Born 1643.—Died 1713.
| Born at Paris—Son of a Protestant jeweller—Visits Persia and Hindostan—Returns to France—Publishes his History of the Coronation of Solyman III.—Again departs for Persia—Visits Constantinople—Sails up the Black Sea—Caviare—Salt marshes—Beautiful slaves—Arrives in Mingrelia—Tremendous anarchy—Is surrounded by dangers—Arrives at a convent of Italian monks—Is visited by a princess, and menaced with a wife—Buries his wealth—The monastery attacked and rifled—His treasures escape—Narrowly escapes with life—Leaves his wealth buried in the ground, and sets out for Georgia—Returns into Mingrelia with a monk, and the property is at length withdrawn—Crosses the Caucasus—Traverses Georgia—Armenia—Travels through the Orion—Arrives at Eryvan—Is outwitted by a Persian khan—Traverses the plains of ancient Media—Druidical monuments—Ruins of Rhe, the Rhages of the Scriptures—Kom—An accident—Arrives at Ispahan—Commences his negotiations with the court for the disposal of his jewels—Modes of dealing in Persia—Character of Sheïkh Ali Khan—Anecdote of the shah—Is introduced to the vizier, and engaged in a long series of disputes with the nazir respecting the value of his jewels—Curious mode of transacting business—Is flattered, abused, and cheated by the nazir—Visits the ruins of Persepolis—Description of the subterranean passages of the palace—Arrives at Bander-Abassi—Is seized with the gulf fever—Reduced to the brink of death—Flies from the pestilence—Is cured by a Persian physician—Extraordinary method of treating fever—Visits the court—Is presented to the shah—Returns to Europe—Selects England for his future country—Is knighted by Charles II., and sent as envoy to Holland—Writes his travels—Dies in the neighborhood of London | [233] |
ENGELBERT KÆMPFER.
Born 1651.—Died 1716.
| A native of Westphalia—Education and early Life—Becomes secretary to the Swedish Embassy to Persia—Visits Russia—Crosses the Caspian Sea—Visits the city of Baku—Curious adventure—Visits the promontory of Okesra—Burning field—Fire worshippers—Curious experiment—Fountains of white naphtha—Hall of naphtha—Arrives at Ispahan—Visits the ruins of Persepolis—Description of Shiraz—Tombs of Hafiz and Saadi—Resides at Bander-Abassi—Is attacked by the endemic fever—Recovers—Retires to the mountains of Laristân—Mountains of Bonna—Serpent—Chameleons—Animal in whose stomach the bezoar is found—Sails for India—Arrives at Batavia—Visits Siam—Sails along the coast of China—Strange birds—Storms—Arrival in Japan—Journey to Jeddo—Audience of the emperor—Manners and customs of the Japanese—Returns to Europe—Marries—Is unfortunate—Publishes his “Amœnitates”—Dies—His manuscripts published by Sir Hans Sloane | [271] |
HENRY MAUNDRELL.
| Appointed chaplain to the English factory at Aleppo—Sets out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem—Crosses the Orontes—Wretched village—Inhospitable villagers—Takes refuge from a tempest in a Mussulman tomb—Distant view of Latichen—Syrian worshippers of Venus—Tripoli—River of Adonis—Maronite convents—Palace and gardens of Fakreddin—Sidon—Cisterns of Solomon—Mount Carmel—Plains of Esdraelon—Dews of Hermon—Jerusalem—Jericho—The Jordan—The Dead Sea—Apples of Sodom—Bethlehem—Mount Lebanon—Damascus—Baalbec—The cedars—Returns to Aleppo—Conclusion | [305] |
THE LIVES
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