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the houses, &c. There are some years in which snow 
falls in the city, but it falls every year upon the moun- 
tains. The winds blow from the east and west without 
any fixed period, and very rarely from the other points. 
It rains seldom from April to November, but regularly 
and moderately during the other months, and always 
with a west wind. The thawing of the mountain snows 
generally takes place in April, and sometimes towards 
the end of March. I have already said that the summits 
of the most elevated mountains are perpetually covered 
with snow. Owing to this circumstance, ice is sold at 
a moderate price at Damascus, and renders the use of 
artificial ice-houses unnecessary. The shopkeepers sell 
refreshing drinks composed of and iced by the snow, but 
they are ignorant of the art of making ices. 
The thermometer generally marked 17° 3'* to 20°f 
as the lowest and highest degrees of heat daily. 
I was assured that there were enormous swarms of 
flies, bugs, fleas, and gnats in this city; but I was agree- 
ably surprised to find scarcely any. It appears however 
that there is a species of gad-fly, the bite of which is 
very painful. 
There are but few serpents and scorpions, and they 
are not very venomous. 
The mules are very good, and the asses excellent, 
like those of Egypt. 
I obtained the following information concerning the 
horses, of which they reckon six different breeds. The 
first, named Djelje, derives its origin from Arabia Felix, 
or Yemen. Horses of this breed are rare at Damascus, 
but are pretty common among the Arabs in the neigh- 
bourhood of Anaze; they are atlmirable for speed, are 
IIP I " s A -* 1 $ ■ t $ 
* 69^<> Fahrenheit. t 77° Fahrenheit. 
