:i4 , Travels into the h^yAii T. Part 11^ 
in or going out at it, a Grand Seignior having given it that Privilege ; it looks 
to the North : Laftly Bab-Thomas which bears the Name of that Saint, be- 
caufe in the outfide there is a ruinous ChurdLadjoyning to ic, dedicated to 
St.Thomas ; which looks to the North. 
rhe Circuit of \ went round the City on the outfide of the Walls, in an hour and a quar- 
the Town. walking pretty faft ; but the Suburbs are as big again as the Town, and 
amongft others the BaboHllah^-a. Suburbs without the Gate Jahte reaches three or 
four Miles in length. It is called Baboullah, as one would lay the divine Gate ; 
becaulè that way goes the prefent which is fent from Damafcus to Mecha. In 
furrounding the place I obferved that the Walls are not to be feen on the 
outfide, but from Bab-Tchiaour pafling before Bab-Charki^ and then before Bab- 
'Thomasy to Bab-Jalem, the reft being covered with Houfès from Bab-Tchiaour ^ 
to Bab-Thomas the Walls are double, well built and very high, having fair 
Battlements, flanked at (everal diftances with good Towers, for themoft part 
round ; fome are fquare, but of them there are but few. The Inner-walls 
are about four fathom high : The outer which are at Ibme two fathoms di- 
ftance from them, are about three fathom and a half high, and the Ipacebe- 
* tween Is filled up with Earth near four or five foot thick. Before thele Walls, 
there is a Ditch about five fathom broad, and two fathom, or two and a 
half deep. 
The length of I once meafured the length of the City ; that's to fay, from Bab-Charki to 
Damafcus. Bab-Jabiè which is the Streight-ftreet ; I was a quarter of an hour in walking 
it, and reckoned two thoufand one hundred paces. 
The houfe of Let US take a view of the particular places and things. That which firft of 
Ananias. all Travellers vifit at Damajetis, is the Houlb of Ananias, which is inhabited 
by âSchetk : I went thither with fome friends, and for fome afpres we were 
fuffered to enter in. Having pafled the gate, and turned to the left hand, 
by fourteen fteps we defcended into a Cellar, which heretofore was a Church, 
feeled and paved with Molaick work, of which fome remains are ftill to be 
feen in the Pavements ; at prefont it is a Mofque, and light enough to be fo 
deep under ground : that place as they fay, was the Chamber where Ananias 
lodged, when God commanded him to go to Saul • as it is related in the Afts 
of the Apoftles. 
Having vifited that houfe, wherein there is nothing curious befides the 
Bab-Charki Antiquity of it, we went to the Gate called Bab-Charki, that's to fay theEaft- 
thcEaJigate. Gate; it is likewifo called St. Pauls Gate, becaule it is near the place 
St. Paul'; gate where that Holy Apoftle was let down from the walls in a Basket. At that 
The beginmng. q^^^ besins the Stretght-fireet^ mentioned in Holy Scripture, which reaches 
jftreer far as the Gate j-abie. 
TheGate]û>y. When we were paft that Gate we turned to the right hand, and having 
advanced a few paces ; we faw in one of the fquare Towers, which are in 
the City- Wall, about two fathom high, two Free-ftones, on each of which 
there is a Flower-de-luce very well cut ; there is a third with an Infcription 
in Lingua Franca ; but the Charafters are fo worn our, that they cannot be 
read. Upon two other ftones at the fide of each Flower de-luce, there are 
two Lions cut, and near to each Lion a great Thiftle. Some will needs be- 
lieve that the French built that Tower, which is not impoflible ; but it is more 
probable that the Turks have brought thefe ftones ready curand carved from 
Banias, or fome other place which had been poflefled by the French, and 
• which the Tmks had demoliftied ; for they are lazy enough, to chufè rather 
to bring ftoifes ready cut from a far, than to be at the pains to cut them up- 
on the places. After that we faw in the Fields about fome hundreds of paces 
olF, the places where the Chriftians and Jews are buried; every Religion how- 
Bury ing-f lace, ever having their burying-place at fome diftance apart. 
Being gone fome paces from the Walls, we came to thé place where Sr. 
The Tomb of George the Porter was ftoned by the Jews, who accufod him of having fàved 
George. St. Faul. That place is, as it were, a Court, in the rriiddle whereof is the 
Tomb of that Saint; it isof Free-ftone, and covered with a htrle Pavillion in 
form of a Pyramid, and below there is a little opening, wherein the Chrifti- 
ans commonly keep a burning Lamp ; their' Devotion is great at that place, 
and is even imitated by the Turks, who affirm as well as the Chriftians, that 
Miracles 
