Travels to Tana and Persia : $b A narrative of Italian travels in Persia, in the 15th and 16th centuriesBarbaro, Giosofat
History
Travels to Tana and Persia : $b A narrative of Italian travels in Persia, in the 15th and 16th centuries
Barbaro, Giosofat
Iran -- Description and travel; Voyages and travels
TANA I sent them home. Wherefore, I saie that departeng one from an
other, wᵗʰ opinion never to retoʳne into those ꝑties againe, no man ought
to forgett his amitie as though they shuld never meete, for there may
happen a thousande things that, if they chaunce to meete againe, he that
is most hable shall haue neede of his succoʳ that can do least. Nowe,
to retoʳne vnto the things of Tana. I woll describe it by the west and
northwest, costing the sea of Tabacche to the going fooʳthe on the lefte
hande, and aftre some parte of the sea called MAGGIORE, even to the
Province named Mengleria. Departing than from Tana about the foresaid
coste of the sea, iij joʳneys wᵗhin lande, I founde a region called
Chremuch, the lorde whereof is named Biberdi, which signifieth given to
God; he was sonne vnto Chertibei, that signifieth twelve Lorde. He hath
many villaiges vnder him, which at a neede woll make a thousand horses,
faire champaignes, many good woodes, and ryvers plentie. The principall
men of this region lyve by robbing on those plaines and speciallie on
the roberie of the carouanes that go from place to place. They are well
horsed, valiaunt men, and subtill witted, but not verie gryme of visaige.
They haue corne enough, fleshe, and honye, but no wyne. Beyonde these
are cuntreys of divers languages, though not much different one from an
other; that is to witt, Elipehe, Tatarcosia, Sobai, Cheuerthei,[16] As
Alani, of whom I haue spoken here before. And these renne alongest even
vnto Mengleria[17] for the space of xij ioʳneys. Mengleria confyneth
wᵗʰ Caitacchi, which are neere the mountaigne Caspio, and wᵗʰ parte
of Giorgiana, and wᵗʰ the sea Maggiore, and wᵗʰ the mountaigne that
passeth through Circassia, and hath on thone side a ryver called Phaso
that compasseth it and falleth into the sea Maggiore. The Lorde of this
province, named Bendian, hath two walled townes on the foresaid sea, one
called VATHI and an other SEUASTOPOLI, and besides that divers other
piles and stronge houses. The cuntrey is all stonie and barayn, wᵗhout
any kinde of grayne, saving PANICO. Salte is brought vnto them out of
Capha. They make a litle cloth, but it is both course and naught: and
they arr beastly people. For proof whereof, being in Vathi (where one
Azolin Squarciafigo, a Genowaie, arryved in companie of a PARANDERIA of
Turks that went thither wᵗʰ us from Constantinople), there was a yonge
woman stode in her doore vnto whom this Genowaie saied SURINA PATRO NI
COCON? which is, mistres is the good man wᵗhin? meaneng her husbande.
She answered, Archilimisi, that is to witt, he woll cōme anon. Whereupon
he swapped her on the lippes and shewed her vnto me, saieng, beholde
what faire teethe she hath: and so shewed me her breast and toouched her
teates, which she suffered wᵗhout moving. Afterwardes, we entred into her
house, and sate us downe, and this Azolin fayneng to haue vermyn about
him beckened on her to searche him: which she did verie diligentlie and
chastely.
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