.Chap. IL Benjamin de TudelA, 551 
what Nation it was that had fettled in thefe Mountains, 
and direfted them for this Purpofe to pafs the River either 
by Boats, if they found any, or if not, by fwimming. 
Thefe Men had not proceeded far in their Journey be- 
fore they met with a Bridge that was very well built, and 
had a good Barrier ; and on the other Side of the Bridge 
they faw a very large City : They immediately called out, 
and the Town’s People coming to the Gate, demanded 
who they were, and to whom they belonged ; but as they 
underftood not each others Language, they were forced to 
wait till an Interpreter was called, who underftood the 
Perfiian Tongue ; he having put the fame Queftion, they 
anfwered. We are Servants to the King of Perfia , and we 
come to know who you are, and who is your Lord. The 
Townfmen replied, We are Jews , and not fubjedt to any 
King or Prince of the Gentiles , but we have a Prince of 
our own. The Perfians then informed themfelves as to 
the Copheral T urks , and the Jews told them, that they 
were their Allies, and that whoever were their Enemies, 
they muft regard as Enemies to themfelves. Thefe two 
Men returning to the Camp, and having reported to the 
King what they had difcovered, he was very much at a 
Lofs how to proceed. The Jews on the next Day col- 
lected their Forces, and the Day following offered them 
Battle. 
The King declined fighting, and addrefled himfelf to 
the JewiJh Chiefs in the following Words ; I do not come 
to make War againft you, but only againft the Copheral 
i Turks my Enemies : But if you proceed to commit Hof- 
tilities againft me, I will revenge myfelf by putting to 
death all the Jews in my Kingdom *, for I know, that as 
Things ftand here, you will be too hard for me : But let 
me advife you to prefer Peace to War : Suffer me to pro- 
ceed in my Expedition againft the Copheral Parks my 
Enemies, and fupply me and my Army, for ready Money, 
with what we want. The Jews having confidered this 
Propofition among themfelves, refolved, out of regard to 
their Brethren, to yield to the King of Perfia $ Propofal. 
The King therefore being admitted with all his Army into 
their Country, fpent fifteen Days there, being honourably 
entertained among them. 
But in the mean time, the Jews declared the whole 
Matter by Meffengers and Letters unto their Confederates. 
The Parks thereupon gathering their Forces together, 
expeCted the Enemy at the Paflage of the Mountains, 
and in a convenient Place for that Purpofe, they attacked, 
and gave the Perftans fo mighty an Overthrow, that the 
King’s Army being ruined, they compelled him to return 
into his own Country with a very fmall Number. 
But it happened that a Jew of this Province, named 
Mofes , being feduced by a certain Perfian Horfeman, fol- 
lowed the King of Perfia , and when they came into Per- 
fia , he was made a Slave by the fame Horfeman. But 
when at a Time of publick Diverfion, they exercifed 
their Bows in the Prefence of the King, this Mofes appear- 
ed the moft excellent Archer in Perfia ; he was there- 
upon examined by an Interpreter, and openly declared to 
the King the manner of his being feduced, and his Condi- 
tion, whereon he was prefently infranchifed, cloathed 
with purple and filk Garments, and enriched with Royal 
Gifts ; and was offered likewife, if he would embrace 
their Religion, great Riches, and the Government of the 
King’s Houfe ; which, when he courteoufly denied to do, 
he was placed by the King with R.Shallom , the Prince of the 
Synagogue at Ifpahan , whofe Daughter alfo he married 
by Confent of the Father. This very Mofes it was, who 
told me all that I have related. 
10. When I departed out of thefe Countries, I returned 
Into Chuzejlan, through which the River Pygris runs, fall- 
ing from thence into Hodu, or the Indian-Sea and in it. 
its Paflage thither encompaffes the Ifland Nekrokis ** near 
the Mouth thereof, which Ifland is in Extent fix Days 
Journey. There is in it only one Carnal of frefli Water, 
and they drink no other than what is gathered from the 
Showers, which is the Reafon that Land is neither fowed 
nor tilled •, and yet it is very famous through the Com- 
merce of the Indians and Elands feated in the Indian-Sea 9 
and Merchants of the Country of Senaar , Arabia the 
Happy? and Perfia , bringing thither all forts of filk and 
purple Manufactures, Hemp, Cotton, Flax, and Indian - 
Cloth ; Wheat, Barley, Millet, and Rice in great Plenty, 
which they barter and fell among themfelves : But the 
Indian Merchants bring alfo exceeding great Plenty of 
Spices thither, and the Natives aCt as Factors and Interpre- 
ters ; and by this they live : But in that Place there are not 
above five hundred Jews. Sailing thence with a profpe- 
rous Wind in ten Days, I was brought to Kathipha , where 
are five thoufand Jews. 
