Chap. II. of Monfieur Tavernier. 



59 



I mull confefs, that in the year 1638 I faw a great part of the Grand Signons 

 Army, and feveral Boats full of Warlike Provifions fall down the Stream , when 

 he went to befiege it : but then they were fore'd to take away all the Mills that 

 are upon the River -, which was not done without a vaft trouble and expence. As 

 for Tigris, it is not navigable 'till beyond Babylon down to Balfara , where you may 

 take Water , and be at Balfara in nine days. But the Voyage is very inconvenient, 

 for at every Town which the Arabs have upon the River, yoù muft be hal'd , and 

 be fore'd to leave iome Money behind you. Sometimes indeed the Merchants of 

 Mmffd and Bagdat, and others that come out of Chaldea to Trade at Balfara, carry 

 their Goods by Water from Bagdat ; but in regard the Boats are only to be tow'd 

 by Men , it takes them up a Voyage of leventy days. By this you may judge of 

 the time and expence of carrying Goods by Water up the River Euphrates to Sir, 

 where they are to be unlad'n for Aleppo. 



In (hort , if the convenience of Morat-fou ( for fo the Turks call Euphrates ) were 

 to be had, and that Goods might be tranlported by that River, the Merchants 

 would never take that way : for the Arabian Princes , with their People and their 

 Cattel, lying all the Summer long upon the Banks of the River, for the lake of the 

 Water and the Grafs , would make the Merchants pay what Tbll they pleas'd them- 

 lelves. 



I faw an Example of this * coming one time from Babylon to Aleppo. In all which 

 Road we met but with one of thole Arabian Princes , who lay at Anna : yet he 

 made us pay for every Camel's Load forty PiailerS. And which was worfe, he 

 detain'd us above five Weeks , to the end his Subjects might get more of our Money 

 by felling us their Provifions. The laft time I pafs'd the Delert , I met another of 

 thefe Arabian Princes together with his Brother , both young Men : He would not 

 let us go a ftep farther , unlefs we would exchange two hundred Piafiers in fpecie 

 for Larins, the Money of the Country, and he fore'd us to take them, what-ever we 

 could urge to make it appear how much we Ihould lofe by them. And indeed we 

 laid as much as we could , for the difpute lafted two and twenty days to no purpofe j 

 might overcoming right. By this you may guefs what the other Arabians would 

 do , who are not a jot more civil -, and whether the Merchants would get by taking 

 the Road of Euphrates. 



The City is governed by a Bajha , who commands all the Country from Alex an- 

 dretta to Euphrates* His Guard ufually confifts of three hundred Men , and fome 

 years ago he was made a Vizier. There is alfo an Aga or Captain of the Cavalry, 

 as well within the City as without , who commands four hundred Men. There is 

 another Aga who has under him feven hundred Janizaries , who has the charge of 

 the Gates of the City -, to whom the Keys are carry'd every Evening , neither has 

 he any dépendance upon the Bajha. The Caftle is alfo under another Commander, 

 fent immediately from Confiant inople, who has under him two hundred Musketeers, 

 and likewife the charge of the Cannon -, of which there are about thirty Pieces - 

 eight great Guns , the reft of a fmall fize. There is alfo another Aga or Captain of 

 the City , who commands three hundre'd Harquebuzes ; befide a Son-Bafin , who 

 is a kind of Provoft of the Merchants, or Captain of the Watch , going the found 

 every Night with his Officers through the City and Suburbs. He alfo puts in 

 Execution the Sentences of the Ba(ha y upon Criminal Offenders 



In Civils there is a Cadi, who fits lble Judge, Without any AiTiftants, of all 

 Caufes as well Civil as Criminal ^ and when he has condemn'd any Man to Death, 

 he fends him to the Bajhà , together with his Accufation , with whom the Baflia 

 does as he pleafçs. This Cady makes and diflblves all Contrats of Marriage -, all 

 Afts of Sale and Purchafe pals in his prefence. He alfo creates the fworn Mailers 

 of every Trade , who make their infpe&ion that there may be no deceit in the Work. 

 The Grand Signons Duties are receiv'd by à Tefterdar, or Treafuref -General , who 

 has under him feveral Receivers in divers places. 



In matters of Religion, the Mufti is the Chief, and the Interpreter of thé Law^ 

 as well in relation to the Ceremonies , as in all Ecclefiaftical differences. Among 

 thefe Interpreters of the Law there is a Chieke or Doclor, appointed to inftfUcT: thoi'e 

 that are newly converted to Mahumetanifm , and to teach them thé Maxims and 

 Cuftoms of their Religion. 



Three days after I arriv'd at Aleppo, Sultan Amur at made fltis" Entry, going to 



H 2 his 



- 



