A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Ix Part 15

[Footnote 136: It has been said on a former occasion, that he died of poison, given, as was thought, by the jesuits.--_Purch._]

After much opposition to our desire of trade, there came a _firmaun_ from the king on the 24th November, which, according to custom, the nabob met in state two miles from the city, attended by 600 horse. Next day we were kindly entertained, and the nabob gave Mr Edwards 850 mahmoudies, thirty pieces of _topseels_, ten of fine calicoes, and other things. The money being to bear the charges of carrying up the present to the king, who was not willing we should incur any expence on that account, and the stuffs as a gratification to those who carried them up.

To the merchants also he gave fifteen pieces of _topseels_, five to each, with his _chop_ or licence for our departure, and promises of kind usage, all this being done in presence of those who brought the _firmaun_. The 30th, Mr Edwards and we set out for _Amadavar_ [Ahmedabad.]

The 2d of December we reached Broach, whence the governor sent a guard of horse with us to _Demylode_, and there we had a new escort of horse and foot to _Charmondo_;[137] whence we departed on the 7th with twenty-five soldiers, all notorious thieves, as we afterwards found.

With these we went ten coss, when we pitched our tents in a plain, barricading ourselves as usual with our carts. While at supper, we had nearly been a.s.saulted by fifty horse, who pa.s.sed close by us, but they found us well provided for our defence, and it appeared that the charge we carried was well known in all the country through which we travelled.

The 8th we came to _Brodera_, [Brodrah] and made a present to the governor, who received it very kindly, and particularly requested to see our mastiff dog. Brodrah stands in a plain, which seemed fertile, and is well watered, a thing rather uncommon in those parts. We departed thence with an escort of 100 horse and foot, voluntarily offered from respect for the king's present, yet were they a considerable charge to us. We came next to Arras,[138] a town mostly inhabited by banians, and where their superst.i.tion of not killing any thing occasioned us to have very bad fare. On the 13th we came to Ahmedabad, whence we gave a commission to Richard Steel and John Crowther to proceed on their journey to Persia; and hence Mr Edwards departed from us for Agra.

[Footnote 137: On this part of the indicated route, between Broach and Brodrab, no stations are to be found in our best maps resembling these two names, unless Simlode may have been corrupted into Demylode by typographical error.--E.]

[Footnote 138: No such name is now to be found in the road between Brodrah and Ahmedabad, neither is it of much importance in any view, as the route is so vaguely indicated in the text.--E.]

All this time, the merchants at Ahmedabad, being in hopes of peace with the Portuguese, held up the price of their indigos, on which we resolved to proceed for _Sarques_ [Sarkess,] to make trial with the country people who are the makers of that commodity. We did so on the 7th, and found plenty of employment, packing in four days no less than 400 bales: after which Mr Edwards returned to Ahmedabad, where he found the merchants greatly more tractable. _Sarkess_ is a town of no great size, three coss from Ahmedabad, its territory being considered the best soil in all these parts for the production of indigo. All of the dealers in this commodity are apt to put tricks upon us, by mingling or otherwise.

At Sarkess there are two of the most ancient monuments that are to be found in all that country; one being the tomb of a saint or prophet who was buried there, to which many pilgrims resort from great distances; and the other is the sepulchres of their ancient kings. To the north of the town, is the place where _Khan-Khana_ first put the Guzerates to flight, who were the original inhabitants of the country, all the rest of the kingdom being shortly after reduced under the subjection of Akbar, father to the present Great Mogul. This field of victory is strongly walled round with brick, about a mile and half in circuit, all planted within with fruit-trees, and delightfully watered; having a costly house called by a name signifying _Victory_; in which Khan-Khana resided for some time, but he now resides at Burhanpoor.

