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. I. Of the Extent of PERSIA, and its division into Provinces.

PERSIA, according to the present State of the Empire, to the North is bounded by the Caspian Sea; Southward, by the Ocean; Eastward it joyns to the Territories of the Great Mogul; Westward, to the Dominions of the Grand Signor; the two Empires being parted by the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates.

But that you may the better understand the full extent of the Dominions of the Persian King, you are to know, That this great Monarch, besides that Tract of Ground which is properly call'd Persia, possesses a vast part of the ancient Assyria and the great Armenia, the ancient Kingdoms of the Parthians and Medes, the Kingdom of Lar, the Kingdom of Ormus, and all Eastward of Persia beyond Candahar, almost as far as the Kingdom of Scindi.

But because those Europeans that have Travel'd before me, either were not so curious, or had not perhaps the opportunity to learn the true number of the Pro∣vinces that compose the whole Continent of Persia, I have undertak'n, though the Persians themselves are ignorant enough, to give the best account I can, finding it necessary for the better satisfaction of the Reader, to take some notice of the Names of Places according to the ancient Geography.

The first is the Great Armenia, which our Maps without any ground or reason at all call Turcomannia; in regard they might have more properly call'd it Ermonick in general, since the Inhabitants are the greatest part Armenians. That part whereof which is situated between the two Rivers of Araxes and Cyrus, at this day call'd Aras and Kur, by the Natives is call'd Iran, or Cara-bag, being one of the most beautiful, and richest pieces of Land in all Persia; the principal Cities of which are Erivan, Nacksivan, Zulpha, and Van.

The second is Diarbeck, formerly Mesopotamia, between Euphrates and Tigris; the chief Cities whereof are Bir, Car-Emir or Diarbequir, Ourfa, Moussul, Geziré, Merdin, &c.

The third is Curdistan, formerly Assyria, extending all along the East-side of the River Tigris, from the Lake Van to the Frontiers of Bagdat; the principal Cities are Niniveh, Sherisoul, Amadié, Sneirne, Betlis, and Salmastre.

The fourth is Hierak-Arabi, otherwise the Country of Babylon or Chaldea; the principal Cities whereof are Felougia upon Euphrates, Bagdat upon Tigris, Mershed-Ali, Gourno, and Balsara; and in the Country of Bourous, Sharaban, Eronnabat, &c.

The fifth is Hierak-Agemi, or the ancient Parthia; the principal Cities whereof are Hispahan, Toushercan, Hamadan, Cashan, Kan, and Casbin; and perhaps Yesd, if it be not rather in Kerman or Sigistan.

The sixth contains Shirvan, all along the Caspian Sea, where stand the Cities of * 1.1 Derbent or Demir-Capi, Baku, and Shamaki; and the Province of Edzerbaijan; wherein stand the Cities of Tauris, Ardevil, and Sultany. Which two Provinces comprehend the ancient Media within a very little, extending to the very Shoar of the Caspan Sea.

The seventh contains Kylan and Mazandran, lying likewise upon the Caspan Sea, formerly Hyrcania; wherein are the Cities and Towns of Firuzcuh, Sukar-abad, and Mibnikiellé at the entry of the Mountains; Giru, Talara-pesct, and Saru, in the Plain; Ferh-abad, Ciarman, and Gscref, toward the Sea.

The eighth is Estarabad, formerly Margiana, which extends to the River Ruth∣khané-kurkan, which the Ancients call'd Oxus; the principal Cities whereof are Estarabad, Amul, Damkam.

The ninth contains the Province of the Usbeck-Tartars, comprehending all the ancient Sogdiana and Bactriana; the chief Cities whereof are Balk, Samarcand, and Boccara, &c.

The tenth is Corassan, formerly Aria, with some part of Bactriana; the chief Cities whereof are Eri, Meshed, Nisabur, Thun, &c.

The eleventh Sablestan, formerly Peloponnesus; the principal Cities whereof are Beksabat, Asbé, Bust, Sarents; the Territory and City of Candahar being also com∣prehended within the extent of this Province, together with Duki and Alunkan, upon the Frontiers of the Great Mogul's Dominions.

The twelfth is Sigistan, formerly Drangiana; the principal Cities whereof are Sistan, Shalack, and Kets.

The thirteenth comprehends all the Territories of the ancient Arachosia, bord'ring upon the Kingdom of Scindi, not having any Cities that we know of.

The fourteenth is the Province of Makran, lying all along upon the Sea of Mogo∣stan, formerly Gedrosia; the chief Cities whereof are Makran, Firhk, Chalak, and the Port of Guadel toward Guzerat.

The fifteenth Kerman, formerly Caramania, extending as far as the Gulf of Ormus; the chief Cities whereof are Kerman, Bermazir, the Port of Kuhestek, and the Cape of Jasques.

