All this region of Persia hitherto, by the waie that we came was verie barayn, drie, sandie, and stonye, having fewe waters, so that wheare water is there be some townes: though for the more parte destroied: every of which townes hath a castell fortified of earthe. Their cornes, vines, and fruictes encrease by force of their water; for wheare water is skarse there is harde dwelling; nevertheles, they vse to conveigh their water vnder earthe iiij and v daies ioʳney from the ryvers, whense they fetche them, and that in this maner. Neere to the ryver they make a pitt like vnto a well, from whense they folowe, diggeng by lyvells towardes the place they meane to bringe it to; so that it may evermore distende chanell wise: which chanell is deeper than the botome of the foresaid pytt, and whan they haue digged about xx paces of this chanell, than digge they an other pitt like to the first,[98] and so from pitt to pitt they conveigh the water alongest these chanells whither they woll. And whan they haue finisshed this worke than open they the skluse of the pitt towardes the ryver, and so letting in the water, convey it to their townes, and whither they woll, fetching that through the botome of mountaignes that is had out of the deepe of the ryvers. For if they did not thus there coulde be no dwelling there; considering that it rayneth very seldome, insomuch that I saied to those of tharmie their cuntrey was very barayne. Whearevnto I was answered that I needed not to mervaile, bicause the waie they tooke was freshe, so that they founde the better pasture and the cuntrey the holsōmer. In those ꝑties arr no woodes nor yet trees, no not so much as one, except it be fruite trees, which they plante, whereas they may water them; for otherwise they wolde not take. The tymber wherewᵗh they buylde arr trees which they sett in watrie places, in such nombre as suffiseth for their necessitie. The rather for that they haue excellent carpenters, who, being constreyned of necessitie to spare woll of one peece of tymber of two spannes in compasse sawed into boordes, make an handesome doore of two paces longe, so well wrought outwardes and so well ioyned, that it is a wonder, aftre which maner they also make their wyndowes and other things meete for their householde. In dede, wᵗhinfooʳthe the peeces of their ioynengs may well be discerned. Of this they also make chestes; and for proofe that there be none other trees, great nor small, neither on hill nor plaine, I have sometimes founde a shrubbe of thorne, on the which, as it were for a myracle, I haue seene certein peeces of cloth and ragges hanging, in token that the feaver and other infirmities arr healed there. And, notwᵗhstanding the great moltitude of people that is in their campe, yet shall yoʷ not heare any one mourning or lamenting; for they arr all meerie: synge, plaie, and laugh.