_ 47 _ Item: From what they showed on the day I entered they had seven hundred men, one hundred and fifty of whom had muskets and the rest bows and arrows. But I was certain the one thousand men had been deployed in Basra, five hundred of whom were horsemen. This is because from Basra they go to help wherever it is needed, to places like Al Qurna, Zaquia, Medina and other fortresses on the Persian side, because of the many skirmishes they have with their neighbours. Item: The names of the captains of the fortresses of Al Qurna, Zaquia, Medina and another on the Persian side they call Capan, are Mira, Sam, Jacques and Beques. They have both infantry and cavalry and they help each other when it is necessary. When the Pasha died these captains, fearing treason, went instantly to Basra to help, and as soon as he dieu they sent a messenger to Baghdad to ask for some men. They were sent fifty janisssaries to guard the city, they being so trustworthy. Item: The best landing stage that Basra has is in an Arab village called Saragy, which is half a league from Basra. The route is easy, open and level, and from there to the walls of the city the distance is about half a musket shot. Opposite one of the gates on the south side and between there and the walls of the city there are houses and a bazaar. It is a wide road.
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