_ 149 _ for its fertility, its plantations and the breeding of livestock. The Moors who live in this range of mountains and another nearby, called [Coroco], which extends to near Antioch, do not adhere to any of the five doctrines followed by all Moors and live like heathens. They eat pork and are the greatest thieves in the world. On the following day, we ascended the mountain, and there was so much wind and rain that those of us who were on horseback went ahead of the caravan. We put up in a town called [Alcube], located on the top of another mountain near a fine castle called [Losen], which was built by the French when they ruled Syria. The caravan stayed on the road, unable to reach there in spite of much effort. Those of us who had gone on ahead engaged ten archers to help us defend ourselves, because that day was still one of danger. We left this place and put up at a caravanserai near a place called “Salt Sea” because it is half a day’s journey from the sea. On the next day, 16 February, travelling over flat roads with many groves of holm-oak, we arrived at midday in Tripoli of Syria. Item: Tripoli(A) in Syria is a city famous throughout the Mediterranean. It is situated to the south [of the road] at (A) Tripoli, formerly known as Ratmet.
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