ALEPPO, or Halab, a town of Syria, the capital of a pachalic, of which the limits are not exactly defined, is situated in the vast plain which extends from the Orontes to the Euphrates, and which towards the south terminates in the desert. It is built on eight hills or eminences, and is intersected by the Kowick, which in winter swells into a large stream, overflowing its bridges, and the neighbouring gardens which cover its banks. This river terminates 18 miles beyond Aleppo, in a morass which is haunted by wild boars and pelicans. The city itself is above 3½ miles in circumference, and is surrounded by an ancient strong stone-wall and ditch. Including the suburbs, the city is about 7 or 8 miles in compass. The wall is flanked by frequent towers; but the ditch is partly filled up with rubbish or occupied by kitchen-gardens, and the city being commanded by the adjacent heights, is entirely indefensible. The town has nine gates, all known by different names. On one of the hills on which the city is built, and on its north-east corner, is a castle seated on a mount. This mount is of a conic form, which seems in a great measure to be raised with the earth thrown up out of a deep broad ditch which surrounds it. The castle is entered from the south by a bridge of seven lofty narrow arches thrown over the ditch, on which are two gates fortified by turrets, and two more still higher on the hill. Aleppo is esteemed the fourth city of the Ottoman empire, only exceeded by Constantinople, Cairo, and Damascus. It appeared to Mr Buckingham, who visited it in 1816, to be one of the best built of all the cities in the East that he had seen. In the regularity of the streets, the aspect of the houses, and also in cleanliness, it was decidedly superior to the generality of Turkish towns. The houses are large and commodious, having terraces on their tops, on which the inhabitants sleep in summer, and generally sky-lights in form of a dome to let the light into the rooms, which, from their loftiness, the gilding on the window-shutters, cupboard doors, &c. have at first entrance a very grand and agreeable effect. They are all so equal in height, that there are seldom any steps to ascend or descend in going from one house to another; while several large vaulted streets increase the facility of communication, by affording a passage to every part of the city free from the embarrassment of the open streets. They are carefully paved, have two commodious footpaths, six inches high on each side, and the middle of the street is laid with brick, the small end upwards, for the convenience of the horses.

The mosques in Aleppo are numerous, and seven or eight of them are considered handsome, though none has more than a single minaret or steeple. They are built of freestone, with a dome in the middle, which is covered with lead. The members of the Greek, Arminian, Syrian, and Maronite communions have each a church; and the Europeans formerly had four small convents; but in 1807 there was only one, containing nine Italian monks. Before each of them is an area, with a fountain in the middle, designed for ablutions before prayers; and behind some of the larger there are little gardens. There are about twenty large khans or caravansaries, consisting of a capacious square, on all sides of which are rooms, built on the groundfloor, used occasionally for chambers, warehouses, or stables. Above stairs there is a colonnade or gallery on every side, [7:2:400] in which are the doors of a number of small rooms, wherein the merchants, as well strangers as natives, transact most of their business. Numerous coffee-houses are seen in all parts, some large and handsome, with a fountain in the middle, and a gallery for musicians. They are greatly frequented, and by persons of the highest rank.

The bazars or market-places are long, covered, narrow streets, on each side of which is a great number ∙of small shops, just sufficient to hold the tradesman and his goods, the buyer being obliged to stand without. Each separate branch of business has a particular bazar, which is locked up, as well as the streets, an hour and a half after sunset. This city is in itself one of the most agreeable in Syria, and is a trading and bustling place; and, owing to the great resort of Europeans, is considered by Mr Buckingham to be more than 100 years in advance of the other parts of Syria. On whatever side it is approached, its numerous minarets and domes present an agreeable prospect to the eye, fatigued with the continued sameness of the brown and parched plains. In the centre is an artificial mountain surrounded by a dry ditch, on which is a ruinous fortress. From hence we have a fine prospect of the whole city. To the north we discover the snowy mountains of Bailan, and on the west those which separate the Orontes from the sea, while to the south and east the eye can see as far as the Euphrates. In the time of Omar this castle stopped the progress of the Arabs for several months, and was at last taken by treachery; but at present it would not be able to resist the feeblest assault. Its slight wall, low and without a buttress, is in ruins; its little old towers are in no better condition; and it has not four cannons fit for service, not excepting a culverine nine feet long, taken from the Persians at the siege of Bassora. Three hundred and fifty janizaries, who should form the garrison, are busy in their shops. Within the walls of the castle is a well, which, by means of a subterraneous communication, derives its water from a spring a league and a quarter distant. In the environs of the city we find a number of large square stones, on the top of which is a turban of stone, which are so many tombs. Aleppo maybe considered the emporium of Armenia and Diarbekir. Four caravans annually proceed through Natolia to Constantinople, and others arrive from Bagdad and Bassora with coffee from Mocha, and with muslins, shawls, and other goods from India. Caravans are sent also to Medina and Mecca, with which places a regular intercourse is maintained. The commerce with Europe is principally carried on from Scanderoon and Latakia, on the sea-coast. The chief commodities exported are, raw or spun cottons, clumsy linens fabricated in the villages, silk stulfs manufactured in the city, copper, bourres (coarse cloths) like those of Rouen, goats’ hair brought from Natolia, the gall-nuts of the Kourdistan, the merchandise of India, and pistachio-nuts of the growth of the neighbourhood. The articles supplied by Europe are cloths, Lyonese stuffs, and bonnets after the fashion of Tunis from France; merceries, indigo, tea, sugar, paper, soap, &c.; and a great quantity of coral ornaments. The coffee of America, though prohibited, is introduced, and serves to mix with that of Mocha. British, French, Dutch, and Italian houses are established at Aleppo, for the purposes of trade; and most of the European states have consuls resident here. Aleppo is not exceeded in extent by any city in Turkey, except Constantinople and Cairo, and perhaps Smyrna. It is difficult to make any estimate of its population, but it is said to be increasing, and, according to the most authentic computation, does not probably contain less than 250,000 inhabitants. Of these, 30,000 are Christians, who enjoy the most perfect toleration, and are treated with more respect than in any town of the East.

