6i The Persian Travels Book II. 



it would have left its bitternefs by being boyPd : but we found the contrary. 



From thofe two Wells that were good for nothing , we travel'd fix days before 

 we met with any Water, which with the three days before, made nine •, and all that 

 time the Camels never drank, as I have hinted already. At the end of nine days we 

 crois'd a Hilly Country for three Leagues together, at the feet of three of which Hills 

 there were three (landing Pools. The Camels, that fmelt the Water half a League 

 off, put themlelvcs upon their great trot, which is their manner of running, and 

 no f boner came to the Pools but they crouded in all together , which caus'd the 

 Watar to be thick and muddy. Thereupon the Caravan-Bafii refolv'd to (lay there 

 two or three days together , 'till the Water was fetl'd. Here we had alio the 

 opportunity to boyl us tome Rice , there being good (lore of Bufhcs that grew about 

 the Lake. But above all , the People were over-joy'd that they had an opportunity 

 to make Bread , which they do after the following manner. Firft they dig a round 

 Hole in the Ground, half a Foot deep, and two or three in diameter, which they 

 croud full of Bufhes , and then let them on fire , covering them with Bricks or 

 Stones 'till they are red-hot. In the mean while they prepare their Dough upon 

 a Sofia, or round piece of Copper , which ferves at other times for Table and Table- 

 Cloth to eat upon. Then they take away the Ames and Bricks , and making the Hole 

 very clean, put in their Dough, and cov'ring it again with the hot Bricks or Stones^ 

 leave it fo'till the morning. The Bread thus bak'd is very well tailed, not being 

 above two Fingers thick, and as big as an ordinary Cake. 



While we ftay'd at the three Ponds , I (pent my time in killing Hares and Par- 

 tridge , of which there was very great plenty in thoie parts. The night before 

 we departed wefill'd our Boracho's again , the Water being very good and clear*, 

 though it be nothing but Rain-water preierv'd in thoie Cavities , which in the 

 Summer are dry again. 



But now the Caravan-Bajhi , feeing we had travel'd already nine days without 

 finding any Water , refolv'd to leave the South , and to keep to the W eft •, and if he 

 met not with Water in two or three days , to take to the North-Eaft, or Winter- 

 Eaft , in qucft of the River Euphrates. 



Two days after we had chang'd our Road , we pafs'd between two little Hills, 

 where we met with a Pond , near to which were two Arabian, each with his Wife 

 and Children , tending a Herd of Goats and a Flock of Sheep. They told us they 

 were going toward Moujful, and put us in the bed Road to find Water;, and indeed, 

 from that place to Balfara , we never travel'd three days together, but we met with 

 enough. 



Five days after we had left thofe two Arabians, we difcover'd a large Palace all 

 of Brick :, which (hew'd fome probability, that the Country had been formerly fow'd, 

 and that the Bricks had been burnt with the Straw. To the Palace belong'd three large 

 Courts:, in every one of which were fair Buildings, with two Stories of Arches, 

 one upon another. Though this large Pile was (landing, yet no body liv'd in it, 

 nor could the Arabians , very ignorant in Antiquity, tell us by whom it was built. 

 Before the Gate of the Palace there is a Lake with a Channel, the bottom whereof 

 is brick'd, as alfo the Arch, which is even with the Ground. This the Arabians believe 

 to have been a conveyance of Water from Euphrates : which furely could never be, in 

 regard that Euphrates is above twenty Leagues diftant. 



From that Palace we kept to the North-Eaft , and after we had travel'd five days, 

 we arriv'd at a pitiful Town , formerly call'd Cufa, now Meched-Ali, where Ali, 

 Mahomet's Son-in-law lyes buried in a plain Mofauee. Generally there (land four 

 Tapers lighted about the Tomb , and certain Lamps burning over-head , which are 

 faften'd to the Roof. 



Though the Perfians have Ali in fo much veneration , yet they rarely go in Pil- 

 grimage to his Tomb. The reafon is , becaufe that there being no way to come at 

 it, but through Bagdat, which is under the Dominion of the Great Tnrl^, there is 

 a demand of eight Piaflers from every Pilgrim-, which is an Impofition that no way 

 pleafes the King of Perfia. Sha-Abas fcorning that his Subjefts fhould be tributary to 

 the Turks, endeavour'd to divert them from this Pilgrimage by another fort of 

 Devotion, which he fet up at Mefie'ed, upon the Road from Tauris to Candahar. Nor 

 have the Kings his SucceflTors been lefs unwilling to give their Subjefts leave to vifit 

 their Prophet Ali, taking it for an Affront to pay Tribute to the Grand Signer. 



Which 



