Part 24

[Grievous and desertuous travelling.] Thence with a new Guide the sequell morne, we marched through a fiery faced plaine, scorch'd with burning heate, and deepe rolling Sand, where diverse of our smallest Beasts perished, with sixe men and Women also in relieving their overwhelmed Asses. Long or midday, having got to a hard height, we pitched our Tents, reposing under their shaddowes till the evening, for wee were not able to indure the intollerable heate of the Sun; and so did wee likewise over-umbrate our selves every mid-day. The vigour of the day gone, and the cooling night come, we advanced forward to the middle Castle, being led by our Guide, and the pale Lady of the night leading him: Where when come, wee found neyther that Fort answerable to the former in strength, nor the Captaine so humane as the other was: Here wee were all offended with the scarcity of Water, the Captayne playing the Villaine, crossed us, because the Caravanship were Christians; at last about mid-night some 30. Arabs, came to us loaden with Water, carried on their backes. To whom we payed for every Caraff, beeing an English quart, three Aspers of silver, ten Aspers going to a shilling: Whereof my kinde Dutch-men drunke too much, the Water being thicke and of a brounish colour; and hot like pisse, offended their over-wained stomackes; which as I supposed, was the chiefest cause the next day of some of their Deaths.

After mid-night, the Turkish Captaine, and our Caravan fell at variance, about Water to our Beasts, who were ready to choake, and if they had not bin prevented with Souldiers on both sides, it had drawne us and them, to a finall mischiefe. The discord unpacified, before the following day, and within night, we imbraced our wilsome and fastidious Way, journying through many dens, and umbragious Caves, over-shaded with mouldring heights; [Savage women having their Child-bed in Caves.] in some whereof we found Savage Women lying in their Barbarous child-bed: having their bodies naked (the fore-face of their Wombe excepted) their beds were made of soft Sand, and over-spread with leaves a foote thicke; whose new borne Babes lying in their armes, were swadled with the same Leaves. And for all their sicknesse, which was very small, they had none of our Wives sugred sops, burnt Wines, Venison pasties, Delicate fare, and great Feasting, nor a moneths lying in, and then Churched, putting their husbands to incompatible charges. No, no, their food is onely Bread, Garlicke, Hearbes, and Water, and on the third or fourth day, in stead of their Churching, they goe with Bowes and Arrowes to the fieldes againe, hunting for spoiles and booties from passing Caravans.

Advancing in our course, we fell downe from the hils in a long bottome of Sand, above sixe miles in length: Wherein with sore Wrestling agaynst the parching Sun, and could get no ground to pitch our Tents to over shade us; three of our Germans, the two Barons, Signior Strouse, and Signior Crushen, with one Signior Thomasio, tumbled downe from their beasts backes starke dead, being [The death of three Germane Gentlemen.] suffocated with the vigorous Sunne, for it was in May, choaked also with extreame drouth, and the reflection of the burning sand; and besides their faire was growne miserable, and their Water worse, for they had never beene acquainted with the like distresse before, though it was alwayes my vade Mecum. Whereupon the Caravan staied and caused cast on their Corpes againe, on their owne beasts backes, and carrying them to the side of a hard Hill, we digged a hollow pit, and disspoyling them of their Turkish cloathes, I did with my owne hands cast them all three one above another, in that same hole, and covering the Corpes with mouldring earth, the Souldiers helped me to role heavy stones above their grave, to the end, that the bloody Jackals should not devoure their corpes; and to conclude this woefull and sorrowfull accident, the other Germanes alive bestowed on me their dead friends Turkish garments, because of my love and diligent care I ever did show them; which one of their empty Mules carried for me to Grand Cairo.

