should be given me.  Accordingly I immediately set off on my journey, and came to Aden at the end of eight days, when I visited the man who was reputed as a saint, merely because he had always lived in great poverty, and without the company of women.  There are many such in those parts, but doubtless they lose their labour, not being in the faith of Christ.  Having thus performed my vow, I pretended to have recovered my health by miracle performed by this holy person, of which I sent notice to the queen, desiring permission to visit certain other holy persons in that country who had great reputation.  I contrived these excuses because the fleet for India was not to depart from Aden for the space of a month.  I took the opportunity to agree secretly with the captain of a ship to carry me to India, making him many fair promises of reward.  He told me that he did not mean to go to India till after he had gone first to Persia, and to this arrangement I agreed.

To fill up the time, I mounted my camel and went a journey of 25 miles, to a certain populous city named Lagi, seated in a great plain, in which are plenty of olives and corn, with many cattle, but no vines, and very little wood.  The inhabitants are a gross and barbarous people of the vagabond Arabs, and very poor.  Going a days journey from thence, I came to another city named Aiaz, which is built on two hills, having a large plain between them, in which is a noted fountain, where various nations resort as to a famous mart.  The inhabitants are Mahometans, yet greatly differ in opinion respecting their religion.  All those who inhabit the northern mount, maintain the faith of Mahomet and his successors, of whom I have formerly spoken; but those of the south mountain affirm that faith ought only to be given to Mahomet and Ali, declaring the others to have been false prophets.  The country about Aiaz produces goodly fruits of various kinds, among which are vines, together with silk and cotton; and the city has great trade in spices and other commodities.  On the top of both of the hills there are strong fortresses, and two days journey from thence is the city of Dante, on the top of a very high mountain, well fortified both by art and nature.

Departing from Dante, I came in two days journey to the city of Almacharam, on the top of a very high mountain of very difficult ascent, by a way so narrow that only two men are able to pass each other.  On the top of this mountain is a plain of wonderful size, and very fertile, which produces abundance of every thing necessary to the use of man.  It has also plenty of water, insomuch that at one fountain only there is sufficient water to supply a hundred thousand men.  The Sultan is said to have been born in this city, and to keep his treasure here, which is so large as to be a sufficient load for an hundred camels all in gold.  Here also always resides one of his wives.  The air of this place