A Collection of Curious Travels and Voyages, Volume 1 · Part 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Of the Famous City of Bagdet, called Baldac; of its Situation, ſtrange Plants, great Traffick, and Merchants of ſeveral Nations, that live there, together with ſeveral other things, I ſaw and did learn at my departing.
THE Town Bagdet, belonging to the Turkiſh Emperour, is ſituated on the moſt Eaſterly part of his Dominions, on the rapid River Tigris, and the Confines of Perſia, in a large Plain, almoſt like unto Baſle on the Rhine, it is divided into Two Parts, which are rather bigger than Baſle, but nothing near ſo pleaſant, nor ſo well built, for the Streets thereof are pretty narrow, and many Houſes ſo miſerably built, that ſome of them are down to the firſt Story, and others lie quite in Ruines: The caſe is the ſame with the Churches, which for age look black, and are ſo much decayed, that you ſhall hardly find a whole one; whereon are ſtill ſeveral Old Arabian, or rather Chaldean Inſcriptions to be ſeen, cut out in Stone, by the means whereof many Antiquities of the Town might have been truly explained, but I could not only not read them, but could get no body that could interpet them to me. There are ſome Buildings that are worth ſeeing, as the Camp of the Turkiſh Baſhaw, and the great Batzar or Exchange beyond the River in the other Town, and the Baths which are not to be compared with thoſe of Aleppo and Tripoli, for they are at the bottom and on the Walls done over with Pitch, which maketh them ſo black and dark, that even in the Day time, you have but little Light. There being two Towns, one of them which lieth on this ſide is quite open, ſo that you may go in and out by Night without any moleſtation; wherefore it ſhould rather be called a great Village than a Town; but the other that lieth towards Perſia on the Confines of Aſſyria, is very well Fortified with Walls and Ditches, chiefly towards the Tigris, where there are alſo ſome Towers, two whereof are within by the Gates that lead towards the Water-ſide, to guard them, and between them are the old high Walls of the Town, whereon on the top are ſtately Writings, with Golden Letters, each whereof is about a Foot long, to be ſeen; the true meaning thereof, I would fain have learned, but for want of Underſtanding and Interpreters, I could not obtain it, but was forced to go without it. Near unto it there is a Bridge made of Boats that reacheth over the Tigris into the other Town, which in that place is about as broad, as the Rhine is at Straſburg, and becauſe of its rapid Stream ſo dark and dull, that it is a diſmal ſight to look upon it, and may eaſily turn a Man's Head and make him giddy. This River runneth not much below the Town into the Euphrates, and ſo they run mixt together into the Perſian Gulf, by the Town Balſara, which is ſix Days Journey diſtant from thence Eaſtward. Theſe two Towns as is ſaid, at the River Tigris, were many Years agon, built out of the ruinated City of Babylon, whereof the one on the other ſide of the River is accompted to be the Town of Seleucia of Babylon, and that on this ſide, which is more like unto an open Village, is believed to be the Town Cteſiphonta. Strabo in his Book XV. doth teſtifie this, when he writes thus of them; That Babylon hath formerly been the Metropolis of Aſſyria, and that after its devaſtation, the Town of Seleucia, ſituated upon the Tigris, near which was a great Village, wherein the King of the Parthians did keep his Reſidence for the Winter. Pliny maketh alſo mention thereof in his Sixth Book, and in the 26th. and 27th. Chapter, viz. that the two Towns of Seleucia of Babylon, and Cteſiphonta were built out of the Ruines of the Old City, and that the River Tigris runs between them. In the Town Seleucia, ſtands in a large place, the Caſtle, which is without guarded neither with Walls nor Ditches, nor is quite finiſhed within. Before it lie ſome Pieces of Ordnance in the Road, which are ſo daubed with Dirt, that they are almoſt quite covered. In it dwelleth the Turkiſh Baſhaw, who (when he underſtood that two Strangers were come into his Camp) ſent for us, and had us before him by his Men; along with us went freely an Armenian, whom we had known formerly at Aleppo, to aſſiſt us, and to be our Interpreter, to give the Baſhaw a good and ſufficient account of us.
