Part 26

After this, and about mid-night, the Horse-men retired themselves two miles off: The morning come, and the convenient time: the Crocodile courts the land: where when he saw the carkasse, came grumbling to it, and setting his two foremost feet on the Carrions middle, begun to make good cheare of the intrales: whereat the squink-eyed Gunner perceiving his time, drew the string, [The killing of a great Crocodile.] and giving fire, off went the piece, and shot the Crocodile in three parts: well, he is deadly wounded, and making a horrible noyse, the Gunner lay denned, and durst not stirre: meanewhile the beast striving to recover the water, tyred, and lying close on his belly there he dyed.

After the shot, the Horse-men drew neare, and finding the beast slaine, relieved the Gunner, and brought with them this monstruous creature to Cayre; where now his skinne hangeth in the Consuls Hall, which I saw during my stay in his house. For this piece of service, the Merchant was greatly applauded, & scorned to take from the City 500. Sultans of gold as a reward for his paines, which they freely offered him, and he as freely refused.

Now to discourse of Nylus, this flood irriguateth all the low playnes of the Land, once in the yeare, which inundation, beginneth usually in the latter end of July; and continueth to the end of August: Which furnisheth with Water all the Inhabitants; being the onely drinke of the vulgar Ægyptians; and of such vertue, that when Pescennius Niger saw his Souldiers grumble for Wine, What (sayth hee) doe you grumble for Wine, having the Water of Nylus to drinke. And now because many schollers, and learned men, are meerely mistaken about [The true knowledge of the flowing of Nylus.] the flowing of Nylus, I will both show the manner and quality or cause of its inundation, and thus. There is a drye pond called Machash digged neare unto the brinke of the River, in midst whereof standeth a pillar of eighteene Cubites height, being equall with the profundity of the Ditch, whereby they know his increasing: and in the yeare following if they shal have plenty or scarcity of things.

Now betweene the River and this pond, there are sixe passages or spouts digged through the Banke; where when the River beginneth to swell, it immediately fals downe through the lowest passage into the pond, and being discovered there comes forth of Cayre, certayne of the Priests called Darvishes, accompanied with a hundred Janizaries, and pitch their Tents round about this Quadrangled pit. In all which time of the Inundation, they make great Feastings, rare Solemnities, with Dancing, Singing, toucking of kettle Drummes, sounding of Trumpets, and other ostentations of joy.

Now as the Water groweth in the River, and so from it debording, so it groweth also upon the Pillar standing in this pond, which pillar is marked from the roote to the top, with Brasses, handfuls, a foote, a span, and an inch: And so if it shall happen that the water rise but to ten Brasses, it presageth the yeare following there shal be great Dearth, Pestilence, and famine. And if it amounteth to twelve Cubites, then the sequell yeare shal be indifferent. And if it swell to fifteene Brasses, then the next yeare shal be copious and abundant in all things: And if it shall happen to flow to the top, eighteen Brasses, then all the Country of Ægypt, is in danger to be drowned and destroyed.

[Many Schollers mistaken about Nylus.] Now from the body of Nylus, there are above three thousand Channels drawne through the playne, on which passing Ditches, are all the Bourges and Townes builded; and through which Channels the River spreads it selfe through all the Kingdome: Which when scoured, of filth and Wormes, and the water become cleare, then every House openeth their Cisterne window, and receiveth as much water, as is able to suffice them till the next Inundation: Neyther doth ever the River flow any where above the Bankes, for if it should, it would overwhelme the whole Kingdome.

All which Channels here or there, do make intercourse for their streames agayne, to the body and branches of Nylus. Now Stoicall fooles hold the opinion, that it overfloweth the whole face of the Land, then I pray you, what would become of their Houses, their Bestiall, their Cornes and fruites? for the nature of violent streames, do ever deface, transplant, and destroy all that they debord upon, leaving slime, mood, and Sand behind their breaches, and therefore such inunding can not be called cherishings.

There are infinite venemous Creatures bred in this river, as Crocadiles, Scorpions, Water-Snakes, grievous mis-shapen Wormes, and other Monstrous things, which oft annoy the Inhabitants, and these who Trafficke on the Water. This famous flood is in length almost three thousand miles, and hath his beginning under the Æquinoctiall Line, from montes Lunæ, but more truly from the Zembrian Lake in Æthyopia interior, whence it bringeth the full growth downe into Ægypt, and in a place of the exterior Æthiopian Alpes called Catadupa: The fall and roaring of Nyle, maketh the people deafe that dwell neere to it.

