being too fmall to contain all the people belonging to the retinue, they pitched their tents near the Ambaffadors lodgings: they were here obliged to be contented with eating mouldy fcraps of bread found in the ship, and with drinking the muddy water of an adjacent tor

rent.

On the 19th of November the Governor of Derbent fent two perfons well dreffed to compliment the Ambaffadors upon their arrival in Perfia, and to make them a prefent of two horses, two oxen, twelve fheep, twenty pullets, three pitchers of wine, one pitcher of water, two panniers of apples, and three facks of wheat flour; but the Governor's letter mentioning only one horse, and the Ambaffador Brugman finding his not fo good as the other, abfolutely refufed to accept of it, though the perfons who brought them folemnly protefted that this mistake was occafioned by the Governor's fuppofing there had been but one Ambaffador; but that they being informed by the way that there were two, they had brought the best horse they could get, from the opinion that the Governor would approve of it; yet notwithstanding all their excufes, Mr. Brugman perfifted in his refolution, and contrary to the customs both of Perfia and Mofcovy, fent these perfons back without any prefents, which was fo highly resented by the Governor, that he ever after did the Ambaffadors all the ill offices in his power.

On the 22d of November the Ambaffadors fent one of their retinue with a Perfian interpreter

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preter to Scamachie to give notice of their arrival to the Khan or Governor General of the province of Schiravan, and to defire him to furnish them with every thing neceffary for continuing their journey; but the Governor hav ing before received intelligence of their arrival, had immediately difpatched a Mehemander, or Conductor, who in Perfia fupplies the office of the Mofco-vite Priftaffs; but the gentlemen who were fent were not fo fortunate as to meet him. The Mehemander arrived on the 29th of November richly dreffed, and extremely well mounted, his horfe's harness being embroidered with gold and turquoises. He made the Ambassadors a very handsome and obliging compliment, and offered them his utmof affiftance while they continued under his conduct, which was to be as far as Scamachie, upon which they treated him and his retinue with fome fruit and brandy; entertained him with their mufic and difcharged fome of their great guns, with which he was fo pleased, that he no fooner returned to his lodgings than he fent them a prefent of five fheep, three pitchers of wine, and fome pomgranates.

The meffengers returned with advice that meeting with the Khan at fome distance from the city, he had given them a very kind reception, affuring them that he had already difpatched a Mehemander to conduct and provide for the Ambaffadors, adding, that he had been informed that their retinue confifted of 300 perfons; but that if they had twice the number they should be very welcome, and that he longed

longed to fee them. He then inquired concerning the quality and temper of the Ambaffadors, and their manner of life.

The first effects they felt from the Governor of Derbent's difpleasure was his denying them a fufficient number of cattle for the profecution of their journey, which obliged them to fend back their Mehemandér, to Scamachie to procure fome from thence, and this forced them to ftay near a month at the village of Niafabath.

On the 9th of December the Tartar Prince of Tarku whom they had feen near Terki came to pay them a vifit in company with his brother and a retinue of twenty perfons, and the next day he fent them a prefent of an ox, fome theep, and two large panniers of apples; in return for which the Ambassadors prefented him with fome ells of cloth and fattin, a veffel of brandy, a roll of tobacco, and a barrel of gun-powder of eighty pounds weight, which he most earneftly defired. What gave the Ambassadors the highest fatisfaction at this time was the return of their Mehemander, who brought them the agreeable news, that within fifteen days they should be provided with cattle and carriages fufficient for their journey. Accordingly a few days after fome horses and camels arrived, the reft being delayed by the falling of the fnow, which rendering the roads flippery, the camels, whofe hoofs are not fo flat as thofe of other beafts, cannot travel without much ha-' zard, and this obliged the Ambassadors to stay ten days longer, during which Mr. Brugman,

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not

notwithstanding the remonftrances of the Per fans, very imprudently caused fome pieces of timber that were brought by the Sophi's orders to the fea fide for the building of hips, to be cut in pieces to make carriages for the artil lery.

On the 21ft of December two Mehemanders, one from Scamachie, and the other from Derbent, brought 40 camels, 30 waggons drawn by buffaloes, and 80 horfes, when the baggage being loaden and fent before with part of the reti nue, there were but 60 horfes left for 94 perfons; fome of the fervants and guards were therefore obliged to travel on foot. They proceeded to the fouthward, along the coaft of the Cafpian Sea.

The first place at which they lodged was a village called Mordore, four leagues from NiaSabath. The houses, which were round, like thofe of the Tartars, were built of oziers and canes. They spent the night very ill for want of fuel, this village lying in the midst of fens.. The many fprings about this place fend forth. their waters with fuch violence that they never freeze, and the brooks which flow from. them are full of fwans, whofe down is gathered for the Sophi's beds. The inhabitants who are called Padars ufe a peculiar dialect, which partakes both of the Perfian and Turkish. tongues. They are Mahometans, and partly of the Turkish feet, accompanied with fome odd, fuperftitions: thus they never cut their meat after it is dressed, till it is almoft cold, and if

any

any one happens to breath or blow upon it, they caft it away as impure.

On the second day after they left Niafabath, the Mehemander brought them 20 horfes more, when leaving part of their useless baggage behind, the whole retinue mounted on horseback, and travelled to a very handsome village called Tachonfi, and having proceeded three leagues farther came to the mountain of Barmach, where they lodged that night in a caravanfera. Thefe edifices are built in the defarts of Perfia, within a day's journey from each other, for the accommodation of travellers. This was an ancient fquare ftructure of free-stone, about 40 paces each way, and here they staid all the following day.

On the 26th of December they left Barmach, the fun then cafting a greater heat than it does with us in May. The baggage took the way through the plain towards Bakuje; but the Ambaffadors, with the reft of the company on 'horfeback, proceeded through the mountains, and ftaid at night at the village of Chanega, where they met with most excellent fruit and honey, but the water was muddy and ftinking.

On the 27th they travelled to the village of Pyrmaraas, famous for the fepulchre of two Perfian Saints, one of whom is named Seid-Ibrahim. This fepulchre is furrounded with walls, and has two courts like a caftle; but though the Ambaffadors were very defirous of taking a view of it, they were only permitted to enter the first court, in which were many fquare ftones fet up on the end, they being the tomb

ftones