# The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier/Persian Travels/Book 1/Chapter 8

CHAP. VIII.
How the Author was robb'd near Tocat, and of a certain sort of rare and fine Wool which he first brought into France.
Taquibac is the place where the Persian Caravan uses to meet, when it departs from Tocat to Smyrna; and this is the only place in all the Road where a Traveller ought to stand upon his guard, by reason of Thieves who haunt these Quarters, and are great Masters in their Trade. Once as I came out of Persia they would needs give me a tast of their Art, notwithstanding all the care I took. There were three or four of us that would needs ride before with our Servants to Taquibac, in expectation of the Caravan which was to come the next day; where we set up our Tents upon the Bank of a small River. I had then a good many Bales of Wool, with which I made as it were a double Wall about my Tent: so that there was but one passage between the Bales, for one Man. In four of these Bales I had a quantity of Musk in lead'n Boxes, to the value of ten or twelve thousand Crowns: which Bales I put within-side, so that they touch'd the Tent and my Beds-head. Next Night, it being very dark, the Thieves came, and finding the outward Bales smell so strong of Musk, they thought one of those Bales would be a considerable Booty. The Bales were all ty'd together with a Cord that kept them fast, nor was it easie to undo them, without a noise. They wak'd me with their bustle at first, and I sent out my Servants to see if they could catch them but they will lye so close upon their Bellies, that in such a dark Night as that was tis impossible to discover them. Thereupon my Servants went to sleep again, and the Thieves to their work; and having with a great deal of ingenuity cut the Cord, they carried away the two Bales. In the Morning four or five of us with a Camel-driver for our Guide pursu'd them, and in half an hour we met with the marks of the Robbery, for the Rogues being mad that they found nothing but Wool, which they thought to be of no great value, scatter'd it in the High-way for two or three Leagues together: so that I caus'd it to be pickt up again, and lost not above fifteen or twenty Pound. I speak this to caution the Merchants that carry Bales of Silk or other rich Commodities, to beware of these Thieves; for they will come creeping upon their Bellies, and then cutting the Bales with great Razors, will presently empty a Bale of one half of the Goods.
'Tis true, the Wool was of no great value for their use, but it was a sort of rare and very fine Wool, which I carry'd out of Persia to Paris, where such fine Wool was never seen. As to the place where it is to be had, I met with one of the Gaures, or Persians that adore the Fire, who when I was at Ispahan in the year 1647 shew'd me a Sample of it, and inform'd me that the greatest part of this Wool comes from the Province of Kerman, which is the ancient Caramania; and that the best Wool is to be met with in the Mountains that are next to the City that bears the name of the Province: That the Sheep in those Parts have this particular property, that when they have fed upon new Grass from January till May, the Fleece falls off, of it self, and leaves the Sheep naked, and their Skins smooth, like a Pig's that is scalded off; so that there is no need of shearing them, as with us: after they have ​gather'd it, they beat it, and the course Wool breaking, the fine only remains. That if you transport it, before you make it into Bales, you must throw Salt-water upon it, which keeps the Worms out of it, and preserves it from rotting. Now you must take notice that they never dye this Wool, it being naturally of a clear Brown, or a dark Ash-colour; and that there is very little of it White, which is also much dearer than the other, as well for that it is scarce, as because that the Mufti's, the Moullah's and other persons belonging to the Law, never wear any Girdles or Vails (wherewith they cover their Heads when they pray) but White: for at other times they wear them about their Necks, as the Women do their Scarfs.
Into this Province of Kerman almost all the Gaures are retir'd, and they are they that only Trade in this Wool, and have the whole Manufacture of it. They make those Girdles of it which they use in Persia; and some Pieces of Serge, which are almost as fine and transparent, as if they were of Silk. I brought over two Pieces into France, and presented one to the late Queen Mother, the other to the Princess of Orleance.
I could not drive any Trade in this Wool till the year 1654, returning out of the Indies by Sea from Surat to Ormus. To which purpose, I departed from Ormus, and took Guides along with me to shew me the way to Kerman, whither I could not get on Horseback in less than twenty-seven days. I dare say that Alexander the Great did not march this way into the Indies: for in the whole extent of the the Country there is no Water to be met with but in some certain places, and in the hollow of some Rocks, where there is not enough neither to water eight or ten Horses. Besides, in some places a man is constrain'd, by reason of the Mountains, to fetch a great compass about; for a Foot-man that makes his way through those Rocks, shall go farther in half an hour than a Horse-man can do in four.
Kerman is a large City, which has been often ruin'd by being several times taken and re-taken; nor is there any thing handsom in it, but only one House and a Garden, upon which the last Kans have bestow'd a vast expence to make the place delightful. They make there a sort of Earthen-ware which comes very near to Porcelan, and looks as neat and as fine. As soon as I arriv'd, I went to visit the Kan, who made me very welcom, and gave order to the Gaures to furnish me with Bread and Wine, Pullets and Pigeons, which in those parts are fat, and as large as little Capons. The Gaures are they that make the Wine; and to make it more sweet and pleasant, they take away the Stalks, and never press any thing but the meer Grape.
The Kan was but newly entred into the possession of his Government, and being desirous, according to the custom of the new Governours, to have a noble Sword and Dagger, with a rich Furniture for his Horse, which requir'd some Jewels, I presented him with a Diamond worth eight hundred Crowns, which he caus'd to be set in the end of the handle of his Dagger. He also desir'd to have of me as many more Jewels as came to seven or eight hundred Livres: and by the Present and the Bargain I facilitated my purchase of the Wool which I intended to buy. Two days after he invited me to his Entry-Feast, which he made for the chief of the City; and knowing I wanted a Mule, he sent me one well worth a hundred Crowns. This is the Noblest Carriage in all Persia, which the great Personages choose before Horses, especially when they are in years. But it was not the Kan alone who was civil to me. A young Lord, who liv'd in Kerman, and was at the Feast, whose Father had been formerly Kan himself, took great delight to discourse with me concerning my Travels; and offered me his service in a very obliging manner. Now the Persians are very curious, and great admirers of the Rarities of Forein Countries: which inclination led the young Lord to enquire of me whether I had any Fire-Arms, telling me he would content me for them to my satisfaction. The next Morning I presented him with a Carbine, and a pair of Pistols that pleas'd him exceedingly; and a little Watch, for which I would take no Money, whereat he seem'd to be not a little troubl'd. However he sent me a stately Horse worth about two hundred Crowns, or twelve Tomans. This young Lord was of a clear humour, civil, accomplish'd, generous, and did every thing with a good grace. So that when he sent me the Horse, he sent to entreat me withal, if I did not like that Horse, to come and choose which I lik'd best in his Stable.
​By the favour of this Lord and the Kan, I made good the Purchase that I intended, for the People began to murmur (knowing what a Parcel I had got together) and told the Kan that I would carry away all the Cloth out of the Country, so that they should have none to set the Poor on work. Thereupon the Kan sent for me, and for those reasons told me I must buy no more. To fend off the blow, I made answer, That it was the King of Persia's desire to try if we could make as fine Cloth of his Wool in France, as they did in England and Holland; and that if it succeeded, I should bring French Workmen into Persia, and so by setling the Trade in his own Country, free him from the Charge of forein Manufactures. This silenc'd the Kan, so that I still bargain'd for more. But when I was return'd to Ispahan, the People of the Country would not keep touch with me. However, I wrote so home to the Kan, threatning withal to complain to the King, that he fearing the King's displeasure, forc'd the Natives to send me my Bargain to Ispahan.