia~
meter, of the fame Tiffue as the Pallekies ; round about, it is adorn’d with
Peacocks Feathers to gather more wind, and fometimes with Bells to make a
kind of tingling. There are fix of thefe Flabels ufually employ’d to keep off
the Flies from their God; the better fort taking it by turns, that the honour
of waiting upon their God may be more equally fhar’d.
’
i
CH APY, ,
of divers Giftoms of the Indian Wolaters.
oe H E Bramins are well skill’d in Aftrology ; and will exactly foretell to the peo-
ple the Eclipfés of the Sun and Moon. The fecond of 7uly 1666, about one
a Clock in the afternoon, at Patna in Bengala, there was an Eclipfe
of the Sun; at which time it was a prodigious thing to fee the multitudes of
people, men, women; and children, that ran to the River Ganges, to wath them-
felves. But it behoves them to begin to wafh three days. before the Eclipfe ;
all which time they labour day and night in providing all forts of Rice, Milk,
Meats, and Sweatmeats, to throw to the Fifh and Crocodiles, as foon as the
Bramins give the word. Whatever Eclipfe it be whether of the Sun or Moon;
the Idolaters as foon as it appears, break all theit Earthen Pots and Difhes in
the houfe, which makes a hideous noife altogether. es
Every Bramin has his Magick Book, wherein are abundance of Circles and.
Semicircles, Squares, Triangles, and feveral forts of Cifers. They alfo, make
feveral Figures upon thé ground, and when they find that the good hour is
come, they cry dloud to the people to feed the fifh, Then’ there enfues
a moft horrible din of Drums, Bells, and great noife of founding Mettal, hich they
twang one againft another. “And as foon as the victuals are thrown into the Ri-
ver, the people are to go in and wath and rub themfelves till the Eclipfe be o-
ver. So that in regard the waters were at that time very high,for more than three,
Leagues above and below the City, and all the breadth of the River, there
aa se — was’
180
—
Travels in Inpta. Part I.
Brg SS nothing to be feen but the heads of the people. As for the Bramins, they
\
{tay afhore to receive the richer fort, and thofe that give moft; to dry their
‘bodies, and to give them dry Linnen to their bellies. Afterwards they caue
them to fit down in.a Chair, where the moft liberal of the Idolaters have pro-
vided Rice, Pulfe, Milk, Butter, Sugar, Meal, and Wood. Betore the Chair the
Bramin makes a place very clean about five foot fquare; then with Cow-dun
fteep'd in a kind of yellow Bafon, he rubs all the place, for fear any Emet fhould
eome there to be burnt. For indeed they would never make ufé of Wood if
they could help: it ;:and when they do, they are very careful that there be fig
Worms or Infects:in it. In the place which they have thus cleans’d, they draw
feveral Figures, as: Triangles, Ovals, Half-Ovals, ee. Then upon every Figure
they Jay a little Cows-dung, with two or three {mall fticks of Wood, upon
every. one of which they lay a feveral fort of Grain ; after that pouring Butter,
and. fetting fire to each ; by the fmoak which fifes, they judg of the plenty
of every fort of Grain that year. — |
_ When the Moon is at the full in AZarch, they keep a folemn Feftival for their
Idol, which is inform of a Serpent. This Feftival continues nine days; and
when it comes, they do nothing but make Holiday all the while, as well men’
as beafts, which they beautifie by making Circles about their eyes with Ver-
million, with which they alfo colour the Horns; and if they havea particular.
kindnefs for the beaft, they hang them with Leaves of gyilded Tin, Every
morning they. worfhip. the Idol, and the Maids dance about it for an hour, to
the noe of Fluits and Drums ; after which they eat and drink and are merry
till the evening, and chen they worfhip and dance about their Idol again.
Though: ‘the Idolaters never drink any ftrong drink at other times, yet at
~ this Fettival they drink Palm-wine, and ftrong water, which is made of the
fame in remote ‘Villages ; for elle their Afahometan Governour would not fuffer
them to make Wine, nor to fell any which might be brought out of Perfa.
_ i) Their ftrong Water is thus made: They take.a great Earthen pot, well g!az’d
within, which they call AZartavane ; into one of thefe Veflels, that holds three
hundred Paris pints of Palma-wine, they put in fifty or fixty pound of brown
Sugar unrefin’d, which looks like yellow Wax; with about twenty pound ofa
‘great thick bark of a Thorn, not much unlike that which our Leather-dreflers
ufe. This bark fets the Palma-wine a bubling and working jult like our new
wines, for five or fix days together, till it becomes of a fweet Liquor , as
fowre as our Crabs. Then they diltill it, and according ro the tafte they would
give, they either put into a Cauldron full, a Jirtle Bag of Mace, or three or
four handfuls of Annife-feed. They can make it alfo as ftrong as they pleafe.
Being at grain the year 1642, an Idolater, whofe name was Woldas, Broa=
ker to the Hollanders, about feventy years of age, receiving news that the ~
chief Bramin of the Pagod of A¢arara was dead, went to: the Hollander and
defir’d: him to even all accounts; for faid he, the chief Prieft being dead, it
behoves me to dye, that I may ferve him in the other world. Thereupon
having ended his. accounts, he took his Coach, with fume of his Kindred ;
but having neither eaten nor drank from the time he receiv’d the news, he
_ dy’d by the way; having famifh’d himfelf for grief.
_ The Zudian Idolaters have a cuftom, that when any perfon gives a thing,
they fhap their fingers, crying out, Gi-Narami, remember Narami, who was
a great Saint among them, for fear the Evil Spirit fhould enter into the body
of him that gives. eR Ee: .
Being at’ Surat in the year 1653, a Rafpowte being demanded Cuftom for
three or four pieces of Calicut, boldly ask’d the Governour, whether a Soul-
dier that had ferv’d:the: King all his life-time, ought to pay Cuftom for two
or three piciful pieces of Galicut, not worth four or five Roupies ; telling him
it .was only to cloath his Wife and Children. The Governour netl’d at his
faweinefs, call’d him Bethico, or Son of a Whore ; adding, that if he were Prince
he would make him pay his Cuftoms. Whereupon the Souldier incens’d at the
affront, making as if he felt for Money to pay his dues, bearing up to the Go-
vernor, ftab’d:him in the belly, fo that he dy’d immediately, But the Soul-
dicr was prefently cut in pieces by. the Governors Servants,’ at
‘ cc gh 3% ough
~
Book II. Travels in I oh ee eee
. Though the Idolaters are in utter darknefs as to the kn tie
God, however the Law of Nature teaches them Morality in set Shit a Wha
they are married they are feldom falfe to their Wives. Adultery is ae er
among them. -And as for Sodomy [never heard it mention?d. They pty mete
Children between feven and eight years old, for fear they fhould fall into that
vice ; the Ceremonies whereof are thefeé: The day before the Nuptials, the
Bridegroom , accompany’d by all _his Kindred, goes to the Hoafe where the
Bride lives, with a great S of Bracelets, two fingers thick, hollow within
‘and in two pieces, with a hinge in the middle to open them, According to the
quality of the Bride thofe Bracelets are of more or lef value fometimes of
Gold, fometimes of Silver, Tin, or Latten, the pooreft fort of all makin ‘ufe
of Lead. The next day there is a great Feaft at the Bridegrooms Houfe ids
ther all the Kindred on both fides are invited, and about three a Clock it the
afternoon the Bride is brought thither. Then the chief of the Bruins that
are there , of which there are always feveral, laying the head of the Bride
to the Bridegrooms, pronounces feveral words, fprinkling their heads and bo-
dies all the while with water. Then they bring him upon Plates or Fig-leaves
feveral forts of Meats, Calicuts, and Stuffs; and then the Bramin asks the
Bridegroom, whether fo long as God fhall make him ablé, ‘hé will let his Wife
fhare with him, and whether he will endeavour to maintain her by his labour,
If he fays yes, they all fer themfélves down to Bes, prepar’d for them,
where every one eats by himfelf. If the Bride rich, and be acquainted
among the Nobilitv, their Weddings are very pompous and expenfive. The
Bridegroom is mounted upon an Elephant, and the Bride rides in a Chariot ;
the whole Company carrying Torches in their hands. They alfo borrow of the
Governour and the Nobility of the place, as many Elephants and prancing
Horfes as they can get. And they walk fome part of the night with Fire-
works, which they throw about the Streets and Piazza’s. But the greateft
expence to thofe that live three or four hundred Leagues from it, is to get the wa-
ter of Ganges; for in regard they account that water facred, and drink it out -
of devotion, it muft be brought them by the Bramins, and in Earthen Veffels,
glaz’d within fide, which the chief Bramin of Ingrenare fills himfelf with the
-pureft Water of the River, and then feals up with his own Seal. .They never
drink this water till the end of the Feaft, and then they give their guefts three
or more glaffes apiece. This water coming. fo far, and the chief Bramin de-
manding a Tribute for every pot, which contains a Pail-full, fometimes a wed-
ding comes to two or three thonfand Roupies. ed %
The eighth of -4pri/, being ina City of Bengala call’d Afalde, the Idolaters
made a great Feaft, according to the particular Cuftom of thar place ; they all
go out of the City, and faften Iron hooks to the boughs of feveral Trees, then
come a great number of poor people and hang themfelves, fome by the fides,
fome by the brawn of their backs, upon thoft hooks, till the weight of their
body tearing away the flefh, they fall of themfelves. *Tis a wonderful thing to
fee that not fo much as one drop of blood fhould iffue from the wounded fleth,
nor that any of the fiefh fhould be left upon the hook; befides, that in twa -
days they are perfectly curd by fuch Plaifters as their Bramins give them,
There are others who at that Feaft will lye upon a bed of nails, with the points
upward, the nails entring a good way into the flefh ; however while thefe peo- .
ple are under this Pennance, their Friends come and prefént them with Money
and Linnen. When they have undergone their Penance, they take the prefents.
and diftribute them to the poor, without making any farther advantage of
them. I ask’d one, why they made that Feaft, and futfer’d thofe fevere Pe-
nances ; wlio anfwer’d me, that it was in remembrance of the firft man, whom
they call’d Adam, as we do. =A
In the year 1666, I faw another fort of Penance, as I crofs'd the Ganges ;
upon the Bank of which River’ they had prepar’d a clean place, whare one of
the poor Idolaters was condemn’d to reft upon the ground, touching it only
with his hands and feet; which he was to do Sie eral times a day, and every
time to kifs the earth three times before he rofe up again. He was to rife up.
upon his left foot, never touching the ground with his right all the while. é And
very
182 “Travels in Inovta. Part IL.
~ SRO. eas erermemrer
every day for a month together before he either eat or drank he was oblig’d
to this pofture for fifty times together, and confequently to kifs the ground a
hundred and fifty times. He told me, that the Bramins had enjoin’d him that
Penance becaufe he had futfer’d a Cow to dye in his Houfe, and had not Jead
her to the water to be wafh’d before fhe dy’d. |
When an Idolater has loft any piece of Gold or Silver, or fumm of noc
either by negligence, or as being ftoln from him, he is oblig’d to carry as mac
as he loft to the great Bramin ; for if he does not, and that the other thoy]
come to know of it, he is ignominioufly caft out of his Tribe, to make him
nfore careful another time.
On the other fide the Ganges Northward, toward the Mountains of Navgros '
cot, there are two or three Raja’s, who neither believe God nor the Devil,
Their Bramins have a book containing their Belief, full of ridiculous abfurdj-
ties, whereof the Author whofe name is Baudow gives no reafon. Thefe Raja’s
are the Great AZoguls Vaflals, and pay him Tribute. _ ;
To conclude the AZalavares carefully preferve the nails of their left hands,
and let their hair grow like women’s. Thefe nails, which are half a finger long,
ferve them inftead of Combs; and it is with their left hand that they do all
their drudgery, never touching their faces, nor what they eat, but with thei
right hands,
Of the Kingdom of Boutan, whence comes the Musk, the g00d Rhu-
burb,. and fome Furs.
oS ea E. Kingdom of Boutan is of a large extent ; but I could never yet come
toa perfect knowledg thereof. I have fet down all that I could learn
at Patna, whither the Merchants of Boutan come to fell their Musk. The
moft excellent Rhubarb comes alfo from the Kingdom of Boutan. From hence
is brought alfo that Seed which is good againit the worms, therefore calld
Wormfeed ; and good ftore of Furs. As for the Rhubarb, the Merchants run
a great hazard which way foever they bring it; for if they take the Northern
Road, toward Caboxl, the wet fpoils it ; if the Southern Road, in regard the
journey is long, if the Rains happen to fall, there is as much danger that way ;
{o that there is no Commodity requires more care then. that.
As for the Musk, during the heats the Merchant lofes by it, becaufe it
dries and lofes its weight. Now in regard this Commodity pays twenty-five
in the hundred Cuftom at Gorrochepour, the laft Town belonging to the Great
Mogul, next to the Kingdom of Boxtan, when the Indian Merchants come to
that City, they go to the Officer of the Cuftom-Houfe, and tell him that they are
going to Boxtan to buy Musk or Rhubarb, and how much they intend to lay
out; all which the Officer Regifters, with the name of the Merchant. Then
the Merchants inftead of. twenty-five, agree with him for feven or eight in the
hundred, and take a Certificate from the Officer. or Cadi, that he may not de-
mand any more at their return. if the Officer refufes a handfom compofition,
then they go another way, over Defarts and’ Mountains cover’d with Snow,
tedious and troublefome, till they come to Cabou/, where the Caravans part,
fome for great Tartary, others for Balch, Here it is that the Merchants coming
from Boutan barter their Commodities for Horfes, Mules, and Camels ; for there
is little Money in that Country. Then thofe Tartars tranfport their Commod-
dities into. Perfia, as far as Ardevile and Tauris , which is the reafon that fome
Europeans have thought that Rhubarb and Wormfeed came out of ‘Tartary.
True it is, that fume Rhubarb comes from: thence ; but not fo good as that
of Boutan, being fooner corcupted ; for Rhubarb will eat out its own heart. ‘The
Tartars carry back out of Perfia Silks of {mall value, which are made in suet
~“
‘
*
?
Book IL Percrlign Vanek ~~ oe
and -drdevile, and fome Englifh Cloth brought by the Armenians from Confhan-
tinople and Smyrna. Some of the Merchants that come from Caboul and Bou~
tan go to Candahar, and thence to Z/pahan ; whether they carry Coral in Beads
yellow Amber; and Lapis Lazuli Beads, if they can meet with it. The other
Merchants that come from the Coaft of Afultan, Lahor, and Agra, bring only
Linnons, Indigo, and ftore of Cornelian and Chriftal Beads. Thole “that return
through Gorrochepour, and are agreed with the Officer of the Cuftom-Houfe
‘carry from Patna and Daca, Coral, yellow Amber, Bracelets of Tortois-thells,
and other Shells, with great ftore of round and {quare thick pieces. of Tor-
tois. When I was at Patna, four -drmenians who had been before at’ Boutay
return’d from Dantaick, where they had made certain Figures of yellow Am-
ber, reprefenting the fhapes of feveral Creatures and Moniters, which they were
carrying to the King of Botan, who is an Idolater, as are all his people, to:
fet up in his Pagods. For the ~d4rmenians for Money will fell any thing of Ido-
latry ; and they told me befides, that if they could but have made the Idol
which the King of Boutan befpoke of them, they fhould have done their bufi-
refs. Which was to have been a Monfters head, with fix.horns, four ears, four
arms, and fix fingers upon every hand, all of yellow Amber; bat they could
not find pieces big enough, + | eee
The Caravan is three months travelling from Patna to the Kingdom of Bon-
pan. ‘It fets out from Parna about the end of December, and eight days after
arrives at Gorrochepour. : ci
_ From Gorrochepour to the foot of the high Mountains, is, eight or nine days
journey more, during which the Caravan fuffers very much hardfhip, for the
Country is nothing but wide Forrefts, full of wild Elephants. So that the Mer-
chants, inftead of taking their refts, ate forc’d to watch, keep fires, and fhoot
off their Muskets all the night long. For the Elephant making no noife in tread-
ing, would elfe be upon the Caravan before they were aware; not that he
comes to do any mifchief to the men, but to get what victuals he can find,
You may travel from Pama to the foot of thofe Mountains in Palleki’s. But gene-
rally they ride upon Oxen, Camels, or Horfes, bred in the Country. Thofé
Horfés are generaily {0 little, that when a man is upon the back of them, his
feet touch the ground ; but they will travel twenty Leagues an end, and néver.
bait, or elfe with a very {mall one. Some of thofe Horfes coft two hundred
Crowns ; for indeed when you come to crofs the Mountains, you can make
ufé of no other fort of carriage but them, in regard of the narrownefé and rug-
ednefs of the Pafles; which many times put the Horfés very much to it, as
a and as low as they are. Syke TT Pao
Five or fix Leagues beyond coi ae you enter into the Territories of the
Raja of Nupal, which extend to the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Boutan. This
Raja isa Tributary to the Great AZogul, and pays him every year an Elephant
for his Homage. He refides in the City of xpal, from whence he derives
his Title ; but there is little either Trade or Money in his Country, which is —
all Woods and Forrefts. =, : < ngs :
The Caravan being arriv’d at the foot of thefeé Mountains, which are call’é
at this day by the name of Nasagrocor, abundance of people come. from all.
parts of the Mountain, the greateft part whereof are women and maids, who
agree with the Merchants to carry them, their goods and provifions crofs the
Mountains, which is eight days journey more. ss | eae
. The. women carry upon each fhoulder a woollen Roll, to which is faften’dia
large Cufhion, that hangs down upon their backs, upon which the, man. fits.
There, are three women to carry one man, relieving one another by turns. And
for their luggage and provifions, they lade them pon Goats, that will carry 2
hundred and fifty pound weight apiece. Thofe that will ride, are in many places
forc’d to have their Horfes hoifted up with Cords. They never feed them but
morning and evening, mixing a pound of meal, half a pound of brown Sugar,
and half a pound of Butter, together, with water fufficient. In the evening they
muft be contented only with a few flat:Peafon, bruis’d, and fteep’d half an hour
in water. The women that carry the men, get for their ten days travel. two
Roupies apiece, and as much for every burthen which’ the Goats carry, and for’
every Horfé which they lead,’ «After
t
After you have paf’d the Mountains, you may travel to Soxran upon Oxen,
€amels, Horfes, or Palleki’s, which you pleafe. The Country is good, abound. _
ing in Rice, Corn, Pulfe, and ftore of wine. All the people both men and wo.
men-are clad in the Summer with a large piece of Fuftian, or Hempen-Cloath ;
in the Winter with a thick Cloth, almoft like Felt. Both men and women wear
upon their heads a kind of Bonnet, much like our drinking Cans, which the
adorn with Boars teeth, and with round and fquare pieces of “Tortois-Shell¢:
The richer fort intermix Coral and Amber Beads, of which their women make
them Neck-Laces. The men as well as the women wear Bracelets upon their
Jeft hands only, from the wrift to the elbow. The women wear them ftrait,
the men loofe. About their necks they wear a filken twift, at the end where.
of hangs'a Bead of yellow Amber or Coral, or a Boars Tooth, which dangles
upon their breafts. On their left fides, their Girdles are button’d with Beads
of thefame. Though they be Idolaters, yet they, feed upon all fort of food,
except the flefh of Cows, which they adore as theommon Nurfes of all men;
they are befides great lovers of {trong water. They obferve alfo fome Cere-
monies of the Chinefes, burning Amber at the end of their Feafts, though they
do not worfhip fire like the CAinefes. For which reafon the Merchants of Boy-
tan will give at Patna for a Serre of large pieces of yellow Amber, as big’ ag
a Nut, bright and clean, thirty-five and forty Roupies. The Serre of yellow
Amber,Musk,Coral, Ambergrife,Rhubarbyana other Drugs,containing nine Ounces
to the pound. Saltpeter, Sugar, Rice, Corn, and other Commodities, are al
fold by the Serre in Bengala ; but the Serre contains feventy-two of our Pounds,
at fixteen Ounces to the Pound ;. and forty Serres make a A¢ein, or 2824 Pounds
of Paris.
To retarn to yellow Amber, a piece of nine ounces is worth in Bostan from
250 to 300 Roupies, according to its colour and beauty. Coral rough, or wrought
into Beads, yields profit enough ; but they had rather have it rough, to fhape it
as they pleafe themfelves. —
_» The Women and Maids are generally the Artifts among them, as to thofe toys,
They alfo make Beads of Cryital and gar. As for the Men, they make Bracelets
of Tortoife-fhell, and Sea-hells, and polifh thofé little pieces of Shells which the
Northern people wear in their ears, and in their hair. In Patna and Daca there
are above two thoufand perfons that thus employ themfelves, furnifhing the King-
doms of Boxtan, Afem, Siam, and other Northern and Eaftern parts of the At
gul’s Dominions.
As for Wormfeed, the Herb grows in the Fields, and muft dye before the Seed
can be gather’d: but the mifchief is, that before the Seed is ripe, the wind {cat-
ters the greateft part, which makes it fo fcarce. When they gather the Seed,
they take two little Hampers, and as they go along the Fields, they move their
Hampers from the right to the left, and from the left to the right, as if they”
were mowing the Herb, bowing it at the top, and {0 all the Seed falls into the
Hampers.. -
Rhubarb is a Root which they cut in pieces, and ftringing them by ten or twelve
together, hang them up a drying. | :
Had the Natives of Bowran as much art in killing the Martin as the Afufcovite,
they might vend great ftore of thofe rich Furs, confidering what a number of
thofe Beafts there are in that Countrey. No fooner does that creature peep out
of his hole, but the AZz/covites, who lye upon the watch, have e’m prefently,.
cither in the noféor in the eyes; for fhould they hit e’m inthe body, the blood
would quite fpoyl the skin. |
The King of Bo#ran has conftantly feven or eight thoufand Men for his Guard.
Their Weapons are for the moft part Bows and Arrows, Some of them carry
Battel-axes, and Bucklers. “Tis a long time ago fince they had the firit ufe of
Muskets and Cannons : their Gun-powder being long, but of an extraordinary
force.: They aflurd me that fome of their Cannons had Letters and Figures BP
on them, thar were above five-hunder’d years old. They dare not ftir out of the
Kingdom’ without the Governor's particular leave ; nor dare they carry a Musket
along with them, unlefs their next Kindred will'undertake for them that they fhall
bring it back, Qtherwife. 1 had-brought one along with me; for by the aN
racters
Book il. Travels m Inxpta.
racters upon the Barrel, it appear’d to have beeff made above 180 years. It was
very thick, the mouth of the bore being like a Tulip, polifh’d within as bright as
a Looking-glafs. Two thirds of the Barrel were garnith’d with embofs’d Wires
with certain Flowers of Gold and ‘Silver inlaid between ; and it carri’d a Bullet
that weigh’d an ounce. But I could not prevail with the Merchant to fell it me,
nor to give me any of his powder. :
There are always fifty Elephants kept about the King’s Houfe, and twenty five
Camels, with each a Piece of Artillery mounted upon his back, that carries half
a pound Ball. Behind the Gun fits a Cannoneer that manages and levels the Guns
as he pleafes. 3 wnt :
There is no King in the World more fear’d and more refpected by his Subjects
then the King of Boxtan; being ina manner ador’d by them. When he fits to do
Juftice, or give Audience, all that appear in. his prefence hold their hands clofe to-
gether above their forheads: and at a diftance from the Throne proftrate them-
felves upon the ground, not daring to lift up their heads. In this humble pofture
they make their Petitions to the King ; and when they retire, they go backwards
till they are quite out of his fight. One thing they told me for truth, that when
the King has done the deeds of nature, they diligently preferve the ordure, dry
it and powder it, like fheezing-powder: and then putting it into Boxes, they go
every Market-day, and prefent it to the chief Merchants; and rich Farmers, who
recompence them for their kindnefs: that. thofe people alfo carry it home, as a
great rarity, and when they feaft their Friends, ftrew it upon their meat. Two:
Boutan Merchants fhew’d me their Boxes, and the Powder that was in
them. : : | oe
_ The Natives of Boutan are ftrong and well proportion’d ; but their nofes and
faces are fomewhat flat. Their women are faid to be bigger and: more vigo-
rous thanthe men; but that they are much more troubled with fwellings ‘in
the throat then the men, few efcaping that difeafe. They know not what war
is, having no enemy to fear but the AZogz/. But from him they are fenc'd
with high, fteep, craggy, and fnowey Mountains. Northward there are nothing °
but vait Forrefts and Snow. Eaft and Weft nothing but bitter water. And as
for the Raj@s near them, they are Princes of little force.
There is certainly fome Silver Mine in the Kingdom of Bostan, for the King
coins much Silver, in pieces that are of the value of a Roupy. The pieces
are already defcrib'd. However the Boxtan Merchants could not tell me where
the Mine lay. And as for their Gold, that little they have is brought them
from the Eaft, by the Merchants of thofe Countries.
In the year 1659, the Duke of A4afcovys Embafladors. pafs’d through this
Country to the King of China. They were three of the greateft Noblemen in’
Maufcovy, and were at firft very well receiv’d; but when they were brought
to kifs the Kings hands, the cuftom being to proftrate themfelves three: times to
the ground, they refus’d to do it, faying that they would complement the King
after their manner, and as they approach’d their own Emperor, who was as great
and as potent as the Emperor of China. Thereupon, and for that they con-
tinu’d in their refolution, they were difimifs’d with their prefents, not being ad-
mitted to fee the King. But had thofe Embaffadors conform’d to the cuftom of
China, without. doubt we might have had a beaten rode through A4ufcovy and
the North part of Great Tarrary, and much more commerce and knowledge
of the Country than now we have.
This mentioning the Ayfcovites , puts me in mind of a ftory that feveral-
Mufcovy Merchants averr’d to be true, upon the rode between Tasris and Z/-
pahan, where I overtook them, of a woman of fourfcore and two years of
age, who at thofe years was brought to bed in one of the Cities of, Mufcorys,
of a Male Child, which was carry’d to the Duke, and by him brought up at
the Court. *
CHAP
Travels in Ippta. Part I
8 7
CHP A Pieatv i,
Of the Kingdom of Tipra.
Oft people have been of opinion till now, that the Kingdom of Pegs fies
upon the Frontiers of Chima; and I thought fo my felf, till the Merchants
of Tipra undeceivd me. I met with three, one at Daca, and two others ar. _
Patna. They were men of very few words; whether it were their own |:
particular difpofition, or the general habit of the Country. They caft-
up their accounts with finall Stones likes Agats, as big asa mans nail, upon
every one of which was a Cypher. They had every one their weights, like
a Stelleer ; though the Beam were not of Iron, but of a certain Wood as hard
as Brazile; nor was the Ring that holds the weight, and is put thorough the
Beam to mark the weight, of Iron, but a ftrong Silk Rope. And thus they
weigh’d from a Dram to ten of our Pounds. If all the Natives of the King-
dom of Tipra were like the two Merchants which [ met at Patna, | dare af-
firm them to be norable topers; for they never refus’d whatever ftrong Li-
quor I gave them, and never left till all was out; and when I told them by
my Interpreter that all my Wine was gone, they clapt their hands upon their
ftomachs and figh’d. Thefe Merchants travell’d all three through the King-
dom of Arakan, which lies to the South and Welt of T:pra, having fome part
of Pegs upon the Winter Weft. They told me alfo, that it was about fifteen
days journey to crofs through their Country; from whence there is no cer-
tain conjecture of the extent to be made, by reafon of the inequality of the
ftages. They ride upon Oxen and Horfes, which are low, but very hardy. As
for the King and the Nobility, they ride in their Pallekics, or apon their Ele-
phants of War. They are no lefs fubject to Wens under their throats, than
thofe of Box#ran; infomuch that the women have thofe Wens hanging down
to their Nipples; which proceeds from the badnefs of the waters.
There is nothing in Fipra which is fit for ftrangers. There is a Mine of
Gold, but the Gold is very courfe. And there is a fort of very courfe
Silk, which is all the Revenue the King has. He exacts no Subfidies from his
Subjects ; but only that they, whoare not of the prime Nobility, fhould
work fix days ina year in his Mine, or in his Silk-works. He fends his
Gold and his Silk into China, for which they bring him back Silver, which
he coins into pieces to the value of ten Sous. He alfo makes thin pieces of
Gold, like the -4/pers of Turky ; of which he has two forts, four of the one fore
making a Crown, and twelve of the other.
CHAP,
Book I]. Travels in Inpya
CHAP. XvVit.
Of the Kingdom of Afem.
L: was never known what the Kingdom of A/em was, till Airgimola had
fet?’'d -dureng-zeb in the Empire. For he con idering that he fhould be no
Jonger valu’d at Court, after the war was at an end, being then General of AaA-
reng-xeb’s Army, and powerful in the Kingdom, where he had great ftore of
Creatures, to preferve the Authority he had, refoly’d to undertake the Cie:
queft of the Kingdom of -4/em ; where he knew he fhould find little or no te-
fiftance, that Kingdom having been at peace above 0° years before, °Tis
thought thefe were the people that formerly invented Guns and Powder ; which
fpead it felf from -4/em to Pegu, and from Pegu to China,from whence the invention
has been attributed to the Chinefes. However certain it is, that Mirgimola
brought from thence feveral pieces of Canon, which were all Iron Guns, and
ftore of excellent Powder, both made in that Countrey. The Powder is round
and {mall, like ours and very ftrong.
Mirgimola embark’d his Army in one of the mouths of Ganges, and failing
up one of the Rivers that comes from the Lake Chiamay, to the twenty-ninth
or thirtieth Degree, he landed his Army, and came into a Country abounding
in all humane neceflaries, {till finding the lef refiftance becanfe the people were
furpriz’d. Being a Afabumetan, he {par’d not the very Pagods, but burn’d and
fack’d all where-ever he came to the thirty-fifth Degree. There he. under~
ftood that the King of -4/’m was in the field with a more powerful Army
than he expected, and that he had feveral pieces of Canon, and great ftore of
fire-works withall. Thereupon AGrgi:mola thought it not convenient to march
any farther; though the chief reafon of his return was the drawing on of
Winter ; which the Jadiazs are fo fenfible of, that it is impoffible to maké
them ftir beyond the thirtith or thirty-fifth Degree, efpecially to hazard their
ves. : |
: Mirgimola therefore turns to tlie South-weft, and befieges a City call’d Ax00,
which he took in a {mall time, and found good plunder therein. In this City of
Axoo, are the Tombs of the Kings of ~4/em, and of all the Royal Family. For
though they are Idolaters, they never burn their’ dead bodies, but bury them.
They believe that the dead go into another world, where they that have liv’d
well in this, have plenty of all things ; but that they who have been il] livers,
fuffer thé want of all things, being in a more efpecial manner afflicted with
hunger and drowth ; and that therefore it 1s good to bury fomething with them
to ferve them in their neceffities. This was the reafon that Mirgimola found
fo much wealth in the City of 4200. For many ages together, feveral Kings
had built them Chappels in the great Pagod to be buried in, and in their life
times had ftor’d up in the Vaults of their particular Chappels, great fums of
Gold and Silver, and other moveables of value, Befides, thar when they bury
the deceas'd King, they bury with him likewife whatever he efteem’d moft
pretious in his life-time, whether it were an Idol of Gold or Silver, or what-
ever elf, that being needful in this, might be neceffary for him in the world
to come. But that which favours moft of Barbarifm is, that when he dies,
all his beft beloved Wives, and the principal Officers of his Houfe poyfon.them-
felves, to be buri’d with him, and to wait upon him in the other world: Be-
fides this, they bury one Elephant, twelve Camels, fix Horfes, and a good num-
ber of Hounds, believing that all thofe Creatures rilé again to ferve their -
the Kingdom of A/em is one of the beft Countries_of all -4fa, for it pro-.
duces all things neceflary for humane fubfiftence, without any need of foreign
fapply. There are in it Mines of Gold, Silver, Steel, Lead, Iron, and great
ftote’ of Silk, but courfe. There is a fort of Silk that is found under the
the Trees, which is fpun by a Creature like to _ Silk-worms, but Saat
188
Travels in Inpra. Part I
and which lives all the year long under the trees. The Silks which are made
of this Silk glif?n very much, bat they fret prefently. The Country produces
alfo great ftore of Gum-Lake; of which there is two forts, one grows under
the trees of a red colour, wherewith they paint their Linnen and Stuffs ; and
when they have drawn out the red juice, the remaining fubftance ferves to Var-
nifh Cabinets, and to make Wax; being the beft Lake in 4fa for thofe ules,
As for their Gold they never fuffer it to be tranfported out of the Kingdom,
nor do they make any Money of it; but they preferve it all in Ingots, which
pafs in trade among the Inhabitants; but as for the Silver, the King coins
it into Money, as is already defcrib’d.
Though the Country be very plentiful of all things, yet there is ne fleth which
they efteem fo much as Dogs flefh ; which is the greateft delicacy at all Feafts ;
and is fold every month in every City of the Kingdom upon their Market-days,
There are alfo great ftore of Vines, and very good Grapes, but they never make
any, Wine ; only they dry the Grapes to make gaa Vise. As for Salt they have
~ fone but what is artificial, which they make two ways. Tirft they raife’ greag
hheaps of that green Stuff that fwims at the top of ftanding waters, which the
Ducks and Frogs eat. This they dry and burn; and the athes thereof bej
boil’d in a Cloth in water, become very good Salt. The other way moft in uke
is to take the leaves of dams Fig-tree, which they cry and burn; the athes
whereof make a Salt fo tare, that it is impoflible to eat ic until the tartnefs
be tak’n away; which they do by putting the athes in water, where they ftir
them ten or twelve hours together; then they ftrain the -fubftance through a
Linnen Cloth and boil it; as the water boils away, the bottom thick’ns ; and
when the water is all boil'd away, they find at the bottom very good and white
Salt.
__OF the afhes of thefe Fig-leaves they make a Lye, wherewith they wath their
Silk, which makes it as’white as Snow ; but they have not enough to whiter
half the Silk that grows in the Country. a
_ Kenneroof is the name of the City where the King of Afem keeps his Court ;
. twenty-five or thirty days journey from that which was formerly the Capital
City, and bore the fame name. The King requires no Subfidies of his
ple ; but all the Mines in his Kingdom are his own; where for the eafe of his
Subjects, he-has none but flaves that work ; {0 that all the Natives of 4m
his ground a fountain encompa(s'd with trees; and moft commonly every one
an Elephant to carry their Wives; for they have four Wives, and when they
marry, they fay to one, I take thee to ferve me in fuch athing ; to the other,
}appoint thee to do fuch bufinef&S; fo that every one of the Wives knows what
fhe has to do in the Houfé. The men and women are generally well complexi-
on’d; only thofe that Jive more Southerly are more fwarthy, and not fo fub-
ject to Wens in their throats; neither are they fo well featur’d, befides that the
Women are fomewhat flat Nos’d. In the Southern parts: the people go ftark
faked, only covering their private parts, with a Bonnet like a blew Cap upon
their heads, huag about with Swines teeth. They pierce holes in their ears, that
gon may thruft your thumb in, whete they hang pieces of Gold and Silver.
bracelets alfo of Tortoife-fhells, and Sea-fhells as Jong,as an egg, which they
faw into Circles, are in great efteem among the meaner fort; as Bracelets of
Coral and yellow Amber among thofe that.are rich. When they bury a man,
all his Friends.and ‘Relations muft come to the burial 3 and when they lay the
body in the ground, they all take off their-Bracelets from their Armsand Legs,
and bury themwiththeGorps *
S - gnar,
live at their eafe, and every one has his houfe by himelf, and in the middle of
Book OI. Travels in Pipra
CHAP. XVII.
Of the Kingdom of Siam.
PTIHE greateft part of the Kingdom of Siam lies between | aes
T and the Golf of Bengala; bandering upon Pegu toward the Noe
Peninfula of Afalacca toward the South. The fhorteft and neare way for he
Europeans to go to this Kingdom, is to go to Ipaban, from I{pahan to meg
from Ormus to Surat, from Surat to Golconda; from Golconda to Maflipat an BSS:
to embark for Denouferin, which is oné of the Ports belonging to the King-
dom of Siam. From Denouferin to the Capital City, which is alfo call’d ce.
is thirty-five days journey, part by Water, part by Land, by Waggon, or u nt
Elephants. The way, whether by Land or Water, is very troublefome ; a he
Land you muft be always upon your guard, for fear of Tigers and Lions: b
Water, by reafon of the many falls of the River, they are fore’d to hoife u
their Boats with Engines, i se . oP
All the Countrey of Siam is very plentiful in Ricé end Fruits: the chiefeft
whereof are Mangos, Durions, and Mangrftans. The Forefts he fall of foarte:
Elephants, Tigers, Rhinocero’s, and Apes; where there grow alfo large Bambou’s
in great abundance. Under the knots of thefe Bambou’s are Emets nefts as bie
as a mans head, where every Emet has his apartiment by himfelf; hur here is
but one hole to enter into the neft. They make their nefts in the(@ Canes ta
preferve themfelves from the rains which continue four or fiye months together.
In the night time the Serpents are very bufie. There arc {ome two foot
long, with two heads ; but one of them has no motion.
There is alfo another creature in Siam, like our Salamander, with a forked
tail, and very venomous. :
The Rivers in this Kingdom are very large; and that which runs by Siam is
= pom as large as the reft. The water is very wholefome ; but it is very full
of Crocodiles of a monftrous bignefs, that devour men if they be not very care-
ful of themfelves. Thefe Rivers overflow their banks while the Sun is in the
Southern Tropick ; which makes the fields to be very fertile as far as they flow ;
and it is obférv’d, that the Rice grows higher or lower, as the floods do more
or lefS increafe. , 2 epee : .
Siam, the Capital City of the Kingdom, where the King ‘keeps his Court, is
wall’d about, being about three of our Leagues in circuit ; it is fituated in an
ifland, the River running quite round it, and might be eafily brought into eve-
ry ftreet in the Tgwn, if the King would but lay out as much Money upon
that defign, as @e fpends in Temples and Idols. aera |
The Ssamers have thirty-three Letters in their Alphabet. But they write
from the left to the right, as we do, contrary to the cuftom of fapon, China,
Cochinchina, and Tuyguin, who write from the right to the left.
All the Natives of this Kingdom are flaves, either fo the King or the great
Lords. The women as well as the men cut their hair ; neither are they very
rich in their habits. Among their complements, thé chiefeft is, never to go
before a perfon that they refpect, unlefS they firft ask leave, which they do by
holding up both their hands. Thofe that are rich have feveral Wives.
The Mousey of the Country is already defcrib’d, rae:
Thé King of Siam is one of the richeft Monarchs in the Faft, and ftiles him-
felf King of Heaven and Earth; though be be Tributary to the Kings of China.
He feldom fhews himfelf to his Subjects; and never gives Audience, but to
the principal Favourites of his Court. He trufts to his Minifters of State,
for the management of his affairs, who fometimes make very bad ufe of their
authority. He never fhews him(eélf in publick above twice a year ; but then
it is with an extraordinary magnificence. The firft is, when he goes to acer~
tain Pagod within the City, which is guilded round both within and without.
Fhere are three Idols between fix and feven foot high, which are all of ate
sold ;
Travels in Inpta. Part. I].
Gold ; which he believes he renders propitious to him, by the great {tore of
Alms that he diftributes among the poor, and the préfents which he makes tg
the Priefts. Then he goes attended by all his Court, and puts to open view
the richeft Ornaments he has. One part of his magnificence confifts in his
train of two hundred Elephants; among _ which there is one that is white,
which the King fo highly efteems, that he ftiles himfelf King of the Waje
Elephant. :
The fecond time the King appears in publick, is when he goes to another
Pagod five or fix Leagues above the Town, up the River. But no. perfon
muit enter into this Pagod, unlefs. it be the King and his Priefts. As fop
the people, fo foon as they fee the Door op’n, they muft prefently fall upon
their faces to the Earth. Then'the King appears upon the River with two
hundred Gallies of a prodigious. length ; four hundred’ Rowers belonging to
evety.one of the Gallies ; moft of them being guilded and catw’d very richly,
Now in regard this fecond appearance of the King is in the month of A.
vember, when the waters begin to abate, the Priefts make the people believe
‘that none but the King can ftop the courfe of the waters, by his Prayers
and by his Offerings to this Pagod. And they are fo vain as to think that
the King cuts the waters with his Saéra, or Skain; thereby commanding it to
retire back into the Sea.
The King alfo goes, but incognito, to a Pagod in an Ifland where the Hol-
banders have a Factory. There is at the entry thereof an Idol fitting crof-
Jeg’d, with one hand upon his knee, and the other arm akimbo. It is above
fixty foot high; and round about this Idol are about three hundred others,
of feveral forts and fizes. All thefe Idols are guilt. And indeed there area
prodigious number of Pagods inthis Countrey; for every rich Siamer caufes
one to be built in memory of himfelf Thofe Pagods have Steeples and Bells,
and the Walls within are painted and guilded; but the Windows are fo nar-
row that they give but a very dim light. The two Pagods to which the
King goes publickly, are adorn’d with feveral tall Pyramids, well guilded,
And to that in the Hollanders \fland there belongs a Cloyfter, which is a
very neat Structure. In the middle of the Pagod is a fair Chappel, all guild-
ed within fide; where they find a Lamb, and three Wax Candles continually
burning before the Altar, which is all over cover’d with Idols, fome of maffie
Gold, others of Copper guilt. In the Pagod in the midft of the Town,
and one in of thofe to which the King goes once a year, there are above four
thoufand Idols ; and for that which is fix Leagues from Siam, it is furround-
ed with Pyramids, whofe beauty makes the induftry of that Nation to be
admir’d.
When the King appears, all the Doors and Windows of the Houfes muft
be fhut ; and all the people proftrate themfélves upon the. ground, not da-
ring to lift up their eyes. And becaufe no perfon is to be ‘hye higher place
than the King, they that, are within doors, are bound to keep their loweft
Rooms. When he cuts his hair, one of his Wives performs that office, for
he will not fuffer'a Barber to come near him. :
This Prince has a paffionate kindnefs for his Elephants ; Which he looks upon
as his Favourites, and the Ornaments of his Kingdom. If there be any of
them that fall fick, the Lords of the Court are mighty careful to pleafe
their Soveraign ; and if they happn to dye, they are buried with she fame
Funeral Pomp as the Nobles of the Kingdom; which are thus performed:
They fet up akind of AL2ufoleuzm, or Tomb of Reeds, cover’d with Paper ;
in the midft whereof they lay as much {weet wood as the body weighs, and
after the Priefts have mumbld certain Orifons, they fet ita-fire, and burnit to
afhes ; which the rich preferve in Gold or Silver Urns, but the poor fcatter
in the wind. As for offenders, they never burn, but bury them.
"Tis thought that in this Kingdom there are above two hundred Priefts,
which they call Bonzes, which are highly reverenc’d as well at Court as-among
the people. The King himfelf has fuch a value for fome of them, as to hum-
ble himfelf before them. This extraordinary. refpeét makes them fo proud,
that fome of them have afpir’d to the Throne, Bat when the King difcovers
/ any
Book I. = Travels in Invia
any fuch defign, he puts them to death. And one o i
ay. ee for hie oR a one of them had his head lately
Thefe Bonzes wear yellow, with a little red Cloth about their Wafts like
a Girdle. Outwardly they are very modelft, and are never feen to be anor
About four in the morning, upon the tolling of their Bells, they rife to their
rayers, which they repeat again toward evening. There are fome days in
_ the year when they retire from all converfe with men. Some of them live
by Alms; others have Houfes with good Revenues. While they wear the Ha-
bit of Bonzes, they muft not marry; for if they do, they muft lay their Ha-
bit afide. They are generally very ignorant, not knowing what they believe.
Yet they hold the tranfinigration of Souls into feveralBodies. They are forbidd to kill.
any Creature; yet they will make no fcruple to eat what others kill, or that
which dies of it felf.. They fay that the God of the Chriftians and theirs were
Brothers ; but tliat theirs was the eldeft. If you ask them where their God
is, they fay, he vanifh’d away, and they know not where he is.
The chief ftrength of the Kingdom is their Infantry, which is indifferent good :
the Soldiers are usd to hardfhip, going all quite naked, except their private
parts ; all the reft of their body, looking as if it had been cupt, is carv’d into
feveral fhapes of beafts and, flowers. When they have cut their skins, and
ftanch’d the blood, they rub the cut-work with fuch colours as they think.
moft proper. So that afar off you would think they were clad in fome kind
of flower’d Satin or other; for. the colours never rub out: Their weapons
are Bows and Arrows, Pike and Musket, and an’ -dzagaya, or Staff between
five and fix foot long with a long Iron Spike at the end, which they very
dextroufly dart at the Enemy. | ,
In the year 1665, there was at Siama Neapolitan Jefuite, who Was call'd
Father Thomas; he caus’d the Town and the Kings Palace to be fortifiid with
very good Bulwarks, according to Art; for which reafon the King gave him.
leaye to live in the City, where he has a Houfe and a little Church. t
CHAP, XB
Of the Kingdom of Macaflar ‘ and the Embaffidors which the
Hollanders fest zuto China. - | 3
2% HE Kingdom of Adacaffar, otherwile call’d the Ile of Celebes, bebins
at the fifteenth Degree of Southern Latitude. The heats are exceffive.
all the day ; but the nights are temperate enough. And for the Soil,. it is
very fertile ; but the people have not the art of building. The Capital City
bears the name of the Kingdom, and is fituated upon the Sea. The Port is free ;
for the Veflels that bring great quantities of goods from the adjacent Iflands,
pay no Cuftoms. The Iflanders have a cuftom to poyfon their Arrows; and
the moft dangerous poyfon which they ufe, is the juice of certain Trees in the |
Iland of Borneo; which they will temper fo as to work fwift or flow, as they.
pleafe. They hold that the King has only the fecret Receit to take away the.
force of it; who boafts that he has the moft effectual poyfon in the world,
which there is no remedy can prevent. . | seer!
One day an Englifh man in heat of blood had kill’d one of the Kings of
Macaffars Subjects; and though the King had pardon’d him, yet both Ezgli/h,
Hollanders, and Portugals fearing if the Englifo man fhould: go unpunifh’d, left
the [flanders fhould revenge themfelves upon fome of them, befought the King.
to put him to death; which with much ado being confented to, the King un-
willing to put him to a lingring death,and defirous to fhew the effect of his poyfon,
refoly’d to fhoot the Criminal himfelf; whereupon he took a long Trunk, and
thot him exactly into the great Toe of the right foot, the place particularly
aim’d at. Two Chirurgeons, one an Englifh man, and the other a Hollander,
, - ~pro-
19%
192
Travels in Inpia. Part. I.
provided on purpofe, immediately cut off the member; but for all that, the
poyfon had difpers’d it felf fo {peedily, that the Englifo man dy’d at the fame
time. All the Kings and Princes of the Eaft are very diligent in their enquiry
after ftrong poyfons. And I remember that the chief of the Durch Factory and
Teryd feveral poyfon’d Arrows, with which the King of 4chen had prefented
Kim, by fhooting at Squirrels, who fell down dead, as foon as ever they were
touch’d.
The King of Afacaffar isa Mahometan, and will not fuffer his Subjeéts to
embrace Chriftianity. Yet in the year 1656,the Chriftians found a way to get leave
to'build a fair Church in AZacaffar. But the next year the King caus’d it to be
pull’d down, as alfo that of the Dominican Friars, which the Portugals made
ufé of. The Parifh Church, which was under the Government of the fécular
Priefts, ftood ftill, till the Hollanders attack’d Aacaffar, and compell’d him to
turn all the Portugals out of his Dominions. The ill conduct of that Prince
was in part the occafion of that war; to which the Hollanders were mov'd,
to revenge themfelves upon the Portugal fefiites, who had crofs’d their Em-
bafly to China. Befides, that they offer’d great affronts to the Hollanders at
Macaffar, efpecially when they trod under foot the Hat of one of the Dutch
Envoys, who was fent to treat with the King in behalf of the Company. There-
upon the Hollanders refolv’d to unite their forces with the Béxgquifes, that were
in rebellion againft their Soveraign, and to revenge themfélves at any rate.
Now as to the bufinefs of China, it happen’d thus : Toward the end of the
year 1658, the General of Batavia and his Council, fent one of the chief of
the Holland Company with Prefents to the King of China ; who arriving at
Court, labour’d.to gain the friendfhip of the A¢andarins, who are the Nobility:
of the Kingdom. But the e/sites, who by reafon of their Jong abode in the
Country, underftood the language, and were acquainted with the Lords of the.
the Court, left the Hol/and Company fhould get footing to the prejudice of
the Portugals, reprefented feveral things to the Kings Councif to the prejudice
of the Hollandzrs ; more efpecially charging them with breach of Faith-inall
the places where they came. Upon this the Holland Agent was difmifs’d, and
departed: out of China without doing any feats. Afterwards coming to under-
ftand what a trick the Portugal fefites had put upon him, he made report
thereof to the General and his Council at Batavia; which fo incens’d them,
that they refolv’d to be reveng’d. For by the Deputies accounts, the Em-
bafly had coft them above fifty thoufand Crowns; for which they confulted -
how to make the Portugals pay double. Underftanding therefore the trade
which the 7e/z:ts drove in the Ifland of Afacao, and to the Kingdom of AZLz-
caffar, whither upon their owo account they fent feven Veflels, Jaden with all forts
of Commodities, as well of India as China; they took their Opportunity,
and the feventh of 7une 1660, appear’d with a Fleet of thirty Sail before the
Port of Aacaffar.. The King thinking himfélf oblig’d to make defence againft
{O porent an Enemy, endeavour’d to fuftain the brunt of the Hollander with
the Portagal Ships in the Road; but the Hollander dividing their Fleet, part
of them fought’ the Porrugal, the other half batter’d the Royal Fortrefs (0
rioufly, that they carry’d it in a fhort time. Which fo terrifi'd the King,
that he commanded the Portugals not to fire any mote for fear of farther pro-
voking ‘his Enemies. The Prince Protinfoloa was flain in the fight, which was
a great lofs to the King of Afacaffar, who was become formidable to his neigh-
bours ‘by the good Conduct of that Minifter. As for the Hollanders, they took,
burnt, and funk all the Portugal Veflels, and fufficiently re-imburs’d themfelves
for their China’ Expences. eal
~The thirteenth of Pune the King of Afacaffur , whofe name was Sumbaco,
lufig out a white Flag from another Tower, whence he beheld the fight en-
viron’d by his Wives. During the truce, he fent one of the Grandees of his
Court to the Durch Admiral, to‘ defire peace, which was granted, upon con-
dition he fhould {end an Embaflador to Batavia, expel the Portzgals out of the
mi not permit his Subjects to have any more to do with them.
Thereupon the: King of J4zcaffar fent eleven of the greateft Lords of his
Court, with a train of feven hundred men; the Chief of the Embafly par
the
Book UI. Travils in I Se
the Prince of Patinfaloa. The firft thing they di ETA
of Gold to redeem the Royal Forimefe ea ENDS Ales Loaves
ditions which the Datch Admiral had" propos; the General ae Pe. iy es
the Articles, which were punctually obferv’d. For the Portugals atavia fign’d
uitted the Country, fome departing for Siam and Camboya er
and Goa. Matas, formerly one of the moft famous and richeft Ci for ALacoa
Orient, was the principal motive that enclin’d the Hollanders t fe of the
bafladour into China; for being the beft ftation which tHe pec one an Em-
thofe parts, the Datch hada defign to win it wholly. Now te 3 had in all
ntventrana Degrers of Novem Late, 2 all td pea fo he
royvine anton, Whi ; : t
sitet » which is a part of China, has very much loft its forines
But this was not all which the 7efxits
The Chief of the Dutch Factory See as ek i eg fuffer’d.
this City, underftanding the bad fuccefs of the Dztth in China Saas from
vance by himfelf to be reveng’d. He knew that the 7efuites of "Goa Gy othe:
laces, drove a great trade in rough Diamonds, which they {ent in pepe
or elfe carry’d along with them when they return’d; and that me a urope,
rivate carrying on of their trade, they were wont to {fend ae eho
their Order, that knew the language, in the habit of a Faguir which two of
of a Tygers Skin to cover their back-parts, and a Goats Skin to pees ear
breaft, reaching down to the knees. Thereupon the Chief of the ae the.
Mingrela taking his opportunity, and having notice that two of fies ye of
Faguirs were gone to the Mines, to lay out 400000 Pardo’s in Diamo esas d
order to two men, which he had fee’d for the purpofe, that as (oi s, gave
Fathers had made their purchafe, he fhould give notice to the Shoe as the
Guttom-Houfe at Bichols. cer of the
Bicholi is a great Town upon the Frontiers of thof
Esngsom of helsing wis the Territories of the pene baitoaas
eecr WwW j sa
meee wy to pe the RN ee
The Fathers believing that the Cuftomer k
went into the Boat to go over the River ; eee ee “an Seed Doe
were ftrictly fearch’d, and all their Diamonds confifcated. q Sictnae ey
To return to the King of AZacaffar ; you muft know, that the efuit
endeavour’d to convert him; and perhaps they might have brought it Hes
had they not neglected one propofal which he made them. For xin fame foe
that the 7e/zits labour'd to bring him to Chriftianity, the AZabumetans usd a ‘heir
endeavours to oblige him to ftick to their Law. The King willin ie their
Idolatry, yet not knowing which part to take, commanded the Nluhetea me
fend for two or three of their moft able A4Zoulla’s, or Doctors from Mec sca
the 7efuits he orderd to fend him as many of the moft learned Sino - ee
that he might be inftructed in both Religions; which they both ror ‘ ee
do. But the A¢ahometans were more diligent then the Chriftians for i i ht
months they fetch’d from Adecca two learned Afoulla’s ; whereupon the Ki ;
oor, that the 7efmts fent no body to him, embrac’d the ALahumetan Pt
ae Ae three years after there came two Portugal fefusts, but then it
The ‘King of Macajar being thus become a Mahumet an ate
ther was fo mad at it, that when the Aofquee, which the King bad causes
be built, was finifh’d, he got into it one night, and caufing the throats of es
Pigs to be cut, he all befmear’d the walls of the new A4o/quee, and the pl 4
which was appointed for the Afoulla to perform Divine Service with the bitiod ;
fo that the King was fore’d to pull down that, and build another. After whi ht
the Prince with fome
appear’d at Court,
Se eee GHAP}
Idolatrous Lords ftole out of the Hland, and never fince
4193.
194
Travels in Inpta. ~——S*Part ‘I.
GILA Po Xie
The Author purfues his Travels into the Eaft, and embarks at Min.
grela for Batavia. The danger he was in upon the Sea; and his
arrival in the Ifland of Ceylan.
I Departed from ce Se a great Town in the Kingdom of Vifapour, eight
Leagues from Goa, the fourteenth of April, 1648, and embark’d ina Datch
Veffel bound for Batavia, The Ship had orders to touch at Bog inour, to take
in Rice. Whereupon I went afhore with the Captain, to obtain leave of the
King to buy Rice. We found him upon the fhore, where he had about a do-
zen Huts fet up, which were cover’d with Palm-leavés, In his own Hut there
was.a piece of Perfian Tapeftry fpread under. him, and there we faw five or
fix women, fome fanning him with Peacocks Feathers, others giving him Betleé,
others filling him his Pipe of Tobacco. The moft confiderable perfons of the
Country were in the other Huts; and we counted about two hundred men
that were upon the Guard, arm’d only with Bows and Arrows. They had alfo
two Elephants among ’em. “Tis very probable, that his Palace was not far
off, and that he only came thither to take the freth air. There we were pre-
fented with Tar: or Palm-wine ; but being new, and not boil’d, it caus’d the
head-ach in all that drank it, infomuch that we were two days before we could
recover it. Lask’d the reafon, how the Wine came to do us {fo much prejudice ;
to which they anfier’d me, that it was the Planting of Pepper about the Palm-
trees, that gave fuch a ftrength to the Wine.
_ We were no fooner got aboard, but a mighty tempeft arofe, wherein the
; Ship, men, and goods had all like to have been caft away, being near the fhore;
but at length, the wind changing, we found our felves by break of day three
or four Leagues at. Sea, having loft all our Anchors; and at Iength came fafe
to Port in the Haven of Ponte de Galle, the twelfth of May.
I found nothing remarkable in that City ; there being nothing but the ruins
made by the underminings and Canon-fhot, when the fol! unders befieg’d it, .
and chas’d the Portagals from thence. The Company allow’d ground to build
upon, to them that would inhabit there, and land to tll; and had then rais’d
two Bulwarks which commanded the Port, If they have finifh’d the defign
which they undertook, the place cannot but be very confiderable.
The Hollanders, before they took all the places which the Portugals had
in the Ifland of Ceylan, did believe that the trade of this Ifland would have
brought them in yaft fams, could they but be fole Matters of it ; and perhaps
their conjectures might have been true, had they not. broken their words with
the King of Candy, who is the King of the Country ; but breaking faith with
~ im, they loft themfélves in all other places thereabouts.
The Hollanders had made an agreement with the King of Candy, that he
fhould be always ready with twenty thoufand men, to keep the paflages that
hinder the Portvgals from bringing any fuccours from Colombo, Negombe, Mda-
aary Or any other places which they poffeffed upon the Coaft. In con-
fideration whereof the Hollanders, when they had taken Ponte Galle, weré
to reftore it to the King of Candy; which they not performing, the King {ent
to know why:they did not give him poffeflion of the Town; to which th 7
return’d anfwer, that they were ready to do it, provided he would defray the
expences of the war., But they knew, that if he had had three Kingdoms more,
fuch as his own,hé could never have payd fo great a fum. I muft confefs indeed the
Gountry is very poor, for Edo not believe that the King ever faw fifty thou-
fand Crowns together in his life ; his trade being all in Cinnamon and Elephants.
As for his Cinnamon, he has no profit of it fince the Portygals coming into
the Eaft Indies. And for his Elephants, he makes but little of them ; for they
take not above five or fix in a year; but they are more} efteem’d than any
ether Country Elephants, as being the moft couragious in war. One eping I
7 Ww
a ee ee ee
Book IL. Teavelss in Tanda
will tell you hardly to be believ’d, but that which is a certain truth which
is, that when any other King or Xaa has one of thefe Elephants of Ceylan;
if they bring him among any other breed in any: other place whatever, {9 {oon
as the other Elephants behold the Ceylan Elephants, by an inftint of na-
ture, they do him reverence, laying their trunks upon the ground, and raifing
them up again.
The King of Achen, with whom the Hollanders alfo broke their word, had
more opportunity to be reveng’d upon them then the King of Candy. For he
deni’d them the tranfportation of Pepper out of his Country, without which
their trade was worth little. His Pepper being that which is moft coveted by
the Eaft. So that they were fore’d to make a compofition with him. The King
of -dchens Embaflador coming to Batavia, was ftrangely furpriz’d to fee wow
men fitting at the Table ; but much more, when after a health drank to the
Queen of 4chen, the General of Batavia commanded his Wife to go and kifs
the Embafiador. Nor was the King behind hand with the Dutch Embaflador
another way ; whom the King beholding in a languifhing diftemper, ask’d him
whether he had never any familiarity with any of the Natives. Yes, replied
the Embaflador ; however I left her to marry in my own Country. Upon that
the King commanded three of his Phyficians to cure him in fifteen days, upon
the forfeiture of their lives. Thereupon they gave him a certain potion every
morning, and a little Pill at night; and at the end of nine days he took a great
Vomit. Every body thought he would have dy’d with the working of it; but
at length it brought up a ftopple of courfe hair, as big asa nut; after which
— he prefently recover’d. At his departure the King gave him a Flint about the
bignefs of a Goofe Egg, with veins of Gold in it, like the veins of a mang
hand, as the Gold grows in that Country,
CHAP, XXL
The Authors departure from Ceylan, and his arrival at Batavia.
HE twenty-fifth of A4ay we fet fail from Ponte Galle. The fecond of —
jane we pafs'd the Line. The fixth we faw the Ifland. call’d Wazaco’s,
The feventeenth we difcover’'d the Coaft of S#matra, the eighteenth the Ifland.
of Jngamina, and the nineteenth the Ifland of Fortune. The twentieth we were
in ken of certain little Iffands, and the Coaft of fava; among which Iflands
there are three call’d the Iflands of the Prince. The one and twentieth we dif-
coverd Bantam, and the two and twentieth we anchor’d in the Road of Ba-
tAavtA. F tang ;
There are two Councils in Batavia, the Council of the Fort, where the Ge-
neral prefides, and where all the affairs of the Gompany are manag’d. The other.
which is held in a Houfe in the City, and relates to the Civil Government, and
decides the petty differences among the Citizens. __ uy 5;
All the kindnefs I had fhew’n me here, was to be profecuted by the Ciry
Council, for being fufpected to have bought a parcel of Diamonds for Moun=
fieur Conffant, my very good Friend, and Prefident of the Dutch Factory at
Gomron ; but when they could make nothing of it, they ceas‘d their duit, a*
a
fham'd of what they had done,
Travels in Ywota. Part I.
‘
CHAP, XXII
The Author goes to vifit the King of Bantam, and relates feveral
Adventures upon that occasion,
Br fo ill treated in Batavia, I refolv’d to vifit the King of Bantam; to
which purpofé I took my own Brother along with me, becaufé he {poke
the Language calPd AZalaye ; which in the Eaft is as univerfal as Latin among
us. Being arriv’d at Bantam in a {mall Bark, which we hird for our felves ;
we went firft‘and vifited the Englifh Prefident » Who kindly entertain’d and
Todg’d: us. 7
The next day I fent my Brother to the Palace, to know when it would be
feafonable for me to come and kifS the Kings Hands, When the King faw him
(for he was well known to him) he would not fuffer him to return, but fent
others to fetch me, and to tell me withall, that if I had any rare Jewels, I
fhould do him a kindnefs to bring them along with me.
When I faw my Brother return’d not with the perfons which the King fent,
I was almoft inthe mind not to have gone ; remembring how the King of .4-
then had ferv’d the Sieur Renavd. For the French having fet up an Eaft India
€ompany, fent away four Veilels, three great ones, and one of eight Guns, —
for the fervice of the Company. Their Voyage was the fhorteft that ever was
heard of; arriving’ at Bantam in lefs than four months. The King alfo cour-
teoufly receiv’d them, and let them have as much Pepper’as they defir’d,
and cheaper by twenty in the hundred then he fold it to the Hollanders. But
the. French not.coming only for Pepper, fent away their finall Ship with. the
greate{t part of their Money to ALacaffar, to try the Market for Cloves, Nut-
megs, and Mace. | er
The French being fo foon difpatch’d at Bantam, had not patience to ftay
till the return. of the fimall Veflel-which they had fent to ALwafur; but to
pats the time, muft needs ran over to Batavia, being not above fourteen
Leagues off; fo that you may be at Batavia from Baxtam in a tide witha
ood wind. When they came to an Anchor, the General of the French Fleet
ént toComplement the General of Batavia, who fail’d not to anfwer his ti-
vility, and invited the Admiral afhore. Moreover he fent to thofe that ftay’d
aboard, great ftore of excellent chear, and a good quantity of Spanijfh and
Rhenifo Wine, with particular order to them that carry’d it, to make the French
drunk, ‘His order was fo well follow'd, that ’twas eafie to fet the Ships on
‘fire, acéording to the private inftru€tions which they had. So foon as the flame
was diftover’d fromthe Generals window, which overlook’d all the Road, there
was a wonderful pretended aftonifhment among the Dutch. But the French Ad-
miral too truly conjecturing the ground and Authors of the treachery, behold-
ing the company with an undaunted courage ; Come, come, cryd he, lets drink
on; they that fet the Ships a-firé fhall pay for’em. However the French Ships.
wos burnt, though the men were all fav’d in Boats which were forth-
with feht totheir relief. After that, the General of Baravia made them great
offers:-which they refus’d, and return’d to Batavia, in expectation of their {mall
VelléL When it return’d, they could find ont no better way then to fell Ship,
. and goods, ahd alto the Englifh, and to fhare the Morey among themfelves,
every one according to their condition. |
But the trick which they put upon the Engli/> was far more bloody. The
Englifo were the firft that found out the danger of failing from Szrat, ALa/fli-
- patan , or any other diftant parts, to f/apon without touching by the way.
~ Whereupon they thought it convenient to build a Fort in the Ifland of For-
mofa, Which not only fav’d the lofs of feveral Vetlels, but alfo brought them
in great gain. The Hollanders mad that the Englifo were poflefs'd of fuch an
advantageous {cituation, being the only place in all the Ifland where Veffels
could’ ride in fafety ; and finding they could not carry it by force, cae
¢ ES int : i : them-
”
Book UT. lucas in i
them(elves of a Stratagem ; to which purpofe they fent away two Shi |
in they ftor’d the beft of their Sonldiess, who feaeeddicg. they. had Vee ith
ftorm in Sea, put into the Harbour of Formofz, with fome of their Mafts by
the board, their Sails fcatter’d, and their Seamen feemingly fick. The Ey lib
compaflionating their miferies, which was only in outward appearance infied
the chief of them to come afhore to refrefh themfelves ; which they were
very ready to do, carrying as many men with them as poffibly they could
under pretence of ficknefs. While the chief of them were at Dinner with
the chief of the Engli/h, they all ply’d their Cups; and when the Darch faw
the £xglifh had drank hard enough, taking their opportunity, they pickt a quar-
rel with the Commander of the Fort, and drawing their Swords, which The
had hidden under their Coats for that purpofe, they eafily furpriz’d and ot
all the throats of the Soldiers in the Garriton; and being thus Matters of the
Fort, they kept it from that time till they were routed out by the Chinefes.
_Now for the trick that the King of eben ferwd the Sieur Renand ; he ha-
Ving got a good Eltate by Jewels, arowd at length at Achen, and as it is the
cuftom for the Merchants to ihew the King what Jewels they have, the King
had no fooner caft his eye upon four Rings which the Sieur Renaud fhew’d
him, but he bid him fifteen thoufand Crowns for them ; but Renaud would
not’ bate of eighteen thoufand. Now becaufé they could not agtee, the Sieur
Renata carry’d them away with him, which very much difpleas’d the King ;
however he fent for him the next day. Whereupon Resazd returning to him,
the King paid him his eighteen thoufand Crowns ; but he was never fen after
that, and it is thought he was fecretly murther’d in the Palace.
This ftory came to my remembrance, when I found my Brother did not
come along with thofe that were fent to fetch me. However I refolv’d to go,
taking with me 12 or 13000 Roupies worth of Jewels; the greateft part be-
ing in Rofe Diamond Rings, fome confifting of feven, fome of nine, and fome
of eleven Stones ; with fome {mall Bracelets of Diamonds and Rubies. I found
the King with three of his Captains and my Brother fitting together, after the.
manner of the Eaft,with tive great Plates of Rice before them of divers colours. For
their drink they had Span Wine, {trong Waters, and feveral forts of Sherbets, Af-
ter Ihad complemented the King, and prefented him with a Diamond Ring,
a blew Saphir Ring, and a little Bracelet of Diamonds, Rubies, and blew Sa-
phirs, he commanded me to fit down, and order’d me a glafs of ftrong Wa-
rer to whet my appetite. The glafs held a quarter.of a. int, and therefore. f
refus’d it, which the King very much wondér’d at 5 but. bate told by my Bré-
ther, that I never drank any ftrong Water, he order’d me prefently a glafs
Sack. : aa a
were guilded. His feet and legs were bare, having a Perfian Carpet of Gol&
and Silk to tread upon. He was clad with a piece of Calicut, part whereof
cover'd his body from his wafte to his knees, the reft being wound about his
back and fhoulders like a Scarf. Inftead of Shoes he had a pair of Sandals,
that ftood by the Chair fide, the ftraps whereof were embroider’d with Gold
and {mall Pearl. About his head he had a thing like a Handkerchief, with three
Corners, bound about his head like a Fillet. His hair alfo, which was very.
long, was twifted and ty’d together over his head, Two. perfons ftood behind
him with great Fans of long Peacock Feathers, the. handles whereof were
five or fix foot in length. Upon his right hand ftood an old black woman, holding
in her hand a little Mortar. and a Peftle of Gold; to beat his Berle in; where-:
with he mix’d the Kernel of the Nut of -draqu¢é, and Seed Pearl
diffolv’d. When it was all beaten together, the old woman gave it the King
over his Shoulders, who opening his mouth, the old woman fed him as our
women feed their Children. For the King had chaw’d fo much Berlé, and ta-
kén fo much Tobacco, that his teeth were all fall’n out of his head. Picky
The King of Bantam’s Palace was never built. by any curious Architect. It is
a fqnare place, encompafsd with a great many Pillars, varnith’d over with fe-.
veral forts of colours, againft which the King Jeans when he. fits dawn, At the.
four Corners there are four great Pillars fet in the Earth, at forty foot aianhe
€
After that he rofe up, and feated himfelf in a Chair, the Elbows wheréok.
<
19°
198
Travels a Inpra. Part, IL
the one from the other , lin’d with a Mat made of the Rhind of a certain Tree,
fo thin that it looks like a piece of Linnen, which neither Fleas nor Panies will
come near. The Roof was cover’d with CGoco-Branches. Not far off, under
another Roof fupported with four great Pillars, he had fixteen Elephants, thé
nobleft of all thofe that are in the Kings fervice : for he has a: far greater num-
ber train’d up for war, that are not afraid of wild-fire. For his Guatd he might
have about two thoufand men, that were drawn up in Companies under thé
thade of the next Trees. They are good Souldiers as well by Sea as by Land;
great ALabometans, and ftand not at all in fear of death. His Haram, or the
Womens Apartment, was certainly a very finall place. For when he had view’d
what I brought him, he fent for two old women, to whom he gave fome of the
Jewels, to go and fhew them to his Wives. The two women return’d back through
a little pitiful door; the enclofure being nothing buta kind of Wall made up of
Earth and Cow-dung mix'd together. Whatever he fent to the Women, they
never return’d any thing again. Which made me believe they would bear a
good price ; and indeed whatever I fold to him, I fold to good profit, and had
my Money well paid me. After this we took our leaves; but the King oblig’d
us to come next day in the evening, becaufe he had a defire to fhew us a
Turky Dagger, the Haft whereof, being thin of Diamonds, he had a mind to
enrich with more Stones. Coming, to the Englifo Houle with our Money, they
wonder’d that the King had laid out twenty thoufand Roupies, telling me, they
believ'd it was the beft part of his treafure. :
The next day my Brorher and I went to wait upon him at the appointed
hour, and we found him fitting in the fame place where he fate before. There
was a Afoulla then read to him, who feem’d: to interpret to him fomething of
the Alcoran in the Arabick Language. The Lecture being ended, they both
rofe and went to prayers; which being concluded, the King fent for the Dag-
ger and the Haft which was of Gold. The top of the Handle wag already
fet with Diamonds, and upon the upper part of the crofs Bar was cut in Fa-
cets, which could not be lefs worth than fifteen or fixteen thoufand Crowns,
The King told me, it was prefented to him by eagicrit Borneo, and that
it was cut at Goa ;'but that he pat a far higher value upon it than [ efteem’d
it to be worth. The Dagger, as well as the Sheath was fill of Beazils, or
Collets, in very good order 3 but the King had neither Diamond, Ruby, nor
any other Stone to fet in the Collets ; and. therefore defir'd me to help him:
to fome that might come at an eafie rate. I told him it was impoffible to
find Stones that would fit the Beazils ; and therefore that it was better, when he
had got Stones enough, to fix other Beazils according to the proportion of the
Stones. To which purpofe he was firft to rangé all his Stones in Wax 3 which:
{ thew’d him how to do at the fame time; but that was above his skill. And
therefore do what I could to excufe my felf to the contrary, he would needs’
oblige me. to carry the Dagger to Batavias whereupon I took my leave of
the King, and departed,. 4
CH AP;.
