h their rites
and ceremonies, which are these. Departing from the Carouan, and being
guided by such as are experienced in the way, they goe vnto the citie
twentie or thirtie in a company as they thinke good, walking through a
streete which ascendeth by litle and litle till they come vnto a certaine
gate, whereupon is written on each side in marble stone, Babel Salema,
which in the Arabian tongue signifieth, the gate of health. And from this
place is descried the great Mosquita, which enuironeth the house of
Abraham, which being descried, they reuerently salute twise, saying, Salem
Alech Iara sul Alia, that is to say, Peace to thee, ambassadour of God.
This salutation being ended, proceeding on the way, they finde an arche
vpon their right hand, whereon they ascend fiue steps, vpon the which is a
great voyd place made of stone: after, descending other fiue steps, and
proceeding the space of a flight-shoot, they finde another arche like vnto
the first, and this way from the one arche to the other they go and come 7.
times, saying alwaies some of their prayers, which (they say) the afflicted
Agar sayd, whiles she sought and found not water for her sonne Ismael to
drinke. This ceremonie being ended, the pilgrimes enter into the Mosquita,
and drawing neere vnto the house of Abraham, they goe round about it other
seuen times, alwayes saying: This is the house of God, and of his seruant
Abraham: This done they goe to kisse the black stone abouesayd. After they
go vnto the pond Zun Zun, and in their apparell as they be, they wash
themselues from head to foote, saying, Tobah Allah, Tobah Allah, that is to
say, Pardon Lord, Pardon Lord, drinking also of that waier, which is both
mudie, filthie, and of an ill sauour, and in this wise washed and watered,
euery one returneth to his place of abode, and these ceremonies euery one
is bound to doe once at the least. But those which haue a mind to ouergoe
their fellowes, and to goe into paradise before the rest, doe the same once
a day while the Carouan remaineth there.

What the Carouan doeth after hauing rested at Mecca.

[Sidenote: The mountaine of pardons.] The Carouan hauing abode within the
citie of Mecca fiue dayes, the night before the euening of their feast, the
captaine with all his company setteth forward towards the mountaine of
pardons, which they call in the Arabian tongue, Iabel Arafata. This
mountaine is distant from Mecca 15. miles, and in the mid way thereto is a
plac