The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
[Sidenote: The Christians sent 3. times a weeke 30 miles to fetch wood.]
Nowe the king had 18. captiues, which three times a weeke went to fetch
wood thirtie miles from the towne: and on a time he appointed me for one of
the 18. and wee departed at eight of the clocke in the night, and vpon the
way as wee rode vpon the camels, I demaunded of one of our company, who did
direct vs the way? he sayd, that there was a Moore in our company which was
our guide: and I demavnded of them how Tripolis and the wood bare one of
the other? and hee said, East Northeast and West Southwest. And at midnight
or neere thereabouts, as I was riding vpon my camel, I fell asleepe, and
the guide and all the rest rode away from me, not thinking but I had bene
among them. When I awoke, and finding my selfe alone durst not call nor
hallow for feare least the wilde Moores should heare me, because they holde
this opinion, that in killing a Christian they do God good seruice: and
musing with my selfe what were best for me to do, if I should goe foorth,
and the wilde Moores should hap to meete with mee, they would kill mee: and
on the other side, if I should returne backe to Tripolis without any wood
or company, I should be most miserably vsed: therefore of two euils, rather
I had to goe foorth to the loosing of my life, then to turne backe and
trust to their mercie, fearing to bee vsed as before I had seene others:
for vnderstanding by some of my company before, howe Tripolis and the saide
wood did lie one off another, by the North starre I went forth at
aduenture, and as God would haue it, I came right to the place where they
were, euen about an houre before day: there altogether wee rested and gaue
our camels prouender, and assoone as the day appeared, we rode all into the
wood: and I seeing no wood there, but a sticke here and a sticke there,
about the bignesse of a mans arme growing in the sand, it caused mee to
maruile how so many camels should be loden in that place. The wood was
Iuniper, we needed no axe nor edge toole to cut it, but pluckt it vp by
strength of hands rootes and all, which a man might easily do, and so
gathered it together, a little at one place and so at another, and laded
our camels, and came home about seuen of the clocke that night following:
because I fell lame, and my camel was tired, I left my wood in the way.
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