Part 9

About the river up a hill, I found a tender and fragrant herb with long and white roots, of a pretty acrimonious taste, it’s leaves were like unto our Coriander, only somewhat rounder, and not so much cut, but only a little about the edges; I found no stalks nor flowers, for it was early in the year, and about Easter, which is the time of their first springing, these they call’d _Zarneb Melchi_, and the inhabitants dig so many of these roots, that they send yearly several chests full into _Persia_, where they use them, as I am inform’d, very frequently in pains of their backs, and all other accidental pains: As far as I can see, when I look upon the leaves, I reckon it to be the third sort of _Daucus_ of _Diosc._ A little lower, as you come to the plow’d fields, I found also the second kind of _Chondrilla_ of _Diosc._ with round roots of a smooth and dark yellowish colour, perhaps at the top half an inch thick, and five or eight long, whereon at the end where it is thinnest, hangs another round root of the bigness of a Chest-nut, which are so full of milk, that they are ready to crack; at top, where it is divided into three parts, sprout out many long and small grass leaves together, which lie flat upon the ground; between them come out yellow flowers like unto those of _auricula muris_, each whereof hath it’s peculiar stalk.

Not far from it, yet in rougher and stonier ground, groweth another _Chondrilla_, which is like unto that former in all parts, only the leaves thereof are broader, and more woolly, and of an ash colour, very like unto the _Holostium_ of _Montpellier_. As you go to the Grand Signior’s garden, about a small mile from the town, at the road, I found a good many plants, _viz._ _Draba Dioscorid._ call’d _Orobanche Halinu_, _Spina solstitialis_, a kind of _Carduus Mariæ_; wild Cucumbers, by them call’d _Adiural hamar_; _Xyphium_, _Peplium_, _Heliotropium tri coccum Caroli Clusii_, and also his _Paronychia Hispanica_, and his third _Lichnis_, with pale and red purple-colour’d flowers; _Coris Matth._ with yellow flowers; two delicate sorts of _Geraniums_; and upon old walls I found a little _Rauckel_ with pale-colour’d flowers, _Umbilicus Veneres_, and a great many more. I cannot leave unmention’d those that grow round about in the fields, and chiefly amongst them a _Medica_, with dissected trifoliated leaves; and many more, whereof some have long and streight, and others many bended pods, in a cluster together. I also found one with many white and hoary heads, which look’d almost like unto _Lagopodium_, and another little one with green-colour’d pods pressed together, so long and so broad as those of _Senna_, which were a great ornament to the whole plant. And also thereabouts are found many sorts of corn-flowers, quite different from ours; _Papaver erratic_, in their language call’d _Schuck_, of which they make a conserve with sugar, and use it in coughs; _Papaver corniculatum_ with stately purple flowers. I found also there _Eryngium_, with blewish tops and starr’d heads; two sorts of _Henbane_, whereof one that groweth in the fields hath red and purple-coulour’d flowers, the others which I found in the town upon the old walls had white ones, by the Latins call’d _Apollinaris_. Much thereabouts in the corn grew the less _Melampyrum_, by them call’d _Paponesck_, which at the top beareth thick, yellow flowers, very like unto the _Melampyrum Tragi_; _Item_ the second kind of wild Cumin, with yellow flowers, and long bended pods; _Poterion Matth._ by the inhabitants call’d _Megasac_, which they stick up in their chambers, to keep them from being bewitch’d. A delicate sort of _Horminum_, with small woolly and dissected leaves, a Garden-cypress with gold-colour’d flowers; _Scabiosa_, _Anchusa_, and a _Salvia_, which hath many roundish leaves, and about their square stalks grow purple-coloured bells, wherein is it’s black seed, like unto that of _Melissa Molucca_, whereof I have made mention above. In the corn also groweth _Leontopetalon_, in their language _Aslab_, with it’s brown-colour’d round root and large leaves, which are roundish and very near divided like unto those of our _Pæonia_; the stalk hath at the top, which is about a foot high, and hollow, more twiggs, whereof the point of each of them beareth several small purple and yellow flowers, which make roundish bladders, that contain one, two, and sometimes three seeds, the children use to play their tricks with them as they do with the flowers of _Papaver erraticum_ in our country. The great roots they bruise, and rub with it spots in cloaths, which, as they say, they draw out immediately.

