'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.' [‎353] (334/594)

through the Black-Sea, and t Colchis. 355
fomecimes makes dreadful havock,and carry's away the Houfes
that are built by the fide of it. There is another that runs
by theNort-hfide of the City,- Which from the Spring till
Autumn is not much larger then the is at Varis in the
Winter time. It is call'd Agi y or the Q(iver,hy reafon of the
Torrents that having run through feveral Salt Marflies empty
themfelves into it; which is the Reafon it breeds no Fifh.
The Ci y is diftinguifli'd into Nine Wards or Quarters, and
divided,as are almoft all the other Cities of into
and Neamet-Olahi^hich are the names of two Fadions,which
divided all <Perfia in the Fifteenth Age, like the and
the Gmbelltnes in Italy. It contains fifteen thoufand Houfes 3 and
fifteen Thoufand Shops. For the Houfes in are not in
the fame place with their Shops; which ftand for the moft
part in long and large arched Streets forty or fifty Foot high.
Which Streets atecalTd Bafary or the Market, and make the
heart of the City ; the Houfes being in the out Parts; and
have almoft all Gardens belonging to 'em. I did not fee ma=
ny Palaces or Magnificent Houfes at But there are
the faireft Bafars that are in any place of And it is a
lovely fight to fee their vaft Extent.their Largenefs.their beau
tiful Dmmo's, and the Arches over 'era ; the number of Peo
ple that are there all the day long and the vaft quantities of
Merchandize with which they are fill d. The faireft of all,
and where they fell their Jewels and Wares of greateft value,
is octangular, and very fpacious; being call d the or
ioyal Market Place. It was built about the Year 8 5 o of the
Herira by King H#»,who kept his Court at The.r
other Publick Buildings are no lefs Sumptuous, nor lefs full ot
People. There are reck'nd to be in the City three hundred
Caravanferais; of which fome are Ipacious enough to lo ge
three hundred People. Their Cabarets for Coffee Tobacco
and ftrong Liquors, the Baths and Mofques are anfwerable to
the beauty of the other Buildings.
There ate in Tauris two hundred and fifty Mofqm of
which the Principal are tmrk'd in the Copper Plate. I
Hull not fay any thing of any one in particular ; becauie
they are no otherwife builc then the fair in t '
pital City of the Kingdom,of which you will find in the fol
lowing Volume both Defcnptions and Platforms. The
JMofquee <siAll-(h<h is almoft totally ruin'd. Only they have
repaird the lower part where the Peopk go to Prayers, and
the Tower which is very high,and is the firft that difcovers^