Chap, III. 0/Monfieur Ta vernier. 105 



From Cochakan to Carakan , a bad Inn 5 where you enter among the Mountains, 

 that being full of Torrents reach as far as Betlis. 



From Carakan to Betlis , a City belonging to a Bey or Prince of the Country, the 

 moft potent and mod confiderable of all the reft j for he neither acknowledges the 

 Grand Simr nor the Perfian : whereas all the other Beys are Tributary either to the 

 one or the other. And it is the Intereft of thofe two Potentates to correipond with 

 him • for it's an eafie thing for him to ftop up the paffage from Aleppo to Tan- 

 ris , or from Tauris to Aleppo ; the Streights of the Mountains being fo narrow, 

 that ten Men may defend them againft a thoufand. Coming near Betlis you muft 

 travel a whole day among high fteep Mountains, that reach two Miles beyond, with 

 Torrents on each fide •, the way being cut out of the Rock on each fide , where there 

 is but juft room for a Camel to pals. The City ftands between two high Mountains, 

 equally diftant one from the other, and about the height of Montmartre. It is built 

 like a Sugar-loaf, the afcent being fo fteep on every fide, that there is no getting 

 to the top, but by wheeling and winding about the Mountain. The top of all is a Plat- 

 form, where ftands a Caftlc well built, at the Gate whereof is a Draw-Bridge. Then 

 you pafs through two great Courts , and then into a third, oppofite to the Bef% 

 Apartment. It is very troublefom to get up to the top of the Caftle, and a Man 

 muft be very wellHors'd that does it. There is no other perlbn but the Bey and his 

 Efquire , who is permitted to ride up on Horfe-back. There is one Inn within the 

 City, and another as it were without , in which the Merchants rather choofe to 

 lye than in the other , by reafon that it is ready to be overflown when the Torrents 

 iwell , that run through every Street. The Bey , befide the ftrength of his Pafles, 

 is able to bring above five and twenty thoufand Horfe into the Field \ and a very 

 confiderable Body of Foot , composed of the Shepherds of the Country, who are to 

 be ready at a Call. I went to wait upon the Bey himfelf, and made him a Prefent 

 of two pieces of Satin , the one ftreakt with Silver , and the other with Gold : two 

 white Bonnets, fuch as the Turks wear, very fine, and adorn'd with Silver at the top -, 

 together with a fute of Handkerchiefs , ftreak'd with Red and Silver. While I 

 ftaid with the Bey. who fent for Coffee for me according to the cuftom , a Courier 

 came to him from the Bafia of Aleppo, todefirehim that he would deliver up into 

 his hands a French Chirurgeon that was his Slave, having been tak'n in Candia- 

 complaining withal , that he had run away from him with the value of three thou- 

 fand Crowns. The Bey, who undcrftood w T hat belong'd to a Sanctuary, and was 

 refolv'd to protect the French-man , fchool'd the Meffenger fo feverely , that he 

 threaten'd to put him to death if he did not get him gone prefently :, charging him 

 to tell his Mafter withal, that he would complain to the Grand Signor of his info- 

 lence •, and that if he were ftrangfd , he might thank himfelf. And indeed it 

 behov'd the Great Turk^ to keep fair correfpondence with him :, in regard that if the 

 Perfians fhould at any time befiegc Van , the Grand Signor muft march through the 

 Beyh Country to relieve it , who has Forces enow to oppofe him if he fhould be his 

 Enemy. 



But to travel through the Country of the Curds is very pleafant : for if on the 

 one fide the ways arc bad, and difficult to be travel'd , in other places you have a 

 profpccT: of fevcral forts of Trees, as Oaks and Walnuts, and not a Tree which is 

 not embraced with a wild Vine. Below the Mountains, in the Level , grows the beft 

 Wheat and Barley in all the Country. 



From Betlis, where you pay five Piaflers for every Horfe-load, to Taduan, where 

 you pay two. 



Taduan is a great Town within a Cannon-fhot of the Lake of Van, in fuch a part, 

 where Nature has made a Hav'n, (helter'd from all the Winds*, being clos'd on ail 

 fides with high Mountains, the entry into which though it fecm narrow, is very 

 free. It is able to contain twenty or thirty great Barks*, and when it is fair Wca~ 

 ther , and that the \Vind ferves , the Merchants generally Ship off their Goods 

 from thence to Van: from whence it is but four ancl twenty hours fail, and a very 

 good paffagc •, whereas by Land from Taduan to Van it is eight days journey or, 

 Horfe-back. Returning back, you may alio take Water at Van for Taduan. 



From' Taduan to Karmoufie. s 



From Karmoujhc to Kellat. 



From Kellat to uilgiaoux, a fmall City, where you pay one Piafter for every Load- 



O From 



