THE PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA ad. 



c. 1580. 



Of things notable which are seene in this voyage 

 by the way. 



BEcause In the way there are not many things found 

 woorthie memorie, for that the Carovan seldome 

 resteth In places of habitation, of which In the way there 

 are but fewe, yea rather the Carovan resteth altogether In 

 the field : therefore In this our voyage wee will onely 

 make mention of certalne Castles found in the way, which 

 bee these, namely, Agerut, Nachel, Acba, BIrltem, Muel, 

 and Ezlem. Of which five, the two first are kept of 

 Moores, and the other three of Turkes, and for guard 

 they have eight men or tenne at the most In every Castle, 

 with foure or five Smerlgli, which serve to keepe the water 

 from the Arabians, so that the Carovan comming thither, 

 may have wherewlthall to refresh It selfe. Agerut Is dis- 

 tant from Suez a port of the red Sea eight miles, where 

 are alwayes resident five and twentle gallies of the Grand 

 SIgnior for the keeping of that Sea. Nachel is distant 

 from the Sea a dayes journey. The walles of Acba are 

 founded upon the red Sea banke. BIritem and Muel 

 likewise are dashed by the waves of the Sea. Ezlem Is 

 distant from thence above a dayes journey. These five 

 Castles abovesayd are not of force altogether to defend 

 themselves agaynst an hundred men. The Carovan 

 departing from BIrca untUl Agerut findeth no water by 

 the way to drinke, neither from Agerut till Nachel, nor 

 from Nachel till Acba, but betweene Acba and BIrltem 

 are found two waters, one called Aglum el Cassap, and 

 the other Magaraxlalbl, that Is to say, the river of Jethro 

 the father In lawe of Moses, for this Is the place men- 

 tioned In the second chapter of Exodus, whither It Is sayd 

 that Moses fledde from the anger of Pharao, who would 

 have killed him, because hee had slalne the Egyptian, [II. i. 206. 

 which fought with the Hebrew, in which place stoode the 

 citie of Midian ; and there are yet the pondes, neere unto 

 the which Moses sate downe. And from that place 

 forward they finde more store of water by the way, and 



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