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. VII. The Road from Warsow to Ispahan, over the Black Sea, and from Ispahan to Mosco; with the Names of the principal Cities and Islands of Turky according to the vulgar pronunciation, and as they are call'd in the Language of the Turks.

FRom Warsow upon the left hand of the Vistula, the ordinary residence of the Kings of Poland, to Lublin, days 6

From Lublin to Iluove, days 5

There all the Bales are open'd, and the Customers take Five in the Hun∣dred for their Merchandize.

From Iluove to Jaslovieer, days 12

This is the last City of Poland toward Moldavia, where if you sell any quantity of Goods, you must pay Five per Cent.

From Jaslovieer to Yashé, days 8

This is the Capital City of Moldavia, and is the Residence of the Vaywood which the Grand Signor sends to govern in the Country. There they open all the Bales, and there is a Roll of what every Merchant ought to pay, which may amounts to Five per Cent.

From Yashé to Ourshaye, days 3

This is the last City of Moldavia, where there is no Custom to be paid.

From Ourshaye to Akerman, days 4

Here they never open the Bales, but they take Four in the Hundred.

From Akerman to Ozou, days 3

Here they never open the Bales, but the Custom amounts to Two per Cent.

From Ozou to Precop, days 5

Neither do they here open the Bales, but trust to the Merchant's word, and the Customs amount to Two and a half per Cent.

From Precop to Kaffa, days 5

Nor are the Bales open'd here, but the Custom comes to Three per Cent.

Thus from Warsow to Kaffa the Journey takes up one and fifty days, in the Wagon, which is the manner of Carriage in those Countries. All the Customs amount to Eighteen and a half per Cent. to which you must add the Carriage, and Passage by Sea to Trebizond; where you pay three Piasters for every Mules-load, and four for every Camels-load.

Observe by the way, that the Armenians do not usually take shipping at Trebizónd, but go to another Port more to the West, upon the same Coast, where they never pay above a Piaster and a half for a Camels-load. This Port, call'd Onnie, is a very good Haven; and there is another a little farther off, call'd Samson, which is no bad one, but the Air is unwholsom and dang'rous.

There is also another Road from Warsow to Trebizond, shorter by three days journey.

From Warsow to Yashé, according to the Road already set down, days 31

From Yashé to Galas, days 8

All Merchandize is Tax'd at this place, and the Duties are tak'n at Galas, ac∣cording to the Note which the Merchant brings from Galas. Galas is a City of Moldavia.

From Galas to Megin, days 1

The Bales are not open'd here, but the Merchant pays three and a half, or four per Cent.

From Megin to Mangalia, days 8

This is one of the four Ports to the West upon the Black Sea, and the best of all.

The three others toward the South upon the Coast are Kavarna, Balgik, and Varna. At Mangalia they demand but half a Piaster for every Bale. Crossing from thence to Trebisond you have five days Journey to Erzerom.

Now to the Road of Muscovy; which having been exactly describ'd by Olea∣rius, going into Persia, I will describe it returning out of Persia.

Having led the Reader to Shamaqui, I will return home from thence.

From Shamaqui to Derbent, days 7

Derbent, which the Turks call Demir-Capi, is the last City within the Juris∣diction of the Persians; by which there runs a River which is call'd Shamourka.

From Derbent to Tetarck, days 8

By this Town runs a River which is call'd Bocan.

From Tetark to Astracan they hire small Barks with a dozen Oars. All along the shoar the Osiers grow so very thick, that they afford shelter for the Barks in fowl weather. If the Wind serve they will put up a little Sail and be at Astracan in four or five hours; but if they only Row, they cannot be there in nine.

When you Embark upon the Caspian Sea, where you only creep along by the shore, you must provide your self with Water for the three first days, in regard the Water is bitter and ill tasted all along the Coast all that while; but for the rest of the Voyage it is very good. If you carry heavy Goods, you may hire large Boats to save charges.

When you come to Astracan you unlade your Goods; at what time the Officer comes, and sealing up every Bale, causes them to be sent to the Merchants lodg∣ing. Three days after the Customer comes to op'n the Bales, and takes five per Cent. If the Merchant hap'n to want money, and takes it up at Astracan to pay again at Moscow, he pays sometimes thirty per Cent, according to the rate of Gold Ducats.

If a Merchant have any Diamonds or any other Jewels, and let it be known, he pays five per Cent. But if a Merchant have any Jewels or any other rarities, and tells the Governour that he intends to carry them to the Grand Duke; the Governour sends a Convoy with him either by Land or Water, that costs him no∣thing; and moreover sends a Courrier before to the Court to give notice of his coming. There is very good Wine at Astracan, but better at Shamaqui, where I advise the Traveller to provide himself.

