"رحلات السيد بيترو ديلا فالي، وهو نبيل روماني، إلى الهند الشرقية وصحراء الجزيرة العربية. وفيها يصف بدقة البلدان المختلفة، وكذلك العادات، الأعراف، التجارة، الطقوس الدينية والمدنية، لهؤلاء الأمراء وتلك الأمم الشرقية: في رسائل وديّة إلى صديقه السيد ماريو سكيبانو. وتم إضافة سرد عن رحلة السير توماس رو إلى جزر الهند الشرقية" [‎٢‎٥‎٥] (٥٠٨/٢٧٦)

Into the E AS T IN DIES. 055
dangers for the Seiahfiom whom he can hope little good or hurt V' '
fo long as he is not Mafter of all as far as Aleppo $ which is not a
thing to be brought to pafs fuddenly or eaftly. But of this alfo
time will {how the truth.
Maj the ninth., Another Capigi arrivM at Bajffora from the Ser~ X V I.
dar, and was receiv'd with great folemnity and falutations of
Artillery. He brought a Robe to the Bafha, and intelligence
that he had left the Serdarzt Mardin^ which lies within a few
dayes journey of Baghdad, donfirming the recovery of Afonfal
and Kierkuc 5 (whereof, fuppofing the Serdar at Mar din, I made
no fcruple) and adding that the Serdar was then upon removing
from Mardin, and by this time had march't much forwards. This
is what was given out i for more intrinfick and fecret news I
could not know 5 having no acquaintance with any confiderable
Turk from whom to learn the fame : nor was any more then this
(ignifi'd to the chief Commander of the Pwt&g^/ Ships. Only I
judgd that the Turks well confidering the danger wherein Baf-
fora was of being loft, might poflibly by thefe fucceffive Mef-
fengersj and good tidings endeavour to confirm the minds of the
Bafha, and the people^as much as they could.
the eleventh;, The defign'd for Aleppo, which had
many days waited fome leagues, without the City, at length fet
forth and departed ^ either becaufe they had receivM a good an-
fwer from Emir Nafir, or rather, ("as I believe) becaufe they re-
ly'dupon other frefh tidings, how that Emir Najtrwas reconcil'd
to Emir Abtirifc, and return d into the favour and devotion of the
Great furk, iothat the Defart was all in peace , and perhaps
alfo they trufted to the common report of the nearnefsof the
Turkifh Army. I purpofed to depart from Ba[fora the fame way
and upon the fame day (though alone, and not with the Capla)
having hired Camels and certain Beduni Arabians to condud me.
hut Alt Aga, the chief Captain of the Militia, gave notice to my
Camelier that I muft not depart within three days. Whereupon
being defirous to go with all fpeed by reafon that the hot weather
came on, I got Sig. Confalvo Martins^ a Portugal Father 3 to fpeak
to the faid Aga to know wherefore he detain'd us, and if there
were no caufe,to difpatch us and let us go.The^anlwer'd that
I muft by all means have patience for this week,that fo the Cafila
might have time to get a little more onwards •, and that he did this
becaufe he miftrufted my Camelier as a Beduin Arabian (although
he had a Houfe and Wife at Bajjora) left for fome intereft of his
own, departing at the fame time with theCafila, he (hould out
go i/,and by other ways of the Defart( wherein he was Well ikil'd)
give natice thereof to Emir Nafir, or elfeto fome other Beduin
Arabians who might rob it, or perhaps alfo to the gizilbafci
themielves. Wherefore fince my going fo foon might prove to
my own damage, he defir'd for my fecurity 5 and the publick good
of theCafila, that I would ftay thofe few days* to the end that
the Cafila advancing before out of all fufpected places, my Ca-
indict