‘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’ [‎288] (353/470)

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The Voyages of Struys.
v o y.ill,
2^4ce of
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fomtimes very fmall, efpecially in the Summer, but about March and
i^dprilwhen it ordinarily rains very hard, with the Snow and concur
rency of the Water that fettles off from the Mountains, fwellsto an
incredible bignefs. and overruns the Banks, fo that againft this time
they ufually make a Catarract, or Dam, which diverts it from the
Town, and upon negligence, or want of due Repair of the fame,the
Town is in danger of being loft, as in the time of the great,
the Dam being not fufficient, the Waters came with that fuddennefs
from theMountains,that it made an irruption and walhed away a great
part of the Town, the Houfes being moftly buile of Clay and a fort of
Brick. In this unexpefted Innundation they record many Men and
Cattle to have been carried away with the violence of the Floods. In
Ardcbil arc5 Capital Streets, to wit, , Niardourer,
Kumbolm z.n&KeferkuJie\-A\ thefe were very ftately and broad .being plan
ted with rows of Afli, Teil-or Linden- Frees which is verypleafant
and cool in hot weather.Befides thefe 5 great Streets,are alfo many fair
ones, but narrower and not beplanted with Trees, whereof thechief
are. Bander chan, Kamankar, Vegme and famous,
( or to fay more properly, infamous) for Whores, who have here their
Refidence, and ply all over the Town, and in and
are reckoned as a Corporation or Gild. Thefe are all PoetefFes by
Occupation, fom Compofing Elogies and Hymns in the Fraifs of
andHo/feyn , others do make Encomiums, fetting out the Noble Deeds
of the Scach, and others dance naked before Theie of
all that ever I have feenin my Life are the molt impudent , and fen-
fual, for they perceiving me to be a Stranger, pefter'd me as I went
along the Streets, and gave me work enough to keep their Hands out
of my Codpiece. Moreover fo fenfual and beaftly have I obferved them
to be by their Converfation with young-men, who are not Ihie, or in
the left afhamed althoat noon day in the middle of the Street, that I
Ihonld not willingly ufe that immodefty to relate all I have feen. There
are alfo feveral Squares and Plains with Piazzas and Galleries round
about, in and under which are very rich Ihops.
They have alfo a Place of Refuge whither Malefactors betake them-
felvs, at the Entrance whereof is an Oratory or Chappel, in which lies
interred the Body of a reputed Saint. But the Delinquent fearing him-
felf unfafecan eaiily gain the great Sanctuary of
or