'A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters. Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672. And Finished 1681. Containing Observations made of the Moral, Natural, and Artificial Estate of Those Countries: Namely, of their Government, Religion, Laws, Customs. Of the Soil, Climates, Seasons, Health, Diseases. Of the Animals, Vegetables, Minerals, Jewels. Of their Housing, Cloathing, Manufactures, Trades, Commodities. And of the Coins, Weights, and Measures, Used in the Principal Places of Trade in Those Parts.' [‎250] (297/506)

350
Travels into P E R. S 1 A.
Letter V.
Repofitories
for Snow,
Ice, and To
bacco ufed by
the Vulgar.
Zergoott.
The Rivet
Araxeiy now
Biniafnire,
On the outfide of this City are Repofitories for Snow and Ice,
which theV preferve to Cool their Wine with, and Sell it conlhntly
in the Market for fuch ufes j thefe are fine Buildings. Ice diffolved
in their Liquors, is as prevalent, even among the Vulgar, as Drink-
ins Tobacco When we had crofled the fruitful Valleys and Hills
of Vines, we turned out of the high Road to to a poor
Village called Zergoon, Inhabited by Mulateers, in the plain of Pn-
fepolts. Fifteen Miles diftance from Sir as.
From hence to the River Bindamir or the River (fa-
mousforitsuntraced Windings upon the Mountains, and fometimes
under their very Bottoms, till by its rapid courfe it vents its felf in
to the Sea 3 , were Twelve Mile more , which having pafled, 1 be
gan to revolve whether ever Alexander, the MaceaoiiiaM Vi&or, had
been over it or no; which becaufe it is Recorded he pafled his Army
over ArAxcs by a Bridge ot his own Building 9 I if that
be prtfof enough of this being that River, or of his pafling this
place more than that ; the Stream runs with a Torrent whereby it is
unfaft Fording die River without fuch a Supphment.
Though'as if th^t were too Trite and Common, I cannot forbear
without fome Mirth, relating What I had from a Perfian in this
Journy, bointing to an Hill; There, quoth he, Itands the Monu-
ment of a 'Miracle performed by B&nd IlaimcTOy the Prophet who
gave Name and Credit to this Plain, and confequently to the Bridge
athwkrt tliis River, which is a thing beyond Human reach toeffed,
otherwife too mean to exad our Beliet. . nl p •
This Prophet was one of the Twelve Apoltles, or Succel-
ioxsoi Maho'mt i, bor was this Fad unworthy of fo great a Title; for
he leading an Hoft this way, after a notable defcent of Rain, which
caufed this place to overflow, the progrefs of his Forces was thereby
impeded; which he peceiving, thus befpoke that Mountain, March
into the middle df the Waters Confluence, and lay thy felf in that man
ner, that l thdre he fure Footing for my Hofi; to whom it readily obey
ing, becattie an high Road for bis Soldiers to pafsover dry (hod:
But when after this device he had Ferried over his Multitude, it was
tbld him feft huge Cafm, or Hell-Kettle was left where the Mountain
had emptied its felf; not being much concerned at the Accident, and
meeting a Country Fellow who by chance had aCheefe, he call it
into the Well; ^whkrh Was not filled fo, but that it gave occafion to
the Satytffts of'that time to Lampoon it in their own Language,
Band Haimero has
Agger hau tauk koonet As
Colole Painer has.
What wanting is tofillthe place,
Ndt from Band Maimer is, but the Cheefe.
Band Vvas the Epithet to the Prophet, which fignifies Abftemicus,
a Virtue mdre admired than followed, and Haimero his Proper
Name, wherefore both the Bridge and Plain, as well as River, by
Boterus is corruptly called Bindamire, as appears by this ridicmojis