Richard Hakluyt, The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation

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Of the preparation of the Carovan to goe to Mecca .

As touching the Carovan which goeth to Mecca , it is to be understoode, that the Mahumetans observe a kinde of lent continuing one whole moone, and being a moveable ceremonie, which sometimes falleth high, sometimes lowe in the yeere called in their tongue Ramazan, and their feast is called Bairam. During this time of lent all they which intende to goe unto Mecca resort unto Cairo , because that twentie dayes after the feast the Carovan is readie to depart on the voyage: and thither resort a great multitude of people from Asia, Grecia , and Barbaria to goe on this voyage, some mooved by devotion, and some for traffiques sake, and some to passe away the time. Nowe within fewe dayes after the feast they which goe on the voyage depart out of the citie two leagues unto a place called Birca, where they expect the Captaine of the Carovan. This place hath a great pond caused by the inundation of Nilus, and so made, that the camels and other beastes may drinke therein: whereof, namely, of Mules, Camels, and Dromedaries there are at least fortie thousand, and the persons which followe the Carovan everie yeere are about fiftie thousand, fewe more or lesse, according to the times. Moreover every three yeeres they renue the Captaine of the Carovan, called in the Arabian tongue Amarilla Haggi, that is, the Captaine of the Pilgrimes, to whom the Grand Signior giveth every voiage eighteene purses, conteyning each of them sixe hundred twentie and five ducates of golde, and these be for the behoofe of the Carovan, and also to doe almes unto the needfull pilgrimes. This Captaine, besides other servingmen which follow him, hath also foure Chausi to serve him. Likewise he hath with him for the securitie of the Carovan foure hundred souldiers, to wit, two hundred Spachi or horsemen mounted on Dromedaries, and two hundred Janizaries riding upon Camels. The Chausi and the Spachi are at the charge of the Captaine, but the Janizaries not so, for their provision is made them from Cairo . The Spachi weare caps or bonnets like to the caps of Sergeants, but the Janizaries after another sort, with a lappe falling downe behinde like a Frenchhoode, and having before a great piece of wrought silver on their heads. The charge of these is to cause the Carovan to march in good array when neede requireth; these are not at the commaundement of any but of the Captaine of the Carovan. Moreover the Captaine hath for his guide eight pilots, the office of whom is alwayes stable and firme from heire to heire, and these goe before guiding the Carovan, and shewing the way, as being well experienced in the place, and in the night they governe them as the mariners, by the starre. These also use to sende before foure or five men carrying pieces of dry wood which give light, because they should not goe out of the way, and if at any time through their ill hap they wander astray out of the way, they are cast downe and beaten with so many bastonadoes upon the soles of their feete, as serve them for a perpetuall remembrance. The Captaine of the Carovan hath his Lieutenant accompanied continually with fifteene Spachi, and he hath the charge to set the Carovan in order, and to cause them to depart on their journey when neede requireth: and during the voyage their office is some whiles to goe before with the forewarde, sometimes to come behinde with the rereward, sometimes to march on the one side, and sometimes on the other, to spy, that the coast be cleare. The Carovan carrieth with it sixe pieces of ordinance drawen by 12 camels, which serve to terrifie the Arabians, as also to make triumph at Mecca , and other places. The marchants which followe the Carovan, some carry for marchandise cloth of silke, some Corall, some tinne, others wheat, rise, and all sorts of graine. Some sell by the way, some at Mecca , so that every one bringeth something to gaine by, because all marchandise that goeth by land payeth no custome, but that which goeth by sea is bound to pay tenne in the hundred.