A Collection of Curious Travels and Voyages, Volume 1 · Part 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Which way I came in my return from Bagdet through Aſſyria, the Confines of Perſia, and the Province of the Curters, to the Town Carcuch, Capril, &c. and at length to the River Tigris, to Moſſel, that Famous Town which was formerly called Nineve.
WHen hindered in my Travels, for ſeveral weighty Reaſons, I was forced to go back again; I looked up my Goods, as I was adviſed by my good Friend, the Chriſtian, (whereof I made mention here before) and fitted my ſelf for my Journey. I got for my Companions three Jews, one whereof came down the Euphrates with me, the others came from Ormutz, (for I could get no others) to travel with me to Aleppo. We ſet out on the 16th of December of the 74th. Year, for Carcuch diſtant Six Days Journey, in the Confines of Media, on the other ſide of the River Tigris, which is ſtill called by them in their Language Hidekel. By the way we firſt ſaw ſome well-tilled Fields, and above us on the River Tigris ſome Villages, ſo that I could not but think I ſhould meet with a Country that had plenty of Corn, Muſt and Honey, &c. as it was commended by the the Arch-koob bearer of the King of Aſſyria, and compared even with the Land of Promiſe, but the further we went, the greater grew the Wilderneſſes, ſo that we were forced to lodge all Night in the Fields.
The next Morning there appeared a great way off more little Villages belonging to the King of Perſia: But we went on through the Deſarts (and my Fellow Travellers told me that they extend themſelves to Perſia and Media) where we loſt our way, and came in the Evening into a Bog which hindered us ſo much, that I (becauſe their Sabbath began, whereon according to their Laws they muſt not travel) was forced to ſtay there, with them, all Night long in it, and alſo the next Day, in great Showers of Rain, not without great Inconveniency and Trouble. During our ſtaying there I look'd about me for ſome Plants; but found none becauſe they did but firſt begin to ſprout, but in the moiſt Places ſome wild Galengal with great round Roots by the Inhabitants called Soedt, and by both Latines and Grecians, Cyperus.
The 19th Day, after we were, not without trouble, got out of the Mire, our way extended its ſelf ſtill further through deſolate Places and Deſarts. I thought of Julian that impious Roman Emperour, and of his Army, which when it went againſt the Perſians, and was very numerous, over the River Tigris near to Cteſiphon, he was by an Ancient Perſian that was a Priſoner, decoyed into theſe Deſarts, where he was beaten and routed by the Perſians. In this great Fight when the Emperour himſelf was mortally wounded, he took up (as Nicephorus and Euſebius ſay) a handfull of Blood and flung into the Air, yielded the Victory and ſaid, Then Galilean (ſo he called Chriſt in whom he at firſt believed, and afterwards denied and perſecuted) thou haſt beaten and conquered me. After we had lived for ſeveral Days very hardly in the Deſarts, and ſpent our time in Miſery, we came on the 20th by Scherb a Village, over an Aſcent, into another more fruitful and well tilled Country, ſituated on the Confines of Perſia, and for the moſt part inhabited by them, which we could conjecture by the common Language. Now though travelling through the Confines, uſes commonly to be very dangerous, yet (I thank God) we met with none, ſo that we without any Stop or Hinderance, reached that Night, the 21ſt. of December, to Schilb, a curious Village, where we reſted all Night and refreſhed our ſelves.
From thence we went on through large and fruitful Valleys, but I found nothing (for it was but juſt at the beginning of plowing time) that was worthy to be mentioned, for the Plants did but juſt begin to ſprout; we had by the way ſeveral Villages, and ſo we had better opportunity to buy Proviſion. The Three and Twentieth at Night we came to one where we could buy near one hundred Eggs for Two pence.
