128 



The Persian Travels Book III 



Cherry-trees, Apple-trees, Pear-trees, Walnut-trees, and all other ufeful Trees 

 of the lame nature : but their chiefeft Wealth conflits in Cattel , but efpecially in 

 welUhap'd Horfes, not much unlike the Spanljh Gennets. They have alio an abun- 

 dance of Goats and Sheep, whole Wool is as good as that of Spain ; which the Mn[- 

 covites fetch away to make Felts. They neither low Wheat nor Oats , but only Barley 

 for their Horfes, and Millet to make Bread-, nor do they ever fow twice in the fame 

 place: not but that the Land is good enough to bear Wheat, but becaufe they love 

 Bread made of Millet better. They have very good Fowl, and Venifon, and Wild- 

 Fowl more than they know what to do withal -, which they never hunt with Dogs, 

 nor fly their Hawks at -, for their Horfés are fo fwift and fo good , that they will 

 tire theBeaft, and force him to lye down and yield. Ev'ry Horfe-man has a Rope 

 with a fliding-knot ready at the Pummel of his Saddle , which they are fo dextrous 

 to throw about the neck of the Beaft that begins to be weary, that 'tis twenty to 

 one if they mils him. When they have kili'd a Dear, they cut off the legs, and 

 breaking the Bones , eat the Marrow, which they fay is the beft thing in the World 

 to ftrengthen the Body. When they go to fteal Cattel , they carry along with' 

 them great Cows-horns ftuft with boyl'd Tripes cut in fraall pieces then watch- 

 ing their times when the Herdimen are afleep , when the Dogs begin to bark, 

 they throw to ev'ry one a Horn , with which the Dog prefently runs away : and fo 

 while the Shepherds are afleep, and the Dog is bufie to get the Meat out of the 

 Horn , which is there ramm'd in on purpofe , the Thieves drive away what they 

 pleafe. 



The Drink of the Sherkçs is Water and Bofa. Bofa is a Drink made of Millet, 

 as intoxicating as W 7 ine , which they want in the Country. 



The Men and the Women , Boys and Girls go habited all alike , and their Habit 

 is a colour'd Robe of Fuftian , with a kind of large Petticoat underneath -, with 

 this they wear a little pink'd Waftcoat that reaches down to their Thighs -, and over 

 that a Caifock of courfe Cloth that reaches down to their Knees, girt about their 

 Wafts with a Cord. The Sleeves of the Caflbck are op'n below and above , and 

 fometimes they pin them behind their Backs. They wear no Beards 'till they are 

 fixty years of age. And as for their Hair, neither Men nor Women , Boys nor 

 Girls , ever wear it longer than the tips of their Ears. The Men , both young and 

 old , (have the middle of their Heads about the bredth of two Fingers from the 

 Forehead down to the Nape of the Neck : and then inftead of Hats or Head-clothes, 

 both Men and Women wear only a little Bonnet of the fame Cloth as the Caflbck, 

 made like a Night-cap. 'Tis true , when the Maids come to be marry'd there is 

 ibme diftin&ion upon their Heads i for then they faft'n to the hinder part of their 

 Heads a round piece of Felt , which they cover with a white Veil very artificially 

 pleated. Their Breeches are ty'd below their Knees, and reach to their Ancles } 

 their Shooes, which are of Cordovan, both upper and under Leather, have but 

 one feam upon the upper part of the Foot , being light , and cut like a pair of 

 Pumps. 



As for their Beds , they take feveral Sheep-skins and fow them together , and 

 then fluffing them full of Millet-leaves , make a kind of Quilt. Now when they 

 beat the Millet , the Leaf comes to be as fmall as the Chaff of Oats ■■, fo that when 

 the perfon rifes off from the Quilt, the Quilt rifes and fwells again of it felf. Their 

 Cufhions are of the fame Make, only fometimes they are ftuft with Wool. 



The People are neither Chriftians nor Mahometans , all their Religion confifting 

 in fome Ceremonies which they perform with the greateft Solemnities which they 

 can imagin : for at that time old and young of all Ages and Sexes , and all the whole 

 Town muft be there at the place appointed , unlefs impotency or ficknefs excufes 

 them. I call them Villages , for in all thefe Countries their is neither Fortrefs 

 nor City : and as for their Villages , they are all built after the fame Model , round,, 

 with a Pia&TLa in the middle , according to the Figure. 



CHAP. 



