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and clear. The bread is generally bad, but there is some 
good to be had; the meat, fowls, herbs, and vegetables, 
are of an excellent quality. 
There are a great many horses, but they appeared to 
me to be of an inferior breed; the mules on the contrary, 
which are very numerous, seem to have the advantage 
of them . 
The inhabitants are a mixture of Arabs and Turks; 
and as this town is upon the frontier of the Desert, 
there are to be seen Arabs from all the Arabias, Egypt, 
Syria, Fellahs, Bedouins, &c. and those of each nation 
wearing their particular costume. 
I very rarely saw any women at Gaza; they are much 
more reserved than in Egypt or Arabia; yet the vene- 
real disease is common in the country. Several persons 
addressed themselves to me to know if I had any 
remedy for this cruel malady. 
This town is governed by a Turkish Aga, whose 
authority extends to Khanyounes and other places. He 
is under the control of the aga of Jaffa, who is himself 
subservient to the pacha of St. Jean D'Acre. 
The governor, at the period of my journey, was a 
Turk of a tall stature, named Moustapha Aga; he bore 
a good character. I received a thousand civilities from 
him; he gave me an excellent lodging, ordered his ser- 
vants to furnish me with every thing that I wanted, or 
cbuld wish, and sent me three great repasts every day. 
This aga had under his command a number of Turkish 
soldiers, and more than a thousand Mogrebins. 
The climate of Gaza is hot; I generally observed that 
the thermometer placed in the shade stood at 37° 7'* 
at noon. The sea is half a league distant from the town? 
* 113* Fahrenheit 