The next Day we got up early again, and ſaw before us the high Mountain Tauri all covered with Snow (which extendeth its ſelf a great way from North and Weſt to the Eaſtward) at a great Diſtance. We went on apace, and advanced to Tauk early in good time, and before their Sabbath began again. This Town is not very ſtrong and lieth on a Plain. We went into a Camp without it, and reſted there all the Sabbath. After Sun-ſet, when it began to grow dark, they deſired of me to light a Candle. I remembred then immediately, that they could not do it themſelves▪ being forbid by Law, as you may find in the 35th Chapter of Exodus, where you may ſee that they muſt kindle no Fire in any of their Habitations, wherefore they furniſh themſelves the Day before with all ſorts of Proviſions and Neceſſaries, that they may not need to do any Labour on the Sabbath, and yet may not want. When theſe Jews ſay their Prayers, they uſe the ſame Ceremonies as the Chriſtians and Heathens in the Eaſtern Parts do: For firſt they lift up their Hands, then they bow down forwards with their whole Body, and at laſt they kneel down and kiſs the Ground. Theſe Jews bragg'd continually of their Patriarchs, and made mention of the Laws; but of the Ten Commandments they knew nothing, wherefore I took an Occaſion to repeat them before them in the Portugal Language (which is very much ſpoke in the Indies) as well as I could, and they did admire when they heard them, how I came to know them. But when I began to ſpeak of Chriſt and his Office, they burſted out into ſuch Blaſphemies, that I was glad to ſay no more, but hold my Tongue.
Not far off from Tauk, we ſaw a very ſtrong Caſtle, near unto a Wood, that is guarded by a Turkiſh Garriſon: This is ſituated in the Province of the Curters, which beginneth there, and lieth between Media and Meſopotamia all along the River Tigris and reacheth to Armenia. Theſe Curters, which are almoſt all Neſtorians, ſpeak a peculiar Language, which was unknown to my Fellow Travellers, wherefore they could not ſpeak to them in the Perſian nor Turkiſh Language, which is ſpoke all along from Bagdet through Aſſyria (in the Confines of two potent Monarchs) to that place. We were therefore forced to deſire others that underſtood both Languages, to be our Interpreters through the Country of the Curters. But whether this Language did run upon that of their Neighbours the Medians or no, I could not certainly learn; but yet I was informed that the Parthians, Medes and Perſians, as peculiar Nations, had their peculiar Languages, as Hiſtories tell us, and we may alſo perfectly ſee in the Acts of the Apoſtles the 2d Chapter and the 8th Verſe, where it is thus written: And how hear we every Man in our own Tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites and the Dwellers in Meſopotamia, &c. all which People almoſt are Subject unto the Sophi, the mighty King of Perſia. The before mentioned Curters were formerly called Carduchi, and afterwards alſo Cardueni (as chiefly Xenophon teſtifieth) have had their peculiar Policy and Government. But after many Changes and Wars, they are at length ſubdued and brought under the Dominion of the Turkiſh Emperour, to whom they are ſtill ſubject to this Day, and he hath every where his Garriſons in oppoſition to the Sophi. But what is further to be ſaid of them, chiefly concerning their Religion, ſhall be hereafter mentioned, when I ſhall give you an account among other Chriſtians, of thoſe that live in the Temple of Mount Calvaria in Jeruſalem.
After the Sabbath of the Jews, my Companions, was over, we went on again, and came the 26th. of December to Carcuck, a glorious fine City lying in a Plain, in a very fertile Country; at four Miles diſtance, is another that lieth on an aſcent, whither we alſo travelled, my Companions having Buſineſs in both of them, and ſo we ſpent two Days in them, before we were ready to go on again.
The 29th. we travelled through large and dry Heaths, and came at Night to ſome Tents, which were made of Hair or Hair-cloth, wrought out of Goats and Aſſes Hair, and fixed in ſuch an Order, that they made Streets and Allies like unto a Market-Town. In one of theſe we went to lodge with theſe poor People (that are white Moors, and like unto the Gypſuns in their ſhape and figure) and to ſtay there all night long. But whether theſe People are ſubject to the Turkiſh Emperour, or to the King of Perſia, or any other, I could not find out by their Cloths, becauſe they all wear the ſame hereabout, nor could I diſcern any thing by their Language. To us came a little after ſome more Travellers, ſo that we had hardly room to lie down in. Theſe People were very diligent and buſy to get us ſome Meat and Drink, for the Husband went ſoon out of Doors to gather dry Boughs and Stalks of Herbs (which I could not at that time diſcern what they were) and brought them to us to boil or dreſs ſome Meat with them. The Woman was not idle neither, but brought us Milk and Eggs to eat, ſo that we wanted for nothing; ſhe made alſo ſome Dough for Cakes (which were about a Finger thick, and about the bigneſs of a Trencher, as is uſual to do in the Wilderneſſes, and ſometimes in Towns alſo) ſhe laid them on hot Stones, and kept them a turning, and at length ſhe flung the Aſhes and Embers over them, and ſo baked them thoroughly. They were very good to eat, and very ſavory. This way of baking Cakes is not new, but hath been very uſual among the ancients, ſo we find in Scripture mention made of Bread baked among the Aſhes; the Romans called it, Panes Subcineritios; and ſo we read in Geneſis the 18th. Chapter, of Cakes made upon the Hearth, which Sarah made in haſte when the three Men came to ſee Abraham.
