The Persian Travels Book I. 



North, and fails into the Aras, that runs not above three Leagues off to the South. 

 Though this City be fortified to the Weft by the River, yet it is never the ftronger, 

 by reafon of the Hills on the other fide which command it : and in regard it is built 

 upon a Rock , the Moats of the Fort are not above three or four Foot deep. In 

 fome places the City is fecur'd with a double Wall with feveral Towers ; but the 

 Walls being only of Earth , as are moft of the Houfes , the Rain does more mif- 

 chief , than the Cannon would do. That part of Erivan to the North- Weft , is a 

 kind of Suburb , but far better inhabited than the City : for there live all the Mer- 

 chants and Artificers , together with the Chriftian Armenians , who have four- 

 Churches there, with a Monaftery. And of late years they have built alfo a very fair 

 Inn in the fame Quarter. In the City there only lives the K an , with the Military 

 Officers and Souldiers*, the Kan's Lodgings lying upon the River. The Governour 

 is a Perfon of great Power , and has always fufncient Forces about him to guard 

 the Frontiers. The Summer being very hot at Erivan , he lyes in Tents upon the 

 Mountains during the Heat. When a Caravan arrives , he is forc'd to give the 

 King advice thereof: and if any Ambaffador come thither, he is bound to maintain 

 him at his own Expence , and to caule him to be conduced to the Territories of 

 the next Governour, who is oblig'd to do the lame. So that Ambaffadors are not 

 bound to be at anyExpences in the Territories of the King of Perfia. Four Leagues 

 from the City are high Mountains, where the Natives that inhabit the hot and 

 Sun-burnt Countries toward Chaldea, come twenty thoufand together, to feek out 

 good Pafturage for their Cattel, and about the end of Autumn return again into theif 

 own Country. I cannot compare this Mountainous Traft , whether for its Valleys 

 and Rivers, or for the nature of the Soil, to any Part that I have feen, better 

 than to that portion of Switzerland , which is call'd the Country of Vaux : and there 

 is a Tradition among the Natives, That certain People that inhabited between the 

 Alpes and Mount Jura, and which compos'd a Squadron of Alexander's Array, 

 having ferv'd him in his Conquefts, feated themfelves in this part of Armenia , which 

 they found fo like their own Country. From Tocat to Tauris the Inhabitants are 

 for the moft part Chriftians. W 7 hich large Traft of Ground being that which the 

 Ancients call'd the Province of Armenia, 'tis no wonder to meet with fifty Arme- 

 nians for one Mahometan. There are many ancient Armenian Families in Erivan, 

 which is their native Country but they are ill us'd by the Governours , who being 

 far diftant from the Court, do what they pleafe. This City not being far remote 

 from the Province from whence the Silks come , is the place where all the Buyers 

 and Sellers refort. But neither in Erivan , nor in any other part of Perfia are thé 

 Merchants put to open their Bales at the Cuftosn-Houfes , as in Turkie. They only 

 pay certain Duties toward fecuring the Highways \ which Duties they call Rade- 

 nes , and thofe that gather them Raders. 



The Kans or Governours of Provinces in Perfia are civil to Strangers, efpeciajly 

 to thofe that they like , or that fhew T them any thing of Curiofity. The firft time 

 that I went into Perfia , I took a young Watch-maker with me , and coming to 

 Erivan , I carried him to the Kan who was then Governour. It was at a time 

 when Watches were very rare in Perfia ; and the Kan , underftanding what Trade 

 the Young Man was of, told us he was the firft Watch-maker that ever had been 

 in Perfia : Thereupon he brought the Young Man a Watch to mend , and that he 

 might have the pleafure of feeing him work , he lodg'd us in a Chamber next his 

 own, and made us drink with him every day -, for he was a true Toper, and compell'd 

 us to drink with him from four in the Afternoon 'till near Midnight, in a place 

 which he had made on purpofe, in his Garden, to take off his Glaffes. 



This was he , that having deliver'd Erivan to Sultan Amurat , went along with 

 him tô Confiantinofle , and became his Favourite for teaching him to Drink. Amurat 

 left a Garrifon of 22000 Men in the City -, but Sba-Sefi the Perfian King begirt it 

 prefently with a ftrong Army -, and planting himfelf feeurely under one of the Hills 

 that command the City, he batter'd it inceffantly with eight Pieces of Cannon : the 

 fourth day he made a Breach, and though he had the repute of a Coward , he was 

 the firft at the Aûaultj and took' the City : and becaufe they would not yield at his 

 Summons, he put all the Garrifon to the Sword. For which Amurat, was quit with Sha- 

 Sefi afterwards , though not in fo noble a way ; for entring a Victor into Bagdat, he 

 put all the Perfians to the Sword, after he had given them his Word to the contrary, 

 and promis'd to Ipare their Lives. The 



