Part lï. Trayels into the Levant, î 5 i 
the Governour of Schiras. The Soil about it is all Sand, and the water they 
drink is fetched from a Well a good Agatfch from the Town i neverthelefs 
there is a great deal of Corn Jrom the neighbouring Villages loaded at this 
Port, to be Tranfported to the Ille of Bahrein^ and Bajfura, from whence they 
bring them Dates. 
The Sea- Ports of Per/î^ are, Bender- AbaJJî; Berdtr-Congo, three days Sailing from l^^-^'o^J" 
Bender- AbaJJi; Bender-Rifcher , ten days Sailing from Bender-Congo. Then Bslde' Congo! 
Mouth of the River of Bofchavir^ below which is Bender- Regh or Bender-Ri\^ a Bendsr^Rifchsr. 
days Sailing from Bender-Rifcher^ and three days Journy by Land i beyond that Bsndsr-Regh, 
is Befider-Velem^ a days Sailing, and two day Journy by Land from Bender- Bender-Dtlem. 
CHAR IX. 
Of the Voyage from Bender-Rik to Baffora» 
THE day we arrived at Bender-R\z Bark put out from thence in the Morning 
for Bajfora^ and the fame day two Barks came from Bajfora^ which brought 
Letters to the Governour from the Bajha of that place i wherein he prayed him J|f,g""^I'^^°J>f 
to fend him twelve Barks to fit out with Soldiers, for his defence again ft feven ^^gjj-gya. 
Bafhas^ who by orders from the Grand Signior were preparing to attack him, 
bccaufe he had not obeyed fome Orders from the Port. This was very unpleafant 
News to us, neverthelefs being refolved to go to B-îj^or^ whatever might happen, 
we agreed with the Patron of a Bark to pay him fifteen Abaffis for the pafTage of 
the Reverend Father Provincial, my felf and three fervants : but I mult firii de- 
fcribe the falhion of thefe Barks. 
They are great Boats built much like the Germes of Egypt, which have no Deck, Barks of Ben- 
and are round in the infide ; the Bark we went on Board of, was above fix ^f''-^^^^* 
Fathom long, two Fathom broad, and no lefs in depth : there were two little 
Decks in the Stern, which made two fmall Cabins, one over another i he that 
itood by the Helm was placed on the fécond ■•, the other which was the lower, was 
no more but a Hurdle ot Palm-Tree Branches laid upon flicks that wtnt crofs-ways i 
and there was a Deck alfo in the Stem or Head ; the ftern was higher than the 
Head, but was made (harp as well as it -, the Maft was high and big, the Yard 
uniform, with a great Sail, and on each fide there were four Oars, (that is to fay 
fo many Poles,) with a board a Foot and a half long, and half a Foot broad , faikned 
with three Ropes to the end of each of them but it is chiefly to be obferved , 
that there is not a bit of Iron in thefe Barks i the truth is, ours had an Anchor of They have 
Iron, but it was a thing extraordinary, becaufe commonly they are only of Wood. ' 
The Planks of the Barks are faflened together by fmall Cords, that go through 
holes made in them i and that they may hold fure, and the Cords keep flreight, 
they drive litde pegs of Wood into the holes, which prefs the little Cords very 
hard : befides they put in the infide at the joyningof the Planks a twift or double 
of thefe fmall Lines about three Fingers thick, which is fattened to the two Planks 
by other little Lines i and of thefe there is one at each feam or joyning of the 
Flanks, from the upper fide of the Bark down to the Keel i and over and above 
that, there is a Girdle alfo on the infide which goes all round her : all thefe Cords 
are made of Palm- Tree, and that they may not be damaged by the water^ nor the 
Bark leak, they cover all over with Pitch. In Ihort, a Compafs would be of great They have no 
ufe to one of thefe Barks, butthey ufc none, for they commonly keep within fight Sea-Compafs. 
of Land, and in the night-time are guided by the Stars. Neverthelefs the Sea- 
men of our Bark told me, that (he had coft twenty Tomans., which is not to 
be thought ftrange, feeing Timber is dear at Bender-Rik^ and Baffora. They 
alfo told me that the ufual burden of fuch a Baik was four hundred Bales 
of Dates j each Bale being commonly twelve Mans of Tauris i fo that thefe 
Barks 
