The Persian Travels Book IV. 



Barbel. In the fubterranean Channel which they bring to water their fields there 

 is another fort of Fifh very plentiful of bones , and as little as can well be eaten. 



Where the white Mulberies grow by the River fide , lb foon as they begin to 

 bear fruit , 'tis very good paftime to fee the Crabs, as big as the Palm of a man's hand, 

 come out of the River after Sun-fet , and climb the trees to eat the fruit, and then by 

 break of day return into the River again. They are delicate food, far beyond'Crey- 

 fifh , but a hot provocative Diet, as the Phyficians well obferve. 



During the Froft they bring from the Cajpian Sea great ftore of Salmon or Salmon- 

 Trouts , four or five Foot long. The Province of Media is well ftor'd with Sturgeon 

 from the mouth of the River Araxes. In the fame Sea there is a certain Fifh like 

 a Carp, which they fait and dry like our Herrings. From the Perfian Gulf comes 

 nothing but Salt-filh , which is tranfported over all the Kingdom. 



Their Fowls are much the fame that we have in Europe, only I do not remember, 

 that I ever faw any Quails in the Country. As for their Pigeons , they fly wild 

 about the Country -, but only fome which they keep tame in the City, wherewithal 

 to decoy the reft: which is a fport the Perftans ufe in hot weather as well as in cold. 

 Now in regard the Chriftians are not permitted to keep thefe Pigeons , fome of the 

 vulgar fort will turn Mahometans to have that liberty. There are above three thoufand 

 Pigeon-houfes in Ijpahan. For every man may build a Pigeon-houfe upon his own Farm, 

 which yet is very rarely done \ all the other Pigeon-houfes belong to the King, who 

 draws a greater Revenue from the Dung than from the Pigeons : which Dung , as 

 they prepare it , ferves to fmoak their Melons. 



Poultrey is very plentiful in Terfia ; and the Armenians brought out of Europe 

 the way how to fat Capons -, the firft fo fatted they prelented to the King, who lik'd 

 them fo well, that he order'd that the richeft of the Armenians fhould be commanded 

 to provide him fuch a number every year. There are no Turkeys in all Afia j but 

 the Armenians trafficking to Venice carry'd fome from thence , which when the King 

 had tailed , he lik'd fo well , that he order'd the Armenians to breed him up fuch 

 a number , and to ftock the Kingdom with them. But the Armenians, feeing the King 

 would impofe a new Tribute of Turkeys as well as Capons , grew negligent , and 

 fuffer'd the Chickens to dye as foon as they were hatch'd. Thereupon the Perfians 

 fufpe&ing the fraud , commanded the Armenians to keep the dead Turkeys, that they 

 might be Judges how they came by their deaths : And it was my wonder to fee fo 

 many young Turkeys hanging againft the Walls of fome Houfes in Zulpha , that 

 occafion'd this Story to be told me. 



All forts of Water-fowl are as plentiful in Perfia , as with us. 

 Upon the Frontiers of Media and Armenia , at a certain feafon of the year are to 

 be feen a great number of Bird?, much like to our Owzils. Much about the fame time 

 the Corn begins to appear , but then is the ground cover'd with fuch infinite fwarms 

 of Locufts , that the Armenians are forc'd to betake themfelves to their Proceflions, 

 and to water the ground with a Water which they fetch a great way off, whereinto 

 the Bodies of lèverai martyr'd Chriftians were thrown. Three days thefe Pro- 

 cédions and waterings of the ground continue , and after that , whether it be that the 

 fore-mention'd Birds do eat the Locufts , or only drive them away, in two or three 

 days the Country is clear of them. 



As for Birds of prey, the Country wants none, Falcons, Sparrow-haws, Lane- 

 rets, &c. of which the King of Perfia is very well provided , having above eight 

 hundred belonging to his Game. Some of thefe Birds are taught to fly at the wild 

 Boar, or wild Afs , or wild Goat *, others at Cranes, Herons , wild Geefe , and Par- 

 tridge. The chiefeft of which Birds are brought from the Southern Mountains, 

 eKtending from Scbiras to the Perfian Gulf. 



The King takes great delight to hunt the Boar and Hart and if it come to pafs 

 that the Game out-run the Dogs , then they let fly one of their Hawks , who pre- ; 

 fently feizes the head , and while (he is continually pecking and difturbing the 

 Beaft , the Dogs are prefently at his heels. The Hawks are taught to flop like a 

 Horfe at full fpeed : elfe they would never quit their prey, which they prefently 

 do, as foon as ever the Falconer (hews them their reward. Now their way of 

 ord'ring or making the Hawk is this. They take the skin of a Hart, head, body, 

 and legs, and ftufF it with Straw, to the end it may be like the Beaft which they 

 intend to reprefent in the nature of a Quarry. When they have fet it in the place 



where 