Book Il. ~
Trave ls nN Ix DIA.
CHAP. XXIIL
The Authors return to Batavia. His re-vifiting the King of Ban-
tam. And a relation of feveral Extravagancies of certain, ba-
quirs 7% their return from Mecca. cy bs
ae elev’n a Clock at night we embark’d for Batavia; for the
night winds blowing from the Land, are the only winds to ferve oar
turn ; fothat we were at Batavia between ten and elev’n the next morning,
There I ftay’d twenty days for the King of Bantam’s fake, to make him believe
J had fought for that which I knew was impoffible to to be found. 1 had nothing
_to do all the while, for in Batavia there isno other recreation than gaming
and drinking, which was none of my bufinefS. At that time. the Sieur Cast
dy'd, one of the Jndian Counfellors, who was fumptuonfly buri’d for his good
fervices done to the Company; but the people complain’d heavily of the in-
juttice which he had done as well to thé Souldiers as Mariners.
Having ftay’d twenty days at Bantam, I refolvd to go and return the King
of Bantam his Dagger again; for it was impoflible to meet with Stones to fit
his Beazils. However I took along with me fome other Stones which he
had not feen. Coming to Bantam, the King caus’d us to be lodg’d in one of
his own Houfes in the City, which was made of Bamboo’s. Thither in lef
then a quarter of an hour, the King fent us fome Pateches, or fweet Water-
Melons, red within like Scarlet. We had alfo Mango’s, and a certain large
Fruit call’d Pompone, red alfo within, the meat of it being foft and fpungy, but
of an excellent tafte. Having itay’d our {tomachs, we went to wait upon the
King, whom we found in the fame place, with his’ old Mortar-bearer, who
every foot fed him with Berlé with her fingers. There were fitting about the
Hall five or fix of his Captains, viewing a certain parcel of Fire-works, as Gra-
nado’s, Rochets, and other devices to run upon the water, which the Chi-
nefes had brought ; who are the moft exquifite at thofe fports of any “people
in the world. When the King was at leifure, I return’d him his Dagger, tel-
ling him, that Batavia was no place to meet with Stones; and that fuch as
were to be found, were valu’d at double the price they.were worth ; and that.
there was no place where he could fit himfelf, but at Golconda, Goa, or the
Diamond Mines. Thereupon the old woman took the Dagger, and’carry’d it in-
to his Haram ; nor did the King fpeak a word more about it. After that I
fhew’d him what other Stones I had brought, a parcel whereof I fold him
to good profit; the King ordering us to come the next day for payment.
The next day about fix a Clock in the morning, my Brother and I, and a
Deutch Chirurgion, were going along a narrow way, between a River on the
one hand, and the Pales of a great Garden on the other. Behind the Pales a
Rafcally Bantamois had hid himfelf; one of thofe that was newly come from >
Mecca, and was upon the defign of Adogua ; that is, in. their Language, when
the Rafcality of the A¢abumerans return from Adecca, they geil take their:
Cric in their hands, which is a kind of Poniard, the Blade whereof is half
poyfon’d ; with which they run through the ftreets, and kill all thofe which
are not of the Afabumetan Law, till they be kilfd themfelves. Thefe Furies
think that in fo doing they do God and ALahomer good fervice, and fhall be
fav’d thereby. If any of thefe madmen be kill’d, the Rabble of Adahumetans
buries them as Saints, and every one contributes to make them a fair Tomb.
Sometimes you fhall have an idle Rogue, in the Habit of a Dervich, that will
build him a Hut near the Tomb, which he undertakes to look to, and ftrew
with Flowers, And as his Alms increafe, he adds fome other ornament to it.
For the fairer and better fet out the Tomb is, the more devoutly it is wor-
fhip’d, and the more Alms it brings in.. I remember in the year 1642, that
at Souali, which is the Port of Surat, it happen’d that a Veflel of the great
Moguls return’d from Afeccay with a great number of Faquirs or Dervichs. For.
every
*
200
Trae it Latek Part. IT.
every year the King fends two Veffels to carry and bring back the
Pilgrims, who have their paflage free. And when thefe Veflels are to go, the
Faquirs come from all parts of Judi to embark. Thefe Veflels are lad’n with
very good Commodities, which are fold at AZecca, and the profit is diftributed
among the poor Pilgrims. But the principal is brought back for the next year
amounting to fix hundred thoufand Roupies at leaft. “Tis an ill Market when
they do not gain 30 or 40 per Cent. by their Commodities ; nay there are fome
that produce Cent. per Cent. befides, that the principal perfons of the Moguls
Haram, and other particular perfons, fend very large gifts to Afecca.
One of thefe Faquirs returning from Afecca in the year 1642, and being
landed at Sonali, had no fooner faid his prayers, but he took his Dagger, and
ran among {everat Dutch Mariners that were unlading goods upon the fhore,
and before they were aware this mad Fagquir had wounded feventeen of them,
of which thirteen dy’d. The Canjare which he had in his hand, was a kind of
Dagger, the Blade whereof toward the Handle was three fingers broad; and
becaufe it is a very dangerous weapon, I have here given you the figure of ir,
Wi ME IRE EE EY BF EE Be aasee SOOPER BP DMM er |
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Book OL Travels in Uspta
Ar length the Sentinel that ftood at the entry of the Tent where the Gover-
nour and Merchants were, fhot him through the body, fo that he fell down
dead. Immediately all the other Fagugrs dnd ALahumetans that were upon the
place took up the body and buried it: and at the end of fifteen days they pur
him upa fair Monument. Every year the Englifh and Hollanders pull it down;
but when they are gone, the Faqsirs fet it up again, and plant Banners over
jt; nay fome there are that perform their devotions to it. ;
But to return to the Bantam Faqzir, That Villainlying, as I faid, behind the
Pales, as my Brother and [, and the Dstch Chirurgeon came toward him: all
three a-breait, thruft his Pike between thc Pales, thinking to have ftab’d it into
one of our breaits. The Dwtch man being next the River, and fomewhat be-
fore the reft, the head of his Pike ran into his Breeches ; Whereupon we both
Jaid hold of the Stat, But my Brother being next the Pales, pretently leap’d
over, and ran the Faquir thorough. Whereupon feveral Chinefes, and other
Idolaters, came and gave my Brother thanks for killing him. After that
we waited upon the King, and told him what my Brother had done; who
was fo far from being difpleas’d, that he gave my Brothera Girdle. For the
King and his Governours are glad when thofé Rogues are flain, knowing them
to be Defpérado’s, not fit 40 Nive... gancg S et EES SPSS
The next day, coming to take my leave of. the Engljh Prefident; he “thew’d
me two ftrings of Diamonds, and two Services of Silver; which came fiom
England. He would have fold them all, but £ only bought one of the firings of
Diamonds, the other being foul ; and for the Silver, I would have bought it,
had they coin’d Silver in Batavia, as they were wont to do. Formerly the Hol-
landers coin’d Reals, Half-Reals; and Quarter-Reals, bearing. on. the one. fide
the ftamp of a Ship, on the other V,O,C, like a Character, as in the Figure,
fignifying in Datch, Vor O5t Indian Compagnie, for the Eaft Indian Company.
Which they did for the fake of the Chinefes, who loving Silver better than
Gold, catrrd away all the Silver that was coin’d at Batavia, at good rates,
Buc length they left it off, finding fo few people that made ufe of Silver,
ae
‘Dd CHAP,”
Nana TES OGL PP ae EN TE ee ee
204.
a err ere 2
Travels in Inpia. Part IL
I had fent them in order to my paffage home; in regard that the Englifh Pre.
fident had offer'd mea convenience to go along with him. The Council an-
fwer'd me, that the Datch Ships were as good as the Englifh, and very cour-
teoufly affur’d me, they would give order for a Cabin to my felf in the Vice-
Admiral. But withall they told me, I muit deliver up my Debentures before |
ftirr’d; afluring me, that they would give me a Bill to be re-imburs’d my Mo-
ney by the Company in Holland. I thought it very hard, for I knew not how
to truft °em; but feeing the Merchants, Commanders, and all other perfons
clapt up, and their Papers taken from them by force, that had bought De-
bentures ; I thought it the beft way to delivér mine, and ftand to their cour-
tefie. I often prefs’d the General and the Council for my Bull, but after ma-
ny delays the General afcertain’d me, that my Bill fhould be in Helland as {oon as
I. Thereupon defiring the Vice~Admiral and {ome others to be my Wirnelles of
what the General promisd, I took my leave of him, very much repenting my
going to Batavia. .
C HAP XX VI.
The Author embarks in a Dutch Veffel, to return into Europe,
aks HE next day I went aboard the Vice-Admiral, and the third day after we
fer fail, and as foon as we were out of the Streight we difcover’d the
Iflands of the Prince. From thence being in the Altitude of the Coco Iflands, we
bear about two days to difcover them; but all to no purpofe, thereupon we
made directly for the Cape of good Hope.
The fourty-fifth day after our departure from Batavia, our Vice-Admiral
neglected to put out his Lights ; believing all the Fleet had been before at the
Cape ; fo that it -happen’d that one of the Fleet being behind, and not carry-
ing any Lights out neither, it being a dark night, fell foul upon us, which put
every man to his prayers, all people believing the Vefiel had been loft; and
indeed Had fhe not been a found ftanch Ship (for the /rovinces were fo ac-
counted ). fhe could never have endur’d fo terrible a fhock. At length we clear‘d
our felyes, by cutting off the Yards of the ALzeffricht that hung in our Cor-
dage.
The fifty-fiffh we came within view of the Cape of good Hope; but were
fore’d to keep the Sea,becaufe the waves roll’d fo that we were not able to come
to an Anchor; not that the Wind was extream high, but becaufe the South-
wind had blown fo long that it had fore’d the Water to that part. When the
Sea grew calm, we came to an Anchor.
But of all the people that ever I faw in all my travels, I never faw any fo
hideous nor fo brutifh as the Comoxkes, of which | have fpoken in my estas
Travels; and thofe of the Cape of good Hope, whom they call Cufres, or Ho-
fentotes. When they fpeak, they make a noife with their tongues, like the
breaking of wind backward; and though they hardly {peak articulately, yet they
eafily underftand one another. They cover themfelves with the Skins of wild
Beafts, which they kill in the Woods; in Winter wearing the hairy part inner-
moft, and in Sammer outermoft. But there are none but the beft fort among
them who are thus clad, the reft wear nothing but a nafty rag abour their privy
parts. The men and the women are lean and fhort ; and when they bring forth
a Male-child, the Mothers cut out his right Stone ; and prefently give him
Water to drink, and Tobacco to eat. They cut out the right Tefticle, becaufe,
fay they, it makes them fwifter to run. There are fome of them that will catch a
Roe-Buck running. They neither know what belongs to Gold nor Silver ; and
for Religion, they have none among them.
So foon as we caft Anchor, four women came aboard us, and brought us four
young Oftriches; which were boil’d for fome fick people that we had er
aes board,
2
a a en
Book IIL Travels in ic a:
board. After that they brought great ftore of Tortoife-Shelis, and Oftriches
Eggs, and other Eggs as big as Goofe Eggs ; which though they had no Yolk.
taited very well. The Birds that lay thefé Eggs are a fort of Geefe, and fo fat
that they are hardly to be eaten, tafting rather like Fith than Flefh. The wo-
men feeing our Cook throw away the Guts of two or three Fowl which he was
drefling, took them up, and {queezing out the Ordure, eat them as they were :
being hugely pleas’d with the 4g#a Vite which the Captain gave them. Nei-
ther men nor women are afham’d to fhew their nakednefs, for indeed they are
but a fort of human Beafts. Aco
So foon as the Ship arrives, they bring their Beeves.to the fhore, with what
other Commodities they have, to barter for {trong Watér and Tobacco, Cry-
ital or Agat Beads; or any fort of old Iron work. If they are not fatisfi’d with
what you otfer them, away they fly; and then giving a whifile all their Cat-
tel follow ‘em; nor {hall you ever fee em again. Some, when they faw ’em
fly, would fhoot and kill their Cattel ; but after that for fome years they would
never bring any more. “Tis a very great convenience for the Veflels that touch
there, to take in frefh Victuals ; and the Hollanders did well to build a Fort
there. It is now a good handfome Town, inhabited by all forts, that live with
the Hollanders ; and all forts of Grain, which are brought out of Ezrope or Afia
and fow'd there, come to better perfection there then in other parts. The Coun-
try lies in thirty-five Degrees, and fome few Minutes over, fo that it cannot be
faid that either the heat or {cituation of the Climate makes thefe Cafres fo black.
Being defirous to know the reafon,and why they ftunk fo terribly, I learnt it from a
Girl that was bred up in the Fort, who was tak’n from her Mother, as foon as
fhe was born, and was white like our women in Ezrope; fhe told me, that the
reafon why the Cafres are fo black is, becaufe they rub themfelves with a Greafe
or Ointment compos’d of feveral forts of Drugs; wherewith fhould they not
anoint themfelves very often, and as foon as they were born, they fhould be-
come Hydropfical, as the Blacks of 4frica, and the Aby/ffins are ; or like the
people of Saba, that never live above forty years, and are always troubl’d with
one Leg twice as big as the other, Thete Cafres, as brutifh as they are, have
yet fome knowledg of Simples, which they know to apply to feveral Difeafés;
which the Hollanders have {everal times experienc’d. Of nineteen fick perfons
that we had in our Ship, fifteen were committed to the care of thefe Cafres,
being troubl’d with Ulcers im their Legs, and old wounds which they had re-
ceiv’d in the wars; and in lefs then fifteen days they were all perfectly cur’d,
Every one of thefe had two Cafres to look after him; and according to the con-
dition of the wound or Ulcer, they went and fetch’d Simples, which they bruis’d
between two Stones, and apply’d to the fore. As for the other four, they were f
far gone with the Pox, that they would not trutt the Cafres with them, having
been given over at Batavia, and fo they all dy’d, between the Cape and St. He-
bensea--.4
In the year 1661, a Gentleman of Britanny being at Batavia, was fo bit by
the Gnats inthe night, that his Leg exulcerated prefently in fuch a manner, as
to puzzle all the art and skill of the Chirurgeons in that Town. When he came
to the Cupe of good Hope, the Captain of the Ship fending him afhore, the Cafres
came about him, and after they had beheld him, they told him if he would
truft to them they would cure him. The Captain thereupon committed him to
their care, who cur’d him and made hima found man in lefs then fitteen days. -
When a Ship comes toan Anchor in the Cape, it isthe fafhion for him that
commands the Ship, to give leave to fome part of the Mariners and Souldiers to
go afhore to refrefh themfelves. The fickly have firft leave by turns, and go to
the Town, where they are dyeted and lodg’d for feven or eight Sousa day, and
are very well usd. | estar Eo”
It is the cuftom of the Hollanders, when they ftay here, to fend out parties of
Souldiers upon the difcovery of the up-land Country, and théy that go fartheft
are beft rewarded. With this defigna party of Souldiers, under the Command
of a Serjeant, far advanc’d’ in the Country ;’ ahd night coming on,’ they
made a great fire, as well to keep themfelves from the Lions, as to warm them-.
felyes,and fo lay down to fleep round about it. Being afleep, ‘a Lion came and feiz’d_
one
20%
&
206
Travels in Inpta. | Part. iL.
one of the Souldiers Arms, which the Serjeant perceiving, immediately fhot the
Lion with his Carbine ; but when he was dead, they had much ado to open the
Lions mouth, to get out the Souldiers Arm. Thus it appears a vulgar error,
to believe that Lions will not come near the fire. As for the Souldier, the c4-
fres curd his Arm in twelve days. There are in the Fort abundance of Lions
and Tigers Skins ; among the reft, there was the Skin of a Horfe which the Cy-
fres had kilPd ; it was white; crofs’d with black ftreaks, {potted like a Leopard,
without a Tail. Two or three Leagues from the Ho/linders Fort, there Wasa
Lion found dead, with four Porcupines Quils in his body, the third part whére-
of had pierc’d his flefh. So that it was judg’d, that the Porcupine had kill’d
the Lion. The Skin, with the Quils in it, is kept in thé Fort.
A League from the Fort, is a fair Town, that grows bigger and bigger every
day. When the Holland Company arrives there with their Ships, if any Soul-
dier or Mariner will live there,they are very glad of it. They have as much ground
as they can mannage ; where they have all forts of Herbs; and Pulfe, and as
much Rice, and as many Grapes as they can defire. They have alfo young
Oftridges, Beef, Sea-fith, and {weet water. To catch the Oftridges when they
pleafe, they got their Nefts when they are young, and driving a ftake in the
ground, tye the Birds by one Leg to the ftake, and when they are old enough
they come and take them out of the Neft, from whence it is impoffible to fly
away. i
When the Hollanders began to inhabit the Cape, they took a young Girl from
her Mother, as foon as fhe was born ; fhe is white, only her Nofe is a little flat.
A French man got her with Child, and would have marry’d her; but the Com-
pany were fo far from permitting him, that they took away above a hundred
Livres of the Maids wages from her, to punifh her for the mifdemeanour, which
was fomewhat hard.
There are great numbers of Lions and Tigers, which the Hollanders have a4
pretty invention to take; they faften a Carbine to a ftake, driv’n into the Earth,
and lay meat round about the Gun, which meat is faften’d with a ftring to the
Trigger.. So that when the Beaft fnatches the meat, the ftring pulls the Trig-
ger, and the Gun going off, hits the Lion either in the throat or the breatt.
The Cafres feed upon a Root like our Skerrets, which they roaft and make
bread: of. ‘Sometimes they grin’d it into flower, and then ic tafts like a Wal-
nut. For their food they eat the fame Root raw, with raw Fifth; with the En-
trails of Beafts, out of which they only fqueeze the ordure. As for the bowels
of the wild Beafts, the women wear them dry’d about their Legs, efpecially
the bowels of thofe Beafts which their Husbands kill, which they look upon as
a kind of Ornament. They alfo feed upon Tortoifes, when they have fo far heat-
ed them at the fire,as to make the Shells come off. They are very expert in darting
_ their Azagaya’s ; and thofe that have none, make ufe of pointed fticks, which
they will lance a great way. With thefe they go down to the Sea-fidey and as
foon‘as ever they fpy a Fith near the top of the water, they will not fail to
ftrike him. 3 |
_As for their Birds, which are like our Ducks, whofe Eggs are without any
Yolk; they breed in fuch great quantities in the Countrey , that ina Bay about
eighteen” Miles from the Cape, you may knock them on the head with a ftick.
_» Fhe Hollanders once carried a young Cafre to the General at Batavia, who
bred him carefully up, teaching him to underftand the Dutch arid Portugal Lan-
guages perfectly well. At length being defirous to return into his Country, the
General gave him very good Cloaths,and good Linnen, hoping that he would have
div’d among the Hollanders , and bin ferviceable to them in the difcovery of the
Country ; but fo foonas he got home, he flung his Cloaths i’ the Sea, and return’d
wild among his fellow Natives, eating raw fleth as he did before, and quite for-
‘getting his Benefactors. 7 ;
When the Cafres go a hunting, they go.a gréat number together, and make
fuch a prodigious howling and yelling, that they fright the very Beafts them-
felves, and in that affright with eafe deftroy them ; and I have beem aflur’d,
that their cries do terrifie the Lions themfelves. aye es
» The women are of fo hot a conftitution of Body, that at the times that -
ex / | ee | monthly
Book II. eee in I ae
monthly cuftoms are upon ’em, they happen t
1e} o make w
ean chances to fet his feet upon it, i Bo ene
p pon it, it caufes an immediate Head-ach and Fea-
ver, which many times turns to the Plague.
CHAP. XXVIIL.
The Holland Fleet arrzves at St.Helens. The defeription of the Ifland.
Aving ftaid two and twenty days at the Cape of goo ; "
H Wind was favourable, ie Week, and pier ee eee ok
were under Sail, the Mariners cry’d out, they would fleep till the “aes
St. Helens Road. F he wind j % : ; y came into
| Oa or the wind is very conftant, and carries you in fixteen or
eighteen days to the Road of the Ifland. All the trouble that our Mariners
had,was that fourteen days after our departure from the Cape,they were often forc’d
to the Top-Mait head, upon difcovery of the Ifland ; for as foon as you difcover
the Ifland, the Pilot muft take care to fteer to the North-fide of the Ifland, be-
caufé there is no cating Anchor but on that fide, and that very near the thore
too; by reafon of the deepnefs of the water ; for if the Anchors come fiot to
take hold, the currént of the water and the wind carries the Ship quite out of
the Road, which there is no recovering again, becaufe the wind never changes.
So foon as the Ships came to an Anchor, part of the Seamen were fent afhore
to get wild Hogs, of which there are great plenty ; and to gather Sorrel, which
grows in great abundance ; and indeed they not only fend the Seamen, but al] the
Pigs, Sheep, Geefe,Ducks,and Pullets aboard, to feed upon that Sorrel, which pur-
ges them in fuch a manner, that ina few days they became fo fat,that by that time
we came to Helland they were hardly to be eaten. That Sorrel has the fame
operation upon the men, who boiling their wild Swines flefh, Rice, and Sorrel to-
gether, make thereof a kind of Potage fo excellent, that it keeps their bodies
open by an infenfible purgation.
There are two places upon the Coaft of St. Helens where Ships may come to
an Anchor. But the beft is that where we lay, by reafon that ground is very
good, and for that the water that falls from the Mountain is the beft in the Ifland.
' In this part of the Ifland there is no plain, for the Mountain defcends to the very
fhore of the Sea.
It is not fo good anchoring in the ether Road ; but there is a very handfome
plain, where you may fow or plant whatever you pleafé. There are great ftore
of Citrons, and fome Oranges, which the Portugals had formerly planted there.
For that Nation has that vertue, that wherever they come, they make the place
the better for thofe that come after them ; whereas the Hollanders endeavour to
deftroy all things wherever they fet footing. I confefs the Commanders are not
of that humour, but the Sea-men and Souldiers, who cry one to another, we fhall
never come hither any more, and out of greedinefs will cut down a whole tree
inftead of gathering the fruit. rae os
Some days after there arriv’d a Portugueze Veffel from Gxiny, full of Slaves,
which were bound for the Mines of Per#. Some of the Hollanders that underftood
the language of the Negro’s, told em how miferably they would be us’d, and
thereupon the next night two hundred and fifty of them threw themfelves into the
Sea, And indeed it is a miferable flavery ; for fometimes after they have min‘d'in
fome places for fome days together, the Earth being loofe, falls down and kills
four or five hunder’d at atime. Befides, that after they have been mining awhile,
their Faces, their Eyes; and their Skins change colour; which proceeds from the
vapours that arife from’ thofe concavities; nor could they fubfitt in rhofé places,
but: for the quantiry of ftrong Water which they give, both to the men and wo-
men. There are fome that are made free by their Mafters, who labour however.
for their living ; but between Saturday night and Munday morning they {pend all
their weeks wages in ftrong Water, which is very dear ; fo that they always live
miferably. 7 et >
Being ready to depart the Ifland of St. Helens, ‘the Admiral call’d a Council, to’
advize which way to fteer. The greateft partwere for fte¢ring more to the Weft;
then’
207
‘ a ne ce eed
_ — ~
Travels in Inpra. Part Ep
eee REECE tr rence
then to the South ; becaufe the feafon for failing was far {pent 5 and for that if we
fteer'd for the Weft Indies, we fhould find the wind more proper to Carry us into
Holland. But we had no fooner crofs’d the Line, but we found the wind quite con-
trary to what the Mariners expected; fo that we were fore’d to fteer to
the fixty-fourth Degree of Altitude with the Ifland, and fo return. by the North
into Helland.
CHAP. XXVIN.
Tie Holland. Fleet fets S2il from St. Helens, and prolperoufly ar-
rives in Holland.
6 HE next day after the Admiral had call’d a Council, we weigh’d and fet Sail
about ten a Clock atnight. Three days after our departure from St, LHelens,
the Seamen were call’d very duly to prayers morning and evening ; though all
the time we ftay’d in the rode, they never minded any fuch matter; which made
me wonder, to find they fhould be more devout when they were out of danger,
than when they were in jeopardy.
After feveral other days failing, we difcover’d the Coaft of Zand, and then the
Ifland of Ferella, where we join’d with the Holland Fleet that {tay’d for us. Here
it is that the Commander in chief calls to account all the Mariners for their mifde-
meanours during the whole Voyage.
Our Ship was bound for Zealand; but we were fore’d to lye out at Sea feven
days before we could get into Flx/hing, becaufe the Sand had chang’d its place.
Coming to an Anchor before Flu/hing, two of the Company came aboard to wel-
come us home, and to advifé us to lock our Chefts, and put our marks upon
them ; for all Chefts are carry’d into the EFaft India Houle, where when the
owners come for them, they are order’d to op’n them, left they fhould have any
counterband goods therein. Thereupon I fet a mark upon my Chefts, and went
afhore, after I had giv’n a good character of the Captain, and his civility to me
all the Voyage, and thence proceeded by Land to Atiddleturgh.
Four days after I came to Afiddleburgh, 1 went to fetch my Chefts; and find-
ing the two Directors there, one a Zealander, the other of Horn, who came firfk
aboard us. I produc’d my Keys, and offer’d my Chefts tabe open'd. But the Zea-
lander more civil than the Horner, dcliver’d me my Keys again, and taking my.
word, told me I was free to take away my goods. And indeed I have always ob-
ferv'd, that the Northern people are always more rude and ungentile than the
Southern. |
As for the 17500 Florins which the General of Batavia promis’d fhould be
paid me upon my arrival in Holland, 1 receiv’d fo many delays and put offs, thac
Twas at length fore’d to commence a Suit that lafted above two years ; nor could
I get a publick Notary either at Amfterdam or the Hague, that would make me
out a Proteft, every one fearing the Directors, who were both Judges and Par-
ties. At length after five years wrangling and jangliffe, the Director wrote to my
Brother at Batavia (for [ was then return’d again to the Indies) that if I would
accept of 10000 Livers, he might receive it for me; which he did, and was
fore'd to give them an acquittance for the whole.
This is the ‘return which I made from the Jndies in the year 1649, and the
only time that ever I return’d by Sea; having perform’d all the reft of my
Travels by Land, not counting my fhort Voyages through the Adediterranean
for any thing. And as for my firft Travels, I perform’d them all by Land, from
Paris through Germany and: Hungary, as fat as Conftantinople ; whither I return’d
again in the year 1669. From Conftantinople I went to Smyrna, thence I fail’d
for Ligorn ; from Ligorn & travel’d by Land to Genoa, thence to Tzrin, and fo
- tO Paris, Ti: :
The End.
|
|
|
|
ee eee an oe a
Panek
| 4 Xx
LO 2408
Indian Travels.
A.
Bdoul-Coutou-Sha , the pre-
lent King of Golconda, pag.65.
Hts Children, 66. Hts reply to the
Canoneer that would have taken
off Aurengzeb’s head, 68. See Mir-
gimola.
Abdul Feta, Gelul Eddin Maho-
met, 107.
Aceph Ben Ali takes Mafcate.
from the Dutch, 145. Hrs wondrous
* Peart. ibid.
Agra, the King’s Pal¥ce there,
48, 49.
Alegamma Motiar of Ceylan
turns Chriftian, and his anfwer to
the Fefuits, 163.
—, and the Trade there-
oe Anker where fosmd, 1§1, 1§2.
Ambergreele, where found, 152.
Apes, their antipathy against
the Crows, 40. The danger of kil-
ling one, ibid. Hofpitals for them,
48. How fet together by the ears,
94-
Afem, the Kingdom, 187.
Afouf-Kan’s Policy, 112. A’ /!s
Sha-Jehan, ibid.
Aft-Kan, 60. Takes Dultabat, 60,
61.
Atek, 44.
Ava, 143.
Augans, a Strange fort of people,
44.
Aureng-abat made a City, 6r.
Aureng-zeb his crueliy at Cal- .
labas. 33,35. Hzs Dominions, 106,
His Power, 108, His Ambition and
craft : he joyns with his Brother,
Morad-Backfhe, 110, defeats Dara-
Sha, ibid. deceives Morad, and {ends
him to Prifon, ibid. He alcends the
Throwe,116. He affronts his Father,
120. His Embaffadors affronted by
the King of Perfia, 121. Hzs State
when he fits upon bis Throne, 123.
B.
BY" fee Golconda. pag.
I,
Ee Bana-
The InpeEx.
Banarou, §2.
Bannians never kill any leving
thing, 37. Their cruelty to. them
that do, ibid. Ther veneration for
Apes, 39, otit-do the fews, 44.
Bantam the King vifiied by the
Author ; bis Entertainment, 196,
197, Se.
Bargant, 41. The Raja of Bar-
gant entertains the Author.
Bareche, 36.
Begum Saheb, 108, zmprz{in'd by
Aurengzeb; depriv'd of her wealth :
her death fulpected, 113, 114: re-
Stor'd to favour : her wit, 1X.
Bengala, the Revenue of it, §1.
Bezoar, 1§ 3, Se.
Boutan, 2 Kingdom; the Commo-
dities thereof, 182, 183, Sc.
Bramins, a ffrange flory of one,
ees |
Brampour, 31; @ Tumuli there,
and the occafin, ibid.
Broakers Indian, 133.
Buildings publick in India, how
rear'd, 35.
ws:
s
Aboul, pag 44.
Callabas, 33. |
Calicuts, where made, 31, 33,40,
43, 52.
Cambava, 36.
Caravafera’s Indian, the method
therein, 32.
Cardamoms, where had, 73.
Carriages Indian, 27.
Carriers ; the Order and Go-
vernment among them.
Cafle, the fignificatzon and kinds,
161, 162.
Cattel, how fed in India, 97.
Chalaour, 42.
Cheats in Indian Commodities,
¥5 2, 1.3 oo sac '
Check of Mecca:comes to Gol-
conda 7m dz[gufe, 66. Marries the
King’s Daughter, 67. Hinders him
from furrcndring to Aurengzeb,68.
Cheraffs-Indian Bankers, 224 [ud-
tiler then the Jews, 23. 4.
. A PO
Oct,
Chincles pozfon the Dutch Sou.
avers, 173.
Chites, 40.
Chitpour, ib.
(zfers Indian, 23.
Cochin Befer’d by the Dutch
88, Zken, 89. Dutch make 2 mock
King of zt, ibid.
Collafar, 33.
Commodities of the Great Mo.
gul’s Countrey, 116, Sc. and their
price, 128,129, 130,
Comoukes, 2 defcription of the
People and Countrey, 204, &c.
Candevir, 93.
Corral, where found, 151.
Cottons, where mide, 31, 36,
Where whiten d, 36.
Coulour, the Diamond-Mine ,
£302 ta bi
Coins Arabian, 1. Mogul’s, 2. His
Tributaries, 3. Coins call'd Pagods,
4, §. Englith aud Dutch, 5, 6. Made
by the King of Chida and Pera, 6,
By the King of Achen, Kings of
Macaflar, the Celebes, and Cam-
boya, 7. By the King of Siam, ib,
By the Kings of Afem, Tipoura,
Arakan and Pegu, 8. Comms of Chi-
na amd Tunquin, ib. Of Japon, 9.
Cozms Indian, reprefenting z
twelve figns, 10. Comms Indian, 22,
Coins made by the Portugals, 12,
Coims Mufcovian, 13.
Coins European, their value in
India, 21, 22,
Comnage Indian, 17. What Ios,
what gain by it, ib. Thrown about
at the King’s Afcent to the Throne,
107. Currant at the Diamond-
Mines, 141.
Cranganor, 89, promisd by the
pes to Samarin, ib. Demolzfi d,
ib,
Crocodiles may be wounded, 55.
How they dye, ib.
Cuftoms Indian, 17. :
Customs affronted by an Englith
Captain, 17. Exatted by the Per-
fians from the Englith, 75. |
ee ad
«. Daca,
rn en ne
The
—_———
2;
Aca, pag. 55.
Daman be/ieg’d by Aureng-
20D, 7%,
Dara-Sha hs du‘y to his Father,
108, Defeated by bis Brother, 110.
He flzes znto Scindi, be fights a {e-
cond Battel with Aurengzeb: He
is betruid by Yellomfeing, 114, then
gy Gion-Kan, 115. Hyzs death, 116.
" Dehly, 45.
De Lan, 2 Dutch Chirurgeon, lets
the Mogul, bzs Mother and Wife
Plscd,i103.
Dervichs, 4. See Faquirs.
Diamonds, a difcourfe thereof,
134, °5c. The forms of feveral Dia-
muds, t48,149. Vulgar error con-
cerning the purchafe of them, 141.
Piamond Miners, their customs,
13.53
Dultabar, 60, 61.
Dutch fend an Embaffidor to
China, 192. Their revenge upon the
Fefuzts, 193.
Dutch break their word with
the King of Caudy, 194; with the
King of Achen; at War with the
Kine of Java, 202; they quarrel
with the Author. re
E.,
Lephants defiroy the Banni-
an’s Idols, pag. 34.3 the Woods
o Mirda, 43, affrighted; the lofs
of Aurengzeb’s Army, 72; how
taken, 95; how tamd, ib, Their
fury, ib. The difference between
them, 96. Baten by the Natives, ib.
Fiw taken in, Ceilan, ib. The tusks
dite to the Lord, ib. How the fe-
mile receives the male,ib. A re-
mark peculrzar to Ceilan Elephants,
ib. Ziezr age, ib. The number kept
by the Greut Mogul, and his Ex-
pences, 97; how waf'd, 103.
Emir-jemla, 116, 118.
Emraulds, the vulgar error con~
cerning them, 114.
In pb
EK.
‘Eunuchs,; covetous of Monu-
ments, §.
Exchange Indian, 26, 27.
F,
K Aquirs; thezr manner of travel-
Ling, pag. 41; their Habit and
Arms, ib. The relpe given them,
ib. Zhezr Religion, 160: their Pe-
mainces, 165, Sc. Their extrava-
g.incies returning from Mecca.
Feaft; the Great Mogul’s grand
Feast when he is weighd, 122.
G.
( ‘YAnges, pag. 51, an ordinary
el Reverb. and bad water,§2.
oie Jee Coulour.
ate, what manner of place, 34.
Gehanabad, 45 ; fe eat
P.tlice there, 45, 46, 41.
Gehanguir, ainth King of the
Indians. He permits Nourmahal
his Wife to Reign in his Stead.
He put out his Eldef? Son's eyes,
111. He prefers his Grandchild to
the Throne, ib. Dies, ib.
Gion-Kan a Traytor ; his death,
nee ;
Goa, the prefent State of it, 74.
Golconda defcrié'd, 61, The Po-
ticy and Government of. the City,
6
ee :
Gold, where found, 156, 8c.
Gomron-Road heat exceffive, th-
jures the Ships, go. ar
Gondicot takex by Mirgimola,
98. Defcrib'd, ib. )
Govaleor, 35. The Prifon for the
Indian Grandees, ib. 7
Guards, bow reliev'd at
Gol-
conda, 64.
os;
Alabas,pag.52. Zhe Governor
a great TPerfon, ib, The crue
elty of bis Phy/itian, ib.
ameth-Sheck, 107.
*Bes - Java,
et eet ere
es
211
A tr a ee RRR REA INE TIT ge RS Sy mm ce em eT
212 The In p ex.
vl
ho the King thereof, pag. 202.
Javaniers, good Souldzers, 203.
_ Jeflom-feing etrays Dara-Sha ,
Ir4. :
Idolaters belief touching a Dei-
ty, 164. Of the ftate of the Soul
after death, 167. Of their burning
their dead, i68. Their feveral
cuftoms, 179;
_ Idolatrous Princes of Afta, 163.
‘Indians cunninger then the Fews,
23. Lheir manner of croffing Ri-
vers, 100, 102, Their Supertition,
97. The Penance of the Women,ib.
Their Alias, ib. Their Pilerima-
ges, 101. Their craftinefs ,*tor.
Their Phyfick, 102. Their honefty,
136,137. Zheir manner of drrveng
bargains, ib. Their Penances, 181.
Indigo, where made, 36, 37, 43.
Indolftan écunded, 106.
Fron of Golconda, the beff, 65.
— Eland of St. Helens deferib'd.
> Prory the beft, 96.
Fuftzce in India quick, 99, 100.
. K.
Kemercuf, 2 (zy, pag. oes
ms
| Ahor, pag. 45. =.
Letter-Carriers, .t0.
Lions, how tam’d, 40.
M.
\ [A Acaflar, a Kingdom defcrib d,
| 191. The King shoots an
Englilh Malefactor with a poifon'd
Arrow, 191. His difference with
the Hollanders, 192, .
Maldives Iflaxds, 90.
~ Malvares, Indian ee 1,182.
~ ‘Mafcate, 16.
Maflipatan, 70.
Matura, ove of the chiefest Pa.
gods of the Indians, 48.
Meafures Indian, 27.
Mingrela, 73. }
A Miracle done by a Bramin,
LOL, 102, ;
Miram-Sha, 107.
Mirda, 43.
Mirgimola, the King of Golcon.
|da’s General, 67. He 15 fuulbetted
by the King, ib. He revolts, 68. He
juyns with Aurengzeb, ib. befteges
the King, ib. and cunningly fetiles
a new ‘Peace, ib. entertamns the Ay.
thor at Gondicot, 98, 99. How he
dilpitch'd bufine{s, 99, He rongtters
Afem, 187.
Mirza-Abdou! Cofing marries the
King of Golconda's third Dish.
ter, 69. : =
Mirza Mahomed, 68. See Check
of Mecca.
Moguls, wy fo call’d 106.
Miney; the force of zt 1 India,
19. What moft proper to be carrrd
into India, 18, 21,
Monumeits Indian ; their: fimp-
tuoufnels, 49, 50, $2, 61, :
Morad-Backthe, 108, Vice-Roy of
Guzerar, ib. He rebels against his
Fiather, 109, befieges Surat, ib, pro-
claims himlelf K. vg, ib. He gzves
credit to Aurengzeb’s fillacées, ib,
jeyns with him, t10, and defeats °
Dara-Sha, ib. wounded, ib. He fees
his error, is betraid, and fent to
Govaleor, ib,
Mountebanks, {ndian, 36.
Multan, 43.
Musk, 153. Its adulterations, ib.
N.
NE: pag. 35.
_Nahab, what it Signifies,
53.
. Navapoura, 30, famous for Rice,
ib.
Nava-Sevagi revolts from the
King of Vifapour, 72.
Notehekel Queen of India, her
Extraction, 41, 12,
Obfer-
a
ee ee
ee ee ee
ee ee ee Te
The Invex.
5
Blervations particular upon
the Mogul’s Court, pag. 124,
a9:
Omrahs, their duty, 122. :
Ormus ; the manner of Sazling
from Ormus fo Surat, 15.
Outemeda, 97.
P.
Agods Indian defcri’'d, 92, 93,
94,97, 102. The most celebra-
ted among the Indians, 173, Se.
Palicat.9 3. 340 + >
Paffage by Sex from Ormus to
Maflipatan, 90.
Paffes, where. reguir'd, 44, §2.
Patna, §3.
Peacocks plentiful, 37. How
eS ib.
earls, and where fifi'd for, 145.
How bred, how fifd for, and ut
what ‘ime, 146, 5c.
Perca, a petty Indian /’7ng, 89.
Phyfitrans, noue in india, but
fach as attend Princes, 102.
Pilgrimages of the Indians, 179.
Ponte Galle, 194.
Portugals, thezr power in Goa,
74, 75. Their excefive pronenefs to
revenge, ib. dzfcover a_ ftrange
Countrey, 83, 84.
Pyzests Indian, bow maintain d,
Prefents given by the Author at
the Great Moguls Court, 59.
R.
Age-Mchide, §4.
Raolconda, Diéamond-Mine,
134.
Rauchenara-Begum, 108, a/ways
a friend to Aurengzeb. His kind-
nels to her; their falling out, 121.
Religion of the Mahumetans 7”
the Indies, 159, Sc. Of the Idola-
trous Indians, 161.
Roads from Wpahan to Agra
through Gomron, 15; from Surat
to Agra through Brampour and Se-
ronge, 30, through Amadabart, 36.
From \Mpahan to Agra, through Can-
dahar, 43. From Dehly to Agra,48.
From Agra to Patna, avd Daca, 51.
From Surat to Golconda, 60. Fron
Golconda to Maflipatan, 69. From
Surat to Goa; from Goa to Gol-
conda, through Vifapour, 71. From
Goa to Maflipatan, through Cochin,
88. From Matlipatan to Gandicot,
gi. From Gandicot to Golconda,
218.
100 ; to the Mines, 137,139, 141. .
Rodas the Fortre(s, 139. .
Roupies, the difference of them,
O,* ea aie. Mees cae ect.
Rubies, the forms of feveral,
149, 190. , pt
Rule to know the price of Dia-
Motds, LH2, LhZe 3% 2% gi oi
<
S. *
2
aw is
‘te
Altpeter, where refind, §3.¢
Samarin, az Indian King, 89.
Saferon, §3.
Say-pzeces Indian, 25, 26.
Sepper-chekour, 115, fent to Go-
valcor, 116. em
Sera, the fignification of the
WOrd, 32. sg
SETONRS, FF os ae
Serpents, their vast bulk, and
deadly venom, 44. : |
Seva-gi contznues the revolt, 73.
He finds vaft Treafures, ib.
Sha-Eft-Kan, 20, 24, 563. duys
the Authors Fewels, 104; bis kind-
ne[s tothe Author, ib. revolts to
Aurengzeb, 110. )
Sha- Jehan firs? ca/Pd Sha-Bedin-
Mahomet, 107. His good Govern-
ment, 108. He marries a young
Lady, ib. His children, ib. His love
to his children,ib. He rebels againft
his Father, is difmberited, 111. He
is advanc d to the Throne, 112. His
cruelty,ib. He is, kept Prifoner by
Aurengzeb, and dies, 113.
Siam, 2 Kingdom; the King of
it, 119, 6c.
Siren, 143.
Sodo-
a cic alana eeenamstintsiatoatenaae ithe TR Sa
214
v
ae _ <*% ov =e
The InNpveE.X.
Sodomy abominated by the Indi- | againft him, ib. His death, vr,
ans, 54. . Sumbaco Kzwg of Macafiar, 193,
Solyman Chekour defeats Ais} Suratrs.
Vnckle,10o9 Betraid by Raja Roup,
flies to Nactiran, 114. Is deliver'd
up by bim, 119. Sent Prisner to
Govaleor.
Soumelpour, 139.
Stones colour'd, where found, 43.
Stones medicinal, and their ef-
fects, 154,195.
Stories of the man that loft his
child in Swimming, 38. Of the
Merchant's Wife that defird a
child, 39. Of the Merchant that
ner told lye, ib. The Story of Mon-
freur Belloy, 79. Of the rich Leaper
in Goa, ib. Of St. Amant, and
John de Rofe, and the Sieur Ma-
refts, ib. 80, 81, Se. Of Father
Ephraim, 85, 86, 87. |
Sultan Aboufaid-Mirza, 107. |
Sultan Babur, 107. |
Sultan Boulaki preferr’d dy Sha- |
Jehan, x13. Betraid by Afouf-Kan, | Vifapour defirzb'd, 72.
r12. Retires into Perfia, ib. x ,
Sultan Kourom, 107. See Sha- | W.
Jehan. ag | 3
Sultan Mahomed, Mogul, 107. | \ } Avs ; Hieh-ccays in India
Sulran Mahomed, Aurengzeb’s, \ {410 sate’ :
Son, marries the fecond Daughier, fh ezghts Indian for Gold ard SiI-
of the King of Golconda, 69. He| wer, 18. Other weights,27. Of Dia-
fies to bis Unckle, 117. Is betrazd| mouds, 140. Of colour'd Stenes,1 44.
by Emir-Jemla, and imprifou'd,118,| Of Pearls, 148.
119. Winds hot, their fizfling nature,
zie
Amurleng, 105.
Tari, what, 65.
YVavernier abusd at the Movul’s
Court, §1, 58. z
‘Tenara a {weet place, 69,
Thrones ; the defcription of the
Mogul’s Tarones, 122, Sc.
Thunderbolts three at a time,
9. |
Tipra 2 Kingdom, 186.
Travelling, the manner tn India,
27, 29,
Treachery, a notable piece put
upon the Author at Gomron, $7,
Turquoifes, here found, 144.
V.
.. Sultan Selim , alias Jehanguir} 44.
Patska, 107. Wives of the Indians burnt a-
Sultan Soujah, 108. Rebe/s, 109.| hve with their dead Husbands,
He flies to the Keng of Arakan,| 169, 170,171, 172.
marries bis Daughter, 119. Plots| Woods of Bambous, 94.
A NEW
RELATION
TE
The Inner-Part
OF THE
Grand Heignors
SERAGLIO.
Containing
Several Feemartable Particulars, never before eX-
pos d to publick view.
noe ah
By J. B TT A VERNIER, Daron of ys slat
afr aie afte ofe
EREREEs
eUSES
p> Bs
NOE
9
LONDON:
Printed, and Sold by RL. and AZo es Piti,
169%: :
| THE. Bas Spd i>
Authors Defign.
Queftion not but that feveral Relations of the Grand
~Seignor’s Seraglio have been publifh’d; but [am to
acknowledge withal, that I have ‘ot had the leifure
‘toread any one of them. I. have tiavell’d Six feve-
ral times, by Land, into the Fatt , and by different
Roads, during the {pace of Forty Years; and moft Pérfons
know, that my Employments were fuch,’as would ‘not allow
me much time forthe reading of Books. Btit when my Af-
fairs afforded me any remifsion, I wholly employ’d tholé
{pare hours, in the collection of things the moft worthy to be
remark’d, whether the Scene lay in Turkey ; ot in Perfia; or
in the Indies, on this, or the other fide of the River Ganges, ot
in the Diamond-Mines, which are in thé Tetricories of divers
Princes. While Tam bufied in putting ihto ordér thofé Me-
moires, which I conceive my felf oblig’d togratify the Publick
withall, I make it a Prefent’ of this Relation of the Seraglio,
attended with fome Obfervations fufficiently remarkable,
which, haply, will not be unpleafant. ESS HGS, |
The Ottoman Court, which ‘makes fo much noife in the
World, has not, to my thinkiig, been: yer fufficieritly well
known, if I may judge of it, by what [have feen thereof sy
felf, and have heard from feveral Perfons. I do hété ‘com-
municate a faithful and ample defcription thereof: which |
have extracted, as well out of what I had obferv’d my felf, in
the feveral Voyages I made to Conftantinople,as out of the infor-
mations I receiv’d from two intelligent Perfons, who had fpent
many years in the Seraglio,in very confiderable Employments.
One of whom was. Sicilian, advanc’d to the Charge of Chaf-
nadar-bachi, or chief Ofhcer belonging to the Treafury ; and .
after Five and Fifty Years Service in the Seraglio, was, for fome
flight mifcarriage committed by him, banith’d toa place neet
Bur{a, in Natolia, from whence he'made his efcape into the
Indes. The other, a Parifian-born, named ‘Dé Vienne, had
been one of the Pages of the Treafury. ‘In’ His Return from
the Jubilee at Rome, in the Year M.DC.L. being aboard a
Brigantine bound from Cipita Vecchia to Mar/cilles , he was
(A 2) taken
P / ‘
im
om Hae a rca e ey receena damian enna aa ~ ee ae
taken by the Pirates of Tripoli,and the Bafla finding thar young
Lad well fhap’d, and looking like one that promis’d much ,
fent him, as a Prefent, to the Grand Seigner. He was alfo
pack’d away out of the Seraglio, afcer Fifteen Yeats Service,
only upon this {core, that there was fome difcovery made, of
his holding.a fecret correfpondence with the difgrac’d Sicilian,
who had heretofore fhewn him much kindnefs, and indeed ir
was by his credie that the Parifian was firft advancd to the
Chamber of the Treafury, _ ret
From thofe two men, who were ina fair capacity to make
exact Obfervations of things, have I extracted the betcer pait
of this Relation. Though they had been fore’d to embrace
the erroneous perfwafion of Mahomet, yet were there fome
Relicks of the good fentimeiats of Chriftianity : And whereas
there was not the leaft hope of recovering the honours, where-
inthey pride themfelves who are exalted to Charges in the
Seraglio, it isnot to be imagin’d, that they could have any
defign to difguife thingstome. They themfelves thought it
acertain pleafure to defcend to a greater familiarity of Dif-
courfe, and to {pecifie even the leaft circumftances : but | am
to difcover withal, that having had their education amongft
the Turks, and learnt of them, to love Mony, ic muft have
been fo much the greater charge to me, to give them content.
I have kept them for a confiderable {pace of time, at my own
charge, and that in feveral places, one at I/pahan in Perfia, and
the other inthe Indies, where they had made their refidences,
and the Memoires which they fupply’d me withal were _per-
fectly concordant.
To the Inftru@tions, which I made a fhift to get from thofe
twomen, and to what difcoveries I may have made my felf,
of the prefent ftate of the Grand Seignor’s Palace, [ fhall add
fome neceffary Obfervations of the Manners and Cuftomes of
feveral Provinces of the Ottoman Empire, flightly pafling over
thofe things, which, in all probability, are generally known.
But thatthe Reader may with greater eafe comprehend the
matters [I treat of, and that the Difcourfe may not be inter-
rupted, by the neceflary explication of the feveral names of
_. Charges and Dignities, I have thought it fit, inthe firft place,
to give a fhort Lift of them, after which fhall follow another, :
of the different Species of Mony, which are current all over
the Turkifh Empue. 7 at
:. Be
peeineseseies
TABLE
The Chapters contained in this RELATION.
Of the Charges and Dignities as well of the S eraglio,
: as of the Ottoman Empire ;
AND
Of the different Species of Gold and Silver,now current
m TURKEY.
ss
“Hap. I. Of the Extent, and out-fide of the Seraglio.
Il. Of the firft Court of the Seraglio, and particularly of the
| Infirmery. a
IIL. Of the fecond Court; in which are the leffer Stables, the Kitchins,
and the Divan.
LV. Of the Divan-Hall, and the exatt adminiftration of Fuftice
: there by the Grand Seignor.
V. Of the inner part of the Seraglio in general, and particularly of the
Quarter of the Funuchs and the Ichoglans.
VI. Of the Hall, where the Grand Seignor gives Audience to Ambaf-
fadors, and how they are receiy'd. |
VII. Of the Baths of the Seraglio.
VIII. Of the Grand Seignor’s Treafure.
IX. Of the fecret Treafure. |
X. Of the means us’d by the Grand Seignor, to augment bis Treafury,
befides the ordinary Revenues if the Empires —
XI. A fubtle way which the Grand Seignor has to beftow great Libe-
ralities without medling with his Revenues. |
Chap.
Chap. XIL. Of the Pr ai which the Grand Seignor i every
Year to Mecha. Sia os
Boia of the Cellar, and divers other Appar iments. ST ab?
XIV. Of the Quarter of the Dogangi- -bachi, or. Grand Eateiner
and fome other Officers.
XV. Of the Grand Seignor’s own Appartment.
XVI. vs the Grand Seignor’s ordinary Occupations.
XVII. Of the Womens Quarter.
XVI. Fhe gape bx Cont ntinoplé of the séledhet, (Mo-
~ “ther to the Grand, Sei or) who has the honorary Til, of
“La Validé*on the fecond of July ; SOR
XIX. Of the Gar dette of the Seraglio.
XX. Of the Princes, who follow the oe on Religion m Eu-
rope; Afia, and Aftica.'.
A NEW
RELATION
_ Grand Seignor’s
SERAGLIO.
OF |
The Charges and Dignities as well of the Seraglio,
as of the Ortoman Emprre.
As alfo,
Of the different Species of Goip andSriver-
COINS, now current in TURKEY.
The Principal H eads of the followitig Difeour fe.
‘Fle Origine of the Grandees of the Port. The fevere Difcipline of the Se-
* raglo. Lhe Asthority of the foar Principal Baffa’'s, of dangerous confe-
quence tothe Grand Seignor and how he can take it off. Obfervations upon
Standarts, Of the Plume of Heroas Feathers which the Grand Seignor
wears in his Turbant. The Honours and Difadvantages attending the
Charge of the Grand Vilir. Lhe particular Priviledge of the Caimacan:
Lhe number of the real Janizaries. The traafcendent priviledge of their
Aga, or Colonel-General. Lhe happy condition of the Spahis, and the Za-
ims, Zhe prodigious number of Eunuchs all overthe aftern parts, Ex-
quifite Obfervations upon that Subject. The principal Charges of the Se-
raglio, The noble advantages of the Capi-Aga. Zhe Repute and Riches
of the Kiflar-Agafi; Latendant, or Overfeer, of the Apartment of the
Women. That the Charge of Boftangi-Bachi % one of the maf emincat
of thofe belonging to the Port. The great Occonumy of the Partizans.
Lhe Policy of the Port, tokecp the Cham of the éeffer Tartary i {ub-
jection, The Principal Dignities of Perfons' relating to the Lav. Lhe
Species of Gold and Siluer-Coins current in Turkey. ‘hence, and how;
the Geld coin’d at Cairo is brought thither. Lhe fincerity of the A ee ay
/ e
| danger oits con-
{
s
2 A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO.
Lhe Story of the Commerce carried onin the difpofal of the five Sols Pie.
ces, French Mony. The jealonfies of the Perfons concern'd in that Trade,
a mifchievorss Fraud mildly punifh'd. Lhe ancient fincerity of the Turks
‘corrupted by the Commerce of the Europeans.
rhe Ovier Hey who are sie hasdestwehethier it be in the Scraglio,or in the Fin-
he Origine of are ; ; =
the Grandees of pire (¢xcepting only the Eunuchs,of whom I thall give an account anon) are
the Port. generally rais’d out of the Children taken in War,or fent by way of Prefents,
by the Baffa’s,or out of the Tributary Children, who.about nine or ten years
of Age.are taken out of their Mothers arms,through all the Provinces fubdw’d by «the O;-
toman Princ 8. They are all to be of Chriftian Parents 5 and counting only the Slaves ta-
ken from the Enemy, we find by the Regifters of the Cuftom-houfe ot Conftantinople
alone, that, of both Sexes, there are brought thither every year , near twenty thou-
fand. The Inhabitants of the leffer Tartary, who make’ continual Incurfions into all
the Countries, that are intholtilicy againft the Ortoman Empire, fend up valt numbers
of them, and the Grand Seignor having the choice of all thofe young Children, the
beft fhap’d, and ftich as have the moft promifing, looks, are diftributed into feveral Se-
raglio’s, to be there initructed in the Law of Mahomet, and all forts of Exercifes, And
afterwards, out cf the choice or cullings of thefe latt is the Seraglio of Conftantinople
repleni(h’d 5 and they are to be diftinguith’d into two Orders. The firft and the mett
eminent is that of the Ichoglans,defign’d for the great Charges and Dignitics of the Em-
pire: The fecond, that of the Axamoglans, employ’d in fuch Offices as require only
ftrength of body. The Ichoglans, are thole, in whom, befides the accomplifhments
of the Body, they difcover alfo a noble Genius, ht for a high Education, ‘and fuch as
; may render them capable of ferving their Prince, fume. time or other.
The feoweDi- _ Lhefe are accordingly inftructed with great care, and educated with the obférvance
feipline of the of a moft fevere Difctpline. They pafS through four feveral Chambers, call’d Qd.2’s,
Seraglioe which are as it were four Forms,where they learn,in order, whatever is convenient for
young perfons, who are to be continually about a great Prince, and are as it werc his
Pages, or Gentlemen. If they commit the leaft fault; they are fevercly chaftis’d, and
there is a great ftock of patience requifite, for any one to be advane’d to the fourth
Oda, which when -they have attair?d; they begin t6 take a little breath. But the
hopes of being exalted to the greatelt Honours, and the moft eminent Dignities, makes
them endure the barbarous treatments of the Eunuchs, who are appointed to be their
Mafters,and are very liberal ot the Battinado to them, I {hall give an account efewhere
of the manner of their Education, and of thofe four Oda’s, or Chambers, where they
learn thofé things, whereby they are qualif’d for the Charges, for which the Grand
Seignor defigns them. Though it be appointed by the received Cuftom of the Em-
pire, that thofe Children, fhould be all defcended from Chriitian Parents, of the bett
_extraction, aind the bett thap’d that can be found , yct the Capi-4ga, or Grand Ma-
{ter of the Seraglio, the Principal of the white Eunuchs, who hath the chief Com-
mand over the Ichoglans, {ticks not to admit into their number fome natural Turk,
‘fuch as may be recommendable, upon the {core of their good qualities and endow-
‘ments: But that happens very feldom, and that not without the particular pérmiffion
of the Prince, who would rather have all thofe Children to be Renegado-Chriftians.
Andithis is the Origine of the Great Perfons belonging to the Grand Seignor,and
the Port. ‘They are all Slaves, and not having any knowledge of their Parents, or
Relations, they wholly apply their affeGtions to the Service of their Prince, who has
been pleas’d to advance them to fuch high Fortunes, !
the Antborityoy ‘The Bafft’s thereforeare taken out of the Order of the Ichoglans, and the name of
the four Princi- BafJz, or Bafha, is only a Title of Honour and Dignity; common to all the Grandees
pal Baffa’ssof of the Port, who are diftinguifhable, according to the difference of their Charges.
eunize to the The four Principal are thefe. The Vizir-Azem, or Grand Vizir, the Caimacan, the
Grand Seignor, Bafa ofthe Sea, and the Aga of the Fanizaries. The Authority of thefe four Baffa’s
and how he canis {0 gréaty that {ometimes they deprive their Sovereign of the Crown, and beftow it
takest of, on whomthey pleafe ; as it has happen’d, in our Age, to two Emperours immediately
fucceeding one the other, Muftapha, and Ofman, of whom the later dy’d in Prifon, by
the ~
s
‘
.
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s Szractro, 3
the infamous hand of 2 common Executioner. But, on the other fide, if theft Balfa’s
know not how to take their meafures rightly, they lofe their heads upon the leaft mif=
carriage, the Grand Scignor feizing to himfelf all their Eftates at their death, and ta-
king theit Children into the Seraglio. Nay, thefe laft are fo fat from fucceeding their
Fathers, either as te wealth or imployments, even though it were the Son of a Grand
Vizir, of of a Sifter of the Emperour himfelf, that the higheft advancement they are ad-
mitted to, is to be made Captains of Gallies 5 the policy of the Turks not permitting,
that in any one Houfe there thould be a transferrence of power from Father to Son, that
fo they may be prevented from taking any occafions to difturb thé State. It may be
feen by this account of them, that the fortune of the Baffa’s, which, for a time, feems
fo {plendid, is but a tottering, fortune, upon which, neither the Son, nor the Father
himfclf, what repute focvér he may be in, can make any fure relyance.
The Baffw’s, who have the dencmination of Vizirs, carry three Banners or Stand-obfrastions
ards, at the top of which there is a Horfe-tayl fafter’d, put intowhat colour they pleafe pon the Stand-
them{clves, green only excepted, though they are permitted.toxpaint the Staff, to which 24s:
the Standard is faften’d, with that colour. The Originé*6f thisCuttom was thus, ac-
cording to the Story which the Turks relate of it. Having one day given Battel to the
Chriftians, their Standard was taken in the heat of the Engagement, and the General of
the Turks, perceiving that the lofs of the a ee ifcouragemient to the Souldi-
¢rs, who were beginning to take their flight, he with*aCymitar cut off a Horfe’s tayd,
and faften’d it to the top of a half-Pike, and advanced it on high, crying out, Here is
the Grand Standard, let him who loves me follow me. Yonmediately the Turks re-affurn’d
courage, and, having rally’d, renew’d the Charge, afd gain’d the Victory. The
Officers, who are about the Perfons of the Baffa’s, have alfg their Standards, but they
are not allow’d to add thereto one of thofe tayls ; and it is tobe obferv’d, that the Baf-
fas, who are not Vizirs, can carry but two of them; as the Beys, who are inferiour
to the Baffa’s, and Governours of Icffer Provinces, carry but one of them. When the |
Grand Seignor goes into the Country, there are feven Standards carry’d, in regard that,
according to the Turks, the World is divided into feven parts, ar feven Climats, where-
of the Grand Scignor is Malter, if taken according to its breadth, and ’tis for that rea-
fon, that, m their language, they give him the title of Majfer of all Kings. This is
grounded upon what Mabomet {aid, That he, who, after his death, fhould be Matter of
thofe Territories, where his Sepulchre were found, fhould affume the title of Maftér or
chief of all the Kings upon Earth. They add, that there are but three Empires, which
are, thofe of Conjtantinople, Babylon arid Trebizond : And ’tis for that reafon, that the
Grand Seignor wears three plumes of black Heron-tops, in hisTurbant. Take notice
by the way, that they are only the Herons of Candia which ha eir tops perfectly
black, the Herons of all other Countries having them, either white, or of a mixt’co-~
Jour. And becaufe there mutt be a confiderable quantity of them to make up a plume,
it mutt accordingly be of a very great value, which pothibly has occafion’d its being, out
of ufé in Ewrope : For as to all the Princes of Afiz, they have {till a great efteém for the
Heron-tops 5 but they mutt not have the lealt defect, and if the points of them be ever
fo little broken, there is no account made of them, as being things of very little value.
By thofe three Heron-tops upon the Grand Seignor’s Turbant, it is known that the
Grand Vizér is inthe Army 5 inafmuch as at that time, he wears but two of them, and
the thing, is worthy our ob{crvation. When the Army is to march, the Grand Seignor
gives order for the drawing up of thofe Troops, which are at Conffantinople, and the
parts adjacent, and having the Grand Vizir near him, he prefents him to them for their
Genetal. The Souldiets, at that time, fay not a word, nor do they make the ordina-’
ry falute, till after the Grand Seignor has caus’d one plume of the Heron-tops to be ta-"
ken out of his Turbant, and to be put upon that of the Grarid Vizir anc upon that
Ceremony, the whole Army falutes him, and acknowledge him for their General, and
from that very time are to receive their Pay from him. &
Having {pokcn of the Baffa’s in general, it is requifite I {hould give fome Idea of
thofe, whoare advanced to the principal Charges of the Empire ; and I fhall bring into
that Lilt, the Grand Vizir, accompany’d by fix others, who have the quality of Vizrs,
the Caimacan, the Baffa of the Sea, and the Aga ss the Fanizaries 5 after whom ¥ fhalk
re (B) come
4
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO.
come down to the Beglierbeys, and to the Sangiacbeys, and to the Boffangi-Bachi, who
TheHononys and
Difadvantages
attending the
Charge ofGrand
has one of the moft eminent Charges of the Port.
The Vizir-Azem, or Grand Vizir, is the Licutcnant-General of the Empire, and of
the Armies, the principal Perfon of the Council, and he who, under the Grand Seignor’s
Orders, has the abfolute difpofal of all Affairs, relating to the State, or to the War, ha-
ving in his cuftody the Imperial Seal. He is attended by, and has affiftant to him, in
the Divan, fix other Vizirs, whom they call Vigérs of the Bench, and who are properly
Counfellors of State, but yet fuch as have not any deliberative voice, and come not into
the Divan, but only to be confulted upon fome point of Law, wherein they are well
skil’'d, without intermedling with the Government of theState 5. or concerning them-
felves in any Affair, unlefs their advice be requir’d. There are alfo five Beglerbeys, on
whom the Grand Seignor beftows tHe qualification of Vizirs, and are poflefSd of the
atelt and wealthieft Governments of the Empire, to wit, the Baffa’s of Babylon,
Cairo, Buda, Natolia and Romania. The three former, who are the three principal,
had heretofore the priviledge ( exclufively to all the other Baffa’s ) of having carried
before them (inthe fame manner as the Grand Vizir had ) the three Horfe-tayls, of
which I have related the Story. But at the prefent, that priviledge extends to the two
other Baffa’s of Natolia and Romania, and they are all five equal, as to that point.
I am now toretum to the Grand Vizir, whohasa magnificent Court, anfwerable to
the greatnefs of the Mafter, whom he ferves,‘and there are in his houfe above two
thoufand Domefticks. Though he lyes expos’d, as well as the other Baffa’s, to the in-
dignation of the Prince, and fore’'d to fend him his Head, when he requires it; yet
docs the Grand Seignor, in the Affairs of greatelt importance, and fuch as concern the
State, comply much with the Sentiments of his Grand Vizir, and his Propotitions in
Council are as fo many definitive Sentences. *Tis that which renders his Power fo abfo-
lute, that in all the Empires and Kingdoms of the World, there is not any chief Mini-
fier of State, whofe Authority can be parallel’d to that ot the Grand Vizir. Whoever
comes to make him a Vifit, he rifesnot out of his Chair, either to give him a reccpti-
on, or to conduct him out again, unlef$ it be the Mufti, who is the principal Perfon
relating to the Law ( of Mabomet ) upon whofe accefs, the Grand Seignor himf{t1f ri-
fes from his Throne. But this is particularly worth our obfervation, That as it belongs
only to the Grand Vizir, to propofe all Affairs of importance, {0 does it concern him
‘A Priviledge
particular to
the Caimacan,
The number of
the real Jani-
zartes.
to be very careful, not to advance any thing that may be difplealing to the Grand Seig-
nor; for if it fhould fo happen, he gives immediate Order for the ftrangling of him,
without making him any anfwer at all, upon this Maxime of the Ottoman Court, that
there muft not be any thing propos’d to the Prince, which may give him any caufe of
diffatisfaction.
The Caimacan is the Captain, and Governcur of the City of Con/tantinople, Lieute-
nant to the Grand Vizir, yet fo as not to have any Authority, but only in his abfence.
And then he performs all the functions of that important Charge 5 he has the abfolute
Command, and gives Audience to Ambaffadors. He is not fiubject, as the other Buj-
fa’s axe, to that rigorous neceffity of refigning his Head 5 upon this account, that if he
does any thing, which may be difpleafing to the Grand Seignor, he lays the blame
thereof upon the Grand Vizir, from whom he receives his Orders.
The Baffa of the Sea isthe Admiral, and Captain-Ceneral of the Naval Forces. The
Beys, Governours of the Maritime Provinces, and fuch as are oblig’d to maintain the
Grand Seignor’s Galleys in good order, are to obey the Commands they receive from
him, and to go to Sea upon the firft advertifement they receive to that purpofe.
The Fanizary-Aga, whom the Turks call Yengeri-Agafi, is the Colonel-Gencral of
the Fanizaries. This Charge is very confiderable, inafmuch as the Turkifh Infantry, at
this time, does for the moft part pafs under the name of Fanizaries, though fuch as are
really Fanizaries, who derive their Inftitution from Ottoman the Firft, and their great
Priviledges from Amurath the Third, do not at -this day amount to a Body of above
five and twenty thoufand Men. They have excellent Regulations amongtt eels
| an
rams 5 eS . : o : , — enone
A Kelation of the Grand Seignor’s SkR ac .io. 5
and are diftributed into feveral Chambers, in the f{pacious Lodgings, whereof they are
poffefs’d, whether it be at Conjtantinople, orin other places. The order obferv’d there
is fo excellent in all things, and fo exactly maintain’d, that they live more like Religi-
ous Perfons, than Souldiers ; and though they are not forbidden to marry, yet it is
very feldom that they do it. The great Priviledges which they enjoy all over the Em-
pire, wherein they are fo highly refpected, induce abundance of Perfons, meerly in
order to their exemption from the paying of Taxes, and their being difcharg’d from
publick Duties, to prevail with the Ofhcers, by Money, to protect them, and make
them pafs for Fanizaries. But they receive no Pay from the Prince, and all their ad-
vantage is reftrain’d to the enjoyment of thofe Priviledges, which indeed ate great
enough. It is by this intermixture of the real fanizaries, with thofe who are admits
ted by corruption, that the number of them amounts at this day to above a hundred
thoufand ; and yet not accounting any but fuch as are effectively Fanizaries, their Body
has fometimes been fo dreadful, as that they have unthron’d the Ottoman Monarchs.and.
chang’d the whole face of the Empire, ofa fudden.
The Power of their Aga is very great, and there is not any Perfon can approach the The great Pri-
Prince, as he is permitted todo. For he may come intothe Grand Seignor’s prefence, viledge of thé
with his arms. at abfolute liberty, and with a confident deportment, whereas all the Ag
other Grandees of the Port, without any exception, even to the Grand Vizir himfelf,
dare not appear before him, otherwife than with their arms crofs their bodies; and the
hands, one upon the other, on the breaft, as the mark of a profound {ubmiffion,
The Beglerbeys are, in dignity, next the four firft Baffa’s, and are as twere fo many
Soveraigns, in the general Governments of the Empire, whereof the Grand Seignor “
beitows the Command on them. But in regard it ds not my defign to {peak of the
Government of Turkey, any further than is requifite for the Subject whereof I treat,
there is not any neceifity, that I fhould inform the Reader of the number of thofe Begs
lerbeys, and it is enough, that I have nam/’d_ the five principal ones, of whom I thal]
have occalion to {peak elfewhere. I {hall only add here, That thofe great Baffa’s have,
under them, a certain number of Sangiac-Beys, who are Governours of Sangiacs, or
particular Provinces, as the Sangiacbey of Salonica; or of Morea.
And whereas there will alfobe frequently mention’d fome others, under the Deno«
minations of Spahis, Zaims and Chiaoux, we mult give a thert account of thofe three
forts of Perfons.
The Spabis, who make up a Body of about fifteen thoufand Men, are akind of
Knights; who would paf$_ for the Gentry or Nobility of the Country, and ftand very
much upon their Gallantry. They are maintain’d out of the Revenue of the Zimars,
that is to fay, cut of the Mannors, or Commanderies, which the Grand Seignor bes
{tows on them, according to the recompence he would make them for their fervices.
