and walls fell upon them. There was great destruction at that
time throughout the Land of Israel, and more than 20,000 souls
perished[60].

[p.28]

Thence it is a day's journey to the other Gebal (Gubail), which
borders on the land of the children of Ammon, and here there are about
150 Jews. The place is under the rule of the Genoese, the name of the
governor being Guillelmus Embriacus[61]. Here was found a temple
belonging to the children of Ammon in olden times, and an idol of
theirs seated upon a throne or chair, and made of stone overlaid with
gold. Two women are represented sitting one on the right and one on
the left of it, and there is an altar in front before which the
Ammonites used to sacrifice and burn incense[62]. There are about 200
Jews there, at their head being R. Meir, R. Jacob, and R. Simchah. The
place is situated on the sea-border of the land of Israel. From there
it is two days' journey to Beirut, or Beeroth, where there are about
fifty Jews, at their head being R. Solomon, R. Obadiah, and R. Joseph.
Thence it is one day's journey to Saida, which is Sidon, a large city,
with about twenty Jews.

[p.29]

Ten miles therefrom a people dwell who are at war with the men of
Sidon; they are called Druses, and are pagans of a lawless character.
They inhabit the mountains and the clefts of the rocks; they have no
king or ruler, but dwell independent in these high places, and their
border extends to Mount Hermon, which is a three days' journey. They
are steeped in vice, brothers marrying their sisters, and fathers
their daughters. They have one feast-day in the year, when they all
collect, both men and women, to eat and drink together, and they then
interchange their wives[63]. They say that at the time when the soul
leaves the body it passes in the case of a good man into the body of a
newborn child, and in the case of a bad man into the body of a dog or
an ass. Such are their foolish beliefs. There are no resident Jews
among them, but a certain number of Jewish handicraftsmen and dyers
come among them for the sake of trade, and then return, the people
being favourable to the Jews.

[p.30]

They roam over the mountains and hills, and no man can do battle with
them.

From Sidon it is half a day's journey to Sarepta (Sarfend), which
belongs to Sidon. Thence it is a half-day to New Tyre (S[=u]r), which
is a very fine city, with a harbour in its midst. At night-time those
that levy dues throw iron cha