_ 138 _ with a good garrison of horsemen, and in a very good fortress the Turk has another captain with three hundred musketeer-janissaries, who are not under the pasha. This is the general rule in all the Turk’s fortresses so that they shall be more loyal. This castle is situated on one side of the city on a fine, tall hill, and there is a very deep ditch around it; this makes it so round and steep that it is impossible to ascend it on any side, because from the foot to halfway up the hill there is a very slippery rock slope. Near the gateway through which is the entrance, there is a very fine tower on either side, each well provided with artillery, and these are at the end of the ditch at the level of the common street. From there, to the castle access is by a very narrow passage built over very strong stonework arches with another gateway at the end. There are always janissaries guarding these, and even at the summit, where one enters the castle, there is another very well fortified gateway. All the walls are of stonework with thick towers in the same material. Halfway up the hill, there are four strong, well-equipped towers, spaced equidistantly, which encircle all of it to defend the ascent of the hill. Almost all the people in this city speak Arabic and wear the Turkish costume of a large cloak down to the
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