Chapter VI: Front Matter (6)

The ninth day our voyage went on again chearfully, and we came pretty near the town _Racka_, which belongeth to the _Turkish_ Emperor, but it did not continue so long, for before we had dined and eaten a few fruit, _viz._ Cibels, Anguries, and _Indian_ Musk-melons, to refresh ourselves in the great heat, we incurr’d greater danger again than that we were in before, for our ship, which was a great deal bigger than either of the two, did strike upon the sand so severely, that we could not bring her off again without assistance of others, as we had done several times before, nor bring her into the right way again. So we were forced to desire the _Arabians_ our antagonists, which stood and looked upon us, rather rejoicing at our misfortunes, than pitying us, to assist us, which at length we did obtain, and so they came to help us: But because they had their daggers, and great cudgels, which they use to wear with them, we durst not trust them, but were forced to leave a small guard in the ship, but the rest of us helped them with all our force and strength, but we could not stir her, so that they went away twice and left us. At last we concluded, that we had no better way than to unload our ship, yet we durst not do it for fear of the _Arabians_, nor venture our merchandizes; so we resolved to draw her out another way, wherefore we desired the _Arabians_ a third time to assist us, and if they were in earnest to help us, we begged of them to lay down their arms, which at length, upon our promising them a good reward, they did. When they came we took also our guard to our assistance, set all hands at work, and with hard labour we brought it at length into the right stream again, so we paid the _Arabians_ and went on, and came that same night to _Racka_.

CHAP. III.

_Of the city of ~Racka~, and of it’s situation, and also something of the departure of the King of ~Arabia~, and of his league with the ~Turkish~ Emperor, and also of the trouble we had with the ~Custom-house Officer~ or ~Publican~._

_Racka_, a town of _Mesopotamia_, is situated in the desarts of _Arabia_ upon the great river _Euphrates_, between two ascents, so that you cannot see any thing of it before you can come near it. There is a castle by it, which is given to a _Sangiack_ by the _Turkish_ Emperor to keep it with 1200 _Spahi_’s. This town is pitifully built, and not well guarded with walls; it having been built after the Desolation of the old town, which was situated on the hight, as one may see still by the old wall, and other arches and pillars. Among the rest there is yet standing a very ancient high building, which is still very strong, and looketh very great, altho’ it is much decay’d and run to ruin, and such as one shall rarely see, so that one may conjecture, that it hath perhaps been formerly the seat and habitation of their Kings or Magistrates. Between the new and old city lieth a castle, which is also old and pretty strong, where is kept a _Turkish_ garrison, it being on the confines or limits of _Arabia_ and _Persia_, &c. to defend them and all the country from danger and incursions. The old town is besides this quite demolish’d, and even with the ground, so that here is no convenient place where the _Turks_ can exercise themselves in running, cudgel-playing, _&c._ but this, where I have often sat upon the ruin’d walls, and look’d upon them when they were a playing. To the Desolation of this town have very much contributed the _Tartars_, under their King _Haalono_, who took it in the year of our Lord, 1260, and not long after the town and castle of _Aleppo_, with the help of _Ayton_ King of _Armenia_. Some will have this to be the town of _Rhagos_, which is also called _Edessa_, whither the ancient and pious _Tobias_ did send his son from _Nineveh_ to his friend _Gabel_, to fetch the money from him which he had lent him: But because this lies a day’s journey farther from the river _Euphrates_, therefore it cannot be the same.

