./ W -*^, c 
 
TRAVELS 
 
 IN 
 
 UPPER AND LOWER EGYPT, 
 
 IN COMFANY WITH SEVERAL 
 
 DIVISIONS OF THE FRENCH ARMY, 
 
 During the Campaigns of 
 
 GENERAL BONAPARTE 
 
 IN THAT COUNTRY ; 
 
 AND PUBLISHED UNDER HIS IMMEDIATE PATRONAGE, 
 BY 
 
 VIVANT DENON. 
 
 EMBELLISHED WITH NUMEROUS EKGRAViyXS. 
 
 TRANSLATED 
 
 BY ARTHUR AIKIN. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I . 
 
 EonDon : 
 
 PRINTEU r.« T.N.T.ONGMANAND O. UEES, PATERNOSTER-ROW; 
 
 ANU RICHARD PHILLIPS, 71, ST. PAVl's. 
 
 Bj r. rjillet, Saliiburj sqiiart. 
 
 1803. 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arcinive 
 
 in 2010 witii funding from 
 
 Researcii Library, Tine Getty Research Institute 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/travelsinupperlo01deno 
 
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 : uu B U , { . iswij^iT' "wS «.'i^i 1' « 
 
 Aj/i oi' itii Ltih iu>T tfin'iiKihle 
 
 \ * 
 
 \ 
 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 TO BONAPARTE. 
 
 TO combine the lujire of your 
 Name with the fplendour of the Mo- 
 miments of Egypt ^ is to affociate the 
 glorious aimals of our own titjie with 
 the hiflory of the heroic age ; and to 
 reanimate the duft of Sefofris and 
 Mendes^ like you Conquerors^ like you, 
 BenefiElors, 
 
 Europe, by learning that I accom- 
 panied you in one of your moft in£^ 
 
 morable 
 
iv DEDICATION. 
 
 morahle Expeditions^ will receive my 
 Wo7'k with eager intereji. I have 
 7iegle8lecl nothing in my power to ren- 
 der it worthy of the Hero to whom it 
 is i7ifcribed, 
 
 VIVANT DENON, 
 
ADVERTISEMENT 
 BY THE TRJNSLATOR. 
 
 IT is prefumed that an account, by 
 an eye-witnefs, of the romantic but unprovoked 
 invalion of Egypt by General Bonaparte, will 
 not be uninterefting to the Britilli Public. The 
 Author, a member of the Inftitute of Cairo, and 
 an excellent draftfman, was fele<5i:ed to accom- 
 pany the troops defigned for the conqueft of 
 Upper Egypt, that under the protection of a 
 military efcort he might have an opportunity of 
 examining thofe ftupendous remains, and eter- 
 nal documents of the ancient civilization of the 
 country, to which its then unfettled ftate had 
 denied a peaceable admiilion. Hence the Vv^ork 
 contains an agreeable mixture of incident and 
 defcription : and if the journal of the defultory 
 operations of a campaign againfl an enemy, 
 whofe rapid motions, whofe invincible courag^e, 
 • whofe perfevering bravery always rendered him 
 a formidable opponent, interrupts unfeafonably 
 now and then an account of the venerable mo- 
 
 numents 
 
Vi ADVERTISHMENT^i 
 
 numents of Thebes or Tentyra ; yet this very 
 interruption becomes a ftimulus to curiofity, 
 and the attention of the reader, though kept up 
 a6Hve to the laft, will not be withdrawn ungra- 
 tified. Citizen Denon, not being a foldier by 
 profeflion, and therefore not hardened to the 
 atrocities of war, has, notwithftanding his na- 
 tural partiality towards his countrymen, and his 
 perfonal regard for many of the chiefs in the 
 expedition, given a fairer account of the treat- 
 ment which the natives underwent from their 
 invaders, than we are likely to receive from any 
 other quarter : and, indeed, of the campaigns in 
 Upper Egypt, he is as yet the only hiftorian : in 
 this view, therefore, his narrative is of peculiar 
 value. We fee what a dreadful licence of luft, 
 rapine, and flaughter, the French troops were 
 allowed to indulge in, and how whole villages 
 were exterminated upon the bare fufpicion of 
 meditating refiftance to the ravilliers of their 
 women, the defolators of their iBelds, the incen- 
 diaries of their houfes. We fee that fo far from 
 conciliating the efteem of the Egyptians, the 
 French dominion was confined to the range of 
 their cannon, that their llraggicrs were cut off 
 like profcribed beafts of prey ; and, preffed by 
 the Arabs on one fide, and Murad-Bey on the 
 
 other. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT, Vll 
 
 ether, thq' were kept in a conftant ftate of 
 watcb.fulnsfs and alarm. The military tranfac- 
 tiors, however, are neither the moft pleafmg, 
 nor the prominent feature of the work : the Au- 
 thor was by neceflity a foldier, but by profeflion 
 an artift, and a man of letters ; hence the re- 
 mains of the architedure, the fculpture, and 
 the painting of the ancient Egyptians, were the 
 principal objects of his attention ; and thefe he 
 has defcribed both by words and the pencil, fo 
 as to render them highly interefting to ail thofe 
 who feel any curiofity about a nation, from 
 whom ancient Greece derived her fubHmeft 
 philofophy, and which is infeparably conneded 
 with the earlier ages of the Jewifli hiftory. 
 
 With regard to the prefent Englifh edition, a 
 
 few words remain to be faid! The narrative in 
 
 the original is one continued journal, v.'ithout 
 
 divilion of chapters, from the embarkation of 
 
 the author at Toulon to his landing again in 
 
 France at Frejus ; to this are added feveral notes, 
 
 more particularly illuftrative of the plates, and 
 
 mentioning little traits of manners and cuftoms, 
 
 which the Author, either from inadvertence, or 
 
 want of opportunity, neglected to introduce 
 
 into the text. The Tranflator, however, has 
 
 taken the liberty of breaking the journal into 
 
 feparate 
 
Till ADVERTISEMENT; 
 
 leparate chapters, without, however, in the leaft- 
 degree altering the order of its arrangement ; 
 and in a few inftances, of incorporating with 
 the text fuch parts of the notes as appear to 
 liave been thrown to the end of the original 
 work, merely in confequence of having been 
 forgotten. 
 
 Notwithftanding the liberal allowance of 
 plates, it has been found expedient, for fear of 
 too much enhancing the price of this edition, 
 (the French original of which fells in London 
 for twenty-one guineas) to leave out a few 
 which are contained in the original. The pic- 
 turefque views, therefore, of the battles, and of 
 fome other tranfaclions, which, from their very 
 nature muft be mere fancy pieces, are omitted : 
 a fimilar liberty has alfo occalionally been taken, 
 in felecling the beft of two or three views of 
 the fame place" from different pofitions. In this 
 arrangement the Proprietors have been enabled' 
 to retain nearly the whole of thofe engravings 
 which reprefent the architedural and hierogly- 
 phical remains of Upper Egypt, and which- 
 comprize the valuable part of the decorations^ 
 of this fplendid work. 
 
 A. A. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 "^^THEN an author has decided 
 on writing a preface, his prin- 
 cipal aim is to give an idea of the 
 nature of his work. This tafk, 
 which becomes in a manner an ob- 
 hgation, I fhall fulfil by inferting 
 here the difcourfe it was my inten- 
 tion to read to the Inftitute of Cairo, 
 on my return from upper Egypt. 
 
 " You have acquainted me, citi- 
 zens, that the Inftitute expedled 
 from me an account of my travels 
 in upper Egypt, for which purpofe 
 
 I w^as, in the courfe of different fit- 
 
 » 
 
 tings, to read extra<5ls from the 
 
 journal intended to accompany the 
 
 Vol. I. A drawings 
 
11 PREFACE. 
 
 drawings I have brought from thence. 
 My defire to meet the wifhes of the 
 Inftitute will Simulate me to digefi:, 
 without lofs of time, a multitude of 
 notes which I have made, without 
 any other preteniion than that of 
 forgetting no part of what offered 
 itfelf daily to my obfervation. I was 
 engaged in travelling through a 
 country which was known to Eu- 
 rope by name only : it therefore 
 became important to defcribe every 
 thing ; and I was fully aware, that at 
 my return I fhould be interrogated 
 on all fides, relative to what might, 
 according to his habitual fi:udies or 
 his chara6ler, the mofl: powerfully 
 excite the curiofity of each of my 
 enquirers, I have made drawings of 
 objedls of every defcription ; and if 
 
 I am 
 
PREFACE. m 
 
 1 am here fearful of fatiguing thofe 
 to whom I difplay my numerous 
 produ6lions, feeing that they merely 
 re-trace what they have before their 
 eyes, I fhall, perhaps, on my reach- 
 ing France, have to reproach my- 
 felf for not having multiplied them 
 ftill more, or, to fpeak more cor- 
 re6lly, fhall lament that the circum- 
 flances in which I was placed did 
 not allow me either the time or the 
 conveniences to do fo. If my zeal has 
 called forth all the means of which 
 I am pofTefled, thefe means have 
 been powerfully feconded by the 
 commander in chief, whofe grand 
 conceptions fuffer none of the details 
 to efcape him. Being aware that 
 the aim of my travels was to vifit 
 the monuments of upper Egypt, he 
 A % fent 
 
VT PREFACE. 
 
 fent me with the divifion which was 
 to achieve the conqueft of that ter- 
 ritory. In General Defaix I found 
 an inquiiitive philofopher, a friend 
 of the arts, from whom I received 
 all the attentions which the cir- 
 cumftances would allow. From Ge- 
 neral Beliard I experienced friend- 
 fhip, and unwearied affiduities ; from 
 the officers politenefs ; and the ut- 
 moft civility from all the foldiers of 
 the twenty-firll half-brigade. In 
 fhort, I made fo truly a part of 
 the battalion it formed, and within 
 which I had in a manner taken up 
 my abode, that I was frequently in 
 the heat of a6lion without recolledl- 
 ing myfelf, and without refle6ling 
 that war was foreign to my avoca- 
 tions. 
 
 As 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 " As our troops were engaged in 
 ■the purfuit of an enemy conflantly 
 mounted, the movements of the di- 
 vifion were invariably both unfore- 
 feen and multiplied. I was there- 
 fore fometimes obliged to pafs ra- 
 pidly over the mofi: interefting mo- 
 numents ; and at other times to flop 
 where there was nothing to obferve. 
 If, however, I have felt the fatigue 
 of unproductive marches, I have alfo 
 experienced that it is often advan- 
 tageous to take a fummary view of 
 important obje6ls previoufly to an 
 entry into their details ; that, if at 
 firft fight they dazzle by their num- 
 ber, they afterwards become claffed 
 in the mind by refle6lion ; and that, if 
 it be neceffary ftudioufly to preferve 
 the firfl; impreffions, it is only dur- 
 A s ing 
 
vi PREFACE. ' 
 
 ing the ab fence of the obje6l which 
 has given rife to them, that thefe 
 irnpreffions can be carefully exa- 
 mined and analyzed. It has alfo 
 ftruck me, that an artifl: who under- 
 takes to travel, fhould, before he 
 fets out, divefl himfelf of all profef- 
 fional prejudices ; and that he ought 
 not to coniider what may, or what 
 may not make a fine drawing, but 
 the general interefl: which the afpecl 
 of the fpot he purpofes to draw may 
 infpire* I have already, citizens, 
 been recompenfed for having di- 
 vefted myfelf of thefe prejudices, by 
 the flattering curiofity you have dif*- 
 played, and by the avidity with 
 which you have examined the im- 
 menfe number of drawings I have 
 brought with me ; — drawings which 
 
 I made 
 
PREFACE. vU 
 
 1 made moft frequently on my knee, 
 or {landing, or even on horfeback. 
 I have never been able to finifh any 
 one of them as I could have wifhed, 
 for this reafon, that during the fpace 
 of a whole year I could never find 
 a table fufficiently ftraight and even, 
 to be able to lay a ruler on it. 
 
 " It has therefore been with a 
 view to reply to your queftions, 
 that I have made this multitude of 
 drawings, frequently too fmall, be- 
 caufe our marches were too precipi- 
 tate to enable me to feize the de- 
 tails of the obje6ls, the afpecJh and 
 enfemhle at leafl of which I was de- 
 termined to bring away with me. 
 It is in this way that I have taken 
 in the mafs the pyramids of Sfak- 
 liarah, the fite of which I croiTed 
 A 4 on 
 
viil PREFACE. 
 
 on a gallop, in my way to fix my- 
 felf for a month in the mud houfes 
 of Bnifuef This interval of time 
 was fpent in comparing the charac- 
 ters, and in drawing the perfons and 
 dreffes of the different nations which 
 now inhabit Egypt, together with 
 their buildings, and the portions of 
 their villages, 
 
 *' I faw at length the portico of 
 Hermopolis, the huge maffes of the 
 ruins of which gave me the earlieft 
 idea of the fplendour of the coloffal 
 architecture of the Egyptians. On 
 each of the blocks of which this 
 edifice was compofed, I fancied I 
 faw engraved the words pofterity^ 
 eternity, 
 
 " Shortly after, Denderah (Ten- 
 tyris) taught me that it was not in 
 
 the 
 
PREFACE. U 
 
 the doric, ionic, and corinthian or- 
 ders alone, that the beauties of archi- 
 tefture were to be fought : where- 
 ever a harmony of parts exifls, there 
 beauty is to be found. I had ap- 
 proached thefe edijfices in the morn- 
 ing : in the evening I was fnatch- 
 ed away from them, more agitated 
 than fatisfied. I had feen a hun- 
 dred things, while a thoufand others 
 had efcaped me ,' and had, for the 
 firfl time, found accefs to the arch- 
 ives of the arts and fciences. I had 
 the prefentiment that I fhould meet 
 with nothing finer in Egypt ; and, 
 after having made twenty journies 
 to Denderah, I am confirmed in this 
 opinion. The fciences of arts, united 
 by good taile, have decorated the 
 temple of Ifis : there aftronomy, 
 
 morals. 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 morals, and metaphyfics, afflime 
 fhape and figure, and thefe figures 
 and fliapes decorate the ceilings, 
 frizes, and bafes, with at leaft as 
 much tafte and grace as our flight 
 and infignificant paintings in frefco 
 ornament the modern cabinets. 
 
 *' We continued to advance. I 
 muft confefs that I trembled a 
 thoufand times, lefl Mourad-bey, 
 wearied with fhunning us, fhould 
 either furrender, or try the chance 
 of a battle. I was of opinion, that 
 the one which was fought near Sa- 
 manhut would wind up this great 
 drama : in the midft, however, of 
 the combat, it flruck Mourad-bey 
 that the defert would be more fatal 
 to us than his arms. Defaix was 
 thus again deprived of an oppor- 
 tunity 
 
PREFACE. 2d 
 
 tunity of deftroying him ; while, for 
 my part, I cherifhed the hope of 
 purfuing him beyond the tropic. 
 
 " We marched towards Thebes, 
 the name alone of which fills the 
 imagination with vafi: recoUeclions. 
 As if this city could efcape me, I 
 made a drawing of it the moment 
 it came in view. We pafled through 
 it fo rapidly, that fcarcely was a 
 monument difcovered, when it was 
 jiecefTary to abandon it. 
 
 '* There a cololTal fiatue prefent- 
 ed itfelf which could be meafured 
 by the eye alone, governed by the 
 fenfation of furprife which the view 
 of it occafioned. To the right were 
 feen mountains excavated and fculp- 
 tured ; to the left, temples which, 
 viewed at a diftance, appeared like 
 
 fo 
 
xii PREFACE. 
 
 fo many rocks. Next came palaces, 
 and other temples, which I was 
 obliged to quit precipitately. I re- 
 turned, to feek mechanically the 
 hundred gates of which Homer poeti- 
 cally fpeaks, to exprefs by a fingle 
 word this fplendid city, the weight 
 of the porticoes of which oppreffed 
 the earth, while the breadth of 
 Egypt fcarcely fuiBced for its com- 
 pafs and extent. Seven fubfequent 
 journies thither have not fatisfied 
 the curiofity with which this £rfl 
 vifit infpired me. It was not until 
 the fourth that I was enabled to 
 crofs to the oppofite fide of the 
 river. 
 
 *' Farther on, I fhould have re- 
 garded Hermontis as fuperb, if that 
 city had not been placed fo near to 
 
 the 
 
PREFACE. xiii 
 
 the gates of Thebes. The temple 
 of Efneh, the ancient LatopoHs, ap- 
 peared to me to be the perfection 
 of art among the Egyptians, arid 
 one of the fineft produdlions of an- 
 tiquity. That of Edfu, or Apolli- 
 nopolis Magna, is one of the largeft, 
 beft preferved, and mbft advantage- 
 oufly fituated of the monuments of 
 Egypt. In its prefent flate it fiill 
 appears like a fortrefs which com- 
 mands the furrounding country. 
 
 *' It was there that the deftination 
 of my travels was decided on : we 
 fet out on our march for Syene (Af- 
 fuan) under the moft pofitive in- 
 ftruClions. In this paffage through 
 the defert, I felt for the firfl time 
 in my life the weight of years, on 
 which I had not reckoned when I 
 
 engaged 
 
xW PREFACE, 
 
 engaged in the expedition. On tlii?» 
 occalion I derived greater fupport 
 from my fpirit than from my 
 ftrength. At Syene I quitted the 
 army, to remain with the half-bri- 
 gade which was to keep Mourad-bey 
 in check in the defert. Proud at 
 finding my country in pofTeffion of 
 the very boundaries which had once 
 belonged to the Roman empire, I 
 Inhabited with exultation the quar- 
 ters which three Roman cohorts had 
 anciently occupied for the defence 
 of thefe limits. During the twenty- 
 two days which I fpent on this cele- 
 brated fpot, I took pofTefTion of 
 whatever was to be found in its vi- 
 cinity. I extended my conquefts as 
 far as Nubia, on the other fide of 
 Philoe, that delightful ifland, where 
 
 it 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 it was neceflary to fnatch by force 
 from the inhabitants the curiofities 
 with which it abounded; and the 
 temples of which were not opened 
 to me until after five days of fiege 
 and fix journies I had made thither. 
 FeeUng all the importance of mak- 
 ing you acquainted with the fpot I 
 inhabited, and with all the interefii- 
 ing objecfts it contained, I have made 
 drawings even of the rocks, of the 
 quarries of granite from whence 
 have been drawn thofe colofiTal fi:a- 
 tues, thofe obeiifks fi:ill more than 
 colofiTal, and thofe blocks covered 
 with hieroglyphics fo celebrated in 
 hiftory. With the form of them I 
 could have wifhed to bring back 
 with me the fpecimens which would 
 have interefi:ed you the mofl: power- 
 fully. 
 
XVI PREFAClE. 
 
 fully. Not being able to make a map 
 of the country, I have drawn a bird's- 
 eye view of the entrance of the Nile 
 into Egypt, together with views of 
 that river running over beds of sra- 
 nite, which feem to have marked the 
 boundaries betw^een Ethiopia and a 
 country more fertile and temperate. 
 Quitting for ever the former rude 
 territory, I approached the verdant 
 Elephantis, the garden of the tropic. 
 I fought and meafured all the mo- 
 numents it contains, and quitted 
 with regret that tranquil abode, 
 where the pleafing occupations in 
 which I had been engaged had re- 
 eftablifhed my health, and given me 
 a new vigour. 
 
 " On the right bank of the Nile 
 I vifited Ombos, the city of the cro- 
 codile, 
 
PREFACE, xvii 
 
 codllc, and that of Juno Lucina, 
 Coptos, where I was obliged to pro- 
 tect, from the fanaticifm of the 
 Mekkyns, the riches I brought away 
 with me. 
 