[The reason of the flowing of Nylus.] The infallible reason, why Nylus increaseth so every yeare, at such a time and continuance, is onely this; that when the Sunne declining Northward to Cancer, and warming with his vigorous face, the Septentrion sides of these Cynthian mountaynes, the abundant Snow melteth: from whence dissolving in streames, to the Lake Zembria, it ingorgeth Nylus so long as the matter delabiates: For benefit of which River, the great Turke is inforced, to pay yearely the tribute of fifty thousand Sultans of gold to Prester Jehan, least he impede and withdraw the course of Nylus to the Red Sea, and so bring Ægypt to desolation: The ground and policy whereof, begunne upon a desperate Warre inflicted upon the Æthiopians by Amurath, which hee was constrayned to give over, under this pact, and for Nylus sake.

The River Nyle had many names, for Diodore named it Actos, to wit, Eagle, because of its swift passing over the Catadupian heights: It was called too, Ægyptus, of a King so named, that communicated the same to it, and to the Countrey.

Festus, sayth it was called Melos, and Plutarch tearmed it Mela: Epiphanio called it Chrysoroas, that is, running, or coulant in gold. The Holy Scripture tearmeth it Seor or Sihor, to wit, Trouble, because of the great noyse it bringeth with it to Ægypt; and the same Holy Letters call it Gehou, and Physon. The Ægyptians wont to name it Nospra; and now presently the Abassines, and Inhabitants of Ægypt, name it Abanhu, to wit, the River of a long course.

[The Ile of Delta.] This River maketh the Ile of Delta in Ægypt; so likewise in Æthiopia, that Ile of Meroa so renowned. The ancient Authors, could not agree, touching the mouthes of Nylus; for Melo, Strabo, Diodore, and Heredotus place seaven; Ptolomy, and others nine; and Pliny eleaven. And some moderne Authors affirme it hath onely foure, as Tyrre and Behou alleadge, dividing it selfe two leagues below Cayre in foure branches, the chiefest two whereof, are these of Damiota and Roseta, but that is false, and so are the opinions of all the rest, for it hath now eight severall mouthes, and as many branches drawne from its mayne body.

The Water of Nyle is marvailous sweete, above all others in the World, and that proceedeth of the extreame vigour of the Sunne, beating continually upon, it maketh it become more Lighter, Purer, and Simple; as likewise arrousing of so many Soyles, and his long Course.

And truely it is admirable, to see this River to grow great, when all others grow small; and to see it diminish, when others grow great. So alwayes it is no wonder, that the nature of this River should so increase, when even here, and at home, the river of Rhone, hath the like intercourse: and at the same time, through the Towne of Geneve, and so to the Mediterranean Sea: Their beginnings being both alike; from the impetuosity of raynes, and dissolvings of Snow.

Ægypt was first inhabited by Misraim, the Sonne of Chus from whom the Arabians name the land Misre, in the Hebrew tongue Misroiæ. It was also named Oceana, from Oceanus the second King hereof. Thirdly, Osiriana from Osiris; and now Ægyptus from Ægyptus the surname of Rameses, once a King of great puissance. [The confines of Egypt.] It bordereth with Æthiopia, and the Confines of Nubia: on the South. On the North with the sea Mediterrene: The chiefest ports whereof, are Damieta, and Alexandria, towards the occident, it joyneth with the great Lake Bouchiarah, and a daungerous Wildernesse confining therewith, supposed to be a part of Cyrene; so full of wilde and venemous beasts, which maketh the West part unaccessable: And on the East, with the Istmus, and Confine of Desartuous Arabia, and a part of the Red Sea, through which the people of Israel passed.

This Country was governed by Kings first, and longest of all other Nations: From Osiris (not reckoning his Regall Ancestors) in whose time Abraham went downe to Ægypt, he and his Successours, were all called Pharaoes; of whom Amasis, is onely worthy mention, who instituted such politicke Lawes to the auncient Egyptians, that he deserveth to be Catalogized, as founder or this Kingdome.

