152 ' Travels into tbe»hEv ANT. Parti. 
take heed not to fet his foot^uiilefs he be well wafhed from all 6in. From Rabij 
Kmdm. |.Q Kawdire, fifteen, hours, no Water there. ¥rom Kawdir» to Bir el fan, fonv- 
ndfJatim ^^^^ hours ^ frefh water there. From Bir el fan to l^adi Fatima^ fourXeen 
Mechu, ' hours-, frefh water there. ¥ ^ovu Vadi Fat ima' 10 Mecha, fix hours. 
T 
CHAP. XVIII. 
Of Mecha. 
H E Mufulmans have fo great a veneration for Mecha, not only becaufe 
Mahomet was Born there, but more efpecially for the Temple called 
Kiaabe^ that is to fay, fquarc houfe, that they think all who are not Muful- 
mans, are unworthy to come there j and therefore they fuffer them not fo 
much as to come within fome days journey of it ; and if a Chriftian or any 
other (who were not Mahometan ) Ihould be apprehended in that Holy Land, 
he would be burned without mercy. I never made the journey then, but 
feeing in the conferences that I have had with a great many who have made 
it, I have learned fome things relating thereunto ; I think I may tell what I 
know, efpecially fince no man (that I know of) hath as yet given us any true 
of^/Sr.""" Affc^^ is an ancient Town fcituated among the Mountains, and built all 
KiMbe '. ' of Stone and Morter; in the middle of this Town is û\q Kiaabe, which is a 
fquare Houfe, furrounded with a wall, that hinders people from approaching 
it, there being a void fpace betwixt the Houfe and the Wall ^ the Houfe is 
covered v.'ith a Dome. Within it there is a well of indifferent good Water, 
at leafl in refped of the other Waters of Mecha, which are fo bitter, that 
One can hardly drink of them. There is befides on the right hand near the 
dcor as they enter into that Houfe, « black fioneas big as a mans Head, which 
A blafk ftone (they fay) came down from Heaven j and that heretofore it was white, but 
comedown ^i^^,^ through the Sins of men, it became black, as it is at prefent. He that 
rom Heaven. j^j^^ the time when thty giveone another the SeUm,zfttv the Prayer 
of Konfchlouk.^on Friday that falls within the three days that they fojourn there, 
A great hap- j^gj,^ ^-q ^ Saint, and every one ftrives to kifs his Feet ; fo that rnofl 
th^t fiS frequently he is ftifled in the crowd upon the very fpot. They never enter 
fes that ftone this Sacred place but four times in a year, and one of thefe times at the Ramadan 
on a certain to wafh it with Rofe-water, if any Perfon of Quality have a mind to go into 
f^^y. it, paying an hundred Cheqmns he may. This Houfe is covered all round on 
the oucHde with Stuffs, which the Grand Signior and other Princes of the 
Mufulman Law offer to it, and the old ones belong to the Grand Sjgnior^ 
when the little Bairam or Eafter of Sacrifice falls upona Friday, who gives 
pieces of them to new Mofques, which ferve them for a Confecration \ but 
thofe years when the litte Bairam falls not on a Friday, the Sultan Scherif who 
commands there, takes off the Gold, and cutting the Stuff into fmall pieces, 
Reliks of the feîls them for Relicks at the rate of feveral Chcqnins. This Sultan Scherif, 
fluffs of Nii-c- is chief at Mecha, and of great Authority there ; he is rich, and from the 
hi. Pilgrims fqueezes money by a thoufand inventions, all pretexts of Devotion. 
Sultan "5"'^'?"/ Heretofore his predeceffours made Pilgrims pay vaft fums of money ; but one' 
year the Sultana of z^gypt being at Mecha, the Sultan exaded a great fum 
of Money from her, faying that he owned no King but himfelf .• this Lady 
upon her return, would not enter the City of Carre, but fent word to her 
Husband, that he was not King unlefs he revenged her. Immediately thereupon 
the Sultan of t^^jpf fet out with a mighty Army, fell upon the Sultan of 
whythe Sçhe- /i^ccha, and defeated him, obliging him and all the Scherifs of Mecha his 
^V^^^^^^'^^'"^^^ Relations, never to ride on Horfe back but bare-footed, which to this day 
ija^^. they obferve. when the Pilgrims comt to Mecha, there is a great Fair kept 
ed. ' ' there, whereall forts of Commôdir.ies are brought from the Indies, and are 
fold in Caves made in the .Mountain. ' • 
CHAP. 
