6 The Persian Travels Book I. 



was 5 that we met the Grand yifier returning from Hunting , with a Train of four 

 hundred men : fo foon as he perceiv'd us , he nTd off all his men to give us liberty 

 to pals by. But among all the Company, there was not above four frarfes upon 

 which he particularly caft his Eye j which made him lend for the Caravan 'Bachi to 

 know who we were. The Caravan Bachi , to avoid the ill Confcquences of jealoufie 

 which the Viftcr might have of the Franks, at a time when the Grand Viper made 

 War in Perfia, told him we were Jews, at which the Vifier, iTiaking his Head, 

 reply'd only that we did not look like iuch , and happy it was for us that he took 

 no farther notice. For it was twenty to one , but that upon better confideration 

 he might have lent after us to have ftopt us. But when he came home to his 

 Lodging he found a Capigi flaying for him, with Orders from the Grand Signer to 

 take off his Head , which were preiently executed. For Amnrath being troubPd 

 for the !ofs of his Armv, had no way but to revenge himielf upon the perfon that 

 had the command of it. 



Notwithstanding that the Caravans reft at Tccat, yet they (lay likewife two or 

 three days at Chark[iqneu, which is not above two Leagues diftant from if, for 

 Cbarkliqncu is a great Town in a lovely Country, between two fertil HiHs, where 

 there grows excellent Wine. It is for the moft part inhabited by Chriftians, who 

 are generally Tanners. The fine blew Goat-leather Skins being dreft in Tocat, 

 and the Parts thereabout. It is thought the Water contributes very much to their 

 Art. For Tocat is as famous for the blew Goats-leather Skins , as Diarbequir and 

 Bagdat are for the red , Moufful or the ancient Niniveh for the yellow, and Ourfa 

 for the black. About two thoufand Paces from this Town , in the midft of a Plain 

 rifes a vaft Rock , upon the North-fide whereof you afcend about nine or ten fleps 

 into a Chamberwith a Bed, a Table, and a Cupboard in it, all hewn out of the 

 Rock. Upon the Weft fide you afcend ether five or fix fteps that lead to a little 

 Gallery, about five or fix Foot long , and three broad , all hewn out of the Rock, 

 though it be of an extraordinary hardnefs. The Chriftians affirm that St. Chryfoftom 

 made this Rock his retiring-place during his Exilement, and that he had no other 

 Bed or Bolder than the Rock it felf , in a place where they (hew you the print of 

 a Man's Body. Hence it is, that the Caravans, confiding for the moft part of Chriftian 

 Merchants, ftay at Charkliqtteu, to pay their Devotions to this Rock, where the 

 Bifhop of the place , attended by fome Pricfts , with every one a Taper in their 

 Hands, goes and fays Mafs. But the main Rea ion is , becaufe there grows excellent 

 Wine in this place , which being cheaper by half here , than it is at Tocat , obliges 

 the Armenians to ftop here , to provide themfelves for the reft of their Journey. 



Two Leagues from CharkUqueu , you crofs over very high Mountains , with Pre- 

 cipices on both fides. It is the cuftom of the Armenians , when they hear of the 

 approach of a Caravan , to ride out two or three days journey to meet their Coun- 

 try-men and carry them frefh Provifions. Thoie of Cbarkliqneu coming to meet our 

 Caravan , three of the Armenians took a large Mornings-draught , which made 

 them fo Pot-valiant , that they would needs ride before to the Town alone by them- 

 felves •, but by the way they were fet upon by fix Horfe-men that came from the 

 North, where there are higher Mountains than thofe which we were to crofs. Imme- 

 diately the Thieves darted their Half-Pikes at the Armenians , in fo much that two 

 of them fell down mortally wounded , and the other iav'd himielf among the 

 Rocks, but the Thieves got their Horfes and Goods, which were valu'd at ten thou- 

 fand Crowns. The Caravan at the top of the Hill beheld the misfortune of thoie 

 poor men which their own folly had brought upon them , but could not help them, 

 by rcafon of the narrownefs of the ways j befides , that the Thieves knowing all the 

 by- turnings, were prefently out of fight. And therefore it is a dangerous thing 

 to leave the Body of the Caravan , either by flaying too far behind , or running 

 too faft before: and fome have fuffer'd for diftancing themfelves not above five hun- 

 dred Paces from it. 



The Caravans do not make their Journeys all alike -, but come to their Stages 

 fometimes fooner, fometiraes later, according as they meet with Water and Inns, 

 or places fit to pitch their Tents in , to which places the Natives bring Provifion 

 and Provender from the Mountains. There are fome places where there is a necef 

 fity to provide Straw and Barley for two or three days. If you travel in May ? 

 when the Grafs is high , it eoils nothing to feed the Horfes and Camels. For as 



ibon 



