A Collection of Curious Travels and Voyages, Volume 1 · Part 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
How I departed from Halepo to the Famous City of Bir, and how I ſailed from thence on the Euphrates to old Babylon.
AFter I had ſtay'd a good while in Halepo, and had ſeen and underſtood the Trade and Merchandices of the Inhabitants, together with that of all the other Nations, viz. Grecians, Armenians, Georgians, Arabians, Perſians, and Indians, which come and go daily with their Caravans, and very well obſerved and underſtood their Manners and Cuſtoms, and had alſo Collected a fine parcel of foreign and undeſcribed Plants; I reſolved to go farther Eaſtward into Meſopotamia, Aſſyria, and Babylonia, &c. as the ancienteſt and moſt fruitful Countries that ever were, where the ancienteſt People, and the moſt Potent Monarchs did inhabit. But theſe Countries lying far off, and the Way that leadeth thither, paſſing through vaſt Deſarts and Wilderneſſes, and therefore the Voyage being ſo much the more difficult and dangerous to attempt and accompliſh; I firſt look'd out for a truſty Companion, to take as my Aſſiſtant, and met preſently with an experienced Dutchman, that had lived a great while in Halepo, who granted my requeſt (being as deſirous to go this Voyage as my ſelf) to go along with me. We agreed preſently, and began to conſider, which was our beſt Way to take. But that we being Strangers, might not be taken to be Vagabonds or Spies (they being very ſuſpicious) from whence they might preſently take occaſion (as the Turks uſe to do) to lay great Avarias, or unjuſt Taxes, upon us, which the Chriſtians that deal to theſe Parts, have often to their great Loſs and Damage experienced; we did conſider, and found, that the Trading here was very great, ſo that they did not only deal from hence, into Armenia, Egypt, and Conſtantinople, (for from thence come the Caravans through Natolia, in about a Months time) but alſo very much into Perſia and India: Wherefore we thought beſt to profeſs our ſelves Merchants, that ſo we might Travel the more ſafely with other Merchants, in order thereto, to buy ſome Merchandices, that would Sell in thoſe Places, and to carry them along with us. That we might put this in execution, my formerly mentioned Friend Hans Ʋlrich Raft, from Ʋlm, took great Pains to furniſh me at my Deſire and Requeſt, with ſeveral fit Commodities for thoſe Places, upon account of my Patron, Mr. Melchior Manlich, which I got pack'd up immediately, to go with them to the Famous City Bagdet, ſituated upon the Tigris, where is a great Staple and Depoſition of Merchandices that are to go farther for Perſia and India. But ſeeing that ſeldom any Merchants go from Halepo further into theſe Countries, ſo that our Habits are very rarely ſeen there; we cloathed our ſelves as is uſual, in the common Turkiſh Habit (that every body might not preſently look upon us as Strangers); firſt, we had long blue Cabans, which are button'd before quite down, and cut out about the Neck, not unlike to thoſe of the Armenians; and white Drawers made of Cotton, that hung down to our Ankles, and were drawn in, and tied about our Bodies, and alſo Shirts after the ſame Faſhion, and without Collars. We alſo fitted our ſelves with white Turbants with a blue Brim, ſuch as Chriſtians uſually wear, and put on yellow Shooes which were painted, before guarded with Nails, and with Horſe Shooes behind. Beſides this we put on a kind of a Frock, made of a certain courſe Stuff called Meska in their Language, which is common among the Moors. They are generally made of Goats and Aſſes Hair, pretty narrow, without Sleeves, and ſhort, reaching only to our Knees. But theſe Stuffs being not all alike, the fineſt thereof (chiefly that which is ſtriped white and black) is taken for Cloaths; and the courſer for Tents and Portmantles, wherein they carry their Proviſion through the Deſarts, and alſo keep their Camels and Mules meat, hanging it about their Necks. This puts me in mind of the plain cloathing which the ancient Inhabitants of theſe Countries, (chiefly the Iſraelites, when they mourned for their deceaſed Relations, or when they repented of their committed Iniquities, and turned from them, and prayed God to forgive them their accumulated Tranſgreſſions) uſed to put on, as we read in the 37th. Chapter of Geneſis, where Jacob lamented the Death of his Son Joſeph; and in the Book of the Prophet Jonas, of the Ninevites, who believing the Prophet's Words, denouncing their Deſtruction within Forty Days, and repenting of their Sins, put on Sackcloth, and prayed to God for forgiveneſs. The like we read of the King and Prophet David, after he had numbred his People. Item, in the 10th. Chapter of Luke and other places, &c. that they put on Sackcloth and did repent in Aſhes. It is therefore very probable, that thoſe were very like unto them that are ſtill in uſe.
