Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3 · Royal Society
FOOTNOTES:
_An Extract of the Journals of two several Voyages of the _English Merchants_ of the Factory of _Aleppo_, to _Tadmor_, anciently call'd _Palmyra_._ Our Merchants of this worthy Factory, being generally Men of more than ordinary Birth and Education, have not been wanting (as the intervals of leisure from their gainful Traffick would permit) to make Voyages of Curiosity, to visit the celebrated Remains of Antiquity in those Parts, whereby the once flourishing State of the World, under the _Roman Empire_, is abundantly evinced. And being inform'd by the Natives, that the Ruins of the City of _Tadmor_ were more considerable than any they had yet seen, they were tempted to enterprize this hazardous and painful Voyage over the _Desart_; but having been, by the perfidy of the _Arabs_, disappointed of their Desires in their first Attempt, they were obliged to defer their Curiosity, till they could better provide for their Security: whereof being assured, from the Confidence some of them had in the Friendship of _Assyne_ then King of the _Arabs_, they adventured again, in the Year 1691, and had full liberty to visit, observe and transcribe what they pleased. What Account they there took, the Publick has already seen in our Last, since which, by the Favour of Mr. _Timothy Lanoy_ and Mr. _Aaron Goodyear_, two very Eminent Merchants, who were both in the first Voyage, we have received not only the Draught of the Prospect of those noble Ruins, taken upon the Place, (of which we here give a Copy,) but also the Journals of both the Voyages; which, for the Satisfaction of the Curious, we have thought fit to Publish.
_The first Voyage_, Anno 1678. _July 18._ at Five in the Morning, we set out from _Aleppo_, being sixteen _English_; but with Servants and Mulettiers in all forty; and in four Hours and an half, travelling South by East, we arrived at a Village call'd _Cafferabite_, being at the edge of the Desart, here we reposed the rest of that Day. _July 19._ we rose at one in the Morning, and directed our Course S. S. E. over the Desart, for a Fountain call'd _Churraick_; but our Guide losing his Way, there being no Path, 'twas near Noon before we found it: which made us doubt of our Safety. This Well has no Signs near it to discover it by. Here we pitch'd our Tents, and refresh'd our Selves and Horses; and the Water being of a Purgative Quality, made us some Diversion. In our way, we found two _Arabs_ with two Asses, one whereof carried Water and a little Bread, the other they rod on by turns; they had one Gun, with which they they shot Antelopes, the Bullet being a hard Stone broken round, and cased with Lead; they had on the Palms of their Hands, Elbows, Knees and Feet, some Antelope-Skin tied, that they may be able to creep the better on the Ground, to Shoot; one of the Asses walking by as a Stalking-horse, and the _Arab_ imitating the Cry of the Gazel till he get within Shot: These _Arabs_ are called _Selebee_. At the Well came to us some _Arabs_ that were making Ashes of the ordinary sort of Weeds call'd _Chuddraife_, _Ruggot_ and _Cuttaff_; these they cut and dry, and putting them into a Pit, set Fire to them, and the Ashes cake at the bottom. The Ashes they carry to _Eglib_ and _Tripoli_, to make Soap of: But the best sort of Ashes are made of the Weed _Shinon_, which grows about _Tadmor_, _Soukny_, _Tibe_ and _Yarecca_; it grows like Broom in _England_, and in Shape resembles Coral.
From hence going South-East, in four Hours more we came to a Well called _Costal_ (which signifies a _Spring in Arab_.) Most part of our way through the Desart we were troubled with _Rat-holes_ in great numbers, like Coneyboroughs, which by the sinking in of the Earth, very much incommoded our Horses and Mules. These _Rats_ have at the ends of their Tails a bush of Hair, and the _Arabs_ eat them all, excepting one part. From this Well we arose about four in the Afternoon, and began to ascend small Hills, covered with Trees, which, for the most part, were the small _Pistacho_'s which the _Arabs_ pickle with Salt; but eaten green, are good to quench Thirst. We travelled on three Hours up the Hills, where we pitch'd that Night, having no other Water but what we carry'd with us; and at Night we had a small Shower of Rain, a thing unusual in that Country at that time of the Year. _July 22._ we rose by Two in the Morning, and Travelling E. S. E. we came by Eleven to a Well call'd _G'hor_, where we found it very Hot, and saw several prints of Horses Feet, so that we suspected some _Arabs_ had newly past that way.
