Chap.XXIT. of Monfieur Taverniel 



cently built by the Mother of Aimas, Kan of Lar, when the great Sha- Abbas 

 took* this Countrey from the Games, whom he conftrain'd to turn Mahu- 

 mttans. 



The zjth I fetout at four of the Clock in the morning, and about feven I paft 

 through a Village feated in a fmall plain. A league from thence I lodg'd in an Inn 

 «call'd Pai-Cotali ; that is to fay, the foot of the Mountain, as being built at the 

 foot of the Mountain. From thence to Lar is not above four or five hours tra- 

 velling; but the way is very bad, and feveral fwift Torrents are to be 

 paft over. 



You may take another Road from Bihry, upon the right-hand toward the Weft j 

 .it is the fhorter way by two or three leagues : but fo bad, and lb narrow, that in 

 many places two Horfèmen cannot ride a-breft, being for the moft part all Rocks 

 and Precipices. 



Lar is the Capital City of the Province of the fame name, which formerly 

 bore the title of a Kingdom. It is but of an ordinary bignefs, enclos'd on both 

 fides with high Mountains, being built round about a Rock, upon which there 

 lïands a Caftle of Free-ftone, wherein the King keeps a Garrifon. The whole 

 Country is very hot, nor have they any water but Rain water, which they pre- 

 ferve in Cifterns, and which fometimes caufes a wide Torrent that runs by one 

 fide of the City, and falls from a Cafcade two ftories high, made of Free-ftone. In 

 the City and parts adjacent, grow a great number of trees, efpecially Date trees 

 and Tamarisk. The Gardens alfo and Mountains are full of Orange trees. 



There are but two Inns in Lar, the one within the City, which is not a very 

 good one ; the other at the end of the City toward Ormus, which would be 

 convenient,but that it is always afloat when the Rains fall; for which reafon the 

 Franks generally lye at the Hollanders Houfe at the end of the City. And there 

 is a neceffity for ftaying at Lar, to change the Camels ; for the Camels that come 

 from Ifpahan can go no further $ every City having their particular priviledges. 

 Which fometimes proves prejudicial to the Merchant, in regard the Governour 

 will delay the change of the Camels till he is prefented. 



The Fortrefs of Lar takes up the whole furface of the top of the Rock j and 

 there is but one way to climb it up, with great difficulty. It is more long than 

 broad.; and the four corners are fortifi'd with four Baftions, or Bulwarks, between 

 which are rais'd feveral Towers, for the Souldiers Lodgings. That Fortrefs is the 

 Royal Prifon, whither the King fends fuch Prifoners as he takes in war or fur- 

 prizes by ftratagem. I met with two there, one a Prince of Georgia^ the other 

 of MengreUa. The two Princes had each of them a Toman a day allow'd them, 

 and ten or twelve Servants to wait upon them. Upon one of the corners of the 

 Caftle, toward the Weft, was built a Banquetting Houfe with three or four Cham- 

 bers. In the middle of the Court ftands the Magazine, full of Bows and Arrows, 

 Bucklers and Muskets, enough to arm fifteen hundred men. For the Inhabitants 

 of the Province, but more efpecially of the City of Lar.. are accounted the belt 

 Mufqueteers in Per/it, and the belt at making the Barrels of Muskets, all but the 

 Breach, which they know not how to order fo well as we. The Governours Houfe 

 anfwers to the great Road ; but there is nothing at all of neatnefs without, only 

 before the door there is a good handfome Court, about fixty paces fquare, and 

 clos'd in with Walls, which leads you into two large Bazars of good Stone, very 

 well arch'd. 



The moft part of the Inhabitants of Lar are Jews, who are famous for feveral 

 Silk Manufactures, efpecially for making neat Girdles. The Countrimen were up- 

 on their heads a kind of a felt of fine wool, and very well wrought. It refembles 

 a Cap not yet fhap'd, with four Corners behind, and cut on the fides ; and thefe forts 

 of Caps are made at Kerman. 



There are an infinite number of Cifterns, as well within the City, as in the parts 

 adjacent ; and all but little enough, in regard that fometimes it does not Rain for 

 three years together. When the Rains fall they do not fill their Cifterns the firft 

 day, but rather cover them quite up, till the earth be well foak'd. Now for the 

 diftribution of this water they take an excellent courfe ; for they never keep open 

 above three Cifterns at a time ; and when they do op'n them, the Governour or 

 fome other perfon appointed for that purpofe, is prefent ; Co precious is water 



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