Page 15 - History of Portuguese in the Gulf_Neat

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xxii INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION. XXIII
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After a somewhat trying journey, in which Diego dc February 12th, at sunset, our traveller and his companions
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Melo proved a troublesome companion, the kafila arrived reached Aleppo in safety.
at Mashad ’AH on September 18th ; and, having rested To a description of Aleppo, its inhabitants, trade and \ :
four days, set out again on the 23rd. On the 25th the commerce, foreign merchants, &c., our author devotes a
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caravan reached Mashad Husain (Karbala), where the whole chapter full of interesting details. After a stay of 5;
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captain of the kafila got married, and invited our traveller two months in this town, learning that a ship was about to 11
to the wedding. On the 29th most of the merchants in sail from Scanderoon (Alcxandretta) for Venice, Teixeira 5
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the kafila set off for Bagdad in charge of certain officials, took his departure from Aleppo on April 5th, accompanied ■:
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who had been sent thence for that purpose; but Tcixeira, by two Venetian gentlemen and by Diego dc Melo, who 1
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Diego de Melo, and a few others remained behind for lack once more proved a source of trouble to the company. !
of camels. This want being at last supplied, our traveller On Good Friday, April 8th, 1605, the party reached
and his companions left Mashad Husain on October 2nd ; Alcxandretta, and on the 12th they went aboard a Venetian
on the 3rd they crossed the Euphrates ; and on the 4th ship bound for Venice, in which city our author had, he ■I
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they entered Bagdad. says, some special business to transact. After calling at
At Bagdad, Teixeira was welcomed by a young Ham­ Salinas (near Larnaca) in Cyprus for cargo, the ships fell
burger whom he had known in India, and who did all he in with some Maltese galleys, to one of which Diego de
could to repay some service our traveller had done him on Melo, in a characteristic fit of ill-humour, transferred him­ !
a former occasion. Of the city of Bagdad we are given a self, much to the relief, doubtless, of our long-suffering i
very detailed description. In consequence of the siege of author. Another call for cargo was made at the island of U
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Aleppo and other disturbances, Teixeira had perforce Zante, where eight days were spent ; and after a tedious
to remain a couple of months here; but on December 12th voyage, owing to contrary winds, the ship arrived on
he once more set forth on his journey, accompanied by July 9th at “ Istria.” Here Teixeira and his companions
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the young German, Diego Fernandes, and Diego de Melo, went ashore, and next day sailed in a bark for Venice,
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and crossing the Euphrates on the 24th entered the town where they arrived, after a stormy voyage, on July nth,
of Ana. 1605.
At this place, which as usual he describes graphically, Of his doings in Venice, where he “rested a while,”
Teixeira and his companions were detained, much to their Teixeira tells us nothing, and, though he “ saw somewhat
annoyance, until January 13th, 1605, when they set out for of the many wonders of that city,” his only comment !
Aleppo, travelling, as they had done from Bagdad, in thereon is to agree with a certain wise man, who, he re­ ! • :
camel panniers. At the village of Sukana, which they marks, had “wisely said,” that it was “an impossible work u
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reached on January 31st, and where they stayed five days, in an impossible place.” Having visited “ no small part of
Diego de Melo once more nearly brought trouble upon Italy,” our author came to Piedmont, crossed the Alps and
himself and his companions by his hot-headedness. On saw Savoy ; traversed France, and came to the (then) It
February 9th the caravan was attacked by robbers; but Spanish Netherlands, where he settled down in the famous
Teixeira and his friends escaped scatheless. At length, on city of Antwerp. What length of time was occupied in
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