y of the sea, when they want
to do business with the inhabitants[48]. In the Jewish quarter are
about 2,000 Rabbanite Jews and about 500 Karaites, and a fence divides
them. Amongst the scholars are several wise men, at their head being
the chief rabbi R. Abtalion, R. Obadiah, R. Aaron Bechor Shoro, R.
Joseph Shir-Guru, and R. Eliakim, the warden. And amongst them there
are artificers in silk and many rich merchants. No Jew there is
allowed to ride on horseback.

[p.24]

The one exception is R. Solomon Hamitsri, who is the king's physician,
and through whom the Jews enjoy considerable alleviation of their
oppression. For their condition is very low, and there is much hatred
against them, which is fostered by the tanners, who throw out their
dirty water in the streets before the doors of the Jewish houses and
defile the Jews' quarter (the Ghetto). So the Greeks hate the Jews,
good and bad alike, and subject them to great oppression, and beat
them in the streets, and in every way treat them with rigour. Yet the
Jews are rich and good, kindly and charitable, and bear their lot with
cheerfulness. The district inhabited by the Jews is called Pera.

From Constantinople it is two days' voyage to Rhaedestus[49], with a
community of Israelites of about 400, at their head being R. Moses, R.
Abijah, and R. Jacob. From there it is two days to Callipolis
(Gallipoli), where there are about 200 Jews, at their head being R.
Elijah Kapur, R. Shabbattai Zutro, and R. Isaac Megas, which means
"great" in Greek. And from here it is two days to Kales.

[p.25]

Here there are about fifty Jews, at their head being R. Jacob and R.
Judah. From here it is two days' journey to the island of Mytilene,
and there are Jewish congregations in ten localities on the island.
Thence it is three days' voyage to the island of Chios, where there
are about 400 Jews, including R. Elijah Heman and R. Shabtha. Here
grow the trees from which mastic is obtained. Two days' voyage takes
one to the island of Samos, where there are 300 Jews, at their head
being R. Shemaria, R. Obadiah, and R. Joel. The islands have many
congregations of Jews. From Samos it is three days to Rhodes, where
there are about 400 Jews, at their head being R. Abba, R. Hannanel,
and R. Elijah. It is four days' voyage from here to Cyprus, where
there are Rabbanite Jews and Karaites; there are also some heretical
Jews called Epikursin, whom the Israelites have excommunicated in all
places.