those at Otricholi and Rome but spherical as those at Verona and Nismes There are also Dorick and Ionick Pillars with many Statues belonging to the Temple of Divus Claudius At Cavalla or Boucephala there are still great Cisterns of hardned Cement as at Baiae and Aquaeducts Departing from Cavalla we pass'd by Mount Haemus over the River Nesus and came to Bouron on the Salt-Lake of Bisto near a moist Plain full of Cytisus Halimus c. as about Philippi Here are taken great quantity of Dace or Dare which they pickle as we do Herrings as also smoak and dry them The Fishing on this Lake is very considerable for from hence they supply many distant places About six hours from Bouron we came to Commercina where they sell great variety of Provisions from thence we went to Cypsella where they make Alum by gently calcining the Stone and letting it dissolve afterwards in the Air by the Dews and Rains and then boyling and crystallizing the impregnated Water In this Journey we saw many old Roman Highways pav'd with great Stones We passed the Marisca of old Hebrus in a Ferry and came to Vire here they wash some Gold out of the Sand but are often forced to use Quicksilver in the separation The Water of Hebrus is very cold in the middle of Summer and the Banks are set with Tamarisks King's-fishers build their Nests in holes on the sides they make them of the Bones and Scales of little Fishes The Natives hereabouts often leave their Habitations to work in Harvest time Their Sickles differ from ours and their Corn is not thresh'd but trodden with Cattel In this Journey we found great variety and plenty of Jaspars and Chalcedony The Thracians and Macedonians gather all the Galls or Excrescencies on the Turpentine Trees which they sell at Prusa for the dying of Silks This Country abounds much with Tortoises for the Greeks never eat nor destroy their unless they catch them in their Gardens or Plantations of Cotton and Sesamum We left the Road of Gallipoli on the right and came to Rodesto the old Perinthus from thence we left Heraclea on the left and past Selibria a days Journey distant from Constantinople The Honey of Heraclea is said to be pernicious perhaps because the Country abounds with the Chamaeleon niger a sort of Carlina to whose Root adheres a very venomous Excrescence called Ixia which may affect the Bees that feed on that Plant. I found hereabouts a milky Plant perhaps an Apocynum with the leaves and flower of a Nerion or the purple Lysimachia Thrace is an open Country without Trees like Picardy the great Plains are divided here and there with Ridges and little Hills About three miles before we came to Constantinople we pass'd two long Wood-Bridges that run over the Salt-Marshes upon which are many Boats and Mills with eight Wings or Arms On these Lakes there is a great Fishery as also on the Propontis for the Oriental People as other Nations of old are more delighted with the Fish Diet than with that of Quadrupeds or Birds This may be one reason why the Books of the Ancients treat more of Fish than of Fowl or any other Animals CHAP. IV. The Ways of Fishing on the Propontis the Bosphorus and Hellespont as also of the Fishes taken By M. Belon THESE Seas abound extreamly with Fish that pass between the Euxine and Mediterranean into which abundance of great fresh Rivers empty themselves The Streights and Shoars are full of little Wood-Cottages wherein the Fishermen watch and observe the several Shoals and great variety of Nets both loose and fastened to Poles of several figures for the taking both of great and small frys There is also the Hook and Bait-fishing up and down with long Lines the Train and Hand-Nets c. Besides all these ways they practise another manner of fishing by lighted Torches in dark calm nights whereby they find the great Fishes asleep and strike them very silently with sharp Tridents and hooked Engines This they find the most convenient for taking the greater sorts of Fish which often break their Nets and Lines The common Fishes of these Streights are the Tunny and the Pelamis Macrel Scads Giltheads Mullets Gurnards Sheathfish Swordfish the Dolphin different from our Porpess the Wolf-fish Lampreys the Muraena Sphyrena Melanurus Salpa Sargus Moena Atherina Exocaetus which serve for Baits to catch Congers Celerinus Sardina Polypus Loligo Erythrinus c. The Garus so common in the Shops of Constantinople is prepared here only out of the Sanies or Ichor of the salted Intestines of the Macrel and Scads The red Cavear is not made of the Eggs or Roe of the Sturgeon but out of the Cyprinus Q. Whether the Author means the Bream or Carp CHAP. V. Of some Beasts and Mechanick Trades at Constantinople NEar the Hippodromus at Constantinople I observ'd some rare Animals which the Turkish Emperors are much delighted with as the Onager the Hystrix the Lupus Cervarius the Lynx the Ponticus Mus or Ermine many rare Weasils and odd Cats The Turks not using the Printing Trade they levigate and polish their Writing Paper in Box Frames by rubbing it with the Chalcedony and Jaspar-stones put at the end of Sticks They damask their Cymeters with a blewish colour by macerating Sal Armoniac and Verdigrease in Vinegar and steeping the Blades in this Mixture often pouring fresh upon them this acts upon the Steel and renders it of that colour upon polishing They granulate Leather for Scabbards In the Cutlers Shops one sees great variety of Horns Teeth c. as of Bufalo's Gazels Morse-Teeth and other Tusks They colour their Linnen with great variety and with many Figures which they cut in Wood and there paint afterwards stamp and press it upon the Linnen or Silk as in printing upon Paper they first polish their Linnen or Cottons with Pastes of fine Flower The Inhabitants on these Streights gather abundance of a broad-leav'd Alga which they mix with a fat Earth and so cover their Houses with it The Current running so strong casts out great variety of Marine Productions as Alcyonium or Arkeilli Antipathos a sort of Coralline Mr. Francis Vernon's Letter written to Mr. Oldenburg Jan. 10. 1675 6 giving a short account of some of his Observations in his Travels from Venice through Istria Dalmatia Greece and the Archipelago to Smyrna where this Letter was written SIR I Must beg your Excuse for not having written to you in so long a space The little rest I have had and the great unsettledness of my Condition is the reason Neither have I now any great Curiosities to impart to you only some small Circumstances of my Journey I will run over From Venice I set out with those Gallies which carried their Ambassadour that went for the Port. We touch'd at most of the considerable Towns of Istria and Dalmatia by the way In Istria we saw Pola an ancient Republick There remains yet an Amphitheatre entire
it up into little Barrels to send into other Countries the latter they use themselves mix it sometimes with Water and give it to drink instead of a Julep to their Servants sometimes they put it into little Cups to dip their Bread in it as if it were Honey and so eat it Besides these they have other sweet Drinks which they prepare out of red Berries called Jujubes or of Cibebs which when boiled in Water with a little Honey the Inhabitants call Hassap and others called still by the old name of Berberis of which they bring great quantities down from Mount Libanus Among other Liquors they have a special one called Tscherbeth which boiled of Honey tasteth like unto our Mead they have another made of Barley or Wheat by the Ancients called Zychus and Curmi these two last make the Turks so merry and elevated that as our Clowns do when they drink Beer they sing and play on their Hautboys Cornets and Kettle Drums which their Musicians make use of every Morning when the Guards are relieved All these Liquors are sold in their great Batzars where they have Baskets full of Ice and Snow all the Summer long whereof they put so much into the Drink that it maketh their Teeth chatter and quake again Thus much I thought convenient to mention of their Liquors or Drinks Concerning their Food their Bread is nourishing and good and so white chiefly at Halepo that none is like it in all Turkey so they have several sorts of it of several shapes and mixtures whereof some are done with Yolks of Eggs some mixt with several sorts of Seeds as of Sesamum Romish Coriander and wild Garden Saffron which is also strowed upon it Meat is cheap with them and very good by reason of the precious Herbs that grow thereabout chiefly upon Mount Tauri which extendeth itself very far Eastwards from whence they have abundance of Cattel as Rams Weathers and Sheep with broad and fat Tails whereof one weigheth several Pounds They have also great store of Goats which they drive daily in great Numbers through that City to sell their Milk which every one that hath a mind to it drinks warm in the open Streets among them there are some that are not very big but have Ears two foot long so that they hang down to the Ground and hinder them from feeding when one of them is cut off which is commonly done they turn themselves always upon that side that the other Ear may not hinder them from feeding They have no want of Beefes and Bufles for they are very common there and the Butchers kill the Beasts in the Fields without Town where they have their Slaughter-houses thereabout are a great many Dogs that live of the Offels and have their young ones in Holes and Cliffs where they bring them up and these become so Ravenous and Wild that they run about in the Night after their Prey as I am informed like Wolffs in our Country And this may very well be for the Turks do not only not kill any Dogs but rather carry them home when they are young and there feed them till they are grown up and able to shift for themselves and they believe that they do a deed of Charity that is very acceptable to God Almighty like unto the Divines in the Indies called Banians which serve the Birds in the same manner as these do the Dogs and Cats These Wolves are more like to our Dogs both in Shape and Bigness and so says Pliny that the Wolves in Aegypt are less and lasier then these towards the North being there are no Inns in Turkey where as with us Travellers may Lodge and have their Diet therefore there is a great many Cake-shops kept in the Batzars where all manner of Victuals are cleanly dressed viz. Butchers Meat Fouls and all sorts of Sauces and Broths and Soups where every body buys what he hath a mind to according