Hermit. As soon as the Caliph heard the name of Moclas, he descended
from his horse, prostrated himself, and returned thanks to God for that
he was chosen to execute his orders. His courtiers waited for an
explanation of this conduct with eagerness, and the Caliph told them
thus. During the Caliphate of the Ommiades, my brothers and myself being
very young and possessing very little, were obliged to live in the
country, where each in rotation was to provide sustenance for the whole.
On one of my days as I was without money, and had no means of procuring
food, I took a bracelet belonging to my nurse and pawned it. This woman
made a great outcry, and after much search discovered that I had been
the thief. In her anger she abused me plentifully, and among other terms
of reproach, she called me Moclas, the name of a famous robber in those
days; and during the rest of her life she never called me by any other
name. Therefore I know that God has destined me to perform this work.
_Marigny._
Almanzor named his new city Dar-al-Salam the City of Peace; but it
obtained the name of Bagdat, from that of this Hermit who dwelt upon its
site.
Bagdat was founded in consequence of a singular superstition. A sect
called Ravendiens conceived that they ought to render those honours to
the Caliphs, which the Moslem hold should only be paid to the Deity.
They therefore came in great numbers to Haschemia, where the Caliph
Almanzor usually resided, and made around his palace the same
processions and ceremonies which the Moslem made around the Temple at
Mecca. The Caliph prohibited this, commanding them not to profane a
religious ceremony which ought to be reserved solely to the Temple at
Mecca. The Ravendiens did not regard the prohibition, and continued to
act as before.
Almanzor seeing their obstinacy resolved to conquer it, and began by
arresting an hundred of these fanatics. This astonished them, but they
soon recovered their courage, took arms, marched to the prison, forced
the doors, delivered their friends, and then returned to make their
processions round the palace in reverence of the Caliph.
Enraged at this insolence the Caliph put himself at the head of his
guards, and advanced against the Ravendiens, expecting that his
appearance would immediately disperse them. Instead of this they
resisted, and repulsed him so vigorously that he had nearly fallen a
victim. But timely succours arrived and after a great slaughter these
fanatics were expelled the town. This singular rebellion arising from
excess of loyalty so disgusted Almanzor that he determined to forsake
the town which had witnessed it, and accordingly laid the foundation of
Bagdat.
_Marigny._
[89] Almanzor signifies the Victorious.
[90] The houses in Persia are not in the same place with their shops,
which stand for the most part in long and large arched streets 40 or 50
foot high, which streets are called Basar or the market, and make the
heart of the city, the houses being in the out parts, and having almost
all gardens belonging to 'em.
_Chardin._
At Tauris he says, "there are the fairest Basars that are in any place
of Asia, and it is a lovely sight to see their vast extent, their
largeness, their beautiful Duomos and the arches over 'em."
At Bagdad the Bazars are all vaulted, otherwise the merchants could not
remain in them on account of the heat. They are also watered two or
three times a day, and a number of the poor are paid for rendering this
service to the public.
_Tavernier._
[91] On the other side of the river towards Arabia, over against the
city, there is a faire place or towne, and in it a faire Bazario for
marchants, with very many lodgings where the greatest part of the
marchants strangers which come to Babylon do lie with their marchandize.
The passing over Tygris from Babylon to this Borough is by a long bridge
made of boates chained together with great chaines: provided, that when
the river waxeth great with the abundance of raine that falleth, then
they open the bridge in the middle, where the one halfe of the bridge
falleth to the walles of Babylon, and the other to the brinks of this
Borough, on the other side of the river; and as long as the bridge is
open, they passe the river in small boats with great danger, because of
the smallnesse of the boats, and the overlading of them, that with the
fiercenesse of the stream they be overthrowen, or els the streame doth
cary them away, so that by this meanes, many people are lost and
drowned.
_Caesar Frederick, in Hakluyt._
Here are great store of victuals which come from Armenia downe the river
of Tygris. They are brought upon raftes made of goate's skinnes blownn
full of wind, and bordes layde upon them; which being discharged they
open their skinnes, and carry them backe by Camels.
_Ralph Fitch in Hakluyt._
[92] In Tavernier's time there were five Mosques at Bagdad, two of them
fine, their large Domes covered with varnished tiles of different
colours.