Thofe Zimars cannot be taken away from them, unlefs they be negligent in their duty,
which is, that they fhould be in the Army, when the Grand Vizir is there in perfon.
Thefe are the happielt Perfons in all the Ortoman Empire, and as it were petty Sove-
raigns, in the places where they command.
The Zaims differ not much from the Spabis, and, asthe other, have the Command
and Revenues of certain Lands, or Fiefs, which the Grand Seignor beftows on them.
There is a very great number of them, over all the Empire, and they look on theme
felves, as the Lords and Barons of the Country. The Txrkifh Cavalry confitts i
Zaims and the Spahis, and they know what number of Horfe they are to bring into the
Field, according to the Revenue of their Zimars. ars
The Chaoux, or Chiaonx-Bachi, is the Chief of all the Chaonx of the Empire, whofe
imployment it is, to carry the Prince’s Commands, to any part either within his Terri-
tories, or without, and to be fent upon Embatfies, though indeed they are but as fo
many Meffengers, or Expreffes. Tis ordinarily into their cuftody that Prifoners of
Quality are committed, and they fuffer them not to be out of their fight.
(B2) And
nee ae
6 A Relation of the Grand. Seignor*s SERAGLIO.
o> ere te
And thus you have an account of the principal Charges and Dignities of the Empire,
all poffefs’d by Perfons, taken out of the rank of the Ichoglans. I now come to the
Officers of the Seraglio, and in regard they are Eunuchs, on whom the Grand Seig-
nor beftows the mot eminent Charges, and who, betides, have the Government of
the Ichoglans, 1 (hall follow the order of the things, in my placing of them here, be.
fore I fay ought of the fecond order or rank of tributary Children, or fich as are ta-
ken in War, who are the Azamoglans.
the prodigins . Of the Exnuchs there are alfo two ranks. There are {ome white, who have en-
number of Eue dur’d only a fimple caftration and there are black ones, who have all cut off, even
nuchs a over with the belly. Both forts of them are fevere, humourous and morofe, and _ their
the Eajt. Treatments are almoft infupportable to all thofe who are under their Charge. There
is a prodigious number of them, as well in Conftantinople, as all over the Empire, and
generally all over the Ejftern parts of the World, where there is hardly a private Per-
fon, having any thing of abilities, but keeps an Eunuch or two, as Sentinels over his
obfervations Women. And ’tis this that caufes fo great a commerce of Eunuchs in {everal parts of
upon this Skb> Afia and Africk, and in the fingle Kingdom of Colconda, where 1 chanéd to be in the
i a year 1659, there were put off, of them, in that very year, about two and twenty
thoufand, It comes into my mind, that the Grand Mogor’s Ambaffador, in whofe
Country, that Barbarifm is not futler’d, but the Eunuchs he makes ule of are brought |
out of other places, took me one day alide, to tell me, that he car’d not how foon he |
return’d into his Country, out of the fear he was.in, leit that Kingdom of Coleonda
might fink into the ground, after fuch cruelties. Mott of the Fathers and Mcthers,
who are extreamly poor, and have no love for their Children, and whom they are al-
. fo afraid that they*cannot maintain, have no other thift, upon the frit dearth of Provi-
fions, than to fell them to certaineMerchants, who afterwards have them gelt, and
fometimes make clear work, and cut off al]. Some of thofe, who have not any thing
left, when they would urine, are forc’d to make ufe of a little Cane or Pipe, and to
put it to the bottom of the belly. And whereas few efcape after fo dangerous an ope-
ration, fuch are accordingly much dearer than the others, and they are fold in Perfiz
and Turkey, at the rate of fix hundred Crowns ; when a hundred, or a hundred and
fifty, is the price of the-ordinary Eunuchs. For the fupply therefore of all Turkey,
all Perfiz, all the Indies, and all the Provinces of Africa, it may be eatily judg?d, that
there muft come millions of them from feveral places. The Kingdom of Colcanda, in
the :Peninfuula on nie hier? and the Kingdoms of Affan, Boutan, Arachan, and
Pegu, on the other fide of it, afford a prodigious number of them. All thefe Eunuchs
are either white, or of duskifh colour. The black Eunuchs, who are brought out of
Africa, much inferiour in point of number, are,as I faid, much the dearer. The moft
deformed yield the greateft price, their extream uglinefs being look’d on as beauty in
their kind. A flat Nofe, a frightful Afpect, a large Mouth, thick Lips, the Teeth
black, and ftanding at a diftance one from another (tor ordinarily the Moors have fair
Teeth ) are fo many advantages to the Merchants who fell them. The Seraglio at Con-
ftantinople is full of thefe two forts of Eunuchs. The black are defign’d for the cuftody
of the Apartment, where the Women are, and fent to Court by the Baffa’s of Grand-
Eaire. The white, who are fomewhat Icf$ favage, and have been educated with fome
care, are for the Grand Seignor’s own Apartment.
athe principal ! The four principal Eunuchs, who apprcach the Prince’s Perfon, are the Hazodaba-
charges of the chi, the Chafnadarbachi, the Kilargibachi, and the Sarai-Agafi, who have for their Su-
Seraglio. petiour the Capi-Aga, who has the fuperintendency of all the Chambers of the Ichog-
lans. "They ordinarily fucceed one the other, that is to fay, the Sarai-Agafi fucceeds
the Kilargibachi ; the Kilargibachi fucceeds the Chafnadarbachi, and the laft named fuc-
ceeds the Hazodabachi , and in fine, the Haxodabachi fucceeds the Capi-Aga, who is
always of the longeft ftanding in fervice of the white Eunuchs.
The noble Ad- The Capi-Aga, or Capou-Agafi, is as it were the Grand Mafter of the Seraglio, he is
vantages of the the®priricipal in dignity and repute, of all the white Eunuchs, and he is always near the
Aga. Gratid Seignor’s Perfon, where-ever he is. He is the Perfon who introduces. Ambaffa-
dors to Audience, and-all great Affairs pafling through his hands, ere they come into
thofé of the Prince, his Charge renders him neceffary to all others, and procures him
many
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SeRacit0
-_——~--- ——__- =
many rich Prefents. All thofe Perfons alfo, who are to make any Prefent to the Grand
Seignor, mutt addrefs themftlves to the Capi-Aga, in order to their being prefented to
his Highnefs, of which he makes great Advantages. No Man can enter into the Em=
perour’s Apartment, nor get out of it, without his Order 3 and when the Grand Vizir
would {peak to him, ’tis the Capi-Aga’s place, to take and prefent him to his High-
nefS. Whether it be by night, or by day, if there happen fome pretling Affair,whereof
the Vizir would give the Grand Scignor immediate notice in writing, the Capi-A d
receives it from him, and brings him the anfwer thereto. He wears his Turbant in the
Seraglio, and rides up and down on Horft-back, by a Priviledge particularly annex’d
to his Charge. He accompanies the Grand Scignor even into the Apartment of the
Sultanefles 5 but he flays at the door, as having no Command in that place. When he
leaves the Scraglio, upon his being difmifs'd from his Charge, which very feldom, hap-
pens, he cannot bea Baffz. As to his Table, all is at the Prince’s Charge, and he has,
over and above, ten Su/tanines a day, which amount to fixty Livers, French Money.
There have been fome Capi-Aga’s, who have dy’d worth two millions, all which rea
turn’d into the Grand Seignor’s Coffers. The chief’ of the white Eunuchs is attended
by four others, who, .ext to him, have the principal Charges of the Grand Scignor’s
Quarter.
The Hazodabachi, is, as it were, the Lord High-Chamberlain, having under his
Charge the forty Pages of the Chamber, who ordinarily approach the Grand Seignor’s
Perfon. | ;
The Serai-Agafi has the general Superintendency of all the Chambets of the Grand
Seignor’s Quarter, as to what relates to Embellithment, and the neceffary Reparatior
He has a particular infpection- over the Seferli Odafi, which is the Chamber of the Pa-
ges, who are to look after the Grand Seignor’s Linnen, and attend him in his Progref-
{es. ”Tis incumbent alfo upon him to give Order for their Cloaths, and whatever elfe
they ftand in need of : And his Charge docs fomewhat refemble that of Captain of the
Louver-Cajtle, in France, {ince it is his work, generally to make provifion for whatever
may contribute to the decency and well-ordering of that great Palaces He has for his
Aififtant, or Lievtenant, the Seraiket-Odafi, who is alfo an Eunuch, whofe imploy-
ment it is, to have the Tapiftry and Carpets, which are {pread upon the Floors, in the
Halls and Lodgings of the Seraglio, chang’d every fix months. _,
The Haxnadar, or Chatnadar-Bachi, is the chicf Intendant of the Treafury, and has
the infpection of the conduct and deportment of tk > Pages of that Chamber. Whichis .
not to be underftood. of the Treafury, pia or the exigencies of the State, and the
ordinary Pay of the Souldiery, and wh the Grand Vizer, and the three Tefterdars,
or Treafurers-General have the Keys, and Intendency. But the Treafury I here {peak
of, is the place, where they keep the Jewels of the Crown, and all the other Rarities,
and the wealth gather’d together, from Father to Son, by the Ottoman Princes 3 which
I fhall endeavour to lay down diftinétly, before the Reader’s profpect, in my Relation,
when I come to open unto him both the Treafuries. However it is to be obferw’d,
that the Chaznadar-Bachi has only the honorary title of Chief of the Treafury, nay;
that he cannot fo much as enter into it, fince that in the Reign of Sultan Amurat, the
Pages of the Treafury having complain’d to the Grand Seignor of the ill condu@ of
that Eunuch, he, upon their Petition order’d, that the Chaznadar-bachi fhould no
longer have any Command there, and that the Chaznaket-odafi fhould for the future
exercife his Charge, without depriving. him of the title thereof. Bue in regard the
Chaxnadar-bachi is the better known, and the more pronounceable Name, I ba
ways make ufe of it, inftead of the other 5 and we muft not omit giving you. this fe--
mark, That when che Chief, or Overfeer, of the Treafury, is remov’d from his Charge,
he is made a Baff%. Upon this counterchanging, of thefe two Officers of the Seraglio,
it is to be obferv’d, That, amongtt al] the Mahumetan Princes, Turks, ans, Indians,
and of what Sect foever they may be of, what has been order’d and eftablith’'d in the
Reign of one Prince, is never revok’d by his Succeflor : And under the fame Sultans
Amurat, the Capou-Agafi having committed fome little impertinence, whereat the
Grand Seignor took offence, he excluded, thence forwards, all the Capou-Agafis, who
thould be remov’d out of the Seraglio, from the priviledge of coming into.a capacity.
8
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SERACLIO.
be made Baffa’s. 1 fhall not think it much to alledge, upcn this particular, another
example of that Maxime, of which I was an eye-witnefs my f{clf, in the King of Per.
fia’s Court. >Twas in the Reign of Schach Abas, againft whom fome Grandecs of the
Court had enter’d into a Confpiracy, and attempted to take away the King’s Life, yet
with a defign to have put his Son into the Throne. About Two or ‘Three in the after
noon, when every one in Perfia is retir’d to the Haram, which is the Appartment of the
Women, the Confpirators fent, to the Palaces, twenty Men well arm’d, with Order,
firft, to put to the Sword all they fhould find at the Gates, which ordinarily are guard-
ed only by two or three Men, armed with a maffy Club, and afterwards to go and
murther the King himfelfin the Haram, which would be but poorly defended by black
and white Eunuchs, who are poor Souldiers. But the intended blow .of the Con{pira-
tors was prevented, and the chief Porter, a Perfon accounted one of the moft valiant of
his time, being in his Station, with two of his Servants, Geergrans by Country, that is
to fay, valiant, as all thofe People are, fell upon the Traitors with his Cuttclas, and
beat them back {0 fmartly, that they thought it the beft way to run fort. The Kin
having been inform’d of that action, order’d him to be brought into his Prefence, ane
after he had commended him, made this eftablifhfhent, That the Charge of chief Pore
ter, fhould ever continue in his Family, from Father to Son. He alfo commanded the
Keeper of the Archives, or Records, to infert that action into the Hittory, and wifh’d
that his own Name might be dath’d out of it, and all that had been done during his
Reign, if any of his Succeffors attempted to change any thing of his Will, and deprive
the Houfe of the Faithful Georgian of that Charge.
The Kilargi-bachi is the chief Governour of the Pages of the Kil.zr,which is the place,
where they keep all the exquifite Drinks for the Grand Seignor’s own drinking. — It is
a kind of Cup-Bearers Office, and the Kilargi-bachi, a kind of Cup-Bearer 5 and he is
alfo made a BafJz, upon his removal from the Charge of Kilargi-bachi. He is moreover
the Chief of all the Akegis, who are the Cooks and Confectioners, {ince no Body can
have any entrance into thofe Offices, but by his Order ; and he has under his cuftody
all the Plate, which is for the peculiar fervice of the Grand Seignor. This Officer has
for his Subftitute the Kilarketodafi. Now having told you, that, upon the refignation
of his Charge, he‘is madea Baffz, it were not amif$ to adleertiie ‘ou further, That
ehej whole senibv'd out of the Seraglio, in order to their being: Baffa’s, ought to have
been of the number of the forty ee of the Chamber, and to have pafs’d through one
of thefe fix Charges, of Chafnaketodafi; and of Kilarketodafi, of whom I have {poken al-
ready, of Dogangibachi, of the Chokadar, of the Seligdar, and of the Riksbdar, of
whom I fhall difcourfe anon. Otherwife, they canonly be Beys, or Zaims, or Sphais,
or at moft, but Capigibachis, by the Grand Seignor’s fingular favour. The café is the
fame with the Gugombachi, who is the fecond Perfon of the Office of the Treafiry, as
alfo with the Anakdar-Agafi, who is the third. If thefe People remove out of the Se-~
raglio, before they are admitted into the number of the Forty Pages of the Chamber,
they have only a certain Pay, more or lefs, the higheft whereof amounts not to above
two hundred Afpers. I proceed to the other Officers of the Seraglio, of whom there
will be fome mention madein my Relation.
The Dogangi-bachi is the Grand Falconer, and his Charge makes him a confidera-
ble Perfon about the Prince.
The Chokadar is he who carries the Royal Robe, called the Czamberluc, the fame Of+
ficer, which the French call Portemanteau.
The Rikabdar is he who holds the Stirrup, when the Grand Seignor gets on Horfe-
back. ?
The Seligdar is the firlt of the Pages of the Chamber 3 he carries the Grand Seig-
nor’s Sword upon days of Ceremony, and they ordinarily advance to that Charge one
of the handfomeft Pages. —
The Hammangibachi is the chief Overfeer of the Bath, When he leaves the io,
as alfo when the Kamachirbachi, who is the chiefeft of the Pages of Seferli, does
fo ; their Pay isan hundred Afpers a days and if they are in favour, it may amount
to an hundred and fifty. It isto be obferv’d in the general, that when any one of
the Forty Pages of the Chamber is remov’d, the vacancy isfupply’d fometimes out of
the Treafury, fometimes out of the Kilar, and fometimes out of the Seferti, and in
that they take their turns. They always take out, the moft Ancient ; and they who
were next to.them come into their places, How that is done, we fhall take occafion
‘to explicate more plainly in the Chapter of the Treafury. The
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SER AGLio. 9
: The Chiameibachi is the grand Laundry-man, or the Principal of thof, who wath
and order the Grand Seignor’s Linnen. ‘
The Grritbey is the chief Director of thofé who are exercis’d in fhooting with the
Fowe, and calting the Dart. Thefe two Exercifes are much practis’d every Friday, ina
place of the Seraglio, appointed for that Divertifement.Thus have you,in few words, an
account of whatever rclates to the principal Charges of the Seraglio, pofels’d by thot
who have pafs’d through the Chambers of the Ichoglans. 3
The Black, or Negro-Eunuchs, of whom have but a word more to fay, additional-
ly to what I have intimated before, are appointed to guard the Appartment of the
Women, and they make choice, for that Office, of the moft deform’d and the moft
fopical, that can be found. They are all cut even with the belly, ever fince the time
of Solyman the Second, who being one day in the fields, and fecing a Gelding offer-
ing to leap a Mare, inferr’d thence, that the Eunnchs, who kept his Wives, might
likewife endeavour to fatistic their paffions; for which hebethought himfelf of a pre-
fent remedy, by ordering them to have all cut off; and his Succeffors have fince ob-
ferv'd that Rule. There is a great number of thofe Negro-Eunuchs, and they have
their variety of Chambers, and their Regulations, as the whice ones have. I fay no-
thing here of their different Employments, and the Reader will find, in the Chapter,
concerning the Appartment of the Women, all can be known, that’s certain upon that
Subject.
The Kiflar-Agafi, or, as others name him, the Kueger-Agafi, which is as much, in rhe credit and
our Language, as to fay, the Guardian of the Virgins, is the chiefeft of all the Negro- wealth of, the
Exnuchs, and is of equal authority and credit with the Capi-Aga, who is the Supreme Kiflar-Agafi,
of the wbite Eunuchs. ‘The former is the Overfeer of the Appartment of the Wo- 2? kéérs tbe
men, has the Keys of the Doors in his cultody, and has accef3 to the Emperor when “i / me. t
he pleafes himfelf.. The charge he is poffefs’d of brings him in Prefents from all parts 5
and there are not any fuch made to the Sultanneffes, by the Baffa’s, and other Per-
fons, who fiand in necd of their favour, in reference to the Sultan, but there comes
along, with it one to him{clf, whichimakes him one of the richeft and moft confidera-
ble Officers, belonging to the Seraglio,
I come now to the 4zamoglans, who make the fecond Order of young Lads,where-
with the Seraglio is replenifh’d, and out of whofe number they take fuch as are de«
fign’d for mean Officers, of whom I thall give you the Litt.
The Azasmoglans, as wellas the Ichoglans, are, as I faid before, Tributary Children,
taken away from the Chriftians, or made Captives, by Sea, or Land, They make
choice of the handfomeft, the belt fhap’d, and moft robuit, for the Seraglio, and they
have neither wages nor allowances of any proht, unlefs they be advanc’d to fome {mall
Employments. Nor can they attain thofe, till after many years Services, and what is
then allow’d them docs not amount to above four Afpers and a half per diem. As for
thofe who are brought up in other places, under the fimple denomination of Agamo-
glans, andare not receiv’d into the Seraglio at Conjtantinople, their fortune can amount
no higher, than to become Zanixaries.
When theft young Boys are brought up to Con/tantinople, the firft diftribution which
is made of themis into the Seraglio’s, or Royal Houfes of the Grand Seignor : there
are fome of them left in the City, to be put to Trades; and others are fent to Sea, to
ferve for Seamen, and {0 gain experience in Navigation, by which means they ci-
tate themfclves tor fome Employments. But to confine our diftourft to the Azamo-
glans recciv’d into the great Seragho, they are employ’d in f{everal Offices, and fome
of them are made Botangis, fome Capigis, fome Atagis, {ome Halvagis, and fome, B.il-
tugis 5 which terms I fhall explicate to the Reader in as few words as I can. :
The Boftangis are they who. are employ’d in the Gardens of the Scraglio, out of
whofe number they take out thofé who are to row in the Grand Seignor’s Brigantines,
when he has a mind to divert himfelfin fifhing, or take the air upon the Canal. They
whe
10 ~— A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SER AGLIO0.
who thus fervein the Brigantines, and row on the right hand, may be advane’d to
the charge of Boftangi-Bachi, which is one of the moft coufiderable places of the Sera-
glio: But they who row on the left hand, are capable only of the mean Employ-
ments, Which are beftow’d in the Gardens. If it happen that any one of them break
his Oat, by firength of rowing, in the Grand Seignor’s preftnce, bis Highnefs imme-
diately orders him a gratuity of fifty Crowns ; and there is alfo a certain diftribution
made of {ome Moncey to the others, as the Grand Seignor takes his diverfion in the
Brigantine. Their greatett Pay, after they have ferved fome years, is feven Afpers
and ahalt per diem, belides clothing and dict, which they all equally have.
Bolangi-baehi ‘The Boltangi-Bachi has the general Intendefcy or Overfight of all the Grand Seig-
i A ae NC- nor’s Gardens, as well thofe of Conftantinople as thofe of the neighbouring, Villages,
of the Porte aud commatids above tefi thoufand Bytangis, who are employ’d in the culture of
them. Though he be taken out of the meanelt rank of the Azamoglans, yet his pow-
ex is very great, and his Employment one of the noblefi and moft confiderable about
the Court. That gives him accef$ to the Prince’s Perfon, to whom he may {peak fa-
miliarly, when he carries him by Sea 3 for he has his Seat at the Helm of the Brigantine,
wherein the Grand Seignor is, who moft commonly makes ufe of him, to carry his
Orders to fome Baffz, when he would have his Head. All the Grandees of the Port
fiand inawe of him, and endeavour to gain his affection by their Prefents, becaufe it
lics in his power, to do them either good or bad Offices about the Prince, whom he
can difpofe, as he pleafes, when he has him abroad upon the Water. For being as
>twere at his elbow, and having the whip of the Rudder in his hand, with the privi-
ledge of fitting in his prefence, that he may the more ealily govern it, he has then the
opportunity to entertain him with affairs of State, and the conduct of the Baffa’s, and
anf{werably to his paffion, or interett, clearly to acquaint him how things pafs, or turn
and difguife them as he pleafés. In fine, if he be highly in favour, he may obtain one
of the great Governments, and become Baffa of Buda, Babylon, or Cairo, nay haply
Grand Vizir, which is the moft eminent Charge of the Empire,
The Capigis are the Porters or Keepers of the Gates of the Seraglio, that is to fay, of
the firft and fecond Courts ; for the third Gate, which gives entrance into the inier
Seraglio, is kept by Eunuchs. The Chief of the Capigis is call’d Capigi-bachi, who has
under him other Officers, bearing the fame Name; and whom the Grand Seignor
makes ufe of, to carry his Orders. “The Capi-Aga is above all.
The Attagis are the Cooks of the Seraglio, over whom as well as over the Halvagis,
the Kilargi-bachi has full Power. Every lxitchin has its Attagi-bachi, that is to fay, its
chief Direétor, or Matter-Cook. . And the Moutbak-Emin is the Intendant or Overfter,
who fupplies the Kitchins with all that is neceflary, taking care alfo for the Tables of
the Ambaffadors, according to the Orders he has receiv’d trom the Grand Vizir.
The Halvagis are the Confectioners, of whom J fhall have cccafion to fpeak more at
large elfewhere. They give alfo the fame Name to thofe who ferve the Grandees of
the Seraglio, and are permitted to go out of it and into it, when they pleafe.
The Baltagis are a robuft fort of People, imploy’d in the carrying of Burthens, as
Porters, and Cleavers of Wood are amongft us. Baltagi implies properly a Labouring
Man, -who makes ufe of the Wedge.
The Hafteler+Agafi is the Overfeer of the Infirmary, who obferves what comes in,
and what goes out, and efpecially that there be no Wine brought in.
I fhall have occafion alfo, in my Relation, to fpeak of two others, to wit, the
Emirabour-bachi, and the pia Seto who are two Officers belonging to the Sultan,
but have their Habitations out of the Seraglio.
‘The Emirahour-bachi is the great Gentleman-Uther, who goes before the Grand
Seignor, when he appears in publick, and in all Ceremonies. :
rita | 3 The
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s Seractio. 14
The Ekmergi-bathi is the Mafter-Baker, who has the over-fight, and gives direction
for the Baking- of all the Bread that is eaten in theSeraglio. Thefe twoImployments
are not beftow’d on any of thofe who have their abode within the Seraglio, but to
Perfons who live out of it, but have the liberty of ingrefs into it, egrels out of it, at
any time. , | 3
To be fhort, I fhall have occafion to {peak of the Caragi-bachi, arid of the Cham o'
the leffer Iartary, and 1 have fome curious Obfervations to make upon both of
them. |
The Caragi-bachi is the Chief of thofe, who collect the Tributes, aind it is of hitn, The Oeconomy
as alfo of the Gemmerou-bachi, or grand Faxmer of the Cuftoms, and of the Bazarcan- ofthePartizans,
bachi, or Chief amongft the Merchants, that the Grand Seignor makes ufe of, to make” Collegtors of
Advancements, when he wants Moncy, and that there is not any m the Publick Trea-? Wolick Montys:
fury, he being unwilling that they fhould meddle with the Secret Treafiry. They
muft of neceflity find it out, and it is no hard matter for them to do, in regard that
of all the Tributes, Cuftoms, and other Impolitions due to the Grand Seignor, there
is not any thing pay’d till the end of the Year, and thefe Officers oblige Men to the
payment thereof, at the beginning ORR Ue .0 ee eb sth a igs fart
All forts of Perfons, what Religion foever they are of, except the Mahumet&n, are
oblig’d to pay the Tribute without any exception, from the time of their fettling iri
the Empire, and having attain’d the fixteenth year of their Age. Aid ‘this Tribute,
or Poll-Money, amounts to five hundred and hfty: old’ Afers, which néither ‘rife nor
fall, but always Keep at the fame rate of eighty, to a Piaftro, which, in the French
Money, and confequently with little difference in ours, amounts to five Crowns and
s, All other Chriftians who come into the Empire, upon the {core of Trade, or Bufi-
nefs, though *twere but for one day, are fore’d to pay, at the firft City where they ar-
rive. The forreign Greeks, fuch as they from Mufcovy or other places, pay three hun-
dred and hfty Afers 5 but the Armenians, who come from Perfia, Georgia, Mingrelia,
and other Countreys, arc tax’d but-at three hundred. As to the Chriftians, whom
they call Frangwis, they pay nothing 5 and that has given much trouble to the Ambaf-
{adors of —Exrope, efpecially to the French Ambaffador, there being more French that
are Inhabitants in Turkey, than there are of any other Nation. And yet though the
Turks make their Year to confift but of twelve Moons, ours being near twelve and a
half, they make the Tributaries pay but for twelve Moons; yet in reguital, and that
nothing may be loft, they make them pay that Tribi , every three and thirti<
cth year , and are very frugal Husbands for the benefit and advantage*of ‘their’
Maticr. ; 4. ey
There are but two Princes in the World that até known by the Name of Cham; t0'the policy of the
wit, the Emperour of great Tartary, and the King of the little Trtary, a Vaffal to the Portste Keep the
Ottoman Monarchs. I conccive my felf oblig’d, to give the Reader forme information ae taney
of the prefent condition of the latter. When the Cham of the leffer Tartary enters Up= quiet,
on the Government, he comes to take his Oath of Fidelity to the Grand Seignor, and
the Turks look upon him no otherwife than as a Governour of a Province, or at moft,
but as a Vaffal-Prince. But thofe of his own Countrey, the Mufcovites, the Poles, the
Georgians, the Mingrelians, and the other Nations bordering upon hitn, treat him as a
King, when they write to him. The Graiid Scignor ufes much Policy towards the
Cham, \ett he fhould revolt from him, and render himfelf more powerful than hei
by Alliances with the neighbouring Princes. For it is to be obferv’d, «That the effet
Tartary, whercot the City Caffa, near the Cimerian Streight, is the Metropolis, is not
a Countrey fubdu’d by the Arms of the Ortomans. The ancient Kings of it did only
put themfelves under the Grand Seignor’s protection, who receiv’d then into.it, upon -
condition, that when the Father dy’d, his Son, or the next of kin, his Sueteffor, was
not to enter upon the Government, till he had receiv’d the Inveftiture ftom the Port,
and taken the Oath of Fidelity to the Grand Seignot, obliging himfelf to come to him,
upon the firft Orders to that purpofe. The Grand Seignor promis’d in requital, that
he would not eftablifh any other than what were of their race, to command in the lef
fer Tartary, And whereas there are two branches of that Family, he keeps = |
ae em
bi 3
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO.
The principal
Dignities of
them always banith’d, in the Mand of Rhodes, while the other governs. But if, after
fifteen or twenty years, there fhould be any fufpition of this latter Family’s having a
defign, to render it felf abfolute, he fends for the Cham and his Children, when he .
has any, and fending them to Rhodes, brings thence him who was there in exile, and
orders him to reign in his turn, for fome years. The form of his Oath you will hind
in the fixth Chapter of my Relation, where I {peak of the Hall of Audience, and the
manner, in which that Princ@ is there receiv’d.
[have only now fomewhat to fay of the Moufti, the Cadilefquer, and the Cadis
and the others relating to the Law, which I fhall do in few words. Only Iet it be
thofe who ftvdy eye obferv’d in the general, That, according to the perfwation of the Turks, the Civil
the Law.
Laws are part of their Religion, and that, having been given them _by their Prophet,
they are deriv’d from God, and require an implicite obedience. Tis by this courft,
that they are kept within their duty, and that they obey the Laws, as much out of a
principle of Religion and Confcience, as out of the fear of chaltifement 5 and in that
they do not much recede from our Chriftian Maximes. The Mouftis and the Cadis
pals therefore indifferently under the Namé of Perfons well skill’d in the Law, as if
we fhould reduce our Divines and our Civil Lawyers into the fame Clafs, and in civil
and criminal Caufeés the Moxfii is often confulted.
The Moufti is the honourary Chief of the Law all over the Empire, and accounted,
to be the Interpreter of the Alchoran. 1 {peak of the grand Mozfti of Contantinople,who
is the moft efteem’d, and the principal of all. For there are feveral others of them in
Turkey, over whom he has no more jurifdiction, than he has over the Imans,or Prictts ;
every one of them fubmitting themfelves only to the Magiftrate, and there being no
Ecclefiaftical Superiority amongft them. That hinders not but that the Grand Moufti
is honour’d by all the reft, and in great veneration among the Turks. The Grand
Seignor never beftows that Dignity, but’ upon a Perfon of great abilities, and great in-
tegrity 3 he often confults him in the Affairs of greate{t importance; he always follows
his Directions, and he is the only Perfon in the World, at whofe approach he rifes up
to receive him. ? .
The Cadilefquers follow the Moufti, and are Judges-Advccates of the Militia, the
Souldiers having this Priviledge, That they are judg’d only by them; whence they al-
fo call them, Fadges of the Armies, There are but two of them all over the Empire,
the Cadilefquer of Romania, and the Cadile{quer of Natolia, who are in higheft efteem
next to the Méufti, and have their Seats in the Divan, immediately next to the
Grand Vizir.
The Mollab, or Moula-Cadis, are the Judges of great Cities, who receive their Com-
miffions from the Cadilefquers, to whom there may be an Appeal made from their Sen-
tence, in civil Concerns only ; for as to the criminal part, the Caufe is {oon decided,
and the leaft Judge condemns to death without any Appeal.
The Cadis are under the Mollzh, and ought to be well vers’d in the Laws and Cu-
fioms of the Countrey. They have alfo under them the Ge who adminifter Juttice
in the Villages, and that is done with much expedition, without thehelp of Proctors,
or Advocates.
The Imans, or Emaums, axe the Priefts of the Turks, and as *twere the Parfons of
- their Mofqn s,, where they take care that all things be done.in order, and at the times
appointed.
The Hogias are the DoCtors of the Law,and as it were the Regents, and Inftrators
of Youth, 3
ks Sheikg ase to them, inftead of Preachers, and they make publick Exhor-
tations,
The
~ A Relation of the Grand § eignor’s SERAGLIO.
The Muezims are they, who cry upon the Towers of the Mofquey, to call the Peos
ple — at the hour of Prayer 5 the Turks not ufing any Bells, not the Chriftians,
in the Levant. 7 rT ee -
The Dervis are Religious Men, among the Turks, who live poorly, and indeed the
very word fignifies poor, They are for the moft part ridiculoufly cloath’d, andall, ges
nerally, great Hypocrites, 3
y ot Gre,
‘
Cd |
bone y
s ev
% ¥,
(Co) eee OB
3
==
“NS
13
<= rate 3 seo be Os Boxe |
THE DIFFERENT SPECIES
Gold and Silver-Coins,
| | And he final |
MONEY
| Now current in»
TURKEY.
| — Together
With the Hiftory of the TRADE in Five
Sols Pieces (French Mon £ y) and the
“s - Abolition of it.
what Monty Here are but two Species of Gold-Goms current all over the Zurkith
current in Ture Empire ; the one is the proper Countrey Money, the other comes
ys out of Forein parts. The former is the Scherif, otherwife called
Sequin, or Sultanine s and that kind of Gold is worth at the pre-
fent fix Franks, French Money, though heretofore it yiclded but
five Franks, nay came fo low as four.
The Gold The Scheriffs come from Egypt, aud Cairo isthe only City of the Empire, where
brought to Cai- Gold is coin’d. That Gold is brought out of the Kingdom of the Abyfines, and
oe coin’d this is the manner how itis brought to Cairo. The quantity is not the fame every
; year, and when the paffages are fhut up, whether by War, or by extraordinary Rains,
whereby the Fields aré overflown,, there comes but little Gold into Egypr, during that
time. As foon’as thofe obftructions are taken away, and that there isa freedom of
Commerce, you thall {ee arriving at Cairo, nay at Alexandria too, feveral Abyjfines,
who bring in, one man, two pounds, another four, every one more or lef5, according
tohis abilitics. Thofe poor People run a thoufand rifques in their Travels, and ’tis
almoft a miracle, how they bring them to a period. Some of them are of that Coyn-
try, whence the Queen of Sheba came, and which is now call’d the Kingdom of Sa-
bour. Others come from places at a greater diftance, and they have fometimes hifteen
days journeys to make, and cannot meet with any waters to drink, but what are cor-
rupt, and deftructive to health : which found but too true my felf, when I crofs’d
the Defarts of Arabia. If by chance they come to fomeCottage or Hut, where is
ave
a scanititiis
‘
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO. 15
have kill’d an Elephant, it isa place for them to feaftin. This confider’d, we need
not wonder at the fhort lives of thofe miferable people, whofe bodies are deltroy’d ss
thofe Voyages,and who for the moft part donot exceed forty years of:age. The cafe is the
fame with thofe, who trade with the Portuguefes, on the Coafts of Melinda and Mo-
zambico, the corrupt waters they are fore’d to drink’ in their way make them hydropi-
cal at five and twenty years at age, and generally, all the {everal peoples of the King-
dom of Sabour, have the right Leg {well’d, and twice as big as the left, and feldom
exceed five and thirty years a2 ot
°Tis a miraculous thing to feethe fidelity wherewith thofe poor Abyfines demean re
themfelves in trading, as well thofe of the Southern parts, Ses cies as thofe te cciks,
of the North, who border upon Egypt, and are Mahumetans. For after they have a
taken the Commodities they like for the Gold they have brought, if the Merchant they
deal with will {upply them with any thing further, to be paid at their return, and up-
on their own words, he is fure enough of it, and need not break his fleep forit. For
if it happen that one of thefe Abyfines, who is a Debtor, thould die by the way,
fome of his Relations, or Friends, whom he acquaints with his affairs, bri ngs the
Gold atthe next retam, for the Commodity which had been taken up ; and it could
never hitherto be found, that any Merchant: could complain, that ever he had loft
ought by any one of them. All that is to be fear’d, is, that they fhould fall into the
hands of their Enemies, who rob, and. kill them, and particularly on the South-fide,
there being lefs danger, towards the North. |
‘ . : B-*;
The foreign Coins of Gold in Turkey are the Ducates of Germany, Holland,Hungary,
and Venice. ‘They are very much fought after, and they are chang’d, at fix Livers and
a half, and fometimes at fix Livers and fifteen Sols 3 and that is done in order to the
fending of them to the Indies, where they drive a great Trade with them, as I thall
make it appear, in my Relations of the Levant. Sometime fince, there has been fome
abatement made in the Ducates of Venice, upon a difcovery of theiy not being of fo
good an alloy, as thofe of Germanys
Therewill be often mention made of Purfes, in that Relation of the lio. A
Purfe implies as much as the fum of hve hundred Crowns, and it is of thofe Purfes
that the Grand Seignor makes his ordinary Prefents. But a Purfé of Gold, wherewith
he regales his Sultaneffes, and his peculiar Favourites, amounts to fifteen thoufand Se
guins, or thirty thoufand Crowns. A Kizé is alfo a bag of fifteen thoufand Du-
cates. : Leet ah See eee Si: ag
In all the Oftoman Empire, there is not any Money of Copper to be feen, and’ the
Species current there mutt be either of Silver or Gold. True itis, that there are fome
pieces of Silver taken there, of a very bafe alloy, efpecially tte Rozp, which are quar-
ter-Ryals, coin’d in Poland; and with the afliftance of the Fews, the Baff%’s, in theit
feveral Governments, counterfeit certain foreign Coins, which areall much different |
from thofe which they are intended to imitate. i
The cafe is the fame as to Silver-Coins in Tyrkey,as it is with thofe of Gold. There
are fome coin’d in the Countrey, as the Afper, and the Parafi, which are the leatt of
all. Arid there are fome forreign Moneys, as the Spartifh Ryal, and the Rix-dollars of
Germany and Holland. 5
“
An Affer is the leaft of all the Moneys, which heretofore was worth eight Defers,
French Money, that is about 3 of the Englifh Penny, as being, of good Silver, and the
value fet upon them was after the rate of “80, for the Crown-piece. But in the more
remote Provinces, the Baffas, and the Fews caufe fuch an abundance of counterfeit
ones to be made, that at prefent, a Crown-piece will yield one hundred and twenty
Afpers. Beilin tie
A Paraft is another kind of {mall Money, which is worth four Apers, and coin’
at Cairo. y a
| Groche
16
A Relation of the Grand Setgnor’s SERAGLIO. |
The Trade dri-
‘penin the five
Sals-preces.
Groche is the Crown, or Spanifh Ryal, otherwife called the Piece of eight.
Kara-Groche is the Rix-dollar of Germany.
Ajelani is the Rix-dollar, mark’d with the Lyon of Holland. After which follow
the Pieces of four Ryals, of two Ryals, and of one Rya/ 5 and heretofore the Pieces
of five Sols,French Money, wherewith there was a great Trade driven in Turkey. Tis
a thing, not well known to all, and therefore the Hiftory thereof will haply not be un- |
pleafant to the Reader.
A certain Merchant of Marfeilles, without any fore-thought defign, {ent as many
Pieces of five Sols, newly come out of the Mint, as amounted to the fum of two, or
three hundred Crowns, amongft fome other Pieces of Silver-Coins, to buy Silks. The
Turks found thofe little Pieces fo pretty and fo beautiful, and were at the firft fo taken
therewith, that they thought them to be the eighth parts of a Rya/, and were content
to allow a Crown, for every eight of them. The Factor, perceiving it, writ to Mar-
feilles, whence he receiv’d a very great fum in that Money, and gain’d very much
thereby. If the French could have contented themfelves with that honeft profit, the
commerce of thofe Pieces, which was quath’d by the excetfive frauds committed in the
management of it, might have continucd ftill, and would have been very advantageous
tothem. The Turks were unwilling to trade in any other kind of Money, and in the
payment of the Armies, to give the Souldiers content, there was a neceffity of difperf-
ing them among them. One day, returning out of Perfia into Turkey, I was perfecua
at by feveral Women, who would needs have me give them fome Temins, ( fo they
call that kind of Money ) and I could not have any thing to eat, for any other
Money.
Our French Merchants were gainers at the firft, after the rate of fifty, per cent, als
lowing in Turkey but eight of thofe Pieces for a Crown, whereas they had twelve of
them in France for the fame Piece. But the other Ewropean Nations, the Englifs, the
Dutch,-and the Italians, envying, their happinefS, came to give a check to their defign,
and making their complaints to the Grand Vizir, that Minifter order’d, That, for the
future, they fhould allow twelve of thofe Pieces for the Crown, or that they fhould
not be current any longer, and that whatever fums thereof were found in the Ships,
fhould be confifcated, © ,
The French were not at all {atisfy’d with that ; and whereas there was a neceflity
of fubmitting to the Grand Vizir’s Decree, they bethought themfelves of having fome
of thofe Pieces coin’d, which fhould not have above four Sols of good Silver, which
was a confidcrable advantage, of twenty five upon the hundred. They pafs’d well
nou for fome time, @#fore the Turks had difcover’d the fraud 5 they being fatisfy’d,
that t
Maidens, of the meaner fort of People, made them contribute to the ornament of their
Head-tires, about which they faften’d thofe pretty little Pieces, and they came down
flapping about their Foreheads, as the wealthyer fort faften’d Pieces of Gold to
But the better to compafs their defign, the French Merchants were oblig’d to find
-cut other Countreys, where it might be lawful for them to traffick in thofe Pieces.
Their firft recourfe was to thofe of Dombes, Orange, and Avignon, and paffing into
Italy, they found work for fome time for thofe of Monaco, and Maffa. But having
obferv’d, that the Turks were more taken with the Pieces which had the impreffion of
a Woman’s Head, and thofe Princes being unwilling to fuffer them to coin among
them any Money of fo bafe an alloy, or to give it the Stamp of Fa, the Princefs ‘~
Dombes, taey caft their eyes upon fome Caftles fituate within the Territories of the
Genuefes, yet fubject to the jurifdiction of the Empire, where they obtain’d what they
—
defir’d, upon conditions not difadvantageous to the Lords of thofe places. The Pieces ~
they got coin’d at Orange, were alfo fought after, and pleas’d the Turks, in regard the
Stamp was beautiful, and very clear ; but thofe of . the Legat of Avignon were not fo
current, the Effigies thereof not being well done, and the Crofs, hanging at the “oe
: di a
e Stamp was fair, “and that the Pieces look’d very white : And the Women and
|
|
A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s oe — 49 =
difpleafng, to the Turks, Had they contented themfelves, in that Trade, with twenty
five upon the hundred, it might havecontinu’d, and the profit would have been con=
fiderable : but by little and little, the thing came to fo great an excefS, till, at laft
there was not one penny-worth of good Silver in every piece. - :
é
_ The French, to make them pafS the better, gave eighteen, and fometimes twenty
for a Crown, of which abufé the great Merchants of Conftantinople, Aleppo, Smyrna,
and other Cities of Trade, madea good hand, they giving but twelve or thirteen for
the worth of a Crown, in the payments they made to the petty Merchants. of the Pro-
vinces of the Empire, for the Merchandizes they brought out of Terkey, there was
none of that counterfeit Money difpers’d, and the Armenians were far enough from
burthening themfelves with it, in regard that all the Money, which is carried into Per-
fia, is prefently convey’d to the Mints, upon the Frontiers, to be melted down,-and af=
wards coin’d into Abaffis, whereof they give the Merchant an account, anfwerably to
the Standard of his Money, after it has been examin’d; and by that means there can
be no fraud committed. The fame courfe is taken over all the Great Mogol’s Empire ;
and of all the Princes in the World, he caufes all the Species of Gold and Silver of the
belt Standard to be coin’d without admitting the Jeaftalloy, 9
The Genuefé Merchants, perceiving that the French had, at the beginning been fortue The jealoufieof
nate in their Commerce, would needs imitate them in other forts of Money, and got the other Mer-
two or three hundred thoufand Ducats coin’d, which they carried into Turkey. But *?4#ts
they had not the fuccefs they expected , the Gold was fo counterfeit, that the cheat
was immediately difcover’d, the Conful, and the Captain of the Veffel, were in fome
trouble about it, and the perfons concern’d therein, {av’d what they could of that -
diftafter.- - :
The Germans alfo would needs come in for afhare, taking another courfe all along
the Dannow, quite to the mouth of it, from whence they got to Conftantinople, through
the Black Sea. With other their Merchandizes, moft whereof confilted in the counter-
feit Copper-wares of the City of Nuremberg, things fit enough thofe Nations, which
border upon the Ewxine Sea, they carried a quantity of Roups, or quarter-Ryals, of. the
coinage of Poland, which were pleafant to theeye, and might have been commodious
-enough for the Merchants, if the adulteration had been moderate.But the Italians need
not be much afham’d,that the Germans fhould be more fuccefsful than they upon that
occafion, fince that both Nations came fhort in point of fubtilty, to deceive the Turks.
But to return to the French, the firft concern’d in this Hiftory, to which itisitime to
pur a period. In the heat of their Commerce, and while all things were very well
with them,thcy thought it not enough,to carry away the richeft Merchandizes, but
alfo bought up all forts of good Money they could meet withal, and brought it into
France, to carry on and continue the coinage of their counterfeit pieces. This Trade
was carry’d on fo far, through the whole extent of that vaft Empire, and there was fo
prodigious a quantity of that counterfeit Money fpread abroad, that it was found by
the Regifter-Books of the Farmers of the Cuftomes, that the fum of what had been
difpers’d of it amoynted to a hundred and fourfCore millions [ of Livers] not account-
ing what had never come to their knowledge, and what Seamen, and other private
_Perfons might have conceal’d.
The other Merchants and Traders of Exrope, who brought none but good Money,
ving exclaim’d againft that diforder, and renew’d their complaints tothe Grand Vi-
zir , the Turks at laft open’d their eyes, and that principal Minifter, having compre-
hended, that if the thing continu’d, in a {hort time, in ftead of Silver, there would
be nothing but Copper in the Empire, prohibited the bringing in of any more of thofe
pieces of jive Sols, upon pain of conltiadibe, and great penalties to be inflicted on
thofe, who durlt do any thing, contrary thereto, :
~ ¥et could not that crying of them down, and the Grand Vizir’s prohibition make
the Souldiers, who {erv’d in Candia, out of love with thofe little pieces, the beauty
whereof they were fo much taken withal. Notwithftanding all the Rear:
that
Neen ne EEEnEnsySnnnnmnmmnemnmenernneneemmnsntanen ania sia aaa saaaasaaaaasaaaassaaaaaaaasaaaaaaadaaaaaasitall
18 A Relation of the Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO.
that could be made to them, they would not be paid in any other kind of Moncy 3 and
fome difcontented Perfons and Mutincers,beginning to thew their Teeth, they- were
fore’d immediately to to {end Gallies to Smyrna, and fome other Cities of great Com-
merce, to bring away <ll that could be found of that fort of money. The incredible
guantity of thofe counterfeit pieces, difpers’d in all the Pi®vinces of the Ostoman Eyp-
pire, isat fealt vanifh’d, they are grown red, and no longer current,
Amifthievous At the firlt crying down of that counterfeit money, before the news of it cculd
fraud gently have been brought to foreign Countries, a certain Perfon named Goulin, en ag’d all
punijhed, he had in the world, to make up tothe fum of five and twenty thoufand Crowns
in thofe pieces of five Sols, fo extremely falfify’d, that there was harldly fo much Sil-
ver as:was requifite to whiten them. He came to Smyrna, where I then was, and
- wherehe foon found, that there was no way to put off his counterfeit Merchandize,
Whereupon he imagin’d, that he might get it off, if he could make a fpeedy Voyage
to Conftantinople, where, as he had been affur’d, fome Perfons took than, even after
they had been cry’d down. Being unwilling to hazard all by Sea, he fent away, by
Land, four or five thoufand Crowns, which were taken away by Thieves, near Burfi,
and carry’d the much greater part to Conftantinople, in a Dutch Veflel, of which he
had alfo fufficient caufe to repent him. After he had expos’d it at the Cuftom-houfe,
for the payment of the Duties, the Chief Ofhcer of the Culloms told him, that
he might rectum within two or three days , to take back what belong’d to him ;
and as foon as the other was gone, he caus’d all to be melted down in his prefence,
The feparation being made, upon twenty thoufand Crowns, which was the fum he
e: had brought thither, there was not the full fourth part of Silver, and the Merchant
coming again to the Cuftomer, fell down all along, out of pure fear Icfta fevere pu-
nifhment might follow the fraud wherecf he was vifibly convicted, feeing fo much
{cum of brafSon the one fide, and fo little filver on the other. But the Turks are not
fo rigorous, as fome perfonsimagine, all was reftor’d to him, nay there was no pe-
nalty infliéted upon him, and they only order’d him to be gone, “2
The ancient Certain it is, that the Exropeans, more addicted to fubtilty and circumvention,
fincerity of the than the Levantines, and for the moft part not endeavouring to be fincere in Com-
ue Rial merce, have taught the Turks feveral Cheats, which they were either ignorant of, or
pat pig did not practife, efpecially fince the Inhabitants of Granadz, being driven out of
_ Europzans. Spain, difpers’d themfelvesinto feveral Provinces of the Levant. Before that time, a
man might have rely’d on their integrity and fair dealing. Butnow, when you treat
with them, you muf ftand upon your guard; fo prevalent is the example of evil to
corrupt mens minds. Nor are we to be aftonifh’d at that ancient undifguized humour of
the Turks in their Commerce, fince we find,that the poor Abyffines,who come from the
_ lower parts of Ethiopia to trafick at Cairo, and the Idolaters themfelves in the Indies
amongft themfelves and with Strangers, with a {trict obfervance of an inviolable
fidelity. . |
CHAP.
Chap. L Gund $ eignor’s Srxeerin: 19
CH APBeik
Of the extent,and external parts of the Seraglio,
Tue Parnerpat Heaps.
The Origine of the word Serrail, or Seraglio, com:
mon to all the Koyal Houfes, as well in Turkey as
Perfia. The admirable Situation of the Grand Se-
raglio at Conftantinople. Its extent, figure, and
4
—externals. The Artillery not kept in good order,
and the Gunners not well skilld. A delightful
place of it felf ; but reftraimt makes it otherwife,
HE Grand Seignor’s Seraglio, whereof I undertake to give a Defcription, 7 origine of
is the Palace, where the Oztoman Princes ordinarily keep their Court. All" r4 ap
the Royal Houfts, as well in Turkey, as Perfia, have the fame Name, pees x
which derives its Origine from the word Serrai, which fignifies a great Hoyfs in Tur-
Noble Houfe, in the Perfian Language. The Grand Seignor has many key and Perfia.
Seraglio’s, in the Provinces of his Empire, and the principal of them are thofe of Bur-
fa, and Adrianople, two \.clidences which that Monarch does ordinarily make ufe of,
according to the conjuncture of his Affairs.
But to confine our felves to Conffantinople, we find there three Seraglio’s, which have
all their different Beauties. The old Seraglio. is the Palace, appoir
ment of thofe Women, who have ferv’d the Predeceffors- of the F
whence they never get out, unlefs it be in order to Marriage. diay p
goes thither but very feldom, and that when he is out of humour, to pafs away fome
days there in folitude, . The Seraglio of the Hippodrome, fo call’d from the Exercifés “
done there on Horfe-back, which was built by Ibrahim Baff2, Son-in-law, and Favou-
rite to the Emperour Solyman the Second, ferves now for an Amphitheatre for publick
Feftivals, Exercifts, Combats, Carouféls, and particularly for the Circumcition of the
Ottoman Princes, which is their greatelt Solemnity. The third is the Grand Seraglio,
whereof I make the Relation, and to which that Name is principally attributed, fo as
that there needs not any thing elfe tobe added thereto, to diftinguifli rit from the
others. I fhall have but little to fay concerning the Stru¢tures of it, wherein there is
not any thing extraordinary to be obférv’d, but thall rather infift upon what is private-
ly done, in each Appartment of that great Palaces
The Grand Scraglio is a\ vaft place inclos’d, which reaches to that point of Landy ry sapirable
where the ancient Byzantium was built, upon the Bofpborus of Thrace, and the joyning fituation of the
together of the Aigean Sea and the Exxine, which contribute fo much to the beauty Seraglio ofCon-
and wealth of Conltantinople. This great City, let the Wind fit where it will, does antinople.
every hour receive {ome refrethments or other, from one of thofe Seas} and the Sera-
glio, advancing it {elf into the Channel, which makes a communication between them,
receives the firlt Advantages that may be derived thence, _
(D> : Fhat
20
A Relation of the ' Chap.I.
Its extent, f-
gare,and exter-
nals.
The Artillery
out of order,
and the Gun-
xers not well
skid.
A pleafant
abode, but re-
firaint makes
it other wife.
That great Inclofure makes a Triangle, one fide whercof is to the Land-tide, and
reaches to the City, and the two others lye open to the Sea and a River which falls in-
toit. This Triangle is unequal, and if it be divided into eight parts, that lide to-
wards the Land takes up three of them, and the five others are for the two fides abut-
ting on the Sea. Its compals is about three Italian miles, or one of our common
Leagues. And this Palace is furrounded all about with high and firong Walls, flank’d
on the Sea-lide with {quare Towers, at a contiderable diftance one from another 5 and
towards the City, with round Towers, which are at a nearer diftance one from ano-
ther, from the great Gate of the Seraglio, which is towards St. Sophia, as far as the
Sea, where you imbark for Galata. Im thofe Towers, in the night-time, there are
Guards of the Azamoglans, to {ee that no Body approaches the Seraglio, by Sea or
Land 5 and if occafion require, they may fire fome picces of Artillery, which ftand al-
‘ways loaden upoma Quay, of fivefathom breadth, which is carried quite about the
Seraglio.
Upon one of thofe Towers, about 4 hundred paces from the great Gate of the Sera-
gliosas you go down, in order to your paffage ‘over to Galata, they have wrought
a Clofet, into which the Grand Seignor goes {ometimes to divert himfelf, and to {ec
People paffing to and fro, without being fecn himfelf. Somewhat lower, and) upon
the Sea-tide, there is a fpactous place cover’'d over, under which, as if it were in a lit
tle Haven, they keep the Caicks or Brigantines, wherein the Prince takes his divertife-
ment by Water, when he is pleas’d to do it.
Not far thence, within the inclofure of the Seraglio, are the Habitations of the Bo-
ftangis, who are entrutted with the conduct of the Brigantines 5 and at a little farther
diftance, in your way to the point of the Seraglio, which is towards Sendaret, ftands
the Quarter of the Boffangi-bachi, Overfeer of the Gardens of the Seraglio, and of all
the other Gardens belonging to the Grand Seignor.
Upon the Quay, which, asI told you, does furround the Walls of the Seraglio,
there are forty or fifty pieces of Canon of different bignefs, and there are fome of {6
great a bore, that a Man might get into them. Oppotite thereto, and” in the middle
of the Channel, there is a Tower built upon a Rock, which the Turks call Quifler hou-
lefi, or the Tower of the Virgins. At is kept by Boftangis, and has its Guns levell’d with
the Water, which better defend the Streight, than thoft at the point of the Seraglio,
which. for the moft part are-without Carriages, and unforviceable. Belides, they want
good Gunners, and if all that Artillery were well mounted, and manag’d by skilful
Perfons, it would better keep in awe, whatever comes out of the Mediterranean, and
the Black Sea.
Some few paces from the place where thefe Canons are planted, there fprings a
Fountain which.comes out of the Seraglio, and calts a great quantity of Water, for
the convenience of the Veffels, which lye at Anchor near it, and fupply themfelves
therewith ; it being not permitted that any fhould land on that fide of the Seraglio, _
but upon thataccount.
We have fpoken fufficiently of the external parts, ’tis time we now enter into the
Seraglio, and rather confider what paffes in every Appartment of it, than the Structures
thereof, wherein, as I faid, there is not ‘any thing of Magnitficence, whatever fome
Perfons might invent, who, in my pfefence, have made noble Draughts of it, ground-
ed on their own pure Imaginations, I have feen as much of the Scraglio, as a Stranger
could do, and J have {een it feveral times, in feveral Voyages, having had time enough
to confider, the two firft Courts, the Divan, and the Hall of Audience, but cannot ce-
lebrate them much for any great Beauties I could tind in them. There is, I muft con-
fefs, abundance of Marble and Porphyry in all the Appartments 5 but on the other fide,
all thofe Appartments are confufedly fhutHed together 5 there is no regularity at all 5
moft.of the Rooms have but little light, and all the ernament of them confifts in rich
‘Tapifiry lay’d all over the Floors thereof, and fome Cufhions of gold and filver Bro-
kado, fome whereof are embroider’d with Pearls. But taking things generally, if the
Walls and the Towers, which inclofe the Seraglio, look more like a frightful Prifon,
than
Chap.1L. gs Grand Seignor’s Jor
than a Royal Palace, the Appartments, whereof it confifts, have not alfo that wealth
or pleafure, for which the Palaces of France and Italy are fo highly celebrated edd
they offer not any thing which may long entertain the fight of a curious Perfon, All
that can make the Seraglio a pleafant place of abode, is, the advantage of its fituation
and indeed a nobler cannot be imagin’d. For it looks towards the Eaft, and takes up
the upper part, and the defcent of a floping Hillock, from St. S. opbia, quite to the
Channel. The Buildings are upon the mott eminent places, and have a profpect into
the Gardens, which mun along the defcent, as alfo into the two Seas which mect at
the point of the Seragtio, whence the Grand Seignor may at the fame time fee Europe
and Afia, in both which parts of the World, his Territories are very great. But ne-
ver was any Prifon thought a pleafant place, and there are few in the Seraglio, who
rather would live ina Hut, and have their liberty, than be continually contin’d ina
Palace under {uch fevere Difcipline. |
Co ap cai
Of the firft Court of the Seraglio, and parti-
cularly, of the Infirmary.
Tue Principat Heaps.
The Regulations of the Infirmary of the Seraglio.
The difficulties of getting Wine into it. The fubtil-
ty of fome people to be receiv 'd into it, though they
are not fick. An abominable vice , common all
over the Eaft. The fruitlef> endeavours usd to
check the courfe of it. The facrilegious attion of ©
two Ichoglans. The Wood-piles of the Seraglio.
The great advantages of thofe who have the charge
thereof. The exercife of the Girit, The Grand
Sezgnor’s Liberalities. Tbe counterfeit Modefty of
the Grandees of the Port. :
.
&
F the many Gates which give a Man entrance into the Seraglio, as well
on the Sea-fide, as on the Land-fide, that towards S. Sophia is the greateft.
That is alwaies open, the others not being fo, but according to the Grand
Seignor’s pleafure. You fixlt come to a great Portal, which has not any
thing of magnificence, and where you only find certain golden Letters,and
about them Feuillages and Compartiments, according to the Arabian way of Painting.
That Gate is kept by Fifty Capigis, who have for their Armes, the Firelock, the Dart,
and the Cymitar, and gives you entrance into the firft Court of the Seraglio, which is
Four hundred paces in length, and a hundred in breadth, without any paving.
D2 On
2I
a meramamateies: > 55 56 of tbe Chap » L
the Regwlati: On the right hand of that firft Court, there rms all along a _{pacious ftructure, con-
ons of the Infir taining feveral Appartments or Chambers, and ferving for an Infirmary to the whole
mary of the St- Seraglio. The Gate of it is kept by an Eunuch, who has under hima great many
raglio. People, employ’d in attending on, and miniltring to the fick, whom, an{werably to
their quality, they difpofe into convenient quarters in that honfe, where they may be
better aflalted, then in thofe which their indifpotition had oblig’d them to quit. The
two principal Phyfitians, and the two principal Chirurgeons, whom they call Hequinz-
bachi,and Geirab-bachi, make their vilits there every day,at certain hours. A man cannot
imagine a place better order’d and regulated then that is : and the Grand Seignior him-
{elf {ometimes comes thither in perfon,to take an exact account of the Sick and their con-
dition, as alfo to enquire whether they are well treated, whether the Phyfitians vifit
them often, and whether every officer of the Inhrrary perform the duty incumbent on
him. There is feldom any place void in that Houfe, for affoon as one is gone out, ano-
ther comesin : and though it be defign’d only for fuch as are fick, yet feveral perfons,
who are well, are brought thither, under pretence of indifpofition, or to enjoy them-
felves a while, or to weather out fome trouble or difcontent. They continue there far
the fpace of ten or twelve daies, and are diverted, according to their mode, with a
wretched kind of vocal and inftrumental Mufick, which begins betimes in the morning ,
and holds on till night. The permiffion they have there to drink wine,which they never
have elfewhere, is a greater inducement tor their coming in thither, than the Matick.
But that permiffion, which they would as *twere conceale, and which the fuperftition of
the Turks darés not publickly own, is accompany’d by a thoufand difficulties. They are
not permitted to bring in ‘any wine in the fight of the Exch, who ftands at the entrance
of the place: and if any one thould be furpriz’d in the doing of it, his punifhment
would be to receive three hundred baftinadoes, and a penalty of three hundred Afpers,
to be paid to thofe from whom he had receiv’d them. But if he can cunningly get in
with the Wine, not having been ftopp’d at the Gate, affoon as he is got in, he runs no
rifque at all, and may drink of it without fear of any chaftifement, though ’twere in
the prefence of the Grand Seignor,
The difficulty a The ‘final! quantity of wine which can be got in'by this way would Ggnifie but
getting wine ide among fo many People ifthere were notfome other Jef$ dificult contrivances to
into the Infire {upply them therewith.
ad this is one of them. The Infirmary adjoins to one fide
MAYe aise Gardens, ftom which it is {eparated Only by‘a‘wall which is not very high 3 fo
at the Botangis, who find that wine goes off ata good rate, and that they who are
within the Ser EDAPAAE LGN Sed their money, do, in the night time,by ropes
convey over the wall, fo many Borrachoes or bags of Buck-Skins, full of wine, contain-
ing forty or fifty’quarts, which fome other perfons of the Infirmary ftand ready to re-
ceive. This way brings in abundance of wine, but not without fear of being firpriz’d
by the Bo/tang:-bachi, who goes the rounds every night.
the fubtilty of Nor is the drinking of wine the main inducement which makes thofe counterfeit fick
fome perfons to perfonstofeck out basics: to-go and pafS away fome daies in the Infirmary’ info-
be receiv'd in, much that fome have the lewd-artifice to put themfelves into a flight Feaver, which is
though not ficks prefentlyremov’d. A deteftable paffion, and which is in a manner naturall to them,
‘though it béagainft mature, makes them ftudy all’ the imaginable waies to fatistic it.
This proves a hard matter for the Ichoglans to do, while they are in their chambers ob-
ferv’d and watch’d night and day by fevere Overféers; who. never pardon them the
\eaft mifdemeanour. : 3
ss R22
*
For t the Grand Scignor be himfelf fubject to the fame paffiorg the very name
whereof caufes a-horrour, yet he orders cruel punifhments to be inflided on thofe who
fhall prefume to imitate him. _ He does what he can to prevent the mifchief, which he
would not have countenane’d by his example, and impofes the prevention of it as g task
upon the Exnuchs, a vigilant fort of animals, whofe Eyes are alwayes open. But in the
Infirmary, all thefe precautions prove fruitlefS ; the Exnuchs belonging to that place be-
ing, corrupted partly by prefents, partly by treats, or being made drunk with wing,
or fome other liquors, they bring in thither fome young lads, of whom there is great
fiore in the City of Conftantinople. The better to over-reach the Eunuchs, they put thofe
young lads into the habits of the Halvagis, and {0 the cheat fucceeds, in regard they are
the .
Chap IL. “Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO. 23
the attendants on the Officers of the Seraglio, and do all the errands they have todo in
the City.
Of thele Halvages, there is ordinarily to the number of fix hundred, and they
have'only their cloathing and fuftenance allow’d them, without any wages, till fuch
time as they have ferv’d thirteen or fourteen years. Their wages begin at the rate of
two Afpers [ per diem | and in time may rife to {even Afpers and a half: but they have
other contingent Profits, and they know well enough, how to make their advantage
of the Employments they are put upon. For whereas they only are the Perfons who
have the freedom of going and coming in and out of the Seraglio, they fet double the
price on every thing they buy. But their moft cunfiderable gain proceeds from the in-
famous commerce of thofe young Lads, whom they bring in to their Mafters, and
whom they cunningly flip into the Infirmary, after they had put them into Habits like
their own. They wear a white Cap, which rifes up from the Crownof the Head,
to a pretty height fomewhat to the refemblance of a Sugar-loaf.
The Hafteler-Agafi, or chief Overfeer of the Infirmary, is indeed continually at the rye fracstefs ene
Gate, with five or fix other Eunuchs, and carefully obferves whatever goes in, or deavours usd
comes out. But all that vigilence will not do the work 5 nay though he had a hundred * heck is
eyes, yet were it impotfible for him to difeern thofe young Lads, amidft the great conr{e.
number of thoft Halvagis, -and that the rather, for thefé teafons, that they are fre-
quently chang’d, that fome of themare made Fanizaries, and that new ones are ta-
ken in upon the advancement of the old onesto fome other Employments. But if it
fhould happen that the {aid Superintendent Eunuch fhould have any fecret information
of what’s defign’d, and feems as if he would make fome noife about it, he is prefent-
ly appeas’d with a filk Vett, or fome other Prefent, and ’tis thence that he derives his eS et
greateft advantages. In fine, that brutifh Paffion is fo ordinary amongft the Turks, Asam Ui the
and generally over all the Eaftern parts, that notwithftanding all the endeavours that ba .
have been us’d to prevent the effects of it, they will hardly ever be able to do it. There
happen’d a memorable Example of this in my time. Two Pages of the Chamber, y_ scerilegi-
who could not have the convenience of executing their wicked defign in the Seraglio, os action of
would needs aggravate their crime, by going into the Mofquey to fatiate their bruta- two Pages.
lity. Atter Prayers were ended, they fuffer’d all the people to go out, and having fo
well hid themfelves that he who {hut the doors could not perceive them, they fell to
the doing of an action, whereof the very Idea caufes horrour.
On the left hand of this firft Court; there is a {pacious Lodgement, anfwerable to The W00d-Pé
that of the Infirmary ; and that’s the habitation of the Azemoglans, perfons defignd i spe Attag tee,
for the meaneft Employments of the Seraglio. Within that Struéture there is a {pe-
cious Court, where you thall find difpos’d in order, all about, and in the middle, fo
many Wood-piles, which are renew'd every year, and there are brought in thither
above forty thoufand Cart-loads of wood, every Cart-load being as muchas two
Oxen can draw. Some part of this wood comes in by the Black Sea, and the relt out
of the Mediterranean : and whereas there is a great quantity of it left every year, efpe-
cially when the grand Seignor does not winter at Contantinople, that remainder, which
mut be very contiderable, is difposd of to the advantage of the principal perfons ;
among the Azamoglans. They are cunning enough totake their opportunity, when it is Te great profit
unloaden upon the Port, and computing, as well as they can, how much may go to Ree | a
make up the Piles, they proportionably fend, what they think may be fpar’d, to the thereof,
City, and lodge it in the houfes, where a are acquainted. Which they may do
with fo much the more {ecurity, in regard thaf*no body minds what they do, and that
they perform their duty, when the Piles are compleated, in the feafon , during which
they are wont to make their Provifions. The wood they thus convert to their own
ufe they are paid for, and the fim rais’d thereby is confiderable torPerfons of fo mean
a Quality. —
On the fame fide as the Infirmary, and a little lower, (for the Seraglio is a riling pp Exercife of
ground for a certain fpace, and then there isan infenfible defcent on both fides, quite the Girit.
down to the point, whereby it is terminated) you difcover the great Portal of the Gar-
dens, which they call Bagge-Karpoufi, Fromthat Gate, whichoverlooks the forefaid
defcent,
The Grand
Seignors libera-
ities.
The counterfert
mode/ty of the
Grandes of the
Port.
defcent, and where you are as it wereupon an Eminency, you defte nd into a very no-
ble Place, which the Grand Seignor caufes to be always kept neat and even, where
the Great Perfons of the Court come to do the Exercifes of the Girit.or the Dart,which
is perforn’'d, moft commonly, upon Fridays, immediately after their coming out of
the Mofquey. There are about two hundred paces from the Portal to that place, and
in the Court there may ordinarily be, upon thofe days above fifteen hundred Perfons,
yet fo as that not any perfon whatfoever is permitted to go any further, unlef$ he be
call’d by the Order of the Girit-Bey, who is the chief Overfeer, and Director of that
Exercife, They who enter into the Lifts, do many times amount to the number of 3
thoufand Perfons. If the Grand Seignor himfelf, who is preftnt at thofe Exercifes, the
cnd whcreot proves many times Tragical tothofe, by whom they are perform’d, has
found any particular divertifement therein, efpecially when there are Limbs loft or bro-
ken, he orders every one to receive.a Purfe, which, as I told you, amount to five hun-
dred Crowns. Thedittribution of thofe Prefents is greater or leffer, according to his
being in agood or bad humour, and fometimes there are diftributed at his departure
thence, to the number of ten Purfes. ° The Treafurer, who is always attending on
him, and has ordimarily brought along, with him fifteen or twenty thoufand Ryals in.
Gold and Silver, ftands ready, upona beck, to obey his Orders.
But this is worth our ob{ervation, That when the Prince is ready to beftow his Libe-
ralities, on thofe who had behav’d themfelves valiantly in that exercife, the Gran-
dees of his Court,who had appear’d therein as_well as otherspurpoftly {hift themfelves
out of the way, and leave him to make his Prefents to other le{$ contiderable Perfons,
as being, fuch as ftand more in need of them than they do. Bhisis their cuftom ordina-
rily, whether it proceed from Generofity, or from a counterfeit and perfonated Mo-
defty, it matters not. Andatter the Grand Seignor is withdrawn, it is lawful for
thofe who are left in the forefaid Court, and are skil’d in the handling of the Dart, to
{pend the remainder of the day in that Exercife. But thofe, how great foever their
polormances may be, and what wounds foever they may receive, are not to expect any
Prefents ; There’s no Prince to be a {pectator of their Gallantry, nor Treafiver, to
difiribute his Liberalities, They only, lay fome wagers amongit themfelves, and he
who gives the faireft blow,wins, and the faireft blow is in the head, or face. There
is ever and anon an Eye itruck out, or a Cheek carried off, and that Solemnity proves
very fatal in the end to fome of them. sete)
And this is an account of all that is obfervable in the faid firft Court, Let us now
make our entrance into thefecond, and obferve what is most remarkable in all its Ap-
partments,
&
CHAP.
' Chap. = Grand Seignor’s Benacuio.
CHAP. IIL.
Of the fecond Court, wherein are the ficele Stables,
the Kitchins, and the Divan. |
Tue Principat Heaps.
A fquare and fpaciows Court, and its Embellifhments.
Tbe Janizaries extremely (prightful, ative, and well
order’d. The number of the Kitchins. The ordi-
nary difbes of meat that are feru'd up inthe: Seraclio.
The way of ordering the Pilau. A particular way
of roafting in the Levaht. The Turks cannot en-
dure the Hare. Conferves of all forts. Several com-.,
pofetions of Sherbet. Receptacles for all the wa-
ters of the Seraglio. The little Stables. The Quar-
ter of the Eunuchs. :
Ut of the firft Court, into which the Baffzs and Grandees of the Port, may
come on Horfe-back, and where they are oblig’d to alight, if they intend
to go any further, there is an entrance into another, through a fecond
Gate, kept, as the forrhery by fifty Capigis. The fecond Court, much
more noble, and more delightful, theh that:whereof we gave you the pre-
cedent defcription, is neer three hundred paces {quarey and only the walks, leading to
the feveral Appartments, are pav’d, the reft being in Grafs-plots, planted about: with
Cyprefs, and water’d by Fountains, with rails all about, to hinder people .from go-
ing upon the grafs. Over the gaté¢ of that Court, may be feen thefe words, written in
great golden Characters.
