TRIPOLI, called Tripolis of Syria, to distinguish it from Tripoli in Barbary, received its name from its being anciently formed of three cities at a small distance from each other, one of which belonged to the Aradians, or ancient kingdom of Arad, the second to the Sidonians, and the third to the Tyrians, perhaps as a common mart to those maritime powers. The present town of Tripoli is built at the distance of a mile and a half from the other, upon the declivity of a hill facing the sea, in 34° 20' north latitude, and in 35° 50' east longitude from Greenwich. It is surrounded with walls, fortified with seven high strong towers, and a castle, all of Go-
VOL. XX. Part II.
thic architecture; but the streets are narrow, and the houses low. The city contains about 8000 houses, and near 60,000 inhabitants, consisting of Turks, Christians, and Jews. The batha, or pacha, who resides in the castle, where there is a garrison of 200 janizaries, governs the adjacent territory, in which there is plenty of fruit, and a great number of mulberry trees, which enable the inhabitants to carry on a silk manufacture, from which they draw considerable profit.
All the environs of Tripoli are laid out in orchards, where the nopal grows spontaneously, and the white mulberry is cultivated for the silk-worm; the pomegranate, orange, and lemon trees for their fruit, which is here very fine. The country, though delightful to the eye, is unhealthy; from July to September, epidemic fevers, like those of Scanderoon and Cyprus, prevail, and are principally caused by the artificial inundations made for the purpose of watering the mulberry trees, to enable them to throw out their second leaves, and from a want of free circulation of air, the city being open only to the westward.