The voyage of M. Iohn Eldred to Trypolis in Syria by sea, and from thence
by land and riuer to Babylon and Balsara. 1583.

I departed out of London in the ship called the Tiger, in the company of M.
Iohn Newbery, M. Ralph Fitch, and sixe or seuen other honest marchants vpon
Shroue munday 1583, and arriued in Tripolis of Syria the first day of May
next insuing: at our landing we went on Maying vpon S. Georges Iland, a
place where Christians dying aboord the ships, are woont to be buried. In
this city our English marchants haue a Consull, and our nation abide
together in one house with him, called Fondeghi Ingles, builded of stone,
square, in maner like a Cloister, and euery man hath his seuerall chamber,
as it is the vse of all other Christians of seuerall nations. [Sidenote:
the description of Tripolis in Syria.] This towne standeth vnder a part of
the mountaine of Libanus two English miles distant from the port: on the
side of which port, trending in forme of an halfe Moone, stand fiue blocke
houses or small forts, wherein is some very good artillery, and the forts
are kept with about an hundred Ianisaries. Right before this towne from the
seaward is a banke of mouing sand, which gathereth and increaseth with the
Western winds, in such sort, that, according to an olde prophesie among
them, this banke is like to swallow vp and ouerwhelme the towne: for euery
yere it increaseth and eateth vp many gardens, although they vse all policy
to diminish the same, and to make it firme ground. The city is about the
bignesse of Bristow, and walled about, though the walles be of no great
force. The chiefe strength of the place is in a Citadell, which standeth on
the South side within the walles, and ouerlooketh the whole towne, and is
strongly kept with two hundred Ianisaries and good artillery. [Sidenote:
Store of white silke.] A riuer passeth thorow the midst of the city,
wherewith they water their gardens and mulbery trees, on which there grow
abundance of silke wormes, wherewith they make great quantity of very white
silke, which is the chiefest naturall commodity to be found in and about