to the capacity of his Purse Among the rest nothing is so common as Rice which they boyl up to such a stiffness that it crumbleth A great many other sorts you shall see in Copper Basons upon their Shop-boards prepared after the same way amongst the rest peculiarly a very common one called Bnuhourt made of Barley and Wheat which were first broke on a Mill and perhaps dryed and so boyled with or without Milk into a thick Pap. Dioscorides in the 83d Chapter of his Second Book maketh mention of this by the name of Crimnon and also Avicen and Rhasas ad Almans in Synonymis calleth it Sanguick and Savick The Turks provide themselves with good store of this chiefly in War-time by Water and by Land that when they want Provision they may make use of it instead of Bread Besides these they have more Dishes amongst them I remember one called Trachan when it is dressed it is so tough that you may draw it out like Glue this they make up into little pieces which being dryed will keep good a great while and is very good and pleasant Food after it is boyled wherefore they lay up great Stores of this in their strong Fortifications as we do of Corn that in case of necessity they may eat it instead of Bisquets or other Food That such sorts of Foods by the Latinists called Pùls have been very well known to the Ancients and that in case of necessity they use to make a shift with it Pliny testifieth in his Eighteenth Book and the Eighth Chapter They have also all manner of Poultry in great plenty viz. Pullen Snipes Partridges with red Bills Woodcocks c. but very few Fishes because they have only a small Rivolet which is full of Turtles so that at Halepo they are very scarce Neither do they esteem them much because most of them drink Water instead of Wine which is prohibited by their Law wherefore there are but very few brought thither from foreign places as Antiochia and the great River Euphrates c. distant from thence two or three miles Besides this they have little By-dishes as Kal Colliflowers Carrots Turneps French-Beans Besides Trees and Codded Fruits and many more but yet they are not so well skilled in the dressing of them as we are in our Country Lastly They put also up with their Cheese Cibebs Almonds dryed Cicers Pistachio's and crack'd Hasel-nuts which although they are carried thither from our Country are better tasted and pleasanter than ours They have many sorts of Preserves very well done with Sugar and Hony very artificially chiefly those they carry about to sell upon Plates very well garnish'd made up and set out with several Colours and Shapes very beautiful to behold For the rest they live very sparingly and bring the Year round with small and little Expences for they do not make so great Feasts nor have so many Dishes nor bestow so great Cost as we do in our Country In these Eastern Countries they eat upon the plain Ground and when it is Dinner-time
Prophet Mahomet and others which maketh them generally very Rich and wear greater Turbants than the rest that they may be distinguished from others Their Paper is generally smoothed and glazed and they comprehend their Letters in very few Words When they will make them up they fold them up until they come to be no broader than an Inch the outward crevise of the Paper they fill all along with Wax within and so glue it as it were to the other or else they take any other Paste made for that purpose and so imprint their Name upon it with their Seal that is done over with Ink so that nothing remaineth white but the Letters These Seals are generally made at Damasco where the best Artists live that cut in Steel and they put nothing more in it but their Name They do not make any use of Paper that is writ on although they have great quantity thereof neither to put things up in nor for any other use and yet if they find any of it in the Street they do not let it lye but take it up carefully fold it together and put it into the next crevise they meet with for they are afraid that the Name of God may be written on it Instead thereof the Grocers make use of great Leaves of Colocasia whereof they have great store CHAP. VIII Of the great Trading and Dealing of the City of Halepo as also of several sorts of their Meats and Drinks of their Ceremonies and their peculiar way of sitting down at Meals HAving heretofore treated of the Buildings and Situation of that Excellent Town of Halepo and of the Customs Manners and Offices of the Turks as much as I could apprehend of it I cannot but speak before I leave it of the Dealings and Merchandisings that are daily exercised there which are admirably great For great Caravans of Pack-Horses and Asses but more Camels arrive there daily from all Foreign Countries viz. from Natolia Armenia Aegypt and India c. with Convoys so that the Streets are so crouded that it is hard to pass by one another Each of these Nations have their peculiar Champ to themselves commonly named after their Master that built it viz. Champ Agemi Champ Waywoda Champ Abrac Sibeli Mahomet 's Bashaw and which are kept for them that they may make them their Inns and live in them and to keep or sell their Merchandises according to their pleasure So among the rest of the Nations there are French-men and Italians c. which have also there their peculiar Buildings which as is before said are called Fundiques wherein some live together and others chiefly the Italians that are married live without in Lodgings they have very small Habitations and live sparingly like the Turks In these Champs you meet with several sorts of strange Merchandises before all in Champ Agami where you have all sorts of Cotton-works viz. Handkerchiefs long Fillets Girdles which they roll about their Loins and Heads and other sorts by the Arabians called Mossellini after the Country Mussoli from whence they are brought which is situated in Mesopotamia by us Muslin with these do the Turkish Gentlemen Cloath themselves in Summer There is delicate Tapestry Artificially wrought with all manner of colours such as are sometimes brought over by us From Persia they bring great quantity of an unknown Manna in Skins by the name of Trunschibil which is gathered from a prickly Shrub called by the Arabians Agul and Albagi which is the reason that it is mixt with small Thorns and reddish Chaff This Manna hath Grains something bigger than our Coriander-seeds so that to all appearance it is very like unto our Manna which we gather from the Larix It might also very well be taken to be the same that the Israelites did eat had not God the Almighty fed his People and maintained them Miraculously and Supernaturally But that it falls upon Thorns is also attested by Serapio and Avicen in those Chapters where they treat of Manna which they call Theceriabin and Trangibin and that very learned and experienced Botanist Carolus Clusius saith the same in his Epitome of Indian Plants I found some of these Shrubs that grew about Haleppo which were about a Cubit high which shout out into several roundish Stalks and divide and spread themselves from the Stem into several Sprigs like unto a Flower part whereof were quite over-grown with Epithymum as Thymus used to be and had abundance of long thin and soft Prickles from whence grew out flesh-coloured reddish Flowers that bore small red Cods very like and of the same shape with the Cods of our Scorpioides whereof I have found many at Montpelier wherein are Seeds of the same colour The Root thereof is pretty long of a brown colour its leaves long like unto those of Polygonum of an Ash colour those that grow at the bottom of the Thorns are of a warm and dry Quality The People use the Herb for a Purge they take a handful thereof and boyl it in Water Besides this they have another Manna like unto that that cometh to us from Calabria by the way of Venice and is the concreted Saccarine Exudation of the Ornus Among the rest they also shew costly Stones by the Arabians called Bazaor which are oblong and roundish and smooth without and of a dark green Colour The Persians take these from a peculiar sort of Bucks and use the Powder against mortal and poisonous Distempers There are some that are very like unto these in Form and Figure but not to be compared for Goodness Wherefore a Man must have great care that he be not cheated But there are some Proofs to know whether they are good or no which a Merchant communicated to me as infallible Take Quicklime and mix it in Pouder with a little of this Stone and with Water make them up into a Paste when that is dry grind it if it then remaineth white it is esteemed false but if it turns yellow it is good and brought from Persia They also bring hither Turkey Stones that grow almost only in their Country and their King the Sophy has an incredible Treasure of them together Lately so many of them were brought to us that the Prices fell very much but when the King heard of this he immediately forbid that any should be Exported in seven years time that so they might come to their former Price again which seven years as I am informed are now expired There are also put to Sale many Chains of delicate Oriental Pearls which are for the greatest part taken or found in the Persian Seas near to the Island called Bahare scituated not far from that great trading City of the Turkish Batzora or Balsara From India they bring hither many delicate Spices Cinnamon Spicnard Long Pepper Turbith Cardamoms Nutmegs Mace and China Roots which the Arabians make more use of then of Guajacum and delicate China Cups and Dishes Indico and in very great quantity they bring that
