Chap. VIII. of Monfieur Tavernier. 



gather'dit, they beat it, and the courfe Woo) breaking, the fine only remains* 

 That if you tranlport it, before you make it into Bales, you muft throw Salt-water 

 upon it, which keeps the Worms out of it , and p'relerves it from rotting. Now 

 you muft take notice that they never dye this Wool , it being naturally of a clear 

 Brown, or a dark Afh-colour -, and that there is very little of it White, which is 

 alio much dearer than the other , as well for that it is fcarce , as becauie that the 

 Mufti's, the MoulUWs and other perfons belonging to the Law, never wear any 

 Girdles or Vails ( wherewith they cover their Heads when they pray) but White : 

 for at other times they wear them about their Necks , as the Women do their 

 Scarfs. 



Into this Province of Kerman almoft all the Gaures are retir'd , and they are 

 they that only Trade in this Wool, and have the whole Manufacture of it. They 

 make thofe Girdles of it which they ufe in Perfia; and fome Pieces of Serge , which 

 are almoft as fine and tranfparent , as if they were of Silk. I brought over two 

 Pieces into France , and prefented one to the late Queen Mother , the other to 

 the Princefs of Orleame. 



I could not drive any Trade in this Wool till the year 1 654 , returning out of 

 the Indies by Sea from Surat to Ormm. To which purpole , I departed from Ormvu, 

 and took Guides along with me to (hew me the way to Kerman, whither I could 

 not get on Horleback in lefs than twenty.feven days. I dare fay that Alexander 

 the Great did not march this way into the Indies : for in the whole extent of the 

 the Country there is no Water to be met with but in fome certain places, and in 

 the hollow of fome Rocks , where there is not enough neither to water eight or 

 ten Horfes. Befides, in fome places a man is conftrain'd, by reafon of the Mountains, 

 to fetch a great compafs about - , for a Foot-man that makes his way through thole 

 Rocks , fhall go farther in half an hour than a Horfe-mafi can do in four. 



Kerman is a large City, which has been often ruin'd by being feveral times taken 

 and re-taken -, nor is there any thing handfom in it , but only one Houle and a 

 Garden , upon which the laft Kans have beltoW'd a vaft expence to make the place 

 delightful. They make there a fort of Earthen-ware which' comes very near to 

 Torcehn, and looks as neat and as fine. As foon as I arriv'd , I went to vifit the 

 Kan , who made me very welcom , and gave order to the Gaures to furnifh me with 

 Bread and Wine, Pullets and Pigeons, which in thofe parts are fat, and as large 

 as little Capons. The Gaures are they that make the Wine and to make it more 

 fweet and pleafant , they take away the Stalks , and never prefs any thing but the: 

 meer Grape. 



The Kan was but newly eritred into the poueflîori of bis Government, and being 

 defirous , according to the ciiftom of thé new Governours , to have a noble Sword 

 and Dagger i with a rich Furniture for his Horfe , which required fome Jewels , I 

 prefented him with a Diamond worth eight hundred Crowns, which he caus'd to 

 be fet in the end of the handle of his Dagger. He alfo defir'd to have of me asi 

 many more Jewels as came to feven or eight hundred Livres : and by the Prefent 

 and the Bargain I facilitated my purchafe of the Wool which I intended to buy. 

 Two days after he invited me to his Entry-Feaft , which he made for the chief of 

 the City -, and knowing I wanted a Mule , he fent me one well worth a hundred 

 Crowns. This is the Nobleft Carriage in all Perfia , which the great Perfonages 

 choofe before Horfes ; efpeciallv when, they are in years. But it was not the Kan 

 alone who was civil to me. A young Lord , who liv'd in Kerman , and was at the 

 Feaft, whole Father had been formerly Kan himfélf, took great délight to dilcourfe 

 with me concerning my Travels-, and offer'd me his fervicc in a very obliging 

 manner. Now the Perjians are very curious , and great admirers of the Rarities of 

 Forein Countries: which inclination led the young Lord to enquire of me whether 

 I had any Fire-Arms, telling me he would content me for them to my fatisfàétibn; 

 The next Morning 1 prefented him with a Carbine, and a pair of Piftols that pleas'd 

 him exceedingly -, and a little Watch, for which I would take no Money, whereat he 

 feem'd to be not a little troubl'd. However he fent me a irately Horfe worth about 

 two hundred Crowns, or twelve Tomans. This young Lord was of a clear humour, 

 civil, accomplifh'd, generous, and did every thing with a good grace. So that when he 

 fent me the Horfe, he feint to entreat me withal , if I did not like that Horfe, to come 

 and choofe which 1 lik'd bell in his Stable. 



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