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133 feet on each side. In the interior they consist 
generally of two courts surrounded with stables. Some 
have a mosque, or simply a chapel, in which travellers 
pray; and there are others that have dwellings. I be- 
lieve that ail the khans have been built by order of 
government. 
These establishments are always open. The caravans 
and travellers enter and go away, without saying a word 
to any one; in short, without asking permission, or 
taking leave on their departure. Every person stays as 
long as he thinks proper, without paying the smallest 
contribution to any body. 
So fine an institution in the Turkish empire is an 
effect of the principle in religious morals, which es- 
tablishes as one of the indispensable obligations of a 
Mussulman, that he shall exercise hospitality towards 
all travellers of whatever nation or religion. In conse- 
quence of this principle, there are khans in all places, 
peopled as well as desert, where the traveller has to 
halt. Those that I visited are very well built of stone, 
some even with an architectural embellishment; but as 
they are all very ancient, some are going to decay, and 
I believe that they will never be repaired. This strength- 
ens my opinion that the period of Mussulman glory is 
entirely past. 
Our caravan was composed of nearly three hundred 
beasts of burden, as well mules and horses as camels 
and asses. There was, however, a greater proportion of 
mules, and almost the whole of these animals were from 
Aleppo. The mules, though not large, are strong, 
courageous, and very lively. The asses are of an inter- 
esting species; they have very long legs; and bodies as 
large as those of mules. They are equally lively and 
courageous, and are hardly to be distinguished from 