Courage or no wherefore they oftentimes before they are aware of them assault the Christians with rough Words and if they find them to be affraid they laugh at them to boot but if they resist them they give over immediately as soon as they find them in earnest just like some Dogs that sooner bark then bite and esteem him afterwards the more for it and call them brave People that are fit for the War You find also in this Crowd several that are in Orders called Sacquatz which commonly are Pilgrims that have been at Mecha that go about with Skins full of Water and for Charity give to any nay even to the Christians that desire it because the Mahumetans are forbid to drink Wine in their Alcoran Wherefore you see many in their peculiar Habits moved thereunto by Devotion that go all day long among the People to exercise a Work of Love and Charity to those that are thirsty They have in one hand a fine gilded Cup whereinto they power the Water out of their Skins wherein they have commonly laid Chalcedonicks Jaspirs c. Sometimes also delicate tasted Fruit to keep the Water fresh and to recreate the People When they give you to Drink out of it they reach you also a Looking-glass with this Admonition That you shall look your self in it and remember that you are Mortal and must die For this Service they desire nothing of you but if you give them any thing they take it and thank you and spout into your Face and Beard to shew their thankfulness some fragrant Water which they have in Glasses in a great Pouch tip'd with many Brass Clasps The Turks and Arabians also esteem it to be a great Charity and Love if they let their Marble Troughs or great Pots that stand everywhere about their Doors be filled up with fresh Water every day that Travellers or any that are dry may quench their Thirst as they pass by in it hang little Kettles to drink out of If one goes to it others that see him go also and drink rather for Companies sake then to quench their Thirst So you find often a whole Multitude about a Pot. If you have a mind to eat something or to drink other Liquors there is commonly an open Shop near it where you sit down upon the Ground or Carpets and drink together Among the rest they have a very good Drink by them called Chaube Coffee that is almost as black as Ink and very good in illness chiefly that of the Stomach of this they drink in the Morning early in open places before every body without any fear or regard out of China Cups as hot as they can they put it often to their Lips but drink but little at a time and let it go round as they sit In this same Water they take a Fruit called Bunru which in its Bigness Shape and Colour is almost like unto a Bay-berry with two thin Shells surrounded which as they informed me are brought from the Indies but as these in themselves are and have within them two yellowish Grains in two distinct Cells and besides being they agree in their Virtue Figure Looks and Name with the Buncho of Avicen and Bancha of Rasis ad Almans exactly therefore I take them to be the same until I am better informed by the Learned This Liquor is very common among them wherefore there are a great many of them that sell it and others that sell the Berries everywhere in their Batzars They esteem it as highly as we do in our Country Wormwood Wine or that that is prepared with several Herbs and Drugs yet they love Wine better if their Law would allow them to drink it as we have seen in the Reign of the Emperour Selymo when he gave them leave to drink it that they met together daily in Drinking-houses and drunk to one another not only two or three Glasses of strong Wine not mixed with Water but four or five of such as came from Venice to them so quickly one after another with such eagerness as I have often seen it that they would not allow themselves to eat a Morcel or two between it and so as you may easily guess they become to be sordid presently and so Hoggish that they excel all other Nations in it But after Selymus was dead and his Son Amurath succeeded him in his right he immediately forbad them to drink Wine in the very beginning of his Reign and looked after it with such severity that any body that did but smell of Wine was Imprisoned immediately put out of his place and a great Fine put upon him according to his capacity or for want of it punished severely with many Blows under his Soals During this Prohibition it happened that when the Bashaw of Halepo had a mind to go abroad and met in the Court-yard one of his men that was Drunk and perceived it by his staggering he drew his Scimeter and cut off his Head and so left him dead upon the place But yet notwithstanding all this Severity and be it never so peremptorily forbid they do not only not mind such Prohibition chiefly the Renegadoes being very much used to it but long and linger the sooner after it with that eagerness that in the Summer time they use to carry in privately just like the Ants great quantities of Wine and lay up good Stores that they may meet at Night and drink together until they have their Bellies full and so rest after it all Night that they might not smell of Wine the next Day In that time when they were prohibited to drink Wine we Christians fared very well and bought our Wine very cheap until afterwards they had leave to drink it again Their Wines are generally red very good and pleasant they keep it in Skins they are brought to Halepo from several places but chiefly from a famous Town called Nisis which lieth two days Journey distant from it upon the Borders of Armenia The use of Skins is still very great with them as it was in former Ages as we may see by the similitude of Christ when in St. Matthew Chap. 9. Vers 17. he says No man put new wine into c. Seeing that the Christians have leave to drink Wine therefore they sell and buy most of it they also plant it and have whole Villages in their Possessions with abundance of Vineyards But the Turks not being allowed to drink Wine by their Laws do not keep or cultivate many Vineyards and if they do they press the Grapes after several ways for some they make into Cibebs chiefly these People that live in and about Damascus where indeed the best groweth others boyl the Juice of the Grapes up to the consistence of Honey which they call Pachmatz chiefly these that live at Andeb a Town between Bi r and Nisib They have two sorts of this rob one very thick and the other somewhat thinner the former is the best wherefore they put
peculiar sort of Willow which the Inbitants still call by its ancient Arabian Name Garb. These Trees do not grow high but spread very much the Twigs thereof are stronger and not so tough as to make Bands or Wit hs as ours will the Bark is of a pale yellow Colour and so are the Leaves which are long and about two Fingers broad and at the edges round about crenated so that they are very much differing from the rest of this kind I found them to be of a pretty drying and astringent quality Of their Flowers and Fruit whereof Avicen maketh mention in his 126 and 686 Chap. I can say nothing because I saw none Hereabout the Turk that would not stay until we were cleared but went away before us did suffer Shipwrack and so lost a great deal of his Corn that he intended to carry to Bagdet called Baldac to sell it in the great Scarcity which was occasioned for want of Rain for there fell none in the space of two Years and a half And yet as they say if it raineth but twice or thrice a Year they have enough to supply themselves After our Men had wrought longer than an hour together with theirs until they had emptied the Ships they came to us again to go that Night to Deer But there being several Rocks before it which were very dangerous to pass some of their Pilots that understood the depths came out to meet and did help us so that we got safe there The Town of Deer which is not very big and belongs to the Sultan is situated on this side of the River on an ascent and is pretty well built with Houses whereon stood great Numbers of People when we went into it to see us but as for the Walls and Ditches they are but very slight At our first arrival we thought we should soon get clear for the Custom with the Armin and so Ship off again but he was not in Town so that we were forced to stay three Days for his coming In the mean time we got acquaintance with the Inhabitants which were handsome lusty and well-set and white and more mannerly than the rest they visited us frequently and spoke kindly to us so that we found a vast Difference between those and the former The Armin also who was no less civil we presented at his return with a great dish fill'd up with Cibebs and several sorts of Confectures and laid round about with Soap balls as is the Fashion in these Countries but to them that were with him and of his Family we gave some Sheets of white Paper which they willingly received and were so well pleased with it that some of them as the Children do in our Country when we give them something that is strange or pleasing to them smiled at it as often as they looked on it The Country there about is pretty fertile and plentiful of Corn Indian Millet Cotton c. and they have also between the Rivers very good Gardens for the Kitchin with all sorts of Plants and Fruits in them viz. Colliflowers Citruls Pumpions Cucumbers Anguriens or Water-Melons which they call Bathiecae whereof they have so many that you may buy forty great ones for one Asper whereof three make a Medin much about the value of our Penny There were also some Date Trees Limon and Citron and other Trees which I could not distinguish at a distance CHAP. V. Of our Voyage to the Famous Town Ana in which we passed again through great sandy Wildernesses for the performance whereof we must provide our selves with Victuals and be very careful in our Navigation Some relation of the Inhabitants of their Cloaths and other things we did observe and see by the way and what else did happen unto us AFter we had paid the Custom to the Armin who was a great deal more civil than he at Racka and provided our selves with all Necessaries we did but half load our Ships to draw them out of the branch again into the River and then we carried the rest to them by Boats and small Ships for the Water was very low and full of Mud so that we went from thence on the 4th Day of October in the Evening and so staid all Night a little below Deer The next Morning our Navigation proceeded very well till Noon when we came to a very broad and shallow place of the River that our Master did not know which way to get through When he was thus troubled and considering there appeared on the Height on the Shoar some Arabians and shewed us the Course we must take but we durst not trust them for we had heard before that they had sunk some great Stones there and that a Month before they had perswaded a Ship to go that way which did not discover their Cheat until their Ship after several hard knocks did split in pieces and sink The same they would have served others which although they did not follow their Counsel yet they came into such Danger that they could not deliver themselves out of it in a whole Days-time We Thanks be to God got sooner through than in an Hour after we had drawn our Ship a little back into the deep Stream to the great Admiration of the Arabians But the other in our Company did not stick much longer yet we had more to do to get her off because she was shorter with a hollow Bottom wherefore she was sooner turned but could not be got out so well as ours which was flat-bottom'd In the Evening very early we saw at a great distance on the other side in Mesopotamia a Castle in the Plain called Sere which the Arabians as they say have many Years ago demolished which the River Chabu which is pretty large runs by which beginneth not much above the Castle which one may guess by its Fresh-Water like unto fountain-Fountain-Water and runs a little way below into the River Euphrates From thence we thought to have reached Errachaby a Town belonging to the King of Arabia but being hindred in our Navigation as is above-mentioned we landed a little above this before the Night befell us and went the next Morning early to the before-mentioned Town which was pretty large and lay about half a League from the River in a very fruitful Country where we stayed until the next Day to sell some Goods there Wherefore two of ours went into the Town to call out some of their Merchants to trade with them 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
