Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/182
Barbel. In the subterranean Channel which they bring to water their fields there is another sort of Fish very plentiful of bones, and as little as can well be eaten.
Where the white Mulberies grow by the River side, so soon as they begin to bear fruit, 'tis very good pastime to see the Crabs, as big as the Palm of a man's hand, come out of the River after Sun-set, and climb the trees to eat the fruit, and then by break of day return into the River again. They are delicate food, far beyond Crey-fish, but a hot provocative Diet, as the Physicians well observe.
During the Frost they bring from the Caspian Sea great store of Salmon or Salmon-Trouts, four or five Foot long. The Province of Media is well stor'd with Sturgeon from the mouth of the River Araxes. In the same Sea there is a certain Fish like a Carp, which they salt and dry like our Herrings. From the Persian Gulf comes nothing but Salt-fish, which is transported over all the Kingdom.
Their Fowls are much the same that we have in Europe, only I do not remember that I ever saw any Quails in the Country. As for their Pigeons, they fly wild about the Country but only some which they keep tame in the City, wherewithal to decoy the rest: which is a sport the Persians use in hot weather as well as in cold. Now in regard the Christians are not permitted to keep these Pigeons, some of the vulgar sort will turn Mahometans to have that liberty. There are above three thousand Pigeon-houses in Ispahan. For every man may build a Pigeon-house upon his own Farm, which yet is very rarely done; all the other Pigeon-houses belong to the King, who draws a greater Revenue from the Dung than from the Pigeons: which Dung, as they prepare it, serves to smoak their Melons.
Poultrey is very plentiful in Persia; and the Armenians brought out of Europe the way how to fat Capons; the first so fatted they presented to the King, who lik'd them so well, that he order'd that the richest of the Armenians should be commanded to provide him such a number every year. There are no Turkeys in all Asia; but the Armenians trafficking to Venice carry'd some from thence, which when the King had tasted, he lik'd so well, that he order'd the Armenians to breed him up such a number, and to stock the Kingdom with them. But the Armenians, seeing the King would impose a new Tribute of Turkeys as well as Capons, grew negligent, and suffer'd the Chickens to dye as soon as they were hatch'd. Thereupon the Persians suspecting the fraud, commanded the Armenians to keep the dead Turkeys, that they might be Judges how they came by their deaths: And it was my woncler to see so many young Turkeys hanging against the Walls of some Houses in Zulpha, that occasion'd this Story to be told me.
All sorts of Water-fowl are as plentiful in Persia, as with us.
Upon the Frontiers of Media and Armenia, at a certain season of the year are to be seen a great number of Birds, much like to our Owzils. Much about the same time the Corn begins to appear, but then is the ground cover'd with such infinite swarms of Locusts, that the Armenians are forc'd to betake themselves to their Processions, and to water the ground with a Water which they fetch a great way off, whereinto the Bodies of several martyr'd Christians were thrown. Three days these Processions and waterings of the ground continue, and after that, whether it be that the fore-mention'd Birds do eat the Locusts, or only drive them away, in two or three days the Country is clear of them.
As for Birds of prey, the Country wants none, Falcons, Sparrow-haws, Lanerets, &c. of which the King of Persia is very well provided, having above eight hundred belonging to his Game. Some of these Birds are taught to fly at the wild Boar, or wild Ass, or wild Goat; others at Cranes, Herons, wild Geese, and Partridge. The chiefest of which Birds are brought from the Southern Mountains, extending from Schiras to the Persian Gulf.
The King takes great delight to hunt the Boar and Hart; and if it come to pass that the Game out-run the Dogs, then they let fly one of their Hawks, who presently seizes the head, and while she is continually pecking and disturbing the Beast, the Dogs are presently at his heels. The Hawks are taught to stop like a Horse at full speed: else they would never quit their prey, which they presently do, as soon as ever the Falconer shews them their reward. Now their way of ord'ring or making the Hawk is this, They take the skin of a Hart, head, body, and legs, and stuff it with Straw, to the end it may be like the Beast which they intend to represent in the nature of a Quarry. When they have set it in the placewhere