that they cut out the bones, and beat the
flesh with the blood very small, and fill the skin with it: and hereof
commeth the muske.
Of the amber they holde diuers opinions; but most men say it commeth out of
the sea, and that they finde it vpon the shores side.
The rubies, saphires, and spinnelles are found in Pegu.
The diamants are found in diuers places, as in Bisnagar, in Agra, in Delli,
and in the Ilands of the Iauas.
The best pearles come from the Iland of Baharim in the Persian sea, the
woorser from the Piscaria neere the Isle of Ceylon, and from Aynam a great
Iland on the Southermost coast of China.
Spodium and many other kindes of drugs come from Cambaia.
Now to returne to my voyage; from Ormus I went to Balsara or Basora, and
from Basora to Babylon: and we passed the most part of the way by the
strength of men by halling the boat vp the riuer with a long cord. From
Babylon I came by land to Mosul, which standeth nere to Niniue, which is
all ruinated and destroyed: it standeth fast by the riuer of Tigris. From
Mosul I went to Merdin, which is in the countrey of the Armenians; but now
there dwell in that place a people which they call Cordies or Curdi. From
Merdin I went to Orfa, which is a very faire towne, and it hath a goodly
fountaine full of fish, where the Moores hold many great ceremonies and
opinions concerning Abraham: for they say he did once dwell there. From
thence I went to Bir, and so passed the riuer of Euphrates. From Bir I went
to Aleppo, where I stayed certaine moneths for company; and then I went to
Tripolis; where finding English shipping, I came with a prosperous voyage
to London, where by Gods assistance I safely arriued the 29 of April 1591,
hauing bene eight yeeres out of my natiue countrey.
* * * * *
The report of Iohn Huighen van Linchoten concerning M. Newberies and M.
Fitches imprisonment, and of their escape, which happened while he was in
Goa.
In the moneth of December, Anno 1583, there arriued in the towne and Iland
of Ormus, foure English men, which came from Aleppo in the countrey of
Syria, hauing sailed out of England, and passed thorow the straights of
Gibralter to Tripoli a towne and hauen lying on the coast of Syria, where
all the ships discharge their wares and marchandises, and from thence are
caried by land vnto Aleppo, which is nine dayes iourney. In Aleppo there
are resident diuers marchants and factours of all nations
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