Part 14

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.

The town _Ana_ is by the _Euphrates_ divided into two parts, or rather into two towns, whereof the one is not very big, and subject to the _Turk_, and is very well guarded with old walls, and so surrounded by the river, that you cannot go into it but by boats, but the other that lieth on this side belongeth to the King of _Arabia_, is very great, and very ill provided with walls and ditches, so that you may go in and out by night, as in all other towns belonging to him. This, and also the whole province, is called _Gimel_, and is fifteen days journey distant from _Aleppo_, and goeth down a great way the river, so that we had a good hour to go before we came to the house of our master, which was near the harbour, where our ship did lie. The houses are built with brick and stone walls, and very well done; and we could hardly see one on either side but what had a garden to it, planted with dates, lemon, citron and pomegranate trees, with delicate fruit in it. At the other side on left in _Mesopotamia_, I saw nothing but some summer houses standing about the hills. By the way before we came to _Ana_, I observed very well that some of our company (to whom I was by an outlandish man recommended) left me, and began to contrive with the master, who was born in that town, to accuse me by a second hand, that they might not be seen in it, as a spy before the magistrates, pretending that I observed all towns and places accurately, and had a mind to betray them at my opportunity; which they chiefly did to frighten me, and so to get the sooner some good booty out of me. In order whereunto, some of them went to the Sub-Bashaw, and obtained presently of him to send one of his servants with them, which came to me in the long street, having some iron chains and fetters in his hands, which he let hang down upon the ground, and led me along; so that I presently understood that they had an ill intention against me, which they intended to execute. So I went along with him to see what they would do with me; when they came to the harbour, they gave me leave to go into the ship, and to stay there until I heard more of them. So they soon agreed together, and told me, chiefly one of them that was on horseback in a long furr’d coat, that if I would be at liberty, I must pay to the Sub-Bashaw 500 ducats. When I was considering these things, and saw myself also quite left alone, and their demands so extraordinary unreasonable, and found myself in this great necessity and danger, it came into my mind, that there was another magistrate in the other town _Ana_, at the other side of the river, which was a _Turkish_ one, to whom I would make my complaint of their unjust and unreasonable imposition, to see whether I might not find help and assistance of them; wherefore I provided myself with my pass, and fitted myself so in cloaths that I might be able to swim, so that if they should assault me to take hold of me, I might soon make my escape over the river without any opposition or hindrance. At length, when they expected my answer, and the money, I told them my intention plainly and clearly, which put them into greater fright and fear than they had put me in before. Wherefore they gave over their unjust demands, and desired of the 500 ducats no more but a single one, which they were forced to give to the servant of the Sub-Bashaw for the pains he had taken.

CHAP. VI.

_Which way we travelled from ~Ana~ farther to old ~Babylon~, by some ancient towns called ~Hadidt~, ~Juppe~, ~Idt~, and saw more pleasant, fruitful and well cultivated fields on each side than before._

After the designed storm that should have befallen me was over, and I by the power of the almighty God delivered, as it hath pleased him to do with a great many more, which would be too long to relate all here, we immediately departed from thence on the 15th of _October_. A little below it we found a fruitful and well cultivated country, and some fine houses standing here and there so near together, that before we passed one we could see another, which had also their orchards and kitchen gardens, and round about them fine woods of date trees and many others, which I could not discern because it was too far off; so that we found a great alteration, and our wilderness, wherein chiefly at a distance from the river, we hardly saw a tree in a whole day, changed at the lower end of the town into a fertile soil: Wherefore our voyage was very pleasant to us, for we had also less danger to fear from the _Arabians_. But our master was very much troubled, because the river was often stopp’d up at the sides with great stones that made the river swell, for there was a great number of large and high water engines or wheels, therefore these stones were laid to lead the stream to them to make them work, for it often happened that two of them stood close together, which took up so much of the river, that we had hardly room to pass by them in the middle of the stream, wherefore he was forced to have great care, to find the right way where he might pass without danger. The reason why these water-wheels are so much in use is, because this river doth not over flow (as the river _Nilus_) to water the grounds, neither doth it rain enough here sufficiently to moisten the seeds and garden-plants, that they be not burnt by the great heat of the sun, wherefore they must look out for such means, as will supply this want. To do this they erect water-wheels (whereof three or four stand behind one another) in the river, which go night and day, and dip up water out of the river, which is emptied into peculiar canals, that are prepared on purpose, to water all the ground. But if the places lie not conveniently, or the shore be too high to erect such wheels, they make instead of them bridges and peculiar engines, that are turned by a couple of bullocks, to bring the water up, with great leathern buckets, which are wide at top and narrow at bottom. This land being so fruitful, we soon found, to our great pleasure, great quantities of delicate fruit, sold for a small matter of money, and among the rest chiefly _Indian_ musk-melons, that were very well tasted.

