'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.' [‎149] (190/1024)

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Chap- V. of Monfieur Tavernier.
pjrr whereof belong’d to Haider, and the other to Nearned-01abi, two parts of
Jftahan Hill retaining thofe two names, 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 Ifiahan be accompfed other than a Village, before $ ha-A bat had
conquer’d the Kingdoms of Lar and Owim. But then obferving 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 Eaftand Weft, as he
had enlarg’d them to the South, he quitted Cafbin and Sultaty to refide at Ifyabari)
as in the center of his Empire.
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 IJpahan rifes a very high
Mountain, on the top whereof toward the Weft are to befeen the remains of a
very ftrong Fortrefs, where Vjrw kept himfelf, when Alexander gave Battle to
* hirnin that Plain. In the fide ot the Rock is a Grotto, either natural or artificial,
or both, out of which iftues a natural Spring^ excellent Water, whire a Vervit
ufuaily inhabits.
The Circuit of Iftahan, taking the Suburbs all in, is not much lefs than that of
P^msbut the number of Inhabitants is ten times greater at firm than at Ijpaban.
Nor is it a wonder that a City fhould be fo large and yet fo ill peopl’d, where every
Family has its particular Houfe, and every Houfe its particular Garden. What
ever way you come to it you may difcover firft the Towers of the Mofijucej,and then
the Trees that environ the Houfes,fo that I fab an feemj rather a Forreft than a City,
The Plain being fertile is well inhabited, but there are no Villages in it, only three
or four Houfes in a place together.
The Walls of Ifpaban are of Earth, to which do belong fome pittiful Towers
without Battlements or Platforms, Baftions or Redoubts, or any other Fortifica
tion. The Moats alfo are as bid, neither broad nor deep, but always dry. 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 Ver-Vafalfahab, not far
from the King’s Palace, Ver-To^shi, Der-Marh^, Der-Vafal-Letiibon> Ver-Nafan-
Abad, Der-Sba, and Der-Vekf. The Gates are made ofPladks rudely joyn’d
together, and cover’d with plates of Iron four fingers broad, and as thick as a
Grown, faften’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 (huts the Gates as he pleafes
himfelf > for indeed there is no neceflity of (hutting the Gates when there are fomany
other ways into the City.
The City of Ifpaban is ill laid outfor the Streets are narrow and unequal, and
for the moft part dark, becaufe of the Arches that go from one Houfe to another,
fo that a man is forc’d fometimes to feel his way for two hundred paces. Moreover
the Streets are many times annoy’d with Loads of Ordure and theCarcafles ot dead
Beads, which caufe a moft filthy flench, and would be very infe&ious certainly,
butfor the wholefomnefs of the Air. In the 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 theArch’dChannels which run under Ground through the middle
of the Street. There are alfo before every Door certain Troughs to receive the
filth and ordure ot every Family, which the Country-men come and carry away to
Dung their Grounds. Every morning the Country-man comes with his Afstolade
Dung *, and it is obfervable that he is more diligent to carry away the Dung of the
Armenians, Frankj, and Jews that drink Wine, than of the Ferfians that dxink
none. And this is the profit of the Servants of the Houfe that fell an AfTes Load of
Dung for five, and fometimes for ten or twelve Kasbejhe*
The Streets of Ifpahan, as of all the reft of the Cities of Ferfia are not pav’d,
which makes them very incommodious both Summer and Winter. For in Sum
mer the duft puts out your Eyes, unlels it be in the Streets where the great Mer
chants live, and about the Meydan, where there are people hir’d to water the
Streets Morning, Noon, and Night. Thofe people go about the Streets alfo with
a Boracho full of Water, acd 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 left by
perfons decea&d for that purpofe. In the Winter this duft turns to mire half
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