gates. Situated on a plateau on the banks of a pleasant river, along which extended miles of fine gardens, the city enjoyed an unusually cool, healthy climate, and was busy and industrious, an important point in the caravan trade. Emesa or Horns commanded the great north road from Egypt to Palestine and Damascus by the Orontes valley, and throughout its long history had seen much war. It had a wonderful old temple, devoted to Baal, the Sun God, of which ruins still remain, and under the Arabs was one of the strongest cities of Syria, with a powerful citadel and great walls. As the capital of a military district under the Omayyad Caliphs its power extended from Palmyra to the sea." Its women were noted for their beauty as the men were for their courage," and it too had wonderful gardens and a fertile soil. Mukaddasi must have some unpleasant experience there, judging by the wind up of his observations. " There is a citadel high above the town," he wrote, " which you perceive from afar off. When the Muslims conquered the place they seized the church and turned half of it into a mosque. It stands in the market-place and has a dome on the summit of which is seen the figure of a man in brass, standing upon a fish, and the same turns to the four winds. About this figure they relate many stories which are untrustworthy. The town has suffered great misfortunes, and is indeed threatened with ruin. Its men are witless." The Crusaders made many attempts on Damascus, the chief city of Syria, and reputed to be the oldest city