of our Christian Faith and made me immediately when he began to be sensible that I was of the same so fine a Confession of his Christian Faith so plainly and with such Grounds of Scripture that I was astonished for I could never have believed I could have met with the Fellow of him in these Countries So he began to have a great Love for me and desired me to go along with him and to stay with him in his House until I had an Opportunity to go further or that I might make him a Companion in his Voyage into the Indies that during those Travels he would shew me all Kindnesses he could nay be as careful of me as if I were his own Son And after he understood that I was a Physician he proferred of his own accord to recommend me to the Bashaw who was then sick and his very good Friend to be his Physician But I having understood before that others that had done the same had been but very ill rewarded for their Pains and Care they had taken and chiefly by those they did Cure I would not undertake it fearing I should have the same measure and instead of a Reward have my Liberty taken away from me wherefore I thanked him for his Kindness Had it not been for this I should have accepted of it notwithstanding that they have no Apothecaries Shops that are any thing provided but I must have bought the Ingredients from one Shop-keeper or other and so collected them from several places for I could hardly find any thing by them saving some strange sort of Turpentine Nuts whereof they have abundance and they are as good as Pistachia's wherefore the Inhabitants keep them by them and eat them as we eat small Nuts in our Country I have eaten several of them and found them of a saltish taste and of a drying quality These are called by the Arabians Botn and by the Persians Terbaick I have chiefly seen two kinds of them the greater and the less and so the Arabians distinguish them into Botnquibir and Sougier The bigger is in shape pretty like unto the Pistach Nut only it is a little rounder and so shorter the lesser is with its hard shell of the bigness of a Pea and are shaped like unto an Hart or the Dora that is the Indian-Hart A great many of them grow in Agemia Persia Mesopotamia and Armenia c. and grow together in clusters like Grapes as the Pistachies do or rather the Berries of our Turpentine-Trees for which they ought to be taken chiefly because the Trees wherein they grow are in their long Leaves pretty like unto the Turpentine-Tree whereby they are easily distinguished from the Pistachia-Tree which hath roundish ones This being so I take the little one for the Bell and the great one for the Fael of Serapio Avicen and Rhases which as Authors say grow chiefly in the Indies And this the rather because Authors attribute the same Virtue and Operation to them So may according to this chiefly the great Nuts Fael be taken for the Fruit of the Indian Turpentine-Tree whereof Theophrastus in his Fourth Book and Chapter Five maketh mention all which would be too tedious to be related here at large Besides these Nuts the before-mentioned Authors chiefly Serapio in his 251st Chapter makes still mention of another sort of Fruit called by him Sel and by Avicen Scel which are not in hard shells but as I saw them quite bare of the bigness of a Pistachia-Nut and of the colour of the Kernel of our Wall-nut they have a pretty bitterish taste and sensibly Sharp I did find none of them in these Parts by the Shop-keepers but had it only after that in the Monastery of the Minorites in Jerusalem of one of their Order who told me also that they did grow in these Countries Of Coloquints or white gourd Apples still known to the People by the old Name Handhal there grow so many hereabout that they send them to Aleppo and from thence into our Countries and also the delicate round Cyperus Root by the Inhabitants called Soëdt whereof one may find great quantities growing in mossy and wet Grounds I did also find by the Shop-keepers the white Seed of Machaleb which are in hard shells which are long and pointed and covered without with a tender skin like unto the Pistachia-Nut A great quantity of them are carried from thence into Syria and used to perfume Soap-Balls The Trees whereon they grow I did not see yet as I am informed they grow hereabout but chiefly on the Mountains that are by the way to Persia They are still to this Day by the Inhabitants as by Serapio called Nahandt But although there are several sorts of them yet they all boil them after they have been steep'd for some hours in Water to get off the thin shells as we do with Almonds in Milk or Wine into a Pap and put Sugar or Honey to it chiefly to the white ones to take away their bitterness I found farther a strange Gum in great pieces somewhat like unto Frankincense or Ammoniacum which the Inhabitants chew all Day long instead of Mastich and they attribute the same Virtues to it Wherefore great quantities thereof are brought thither chiefly from Persia which they call Taxa as I am informed from the Tree Tax which are very like unto Cypresses in shew and bigness only their Roots are not so long wherefore they are the easier over-turned by the Wind. According to this I remember of the Trees Thuja whereof Theophrastus maketh mention in Book V. Chap. 5. and of Thya of Pliny I also saw without the Batzers or Exchanges very high and big Caper-Trees and here and there in the Fields a peculiar sort of Red-grass like unto that of Babylon according to the description of Dioscorides and hath still retained his ancient Arabian Name Negil among the Inhabitants This hath long fibrous and yellowish Roots with many Joynts and puts out by them yearly several Buds which grow into hard Leaves which are long and pointed and at each side very sharp and cutting like unto them of the Red-grass between them come out small Stalks or Holms each whereof hath a peculiar Ear at the top coming out of its Grass-sheath which is long thin and its Seeds grow in two rows between small Leaves like unto the wild Galengal This doth not only grow hereabout but also in several other Places and Provinces where the Ground is sandy as Susiana Persia c. in great quantity and because it is by reason of its sharpness and cutting very pernicious to Beasts as to Bullocks Horses c. so that they die of it therefore they have or keep the fewer of them but instead thereof they keep Buffles which can feed upon it easier than other Beasts to eat this Grass which maketh the Buffle very cheap in these Countries for I have seen one buy three of them for eight Ducats which is in our Money about 48
him up the Hill home again which was agreed unto very readily considering that this Mountain is the most Famous in all the Country of Syria whereof the Holy Scripture maketh several times mention speaking of its great Height and Famous Rivers of which Jordan is one of its sweet smelling Plants and pleasantly tasted Fruits and also because there is a great many strange Plants to be found So we rode along with the Patriarch who had no little reason to be afraid of the Turks clandestine Assault with all possible diligence and came immediately from the Town upon the heights of the Promontories of the Mount Libanus which were very Fruitful at the Top and had many pleasant plain Fields which extended themselves for three Leagues to the high Mount so that this was a very pleasant Road where we saw sometimes on one side delicate Vineyards then on the other fruitful Fields sowed with Barley white Indian Millet c. After this we came to pleasant Woods where sweet singing Birds let themselves be heard and recreated us sometimes we saw some Hares and some Deer so that we could not but fansie that we went through thick and dark Woods When we came out of them and were very near unto the Mountain there lay some small Villages before it and we went to one of them and very near unto it in a green shady Place we sate down and refreshed our selves with some Victuals which we had taken along with us before we began to go up the Mountain The Patriarch was very merry with us and presented us with some Venice-Bottles of his Wine whereof we drank a good deal for it was so pleasant that I must confess that I never in all my Life drank any like it Soon after we broke up again with an Intention to reach his Monastery that Night called our Ladies which lieth on the middle of the Mountain as we so travelled towards the Top thereof in the beginning we came into a narrow and rough Valley which had on both sides very steep Walls wherewith it was enclosed of a vast Height chiefly at our left Hand and yet towards the Top there were several Caves within them wherein Christians live whereof we saw a great many that appeared so near to the edges as they went about that we that travelled underneath had much to do to keep us from being giddy In that place where from the Height one may plainly see the whole Neighbourhood to the very Seas as if it was a Specula such as the Ancients used to have is always a strong Watch kept by the Inhabitants of these Mountains because they are not under the Jurisdiction of the Turks as others are nor in any League with them to hinder the Turks from making Incursions upon them When we went further and got over some little Hills we came out of this narrow Place into wide Meadows Pastures Corn fields and to some fruitful Vineyards Then again