398 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
is carried to different parts of Syria and to Egypt. Such of 
the European articles as are ufed by the Orientals, are drawn 
from Seide', Beirut, and Tripoli, to and from all which places, 
there are regular caravans, iron, lead, tin, cochineal, broad- 
cloth. From Perfia and the Eaft the caravans of Bagdad convey 
fhawls, muflins, and the rich fabrics of Surat, a part of which 
is confumed in the city, and a part paffes on to other places in 
Syria and to European Turkey. To maritime commerce the 
Damafcenes were formerly very adverfe, and it is only within 
thefe few years that they could be prevailed on to fend goods by 
fea to Conftantinople. 
Timur Leng, on his conqueft of Syria, about the begin- 
ning of the fourteenth century, conveyed all the celebrated 
manufadures of fteel from Damafcus into Perfia. Since that 
period, its works in fteel have been little memorable. They 
were formerly of the higheft reputation in Europe and the 
Eaft. The famous fabres appear to have been conftruded, 
by a method now loft, of alternate layers, about two or three 
lines thick, of iron and fteel : they never broke, though bent 
in the moft violent manner, and yet retained the utmoft power 
of edge ; fo that common iron, or even fteel, would divide 
under their force. 
So far as my refearches have enabled mc to afcertain the 
population of Damafcus, I fhould not be inclined to compute 
it at lefs than two hundred thoufand fouls. That of Aleppo 
may be eftimated at two hundred and eighty thoufand. 
Some 
