Letter: T-S 8J19.27

I trust in God. Praised be the Lord who resurrects the dead.

My master and lord, may God prolong your life, make your wellbeing and happiness permanent, and keep away from you all evil in his mercy. I am writing from Ramie on the 8th of Teveth (approximately: January), feeling well in body, but being worried in my mind.

I set sail for Jaffa, the port of Ramie. But a wind arose against us from the land. It became a storm, chasing and driving us out to the high sea, where we remained for four days, giving up all hope for life. We were without sails and oars, the steering rudder and the sailyards were broken, and the waves burst into the barge (qarib). We cried: "Allah, Allah," for our ship was a mere riverboat (ushari), small as a ferry (ma'diya). We threw part of the cargo overboard, and I gave up all hope for my life and my goods. I vowed 1 dinar from the proceeds of the silk. Finally, God in his glory and majesty granted us to reach Caesarea, but my clothes and goods were completely soaked. I did not find a place to stay and to spread out my things. So I took domicile in the synagogue, where I remained for five days.

When I arrived in Ramie, I had to pay customs to a degree I am unable to describe. The price in Ramie of the Cyprus silk, which I carry with me, is 2 dinars per little pound. Please inform me of its price and advise me whether I should sell it here or carry it with me to you in Misr (Fustat), in case it is fetching a good price there. By God, answer me quickly, I have no other business here in Ramie except awaiting answers to my letters. About 3 dinars worth of goods of mine were jettisoned from the barge; may God, the exalted, restore the loss. If you want me to carry the silk with me, instruct Makhluf b. Muhsina (write him!) to pay me 2-3 dinars, or have Abū Barhun write to his brother Ya'qub (Jacob) to give me this sum so that I do not have to sell my clothing or the silk. A man like you does not need to be urged. I know that my money and yours are one. Moreover, you have a share in this. I need not stress the urgency of a reply concerning the price of silk from Sham (Syria-Lebanon) and from Cyprus, and whether I should sell it here or carry it with me.

I wrote you from Tripoli and informed you that I had sent four bundles of cotton and twenty-one pieces of figs to Alexandria. I wrote to M. Marduk, asking him to receive this shipment. With Yahya b. al-Zaffat sent two bags and one basket with wheat, red earth, and two baskets with raisins and figs. I instructed him to deliver these to Marduk. Your share in the basket (of wheat) and the figs is 8 dinars, and your share in the silk also 8 dinars. I hope you have written to Alexandria instructing Marduk to take care of the matter, and also to attend to the sacking (khaysh). Also write him to send you either the proceeds, or the goods to be bought for them, or broken dinars. And by God, answer. I have no business other than waiting for your letter. By God, do not neglect this. By the bread (we have eaten together), as soon as this letter arrives, send the answer to the warehouse of the representative of the merchants, Abu Ί-Barakat Ibn al-Hulaybi. A man like you needs no urging.

Describe to me the prices in the city (Fustat), and especially with regard to wheat and bread—I need not urge you to write me about this—as well as concerning the state of my father and the family. Special regards to you, and also to those who ask about me. Please honor me with any concern you might have. Regards also to Joseph and his mother. How are they ? Regards also to our friends. And Peace.

(Address:)

To my lord and master Abu Yahya Nahray, son of Nisslm, (may he) r(est in) E(den), may God prolong his life and make permanent his honored position, strength, and happiness. From Ya'qub (Jacob) b. Salman al-Hariri (Repeated in Arabic characters. What follows is also in Arabic characters:)

To Fustat, the House of Exchange, the office of Ibrahim b. Ishaq, the Jewish banker.

(Note of the mail agency; in another pen and script:)

To my lord, the shaykh Abii 'Ali al-Husayn b. Mufrij, from 'Abd b. Muhammad b. Qaysar. Fustat, if God will. Deliver and receive reward.

Translated by Moshe Yagur.

I trust in God. Blessed is the Lord, who resurrects the dead.

My letter to you, my lord and master—may God prolong your life, maintain your peace and happiness, and keep all evils from you in His mercy—from Ramla, on the 8th day of Tevet.

I am in good condition physically, but my heart is troubled. I inform you that I set sail, aiming toward Jaffa and Ramla. Then an inland wind blew at us, with hot air, driving us into deep sea. We stood still for four days, losing all hope of our lives, with no sails or rudder; the rudder and the boom were broken. A wave of water broke through the middle of the ship, and we shouted “God, God!” on the ship as if we were on a small riverboat. We threw away the luggage. I lost hope; I vowed [to donate] two dinars out of the business venture money—until God, may He be exalted and praised, showed His mercy, and we managed to come out to Caesarea. I was as wet as the stuff with me. I could not find a place to live in, to spread my belongings. I lived in the synagogue for five days and [only then] reached Ramla. I cannot describe to you what happened to me.

In Ramla, the price of cotton—the Cypriot I have with me, including delivery—is two dinars for a small rotl [unit of weight]. I ask you to write me its price and whether I should sell it here in Ramla or bring it to Fustāt, to you, if its price is good. By God, hurry your reply. I have no business here in Ramla except to wait for replies. Three dinars’ worth of my stuff was thrown off the ship. God the exalted One will bring us a replacement for it.

I ask that if you would like me to bring the cotton with me, make arrangements with Makhlūf ibn Mawhūb, and ask him to pay me two or three dinars, or [should I] get Abū Barhūn to write his brother Ya‘aqūb to pay me, so that I do not need to sell my clothing or the cotton or the like. And whatever [else] is needed. [ . . . ]

Get me the answer regarding the rate of the Cypriot and Syrian cotton and whether I should sell it or bring it.

And I have already written you and notified you from Tripoli that I have sent four packs of cotton and twenty-one cakes of figs to Alexandria, and I wrote my master Mardūk to get it. And I sent with Yaḥya ibn Zaffāt two bags and a basket of wheat, and a package of silk, and two baskets of raisins and figs, and I have ordered him to bring it to your ship. Your share of the two baskets and the figs is eight dinars, and of the cotton—eight.

I hope you wrote to Alexandria with instructions and what to sell. Ask them to send you the value [of the proceeds] either in goods or in dinars that will suffice. And please, by God, hurry with the reply; I have nothing to do besides waiting for your letter—do not neglect it, by God. Write to me the moment my letter reaches you; send the reply to Ramla, to the house of the representative Abū ’l-Barakāt Ibn al-Ḥulaybī. And tell me what you need, and note the going rates and the situation in the city—wheat, bread, whatever is needed—and the situation of my parents and my family. And I wish you peace, and everybody who inquires about me—peace. And any need you have, let me know. And to Joseph and his mother—peace. Let me know how you are all doing, and peace to all our friends.

address

To my lord and master, Abū Yaḥya ibn Nissim. May God prolong his life and maintain his praise and support and happiness.

From Ya‘qūb ibn Salmān al-Ḥarīrī. From Ramla.

To Fustāt, the House of the Money Changers, the shop of Ibrāhīm ibn Isḥāq al-Tāhertī al-Yahūdī.