[93] At Bagdad are many cranes who build their nests upon the tops of
the minarets, and the loftiest houses.
At Adanaqui--cranes are so abundant, that there is scarcely a house
which has not several nests upon it. They are very tame, and the
inhabitants never molest them. When any thing disturbs these birds, they
make a violent clatter with their long beaks, which is sometimes
repeated by the others all over the town; and this noise will sometimes
continue for several minutes. It is as loud as a watchman's rattle, and
not much unlike it in sound.
_Jackson._
The cranes were now arrived at their respective quarters, and a couple
had made their nest, which is bigger in circumference than a bushel, on
a dome close by our chamber. This pair stood, side by side, with great
gravity, shewing no concern at what was transacting beneath them, but at
intervals twisting about their long necks, and cluttering with their
beaks, turned behind them upon their backs, as it were in concert. This
was continued the whole night. An Owl, a bird also unmolested, was
perched hard by, and as frequently hooted. The crane is tall, like a
heron, but much larger; the body white, with black pinions, the neck and
legs very long, the head small, and the bill thick. The Turks call it
friend and brother, believing it has an affection for their nation, and
will accompany them into the countries they shall conquer. In the course
of our journey we saw one hopping on a wall with a single leg, the
maimed stump wrapped in linen.
_Chandler's Travels in Asia Minor._
[94] I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and cut off
from Babylon the name and remnant, and son and nephew saith the Lord. I
will also make it a possession for the Bittern and pools of water.
_Isaiah._ XIV. 22. 23.
[95]
----Walls, within
Whose large inclosure the rude hind, or guides
His plough, or binds his sheaves, while shepherds guard
Their flocks, secure of ill: on the broad top
Six chariots rattle in extended front.
Each side in length, in height, in solid bulk,
Reflects its opposite a perfect square;
Scarce sixty thousand paces can mete out
The vast circumference. An hundred gates
Of polished brass lead to that central point
Where thro' the midst, bridged o'er with wondrous art
Euphrates leads a navigable stream,
Branch'd from the current of his roaring flood.
_Roberts's Judah Restored._
[96]
Within the walls
Of Babylon was rais'd a lofty mound
Where flowers and aromatic shrubs adorn'd
The pensile garden. For Nebassar's queen,
Fatigued with Babylonia's level plains,
Sigh'd for her Median home, where nature's hand
Had scoop'd the vale, and cloath'd the mountain's side
With many a verdant wood; nor long she pin'd
Till that uxorious monarch called on art
To rival nature's sweet variety.
Forthwith two hundred thousand slaves uprear'd
This hill, egregious work; rich fruits o'er hang
The sloping walks and odorous shrubs entwine
Their undulating branches.
_Roberts's Judah Restored._
[97] Our early Travellers have given us strange and circumstantial
accounts of what they conceive to have been the Temple of Belus.
The Tower of Nimrod or Babel is situate on that side of Tygris that
Arabia is, and in a very great plaine distant from Babylon seven or
eight miles; which tower is ruinated on every side, and with the falling
of it there is made a great mountaine; so that it hath no forme at all,
yet there is a great part of it standing, which is compassed and almost
covered with the aforesayd fallings: this Tower was builded and made of
foure-square brickes, which brickes were made of earth, and dried in the
Sunne in maner and forme following: first they layed a lay of brickes,
then a mat made of canes, square as the brickes, and instead of lime,
they daubed it with earth: these mats of canes are at this time so
strong, that it is a thing woonderfull to beholde, being of such great
antiquity: I have gone round about it, and have not found any place
where there hath bene any doore or entrance: it may be in my judgement
in circuit about a mile, and rather lesse than more.
This Tower in effect is contrary to all other things which are seene
afar off, for they seeme small and the more nere a man commeth to them
the bigger they be: but this tower afar off seemeth a very great thing,
and the nerer you come to it the lesser. My judgement and reason of this
is, that because the Tower is set in a very great plaine, and hath
nothing more about to make any shew saving the ruines of it which it
hath made round about, and for this respect descrying it afarre off,
that piece of the Tower which yet standeth with the mountaine that is
made of the substance that hath fallen from it, maketh a greater shew
than you shall finde comming neere to it.
