‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎244] (265/508)

The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
were fo various 3 and confequently the Ship governed with fuch
confufion, that the rudder ftrook on groundjnot without fome
danger 5 but at length with much diligence we freed the Ship 5 and
got into more water (the Ship of Ciaul, which;, as lighter, drew
lefs water, going before us as guide, and entring into the River's
mouth before We knew it.) The River of Bajjora (which is
Euphrates and Tygris joyned together^) is^call'd by the Arabians
Sciat cl Arab) that is, the Arabian River> and falls into the Sea
with two great Mouths about twelve Leagues diftant one from
the other. The moft Eafterly, which is the biggeft and fecureft,
lyes on the fide of Ormuz, and Per /^whofe name it borrows; The
more Wefterly , and lefs frequented by great Ships, lyes on the
lide of Buhhreim^ or Cutifn of Arabia, from whence it affumes a
name. And becaufe the divifion of the River into two Branches
happens within the land a little below Bajfora, I know not how
many leagues from the Sea^ hence it forms a nofmallTriangulct
Hand, called at this day Cheder 5 which I hold to be the gift of
the River (like the Delta of Egypt) and that it will increafc eve
ryday by the fand brought down by the River, confidering the
many flats and (hallows, which asl faid above are found in thefe
places* Now we being entred by the Eaftern mouth, and having
failed a good way againft the ftream, at length came to the place
of thedivifion^and leaving the.more Wefterly branch on the left
hand, continued our courfe am^iagft the. verdures of Date -trees
and cultivated Fields, which on both fides the River down to
the Sea are very fertile. At length we came to the place from
whence up to the City of Baffora^ (which lies on the weft bank
a good way from the River J is drawn an artificial Dike capable
even of Portugal Galliots,which pafs up to the Dogana or Cuftom-
houfe, where a bridg- of planks laid upon boats, and fortified
with Iron chains crolieth the Dike 5 on the South-part of which
bridg ftands a Caftle, and ftrong Bulwark for guard of the City
and paiiage. The water of this trench ebbs and flows with the
Sea, and at high Tide runs up I known not how far beyond the
bridg ^ yet Ships go no farther then the bridg, where they ride
as in a fecure Haven. From this trench are derived fome other
little channels on eitherfide to feveral places of the City 5 and in
fome of them they make ufe of fmall Boats, which they call Do-
nee, with great convenience to the houfes 5 befides that they
want not little bridges upon the faid channels to walk over on
foot. - . .
The City of Bajforaishrgeand populous, but ill built, and
till ot late without walls ^ for by realbn of thele wars with the
Perfians they have almoft inclofed it with an earthen Rampart 5
within which is the Bazar of Goldfmiths, and for linnen Cloth,
and all the beft things that are fold. Before the Caftle is an in
different large Piazza, where there are (bme great Pieces of
Oidnance, amongft which we law certain Portugal Pieces which
had been taken many years ago by the Turks of Bapora from
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