ÏO 



The Persian travels Book L 



Comafowr is the firft Village where you lodge after you leave the Bridge of Chobari- 

 Kuffi , going to Erivan. 



Halicarcara is fhe next Stage to Ccmafonr : this is a great Town alfo inhabited by 

 Chriftians, but the Houfes are built all under-ground like Caves. Coming thither 

 the feventh of Alarch 1655, the Snow was I'o deep that there was no travelling, fo 

 that we were fore'd to ftay there eight days. But the Cuftomer of Erz^ertm under- 

 ft'anding in what a bad condition we were , came in perfon with five hundred Horl'e 

 to make way for us , and fent for the Country-people round about to clear away 

 the Snow. But it was not fo much out of Kindnefs to us, as for his ownlntereft. 

 Fora new Officer being to fueceed him upon the 22 d of Mcrch, and our Caravan 

 being very numerous , he would have loft above a hundred thoufand Crowns , had 

 we not come to Er^erom before that day. Many of the PafTengers were almoft 

 blinded by continual looking upon the Snow, the colour whereof very much dims the 

 Sight: for prefervatiori whereof the Travellers are wont to wear black Cyprefs 

 Hoods , made on purpofe * over their Faces. Others wear furr'd Bonnets, fring'd 

 about with Goats-hair, which being long, falls over their Eyes , and does altogether 

 as well as the Hood. 



The Caravan is ufually twelve days upon the Road , from Erzerom to Erivan. 

 Leaving Halicarcara , you ford the Jéras three times, and crofs it the next day 

 again: for it winds exceedingly. A League and a half from the place where you 

 ford it the fourth time , upon the top of a high Mountain (lands a Fortrefs call'd 

 Kaguijgan, which is the laft place, which the Turks pofTefs on that fide. The Cu- 

 ftomers that live there come to the Caravan to take their Toll , which is four Piafters 

 for every Camel loaden, and two for every Horie loaden. In the year 1655 tne 

 Caravan lodging about a League from the Fortrefs of Kagmfgan, the Mountains 

 adjoyning being inhabited by Chriftian Armenians , there came to us a poor Bifhop 

 attended by fifteen or fixteen perfons , among which there were certain Priefts, 

 who brought us Bread , Fowl , and Fruit , defiring the Charity of the Merchants* 

 who recompene'd them to their iatisfaftion. About four or five Months after, this 

 Bifhop had one of his Eyes (truck out by a Janifary. That wicked Fellow came to 

 the Town where the Bifhop liv'd, and lighting upon the Bifhop, ask'd him for Money, 

 which becaufe the Bifhop had none to give him, in a rage he ftabb'd him im the Eye 

 with his Dagger. Complaint was made to the Ago, , who 'tis thought would have 

 punifh'd the Offender , but hé fled , and left the Bifhop without remedy of iatif- 

 faclion. 



From the laft place where we encamp'd near the Aras, we went and Iodg'd the 

 next day upon the fame River , in the fight of a Village not above a quarter of a 

 League. The next day we crofs'd the River that runs from Kan , and parts Turkic 

 from Perfia. The next day we ftop'd upon the Banks of Aras , half a League from 

 a little Town -, and this is the laft time you fee this River which you are conftrain'd 

 to pafs fo often. 



Leaving Aras, we came to lodge in a Plain, in fight of a Town which is not far 

 diftant. The next day the Caravan lyes in the Field , and the next day it comes to 

 a place where there are three Churches , whence it is but half a days journey from 

 Erivan. 



CHAP. III. 



A Continuation of the ^oad from Conftantinople to Ifpahan, 

 from the Borders of Perfia to Erivan. 



"*1HE firft Place worthy Obfervation, entring into Tcrfia thorough 

 Armenia , is that which they call the Three Churches , three Leagues 

 from Erivan , which Three Churches , are three Monafteries diftant one 

 from the other. The biggeft and the faireft is the Refidence of the Patri- 

 arch of the Armenians. There is anot her to the South of that, about a Musket-ftiot 

 diftant , and another a quarter of a League from it toward the Eaft , which is a 



Nunnery 