The 24th of December we had leave from the governor of Ahmedabad to depart; but hearing that several persons had been robbed and murdered that night close by the city, order was given for us to wait till a sufficient guard could be provided for us. The 26th we departed, having with us forty carts, loaded with indigo and other goods, and came on the 27th to _Mundeves_,[139] where the gates were shut upon us by order of _Sarder Khan_. This put us in much doubt, and we procured a person to speak with the governor, who told him of letters he had received from Mucrob Khan, nabob of Surat, informing of the gallant action of our general at Swally and the safety of Surat from the Portuguese, through the bravery of the English. It was therefore agreed that we should not depart without a sufficient guard, which was to be ready for us next day. We did not however depart till the 29th; and, at Brodrah, the men belonging to Sarder Khan procured more soldiers to a.s.sist them, as there were several companies of rajputs lying in the way to intercept us, and many robberies and murders were committed daily in that part of the country.

[Footnote 139: This name also is so corrupted as not to have any resemblance in the modern geography of Hindoostan.--E.]

On the 2d of February, while pa.s.sing through a narrow lane inclosed on both sides with hedges, we were a.s.saulted by above 300 rajputs, where we could not hurt them, as they did our caffila or caravan by their arrows and shot. We therefore made all the haste we could to gain the plain, while they in the mean time cut off two of our carriages. Having got to the open ground we made a stand; but the rajputs betook themselves again to their hedges, to look after their prey, lest one thief should rob another. Many of our party were hurt on this occasion, among which was Humphrey Elkington. Next day we got to Baroach, and on the 5th to Surat, where we returned thanks to Macrob Khan for the care he had taken of our safety.

Hearing of an a.s.sault to be made next day on our ships by the Portuguese, we got his leave to go down to Swally and went aboard, but the Portuguese deceived our expectation. On occasion of the last attempt of the Portuguese to set our ships on fire, by means of four fire-boats chained together, four of them were taken in smaller boats, which captives confessed that this was the last attempt of the viceroy for this year, as he was now under the necessity of returning to Goa, for want of water and provisions. One of these captives, taken in Swally roads, and carried aboard the New-year's Gilt, emitted the following declaration:--

_Examination of Domingo Francisco, on the 20th of February_, 1615.

"He saith, that he was born in Lisbon, being the son of a mariner, and served under Nunna d'Acunha in the seafight against Captain Best, in one of the four galleons. He afterwards went to Macao on the coast of China, and returned thence to Goa; where, after remaining ten months, he was ordered on board a galleon called the St Antonio, in this expedition for the road of Swally, where he was made prisoner on the 8th of this month. The purpose of the viceroy, _Don Jeronimo de Savedo_, in this expedition, as the examinant says, was to destroy the English at Surat.

The viceroy's ship was called the All-saints, of 800 tons, with 300 men, and twenty-eight cannon. Michael de Souza was captain on the St Bennet of 700 tons, 150 men, and twenty guns. John Cayatho of the St Lawrence, of 600 tons, 160 men, and 18 guns. Francisco Henriques of the St Christopher, of 600 tons, 155 men, and 18 guns. Francisco de Mirande of the St Jeronymo, of 500 tons, 180 men, and 16 guns. Gaspar de Meall of the St Antonio, of 400 tons, 140 men, and 14 guns. These were the galleons: The ships were, the St Peter of 200 tons Captain Francisco Cavaco, 150 men and eight guns; the St Paul of 200 tons, Captain Don Juan de Mascarenha, 150 men and eight guns; a pinnace of 120 tons, Captain Andrea de Quellio, eighty men and four guns. Lewis de Bruto was captain of one galley, and Diego de Suro of the other, each having fifty men. There were sixty barks or frigates, each having twenty soldiers, and rowing eighteen oars of a side. The reinforcement which joined afterwards, consisted of two ships of 200 tons each, two India junks, and eight small boats, which were employed to endeavour to set us on fire. In the viceroy's ship, the ordnance were all of bra.s.s, those in the other galleons being half bra.s.s and half iron:" Against all which the Almighty protected us, blessed be his name for ever.

