Part IL Travels into the Levant. 55 
way, but commonly Hde ways, quite contrary to ours : Every evening theie 
Barrachios muft be new blow'd, which they do with the ends of reeds, and 
when they are cracked they mend them. Thefe Kakcks put a fhoar always 
twice a day, that the men may do their needs. They are neceffirated to 
make ufe of llich boats, becaufe in the Summer-time, a fmall boat of Timber, 
cannot go upon that River, by reafon of the multitude of banks. 
Two of thQiQ Kclecks were made, and ib foon as they were finifhed I fent 
to tiike a place; buttheanfwer I had was, that they would not receive me, 
becaufe (fome (aid ) I had Wine, and others Musk with me, the fmell whereof 
would heat them too much However, fince I would by no means lofe 
that occafion, the Reverend Father John (poke to fome, who promiièd that no v/inei 
I fhould have a place, on condition that I carried no Wine with me; for içekck. 
they fancy that Wine would fink the Keleck : And indeed, I faw fome 
Chriftians who had a great deal of credit, but not enough to embark Wine. 
I prefently fent my Servant with my things ; he Itayed on board to look af- 
ter them, and fent me word, that they would not put otf before the next day. 
I failed not next morning to go thither, but it was in vain, for (our departure 
being put ojfFtill night, and then till next day,) I was perfwaded to return 
back ; which I did the more willingly, becaufe I perceived it would be very ' 
incommodious to fpend the Night in that place. However, having heard 
the Soldiers of Bagdad (who were to go with usj threaten to throw over- 
board the Goods of thofe that otfered to carry Wine, Î then refolved not to 
take any with me. 
Next morning I came to the water-fide, where at firft I had a proof of 
the tyranny and barbarity of thefe people, who putting the paflengers 
Goods on board without weighing them, reckoned them double the weight 
they were, for one hundred weight letting down two, and doing the like 
for the provifions; for one muft carry every thing with him in this Voyage, 
wherein, fas they fay,j there was neither houfenor harbour to be found. 
We went to the Office, and payed two Tiafires for every head, and four 
for the hundred weight of my Goods. Then I came to keep my place, where 
I fuffered a great deal of heat, for every thing was fo hot there, that what- 
ever I touched burnt my hands, and rivers of fweat ran from me on all 
fides. 
During that time, I faw an experiment of the dexterity the People of the 
Countrey have to crofs the water without a Bridge. I perceived forty or 
fifty fhe Bu§es driven by a Boy ftark naked, who came to fell the milk of 
them ; theie Buffles took the water,and fell a fwimming in a fquare body ; the 
little Boy ftood upright upon the laft, and ftepping from one to another, 
drove them on with a flick, and that with as much force and affurance, as if 
he had been on dry Land, fometimes fitting down upon their Buttocks : He 
[Went afhoar above five hundred paces below the Town, on the other fide of 
the Water. After Noon they demanded a Vtaflre more of each Perfon, and I 
was obliged to Codgta Elias that I payed a little left : But when they came to 
talk of putting me in the middle of the other Keleck^ where I fhould have 
been ftifled for want of Air, I demanded back my money and goods, tel- 
ling them that I would ftay at Moful^ until the heats were over. In fine, 
Codgia Elias prevailed fo far that they left me my place ; and they fent other 
paflengers with their goods out of our Keleck into the other, which was lefs 
loaded. From that time they began to fhew me good countenance, and to 
alfure me that no body fhould moleft me. I think that befides the credit of 
Codgia Ellas ( to whom I am much obliged for that good office, and for many 
more that he did me ; ) the Authority of Topgi BaJJa (whofe Kinfman I gave 
my felf out to be in the Caravan, j ftood me in no fmall ftead, and I had rea- 
fon to fay I was, fince in the Letters he gave me at Damajlus he had called 
me his Brother. 
C H A 