The sixteenth is Farsistan, or that part of Persia so properly call'd; the chief Cities whereof are Schiras, Caseron, Benarou, Firus-abat, Darab-guier, &c. To which you may add the little Province of Laraston, with the City of Lar, just against Ormus. But this Province formerly extended no farther than Benarou, two days journey from Lar, before Sha-Abas conquer'd the Kingdom of Lar, and then the Kingdom of Ormus. Now they are both united; though they have both several Governours, as they had distinct Princes before. The Ports in this Province upon the Persian Gulf are Bander-Abassi and Bander-Congo.

There are two other little Ports in the Persian Gulf, about thirty hours sail from the Mouth of Euphrates, but not capable of receiving any other than small Barks; which are very much to be admir'd; for in regard the Inhabitants are ignorant of the use of Iron, it is strange to see their Boats made so handsom and strong withal; the Planks being only ty'd together with a Cord, which is made of a kind of Hemp tak'n from the out-side of the Coco-nut.

The last is the Province of Cursistan, formerly Susiana, which Euphrates and Tigris joyning together separate from Chaldea; the principal Cities whereof are Suster, an∣ciently Susa, the Capital City of the Empire of King Ahasuerus, Ahawas, Scabar, Ram∣hormus, &c.

The temper of the Air in Persia varies according to the variety of situation. The Country of Edzerbaijan is very cold, but very healthy. The Air of Mazandran is very unwholsom; for being a low fenny Country, and full of Insects, when the Waters dry up in the Summer, the Insects also dye and infect the Air. Sometimes those bad Waters over-flow the Country; in so much that the Inhabitants receive a tincture in their Complexions from the colour of the Earth. The Province of Guilan is included in the Province of Mazandran; and the Air is so unwholsom, that the People cry of him that is sent to command there; Has he robb'd, stol'n, or mur∣ther'd, that the King sends him to Guilan?

At Ispahan, which is almost in the middle of Persia, there are six months of hot, and six months of cold weather. The Snow falls three or four times in a season, and sometimes so very thick, that there is hardly any travelling upon the Road. About a League from the City, toward the Mountain, there stands a Stone about two or three Foot high, which when the Snow hap'ns to cover, prognosticates a plentiful Year; and the first Country-man that carries the news thereof to the King, receives a hundred Tomans. As for Rain, there is very little falls there, unless it be in April, and then it sometimes rains very hard.

In the Southern Provinces, the heats are very excessive, and kill abundance of our Europeans, especially those that are giv'n to drink.

All Persia is water'd with little Rivers; but there is not one navigable River through the whole extent of it, unless it be Aras, or the Araxes of the Indians, which carries some few flat-bottom'd Boats. The other Rivers, instead of growing bigger, the farther they keep their course from the Springs, grow shallower for want of Water, by reason of the infinite number of Kreises or Channels, which they cut out of the Rivers to water the Lands, which would not bring forth so much as only Grass without the help of those Cuts; unless it be in the Province of Mazandran, which from September to March seems a kind of Terrestrial Paradise, through the pleasing variety of Herbs and Fruits. However, Persia in general being thus water'd, is a most fruitful Country: though it be true, that many of their Springs and Chan∣nels are lost and brok'n. And Mirza-Ibrahim Governour of the Province of Edzer∣baijan told me one day, that in the very Territory of Tauris, there were above two hundred Springs utterly lost, either by accident or negligence.

As for their Gardens, they water them with Well-water, by the help of a Wheel and an Ox; but the running Water is much better, as not being so cold, and more fatning to the Earth. And therefore the Fruits that grow in the Mountains which are only water'd by the Rain or by the Dews, are much better tasted, and keep longer.

Persia is a mountainous Country, but for the most part the Mountains are very dry and barren. As for Woods, there are none in all the Country. Travellers are also forc'd to go a great way out of their Road to find a Spring; and sometimes they shall ride ten or twelve Leagues, before they meet with any Water but what they carry in their Bottels. There are some Mountains out of which they dig Salt, as Stones out of a Quarrey. There are also Plains where the Sand is nothing but Salt, though it be not so savoury as our Northern Salt.

Of late several Copper-Mines have been found out, of which the Natives make all sorts of Kitchen-Housholdstuff. Their Lead comes from Kerman; their Iron and Steel from Corasan and Kasbin, though not so good as that of Spain. Their Steel is very fine, with a smooth grain, and grows very hard in the Water, but it is as brittle as Glass. Neither will this sort of Steel agree with the Fire: so that if the Fire have not more than a double heat when the Steel is forg'd, it will look just like a piece of burnt Charcoal. The Steel which we call Damas-Steel comes from the Indies, and the Persians call it Gauherdar.

There are also some Mines of Gold and Silver in Persia, wherein it appears that they have anciently wrought. Sha-Abas also try'd again, but found his expence to be more than his profit: whence it is become a Proverb in Persia, Nokre Kerven dehkrarge nohhassel; The Silver-Mine of Kerven, where they spend ten to get nine. which is the reason that all the Gold and Silver of Persia comes out of Forein Countries.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Derbent in the Persian Tongue signifies ae Strait Gate, and Demir-Capi in the Turkish, ae Gate of Iron; near to which place were the ancient Ca∣spian Gates, or Caspiae Pylae of the Ancients.