into narrow and deep rocky Roads where we had enough to do to climb over And afterwards again into pleasant Groves by delightful Rivolets that arose from Springs that made so sweet a Noise that those Mountains are therefore admired and commended chiefly by King Solomon in the 4th Chapter of his Song verse 15th in Comparison where he mentioneth the Streams from Lebanon which make Damascus one of the most pleasant and delicious Places in the World On this Mount grow here and there besides ordinary Trees and Bushes thick shrubby Vines Zizipha alba rutila Poplars two kinds of Dwarf-Cedars with pointed and obtuse Leaves Eupatorium Mesuae Absinthium Ponticum Elaeagni Math. by the Inhabitants called Seisesun and wild Horn-beams a peculiar sort of Willows Phyllireas Styrax-Trees the fragrant Gum whereof is to be found in Apothecaries Shops But chiefly and in the greatest Number were the Maple-Trees which are large big high and expand themselves very much with their Branches After we had rested our selves and were a little refreshed underneath these our Labour began again to climb up these high and steep Steps When we were thus a climbing some Country-People that we saw up so high before came out of their Caves down to us with Muggs full of Wine which they presented first to their Master the Patriarch that was on Horse-back receiving him with a great deal of Reverence bowing themselves down to his Feet and loving Kindness and afterwards they did detain us also and presented each of us with a Mug of Wine to bid us welcome which I and the rest received very willingly but having pretty well heated my self with going I at that time loved spring-spring-water with Bread dipt in it very well I only tasted a little of it After we were got up these Stairs a great many more came running to present their Master with Chickens Pullets and other Poultry which his Man took and carried it up with them Then the ways were pretty good and much straighter so that we went on apace until at length we came to the Monastery which we could not see before we came just upon it Just before it without is a most incomparable copious Spring that sloweth with delicate Water which is worthy to be often visited This Monastery which is not extraordinarily built lieth toward the left almost in the middle of the Mountain under a great Rock which doth so cover and preserve it that it cannot easily receive any harm from above At our Arrival the Monks came immediately whereof I saw no more but Ten and received us very kindly and shewed us presently our Lodging which because they had no Chambers to spare was an arched Chapel that we might know whither to repair Yet we kept more upon the Top of the House which was like others covered with Plaister which was the delicatest and pleasantest Place of all the Buildings where we could see the Situation of the snowy Hill towards the East above the Cedars which was a very pleasant sight and also below us several other Hills whereon they feed their Cattle together with the deep and dark Valley And the Monastery being but small so that they had not much room in it we also supp'd there in the open Air with the Patriarch and some of his Fraternity on a long Table They treated us very well and gave us some white-wine to drink which was better than that we drunk on the Hill in Venice Glasses the like whereof is not to be found neither in Candia nor Cyprus But they fed according to their Order onely upon plain Food as Beans and French-Beans and the like leguminous Fruit c. At Night when they conducted us to our Chambers to go to rest they shewed us instead of Beds some Straw-Mats and Tapestry spread upon the Ground in their Church on which we were to lie and so we did and rested that Night In the Morning they came very early before break of Day into the Church when we were still very sleepy to do their
Pastime chiefly the Janizaries which in great places erect Gibbets three Fathoms high to the top whereof they tye strong Ropes almost like as the Children do in our Country where they Swing others for a small recompence when any body sits in it two stand ready with a broad String one on each side which they fling before him and fling him backwards with it and so set him a Swinging Others run before the People that are walking and sprinkle them with sweet smelling Water to get a little spell of Money out of them chiefly the Christians which they will not easily leave before they have satisfied them wherefore they are necessitated to stay at home on these days Not long after they keep another peculiar Feast called Chairbairam where they also use all sorts of Gesticulations which were too long to relate here they do not Fast on those days but they Sacrifice young Steers and Wethers c. cut them into small pieces to distribute them among the People for the Honor of Abraham because he did obey God and would have Sacrified his Son Isaac to him At this abundance of Heathens congregate themselves in certain places before the Towns to go in Pilgrimage to Medina-Talnabi Mecha and Jerusalem for love to Mahomet Amongst them many are found that are recovered again from dangerous Distempers or delivered from great Dangers and then did make a Vow either to go on Pilgrimage to one of these places or else to kill such a number of Beasts to distribute among the Poor as an Alms. According to what I have said before that they compute their Months more by the Moon-light and so accompt Twelve of them to a Year they observe mightily the Change of the Moon chiefly the New Moon to see it again Wherefore at that time they go often in great Numbers out unto the next Hill to observe it the better after Sun set He that seeth it first sheweth it with great rejoycing to his Companions In their Prognostications they also mind the Moons Light and according to that they make their Accompt to know then if any thing shall happen They have also as some of them have told me a peculiar Book which they keep very close to themselves wherein is briefly Written what shall happen to them every year whether it be good or bad This beginneth in the same Year with their Prophet Mahomet and continueth for 1000 Year when this is at an End they have nothing more of that Nature worth any thing And being they go no further some will deduce or conclude from thence that their Reign will soon have an end when those years are passed Wherefore they fear the Christians very much and confess themselves that they expect to suffer a great blow from the Christians And this one may see or conclude from hence for on their Holidays in the Morning about 9 of the Clock they shut up the Gates of their Towns great Champs and other publick Habitations as I found at Aleppo so that many times I could not get either out or in until they opened them again for they fear at that time to be Assassinated by the Christians Being then that their Term of Years is near expired for when I lived in these Places in the year 1575. they Writ 982 of this same Term so that there was not quite 18 Years more to come Now if we compare these 1000 Years with those whereof John the Evangelist and Apostle maketh mention in the 20th Chapt. and 7th Verse of his Revelation saying When the 1000 Years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison And shall go out to deceive theÌ„ Nations which are in the Four Quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to Battle as also is written in this same Book of Revelation in the 9th Chapter and by the Holy Prophet Ezekiel in his 38th and 39th Chapters the Number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea c. We find not only that they may also be interpreted and applied to the Turks and their Adherents but also that they have begun their Reign almost at the same time when Mahomet and the Antichrist should appear about the year 666 as we Read in the 13th Chapter and the last Verse of St. John in his Revelation And besides it looketh in these miserable times when it seems as if every thing would turn topsie turvy that these Years are passed and that Satan is loosed as if our dear Lord God would make an End of this malicious World Add that some Learned Mathematicians do Prognosticate that at these times but chiefly in the year 1588. great Alterations will be in all the parts of the World When we add to this Date the 42 Months or 1260 days or the 3½ years whereof the Prophet Daniel and also the Holy Evangelist and Apostle John in his Revelation make mention the Eighteen Years that are still wanting of the 1000 Years of their Mahomet as is above said will be compleated so that these two years Numbers do very well again agree together God the Almighty preserve us in all Adversities that we may persevere in the acknowledged Truth of his Holy Gospel and send us Penitent Hearts that we may be sensible of his merciful Visitations and also overcome the two last Wees that are not quite over with Patience Amen CHAP. VII Of Mount Bethzetha and the two Houses of Pilat and Herod FRom the Temple Mount towards the North you come presently towards the House of Judicature where Pontius Pilat did Live and condemn Innocent Lord Christ to that Heinous Death of the Cross But because the House hath been since surrounded with â—igh Walls we saw in the Court where the Soldiers 〈◊〉 cloath ouâ— Lord Christ with the Purple Cloke and 〈◊〉 â—pon his Head the Crown of Thorns and afterwards did spit upon him and Mock Beat and Whip him nothing Remarkable but only without a very Old and High Arch like unto an Arched Bridge This is almost black with Age and so Artificially Erected that one can hardly find any juncture where the Stones are put together This was the High Place as it is said before the Judgment Hall whereon the Condemned Men use to be exposed to the sight of the People because the Jews durst not go into the House of Judicature at their High Feasts as Easter and Whitsunday as you may Read in the 18th Chap. of St. John that they might not make themselves Unclean but Eat of the Paschal Lamb Wherefore Pilat did several times go out to the People to shew them our Lord Christ and sit down in the Judgment Seat in a place that is called the Pavement but in the Hebrew Gabbatha as you Read in the 19th Chap. of St. John Vers 13. This Arch is open at the Top in the Middle and hath two other small Arches about the widness of an ordinary door one by the other supported by a Marble Column in one of them
