75 a Tfe Remarks, 0 / John Albert de Mandelfloe Book I. 
10 the Sun, but is without any Walls or Gates. The Ci- 
tadel, which is built by the Perjians , fince their Conqueft,, 
and advantageoufly feated upon a fteep Rock, is very well 
fortified with a Rampart of Free-ftone, and commands 
the whole City. 
The Garrifon at that Time confifted of no more than 
100 Men, a fufficient Number to defend it againft any 
fudden Attack. The Way which leads to it being cut out 
of a Rock, and fo narrow, that fcarce two Horfes can go 
a-breaft ; but they have a Magazine of Arms for 3000 
Men : The wont is, that the Water within the Fort be- 
ing brackiih, they mult, in cafe of a Siege, live upon 
Rain-Water, which falls plentifully there at certain Sea- 
fons, and is preferved in Citterns. After a Stay of twen- 
ty-four Hours at Laar , I was going to leave it the twelfth, 
but was flopped by the Cuftom-houfe Officers, who de- 
manded half a Tumain, or forty-five Shillings for my Bag- 
, gage ; but ' having fent my Letter of Recommendation 
from the Shah to the Governor of Gambron , or Com- 
mander in chief of the Citadel, he ordered my Depar- 
ture without paying any thing ; and I went that Day no 
lefs than fourteen Leagues, which great Day’s journey, 
together with the muddy Waters I had ufed, and the ex- 
ceffive Heat, put me into a violent Griping and Loofe- 
nefs, which made me continue in this little Village, in 
hopes of getting a Litter ; but no fuch Thing being to 
be had, I was forced to get upon the Surnpter-Horfe, 
where I had a Conveniency made to reft my Back, and fo 
continued my Journey the 9th to a large Village within 
twelve Leagues of Gambron. 
The fame Evening we met here with two Englijh Mer- 
chants, one of whom v/as to fucceed the Englifo Dire&or 
at IJpahan , who not only recruited my almoft loft Spirits 
with feme Spamjb Wine, and other Refrefhments, but 
alfo gave me Letters of Recommendation to an Englijh 
Merchant at Gambron , defiring him to receive me into 
the Houfe of their Company there, and to affift me in 
every Thing that might conduce towards the Profecution 
of my Journey to Surat. They continued their Journey 
the fame Evening, whereas my Indifpofition detained me 
till the 2 2d, when I proceeded fix Leagues to a Caravan- 
fera, where having refted myfelf a little, till the Heat of 
the Day was fomewhat abated, I travelled three Leagues 
farther to another Caravanfera, and found myfelf all that 
Night in a burning Fever ; but there being no Stay for 
me here, I made the beft of my Way to Gambron , where 
we arrived the 23d of February. 
The Englijh ) , French , and Dutch there, took fuch effec- 
tual Care of my Diftemper, which was by this Time 
changed into a Blood-Flux, and accompanied by a violent 
Fever, that I was pretty well reftored in four Days, and 
found myfelf in a Condition to pay a Vifit to the Governor, 
unto whom I had fent Shah Sefis Letters of Recommenda- 
tion immediately after my Arrival there. He no fooner 
heard of my Recovery, but he invited me to Dinner, and 
entertained me very courteoufly, in Company of feveral 
Dutch Merchants. The fame Evening arrived at Gambron 
a Veffel from Surat of fix hundred Tuns, belonging to the 
Governor of Surat, that brought hither a certain Dowager 
Queen, Mother to the King of Golconda , who falling in 
Love with her Daughter, his own Sifter, would have mar- 
ried her; but the Mother refilling to confent £0 fuch an in- 
eeftuous Match, had been baniflied the Kingdom with her 
Daughter, who came along with her ; and as it v/as report- 
ed, is to be married either to the King of Perfia himfelf, 
or one of the chief Princes of the Kingdom. 
5. March the 1 ith, being the Naurus, or New Year 
of the Perfians , the Governor invited me again to Dinner 
upon this folemn Occafion, with feveral Englijh and Dutch 
Merchants. The fame Day returned to Gambron Mr. 
Chapman , whom I had met, with, the Englijh new Prefident 
pear Laar ; he brought along with him another Englifo 
Merchant, with whom, having contracted a familiar Ac- 
quaintance. before at IJpahan , I was extreamly pleafed to 
meet in this Place, becaufe the Dutch , though in outward 
Shew very obliging to me, had oppofed our Negotiation 
at IJpahan. March the 13 th I was entreated by the Eng- 
lijh to take up my Lodgings at the Houfe belonging to 
their Company, -which I did accordingly. The 21 ft, one 
2 
Mr. Hale , an Englijh Merchant, arrived at Gambron with 
two hundred and thirty- three Bales of Silk, valued at 
150,000 Piftoles, which he had received on Account of 
the Moiety of the Cuftom at Gambron due to the Engltjb^ 
of which I fhall give a particular Account hereafter. ° * 5 
The fame Day my Surgeon died of a Fever, the loft 
of whom was no final! Affliction to me, he havino- been it 
great Traveller, and attained the Knowledge of th zSpanijhs 
Indian , P olifo, and fome Eajf -India Languages. A.$ I was 
walking abroad one Day to amufe myfelf a little with fome 
Englijh , I met with, one of thefe Trees mentioned by Q. 
