ï < o Travels into the h ev an t. Pare L 
Four Camels 
kept for the 
fervice of 
Mahomet. 
Five Cara- 
vans make 
the Journey 
of Mecha. 
The Caravan 
of Caire. 
The Caravan 
of D^mafcus.'^ 
The Caravan 
of the Ma- 
grebiiis. 
The Caravan 
of Ferfia. 
The Caravan 
of the Mogul. 
The Emir- 
Adge in the 
Jonrney of 
Mecha, takes 
with him 
I "500. Camels 
of his own. 
The number 
of Men and 
F.eafrs in the 
Caravan of 
Caire for 
Mecha. 
upon a Camel covered with a very pretty Pavsllion, and had on the Camels 
back before him an Anvil, with a great Hammer in his Hand, wherewith he 
now and then ftruck upon the Anvil. Then pafled'a great many Camels load- 
ed with Prcvifions for the Emtr-Mge, after them came the Bcys^ and then 
the Emir-^dge. A quarter of an Hour after, came all the Samosy dî- Mad -men 
in far greater number than- ever I had feen in any place j fome Dancing, others'- 
making a thoufand wry Mouths and ftrange Faces, and clad in divers Fafhions 
much like our Mafquers in time of Carnaval: Then at length came the blelFecl 
Camel, which carries the l^avillion I mentioned before; the other things were 
under that Pavillion, and horrible was the crowding to get near and kifs, or 
at leafc touch that fame Pavillion. This Camel was in goodly Trappings of 
Gold and Silk, and was followed by another very well Accoutred too, but 
not Loaded ; Ije went this journey to carry the Pavillion, when the other 
wras weary : Four Camels are kept for that Service, of which two are employ- 
ed every Year, whilft the other two take their reft. It is wonderful to fee 
how miany People come yearly from all places, to perform that Journey ^ for 
there are five Caravans, to wit, that of Caire^ which confifts of ^Egyptians, 
and of all that come from Confiamimfle, and the places about ; that of Da- 
mafctisy wherein go from Syria^aW who have a mind to go ; that of the Magre- 
bim^ or Wefterlings, comprehending thofe of Barbary, Fez. , and Morocco, 
who meet at Caire j the Caravan of Perfta, and that of the Indies, or the 
Mogul. But, in my opinion, they who come from Fez, and Morocco., are put 
to the greateft trouble -, for they Travel always by Land, over great De farts, 
that takes them up a long time, and indeed, they employ a whole Year ia^ 
the Journey, and more than one half of them die by the way. This Caravan 
of Caire was very numerous, for in it there was four ^ejj, one Janizary Agafty 
oïïQ Bofiangi B^jlu., and feveral other mighty Lords, who made the Journey, 
having all a great many Camels with them. As for the Emir-Adge, who tra- 
vels that Journey yearly, and is chief of the Caravan, he has commonly Fifteen 
hundred Camels to carry his Baggage, and to fell, or let to thofe who want ; 
for many die by the way : He hath Five hundred Camels to carry Water, only 
for his Family, and they load them with Frelh-water, whereever they find 
any. This CaravanCas it was faid)confifted of about an Hundred thoufand Per- 
fons, and of above an Hundred thoufand Beafts, as well Camels as Horfes,Mules 
and Alfes, and thatfeemed indeed, to be a great deal ; but we were informed 
afterward by the Gentleman of the Horfe to the Bey of Suez., that that Cara- 
van confifted only of Eight thoufand Camels, and that when it amounts to 
Fifteen thoufand Camels, it is thought to be very great. 
C H A P. XVIL 
Of the T^efarture of the Caravan of Mecha^ 
from the Birquq and of its Journey 
to Mecha. 
The Bif(iue. 
The depar- 
itui e of the 
Caravan. 
^"T^ H E day that the Emir-Adge parted from Caire, he Encamped in Tents, 
X clofe by the City, and a few days after he Encamped at the Birque, 
which is a great Pond about Twelve Miles from Caire, near to which they 
Encamp : This place is the Rendefvouz of all the Caravans. The Emir-Adge 
parted from thence with the whole Caravan, Wcdnefday the eighth of Auguft, 
It being the cuftome for the Caravan of Caire, to iet out Seven and fifty days 
after the beginning of the Ramadan, that fo it may be there punctually at the 
time. It is very pretty to fee them Encamped in the Night-time, becaufe of 
the 
