A Collection of Curious Travels and Voyages, Volume 1 · Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Which way I travelled from Tripolis further to the two Famous Cities of Damant and Halepo.
AFter I had reſted for ſeveral Weeks in Tripolis, and had obſerved that City, its Building, and pleaſant Situation, and moreover the Manners, Cuſtoms, and Habits, as well of the low as high ones, I propounded to my ſelf to Travel to Aleppo, which is almoſt the biggeſt, and the moſt Famous, Trading City of Syria, which lies five or ſix days Journey towards the North-eaſt of Tripolis. And when I met with ſome Companions to Travel with me, we ſtored our ſelves with Proviſions, viz. Bread, Cheeſe, Eggs, &c. for our Journey, and ſo ſet out of Tripolis the 9th. of November, Anno 73.
By the way we met with a great deal of Rain, which commonly begins at that time of the Year, and continueth almoſt all the Winter long: This kept us ſo much back, that we reached not to Damant, which is in the mid-way from Tripolis to Aleppo, before the fourth day. There we lodged in one of their great Champs, called Carvatſcharas, where we had a Chamber aſſigned us, in which we found neither Table, nor Chairs, nor Bench, nor Bed, only upon the Floor was laid a Stromatzo twiſted, of Canes, which was to ſerve us inſtead of them all. There we bought in their Bazar ſome Victuals according to our pleaſure, and ſtaid there all Night long. The Town, which ſome take to be the Old Apamia, is pretty big, and pretty well built; it lies in a Valley between Hills, ſo that you can ſee nothing of it (the Caſtle only excepted, which lyeth on the Hill, and guardeth it very well) before you are juſt come to it. Round about it there is many Orchards and Kitchen-Gardens, which they Water out of the River Haſce, which is pretty large, and runs through the Town. The Water they lift up with Wheels for that purpoſe fixed in the River, that pour it into Channels that carry it into the Gardens, and ſo Water them in the great heat of the Sun, to refreſh them. Theſe Gardens had been worth my ſeeing, but my Fellow-Travellers were in haſt, and ſo we put on the next Morning for Aleppo.
By the way we ſaw very good Corn-Fields, Vineyards, and Fields planted with Cotton, which is brought from thence, and ſold to us under the Name of the place where it grew, and alſo Silks and other Goods that are bought there at the firſt hand. In theſe Countries are a great many Wild Aſſes called Onagri, the Skins of them are very ſtrong to wear, and as they prepare them, finely frockt on the outſide, as Strawberries are, or like the Skin of the Sepia, or Cuttle-Fiſh, wherefore they commonly make their Scabbards for their Scymitars, and Sheaths of their Knives thereof. Their Blades are watered on both ſides very ſubtilly; they are made of good Metal, well hardened, and ſo ſharp (chiefly theſe that are made in Damaſcus) that you may cut with them a very ſtrong Nail in pieces, without any hurt to the Blade. They wear rather Knives than Daggers, which they tye to their Girdles with finely wrought Tapes, by their backs.
When we went on and came to the Promontory of Mount Libanus, we ſaw abundance of Villages by the way, which for the moſt part are inhabited by Chriſtians, viz. Syrians, Maronites, &c. with whom we did Lodge ſometimes over-night; theſe entertained us very civilly, and gave us ſuch Wine to drink, as grew on the Mountains, than which I hardly remember I ever drank better. Amongſt the reſt of the Villages we came to one called Hanal, lying high in a Fruitful Country, where, as I am informed, in former days a very fine City ſtood, which is ſo deſolated, and in proceſs of time decayed to that degree, that in our days there is almoſt nothing of it left but a ſmall Village, and here and there in the Fields ſome ſmall Ruins of Old Houſes.
We went on further between the Mountains, where we ſpied a little Town upon the Hills, and above it a ſtrong Caſtle, which it's ſaid the French did formerly build, that lyeth in a very convenient place between the Mountains, ſo that you muſt go juſt by it; but becauſe it is haunted with Evil Spirits and Hobgoblins, it remaineth unrepaired, and uninhabited. We left it on our left hand, and came out into a ſpacious Corn-Field well tilled, where on our left we ſaw the Town Sermin at a great diſtance, and near to it and about it, great Woods of Piſtacio-Trees, which are gathered there, and ſent to Tripolis, and ſo by the Merchants to us: Some of them grow alſo near the High-ways, chiefly in the Village of Baſilo, where we ſtayed all Night.
In our way we found nine or ten Champs called Caravatſcharas, theſe are open Inns, where the Caravans and Travellers go in, commonly towards Evening, to ſtay there all Night; they are free to any body, but you find neither Meat nor Drink there, if you will have it you muſt bring it along with you, and muſt be contented to lye upon Straw (if you can have it) upon the lower Wall, which goes round about the ſides, on purpoſe to give to Horſes, Aſſes, and Camels their Food upon it. They are generally three Miles diſtant from one another; they are large and ſtately, and as ſtrong in Walls as Caſtles, commonly built four-ſquare, and have within a large Yard, and round about it are Stables which are quite open, juſt like Cloiſters. Some of them have a Garriſon of Nine or Twelve Janiſaries, to keep the Roads clean, and to protect the Travellers from Aſſaults of the Inhabitants and Arabians.
When we had travelled over ſeveral rough Mountains, and came almoſt near to Halepo, we ſaw at laſt the City juſt like Damand, of the bigneſs of Strasbourg; at the Gates we diſmounted, becauſe in Turky no Outlandiſh Man hath liberty to Ride through a City; and ſo we went into it, and I went into the French Fundique to take my Lodgings, as all Germans uſe to do.