Part IL Traveiyinto the \.'B,wp.i{T,__ 77 
fèvert a Qoc^ at Night, and on Tlmrfday the firft of Othber^ one thoufand 
fix hundred fixty and four, about two a Clock in the Morning, arrived 
at Iff>ahan, where I went and lodged with the reverend, Fathers C^p"»j. 
The Reverend Father Raphael of Mans (a perfon of extraordinasry vertue and Arrival at I» 
capacity, and of a moft exemplary life,) was their Guardian ; he had two Re-fp^han, 
ligious ^ith him, to wit, the reverend Father Valentine -i-oi^ -Angers^ and:.t.he 
reverend Father j'^oi?» ^^j'f?/^? of £ot^e. -y prf;,- 3 .-'rjvvsi . -?\hi 
:j;; r)i-u- fbifl j^^tAi, m7S%v.' - • r.,._^')ni iDrl.c. ni:y\ 
J- i : , y '".: '^, Jl-'' T i ■ " ■•-''■>-^ — ' ■ inR-v 
C H A P. IIL 
Of Perfia QmeraL 
BEfore I enter jnto the defcri^tion of what I have oblerved at IjpaLw^ 
I think it will not be impertinent tb gîVè' the R!eader a general notion of 
Ferfia, which is a Kingdom onely ftrong becaufe environed with Mountains, 
and barren Defarts, that defend it againft the attempts of its moft powerful! 
Enemies. And indeed, thé forces that are entertained therein ( of whom I 
(hall fpeak in the Chapter of the Court, j or i if you will,) the Armies that 
have been raifed there in our days, are fo inconfiderable, in refpedt of lb 
vaft a Countrey , that the Verfiam are not to be reckoned amongft formidable 
Powers. 
The caufe of that v/eaknéïs is the icarcity of money in thofe Countreys, 
which cannot fufficô to fet on foot great Armies, and far lels to maintain 
rhem; this want of money proceeds from the (mall trade the Verfians drive, 
having but few Goods amongft them proper to be exported, to wit, fbme 
Silk which is made in the Ghetlan and Mazendaran-, Carpets and wrought 
Stuffs, and hardly any thing elfe confiderable ; In fo much, that it may be 
faid of Terfia, that it is as a Kewanferai that ferves for paflage to the mo- 
ney that goes out of Europe and Turkey to the Indies ; and to the Stuffs and 
Spices that come from the Indies^ into Turkey and Europe, whereof it makes! 
fome finall profit in the paiîàge. , / . 
The foyl of the bordering CountreySj(fpeaking generally,) is very bad, not The foil of 
onely by reafon of the many Mountains, but alfo of the want of water and ^^^-^/^ S^' 
wood in moft places thereof ; there being no other Trees but fruit-Trees 
that are enclofed within Gardens ; for there are none to be found in the 
Fields, though the Countrey People feem to be careful! and diligent enough 
in cultivating, fowingand planting all the Land that is good. It is true, the 
great pains they take in making Gardens, and cultivating them, for the be- 
nefit they make of the Fruit which are exceedingly much eaten in Perfia^ 
makes them a little negledt the reft of their grounds ; for after vwahad pail 
Cùrdijlan, I faw in feveral places very good Land and Hills, wlflch ('in my 
opinion,) would be very fruitfull, if they were well cultivated and manured. 
Ivfay, in many of thefe places there is plenty of excellent good water, where- 
with (In my Judgmentjj they might water their grounds, by making Ditches * 
through them, as they do in other parts: And neverthelels, I cannot tell 
why rhey are defart, and full of Liquorice, .or fuch hke fhrubs, and no 
Trees growing in them. 
There are ib many Brooks in feveral Countreys of Ferjïa, that I believe 
the ways are very bad to travel in in the Winter-time ; for though we were 
about the end of Summer, yet we paffed fome which were full of thick mud 
at the bottom'. The Mazandaran indeed, is a very lovely Countrey, aboun- Ma-^andamn.. 
ding with Plants, Fruit and Wood as well as Europe ; and good realbn why ; 
for it is watered by many Springs and Rivers, which having run through the 
Countrey, fall into the Cajpian Sea that is near it. The chief Town of that 
Countrey is called Efchref, and in it there is a Royal Palace where one may Efihrcf. 
have ail imaginable Recreations ; Large Gardens full of flowers with many Lovely G.ir- 
Ponds dens. 
