The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

Of the city called Bir.

BIr is a small city very scarse of all maner of victuals, and nere vnto the walles of the city run∣neth the riuer of Euphrates. In this city the marchants diuide themselues into companies, according to their merchandise that they haue, and there either they buy or make a boat to carry them and their goods to Babylon downe the riuer Euphrates,* 1.1 with charge of a master and ma∣riners to conduct the boat in the voyage: these boats are in a maner flat bottomed, yet they be ve∣ry strong: and for all that they are so strong, they will serue but for one voyage. They are made according to the sholdnesse of the riuer, because that the riuer is in many places full of great stones, which greatly hinder and trouble those that goe downe the riuer. These boats serue but for one voyage downe the riuer vnto a village called Feluchia, because it is impossible to bring them vp the riuer backe againe. At Feluchia the marchants plucke their boats in pieces, or else sell them for a small price, for that at Bir they cost the marchants forty or fifty chickens a piece, and they sel them at Feluchia for seuen or eight chickens a piece,* 1.2 because that when the marchants returne from Babylon backe againe, if they haue marchandise or goods that oweth custome, then they make their returne in forty dayes thorow the wildernesse, passing that way with a great deale lesser charges then the other way. And if they haue not marchandise that oweth custome, then they goe by the way of Mosul,* 1.3 where it costeth them great charges both the Carouan and

company. From Bir where the marchants imbarke themselues to Feluchia ouer against Baby∣lon, if the riuer haue good store of water, they shall make their voyage in fifteene or eighteene dayes downe the riuer, and if the water be lowe, and it hath not rained, then it is much trouble, and it will be forty or fifty dayes iourney downe, because that when the barks strike on the stones that be in the riuer, then they must vnlade them, which is great trouble, and then lade them a∣gaine when they haue mended them: therefore it is not necessary, neither doe the marchants go with one boat alone, but with two or three, that if one boat split and be lost with striking on the sholdes, they may haue another ready to take in their goods, vntill such time as they haue mended the brokē boat, and if they draw the broken boat on land to mend her, it is hard to de••end her in the night from the great multitude of Arabians that will come downe there to robbe you: and in the riuers euery night, when you make fas•• your boat to the banckeside, you must keepe good watch against the Arabians which are theeues in number like to ants,* 1.4 yet when they come to robbe, they will not kill, but steale & run away. Harquebuzes are very good weapons against them, for that they stand greatly in feare of the shot. And ••s you passe the riuer Euphrates from Bir to Feluchia, there are certein places which you must passe by, where you pay custome certaine medines vpon a bale, which custome is belonging to the sonne of Aborise king of the Arabians and of the desert, who hath certaine cities and villages on the riuer Euphrates.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The riuer Eu∣phrates.
• * 1.2

  Feluchia a small city on Euphra∣tes.
• * 1.3

  Mosul.
• * 1.4

  The Arabian theeues are in number like to Ants.