Chap.X. ef Mônfieur Tavernier. 



97 



through the Road of Mefopotamia , fo that they fliould be at Ijpahan before the 

 T opigi-Bajhi let out from Damas. Thereupon they privately departed out of Daman 

 without acquainting the Topigi-Bajhi , who underftanding they were gone after the 

 courtefie he had offer'd them , was foenrag'd at their uncivillity , that he lent two 

 of his Jkdrian Servants directly through the Wildcrncfs to the Bajhaof Bagdat, to 

 give him advice of two Franks that were to pals that way , who were moft certainly 

 Spies, defcribing them withallfrom head to foot. 



In the mean while the twoFrank* being arriv'd at Ourfa,theSpahi,as he had contriv'd 

 his own defign at Damas, goes to the Bajha of Ourfa, and informs him that he had con- 

 duced thither two Franks , who could be no other than Spies. Thereupon the 

 Bajha feiz'd upon them and all their Goods, among the reft he laid his paws upon 

 feven hundred Piafters , of which the Spahi no doubt had his (hare. And this 

 may ferve for inftruction to Travellers to have a care how and with whom they Travel 

 inTurkie. 



While the two French men were in hold at Our fa by one fort of Treachery t 

 the Norman Gentleman and his Companion arriv'd at Bagdat. But they had no 

 fooner let their feet upon the fhore, when the Bajlia verily believing them to be 

 the perfons , of whom the Topigi-Bajhi had giv'n him notice , caus'd them to be 

 brought before him , and feiz'd upon their Goods and Letters , of which they had 

 lèverai for the Conful of sileppo , and other rich Merchants for Per fia. The Bajha 

 fent for the Capuchins to read thofe Letters, but not believing them, he fent for 

 a Sicilian Phyfitian which he had in his Service, and his Treafurer who had been a 

 Slave tak'n in Candy. But neither Phyfitian , Treafurer , nor Capuchins would in- 

 terpret any thing in prejudice of the French men -, yet all that could not preferve 

 them from being fhut up in a Stable full of dung , and from being threaten'd to be 

 Shot out of a Cannon's mouth if they would not confefs the truth. Thereupon the 

 Capuchins and the CW*'beg'd him to fufpend his Sentence 'till the Arrival of the chief 

 of the Cannoniers, to which he readily confented. 



When the Topigi-Bajhi came , the Bafia commanded the Prifoners to be brought 

 before him. But when the Topigi-Bajlu deny'd them to be the perfons, the Baflia 

 grew into fuch a rage , that he no lefs reproach'd the Topigi-Bajln for Treachery , 

 than he had accus'd the others. Which fo incens'd the Topigi-Bajlii on the other 

 fide , that he never left 'till he had obtain'd the releafe of the two French men -, yet 

 not&, but that the Jiajha would have his due - , fothat Reville was fore'd to leave 

 fome of his Ducats behind which the Jew fhould have had. 



But now to return to Smyrna where I expected the Caravan for fome time in order 

 to my Journey into Per fia. Every thing being provided , we fet forward in the Road 

 for Tauris, which I have at large defcrib'd,nor was there any thing worthy obfervation 

 all the way. I will only take notice, that when we departed from Toe at , in re- 

 gard the heat was fo extream , we left the common Road toward the North , and 

 took the way through the Mountains, where there is always a frefh Breeze and ftore, 

 of fhady Lanes. In many of which high Mountains we met with Snow , and abun- 

 dance of excellent Sorrel ; and upon the tops of fome of thofe Mountains , we 

 met with feveral forts of fhells, as it had been upon the Sea fhore, which is very 

 extraordinary. From Erzerom we went to Cars • from Cars we came to Erivan. 

 The Kan was not there then , being retir'd during the heat into the Mountains , a 

 days Journey from the City. His Lieutenant telling me that I could not well pafs 

 farther without paying my duty to the Kan; I follow'd his advice, and found him in 

 his Tent in a fair Dale, where there was a great quantity of Snow : and where when it 

 began to melt, appear'd feveral beautiful Flowers, fo that Summer and Winter feem'd 

 to lodge both in the fame place.The/C^» entertain'd both me and all my Company moft: 

 nobly for ten days. I drove alfo a fmall Trade with him. For I durft not fhew him 

 the rarities I had, being defign'd for the King. For as in India, fo in Per fia, nei- 

 ther will the King look upon any thing which his Subjects have feen before , nor will 

 the Subject buy any thing which the King has feen , it being an affront to prefent, 

 any thing to the King which he had formerly view'd , and the Subject buys nothing 

 rare but what he intends to prefent. 



Being pad Erivan you may leave your Caravan when you pleafe., by reafon of the 

 fecurity of the Roads in Per fia. And indeed I intended to have vifited the Kan of 

 Cenge'a , but finding the Road fo full of Rocks and Precipices , where a man was 



M êôfîti- 