 ** 7Vfter making fome fiay at Ke- 
 neh, I accompanied the party which 
 had to crofs the defert, and to pro- 
 ceed to Kofseir, to check the new 
 emigrations from Arabia. I faw 
 what may be denominated the cu- 
 pola of the chain of mountains of 
 Mokatham, and the fteril banks of 
 the Red Sea. 1 there learned to re- 
 vere that patient animal, which na- 
 ture fecms to have placed in thofe 
 regions to atone for the error flie 
 had committed in creating a defert. 
 I now returned to Keneh, from 
 whence I fet out at different inter- 
 
 VoL. I. B vals 
 
xviii PREFACE. 
 
 vals to vifit Edfu, Efneh, Hermon- 
 tis, Thebes, and Denderah, neglect- 
 ing no opportunity to repair to Edfu 
 and to Thebes, whenever a detach- 
 ment was ordered to either of thefe 
 places ; and, indeed, accompanying 
 the detachments wherever they were 
 fent. If a fondnefs for antiquities 
 has frequently made me a foldier, 
 on the other hand, the kindnefs of 
 the foldiers, in aiding me in my re- 
 fearches, has often made antiquaries 
 of them. In thefe latter journies I 
 viiited the tombs of the kings, to 
 the end that in thefe fecret depojG- 
 tories I might form an idea of the 
 art of painting among the Egyptians, 
 of their iitenlils, arms, furniture^ 
 mufical inftruments, ceremonies, and 
 triumphs. It was alfo on thefe oc^ 
 
 cafions 
 
PREFACE. xlx 
 
 cafions that I aiTured myfelf, that 
 the hieroglyphics fculptured on the 
 wahs were not the only books of 
 that learned nation. After having 
 difcovered on the bass-reliefs the re- 
 prefentations of perfons in the a6l 
 of writing, I made the additional 
 difcovery of that roll of papyrus, of 
 that unique manufcript which has 
 already engaged your attention. 
 This fragile rival of the pyramids, 
 this invaluable pledge of a preferva- 
 tory climate, this monument which 
 time has fpared, is the moll ancient 
 of all books, and boafts the duration 
 of forty centuries. 
 
 " I fought, in the courfe of thefe 
 latter excurfions, to complete by ap- 
 proximations the voluminous collec- 
 tion of hieroglyphical paintings I 
 B 2 have 
 
iX PREFACE. 
 
 have formed. In thinking of you, 
 citizens, and of all the literati of 
 Europe, I felt the refolution to copy, 
 with a fcrupulous nicety, the minute 
 details of thefe dry and unmeaning 
 paintings, which could not other- 
 wife intereft me than by the aid of 
 your intelligence. 
 
 *' Now that I am returned, laden 
 with my productions, the weight of 
 which has been daily augmented, I 
 have forgotten the labour which they 
 coft me, from the perfuafion that, 
 being completed under your infpec- 
 tion, and with the help of your coun- 
 fel, they may hereafter become ufe- 
 ful to my country, and be worthy 
 to be prefented to you." 
 
TRAVELS 
 
 la 
 
 UPPER AND LOWER EGYPT. 
 
 BY 
 
 VIVANT DENON. 
 
TRAVELS 
 
 UPPER AxN'D LOWER EGYPT. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Author emharh at Toulon on hoard ha 
 Jiinon — Order of failing of the French Fleet 
 and Co7ivoy — Fafs Corfca and Elba — 
 Amufeme?its of the Creiv at Sea — V/ew of 
 Sicily from Sea — Join General Defaix's Con- 
 voy at Gozo — Malta. 
 
 I HAD from my infancy wiflied to make 
 a voyage to Egypt; but time, which 
 
 foftens every impreffion, had w^eakened this 
 
 dcfire. When the expedition, which was 
 
 to render us mailers of that territory, was 
 
 B 4 on 
 
24 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 on foot, the poffibllity of executing my old 
 project awakened the wiili to undertake it. 
 In a word, the hero who commanded the 
 expedition decided on my departure : he 
 promifed to take me with him ; and I had 
 no anxiety about my return. As foon as I 
 had made the neceiTary provifion for thofe 
 whofe exiflence depended on my own, I 
 became tranquil as to what was pafTed, and 
 devoted myfelf wholly to the future. Being 
 fully perfuaded that he who is in the con- 
 flant purfuit of any obje6l acquires from 
 thence the ability to attain his aim, I no 
 longer refledled on the obftacles which were 
 in my way, or at leaft I felt within myfelf 
 all that was neceilary to furmount them. 
 My heart palpitated, without my being ^ble 
 to explain whether this emotion arofe from 
 joy or from forrow. Shunning all focial in- 
 tercourfe, I wandered about, and became 
 
 agitated. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 25 
 
 agitated, without having any ohjccft in view, 
 and without forefeeing or providing any part 
 ofwhatv'^'^ld bccc^^c fo "fcful to me in 
 a country Wiii'^i^ iew rcfcurccs v.ere to be 
 found. The brave and unfortunate Dir 
 Falga permitted my nephew to accom- 
 pany mc, an indulgence for v\hich I felt 
 every gratitude. In quitting all that was 
 dear to me, to have the focicty of an amiable 
 relative was the means of preventing the 
 chain of my affed:ions from being broken : 
 it kept my mind in the exercife of its fen- 
 Cbility ; and marked the delicacy of that 
 good and enlightened man. 
 
 1 ihall fay but little of my journey from 
 Paris to the port where we v\ere to embark. 
 We arrived at Lyons without having quitted 
 our carriage ; and we there embarked on the 
 Rhone to proceed to Avignon. On view- 
 ing the fine banks of the Saone, and the 
 1 pid:urefque 
 
'l6 TrAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 pidiurefque fcencs of the Rhone, it llruck 
 me, that, without enjoying what he poflcfles 
 at home, man feeks in diftant climes food 
 for his infatiable curiofity. I had feen the 
 Neva, I had viewed the Tiber, and I was 
 now in fearch of the Nile : I had, however, 
 when in Italy, feen no antiquities fuperior 
 to thofe of Nifmes, Orange, Beauvaife, St. 
 Kemy, and Aix. I mention the latter place, 
 becaufe we flaid an hour there, which gave 
 me an opportunity to bathe in the apart- 
 ment, and in the very bath in which, fmce 
 the time of the Proconful Sextus, nothing 
 except the cock had been changed. 
 
 We fpent a day at Marfeilles, from whence 
 we fet out on the 13th of May, 1798, for 
 Toulon. On the following day I embarked 
 on board the frigate La Junon, which, in 
 company with two other frigates^ was to re- 
 connoitre ahead of the fleet. 
 
 The 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. '27 
 
 The wind was foul, and we quitted the 
 port with fome difficulty. We fell aboard 
 two other veilcls, an unlucky omen, which 
 would have induced a Roman to return 
 into port. He w^ould, however, have been 
 to blame, feeing that chance, which in al- 
 moft all cafes helps us more efFed:ually than 
 we can help ourfeives, by not allowing me 
 to do what I wiflied, and by conducing me 
 implicitly to what I v/as to do, placed me 
 from that moment at the advance-poft, which 
 I was not to quit during the expedition. 
 
 On the 15th, our manoeuvres were con- 
 fined to {landing off and on the port. 
 
 Towards the evening of the lOth, wc 
 difcovered four fail, which manoeuvred in 
 order of battle to leeward of us. The ham- 
 mocks were ordered on deck; a terrible com- 
 mand, of which no idea can be formed by 
 thofe who have not been at fea. Silence, 
 2 terror. 
 
28 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 terror, the preparatives for flaughter, and 
 thofe ftill more dreadful to meet, its confe- 
 quences, all difplay themfelves in the fame 
 point of view. The manoeuvres and the 
 guns are the only objects of folicitude : the 
 crew form but a fecondary confideration. 
 
 Night came, but did not reftore our tran- 
 quillity : we paiTed it at our pofts. At day- 
 break we found that we had taken every 
 advantage of the wind. The veflels in fight 
 of us were fo diftant, that we could not 
 judge whether they were fhips of the line or 
 frigates. They were four to our three ; and 
 our lower rigging was embarraffed by trains 
 of artillery. In the afternoon the commo- 
 dore ordered us to form a line of battle, 
 hoifting his colours, and firing a gun. The 
 fhips in view of us new hoilled Spanifh co- 
 lours. At night we were allowed to fleep ; 
 but at three in the morning were awakened 
 by the order to prepare for action. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 2^ 
 
 I was not forry that the expedition Ihould 
 begin by fomething brilliant : I was not, 
 however, without my apprehenfions of ex- 
 changing the Nile for the Thames. We 
 were w^lthin gun-fhot of the ftrange lliips, 
 when our commodore fent his boat on 
 board them. After an hour's abfence, the 
 boat returned with the intelligence that w^e 
 had caufcd an uncafniefs equal to our own 
 to four Spanifh frigates, which certainly did 
 not come to fcek a quarrel with us. 
 
 On the igth, at day-break, the wind 
 {hifted to the north-w'efl. The fliips of the 
 line and the convoy quitted the port, and 
 by noon the iea was covered with veflels. 
 How grand a fped:acle ! Never can any na- 
 tional difplay give a more fublime idea of 
 the fplendoiir of France, of her ftren2;th, 
 and of her means. Is it poffible to re fie (51 
 without' admiration on the facility and 
 
 promptitude 
 
30 TllAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 promptitude with which this great and me- 
 morable expedition was got ready ? Thou- 
 fands of peribns belonging to all the clalTes 
 of fociety repaired to the ports, almoft the 
 whole of them ignorant of what was to be 
 their deftination. They deferted wives, chil- 
 dren, friends and fortune, to follow Bonaparte, 
 and for this reafon only, that Bonaparte was 
 to be their guide. 
 
 On the 20th, the Orient at length quit- 
 ted the port, and we put to fea with a fair 
 wind, each veflel taking her ftation in or^ 
 der of failing. Our fquadron of frigates was 
 ahead. Next came the commander in chief, 
 with his advice-boats, and the line of battle 
 ihips. The convoy kept within fliorc, be- 
 tween the iflands of Hieres and the main 
 land. In the evening the breeze frefhened : 
 the Franklin carried aw^ay her niizen -top- 
 fail. Two frigates belonging to our divi- 
 
 fion 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 31 
 
 fion were difpatched to give notice to the 
 Genoa convoy to join us; and on the 22d 
 in the morning, we were off St. Fiorenzo, 
 in the ifland of Corfica. 
 
 We dired:ed our courfe towards Cape 
 Corfo, fteering to the call, and leaving to 
 the left Genoa, and the Ihore of Liguria. 
 Our line of battle fliips extended for a league; 
 and the half circle formed by the convoy 
 was at leafl iix leagues in extent. I counted 
 an hundred and fixty veffels, without being 
 able to reckon the whole. 
 
 On the 23d in the morning, the frigates 
 had weathered Cape Corfo. The line of 
 battle fhips were ofF the Cape, and the iiland 
 of Capraya. The convoy followed in good 
 order ; but being to leeward of the Cape^ 
 and not being able to double it in the courfe 
 of the day, we wxre obliged to lie to at the 
 diftance of a league from the land. 
 
 On 
 
32 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 On the morning of the 2-lth, the frigates 
 were off the eaftern coaft of Corfica, oppo- 
 fite Baftia, the road and port of which I 
 could diftinguifh very clearly. The city ap- 
 peared to me to be well built, and the coun- 
 try about it Icfs rude in its afped; than the 
 reft of the ifland. I made a drawing of this 
 fpot (Fig. 1. Plate I.) The iiland of Elba Is 
 a rock of ferruginous earth, the cryftallized 
 portions of which prefent all the colours of 
 the prifm. This rock is divided into three 
 Sovereignties. The feignory and mines be- 
 long to the prince of Piombino ; Porto Fer- 
 ralo, to the left, belongs to the grand duke 
 of Tufcany ; and, to the right, Porto Lon- 
 gone is the property of the king of Naples.* 
 
 The fouth-weft part of the ifland of Ca- 
 praya, which was within our view, is no 
 
 * l^y the laft treaty of peace with Naples, the pof- 
 feffion of the ifland is fecured to France. 
 
 other 
 
my-,:hft\--^\\\'Q'r"T:,: 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 0^ 
 
 e» in. 
 
 t1 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 m 
 
 M 
 
^ 1 
 
 t I 
 
 
 »^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 >N 
 
 mmSl 
 
 ^ 
 
 r%iW\ 
 
 'il'ltlllfei 
 
 T^„ 
 
 ^ 
 
 V, 
 
 
ft 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 33 
 
 Other than a fceep and inacceffible rock. 
 This liland belongs to the Genoefe, who 
 have, at the eaftern part, a fortrefs and an 
 anchorage ground. 
 
 At five in the afternoon the ifland of Pia- 
 nofe was to the eaft of us. Its flat furface is 
 a league in extent ; and as it is elevated a 
 few feet only above the furface of the fea, 
 it is extremely dangerous in the night to pi- 
 lots who are unacquainted with the coaft. 
 It is fituated between the ifland of Elba and 
 Monte Chriflo, an uncultivated rock, aban- 
 doned to wild goats. To the weft of the 
 latter ifland the wind died away, and our 
 fluggifli convoy ceafed to make any progress. 
 
 When a calm enfues, floth develops all 
 the paflions of the crew of a vefl!el, giving 
 birth to each fuperfluous want, and to the 
 difputes which arife to procure it. The fea- 
 men wanted double allowance, and vented 
 
 Vol. I. C their 
 
 ^\ 
 
34 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 their complaints. The moft greedy among 
 them fold their effeds, or difpofed of them 
 by way of lottery ; while others, withaftrong 
 propenfity to gamble, played, and loft more 
 in a quarter of an hour than they could pay 
 in their life-time. Thofe who had loft their 
 money ftakcd their watches, fix or eight of 
 which I have feen depending on the chance 
 of a die. When night put a ftop to thefe 
 turbulent enjoyments, a bad fiddle, or a 
 worfe fmger, charmed a numerous auditory 
 on the deck ; while, at a little diftance from 
 thefe, an energetic ftory-teller drew the at- 
 tention of a group of a feamen, who never 
 failed to manifeft their refentment againft 
 any one who ftiould attempt to interrupt 
 the recital of the prodigies of valour and 
 marvellous adventures of Tranche- Mo7it ague. "^ 
 The hero of thefe tales being invariably a 
 
 * A ftory fimilar to that of our Jack the giant-killer. 
 
 warrior. 
 
 f 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 35 
 
 warrior, each of the adventures was as pro- 
 bable as it was interefting to the auditors. 
 In the mean time our proviiions diminifhed 
 daily, while we remained in a manner fta- 
 tionary. 
 
 On the 25th, we were ftill off Monte 
 Chrifto, and the eaftern coall of Corfica, 
 This part of the ifland appeared to me to be 
 more agreeable, and better cultivated than 
 the others. 
 
 On the 26th, at day-break, we were off 
 the ftrait of Bonifacio ; and, our convoy 
 being collected, fnould have made a confi- 
 derable progrefs, had we not been obliged 
 to lie to, and to wait for the divifions of 
 Ajaccio and Civita Vecchia. The Diane 
 and an advice-boat had been difpatched to 
 them ; while the frigates had received orders 
 to cruife ahead, and to hail and recoitnoitre 
 veffels. 
 
 C2 On 
 
36 tRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 On the morning of the 27th, we had en^ 
 tirely loft %ht of land. The following day 
 "W^s rpent in a ftate of perfect ftagnation. 
 In a fea cruife a calm refembles the fleep 
 which opium procures in a raging fever : the 
 evil is fufpended, but the malady is not fub- 
 dued. 
 
 On the 29th, we ftood on, having been 
 joined by the Ajaccio convoy : that of Civita 
 Vecchia had not made fo much fpeed. The 
 ifland of Corilca was no longer in view ; 
 and we were abreaft of the ifland of Talara* 
 
 The iUand of Sardinia is not fo elevated 
 as Corfica. Thefe two iflands, one lituated 
 at the extremity of the other, appear like 
 a prolongation of the chain of the Alps, 
 which terminates at the gulf of Genoa, as 
 do alfo the chains of the Apennines and 
 Vofges mountains, together with all thofe 
 fecondary chains, which are no other than 
 2 £q 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 37 
 
 10 many branches diverging frona the fame 
 point. At noon the fignal was made for a 
 written order. We were fo much in need 
 of events, that this circumftance diffufed 
 gladnefs in every breaft. The purport of 
 the order was, that we were to proceed to 
 Cagliari, and, on our arrival off that port, 
 were to return to Porto Vecchio, if we had 
 been anticipated by an enemy of fuperior 
 force. 
 
 On the 30th and Sift, we were prevent- 
 ed from taking advantage of the wind, the 
 Ihips of the line and convoy doing nothing 
 but ftanding off and on. In the evening we 
 were joined by the Badine, which brought 
 the intelligence that we might be almoft cer- 
 tain of reaching Cagliari point without mo- 
 leftation. Nothing new occurred until the 
 4th of June. Our provifions were nearly 
 cxpiended, an.d our water become fo fetid as 
 C 3 to 
 
38 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 to be fcarcely drinkable. The ufeful ani- 
 mals had difappeared, while thofe that fed 
 on us were multiplied an hundred fold. 
 
 On the following day, the 5th, we re- 
 ceived orders to form the line afrefh, which 
 led us to think that we were to profecutc 
 our expedition without delay, and for that 
 purpofe to crofs over to the oppofite Ibore. 
 The Diane led. We repeated her fignals to 
 the Alcefte, which tranfmitted them to the 
 Spartiate, from whence, by the medium of 
 the Aquilon, they were conveyed to the Ihip 
 of the commander in chief. By eight o'clock 
 we were in the order I have jufl defcribed. 
 In cafe the Diane fliould chace an enemy's 
 velTel, the other fhips compofmg the flying 
 fquadron were to crowd fail to come up with 
 her and her chace. We faw feveral fmall 
 dolphins play before the head of the fhip ; 
 but, to our great mortification, they difap- 
 
 pearc 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. SQ 
 
 pcared while we were preparing to harpoon 
 them. 1 had a clofc view of them. Their 
 progrefs refembles the pitching of a veiTel. 
 They leap out of the water, and dart for- 
 ward twenty feet. They are elegantly fliaped, 
 and their rapid movements rather refemble a 
 fportive gaiety, than announce the voracity of 
 an animal in queft of its prey. In the even- 
 ing the wind frefhened, and, fliiftlng round 
 from the eaft to the wed, collected the con- 
 voy in fuch a way, that I fancied I faw Ve- 
 nice floating on the waves. At fun-fet we 
 defcried Martlmo, and received orders to 
 rally the convoy, in the mldft of which we 
 were to pafs the night, as in a floating city. 
 
 On the 0th, we kept In the fame order of 
 falling. We were lllU in fight of Martlmo, 
 a rock which refembles a mole, at the weft- 
 ern point of Sicily. It Is one of the rally- 
 ing points of the Mediterranean, where we 
 C 4 might 
 
40 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 jnight have fallen in with the Englifh. The 
 wind frefhened, and we went at the rate 
 of two leagues an hour. Under fuch cir- 
 cumflances as thefe, the inconveniences of 
 a fea-life are forgotten^, and nothing felt but 
 the advantage of having fuch an agent as 
 the fea for the tranfport and conveyance of 
 forty thoufand men, as in our cafe, without 
 halt or relay. At one o'clock, being off Mar- 
 timo, and at one league's diftance from 
 thence, we defcried Favagnana, another rock, 
 fituated in front of Trapano, and mount Erix, 
 which overlooks that city, celebrated for a 
 temple of Venus, and for the way in which 
 facrifices were there made to that goddefs. 
 I had formerly vifited mount Erix, where I 
 had fought the temple, and the city re- 
 nowned for the beauty of its female inhabi- 
 tants : in fpite, however, of my youth, and 
 of a fervid imagination, I could difcover no- 
 thing 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 41 
 
 thing but a paltry village, and fome founda- 
 tions of a temple. 
 
