'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎6] (35/1024)

The Persian Travels Book j[.
hundred men: fo foon as he perceiv'd us, he fil’d off all his men to give us lib^
to pafs by. But among all the Company, there was not above four Franks U p 0 ^
which he particularly caft his Eye } which made him lend for t c Caravan Bacchi to
Know who we were. The Caravan Bacchic to avoid the ill Confequences of jealoufie
which the Ftfier might have of the Franks, at a time when the Grand Fifier made
War in Perfia, told him we were Jew, at which the lhaking his Head
reply’d only that we did not look like fuch, and happy it was for us that he took
no farther notice. For it was twenty to one, but that upon better confideration
he might have fent after us to have ftopt us. But when he came home to his
Lodging he found a flaying for him, with Orders from the Grand Signor to
take off his Head, which were prefently executed. For Amnrath being troubl’d
for the lofs of his Army, had no way but to revenge himfelf upon the perl on that
had the command of it.
Notwithftanding that the reft atTocat, yetthey ftay likewife two or
three days at which is not above two Leagues diftant from it; for
Charkiiquea is a great I own in a lovely Country, between two ferti! Hills, where
there grows exc llentWine. It is for the moft part inhabited by Chriftians, who
are generally Tanners. The fine blew Goat leather Skins being dreft in Tocat,
and the.Parts thereabout. It is thought the Water contributes very much to their >
Art. For Tocat is as famous for the blew Goats-leather Skins, as Diarbequir and
Bagdai are for the red, AfouJJhl or the ancient Niniveh for the yellow, and 0«r/4
for the black,. About two tnoufand Paces from this Town, in the midft of a Plain
riles avail Rock, uporuheNorth-fide whereof you afeend about nine or ten Heps
into a Chamber with a Bed. a Table, and a Cupboard in it, all hewn out of the
Rock. Upon the Weft fide you afeend other five or fixfteps that lead to a little
Gallery, about five or fix Foot long, and three broad, all hewn out of the Rock,
though it be of an extroardinary hardnefs. The Chriftians affirm that St. Chryfoflom
made this Rock his retiring-place during his Exilement, and that he had no other
Bed or Bolder than the Rock it lelf, in a place where they (hew you the print of
a Man’s Body.Hence it is, that the Caravans, confiding for the moft part of Chriftian
Merchants, ftay at Charktiqueu, to pay their Devotions to this Rock, where the
Bilhop of the place, attended by fome Priefts, with every one a Taper in their
Hands, goes and fays Mafs. But the main Reafon is, becaufe there grows excellent
Wine in this place, which being cheaper by half here, than it is at Toe at, obliges
the Armenians to flop here, to provide themfelves for the reft of their Journey.
Two Leagues from youcrofsbver very high Mountains, with Pre
cipices on both fid es. It is the cuftom of the Armenians, when they hear of the
approach of a Caravan, to ride out two or three days journey to meet their Coun-/
try-men and carry them frefh Provifions. Thefeof C bar liqaeu coming to meet our
Caravan, three of the Armenians took a large Morning-draughts, which made
them fo Pot-valiant, that they would needs ride before to the Town alone by them
felves j but by the way they were fet upon by fix Horfe men that came from the
North, where there are higher Mountains than thole which we were to crofs.Imme-
diately the Thieves darted their Half Pike^ at Toe Armenians, in fo much that two
of them fell down mortally wounded, and the other fav’d himfelf among the
Rocks, but the Thieves got their Borfes and Goods, which were valu’d at ten thou-
fand Crowns. The Caravan at the top of the Hill beheld the misfortune of thofe
poor men which their own folly had brought upon them, but could not help them,
by reaf<$h of the narrownefs of the ways; befides, that the Thieves knowing ail the
by-turnings, were prefently out of fight. And therefore it is a dangerous thing
to leave the Body of the Caravans, either by Haying too far behind, or running
too fall before: and fome have fuffer’d for diftancing themfelves not above five hun
dred Paces frcn?^ ; t. 'j
The do nota^Hnake their Journeys all alike *, but come to their Stages
fometimes fooner, fometimes later, according as they meet with Waters and Inns,
or places fit to pitch their Tents in, to which places the Natives bring Provifion
and Provender from the Mountains. There are fome places where there is a need-
fity to provide Straw and Barley for two or three days. If you travel in May,
wh£n the Grafs is high, it cofts nothing to feed the Horfes and Camels For as