By these in the corn groweth also the true _Chrysogonum_ of _Diosc._ which is as high as the former, and also in flowers, stalks, and roundish root, which is redder within, very like it, only the stalk is slenderer, and hath more and longer by-shots, or _germina_, at the end whereof you see stately yellow flowers, so that it is thicker, and more spriggy than the other; it’s pennated leaves, whereof there are commonly four that come from the root with long foot-stalks almost as slender as a thread, lie close to the ground, as you may easily imagine, and have every one their ribs, two and two leaves growing together on each side, one after another, so that four of them stand together in a cross; they are darkish green, and at the out-side, where they are broader, very like unto Oaken leaves. Now, as these and others, that grow in these countries, are as yet very little known, so may also the following, that groweth in plow’d fields, be reckon’d among the unknown, which is very like unto the _Lycopsis_ of _Diosc._ for which, in my opinion, it ought to be taken.

This plant hath a red coat, and a straight stalk about two foot high, from whence round about below spread themselves many strong and rough leaves in a circle, as if it were from one center; not unlike the wild Bugloss, they decrease a little by degrees, as they grow higher and higher; out of each of them, close to the stalk, sprout out many twigs, with their peculiar small leaves, as you see in _Echium_; between them shoot out very tender purple-coulour’d flowers, which are whole within, and divided into six small or longish leaves, almost like unto these of the _Caryophillus montanus_. In the beginning of February I have seen several sorts of Hyacinths, and the _Oriental_ one in the greatest quantity, which they call _Zumbel_ in their language. In April I saw another very delicate one, known to them by the name _Ayur_, with long and very small leaves of our _Philangium_; it groweth pretty high, and beareth at the top four stalky flowers; the leaves thereof are very like in shape and colour unto the three leaves that stand up in our Flower de Luce; the root is very like to that of a Tulip, wherof I have also seen a great number in these grounds of all sorts of colours. I have also found some Daisies like unto our own, and also another sort of them with nine or ten white Saffron-flowers, which sprout sooner in the spring in the corn, not so bare as ours, but between the leaves. The leaves are pretty thick, but narrower, longer, and narrower pointed than the before-mention’d; they also spread more about upon the ground, and come from a white coat with a brown-red skin, surrounded and divided in the middle, it is call’d _Kusan_ in their tongue, but by some others it is still call’d _Surugen_.

These and a great many more strange herbs have I found, but because they were unknown to me, I forbear to mention any more of them. But yet I cannot but describe to you one more, for the taking of which I and my two comrades fell into great danger, as we often did, both of _Turks_ and _Moors_, which needs not all to be related here; this is call’d by the inhabitants _Rhasut_ and also _Rumigi_; it hath a strong yet unpleasant savour, and about four stalks of a whitish colour, and so tender towards the root, and so small as a pack-thread, whereon at each side grow seven or eight tender ash-colour’d leaves one against the other, distributed like unto those of _Osmond-royal_, only they have round ears towards the stalk, like unto the small Sage, and between the lowermost, which are a little more distant, flowers like unto our _Aristolochia_, yet a great deal bigger, of a more brownish colour, and hanging on longer stalks. The root striketh very deep, and is very like unto our _Pellitory_, of a drying quality, and somewhat hot, as the bitter taste intimates. When I was busy about this tender plant, and strove to get it out whole, which took me up the more time, because I had no proper tools by me, a _Turk_ well arm’d came galloping upon us, to see what we were doing; but when we perceived him to be fuddled, and that he earnestly set upon us, to make booty of us, each of us gave him something, according to his desire, seeing that he would not leave us without, that so we might get rid of him; then he rode very well pleased out of our sight, and we took no farther care of him. But before I could get the root quite out, he came back again with full speed upon us, so I bid my comrades to run to the next Olive-trees, and I would follow them presently; but when I saw him come pretty near me, and found I could not get the plant whole, I pull’d it up as well as I could, and so ran to my companions. But when I came to the Olive-trees, I found they were run several Olive-trees farther, which stand row by row, and found myself quite alone and destitute, and that I must defend myself behind the tree; so he came down upon me with his scymeter drawn, and fetch’d one blow after the other at me, which I still declined, running from one side of the tree to the other, so that they went into the tree and mangled it mightily. In the mean time defending myself thus unarm’d against him, I took a resolution, that if he should take hold of his bow and arrow to shoot at me, which he could not do, except he left his scymeter, to run in upon him, and struggle with him; but this fight during very long, and perhaps his anger did not give him leave to think of it, I found out another way; knowing them to be very covetous, to make myself free again with a piece of money, and to give him a small silver piece, which in their language they call _Saict_, worth about three pence or a groat, so pull’d it out, and shew’d it him, still standing behind the tree; as soon as he saw it, he gave over, and beckon’d to me to give it him so I stepp’d to him, and when I reach’d it to him, he took it. But my table-book fell out of my pocket when I pull’d out the money, upon the ground, wherein I had recorded many things, which when he saw he would have it also, but I refusing it, he grew mad, and began to renew the same game again; then I repented that I did not dismount him when I gave him the money; yet I consider’d that if I should have done him a mischief, as he deserved, yet although I had never so good a cause, I was sure I must be cast, and perhaps to come to a greater mischief and hurt; so I gave it him, and after he had received it he was pacify’d and rode away.

