The New atlas, or, Travels and voyages in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, thro' the most renowned parts of the world ... performed by an English gentleman, in nine years travel and voyages, more exact than ever.

CHAP. V. Their Pilgrimages to Mecha and Medina; the Birth, and Burial-places of Mahomet their Prophet; what they Observe; and a description of the House, Tomb, and what else is Curious and Admirable in this Un∣dertaking.

THE Turks are very Devout and Punctual in their Pilgrimages to Mecha in Arabia, to visit Mahomet's Tomb, and every Year there goes a great Caravan from Constantinople, as well as from divers other places, which I shall mention at the conclu∣sion of this Chapter, and they so time it, that they may be there at the time of their Carnaval. The Grand Signior sends Rich presents, as Velvet em∣broidered with Gold, and Arabian Characters in Gold and Silver, Pearl and Rich Stones, for Cano∣pies, Carpets, Coverings for the Doors, &c. but these usually are sent from Cair in Aegypt, because it is much nearer to Mecha than Constantinople; and when the Holy Cammel, as they term it, who car∣ries these Rich Ornaments passes by, there is great crouding to touch the Burthen, and those that do it, kiss their Fingers, and think themselves Blessed.

This Caravan amounts most times, to between 10 and 20000, and sometimes a far greater number. I shall not trouble the Reader with a Journal of the way, because I Travelled it not; however, it must

be very tedious, because it is Long, and over De∣sarts, and rugged Mountains, which makes them take great store of Provisions with them, and Ves∣sels to recruit them with Fresh Water, which in the Hot Countries they pass, is rarely to be found; they mostly Encamp in the Fields and Desarts, being al∣ways constrained to set Watches, least Robbers should break in on the out skirts of their Camp, to kill and plunder, before the Alarum can be taken; nay, the wild Beasts near Forrests assault them, and kill Men and Cattle, especially such as straggle too far from the main Body; but for the hardships they endure, some Priviledges are allowed them, for whatever Crimes they commit lower than Treason, if they escape, and make this Pilgrimage, upon their re∣turn they are absolved, and accounted as Honest as if they had never Offended. They have a Guard of Janisaries, with many others who go Armed, and their number gathers by the way, like a Snow-ball rowled from a steep Mountain; they appear all the way very devout, the number consisting of Men, Women, and Children; some indeed, take the ad∣vantage of Trade and Commerce, carrying store of rich Wares with them; all the way, those in Pilgrimage Sing Verses of their Alcoran, and bestow Charity according as they are able.

When they come within two days Journey of Mecha, they strip themselves, only leaving their Privities covered with a Napkin, for it is a Capital Offence, either in Man or Woman, to let them be seen, and another Napkin about their Necks, al∣ledging this kind of Fransey, to be out of respect to the place where their Prophet had so often Tra∣velled; on their Feet they wear Scandals, saying, The Ground is Holy, and we will not defile it with our na∣ked Feet: And in this State they continue 8 Days, during which term, it is not lawful to be Shaved, to Buy or Sell, kill any thing, or be angry with their Servants, nor speak any thing that is unseem∣ly; and if any one Trespasses, he is to attone by

Alms; those that are Sick are dispensed from Strip∣ing, but they must in lieu of it give Alms.

When they come to Mecha, they stay there three Days, during which time they visit the several places of Devotion. This Mecha is an Ancient Town Scituate among the Mountains, built all of Stone and Mortar; and here they hold Mahomet was Born, prohibiting all but Musselmen to enter it on pain of Death. In the middle of it is the Kiaabe, or Square House; it is surrounded with a Wall to hinder approach; they go round it several times in Devotion, saying certain Prayers, an Imum, or Priest, goes before them, and what Antick Trick or Ge∣stures soever he shews, they imitate him; first they walk softly and Mutter their Prayers, then, at cer∣tain Intervals, they Run and Skip, shruging and turning their Shoulders many ways; then they fall into a soft pace again, and so continue it by turns, till they have ended their Prayers. This House is covered with a Dome, and it has a Well of good Water, considering what other places afford about the City, they being mostly Brackish or Bitter; near to the Door, upon the entrance of this House or Temple, is a black Stone, as big as a Pumpion: This the Turks say, came down from Heaven, and was then White, but Man's Sins polluted it, and made it turn Black; and he that can first kiss it, when they have given one another the Selam, after the Prayer of Kouschlouk, on Friday, which falls within three Days that they sojourn there, is held a Saint, and every one strives to kiss his Feet; but this same proves Fatal to the Party, who is smoother∣ed in the Croud. This House is never entered but four times a Year, and one of them is at the Rama∣dan, to wash it with Rose-Water, unless any one will give 100 Chequins of Gold for admittance. It is covered all round on the out-side with Stuffs sent by the Grand Signior, in whose Dominions it is, and other Mahometan Princes; and every Year the rich Covering is renewed; the old being cut out in∣to Relicks, and sold by the Sultan Scherif, who

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Commands, to Pilgrims, at a good Rate, unless the Little Bairam, or Easter Sacrifice falls on a Fri∣day, and then the Grand Signior has it, to send in pieces to the New Mosques, which being hung up there, serves instead of their Consecration.

