Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/101
The twenty-first we travel'd nine hours, and came to lye near several Caverns which are very deep; at the entry whereof there are little Rooms, which are suppos'd to be the places where the People of the Country liv'd that fed their Cattel thereabouts. There is also Rain-Water to be had in some of the Concavities of the Rock. Half this days journey you must pass over Rocks, where it is almost impossible, and very dangerous to keep your Horses back.
The twenty-second, having travel'd eleven hours, we lodg'd near a Cavern, having forded a River that runs at the foot of it. There are two great Grotto's on each side, where Travellers take up their Quarters, and whither the Natives of the Country bring Provisions both for Horse and Man. The Toll-gatherers, coming from a Fort about three Leagues distant from these Caverns, here exact two Piasters and a half for every Horse and Mules Load; and search your Sacks, to see if there be no Merchantable Goods therein. About half the way of this days journey you meet with a City quite deserted by the Inhabitants; and about an hours march after that, with Tombs of Stone, in the middle whereof stands a Cross, with Armenian Characters.
The twenty-third we travel'd elev'n hours, and lay at Dadacardin. This appears to have been a great Town, but is all ruin'd: nor is there any thing remaining but a long Stone-Bridge very well built, under which runs a River that is very broad when it overflows. The People of the Country have no other Habitations than the Hollows of Rocks; yet they bring to the Travellers Hens, Butter, Cheese, and other Provisions which they sell very cheap.
The twenty-fourth we travel'd nine hours, and lay at a place call'd Cara, built upon a Hill. The Caravan lay at the Inn; but the two Capuchins and I lay at a private Christian's House, who carry'd us to the Church, where was then the Vertabet or Bishop of Merdin. It was a pitiful poor Church, where they had nothing but two Planks supported with four Sticks instead of an Altar. They dare not leave any Furniture in it; but as soon as the Priest has said Service, he must have a care to take away every thing, as well the Planks as the Covering of the Altar, which was only a Painted Cloth: For the Turks that travel that way, if it be foul weather, will break open the Door, put their Horses there, burn the Altar, and take away whatever they find.
In the Village where we lay, there was a Pond, the sides whereof were surrounded with fair Free-stones, which were fetch'd from the Christian Churches, and the Tombs of the Christians thereabouts. Among the rest, there was one very large Stone, with an Epitaph upon it in large Latin Letters; whereby we knew it to be the Tomb-stone of a Norman Gentleman, who had been a Captain of Foot. The Bishop inform'd us, that it is recorded in the Armenian Stories, that the French were a long time in this Country, at what time the Christians were Masters of Syria. This Country is all a large Plain, about twenty Leagues in length; which might be well manur'd, and make the Inhabitants rich, did not the Tyranny of the Turks, and the Incursions of the Arabs reduce them to the utmost degree of Poverty.
The twenty-fifth, after we had travel'd eight hours, we lay at a Village call'd Cousasar, where there was no Inn. There were formerly three great Monasteries, a quarter of a League one from the other. The Turks have ruin'd two, all but the Steeples of the Churches that belong'd to them. The third, which stands all entire, and is the fairest Pile of Building, serves for a Mosquee. They have made Shops round about the Cloysters, in the middle of which is a fair Spring of Water.
The twenty-seventh we lay still at Cousasar, being the place where you must pay the Customs of Diarbequir, which is not above two days journey off, amounting to two Piasters and a fourth part, for every Load of Merchants Goods.
Merdin is not above two Leagues from Cousasar. This is a little City seated upon a Mountain, with good Walls, and a fair Fountain replenish'd from the Castle; which stands upon the North-side, in a place yet higher, that commands the City; where there lives a Basha, who has under him two hundred Spahi's, and four hundred Janizaries. Merdin is the place where was born the Lady Maani Gioerida, the first Wife of Pietro de la Valle, so well known for his famous Travels.
As for Cousasar, which is a large Village, it is inhabited for the most part by Armenian Christians and Nestorians. The Armenians perform Divine Service in their own Language; the Nestorians in the Chaldaïc. The latter shew'd me two Biblesin