Tbe Persian Travels Book V. 



about two hunder'd paces on this fide the Mofquee, is another V <tfe, which receives 

 the fame water as it runs from the Mountain. This Street was made by Itnan- 

 Kouli-Kan, after he had cut the Mountain at the end of it, to fhorten the way 

 from Schiras to Ifpahan. 



There are in Schiras three or four Glafs-houfes, where they make great and 

 fmall Bottles, to tranfport the Sweet-waters that are made in the City. There 

 are alfo made the feveral forts of Veflels wherein they pickle their fruits of all 

 forts, which they (end in great quantities into India, to Sumatra, Batavia, and 

 other places. 



There is no Silk made, nor any other manufacture in Schiras : only there are 

 fome few Chites or Painted-cloaths made there., which neverthelefs are very 

 coarfe, and in ulè only among the meaner fort. 



As you go out of the City upon the North- weft fide, you meet with a long 

 Alley or Walk, in three parts whereof are plac'd three Stones, which they call 

 Mills. At the end of this walk is a Garden call'd Baj-Sha, or the King's Garden. 

 Over the Gate whereof is a great Room half ruin'd : and at the end of a large 

 Walk planted with Cyprels- trees, ftands a neat piece of building, but altogether 

 neglected. Upon the left-hand whereof is a great Pond pav'd wirh Free-ltone, 

 being all the beauties of the Garden: which, it is true, was full of Fruit- 

 trees, Rofes and fafmins , yet, for want of order, it look'd like a Wilder- 

 nels. 



From the Garden to the Hill is a Plain of two leagues long, and one broad ^ 

 which is all but one large Vinyard belonging to lèverai perfons. Beyond the Vinyard 

 rife very high Mountains, from whence fall lèverai little Springs that form a River, 

 which is call'd Bend-Emir , from the name of a Town where the biggeft Spring 

 riles. This River of Bend-Emir waters the whole Vineyard of Schiras ; where it 

 never rains from Spring till Autumn : which is the reafon that in the Summer 

 there is no water in the very Channel next the City. 



Their Wines are the beft in Prrfia ; but there is not fo great a quantity made 

 as people imagin. For, of all this great Vineyard, and in all the places, round 

 about the City for four or five leagues together, good part of the Grapes are 

 dri'd and a greater quantity pickl'd : and of the Wine, there are many Veiïèls 

 full, which are burnt for the benefit of the poor Travellers, and Carriers, who find 

 it a great refrefhment to drink it with water. 



Their Wine, as all other things, is fold by weight, and not by meafure. In the 

 year 1666, a moft plentiful year for Wine, the Provifion of the King's Houfe 

 amounted to yoooo Mens of Keakné, or the ancient Men containing nine pound 

 of ours, at fixteen ounces to the pound, (being the only weight for Wine,) and the 

 King allows as much to the Franks, as for his own Houfhold. The Jews of Schi- 

 ras, who boaft themlèlves of the Tribe of Levi, make above a hunder'd and ten 

 thouland Mens, it being their chiefeft livelihood j but the Governour of Schiras 

 knows how to Ihare with them in their profit. The whole account of Wine made 

 at Schiras amounts to 200025- Mens, or 412J Tuns, at three hunder'd pints to the 

 Tun. 



In Schiras is an ancient Mojhuee, wherein is the Sepulcher of a Sadu whom the 

 Terfians efteem the belt of their Poets. It has been a very fair one, accompani'd 

 with a large Building, which was once a Colledg 5 but it runs to ruine, as do alfo 

 many other Edifices within the City. Juft againft this Mofqaee you defcend by a 

 pair of Stairs into a large Well, at the bottom whereof is a Va[e full of Fifb, 

 which no-body dares to touch, it being Sacriledg to rob the Sadi of what belongs 

 to him. A little beyond this Mofquee, upon a high Rock, ftand the ruines of a 

 Gaftle ; and upon the top of all the Rock is a fquare Well cut out of the Rock. 

 It is very deep, and ten or twelve foot broad : formerly, they told me, their 

 Adulterefies were all thrown into it.^ There is one wonderful Well in this City } 

 which is 1 y years rifing, and 15- years falling; that is, the water is one fifteen 

 years rifing to the top, and another fifteen years finking to the bottom. 



There are in Schiras two or three Bazars well built, through the midft whereof 

 the water runs in a Channel. 



To the South- weft, a good league from the City, there is a little Hill divided 

 from the great.Mountain, upon which Hill are three Gates to be feen, the remain- 

 der 