_Caesar Frederick._
John Eldred mentions the same deception. "Being upon a plaine grounde it
seemeth afarre off very great, but the nerer you come to it, the lesser
and lesser it appeareth. Sundry times I have gone thither to see it, and
found the remnants yet standing about a quarter of a mile in compasse,
and almost as high as the stone worke of St. Paul's steeple in London,
but it sheweth much bigger."
_Hakluyt._
In the middle of a vast and level plain, about a quarter of a league
from Euphrates, which in that place runs westward, appears a heap of
ruined buildings, like a huge mountain, the materials of which are so
confounded together that one knows not what to make of it. Its figure is
square, and rises in form of a tower or pyramid with four fronts which
answer to the four quarters of the compass; but it seems longer from
north to S. than from E. to W. and is, as far as I could judge by my
pacing it, a large quarter of a league. Its situation and form
correspond with that pyramid which Strabo calls the tower of Belus; and
is in all likelihood the tower of Nimrod in Babylon or Babel, as that
place is still called. In that author's time it had nothing remaining of
the stairs and other ornaments mentioned by Herodotus, the greatest part
of it having been ruined by Xerxes; and Alexander who designed to have
restored it to its former lustre, was prevented by death. There appear
no marks of ruins without the compass of that huge mass, to convince one
that so great a city as Babylon had ever stood there; all one discovers
within 50 or 60 paces of it, being only the remains here and there of
some foundations of buildings; and the country round about it so flat
and level, that one can hardly believe it should be chosen for the
situation of so great and noble a city as Babylon, or that there were
ever any remarkable buildings on it. But for my part I am astonished
there appears so much as there does, considering it is at least 4000
years since that city was built; and that Diodorus Siculus tells us, it
was reduced almost to nothing in his time. The height of this mountain
of ruins is not in every part equal, but exceeds the highest palace in
Naples: it is a mishapen mass, wherein there is no appearance of
regularity; in some places it rises in points, is craggy and
inaccessible; in others it is smoother and is of easier ascent; there
are also tracks of torrents from the top to the bottom caused by the
rains, and both withinside and upon it, one sees parts, some higher and
some lower. It is not to be discovered whether ever there were any steps
to ascend it, or any doors to enter into it; whence one may easily judge
that the stairs ran winding about on the outside; and that being the
less solid parts, they were soonest demolished, so that not the least
sign of any appears at present.
Withinside one finds some grottos, but so ruined that one can make
nothing of them, whether they were built at the same time with that
work, or made since by the peasants for shelter, which last seems to be
the most likely. The Mohammedans believe that these caverns were
appointed by God as places of punishment for Harut and Marut, two
angels, who they suppose were sent from heaven to judge the armies of
men, but did not execute their commissions as they ought. It is evident
from these ruins, that the tower of Nimrod was built with great and
thick bricks, as I carefully observed, causing holes to be dug in
several places for the purpose; but they do not appear to have been
burnt, but dried in the sun, which is extreme hot in those parts. In
laying these bricks neither lime nor sand was employed, but only earth
tempered and petrified, and in those parts which made the floors, there
had been mingled with that earth which served instead of lime, bruised
reeds, or hard straw, such as large mats are made of to strengthen the
work. Afterwards one perceives at certain distances in divers places,
especially where the strongest buttresses were to be, several other
bricks of the same size, but more solid and burnt in a kiln, and set in
good lime, or bitumen, nevertheless the greatest number consists of
those which are only dried in the sun.
I make no doubt but this ruin was the ancient Babel, and the tower of
Nimrod; for besides the evidence of its situation, it is acknowledged to
be such by the people of the country, being vulgarly called Babil by the
Arabs.
_Pietro delle Valle. Universal Hist._
Eight towers arise,
Each above each, immeasurable height,
A monument at once of eastern pride
And slavish superstition. Round, a scale
Of circling steps entwines the conic pile;
And at the bottom on vast hinges grates
Four brazen gates, towards the four winds of heaven
Placed in the solid square.
_Roberts's Judah Restored._
[98] And Babylon the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees
excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from
generation to generation; neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there,
neither shall the Shepherds make their fold there.
_Isaiah._ XIII. 19. 20.
[99] The stupid superstition of the Turks with regard to hidden
treasures is well known, it is difficult or even dangerous for a
traveller to copy an inscription in sight of those barbarians.
