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brother to Aurungzebe, during his disastrous flight towards the Indus—Is
deserted by the prince—Falls among banditti—Exerts the powers
of Esculapius among the barbarians—Escapes—Proceeds to Delhi—Becomes
physician to the favourite of Aurungzebe—Converses with
the ambassadors of the Usbecks, and dines on horseflesh—Anecdote
of a Tartar girl—Description of Delhi—Mussulman music—Enters
the imperial harem blindfold—Description of the imperial palace—The
hall of audience, and the peacock throne—Tomb of Nourmahel—The
emperor departs for Cashmere—Bernier travels in the imperial
train—Plains of Lahore—Magnificent style of travelling—Tremendous
heat—Enters Cashmere—Description of this earthly paradise—Shawls—Beautiful
cascades—Fearful accident—Returns to Delhi—Extravagant
flattery—Effects of an eclipse of the sun—Visits Bengal—Sails
up the Sunderbunds—Fireflies—Lunar rainbows—Returns to France,
and publishes his travels—Character 205


SIR JOHN CHARDIN.

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withdrawn—Crosses the Caucasus—Traverses Georgia—Armenia—Travels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 Sheikh 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