 The coaft of Sicily, a country agreeable, 
 produAive, and well cultivated, made us 
 amends for the rude afpedl of the coafts of 
 Corfica, and the adjacent rocks. To me it 
 had another charm, that of remembrance. 
 I had figured to m} fclf Sicily as an ancient 
 property. I could perceive, through the 
 vapours of the atmofphere, Marfala, former- 
 ly Lilibseum, from whence the Greeks and 
 Komans defcried the fleets which came out 
 from Carthage to attack them. At a more 
 remote diftance, I had a ghmpfe of the ver- 
 dant and ilourifiiing plains of Mazzarra, and 
 of the city of Motala, celebrated for the 
 combat between the Carthaginians and Sy- 
 racufans. My Imagination, following the 
 coad, figured to itfclf the afpecl of Selinuns, 
 its temples and its upright columns ftill re- 
 
 fembhng 
 
42 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 
 
 fembling towers. At a ftill greater diftance, 
 I fancied I could perceive the hofpitable 
 Agrigentum. We made a progrefs of three 
 leagues an hour ; and the picture which my 
 imagination had drawn was about to be re- 
 alized, when a fignal was made to call in the 
 frigates. 
 
 The night was fine ; we fpent it in "the 
 midfl of the fleet. I had requeftcd to be 
 waked if the land fbould be in fight at day- 
 break. At half after three I was on deck ; 
 and as foon as the day dawned, I perceived 
 that the fleet and convoy had put out to fea, 
 and were fleering towards Malta. Sicily 
 foon difappeared. To the fouth weft 1 per- 
 ceived, or rather I fancied 1 could diflin- 
 guifh, the ifland of Pantalcrla, in the midfl 
 of the thick clouds in which it is conftantly 
 enveloped. Thither it was that the Romans 
 exiled the iilullrious characflers they pro- 
 
 fcrlbed ; 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 43 
 
 fcribed ; and there the Neapolitan flatc-pri- 
 foners are at this time confined. 
 
 On the 7th we had a clear {ky ; but, tha 
 wind having died away, we made but little 
 progrefs. Having been obliged to give chace 
 to a ftrange fail, we were feparatcd from the 
 fleet, which we could not join afterwards. 
 We faw a fifh about eighty feet in length. 
 
 The night was calm ; and on the 8th, at 
 day-break, we were precifely in the fituation 
 in which we had been on the preceding 
 evening at fun-fct. To the north eaft we 
 defcried Etna towering above the horizon. 
 I could fee its figure very diflindly. The 
 fmoke iifued from the eaftern fide, and de- 
 noted an eruption from an accidental aper- 
 ture. Notwithflanding it was fifty leagues 
 diftant from us, it appeared larger than the 
 mountains to the fouth, which were diilant 
 only twelve leagues. When the fua had at- 
 tained 
 
44 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 tamed a certain degree of elevation, it difap* 
 peared, together with the fhadow by which 
 its circumference was marked. 
 
 At fix in the evening we defcried Gozo, 
 which, at the dillance of feven leagues, I 
 very clearly dillinguiflied, reddening at the 
 horizon. We lay to all night to wait for 
 the convoy. On the following morning, at 
 day-break, I had another view of Etna, the 
 fmoke of which fpread itfelf in the air to a 
 -diflance of more than twenty leagues, like a. 
 long fheet of vapours. We were then fifty- 
 three leagues diflant from the ifland. 
 
 The men of war all paiTed under the ftern 
 of the commander in chief. We had not 
 as yet approached the Orient fince our de- 
 parture ; and this evolution was fo awful and 
 majeflic, that, notwithftanding the pleafure 
 we had at fecmg each other again, we did 
 not add a fingle phrafe to the good ^ay which 
 we pronounced with a low voice in paffingc 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 4B 
 
 We fleered towards the north fide of 
 Gozo. It is an elevated rock in form of a 
 peak, and without anchorage. We after- 
 wards coafled along the weflern part, within 
 half gun-ihot. On that fide, which at firfl 
 fight appears as barren as the other, cotton is 
 however cultivated. AH the little vallies 
 refemble fo many gardens. In the middle 
 of the illand there is a large village, and on 
 the mofl elevated part a fortrefs with cafe- 
 mates, very well built. 
 
 At eight in the morning a lignal was 
 made for feveral flrange fails, thirty of which 
 could be diftinguifhed. Was this the ene- 
 my's fleet ? On reconnoitering, it was found 
 to be the Civita Vecchia convoy, having 
 on board General Defaix's diviflon. This 
 convoy had kept within fhore along the Ita- 
 lian coaft, had pafTcd through the ftrait of 
 MefTina, and was off Malta fome days before 
 Us, 
 
40 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 As an impetuous torrent, which has in- 
 crcafed its bulk in paffing over mountains 
 covered vslth fnow, threatens in its courfe, 
 accelerated by its mafs, to fweep away forefls 
 and cities ; fo our fleet, now become im- 
 inenfe, unqueftionably fpread terror and dif- 
 may wherever it was defcrled. Corfica, 
 warned of our approach, felt no other emo- 
 tion than that which is infpired by fo grand 
 a fpe£lacle : Sicily was appalled ; and Malta 
 in a flate of ftupid confternation. We will 
 not, however, anticipate events. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 47 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 j^rrlval of the Fleet at Malta — Attack on the 
 Town and Capitiilatton — The Fleet purfiie 
 their Voyage — Accident at Sea — Di/cover 
 the Briti/Ji Fleet near Candia — Make the 
 Coaft of Egypt — Barren Appearance of the 
 Land — Tower of the Arabs — View of 
 Alexandria from Sea — The Army difem^ 
 hark and carry Fort Marabou. 
 
 A T five in the afternoon we were off 
 Cumino and Cuminotto, two iflots 
 which lie between Gozo and Malta, and 
 w^hich, together with thefe iflands, confti- 
 tute the whole of the fovereignty of the 
 Grand Mafcer. There are feveral fmall for- 
 
 treffes 
 
48 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 trefTes to proted thefe iflots from the Bar- 
 bary pirates, and to prevent them from eftab- 
 lifhing themfelves there when the Maltefe 
 galHes arc no longer at fea. • One of our 
 barks approached, but a landing was refufed: 
 flie fent her fmall boat to found the anchor- 
 ing grounds. At fix o'clock we defcried 
 Malta, the afped: of which delighted me as 
 much as when I firft faw it. Two paltry 
 barks came out to offer us tobacco. The 
 evening clofed, and not a light was to be 
 difcovered in the city. Our frigate was ofF 
 the entrance of the port, within lefs than a 
 gun fhot of fort St. Elmo. Orders were 
 given to prepare for landing the troops. At 
 nine o'clock a fignal was made for the fhips 
 to take their flations : there was little or no 
 wind : the Ihips of the line made night fig- 
 nals relative to thefe movements, and to 
 thole of the convoy. Rockets were let off, 
 
 and 
 
J'lh..^ 
 
 ^ /////////'/ /V' //// ///yy//./ 
 
 Tt'ty. (}. 
 
 # 
 
 "^y 
 
 # 
 
I 
 
 ^PP'T^IJ 
 
 ''„/,„„,; /,.//, //,r„/.//„r/;.>,rr/. //.//, 
 
 _/.'// /</,/, „/_ //,/>,, 
 
 C,,r,„/ /„„:,/'///,..,>,„/,■, 
 
 \ 
 
 
TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 4g 
 
 and guns fired, in confequence of which all 
 the lights were extinguilhed in the port. 
 Our captain went on board the flag-fliip, 
 but on his return concealed from us the or- 
 ders he had received. 
 
 On the loth, at four in the morning, 
 having been carried away by the ftrength of 
 the currents, we were to leeward of the 
 ifland, the eaftern part of which was in 
 fight: it was fi:ill calm. I made (No. 1. 
 Plate III.) a drawing of the whole of the 
 iiland of Gozo, and of the two illots, to 
 give an idea of the general form of this 
 group, and of its furface on the horizontal 
 line of the fea. 
 
 A gentle breeze fprung up, and advantage 
 was taken of it to form a femi-circular line, 
 one of the extremxlties of which terminated 
 at St. Catharine's point, and the other a 
 league to the left o£ the city, blocking the 
 
 Vol, I. D port. 
 
50 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 port. The centre vas Rationed off forts S£. 
 Elmo and St. Angeio ; and the convoy at 
 anchor between Cumino and Gozo. Im- 
 mediately after, a fhot vs'as fired from fort 
 St. Catharine, levelled at the barks which 
 approached the fhore, and at the troops for 
 landing under the command of General De- 
 faix. Inftantly another (hot was fired from 
 the fortreis which commands the city, and 
 on this fortrefs the ftandard of the Religion 
 was diiplayed, at the fame time that, at the 
 other extremity of th^ line of our velTels, our 
 boats were employed in landing troops and 
 field-pieces. Scarcely were they formed on 
 the beach, when they proceeded to the at- 
 tack of two pofts, the garrifons of which 
 retreated after a momentary refiflance. The 
 batteries of all the forts now commenced a 
 fire on the lliips and debarkations. This firs 
 they kept up till the evening, with an impru- 
 dent 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 5 J 
 
 dent precipitation, which betrayed their fears 
 and confufion. At ten o'clock we faw our 
 troops afcend the neareft height, and march 
 to the rear of Valetta, to oppofe 3. for tie made 
 by the befieged, who wxre driven within the 
 W'alls, and under the batteries. The firing 
 was kept up until night. This attempt on 
 the part of the knights, aided by the pea- 
 fants, was fatal to them. During their ab- 
 fence there had been tumults in the city, 
 where the populace maflacred ieveral of them 
 on their return. 
 
 The wind dying away, we took advantage 
 of the little that remained to join the fhips 
 of the line, from an appreheniion of being 
 becalmed, and of being thus expofed to the 
 fire of two Maltefe gallies which had an- 
 chored off the entrance of the port. (See 
 No. 2. Plate I.) I was conflantly on deck, 
 and, with a fpying glafs in hand, could have 
 D 2 kept 
 
52 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 kept a journal of all that paffed in the city,, 
 and have noted in a manner the degree of 
 a^ivity of the paffions by which the move- 
 ments were guided. The firft day all was 
 in martial array, the knights in full uniform, 
 and a conflant communication kept up be- 
 tween the city and the forts, into which 
 provifions and ammunition of every kind 
 were thrown. Every thing, in fhort, indi- 
 cated hoflility. On the fecond day the 
 movements were confined to an agitated 
 ftate. A part only of the knights were in 
 uniform : they difputed with each other, 
 but had ceafed to a^. 
 
 On the 11th, at day-break, the flate of 
 things was pretty much the fame as on the 
 preceding evening. A flow and iniignifi- 
 cant fire was kept up by the befieged. Bo- 
 naparte had returned on board ; and General 
 Regnier, who had made himfelf matter o£ 
 
 Gozo^ 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 53 
 
 Gozo, had fent ofFfeveral prifoners, French- 
 men. After having qucftioncd them, Bo- 
 naparte faid to them with a ftem voice : 
 ^' Since you have taken up arms againft 
 *' your country, you fhould have known how 
 *' to die. I will not accept ilich prifoners : 
 ^* you may therefore return to Malta, which 
 " is not yet in my poffellion." 
 
 A bark left the port : we fent a fmall 
 boat to hail her, and to condud her to the 
 commander in chief. When I faw this fmall 
 bark carry at her ftern the flandard of the 
 Religion, failing humbly beneath the ram- 
 parts, which had for two years vidorioufly 
 refifted all the forces of the eaft, command- 
 ed by the terrible Dragut ; when I figured 
 to myfelf this accumulated glory, acquired 
 and preferved during feveral ages, melt away 
 when oppofed to the fortune of Bonaparte, 
 f thought I heard the ghofts of Lifle-Adam 
 D 3 and 
 
54 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 and Lavalette vent their difmal lamentations, . 
 and I fancied I {aw Time make to Philofophy 
 the illuftrious facrifice o{ the moft venerable 
 of all illufions. 
 
 At eleven o'clock another bark came off 
 with a flag of truce. It had on board feveral 
 Itnights who had quitted Malta, and who 
 did not wifh to be comprehended among 
 thofe by whom refiftance had been made. 
 It was eafy to colled: from their converfation 
 that the Maltefe had but few refources left. 
 At four in the afternoon the Junon was 
 within half gun-fhot of the illand : I had a 
 diftind view of the forts, in which I could 
 perceive fewer men than guns. 
 
 The gates of the forts were Ihut, and there 
 was no longer any communication between 
 them and the city ; a circumftance which 
 manifefted a diflrufl and mifunderftanding 
 between the inhabitants and the knightSc 
 
 Junotj 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 55 
 
 Junot, an aid-de-camp, was fent with the 
 general's ultimatum. A few minutes after, 
 a deputation of twelve Maltefe commifTaries 
 went on board the Orient. We were Ra- 
 tioned exacflly oppofite the city, which runs 
 from north to fouth, and which we could 
 fee from one extremity to the other, the 
 ftreets being in a right line. They were as 
 v/ell lighted as they were obfcure on the 
 night of our arrival. 
 
 On the 12th, in the morning, we were 
 informed that the general's aid-de-camp had 
 been very favourably received by the inha- 
 bitants. I could diftinguifh, with the help 
 of my glafs, that the palifade by which fort 
 St. Elmo is enclofcd was aifailed bv a mul- 
 titude of perfons. Thofe who were within- 
 lide were feated on the walls of the batteries, 
 in an attitude which denoted anxious expec- 
 tation. At half after eleven, the bark which 
 D4 had 
 
56 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 had brought the flag of truce, and which 
 had remained under her ftern during the 
 night, left the Orient. We received at the 
 fame time orders to hoift our colours, and, 
 a moment after, the fignal was made that 
 Malta was in our poiTeffion. 
 
 This ifland became an intermediate Na- 
 tion between our country and the one we 
 were about to fubdue. It completed the 
 conqueft of the Mediterranean; and never 
 had France attained fo great a degree of 
 power. At five o'clock our troops entered 
 and took poiTeffion of the forts : they were 
 faluted by the fleet with five hundred guns. 
 
 We had been the firfl in quitting Toulon, 
 and we were the lafl in entering the harbour 
 of Malta. We did not land until the 13th 
 in the morning. 1 was no ftranger to this 
 furprlfmg city ; and was not lefs ftruck, on 
 this fecond occafipn, than on my firfl: vifit, 
 
 with 
 
TRAVELS l^ EGYPT. ^J 
 
 with the formlcjable afpe^l by which it is 
 charaderized. 
 
 Geographers are not decided whether 
 Malta Ihould be annexed to Europe or to 
 Africa. The perfons of the Maltefe, their 
 moral character, complexion, and language, 
 ought to determine the queftion in favour of 
 Africa. 
 
 Both the French and Maltefe were very 
 much furprifed at finding themfelves on the 
 fame ground. On our fide it was enthu- 
 fiafm ; on their's, ftupefacflion. 
 
 All the Turkifli and Arabian flaves were 
 iet free ; and never was there a ftronger ex- 
 preffion of joy than that which they mani- 
 fefted. When they met the French, grati- 
 tude was expreiTed in their countenances in 
 fo affediing a way, that I repeatedly Ihed 
 tears. It was to me a true feaft of the foul. 
 To convey an idea of their extreme fatisfac- 
 
 tion 
 
58 TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 tion on this occafion, it is neceffary to ftate^ 
 that their governments never either bought 
 or exchanged them. Their flavery was not 
 alleviated by any hope ; and they could not 
 even dream of the termination of their fuf- 
 ferings, 
 
 I went out in quefl of my old acquaint- 
 ances, and viewed with a new delight the 
 fine paintings in frefco of Calabreze, with 
 which the roof of the church of St. John is 
 decorated, and the magnificent piAure of 
 Michael Angelo de Caravagio, in the facrifty 
 of the fame church. I next vifited the li- 
 brary, where I faw an etrufcan vafe found at 
 Gozo, of the greateft beauty, both with re- 
 ipedl to the earth and the painting. I like- 
 wife infped;ed a very large glafs vafe, a lamp 
 alfo found at Gozo, and a kind of votive difk 
 in ftone, with a bafs relief, reprefenting on 
 one of the fides, a fphinx, with a paw placed 
 
 on 
 
TRAVe'lS in EGYPT. 5Q 
 
 on the head of a ram. The ftyle of this lat- 
 ter obje6l fufficiently denotes its antiquity. 
 The other curiofities in the library are to be 
 found in the defcription of the cabinet of 
 Malta, and in that which I have given in my 
 pidiurefque travels in Italy. A few months 
 before our arrival, a tomb had been found 
 near Malta, at a place named Earbac^eo. 
 
 On the fourth day after our landing, the 
 commander in chief gave a fupper, to which 
 the members of the newly conftituted au- 
 thorities were invited. They faw with equal 
 furprife and admiration the martial elegance 
 of our generals and the aiTemblage of officers, 
 on w^hofe countenances beamed health and 
 vigour, glory and hope, They were ftruck 
 by the noble phyfiognomy of the commander 
 in chief, the expreflion of which feemed to 
 augment his ftature. 
 
 The commotions which had taken place 
 
 in 
 
60 TRAVELS IN EGYPT- 
 
 in the city on our arrival, had occafioned the 
 Shutting up of the coffee -houfes, and other 
 places of public amufement. The more re - 
 fpe(5cable inhabitants, not yet recovered from 
 their aflonifliment at the events which had 
 taken place, kept themfelves within doors ; 
 while our foldiers, heated by wine and by 
 the climate, infpired fo much terror among 
 the trades-people and the lower clafles, that 
 they fliut up their fliops, and hid their fe- 
 males. This fine city, where We faw no one 
 but ourfelves, appeared dull to us. The forts, 
 baftions, and ftrong fortifications, feemed to 
 announce to the army that nothing could 
 impede its progrefs, and that it had only to 
 march to vidlory ; and the foldiers returned 
 on board with pleafure. The wind, how- 
 ever, prevented our getting out of harbour : 
 of this delay I availed myfelf, and made a 
 view of the interior of the port. (See Plate 
 I. Fig. 3.) 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 6 1 
 
 During the whole of the 18th, wc ftood 
 cfFand on before the port. 
 
 On the morning of the IQth, the Orient 
 came out of harbour. Four thoufand men, 
 commanded by General Vaubois, were left 
 on the ifland, together with two officers of 
 engineers and artillery, a civil commiflary, 
 and, in fhort, all thofe who, impelled by 
 their curiolity, and a rambling inclination, 
 had embarked without fufficient refle<3:ion, 
 and who, through ficklenefs, or a falfe mode 
 of reafoning, were become difgufted on the 
 \^'ay, reprefenting as fo many injuries which, 
 according to them, they were made to fuffer^ 
 the inconveniences infeparable from a fea 
 voyage. There were among them thofe 
 who, perfedlly infeniible to the beauties of 
 Malta, the conveniences of its ports, and its 
 advantageous pofition, were furprifed that a 
 rock beneath the burning clime of Africa 
 2 fhould 
 
62 TRAVELS IN EdYPT. 
 
 fhould not be as verdant as the vale of Mont- 
 morency ; as if each country had not re- 
 ceived from nature her peculiar gifts ! To 
 travel, is to enjoy thefe gifts, which are de- 
 ftroyed by an endeavour to draw a compa- 
 rison between them. 
 
 If the afpe6l of Malta is barren, one can- 
 not but admire that the fmalleft hill, which 
 contains an inconfiderable portion of earth, 
 Ihould be converted into a garden equally 
 delightful and abundant, in which all the 
 plants of Afia and of Africa might be inured 
 1K> the climate, and made to flourifh. This 
 Ipecies of primary hot-houfe might ferve to 
 fupply another at Toulon ; and thefe pro- 
 dudlions might thus be brought by degrees 
 to Paris, without having been expofed to 
 thofe rude checks which are occafioned by 
 a fudden and extreme difference of climate. 
 It is probable that a great part of the exotic 
 
 plants 
 
TPRAVELS in EGYPT. 63 
 
 plants which we cultivate annually at a great 
 expence in our green-houfes, where they lan- 
 guifli the fecond year, and perifh the third, 
 might be naturalized here. The experiments 
 made on animals feem to fupport this fyflem 
 of gradation. 
 