This Race continued till Cambises the second Persian Monarch, made Ægypt a member of his Empire: and so remayned till Darius Nothus the sixt Persian King: from whom they Revolted, choosing Kings of themselves. But in the eighteene yeare of Nectanebos the seventh King thereafter, Ægypt was recovered by Ochus, the eight Emperour of Persia.

In end Darius being vanquished, and Alexander King hereof, after his Death it fell to the share of Ptolomeus, the sonne of Lagi, from whom the Kings of Ægypt were for a long time called Ptolomeis: of whom Queene Cleopatra was the last, after whose selfe murther, it was annexed for many yeares to the Romane Empire, and next to the Constantinopolitan: from whose insupportable burden they revolted, and became tributaries for a small time to Haumar the third Caliph of Babylon.

Afterward being oppressed by Almericus King of Jerusalem; Noradin a Turkish King of Damascus sent Saracon a valiant Warriour to aide them, who made him [The alterations of Egypt.] selfe absolute King of the whole Countrey; whose ofspring succeeded (of whom Saladine was one, the glorious conquerour of the East) till Melechsala, who was slaine by his owne souldiers the Mamaluks; who were the guard of the Suldans, as the Jannizaries are to the great Turke, who lately, Anno 1622. have almost made the like mutation in the Turkish Empire, as the Mamaluks did in the Ægyptian.

They made of themselves Sultans, whereby the Mamaluke race continued from the yeare 1250. till the yeare 1517. wherein Tonembius, together with his predecessour Campson Gaurus, was overcome by Selimus the first; by whom Ægypt was made a Province of the Turkish Empire, and so continueth as yet.

The length of this Kingdome, is foure hundred and fifty English miles, and two hundred broad: the principal seat whereof is the great Caire, being distant from Jerusalem sixteene dayes journey, or Caravans journalls, amounting to 240. of our miles. Some hold that the space of earth, that lyeth betweene the two branches of Damieta, and Roseta was called the lower Ægypt; now called Delta under the figure of a Greeke letter triangular.

The head of this great Delta, where Nylus divideth it selfe was called Heptapolis, or Hoptanomia; and Delta it selfe was called by the Romanes Augustamia: Ægypt besides the aforesayd names, it had divers Epithites of divers Authors; for Appollodorus tearmed it the Religion of Melampodes, because of the fertility of it: And Plutarch gave it the name Chimia, because of the holy ceremonies of the Ægyptians in worshipping their Gods: The Etymology whereof Ortelius condignely remarked, deriving it from Cham, the sonne of Noah, so that some hold the opinion, that the Ægyptians had their originall from Misraim (for so was Ægypt called) the sonne of Chus, that proceeded from Cham Noahs sonne: The circuit of Delta or the lower Ægypt is thought to be 3000. of their stades, which maketh a hundred Spanish leagues.

[The revenews of Egypt.] In the time of the Ptolomeis the revenewes of this Kingdome were 12000. talents; so also in the time of the Mamaluks; but now through tyranical government, and discontinuance of trafficke through the red sea, the Turke receiveth no more than three millions yearely; one of the which is free to him selfe, the other two are distributed to support the charge of his Vicegerent Bassaw, and presidiary souldiers, being 12000. Jannizaries, besides their thousands of Timariots, which keepe Ægypt from the incursions and tyranny of Arabs: In Cayro I stayed twelve dayes, and having bid farewell to Monsieur Beauclair the Consul who courteously intertained me, the other foure French Pilgrimes and I imbarked at Boulacque in a boate: And as we went downe the River, the chiefe Townes of note we saw were these, Salmona, Pharsone, Fova, & Abdan. I remember our boate was double hooked with forked pikes of iron round about the sides, for feare of the Crocodiles, who usually leape up on boates, and will carry the passenger away headlong in the streame: And yet these beasts themselves are devoured by a water-Rat, of whom they taking great pleasure, and play, and gaping widely, the Rat running into his mouth, the other out of joy swalloweth it down, where the Rat for disdaine commeth forth at the broad side of his belly leaving the Crocodile dead. In these parts there is a stone called Aquiline, which hath the vertue to deliver a woman from her paine in child-birth. In all this way the greatest pleasure I had, was to behold the rare beauty of certaine Birds, called by the Turkes, Ellock; whose feathers being beautified with the diversity of rarest colours, yeeld a farre off to the beholder a delectable shew: having also this propriety, the nearer a man approacheth them, the more they loose the beauty of their feathers by reason of the feare they conceive when they see a man. Upon the third day we landed at Rosetta, and came over land with a company of Turkes to Alexandria, being 50. miles distant.

