66 The Persian Travels Book II. 



Mountains, which had been impafTable, but for the Liberality of Ali-Couli-Kat; y 

 Governour of Schiras. He made Ways where there were none before , and joyn'd 

 Mountains together by Bridges , in Countries which otherwife had been inaccefliblc. 

 In the midft of the Mountains is a wide gap or diicontinuance, from whence a 

 Plain extends it felf of about twenty Leagues in circuit. It is inhabited by Jews 

 only, who are.Silk-Wcavers. In theie Mountains you meet with Tents , where the 

 Chaldeans fojourn, that come for cool Air and Pafturage in the Summer. 



Coming to Schiras , I took Horle there for Ijpahan, where I arriv'd in nine days. 

 The Country over which you travel , between thele two Cities , is part Plains , part 

 Mountains*, part wild, and part manur'd. Three days journey from Schiras you 

 pals the Mountain of Mayen, a little City where there is nothing worthy obi'er- 

 vation. Two days journey from thence you enter upon the Plains of the Province 

 of CufcHnar , where the King of Perfia keeps his Race-Hories. The next day I 

 arriv'd at Yefdecas , where the beft Bread in Perfia is made. This is a little City 

 upon a Rock , wherein there is a very fair Inn : at the foot whereof runs a little 

 River that glides into the Valley, wherein grows that excellent Corn which is uttcr'd 

 in Bread from that City. 



In three days I went from Yefdecas to Ijpahan. This was the fir ft Road from 

 Aleppo to Ijpahan. 



CHAP. IV. 



Of the ^oad from Aleppo to Iipahan , through Meiopotamia 

 and Aflyria , "tohkh I traveled in my third Voyage to the In- 

 dies. 



I Departed from Paris in my third Voyage to the Indies upon the fixth of 

 December 1643, and went to Ligern, where I found the Dutch Fleet ready 

 to fet Sail for the Levant. The Veflel wherein I embark'd feeming rather a 

 Man-of-War than a Merchant-Man. We pafs'd through the Channel of 

 Mejfina , and lay there at an Anchor four days before the City. From thence paf- 

 fing by the Morea , we enter'd into the Archipelago , where the Fleet parted , ac- 

 cording as every Ship was bound. Our Ship layl'd direftly for the Port of Alexan- 

 dretta , but though the Wind were favourable , we were ftop'd for i'ome time by 

 a Pirate that met with us off the Eaftern Point of Candy. We endeavour'd to have 

 got clear of him • but the Pirate gaining upon us, we made ready. Thereupon the 

 Pirate gave us three Broad-fides , that went over the Ship without doing us any 

 harm : which we anfwer'd by as many from our Ship , the firft whereof brought his 

 Fore-maft: by the Board-, and the third Shot went through the Fore-caftle and kill'd 

 him fome Men , as far as we could difcern. At that very inftant one of our Mari- 

 ners cry'd out from the Top-maft-head , *A Sail from the South. Thereupon the 

 Pirate left us, and made Sail after her : and we, glad of iuch an efcape , purfu'd our 

 Voyage to Ale xandretta, where we happily arriv'd-, from whence I took Horfe for 

 Aleppo, as I have already defcrib'd. 



The fixth of March I departed from Aleppo in the company of two Capuchin 

 Friars, Father Raphael and Father Yves, and a Fe?ietian whofe name was Dominica 

 de Sanctis. 



From Aleppo to Mr, where you crofs the Euphrates, it is four days journey for the 

 Hodc-Caravan. The Country is well wooded, and well manur'd. 



The feventh of March the great Rains that fell hinder'd us from getting to the 

 ufual Stage , io that we could not gain Telbechar, another Town, where there is no 

 Inn : which conftrain'd us to ftop a League on this fide , and to go to a Cave that 

 was able to contain three hundred Horfe. This is a Cave where the Bedouins or 

 Feeders of Cattel thereabouts oft retire, who live after the manner of the Arabs, 

 either in Rocks or in poor Hutts. 7 he Cave has been hollow'd from time to time, 

 there being feveral Niches in it like little Chambers. Our Caravan-Bafri fearing 



fome 



