io8 The Persian Travels Book III. 



CHAP. IV, 



Another ^oad from Aleppo to Tauris } through Gezire and other 

 places. 



(Rom Aleppo to Bir or Bert, where you muft crois Euphrates, days 4 



From By to Onrfa , clays 2 



From Ourfa to Diarbequir, clays 6 



From Diarbequir to GVz,/W,^ays 4 



Gez.ire is a little City oF Mesopotamia, built upon an Ifiand in the. River 2%r# ; 



which is there to be crofs'd over a fair Bridge of Boats. Here the Merchants meet 



to buy Gall-nuts and Tobacco. The City is under the Jurifcli&ion of a Bey. 



Having paft the Tigris, all the Country between that and TauyU is almoit equally 

 divided between Hills and Plains*, the Hills are cover'd with Oaks that bear Galls, 

 and fome Acorns withal. The Plains are planted with Tobacco, which is traniported 

 into Turkic , for which they have a very great Trade. One would think the Country 

 were poor, feeing nothing but Galls and Tobacco } but there is no Country in the 

 World where there is more Gold or Silver laid out , and where they are more nice 

 in taking Money that is in the Ieaft defective either in weight or goodnels of Metal. 

 For Galls being a general Commodity for Dying , and no where to be found fo good 

 as there , bring a vaft Trade to the Country :, wherein there are no Villages, yet it 

 is ovcr-fpread with Houfcs a Mulquet-fhot one from another •, and every Inhabitant 

 has his quarter of his Vineyard by himfelf, where they dry their Grapes : for they 

 make no Wine. 



From Gezire to Amadic , days 2 



Amadie is a good City, to which the Natives of a great part of Ajfyria bring their 

 Tobacco, and Gall-nuts. It is feated upon a high Mountain, to the top whereof 

 you cannot get in lei's than an hour. Toward the middle of the Rock three or four 

 large Springs fall down from the Cliffs , where the Inhabitants are fore'd to water 

 their Cattel and fill their Borachio^s every morning , there being no Water in the 

 City. It is of an indifferent bignefs, and in the middle is a large Piaz.z.a , where 

 all forts of Merchants keep their Shops. It is under the Command of a Bey that is 

 able to raife eight or ten thoufand Horfe, and more Foot than any other of the 

 Beys , by reafon his Country is i'o populous. 



From Amadie to Gioufmarb^, days 4 



From Gioufmark^to Attack^, days 3 



From Alback^ to Salmajire , days 3 



Salmajlre is a pleafant City upon the Frontiers of the Atfyria?;s and Medes, and 



the firfl on that fide in the Territories of the Perfian King. The Caravan never 



lyes there , becaufe it would be above a League out of the wav : but when the 



Caravan is lodg'd , two or three of the principal Merchants with the Caravan-Bafii 



according to cuftom go to wait upon the Kan. The Kan is fo glad that the Caravan 



takes that Road, that he prefents the Caravan-Bafln and thofe that go with him, with 



the Garment of Honour, ortheCalaat, the Bonnet, and Girdle ^ which is the 



greateft Honour that the King or his Governour can do to Strangers. 



From Salamafire to Tauris, days 4 



In all thirty-two days journey this way from Aleppo to Tauris. But though this 

 be the fliortcft cut, and where they pay leaft Cuftoms , yet the Merchants dare hardly 

 venture for fear of being ill us'd by the Beys. 



Tercn, whofe Capital City the Pcrfians call Cherijar , is a Province between Ma- 

 z.andran and the ancient Region of the Perfians known at this day by the name of 

 Hierac , to the South-Eaft of Ijpahan. Tis one of the moft temperate Countries, 

 that has nothing in it of the contagious Air of Guilan, where the King goes for the 

 purity of the Air, and for his fport of Hunting:, bcfides , that it produceth ex- 

 cellent Fruits in many places. The Capital City whereof, which ibme call by the 

 name of the "Province, is of a moderate compafs, but there is nothing worthy obfer- 

 vation in it : only a League from it are to be feen the Ruines of a great Citv, which 



' had 



