Chap.III. of Morifïeur Tavernier, 



Mafter and not Ihew him the Watch entire. It vvat at their Houfc that 1 .then lay, 

 and therefore not knowing what to do with it , they defir'd mc to fhew my skill ; 

 Thereupon I put on a new ftring. But the Ambaflador when he underftood to 

 whom he was beholding , though it were but a trifle , profer'd me all the fervice 

 and kindnefs imaginable. Thereupon the Carmelites and Augufin Fryars^ defir'd 

 me to requeft of the Ambaflador in their behalf, that he would obtain the Great 

 Turks protection for them , in cafe he took Batfara , that their Houfes and 

 Churches might be preferv'd -, which I did, and obtain'd by His mçans full pro- 

 tection from the Grand Vifier. But they had no need of it , for the Turks did not 

 make any attempt upon Balfara , hearing that the Perfians were advancing ^ befides 

 that the rainy feafon was at hand , which will not permit an Army, to keep 

 the Field : So that had Bagdat held out eight days longer , the Grand Signer 

 would have been conftrain'd to have rais'd the Siege. 



Having fpoken of the Arabian Horfes , I muft needs fay , that there are fome 

 that are valu'd at a very high rate. The Mogul's AmbafTador gave for fome three , 

 four , and fix thoufand Crowns, arid for another he offer'd eight thoufand Crowns, 

 but the Horfe would not be ibid under ten , and fo he left it. When he was got 

 home into the Indies, and had prefented the Mogul thole Horfes which he had carry'd 

 along with him, being very lovely Creatures he told his Mafter how he had offer'd 

 eight thoufand Crowns for a Horfe more beautiful than any of them -, but becaufë 

 the Owner would not let him go under ten , he left him. The King incens'd that 

 his AmbafTador had flood for fo fmall a Sum , when it was for one of the greateft 

 Monarchs in the World , upbraided the poornefs of his Spirit , and banilh'd him 

 for ever from his prefence, into*a Province far diftant from the Court. Thereupon 

 the King wrote to the Englifi to buy him the Horfe, who accordingly did fo, arid 

 brought him to Sur at , where the Governour re-paid them their Money, But the 

 Horfe dy'd at "Brampour. ,. . , i 



Nor muft I forget, that while I was at Balfara , twice there flew by fuch a pro- 

 digious number of Locufts, that a-far-off they appear'd like a Cloud, and darkn'd 

 the Air. They pafs by Balfara four or five times in the year, the Wind carrying 

 them into theDefert, where they alight, and moft certainly dye. Should they not 

 be thus wind-driv'n j there could nothing live upon the Earth in fome parts of 

 Chaldea. They fwarm all along the Perfian Gulf, and when the Velïèls come to 

 Ormui at the time of the year, there are little Shops where people fell Locufts fry'd 

 in Butter to thofe that love that fort of Diet. Once I had the curiofity to open 

 the Belly of a Locuft fix Inches long , and found therein feventeen little ones that 

 ftirr'd whence it is eafie to guefs how thofe Infects come to be fo numerous , efpe- 

 cially in hot Countries. 



There are feveral Barks that go from Ornrns to furnifh both fides of the Perfian 

 Gulf, .where the people eat neither Bread nor Rice. I agreed with the Mafter of 

 one of thefe Barks, and made my agreement that the Bark fhould not be above 

 half laden -, for generally they lade them too deep , and in foul weather they are 

 fore'd to throw half the Freight over-board, to fave the reft. 



From Balfara to the mouth of the River Euphrates, it is reck'nd to be twenty 

 Leagues of Frefh-water. We ftaid feven whole days for a Wind , which proving 

 favourable, we came to Tlrander-ric, in forty-eight hours. This is the place where 

 you muft land, if you intend for Perfla , unleis you are bound for Ormtts. r Brander^ 

 ric confifts only of five or fix little Fifhers Hutts -, which Hutts are only Hurdles fet 

 one againft another, and cover'd over , where they and their Families live. To thé 

 famé place come AlTes lad'n with Dates , which I was fore'd to hire for want of 

 Horfes. ' 



We were fix days upon the Road from thence to Caz.erom. This is a Mountainous 

 Country, where there is Wood enough-, but you muft lodge in the Fields, for 

 there are no Inns upon the Road* The way is pleafant in fome places, along the 

 Banks of feveral Rivulets , and through verdant Groves ftor'd with great quantities 

 of Turtles. We kill'd a good many, which we eat, part with Pilaw, inftead of 

 Henns ; fome we rolled -, making Sticks to ferve for Spits. 



Cazerom is a little City ill built, where there is but one Inn , and that none of the 

 rnoft inviting to Strangers neither. 



From Caz.erom to Schiras it is five days journey. The Road lyes' over very craggy 



Ï Mountains', 



