'Part IL Travels into the 1^^^ i^^T. 
27 
tonum fcemina. ASlbon as we entered that Plain we difcover'd Affia^ where Affm. 
we arrived about one of the Clock. 
We encamped clofe by 4/^^>which is a little very weak Caftle,bat it joins to The Uhp. of 
a goodly Han of Free-ftone, under the Gate whereof there is a Market kept^ Agm. 
as at Cttifa. Along one of the fides therof, to wit the Weft-fide, there rea- 
>ches a half pace vaulted and arched over for the Lodging of Travellers ; it 
is fo likewife in one half of the two fides that lie to the North and Eaft: 
The other two half fides are employed for Doors, Shops and Cellars; In 
the middle of the fourth and Eaft-fide ; there is a Gate, by which one enters 
into a Court, where there are Teveral appartments more, two or three Foot 
raifed from the ground, that fo the Men may be feparated from the Bealls, 
and each of them has its Chimney ; you have the like behind the Arches of 
the firft Court, in a word, it is almoft like to that o^Cteifa, but not fo hand- 
(bme. In the middle of the Court there is a fquare Mofque covered with a 
Dome rough caft, and dofe by, a little watering place which three little 
Channels continually fill with fair water that runs pretty near that Han. 
from the fécond Court we enter into a place, which, (they fay,) is the Caftle, 
built of rough Stone, but it hath no figure of a Caftle, and is a bare enclo- 
fure ef low Walls : Neverthelefs feveral Families for moft part Greeks have 
their aboad there. About fifty paces from that pretended Caflile, there is 
a little Village, not to be feen but by chance, as it happened to me when I 
was walking ; for there are about twenty Earthen houfes a fathom high, 
built in a large fquare Ditch, fo deep that the Roofs or TerralTes of the houfes « 
are two or three fathom lower than the level of the Fields about ; fb that 
when one is upon the brink of that Ditch, the houles feem fo low, that at 
firft I took it for a Quarry. 
Frula)' Morning the live and twentieth of Jpril we parted from AJ/Ia 
three hours before day ; at the break of day, we met a Caravan of Mules 
carrying Pilgrims to Damafcus, who were going thither on their way to Ale- 
cha. A little after we pafied by a fmall Caftle called Chemfin. Chemfm. 
We then continued our Journey North-wards, through a great Plain full of 
Dajfadils^ Crow-foots., Wind-flowers , Willoju-herbs^ HjJJof ^ folio luteo. Dragon- Daffaclils. 
wort y and (èveral other Flowers ; which by their variety and multitude, yiel- w° Yfl°"' 
ded a very lovely profpedl. In that Countrey there are alfo a great many wnio'w?^^^" 
Harmolans, and I fàw plenty of them in all the places of Afa through which herbs. 
I paft. Before Noon we arrived at Hams^ and encamped in a place by the Hyflbp, 
fide of the Town near the Bury ing-place: The Inhabitants believe that that Dragon-worr. 
Town was the Countrey of Job. In paffing I viewed the Caftle, which is ^f^f'^^''^' 
fituated on a little hill of an oval figure, that tapers from the bottom to the xhrcountrcy 
top ; it is all covered over with herbs, but fo fteep, that I think there is but of "job. 
one way to get up to it, and that made on purpofe too ; upon ir ftands the 
Caftle, which in fome places has great breaches In thofe quarters all the 
Caftles are built on hills. I perceived very well that the Village was long, 
but that is all I could obferve ; becaufe my Moncre made me get under the 
Tent of one of his Friends, to avoid the Cajfare which was of twenty Tiaf- 
tres, and would needs alfo have me put on- a white Turban, before I came 
to the Town, that fo I might paft for a Turk ; but I would not do it. In 
that Plain where we encamped, there are a great many ancient Sepulchres, 
in form of a Pyramide ; and amongft others I fawone, which I judged to be 
that, on which Belo and Fietro della Fdle obforved an infoription ; but foeing 
the Sun was let before I went thither, I can fay nothing as to that. In that 
place there is a Cachef., who is placed there by the Bajlm of Damafcus. 
We parted from Hams^ on Saturday the twenty fixth of ^pri/, a little while 
after mid-night, and marched ftill Northwards, and through the fame Plain 
we had the day before. About Eight in the Morning, we palTed near a 
little Village called Re/l-an, in the middle whereof there is a Mofque covered ^icfl.m, 
with a Dome rough caft. Some hundreds of paces from thence we found a fair 
ftone-Bridge, paved with large Stones : In going thither we paft by the Gate 
of a Han, which reaches along the River's fide ; at each Corner it is flanked 
with a round Tower, and in the middle of it there is a Molque covered with 
a Dome rough caft over. Then we crolTed the Bridge which they call Dge- 
E I fr 