Whence with diverse assaults, and greater paines, accoasting [The third Castle of the desarts.] the third Castle, with as great bewailing the losse of our friends, as we had contentment in our owne safety, we found this third Captayne both humane and hospitable: Who indeede himselfe in person with his Garrison, watched us all night, and had a speciall care in providing Water for us all, propining our Captayne and us eight Frankes before supper, with three roasted Hens, and two Capons: This Turkish Captayne told us there were three inhabited Townes in these Desarts, the chiefest whereof was Sehan, situate on the Red Sea, having a harbor and shipping, that Trade both to Ægypt and Æthiopia, whose commodities are silken stuffes and Spices which they transport from Meccha, and carrie to Melinda, and the afore-sayd places in Affricke: But now least I sinke in Prolixity, discoursing of sinking Sands, and make good the Italian Proverbe, Chi troppo abbracio, nulla stringe, viz. That he who would imbrace too much, can hold nothing fast. I decist from this Journall proceeding, and punctuall Discourse of my laborious Pen, wherein, notwithstanding the Reader (I having layd open more than halfe of the Wildernesse) may (like that learned Geometrician, who finding the length of Hercules foote on the Hill Olympus, drew forth the portraicture of his whole body thereby) easily conjecture by the former Relation, the sequell sight of these Desartuous places; and therefore the rest, I will onely Epitomize in generall till mine arrivall at Saleack on the Confines of Ægypt.

[The bounds of the three Arabias.] Arabia is bounded on the West, with the Red Sea, and the Ægyptian Istmus: On the North with Canaan, Mesopotamia, and a part of Syria: On the East with the Persian gulfe, Caldea, and Assiria: On the South with the great Ocean, and Indian Sea: This Countrey lyeth from the East to the West, in length about 900. and some 3500. miles in compasse. The people generally are addicted to Theft, Rapine, and Robberies: hating all Sciences Mechanicall or Civill, they are commonly all of the second Stature, swift on foote, scelerate, and seditious, boysterous in speech, of colour Tauny, boasting much of their triball Antiquity, and noble Gentry: Notwithstanding their garments be borne with them from the bare Belly, their food also semblable, to their ruvid condition, and as savagiously tame (I protest) as the foure footed Citizens of Lybia: They are not valourous, nor desperate in assaults without great advantage, for a 100. Turkes is truely esteemed to be sufficient enough to incounter 300. Arabs. Their language extendeth it selfe farre both in Asia, and Affricke, in the former, through Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Cilicia, even to the Mount Caucasus: In the latter, through Ægypt, Libia, and all the Kingdomes of Barbary even to Morocco.

This Arabia deserta, is the place where the people of Israel wandred forty yeares long, being fed with Manna from Heaven, and with water out of the driest rocks: In which is Mount Sinai, where the Law of the two [The scurrile Arabian Desarts.] Tables was promulgated. The most part of these Desarts is neither fit for herbage nor tillage, being covered over with a dry, and a thicke Sand, which the wind transporteth whither it listeth, in heapes and mountaines, that often intercept and indanger fatigated Travellers. The Inhabitants here are few, so are their Cities, their dwellings being in sequestrate dennes and haire-cloath Tents: The most of their wealth consisteth in Camels Dromidories, and Goats.

Before our arrivall in Saleak, we passed the little Istmus of ground which parteth Asia, and Affrica, disjoyning the Mediterranean and the red Seas: Divers have attempted to digge through this strait to make both Seas meete for a nearer passage to India, of whom Sesostris King of Ægypt was the first: Secondly, Darius the great Persian Monarch: Thirdly, another Ægyptian King, who drew a ditch 100. foote broad, and 30. and odde miles long. But when he intended to finish it, he was forced to cease, for feare of overflowing all the lower land, the red Sea being found to be higher by three cubits than the ordinary plaine of Ægypt: Yet howsoever it was, the ditch is hollow in divers parts, and fastidious, because of sands to passe over.

At Saleack we overtooke a great Caravan of two thousand people, and twelve hundred Camels and Dromidores, which were loaden with the ware of Aleppo, and come from Damascus, intending their voyage for Cayro, whose company we subtilly left, & marchd before them, for receiving of water by the way for our selves, and beasts out of Cisternes, which we left dry behind us.

[The nature of Camels and Dromidores.] A Dromidore, and Camel differ much in quality, but not in quantity, being of one height, bredth, and length; save only their heads and feete, which are proportionated alike; and the difference is such, that the Dromidory hath a quicke and hard-reaching trot, and will ride above 80. miles in the day, if that his rider can indure the paine. But the Camell is of a contrary disposition: For he hath a most slow and lazy pace, removing the one foote from the other, as though he were weighing his feete in a ballance; neither can he goe faster although he would: But he is a great deale more tractable then the other: For when his maister loadeth him, he falleth downe on his knees to the ground, and then riseth againe with his burthen, which will be marvailous great, sometimes 600. or 800. weight.

