Having promised you an Account of my Voyage to _Tadmor_, I cannot now Excuse my self from being as good as my Word, whatever Censure I may incur of having misspent my Mony and Time in search of such unprofitable Curiosities; or what I more fear, of having made such poor Improvements, of which a Man of larger Reading and Understanding, might have afforded much greater Information. We departed _Aleppo_ on _Michaelmas-day_, 1691. and in six easie Days Travel over a Desart Country, came to _Tadmor_; Journying almost continually to the South, with very little variation to the Eastward. As we rode into the Town, we took notice of a Castle about half an Hours distance from it, and so situated as to Command both the Pass into the Hills, by which we entred, and the City too. But we could easily perceive it was no Old Building, retaining no Footsteps of the exquisite Workmanship and Ingenuity of the Ancients. Upon Enquiry we were informed, that it was built by _Man-Ogle_, a Prince of the _Druces_, in the Reign of _Amurath_ the Third, _Anno D. N._ 1585. But I know not how to give much Credit to this Story, because I find not that either _Man-Ogle_, or any _Drucian_ Prince, was ever Powerful in these Parts, their strength lying on Mount _Libanus_, and along the Coast of _Sydon_, _Berytus_, _&c._ 'Tis a Work of more Labour than Art, and the very Situation alone is enough to render it almost Impregnable; standing on the top of a very high Hill, enclosed with a deep Ditch, cut out of the very Rock, over which there was only one sole Passage by a Draw-Bridge: This Bridge too is now broken down; so that there is no Entrance remaining, unless you will be at the Pains to clamber up the Rock, which is in one place feasible, but withal so difficult hazardous, that a small slip may endanger ones Life. Nor is there any thing within to be seen sufficient to recompence your Trouble of getting up to it, the Building being confused, and the Rooms very ill contrived. Upon the top of the Hill there is a Well of a prodigious depth, as certainly it must be a great way to come at Water from the top of such a Rock, the Ditch that surrounds it, not having the least appearance of moisture therein; which made it therefore seem more strange that a Wild Boar should rush out thence among our Horses, when we rode up to take a more particular View of the Place. This Castle stands on the North side of the Town, and from hence you have the best Prospect of the Country all about. You see _Tadmor_ under you inclosed on three sides with long Ridges of Mountains, which open towards the East gradually to the distance of about an Hours Riding; but to the South stretches a vast Plain beyond the reach of the Eye. In this Plain you see a large Valley of Salt affording great quantities thereof, and lying near about an Hours distance from the City. And this more probably is the Valley of Salt, mentioned 2 _Sam._ 8. 13. where _David_ smote the _Syrians_, and slew