_ 101 _ possible in twenty days but for the idleness and obstinacy of the camel-drivers, which, together with the fear of thieves, make this route very tedious and worse than the one through Basra. One goes from Basra up the Tigris by boat to Baghdad in thirty to forty days, and this takes so long because it is against the strong current of the river, as far as [Sirga]. From Baghdad to Tabriz is a safe, short journey of twenty-four to twenty-five days; and from there to Aleppo about the same; but it is still better and shorter from Basra across the desert to Damascus, which is a journey of twenty-five days. Around the month of September endless caravans are formed, and they go from there in about the same length of time to Aleppo or to Hamah, a city about four days’ journey short of Aleppo. I was unable to do this on account of the siege of Basra. When there is trouble around Basra and they decide to go through Persia, they take the road to Lar, along which caravans travel continually. This road from Bandel Gombroon takes six days through many Persian places where there are no fruits other than many dates, on which they live. From Lar they go in two days to Benaniye, an ancient city, but much damaged,
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