A Collection of Curious Travels and Voyages, Volume 1 · Part 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Which way I went first of all, from Augſpurg to Marſeilles, and from thence Shipped over the Seas towards Tripoli of Syria, ſituated in Phoenicia.
I Having always had a natural Inclination almoſt from my Infancy, to Travel into Foreign Countries, but chiefly into the Eaſtern ones, which have been of old, celebrated for fertility, which were cultivated by the moſt ancient People, and whoſe Princes in former Ages, have been the moſt potent Monarchs of the World; not only to obſerve their Lives, Manners, and Cuſtoms, but chiefly to gain a clear and diſtinct knowledge of thoſe delicate Herbs, deſcribed by Theophraſtus, Dioſcorides, Avicennas, Serapio, &c. by viewing them in their proper and native Places, partly that I might more exactly deſcribe them, eſpecially the moſt ſtrange and rare; partly alſo, to provoke the Apothecaries to endeavour to procure thoſe that are neceſſary for them to have in their Shops: I ſtrove always to put this my deſire into execution, but was forced to defer, until in the Year of our Lord, 1573. I found an opportunity by my honoured Brother-in-Law, Mr. Melchior Manlick, Senior, which was very convenient. He received me preſently, (having before a deſign to increaſe the number of them that were employed in his Trade) and fitted me out for my Voyage, that I might go with the firſt Company that ſhould Travel for Marſeilles, and then from thence further in one of their Ships to Tripoli, ſituated in that part of Syria which is called Phoenicia.
After that my honoured Friend Mr. Frederick Rentzen, of that ſame City was come to me, we ſet out the 18th of May, May 18.Anno 1573. from Augſpurg towards Lindaw, deſigning to go through Piedmont to Milan and Niſſa, and ſo further: the ſame day we came to Mindelheim, a very pleaſant Town with a princely Caſtle ſituated upon the Mindel, then belonging to the Baron of Frundsberg.
19.The 19th at Noon we came to Memmingen, a very pleaſant City of the Empire, and at Night to Leutkirch.
The 20th we rode thorough Wangen, May 20.another Imperial City, ſituated in Algaw, where they drove a very good Trade with fine Ticking, and Linnen Cloth; about Noon we arrived at Lindaw, an Imperial City ſituated in the Boden ſea, where there is a very great Depoſitory or Staple of all ſorts of Commodities or Merchandiſes; ſome have called this the German Venice, becauſe it is in like manner ſituated in Water, and hath alſo a great Trade. After Dinner we croſſed the Lake towards Fuzach, a Village not far from Bregentz, towards the Rhine.21.
The 21st about breakfaſt-time we came to Veldkirch, a very pleaſant Town, ſituated upon the Yll, belonging now to the Houſe of Auſtria, but formerly to the Counts of Montfort. By the way I ſaw ſeveral fine Plants, viz. Saxifraga Aurea, Caryophyllata Alpina, a fine ſort of Bellismajor, Criſta galli with white Flowers, and Auricula Urſi with brown Flowers, &c. At Night we came to Mayenfeld, belonging to the Grawpunters, upon the Rhine, which runs by the Town, and there runs into it a River called Camingen, which ſlides down between high Rocks, where the Famous warm Bath (from an adjacent Abby) called Pfeffers, riſeth, which may be numbered amongſt the Wonderful Waters, in regard of its Admirable Operation, in ſtrengthening lame and contracted Members, and hath this Property beyond other Baths, that it loſeth its ſelf from October till May, and then it cometh on again powerfully.
The 22d. we came at Night to Chur, 22.a very Ancient City, (where alſo is a depoſition of Goods, that are brought thither from Germany by Pack-horſes over the Mountains.) A Seat of that Biſhop lyeth half an hours going from the Rhine, wherefore this Biſhoprick is accounted the Chief of all the Biſhopricks of the Rhine, or the Pfaffen gaſte, called by others, becauſe it is ſituated near the firſt beginning of the Rhine, according to the Ancient Proverb: Coſtentz the biggeſt, Baſil the pleaſanteſt, Strasburg the nobleſt, Spires the devouteſt, Worms the pooreſt, Mentz the worthieſt, Trier the ancienteſt, and Collen the richeſt.