 The whole of this day, the IQth, was em* 
 ployed in collecting the fleet of line of battle 
 fhips, the fquadron of frigates, and the con- 
 voy. At fix in the evening a fignal was 
 made to observe the order of failing. The 
 movement was general in every diredlion, 
 and was produ<5live of fome confufion. 
 
 Being obliged to give way to the admiral's 
 fhip, we perceived a little too late that the 
 Leoben was on the point of running foul 
 of us. The officer of the watch pretended 
 that the Leoben was in fault, and confined 
 himfelf ftri<5lly to his tadics. Our captain, 
 more intent to fave the frieate agrainft the 
 
 rules 
 
04 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 rules of feamanfhip than to injure the Leo- 
 ben, ordered a manoeuvre : the officer of 
 the watch gave orders for another ; a mo- 
 ment of inadtion enfued ; and it became 
 too late for exertion. I was aware of our 
 danger from the diftortions I obferved in 
 every part of our captain's countenance and 
 perfon. We fhall fall aboard ! we are run- 
 ning foul ! we are aboard ! were the three 
 fentences pronounced in fucceflion ; and 
 time for the utterance of them was fuffi- 
 cient to decids on our fate. The frigates 
 approached each other, and the rigging be- 
 came entangled. The Leoben, by a flight 
 manoeuvre, fell alongfide us ; and this fliock 
 w^as deadened by the carriages of the field* 
 pieces faflened to her fide, and which were 
 broken. The cries of four hundred per- 
 fons, with uplifted hands, made me believe 
 for a moment that the Leoben was the vic- 
 tim 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 65 
 
 tim of this firil encounter. In endeavour- 
 ing by a manoeuvre to avoid or diminifli the 
 fecond, v^^e perceived on our ftarboard the 
 Artemife bearing down on us, in an oppofite 
 direction; and again, ahead of us, the prow 
 of a fhip of fcventy-four guns, which we had 
 perceived for the firft time. Our terror was 
 extreme : we were become a point at which 
 every danger was at one and the fame time 
 concentrated. The Leoben, bv another ma- 
 noeuvre, prefented to us her bow ; and her 
 fore-yard fell on our deck. This accident, 
 which niight have been fatal to many of 
 the crew, was advantageous to us. The 
 feamen, and more particularly the Turks by 
 whom we had been joined, furrounded the 
 yard, and made fuch efforts to force it back, 
 that the Ihock, which received no fupport 
 from the wind, was deadened ; and for this 
 time we efcaped at the expenfe of a hole 
 Vol. I. E made 
 
66 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 made in our upper planks by the Lcoben''^ 
 anchor. The Artemife had pafTed under Our 
 ftern; and the fhip of the line had fhot 
 ahead ; infomuch, that all thefe dangers, 
 which had gathered about us like clouds in 
 a ftorm, were ftill more fpeedily diffipated. 
 Nothing remained but the anger of the of- 
 ficer of the watch, who would gladly have 
 feen us all perifli, fooner than not convince 
 his captain that he was in the right. We 
 were indebted for our fafety to the fcanti- 
 nefs of the wind, and to the carriages of 
 the field-pieces, by which the firft fliock 
 was deadened. Two merchantmen, in fal- 
 ling aboard each other, may do themfelves 
 fome raifchief, but are not likely to founder. 
 With men of war it is different : it rarely 
 happens that one or the other is not lofl, 
 and frequently both. 
 
 On the 20th, it was calm during the 
 
 whole 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 67 
 
 whole of the day ; and we had to encounter 
 the intenfe heat of the fun in fuch a fea- 
 fon, in thirty-five degrees of latitude. In 
 the courfe of the night a breeze fprang up : 
 the order of failing was changed. 
 
 On the 21 ft, the convoy was ftationed 
 ahead, the fhips of the line in the rear, and 
 the frigates to the left. 
 
 On the two following days we had fine 
 weather, and a fair wind, which would have 
 enabled us to reach the ifland of Candia, 
 provided we had not had a convoy with us, 
 for which we were obliged to wait every 
 moment. 
 
 During the months of June, July, and 
 Auguft, the north and north-eaft winds are 
 the trade winds of the Mediterranean ; a 
 circumftance which renders the navigation 
 delightful in that feafon, in falling to the 
 fouth and to the weft, but which, at the 
 E 2 fame 
 
68 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 fame time, makes the return very uncertalriy 
 it being neceflary to enter on it during the 
 inclement feafon. 
 
 On the 24th, we made forty- eight leagues 
 with a breeze which bordered on a gale of 
 wind. On the following morning, at eleven 
 o'clock, our fignal was made to go ahead 
 and look out for land. At four in the af- 
 ternoon we dlfcovered the weft part of the 
 ifland of Candia. At the diftance of twenty 
 leagues 1 could diftinguiih mount Ida, the 
 birth-place of Jupiter, and the country cf 
 almoft all the gods. I had the greateft wilh 
 poffible to vifit the kingdom of Minos, and 
 to feek fome remains of the labyrinth. What 
 I had forefeen, however, happened : our fa- 
 vourable breeze prevented us from approach- 
 ing the ifland. 
 
 On the 26th, at five in the morning, I 
 found that we had fteered in the diredion 
 
 of 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, CQ 
 
 of the eaftern coaft, without drawing to- 
 wards it. The gale had been fo ftrong dur- 
 ing the night, that the whole of the convoy 
 was difperfed. We fpent all the morning 
 in colleding the transports, and in fliorten- 
 ing fail for their coming up. During this 
 manoeuvre, chance difcovered to us, through 
 a thick fog, the Englifh fleet, which was 
 fix leagues diftant from us, fleering to the 
 weft, and proceeding in queft of us towards 
 the northern coafi:. 
 
 On the evening of the 27th, our figna] 
 was made to pafs under the flern of the 
 Orient. It would be difficult to convey a 
 precife idea of the fenfations we felt on ap- 
 proaching this fan6luary of power, dictating 
 its decrees amidfl three hundred fail of vef- 
 fels, in the flill filence of the night. The 
 moon afforded to this pi(fture jufl as much 
 light as was neccfTary to the enjoyment of 
 E 3 it. 
 
70 TRAVELS IN EGYPt. 
 
 it. Five hundred pcrfons were on our deck t 
 and the flapping of a bee's wings might 
 have been heard : the very refplration was 
 fufpended. Our captain was ordered to re- 
 pair on board the flag-fliip; and I cannot 
 defcribe the joy I felt on his return, when 
 he informed us that we were detached from 
 the fleet, and were to proceed without de- 
 lay to Alexandria, where we were to concert 
 meafures with our conful, and to learn from 
 him whether the inhabitants were apprifed 
 of our coming, and how they were difpofed 
 towards us. He added, that it was our def- 
 tiny to land the firfl in Africa, there to col- 
 ledl together our countrymen, and to flielter 
 them from the earliefl; movements of the 
 inhabitants on the approach of the fleet. 
 From that moment we fet every fail we 
 could carry, to accomplifli as fpeedily as pof- 
 fible the fixty leagues we had ftill to run. 
 
 The 
 
TRAVELS IN E&YPT, 7I 
 
 The wind, however, fell during the night: 
 for a few hours we had a gentle breeze ; but, 
 during the reft of the time, the way we 
 made was entirely owing to the impulfion 
 given to the fea, and to the currents, which 
 carried us towards the point of our deftina- 
 tion. 
 
 Our orders, after having warned our coun- 
 trymen to be on their guard, were to return 
 to the fleet, which was to cruife and to wait 
 for us at the diftance of fix leagues from 
 Cape Brule. (See the Chart.) On the 28th 
 at noon, we were within thirty leagues of 
 Alexandria; and at four in the afternoon, 
 our feamen at the maft-head cried out, 
 *^ land,'' At fix o'clock we faw it from the 
 deck. 
 
 -The breeze continued during the night; 
 
 and on the 2yth at day-break, I faw the 
 
 :Coaft to the wxft, ftretching like a white 
 
 E 4 ribbon 
 
72 TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 ribbon over the blue horizon of the fea. Not 
 a tree, not a habitation was to be difeovered: 
 it was not merely nature in her faddeft ar- 
 ray, but the deftrudion of nature. It was 
 filence and death. It did not, however, af- 
 fect the gaiety of our feamen : one of them, 
 pointing to the defert, faid to his comrade, 
 " Look, there are thejtx acres mohich have been 
 decreed you'^ The general burft of laughter 
 which this pleafantry occafioned, may ferve 
 to fliew that courage is difmterefted, or at 
 leaft that it fprings from a nobler fentiment 
 than that of intereft. 
 
 This part of the coafh is dangerous in 
 ftormv weather, and during the foss of win- 
 ter, when the low, flat land difappears, and 
 IS perceived only when it is too late to fhun 
 it. Our good fortune, however, allowed us 
 to work in the direction of Cape Durazzo, 
 which we fought by fleering to the eafl a 
 quarter fouth. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 73 
 
 Ten leagues from the Cape, and five from 
 Alexandria, we faw a ruin which is named 
 the Arabian tower. It appeared to me to 
 be a baftioned fquare, at fomc diftance from 
 which there is a round tower. I could have 
 wifhed to have been able to diftinguifh the 
 details better, fo as to have judged whether 
 it is an Arabian building, or of antique con- 
 ftrudlion, and to what date of antiquity it 
 belongs ; whether it is the Tapofiris of the 
 ancients, which Procopius defcribes as the 
 tomb of Ofiris, or the Cherfonefus of Strabo ; 
 or, laftiy, Plinthine, from whence the gulf 
 derived its name. Since that time the gar- 
 rifon of Alexandria has detached reconnoiter- 
 ing parties to this poft. The reports of thefe 
 parties having, however, been entirely con- 
 fined to their military operations, I have not 
 been able to colled: any information relative 
 to the origin of thefe ruins ; and the en- 
 quiries 
 
74 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 qulries I have made, have merely tended to 
 augment the curlofity with which their bulk 
 and extent have infpired me. In general, 
 the whole of this weftern coaft, compre- 
 hending the great and fmall fhoals of Cyre- 
 naica, formerly well inhabited, and con- 
 taining repubUcs and other forms of govern- 
 ment, is at this time one of the moft ne- 
 glected countries in the univerfe, and is 
 brought to our recolle<flion by the fine me- 
 dals alone with which it has fupplied us. 
 
 To the right and left of us our promifed 
 land appeared ftill more fteril than that of 
 the Jews. It is true, that thus far it had 
 not coft us fo dear ; that, if it had not rained 
 on us quails ready roafted, our manna was 
 not corrupted ; that we had not been tor- 
 mented by raging colics ; and that we had, 
 notwithftanding, preferved all that had fallen 
 to the fhare of the children of Ifrael. The 
 1 Bedouin 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 75 
 
 Bedouin Arabs, however, who are dlfperfed 
 over this country, might have infliifled on 
 us fuiFerings equal to theirs, and have been 
 equally difaftrous to us. It Is notwithltand- 
 ing faid, that, during the laft twenty years, 
 they have been true to their engagement en- 
 tered into with the fadlory of Alexandria, 
 by which, after exading certain duties, they 
 reftorc thofe who have been flilpwrecked, at 
 the rate of twenty dollars per head, inftead 
 of killing them, as was formerly their cuf- 
 tom. 
 
 At one o'clock a lieutenant was ient on 
 ihore. He had fcarcely ftepped into the 
 boat when we looked for his return, and 
 counted the minutes as they paffed. At 
 three leagues diftance I made a view of 
 Alexandria, (See Fig. 4. Plate I.) 
 
 By the help of our glafles we faw the tri- 
 colour flag difplayed over our conful's houfe. 
 
 I figured 
 
76 . TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 1 figured to myfelf the furprifc he was about 
 to ied, and that which we were preparing 
 againd the following day for the flieik of 
 Alexandria. 
 
 When the fhadows of the evening deli- 
 neated the outline of the city ; when 1 could 
 diftinguifli on our approach the two ports ; 
 the thick walls, flanked by a great number 
 €y£ towers, which at prefent contain nothing 
 but hillocks of fand, and a few gardens, in 
 ■which the pale green hue of the palm-trees 
 Scarcely tempers the burning whitcnefs of 
 the foil ; the Turkifh fortrefs, the mofques, 
 their minarets or towers, and the celebrated 
 pillar of Pompey, my imagination recurred 
 to paft ages. I faw art triumph over nature, 
 and the genius of Alexander employ the ac- 
 tive medium of commerce, to lay on a bar- 
 ren foil the foundations of a fuperb city, 
 which he fele(5led to be the depofitary of 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 77 
 
 the trophies ol the conqueft of the univerie, 
 I faw the Ptolomies invite thither the arts 
 and faiences, and form the library, to deflroy 
 which the hand of barbarifm was feveral 
 years employed. It is there, faid I to my- 
 felf, refleding on Cleopatra, C^far, and An- 
 tony, that the empire of glory yielded to the 
 empire of voluptuoufnefs. I next figured to 
 myfelf ftern ignorance fixing its feat on the 
 ruins of the mafler- pieces of the arts, com- 
 pleting their deilrucflion, but unable, not- 
 withftanding, to disfigure utterly the fine 
 charadleriftics by which they are flamped, 
 and which belong to the grand principles 
 of their original plans. From this pre -oc- 
 cupation, from this happinefs of meditating 
 in view of great objects, I was roufed by a 
 gun fired from our frigate, to bring- to a 
 veifel which had {ct all her faijs to get into 
 the port of Alexandria in fpite of us, and 
 
 without 
 
78 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 without doubt to carry thither the tidings of 
 the arrival of the fleet. The night coming 
 on, we foon loft fight of her. Our uneafi- 
 nefs refpe(51:ing the boat increafed every mo- 
 ment, and was converted into terror. At 
 midnight we heard the voices of perfons ter- 
 rified ; and foon after our conful and his 
 interpreter, who had efcaped from the aveng- 
 ing fabre of the muffulman, and from the 
 terror fpread through the country, came on 
 board. They informed us that an Englifli 
 fleet of fourteen fliips of the line had quitted 
 its anchorage off Alexandria the evening be- 
 fore ; and that the Englifh had declared they 
 were in queft of us, to bring us to a6lion. 
 They had been taken for French ; and the 
 inhabitants of the country, already apprifed 
 of our projects, and of the taking of Malta, 
 had inftantly reforted to arms. The ftrong 
 holds had been fortified, the militia incor- 
 porated 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 79 
 
 poratcd with the regular troops, and an army 
 of Bedouins colleded. The latter are wan- 
 dering Arabs, againfl: whom the inhabitants 
 wage war, but with whom they unite when- 
 ever a common enemy is to be encountered. 
 
 Our horizon w^as obfcured by the prefence 
 of the Englifh. When I recollected that 
 only three days before we felt a regret at 
 being detained by the calms,^ and that unlefs 
 for them we fliould have fallen into the 
 mldfl: of the enemv's fleet, to which we 
 muft have made a difcovery of our own, I 
 from that moment became a fatalift, and 
 commended myfelf to the ilar of Bonaparte. 
 
 The llieik had confented to the departure 
 of the conful, on no other condition than 
 that he lliould be accompanied by feveral 
 feamen belonging to Alexandria, by whom 
 he was to be conveye^ back. They fpoke 
 the I'lngua-fraiicay and underftood Italian. 
 
 I converfed 
 
80 TI^AVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 I converfcd with them ; and they added to 
 what the conful had told us, that the Eng- 
 lifh had llcered to the eaft to feek us at Cy- 
 prus, where they thought we had flopped. 
 
 We made fall in queft of our fleet, and at 
 day -break dlfcovered the firil divifion of the 
 convoy. At feven o'clock we were within 
 hail of the Orient. 
 
 It fell to my lot to accompany the confiil 
 on board the flag-fliip. We were to com- 
 municate to the general w^hatever might in- 
 terefl him mofl powerfully under fuch criti- 
 cal circumftances. The Englifli had been 
 feen ; and they might come up with us 
 every moment. It blew a frefh gale ; and 
 the convoy was blended w^ith the fleet, in 
 fiich confufion, that the mofl terrible defeat 
 would have enfued had the enemy appeared. 
 I watched the genergj's countenance, which 
 did not change in the flightefl degree. He 
 
 made 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 81 
 
 made me repeat the ftatement he had juft 
 heard ; and after a filence of a few minutes, 
 ordered the troops to be landed. 
 
 The difpofitions which were made, were 
 to bring the convoy as near the land as the 
 danger of getting aground at a time when 
 the wind blew fo ftrong would allow. The 
 men of war formed a circle of defence on 
 the outfide ; the fails were taken in, and the 
 anchors let go. Thefe arrangements were 
 fcarcely made, when we received orders to 
 ctuife ofF the port, as near as the wind would 
 permit us, and to make falfe attacks by way 
 of diverfion. 
 
 The breeze ftill frefliened, and the fea 
 was fo rough, that we endeavoured ineffec- 
 tually, during the remainder of the day, to 
 get up our anchor. At night it was too 
 ftormy to attempt this without a rifk of 
 our carrying away our mafts, and of run- 
 
 VoL. I. F . ning 
 
82 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 ning foul of and finking the boats with troops 
 on board, which efFed;ed their landing with 
 unprecedented difficulty and danger. The 
 launches received one by one, and at ran- 
 dom, thofe who came down the fides of the 
 veflels. When they were filled, the waves 
 threatened every moment to fink them, at 
 the fame time that, driven by the wind, 
 they in many inftances encountered, and 
 fell on board of each other. After having 
 cfcaped thefe dangers, when they drew 
 within Ihore, they knew not how to make 
 their landing good without being daftied to 
 pieces by the breakers. During the night, 
 a launch filled with troops, which had lofl 
 all fteerage-way, came under our ftern, and 
 afked for affiftance. The danger to which 
 thofe who w ere on board her were expofed, 
 caufed in me an emotion which was aug- 
 mented by my fancying that I knew the 
 
 voices 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. S3 
 
 voices of all thofe who cried for help. We 
 threw out a rope to thefe poor wretches ; 
 but fcarcely had they laid hold of it, when 
 it became neceffary to cut it, the waves dafli- 
 ing the launch againft the Ude of our vefTel, 
 which it threatened to ftave in. The cries 
 of thefe unfortunate men, when they found 
 themfelves abandoned to their fate, pierced 
 to the inmoft recefles of our fouls ; and the 
 filence which fucceeded filled us with the 
 mofl melancholy refledlions. Our terror 
 was augmented by the darknefs ; and the 
 operations for landing were as flow as they 
 were difaflrous. However, by fix o'clock 
 the next morning, the firfl of July, a fuf- 
 ficient number of troops were landed to at- 
 tack and csLiry a fmall fort, called Le Ma- 
 rabou. There the tri- colour military flag 
 was hoifled for the firfl time in Africa. 
 
 F 2 CHAP' 
 
S4 TRAVELS IN EGYPT 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Storming of Alexajtdria — General AJ^eGl of 
 the Town gloomy and deferted — Trouble- 
 fomeyiefs of the Dogs — Speech of Bonaparte 
 to the Sheik of Alexandria — Pompey*s Pil- 
 lar — Gardens — Cleopatra s Needle — Prln- 
 clpal Mofque, and other remarkable Build- 
 ings. 
 
