56 The Persian Travels Book II. 



the top of the Mountain you meet with an Inn -, but though it be a very fair one, 

 with Fountains round about it , yet Merchants never ftop there , but go on a 

 little farther to a (jrecian that (peaks good Italian , and whole entertainment is 

 indifferent good, confidering the Country. When you go away, you give him a Crown 

 for your accommodation , which is the manner at other Stages, by a cuftom, which 

 the Franks themfelves having eftablilh'd , will never be left off. 



Delcending down the Mountain you difcover the City of Antioch , built upon 

 a Hill. Formerly the Road lay through that City, but the Janizaries of the 

 place exacting a Piafter from every perfon that traveFd that way, that Road is now 

 difus'd. Antioch once made more noife in the World, being fal'n to ruine ever 

 fince the Channel , that ran from the City to the Sea , where Galleys might ride, 

 has been ftop'd up by the Sands that have encroach'd upon the Mouth of the 

 Haven. 



When you are at the bottom of the Hill toward the North, you difcover a Caftle 

 built upon a Hill (landing by it felt", ( from whence you have a profpetf: over a good 

 part of the Plain of Antioch. It is about fifteen Leagues long, and three broad , in 

 that part where the Road lyes. Somewhat more than half the way , you meet 

 with a long Caufey parted by feveral Bridges , by reafon of certain Rivulets that 

 crofs it, without which the Road were hardly pafTable. The frequent Revolts of 

 Bagdat and Balfara, which the Grand Signer has been forc'd fo often to befiege, 

 caus'd the Grand Viper in the Reign of Achmat to undertake this Cauiey, which 

 together with the Bridge was finifh'd infix Months, that was lookt upon as a Mira- 

 cle. This was done for the more eafie paflage of the Artillery, and other Provifions 

 of War, that were brought out of Romania and Çrecce to the Siege of Bagdat, 

 which could never have been done, but for this Caufey. At the end of this Caufey 

 îlands a Bridge , very long and ftrongly built, under which runs a River* which, 

 with the other Rivulets that wind about the Plain, forms a Lake toward the South, 

 that is call'd the Lake of Antioch. This Lake affords a great Revenue , by reafon 

 of the Eels that are caught there, which are taken two Months before Lent, and 

 tranfported to Malta, Sicily, and other parts of Italy. 



This Plain is very full of Olive-Trees*, which produces that great Trade of Soap, 

 that is made at Aleppo , and tranfported into Mesopotamia , Chaldea , Perfia , and 

 theDefert, that Commodity being one of the moft acceptable Prefents that can be 

 made to the Arabians. Sallet-Oyl is alfo in great efteem among them : fo that 

 when you make them a Prefcnt of it, they will take off their Bonnets , and rub their 

 Meads, their Faces , and their Beards with it , lifting up their Eyes to Heaven , and 

 cry in their Language, God be thanked. Therein they hâve loft nothing of the 

 ancient cuftom of the Eaftern People , of which there is often mention made in Holy 

 Scripture. 



About a League and a half beyond the Plain * you meet with a Rock * at the 

 foot whereof is a little deep Lake , wherein they catch a. world of Fifh that are 

 like our Barbels. I have kill'd them with my Piftpl *> and found them to be of an 

 excellent taft, though they are not regarded at Aleppo, 



Two hours after, you ford a River which is call'd Afiora; though if it have hap- 

 pen'd to rain , you muft ftay 'till the Waters are fal'n. Having paft the River* 

 upon the Banks whereof you ftay to feed your felf and your Horfes , you come 

 to lye at a poor Village câll'd Shaqnemin, where there is an Inn. Here the Country- 

 people bring Provifions of Food to the Travellers*, and whether you eat or no, you 

 muft pay a Piafter , according to the cuftom which the Frmks have eftaWifn'd. 

 After you have pafs'd the Plain of AntUch as far as Shaqutmin , the Horfes in Summer 

 are fo terribly tormented with a fort of great Flies , that it were impoffible to travel 

 three or four hours together , were it not for going out of the Road , either to 

 the right * or to the left , and riding through the Fields , which are full of thole 

 Burrs that our Clothworkers make ufe of : For in regard they grow as high as the 

 Crupper of theHorfe, they keep the Flies off from ftingingand tyring the Horfes. 



Leaving the Village of Shaquemin , the Road lyes among Stones , and for half 

 this tedious way, for two or three Leagues round about , you fee nothing but the 

 Ruines of ancient Monafteries. There are fome of them which are built almoft all 

 of Free-ftone-, and about half a days journey toward the North, quite out of the 

 Road, ftands the Monaftery of St. Simeon the Stylite, with the remainder of his fo 



famous 



