The next morning, having slept well, he was himself again, and they started forward through a broken country towards a deep cleft, on either side of which stood a tall mountain.
"This is Al-je-bal's gateway," said Masouda, "and tonight we should sleep in the gate, whence one day's ride brings us to his city." So on they rode till at length, perched upon the sides of the cleft, they saw a castle, a great building, with high walls, to which they came at sunset.

It seemed that they were expected in this place, for men hastened to meet them, who greeted Masouda and eyed the brethren curiously, especially after they had heard of the adventure with the lion.

These took them, not into the castle, but to a kind of hostelry at its back, where they were furnished with food and slept the night.
Next morning they went on again to a hilly country with beautiful and fertile valleys.

Through this they rode for two hours, passing on their way several villages, where sombre-eyed people were labouring in the fields.

From each village, as they drew near to it, horsemen would gallop out and challenge them, whereon Masouda rode forward and spoke with the leader alone.