_ 305 _ Here lives permanently a certain Saint-Jacques, placed here by him the Grand Turk as captain. He has a garrison of guards and janissaries, about two or three thousand citizens, most of them Armenians, Turks and some Kurds. It is in the middle of a great plain where there are many cool orchards, gardens and vineyards. It has many large, strong gates where there are always guards watching who goes in and out. We spent about two hours waiting for them to open up, because it was Friday and all the Turks were in the mosques praying. They close them the gates at these times and do not open them until they return. We put up in a fine caravanserai, which had on all sides great piles of snow of the height of a man, thrown down from the flat roofs. There were others along the streets in front of the gates and next to them, for the people always walk with shovels to keep clear the entrances and passageways of the gates. This snow is a problem on the ascents and descents of this city, which are at the foot of the mountain; for all the power and authority are higher up. On them the ascents and descents there are no more than the small houses of artesans and things necessary for travellers, and the customs-house where the dues are collected one cruzado per load. Afterwards it melts and tums into very muddy
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy