_ 103 _ This region was called Isfahan Arag Senim. The land of Arag was the ancient Persia, and its province borders those of the city of Soltaniyeh. It contains other cities and towns. From Isfahan the caravans go on to Natanz, a large city which is well-provisioned. From Natanz to Kashan it is two days’ journey [through lands] populated by the same people. Here I heard that there was a great plague throughout Armenia, Turkey and Persia, something which occurs continually in these countries because they take no precautions, nor do they take any protection or guard [against it]. Thus it totally destroys provinces; this is the reason why the Turk has as yet been unable to do more harm to Christendom. Benign God inflicts these scourges upon them. In spite of the plague I decided to go from there through Tabriz rather than Baghdad, because, if I was known in Baghdad to be Portuguese I would not have avoided captivity or great hardship. I stayed for twenty-five days in Kashan waiting for a caravan to gather and form, as the first had only come as far as here. Item: We left Kashan on 15 October in a caravan of 160 camels in which were travelling may Persians, Turks and Turkmens, and I with my companions, a Venetian and an Armenian. some of these were bound for Kasvin, a large
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