OMA RUS EA BA AEA AAT CAR CASAS CAS ANOKA RAD
4 4
ay Shy ig 3 ‘+ en . ~ ay Ad
i % - ware, 4
La Ilabe Ila Aula,
Muhammed Refoul Alla:
:
26 A Relation of the Chap If.
That is to fay,
There is no other God than God,
Mahomet 7s feat by God.
Refoul fignifies fext, which is the ereateft Title given bythe Zurks to
their Prophet.
he Fanicaries On both fides of that Court there runs a very noble Gallery, the pillars whereof are
wileded, of marble, all along which the Companies of the Fanizaries are drawn up, and difei-
plin’d, when the Grand Seignor orders them to fhew their activity, and to appear well
arm’d, at the arrival of {ome Ambaffador, who is to have Audience.
On the right hand, behind the Gallery, where the Fanizaries are drawn up, on the
Divan-dayes [that is to fay, upon Council-dayes | are the Kitchins, and the Offices of
the Seraglio, diftinét one from the other, and every one ferv’d by its peculiar Officers.
Heretofore there were nine of them, but now that number is reduc’d to feaven, Every
Office or Kitchin, has its chief Director, or Matter-Cook, and there is a Superintendent
above them all, named the Akegi-bachi, who has the command over four hundred
Cooks. 3 .
the number of The chiefeft of theft Kitchins, which is for the Grand Seignior himflf is called
the Kitchins. Hafnzoutbak, ‘“ 7
The Second is called Valede-Sultanum-Moutbaki, and is defign’d for the Sultaneffes,
as for inftance, the Mother, the Wife, or, to fay better, the Princefs, for whom the
Grand Seignor has the greateft kindnefs, and who had the happinef$ to bring into the
World a Succeffor to the Empire, as alf0 for his Sifters and Daughters, .
. The third Kitchin, which they call K ifler-Agazinum-Moutbaki is~appointed for the
Overfeer of the Appartment of the Women, and the other Negro-Eunuchs who are em-
ploy’d about the guarding of them.
= ‘The fourth rth: is. for the Capou-Agafi, or Grand Matter of the Seraglio, who has the
greateft accefS to the Grand Seignor’s Perfon, and whofe Charge ( as I {aid dfewhere )
generally extends over whatever enters into the Palace. And this Kitchin ferves alfo for
the Officers of the Divan. :
The fifth is for the Chafnadarbachi,or the chief Perfon concern’d about the Treafury,
and for thofe who are under his jurisdi¢tion,and obey his Orders.
The fixth is for the Kilargibachi, or principal Cup-bearer, and thofe who have their
dependance upon him. |
<The feaventh and laft, is that of the Sarai-Agafi, and of all the Officers, who are un-
deghis charge. .
Laftly, as for the Boftangis; whofe work lies in the Gardens, they drefs their Meat
themfelves}.and appoint {ome among them to execute that Office, and they provide the
Commons for all the reft. There are alfo ome of thefe Baftangis employ’d in the Offices
| defign’d for the Grand Seignor. 7
The ordinary There enters no Beef into the Kitchins of the Seraglio : but the ordinary confump-_
meats ferv’d tion of every day, including all, as well thofe who eat within, as without, may a-
up in the Sérage mount to Five Hundred Sheep, in which number muft be comprehended Lambs and
Me Kids 5 and the greateft part of thofe Sheep, are brought from the Frontiers of Perfia 5
which Country excels all others,:as to that creature. According to this proportion of
: Mutton,
Mutton, may be computed the quantity of Pullets, Chickens, and young Pidgeons, the
number whereof is limited, according to the Seafons 3 as alfo what may be confum’d
in Rice, and Butter, for the Pilaz, which is accounted the beft dith in Turkey, and all
over the Eaft: Thofe Nations, who are lovers of Temperance, and do not much fiu-
dy the fatisfaction of the palate, (ldom have any other difh : and that not being con-
temptible , fome haply will give me thanks , for communicating the ordering of
it.
The Turks, and generally all the Inhabitants of the Eaftern parts, make the Pilau, The way of ors
after this manner. According to the quality of the perfons who are to be entertain’d, dering the Pi-
and the quantity which is to be made ofit, you take either a piece of Mutton alone, or [a4
together with that fome Pullets or Pidgeons, which are to be boyl’d ina pot, till they
are half done, or fomewhat more. When you think them fo far boyld, then pour
out both meat and broath into a Bafin, and the Pot being wath’d, put it on the
hre again with Butter in it, which they fuffer to melt, till fuch time as it is very hot.
Then they chop the meat, which had been but half-boyl’d into little pieces, the Pul-
lets into quarters, and the Pidgeons into halves, and fo they caft it into the Butter,
they fricafS it, till it be of a very brown colour, The Rice being well wafh’d, they
put fome into the Pot over the meat, as much as they think fitting, and the broath,
which had been pour’d into the Bafin, they alfo put it into the Pot, Ladle-ful after La-
dle-ful, over the Rice, till fuch time as it ftands two fingers breadth aboveit. Then
is the Pot immediately cover’d, there is a clear fre made under it, and they ever and
anon take out fome grains of the Rice, to fee if it be foftned, as alfo whether it be
requifite to pat in fome more of the broath, to compleat the ftewing of it. For it is
not like the Rice brought into our parts, which prefently breaks afunder, but their
Rice is of fuch a kind, that it mult be fully boyl’d, and yet the Grain entire, as well
as the whole Pepper, wherewith they f{cafon it. As foon as it is come to that condi-
tion, they cover the Pot with a cloath three or four times doubled, and fet the Pot-
lid upon that, and fome time after, they make another melting of Butter, till it be ve-
ry red 5 to be caft into the holes, which are made in the Rice, with the handle of the
Ladiec, after which they cover it again of a fudden, and fo let it ftand {caking awhile;
and then ferve itup. It is put into large Difhes, with the meat handfomly difpos’d
upon it, and fomepart will be white, thatis, continu’d in its natural colour, fome
part, yellow, occafion’d by a little mixture of Saffron, and a third part of a Carnati-
on-colour, done by the tincture of the juyce of Pomegranate. Nay, though thé meat
be as fat as is requifite for the ordering of this Difh, yet to make the Pilaw more deli-
cate and palatable to them, they bettew three pounds of Butter on fix pounds of
Rice, which makes it fo extraordinary fat, that it difgufts, and is naufeous to thofe
who are not accultom’d thereto, and accordingly would rather have the Rice it if
fimply boy?'d with water and falt. Thereare always two or three Dithes ferv’'d up
after that manner, to the Grandees of the Port, who, for the moft part, keep open
Table, and inficad of fleth, they cover them with a great Aumelet or Omelet, made
with good Herbs, and about three fingers thick, or with {ome poach’d Eggs, which
are neatly difpos’d all about it. A man is never incommodated by this kind of Rice,
but the other, which 1s too fat, is not ht tor thofe who drink tine, and will not ex-
cite in them a defire to cat of it often.
Since [have given you an account how they order the Pilad, Icannot forbear ma- 4 particular —
king, you a turther difcovery of the Zurks management of the Kitchin, and telling meas of rogtine
you how they roatt their meat. The greater fort of meat, as fheep and Lambs are” °%*"*""
roafted whole, in Ovens made in the Floor, wherein they hang them by the heads,
and theyare taken out thence as it were brown-hak’d, and Cook’d well enough, fo as
to excite appetite. At the bottom of the Oven there is ordinarily a Balin plac’d, ha-
ving, in it fome Rice and fair Water, which receives the drippings of the Beait, the
very Tay] it felt, which fometimes weighs fifteen er twenty pound, yielding a good
quantity thereof, as being in a manner all fat. The Tayls of the Lambs, having not,
fo much fat, are excellent meat, andin a manner as delicate as the Swect-breads ot’
Veal. Thicfe Lambs being thus roafted, are always ferv’d up with Rice under them,
and tor the greater Tables, they ferve up two of them ina Dith.So that there is no ule
of Spits in the Turkifh Kitchins,but what is for Poultry,or Fowl, which they order fo
(E) untowardly,
The Turks bave
angverfion for
the Hare.
Conferves.
Several Compo-
fetions of
Sh. rbet,
Receptacles for
the waters of
the Seraglio,
The little Sta-
bles.
~
| A Relition of the | Chap.1I1,
uncowardly, that when they are brought up to the Table, they appear fo mangled and
diforder’d, that it is no ¢afie matter to diftinguifh the head from the feet. But it is to
be obferv’d, that the Pilaz, and all forts of Flefh-meat are not ferv’d up, but only at
Supper, about five of the Clock in the Evening 3 and that in the morning, thofe of
better Quality cat only Sallets, Herbs, Fruits, and Conferves ; the meaner fort of peo-
ple contenting, themfelves with meats made of Milk, Melons, and Cucumbers, ac-
cording to the Seafon.
As fox Fith, the Turks care not much for it, and though the Seas and Rivers are
«well replenifh’d therewith, yet they {cldom eat of them. It {€ldom happens alfo,that
any Venizon or Wild-Fowl comes into their houfes, as being a kind of meat they do
notany way relifh. But above all meats they have an averlion for the Hare 3 which
obfervation I made alf in the Armenians, who are of a perfwafion, that the Female
of that Creature has its monthly courfés regularly, as the Woman hath. It is eafily
perccivable,by what account I have given, that there is no great variety or delicacy in
the Turkifs Entertainments, and that the French and other Europeans would not think
themfelves well treated thereat. But, however, their Kitchins are kept very neat, they
have all the accommodations requifite for their way of dreffing, and whether you con-
fider the Dithes and other Veflels they ufe, or the meat it felt, there is as much clean-
linefS as can be expected.
The Officers where the Conferves and Sweet-meats are made (there being fix or
{even of them) are above the Kitchins, and ferv’d by four hundred Halvagis, who
were eftablifh’d by Sultan Solyman, a magnificent Prince, who alfo regulated all the
Offices and Officers of the Seraglio. They are perpetually at work in thofe feven
Offices, and there they prepare all forts of Conferves, dry and liquid, and feveral forts
of Syrups, as alfo feveral kinds of Turchi, which are Fruits preferv’d in Vinegar and
Salt, into which, they put a quantity of fragrant Herbs, fuch as Rofemary, Marjo-
ram, and Sage.
In the fame Offices theyalfo prepare the ordinary drink of the Turks, which they
call Sherbet, and it is made feveral ways. That which is moft common in Turkey comes
fomewhat near our Lemonade, but there is very little water in its *tis ina manner
all juyce of Lemmon, or Citron, having an intermixture of Sugar, Amber, and Musk.
They make another fort of it, which is highly in efteem, and that is made with the
water diftil?'d from the flower of a Plant, which grows 1n Pools and Rivers, and has
the figure of a Horfe-fhooes Thefe flowers are yellow, and called Nuloufer. But the
Sherbet which they moft efteem, and whichis drunk by the Grand Seignor him(félf
as alfo by the Baffa’s and other Grandees of the Port, is made of Violets and Sugar,
and there is but little juyce of Citron putintoit. They make alfo another fort of
drink, which they call Magion, compos’d of feveral Drugs, whercby it is made
hot : and there is another fort purpofely prepar’d for the Grand Seignor himfelf} cal-
led Mufcavi, of which he takes a Dofe, when he intends to vifit the Sultaneffes. The
principal Perfons about the Court fend for it fecretly tothe Halvagibachi, who does
not deny them, as being a great advantage tohim , becaufe he is well paid for
it. Nor dothey want Snow and Ice, to cool all thofe Liquors, and the Turks are
much more humorous and delicate in their drinks, than they are in their Meat.
At a place ten or twelve paces diftant, and oppofite to thefe Offices, is the Recep-
tacle, or Refervatory, which diftributes all the Waters of the Seraglio, and they are
thence directed to every Quarter, into the places where there isa neceffity of them.
One of the Baltagis has his ftation there all the day long, to give Water as he is di-
rected. And when the Grand Seignor paffes from one Quarter to another, the foun-
tain of that, where he is in perfon, plays continually during his abode there, by a
Signal which is given to the Ba/tagz.
On the left hand, in the fame Court, and oppofite to the Kitchins, may be feer
the Grand Seignor’s little Stables, which do nothold above twenty five or thirty
choice Horfes, defign’d for his Exercifes with his Favourites, and above the Stables,
in great Rooms, they keep the Saddles, Bridles, Houffes, Trappings, F oot-cloaths,and
Stirrops,
te: Rise TSS cia ica Se Rae So a
Stirrops, which. are of ineftimable value, by reafon of the abundance of precious
Stones, whereby they are enrich’d. There are fome Harneffes which amount to a mil-
lion of Livers, French Moncy. ‘The great Stables ftand all along the Canal, which
beats againft the Walls of the Seraglio, They are always well replenifh’d, and in
good order, and they take care, that there be not fo much as one vacant place there-
in. In thofe Stables docs the Grand Seignor keep a great number of Horfes of value,
to bereferv’d for the War, or to be us’d in fome Magnificent Solemnity,; that Stran<
gers may {ve the Splendor of his Court. °
Capa PY.
Of the Hall of the Devan, and the exa@ Juttice
which the Grand Seignor caufes to be admitted
there.
Tue Principat Heaps.
The Divan-Hall not very magnificent. The Council.
days. Canfes quickly decided. The canfes of that
expedition of Fuftice in Turkey. The fubtle Poli-
cy of the Ottoman Family. The care which is
taken to prevent the revolt of the Janizaries. How
the Grand Seignor affifts at the Divan, or Council.
The bold aétion of a Timar-Spahi, who kills a
Grand Vizir, and is pardowd. ~The noble Genius
of Sultan Amurat, and by what Artifices be difco-
verd a great breach of Truft. A kind of Beads
usd by the Turks at their Prayers. A noble Ex-
ample of a fevere att of Fuftice. At what times,
and how, the Grand Seignor rids thofe out of the
may whom be fufpects. The days on which Am-
baffadors come to the Divan.
He Hall of the Divan, which belongs to this Second Court, is, on the left rhe pévan-Hak
hand, next to the little Stables, as you go towards the Grand Seignor: ioe Uery Mag
Quarter. Tis a great low Hall, cover’d with Lead , and wainfeoicd ih ee
gilt in fome places within, from which it derives a little Ormament. he
Floor of itis coverd with a great Carpet, and there are fome Benches for
the Ofhcers, of whom that Council conlitts, which the Turks call Divan. There are,
as I told you, Galleries of all the fides of Court, which makes it look as it were
2) i
39
Council-days
Caufes foon dea
cided,
- A Relation of the Chap.LV.
“Jike a Cloifter ; baal *tis under that Gallery which ison the right hand, that the Fas
nizavies have their-ftation, while the Divan is fitting. :
The Council fits, ordinarily, four days in the week, which days are anfwerable to
the Saturday, Sunday, Munday, and Twefday of the Chriftians.
Jaftice is there exactly .adminiftred to any one that defires it, and for what caufe
foever it be, fo, as that the differing, Parties have no need either of Pro¢tors or Ad-
vocates names not known in Turkey, and the Perfons concern’d are to lay open their
Cafesthemfelves. There is no talk of delays, or putting off from one time to ano-
‘ther; people fhall not languifh in expectation, but the butinefs is decided immediate-
ly, what nature foever it may be of. 3
The Reafons of | Though this Cuftom be very commendable, yet cari it not be fo well praGis’d
that Expediti-
en of Fultice.
among{t Chriftians, becaufe they ftand upon the property of what they have, and that
is deriv’d-by Inheritance from fome to cthers, and the litigious partitions of them do
many times engage the Proprietors thereof in long Suits of Law. *Tis quite other-
wife amongft the Great Officers of the Port, who are all Slaves, either taken in War,
orfent up, as Prefents, by the Baffa’s, and Governours of Provinces. All their Eftates,
when they die, return to the Grand Seignor, from whom they had receiv’d them, fo
that it is a perpetual Circulation - and their Children, asl told you in the beginning
of this Difcourfe, are brought up to the Seraglio, to be educated there, and that with-
out any hope of ever fucceeding their Parents, either in their Eftates, or Employ-
ments. The Ottoman Monarchy has always obferv'd this fubtle Policy, not to permit
that any Family fhould aggrandize it {elf, and be powertul from Father to Son: but
they bring it down; as {oon as they have rais’d it up, and timely enough deprive
them of the’means whereby they might create Factions,to the dilturbance of the State.
Thence it comes, that, belides the Royal Family of the Ortomans, they know not what
Gentility, and antiquity of Extraction means 5 there’s no emulation upon that {core,
and Charges and Dignities are beftow’d anfiwerably to the Merit of the Perfon, with-
out any confideration of his Extraction. Nay, it fometimes happens, that the Prin-
cipal Minifters of the Empire, are the Sons of Cow-keepers, as was one. Ruin, 2
Grand Vizir, who made fo much noife under the Reign of Solyman. And {o, being
not any way oblig’d to their birth, they acknowledge their Fortunes to be the reward
ok their Rdncation. ~~, "* Sasha
: Bist to return te the adminiftration of Juftice amongft the Turks. Thofe who make
the Law their profeffion, and are look’d upon as the Clergy of Mzbomet, leave no place
for fuits at Law 5 every one knows his priviledges, and what belongs to the function
of his Charge, and there arife no differences among, them, becaufe all things are per-
fedtly well regulated.
In like manner, the people are ignorant what pleading fignihes. There’s no occafion
for publick Notaries, in order to Matrimonial contracts ; There’s no great fms given
with a daughter,and the jewels and cloaths which fhe can get out of her Fathers houte,
are all the portion fhe brings to her Husband. And this, in few words, is the reafon
that the Turks can put an expeditious end to all their affairs, without giving any tole-.
—— to that pettifogging, which, among Chriftians, proves the ruinc of fo many
eople.
The Officers, who fit in the Divan are, firft, the Grand Vizir, the Lieutenant-Gene-
ral of the whole Empire, who is Prefident of it, and reprefents the Grand Seignor’s
Perfon ; Then the fix other Vizirs 3 Then the Cadilefquers of Romania and Natoliz,
who are the Judges and Intendants of the Armies 3 Then the three Tefterdars,or Trea~
furers-General ; Then the Niffangibacha, the Lord Chanccllour ; And the Netangé,who
is as *twere the Secretary of State, with fome Clerks, or Notaries. All thefe Officers
come into the Divan-Hall, at four in the Morning, and continue there till noon, to ad-
minifter Juftice. The Chiaowx-bachi has his ftation at the Gate, with a troop of thofe
that are under his charge, to execute the Grand Vizir’s Orders, and has a filver-rod in
his hand, as a badge of his Authority. "
Chap,IV. = Grand Seiguor’s ST catia. eT
a ne 4 ae ra s a eR I
On thofe dayes that the Divan fits, the Officers are entertain’d at dinner in the fum® The care taken
Hall, which is done with much fobriety, and little Ceremony. All is over and taken to prevent the
away, in half an hours time. The Grand Vizir eats alone, unlefs he call a Bafa or "2! of the
two, to keep him company. There are carried alfo meffes of Chourba, which is 2 kind J@™ 24"
of pottage made with Rice, for the dinners of the Fanizaries , who are in their {tations,
under the Galleries. But if it happen, that they are in a mutinous humour, and in-
cens'd againtt a Vizir, or againft the Grand Seignor himfelf, not one of thei will put
his hand to the Chourba, but they {cornfully thruft back the dithes, and by that a@iion
difcover their dif{content.
The Grand Seignor is prefently advertis’d of it, and fends to them the Capou-Agafi,
Grand Matter of the Seraglio, to know what their pleafiwe is, and what they defire.
Then they depute one of their own Body to go, and fpeak on the behalf of them all ;
and that perfon whifpering the Capou-Agafi in the Ear, declares to him the occafion of
their difcontent. That Eunuch prefently carries it to the Grand Seignor ; And if
they have a peck againita Vigir, or a Cadilefquer, or fometimes againtt their Aga, or
Colonel, it often happens that to appeafe thofe mutincers, the Grand Seignor orders
them to be ttrangled, and fends them their heads.
Sunday and Tuefday are the principal dayes of the Divan, and then it is properly 2 zrow ‘the Granit
Council of State, and of publick affairs. The Grand Seignor moft commonly affilts at Seégnor is pre-
it, but is not feen ; and that keeps in awé as well the Grand Vizir, as the other Off- fev at the Di-
cers. He can come thither from his own Appartment, through a clofe Gallery, and %*™
{cat him{clt at a window, which looks into the Divan-Hall, and has alwayes a velvet
Curtain ‘before it, which he draws when he pleafés, and efpecially when he perceives
that they have not done Juftice. I fhall produce here, an example, famous enough -as
to that particular, which happen’d in the Reign of Sultan Achmet, the Father of Anu
rath, and one of the juftelt Princes, that ever the Ottoman Empire had.
The Reader is to call to mind, what I faid at the beginning, concerning the Tzmar- The bold ‘atbion
Spabi, on whom they bettow, during their lives, the Government and revenue of of a Timer-
fome Town, according, as they have deferv’d by their Services, The Spabi , whole Spahi,who hills
ftory I am going to relate, had a Timar, between Aleppo and Damas, which might bring 2 Grand Vizir,
him in a revenue of fifteen hundred Crowns. The Grand Vizir, either out of fome and is pardon'de
averfion to the Spahi, or upon fome falfe reports which had been made of him, and
which he had been too forward to believe,without taking, an exa¢t information of things,
took away from him the Lamar, whereof hé- was poflefs’d, and beliow’d it on one of
his own Creatures.
The Spahi, finding himfelf fo unjuftly difpoffefs'd comes to Conltantinople, enters into
the Divan, and prefents a Petition to the Grand Vizir, wherein he remonftrates to him
his long Services, and how he never was chargeable with any negligence of his duty.
The Grand Vixir having read it, tears it in his prefence, which was to fignifie as
much, as that he would not anfwer it, and that there was nothing for the Spabi to
hope for. The Petitioner withdrew,without faying any thing:but fome days afterwards,
he returns to the Divwn, and prefents a {econd Petition, which the Grand Vizir like-
wife tears, as he had done the former , without making any anfwer thereto. Up-
on this fecond injury, the Spahi, tull of fury, and juitly exafperated, draws his
Poniard, falls upon the Vizir,and kills him. ;
The Grand Seignor, who was then at the Window, having obferv’d that aétion,
draws the Curtain, and with a loud voice commanded that no hurt fhould be offer’d
to the perfon whohad done it, He thereupon orders the Spzhi to approach, and ask’d
him the Reafon of his having demean’d himfelf with: {6 much violence. The other
much athan’d, humbly makes anfwer, but with refolution enough, That he could not
forbear doing what he had done, upon the fight of fo great a piece of Injuftice : and
thereupon prefenting to him the Petition, which had been tom to pieces ; the Grand
Seignor caus’d it to be read, and patiently hearkned to the juft complaints which it con-
tain’d, Having fully examin’d the Affait,his Highnef$ commended. the Spabi for the
Action he had done, ufing the word Aferim, Which is as muchas to fay, "Tis well
done,
hs
ae eee
A Relation of the Chap.LV.
* done, and which is ordinary ‘in that Language, when they approve a thing 5 aa
How Sultan
Amurat difco-
werd afecret
breach of trujt.
thereupon , there was an additional Liberality made by the Grand Seignor to the
Command which he gave, that he fhould be re-eftablifhed in his Timar. He thereup-
on took occafion to {peak to the other Vizérs, and_totell them, That that Example
fhould teach them to do jut things, and not to fuffer themfelves to be fo blinded by
favour, as not to obferve Equity. The violent action of the Spabi is certainly not to
be approv’d, though the injuftice of the Vizér was manitelt : but the procedure of the
Grand Seignor, cannot be look’d on otherwife then as mott commendable, and a great
Model of perfect Equity.
I fhall not think it much, to produce here a fecond Example of the exact Juttice,
which the Grand Seignor wouldShave adminifired to the People: and in this Exam
ple there is fomething that is fignally remarkable. A great Stone-Mortar, which may
be feen at the Gate of the Divan, ferves for a Monumental conhrmation of this Sto-
ry 3 and whereasit is accompany’d by many circumftances worthy our obfervation, I
think my felf oblig’d not to conceal them from the Reader.
In the Reign of Sultan Amurat, a certain private Perfon finding himfelf without
Wife or Children, refolv’d to undertake the Pilgrimage of Mecha. Betorehis departure,
he conceiv’d , that he could not better difpofé what he left behind him.that was mott
valuable, then by putting it into the hands of a Hoggiaja Dottor of the Law. He there-
upon left in his cuftody certain Jewels, ina little bag,intreating him to keep them till he
return’d,and declaring him his Heir,in cafe he dy’d in his Pilgrimage.It was the Pilgrim’s
fortune to return fafely from Mecha, and making no queition but to get what he had
entrufted the Hoggia withal, calls tor what he had depofited in hishands, The other
makes him a very cold anfwer, telling him, That he knew not what he meant, leaving
him very much firpriz’d at fo unexpected an account of his concerns. The-Pilgrim,fimo-
thering his difcontent, and reflecting, that the thing had been done without witneffes,
did nothing for fome days 5 but, afterwards,he Prefents a Petition to the Grand Vizir,
and acquaints him how all things had pafs’d between him and the Doctor. The Grand
Vizir perceiving there wasa great nicety in that affair, and that the Doctor might eafily
deny a thing which had been tranfacted without witneffes, bid the Pilgrim have pa-
tierice awhile, and that he would give the Grand Seignor an account of it ; which he
accordingly did. |
The Grand Seignor Commands the Vizir to be very circumfpect in the management
of that Affair, as being very defirous to fift out the truth of it, and orders him to {¢nd
for the Doctor, tomake protefiations of friendihip tohim, and to puthim in hopes
of being employ’d in things of great importance. Some days pafs on, while the
Grand Vigir minds what Game he had to play. At length, he fends for the Dodtor,
he commends his Ingenuity, and his Conduct; and fo putting him into very fair hopes,
he promifes him to prevail fo far with the Grand Seignor, as that he fhould have the
honour to kifs his hands, funce it was not jut, that fo tranfcendent a Wit as he fhould
_ beany longer unknown to his Highnefs. The Deétor overjoy’d at that difcourfe,
thought himfelf the happicft man in the World, efpecially when he faw,that the Grand
Vizir had made him his Hougia,which is as much as to fay, his Almoner. The Vizir
proceeds, and according to the fecret Orders he had receiv’d from the Grand Seignor,
gives the Doctor another Employment, which was, that he fhould bring him ina Re-
port of all the Criminal Affairs which could be prefented. The Grand Seignor, upon
the Report of the Hougia, ask’d him his advice, and what-punithment the guilty Perfon
deferv'd for the Crime whereof he was convine’d,the execution being to be done accor-
ding to the judgment which the Doétor had pafs’d,whom he made his ordinary Reader,
and would have near his Perfon.
Five or fix months pafs on in this manner, exe there could be any difcovery made
of the fallify’d Truft. And itis tobe obferv’d, That the Pilgrim had given the Grand
Seignor an exact Inventory of all the feveral things, which he had put into the lit-
tle Bag. Among other things, there was particular mention made of a Tesbuch of
fine Coral. This Tefbuch isa kind of Chappelet, or String of Beads, confifting, of nine-
ty
X
ty and nine beads, upon each of which, the Turks repeat certain words taken out of
fome fentences of the Alcoran. That Chapelet is divided into three parts, from thirty
three, to thirty three beads, by a little ftring, which feparates them: and at the end,
there hang’d a long piece of Corral, next to which there. was another round bead, of
the {ame material, of an extraordinary bignefs.
The more Puritanical fort of Turks have their Beads in their hands when they are
upon vifits, and efpecially when they approach great Perfons, and that very thing made
the firft difcovery of the Hoggia’s theft, and breach of truft. One day, coming into the
Seraglio with his Coral-beads in his hand, the Grand Scignor, before whom he pre-
{ented himfelf, cafting his eyes upon them,and prefently imagining, that it might well
be the Pilgrim’s Tefbwch, according to the defcription he had given of it in the Cata-
logue of what things were left in the little bag, told the Doctor, that he had a great
rarity there. The other immediately approaches him, and intreats his Highnef$ with
all {ubmiffion to accept of it. The Grand Seignor takes it, and making {ome difcove-
ries how acceptable that Prefent was to him, does, by that prudent diffimulation, caufé
a joy in him, whofe chafti{ement he was then contriving,
But that fingle indicium the Grand Seignor does not think enough, but he will have
other difcoveries ; and knowing that among other things that were in the bag, there
was a Ring, the work of an excellent and an ancient Mafter, famous for that fort of
Rings, which the Zarks wear on the Thumb, when they fhoot with the Long-bowe, he
expects a fecond occafion, in order toa fuller difcovery of the Cheat, and the more ab-
folute conviction of the Doctor,
°Twas not many dayes ere that happen’d, by the contrivance of the Emperour him-
(elf, who calling, for one of his Pages, one well skill’d in Archery, went to the place of
the Girit, where he alfo call’d for a Bowe,there being not any perfon in the whole Em-
pire but was inferiour to him, as to ftrength and dexterity in the Exercifes of the Bowe
and the Dart. When he came to bend the Bowe, he complain’d that the Ring hurt
his Thumb, prefuming that the Do¢tor, who ftood neer him, and had already prefented
him with the Coral-Beads, would alfo make him a proffer of the Ring, which he had
of the Pilerim’s. Is it poffible, faies the Grand Seignor, that there is not at this time
any Mafter living who can make a Ring any thing like fuch a one, whom he nam’d ?
The Doctor, te apprehenfion was not fo good, as to fee that this trap was laid
for his deftru@tion, and thinking, to infinuate him{elf more and more into the Grand
Seignor’s favour, told himT-hat, by good Fortune he had a Ring of that very Matter’s
work, which he had kept a long time, and that if his Highnief$ would-be pleas’d to ac-
cept of it, he would bring, it thither, which he prefently did. :
Affoon as the Grand Seignor was return’d to his own Quarter, he fent for the
Grand Vizir, and the Pilgrim, who came into his prefence, and he had in his hand the
Chapelet of Corral, which he made as if he were repeating, to try whether the Pilgrim
would know it again. The other having well obferv'd it,addrefs'd himfelf to the Em-
perour, faying, If it {hall plcafe your Highnefs to permit me to open my mouth, I dare
affirm, that the Chapelet, you have in your hands, is very like that, which wasin_ my
little bag, of Jewels, and poffibly I fhall not be miftaken, if I fay it is the very fame.
Whereupon the Grand Seignor commands him to come nearer, and putting the Chape-
Jet, and the Ring into his hands, the Pilgrim afhrms, upon his life, that they are the ve-
ry fame things, which he had left in the cuftody of the Dottor. He coming the next
morning, according, to his cuftom to make a report of fome criminal caufe to the Grand
Seignor, that Prince, who was a perfon of great ingenuity and apprchenfion, propofes
to him a cafe fomewhat of the fame nature with that between him and the Pil-
grim, and ask’d him what punifhment fuch a crime deferv’d, The unfortunate man,
blinded by a good fortune wherein he thought himfelfalready well cftabliff’'d, and what
was paft being, clearly got out ofhis remembrange, pronounc’d fentence againft himafelf,
and anfwers the Grand Scignor, That fuch a perfon, deferv’d to be pounded ative in 2
Mortar.
7 . 5 : a A fevere, but
Upon that fentence, the Emperour caus’d him to be immediately fecur’d, and having jujt Pawijhuent.
order’d
24
>
At what time,
how, the Grand
Seignor vids
out of the way,
thofe, whom he
fujpecls.
The days on
which Ambaf-
fadors come to
the Divan.
A Relation of the Chap.IV.
order’d all his chefts to be brought into the Seraglio, by the Baltagis, whom he fent
to his Lodgings, pulls out of his pocket the Chapelet of Coral.and the Ring, which he
fhewes him, and told him, that thofe twe pieces were taken out of a little bag, which
a Pilgrim ef Mechs had entrufied him with the cuftody of. He afterwards fhews him
the note or {chedule of all the other pieces, and commanding him to open his Chetts ,
the Jewels were there found which that unhappy man, convine’d of his guilt, and trem-
bling for fear, deliver'd up into the hards of the Grand Seignor. The Pilgrim was
wens
cald, and prcfently knew his bag, and his Jewels 5 and the Dottor, by an open con-
fufion, acknowledg’d his crime, and perfidioufnefs.
The next day, che Emperor order’d the Divan to be Affembled, at which he com-
manded that all the Grandees about Conftantinople (hould be prefent,to render the Judg-
rent the more folemn. He firlt commanded, that whatever belong’d to the Pilgrim
hould be refior'd to him, together with fome additional recompence : and his next
command was,That the Doctor fhould be punifh’d, according, to his own Sentence. To
that end, order was given, that a fione fhould be made hollow, after the form of a
Moitar, into which he was thrown ftark naked, and pounded alive by the common
Exccuticners. And that is the fame Stone-Mortar, which I have often feen near the
Gate of the Dirzn, and is left there, for a Memorial of fo admirable and fo folemn a
Judgment. And this was the period of a Hiftory, whereof all the circumftances are re=
markable, and which is not one of the Jeaft Monuments of the Wifdom of the Empe-
rour Amurat. That Prince, inftead of ufing his abfolute power at the firft overture of
fuch an Affair, thought it fitter, by a perfpicacity of mind and prudence, patiently to
expe remote occations, that he might thence deduce evident proots of a conceal’d
crime: and his intention was to raife the Do¢tor to great dignities,if he had found him
inmocent; and to punith him feverely, as he did, upon the difcovery of his guile,
I told you at the beginning, of this Chapter, that of the four dayes of the Week, ap-
pointed for the fitting of the Divan, thofe which are anfwerable to our Sunday and
Tuefday are the principal, as being thofe on which the Affairs of greatett importance
are debited. They call thofe two dayes Arzghinnz, in regard, that after the Grand
Vizir, the fix other Vizirs, and the two Cadile(quers, who allift at the Divan, have ad-
miniftred Juftice, they go all together to kifS the Grand Seignor’s hands, Ifany one
of thofe Nine Judges have patt to fay to him, he is permitted, cn thofe dayes, to
{peak to him freely ; and it is ordinarily upon thofe dayes alfo, that the Grand Seig-
nor takes his time, if he has a mind to take off any one. He then orders the Bo/tange-
Bachi to be ready, with fome of thofe who attend him, to exccute his will ; and_ha-
ving declar’d tc him who they are,whom he would have ftrangled,the order is no foon-
er given, but that cither at their arrival, or at their departure, it is punctually obey’d.
True it is, that he dees not demean himfelf fo, but when he is afraid of fome popular
{edition, in cafe he fhould {end to punifh them in their own Houfes, where they might
make fome refiftance. But within the Seraglio, and in fight of the Fanizaries, who
are in their flations near the Divan, the unfortunate Perfon, whom they would have to
be flrangled, has no more to do then to bow down his Head, and to ftretch out his
Neck, without thinking, of any refiftance, which would be to no purpofe. In the
Eleventh Chapter, I fhall give an account at large, how they proceed to that exe-
cution.
A little beyond the Hall of the Divan, you come to another Hall, rais’d up after the
manner of a Balcony, where the Ambaffadors are {eated, when they aflift at the Divan,
and that they do, once in three months, and upon the dayes, that the Fanizaries Ye-
ceive their pay. There is notice {ent them to be there, out of a vain oftentation, that
they may fee, what abundance of money goes out of the Treafury. Between thefe two
Halls there is 2 Gate, which leads to the Quarter of the Bultagis, “Thofe are a fort of
{trong and robuft People, employ’d, as I told you, in carrying of Wood all about the
Seraglio, and other mean and painful Offices. As to the wood, which is burnt in the
Appartments of the Women, they disbirthen themfelves of it at the door, where the
Negro-Eunuchs take it up, and carry it into the Baths and other rooms, into which
they only are permitted to go. And this is all that’s confiderabl: in that {econd Court.
L.ct us now enter further into the Scraglio, and {ce how things are manag’d there.
| CHAP.
f
Chap. V. Grand Seignor’s SERaG.tio, 35
GH A.B Ve
Of the inner part of the Seraglio, in general, and
particularly, of the Quarter of the Ennuchs, and
the Icboglans,
Tue Principat Heaps.
The Ichoglans educated under a fevere Difcipline. The great
Officers of the Port taken out of the fame School. The mife-
rable condition of the Children of the Bafla’s. The great Autho-
rity of the Capi-Aga. The Claffes, through which the young
Lads of the Seraglio are to pafs. The Quarters of the four prin-
| cipal Eunuchs.
HE inner Seraglio is that part of the great Palace of the Ottorian Emperouts,
which, from the Second Court, whereof we have given a defcription, ex=
tends to the point, at which place the Gardensare terminated, and which
comprehends, in general, the Grand Seignors Quarter, and the Quarter
of the Sultaneffes. But in regard the former is diftinguifh’d into {éveral
Appartments, appointed for the Habitations of the Officers, who ordinarily approach
the Grand Seignor’s Perfon, and are his moft neceffary attendants, I will condué the
Reader from onc to another, and give a diftin@ relation of every one of them. In this
Chapter, I fhall treat only of thofe Appartments which are taken up by the Exnuchs,
and the Ichoglans, who are under their Difcipline. ,
At the beginning of this DifCourfe; I made mention of the four principal Eanuchs, watt
who have others fubfiitute to them, to obferve the ations. of thofe oung Lads, who Hes i cig
are committed to their charge, and to inftruét them, as well in SB Mabesiet an Reli-. vere difcipline.
gion, as m the Excrcifes of the Body, and particularly, as to what relates to the Grand
Seignor’s Services The Quarter,as well of the Exauchs, as the Ichoglans ftands next
to the Divan-Hall, and begins to make part of the third Court, all along, which it
reaches on the lett hand. It _is divided into feveral Appartments, and among other$ ,
there are four, which they call Oda’s, that is to fay, Chambers, into which are diftri-
buted fix hundred IJchvglans, according to the orders of the Capi-Aga, who, with the
other principal Eznxchs, judges of every ones capacity. Tis the Capi-Aga alfo, who
orders their paifing out of one Oda into another, as we remove our Scholars from a
fixth form to a fifth 5 and the cafe is the fame in their Od2’s as in-our Forms, or Cla{-
fes, ths firft of the four Oda’s, the {everitics whereof they mutt weather out as well as
they can, being the laft in point of dignity. When he makes his general Vilitation ,
upon which follows the forefaid promotion,he turns out of the Seraglio, all thofe whom
he thinks uncapable of doing their Prince good Service, and that fuch as betray their
difguit of {6 auttere a life ; and then they are put out of all hopes of ever entring into”
the Seraghio any more, and cannot pretend to any other Fortune, then that of Spabis,
witha {mall pay. The advantage of capacitating themfelves for the moft eminent
Charges of the Court andthe Empire, makes thofe who remain behind to take the
greater courage, and accordingly they patiently fuffer, for the fpace of many years, the
harth and unmerciful treatments of the Eunuchs, whom, upon all occafions, they al-
wayes tind very liberal of the Baftinado. (eae
They are thofe Ichog/ans, whom we may alfo call the Grand Seignor’s Pages, who
Creo are
26 A Relation of the Chap.V 1.
are advanc’d to the dignity of Baffv’s, Beys, Capigi-bachis, Haznadar-Bachis, and the
other xreat Offices of the Port. But they are particularly culPd out of the number of
The wretched the Tribi itary Children, who are taken away from the Chriftians, or taken in War, by
ve Wes, Sea or Land, For, as to the Beiexades, or Children of Baffa’s, whom they bring up
children. in the Seraglio, you are to remember what I have already faid, that they can never
afcend higher, than to the Charges of Beys, or Captains of Galleys.
When any one of thefe Ichoglans is defirous to remove out of the Seraglio, or if
any one of the white Eunuchs has the fame detire, he prefents a Petition to the Capi-
Aga, who carries it to the Grand Seignor, he receives his difmiffion, and is allow’d
a certain Pay, proportionably to the continuance and quality of his Services. But there
are others, whom the fame Capi-Aga turns out of the Seraglio againit their wills, and
that after they had weather’d out the firft years, which are the moft infupportable.
And that is done fometimes upon this fcore, that the Capi-Aga having, had tome con-
teft with any one of thofe Ichoglans, while they were Camerades in the time of their
youth, and Faring le he fhould come one day to traverfe his defigns, he employs all
his credit and intereft, to remove him out of the Seraglio,but withal procuring him a
Recompence and Salary, according to the number of years he has ferv’d.
ze claffis The firft of the four Chambers, into which the Ichoglans are diftributed, has the
sirspal abiih greateft number of them, becaufe they are yet very young, and as it were Novices,
sie Dude under the firft Perula : andit is called the Couchouwk-Oda, that is to fay, the little
brought into the Chamber, though it be the largeft of them all, in regard it is the lowelt in point of
Seraglio areto Dionity. There they are taught to read and write, aud arc initiated in the firft
pals. rounds of the Mahometan Law. And after they have {pent fix years in that Cham-
ber, they are remov’d into the fecond, which they call Qwilar-Oda, wherein being
grown more robuft, they are inftructed in the Exercifes of the Body, in fhooting with
tae Bowe, ufing the Lance and other divertifements of that kind. They are more
perfected in the {peaking of the Turkifp Language, whereto they alfo adde the Arabian,
and the Perfian, which they fhall have occafion to ufe, in the Governments whercto
they may be fent.
There are four years {pent in this fecond Chamber, out of which they are again re-
mov’d into thethird, which they call Chafnadar-Oda, or the Chamber of the Treafu-
ry. In this Chamber, they begin to do the Grand Seignor fome fervice, and to be im-
ploy’d in the Wardrobe, and the Baths, and there they are alfo taught to ride, and to
perfect themfelves in the Exercifes futable to that Station, wherein they ordinarily {pend
four years. Each of thefe three forementioned Chambers has a white Eunuch for its
chief Overfeer. The Serai-Agafi has the direction of the firft, the Q-ilargi-bachi Com-
mands in the {@cond 5 and the Chafnadar-bachi is the Governour of the third,
I fhall have occafion to fpeak more at large of the two laft, when I come to the
Chapters of the Cup-bearers Office, and the Treafiury ; and therefore I thall only add
here; concerning, all the three in general, That the Ichoglans, who are inftructed there-
in, have not any commerce with thofé of the fourth Chamber, of whom J fhall give
an account by and by, nor with any other perfon out of the Seraglio, or in the other
Courts, but with the particular permiffion of the Capi-Aga, andin the prefence of an
Eunuch, who hears all that is faid : That they cannot converfe amongii themfelves,
but at certain regulated hours; and that converfation muft be manag'd with a great
obfervance of Modefty, as there is an exa¢t Obedience remarkable in all their deport-
ments: And laftly, that they are all clad in ordinary Cloath, even to the Beiczadeés;
thatis, the Sons of Vigirs and Baff#s who are dead, while thofe of the fourth Cham-
Ber wear Cloath of Gold and Silver, becaufé they come into the Grand Seignor’s pre-
fence, and often approach his perfon. I hall give you anaccount anon of their Dor-
mitories, that is the places where they take their repofe, as alfo of the Functions of the
Oda-bachi and the Deflergi-Aga, who act according to the Orders they receive from the
four Eunuchs.
The fourth Chamber, which is the Prince’s Chamber, is called Haz-Oda, and I
thall {peak of it, when I come to treat of the Cup-bearers Office, and the Grand
: Seignor’s
Seig nor’s {ecret Appartment. Here, the Ichoglans, who have endur’d hardthip fo ma-
ny years in the three firlt Chambers, begin to take breath, and to be allow’d more
liberty. They are permitted to converfe with all Perfons within the Seraglio, and they
have the advantage of frequent approaches to the Prince’s Perfon, to whom they make
themfelves known, and from whom they ever and anon receive favours;
Under the Gate of the third Court, where a certain number of Eunuchs are upon The Quarters
the Guard night atid day, there is a paffage’on the left hand which leads into a little & the sion
2 ; ae rincipa
Gallery, out of which there is an entrance iigto the Appartment of the Capou-Agafi 5 Ei
and when the great Gate is open, it hides that paffage, into which a man cannot en
ter but with fome difficulty.
partment of the Serai-Agafi, who is to take care for the keeping of the Seraglio clean
and in good order s and alittle farther yet, near a little Mofquey, where the Icho-
glans of the three firft Chambers go to their Devotions, lies the Quarter of the Sefer-
lis who are an hundred and fifty of the Ichoglans, or thereabouts, Particularly ap»
pointed for the wathing of the Grand Seignor’s Linnen. When he goes into the Goun-
try, the moft antient among them are of his Retinue ; and there muft be comprehend-
ed in that number, fuch as play on Timbrels, aud the other Inftrumental Muficians,
who have the {ame appointments with the reft. |
A little further, and on the right hand of the Hall of the Audience, fiands the Ap-
[ct us now enter into the Hall of Audience, which is a Quarter as ’twere indepen-
dent from others, and where the Grand Seignor receives Forein Ambaffadors,
Or A Po ye
Of the Hall wherein the Grand Seignor gives Au-
dience to Forein Ambaffadors, and the manner
how they are receiv’d.
Tue Paincr®at Heaps.
The defcription of the Hall of Audience. The Grand Seignor’s
Throne. Ihe manner how AmbafJadors are receiv'd. Remarks
upon the number of Vestments which the Grand Seignor orders to be
bestow'don the Ambaffadors of Chriftian Princes. The form of
the Oath of Allegiance, which the Cham. of the Leffer Tartary
comes to take at the fame place.
He Third Court of the Seraglio, wherein we now aie, is far from being The Hall o
fo regular, as the precedent, and the Structures within fufficiently difco- Asdience de.
ver, that the perfons, by whom it was built, minded .not the obfervance /7#4.
of any Order in the doing of it. When youare at the Gate of this Court,
you have juft oppofite to you a little Appartment, not adjoyning to the
others, at the entrance of which you find, on both fides, a Fountaiti iffaing out of
Wall, the Water whereof is receiv’d into two Bafins or Cifterns: Arid °tis in this
Appartment that the Hall of Audience ftands. Tis an arched Stru@ture noble enough
in its kind, fuftain’d by Marble Pillars, and there is yet to be {een in the midft of it,
(F 2) a {mall’
38
re mee erg eee
A Relation of the Me Chap.V E
final fpout of Water, which falls into a Bafin, ‘This Hall ts open of all fides, and
The Grand
Seignor’s
Thrones
The manner of
receiving the
Ambaffadors,
J
at the lower-end, oppofite to the Gate, they place the Grand Scignor’s Throne.
This Throne, whichis rich enough, isin the manner of an Altar, and ir is brought
into that Hall only upon thofe days, whereon the Grand Seignor is willing to give Aw
dience to Ambaffadors, and when the new Cham ot the Letfer ‘Zartaay, whom he has
chofen to govern there, comes to receive the Invetticure of his Kingdom, and to take
the accuftomed Oath. . The back-tide of the T hrone, is {et againlt a partition erected
for that purpofe, which is not above half@a foot higher than it, and tis that Keeps in
the cufhions which are behind the Grand Setgnor.
There are in the Treafury-Chamber eight feveral very fumptuous Coverings pur-
polcly made to cover the aforefaid Throne : and they are fo large, that they reach
down to the ground on three fides ‘of it, that is to fay, before, on the right hand, and
on the left : for as to the back-part, it is, as I told you, faften’d to the partition. The
moft Magnificent of all thofe Coverings is of a black Velvet, with an Ponbiyakey of
great Pearls, whereof fome are'long, and others round, and in the form of* Buttons.
There is another of white Velvet, fet out wich an Embroydery of Rubies and Eme-
ralds, moft whereof are fet in Beazils, or Collets, the better to keep themin, There
is a third, of a Violet-colour’d Velvet, embroyder’d with Turguefes and Pearls. The
three others, which are next in efteem to thefe, ‘are allo of Velvets of different Co-
lours, with a rich Embroydery of Gold. Ang the two lalt are of a Goald-Bro-
kado,which have alfO their particular Beanty and fumpcuoufinefs. The Throne is adorn’d
with one of thefe coverings, according to the Grind Seignor’s refpect to the Sove-
reign, whofe Embaffy he receives 5 and he levels his own Magniticence to that of the
Prince whom he would honour,
And this is the manner, how Ambaffadors are receiv’d into that Hall. F or, as to
the Order, and Ceremonies of their march from the Hote/, or great Houfe of Pera, to
the Port of Conjtantinople, andfrom the Port, “to the Seraglio, no queftion but there
have been Relations enough made already. Atter the Ambaffador has.din’d in the
Hall of the Divan, with the Grand Viger, wh e red. him, while his Retinue
are entertain’d under the Gallery, upon fome old. Carpets of Leather, which they
pies upon the ground, and upon which: theré area few Difhes of Meat fer, he re-
s (Rew! ou pews E> be. ‘ ce . nee 3 .
céives the Vets or Garments, which the Grand Scignor fends him, as well for his
own Perfon, as for thofé who accompany him, and they put'them on immediatdly,
overall the Cloaths they have about them, as they would do a Morning-Gown,
In this Equipage the Ambaffador is coff@udted. to the Hall of Audience, by the Ca-
pi-Aga, the Grand Mafter of the “Ceremonies, who is aififted by feveral Eunuchs :
and when he is at the Door, two Vixirs ftand ready to receive him, and they go on
each fide of him, till he comes to ‘the place, where he is to bowe , and to kifS the
Grand Seignor’s Garment. From the very Gate of the Court, kept by the Eunuchs,
quite to that of the Hall, they walk all along upon Carpets of Silk 3 and the Floor of
the Hall, thouplrall pav’d with Marble, is allo cover'd with another Carpet of Gold,
_ the Workmanthip whereof fomewhat-reftmbles that of our ordinary Straw-Mats, and
The Grand Seignor demeans himfelf with a great deal of gfavity, while he isin his
Thrones and behind the little Wall or Partition,againft which it is {et,you {ce,fianding
in order,the Kifler-Agafi,who isa Negro-Eunuch,and chief Overféer of thé Appartment
of the Women; the Seligder-Agawho catries'the Grand Scignor’s Swords the Ghoks-
dar-Aga,who caxriés the RoyabRobe,an Officer whom in France,they call Porte-Munteass
miich about the fame thicknefs.
the Riguabdar, who holds the Stirrap, when thePrince gets on Horfe-back and the
that of Grand Mafterof the Wardrobe. a i ae
~All thefé fore-mentioned Officers do all deport themfelves with a great appearance
of mo lefty, having their Arms:crofs their’Breatts ': “And ‘aé to the Capi-Aga, the In-
Hazodabachi, chief of theChamber; whichOfhce would be equivalent in ’France, to
trodu tor to the Ambaffadors, and Grand Matter of the Seraglio, he ftands in the
midft of the Hall, and in the fame potture of humility. “Ono the feft fide of the
Throne,
Chap, VI. Grand Seignor’s Seracuio. 39
= : . . > . ; ee
Throne, there isa kind of a low Seat, cover’d with red Velvet, with a Gold-f
on which the Ambaffadors go and fit down, after they have kifs’d the Grand Saeners
Robe, till fuch timeas thofe of their Retinue, who have had Vets, the number where-
of is limited, have perform’d the fame Ceremony: In the mean time, all the Balfa’s
are ftanding, in the prefence of their Prince; nay, the Cham of the Leffer Tartary RA
not excepted out of that Law, when he comes to do homage.. -All this ation’ is pers
form’d in great filence, and the Grand Scignor making no anfwer *at all at that'time
leaves it to the Grand Vigér, to make fome fhort Complement,. in order to the difinif.
fion of the Ambaffador, who withdraws with a profound reverence, without ‘tncove-
ring his head, or turning his back, till he be out of the Hall. eeirs'
The Minifters of Chriftian Princes and States who ordinarily refide at the Port. aré
he Amb. : “rance. and Veni D sf . .
the Ambaffadors of England, France, and Venice, and the Retident of the States Gene«
ral.who have all their refpective Habitations in Pera. When there come thither any Am-
baffadors or Refidents from the Emperor, or from Poland, or Mufcovy, they oblige
them to take up their abodes at Contantinople, that they may be the more affur’d -of
their perfons. : :
The Grand Scignor diftinguifhes the Quality of thofe Princes and States, and the ge a” the
eftcem he has for them, by the number of Vells which -he orders tobe beftow’d by? Y Ves
; ; AL which the
their Ambaffadors when they come to Audience. The Ambaffador of France has fou Grand Scignor
and twenty allow’d him the Ambaifador of England, fixteen ; the Ambaffador or orders to be gi-
Agent of Venice receives twelve, and the Dutch Ambaffador as many. ven the Am-
: baffadors of
Chrifiian
Princes,
When Monfieur de Marcheville was Ambaffador in Turkey, from his moft Chriftian
Majeity of France, 1 had the honour to be one of thofe who accompany’d him to the
Seraglio, where after Dinner with the Vizirs, in the Divan-Hall, while his Retinue
were treated under the Gallery, the Vefts were broyght according to the cuftome.
The Ambaffador coming to diltribute them to thofe whom he 'thad. a mind to favour,
and take along with him to the Audience, he was much furpriz’d, to find .thathe had
got but fixteen. He immediately fent word to the Grand Vizir, that he wanted eight
Vefts, and that he would not go to his Audience, till he had the full number, which
they had wont to:prefent to the Anibaffadors “of France. There was fome conteft
about it, which retarded the Audience near an hour’s time; but at laft Monfieur de
Marcheville perfifting in his refolution, the Grand Vizir comply’d, and fent him eight
other Vetts. ws
Qo ate ee ae ; :
What remains of this Chapter muft reprefent the. trot pom ae Chee of the The Form of
Lcffer Tartary comes into this Hall of Audience to take the.Oath of Allegiance to.the the Oath of
Grand Seignor. The Reader will be pleas’d to remember, ‘what: Obfervation ¥ made aehge 28
at the beginning, of this Work concerning ‘the Family of that Tributary Princeswhom Cham of a
the Ottoman Fimptrors keep under the Yoke. The Cham, who is to Reign in his turn, Leffer Tartary
and according, to what difpofal the Grand Seignor has made of the Government, rc- to the Grand.
fents himft!t before him in the Hall ef Audience, and after he has ‘kifs’d his Riobe; re- 587"
tires fome paccs back, and ttands. Then they bring in the Alchoran, upon a great
green Velvet Cuihion, without any Embroydery, at the four Corners whereof there
are tour Taffels of Gold and Silk, and they place ition the Grawd\ Seignor’s' right
hand. Now whereas he fits on a Carpet crofs-legg?d-there mult be gréat-caretakensthat
the Cuthion be not fo high as his knees 5 for the Turks would accoynt, that a grcat{in;
and they bear {0 great a relpect to the Book of the Alchoran, that they cannot touch
it, till they have hirlt wath’d them({elves. Before they open it, they kus: it, and put it
upon their heads, and after they have read fomething in it, they kifS the writing of it,
and then they rub their faces with it, before they {hut it. The Prince, who is to take
his Oath, is fanding all this time, as 1 told you, with his hands ftretch’d‘otit @né
againlt the other, and lifted up as highas.his {houlders, to receive the Book’ 6fthe #/-
choran out of thofe of the Capi-Aga, who hadibeen to take it off thé: Crlhion;’ having
kif¥'d.it, and touch’d his head with ic. The Oath which thé Cham takes is in thefe
Words : Bou. quittab hak juchun feadetlw , padichagm, taré fin den her
né Emir, vé ferman bana Relewrfe itaat ideymt. That is fay, By the Teutb
%
40
_A Relation of the Chap. VII.
of this Book, I will caufe to be executed all the Orders and Commands mich fall s
brought unto me from my Lord.
And now that I have given you the Oath of Allegiance made by the Vaffil to his
Lord, I fhall here alfo adde the Form of that, which the Ottoman Emperour requires of
all the Chriftian Princes, who are fubject to his Jurifdi@ion, fach as are the Prices
of Moldaviaand Walachia. Itruns in thefe words - Fiz if a hac Juchum, fea-
detlu padichaim taré fin den her né Emir, vé ferman bana ‘Relewi/e itaat
Ideym. That is to fay, By the Truth of Jefus Chrift, Imill camft to be executed ol}
ited
the Orders and Commands , which {hall be brought unto me from the Emperoxr, My
Lord, :
The Grand Seignor requires alfo an Oath of Allegiance of all the Baffa’s, whom he
fends to the Frontiers of the Empire, as the Baffas of Grand Cairo, Babylon, and Bin.
da, which is more than he exacts of the other Governours of Provinces, which are
not npon the Confines of his Territories, and of whom he has no ground to be
afraid.
Let us now make our Entrance into the Quarter of the Exnuchs and the
whereof the Baths make a great part.
bis itt
c MT, ot,
dL Ogi ANS,
CHAP. VIL
Of the Baths of the Seraglio,
<3 Tue Principar ‘Heaps,
The prodigious ftreneth of Body of a certain Ichoglan. The Mof-
quey belonging to the Appartment of the Eunuchs. The Employ-
ments of the Dwarfs, and the Mutes. The Juperftition of the
Turks in the manner of paring their nails. The Colours forbidden
the Chriftians in whatever they wear about their heads. The De-
_ fcription of the Baths. Certain abufes reform’d. Why the Inhabi-
tants of the Eastern Parts do not make ufe of Paper upon an rnrde~
cent account. ‘Ihe Perfians more fcrupulous than the ‘Turks.
They are great lovers of cleanline?. ~ Certain Chambers very com-
modious and divertive. The ftrict prohibition of Mahomet for
any one to fuffer himfelf to be feen ftark naked. A certain Earth
which takes off the hair, and its dangerous effects.
WONHE Baths defign’d for the Grand Seignor’s own Perfon, and his principal
Officers, take up a great {pace of the Quarter of the Eunuchs. The little Ovens,
whereby they are heated, called Kulkans, arc adjoyning to the Appartment of
—— the Sarai-houdafi, and fifteen Ichoglans, the moft robuft that can be found, are
employ'd in keeping the fire going. They have the denomination of K ulkangis 5 and
Five and twenty Sih who are named Dellaks, are employ’d in the Baths, to thave
and rub the Body, as alf in applying Cupping-Glaffes to thofe who ftand ee
thereo
$ ry . g . - ian a _ benitl ineteeh onus ats . ;
Chap.VIl. Grand Seignor’s Seractio, 41
a a a Aaa a ET
thereof. Among the K/kangis, he who is the moft ancient in that employment has
a pre-eminence and fuperiority over the reft, whom he many times commands to ex-
ercife themfclves in wralilings and lifting a heavy Iron Barr with one hand.
There are three fuch Bars fatten’d upon great Cramp-Irons over the door that g0¢s he prodigious
into the Baths, and the middlemoft of the three, as it is commonly reported, weighs a ftrength of Body
hundred Oxkes, which amount to Three hundred and fifty pounds, Paris weight, an of 4 certaix
Okka weighing three pounds and a halt, or thereabouts, There was heretofore one of !choglan,
thofe Ichoglans, of {0 prodigious ftrength, that the Gtand Seignor himfelf would
have the fatisfaction of {ecing, a tryal, whether he could with one hand lift up and
turn about that Tron-bar ; which he did to the great aftonithment of the Prince, and
prefently after he cntertain’d him with another demonftration of the ftrength of his
Arm. Over thofe three Iron-bars, there hung, two Head-pieces of Iron, whereof one
was an inch in thicknefs, and the other about the eighth part of an inch. The fame
Ichoglan did, in the Grand Scignor’s prefence, at one blow of a Battle-Axe, cut through
the head-piece of an inch thick, and, at one blow with a Sabre, cleft the other to the
middle of it. :
Oppofite to thofe Ovens are the Cocks,whereby the Waters are difttibuted into the he atofquey
{cveral Rooms of the Baths; and I forgot to tell you, That before you enter into that belonging to
place, you tind a little Mofquey, adjoyning to the Appartment of the Szraiket-houdafi, t es,
where all the Ichoglans go to their devotions twice a day. If they fail the doing of it, =e
the Oda-bachi, who, in every Chamber, takes notice of their demeanours, calls them
to an account, and they are fure of the baftinado, as they are alfo for any Other faule
they commit; and fometimes they receive the faid punifhment on the foles of their
feet, and, upon fome occafions to fuch a number of blowes, that the nails of their
toes come off; and that is the punifhment which is properly call’d Drubbing.
Out of that Mofquey you pafS into a Gallery, adjoyning to the Baths, and there the The em loge
Diflis and the Geages 5 that is to fay, the Mutes and the Dwarfs are employ’d in fome ment of the
work or other all day long. Some fpend the time in learning to make up Turbants, Dwarfs ana
wherein there is more work and difficulty than is imagin’d, efpecially in making up sain
the Grand Scignior’s own Turbant, when he goes to the Divan. For then he takes an
extraordinary large one, as do alfo all the Officers of the fame Divan when they go to
Council: and I cannot make a better reprefentation of that kind of Turbant, then by
the form of our largeft fort of Citrals, if they be made hollow in the middle, fo as that
the head might enter into that hole.
Others are amploy'd in fhaving,paring the nails, and other things of that kind. They
do not make ufe of any Scizars for the nails, in Turkey, nor in any part of Afia ; it
being a thing forbidden by Mahomet in his Law, and accordingly they account the do-
ing of ita great fm. But they make ufe of a little Steel Inftrument, fomewhat like a
Pen-knife, and the only cutting part is the end of it, and they are dextrous enough
in the performance of that Office. It is the Cuftome all over the Eaft, that the Barber,
who trims you, fhould alfo make up your Turbant, which is many times difCompos’d,
pare the nails of your hands and toes, and take away the filth out of your Ears: For
the Turks and all the Inhabitants of Afia are great lovers of cleanlinef$, and cannot en-
dure the leaft naftinefS, cither on themfelves, or thofe who come near them, as I fhall
give you an account anon.
And having {poken fo much of the Turbant, it will not be unfeafonable, for me to Colours forbid
communicate this Remark to you here, That in the Ottoman Empire, and all over Ara- 4¢n the chrifti-
bia, none but Mahbumetans are permitted to make uf of White, for the covering of their we mtbeir
heads; whercas in Perfia, and all over the Great Mogul’s Empire, men may take what *’ ooh
Colours they pleafe themfelves, ree
I come now to the Great Bath,which is adjoyning to the Chamber of the Hamangi- ‘The defeription
bachi, who is the chief Overfeer of it, and which makes part of the Appartment of the 9 the Baths«
Seferlis, or the Grand Seignor’s Laundry-men. The place where they put off their
Cloaths is a {pacious Louver, or Banquetting-houfe of Freeftone, high cnough, and in
one
42 * A Relation of the Se Rehapaih.
one of the moft eminent parts of theSeraglio. The Floor is pav’d with a very delight.
ful kind of Marble Jaid in fquare picces 5 and it has two large Windows jutting onc
upon the Gardens, fomewhat like Balconies, from which you have a Profpect ot the
two Seas. In the midft of that Dome or Lowver,you find a Fountain, the water where-
of is receiv’d into two Bafins, or Cifterns: The former, which is the highctt, and
withal the leaft, is of one picce of White Marble, having, in it a little intermixture of
Red and Black Veins, and pierc’d through at fix feveral places, for the reception of {6
many finall Pipes of Copper, through which the water falls down into the other Bafin,
which is alfo of Marble, of feveral pieces, and {everal colours.
Abnfisveform'd. Within the Domo, there is a great number of Poles,which are difpos’d all about ir,
and {upported by certain pieces of Tron coming out of the wall. Upon thofe Poles
they dry the Linnen, which they had us’d in the Bath 5 and of that Linnen there are
{everal forts. Heretofore, the Pages were allow’d only a long piece of Linnen Cloath,
which came only twice about their wafts: but upon obfervation made,that they abus’d
them, and that handfome young Lads playing together, fnatch’d that piece of Linnen
one from the other, purpofely to difcover their nakednefs, they ufe inthe Baths only
{uch Garments of Linnen as are fow’d clofe above, and reach from the waite down
to the feet, much after the manner of a Woman’s Petti-coat. At their coming ont of
the Bath, they have two other forts of Linnen to dry themfelves withal, of the large- .
nefs of ordinary Table-Cloaths, whereot the one is Red, with a bordure of Silk of
three fingers breadth, which covers them, as foon as they are out of the water, from
the wafte downwards to the Ham 3 and the other is white, wherewith they rub them-
felves. For thefe two forts of Towels they have but one name, to wit, Pécheta~
mal,
why the Le- On onc fide of the Fountain, which isin the midft of the Domo, there is an en-
vantines do of trance into the bath, and near that is the Hall, where they uncloath themfelves in the
pes erat Winter-time. A little Gallery which lies on the left hand, leads to the places delign’d
e for the eafing of nature, and every feat has a little Cock, which fipplics than with
water to wath themfelves, after they have done. It is accounted .a heinous fin among
them, to make ufe of Paper for that purpofe 5 and the reafon they give for itis this,
that, pofibly, the Name of God might be written upon it, or it might contain fome
Text of the Law, which would be a profanation of it, and confequently ought to be
avoided. Befides, they have another opinion, That Paper is not fo proper fo well to
make-clean thatpart, which the neceflity of the Body docs ordinarily fo much defile,
but that there may be fomething, of ordure Jett; and that being oblig’d to prefent
themfelves before God with an abfolute Purity of Body and Mind, their Prayers could
not be heard, if they fhould not be wholly clean.
The Perfians The Perflans are yet more {crupulous than the Turks upon this account. For though
more ferupulons they both agree in this, That their Devotions are ineffectual , nay indeed that they are
than the not in a condition to perform them, without crime, if they be not pure, as to Body and
Turks, Mind; Yet the tosmer are of a perfwafion, That the leaft ordure which, through
negligence or inadvertency, might remain upon their perfons, or their garments,
would render theic Prayers fruitlefs and criminal, which the Turks, fomewhat lefs
fuperftitious as to that particular, will not acknowledge. |
They are great Certain it is alfo, That in Perfia they are extraordinary Lovers of cleanlinefs; in-
. Lovers of clean- {ouch that I have obferv’d, That at [jpban, the Metropolis of that Country, where
. Uitte the Streets are not pav’d, when there falls a little Snow or Rain, which muft occafion
fome dirt, few people will come out of their houfes, unlefs they be forc’d thereto by
{ome Concern of great importance. And when they do go abroad at fuch a time, at
the houfe door into which they are to enter, they put off their thooes, their upper-
Garment, the Cap which covers their Turbants; and if they have the leaft dirt or filth
“about them, they think themfelves impure, and that it would be a difrefpe@ to the
perfon whom they are to vifit. Nay, a Perfian fhall be very {crupulous, and make a
great difficulty to receive a man into his houfe in foul weather ; and if any one pee
ents
{ents himfelf into that pleafure, he makes a fign to him with his hand to keep at a
certain diftance from him, in the place wherein he is to enter into difcourfe with him
For if by chance, as he comes out of the Street, where there is fome dirt, and where
horfes pafs to and fro, and may caft fome of it upon him, he has the leaft {pot of
any dageling about him , and afterwards touch the Perfon whom he ‘comes to
vilit, this latter would be nagis, that is to fay, unclean, and thereupon be oblig’d
immediately to change his cloaths; fo great is the Superttition of the Perfians, as to
that particular. : “
At the end of the Gallery,there is a door which gives you paffage into three Cham-
Bi}
Chambers O09
bers, which are fo many Baths for the ufe of the Grand Seignor’s Quarter. Thete is d#vertive
adjoyning to the laft of thofe Chambers a fpacious place pav’d Checquer-wife with
Marble of different colours, and there the Ichoglans are trimm’d. This place has a
little emimency in the midit of it, from which there is a gentle defcent of all fides, that
the Water wherewith the Barbers waih their Heads and Beards may the more eafily be
carried off, and the place be alwaies kept dean. On both fides of the Wall, whereb
it is enclos’d, there is a great double Cocky: with two Keyes belonging to it, which,
at the fame mouth, fupplyes them alternately with either hot water, or cold, and that
falls into a Bafia or Receptacle of White Marble, wherein.three or four men may bathe
themfelves without any inconvenience, or trouble one to the other. There is alfo at
one of the ends a little Room of Black and White Marble, and there the Barbers, who
have no knowledge of any other Proféffion, put up all their neceflary Utenfils and
Inftruments, as Razots, Hones, Ballsf and thofe Irohs wherewith ‘they pare. their
Nails : for as for Linnen, they do not ufe any ; and thofe who are to be fhav’d come
in ftark naked from the Watte upwards, and are cover’'d from thence downwards,
only with a Cloath, which reaches to the Ankle. °Tis a great Rarity to meet with
any one among thofe Barbers that knowes how to let blood, and their Lanccts are
much like the Fleams, wherewith our Farriers bleed Horfes,
©ppofite to the Chamber of the Barbers, there are three other Rooms arch’d with
Marble, the largeft whereof much furpaffes in Beauty thofe that are adjoyning to it.
The Floor of it is of white and black Marbleand the Walls are done about with {quare
pieces, that are white and blew, and in cvery one of them you find a Flower in em-
bofs’d Work, done to the Life, and which a man would take for enamell. Little La-
mines or Plates of Gold cover the junctures of thofe, pieces, and there cannot
any thing be imagin’d more pleafant and divertive than that Chamber is. In t
of ft, there are feveral round holes, of about half a foot*diameter, over which ¢
are little Glaffes made in the fafhion of Bells, ordex’d as the Venice-Looking-Glaffes
and Commerc
A045. ,
are, left any one fhould have the auriofity, to get up to the Roof, and laying himfelf
upon his belly think to {ee what is done in the Bath. The place has no light but what
it receives by the means of thofe holes,and while fome body is in the Bath: But efpe-
cially when they go out of it, the door is hut, the better to keep in the heat, and to
prevent their being {een which might be, if inftead of thofe forementioned holes in
the Roof, there were Windows below, according to our Mode. All the other Baths
have their Structures after the fame manner, and having no light but what comes at
little glaz’d holes, there is not any paffage into it, but that of the door, to the end
that being prefently fhut, the heat might the better be kept within the Bath, and te
prevent their being {een who are in it.
The Second Chamber is another Bath, but as to Beauty, it is much inferiour to the
other 5 And as for the third, there is fomething in it which is fingularly remarkable.
The Floor of it is layd as with a fort of fimall tiones, fo as that the foot cannot flip,
t-ough it be wetted at their departure out of the Bath: And the whole Room is doré
all about with fquare pieces, having in them flowers of embofs’d work, done to the
Lite, and covered with Gold and Azure. This is the place into which the Grand Scig-
nor enters, when he comes out of the Bath; and he alwaies goes into it alone, when
he intends to thave himfelf in thofe parts, which are not to be nam’d without imme-
defiy. 2 :
€G) Mahomes.