_July 23._ we rose by One in the Morning, and Travelling most East, we came to a large Plain, where we saw before us, on a high Mountain, a great Castle, call'd by the _Arabs_ _Anture_. When we had travelled two or three Hours in this Plain, we espied an _Arab_ driving towards us a Camel, with his Launce, so fast, that he came on a round Gallop, and we supposed him sent as a Spy: being come up to us, he told us he was of _Tadmor_, and that his Prince, the _Emir Melkam_, had that Day made Friendship with _Hamet Shideed_ another Prince, and that together they had four hundred Men; so he kept us Company an Hour or two, and enquired of our _Mulettiers_ if we were not _Turks_ disguised, with intent to seize on _Melkam_; for we travelled with a _Bandiero_, the Impress being a _Hanjarr_ or _Turkish_ Dagger, and a Half-Moon. We told him we were _Franks_, which he could hardly believe, wondering that we travelled thus in the Desart, only out of Curiosity. Being come near to _Tadmor_, he went a little before us, and on a sudden run full speed towards the Ruins, we not endeavouring to hinder him.
Our Guide told us he was gone to acquaint the _Arabs_ who we were, and that we ought to suspect and prepare for the worst; so we dismounted twenty of our Servants, each having a long Gun, and Pistols at his Girdle, and placed them abreast before us: we following at a little distance behind, on Horse-back, with Carbines and Pistols. In this order we proceeded, and came to a most stately _Aqueduct_, which runs under Ground in a direct passage five Miles, and is covered with an Arch of Bastard Marble all the Way, and a Path on both sides the Channel for two Persons to walk abreast; the Channel it self being about an _English_ Yard in breadth, and ¾ of a Yard in depth. At 20 Yards distance all the way are Ventiducts for the Air to pass, and the holes are surrounded with small Mounts of Earth to keep the Sand and Dust from falling down.
We marched close by these Mounts, which might serve us for Defence, expecting every moment that the _Arabs_ would come to Assail us, having the disadvantage of Sun and Wind in our Faces: wherefore we Travelled hard to gain an Eminence where we might Post our selves advantageously, and stop and repose a little, to consider what we had to do. The _Arabs_ finding us to come on with this Order and Resolution, thought not fit to adventure on us, so we gained the Hill, from whence we might discern these vast and noble Ruins, having a Plain like a Sea for greatness to the Southwards of it. Here having refresh'd our Men, we fetch'd a little Compass and descended by the foot of a Mountain, on which stands a great Castle, but uninhabited. Here two _Arabs_ came to us with Lances, one being Chiah to _Melkam_, and we sent two to meet them; they gave the _Salam alika_, and ours returned the _Alica salam_, and advancing to our Company, told us the _Emir_ had understood of our coming, and had sent them to acquaint us that he was our Friend, and that all the Country was ours. We sent back with them our _Janizary_ and a Servant to visit the Prince in his Tents, which were in a Garden.
In the mean time we dismounted at a watering Place amidst the Ruins, but did not unload till our _Janizary_ and Servant returned with the _Emir's Tescarr_, assuring us of Friendship and Protection, a Writing which the _Arabs_ were never known to violate before. With them came also one that belonged to the _Sheck_ of the Town, for whom we had Letters from _Useffe Aga_ the _Emeer_ of _Aleppo_. He desired us for greater Security to pitch our Tents under the Town Walls, which is in the Ruins of a great Palace, the Wall yet standing very high, the Town within but small, and the Houses excepting two or three no better than Hog-sties. So we pitched in a deep Sandy Ground where we found it exceeding hot. Here we waited till three of the Clock without eating any thing, expecting the _Sheck_ should have presented us according to the usual Custom of the _Turks_ to their Friends, and have given some answer to the Letters we brought him; but on the contrary we found by the gesture of the People, that we had Reason to suspect them.
