n8 TRAVELS TO THE EAST. 
receive the twenty-two piaftres, which every Frank 
is obliged to pay to the cuftom-houfe of Jaffa, for 
the privilege of coming on fliore and travelling in 
the country. The inhabitants of the country, Ar- 
menians, Greeks, &c. pay only half the fum. But 
as 4000 perfons arrive yearly, befides as many 
Jews, who come from all quarters of the world, this 
may be efteemed a confiderable revenue for the 
Turks ; and indeed they receive no other from this 
uncultivated and almofl uninhabited country. The 
greateft part of this money is by legacies left to 
Mecca. A flirewd difpofition, which appropriates 
the revenue arifing from one kind of fuperftitton to 
the maintenance of another. 
The 4th of April, I went out to take a view or 
Jaffa. This place, which may be called a little 
town, is fituated near the fea, on a rifing ground, 
having a caftle on a rock, garrifoned by an officer 
and fome foldiers, which commands the road; but 
fome of the ordnance were honeycombed with rufb 
and others funk in the ramparts: in this negligent 
manner the Turks keep their forts. I ne place was 
fome years ago in a much worfe condition than at 
prefcn t; but an Armenian from Conflantinople, far 
realons to me unknown, obtained liberty to in 1 
prove the buildings, which he did by rebuilding 
the wharf already mentioned, and erecting foin$ 
hone houfes and, magazines on the ffiore, which 
give the place an appearance from the fea fide, much 
preferable to the miferable profpecl it formerly at' 
forded. The other houfes in the town are p°°^ 
huts, chiefly inhabited by Turks and Arabs, toge- 
ther with fome Greeks and Armenians, who 1 . 
Monks have each an hotel here for the reception 0 
Pilgrims. The country round the town is not vet; 
aereeable: the roads are broad and level, but in cot 1 ' 
5 venict 1 - 
