The Persian Travels Book II. 



carry'd along with me , one that was well vers'd in that fort of Commodity. There 

 was a Norman Gentleman nam'd de ReviHe then at Smyrna , who would needs accom- 

 pany my Factor , fo that they went both together in a VefTel that carry'd the French 

 AmbafTador and his Lady to Confiantinople. This Gentleman had two or three thou- 

 fand Ducats in his Purfe , wanting neither wit nor courage , befides a good prefence *, 

 but perhaps he was more hafty in his proceedings than the referv'dnefs of that Coun- 

 try requir'd. He had left the Service of the Muscovites , thinking to find an employ- 

 ment in the Service of the Venetians at Candy ; but failing in his expectations j he re- 

 folv'd to travel into Per fia. While he was at Confiantinople , the Jews , who lay hold 

 upon all opportunities of gain , foon found out my Faftor -, and befides the Pearls 

 which he defir'd to fee, they (hew'd him lèverai other rich Stones to try whether 

 they could draw him in-, for he had refus'd the Pearls becaufe they held them at too 

 high a Rate. The Norman Gentleman fell into their acquaintance j and picking out 

 the richeft, told him, that being refolv'd for the Indies , he had a mind to lay 

 out four thoufand Ducats in Pearls. He added alio , that he would pay him half in 

 Money , half in Goods , and at the fame time ihew'd the Jew two thoufand Ducats , 

 which the Jew had already devour'd with his eyes. Some four days after , the Jew 

 brought the Gentleman four fair Pearles with fome Emraulds and you may be lure 

 they eafily agreed upon the price , in regard the Gentleman had a défign to put a 

 trick upon the Jew. Thereupon he {hews his Ducats a fécond time , which the Jew, 

 who thought he had a Cully , prefently told out as his own. After that the Jew 

 defiring to fee the Goods , which made up the other part of the payment , the Gen- 

 tleman without any more ado told him , that all the Merchandize which he had to 

 pay him , was a good ftrong Quartan Ague which had held him a long time , and 

 indeed fuch a one, that he could not poflibly meet with a better,but that he would not 

 over-rate it > in regard he ask'd but two thoufand Ducats for it. The Jew who 

 was rich and in great credit at Court , was lb incens'd at his raillery , that he had 

 like to have made a wicked ftir about it. For as he had heard him fay , that the 

 Gentleman was going into the Indies and Per/ia, he might have eafily caus'd him to 

 have been apprehended for a Spy. But in regard the Jews can do nothing in point 

 of Trade without the afliftance of the French Merchants, he adviz'd with fome of 

 them , who perfwaded him that it was an Act of folly , which it better became him 

 to excufe , and defir'd him to take his Goods again , and put up the bufinefs -, which 

 with much ado they perfwaded him to condefcend to. The Gentleman fearing leaft 

 the Jews underhand (hould do him a private mifchief , ftole away with what fpeed he 

 could , and return'd to Smyrna. 



De Reville being thus return 'd to Smyrna , put himfelf into an Almadier, which is a 

 fmall VefTel of War , that generally touches at Chio and Rhodes , being bound for 

 Cyprus , from whence there is always fome convenience or other to get to Akxan- 

 dretta. From thence he went to Aleppo -, and while he ftay'd there he met with two 

 French men, the one whofe name was Neret , the other Hautin, who was an Ac- 

 comptant. They had four wooden Chefts full of falfe Stones ready fet , by which 

 they flatter' J themfelves to be great gainers in Per fia. They went from Marfeittes to 

 Seyde , from Seyde to Damas , hearing that there was an opportunity to Travel to 

 Bagdat with the Topigi-Bajhi. This Topigi-Bajhi or chief of the Engineers , was 

 he that aflifted Amurat h in the taking of Bagdat \ in recompence whereof the Grand 

 Signor gave him a Timar , or Lordfhip in Damas worth four thoufand Crowns a 

 year. Now it was his cuftom every year to vifit Bagdat , and to day there during the 

 Seafon , that there was any probability of the King of Ver fie? s befieging it -, which 

 Seafon not lading above three or four Months , when that was over, he return'd to 

 Dtmas. He ufually had about thirty Horfe with him , with which he never made 

 it above eighteen or twenty days, taking the fhorteft cut directly through the 

 Defert, where the Arabs are commanded to bring him Victuals upon the Road. 

 And he is willing at any time when he has this opportunity , to conduct the Franks 

 that defire it that way, in regard they are never ungrateful to him for it. Thefe 

 two Franks therefore having defir'd that they might be taken into his Company , 

 the Topigi-Bajhi readily confented ^ provided they could ftay 'till he went , which 

 would not be 'till two or three Months 5 with which anfwer they were well fatisfi'd. , 

 But the two Franks had not ftay'd at Damas above feven or eight days but they fell 

 acquainted with aSpahi, a Renegade of Mtrfeiiïes, who proffer'd to carry them 



through 



