'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.' [‎55] (90/1024)

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Coafiilof <y 4 lepw, by a Note which is carry’d in four or five hours, though it be
more thin two or three days journey on Horfe-back. For they tye a Note under
the Wing of a Pigeon, who is taught what to do, and fhe fliesdire&Iy to the place
whence (he was brought. For more furety, they ufuaiiy lend two, that it the
one (hould mifearry i the dark, which has many times happen’d , the other may
fupply the defect.
jilexandrettais nothing elfe but a confus’d heap o paltry Houfes, inhabited by
the Greeks , who keep little Fudling-fchools, for the Mariners and others, the
meaner fort of die people.: (or the Merchants lye at the Vice-Confuls of the Nation.
There were but two then, tho Enjrlifh Vice-Confui and the French - who had each
of them a very convenient dwelling. However ^hey mufi; be nien who love Money
at a ft range-rate , that accept of thofe Employments. For the Air, like that of
Ormuiy is generally fo bad, eipecially in the Summer, in fo much that they who do not
dye, cannot avoid very dangerous DnTcmpers. if there be any fo drong that they
can hold out for three or four Years, and can accuftom themfelves to a bacl Air, they
do well to (lay there *, 4 m for them to betake themfelves to a good Air, is to hazard
their Lives. Mr. Philips the Frighfh Conful has been the only Perfon that ever liv’d
two and twenty Years at AiexAndretta: but you muft know he was a brisk merry
M in, ani of an excellent temper ol Body } and yet for all that he had been forc’d
to be cauteriz’d. That which renders the Air To bad, is the great quantity of
(landing Pools and Plalhes in J he neighbouring Plains, extending to the Ead and
South ; but when the great Heats begin to approach, the moft part of the Inhabi
tants retire to a Village call’d Belan^ upon the next Mountain to the City, where
there are very good Waters and excellent Fruits. They come alfo -thither from
Aleppo, when there is an appearance of a Peftilence^ and yet there are few people
in this Village who are not troubled with a fort of Fever, that makes their Eyes look'
yellow and hollow; which they never can remedy as long as they live
About half a League from Alexandretta, on *the right hand of the High way,
jud againft the Merfh on the other fide, is a Tower whereon are to be feen the
Arms of Godfrey of Bulloign. In all likelihood it was built for the defence of the
High-way, which is.enclos’d between thele two Merches, whofe Fxhalations are
cry noxious.
It is but three little days journey from Alexandretta to Aleppo, and fome well
mounted have rid it in two. The Franks are not permitted to ga thither on Foot.
For before that Prohibition, in regard the way was fhort, every Sea-man that had
a hundred Crowns, more or lefs, went on Foot to Aleppo, and got eafily thither
in three days, with little expence. Now bccaufe they had but little Money to fpend,
and were willing to djfpatch their bufinefs, they would not Hand to give Four or
Five in the Hundred extraordinary for what Goods they bought, which was of
dangerous confequence to the Merchants For you muft obfefve, that when the
Ships arrive, the firft man that either out of rafhnefs or ignorance, gives two Sous
more fo\r a Commodity that is not worth a Crown, fets the Price, and taufes all the
whole Commodity to be fold at that rare. So that the Merchants that lay out ten
or twelve thouland Crowns together, are very carefulleft thofe Saylors (hould get
before them, and enhance the Price of the Market.
: To remedy which inconvenience, the Merchancs obtain’d an Order, That na
Strangers fhould be permitted to go a-foot from Alexandretta to Aleppo, but that
they Oioufdbe bound to hire Horfes, and to give for every Horfe fix Piafters thi
ther, and fix back 5 which expence would foon eat out the Profit of a poor Mari
ner’s fmall Sum.
llfuaily you (lay at sAlexandretta three or foordays, as well to reft your felf,
as to make fame little Provifions for your Journey to For though you meet
with good Stages at Evening, yet the Jamfaries will be very glad to eat by the
way. . . , /: ■, - - ; . . ':v:; p:■ - >
Setting out from Alexandretta, we travePd over a Plain to the foot of a Mountain
which is calPdto. There is a wide Gap in the midft of this Mountain, which
giving liberty to che North-Eaft Wind, when it blows hard, doth fo enrage the
jlodd of Acxandre:ta, which is otherwife very calm, that no Ship can ride there
at that time. In fo much that all Ships that happ’n to -be there when the Wind
xifes, prefently weigh, and get out to Sea, for fear of being caftaway. Almoft at
the