'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.' [‎97] (136/1024)

Chap. X.
of Monfieur Tavernier.
through the Road of Mefopdtamia, fo that they (hould be at Ifpaban before the
Topigi-Bafhi) fet out from Vamat. Thereupon they privately departed out of Damaf
without acquainting the Topigi-Bafhi^ who underftanding they were gone after the
courtdie he had offer’d them, was fo enrag’d at their uncivility, that he fent two
of his Arabian Servants dire&ly through the Wildernefs to the Ba(ha of Bagdat, to
give him advice of two Frankj that were to pafs that way, who were moft certainly
Spies, defcribing them withal from head to foot.
In the mean while the twoFrank/ being arriv’d ztOurfajhc Spabi&s he had contriv’d
his own defign at'Damas, goes to the Rajha of Our fa, and informs him that he had con
duced thither two Frank/, who could be no other than Spies. Thereupon the
Bafha feiz’d upon them and all their Goods, among the reft he laid his paws upon
feven hundred Piafters, of which the Spabi no doubt had his (hare. And this
may ferve for inftruCion to Travellers to have a care hotv and with whom they Travel
in Turkie.
While the two French-mm were in hold at Ourfa by one (brt of Treachery,
the Norman Gentleman and his Companion arriv’d at Bagdat. But they had no
fooner fet their feet upon the ftiore, when the Bajha verily believing them, to be
the perfons, ot whom the Topigi-Bafhi had giv’n him notice, caus’d them to be
brought before him, and feiz’d upon their Goods and Letters, of which they had
feveral for the Conful of Aleppo, and other rich Merchants for Perfia, The Bafha
fent for the Capuchins to read thofe Letters, but not believing them, he fent for
a Sicilian Phyiician which he had in his Service, and his Treafurer who had been a
Slave tak’n in CWy. But neither Phyfician, Treafurer, nor Capuchins would in
terpret any thing in prejudice oi the French-men yet all that could not preferve
them from being (hut up in a Stable full of dung, and from being threaten’d to be
Shot out of a Cannon’s mouth if they would not eonfefsthe truth/ Thereupon the
Capuchins and the Cadi beg’d him to fufpend his Sentence’till the Arrival ofthe chief
of the Cannoniers, to which he readily confented.
When the Topigi-Bajhi came, the Bafha commanded the Prifoners to be brought
before him. But when the Topigi-Bajhi deny’d them to be the perfons, the Bajha
grew intofuch a rage, that he no kfs reproach’d the Topigi-Bafbi for Treachery,
than he had accus’d the others. Which fo incens’d the Topigi-Bajhi on the other
fide, that he never left till he had obtain’d the releafe of the two French-meni yet
not fo, but that the Bafha would have his due* fo that Reville was forc’d to leave
fome of his Ducats behind which the Jew (hould have had.
But now to return to Smyrna where I expelled the Caravan for fome time in order
to my Journey into Perfia. Every thing being provided, we fet forward in the Road for
Tauru, which I have at large deferib’d, nor was there any thing worthy obfervation
all the way. I Will only take notice, that when we departed from in re
gard the heat was fo extream, we left the common Road toward the North, and
took the way through the Mountains, where there is always a frefh Breeze and ftore
of (hady Lanes. In many of which high Mountains we met with Snow, and abun
dance of excellent Sorrel \ and upon the tops of fome of thofe Mountains, we
met with feveral forts of (hells, as it had been upon the Sea (bore, which is very
extraordinary. From Erzerom we went to Cars *> from Cars we came to Erivan.
The Kan was not there then, being retir’d during the heat into the Mountains, a
days Journey from the City. His Lieutenant telling me that I could not well pafs
farther without paying my duty to the Kan •, I follow’d his advice, and found him in
his Tent in a fair Dale, where there was a great quantity of Snow: and where when it
began to melt, appear’d feveral beautiful Flowers, fo that Summer and Winter feem’d
to lodge both in the fame place. The entertain’d both me and all my Company moft
nobly for ten days. I drove aTfo a fmall Trade with him. por I durft not (hew him
the rarities I had, being defign’d for the King. For as in Tidia, fo in Perfia, nei
ther will the King look upon any thing which his Subje&s have feen before, nor will
the Subjects buy any thing which the King has feen, it being an affront to prefent
any thing to the King which he had formerly view’d, and the Subject buys nothing
rare but what he intends to prefent.'
Being paft Erivan you may leave your Caravan when you pleafe, by reafbn of the
fecurity of the Roads in Perfia, And indeed I intended to have vifited the Kan of
Gengea, but finding the Road fo full of Rocks and Precipices, where a man was
N conti-