From Astracan to Moscow you take Shipping in great Barques that make use both of Oars and Sails rowing against the Tide, and weigh what ever you put aboard, to a very Coverlet. Generally you pay for every pound fourteen Caya, or three Abassi's and a half, and an Abassi makes eighteen Sous and three De∣niers.

In Muscovy they reck'n the way neither by leagues nor miles, but by Shage∣rons, five of which make an Italian mile.

From Astracan to Courmija, Shagerons 300

From Courmija to Sariza, sha. 200

From Sariza to Sarataf, sha. 350

From Sarataf to Samarat, sha. 200

From Samarat to Semiriskat, sha. 300

From Semiriskat to Coulombe, sha. 150

From Coulombe to Casan, sha. 200

This is a great City with a stout Fortress.

From Casan to Sabouk-sha, sha. 200

From Sabouk-sha to Godamijan, sha. 120

From Godamijan to Niguina, sha. 280

Niguina is a large and well Fortifi'd Castle.

From Niguina to Mouron, sha. 300

From Mouron to Casin, sha. 100

From Casin to Moscow, sha. 250

So that from Astracan to Moscow they count it sha. which makes 590 Italian miles. 2950

At Sarataf you may go ashore, and so by Land to Moscow. When the Snow is gone you travel in Wagons, but when the Snow lies, in Sledges. If a man be alone, and that his Goods weigh not above two hundred pounds Paris weight, they put them into two Bales; and laying them upon the Horses back set the man in the middle, paying for Carriage as much as from Astracan to Moscow.

From Sarataf by Land to Inserat, days 10

From Inserat to Tymnek, days 6

From Tymnek to Canquerma, days 8

From Canquerma to Volodimer, days 6

Volodimer is a City bigger than Constantinople, where stands a fair Church upon a Mountain in the City, having been formerly the residence of the Emperours them∣selves.

From Volodimer to Moscow, days 5

In all, days 35

Observe by the way that they never go ashore at Serataf but in case of necessity, when the River begins to be Frozen. For from Serataf to Inserat is a Journey of ten days, in all which time there is nothing to be had, either for Horse or Man. The Custom is the same at Moscow as at Astracan, that is Five per Cent. All the Asia∣ticks, Turks, Persians, Armenians, and others, lodge in a sort of Inns: but the Europeans lie in a place by themselves altogether.

The Names of some Cities and places belonging to the Empire of the Grand Signor, as they are vulgarly call'd, and in Turkish.

COnstantinople after it was taken by Mahomet the second, the twenty-seventh of May, 1453. was call'd by the Turks Istam-Bol; Istam signifying Security, and Bol, Spacious, large, or great, as much as to say, Great Security.

Vulgar.	Turkish.
Adrianople,	Edrené.
Burse,	Brousa.
Belgrade,	Beligrade.
Buda,	Boudim.
Grand Caire,	Mesr.
Alexandretta in Egypt,	Iskendrié.
Mecca,	Meqquie.
Balsara,	Basra.
Babylon,	Bagdat.
Nineveh,	Moussoul.
Nisibis,	Nisbin.
Edessa,	Ourfa.
Tiqueranger,	Diarbequir.
Eva-togea,	Tokat.
Teve Toupolis,	Erzerom.
Shamiramager,	Van.
Jerusalem,	Koutsheriff.
Damas,	Cam.
Tripoli in Syria,	Cam Taraboulous.
Aleppo,	Haleb.
Tripoli in Barbary,	Taraboulous.
Tunis,	Tunis.
Algier,	Gezaiir.
Candy,	Guirir.
Rhodes,	Rodes.
Cyprus,	Kebres.

Chio,	Sakes.
Methelin,	Medilli.
Smyrna,	Izmir.
Troy,	Eski Istamboul.
Lemnos,	Limio.
Tenedos,	Bogge-adasi.
Negropont,	Eghirbos.
The Dardanels,	Bogaz-ki.
Athens,	Atina.
Barut,	Biroult.
Seyde,	Saida.
Tyre,	Sour.
St. John of Dacres,	Acra.
Antioch,	Antexia.
Trebizond,	Tarabozan.
Sinopus,	Sinap.

In the Fortress of Sinopus, at the lower part of the Wall there is a Stone to be seen, where there is an Inscription in Latin abbreviated, with the word Rome in it; whence some conjecture may be made that the Romans built it.

The Mediterranean Sea,	Akdeniis.
The Ocean,	Derijay Mouhiit.
The Black Sea,	Kara-Deniis.