A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1563-81. 



These bricks fouresquare Brickes, which Brickes were made of earth, 



be in thicknes ^^^ dried in the Sunne in maner and forme following : 



^inches ^ and a ^^^^ ^^^7 layed a lay of Brickes, then a Mat made of 



foot ^ a halfe Canes, square as the Brickes, and in stead of lime, they 



square, daubed it with earth : these Mats of Canes are at this 



time so strong, that it is a thing woonderfull to beholde, 



being of such great antiquity : I have gone round about 



it, and have not found any place where there hath bene 



any doore or entrance : it may be in my judgement 



in circuit about a mile, and rather lesse then more. 



This Tower in effect is contrary to all other things 

 which are scene afar off, for they seeme small, & the 

 more nere a man commeth to them the bigger they be : 

 but this tower afar off seemeth a very great thing, and 

 the nerer you come to it the lesser. My judgement & 

 [11. i. 215.1 reason of this is, that because the Tower is set in a very 

 great plaine, and hath nothing more about to make any 

 shew saving the ruines of it which it hath made round 

 about, and for this respect descrying it a farre off, that 

 piece of the Tower which yet standeth with the moun- 

 taine that is made of the substance that hath fallen from 

 it, maketh a greater shew then you shall finde comming 

 neere to it. 



Babylon and Basora. 



FRom Babylon I departed for Basora, shipping my 

 selfe in one of the barks that use to go in the river 

 Tigris from Babylon to Basora, and from Basora to 

 Babylon : which barks are made after the maner of Fusts 

 or Galliots with a Speron and a covered poope : they 

 have no pumpe in them because of the great abundance 

 of pitch which they have to pitch them with all : which 

 pitch they have in abundance two dayes journey from 

 Babylon. Nere unto the river Euphrates, there is a city 

 called Heit, nere unto which city there is a great plaine 

 full of pitch, very marvellous to beholde, and a thing 

 almost incredible, that out of a hole in the earth, which 

 continually throweth out pitch into the aire with con- 



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