‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎257] (278/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES. 257
That Italy was all in wars about the Valtoline^ which the French
had furpriz'd out of the hands of thePope^ Officers 5 wherewith his
Hoiinefs was much offended. That the Prince of England was
to marry a Sifter of the King of France : That the Dutch had taken
an important City from the Portugals in Brajtle : That Marquifs
Spinola had lay'd fiege to another confiderable one of the Dutch
in Flanders 5 that the Emperor's affairs in Germany proceeded
very profperoufly 3 and other particulars of lefs moment;, which
for brevity I omit.
May the twentieth 5 Upon the return of Emir Zambari ov/ntt
of theHoufe where Iliv^ I refign'd the pofleffion to him, and
withdrew to the Covent of the Carmelites, till my departure,
in which the Capigi intends to accompany me, we having pro
vided us arms and refblutions not to fear meeting Arabian
Thieves. Ideclin'dthe Cafila A train of travellers; a caravan; or any large party of travellers. , not only that I might go as I
pleas'd, but alfo to avoid prolonging the voyage by the flownefs
of the Carriages in the Defart, which affords nothing but bare
earth 3 void of water and graft. If it pleafe God, I will write to
you again at Aleppo, from whence you ftiall receive the next.
u
LETTER XI.
From Aleppo, Auguft <5. 161$.
HAving obtain'd licence of the Jga to depart, on the one and ^
twentieth of May,in the Evening I caus'd my goods to be
carri'd to a Field without the City, call'd Mafcraqa, where the
Camels were to take their burdens 5 and having order'd a little
Tent to be pitcht there, I repair'd thither with Marian Tinatim,
and all my fervants.
May the twenty fecond. Having in the day difpatcht fome _ ^ y ^
11II r^m i i n'r! fr\r m#a f-r» rlr* in rvrrlff f r> ITIV dp- *
fmall bufinefs which remain'd for me to djo in order to my de- ^
parture, and paid a Cuftom, ufually demanded of fuch as go
out of BaJJbra, about midnight I departed the City, and tra-
veird all night (having prefently enter d into the Defart, which
is altogether level J firft in clayie and fomething dirty ways, and ^ 7
afterwards in dry with very little grafs for Camels. ■
, May the twenty third. After we had travell'd about fix leagues^
wearriv'd at a Town of the Arabians call'd Cuvebeda, where
an Arabian refides, who receives a Gabel of the Caravans
and Burdens that pafs that way 5 at my time he was caird Sceich
Abdullah, Here we pitch't atent in a field without the Town in
expedation of our chief Camelier, who was to follow us with
one of thofe C^igi's that had been fent from the Serdar to the
Bafhaof Bajjbra. But onMay the twenty fiftl^becaufe he came nof ?
and it was tedious to me to abide longer in that place where the
wind and theduft much molefted us, in the Evening I difpatcht
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