May 23.The 23d. we rode to Tuſis, an Ancient Village belonging to the Grawpunters, the Name whereof ſhews its Original, for the Rhetians are deſcended from the Tuſcans, who under the Conduct of one Rhaetus of old took Poſſeſſion of thoſe Countries; not far off upon a high Mountain is ſtill ſituated a ruined Caſtle, called Realt, or which is righter, Rhoetia alta, derived alſo from the Rhetians.
24.The 24th. at Noon we came by the Splewerhill into a Village called Splugi, not far from the beginning, head, or ſource of the Rhine: Thence we paſſed over the Hill, and came at Night to a little Village called Gampolſchin, ſituate in a Valley of the ſame Name, where we reſted.
25.Monday the 25th. at Noon we came to Claeven, or Clavenna, a very Ancient Town, belonging to the Bunts, which had Anciently a ſtrong Caſtle, which was demoliſhed by the Grawpunters themſelves, Anno 1524▪ after it was cunningly taken from them by Caſtel de Maeſs and John Jacob de Medicis, in which buſtle the Town was alſo ruined, for the Gates and Walls were beaten down, that no Enemy might after that lodge himſelf there again. From Claeven we went to Riva upon the Lago di Como (where the Water Addua runs into the Lake, and yet notwithſtanding adds no Water to it, nor taketh any from it, but only runs ſtrait through it; and ſo doth the Rhine through the Lake called the Boden-Sea.) From thence we travelled to Gera upon the ſame Lake, where we lay all Night; on the Bank I ſaw ſome purple-coloured Lillies, a ſort of Lilium Saracenicum with ſmall Leaves, and in the old Walls the Cymbalaria.
The 26th. about Noon we came to Como, May 26.a very glorious and pleaſant City, from whence the Lake hath its Name to this day. From thence we rode the ſame Night to Milan, the Metropolis of that Dukedom. What ſtrange paſſages have been committed in this Town before it was poſſeſſed by the Emperour Charles the Fifth, after the Deceaſe of the laſt Duke Francis Sfortia, is related ſufficiently in Hiſtory.
The 27th. we rode through Binaſco, 27.a pleaſant Village, where the very learned and famous Andreas Alciatus, Doctor in Law, and Profeſſor of ſeveral Univerſities in France and Italy, hath built a very Glorious Palace: And in the Evening paſſing by the great Park (in which in the Year 1525. was fought that bloody Battel between Francis King of France, and the Emperour Charles the Fifth's Officers, in which the King himſelf was made Priſoner, and many of his Men kill'd) the ſame Night arrived at Pavia, an Ancient Glorious City, ſituated on the River Teſin, where the Kings of the Longobards did formerly keep their Courts, and afterwards Charles the Great, the firſt German Emperour, did inſtitute an Univerſity, which hath brought up many Eminent and Learned Men ſince.
The 28th. departing from Pavia, 28.we paſſed the River Padus, or Eridanus, which is believed to be the biggeſt River in Italy, to Vogera, a pleaſant Village ſituated on the River Stafora, there we began to take Poſt, and had Eighteen Stages to Niſſa: By Noon we arrived at Dertona, a pretty Town, yet not very full of People, by reaſon of the many Wars and inteſtine Quarrels in which it was engaged, belonging to the Duke of Milan. In this Country I found whole Acres ſown with Woad, and there I ſaw the White Poplar, alſo Millefolium flore luteo, and further upon the Hill Brotho the Cineraria, and the Stoechas Citrina, Cotinus Plinii, and many more fine Plants. At Night we came to Alexandria della Paglia, that is to ſay, of Chaff. When heavy and long Wars did ariſe between the Emperour Frederick the Firſt and the Towns of Lombardy, by Inſtigation of Pope Alexander the Third, the Towns of Lombardy did agree to compile this City out of ſeveral Villages in the Year 1168. and did Fortifie it the Year next enſuing, and called it after the Pope's Name, Alexandria: But the Imperialiſts called it Alexandria of Straw, which Name it doth retain to this day; yet we did not ſtay there, but rode the ſame Night to Bellizona, a ſtrong place, which perhaps formerly had its own Princes, which did ſell it from Uri and his Relations (becauſe they could not defend it from the Duke of Milan) in the Year 1422. and yet it coſt a great deal of Blood, until the Switzers got it into ſafe poſſeſſion in the Year 1500.