 /^N the 2d the fea was lefs ruffled. We 
 ^""'^ got under way, and perceived that the 
 beech was filled with our foldiers. By noon 
 they were under the walls of Alexandria, 
 the centre being ftationed at Pompey's pil- 
 lar, behind fome fmall hillocks formed by 
 the ruins of the ancient city. The old walls 
 * '^" prefented 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT 85 
 
 presented to the valour ol our ioldiery a fuc- 
 ceflion of breaches. As loon as one of the 
 columns was in motion, the others drew up 
 in battle array, marched, and attacked at 
 the fame time. In approaching fome old 
 ditches, they difcovered more walls than 
 they had been able to fee at a firft view. A 
 very heavy fire kept up by the befieged, fur- 
 prifed our troops for a moment, but did not 
 check their impetuofity. The moft prac- 
 ti<:able approach was fought under the fire 
 of the enemy : it was found at the weft 
 angle, where' was fituated the ancient port 
 of Kibotos. Our troops ftormed : Kleber, 
 Menou, and Lefcale were wounded by the 
 enemy's fire, and by the fall of the frag' 
 ments of walls. Koraim, fheik of Alexan- 
 dria, who was in every part of the battle, 
 miflook Menou for the commander in chief 
 mortally wounded. In this way the courage 
 F 3 of 
 
86 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 of the beiieged was fupported for a fhort 
 time. Our adverfaries maintained their 
 ground ; and we were under the neceflity 
 of putting the whole of them to death at 
 the breach, where two hundred of our fol- 
 diers fell. 
 
 Our frigate was ordered to proted: the 
 entry of the convoy into the old port ; and 
 I availed myfelf of this opportunity to go on 
 Ihore. An old prophecy had faid, that as 
 foon as a French veiTel ihould enter the old 
 port, Alexandria would ceafe to be in pof- 
 feffion of the MufTulmans. Oiir boat veri- 
 fied this predi(5lion for the moment. 
 
 It would be impoffible for me to defcribe 
 what I felt on landing at Alexandria, where 
 there was no one to receive us, or to prevent 
 our going on fhore. We could fcarcely pre- 
 vail on a group of beggars, leaning on their 
 crutches, to point out to us the head-quar- 
 ters. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 8^ 
 
 tcrs. All the houfes were Ihut : thofe who 
 had not dared to fight had fled ; and thofe 
 who had not been killed in the combat, had 
 concealed themfelves, for fear of being put 
 to death, according to the oriental cuftom. 
 Every thing was new to our fcnfations ; the 
 foil, the form of the buildings, the perfons, 
 cuftoms, and language of the inhabitants. 
 The firft profpedl which prefented itfelf to 
 our view, was an extenfive burying- ground, 
 covered with innumerable tomb-flones of 
 white marble, on a white foil. Among thefe 
 monuments were feen wandering leveral 
 meagre women, with long tattered gar- 
 ments, refembling fo many ghofts. The 
 fdence w^as only interrupted by the fcreech- 
 ing of the kites which hovered over this 
 fanduary of death. We paffed from thence 
 into narrow and delerted ftreets. In crofling 
 Alexandria, the defcription which Volney 
 F 4 has 
 
88 TRAVELS 11^ EGYPT. 
 
 has given of that city was brought to my 
 remembrance; form, colour, and lenlation, 
 every thing, in fhort, is reprefented by him 
 with fuch a degree of truth, that, on look- 
 ing over his work fome months alter, I fan- 
 cied that I was entering Alexandria once 
 more. Had Volney defcribed all Egypt in 
 the fame way, no one would ever have 
 thought it neceflary to undertake any other 
 defcription, or to make any new drawings 
 of that country. 
 
 During the whole of my progrefs through 
 this long and melancholy city, Europe and 
 its gaiety were brought to my recolledlion 
 only by the chirping and acflivity of th^ 
 fparrows. I could not recognife the dog, 
 the friend of man, the faithful and generous 
 companion, the gay and loyal courtier. Here 
 this animal is a dull and felfilh brute, a 
 ftranger to the mafter beneath whofe roof 
 
 he 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. BQ 
 
 he dwells, and, feparated from the inmates 
 without ceafmg to be a Have, lofes fight of 
 him whofe afylum he defends, and on whofe 
 bleeding carcafs he feeds without abhorrence* 
 The following anecdote will fully pourtray 
 his charadler. 
 
 On the day of my landing, having ne- 
 gle<fted to bring afliore linen to fliift myfelf, 
 I was defirous to go on board the Junon 
 frigate, which I thought was ftationed off 
 the entrance of the harbour. I hired a fmall 
 Turkilh bark, and we fleered towards that 
 point. Having reached the frigate, we found 
 that it was not the Junon ; and another was 
 pointed out to us in the road at half a league's 
 diftance. The fun was fetting : I had al- 
 ready made two-thirds of my way ; and it 
 was ftill poflible to fleep on board. We 
 now failed towards the frigate in the road, 
 which w^as dill not the Junon : Hie was 
 
 cruifmg 
 
90 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 cruifing In the offing: we were therefore 
 under the neceffity of returning ; but the 
 breeze had frefhened, and the fwell was fo 
 great, that it was with difficulty we could 
 defcry the land towards which we had to 
 bend our courfe. My condudlor gave mc 
 charge of the tiller, to beflow his whole at- 
 tention on the fail. 
 
 It was not eafy for me to find the direc- 
 tion in which I was to fleer; and I now 
 began to feel that it was in a manner de- 
 voting one's-felf to deftru<flion, to be at fuch 
 a time of night at the mercy of the winds, 
 on a rough fea, and without any other com- 
 panion than one who, in common with all 
 his countrymen, had every reafon to hate 
 the French, and to feek to avenge himfelf 
 on any of that nation who might fall in his 
 way. I put on a confidential air, and even 
 afFeded to be gay : we at length reached the 
 
 Ihore, 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. gi 
 
 fhore, the objedl of all my hopes and wiflics ; 
 it was, however, eleven o'clock at night. I 
 was half a league from the head-quarters ; 
 and I had to crofs a city which had been 
 taken by ftorm in the morning, with not 
 one of the ftreets of which I was acquainted. 
 I could not prevail on my boatman, by any 
 offer of recompenfe, to leave his bark and 
 accompany me. I fet out alone, and, defy- 
 ing the ghofts of the dead, croiTed the bury- 
 ing-ground, the road with which I was moil 
 familiar. As foon as I had reached the 
 neareft habitations of the living, I was af- 
 failed by multitudes of ferocious curs, w^hich 
 attacked me from the doors, the flreets, and 
 the houfe-tops. Their yelping was con- 
 tinued from houfe to houfe, and from family 
 to family. I could perceive, however, that 
 the war which they was!;ed agalnft me was 
 not a war of coaJitloit, for as foon as I had 
 
 paffed 
 
92 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 pafled the property of thofe by which I had 
 been attacked, they were driven back by 
 thole which came to receive me at the 
 frontiers. Not knowing* the abje<5l ftate in 
 which they live, I dared not ftrike them, 
 from an apprehenfion of their howUng, and 
 thus kindling: up the wrath of their mailers 
 
 'to 
 
 IP 
 
 againft me. The darknefs was diminilhed 
 by the light of the ftars only, and by the 
 tranfparency which the night always has in 
 this climate. To profit by this fmall por- 
 tion of light, and to efcape from the yelping 
 of the curs, and take a road which could 
 not lead me aftray, I quitted the ftreets, and 
 refolved to walk along the beech. My paf- 
 fage was, however, barred by the walls and 
 timber-yards, which extended to the fea- 
 ftiore. At length, after w^ading through the 
 fea to fl'Am the curs, and fcaling the walls 
 to avoid the fea when there was too great a 
 
 depth. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. Q^- 
 
 depth, wet, covered with perf^iration, and 
 cxhaufted by terror and fatigue, I reached 
 one of our out-pofts at midnight, fully per- 
 fuaded that curs are the fixth, and the moft 
 dreadful of the plagues of Egypt. 
 
 In the morning, on arriving at the head- 
 quarters, I found Bonaparte furrounded by 
 the grandees of the city, and by the mem- 
 bers of the old government, from whom he 
 received the oath of fidelity. He addrefled 
 himfelf in the following terms to the Sheik 
 Koraim : " I have taken you in arms, and 
 " I might treat you as a prifoner : as you 
 *' have, howxver, behaved with courage, and 
 " as I think bravery infeparable from honour, 
 " I give you back your arms, and I think 
 " that you will be as faithful to the repub- 
 *^ lie as you have been to a bad govern- 
 '' ment." I could diftinguiih in the coun- 
 tenance of this able, enterprifmg man, a dif- 
 
 fimulation. 
 
$4 TBAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Emulation, Ihaken, but not fubdued, by the 
 generous condu6l of the commander in 
 chief. He was not as yet acquainted with 
 our refources, and entertained fome doubt 
 whether what had pafled was not owing to 
 a coup- de^main ! But when he faw thirty 
 thoufand men, and the heavy ordnance and 
 field-pieces landed, he endeavoured to cap- 
 tivate the good graces of Bonaparte, was 
 iiever abfent from head-quarters, and was 
 in the anti-chamber before the commander 
 in chief was out of bed, a circumftance very 
 remarkable in a MuiTulman. (See his por- 
 trait, Plate XLVlir. Fig. 2.) 
 
 The firft drawing I made w^as a view of 
 the new port, from the fmall fand-bank to 
 the quarter of the Francs, which, in Cleo- 
 patra's time, was the delightful fpot on 
 which her palace was built, and where the 
 theatre ftood. (See Plate III. No. 2.) 
 
 On 
 
riff. 5. 
 
 LJfT 
 
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 ■/„.,„;„/ 
 
 '"/r 
 
 <r 
 
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 KAifL\onATOP]ESKAITATEKNAH[AIi2I0EliIM,ErirTIiIKAIT()Ii;iTNNAOI2:0E()Ii; 
 
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 I'li/. .f . 
 
 r :/„./,„„■„., }/r„//. . 
 
 J 
 
 <^ 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 95 
 
 On the 4th, in the morning, I accompa- 
 nied the commander in chief, who vifited 
 the forts, that is to fay, a collecflion of clumfy 
 buildings in a ruinous ftate, in which worn- 
 out guns relied on ftones that ferved them 
 for carriages. The general's orders were to 
 demolilh whatever was unferviceable, and to 
 repair only what might be ufeful, to prevent 
 the approach of the Bedouins. He paid par- 
 ticular attention to the batteries for the de- 
 fence of the harbours. 
 
 We paffed near Pompey's pillar. This 
 monument is. in the predicament of almoil 
 every thing famous, which lofes on a near 
 fcrutiny. It was nam.ed Pompey's pillar in 
 the fifteenth century, when learning began 
 to recover itfelf from the torpid flate in 
 which it had fo long languiihed. At that 
 epoch, men of fcience, but not obfervers, 
 beftowed names on all the monuments ; and 
 
 thefe 
 
yS TftAVEtS IN EGYPT. 
 
 thefe names have been handed down b^ 
 tradition, and without being dii'putcd, from 
 century to century. A monument had been 
 raifed to Pompey at Alexandria : it had dif- 
 appeared, and was thought to be recovered 
 in this pillar or column, which has fmce 
 been converted into a trophy erected to the 
 memory of Septimius Severus. It is, how* 
 ever, placed on the ruins of the ancient city ; 
 and in the time of Septimius Severus, the 
 city of the Ptolomies was not in a ruinous 
 ftate. To fupport this column by a folid 
 foundation, an obelifk has been funk in the 
 earth, on which is placed a very clumfy pc- 
 deftal, having a fine fliaft, and furmounted 
 by a Corinthian capital of bad w^orkmanfhip. 
 (See Plate IV. No. 3.) 
 
 If the Ihaft of this column, feparating it 
 from the pedeftal and the capital, once be- 
 longed to an ancient edifice, it is an evidence 
 
 of 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 07 
 
 of its magnificence, and of the fkill with 
 which it was executed. It ought therefore 
 to be faid. that what is called P(;mpe} 's pil- 
 lar, is a fine column, and not a fine monu- 
 ment ; and that a column is not a monu- 
 ment. It fliould be faid, that the column 
 of St. Maria Maggiore, notwithflanding it 
 is one of the fineft in exiftence, has not the 
 chara(fler of a monument ; that it is merely 
 a fragment; and that, if the columns of 
 Trajan and xA-ntoninus are not in the fame 
 predicament, it is becaufe they appear as 
 coloffal cylinders, on which the hlflory of 
 the glorious expeditions of thefe two em- 
 perors is pompoufly difplayed, and which, 
 if reduced to their fimple form and dimen- 
 fions, would be nothing more than dull and 
 heavy monuments. 
 
 The earth about the foundations of Pom- 
 pey's pillar having been cleared away by 
 
 Vol. I, G time. 
 
98 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 time, two fragments of an obellfk of white 
 marble, the only monument of that fub- 
 flance which I have feen in Egypt, have 
 been added to the original bafe, to render it 
 more folid. 
 
 Excavations made round the circumfe- 
 rence of this column, would, no doubt, af- 
 ford fome information relative to its origin. 
 The fhaking of the earth, and the form it 
 takes on treading on it, feem to atteft that 
 thefe refearches would not be frultlefs. They 
 would perhaps difcover the bafe and atrium 
 of the portico to which this column be- 
 longed, which has been the fubje<ft of dif- 
 fertations made by literati who have feen 
 the drawings only, or whofe information has 
 been limited to the defcriptions of travellers. 
 Thefe travellers have negleded to apprize 
 them, that fragments of columns of the 
 fame fubftance and diameter are found in 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT* 99 
 
 the vicinity ; and that the Ihaking of the 
 earth indicates the deftrudion of great edi- 
 fices buried beneath, the forms of which 
 may be diflinguifhed on the furface, fuch 
 as a fquare of a confiderable fize, and a large 
 circus, the principal dimenfions of which 
 may be meafured, notwithllanding it is co- 
 vered with fand and ruins. 
 
 After having obferved that the column, 
 entitled Pompeys pillar, is very chafte both 
 in ftyle and execution ; that the pedeftal 
 and capital are not formed of the fame gra- 
 nite as the fhaft ; that their workmanlhip 
 is heavy, and appears to be merely a rough 
 draught ; and that the foundations, made up 
 of fragments, indicate a modern conftruc- 
 tion ; it may be concluded, that this monu- 
 ment is not antique, and that it may have 
 been ereded either in the time of the Greek 
 emperors, or of the caliphs ; fince, if the ca- 
 G 2 pital 
 
100 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 , pital and pedcftal are well enough wrought 
 to belong to the former of thefe periods, 
 they are not fo perfect but that art may- 
 have reached fo far in the latter. 
 
 Subterraneous refearches made on this 
 fpot might alfo afcertain the fite of the city 
 in the time of the Ptolomies, when its com- 
 merce and fplendour changed its original 
 plan, and rendered it immenfe. That of 
 the caliphs, which ftill exifts, was but a di- 
 minution of the ancient city, notwithftand- 
 ing it comprehends within itfelf, at this 
 time, plains and deferts. This circumval- 
 lation being built of ruins, the edifices bring 
 unceafmgly to the remembrance deftrudlion 
 and ravage. The jambs and lintels of the 
 doors of the dwelling-houfes and fortrefles 
 confill entirely of columns of granite, which 
 the workmen have not taken the pains to 
 Ihape to the ufe to which they have ap- 
 plied 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. IC)1 
 
 piled them. They appear to have been left 
 there merely with a view to atteft the gran- 
 deur and magnificence of the buildings, the 
 ruins of which they are. In other places a 
 great number of columns have been applied 
 to the conftrudlon of the walls, to fupport 
 and level them ; and thefe columns, having 
 refifted the ravages of time, now refemble 
 batteries. In Ihort, thefe Arabian and 
 Turklfh buildings, the produdlions of the 
 neceffitles of war, difplay a confufion of 
 epochs, and of various induftries, more ftrik- 
 ing and more approximated examples of 
 which are no where elfe to be found. The 
 Turks, more efpecially, adding abfurdlty to 
 profanation, have not only blended with the 
 granite, bricks and calcareous ftones, but 
 even logs and planks ; and from thefe dif- 
 ferent elements, which have fo little analogy 
 to each other^ and are fo ftrangely united, 
 G 3 have 
 
102 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 have prefented a monftrous afTemblage of 
 the fplendour of human induftry, and its 
 degradation. 
 
 In returning from Pompey's pillar to the 
 modern city, v\e paflcd through that of the 
 Arabs, or rather the one which vv^as encom- 
 paiTed by their walls, for at this time it is 
 merely a dclcrt containing a few enclofures, 
 which, during the months of the inunda- 
 tion, are gardens, and v.hich at other times 
 afford nourifliment to a greater or fmaller 
 number of trees and vegetables, in propor- 
 tion to the fize of the ciflern with which 
 each is provided. This ciilern is the fource 
 and principle of their exiftence : when it 
 fails, the gardens arc once more converted 
 into fand and rubbifh. 
 
 At the gate of each of thcfe gardens are 
 to be feen monuments of a benevolent and 
 charitable feeling. Thefe are refervoirs into 
 
 which 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 103 
 
 which water is pumped as often as it is ne- 
 ceirary,.and which prcfent to the way-w^orn 
 traveller what is needful to fatisfy his moil 
 preffing want in this burning climate — 
 thirft. 
 
 The conduits of the cifterns are to be 
 feen every- where, communicating with each 
 other, and having their orifices covered by 
 the bafe or capital of an ancient column, 
 hollowed out in the centre, and anfwering 
 the purpofe of the ftone which fiirrounds 
 the mouth of a well. 
 
 For the ccnftru<5tion of a new ciftern, it 
 is fufficient to dig and bank in refervoirs of 
 different depths, and afterwards to cut a 
 drain, carrying it on until it meets with 
 another excavation. In this way it receives 
 the common benefits of the inundation, 
 which, by the level that the water feeks, fills 
 the whole of the vacuum prefented to it. 
 G 4 The 
 
104 TRAVELS IN EGYTT. 
 
 The great pool or confervatory of water at 
 Alexandria, is one of the principal antiqui- 
 ties of the middle age of Egypt, and one of 
 the finefi: monuments of that defcription, 
 whether its fize be confidered, or the intel- 
 ligence which its conftrudlion difplays. Not- 
 V*'ithftanding one part of it is in a very ruin- 
 ous ftate, and the other in need of repairs, it 
 contains a quantity of water which fuffices 
 for the confumption of men and animals 
 during two years. We arrived at Alexandria 
 in the month preceding that in which the 
 water was to be renewed, and we found it 
 very good and fweet. 
 
 Our attention was attracted by a ruin of 
 a rcddiib hue, which the catholics call the 
 houfe of St. Catharine the learned, relative 
 to v\l;om they have a tradition, that fhe was 
 wedded to Jefus Chrift four centuries after 
 his death. Thi:> ruin is of Roman conftruc- 
 
 tion ; 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 10$ 
 
 tion ; and the conduits, covered by ftalac- 
 tites, imply that it w^as formerly a bath. 
 
 We came afterwards to the obelifk, named 
 Cleopatra's needle : another obelillc thrown 
 down at its fide, indicates that both of them 
 formerly decorated one of the entrances pf 
 the palace of the Ptolomies, the ruins of 
 w^hich are flill to be feen at fome diftance 
 from thence. An infped:ion into the pre- 
 fent Hate of thefe obelifks, and the fiiTures 
 which exifted at the time even when they 
 were fixed on this fpot, prove that they 
 were merely fragments at that period, and 
 that they had been brought from Memphis, 
 or from upper Egypt. They might be con- 
 veyed to France without difficulty, and 
 would there become a trophy of conqueft, 
 and a very charad;eriftic one, as they are in 
 themfelves a monument, and as the hiero- 
 glyphics with which they are covered render 
 
 them 
 
106 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 them preferable to Pompey's pillar, which 
 is merely a column, fomewhat larger indeed 
 than is every-where to be found. On dig- 
 ging fince round the bafe of this obellfk, it 
 has been found that it was placed on a tablet 
 of hard ftone. The pedeftals which have 
 always been added in Europe to this fpecies 
 of monument, are an ornament by which its 
 character is changed. 
 