On the 11th March, 1615, we parted from the general, he and the other two ships being bound for Acheen and Bantam, and we in the Hope for England. On the 12th we pa.s.sed by the north end of the Maldives, where we found many shoals and islands most falsely laid down in the charts, as if purposely to render the navigation of these seas more dangerous.

We arrived on the 17th of June in Saldanha bay, where we found a fleet of four English ships bound for Surat, under the command of Captain Keeling; which fleet, after consultation held with us, and receiving intelligence of the state of affairs there, departed on its voyage. On the 20th I met with _Crosse_ and his company, left there for discovery,[140] and entreated some of them to acquaint _Coree_ with my arrival. These were set upon by the savages and wounded, wherefore I delivered four muskets to Crosse at his earnest request; after which he procured Coree to come down with his whole family, and we afterwards got some cattle. He told me that there was discord among the savages, through which the mountaineers had come down and robbed them. We departed on the 26th June, leaving our longboat with Crosse, together with powder, shot, and provisions.

[Footnote 140: Of Crosse and his company of condemned persons, set on sh.o.r.e at the Cape of Good Hope, see afterwards in Peyton's voyage.--_Purch._]

In the lat.i.tude of 29 N. we fell in with a Dutch ship from the Mauritius, having gone there to cut timber, which seemed a b.a.s.t.a.r.d ebony. Contrary to their expectation, they found there the lamentable wreck of four ships come from Bantam and the Moluccas, which had gone to pieces on the rocks. The goods and men of two of these were totally lost, most of the goods of the third were saved, with part of which this ship was laden. The fourth was driven out to sea in a storm, and returned under jury-masts. The master of this ship promised to keep us company, but finding us a hindrance, he left us after ten days, without so much as a farewell or offering to carry a letter, which I imputed to their inbred boorish disposition. Ill weather followed, and we were much weakened; yet, I thank G.o.d, we lost none till my arrival in Ireland off the river of Limerick on the 27th October, 1615; where also we had to endure a storm, till we hired a Scottish bark, detained by contrary winds, to pilot us into harbour. There also, a remainder of Captain M.

his unG.o.dly crew, who had lately obtained their pardon, put me in great fear; till Sir Henry Foliat secured us by a supply of men, and I sent off letters for London.

SECTION III.

_Journey of Richard Steel and John Crowther, from Ajmeer in India, to Ispahan in Persia, in the Years_ 1615 _and_ 1616.[141]

Having been detained at Agimere[142] from February, Mr Edwards received a letter on the 17th March, 1615, from the Great Mogul, of which he delivered a copy, together with his other letters, to Richard Steel, promising to procure the king's firmaun for our safety and furtherance, and to send it after us to Agra, where he directed us to wait for its reception. We went that night two coss to _Mandill_.[143]We had four servants, two horses, and a camel. The 18th we went twelve coss to _Bander Sandree_, [Bunder-Sanory,] a small _aldea_.[144] The 19th, ten coss to _Mosobade_, [Morabad.] The 20th to _Pipelo_, [Peped,] thirteen coss. The 21st to a town called _Chadfoole_, [Gohd?] seven coss. The 22d to _Lalscotte_, thirteen coss. The 23d to _Mogolserai_, twelve coss. The 24th to _Hindone_, fourteen coss. the 25th to _Bramobad_, twelve coss.

The 26th to _Futtipoor_, twelve coss. This has been a fair city, which was built by Akbar, and contains a goodly palace belonging to the king.

It is walled round in a handsome manner, and has many s.p.a.cious gardens and sumptuous pleasure houses; but is now falling to ruin, and ranch ground within the walls is now sown with corn, the king having carried off much of the best stone to his new city of Agra. The 27th we went twelve coss to Agra. In the English house there, we found one Richard Barber, an apothecary, who came over with Sir Robert Shirley, and had been sent here by Mr Kerridge to take care of Nicholas Whithington.

