152 The Persian Travels Book IV. 



one call'd Hedari, the other Nametlaï ; and upon all the Combats of Beafts before- 

 mention'd, there are always very confiderable Wagers laid between thefe two Tribes. 



Ajl*»^* ^ ne » wno * s a neuter » S* ves t0 tne M a rt er of the Beaft that gets the upper 



hand fometimes five, fometimes ten, fometimes twenty Tomans, according to the value 

 of the Wager laid \ and he that wins the Wager , prefents the Mafter of the 

 the Beaft likewife. They have alio a Sport at breaking of Eggs, by knocking the ends 

 one againft another, fome of which Eggs come to three or four Crowns. The 

 Hens that lay them are bred in a Country which they call Saufevare, about a hun- 

 \$ $ ' v dred leagues from JJpahan , toward the Province of Kara/on ; the Cocks of which 



f Country are bigger and ftronger than other Cocks , and coft fome of them a hundred 



Crowns. There are a fort of Tumblers alfo, that after Dinner fet up their Stages in 

 the Mcydan, and toward the Evening, they that play the Maid-Marians come and- en- 

 compals a fquare place with a courle piece of Calicut -, and then through another 

 f very fine Cloth , the Wenches fhew a thoufand tumbling Tricks and antick Poftures. 



W hen they have done , they come and ask the Spectators for Money, who give them 

 „ v every one what they think fit. Every Friday, which is as it were Market-day, the 



^ Country-folks bring to Town what they have made in the Villages, as Doors and 



Windows fitted to be hung up, Window-frames , Locks , and other things of that 

 nature. Upon that day alfo they fell Mules, Horles, Camels, and AlTes, which brings 

 » A . a great confluence of people from all parts. 



^X^-\ Upon the Weft fide, where ftands the Gate of the Palace, and^'s Gate, be- 



\^ tween the Canal and the Pcrtico v s are rang'd fome feventy Pieces of Cannon upon 



Im'-' their Carriages. Thefe Guns, together with the Sun-Dial, were brought from Omw 



by the Great Sha-Abas, of which the Snglijh ought" to have had their (hare -, lor with- 

 out their afllftance he never could have tak'n the Town. 

 V From the corner of that Front, which touches upon the Eaftern Front of the 



Mojquee , in the middle , are all Sadlers Shops } and from that Mofqnee to another 

 corner that touches upon the Weftern Front , live, the Book-fellers , Book-binders, 

 and Trunk-makers. In the middle of the Southern Front ftands a Portal , with a 

 Tower upon each fide , which leads to a Mofquee ^ the Gate whereof is cover'd all 

 over with Plates of Silver , and is certainly the neateft Portal and faireft Entrance 

 into any Mofquee of Perfia. 



At the other end of the fame Front , where it joyns to that upon the Weft , there 

 is a great Portal that leads to a falfe Gate of the King's Palace \ near to which , as 

 loon as you are enter'd , you meet with the Apartment of the Great Treafurer, 

 who is a white Eunuch, and having the Keys of the Chamber where the Money lyes, 

 takes care to pay what-ever the King orders him. Through that falfe Gate all the 

 King's Provifions are carry 'd into the Palace. This way alfo enter they that are 

 entertain'd for the Manufaclury of the King's Tiflues, Silks, Sattins, Coverlets , and 

 the like. In the lame Enclofure alfo the Franks , who are under the King's Wages, 

 and live at Znlpha, come every day to work - , as alfo all the moft particular and 

 eminent Artifts that the King hires. 



The Weftern Front , which makes one of the two lengths of the Meydan, is thus 

 appointed from the Southern angle that touches the Trunk-maker's quarter , live 

 all your Pedlers that fell all the i'mall Commodities of Nsrimberg and Venice. 



As for the King's Palace, I cannot make any handfom defcription of it, in regard 

 there is nothing of Beauty either in the Building or in the Gardens. I think I 

 have been as far in the Houle as a man could go, every time I was fent for by His 

 Majefty, but excepting only four Rooms which they call Divans , I faw nothing 

 but pitiful low Galleries , and lb narrow that hardly two men could pafs a-breft in 

 'em. In one of thofe Galleries I had audience of the King , in the Garment of 

 Honour which he had beftow'd upon me. But in regard I have fpok'n of two of 

 them in another place , and that the other two are much alike both Building and 

 Furniture, I l'hall fay no more of them here. 



From the King's Palace Gate to Half s Gate live the Goldfmiths, Lapidaries, and 

 Gravers of Stones for Seals : Half s Gate is a plain Gate , naked of Work ; of 

 which I have already fpok'n. . 



Between Halfs Gate, and the other angle of the fame Weftern Front, ftands 

 a great Gate which leads into a Bazar , where all the Armenians that live at Zulfa 

 keep their Shops, and fell all forts of Cloth that comes out of. Europe, and other the 



choked 



1 



