h as flesh, corn, and fruits. It has fresh damascene grapes all the
year round, with pomegranates, oranges, lemons, and excellent olive
trees; likewise the finest roses I ever saw, both red and white. The
apples are excellent, but the pears and peaches are unsavoury, owing as
is said to too much moisture. A fine clear river runs past the city,
which is so well supplied with water that almost every house has a
fountain of curious workmanship, many of them splendidly ornamented with
embossed or carved work. Outwardly their houses are very plain, but the
insides are beautifully adorned with various ornaments of the stone
called _oplus_ or serpentine marble. The city contains many temples
which they call mosques, the most beautiful of which is built after the
manner of St Peters at Rome, and as large, only that the middle has no
roof being entirely open, all the rest of the temple being vaulted. This
temple has four great double gates of brass, and has many splendid
fountains on the inside, in which they preserve the body of the prophet
Zacharias, whom they hold in great veneration. There are still to be
seen the ruins of many decayed canonical or Christian churches, having
much fine carved work. About a mile from the city the place is pointed
out where our Saviour spoke to St Paul, saying, "Paul! Paul! why
persecutest thou me!" at which place all the Christians who die in the
city are buried. The tower also is shewn in which Paul was imprisoned,
which joins the wall of the city; but even the Mahometans do not attempt
to shut up that part of the tower through which St Paul was conducted by
the angel, alleging that, when they close it up over night is found open
again next morning. They likewise point out the houses in which they say
that Cain slew his brother Abel, which are in a certain valley about a
mile from the city, but on the side of a hill skirting that valley.

The Mamelukes or stranger soldiers who inhabit Damascus live in a most
licentious manner. They are all men who have forsaken the Christian
faith, and who have been purchased as slaves by the governor of Syria.
Being brought up both in learning and warlike discipline, they are very
active and brave; and all of them whether high or low, receive regular
wages from the governor, being six of those pieces of gold called
serafines monthly, besides meat and drink for themselves and servants,
and provender for their horses; and as they shew themselves valiant and
fai