[Footnote 141: Purch. Pilgr. I. 519.--In the t.i.tle of this article in the Pilgrims, Agimere, or Azmere, as it is there called, is said to have been the residence of the Great Mogul at the commencement of this journey, and Spahan, or Ispahan, the royal seat of the kings of Persia.--E.]

[Footnote 142: This place, named Azmeer in the Pilgrims, is known in modern geography under the name of Ajmeer, or Agimere.--E.]

[Footnote 143: A coss, or course, as it is uniformly denominated in the Pilgrims, is stated on the margin by Purchas, to be equal to a mile and a half, and in some places two English miles. As more precisely determined in modern geography, the Hindoostanee coss is equal to 1 4/7th English miles, and the Rajput coss to 2 1/6th miles nearly. It would overload this article to attempt critically following all the stations in the present journal, in which the names of places are often so corrupt as to be unintelligible. Such corrections of the text as can be ventured upon are included within brackets.--E.]

[Footnote 144: This is a Spanish or Portuguese term, signifying country village.--E.]

Within two days journey of Agra, we pa.s.sed by the country and city of Biana, where the finest indigo is made, the best being then worth thirty-six rupees the maund at Agra, but much cheaper in the country.

Finding the promised firmaun came not, and the hot season of the year fast approaching, we departed on the 3d April in the prosecution of our journey, leaving directions with Richard Barber to send it after us. We came that night to a serai called Boutta, six coss. The 4th to the town of _Matra_, fourteen coss, where we lay in a fair _serai_,[145] and there we received the firmaun. The 5th we went twelve coss to a serai called _Chatta_, [Chautra.] The 6th to a serai built by Azam Khan, nine coss. The 7th to a serai built by Sheic Ferreede, called _Puhlwall_, eleven coss. The 8th to a serai built by the same person, ten coss. The 9th to _Dillee_, [Delhi,] nine coss. This being a great and ancient city, formerly the seat of the kings, where many of them are interred.

At this time, many of the great men have their gardens and pleasure houses here, and are here buried, so that it is beautified with many fine buildings. The inhabitants, who are mostly Banians or Hindoos, are poor and beggarly, through the long absence of the court.

[Footnote 145: These are fair buildings for the accommodation of travellers, many of which were erected by great men._Purch._]

The 10th we went ten coss from Delhi to _Bunira_. The 11th to _Cullvower_, twelve coss. The 12th to _Pampette_, [Paniput,] twelve coss. This is a small handsome city, where they manufacture various sorts of girdles and sashes, and great quant.i.ties of cotton-cloth, and have abundance of handicrafts. The 13th to _Carnanl_, twelve coss. The 14th to _Tanisera_, [Tahnessir,] fourteen coss. The 15th to _Shavade_, [Shahabad,] ten coss. The 16th to _Mogol-Sera_, or _Gaugur_, fifteen coss. The 17th to _Sinan_,[146] fourteen coss, which is an ancient city, where they manufacture great store of cottons. The 18th to _Duratia_, fifteen coss. The 19th to _Pullower_, [Bullolepoor,] eleven coss. We this day pa.s.sed in a boat over a great river called Sietmege[147] which is very broad, but full of shoals, and runs westward to join the Sinde, or Indus. The 20th we came to a small town called _Nicodar_, eleven coss. The 21st to _Sultanpoor_, an old town having a river which comes from the north, over which is a bridge of six arches. At this place great store of cotton goods are made. Four coss beyond this place we pa.s.sed another small river. The 22d to _Chiurmul_,[148] eleven coss. We were this day boated across a river as broad as the Thames at Gravesend, called _Vian_, which runs westwards to join the Sinde. On its banks Allom Khan, amba.s.sador from the Great Mogul to the king of Persia, had pitched his camp, which looked like a little city. The 23d we went to _Khan Khanum Serai_, seventeen coss, and the 24th we reached Lah.o.r.e, seven coss.

