The Persian Travels 



Book IV. 



over their Cheeks. They carry a great Club in their hands , as the Painters reprefent 

 John the Baptift in the Wilderneis. Between their girdles and their wafts they ftuff 

 a company of pittiful Flowers , or elfe a fort of Herbs , which after Èxhortation , 

 both the young and the old Dervfs beftow upon the Merchants and Tradefinen , 

 from whom at the fame time they receive Alms. Toward the Evening they go home 

 again-, and I forgot to tell you, that before the doocof the Houfe ftands always a 

 large Veffel of Water with feveral little Cups , and Ice in the Summer, where all 

 paffengers may drink upon free-coft. 



The River ôf Senderon, which as well as the reft of the Rivers of Perfia, except 

 the tAras , is not able to carry a Boat , is a very great relief to Ifpahan. Behind 

 the Mountains of the South beyond Zulfa is another River , call'd Abkuren , which 

 about five or fix Leagues above Ifpahan runs within a League and a half of Sendenn. 

 Sba-Abu the firft attempted to have joyn'd the two Rivers together , to which pur- 

 pole he went about to have remov'd certain Rocks that flood in his way, but not 

 being able to compafs his defign, his Succeflors laid afideall the thoughts of attem- 

 pting any more. Could it have been done , the Champaign of Ifpahan would have 

 been one of moft fertile and delicious places in the World -, whereas now the River 

 is of noufe, running through Defert Countries and Plains of Salt. As for the River 

 of SenderoHy in Winter it over-flows, but in Summer it has very little Water, being 

 oftner foarded than crols'd over upon Bridges. About four Leagues above Ifpahan they 

 are conftrain'd to force it into their Lands to water their Fields and Grounds, which 

 elfe would produce nothing at all. Wells they have a great many in feveral places ; 

 butbefides, that they are not able to furnifh that great quantity of Water which is; 

 necelfary *, the River Water is much better to fatten the Land. Now you muftob- 

 ferve that their Channels never return to the River , being wafted upon the Ground ^ 

 fo that the River of Ifpahan being very much wafted before it comes to the City , by 

 reafonthat it is ftill leflen'd by fo many Channels , about ten or twelve Leagues from 

 thence, it ends as it were quite fpent in a few Merfhes. This fcarcity of Watet , 

 which is fo general overall Perfta , is the reafon that they are extraordinary Husbands 1 

 of it, and buy it very dear. Therefore is the fuperintendant of the Water, which 

 brings the King in a very confiderable Revenue, one of the moft contended for em- 

 ployments in the whole Court. For every Garden is Tax'd more or lefs according 

 to its bignefs , for the Water it requires once a Week; which Water is let go into 

 the quarters which have need of it , every Garden having a particular' Channel 

 whence they have their Water by turns. But you rauft have a care of attempting 

 to bring this Water in before your turn, for fhould it come to be known , an eafie 

 Fine would not excufe the matter. I knew two Franks , who becaufe they prefumtf 

 to take in Water in the night time before it was their turn , had like to have loft all 

 their Land by Confifcation , had it not been for the particular favour of the King to* 

 the Franks ^ and yet all that favour did not excufe them from being foundry amerc'd. 



There are four Bridges a quarter of a Leagues diftanee one from another that crofê 

 the River of Senderou to Ifpahan. That which crofles the walk bears the name of 

 Alywerdi-Kan , who caus'd it to be built , being alfo call'd the Bridge of Zulfa. If 

 is built of good Brick joyn'd together with Free-ftone , and very level , not being 

 higher in the middle than at either end. It is not above three hundred and fifty paceï 

 long , and twenty broad , being fupported by feveral fmall Arches of Stone which 

 are very low. Of each fide there is a Gallery eight or nine foot broad which rtins 

 from one end to the other , feveral Arches twenty-five or thirty foot high fupporting 

 the Platform, where when the heat is not extream, they that pleafe may walk for the 

 fake of the frefh Air. But the moft ufual pafiage is under the Galleries , whefÊ 

 there are feveral out-lets upon the River to let in the frefli Air. For the Galleries' 

 are very high from the level of the Bridge , to which yotï afcend by eafie fteps , the 

 middle of the Bridge not being above twenty-five foot broad , ferving for Waggons' 

 and Pack-horfes. There is alio another way all along by the Water fide , where 

 there are feveral Stones laid to ftep upon , to keep you from being watchet. Iff 

 crofies through all the Arches of the Bridge, through little doors made in every 

 Arch from one end to the other , defcending from the Bridge by a little pair of 

 ftairs, tak'noutof the thickjiefs of the Arches fupporters. There is another Stair- 

 cafe to aicend up to the Galleries of about two fathoms broad , with ftays orRaifs* 

 on both fides. This Bridge is truly" a very neat of Architedrùre , iff mayrto? 

 fay theneateft inall/V/M. * There 



