24 
Travels into the ï.^ y ah t. Part 
Holes in 
Tombs and 
Graves. 
The Women 
ask coiinfel of 
their dead 
Husbands. 
The Womens 
Mourning. \ 
I obferved at Damafcus, that the TurkAt^xt a hole of three fingers breadth 
in diamètre on the top of their Tombs, where there is a Channel of Earth 
over the dead body : That lerves to cool the dead ; for the Women going 
thither on Thurfcîay to pray, which they never fail to do every Week, they 
pour in water by that hole to refrefli them and quench their thirft, and at 
the end of the grave ftick in a large branch of Box, which they carry with 
them purpofely, and leave it there to keep the dead cold. They have ano- 
ther no lefs pleafant cuftome ; and that is, when a Woman hath loft her 
husband, fheltill asks his counlel about her affairs. Forinftance, a Woman, 
fometimes two years after her husband's death, will go to his grave, and tell 
him that fuch a peribn hath wronged her, oc that fuch a Man would mar- 
ry her, and thereupon asks his counfel what (he fhould do ; having done fo 
(he returns home expecting the anfwer, which her late husband fails not to 
come and give her the Night following, and always conform to the Widows 
defire. 
It is a pretty ridiculous thing too, to fee the Mourning which the Women at 
Damafcus appear in, at the death of their relations, and even the Chriffian 
women. I had that diverfion one Evening about eight a Clock at Night when 
I was at the Capucins gate. I perceived fèveral Maronite women returning 
from the lodging of one of their relations, who died three hours before ; 
there was above twenty of them, and they made a great deal of noife, ibme 
iinging, and others crying, knocking their breafts with their hands joined 
together, and two Men carried each a Candle to light them. When they 
were over againft the Maronites Church, which is before the houfe of the 
Capucins, they ftopt, and put themfelves in a ring, where for a long time 
they fnapt the fingers of the right hand, as if they had been Caftanets, a- 
gainfl one anothers Nofes, keeping time to the fbngs they fling, as if they 
rejoyced, whilfl fbme of them from time to time howled and cried like mad 
Women : At length having performed that Mufick a pretty long while, they 
made many bows to the Eail lifting up the right hand to their head, and 
then flooping it down to the ground ; having done fb they marched fore- 
ward, with the fame Mufick as before. 
Az Damafcus and alrnofl all Turky over, they threfh not the Corn ; but 
after it is cut down, they put it up in heaps, and round the heap, they 
fpread fome of it four or five foot broad, and two foot thick : This being 
done they have a kind of fled made of four pieces of Timber in fquare ■ 
two of which ferve for an Axle-tree to two great rowlers, whofe ends enter 
intothefe two pieces of Timber, fb as that they eafily turn in them ; round 
each of thefe rowlers there are three Iron-pinions about half a foot thick, 
and a foot in diamètre ; thefè pinions are full of teeth like fo many faws ; 
there is a feat placed upon the two chief pieces of Timber, where a man 
fits, and drives the horfes that draw this Machine round upon the lay of 
Corn that is two foot thick, and that cutting the ilraw very fmall makes the 
Corn come out of the ear without breaking it, for it Aides betwixt the teeth 
of the Iron. When the ftraw is well cut, they put in more, and then fepa- 
rate the Corn from that hafhed Straw, by toffing all up together in the 
Air with a wooden fhovel ; for the Wind blows thp Straw a little afide, and 
the Corn alone falls ffreight down : They feed their Horfes with that cut 
Straw. In fome places, that Machine is different, as I have fèen in Mefopo- 
tamia ; where in ftead of thefe pinions round the rowler, they have many 
pegs of Iron about fix Inches long, and three broad, almoft in the fhape of 
wedges, but fbmewhat broader below than above, faftened without any 
order into the rowlers ; fome ftreight and others crofs ways; and this Engine 
is covered with Boards over the Irons, whereon he that drives the Horfes 
fits, for he has no other feat to fit upon, they take the famecourfein Verjïa ; 
neverthelefs in fbme places they cut not the Straw, but onely make Oxen 
or tlorfes tread out the Corn with their feet, which they feparate from the 
Straw as I have faid. 
Of all the Corn which they prepare in this manner. Barley is the oneiy 
grain they feed their Horfes with: In the Morning they give every Horfe an 
Occlue of that Barley, and four at Night which they mingle with cut Straw, 
and 
The way of 
threlliing 
Corn. 
The way of 
feeding Hor- 
fes. 
