At This Place The Governor Of The Whole Country Resides, Who
Has A Garrison Of Twelve Or Fifteen Thousand Horse, Maintained There By
The Great Mogul, In Regard Of The Neighbourhood Of The Persians Towards
The North.
To the west, the city is environed by steep and craggy rocks,
and to the south and east by a strong wall.
In consequence of the
frequent passage of caravans, it has been considerably increased of
late, so that the suburbs are larger than the city. Within the last two
years, in consequence of the Persian trade by way of Ormus being
stopped, through war with the Portuguese, all the caravans between
Persia and India must necessarily pass through this place; and here they
hire camels to go into India, and at their return for Persia have to do
the same. They cannot return without leave of the governor, who causes
them to stop a month here, or at the least fifteen or twenty days; owing
to which, it is inhabited by many lewd people, as all such places of
resort commonly are.
Victuals for man and beast are to be had in great abundance at Candahar,
yet are very dear owing to the great concourse of trade, occasioned by
the meeting at this place of many merchants of India, Persia, and
Turkey, who often conclude their exchanges of commodities here. At this
place the caravans going for India usually unite together, for greater
strength and security in passing through the mountains of Candahar; and
those that come here from India generally break into smaller companies,
because in many parts of the route through Persia, a greater number
would not find provisions, as all Persia, from hence to Ispahan, is
extremely barren, so that sometimes not a green thing is to be seen in
two or three days travel; and even water is scarce, and that which is to
be got is often brackish, or stinking and abominable. We remained at
this city for fourteen days, partly to procure company for our farther
journey, and partly for refreshment after the fatigues and heats of our
late journey, especially on account of John Crowther, who was so weak
that he at one time doubted being able to proceed any farther.
We joined ourselves to three Armenians and a dozen Persian merchants,
along with whom we left the city of Candahar on the 23d July, and went
ten c. to a village called Seriabe.[153] The 24th we came in twelve c.
to Deabage, a small dea or village. The 25th in eight c. to
Cashecunna, a small castle in which the Mogul has a garrison, being
the utmost boundary of his dominions westwards, and confining with
Persia. The 26th we travelled seventeen c. and lodged in the open fields
by the side of a river. The 27th, after four c. we came to a castle
called Greece, the first belonging to the king of Persia. Here we
delivered to the governor the letter we had got from the Persian
ambassador at Lahore, and presented him a mirror and three knives. He
would take nothing for our camels, while the others had to pay five
abacees for each camel. He promised to give us a safe conduct under an
escort of horse to the next governor, but we saw none; neither were we
sorry for the omission, for he was little better than a rebel, and all
his people were thieves.
[Footnote 153: We here lose the almost infallible guide of Arrowsmith's
excellent map of Hindoostan, and are reduced to much inferior helps in
following the route through Persia. - E.]
The 28th we departed at night, going two parasangs, and lodged at a
dea or village called Malgee. A farcing or parasang is equal to
two Indian cosses and a half.[154] The 29th we went ten p. and lodged in
the open fields, where we could get nothing but water. The 30th we went
five p. to a small castle named Gazikhan. The 31st other five p. to an
old ruined fort, where we could get nothing but water, and that was
stinking. The 1st August we proceeded other five p. to an old fort
called Dilaram, where we paid an abacee and a half for each camel.
We staid here one day to rest our cattle, which was termed making
mochoane; and on the 3d we went seven p. to an old castle called
Bacon. The 4th four p. and lodged in the open fields, where we found
nothing but water. The 5th four p. and the 6th five p. to Farra.[155]
[Footnote 154: In a side-note, Purchas says a parasang consists of sixty
furlongs. This is a most egregious error, as the parasang or farsang is
exactly equal to 2.78 English miles, or twenty-two two-5ths
furlongs. - E.]
[Footnote 155: Farra, the capital of a district of the same name in the
north of Segistan, is in lat 33 deg. 40' N. long. 62 deg. 40' E. - E.]
Farra is a small town, surrounded by a high wall of bricks dried in
the sun, as are all the castles and most of the buildings in this
country, and is of a square form, about a mile in circuit. It has a
handsome bazar or market-place, vaulted over head to keep out the rain,
and in which all kinds of necessaries and commodities are sold. It is
situated in a fertile soil, having plenty of water, without which
nothing can be raised in this country; and it is wonderful to see with
what labour and ingenious industry they bring water to every spot of
good ground, which is but seldom to be found here, often carrying it
three or four miles in trenches under ground. At this town, all
merchants going into Persia must remain for seven, eight, or ten days;
and here the king's treasurer sees all their packs weighed, estimating
the value of their commodities at so much the maund, as he thinks fit,
and exacts a duty of three per cent.
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