io The Persian Travels Book I. 



Comafour is the firft Village where you lodge after you leave the Bridge of Choban- 

 Kupri , going to Erivan. 



Halicarcara is the next Stage to Comafour : this is a great Town alio inhabited by 

 Chriftians, but the Houics arc built all under-ground like Caves. Coming thither 

 the feventh of M&ch 1655, tne Snow was lb deep that there was no travelling, io 

 that we were fore'd to flay there eight days. But the Cuftomcr of Erzcrcm undcr- 

 ftanding in what a bad condition we were, came in pcrfon with five hundred Horie 

 to make way for us , and font for the Country-people round about to clear away 

 the Snow. But it was not fo much out of Kindncis to us , as for his own Intcreil. 

 For a new Officer being to luecced him upon the 22 d of M^rch, and our Caravan 

 being very numerous , he would have loft above a hundred thouland Crowns, had 

 we not come to Eraerom before that day. Many of the PafTengers were almoft 

 blinded by continual looking upon the Snow, the colour whereof very much dims the 

 Sight: for preservation whereof the Travellers are wont to wear black Cyprels 

 Hoods , made on purpofo , over their Faces. Others wear furr'd Bonnets, fring'd 

 about with Goats-hair, which being long, falls over their Eyes , and does altogether 

 as well as the Hood. 



The Caravan is ulually twelve days upon the Road , from Erz.erom to Erivan. 

 Leaving Halioarcara , you ford the Jirxx three times, and crois it the next day 

 again: for it winds exceedingly. A League and a half from the place where you 

 ford it the fourth time , upon the top of a high Mountain (lands a Fortreis call'd 

 Kaguifgan, which is the laft place which the Turks pofTefs on that fide. The Cu- 

 ftomers that live there come to the Caravan to take their Toll , which is four Piaftcrs 

 for every Camel loaclcn, and two for every Horie loaclen. In the year 1655 tne 

 Caravan lodging about a League from the Fortreis of K.4guifgan, the Mountains 

 adjoyning being inhabited by Chriftian Armenians , there came to us a poor Bifhop 

 attended by fifteen or fixteen perfons, among which there were certain Priefts, 

 who brought us Bread, Fowl, and Fruit, defiring the Charity of the Merchants, 

 who recompense! them to their fatisfaftion. About four or five Months after, this 

 Bifhop had one of his Eyes ftruck out by a Janifary. That wicked Fellow came to 

 the Town where the Bifhop liv'd, and lighting upon the Bifhop, ask'd him for Money, 

 which becaufe the Bifhop had none to give him, in a rage he ftabb'd him im the Eye 

 with his Dagger. Complaint was made to the Aga , who 'tis thought would have 

 punifh'd the Offender , but he fled , and left the Bifhop without remedy of iatii- 

 iaftion. 



From the laft place where we encamp'd near the Aras, we went and lodg'd the 

 next day upon the fame River , in the fight of a Village not above a quarter of a 

 League. The next day we crols'd the River that runs from Kars, and parts Turkie 

 from Pcrfia. The next day we ftop'd upon the Banks of Aras, half a League from 

 a little Town ^ and this is the laft time you ice this River which you arc conftrain'd 

 to pais fo often. 



Leaving Aras , we came to lodge in a Plain , in fight of a Town which is not far 

 diftant. The next day the Caravan lyes in the Field, and the next day it comes to 

 a place where there are three Churches , whence it is but half a davs journey from 

 Erivan. 



CHAP. III. 



A Continuation of the ^ad from Conftantinople to Ifpaihan, 

 from the Borders of Perfia to Erivan. 



THE firft Place worthy Obfervation , cntring into 'Perfia thorough 

 Armenia , is that which they call the Three Churches , three Leagues 

 from Erivan , which Three Churches , are three Monafteries diftant one 

 from the other. The biggeft and the faireft is the Refidencc of the Patri- 

 arch of the Armenians. There is anot her to the South of that, about a Muskct-fhot 

 diftant, and another a quarter of a League from it toward the Eaft, which is a 



Nunnery 



