Chap. II. of Monfiuer Tavernier. 5 



what they preferve in Cifterns when it rains. In the middle of the Mountain is I fair 

 Spring, and round about it are feveral Chambers cut out of the Rock , where the 

 Dervtchs make their abode. There are but two Inns, and thoievery bad ones, 

 in Amafia. But the Soil is good , and bears the bed Wine and Fruits in all Na- 

 tolia. 



Ainabachar , is the name of an Inn, diftant a quarter of a League from a great 

 Town where they fetch their Provifions. 



Turcall is a great Town near to a Mountain, upon which there ftands a Caftle. 

 The River that comes from Tocatt wafhcs the Houfes , and we caught excellent Fi(h 

 in it. In that place is another of the faireft Inns upon the Road. 



From Twrcall you may travel in one day to Tocatt , where the Road from Smyrna 

 to Ifpahan meets. 



Tocat is a good fair City built at the foot of a very high Mountain , fpreading it 

 felf round about a great Rock that ftands almoft in the midft of the Town , upon the 

 top whereof a high Caftle commands the neighbouring parts , with a good Garrifon 

 in it. It is very ancient , and the remainder of three others that ftood there in 

 former times. The City is very well inhabited with Turki , who are the Lord Con- 

 trollers, Armenians , Greek* •> and Jews. The Streets are very narrow, but tha 

 Houfes are indifferent well built •, and among feveral Mofquees, there is one very 

 magnificent, which feems to be newly rear'd. There was alio a very fair Inn going 

 up , which when I laft traveled that way, was not quite finiuVd. There is one 

 thing more particular and more commodious at Tocat, which is not to be found in 

 any Inns upon the Road , That round about all the Caravan/era's in the Town , there 

 are Lodgings which they let out to Merchants, that defire to be by themfelves out 

 of the noife and hurry of the Caravans, whiles they ftay at Tocat. Bcfides that, 

 in thofc private Lodgings you have your liberty to drink Wine, and provide for 

 the reft of your Journey, which is not fo eafily done in the publick Inns, where the 

 Turki will have an eye upon the Merchants, to draw Money out of their pockets. 

 The Chriftians have twelve Churches at Tocat , and there refides an Archbifhop, 

 that has under him feven Suffragans. There are alio two Monafteries for Men , and 

 two for Women •, and for fourteen or fifteen Leagues round Tocat , the Country is 

 all inhabited by Armenian Chriftians - but very few Greeks being intermix'd among 

 them. The greateft part of thefe Chriftians are Tradefmen , and for the moft part 

 Smiths. A fair River runs about half a quarter of a League from the City,which riles 

 near to Emerom , and is croi's'd at Tocat over a very beautiful ftone Bridge. Upon 

 the North-fide of the City, it waters a Plain three or four days Journey in extent, 

 and two or three Leagues broad. It is very fertil , and repleniifi'd with fair Vil- 

 lages very well peopl'd. A man may live very cheap at Tocat : the Wine is moft 

 excellent, and all fort of rare Fruit very plentiful. It is the only place in all Afta 

 where plenty of Saffron grows , which is the beft Commodity you can carry to the 

 Indies y where a Pound, as the Years fall out, is worth thirteen or fourteen * Franks, * Every Frank 

 though the Wax that preferves it , be as much in weight as the Saffron. This City, being 2 s. 

 with the Lands belonging to it, uiually is the Dowager Sritaneffcs Joynture. There ^ling. 

 is only an A?a and a CWy, that command there in the behalf of the Grand Signor ; 

 for the Bajha , from whom they receive their Orders , lives at Sivas , which is the 

 ancient Sebaftia, and a very great City, fome three days journey from Tocat. In 

 fhort , Tocat is one of the moft ?emarkablc Thoroughfares in the Eaft, where are 

 continually lodg'd the Caravans from Per/ia , Diarbequer , Bagdat , Conftantinople, 

 Smyrna , Synopm, and other places •, and here the Caravans turn off, as they are 

 vanoufly bound. They that are for Conftantinople, take to the Winter Weft upon 

 the right hand -, they that are for Smyrna, incline to the Summer Weft, upon the 

 left hand. When you let out either way out of Tocat, there is a Toll-gatherer, 

 that counts all the Camels and Horiesthat pafs by,and exacls for every Camel a quarter 

 of a Rixdollar, and for every Hovfe half as much. As for the Horfes or Camels that 

 carry the Paffengers or their Provifions, they pay nothing. This continual concourfe 

 of the Caravans trolls the Money about at Tocaty and makes it One of the moft con- 

 fiderable Cities of Turkic. 



Setting out of Tocat to go to Erz.erom y youdifcovera little Village fo fituated 

 under a Hill, as if the Mountain Jay a top of it •, and between that Mountain and 

 the River, the Road is very narrow where the Caravan is to pafs. In this Road it 



was* 



