The Travels of Ludovico di Varthema: In Egypt, Syria, Arabia Deserta and Arabia Felix, in Persia, India, and Ethiopia, A.D. 1503 To 1508. Ludovico di Varthema
concerning Aman and Menîn, 8.
First Chapter concerning Damascus, 8-11.
Beauty of Damascus, 8; Varthema learns Moorish (Arabic); Castle of Damascus; story of its builder, a Florentine, 9; government of Damascus under the Sultan of Cairo, and oppressive exactions, 10; watchmen, 11.
Second Chapter concerning said Damascus, 11, 12.
Riches; fruits and flowers; water and fountains, 11; Mosque of St. Zachariah; legendary sites of St. Paul's history and others, 12.
Third Chapter concerning [the Mamelukes in] Damascus, 13-15.
Mamelukes, their training, pay, and customs, 13; rudeness to ladies; dress of ladies; divorces; cheese, milk, and goats, 14 ; truffles; dress of Moors; Mameluke oppression; Christian merchants, 15.
BOOK CONCERNING ARABIA DESERTA.
Chapter showing the route from Damascus to Mecca, wherein
some Arabs are concerned, 16-19.
Varthema joins the caravan to Mecca in the character of a Mame- luke; travels to Mezeribe, 16; Zambei a great Arab lord; his plun- dering excursions; Arabs described, 17; numbers in the caravan, and its marshalling; length of the journey to Mecca; food of camels; halts to water, 18; fights with the Arabs at watering places; excel- lence and skill of the Mamelukes as soldiers, archers, and horsemen, 19.
Chapter concerning the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, 19-21.
Valley of Sodom; barren and blood-red soil, 19; deaths from thirst in the caravan; mountain with a well, and fight with 24,000 Arabs; camel intrenchment, 20; black-mail paid; fight renewed and many Arabs killed, 21. ,
Chapter concerning a mountain inhabited by Jews, 22-25.
Mountain in which dwelt Jews, naked, short and black, 22, 23 ; tank of water, and turtle-doves, 24; arrives at Medinathalnabi (El- Medinah); barrenness round it; palm-garden; fables about Maho- met's tomb denied, 25.
Chapter concerning where Mahomet and his Companions were
buried, 26-28.
The mosque described; books of Mahomet and his Companions, 26 ; tombs of Mahomet, Haly, Babacher, Othman, Aumar, and Fatoma, 27; dissensions of Mahometan sectaries, 28.
Chapter concerning the Temple and Sepulchre of Mahomet and
his Companions, 28-31.
Superior of the Mosque tries to trick the caravan, 28; Varthema' s Arabic, 29; pretended supernatural illumination of the sepulchre, 30; no truth about the loadstone, 31.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Chapter concerning the journey to go from Medina to Mecca, 31-35.
Pilots of the caravan, 31; well of St. Mark, 32 ; sea of sand (which should have been mentioned before the Jews' mountain) and its dangers, 33; remarkable mountain and grotto, 34 ; two fights with Arabs; arrival at Mecca ; four brothers fighting for the lordship thereof, 35.
Chapter showing how Mecca is constructed, and why the Moors
go to Mecca, 35-37.
Description of Mecca, 35; its governors; caravan enters the city, 36; barrenness round the city renders it dependent for food on foreign parts, 37.
Chapter concerning the merchandize in Mecca, 38.
Chapter concerning the pardoning in Mecca, 38-41.
The Great Temple or Mosque described, 38 ; the tower (El-Kaaba), 39; the well, 40; ceremonies performed by the pilgrims, 41.
Chapter concerning the manner of the sacrifices in Mecca, 42-46.
Sacrifices of sheep at a mountain; poor pilgrims, 42 ; discourse of the Cadi; returns to Mecca; stone-throwing, and legend of its origin, 44; doves of Mecca, 45.
Chapter concerning the unicorns in the Temple of Mecca, not very
common in other places, 46-49.
Chapter concerning some occurrences between Mecca and Zida, a
port of Mecca, 49-52.
Varthema recognized as a European by a certain Moor, 49 ; but pro- fesses to be a Mahometan convert, 50; the Moor conceals him in his house, and the Damascus caravan departs, 51; whilst Varthema goes with another caravan to Zida (Juddah), 52.
Chapter concerning Zida, the port of Mecca, and of the Red
Sea, 52-54.
Zida described; Varthema hides in a mosque, 52; agrees with a ship-master going to Persia, and sails, 54.
Chapter showing why the Red Sea is not navigable, 54.
THE SECOND BOOK.— OF ARABIA FELIX.
Chapter concerning the City of Gezan [Gazan], and of its fer-
tility, 55, 56.
Chapter concerning some people called Baduin [Bedawin], 56-57.
Chapter concerning the island of the Red Sea called Chama-
ram [Camran], 57, 58.
The island and its productions, 57; the mouth of the Red Sea, and island of Bebmendo (Bab el-Mandeb); arrival at Aden, 58.
Chapter concerning the city of Aden, and of some customs respect-
ing the merchants, 59, 65.
Aden described; intense heat; Castle (of Seerah), 59; mode of securing the Sultan's dues from ships; Varthema denounced as a Christian spy, and put in irons, 60; sent to the Sultan at a city called Rhada (Radâä), 61; dialogue with the Sultan; the author
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
professes to be a Mahomedan, but cannot utter the creed, and is cast into prison, 63; Sultan's guard of Abyssinians; their dress and arms, 64; camels and tents, Go.
Chapter concerning the partiality of the women of Arabia Felix for
white men, 65-68.
The Queen's kindness to Varthema, 65 ; he feigns madness, 66, 67; he is removed to the palace, 68.
Chapter concerning the liberality of the Queen, 68-73.
The Queen makes much of him, but he evades her advances, 68-70; she procures his release from the Sultan, 71; he goes to Aden and engages a passage to India, 73.
Chapter concerning Lagi, a city of Arabia Felix, and concerning
Aiaz, and the market in Aiaz, and the castle Dante, 73-75. Whilst the ship delays he travels over Arabia Felix; to Lagi (Lahej), 73; Aiaz ('Az'az), 74; Mahomedan sects; strong city of Dante (Damt), 75.
Chapter concerning Almacarana, a city of Arabia Felix, and of its
abundance, 75-77.
Goes to Almacrana (El-Makranah), a city on a mountain, 75; great reservoir; and the Sultan's treasure kept there, 77.
Chapter concerning Reame, a city of Arabia Felix, and of its air,
and of the customs of the inhabitants, 77, 78.
Goes to Reame (Yerim), 77; fat-tailed sheep; seedless grapes; longevity of people, 78; fashion of horns.
Chapter concerning Sana, a city of Arabia Felix, and of the strength
and cruelty of the King's son, 78-80.
Goes to Sana (Sanaa), 78; the Sultan's endeavours to capture it, 79; the Sidtan of Sana's mad son, who eats human flesh, 80.
Chapter concerning Taesa and Zibit and Damar, very large cities
of Arabia Felix, 80-82.
Goes