After we had landed there, the receiver of the custom came on horseback to the shoar, and desired the master of the _Turkish_ ship to deliver his arms, lances, and bows, who absolutely deny’d it, seeing that it never had been a custom before; whereupon they fell about this into such a hot dispute, that they began to draw upon one another, and had not we timely put in between them, it would have caused a great tumult. The reason why this man behaved himself so strangely, was, because we did not go with our goods to _Carahemit_, which town is distant four days journey, and situated on the rapid river _Tygris_, to have laid there upon that river, where he would have received a great deal more custom, that also belonging to him. But the _Turk_ not mattering him, having nothing in but corn, which he would not carry, he let him alone, and came to us as strangers, thinking to make up his loss from us, and to frighten us out of it. He staid all night in the ship, and lay between us, fearing that we should hide some goods from him; and sometimes he came upon us with big words, saying, _Seeing that it was not allow’d to us outlandish men to travel in these parts, therefore he could not but take us to be spies, that came to discover, rather than for any thing else, wherefore he had reason enough to take our goods in arrest, and send us two spies as to ~Constantinople~, to make us slaves to his master the Great Sultan._ After we had heard this his unreasonable discourse, and were also sensible of his intention to cheat us, we were not presently frighten’d, but drew out our pass we had from the Bashaw and Cadi of _Aleppo_, and shew’d it to him. He look’d it over, and after he understood that he durst not very well act against it, he went away from us with a deal of indignation, and immediately he began to quarrel with all the Merchants of the two ships, and desired of them an unreasonable sum to pay him as toll, whereof they complain’d heavily; but he went on, and would accept of no reasonable conditions, but took away our rowers from our ships, to hinder us from going away, to squeeze us the more. But the Merchants, altho’ they saw his earnestness, they did not matter it, but sent on the 11th of _September_ one of them with a _Moor_ to _Carahemit_, to the Great Bashaw, which was the son of _Mahomet Bassa_, to complain to him of these impositions and extortions. When the toll-keeper did understand this, he follow’d them with his son immediately. But because he did not find the Bashaw, who was then in another place, call’d _Giselet_, whither our friend was forced to follow him three days journey from thence, he return’d again immediately. Although he did not speak with the Bashaw, yet he falsly told us, that it was the Bashaw’s order that we should pay him ten ducats _per cent._ Notwithstanding that, ours did not know any thing, yet they would not trust him, but had carry’d the best and greatest part of their goods out, before he came into the ship to search, and also some thereof they bury’d in the sand by night, where the _Turks_ and _Moors_ went over by day-light, and yet they could find none of these hidden goods. The next morning early the Publican came with his crue, and search’d every thing with a great deal of care, as if he had a peculiar command for it, but did not find any thing near, as you may think, what he expected. When he was thus very busy in exercising his office, our friend came in at last, and told us, that the Bashaw was very much displeased that the Publican did deal so unjustly with us, contrary to the orders and law of his master, the Grand Signior, and did keep us so long, and hinder us in our navigation. Wherefore he had writ to the Sangiack in our behalf, and ordered him on pain of death, to take all care that we might not be detain’d any longer, but to take the Publican prisoner, and to send him to _Constantinople_, to have him try’d at the court kept for that purpose every fifteenth day, and that he feared very much, that he would pay for this his misdemeanor with his life.

In the mean time we were thus detained prisoners on the rivers of _Babylon_, expecting with a deal of patience the time of our deliverance, it happened, that the King of _Arabia_ broke up with his retinue from here-abouts on the 21st of day of _September_, and travelled towards the south in great numbers, to find better pastures for his beasts, as horses, asses, and camels, that they might the better subsist; for in these places there are not so many villages, towns and market-towns, where they might have their continual abode. Neither do they love farming nor trading, but are contented, if they have a great flock of cattle, and good store of grass for them, that they may keep them. So if they come to a rivulet, where a little herbage or grass groweth, they immediately erect their tents there, to stay there till want forceth them to remove, and to look out for another place. When they break up, they take along with them man, maid, beasts and all their whole substance, as I did see them remove at this very time, and come towards this town in great numbers, so that the _Turks_ kept their gates shut up for four days, until they were all passed by. On horseback they are armed with darts and bows, _&c._ and also if they ride on camels, whereof they have very a great number, chiefly when the King is moving from one place to another, as some of them did relate to me, where generally are employed 150000. I myself have once seen at one time together about the number of 3 or 4000 camels. They are strong and hardy creatures, fit to carry heavy burthens, and also to subsist without drinking in the greatest heats for three days together. They stale out between their hind legs, so that those that go in caravans behind them must have a great care, that they be not hit by them, and so become all bedaubed. Their horses are very noble, neat, and fit for business; they seldom feed them more than once a day, although they ride them very hard all day long through the wildernesses. They commonly cut off all the hair from their mains and tail, so that their tails remain very naked, and look something like the tail of a lion. They put their wives on littler asses, and also upon high camels with their children, three or four of them together in boxes, as it is the fashion in these countries. They are of a brown colour like unto our Gypsies, and almost the fourth part of them black, which difference of colour proceedeth from their travelling up and down to places where blacks are, and sometimes leaving their own there, and taking blacks in the room of them. The King of _Arabia_ is always encamped in the fields, and never cometh into a place that is shut up or enclosed; and this the less now, after the mischance of losing his son that retired into one, happened; so he goeth from place to place like unto the _Tartars_, so that often it is not known where he is. In the summer-time he goeth farther to the north, and in winter to the south, to avoid both the heat and cold, and to have better subsistance and provision for himself, his men, and cattle. So it hath happened several times, that the _Arabians_ in their march have come too near the _Turks_ dominions, and the _Turks_ again to his, from whence arose between these two great Princes such differences, that they are come to great and bloody wars. And yet for all this, as I am credibly informed, they have now both made a peculiar league and contract between them, wherein it is agreed that if the Grand _Turk_ should go to a war with his neighbours, then the _Arabian_ King will assist and defend him, wherefore the Grand Signior writes to him as his cousin and good friend, and is to pay him the sum of 60000 ducats yearly as his certain salary or retaining fee. And besides all this, the Sultan sends to the new King of _Arabia_ after the decease of the old one, a standard with his coat of arms in it, which together with other presents he sends him with usual ceremonies, to congratulate him on his happy coming to the throne, and to renew and confirm their alliances. Their religion doth contribute not a small matter to this, which (together with all their ceremonies, and all other points) is the same almost they profess in both nations: And they take as many wives as the _Turks_ do, neither do they extol or magnify one before the other, because they come from better parents, being they buy them all from them. And therefore none of them are excused, because she cometh from a greater extraction, from doing the family-business, nor hath a poor one more put upon her because she came from mean extraction. So one of the King of _Arabia_’s wives is a daughter of a man that keeps a sawing-mill at _Racka_, which by him (although of mean extraction) is as much respected as any of the rest. Her father and brothers are very good people; they came very often to us, and shewed great compassion, for that we were so abused by the Publican. His mill is not drawn by horses as ours are, nor by water (for they know nothing of that) but two of them cut the wood with great hand-labour. During our staying there a young _Arabian_ gentleman, nearly related to the King of _Arabia_, came very often to us to the water-side, who was always accompanied with twenty servants with bows and darts; he had a delicate white turbant on, and a long violet coloured caban made of wool, but his servants went pretty bare, for some of them wore black caps and long indico coloured shirts with wide sleeves, which they girt up with broad leathern girdles, wherein stuck bended daggers or bayonets, as it is their usual custom. It once happened, that some of us being upon the high town-walls together, from whence we had a pleasant prospect down into the valley to the great river _Euphrates_, this same gentleman came to us again, and seated himself with his retinue overagainst us, and presented us with some dried Cicer Pease (whereof I have made mention before) and some Cibebs mixed together, which we thankfully received; and to shew our thankfulness, we presented him again with some Almonds, Figs, Nuts, and some very good sweat-meats we had brought with us from _Aleppo_, which he also received very kindly. So we all began to eat each of us part of his present, and drunk with it some water of the _Euphrates_. After we had eat them all, and we thought the time to be long, he beckon’d to one of his Musicians, and bid him to divert us with his instrument, which he pulled out presently (which about the neck looked very like unto a cittern) and we expected to hear some rarity, but when I looked upon it, and saw it had but one string that was as big as a cord of their bows, he began to play some of their tunes, but with what art and dexterity you may easily fancy. He did this for almost two hours, and according to his opinion very harmoniously, but we thought the time so long, that we were very glad when he had done.