When we had thus accoutred our ſelves for the Voyage, and provided us with all Neceſſaries, viz. Cloths, Merchandices, Proviſion of Biskets and Drink, and did ſtay only for ſome Fellow-travellers, we were ſtill doubtful whether it were more convenient for us to go by Land with Caravans, which go from hence and Damaſcus very ſtrong to Bagdet, through great Sands and Deſarts in Fifty Days, more or leſs, according as the Weather proveth: Or, whether we ſhould go by Water, either upon the Tigris or the Euphrates, there being good Opportunity to go in Company with others. But it happening that we met with ſome Armenian Merchants Servants that did live at Halepo, who were alſo provided with Goods, and had a mind to go into the ſame Countries, we did readily embrace this Opportunity, partly becauſe they underſtood the Turkiſh and Arabian Languages, which two are chiefly ſpoken in Syria, and partly becauſe ſome of them had been four times already in the Indies; wherefore we put our Goods to theirs, and loaded a great many Camels together, to deliver them to us at Bir, to ſhip them there upon the Euphrates; And that we might paſs every where in the Turkiſh Dominions, we took a Paſs from the Baſhaw and Cadi, and ſo we began our Travels to Bir, diſtant Three Days Journey, the 13th. of Auguſt, Anno 74. By the way we were ſo ſtrange to one another, that in our new Faſhioned Cloaths we did hardly know one another among them all. After we had the firſt Day a rough Road, and travelled through many Deſarts and uninhabited Places, we reached at Night a little Village, where we encamped and pitched our Tents. We put all our Packs in a circle round about us, and without them our Beaſts (as it is uſual in great Caravans) to defend us from the Aſſaults of the Moors in the Night. A little after Midnight we heard a great Caravan of many Camels and Aſſes to go by, very near to us, which after it was paſſed, we broke alſo up and followed them; when the Day Light appeared, we ſaw ſeveral plow'd Fields more than the Day before, and alſo here and there in ſome pleaſant Places many Tents of the Arabians, which were fixed together as it were in a Camp; ranged very orderly into Streets. After we had that Morning travelled very hard, ſo that our Beaſts under their heavy Loads began to be tired in the great Heat, we reſted behind a little Chapel, to refreſh our ſelves, and to feed our Camels; in the mean time ſome poor Women came down from the High-lands to us to gather the Dung of our Camels to burn it inſtead of Wood, whereof they were in great want. When the great Heat was over, and we had ſtaid there for two Hours, we went on again, and came before it was Night, to a little Village lying in a Valley, near which upon the Height, the Arabians had formed a great Camp: We went up to them, and pitched our Tents in the Plain by them, and kept as aboveſaid a good Watch. They came quickly to us, ſpoke kindly to us, and their Wives brought us Water and good Milk; but after we ſaw that they were very naked and hungry, and in their ſhape like to our Gypſies, we did not truſt them at all, but kept a very good Watch all that Night. Theſe are Vagabond People, that are uſed to Idleneſs from their Infancy, and will rather endure Hunger, Heat and Cold, than get any thing by their Handy-work, or Till the Fields, or Plant Garden-herbs for their Maintenance, although they might do it in ſeveral fruitful Places in their own poſſeſſion. So you find here a great Number of them by the ſides of theſe ſandy Deſarts, that have no where any Habitation, but live in their Tents like as the Beaſts do in Caves, and go like unto the Gypſies from place to place, until they light on one, where they may live a great while with their Cattle, and when all is eat up, want driveth them from thence, to look out for another.
On the 15th. early before break of Day, we were up in the cool of the Day, with an intention to reach to Bir that Night, but our Camels were grown ſo faint by reaſon of the exceſſive Heat and the great Burthens, that they fell down ſeveral times, wherefore we looked out for a convenient place where we might ſtay all Night, and found at laſt a Village near which we pitched our Tents, eat ſome Gourds and Biskets, and ſo went to reſt.
