They Receive Spices Also From Ethiopia[44]; And, In Short, This City Of Mecca Is A Most Famous And Plentiful Mart Of Many Rich And Valuable Commodities.

But the main object for which pilgrims resort thither from so many countries and nations, is, to purchase the pardon of their sins.

In the middle of the city there is a temple after the manner of the coliseum or amphitheatre of Rome, yet not built of marble or hewn stone, being only of burnt bricks. Like an amphitheatre, it has ninety or an hundred gates, and is vaulted over. It is entered on every side by a descent of twelve steps, and in its porch is the mart for jewels and precious stones, all the walls of the entry being gilt over in a most splendid manner. In the lower part of the temple under the vaults, there is always to be seen a prodigious multitude of men; as there are generally five or six thousand in that place, who deal solely in sweet ointments and perfumes, among which especially is a certain most odoriferous powder, with which dead bodies are embalmed. From this place all manner of delightful perfumes are carried to all the Mahometan countries, for beyond any thing that can be found in the shops of our apothecaries.

[Footnote 42: This must necessarily be the kingdom or province of Bengal. - E.]

[Footnote 43: Fine cottons or muslins are here evidently meant. - E.]

[Footnote 44: This is inexplicable, as Ethiopia possesses no spices, unless we may suppose the author to mean here the sea of Ethiopia or Red Sea, as the track by which spices were brought to Mecca.

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