'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.' [‎113] (142/594)

I
lie had paid him Forty Crowns. Not that I tell ye this, Gen
tlemen, faid he, to fend ye back again, but only to inform
ye of the danger ye have thrown your felves into, by letting
foot in Mingrciia. \ et after all th is, if you will nieeds go for
ward, I will do my beft to preferve your Perfons and your
Goods, and to pais ye fecurely into
Upon this, I confider'd what the Father had reprefented
tons: and I came to this i^cfult with my felf, That the Mi f-
chiefs that threaten'd me in Mingre were Mifchiefs to come,
and which I was in hopes, though I knew hot which way, to
efcape. Thofe which I endur'd were prefent, and my Head
and my Heart were both full of 'em I reprefenced therefore
to Father Zampi, That whatever Misfortunes (hould happeii
to us in Mingrelia, would be kfs then thole would befal us iii
returning to Cafa , which would infallibly be our ruine. t
defir'd him to confider, that we had neither Provifion nor Vit-
tles, that the Veflel where we were was old, and daily took
aboard great Numbers of Slaves of all Ages and Sexes, fo that
we could hardly ftir one by another in the Ship. That a
great Number of Abe as and Min went and came from
Morning till Night, that fill'd it with Vermin that would
endanger a general InfefHon, and end in a Peftilence. That
the Veffel would be two Months before (he recurn'd for Cajfa,
at what time the Weather would begin to be unfeafonable and
tempeftuous j as being that part of the Year when the
Sea, fo dreadful ftormy, was rnofl furioulty exafperated by the
Violence of Continual Tempefts ; fo that fuppofe they (hould
get fafe to Caffa,and thence to 'twould be four
Months at leaft before they could perform their Voyage, and
then we fliould be fore d to begin again, and put to find out
a new Projedl: which way to pals through Belides
running the Rifco of extravagant Impofitions, or exorbitant
Cuftoms; and yet after all thele Adventures we (hould be ftilt
expos'd to ruine, which was the fame thing or worfe then to
run the hazard in Mingrelia, where the Danger could not be
greater, but where the Peril could never laft fo long, fince it
Was but four Days Journey before we fhould be in a Country
where we fliould be fecure.
Father Zampi could not gainfay any of my Realons: Be-
udes that our paflage could not but be advantageous to hirri-
felf in particular, or to his Miffion. So that he talk'd of no
thing elfe biitbf taking lis along With hhiij and of our leaving
g tte