When we came into the Room of the Baſhaw (which was but very ordinary, yet ſpread with delicate Tapeſtry and well adorned) and appeared with accuſtomed Reverences, he asked us (ſitting in his Coſtly yellow-coloured long Gown) by one of his Servants in French, which he did not underſtand very well, from what places we came, what Merchandiſes we had brought with us, and whither we intended to go. After we had punctually anſwered him to each Queſtion, yet he was not ſatisfied, but bid us to withdraw, and ſtay until we heard his Anſwer. We underſtood his meaning very well, that it was only to ſcrue a Preſent out of us, yet we would not underſtand it, but ſhewed him our Paſs, ſubſcribed both by the Baſhaw and the Cadi of Aleppo, to try whether that would give him Content. So he took it and read it over, and looked very diligently upon their Seals, as they uſe to ſeal (after they have dipped it firſt into Ink) ſo that all but the Letters is black. When he found them right, and did not know any more to ſay to us, he let us go, then we made him his Reverence again, and ſo we went backwards out of his Lodgings, for if you turn your Back to any one (although it be a far meaner Perſon) they take it as a great uncivility, rudeneſs, and diſparagement. This Baſhaw keeps a great Garriſon in the Town of Bagdet, becauſe it lieth on the Confines of Suſiana, Media, &c. which are Provinces belonging to the King of Perſia, and the Grand Signior hath nothing more towards the Eaſt of it to command. His greateſt Dominions are the Wilderneſſes of the Deſart Arabia, whereof the Turk hath one Part, but the other, and the bigeſt belongs to the King of Arabia. After the Baſhaw had given us leave to go, we went to our Lodgings again, and bought by the way in the Batzar ſome Proviſion to eat, and to boil for Supper, for in theſe Countries are no Inns to be found, whereinto one may go, and find a Dinner ready prepared for Chance-Cuſtomers, as in our Country is done, except one would go into a Cook's Shop, whereof there are a great many in the Batzars; but every one boileth for himſelf what he hath a mind to, without Doors, before his Lodgings, where there is a Chimny for that purpoſe, ſo that in the Morning, and at Night when it is time to eat, you ſee every where in the Allies of the Camp ſeveral Fires. When we went to eat we were forced (becauſe in theſe Chambers is neither Table, nor Stools, nor Bench) to ſit down on the Ground, and alſo lie upon it all Night, ſo that our Cloaks were very uſeful to us, to ſerve us inſtead of a Bed, chiefly in the Winter, to keep us warm, yet the Winter is not very ſevere in thoſe Countries; which you may conclude, for that our March-Flowers, Narciſſus's, Hyacinths, Violets, &c. were here full in Flowers in the Month of December; and that the Farmers went to Plough at that time; wherefore I judge that their Winter is like unto our Spring. When we lived at Bagdet, I found by our Catering, that the Scarcity was ſtill very conſiderable, and it would have been more, and have encreaſed, if the Towns that lie above it on the Euphrates and Tigris, and chiefly Moſſel, which formerly went by the Name of Nineve, had not ſent them great Supplies, as did alſo thoſe of Carahemit, &c. which Supply they have alſo almoſt always, at any other time, occaſion for, for their cultivated Grounds are chiefly in Meſopotamia, where they have almoſt none at all, ſo that there groweth not enough to maintain themſelves; wherefore the two Rivers are very neceſſary to them, not only to provide them with Victuals, as Corn, Wine, Fruit, &c. but alſo to bring to them all ſorts of Merchandices, whereof many Ship-loads are brought in daily. So that in this Town there is a great Depoſition of Merchandices (by reaſon of its commodious Situation) which are brought thither by Sea as well as by Land from ſeveral Parts, chiefly from Natolia, Syria, Armenia, Conſtantinople, Haleppo, Damaſcus, &c. to carry them further into the Indies, Perſia, &c. So it happened that during the time I was there, on the 2d. Day of December, in 74. there arrived 25 Ships with Spice and other precious Drugs here, which came over Sea from the Indies, by the way of Ormutz, to Balſara, a Town belonging to the Grand Turk, ſituated on the Frontiers, the furtheſt that he hath South-Eaſtwards, within Six Days Journey from hence, where they load their Goods into ſmall Veſſels, and ſo bring them to Bagdet, which Journey, as ſome ſay, taketh them up Forty Days. Seeing that the Paſſage both by Water and Land, belongeth both to the King of Arabia and Sophi of Perſia (which alſo have their Towns and Forts on their Confines) which might eaſily be ſtopt up by them, yet that notwithſtanding all this they may keep good Correſpondence with one another, they keep Pigeons (chiefly at Balſara) which in caſe of neceſſity might ſoon be ſent back again with Letters to Bagdet. When loaden Ships arrive at Bagdet, the Merchants (chiefly thoſe that bring Spice, to carry through the Deſarts into Turky) have their peculiar places in the open Fields without the Town Creſiphon, where each of them fixeth his Tents, to put his Spices underneath in Sacks, to keep them there ſafe, until they have a mind to break up in whole Caravans; ſo that at a diſtance, one would rather believe that Soldiers were lodged in them, than Merchants; and rather look for Arms than Merchants Goods: And ſo I thought my ſelf, before I came ſo near that I could ſmell them.
