'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.' [‎110] (659/1024)

no
A Defcrivtionof the Countreys which border
- - - ■ —** p - 1 ■ ■ .
alfo told, That the Cbinefes do fometimes trade with them. I am perfwadcd, that
th^s is the famed Kingdom of Cataye ; for the Catayans are a fort of ‘Tartars, and I
know no other Tartars between this Country and China. Caragan lieth from them
to the North-Weft 5 Vrgenfhe due North ; China to the Eaft 5 the Tartars of Bal}^ to
the South 5 and the Perfians South and by Weft ; and the Cafoan Sea duly Weft.
They are almoft continually in Wars with the Perfians.
The next Country I am to defcribs is Perfia, in which Land I was never, excepting
once, in that part thereof which borders upon the Comub^sy but I have converged
with ieveral Perfian Merchants at Ajhacan, who came by Shipping from Gilan, which
# when the Wind is very fair and good, they fail in two or three days and Nights.
They wear Turbants like the Turks, and ib do the Boucbars. Therefore not having
feen much of Perjia, nor having fufficiently informed my felf concerting it, I fhall
pafs through it unto the Comuk^s Land, of which I have obtained more perfeft know
ledge both by War and Traffick. This Country is bounded on the South by Perfia,
on the Eaft by the Cafiian Sea ; Weftward by Circaffia ; and on the North by the
River of Tumine 5 on which {lands a Town of the lame Name, from which unto
Chahamate, the moft Northerly Habitation of Perfia, is 600 miles A great part of this
Country, efpecially Weftward, is very mountainous I could never learn where it
doth exa£tly Terminate. I have been in four of their Towns: The firft is Tarkge,
Where GiCJar, whom they own for their Prince,doth ordinarily refide. The fecond
is De-rheme, in the Mountains. The third 'Derevena, in the fame mountainous
Tra6t. The fourth Kojfa, upon a River of the fame Name, not far from the
place where it empties it felf into the Cafiian Sea. Thefe Comukes are proper Men
and very couragious; and that which makes them more daring and adventurous
than moft Tartars, is the goodnefs of their Horfes, and the advantage of their
Arms, both oftenfive and defenftve ; for they feldome engage in Wars without
Helmets, jacks of Steel, Shirts of Mail, and Targets, which excepting thofe times
wherein they fight, hang behind their backs, being very light, and not very
large, and therefore not cumberfome. They have, as other Tartars, both Bows
and Cymetars, and withal never go without Lances, which they ufe with great
flrength and dexterity. In their Apparel they differ little from the Circafiians but
as for Religion, they are generally Mahmetans^ and their Language is in fubftance
the fame with other Tartars, their vicinity unto the Perfians, Mujcovites and Sbeercajfes,
having fomewhat difguifed it. The Countrey they inhabit abounds with Wood 5
part of it is hilly, with Imall pleafant Valleys between the Hillocks; and in feme
places, efpecially towards Perfia, and thence into the Land, it hath many great and
almoft: inacceffible Mountains, by reafon of their heighth and ftcepnefs. This Land
Was reduced under the Government of the Rujfes many years ago, after the en~
■fuing manner : Evan Vaffilymch being Czar or Emperour of Kuffia, after he had taken
Gaffan and Jflracan, fent part of his Army into Circaffia, where they took in Tumeine.
Another Body entred the Comukes Country, and poffefTed themfelves of Derevena,
Derheine, Tarhyee and Koffa. The Ruffe Emperour conftituted a Voyvod, whom he
ordered to reflde in Tarhee, and left with him loeooMen; he ordered alfo at the
fame time another confiderable Brigade to flay at Coifa, where he left a great
number of Boats and other Veffels, who had brought fupplies of Men and Provift-
ons from, Mo/co,.and other Parts of his Dominions. And having, as he appre
hended, feenred his new Conquefts, he returned unto Mo fee : Immediately after his
retreat, the Cowukes gather’d their whole Force, and fee down before the Town of
Tarkee, which after a vigorous refiftance they took, and in it with the Voyvod, feverai
Officers of divers Nations, whom with the common Souldiers they fold unto the Cir
caffians, Tartars, and other neighb’ring Nations, fothat few were ever afterwards re
cover’d. From Tarkge they marched unto Koifa, which by the inftru£lion of Cap
tives they did pretty regularly befiegeand aflault, and after feme repulfes took it by
(form, killing all the Ruffes, excepting.fuch as efcaped in the Ships and Boats which
lay before the Town. The Ruffe Emperour being fpeedily informed of thefe Succef-
fes, immediately railed a great Army, with which he ordered all the Cojfacks between
the Don and Volga, unto the River of Tumeine, to joyn his Forces, and aflift them, in
order unto the recovery of what he had loft, and utter extirpation of the Comukes -
Who hearing how highly the Czar was exafperated, and how great a Force was ready
to invade them, they began to be folicitous about the Event; and having confulted
• ' '**•* • to-