About the river I found that sort of _Acacia_ that beareth roundish and brown-coloured pods, called _Schock_ and _Scamuth_ by the _Arabians_: Some thorns called _Algul_, whereon the Manna falleth, chiefly in the county of _Corascen_, as _Avicenna_ tells us. _Chamesyces_, some strange kinds of mosses, which are very much differing in bigness: Among the rest I saw the low prickly herb, by some esteemed to be the _Tragun_ of _Dioscorides_. Below, close to the river, I found the _Herba Sacra_ of _Dioscorides_, which the learned _Carolus Clusius_ hath accurately described in his _History of Outlandish Plants_, book ii. chap. 45. and just by these, more strange ones, chiefly a delicate one growing plentifully there in the sand, which had from five to eight tender stalks, which spread themselves into others that were very full of joints, so that it crept rather on the ground than grew up; by each of them stood three or four roundish Marjoram or _Origanum_ leaves together, and above between them some star like white flowers, with six pointed leaves like unto our _Ornithogalum_, each of them on a peculiar foot-stalk, the seeds thereof I have not seen, but the roots are small and fibrous, which together with their small bitterness have a pretty exsiccating quality; and so in this respect are very like unto the _Polycemon_ of _Dioscorides_, but whether it be the same or no, I leave the learned to decide. Besides those before as we came down the river, I saw a great many large Tamarisk trees, and abundance of a certain kind of _Agnus Castus_, almost like unto the other, only a great deal less, and it had no more but three strong Claver leaves; but above all the _Galega_, called Goats-rue in our language, which in these parts groweth very high, and in so great plenty, that on the river-side I could see nothing but this for several miles together.

CHAP. IV.

