442 LETTER S: 
Ifraelites ; this is a new fpecies of Tetrao, which I 
found at Jordan, and in the wildernefs near the 
mountains of Arabia Petraea. This Quail, very 
much refembles the red partridge, but is not larger 
than a turtle dove. I expeft, in a few days, to get 
a fcore of them alive, which were promifed me by 
a perlbn at Jerufalem, whither the Arabians carry 
many thoufands to fell at Whitfuntide. 
If Natural Hiftory can give any information in 
the interpretation of the Bible, this bird is certainly 
the fame with the Quails of the Ifraelites, and they 
alone would deferve a journey to Jordan ; for my 
part, I was fo pleafed with this difcovery, as to 
forget myfelf, and almoft loft my life, before I 
could get one of them into my pofleffion. 
I shall write more particularly and fend to you 
feveral obforvations before I depart from Cyprus. 
Smyrna, Auguft 29, 1751. 
A FTER I had returned from my travels 
thro’ Egypt and Palteftine, I was in hopes 
to write to you by this time from Conftantinople, 
to which place I had already began my journey 
from Syria •, but Heaven, which has this year poured 
over that place all the plagues, which its wrath 
had in ftore, has for a time prevented my defign 
of vifiting that city. 
For thefe three months paft there has been a 
plague in Conftantinople, which fometimes has 
taken off 10 or 12,000 fouls a day : a fire which 
lafted for twenty four hours, and reduced to afhes 
many thoufand houfes, and amongft others, the 
Guard-houfe of the Janiffaries: an earthquake, 
attended by a ftorm of hail, which deftroyed, by 
common report, 40,000 boats, and killed a num- 
