Chap. VII. of Monfieur Tavernier. 39 



The twenty-third we travel'd not above five hours j becaufe it was the time of the 

 Turks Heiram , or Eafler , which our Caravan , confiding of Turks , would needs 

 folemnize. That day we travel'd through an indifferent good Country, and well 

 ti-U'd, where we difcover'd feveral fair Villages - 7 and we lodg'd upon a rifing Ground, 

 from whence we had a very fair and far diftant Profpeft. 



The twenty-fourth we travel'd fix hours , and came to lodge in a Meadow where 

 the Water was bad. Near to that place, we difcover'd a Plain that extends it felf 

 eight or ten Leagues in length , though it be not above one or two in bredth : it 

 ieem'd like a Lake •, and indeed it is only a fait Water congeal'd , and thick n'd into 

 Salt, which you can hardly diffolve but in fair Water. This Lake furnifhes almoft 

 all Natolia with Salt *, where you may buy a Wagon-load drawn by two "Bufalo's 

 for 45 Sous. Itiscall'd Deuflag, or The Place for Salt ; and the Bajhaof Couchabar, 

 about two days journey from it , gets by it 24000 Crowns a Year. Sultan Amuratb 

 caus'd a Dike to be cut quite thorough it when his Army march'd to the Siege of 

 Bagdat, which he took from the Per fan. 



The twenty-fifth we travel'd nine or ten hours , and met not with one Village, 

 the Country being all defert. We lodg'd upon a rifing Ground , near a good Foun- 

 tain call'd Cara-dache-cefme , or, The Fountain of the Black^Stone. 



The twenty-fixth we pafs'd through a great Village call'd Tfliekenagar , in a 

 pleafant fituation , but very ill built ^ and after we had travel'd eight hours, we 

 came to lodge in a delightful Meadow, near another Village call'd Romcouchc. 



The twenty-feventh we travel'd nine hours through Countries full of Licorice, and 

 having pafs'd a great Town call'd Beferguenlou , we lodg'd in a Meadow. 



The twenty-eighth we crofs'd a great River, call'd Jechil-irma , over a long well 

 built ftone Bridge. At the end of the Bridge call'd Keffre-kupri ftands a great 

 Village , wherein the grcatcft part of the Houfes are built under Ground , like 

 Foxes Holes. We put on farther , and after ievcn hours travel , we lodg'd below 

 another great Village call'd Momhiour , where there are abundance of Greedy 

 which they conftrain ever and anon to turn Turks. The Country being inhabited by 

 Chriftians , and fit for the Plantation of Vines , there is Wine good (lore , and very 

 good, but it has the icent of the Wines of An]ou. The Village is well fituated but 

 ill built , mod of the Houfes being under Ground , in fo much that one of the Com- 

 pany riding carelefly, had like to have fain into a Houfe. 



The twenty-ninth we rode for feven hours through a plealant Country, where 

 we faw feveral Villages , near to one of which the Caravan lodg'd in a Meadow, cloie 

 by a Fountain. 



The thirtieth we rode through a flat Country, well manur'd , and ftop'd near a 

 River wherein there was but very little Water: it is call'd Cara-fou, or, The Blacky 

 River. For two or three days together , at every two Leagues diftance weobferv'd 

 little Hillocks of Earth artificially rear'd , which they told us were rais'd during the 

 the Wars of the Greeks to build Forts upon , for Watch-Towers. 



The thirty-firft we travel'd a very uneven Country, but abounding in Wheat, and 

 after we had travel'd nine hours , we lodg'd in a Meadow near a River , which we 

 crofs'd next Morning before day, over a ftone Bridge. 



The thirty-iecond , after we had travel'd eight hours , we lodg'd by a River, 

 where we faw a great number of Turcomans r They are a People that live in Tents 

 like the Arabians , and they were then leaving that Country to go to another, having 

 their luggage in Wagons drawn by Buf aid's. 



The thirty-fecond we met again with Mountains and Woods , which we had not 

 feen in 1 8 days before , which had conftrain'd us to carry Wood upon our Camels 

 to drefs our Provifion : We were very fparing of it , and fometimes made ufe of 

 dry'd Cows dung or Camels dung , when we came near the Waters where they were 

 wont to drink. We travel'd eight hours that day, and lodg'd in a Meadow where 

 the Grafs was very high . yet where there had been Houfes formerly ftanding. 



The thirty -fourth we forded a deep and rapid River call'd Jangon, from the Name 

 of the Town next to it. A little above the place where we forded it , we law a 

 ruin'd Bridge , which had been built over it. 



The thirty-fifth we travel'd eight hours through a farr Valley well manur'd , and 

 upon the left hand we left a Caftle rais'd upon a Rock, The Caravan lay that night 

 upon a rifing Ground near a Village. 



The 



