AND THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 497
It is subdivided into six towns, each of which has a separate enclosure, whilst one great wall surrounds the whole. In the first city was posted the garrison of the city, with its commandant. I was told by the Kazi and others that there were 12,000 soldiers on the rolls. We passed the night at the commandant's house. The next day we entered the second city by a gate called the Jews' Gate. This town was inhabited by Jews, by Christians, and by those Turkswho worship the sun; they are very numerous. The Amir of this town is a Chinese, and we passed the second night in his house. The third day we made our entrance into the third city, and this is occupied by the Mahomedans. It is a fine town, with the bazaars arranged as in Musulman countries, and with mosques and muezzins. We heard these last calling the Faithful to prayer as we entered the city. Here we were lodged in the house of the children of Othmân Bin Affan, the Egyptian. This Othman was a merchant of great eminence, who took a liking to this town, and established himself in it ; indeed it is named after him Al'Othrn iniyah. He bequeathed to his posterity in this city the dignity and consideration which he had himself enjoyed ; his sons follow their father in their beneficence to religious mendicants, and in affording relief to the poor. They have a convent called also Al 'Othmâniyah, which is a handsome edifice, endowed with many pious bequests, and is occupied by a fraternity of Sufis. It was the same Othm in who built the J6,ma' Masjid (cathedral mosque) in this city, and he has bequeathed to it (as well as to the convent) considerable sums to form a foundation. for pious uses.
The Musulmans in this city are very numerous. We remained with them fifteen days, and every day and every night I was present at some new entertainment. The splendour of their banquets never flagged, and every day they took me about the city on horseback for my diversion. One day that they were riding with me we went into the
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