The red Sea, which we left to the Westward of us, and our left hand is not red, as many suppose, but is the very colour of other Seas: The reason for which it hath beene called Mare rubrum, is only because of the bankes, rushes, sands & bushes that grow by the shore side, which are naturally red. Some others have called it so, in respect of the Brookes, which Moses turned to red blood, who misconstruing the true sense, tooke Seas, for Rivers.

It is vulgarly tearmed Sinus Arabicus, whose length is 1600. miles. This Sea is famous for the miraculous passage of the Israelites through it, and the drowning of Pharaoh and his people: and because of Spices that were brought from India and Arabia to Alexandria, from whence the Venetians dispersed the same through all Europe and the Mediterren coasts of Asia and Affrick: But this Navigation is now discontinued by the Portugals, English, and Dutch; which bring such Wares to their severall homes by the backe side of Affricke: So that the Trafficke [Indian Spices much weakned.] of Alexandria is almost decayed, and the Riches of the Venetians much diminished; so is the vertue of the Spices much impayred by too much moisture contracted, with the long and tedious carriage thereof.

This afore-sayd Saleack, is thought to be seated on the lower and Eastmost end of Gozan, consisting of eight hundred dwelling Houses, being Walled and fensible against the Arabs, and defended also with a Castle, and ten troupes of Horse-men being Janizaries. Here we rested and refreshed our selves two nights, providing us fresh victuals for Grand-Cairo, being foure dayes journey distant; and at our leaving of Saleack, I saluted this new seene Countrey, with a greedy conceit of more curiosities.

THE SEAVENTH PART.

Now well met Egypt, so our fate allots, For we have appetite, for thy Flesh pots; But (ah!) the Season, is too hot to eate Of any viande, Kid, Mutton, or such meate: Yet for thy Coffa made of Coave seede, We'le kindly drinke it, feed upon thy bred And fat our selves, with thy best hearbes and fruits For like, to our faint stomackes, best besuites: Then mighty Kingdome, once the Royall Land, Where Kings were first erect'd, did longest stand; And letters, Hyeroglophicks, Magicke Arte, Astrology, had first inventions part. For wonders, the Piramedes: Balme more good! The weeping Crocadile, Nyles swelling flood; Deaths funerall Mommeis; the Sea-horse bred At Damieta: the Sphynx with grandure cled: And where base Fortune, play'd the errand whoore, In making meane men great, and great men poore: In thee, I'le dive, though deep is thine old ground, And further far, then I can search or sound: Yet when men shoot, O all the marke doe eye; But seldome touch't; enough, if they come nye: Even so must I, for neerer I'le not claime, The best director, may mistake his ayme. But as the Land is now, I hope I shall Cleare hardest doubts, and give content to all. Thence sought I Malta, Ætnaes burning flame, And stately Sicile, Gibels greatest fame. Whence passing Italy, the Alpes I crost, And courting France, told Time, how I was tost.

Departing from Saleack, and having past one of their courses, which is our twelve miles, wee reincountred with infinite Villages on both hands, and in our high Way; all builded upon artificiall Channels drawne from Nylus; and these Fabrickes, onely made up of Wood or Bricke, being one or two Stories high. The Captaine, in diverse parts at our mid-dayes reposing, was constrayned to buy water from the Egyptians, to satisfie the Company: yea, and that same night, the first of foure, or we came to Cayre, at the Village of Bianstare, he payed five Sultans of gold for Watering all us and the Beasts, amounting to thirty five shillings sterling.

