28 
Tra7jels into theh^vA^ t. Part II. 
Dgefer B^fian. 
4/1. 
Omîtes. 
Mama. 
Apamea. 
raihit El- 
H limit. 
Lachni. 
Han Scheikj 
houn. 
fer Refiati, that is to fay, the Bridge of Refian. I thought that Bridge had 
taken its Name from the Village ; but I was told that the River alfo was cal- 
led Refian, though its common Name be AJi^ that's to fay, rebel!, becaufe, 
faid one of the Caravan to me, it is a very rapid River; and efpecially at 
that place. This Bridge hath ten Arches fomewhat more than a fathom 
broad, and a little higher, and it is the Orontes of the Ancients that runs 
under it. Before it reach the Bridge it makes two little Mes, like to very plea- 
fant Gardens. Overagainft the middle of the Bridge, towards a Han there 
is a great fquare pile of building in the Water ; through which the Water 
pafling, makes on the other fide lovely cafcad'es or falls ; fo that there feems 
to be fbme mill within ; but I heard no noi(e of any. At that place the Ri- 
ver is as broad as the Bridge is long, but then its Channel is ftreightened to 
fix or (even fathom over, as before, and in fome places to lefs, making many 
turnings amongft the hills where it runs, but the Water of it is thick and 
muddy. Having crolfed that Bridge, we left the River, taking our way 
Northward, and faw many good Corn-fields : Two hours after we dilcove- 
red Hama, where we arrived after Noon. 
Hûma is the Ancient Afamea of Syria, a great Town fèated on the fide of 
a hill, having a Bajloa andaCaftle. To pleafe my Momre I put my felf, as I 
did, the day before, under the Tent of a Friend, on the other fide of the 
Burying-place, where the Caravan encamped ; and he went and encamped 
clfèwhere, that fo he might iksiQ'ûïQ Cajf'are. After Sun fet he fènt for me, 
and I crolTed the Bridge, where the wheels are mentioned by Belon and Tie- 
tro cklla Valle, which draw the Water that fupplies the whole Town : It is 
the Orontes ftill that runs there ; but I cannot tell how many Arches the 
Bridge has, for I crolTed it in the Night-time : My Moucre was encamped 16 
near, that all Night long we had the mufick of thefe wheels, which ming- 
ling with the Bells of our Mules as they were feeding; reprefented very 
well the chiming of the Bells of a little Countrey-Church, of which the 
wheels made the bafe. 
We parted from Hama on Sunday the twenty feventh of J^nlj at break of 
day, leaving the Caravan of Powder at Hama, where the way to Conftan- 
tmofle firikes off from that of Aleppo ; we continued our way ftill North' 
wards, going to the right amongft the hills, where hardly had we advanced 
half an hour ; before we entered a Plain, which on all fides reaches out of 
fight, and abounds in Tafiure. About Eight of the Clock we pafied clo/è by a 
Village, called Taibk-El-Hama, and about ten we found another called 
Lachmi ; but it is foriaken becaufe of the Robberies of the Arabs. At eleven 
we difcovered fbme Trees, and from Damascus to that place I had not fèen 
one, unlefs it were in the Gardens of the Towns aud Villages; and indeed, 
wood is very dear on that road, Salifhury-plam not being barer of Trees 
than that Countrey is. 
A little after towards Noon we arrived at Han Scheikhoun, before which 
we encamped ; finding our lelves better abroad under Tents than within, 
though that Han which ftands alone, be pretty enough. The firft entry into 
it, is by a Gate that looks to the Weft, which leads into a large ^uare 
Court, and on the right hand as you enter, there is a little door by whick 
you enter into a Stable, divided in length by a range of Arches that reach 
from one end to the other, but it is not covered : At the other end of the 
Court, almoft oppofite to this door, there is a little houfe inhabited; and on 
the left hand in the middle of the Wall, there is a great Gate, which leads 
into another Court, as large as the firft, where there are half paces covered 
for Lodging of Travellers. Over the Gate of that fécond Court, there is a 
great fquare Building of pretty good work in form of a Tower with a 
Dungeon before it, and the Dome of the Mofque is in the middle. There 
the Aga lodges, for this is a Caftle depending on the Ba^ia of Aleppo. Some 
hundreds of paces Northwards from thence, behind a Hillock, there is a 
Village of the fame Name with the Han. We parted from that place the 
fame day about ten a Clock at Night, and in our way all Night long, we 
found a great many fhallow Cifterns, dug on little Hillocks, for receiving the 
Rain-water, and at the foot of the Hilloçk, there is another opening, by which 
they 