May 29.The 29th. at Noon we came to Ast, a conſiderable City belonging to the Dukedom of Milan, where the King of Spain keeps a Garriſon, which had juſt then received the new Governour of Milan, and conducted him into the City. Not far off lyeth Carmagnola, belonging to the King of France, and to the Markgraviat of Saluzo, where is kept a French Garriſon, as at Moncalier (which is very near it) the Duke of Savoy hath a Garriſon, and ſo Garriſons of three Eminent Princes lye very near one another. That Night we lodged in a pitiful Village called Baieron.
The 30th. we rode through Racones and Savigliano, May 30.two ſmall Villages, and at Night came to Coni.
The laſt of May, after we had broke our Faſt in a Village called Limona, we came to Mount Brothus, where we ſaw many pleaſant Vineyards; and ſo by Tenda into another Village called Sorgo, where we ſtaid all Night.
The firſt of June we reached to Nizza in the Morning, a City with a ſtrong Cittadel,June 1. upon the Ty…henian Sea, belonging to the Duke of Savoy, which the Turkiſh Admiral Barbaroſſa did for a long time Beſiege with great fury, and yet was forced to leave it, although he had the City in his poſſeſſion, in the Year 1543. Thither alſo came Francis King of France, and the Emperour Charles the Fifth, to Pope Paul the Third, to have Peace made between them. There-about I eſpied ſome fine Plants, but chiefly two ſorts of Papaver Corniculatum, with large and ſtately Flowers yellow and brown, and alſo the Ladanum latifolium, and upon the Hill towards Villa Franca, a Convolvulus with white and purple-ſtriped flowers, and with long and cut leaves.
The Second we went from thence with more Company, paſſing through the Villages of Antibo, 2, 3, 4, 5.Cacabo, Luc, Brignola, &c. (where I found in the Shops a ſort of very delicate preſerved Prunes, called in Engliſh Prunella's, which would be very uſeful in burning Fevers againſt the Thirſt, in great quantity) to Marſeilles, which maketh Thirty French Miles or Leagues; and we rode ſo faſt onward during this Journey, that we arrived there in Nineteen days after our departure, that is, on the fifth day of June; by the way I ſaw Convolvulus foliis a…utis, Rubia Tinctorum, Stoechas, a fine Seſeli Peloponneſiacum, Thymelaea, Ciſtus with white and purple flowers, and alſo a kind of Ladanum of the learned Carolus Cluſius with ſmall Roſemary-leaves, Terebinthus, Ilex Coccifera, Aſpalathus, and the Polemonium Monſpelienſium of Rembert Dadonaeus, called Trifolium fruticans, Ruſcus, Lentiſcus, Calamintha montana, ſome common Thiſtles, and others.
