A collection of curious travels & voyages in two tomes ... / by John Ray ...

CHAP. V.

Which way I travelled from Tripolis further to the two Famous Cities of Damant and Halepo.

AFter I had rested for several Weeks in Tri∣polis, and had observed that City, its Building, and pleasant Situation, and moreover the Manners, Customs, and Habits, as well of the low as high ones, I propounded to my self to Travel to Aleppo, which is almost the biggest, and the most Famous, Trading City of Syria, which lies five or six days Journey towards the North-east of Tripolis. And when I met with some Companions to Travel with me, we sto∣red our selves with Provisions, viz. Bread, Cheese, Eggs, &c. for our Journey, and so set out of Tripolis the 9th. of November, Anno 73.

By the way we met with a great deal of Rain, which commonly begins at that time of the Year, and continueth almost all the Winter long: This kept us so much back, that we reach∣ed not to Damant, which is in the mid-way from Tripolis to Aleppo, before the fourth day. There we lodged in one of their great Champs, called Carvatscharas, where we had a Chamber assigned us, in which we found neither Table, nor Chairs, nor Bench, nor Bed, only upon the Floor was laid a Stromatzo twisted, of Canes, which was to serve us instead of them all. There we bought in their Bazar some Victuals according to our

pleasure, and staid there all Night long. The Town, which some take to be the Old Apamia, is pretty big, and pretty well built; it lies in a Valley between Hills, so that you can see no∣thing of it (the Castle only excepted, which lyeth on the Hill, and guardeth it very well) before you are just come to it. Round about it there is many Orchards and Kitchen-Gardens, which they Water out of the River Hasce, which is pretty large, and runs through the Town. The Water they lift up with Wheels for that purpose fixed in the River, that pour it into Channels that carry it into the Gardens, and so Water them in the great heat of the Sun, to refresh them. These Gardens had been worth my seeing, but my Fellow-Travellers were in hast, and so we put on the next Morning for Aleppo.

By the way we saw very good Corn-Fields, Vineyards, and Fields planted with Cotton, which is brought from thence, and sold to us under the Name of the place where it grew, and also Silks and other Goods that are bought there at the first hand. In these Countries are a great many Wild Asses called Onagri, the Skins of them are very strong to wear, and as they prepare them, finely frockt on the out∣side, as Strawberries are, or like the Skin of the Sepia, or Cuttle-Fish, wherefore they commonly make their Scabbards for their Scymitars, and Sheaths of their Knives thereof. Their Blades are watered on both sides very subtilly; they are made of good Metal, well hardened, and so sharp (chiefly these that are made in Damas∣cus) that you may cut with them a very strong Nail in pieces, without any hurt to the Blade. They wear rather Knives than Daggers, which

they tye to their Girdles with finely wrought Tapes, by their backs.

When we went on and came to the Pro∣montory of Mount Libanus, we saw abundance of Villages by the way, which for the most part are inhabited by Christians, viz. Syrians, Maronites, &c. with whom we did Lodge some∣times over-night; these entertained us very ci∣villy, and gave us such Wine to drink, as grew on the Mountains, than which I hardly remem∣ber I ever drank better. Amongst the rest of the Villages we came to one called Hanal, ly∣ing high in a Fruitful Country, where, as I am informed, in former days a very fine City stood, which is so desolated, and in process of time decayed to that degree, that in our days there is almost nothing of it left but a small Village, and here and there in the Fields some small Ruins of Old Houses.

We went on further between the Mountains, where we spied a little Town upon the Hills, and above it a strong Castle, which it's said the French did formerly build, that lyeth in a very convenient place between the Mountains, so that you must go just by it; but because it is haunted with Evil Spirits and Hobgoblins, it re∣maineth unrepaired, and uninhabited. We left it on our left hand, and came out into a spaci∣ous Corn-Field well tilled, where on our left we saw the Town Sermin at a great distance, and near to it and about it, great Woods of Pistacio-Trees, which are gathered there, and sent to Tri∣polis, and so by the Merchants to us: Some of them grow also near the High-ways, chiefly in the Village of Basilo, where we stayed all Night.

In our way we found nine or ten Champs cal∣led Caravatscharas, these are open Inns, where the Caravans and Travellers go in, commonly towards Evening, to stay there all Night; they are free to any body, but you find neither Meat nor Drink there, if you will have it you must bring it along with you, and must be contented to lye upon Straw (if you can have it) upon the lower Wall, which goes round about the sides, on purpose to give to Horses, Asses, and Camels their Food upon it. They are general∣ly three Miles distant from one another; they are large and stately, and as strong in Walls as Castles, commonly built four-square, and have within a large Yard, and round about it are Stables which are quite open, just like Cloisters. Some of them have a Garrison of Nine or Twelve Janisaries, to keep the Roads clean, and to protect the Travellers from Assaults of the Inhabitants and Arabians.

When we had travelled over several rough Mountains, and came almost near to Halepo, we saw at last the City just like Damand, of the bigness of Strasbourg; at the Gates we dis∣mounted, because in Turky no Outlandish Man hath liberty to Ride through a City; and so we went into it, and I went into the French Fundique to take my Lodgings, as all Germans use to do.