Hereupon two of our Company believing that the want of a present to the _Emir_ was the cause thereof resolved to adventure to give him a Visit, and taking the _Janizary_ and one Servant, they carried him a Present of two pieces of Red Cloath, and four of Green, and several other things: Being come he welcomed them into his Tent, and placed the one on his right Hand and the other on his left. _Melkam_ was a young Man, not above Five and Twenty, and well Featur'd, and a most Excellent Horse-man; _Hamet Shideed_, the other Prince, was more elderly, as about forty Years of Age, and was not in the Tent, but sat under a _Palm-Tree_ near it. He treated them with _Coffee_, _Camel's-flesh_ and _Dates_, and enquired of their Journey, and the Cause of their coming: They told him 'twas only Curiosity to see those Ruins; he said that formerly _Solomon Ibnel Doud_ Built a City in that Place, which being destroyed, was Built again by a strange People, and he believed, that we understanding the Writing on the Pillars, came to seek after Treasure, he having but six Moons before found a Pot of _Corra Crusses_.
After this he went out of the Tent, leaving them smoaking Tobacco, to the _Janizary_ and Servant, and told them, that never till that Day any _Franks_ had been at that Place, and that now we knew the way through the Desert, we might inform the _Turks_ to their Ruin and Destruction, so that 'twould be convenient for them to destroy us all: But that we coming as Friends, he would only have 4000 Dollars as a Present, else he would hang them and the two _Franks_ up, and go fight the rest. This Message being brought them, they wish'd they had excus'd themselves from this Embassy, and answered, they could say nothing to that Demand, not knowing our Minds, but if he would permit them to go and speak with the rest, they would return an Answer. Hearing this, he threatened present Death, but at length gave leave to our _Janizary_ to carry us a Letter from them, wherein they shewed the danger they were in, and earnestly entreated us to redeem them, the Price set on them being 2000 Dollars, one half in Mony, the other half in Goods, as Swords, Cloaths, Tents, _&c._ which the _Emir_ promised to estimate at their Worth.
This Letter amazed us mightily, and a little before it arrived, we understanding a little, and fearing more ill Treatment to our Friends, were getting ready to free them or die with them. The Garden where _Melkam_ lay, was about half a Mile from the Tents, full of _Palm-Trees_, and had no Walls, but loose Stones piled up Breast high about them, so we designed to have gone suddenly and given two or three Volleys on them, e'er they could get to Horse; and the _Arab_ know not how to Fight on Foot. And though they bragg'd they had 400 Men, we supposed 200 might be the most, and they not all Lances. But on receipt of this Letter, and the Servants telling us that they would certainly be cut off, if we endeavoured their Rescue, we began to examin what Moneys we had, Cloaths and other Trade, and found we could not near make up that Sum.
In this Confusion came two _Arabs_ to receive the things, and immediately Word was brought that the _Emir_ would come and Visit us; we sent him Word, that if he came with more than two followers, we would not admit him: so he came with 2 Servants only; and in conclusion, we made him up in Money and Goods to the Value of 1500 Dollars. He valuing our Things as we pleased; his Design being not so much to compleat the Sum, as to take from us all we had. After this, about Sun Set, he returned us our two Friends, when the _Sheck_ of the Town invited us to Lodge within the Town; which we found afterwards was with a design to have forced something from us: But we giving him to understand that the Emir had taken all already, and had left us only our Arms and the Cloaths on our Backs; which if they would have, they must Fight for: That Resolution daunted them, and away they went, promising us Barley for our Horses in the Morning.
