1 
2 2 Travels i?ito the h ah t. Part ir.| 
and for that end ( as I had information ) the Capicoules or JaviJJaries lay lève- 
rai times in wait to Arreft me upon fome falfe pretext ; nay the fame Chorbagt 
whom I met upon the Rode as I came from Saide^ having fent for Monfimr 
Bermoml a French Merchant, who washis friend, told him, perhaps to pump 
him, that I had told him I washis Kinfman, but that, in fhort, he knewl was 
a great and rich Lord, and that I fliould look to my felf, becaufefeveral threa- 
tened me, and that he would ferve me, for his fake, if I flood in need of it. 
This report daily encreafing and I being very well known by face, the onely 
remedy I had was to leave Damafcus : but feeing there was no opportunity of 
a Caravan, I could not be delivered by that means, fo foon as I could have 
wiHied, and I was forced to refolve to keep within Doors, or at leaft not to 
iiir abroad but as little as I could, whilft I flayed fortheoccafion of fome Ca- 
ravan ; I could not doubt of the danger I was in, efpecially when I knew 
that they watched the Reverend Father George a Jefuit, who amongft other 
kindnefies he (hewed me, took the pains to come and teach me the uCq of the 
Aftrolabe, which obliged us for the future to correfpond onely by Letters; 
Notwithftanding allthefe cautions my Quality and Pur(e augmented daily in 
the m^ouths of the people. In the meantime as luck would have it, the night, 
before my departure, I had an exprefs from Mofijïeur Bertet one of the chief 
Merchants of Aleppo upon occafion of my writing to him, to give me notice 
when there was a Caravan ready to part for Bagdad. In a trice all the Town 
knew of the coming of this Man, though it was in the night-time, and every 
onefaid, that he was come for all the Fr^w^j ; but next morning the rumour 
run that ft was onely for that Frank who was fo rich ; and a Turk told me, 
that there were Ibme fools enough, to affirm I was the King of France his 
Brother. Seeing thefè honours exceedingly difpleafed me, and that I under- 
flood there was a Caravan ready to depart ; I bargained with a Moucre to 
conduél me to Aleppo, to carry my Bagage and pay the Caffares : we agreed 
for thirteen Boquelles which was very cheap ; and we were to be gone with 
the Caravan that carried the Haz,na of the powder of Caire to Con ft antinomie ^ 
of which there was an hundred and fifty load , of threefcore and ten or four- 
fcore Oo^ues a piece, carried on Camels and Mules ; That Caravan was com- 
manded by an ^^g^iî, and was to be guarded by fifty or threefcore Troopers ; 
fo that being informed that it would confifl of at leaft, two hundred Men, 
Mafters and Servants, I was very glad I had the fortune to meet with it. 
Having ordered my bagage to be loaded, I went to take my leave of fa- 
ther George, and as I came out of his houfe, I perceived all the TerrafTes full 
of Women gathered together to fee me as I palled ; then I went to wait on 
the Seignior Michael Topgi to thank him for all the Civilities he had (hewn me 
at Damafcus y and to bid him fare well : That gallant man would needs con- 
tinue me his favour to the laft, and gave me two Letters one in Arabick and 
and the other in Turkifh, in form of a Pafs-port, to all the Lords and Gover- 
nours from Damafcus to Bagdad : In thefe Letters he fàid I was his Brother, 
aud called me Francis the Gunner ; I cannot tell if I could have anfwered that 
Charafter if an occafion had offered. And being afraid they might flop me or 
offer me fome affront, he obliged me to take horfe at his Gate, though I pray- 
ed him to let me walk on foot, becaule Chriftians dare iiot ride through the 
Town on horfe-back ; but he would have it fb, and gave me two horle-men 
to ferve me for a guard, commanding them to pafs through the City the one 
before and the other behind me, and fb to convey me fate to my firft Nights 
Lodging, which they very civilly performed. 
Since that I had notice by Letters that the Bairam being come, the Bapas 
Lieutenant had demanded a prefent from our Moncks, and Monfieur Bermond; 
\ but that the Seignior Michael having told him that no prelènts were given, 
vvhere there was no conful, he refted fatisfied ; and they all believed that 
that man had demanded a prefent, onely becaUfe he thought that I was ftlfl 
at Damafcns. 
riie rofgi This Topgi Baffa, though he call himfelf a*French-man, is a Candiot, who 
'fidj[,i. having rendered confiderable fervices to Suit an Amurat in the Artillery at the 
taking of Bagdad, that Prince gave him in recompence a good Village in Timar^ 
and many fair Privileges, amongft others that of riding on horle-back through 
Townsy 