[The Towne of Alexandria.] Alexandria is the second Port in all Turky: It was of old a most renowned City, and was built by Alexander the great, but now is greatly decayed, as may appeare by the huge ruines therein: It hath two havens, the one whereof is strongly fortified with two Castles, which defend both it selfe and also Porto vecchio: The fields about the Towne are sandy, which ingender an infectious ayre, especially in the moneth of August, and is the reason why strangers fall into bloody fluxes and other heavy sicknesses. In my staying here, I was advised by a Ragusan Consul, to keepe my stomacke hot, to abstaine from eating of fruit, and to live soberly, with a temperate diet: The rule of which government, I strove diligently to observe, so did I also in all my travells prosecute the like course of a small diet, and was often too small against my will, by the meanes whereof (praised be God) I fell never sicke till my returne to France.

This Citty is mightily impoverished since the Trading of Spices that were brought through the red Sea, to Ægypt, and so over Land to Alexandria & its Sea-port: Whence the Venetian dispersed them over all Christendome; but are now brought home by the backe-side of Affricke, by the Portugals, English, and Flemings, which maketh both Venice, and Alexandria fare the worse, for want of their former Trafficke, and commerce in these Southerne parts: whence Venice grew the mother nurse to all Europe for these Commodities, but now altogether spoyled thereof, and decayed by our Westerne Adventures, in a longer course for these Indian soyles.

This Citty was a place of great Merchandize, and in the Nycen Councell was ordayned to be one of [The foure Patriarchall Seas.] the foure Patriarchall seas; the other three are Antiochia, Jerusalem, and Constantinople. Heere in Alexandria was that famous Library which Ptolomeus Philadelphus filled with 700000. volumes: It was he that also caused the 72. Interpreters, to translate the Bible: Over against Alexandria, is the little Ile Pharos, in the which for the commodity of Saylers the aforesaid King builded a watch-towre of white Marble; being of so marvellous a height, that it was accounted one of the seven wonders of the world: the other six, being the Pyramides, the Tombe Mausolaea, which Helicarnassus Queene of Caria caused build in honour of her Husband: the Temple of Ephesus, the Wals of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Statue of Jupiter Olympicus at Elis in Greece, which was made by Phidias, an excellent worke-master in Gold and Ivory, being in height 60. Cubites.

Expecting fifteene dayes heere in Alexandria for passage, great was the heate the French men and I indured, in so much that in the day time, we did nought but in a low roome, besprinckle the water upon our selves, and all the night lye on the top or platforme of the house, to have the ayre; where at last bidding good-night to our Greekish Host, we imbarked in a Slavonian shippe, belonging to Ragusa; and so set our faces North for Christendome; in which ship I was kindly used, and Christian-like intertayned both for victuals and passage. The Windes somewhat at the beginning favouring us, wee weighed Anckers, and set forward to Sea: leaving the Coast of Cyrene Westward from us, which lyeth betweene Ægypt by the Sea side, and Numidia, or Kingdome of Tunnis.

[The fabulous Countrey of Syrene.] The chiefe Cities therein are Cyrene, Arsinoa, and Barca whence the whole Cyrenean Country taketh the modern name Barca Marmorica, anciently Penta Politana. The Soyle is barren of Waters and Fruites, the people rude and theftuous: yet it hath bred the most ingenious spirits of Calimachus the Poet; Aristippus the Phylosopher; Eratosthenes the Mathematician, and Symon of Cyrene, whom the Jewes compelled to carry our Saviours Crosse.

In this Province, which is now reckoned as a part of Ægypt, stood the Oracle of Jupiter Hammon, in the great Wildernesse confining with Lybia: Whither when Alexander travailed, he saw for foure dayes space, neither man, Beast, Bird, Tree, nor River: Where, when arrived, the flattering Priests, professed him to be the sonne of Jupiter: which afterward (being hurt with an Arrow) hee found false, saying; Omnes me vocant filium Jovis, sed hæc sagitta me probat esse mortalem. West from Cyrene all the Kingdomes of Tunnis, Tremisen, Algier, Fesse, and a part of Morocco even to Gibilterre, or fretum Herculeum, under a generall name now called Barbary; and hardly can be distinguished by the barbarous Moores.