In Marſeilles where I was lodged in my forenamed Kinſman's Houſe to ſtay until the Ships were ready, I met with one John Ulrich Kraft, Son of John Kraft, one of the Privy Council at Ulm, who was arrived there a few days before, alſo with the ſame intention to go along with us, about his own Buſineſs; we ſtaid together, and while the Ships were fitting out, we made our ſelves acquainted with the Phyſicians and Apothecaries, but above the reſt with one experienced Man, Jacob Renaud, a great lover of Plants, who ſhewed me in his Garden many pretty and ſtrange Simples, viz. Scammonium verum, Ambroſia, Moly, Ammi, Aloes, &c. and a great many dryed and laid between Papers. I found alſo about the City, Trifolium Aſphaltites, Lactuca marina, Dentillaria, Tragacantha Guilhelmi Rondeletii, a great Scabioſa with white flowers, Gratiola, Gnaphalium marinum, Medica marina, Polygonum marinum, Eryngium marinum, Coris Monſpelienſium, another ſort of Tamariſcus, and of Conſolida with yellow ſweet flowers, which I alſo found between Nimes and Pont du gard, an old, ſtrong, and fine Building, upon which I did find Ruta Sylveſtris, a ſort of Verbaſcum foliis diſſectis, Papaver corniculatum flore flavo. I alſo found there-about Chondrilla Viminea, growing chiefly in the Vineyards, Conyza major, Vermicularis fruticans, Carduus tomentoſus, not unlike to Leucacantha, Nepa Lobelii in adverſariis novis. I alſo found Tartonrayre, Aſter atticus luteus, Pſyllium, Seſeli Aethiopicum fruticans, Jujubes, red Valeriana, Corruda Rembert▪ Dodon▪ the firſt kind of Catanance Dioſcor▪ which I firſt ſpied by its dryed leaves, juſt like to a Vulture's Claw, and many others, not needful to be here related.
After that the Ship Santa Croce was laden, victualled for three Months, and provided with Guns, and all other Neceſſaries for a three Months Voyage, we two went with our Maſter, Anthony Reinard, with ſome others belonging to him,September 1. in a Frigat the firſt day of September in the Year 1673. to our Ship, which lay at Anchor with ſeveral other laden Ships, near the adjacent Iſlands, with an intention to ſet Sail the next day.
The next day about two in the Afternoon,2. when God ſent us a good Wind, we hoiſted up our Sails, and went on: When our Patron began to exhort his Men to agree together, and to be obedient to him, which they all faithfully promiſed; then we went to Prayers, and recommended our ſelves to the protection of God Almighty.
In the firſt ſetting out, before we got to Sea, our Ship came ſo near to another, that they touched almoſt, and had not the Seamen in time got them off, we might have ſuffered Ship-wrack.
When this was over, and we out of danger, we ſailed on with full Sails ſix of us, and advanced ſo fairly, that we loſt the ſight of Land before Night, and could ſee nothing but Sky and Water.
Not long after moſt of us began to be Seaſick, and to bring up what we had eaten ſome days before,Sept. 3. but I and my Camrade Kraft purged our ſelves that Night ſo well, that we were very freſh again the next Morning: Some of the reſt remained ſick for ſeven days after, and not one of us (although we were 48) but was ſick, and found an alteration after our Shipping off.
After we had ſailed two days with a favourable Wind, by the Latins called Caurus, but by the French and Italians Maiſtral, (which bloweth between North and Weſt) and proceeded an Hundred French Leagues,4. there aroſe on the fourth day about Midnight another Wind called Graeco, and by the Latins Caecias, which the more it went to the Eaſt, the more it was againſt us, ſo that we being hindred from going Eaſtward, were forced to go ſide-ways, and to traverſe up and down, and were driven ſo far Southwards, that on Sunday Night,5, 6, 7. and Monday Morning we ſailed in ſight of the Coaſt of Barbary. After the Wind was laid a little, and the Dolphins appeared in great numbers, we hoped for better Weather, but for want of it, finding our ſelves advance towards Africa more and more, we were forced to Tack about, and to direct our Courſe towards Marſeilles again.