Two Hours before break of the Day, we began our Journey again, and came early in the Morning to the great River called Euphrates, we went over with our Goods and Chattel, and fixed our Tents before the Town near the River, on the other ſide, to ſtay for a Barge that was to come from Armenia, to go from thence to Babylon, which is now called Felugo. By the way I ſaw no Herbs of any worth, except the Galega, in our Language called Goats-rue, which grew plentifully on the dry Heaths; and near to the Road, the firſt ſort of Apocynum, by us called Dogs-bane, very like unto the great Celandine in its Leaves and Pods: I alſo ſaw whole acres of Turkiſh Corn called Seſamo, and others all ſown with Cotton, and alſo a kind of Eſula, very full of Milk, wherewith the fallow Grounds were ſo filled up, that at a diſtance, you would have taken it for good Corn. Seeing that the Scammony that uſes to be brought to Halepo, is wont ſometime to be very ſharp, therefore it may very well be, that they adulterate it with this Eſula. Near the Town grew abundance of Acacia, called Schack and Schamuck, as is above mentioned, which are here in Stem and Fruit, greater and larger than ever I ſaw any any where. The Town Bir is ſituated on the other ſide of the great River Euphrates in Meſopotamia, near the high Hill Taurus, juſt like Tripolis near the Libanus, or our Loſanna on our Alps: It is neither big nor ſtrong, but pretty well defended by a Caſtle that lyeth on a high Rock above the River, not eaſily to be taken. There is a very pleaſant Country round about it, and very fruitful, which (chiefly on this ſide of the River where it is plain) is very well Tilled and Sown with Corn (which they did juſt thraſh out when we came, with little Waggons drawn by Oxen) and here and there are very good Villages. But beyond the River it is more hilly, which kind of Ground extends it ſelf a great way towards the Eaſt, and divideth Armenia from Meſopotamia. It is at the top very rough and bare; nothing but Buſhes and Herbs to be ſeen there; wherefore abundance of Beaſts, chiefly Lambs and Goats, are daily brought down, which are carried over the Euphrates, and ſo driven to Halepo and other adjacent places. This River where it runs by the Town is about a Mile broad, and ſo deep that it is not eaſy to make a Bridge over it: Yet becauſe it hath not a ſwift Current in that place, it is not very dangerous to Sail on it, except where it enlargeth it ſelf (as it doth in great Deſarts) or elſe where it divideth it ſelf into ſeveral Branches, ſo that the Water-men do not know, which is the beſt way for them to take; wherefore the Merchants that have a mind to come quicker and with leſs Pains to Bagdet with their Merchandices, carry them by Land to Orpha, to the Famous Town of Carahmet, which lyeth Six Days further towards the Eaſt, on the Borders of Aſſyria and Media, upon the rapid River Tigris, where is a great Depoſition of Merchandices, that are ſent from thence to Ormutz and the Indies. The Euphrates is continually muddy, and therefore almoſt not fit to be drunk, except you let it ſtand Two or Three Hours, until the Sand and Mud is ſunk down to the bottom, which ſometimes is of the thickneſs of an Inch: So that in every Houſe where they have no Wells, all along the River in Towns and Villages, they have ſeveral great Pots which they fill out of the River, and let them ſtand until it be ſetled, but if they have occaſion to drink of it before, they drink through their Towels.
During the time of our ſtaying there they brought us ſeveral ſorts of Fiſhes they had caught in the River to Sell, and among the reſt one ſort called Geirigi, which in their Shape and Scales were very like unto Carps, only they were not ſo thick in the Belly, but a great deal longer and bigger, ſo that ſometimes one of them did weigh three Rotula's of their Weight, which is about Seventeen or Eighteen of our Pounds. They are very delicate and good to eat, and ſo cheap, that we could buy one for one Medin, in our Money worth about three Pence. To catch theſe, our Ship's Crew flung out oftentimes ſome Pellets made up with Cocculus Indic; (which Fruit is named by them Deam Samec) and preſently after ſome of the Fiſh flung themſelves up at the top of the Water, whereupon they jumped out of the Ship, to catch them, and to carry them a-ſhoar. I ſaw alſo a peculiar ſort of Vultures, which were ſo tame, that they did not only ſit very thick upon the Houſes, but they ſat down in the Street before all the People without any fear, they are more of an Aſhen Colour than ours, but for bigneſs, height and the reſt, exactly like unto them. Beſides theſe there was another ſort of them, that were ſomething bigger, and of a lighter Colour than the former, and had ſome black at the Ends of their Wings like unto our Storks. They eat alſo Carrion, and Meat, and are ſomewhat wilder, wherefore they may be affirmed to be the very ſame that Rhaſis called Gyuni, and