‘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’ [‎301] (366/470)

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C hap . XXIX. The V oyages ot lohn Strays. ~
On the firft of the next Moneth we camp into a litle City called
Senkxn , which is reputed the beft liefreflung place between Derbcnt ,6 7 , '
and Iff,ban, there being plenty of Oranges ^Lemmons, Pome-ra-
natSj Melons, divers forts of huge Grapes and many other Fruits
t/ien out or leafon. Veal and Mutton was here ^ery cheap;, as alfo
Bread. Thus finding Provifion here very cheap, we boudit what
we thought neceffary. As for the City it felf there is not much worthy
of remark about it, fave onely a very fair and beautifull iMemk
It is fituated ia a Plain, and a flat Ground, but near ;the Town very
barren.and dry. It has been formerly a great Emporium, ahd fldu-
n flied jiiOr^ than 4, Centuries of years in 1 raffic and Commerce with
the circumjacent Countreys, but fmceit was demoliihed by the great
Tmurlm, is fo run to decay,, that it is outof Hopes, ever to arrivs
to it's priftin State.
On tKp 2 of .Dtcetpb. we fei forward and came in good time to
tanicy.* City lying-in 36 and 30 Northerly Latitude. Itis
fituated between two rows of very fteep Mountains , and toward
the Weft wefaw the Mountain Keydar Peyam whofc lofty top feems
to fupport the Heavens, this being, next to , thehigheft Moun
tain 1 have ever leen. The City SultAHyaftoards a moil noble Profpedt
from abroad 3 by reafon ofhermany lofty Piles , magnificent Chur
ches, high Towers, Pyramids, Obelifks and Cylinders which ftill
remain , notwithftanding the furious Irruption of thefavage
under conduct ofthe-valiant Tamer'an who withmany other Towns ,
laid this level with the Ground, lave the great and ftupendious
Fabrics, even now remembred-, which when'one is within Town,
look like a fet of Nine-pins,, or the Stones on Salisbury Plain: fo that
this which was reputed one of the Royal Cities ismeanerthanmoft
villages. It was built by SultanChodddbende a very rich and potent
Prince , who befides many famous Conquefts in Pajk and Ufbec ,
fubdued the greateft part of Turky ■, and Kingdoms and
Provinces , fom of which ftill remain under the fubjeftion of the
Schach or Perjia. This City he called Sidfmie'. fronjethe * Honorary
Title of Sultan, for fo the Kings of Per fin who are now called Schach farca
were of old entitled ■, asalfo at prcfent the Of toman 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. Emperour. Not-cc(ar c
withftanding the abovefaid devaftation of this City appear yetmany
fignal Monuments of it's former Glory 5 amongft whidiisthefplen*
Pj> 3, A did..
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