"مجموعات لرحلات عبر تركيا إلى بلاد فارس، وجزر الهند الشرقية. تقدم تقريراً عن الوضع الحالي لهذه الدول، وكذلك الرواية الكاملة لحرب السنوات الخمس بين أورنكزيب وإخوته في حياة والدهم، بشأن الخلافة. والرحلة البحرية التي قام بها سلطان الامبراطورية المغولية الأكبر (أورنكزيب) مع جيشه من دلهي إلى لاهور، ومن لاهور إلى بيمبر، ومنها إلى مملكة كشمير، والتي يطلق عليها المغول جنة جزر الهند. كما تحتوي أيضاً على سرد لمملكة اليابان وتونكين، وعن سلوكياتهم الخاصة وتجارتهم. يضاف إليها وصفاً جديداً إلى سراي السيجنيور الأكبر، وكذلك لكافة الممالك التي تضم البحر الأسود وبحر قزوين، والتي كان يسافر إليها مونسير تافيرنييه بيرنييه، وغيره من الرجال العظام." [‎١‎٥‎٩] (١٠٢٤/٢٠٠)

Chap. VI. of Monfieur Tavernier. j |q
labour of long Journeys, iober per Cons, and great Husbands, and fuch who being
Chriftians, might more freely Trade among the Chriftians b and made choice of
them, as being mod proper and fit for Trade. Whereupon, picking out the moft
Judicious among them, he deliver'd to every one fo many Bales of Silk, according
to their Capacity s for which they were to pay at their return, a reafonable Rate
tax’d by the King, who allow’d them what more they got for their Expences and
Gains. Thofe people in a ihort time became fo expert, that there is not any fort
of Trade which they will not now undertake * for now they run as far asTztpqjtM>
Java^ and the Phillippinei^ and indeed over all the Eaft, except China and Japan. But
if they do not thrive, they never return *, as being a place where they muft either
give an exadf Account, or elfe fuffer the quick and fevere Jufticeof Drubbing,which
never fails thofe Fadtors that are ill Husbands for their Mahers.
And indeed the Armenians are fo much the more fit for Trading, becaufe they
are a people very fparing, and very fober i though whether it be their virtue or
thdr avarice, 1 know not. For when they are going a long Journey, they only
make provition of Bisket, fmoak’d Eufaid’s flefh,Onions, bak’d Butter,Flowr,Wine,
and dry’d Fruits. They never buy frefh Vidfoals, but when they meet with Lambs
or Kids very cheap in the Mountainous Countries i nor is there one of them r
that does not carry his Angle to fi(h withal, when they come to any Ponds or
* Rivers. All thefe provifions coft them little the Carriage. And when they come
foany Town where they are to flay, they club five or iix together, and lye in an
empty Chamber which they furnilh themfelves i every one carrying his Mattrefs,
his Coverlet, and his Kitchin-Inftruments, which is a great piece of Thrift, When
they travel intoChriftendom, they cany along with them Saffron, Pepper, Nutmegs^
and other Spices j which they exchange in the Country-Towns for Bread, Wine,
Batter, Cheefe, Milk-Meats, and other Provilions which they buy of the poor Wo
men. When they return out of Chriflendom, they bring along with them all forts
of Mercery-ware, and Pedlery-ware of Norembsrg and Veniceb as little Looking-
glaffes, trifles of Tin enamel’d, falfe Pearls, and other things of that nature b which
pays for the Victuals they call for among the Country-people.
In the beginning of their Trade, there return’d very few Caravans into Perfia
without two hundred thoufand Crowns in Silver, beflde Englijh and Dutch Clothes,
. fine Tiffucs,'Looking-glaffes, PWce Pearls, Cochenel, and Watches j which they
thought mofi proper for the Sale of Perfia and India.
At length thofe Armenians became fo exquifite in Trade, that fevetal of them
have left Eftates of two, fome twenty thoufand Tomans* But the richefi: among
them was Cotgia^ot Monfieur Petm^who left forty thoufand Tomans in coyn’d Money,
befides his Horfes» Furniture, and Lands in the Country, his Jewels and Plate b all
which are never reckon’d a Merchant’s Eftate, but only the ready Cafh with which
he trades. Cotgia Petrus was very much efteem’d for his Charity, and the great
Church which he built, which is a kind of Covent, with a Bifhop and Monks. Nor
is the fair Market-place, all environ’d with Shops, a little beholding to his Gene-
rolity. \ >
The Armenians of Zulpha have this advantage over all the Chriftians of the Eaft,
that they enjoy Lands and Priviledges, the King not permitting the leaft injuftice
to be done them, nor that any Mahometan (hould live at Zulpha. They have alfo
the priviledge to be as well clad as the Perfians, and to make ufe as they do of Bri
dles of Gold and Silver. Their Wives alfo are very richly habited, in ftrip’d Sattins 1
purfl’dAvich Gold, and other rich European Silks.
The King names whom he pleafes among the Armenians to be their Chief* whom
they call Kdonter, who judges all their differences, and taxes them to make up the
Sum which they are to pay to the King every year.
The Language of the Armenians is either vulgar or learned ; the learned is only
us’d by theEcclefiafticks, in reference to their Religion. They write like us, from
the Idt to the right, having found out peculiar Gharadfers about four years fince.
They have three Languages very natural to them, which however are very different *
the Armenian, which is their ancient Countrytfpeech, which they have preferv’d
Rom Father to Son * the Perfian, which is the Language of the Country where they
live * and the Turbjfh, of which they make very much ufe in courfe of Trade. As
for their Women, they fpeak nothing but the Armenian^ having no converfe with
. \ . F Grangers, /