_Of the Inhabitants of the mountains, and the great wilderness we came through to ~Deer~: Of their ancient origination, and miserable and laborious livelihood._

Upon this good and severe command of the _Bashaw_, son of _Mahomet Bashaw_, we were acquitted of our long arrest, and went away about noon on the 27th of _September_; we went again from thence through such great desarts, that for some days we saw nothing worth relating, but here and there little huts made of some erected boughs, and covered with some bushes, wherein the _Moors_ with their families live, to secure themselves from the great heat, rain and dews that are in these parts most violent, so that I admired how these miserable people could maintain themselves and so many children in these dry and sandy places where nothing was to be had. Wherefore these poor people are very naked, and so hungry that many of them if they saw us afar off, would fling themselves into the great river, and swim to us to fetch a piece of bread. And when we flung at them whole handfulls, they would snap at it just like hungry fish or ducks, and eat it: Others did gather it and put it into the crown which they make neatly of their sheets on the top of their heads, and so swim away with it. After these sandy desarts had continued a great while, we came at length out of them between high, rough and bare hills, which were so barren that there was to be seen neither plough-lands nor meadows, neither house nor stick, neither high-way nor footh-path, wherefore those people that live there, have no houses, but caves and tents, as they have in the great desarts, where because of the great heat and dryness, the soil is so barren, that they cannot subsist in a place for any considerable time, nor have villages or certain habitations: Wherefore they wander up and down, fall upon the caravans and plunder them, and make what shift they can to get a livelihood. These mountains, as I am informed, reach to the river _Jordan_, the _Dead_ and the _Red-Seas_, &c. wherein are situated mount _Sinai_, _Horeb_, &c. and the town _Petra_, which by the prophet _Isaiah_ is called _Petra of the Desarts_. The _Arabians_ that live in these desarts, and round about them, are extraordinary marks-men for bows and arrows, and to fling darts which are made of canes: They are a very numerous people, and go out in great parties every where almost: They are a very ancient nation, and come from the sons of _Ishmael_, but chiefly from his eldest son _Nebajoth_, and were anciently called the war-like _Nabathees_, and their country, the land or province of the _Nabathees_, which _Josephus_ testifieth in _Book_ i. _Chap._ 21. where he says, that the twelve sons of _Ishmael_, which he had by an _Egyptian_ wife, (his mother _Agar_, from whom they were called _Agarens_, as you may see in the first of the _Chronicles_ and the sixth verse, being also of the same country,) were possessed of all the country between the _Euphrates_ and the _Red-Seas_, and called it the province of the _Nabathees_. The _Midianites_ that bought _Joseph_ of his brethren, and carried him into _Egypt_, may also be reckoned among these. This same country is also chiefly by _Pliny_ (because thereabout are no other habitations, but tents, wherein the inhabitants, live) called _Scenitis_. From this we may conclude that the prophet _Isaiah_ in his 60th Chapter, and _David_ in the 120th _Psalm_ did speak of them, when chiefly the latter maketh mention of the tents of _Kedar_, whereby he understands a country that is inhabited by such a nation, as liveth in tents, and is derived from _Kedar_ the son of _Ishmael_, whom his father _Abraham_, as a strange child born by his maid _Agar_, did thrust out together with his mother into the desarts; his words are these, _Wo is me, that I sojourn in ~Mesheck~, that I dwell in the tents, of Kedar._ In our times these and other nations are called the _Saracens_, which have very much encreased under _Mahomet_ (who by his Mother was an _Ishmaelite_) and did spread very much; and so they were in _David_’s time a very strong nation, wherefore he prayeth very earnestly in his 83d _Psalm_, that God would punish and slay and disperse them, as enemies of his holy church. But that I may come to our former Intention again, here the _Arabians_ again asked us very often, where their King was at that time, so that our master had business enough to answer them; whereby you may observe what great respect and love they have for their King. But that they might not altogether look upon us as outlandish men, nor presently discern us to be strangers, we did sometimes when there was occasion for it, change our turbants, and let one end thereof according to their fashion hang down, which they do to make themselves a shade against the heat, that is very cruel in these countries. But yet if any body, be he who he will, doth enquire after their King, and wants to come before him, to present him with a suit of cloaths, _&c._ or to desire a pass from him, or if one should go about to hire one of them, to shew him the way to a certain place, or through their country which he may do for a very small price, he would soon find one or other that would be ready to do it; but among the _Turks_ there is no such obedience; for if you should desire any thing of them to do in the name of their _Sultan_, they are not willing to do it, except it would redound to their great profit. Wherefore a _Turkish_ guide to conduct you would cost you a great deal more than one of them. Besides, they also remember their master