When the Pilgrims have finished their three days at Mecha, they go to Minnet, where they are to ar∣rive the Vigil of the Little Bairam, and on the day of Bairam, they Sacrifice Sheep, every one accord∣ing to Ability, distributing part to the Poor; then they shave themselves, and put on their Clothes to visit Mount Arafat, and there they stay 3 days more; the first Day after they have said Prayers, they go to the Foot of the Hill, throw 7 Stones against the Mount, and stay there, the next Day they throw 14, and the Third 21: They say they throw these Stones to break the Devil's Head, who in that place tempted Abrahain, when he was going to Sa∣crifice his Son Ishmael, for they will not allow it to be Isaac. Here they say, Adam and Eve sought one another for the space of 220 Years, after they were driven out of Paradise, the one going up the Moun∣tain on one side, whilst the other went up on the other side, and so made it a Fruitless search, but at the end of this time met just on the top of it. Here the Sultan Scherif says some Prayers, and gives them his Benediction, and so this Work is concluded. He has abundance of ways, under the Umbrage of De∣votion, to squeeze Money out of them, and is va∣stly Rich.

After this the Pilgrims go to Medina, to visit Ma∣homet's Tomb, which according to Authentick Re∣lations, does not hang in the Air by Virtue of Load∣stones: It stands as other Tombs, and is indeed encompassed with Iron Grates, upon a suspition they once had, that 2 Christians, Habited like De∣vises, intended to steal it away, and for that pur∣pose had dug under it, to get the Body. Medina is 3 Days Journey from the Red Sea, its Port is called Jambo. This and Mecha are but indifferent Towns, though of such great Resort. About the middle of

Medina is a Mosque, and in a Corner of it stands Mahomet's Tomb, covered as the Monuments of the Turkish Emperors at Constantinople. The Sepulchre is in a little round Building, or Tower, covered with a Dome, which the Turks call Turbe. The Building is quite open to the middle; up to the Dome, and all round there is a little Gallery, of which the out-side Wall has several Windows with Silver Grates to them, and the inside Wall of the little Tower adorned with a great number of pre∣cious Stones, being the place that answers to the Head of the Tomb; and this certainly is exceeding Rich, by the Gifts of many Princes, and others, as Diamonds, Gold, Rubies, Saphires, and other sorts of Jewels, that might, for their Value, purchase a petty Kingdom; and lower down, there is a half Moon of Gold of a vast Value, by reason of the precious Stones which enchase it.

The Turbe, wherein the Tomb is, is hung round with Hangings of Red and White Silk, like Damask, unless where the Jewels are, and there they are turn∣ed aside, that their Lustre may appear, and round the Hangings are Words in Characters of Gold, expressing the Names of GOD, and Mahomet, &c. The Door, by which one enters into the Gallery, is Silver, and so is that which goes out of the Gal∣lery into the Turbe. The Pilgrims visit some other places hereabouts, but of no great Note, yet one thing more is confirmed on all Hands, to be very remarkable in those dry Countries, viz. The next Night after the Pilgrims are gone, so much Rain falls, that it seems like a Deluge, for a time, and much Fertelizes the Plains, washing away all the Blood and Filth of the Sacrifices, and this falls al∣ways the Third Night after the Sacrifice at their Little Beiram, or Easter, though this tide generally changes the Day, as with us our Easter does; and this they look upon as a Miracle, to confirm their Oblations are accepted; and indeed the wisest of Men may be puzzeled, to know, whether so exact a falling of Rain, in a Country, parched and dry,

for the most part, proceeds from a Natural, or Su∣pernatural Cause.

Many times 100000 People meet at Mecha to∣gether, encamping on the Plains; as for their going to Medina, some refuse it, because they are not bound by their Law, to visit Mahomet's Tomb, but at Pleasure, and then they must say a Prayer for his Soul. The other Caravans come from Aegypt, Sy∣ria, Persia, India, and Barbery; so that the Concourse, according to the Relation I had, is exceeding great.