S 7^ The Travels of 5» J o h N Chardin, ^c. Book III, 
Thefe Countries are all mountainous and narrow, hav- 
ing behind them towards the Cafpian, the large Country 
of Georgia^ which borders immediately on the Terfian 
Dominions, having CircaJJia on the North, the Countries 
of Mingrelia, Immoretta^ Guriel and Armenia on the 
Weft, the Cafpian-Sea on the Eaft, and the Territories 
of Perjia to the South, The feveral Nations that inha- 
bit thefe Countries are, properly fpeaking, Tartars, or 
very little better 5 and though there are fome Towns, 
and even Cities, yet mofl: of the Inhabitants live in 
Tents. The Princes of the CircaJJians, are hereditary 
Chiefs of Clans, like other Tartars, and it is certainly 
a Degree of Complaifance to efteem them Chriftians. 
It muft be however allowed, that they are not quite fo 
barbarous, or to fpeak with greater Propriety, fo far 
removed in their Manners from ours, as other Tartars, 
notwithftanding their unnatural and deteftable Cuftom 
of felling their Children ; for it is certain that they take 
a good deal of Pains in their Education, but with no 
other View than that of bringing them to a better Mar- 
ket. The Boys, befides Riding, Hunting, Shooting 
and martial Exercifes, are taught feveral Languages, 
and as they are. very a6tive in their Perfons, have 
quick Wits, and are of bold and enterprizing Natures, 
they rife frequently to great Perferments, both in Turkey 
and in Perfta 5 as for the Girls they are likewife taught 
the Turkijh and Perjian Tongues, Mufic, Dancing, and 
to repeat amorous Novels and Romances. If it may 
be accounted wonderful to fee Parents part with their 
Children with fo much Eafe as they do, it is certainly 
not at all lefs ftrange, to fee the Children quit their 
Fathers and Mothers not only without Pain, but with 
the utmoft Alacrity, the Girls more efpecially. This 
arifes from the Stories they are told, of the vafl; For- 
tunes that their Countrywomen have made in different 
Parts of the World, which fills them with afpiring 
Thoughts, and to fay the Truth, their Slavery is none of 
the hardeft, for the Merchants who buy them, take as 
much Care as is poflible to improve their Education, 
and are fo far from making any Attempts upon their 
Qiaftity, that they are the moft jealous Guardians of it 
in the World, becaufe all the Hopes they have of fel- 
ling them to Advantage, are founded in the extreme 
Fondnefs the Mahometans have for Virgins, and when 
they are fold, it is at fo high a Price, that thofe who 
buy them, muft be both able and difpofed to maintain 
them in Affluence. 
There is no need to add any Remarks on the remain- 
ing Part of this Seftion, becaufe whatever requires far- 
ther Explanation, will be fet in a deal- Light in the 
fubfequent Sedions ; only it may not be amifs to obferve 
that fince the Declenfion of the Perfian Empire, the 
Ruffians have taken many of the Circaffiian and Georgian 
Princes under their Protedion, and it is highly proba- 
ble, that in Time the reft will follow their Example, 
which perhaps may render the Country more acceflible* 
and prove the Means of drawing the Inhabitants out 
of their prefent State of Barbarifm. If this could be 
done, and they once civilized, and brought under one 
Sovereign, or even two or three that lived in tolerable 
Harmony with each other, there is do doubt that they 
might be able to defend themfelves againft any that 
fhould attack them, and by the Happinefs of their Si- 
tuation, between the Euxine and Cafpian Seas, and the 
many valuable Commodities their Country produces, they 
might very fpeedily eftablifti a much more profitable, 
as well as reputable Commerce than that which they 
have hitherto carried on. The late Schah Nadir, who 
had great Views with refped to Trade, was very de- 
firous of forcing a Paffage to the Black-Sea, where he 
intended to have eftablifhed a Port from which he ex- 
peded vaft Things, but very probably thefe great De- 
figns will fall with him, and as the prefent Generation 
is not like to fee his Equal, we muft leave to Pofterity 
the Hopes of beholding thefe Countries and their In- 
habitants in a better Situation than they are at prefent, 
for which they feem to have been defigned by Nature 5 
in a worfe, however, they cannot well be. 
SECTION II. 
A copious and circumftantial Defcription of the great Empire of Perjia, 
its Situation, Extent, Diftribution of its Provinces, Climate, Rivers, 
Seas, Soil, Produce, and the chief Cities throughout the Country, 
fo as to afford a perfed Idea of its Condition, in paft and prefent 
Times. 
ColUBed from tie Writings of the mofl famous Travellers^ particularly from thofe of 
H ERBERT, Chardin, Ta vern ie r, Theven ot, LeBrun, and othersy 
their feveral Remarks and Obfervations being all digefled into a regular and eafy 
Method* 
I, The Situation and Extent of the Perfian Empire, with a fuccinPi Account of the Reafons why a char 
and perfect Notion of the Territories which cotnpofe this Empire, is of fuch Importance towards a right 
Idea op' general Hijiory and Geography, 2. A dtjiinCi and accurate Defcription oj the feveral Provinces 
under the Dominion of the Perfian Emperor, their ancient and modern Names, Situation, Extent, chief 
Cities and Ports. 3. The Air and Climate of Perfia in its different Parts 5 with an Account of the hot 
and jiifting Winds fo dangerous to Travellers on the Sea-Coafts. 4. The Rivers in this Country, and the 
various Methods made Vje op to diffuje the Water by Canals and AqueduBs and an Account of the 
Seas upon which it borders. 5. Of the Appearance of the Country in general, and of the Diverfty of 
Soils in Perfia. 6. Of the particular Husbandry ufed in this Country, the Produce of arable Lands 
and Gardens, 7. OJ the Variety of Fruits, Trees, Flowers and Shrubs that grow therein. 8. Of me- 
dicinal Drugs that are brought from Perfia, particularly Opium, Afia Foetida and Bezoar. 9. A large 
and curious Account of the Animals, tame and wild, in the feveral Provinces of Perfia. 10, Op the 
Fowls, Birds and Fiffi in this Country, and the Reafon why the latter is jo fcarce at Ifpahan, ii. Of 
the Minerals in Perfia, and of precious Stones, particularly the Turquois, held to be peculiar to this 
Country,- 12. Of the Manner of Building in. Perfia, how well adapted to their Climate, and of the 
Methods 
