Part II. Travels intff the h^v Ai^T 
53 
fmall, that they could not be feen, but by holding it to a Candle and look- 
ing through, and then they might plainly be feen ; thefe Melons come in 
Autumn. 
Whilft I was at Moful, there happened an Eclipfe of the Moon on the Edipfeofthr 
feventh of Augufi ; it began about one a Clock after midnight, and lafted Moon, 
till four in the Morning ; during all which time the Moon ieemed to be of 
the colour of bloud. All the while it lafted, the Terrafies were full of Peo* 
pie, who made a continual clafhing din with their Kettles which they beat 
with fticks, and that to frighten a hugeBeaft which,(the People of the Coun- 
trey lay , j would devour the Moon. I learnt from a knowing man, that the 
Authour of that Mummery was an Aftrologer, who foretold to a King an 
Eclipfe of the Moon ; which ftirred up his curiofity to defire to fee it : But 
having waited fometime, ("though the moment prefixt by the Aftrologer drew 
nigh,j he grew impatient, and becaufe the Eclipfè happened not io foon as 
he would have had it, he dilcharged his choler upon the Aftrologer, as he 
who ought to have anfwered for it, and then fell afleep. In the mean time^ 
the Ecliple beginning fhottly after, the Aftrologer was in a new perplexity -, 
becaufe on the one hand he durft not awaken the King, and on the other, 
he was afraid that if he did not awake before the Eclipfe was over, he 
would not believe it, and yet make him feel the bad influences of the 
fame. To be fhort, that he might come off the beft way he could, he in- 
vented a tale to the People, and told them that there was a huge Beaft 
which had a mind to devour the Moon, and that to fcare it away they muft 
make a great deal of noife, which they did, and by that means awakened 
the King. Neverthelefs, it feems that the Romans had this cuftom of making 
a noife with Kettles and Drums to affift the Moon when (he laboured in ari 
Eclipfe, as may be ieen in the iixth Satyr of JwvenaL 
— ■ Nemo ttthas at<jue eera fatigat 
Unde laborantifoterit fuccurrere hums. 
CHAP. XIL 
Of the Wind Samiel, the Kelecks, and the Au^ 
thoiirs embarking in that kind of VeffeL 
WHen we came to Moful, it was refolved that five Kelecks fliould be 
made, becaufe many ot the Caravan had a mind to go by Water, to 
the end they might avoid the Samiel, and I was one of thofe. 
The reft departed on Wednefday the thirtieth of July, and took their way 
through Mefopotamia, which is certainly the fhorteft ; but no Village to be 
found upon the Road, and two days after, we had news that fix of them 
were already dead. Within a few days more came the Haz^na, which is the 
money for paying the Soldiers of Bagdad, and becaufe the Kelecks were long 
in making, a great many took that occalion, and on Wednefday the flxth of 
Jugufi went away with the Hazna through Curdtfian, and crofted the Water 
upon the Bridge of Moful. That is the longeft way, but there are feveral 
Villages upon the Road, and my Moucre had a mind I fhould go that way ; 
however I would not partly becaufe of the Samiel, and partly alfo for fear 
he might play me fome trick ; becaufe I had refufed him fome Fiafires that 
he would have had over and above our bargain, though he had been already 
payed double ; and therefore he went away and left me. This ought to be A profiMble 
a leffon never to pay that fort of men before hand. Next day after they advice, 
were gone, the news eame that nine of them wer^ dying. 
Bur 
