t is a fair city of large extent, surrounded by walls,
with many gardens and plantations, extending over fifteen miles on
each side, and no district richer in fruit can be seen in all the
world. From Mount Hermon descend the rivers Amana and Pharpar; for the
city is situated at the foot of Mount Hermon. The Amana flows through
the city, and by means of aqueducts the water is conveyed to the
houses of the great people, and into the streets and market-places.
The Pharpar flows through their gardens and plantations. It is a place
carrying on trade with all countries. Here is a mosque of the Arabs
called the Gami of Damascus; there is no building like it in the whole
world, and they say that it was a palace of Ben Hadad. Here is a wall
of crystal glass of magic workmanship, with apertures according to the
days of the year, and as the sun's rays enter each of them in daily
succession the hours of the day can be told by a graduated dial. In
the palace are chambers built of gold and glass, and if people walk
round the wall they are able to see one another, although the wall is
between them. And there are columns overlaid with gold and silver, and
columns of marble of all colours[101]. And in the court there is a
gigantic head overlaid with gold and silver, and fashioned like a bowl
with rims of gold and silver. It is as big as a cask, and three men
can enter therein at the same time to bathe. In the palace is
suspended the rib of one of the giants, the length being nine cubits,
and the width two cubits; and they say it belonged to the King Anak of
the giants of old, whose name was Abramaz[102].

[p.48]

For so it was found inscribed on his grave, where it was also written
that he ruled over the whole world. Three thousand Jews abide in this
city, and amongst them are learned and rich men[103]. The head of the
Academy of the land of Israel resides here[104]. His name is R.
Azariah, and with him are his brother, Sar Shalom, the head of the
Beth Din: R. Joseph, the fifth of the Academy: R. Mazliach, the
lecturer, the head of the order: R. Meir, the crown of the scholars:
R. Joseph ben Al Pilath, the pillar of the Academy: R. Heman, the
warden: and R. Zedekiah, the physician. One hundred Karaites dwell
here, also 400 Cuthim, and there is peace between them, but they do
not intermarry.

It is a day's journey to Galid, which is Gilead, and sixty Israelites
are there, at their head being R. Zadok, R. Isaac, and R. Solomon. It
is