'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.' [‎127] (166/1024)

Chap. XI. of Monficur ‘ Tavernier.
^ V
as between Pam and Lm, where it Rains very much i and yet the Country people
^ have cut fevera) Channels from the Rivers to water the Grounds after they have
Sow’d them, which they learnt from the Per fans. Thofe Rivers fall from the Sou
thern Mountains, being not at all tak’n notice of in the Map. There is on- among
the reft a very large River, which can be forded at no time. They call ir Covan>u
or ne theater m regard it is continually muddy, the ftream being fo flow that
they can hardly difccrn which way it runs. It falls gently into the Cajpian Sea to
the South of the mouth ot Volga. Not hr from this River, in the months'of Octo
ber and November, all along the Shore of the fame Sea, you may fee vaft (hoals of
hill about two foot long. Before, they have two legs, like a Dog’s legs, behind in-
(lead of legs they have only cla ws. FIefti they have none, but only fat with a bone
in the middle. Now in regard they are but flow pac’d, when they come upon Land
the Country people eafily knock them on the head, and make Oyl of them •
which is the greatdl Trade they have.
The people of Comania, commonly caWdComoucbs, dwell for the mofl part at the
foot of the Mountains, becaufe of the Springs fo plentiful in thofe places, that in fome
Villages you ftiall have above twenty or thirty. Three of thefe Springs meeting to
gether, make a ftream ftrong enough to drive a Mill. But this is not the foie reafon
for there is Water enough in the plain.. But in regard they are a people that only live
upon the fpoil and plunder of their Enemies, and of one another, as they are in
continual fear of being fet upon, they love to dwell near the refuge ol the Moun
tains, vvhither they fly with their Cattle upon any occafion of danger. For all
the people round about, as Georgians, Mengrelians, Cir^afians, 'Tartars, and Muf-
edvites, live altogether by rapine, and continual In-roads into one anothers
Countries.
There are another fort of people which are call’d Kalmoticbs, that inhabit upon
the Coaft of the Cajpian Sea between the Mufcovites and the Tartars, The men
are ftrong, but the moft deformed under Heaven. Their faces are fo flat and broad
that there is the breadth of five fingers between each Eye. Their Eyes are very
fmall, and fhat little Nofe they have is fo flat, that there is nothing to be feen but
two little holes inftead ofNoftrils. Their Knees alfo and their Feet turn inwardo
When they go to the Wars, they carry their Wives and their Daughters, if they
be twelve years of age, along with them, who fight as couragioufly as the men
themfdves. Their Arms are Bows, Arrows, and Skains, with a great wooden
Mace at the Pummel of their Saddles i their Horfes being the heft in aWAfia, Their
Captain is gf fome ancient Family, but they more particularly choofe him for his
valour. The Duke of Mfc/m/fi* fends them prefents every year, to preferve their
friend (hip, which prefents confift in Cloth, And he grants them free paffage
through his Territories, when ever they have a mind to invade the Mengrelians,
Georgians, or Cirhafians, at which fport they are much more dextrous than the
4 Her Tartars. Sometimes they advance into Perfa, as far as the Province of the
Vfbetys, which is a part of Great Tart ary, ranging up as far as Caboul and Caiida-
bar. Their Religion is particular to themfelves, but they are great Enemies to the
Mabumetans,
As for the Comouchs or people of Comania, they are Mahometans, and very pre-
cife ones too. They are under the protedfion of the King of Perfia, who makes
great account of them, in regard they defend the PafTes into his Country on that
fide ag^inft the Kalmouchs. They are habited both men and womdn like the Lefifer
Tartari, f etching all the Silk and Calicut which they ufe out of Perfia \ for as for
Cloth, they are contented with what they make in their own Country, which is
very c'ourfe. ' ‘
Circajjia is a pleafant good Country, and full of variety. There are Plains, For-
refts. Hills, and Mountains abounding in Springs, fome of which are fo large,
that fome of them will ferve (even or eight of the neighbouring Villages. But on the
other fide, in ail the Rivers that proceed from thefe Springs, there is not a fi(h
to be feen. Flowers they have in abundance, efpcdally fair Tulips. There is a
fort of Strawberry alio with a fhort ftalk, of which five or fix grow in a bunch i
theleaft areas big as a fmall Nut, of a pale yellow Colour. The Soil is fo fertile,
that it brings forth without any great trouble a vaft plenty of all forts of Fruits.
do the people need any other Gardens than their Fields which are cover’d with
Cherry-