But to come to my former purpose again: I found about the river the other _Tragium Diosc._ in the plough’d ground, and afterwards also in abundance upon the hill, but generally in moist places, near to the spring that runs down the hill; it’s root is whitish, pretty long and slender, from thence spread themselves some woody stalks, not above a little finger long, whereon grew towards the top many leaves together, which were long, and had of each side of their ribs small leaves, one opposite to the other, which were divided, just like the _Trichomanes_, only somewhat longer, about the bigness of those of _Asplenium_, and are, as they, delicately green within, but without, and against the ground, of an ash-colour, and woolly, chiefly the small ones, that are just sprouting out between the others. Out of these first-mention’d stems come first naked long stalks, upon which grow at the top violet-brown flowers close together, as if it was an ear of corn; the inhabitants call it _Secudes_, and so did the ancient _Arabians_, chiefly _Avicenna_ in the 679th chap. where he also attributeth this Virtue, that it is very proper in the bloody-flux.

In their gardens the _Turks_ love to raise all sorts of flowers, wherein they take great delight, and use to put them on their turbant, so I could see the fine plants that blow one after another daily, without trouble. In _December_, I saw our violets with dark-brown and white flowers, whereof they gave me in that season several nose-gays. Then came the Tulips, Hyacinths, Narcisses, which they still name by the old name _Nergis_. Before all other I saw a rare kind with a double yellow flower, call’d _Modaph_, and a strange _Convolvulus hederæ foliis_, with great purple flowers, whereout grew seed-vessels, as you see in the new _Harmala_, with three distinct _Capsula_’s, wherein is kept it’s black seed, to which they attribute the virtue of evacuating tough slime. This is found sometimes in gardens, and by the inhabitants call’d _Hasnisca_, and the _Persians_ _Acafra_, and _Serapio_ chap. 273. _Habalnil_; the _Latins_, _Granum Indicum_, and _Carthamus Indicus_, and he that hath a mind to know more of it, let him look into the author himself, in the above-mention’d place, in the 306th chap. of _Avicenna_ and the 208th of _Rhasis_. I also found in their gardens, Balm, Basil, and a fine sort of Amaranthus, which for his colour’s sake may be call’d _Symphonia Plinii_, and therefore call’d parrots feather.