daily, and hardly speak of any thing but of him, his great riches, _&c._ but with such pride and greatness, chiefly when they speak of his powerfulness, and enlarging of his kingdom, as if some share of these were belonging to them, and that they must be respected for it. In this navigation through the great desarts, we two did not spend much, because the towns were at so great a distance from one another that we could not reach them, to provide our selves daily necessaries (as we do in our country on the _Danube_ and _Rhine_) or lodgings. We were necessitated to be contented with some slight food or other, and make a shift with curds, cheese, fruits, honey, _&c._ and to take any of these with some bread for a good entertainment. The honey in these parts is very good, and of a whitish colour, whereof they take in their caravans and navigations great leathern bottles full along with them; this they bring you in small cups, and put a little butter to it, and so you eat it with biskets. By this dish I often remembred St _John_ the _Baptist_, the fore-runner of our Lord, how he also did eat honey in the desarts, together with other food. Besides this when we had a mind to feast our selves, some ran, as soon as our master had landed at night, to fetch some wood, and others in the mean time made a hole in the ground on the shoar, in the nature of a furnace, to boil our meat. So every company dressed accordingly what they had a mind to, or what they had laid up in store; some boil’d rice, others ground corn _&c._ And when they had a mind to eat new bread instead, or for want of biskets, they made a paste of flower and water, and wrought it into broad cakes about the thickness of a finger, and put them in a hot place on the ground, heated on purpose by fire, and covered it with ashes and coals, and turned it several times until it was enough. These cakes were very savory and good to eat. Some of the _Arabians_ have in their tents stones or copper-plates made on purpose to bake them. On the 4th day, being the last of _September_, about noon, we came to the end of the mountains, before which without, on this side, lieth a very strong citadel, on a high hill, built three square, by the inhabitants called _Seleby_, whereof two points go downwards towards the river, and the third upward a great way on the mountain, so that in it’s situation it is very like unto _Baden_ in _Switzerland_. Although it is demolished, yet it is still very strong in it’s walls, that are to be seen at the top and on the sides, chiefly towards the hills, and the river side, to hinder the passage both by water and land. There are also still standing some watch-houses without, as you come towards it near the mountains, which may hold three or four souldiers: yet it lieth still to this day in ruins, and so desolated, that nothing but birds and beast inhabit it; whereof a great many appeared on the river side, as _Herns_, _Ducks_, that were very large and of a delicate colour, and others among which were some of a white colour, called _Pelicans_ by _Aristotle_, and _Onocrotali_ by others, which are as big as _Swans_; the prophet _Zephaniah_ maketh also mention of them in his second chapter, when he prognosticated the punishment that was to come to the _Ninevites_, _Assyrians_ and _Moors_; there also appeared some quite black with long necks; whereof I did see abundance in my travels into the _Land of Promise_, and especially near _Acon_ among the rocks and crags of the sea; as far as I could discern them at a distance; they seemed to be a kind of a _Sea-Eagle_[1], that feed more upon fish than any thing else. Six miles lower, and at the other side of the _Euphrates_, lieth still another fortification, which is called _Subiau Seleby_, that is, lower _Seleby_, on a very high bank, and seeing that we sailed very near it, I could not well discover it. Of these two which way they were besieged and taken; and also of the way of government, or ruling of the Kings of _Arabia_, &c. I should have been very glad to have been a little better informed, but the language wherewith I was not well acquainted, did hinder me. And suppose I should have understood it very well, or enough to have made an enquiry after those particulars, yet I could not have done it without great danger, to have been taken for a spy; for they soon suspect outlandish men on every little occasion, which those that trade in these parts have often experienced not without great loss and danger. Beyond the mountains in the low country we saw more tilled grounds, and habitations of the _Arabians_ than we had done before, wherefore our master landed sooner than he used to do, near a village, to take in provision for our farther journey, where the people brought flesh and _Indian Melons_ to us to sell. Here it happened, that about midnight, one of the _Turkish_ souldiers went out to ease himself on the river side; and when he was busy about it, a _Moor_ came creeping along to him, and thrust him into the river before he was aware of it, and run away. The _Turk_ finding himself in the _Euphrates_, fell a crying out for help; I hearing him, standing centinel that night did not fail him, but made what haste I could, with my scymeter in my hand, followed his voice, and came to the place, although it was very dark, drew him out, and brought him into the ship, which was so kindly taken by the rest of the _Turks_, that I got mightily into their favour, and received many kindnesses of them all the way until we came to _Bagdet_, the garrison which they went to reinforce.

