230 Travels into the L e v n t. Fart 
Corfairs, we were fifteen miles from Damiette^ where we arrived in three 
hours time -, and fo foon as we came to the place where the water of the Nile 
mingles with the Sea, which is a good mile out at Sea from the mouth of 
the River, for the different colours of the River-water and Sea-water may 
eafily be feen. There came out feme Germes to unload our Snycot^ bccaufe 
at this place, loaded Veflels cannot come in, for want of Water. Thefe 
Germes are great Boats with high fides and very light ; they are Lighters 
open fore and aft, having no Deck, that they may take in the more Goods. 
They came about iis in fuch numbers, every one flriving to be the firft, that 
ibme of them were like to have run down our Saycot. When they had light- 
tened us a little, and we were got into the mouth of the Nile^ we took our 
Goods in again out of the Cerner, and in half an hours time, went up the 
River to Damiette, about two miles from the mouth of it. For defence of 
this entry, there is only a forry tower, in form of a Caille, wherein are 
fome Guns mounted, which were thofe that Fired at the Corfairs. Being 
upon the iVz/f, we drank our Bellies full of good Water, thinking our felves 
to be come out of Hell into Paradice, as we came from Sea into a River ; 
however we were ftill fearful of going a-fhoar at D^^z/mc ; where being come, 
we quickly difpatched a Monk to find out the Houfe of a French Man whom 
we knew to be there, the danger not being fo great for s Religious Perfon, 
as for us: Hefpeedily came back to us again, and having given fome Crowns 
. which we had faved from the Corfairs, to the Greeks of the Saycor, for they 
would needs be paid for our PafTage, and that at a dear rate too, without 
calling to mind that we had begg'd their Saycot for them. We ftepM 
a-fhoar over the Galliot which had been the day before attacked by our 
Corfairs. We went to that French Merchants Houfe, who made us very 
welcome, and told us, that that Galliot came from Svif^^;^, and that they on 
Board were three hundred Men, having with them fifteen thoufand Piaftres^ 
wherewith they were going to Trafick at Mecha^ and that they had had one 
Man Killed, and three Wounded. Had our Corfairs minded their bufinefs 
as they fhould, they would have enriched themfelves, for all thefe Turks 
were well Cloathed, and able to pay Ranfoms, being all Rich j after we had 
refted our felves a little, we went to the Biftiop of the Greeks, to acquaint 
him without Difafter,and to defire his Protection and Certificate,that we were 
not Corfairs. Afterward we kept very private within doors, but the People 
of the Countrey were fo far from abufing us, that they pitied our misfortune, 
and three Turks came to fee us, and told us that they were of thofe that 
were on Board that PoU<]ne^ which ran foul of our 5^«^/i^«er in the night-time, 
and had fwam a-lhoar. They asked us news of their Comrades that were 
made Slaves -, and we defired to know of them what was become of the 
other nine, who jurap'd into the Sea with them, but they told us that they 
could not teU what was become of them, they were certainly Drowned ; 
and indeed, it requires a very good Heart to fwim above two Leagues. We 
Dmiette. iiad no fight of Damiette, but upon our Arrival, not daring to walk abroad 
in the Streets ; all we could obferve was, that it is a very handfome well 
built long Town, yet not fo long as Roffetto. It was anciently called Pelu/ium, 
and lyes upon a Branch of the River of iV;7f, which difcharges if felf into the 
Sea, two miles below this Town, that makes one Angle of the Delta. 
CHAP. 