I cannot forbear, before I conclude, to mention some which I found here and there in the _Batzars_, and among them a strange sort of Lillies, which as I am told grow in sunny, moory, mossy, and moist places; whereon groweth a long stalk of the same colour and thickness of ours, only a great deal broader, but broadest of all at top, where it is about three fingers broad, so that it is like unto a Spatula that is painted at one end; on this stalk grow at each side several tender leaves, which are pretty long, but very small and pointed, and at the top thereof some white flowers like unto ours. When I was thinking of this at several times, what they were call’d by the ancients, it came into my mind, that I had read of them in _Theophrastus_, _lib. 4. cap. 9._ and I really believe it to be the same. But whereas _Theophrastus_ writes in the quoted place, that they do not touch the ground, I can say nothing to it, for I never saw any of them growing. They have also some small roots to sell, call’d _Mamirani tchini_, good for eyes, as they say; they are yellowish like _Curcuma_, but a good deal longer, and thinner, and knotted, and very like unto our _Poligonatum_, and may be esteem’d the true _Mamican_, whereof _Rhasis_ maketh mention in several places. There is also among others brought a great quantity of the juice of _Scammony_, that is still very soft, it cometh in leathern bags from out of the country, and so it is sold to our Merchants in their _Fondiques_; but those that buy it must have a great care, because it is often adulterated, that they be not cheated. There is also a good deal of the juice, by the Apothecaries call’d Opium, and by the inhabitants Ofium, which the _Turks_, _Moors_, and _Persians_ and other nations take inwardly not only in war, at the time when they go to fight their enemies, to make them couragious and valiant, but also in time of peace, to drive away melancholly and care, or at least to ease it. Their religious people make also use of it, but above all the rest the _Deruis_, and take so much of it, that it maketh them presently drowsy, and without consideration, that when, after their barbarous and silly way, they cut, slash, or burn themselves, they may feel less smart or pain. If any one hath so begun to make use of it, (they take about the quantity of a large pea at a time) they cannot well leave it off again, except they have a mind to throw themselves into a sickness or other inconveniencies; for, as they confess themselves, that if they omit taking of it, they find themselves very ill in their bodies. Opium is commonly taken from the white Poppy-heads, in their language call’d _Caschasch_, wherein they cut, when they are young and tender, a spiral or winding-circle round about it from top to bottom, one under another; out of those runs some milk, which they let be there until it groweth thick, then they gather it and make it into balls, like unto our perfum’d soap-balls. Being that the _Turks_ use this Opium so commonly, it happens sometimes that they take so much of it, that it is very dangerous; wherefore they have an antidote, as I was inform’d, that is the root Aslab, whereof I have made mention before, which they give to bring them to rights again.

I found also in the great _Batzars_ a sort of _Alga_ sold in their shops, which was dark-red, and therefore very useful for Dyers; it had stalks of the thickness of a finger, and was surrounded with several thin scales, or rather leaves, and round; wherefore it may be taken to be a _Saderva Serab._ and herb _Alargivan_ of _Andreas Bellunensis_, whereof he maketh mention in his Index, where he interpreteth the _Arabian_ words. For a kind of this may also be taken, because it affords a delicate purple colour, that _Alga_ that is found in the seas near _Candia_, and is describ’d by _Theophrastus_ in his fourth book and seventh chap. Lastly, among the rest, I did also enquire after the _Amomum_, and thought, because they were near unto the confines of _Armenia_, that therefore they might easily have it by the Caravans, which come daily from those parts; yet I was forc’d to run a great while after it, till at length I got a little stalk thereof in one shop; they call it by the name of _Hamama_. But of the other, so call’d by _Dioscor._ which is like unto it, and therefore may easily be taken for the right one, they had a great deal. These two small shrubs, altho’ they are very like to one another, yet for all that they may be distinguish’d by their stalks and different colours. Wherefore _Dioscor._ bids us, if we will not be imposed upon, to pick out the bigger and smoother, with it’s noble seed, and to leave the small. This stalk which I found about the length of a finger, is almost of the colour of the bark of the Cinnamon-tree, and also in it’s acrimony and good odour, altho’ it was old, still very strong. At the top had been several woody stalks, close to one another, whereon I believe had been the flowers and Seeds. But the twigs of the other sort, which are crack’d and bended, are of a brown colour, which at the top divide themselves into other less ones like a tree, whereon grow several stalks with little heads, like unto the _Masaron_, or _Marum Syriacum_ from _Crete_, wherein is no great strength nor odour.

Thus much I thought convenient to mention of strange plants, chiefly of those the ancients make mention of, and so I conclude the first part of my _TRAVELS_.

_End of the first Part._

Dr _Leonhart Rauwolff_’s

TRAVELS

INTO THE

Eastern Countries.

Wherein is treated of his Journey from _Aleppo_ thro’ the Famous Town of _Babylonia_, to _Bagdet_; what he saw by the way, and what did befal him in going and coming by Water and by Land. With a brief Account of the high Mount of _Libanus_, of the strange Plants and Inhabitants thereof.

PART. II.

CHAP. I.

_How I departed from ~Aleppo~ to the famous city of ~Bir~, and how I sailed from thence on the ~Euphrates~ to old ~Babylon~._