The Persian Travels Book I 



for the Caravans i that go for Pcrfia or the Indies, which never fet out but at certain 

 times , and from certain places. 



Theie Caravans let out from Co?iflantinoplc, Smyrna, and Aleppo. And it is froni 

 one of theie Cities that a Traveller mud fet out, that intends for Perjia, whether he 

 keeps company with the Caravan, or will hazard hirnfelf alone with a Guide, as once 

 I did. 



I will begin with Conflantinople, from whence you may go cither by Land or Sea : 

 and either by Land or Sea there arc two ways to go. The firft of theie by Land is 

 that which h took withMoaficur Chapes and Monfieur St. Liebau. By the way take 

 notice , that Vienna is the half-way near-upon between Parts and Conflantinople. The 

 fecond Road is lefs frequented , but is lefs inconvenient and lefs dangerous : for there 

 are no need of the Empcrour's Pafports, which he docs not grant very freely : befides 

 that here is no fear of the Pirate* of Tunis or Arfftcr, a$ when you embarque from 

 Marseilles or Ijgcrn. If you intend this way, youf muft go to Vtnke ; from Venice 

 to Ancorta , from whence feveral Barques are bound every Week for Ragufa. From 

 Ragufa you fail along by the Shore to Dura.z,^o a Sea-Port of Albania; from whence 

 you travel the reft of the way by Land. From Durazz.6 to AlbampoUs, diftant three 

 days journey, from thence to Moneflicr, juft as far ; from Moneflier you may either 

 take the left hand through Sophia , and Philippopolis , or the right through In- 

 gaifchcr, three days journey from Moneftitr, and ten from Adrtanople, from whence 

 in five days you reach Conflantinople through Selivrea. 



This laft way is part by Sea and part by Land : but there are two other ways alto- 

 gether by Land , above and below Italy, according to the dntin£tion which Antiquity 

 made of th e two Seas that alm oft encompals it. You may embark at Venioe, and 

 fayling alongltfe Uult wnicri ' ls~trce~from Pirates , you mud double the Cape of 

 Matapan, the moft Southern Point of all Europe, to enter into the Archipelago. The 

 other way is from Marseilles or Ligorn, from whence feveral Vefiels are bound for 

 the Eaft. The fafeft way is to go along with the Englifl) or Holland Fleets, that 

 ufualfy arrive at Ligorn either in the Spring or in Autumn , and part juft agninft the 

 Morea , to the feveral parts whither they are bound. As the Wind ferves , thole 

 Fleets fometimes make Sail between the Hand of Elba and Italy, and by the Tower 

 of Meffma : fometimes below Sicily and Sardigna, within fight of Malta. Thus you 

 muft come within fight of Candy, whether you arc bound for Conflantinople, Smyrna, 

 or Alcxandretta, from whence it is but three days jonrney to Aleppo : from one of 

 which three Cities , you muft neceffarily begin your journey, ir you intend for 

 Petfia. 



Some take 'Egypt in their way , ufing though Alexandria , Cairo , and Vamiata, 

 whence fevcraf Vcflels are bound for Joppa ; or St. John's of Acra , which is not 

 far off: from thence to Jerusalem or Damafciu, and from thence to Bagdat or Babylon. 



If you will venture in a fingle Veffel not flaying for the Fleet?, you may hire a 

 VefTel from Ligorn to Naples, from Naples to Meffma, keeping along by the Shore, and 

 lying a-fhorc every night. I took this way , aiid went from Meffma to Syracuft, 

 where are to be feen the moft remarkable footfteps of Antiquity. Tis like a City 

 under ground , and near to it is a great Rock which has been made hollow, at the 

 bottom whereof if a man whiiper, they that are at the top may hear him. They 

 call this Rock Hionyfuts the Tyrant's Ear: for being at the top, he eafily understood 

 what the People faid of him below, and difcovcred the Counfcls of the chic£ Men 

 of Syracufe, whom he kept prifoners there. - Syracufe has nothing of that fplcndour 

 which renown'd it when it was the Miftrefs of all Sicily, and when Greece, jealous of 

 her power,made War upon her. But the Soil is very plentiful,and the Gallies of Malta 

 very oftc4take in their Provifions there. Near the City is a fair Convent of Capuchin 

 Friers , going out of which you may walk for half an hour between two very high 

 Rocks, where there are feveral little Cells with every one a Garden, where the Friers 

 fometimes retire, and it is certainly one of the moft pleafing Solitudes in the World. 



From Syracufe I went to Malta, where you muft wait for fomeShip that is bound 

 for the Eaft. 



CHAP. 