Avicenn, Rachame. During the time that we ſtaid there, a Baſhaw was ſent hither by the Turkiſh Sultan, with ſome hundred Spahi's, pretty well armed, for his Maſter did intend to make War with the Truſci, that ſo he might defend the Confines of Syria, Meſopotamia, and Armenia, &c. from being aſſaulted by them, and to keep every thing ſecure. The Truſci live on the Mountain of Libanus, and pretend to be the Off ſpring of thoſe People that under Godfrey de Bouillon did poſſeſs themſelves again of the Land of Promiſe. They are ſince ſo much encreaſed, that they are able to bring into the Field Sixty Thouſand (moſt of which are very good Gunners) which if occaſion be, they can bring together in a ſhort time. The Grand Signior ſeeing that they encreaſed daily, ſo that he did fear they would be in time too great for him, to prevent this (as then the common Diſcourſe went) and to ſubdue them, and bring them under his Yoke, did ſummon ſome Baſhaws and Sangiacs, chiefly him of Damaſcus to bring together a great Army, to fall upon them. But which way he did beat them, and how he encroached upon them, I ſhall (becauſe I did for this time, during my Travels, hear no more of it) relate more largely after my return. The Spahi's which came with the Baſhaw, took (becauſe they would not be Idle) their Diverſion in Running, Shooting with Arrows, and in Fencing, or Cudgel-playing, and ſometimes the Country People came in with them, and played with them, but not in ſo many ſorts of Arms as the Fencing-Maſters do in our Country, viz. with Daggers, Swords or Halbarts, for theſe are not in faſhion in thoſe Countries. They take inſtead thereof only Cudgels, with them they approach towards one another three times, yet not with ſuch flouriſhes and neatneſs as our Fencers do before they begin, for their long Cloaths hinder them. In their left hand they have a Buckler which is about a Foot Diameter round, covered with Leather, and ſtuffed out with Hair; in their right Hand they have a Cudgel, wherewith they ſtrike ſtrait at one another in the firſt bout, as the Boys do in our Country, but in the ſecond and third bout, they ſtrike croſs-ways, chiefly in the third which is the laſt, which they take off cleaverly with their Bucklers; and ſometime they ſtrike at one anothers Legs, but never to hurt one another; when this is done, they turn back and march off. This manner of Fencing is very common in theſe Countries.
At length after we had ſtaid a great while, ſeveral Ships did arrive from above, and ours, for which we did ſtay, among them. So our Patron begun to load, and to fit himſelf for our departure: And ſo did two more that had a mind to go in Company with us. One among them belonging to a Turk was laden only with Corn, to carry during the Scarcity (which was occaſioned by the great Heat, and for want of Rain) to Bagdet. We alſo bought ſeveral ſorts of Fruits, viz. Cibebs, Anguria's, Garlick and Onions, &c. and took alſo along with us ſome Ground Corn, as is uſual to do in ſuch Voyages, which with Rice Flower is fit to make Puddings, or to bake Bread of; Honey and other things to ſerve as Proviſion for our Ship; for we were to travel a great way through many Deſarts and Places not inhabited, where nothing was to be had. For there are no Inns upon this River, as upon the Rhine or Danube, where they dreſs Victuals for Travellers againſt they come. And that we might have ſometimes ſomething Hot to eat, we provided ourſelves with ſeveral Cooking Veſſels (as is uſual in theſe caſes) to dreſs our Meat in. But the Maſter of our Ship ſtill wanting both Men and Merchandices to load his Ship withal, we were forced to ſtay ſomewhat longer, for other Merchants which came in a little time from Halepo (whereof ſome were Armenians, ſome Perſians, others from Bagdet and Balſora) to us; with theſe alſo came into the Ship Four Souldiers that were liſted by the Turks to go to Bagdet, to reinforce the Confines of Perſia: Our Maſter alſo took in ſome of their Jews, which are worſe than ours, and ſo we were warned to have a care of them. Beſides all theſe we were forced to take in ſome of their Religious Men, which had long before begged thereabout, for they commonly live by begging, and deſire you to give them ſomething Alla hitſi, that is, for God's ſake, and yet if they find an Opportunity they will fall upon you and Rob you. They are very ill-favoured, idle, and yet very hardy Men, that run about all Countries, and often do a great deal of hurt; wherefore one muſt have eſpecial Care of them, chiefly upon the Road. Yet for all this they have in theſe Countries very great Privileges; they pretend to great Holineſs and Devotion, and pray often, and perſwade the Vulgar ſort of People, that God doth hear their Prayers before any others, and grants their deſires, but People do not believe them ſo readily now, as their Anceſtors have done formerly, wherefore they do not remain long in one place, that their Roguery may not ſo much appear.