And Therefore Our Captayne Commaunded That Thereafter None
Of Vs Should Enter Into The Temple.
Of this also we haue most true
experience, and most certaynely assure you that there is neyther iron
or
Steele or the magnes stone that should so make the toombe of Mahumet
to hange in the ayre, as some haue falsely imagined; neyther is there
any mountayne nearer than foure myles: we remayned here three dayes to
refreshe our company. To this citie victualles and all kynde of corne
is brought from Arabia Fælix, and Babylon or Alcayr, and also from
Ethiope, by the Redde Sea, which is from this citie but four dayes
journey.[FN#19]
CHAPTER XIV.—The Journey to Mecha.[FN#20]
After we were satisfied, or rather wearyed, with the filthinesse and
lothesomenesse of the trumperyes, deceites, trifles, and hypocrisis of
the religion of Mahumet, we determined to goe forward on our journey;
and that by guyding of a pylot who might directe our course with the
mariners boxe or compasse, with also the carde of the sea, euen as is
vsed in sayling on the sea. And thus bendyng our journey to the west we
founde a very fayre
[p.344] well or fountayne, from the which flowed great aboundance of
water. The inhabitantes affyrme that Sainct Marke the Euangelist was
the aucthour of this fountayne, by a miracle of God, when that region
was in maner burned with incredible drynesse.[FN#21] Here we and our
beastes were satisfied with drynke. I may not here omit to speake of
the sea of sande, and of the daungers thereof. This was founde of vs
before we came to the mountayne of the Jewes. In this sea of sande we
traueiled the journey of three days and nightes: this is a great brode
plaine, all couered with white sande, in maner as small as floure. If
by euil fortune it so chaunce that any trauaile that way southward, if
in the mean time the wind come to the north, they are ouerwhelmed with
sande, that they scatter out of the way, and can scarsely see the one
the other ten pases of. And therefore the inhabitants trauayling this
way, are inclosed in cages of woodde, borne with camels, and lyue in
them,[FN#22] so passing the jorney, guided by pilots with maryner’s
compasse and card, euen as on the sea, as we haue sayde. In this
jorney, also many peryshe for thirst, and many for drynkyng to muche,
when they finde suche good waters. In these sandes is founde Momia,
which is the fleshe of such men as are drowned in these sandes, and
there dryed by the heate of the sunne: so that those bodyes are
preserued from putrifaction by the drynesse of the sand; and therefore
that drye fleshe is esteemed medicinable.[FN#23] Albeit there is
[p.345] another kynde of more pretious Momia, which is the dryed and
embalmed bodies of kynges and princes, whiche of long tyme haue been
preserued drye without corruption.
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