Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/68

winds and turns the most of any River in the World. And indeed we are the more to seek, in regard the Turks change the ancient Names according to their own custom and pleasure, and give no other Names to Rivers than that of the principal City through which they pass; or else deriving their Names from the Colour of their Sands. There is to be seen in that City an ancient Castle of Free-stone upon the Point of a high Rock, separated from the Mountains that are next it toward the South, which make a Semicircle. All the Armenian Christians, Subjects to the King of Persia, passing thorough Aphiom-Carassar must there pay Carage, from which they are not exempted, though they have paid it before at Erzerom or elsewhere. The Caravan does not stop at Aphiom-Carassar, as well for that there are no Inns but what are ruin'd, as for that about a League farther there is a place where you have excellent Fish, and very cheap, and they of the City bring Barley, Straw, and other things which the Caravan wants. The Caravan therefore that day lodges upon the Banks of Mæander, which is to be cross'd over a Bridge not far distant from a small Village. In this River are great store of Crawfish and Carps; and the Fishermen will be sure to attend upon the Caravan. I have seen some Carps there above three Foot long.

The fifteenth our Caravan began to part it self, some for Tocat, some for the Road to Aleppo; the one part taking the right-hand Road toward the Winter-East, for Syria; the other the left-hand Road North-East, for Armenia.

After we were parted, we travel'd two or three hours in sight of one another. They that go to Aleppo, fall into Tarsus, where St. Paul was born, and from Tarsus to Alexandretta. But we continu'd our Road to Tocat, and after we had cross'd a great Plain, having travel'd six hours, we lodg'd in a Mershy place near a small Village. There is one thing remarkable in this Road as in many others, which manifests the Charity of the Turks. For in most of the high Roads, that are far from Rivers, they have set up Cisterns, whither when the Rains fail, the neighbouring Villages bring Water for the Travellers, who would else be very much distress'd.

The sixteenth we travel'd eight hours through a very even Country, but ill manur'd; where we saw a little City call'd Boulavandi. There are some Mosquees, which the Turks have built out of the Ruines of the ancient Greek Churches, from which they have taken Pillars of Marble, and other pieces of Architecture, to adorn their Sepulchers without any order at all, which you meet with very often upon the high Roads; the number is the greater, because they never lay two Bodies in one Grave. There is also in this City an Inn, cover'd with Lead, which is all the Beauty of it; nor do Travellers make any use of it but only in foul weather. We lodg'd a League and a half from the City, and staid there all the next day.

The seventeenth we travel'd eleven hours through a mix'd and uneven Country, and came to lodge in a Village where there are not above three or four Houses, though there be excellent Pasturage about it. There is no Water, but what is drawn out of three deep Wells; for which reason the place is call'd Euche-derin-giu.

The eighteenth we travel'd not above five hours through desert Countries, and took up our Stage in a kind of a Bog, near a pitiful Village.

The nineteenth, after we had travel'd eight hours through spacious desert Plains, we pass'd through a large Village, the Inhabitants whereof were gone with their Cattel into the Mountains, for the cool Air, during the Summer time, according to custom. There is an indifferent handsom Mosquee of Free-stone; and indeed the Village, the Name whereof the People told me was Tshaciclou, has been much bigger than now it is, as may appear by the Ruines. In two hours after we came to lodge beyond it in a Meadow, near a Rivulet.

The twentieth we cross'd over desert Plains, but which seem'd to have been formerly well manur'd; and after ten hours travel, we stop'd in a Bottom near a bad Water.

The twenty-first, for ten hours the Country was all barren and desert, and we came to lodge at the end of a long Plain, near two Wells, the Water whereof was good for nothing.

The twenty-second we travel'd through the fore-mention'd Plain, and met with little Valleys where there was very good Pasturage. The Caravan stop'd near to a pitiful Village, and a nasty Well.

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