Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/87
Consul of Aleppo, by a Note which is carr'yd in four or five hours, though it be more than two or three days journey on Horse-back. For they tye a Note under the Wing of a Pigeon, who is taught what to do, and she flies directly to the place whence she was brought. For more surety, they usually send two, that if the one should miscarry i'the dark, which has many times happen'd, the other may supply the defect.
Alexandretta is nothing else but a confus'd heap of paltry Houses, inhabited by the Greeks, who keep little Fudling-schools, for the Mariners and others, the meaner sort of the people: for the Merchants lye at the Vice-Consuls of the Nation. There were but two then, the English Vice-Consul and the French; who had each of them a very convenient dwelling. However they must be Men who love Money at a strange rate, that accept of those Employments. For the Air, like that of Ormus, is generally so bad, especially in the Summer, in so much that they who do not dye, cannot avoid very dangerous Distempers. If there be any so strong that they can hold out for three or four Years, and can accustom themselves to bad Air, they do well to stay there; for for them to betake themselves to a good Air, is to hazard their Lives. Mr. Philips the English Consul has been the only Person that ever liv'd two and twenty Years at Alexandretta: but you must know he was a brisk merry Man, and of an excellent temper of Body; and yet for all that he had been forc'd to be cauteriz'd. That which renders the Air so bad, is the great quantity of standing Pools and Plashes in the neighbouring Plains, extending to the East and South; but when the great Heats begin to approach, the most part of the Inhabitants retire to a Village call'd Belan, upon the next Mountain to the City, where there are very good Waters and excellent Fruits. They come also thither from Aleppo, when there is any appearance of a Pestilence; and yet there are few people in this Village who are not troubl'd with a sort of Fever, that makes their Eyes look yellow and hollow; which they never can remedy as long as they live.
About half a League from Alexandretta, on the right hand of the High-way, just against the Mersh on the other side, is a Tower whereon are to be seen the Arms of Godfrey of Bulloign. In all likelihood it was built for the defence of the High-way, which is enclos'd between these two Mershes, whose Exhalations are very noxious.
It is but three little days journey from Alexandretta to Aleppo, and some well mounted have rid it in two. The Franks are not permitted to go thither on Foot. For before that Prohibition, in regard the way was short, every Sea-man that had a hundred Crowns, more or less, went on Foot to Aleppo, and got easily thither in three days, with little expence. Now because they had but little Money to spend, and were willing to dispatch their business, they would not stand to give Four or Five in the Hundred extraordinary for what Goods they bought, which was of dangerous consequence to the Merchants. For you must observe, that when the Ships arrive, the first Man that either out of rashness or ignorance, gives two Sous more for a Commodity that is not worth a Crown, sets the Price, and causes all the whole Commodity to be sold at that rate. So that the Merchants that lay out ten or twelve thousand Crowns together, are very careful lest those Saylors should get before them, and enhance the Price of the Market.
To remedy which inconvenience, the Merchants obtain'd an Order, That no Strangers should be permitted to go a-foot from Alexandretta to Aleppo, but that they should be bound to hire Horses, and to give for every Horse six Piasters thither, and six back; which expence would soon eat out the Profit of a poor Mariner's small Sum.
Usually you stay at Alexandretta three or four days, as well to rest your self, as to make some little Provisions for your journey to Aleppo. For though you meet with good Stages at Evening, yet the Janizaries will be very glad to eat by the way.
Setting out from Alexandretta, we travel'd over a Plain to the foot of a Mountain which is call'd Belan. There is a wide Gap in the midst of this Mountain, which giving liberty to the North-East Wind, when it blows hard, doth so enrage the Road of Alexandretta, which is otherwise very calm, that no Ship can ride there at that time. In so much that all Ships that happ'n to be there when the Wind rises, presently weigh, and get out to Sea, for fear of being cast away. Almost atthe