 On examining the Saracen monument in 
 the vicinity of Cleopatra's needle, I found 
 that its foundations belonged to a Greek or 
 Roman edifice. The capitals of connected 
 columns, of the dorlc order, the (hafts of 
 which are funk below the level of the fca, 
 are ftill to be feen. Strabo has obferved, 
 that the bafe of the palace of Ptolomy was 
 wafhed by the fea. Thefe ruins may at one 
 and the fame time prove the veracity of 
 Strabo's relation, and afcertain the iite of 
 that palace. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 107 
 
 In returning to the lower part of the har- 
 bour by the fea-fhorc, ruins of edifices of dif- 
 ferent ages are to be found, having fuffered 
 alike from time and from the weaves. Vef- 
 tiges of baths are to be diftinguiftied there, 
 feveral apartments of which flill exift, hav- 
 ing been pofteriorly fabricated in walls of 
 more remote antiquity. Thefe edifices ap- 
 peared to me to be of Arabic conftruc^lion ; 
 and for their prefervation, a kind of pile 
 work in columns has been made, which has 
 now the refemblance of floating batteries. 
 Their immenfe number evinces the magni- 
 ficence of the palaces they once decorated. 
 After having pafied the extremity of the 
 harbour, large Saracen edifices are met with, 
 having an air of grandeur, and a mixture 
 of flyle, by which the obferver is perplexed. 
 Friezes ornamented with doric triglyphs, and 
 furmounted by arched vaults, would lead 
 
 one 
 
108 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 one to imagine that thefe edifices were con- 
 flru^led from antique fragments, which the 
 Saracens blended to adapt them to the ftyle 
 of their architedure. The doors of thefe 
 edifices may give an idea of the indeftrudlible 
 quality of the fy camore wood, which has re- 
 mained unaltered, while the iron work of 
 the doors has yielded to time, and entirely 
 difappearcd. Behind this kind of fortrefs, 
 5ire Arabian baths, moft magnificently deco- 
 rated. Our foldiers, who found them ready 
 heated, had taken pofleffion of them to wafh 
 their linen, fo that no other ufe could then 
 be made of them. I fhall therefore defer 
 my defcription of this kind of baths to ano- 
 ther oppcrtuniLj, and refer my readers, who 
 wi(h to have an idea of the pleafure which 
 they communicate, to the one which Savary 
 has given. 
 
 Near thefe baths, one of the principal 
 1 molques. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. IO9 
 
 molques, formerly a primitive church en- 
 titled Saint Athanafius, is lituated. This 
 edifice, in as ruinous a ftate as its ilyle is 
 magnificent, may give fome idea of the care- 
 lelTnefs of the Turks relative to the obje<Ss 
 of which they are the moft jealous. Before 
 our arrival, they did not fuffer a chriftian to 
 approach this building, and chofe rather to 
 place a centinel over it than to repair the 
 doors, which, in the ftate in which we found 
 them, w^ould neither fliut nor turn on their 
 hins^es. 
 
 In the middle of the court-yard of this 
 mofque is a fmall odagonal temple, which 
 contains a bowl of Egyptian black marble, 
 with white and yellow fpots, of incompa- 
 rable beauty, both on account of the fub- 
 ilance of which it is formed, and of the in- 
 numerable hieroglyphical figures with which 
 it is covered, both v^^ithinflde and without. 
 
 This 
 
110 TBAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 This monument, which is without doubt a 
 farcophagus of ancient Egypt, will perhaps 
 be hereafter illuftrated by volumes of dif- 
 fertations. It may be confidered as a very 
 valuable antique, and as one of our moft pre- 
 cious fpoils in Egypt, with which it is to be 
 wiflied that our national mufeum may be 
 enriched. Dolomieu, who was with me 
 when this valuable monument was difco- 
 vered, partook of my enthufiafm. 
 
 From the galleries of the minaret or 
 tower of this mofque, I made the drawing 
 (No. 2, Plate v.), which contains a bird's- 
 eye view of every part of the new harbour. 
 Clofe to the mofque are three upright co- 
 lumns, which have not been noticed by any 
 traveller. It would appear by the delicate 
 workmanfliip of thefe columns, that they 
 conftituted a part of fome antique monu- 
 ments : it would therefore be interefting to 
 
 dig 
 
-^ 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. I 1 I 
 
 dig round their baies. The wide fpacc, 
 however, which they occupy, would lead to 
 a conjedlure, that they are not flationed 
 where they were originally intended to be 
 placed. Be this as it may, they are the re- 
 mains of a large and magnificent edifice. 
 
 We proceeded from thence to the gate of 
 Rofetta, which is fortified, and at which the 
 Turks defended themfelves on our arrival. 
 Here a group of houfes forms a kind of 
 town, which leaves an unoccupied fpace of 
 half a league between this part of the city 
 and that which is in the vicinity of the ports. 
 All the horrors of war ftill exifled in this 
 quarter, where I met with an incident which 
 afforded me the ftrongeft contrafl poffible. 
 A young woman, fair and with a ruddy com- 
 plexion, was feated, furrounded by the dead 
 and by the rubbilh, on a fragment of a ruin 
 ftill covered with blood. She was the pic- 
 ture 
 
J 12 TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 ture of the angel of the refurredlon. When, 
 attracted by a compaffionate feeling, I tefti- 
 fied my furprife at finding her in this forlorn 
 ftate, fhe told me, with a charming ingenu- 
 oufnefs, that fhe was waiting for her huf- 
 band, with whom flie was going to pafs the 
 night in the defert. To her this was no 
 difficulty: flie was about to repair thither 
 to fleep with as little reludlance as if a down 
 bed was to be her portion. From this anec- 
 dote fome idea may be formed of the lot 
 which awaited the women whom love had 
 infpired with the courage to follow their 
 hufbands on this expedition. 
 
 The greater part of the divifions, after 
 they were landed, had merely pafied through 
 Alexandria to encanxp in the defert. I was 
 alfo under the neceffity of quitting this city, 
 a place of great importance in hiftory, where 
 the monuments of every epoch, and the 
 
 wrecks 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 113 
 
 wrecks of the arts of fo many nations, are 
 heaped together confufedly ; and where the 
 ravages of wars, ages, and of a humid cU- 
 mate, impregnated with fea-falt, have been 
 productive of greater changes, and have 
 wrought rhore mifchief than in any other 
 part of Egypt. 
 
 Vol. I. H CHAP- 
 
314 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 March from Alexandria to the hit er tor of the 
 Country — Pafs Beda — AffeSi'ing Incident 
 and fatal EJfeSis of Jeahiify — The March 
 much haraffed by the Arabs — Optical Dd- 
 ceptio?i in the Defert, giving the Appearance 
 of Water — Reach tlie Nile at Rahmanieh — 
 Firfi EiJtcounter with the Mamelukes under 
 Murad-Bey — The Author s Voyage from 
 Alexandria to Rofetta — Defcription of the 
 latter Place — Chara6ier of the cultivating 
 Arab, cojitrafled "with the Bedouin — Battle 
 of Salmie — Mameluke Feajl and Entertain- 
 ment. 
 
 11 ONAPARTE, who had obtained pof- 
 "^"^ fefiion of Alexandria with the fame ra- 
 pidity with which St. Louis had taken Da- 
 
 mietta. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 115 
 
 mietta, was not guilty of^the fame blunder. 
 Without giving the enemy time to rally, 
 and without affording his troops an oppor- 
 tunity to view the penury of Alexandria and 
 its barren territory, he marched off the di- 
 vifions in proportion as they landed, and 
 without allowing them time to colledt any 
 information relative to the places which 
 they were going to occupy. Among others, 
 an officer, on the eve of his departure, faid 
 to his detachment, " My friends, you are to 
 " ileep at Beda to-night : you underfland ; 
 " at Beda. This is all the difficulty you 
 " w ill have to encounter : let us march, my 
 " friends ;" and the foldiers marched. It 
 would certainly be difficult to cite a more 
 flriking trait of ingenuoufnefs on the one 
 hand, and of confidence on the other. It is 
 with this heedlefs courage that enterprifes 
 are undertaken by fome, which others would 
 H 2 not 
 
1 l6 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 not have dared to projed: ; and that what 
 appears inconceivable is executed. They 
 reached Beda, which they fancied to be a 
 village built and peopled like ours, more in- 
 quifitive to look about them, than furprifed. 
 They could there find nothing but a well 
 choked up by ftones, between the interftices 
 of which a little brackifh muddy water was 
 found. This water was colleded in goblets, 
 and a fmall quantity of it diftributed to 
 them, as if it had been brandy. This was 
 the firft halt made by a part of our troops, 
 in another quarter of the globe, feparated 
 from their country by feas covered with ene- 
 mies, and by deferts a thoufand times more 
 formidable ftill. Their forlorn fituation, 
 however, neither abated their courage, nor 
 diminilhed their gaiety. 
 
 If my reader be defirous to appreciate the 
 domeftic flavery of the eaftern nations, and 
 
 is 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. ]17 
 
 is prepared to fhudder at the atrocioufnefs 
 of jealoiify, when it is fupported by a re- 
 ceived prejudice, and when its tranfports are 
 abfolved by reHgion, let him read the fol- 
 lowing anecdote. 
 
 On the fecond day's march of our troops, 
 after their departure from Alexandria, fome 
 of the Ibldiers, in paffing near Beda, in the 
 defert, met with a young woman whofe 
 face was covered with blood. In one of 
 her arms ihe held an infant, and extended 
 the other in fearch of an obje(fl: which might 
 either infliA vengeance on her, or ferve her 
 for a guide. Their curiofity being excited, 
 they called for their conductor, who was at 
 the fame time their interpreter ; and, on 
 approaching, heard the fobs of this wretched 
 female, whom cruelty had deprived of her 
 iight. Afloniftied at feeing her in this fad 
 condition, and accompanied by an infant, in 
 H 3l the 
 
118 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 the mldfl of a defert, they queflloncd hef, 
 and learned that the fhocknig fpedacle which 
 they had in view, was the effed; and refult 
 of a fit of jealoufy. The vid:im did not dare 
 to murmur, but offered up prayers for the 
 innocent babe which partook of her mis- 
 fortunes, and which was about to perilh 
 through mifery and want. Our foldiers, 
 moved by pity, inftantly gave her a part of 
 their rations, and loft fight of their own ne- 
 ceffities, on contemplating others, which 
 were ftill more urgent. They had juft de- 
 prived themfelves of their fmall portion of 
 water, which was extremely fcarce, an4 
 which they were about to be abfolutely in 
 need of, when they faw a madman approach, 
 who, feafting his fight on the fpe(5lacle of 
 his revenge, kept his victims conftantly in 
 view. He fnatched from the woman the 
 bread and water ihe held in her hands, the 
 
 laft 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 1 ] C) 
 
 lail fources of exifuence which compaffion 
 had juft granted to mifery. " Forbear !" 
 he exclaimed : " flie has forfeited her ov>'!i 
 *' honour, and has tarnifhed mine. That in- 
 *' fant is my opprobrium ; it is the oftspring 
 " of guilt." Our foldiers endeavoured to 
 refift his depriving the female of the fuc- 
 cours they had juft afforded her ; when his 
 jealoufy was inflamed, becaufe the objed: of 
 his fury was alfo become an objeA of pity. 
 He drew a poniard, with which he gave his 
 wife a mortal ftab ; and, feizing the infant, 
 held it in the air, and daflied it lifelefs on ■ 
 the ground. Then, with an air of ferocious 
 ftupidity, he ftood motionlefs, looking fted- 
 faftlyat thofe who furrounded hire, and 
 braving their vengeance. 
 
 I enquired whether there were any laws 
 
 to reprefs fo atrocious an abufe of authority. 
 
 I was told, that t-his man had done 'ucro7ig to 
 
 H4 ftab 
 
120 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 flab his wife, becaufe, if God had vouchfafed 
 t(^ fpare her life, this wretched creature 
 might, at the expiration of forty days, have 
 been received into a houfe, and kept on cha- 
 rity. 
 
 General Kleber's divifion, under the com- 
 mand of General Dugua, had marched to- 
 wards Rofetta, to cover the flotilla which 
 had entered the Nile. On the 5 th and 0th 
 of July, the army was in full march by Bir- 
 ket and Demenhur, the Arabs attacking the 
 advance-guard, and haraffing the main body, 
 infomuch, that death was the portion of the 
 flraggler. Defaix was on the point of being 
 made prifoner, in confequence of his having 
 remained fifty paces in the rear of the co- 
 lumn. Le Mireur, an officer of diflinguifh- 
 ed reputation, and who, in confequence of a 
 momentary abfence, had negleded to com- 
 ply with the requefb made to him to com^ 
 
 up, 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 12\ 
 
 ijp, was ailaffinated within a hundred paces 
 of the advance-guard. Adjutant-general Ga- 
 Jois was killed in carrying an order to the 
 commander in chief; and Adjutant Delanau 
 made prifoner at a very fmall diftance from 
 the army, in croffing a ditch. A price being 
 demanded for his ranfom, the Arabs difputed 
 the booty among themfelves, and, to termi- 
 nate the difpute, blew put the brains of this 
 interefting young man. 
 
 The Mamelukes, who had come out to 
 meet the French army, were feen for the 
 lirft time in the vicinity of Demenhur. They 
 did nothing more than reconnoitre ; and 
 their appearance on this occafion, together 
 with the infignificant battle of ChebreifTa, 
 had enabled our foldiers to form a judgment 
 of them, and had removed that uncertain 
 emotion, bordering on terror, which is con- 
 ^lantly infpired by an unknown enemy. On 
 
 their 
 
122 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 their fide, having obferved that our army was 
 entirely compofed of infantry, a defcription 
 of foldiery for whom they have a fovcreign 
 contempt, they made themfelves certain ot 
 an eafy vi<5lory, and forbore to harafs our 
 march, which was rendered fufRcicntly pain- 
 ful by its length, by the heat of the climate, 
 and by the fufferings of hunger and thirfl ; 
 to which may be added, the torments of a 
 hope conftantly cheated, and conftantly re- 
 newed. In reality, it was in the midft of 
 heaps of corn that our foldiers wanted bread ; 
 while they were a prey to thirft, with the 
 image of a vaft lake before their eyes. This 
 puniihment, of a ncvv^ defcription, requires 
 explanation, as it refults from an illufion pe- 
 culiar to this country. It is produced by the 
 refledlion of falient objects on the oblique 
 rays of the fun, refraded by the heat of the 
 burning foil ; and this phenomenon has fo 
 
 truly 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. l!Jil 
 
 truly the appearance of water, that the ob- 
 ferver is deceived by it over and over again. 
 It provokes a thirfl:, which is the more im- 
 portunate, as the inftant when it prefcnts it- 
 feif to the view is the hottcft time of the 
 day. It appears to me, that an idea of it 
 could not be conveyed by a drawing, which 
 would be merely the reprefentation of a re*- 
 femblance. To fupply this defed:, however, 
 it is only neceffary to read a report made to 
 the Inftitute of Cairo, and publifhed by the 
 elder Didot, in which Monge has defcribed 
 and analyzed this phenomenon, with that 
 erudition and fagacity by which that philo- 
 sopher is charaderized.* 
 
 On the approach of the army the villages 
 were abandoned, the inhabitants carrying off 
 
 * See, In the Memoirs of the Inftitute at Cairo, a 
 paper by this ingenious author on this optical pheno- 
 menon, which i? called mirage. Tr. 
 
 with 
 
114 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 with them whatever might have been ufeful 
 to the fubliftence of our troops. 
 
 Piftachio-nuts were the firft relief which 
 the foil of Egypt afforded to the foldiery ; 
 and of this fruit thiey never ceafed to retain 
 a grateful remembrance. On reaching the 
 Nile, they plunged into that river without 
 waiting to undrefs themfelves, to allay their 
 thirft by the a6lion of the abforbent veflels. 
 
 When the army had paffed Rahmanieh, 
 its progrefs on the banks of the river became 
 lefs difficult. I Ihall not follow it to all the 
 ftations it occupied, but Ihall content my-? 
 felf with obferving, that on the 1 Qth of July 
 it was encamped at Amm-el-Dinar, from 
 whence it fet out on the following morn- 
 ing, before day-break; and that, after a 
 inarch of twelve hours, it reached the vici- 
 nity of Embabey, where the Mamelukes had 
 ^olleded their force, having an entrenche4 
 
 campj 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 125 
 
 camp, furrounded by a clumfy moat, and 
 defended by twenty-eight pieces of artillery. 
 As foon as the enemy was difcovered, the 
 army formed ; and when Bonaparte had 
 given his final orders, he iaid to the ibldiers,. 
 pointing to the pyramid : " Pufli on, and 
 " recoiled: that from the fummit of thofe 
 '' monuments forty centuries watch over 
 " us." Defaix, who commanded the ad- 
 vance-guard, proceeded to the other fide of 
 the village ; Regnier followed to the lefit ; 
 and Generals Dugua, Vial, and Bon, alfo to 
 the left, formed a half-circle by approaching 
 the Nile. Murad-Bey, by whom we were 
 reconnoitered, and who could not perceive 
 any cavalry, threatened to cut us up like 
 gourds ; (this was his expreffion). In con- 
 fequence of this determination on his fide, 
 the moil confiderable body of the Mame- 
 lukes, which was in front of Embabey, 
 
 moved. 
 
120 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 moved, and charged Dugua's divifion with 
 fo much impetuofity, that he had fcarcely 
 time to draw up his men. They received 
 the enemy with a difcharge of mufketry, 
 by which they were flopped ; and, by a w^ant 
 of addrefs on their part, were on the point 
 of faUing on the bayonets of Defaix's divi- 
 fion. A fire by files, well kept up, was pro- 
 ductive of a fecond furprife : the enemy he- 
 fitated for a moment, and then, endeavour- 
 ing fuddeniy to turn the divifion, paiTcd 
 between thofe of Pvcynier and Defaix, re- 
 ceiving the crols fire of both. In this way 
 the difcomiiture of this body of Mamelukes 
 commenced. Having no further projedl, a 
 part of them returned to Embabey, while 
 another part entrenched themfelves in a park 
 planted w^ith palm-trees, to the weft of the 
 two divifions, from whence they wxre dif- 
 lodged by our riflemen. They now took 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 127 
 
 ihe road of the defert of the pyramids ; and 
 it was afterwards by thefe Mamelukes that 
 our paiTage into upper Egypt was difputcd. 
 During this time, the other divifions, on ap- 
 proaching the village, found themfelves ex- 
 pofed to the fire of the guns in the entrenched 
 camp, an attack on which was decided on. 
 Two battalions were formed, drawn from 
 the divifions of Generals Bon and Menou, 
 and commanded by Generals Rampon and 
 Marmont, which were to proceed to the vil- 
 lage, and turn the camp by the help of the 
 moat. It appeared to the Mamelukes a 
 matter of no great difficulty to furround and 
 dcftroy Rampon's battalion, which w^as at- 
 tacked by the whole of thofe that remained 
 in the camp. On this occafion, the beft di- 
 re(5led, and moil: deftrudive fire was kept up 
 by our troops : the Mamelukes, when they 
 made a pretext of feeking our alliance af- 
 terwards. 
 
128 TRAVELS IN EGYPt; 
 
 terwards, told tis, that they had no concep- 
 tion of our refiftance. In reaUty, the befl 
 cavalry in the eaft, perhaps in the whole 
 world, was routed at the bayonet's point by 
 a fmall body of infantry. Some of them 
 had their clothes fet on fire by our difcharges 
 o£ mufketry, and, having been mortally 
 wounded, were burned in the front of our 
 ranks. The defeat became general : they 
 attempted to return to their camp, whither 
 our foldiers followed them, and entered pell- 
 mell w^ith the enemy. Their guns fell into 
 our hands ; and our divifions, on coming 
 up, furrounded the village, and thus deprived 
 them of that hope of retreat. In endea^ 
 vouring to proceed along the banks of the 
 Nile, a tranfverfe wall obftrudted their pro- 
 grefs, and drove them back. They now 
 threw themfelves into the river to join the 
 army of Ibrahim-Bey, which was ftationed 
 
 on 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPf. 129 
 
 on the oppofite fide, to cover Cairo. From 
 that moment it was no longer a combat, 
 but a mafTacre. The enemy appeared to 
 defile for the purpofe of being Ihot, and to 
 efcape from the fire of our battalions to be- 
 come a prey to the waves. In the midft 
 of this carnage, the fublime contrail, which, 
 on looking upwards, was afforded by the 
 clear fky of this fine climate, was very ftrik- 
 ing. A handful of French, led by a hero, 
 had juft fubdued a quarter of the globe : 
 an empire had juft changed its ruler; and 
 the pride of the Mamelukes had been com- 
 pletely humbled by the bayonets of our in- 
 fantry. During this great and terrible fcene, 
 the refult of which was to become fo im- 
 portant, the duft and fmoke fcarcely obfcured 
 the lower part of the atmofphere. The morn- 
 ing flar, revolving over a fpacious horizon, 
 peaceably terminated its career — a fublime 
 Vol. I. I teflimony 
 
130 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 teftimony of that immutable order of na- 
 ture, which obeys the decrees of the Eternal 
 in the calm ftillncfs that renders it ftill more 
 awful. 
 
