travels

146 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, NUBIA,provided with three mules for myself and servants, and anass for my baggage. I left Jaffa on the 28th, in the afternoon,and set out for Ramla.The dress of the muleteers, who are called Mocarris, isworth describing, and seems peculiar to that class of people.The turban is of coarse red or white linen, with the end offringe, hanging out on the left side behind: the sharweel, orbreeches, is large, descending to the knees, of green cloth,with a waistcoat of the same colour; over which is a brownfrock without seam, of sackcloth, striped with black, variegatedbehind at the shoulders with a mixture of black,yellow, and red colours arranged in a triangle, the pointof which is half way down the back. The one who attendedme was a handsome well-made lad of nineteen years old, veryattentive and civil.Ramla* is considered three hours distant from Jaffa, andis the halting place for travellers to Jerusalem. Between thefirst two places the country is open and well cultivated-f,and the land excessively rich and fertile: the peasantry.* According to Pococke, Ramla is the Arimathea of Joseph.f The summer crops of the Syrians are sown in March and April, anda)nsist of sesamiun, durra, tobacco, cotton, beans, {md water-melons.Th6winter crop of wheat and barley is sown m October. Volney, p. 301, vol. i.English translation.ΚΥΠΡΙΑΚΗ ΒΙΒΛΙΟΘΗΚΗ