Some of theſe Merchants that came with the ſame Ships, came directly to our Camp, and among the reſt a Jeweller, which brought with him ſeveral precious Stones, viz. Diamonds, Chalcedonies, which make incomparable Hafts to Daggers, Rubies, Topazes, Sapphirs, &c. the two firſt whereof he had procured in Camboya, and moſt of the reſt in the Iſland of Zeylan, whereof he ſhew'd us ſeveral very fine ones. The Merchants bring theſe along with them in great Caravans, and keep them very cloſe and private, that they may not be found out at the Cuſtom-Houſes and be taken away from them, which the Baſhaws, do conſtantly endeavour with all their Might and Power. For the Turks do not love that Precious Stones ſhould coſt them Money, for they are extraordinarily covetous, wherefore you find but a few among them, but if they can have them without coſt, after the aforeſaid manner they love them dearly; and keep them in great Eſteem. In the room of them other Stones are ſent into the Indies again, Corals, Emralds (which are bought beſt in Aegypt) Saffron, Chermes-berries, and ſeveral Sorts of Fruit, as Cibebs, Dates, (which are there ſo pliable and Soft that you may pack them together in great lumps as they do Tamarinds) Figs, Almonds and many others which I cannot now remember, and alſo ſeveral Sorts of Silks; and Turkiſh Handkerchiefs: But above all, fine Horſes, whereof they ſend Abundance into the Indies by the way of Perſia, but more by the way of Ormutz, wherefore the King of Portugal, received yearly a good Sum of Money for Cuſtom, viz. Forty Ducats for each, which the Merchants pay very freely, becauſe that thoſe that import Horſes (as I am informed) pay but half Duty for their other Goods at the Cuſtom-Houſes, and ſell them beſides with good Profit. Some of theſe Horſes are alſo ſent (becauſe of their Beauty and Goodneſs) into Syria, Natolia, and to us into Europe, where they are ſold or preſented to Princes, and other great Perſons of Quality. They feed there Horſes in theſe Countries chiefly with Barly and Straw, ſo as it is broke by their Threſhing-Waggons, which they hang about their Heads in Sacks, as they do alſo about Aſſes, rather than give it them in Mangers, as we do. For want of Straw they ſometimes litter them with a fine looſe Earth, which they afterward throw by in heaps to make it clean again to ſerve another time. When among other Merchants, Chriſtians arrive from our Countries at Ormutz, which happeneth very ſeldom, all thoſe of them that have been any ways afflicted by Turks, Arabians, or Jews, muſt appear, before ſome certain Officers of the King of Portugal, appointed for that purpoſe, and make their Complaints to them, of what hath happened to them, or what Damage they have ſuffered or received; and in Caſe they ſhould omit any thing, they are themſelves ſeverely puniſhed. If then it appeareth, that one of them hath been cheated of his Money, immediately ſome Merchants of the ſame Nation although innocent, and knowing nothing of it, are flung into Priſon, where they muſt remain until they have made Satisfaction to the utmoſt Farthing, and are beſides ſeverely puniſhed, for an Example to others that they may take warning. But if a Chriſtian ſhould be murthered, and they come to know of it, then Three or Four of them, more or leſs, according to the Manner of the Fact, muſt ſuffer and loſe their Lives for every Chriſtian. From thence it cometh, when Merchants of many Nations are going into a Ship in order to go to the Indies by the Way of Ormutz (where they muſt land upon Penalty of Confiſcation of all their Goods) that, when firſt they put off, they look ſtrangely upon one another, and take great notice of, or mind one another much, and ſay very little or nothing, not making themſelves known, fearing that ſomething may be had againſt them; and this endureth ſo long, untill they are gone half the way, then they begin to be acquainted. Further I underſtood, that the King of Portugal's Governour in the Indies hath already (to make himſelf ſtrong and