When They See An Hagge
Fast Asleep (For It Is Usual For Them To Sleep On The Road), They Loose
A Camel Before And Behind, And One Of The Thieves Leads It Away With
The Hagge Upon Its Back Asleep.
Another of them in the meanwhile, pulls
on the next camel to tie it to the camel from whence
The halter of the
other was cut; for if that camel be not fastened again to the leading
camel, it will stop, and all that are behind will then stop of course,
which might be the means of discovering the robbers. When they have
gotten the stolen camel, with his rider, at a convenient distance from
the Caravan, and think themselves out of danger, they awake the Hagge,
and sometimes destroy him immediately; but at other times, being a
little more
[p.386] inclined to mercy, they strip him naked, and let him return to
the Caravan.[FN#47]
“About the tenth easy day’s journey, after we come out of Mecca, we enter
into Medina, the place where Mahomet lies entombed. Although it be (as
I take it) two or three days’ journey out of the direct way from Mecca to
Egypt, yet the Hagges pay their visit there for the space of two days,
and come away the third.
“Those Mahometans which live to the southward of Mecca, at the East
Indies, and thereaway, are not bound to make a visit to Medina, but to
Mecca only, because it would be so much out of their way. But such as
come from Turkey, Tartary, Egypt, and Africa, think themselves obliged
to do so.
“Medina is but a little town, and poor, yet it is walled round,[FN#48]
and hath in it a great Mosque, but nothing near so big as the temple at
Mecca. In one corner of the Mosque is a place, built about fourteen or
fifteen paces square. About this place are great windows,[FN#49] fenced
with brass grates. In the inside it is decked with some lamps, and
ornaments. It is arched all over head. (I find some relate, that there
are no less than 3000 lamps about Mahomet’s tomb; but it is a mistake,
for there are not, as I verily believe, an hundred; and I speak what I
know, and have been an eye-witness of). In the middle of this place is
the tomb of Mahomet, where the corpse of that bloody impostor is laid,
which hath silk curtains all around it like a bed; which curtains are
not costly nor beautiful. There is nothing of his tomb to be seen by
any, by reason
[p.387] of the curtains round it, nor are any of the Hagges permitted
to enter there.[FN#50] None go in but the Eunuchs, who keep watch over
it, and they only light the lamps, which burn there by night, and to
sweep and cleanse the place. All the privilege the Hagges have, is only
to thrust in their hands at the windows,[FN#51] between the brass
grates, and to petition the dead juggler, which they do with a
wonderful deal of reverence, affection, and zeal. My patroon had his
silk handkerchief stole out of his bosom, while he stood at his
devotion here.
“It is storied by some, that the coffin of Mahomet hangs up by the
attractive virtue of a loadstone to the roof of the Mosque; but believe
me it is a false story. When I looked through the brass gate, I saw as
much as any of the Hagges; and the top of the curtains, which covered
the tomb, were not half so high as the roof or arch, so that it is
impossible his coffin should be hanging there. I never heard the
Mahometans say anything like it. On the outside of this place, where
Mahomet’s tomb is, are some sepulchres of their reputed saints; among
which is one prepared for Jesus Christ, when he shall come again
personally into the world; for they hold that Christ will come again in
the flesh, forty years before the end of the world, to confirm the
Mahometan faith, and say likewise, that our Saviour was not crucified
in person, but in effigy, or one like him.
“Medina is much supplied by the opposite Abyssine country, which is on
the other side of the Red Sea: from thence they have corn and
necessaries brought in ships: an odd sort of vessels as ever I saw,
their sails being made of matting, such as they use in the houses and
Mosques to tread upon.
[p.388] “When we had taken our leave of Medina, the third day, and
travelled about ten days more, we were met by a great many Arabians,
who brought abundance of fruit to us, particularly raisins; but from
whence I cannot tell.[FN#52] When we came within fifteen days’ journey of
Grand Cairo, we were met by many people who came from thence, with
their camels laden with presents for the Hagges, sent from their
friends and relations, as sweetmeats, &c. But some of them came rather
for profit, to sell fresh provisions to the Hagges, and trade with them.
“About ten days before we got to Cairo, we came to a very long steep
hill, called Ackaba, which the Hagges are usually much afraid how they
shall be able to get up. Those who can will walk it. The poor camels,
having no hoofs, find it very hard work, and many drop here. They were
all untied, and we dealt gently with them, moving very slowly, and
often halting. Before we came to this hill, I observed no descent, and
when we were at the top there was none, but all plain as before.
“We past by Mount Sinai by night, and, perhaps, when I was asleep; so
that I had no prospect of it.
“When we came within seven days’ journey of Cairo, we were met by abundance
of people more, some hundreds, who came to welcome their friends and
relations; but it being night, it was difficult to find those they
wanted, and, therefore, as the Caravans past along they kept calling
them aloud by their names, and by this means found them out.
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