Ee nee Be Dr te nn 2 ee ts
44
Mahomet’s
Prohibition to
be feen naked
‘An Earth that
takes off bair,
and its dange-
tous Effects.
_.. .A Relation of the Chap. VII.
Mabomet pronowices a Curfe upon thofe perfons who fuffer themfelves to be een,
and upon all thofe who look on them: And the ftriet obfervance of lis Law requires,
That ih Men and Women ought to fhave themfelves, without ufihg the affittance
of any other hand. J
But moft of the Inhabitants of the EASTERN Parts, the Arabians, Tartars, and
the Indians, make ule of a more eafie expedient then the Razor, to get off liair. It is
a certain Earth, which they mix with fome Orpiment, or Arfenick, and which be-
comes {oft as butter, When they are in the Bath, and begin to {weat, they take of
that Earth, ang therewith rub the parts, from which they would have the hair to fall,
and prefently after they mutt be very careful to fee, whether it begins to fall, as one
would obferve a Fowl, whofe’ feathers he would take off, after it had been caft into
{caldine water. For if that Earth be left too long upon the parts whereto it had been
‘apply’d, it burns and makes holes in the flefh, the marks whereof will remain, fome-
j 3 refembling thofe, which the Small Pox fometimes leaves behind it. Befides, the
skin of thofe parts, whereto this application is made, becomes in time as hard and
rough as Leather; and thofe ungrateful inconveniences have diverted the Turks and
Perfians from ufing that Expedient. Nor do the Chriltians of the Levantine Countries
make ufe of it, though they imitate the Mabumetanes in the Cultome of frequenting
the Baths: But above all, in Perfia, none make ufe of that remedy, but the poorer fort
of people. The Ladies, not regarding the prohibition of Mahomet, employ their
Female Slaves for the performance of that Office; and with a {mall kind of Pincers
and twitchers, fuch as thofe, wherewith we take off the hair of the muftachoes, they
do, with a little more trouble, but lefS hazard, what that Earth does in lefs time, but
with more danger. Our Sultaneffes are yet too delicate to imitate the Ladies of Perfia 5
nay the men themfelves, in Turkey, are not very forward to have that twitch’d off with
pain, which the Razour can take off without any trouble.
CHAR,
Chap, VILL = Grand Sezgnor’s SERAGLIO. 45
CHAP. VIII.
Of the Grand Seignor’s Treafury.
Tue Principat Heaps.
Noble Relicks of Antiquity. The Turks cannot endure Figures re-
prefenting either Man or Beaft. The Chambers of the Treafury,
and their Wealth. "The blood of the Bafla’s is one of the Rivers
which enter into that Sea of the Treafury. The ufe of Aloes
Wood in Turkey. A fort of Bafins of a more commodious form than
ours for the wafhing of the hands: Books and Candles of a kind of
wax of great value. Coffers full of all forts of precious frones.
The precautions and ceremonies which are obferv’d at the opening
of the Treafury. A magnificent Piece of Iapiftry, wherein the
Emperour Charles the Fifth, i reprefented, in embofs'd Work. A
particular Relation of a Bafla named Ruftan. The heroick fenti-
ment of a Turk. ‘The principal fources of the Wealth of the Em-
pire. Flow the Revenues of Egypt are employ'd.
in contain’d, and the exccllent order wherewith it is govern’d , requird my
being a little more large upon that fubje&. I fhall difcover all the Rivers,
which fall into that Sea, and may have fome refemblance to tho that enter
into the Cajfzan Sea, and ate never feen to come out of it again.
£2 HE Treafury of the Seraglio and the Ottoman Empire, the vaft Wealth there-
Out of the Chamber, where the Grand Seignor fhaves himfelf, you pafs intO a Noble Relicks
Gallery, which is Thirty paces in length,and between Nine and ten in breadth. There of Antiquity.
are, on the one fide of it, Six great Marble-Pillars, of Fifteen foot in height, and of
diferent colours, among which there is one of a very delightful Green, and that co-
Jour makes the Turks have a great cfteem for it. You have under your feet in this
Gallery a Walk of large {quare Pieces of Marble, and the high-rais’d Fret-work thereof
isa Relick of Antiquity, and there are in it excellent Pieces of Painting after the Mo-
{rick way, reprefenting divers Perfons, and which fome conceive to have been made,
tor the reception and entertainment of fome great Prince, in the time of the Greck,
Empcrours. 3
The Turks, who have not among them cither Gravers or Painters, in order to the ‘he Turks have —
making of any reprefentation of Man or Beaft, for which they have an averlion, have 4% averfion for
thought it much to endure thofe Figures, and not being able to refrain from dif Féeues repre-
neecttes . : : a Jenting Man oy
hguring the heads, there is nothing left but the bodies, which is much to be regretted. Beaft
It may cafily be conjeétur’d, That that Gallery was open on both fides, as being fo
ftill to the Court-fide, and ’tis in the midft of the Wall, whereby it is encles’d on the
other fide, that the Door of the Treafury ftands. sts
~The tirlt Treafury confifts in Four Chambers full of Riches. and Rarities. The firft The Chambers of
contains a vaft quantity of Long-Bowes, Arrowes, Crofs-Bowes, Muskets, Fire-locks, the Treafury and
Sabres, Cymitars, and and other Arms of that kind, which are all fo many Matter- theér wealth
Pieces, that have been prefented, from time to time to time to the Turkifh Emperors.
a Oe All
The Blood of
* the Bafla’s one
of the Rivers
that fall into
the Sea of the
Treafurye
A Relation of the Chap. VIII.
All thefe Arms are either hung up at the Ceeling, or faften’d againft the Wall ; but in
a pitiful condition, all over-run with rut, and coverd with duit 5 and the Grand
Seignor fuffers them to be fo neglected, becaufe there come in daily Prefents of Arms
excellently wrought, the novelty whereof makes hin forget the old ones 5 as alfo for
that it is the humour of the Turks, not to make any great account of Curiofities, but
at the very time they are prefented with them.
The Second Chamber is a very fpacious Arched Struéture, of the fame height and
architecture as that of the Bath, of which I gave you an account in the precedent Chap-
ter, where they go and uncloath themfelves in the Summer time: And there is no dif=
ference between them, fave only that this laft has no overtures in the Roof. That
place contains Six great Chefts, or Coffers, each of them of Twelve foot in length, fix
in breadth, and fix in depth ; and if the Covers were not brcken to pieces, two men
would find it a hard matter to lift them, they are fo weighty. Thefe Coffers, which
are called Ambars, are full of all forts of Cloaths for the Grand Seignor’s ule, as Vetts,
rich Furres, Magnificent Turbantsy and Cuthions embroider’d with Pearls.
Befides the Six Coffers before mentioned, there are Eight others, which are but
eight foot in length, and four in breadth; and thefe are Hll’d with Pieces of Scarlet,
Englifh and Dutch Cloaths, of the tinelt forts, Pieces of Velvet, Gold and Silver-Bro-
kadoes, Embroyder’d Coverlets and Counterpanes for Beds, and other Rich Commo-
dities of that nature. As for the-Bridles and Saddles cover’d with Precious Stones,
they are difpos’d upon fupporters of Wood or Iron, coming out of the Wall : and all
this Chamber is generally very well kept, and all things are neat, and in good order.
The Third Chamber is very fpacious, and is more like a great Hall. The firft
thing that entertains your Eye, is a great Coffer, the in-fide whereof is divided into
three parts, and makes as it were three other Coffers, one upon the other: but they
are open’d all on the out-fide, {0 as that if there be any thing look’d for in the under-
moft, there is no neceffity of ftirring the uppermoft. The lowermoft Coffer contains
thofe {umptuous Coverings for the Grand Seignor’s Throne, of which I have fpoken
in the Defcription of the Hall of Audience. In the middlemoft are difpos’d the Houf~
{es, and Trappings, enrich’d with Embroidery, and fome of them with Pearls and
Precious Stoncs, which are us’d in great Solemnities. In the uppermoft Coffer, are
kept the Bridles; Breaft-Pieces, Cruppers, and Stirrups, which are recommendable up-
on the {core of the Diamonds, Rubies, Emeralds, and other Precious Stones, whereby
they are enrich’d: but the greatcft part of them is cover’d with Turkife-Stones, which
they have the art of fetting excellently well.
It is a moft aftonifhing fight, to behold the quantity of thofe precious Harneffes :
but it is fuch only to thofe, who are ignorant, how the Grand Seignor replenithes his
Treafury with fo much Wealth. It happens thus, That there being a frequent morta-
lity amongft the Baffa’s,and others, who are Governours. of Provinces, whether it be
by a natural death, or a violent, and all they have in the World rfalling to the Grand
Seignor, as I told you elfewhere, and being brought into the Seraglio, there are or-
dinarily found, amongft their rich Harneffes, fome Bridles cover’d with pretious Stones, |
_ and thofeBridles are brought int the Treafury. The Cafe is the fame with the Gold
and Silver ready coyn’d, and all the Jewels, and whatever elfe thofe Baffa’s were pof=
{ef$d. of. But as to their Saddles, which ordinarily,‘are cover’d with Plates of Gold
of the thicknefs of a Ducat, they are put into the hands of the Imbrobor-bachi, who
is the Mafter of the Horfe, and come not within the Seraglio.
There arc befides, in the very fame Chamber, feveral other Coffers, of different
Bulks, wherein there is contain’d abundance of moft precious things. Some of them
are full of rich Swords, adorn’d with precious Stones, as alfo of Sabres, which have
the fame Ornaments. For the Turks, when they are on Horfe-back, make ufe of both
Sabres and Swords, of a good length, and fomewhat broader than ours. They wear
theSabre on one fide , and faften the Sword, all along by the Saddle, as they alfo
do the Battle-Axe, yet fo as that this laft paffes under their Thighs, which cannot in-
commodate themmuch, becaufé, when they are mounted, they ride with very fhort
Stirrups.
7
FL... S7ttt PL ee
Chap, VIII = Grand Seignor's Ser acto. 47
Stirrups. The Sides, and the Handles of the Battle-Axes which they carry in Tri-
umph, are alfo cover’d with precious Stones 3 and in all their Accoutremeuts. the
Turks are Magnificent, and do not {pare for Money. When the Grand Scisnor defigns
to honour a Baffa, he fends him one of thofe Swords, or one of thofe Sabres ith 2
Velt of Gold-Brockado, lin’d with fome rich Fur. But thefe fumptuous Pieece do but
pafs to and fro, in as much as that upon the death of the Baff7’s, whofe Eftates fall to
the Grand Seignor, and confeqnently are brought into the Seraglio, they are ftill found
again inthe Treafury, as in their Centre.
There are yet other Coffers fill’d with Amber-greece, Misk , the precious Wood call’d 2” wfé of Alocs
Lignum Aloes, and Sandal-wood. There is a certain fort of this Lignum Aloes, which ers oe in
is worth a thoufand Crowns the pound, according as it is fat, or Oyly, the moft By. y
ly being always the belt, and the Turks are very expenfive in this Alves Wood. When
fome perfons come to vilit them, and affoon as they are fate down, itis their cuftom
to prefent them with a Pipe of Tobacco, with fome Lignum Aloes in it, which is done
after this manner. They take of that Wood, according to the oylinefs of it, and con-
{equently its making a greater fumagation, the quantity of a Pea, ora finall Bean, and
after they have moilten’d it a little, they put itover a few Coals ina Chafing-difh, in
a kind of Perfuming-pot, which they prefént, one after another, to all the Company.
There comes out a thick Steam, or Exhalation, wherewith every one perfumes his
Head, and his Beard, and fometimes the in-fide of his Turbant, after which he lifts
up his hands on high, crying Elmendela, that isto fay, Thanks be to God. But before
they prefent them with the Perfuming-pot, there is fome Rofe-water brought in a Vet
fel of Gold, or Silver, according to the Quality of thof@ who make the Vifit, This
Veflel is commonly 2 foot in height, the lower part of it being about the bignefs of a
mans fift, and from thence growing gradually finaller and fimaller to the top of it,
which is about the bignefs of ones little finger. At the top of it there is a little hole,
out of which comes the Rofe-water, wherewith they wath their hands and faces, and
then hold them over the fuffumigation of the Lignum Aloes, which not only dries up
the water, butalfo fticks fo much the clofeér to the hair of the Head and Beard,
There are alfo in thofe Coffers abundance of Aromatical Simples, and precious
Drugs, Bezoar-Sones, and ftores of Majtick, wherewith the Sultaneffes, and the young
Maids of the Seraglio pafs away their time. They have of it perpetually in their
Mouths, and this Matick fweetens the Breath, and cleanfes the Teeth, upon which
{core they are the better belov’d,
There may be {een alfo in the fame Chamber, atid in other Goffers, abundance of
Plate, both Gold and Silver, which is never us’d, the Grand Seignor having other
pieces, for his ordinary ufe, in the Kilar, whatever isferv’d up to his own Table be-
ing altogether in Pourcelain. 3
There are, amongf{t other Picces, feveral Bafins and Ewers, whereof fome ate en- Ba/its of a moré
rich’d with feveral forts of precious Stones. Thofe Bafins are of a fathion more com- “0mmodious
modious than that of ours, and it isan evident Mark of the cleanlinef$ of the Rea’ se on ten
tines. Theyare round, and about half a foot in depth, and cover’d as it were with
a Plate or Server, full of little holes, which makes the concavity of it of equal height
with the fides, and {0 hides the dirtinefS of the water which lies at the bottom of it,
They do not rife after their refeCtion, in Turkey, till they have wafl?d their Mouths
and their Hands, to do which they bring you Soap and warm Water ; and among ft
Perfons of Quality, they prefent Rofe-water, or fome other {weet Water, into which
you put the corner of yourHandkercher.
They havealfo in thofe Coffers great Tapers, or Wax-Candles of above two foot Tapers ofa kind
inlength, made of a certain very dear compolition, of a greyith colour, which has of wax of great
fome refemblance to Wax, and is brought out of Ethiopia, every Taper amounting to sa
near a hundred Crowns. They are not us’d_ but only when the Grand Seignor goes to
vifit the Suwltaneffes, and then there are two of thofe Tapers lighted, and fet in
great golden Candlefticks, enrich’d with preciousStones. When they area little above
half burnt out, the Negro-Eunuchs, who ferve in the Haran, light others, and, out
; of
| eee Chai
of civility, make a Prefent of the fore-mentioned remainders to the principal Women
attending on the Sultaneffes,
There is moreover in one of thofe Coffers, abundance of Clocks and Watches,
German-work, as alfo of Knives and Ink-horns, after the Turki(h Mcde, all thofe pieces
being the choice Productions and Matter-picces of great Artifts, and adorn’ d with
Pretious Stones. There is to feen, in fine, all along the Walls, but cover’d with a
Scarlet Stuff, feveral Arms, after the Zzrkifh-Mode, neatly kept in order, as Bowes,
Arrows, Targets, Battle-Axcs, excellently well wrought, and mott of thefe Pieces are
of a confiderable value.
‘An ixfimable _ But what is moft precious in that Chamber and tranftends all the reft, is a firong
coffer of all Coffer all of Tron-work, which contains another, of about afoot and a halt {quare,
forts of precéoxs wherein there isa vaft Treafure. When this Coffer is open’d, you {tea kind of Gold-
SHORES. Smiths Jewel Box,wherein are ranked all forts of Jewels of highelt value, as Diamonds ,
Rubies, Emeralds, a huge number of excellent Zopazes,and four of thoft Gems,call'd
Cats-eyes, which are fo beautiful, that they are not to be valu’d. Having fatisfy’d your
curiofity with the former, you come next to certain little Drawers full of feveral Jew-
els, great Rofes of Diamonds, Pendants, other Rofes of Rubies and Emeralds, Strings
and Chains of Pearls and Bracelets. There ftands afide by it fclf a Cabinet, where
arc the Sorgouges, or the things wherein are fatten’d the Heron-tops, which the Grand
Seignor wears in his Turbant. They are as it were little handles, made in the fafhion
of Tulips, cover’d over with the moft precious Stoncs of the Seraglio, and ’tis into
this that the Heron-top enters, that rich Plume of Feathers, whereof I have clfewhere
given the defcription. Of thefe Handles, fome are higher and more precious than
others 3 and my Overfecr of the Treafury affur’d me, That, of all forts of them,great
and {inall,there are above a hundred and fifty. The leffer ones ferve only for the Cam.
pagne, and the great ones, which are the richeft, are referw’d for the Pomps and Mag-
nificences of the Court, and when the Grand Seignor marches in Ceremony to Con-
Stantinople. If he has a defire to {atisfie his fight with the luftre of his precious Jew-
cls, he Orders the Coffer to be brought into his own Chamber; but if he calls for
{ome particular Piece of the Treafury, he gives order to the Chafnadar-bachi, to fetch
it, and that Chief Officer of the Trcafury cannot enterinto it, without abundance of
myfterious precautions.
Precautions and... Lhere are alwayes Sixty Pages, more or Icfs, belonging to the Chambers of the
ceremonies obe Uxeafury. The number of them is not fixt, but the Credit of the Capi-dga, and the
ferv'd at the © Chafnadar-bachi, may augment or diminith it, according to their inclinations and in-
opening ofthe — terelts. UlnlecfS they fall into difgrace, as he had done from whom TI have fome part
Treafury. of thefe Inftructions, they never go out of the Seraglio, but upon their advancement to
{ome contiderable Government, or the fettlement of a handfome Penfion for their
maintenance 5 and fo, provided they do nething amifs, they are well enough accom-
modated for their lives. The Chief Officer of the Treafury having receiv’d Orders
from the Grand Seignor to bring the Piece he would have, affembles all the Pages in
their Chamber, and fends for the Anakdar-Agafi, who has the Cuftody of the Keyes.
This laft having given three ftroaks with his hand upon the Drawer, whercin they are
enclos’d, takes them out of it, and following the Chafnadar-Bachi, attended by the
Sixty Pages, they all make their appearance together at the door of the Treafury.
The firft thing that is done is the untwilting of a Chain, which they had put there,
for the better fecuring of the Seal, which the Chief Officer of the Treafury had fet
over the hole, and having found it entire, he orders it to be broken by the keeper of
the Keyes, and commands him to open. Affoon as they are got into the Chamber in-
to which the Chafnadar-bachi knowes they are to go, he fets himfelf down upon a low
Bench, and declares what Piece it is that the Grand Scignor requires. They there-
upon open the Coffer, wherein it ought to be, then they prefent it to the Chafnadar-
bachi, and, if he be defirous of that honour, he has the priviledge to be himfelf the
Bearer of it to the Grand Scignor. Then has he a fair Opportunity to fecure fome-
thing that is precious to himfelf, if he has the dexterity to do it without any difcove-
ry. When he is in the Treafury, he necds only fay, That the Grand Seignor defires
alfo
Chap, VIII. = Grand Seignor's SERAGLIO.
alfo the Piece, which he has a. mind to.convert to his own ufe, and caufing all to be
immediately carried to his own Chamber, he there leaves what he: would keep, and
prefents to the Prince only that which he had commanded to be brought him. ’ Not
but that whatever is receiv’d into the Treafury, and whatever goes out of it, is exactly
fet down and enroll’d by the Hazmaquatib, or Clerk, who keeps the Regifters; and
the Cheat might be eafily difcover’d, when at the quitting of his Charge the Chafina-
dar-bachi gives an account of all things to his fucceffor. But it ordinarily happens,
that they are friends, and that the Chafnadar-bachi, who does not leave his Charge, but
upon his advancement to that of the place of the Capi-Aga, in café he thould ‘dye, or
be exalted to a higher Dignity; or upon his being made a Baff and Governour of a
Province, propofes him, among the Pages, for whom he has the greatett affection, and
who is his Confident, as a Perfon quality’d for the Charge of Principal Officer of the
Treafury. Accordingly, being, his Benefactor, he gives in his Accompts as he pleafes
himfelf, and delivering unto him an Inventory of what is in the Treafary, he withal
produces a Memorandum of the Pieces, which had been taken out thence, duting his
Surintendency, by the Grand Scignor’s Orders. The Clerk of the Treafury, might,
notwithfianding their intelligence, and combination, diftover the intrigue ; but being
one of the eldett Pages of the Chamber,and in a capacity of advancement to the Charge
of Chafnadar-bachi, he {huts his eyes, and fo avoids the creation of Enemies, thinking
it more prudence, to be appeas’d, by the Prefents he receives as well from him who
enters into the Charge, as from him who quits it. But thef¢ Thieveries are not very
often committed, and if there were but the leaft difcovery made thereof, a {evere pr-
nifhment would foon be inflicted both on the Author of them, and his Complices:'
As to the little Cheft or Coffer, wherein the moft precious Jewels are kept, it is
impoffible to get any thing out thence: for when the Grand Seignor would have any
Piece taken out of it, he orders the Coffer it felf to be brought into his Prefence, by
the principal Officer of the Treafury, accompany’d by the Keeper of the Keyes, and
all the Pages; and before he opens it, he takes notice whether the Seal be entire. After
he has taken what he delir’d, the Coffer is lock’d up in his Prefence, the Seal is fet
upon it, and it is carry’d back into the Treafury with the fame Ceremohy. Then do
the Sixty Pages receive, ordinarily, fome demonttrations of the Grand Seignor’s Libe-
rality, which may amount to ten or twelve Purfes, to be divided amongtt them.
Weare not yet got out of the third Chamber of the Treafury, which may pafs for hig Tapifry.
one Spacious Hall, the middle part whereof is taken tip bya Scaffold, ofnine of ten Cha
vein
rles the
foot fquare, the height, the length, and the breadth being equals “This Scaffold is Fitth is repre
cover'd and furrounded with a piece of Tapittry of Gold and Silk, and, in the upper fented.
part of it, there is, in embofs’d Work, the Efhgies of the Emperour Charles the Fitth,
{eated on a Throne, having in one hand, a Globe, and in the other, a Sword, fur-
rounded by all the Grandees of the Empire, doing him homage. At the bottom of
the faid Piece of Tapefiry, there may be read certain Verfes in Gothick characters: And
the upper part of the Scaffold is full of Books in the Latine, French, Italian, high Ger-
mane, Englifh, and other Exropean Languages. ‘There arc alfo fome Treatifes upon the
fubject of Navigation, together with two Globes, the Celeftial, and the Terreftrial,
and fome Geographical Maps drawn upon Velom: whence it may be conjeétur’d, that
they were all taken at Sea, by {ome Turkifh Pirate, and fent as a Prefent to the Grand
Seignor. But not being carefully look’d after, the duft has quite fpoyl’d both the
Tapeftry, and the Books, and fo they remain there asa Monument of fome Vittory
gain’d over the Chriftians, .
The Fourth Chamber of the Treafury is very dark, and has no other light than
what it receives from a little Garret-Window, which looks into the Court, and has
three {trong Iron-bats, one over the other. Over the Door, there are thefe words en-
grav'd, in the Tmkifh Language 5 Mony acquir’d by the diligence of Ruftans Take here
an account of what occafions this Monument, which they were pleas’d to ercét , to
perpetuate the memoty of a Grand Vixir, as I have been told it, by {everal Perfons in
Conftantinople. He was the Son of a Cow-keeper, and had follow’d the {ame Employ-
ment him({clf; but he had a Genius that might become a Perfon of the higheft Extra-
ction, and which rais’d him to the Charge of Grand Vizir, and the honour of being
Son
A remarkable
Story of the
Baffa Ruftanm
50
‘
3 ad Relation of the Chap. VIL.
- Son-in-law to Solyman. He had many traverfes of fortune, and was for fome time out
The Heroick
Sentiment of a
Tark,
The principal
Sources of the
wealth of the
Empire.
The Revenues
_ of Egypt how
employ de ~
of Favour: but in fine, So/yman, who had Sah Affairs to manage, and was engap’d
in a War with Perfiz, coming toa little indigency of Mony, fent for Ruftan, and be-
ftow’d on him the Superintendency of his Revenues. He knew hitn to he a man of
great Abilitics, and capable of putting them, in a fhort time, into a good pofture; and
accordingly his pains and diligence in the management thereof prov'd {0 faccefsfil,
that he prefently hll'd Solyman’s Coffers,and re-cttablifh’d the Affairs of the Empire.
Upon which occafion J fhall here fet down a thing which is ftill freth in the remem=-
brance of many Turks, who receiv’d it from their Fathers. The Turks have fo great a
zeal for the welfare of the State, that one of the Grandees of the Port > an Enemy of
~ Ruftans, and one, who, upon other occafions, would gladly have ruin’d him, pro-
tefted to one of his Confidents, That, though it were in his power todo him an il]
turn, yet he would not do it then, becaufe he had, by his Induftry and Labours, up-
held the State, which he retriv’d from the Precipice of deftru@tion, and was in a fair
way to make a confiderable augmentation of its Revenues. This generous and heroick
Sentiment in the Soul of a Turk, who at his firft rife was but a fimple Slave, would
meet with but few Examples among{t Chriftians. ;
But, to reaffume our difcourfe concerning the Fourth Chamber of the Treafury. Te
is full of Chefts of two foot in length, and a breadth and depth proportionable there-
to, fortify’d with plates of Iron, and made faft, each of them, with two Chains. The
number of them is not always the fame, becaufe the Mony is coming in, and going
out of that Chamber, and the Coffers are tranfported thence according to the occur~
rent exigencies, for the payment of the Fanizaries, and the maintenance of the Ar-
mies. 7
All the Gold and Silver which is brought into the Treafury, rifes out of the Reve-
nues of the Empire,and out of the Sale of what Goods the Baffa’s \eave at their depar-
ture out of this World. As to what is rais’d out of the Empire,which dilates it elf fo
far into the three parts of our great Continent,and comprehends fo many Kingdoms,it
may be eafily imagin’d, that it muft {upply the Treafury with vaftSums 5 butit is not
fo eafie to afcertain them. Its Revenues confift principally in the colleGion of the
Tributes, and in the Cuftomes : and the three Tefterdurs, or ‘Treafurers-General, give
an account to the Grand Vizir of the Reccipts of the Provinces. ‘That Principal Mi-
nifter has the cuftody of one Key of that fourth Chamber of the Treafury, and the
firlt Tefterdar has that of another, and befides that, itis always feal’d with the Grand
Seignor’s Seal. It is not ordinarily open’d, but upon thofé days, on which the Divan.
fits, that ison Council-days, either for the reception of Money into it, or for the tas
king of any out, to defray the Charges of the Empire.
What is fo receiv’d into it is forthe moft part in Silver ; and as to the Species of
Gold Coins that are brought into that Chamber, they come trom four Sources, two
whereof areupon aForeign account, and the other two upon that of the Country.
One of the two former confifts in the Commerce of the F rench, Englifh, Dutch, Tta-
lians, Mofcovites, and Polanders, who bring in Ducats out of thofe Provinces. The
other isthe annual Tribute, which the Cham of the Leffer J. artary, the Princes of
Tranfylvania, Moldavia, and Walachia, the Republick of Ragufz, and part of Mingreliz
and Ruffia, are to pay the Grand Scignor in Gold, which amounts to very great
Sums. One of the two Sources of the Country proceeds from what is found upon
the removal of the Baffa’s, whereof the very coined Gold makes the beft part 5 the
other, from the Revenue of E pt, where there isan annual coinage of a certain num-
ber of Sequins, according to the quantity of Gold, which is brought thither out of
Ethiopia, and being coin’d into Sequins, is all convcy’d thence into the Treafury.
The Revenue of Egypt may amount yearly to twelve millions of Livers, { that is,
about one million and two hundred thoufand Pounds Sterling | which muft be divi-
ded into three parts. Five millions of the twelve, are brought into the Grand Seig-
nor’s Treafury, Four millions of the forefaid Sum, are employ’d in the maintenance
of the Officers and Soldiers of that Kingdom: And the other three are defign’d for
the
,
Seca ateeieil
ChaptX. Grand Seignor’s Seracuio. 51
the rich Prefent, which the Grand Seignor fends every year to Mecha, fx the Expen-
ces which relate to Religious Worfhip, and to fill the Cifterns of Arabia, which are
fupply’d with Water, brought by Land, many days Journeys.
Of the five Millions which are brought into the Seraglio, the greateft part is in Se-
guins, according tothe quantity of Gold, which the Abyfines bring into Egypt, and
the reftin Dutch Rix-Dotiars. All is brought together into the Coffers of the fourth
Chamber of the Publick Treafury. But as tothe Sequins, they are carried: into the Se-
cret Treafury, which it is time for us now to open, and give the Readeran account
of, according to the defcription which has been made to me thereof, by two men
whom their Employments oblig’d to enter into it often. .
Got Ae, LX.
Of the Secret Treafury.
Tue Principat Heaps.
A Vault under ground, into which few Perfons have accefs. The great
frugality of the Emperour Amurat. Ibrahim, his Succeffor,
charg’d with evil Conduft. The Grand Seignor’s precautions for
the fecurity of his Treafure. Hs Liberalities to the Grandes
of the Port. ,
Ithin the fourth Chamber of the Treafury, you find a door laid all 4 raul under’
about with good ftore of Iron-bars, which opens the firft paflage, to ground, into
the place that contains the Grand Seignor’s Secret Treafure. It is P#ch fem
never open’d, but when he himfelf has a mind to enter into it ; and have accefs
he do’s not-enter into it, but when the Grand Vizir advertifes him,
that itis time for him to dofo, and that there is a confiderable Sum tobe carried in.
In the firft place, by the light of Torches they go down a Stair-Cafeé of ten or twelve
fieps, at the bottom of which, after an advancement of feven or eight paces further,
they finda fecond Door, fortify’d with Iron-work as the former, but much lefs, fo
that a man is oblig’d to ftoop ere he go into it. Whenit is open’d, and that they have
made their entrance through it, as if they had pafS’d through a Wicket, they areun-
der a great Vault, where they find a great many Coffers, of the fame largenefs, as thofe
of the Chamber we came latt out of,
In thofe Coffers they have, for thefe many years, layd up all that was not expend- 7he great fraga-
ed upon the Publick account, of the great Revenues of the Ottoman-Monarchs, and fo 9 of La 4
it may be call’d his Private Exchequer, into which there is nothing but Gold has en- te pee 4
trance, all the Silver being carried into the other Treafury, to be thence taken out again
and difpos’d of.as occafion requir'd. After the death of Amurat, Ibrahim, his Succeffor
in the Throne, found in that Treafury four thoufand Bags, which they call Kizes,and
every Bag contains fifteen thoufand Dycats of Gold, which amount to thirty thou-
{and Crowns, and thofe reduc’d to our Pounds, come to thirty Millions Sterling.” Iwas
the fame Amurat (a prudent and valiant Prince, a man of great Parfimony, and as
great Conduct in Military Affairs, of whom I have often had occafionto make men-
tion) who enter’d intoa War againft the King of Perfiz, and belieg’d Bagdet, or Ba-
bylon, whichhe took on the 22th of December, 1638. remember, that I was then
but five days Journey from that place, in the i i of Arabia, as having left Aleppo,
‘ in
52
A Kelation of the Chap. [X.
Ibrahim
chare’d with
z/i management
of the Treafury.
The Grand
Sezgnor’s Prt.
6autcons for the
Security of his
Treafury.
in order to my going to Balfara, and that of the Threcfcore and tive dayes, which the
Caravan {pent in that Joumey, tor nine of them, we were deltitute of Water, which
mult needs prefs very hard, both on the Men and the Camels.
Ibrabim, therefore, at his coming, to the Crown, found, in the fecret Treafury, that
prodigious quantity of Gold, whereto he could not make any augmentation; nay
fome, on the contrary, are of opinion, That he was fore’d to ufe fome part of it,
through his ill Conduct of the Warr of Candia. True it is, That the long continu-
ance of that Warre made a great hole in the Revenues of the Empire 5 but there are
Two great Reafons, which divert me from giving abfolute credit, to fuch’as affirm,
Thar thofe Exigencies rcach’d the Secret Treafury. For, in fhort, it is as ’twere a
fundamental Law among them, That, before any thing is taken out thence, it is re-
quifite, the Empire fhould be in imminent danger of ruines And it is manife(t,
That though the Turks could not reduce Candia under their Jurifdiction, yet their
Empire was fo far from being near its decadence, that it ftill continw’d powerful.
Belides, it is to be obferv’d, That when the Grand Seignor lofes a Battel, it is a dif
advantage to his Provinces, upon the {core of their being thereby depopulated, and fo
much the lefS cultivated 5 but that it is an advantage to his Coffers, in regard there’s
fo much the lefs comes out of them. The reafon of it is evident, becaufe he payes the
Veteranes, or Souldiers of long ftanding, feven or eight Afpers a day, and that thofe
of the new-rais’d Forces do not ftand him in above one and a half} or two at the
molt; their pay augmenting with the time, anfwerably to their fervices, and the
Prince’s good Pleafure. Whercto it is to be added, That when an Emperour dies, his
Succeflor augments the pay of the Fanizaries, by an Aer, or two, per diem.
Te muft be acknowledg’d indeed, That there died a great number of Turks in the
Warr of Candia: but it 1s certain alfo, That if we confider the great number of King-
domes and Provinces, whereof the Empire conlilts, among which there are {ome very
fertile, and very well peopled, it is an cafie matter to raife numerous Armies, and to
recruit them, when they have been weakned, by a Defeat, or by fome Sicknef$, which
often happens among them. Upon thefe two grounds, I cannot be indue’d to be-
licve, that Ibrahim was oblig’d to make any diminution of the Secret Treafury : but I
am very apt to believe, that he made not any great additions thereto, becaufe he had
not either the good Conduct,’ or good Fortune of Amurat, and ordinarily, the one
avails not much without the other.
All the Gold that lies interr’d under that Vault is in Leather-bags, every Bag con-
taining Fifteen thoufand Dacats, that is Seven thoufand tive hundred pounds fierling :
and *tis with his own hand that the Grand Seignor puts his Seal to them, which is
the fame that his Predeceflors had us’d before him, fave only the name, which mutt
be that of the Prince then reigning. Amurat?s Seal had thefe words graven upon it,
Nafrum min allaht abdibil melekil Mourath : Which fignities, The af>
fiftance of God is upon his Servant the Emperour Amurath,
And this is the manner how the Bags of Gold are brought into the Secret Treafury.
All the Gold and Silver which come into the Seraglio, is firft carried into the Cham-
ber of the Treafury, and each of them is difpcs’d into the Coffers defign’d for them.
When there is as much Gold as will amount to two hundred Kizes, the Grand Vizip
gives notice of it to the Grand Seignor, who appoints a day, for the difpofal of it in-
to the Secret Treafury. The day being come, the Grand Seignor, Jed under the Arm
by the Chafnadar-bachi, who is on the left hand, which is accounted the more honou-
rable amongft the Turks, and by the Seligdar-Aga, who is on the right, comes into
the Chamber of the Treafury, where the Sixty Pages expect him, ranked in order on
both fides, with their hands crof$ their Breafts. “The Grand Scignor, having pafs’d
through the Chamber, and order’d the firft Door of the Secret Treafury to be open’d,
enters into it, by the light of feveral Torches of white Wax, and is follow’d by the
Pages, two by two, till they are within the Vault, into which the Bags are brought,
ty'd with a Silk-{tring. Upon the firing they put a piece of red foft Wax, whereto
the Grand Scignor fets his Seal himfelf, which is upon a Gold-R ing, wherein are en-
graven
Chap IX. ~ Grand § eignor’s Rea acite.
praven the words’ before-mentioned, with the name of the Prince then reigning, after
which they put the Bags into the Coffers, which are all double chain’d.
Before they come out of the Vault, the chief Officet of the Treafury, does ordinarily gai ziperati-
make this Complement to the Grand Seignor 3 Seadetlu padichaim eumijd duy ties to the
Grandees of
quibou bendelerignus enzye thfan cherijfenus izhar idefts :That is to fay, the Port.
My Emperour, wwe hope, that you will make a difcovery of yotr Li-
beralities to your Slaves. According to the humour the Grand Seignor is then
in, he orders, That there fhould be a diftribution of Twenty or Thirty Purfes, amongft
all thofe who have accompany’d him, every Purfe, as I told you before, amounting
to Five hundred Crowns. The Grand Vizzr, and the other Grandees of the Port,
‘are permitted to enter into the Chambers of the Treafury, where the fumptuous Har-
neffes and the Precious Stones are kept, when the Grand Seignor comes thither him-
felf; but they are not to goas far as the Secret Treafury. They ftay for him in the
Fourth Chamber, when he is to come out of the Vault, and then he orders the Coffer
of his Jewels to be opened, to fhew them the moft precious things there are in it.
And whereas there are alwayes forme Favourites attending there, as alfo divers other
perfons, whom the Prince looks upon kindly upon the {core of their merit, it feldom
happens, but that they all receive fome Prefent or other from him, and he makes not
any, but what is of very confiderable value. The Treafury being fhut up, the Grand
Seignor returns to his own Quarter, and all the Grandees accotnpany him to the Gate
of it.
A Relation of the
Ce ee
Chap. X.
ne or eee
CHAP. X,
Of the Means, which the Grand Seighor makes ufe of, to
augment his Treafures, belides what is done, by the
ordinary Revenues of the Empire.
Tue Painéitpat Heaps.
The Prefents made by the Baffa’s to the Grand Seignor, when they
enter into their Charges. The Trade driven by the Jews very
hazardous to them. The extraordinary Wealth of the Bafla’s.
The great Advantages of the Chaznadar-Bachi, and the Pages
of the Treafury. ‘The prohibition of lending Mony upon intere/t.
Ihe Perlians but poor Cafuifts. Formalities obferv'd in Turkey
about Schedules.
Etides what may be left every Year in the Treafury, or Exchequer, out of the
ordinary Revenues of the Empire, after all charges deducted, the Grand
Seignor has Two other Expedients very conducive to the augmentation of
both the Treafuries, to wit, the entrance of the Baff2’s upon their Govern-
ments, and their removal out of them, whether it be by fome difgrace, or by their
natural, or violent deaths.
is Seaihit All the Baffv’s, on whom the Grand Seignor beftowes Governments, and’ generally
ae ints to the all thofe, who are remov’d out of the Seraglio, upon their advaneement into Charges,
Grand Seig- are oblig’d, before they take poffeffion of them, to make him fome Prefents, every
nor, upon they One, an{werably to the benefit he has receiv’d from the Prince. For example, the Baffa
advancements. of Cairo, affoon as ever he is nominated to that Government, knowes, that two Mil«
lions of Livers, that is, redue’d to the Englifh account, two hundred thoufand pounds
Sterling, will hardly make good the Prefents, which are expected from him ar the Port,
that is, thofe due to the Grand Seignor himfelf,and to the principal Sultaneffes 5 as alfo
to the Moxfti, the Grand Vizir, the Caimacan, and other Perlons of Credit in the
Court, to whom he is engag’d_ for his advancement to that Charge, and of whom he
may ftand in need for the future. The Prefent he makes the Grand Seignor himfelf;
amounts to Five hundred thoufand Crowns, and the reft will come to Two hundred
thoufand. Add again to that, Five hundred thoufand Crowns, which will be ex-
pended in the Baffa’s equipage, and fo, before he {ets his foot in Cairo, his own Purfe,
or thofe of his Friends, will be drain’d of Three Millions and fix hundred thoufand
Livers,
Toe hazardous, When he comes out of the Seraglio, if he want much of the aforefrid Summe, there
Trade of the is a neceflity of borrowing; and if the purfes of his Friends cannot do it, thofe ot the
Jews. Jemes are teadily open’d for his {upply. They run a great hazard, upon hopes of the
great profit of making Cent. per Cent. intereft,which the Baffa does promifé them. And,
to be the fooner reimburs’d of the Money they have fo hazarded, ieft his Government
be but a fhort one, they teach him a thoufand leud waycs, to fuck out the People’s
blood, and particularly to harafs the poor Chriftians. If the Baffa’s can but guictly
enjoy their Governments, for one year, nay for fix Months, the Fees make a good
hand of it, and recover the Summes they had advane’d. But, on the other fide, they
run a great hazard, in regard that it happens, many times, the Grand Seignor fends
for the head of a Bafa, before he has had time enough to fettle himfelf in his new
Govern-
Chap. X. Grand Seignor’s SrknanIO. = "55
Government, and thet, they who have lent him Mony are not to hope ever to recd=
ver any part of it. —
From what has been faid, it may gafily be coricluded, That the greater part of the
Mony of the whole Ortoman Empire, is in the Grand Seignot’s hands, and among the
Fewes 5 Lmcean the Fewes of Conftantmople. For as to thofe who live in the Provinces
the world goes but ill with them, an they are in a much more wretched condition,
than the Chrijtians , int regard they do not follow any thing of Husbandry: and their
inclinations being altogether bent for Traffick, and the management of the publick
Taxes or the Cuttomes, *tis impoffible there {hould be employment for them all,
The Grand Seignor therefore receives very confiderable Summes from the Baffa’s, ‘the extraordi-
and other perfons, on whom he beftowes Charges, even before they have taken pot nary Wealth of
felfion of them. But that amounts to little or nothing,in comparifon of the advantages SERS
which he makes, upon their removal out of them, and efpecially when they have had
a fair time to gather Treafures, by their infupportable exaGions from the people
Some of thefe Baff2’s have come to that exceflive Wealth and Power, that their Reve-
nues were “equal to thofe of many great Princes. Such was the fortune of one Much.
mut, Beglierbeg of Exrope, under the Reign of Mahomet the Second; and that, of the
Grand Vizir, Nafef, under Achmet the Firft. At the death of the latter, there were
extraordinary Riches found in his Houfe, in Silver, Gold, and Jewels, and all was
brought to the Seraglio, along with his head.
It may ealily be conjectur’d, by the number of the greater and leflet Goverriments,
whereof the Empire confifts, that there is a confiderable mortality amongtt thofe, who
derive their Charges and Fortunes from the pure Muniticence of the Grand Seignor,
and whofe acquifitions thereupon falling to hin, mutt of neceffity make vaft additio-
nals to the Seraglio. But betides thofe who are gently convey’d out of this World, by
a natural death, there hardly paffes 4 year, but violent death comes and aés its part,
and upon the leaft jealoufie, or any fantaftick apprehenfion the Gtand Stignor may
have, a Baffa receives a peremptory Otder to ftretch out his Neck, and'he is immedi-
ately firangled. In the next Chaptét, I {hall give the Reader an Account, of the for-
mality and:cexcmony, which is obferv’d upon that occafion, where he will find fome-
what worth his remarking; and 1 think I may confidently affirm, That they who
know it is the cuftome, to ftrangle thofe, whofe Lives the Grand Seignor would take
away, know not all the Particulars obfervable in that Action.
Affoon as a Baffz, or cther Grandée of the Port 78 dead, ewe Pit: came f pals, The Bafla’s
and an Inventory of his Goods taken; of which by.the Lawes of he! Country the Prince 62045 broxght
is the only Heir, all is carried away into the Seraglio, and the Baltadis bring it in Cof oe es
fers to the Door of the Treafury. The Chafnadar-bachi, having difpos’d therti into one ©”
of the Chambers, Commands the Locks to be broke open, and the Coffers to be emp-
tied in his prefence 5 and ’tis then, that-as well he himfelf, as the Pages of the Trea-
fury endeavour to make their advantages of that Rich Booty. For there being ordi-
narily, amongf{t the other things, Jewels of great valué, fuch as that wherein the He-
ron-tops are fatten’d in their Turbantsy or a Ponyard énrich’d with ptecious Stones,
or fome Carcanet of Pearls, if one or other of tho Pages can make a ‘dextrous and
clean conveyance of fome Picce, *tis his Own, atid he puts it to what elfe he has in
Stock, reflecting on what he has to do, at his departure out of the Seraglio, in order to
his eftablithment in fome Charge, and the great Expences he mutt be at upon that ac
count. The Chafiadar-bacli, who doés his work firft!of all, and with more a he
does fometimes connive at what he fees done by the others, remembring that eh
been as they are, and was then glad, that he was not reprov’d for {6 doing, Yet if
he perceives that any one of them has fecur’d to himfelf a piece of great a affoon
as he is got to his Chamber, he fecretly fends for him,and makes him. reftore it, paying
him one half of its worth, ahd fo keeps it himelf oa ;
There are yet other gréat advantages décréwing to thé Chief Officer, and the Pages, vantages of the
from thofé things which are brought into the Seraglio, upon the death of the Baffa’s. ogee
When the Chafnadar-bachi has advertis’d the Grand Seignor,that, in the Coffers,which Pages of thi
‘ had Treasury.
j
56
The probsbition
to lend at In-,
tereft.
The Perfians
sll Cafuifts,
A Relation of the Chap. X.
had been brought in, there were many things not fit for the Service of his Highnefg,
and that it were better to put them off, before they were injur’d by the moifture or
the duit; the Prince gives his permiffion for the fale thereof, and thereupon they take
out of the Treafury what they do not account worthy of a place there. Immediately,
they {end for the Bazarcan-bachi, or Chief of the Merchants, who is the beft skill’d in
thofe things, and who, in the prefénce of the Chafnadar-bachi, and the Pages of the
Treafury, {ets a value on every piece, to their fatisfaction ; for he does not prize it at
above half the worth, All the Jewels that will bear a good price, and all the preci-
cus ftones are difpos’d into the Treafury, and they expofé to fale only things of lefs
value, yet {uch as are Worth much, as Trappings for Horfes, Ponyards Sabres, garnifh’d
with Gold, garments, rich Furres, Safches, Turbants, and other things of that nature;
all the pieccs being valued, the Chafnadar-bachi {ets afide the beft of them, to. be {ent,
together with the value fet upon them, to the principal perfons of the Seraglio, with
whom he is glad to hold a fair correfpondence, and they pay for them the more wil-
lingly, becanfé they have them at an eafie rate. The reft is diftributed among the Pa-
ges, according to the valuation, and they having made choice of fuch things as they
will keep themf@wves, fend away what they do not like, to be fold in Conftantinople, by
the Hlvagis, wherein they alfo make a vaft advantage, confidering the apprifement 3
not accounting what the fame Halvagis may hedge in for themfelves, as a compenfatis
on for their trouble, ,
When there is fuch a fale made, the Fees are alwaies waiting about the great Gate
of the Seraglio, not daring, to come too near, for fear of a chaftifCment of the Battina-
do, from the Kapigis, which they are very free to give them. They ftand in expe-
Ctation of thefe Hulvagis, with their bags full of Ducats and Ryals, and make the bett
bargains they can with them. Thefe fales are {eldom made above once in two ycars,
end the leaft ofthem does ordinarily exceed five hundred thoufand Crowns, nay fome
have amounted to eight hundred Thoufand. The Grand Seignor is foon advertis’d,
what money has been rais’d by the fale, and giving orders for the difpofal of it into
the Treafury, he at the fame time beftows ten or twenty Purfés on the principal Of-
ficer, and the Pages of the Treafury. He does not make them that Prefent out of any
other defign, then to fhew his Grandeur, as being not ignorant of the advantages they
have made by the Sale: but he tolerates that cuttome, and knows well enough, that
fooner or later, all thofe profits will come again into the Treafiry.
*Tis upon the fame confideration, that the Grand Scignor permits a manifeft breach
of the Law of Mahomet, which prohibits the taking of any intereft for money lent; for
he fuffers the Pages and others, to lend confiderable fumes, to the Fees, at the rate of
fifteen upon the hundred, intereft. And the Perfians have found out a very pleafant
evafion, to ftave off the reproach which might be made to them, of their tran{grefling
againft the fame prohibition, .
The evafion is this. When they lend out money to any one, they have a Bill or
Schedule made of the fum that’s lent. Then they compute what the intereft will a-
mount to, which is commonly after the rate of twelve in the Hundred. That done,
they take a handkerchief, or fome old Safche, and giving it to the Perfon whom they
lend the money to, they make him write a fecond Note, upon the {core of the intereft,
wherein it is expreft, that the debt is for commodities bought, and ducly receiv’d.And
thus do they think to elude the reproaches of their own Confciences, and imagine,
that they do not offend againft the prohibition of Mabomet.. The promife, which the
Debtor makes, in writing, is not fign’d by him, it being not the cuftom of the Coun-
try, but he puts his feal to it. And yet that too is not fufficient, and it is further re-
quifite, that they go before the Cadi, or the Judge of the Law, who confummates th¢
work, by putting his own Seal to the writing.
Thave made appear, in this Chapter, the Means and Expedients, which the Grand
Seignor makes ufe of, to augment his Revenues 5 we fhall fee in the next, the wayes
he has to exercifé his Liberalities, without any charge at all to himfelt. | |
CHAP.
PRR eR AR Ne Be
Chap. XI. Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO.
| C FEAL a
A Subtle Expedient, whereby the Grand Scignor
exercifes great Liberalities and meddles not at all
with his Revenues.
Tue Principat Heaps.
The Commendable Policy of the Turks. The Ceremonies attending the
Prefents, fent by the Grand Seignor, to thofe whom he would ho-
nour. ‘The particular way us’d by Mahomet the Fourth, to
fhew bimfelf liberal, without any charge to himfelf. Formalities
obferv'd at the Death of the Bafla’s, who are frrangled by the
—Prince’s orders. When, and how they ftrike off the Head in
Turkey. 4 prohibition againft fhedding the blood of the Ma-
humetans, who are condemn’d to death. The Inventories of the
Goods of Bafla’s deceas’d, not faithfully taken. The caufes indu-
cing the Turks to defie Death with fo much conStancy. How
difficult it is to get out of Turkey. Prefents made to the Sul-
tanefles.
EAH E Two expedicnts which the Grand Seignor makes ufe of to augment his
Treafury, befides what comes in by the ordinary revenues of the Empire,arc
much of the fame mature, with thofe he ules, to beftow great largeffes, with-
out disburfing any ching himfelf. He makes his advantages of all; the Baf-
fa’s are as {o many fpunges, and he fqueezes thems: aswell. while they arc living, as
when they are dead, and at their coft, affignes recompences to thofe, who have done
him fome acceptable fervice. Let us take things in order, one after another, and fhew
in the firft place, how he manages his fubtle defign, while the Baffa’s are living, in
getting, out of them wherewithall to make ample gratifications, without any diminu-
tion of his Revenues.
Amongfi the Political maximes of the Ottoman Monarchs, this is one of the mcf
remarkable, They would have the Baffa’s to be refpected in their feveral Governments,
by the People, as much as if they were there themfelves in Perfon: and to make a
gxeater, and morc lively impreflion of that veneration in their minds, they think it fit-
ting, to honour them, from time to time, with fome Prefent, which is carried to them
with much Ceremony. This Prefent,which is a certain demonftration of the Efteem,
which the Prince has for the Perfon to whom he fends it, is commonly fome rich Gar-
ment 3 and when he is willing to make it compleat, he adds the Sabre, and the Pon-
yard, garnifh’d and adorn’d with precious ftones. The Grand Scignor, upon the con-
fideration betore-mentioned, finding himfelf as it were oblig’d to make a Prefént to
that Baffz, knowes well enough, that he will be fure, on the other fide, to fend him
one which fhall be worth ten times as much, and to make another to his Envoy,which
he mutt look on as a recompence of his Services,
But it is not alwayes the Grand Seignor’s defign, by fuch Prefents, to honour the
Baffa, and kecp the People the more in fubjection to him. It happens many times,
that:
aie
53
The Covemonces
attending the
Prefents fent oy
the Grand
Seignor to
thoje whom he
would honour.
The particular
way usd by
M.homet IV.
to fhew himfelf
liberal,without
any Charge.
A Relation of the Chap.X1.
that when he intends to ruine him, he makes him a Prefent, that he may thence take
occafion, in cafe he does not receive another from him, fiich as he defires, to fend an-
other Meffenger for his Head. The Prefent, upon that occafion, isnot a Velt,' or
Garment, but, a Sword, or a Battle-Axe, which are very Ominous Prefents, and
Advertifements’to the Baffz, that the Grand Seignor has little kindnefs for him. To
divert the Storm, which he fees likely to fall upon him, he doubles the Prefent he
fhould have made, in cafe he had fent him but a Veli, which is a pledge of his affecti-
en. And if that Buff be one of thofe, who Commands in the greater Governments,
the Prefent which he fends to the Grand Seignor, ought not to amount to lef than
Two hundred Purfes, that is to fay, a Hundred thoufand Crowns, not comprehend-
ing what is particularly given to the perfon who is {cnt by the Emperour.
The perfons charg’d with this Commiffion are, for the moft part, fuch as the
Grand Scignor is willing to be Munitcent to. So that, all things confider’d, the
Prefent is not fo much detign’d for him who receives it, as for him who fends it, and
the perfon who carries it: And in this confifts the artifice of exercifing great Liberali-
tics without disburling any thing. The Ceremony pertorm’d at the delivery of this
Prefent of the Grand Scignor, is this: He who carries it being come to the place
where the Baffz lives, to whom it is fent, and having advertis’d him of it, this latter,
with the noife of Drums, Trumpets, and Hawboys, aflembles the people together, fome
of whom mount themfelves on Horfe-back, to do him the greater honour.. The Baffz
himfelf marches in the Head of all, and they who are not mounted follow afoot, to-
ecther with the Curtezans, or commen Strumpets, of the place, who are oblig’d to
allift at this Ceremeny, dancing after a Tabour, and putting themfelves into a thoufand
lafcivious poltures, according to the Cuttome of the Country. :
The Meffenger who brings the Prefent makes a halt, in expectation of this Caval-
cade, in {ome Garden near the City, or in the Fields undera Tent, which he had got
fet up for that purpofe. After mutual Salutations, he cafts the Vett over the Baffa’s
fhoulders, puts the Sabre by his Side, and thrufts the Ponyard into his Safthe before
his Breaft, telling him, That the Emperour, their Matter, honours him with that Pre-
fent, upon the geod report which had been made to him, that he has demean’d him-
felf well, that he does not tyrannize over his People, and that there is no complaint
made, of his being defective in the adminiftration of Juftice.
This Complement paft, the-Baffa, in the fame order, and amidft the Joyful Accla-
mations of the people, takes his way, and the Grand Seignor’s’ Envoy along with
him, towards his Houfe, where he entertains him ata great Treat, and, after all is
done, with a Preftnt, which amounts to Ten thoufand Crowns at the leaft. For, as
J told you betore, if the Prefent be carried to one of the Baffa’s, who are in the grea.
ter Governments, as the Baff2’s of Buda, Cairo, or Babylon, they fhall not efcape under
‘Thirty or Forty thoufand Crowns, and the Prefent which is {ent to the Su/tan, ought
to amount toa hundred thoufand. Nay it many times happens, that the Grand Seig-
ner appoints what he would have their Prefent to his Envoy to amount to, and that
efpecially, when he fends fuch as he has a particular kindnefs for, and would amply
gratific. :
‘The Emperour Mahomet the Fourth, who now fits on the Throne, has a particular
inclination to exercife Liberality, and to beftow Rewards en thofe who ferve him ;
but he does it, fo as that it cofts him nothing, and confequently, there is no occafion
of taking ought out of the Treafury. When there is not an opportunity to fend the
Perfon, whom he has a defire to gratifie, into the Country,’ with fome Prefent, he has
another Expedient, which will do the work. His Darling-Divertifement is Hunting,
and he takes but little pleafure in any other Exercife. He thereupon orders the Perfon,
whom he would recompence, to be one at the Sport, and having kill’d a Stagg, or
fome other Bealt, he orders him to go and prefent it, from him, to one of the Gran-
dees of the Port, whofe abode is either at Conftantinople, or {ome place near it.
This Prefent is receiv’d with great demonttrations of joy, real, or apparent, and
the perfon, to whom it is brought, is immediately to take order for the fending back
of
of another, much exceeding it in value, to the Grand Seignor. And that confifts or-
dinarily in excellent Horfes, good pieces of Gold-Brockado, or rich Furrs. But his
work is yet not half over ; there muft be much more done for him, through whofe
hands he has receiv’d the Prefent, and he {Capes very well, when, not accounting what
he fends to the Grand Seignor, the carriage of it cofts him but Ten thoufand Crowns.
Nay many times, he is forc’d to double the Summe, when he_ has not been fo liberal,
as the Prince expected he fhould have been 5 for he prefently difpatches away an Ofh-
cer, to reproach him with the flender account he has made of his Prefent, and the
{inall recompence he had recciv’d, whom he had employ’d to bring it him, To thefe
reproaches he fends him an exprefs Order, to make him an additional Reward of
Twenty or thirty Purfes, which is immediately put in execution: and as to the Pre-
fent, which the Grand Seignor has receiv’d, he commonly makes a diftribution of it,
among{t thofe, who are then about him.
And thefe are the Advantages which the Grand Seignor {crews out of the Baffz’s,
and other Grandees of the Port, whilft they are alive. Let us now confider thofe
which accrew to him by their death, in order to the recompenting of thofe, whom
he favours, without being, oblig’d to take any thing out of his Coffers. Wher the
death of a Baffz is refolv’d upon, the Grand Seignor delivers the Commiffion to him,
whom he has defign’d to be kind to; and he finds it much more advantageous, to
bring him the Sentence of his death, than to bring him a Prefent from the Prince.
Ir the Execution is to be done in Conftantinople, the ordinary Executioner is the Formalities obe
Bofiangi-bachi, who is alwaies about the Grand Seignor’s Perfon, and he himfelf does fere’d at the
the Work. But if there be a neceflity of going into fome remote Province, tis com- 4¢th of the
monly either a Kapigi-bachi, or one of the principal Boffangis, whom the Prince has a pen eK
mind to fhew his kindnefs to, who is {ent to perform the Execution. He who car= py the Pekar’:
ries the Order, accompany’d by tive or fix Capigis, fometimes manages his Affairs fo, Orders.
as to arrive at the place, while the Council is fitting. But if that cannot be fo order’d,
he goes to the Baff2, and commands him in the Grand Seignor’s name,to call one imme-
diately. That Council confifts of the Baffa’s Lieutenant, the Mufti, the Cadi, the chie
Commander of the Fanizaries belonging to that place, and fome other perfons con-
cern’d in the adminiftration of Juttice, who are of the moft contiderable of the
Province,
The Council being affembled, the Capigi-bachi enters, attended by his people. and
prefents the Buffz with the Grand Seignor's Letter. He receives it with great refpect,
and having, put it three {¢veral times to his forehead, he opens, it,. reads it, and finds
that the Prince demands his head. He makes no other anfwer to that Order, then
what he does in thefe few words; Let the Will, {ayes he, 43 my Emperour be done :
only give me leave to [ay my Prayers which is granted him. His Prayers being ended,
the Capigis {cize him by the Arms, and the chief of them prefently takes off his Girdle
or Safche, and cafts it about his Neck. That Girdle confifts of feveral {mall ftrings of
Silk, with knots at both ends, which two of the company immediately catch hold
of, and one drawing one way, and the other, tother-way, they difpatch him in an
inftant.
If they are unwilling to make ufe of their Girdle, they take a handkerchief, and
with the Ring, which they ule, in the bending of their Bowes, and which they ordi-
narily wear on the right-hand Thumb, they thruft the hand between the handkerchiet,
which is ty’d very clofe, and the Throat, and fo break the
Thus they make a fhift to ftrangle a man in an inftant, fuffering him not to languifh in
pain, that he may dye a faithful Muhumetan, and not have the time to enter into de-
{pair the Turks thinking our way of hanging Criminals, who are fo long in torment
upon the Gibbet, a ftrange kind of Exceution. 8
Though I have often us’d this expreffion, That the Grand Seigner fends to demand hen and how
the Head of any perfon, whom he would rid out of the ways yet they never cut it off, they firike off
; Ss ‘ eOaES ; the Head én
‘but when he expreily declares his defire to fee it, and then it is brought to him. If Turkey.
it be from fome place at a great diftance, they take out the Brains, and fill the empty
I)
“$0 A Relation of the Chap. Xi.
place with Hay; and it was my fortune to {ce two Heads {0 order’d, at the fame time,
which they carried in a Bay. They were the Heads ot the Buffs of Karsjand Erzeranz.
It is farther to be obferv’d, That when the Sentence of death is paf$'d by the Prince
yainft any one, what quality foever he may be of, the Turks make no further account
him 3 and when they {peak of him, treat him no otherwile than they would do x
Dog. The Boftangi, who had been commitlionated to bring thofe two Heads to the
Grand Seignor, finding bimfelf weary and indifpos’d at a Village in Armenia, where it
was my chance to be at that time,and having underttood, that there was a French-man
in the Inne, ask’d one of my Servants whether I had any Wine, and would be content
to let him have any, to cheer up his fpirits. 1 immediately {ent him fome in a large
Fiaggon ; whereupon having intreated me to come and take a GlafS with him, which
I thought it not fit to deny, he would needs thew me, whether | Would or no, the
Heads of thofe two Baffa’s , a fight I had no great curiolity to {ee
When there is no order given for the bringing of the Head,they bury the Bedy about
Mid-night, without any ceremony, ahd the memory of the Beffi, who had made {>
‘A Prohibition much noife before, is foon extinguith’d and laid in the duft. But it is moreover to be
againft fede noted, That it is the Cuftome in Turkey, not to cut off the Head of any one, till after
ding the oe they have ftrangled him, and that the blood is quite cold it being againtt their Law,
a ipa " That the blood of a Muffzlman (that is, one of the Faithful) thould be {pilt, upon any
are condemn’a oOccafion, but in Warr,
to death. : 7
The Inventories PC execution being over, he who brought the Order for it, makes an immediate
af the Goods of Seizure of all that belong’d to the deceas’d Baffz; and after he has fet afide what he
Bafla’s de- —_Jiked beft for his own ufe,whether in Gold or Jewels, he brings the fame perfons,who
ctas'd,not faith had been at the precedent Councel, to proceed to the Inventory of his Goods, which
fully talygn, are afterwards, as I have faid elfewhere, tran{mitted to the Chambers of the Treafury.
They who are affiftant at the taking of that Inventory, know well enough, that many
things, which belong’d to the deceas’d,are embezill’d, but they are fo far from repining
or murmuring at it,that they fign and atteft,that there was not any more found. T.
are afraid,if they demean’d themfelves otherwife,left that Officer of the Seraglio, whom
the Grand Seignor has fent, and who poffibly is in favour, fhould do them ill offices
at the Court, and fpread fome falfe report of them whence, according to the example
they have then ne their eyes, might happen, in like manner, the lofs of their
They therefore think it prudence, to connive at what ever is done by that Envoy,
as being otherwife perfwaded, that he will not be difown’d by the Grand Scignor,
who is not ignorant of what’s done upon thofe occafions. Nay, on the contrary,what-
ever he may have dextroufly fecur’d to himfelf of the Baffz’s Goods, they make him
fome additional Prefents of their own, at his departure from them, engaging him
thereby, to {peak'well of them to the Grand Seignor, and to the Grand Vizir, at his
return to the Port. And then alfo, not accounting what he had taken before-hand and
what Cuftome tolerates, he receives new marks of the Liberality of his Prince, who is
fatisfy’d that he has fo faithfully executed his Orders: and fo he participates of what
is fet. down in the Inventory, when the Baffz’s Goods are brought into the Seraglio,
hein. . Some, poffibly, will be apt to imagine, that this Sentence of Death pafs’d in the
ap aoa ge rand Seignor’s Letter, fhould raife fome difturbance and aftonifhment f the Soul of
Turks ¢o defe him who reads it, and who reading therein his own Condemnation, knowes that it
Death with fo muft be immediately executed. Yet is it not apparent in his Countenance, that he is
much cenfiancy- much ftartled at it, he is not furpriz’d therewith, he fees that few of his Companions
efcape the fame fate, and he has difpos’d himfelf for fuch an end, affoon as he firtt
took poffeffion of his Charge, Befides, the Turks have a {trong per{wafion, That the
Decrees of Predeftination are irrevocable,and that it is impoffible to avoid them; which
makes them look Death in the face, with fuch a degree of conftancy and intrepidity,
as rendets them in a manner infeéntible. To which reflection we may adde this, Thae
that ready and implicite obedience and {ubmiffion of the Turks, to the Orders of their
Soveraign, is rather a principle of Religion, than of State, which has been inftill’d into
61
—— ane
Chap.XI. Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO.
them, by a moft fubtle piece of Politicks ; and they believe, That, if they dye by the
Command of their Prince, they go ftreight into Paradife.
As for the opportunity of making an efcape out of Turkey, by any one who mig ‘Menlei
have fome prefentiment of his deftruction, re is to no ee id think of it. “aehe i fer.
Officers, and the Slaves, whom the Baffa’s have in their Retinue, are fo many Spies, ueape out of
and obfervers of their A@tions; and it is impoffible for them, to conceal what they do TYK¢Y:
from them. °*Twere dangerous for a nian to entruft a Secret with any one of them;
they are mean Souls, and uncapable of any gallant Action , befides that the Ports and
Paffages are equally fhut up againft both. If there be the leaft difcovery made thereof,
the Governour of the Frontier places would immediately have Orders from the Port,
to take the Field ; nay if there were not any fach, they are but over-diligent, in en- —
quiring after, and informing themfelves of all thofe, who pafs through the extent of
their Jurifdiction.
Befides, though there were fome likelihood of compaffing it, and that, travelling
only in the Night time, a man might get into fome Neighbouring State; yet Turkey
being in a manner quite furrounded by Nations who abhor the Domination of the
Ottomans , ’twere as much as to leap out of the Frying-pan into the Fire, and to go
and pafs for a Spy, amongft a fort of people, who would give no quarter. Whence it
might be imagin’d, that there were lef difficulty in attempting an efcape by Sea, than
to hazard it by land: but the former is the much more difficult, and the {evere prohi-
bitions made to the Chrijtians, upon pain of death, not to take any Turk or Slave, into
their Ships, which are exactly fearch’d, before they weigh Anchor, fhut up all the
Ports of Turkey, againit thofe of the Country,who might be defirous to get out of it.
Tmue it is, however, that few years pafs, but that a confiderable number of Slaves
are convey’d away, by the charity and contrivances of the Chriftian Confuls, and Mer-
chants. They are fecretly kept at the Houfes of fome Chriftian Inhabitants of the Coun-
try, whofe fecrecy and filence are bought with Mony 5 and the fame receipt. ftops the
mouths of thofe, who have the over-fight of the Ports, and are warmly entertain’d
with drinking, while they cunningly get the Slaves aboard the Veffel, which has been
vifited, and is then ready to {et fail. They would be loath to run themfelves into that
danger for natural Turks : there would be fome ground to fear, that it might be fome
Plot on their fide, to furprize and try the Chriftians ; and it {eldom happens that they
have a thought of making any efcape. They know well cnough, that, whether it be
by Sea, or Land, (excepting only the Kingdom of Perfia, where.they are hated upon
the account of the difference of Seéts) they cannot make their efcape any where but
into Chriftendom, where they would not be permitted the exercife of their Mahumetan
Religion, which they would not renounce for a thoufand lives.
E’re we clofe up the Difcourfe concerning, the Liberality of the Ortoman Monarchs, profns made
it is to be obferv’d, That fometimes they make very confiderable Prefents, which they to the sultanef-
take out of the Grand Treafury, and which are paid in Silver only, ifthey are order’d fes.
for the Grandees of the Port, whether in the Seraglio, or out of it. “Thofe Prefents
confifts ordinarily of a Purfe-of Gold, which amounts to Fifteen thoufand Ducats, or
Thirty thoufand Crowns; and when there are any fiich made to the Sultaneffes, they
receive all in Gold. To do that, there’s no occafion of going to the Secret Treafuiry,
there is gold enough in the Fourth Chamber, into which they at firit bring in all the.
Gold and Silver of all the Revenues of the Empire; and that Summe, which makes no
great hole in the great heap, returns again into the fame place, by {everal wales.
&
ttc, | CHAP,
62
A Relation of the Chap. XII.
The third part
of the Revenue
of Egypt, bow
smployae
The great wealth
of the Sheck
of Mecha.
Ceremonies ov-
ferv’d at Ma-
homet’s Tomb.
CHAP. ATE
Of the Prefent, which the Grand Seignor fends, every Year,
? to Mecha.
Tue Paincipat Heaps.
The third part of the Revenue of Egypt, how employ’d. ‘The great
Wealth of the Sheck of Mecha. Ceremonies obferv’d at Maho-
met’s Tomb. The Caravan of Cairo. ‘The Prefent fent from
Mecha to the Great Mogul. "The Opinion of the Mahumetans,
concerning Mecha and Medina.
Hat I make here a particular Chapter of the Prefent, which the Grand
Seignor fends every Year to Mecha, is occafion’d by this third part of the
Revenue of Egypt, which is peculiarly defign’d for it; and upon this
Confideration withall, That I have fingular Remarks to make upon that
fubject.
Three Millions of Livers, of Twelve, of annual Revenue, which the Kingdom of
Egypt payes the Grand Seignor, are partly expended in the Rich Carpet, and the Sum
tuous Tent, which he fends to the Sheck, every year, in honour to Mabomet’s Tomb.
Another part goes to the payment of thofe who ferve in the Mofqueys 3 As for in-
ftance, the Imans, who are their Priefts ; the Cheuchs, whovare their Preachers; the
Miuezims, who, by their noife on the Towers of the Mofqueys, call the people to their
Devotions; and the Kaijms of Mecha and Medina, who look to, and keep clean the
Mofqueys, and light the Lamps. We muft alfo put into the Account of thefe Three
Millions, the Suftenance of all the Pilgrims for the {pace of Seventeen dayes, the Grand
Seignor fending, for that end, a fufhcient Summe to the Sheck.. This Sheck, who is,
as *twere, the Supream Perfon upon the {core of the Law, and the High Prieft of all
the Mahumetans, what Country and Sect foever they be of, makes the poor ignorant
people believe, that there come every year to Mecha, Seventy thoufand Pilgrims, Men
and Women ; and if that number were not compleat, the Angels would come in hu-
mane forms, to make it up. |
This Prince, whom we call the Sheck, for whom all the Mabumetans havea great
Veneration, is very Rich, and very powerful, and that may be eafily ponjeGtur’d by
the Prefents, which he receives every year from the Grand Seignor,and the other Ma-
humetan Princes. Thefe Prefents are all his own, to be difpos’d of as he pleafes, at
the end of the Year, when new ones are fent to him. He makes his advantage alfo
of all the Prefents that are made by the Pilgrims, and of the Summes of Mony, which _
thofe very Princes fend him, to be diftributed in Alms, which he alfo difpofes of as
he pleafes; and all thefe Prefents put together, make him fuch a Revenue as is hardly
imaginable. For Mahumetifme {preads very mush into Exrope, Afia, and Africa, and
that much more then is commonly believ’d, as I fhall more diftinétly make it appear,
at the end of my Relation, in a particular Chapter, which I defign for the handling
of that matter.
