Chap. V. of Monfîeur Tavernie r. 149 



part whereof belong'd to Haider , and the other to Neamed-OUhi , two parts of 

 Ifpdhan ftill retaining thofe two names , which- has occafion'd great quarrels and de- 

 bates among the people, while they have both been eager to prefer their own quarter. 

 Nor indeed could Ijpahan be accompted other than a Village , before Sha-Abas had 

 conquer'd the Kingdoms of Lar and Orrmts. But then observing lb fair a Situa- 

 tion, where he might as well be near the Provinces which he had newly conquer'd , 

 as for the defign which he had to extend his Dominions to the Eaft and Weft, as he 

 had enlarg'd them to the South , he quitted Cafbin and Sultany to refide at Ijpahan , 

 as in the center of his Empire. 



This City is feated in a vaft plain , which extends it felf three ways fifteen or 

 twenty Leagues. Upon the South about two Leagues from Ijpahan riles a very high 

 Mountain , on the top whereof toward the Weft are to be feen the remains of a 

 veryftrong Fortrels, where Darius kept himfell, when ^Alexander gave Battle to 

 him in that Plain. In the fide of the Rock is a Grotto , either natural or artificial, 

 or both, out of which ilfues a natural Spring of excellent Water, where a Z^m* 

 uiually inhabits. 



The Circuit of Ijpahan , taking the Suburbs all in , is not much lefs than that of 

 Paris -, but the number of Inhabitants is ten times greater at Paris than at Ifpahan. 

 Nor is it a wonder that a City fhould be lb large and vet fo ill peopl'd , where every 

 Family has its particular Houfe , and every Houfe its particular Garden. What 

 ever way you come to it you may difcoverfirft the Towers of the Mofquées, and then 

 the Trees that environ the Houles , lb that Ifpahan feems rather a Forreft than a City. 

 The Plain being fertile is well inhabited, but there are no Villages in it, only three or 

 four Houfes in a place together. 



The Walls of Ijpahan are of Earth , to which do belong fome pittiful Towers ILL 

 without Battlements or Platforms, Battions or Redoubts, or any other Fortifica- *" 

 îion. The Moats alfo are as bad , neither broad nor deep , but always dry. In 

 fome places alfo the people have beaten down great gaps in the Wall , to get the 

 neareft way into the City, yet they reckon ten Gates, which are but of Earth r 

 however, and of no defence ; the chief of which are Ber-Vafalfehab , not far ' 

 from the King's Palace, Der-Tokshi , Der-Afarl^, Der-Vafal-Lembon , Der-Nafan- 

 Abad , Dtr-Sha , and Der-Del^t. The Gates are made of Planks rudely joyn'd 

 together , and cover'd with plates of Iron four fingers broad , and as thick as a 

 ' Crown , faften'd with flat-headed Nails. The Keys are never carry 'd to the Go- 

 vernour , but left with a filly Porter that op'ns and (huts the Gates as he pleafes 

 himfelf j for indeed there is no neceflïty of (hutting the Gates when there are fo many 

 other ways into the City. 



The City of Ifpahan is ill laid out -, for the Streets are narrow and unequal , and 

 for the moft part dark , becaufe of the Arches that go from one Houfe to another , 

 lb that a man is forc'd fometimes to feel his way for two hundred paces. Moreover 

 the Streets are many times annoy'd with Loads of Ordure and the CarcalTes of dead 

 Beafts, which caufe a moft filthy ftench, and would be very infectious certainly, 

 but for the wholelbmnefs of the Air. In the moft part of the Streets are Wells , 

 which are ftop'd up in Summer , and open'd in the Winter to carry away the Rain 

 and the Snow into the Arch'd Channels which run under Ground through the middle 

 of the Street. There are alfo before every Door certain Troughs to receive the 

 filth and ordure of evéry Family , which the Country-men come and carry away to 

 Dung their Grounds. Every morning the Country -man comes with his Afs to lade 

 Dung*, and it is obfervable that he is more diligent to carry away the Dung of the 

 Armenians, Franks, and Jews that drink Wine, than of the Perjians that drink 

 none. And this is the profit of the Servants of the Houfe that fell an AfTes Load 

 of Dung for five , and Ibmetimes for ten or twelve Kasbefhe'. <h 



The Streets of Ifpahan , as of all the reft of the Cities of Perfia are not pav'd , 

 which makes them very incommodious both Summer and Winter. For in the Sum- A*- 

 mer the duft puts out youî Eyes , unlels it be in the Streets where the great Mer- 

 chants live , and about the Meydan , where there are people hir'd to water the 

 Streets Morning , Noon , and Night. Thofe people go about the Streets alfo with 

 a Boracho full of Water , and a Glafs , with Ice in a Bag , to give them drink 

 that defire it : Nor do they take any money , being paid out of the Legacies left by 

 perfons deceafed for that purpofe. In the Winter this duft turns to mire half 



the 



