On
their way into Persia, merchants are used with much favour, lest they
should make complaints to the king,
Who will have merchants kindly
treated; but on their return into India, they are treated with extreme
rigour, being searched to the very skin for money, as it is death to
transport any gold or silver coin from Persia, except that of the
reigning king. They likewise look narrowly for horses and slaves,
neither of which are allowed to be taken out of the country.
We remained here two days waiting for certain Armenians, with whom we
travelled the rest of the journey, leaving our former companions. The
9th of August we went only one parasang to a river. The 10th we
travelled seven p. and lodged in the open fields. The 11th, four p. to a
small village, where we had plenty of provisions. The 12th, four p.
where we had to dig for water. The 13th, eight p. and the 14th five p.
to a village named Draw, [Durra,] where we remained a day, as it is
the custom of those who travel with camels to rest once in four or five
days. The 16th, we advanced three p. The 17th, four p. The 18th, five p.
to Zaide-basha, [Sarbishe,] where abundance of carpets are to be had.
The 19th we came to a village named Mude, [Moti,] where also are
carpets. The 20th, five p. to Birchen, [Berdjan,] where are
manufactured great quantities of fine felts, and carpets of camels hair,
which are sold at the rates of from two to five abacees the maund. At
this place we rested a day. The 22d, we went to Dea-zaide, [Descaden,]
where all the inhabitants pretend to be very religious, and sell their
carpets, of which they have great abundance, at a cheap rate. The 23d,
three p. The 24th, five p. to Choore, [Cors or Corra,] an old ruined
town. The 25th, three p. The 26th, seven p. when we had brackish
stinking water. The 27th we came to Dehuge, [Teuke,] where is a
considerable stream of hot water, which becomes cool and pleasant after
standing some time in any vessel. The 28th we went seven p. to
Dea-curma.
The 29th we went five p. to Tobaz,[156] where we had to pay half an
abacee for each camel. At this plce all caravans take four or five days
rest, the better to enable them to pass the adjoining salt desert, which
extends four long days journey, and in which many miscarry. We found
here a small caravan of an hundred camels, which set off the next day
after our arrival. Here, and in the former village, there is great store
of dates; and 3000 maunds of the finest silk in Persia are made here
yearly, and is carried to Yades, [Yezd,] a fair city, where likewise
they make much raw silk, and where it is manufactured into taffaties,
satins, and damasks. The king does not allow the exportation of raw
silk, especially into Turkey; but the Portuguese used to carry it to
Portugal. Yades, [Yezd,] is about twelve days journey from Ispahan,
and is twelve p. out of the way from the Indian route to the capital.
[Footnote 156: Tabaskili, or Tobas Kileke, in Cohestan, is probably the
place here meant, in which case the route appears to have passed from
Farra by the south of the inland sea or lake of Darrah, but which is not
noticed by our travellers. Our conjectural amendments of the names of
places on the route are placed within brackets. - E.]
The 30th of August we advanced nine p. into the desert, and lay on the
ground, having to send our beasts three miles out of the way for water,
which was very salt. The 31st, after travelling ten p. we came to water
which was not at all brackish. The 1st September we went five p. and had
to send two miles for water. The 2d we went nine p. to a small castle,
where we procured a small quantity of provisions. The 3d, five p. and
lay in the fields, having to send far for water. The 4th, ten p. to
Seagan. The 5th, four p. The 6th, ten p. to a castle called Irabad,
[Hirabad,] where we paid half an abacee for each camel. The 7th, six
p. The 8th, eight p. to Ardecan, where we rested till the 10th, when
we went four p. to Sellef. The 11th, three p. to a small castle named
Agea Gaurume. The 12th, nine p. to a spring in the fields. The 13th,
three p. to Beavas. The 14th, four p. to Goolabad, whence Richard
Steel rode on to Ispahan, without waiting for the caravan. The 15th we
came to Morea Shahabad, five p. The 16th, to Coopa, five p. The
17th, to Dea Sabs, five p. The 18th, four p. and lay in the fields.
And on the 19th, after three p. we came to Ispahan.
Richard Steel reached this city on the 15th, at noon, and found Sir
Robert Shirley already provided with his dispatches from the king of
Persia as ambassador to the king of Spain. Sir Robert, attended by his
lady, a bare-footed friar as his chaplain, together with fifty-five
Portuguese prisoners, and his own followers, were preparing in all haste
to go to Ormus, and to embark thence for Lisbon. The purpose is, that
seeing the Portuguese not able to stand, the Spaniards may be brought
in.[157] Six friars remain as hostages for his safe return to Ispahan,
as otherwise the king has vowed to cut them all in pieces, which he is
likely enough to do, having put his own son to death, and committed a
thousand other severities.
[Footnote 157: The meaning of this passage is quite obscure in the
Pilgrims, and the editor does not presume upon clearing the
obscurity. - E.]
On his arrival at Ispahan, Richard Steel delivered his letters to Sir
Robert,[158] who durst hardly read them, except now and then, as by
stealth, fearing lest the Portuguese should know of them.
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