the North-west along the Haven-side for above the Hill where the three Walls begin lies an open Champaign-country except that here and there at considerable distances Farm-houses are scattered The Haven runs in from the West and so opens East At the East end of Galata is Tophana where they cast their great Guns Pera and Galata have about six Gates to the Seaward The whole tract of Ground was anciently before the times of the Emperor Valentinian who enclosed and fortified Galata with Walls and Towers stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the other side of the City to the North which is the reason of its Name seated on higher Hills and whose ascent is more steep and difficult Our modern Geographers such as Mercator and Ortelius who herein follow Ptolemy place Constantinople in the Latitude of 43 degrees and 5 minutes the Arabian and Persian Astronomers as Abulfeda Nassir Eddin Vlugh Beigh and so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Chrysococcas translated out of the Persian Tables place it more Northerly in 45. But by latter and better observation it is found that they have erred in assigning the Latitude of this City as of several other places To salve these differences there is no just ground of pretence to say that the Poles are moveable and have changed their situation since their time whereas it may better be imputed to their want of due Care or to their taking things upon trust from the Reports of Travellers and Seamen not having been upon the places themselves which certainly is to be said for Ptolemy whose Observations as to places more remote from Alexandria are far from being accurate and true The learned Mr. John Greaves as I find in a manuscript Discourse very worthy of being printed which he presented to the most Reverend and Renowned Archbishop Usher took the height of the Pole at Constantinople with a brass Sextant of above 4 feet radius and found it to be but 41 degrees 6′ but by the Observation we made in our Court-yard at Pera with a good Quadrant we found but 40 degrees and 58 minutes of North Latitude There is no place between the Propontis and the Walls of the City except just at the Seraglio point which may be two hundred paces in length where they have raised on a Platform a Battery for great Guns but from the point to the end of the Haven West the space to the Gates is unequal in some places about twenty paces broad in others three or four times as many more The distance between Constantinople and Chalcedon upon the opposite Bithynian shore may be about three or four miles In the Walls are engraven the Names of several Emperors who reigned toward the declension of the Graecian Empire as Theophilus Michael Basilius Constantinus Porphyrogenitus by whose care and at whose expence the several Breaches caused in them by the Sea or by Earth-quakes were repaired Kumkapi or the Sand-gate lies toward the Propontis this the Greeks call in their vulgar Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contoscalium of the little Scale or Landing-place Here formerly was an Arsenal for Gallies and other â—ll Vessels it being a convenient passage over 〈◊〉 Over this Gate was anciently engraven a curious Inscription still preserved in that excellent Collection published by Gruterus Jedicula Kapi or the Gate of the seven towers so called from its nearness to that Acropolis is that I guess which the Greeks formerly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the golden Gate and by some late Latin Writers Chrysea in Luitprandus Carea by a a mistake either of the Transcriber or Printer for Aurea for so certainly it must be mended Over this Gate was this Inscription Haec loca Theudosius decorat post fata Tyranni Aurea secla gerit qui portam construit auro cited by Sirmond in his Notes upon Sidonius This Gate is in the twelfth Region and was also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from its beautiful and curious Structure The Gun-gate formerly called Roman-gate not because it leads towards the Continent of Romania or Thrace but from St. Romanus where the last Christian Emperor was killed at the Assault which the Turks made to force their way into the City by it Near Adrianople-gate is a fair large Mosch called Ali-bassa upon a hill accounted the highest in the City The distance between tower and tower in the upper wall to the landward may be about ninety of my paces the space between that and the second wall about eighteen paces over The place where the Lyons Leopards and such-like wild Creatures are kept where I saw also several Jackals was formerly as the Greeks told me a Christian Church dedicated to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Blessed Virgin where this Verse is still legible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no tide or running back of the Water on any side of the Bosphorus into the black Sea as some have imagined whose mistake might possibly arise hence that the Wind being at North and blowing hard the Current sets more violently at such times against the several Headlands jetting out into the Channel which admits of several turnings and so the Waters are forced back to some little distance or else because when the South-wind freshens and grows boisterous it makes a high rolling Sea in the Propontis and Bosphorus and being contrary to the Current gives a check to it so that it becomes less sensible and is easily stemmed Where it is narrowest the distance seems to the Eye to be scarce a mile over from one shore to another where broadest not much above a mile and a half unless where it runs into the deep Bays which by reason of their shallowness only harbour Boats The Channel certainly is natural and not cut by Art as some have idly fancied not considering how the Euxine Sea should discharge it self otherwise of those great quantities of Waters poured into it by the Ister and Tanais now called Don and the other Rivers whereby it becomes less Salt even very sensibly to the taste than several parts of the Mediterranean The Fish by a strange kind of instinct pass in vast shoales twice a year Autumn and Spring through the Bosphorus that is out of one Sea into another of which the Greeks who live several months of the year upon them take great numbers and supply the Markets at easie rates the Cormorants and other ravenous Water-fowl which the Turks will not suffer to be destroy'd or otherwise molested preying also upon them The Weather in some months is very inconstant great Heats and Colds hapning the same day upon the change of the Wind. The Winters at Constantinople are sometimes extraordinary severe I have heard it related by several old Greeks as a thing most certain that the Bosphorus was frozen over in the time of Achmed and that a Hare was coursed over it It hapned thus that upon a thaw huge Cakes of Ice came floating down the Danube into the black
which manifestly tending to Sedition and to the heightning of their Discontents by their mutual Complaints and by this free venting of their Grievances during the War at Candia the wise Vizier seeing the evil consequences that would follow if such Meetings and Discourses were any longer tolerated commanded that all the publick Coffee-houses should be shut up in Constantinople and several other great Cities of the Empire where the Malecontents used to rendevouz themselves and find fault upon every ill success and miscarriage with the administration of Affairs The Custom of the Turks to salute the Emperor or the Vizier Bassa's with loud acclamations and wishes of Health and Long-life when they appear first in their Houses or any publick place is derived from the Greeks who took it from the Romans This was done by them in a kind of singing tone whence Luitprandus Bishop of Cremona tells us that in a certain Procession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at which he was present they sang to the Emperor Nicephorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is many years which Codinus who lived just about the taking of Constantinople by the Turks expresses by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to wish or salute by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and at Dinner the Greeks then present wish'd with a loud voice to the Emperor and Burdas Ut Deus annos multiplicet as he translates the Greek The Turkish Coyn in it self is pitiful and inconsiderable which I ascribe not only to their want of Bullion but to their little Skill in matters relating to the Mint Hence it comes to pass that Zecchines and Hungars for Gold and Spanish Dollars and Zalotts for Silver stamp'd in Christendom pass current among them most of the great Payments being made in them they not caring either through Ignorance or Sloth to follow the example of the Indian or Persian Emperors who usually melt down the Christian Mony imported by the Merchants into their several Countries and give it a new stamp The most usual pieces are the Sheriphi of Gold somewhat less in value than a Venetian Zecchine and Aspers ten of which are equal to Sixpence English and some few three Asper pieces A Mangur is an ugly old Copper piece eight of which make but one Asper and is not I think a Turkish Coyn but rather Greek They have no Arms upon their Coyn only Letters embossed on both sides containing the Emperor's Name or some short Sentence out of the Alcoran The Turks look upon Earthquakes as ominous as the Vulgar do upon Eclipses not understanding the Philosophy of them During my stay in Constantinople which was above two years there hapned but one which was October 26. 