the more able for a War) made ſeveral of the chiefeſt and powerfulleſt Indians Knights or Noblemen, to the Number of 5000; and hath ſent many Jeſuits to reform theſe Countries, to propagate their Religion and to inſtitute there the Spaniſh Inquiſition. The Indians are lank in Body, brown in their Colour, well ſhaped, and of a very good Underſtanding: Wherefore Perſons of Quality, and Merchants love to buy them, and chuſe them for their Servants, being in their Buſineſs very faithful, diligent and careful, as I have known many of them. Theſe and many more Nations, as Turks, Moors, Armenians, Curters, Medians, &c. which every one of them have their peculiar Language, are at Bagdet in great Numbers, but chiefly the Perſians; ſo when I was there, there arrived a Caravan of Three Hundred, with Camels and Horſes, &c. with an Intention to go to Mecha, to give Mahomet a Viſit, which they think, after Hali and Omar (who were his Companions and did live in that City) to be a very great Man. Theſe Perſians have a peculiar Language, ſo much differing, That neither Turks nor Arabians, nor other Oriental Nations can underſtand them, and ſo they are forced to make them underſtand their meaning by Signs or an Interpreter, as well as I and other Strangers. They alſo have their peculiar Characters. They ſit well on Horſe-back, and have on long and wide Drawers, which ſerve them alſo for Boots, and are very well furniſhed with Scymeters, Bows and Darts: inſtead of Spurs, they have, as it is the Faſhion in thoſe Parts, pointed Irons which are about an Inch and a half long, and are ſowed to the hind part of their Shooes. They are alſo called Red Turks, which I believe is, becauſe they have behind on their Turbants, Red Marks, as Cotton-Ribbands, &c. with Red Brims, whereby they are ſooner diſcerned from other Nations. They may alſo be diſtinguiſhed, by their grey woollen Coats, which have commonly Three Plaits behind, and come hardly down to their Knees. They are a ſtrong and valiant People, of a noble Countenance, and Mind, very Civil, and in their Dealings upright. They are very wary in their Undertakings, which you may ſee by this, that before they conclude a Bargain, they take up more time to conſider than others to two or three, which I have ſeveral times obſerved. Among other Merchandices they have delicate Tapeſtry of ſeveral colours, and ſeveral ſorts of Cotton-Work, in which they are great Artiſts, and well skilled, but as for others, as Gold and Silver working, &c. they underſtand little, and a great deal leſs of Gilding, wherefore they take any thing that is gloſſy for Gold. They love the Chriſtians that are Artiſts and Ingenious in theſe ſorts of Works, and ſhew them all Civilities. But as for the Turks, becauſe great and bloody Wars ariſe often between them, they hate them very much, and call them Hereticks; 1. Becauſe they will not eſteem nor receive Hali and Omar (which they denominate Caliphi) as the greateſt and higheſt Prophets or Legates of God, that have, after Mahomet, given more certain and better Laws. Wherefore they eſteem them a great deal higher; nay, worſhip them like Gods. 2. Becauſe that they as circumciſed Men, eſteem their Women to be unclean, and reckon them to be Members that are not to be ſaved, and therefore exclude them out of their Churches, ſo that they may not appear there publickly, which by the Perſians according to their Laws and Ordinances, after they have ſpoke ſome Words after them, are received as bleſſed Ones, and admitted to come to their Churches. From whence ariſe between theſe two Nations great Quarrels and Differences ſometimes, but yet they do not fall upon one another, nor make Incurſions in time of Peace, ſo violently on the Frontiers, as they do in Hungary; probably that one may (becauſe Negotiation goeth further into Perſia, and bringeth in great Cuſtom to the Grand Signior) trade the ſafer into theſe Parts. It is cheap and very good travelling through theſe Countries into the Indies, and the Cuſtoms and Duties are very eaſy.