Curtins , the Branches of which for in g out- of the Traffic of 
the Tree, and bowing down to the Earth, had taken Root 
there, and growing up afr-ejh, had produced a new Tree 
fifteen or twenty Foot high, which calling forth other 
Branches in the fame manner as ■ before, made rather a 
fmall Foreft than a Tree y that which I fa w being two 1 
hundred and fourteen Paces in Circumference, capable of 
affording Shelter for two thoufand Perfons. The Portu- 
guese call it Arbo de Mjs, and it is generally known by the 
Name of the Indian Fig-tree, by reafon of its Fruit, which’ 
- * n Bignefs, and the Abundance of its Grains, refembles that 
Fruit; but its Tafte is more unfavory, lufcioiis, and its 
•Colour red; the Leaves of the Tree are like thole of. 
Quince Trees. 
Near the Head Trunk of this Tree we raw a fm all Cha- 
pel, and within the Sepulchre of a certain Ban] an , we 
found the Tomb ft re wed all over with Beans of divers Co- 
lours, and feveral Lamps, which burn Night and Day, 
hanging ever it under a Canopy. Theib Banjans adhe- 
ring to the. Opinion of Pythagoras , that the Souls of the 
deceafed retreat into Beans, which Opinion is generally re- 
ceived among the Pagans both in the Indies and in China. 
Of the Religion of thefe Banjans we fhall have Occafion to 
fay more hereafter. T he Guardian of the Sepulchre treat- 
ed us with fome Almonds, Nuts, and Dates. An Envoy 
from Shah Sefi being come to Gambron to affure the Go- 
vernor of the Continuance of his Favour, I, in Company 
with feveral Englijh and Dutch Merchants, invited for that 
Purpofe by the Khan, law him go unarmed a Mile out of 
the City, where meeting with the (aid Envoy, he received 
the King’s Letter, the Garment, and Turbant, with a great 
deal of Submiffion. 
6. The City of Gambron , or rather Bandar Gambron, 
i. e. the Port of Gambron , is by the Perfians and Arabians 
put at 2 5 0 , but erroneoufly ; its true Latitude, according to 
the Computation of the Hollanders , wh ©fe Footfteps we 
follow in this Point being 27 0 , moft of the Maps of Perfui 
being hitherto very defective, which proceeds from hence, 
that by placing the Cajpian Sea too high, they extend 
the Breadth of Perfia from North to South, beyond its true 
Bounds ; for they put the City Refch at 41 0 , whereas it is 
in 37 0 ; fo that the whole Breadth of Perfia from Gambron 
to Rejch is no more than ten Degrees, which plainly fhews 
the Miftake of Boterus , who makes the Extent of Perf ii 
eight Degrees, whereas, if according to their own Com- 
putation, welhould grant Ormuz to be in 25 0 , the Breadth 
of Perfia could amount to more than 12 Degrees/ 
It is not many Years fince this City was a mere Village, 
inhabited by a few Filhermen ; but fince the Reduction of 
Ormuz , the Englijh , Dutch , and Indian Ships have found 
out the Conveniency of this Harbour, and the Traders of 
IJpahan , Surat , and Laar , bring thither their Silk, and 
other Manufactures, which they exchange for European and 
Indian Commodities. Its Situation is upon the Perfian 
Gulph. The Entrance of tho. Haven, in which Ships may 
fafely ride at Anchor without the leaft Danger, in five or, 
fix Fathom Water, being defended by two ftrong CaftJes, ' 
and a fquare Redoubt. The Caftle is fortified with fome ’ 
old round Baftions, but well provided with Artillery. The 
Houfes of Gambron are of Brick, made of a Mixture of 
ftiff Clay,, and chopped Straw, and Horfe-dung, whereof, 
having fet one Layer, they cover it with a Layer of Straw, 
or Faggots, and fo alternately, till they have raifed it to 
fix or feven Foot high ; then they fet it on Fire, and burn 
it to Brick. Their Mortar is a Compofition of the fame 
Ingredients, mixed with Salt-water, and fome Lime, which 
very foon becomes as hard as the Brick itfelf. The Houfes 
of Note are the Sultan’s Palace, and the Ware- houfes, 
where 
