Part IL Travels into the Levant, 
another neighbouring Hill beyond this, there was a Gate of a City which they call 
the City of Solomon : another at th^at Pillar I mentioned, which is to be feen on The Towa of 
the Right Hand as you come Ctorx^Mircbat Chan i and a third on the other fide of Solomon. 
Tfchehel-minar : if fo, that Town r^ù have had above eight Agatfch in Circum- 
ference. As for Tfchehel-minar^ many are of Opinion that it was the Palace of the 
Kings of îetfa, who held their ufual Refidence in Perfepolis^ which Alexander 
the Great, (being Drunk,) Burnt at the inftigation of a Mifs i but befides that this 
place is too little for the compafs of a Palace, that might anfwcr the magnificence 
of the Kings of Ferfta in thofe days, the Tombs that are in the Hill ftiew the con- 
trary i moreover fince thefe places feem never to have been covered, I had rather 
think, that it hath been fome Temple, and that is probable enough, becaufe of 
the Pillars on which were Idols h and all know that the Temples of the Ancient 
Terfians were uncovered. Thefe Buildings have been fpoilt, not only by the weather, 
but alfobyMcn, efpecially by aGovernour of Schtrat, whom covetoufnefs prom- 
pted to make great havock of them, becaufe he was obliged to defray the charges 
of all whom Guriofity brought thither to fee themi which was like to have coft 
him his Head, the King having been extteamly dlfpUafed at fo unworthy an 
adion. 
At Nakfchi Kuftan, and Ifchehel-minar^ there are Birds as big as Black-Birds, 
which have the Beak of the fame bignefs and length, but both it and the reft of 
their body is of a Flefh-colout s fo that one would think at fitft fight that thefe Birds 
had no Feathers, unlefs on the Head, Wings and Tail, which are black > they are 
always to be feen about the many holes that are amongft the ruins : they are to be 
feen fometimes alfoat Schiras, but that is only in the time of Mulberries, of which, 
(atleaft of the white,) they are very greedy: thefe Birds ih bulk and ftiape are 
much like Starlings. 
\ 
CHAR VIIL 
The Road to Bender-Rik 
I Bargained with a Muletot S chirai^ to go to Bender-KiJ^it the rate of aTo- 
man for five Mules (for that Road "is not proper for Horfes) which comes to 
ten Abajfts apiece for the Mules i and he obliged himfelf to carry us to Bender-Rik Departure 
in feven days. I went in the Company of the Reverend Father Venys a Polandery Schiras 
Provincial of the bare-footed Carmelites^ who had two with him, and I my fer- *° ^^'"^^^'R'k' 
vant. We parted from Schiras^ Munday the eight and twentieth ot September, a 
little after midnight i and went out of the Town by the PFeJi Gate, which is cal- 
led the Gate of B^j/fèr^, becaufe that is the way to it, though there be neither Gate 
ror Walls at the place. We took our way ftreight IVeji, Travelling in a Plain 
more fruitful in Bulhes than any thing elfe : about three a Clock in the Morning, 
wepaftby a little wretched Xerz/^iff/èr^îy, where there zreRahdarj^ who demanded 
Toll of us i but we anfwered that we were Franks^ and had an Order from the 
King not to pay any thing, only we made them a Prefent of five Casbeghis. This 
Kervanferay is two Parafanget from Schirat, and is called Tfchenar Rahdar, that is 
to fay the Rabdars Maple, though there be no Maple- Trees there. Near to it there 
is a new built Bridge of three Arches, (as I take it,) under which runs a little 
water, but which in the Winter-time mufi: be impetuous j for near to that Bridge 
I faw the ruins of another, which in all appearance hath been beat down by the 
water. This water is called Abtfchenar-Rahdar. We part over that Bridge, and Akfchmr- 
half an hour after, crofled another new one alfo of two Arches, over the fame Ri- R<^hdar. 
ver» near to which are alfo the ruins of another Bridge. Thefe Bridges are called 
Toul-Hhadgik^lj that is to fay the Bridge of Hhadgiknl, which perhaps, was the Poul-Hhtdgi- 
name of him that built them. A quarter of an hour after, .we paffed by the ruins h^* 
of a Kervanferay^ that had been very fpacious, and feated upon the fide of the fame 
U 2 River, 