Further I underſtood from others, that here and there in Perſia live ſeveral Chriſtians, and that moſt of them are of the perſwaſion of Preſter-John, whom they call Amma; and which way they are brought to it, I am thus informed, That formerly about Twelve Years agone, it did happen that the King of Perſia made a League with Preſter-John againſt the Turks, which came then very hard upon him, and gave him his hands ſo full, that he was forced to ſeek for help by Strangers. Now when Preſter-John thought it very inconvenient for him to make a League with a King that was not of his Religion, he ſent him a Meſſage again, that he could make no League with him, except the chiefeſt of the Articles were, that he and his Subjects would receive his Religion, then he would not only do him all Friendſhip that in him lay, but alſo aſſiſt him with all his Might and Power, which at length was agreed upon. Whereupon he did ſend him one of his Patriarchs and ſome of his Prieſts, which in proceſs of time had this Effect, that now even at this Day, there are above twenty Towns in Perſia, where the moſt of the Inhabitants are addicted to the Religion of Preſter-John. They have alſo as I was told, ſeveral Books of the Holy Scripture, and chiefly among the reſt, ſome of the Epiſtles of St. Thomas, which they call Aertiſch. And beſides that, their Patriarch hath brought it to that paſs, that they are no more ſo zealous in their Superſtitions; and are of Opinion that Circumciſion is not neceſſary, and that ſo much the rather, becauſe their Enemies the Turks and Jews have it. And, for the ſame reaſon they do not abhorr the forbidden Beaſts, but eat Pork, &c. nor refuſe to drink Wine, and that as before ſaid, becauſe their Adverſaries are forbid it by their Law. So that the Chriſtian Faith doth in Perſia encreaſe daily more and more, and they begin to be Chriſtened with Fire, according to their Faſhion, and in the Name of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, whom they notwithſtanding (according to their Opinion) rather believe to be a Creature, than the Third Perſon of the Trinity, and that he doth only proceed from the Father and not from the Son. But that thoſe that are Chriſtians may be diſcerned, they wear a blue Croſs on the inſide of their left Leg a little above the Knee. They alſo adminiſter the Sacrament of the Holy Supper or Communion, and give it as well to the Young as to the Old ones in both kinds; but before they go to it, they muſt have their Feet waſhed, wherefore there are little Rivolets led through the Churches, where they ſit down, and ſome of the chiefeſt of the Town come to them and waſh their Feet, and when that is done they give unto one another a Kiſs of Love; then they read the Words of Chriſt's Inſtitution, and ſo go to receive it; they do not come to Confeſſion before: And they endure no Images in their Churches, but inſtead of them they make uſe of Harps, Pipes and other Inſtruments, wherewith they make Muſick, but chiefly at the King's Court, at Samarcand (where his beſt Muſicians are) which Town, as they ſay, was built by Sem the Son of Noah, and called after his Name. What elſe is to be ſaid concerning the Points of their Religion, ſhall be hereafter mentioned in the Chapter of the Abiſſines.
Further I was informed at my return, that after the Deceaſe of Gamach the King of Perſia, that had three Sons and one Daughter (who was ſoon married to one of the chiefeſt of the Council at Court) whereof the Eldeſt called Alſchi was beheaded, becauſe he did endeavour to take away his Father's Crown, the other two are ſtill in being; the youngeſt of them Balthaſar liveth in Parſid, a peculiar Province and Town in Perſia, which lieth on the Borders of the Indies; and the middlemoſt, called Iſmael, was lately after his Father's Deceaſe, elected King, almoſt at the ſame time, when the now reigning Turkiſh Emperour Amurathes came to the Crown. This is ſtill young, and of a tall and ſlim Body, but very manly, and full of Courage, and well skill'd in all Warlike Exerciſes, ſo that he dare before any of his Courtiers ride wild and unbroken Horſes (by them called Aecaik) which are not eaſily maſtered. They are brought to him a great way off out of the Eaſtern Parts; they are as I am informed of an Aſhen colour, only ſome have white Legs; in theſe and other Exerciſes he hath ſhown his Manlineſs from his Infancy. But when he did encreaſe in Age and in Strength, the Anger and Diſpleaſure he bore againſt the Turks did increaſe alſo, and to that Degree that he reſolved, during his Father's Life, to be reveng'd of them, for the wrong they had done to his Anceſtors. Wherefore, a little while agone he brought together a great many Men in the frontier Places, to ſurprize the Town of Bagdet unawares, being one of the Chiefeſt, that formerly had belonged to his Anceſtors, together with the whole Country, wherein the new Kings of Perſia when they firſt come to the Government are uſed to be crowned. When he was thus prepared for the Onſet, and nothing was wanting, ſome Traytors ran away from his Troops and acquainted the Baſhaw of Bagdet with his Deſign, ſo the Baſhaw was forced to arm himſelf with all Speed as well as he could, that he might be able to oppoſe him in his Deſigns. But when the King's Son would have put his Intention into Execution, the Baſhaw fell upon him unawares with ſuch a Number and Strength, that he could not only attempt nothing but was beaten, and he himſelf taken Priſoner. Beſides this the Grand Turk would have had him to be beheaded, if his Father had not with great earneſtneſs taken his part, and given him for his Ranſom the Town Orbs in Meſopotamia. After this the old King had enough to do, to keep his Son in ſafe Cuſtody, that he might not begin new Alarms and Wars againſt the Turks.
