My curious drifts, had got their just reward.
But to shorten my Discourse, of barren Wildernesses, supposed to be a part of the Lybian Desarts, my Dragoman upon the fourth day of our seaven being there, falling in despaire, and wondring to see me indure such heate, [VIII. 377.]such hunger, and such toyle, did threaten mee with death, to make me seeke backe for our nearest refuge: Whereupon holding our course North-east, my compasse-Dyall being our guide, we rancountred earely on the eight day, with nine hundred Savages, naked Lybian Sabunks: five hundred whereof, were women armed with Bowes and Arrowes; who with their complices, the former night had put to the sword, three hundred Berdoanes, their neighbour tribe: carrying away above sixe thousand Sheepe and Goats besides other bestiall: from whom after our sight of their Emeere or Prince, we had first liberty of life, and then reliefe of food; for he came up in the Reare, with a hundred Horse-men charged with halfe Pikes, headed at The prince of the Sabuncks apparrell.both ends with sharpe Steele: The person of their Prince was onely clothed from his breasts downe to his middle thigh with a Crimson vayle of Silke, hanging on his naked shoulders with coloured Ribans, and on his head a party coloured Shash set like a Garland: Both his knees were bare, so were his ancles, the calves of his legges being girded with Crimson Silke, and on his feet yellow shooes; his beard was like his face, burnt with the Sun, and his age like to my owne, of 33. yeares, his Religion is damnable, so is his life, for hee and all the foure tribes of Lybia worship onely for their God, Garlick, having Altars, Priests, and superstitious rites annexed to it: Thinking Garlicke, being strong of it selfe, and the most part of their food, to have a soveraigne vertue in a herball Deity. All his Courtiers were starke naked saving his Page, who was even covered like to the King his Master.
And now having dismissed his Army for the way, and falling in a houres parley with us at his departure, he propyned me with his Bowe, & a Quiver of Arrowes, which afterward, I presented to his Majesty, then Prince.
[VIII. 378.]There is a merry secret heere concerning the women, which often I recited to King James of Blessed memory, showing him also three Certificates of this my Desartuous wandring: one of which was confirmed by English Waird at Tunneis upon the Dragomans Report; though now they with all my other Patents are lost, in the Inquisition of Malaga. This former savage Prince sent a Guide with us for foure dayes journey, the condition of his mans Wages being made by himselfe, and franckly advised us that Tunneis was our best and nearest Recourse. Which being forcibly considered, I was constrayned to renew my bargaine agayne with the Dragoman, at the rate of forty five Sultans of gold, to bring me safely hither.
This Sabunck Guide, to whom I gave five Sultans, thirty five shillings, brought us through the most Habitable vallies, and best cled passages of the Countrey with Tents: where every day once we found Water, Bread, Garlicke and Onions, and sometimes Hennes at twenty Aspers the peece, two shillings; which we would Rost, or scorch dry (if trueth may have credite) at the very face of the Sunne, and so eate them. Upon the fift day, our Guide leaving us in the after-noone, well setled among foure hundred Tents of Numidian Moores, or bastard Arabians, pitched in a pleasant Valley, betweene two sources of Water, wee stayed still there Reposing our selves, and Refreshing our bodies with Victuals, some nine dayes.
Moorish Smiths forging horse-shooes out of cold Iron without fire, but the heat of the Sun.Heere among these Tents, I saw Smiths Worke out of cold Iron, Horse-shooes, and Nayles, which is onely molified by the vigorous heate and Raies of the Sunne, and the hard hammering of hands upon the Anvile: So have I seene it also in Asia. I could bee more particular here, but Time, Paper, Printing, and charges will not [VIII. 379.]suffer me. And now from hence, renewing our Guides from place to place, and discending from Savage Moores to Civill Moores, we arrived (though with great difficulty and danger) safely at Tunneis.
The Beglerbegship of Barbary.And to conclude this Eight Part, there are three Beglerbergships in the higher and lower Barbary: The first is at Trypolis, which was taken in by Sinan Bassa from the Knights of Malta 1551. and commaundeth under him eight thousand Tymariots, besides sixe thousand Jannizaries. The second is at Tunneis, the Beglerbeg whereof, being of great Authority, commaundeth under him twelve Sanzackes, and thirty five thousand Tymariots. The third is, that of Algier, whose Bassa hath under him fourteene Sanzacks, and the commaundment of forty thousand Tymariots. These are all the Beglerbegs, the Great Turke retayneth in Affricke, except the great Vizier-Bassa of Ægipt: although in Asia major and Minor, he commandeth in severall Provinces and Kingdomes, thirty Bassaes or Beglerbegs.
THE NINTH PART.
Tunneis beene sightlesse left, I sought the Ile