'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.' [‎74] (111/1024)

feveral Fens and hot Waters, that part the two Empires. Entring thus intoTV^,
we met with a high Mountain cover’d with fair Oaks, which bear the GallNuts,
fo high that the Caravan was Tome hours ere it could get to the top. As we attend-
ed but efpecially when we were up, we heard fevgal Muskets go off. At firft we
thought the people had been hunting the wild Boars or Stags, o\ which the Moun
tains are full: but the report of the Guns being too loud and too thick for Hunters,
we flood upon our guard; and I believe we ihould have mended our paces, had we
knovyn what was intended us. Befides, I remember’d that the Country people would
not fell any thing but for Powder and Bullet, which the Caravm-Bajhi advis’d me
not to let them have, for fear they fliould makeufe of it againft our felyes. From
the Mountain we defcended into a Ter til Plain, water’d with feveral Rivers*, and
night approaching, we fet up our Tents, not fearing any thing, becaufe we were in
the Dominions of the King of Perfia, where there is fo much fecurity in travelling.
After that we fent our Servants to the Tents of the Country-men, but they brought
us nothing but Bread made of Acorns, than which the poor people thereabouts eat
no other. This Acorn is about the bignefs of our Nuts; and once I met witha
Branch that had thirty Acorns, and twenty-three Gall-Nuts, all at one time growing
UP The Province which we travel’d through then, compos’d the greateft part of the
ancient jiffyria. But now to come to the Story of Dominico de Santis the F emm,
He had Letters of Credence from the Pope, the Emperour, the King of
and the Republickof FmcV, to the King of Perfia *, and he went in the Caravan
through the Grand %w’s Territories, never difcoveringhimfelf who he was*, but
coming into Perfia, he took upon him without fear the Title of Ambalfador from
the Commonwealth of F wtice.
From the Plain where we lodg’d, it is two days journey to a good big Town, to
which belongs a Fortrefs, where the Governour of the Proving has a Lieutenant,
with about two thoufand Horfe under his Command. The For%& is upon the
right hand toward the South, after three hours riding upon the High-way. lo
this Lieutenant, the Caravan-Bafii was according to duty bound to give notice of
the Arrival of the Caravan, and an account of the Perfons and their Merchandize.
This Venetian was a perfon ill fitted for the quality of an Ambaffador, being a
perfon of no Parts •, which made me wonder that fuch great Princes, and fo wife
a Commonwealth, (houldfend fuch a perfon upon a Concern of that importance.
For the Grand Signor then aflailing Candy, he was lent to excite the King of
to engage him in a War againft the^TV^, thereby to keep off the Storm that
threaten’d Chriftendom. Thereupon I told the Ambaflador, that it was neceflary
for him to give the Commander of the Fort firft notice of his coming, to the end
he might give advice thereof to Sotyman-Kan Governour of the Province, whole
duty it was to advertife the King. Thereupon he requefted me to fend my Inter-
preter, which I did. Upon whofe intelligence the Lieutenant of the Fort came to
Compliment the Ambaflador on the behalf of the chief Commander, and to conduct
him to the Caftle. ' , , ., r „„
Thereupon the AmbafTador, my feif, and my Interpreter, together with loa
Armenian Merchants went with him, travelling for three hours over the Mountains
By that time we came half the way , as we pafs’d through a Wood, we hear
as it were fome perfon give a Whiftle-, at which when the Lieutenant, perceiv an
tobefomewhat ftartfd, he carry’d us to the place from whence the Whittle caM
where we faw a Serpent about as big as a Man’s Thigh, and about twelve t
long, whofe head was fqueez’d between two Trees, that put him to pai n - / r ,
that Mountain we defeended into a pleafant Plain, where the Commander o
Fortrefs ftaid for us,under his Tent. He had fet it up by the fide of a River, u ^
the (hade of feveral great Walnut-trees. So foon as he faw us, he role trm
great "Silk Tapeftry Coverlet, and faluted us in a moft civil manner, telling
affuredly Sha-Jbas, his Mafter, would be very glad to hear that the Monajcn
Chriftendomhad fent him an Ambaffador, and that be would write toS X^
whofe duty it was to advertife the Emperour. Thereupon he wrote and dt P ^
away a Meflenger, giving him order to tell the Deroga, or Judge of tn ^
through which we. were to pafs, that he fhould make Provision ° r
Horfes’till we tame to the Governour. After he had askd us ievcia _ ^