Chap.III. tf/Monfieur Tavernier. 103 



free through the Territories of his Government, which he freely and courteoufly 

 granted me: Come, faid he, and dine with me to morrow , and you jhall have it. 



The twenty-fixth of September we departed from Erivan , and the ninth of Novem- 

 ber we came to Tamris , taking the ordinary Road. 



At Erivan two of my Servants, the one a Watch-maker, theotheraGold-fmith, 

 dv'd • I left them fick there , but caus'd them to be buried in the Church-yard 

 belonging to the ^Armenians. One of them dy'd in fifteen days , of a Gangrene, 

 which eat out his Mouth and Throat*, being the Difcaie of the Country. Though 

 had the A menians known that one of them had been a Proteftant , they would never 

 have allow'd him to have been bury'd in their Church-yard. 



Here obferve the exaft juftice , wherewith the ftrfimt prefcrvc the Goods of 

 Strangers. For the Civil Judge hearing of the death of the Watch-maker , caus'd 

 his Chamber to be feal'd tip, to the end the Goods might be prcferv'd for the 

 kindred of the deceas'd , if they came to demand them. I return'd to Tanris a 

 twelve month after, and found the Chamber clofe feal'd up. 



We (laid twelve days at Tauris t during which time I refolv'd to attend the Kan 

 of Shumaqui , a frontier Town of Pcrfia toward thtCaJpian Sea*, but I found him 

 not there , in regard it was Harveft feafon , at what time he goes to gather the 

 King's and his own Duties. 



Two days journey on this fide Sbamaqni you pafs the Aras , and for two days 

 journey you travel through a Country all planted with white Mulberry-Trees-, the 

 Inhabitants being all Silk-Weavers. Before you come to the City, you muft crofs 

 over leveral Hills: But I think I fhould rather have call'd it a great Town, where 

 there was nothing remarkable but a fair Caftle which the Kan built himfelf •, I fpeak 

 of the time paft : For as I return'd from this prefent Voyage of which I*how write, 

 when I came toTauru I underftood , that there had happen'd fuch a terrible Earth- 

 quake in the Town as had laid all the Houfcs in a heap-, none cfcaping that difmal 

 iubverfion, but only one Watch-maker of Geneva , and one more who was a Camel- 

 driver. I had feveral times defign'd to return into France through Mufcovy-, but 

 I durft never adventure , being certainly inform'd that the Mufcovite never permitted 

 any perfon to go out of Mufcovy into Pcrfia , nor to come out of Perfia into Muf- 

 covy. So that it was by particular connivence that that favour was granted to the 

 Duke of Holflcirfs Ambafliidors. This laft time I was refolv'd to have try'd whe- 

 ther I could have open'd a PafTage from Perfia through Mufcovy into France , but the 

 Ruine of Sbamaqui deterr'd me. 



We departed from Tauris the twenty-fecond of November, from whence to Caftan 

 we met with nothing confidcrable , but only one of the Mujcovke Ambaifadors 

 upon his return into his own Country, with a fmall Retinue of fixty, his Companion 

 dying at Ijpahtn. 



Upon Sunday the fourteenth of December taking Horfe'by three of the Clock in- 

 the morning, the Ice bearing very well , we came to Ifpxhan about noon : but iri 

 regard it was flippery before day, and very plafhy after the Sun was up , the Journey 

 was both tedious and troublefom. 



CHAP. HI. 



T7;e Q(pad from Aleppo to Tauris, through Diarbequir and Van. 



THcrc are two Roads more remaining to be defcrib'd -, one through the 

 North part of Turfy , the other through the South. The firft through 

 Diarbequir and Van , and fo to Ttttrit ; the iccond through Anna , and 

 the i'mall Dcfert leading to Bagdat. 

 I wiH defcribe the firft of thefe Roads , and make a skip at the firft leap to Bir, 

 whither I have already led you in the Road from Alrppo. • 



From Bir or Beri , you travel all along the River Euphrates to Cacbcme. 

 From Cacheme you come to Milcfara , where you pay the Cuftoms of Onrfa, 



when 



