voyage is 38. or 40. dayes long, but
we were 50. dayes on it. When we came to Babylon we stayed there 4.
moneths, vntill the Carouan was ready to go ouer the wildernes, or desert
for Alepo; in this city we were 6. Marchants that accompanied together,
fiue Venetians and a Portugal: whose names were as followeth, Messer
Florinasa with one of his kinsmen, Messer Andrea de Pola, the Portugal and
M. Francis Berettin and I, and so wee furnished our selues with victuals
and beanes for our horses for 40. dayes; [Marginal note: An order how to
prouide to goe ouer the Desert from Babylon to Alepo.] and wee bought
horses and mules, for that they bee very good cheape there, I my selfe
bought a horse there for 11. akens, and solde him after in Alepo for 30.
duckets. Also we bought a Tent which did vs very great pleasure: we had
also amongst vs 32. Camels laden with marchandise: for the which we paid 2.
duckets for euery camels lading, and for euery 10. camels they made 11, for
so is their vse and custome. We take also with vs 3. men to serue vs in the
voyage, which are vsed to goe in those voyages for fiue D d. a man, and are
bound to serue vs to Alepo: so that we passed very well without any
trouble: when the camels cried out to rest, our pauilion was the first that
was erected. The Carouan maketh but small iourneis about 20. miles a day,
and they set forwards euery morning before day two houres, and about two in
the afternoone they sit downe. We had great good hap in our voyage, for
that it rained: For which cause we neuer wanted water, but euery day found
good water, so that we could not take any hurt for want of water. Yet we
caried a camel laden alwayes with water for euery good respect that might
chance in the desert, so that wee had no want neither of one thing, nor
other that was to bee had in the countrey. For wee came very well furnished
of euery thing, and euery day we eat fresh mutton, because there came many
shepheards with vs with their flocks, who kept those sheepe that we bought
in Babylon, and euery marchant marked his sheepe with his owne marke, and
we gaue the shepheards a Medin, which is two pence of our money for the
keeping and feeding our sheep on the way and for killing of them. And
beside the Medin they haue the heads, the skinnes, and the intrals of euery
sheepe they kil. We sixe bought 20. sheepe, and when we came to Alepo we
had 7. aliue of them. And in the Carouan they vse this order, that the
marchants doe