'A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters. Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672. And Finished 1681. Containing Observations made of the Moral, Natural, and Artificial Estate of Those Countries: Namely, of their Government, Religion, Laws, Customs. Of the Soil, Climates, Seasons, Health, Diseases. Of the Animals, Vegetables, Minerals, Jewels. Of their Housing, Cloathing, Manufactures, Trades, Commodities. And of the Coins, Weights, and Measures, Used in the Principal Places of Trade in Those Parts.' [‎234] (281/506)

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234
Travels into PERSIA.
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Letter V.
T
declared the manner, I forbear here, it being exactly the fame] fo r
thefe Eight or Nine Munfels they care not to Houfe them, but only
Cover them with Tawpengees, or Horfe-CIoths, and expofe them to the
open Air ; which is not lb Unhealthy for them, as for Human Bodies
who carefully prevent fuch Lodgings for fear of Aches, and other
Inconveniences incident thereupon; wherefore in the middle of the
Vale we repaired to the Caravan Ser Raw, almoft buried in the Sand
it being the only obftacle to their rowling Billows.
The next Morn we were waited on by the Country Women
bringing us Cheefe, and Butter made before our Eyes, with no
other Churn than a Goatskin, in which they fhook the Milk till
Butter came; Fi(h, Roots, and Herbs, with all forts of Pullen: In
thefe Two Munfels we only meet with thefe Servitors, in other PJa-
ces Men appear alone, not allowing their Women that Freedom i
but were they no more tempting than thefe Swains, they'd have
fmall caufe for the Reftri&ion; for they are Strapping Sunburnt
Lafles, with little more Cloaths on than a dark coloured Smock, or
Frock ; and for their Meen it is not enticingthefe bring us Water
to Drink out of their Tanks , newly filled , which was Thick,
Troubled, and Slimyj for which reafon the Vapours, or rather
Fumes from the Sun's violence, were very Offenfive, and the more
irkfome, becaufe we were conflrained to tarry here another Night,
for that the River Ruie Conna Shure, or Salt-Water, was now over-
flown by the Waters falling from the Mountains beyond the Banks
to that excefs, that it could not be Forded by Travellers, and the
Streani ran with that Rapidnefs, that it was unfafe to venture over
till the defcending Catarads had left off pouring on the overfwell'd
Brinks, and emptied themfelves into the wider Gulf, not many
Leagues diftant hence.
The Day after, as foon as we heard the Waters were abated, we
fet forward, and found it true what had been reported ( Three Ca-
fhalas not daring to pafs the Lake, where they had lain fome Days,
till we had led the way ). It was fultry Hot when we aflayed to go,
but Delays in this cafe were dangerous; befides, we were uncertain
whether it would hold uplbould we tarry, which made us confide
on our Guides, who gave us aflurance, that the Madhes were palTa-
ble ; we were more troubled with Waves of Sand than Water, both
which, by Rain, or Wind, keep on their Courfe with fome noifetill
filenced in the Perfian Gulf.
Athwart this Fen, which was upward of Three Miles, was Built
not long fince,as by the Modern Architecture miay be guefled,a {late
ly Stone Bridge with Arches, on which high Banifters with Niches,
and a brave paved Cawfey Elegantly Built, which kept pace with us,
but by the Negligence of thefe People, as well as Injury of Floods
and Sands, it was broke down in feveral places, efpecially where the
f orrent made the deepeft Channel, fo that though firm and ftrong
in the greateft part of it , yet by its being ruined in the moft
needful , it is become impaflablej and though a Work of ex
traordinary Benefit and Charge, yet already rendred of little
Ufe.
The