j 2 The Persian Travels Book II. 



abundance of Vaults and Caverns uninhabited •, nor could a man well conjefture 

 whether they were the ancient Habitations of the people , or whether any houfcs 

 had been built upon them in former times •, for raoft of the houlcs in Turkic are like 

 Cellars or el(e but one Story high. Half a League from Tigris (lands a little Hill 

 encompas'd with Houfes, on the top whereof is built a Mofijue'e. The people of 

 the Country fay 'twas the place where Jonas was buryM •, and for that place they 

 have fo great a veneration, that noChriftians are fufter'd to enter into it, but pri- 

 vately, and for Money. By that means I got in with two Capuchin Fryars ^ 

 but we were fore'd to put off our Shooes firft. In the middle of the Mofcjue'e ftood 

 a Sepulchre , cover'd with a Pe rfian Carpet of Silk and Silver , and at the four cor- 

 ners, great Copper Candlefticks with Wax Tapers, befides leveral Lamps and 

 Oftridge-Shclls that hung down from the Roof. Wc law a great number of Moores 

 without , and within fat two Dervt's reading the Alcoran. 



About a Musket-Shot from Moujful toward the North-Eaft, (lands a great Ruin'd 

 Monaftery, enclos'd with high Walls, the greateft part whereof is dill to Be 

 feen. 



We ftay'd ten days at Moujful , and having provided all things ready for the reft 

 of our Journey , we fet forward for Ijpahan* 



CHAP. V. 



A Continuation of the ^pad from Nineveh to Ifpahan : Together 

 -frith the Story of an Amhajfador > call'd Dominico de Santis. 



^■T "W" Aving pafs'd the Tigris , we (tay'd three quarters of an hours Journey 

 I 1 from Nineveh for iome Merchants that were to go along with the Cara- 

 ■""" "1 van. The way which we took was not the ufual Road to Terjia^but 

 _m m. it was a way wherein there were lefs Duties to be paid j and befides, it 

 was a (hort cut, the Caravan making but fifty -eight days Journey between Aleppo 

 and Ifpahan. From the very banks of the River to the place where we Lodg'd that 

 Evening , we faw nothing but continu'd Ruines , which makes me believe, it was the 

 place where the ancient Nineveh ftood. 



We ftay'd two days near the Mofyuec , where according to the tradition of the 

 Turks, Jonas was bury'd , and made choice of zCurd, or Ajfyrian for our Car a- 

 van-Hajbi, though the people are generally Thieves, and muft be carefully look'd 

 after. But it was a piece of Policy , becaule we were to crofs the ancient sAffyria, 

 now call'd Curdijlan •, the Language of which Country is a particular Speech. 



In the two firft days Journey we crofs'd two fmall Rivers that fall from the Moun- 

 tains , and empty thcmfelves into Tigris. Our firft Journey was through a plain 

 Country all along by the fide of a little River \ and the fecond Evening we lodg'd 

 by the fide of a great River that falls from the Mountains toward the North , and 

 running to the South, difcharges it lelf into Tigris. It is call'd Bohrus , being a very 

 rapid Stream, full of Fifh, but more elpecially excellent Trouts. The Caravan was 

 two days patting that River, by reafon there were no Boats. For the people are 

 fore'd to tye long Perches four or five together one upon another , which the Natives 

 call a Kilet. They make it four-fquare , and put underneath it about a hundred 

 Goat-Skins full of wind , to the end the Kilet may not touch the water. Befides 

 the Merchant muft be careful to ipread good (lore of thick Felts over the Kilet, of 

 which he muft be provided to keep off the Water, Ieaft the Bales that fink the Kilet 

 (hould take wet. At the four corners are four Perches that ferve for Oars , though 

 they avail but little againft the force of the Tide \ fo that you muft be fore'd to hale 

 the Kilet four or five hundred Paces a' this fide up the River, and then row down 

 the Stream to the place where you intend to Land the Goods. When the Goods are 

 Landed , the men are fore'd again to draw the Kilet by main ftrength out of the 

 water, to take away the Goat-Skins which are then to be lad'n upon, the Mules appoin- 

 ted to carry them. As for the Horfes , Mules, andAfles, as well thofe that carri'd 



the 