[Footnote 146: This is probably Sirhind, which is directly in the route, but so disguised in the text as to defy emendation.--E.]

[Footnote 147: This is clearly the Sutuluge, or Setlege, called likewise the Beyah-Kussoor, and Chato dehr, being the easternmost of the Punjab or five rivers, which form the Indus. It was called Hesudrus by the ancients.--E.]

[Footnote 148: From the river mentioned in the text as pa.s.sed, on this day's journey, this may have been what is now called Gundwall, a little beyond the river Beyab, which is here 100 yards broad.--E.]

All the country between Agra and Lah.o.r.e is exceedingly well cultivated, being the best of India, and abounds in all things. It yields great store of powdered sugar, [raw sugar] the best being worth two 1/2 to two 3/4 rupees the great _maund_ of forty pounds. The whole road is planted on both sides with trees, most of which bear a species of mulberry. In the night, this road is dangerously infested with thieves, but is quite secure in the day. Every five or six coss, there are serais, built by the king or some great man, which add greatly to the beauty of the road, are very convenient for the accommodation of travellers, and serve to perpetuate the memory of their founders. In these the traveller may have a chamber for his own use, a place in which to tie up his horse, and can be furnished with provender; but in many of them very little accommodation can be had, by reason of the banians, as when once any person has taken up his lodging, no other may dispossess him. At day-break the gates of these serais are opened, and then all the travellers prepare to depart; but no person is allowed to go away sooner, for fear of robbers. This made the journey very oppressive to us, as within two hours after the sun rose we were hardly able to endure the heat.

Lah.o.r.e is a great and goodly city, being one of the fairest and ancientest in India. It stands on the river Indus or Sinde;[149] and from this place came the most valuable of the Portuguese trade when they were at peace with the Moguls, as it formed the centre of all their traffic in Hindoostan. They here embarked their goods, which were carried down the river to Tatta, and were thence transported by sea to Ormus and Persia; and such native merchants as chose to go that way between India and Persia, paid them freight. They had also a great trade up this river, in pepper and other spices, with which they furnished that part of India. At this time, the merchants of India a.s.semble at Lah.o.r.e, where they invest a great part of their money in commodities, and, joining in caravans, they pa.s.s over the mountains of Candahar into Persia; by which way it is computed there now pa.s.s yearly twelve or fourteen thousand camel loads, whereas formerly there did not go in this way above three thousand, all the rest going by way of Ormus. These merchants are put to great expences between Lah.o.r.e and Ispaban, besides being exposed to great cold in winter and fervent heat in summer, and to bad and dangerous roads, usually spending six or seven months in the journey, and they estimate the charges of each camel's load at 120 or 130 rupees. In this way Persia is furnished with spiceries, which are brought all the way from Masulipatam by land. We remained in Lah.o.r.e from the 24th of April to the 13th of May, refreshing both ourselves and our horses, and providing servants and necessaries for the journey. We also procured here recommendatory letters from an amba.s.sador to the king of Persia.

[Footnote 149: Lah.o.r.e is upon the Ravey, the second of the five rivers forming the Indus, counting from the east, and was the Hydroates of the ancients. The Indus proper, or Nilab, is considerably farther west.--E.]

We left Lah.o.r.e on the 13th May, proposing to overtake a caravan which set out two months before, and went that day eleven c. to a small town named _Chacksunder_. The 14th to _Non-serai_, fifteen c. The 15th to _Mutteray_, eight c. The 16th to _Quemal khan_, nineteen c. The 17th to _Herpae_, sixteen c. The 18th to _Alicasaca_, twelve c. The 19th _Trumba_, twelve c. and this day we overtook a small caravan that left Lah.o.r.e eight days before us. The 20th to _Sedousehall_, fourteen c. The 21st to _Callixechebaut_, fifteen c. The 22d to _Multan_,[150] twelve c.