1669. about six a Clock in the morning a stark Calm preceding It lasted very near a minute and we at Pera and Galata were as sensible of it as those who were on the other side of the Water but praised be God nothing fell and we were soon rid of the Fears in which this frightful Accident had cast us being in our Beds and not able by reason of the surprize in so little a space to have past through a Gallery down a pair of Stairs into the Court if we had attempted it The Turks made direful Reflections on it as if some Calamity would inevitably fall upon the Empire quickly forgetting the great Triumphings and Rejoycings which they exprest but a few days before for the Surrender of Candia In the year 1668 in August the Earth shook more or less for forty seven days together in the lesser Asia at Anguri Ancyra and for fifteen at Bacbasar as we heard from a Scotch Merchant who liv'd there and particularly that at this latter place on the second of August between three and four of the clock in the Afternoon it lasted for a quarter of an hour several Houses were overthrown and some hundreds of Chimneys fell it being a very populous Town and yet there were but seven kill'd The Trembling being so violent both Turks and Christians forsook their Houses and betook themselves to the Fields Vineyards and Gardens where they made their abode for several days Their Punishments are very severe this being judg'd the most effectual way to prevent all publick Disorders and Mischiefs They use no great formality in their processes If the Criminal be taken in the Fact and the Witnesses ready and present to attest it and sometimes if there be but probable circumstances without full conviction condemn him and soon after Sentence sometimes an hour or less hurry him away to execution For an ordinary Crime Hanging is the usual Death but for Robbery and Murder committed upon the High-way by such as rob in Parties and alarm whole Provinces or for Sacrilege or for any hainous Crime against the Government either Gaunching or Excoriation or cutting off the Legs and Arms and leaving the Trunk of the Body in the High-way or empaling that is thrusting an Iron stake thro' the Body out under the Neck or at the Mouth in which extreme torment the miserable wretch may live two or three days if the Guts or the Heart happen not to be wounded by the pointed Spike in its passage This Punishment seems to have been in use among the Romans Seneca's Epist 14. Cogita hoc loco carcerem cruces eculeos uncum adactum medium hominem qui per os emergat stipitem And so in his Book De Consolatione ad Marciam cap. 20. Alii capite conversos in terram suspendere alii per obscena stipitem egerunt alii brachia patibulo explicuerunt Murder is seldom pardoned and especially if the Relations of the murder'd person demand Justice The Circumcision though it be a sacred Rite is perform'd in their private Houses and never in the Moschs The Women colour their Eye-brows and Lids with an ugly black Powder I suppose to set off their Beauty by such a shadow and their Nails with the Powder of Kanna which gives them a Tincture of faint red like Brick as they do the Tails and Hoofs of Horses which they look upon as a great Ornament Their great Diversion is Bathing sometimes thrice if not four times a week They do not permit them to go to Church in time of Prayer for fear they should spoil their Devotion The Turks being of so brutish a temper that their Lust is raised upon the sight of a fair Object They are call'd oftentimes by the Names of Flowers and Fruits and sometimes fantastick Names are given them such as Sucar Birpara or bit of Sugar Dil Ferib or Ravisher of Hearts and the like Their Skill in Agriculture is very mean In their Gardens they have several little Trenches to convey Water where it may be most necessary for their Plants and Flowers They know little or nothing of manuring their Grounds Sometimes they burn their Fields and Vineyards after Harvest and Vintage partly to destroy the Vermin and partly to enrich the Soil They tread
loaded with Galls or Animal Excrescencies the Date-Palm the Acacia or Gum-Arabick Tree the Cassia Solutiva the Tamarind the true Sycamore or Pharaoh's Fig-Tree the Musa Arbor or the Plantane the Siliqua or Carob yellow Jasmine and yellow Roses Syringa Alcanna a sort of Ligustrum Cotton Trees c. The most remarkable Herbs I took notice of were the Papyrus Nilotica a sort of Cyperus out of whose Threds or Filaments the Ancients made their Paper The Colocasia or great Aegyptian Arum whose Root they boyl with most of their Meats The Sugar Cane or Reed by the Fuel whereof they melt their Metals Wood being scarce in Aegypt Hyoscyamus niger out of whose Root they prepare an Oyl for their Lamps and other uses A milky Convolvulus on the Walls perhaps an Apocynum being podded several Phaseoli or Kidney-beans Gourds Pumpions Thorn-apples Coloquintida many Ocimums or wild Basils the Harmala common about Alexandria a sort of Rue with great white Flowers the Abrus two Senna's Bammia Melochia Stratiotes c. The Eagle-stone is found up and down Aegypt in very great plenty More Observations made in Aegypt by Guilandinus Alpinus and others CHAP. I. Of the Weather and Seasons in Aegypt THE Months of January and February make the Spring in Aegypt the Trees beginning to germinate and put forth and the Herbs to flower so that then the Fields and Gardens are in their glory They reckon two Summers their first is in March April May which is the most unconstant unequal and most sickly season of the year as also the hottest and most scorching which is imputed to the East and South Winds that blow generally for fifty days together over desart sandy places accompanied with a hot burning Sand that spoils all their Eyes Strangers during this Season retire into Grotts and subterraneous places and drink much of the Water of Nile which is excellent in quenching epidemical Thirst at that time Their second Summer is in June July August which is equal constant and healthful the Wind blowing then from the North over Sea the Nile also swelling and overflowing by the Rains falling in Aethiopia and the Air moist and refreshing Now all the People abstain from Business and Labour follow Spectacles Games Plays c. the Land being under Water September and October make their Autumn at the end whereof they sow their Wheat which they reap in March following This Autumn is temperate and salubrious November and December are their Winter Ice Snow and Hail are seldom or never seen Rain falls rarely in the inner parts of Aegypt only a Dew but at Alexandria and other places near the Sea they have Rain and a more healthful Air these Showers come most in November CHAP. II. Of the Meats and Drinks of Aegypt THE Inhabitants especially the Mahometans live abstemiously eat little and often their Dyet is generally simple abhorring mixtures and variety Rice boyl'd in Mutton Broth Lentils Pulse and Legumes Bete Mallows call'd Bamia Cucumbers Melons Citruls Dates Figs of the Sycomore Plantanes Pomegranats Grapes Oranges Lemons Citrons Sugar Canes Colocasia Root c. make up the greatest part of their Diet. The richest sort eat Mutton Poultry and several sorts of Fish from the Nile which tho' fat are not esteem'd wholsome because the bottom of that River is very muddy and the Water much troubled All their Bread is made of Wheat and they make abundance of Milk-meats Their Kitchin-herbs are water'd every day all their Gardens being planted near the banks of the Nile which is one reason that their Salleting is more watry and insipid than in Italy yet if they did not water them every day in Aegypt they would soon be dry'd up There are no Gardens but near the River because there is no Rain nor fresh Water in other parts The ordinary People will eat Camels Buffaloes and Crocodiles The Water of the Nile purged and clarified either by standing in Jarrs or precipitated with Powder and Pastes of sweet Almonds is the general Drink of the Country being esteem'd the lightest the most nutritious and the most refreshing liquor in the World the Water running so far under a hot Sun and falling down so many Cataracts The Inhabitants sleep little indulge Venery having many Wives and Concubines are generally idle yet live long and see more years than the Poles Germans and other Northern Nations where Gluttony and Drunkenness are much more in fashion than in the Aegyptian Climate The Jews and Christians as also the Turkish Souldiers will often debauch at Grand Caire with those rich Wines brought from Candy Rhodes and Cyprus those from Italy Corfou and Zant will not keep in Aegypt the heat soon pricking them CHAP. III. Of the Diseases and Physick THE most epidemical and endemial Distempers of Aegypt are sore Eyes from the East and South Winds bringing along with them a burning Sand and piercing Nitre mixt with it which makes them frequently wash and cleanse their Eyes with the Nile Water at that Season Leprosies from their Salt and rotten Fish Inflammatory Phrenzies killing in three or four hours time A pestilential Small pox and pestilential Feavers especially at Alexandria in Autumn Ruptures are very common by reason of their moist and watry Diet But that which destroys most is the Plague which they take no care to obstruct or avoid depending upon their Principle of inevitable Fate and Predestination therefore in the year 1580 they lost above 500000 Souls in 6 or 7 months time in the single City of Grand Caire The Plague in Aegypt rages for the most part from the beginning of September to June at which time it never fails to cease the Wind turning then to the salubrious Quarter of the North and the Nile swelling with fresh Streams They reckon this Plague is constantly brought either from Barbary Lybia or other African Countries or else from Syria or Greece that from Barbary is most furious and pernicious the other two mild and gentle Their practical Physick consists in Phlebotomy which they administer universally in almost every Disease in cauterizing or burning in scarrifying in cupping bathing in a few lenitive Purgatives and cooling quieting Alteratives They Bleed by cutting or pricking the Veins and Arteries themselves in most parts of the Body yet in Eunuchs Women Children and other soft Constitutions they take away Blood by scarrifying the Thighs Ears Lips Nostrils Gums c. They generally bleed after Meat Their Cupping-glasses are of different Figures from ours and their Cautery is Cotton set on fire They have a gross way of Cutting in Dropsies to let the Water out Their manner of extracting Stones out of the Bladder is by blowing and extending the Urethra then pressing the Stones to the neck of the Bladder by their Fingers put into the Anus or Fundament and afterwards sucking them out through the expanded passages Their Women bath very much and use all manner of Arts to soften and plump their Bodies They abstain from all hot or violent Purgatives