 General Menou had, in confequencc of 
 his wounds, remained behind at Alexandria, 
 from whence he was to proceed to Rofetta, 
 to regulate the government, and afterw^ards 
 to make an cxcurfion in the Delta. Prior 
 to his fetting out for Cairo, he had prevail- 
 ed on me to accompany him on this excur- 
 ilon, to which I confented the more readily, 
 from a perfuafion that it w ould be more in- 
 terefting, if undertaken previoufly to my vifit 
 to Upper Eg)'-pt. In addition to this con- 
 fideration, I was very glad to accompany an 
 amiable and w^ell- informed man, with whom 
 I had been feveral years intimate. 
 
 We embarked on board an advice-boat, in 
 the new harbour of Alexandria, and fpent 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. ]3I 
 
 the whole of the day in endeavouring to 
 work out. Our pilot, who was unacquainted 
 with the currents, breakers, and flioals of this 
 harbour, after having with fome difficulty 
 fleered clear of Diamond-point, nearly ran 
 us on the ledge of the fmall fand-bank, and 
 brought us to anchor for the night off the 
 mouth of the harbour. I made a drawins; 
 of the fortrels (Fig. 1. Plate V.) confl:ru<5led 
 in the ifland of Pharos, on the fite of that 
 celebrated monument, equally ufeful and 
 magnificent, of that wonder of the world, 
 which, after having taken the name of the 
 ifiand on which it was placed, has tranf- 
 mitted that appellation to all the monu- 
 ments of the fame defcription. 
 
 On our fetting out the next morning, fate 
 
 was equally unpropitious to us. Scarcely 
 
 were we a few leagues out at fea, when a 
 
 gale of wind came on, in confequence of 
 
 I 2 vvhich 
 
132 TRAVELS IN EGIFT. 
 
 which General Menou was feized with a 
 convulfive fit of vomiting, which occafioned 
 him to fall, his head ftriking againfi; the 
 breech of a gun. He was infenfible ; and 
 as we were not able to judge of the danger 
 which might refult from a lar^e vi'ound he 
 had received, w-e had fome notion of con- 
 veying him to the Orient, \a hich was riding 
 at anchor with the fleet ofFAboukir, oppo- 
 fite to which place we were at the moment. 
 Our feamen being, however, of opinion, 
 that in a few hours we might reach the 
 Nile, we embraced this latter plan, as the 
 one which would the fooneft terminate the 
 general's fufferings from fea-fickncfs. A few 
 hours after, we found ourfelves, without 
 know ing it, at one of the mouths of the Nile, 
 which we recognized by the moft dreadful 
 pidlure I have ever feen. The water of the 
 T^ile, repelled by the wind, raifed to an im- 
 
 menfe 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 133 
 
 menfe height the waves, which were per- 
 petually forced back and broken, with a 
 frightful noife, by the current of the river. 
 One of our veflels, which had juft been 
 driven on fhore, and which the waves were 
 dafhing in pieces, was the only mark which 
 we had of the coaft. Several other advice- 
 boats were in the fame fituation with our- 
 felves, that is to fay, in the fame perplexity, 
 approaching each o^her to hold a confulta- 
 tion, then iheering off to avoid falling on 
 board and foundering, and unable to hold 
 any intercourfe except by loud (bouts. We 
 were without a coafting pilot, and were 
 quite at a lofs vshat courfe to take. In the 
 mean time the general grew w^orfe and 
 worfe ; and we refolved to reconnoitre the 
 bar of the river, for which purpofe the boat 
 was hoifted out, and Bonnecarerre, a chief 
 pf battalion, and myfelf, jumped into it in 
 I 3 the 
 
134 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 the beft way we could. We had fcarccly 
 quitted our veffel, when we found ourfelves 
 in the midH; of an abyfs, without being able 
 to diftinguifli any other objed, except the 
 curved tops of the waves, which threatened 
 on every fide to fwallow us up. At the dif- 
 tance of a third of a league from the advice- 
 boat, we made ufelefs efforts to draw near to 
 her ; I began to feel the effccls of fea-fick- 
 nefs, and we were obliged to make up our 
 minds to pafs the night in the boat. I had 
 juft wrapped myfelf up in my cloak, to be 
 no longer a witnefs of our deplorable fitua- 
 tion, when we pafled in the wake of a fe- 
 lucca, from the fide of which I perceived a 
 poor wretch, who had fallen overboard in 
 endeavouring to get into a boat, hanging by 
 a rope. Wearied with the efforts he made 
 to fupport himfelf in this perilous fituation, 
 and his ftrength nearly exhaufted, he feemed 
 
 on 
 
JTilAVELS IN EGYPT. 135 
 
 on the point of letting go his hold, and of 
 fceking a watery grave. This fpedlacle caufcd 
 in me fuch a revolution, that my fea-ficknefs 
 went off. I bawled as loud as I could, and 
 the feamen followed my example : our cries 
 were at length heard by the people on board 
 the felucca. At firft they could not com- 
 prehend what was our drift, and fearched 
 every where before they came to the aid of 
 this poor creature, who had no ftrength left. 
 At length they found him ; and it was not 
 too late to fhatch him from deftrucflion. 
 
 The time we had loft on this occafion, 
 and the efforts we had made to keep to 
 windward, in cafe our drowning man Ihould 
 have fallen into the fea, had placed us in a 
 fituation which enabled us to get on board 
 our veffel. We effecfled this without acci- 
 dent, and found her precifely where w^e had 
 ieft her, without thofe on board knowing 
 I 4 what 
 
136 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 what courfe to take. The wind was fome- 
 what abated, but the Tea very high. When 
 night came, the violence of the ftorm was 
 confiderably diminiflicd. 
 
 The general being too ill to come to any 
 determination for himfelf, we held another 
 council, in which it was decided, that we 
 fliould put him into the boat in the befl 
 way v\e could, being of opinion that the 
 yelTel which was aground, and the breakers, 
 would be a fuffic ent guide to us ; and that, 
 by fleering between the two, we fhould find 
 oui' way into the Nile, Our plan fucceed- 
 cd : at the expiration of an hour we were in 
 a line w ith the coafl, and, turning fuddenly 
 to the right, glided along the tranquil bed 
 of the fmoothefl of all rivers. Half an hour 
 afterwards we were in the midfl of a mofl 
 refrcfl^iing and verdant country : it was ex- 
 adly quiUing Tartarus to enter by the river 
 
 Lethe 
 
TRAVELS IS EGYPT. 137 
 
 Lethe Into the El) fian fields. This tranfi- 
 tion was the moft fenfibly felt by the gene- 
 ral, who was already able to fit up, and who 
 gave us no other uncafinefs than from the 
 depth of his wound, which no one of us 
 had had the courage to probe. 
 
 Shortly after we faw to our right a fort, 
 and to our left a battery, which had been 
 formerly conftrud:ed to defend the entrance 
 of the Nile, but which were now a league 
 within. As thefe fortifications were not 
 built until after the invention of gunpowder, 
 and are confequently not more than three 
 hundred years old, this circumftance may 
 ferve to fhow the progrefs the river has made 
 in gaining ground at its entrance. The 
 former of them, to the weft of the river, 
 is a fquare fortrefs, flanked with thick towers 
 at the angles, and having batteries, in which 
 ^fe guns twenty-five feet in length. The 
 
 latter 
 
]3S TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 latter is a mofquc, in the front of which 
 is a battery in a ruinous ftate, provided with 
 a fmgle gun of twenty-eight inches bore, the 
 only ufe of which at prefent is to procure a 
 fafe delivery to the pregnant women who fit 
 ajftride on it. 
 
 An hour after, we defcried, amidft forefls 
 of date, banana, and fycamore trees, Rofetta, 
 fituated on the banks of the Nile, which 
 annually waflics the walls of its houfes, with- 
 .out injuring them. I made a drawing of 
 this place before we landed. (See Fig. 3. 
 Plate V.) 
 
 Rafchid, which the Europeans have named 
 Rofetta, or Roffet, ftands on the Bolbitinc 
 branch of the Nile, and near its mouth, at 
 no great diilancc from the ruins of the an- 
 cient city of Bolbitinum, which mufi: have 
 been fituated on an elbow of that rivers 
 where at prefent ftands the convent of Abu- 
 
 Mandur, 
 
tTRAVELS IN EGYPT. 1 SQ 
 
 Mandur, at half a league's diftance from 
 Rofetta. This opinion relative to the fite 
 of Bolbitinum, is fupported by the heights 
 which command the convent, and which 
 muft have been formed by earth thrown up 
 by the river .: as it is alfo by feveral columns, 
 and other antiquities, which were found 
 about twenty years ago, in repairing the 
 convent. 
 
 Leo Africanus fays, that Rafchid was 
 built by a governor of Egypt, during the 
 empire of the caliphs. He does not men- 
 tion, however, the name of the caliph in 
 whofe reign it was built, nor the time of its 
 foundation. 
 
 Rofetta contains nothing curious. Its an- 
 cient circumvallation implies, that it was 
 once larger than it is at prefent. Its original 
 compafs is afcertained by the fand- banks by 
 which it is covered from weft to ibuth, and 
 
 which 
 
140 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 which have been formed by the walls and 
 towers that ferve at this time as a nucleus to 
 thefc accumulated heaps of fand. The po- 
 pulation of this city, as well as that of 
 Alexandria, diminifhes daily. Very lew 
 houfes are built, and thofe which are put 
 together are made entirely with the old 
 bricks of the buildings, which, being left 
 •uninhabited, fall to ruins for want of repairs. 
 The houfes, in general better con{lru<fted 
 than thofe of Alexandria, are notvvithftand- 
 ing fo flight, that were they not favoured 
 by the climate, which deftroys nothing, not 
 one of them would long be left ftanding at 
 Hofetta. The fiiories, which projed; one 
 over the other, at length nearly touch ; and 
 this renders the flreets very difmal and ob- 
 fcure. The houfes fituated on the bank of 
 the Nile arc not fubjed: to this inconve- 
 nience ; the greater part of them belong to 
 1 foreign 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 141 
 
 foreign merchants. It would be very eafy 
 to embellifh this part of the city, for which 
 purpofe it would be fimply neceflary to 
 build on the river's bank a quay, which 
 Ihould be alternately lined and provided 
 with flights of fteps. Thefe houfes, inde- 
 pendently of having the advantage of a view 
 of the river, have alfo the delightful profpec^ 
 of the Delta, and an ifland of about a league 
 in breadth, pofTeffing all the beauties of a 
 well cultivated garden. 
 
 This ifland became our property, and the 
 fpot of our daily promenades. We at length 
 made it a park, in which we amufed our- 
 felves with ftiooting ; a pleafure which was 
 augmented by that of curiofity, flnce every 
 bird we killed was of a kind with which we 
 were unacquainted. 
 
 I remarked, that the inhabitants of the 
 left bank of the Nile, that is to fay, of the 
 
 Delta, 
 
442 TRAVELS IN EfiYPT. 
 
 Delta, were more fociable and civilized than 
 the otheri> ; the caafc of which is, in my 
 opinion, to be afcribed to the enjoyment of 
 % greater plenty, and to the abfence of the 
 Bedouin Arabs, who, as they never crofs the 
 river, leave them in a ftate of tranquillity, 
 to which thofe on the other fide arc totally 
 ftrangers. 
 
 On inveftigating the caufes, we are almolu 
 invariably lefs difpofed to inveigh againft the 
 cfFed:s. Is it polTible to urge as fo many re- 
 proaches againfl the Arabs who cultivate the 
 land, that they are fullen, miftruftful, ava- 
 ricious, improvident, and carelefs about the 
 future, when it is confidered that, indepen- 
 dently of the exadions of the proprietor of 
 the land which they till, and thofe of the 
 covetous bey, and of the Sheik and Mame- 
 lukes, a wandering enemy in arms watches 
 Tunceafmgly the favourable opportunity to 
 
 fnatch 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 143 
 
 fnatch from the induftrious Arab, whatever 
 luperfluities he may venture to difplay ? The 
 money which he can hide, and which is a 
 reprefentative of every enjoyment, is there- 
 fore all that he can truly confider as be- 
 longing to him. Accordingly the art of 
 burying it in the earth is his principal lludy ; 
 and even when he has accomplifhed this, he 
 is not without his apprehenfions. By appear- 
 ing before his mafters in rags and tatters, 
 and with a ftudied difplay of wretchednefs, 
 he can alone hope to fecure from the grafp 
 of their avidity what he has hoarded to- 
 gether. It behoves him to infpire pity ; and 
 not to commiferate his lot would be to de- 
 nounce him. Anxious to amafs his dangeir- 
 ous wealth, and unhappy when in the pof- 
 fcffion of it, his life is fpent between the dif- 
 appointment which refults from not having 
 procured it, and the fubfequent dread of 
 feeins it fnatched from him. 
 
144 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 It is true that we had driven away thd 
 Mamelukes ; but on our arrival, in want of 
 all the neceffciries of life, vse found that, in 
 expelling them, we had not fupplied their 
 place. And indeed, who but thefe Mame- 
 lukes could fubjugate and reftrain the Be- 
 douin Arabs, however badly armed, and 
 however incapable of refinance, having no 
 other ramparts than the fhifting fands, no 
 other lines than the wide expanfc, and no 
 other retreat than the immenfity of the de- 
 ferts ? Had we endeavoured to bring them 
 over to us by an offer of lands to cultivate, 
 we know that in Europe the peafant who 
 becomes a huntfman forbears from that mo- 
 ment to cultivate the land. Now the Be- 
 douin is a huntfman from his infancy, and 
 habitually fo. Sloth and independence are 
 the bafes of his character ; and to indulge 
 the one, and protedl the other, he is un- 
 
 ceafmgly 
 
l-RAVELS IK EGYPT. 145 
 
 ceafingly in an agitated (late, allowing him- 
 felf to be liarafled and tormented by want. 
 We had therefore nothing to offer to the Be- 
 douins which could be equivalent to the ad- 
 vantage of their plundering us ; — a calcu- 
 lation which is invariably the bafis of all 
 the treaties they enter into. 
 
 Envy, that torment from which the 
 abode of want itfelf is not exempt, hovers 
 alfo over the burning fands of the defert. 
 The Bedouins, in waging war againft all the 
 nations of the univerfe, confine their hatred 
 and their envv to the Bedouins alone, who 
 do not belong to their tribe. To them all 
 wars are alike ; and as foon as the tranquil- 
 lity of Egypt is dlflurbed, either by an in- 
 teftine quarrel, or by a foreign enemy, they 
 take the field. Without attaching them- 
 felves to either party, they take advantage 
 of the contefi to plunder both. When we 
 
 Vol. L K landed 
 
146 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 landed in Africa, they difperfed themfelves 
 among our ranks, and carried off the ftrag- 
 glers, in the fame way that they would have 
 plundered the inhabitants of Alexandria, if 
 they had ventured from withinfide their 
 fortifications, to try the ifTue of a battle. 
 Wherever the booty is, there the enemy of 
 the Bedouins is to be found. Never back- 
 ward to treat, becaufe all the ftipulations 
 made with them are accompanied by pre- 
 fents, they are true to no other engagement 
 than the one which neceffity impofes. They 
 are, however, neither cruel nor vindictive. 
 The French whom they have made prifon- 
 crs, in defcribing the hardfhips they fufFered 
 during their captivity, confidered them ra- 
 ther as the effe6l of the mode of living 
 adopted by this nation, than as the refult of 
 their barbarity. Several of our officers who 
 had fallen into their hands have told me, 
 
 that 
 
TB.AVEI.S IN EGYPT. 14? 
 
 that the labour which was required of them 
 was neither cruel nor cxcelTive : they had to 
 attend on the women, and to load and drive 
 the ailes and camels. It is true that it was 
 neccflary to encamp and decamp continually, 
 for which purpofe all the camp equipage was 
 kept packed up, and in lefs than a quarter 
 of an hour the cavalcade was in motion. 
 This equipage confifted of a mill to grind 
 the corn and coffee, of a round iron plate, 
 on which to bake the flat cakes, of a lar2;e 
 coffee-pot, a fmall one, a few dried goat- 
 ikins to hold the water, a few facks of corn, 
 and the tent cloth, in which all thefe ar* 
 tides were wrapped. A handful of roafted 
 corn, and a dozen of dates, were the cuffo- 
 mary ration on the marching days, accom- 
 panied by a fmall allowance of water, which, 
 on account of its fcarcity, had been applied 
 to every other purpofe before it was em- 
 K 2 ployed 
 
148 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 ployed to allay the thirft. Thefe officcrs- 
 however, not having been galled by any ill 
 treatment, harboured no refentment againft 
 the Bedouins, whofe captives they had been, 
 and whofe wretched condition they had 
 done nothing more than fliare. 
 
 The Bedouins, deflitute of religions pre- 
 judices, and without any external form of 
 worfhip, are friends to toleration. Among 
 them a few revered cuftoms fupply the place 
 of laws ; and their principles bear the refem- 
 blance of virtues which anfwer all the pur- 
 pofes of their partial aflbciations, and of 
 their paternal government 
 
 I fliall here cite a trait of their hofpitality. 
 A French officer had been feveral months 
 prifoner to a chief of the Arabs, whofe camp 
 ivas furprifed in the night by our cavalry, 
 and who had barely time to efcape, his 
 tents, cattle, and provifions, having fallen 
 
 into 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 149 
 
 into our hands. On the following day, fu- 
 gitive, folitary, and vs^ithout any refourccs, 
 he drew from his pocket a cake, and, pre- 
 ienting the half of it to his prifoner, faid to 
 him : " I do not know when we fliall have 
 " any more food ; but I fhall not be accufcd 
 " of having refufed to fhare my laft morfel 
 " with one whom I efteem as my friend." 
 Is it poffible to hate fuch a nation, however 
 ferocious it may otherwife be ? The fobriety 
 of the Bedouins, when contrafted with the 
 artificial wants we have created, gii^es them 
 an evident advantage over us ; and I do 
 not know how fuch m^en can be eafily fub- 
 jugated, or brought over by perfuafion. They 
 will have the eternal reproach to urge againft 
 us, that we have reaped rich harvefts on the 
 tombs of their anceftors. 
 
 So long as we were not in poiTeflion of 
 
 Cairo, the inhabitants of the banks of the 
 
 K 3 Nile, 
 
150 TRAVELS IJJ EGYPT. 
 
 Nile, confideiing our exiilence in Egypt as 
 very precarious, iiad made an apparent fub- 
 miffion to our army on its pafling through 
 their territory. Entertaining, however, no 
 doubt but that our troops would be fpeedily 
 annihilated by their invincible tyrants, they 
 had dared, either with a view to obtain a 
 pardon from the latter for having fubmitted 
 to us, or to indulge their propenfity to plun- 
 der, to colled; at the water-fide, and to fire 
 on the barks which w ere either forwarded 
 to the army, or were returning fiom the en- 
 campments. Several o\ thefe barks had 
 beeri obliged to turn back, after having been 
 expofed to difcharges of mufketry for a fpace 
 of feveral leagues; and thefe attacks were 
 more particularly made by the inhabitants 
 of the villaccs of Metubis and Tfemi. A 
 fmall armed vcfTcl and a detachment of 
 troops were fcnt againft them ; and in this 
 
 expedition 
 
TKAVELS IN EGYPT. 151 
 
 expedition I was engaged. Our inllrudlions 
 were of a pacific ^nature ; and, after taking 
 hoftages, we. accepted their fubmiffion. 
 
