‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys, through Italy, Greece, Lifeland, Moscovia, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other places in Europe, Africa and Asia. Containing, I. Most accurate remarks and observations of the distinct qualities, religion, politie, customs, laws and properties of the inhabitants: II. A due description of the several cities, towns, forts and places of trust, as to their site and strength, fortifications by nature, or art, &c. with other things worthy of note: and III. An exact memorial of the most disastrous calamities which befell the author in those parts (viz) by ship-wrack, robberies, slavery, hunger, tortures, with other incommodities and hardships’ [‎341] (414/470)

Chap . XXXIV. The Voyages of 341
The Doctor had with him 3 Men to attend him and was every where
, highly refpefted, being a Gentleman of a fweet T emper, difcreet and ,67-2 '
and fociable , fo that my Journey feemed much ihorter for his Com
pany. This day, being as I faid very bad weather, we hardly tra-
railed 6 Dutch Miles.
The next day letting forward we came at night to a Village called
Vohba , where we fet our Carayan down. This Village appeared
like a Camp or Army with their Tcnts, the Cottages being fo mean,
and the higheft houfe hardly fufficient for a tali man to Hand upright,
being built only of Reeds and Twigs plated like Bafket-work and
daubed over with clay. The Inhabitants like the Cottages they lived
in were very poor and defpicable People, inibmuch that we had not
much Divertifement or accommodation there. This day we hardly
advanced 5 Dutch Miles.
On the 4 we fet forward and went over very Rocky and hilly way,
palling through feveral villages. Upon thofe Hills grow great Creat
ftoreof Da^es, and a re fo cheap that one may buy ioo lb * weight for the /?»«•«/ ,
value of 2 Shillings Sterl. and are both of an excellent tall: and lovely
colour. The Date-tree feems to have fom harmony with living Am-
mals, in their Procreation, and have alfo their Sexes. The Female will
not bear any Fruit if planted alone, fo that they are always planted
by Pairs together all along , and indeed do naturally grow fo. But
the Female growing old will not bear Fruit, ualefs they take a piece Trea!
of the Top-branch of the Male and ingraft it m the Female, which
they alfo do to fom young Trees to make them bring forth good
Fruit, which would otherwife be of a bitter and odious Taft. I have
further remark'd that when the Male and Female are planted a fmall
diftance afunder they will lean towards each other, as if there were
fom mutual fympathy between them. The Inhabitants who have bin ,
from one Generation to another, ulcd to plant and propagate thefe
Trees told me many remarkable things about them, which becaufe
I will not be prolix, 1 (hall ommit. This day we travailed 7 Dui:h
Miles, and at night got a fair Caraivanfera to take our reft in.
The next day we had very dry ground and a barren Countrey to
pafs thro, and in fom places rocky, fo that we travailed that day no
more than 5 Miles. On our way and near the which wc
took up for that night, we faw great Flocks of wild Goats which
V v 3 fom