"On a rising ground, at a league's distance from the river Shelliff, is
_Memoun-turroy_, as they call an old square tower, formerly a sepulchral
monument of the Romans. This, like many more ancient edifices, is
supposed by the Arabs, to have been built over a treasure. Agreeably to
which account, they tell us, these mystical lines were inscribed upon
it. Prince _Maimoun Tizai_ wrote this upon his tower.
My Treasure is in my Shade,
And my Shade is in my Treasure.
Search for it; despair not:
Nay despair; do not search.
_Shaw._
So of the ruines of ancient Tubuna.
The Treasure of Tubnah lyeth under the shade of what is shaded. Dig for
it? alas! it is not there.
_Shaw._
[100] The springs of bitumen called _Oyun Hit_, the _fountains of Hit_,
are much celebrated by the _Arabs_ and _Persians_; the latter call it
_Cheshmeh kir_, the _fountain of pitch_. This liquid bitumen they call
_Nafta_; and the _Turks_, to distinguish it from pitch, give it the name
of _hara sakiz_, or _black mastich_. A _Persian_ geographer says, that
_Nafta_ issues out of the springs of the earth as ambergrise issues out
of those of the sea. All the modern travellers, except Rauwolf, who went
to _Persia_ and the _Indies_ by the way of the _Euphrates_ before the
discovery of the _Cape of Good Hope_, mention this fountain of liquid
bitumen as a strange thing. Some of them take notice of the river
mentioned by _Herodotus_; and assure us, that the people of the country
have a tradition, that, when the tower of _Babel_ was building, they
brought the bitumen from hence; which is confirmed by the _Arab_ and
_Persian_ historians.
_Hit_, _Heit_, _Eit_, _Ait_, or _Idt_, as it is variously written by
travellers, is a great _Turkish_ town situate upon the right or west
side of the _Euphrates_; and has a castle; to the south-west of which
and three miles from the town, in a valley, are many springs of this
black substance; each of which makes a noise like a smith's forge,
incessantly puffing and blowing out the matter so loud, that it may be
heard a mile off: wherefore the _Moors_ and _Arabs_ call it _Bab al
Jehennam_; that is _hell gate_. It swallows up all heavy things; and
many camels from time to time fall into the pits, and are irrecoverably
lost. It issues from a certain lake, sending forth a filthy smoke, and
continually boiling over with the pitch; which spreads itself over a
great field, that is always full of it. It is free for every one to
take: they use it to chaulk or pitch their boats, laying it on two or
three inches thick; which keeps out the water: with it also they pitch
their houses, made of palm-tree branches. If it was not that the
inundations of the _Euphrates_ carry away the pitch, which covers all
the sands from the place where it rises to the river, there would have
been mountains of it long since. The very ground and stones thereabouts
afford bitumen; and the fields abundance of salt petre.
_Universal History._
[101] The Mussulmanns use, like the Roman Catholics, a rosary of beads
called Tusbah, or implement of praise. It consists, if I recollect
aright, of ninty nine beads; in dropping which through the fingers, they
repeat the attributes of God, as "O Creator, O Merciful, O Forgiving, O
Omnipotent, O Omniscient, &c. &c." This act of devotion is called
Taleel, from the repetition of the letter L, or Laum, which occurs in
the word Allah, (God), always joined to the epithet or attribute, as Ya
Allah Khalick, O God, the Creator; Ya Allah Kerreem, O God, the
Merciful, &c. &c. The devotees may be seen muttering their beads as they
walk the streets, and in the interval of conversation in company. The
rosaries of persons of fortune and rank have the beads of diamonds,
pearls, rubies and emeralds. Those of the humble are strung with
berries, coral, or glass beads.
_Note to the Bahar Danush._
The ninty nine beads of the Mohammedan rosary are divided into three
equal lengths, by a little string, at the end of which hang a long piece
of coral and a large bead of the same. The more devout, or hypocritical
Turks, like the Catholics have usually their bead string in their hands.
_Tavernier._
[102] "The Mahummedans believe that the decreed events of every man's
life are impressed in divine characters on his forehead, tho' not to be
seen by mortal eye. Hence they use the word Nusseeb, anglice stamped,
for destiny. Most probably the idea was taken up by Mahummud from the
sealing of the Elect, mentioned in the Revelations."
