In the eleven dayes journey I had betweene Aleppo, and Beershack, through a part of Syria, the breadth of Mesopotamia, and Chelfania, a Province of the same, joyning with Tigris and Euphrates, and returning the same way againe; I found nothing worthy of remarkinge save the fertility of the soyle: [Mesopotamia.] which indeed in Mesopotamia, yeeldeth two crops of wheate in the yeare, and for a Bushell sowing, in diverse places, they recoyle a hundreth againe.
The countrey it selfe is overcled with infinit Villages, having no eminent Towne of any note or consequence, except the City of Carahemen the seat of a Beglerbeg, who commandeth under him fourteene Sanzacks, and twenty sixe thousand Timariots. The people here are for the most part beleevers in Christ, but alas too silly, untoward, and ignorant Christians: And yet though without learning, or great understanding therein, they are wonderfull zealous in their profession, and great sufferers for it also.
[Beershack.] This barbarous Towne of Beershacke, being situate on Euphrates standeth in the Chelfaines Countrey, and is supposed to have beene Padan-aram, where Laban dwelt, and where Jacob kept Labans sheepe, though some interpret all Mesopotamia, then to have beene called Padanaram: from whence North-east, and not farre hence are the demolished fragments of Ninivie on Tigris, whose very ruines are now come to ruine: The decayes whereof being much semblable to that sacked Lacedemon in Sparta, or to the stony heapes of Jerico, the detriments of Thebes, the relicts of Tyrus, or to the finall overthrow of desolate Troy. This Countrey of Chelfaine, is the place most agreeable with Scripture, where the earthly Paradice was once set, though now impossible to be found out.
[Mesopotamia.] Mesopotamia is seldome watered with raine, but by the nature of the soile is marvellous fruitfull: It is bordred with Caldea, on the East: Euphrates on the South: Syria on the North: and Arabia Petrea on the West. This Aleppo is a City in Syria; the name of which hath beene so oft changed by Turkes, that the true Antiquity of it, can hardly be knowne: It is both large and populous, and furnished with all sorts of merchandize, especially of Indigo, and Spices, that are brought over land from Goa, & other places in India, which draweth a concurrance of all nations to it.