This Place Produces All
Kinds Of Fruit In Great Perfection, Especially Excellent Grapes, And The
Gardens Are Watered With Perpetual Fountains.
SECTION II.
_Of the City of Damascus_.
Departing from _Menin_ we came to Damascus, a city so beautiful as
surpasses all belief, situated in a soil of wonderful fertility. I was
so much delighted by the marvellous beauty of this city that I sojourned
there a considerable time, that by learning the language I might inquire
into the manners of the people. The inhabitants are Mahometans and
Mamelukes, with a great number of Christians who follow the Greek
ritual. It may be proper in this place to give some account of the
_Hexarchatus_ or commander of Damascus, who is subject to the lieutenant
of Syria, which some call _sorya_. There is a very strong castle or
fortress, which was built by a certain Etruscan or native of Florence in
Tuscany, while he was _exarch_ or governor of Damascus, as appears by a
flower of the lily graven on marble, being the arms of Florence. This
castle is encompassed by a deep ditch and high walls with four goodly
high towers, and is entered by means of a drawbridge which can be let
down or taken up at pleasure. Within, this castle is provided with all
kinds of great artillery and warlike ammunition, and has a constant
guard of fifty Mamelukes, who wait upon the captain of the castle and
are paid by the viceroy of Syria. The following story respecting the
Florentine _exarch_ or governor of Damascus was related to me by the
inhabitants.
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