Chap.XXI of Monfieur T a vTknTe r. 249 



der of an Idolatrous Temple. There were four Gates, but the South-Gate is 

 tumbl'd down: the reft are ftanding, compos'd of three Stones : Upon both the 

 Stones that make the Jaums, there are two figures in half Relief, with their faces 

 one looking upon another, with their arms extended ; one holding in his hand a 

 Pan, out of which ilfues a flame of fire ; and the other a Towel folded up. The 

 other Statue holds as it were a Purfe in one hand, and a bowl of Fire in the other; 

 the Figures being as big as the Life, only their faces are fpoil'd ; and as for the 

 other doprs, they are both the fame. 



Two Mufquet-fhot from thence, in a plain, rifes a little Mountain, from the 

 North-fide of which fall many Springs that meet in a large Pond full of Fifh. 

 Some high Trees grow there, to (hade the Habitation of a Dcrvis that lives there. 

 The place is pleaianr, and all the Springs together fill a Channel large enough to 

 water the neighbouring Fields. Here it was that certainly the ancient Idolaters 

 came to warn, and thence went to the Temple to lay their Prayers, and make 

 their Offerings. 



Half a league beyond, at the foot of. a Mountain, is a place about 5-00 paces in 

 compafs. whence there fall a good number of Springs that meet in a Pond, en- 

 viron'd with high Trees, and full of Fifh. In one corner of the Mountain Hand 

 Figures, cut out of the Rock much bigger than the Life. The two which are 

 uppermolt look one upon another; and that upon the left-hand carries a large 

 Turbaut, fuch as the Grand Viaucr of Court ant mo pie wears when he goes to the 

 Dru.vi. From his Turb.int to the middle of his Forhead, he was bound with the 

 Trelies of his own hair, the ends whereof were faften'd together with large 

 Buckles behind in his neck. His habit was a Robe after the ancient fafhion,* with 

 a kind of a Cutlace by his fide. Nor did the oppofite Statue much differ 

 from this, only inltead of a Ti'rbant,he wore a kind of Miter upon his head. The 

 two other Statues underneath the former, itretch'd forth their arms one to 

 the other : the one reprefenting a Man, the other a Woman. The Man fee«fd to 

 prefent the Woman a Nofegay of Flowers ; but in truth it was a difficult thing to 

 difcem them, in regard they were both cover'd with a Fig-tree that grew juit be- 

 fore them out of the rock. 



About two thoufand paces farther, there is a Lake of fait water about ten 

 leagues in compafs, which is til I'd by feveral Springs that tall from the Mountains : 

 and here it is that the people make a great quantity of Salt. There runs into it 

 alfo a fait River, over which you crois upon a large ftone-Bridg about three miles 

 from Schiras, in the way to Bindcr-u4bs.jp. 



Half a league from the City are two remarkable Wells : the one upon the top 

 of the Mountain, the other upon the defcent, cut out of the Rock : both of an 

 extraordinary depth. There is no water in either, becaufe they are half full of 

 Stones, which they that come to lee the Wells, throw into 'em. There are alfo 

 to be iccn the ruines of a Caftle formerly built there for the Guard of the High- 

 ways. But fince Iman-Kouli-Kan made the new way, he caus'd all thole For- 

 treffes to be defae'd, as being expenfive to the King, and burthenfome to the Mer- 

 chant, from whom the Guards exacted Toll in thofe places. Now all the ways are 

 free, and the Merchants travel fecurcly. 



About half a league from the City, toward the North, upon the brow of a 

 high Mountain, ftands a little Mofiuec^ like a Hermitage : and fifteen foot below 

 it gullies out a fair Spring, which is the belt in the places neer to Schiras. Neer 

 to it is a little place encompaft with a Pale, with four Pillars that uphold a Ceding. 

 Here it is that a Dcrvis fits, and entertains all them that come to vifit him, to 

 whom he prefents Tobacco, according to the cuftom of the Countrey. This 

 place is one of the belt ProfpecTs in all Syria, from whence you behold one way 

 all the plain of Schiras, and all the City from one end to the other, with the Gar- 

 dens. But people go not thither for the fair Profpecl, or to vifit the Dcrvis, but 

 to admire a Cyprefs-tree not above three or four paces from the Prolpett, planted 

 among the Rocks ; and of that bignefs, that four men can can hardly fathom it : 



full ; whence through a Canal it runs into a Garden in the plain fomc feven or 



eight 



