56 
Travels into the Levant. Part II. 
CHAP. XIII 
Of the Voyage onhoari the Keleck, Bagdad. 
Departure 
from Mofiil. 
Mhoi Sul- 
phur. 
Hoiifcs QïA- 
WE parted from Moful on Friday the eighth of Âugufi about three of the 
Clock in the Afternoon; at leaft our Keleck went to the Ifleon the 
other fide, where we flayed at leaft an hour in putting men and goods on 
board of the other, which was lefs loaded than ours. There was left on 
board of ours no more than ten hundred weight of goods, and twenty paf^ 
fengers ; then they made me change my place, as a fign they would oblige 
me, and gave me a better upon the fide of the Keleck, all beginning to carets 
me. We began then to let forward in good earneft, and were gone but a lit- 
tle way, when we found an Ifland which we left to the right hand; keeping 
always to the left along by the fhoar of Curdifian. The fideof Mefo-pctamia 
is well fowed, but the Curdifian fhoar is barren and uncultivated ; as if the 
curfe of Nineveh were fallen upon it ; neverthelefs in the Evening I faw 
great flocks of flieep, and goats a watering. 
The River of 7%m is more crooked and winding than any that ever I 
faw. It maketh a great many Iflands, and is full of banks of ftone; when 
we paired near to any of thefe banks, all the Turks in Chorus called Mahomet 
to their afliftance. There are a great many Birds on both fides, and amongft 
others we faw a flight, altogether like Francolmes, lave that they have an 
unpleafant finel], though the flefli of them be firm and very good to eat. 
They were fo numerous, that I think a grain of fmall fhot could nor have 
paft through without hitting fome of them ; and they made a Cloud above 
five hundred paces in length and fifty in breadth. About fix a Clock we be- 
gan to have little hills on our right hand, which lafted about two hours : 
And we palled near to one, out of which they have Sulphur, which they 
purifie and melt into Canes. This Sulphur is a very white Earth, for we 
were pretty near that hill, which is almoft wholely of Sulphur. Wefl:op- 
ped on the Curdtl^an fhoar two hundred paces from thence, about Sun-fet- 
ting, and refted upon the ground by the Warer-fide; Ibme of the Company 
llayed on board to guard the Kelecks ; for the Arabs when they fee Kelecks, 
many times come fwimming and take what they can, and then make their 
clcape in the fame manner. They havebefides, the cunning fwhen they are 
fwimming^ to put fome branches of trees upon their heads,that it may not be 
thought they are men. The water over againft thefe hills is no broader than 
the length of the Tont Marie at Paris. That Night we had a very hot Wind, 
which fometimes brought with it cold gufls alio, and I obferved they were- 
not fo ftrong as the others ; 1 was afraid it might have been the Samid, be- 
caufe it blew from that hill of Sulphur. 
Next Morning being Saturday the ninth of Jugufr, we embarked about 
break of day : We ftill faw on the fide of Mejofotamia fome hills of Sulphur, 
which we Imelt. We met fèveral People, Men, Women and Girls that 
crofled the Water ftark naked, having a Borrachw under each Arm-pit, and 
their baggage on their heads, and amongft the reft we faw two Girls who 
fvvam over without any help. Half an hour after Sun-rifing, we perceived 
on the Water-fide to the left hand, feveral of the Arabs houfes, fquare, and 
about two fathom high; they were made of Poles, and covered with leaves, 
their Cattel were hard by, and alfo their Horfes which are always faddled.- 
Thefe are their Summer- houfes ; for in the Winter-time they (belter them- 
lelves under their Tents of black Goats hair. 
About fix a Clock we ftopt at a Village, called Alyhamam in Mefcptawia ; 
there are a great many natural hot Baths there, and I make no doubt but 
thefe Waters run through Sulphur, The People of the Counrj ey have dugg 
great 
