Sepharad[1]. Also he mentions some of the sages and
illustrious men residing in each place. He brought this book with him
on his return to the country of Castile, in the year 4933 (C.E.
1173)[2]. The said Rabbi Benjamin is a wise and understanding man,
learned in the Law and the Halacha, and wherever we have tested his
statements we have found them accurate, true to fact and consistent;
for he is a trustworthy man.

[p.1]

His book commences as follows:--I journeyed first from my native town
to the city of Saragossa[3], and thence by way of the River Ebro to
Tortosa. From there I went a journey of two days to the ancient city
of Tarragona with its Cyclopean and Greek buildings[4]. The like
thereof is not found among any of the buildings in the country of
Sepharad. It is situated by the sea, and two days' journey from the
city of Barcelona, where there is a holy congregation, including
sages, wise and illustrious men, such as R. Shesheth[5], R. Shealtiel,
R. Solomon, and R. Abraham, son of Chisdai. This is a small city and
beautiful, lying upon the sea-coast.

[p.2]

Merchants come thither from all quarters with their wares, from
Greece, from Pisa, Genoa, Sicily, Alexandria in Egypt, Palestine,
Africa and all its coasts. Thence it is a day and a half to Gerona, in
which there is a small congregation of Jews[6]. A three days'journey
takes one to Narbonne, which is a city pre-eminent for learning;
thence the Torah (Law) goes forth to all countries. Sages, and great
and illustrious men abide here. At their head is R. Kalonymos, the son
of the great and illustrious R. Todros of the seed of David, whose
pedigree is established. He possesses hereditaments and lands given
him by the ruler of the city, of which no man can forcibly dispossess
him[7]. Prominent in the community is R Abraham[8], head of the
Academy: also R. Machir and R. Judah, and many other distinguished
scholars. At the present day 300 Jews are there.

Thence it is four parasangs[9] to the city of Beziers, where there is
a congregation of learned men. At their head is R. Solomon Chalafta, R
Joseph, and R. Nethanel. Thence it is two days to Har Gaash which is
called Montpellier. This is a place well situated for commerce.

[p.3]

It is about a parasang from the sea, and men come for business there
from all quarters, from Edom, Ishmael, the land of Algarve[10],
Lombardy, the dominion of Rome the Great, from all the land of Egypt,
Palestine, Greece, Franc