Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 2Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Islamic
Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 2
Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Arabian Peninsula -- Description and travel
Having thus given you an account of the Turks pilgrimage to Mecca, and of
their worship there (the manner and circumstances of which I have
faithfully and punctually related, and may challenge the world to
convict me of a known falsehood), I now come to take leave of the
temple and town of Mecca.
Having hired camels of the carriers, we set out, but we give as much
for the hire of one from Mecca to Egypt, which is about forty days
journey, as the real worth of it is, (viz.) about five or six pounds
sterling. If it happen that the camel dies by the way, the carrier is
to supply us with another; and therefore, those carriers[FN#42] who
come from Egypt to Mecca with the Caravan, bring with them several
spare camels; for there is hardly a night passeth but many die upon the
road, for if a camel should chance to fall, it is seldom known that it
is able to rise again; and if it should, they despair of its being
capable of performing the journey, or ever being useful more. It is a
common thing, therefore, when a camel once falls, to take off its
burden and put it on another, and then kill it; which the poorer sort
of the company eat. I myself have eaten of camels flesh, and it is very
sweet and nourishing. If a camel tires, they even leave him upon the
place.
The first day we set out from Mecca, it was without any order at all,
all hurly burly; but the next day every one laboured to get forward;
and in order to it, there was many time much quarrelling and fighting.
But after every one had taken his place in the Caravan, they orderly
and peaceably kept the same place till they came to Grand Cairo. They
travel four camels in a breast,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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