The Persian Travels Book IV, 



the leg deep -, though it be very true that there are very few people to be feen 

 then in the Street *, for in regard of the vaulted Channels that run through every 

 Street, {hould the foak'd Earth chance to fail under the Horfe , it might endanger a 

 Limb. Befides , the Perfians are lb fuperftitious , that they will hardly receive 

 a man within their doors with a lpot of Dirt upon his Cloathes , for fear of being 

 defU'd by him. 



You (hall alfo meet with little Holes againft the Walls of the Houfes in the op'n 

 Street , where the Perfiam are not alham'd to fquat and Pifs in the face of all the 

 World. If there be any running Water in the Street , they take a little in their 

 Hands and wafh their Member with it -, or if there be no Water, they rub it againft 

 a Stone or the Wall , which they take for a great piece of gentility and mo- 

 defty. 



That which farther contributes to the naftinefs of the Streets of Ijfahan , is , 

 that the Butchers throw the Blood and Excrements of the Beafts which they kill 

 into the Streets. If a Horle or a Mule , a Camel or an Afs dye , they prefently 

 throw him into the Street. True it is, that there are people who come prefently to 

 buy it of the Owner -, who make Harijfé , which they fell to the poor Work-men. 

 This Harijfé is thus prepar'd :, they boyl the flefli of the dead Bead with Corn, and 

 after it is well boyl'd they mafh it together, 'till it becomes like a Pottage. They alfo 

 make Harijfé of good Mutton -, both which forts th&y fell in the Market-place , or 

 great Meydan of the City. 



Though the City of J/pahan be dirty, yet there is a way for perfons of ability to 

 avoid it ; for they never ftir but on Horfe-back , with two or three Lackeys , call'd 

 Coatres , that run before to make room. For the Men are all upon the falfe Gallop 

 in the Streets , without any fear of hurting the Children : by reafon that the Chil- 

 dren are not fuffer'd to play in the Streets like ours , but as Ibon as ever they come 

 from School , they fit down by their Parents , to be inftructed by them in their Pro- 

 feffion. 



Thefe Valets or Foot-men make a Trade of Running *, of which the King and 

 the Lords have lèverai in their fervice j it being a piece of grandeur to keep a 

 great many. They ferve from Father to Son , undergoing an Apprentifhip in 

 Running. From fix to feven years of age, they only fet themfelves to walk flowly. The 

 next year they run a League at a time upon a handfom trot , the next year after they 

 run two or three Leagues, and fo proportionably for the reft. At eighteen years of age 

 they are allow'd a Scrip of Flowr,with a flat piece of Copper to bake their Bread upon, 

 and a Bottle of Water - , all which they carry about them when they run. For thefe 

 people when they are fentPoft never take theC^w»-rvoad,.but thefhorteft cuts 

 through the Deferts, and muft therefore accuftom themfelves to carry their Provifion. 

 The King and the Lords have no Châtres, but what are Mafters ; which degree they are 

 not to arrive at without fome Ceremony and performing a Race , like our Jemmy 

 and the Butcher of Croyden. 



If he be a Lord that owns the Chater who defires to be a Mafter , he fends for all 

 his Friends, fets up a Scaffold in the Meydan, provides a Collation, and fends 

 for the Curtifans to divert the Company. Now there is not one of thefe Guefts 

 that does not bring fomething to give this Cbater after the Race is run , either a 

 Bonnet or a Girdle , or fome other thing , part of which the Chater gives to his 

 fellows. Then the Chater appears with his Legs greas'd , h\s Thighs bare, only a 

 flight fhort pair of loofe Breeches , and a Girdle with three little Bells hanging upon 

 his Belly. Thus accouter'd he ftarts from Mi-Cap, and between Sun-rifing and 

 Sun-fetting he runs backward and forward to a Stone a League and a half from the 

 City toward the Mountains", running in that time fix and thirty of our common 

 Leagues , or a hundred and eight Miles. While he runs, there is KourcnJ^ in the 

 Meydan, and upon all the Road where he runs , and three or four Horfe-men that 

 continually ride to and fro, to fee that there be no deceit in the Chafer's Race j who 

 when he approaches near the City, ride before to give notice of his coming. Every 

 time he ftarts and returns , the Drums and Trumpets found -, at the end of the Race 

 there ftand feveral perfons with Arrows in their Hands , and ev'ry time he comes to 

 the Stone they give him an Arrow , which he carries back every courfe to Jlli-Capri. 

 Every time he returns , the Curtifans rub him and make much of him. All the time 

 he runs, he eats nothing, but drinks Sherbet now and then. If he acquit himfelf 