Before I began my Voyage in March, in the Year 74; certain News came to Aleppo that 25000 Turks were killed on the Confines of Perſia and Arabia; but in what Place this Battel was fought, and which way it was done, I could not learn (for if they ſuffer any Damage they always keep it very cloſe and ſecret) nor any ways hear: Wherefore the Turks at that time were a great deal harder towards the Chriſtians, ſo that many ſuffered for their Misfortunes Sake: But if they had obtained the Victory (as well as not) they would not have been ſo ſilent, but would have ſpread it abroad, and have related it to others, that did not ask them, with high and big Words. So great an Opinion have the Turks of themſelves, that they really believe, there is no other Nation, that can conquer the World ſo as they, although they are not to be compared with the Perſians, neither for Strength, Manlineſs, nor Shape; ſo therefore they could effect but very little againſt others, if it were not for their great Number, wherewith they over-power them. And to ſpeak only of the Inhabitants of this Town, there are ſo many ſick and lame People in it, that you would admire to ſee ſo many lame and limping ones in the Streets; yet the King of Perſia cannot hold out the War at length, nor keep a War at a great Diſtance, for his Revenue is not ſo great as to make ſufficient Proviſion for his Officers and Souldiers, &c. to pay them as well in time of Peace as of War: For his Subjects are freed from all Taxes and Impoſitions, according to their ancient Privileges and Cuſtoms. They never arm themſelves for a Defence, but when they are called together by their King, to defend and protect their Country, Houſe or Land, Wife and Children, againſt the Aſſault of an Enemy.
When I was thus enquiring from one or other, and endeavouring to inform my ſelf and learn whether it were more commodious for us two, to go by Water to Ormutz, or by Land through Perſia into the Indies, and we thought of nothing elſe but to begin our Voyage daily to go further; I was call'd on a ſudden by a Letter to come away for Aleppo immediately, which troubled me very much, and that the more when I conſidered, that I was paſſed the Wilderneſs and come into the fruitful Eaſtern Countries, which would have been very well worth ſeeing. So after I had conſidered a while, I agreed with my Comerade, that he ſhould go on with the Voyage in hand, and that I (becauſe beſides the Letter, I had others no ſmaller Hinderances) would go back again. So I fitted him out for his Voyage with all Neceſſaries, ſo that two Days after he went with other Merchants into the Ship for Balſara. Not long after I had of him, a very mournful Meſſage or Account that the Ship (wherein he went from Balſara to Ormutz) was periſhed in a great Storm, near the Iſland Baccharis in the Perſian Sea (where they find good ſtore of Oriental Pearls) and that he and ſeveral other Merchants, and rich Merchants Sons from Aleppo were drowned. At the ſame time I might have returned back again with a great Caravan to Aleppo, but becauſe they took the ſtraighteſt way through great and ſandy Deſarts, which laſted for Fifty Days Journeys or thereabout, where we had but two places to pay Cuſtom in, where we could buy Proviſion, as Water and other Neceſſaries, I reſolved within my ſelf to go by more Fruitful Places, and Famous Towns (although I went about) where I might ſee and learn ſomething more; ſo I did ſtay in the great Camp longer until I met with ſome Companions. In the mean time, while I ſtayed there, I made my ſelf acquainted with an eminent Merchant, that lived in Aleppo, and had been ſeveral times in the Indies; who told me, that the Jeſuits had begun to ſet up a very ſevere Inquiſition in the Indies, chiefly in God, where they obſerved diligently, thoſe that did not take of their Hats to the Images (which were ſet up in ſeveral Streets of the Town) that they might put them into Priſon, which he did very much diſlike, believing it to be very great Idolatry.