From {everal Parts of the World, there come Caravans to Mecha, and when the
Devotion is to begin, the High Prieft, affifted by all the people belonging to the Law,
{pends night and day, in faying of Prayers, and performing the neceflary Ceremonies.
On the Seventh day, all the Pilgrims are affembled together before the Sheck’s Tent,
who
Chap. XI. Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO. °- 63
who appears at the entrance of it, and ftanding upon a low Stool,that he may be feen
by thofe who are at the greateft diftance from him, Prayes, and gives his Benediction
to all the people, putting a period to the Devotion, with thefe words, That God wonld
enable them to return in Peace, as they came thither.
From that minute, every one muft bethink him(felf, that hé is to be at his own
charges the Sheck gives no more, and *tis then that he begins to make great advanta-
gcs to himfelf. For whatever is fold for the Suftenance of the Pilgrims, comes from
him 3 and befides, he holds a correfpondence with the Matters of the Caravans, of
whom the Pilgrims are forc’d to buy conveniences for their riding back again, at more
then three times the rate they are worth, when the Beafts they had brought out of
their own Countries have fail’d them by the way.
The Caravan of Cairo is the moft numerous, and the moft confiderable of all the The Cabavdd
Caravans, that come to Mecha. The Caravan-bachi, who is the Captain and Con- of Cairo.
ductor of it, makes his gains by it, at his return, worth him Two hundred thoufand
Crowns; and there is a great competition about his place, which is at the difpofal of
the BafJa ot Cairo, and commonly carried by the highelt bidder for it. The Captain
of this Caravan is alfo Matter of the Waters, which:are carried into the Cifterns, and
it is according to his Orders that they are diftributed; and whereas that diftribution
is equal, as:well in relation to the Poor, as to the Rich, if the latter would have any
beyond the quantity allow’d them, they mutt pay dearly for it; and the Captain ,
who {ets what impofition he pleafés upon it, makes a confiderable advantage there-
ae ) sige
But let us return to the Grand Seignor’s Prefent. The Tent, and the Carpet,which rhe Profint fint
he fends, are two Pieces equally precious, as well for the excellency of the Stuffé,as the from Mecha to
additional embellifhments hereof. The Carpet is detign’d for the covering of Maho- the Great Mo-
met’s ‘Tomb and the Tent, which is erected hard by the Mofquey, is for the Sheck, 8°”
who does not ftirr out of it,during the Seventeen dayes of Devotion. This High Prieft
of the Mahumetan Law, has found out the fecret knack, of extracting inexprelfible
Summes‘of Mony, out of that Carpet and Tent, which are renew’d every year: and
when the new Prefent is arriv’d from the Grand Seignor, he fends, as *twere out of a
fingular favour, certain pieces of the Curtain of the old Tent, to {everal Mahumetan
Princes, of whom he receives Magnificent Prefents in requital. This Curtain, which
is fet up on the out-fide of the Tent, quite found it, to hinder the people from feeing
thofc.that are under it, confilts of {everalpieces, fix foot high, and-of a great length :
and the Sheck endeavours to per{wade thofe Princes, That if they faften one of thofe
picces to their Tents, when they are going to engage in a War, againft thofé whom
they account Infidels, good fortune will be fure to attend them, aud it will not be
long ere they gain the Victory. But if he fends either the whole Curtain, or the
Tent, or Carpet entire, it muft be to a great Monarch indeed, fuch as the Great Cham
of Tartary, or the Great Mogul: and that he does, once in ten, or twelve years; one
whilé tothe one, and another, to the other.
Of this we have a late inftance, in Amreng-zeb, who at the prefent. is King of the
Indies, and whom we otherwife call the Great’ Mogu!. For upon his eftablifhment in
his Throne, the Sheck {ent him the whole Curtain belonging to the Tent; and great
joy there was at his Court, that the King had receiv’d fo Magnificent a Prefent, from
the Holy Place, as they call it. “The Sheck, was {oon after made fenfible of the Royal
Liberality of that Great Monarch, one of the Richeft and moft Powerful of the Uni-
verfe ; and thus does that Spiritual Head of the Mahbumetan Religion, who has a kind
of Superintendency over all the Members; know how to make his advantage of them,
and has found out the way, to enrich himfelf, at the coft of all the Princes and Nati-
ons, who fubmit themfelves to the Mabumetan Law,
I queftion not, but that they who have writ of the Religion of the Turks, have
given fome account of the Pilgrimage of Mecha, which is one of the moft effential
parts thereof ; and therefore, as well for that reafon, as alfo for that I (hould digrefs
too
64
A Relation of the Chap. XII.
too much from my fubjeét, I ought not to profecute that matter any farther. I fhall
take occafion here, to make three Remarks, which I have originally learnt, of one
of the moft learned in the Rubricks of the Mahbumetan Law.
The firft is, that the Turks, by an ancient Tradition, believe, That Mecha is the
place, where God commanded Abraham to build him a houfe; and that while he was
there, all Nations came thronging to vifit him: and that it is alfo the fame place,
where Mahomet receiv’d the Alcoran, from Heaven.
The {ccond relates to the Commandement impos’d upon all the Mahumetans, to be,
once in their lives, concern’d in the Pilgrimage of Mecha. For it is to be obferv’d,
That the obligation does not extend to the poorer fort of people, who have hardly
wherewithal to live upon, and would bring great mifery on their Families, by their
abfence, as being not able to leave them what is requifite for their fuftenance.
The third Remark is concerning the preference of the two Cities of Mecha, and
Medina. The former is the place of Mahomet’s birth, which it was his defign to ho-
nour, and make known, by that famous Pilgrimage, whereto he obliges all thofe of his
Law. The latter is the place of his Burial, of which there is abundance of fabulous
relations. Mahomet, in his Alcoran, dogs only enjoyn their going to Mecha, where
there are no other Relicks of that falfe Prophet, then one of his Sandalls: And the
Doctors of the Law are alfo of opinion, that there is no obligation of going to Medina,
and that without feeing that City, a man fatisfies the Command of Mahomet. I hall
treat at large of the Pilgrimage of Mecha, in the laft Chapter of this Relation of my
Travels, and of the different Roads by which the Mahumetans of Europe, Afia, and
Africa, are conducted to the Tomb of their Prophet.
CHAP.
NY,
Chap. XIII. Grand Seignor’s Sea errs. 63 =
CHAP. XIIL
Of the Cup Bearer's Quarter, and of divers other
Appartments.
Tue Principat Heaps.
The ancient Cuftome practis'd, when the Grand Seignor is prefented
with any thing to drink, between meals. A Way to quench thirft
at meals, wholly particular to the Levantines. The compofition
of Treacle. A ftately fervice of Gold-Plate. Beds according to
the Turkifh mode. Waies to fatisfie the nece/Sities of Nature
different from ours. ‘The Caufes of the abominable Sin committed
by the Turks, who are confin’d within the Seraglio.
Have difcover’d many things particularly obfervable, conceming the Treafury of i. Anepre
the Ottoman Monarehs, and there are yet fome very Remarkable paflages to be cu/tome pra .
communicated, relating to the other Quarters of the inner part of the Sera- is’ when the
glio. Grand Seignor
drinks between
Between the Treafury, and an obfture Vaulted Gallery, in length between Fifteen ““’*
and Twenty paces, which conducts you to an Iron-Door, by which there is a paffage
into the Gardens, you find, on the left hand, the Appartment of the Pages of the Kilar,
or the Cup-Bearer’s Office. That is the place where they prepare the Sherbets, and
other Liquors, for the Gtand Seignor’s own drinking, and where they keep the Wine,
if it happens, that he dtinks any, as Sultan Amurath did, of whom I have often had
occafion to fpeak. *Tis an ancient Cufteme, That when the Grand Seignor calls for
Water to drink between meals, every time he fo calls-cofis him ten Sequins, or Che-
guins. ‘The Ceremony obferv’d therein is this : In the Chamber call’d the Haz-Oda,
which is the Appartment of the Forty Pages, who are alwayes near the Grand Seig-
nor’s Perfon, there is perpetually one of them ftanding Sentinel at the Entrance, which
leads to the Cup-Bearer’s Office, where two Pages of the fame Quarter are in like
manner upon the Sentry. When the Grand Seignor is thirfty,and calls for water, the
Page of the Hzz-Oda immediately makes a fign to the two Pages of the Kilar,of whom
one advances up to the Kilar-bachi, or Cup-Bearer himfelf, crying out Sou, which fig-
nifies Water, to advertife him, that the Prince would drink; and the other runs to
the door of the Haz-Oda, where the moft ancient of the Forty Pages gives him Ten
Sequins. That Page is the Treafurer of the faid Chamber, and he payes the {mall
s which the Grand Seignor gives order for, an Office which might be call’d in
Englith, The Tredfirer of the petty Enjoyments. The Water is fometimes brought in a
Cup of Gold, fometimes in a Veffel of Pourcelain, placed upon a large Server of Gold,
about two foot diameter.and enrich’d with Precious Stones within and without. That
is look’d on, as one of the richett pieces of Plate belonging to the Seraglio. The prin-
cipal Cup-Bearér, who is a white Eunuch, carries it with great Ceremony, attended
by a hundréd Pages of the Kilar, whom he ordinarily has under his Charge, and up-
held under the Arms by two of them, who walk on both fides of him. Fof it is re-
guir’d, That he fhould carry it lifted up above his head, and fo he cannot fee his way
but by looking under it. When he is come to the Door of the Haz-Oda, the Pages of
the Kilar, who have accofnpany’d him fo far, pafs no farther, fave only the two who
uphold his Arms, and the Pages of thé Chambet go along with him quite into the
Giand Seignor’s Prefénee. But when they come to the door of the Chamber, two “a
the
66. A Relation of the Chap. XII
the more ancient among them, take the places of the two Pages of the Kilar, and
* ~ ccmpleat the conducting of the Kélargi-Bachi, under the Arms, to offer the Cup to the
Prince. When he has not any thing to fay to him, he carries it back again into the
Kilar, but if he will take his opportunity to entertain him with fome Affair, he deli-
vers the Cup and the Server into the hands of one of the Pages, whe led him under
the Atmns, and he delivers it to thofe, who, belonging to the Cup-Bearer’s Office, wal-
ted there in expectation of his return.
A way to ’Tis in the fame place, to wit, that under the over-fight of the Cup-bearer, they keep
quench thirfé a1) forts of refrething, and cooling Waters, as that of Peaches, Cherries, Rafpices, and
« meal Swo''Y Cch other fruits. The Turks do not drink during, their refection, that is, not till they
particular to , ej ety ‘
the Levantines. have given over eating; and becaufe it is potlible they may be dry, whilft they eat ; take
here the manner how they quench that thirft. They are ferv’d at Table with thefe
Waters, in great ups of Ponrcelaine, which hold about two Quarts, and the better to
diftinguifh them, they put into every one of thofe Cups, fome of the fame fruit, from
which the Water that is therein had been extracted, and which they had preferv’d for
that purpofe. Every one has lying by him a Wooden fpoon, which holds three or
four times as much as any of our ordinary ones, and whereof the handle is,of a length
proportionable: for as to Gold or Silver fpoons, it is not their cuitome to ufe any.
With thofe fpoons , they can take out what is in the Cups, according to the Water
which they molt fancy, and fo they fufpend thirft, taking ever and anon {ome fpoontuls
of it |
the compofition It is alfoin the Cup-bearers Appartment that the Treacle is made, which the Turks
of Treacle. call Tivivk-Farik, and there isa great quantity of it made, becaufe they ufe it as an Uni-
verfal reniedy, and charitably bettow it on all forts of people, as well in City as Coun-
try, who are defirous of it. The Vipers which are us’d in this compolition are brought
out of Agypt, and they make no account of thofe which other Countries afford, “or
they are of opinion at leaft, that the former are much the better for that purpofe.
Aftately fer- . Before the Appartment of the Klar, there; isa Gallery whereof the floor is pav’d
vice of Gold with {qaare pieces of Black and. White Marblé, and fuftain’d. by , eight. fair Pillars of
Plate. White Marble, and at the-end of it isa little Quartex;:'where- the principal Cup-bearer
has his refidence.. There alfo. are the Lodgings ofthis: Subttitute, the Ki/arquet-boudafi,
who is not. an, Eunuch, as theKaargi-bachisis; aid who, at his removal out of the Se-
raglioi-is- ordinarily. adwarie’d:to:the charge of a Baffz. The Kilargi-bachi has in his
cultody, all the Geld and’ Silver-plate, the Batins, the Ewers, the Bowls, the Cups, the
Servers, and the Candlefticks, the greateft part of that fervice being garnifh’d with Dia-
monds, Rubies and Emeralds, and other pretious Stones of value. As for golden Di-
thes and Candletticks, without any additional embellifhments of precious Stone, there
are fome fo large, and fo maffy, that there muft be two men to carry one of them.
Thefe Candlefticks are made after a fafhion quite different from ours. They are ordi-
narily,two or three Foot high, upon a Bafe of above twelve inches Diameter, and the
upper part thereof is as twere a Box, or kind of Lamp, with its beak, and. it may con-
tain above a pound of fuet. *Tis to prevent the fall of any thing upon the Carpet, that
they make the foot of the Candleftick fo large as I told you; and befides, it is requitite,
that.it fhould bear fome proportion to the height. The match, or wicke, which they
put into the Suet, beaten into fimall bits, is about the bignefs of a Man’s thumb, and
nently mult needs make a great light in the Room. Asto the Kilarguet-houdafi,
the Superiour over the Halvagis, and the Akegis, who are the Cooks and the Con-
fetioners, of whom not one can enter into fervice, but by his Orders. er.
In my difcourfe of the Treaftury, I made no mention of the Quarter of thofe Officers,
who ferve there, becaufe my delign was to follow the order of the Stru@tures of the
Seraglio, and to conduct the Reader, by little and little, out of one Court into another,
and out of one Quarter intoanother. That of the Pages of the Treafury, is hard by the
Kilar, and begins with a Gallery, pav’d with {quare pieces of Marble, of different co-
lours, fultain’d by eight Pillars, of the fame material, and whereof the fides and the roof
are painted. with all forts of flowers, in Gold and Azure. That Gallery is open on the
one fide, and on the other you find in the midft of it, the Door leading into the Appart-
ment
hap.XUI. Grand Seignor’s SkRacrio. 67
ment of the Pages, with three great Windows on the right hand, and as many on the
left: And °tis there that the tix moft elderly Pages of the Treafury have their refidence
night and day. From that door, along a walk pav’d with white Marble ftones, very
large ones, about fifteen paces in length, and five ia breadth, you come to another Por-
tal, of the fame material, {uftain’d by two Pillars of black Marble; over the faid Por-
tal, there may be read thefe words, which are ordinary enough in the mouths of the
Turks, and which I have explicated elfewhere 5
‘La Wahé Ia Alla, Muhammed Refoul Alla:
It gives entrance into a Jong Hall, where there may be feen on both fides a kind of Beds according
Seat, or Scaffold, a foot anda half in height, and between feven and eight in breadth. to the Turkifh
Every Page has but four foot in breadth for his repofing place, as well by day, as by dail
night: And for their Beds, they are permitted to have undet them, only a Woollen
Coverlet, four times doubled, which ferves them for a Quilt, and over that they ordi-
narily have one of Gold or Silver-Brockado, or fome other {umptuous Silk-ftuff; and
in the Winter time, they are permitted to-have three of them. They are not to have
their Coverlets all of Wooll, which would be fo much the warmer, becaufe it would
not be a decent fight for the Grand Scignor, when he comes ever and anon, in the
night time, pretending, indeed as if he would furprize them, and fee how they demeai
themfelves, but in effec, fometimes _to cover lewd defigns. °Tis between thofe Co-
verlets that the Pages take their repofé, having their Waft-coat and Drawers on 3 tot
there is no talk ofany other kind of Linnen, either in Turkey, or any part of the Eaft ;
and whether it be Winter or Summer, they alwaies lay themf{clves down to fleep, half
clad, without any great Ceremony.
Over the Beds of the Pages, there isa Gallery, which goes quite round the Hall, 74y#s to (atis-
and is fuftain’d by Pillars of Wood, painted all over with red varnifh, and there they # is eat
have their Coffers, wherein their Cloaths are kept. Every one has a Coffer to himfelf, drat fom a
‘but the twelve Senior Pages have each of them two Coffers, and one of thofe twelve
has the Key of the Gallery in his cuttody. It is ordinarily open’d but one day in the
Weck, which is anfwerable to our Wednefday, and then, every Page goes, and takes out
of his Coffer, what he ftandsin need of. If any one of them muft of neceffity look for
fone thing there upon any other day, heigets hve or fix Pages together, and they all
go to the principal Officer of the Treafury, and-he commands the Kufgi, who has the
Key of the Gallery in his cuftody, to open it for them, and to haveva care that they
meddle not with the Coffers of their Companions, Ses re
eee,
At one of the ends of the Hall,there is a Door, which conducts you to the Fountaines;
where thofe that have their dependance on the Treafury go and wath, when they are
call’d to their Devotions. There are feven Copper Cocks for that convenience, and as
well the pavement, as the Walls, of that place are of white Marble.
The places appointed for the eafing of Nature are on the right hand, divided into
four little Rooms, which are-alwayes kept very clean, and pav’d with {quare pieces of
white Marble, as the Room of the Fountain is. The Turks do not fit down, as we
de, when they are in thofe places, but they fquat down over the hole , which is not
half a foct, or little more above the ground. That hole is cover’d with an Iron plate;
which rifes and falls by a Spring, and turning one way or other, at the falling of the
Ieaft weight upon it, it comes to the flation it was in before, affoon as the ordure is fal-
len from it. I have obferved elfewhere, that the Turks, and generally all the Mabuma-
tanes, do not ufe paper in fuch cafes, or upon any undecent occafion, and when they
go to thofe kinds of places, they carry alon with them a Pot of water, to wath them-
{clves withal, and the Iron-plate is alfo made clean at the fame time, And {0 the hole
being, alwaies cover’d, andthe Iron plate alwaies kept clean, there can be no ill fmell
in the place, and that the rather, for that a {mall current of water, which patfes under
that place, carries away all the Ordure. )
(K) But
68
The Causes of
the abominable
Sin committed
by the Turks
who aré con-
find within
the Scraglio.
A Relation of the Chap. XIII.
But it were to be wifh’d, that they would not fo much concern themfelves in keep-
ing thofe places fo clean, provided they could forbear polluting. them with thofe de-
teltable impurities, which I thould gladly have left unmention’d, did I not fear the
reproach might be made to me, of my having been defective in point of exactne(s,
I have already faid fomething of it, in the Second Chapter of this Relation, and it is a
fubject, which is to be flightly paft over, that {0 there may be but imperfect Id.ea’s left
of it. Ic is therefore in thofe places, that the Pages make their no¢turnal affignations,
in order to the committing of the worft of all crimes, which yet they find it very dif-
ficult to put in execution, becaufe they are fo narrowly watch’d ; and if they are taken
in the very act, they are punifh’d with fo great feverity, that {ometimes they areeven
drubb’d to death 5 of which chafti{ement, I have clfewhere piven an account. In like
manner, to prevent the committing of that infamous at, in the places where they take
their repofe, there are two Torches lighted, which laft all the Night, and three Eu-
nuchs are everand anon going, their Rounds, by which means the Pages are depriv’d
ot the opportuniti¢s, which otherwife they might have, to offend.
But we necd not go far, to find out the Source of this Evil: the ftriGtnef$ of the
scliraint they are in, and their being depriv’d of the fight of Women, induce thofe
Young Men to practife fuch detilements, and hurry the Zarks into a Gulph, to which
they, by an execrable paflion, are, naturally but too much inclinable. The Ichoglans,
who are brought very young into the Seraglio,know not what a Woman is,but by the
inftinct of Nature; and there are {ome ot them, who,for one day’s fight and enjoy-
ment of a Woman, would be content to dye the next. All thofé Nations generally
have fo great a bent to lubricity, that it feems impellible they fhould quit it, but with
their lives ; what they cannot do one way, they endeavour to do another; and they
of the Seraglio do all they can to elude the infpedtion of their Overfeers. The Reader
may: call to mind the Action of the two Pages, who hid themfelves in the Mofquey,
anc Wat fingle Example is enough, to fhew, how they feck out all the wayes imagin-
able, to fatishe their brutifh paffion.
The Quarter of the Kafnadar-bachi, as alfo that of his Companion, or Subftitute, is
adjoyning to that.of the Puges of the Tycafury, and from their Chambers, they have
a Profpect into a little Flower-Garden, which belongs to them. We have yet fome
other Chambers to view, before we come to that, which they call the Haz-Ovawhich
is the Appartment of the Forty Pages of the Chan:ber, and the entrance to that of the
Grand Seignor. ~
CHAP.
Chap. XIV. Grand Seignor’s Grek cite: = 69
CHAP. XIV.
Of the Quarter of the Dogangi-bachi, or Grand
Faulconer, and of fome other Officers.
Tue Principat Heaps.
Magnificent Chambers. The ordinary Revenues of the Grand Faul=
coners. ‘[he Magnificence of the Ottoman Princes, im what
relates to Flunting. Birds fupplymg the places of Dogs, in run-
ning down a Deer, or a Hare. ‘The delicate Chamber of the
.
Selidgar-Agi, who carries the Grand Seignor’s Sword. The ex- -
_ cellent order obfery'd in the Seraglio. :
He Dogangi-bachi, or Graind Faulconer, and the Pages, whom he has under ig ey
his Charge, have their Quarter, between that of the Pages of the Trea- 67””""
fury, ae that of the Pages of theChamber. The place appointed for
the Pages of the Falconry, has nothing in it extraordinary, and a man
cannot make a diftovery of any thing of beauty therein: but on the
other fide, the two Chambers, where the Grand Falconer Lodges, have fomething
that’s Magnificent, afd are ds {umptuoufly furnifh’d , as any other Room of the Se-
raglio. ‘The firft, which ferves for an Anti-Chamber, is leffer, and they are both of
them pav’d witha Checquer-work of black and white Marble, having the Roof
beautify’d with Flowers, painted, and guilt. But that of the {econd Chamber is the
more fumptuous by much, as having large Flowers, in émbofs’d Work, every Flower
in its {quare piece, and the Junétures all cover’d with Gold.. The Walls are ex-
cellently wainfcoted, wherein alfo they have not {par’d for Gold, and on both fides,
there axe cro{s-barr’d Windows, whereby the Chatnberereceives.much light. The
Marble Checquer-work of the Floor is not feen, as being Serre a filken Car-.
pet, upon which there are laid, in feveral parts of the Chamber, a certain number of
Quilts, two or three foot in breadth, and about four Inches thick. Some of them
are cover’d with Velvet, or Satin, of different Colours 5 others, with Gold-Brocka-
does, and every one has its Cufhion, of the {ame Stuff, between three and four foot
in length, and about two foot in heighth. Thefe Cufhions are laid behind their
backs, when they are fitting, after their Mode, crofs-legg’d, and thofe little Quilts
are, to them, inftead of Chairs, and Couches, in a Chamber.
If the Grand Falconer be remov’d out of the Seraglio, it is upon his advancement The ordinary
tothe Charge of one of the principal Baffa’s, and to one of the greater Governments, Revenses of the -
as that of Cairo, or Babylon 5 and while he continues in the Seraglio, befides his Ta- ©74%4 Fafce-
ble, which is all atthe Prince’s charge, he is allow’d an annual Revenue, of tenor”
twelve thoufand Crowns.The Pages ot the Falconry,carry Hawks on thcir Fittsand feed
them: they have the liberty to go and exercife them in the Gardens and they all attend
the Grand Seignor, when he goes a Hawking, or Hunting. They wear the fame Stuffs,
as the Pages ot the Treafury, and may alfo put on Vefis of Cloath, but made after
fich a fathion, as makes them eafily diftinguifhable trom thelchoglans, Of the firlt and
fecond Chamber, who are always clad in Woollen-cloath, For the Pagesof the Fal-
conry have their Sleeves made narrower and narrower, from the Shoulder to the Wrift,,
and they are there faften’d dofe with aes but the Sleeves of the Pages of
(K 2) the
7o ~~» ~~ «> A Relation of the
the Treafury, are as wide below, as they are above, and that makes the difference be-
tween them. The twelve Senior Pages of the Falconry have the fame flaveries and ad-
vantages, a8 the Pages of the Treafury, and” age their Fellow-Commoners 3 but the
other Companions of the former , are treated after the fame rate as the Pages of the
Seferlis, who wath the Grand Seignor’s Linnen, and they all common at the fame
Chap XIV.
The Magnifi- Befides the fore-mentioned Pages, the Grand Faulconer hes under’ Bis command
cence of the near eight hundred other perfons, as well in Con/tantinople as the parts adjacent there-
Ottoman Prin- to, perpetually employ’d in the ordering and training up of all forts of Birds for the
ces invelation ~Came and there come none into the Seraglio, but what arefo order’d, and taught.
: Hunting and Though there may be a very great number of fuch, yet does not the Grand Seignor
awkings make ufe of any, but what have fome ftone of value about the neck, nay fometimes
fuch as may be valued at ten thoufand Crowns. All the Mahumetane Princes are very
fumptuous , in all things relating to their Game, and particularly the King of Perfiz.
Nothing can be imagin’d more, Glorious, or Magnificent , then the long Train of the
Grandees of his Court, when they return from their Sports. _ They all march in an
excellent order, every one with the Hawke on his Fift, and every Hawke having about
the neck, cither a Diamond, or fome other precious ftone, of great value, with the hood
all embroider’d with Pearles ; which muft needs make a moft delightful thow.
., Lhe Turks, and other inhabitants of the Levant, breed up, in order te their diver-
aise ? pe: tifements, feveral forts of Birds, which the Europeans make no ufe of at all, and they
Dogs in rus- are of a larger fize, and ftronger, then ours. With thofe, inftead of Dogs, will they
ning down run down a Hare, or a Stagge; and they have alfo the diverfion of hunting the Wild
Dettyor Hare Boar, and other favage Beafts. But what makes that Sport the more delightful is this,
that in Perfia, the Countrey is all open and champion, and there are no Woods, into
which the Hawke, or other Bird, might get out of their fight. He difcovers the Beaft
at a great diftance, faltens of a fiidden upon it, fo as that it cannot get loofe from him,
and, iticking clofe to the Head, picks out the Eyes of it, yexes, and torments it, and
retards the Fviftnel of its courfe, by which means, the Hunt{men come up the fooner
to it, and difpatch it. But they do not give the fatal blow, till the Prince has order’d
them to doit, or till he has thot offan Arrow, or difcharg’d’ his Fire-lock : upon
which fignall, they who are about him are permitted to exercifé their courage and dex-
terity. oid a pitts .
Next adjoyning to the Appartment of the Pages, belonging to the Falconry, there
is along Gallery, which is open but of one fide, and in the floore of it, there is a little
afcent. Jt is futiain’d by ten Pillars of Marble, of {everal colouts, and pavd witha
{quare-piec’d work of the fame material ; with a Wainfcotage, wherein there are fome
flowers painted, but very meanly. |
a hile From the end of the forefaid Gallery, turning on the right hand, you come to the
Aegis oe . Chamber of the Selidgar-Agi, who carries the Sword before the Grand Seignor. Some
who carries the part of that Chamber is cover’d with Carpets, the other has a Seat or Scaffold, rais’d
GrandSeigncr’s three foot high, but of a confiderable breadth, to which they afcend by fo many fteps
Sword. of white Marble, of four foot in length, the remainder of which Seat, being divided
from the Chamber by a Ballifter’d work, partly gilt with Gold , and partly Green.
All within that enclofure of Ballifters is cover’d with rich filken Carpets, and all about,
as well to the Wall fide, as to that of the Ballifters , there are fumptuous Cufhions of all
forts, of Gold and Silver-Brokadocs, The Walls ofthe Chamber are all gilt, and at
equal diftances, there are flower-pots painted, rarely well divertify’d , and affording a
moft delightful profpeét. The place where the Selidgar-Agi fits, is at the corner of
that part of the Chamber which is enclos’d with the Ballifters, on the right hand, and,
over his Head hang the Swords and Sabres, which he carries before the Grand Seignor,
Within the Seraglio; and after him, when his Highnef$ goes out of the Seraglio. »
the excellent ~~ Affoon as a Prince is come to the Crown, whatever he ordinarily wears, is never re-
order obferv'd turn’d ‘into the’ Treafury, till after his death: And the Chafnadar-bachi, who is the
in the Seragio. Querfeer of ity finds by his Regifiries, whether all the things that were taken out of
: the
Chap. XV. Grand Seignor’s Gisacrn.
the Treafury , during the Grand Seignor’s life, are brought into it again, at his death.
Whenever any piece is taken out, the Seligdar-Agi, to whom it is deliver’d, gives the
principal Officer of the Treafury an acknowledgment, under his hand, of his having re-
ceiv'd it; and by that means nothing can be embezill’d, good order being ftri@ly ob-
ferv’d in all things, relating to the Seraglio. In {ome other parts of the Chamber. you
find hanging up Ponyards and Knives, all rich Pieces, and befet with precious ftones,
which, as all the reft, are exactly Regiftred in the Books of the Treafury. On each fide
of the {aid Chamber, there are two little Rooms, for four Pages of the Seferlis, who
wait on the Seligdar-Aga, and are always about his perfon. Tis now time that we
pafs into the Grand Seignor’s Quarter.
eT
CoiA P.O. XV,
Of the Grand Seignor’s Appartment, —
Tue Principat Heaps.
The Chamber of the Forty Pages. A noble Monument of the Valour
of Amurath. The fituation of the Mofqueys in Turkey. The
Ceremonies of their Devotions. A Magnificent Winter-Chamber.
The myftertous Seal of Mahomet. ‘The great Superftitions of
the Turks. A fantastick, and covetous knack of Devotion. The
Relicks of Omar. A ridiculous Seét. The Grand Seignor’s
Quarter. The Emperour Amurath’s Belvedere, or place of
Profpeét. The Excellent Wines of the Oyl of Tenedos. A per-
frdious AE justly punifh’d. TheFortune of a beautiful Sicilian
Virgin. The Grand Seignor’s Bed-Chamber. “The ancient ve-
neration of the Turks for Mahomet’s Banner. A word farther
of the Prince’s Appartment. eo
Hough the inner part of the Seraglio ought properly to be divided into but:
two great Quarters, which are the Grand Seignor’s own Quarter, and the
Quarter of the Sultaneffes s yet have I thought it more convenient, for the
Reader’s better remembrance of things, to diftinguifh to him the different
parts, of which the former confifts, anfwerably to its feveral ufes: and. after a large
account, given of the Baths, the Treafury, the Cup-Bearer’s Office, and the Falconry,
¥ come now to the particular Appartment of the Grand Seignor’s Perfon, :
The Hax-Oda is the firtt Structure that offers it (elf to your view, and *tis by that 4, chamber
name the Turks call the fourth and higheft Claffe of the Ichoglans, which is the Cham- of the Forty
ber of the Forty Pages, who are hourly employ’d in the Grand Scignor’s Services This Pages.
Chamber is of the fame largenefs, as that of the Pages of the Treafury, and furnith’d
much after the fame rate; but it is not near fo lightfome, or rather, it-wants light.
As there is not fo great a number of them, fo have they accordingly more place to fit,
or lye down; and in the midft of the Chamber, you find a little place, rais’d
up fomewhat higher than the Beds of the Pages, whence the Haz-Oda-bachi, their
Governour, may obferve all their a¢tions, and fee how ‘they demean themf{clves. He
has order to give the Grand Seignor notice of it, Rewards being the one :
, %
72
A noble Monus
ment of Amu-
rath’s Valour.
The [ertuation
of the Mofques
in Turkey.
A Relation of the | Chap.XV_
good actions, aschaftifements are, of bad ones ; and it is alfo incumbent upon him, to
make {peedy provilion of all the things they ftand in need cf. Over the Door of that
“Chamber, thee words, La Ila Hé Illa, &c. whereof I have often made mention, are
engrav'd in large golden Letters 5 and at the four corners, are the Names of Mabo-
met’s four Companions, Ebow-beker, Omar, Ofman, and Ali, engrav’d in like manner
in black Marble. When the Grand Seignor has made a Baffz, and that he is to take
his leave of his Highnefs, to go to his Government, he comes out at that Door,where
all thofe names are engrav’d, and as foon as he is come out, he turns his face again to
the Door, and kiffes the Threfhold of it, with great humility.
As foon as you are come into the Chamber, you find on the right hand feveral
words of the Law, written, and enchac’d, in guilt {quares, and one of thefe Wri-
tings is, of Sultan Achmet’s, the Father of Amurath On the left hand, you find,
faften’d to the Wall, a Coat of Mail, a Head-picce, and a great Buckler 3 it is oneof
the Monuments of Amurath’s Valour. During the Siege of Bagdet, or Babylon, a
Perfian coming out of the City, and challenging any one of the Beliegers to meet
him, that Prince, one of the moft courageous and ftrongeft men of his age, would
needs receive him himfelf, without any other Arms, than a Sabre in his hand, though
the Perfian was arm’d fromhead to foot. Amurath who was not only a prodigious
Perfon as to ftrength, and valour, but alfo well skill’d in the ufe of a Weapon, af-
forded him not the time to confider whom he had to deal withal, but immediately
gave him fuch a furious blow with the Sabre, over the right fhoulder, that he cut his
coat of Mail quite to the Middle of his Body, and left him dead upon the place.
Oppofiteto the Haz-Odz, or the Chamber of the forty Pages, there is a Gallery of
a confiderable length, and particularly remarkable for its Structure. [tis open on
both fides, and has, of each, arow of white Marble-Pillars ; but itis built after the
Serpentine fafhion, and they who walk in it are, every fix paces, out of fight oneof
the other. There are, under this Gallery four great Prefles, to put up the accoutre-
ments of the four Officers, who are always about the Grand Seignor’s Perfon, to wit,
- the Seliger Ades the Chokadar-Aga, the Requabdar-dg2, and the Hazoda-bachi, of
whom I havefpoken at the beginning of this Relation, when I gave a Lift of the
Grandces of the Port. .
This Gallery, of {0 fantaftick and fo extraordinary a Structure, isnot far from that
other,which is a continu’d afcent,and whereof I made mention in the precedent Chap-
ter. Oppofite to this laft, there is a Mofquey, of the middle fort, asto the largenefs,
the length of it fomewhat exceeding, its breadth, and it ftands North and South, a
fituation the Turks obferve in all their Mofqueys,which are always turn’d towards Me-
cha, which placeis Meridional to all the Provinces of the Empire. There is in the
Wall, oppofite to the South, a kind of Neech, which they call Mibrab, into which
the Iman, who is their Prieft, gets up, to fay Prayers at the accuftomed hours, and
the Grand Seignor is prefent thereat, with the forty Pages of the Haz-Oda, in a little
Room, the Window whereof is oppofite to the Neech. On both fides of the faid
Neech, there is a Gallery fuftain’d by five Pillars, fome whereof are of green Mar-
ble, and the reft of Porphyry. And in the Mofquey, and in the Chamber, or Room,
into which the Grand Seignor comes to do his Devotions, and in the two Galleries,
there’s no going but upon rich Carpets. You are not to look for ought of paint-
ing there; nor have the Walls any other Ornament, than that of the whitenefs
of the Marble, whereof they are built. But there are a great many Writings,in large
Arabick Characters, enchac’'d in gilt Borders, hanging up in feveral places, and thofe
Writings contain only things taken out of the Law of Mahomet.
The Window of the Chamber, into which the Grand Seignor comes to do his De-
votions, is fix foot in length, and three foot high, and has a Lattice, with a Curtain
behind it, as it is in feveral Chappels, which our Chriftian Princes have in their Pala-
ces. There is alfo oppofite to the fame Neech, before-mentioned, fuch another Win-
dow, and fach another Chamber, for the Sultaneffes, and when the Muezim, whofe
flation is of one fide of the Iman, and who is as it were his Clerk, hears the draw-
ing
!
Chap.XV. Grand Seignor’s SzRAc.io. 73
ing of the Curtains, he immediately rings a {mall Bell, which is the fignal, that the
Grand Seignor and the Sultaneffes are come into their feveral Rooms.
Upon their arrival,the forefaid Muexzim begins to fing thefe two words, Allah Ekber, ‘rhe ceremonies
which fignihes,God is Great.xepeating them four times: and afterwards, having added of their Deve:
thereto fome words, {peaking as *twere to himfelf, the Iman in his turn, fings thefe téons.
following; Elbamdu lillabi Rabbil alemijn, that is to fay. The Grace of God is the
Mafter of allthings. He thus continues He Prayer, profirating himfelf feveral times
to the ground, and all the people prefent doalfo proftrate themfelves as he does.
In the midft of the Domo of the Mofquey, there is a Hoop of Iron,all about
which there hangs a great number of Lamps, of Venice-Cryttal, and there are alfo
fome difpos’d along the Galleries, of the fame Metal, they being not permitted to
have in their Mofqueys, either Gold or Silver. They donot light thofe Lamps, but
only for the Prayers at night, and the fire cafting a refletion on thofe Crytials, cre-
ates a moft delightful Object to the fight.
The Chamber of the Seen eed one of the four principal Eunuchs, is adjoyning
to that Mofquey, and the leaft of all the Chambers, of the Officers, belonging to the
Inner-part of the Seraglio. He has but little place more than is requifite for him to
ileep in, and he is waited on by two Pages of the Conchouk-Oda, or the little Cham-
ber.
Adjoyning to the Door of the Haz%-Oda, there isa Hall pav’d witha Checquer-
work, of black and white Marble, in the midft whereof there is a Bafin of the fame
material, but of feveral colours, out of which there is an af{tent of water four or five
foot high. That water is receiv’d into a fecond Bafin, made in the form of a Scal-
Jop-fhell, out of which it falls again into a third, much larger than the two precedent
ones, The upper-part of the Hall is built Domo-wife, having therein fome Win-
dows, which give it light, and a certain piece of dull painting is all the Ornament
of its Walls. At your entrance into this Hall, you fee two Doors, one on the right
hand, the other, on the left. That onthe left hand conducts to a Flower-Garden 3
and the other is the door ot a Chamber, into which the Grand Seignor comes, fome-
times, in the Winter-feafon.
This Chamber is one of the ie rea he Seraglio. It’s arched es sai
Roof is divided intoa great number of little: “Fritiigleswite-diftinguith’d by "72%¢-chan-
two little filets of Gold, with a green ftreak in the midft, and ‘out’ of ‘every Angle, ber,
felf.
Towards the feet of the {aid Bed, there isa kind of Necch made within the very Mahomet’s
Wall, in which there is a little Ebony Box, about half afoot {quare, and in that is 4*/lerioxs Seale
lock’d up Mahbomet’s Seal. It is enchac’d in a Cryftal, with a Bordure of Ivory, and
taking all together, it may be four inches in length, and three in breadth. J have
_ {cen the Impreffion of it upon a piece of Papers but he who fhew’d it me, would not
fuffer
74.
A Relation of the Chap. XV. |
fuffer me to touch it, only upon this {core, that he look’d on it asa great Relick.
Once in three months this Chamber is made clean, and the Carpets are chang’d,
the Pages of the Treafury being employ’d in that Office. And then it is, that the
Chafiadar-bachi opens the Box, and having in his hands an embroider’d Hand-ker-
chief, he takes out the Seal, with great refpect and reverence, whilft the Senior of the
Pages holds a golden Cup, garnilh’d with Diamonds and blue Saphirs, on the top of
which there isa kind of Perfuming-Pot, out of which there comes an exhalation of
all forts of fweet Scents, whereby the whole Room is ina manner anbalm’d. The
Page holds that Cup in both his hands joy’nd together, and lifting it up higher than
his Head, all thofe that are prefent immediately proftrate themfclves to the ground,
as an acknowledgment of their veneration. As foon as they are up again, the Page
brings down the Cup, lower than his chin, and the principal Officer of the Treafury,
holding the Seal over the {moke, all thofe whoare in the Room, come and kifS the
Chrytial which covers one of the mott precious Relicks, that they have of their Pro-
het. I have us’d all the endeavours I could, to get out of my two Officers of the
reality, who had often kiffd that Chryftal, what Obfervations they might have
made, as to the material whereof the Seal was made, and what Letters were en-
grav’d upon it 5 but they told me, and by reafon of the fmoke,and the Chryftal,
which covers the Seal, not to infifton the fmall time they have to obferve it, during
theact of killing it, it is not poffible that any one can give a certain judgment of ei-
ther the Stuff, or the Engraving of it.
Upon the fourteenth day of the Ramazan, that is to fay, the Lent of the Turks,
the Grand Seignor comes in perfon into that Chamber, accompany’d only by the Se-
ligdar-Aga, and taking offthe Chryttal, which lies over the Seal,he delivers it into his
hands, ordering him to make theImpreffion of it upon ffty little bitsof Paper, which
are not much bigger than the Seal it {elf ‘This Impreflion is taken off witha certain
gummy Ink, which is prepar’d in a Pourcelain Dith, whereinto he thrufts his finger,
and rubs the Seal with it, and keeps all thofe Printed Papers, for the ufe, to which
his Highnefs defigns them, as we fhall fec, e’re we come to the end of this Chap-
tes. sates om :
r ‘ .
ee
The great Su Within the fame Chamber, and adjoyning to. the place, where the Scal is kept,
perftition of
the Turks,
A ridiculous
and covetous
there is another Box or Coffer, of a larger fize, cover’d with a Carpet of green Vel-
vet, with a great fringe of Gold and Silver, whercin is kept Mahomet’s Hirka, It
is a Garment with large fleeves, of a white Camelet, made ot Goat’s hair, which the
Turks do alfo look upon asa great Relick. The Grand Seignor having, taken it out of
the Coffer, kiffes it with much ref{pect,and puts it into the hands of the Capi-Aga,who
‘is come into the Room by his Order, after they had taken the Impreffions of the Seal.
The Officer fends to the Overfter of the Treafury, for a large golden Cauldron,which
is brought in thither by fome of the Senior-Pages. It is fo capacious, according to
the defcription which they gave me of it, as to contain the fixth part of a Tun, and
the out-fide of it is garnifh’d, in fome places, with Emeralds, and Turquezes. ‘This
Veffel is fill’d with water within fix fingers breadth of the brink, and the Capi-Aga,
having put Mabomet’s Garment into it, and left it to foak a little while, takes it out
again, and wringsit hard, toget out the water it had imbib’d , which falls into the
Cauldron, taking great care, that there falls not any of itto the ground. That done,
with the {aid water he fills a great number of Venice-Chryftal Bottles,containing about
half @ pint, and when he has ftopp’d them, he Seals them with the Grand Seignor’s
Seal. They afterwards fet the Garment a drying, till the twentieth day of the Rea-
mazan, and then his Highnefs comes to fee them put up again in the Coffer. =
The next day after that Ceremony, which is the fifteenth after their grand Fatt,
the Sultan fends to the Sultaneffes, and the Grandees of Conjtantinople, asalfo to mott
knack of DEW CF she confiderable Baff@s of the Empire, to each of them, an Impreffion of the Seal,
£30M
in alittle {crip of Paper roll’d up,’ and well faften’d with Silk, and with that, one of’
thofe Bettles full of water, which is look’d upon asa great favour. But it proves a
very dear favour to thofe who receive it, and for a {crip of Paper, and a GlafS of.
water, they muft fend back again to the Grand, Seignor-very confiderable Prefents,
not
,
i.
Chap. XV. Grand Seignor’s Ser icEEE 75
not accounting what they beftow on thofe perfons, who bring, from him, thofe telfti-
monies and marks of his Affection.
It is to be obferv’d alfo, That the Capi-Aga is allow’d to multiply the faid Water,as
far as he thinks requifite, and anfwerably to his defire of multiplying, the Prefents. All
he has to do, is only to hll up the Cauldron, as it is emptied, and that additional wa-
ter is as good as ’twas before, fince it is intermix’d with that wherein Mahomet’s Gar-
‘ment had been foak’d. For there are many perfons, to whom he fends thofe Bottles,
without the impreffion of the Seal, upon the little piece of paper, and he has a {nack out
of all that is beltow’d on the Bearers of thofe Prefents. But he is not permitted to
make that multiplication of the Water, any longer than for the fpace of three dayes 5
that is to fay, till the Seventeenth of the Ramazan, atter which time, the additional
intermixture of it would not have the Vertue, which they imagine it has.
"As foon as this Prefent is receiv’d by thofe to whom it is fent, they take the paper,
which has the impretlion of Mahomet’s Seal, and, after they have left it to foake a little
while in the Water of the little Chryftal bottle, they take off the water and the paper,
{wallowing down both together with great devotion. But it is to be noted, That no
body mutt be fo prefumptuous as to open that paper; for they {wallow it down as it
is brought to them, after a little foaking in the water, they being not permitted to fee
the impreifion of the facred Seal: And they, who receive only the bottle, without the
paper, fend for one of their Imans, who are as ’twere their Priefts, and get him to
write down thefe words in another piece of paper, La hé Illz, Alla hul,vabidul gebbar,
That is to fay, There is no other God then God, the punifher of Crimes. There are others,
who order thefe words to be writ down; La Illa bé Illa, Allabul meliquid vebbab 5
which fignities, There 2s no other God then God alone, the Liberal Emperour, and Pardoner
of Offences. The paper, having thefe words written upon it, is put into the water of
the little Bottle, and fo they {wallow down both together, with a firong perfwafion,
that thofe words have the fame vertue, as the impreffion of the Seal.
There is alfo to be feen, in the fame Chamber,a very homely kind of Cuttelas,hang- The Relicks of
ing, by the Wall, near the place where the Prophet’s Seal and Garment are kept. The Omar.
Scabbard is cover’d with Green cloath, and they have it by Tradition, that it had
been the Cuttelas of Omar, one of Mahomet’s four Companions, who govern’d after
him, though Ebou-Bequer was the elder of the two, and Father-in-law to Mahomet.
The Arabians afhrm, That Ebou-Bequer was a Fem, by extra¢tion, and one of the mott
learned of his time ; and that, having renounc’d the Mofuick Law, he taught at Mecha,
in the Schools, atter which he befet himfelf to compofe fome part of the Alcoran.
Near the Cuttelas, there is alfo to be {ten a kind of fhort Sword, for which they
have, in like manner, a great veneration, upon a perfwafion, that it fome time was the
Sword of a certain perfon named Ebou-Niflam, with which he cut to pieces, thofe,who
had {prcad a Herefie in the Law of Mahomet. He came not into the World till Four
hundred years after the death of the Prophet, and at length detiroy’d that Seét, which
during the {pace of two Ages before, had given much trouble to the true Mabumetans,
and gain’d feveral Battels againft them.
The faid Se& was grown very powerful under the denomination of Mubarriguu, and 4 ys 4:41
Ihave met with fome remainders of it in the Mountains of Churdiftan, which is the Sell. ze,
ancient Chaldea. Thofe people are very remarkable for their fuperftition, and much
more for their ignorance ; and a man muft have a great care of ftriking a black Dog,in
their prefence, or cutting an Onion with a Knife; for their way, when they are to
eat an Onion, is to cruth it between two ftones. The caufe of that grofs ignorance,
is their not having any perfon among them, to inftruét them; and a man may travel
five or {ix dayes Journey in their Country, and not meet with either a Mollab, or a
Mofquey. ‘The fame reafon may alfo be given for their being, for the moft part, uncir-
cumcis’d, and that they who have receiv’d Circumcifion, had it not till they were
Twelve or fifteen years of age, and that accidentally, by going to fome place at a great
diftance, to find out a Mollah, and defraying the charges of their Friends and Rela-
tions, who muft accompany them to that ceremony.
(L) Between.
76
‘The Grand
Seignor’s
Quartir.
Amurath’s
Belvedere.
The Excelent
wines of Te-
nedos.
3 A Relation of the Chap. XV.
Between the Chamber, where thefe noble Relicks are to be feen, and that of the
Forty Pages, of which I have given an account at the beginning, of this Chapter, you
have the Profpeét of a treble portal of Porphyry, that is, three doors at a {mall di-
{tance one from the other, whereof that in the middle gives entrance into the Grand
Seignor’s Appartment. The two others lead to the Lodgings of the Chokedar-Aga,and
the Riguabdar-Aga, and thofe Lodgings are very dark, becaufe they are not in a place
where light can be brought into them, and that at the firft building thereof,they could
afford each of them but one little Window. But, abating that inconvenience, they are
well enough furni(h’d, according to the mode cf the Country, you tread on nothing
but Silken Carpets; there’s no want of Brokado-Cuthions, and emboyder’d ones, and
the Walls, which are all of White Marble, entertain the Eye with pots of Flowers
plainly painted, at certain equal diftances, about which there has been an ingenious
application of Geld and Azure.
The Grand Seignor’s Quarter begins with a Hall, which is {pacious enough, and
the embellifhments of the in-fide of it are correfpondent to thofe of the out-fide. It
is an incruftation of Marble, of feveral colours, and the Floor of it is cover’d only
with the large Woollen Carpets, which are brought out of Perfia, but {uch as are
more fumptuous, and much more highly efteem’d, than tho’e which are made of Silk.
All about the Hall, for the fpace of Five foot, there are {pread Coverlets of Silk, of a
light colour, fome Tufted, fome Embroyder’d, and upon the Coverlets there are fe-
veral forts of Rich Cufhions, four foot in length, and between two and three, in
breadth.
Of the two Doors, which are within the Hall, one goes to the Appartment of the
Pages, the other to the Quarter of the Szlraneffes, and as you go out by this laft
mentioned, you enter into a Flower-Garden, in the midit whereof there is a Bafin
with its water-work. From one of the ends of the Garden you pafs to the *‘Revan-
Kouchki, that is to fay, a Chamber fipported by Pillars. It is a Belvedere, or {pacious
Room, having, a delightful Profpect of all fides, which the Sultan Amurath causd to
be built, at his return from the Perfian War, after he had taken the City of Babylon
from Shach-Sefi, the King of that Kingdom, ruin’d the Province of Tauris, and added
that of Erivan to his Conquelis, by the perfidioufnef$ of the Governour. I fhall give
you an account anon, how he was juftly punifl’d, for that act of Treachery, and I
referve the compleat hiftory of his bafenefS, for the Relations of my Travels.
This Room, or Arbour, which we call the Belvedere, from the delightfulnefs of its
Profpeét, is built in an Fminent place, upon a fteepy Rock. It isa noble Arched
Roof, and the Walls, which are rais’d no higher then that a man may reft his Elbow
on them, are all of White Marble, with fome Arabian Verfes thereon, cut, and gilt,
It is open of all fides, and the Lattices, all about it, hinder thofe that are within it from
being, feen by {uch as are on the out-fide, and afford them withal one of the moft deli-
cate Profpects in the World. For, from that Room, they have the fight of all Galata
and Pera, all that pleafant Landskip of Afia, about Scutaret, and Chalcedon, the Port
of Conftantinople, one of the nobleft of all Ezrope, and the Channel of the Black Sea,
which, at the point of the Seraglio, is intermixt with the Waters of the Mediterranean,
where there is obfervable in the midift, as it were, a white foamy ftreak, which feems
naturally to denote the Contines of Ezrope and Afia.
. :
Twas in this pleafant Arbour, that Amurath was often wont to divert himfelf, with
that Governour of Erivan, who had taught him to drink Wine, whereto he had fo
calily accuftom’d himfelf, that, many times, he {pent three days together, in a continu’d
debauch. The only Wine he drunk was that of the Iiland of Tenedos, the moft excel-
lent of any of the Mlands of the Archiphelago, and the leatt intoxicating; and he foon
became as good a proficient in the drinking of it, as the Matter, who had taught him to
doit. This Perfizn Governour was a man extreamly inclin’d to debauchery, infomuch
that before his perfidious delivery of the place to Anmmurath, as 1 pafs’d through Erivan,
in one of my Voyages to Perfia, he intreated me to make my abode there for the {pace
of fifteen days, and, to humour him, there was a neceflity of {pending whole nights in
drinking, fo that I {aw him not all the day long, which I quettion not but he employ’d
in the management of his affairs, and taking his repofe. | But,
/
Chap. XV. ) Grand Seignor’s Sex AGL10. 77
But, at the long run, lewd actions'meet with the punifhment they juttly deférve. Perfdéoufnels
Shach-Sefi, King ot Perfia, would not entertain any propolition of Peace, no nor fo Péaifh'a.
much as give audience toan Ambaflador from the Grand Seignor,whom I {aw fent back
from Ifpaban, where I then was, unlefs Amurath would deliver up the Traytor, in or-
der to his punifhment. Whereupon , they being both one day at their ordinary de-
bauch, in the Belvedere, the Grand Seignor, without any formality , order’d him to be
Strangled, in his prefenee. ea
It was fometimes alfo Amurath’s cuftome, to bring into that pleafant place; the Te Fortune of
Principal Saltaneffes, as, his Mothers, his Sifters, and fuch others as he had the greateft elt
: ; eg 8 : opr ae icilian Lady.
kindnefS for. But his moft frequent aifignations there, was with a Sicilian Lady, for
whom he had a great affection, and who, being extreamly handfome, and. of a mild
difpolition, cbtain'd of him whatere flie defir’d. She was taken at Sea, by the Pyrates
of Barbary, asthe was tpon her Voyage into Spain, in order to her intermarriage with
one of the Grandeées of that Countrey: And the Baffz of Algiers fent her, a Prefent,
to the Grand Scignor, who took a particular fancy for het, and made her as happy, as
a Woman can be, who mutt endure the reftraint of the Seraglio:
‘From that door of the Hall, which gives entrance into the Flower-gardeti, you pafS, The Grand —
on the right hand, into a kind of Gallery, about fifty paces in length, and twelve in $#870"s Bed-
breadth, the pavement whereof is a Chequer-work of Black and White Marble. At the ©?#”#"
end of it, there is a great Structure, which is wholly of Marble, and what firft enter-
tains the Eye is a prétty large Door, over which there is a kind of a flat arched Roof:
And both the Roof, and the Door, are adorn’d with flowers, in embofs’d work 3 and
amongit thofe Howers, there are certain impreffes cut in the Marble,and all curioufly Gilt.
About five or fix paces from that Door, you come to another, not inferiour to it, as
to beauty, which is that of the Grand Seignor’s own Chamber. Its Cieling, or arched
Roof, is according to the model of the. Winter-room, whereof I Have given you a De-
{cription at the beginning of this Chapter. The only diffefence between them is, in
what iffues out of the Angles of the little Arches ; and whereas in the other Room,
they reprefent the bottoms of Lamps, gilt with Gold; in this, they ate balls of Rock<
Cryftall, cut Facet-wife, with an inter-mixture of precious ftones, of different. colours,
which mutt needs give «a very divertive entertainment to the Eye. The floor of it is
cover’d with Carpets, which, astoebeauty, and excellency of Workmanthip, exceed
thofe of the other Chambers; and the fame-thing is to be faid, as to the Quilts, the
Counterpanes, and the Cuthions ; the moft’ part of thissfimaicure.bei ,adorn’d with
an embroidery of Pearls, and the whole Room,which is-very {pacious; having, inal *
parts, feveral other fumptuous embellifhments. And whereas this Room was -Ofigi-
nally delign’d for the Grand Seignor’s Summer-Diverti{ement, it is accordingly, the
more lightfome, and has large Windowes on three fides of it. As to the Sx/tan’s Lodg-
ing, he complies with the cuftome of the Countrey, or rather that of all the Eaftern
parts. . There is no Bed-fiead fet up, but towards the Evening, the Pages {pread three
Quilts one‘upon the other, at one of the corners of the Chamber, and _ place over ‘it a
Canopy of Cloth of Gold, garnilh’d with ah embroidery of Pearls, ‘23
On the right hand, as you come into this Room, there is a Cup-board, or Prefs, The ancient
wrought within the very Wall, where they keep the Bajzrae, that isto fay,’ the Stan- Veneration fit _
dard of Mahomet, which has thefe words for its Imprefs, or Motto, Nafram min Allah, sh li
that is, in our Language, The affijtance is from God. This Standard was heretofore in °f4"447*
fo great veneration amongft the Turks, that when there happen’d any Sedition, either
at Con(tantinople, or in the Armies, there was no. fafer ot more expeditious
appeale it, then to expofe that Standard to the fight of the Rebels. And. that very
Expedient has many times. prov’d very fortunate to the Ottoman Princes; when they
have been reduc’d to their great extremities, by the fecret Combinations’ of fome Facti-
ous perfons. Then does the Grand. Seignor fend fome of the Mollabs,-who are in the
nature of Priefts, amongft the Turks, with the Standard, and beimg come up to the hrit:
ranks of the Rebellious Forces; they {peak to them, in their Language , to this effect :
This Banner is the Standard of the Prophet all.they;who, are faithful, and obedient, ought
to.come to fubmit themfelves at the Foot of this 8 ar ia and they xpho will not come to it;
: a3 - ate
<a EF Relation ofthe Chap: XVI.
are Unbelieuers, and they ought to be deftroyed. But fome years fince, the Turks made it
appear, that they made but little account of that Standard 5 for HafJan, one of the Ba/-
fa’s, who gave the Grand Seignor fo much trouble in the year 1658. turn’d his back
on Mabomet’s Banner, and, follow’d by his own party, compafs’d the defign he was
engag'd in.
Out of the Grand Seignor’s Chamber, there is a paffage into a great Hall, the place
ote ates appointed for the es 7 of the Pages who approach his ee and there me
Appartment. —_ joyning to it a Bath, which is fill’d by three Cocks, where they wath themfelves, when
they go to their Devotions. Out of the fame Hall, there is an afcent of fome fteps,
which brings you to a {mall Clofet, only Wainfcoted about, but well Painted, and well
Gilt. That Stair-cafe is alwayes cover’d with a red Cloth, the Room is open of all
fides, having, fair Windowes, wherein Talc is us’d, inftead of Glafs 5 and from thence
you have, in amanner, the fame Profpect, as from the Belvedere, built by the Emperour
Amurath. |
OA AP. KVE-
Of the ordinary employments of the Grand Seignor , The
particular inclinations of the Emperour-Regent, Mahomet
IV. And the prefent State of the Ottoman Family.
Tue Principat Heaps.
Some inclinations common to all the Monarchs of the Eaftern-parts<
The Life of the Seraglio, delicious to one fingle per fon, and incom-
modious to many. ‘The Mahumetanes zealous ob/ervers of their
Law. The regulated times of their publick Devotions. The
ordinary Employments of the Grand Seignor. How his Table is
ferv'd. The Sulean, when oblig’d to go, in Ceremony, to the
Mofquey. ‘The wicked contrivances of the Moutfti, to get mony.
The prefent State of the Ottoman Family, An extraordinary
example-of a Father and Son, who were fucce/Sively Grand Vi-
zits. ‘The pourtraiture of the Sultan-Regent, Mahomet. The
ancient Cuftome of the Turkifh Emperours, to live by their labour.
The Grand Seignor’s fubtilty, in revenging himfelf of the
Moutfti.
saclinatiiie HE Ottoman Monarchs, and generally all the Princes of Afia, what reputa~
common to the tion foever they may have gain’d, for their valour, have alwayes been guilty
Eaftern Mo- of a bent to voluptuoufhefs, and effeminacy,and found great charms in a floth-
narchs, : ful kind of life. They come out of their Seraglio’s as feldome as they can,
and that only, when an indifpenfable neceffity forces them to fhew themfelves in pub-
lick, whether it be at the head of their Armies, or in thofe Ceremonies , wherein
the Law, or common Civilities, require thetr prefence. True it is, that fome of them
were not fo great lovers of retirement as others, and preferr’d the hardthips of Warr,
the divertifements ofHunting, before the blandithments of cafe, and the app |
a / (>)
Chap XVI. Grand SeignorsSexaciio. ~~—~«~79~
of Women: But thofe may be reduc’d into a very fimall number, and the greateft part
of them being, more addiéted to mind their quietand to lead a life void of difturbance,
have transfer’d all their concerns, Civil and Military, to the management of the prin-
cipal Minifter of State, thinking it enough, to content themfelves with the account he
was pleas’d to give him thereof.
It may be faid of the Seraglio, That it is a delicious, but withal a folitary place of The Seraglio, 4
abode : but as to the obfervations I have made of things,it is delicious only to a fingle Pace delécions
perfon, and folitary to all the reft. Of the many Thoufands, of the Male Sex, who he ne
are there as *twere in Prifon, and have a dependance, one upon the other, none but a 4
the Prince himfelf has the fight of Women ; for the Negro-Eunuchs, whom their-de- many.
formity of body and countenance has, in a manner, transtorm’d into.Montfters, are not
to be admitted into the number of men.
But though the Ottoman Monarchs, and generally all that may be comprehended pe Mahume-
under the denomination of Turcifme, are involv’d in voluptuoufnefs, as not having tans <ealeus
any tindture of ought relating to polite Literature, yet this is particularly recommend- 9%fervers of she
able in them, that their great purfuance of pleafures docs not ever make them neglect i
the Divine Worfhip, and that, fetting all things afide,they are careful to perform what
the Law requires of them, upon that account. They are exact and punctual, even to
fuperftition, in all their exercifes of Piety, in their wayes of wafhing themfelves, in their
Prayers, in their Fafts, in their Alms, and in their Pilgrimages; which are the Five
principal Articles of the Mahumetan Religion.
It is 4 thing {ufficiently well known to all people, that the Turks go to their Pray- ry. repytated
ers, or Devotions, five times a day, that is, inthe {pace of a natural Day, which times of their
amounts to four and twenty hours. For the performance of this work, there are no Devotions
certain hours appointed, and it is according to the Sun’s being, above their Horizon.
Upon which account, there is a greater interval between their feveral Offices, in the
Summer-time, than there is in the Winter, and they place the principal part of their
Devotion upon obfervations of that nature. The frit Exercife is to be perform’d at
the break ot day, before Sun-rifing ; the fecond at Noon; the third, between that
time and Sun-fét 5 the fourth, immediately after his fecting ; and the laft, about an
hour and a half after Night: in all which, unlef$ ficknefs intervene, they are very
punctual, fo that nothing of bufinefs, how important foever, fhall divert them.
Nay, on the contrary, fome are fo zealous, and theirfervour is fo rematkable, that Their fervosr
being once fixt in their Prayers, they could not be put out of them,: though *twere to #* ats of Dé
force back an Enemy, who were entring into the City, or that word fhould be Gace
brought them, that the houfe wherein they are, was on fre. They are moreover of a
perfwafion, that it isa great fin, for them to put their hand to any part of the body,
to {cratch themfelves, it there fhould be occafion 3 and they would have the extemal
part to be anfwerable to the internal, and correfpondent to that abjection, which
ought to be the fiate of the Soul, in the prefence of God, during their Exercifes of
Devotion.
Nor does the Grand Seignor himfelf defire to be difpens’d from the obligation of ze Grand
performing theft adts of Devotion, any more than the meaneft of his Subjects 5 but, Seignor’s ord:
on the contrary, he is very religious in that obfervance of their Law, and he always 70 Employ-
begins the day with the Offices appointed for that part of it. We need fay no more, isa
than that herifes atthe break of day, nay fometimes he is up before, and goes into
the Bath to wath himfelf, efpecially when he has lain with one of his Wives, or Con-
cubines. Having finifh’d his Prayers, he diverts himfelf in fhooting with the Bowe,
or, more commonly in looking after his Horfes,and riding fome of them : and {ome-
tithes he {eats himfelf in a Gallery; where he cannot be feen by any, and contents
himfelf with the diverfion of feeing, fome exercifes perform’d by his Pages. If any
one of them does fomething that he is muci pleas’d withal, he fends him a Veit, or
fome other thing of value, as an encouragement for his doing better another time,
and to raife an emulation in his Companions. Upon Council-days,he comes through
the clofe Gallery, to the Window, which looks into the Divan Hall, to fee what they
are
80
The Services of
bis Table.
The Sultan,
when oblig’d
to Edy in Cert-
mony, to the
Mofquey.
injuftice that has been done them, take their opportunity, and plant BY
are doing there 3 and upon the rifing of the Conncil, he returns to his own Quarter,
where his Dinner is brought up to him.
In the Services of his Table, there is not any great variety, or delicacy, the Dith-
es that are ferv’d up, being anfwerable to the Bill of fare, which Thave given you in
the Chapter, where I treat of the Kitchins. He takes his refection, fitting, crofS-legerd,
as Taylors do among{t us, being furrounded with fumptuous Brocado-cufhions,
which keep from him the dampnefs of the Walls, and upon the Carpets which cover
the Scaffold,.or Balcony, where he is feated, they f{pread others of Spanifb-Leather,
Jeft.the former fhould be prejudiced by any thing of greafinefs, which might fall on
the Table-cloath, and foak through it. This Cloath, which is laid over the Spanifh-
Leather-Carpet, is of thofe fumptuous painted Cloaths, which are made in the Jn-
dies, and embroider’d all about : and as for Napkins, there are not any ufed amongft
the Turks, who are neat, and cleanly at their Meals; and if fometimes there be any
occalion of wiping, *tis done with a little handkerchief. At their refections, they ufe
the right hand only, and when they have done, there isa Bafin of warm water and
foap brought up, for them to wa(h, and every one takes out his Handkerchief from
under his Safth, or Girdle, to wipe his hands and mouth. Nor muft youexpe@ in
Turkey to find Knives and Forks laid on the Table, but every one has his Knife lodg?’d
in his Safch, and makes ufe of, when occafion requires: but they have no great ufe
for them, inafmuch as their Bread, being made thin, as’twere into Cakes, and eaten
in a manner as foon as ’tis out of the Oven, they break it with their fingers, and all,
the meat, which is ferv’d up to them, is cutinto {mall pieces, which is alfo the cu-
ftome in Perfiz. But the Spoons they ufe, in taking their Pottages, and whatever is
liquid upon the Table, are much larger than ours 3 and they are wooden ones. The
Pages of the Kélar, that is the Cup-bearers Ofhce, bring up the Bread, and_ the Sher-
bets, and the Pages of the Chamber go and take the Meat, at the Prince’s Appart-
ment, out of the hands of the Officers belonging to the Kitchin, who bring it in
Dithes coverd with Pourcelain, the Grand Seignor not ufing any Gold Veffels at his
own Table.
‘
‘After Dinner, the Grand Seignor fays his Noon-Prayer, and fometimes, on Sun-
days and Tuefdays, which are the principal @ounciledays, he comes into the Hall of
Audience, to difcourfe with his Minifters of State, concerning his Affairs. On the
other days, he.walks inthe Gardens of the Seraglio, fomctimes with his Exnnchs,
fometimes with the Swltandfes, or with his Diurfs and Mates, who thew a thoufand
apifh tricks, to divert him : and fometimes he goes a hunting, or a fifhing, according,
to his inclmation. But neither his Affairs, nor his Recreations, do ever divert him
from performing, the hve Exercifes of Devotion, at the times appointed by the Alco-
ran and it is the general Perfwafion of all the Turks, that it they neglect them,
they bring down God’s curfe upon themfelves, and that they cannot avoid the ill con-
{equences thereof. | : :
I have faid elfewhere, that Friday is to the Mahumetans,what the Saturday is to the
Fews, and the Sunday to the Chrijtians, in regard it was upon the faid day, that Ma-
homet took his flight from Mecha; and J have alfo given this further intimation, that
- the Turks count their Months only by the number of the Moons. There is an anci-
ent Cuftome, whereby the Grand Seignor is oblig’d upon all the firft Fridays of the
feveral Moons, to go to the new Molquey, in regard that S. Sophia is too,near the Se-
raglio, and befides that there is not, between thefe places, room enough for fo great a
_ Train, asthat of theSultan, the people of Conjtantinople would not haye the fatisfa-
tion of fecing him.
His Devotion is fo great, that he feldom miffes that Ceremony, and when there
paffes a firft Friday of the month, without his appearance in it, the people is prefent-
ly of opinion, that he is fick, and thereupon turbulent {pirits are mutining their facti-
ous defignes. On thofe days do they, whe have any complaints to make, of fome
themfelves in
the way, through which he is to pafs, with Petitions in their hands, which upon a
fign made by the Sultan, are receiv'd by the Eunuchs. If the injuttice be very great
| and,
A Relation of the = Chap.XVIi
and the perfon who prefents the Petition be extremely opprefs’d and injur’d, he holds
a lighted Torch over his head, which is ordinarily practis’d in Turkey, upon the like
occations, and by that myfterious comportment, intimates to the Prince, That if he
ss not do him juttice, his Soul fhall burn in the other World, as that Toxch does in
tnis. °
Upon the Emperour’s going out of the Seraglio, the principal Sultaneffes, his Mo-
ther,his deareft Confort,or his Sifters,are in a Room over the great Gate of that Palace,
with Bags full of Afpers, which they fling among the people, that they may pray,
That God would gracioufly hearken to the Devotions, which the Grand Seignor ts go-
ing to pertorm. His March is after the fame Order, and with an obfervance of the
Pomp, as that of the ancient Greek Emperours, and I queftion not, but that thofe
Authors, who have writterf of the Ottoman Empire in general, or particularly of the
City of Conjtantinople, have made fufficient defcriptions of that Ceremony, and there-
fore I thall think my felt difpens’d from the obligation of giving anew one of it. I
fhall only {ay this of it, That it is very Magnificent, and that there is not any Monarch
in the World, who makes fo great an expofal of Gold and precious Stones together,
wherewith the Harnefles and Trappings of moft of the Horfes, as well of the Grand
Sergaor, as thofe of the Baffa’s areall cover'd.
At their return from the Mofquey, the Moxfti, on Horfe-back, and at the head of a 7? wicked
wretched Crew of Greek Chriftians, of the meaneft fort of people ( for there are very bbs of
few Armenians among them) expect the Grand Seignor, at the Gates of the Seraglio, oe a .
and telling his Highnefs, That thofe people were Mis-believers, who had embrac’d the
gocd Law, intreat him to relieve them, and to make fome provition tor their liveli-
hood. Upon this exhortation, the Sultan orders twenty or thirty Purfes to be diftri-
buted amongft'them 5 nay fometimes his Charity is fo great, as to amount to twen-
ty thoufand Crowns. which are receiv’d by the Mowfti, and the diftribution thereof
is made, ashe pleafes. -But the greater part of it he converts to his ownufe, and
holds an infamous corre{pondence with moft of that wretched Crew, who though
they often prefent themfelves for that Benevolence, he pretends not to have any know-
ledge of at all. By this Impofture, which is fo palpable, and fuits well enough with
the followers of Muabomet, does that High Prielt of the Mabumetan Law, put ycarly
into his Purfe, a confiderable Sum of Money, which is no {mall augmentation to his
Revenue. But the cafe is the fame with himas with the Baft’s: that is, he is not
exempted from refunding, and we fhall, by and by produce a very late Example ot
it.
