Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/160

surpriz'd with a Storm, whereupon he pull'd off his Boots and carri'd them under his Coat, choosing rather to go bare-foot to his lodging, then to spoil his Boots.

Another time, it being the custom of all Catholick Ambassadors to go to Mass to the Covent of Grey Friars in Pera, upon St. Francis's day, the Mengrelian Ambassador after Mass was done, coming out of the Church, and seeing several baubles which the Pedlers expose in the Cloyster upon that day, bought a Tin Ring, two or three small Looking-Glasses, and a Pipe, which he put in his mouth, and went piping all the way i'th Street, as Children do coming from Fairs.

But to return to the matter, you must take notice that there are not only Iron Mines, but also Mines of Gold and Silver in two places five or six days Journey from Teflis, the one call'd Soüanet, the other Obetet. But the mischief is, the people can hardly be got to work there, for fear the Earth should tumble down, and bury them in the Mine, as it has many times happen'd.

There is also a Mine of Gold near to a place which is call'd Hardanoushé, and a Mine of Silver at Gunishé-Koné, five days Journey from Erzerom, and as many from Trebisond.

As for the people themselves both Georgians and Mengrelians, they never trouble themselves about the ignorance and viciousnes of their Priests, or whether they be able to instruct them or no. The richest among them are they which are in most credit, and absolutely give Laws to the poor. There are also some heads of the Church, that assume such a jurisdiction over the people, as to sell them both to the Turks and Persians, and they choose out the handsom'st Children, both Boys and Girls, to get the more money, by which authority also the great men of the Country enjoy Marry'd Women and Maids at their pleasure. They will choose out their Children for the Bishops while they are yet in their Cradles; and if the Prince be dissatisfi'd at it, all the Clergy joyns with him that makes the choice, and then together by the Ears they go. In which Skirmishes they will carry away whole Villages, and sell all the poor people to the Turks and Persians. And indeed the custom of selling men and women is so common in that Country, that a man may almost affirm it to be one of their chiefest Trades.

The Bishops dissolve Marriages when they please, and then Marry again after they have sold the first. If any of the Natives be not Marri'd to his fancy, he takes another for such a time as he thinks fit, for which he pays her all the while as the Turks do. Very few of these people know what Baptism means. Only two or three days after the woman is brought to bed, the Priest comes and brings a little Oyl, mumbles over a few Prayers, and then anoints the Mother and the Infant, which they believe to be the best Baptism in the World. In short they are a people of no Devotion at all, neither in their Ceremonies nor in their Prayers. But there are great store of Nunneries, where the young Maids apply themselves to their Studies, and after such an age, whether they stay in the Nunneries or betake themselves to the Service of any of the great Lords, they Confess, Baptize, Marry, and perform all other Ecclesiastical Functions, which I never knew practis'd in any other part of the World beside.

Comania is bounded toward the East by the Caspian Sea; Westward by the Mountains that divide it from Circassia; Northward it lies upon Muscovia; and Southward it is bounded by Georgia. From the Mountains that bound upon the North-East to Tercki, which is the River that parts Moscovia from Comania, it is all a level Country excellent for Tillage, and abounding in fair Meadows and Pasturage. However it is not over-peopl'd, which is the reason they never Sow twice together in one place. The Climate is much the samea