We going thus back again, contrary to our Intentions, feared that the Wind would hold ſo a while ſtill, but contrary to our expectation it came to be ſo calm towards the Night, that we could hardly perceive any. Then we hoped it would change, which did alſo ſucceed accordingly, for the next Morning before break of day the Maiſtral began to blow again, which pleaſed us extreamly, and ſo we returned and purſued our former Courſe again towards the Eaſt,Sept. 8. and on Monday we ſailed ſo faſt, that in an hours time we made Ten Italian Miles,9. and on the 9th. day came into the Straights of Sardinia and Africa, where we ſaw an Iſland called Galicia, which although it be but ſmall, yet becauſe of the high Mountains is ſeen afar off: we left it about 30 Leagues on one ſide of us. This Iſland is ſubject to no body, wherefore a great many Pirates lye lurking there: In it is no great matter to be ſeen, only wild Capers grow there in great plenty. We finding our ſelves in this dangerous place, were not idle, (although the Ship was well provided with Guns, Pikes, and other Arms) but got our Great Guns ready, and filled our Chamber, in which we two were, with Guns and Swords, ſo that it looked rather like an Armoury of the whole Ship than a Chamber. Moreover becauſe we were afraid of ſome huge Rocks that lye in the Sea, chiefly of them which the Seamen call Leuci, they obſerved them diligently, not only in their Sea-cards, to know which way they might avoid them, but kept a good Watch all that Night to obſerve them, and ſo with the help of God we got ſafely clear of them.
A little after we came in view of the Kingdom of Tunis in Africa, with ſome adjacent Iſlands; amongſt them there is one called Simles, which, though but ſmall, is very fruitful, and therein groweth the beſt Ariſtolochia rotunda in abundance.
We loſt this the next Morning,10. and Weſtward upon our right hand, at about Fourty Miles diſtance, we ſaw another, called Panthalarea, ſubject to the King of Spain, which is inhabited by above 300 people: Sicily on our left, becauſe the Night fell in, we did not then ſee, but came ſo near it, that early in the Morning we could not only ſee the Hills and Mountains, and chiefly the Mongibello, which is very high ſituated at the other ſide of the Famous City of Syracuſa, but alſo the Buildings and Steeple diſtinctly, ſailed alſo the whole day by that ſide, that lyeth over againſt the Iſland Malta, ſo long till we came to the laſt point thereof: And although we were not in a little danger there, becauſe of the War, yet we ſaw no more than one ſmall Ship early in the Morning by Malta, which we took to be of Marſeilles. So (God be praiſed) we arrived very well, and without any hindrance at the furtheſt point of Sicily on the 11th. day of September in the Evening,Sept. 11. which is reckoned to be 900 Italian Miles from Marſeilles; and we hoped alſo with the help of the Almighty to go the reſt of our Voyage to Cyprus, which is 1300 more, (three of which are reckoned to a French League) for we croſſed the Adriatick and Tyrrhenian Seas ſo happily by good Weather, as if we had gone the other way through the Straights. And although we ſailed on very faſt, yet the Wind was uncertain, for one aroſe after another,12. ſo that we had three ſeveral Winds that Night and Day, viz. Firſt, Maiſtral after Midnight,13. which laſted until Morning; then the Betſch, that blew from South-Weſt very violently, in Latin called Africus, which laſted till Night: Then followed the Ponente, which bloweth from the Weſt, towards Night, which commonly ariſeth upon the Coaſt of Africa, as the Old Seamen obſerve, and we found it ſo our ſelves, on the day of the Holy Croſs, not without Trouble or Danger: For as the Seamen kept that Day, and according to their Old Cuſtom diſcharged three Great Guns,Sept. 14. the Betſch aroſe immediately with very great violence, ſo that the Waves ſwelled very high, and the Ship was toſſed about from one ſide to the other, and did rock us ſo, that if we had not held our ſelves, we could not have kept our places, as did happen to ſome of our Company that did not obſerve this, and were ſtrangely tumbled about in the Ship, and forced to creep on all four to their places again. This Wind began to remit towards Night, when the Maiſtral began to blow. With this Maiſtral we went on, and came ſo far, that on Monday the 15th. of September