'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.' [‎19] (52/1024)

Chap. IV. 0/Monfieur Tavernier. ly
From this Bridge to Zulfa is but one days journeywhich Town being altogether
ruin’d, (hews the realon wherefore the Caravan lodges upon the Bank of the River
five hundred Paces on this fide. _ 1 /
Zulfa, the ancient Habitation of the Armenians which Sha-Abas carried into
Perfaj is a Town fqueez’d between two Mountains, through which the tArasi'uns,
leaving but little Land on either fide. It carries no Boats till about two Leagues
below, ( for upward it will hardly bear a piece of Timber ) and in regard the
Country grows low and extends it felf into Plains, there is no fear of Rocks, the
courfe of the Stream being very quiet. There was a fair Stone-Bridge, which
Sha-Abas caus'd to be broken down, when he wholly deftroy’d the Town, that it
might benh harbour for the Turks. Neither by the Ruines, nor by its Situation,
doth it appear to have been a City of any ancient Beauty ; the Stones were clapt
unskilfully together without Morter, fo that the Houfes were more like Caves
than Houfes. The North-Weft fide was moft inhabited, there being nothing on
the other fide worth taking notice of. The Lands about being very fertil,
there are certain Families return’d, who live very quietly. Cogia Nazar,
one of the chief Armenians that went out of Zulfa, growing rich by Trade, and
being in great reputation with Sha-Abbas, and Sha-Sefi his SuccdTor, who made him
Kelonter, or Chief Judge of the Armenian Nation, built two great Inns, for the
Honour of his Country, in 'Znifa, upon each fide of the River one. He fpent
above an hundred thoufand Crowns, but dying left two remarkable Pieces of Work
unfin ifiVd.
Half a League on this fide Zttlfa, before you crofs a Torrent that falls into Aras^
you may take your choice of two ways to goto Tanris. The one upon the right
hand, leading to the South Eaft, which is the ordinary Road ; the other upon the
left hand, toward the North Eaft, which we took eight or ten in company together
on horfeback, the laft time I went to Ifpahan. We left the Caravan, that takes the
great Road, and never goes the other way, becaufe it is full ©f Rocks and Stones
that fpoi! the hoofs of the Camels. However Iwas'willing to fee a new Country*
which 1 {hail deferibe before I come to the great Road. ' V ;
From the Torrent where we left the Caravan, we went forward, and lay at a
Village not above a League and a half off.
The next day, after we had kept along by the Banks of the <fs 4 ras for five or fix
Hours, we came to Aftabat, which lyes a League from the River, where we ftaid
above two Days to divert our felves. This is but a little City, but a vjery neat one 9
where there are four Inns, and every Houfe has its Fountain. The great plenty of
Water makes the City very fruitful in all things-, more especially in good Wine.
This is the only Country in the World that produces the Ronas, for which there is
a vaft utterance all over Perfia and India. The Ronas is a Root that grows in the
Earth ftke Liquorice, and is not much bigger. The ufe of it is to dye Red, and
this is that Red which gives that beautiful tin&ure to all the Calicuts that come out
of the Afov/ffs Country. Though the Roots which are pulPdoutof the Earth are .
very long", yet they cut them into pieces not above as long as a Man’s Hand, for
the better accommodation of Carriage. It is a wonderful thing to behold at Orrines
whole Caravans laden with this Ronas, which they Ship off from thence to the
Indies. 1 '
The Root is full of Joyce, and yields a very high Tin&ure ^ for I remember
that an Indian Veffei that was laden with it, being call away in the Road of Ormw,
where the Bags of Ronas floated, the Sea look’d of a red colour for fcveral
days.
Departing from Aflabat, it behov’d us to provide our felves with Straw and
Barley for ourHorfes, underftanding that we ffiould meet with none all that days
journey. From thence we travelfd upon a defeent for an hour together to the
River which we crofs’d in a Boat; and all the reft of the day we travel’d
through Mountains, over Torrents and Stones. That Evening we lay upon the Bank
of a fmall Stream. a
The day following, after we had travel’d through a fpacious Valley for two or
three hours, we afeended a high Mountain, at the top whereof we met with two
or three pitiful Houfes, where we ftopt that day.
The next, which was the fifth after, we left the Caravan, wz travel’d upon a
C 2 defeene