liv . INTRODUCTION. 



one night encamped in the mulberry gardens behind Si- 

 don. It had^ returned in very flight paroxyfms feveral 

 times, but laid hold of me with more than ordinary violence 

 on my arrival at Aleppo, where I came juft in time to the 

 houfe of Mr Belville, a French merchant, to whom I was 

 addrefTed for my credit. Never was a more lucky addrefs, 

 never was there a foul fo congenial to my own as was that 

 of Mr Belville : to fay more after this would be praifing my- 

 felf. To him was immediately added Doctor Patrick RufTel, 

 phyfician to the Britifh factory there. Without the atten- 

 tion and friend/hip of the one, and the fkill and anxieiy of 

 the other of thefe gentlemen, it is probable my travels 

 would have ended at Aleppo. I recovered flowly. By the 

 report of thefe two gentlemen, though I had yet feen no- 

 body, I became a public care, nor did I ever pafs more agree- 

 able hours than with Mr Thomas the French conful, his fa- 

 mily, and the merchants eftablifhed there. From Doctor Ruf- 

 fel I was fupplied with what I wanted, fome books, and 

 much inftruction. Noboby knew the difeafes of the Eaft 

 fo well ; and perhaps my efcaping the fever at Aleppo 

 was not the only time in which I owed him my life. 



• 



Being now reflored to health, my firft object was the 

 journey to Palmyra. The Mowalli were encamped at no 

 great diftance from Aleppo. It was without difficulty Ijfound 

 a fure way to explain my wifhes, and to fecure the afliftance 

 of Mahomet Kerfan, the Shekh, but from him I learned, in 

 a manner that I could not doubt, that the way I intended 

 to go down to Palmyra from the north was tedious, trouble- 

 fome, uncertain, and expenfive, and that he did not wifh me 

 to undertake it at that time. It is quite fuperfluous in thefe 



cafes 



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