The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne through Turky, into Persia and the East-Indies, for the space of forty years : giving an account of the present state of those countries, viz. of the religion, government, customs, and commerce of every country, and the figures, weight, and value of the money currant all over Asia : to which is added A new description of the Seraglio / made English by J.P. ; added likewise, A voyage into the Indies, &c. by an English traveller, never before printed ; publish'd by Dr. Daniel Cox

CHAP. IX. A Continuation of the Road from Balsara to Ormus.

THe tenth of April we set out from Balsara for Bander-Congo, for which passage we hir'd a Terrade or a Barque for the purpose; for they which are laden with Dates are generally so overcharg'd, that if a Storm rises, they are in danger of being overset. The River of Balsara is very dan∣gerous, by reason of the Sands which also lie up and down the Persian Gulf, and are very prejudicial to Navigation in that place. On both sides the Gulf that sepa∣rates Persia from Arabia the Happy, live a sort of poor people that follow no other Trade than fishing; so poor, that when they bring fish to your Vessel, they require nothing for it but Rice; and not the best neither, but such course stuff as we feed our Hens and Pigs withall. I gave them a Sack of thirty or forty pounds, and bid them make merry with it, but they told me, they must be careful how they spent such Rice as that, unless it were for their Sick, or at their Weddings; so that if the rest of Arabia the Happy be like that, assuredly 'tis rather a most unfortunate Country.

There are several Isles in the Persian Gulf, but the chiefest of all is the Isle of Baharen, where they fish for Pearls, of which I have spoken in its proper place.

Near to the place where Euphrates falls from Balsarae into the Sea, there is a little Island, where the Barques generally come to an Anchor, in expectation of the wind. There we stay'd four days, whence to Bandar-Congo it is fourteen days Sail, and we got thither the twenty-third of April. This place would be a far better habitation for the Merchants than Ormus, where it is very unwholesom and dangerous to live. But that which hinders the Trade from Bandar-Congo, is because the Road to Lar is so bad, by reason of the want of Water, and craggy narrow ways, which only Camels can endure; but from Ormus to Lar the way is tollerable. We stay'd at Bandar-Congo two days, where there is a Portugais Factor, who receives one half of the Customs by agreement with the King of Persia. By the way take notice, that they who will go by Water from Ormus to Balsara, must take the Natives for their Pilots, and be continually sounding besides.

The thirtieth, we hir'd a Vessel for Bander-Abassi, and after three or four hours Sailing, we put into a Village upon the Sea-side, in the Island of Keck∣mishe.

Keckmishe is an Island three Leagues about, and about five or six from Ormus. It exceeds in Fertility all the Islands of the East, that produce neither Wheat nor Bar∣ley; but at Keckmishe is a Magazine of both, without which Ormus would hardly subsist, in regard it furnishes that City with most of their Provision for their Horses. There is in the Island a Spring of good Water, for the preservation of which, the Persians have built a Fort, least the Portugals when they held Ormus, should get it into their Possession.

In 1641. aud 1642. the Hollanders falling out with the King of Persia about their Silk Trade, besieg'd this Island. For the Ambassadors of the Duke of Holstein com∣ing into Persia, the Dutch were jealous that they came to fetch away all the Silk; and thereupon enhanc'd the Market from forty-two to fifty Tomans. When the Ambassadors were gone, the Dutch would pay no more than forty-four, which was two Tomans more than they were us'd to do. The King netl'd that they would not stand to their words, forbid that they should make sale of their Goods 'till they had paid their Customs, from which 'till that time they were exempted. Thereupon the Hollanders besieg'd the Fortress of Keckmishe, but the Heats were so intollera∣ble, that they were forc'd to quit their design with great loss of their Men; and at length by great Presents to the chief Courtiers, they obtain'd to pay no more than forty-six Tomans.

Larec is an Island nearer to Ormus than Keckmishe, well inhabited, and so stor'd with Stags and Hinds, that in one day we kill'd five and forty.

From Keckmishe we Sail'd for Ormus, where we arriv'd the first of May. I had

put my choicest Goods in a Chest directed for the Hollaad Commander at Ormus, by which means I got the Custom free.

The Persian Gulf is the most dangerous Gulf I know, by reason of the shallow∣ness and sharp Promontories that point out into the Sea; and therefore the best way is to take a Pilot at Ormus or Bander-Congo, and the most proper Pilots are the Fisher∣men, who are only skill'd in that Sea and no farther. The Soyl about the Persian Gulf is dry Sand and without Water, so that it is impossible to Travel by Land from Ormus to Balsara. The Merchants would be glad to find a way through the Coast of Arabia to get to Mascaté, whence there might a cut be made to Sindi, Diu, or Surat, which are the three chief Ports of India. During the difference between the King of Persia and the Hollanders, the Emir of Vodana an Arabian Prince; offer'd to shew them an easie Road from Mascaté to Balsara. But the Hollanders fearing to break with the King of Persia, where they vended above fifteen or sixteen hundred thousand pounds of their Pepper, and paid therewith for all their Silk, did not think it worth their while to quit Ormus to settle themselves at Mas∣caté.

Had it been yielded to, the way had been from Balsara to Elcatif a Sea-Town in Arabia the Happy, where there is a Fishery for Pearls that belongs to the Emir of Elcatif. From Elcatif to Mascalat, another City of Arabia, and the residence of another Emir. From Mascalat to Vodana, a good handsom City seated upon the meeting of two little Rivers that carry Barques to the Sea, and run together by the single name of Moyesur. The Soyl about Vodana produces no Corn, and very little Rice; but it abounds in Fruits, especially Prunes and Quinces, which are not so sour as ours, and are eaten by the Natives as Pears. There are extraordinary good Melons and great Store of Grapes, of which the Jews, who inhabit the best part of the City, are permitted to make Wine. From Vodana to the Gulf, the County of each side is full of Palm-Trees, the Dates being the Food of the common people, who have not Money to buy either Corn or Rice. From Vodana to Mascatè it is but fifteen Leagues, though by the Maps, which are Erroneous, the way is describ'd to be much longer.

Being at Ormus, the Emir of Vodana shew'd me a Pearl transparent and perfectly round, that weigh'd seventeen Abas, or fourteen Carats and seven Eights; for in all the Pearl Fisheries of the East they use no other weights but Abas, which make seven Eights of a Carat. I offer'd him 300000 Piasters, or 60000 Roupies for the same Pearl, but the Emir refus'd to take it, telling me that he had been offer'd more Money for it by several Princes of Asia, who had sent to him to buy it, but that he was resolv'd never to part with it.