early we did make the Iſland Candy, 15.and ſoon after another, now called Cerigo, anciently Cythera, near to the Morea. That day we had very good Weather, and it was ſo calm, that we could reach no further than to the Point of Candy. Thus going on, another Wind aroſe, blowing from South-Eaſt, called Sirocco, and in Latin Vulturnus, which was contrary to,16. and hindred us very much, ſo that we were forced to Sail upon one ſide, to Weather the Point from one ſide to the other; when we came to the ſide of Creet, and our Patron would neither Land in Candy, nor in a little Iſland called Legoſia, we turned on Wedneſday towards Africa. Some while after a very great Tempeſt aroſe, with Thunder and Lightning, ſo that we had work enough with our Sails, and to Rule the Ship that it might take no hurt: And we ſailing thus againſt the Wind, that it might not caſt us back, this made us more work then the reſt, for the Waves went againſt us ſo vehemently, that when we were mounted to the top of a Wave, we ſeemed to look down thence into a deep and dark Valley; then down we went again with ſuch a Fury, that we thought we ſhould deſcend to the bottom, which continued almoſt 'till the next Morning. And although the Tempeſt had thrown us a good way back,Sept. the 17. yet in a little time we got ſo far forward again, that we could deſcry Candy, and the little Iſland Legoſia. Juſt then we ſpied two Ships, one a Bark, ten Miles off to the Left, and the other a great Ship going to Africa.
18.After we were thus gone along by Creet, we came on Friday juſt over againſt the City of Candy; it came to be ſo calm and ſo warm, that we could hardly perceive we were come above three or four Miles. We going thus ſlowly, ſome of our Company jumped out into the Sea to waſh themſelves, but the Mate of our Ship run a Fiſh through with a long Spear for that purpoſe, called Liſcha, and ſo pulled it out; this was delicately Coloured, and very pleaſant to look upon, his Back was Blew, and his Belly White and Gliſning, above a Yard long, of a tender Fleſh, and very good to Eat. This ſeems to have been a Tunny.
Juſt over againſt it, is a Monaſtery of St. Francis, in which is a very good Apothecaries Shop, and a delicate Garden filled with ſtrange and uſeful Plants.
There is alſo not far off, a good and ſafe Port, called Caliſme, where we would willingly have taken in Water, but becauſe it lay thirty Miles before us, and the Wind Sirocco contrary to us began to blow again, and hindred us in this Enterpriſe; we ſteered on Saturday towards the South, that we might reach it the next Morning.
About Noon,Sept. the 19. when we turned again to the Porto, we ſaw another Ship on the Left, and becauſe we did not know how to truſt her, we looked to our great Guns, of which we had thirteen, and got them ready, and alſo the reſt of our Arms, &c. But the longer we looked upon the Ship, the further we perceived her go from us. When we came within twelve Miles of the Port, (and hoped to make it) the Wind changed, and the Tramontana blew from the North vehemently,20. ſo we went on in our right Courſe to the Iſlands Calderon and Chriſtiana, ſo that on Monday we paſſed the furtheſt Point of Creet called Caput Salomonis, where we ſaw on the hight another Iſland ſcituated ſixty Italian Miles from Rhodus, called Scarpanthos, 21.and alſo Carpathos, where Night befel us. But when we expected to go forwards with this Wind we loſt it, and it changed into Graeco again, contrary to us, and ſo we could not go on further, but were forced to croſs up and down and to weather the Point.22. On Monday we ſaw a Ship that came directly down upon us, wherefore we went to meet her, and put our Flag at the top of our Main-maſt. But when we came nearer we knew her to be a Marſilian, called Santa Maria de Lacura Burſa, they did ſend out one of their Boats to tell us, that they came ſeven Weeks agone from Tripoli, and that they wanted Biſcuits very much, and therefore deſired us to let them have ſome of ours, to which we willingly agreed, and let them have what they would, and ſo they were very well pleaſed. While this was done, a good Wind aroſe again, ſerving us both, called Tramontana, ſo that we could go forwards and they homewards, and ſo we parted. Then our Maſter ordered three Guns to be diſcharged, which they anſwered with two, ſo we went on, and loſt the ſight of one another in half an Hours time.
