'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎95] (134/1024)

Chap. VIII. of Monfieur T a vernier.
put my choice!! Goods in a Chert direded for the Holland Commander at Omm bv
which means I got the Cuftom free. ' 5 y
The Perftan Gulf is the moft dangerous Gulf I know, by reafon of the (hallow-
nefs and inarp Promontories that point out into the Sea sand therefore the beft wav
is to take a Pilot at Ormut or Bander-Congo, and the moft proper Pilots are the Fiflier
men who are only skill’d in that Sea and no farther. The Soyl about the PerGan
Gulf is dry Sand and without Water, fo that it is impoffible to Travel by Land
from Omuf to Balfara .The Merchants would be glad to find a way through the
Coaft of Arabia to get to Mafdate, whence there might a cut be made to Sindi Dm
or s«ra t , which are the three chief Ports of India. During the difference between
the lung o Perfia and the Hollanderr, the Emit of Fodana an Arabian Prince,
ofter d to (hew them an eafie Road from Mafia,b to Balfara. But the Hollanders
tearing to break with the King of where they vended above fifteen or
iixteen hundred thoufand pounds of their Pepper, and paid therewith for all their
Silk, did not think it worth their while tqgquit Omits to fettle themfelves at Ma(-
■ ^ cen P eldecl ^ t!i e way had been from Balfara to Elcatif a Sea-Town
m Arab,aak Happy where there is a Filhery for Pearls that belongs to the Emir
of Elcatif. From Elcattf to Mafcalat, another City of Arabia, and the refidence
01 another Erar. From Mafcalat to Vodana, a good handfom City feated upon the
meeting of two little Rivers that carry Barques to the Sea, and run together by the
fingle name of Moycfur.^ The Soyl about Vodana produces no Corn, and very little
Rice, but it abounds in Fruits, efpecially Prunes and Quinces, which are not fo
four as ours, and are eaten by the Natives as Pears. There are extraordinary good
Melons and great Store of Grapes, of which the Jews, who inhabit the beft part of
the Guy, are permitted to make Wine^ From Vodana to the Gulf, the Country
of each fide is full of Palm-Trees, the Dates being the Food of the common people
who have not Money to buy either Corn or Rice. From Vodana to Mafili it §
to be much To^er. th ° U8h ^ MapS ’ WhlCh ^ Erroneous > the wa Y isdeforib’d
Be i n ^i? t .°”^*u>j^ ^ m ' T ol Vodan.i (hewjjd me a Pearl tranfparent and pcrfedllv
r< iwp’ p ha Vc' e m h ^ Seventeen Abas, or fourteen Carats and feven EigbJ-, for in
all the Pearl Fiiheries of the Eaft theyufe no other weights but Abas, which make
feven Eights of a Carat. I offer’d him 300000 Piafiers, or 60000 Robies foTthe
fime Pearl, but the Ewr refus’d to take it, telling me that he had been offer’d more
Money for it by feveral Princes of Afia, who had font to him to buy it, but that he
was refolv’d never to part with it. r ’
-CHAP. x.
Of tie Autoors firjt Voyage^ and the adventure of four French
men. / J J
0Ut 0t ParU in the year 1657, and Embark’d at Marfcilks for
fJcJtaS° mL % 0rn f ?™Veffeis together, two bound for Venice, one
ing a Duuh Vemfpfhvd ?" d three for Smyrna ' in one of which be-
fxomS Jve mr ZJ* -, But L before 1 leave ‘o begin my Journey
dents whereof will rrmrrt 6 t ! lL * ^ or Y °f four French-men, the various accl-
well of the Turks as ° thC Reader int0 the Cu ftoms and Manners, as
fix Weeks* asalfr , 1 * 16 de P artU j e the Caravan, which could not be ready in five or
unable who haH r^° n frf advlce ?f a r ‘ c h Jem and a Merchant of Jewels at Conftan-
ffiommodi v a man c PeatlS t0 “!’ as ^ ht ^ as t heit hignefs, the
oeit commodity a man can carry to the Indie,, I font to Conflantimple a perfon that I
' carry 9 d