Then our captain or
_Agmirus_[36], having given the appointed signal, the whole caravan
immediately halted and disburdened the camels, two hours only being
allowed for rest and refreshment for the men and beasts. Then upon a new
signal the camels were all reloaded, and we resumed our march. Every
camel has for one feed five barley loaves, raw and not baked, as large
as pomegranates. We continued our second days journey like the first,
all day and night, from sun-rise to the twenty-second hour of the day,
and this was the constant regular order. Every eighth day they procure
water by digging the ground or sand, though sometimes we found wells and
cisterns. Likewise after every eight day, they rest two days, that the
camels and horses may recover strength. Every camel bears an incredible
load, being equal to that Which is borne by two strong-mules.
[Footnote 36: The Emir Haji, or captain of the pilgrimage, which name of
office is transposed in the text to Haji-emir, corrupted _Agmir_, and
latinized Agmirus. - E.]
At every resting-place at the waters, they are always obliged to defend
themselves against vast numbers of Arabians, but these conflicts are
hardly ever attended with bloodshed, insomuch that though we often
fought with them, we had only one man slain during the whole journey,
these Arabians are so weak and cowardly that our threescore Mamelukes
have often driven 60,000 Arabians before them.
