Chap. V. of Monfieur Tavernier. 149 



part whereof belong'd to Haider, and the other to Neamcd-Olahi , two parts of 

 Jfpahan ftill retaining thofe two names , which has occafion'd great quarrels and de- 

 bates among the people, while they have both been eager to prefer their own quarter. 

 Nor indeed could Ijpahan be accompted other than a Village , before Sha-Abas had 

 conquer'd the Kingdoms of Lar and Ormm. But then obierving fo fair a Situa- 

 tion , where he might as well be near the Provinces which he had newly conquer'd , 

 as for the defign which he had to extend his Dominions to the Eaft and Weft, as he 

 had cnlarg'd them to the South, he quitted Cafbin and Sultany to refide at Ijpahan ^ 

 as in the center of his Empire. 



This City is feated in a vaft plain , which extends it felf three ways fifteen or 

 twenty Leagues. Upon the South about two Leagues from Ijpahan riles a very high 

 Mountain , on the top whereof toward the Weft arc to be feen the remains of a 

 veryftrong Fortrcfs, where Darius kept himfelf, when Alexander gave Battle to 

 him in that Plain. In the fide of the Rock is a Grotto j either natural or artificial, 

 or both, out of which iflues a natural Spring of excellent Water, where* Dtrvis 

 uiually inhabits. 



The Circuit of Ispahan , taking the Suburbs all in, is not much Iefs than that of 

 Paris * 7 but the number of Inhabitants is ten times greater at Paris than at Ijpahan. 

 Nor is it a wonder that a City (hould be lb large and yet fo ill peopl'd , where every 

 Family has its particular Houfe, and every H6ufe its particular Garden. What 

 ever way you come to it you may dif cover firft the Towers of the Mojyuus, and then 

 the Trees that environ the Houies , Co that Ijpahan ieems rather a Forreft than a City. 

 The Plain being fertile is well inhabited, but there are no Villages in it, only three or 

 four Houfes in a place together. 



The Walls of Ijpahan are of Earth , to which do belong fome pittiful Towers 

 without Battlements or Platforms , Baftions or Redoubts , or any other Fortifica- 

 tion. The Moats alfo are as bad , neither broad nor deep, but always dry. In 

 fome places alio the people have beaten down great gaps in the Wall , to get the 

 neareft way into the City} yet they reckon ten Gates, which are but of Earth 

 however, and of no defence ; the' chief of which are Der-Vajdjchab , not far 

 from the King's Palace, Dcr-Tokshi, Der-Mar^ Der-VajalUmbon, 'Der-Najan- 

 Abad, Der-Sha, and Der-Dekt. The Gates are made of Planks rudely joyn'd 

 together , and covcr'd with plates of Iron four fingers broad , and # as thick as a 

 Crown, faften'd with flat-headed Naiis. The Keys are never carry 'd to the Go- 

 vernour , but left with a filly Porter that op'ns and fhuts the Gates as he pleaies 

 himfelf *, for indeed there is no neceflity of (hutting the Gates when there are lb many 

 other wavs into the City. 



The City of Ijpahan is ill laid ouf 7 for the Streets are narrow and unequal, and 

 for the moft part dark , becaufe of the Arches that go from one Houfe to another, 

 fo that a man is fore'd lbmetimes to feel his way for two hundred paces. Moreover 

 the Streets are many times annoy'd with Loads of Ordure and the Carcaffcs of dead 

 Beafts , which caufe a moft filthy ftench, and would be very infeaious certainly, 

 but for the wholcfomnci's of the Air. In the moft part of the Streets are Wells , 

 which are ftop'd up in Summer, and open'd in the Winter to carry away the Rain 

 and the Snow into the Arch'd Channels which run under Ground through the middle 

 of the Street. There are alfo before every Door certain Troughs to receive the 

 filth and ordure of evcrv Family , which the Country-men come and carry away to 

 Dung their Grounds. Every morning the Country-man comes'With his Als to lade 

 Dung:, and it is obiervablc that he is more diligent to carry away the Dung of the 

 Armenians, Frank*, and Jews that drink Wine, than of the Per Bam that drink 

 none. And this is the profit of the Servants of the Houfe that iell an Aflcs Load 

 of Dung for five , and fometimes for ten or twelve Kasbejhe. 



The Streets of Ijpahan , as of all the reft of the Cities of Pcrfia arc not : pav d , 

 which makes them very incommodious both Summer and Winter. For m the Sum- 

 mer the duft puts out your Eyes , unlefs it be in the Streets where the great Mer 

 chants live, and about the Meydan, where there arc people hird to water the 

 Streets Morning , Noon , and Night. Thofe people go about the Streets alio with 

 a ***** full of Water, and a Glafs, with Ice in a Bag, to give them drink 

 that defire it : Nor do they take any money , being paid out of the Legacies Iclt by 

 perfons deccafed for that purpofe. In the Winter this duft turns to mire halt 



