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The Persian Travels Book III 



CHAP. IV. 



Another %oad from Aleppo to Tauris , through Geziré and other 

 places. 



\Rom Aleppo to Bir or Beri, where you muft crofs Euphrates, days 4 

 From Bir to Ottrfa, days 2 

 From Oitrfa to JDiarbequir, days 6 

 From Diarbequir to G expire, days 4 

 Geziré is a little City of Mesopotamia , built upon an Ifland in the River Tigris ; 

 which is there to be crofs'd over a fair Bridge of Boats. Here the Merchants meet 

 to buy Gall-nuts and Tobacco. The City is under the Jurifdi&ion of a Bey. 



Having paft the Tigris, all the Country between that and Tauris is almoft equally 

 divided between Hills and Plains} the Hills are cover'd with Oaks that bear Galls, 

 and fome Acorns withal. The Plains are planted with Tobacco, which is tranfported 

 into Turkie , for which they have à very great Trade. One would think the Country 

 were poor > feeing nothing but Galls and Tobacco } but there is no Country in the 

 World where there is more Gold or Silver laid out , and where tfaey are more nice 

 in taking Money that is in the leaft defective either in weight or goodnefs of Metal. 

 For Galls being a general Commodity for Dying , and no where to be found fo good 

 as there , bring a vaft Trade to the Country j wherein there are no Villages, yet it 

 is over-fpread with Houfes a Mufquet-fhot one from another , and every Inhabitant 

 has his quarter of his Vineyard by himfelf, where they dry their Grapes : for they 

 make no Wine. 



From Gez.iré to Amadié , days 2 

 Amadié is a good City, to which the Natives of a great part of Ajfyria bring their 

 Tobacco , and Gall-nuts. It is feated upon a high Mountain , to the top whereof 

 you cannot get in lei's than an hour. Toward the middle of the Rock three or four 

 large Springs fall down from the Cliffs , where the Inhabitants are forc'd to water 

 their Cattel and fill their Borachio's every morning , there being no Water in the 

 City. It is of an indifferent bignefs, and in the middle is a large Piaz.z.a , where 

 all forts of Merchants keep their Shops. It is under the Command of a Bey that is 

 able to raife eight or ten thoufand Horfe , and more Foot than any other of the 

 Beys , by reafon his Country is fo populous. 



From Amadié to Gioufmarkj, days 4 

 From Gioufmark^ to Alback^, days 3 

 From Albach^ to Salmaflre , days 3 

 Salmaflre is a pleafant City upon the Frontiers of the Affyrians and Medes, and 

 the firft on that fide in the Territories of the Perfian King. The Caravan never 

 lyes there , becaufe it would be above a League out of the way : but when the 

 Caravan is lodg'd , two or three of the principal Merchants with the Caravan-Bajbi 

 according to cuftom go to wait upon the Kan. The Kan is fo glad that the Caravan 

 takes that Road, that he prefents the Çaravan-Btflni and thofe that go with him, with 

 the Garment of Honour , or the Calaat , the Bonnet , and Girdle -, which is the 

 greateft Honour that the King or his Governour càn do to Strangers. 



From Salamaflre to Tauris, days 4 

 In all thirty-two days journey this way from Aleppo to Tauris. But though this 

 be the fhorteft cut, and where they pay leaft Cuftoms, yet the Merchants dare hardly 

 venture for fear of being ill us'd by the Beys. 



Ter en , whole Capital City the Perjians call Cheri]ar , is a Province between Ma- 

 Zidndran and the ancient Region of the Perfians known at this day by the name of 

 Hierac , to the South-Eaft of IJpahan. 'Tis one of the moft temperate Countries, 

 that has nothing in it of the contagious Air of Guilan , where the King goes for the 

 purity of the Air , and for his fport of Hunting ^ befidcs , that it produceth ex- 

 cellent Fruits in many places. The Capital City whereof, which fome call by the 

 name of the Trovince, is of a moderate compafs, but there is nothing worthy obfer- 

 vation in it : only a League from it are to be feen the Ruines of a great City, which 

 : « had 



