had a _Kalij_ or canal cut all the way
from the Nile, by which these cisterns were annually filled at the
overflow of the river, which served them with water all the rest of the
year. Being afterwards destroyed by the Mahometans, the canal was filled
up, and all the water that is drank at Suez is brought upon camels from
certain ponds or wells six miles distant; which water, though very
brackish, they are obliged to drink; every fifty men being allowed as
much water as a camel can carry. All the timber, iron, rigging,
ammunition, and provisions for the fleet were brought from Cairo. Suez
stands on a bay of the Red Sea, and has a small fort with mud walls,
thirty paces square, which is guarded by twenty Turks. The fleet
destined for India consisted of seventy-six sail; of which six were
_Maons_, seventeen gallies, twenty-seven _foists_, two galleons, four
ships, and the rest small craft.

On the 9th of March 1538, about 2000 men landed from the gallies with
their arms and marched off for the mountains, meaning to desert; but
when about six miles from the shore they were met by a Sanjiak,
accompanied by 27 horse[215], designed for the garrison of Suez. The
deserters were immediately surrounded by the horse, who killed about 200
of them, and all the rest were stripped and carried on board the
gallies, where they were chained to the oars. On the 15th of June
Solyman Pacha arrived at Suez, where he pitched his tents and rested
eight days. In the mean time the fleet was got in readiness, and the
soldiers received their pay, being five gold ducats to each and ten
_maydins_, or 215 maydins in all. Part of the men belonging to the large
Venetian galley, in which the author of this journal served, were
distributed on board the fleet; seventy in one half galley, seventy in
another, and eighteen in the galley of the _Kiahya_, who likewise had
along with him the Venetian consul. The rest of these men were
distributed in two galleons which carried the powder, saltpetre,
brimstone, ball, meal, biscuit, and other necessaries for the fleet.
The Pacha likewise sent his treasure on board the gallies, which was
contained in forty-two chests, covered with ox hides and oil-cloth. On
the 20th, he issued orders for every one to embark in two days. On the
22d the Pacha embarked, and dropt down four miles below Suez to the
point of Pharaoh, where he anchored in four fathoms water on a good
bottom. This place is seven miles from the pits of Mose