‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎269] (290/508)

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Into the E AS T-I N D I E S.
269
away a parcel with me.In like manner we proceeded the two next
days ^ and on the twenty firft 3 we pafs'd by a ruinous Gaftle call'd
Hheir, which I had formerly feen only by night when I went from
Aleppo to Baghdad. I took a better view of it now, and found it
to be a great Building D all of good and large white Marble Stones 5
the form ofit is a long Square;, with walls round about 5 here and
there diftinguilh'd with fmall round Turrets 5 within are many
contrivances of Rooms, all likewife of white ftone ? but fo rui
nous that it cannot be known what they were. From hence we
travell'd about three hours further, and at night arriv'd at Ta~
iba, a Town which I had formerly feen, and lodg'd in a by-place
amongft the walls of the Houfes near the Gate.
jf«/} the twenty fecond, This day was fpent in paying the ufu-
al Gabels, which every day are enhaunc d in thefe Countries,
and are now become infupportable. Though I had nothing of
Merchandife, but only goods for my own ufe 5 yet I could not
come off under twenty Piaftres between Gabels and Donatives
to the Officers, which they demanded as equally due. Here I
found an Arabian nam'd Btrekjet, who fpoke a little Italian,
and pafs'd for Faftor or Procurator of the Franks^ faying, he
had authority fo to be from the Confuls of Aleppo. He prefent-
ly ofTer'd himfelf to (peak to the Officers in our behalf, gave us
an Entertainment, and invited us to lodg in his Houfe, and, if we
had been fo minded, would have conduced us thither j but his
fervices tended only to get fome money of us, 4nd by his fpeak-
ing with the Officers to make us pay more then perhaps we fhould
otherwife have done.
July the twenty third. Two hours after Sun-rife, we departed
from Taiba^ whence the faid Officer fent an Arabian with us, to
conduft usfirft to Emir Mudleg (who they faid was at Hhamah,
between Aleppo and Damafcus) and afterwards to Aleppo 5 they
having done the fame to the great Cafila A train of travellers; a caravan; or any large party of travellers. of Bajfora which had
pafs'd by Taiba a little before us. This going to the £*//>, was a
troublefom thing, both in regard of the great diverfion out of
the way, and the inconveniences we imagin'd the Ewir himfelf
would put us to, after all the Tyrannies we had hitherto met
with in the Defart. Wetravell'd till paft Noon, and after a
ftiortreft till Sun-fet, having a continu'd ridg of little Hills al
ways on the left hand.
July the twenty fourth. We travell'd again from day-rlight
till palt Noon, and two hours more in the Evening, takidg up
our Quarters an hour before Sun-fet.
Jniy twenty fifch, We fet forth an hour before Sun-rife, tra
velling till Noon, when the Arabian, afiignd to us by the Offi
cers of Taiba to conduft us to the Emir, being fo perfwaded, as
I believe, by the Cameliers, who alledg'd that the Camels were
very weary (as indeed they were, and ovet-iaden, in regard
that many of them dy'd bythe.way, fo that tiiey could travel
but gently) refolv'd to go alone before us by a neerer way over
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