24.8 Tbe Persian Travels Book V. 



about two hunder'd paces on this fide the Mofijuee, is another Fafe, which receives 

 the lame water as it runs from the Mountain. This Street was made by Iman- 

 Koult-Kan, after he had cut the Mountain at the end of it, to fhorten the way 

 from Scbiras to Ifpahan. 



There arc in Schiras three or fbflr Glafs-hou(es, where they make great and 

 fmall Bottles, to transport the Sweet-waters that are made in the City. There 

 are alfb made the feveral forts of VelTels wherein they pickle their fruits of all 

 forts, which they (end in great quantities into Indit^ to Sumatra, Batavia, and 

 other places. 



There is no Silk made, nor any other manufacture in Scbiras : only there are 

 ibme few Cbites or Painted-cloaths made there, which neverthelefs are very 

 coarfe, and in ufe only among the meaner fort. 



As you go out of the City upon the North-weft fide, you meet with a long 

 Alley or Walk, in three parts whereof arc plae'd three Stones, which they caH 

 Mills. At the end of this walk is a Garden call'd Bay-Sba, or the King's Garden. 

 Over the Gate whereof is a great Room half ruin'd : and at the end of a large 

 Walk planted with Cyprefs- trees, ftands a neat piece of building, but altogether 

 negle&ed. Upon the left-hand whereof is a great Pond pav'd with Free-ftone 

 being all the beauties of the Garden: which, it is true, was full of Fruit- 

 trees, Roles and fsfminsi yet, for want of order, it look'd like a Wilder- 

 nels. 



From the Garden to the Hill is a Plain of two leagues long, and one broad ; 

 which is all but one large Vinyard belonging to feveral perfens. Beyond the Vinyard 

 rife very high Mountains, from whence tall feveral little Springs that form a River, 

 which is call'd Bead- Emir , from the name of a Town w here the biggeft Spring 

 riles. This River of Bend- Emir waters the whole Vineyard of Scktras j where it 

 never rains from Spring till Autumn : which is the reaibn that jn the Summer 

 there is no water in the very Channel next the City. 



Their Wines are the beft in Pcrf.i >, but there is not fo great a quantity made 

 as people imagin. For, of all this great Vineyard, and in all the places round 

 about the City for four or rive leagues together, good part of the Grapes are 

 dri'd, and a greater quantity pickl'd : and of the Wine, there are many Veflcls 

 full, which are burnt for the benefit of the poor Travellers, and Carriers, who find 

 it a great retrefhment to drink it with water. 



Their Wine, as all other things, is fold by weight, and not by mcafurc. In the 

 year 1666, a rrioft plentiful year for Wine, the Provifion of the King's Houfe 

 amounted to jooco Mens of Kcvl^e, or the ancient Men containing nine pound 

 of ours, at fixteen ounces to the pound, (being the only weight for Wine,) and the 

 King allows as much to the Franks, as for his own Houfhold. The Jews of Scbi- 

 ras, who boaft themfelves of the Tribe of Levi, make above a hunder'd and ten 

 tboufand Mens, it being their chiefeft livelihood j but the Governour of Scbiras 

 knows how to (hare with them in their profit. The whole account of Wine made 

 at Scbiras amounts to 200025- Mens, or 4125- Tuns, at three hunder'd pints to the 

 Tun. 



In Schiras is an ancient Mofiuee, wherein is the Sepulcher of a Sadi, whom the 

 Terfians efteem the belt of their Poets. It has been a very fair one, accompaniM 

 with a large Building, which was once a Colledgj but it runs to mine, as doalfo 

 many other Edifices within the City: Juft againft this Moftttce you defcend by a 

 pair of Stairs into a large Well, at the bottom whereof is a Fafe full of Fifh, 

 which no-body dares to touch, it being Sacriledg to rob the Sadi of what belongs 

 to him. A little beyond this M:,fquee, upon a high Rock, liand the ruines of a 

 Caftle ; and upon the top of all the Rock is afquare Well cut out of the Rock. 

 It is very deep, and ten or twelve foot broad : formerly, they told me, their 

 Adulteries were all thrown into it. There is one wonderful Well in this' City ; 

 which is 15" years rifing, and 15- years falling * that is, the water is one fifteen 

 years rifing to the top, and another fifteen years finking to the bottom. 



There are in Scbiras two or three Bazars well built, through the midft whereof 

 the water runs in a Channel. 



To the South- weft, a good league from the City, there is a little Hill divided 

 from the great Mountain, upon which Hill are three Gates to be fcen, the remain- 

 der 