The air of Aleppo is dry and piercing, bùt at the same time salubrious for all who are not troubled with asthmatic complaints. The city, however, and the environs, are subject to a singular endemial disorder, which is called the ringworm or pimple of Aleppo: it is in fact a pimple which is at first inflammatory, and at length becomes an ulcer of the size of the nail. The usual duration of this ulcer is one year: it commonly fixes on the face, and leaves a scar, which disfigures almost all the inhabitants. No reason is assigned for this malady; but Μ. Volney suspects it proceeds from the quality of the water, as it is likewise frequent in the neighbouring villages, in some parts of Diarbekir, and even in certain districts near Damascus, where the soil and the water have the same appearances. But the plague is a more destructive malady, a visitation of which is anticipated by the inhabitants every ten years. Its ravages are most fatal, owing to the blind fatalism of the Turks, who cannot be persuaded to take any precautions against the progress of this dreadful disease. In the plague which immediately preceded the year 1797, about 60,000 inhabitants were swept off. Of the Christian inhabitants the greater number are Greeks, next to them the Armenians, then the Syrians, and lastly the Maronites; each of whom has a church in the city called Judida; in which quarter, and the parts adjacent, most of them reside. The common language is the vulgar Arabic, but the Turks of condition use the Turkish. Most of the Armenians can speak the Armenian, some few Syrians understand Syriac, and many of the Jews Hebrew; but scarcely one of the Greeks understands a word of Greek. The people in general are of a middle stature, and tolerably well proportioned; but they seem neither vigorous nor active. Both sexes are handsome when young; but the women, as they come early to maturity, also fade very soon. The people of rank here are polite and affable, making allowances for that superiority which the Mahometan religion instructs its votaries to assume over all who hold a different faith. All the inhabitants of both sexes smoke tobacco to great excess; even the very servants have almost constantly a pipe in their mouth. Coaches or carriages are not used here; therefore persons of quality ride on horseback in the city, with a number of servants walking before them, according to their rank. Ladies of the first distinction are even compelled to walk on foot in the city, or to any place at a moderate distance: in longer journeys they are carried by mules, in a kind of couch close covered up. There is a number of public baths in this city, which are used by people of all ranks, except those of the highest distinction, who commonly have baths and every other convenience in their own houses. The bath, being the only public rendezvous of the female sex, is a great scene of amusement as well as of display: the bathers continue for hours conversing together, in their best apparel and most splendid ornaments. The gaiety of the place is still further enlivened by refreshments and music. Aleppo is of great antiquity, and is supposed to occupy the site of the ancient Beraea. It was overwhelmed by the flood of Saracen invasion in 638, when it was taken from the emperor Hera-clius. In 1260 it was taken possession of and wasted by the Tartars, and in 1401 by Tamerlane, who defeated the Syrians, when it was given up to pillage. The adjacent country is fertile, and yields grain of all sorts, with which the city is plentifully supplied. All the fruits of Europe, as well as those of the East, are cultivated in gardens. The pistachio-nut is regularly cultivated. Aleppo is 70 miles east of Scanderoon, on the sea-coast, and 234 north-east of Damascus. Long. 37. 4. E. Lat. 36.12. N.

Aleppo, The PachaJ,ic of, one of the five governments[7:2:401] into which Syria is divided. It comprehends the country extending from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean, between two lines, one drawn from Scanderoon to Beer, along the mountains; the other from Beles to the sea, by Mara and the bridge of Shoger. This space principally consists of two plains, that of Antioch to the west, and that of Aleppo to the east: the north and the seacoast are occupied by considerably high mountains, known to the ancients by the names of Amanus and of Rhosus. In general, the soil of this government is fat and loamy. The lofty and vigorous plants which shoot up everywhere after the winter rains, prove its fertility, but its actual fruitfulness is but little. The greater part of the lands lies waste; scarcely can we trace any marks of cultivation in the environs of the towns and villages. Its principal produce consists in wheat, barley, and cotton, which are found especially in the flat country. In the mountains they rather choose to cultivate the vine, mulberry, olive, and fig trees. The sides of the hills towards the sea-coast are appropriated to tobacco, and the territory of Aleppo to pistachios. The pasturage is not to be reckoned, because that is abandoned to the wandering hordes of the Turcomans and Curds. The condition of the people depends entirely on the character of the pacha, who, when he is a tyrant, oppresses and plunders them without any restraint. From the mild administration of some of the late pachas, the people appear to be prosperous and happy. Mr Buckingham mentions, that the pacha who ruled in Aleppo at the time he visited this city acknowledged the influence of public opinion, and generally consulted the happiness of his subjects in the measures which he pursued.