amely Agerut, Nachel, Acba,
Biritem, Muel and Ezlem. Of which fiue the two first are kept of Moores,
and the other three of Turkes, and for guard they haue eight men or tenne
at the most in euery Castle, with foure or fiue Smerigli, which serue to
keepe the water from the Arabians, so that the Carouan comming thither may
haue wherewithall to refresh it selfe. Agerut is distant from Suez a port
of the red sea eight miles, where are alwayes resident fiue and twentie
gallies of the Grand Signior for the keeping of that Sea. Nachel is distant
from the Sea a dayes iourney. The walles of Acba are founded vpon the red
Sea banke. Biritem and Muel likewise are dashed by the waues of the Sea.
Ezlem is distant from thence aboue a dayes iourney. These fiue Castles
abouesayd are not of force altogether to defend themselues agaynst an
hundred men. The Carouan departing from Birca vntill Agerut findeth no
water by the way to drinke, neither from Agerut till Nachel, nor from
Nachel till Acba, but betweene Acba and Biritem are found two waters, one
called Agiam el Cassap, and the other Magarraxiaibi, that is to say, the
riuer of Iethro the father in lawe of Moses, for this is the place
mentioned in the second chapter of Exodus, whither it is sayd that Moses
fledde from the anger of Pharao, who would haue killed him, because hee had
slaine the AEgyptian, which fought with the Hebrew, in which place stoode
the citie of Midian; and there are yet the pondes, neere vnto the which
Moses sate downe. And from that place forward they finde more store of
water by the way, and in more places, though not so good. It is also to bee
noted, that in this voiage it is needfull and an vsuall thing, that the
captaine put his hand to his purse, in these places, and bestow presents,
garments, and turbants vpon certaine of the chiefe of the Arabians, to the
ende they may giue him and his Carouan, free passage: who also promise,
that their followers likewise shall doe no damage to the Carouan, and bind
themselues to accomplish the same, promising also by worde of mouth, that
if the Carouan bee robbed, they will make restitution of such things as are
stollen: but notwithstanding the Carouan is by them oftentimes damnified,
and those which are robbed haue no other restitution at the Arabians handes
then the shewing of them a paire of heeles, flying into such places as it
is impossible to finde them. Nowe the Carouan continuing her accustomed
iourneys, and hauing p