Page:Travels from Aleppo to the city of Jerusalem, and through the Holy Land, in the year 1776.pdf/2



H been often importuned by several acquaintances since my arrival in England, to publish my travels thro’ the holy land; and in order both to satisfy them and oblige the public, I have complied with their requests, therefore, without any further preface, take them as follows:

On Tuesday, May 3d, 1776, we set sail from Scanderoon, with a N. E. wind. onboard the Margaret, Thomas Middleton commander, being twenty English men (of the factory of Aleppo) in company but being forced to return three times by contrary winds, by May, so we arrived at Tripoli, whose port is guarded by six small castles near the sea, and one great castle upon the land; defended from tempests on the west with islands, and the east with a cape of land; so that only a north-wind can prejudice ships in this port. The ground is stony, which forced the captain to buoy up their cables, the ships riding in six or seven fathom water. The town is about a mile from the marine, situated upon the shell of a hill, and hath one good castle for its defence. The town is