The first of _October_ when our Voyage went on again, there came early in the morning a post of six _Arabians_ on horseback to the river side to inquire of us whither their King was gone, or where we thought they might find him; they had received letters for him from the Sultan, wherefore they must follow him until they found him. The master of our ship told them, as he did to every body that ask’d him, that we had seen him in _Mesopotamia_, which province he call’d _Amanachar_, that he was broken up with his Men to go back into _Arabia_, where they would find him. After this relation they departed, and we went on our way, and soon saw below a town to our right at a distance, call’d _Seccard_, very well situated on an ascent, belonging to the King of _Arabia_, wherefore some of the _Turks_ said, that none but _Haramiquiber_, that is, _great Thieves_, lived in it, which they do out of spight to all them that are subject to any other master than their Sultan. This town we passed by, and went directly towards _Deer_ another town, whence we were then three leagues distant, yet they do not account their distances by leagues, for they know little or nothing of it, but rather reckon by days journeys, for their towns are so situated at such a distance, that they have sometimes to go through divers wildernesses, several days, more or less, before they arrive there. Before we came thither, one of the ships in our company did go too much towards one side, toward a branch of the river, that runs by the town, for it divideth itself into several branches, where it got into the mud and stuck. Our master seeing this, landed immediately, and did send his men to help them. So I got time to look about for the strange plants, and found there about the river many Tamarisk-trees, also a peculiar sort of Willow, which the inhabitants still call by it’s ancient _Arabian_ name _Garb_. These trees do not grow high, but spread very much; the twigs thereof are stronger and not so tough, as to make bands or withs as ours will; the bark is of a pale yellow colour, and so are the leaves, which are long and about two fingers broad, and at the edges round about crenated, so that they are very much differing from the rest of this kind. I found them to be of a pretty drying and astringent quality. Of their flowers and fruit, whereof _Avicenna_ maketh mention in his 126th and 686th chap. I can say nothing, because I saw none. Hereabouts the _Turk_, that would not stay until we were cleared, but went away before us, suffer’d shipwreck, and so lost a great deal of his corn, that he intended to carry to _Bagdat_, call’d _Baldac_, to sell it in the great scarcity, which was occasion’d for want of rain, for there fell none in the space of two years and an a half. And yet, as they say, if it raineth but twice or thrice a year, they have enough to supply themselves. After our men had wrought longer than an hour together with theirs, until they had emptied the ships, they came to us again to go that night to _Deer_. But there being several rocks before it, which were very dangerous to pass, some of their pilots, that understood the depths, came out to meet, and did help us, so that we got safe there. The town of _Deer_, which is not very big, and belongs to the Sultan, is situated on this side of the river, on an ascent, and is pretty well built with houses, (whereon stood great numbers of people when we into it, to see us) but as for the walls and ditches, they are but very slight. At our first arrival, we thought we should soon get clear for the custom with the Armin, and ship off again, but he was not in town, so that we were forced to stay three days for his coming. In the mean time we got acquaintance with the inhabitants, which were handsome, lusty and well set, and white, and more mannerly than the rest; they visited us frequently, and spoke kindly to us, so that we found a vast difference between those and the former. The Armin also, who was no less civil, we presented at his return, with a great dish fill’d up with Cibebs, and several sorts of confectures, and laid round about with soap-balls, as is the fashion in these countries; but to them that were with him and of his family, we gave some sheets of white paper, which they willingly received, and were so well pleased with it, that some of them (as the children do in our country, when we give them something that is strange or pleasing to them) smiled at it as often as they look’d on it. The country thereabouts is pretty fertile and plentiful of corn, _Indian_ millet, cotton, _&c._ and they have also between the rivers very good gardens for the kitchen, with all sorts of plants and fruits in them, _viz._ Colliflowers, Citruls, Pumpions, Cucumbers, Anguries or Water-melons, which they call _Bathiecæ_, whereof they have so many that you may buy forty great ones for one Asper, whereof three make a Medin, much about the value of our penny. There were also some Date-trees, Limon and Citron, and other trees, which I could not distinguish at a distance.