_Note to the Bahar-Danush._
"The scribe of decree chose to ornament the edicts on my forehead with
these flourishes of disgrace."
_Bahar-Danush._
The Spanish physiognomical phrase, _traerlo escrito en la frente_, to
have it written on the forehead, is perhaps of Arabian origin.
[103] Zohak was the fifth King of the Pischdadian dynasty, lineally
descended from Shedad who perished with the tribe of Ad. Zohak murdered
his predecessor, and invented the punishments of the cross, and of
fleaing alive. The Devil who had long served him, requested at last as a
recompence, permission to kiss his shoulders, immediately two serpents
grew there, who fed upon his flesh and endeavoured to get at his brain.
The Devil now suggested a remedy, which was to quiet them by giving them
every day the brains of two men, killed for that purpose: this tyranny
lasted long, till a blacksmith of Ispahan whose children had been nearly
all slain to feed the King's serpents, raised his leathern apron as the
standard of revolt, and deposed Zohak. Zohak, say the Persians, is still
living in the cave of his punishment, a sulphureous vapour issues from
the place, and if a stone be flung in there comes out a voice and cries,
why dost thou fling stones at me? this cavern is in the mountain of
Demawend, which reaches from that of Elwend, towards Teheran.
_D'Herbelot. Olearius._
[104] "I shall transcribe a foreign piece of Superstition, firmly
believed in many parts of France, Germany and Spain. The account of it,
and the mode of preparation, appears to have been given by a judge: in
the latter there is a striking resemblance to the charm in Macbeth.
_Of the Hand of Glory, which is made use of by housebreakers, to enter
into houses at night, without fear of opposition._
I acknowledge that I never tried the secret of the Hand of Glory, but I
have thrice assisted at the definitive judgment of certain criminals,
who, under the torture, confessed having used it. Being asked what it
was, how they procured it, and what were its uses and properties? they
answered, first, that the use of the Hand of Glory was to stupify those
to whom it was presented, and to render them motionless, insomuch that
they could not stir, any more than if they were dead; secondly, that it
was the hand of a hanged man; and thirdly, that it must be prepared in
the manner following.
Take the hand, left or right, of a person hanged and exposed on the
highway; wrap it up in a piece of a shroud or winding sheet, in which
let it be well squeezed, to get out any small quantity of blood that may
have remained in it; then put it into an earthen vessel with Zimat
saltpetre, salt, and long pepper, the whole well powdered; leave it
fifteen days in that vessel; afterwards take it out, and expose it to
the noontide sun in the dog days, till it is thoroughly dry, and if the
Sun is not sufficient, put it into an oven heated with fern and vervain.
Then compose a kind of candle with the fat of a hanged man, virgin wax,
and sisame of Lapland. The Hand of Glory is used as a candlestick to
hold this candle, when lighted. Its properties are, that wheresoever any
one goes with this dreadful instrument, the persons to whom it is
presented will be deprived of all power of motion. On being asked if
there was no remedy or antidote, to counteract this charm, they said the
Hand of Glory would cease to take effect, and thieves could not make use
of it, if the threshold of the door of the house, and other places by
which they might enter, were anointed with an unguent composed of the
gall of a black cat, the fat of a white hen, and the blood of a screech
owl, which mixture must necessarily be prepared during the dog days.
_Grose. Provincial Glossary and Popular Superstitions._
[105] The habitations of the Saints are always beside the sanctuary, or
tomb, of their ancestors, which they take care to adorn. Some of them
possess, close to their houses, gardens, trees, or cultivated grounds,
and particularly some spring or well of water. I was once travelling in
the south in the beginning of October, when the season happened to be
exceedingly hot, and the wells and rivulets of the country were all
dried up. We had neither water, for ourselves, nor for our horses; and
after having taken much fruitless trouble to obtain some, we went and
paid homage to a Saint, who at first pretended a variety of scruples
before he would suffer infidels to approach; but on promising to give
him ten or 12 shillings, he became exceedingly humane, and supplied us
with as much water as we wanted; still however vaunting highly of his
charity, and particularly of his disinterestedness.
_Chenier._