313 
mascus; he receives fixed contributions levied on the 
baptisms, marriages, and burials of Christians of every 
denomination, who are obliged to be married in the 
presence of the minister appointed by him for that pur- 
pose. 
There are eight synagogues for the Jews, who, I was 
assured, were at that time very well treated. I observed, 
however, that the fanaticism of the people of Damascus 
surpasses that of the inhabitants of Egypt, since an Eu- 
ropean cannot without danger present himself in the 
streets in the dress of his country, but is obliged to 
assume the costume of the East. A Christian or a Jew 
cannot ride on horsback in the town; it is not permitted 
them even to have an ass to ride upon. 
The number of mosques and chapels is truly incon- 
ceivable, but there is nothing handsome in them, except 
the mosque Zekia, which is to the north- west of the 
city, and contains an hospital for the sick poor. In the 
middle of it is to be seen a superb cupola surrounded 
by several smaller ones, and accompanied by two lofty 
minarets, narrow and pointed like needles, which are 
surrounded by a great number of smaller cupolas. The 
hospital always contains a great number of sick and 
lame poor, who are lodged and fed at the expense of 
the establishment. 
In Damascus there are two hundred merchants per- 
manently settled. The two which pass for the richest, 
are named Schatti, and Mehemed Sua; the capital which 
each of them has in circulation, is estimated at four 
thousand purses, or five millions of francs. 
The commerce is carried on generally by the cara- 
vans; the most considerable of which are, 1st, That of 
Mecca, which surpasses all the rest, and which used to 
perform the journey once a year, when the circum^ 
Vol. II. 2 R 