We kept good watch in the Night, and when Day broke, we began to consider how to clear our selves; we expected the Barly till Nine in the Morning, when it came, and the Emir himself came and gave us the good Morrow: We feared least they should pretend to stop some of us in the Gate-way, so we placed six of our Company to secure the Passage, 'till all the rest were got out, under pretence of taking an Inscription that was over the Gate. Being all got clear, we returned by the same way we came and arrived at _Aleppo_ _July 29._ in the Morning. This _Melkam_ told us, That if we had not submitted our selves to his Demands, he was resolved to Fight us after this Method: Loading 50 Camels with Baggs of Sand, and making small holes in the Baggs for the Sand to drop out, he would drive these Camels abreast upon us before the Wind, that the Sand might blow in our Eyes, and we spending our Bullets on the Camels, might so be easily overthrown; we answered, that we believed he would not venture his Camels and Horses to such a Combat. He wondered extreamly when we talk'd of Shooting Birds flying, and Hares running.
This and other the like Violences used by this _Arab_ Prince, made the _Bassa_ of _Aleppo_ resolve to destroy him; and not long after he cajoled him with the Hopes of being made King of the _Arabs_, and to draw him near the City, he vested and caressed some of his Followers: Which having its effect, the _Bassa_ surprized him in his Tents by Night, and soon after he was put to Death: This those People were willing to believe the effect of their so abusing the _English_, and might much contribute to the Security and good Usage they found, that went the second time on this Expedition. We had not time to view these Ruins by reason of this usage, though perhaps we might with safety. We only took one of the Inscriptions as we past by, which was thus. ΣΕΠΤΙΜΙΟΝ ΟΥΟΡΟΔΗΝ ΤΟΝ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΟΝ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΟΝ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ ΔΟΥΚΗΝΑΡΙΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΡ..ΑΠΗΤΗΝ ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟΣ ΣΑΝΜΗΣ ΜΑΣΣΙΑΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ Μ..ΛΕΝΑΙΟΥ ΙΠΠΕΥΣ ΡΟΥΜΑΩΝ ΤΟΝ ΦΙΛΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΤΗΝ ΕΤΟΥΣ Η Ο Φ ΜΗΝΕΙ ΞΑΝΔΙΚΩ. Wherein the principal difference is in the Word ἀραπήτην, which in the Account already Published is read ἀράπετην, which seems to signifie some peculiar Officer of the _Syrians_, as _Ducenarius_ of the _Latins_, which perhaps those skill'd in the Oriental Customs and Languages may be able to expound. As far as we could conclude from our Journeys, and the Position of the Ways taken by two good Compasses, the Distance of _Tadmor_ from _Aleppo_ is about a 150 English Miles, and the Course S. S. E. or rather somewhat more Southerly, considering the Variation of the Compass, which is above a half a Point Westward in these Parts.
_The second Voyage_, Anno 1691. We set out from _Aleppo_ for _Tadmor_ on _Michaelmas-day_, being in all, Masters and Servants, thirty Men, well armed, having obtained a Promise of Security from _Assyne_, then King of the _Arabs_, and one of his own People for a Guide. This Day our Road pointed S. b. E. and in four Hours we came to a Fountain call'd _Caphir-Abiad_, leaving Old _Aleppo_ about an Hour distant on the right Hand: Here we made but a very short stay, but proceeded to a better Fountain at the foot of a very high Hill, cover'd with loose Stones, the Ruins of a Village called _Broeder_, of which there was not one House remaining; and dining here, we advanced in an Hour and a quarter more, in the Afternoon, through a fertile open Place, to a Place called _Emghir_, famous for the best Wheat that is brought to _Aleppo_. This we made our first Stage; and mounting again in the Morning about five a Clock, in less than an Hour, past by an uninhabited Village, call'd _Urghee_, our Road pointing as before, through the fruitful Plain, even and pleasant; but when we came to ascend the Hills, where I reckon'd we entred the Desart, and were to take our leave of Mankind, at least of an inhabited Country for some Days, we had a troublesome Passage, over loose great Stones, without any appearance of a Road.