After he had ſaid this, he began to talk further to me concerning Religion, and chiefly of the Articles of our Chriſtian Faith; and made me immediately (when he began to be ſenſible that I was of the ſame) ſo fine a Confeſſion of his Chriſtian Faith, ſo plainly and with ſuch Grounds of Scripture, that I was aſtoniſhed, for I could never have believed, I could have met with the Fellow of him in theſe Countries. So he began to have a great Love for me, and deſired me to go along with him, and to ſtay with him in his Houſe, until I had an Opportunity to go further, or that I might make him a Companion in his Voyage into the Indies, that during thoſe Travels, he would ſhew me all Kindneſſes he could; nay, be as careful of me, as if I were his own Son. And after he underſtood that I was a Phyſician, he proferred of his own accord to recommend me to the Baſhaw, who was then ſick, and his very good Friend, to be his Phyſician. But I having underſtood before, that others that had done the ſame, had been but very ill rewarded for their Pains and Care they had taken, and chiefly by thoſe they did Cure; I would not undertake it, fearing I ſhould have the ſame meaſure, and inſtead of a Reward have my Liberty taken away from me, wherefore I thanked him for his Kindneſs. Had it not been for this, I ſhould have accepted of it, notwithſtanding that they have no Apothecaries Shops that are any thing provided, but I muſt have bought the Ingredients from one Shopkeeper or other, and ſo collected them from ſeveral places, for I could hardly find any thing by them, ſaving ſome ſtrange ſort of Turpentine Nuts, whereof they have abundance, and they are as good, as Piſtachia's, wherefore the Inhabitants keep them by them, and eat them as we eat ſmall Nuts in our Country. I have eaten ſeveral of them, and found them of a ſaltiſh taſte and of a drying quality. Theſe are called by the Arabians, Botn, and by the Perſians, Terbaick. I have chiefly ſeen two kinds of them, the greater and the leſs, and ſo the Arabians diſtinguiſh them into Botnquibir and Sougier. The bigger is in ſhape pretty like unto the Piſtach Nut, only it is a little rounder and ſo ſhorter; the leſſer is with its hard ſhell of the bigneſs of a Pea, and are ſhaped like unto an Hart, or the Dora, that is, the Indian-Hart. A great many of them grow in Agemia, Perſia, Meſopotamia and Armenia, &c. and grow together in cluſters like Grapes as the Piſtachies do, or rather the Berries of our Turpentine-Trees, for which they ought to be taken; chiefly, becauſe the Trees wherein they grow, are in their long Leaves pretty like unto the Turpentine-Tree, whereby they are eaſily diſtinguiſhed from the Piſtachia-Tree, which hath roundiſh ones. This being ſo, I take the little one for the Bell, and the great one for the Fael of Serapio, Avicen and Rhaſes, which (as Authors ſay) grow chiefly in the Indies: And this the rather, becauſe Authors attribute the ſame Virtue and Operation to them. So may according to this, chiefly the great Nuts Fael, be taken for the Fruit of the Indian Turpentine-Tree, whereof Theophraſtus in his Fourth Book and Chapter Five, maketh mention, all which would be too tedious to be related here at large. Beſides theſe Nuts, the before-mentioned Authors (chiefly Serapio in his 251ſt. Chapter) makes ſtill mention of another ſort of Fruit, called by him Sel, and by Avicen, Scel, which are not in hard ſhells, but as I ſaw them, quite bare, of the bigneſs of a Piſtachia-Nut, and of the colour of the Kernel of our Wall-nut; they have a pretty bitteriſh taſte, and ſenſibly Sharp. I did find none of them in theſe Parts by the Shop-keepers, but had it only after that in the Monaſtery of the Minorites in Jeruſalem, of one of their Order, who told me alſo that they did grow in theſe Countries. Of Coloquints, or white gourd Apples, ſtill known to the People by the old Name Handhal, there grow ſo many hereabout, that they ſend them to Aleppo, and from thence into our Countries; and alſo the delicate round Cyperus Root, by the Inhabitants called Soëdt, whereof one may find great quantities growing in moſſy and wet Grounds. I did alſo find by the Shop-keepers, the white Seed of Machaleb, which are in hard ſhells, which are long and pointed, and covered without with a tender skin, like unto the Piſtachia-Nut. A great quantity of them are carried from thence into Syria, and uſed to perfume Soap-Balls. The Trees whereon they grow I did not ſee, yet, as I am informed, they grow hereabout, but chiefly on the Mountains that are by the way to Perſia. They are ſtill to this Day by the Inhabitants, as by Serapio, called Nahandt. But although there are ſeveral ſorts of them, yet they all boil them (after they have been ſteep'd for ſome hours in Water, to get off the thin ſhells, as we do with Almonds) in Milk or Wine into a Pap, and put Sugar or Honey to it, chiefly to the white ones to take away their bitterneſs. I found farther a ſtrange Gum in great pieces, ſomewhat like unto Frankincenſe, or Ammoniacum, which the Inhabitants chew all Day long inſtead of Maſtich, and they attribute the ſame Virtues to it. Wherefore great quantities thereof are brought thither (chiefly from Perſia) which they call Taxa, as I am informed from the Tree Tax, which are very like unto Cypreſſes in ſhew and bigneſs, only their Roots are not ſo long, wherefore they are the eaſier over-turned by the Wind. According to this, I remember of the Trees Thuja, whereof Theophraſtus maketh mention in Book V. Chap. 5. and of Thya of Pliny. I alſo ſaw without the Batzers or Exchanges, very high and big Caper-Trees; and here and there in the Fields a peculiar ſort of Red-graſs, like unto that of Babylon, according to the deſcription of Dioſcorides, and hath ſtill retained his ancient Arabian Name Negil among the Inhabitants. This hath long fibrous and yellowiſh Roots, with many Joynts, and puts out by them yearly ſeveral Buds, which grow into hard Leaves, which are long and pointed, and at each ſide very ſharp and cutting, like unto them of the Red-graſs; between them come out ſmall Stalks or Holms, each whereof hath a peculiar Ear at the top coming out of its Graſs-ſheath, which is long, thin, and its Seeds grow in two rows, between ſmall Leaves, like unto the wild Galengal. This doth not only grow hereabout, but alſo in ſeveral other Places and Provinces, where the Ground is ſandy, as Suſiana, Perſia, &c. in great quantity, and becauſe it is by reaſon of its ſharpneſs and cutting, very pernicious to Beaſts, as to Bullocks, Horſes, &c. ſo that they die of it, therefore they have or keep the fewer of them, but inſtead thereof they keep Buffles (which can feed upon it eaſier than other Beaſts) to eat this Graſs, which maketh the Buffle very cheap in theſe Countries, for I have ſeen one buy three of them for eight Ducats (which is in our Money about 48 Shillings) that was bigger than an Hungarian Bullock. Thus much I had to relate of Bagdet, its Situation, Trade, and ſtrange Plants, ſo much as I could find and ſee at that improper time.
