Chap. V1IL of Monfieur Tavernier. 41 



gather'd it , they beat it , and the courfe Wool breaking , the fine only remains. 

 That if you transport it, before you make it into Bales, you muft throw Salt-water 

 upon it, which keeps the Worms out of it, and preserves it from rotting. Now 

 you muft take notice that they never dye this Wool , k being naturally ot a clear 

 Brown , or a dark Aft-colour*, and that there is very little of it White, which is 

 alio much dearer than the other , as well for that it is fcarce , as becauie that the 

 Mufti's, the Moullati 's and other perfons belonging to the Law, never wear any 

 Girdles or Vails ( wherewith thev cover their Heads when they pray) but White : 

 for at other times they wear them about their Necks , as the Women do their 

 Scarfs. 



Into this Province of Kerman almoft all the Games are rctir'd , and they are 



Pieces into France , and prelentcd one to the late Queen Mother , the other to 

 the Princeis of Orlcance. 



I could not drive any Trade in this Wool till the year 1654, returning out of 

 the Indies by Sea from Surat to Ormus. To which purpofe , I departed from Ormus, 

 and took Guides along with me to fhew me the way to Kerman, whither I could 

 not get on Horfeback in lefs than twenty-feven days. I dare fay that Alexander 

 the Great did not march this way into the Indies : for in the whole extent of the 

 the Country there is no Water to be met with but in fome certain places, and in 

 the hollow of fome Rocks, where there is not enough neither to water eight or 

 ten Horfes. Befidcs, in fome places a man is conftrain'd, by reafon of the Mountains, 

 to fetch a great compafs about*, for a Foot-man that makes his way through thole 

 Rocks , (hall go farther in half an hour than a Horfe-man can do in four. 



Kerman is a large City, which has been often ruin'd by being feveral times taken 

 and re-taken •, nor is there any thing handfom in it , but only one Houle and a 

 Garden , upon which the laft Kans have beftow'd a vaft expence to make the place 

 delightful. They make there a fort of Earthen-ware which comes very near to 

 TorceLm , and looks as neat and as fine. As foon as I arriv'd , I went to vifit the 

 Kan , who made me very welcom , and gave order to the Games to furnifh me with 

 Bread and Wine, Pullets and Pigeons, which in thofe parts are fat, and as large 

 as little Capons. The games are they ,that make the Wine r, and to make it more 

 fwcet and plcafant, they take away the Stalks, and never prefs any thing but the 

 meer Grape. 



The Kan was but newly entred into the poffeffion of his Government, and being 

 defirous, according to the cuftom of the new Governours, to have a noble Sword 

 and Dagger, with a rich Furniture for his Horfe, which requir'd fome Jewels, I 

 prefented him with a Diamond worth eight hundred Crowns, which he causM to 

 be fet in the end of the handle of his Dagger. He alfo defir'd to have of me as 

 many more Jewels as came to feven or eight hundred Livres : and by the Prefent 

 and the Bargain I facilitated my purchafe of the Wool which I intended to buy. 

 Two days after he invited me to his Entry-Feaft , which he made for the chief of 

 the City, and knowing I wanted a Mule, he fent me one well worth a hundred 

 Crowns. This is the Nobleft Carriage in all Pcrfia , which the great Peribnages 

 choofe before Horfes , efpecially when they are in years. But it was not the Kan 

 alone who was civil to me. A young Lord , who liv'd in Kerman , and was at the 

 Feaft, whole Father had been formerly Kan hitafetf, took great delight to difcourfe 

 with me concerning my Travels-, and.offer'd me his fervicc in a very obliging 

 manner. Now the Pcrfians are very curious , and great admirers of the Rarities of 

 Forein Countries: which inclination led the young Lord to enquire of me whether 

 I had any Fire-Arms , telling me he would content me for them to my fatisfocTion. 

 The next Morning I prelentcd him with a Carbine, and a pair of Piftols that pleas'd 

 him exceedingly, and a little Watch, for which I would take no Money, whereat he 

 feem'd to be not a little troubl'd. However he fent me a {lately Horfe worth about 

 two hundred Crowns, or twelve Tomans. This young Lord was of a clear humour, 

 civil, accomplifh'd, generous, and did every thing with a good grace. So that when he 

 fent me the Horfe, he fent to entreat me withal , if I did not like that Horfe, to come 

 and choofe which I lik'd beft in his Stable. 



F By 



