'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.' [‎83] (120/1024)

day. we law none but drabr and.CW; marching along the Banks of the River, the
Curds upon Asfefopotumlu fide, and the jdrdbs upon osljfyria fide. They were at War
and both fidesmarch’d in very good order. The Young men went formofi with Bows
and Arrows, and feme Muskets, but feveral Half-Pikes. Next to them their Wives,
Virgins, and Children, with their Catte!, Herds, and Camels; after which march’d 3
the Old men in the rcai. As well the Cur us as the ^lr ubiuns fent out H^orfe-men to
front upon the high Grounds ; for as Toon as they find any advantage, they prdent-
ly fwim their Horfes over the River and fall on. Now becaufe we would not trufl
thole fort of People, we row’d nineteen hours to avoid ’em.
The twentieth we were eleven hours upon the Tigris, and came to lye at a Town
call’d Tcgrit , upon Mefopotama fide. There belongs to the Town a Caftle half
ruin’d, and yet there are {till fome handfom Chambers tobefeen. Upon the North
and Eaft, the River ferves for a Moat; but upon the Well arid South it has a deep
Artificial one pav’d with Free-ftone. The Arabians fay that formerly it was the
ftrongeft place in all Mefopotama, though it be commanded by two Hills not far from
ir. The Chriftians dwelt half a League from the City, where the Ruincsof a
Church and part of a Steeple are frill to be feen, whereby it appears to have been a
a confidersble Pile of Building.
The twenty-firft, after we had row’d three hours, we met with a Town upon
AJfyria fide, which was call’d Amstrel-totir , from the name of a perfon that lyes
inter’d in a Monaftery, whom the people account to be a Saint. Therefore is it a
place of great Devotion among them, fo that great numbers of Votaries go thither
in private. That day we were twelve hours upon the Water, and lav upon the Banks
of the River. v - • 1
The twenty fecond, having been upon the Waters two hours, we met with a great
Chanel cut out of Tigris to water the Lands, which tuns up as far as juft over-
ngainft Bxgdat, and there falls into the Tigris again. Coming thither, we landed
upon Chaldea fide, by reafon that there were certain Tur^ with us, who would
of nccefTity perform their Devotions at a place call'd Sumatra. In the fame there
is a Mcfcjuee net above half a League from the River ; to which many Mahometans
pay their Devoirs, cfpecially IndUrisanA Tartars, who believe forty of their Pro
phets to be buried there. When they knew us to be Chriftians, they would not
permit us, no not for Money, to fet our Feet in it. About five hundred Paces
from the Mofcuee ftands a Tower very ingenioufly built. There arc two Stair-cafes
without, that belong to it, made twirling like a Periwinkle.fhell: one of which Stair,
cafes was built deeper into the Tower than the other. I would have taken better
notice of it, could I have been permitted to have come nearer ir. Only I oblerv’d
that it was made of Brick, and that it feems to be very ancient. Half a League
from thence appear three great Portals, that look as if they had been the Gates of
iome great Palace. And indeed it is not improbable but that there was fome great
City thereabouts 5 for, three Leagues all alyngHhe River there is nothing to be
feen but Ruines, We Were twelve hours that day up'on the Water, and lay upon
the Banks of 'Tigris, according to cuftom.
The twenty-third, we were twenty hours upon the Water, and all the day lon<*
wc faw nothing upon either fide of the River but pitiful Hutts made of the Branches
of Palm-trees, where live certain poor people that turn the Wheels, by means
whereof they water the neighbouring Grounds. We alfo met that day with a River
call’d Odoine, that fills into Tigris upon the fide of the ancient Chaldea.
The twenty-fotn ih, we were twenty two hours upon the W^ater together, never
ft ir ring off from the Kilet. .The reafon is, becaufe the Merchants having tak’n out
oi the Kilet, all thcor Money and the beft part of their Merchandizes, give them to
the Country people, who ca% them very faithfully to Bagdat, whither they to fell
their own Commodities: which the Merchants do, to avoid the payment of Five
in the Hundred, in the City. I trufted them alfo with feveral things of which
tney gave me a very good account, as they did to ethers, being contended with
a imall matter for their pains.
The twenty-fifth, about four of the Clock in the Morning .we arriv’d at Bapdat,
wnicri is as ufuaily cailci Babylon, They open the Gates by fix, and then the
Cuftomers come to take an accountof the Merchandize, and to fearch the Merchants
themfelves. If they find nothing about ’em, they let the Merchants go : but if
' " L 2 ' thov