Being that I expected daily Company to go with me to Aleppo again, by the way of ſeveral Towns, and not ſtraight through the ſandy Wilderneſſes, a Perſian that I got acquainted withal in the mean while did inform me, that the Sophi King of Perſia, had ſeveral Unicorns at Samarcand, which he kept there; and alſo in two Iſlands Alc and Tylos, which lay from Samarcand nine Days Journey, further towards the Eaſt, near Spaam, ſome Griffins (by them called Alera) which were ſent him out of Africa from Preſter-John. They are a great deal bigger and higher, have a red coloured Head, a bearded Bill, and a Neck over-grown with Feathers, a thick Body, black Wings like unto an Eagle, and a long Tail like a Lion, and Feet like a Dragon, they are very eager for Fleſh; while they are yet young, the King taketh them along with him, and goeth often thither for Sport and Pleaſures ſake; but as they grow up and ſtrong, he hath them chained about their Necks very ſtrongly. I did believe this the ſooner *Too ſoon, for that there are no ſuch Creatures in the World as either Unicorn or Griffin, I am as ſure as I can be of a Negative. Nay, Dr. Brown hath well demonſtrated, that there cannot be ſuch a Creature as the common Pictures of him repreſent the Unicorn. I cannot again but wonder as the credulity of ſo curious and inquiſitive a Man as Rauwolff, in believing the idle Stories of ſuch a vain and lying Fellow., becauſe he could alſo tell me what Trees and Fruit grow there, and chiefly thoſe whereof Theophraſtus maketh mention, and out of him Pliny. He alſo gave me an Account beſides theſe of others that grow out of Perſia in ſeveral places, as of the Tree Palla, which Theophraſtus and Pliny mention, which the Wiſe men did eat in the Eaſtern Countries, and of the Muſa of the Arabians, whereof the former bear delicate ſweet-taſted, and very wholeſome Fruit, by them called Wac, which are round, reddiſh, and as big as the Indian Melons. But whether this be the noble Fruit Mangas, (whereof Cluſius maketh mention in his Hiſtory of Indian Plants, which for Goodneſs ſake is carried over Sea into Perſia) I leave to the learned to decide. But the Muſa (which is as aforeſaid, alſo common in Syria) beareth a great deal ſmaller Fruit, which is ſmooth, yellowiſh, and bended, almoſt like unto Citruls in ſhape. Theſe are alſo of a ſweetiſh taſte, and therefore the pleaſanter to eat; but are very unwholeſome, ſo that Alexander the Great, was forced to forbid his Souldiers to eat of them. The ſame Perſian, did alſo inform me of the Poyſonous Fruit Perſea, which is ſtill known to them by the Name of Sepha▪ which they eſteem very little; and alſo the Peaches (called Het) which are not ſo poyſonous (as ſome ſay) as the above-mentioned; for they eſteem the Kernels thereof to be good, wholeſome Phyſick. But yet that they are not eſteemed by them, the chief Reaſon is, that they perſwade themſelves, that Nimrod (who was a great Magician or Necromancer) poyſoned them by his Black-Art, and that ſince that time, they could not be eaten; wherefore they have not been eſteemed ever ſince: This I thought convenient to mention, rather for the ſake of thoſe, that have a mind to travel, that if one or more of them ſhould go into theſe Countries, they might have occaſion to make a more accurate enquiry after theſe things.