Cleopatra's Needles but the Inhabitants content themselves with the general name of Pillars They have no Basis or Pedestals above ground and if they never had they must needs be very deep in the Earth The Draughts I here send you will excuse all farther Description One of them was very well taken by Monsieur Brute a French Druggerman the other by a Dutch Painter who you 'l see has but little commended his Art If you have a fancy upon the sight of 'em to sift out the Hieroglyphick character with which they are engraven perhaps you 'l find it to be the aboriginal Egyptian Letter long since worn out of common use in the Country as the Samaritan so 't is now generally call'd was amongst the Jews and that it bears proportion with the China now in use where each note represents a word or rather an entire signification And moreover that 't is wrought the same way too from the top to the bottom as you have seen in the Board I brought from a Door in the Village Succara which is next to the Mummies the largest piece of Egyptian Writing perhaps at this day in Europe I confess that in the Vaults or Priests Chambers cut out of the Rock close by the second Pyramid the whole Walls are inscribed therewith but I speak of an Original And if all that is there written were but exactly copied it might be then lawful to hope that the Language so long since dead and buried in the House of Bondage might have its resurrection in the Land of Liberty That such vast Monuments might be removed from place to place is difficult indeed but not impossible And if one Archimedes as Athenaeus preserves the Story for us could lanch the vast Ship of Hiero which all the Strength of Syracuse was not able to bring to Sea what might not many great Masters in the same Art perform and upon their own Dunghil too for I may call Egypt the Mother of the Mathematicks Besides some of these Mountains are near the Red-Sea and Suss from Cairo but two or three days from Nile less And how possible it is to convey mighty weights by Water let the Obelisks at Rome declare which were all of them brought from this very Country And that such things may be done by Land too though not by every one is plain enough because we see they have been done At Baalbec which is 14 hours from Damascus for thence I went accompanied with Mr. Anth. Balam and Mr. Jo. Verney both now in England whom I thought fit to name for my Compurgators if you should question the credit of Story There is a Stone about 66 foot long on the North side of the Castle-wall and two more of 60 each And I believe we saw the way they travel'd having left one of their Company though not quite so big in the Road as a Monument thereof to this very day If you have got the piece of this Aguglia for I have nothing here you will thereby best discern its colour and composition 'T is something more lively than the Porphyry of St. John's Font for by that name 't is known at Ephesus much more vivid than those four tall square Pillars at Tadmore in its middle age Palmyra which are each of them but of I think one piece whilst all the rest exceeding many of another sort of Stone are of several pieces and round If you 'l attribute the clearness of their Complexion in part to the Air which corrodes them especially upon the North and East I impose not upon the liberty of your Reason If the Ichnography of them which I desire you to reserve for me wont excuse me from any farther description I beg your pardon that I have said thus much and hazarded my Judgment to demonstrate my Affection how much I am and endeavour to be Your faithful Friend And humble Servant R.H. The Cutts of these Pillars are not prefixt to this Paper because engraven and published elsewhere See Philosoph Trans N. 178. p. 1252. Monsieur Cuper in his Letter to l' Abbe Nicaise informs the World that he had received Letters from Aleppo which say that some English Gentlemen out of curiosity going to visit the Ruines of Palmyra had found 400 Marble Columns of a sort of Porphyry and also observ'd some Temples yet entire with Tombs Monuments Greek and Latine Inscriptions of all which he hopes to get Copies Journal des Seavans N o. 25. An. 1692. 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 oâ— 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
running East North and West a◠Hawas Hanazo the Nile Niger or Gambia the Zaire c. taking their rise in it Ludolfus in his late learned Commentaries on his Ethiopick History figures several Animals proper to these African Regions as 1. Tigris orbiculis minutis variegata 2. Tigris maculis virgatis 3. Pardus maculis seu scutulis varius The Habessine Ports towards the Red-Sea are very ill guarded therefore the Turks are in possession of Arkiko and Matzua The Habessines are not addicted to Navigation they Trade only with the Arabians and carry their Goods to Suaquena Arkiko and Matzua The Armenians often get entrance into the Country where they are very well received The Arabians come in their Barks cross the Red-Sea from Mocha Aden Ziden Cameron and other Ports Few of the Habessines pass over into Arabia and when they do they dissemble their Religion and disguise themselves in the Habits of Musulmans This comes from Hubert Klock in his Letters to the Dutch East-India-Company Anno 1685. Father Hieronymo Lobo observ'd the Red Sea to be navigable only in the middle in which are some small Islands and Rocks above Water of little danger in clear weather The two Shoars of Arabia and Ethiopia are of very bad passage full of Shoals Rocks and Corals The entrance of this Sea is the clearest and deepest on the side of Arabia and is the ordinary passage for Ships of burthen the other part of the mouth towards Ethiopia is full of Flats and Shoals so that none ventures through but little Vessels The Pearl-fishing is near the Island of Daleca On several parts of this Sea we observ'd abundance of reddish Spots made by a Weed resembling Cargaco or Sargasso rooted in the bottom and floating in some places Upon strict examination it proved to be that which we found the Ethiopians call Sufo us'd up and down for dying their Stuffs and Cloths of a red colour perhaps this may be one of the Rocoella's in Imperati a fucus or Alga tinctoria FINIS STIRPIUM ORIENTALIUM RARIORUM CATALOGI TRES Stirpium Orientalium rariorum Catalogus praesertim Graeciae Syriae provinciis nascentium A. A Brotanum foemina verum Dioscoridis Zanoni v. Heliochrysum Abrotani foeminae facie Acaciae foliis frutex Mesapotamicus Col. Annot. in Res medicas Novae Hisp Recchi A caciae similis Mesopotamica minutissimis foliis siliqua integra contorta crassa obtusa seu Siliquae Nabathaea Breyn. Prod. 2. Juxta Tlgridem fluvium in Mesopotamia Euphratem in Arabia deserta Ageratum Persicum Breyn. Prod. 2. Alhagi Maurorum Rauwolf Genista spartium spinosum foliis Polygoni C.B. Spinosum Syriacum Park Agul Alhagi Arabibus planta spinosa Mannam resipiens J.B. Manna in hac arbuscula invenitur Tereniabin aut Trungibin Arabibus dicta In Persia circa Halepum Rauw p. 84.152.206 Alcea Indica parvo flore C.B. Aegyptia Clus Aegyptiaca Ger. emac. Bamia J.B. Bamia seu Alcea Aegyptia Park parad Trionum Theophrasti Rauwolf Lugd. app Non in Aegypto tantùm sed etiam in Syria invenitur Rauwolf p. 167. Alcea arborescens Syriaca C.B. Althaea arborescens glabra Ketmia dicta J.B. Althaea frutex 2. Clus Frutex flore albo vel purpureo Park Rauwolf p. 54. Circa Tripolin Syriae observavit Androsaemum Constantinopolitanum fore maximo Wheeler Flore theca quinque capsulari omnium maximis Moris Hist p. 473. Non est hoc Ascyron magno flore C.B. prod Notae enim non conveniunt Circa Constantinopolin eundo inde ad Pontum Euxinum secus vias alibl copiosè Anemone maxima Chalcedonica Park Latifolia maxima versicolor C.B. Maxima Chalcedonica polyanthos Ger. Latifolia pleno slore 1. Clus Anetho similis planta semine lato laciniato J.B. Gingidium folio Foeniculi C.B. Verum sive Syriacum Park Dioscoridis Rauwolf Lugd. ap In monte Libano locis praeruptis p. 234. Anonis latea annua siliqua glabra breviore Moris Hist Halepo transmisit D. Rob. Huntington Apocynum folio subrotundo C.B. Folio rotundo flore ex albo pallescente J.B. Latifolium non repens Park Periploca latifolia Ger. Syriae calidiorum regionum incola esse dicitur Apocynum repens scandens Rauwolf Monte Libano observavit Autor Itin. p. 233. Arbores tegit ut Ephedra Arbutus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dioscoridis vera Wheeleri Folio non serrato C.B. Adrachne Park Adrach Theophrasti J.B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecis modernis Bellonius multis locis in sua peregrinatione observavit D. Wheelerus in Achaia prope montem Pentelicum Arisarum angustifolium Wheeleri itiner p 309. Caule folioso pingitur Propè Panthaeam inter Amphissam Naupactum Aristolochia Maurorum C.B. Peregrina Rauwolfii Clus Rhasut Rumigi à Mauris nominata Rauwolf Lugd. app Aristolochiis similis Rhasut Rumigi Maurorum J.B. Aristolochia clematitis Attica foliis in summo bifidis seu crenatis Wheeleri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecis In monte Hymetto Arum auriculis longis Ovidne dictum Chalepense Rauwolf p. 104. Aster luteus angustifolius Park J.B. Luteus Linariae rigido glabro folio C.B. 6 Clusii Ger. In monte Olympo Asiae Wheel Astragalus Syriacus hirsutus C.B. Syriacus Lob. Ger. Park J.B. Astrag Dioscoridis vulgò Christiana radix Rauwolf Lugd. app p. 105. D. Wheelerus Itiner p. 435. Astragalum quendam describit depingit quem in Graecia propè Megaram invenit argenteum vocat Qu. An Syriacus sit Atractylis Cypria Ang. Lugd. Purpurea C.B. Purpurea Cypria Park Atractylis vera Antiquarum cujus caulibus prosusis utuntur mulieres Graecae D. Covel An Atractylidi Cnico sylvestri similis C. B Calochierni carduns Cretensibus J.B. In Thracia prope Constantinopolin V. Hist nost p. 304. Avellana Byzantina J.B. Pumila Byzantina Clus Ger. emac. Peregrina humilis C.B. Nux Avellana Macedonica seu Byzantina Park Azadirachta foliis ramosis majoribus Syriaca seu vulgaris flore majore coeruleo Breyn. Azedaraeth arbor Fraxini folio flore coeruleo C.B. Azadaracheni arbor J.B. Azadarach Avicennae Park Zizipha alba Ger. Fructus hujus arboris venenatus est canes intersicit Rauwolf p. 51. In Syriâ Palestinâ B. Baccharis Dioscoridis Rauwolfio Park Gnaphalio montano affinis Aegyptiaca C.B. Rauwolfius in Syria observavit Monte Libano Itin. p. 233. Balsamum verum J.B. Genuinum Antiquorum Park Rutae folio Syriacum C.B. Balsamum Alpini Ger. emac. Bellonius Alpinus Arabiam Faelicem Balsami locum patrium semper suisse nunquam Judaeam aut Aegyptum contendunt Behmen abiad i. e. Ben album Rauwolfii Park Serratulae affinis capitulo squamoso luteo ut flore C.B. Ad pedem montis Libani humido umbroso loco p. 235. Bellis Chalepensis praecox Kusan Surugen dicta Rauwolf p. 109. Borago variegata Cretica Wheel Muralis variegata flore odorato Cretica Zanoni In monte Hymotto Atticae Folia maculis albis variegata sunt flores qui candidi maculis striis purpureis