_ 239 _ robbed caravans. We left at midnight, travelling towards the west-north-west. On the previous days we had been travelling towards the north-west and the north. If those who make this journey find some divergence from the compass points I give, they should not be alarmed, for on a journey overland it is impossible to describe this as exactly as on a voyage by sea. This is especially the case on this one, which is all surrounded by mountains and hills, which occasion many changes of direction, for which reason it is impossible to particularise the hours spent travelling on each compass point. But let whoever reads this be sure that I always go, and shall give, it continually [compass point]. So we travelled all that night, and on the following day, which was 22nd September we arrived at eight o’clock in the morning in the noble and populous city of Kashan. We wished to enter through the gates, but could not do so for a period of at least two hours because of the crowds of people coming out and going in, both on foot and on horseback. For this is a very large city, peopled by an infinity of people, namely Persian Moors, Turkomans and some Jews, born in this land. Most of them are red-caps and their heads are shaven as is their custom, others have
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