296 Hamilton’s account of the east indies.
Ihew his tomb ftill; but they do not know a word about the poor woman his wife.That there are many mountains of rock fait there, is very certain.
The next maritime town, down the gulf, is Cong, where the Portugueze had latelya factory, but of no great figure in trade, though the town has a finall trade with Ba-nyans and Moors from India . The many infults the Mufkat Arabs give it with theirfleet, frighten merchants of confiderable flocks from frequentiing it. After the Por-tugueze loft Ormus, and a peace made with Shaw Abafs the king of Perfia, they werepermitted to fettle at Cong. But that King built the city of
Gombroon , or, as the natives call it, Bander Abafli, or the fea-port of Abaffi. Thiscity ftands on a bay-, about 4 leagues to the northward of the eaft end of the ifland ofKifmilh, and 3 leagues from the famous Ormuze, which the Englifh had fo great anhand in reducing to the obedience of Shaw Abafs. What time the Portugueze fettled onOrmuze I know not, nor could I ever learn from the Perfians that I converfed with,when they did fettle ; but finding it a convenient place to tyrannize over the tradersinto the Gulf of Perfia, they built a large fort on the eaft end of it, almoft environedby the fea that walhes the fort walls. This Gombroon was formerly a filhing town ,and when Shaw Abafs began to build it, had its appellation from the Portugueze in deri-fion, becaufe it was a good place for catching prawns or Ihrimps, which they call Came-rong. The Englifh and Dutch have their fadtories here, which bring a good commerceto it; and the French formerly had their factory too. It is ill feated, and wants almoftevery thing that contributes to the fupport of human life, except fifh and mutton ; yet,for many years, it has been well peopled by reafon of its trade, which has filled thepockets of many merchants, who, at firft fettling there, were very empty. They have nodrinkable water within three miles of the town, except a few cifterns, which are dry aboveone half of the year: and the hills near it are barren, and the very rocks tafle of fait.And when rain falls, which is but feldom, the rivulets (which are filled by waters run-ning down the hills into low grounds) bear a cruft of fine white fait on their fides, butis bitterifh, by reafon of too much nitre and fulphur in its compofition. People of dif-tinftion and fortune keep a camel or two daily employed in bringing them frelh whole-fome water from Affeen, about 15 miles from the city, becaufe the water of Naban,which is three miles off, is not accounted falubrious. There is an high mountain thatlies north from Gombroon , about 8 leagues, whofe reflection of heat on the lowerground, in the fummer months, almoft fires the air, which creates much uneafinefs andunhealthfulnefs to the inhabitants of Gombroon ; wherefore mod of them retire intothe country, to pafs the heats of June, July, and Auguft, whofe heats affect the fea, info much, that in Auguft there comes a ftink from it, that is as deteftable as the fmell ofdead animals on the land; and vaft quantities of fmall Ihell fifh are thrown on theIhore by the furges of the fea ; from them I judge the intolerable ftink proceeds. Ittarnifhes gold and filver, as bad as the bilge water of a tight Ihip.
About 10 miles from Affeen, at the foot of the aforefaid mountain, is a place calledMinoa, where are natural cold and hot baths, which cure itches, poxes, leprofy, andrheumatick pains, only by bathing, for they are not drinkable; and fome that try todrink them, and get a few fpoonfuls down, find them powerful emeticks. There aretwo or three little choultries or fhades built for patients to reft in ; but there are nopeople that inhabit near it, fo that whoever goes there, muft carry all neceffaries or-conveniencies along with them.
At Affeen there are many gardens, where the inhabitants of Gombroon retire to inthe hot months; but the Englifh Eaft India Company’s is the beft cultivated. It pro-duces plenty of Seville oranges, whofe trees are always verdant, and bear ripe and