2$6 Tbe Persian Travels Book V. 



the Cuftome-houfe in the night, it has bin fince enclos'd with walls. To this place 

 come all the mips that bring Commodities from India for Parjia, Turkje , or any 

 part of ùffta or Europe. And indeed it would be much more frequented by the 

 Merchants from all Regions and Countries. 



But the Air of Bander is fo unwholefome and fo hot, that no ftrangers can live 

 there, in probability of health, unlefs it be in the months oï D :cembcr } r f aweary ,¥ e- 

 braary and March ; though the Natives of the Country may perhaps itay without 

 prejudice to the end of April. After that they retire to the cooler Mountains, 

 two or three days journey off, for five or fix months, where they eat what they 

 gain'd before. They that venture to ftay at Gomrori during the hot weather, gee 

 a malignant Fever, which if they fcape death, is hardly ever cur'd. However it 

 bequeaths the yellow Jaundies during life to the { arty. March being pafs'd the 

 wind changes, and blowing at weft fouth welt, in a mort time it grows fo hot 

 and fo ftifling, that it almoft takes away a mans breath. This wind is by the A a- 

 bians call'd El-Samiel, or the poyfonous wind, by the Perfians Ba L-S.ly.^ow , be- 

 caufe it furTocates and kills prefently. The riefh of them that are thus ftift'd feds 

 like a glewie fat , and as if they had been dead a month before. 



In the year -, 632. riding from Ifpahan to Bagdat, I and four more Perfikn Mer- 

 chants had bin ftifTd but for fome Arabians that were in our Company. For 

 when they perceiv'd the wind, they caus'd us to light, lye down upon our. bejlks 

 and cover our felves with our Cloaks. We lay fo for hJf an hour, and thei 1 ifing 

 we faw our horfes were in fuch a fweat, that they were hardly able to carry us. 

 This happen'd to us two days journey from Bagdat. But this is cbfervable, that 

 if a man be in a Boat upon the water when the fame wind blows, it does no harm 

 though he were naked at the fame time. Sometimes the wind is fq hot that ic 

 burns like Lightning. 



And as the Air of Gomron is fo bad and dangerous , the foil is worth nothing : 

 For it is nothing but Sand, nor is the water in the Citterns very good. They that 

 will be at the charge fetch their water from a fountain three leagues from Bander t 

 call'd the water of Ijflm Formerly there was not an herb to befeen : but by often 

 watering the ground, Lettice, Radifh and Onions have begun to grow. 



» The People are fwarthy, and wear nothing about them but only a fngle fhirt. 

 Their ufual dyet is dates and fim. Which is almoft the dyet of their Cattel, for' 

 when they come home from browfing the barren bufhes , they give them the 

 heads and guts of their fifh boyl'd, with the kernels of the Dates which they eat. 



The Sea of Bander produces good Soles, good Smelts and Pilchards. They that 

 will have oyfters muft have 'em caught on purpofe,for the people eat none. 



Upon Land they want neither for wine of Scbiras nor Tefdj nor for Mutton, Pi- 

 geons and Partridge,which are their ordinary dyet. 



There are two Fortreffes, one upon the Eaft, the other toward the Weft. The 

 Town increafes in trade and building, and fills with inhabitants, w r ho build their 

 houfes with the remaining ruins oïOrmm. 



The reafon why the Trade is fetrl'd rather at Bander Abajfi, then at Bander Con- 

 go, where the Air is good and the Water excellentes becaufe that between Ormns 

 and Congo lie lèverai Iflands, which make the paffage for fhips dangerous, befides 

 that the often change and veering of the wind is requir'd : neither indeed is there 

 water enough for a Veffel of 20 or 2j guns. Then the way from Congo to Lor is 

 very bad. From Bunder AbaJJi to Lar it is very good, and provided with good 

 Inns. 



From the day that a Merchant takes up mony at Gomron, he is bound to return 

 it in three months, and the change goes from fix to twelve per Cent. When the 

 Goods come to Ifpahan or any other place, the Merchant is not to touch them, 

 till he has pay 'd the money which he borro w'd, unlefs the Creditor will truft 

 him farther. Some Turkjjh and Armenian Merchants take up money at Gomron to 

 pay it at Suratt ; where they take up other money for Ifpahan ; at Ispahan for 

 Erz.erom or Bagdat, paying the old debt with the new fums, which they take up 

 in each place. The money taken up at Erz,erom is pai'd at Barfa, Conjlantinople or 

 Smyrna. Money taken up at Bagdat is pai'd at Aleppo. 



I always made accompt,that to take up money at Golconda for Ligorn or V ?nice>, 

 at change for change,the money returns at the cheapeft rate, to 95 per. Cent, but 

 more oftentimes it amounts to a hunder'd. CHAP. 



