Chap.III. 0/ Monfieur Tavernier. 61 



to keep Horfes: others can only keep or hire AlTes, which (land ready in the 

 publick Streets at all times. 



The next day we diflodg'd by day-break , and by noon we came to a place where 

 there were five Wells , about five hundred Paces diftant one from the other. The 

 Water was excellent , and caus'd lis to replenifli our Borachd's : and about four a 

 Clock in the Afternoon , we lay at a place where there was no Water. 



The next day near noon we met with two Wells, but the Water was not good, 

 and only the Camels drank of if, there we alfo lodg'dthat night. 



Having now travel'd two days in the Defert, I will defcribe it in a few words. 

 You begin to enter upon it. two or three Leagues from Aleppo, where by 

 degrees you meet with nothing but Tents inftead of Houfes. It ftretches out to 

 the Winter-Eaft, all along the Euphrates to Balfara, and the Shoar of the Gulf of 

 Verfia ; and upon the South to the Chain of Mountains that divides it from Arabia 

 Petrœa and Arabia the Happy. Thefe Deierts are almoft quite thorough nothing 

 but Plains of Sand, which in fome places lye loofer than mothers-, and are hardly 

 paflable 'till the Rains are but newly fal'n , and have knit the Sands together. Tis 

 a rare thing jto meet with a Hill or a Valley in thefe Deferts -, if you do , there 

 is as furely Water , and as many Bufhes as will ferve to boyl a little Rice. For 

 throughout the whole Defert there is no Wood to be found -, and all the Bavins 

 and Charcoal that you can load upon Camels at Aleppo , will not laft above eight or 

 ten days. Therefore you muft take notice , that of fix hundred Camels that pafs 

 through the Defert , there are icarce fifty laden with Merchandize, which is gene- 

 rally courfe Cloth , fome little Iron Ware , but chiefly black and blew Calicuts, 

 which the Arabians make ufe of without ever whitening them. All the other 

 Camels are only laden with Provifion, and all little enough -, fomany People being 

 to travel for fo many days through fo long a Traft of Ground where there is nothing 

 in the World to fuftain Life and Soul together. 



For the firft fifteen days travel we met with Water but once in two days , and 

 fometimes not above once in three days. The twentieth day after we fet out from 

 Aleppo, the Caravan lay at a place where there were two Wells , and the Water very 

 good. Every one was glad of the convenience of wafhing his Linnen, and the 

 Caravan-Bajhi made account to have ftaid there two or three days. But the News 

 that we receiv'd , caus'd us to alter our Refolutions. For we had no fooner giv'n 

 order to drefs our Suppers , when we law a Courier with three Arabs 7 all mounted 

 upon Dromedaries , who were fent to carry the news of the Taking of Babylon 

 to Aleppo and other Cities of the Empire. They ftop'd at the Wells to let their 

 Beafts drink ^ and immediately the Caravan-Bajhi , and the principal perfons of the 

 Caravan made them a fmall Prefent of dry'd Fruits and Granates. Who thereupon 

 werefo kind as to tell us, that the Camels which carry'd the Baggage belonging to 

 the Grand Signor and his Train being tyr'd , his Officers would be fure to feize 

 upon ours , if they fhould chance to meet with us : they advis'd us moreover not to 

 come near Anna, left the Emir fhould flop us. 



Upon this news, we departed three hours after midnight -, and keeping directly 

 to the South, we put our felves into the midft of the Defert. 



Eight days after we came to lye at a place where were three Wells , and three 

 or four Houfes. We ftaid there two days to take frefh Water , and we were juft 

 fetting forward again, when thirty Horfemen well mounted came from one of the 

 Emirs , to tell the Caravan-Bafln that he muft flop his Caravan. We ftaid im- 

 patiently for him three days % and at length he came , and was prefented by the 

 Caravan-Bajhi with a piece of Satin, half a piece of Scarlet Cloth, and two large 

 Copper Cauldrons. Now although thofe Cauldrons could not but be very acceptable 

 to an Arabian Prince , who moft certainly had none fuch in his Kitchin , yet he did 

 not feem contented with his Prefent, and demanded above four hundred Crowns. We 

 contefted leven or eight days to have kept our Money in our Pockets , but in vain % 

 lb that we were fore'd to rate one another , and to raife hita his Sum -, which being 

 paid , he treated the chief of the Caravan with Pilaw, Honey, and Dates , and when 

 he went away, gave them five or fix Sheep ready boyl'd. 



Three days after we had left this Arabian Prince , we met with two Wells near 

 certain old decay 'd Brick Buildings. The Water of thofe Wells was fo bitter, 

 that the Camels would not drink it: however we fiil'd our Boracho y s , thinking 



is 



