Chap.VL of Monfieur Tavernier. iff 



There are alfo three other Bridges upon the River, one above the Bridge of 

 Zidfa, and two below. The firft but meanly built, but very commodious for thé 

 Amenions , when they travel Weftward , who would elfe be fore'd to go a great 

 way about, through the whole City of Iftahan. 



The firft of the other two Bridges below the Bridge of Znlfa, was built by Sj^ T" 

 jfgwthei'ccond , Father of the prefent King. It is almoft equal to it in Structure 5 

 but it has one particular beauty , which is a hexagonal place in the middle of thé 

 Bridge , which caufes the Water to fall in that part with a pleafing noife. For that 

 being the deepeft part of the Rivet , Sha-Abas refolv'd to build a Bridge there -, 

 partly for the Gam j*fake, to the end, they might not come through the walk of 

 Tcharbag , and that going from ifpahan they might have a fhorter cut home. Thé 

 Habitation of the Gaurs is only a large Village , the firft Houfes whereof are but a 

 little way from the River, though the walk that goes from Jfpaban to the Kings Bridge 

 is both longer and broader than that of Tcharbag, planted on both fides with a row of 

 Trees, but no Channel in the middle. _ 



Before each of the Avenues to the Bridge (lands a Houfe that belongs to the 

 King for his divertifoment. That upon the left fide of the River toward Ifpahan y 

 Was by the great Ska- Abas giv'n to the Capuchins. For as foon as they came to Ifva- 

 ban , upon their Examination , the King was extreamly tak'n with their behaviour. 

 He ask'd them how they liv'd , and whether they took any money ? To which thé 

 Capuchins making anfwer , that they never handled any money but contented them- 

 felves with Alms ; the King believing his Subjects , would give them very little , 

 beftowM that Houfe and Garden upon them. But they ftay'd not long there , be- 

 caufe it was too big for them to repair , and too far from the City, fo that the Roman- 

 Catholicks in the Winter could not get to their Chappel. Now they have built them- 

 félves a very handlbm Houfe not far from the King's Palace , at the Coft of Father 

 Jofefh , one of their own order. 



There is another old Bridge a quarter of a League below the Gaurs Bridge , 

 which is upon the Road from Iff than to Sehiras. 



But to return to the long-walk of Xch*rb*£i which continues above eight hun- y 

 dred paces beyond the Bridge of Zulfato the Garden of Hez.ardgerib. The Rivu- 

 let that paffes that other part of the walk , comes from the fame River which they 

 have cut three or four Leagues above Ifpahan. When you have wak'd about four 

 hundred paces , you meet with a fall of Waters that tumbles into a Pool , from 

 whence there are twelve fteps to afcend to the end of the Alley. The walk is 

 fronted by the great Houfe which ftands before the Garden of Hetardgerib , oir 

 the theufand Acres. The Houfe confifts but only of one great Hall over the Gate, 

 and four fmall Chambers at the four corners of it. 



Hez.atdverib is^the faireft Garden in Afia, though it would be accounted no- 

 thing in Europe. However as it lies upon the defcent of a Hill , it confifts of fixteen 

 Terajfesj, fuftain'd by a Wall fixteen or feventeen foot high. There is buTlîttlé 

 Water in any of the Wells -, but that which has moft is in the fourth Terrafs. That 

 is a great Octagonal Pool about a hundred and twenty foot in Diameter, round 

 about which are feveral Pipes that throw up the Water about three foot high , and 

 there are three fteps down to the Water. A Channel pav'd with Stone runs through 

 the principal Alley, which goes no farther than the building. This Channel is as 

 Wide as that of the Channel of Tcharbag, whence it is fupply'd as being right oppo- 

 fite to it. In the tenth T trrafs you meet with another Fountain of the fame bignefs 

 and form with that in the fourth -, and in the laft which terminates the Grand Alley 

 and the length of the Garden , there is another Channel which croffes all the Alleys , 

 which , like the great one compofe the length of the Alley. Befides this , there 

 are op'n Rooms to take the frefh Air , fame falls and murmurs of Water , but for 

 borders and clofe Alleys , and Arbours , you muft expecl: no fuch thing , either in 

 tieZtOrdgerib , nor in any othér part of Perfta. 



Having walk M in the great walk of Tcharbag, you meet upon the right hand 

 with a Street between two Walls of the Gardens that belong to the King , which 

 Street leads you to Znlfa , not above two or three Mufquet Shots diftancë 

 Off. 



Znlfa a Colony of Armenians which Sha-Abas brought from Znlfa a City of 

 'Armenia , is fo much encreas'd for fbmé years fince , that it may now pafs tor i 



large 