Our Guide had promised to conduct us through pleasant Groves and Forests; but no such thing appeared, unless we would bestow that Name upon low withered Shrubs that grew in the Way, only one Tree we saw, which was of good use to us, serving as a Land-mark; and when we were come up with it, being left at a little distance on the right Hand, we gain'd the Prospect of a remote ridge of Hills before us, and on the top of one of them an old Castle; this Castle, we were told, was known by the Name of _Gazar Ibn Wordan_; but what it anciently was, or in what Condition it is at present, I could not learn; therefore, not unwillingly, I turned my Eyes from it, to a little round Hill more on the left, by which we were to direct our Course, and about a quarter of an Hour from which stood a Sheck's House, call'd _Sheck Ailha_, where we were to bait, with a Well of Water by it, but such that we had but little _gusto_ to taste, though it served our Horses: All the Country hereabouts is stor'd with _Antelopes_, and there is a barbarous sort of People there, that have hardly any thing else to live upon, but what of these they can kill; and Necessity has taught them to be no mean Artists in their way, for they lie down behind the Stones, and as the poor harmless Creature passes, shoot them; and though their Guns be very ordinary, exceeding heavy and thick, with Match-Locks, yet are they such excellent Marks-men, that they kill many.
That Morning we had Travelled about five Hours to reach _Sheck Ailha_'s; yet finding nothing to invite our stay there, (though there were four or five Tombs there not ill made, according to the _Turkish_ mode) about one a Clock we mounted again, bending to the S. E. or something more Easterly. In our way we had two remarkable Prospects, one on the right Hand, of the Ruins of an ancient City call'd _Andreen_, and sometimes _Londrine_, which we were told had been formerly inhabited by _Franks_, and that there were many Inscriptions there; but it was too far out of our way, and withal something too dangerous too, for us to take a view of them: The other, on the left Hand, was another Tree, not far from which our Guide assured us of good Water, where we designed to take up our Lodging; the hopes of the Water made us slight a Well we past by on the Road, at which afterwards we repented we had not stay'd; for when we came up with the Tree, from which we had declined a great way to the right, we found our Water still at a very great distance, and were constrained to take new Directions by a white chalky Hill, almost as far as we could see, and yet not much beyond the Place which was to be our Stage; on therefore we proceeded till Sun-set, very weary, and almost without hope of our coming to Water that Night, though at the same time near dead with Thirst; and which the more supriz'd us, our Guide was advanced a great way before, out of our sight, upon what design we knew not, but at his return, we found it was only to assure himself better of the way, and in an Hours time more he brought us to the side of a Bog, call'd by the Name of _Zerga_, where, such as it was, we found Water enough, but it was neither palatable nor wholsome, neither did the Ground seem proper to Sleep upon; yet we were forced to be content, there being no removing thence that Night.
_October 1._ We departed from _Zerga_, about two Hours before Sun-rise, and as soon as it was light, had the Prospect of a very high Hill, which was to be the bounds of our Travel that Day. To this we made as directly as we could look, finding nothing in our way observable either to arrest our curiosity, or to slacken our Pace, except a multitude of Holes made in the sandy Earth, by Rats, Serpents, and other Animals, which render'd our Riding a little troublesome; as we had found it upon the same Account the Afternoon before. About two Hours short of our Stage, we were shewn three little round Hills lying to the right in a direct line, known by the Name of _Tenage_; where we were told there was good Water, and it's for that reason only they deserve the notice of those that Travel through such a thirsty Desart.
The Place to which we directed our Course was called _Esree_, where we arrived about eleven a Clock, and found to our great Satisfaction, that our Guide had not deceived us in his Promise of excellent Water: Here we could discern the Foundations of a spacious City, and a piece of a thick Wall, built of a chalky Stone, was standing: This we judged to be the remainder of a Castle situated on the side of the Hill, so as both to defend and command the City. On the top of the Hill, above the Castle, stands the Ruins of a Fabrick, in appearance very Ancient, built of very hard Stone, yet exceedingly worn by the Weather; 'tis of an oblong Figure, pointing near to the N. E. and S. W. with only one Door on the Easterly end, which was once adorned with extraordinary good Carvings, of which there are still some remains, but the greatest part is either worn away, or purposely defaced; and those marks of ancient Beauty that remain are very obscure, and difficultly discernable; the outside of the Walls is beautified with Pilasters quite round, with their Pedestals and Capitals regular and handsom; but the Roof is all fallen down, and within appears nothing which looks either great or beautiful.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.