And this may ferve for 4 general account of the ordinary lives of the Ottoman Mo-
narchs, while they are within the Seraglio, In their Armies, they have other Em
ployments, ¢fpecially they, who have Military Souls, as there have been {ome among
them, of whom Hittories have given us a very noble Character.
I come now to the prefent ftate of the Ottoman Family, and to the particular incli- The prefeer
nations of the Grand Seignor, who now Reigns. Mahomet, the Fourthof that Name, eal of the
the Son of Ibrahim, and a Circaffian Lady, was born in the Year 1643. and he is, by Ronis:
that account, got into the Thirty fourth year of his Age, and the Twenty fourth of his ;
Reign. Hehas two Brothers, Bajaxet, and Orchan, bat they are by another Mother,
who is ftill living, and is perpetually ftudying, how to preferve them. He has alfoa
third Brother, named Solyman, who is the {econd of the Sons of Ibrahim, according to
the order of their Nativities. But the Mother of the la{t mentioned Son is dead; and
thence it comes, that the Souldicry, who conceive greater hopes of that Prince, than of
either Bajazet, or Orchan, his Brethren, pity him the more, and have the greater af-
feétion for him, upon that very {core of his having, loft the fupport, which he might
have expected from a Mother. |
Ever fince the time of Bajazet the Second, who firlt introduc’d. that inhumane and
cruel Cuftome, of fecuring the Throne of the Su/tan-Regent, by the death of his Bre-
thren, few of thofe unfortunate Princes have efcap’d the Barbarifme of their Elder+
Brother, and they, amongft them, who have been treated with fomewhat lefs of inhu-
manity,
$2
An extraordi-
nary Example
of a Father
and Son fuecef-
frvely Grand
Vizirs.
The Pourtrai-
ture of Maho-
met IV. the
prefent Prince.
A Kelation of the Chap. XV L
manity, have pin’d away their lives, in a ftrict and doletul Imprifonment, being, not
permitted to {ee any body. This was the Treatment of Ibrahim, the Father of Mahv-
met, during the Reign of Amurath, his Brother, the Son of Achmet, by Kiofem, a Wo-
man of Excellent parts, and well vers’d in the management of Affairs. Mishomet’s
Brothers are now treated after the fame rate, and the Mother of Bujazet and Orchan,
ufes all the endeavours fhe can, to fecure to them the affections of the great Officers of
the Port, and the Fanizaries,who are fomewhat difgufted with the capricious humour,
and extraordinary covetoufnefs of Mahomet. This Prince was advane’d to the Throne
in the Year 1650, after the death of Ibrabim, his Father, who was ftrangled by the
Fanizaries, ina Sedition. He being then but Seven years of age, the Regency was
beftow’d, during his minority, on the Old Swltanefs, Mother to Ibrahim, who {oon af-
ter abus’d her authority, and xais’d a dangerous Faction againft her Grand-Child,
Mahomet, wherein fhe loft her life. :
The prefent Grand Seignor, who is a Perfon much addicted to his Pleafures, and
takes a particular diverfion, in Hunting, leaves the management of Affairs to his Grand
Vizir, Achmet, who has {ucceeded Coprogli, his own Father, in that principal Charge
of the Empire. °Tis a thing which may well pafS for a Prodigy, amongtt the Turks ,
and fuch as that there has not yet been any example of it fen, as perhaps there will
not be any other hereafter. I have thewn, thatit is a thing abfolutely contrary to their
Politicks; and therefore, had it not been tor the great and particular obligations,which
the Empire had to Coprogli, who, on the other fide,cunningly reprefented to the Grand
Seignor, that he never durft truft_ any but his own Son, with the Secret of Affairs,
whereof he only had the Key, this very Achmet, who, next to the Sultan, is the Prin-
cipal Perfon of the Empire, would have been, at prefent, but a fimple Bey, or Captain
of a Galley.
The Grand Seignor Mahomet is handfome enough as to his Perfon,his Stature fome-
what exceeding that of the middle fort of perfons; he has not too much corpulency,
and his health is in an uncertain ftate. He is very much troubled with a Fall, which
he receiv’d, in the violence of his Game, fome years fince, by leaping his Horfe over a
broad Ditch: And whereas that paffion is ftill predominant in him, this inconvenience
attends it, That, when he is not {omewhat favourable and indulgent to himfelf, in
that violent Exercife, he is fometimes taken off his Horfe in a miferable condition, the
Remedies which might be apply’d to that indifpofition, taking, no effect, by reafon of
the little care he takes to preferve himfelf. He is a perfon of an unconftant and unguiet
difpofition, which creates the greater trouble to thofe who wait on him; and though
they ftudy his humours, yet is it a hard matter to fatishe him. He has a Son,who has
been circumcis’d with great folemnity,at the age, wherein that Ceremony is to be per-
form’d. The Su/zanefs, his Mother, a Woman of a Magnificent humour, to augment
the Pomp and Splendour of that Action, to the eyes as well of the Turks, as Forrei-
ners, would have the Garment, which the Young Prince wore that day, to be all
cover’d with Diamonds, and, to that end, caus’d feveral Rich Pieces of the Treafury
to be broken; but after the Solemnity, all the Precious Stones were carried back into
it again.
I faid erewhile, that the prefent Sultan-Mabomet is extreamly addiéted to Hunting,
and makes it fo much his Darling, Divertifement, that he makes lefs account of the
lives of Men, than he does of his Dogs; and withal, that he is of a very covetous
humour. I fhall, in one fingle Example make'a fuficient difcovery of both thofe
inclinations in him, and that will alfo further make it appear, how well he was
skill'd, in that Knack of exercifing great Liberalities, without any deduction out of
his Revenues.
When the Grand Seignor gocs a Hunting, there are Orders {ent toa great number
of people, for the {pace of four or five Leagues about the place where he intends to
Hunt, in order to the furrounding of a certain quantity of Ground, and for the en-
clofing of it fo well, as that nothing can efcape thence. *Tis not to be imagin’d, this
can be done, without great deftruction to the Country, and much inconvenience to
the poor people, who are forc’d to leave their work, to carry on an Exercife which b
: much
Chap.X VI. Grand § eignor’s SERAGLIO.
much more toilfome then it, in which they many times come off with the lofs of
Limb, or Life, or fome other difaftrous Accident. Thefe continual impotitions of
trouble and toil put many people into the repining humour, nfomuch that an Eu-
nuch, who was in favour, having, one day, taken the freedom to rcprefent to the
Grand Seignor the prejudice his Subjets underwent, by thofe courfés which occafion’d
the {poyling of their Grounds, and the lof$ of their Lives, he grew very angry, and
after {ome dayes imprifonment, he gave hima fhameful cje¢tion out of the Sera-
glio.
83.
But, in procefs of time, the mifchievous Inconveniences occafion’d by this infa-
tiable purfliance of his Pleafures in Hunting, increafing more and more, the Grand
Vizir, and the other Baff7’s, refolv’d to intreat the Movft7, to make a Remonftrance to
him, of the ill confequence thereof, he being the only perfon, who might prefume to
{peak any more of it to the Grand Seignor. The Mozfti would by no means hearken
toit at firft, imagining, as he might well, that his harangue would not be pleafing to
the Sultan : But, at latt, being over-per{waded to do that good office to the Pub-
is he took courage, and his opportunity, to {peak to him, with all the infinuation
e could. :
He could not bethink himfelf of a better Expedient, to remove that predominant ‘The ancient _
paffion out of his mind, then to reprefent to him, the Cuftome of his Predeceffors, Cx/tome of the
who took their diverfion in fome handy-work, when the Warr, or the Concems of » dees a,
State gave them any remiffion: That, according to their Example, their Subjects gy their pandy-
apply’d themfelves to things that were beneficial, and made all Arts and Profetfions work.
to flourifh in the Empire,to the great advantage of the Publick: That Sultan-4murath,
his Uncle, delighted in making thofe Horn-Rings, which are us’d in fhooting with the
Long-Bowe: That Ibrahim, his Father, was an Excellent Artift, in the making of
Tooth-picks, and other {mall Inftruments of Tortoife-fhell: And that it were requi-
fite that {o Laudable a Cuftome fhould not be loft, fince it gave the people occafion to
do the like, and fo to avoid idlenefS, *
He further Remonftrated to his HighnefS, That it was much more commendable in
the fight of men, and more acceptable to God, for him to live by the labour of his
hands, then by the fiweat of the people, and the Mony arifing by Impofitions, which
were forbidden by the Law: andethat what was allotted tor the peculiar Diet of his
Predeceffors, was the product of their Own-handy-work: That true it was indeed,
they were not oblig’d to any affiduity in the Employments they had: fancied, but that
what they did was as much for their own diverfion, as to fatisfie the Precept of the
Law; and when they had finith’d fome piece of Work, they fent it to fome Baffa, for
whom they had a particular kindnefs,and he reeeiv’d it with extraordinary refpect, and
abundance of joy: That he, who was the Bearer of it, when he came to prefent it,
{aid, That Piece of Work, was made by the Grand Seignor himfelf; who had {ent
him to {ell it, in order to his own fuftenance: And that the Baffz, or other perfon, to
whom it was direéted, to exprefs how highly he was pleas’d therewith, gave him a
-certain number of Purfes for it; not accounting the Prefent which was to be made to
the Bearer: That what Mony came in that way, was defign’d to bear the Charges of
the Prince’s own Table, and by that means,he could not be charg’d with living by the
labour of his Subjects.
To this effect was the Moufti’s harangues and I jhall tell you by the way, That the
Kings of Perfia have the fame Cultome, or rather, the fame Superftition. In the Reign
of Shach-Abas, there were built, at Jahan, certain places called Caravanferas, which
are publick houfes, where the Merchants are ee the Rents whereof are fet afide
for the maintenance of the King’s own Table; the Mony which is rais’d by the Cu-
Atoms, and other Impofitions, being accounted, as to that {core, for Haram, that is to
fay, for unjaft and forbidden, and referv’d to be employ’d in the Exigencies of State,
and-not for.the Suftenance of the Prince.
The Grand Seignor diffembling and {mothering the vexation,into which the Moxfti’s 7 §
Remonfivance had put him, pretended to take his Advertifements very Kindly, and yeng'd of the
(M) difpos’d Meufti.
84 ——ss«‘«‘éWA*RRelatiom of the Chap. XVI.
_ difposd himfelf to fatisfie him, in a fhort time, how well he could make his advantage
of the Lecture he had read him. He acknowledg’d,that he had often thought of what
he had reprefented to him, and that he had a way of livelihood in his head, which he
hop’d would take very well. Some daies pafs’d away, ere the Grand Seignor made
the leaft mention of Hunting; but at laft, he grows impatient, he leaves the Seraglio,
and had the good fortune to kill a Hare with a Gun, the firlt he had ever deftroy’d
that way. He immediately fends it to the Moxfti, with order to tell him, That he has
follow’d his advice, and that having learnt the Profeifion of a Huntfinan, he has com-
manded that firft piece of his Game fhould be brought to him, which he was willing
to fell, that he might fubfift by the Mony it fhould produce : That he fail not to give
Twenty Purfes to him who brings it ; and that as to his own Perfon, he knew well
enough what he ought to fend him.
The Moufti conceal’d his fusprizal as well as he could , and receiv’d the Hare
with great teftimonies of his refentments and joy, of the honour, which his Highnefs
had done him; and having beftow’d, according to his own order, Twenty Purfes up-
on the Bearer of the Hare, fends Sixty more to the Grand Seignor himfelf, learning,
at his own coft, and that to the value of Fourfcore thoufand Crowns, that men fhould
not be over-forward to give their Sovereigns thofe advertifements, which they defire
not of them.
To finith the Pourtraiture of Sultan-Mahomet, he is further chargeable with a de-
fet of conftancy, in his humour, and a roughnefs of deportment towards his people,
who are thereupon apt to have the lefs affe€tion for him. And whereas he is indefa-
tigable in his Hunting-Exercifes, and {pends whole daies therein, even in the fevereft
part of the Winter-Seafon, it happen’d, one day, as he was returning home, from the
Sport of running down a Stag,that his Grand Falconer took the boldnefs to reprefent to
him the inconvenience of expofing his Slaves fo much in the Ice and Snow, by which’
means there had dy’d about Thirty of them the Night before, and the reft were in a
fair way to follow.them. The Prince, not rhov’d at all with that Remonftrance,made
this Reply to the grand Falconer, That, if the Weather prov’d very hard, they fhould
have a care of his Dogs, and allow them cloathing, and other accommodations, left
the rigour of the Seafon might take off any one of them; making not the leaft men-
tion of, or provition for the men, whom ‘he ie o his Dwesiana That
r repartee having been {pread’among the people, has begot {uch animofity in them
a this Peart there’s no eetion made of his betne fenfible thereof, and that
it is, in {ome meafurc, the caufe of his keeping fo much at a diffance, from the Metro-
polis of his Enapire, where he does not think himfelf fecure.
CHAP.
Chap.XVII. Grand Seignor’s aS rhe
G HAP, Seyi
Of the Womens Appartment.
Tue Parincireat Heaps.
~The impofsibility of having a full knowledge of the Womens Appart-
ment, in the Seraglio. The Commerce between the Jewelles and
the Sultanefles. The doleful Story of Iwo Famous Wreftlers.
‘The great Severity of the Sultan-Amurath. How to distinguifh
between what is true, and what fabulous, m reference to the Sul-
tanefles. 4 fPrange Story of an old Woman. Polygamy pre-
judicial to the propagation of Children. ‘The great Secrecy of the
Grand Seignor’s Amours.-. oe
there never cnters any man into it, NO Nex,
they are never permitted to go out of it, unle
the Old Scraglio. But we mutt except, out of
Neck, are clofe faften’d, above, and below.
And as to the Phyfician, he is never admitted, as I faid, but in cafe of extream ne-
eeffity, into the Appartment of the Women, and with fuch precautions, that he can
neither fee, the perfon who is indifpos’d, nor be feen by her, but to feel her Pulfe
through a piece of Lawn, all the other Women having retir’d from her Bed-lide, and,
the Negro-Eunuchs having taken their places. Thus you fee what precautions they ufe;
to deprive thé Women, of the Seraglio, of all means of having any accefs to Men,or in-
deed fo much as a fight of them: And if it happen that {ome Fewe/s has entrance into
their Quarter, to Trade with them, and to fell them fome little Rarities, they are
firiGly {earch’d by the Negro-Ennuchs, left there fhould happen to thrutt in fome Man,
difguis’d in Woman’s Cloaths, in which café immediate death would enfuie. And
when the Curiofity of fome Chriftian Ladies has inclin’d them to fee the Saltaneffes,
they feldome efcap’d without the receiving of fome affront 5 and I could produce fome
examples of it, did I think it convenient.
Cia It
ee ee a rene re i ear eet Caen Ee RE | Es Ca ce
86 A Relation of the Chap. XVII.
The Commerce It might be imagin’d, that, by the relation of the Femeffes, it were poffible to have
between the {me account, of the embellifhments of the Halls and Chambers of the Appartment of
aa fet the government of that Female Republick. But it is to be noted, That thefe Femedfés
ws aa not permitted to go far into it; for there is a Chamber appointed for the manage-
ment of their Traffick, and the Negro-Eunuchs ave the Brokers between them, and the
Sultaneffes. They take cognizance of all, and what the Princefles have a mind to buy,
palling through their hands, they make them pay double and treble what the things
are worth, and fo heap up Wealth, though they have but little occafion or opportu-
nity to make ufe of it.
the doleful Sto- . But I do not expect, any one fhould wonder at that great exactnefs, of not permit-
ry of Two Fa- ing any man, No not even a White Eunuch, to approach the Appartment of the Wo-
mous Wreflers. men, after an Accident, which happen’d at Adrianople, in the Year of our Lord
M. DC. XXXIX. and which I fhall here infert in few words. Amurathat his return,
after the taking of Bagdet, came and made his abode, for fome time, at Adrianople. He
had a Page, belonging to the Treafiry, who was a Native of Zocat, in Natolia, and,
from the place of his birth, they gave him the name of Tocateli, He was a well-{et
Young man, robutt, skilful in Wreftling, and, upon that account, the Grand Seignor
had made Chief of the Wreflers.
It happen’d, that one of the moft Famous, for that Exercife, came about that time
to Adrianople, out of the Conhnes of Mufcovy, and in all the Cities, through which
he travell’d, he had alwaies been too hard for thofe who had prefented themfelves to
Wreftle with him. His Reputation was {pread all over the Empire, where he had not
met with any Wreftler, who acknowledg’d not himfelf inferiour to him 3 Which Re-
port coming to the Page of the Treafury, he conceiv’d fo great an emulation at the
Fame of that Man, whom all the World fo highly celebrated, that he {ent one of the
Halvagis, to carry him a Civil Challenge from him, and to acquaint him, That he was
dclirous to have a Tryal of Skill with him, in the Grand Seignor’s Prefence. He fent
him word withal, That, before his Highnefs had any notice of it, *twere. convenient,
they made fome tryal of their ftrength; And that no body might know any thing of
ie: be would fend him a Boftangi’s Garment and Cap, by which means he might come
into the Seraglio, pepe”
nig
When the Grand Seignor is not within the Seraglio, where ever it be, the Botangis
are permitted to come into,’ arid to go out of it, by the Garden-Gate; and there be-
ing a great number of them, it is no hard matter to get aman in under their accou-
trements. By this contrivance did the Mxfcovian Wreftler get into the Seraglio, the
next day, upon the follicitation of the Page, who fént him what was requilitc ; the
Grand Seignor being, that day, gonea Hunting. They both put on Drawers of Lea-
ther, well liquor’d with fome fat or oyly ftuff, all the reft of the body being ftark na-
ked, and liquor’d in like manner: and after a long difpute, the Page had the better,
whether he got it fairly by his own ftrength, and skill, or that the other yielded the
victory, out of complaifance. ’
This AGtion paf3’d in the midft of the place which is before the Garden, in the pre-
fence of the Mutes, and all the Pages of the Seraglio; and the Grand Seignor being re-
turn’d from Hunting, the Superintendent of the Treafiry told him, That there was
come into the City, a Peblivan, a Mufcovite by Country, robuft, and of a good meen,
of great ftrength, and well experienced in Wreftling, and that if his Highnefs pleas’d,
he thould have the fatisfaction to {ee him engag’d in that Exercife. The Grand Seig-
nor commanded he fhould be brought into the Seraglio, the next day, arid that Torcae
teli fhould have notice, to be ready to entertain him.
Being both come to the place, and in a condition ready to clofe, the Grand Seignor
came into a Gallery, attended by all the Grandees of the Seraglio, to be Spectators of
that Tryal of Skill in Wrettling. The Victory having ftood as *twere in the ballance
a good while, and all the Spectators, being, fomewhat impatient, to fee which fide it
would turn to, a Mute exprefS'd himfelf by figns, to one of his Companions, to this
: é effect,
Chap. XVII. Chad Seignor’s SERAGLIO. By
effet, “Hise heancourcs the Page, who fhould have deriv’d new ftrength and courage,
from the Grand Scignor’s prefence, found it fo difhcult to get the better of the Mufco-
vite, whom he had {o eafily worlted the day before.
The language of the Mutes, by figns, is as intelligible in the Seraglio, as if they had
the liberty of {peaking, and the Grand Seignor, who underftands it as well as any of
them, as having becn accuftom’d thereto from his Infancy, and commonly difcourling
with them, was ftrangely furpriz’d, to underttand that the Mu/covite had been, the day
before, in the fame place. His indignation immediately fluth’d into his face; he com-
manded the Wrelilers to give over their Exercife, and, calling the Page to him, he
ask’d him, How he had contriv’d that man’s entrance into the Seraglio. The unfor-
tunate Tocateli, who could not deny a thing, which fo many others were ready to
teftifie, acquainted his Highnefs with what had pafs’d; whereupon, the Sultan, in-
cens-d at. the greatnefs of his confidence, prevented his making an end of the Story,
by commanding the Boftangi-bachi to be prefently fent for, whom he order’d to feize
on the Mufcovian Wreliler, and {ce him receive Five hundred blowes on the foles of
the Feet, with a Wand or Cudgel; which no doubt was enough to make him wun-
capable of exercifing himfelf, for a good while after. The Overfeer had Orders, to
{ee the fame punifhment infliéted upon the Page Tocateli; which was immediately
put in cxecution: the Grand Scignor having, im the mean time, retix’d into the Ap-
partment of the Women. :
It was the Opinion of moft about the Seraglio, that thofe two unfortunate wretches
would have efcap’d, with the punifhment of Five hundred blowes, each of them, upon
the foles of their feet. But the Grand Seignor, who was refolv’d to have their lives,
and had retir’d, purpofely} into the Lodgings of the Women, to prevent all mediation
for their pardon, fent away prefently a fecond Order, to the Boftengi-Bachi, whereby
he was commanded to fee the Page hang’d up, in the Evening, on a Tree, which is at
the Corner of the place, where they had Wreliled, and the Mu/covite on another Tree,
which is without the Gate of theSeraglio. = * .
Some would be apt to think, that thefe two Executions were enough to appeafe the Amurath’s:
Prince’s indignation: But it prov’d otherwife. The next morning, the Sultan-Amu- 6”! a
rath fent for the Capi-Aga, the chiefelt amongft the Eunuchs, and the Grand Matter
and Comptroller, of the jo, and commanded, That the Gellad, who is the com-
mon Executioner, fhould alfo en i Upon the paffing of thefe Orders,
all thofe, that were prefent, caft themfelvesvatehis Highnefle’s tect, befeeching him te
confider, That the Capi-Aga was innocent, that he had ot -theslealt notice.ot the con-’
fidence of the Page, and that, if it had come to his knowledge, he would have feverely
puni(h’d it. The Grand Seignor continuing ftill extreamly incens’d, could not be
appeas’d by all the intreaties and {ubmiifions they made to him, and would have the
Capi-Aga, as Grand Matter of the Seraglio, to be anfwerable for all thofe that come -
into it; when, for the good fortune of that principal Officer of the Sultan's Palace,
there came in the Moufti, and the Seligdar, or Chief of the Pages of the Chamber,who
with much ado made a fhift to beg his pardon. Yet was not that granted but in parts
for all they could obtain, extended only to the faving of his lite ; and fo the Grand
Seignor order’d him to be immediately thruft out of the Seraglio, with a charge never
to enter again into it, while he livd; and inftead of the Dignity of Baffz, whereto he
fhould have been advanced, to be reduc’d to a finall Penfion of Three hundred Afpers
a day. , :
a
an
L thought it pertinent to my defign, to bring in this Story of the Two Wrefilers, in
order to the greater confirmation of what 1 have affirm’d at the beginning of this
Chapter, concerning the impoifibility there is, for any perfon whatfoever, Man, or
Woman, to get into the Appartment of the Swltaneffes, when they panith, with fo °
much feverity, a Stranger, who, without exprelS order, prefumes but to fet his foot
within any Court of the Seraglio.
Take
eel
88
How to diftin-
guijih what's
trwe,and what
fabulous, as to
ge Sulcanefies,
A Relation of the Chap. X VIL.
Take it then for granted, that this Js all that can be known, with certainty, of the
Appartment ot the Women, who are fubfervient to the pleafures of the Ottoman Mo-
narchs 5 whatever is {Catter’d abroad, beyond this account thereof, being grounded
only upon imaginations and conjectures, which haply are at a grcat diftance trom the
truth, Certain it is, that this Quarter of the Seraglio, as to {ome part of it, has a fair
Profpect upon that of the Grand Scignor, and that the Doors of it are kept.night and
day, by a certain number of Negro-Ennuchs, the molt deformed, and the mott dread-
ful to look upon, that can be found. — It is certain alfo, that it is well furnith’d with
abundance of moft beautiful Women, of feveral Countries, who, by the chance of War
or otherwife, are fallen into the hands of the Baffa’s, and Governours of Provinces,
who {end them up, as Prefents, to the Grand Seignor. It is known alfo, That,of that
variety of Women, the Prince does not appropriate to himfelf above two or three,
whom he has the greatelt affection for ; nay fome of thofe Princes have confin’d
thenafelves to the embraces of one only, after intermarriage. And this isafhrm’d, at
Conftantinople, of Solyman the Great, atter he had plighted his faith to Roxulana,con-
trary to the-ordinary Policy of the Lurks, atter the affront, done by Temur-leng, to the
Wite of Bujazet. The white Eunuchs, who wait in the Grand Seignoy’s Lodgings,
are able, in fome meafure, to give an account of thefe things, in regard that the
Woman, who is ta participate of the Grand Seignor’s Bed, is conduéted into his
own Chamber 5 and, if it be anew Amour, the noife ofit is fpread, the next day, all
ever the Seraglio.
It is alfo known, That the firft of thofe Women, who is deliver’d of a Male-child,
and, by that means, becomes Mother to the prefumptive Heir of the Ottoman-Empire,
is conlider’d as the principal Sudtane/s, and treated according to her dignity : and the
others, who afterwards have Sons or Daughters, have alfo the quality and denomina-
tion of Su/taneffes 5 but the number of the Women, who are to wait on them, is
much inferiour, to that of thofe, who are to attend the principal Swltanefs. It is
known, in fine, That thofe young Princes are brought up under the tutelage of their
Mothers, till they are fo many years of age; and when they are {trong, enough to be
- put upon certain Exercifes, they have Governours and Matters appointed over them,
A ftrange Sto-
ry of an old
WOM Ale
in a diftinct Quarter by them{clves.
\ “- '
Befides thefe things, which may be pofitively known, concerning, the Appartment
of the Woincn, inthe Seraglio, it may well be imagin’d, that the embelliiaments of
their Lodgings are anfwerable to thefe of the Grand Scignor, tince it is the place,
where he cts _away the moft divertive part of his time. It isalfo not to be que-
ftion’d, but that it has its Infirmary, its Baths, and the other accommodations, and
coravenienccs, that can be wilh’d for. It may alfo be conjcctur’d, That there is,in
this Quarter, an obfervance of the fame regulations, as there are in the Chambers of
the Ichoglans : That fome of the more ancient Maids are Miltreffes over the Younger
ones, and arc, night and day employ’d in obferving their actions 5 and that their ae
voluntary refiraint forces them to the fame unfeemly actions amongtt themfelves, as
the brutith Paifions of thofe Young Mcn engages them in, whenever they can hnd the
Opportunities to commit them. And this prefumption has no doubt given occalion to
the Fabulous Story, which is related of their being ferv’d up with Cucumbers cut into
picces, and not entire, out of a ridiculous fear left they fhould put them to undecent
ufes : they who have forg’d the Story not knowing, that it is the ailtome in the Le-
vant, to cut the Fruit a-crofs, into preat thick flices, as I thall make it appear in the
Chapter, where I treat of their Gardens. Butit is not only in the Seraglio,that that
abominable Vice reigns, but it is predominant alfo in the City of Conftantinople, and
inall the Provinces of the Empire, and the wicked Example of the Men, who, flight-
ing the natural ufe of Woman-kind, are mutually enflam’d with a deteitable love for
te
one another, unfortunately enclines the Women to imitate them.
Of this, there was a ftrange inftance in the time of Solyman the Magnificent. An
old Woman was guilty of fich an excefs of extravagance,as to put on Man’s Cloaths,
and to give out, that fhe had bought a Chiaoux’s place, the better to compa{s her de-
figne, of obtaining the only Daughter of a Trades-man of Conftantinople, with whom
fhe
fhe was defperately fallen in love, having made fruitlefs attempts, by other ways, to
{atisfie her infamous inclinations. The Father, not fufpecting any thing, of her wic-
ked intentions, and being withal poor, grants herhis Daughter, the Marriage ts fo-
lemniz’d in the prefence of the Cadi, and the impofture having been difcover’d the ve-
ry Wedding-night,the old woman was condemn’d the next day to be thrown into the
Sea, there to quench the Gomorrbean Inflammationsof her lewd delires. This Story
is to this day related in Con(tantinople, and I have had it from feveral good hands.
Thefe infatiable falacioufnef$ amongft the Women, are the effects and confequences Polvgariy pre
of the {ame inclinations in the Men; and the Turks are fo much the more execrable qescial eS,
and abominable as to this particular, the more they are permitted a plurality of Wives. aa
But, whether it happens through a juft punifhment from Heaven, or proceed trom their
Sorceries, which are common and allow’d in Turkey, and ordinarily practis’d by the
Women, in oppotition one to another, to appropriate the affections of their Husbands,
it has always been obferv’d, That the Turks who keep many Women, are not fo well
ftor'd with Children, as they, who obferve Conjugal Chaltity, and confine themfelves
to one. I queftion not but thofe Authors, who have written of the Mahumetan Re-
ligion, have given a fufficient account of that plurality of Wives, and of’ the Cere-
monies of Matrimony, amongft the Turks.
As to the manner, how the Grand Seignor demeans himfelf in the profecution of The Secrecy of
his Amours, it isaSecret, which I fhall not enquire into ; I have not much endeavour’d ‘he Grand
tomake any difcoveries of it, and it isahard matter to give any account thereof, “'BnOf
without fome hazard of travefting Hiftory into Romance. They are Intrignes, which ee
do not admit of any Confident, by whom they may be difclos’d, and all that is com-
monly related thereof, is haply ata great diftance from the true ftate of things : not to
prefS this, That we ought to have a reffect for all Princes, and to forbear divulging
what informations we may poffibly have receiv’d, of their {ecret Amours.
CHAP. XVIIL
The Entrance into Conftantinople of the Sultane/s , Mother to
the Grand Seignor, whom they. honour wich the ‘Title of
la Validg, on the Second of July, 1668,
Tue Principat Heaps.
‘The order of the Mare. The Wealth of the Grand Seignor’s Fa-
pourite. ‘The Sultanefle’s Coaches. ‘The prohibitions to look
on hers .
N theSecond of Fuly, in the Year of our Lord, One Thoufand, fix Hun-
dred, Sixty and Eight, the Su/tane/s, Mother to the Grand Seignor Re-
gent, ather return from Adrianople, made her Entrance into Conjtanti-
nople, where I then was, of which Entrance take the eufhing Defcription.
About Six in the Morning, fome numbers of Fanizaries, not obferving any order, The Order of the
took their way towards the Seraglio, fometimes ten, or more, fometimes twenty, in March.
little detachments, which lafted for fome time.
After them came two hundred men on Horfe-back, belonging to the Houfe of the
Cologhow, that is to fay, theGrand Seignor’s Favourite, with thort Guns re(ting on
the Bowe of their Saddles, and all very meanly clad, as alfo the Officers of his Kit-
chin, who coming in the Rear of the others,were, in like manner, poorly habited, -
i
go
A Relation of the ~ Chap. X VI.
iil mounteds After them appear’d in fomewhat a better order, the menial Retinue of
the Caimacan, his Officers, as well thofé belonging, to the Chamber, as thoft of the
Stables, were very handfomely mounted, and allin their yellow Garments.
The next appearance was that of the Spahis, who are the Sw/tanefs-Mother’s Life-
Guard. Of thofe there were four hundred, which made a handfome Shew, being all
well mounted, and well clad. They had all their Coats of Mail, with their Vefts of
red Taffeta, and had on the right fide a Quiver of Crimfon-Velvet, embroider’d with
Flowers of Gold 5 and on the lett, a Bowe in a cover of red Velvet, ernbroider’d as
the other. They had all of them Helmets on their Heads, and over them white Tur-
bants, and from the Helmets there hung fmall Chains of Mail, refembling Locks of
Hair, which they ufe when occafion requires, to ward off a blow trom the neck and
face. Every one of them had alfo a Launce in his hand, and the Trappings of their
Horfes were of one of thefe three Colours, yellow, violet, and red, of a rich Stuff,
with an embroidery of Silver.
The Spahi-Bachi came in the Rear of them, having a Plume of Heron-tops in his
Turbant, three foot in height, which made him remarkable, and diftinguifh’d him
from all the other Spabis. Onthe Breaft-piece of his Horfe, were faften’d a dozen
little Scarffs, which hung down negligently, and he was attended by fix Pages, who
had Caps on, after the Slavonian Mode, red Vetts tuck’d up about the wafte, and yel-
low Hofe, or Drawers.
After the Spahis, there pafs'd feveral Fanizxaries, but not marchingin any order, fol-
Jow’d by two hundred men on Horfe-back, and in the Rear of them, came the Fani-
zary-Aga, a Perfon of a very goodly prefence. He had for his immediate Attendants
fix gentile young Perfons, who had each of them, hanging over his fhoulder, a kind
of Quiver, full of {mall Wands, which are a fort of Arrows, without any Iron-
work at the ends,
- After the forementioned, there came up twelve men, who are as it were the Ma-
fiers of the Geremonies, in very ridiculous Accoutrements. They had Silver Wands
refting on their Shoulders, their Veftments were garnifh’d with {mall Bells, and they
had Caps on, which had fomewhat hanging down of each fide, refembling Affes
Se Ee /
The next appearance after that extravagant Party, was that of an hundred Capigis,
all well mounted, every one with a Launce in his hand, with a Flag faften’d thereto,
reaching frorn the top to the bottom, which made a very noble Shew. In the Rear of
the Troop came the Capigi-bachi, diftinguith’d from the reft by a high and large Plume
of Heron-tops, which added much to the gracefulnefS of his looks, and Per-
fon.
After them, came a hundred Chiaoux’s, well clad, and well mounted, having their
great Caps on their Heads 3; and in the Rearof them came the Caimacan, having, a
Cap of the fame fafhion, attended by twenty Pages, very neatly clad.
‘The next appearance was that of five or fix hundred Boftangis, with their Caps
hike Sugar-loaves, their Habits of a red linnen Cloath, and Muskets on their Shoul-
ders. The Boftangi-bachi came after them, fumptuoufly clad, and mounted, with a
Chiaoux-cap upon his head, and a great number of people about him.
There appear’d next, two hundred Cadis, making a moft noble Shew, all modeft-
ly clad, with their Bufquins of black Spanifh-Leather, and white Turbants, like great
Balls of Wooll,or Silk.
They were follow’d by the Scherifs, who affirm themfélves to be of the kindred of
Mahomet, and made upa Troop of fixty Perfons. As they were the Relations of the
Prophet, they wore green Turbants of an extraordinary bignefs.
~
i After
Chap. XV UL Grand Seignor’s Seracio. QI
After the Scherifs, came the two principal Officers of the Moufti (for he never ap-
pears in perfon in thefe forts of Ceremonies) .and they were clad in white, having a
very demure and rcligious Countenance.
The Cologloz, ox Grand Seignor’s Favourite, appear’d next mounted on a gallant The wealth of
Horfe, whofe Harnefs and Trappings were of the richeft. The Stirrups were of Gold, te Favourite
and the Houffe was embellifh’d with an embroydery of Gold and Pearls. His Veit
was cf a red Brokado, and his Cap like thofe cf the Chiaowxes.. Two men held the
reins of his Bridle, and his Horfecurvetted all along, as if le had been fenfible of the
goodly prefence cf his Mafter, and how well it became him. He was a perfon of a
good ftature, and of a gractful countenance, having withal a mild and {prightly look;
and every one faluted him, ashe advane’d ftill towards the Seraglio. The Servants
belonging to his Stables marched after him, and fifty Grooms led each of them a
Horfe in his hand, and thofe horfes were all high-priz’d, and their Harneffes as
fumptuous as could be mades ”Tis commonfy reported, That-this Favourite, who is
a perfon of very great merit, hath acqufr’d vaft Riches, and that his Train, whether
as to the number of Servants, or as to that of Horfes, furpaffes that of many great
Princes. | ee
There came up next a {mall Troop of Negro-Exnuchs, marching confufedly, before rhe Sultanefies
the Coaches of the Sultanefs, Mother to the prefent Grand Seignor, all well mounted, Coaches,
and Magnificently clad, in different colours,
There appear’d afterwards Six Capigis, about the firft Coach,drawn by fix Excellent
Horfes. They had each of them a Launce in his hand; and, in the Rear of them,there
appear’d a Horfe-tail-Banner, of a pale-red colour, whereby it was known, that {ome
Baffz’s weré coming up, a5 indeed there were, and they were a Convoy to the fecond
Ceach, drawn by fre white horfts, in which was the Sultanefs-Mother, and another -
Sultanefs. “Two Black Eunuchs march’d on each fide of it, the Boots, or Doors being
latic’d, that the Princeffes might fee, and not be feen. Which hindred not, however,
but that, as the Coach of the Sultanefs came forwards, {ome were {till crying out to
the people, and commanding, them.to look the other way 3 which Command it con-
cerns them exattly to obey, and that {pecially in Perfia, where they muft get away as
far as they can, to avoid the hazard of receiving, a good blow with a Sable.
After the aforefaid Coach, there pafs’d by Twely:
apiece, wherein were the Female-Slaves belonging to the Szltaneffes, agente Mare
Exnuchs, at the Doors of each Coach, which were latic’d, as the former: After which
there follow’d feveral Litters, and four great Waggons, full of Snow, for the ufe of
the Sultaneffes, and their Retinue.
other Coaches with four herfes
All this Cavalcade, confifting of between five and fix thoufand men, took up almoft
three hours in its paflage,and having made its Proceffion through Conjtantinople, lodg’d
it {elf in the Seraglio, according to the defcription I have given you of it.
Of the French Nation, there were feveral Perfons of Quality, who had the Curiofity
to fee that Entrance ; and among others, Monfieur Rabier, de Ville-nenve, a Counfellor
of the Parlement of Paris; Montieur Le Mairat, a Counfellor of the Grand Council 5
The Abbot of St igs de la Saulfaye, all Parifians ; and Monfieur Aubert, a Native
of New-France, and, by Extraction, a Norman, Son to the Governour of Guarda-
loupe °
yo Bee | CHAP.
92 A Relation of the | Chap. XIX.
Seale are ties gee CE Fn ce Bees
CHAP. 3X
Of the Gardens of the Seraglio.
Tue Principat Heaps. |
The Revenues of the Gardens employ’d for the Grand Seignor’s Table:
Cucumbers, a fruit of much delicacy amongst the Levantines,
and how they eat them. A noble Pyramid, refembling Trajan’s
Pillar, Fountains. "The number of the Gardiners.
The Revenues T is an ancient Cuftome, or rather, a Law, eftablifl’d by the Ottoman Princes,
J the oe that the profits made out of their Gardens, thould be contributary to the keep-
ow employed.
ing of their own Tables, and they have feveral of them, in the Neighbourhood
of Conftantinople, as well on the European fide, as the Afian, all along the Sea-
fhore. But I fhall give an account, only of the Gardens of the Seraglio, that fo —
I may not exceed the limits I have prefcrib’d to my {elf in this Relation. teh,
There are in the Seraglio {everal Gardens, wherein there are only Flowers, ih di-
vers Appartments, and particularly in that of the Grand Seignor, and, no queftion,but
the fame thing may be faid of the Quarter of the Sultanefes. Yet is there not any
“thing extraordinary, which might oblige me to give this defcription thereof. The
great Garden, whereof the Boftangi-bachi has the overfight, as he has alfo of all the:
others belonging to the Grand Seignor, takes up the greateft part of the Seraglio, and
confifts of a great number of Walks, planted, of each fide, with Cyprefs. Thofe
Walks are much neglected, fo that in feveral places, they are not clear’d of Bryars and
Thorns. When it is known, that the Grand Seignor is to come and take his diver-
tifement there, a great number of Boftangis axe immediately commanded out, to make
clean the Walks, which he ufes to frequent, and the {paces between thofe Walks are
fo many Kitchin-Gardens, or Orchards, which are very well furni(h’d with Fruit-
Trees, of feveral excellent kinds, Of Strawberries and Rafpices there is great ftore,
and they have large beds of Melons, and Cucumbers ; but mott of thefe laft, which are
accounted a great delicacy amongft the Levantines.
Cucumbers 2 As to the Cucumbers, they commonly eat them without taking off any thing of the
great delicary sinde, after which they go and drink a glafs of Water. In all Afia, it is the ordinary
ence, ti fiftenance of the meaner fort of people, for the {pace of three or four months; the
Bare Family lives upon them, and when a Child asks for fomething to eat, whereas
in our Ewropean Countries, they would give him bread, in the Levant, they bring him
only a Cucumber, which he eats raw, as it comes out of the Garrifon. Laboricus
perfons, and fuch as are in a manner tyr’d with working, fuch as Camel-drivers, and
thofe who are entrufted with the care of the Hor{es, and Mules, in the Caravans, make
a kind of Sallad of their Cucumbers, not much unlike the Math, which we would give
our Horfes. When they are come to the Lodging place, where the Caravan is to make
a ftay, they take a large Bafin, which they almott fll with water, and having put fome
fowr milk into it, they cut a great number of Cucumbers, into great flices, and fo
make a kind of math of them. °Tis a pleafant fight to {ee them at the confounding of
it. Amongtt ten, or twelve, who all ftand round the faid Bafin, there is but one woo-
den Spoon, which every one takes in his turn, till they have made a fhift to empty the
Balin, That done, they fall a drinking of water, and thofe who have wherewithall,
goand take a dilh of Coffee, or fmoke a Pipe of Tobacco,
Par 35
‘
Chap X1X. Grand SeignorsSenactio. ~—~«9@3;~CS
But to do them all the right they deferve, the Cucumbers in the Levant are excel-
Jently good, and, though eaten raw, they never do a man any hurt. The Story of the
Cucumbers which occafion’d the cruel death of Seven Pages of the Grand Seignor’s
Chamber, is not. haply, known to all peoples or at leaft, all know not the reafon, why
the Pages of the Chambcr are not now permitted to go into the Gardens.
Sultan Mahomet, the fecond of that name, taking a turn in the Gardens of the Se-
raglio, attended by his Pages, was mtich furpriz’d to fee a bed of Cucumbers, which
look’d very fair to the eye, and were extreamly forward, confidering the Seafon, Be-
ing a great Jovet of that fruit, he recommended them to the Boftangi-bachi, who told
them over every day, and, with fome impatience, expected their maturity, that he
might prefentthem to the Grand Scignor. Some daies after, going to Vifit the bed,
he found his number of Cucumbers fhorter, than it fhould have been, by three or four,
and that they who had taken thofe that were miffing, had made choice of the ripeft,
and thereupon making a ftriét enquiry, to find out who have been guilty of that pre-
fumption, he found that the Pages of the Chamber were the only perfons who had
been, that day, in the Gardens. ,
Upon that difcovery, he went and gave an account of the whole matter to the
Grand Scignor, who was {o highly incens’d thereat, that, not prevailing with any one
of the Pages to acknowledg the Theft, he, out of a cruelty as much above all credit,
as beyond all example, caus’d the Bellies of feven of them to be ripp’d up. The Theft
. was found in the Belly of the feventh of thofe unfortunate Young Men, who, after
the execution done on the other fix, would not acknowledge his guilt, out of hopes,
that the Prince’s indignation would not have extended fo far. From that very time,
and in commemoration of fo ftrange an action, the Pages of the Chamber are not per-
mitted to go into the Gardens of the Seraglio; what one Prince has eftablifh’d, as I
have hinted elfewhere, being never revok’d by his Succeffors, who bear a certain re-
{peé to the enactions of their Anceltors. .
%
of the work. This Pyramid fomewhat refembles Trajan’s Pi ‘at’ Romes and fome,
who have {een both, imagine, they were the work of the fame Mafter, =
All the Fountains of the Gardens have their Bafins of Marble, of different colours. Foynpains;
Near cach of them, there is a little Scaffold, {urrounded with Ballifters, which they
{pread with rich Carpets, and Brocado-Cufhions, when the Sultan comes to take his
walk there : and ’tis only at that time, the Waters play; which Diverfion he frequent-
ly gives the Princeffcs, who bear ‘him company.
There are appointed for the culture of thefe Gardens two thoufand Boftangiss and The Gardiverse
yet, though there be {0 valt a number to keep them, they come far fhort of the Neat
~ Contrivances, and Imbellifhments of ours.
ot
A Relation of the Chap. XX.
General Laws
for all the Ma-
humetan Se(fs,
CHAP "As%
Of the Princes who follow the Mabumetan Religion,
in Europe, Afza, and Africa,
Tue Principat Heaps.
General Lawes for all the Mahumetan Sects. A Curious Remark,
concerning the Emperour of Java's Son, Kings, who follow |
"the Dottrine of Hali. The Royal Prefent from the great Mo-
gul toMecha. The feveral wayes, by which the Mahume-
tans come to their Prophet's Tomb. Treublefome Defarts to
be pafs’d through in their way to the Sepulchre of Hali. 4 Mi-
raculous Channel of Water, of the continuance of Eighteen dayes
Journey. The Burnt-Offering of a Weather.
Have fo often had occafion, in the prefent Relation I have made of the Grand
~ Seignor’s Seraglio, to fpeak of the Mabumetan Religion, that I am content, be-
fore I put a period to this Work, to make it appear, how far it extends into the
three parts of our great Continent: Mahbwmetifme having not yet fet footing in-
to that which has been difcover’d but two Ages fince. I meddle not at all
with the Do@trine of it, of which I am fufficiently affur’d that many perfons have
written: and J fhall only entertain the Reader with a Geographical Chart of all the
Countrics of Evrope, Afia, and Africa, which ate under the dominion of the followers
of Mabomet iiegek oak. iene aaa, T
*
ek ae.
i ae 8 2
pay Riba dig ie eu | 3
ei a FE SATE G he AD a
* “Though the Opinions of their Doctors be different, as to what concerns the Expli-
cation of the Law, and that there are principally two great Sects, that. of Mahomet,
which is the Stock ; and that of Hali, one of his principal Succeffors: Yet thofe twa
general Sects, and the particular ones, which are derivable thence, are all concordant
in the fundamental Points, which every Mahumetan is oblig?d, in Confcience, to ob-
ferve and practife. Of thofe I gave an account, when I made mention of the Prayers
or Devotions, which the Turks are bound to perform five times a day, and the Pil-
grimage of Mecha is one of thofe. principal Articles. I have alfo faid fomething of
them, in the Chapters treating of the Prefent, which the Grand Seignor {nds thi-
ther every Year; and in this laft, | fhall endeavour to exprefs my felf fully as to that
matter.
In Enrope, we have no Mabumetan Princes but the Emperour of the Turks, and the
Cham of the Leffer Tartary: But in Afia there are many of them, who are powerful,
and poffefs’d of great Dominions. The Grand Scignor extends his Jurifdiction, in
this part, beyond the Sources of the River Tigris, and beyond the mouths, by which
it falls into the Sea, and towards the North, as far as the Territories of the Mengre-
lians. To go thence from the Welt to the Eaft, next the Grand Seignor, we mutt
count the Princes of the Three Arabia’s, with {everal of whem I have often {poken, in
Two of my Voyages, wherein I have been oblig’d to pafs through the Defarts, The
King of Perfia, the Great Mogul, the King, of Vifapour, the King ot Golconda, the Kings
on the Coaft of Malabar, of whom the moft confiderable is that of Comorin ; the Great
Cham of Tartary, and the Kings of the Mountains, to the North fide of the fame Tar-
tay»
Chap. XX. Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO. | 95
tary, who are got into Ching; All thefe Kings, I fay, follow the Mabumetan Re-
ligion.
Since I have mentioned the Emperour of Fava, I fhall, by the way, infert here 4 oyrjous Ree
an obfervation, which | made at the time of my being in that Ifland, which was, mark of the
That the eldeft Son of that Emperour, who reign’d in the year 1648, had fix fingers Emperour of
on each of his hands, and fix toes on each foot, and all of equal length. Java’s Son.
The Kings of Perfiz, Vifpour, and Golconda follow the Sect of Hali; and the Kings Kings following
of the Mountains of Tartary, with fome others, have alfo their particular Sets, Be- the Doctréne of
fides, it is to obferv’'d, that, if we except the Grand Seignor, the King of Perfia, the meh
Arabian Princes, and the Cham of Great Tartary, all the other Kings, whom I have
named», have only Idolaters to their Subjects, and all the meaner fort of people is
involv’d in the darknefs of Paganifin. But as to the Grand Scignor’s, with all his
Militia, they follow the Law of Mahomet.
In Africa, there is a Mabumetan King, whofe Territories lic all along the Coat of
Abex, which is towards Arabia Felix, as far as the Cape of Guardafu, and his Jurif-
diction extends over the Red Sea, and the Ocean. The Governours, whom the
_ Grand Seignor employs in Egypt, and in the lands of the Red Sea, and thofe others,
whom he has eftablith’d all along the Coaft of Barbary, at Tripoli, Tunis, and’ Argiers,
who affume the Title of Kings, are alfo Mahumetans 5 and, in fine, the King of Fes
and Morocco follows the fame Law.
All thefe Kings and Princes, are principally unanimous in this Point, That they ac-
knowledg, themiclves oblig’d to fend every year fome Prefent to Mecha, which ordi-
narily confitts in rich Carpets, to be put upon Mahomet?s Sepulchre. Sometimes thefe ‘rhe Great Mo
Prefents are made upon a particular Vow 3 and it happen’d in one of my Voyages.to gul’s Royal
Agra, that the Great Mogul, by way of thankfulnef$ to the Prophet, for the recovery Jé? te Mecha,
of his health, fent to Mecha, an Alcoran, valued at four hundred thoufand Crowns,
which had, in the midft of the Cover, a Diamond, of three hundred Carats ; the reft
of it being garnith’d with feveral precious Stones on both fides. The occafion of this
Prefent was, the fright which a certain Brameré put him into, upon his telling him,
That he fhould-dy before:the ycar was expir’d, which happen’d not accordingly. But
the King being extremely incens’d.at that diveful Prediction, and, upen the {mart In-
terrogatory he put to the Brameré, to4 whether he knew alfo the time of his own
death, having receiv’d this Anfwer, That it 6tiidsbe within. th S> which real-
ly happen’d upon the third day, there was a fufici ent ground. for him ‘to be fright-
ned, and to conceive an apprehention, that the like accident might neppereodumntel
before the time limited. *Twas that indue’d him to fend _a Prefent of fo great.value,
to Mabomet’s Sepulchre, to acknowledge the favour he had done him, in not fuffering
the Prediction ot the Brameré to take cifect, the King having not had as much as any
indifpofition, during all that time.
When I gave an account of the Pilgrimage of Mecha, upon occafion of the Tent The feverad
and Carpet, which the Grand Seignor fends thither every year, I made no mention of ise ‘e > Sod
the feveral ways which the Caravans take, according to the feveral parts of the World, a : eee
from whence great multitudes of Mahumetans do every year take their progrefs thesepyichre of
thither. ; , .. their Prophets
In the firft place, the Ambaffadors, whom the Kings of the Iflands, whereof I
have given you the names, and the Kings of the Indies, on this tide the Ganges, {end
to the Sheck of Mecha, with their Prefents come by Sea, to Mocha, a Maritime City
of Arabia Felix, and from thence they travel to Mecha by Land, by.the conveniency
of Camels.
The Perfians, who inhabit all along the Sea-fide make their defcent fiom Ormzs,ox
to Bandar.and having pafs’d over the Gulf, which, at that place, is not above twelve or
thirteen Leagues in breadth, are forc’d to crofs Arabia ere they can get to the Pro-
: ~ phet’s
Yeoublefome
Defarts in the
way to Hali’s
Sepulchre.
A Miraculous
Canal of water
of the length of
18 days joir-
Bee
A Relation of the = Chap. XX,
phet’s City. But the Inhabitants of the upper-parts of Perfia, towards the Caleta
Sea, and all the Tartars, come to Tauris, and from Tauris to Aleppo, from which
place, the great Caravans, which take their progrefs through the Defarts, fet forth,
and bring the Pilgrims to Mecha. Some take the way of Babylon, but very feldom,
becaufe the Baffa exacts a Tribute of them, and particularly of the Perfians, whom
they account Hereticks 5 and that confideration has oblig’d the King of Perfia, to for-
bid his Subjects to take that Rode, thinking himfelf not inferiour to the Turk,
Some of the Devouter fort of Perfians, and fuch as are moft zealous for their own
Seét, take the way of Babylon, upon this {core, that it brings them at the fame time
to the Sepulchre of their Prophet Hal, which is but eight days Journey diftant from
it. This is the moft wretched place, of all the places upon earth, and affords no wa-
ter but the moft corrupted water, which is drawn out of certain Pits, and that of a
Canal, which Schach-Abas caus’d to be brought thither from the Expbrates, but which
is now quite out of repair. Whoever expects to drink good water there, mutt bring
it along with him, from other places, from other places, five or fix days Journey di-
{tant from the other: And yet that falfe Prophet impofes on thofe, who have {ich a
Devotion for him, not only the inconveniences of coming, {fo far off 5 but alfo thofe of
being in a fair way to perifh by thirlt, and hardthip of lodging.
‘The laft time it was my fortune topafs through the Defarts, I came to that dete-
fiable place upon this occafion, that meeting with a Courrier, who was come from
Babylon, with two Arabians, whom hehad in his Company, he gave us intelligence,
that the Grand Scignor’s Forces, which had then newly taken Babylon, were upon
their march back, in little Detachments, and that there was no queftion to be made,
but they would feize on our Camels and Baggage. Which advertiféments oblig’d us
to take our courfe more to the South, and to get further into the Defert, where we
{pent fixty and five days in the croffing of it, to avoid mecting with thofe For-
CCS.
As for the Princes of Arabia, they have no great Journey to make, becaufé they are’
the next neighbours to Mabomet’s Sepulchre.
The Mahumetans of Europe come to Aleppo, and there joyn the Caravan ; and thof
of Africa pafs to Grand Cairo, and meet in the Defarts, with the fame Caravan of
Aleppo at eightéen days journey from Medina, where there is a water, which goes by a
Canal, quite to that City, all the way of thofe eighteen days journey. They have it
by Tradition, That that water was found by their Prophet Mahomet, ashe crofs’d the
Defert withhis Army, ready to dy for thirft, and that going to drink of it firlt of
any, there iffued a Voice to him out of the Water, which {aid to him, Prophet, thow
wilt find it bitter: That he made the Voice this Anfwer, Let us all drink of it, for I
know it is fieet, and I would to God, that we could always find as good. That there-
upon the Voice replying the fecond time, faid to him, Prophet, Command, and I wilt
follow thee: And that as foon as he had fpoken, the Water made a Canal under
ground, and follow’d him quite to Medina.
From Damas, Hierufalem, and Cairo, they account forty days Journey to Medina,
and it is at the two and twentieth day’s journey that they find that water. “Tis part
ly to fee that miraculous Water, which had been {weetned by the Prophet, that there
goes into thofe places {0 great a concourfe of People, of fo many different Nations,
‘from all parts of the World: in as much as there is no Mahumetan, let him be at
ever fo great a diftance, and but tolerably in a condition of health, and fipply’d with
the external accommodations of fortune, who does not think himfelf oblig’d to go
once in his life to Mecha, in perfon, or to fend fome other in his ftead.
After the Pilgrims have continu’d certain daies at Medina, they go to Gebel-Araffa,
that is to fay, the place, where Adam found Eve, his Wife, five hundred years, after
God had created her. It isa City in the Mountains, at the diftance of Two 'Dayes
Journey from Medina, and at one from Emena, another City, which is half way be-
tween
Chap.XX. Grand Seignor’s SERAGLIO. 7
tween both. Affoon as the Pilgrims are come thither, all thofe who are {0 well fure
nifh’d, buy a Weather to make a Holocauft of it, and to diftribute it amongft the poor,
they being not allow’d to kecp above two pounds of it, for themfelves. If they do not
pun@tually obferve that, and that fome difcovery fhould be made thereof, they are
made incapable, ever after, while they live, of fhaving their Heads, ct paring their
Nails.
From Gebel-Araffa, they return to Medina, where they keep an account of the
time, when the Caravan arrived there; in regard that all the Pilgrims, who came
by Land, are, as I faid elfewhere, maintaii’d with fuftenance for the {pace of Se-
venteen dayes; but they who come by Sea are fuftain’d, as long as they continue
there, even though they fhould make it the place of their abode, as long as they
live,
FINIS.
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-
A SHORT
DESCRIPTION
Of all the
KINGDOMS
Which Encompafs the
Eurine -¢ Calpian Seas,
By the Autor after above Twenty Years Travel.
Together with a
PREFACE
CONTAINING
Several Remarkable Obfervations concerning divers of
the forementioned CounTRIES.,
LONDON, |
Printed for R, L. and Maofes Pyit.
1677.
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7 eth i £4
PRR SSN ee eS
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The Publifber unto the Reader.
9 HE enfuing Narration was put into my hands Five or Six.
Years ago, by a very Intelligent Worthy Perfon, who long
refided in the fame Family with our Author,and did affure
me, that the Difcourfe here publifhed , was written with
his own hand, and prefented unto that Honourable Perfon
who redeemed him out of Captivity. The Gentleman
who beltowed_ thefe Papers upon me,. will ft ~ be refpon-
fible for the Truth of all therein contained; but J having,
* compared his Account of feveral Countries with that of
Olearius and other more Ancient and Modern Writers, have found them very Con-
fonant unto each other, and therefore do charitably believe him no lefs Faithful in
his Defcription of thofe Countries and People concerning whom little hath been
faid by any befides. By reafon of his long abfence from this Native Country, and
dif-ule of his Mother-Tongue, his ftyle was fo rough, odd, and unpleafant, that I, was
forced to make therein great os both as t@ Method and Expreifion, yet
keeping, firi€tly unto his fenfe : e alfo much abbreviated his Difcourfe, many
things being, often repeated, and he having ftuffed it with divers impertinencies,
which would have been void of all Inftru@tion and Delights He would never own
his true Name or Pedigree, forReafons mentioned in his Paper, which I thought al-
together unneceffary to be rehearfed ; that of Ajfracan, wherewith he concludes his
NARRATIVE, being, fictitious, and I fiuppofe affumed, becaufe of his long
Refidence in a City of that name, from which he made moft of his Excurlions:
And which with the Adjacent Gountry he hath above all others moft particularly de-
{cribed, giving us the names of feveral Neighbouring Places and Rivers mentioned
by no other Writer. I was highly pleafed-wi hate Account he gives us of Czarofs-
gored, which he alfo fometimes cal!s Seraichan and Serai : ja the former of which is
the Mufcovitify the latter the Tartarian Appellation, and interpreted,both fignifie the
Habitation of the Emperour or Cham,it being, former] ythe Metropolis of a great Empire.
As alfo with his mention of a place cn the Welt-lide of the Volga, where he faycs
Aliracan was formerly fituated. Concerning both which Cities, ¥ fhall declare di-
vers things I have Collected out of feveral ce ay and Arabian Writers, which ei-
er are not commonly known, or little regarded. But J mutt neceffarily premife
Beer concerning the Antient Inhabitants of the Country wherein thefe Cities
are fituated. ;
The firft Nation (of whom IT find any mention) who made any fix’d habitation
in thee Quarters were the Chazari , fo named by the Latines and Greeks, but by the
Mabumetans, Alcbozar, wd Gorjani. This Nation during the Reign of the Emperour
Fultine, like a Torrent Overtlowed all that Vaft Continent which lies between China
and the Borifthenes, Conquered part of India, All Badtria, Sogdiana, and made the
Perfians Tributary, by whom they are always called Zurks, and their Prince,Chacan, a
Title formerly common unto all great Turki Emperours. This Mighty Monarch
having conquered the Igors or Fugurs, Avares, Chuni or Huns, Abtelites or White
Huns, and all other Tribes of Tirks and Tartars, together with the Alani (whofe Do-
minion then extended, as appears by Marceilinuy, from the Borifthenes far beyond the
moft North-Eaft part of the Cafpian Sea) entred into aLeague with Fuftine, and ftyles
him(elf in his Letters, Lord of the Seven Climates of the World. His Acts may be read
at large in Theophilaciws Simocatta, Excerptis de Legationibus : and divers others of the |
Bixantine Hiftorians. This Nation Affitted the Janet Heraclius in his Wars
(QO2) againtt
Lhe Publifber unto the TERS
againft the great Cofroes, whom by their Ailfiftance he overcame, “Thefe Chazari were
alfo poffeffed of all that part of Tawrica Cherfonefizs which is plain and hit for feeding .
Cattle, they being addicted; after the manner of all other Scythian Nomades, unto a
Paftoral life; which Peninfula from them was untill the Famous Irruption of the
‘Lartars in the Thirteenth Century, called Caffariz, or Cazaria, and afterwards more
corruptly by the Genoefes, Venetians, and other Latines , Gaxaria. I find mention |
of thefe Chazari or Chozars in divers Perfian and Arabian Hiltorians and Geogra-
phers. Abulpharagius acquaimts us with an Expedition they made into Perfia the
183. Year of the Hegira, which was after our Account in 799, from whence they
returned with great Spoile, and above 100000 Captives : and afterwards, in the
514th Year of the Mahumetan Epocha , being A.C, 1120. they made another In-
road, accompanied by the Comanians, ( whom the Arabians call Kaphjaks;) Frequent
mention is made of them by that Defervedly Celebrated Arabian Geographcr-Al
Edrifi, who flourifhed in the 548t® year of the Hegira; of Chrilt, 1153. He _al-
ways calls the Cafpian Sea, Mare Chozar: And all that Country on the Northjand
to the Welt of the Cafpian Sea, Terra Chozare He acquaints us, ‘that the Riefidence of
the Prince of Chozar was not far above the Mouth of the Volga, Sse! He Tarkars
call Athel 5 which name I fuppofe it derived from tila, that Renowned Kaiig
of the Hunis,” being {0 called in the Relation of the Ambafladors whe.wexré fentby
the Emperour Fu/fine, unto the Great Chacan ot the Turks, rcliding in the Eaft,
Al Edrifi and his Epitomizer, commonly known by the Name ot Geographus Nubien«
fis intimate, That thefe Chozars inhabited divers other Cities, but that this was the
Metropolis ; he fuppreffes the Name,{tyling it enly from the River, the City of Athel ;
and declares, it was divided by the River, the chief and greateft part being on the:
Wefi-fide ; and that the other lefs confiderable on the Eatt-tide, was inhabited only:
by the meaner fort of People and:Merchants,it bemg a place of great Tradesthat which
made it more confiderable, was#the liberty allowgdamto all of the Publike Profeition,
and Exercife of their refpective Religious Perfw Fews, Chrittians, Mabumetans,
and Idolaters being there equally countenanced, which I fuppofe might occafion that:
Dialogue publifhed out of an Ancient Hebrew Manulcript, by L’Empereur, between
the Author a Fewifh Rabbi, agd the King of Choxzar. This City is-faid to: have been
extended along the River three miles in length, and it’s breadth proportionable ; the
Weltern part well fortified ; adorned with the Emperours Palace, and feveral other
eminent Structures. Naffir Eddin, who wrote at the latter end of the 13th Century,
in his Geographical Tables,Bala jar,end from him Abulfeda ;they place
30 minutes of Northem Latitude, where within fix or eight mi-
Geographers feat 4?rzcan. And queftionlefS this was that City which
_ our Author and Olearius call Old Ajtracan. Thele Chazari, did, 1 fuppofe, conferve
their vaft Dominion without any great Interruption, at leaft until 4. C. 900. For
Alferganus who lived about that Time, places no other Nation in his Table of Climes,
between China and the Borifthenes 5 And Extichins, who wrcte about 30 or 40 years
after, makes mention of them as a mighty Nation, and many amongft them con-
verted unto the Chriftian Belief. About the middle of the roth Century thefe Cha~
zart gave place unto the Cumanians or Comanians, who were alfoa Turkifh Nation
known unto the Furks, Perfians, and Arabians, under the Name of Kaphjack 3 whether
they expelled the Chazari, or that the former becoming the more Eminent Tribe, .
gave Law and Name unto thefe latter (ashath fince frequently happened among the ~
Lartars_) 1 will not here undertake to determine: but this is certain , that fuddenly
the Name of Chazzri was extinct, and all that Tract of Land from the Nepper unto
Turkeftan 1500 miles beyond the Volga, was inhabited by thefe Cxmanians,who were
often troublefome unto the Ruffés, Lithuanians, Hungarians and other Neighbour-Na=
tions. But this People was almoft totally deftroyed by the Tartars in that great In-
undation which happened at the beginning of the 12th Century, foon after the
death of Fingiz Chan 3 whofe Son Hocota being, chofen Emperour,fent his Nephew Ba-
tu, or Bathy, the Son of Tuffy Fingiz Chan his Eldeft Sen, with 400000 Men, to in
vade the Northem Parts of Afia. The Cumani for divers years valiantly refifted, and’
made the greatefioppofition the Fartars met with im all their Gonquefts 5 repuls’d:
them in two pitch’d Battels ; but then growing fecure, and. difperfing upon the’ Tar
tars retreat, they were unexpectedly f{urprized, the whole Countrey over-rum, above: -
200000 killed, their King Kather hardly efcaping with 40000 into Hungary, where
ales, . 3 Sg he
I
ie
The Publifher viuto the Reader.
he met with a kind reception, had land allotted him, and his Company ; which Re-
gion iscalled Campus Cumanus unto this day. This Countrey was fo miferably wa-
ited by the Tartars, that in the Years 1253,and 1254, when Rubrigujs pafled through
it, going unto and returning from his Ambaffage to Mangu Chan, there was no fixed
habitation, excepting afew Cottages in the Iland where Aifracan is now fitus
ated. :
But Bathy having dettroyed the Comanians, ruinated their Cities, and eftablithed his
own Dominion , began to think of a fix’d abode, which after long, obfervation he
chofe near the River Volga, on the Eatt-lide, and immediately bencath the River 4éa-
bony a great Arm of the Volga, and the firft it difmiffes, which empties it felf
into the Cafpian-Sea (having run acourfe of near 4c0 miles, and received feveral
other Branches from the forefaid River) about 7 Leagues Eatt off the main River. He
had newly began this City at the return of Rubriguis from his Embaffage unto Man-
gu Chan, in the year 1246, and called it Serai Which City wasenlarged and beau-
tified by all his Succeffors, unto the time of its deftruction by Tamerlane, which was
almoft 150 ycars. Baihy was {ucceeded by Bareab , who was the firlt profeffed
Mahumetan Emperour 5 he by Hocola, or Hoétay, Contemporary with Hayton the Ar-
menian Who hata in: hisHiftory largely difCourfed concerning him: J fhould here men-
tion‘all the other Emperours interceeding between Hocota and Tucktamifeh (who was
difpoffciled by Tamerlane) together with their Acts, but that I haften unto that which
moft immediately concerns our prefent Defign, and give fome account of this
City, which (as I faid) was frit named Sera?, which interpreted fignifies only a
Dwelling or Habitation 3. the beginning of it being.a Palace built for Bathy. You may
{ce what our Traveller fays concerning it, Page 112. Belides him I find two Authors
who make particular mention thereof 5 the firft is in the Hiftory of Arabfhiade, pub-
lithed by Goliws. This Author reprefents it as one of the greateft and moft populous
Cities in the Univerfe , agrees with our Traveller in the fituation, only he calls
that Branch which rans out of the Volga and pafles to the South-Eaft, Sencle. The
other is Michovizs, who wrote his Hiftory of the Zartars in the year 1515. He at-
afirms, That in his time there remained the ruines of 300 Temples , befides the
Walls of the City, and feveral other Magnificent Strutures. The Tartars have {e-
veral times attempted to re-edife it, but divilions amongft themfelves, Wars with
the Mafeovites, and attempts of the Coffacks caufed them to. retire unto places of
greater fecurity. But becaufe littleanention is made of this great Revolution by any -
Ewropean Writer, 1 thall here prefent theeader with an account thereof out of the
fittisiebon Galcoudélas is greatly mi-
moft Authentick Turki, Arabian, and Perfiam Wiitttsimbor Calc
fiaken, who feems to have received by his confident way of writing, moft particular
information , when as nothing can be more remote from the truth than whatche af-
firms, viz, That Tamerlane after {everal attempts, cnd two or three Battels was forced
toretire, and glad to fecure his Retreat bya Peace, he firft made with Zacktha-
mifch, which was by both afterwards kept inviolably 3 which is contrary to the Re-
orts of much more Authentick Hiftorians. The Origin, Progrefs and, Event of this
ar was after the enfuing manner.