CHAP. V.

_Of our Voyage to the famous town ~Ana~, in which we passed again through great sandy wildernesses; for the performance thereof we must provide ourselves with victuals, and be very careful in our navigation: Some relation of the inhabitants, of their cloaths, and other things we did observe and see by the way, and what else did happen unto us._

After we had paid the custom to the Armin, who was a great deal more civil than he at _Racka_, and provided ourselves with all necessaries, we did but half load our ships, to draw them out of the branch again into the river, and then we carry’d the rest to them by boats and small ships, for the water was very low and full of mud, so that we went from thence on the fourth day of _October_ in the evening, and so staid all night, a little below _Deer_.

The next morning our navigation proceeded very well till noon, when we came to a very broad and shallow place of the river, that our master did not know which way to get through. When he was thus troubled and considering, there appeared on the hight on the shoar some _Arabians_, and shewed us the course we must take, but we durst not trust them, for we had heard before that they had sunk some great stones there, and that a month before they had persuaded a ship to go that way which did not discover their cheat, until their ship after several hard knocks did split in pieces and sink. The same they would have served others, which, although they did not follow their counsel yet they came into such danger, that they could not deliver themselves out of it in a whole days time. We (thanks be to God) got sooner through than in an hour, after we had drawn our ship a little back into the deep stream to the great admiration of the _Arabians_: But the other in our company did not stick much longer, yet we had more to do to get her off, because she was shorter with a hollow bottom, wherefore she was sooner turned, but could not be got out so well as ours which was flat bottom’d. In the evening very early we saw at a great distance on the other side in _Mesopotamia_, a castle in the plain called _Sere_, which the _Arabians_, as they say, have many years ago demolished, which the river _Chabu_, which is pretty large, runs by, which beginneth not much above the castle (which one may guess by it’s fresh water like unto fountain-water) and runs a little way below into the river _Euphrates_. From thence we thought to have reached _Errachaby_, a town belonging to the King of _Arabia_, but being hindred in our navigation, as is abovementioned, we landed a little above this before the night befel us, and went the next morning early to the before-mentioned town, which was pretty large, and lay about half a league from the river in a very fruitful country, where we staid until the next day to sell some goods there. Wherefore two of ours went into the town to call out some of their Merchants to trade with them.

After they had spent that whole day with them, we went off the next morning early toward _Schara_, a little village which lieth on the right hand half a league distant from the river belonging to the King of _Arabia_, where we landed to pay the usual custom. All about the sides and the river, I saw a great many bushes and trees. I would fain have been at them to discern what they were, that I might have viewed them exactly, but I was forced to stay in the ship and so I missed them. From _Schara_ our navigation went on for several days very well, but chiefly through sandy desarts which were as large as any we had before passed; for they extended sometimes so far, that we could not see the end of them; and they were so dry, that you could see neither plough, land nor meadow, tree, nor bush, leaf, nor grass, nor path to go in; wherefore these may very well be called desarts, which are also called the sandy seas. First you must expect there great storms, as well as in the seas, which cause waves in the sand as well as at sea; then those that go in great caravans through them, must have their leader or pilot, by them called _Caliphi_, as well as those at sea, who knows how to direct their way by the compass, as pilots do on shipboard. Then they provide themselves, because the way is very long through them, with victuals for a long time, as well as those that go by sea, wherefore they load generally the third part of their camels with provisions, chiefly with water to refresh themselves and their beasts in the great heat of the sun, for throughout all the desarts there is never a spring to be found, except one should light by chance on a cistern, which yet are also generally dry, for nothing but the rain filleth them. The _Turkish_ Emperors have ordered 30000 of these cisterns to be dug in the ground in these desarts (as I was informed when I was at _Aleppo_) and to be provided with water, that their armies when they marched from place to place in those times when they had war with the Kings of _Persia_ or _Arabia_, _&c._ might not want for water, and if one should be empty they might perhaps find some in the others. In these wildernesses I saw nothing worth speaking of, but on the 9th of _October_, some ancient turrets that stood upon the high banks on a point called _Eusy_, where, as some say, hath been formerly a famous town. Thereabouts the river taketh so large a circumference, that we went longer than half a day, before we could pass it. By the same river below us, we saw on the other side of it several _Arabians_ on horseback; and nothing else remarkable, but as I have told you before, some small huts of the _Moors_, who came to see us often, but chiefly at night time to pilfer something, which they are used to from their infancy. Wherefore it behoved us to have great care, and to keap a good watch, as I did find it the same night: For when it was come to my turn to stand centinel again, which I commonly did in the hindermost part of the ship on high, that I might espy the thieves the sooner if any should come, I laid down by me a good cudgel, as we all used to do every time, so I lay down and wrap’d myself up in a frize coat with hanging sleeves to it, to keep myself from the frost and dew, which are very frequent and violent there. After long watching, I began to be drowsy and fell asleep, a thief came through the water to the ship, where I was laid down very silently, and took hold of one of my sleeves that hung down, in hopes to draw out the coat gently, not knowing that I was in it: So I was sensible that somebody was there that would steal the coat, and got up, and seeing the head of the rogue, I took hold of my long cudgel to have a blow at him; but he was too nimble for me, swam back and ran away: The rest that lay by me were awakened at this, and did perceive that I had seen somebody, but did not know the particulars, so they were very glad that I had frightened away the thief, and gave me thanks for my great care and diligent watching. As the _Moors_ by night follow their robbery, so they came by daylight often with their wives to trade with us. Wherefore our master sometimes to please some Merchants did sooner land, who took all sorts of goods out with him, as soap-balls, beads of chrystal, and yellow agates, glass rings of several colours, which they wear on their hands and feet; and several other toys made of red, yellow, green and blue glass; and set in tin, brass, or lead, high shoes, which are tied with leathern straps at the top, _&c._ for these goods they truck’d with the _Moors_ for sheep’s skins, buck’s skins, cheese-curds, and several other things, and sometimes for money. These _Moors_ do not differ much in their form from our gypsies, only that these are a good deal browner. They are very nimble in their actions, but they do not much care to work; they rather spend their time in idle discourses, or begin to quarrel with one another with loud and big words, and a great clamour, but seldom are so much in earnest as to come blows. Their heads are shaved saving only the crown, where they let generally a long lock grow, like unto the _Turks_, that hangeth down behind. As to their cloathing, they wear coats made of course stuff, whole before, and without sleeves; they are pretty long before, and reach to their knees, such an one I wore on my journey, striped with white and black; underneath they have long shirts, which are cut out about the necks and reach down to their ankles; they are commonly blue, and have wide sleeves which they let fly about chiefly in their walking, when they fling their arms about to shew their pride. These shirts they gird up with broad leathern girdles so high, that you cannot see the girdle but only their bended dagger that sticks or hangs in them as we wear our swords. The archers put sometimes one of their arms out of their shirts, and so leave their breast bare at the same time, that they may shoot and fight the freer without being hindred; those that are not able to buy shoes, take instead of them necks of undressed skins, and put them about their feet with the hair outwards, and so tie or lace them up. The men wear no breeches, but the women do, and they come down to their ankles. Their faces are not veiled as the _Turkish_ womens, but else they cover themselves with broad scarfs, which more incline to blue than to white, and let them (chiefly those that wear narrow ones) hang behind in a great knot. When they have a mind to be fine, they put on their precious things, as are marbles, amber beads, glasses of several colours, _&c._ fixed to laces and hang them down their temples, which come down about a span long, and fly about from face to neck, so that in bending or moving their head, they often hurt their face, and do not a little hinder them in their actions. Those that are of greater substance, and have a mind to be richer and finer in their dress, wear silver and gold rings in one of their nostrils (as some do in one of their ears in our country) wherein are set garnets, turquois, rubies and pearls, _&c._ They also wear rings about their legs and hands, and sometimes a good many together, which in their stepping and working, slip up and down about their hands and feet, and so make a great noise. So much I thought convenient to relate of the inhabitants of these countries and desarts, as I have seen and found it.

