'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.' [‎256] (289/1024)

** 53 ^*
The Persian Travels
Book V
the Cuftoroe-houfe in the night, it has bin lince enclos’d with walls. To this place
come all the (hips that bring Commodities from India for Perju, Turfy, ot ^
part of Jfia or Europe And indeed it would be much more frequented by the
Merchants from all Regions and Countries. '
But the Air o(Bandar is fo unwholefome and fo hot, that no Grangers can live
there, in probability of health, unlefs it be in the months of December^ January, Fe
bruary and March though the Natives of the Country may perhaps ftay without
prejudice to the end of 4pril. After that they retire to the cooler Mountains
two or three days journey off, for five or fix months, where they eat what they
gain’d before. They that venture to ftay at Gowron during the hot weather, g et
a malignant Fever, which if they fcape death, is hardly ever cur’d. However it
bequeaths the yellow Jaundies during life to the party. March being pafs’d the
wind changes, and blowing at weft Couth weft, in a (bort time it grows fohot
and fo ftifling, that it almoft takes away a mans breath. This wind is by the Ara
bian f call’d El-SamkU or the poyfonous wind, by the ferfms Bade-S ambour, be-
caufe it fuffocates and kills prefently. The flefh of them that are thus ftifl’d feels
like a glewie fat, and as if they had been dead a month before.
In the year 1632. riding from Ifpahan to Bagdat, I and four more Perjw« Mer
chants had bin ftifl’d but for fomt'Arabians that were in our Company. For
when they perceiv’d the wind, they caus’d us to light, lye down upon our bellies
and cover our felves with our Cloaks. We lay fo for half an hour, and then fifing
wc faw our horfes were in fuch a fwcat, that they were hardly able to cany us.
This happen’d to us two days journey from Bagdat. But this is obfervable, that
if a man be in a Boat upon the water when the fame wind blows, it does no harm
though he were naked at the fame time. Sometimes the wind is fo hot that it
burns like Lightning.
And as the PAtdfGomron is fo bad and dangerous, the foil is worth nothing;
For it is nothing but Sand, nor is the water in the Cifterns very good. They that
will be at the charge fetch their water from a fountain three leagues from Bander,
call’d the water of Ifw. Formerly there was not an herb to be feen: but by often
watering the ground, Lettice, Radi(h and Onions have begun to grow.
The People are fwarthy, and wear nothing about them but only a fingle fliirt.
Their ufual dyet is dates and fifh. Which is almofl the dyet of their Cartel, for
when they come home from browfing the barren bufties, they give them the
heads and guts of their fi(h boyl’d, with the kernels of the Dates which they ear.
The Sea of Bander produces good Soles, good Smelts and Pilchards. They that
will have oyfters muft have ’em caught on purpofe, for the people cat none.
Upon Land they want neither for wine of Schiras not Xe/i i nor for Mutton, Pi
geons and Partridge, which are their ordinary dyet.
There are two FortrefTes, one upon the Eaft, the other toward the Weft. The
Town increafes in trade and building, and fills with inhabitants, who build their
houfes with the remaining ruins of Ormtu.
The reafon why the Trade is fettl’d rather at Bander Abajfi, then at BanderCon-
go, where the Air is good apd the Water excellent, is becaufe that between Omns
and Congo lie feveral Jflands, which make the paflage for (hips dangerous, befides
that the often change and veering of the wind is requir’d; neither indeed is there
water enough for a Veffel of 20 or 2 5 guns. Then the way from Congo to Lar is
very bad. From Bander Abaft, to Lar it is very good, and provided with good
Inns. 1
From the day that a Merchant fakes up mony at Gomron, he is bound to return
it in three months, and the change goes from fix to twelve per Cent. When the
Goods come to Ifpahan or any other place, the Merchant is not to touch them,
till he has pay’d the money which he borrow’d, unlefs the Creditor will truft
him farther. Some T'urkifh and Armenian Merchants take up money ztGommlo
pay it at Suratt *, where they take up other money for Ifpahan j at Ifpaban for
ILrzerom or Bagdat, paying the old debt with the new fums, which they take up
in esch place. The money taken up at Erzerom is pal’d at Burfa, ConjiantinopU or
Smyrna, Money taken up at Bagdat i$ pai’d at Aleppo.
j 1 altyays made accompt, that to take up money at Golconda for Ligorn or Vmice,
at change for change, the money returns at the cheapeft rate, to ?5 per Cent, but
more oftentimes it amounts to a hunder’d. CHAP.