Here is to be obſerved, that of the four Cardinal, and four ſide Winds five were for us (for we could go on as well with the Tramontana and the Midi, called North and South, as with the three other, called North-Weſt, Weſt, and South-Weſt, and ſo we had three contrary ones, Syrocco, Levantino, Sept. the 23.and Graeco, which were contrary to us in our going; during this Wind we went on with ſuch ſpeed, that on the 24th of September in the Evening we ſaw the great Iſland Cyprus, 24.five hundred Miles beyond Candy. But becauſe we had ſteered too much on the Right, we were forced to ſpend all that Night and the next Day before we could come to Cyprus. 25.The ſame Morning we ſaw the high Mountain Libanus in Syria, two hundred Miles diſtant from us, and ſo at Night we got into the Harbour of Salamine, here is made the beſt Bay-ſalt that is in the World: Here we alſo diſcharged three Guns, for Joy of our ſafe Arrival, and ſome of us Landed, together with our Maſter, to take in Water, and to enquire after our Friends and Acquaintance. No ſooner were we Landed, but we met with two travelling Turks, with an Italian that underſtood their Language: they ſpake to us by their Interpreter, and conducted us to their Colonel, who was encamped near the Market-place of Salamine upon a Hill, where one might ſee a great way off into the Sea. After an Hours walk we came in ſight of him, and ſaw about thirty Tents, and amongſt them his alſo, where we ſaw ſome curious Tapeſtry ſpread, and him ſitting in the midſt, with a delicate white Turbant, and a long red lined Caban.
He held in his Hand a long Iron, like a Grater, we uſe to grate Bread withall, only it was a great deal ſmaller: The Turkiſh Perſons of Quality have generally ſuch Irons in their Hand in the Summer-time; which they put in between their Back and Cloaths to ſcratch their Backs when they itch: About him ſat ſome more Gentlemen bended down, and others kept Centinel without his Tent, with Guns and Scymmeters well provided. Amongſt the reſt there was one of a good Preſence covered with a Tiger's Skin, that held a great Iron Club in his Hand. Upon his deſire we went to him, with the uſual Reverences, according to their Cuſtom, bending our Head and the whole Body downwards, and laying the Right-hand upon our Breaſts: Our Maſter alſo pulled off his Shoes, went in, and ſate down with the reſt before him: but we two ſet our ſelves down without upon two Seats that were brought us. Then the Lord began to ask our Maſter, by his Interpreter, from whence we came, how long we had been a coming, what Merchandizes we had brought, and whether we deſigned to make any Sale there: which Queſtions our Maſter anſwered. Then he began to enquire after News: Viz. Where-about the Spaniſh Armada was at preſent, and how ſtrong it was reputed, whether the King of Spain had made any Leagues with other Princes: and how the King of France did agree with his Hugonots, how ſtrong the City of Rochelle was, and whether the King took it by violence, or whether they ſubmitted themſelves voluntarily. After this Conference had laſted for half an Hour, he diſmiſſed us with great Civility, giving us leave, to go about our Affairs. So we went off with the uſual Ceremonies, and went the ſame Evening into the Market of Salamine, to enquire after our Friends, but we found this Market-Town, and alſo all the Neighbourhood ſo ſtrangely ſpoiled, that there were but very few whole Houſes ſtanding. But being that we found none of ours, nor having any buſineſs there, we returned to our Ship, I found nothing by the way but a few Caper-buſhes with ſome Paliurus's and Kali.
Sept. 26.27.28.29.30.After our Men had filled Water enough out of the Well by the Harbour we went aboard the Ship again, hoiſted up our Sails, and departed in the Night. But in going thence for Tripoli we had for the moſt part contrary Winds, which hindred us ſo much, that we did not arrive there until the laſt day of September. Thanks, Honour, and Glory be to the Almighty God, that mercifully did protect us from all Dangers and Miſchiefs, and bought us ſafely into this Harbour.