‘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’ [‎259] (280/508)

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Into the E AS T-I N D I E S.
and the other from the Fador of the his Friend 3 both
of them having much recommended me to him. The other
three were not themfelves at CUveheda, but had their Agents or
Officers there , to whom we paid what they faid was due 5 and
they gave us an Acquittance for it 3 that it might not be demand
ed of us again by any other of their Officers in the Defart.
June the fourth, Scekh Abdullah^ it feems alter'd his mind con
cerning the Gabel which he had remitted;, and requir'd the fame
of me, taking for my ;two Trunks ten Piaftres^ which was a
moft rigorous rate. I mention this to give notice of the manner
of proceeding , and little pundualnefs obferv'd by thefe Bar
barians.
June the fifth. We departed Very early (toa$€Mijebeda, and
before noon arriv'd at certain Wells or PitSjWhich they call Gane-
mat, (importing their ufe for Cattel ) where we found many
Arabians lodg'd. At a diftant view of them, we betook our
felves to our Arms, againft what-ever (hould happen, but upon
nearer approach,we perceiv d them to be poor peaceable people 5
whereupon we lodg'd all together in that place. Yet here we
ha4 News that a band of Thieves had way-lay d us at
another Pafs a little further off, with intent to affault us. For
difcovering the truth whereof, our chief Gamelier went to Cnve-
heda, where the Spies of thefc Thieves ufe to refide 5 and at night
he brought us word that it was true, and that therefore it be-
hovd us to go back again. Whether it was true, or onely an
Invention of his for fome end of his own, I cannot affirm s but
the next day early we return d to Cuitebeda, and lodg d without
the Town at fomediftance from the place where we had been be
fore. Two dayes after, we were^ perfwaded to lodg within the
Town, for more fecurity from the Thieves, and to deceive
their Spies, by making (hew as if we refolv'd not to go further,
which might divert them from theit defign. The fame did the
two Capiat that were with us 5 for, befides the former, whofe
Name v/&s Scervanli ibvahim Aga, there came another with him
call'd Mahhmad Aga, who had been fent by the preceding Ser~
darto Baffora, Lahkfa, and divers other adjacent places , and
had not difpatch'd his bufinefs in order to his return betore
n0 >/7f the thirteenth* After a long conteft with our chief Came-
lier, about hiring certain Arabian Guides, which he pretended
neceflary 3 (to get money of us) and I refus'd as fnperfluous 5
lince we knew the way without them, and they ^ us
no good againft the Thieves: At length, the bufinefsreltiog halt
undecided, bting, I faid, if he would not go without thofe
Guides, I would return h&cktoBaJfora, (^which hewaslothto
hear of s becaufe of reftoring my money^ without fpeaking a
word more about it, he determind to proceed from Cavebeda $
and travelling all night we pafs'd by the Pits of Ganeniat.
June the fourteenth. Three hours betore noon , C having
J LI 2 travel!a
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