ji-o The Persian Travels Book IV. 



the leg deep •, though it be very true that there are very few people to be feen 

 then in the Street *, tor in regard of the vaulted Channels that run through every 

 Street) (hould the ibak'd Earth chance to fail under the Horic , it might endanger a 

 Limb. Befides , the Per font are lb fuperftitious , that they will hardly receive 

 a man within their doors with a ipot of Dirt upon his Cloathcs, for fear of being 

 defil'd by him. 



You (hall alfo meet with little Holes againft the Walls of the Houfes in the op'n 

 Street , where the Perftam are not afham'd to fquat and Pits in the face of all the 

 World. If there be any running Water in the Street, they take a little in their 

 Hands and wa(h their Member with it •, or if there be no Water, they rub it againft 

 a Stone or the Wall , which they take for a great piece of gentility and mow 

 defty. 



That which farther contributes to the naftinefs of the Streets of Jfpahan , is j 

 that the Butchers throw the Blood and Excrements of the Beads which they kill 

 into the Streets. If a Horle or a Mule, a Camel or an Aft dye , they preiently 

 throw him into the Street. True it is, that there are people who come prefently to 

 buy it of the Owner :, who make Harijfe , which they fell to the poor Work-men. 

 This Hariffc is thus prepar'd :, they boyl the flefh of the dead Beaft with Corn, and 

 after it is well boy I'd they maih it together, 'till it becomes like a Pottage. They alio 

 make Hariffe of good Mutton :, both which forts they fell in the Market-place , or 

 great Meydan of the City. 



Though the City of ijpahan be dirty, yet there is a Way for perfons of ability to 

 avoid it :, for they never ftir but on Horie-back , with two or three Lackeys , call'd 

 Coatres , that run before to make room. For the Men are all upon the falic Gallop 

 in the Streets , without any fear of hurting the Children : by reafon that the Chil- 

 dren are not fuffer'd to play in the Streets like ours , but as loon as ever they come 

 from School, they fit down by their Parents, to be inftru&cd by them in their Pro- 

 feflion. • 



Thefe Valets or Foot-men make a Trade of Running j of which the King and 

 the Lords have ieveral in their fervice 5 it being a piece of grandeur to keep a 

 great many. They ferve from Father to Son, undergoing an Apprentifhip in 

 Running. From fix to feven years of age, they only fet themfelvcs to walk flowly. The 

 next year they run a League at a time upon a handfom trot , the next year after they 

 run two or three Leagues j and fo prOportionablv for the reft. At eighteen years of age 

 they are allow'd a Scrip of Flowr,with a flat piece of Copper to bake their Bread upon, 

 and a Bottle of Water •, all which they carry about them when they run. For thefe 

 people when they are lent Poft never take the Caravan-Road , but the fhortcft cuts 

 through the Deferts, and muft therefore accuftom themlelves to carry their Provifion. 

 The King and the Lords have no Chatres, but what are Mafters •, which degree they are 

 not to arrive at without fome Ceremony and performing a Race, like our Jemmy 

 and the Butcher of Croyden. 



If he be a Lord that owns the Chater who defifes to be a Matter , he fends for all 

 his Friends, lets up a Scaffold in the Meydan, provides a Collation, and fends 

 for the Curtifans to divert the Company. Now there is not one of thefe Guefts 

 that does not bring fomething to give this Chater after the Race is run , either a 

 Bonnet or a Girdle, or ibme other thing, part of which the Chater gives to his 

 fellows. Then the Chater appears with his Legs greas'd , his Thighs bare, only a 

 flight fhort pair of k>oie Breeches , and a Girdle with three little Bells hanging upon 

 his Belly. Thus accouter'd he {tarts from Mi-Cap, and between Sun-rifing and 

 Sun-fctting he runs backward and forward to a Stone a League and a half from the 

 City toward the Mountains*, running in that time fix and thirty of our common 

 Leagues, or a hundred and eight Miles. While he runs, there is Kom-cnk^'m the 

 Meydan, and upon all the Road where he runs , and three or four Horfe-men that 

 continually ride to and fro, to fee that there be no deceit in the Chaters Race*, who 

 when he approaches near the City, ride before to give notice of his coming. Every 

 time he ftarts and returns , the Drums and Trumpets found -, at the end of the Race 

 there ftand feveral perfons with Arrows in their Hands , and ev'ry time he conies to 

 the Stone they give him an Arrow , which he carries back every courfc to Ali-Cayri. 

 Every time he returns , the Curtifans rub him and make much of him. All the time 

 he runs , he eats nothing , but drinks Sherbet now and then. If he acquit himietf 



welf, 



