epe, lambes, goates, or other like, doe great harme.
And whiles they are foorth of the water, if they happen at vnawares vpon
any man, woman or childe, whom they can ouercome, they spare not their
liues. In the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and sixtie it
happened, that certaine poore Christians trauelling by Cairo towardes the
countrey of Prete Ianni to rescue certaine slaues, were guided by a Chaus,
and iourneyed alongst the banke of the said riuer. The Chaus remained
lingering alone behinde to make his prayers (as their custome is) at a
place called Tana, whom being busie in his double deuotion one of these
Crocodiles ceazed by the shoulders, and drew him vnder water, so that he
was neuer after seene. And for this cause they haue made in sundry places
certaine hedges as bankes within the water, so that betwixt the hedge and
banke of the riuer there remaineth so much water, that the women washing
may take water without danger at their pleasure. This countrey is so
fruitfull, that it causeth the women as other creatures to bring foorth
one, two, and oft-times three at a birth. Fiue miles southwarde of Cairo is
a place called Matarea, where the balme is refined: and therefore some will
say, that the trees which beare the balme growe in the said place, wherein
they are deceiued: for the sayde trees growe two dayes iourney from Mecca,
in a place called Bedrihone, which yeeldeth balme in great plenty, but
saluage, wilde, and without vertue, and therefore the Moores carying the
same within litle chests from Bedrihone to Matarea, where the trees being
replanted (be it by vertue of the soyle, or the water, aire, or any other
thing whatsoeuer) it sufficeth that heare they beare the true balme and
licour so much in these dayes esteemed of. In this place of Matarea there
are certaine little houses, with most goodly gardens, and a chappell of
antiquity, where the very Moores themselues affirme, that the mother of the
blessed Christ fleeing from the fury of wicked Herode there saued her selfe
with the childe, wherein that saying of the Prophet was fulfilled, Ex
AEgypto vocaui fillium meum. The which Chappell in the yeare of our Lorde
one thousand fiue hundred and foure, the Magnifico Daniel Barbaro first
Consull of that place went to visite, and caused it to be renued and
reedified, so that in these dayes there resort thither many Christians, who
oftentimes bring with them a Priest, to say masse there. Also about an
Harq