About
Four Years Of Age, Was Carried By The Angel Gabriel, Who Opened His
Breast, And Took Out His Heart,
From which he picked some black
blood-specks, which was his original corruption; then put it into its
place again,
And afterwards closed up the part; and that during this
operation Mahomet felt no pain.
“Into this very place I myself went, because the rest of my company did
so, and performed some Erkaets, as they did.
“The town hath plenty of water, and yet but few herbs, unless in some
particular places. Here are several sorts of good fruits to be had,
viz. grapes, melons, watermelons, cucumbers, pumkins, and the like; but
these are brought two or three days’ journey off, where there is a place
of very great plenty, called, if I mistake not, Habbash.[FN#18]
[p.367] Likewise sheep are brought hither and sold. So that as to Mecca
itself, it affords little or nothing of comfortable provisions. It
lieth in a very hot country, insomuch that people run from one side of
the streets to the other to get into the shadow, as the motion of the
sun causes it. The inhabitants, especially men, do usually sleep on the
tops of the houses for the air, or in the streets before their doors.
Some lay the small bedding they have on a thin mat on the ground;
others have a slight frame, made much like drink-stalls on which we
place barrels, standing on four legs, corded with palm cordage, on
which they put their bedding. Before they bring out their bedding, they
sweep the streets and water them. As for my own part, I usually lay
open, without any bed-covering, on the top of the house: only I took a
linen cloth, dipt in water, and after I had wrung it, covered myself
with it in the night; and when I awoke I should find it dry; then I
would wet it again: and thus I did two or three times in a night.
“Secondly, I shall next give you some account of the temple of Mecca.
“It hath about forty-two doors to enter into it, not so much, I think,
for necessity, as figure; for in some places they are close by one
another. The form of it is much resembling that of the Royal Exchange
in London, but I believe it is near ten times bigger. It is all open
and gravelled in the midst, except some paths that come from certain
doors which lead to the Beat-Allah, and are paved with broad stones.
The walks, or cloisters, all round are arched over-head, and paved
beneath with fine broad stone; and all round are little rooms or cells,
where such dwell and give themselves up to reading, studying, and a
devout life, who are much akin to their dervises, or hermits.
“The Beat-Allah, which stands in the middle of the temple, is
four-square, about twenty-four paces each
[p.368] square, and near twenty-four foot[FN#19] in height.
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