Page:Travels from Aleppo, to the city of Jerusalem, and through the most remarkable parts of the Holy Land, in 1776.pdf/24

 treasure. Pope Sixtus V first made Loretto a city and a bishoprick, and it is esteemed the most sacred place under heaven, by all good Catholics.

Having now satisfied our curiosity at Loretto, we returned for Aleppo. When we arrived again at Scanderoon, the plague was abated, but we found a great many of our friends were dead, we soon set out for Aleppo, I shall give a description of that city and so here put an end to my journey. Aleppo, lies in east longitude 37—40. north latitude 36—30. It is the capital of the government or Belgerbelle of Aleppo, in Asiatic Turkey, situated 90 miles east of the Levant Sea, and port of Scanderoon, and about 300 miles west of the river Euphrates. It stands upon four hills, in the middle of a pleasant fruitful plain, being of an oval figure, and about 3 miles in circumferance, the castle being on the highest hill in middle of the city. The buildings of the town are better than in most cities in Turkey, and they have a great many stately mosques. It is well furnished with fountains and reservoirs of water, and their gardens and vineyards well planted with grapes, oranges, apples, cherries, and other excellent fruits. The Christians have their houses and churches in the suburbs. There is a very considerable trade here for silks, camblets, and Turkey leather. Every European nation almost has its factors here: The English factors are about forty in number, and live in a quadrangle resembling a college, having their chaplain and chapel, wherein they perform their devotions regularly as in Christendom; and at leisure hours they hunt, and use other ports, with all imaginable freedom. About twelve miles east of Aleppo is a salt lake, seven or eight miles over, having crust of salt on the surface, which sounds like frozen snow when horses trample on it ; and magazines of this salt is laid up in the neighbourhood of Aleppo. The of Aleppo, commands all the country between the Levant Sea and the Euphrates; but the castle has a governor independent of him.

After our travels though this extensive country, we took shipping, and arrived safe in Old England, to the great joy of our friends and the great pleasure we had of coming to our native country

This History of our records we hope, will be both entertaining and agreeable, as they are founded on facts, agreeable to the Holy Scriptures.