40 
Tra7jels into L e v a n t. Part II. 
very light. 
Hoiifvania. 
ther, we parted, there Caravan going on to Sammaia^ and ours about ten in 
Chetanli. the morning flopping in a fieid called Chetanli, where a little Brook runs a- 
mong Reeds : From ylleppo to that , place we had always kept Eaft North-Eafr, 
and from thence to Btr our v/ay lay Eaft. 
Next day being Wednefday the fécond of July, we parted from Cheranli 
about break of day, and about ten in the Morning came to a great Village 
Md^nr. called il^^z.^.-?;-, near to* which we encamped. This place hath much wood 
and water about it which renders it very pleafant, and here you may fee a 
very lovely Cai'cade of nine or ten Stories which has been made for a Water- 
mill hard by. We began then to feel it very hot both day and night. 
Next morning Jtdy the third we decamped about two Clock after mid- 
night ; and at break of day paft betwixt two grounds where a great many 
- Fig-trees were planted in ftreight rows. About half an hour after feven, 
we marched betwixt two Hillocks, upon one of which to the right bandjthere 
is a Building, with a kind of a Pyramide. Half an hour after we came to 
Euphrates. the Banks of Euphrates, which Teemed to m.e to be no bigger than the River 
of Sane ; but they fay it is very broad in Winter, and the truth is, its bed 
is twice as broad. This River is called Frat, and Mourat Soin, that's to fay, 
the water of defire ; becaufe, (fey theyj a Calife of Bagdad^ having fent for a 
The Water of little of all the Waters of the Countrey, and having caufed them to be 
Euphrates \s weighed, the Water of Euphrates was found to be the lighteft. 
T his River runs very flowly, and is navigable for little Barks as far up as 
the place where it joyns the T'ygris ; but great Barks go onely from Bir to 
Rctijvafùa,' which is a Village diftant from Bir, about ten days Journey; and 
then they unload their Goods, which are carried upon Camels to Bagdad^ 
which is but a fmall days Journey from it, where they are conveyed by 
Water upon the Tjgns. Thus do the barks loaded with glals (of which I 
fliall prefently fpeak,J goto Bajlor a. Not that this River is fo unnavigable, as 
feme would have it ; for whilft I was at Jleppo, the Scheick Bandar hired a 
bark to carry by Euphrates to Roufvama five or fix hundred cafes of glafs, 
which he fent to the Indies. The reafbn why great barks go not beyond 
Rcîtpvania, is becaufè there are fbme Rocks in the River which hinder their 
paflage, but are avoided by fmaller Boats. Neverthelefs I fhould have taken 
that occafion to go to Bagdad, had I not been told that the barks flopped 
fome days in certain places where the pafTage is befl, and go but very flowly, 
and that befides, I could not in the leafi: fîir from the bark without dan- 
ger of being robbed by rife Arabs, nor flay on board without being much 
incommoded by the heat, becaufe they have no Deck. I wondered to fee 
that they who baled up thefe Chefîs for the Scheick Bandar, tumbled them fb 
rudely that they broke all the glafs; but they told me, that it mattered not, 
though it were all broken into pieces, becaufe the Indian Men and Woriien 
buy it onely to have little pieces fet in Rings, which ferve them for Looking- 
glaOes to fee themfelves in. That glafs is all over laid with Quick-fllver on 
one fide, and is a very faleable commodity in the Indies, and profitable to 
the Merchants. 
The Boats of We crolTed over Euphrates \n%x:Q2it boats,»which have the rudder about 
Euphrates. three foot diflant from the ftern of the boat below ( as Vietro delta Valle re- 
ports ; ) and I think no other reafon need to be given for it, but that of fru- 
gality ; becaufe thefe kinds of boats cofl them lefs than if they were made 
like ours; for their rudder is no more but pieces of board nailed crofs-ways 
to the end of Poles, and that would fignifie nothing ; if faflened to the fîern 
as ours are. We came a fhoar at Bir^ which is a little Town m Mefopctamta.^ 
upon the fide of the River, the houfes of it beginning below at the Water- 
fide, and reaching up to the top of a hill; the Caftle which feems to be pret- 
ty enough, is alfo fituated upon an afcent. The Walls of the Town are en- 
tire, and as the houfes are, built of litde fquare Stones, gotin the hill, which 
is all of a foft Rock ; but withi^i, there is nothing but Ruines. We encamped 
on the top of the hill without the Town, and arrived there half an hour 
after eight ; having firft payed cuflom for all Merchants goods at fo much a 
load, fo foon as we crofled the River. The Burying place of Btr is on the 
other fide of the River in Syria ; and they give this reafon for it, that our 
Saviour 