The 30th. we went from thence, and about Noon we came to a Town called Preſta, which is chiefly towards the River whereon it lieth, very well fortified, but what the Inhabitants call that River, I do not remember, but according to its Situation it muſt be that which Ptolomy calleth Gorgus, which runs below into the Tiger. In this place they make Floats, which although they are not very big, nor have much Wood in them, yet they have abundance of Bucks and Goats Skins blown up, hung or fixt underneath the bottom, without doubt, by reaſon that they may load the more upon them, and alſo becauſe the River is rapid, that they may have the leſs fear or danger. On theſe Floats they carry ſeveral ſorts of Merchandices, but chiefly Fruit, viz. Figs, Almonds, Cibebs, Nuts, Corn, Wine, Soap, &c. a great part whereof goeth further into the Indies.
The laſt Day of December we travelled on, and came through well tilled Fields about Night into the Town Harpel, which is pretty large, but very pitifully built, and miſerably ſurrounded with Walls, ſo that it might eaſily be taken without any great Strength or Loſs; there we reſted again the next Day being the Sabbath (and on the ſame Day fell New-Years-Day.) In the mean time I underſtood that the Turkiſh Sangiack did a few Days ago condemn and put to execution eight great Malefactors, which made it their Buſineſs to Rob and to commit Murder up and down on the High-way, (for there are a great many of theſe Rogues in this Province) chiefly on the borders of Armenia, which are very Mountainous, which maketh travelling very dangerous. The Relations and Friends of theſe Murderers and Robbers did take this very ill, that the Sangiack ſhould execute them, and were reſolved to be revenged of him one way or other. In order thereunto they combined and agreed all together, and had every thing ready, and only ſtaid for the word to fall upon him, which would have been done accordingly, if he had not had good Intelligence of this their Intention, wherefore he went away incognito for Conſtantinople, to complain to the Turkiſh Emperour of this their unjuſt Proceedings, and what they muſt expect for this, they will know in a ſhort time. This Sangiack, when he found neceſſity of making his eſcape, and found that he wanted Money (which is very ſeldom) he took up from an Armenian Merchant (that was very rich, and was arrived there to buy ſeveral Merchandices, chiefly Gauls, whereof grow many in theſe Parts) 300 Duckets, which put the Merchant into great danger: for when theſe rebellious People came to underſtand it, they took it very ill of him, and threatned him very much, ſo that he was forced to ſtay ſome Days longer for more Company, that ſo he might go the ſafer.
After we had joined him, we went from thence on the 5th. of January in a very handſome Number, for the Merchant alone had about Fifty Camels and Aſſes, which were only loaden with Gauls, with him, to carry to Carahemit (where he lived) and to ſend from thence to Aleppo, where they are bought by our Merchants, to be ſent into our Country. So we travelled all Day long and alſo half the Night, without eating or drinking, very faſt, and began to reſt about Midnight. After we had for the remaining part of the Night hardly refreſhed our Beaſts and our ſelves with eating and drinking a little, we broke up again before Day-light, to go on in our way. When we were gone a good way through fruitful and pleaſant Vallies, we came betimes to another River by Ptolomy called Caprus, which although it is not very broad, yet it is very deep, ſo that we had much to do to get through, which I found not without a great detriment to my Plants, which I carried on Horſe-back before me.