In thefe Places Pearls are found, made by the wonder- 
ful Artifice of Nature ; for on the four and twentieth Day 
of the Month Nifan , a certain Dew falleth into the Waters, 
which being fucked in by the Oifters, they immediately fink 
to the Bottom of the Sea : Afterwards, about the Middle 
of the Month of PiffP Men defcend to the Bottom of the 
Sea, and by the Help of Cords, thefe Men bringing up 
the Oifters in great Quantities from thence, open and take 
out of them the Pearls x . 
In feven Days Journey from thence I came to Oulam , 
which is the Entrance of their Kingdom, who worfhip the 
Sun, and are prone to the Study of Aftrology, being 
the Children of Chits. They are Men of a dark Com- 
plexion, fincere Tempers, and of very great Fidelity in 
all Refpedls. They have among them this Cuftom, that 
fuch as come to them from remote Countries, when re- 
ceived into the Haven, have their Names fet down in 
Writing by three Secretaries, who carry their Lifts to the 
King, and afterwards bring the Merchants themfelves, 
whofe Merchandife being received into his Protection, the 
King direCts them to be landed, and left on the Shore, 
where they remain without any Watch to keep them. 
There is alfo a Magiftrate, unto whom all Things that 
are loft, or cafually removed, are conftantly brought, and 
of him they are eafily received by the Owner, fo that 
certain Tokens be fhewed whereby the loft Thing may be 
made known •, and this ftriCt Fidelity, and honeft Deal- 
ing, is common through all the Kingdom. 
In this Country, from Eafter to. the Beginning of the 
fucceeding Year, the Sun fhines with outragious Heat 
and therefore, from the third Hour of the Day until the 
Evening, all Men remain fhut up in their Houfes. But 
about that Time Lamps being lighted, and fet in Order 
throughout all the Streets and Markets, they work and 
exercife their relpeCtive Arts and Callings all the Night 5 
for, as I faid, they cannot do it in the Day-time, by rea- 
fon of the exceeding Heat. It is in this Country that Pep- 
per grows upon Trees planted by the Inhabitants in the 
Fields belonging to every City, and their proper Gardens 
are particularly afligned and known. The Shrub itfelf is 
fmall, and brings forth a white Seed, which being ga- 
thered, is put into Bafins fteeped in hot Water, and is fet 
forth in the Sun, that it may be dried and hardened, ac- 
quiring thereby a black Colour. Cinnamon and Ginger 
are likewife found there, as well as many other kind of 
Spices. 
The Inhabitants of this Country do not bury their Dead, 
but having embalmed their Bodies with divers forts of Drugs 
and Spices, they place them in Niches, and cover them 
with Nets fet in order according to their feveral Families ; 
but their Flefh drieth with the Bones, and when grown ftiff, 
they feem as if they were alive, and every one knows their 
w There is no Paflage in the Travels of Benjamin more perplexed than this Defcription of the Ifland of Nekrolis, about which all his Commen- 
tators are divided in their Sentiments. That which hitherto has been thought moft probable, is that he means the Ifland of Ormuz., which, with- 
out doubt, was once a Place of great Trade, and was always deftitute of Water. It is however more credible, that he means the City and Country 
of Bajfora', becaufe he places it at the Mouth of the River 'Tigris, makes it the Centre of the Indian Commerce, and mentions precifely the Com- 
modities, of which that City was the Staple. 
x This Defcription has alfo graveled many of the Commentators. The Word ufed in the Hebrew is Bdellia ; and from the Defcription there is no 
fort of doubt, that our Author meant Pearls. The account he has given of their Formation, how wild and extravagant foever it may appear, is howe- 
ver that which is embraced by the moft learned of his Countrymen. Their Opinion, in few Words, is this; they hold, that at a certain Seafon of the Year, 
there is an oily, fpirituous, and briny Subftance, floats on the Surface of the Sea, which being {wallowed by the Oifters, or rather fucked in, as our 
Author exprefles it, turns afterwards to a Pearl. Thus far, without doubt, they have Truth on their Side, that fuch a Subftance is fometimes feen 
floating on this and other Seas, the Drops of which, at firft Sight, refemble liquid Pearl. 