This is a great and ancient city, having the river Indus at the distance of three coss. All caravans must remain here ten or twelve days, before leave can be procured from the governor to proceed, on purpose that the city may benefit by their stay. It yields white plain cotton cloth and diaper. We remained five days, and were then glad to get leave to depart, by means of a present.

[Footnote 150: In the whole of this itinerary, from Lah.o.r.e to Multan or Mooltan, down the Ravey river, not a single name in the text, except the two extremities, bears the smallest resemblance to any of those in modern geography.--E.]

We pa.s.sed the river on the 28th, and went twenty c. to a small village named _Pettoallee_. The 29th we pa.s.sed another great river by a boat, and came that same night to a small river called _Lacca_, where we found the caravan we wished to overtake.[151] We presented the caravan _basha_ with a mirror and knife, when he directed us to pitch our tent near his own, that we might be more immediately under his protection.

This caravan had been here ten days, and remained till the 2d of June, waiting for an escort of cavalry to convoy them to _Chatcza_,[152] a small fort in the mountains, having received information that a former caravan had been injured by the mountaineers. The 2d June we resumed our journey, and travelled twelve c. entering into the mountains, where we were much distressed for want of fresh water, what water we met with being brackish. The 3d and 4th we travelled all night, climbing high mountains, and following water-courses with various turnings and windings, insomuch that in travelling twelve coss our direct course did not exceed six c. The 5th we again followed the bed of a water-course or river, full of large pebbles, travelling eight c. The 6th we rested. The 7th we went four c. still along the water-course, the 8th eight c. the 9th twelve c. and the 10th three c. when we came to _Chatcza_, [Chatzan]

a small fort with mud walls, inclosed with a ditch, where the Mogul keeps a garrison of eighty or 100 horse, to scour the road from thieves, yet these are as great thieves as any, where they find an opportunity.

The captain of this castle exacted two _abacees_ for each camel in the caravan, though nothing was legally due, as he and his troops have their pay from the king. In the whole of our way, from the river Lacca to Chatzan, we found no sustenance for man or beast, except in some places a little gra.s.s, so that we had to make provision at Lacca, hiring a bullock to carry barley for our horses. The _Agwans_ or _Afgans_, as the people of the mountains are called, came down to us every day at our resting place, rather to look out what they might steal, than to buy as they pretended.

[Footnote 151: The great river pa.s.sed on the 29th must have been the Sinde, Indus, or Nilab, and from the circ.u.mstance of falling in next day with the _Lacca_ or Lucca, Pettoallee in the text may possibly be what is named _Joghiwallah_, on the east side of the Indus, almost opposite the mouth of the Lacca.--E.]

[Footnote 152: Chatzan, a town or fortress in Sewee, or the country of the Balloges; to the west of a ridge of rocky mountains, described as consisting of hard black stone, which skirt the western side of the vale of the Indus, and on the north join the mountains of Wulli in Candahar.

Chatzan is in lat. 31 3' N. and long 69 42' W. from Greenwich--E.]

Having made provision for three days at Chatzan, we went thence on the 12th June, and travelled fourteen c. The 13th ten c. The 14th ten c.

This day the mountaineers brought down to us sheep, goats, meal, b.u.t.ter, and barley, in abundance, sufficient both for us and our cattle, all of which they sold at reasonable prices; and from this time forwards, they did the same every day, sometimes also bringing felts and striped carpets for sale. The 15th we went six c. the 16th four c. the 17th ten c. the 18th nine c. the 19th nine c. when we came to a small town of the Afgans called _Duckee_, [Dooky], where the Mogul keeps a garrison in a small square mud fort, the walls of which are of a good height. This fort is a mile from the town. We stopt here three days, as the caravan could not agree with the captain of the fort, who demanded a duty on every camel, and at last an _abacee_ and a half was paid for each camel.

