Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/115
day we saw none but Arabs and Curds marching along the Banks of the River, the Curds upon Mesopotamia side, and the Arabs upon Assyria side. They were at War, and both sides march'd in very good order. The Young men went formost with Bows and Arrows, and some Muskets, but several Half-Pikes. Next to them their Wives, Virgins, and Children, with their Cattel, Herds, and Camels; after which march'd the Old men in the rear. As well the Curds as the Arabians sent out Horse-men to scout upon the high Grounds; for as soon as they find any advantage, they presently swim their Horses over the River and fall on. Now because we would not trust those sort of People, we row'd nineteen hours to avoid 'em.
The twentieth we were eleven hours upon the Tigris, and came to lye at a Town call'd Tegrit, upon Mesopotamia side. There belongs to the Town a Castle half ruin'd, and yet there are still some handsom Chambers to be seen. Upon the North and East, the River serves for a Moat; but upon the West and South it has a deep Artificial one pav'd with Free-stone. The Arabians say that formerly it was the strongest place in all Mesopotamia, though it be commanded by two Hills not far from it. The Christians dwelt half a League from the City, where the Ruines of a Church and part of a Steeple are still to be seen, whereby it appears to have been a considerable Pile of Building.
The twenty-first, after we had row'd three hours, we met with a Town upon Assyria side, which was call'd Amet-el-tour, from the name of a person that lyes inter'd in a Monastery, whom the people account to be a Saint. Therefore is it a place of great Devotion among them, so that great numbers of Votaries go thither in private. That day we were twelve hours upon the Water, and lay upon the Banks of the River.
The twenty-second, having been upon the Water two hours, we met with a great Channel cut out of Tigris to water the Lands, which runs up as far as just over-against Bagdat, and there falls into the Tigris again. Coming thither, we landed upon Chaldea side, by reason that there were certain Turks with us, who would of necessity perform their Devotions at a place call'd Samatra. In the same there is a Mosquee not above half a League from the River; to which many Mahometans pay their Devoirs, especially Indians and Tartars, who believe forty of their Prophets to be buried there. When they knew us to be Christians, they would not permit us, no not for Money, to set our Feet in it. About five hundred Paces from the Mosquee stands a Tower very ingeniously built. There are two Stair-cases without, that belong to it, made twirling like a Periwinkle-shell: one of which Stair-cases was built deeper into the Tower than the other. I would have taken better notice of it, could I have been permitted to have come nearer it. Only I observ'd that it was made of Brick, and that it seems to be very ancient. Half a League from thence appear three great Portals, that look as if they had been the Gates of some great Palace. And indeed it is not improbable but that there was some great City thereabouts; for, for three Leagues all along the River there is nothing to be seen but Ruines. We were twelve hours that day upon the Water, and lay upon the Banks of Tigris, according to custom.
The twenty-third, we were twenty hours upon the Water, and all the day long we saw nothing upon either side of the River but pitiful Hutts made of the Branches of Palm-trees, where live certain poor people that turn the Wheels, by means whereof they water the neighbouring Grounds. We also met that day with a River call'd Odoine, that falls into Tigris upon the side of the ancient Chaldea.
The twenty-fourth, we were twenty-two hours upon the Water together, never stirring off from the Kilet. The reason is, because the Merchants having tak'n out of the Kilet all their Money and the best part of their Merchandizes, give them to the Country-people, who carry them very faithfully to Bagdat, whither they go to sell their own Commodities: which the Merchants do, to avoid the payment of Five in the Hundred, in the City. I trusted them also with several things of which they gave me a very good account, as they did to others, being contented with a small matter for their pains.
The twenty-fifth, about four of the Clock in the Morning we arriv'd at Bagdat, which is as usually call'd Babylon. They open the Gates by six, and then the Customers come to take an account of the Merchandize, and to search the Merchants themselves. If they find nothing about 'em, they let the Merchants go; but ifthey