CAESAR FREDERICK a.d. 



1563-81. 



fraighted a bark together to goe for Basora for 70. 

 duckets, and with us there went other Marchants, which 

 did ease our fraight, and very commodiously wee came 

 to Basora and there we stayed 40. dayes for providing 

 a Carovan of barks to go to Babylon, because they use 

 not to goe two or 3. barkes at once, but 25. or 30. 

 because in the night they cannot go, but must make 

 them fast to the banks of the river, and then we must 

 make a very good & strong guard, and be wel provided 

 of armor, for respect & safegard of our goods, because 

 the number of theeves is great that come to spoile and 

 rob the marchants. And when we depart for Babylon 

 we goe a litle with our saile, and the voyage is 38. or 

 40. dayes long, but we were 50. dayes on it. When we 

 came to Babylon we stayed there 4. moneths, until 

 the Carovan was ready to go over the wildernes, or 

 desert for Alepo ; in this citie we were 6. Marchants 

 that accompanied together, five Venetians and a Portugal ; 

 whose names were as followeth, Messer Florinasa with 

 one of his kinsmen, Messer Andrea de Polo, the Portugal 

 & M. Francis Berettin and I, and so wee furnished our ^« ^^'d^^' how 

 selves with victuals and beanes for our horses for 40. ^° P^°^'^^^ ^° 

 dayes ; and wee bought horses and mules, for that they ^^sert from 

 bee very good cheape there, I my selfe bought a horse Babylon to 

 there for 1 1 . akens, and solde him after in Alepo for ^lepo. 

 30. duckets. Also we bought a Tent which did us 

 very great pleasure : we had also amongst us 32. Camels 

 laden with marchandise : for the which we paid 2. 

 duckets for every camels lading, and for every 10. camels 

 they made 11, for so is their use and custome. We take 

 also with us 3. men to serve us in the voyage, which are 

 used to goe in those voyages for five D d. a man, and 

 are bound to serve us to Alepo : so that we passed very 

 well without any trouble : when the camels cried out 

 to rest, our pavilion was the first that was erected. The 

 Carovan maketh but small journeis about 2C. miles a 

 day, & they set forwards every morning before day two 

 houres, and about two in the afternoone they sit downe. 



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