T.:merlane being, in effect Prince, but in name only Courachan (the.Greeks call it
‘Kurgan _) that is, Viceroy or General over all thofe Countries which are comprehend-
ed between the Oxws and Fuxartes, wherein Bochara, Samarchand, and feveral othey
famous Cities were contained, extended his Conquefis towards Balch and Chorafan,
(the Aria of the Antients; ) which progrefs of his tilled Zhuetamifch Emperour of
Serai (the City we have before mentioned) with jealoufies of his growing Greatnefs
whereupon gathering a numerous Army, he refolved to invade him, ufing no forma-
lity, or fo much as pretence, he thought to have furprized his Enemy 5 but Zamer-
lane, one of whofe Mafter-pieces was to gain early Intelligence of whatfoever was de-
figned, or tranfacted by neighbouring Princes, having, timcly notice of his intention,
gathering all his own Forces, together with confiderable affiftance from his Conte-
derates marched diretly towards his Enemy, and pailing the Faxartes, met him to
his no {mall aftonifhment, on the Borders of his own Countrey ; for the Faxartes on-
ly divided their Territories. After amoft obftinate bloody fight, Tamerlane gamed
the Victory, yet neither abfolute, nor without great lofS, but it was fufhcient si a
a
T be Publifber unto the Reader.
had fecured his own Dominion. After this Succefs he did for divers years attend
other Coinguefts,and having fubdued a great part of India, all Perfia, Media, Armenia,
Affyria, Mefopotamia, Babylonia, and Syria, he refolved to requite the Invafion of Thu-
amifh : whereupon having drawn together an Army of 500c00 men, he marched
through Media Atropatia, then and {till called Shervan 3 paffed the Porte Caucafie,
whichsthe Perfians name Derbent 5 thence through Dabeffan, and the great Defart be-
tween thatand Affracan (then named Gittwrchan) and having wafted all that {pacious
Countrey on the Weft-fide of the Volga, depopulated and difmantled divers fair Ci-
ties (the ruines of feveral being, yet vifible to thofe who Navigate the Volga, as
we areinformed by Olearius) he paffed the Volga, and on the Fatt-fide encoun-
tred Thuétamifch , who had collected a mighty Force, having belides his own Hord:,
the affitance of the Zartars of Caffan, Tumen, Kalmuke, and Dabeffan : and his Ariny
by this acceffion was more numerous than that of his Enemy. The Battel was Jong
doubtful, and exceeding, all that happened in that Age tor carnage and cruelty, both
Parties being full of hatred unto their Adverfarics 5 and knowing that this Fight
would lofé or gain thema mighty Empire. They fought three days with little in-
termiffion, and it could not be difcerned which had the advantage. But that whicly.
is thought chiefly tohave occafioned Tamerlane’s Victory, was the departure of a great
Tribe from Thagamifth, whofe Prince Féave pretended he had received forme ercat
injury or affront, but °twas indeed thought he was corrupted : For retreating unto
Amurath the Turkifh Emperour, he after the fame manner betrayed Bajizet, who
foon after {licceeded ; revolting at the beginning, of the fight unto Tamerlane. Thitti,
mifcl being, defeated, with great dithculty made his efcape, leaving his Countrey ¢k-
pofed unto the fury of the Zagatsians, whom fo great a flanghter of their own
Friends had highly exafperated. They fpared nothing that was capable of being
fpoiled.; demolithed Serai, together with Serzichick, upon the Faick, and Gisturchza,
which were the only confiderable Cities on the Eaft-tide of the Volga, and leaving
the Countrey a meer Defart, killing, or captivating the Inhabitants, driving away the
Cattle, they returned into Pefia with great Booty. This happened in the 791 year
of the Hegira. A. C. 1388. Serai, and Saraichick never regained their former {plen-
dour 5 but (Giturean now Ajtracan) did by degrees recover, but never arrived to that
heighth it attained unto during the Empire of the Cha%ari and Zavolzenfian Tar
tars. : : :
Fer Jofapbat Barbaro, and Ambrofio Contarini , who were bot Ambaffadors from
- the Venetians unto Ufun Caffan Emperour of Perfiz, and well ‘acquainted with thofe
Parts ; Barbaro living, fixteen years at the City Jazz on the mouth of the River Tu-
nas, and Contarini being forced in his return from Perfia to refide there {ome months:
They, I fay, both tell us, That this City before its deftruétion by Zamerlane, was a
very famous Emporium 5 all the Silks, moft of the Spices and other Commoditics,
which were afterwards brought down to Syria, were then carried by Shipping to
Aftracan (which they both name Citrachan) and-thence by Land in a few days to Ta-
na, whether the Venetians {ent every year fixteen great Gallies. But after its fubvcs-
fion by Tamerlane, this Commerce ceafed, and the Gallies reccived their Lading in
Syria, and at Alexandria of A’gypt. In the time of the forementioned Writers,”
which was from the year 1436, orhes Barbaro firft went to Zanz, until his return out
of Perfia in 1488. And Contarini, who returned not long before him, Citrachai: was
amean Town, confifting chiefly of Tartarian Huts, and encomraffed with a pitiful
mud-Wall, a place of no confiderable Traffick, only the Mufcovites fetched thence
Fith and Salt. But F22n Vaffilowich having, reduced it in the’ year 1554 under his
Dominion, it hath been by ficceeding Emperours both fortified and enlarged: I (halt
fay no more concerning it, Olearius a molt diligent and judicious Writer, having Icfe
us fo particulara Defcription thereof. I fhall only add, That I {uppofe the caufe of
fo different names, as Gitterchan, Citrachan, and Aftrachan, were occafioned by the
Princes, who fucceffively pra-lided, as is very obvious to any who are acquainted with
the Cuftomes of the Arabians, Perfians, Turks, and other Eaftern People.
7 Sd
But to return unto our Zavolgentian Tartars , {o called by the Neighbouring
Slavonick, Nations, becaufe the Seat of their Empire,-and. their chiefeft places of Re-
fidence were on , or near the Volga (which River did alfo almoft equally divide
their Territory ) Za being only 4n Expletive Particle, as I could saa In-
uction
The Pubiifber unto the Revie :
duction of feveral Ruffian, Polifh, and Lithuanian Names of Men and Countries.
After the devaftacion of their Countrey they would notwithitanding have foon re-
covered their former Grandeur, had not Divifions and Inteftine Wars long kept
them low ; and at Icngth after divers wonderful and great Revolutions given
the Ruffes lcifure firlt to breath, and then invite them to deprive them of the beft
part of their Dominion, They not able to refift,being broken,as I faid,by Difcord and
Divifion into divers petty Principalities. Andon the other fide , the Crim. Tartar,
aflitied by the Zurk., fubdued the remainder, whereby that Tribe which before
-was comparatively inconfiderable, became Supreme, and is at this daya terror un-
to allthe North-Eaft Countries of Chriftendom. To fhew in what manner, and
by what degrecs all this was tranfacted, is rather matter of a juft Hiftory, than of
a Preface 5 the decorum whereof I have alxeady tranfgreffed, in making a Porch almoft
as large as the main Building, to which it fhould ferve only for an Entrance,
I (hall therefore conclude with fome fhort and flight Remarks on divers Paffages in
our Authors Relation. His account of the Periplus of the Euxine Sea, (leaving, out
what he allows for the Teine Seajor Palus Meotis diffcrs little in number of Miles from
that of Arrian, though they difagree {emewhat in particular diftances 5 and is wonder-
fully confonant to that calculation of Eratofthones, Hecatens, Ptolomy, and Ammianus
Marcelinus, who reckon it to amount unto 23000 Stadia, or 2875 Miles, which
wants but 15 of our Travellers Computation. .
He is alfo more particular,and I believe, more exact than any T have hitherto met with,
in his Defcription of Crim or Tqurica Cherfonefias, whofe length and breadth he gives
us in {everal places dire@tly, or by confequence, What he tells us concerning Arbot-
ka and the great Ficld without it, furrounded by the Sea hecalls The Ratten Sea, is
{carcely mentioned by any Modern Geographer, but wonderfully confonant to what
is delivered by Strabo. Arbotka {ccms to be Taphre, the Ratten Sea, he calls otapay
aturay, or Lacs putris, and affirms tobe partof the Palas, Meotis : in compa{s 4000
furlongs, with divers other particulars, confirming, our Travellers Difcourfe, asmay
be read at large in his feventh Book. And IJ find ina Difcourfe publifhed by Mrs
Thevenot concerning the Tartars, written lately by a Religious Miffionary who long
refided in thofe parts, a Defcription of this place very futable unto our Author. His
words are thefe, {peaking,of the moftremarkable places in Crim. Arbotec eft un Cha-
flean avec une tour feituee fur la col @une Peninfule que oft enfermée entre la Mer de Limen,
e Tineka Woda cette gorge na plus a wart de licue, elle eft traverfee dune
Pallifade qui pende d’une Mer a Pautre: la Cnilfotom ahah nos Cofaques
Cola, acaufe delle ala forme d'une faulx, c eft on ce lien on le Chan tre fon Haras qui elt
bien de feptante mille Chevaux. -Et il eft un deftroit entre la terre ferme e Cofa 200 pas de
large qui eft gayable quand il eft calme,le Coffaques le paffent quand ils vont derober le Chex
vaux de baras de Cham.
What our Author tells us of the Communication between the Tanais and Volga at
Camufshanka, is particularly defcribed by Olearius, who:wrote many years after him 5
who alfo agrees with us in his account of the Rivers of Circaffia, and Comukes Coun=
trey; only our Writer is more punctual in his Defcription of their Sourfes and Courfe,
and mentions two or three omitted by Olearius, or unknown tohim. A frequent
mention is made by Procopius, Agathias, and others of the Bizanténe Hiftorians, of that
ms age between Georgia and Anadoule, ox as they word it, between Colchis and
Afia Min
or, or Armenias
Out Author having given an account of the Courfe of the Volga, and of themoft
temarkable places lying upon, or near it 5 at laft affuresus, That it empties it felf in-
to the Cafpian Sea only by 22 Mouthes, whofe names he there rehearfes :. whereas
other Writers a{cribe unto it 70 Entrances,though as Olearixs judicioutly obferves,moft
of them are rather paffages made by the Sea between Iflands and broken Ground,than
proper diftinét Arms or Branches of the forementioned Rivers.
What is faid concerning the Coffacks retiring unto, and nefting in an Iiland of the
Cappian Sea, is contac be alate French Writer, who long refided in <_ 3
. By
The Publifber unto the Rexder.
Jargcly acquaints us with the great {poil thefe Outlaws made on the Coaft of Me
fanderon, that they took Afterabath one of the Emperours Royal Seats. and having
continued feveral days in poffciion, retired with great Booty and little lofs.
I could render fome probable account of thofe Thieves our Writer calls Sigakes,
of what Nation they are, when they began, and how they live 5 but thall for brevity-
fake wave this and divers other Remarks; and that I may manifeft how impartial
my {cntiments are in reference unto the Treatife I have here publifhed , 1 fhall firft ace
knowledge, That Incver met with any Writer who calls that vaft Plain between the
Rivers Borifthenes and Tanais the Defart of Ingel and Ungul, although I have feen di-
vers Journals both Anticnt anéModern, of Perfons who have frequently traverfed
that vaft Region : and have read moft Hiftories, and perufed Geographical Books or
Tables that relate unto the Zartars, or their Countrey. Secondly, I muft declare my
“diftruft of his computation concerning the compafs of the Cafpian Seay which he
makes le{sthan in truth it is.as I could largely demonttrate; though he hath pretty well
{alved the miftake, by his allowance of a thoufand Miles for Bays,broken Ground,and
Promontorics. _Lafily, Our Author is greatly miftaken, when he affirms, There is
no Nation of Tartars betwecn thofe of Bochara and China; whereas indeed feveral
very Potent Kingdoms intervene. And yet hehath luckily Andabatorum more, hit up-
on the Truth, where he affures us, there are no Catayans between the Usbeg Tartars
and China, For indeed there is at prefent no Catayne befides China,which is fo called
by all Zartars, Perfians, Arabians, and other Mabumetans, as alfo by the Mufcovites and
other Nations who travel thither by Land, either in the Quality of Ambaffadors, Or
Merchants. Thc ugh formerly there was a mighty People, either Turks or Tartars
(they being both Originally the fame,as to Extract, Language, Manners, Religion,and
Government who lay directly in the way between Perfia and China,and were certain-
ly the Chute of Ptolomy, but almoft extirpated by Fingiz Chan, whom they vigorouily
refilted. And the remainder have ever fince goné under the more general Names of
Mogulis and Tartars, as | fhall hereafter more clearly and fully demonftrate in a Dif.
courfe which I have long ago written, and may {peedily publith, concerning the Be-
ginnings and Progrefs ot the Turkifh and Tartarian Nations and Empires,
Right
Lee ts BOF
Cae DBT cee Sat Saal eat Se lacs ca ac
CGCPPLELGGS PRSPRERS PRS
*
Right Honourable and my mo't Worthy Lord,
& ©ing, given to undexftand, That I have been reprefented unto your Lordthip,
@ by feveral who bear me no good will, as a Perfon poffeffed with that Vani-
ty, which ordinarily prevails among Travellers, of affirming I was well ac
quainted with divers Countreys and Languages, whereunto I am utterly a
ttranger : And perceiving that none of my Difcourfes have more expofed me. ~
unto this Cenfire, than a pretended monttrous rath Affertion (but indeed a real Truth) °
That I knew and had vifited all the Countreys furrounding the Black and Cajpian Seas :
I thought my {elf neceffarily obliged in order unto my Vindication, to draw up a fhort
Account of all thofe Countreys, which do incompafs the forementioned Seas, moft of
which Places I have perfonally furveyed, and fear not any Reprehenfion or Confutati-
on, being, refolved to declare nothing but what I faw, or received from fuch who were
beft able to give me full and faithful Information. And I am well affiired, That the
more:{tri@ and judicious Enquiry is made into this my Report, the more favour and _
credit I fhall gain with your Lordfhip, and all other confidering impartial Perfons.
T (hall firft begin with the Black Sea, as being that wherewith I was firft acquainted,
and near unto this moft famous City of Conftantinople, where your Lordfhip may eafily
learn, whether I am guilty of either falfhood or miftake 5 and if I am found upon due
Enquiry to declare any manifeft Untruth, I deferve not only unparalleld Reproaches,
but the moft {evere and exemplary Punifhments which I fhould juftly merit, when
owing Life and Liberty unto your Lordfhips Boupty and Compaffion, I fhould inftead
of a grateful Acknowledgment, prefent your Honour with a heap of impudent Fal-
fities. '
I will begin my Relation or Peregrination, from that fide of the Black Sea on which
Conftantinople is fituated, and round the {aid Sea, until I return to Scodra, which is in
Afia oppolite thereunto.
ie
my
The firft Province is Romella ; the fecond Wallakieyethethird Ackremen 5 the fourth
Crim the fifth the great Defart of Ingul and Ungule, which is between Crim and Aj-
foowa 4 the fixth is the Little Nagoy;, the feventh Circafia ; the eighth Abaffa; the
ninth is Mingrelia 5 then Georgia, and laftly Anatolia. All which Countreys are fub-
jected unto the Turk ; betides the great Defart, the Little Naguy and Circaffia.
I {hall now mention the moft noted Places which I know from Fennara, which is
about the entrance into the Black Sea, unto the River of the Daxaw, fo to the Neiftre;
from thence unto the Nepper, {0 round about Crim, unto the Gulf that goeth from the
Black Sea into the Teine Sea, and thence unto Affhowa.
As I faid, mear the Entrance into the Black Sea is Fennara, then Innatada, Miffewra,
arna, Balfhick, Mangalley, Con{tancha, Karabarman, Keelley, Ackyemen, O{fbackowa, upon
the mouth of the River of the Neppre. | ,
Now I fhall declare the Diftances of thefe Places from each other; the number of
miles being, the {pace betwixt what forgoes and immediately enfues. From Finnara
to Inatada 80 miles 5 to Miffewra 90 5 to Warna 100 5 to Balfhick,16 3 to Mangalle
40 5 to Conftancha 40 5 to Carabarman 40 5 to Kelley 80 3 to Ackremen or Bealloborda
1005 to Offhakowa 80 5 in all 666 miles ; and from Offhakowa, whichis in the mouth
of the Nepper, unto the River Don (or Tanais) is 500 miles 5 the Voyage by Sea and.
journeying by Land being much at one, vz. 1186 miles, unlefs you go by Land unto
Precop, about Crim, and {o unto Ajjhowa, where the Don falls into the Teine Sea (Pa-
. eee
(Fo
10%
4 Defcription of the Countreys which border
lus Meotis ) and then it amounts unto at the leatt 1500 miles. Were it not for the
forementioned great Rivers of the Danam (Danubius ) and the Nepper ( Borifthenes )
there would be almott continual Wars between the Turks and Tartars , and the
Poles, Lithuanians and Mufcovites s for the Danam is one of the greateft Rivers in the
World arifing in Datchland, whence it paffes through Hyngary, Wallachy, nd at the
Town of Kelley falls into the Black Sea. It hath four Mouths or Entrances into the
{aid Sea, which the Turks call Bobaffes, Boctegen Bobaffe, Edreleiffe Bobaffe, Sillena Bo-
haffe, and Kelley Bobaffe. It abounds with Fith, as Sturgeon, Morone, and Shevercke,
belides divers forts of {maller Fith. The Neéffre isa River that comes from Lithuania,
and runs into the Black Sea under Bealohorda.. The Nepper comes from Lithwania and
Rufiland, rans by.Smolensko and Kiovia to the Porfocks or Falls, thence to Aflumgorode,
and falls ingo the Black Sea at Offhakopa. It abounds with many forts of good Fith,
and all along its Banks feed innumerable wild Beatts of divers kinds. The Town of
Ajlamgorod Atands upon the hate and in former times there dwelt in it two Bro-
thers, Pigeld and Ung, who tell firft at variance, which ended in cruel Wars, by rea-
fon whereof the adjacent Countrey became, though otherwife pleafant and fruittul, a
very Wildernefs. Amd befides, the Coffucks increafing on both fides the Nepper and
upon the Don, would never fince fuffer that Countrey to be quietly poffeffed by thefe,
or any other Hords of Tartars 5 fo that now it licth wafte, being a vaft Defart 500
miles over, and 10co miles long, from the fhallow Waters near Precop, unto the
Countrey of Mufeovy. About 1625 the Grand Seignior {ent an Army from Cont antino-
ple to vebuild Aflamgorod, with Orders to inhabit the Countrey, and invite {uch there-
unto as would become fubject unto the Turki Government. But they whogarrived,
finding the Town of great Compafs, built only a Cattle on the Bank of the Nepper,
and lett 300 Men in Garrifon. — At the fame time Shaugary Prince of Crim, being beat
out of his Countrey by his General Chan Timur Myrfa, retired unto the Coffacks upon
the Nepper, and having contracted.a Friendfhip with them and the bordering Ruffes,
by their affiftance he gathered an Army of 40000 Men, and marched towards Crim,
leaving behind him a revolted Oztofim, with a Brigade of 3 or 4000 Men, who im-
mediately after the departure of Sultan Shaugary, marched directly towards Aflamgo-
vod, and carly ina Morning furprized the Calile, then inthe pofféffion of the Turks,
put every Man in Garrifon to the Sword, flighted the Walls and other Fortifications,
xctired with’ the Spoyl, and miarched to joyn Sultan Shaygary, who in the interim
arrived rear Precop, where he was met by Chan Fémir, and totally deteated, but by
A good cowie ciogped and by the way of ftracin got to Perfia.
Tong inclod with Water, where the Tertars in Winter do keep their Hergels or Hox-
“From the Nopper we will pals unto Crim, with which Countrey I am well acquaint-
ed, having againtt my will retided there fome years. Crim is a fmall Land, {0 near
as I can conjecture 200 miles long, and 50 miles broad, but is wonderfully populous,
and exceedingly fruitful, abounding with €or and Grafs 5 the only f{carcity they have
is Wood, which grows no where but upon the Sca-Coalt, from Bakeffey Seray unto
the Town of Crim, which in former times was the chief City : All the rcft of the Land
isa Plain, where they have no' Wood to bum, nor any fort of Fewel, but Fiftheke,Fnfi-
bane, Curay, and Stroa. The Land is inclofed with the Sea, excepting at two places,
Precop, and Arbotka, By Precop there is a narrow paffage, through which you may go
to the Nepper, Lithuania, or Mufcovy, through the Defarts of Ingwl and Ungul 5 and
there isa Water comes from the Teine Sea, called the fhallow Water, and gocth along
the Defart, until it comes to Precop, upon Weft-fide of Crim and by North, where it
turns back on the Narth-fide of Crim, and falls into Guellae Mare, commonly called
the Ratten Sea. So that Crim is almoft {urrounded with Water; for the Black Sca is
on the one fide, and the Ratten Sea on the other, which latter produces nothing but
Salt, for it is {0 falt, that no Fifh can live therein 5 I have reafon to know it, becaufe
I lived in a Village which was called Seekely Otta Mamutachy. The Towns round
about Crim on the SeaMfide are thefe, Precop, Cuflowa, Crim, Caffa, Kerfeand Arbotka 3
and within the Land, ‘Carafiz, Ackene(h, Moftbeite, and Bukeffy Seray. The Town of
Arbotka Neth on the North-Eaft fide of Crim, between the Black and R atten Seas, which
there come fo near together that there is no more Land between them, than that
whereéon the Town of Arbotke ftands; and without Arbotka is a great Field 50 miles
fes,
upon the Euxine and Calpian Seas. eS |
fis. which Field goeth to the fhallow Waters, where I ran away from the Tartars. I.
fhall here take my leave of Crim, and pafs unto the Little Nagoy, to Affhowa, on the
River Don, which runs down from Bealla Offharra, through thé Country of Raffa,
between Rufia and Lithuania, wntil it comes to Peilesboy, not far fromthe Wolga; for
from Peilesboy to the River Camuffhanka, is not above 20 miles all level, which is cal-
led Peresvolog, where the Coffacks do draw their Strukes or Boats upon Wheels, to the
River of Camufjhankaz, by which they pafS into the Volga 5 whereupon this Place is cal-
led Pererrolog. The Don runs down between the Little Nagoy and the Defarts of Ingel
and Ungule, fo to Affbowa, right under the Town, and there falls into the Tein Sea. .
This River is full of Fith, efpecially Stergeons ; well inhabited by Coffacks, for there
are feldoin lefs than 10000 upon it, befides thofe that go on Freebooting. There are
alfy 16 Gorodkees, of ftrong Skonces, well manned, and with ftore of great Guns,
they being in continual fear of the Turks and Tartars, and fometimes alfo of the Muj=
covites. Lhe Little Nagoy lies between the Tein.and Cafpian Seas, the former on the
Wett, the latter on the Eaft, Shercaffen to South, and the Volga on the North; and
there is never a Town in all this Countrey excepting Affhowa. It is inhabited
by Zartars , who go altogether in Hords ; their Prince in my Time was Ca/-
fay Myr{z, whom the Tartars call alfo Sultan Vlugh, or the Great Prince, They fowe
no Corn but Prof, which they fowe upon the Sea fide up unto Affhowa*’s and after
fowing they depart with their Hords, and graze up and down the Defarts to the Don,
to Cupbane, Shurpoba, Yedecul, Comma and Curray, to Maffhargorodoke, and to Shercaffen
Land, under the Rivers Terigke, and Balke, and almoft to Pettigor, and by the River of
Cupba, and back again unto the Black Sea, Thus they-ramble all the Summer, until
their Harvelt be ripe, and their Profs gathered, and put into Yams under ground ; af-
ter which they fettle from Affhowa, all along the Sga-fide, amongft the Reeds, and
leave their Horfes to winter in the Defarts. So I fhall leave the Little Nagay, and pafs
unto Lemeroffa, in Shercaffen Land, which is 500 miles from Affhowa.
Now in all Circaffia are but two Towns, Temeroffz on the Black Sea, upon the
Gulf that goeth from the Black Sea into the Tein Sea, right over againft Arborka. The
other is Tzmein, upon the Caffian Sea, the diftance between thent being 1100 miles 3
and all the reft of the inhabited Places are only Cubbacks made in the Woods, piled
round with Timber. Their Houfes are very high, in the midft whereof they make
the Fire. Their Men arc proper Men, very like the Zrifh both for perfon and garb ;
for they go in Trowfes, with {hort Mantles, wear long Hair on both fides of their
Heads, with a fhorn Crown betweep, Their Women are very beautiful, and loving
to Strangers 5 for if a Stranger come Wte.their Houfes, their young Women and
Maidens will look Lice in their Shirts, and all abGitethemaystheunoli. private paxts not
excepted, and will allow them the liberty to examine and handle ogy their
Bodies befides their Breafts. The Circaffians are excellent Horfemen, and very Cenragi-
ous, but withal exceedingly ignorant and fuperftitious 5 for when they kill a Goat or
Kid, they cut off the privy pasts, and caft it againft a Wall, if it ftick, they pray to it 5
if otherwife, they calt it away, and {pread the Skin upon Stakes, place it in their,
Corn-fields, and worfhip it.. They have no Writing among them, yet pretend to be
oodeChriftians. Do ftrangely bewail the Dead, making great Cryes, {cratch their
Hands and Faces, until they draw much Blood, knock their Forcheads againft the
ground, until Knobs arift bigger than Plums. The Men are notorious Thieves, fteal-
ing from each other, and he that fteals moft is accounted the braveft Fellow. Their
Countrey is very fruitful, abounding with moft forts of Grain; and they have ftore of
excellent Grafs They have alfo much Fruit growing wild , many forts of Beafts,
as Harts, Hinds, Kine, Eiffubrafs, Hogs and great Adders,, |
The.confiderable Rivers which I know are Cubba, which runs from Pettigor, be-
tween Shercaffen Land and the Little Nagoy, betwixt Lermereffa and’ A{fboma; 20 miles
from Temerof[a it falls into the. Fein Sea, and hath a Courfe of 500 miles. The next
is the River cf Balke, which comes out from Cabardy, and falls into the River.of Ze-
rigke, 200 miles from its Sources which River of Ferigke defcends from the'Mountains
between Shollobofe Knaffe and Mundarawa Kneffe, xuns through. the Countrey almoft
due-Eaft, paffes by Goracho Colloda, thence, to,.the Shuffa; and the Shunf2; {o on to
the Weiftra s and 6, miles from Zumein, between Zumein and. the Commocks Countrey;
ey, Ce eas t
fas elie ; :
109” i |
110 A Deféription of the Countreys which border
it falls into the Gafpian’ Sea, having a Courfe of 600 miles. There is another River
called Tumenka, which is a branch of Terigke, runs through Tumeine Town, and 3 miles
beyond it enters the C2fian Sea. There is alo another River which they call Keeflar,
which falls out of Zerigke,and 60 miles from Tumeine is received by the Cafpian Sea.
Having formerly mentioned Pettigor, I fhall give you fome Accotint thereof: Petti-
gor being interpreted, is in Englifh § Hills. They are five very great and high Moun-
tains, diftant about 500 miles from the Black Sea, and 700 from the Cafpian beyond
—Cabardy. came thus to know them: ;
In the yeat 1618. I was fetit with Shiedake Myrfa, from Aftracan to the Little Na-
goy, to feize upon Orrake Myrf2, who being informed of our coming, fled up to Perti-
gor 5 yethe made not fuch haft but we overtook him, and having fought, overcame
him, and took away his Hords, by which means I became acquainted with Pettigor.
NeverthelefS there are higher Hills than Pettigor, as Sneefnagore in Cabardy, which is
incredibly high, which is in Englith, the Hill of Snow; for upon that and Shadgore,
which fignifies a wonderful high Hill, and overtops the former, and {0 along for 100
miles, from Cabardy to Shollobofe, prodigious quantities of Snow are lodged, which
it’s thouglit were never diffolved {ince the Creation. Tasked a Circaffian, Whether
ever any Man arrived at the top of Shadgore, whichto me {eemed much elevated above
the reft; who anfwered me, They hada Tradition among them, that formerly a Bo-
hattcere, whofe Name was Hroda, attempted to climb it, and after two or three days
hard labour,arrived not unto the middle ; but after a few days,being better accommo-
dated, he returned, with a refolution, if it were poffible, to fee the top, but was ne-
ver afterwards heard of ; and added, That it was to that day cuftomary for the neigh-
bouring, Circaffians, at a certain feafon of the year, with divers Ceremonies and greit
Lamentations to bewail his lofs. .
The next Countrey to Sheercaffen Land is Abaff2, which is fituated between Circaffa
and Mingrellia, and the Inhabitants are a kind of Circaffians. Mingrellia is under the
Dominion of the Zurks, and lies on the Black Sea. Of thefé two Countreys I have no
great knowledge, having only coafted them three or four timesin"Boats, when I was
among, the Ceffacks, where alfo we landed divers times,-taking ftore of Kine and Sheep,
but no Prifoners, becaufe they affirmed themfelves to be Chriftians. They are a pro-
per handfome People, but very poor, ‘and notorious Thieves, tor they fteal not only
Goods, but even Women and Children from each other, and fell them unto the Turks
and Tartars chiefly for Salt, which is there very fearce.
Next unto Mingrellia is Georgia, whcfe Inhabitants are little better than the former,
_ only they have a kind of Scripture; for they worfhip Idols or Images, yet have Cloi-
fiers, and a fort of Monks, with fome Priefts of the Greek Belief. I once landed in
Georgia with an Army of 5000 Men, we marched up into the Countrey, until we came
within a days journey of Deimur Capou, or the Iron Gate, which is a narrow paflage
between Georgia and Anatolia, with Rocks on each fide, and a {trong Town built in
the midfi: We ftayed ten days ravaging the Countrey 3 they told us, this Town and
Cafile belonged to the King of Perfia, and there is no other paffage out of Georgia into
Perfia but through it. | }
The next Countrey unto Georgia is Anatolia, where our Traveller refided feveral years,
having been fold by the Precopenfian Tartars, unto a Turkith Spahi or Timariot 5 of which
Countrey, and the Manners of the Inhabitants, he gives a large Defcription ; But we being
Sufficiently informed thereof by divers intelligent Europeans, mho dmelt long in thofé Parts,
thall with our Traveller paff on to thofe Countreys hich are lef knoren. But firft we will
take his Account of the Periplus of the Euxine or Black Sez.
_ From Fennara, which is at the head of the Strait or Gnif that enters the Blaak Sea
to Precop, is 700 miles; from thence to Caffa, a noted City and Port in Crim 300
miles 5; to Affhowa 500 miles ; to Temeroffa 500 miles 3 to Mingrellia 400 miles 5 to
Trebezond 400 miles 3. and from thence: unto Conftantinople 1000 miles 5 in all gi
~~ 4 mues;
upon the Buxine nied Cafpian S ens. 3 11
miles. Thus much I know of the Black Sea, which I have three times coafted by Sea,
and traced above half by Land ; fo that now it is time to fpeak concerning, the Cafpian
Sea, and fhew all the Kingdoms and Countreys which lie upon it, beginning at Ajfra-
can, and proceeding thence Eaftwards, until I return unto the fame City from the
South. :
Ajtracan is placed on a ‘rifing ground, not far from the mouth of the Volga, from
_ which it is not diftant above 50 miles 5 it is in an Ifland on the Great Nagoy fide, made
by the River Volga, and a branch therecf, having the Cafpian Sea on the South. The
Town or City is fecured by a ftrong Caftle, furnifhed with ftore of great Ordnance,
and in the midft of the Caftle is a Roskade, which commands both Caftle, Town,
and the Fields round about for above a mile. - The Tartar’s Town is adjoyning, placed
near unto Cutuma, which is a River naturally derived from the Volga, or one of its
many branches 3 fo that the Town is incompaffed with Waters, having the raain bo-
dy of the Volga on the Weft, and Cutuma on the Eaft. Now if you would know
whence the Volga comes, I will acquaint you with what I have learned from the Mu/-
covites. Its utmoft Source is faid to be at the foot of a great Tree, whence it runs un-
to Feriflave 1000 miles; whence it proceeds to Neifna 500 miles, and thence unto
Caffan 300 miles; from Caffan to Samara 5co 5 to Saratoft 350 miles ; to Saraichena
350, and thence unto Aftracan 500 miles ; from whence it is, as we faid before, unto
the Caffian Sea 50 miles; in all 3550 miles.
The Volga isa wonderful great River, abounding with divers forts of great Fifh, as
Sturgeon, Bellowke, Severuke, Shelren, Sterleke, Som, Saffan, Suke, Soudake, Konnee, Sablee,
Leffee, Wobla, Tarane, and many others both great and {mall, which I cannot readily
call unto remembrance, notwithftanding that I dwelt there ten years. The Volga en-
ters the Cafpian Sea by 22 mouths, and upon each of them is an Oughfike or Fith-wear,
for to take Sturgeon, every one of which Oughfirkes is called by the name of the Wa-
ter, as Soellova, Dertullee, Bofferigee and Ruflorra upon the main Wolg2z. Cokelou, Bee-
rullee, Ewanfuke, Manfor, Argeeffan, Keeffan; Camu{jhuke, Naowara, Tuffockly, Collobery,
Malla Collobery, Yaman{uke, Eirichtha, Surka, Libe{fha, Buffan, Carabuffan, Bealla Wollof-
kee. Yneall which Ough/ukes or Wears, they take no Fifh befides Sturgeon. They are
made of Shigenas, or long Poles made fharp at one end,and beaten into the ground un-
der Water, and a pleiting made of Rods, {omewhat refembling Oficr, after the man-
ner of our Matts, which are faftn€dwte the Poles, and hinder the Fith from pailing up
the River. And Houfes are built near th@"Wears for the Convenience of the Fithers,
40, 50, more or lefs, according unto the greatnels*6f*theWateryeorrefort of Fith,
and twice every day, ufually in the morning and evéning, they fet about their Fifhery.
They imploy only long flender Poles, with an iron Hook or Cruke in the end baited,
and do ordinarily take 400 every day in the {maller, and 6co in the larger Streams.
The Sturgeon they take is all falted, excepting that*wherewith they ferve the Town
of Ajtracan, where a whole fair Sturgeon may be bought for ten pence Englifh ; and
when the great Caravan comes from Raffa, it takes off moft of their Fifth, which is
conveyed into divers parts of Mufcovy, but chiefly unto the great City of Mofco. They
return alfo with great quantities of Caviar and Salt, there being not far from thé Volga,
on the Little Nagoy fide, great Salt-pits, which yicld an immenfe quantity of Salt, pre-
pared yearly by the heat of the Sun, without any further trouble, than taking it off
the fuperficies of the Water where it daily Kerns. :
The Volga, alittle above Seraichena, 500 miles from Affrachan, difmiffes a great
Branch named Aégfabon, which paffing ela the Defarts of the Great Nagoy through
Buffane,enters the Cafpian Sea, The remainder of the Volga, after having, parted with
feveral {maller Branches, moft of which joyn with the forementioned River, divides:
the Little and Great Nagoy, paffes under the Town of Ajfrachan, whenee it proceeds
‘unto Ruflowa, on the South-weft fide of Crofna Boggar, then falls into the Cafian.
And the diftance between the Eaft-fide of the Volga near Ajtrachan, and the River Aéta-
bon, is about 20 miles, which is moftly Water and Iflands,
‘And
gee.
A Defcription of the Countreys which border
And that the Courfe of the Volga from its firft Source, until it doth dif-embogue it
{elf into the CafpianSea, can be no lefs than what we have afferted, is hence confirmed,
That the Snow which falls abundantly in Ruffiz, and begins to be diffolved about the’
latter end of April, and do mightily imoreafe the Waters of the Volga, come not unto
Altrachan wntil Midfummer, when it {0 raifes the Volga, that overflowing the Banks,
it covers with his Waters all the Iflands near Aftrachan 5 fo that from the Little Nagoy,
unto Aédabon in the Great Nagoy, all the Countrey f{eems, excepting a Hillock ox two,
one continued Lake, or a great Gulf of the Sea. Wherefore they who go in the
Spring from Affrachan to. fetch Wood, having cut it, make great Floats, which are
lifted wp when the River overflows, and guided each by a few Men, until they are
brought unto Ajtrachan, or thofe other places for which they are defigned,
eae
The moft remarkable Towns and Habitations upon the Volga, between Seraichena
and Ajtrachan, (which are 500 miles diftant from each other ) are Camena, Rokegowa,
Ofjhenofka, Chornoyar, Boriffe, Offatalka, Poollomay, Colimakof Satone, ColJoyar, Crofnoyar,
Naffonoyar, Satone, Yanatavy, Daneelofka, Perre Ouffhake, Eillanfuke, Ei:kyborro, Crukla,
Buffan, Balfhecke, Tollotonygorod, Dolgoa, Goradocha (which was old Ajtrachan) Sharina,
Bogor, which is neat Ajfrachan, belides many other Places, with whofe Names I have
not charged my memory. We will now pafS over the Volga through Ajtrachan into
the Great Nagoy. :
The Great Nagoy may be properly enough divided into Iflands and Continent ;_ the
former are made by the Volga, and {everal Rivers which fall out of it, varioutly mix’d
with each other, and are all at length emptied into the Cafpian Sea. Thoft Rivers or
Branches have their feveral Names 5 thofe which I remember are Cuttoma, Boulda, Mal-
ia, Guellufa, Creewantya, Bufane, Aétabon and Bereket. ° The Kingdom of the Great Na-
goy isall plain and defart ; 1200 miles in length between Affrachan and Samara, 500
tiles in breadth from the faid Aftrachan unto the River of the Teike or Faick, 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 fome among them
very confiderable, as Czarofsgorod, or Czarofs Pollate, in Englilh, the Enperor’s
Town, which formerly muft needs have been as its Name imports,-an Imperial or Ca-
pital City. Ihave often viewed it with admiration, andseannot compute it to have
been lefS than-20 miles in Circuit ; Ihave told fourfeore great eminent Buildings,
which muft have been either Mofchees, Pallaces, Or Caravanferaies, and {ome of them
6 miles diftant from the other. The Mzfeovites arc of divers Opinions concerning its
Deftrn@tion : Some fay if was ruined by the Coffacks 3 but the Coffucks, who are rea-
dy enough to brag of their Atchievements, know nothing thereof, only that they have
often difpoffefled the Ruffés, when they endeavoured to rebuild part of it. For in-
deed the Situation is very excellent, having the Volga on one fide, the Adéabon on the,
other : The Countrey very beautifgl, healthful and fertile ; and yet notwithftanding
all thefe encouragements, it is not yet inhabited, not by the Ruffes, becaufe it ftanding
on the main Land, they would be continually expofed unto the Inroads of the Tur-
tars; nor by the Tartars, becaufe its neamnefs unto the Rivers, would render them ob-
noxious to the Ruffes, every time the great Caravan paffes that way, which is at leaft
twice each year. Yet the Mufcovites do frequently fetch Brick and Stones from this
mined City, wherewith they have built a great part of Aftrachan, and the neighbour -
ingForts or Towns, where fuch folid Materials axe imployed.. But befides this Serai,
( for fo the Tartars call any fix’d Habitation ) there were in ancient times five or {ix
more down along, the Rivers fide, in each of which formerly. dwelt a Chan but Time
and Wars have almoft entirely ruined them. There is. alfo another Sergi upon the
River Fzick named Seraichika, where is faid foxmerly.to have been th¢Rclidence of 4
great Myr/z or Chan.s but *tis now quite ruinated,
The Tartars who inhabit the Great Nagoy, both Men and Women, are very proper,
at leaft of much taller Stature than many other Zartars, but have iJl-favoured: Counte-
nances, broad Faces, flat little Nofes, {mall Eyes funk in their Heads 5 all whjgh arc
common to moft of: the Eaftern Tartars. But the Tartars of Crim are more comely,
which, I fuppoft, may partly proceed from their Wives, who are many of them Cap-
tive
~
upon the Kuxine and Cafpian Seas.
tive Circaffians, Ruffes, Poles, Hungars, and of divers other Nations. The Nagoy Tar-
tars are alfo Black or rather Tawny which I Conjecture is not {0 much natural, as
proceeding from the heat of the Sun, which is in thefé Parts {ome Months of the Year
much more Exceffive than one would expect from the Climate. And _befides, their
Children go ftark naked during the great heats in Summer. It is alfo remarkable,
That the Cold in Winter in the fame Country is exceeding, fevere, and one would
think to them who have fuch mean accommodation, intolerable. Thefe Nagoy Zar-
tars have great {tore of Cattle, as Kine, Sheep, Horfes and Camels, and yet notwith-
{tanding they are very ill clad, mott of their Clothing being Sheep-Skins, and thofe
but fcurvily dreffed. They have no fort of Corn or Grain, mightily {corning the
Europeans and Perfians, whofe chief Diet, they fay, is the top of a pitiful weed. Po-
lygamy is not only allowed, but altogether in fathion among them, moft having di-
vers Wives, more or fewer according unto their Quality and Ability ; who unlefs
they are Captivated by War, are ftich as they buy of their ,Parents or Kindred for
Cattle. If one Brother dye, the other takes all his Wives, who are ufually 5. or 6.
But it all the Brothers die, either in War or by Difeafes, then they are devolved like
other Goods and Chattels unto the Elder Brother’s Son, they never fuffering any mar-
ricd Woman, during lite, to go out of the Kindred.
: * ¥
Flere our Author hath inferted a Difcourfe concerning divers odd,
and fome barbarous Cufiomes which have long prevailed among the
Nagoy Tartars, and wherewith they will not eafily Difpence. But
they giving little light unto Fiiftory or Geography, I have not thought
them worthy the trouble of tranfcribing ; ner do I apprehend they would
afford any confiderable infiruttion or divertifement unto the Reader.
Thefe Tartars of the Great Nagoy when they remove their habitation, tran{port
their Houfts from place to place in Waggons with 4 Wheels, which are drawn ufually
by Camels; they pafS up and down the Country in great Hordes,their ordinary march
is from the Volga unto Buskom(hakes thence to Voroflane, Samar2z, Ezrgeeffi, Eifhene,
Ougogura, Reimpeska, and.all along, under the Calmukes Country, untill they arrive at
the Faick or Terke: Sometimes they.pats by Caffoone, Aurrow, Camoyes Samar, and {o
to Saraichika :, This is ordinarily their Samamer Progrefs. Againtt Winter they return
unto thofe parts of the Country which berder tipomrthe,Ga/pianSca. As Baksake upon
the Caffian Seas Beallnfia, Kitgach, Sheennamara, Condake, Caradowa , Agabon 5 and
higher upon the Volga, {cattcring, themfelves upon the. Sea-fhore and Banks of the
Rivers among, the Reeds and VVgods, or wherefoever they find the Climate mott
mild and belt Defence againft the Cold, which in the VVinter is in thefe Parts ex-
tremely {evere; {0 that tis hard to determine whether they fuffer more from the Heat
in Summer, or Cold in Winter. During which latter Scafon they leave their Hergels
or Horfes, and moft of their greater Cattle to thitt for themfelves in the Deferts.
Having, had often occafion to mention the River Faicke or Teike, 1 fhall here give a
fhort account of what I have obferved and learnt concerning its Rife and Courfe, It
comes from the Calmukes Land, where it is thought to {pring; though fome of the
Ruffes atirm it, Fountains are more Remote in Siberia, the Southern parts of which is
alo inhabited if not pofleffed by the Kalmukes, fome of whole Uluffes. or Hords are
fubject unto the Mujeovites 5 others in League with them: but they have fometimes
eruel Wars, and did formerly deftroy Zumen with fome other Towns and Cattles of
the Reffes, who they apprehended did incroach too faft upon them. But to return
unto the Courfe of the Yeik, after it hath paffed through the Ca/mukes Country, it
divides the Great Nagoy from Caffachy Horda, and after it hath. paffed in all a Thou-
{and miles, throwes it felt into the Cafféan Sea a little below Seraichika. This is a ve-
ry Jarge River, and the Land on each fide well cloathed with Wood, Grafs, divexs
forts of Herbs and wild Fruits, and the VVater full of good Fith 5 which Convenien-
ces do oft-times invite the Coffacks to make their abode theref and trom thence they
make Incurfions on divers parts bordering on the Cafpian Scas This River, fe
ivels
113
~
ee nee
114 A Defeription of the Countreys which border
divers other Fith, doth fo wonderfully abound with Sturgeon, that a man may ftand -
upon the Bank fide with a Pole in hand arm’d at the end with an Iron Crook, make
choice of what Sturgeon beft pleafeth him, which he hall rarcly fail of taking, though
never fo inexpert in Fifhing, if he have but ftrength or help to draw it on Land. Not
far from the Mouth of the Faick in the Cafpian Sea near the Shore, are many Coves
and Corners which they call Lapateens and Cultukes, which are alwayes full of Swans
ufually {wimming on the Sea, which are fo numerous, that it is impotlible to make
‘any reafonable Computation thereof. Thefe Swans after Midfummer every Year cat
their Feathers, a little before which time there parts from Affracan many Boats which
are manned by Ruffés, and moft of them are their Youth 5 after a paflage of 500 miles
they arrive at thefe places which the Swans moftly haunt, and having hlled their Boats
with Swans Skins and Feathers, they return unto Affracan, where a great Trade is
driven with the Perfians who give ordinarily a Dollar apiece for thefe Skins.
The next Country unto the Great Nagoy towards the Eaft is Caffaehy Horda, which
hath, as I faid, on the Welt the Faick, by which it is divided from the Great Nagoy.
On the North the Kalmukes, North Eaft the Turgeach, or Furgench. Tartars, and to
the South the Cafpian Sea and Caragans, who inhabit on the North Eaft fide of the
Cafpian Sea. Thele Caffachy Tartars march up and down the Country much after the
manner of the Nagoys. They have frequent Wars with the Kalmukes and Yurgea-
chians 3 but feldome with either Nagoys or Caragans. Only after the manner of mott
other Tartars they will clandeftinely fteal even from thofe Neighbours with whom
théy have the moft uninterrupted and profound Peace.
Caffuchy Horda is altogether Defart, excepting fome Woods Northward, bordering
upon the Kalmucks, where there are divers {mall Rivers which empty themfelves into
the Faicks which River is alfo in moft places bordered with Woods unto its En-
trance into the Caffian Sea. And therefore the Inhabitants may well be named Ca/fa-
_eby Horda, or Wild people, as the name imports: They fowe no fort of Corn, their
chief Food being Horfe-flefhand Mares milk; which is alfo common to divers other
Nations of the Zartarys. :
On the'North of Caffachy Horda dwell the Kalmuke Tartars, if fuch a life as they
lead tay be called dwelling. The Country they inhabit deferves a better People, the
Land abounding, with all things neceffary for a Comtortable fubfiftence. This Coun-
try hath ftore of Sables, Martens, Black Foxes, Squerrils, and feveral other forts of
Furs, which they-Exchange with the Ru(fes for Aqua-vite, Mead, Tobacco, and other
Commodities. This Country hath fome Towns, as Siberia, the Head of a Province
of the fame name, and Tu#men, both which the Ruffer have gained from them: Ozffha,
Wadle, Sellona, Lucomoria, which latter place, they fay, is fituated upon a Cold Sea.
But Oxffba is a midland Town, 500 miles from Caffan which is near the Volga. The
Kalmukes are accounted good Souldiers, being kept in continual Exercife by the Mx/-
covites on the one fide, the Nagoyans and CafJachy-Hordz on the other. Their un-
married Women do not only accompany the Men unto the Wars, but are faid to be
little inferiour unto the Men in Skill and Valour, fhooting almoft as ftrongly and dex-
teroufly as the men, from whom they cannot be diftinguifhed by theirGarb, being ap-
relled and riding much after the fame manner : Both Men and Women in all their
‘xpeditions {eldom carry along with them fewer than 5 or 6 Horfes apiece. I can-
not precifély determine what their Religion is, but I do perceive by Converfe with
them, that they have a more favourable opinion of the Chriftians than of the Mahume- >
tans, or of fome of their fellow Ethnicks, for if I miftake not, they are Heathens, I not
being able to difcern among them any Religious Worfhip, excepting fome kind of
Adoration which they pay unto the Sun and Moon. They havea very peculiar kind
of Diet; for befides Horfe-flefh, which isa great Dainty, they {cruple not to eat
Snakes, Adders, Foxes, and indeed even Carrion of divers forts of Creatures, fuch
Food as to Exropeans would be intollerable, even in the greatelt Famine. They wear
a kind of Caps or Hatts: which are called by the Mufcouites, Coulpackes, open betore
and behind, with broad Brims on each fide. And thereupon they are called by the
other Zartars, Calmukes ' es
| 2 Ealtward
upon the Euxine and Cafpian Seay.
5
Eaftward from thefe Calmukes, inclining unto the South towards China, live the
Yurgeachians, fo named from their chief Town, which fome call Yurgeach, others Fur-
gench : Of which Countrey I cannot fay fo much as concerning the former, having ©
never been therein but once 5 for in the Year 1620. there being great Wars in Furge-
ach, between the Chan or King, and the Myrfa his Son; fome of the Nagoy Tartars
hearing thereof, invaded the Countrey, who whilft they were united, durft not peep
out of their own Borders, the Furgeachians being a numerous and warlike People.
Thefe Nagoys were all Volunteers, who-went without any Command from their own
Prince, or Allowance from the Mufcovites, without whofe confent by mutual Agree-
ment they are not permitted to war. The news of their Expedition being brought
unto Afiracan, the Voyvod, who had not long before made a League with the Furge-
achians, {ent out Allye ( 1 fuppofe his true Name was 4li or Hali ) Myrf2 a Tartarian
Prince, with a 1000 of his own Subjects, and 500 Ruffes, all Horfe. We were 2c
days marching, before we came unto the Borders of Furgeach from Ajtracan s whence
we proceeded 10 days journey, the Countrey through which we paffed being mifera-
bly ravaged by the aforefaid Nagoys. At the end of whith 30 days bya. reafonable
Computation, *twas judged we were diftant from Aftracan at lcaft a 1000 miles 5
about which time we overtook them in the Valley of Oxgogwra, having got frotn the
Furgeachians an innumerable company of Cattle of divers forts, as Horfe, Kine, Camels
and Sheep. We took all their Booty from them 3 and as a further punifhment for
their Riot, took away their own fupermumerary Horfes, leaving them only a Horfe a
Man for to convey them home. Then Ally Myrfa divided the Spoil, half he beftowed
upon thofe who did accompany him, and fent the remainder for a Prefent unto the
Voyvod,returning nothing unto the Furgeachians,becaufe they were taken from Thieves.
In the mean while the Prince of Furgeach in a pitcht Battel overthrew his Father, took
him Prifoner, put out both his Eyes, dnd caufed himfelf to be Crowned King. He
had a younger Brother,whom fearing, that in time he might cccafion fome infurrection,
he gave Command unto fome of his Creatures, that tncy fhould ftrangle him, and
bring his Head : But divets of the Nobles, by whofe means he obtained the Soveraign-
ty, gaining intelligence thereof, would not permit his Order to be put in execution 3
but {eizing on the Child, fent him unto the Emperour of Mafcovy, with whom he re-
mained when I was laft at Aftracans
But I muft return from the Furgeachians unto the Caragans, whom Uhave left be-
hind, and they do more immediately, refer unto my promifé, which was to give an
Account of all the Nations and Countré¥Stincompafling, the Cafpian Sea.
The Countrey of the Caragins occupies moft of that valt {pace
2s bg ;
between the River Yeike and the Dominions of the Ousbegs, or Tartars of Bouchara,
and their Territory furrounds the North-Eaft corner of theCafpian Sea, proceedin
Southwards unto the River Faxartes } and fome Hords of the faid People do inhabit
between the faid River and the Oxws, which divides the Tarters of Bochara and the
Caragans, from the Perfians and the Tartars of Bulk, This Countrey of the Caragans
is very defart and barren ; the People miferably poor 3 their Houfcs are wretched Huts,
the greateft part under ground 5 they are very tawny and ill-favour’d 5 their Habitati-
ons are fcatt’red, {carcely deferving the Name of Villages : And they have no Town,
as I have been informed, betides Preefjlannes, which is fituated on the South-fide of the
foe near the Cafpian Sea ; which whilft I dwelt in Aftracan, was by {urprize ta-
en by the Coffacks 5 but they had little caufe to brag of their Victory, finding little
booty therein 5 and the Caragans gath’ring together, beat them out with great lof$ of
Men, forcing them to retire into an Ifland 2 or 3 leagues from the Land which they
poffefs unto this day, no Nation being able, or elfe not caring, to un-neft them, al-
though Tarters, Perfians and Mufcovites, do continually fuffer by their Depreda-
tions. ¢
Towards the Eaft and by South of the Caragaris, dwell the Tartars of Bochara, who
are by divers called Yushegs. The Countrey which they poffefS is better watred, and
more fertile than moft of the preceeditig, and there is great refort of Merchants from
divers Parts unto them, efpecially Perfians, Mufcovites, and {everal Nations of Indians,
as Moguls, Boutans, with many others, whofe Names I cannot recolle. .. I have ep
>
116
~
A Defeription of the Countreys which border
alfo told, That the Chinefes do fometimes trade with them. TI am perfwaded, that
this is the famed Kingdom of Cataye 5 for the Catayans area fort of Tartars, and I
know’ no other Tartars between this Countrey and China. Caragan lieth from them
to the North-Weft ; Urgenfhe due Norths China to the Eaft; the Tartars of Balk to
the South ; and the Perfians South and by Welt; and the Caffian Sea duely Weft.
They are almoft continually in Wars with the Perfians. *
The next Countrey I am to deferibe is Perfia, in which Land I was never,excepting
once, in that part thereof which borders upon the Commkes 3 but I have converfed
with feveral Perfian Merchants at Ajtracan, who came by Shipping from Glan, which
when the Wind is very fair and good, they fail in 2 or 3 days and nights. They
wear Turbants like the Turks, and fo do the Bouchars. “Therefore not having, feen
much of Perfia, nor having fufficiently informed:my {elf concerning it, I fhall pafs
through it unto the Comukes Land, of which I have obtained more pertect knowledge
both by War and Traffick., .This Countrey is bounded on the South by Pera 5 on
the Eaft by the Caffian Sea ; Weftward by Circafias and on the North by the River
of Tumeine 5 on which ftands a Town of the fame Name, from which unto Chzhamate,
the moft Northerly Habitation of Perfiz, is 600 miles. A great_part of this Countrey,
efpecially Weltward, is very mountainous 3 I could never lcarn"where it doth exaétly
terminate. I have been in four of their Towns: The firft is Tarkee, where Gildar,
whom they own for their Prince, doth ordinarily refide. The fecond is Derbeine, in
the Mountains. The third Derevenz, in the fame mountainous Tra@. The fourth
Koffa, upon a River of the fame Name, not far from the place where it empties it
‘felf into the Caffian Sea. Thefle Comukes are proper Men and very couragious 5 and
that which makes them more daring and advepturous than moft Tartavs,. is the good-
nefs of their Horfes, and the advantage of their Arms, both offentive and defenfive 5
for they feldom engage in Wars without Helmets, Jacks of Steel, Shirts of Mail, and
Targets, which excepting thofe times wherein they fight, hang, behind their backs,
being very light, and not very large, and therefore rot cumberfome. They have,
as other Zartars, both Bows and Cymetars , and withal never go without Lances,
which they ufe with great ftrength and dexterity.* In their Apparel they differ little
from the Circaffians 5 but as for Religion, they are generally Mabumetans, and their
Language is im fubftance the fame with other Zartars, their vicinity unto the Perfians,
Mafcovites and Sheercaffes, having fomewhat difguifed it. The Countrey they inhabit
abourids with Wood 5 part of it is hilly, with {mall pleafant Valleys between the Hil-
locks; and in fome places, efpecially towards Perfiz, and thence’into the Land, it hath
“many great and almott inaccetlible Mountains, by reafon of their heighth and fteep-
nefs. This Land was reduced under the Government of the Ruffes many years ago,
after the enfuing manner; Evan Vafillywich being Czar or Emperour of Ruffia, after
“she had taken Caffam ard Aftracan, {ent part of his Army into Circaffia, where they
took in Tumeine. Another Body entred the Comukes Countrey, and poffeffed them-
felves of Derevena, Derbeine, Tarkee and Koff2. The Ruffe Emperour conftituted a Voy-
vod, whom he ordred to refide in Tarkee, and left with him 10000 Men 3 he ordered
al{o at the fame time another confiderable Brigade to ftay at Coifz, where he left a
_ BYeat number of Boats and other Veffels, who had brought fupplics of Mcn and Pro-
vifions from Mfco, and other Parts of his Dominions. And having, as he appre-
“hended, fecured his new Conquefts, he returned unto Mofto: Immediatcly after his
“fetreat, the Comukes gath red their whole Force, and fet down before the Town of
~‘Tarkge, which after a vigorous refiftance they took, and in it with the Voyvod, {everal
Officers of divers Nations, whom with the common Souldiers they fold unto the Cir-
cafians, Tartars, 2nd other neighb’ring Nations, fo that few were ever aftcrwards re-
covered, From Tarkee they marched unto Koifa, which by the inftruétion of Cap-
tives, they did pretty regularly befiege and affault, and after fome répulfes took it by
fiorm, killing all the Raffés, excepting fuch as efcaped in the Ships and Boats ‘which
lay before the Town. ‘The Ruffe Emperour being {peedily informed of thefe Succef:
fes; immediately raifed a great Army, with which he ordred all the Coffacks between
the Don and Volga, unto the River of Tameine, to joyn his Forces, and affilt them, in
ordet tinto the recovery of what he had loft, and utter extirpation of the Comukes :
Who heating how highly the Czar was exafperated, and how gteat a Force was ready
to invade them, they began to be folicitous about the Event and having confulted
ween se 3 ) to«
“ie,
th4,
hy
upon the Euxine and Gafpian Seas.
together, agreed te make fome Kind of fubmiifion, and fue for pardon and peace.
Whercupon they {ent Ambafladors unto Tumeine, where the Raffe Army was encamp-
ed 5 and after a Treaty with the Czar’s Plenipotentiaries, they agrced upon thefé Ar-
ticles, That thé Comukes fhould xeftore the Towns they had taken, and aid the Empe-
rour with fuch a number of Souldiers, as he thould require, againft any Enemy what- -
focver ; whereunto their Heads being fworn, they have inviolably obferved the Agree-
ment unto this day. But it’s time we take our leave of Gildar, Prince of Terki, and
his Comukes, and procced into Shereaffen Land, part of which, as I hinted before, lyes
upon the Black Sea, and extends it felt unto the Cafpian. fay rf :
This fide of Circafiz which borders upon the Cafpian Sea, is a very plentiful Coun-
trey and as for Filh, it is {0 wonderfully plentiful, that in Tsmeine you may ordina
rily purchafc a good Sturgeon for two pence, and fometimes for a penny 3 a molt pro-
digious quantity of Fith being taken in the River of the Vcejtr.z, and about the Iland
of Chekeine, which is \off at Sea not far from Zumeine: On the main Land, over
againit this Filhery, 4 miles above the River of Terike, there is a great Well, made-by
a Spring, which falls from a Rock, on the fide of a great Hill, and immediately fills
this little Lake,which whether it is Natural or Artificial, I know not. The Water of
this Lake is fo {calding hot, that the Fifhers flinging in thcir Sturgeon or other F ith, it
is in a fhort time boyled, as it over a fire, the heat being {© intenfe, that no Man can
detain his Hand in it for a moment 5 from which fivange Quality ic derives its Name,
being called by the Reffes, Goracha Colioda, ox the Scalding Well.
_ I fhall con¢lude my Difcourfe with a hort Account of the Little Nagoy, or of that
part thereof which contmes upon the Cafpian 5 for all that {pace between Tumeine and
Alivacan, is by many afcribed unto the Nagoy Tartarse 1 did before declare, That the
ittle Nagoy is tor the molt part a wide walte Defart, the worlt of which is-all that
Tract which lyeth between Zameine and Affracan. Thefe Tartars have no Town but
only Afjhowa, which is nat properly theirs, though lying in their Countrey, being;
pofleffed by the Turks. a
_ There is a fort of People in this Countrey, whom the Tartars call Sigakes 5 I could
never learn what their Language is, or from what Place or Nation they proceed 5 nor
could I underftand after what manner they live, whether they have any Religion, or
Civil Government, Their chicf Subfiftence is what they gain trom the Tartars 5 for
they gather {ometimes 2 or 3000, and rob the finaller Hords of the Tertars, and thofe
which are moft remote from help, -
“4
their Retreat or Rendevous, furround thétewial their Carts, and then fall in, cut
them all off, never giving Quarter unto any; no CHG" beingeforfeverely: punithed
amongJt the Zartars as ‘Thievery ; which makes me apprehend, that thefe Sigakes are
fome of their own People, who formerly deferted them upon fome extraordinary oc-
cafion: But whatfoever is the reafon , they do. mott irreconcileably hate each the
other.
The’ moft noted Places on that fide the Little Nagay, which regards the Cafpian Sea,
and lye all along the Coatt from Tumeine to Afiracan, are Sheerlona Yeare ( where I
was firlt taken Prifoner by the Tartars ) Peremetkz, Arfi Bath, Moyackee, Bealla Ofhera
Bufbmachake , Kaboylly Machakofska , Choftaway , and fo over the Volga wnto
Afiracan.
And to conclude all, 1 fhall here enumerate all the Places on the Coaft near 4ffra-
ean, which have Namies that are contiderable for Havens, Trade, Fithing, or any other
remarkable Circumftance. Soteeza Bockgra, Ucufloma Coffa, Beerulsk2 Coffa, Exwat=
fhoska Coffa, Seamme Bogovoffe, Tuffocleoff Lapateene, Chaska Coffa, Crofna Bogore, Cock-
lousks Coffe, Owarska Coffa, Comafhaska Coffa, Colloberinska Coffa, Cocktabor, Buffans-
, ka Lapaten, Kara Buffan 5 which lati place isnot far from Sheene Mare, which I have
formerly mentioned. ett
I cannot fo exactly tell the Circumference of the Cafpian, as of the Black Sea, ha-
ving been only on the North and. Weft fide 5 but howfoever I thalkfrom what I have
feen and learnt. from Experierced perfons, be enabled to approach very near unto the
Truth. wo :
The Diftance between Affracan and the Jaick, is 500 miles ; from thence unto the
Conifines of Bochara 500 miles: F¥om Faxartes to Perfia, and thence unto Gilan‘is, ac-
cording unto my Information, 1100 miics. From Gilan unto Koifa 500 miles ;.From
ghee i (Q2) thence
Je
bac {ometimes the Turtars difcovering, the place of
117
18
A Defeription of the Countries which border é
thence unto Affraean as much; in all, 3100 miles. But if any perfon {hould endeavour
by Land to Travel round this Sea, or in 2 Voyage by Sea follow the Coait, he would
make at leaft a Thoufand miles more : for this Sea is full of great Gulphs, Bays, and
broken ground ; fo that the Calculation I make, is upon a direct paffage by Sea, fup-
pofe from Alfracan to Gilan,fromM thence to the Oxus,from the Oxus to the great North-
Eaft Bay, into which the River Fem falls, which is full of Iflands and broken Grounds,
Shelves, Sand and Shallow Water; and from thence back to Affracan
Having prefented your Lordfhip with a fhort but true Account of thofe Countries
encompaffing and lying between the two forementioned Mediterranean Seas, I {hall no
lefs briefly and faithfully. declare by what Accidents I came unto this Knowledge:
which coft me fo dear, that I fuppofe the moft inquifitive perfon would not purchafe
the gratification of his Curiofity at a far lef$ Expence of time and trouble, than I have
imployed (though often againft my will) in my Travels and Enquiries.
- Twas born in Ireland, yet of Englifh Extract: My Family Noble, but my Eftate not
correfponding with my Quality, being, ambitious, and withsl naturally inclined to fee.
Forraign Countries, I hoped to Raifé my Fortune by my Sword. ‘After I left Ireland,
before I had been long in’ England, an opportunity prefenting it felf, I engaged in the”
Service of the King of Sweden, who had then Wars with the Mufcovites having given.
{ome Contiderable proofs of my Courage, 1 was gradually raifed unto a Contiderable
Command ; but being engaged too far in a Body of the Enemies, I was unhappily taken
Prifoner by the Ruffes, and carried Prifoner unto Plefcom, then in their voffation, ha-
ving at the fame time Arrears due unto me from the Swede above 5000 Dollars. The
Swedes taking no care for my Enlargement, being willing, I fuppofe, to fave fo great
a Summe of Money, as at my Return I fhould have challenged : after Three years clofe
Imprifonment, I was proffered Liberty by the Mufcovite, upon condition I would faith-
fully ferve him againft all his Enemies; whereunto affenting, I was {ent unto Mofcow,
and there before the Chancellor {worn a Zolmack, and preferred unto a Command lite
tle inferiour unto what I enjoyed before. And the Poles advaricing towards Mofcow
with a great Army, fearing left J fhould go over unto them, I was fent unto Aftracan,
where I remained 10 years, being continually Employed againft the Tart.ars and Circaf
fians, By which means I came to know Pettigor, Sneef{nagor, Shadgore, Cabardye, and
_ the Great and Little Nagoy, the Comukes, the Tartars of Caffan, the Kalmukes, @afJachy
Horda, 5 Ungenfh and Usbheg, Tartars. During which Wars, I conti@ed with
great difficulties and hard(hip; In making long Journies, faring hardly: Nor was it
a {mall labour to make floates in order unto our paffing over the great Rivers I have
mentioned, to fay nothing of the Danger. _ Befides, we run great hazards in our Jour-
neying over thofe wafte wide howling Defarts,which on every fide {urrounded us; fre-
quently wanting provifions, and fometimes Guides; fo that had we failed never fo
little in our Conjectures, we had all perifhed. After Ten years hard Service, in my
Return frrom Convoying Shollobofe Knez into Shercaffen Land, 1 was taken Prifoner
by the Tartars of the Little Nagoy, and by them carried unto Affowa upon the Mouth
of the Tana or Don. There 1 was fould unto a Precopenfian Tartar, who carried me
along with him towards Crim: But upon the fhallow Waters I very happily made my
Efcape. J had little Knowledge of the Country, but having formerly underftood by
eur Coffacks at Aftracan, that great Bodies of the fame name, mortal Enemies unto the
Tartars, dwelt upon the Nepper not far beyond Crim3 by the help of the Sun and Stars,
{ journeyed due Weft many days without any difaftrous Adventure,until I found them ;
who gave me a very kind reception: In this efcape I traverfed almott the whole Defart.
of Ingile and Ungule. Dorofensko who then Commanded all the Coffacks upon the Nep-
per, immediately made me a Poskofneke, from which time for the {pace of almoft two
years, I did accompany them in divers Expeditions, in which we vifited ‘moft of thofé
Countries which lye upon the Black Sea, to the no finall vexation and lofs of the In-
habitants. We kept a Correfpondence with the Coffacks upon the Don, and frequently
affitted each other. And being all Foot,and the Country exactly level, we travelled
furrounded with Wagons (which they call a Tabor) for fear of the Tartars who
often fet upon us, but were as often repulfed, we being well accommodated with
Fire-Arms and fimall Field-pieces, which the Tartars do exceedingly fear, and will not
ordinarily attempt clofely,unlefs they have greatly the Odds in Number. But at length
7 at
A Defeription of the Countries, fc.
it was my ill Fortune between the Nepper and the Don to be again taken by the Tartars,
and by them carried into Crim, where I lived long in great mifery, and was at length
fould unto a Timariot Spabi living in Anadoule, (Anatolia, ot Afi2 mor) with whom
I lived 5 years, but in more eafie {ervitude’than among, the Tartars. And to make my
fervice lefS irkfome, my Mafter beftowed on me a Wallachian Woman, whom I received
for my Wife, though without the ufial Solemnities of Marriage, which are practifed
among, Chriftians: Underftanding at length that a Lord Ambaffador was refident at
Conjtantinople in behalf of the King of Great Brittain, and to manage the Affairs of the
Englifh Nation in Turkey, 1 prevailed with my Mafter, whofe Favour I had gainéd to
rant me my freedom, together with my Wives, if I fhould procure an hundred Dollars,
Whereupon he difmiffed me in the company of a Turk his Friend,who upon my hutnble
{upplication unto your Lordfhip receiving the forementioned Sum, did in the behalf of
his Friend before the Cady make me free,and leave the Woman alfo at my Difpofal. At
the fame time I very happily met with fome Vallachian Genflemen,who were {ent ona ~
Meffage from their Vayvod unto the Grand Signior, They gladly received my Woman,
and took her along with them, promifing upon their Return into theirown Country,
to Refore her unto her Parents, | - ;
Now that I may fully fatisfie your Lordfhip, that I had really vifited all thofe Coun-
tries which I have mentioned, I beftech your Lordfhip let your Interpreter try me in
thafe Languages wherein he is skilled; and as for others wherewith he is not acquaint-
ed, I am ready to converfe with any of thofe Nations whom I pretend to know. For
although I have never converfed much with Books, yet my great Travels accompanied
with a pretty good. Memory, will fufficiently Qualihe me to pafs through the Countries
1 fhall hereafter mention.
To begin my Progrefs from Conftantinople, 1 can pafs over from Scatery, and thence
by the help of my Turki Language pafs through all Anatolia; Thence leaving Armenia
on my right hand, and having the Black Sea on the left, go through Georgia, Mingrellia,
Abaffa, and Shercaffen Land with the fame Tongue, and another, which with little va-
ylation is common unto them all. Thence into the Comukes Country, who area fort
of Tartars, ‘and do agree with others of the {ame name in {peech, as iiideed molt Tar-
tars do ; only they who are Mabumetans, and convérfe much with the Turks, ufe divers
Arabick, and Turkifh words wheteunto the Heathen Tartars are ftrangers: From Co
mukes Land I can pafs into Perfiz, but I am not fo well acquainted with their Country
and Language, as I haye elfewhere acknowledged. Therefore to retum unto Conftan-
tinople, 1 can proceed from thence unto Romella, or Romania, through Wallachy, Bealla
Horda, Crim, the Great Defart I have foroften mentioned of Ingell and Unguli, the Little
Nagoy, fo over the Volga unto Aftracan s thence thtough»the Gacat-dNagay, and leaving
the Cafian on my Right hand into the Caragans Country, and fo throug h Boghar into’
Perfiaz. I can alfo by my knowledg of the Languages peculiar unto the following Coun-'
tries traverfe all Ireland, England, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Leifland, Poland, Rufsia,
Mordwa, Shereme{[a, Caffan, Kalmukes Land,Caffachy Horda, Turgench, and leaving China
on the left hand through Bochara into Pérfia. .
And now, Sir, nothing remains, But that I make moft humble and hearty acknow-
ledgment of your great Generofity and Chriftian Charity, in delivering a S er out
of a Captivity, wherein I had Otherwife continued without hope of feeing my Friends
er Country. And were I as expert at my Pen, as I have heretofore been at managing
a Sword, 1 would by Contigning my Travels to Writing, leave behind me a latting
Monument of your Fame : But being for want of Learning and by long Difufe of my
' Mother | ongue rendred unfit for fuch a Work, I thall wherefoever I come proclaim
your Worthinefs, and continually pray unto the Omnipotent GOD to return yout
KindnefS into your Bofome a Thoufand fold. Aid thal ever remain, during Life,
Your. F aithful Slave,
~ Aftracané
FINIS,
Booxs fold by Moles Pitt, at the Angel in St. Paul's
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FINIS
a
ARO
Duodecimo.
Compendium Biblicum continens, Ex
23202. verliculis totius veteris Teltamenti,
Tantum veiticulos 2289. (non tamen. inte-
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4 Se ;
A Paradife of Delights, or an Elixir of Com=
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firft on Heb.6.17,18. the fecond on Rom.8.32,
By Robert Wyne. 1 5.
Grott# Sophompaneas.
Gronovins in Livium,
Primrofe Ars Pharmaceuticas
Seook de Pace.
Suetoniizts.
Swalve Alcali.
Severine Synoplis Chyrurgie.
Terentii Flores.
Trelcatii loci Communes.
Balduinus de Calceo & Nigronius de Caliga
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Cl. Salmafii & Alb. Rubenii Scriptis plurima
ejufdem Argumenti, 1667.
Pauli Barbetti opera Chirurgica Anatomica; -
1672,
Praxis Barbettiana Cum notis Fred. Deckeri,
1669,
Ottonis Tachenii Hippocrates Chymicus ,
1671, |
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Currum Triumpbalem Antimonii Bafilii Valentin
4 fe latinitate donatum, 1671.
Fo. Pincieri M.D. Anignatum Libri Tres
cum folutionibus, 1655. :
Francifci Redi Experimenta circa res divers
fos naturales,{peciatim illas que ex Indiis- adfe-
runtur, 1675.
Aulus Gellius.
Befterfeldus Redivivus.
Herls Wifdoms Tripos.
Wilkins Beauty of Providences
Als:
deer
Hee.
ct:
can
gage lagen
ep eye
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