When we came farther we had generally even ground at both sides, and not a few fields, the most part whereof were sown with _Indian_ Millet, for they sow more of this than of wheat or barley, for the land is pretty deep, wherein the corn would not grow so well. This Millet was just fit to be cut down, and in some places they had it in already. It shoots up into a high stalk about six, seven, or eight cubits high, the leaves thereof are like unto the _Indian_ corn, or sugar-reeds, which I took it for at first, and that because the inhabitants did chaw it as well as the sugar-canes, because of the sweet and pleasant juice (which is more in the upper part of the cane, whereas that of the sugar-canes, is more in the lower) which they draw out of it, untill I saw at length their white hairy tops sprout out, which are large and not unlike to the _Italian_ Millet. These are full of whitish grains each of which sticks between two broad flying leaves, of the bigness of those of the _Orabus_, yet somewhat more compressed at the sides. Hereof they bake very well-tasted bread and cakes, and some of them are rowled very thin, and laid together like unto a letter, so that they are about four inches broad, six long, and two thick; they are of an ashen colour. The inhabitants call it still at this day by it’s ancient _Arabian_ name _Dora_, whereof _Rhasis_ maketh mention. He that will may read more of it in authors.

Our voyage went on very well; wherefore the Merchants began several pastimes, some did play at a play called the Eighteenth, and others played at Chess, in which two games they were very well versed; others spent their time in reading and singing. Among the rest there was a Merchant from _Balsara_, that sung out of his _Koran_ (which was put into rhymes in the common _Arabick_) several times with a loud and delicate voice; so that I took great delight in hearing him. Yet they were not so hot in their gaming or jesting, that they should therefore forget the hour of their prayers, chiefly their divines that were in orders, which used to call them out with a loud voice, at the usual hour, either in the ship, or without in the desarts, if they could have convenient time and opportunity. But among the _Persians_ I found a greater zeal and earnestness, than among the _Turks_ or _Moors_, all which nations have notwithstanding the same ceremonies in their prayers. For as they have chiefly five hours of praying, whereof three are in the day-time; _viz._ the first about noon, the second about three, and the third when the sun begins to set; the two others in the night, one in the morning an hour and half before the sun riseth, and the second after sun set when the firmament begins to look white and the stars to appear: So the _Persians_ would not be hindered, by the darkness of the night, danger of the place, inconveniency of the time, to go out, when the others were asleep, on the ground in the island where we were landed, and say their prayers with such an earnestness and devotion, as I have often seen it, that the tears run out of their eyes: I must also needs say that they keep closer and stricter to their laws than almost any other nation, which forbid them to drink wine, and command them to live in poverty, and to watch and pray continually.

The eighteenth day of _October_ we came early to _Hadidt_, a pretty large, yet anciently built, town, belonging to the King of _Arabia_, which is also divided into two towns by the river _Euphrates_, like unto _Ana_, whereof the greater part lieth on this side of the river. Here the master payed for his ship two _Sayet_ (one whereof is about three pence in our country) to the customers, and so set sail again, to try whether he could reach that night to _Juppe_. And he did oftner than ever before, speak to his men to pull on (chiefly where the river in it’s breadth and depth was almost like unto the sea) so that at night pretty late we arrived at _Juppe_, a pleasant and well built town belonging to the _Turks_, and it is also divided into two parts, whereof one lieth in the middle of the river on a high ground, at the top whereof is a fortress, so that the town is pretty well defended: The other (which is rather bigger) lieth on the left in _Mesopotamia_, wherein are many fine orchards belonging to the houses, full of high date-trees, _&c._ wherefore the Merchants spent half a day there to buy dates, almonds, and figs to carry with them into the inns; the same they did at _Idt_ another great town of the _Turks_, on the right-hand of the _Euphrates_ situate on a high ground, where we arrived on the 20th of _October_ at night in very good time, and gave them instead thereof soap-balls, knives, and paper, _&c._ After which goods they have often enquired of us; and we have given them sometimes some sheets of white paper, which they received with great joy, and returned us many thanks for them.

After our Merchants had sufficiently stored themselves with these goods, and our master had pay’d the duty for his two ships, he put off about noon on the 21st of _October_ and went away. About the evening we saw at this side of the river a mill, and also the next day another, whereby were several old walls, doors and arches, _&c._ whereby I conjecture that formerly there stood a town. These two mills, as I was informed, were two powder-mills that make gun-powder for the _Turkish_ Emperor, and send it to him in caravans, together with other merchandizes through the dominions of the King of _Arabia_, wherefore he must as well as other Merchants, pay duty (for that liberty) and toll or custom. The gun-powder is not made from salt-peter, as our is, but out of another juice, which they take from a tree that is reckon’d to be a kind of willow; known to the _Persians_ by the name of _Fer_, and to the _Arabians_ by _Garb_, as I have mentioned above. Besides this they take the small twigs of these trees together with the leaves, and burn them to powder, which they put into water to separate the salt from it, and so make gun-powder thereof, yet this is nothing near so strong as ours. _Pliny_ chiefly testifieth this in his 31st book and 10th chapter, where he saith that in former days they have made Niter of oak-trees, (which certainly he hath taken these to be, for they are pretty like oaks) but that it hath been given over long before now. Which is very probable, chiefly because the consumption thereof was not so great, before they found out guns, as it is now since they have been found out.

Further on the water-side, on the high banks, I saw an innumerable many coloquints grow and hang down, which at a distance I could not well know, until they called them by their ancient _Arabick_ name _Handbel_, whereby they still to this day are known to the inhabitants. After we had navigated a great way several days one after another, through even grounds, and in a good road, we arrived at length on the 24th day of _October_, at night, near to _Felugo_ or _Elugo_, a little village called so, and with it the whole province.

CHAP. VII.

_Of old ~Babylon~ the metropolis of ~Chaldee~, and it’s situation, and how it is still to this day, after it’s terrible desolation to be seen, with the tower or turret, and the old ruined walls, lying in the dust._