'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎41] (74/1024)

Chap. VHI. of Monfteur Tavernier. 41
it, they beat it, and the courCe Wool breaking, the fine only remains.
That if you tranfport it, before you make it into Bales, you muft throw Salt-water
upon it whicfe keeps the Worms out of it, and preferves it from rotting. Now
voumuft take notice that they never dye this Wool, it being naturally of a clear
Brown, or a dark Alh-colour *, and that there is very little of it White, which is
alio much dearer than the other, as well for that it ns fcarce, as becaufe that the
Mufti's the Mouttatfs 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
iSCclf
Into this Province of Kerman almoftall the Gaiires are retir’d, and they are they
that only Trade in this Wool, and have the whole Manufadure of it. They make
thofe Girdles of it which they ufe in andfome Pieces of Serge, which are al-
moftasfineand tranfparent, as if they were of Silk. 1 brought over two Pieces
into France^ and prefented one to the late Queen Mother, the other to the Trin-
cefs of Qrleance. r
I could not drive any Trade in this Wool till the year 1654, returning out of
the Indies by Sea from Sitrathd Ormm. To which purpofe, I departed from Ormus,
and took Guides along with me to (hew me the way to Kerman, whither I could
not get on Horfeback in Ids than twenty-feven days. 1 dare fay that Alexander
the Great didnot march this way into the Indies : for in the whole extent of 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 conltrain’d, by reafon of the Mountains,
to fetch a great compafs about *, for a Foot-man that makes his way through thofe
Rocks, (hall go farther in half an hour than a Horfe-man can do in four.
Kerman is a large City, which has been often ruin’d by being feveral times taken
and re-taken •, nor is there any thing handfom jn it, but only one Houfeanda
Garden, upon which the Lift Kans have beftow’d avaft expence to make the place
delightful. They make there a fort of Earthen ware which comes very near to
Tort elan, and looks as neat and as fine. As foon as l arriv’d, I went to vifit the
Kan, who made me very welcom, and gave order to the Gawres to furnifh me with
Bread and Wine, 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
fweet and pleafant, they take away the Stalks, and never prefs any thing but the
meer Grape. Y
TheiGztf was but newly entred into the pofiefiion of his Government, and being
dcfirous, according to the cuftom of the new Governours, to have a noble Sword
and Dagger, with a rich Furniture of his Horfe, which requir’d fome Jewels, I
prefented him with a Diamond worth eight hundred Qrowns, 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 afteer he invited me to his Entry-Feaft, which he made forthe cheif of
the City *, and knowing I wanted a Mule, he f^nt me one well worth a hundred
Crowns. This is the Nobleft Carriage in all Verfia , which the great Perfonages
choofe before Hqi fes, efpecialiy when they are in years. But it was not the Kan
alone who was civil tome. A young Lord, who liv’d in Kerman., and was at the
Fcaft, whofe Father had been formerly Kan himfdf, took great delight to difeourfe
with me concerning my Travels *, and offer’d me his fervice in a very obliging man
ner. Now the Verfians 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
<3)0$ any Fire-Arms, telling me he would content me for them to my fatisfa&ion. The
next Morning I prefented him with a Carbine, and a pair of Piftols that pleas’d
hirti exceedingly *, and a little Watch, for which I would take no Money, whereat he
. leem’d to be not a little troubl’d. However he lent me a (lately Horie worth about
two hundred Crowns, or twelve Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. . This young Lord was of a clear humour,
civil, accomplifh’d, generous,and did every thing \yith a good grace. So that when he
Pent me the Hoffc, he lent to entreat me withal, if I did not like that Horfe, to come
and choofe which Hik’d bed in his Stable.
F ’ 1 By