The next day journying towards a goodly Towne, named Saliabsteck, we travailed through a fruitful planure, fraught full of fruite Trees, and abounding in Wheate, [Two seasons of riping graine in Egypt.] Rye, and Barley, being new cut downe, May 14. For this was their first Harvest, the Land yeelding twice a yeare Cornes; and the latter, is in our December recoiled. This Land hath as it were a continuall Summer, and notwithstanding of the burning heate, it produceth alwayes abundance of Fruites and Hearbes for all the Seasons of the yeare: So that the whole Kingdome is but a Garden, having ever one Fruite ready to be plucked downe, and another comming forwards; or like to the best sort of Lemmon Trees, that as some Reape, some are growing greene, others budding forth, and some still in the floorish: Even so is the beauty and fertility of all the lower Ægypt; which although the Country be not often troubled with Raine, yet the rank serene or dew of the night, in the Summer, refresheth all kindes of growing things: betweene Saliabsteck, and Cayre, being two dayes journey: We Francks, bad farwell to water, and drunke daily of Coffa, made of a seed Coave, which being taken hot, and is ever kept boyling within Fornaces in earthen pots, it expelleth the crudity of fruites and hearbes so much there frequented.

Arriving at last in this little World, the great Cairo, and bidding farewell to our Caravan, the three Germanes and I, lodged with one Signior Marco Antonio, a Consul, there for Venice; the other foure French men, going to their owne Consul, a Marseilian borne and there stayed. Here with this Venetian for three dayes, the Dutch men and I had great cheare, but they far greater a dayly swallowing downe of strong Cyprus Wine, without mixture of water; which still I intreated them to forbeare, but they would not be requested. The season being cruell hot, and their stomacks surfeited with burning wine, upon the fourth day long or noone, [The last three Germanes death in Cayre.] the three Dutch men were all dead; and yet me thought they had no sicknesse, the red of their faces staying pleasant, their eyes staring alwayes on mine, and their tongues were perfit even to the last of their breath.

He who dyed last, and lived longest, was William Dierganck, who left me all his owne gold, and what the former five had left him: delivering me the keyes of their three Clogbags before the Consul, declared by his mouth that he left me absolute heire to intromet with all, and whatsoever they had there: But eftsoones the treacherous Consul, knowing that I was a stranger to them, and by accident met together at Jerusalem, and that they were Gentlemen, and well provided with gold, forgd a reason to himselfe and for his owne benefit, that he would meddle with all they left behind them, under this excuse, that he would be answerable to their friends for it, at his returne to Venice: Well, I am left to bury them, and with great difficulty bought one grave for them all three in a Copties Chappell, where I interred them: paying to the Ægyptian Christians for that eight foote of ground, ten Sultans of gold, besides sixe Piasters for carrying their corps hither, being two miles in the City distant from the Consuls house. Whence, ere I had returned, the Venetian Factor seased upon all, and shuting his gate upon my face, sent me out my owne budget: Whereupon I addressed my selfe to the French Consul, Monsieur Beauclair, who kindly received me, and having told him all the manner, how I was greatly wronged & oppressed by the other Consul; he straight sent for a Jewish Phisitian, his familiar Oracle: Where having consulted together, the next day earely we went all three, and their followers to the Beglerbeg, or governour of the City: we soone complained, and were as soone heard: the Venetian Consul is sent for, and he commeth: where facing the Judge and [A favourable Turkish judgement.] pleading both our best, (for there are no Lawyers in Turky every man speaking for him selfe) the Bassaw with his Counsell upon sight of the keyes of their Clogbags in my hands, and my narration thereupon (and notwithstanding favouring the Factor) immediatly determined that I should have the two part of their moneyes, with all their Jerusalem relicts, and Turkish cloathes, and the Venetian to have the former third part. It is done, and irrevocable, upon which the Jewish Doctor, and I, with two Janizaries came to mine adversaries house; where I giving the Jew the keyes, the Clogbags were opened, and the money being told, it came just to 1424. Chickens of gold, besides certaine rings & tablets: The Jew delivered me my part, which came to 942. Chickens, the rest went to the inconscionable Consul, with the halfe of the rings & tablets: And packing up all the relicts, moneyes, clothes, and Clogbags, I hired a Mule, and brought them along with me to the French Factors house. Where, when come, Monsieur Beauclair, and my fellow Pilgrimes, were very glad that I had sped so well, none of us all knowing what was in the Clogbags till they were sighted; & giving hearty thanks to the Consul, and ten peeces of gold to the Jew and Janizaries, I sup'd, and reposed till the morrow, thanking God of my good fortune: Yet was I exceeding sorrowfull for the losse of these gallant Gentle-men, Religiously disposed, and so affable, that for familiarity and kindnesse, they were the mirrours of noble mindes, and vertuous spectacles of humanity; whose Deaths were to mee a Hell, and whose lives had beene my Paradice on earth. To whose memory and prayse, I am not able to Congratulate the least Commendation, their Heroicke dispositions, deserved at my hands.

