A Collection of Curious Travels and Voyages, Volume 2 · Observations 2 · Section 13
A Journey from Grand Caire to Mecha.
THE day that the Emir-Adge parted from Caire, he encamped in Tents, cloſe by the City, and a few days after he encamped at the Birque, which is a great Pond about twelve miles from Caire, near to which they encamp. This place is the Rendeſvouz of all the Caravans. The Emir-Adge parted from thence with the whole Caravan, Wedneſday the eighth of Auguſt, it being the Cuſtom for the Caravan of Caire to ſet out Seven and fifty days after the beginning of the Ramadam, that ſo it may be there punctually at the time. It is very pretty to ſee them encamped in the Night-time, becauſe of the infinite number of Lamps that are in the Tents and Pavilions. Next day, the ninth of Auguſt, the Caravan of the Magrebins parted alſo from the Birque, and there all of Barbary, who intend to make the Journey, meet, and make a diſtinct Caravan; which depends not on the Emir-Adge o… Caire, but have a Chief of their own. That Caravan never ſets out, but a day after the Caravan of Caire; they travel commonly by night, and reſt in the day time, as all other Caravans do that go to other places, that ſo they may avoid the heat, which is almoſt inſupportable; and when the Moon does not ſhine, there are men who carry Links before the Caravan. In all Caravans, the Camels are tied tail to tail, ſo that let them but go, and there is no trouble of leading them.
Here I'll give the Reader an account, how many Stages there are betwixt Caire and Mecha, how many days they ſtay in them, how many hours travelling there is betwixt them, and at what Stages the Waters are ſweet or bitter, all along the way. This little Itinerary I had from a Prince of Tunis, who made that Journey whilſt I was at Caire. From Caire to the Birque it is reckoned four hours Journey; there is freſh Water there. From the Birque to Miſana, that is to ſay, Ciſtern, ten hours; no Water there. From Miſana to Kalaat Aadgeroud, which is to ſay, the Caſtle of Sand-pits, twelve hours and an half; there is bitter Water there. From the Caſtle of Aadgeroud to Navatir, ſeven hours and an half; no Water there. From Navatir to Raſtagara, ten hours; no Water there, and the way bad. From Raſtagara to Kalaat el Nahhal, that is to ſay, the Caſtle of Palmes, fifteen hours; there they ſtay a day, and have freſh Water. From the Caſtle of Nahhal to Abiar Alaina, fourteen hours; only bitter Water there. From Abiar Alaina to Sath el Akaba, that is to ſay the Plain of the Hill, fifteen hours; no Water there. From Sath el Akaba to Kalaat el Akaba, that is to ſay, the Caſtle of the Hill, (that's upon the ſide of the Red Sea) ſixteen hours, there they ſtay two days and an half, the way is very bad, but they have freſh Water. From the Caſtle el Akaba to Dar el Hhamar, ſix hours and an half; no Water there, (Dar el Hhamar ſignifies Aſſes Back, and it is like the Mountain in Italy, where there is an Inn called Scarga l' aſino.) From Dar el Hhamar to Scharafe Benigateie, fourteen hours; no Water there. From Scharafe Benigateie to Magare Chouaib, that is to ſay, the Grott of Jethro, fourteen hours; freſh Water there: that is the Country of the Midionites. From Magare Chouaib to Eyoun el Kaſed, fourteen hours and an half; freſh Water there: It was in that place where Jethro's Daughters going to water their Cattel, and the Shepherds offering to hinder them, Moſes protected and defended them againſt thoſe who would have hindred them to draw Water. From Eyoun el Kaſeb to Kalaat el Moilah which is by the Sea-ſide, fifteen hours; there they reſt two days and an half, and have freſh Water. From Kalaat el Moilah to Caſtel, eleven hours; bitter Water there. From Caſtel to Kalaat Ezlem, fifteen hours and an half; bitter Water there. From Kalaat Ezlem to Iſtanbel antir, fourteen hours; freſh Water there. From Iſtanbel antir to Kalaat el Voudge, that is to ſay, the Caſtle of the Face, thirteen hours and an half; freſh Water there. From Kalaat el Voudge to Ekre, ſixteen hours: no Water there but what is bitter. From Ekre to Hank Krue, that is to ſay, Gulf, twelve hours and an half: no Water there. From Hank Krue (going to Hhawre, they enter into the Territory of Mecha) to Hhawre, it is thirteen hours: only bitter Water there. From Hhawre to Nabte, fifteen hours: freſh Water there. From thence come the Nabathean Arabs, Eurus ad auroram Nabathaeaque regna receſſit. From Nabte to Hazire, thirteen hours and an half: no Water there. From Hazire to Yanbouh, that is to ſay, Fountain, fourteen hours and an half: there they ſtay two days and an half, and have freſh Water. From Yanbouh to Soucaife, thirteen hours: no Water there. From Soucaif to Beder Hunein, that is to ſay, the Moon of Hunein, eight hours: freſh Water there. Hunein was a man that ſhew'd the Moon in his Well. From Beder Hunein to Ssbil el Mouhſin, that is to ſay, the way of Benefaction or Benefit, fourteen hours: freſh Water there: Rabii is a Sacred place, that is to ſay, not to be enter'd into, without being well prepared and purged from all Sin. Hence it is that there are two places which are called Haramein, Sacred places, to wit, Mecha and Medina, that is to ſay, which are two Holy places, where one ſhould take heed not to ſet his foot, unleſs he be well waſhed from all Sin. From Rabii to Kawdire, fifteen hours, no Water there. From Kawdire to Bir el fan, fourteen hours, freſh Water there. From Bir el fan to Vadi fatima, fourteen hours: freſh Water there. From Vadi fatima to Mecha ſix hours.