After we had passed through the great desarts, and began to come pretty near unto _Ana_, our master landed early in the evening in a very pleasant place which was about a league and a half on this side of the town where we staid all night; for the river is very dangerous to navigate because of it’s swift current and some rocks that lie between the mountains. This place was so pleasant by reason of it’s fruitful trees, _viz._ olive trees, orange, citron, limon, pomegranate, and chiefly date trees, that the like I had not seen before in my travels, and hard by it was a very thick wood of date trees, whereinto I went with some of our company, and found so great a quantity of fruit that they did not esteem them at all, and among them we found two new sorts different from them that use to be brought to us in our countries, _viz._ quite red, and yellow ones, by _Serapio_ called _Hayron_, in his 69th chapter; which although something less than ours, yet are very good, and of a delicate taste.

The next morning we recommended the ship to the master, and walked (the ship being pretty well laden) to the town. By the way we found concerning fruitfulness so great a difference, that we could really say, we were come from the barren and desolated _Arabia_ (which hitherto had continued from _Dir_, nay very near from _Aleppo_) into the well cultivated and fruitful one. For just in the very entrance there appeared fields sown with cotton, which was as tender and woolly, as one could any where find: Then delicate fields of corn which grew very high, and was full ripe, and fit to be cut down: Then trees that stood round about full of fruit, so that we had a very pleasant walk to the town. In this way I saw no strange plants at all, only in the corn the _Moluchi_ of the _Arabians_, whereof I have made mention before, which is esteemed to be the _Corcorum Plinii_; and also another, which because of it’s height is easily seen; this is very like unto the _Sesamum_, only that the stalk is longer and fatter, the leaves are rougher, and the uppermost ones are cut in three different ones, which is not to be seen in the uppermost leaves of the _Sesamum_, the leaves whereof are more like unto willow leaves both in length and colour: Between the leaves that stand singly about the stalk one above the other, sprout out stately flowers, which are yellow without, and intermix’d with red veins, and of a purple brown colour within, and have a long style or pointel in the middle thereof; when these are fallen off, there grow long pods out of them, about a finger long and thin, which are hairy without, pointed towards the top, and have five distinctions within, wherein the seeds are contained (which are very like unto the sort of malva that is called _Abutilon_) and are placed in good order one above the other. I did very much enquire after this plant, but they know no other name for it, but _Lubie Endigi_, that is, _Indian_ kidney-beans: But according to my knowledge, I rather take it to be the _Trionum_, whereof _Theophrastus_ maketh mention in several places.