But what shall I say, their time was come, which mortality might sorrow, but sorrow might not prevent Death, whose power is deafe to all humane lamentations. Neyther will I relye so much upon my owne worthinesse, as to thinke that benefite of the procrastination of my [Gods provident mercies.] Life, was by any merite of mine deserved, but that God so much the more, might show his incomprehensible goodnesse in delivering me, from the violence of such unexpected accidents, and to tye my soule to be thankfull for his mercies. For all the beginnings of man are derived from God, whose ends are eyther perfited, or disanulled by his Determination: and nothing we possesse is properly our owne, or gotten by our owne power, but given us onely through his goodnesse and munificence.

And all the spaces of earth which our feet tread over, the Light we enjoy, and the excellent faculties wee are indued withall; or what we can do, say, or thinke, is onely raised, guided, and distributed, by Gods impenetrable Counsell, Will, and Providence: Which although the pride of our wicked nature doth not yeeld the true attribution thereunto; yet the powerfull working of the counsell of God is such, that in it selfe, it proveth an eternall wisdome, and confoundeth the foolishnesse of the world.

[The great City of Grand Cayre.] This incorporate World of Grand Cairo, is the most admirable and greatest City, seene upon the earth, being thrice as large of bounds as Constantinople, and likewise so populous, but not so well builded, being situate in a pleasant Plaine, and in the heart of Ægypt, kissing Nylus at some parts.

The City is divided in five Townes, first and formost, Cairo novo, the new Caire, which is the principall & chiefest place of all the other, lying in midst of the rest, having walles and Ports, the circuit whereof is 22. miles, contayning al the chiefe merchandise and market places within it.

The second is Cairo Vecchio, the old Caire, called formerly Cairo de Babylonia or Babylon Ægyptiorum: for there were two Babylons, one in Assiria called now by the Turkes Bagdat, and the other is this that joyneth with the new Caire: It was also aunciently called Memphis, and was the furthest place that Ulysses in his travels visited, so well memorized by Homer: yet a voyage of no such estimation, as that princely Poet accounted it; for his travels were not answerable, to the fifteene part of mine.

The third Towne is Medin, joyning to the backe side of the old Caire, toward the Piramides: The fourth is Boulak, running a great length downe along and neare the River side, having three market places of no small account: The fift and last, is the great Towne of Caraffar, bending Southward, in the way of the red Sea for many miles: All which are but as Suburbs to the new Caire, that of many smalles make up a Countrey, rather then a City: And yet all of them are contiguat one with another, either to the left or right hand, or to them both, with innumerable streets: [The length of great Cayre and the bounds thereof.] The length whereof in all, from the lowest end of Boulak, to the South-most part of Caraffar is by my deepe experience twenty eight English miles, and fourteene in breadth; for tryall whereof I troad it one day on foote from Sun to Sunne, being guided and guarded with a riding Janizarie, which for my bruised feete on the streets, was one of the sorest dayes journey that ever I had in my life.

The principall gates of new Caire are Babell Mamstek looking toward the Wildernesse and the Red Sea: Bebzavillah toward Nylus, and Babell Eutuch toward the fields: The streets are narrow, being all of them almost covered to save them from the parching heate with open vents for light; and their buildings commonly are two stories high, composed either of mudde or bricke, and platforme on the tops; whereon usually in the night they use to sleepe to imbrace the fresh & cooling ayre. Their Bazar or exchange, beginneth at the gate of Mamsteck, and endeth at a place called Babeso.

At the corners of chiefe streets or market places, there are divers horses standing ready sadled and bridled, that for a small matter, or according to the way, a man may hire and ride so where he will, either to negotiat, or to view this spacious spred City, and change as many horses as he listeth, having the Maisters which owe them to convoy them for lesse or longer way, which is a great ease to weary passengers.