Chap. X. of Monfieur Tavernier. 



put my choiceft Goods in a Cheft directed for the Holland Commander at Or mus , by 

 which means I got theCuftom free. 



The Perfian Gulf is the mod dangerous Gulf I know , by reafon of the (hallow- 

 nefs and fharp Promontories that point out into the Sea -, and therefore the beft way 

 is to take a Pilot atOrmus or Bander-Congo , and the moft proper Pilots are the Fifher- 

 men, who are only skill'd in that Sea and no farther. TheSoyl about the Perfian 

 Gulf is dry Sand and without Water , fo that it is impoflible to Travel by Land from 

 Ormutto Balfara. The Merchants would be glad to find a way through theCoaft 

 of Arabia to get to Mafcate , whence there might a cut be made to Sirtdi , Din i 

 or Sur at , which are the three chief Ports of India. During the difference between 

 the King of Pcrfia and the Hollanders , the Emir of Vodana an ^Arabian Prince, 

 offcr'd to fhew them an eafie Road from Mafcatè to Balfara. But the Hollanders 

 fearing to break with the King of Pcrfia, where they vended above fifteen or 

 fixteen hundred thoufand pounds of their Pepper, and paid therewith for all their Silk, 

 did not think it worth their while to quit Ormtts to fettle themfelves at Maf- 

 cate. 



Had it been yielded to , the way had been from Balfara to Elcatif a Sea-Town 

 in Arabia the Happy , where there is aFifhery for Pearls that belongs to the £mir 

 of Elcatif. From Elcatif to Mafcalat , another City of Arabia , ancl the refidence 

 of another Emir. From Mafcalat to Vodana , a good handfom City feated upon the 

 meeting of two little Rivers that carry Barques to the Sea , and run together by the 

 finglenameof Moyefur. The Soyl about Vodana produces no Corn, and very little 

 Rice -, but it abounds in Fruits , efpecially Prunes and Quinces , which are not fo 

 four as ours, and are eaten by the Natives as Pears. There are extraordinary good 

 Melons and great Store of Grapes , of which the Jews, who inhabit the beft part of 

 the City , are permitted to make Wine. From Vodana to the Gulf, the County 

 of each fide is full of Palm-Trees , the Dates being the Food of the common people, 

 who have not Money to buy either Corn or Rice. From Vodana to Mafcate it is 

 but fifteen Leagues, though by the Maps, which are Erroneous, the way is defcrib'd 

 to be much longer. 



Being at Ormm , the Emir of Vodana fhew'd me a Pearl tranfparent and perfectly 

 round , that weigh'd feventeen Abas , or fourteen Carats and ièven Eights ; for in 

 all the Pearl Fifheries of the Eaft they ufe no other weights but Abas , which make 

 feven Eights of a Carat. I offer'd him 300000 Piafiers , or 60000 Roupies for the 

 fame Pearl , but the Emir refus'd to take it, telling me that he had been offer'd 

 more Money for it by feveral Princes of Afia , who had lent to him to buy it , but 

 that he was refolv'd never to part with it. 



CHAP. X. 



Of the Authors firft Voyage t and the adventures of four French- 

 men. 



I Departed out of Paris in the year 1657, and Embark'd at MarfeiRss for 

 Ligorn. 

 We fet Sail from Ligorn feven Veffels together, two bound for Venice , one 

 for Conftantinople , one for Aleppo , and three for Smyrna, in one of which be- 

 ing a Dft^ch Veflel I Embark'd. But before I leave Smyrna , to begin my Journey 

 from Tauris, give me leave to relate the ftory of four French-men, the various acci- 

 dents whereof will much enlight'n the Reader into the Cuftoms and Manners , as 

 well of the Turks as Perfians. 



While I ftay'd the departure of the Caravan, which could not be ready in five or 

 fix Weeks, as alfo upon the advice of a rich Jew and a Merchant of Jewels at Confiai 

 t'mople, who had feveral Pearls to fell , as well for their beauty as their bignefs , the 

 beft Commodity a man can carry to the Indies , I fent to Conflaminople a perfoh that I 



carry'ct 



1 



