'The travels of Sir John Chardin into Persia and the East Indies, through the Black Sea, and the country of Colchis. Containing the author's voyage from Paris to Ispahan. To which is added, the coronation of the present King of Persia, Solyman the III.' [‎81] (110/594)

through the Black-Sea, and Colchis.
"S , - ■ ' —
Their ufual Grain Is Gam .• which is a fort of Grain as fmall
as Coriander Seed, and very much refembles Millet. Which
they fow in the Spring-time after the fame manner as they do
Rice : for they make a Hole in the Ground with their Finger,
then put in the Grain and cover ir. This Grain produces a
Stalk about the bignefs of a Mans Thumb, and grows up as
hifth as tnoft Men are tall ; at the end of which there is an
Ear that contains above Three Hunderd Grains : And indeed
the Gpm-Stilk 'is very like to the Sugar-Cane. They gather
this Grain in O&ober , arid prefentfy lay it upon high Hurdles
expos'd to the Sun i which they do to dry it. After it has
been Twenty Days upon the Hurdles, they bind it up iti
Sheaves; but they thrafli it ohly as they have occafion to boy!
it, and they never boyl ir, but juft before they go to eat it!
It is ihfipid and heavy. Yet is it prefehtly boyl'd, and in lefs
then half an hour after it is put into the Water, they ftir it
ifoftly with a Stick; and after it has flood never fd little upon
the Fire, it turns into Paft. When the Grain is all dillblv d,
and the Paft well wrought together, they leffen the Fire, let
the Water boyl away; and the Paft harden and dry in the
Skellet where it was boyl'd.
This Paft.is Very white \ and fome there is, Which they make
as white as Snow. They ferve it upon little Woodden Peels
made on purpofe. And this fort of Bread the call Fajia,
theMingrelianf) Gomi, being eafilyBrok'n between the Fingers:
but it is of a very cold and laxative Quality; nor is it worth
any thing, after it is once bold, or when it is heated i fecond
time. However the Circajfians , arid
who are Tributary to the Turk^,the the Tsiountaineers
of Caujcafqs, and all that inhabit the Goalls of the BlacJ^-Sea
ftbm the Lake Meotis to Trehifon live ill upon this Paft.
'Tis all the Bread they have, nor have they any other ; and
indeed they are lb accuftom'd to it, that they prefer it be
fore Bread made of Wheat, as I have obferv'd in moft parts
of thofe Countries which I have feert. Nor do I wonder at
it j for when Necefllty conftrain'd me to make it my Food, 1
found it fo acceptable to my Palate, that I could hardly leave
it, when I came where 1 met with our ufual Bread. Befides, I
found my (elf very well; and my Body in a better Condition
ofHealth then before. In Armenia and I faw a great
many of the Turfyfb and Georgian Lords, and among the reft
the Prince of fifths and the Hajha of who fent for
this Gram irid eait it for a tielicacy I but it requires good ftore
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