— the journey to mecha.20

after we were satisfied, or rather wearyed, with the filthinesse and lothesomenesse of the trumperyes, deceites, trifles, and hypocrisis of the religion of mahumet, we determined to goe forward on our journey; and that by guyding of a pylot who might directe our course with the mariners boxe or compasse, with also the carde of the sea, euen as is vsed in sayling on the sea. and thus bendyng our journey to the west we founde a very fayre well or fountayne, from the which flowed great aboundance of water. the inhabitantes affyrme that sainct marke the euangelist was the aucthour of this fountayne, by a miracle of god, when that region was in maner burned with incredible drynesse.21 here we and our beastes were satisfied with drynke. i may not here omit to speake of the sea of sande, and of the daungers thereof. this was founde of vs before we came to the mountayne of the jewes. in this sea of sande we traueiled the journey of three days and nightes: this is a great brode plaine, all couered with white sande, in maner as small as floure. if by euil fortune it so chaunce that any trauaile that way southward, if in the mean time the wind come to the north, they are ouerwhelmed with sande, that they scatter out of the way, and can scarsely see the one the other ten pases of. and therefore the inhabitants trauayling this way, are inclosed in cages of woodde, borne with camels, and lyue in them,22 so passing the jorney, guided by pilots with maryner’s compasse and card, euen as on the sea, as we haue sayde. in this jorney, also many peryshe for thirst, and many for drynkyng to muche, when they finde suche good waters. in these sandes is founde momia, which is the fleshe of such men as are drowned in these sandes, and there dryed by the heate of the sunne: so that those bodyes are preserued from putrifaction by the drynesse of the sand; and therefore that drye fleshe is esteemed medicinable.23 albeit there is another kynde of more pretious momia, which is the dryed and embalmed bodies of kynges and princes, whiche of long tyme haue been preserued drye without corruption. when the wynde bloweth from the northeast, then the sand riseth and is driuen against a certayne mountayne, which is an arme of the mount sinai.24 there we found certayne pyllers artificially wrought, whiche they call ianuan. on the lefte hande of the sayde mountayne, in the toppe or rydge thereof, is a denne, and the entrie into it is by an iron gate. some fayne that in that place mahumet lyued in contemplation. here we heard a certayne horrible noyse and crye; for passyng the sayde mountayne, we were in so great daunger, that we thought neuer to have escaped. departyng, therefore, from the fountayne, we continued our journey for the space of ten dayes, and twyse in the way fought with fyftie thousande arabians, and so at the length came to the citie of mecha, where al things were troubled by reason of the warres betweene two brethren, contendyng whiche of them shoulde possesse the kyngedome of mecha.