'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.' [‎69] (106/1024)

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Chap.IV. of Monfieur Tavern'ier; . 6$
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The twenty-hrft we travei’d nine hours, and came to lye near fcveral Caverns
which are very deep *, at the /ntry whereof there are little RopuiS, which arelup-
pos’d to be the places where the People of the Country liv’d that fed their Cattel
thereabouts. There is alfo Rain-Water to be had in fome of the Concavities of the
Rock. Half this days journey you muftpafs over Rocks, where it is almoftimpof-
fible, and very dangerous to keep your Horfes back.
The twenty fecond, having travePd elev’n hours, we lodg’d near a Cavern, having
forded a River that runs at the foot of it. There are two great Giotto's on each
fide where Travellers take tap their Quarters , and whither the Natives of the
Country bring Provifions both for Horfe and Man. The Toll-gatherers, coming
from a Fort about three Leagues diftant from thefe Caverns, here exa& iwo Tiafiers
and a half for every Horfe and Mules Load and fearch your Sacks, to fee if there
be no Merchantable Goods therein. About half the way of this days journey you meet
with a City quite deferted by the Inhabitants *, and about an hours march after that,
with Tombs of Stone, in the middle whereof (lands a Crofs, with Armenian Chz-
* The twenty-third we travel’d elev’n hours, and lay at 'Dadacardw. This appears
to have been a great Town, but is all ruin’d: nor is there any thing remaining but
a long S:one ridge very well built, under wdiich runs a River that is very broad
when it overflows. The People of the Country have no other Habitations than the
Hollows of Rocks *, yet they bring to the Travellers Hens, Butter, Cheeie, and other
Provifions ? which they fell very cheap.
The twenty-fourth we travd’d nine hours, and lay at a place call’d Cara, built
Upon a KUi. The Caravan lay at the Inn-, but the two Capuchins and I lay at a
private Chriftian’s Houfe, who carry’d us to the Church, where was then thcVer-
tabet or Bilhop of CMerdin. It was a pitiful poor Church, where they had nothing
but two Planksfuppprted with four Sticks inftead of an Altar. They dare not leave
any Furniture in it, but asfoon as the Prieft has faid Service, he muft have a care
to take away every things as well the Planks as the Covering of the Altar, which
was only a Painted Cloth -.‘For the Turks that travel that way, if it be foul weather,
will break open the Door, put their Horfes there, burn the Altar, and take away
whatever they find. <v \. 1 ' ' < .
In the Village where we lay, there was a Pond, the fidcs whereof were fuiC
rounded with fair Free-ftones, which were fetch’d from the Chriftian Churches, and
the Tombs of the Chriftians thereabouts. Among the red, there was one very
large Stone, with an Epitaph upon it in large Latin Letters $ whereby wfc knew it
to be the Tomb-ftone of a Norman Gentleman, who had been a Captain of Foot.
The BHhop inform’d us, that it is recorded in the Armenian Stories, that the French
were a long time in this Country, at what time the Chriftians were Mailers of Syria.
This Country is all a large Plain, about twenty Leagues in length •, which might be
well manur’d, and make the Inhabitants rich, did not the Tyranny of the TVfcr, and
fhe Incurfions of the zA^rabs, reduce them to the utmoft degree Of Poverty.
The twenty-fifth, after we had travel’d eight hours, we lay at a Village call’d
Cbufafar, where there was no Inn. There were formerly three great Monafteries,
a quarter of a League one from the other. The Turks have ruin’d two, all but the
Steeples of the Churches that belong’d to them. The third, which (lands all entire,
and is the faireft Pile of Building, ferves for a Mofquee. They have made Shops'
round about the Cloyfters, in the middle of which is a fair Spring of Water.
The twenty feventh we lay (lill at Confafar, being the place where you muft pay
the Cuftoms of Diarbequir, which is not above two days journey off, amounting to
two Tiafters and a iourth part, for every Load of Merchants Goods. ^ ,
Merdin is not above two Leagues from Coufafdr. This is a little City feated upon
a Mountain, with good Walls, and a fair Fountain replenilh’d from the Caftley
which (lands upon the North-fide, in a place yet higher, that commands the City ;
where there lives a who has under him two Hundred Spahis r and four hun
dred Janizaries. Merdin is tfie place where was born the Lady Maani Gioerida 7
the firft Wife of Vietro de la F'alle, fo well known for his famous Travels.
As for Coufafar^ which is a large Village, it is inhabited for the mod part by Ar*
me man Chnftians and Neftorians. The Armenians perform Divine Service in theic
pwn Language*, the Neflorians in the Chaldaic. The latter (h^w d me twoBiblps
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