Soon after Noon a great way off before us, appeared a great Market-Town, Carcuſchey, where we arrived by Night, and fixed our Camp without and pretty near to it. This is quite inhabited by Armenians, which we could preſently find by the alteration of the Language and their Habit. They received us very willingly, and let us want for nothing. After we had ſtaid with them till Night, and refreſhed our ſelves and our Beaſts, we broke up again immediately and travelled all Night, which was ſo dark, that we heard ſeveral Caravans that met us, but we could not ſee them, much leſs know how ſtrong they were, or from whence they came. At break of Day we came to another much larger River, by the Inhabitants called Kling (if I do not miſtake) and by Ptolomy, Licus, which hindered us very much in our Day's Journey; for the River being very broad, at leaſt a long Mile, it was very hard to hit exactly the right Ford, and not without great Danger, which the Curters knew very well, ſo that we were alſo in great fear of them. But after ſome were found in our Company that had often forded that River formerly, we ventured it, went in, and got over (thanks be to God) very ſafe, only one Aſs which went over below us, where the Stream went ſtronger, was drowned, ſo that we arrived very early on the 7th. of January to the Tigris again, and went into the Famous City Moſſel, that lieth on this ſide of the River, over a Bridge made of Boats. This is ſituated in the Country of the Curters, and ſo we were forced ſtill to keep our Interpreter. It belongeth to the Turkiſh Emperour, as all the reſt hereabout. There are ſome very good Buildings and Streets in it, and it is pretty large; but very ill provided with Walls and Ditches, as I did obſerve from the top of our Camp which extended to it. Beſides this, I alſo ſaw juſt without the Town a little Hill, that was almoſt quite dug through, and inhabited by poor People, where I ſaw them ſeveral times creep in and out as Piſmires do in Ant-hills. In this place and thereabout, ſtood formerly the Potent Town of Nineve (built by Aſhur) which was the Metropolis of Aſſyria, under the Monarch of the firſt Monarchy, to the time of Sennacherib and his Sons, and was about three Days Journey in length. So we read that the Prophet Jonas, when at the Command of God, he preached Repentance to them, did go into it one Day's Journey, which the People did hearken willingly unto, and did amend their Lives, but they did not long remain penitent, but turned to their former Iniquity again, wherefore their Deſtruction and Ruine, was prognoſticated to them by the Prophets Nahum and Zephaniah, and alſo by the pious Tobias, that did live there again, which did alſo not long after follow. Yet was it rebuilt again afterwards, and did ſuffer very much upon changes of Governments, until at length Tamerlan came and took it by Storm, burnt it, and reduced it into Aſhes to that degree, that afterwards in the ſame place grew Beans and Colocaſia, &c. So that at this time there is nothing of any Antiquities to be ſeen as in Old Babylon, ſave only the Fort that lieth upon the Hill, and ſome few Villages, which as the Inhabitants ſay, did alſo belong to it in former Days. This Town lieth on the Confines of Armenia, in a large Plain, where they ſow the greateſt part of their Corn, on the other ſide of the River; for on this ſide in Meſopotamia, it is ſo ſandy and dry, that you would think you were in the middle of the Deſarts of Arabia. Yet there is a very large Depoſition of Merchandices, becauſe of the River, wherefore ſeveral Goods and Fruits, are brought thither from the adjacent Countries, both by Land and Water, to Ship them for Bagdet. Among the reſt I ſaw abundance of ſmall and great Turpentine-Nuts, by the Inhabitants called (as above-ſaid) Bont-quiber and Sougier; and alſo another ſort of Manna as big as a double Fiſt, which is very common here, and is brought from Armenia, as they told me. It is of a brown colour, a great deal bigger and firmer, and not ſo ſweet as that of Calabria, yet very good and pleaſant to eat. Within it are ſeveral red Grains, ſo ſmall that one taketh no notice of them when one eats it. It looſeneth the Body very well, but not ſo much as ours, wherefore the Inhabitants eat great pieces thereof in the Morning, as the Country-men on the Mountains of Algaw eat Cheeſe. But whether the Arabians make mention thereof, if it be not the Manna Alhagiezi, whereof Avicen in his Second Book the Second Treatiſe, and the 758th. Chapter maketh mention, I know not neither what it is to be reputed. The Town Moſſel is as above-ſaid, for the greateſt part inhabited by Neſtorians, which pretend to be Chriſtians, but in reality they are worſe than any other Nations whatſoever, for they do almoſt nothing elſe, but rob on the High-ways, and fall upon Travellers and kill them: Therefore being that the Roads chiefly to Zibin (to which we had Five Days Journey, and for the moſt part through ſandy Wilderneſſes) are very dangerous, we ſtaid ſome Days longer expecting more Company that we might go the ſurer.