h is on
the river Hiddekel. In the city of Assur (Mosul) is the synagogue of
Obadiah, built by Jonah; also the synagogue of Nahum the
Elkoshite[120].

Thence it is a distance of three days to Rahbah, which is on the river
Euphrates. Here there are about 2,000 Jews, at their head being R.
Hezekiah, R. Tahor and R. Isaac. It is a very fine city, large and
fortified, and surrounded by gardens and plantations.

Thence it is a day's journey to Karkisiya which is Carchemish, on the
river Euphrates. Here there are about 500 Jews, at their head being R.
Isaac and R. Elhanan. Thence it is two days to El-Anbar which is
Pumbedita in Nehardea[121]. Here reside 3,000 Jews, and amongst them
are learned men, at their head being the chief rabbi R. Chen, R. Moses
and R. Jehoiakim. Here are the graves of Rab Jehuda and Samuel, and in
front of the graves of each of them are the synagogues which they
built in their lifetime. Here is also the grave of Bostanai the Nasi,
the head of the Captivity, and of R. Nathan and Rab Nachman the son of
Papa.

[p.54]

Thence it takes five days to Hadara, where about 15,000 Jews dwell, at
their head being R. Zaken, R. Jehosef and R. Nethanel[122].

Thence it takes two days to Okbara, the city, which Jeconiah the King
built, where there are about 10,000 Jews, and at their head are R.
Chanan, R. Jabin and R. Ishmael.

Thence it is two days to Bagdad, the great city and the royal
residence of the Caliph Emir al Muminin al Abbasi of the family of
Mohammed. He is at the head of the Mohammedan religion, and all the
kings of Islam obey him; he occupies a similar position to that held
by the Pope over the Christians[123]. He has a palace in Bagdad three
miles in extent, wherein is a great park with all varieties of trees,
fruit-bearing and otherwise, and all manner of animals. The whole is
surrounded by a wall, and in the park there is a lake whose waters are
fed by the river Hiddekel. Whenever the king desires to indulge in
recreation and to rejoice and feast, his servants catch all manner of'
birds, game and fish, and he goes to his palace with his counsellors
and princes.

[p.55]

There the great king, Al Abbasi the Caliph (Hafiz) holds his court,
and he is kind unto Israel, and many belonging to the people of Israel
are his attendants; he knows all languages, and is well versed in the
law of Israel. He reads and writes the holy language (Hebrew). He will
not partake of anything unless he has earne