Chap.IV. of Monfieur Tavern ie r. 23 



flying along upon the Ground. There are alfo in the Moiquee certain Tombs of 

 *thc ancient Kings of the Medes , the Remains whereof (hew that the Work was 

 very Excellent. 



Upon the Road from T.-.mis to JJpahan, about half a League from the utmoit 

 Gardens, between leveral knaps of the Mountain which you leave upon the 

 right hand , upon the top of the higheft of all, where there never was any Water, 

 and where it is impoffiblc to bring any, appears a Bridge fifty Paces long, the 

 " Arches whereof are very fair ones, but it falls to decay. It was a Mollah that built 

 it out of what defign no perfon knew : nor can you come toTauris upon that fide, 

 but you muft fee that Bridge, becaufe there is no other way, there being nothing 

 but Water and Precipices on either hand. Afterwards he confeis'd that he built 

 it out of meer Vanity, knowing that Sha-Abas, the firft of that Name was to come 

 to Taurts. The King indeed came fome time after, and feeing an unprofitable 

 Bridge upon the top of a Mountain, he demanded who built it, and what was his 

 defign. To whom the Mollah return'd this Aniwer, Sir, faid he, I built that 

 Bridge , that when your Majeily came to Taurit, you might inform your felf from 

 the mouth of him that built it. By which it appeae'd , that the Mollah had no other 

 ambition than to oblige the King to fpeak to him. 



A League from Tauris to the Weft, in the middle of a Field (lands a great Brick 

 Tower, call'd Kanhazum It is about fifty Paces in Diameter, and though it be half 

 ruin'd, yet it is very high. It feems to have been the Dungeon of ibme Cattle, 

 there being very high Walls round about it j which though they be but of Earth, 

 nevertheless appear to be very ancient. It is not certainly known who built this 

 Tower , but the Arabian Letters upon the Gate afford us ibme reafon to conclude 

 that it was a Mahometan Structure. In the year i 651 there happen'd a terrible 

 Earthquake in Tauris and the parts thereabout , by which many Houfes were ovcr- 

 turn'd, and this Tower then cleaving from the top to the bottom, a good part of 

 it fell down, and fill'd up the hollow within-fide. 



Befidcs the little River that runs by Tauris, there is another bigger to be crofs'd, 

 about half a League from the City, over which there is a very fair Stone-Bridge. 

 Near to it (lands a Sepukher, cover'd with a little Dnomo , where the Perfians lay- 

 that the Sifter of Jman-Riz,a lyes interr'd j and they have it in great veneration. The 

 River that runs under the Bridge comes from the Mountains of the North , and falls 

 into the Lake Roumi , thirteen or fourteen Leagues from Tauris* They call it Aggi- 

 fou , or Bitter-water ; for the Water is very bad , and without any Fifh. The Lake 

 which is fifteen Leagues in compafs , has the fame quality, the Water being blackifh : 

 the Fiih that happen into it out of other Rivers that fall into it , prciently become 

 blind-, and in a (hort while are found dead by the Shoar. This Lake takes its name 

 from a Province and a little City, which are both call'd Roumi, being not above eleven 

 Leagues from Tauris. * 



In the middle of the Lake , upon the way that leads to a little City call'd Toko- 

 riam, there is a little Hill that riles infenfibly, the afcent whereof is very fmooth, 

 and out of it there rife many little Springs. The farther they run from the Head, 

 the wider grow the Streams : and the Earth which they ivater is of two diftinft 

 qualities: the firft Earth that is dig'd ferves to make LirrJ: the next to that is a 

 hollow fpungy Stone , that is good for nothing : but unqlr that again is a white 

 tranfparent Stone, whicji you may fee through as through Glafs , which being fmooth 

 and polilh'd ferves to adorn the Houfes. This Stone is only a congelation of the 

 Waters of thefe Streams-, for fomctimesyou (hall meet with creeping Animals con, 

 geal'd within. The Govcrnour of the Province fent one piece to Shu- Abas , as a 

 great Prefcnt, wherein there was a Lizard congeal'd of a Foot long. He that pre- 

 sented it to the Governour had twenty Tomans , or three hundred Crowns ; after- 

 wards I ofFer'd a thoufand (ot the fame Piece. In fome parts of the Province of 

 Maz^andran , where the Euxin Sea ftretches fartheft into the Perfian Territories, thefe 

 congeal'd Stones are to be found , but not fo frequently as near the Lake Roumi ; and 

 you (hall many times find pieces of Wood and Worms congeal'd in the Stones. 

 I brought away a Camels-loading of thefe Stones, and left them utMarfei lies; till 

 I could find what ufe to put them to. 



CHAP. 



