(84) 
baud hjucundum tt^q^o/lccc fuerit^ donee vir illuftris (ff 
adprim do^lus D. Cuperus uleriora forti ediderit de 
urbe Solomonis eju^^m reliquiis. Vale vir wenerabilis. 
Oxomx Nonis Oitobribus 
A D, CI3DCXCV. 
Reverend Sir^ 
r T Aving promifed you an Account of my Voyage 
$r\ to Tadmor, I cannot now Excufe my feif from 
being as good as my word, whatever Cenfure I may in- 
cur of having mifpent my Money and Time in fearch 
of fuch unprofitable Curiofities or what I more fear, 
of having made fuch poor Improvements, of which a 
Maa of larger Reading and Underftanding, might have 
afforded much greater Information. We departed A- 
leppo on Mkhaelfnas'day, 1691. arid in fix eafie days 
Travel over a Defart Country, came to Tadmor ; Jour- 
iiying almoft continually to the South, with very little 
variation to the Eaftward. As we rode into the Tow^a 
we took notice of a Caftle about half an hours diftance 
from it, and fo fituated as to Command both the Pafs 
into the Hills, by which we entred, and the City too. 
But we could eafily perceive it was no Old Building , 
retaining no foot-fteps of the exquifite Workman-lliip 
and Ingenuity of the Ancients. Upon Enquiry we 
were informed, that it was built by Man-Ogle, a Prince 
of the DruceSf in the Reign of Amurath the Third, Anno 
D. N. 1585. But I know not how to give much Cre- 
dit to this Story, becaufe I find not that either Man- 
Ogle, or any Drucian Prince, was ever Powerful in thefe 
Parts, their ftrength lying on Mount Lilanus,znd along 
the Coaft of Sydon^ Berytus^ &c. 'Tis a Work of more 
Labour than Art, and the very Situation alone is enough 
to 
