# The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier/Persian Travels/Book 1/Chapter 1

THE
FIRST BOOK
OF
Monsieur TAVERNIER's
Persian Travels,
Containing the several
ROADS
From PARIS to ISPAHAN the Chief
City of PERSIA,
Through the Northern Provinces of TURKY.
CHAP. I.
Of the Roads from France to the hither parts of Asia, and the Places from whence they usually set out for Ispahan.
A Man cannot travel in Asia, as they do in Europe; nor at the same Hours, nor with the same ease. There are no weekly Coaches or Wagons from Town to Town; besides, that the Soil of the Countries is of several natures. In Asia you shall meet with several Regions untill'd and unpeopl'd, either through the badness of the Climate and Soil, or the sloth of the Inhabitants, who rather choose to live miserably, than to work. There are vast Deserts to cross, and very dangerous, both for want of Water, and the Robberies that the Arabs daily commit therein. There are no certain Stages, or Inns to entertain Travellers. The best Inns, especially in Turkie, are the Tents which you carry along with you, and your Hosts are your Servants, that get ready those Victuals which you have bought in good Towns. You set up your Tent in the open Field, or in any Town where there is no Inn: and a good shift too in temperate weather, when the Sun is not too hot, or that it does not rain. In the Carvansera's or Inns which are more frequent in Persia than in Turkie, there are persons that furnish you with Provisions, and the first come are best served. As for Turkie it is full of Thieves, that keep in Troops together, and way-lay the Merchants upon the Roads, and if they be not very well guarded will certainly rob them: nay many times murder them. A mischief prevented in Persia, by the well order'd convenience which is provided for Travellers. To avoid these dangers and inconveniences, you are obliged to stay ​for the Caravans, that go for Persia or the Indies, which never set out but at certain times, and from certain places.
These Caravans set out from Constantinople, Smyrna, and Aleppo. And it is from one of these Cities that a Traveller must set out, that intends for Persia, whether he keeps company with the Caravan, or will hazard himself alone with a Guide, as once I did.
I will begin with Constantinople, from whence you may go either by Land or Sea: and either by Land or Sea there are two ways to go. The first of these by Land is that which I took with Monsieur Chapes and Monsieur St. Liebau. By the way take notice, that Vienna is the half-way near-upon between Paris and Constantinople. The second Road is less frequented, but is less inconvenient and less dangerous: for there are no need of the Emperour's Pasports, which he does not grant very freely: besides that here is no fear of the Pirates of Tunis or Argier, as when you embarque from Marseilles or Ligorn. If you intend this way, you must go to Venice; from Venice to Ancona, from whence several Barques are bound every Week for Ragusa. From Ragusa you sail along by the Shore to Durazzo a Sea-Port of Albania; from whence you travel the rest of the way by Land. From Durazzo to Albanopolis, distant three days journey, from thence to Monestier, just as far; from Monestier you may either take the left hand through Sophia, and Philippopolis, or the right through Inguischer, three days journey from Monestier, and ten from Adrianople, from whence in five days you reach Constantinople through Selivrea.
This last way is part by Sea and part by Land: but there are two other ways altogether by Land, above and below Italy, according to the distinction which Antiquity made of the two Seas that almost encompass it. You may embark at Venice, and sayling along the Gulf which is free from Pirates, you must double the Cape of Matapan, the most Southern Point of all Europe, to enter into the Archipelago. The other way is from Marseilles or Ligorn, from whence several Vessels are bound for the East. The safest way is to go along with the English or Holland Fleets, that usually arrive at Ligorn either in the Spring or in Autumn, and part just against the Morea, to the several parts whither they are bound. As the Wind serves, those Fleets sometimes make Sail between the Island of Elba and Italy, and by the Tower of Messina: sometimes below Sicily and Sardigna, within sight of Malta. Thus you must come within sight of Gandy, whether you are bound for Constantinople, Smyrna, or Alexandretta, from whence it is but three days journey to Aleppo: from one of which three Cities, you must necessarily begin your journey, if you intend for Persia.
Some take Egypt in their way, using through Alexandria, Cairo, and Damiata, whence several Vessels are bound for Joppa; or St. John's of Aera, which is not far off: from thence to Jerusalem or Damascus, and from thence to Bagdat or Babylon.
If you will venture in a single Vessel not staying for the Fleets, you may hire a Vessel from Ligorn to Naples, from Naples to Messina, keeping along by the Shore, and lying a-shore every night. I took this way, and went from Messina to Syracuse, where are to be seen the most remarkable footsteps of Antiquity. 'Tis like a City under ground, and near to it is a great Rock which has been made hollow, at the bottom whereof if a man whisper, they that are at the top may hear him. They call this Rock Dionysius the Tyrant's Ear: for being at the top, he easily understood what the People said of him below, and discovered the Counsels of the chief Men of Syracuse, whom he kept prisoners there. Syracuse has nothing of that splendour which renown'd it when it was the Mistress of all Sicily, and when Greece, jealous of her power, made War upon her. But the Soil is very plentiful, and the Gallies of Malta very often take in their Provisions there. Near the City is a fair Convent of Capuchin Friers, going out of which you may walk for half an hour between two very high Rocks, where there are several little Cells with every one a Garden, where the Friers sometimes retire, and it is certainly one of the most pleasing Solitudes in the World.
From Syracuse I went to Malta, where you must wait for some Ship that is bound for the East.