The 23d we went six c. the 24th we pa.s.sed a place called _Secotah_, or the three castles, because of three villages standing near each other on the side of a hill, forming a triangle. We this day went eight c. The 25th we rested, on account of bad weather. The 26th we went ten c. The 27th fourteen c. This day we pa.s.sed through the _durues_ or gates of the mountains, being narrow straits, with very high rocks on both sides, whence with stones a few men might stop the pa.s.sage of a mult.i.tude, and where many caravans have been accordingly cut off. We this night, where we lodged, suffered much insolence from the Afgans; and next day, as we pa.s.sed a small village called _Coasta_, they exacted from us two 1/2 _abacees_ for each camel. The 28th we went five c. the 29th, pa.s.sing a village called _Abdun_, eight c. the 30th six c. The 1st. July in seven c. we came to a place called _Pesinga_ [Pusheng or Kooshinge], where there is a small fort like that at _Dooky_ in which is a garrison for securing the way. At this place the captain exacted half an _abacee_ for each camel. The 3d we left the caravan and went forwards six c. The 4th we pa.s.sed over a mighty mountain, and descended into the plains beyond, having travelled that day fourteen c. The 5th we went twenty c. and were much distressed to get grain for our cattle. The 6th, in like distress both for them and ourselves, we went twelve c. and on the 7th, after eight c. we got to the city of Candahar.

These mountains of Candahar are inhabited by a fierce people, called _Agwans_ or _Potans_, [Afgans or Patans] who are very strong of body, somewhat fairer than the natives of Hindoostan, and are much addicted to robbery, insomuch, that they often cut off whole caravans. At present they have become more civil, partly from fear of the Mogul, and partly from experiencing the advantages of trade, by selling their grain, sheep, and goats, of which they have great store, and by purchasing coa.r.s.e cotton goods and other necessaries. Still, however, if they find any one straggling or lagging behind, they are very apt to make them slaves, selling them into the mountains, and houghing them to prevent their running away, after which they are set to grind grain in handmills, or to other servile employments. The chief city, called likewise Candahar, is very ancient, and was in old times inhabited by Banians. At this place the governor of the whole country resides, who has a garrison of twelve or fifteen thousand horse, maintained there by the Great Mogul, in regard of the neighbourhood of the Persians towards the north. To the west, the city is environed by steep and craggy rocks, and to the south and east by a strong wall. In consequence of the frequent pa.s.sage of caravans, it has been considerably increased of late, so that the suburbs are larger than the city. Within the last two years, in consequence of the Persian trade by way of Ormus being stopped, through war with the Portuguese, all the caravans between Persia and India must necessarily pa.s.s through this place; and here they hire camels to go into India, and at their return for Persia have to do the same. They cannot return without leave of the governor, who causes them to stop a month here, or at the least fifteen or twenty days; owing to which, it is inhabited by many lewd people, as all such places of resort commonly are.

Victuals for man and beast are to be had in great abundance at Candahar, yet are very dear owing to the great concourse of trade, occasioned by the meeting at this place of many merchants of India, Persia, and Turkey, who often conclude their exchanges of commodities here. At this place the caravans going for India usually unite together, for greater strength and security in pa.s.sing through the mountains of Candahar; and those that come here from India generally break into smaller companies, because in many parts of the route through Persia, a greater number would not find provisions, as all Persia, from hence to Ispahan, is extremely barren, so that sometimes not a green thing is to be seen in two or three days travel; and even water is scarce, and that which is to be got is often brackish, or stinking and abominable. We remained at this city for fourteen days, partly to procure company for our farther journey, and partly for refreshment after the fatigues and heats of our late journey, especially on account of John Crowther, who was so weak that he at one time doubted being able to proceed any farther.

We joined ourselves to three Armenians and a dozen Persian merchants, along with whom we left the city of Candahar on the 23d July, and went ten c. to a village called _Seriabe_.[153] The 24th we came in twelve c.