68 The Persian Travels Book II. 



three or four hundred paces diftant from the City toward the North. When the 

 Inn is full , the reft retire into the (f ratio's which are near at hand , and are very 

 good quarters. Here the Toll-gatherer prefently comes and counts the Bales 

 without op'ning them. They that carry any Sacks muft pay for half a Load *, if 

 not , he op'ns the Sack to fee if there be any Merchandile therein , for then the 

 Merchant muft pay the whole duty. 



Ourfa is the Capital City of Mefopotamia , built as they fay , in the fame place 

 where Abraham liv'd , and where ftoodthe ancient Edejfa , where the people of the 

 Country report , that King Abagarus generally kept his Court. There arc ftill to 

 be Iccn the ruines of a Caftlcj from whence they add, that the dime King lent to 

 CHRIST for his Picture, and offcr'd him his Kingdom and his people to defend 

 him againft the Jews , whom he underftood to be his Enemies. The Chronicles of 

 the Armenians report , that Abagarm was their Country-man , and that in his Reign 

 they began to be Chriftians , and to be Baptiz'd by the hands of an Apoftle , whom 

 CHR IS T fent to that Prince after his Refurreftion. Neither is this Caftlc yet fo 

 far ruin'd $ but that there is ftill to be feen a lpacious Hall , and three or four hand- 

 ibra Rooms with fomc relicks of Mofaick work. I was curious to fee what ever 

 was remarkable in this City. And firft they led me to a large Fountain which rc- 

 iembles a Filh-pond , the Spring whereof is under the Foundations of the principal 

 Mefifueey which was built in the honour of Abraham. The Chriftians of the Coun- 

 try fay , that it was in that place where he pray'd , before he went about to Sacri- 

 fice his Son ffaac , and that two Springs of Water arofe from the two places where 

 he refted his knees, which now feed the large Fountain I have made mention of. 

 It is pav'd with Free-ftonc, and fo full of fi(h,that if you throw them in a little Bread, 

 they will follow you from place to place as you walk by the fide of the Pond. There 

 is no medling with them ^ for the Turks have a great veneration for thole Fifti which 

 they call Abraham's Fifh. Befides that , the place about the Fountain where the 

 water wid'ns it felf to water all the City, is cover'd with very fair Carpets , for 

 about twenty paces in bredth. This Fountain at length falls into a little River that 

 runs by the Walls. As for the Grotto where the two Springs rife , there is no going 

 into it before you have pull'd off your Shooes , and it is a great favour for a Chriftian 

 to fee if, fuch a favour as coft me fix Piafters. I alfo law the Church, under the 

 portal whereof, they fay, St. Alexis liv'd feventeen years a private life. It ftands 

 in the middle of a Church-yard , in the higheft part of the Town , in the porTeflion 

 of the Armenians. But their principal Church is about a quarter of an hours 

 walking from the City , built by St. Ephren , who is there buried. The Monaftcry 

 ftands yet entire , enclos'd with fair Walls. In the Church I faw a large Bible in 

 Armenian Characters. The Sepulchre of St. Ephren is in a Cave at the foot of the 

 Mountain, to which there alfo belongs a Chappel, where they keep three or four 

 Lamps continually burning. There arc other Grottoes up and down the Mountain , 

 where are to be feen very ancient Sepulchers of the Chriftians. The City of Ourfa 

 is feated in a good foil , very well manur'd , which extends it felf out of fight to- 

 ward the Eaft. There are feveral pleafant Gardens near the walls, water'd by 

 little Channels brought thither by Art. The foil produces good Wine , fo that 

 a man may live as well at Ourfa, as in any part of Turkic. While I ftay'd there, 

 I kill'd abundance of Feldfares in rhofe Gardens *, and indeed there is great ftore of 

 wild Fowl all the Country over. The Walls of the City are of Freeftone , with 

 Battlements and Towers •, but within, the houfes are fmall, ill built, and ruinous: 

 And there are feveral void fpaces in the City , which makes Ourfa to look rather 

 like a Defert than a Metropolis. The City is Govern'd by a Bajha , who has under 

 him a hundred and fifty Janizaries , and fix hundred Spahis , {landing more in need 

 of Cavalry than Infantry, by reafon of the Incurfions of the Arabians , efpecially 

 in Harveft time. In (hort, Ourfa is the place were they drefs fuch great quanti- 

 ties of Cordovan Skiis , by reafon of the waters particular to the Country, which 

 give them that peculiar beauty. The Yellow Skins are dreft at Ourfa , the Blew 

 at Tocat, and the red Rat Diarbequir. 



The twentieth of March , we fet out of Ourfa , and after a Journey of fix hours , 

 we lay at a pittiful Village where the Inn was fal'nall to decay. There is a Foun- 

 tain of excellent water by it, which is all the convenience of the place, for there 

 is no Provifion to be had. 



The 



