‘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’ [‎338] (409/470)

33^' Trie Voyages of lohn Struys. ll[.
that I fhould know what it is to be miferable, and what it istob»
thankfull.
Seyras as moft other Towns in PerJJa. lies in a Valley 3 environed on
every iide with Hills. On that fide towards is only one
Thorowfare or Paffage , which is laid ore with an Arch all' over
painted with variety of Beafts and Animals, andinfcribedinfeveral
Places with Turktfh and t'erjian Rhymes and Mottos. When one is
pa fled thro the faid Arch is a lair and Ipacious ftreet 3 which leads to
the City being plain, wide , eaven, and planted on each fide with
Trees [like the Falmat in Saintf.mess Park] which with the great
number of Gentlemens Houfes on each fide renders it as an amtable
Paradife. At the end of the way is a ftill {landing pool or pond, which
is drawn off with a Trench on each fide: having paft this we come -
over a Plain or Flat field, and juft before the Gates of the City to
a great long Stone-bridge which lies over a Ditch, which in the Sum
mer time is dry, but in the Winter gives the Inhabitants work enough
to keep it in with damming, for fomtimes when it fnows and the
Water falling unexpectedly from the Mountains it overflows the
whole champain Land, between the aforefaid Pool and the Ditch, is a
litrleCliappel founded by a Carmelite¥ riar,which is often vifited by the
Chriftians that live in Scyras, The May dan or Market oi S cyras is with
out the Walls, which they fay is by reafon that this Place is of great
Importance and in danger of being furprized or taken in by the
Boors that live without the Perfian Jurifdiciion, who have more than
once attempted to make themfelvs Matters of the Town and Fprt.
On each fide the Town appear the Ruins of Old Walls, Gates,
Towers , pillars and other great Buildings , which is a fair argu
ment that Scyras has bin formerly much larger than it is now at this
day , which is neverthelefs a Town of conlideration, in refpe£t of
the prefent Trade and number of Inhabitants. The greateft part of
the City Walls are of Marble, for that is therein greater plenty than
Frife [or PortUnf\ Stone with us: but as for the Streets they are nei
ther fair nor fpacious, but void of elegant building and uniformity
of ftrufture, and by reafon that they lie unpav'd very foul and hardly
to be pafled in bad and rainy Weather. There alfo many
or Churches but thofe very mean and hardly worth our taking notice
ot ; onely one which they call Sadar , being as the Cathedral or
Minfter