In the time of this our Navigation for Christendome, there dyed seaventeene of our Mariners, and all our foure French Pilgrimes, two of them being gray hayred, and 60. yeares of age, which bred no small griefe, and feare to us all, thinking that they had dyed of the plague, for it was exceeding rife in Alexandria from whence wee came.

The French men had onely left unspent among them all, threescore and nine Chickens of gold, which the Master of the Ship medled with, and because they were Papists, and they and I alwayes adverse to other, I could not clayme it. [Foure French Pilgrimes dead.] Their dead Corpes were cast over Board, in a boundlesse Grave to feed the fishes, and wee then expecting too the like mutation of Life; So likewise in our passage, we were five sundry times assayled by the Cursares and Pyrats of Tunnis and Biserta; yet unprevailing, for we were well provided with good Munition, and skilfull, Martiall, and resolute Ragusans, and a Gallant ship.

Our Ships burthen being sixe hundred Tunnes, did carry twenty eight peeces of Ordonance, two of them brazen; and foure score strong and strenuous Saylers, besides nine Merchants and Passengers. The greatnesse of our ship did more terrifie the roguish Runagats, then any violent defence we made: for they durst never set on us, unlesse they had beene three together; and yet we little regarded them, in respect of our long reaching Ordonance, and expert Gunners: In these Circumstances of time, I remember, almost every day, wee would see [Flying fish.] flockes of flying Fishes, scudding upon the curling waves, so long as their finnes be wet, which grow from their backe, as feathred wings doe from Fowles: But when they grow drye, they are forced to fall downe and wet them agayne, and then flye along. Their flight will bee the length of a Cables Rope, untouching Water; and in this their scudding, it is thought the Dolphin, is in persuing them, who is their onely enemy in devouring and feeding upon them; whose bignesse and length are like to Mackrels, but greater headed and shouldered. Meanewhile in these our Courses were we seven weekes crossed with Northerly Windes, ever Tackling and boarding from the Affricke Coast, to the Carminian shoare, in all which time wee saw no Land, except the boysterous billowes of glassie Neptune: And as Ovid sayde, in the like case crossing the Ionian seas, Nil nisi pontus et aer, viz.

Nothing but Waves I view, where ships do floate And dangers lye: huge Whales do tumbling play; Above my head, Heavens star-imbroadred coate, Whose vault containes, two eyes for night and day, Far from the Maine, or any Marine Coast, Twixt Borean blasts, and billowes we are tost.

If Ovid, in that strait Ionean deepe Was tost so hard; much more am I on Seas Of larger bounds; where staffe and Compasse Keepe Their strict observance; yet in this unease Of tackling Boards, we so the way make short, That still our course, drawes neerer to the Port.

Betweene the streame, and silver spangled skye, We rolling climbe, then hurling fall beneath; Our way is Serpent like, in Meeds which lye, That bowes the Grasse, but never makes no path: But fitter like yong maides, and youths together, Run here and there, alwhere, and none Know whether.

Our way we Know, and yet unknowne to other, And whiles misknowne to us, before we dive; The hand, and compasse, that governe the Ruther Doe often erre: although the Pilots strive With Cart and plot; their reckonings sometimes fall, Too narrow, short, too high, too wide, too small.

To dascon this, remarke, when they set land, Some this, some that, doe gesse, this Hill, that Cape; For many houres, their skill in suspence stand Tearming, this fore, that headland, points the Mape: Which when mistooke, this forgd excuse goes cleare, O such! and such a land, it first did peere.

In all which strife, stress'd Saylers have the paine By drudging, pulling, hayling, standing to it In cold and raine, both dry and wet, they straine Themselves to toile, none else but they must doe it: We passengers behold, with belching throats Onely their taske atchievd in quivering boates.

Then since but ayre and water I perceive, One's hot and moyst, the other moyst and cold; It's earth that's cold and dry, I longing crave And fire that's dry and hot, I wishing would; Then thundring Æole, from thy seven rigged Towres, Soone waft us o're, forth from these glassy Bowres.