 A few days after, another bark having 
 been difpatched for Cairo, no information 
 could be obtained relative to her crew. We 
 learned at length from the inhabitants them- 
 felves, that flie had been attacked on the 
 other fide of Fua ; and that her people, the 
 whole of whom had been wounded, had 
 jumped into the water, and had been drifted 
 on fhore by the current. Having been made 
 prifoners, they had been conducted to Sal- 
 mie, and there (hot. General Menou, think- 
 ing it neceflary to make a great example, 
 two hundred men were put on board ajialf 
 xebec, and fevcral barks ; and we landed 
 within half a league of Salmie. One of the 
 detachments furrounded the village, while 
 another marched along the banks of the 
 K 4 river ; 
 
i52 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 river; and a third, by which the circum- 
 vallation was to be completed, took up its 
 ground two leagues below. We found the 
 enemy mounted, and in battle array, in 
 front of the village. They were beforehand 
 with us in the attack, and came within the 
 reach of our bayonets. Several of their 
 leaders having been killed by our firft dif- 
 charge of mufketry, the reft, finding them- 
 felves furrounded, foon fled. The third di- 
 vifion, which was to have cut off their re- 
 treat, not being come up in time, the fheik 
 and his followers efcaped. The village was 
 delivered up to plunder during the remain- 
 der of the day ; and when night came, was 
 fet fire to. So long as the darknefs lafled, the 
 flames, and the difcharges of mufketry, gave 
 notice to an extent of fix leagues round, that 
 the vengeance we had inflided was terrible 
 and complete. 
 
 We 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 153 
 
 We returned to Fua, where all the fliclks 
 of the province had been convened, and 
 were alTembled. They liftened with refpe(ft 
 and refignation to the manifefto, which was 
 read to them, relative to the expedition, and 
 to the bafes on which the new organization 
 of Salmie was to be eftablilhed. An ancient 
 Iheik was appointed in the room of the one 
 whom the French had juft difpoiTefled and 
 profcribed ; and he was fent to collect the 
 fugitive inhabitants of the village, and to 
 bring in a deputation of them, which ar- 
 rived three days after. The detachment by 
 which the ancient fheik had been efcorted, 
 was well received by the inhabitants ; and 
 the deputies told us, on their arrival, that 
 they could recognife the paternal feelings of 
 thofe by whom their punifliment had been 
 inflicted. They could perceive very clearly 
 that we meant them no harm, fmce we had 
 
 put 
 
154 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 put to death nine only of the offenders, and 
 had burned but one quarter of the village. 
 They confequently regarded us as conquerors 
 who knew how to put bounds to our ven- 
 geance. They added, that the fire had been 
 extinguifhed ; that the houfe of the fugitive 
 fheik had been deftroyed ; and that they had 
 prefented all the fowls and geefe they had to 
 the foldiers, who had put a period to the re- 
 morfe by which they had been tormented 
 for three w'eeks paft. 
 
 We eftabliflied an ordinary poft at Sal- 
 mie, in concert with the neighbouring dif- 
 tridls, and concluded our expedition by 
 making a circuit through the country. In 
 all the villages we came to, we met with a 
 reception which went beyond the practice 
 of the feudal fydem. We were received by 
 the principal perfonage of the country, who 
 laid the inhabitants ynder contribution for 
 1 our 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 155 
 
 our maintenance. It was neceflary to be 
 acquainted with the abufes before a remedy 
 could be apphed to them : independently of 
 which, being feduced by the facility which 
 chance had afforded us, of obferving the 
 cuftoms of a country, in the morals of 
 which we were about to effed: a change, 
 we for this time allowed things to remain 
 as they were. 
 
 A houfe of public entertainment, which 
 had almoft invariably belonged to the Mame- 
 luke, heretofore the lord and mafter of the 
 village, was furniflied in a moment, accord- 
 ing to the falhion of the country, with mats, 
 carpets, and cufliions. A number of attend- 
 ants, in the firft place, brought in per- 
 fumed water, pipes, and coffee. Half an 
 hour afterwards a carpet was fpread, and on 
 the outer part three or four different kinds 
 of bread and cakes were laid in heaps, the 
 
 centre 
 
156 TRAVELS IX EGYPT, 
 
 centre being covered with fmall difhcs of 
 fruits, fweetmeats, creams, &c. the greater 
 part of them pretty good, and very highly 
 perfumed. This was confidered but as a 
 flight repaft, which was over in a few mi- 
 nutes. In the courfe, however, of two hours, 
 the fame carpet was covered afrefh with 
 large loaves, immenfe diflies of rice, either 
 boiled in milk, or in a rich gravy foup; halves 
 of fliccp badly roafted, large quarters of veal, 
 boiled heads of different animals, and fifty 
 or fixty other difhes, all crowded together, 
 confifbing of highly-feafoned ragouts, vege- 
 tables, jellies, fweetmeats, and honey in the 
 comb. There were neither chairs, plates, 
 fpoons, forks, drinking-glaflcs, nor napkins : 
 each of the guefts, fquatted on the ground, 
 took up the rice in his fingers, tore the meat 
 in pieces with his nails, dipped the bread in 
 the ragouts, and wiped his hands and lips 
 
 with 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 157 
 
 with a flice of bread. The water was ferved 
 in a pot ; and he who did the honours of 
 the table took the firft draught. In the fame 
 way, he was the firfl: to tafte the different 
 diflies, as w'ell to prevent his guefts from 
 harbouring any fufpicions of him, as to fhow 
 them how ftrong an intereft he took in 
 their fafetv, and how hic;;h a value he fet 
 on their perfons. The napkins wxre not 
 brought until after dinner, when each of the 
 guefts walhed his hands. He was then 
 fprinkled over with rofe-water ; and the 
 pipes and coffee produced. 
 
 When our repaff was ended, our places 
 w^ere occupied by the natives of the fecond 
 clafs, w^ho were very foon fucceeded by 
 others. From a motive of religion a poor 
 beggar was admitted : next came the atten- 
 dants ; and, laftly, all thofe w^ho chofe to 
 partake, until nothing was left. If thefe 
 
 repafts 
 
158 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 repafts cannot boaft the convenience of ours, 
 and the elegance by which the appetite is 
 whetted, it is impoffible not to be irruck by 
 the abundance, by the frank hofpitality they 
 difplay, and by the fobriety of the guefls, 
 who, notwithftanding there are fo many 
 difhes, do not remain more than ten minutes 
 at the table. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 1 oQ 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Br'itipi Fleet defcned, and naval Batik 
 ofAbouklr — Formation ofljlands and Banks 
 at the Month of tJie Nile — Falfe Reports fe?it 
 to Europe of the Situation of the Army, and 
 natural Advantages of Fgypt — March of a 
 Caravan from Rofetta along the Coajl — 
 Wrecks of the Battle of Ahoukir — Feninfula 
 of Aboukir, and fuppofed Rnins of Canopiis 
 and Heraclea — Jackals — Retiuii to Rofetta. 
 
 /^N the morning of the firil of Auguft 
 we were mafters of Egypt, Corfu, and 
 Malta ; and the fecurity of thefepolTeffions, 
 annexed to France, feemed in a great mea- 
 fure to depend on the thirteen flilps o{ the 
 
 line 
 
l60 TKAVELS IN ITGYPT. 
 
 line we had with us. The powerful Enghfh 
 fleets which were cruifing in the Mediterra- 
 nean, could not be fupplied with ftores and 
 provifions without much difficulty and an 
 enormous expenfe. 
 
 Bonaparte, who was fenfible of all the x 
 advantages of fuch a pofition, was defirous 
 to fecure thefe advantages, by bringing our 
 fleet into the harbour of Alexandria ; and 
 ofrered two thoufand fequins to any one who 
 fiiould accomplifli this. It is faid that fe- 
 veral of the captains of merchantmen had 
 founded, and found a paflage for the fleet 
 into the old harbour. The evil genius of 
 France, however, counfelled and pcrfuaded 
 the admiral to moor his fliips in the bay of 
 Aboukir, and thus to change in one day the 
 refult of a long train of fucceflcs. 
 
 In the courfe of the afternoon chance led 
 us to Abu-Mandur, the convent I have al- 
 ready 
 
t^ 
 
 •r 
 
 A i 
 
 ■NX 
 
 
 si 
 
 -^ 
 
 5 
 
 X 
 
 lU 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 i^^ 
 
 ! Ill' 
 
 N 
 
 Ui n ! 
 
m 
 
 ■/hrr/.^/^/r /frn^r'/^ yi<f>n/ff 
 
 f //r / fr/f'/>/ 
 
 WBsam 
 
 IHHKSBBBmr 
 
 '/,//.„,r ./{y,,>„r/i.>/«/ 
 
 '-rr 
 
 c 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. iOi 
 
 ready mentioned, and which terminates a 
 pleailmt walk from Rofetta* along the river 
 fide. ^ (See Plate VI. Fig. 2.) When we had 
 reached the tower which commands the 
 monaltery, we defcried a fleet of twenty 
 fail.* To come up, to range themfelves in 
 a line, and to attack, were the operations of 
 a minute. The firfl fhot was fired at five 
 o'clock ; and fliortly after, our view of the 
 movements of the two fleets was intercepted 
 by the fmoke. When night came on we 
 could diflinguifli fomewhat better, without, 
 however, being able to give an account of 
 what pafl^ed. The danger to wliich we were 
 cxpofcd, of falling into the hands of the 
 
 * Throughout the whole of this narrative of the de- 
 feat of the French fleet in Aboukir-bay, it iliould be re- 
 colleiSLcd, that it is the production of a Frenchman, who 
 either would not, or could not, fee things precifely as 
 they were. There were fifteen fail only, including the 
 Mutine brig. — Translator. 
 
 Vol. I. L fmalleft 
 
J 6a TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 fmalleft troop of Bedouins which mlgbt 
 come that way, did not draw our attention 
 from an event by which we were lb ftrongly 
 interefted. Rolls of fire inceifantly gufhing 
 from the mouths of the cannon, evinced 
 clearly that the combat was dreadful, and 
 fupported with an equal obftinacy on both 
 fides. On our return to Rofetta we climbed 
 on the roofs of the houfes, from whence, at 
 ten o'clock, we perceived a ftrong light, 
 which indicated a fire. A few minutes after 
 we heard a terrible explofion, which was 
 followed by a profound filence. As we had 
 feen a firing kept up, from the left to the 
 right, on the objed; in flames, we drew a 
 conclufion that it was one of the enemy's 
 fhips which had been fet fire to by our 
 people ; and we imputed the filence which 
 cnfued to the retreat of the Englifh, who, 
 as our fhips were moored, were exclufively 
 
 in 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPt. 163 
 
 in poffeffion of the range of the bay, and 
 who, confequently, could perfevere in, or 
 difcontinue the combat at pleafure. At 
 eleven o'clock a flow fire was kept up ; and 
 at midnight the adlion again became gene- 
 ral : it continued until two in the morning. 
 At day-break I was at the advanced polls ; 
 and, ten minutes after, the fleets were once 
 more engaged. At nine o'clock another fliip 
 blew up. At ten four fliips, the only ones 
 which were not difabled, and which I could 
 diflilnguifli to be French, crowded their fails, 
 and quitted the field of battle, in the pof- 
 feflion of which they appeared to be, as they 
 ■Were neither attacked nor followed. Such 
 was the phantom produced by the enthu* 
 fiafm of hope. 
 
 I took my fl:ation at the tower of Abu- 
 Mandur, from whence I counted twenty- 
 five veflels, half of which were fliattered 
 L 2 wrecks, 
 
104 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 wrecks, and the others incapable of manoeu- 
 vring to afford them affiftance. For three 
 days we remained in this ftate of cruel un- 
 certainty. By the help of my fpying-glafs 
 I had made a drawing of this difaflrous fcene, 
 to be enabled the better to afcertain whether 
 the morrow would be produftive of any 
 change. (See Plate VI. Fig. 2.) In this 
 way we cherilhed illufion, and fpurned at 
 all evidence, until at length, the palTage 
 acrois the bar being cut off, and the com- 
 munication with Alexandria intercepted, wc 
 found that our fituation was altered, and 
 that, Separated from the mother- country, 
 we were become the inhabitants of a diflant 
 colony, w^here we Ihould be obliged to de- 
 pend on our own refources for fubfiftencc 
 until the peace. We learned, in fhort, that 
 the Englifli fleet had furrounded our line, 
 which was not moored fufficiently near to 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. l6d 
 
 the ifland to be protected by the batteries ; 
 and that the enemv, formed in a double 
 line, had attacked our fliips one after the 
 other, and had by this manoeuvre, ^vhich 
 prevented them from adling in concert, ren- 
 dered the one-half of the fleet witnefs of the 
 deftrudlion of the other half. We learned 
 that it was the Orient which blew up at ten 
 o'clock at night, and the Hercule the fol- 
 lowing morning ; and that the captains of 
 the fliips of the line, the Guillaume Tell and 
 Genereux, and of the frigates, la Diane and 
 la Juftice, perceiving that the reft of the 
 fleet had fallen into the enemy's hands, had 
 taken advantage of a moment of laffitude 
 and inaction on the part of the Engliih to 
 effed: their efcape. We learned, lafily, that 
 the firfl of Auguft had broken the unity of 
 our forces ; and that the deftrucflion of our 
 fleet, by which the luftre of our glory was 
 L 3 tarniflicd, 
 
l66 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 tarnifhed, had reftored to the enemy the 
 empire of the Mediterranean ; an empire 
 which had been wrefted from them by the 
 matchlefs exploits of our armies, and which 
 could only have been fecured to us by the 
 exiftence of our Ihips of w^ar. 
 
 Our portion was entirely changed. In the 
 poffibility of being attacked, v\ e were under 
 the neceffity of making preparations for our 
 defence, for which purpofe a general infpec- 
 tion of our different pofitions was made, the 
 entrance of the Nile fortified, and a battery 
 erected on one of the iflands. 
 
 During one of our reconnoitering parties 
 we returned to the hoghafs, or bar of the 
 Nile, which was at that time nearly at its 
 greateft height, and had an opportunity of 
 feeing the efforts made by the weight of this 
 river againft the waves of the fea, which, at 
 this feafon of the year, are impelled twelve 
 
 hours 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. I67 
 
 hours dally by the north wind, in a direc- 
 tion oppofite to that of the courfe of the 
 river. From this confli6l of contending 
 ■waters there refults a fand-bank, which, 
 gradually augmenting, becomes an ifland, 
 and divides the current of the river, forming 
 two branches, each of which has its diftincfl 
 fhelf. The eddy of thefe Ihelves throws on 
 the beach a part of the fand which the cur- 
 rent had fvvept along, and by this heaping 
 up of fand the two branches narrow by de- 
 grees, until one of them gaining an afccn- 
 dency over the other, the weakefl of them 
 is choked up, and the ifland becomes main 
 land. The branch which remains fbon 
 forms another fand-bank, an ifland, two new 
 branches, &c. &c. In this way, it appears 
 to me, the moft natural explanation may 
 be given of the ancient geography of the 
 branches of the Nile, as well as of the voy- 
 L 4 age 
 
l6S , TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 age of Menelaus in Homer, and of the 
 changes of the Delta, the fite of which, 
 might in the firft inftancc have been a gulf, 
 then a fandy beach, and, laftly, a cultivated 
 country, covered with fuperb cities and 
 abundant crops, and intcrfed:cd by canals, 
 which, the foil having been either drained 
 or watered with fkill, might have difpenfed 
 abundance over the whole of the fiirface of 
 this new country. Afterwards, in the lapfe 
 of time, and in confequcnce of the calamities 
 infeparable from revolutions, fome of the 
 parts of this territory, thus gained from the 
 fea, may have been defcrtcd, while others 
 may have become fait fprings ; and lakes 
 may have been formed, next deftroyed, and, 
 finally, reproduced under a new modification 
 of matter. Canals, choked up, may have 
 changed their courfe, and have been loft. If 
 this be granted, why, in our uncertain re- 
 fear ches, 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. l6g 
 
 fearches, do we enquire where the Bolbitinc 
 and Canopic branches of the Nile, the branch 
 of Berenice, &c. &c. were fituated ? 
 
 The plants which are produced in the 
 firft place on the new land, are three or four 
 kinds of fea weeds, round v/hich the fand 
 throws itfelf up in heaps. From its fur- 
 face they fpring up afrelh ; and their fub- 
 fcquent decay furniflies a manure which 
 favours the vegetation of reeds. Thefe reeds 
 give a greater elevation and a greater folidity 
 to the foil. The date-tree now appears, and 
 by its Ihade prevents the fudden evaporation 
 of the moifture, and renders the foil fruit- 
 ful and produ(5live, as may be feen in the 
 environs of the fortrefs of Rafchid, from 
 whence, in the time of the Emperor Selim, 
 the guns had a full command of the fea, and 
 which is now a league from the fea-fnore, 
 furcounded by forefts of palm-trees, beneath 
 
 the 
 
170 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 the fliade of which other fruit-trees flourifh, 
 together with all the vegetables that are 
 produced in the beft cultivated gardens. 
 
 On this expedition I faw, at the mouth 
 of the river, a number of pelicans and jerbos. 
 On examining the fortrefs of Rafchid, 1 ob- 
 ferved that it had been conflru6lcd of parts 
 of old buildings ; and that feveral of the 
 ftones of the embrafures were of the fine 
 free-ftone of Upper Egypt, and ftiU covered 
 with hieroglyphics. On vifiting the fubter- 
 raneous apartments, we came to magazines 
 filled with old arms and armour, fuch as 
 crofs-bows, arrows, fwords in the fhape of 
 thofe ufed in the time of the crufades, hel- 
 mets, &c. In rummaging thefe magazines 
 a great number of bats as large as pigeons 
 flew out. They were Ihaped exacftly like 
 the wood-fauvette : we killed feveral of 
 them. 
 
 After 
 
TRAVELS I^T EGYPT. 17 1 
 
 After the lofs of our fleet, a part of the 
 troops w hich were at Rofetta had been dif- 
 tributed in fftiall parties in the fortreiTcs and 
 batteries ; and as it had been found necelTary 
 to keep up a communication between Alex- 
 andria and Rofetta, by the eftablilliment of 
 caravans between thefe two places, by Abou- 
 kir and the defert, and to employ a certain 
 number of foldicrs for the proted:ion of thefe 
 caravans againil the Arabs, too few of them 
 were left at Rofetta to do the garrifon duty, 
 and to defend the place in the cafe of an at- 
 tack. It was therefore decided to form a 
 militia, to be made up of the travellers, 
 fpeculators, and, in fliort, of all thofe idle, 
 wandering, and irrefolute men, who came 
 up from Alexandria, or who were already 
 returned from Cairo. Thefe animals of a 
 doubtful defcription, corrupted by the cam- 
 paigns of Italy, having heard that in Egypt 
 
 the 
 
172 TRAVELS rX EGYPT. 
 
 the harvefts were the moft abundant in the 
 nniverfe, had imagined that the fortunes of 
 thofe who fhould be the firft to take poiTcf- 
 fion of fuch a country would be made to 
 their hands. Others, of a debauched charac- 
 ter, and whofe minds had been fafcinated by 
 the relations which Savary has given, had 
 quitted Paris to fcek new pleafures at Cairo. 
 Others, laftly, had come out as fpeculators, 
 to fuppiy the wants of the army, to watch 
 the ftate of the markets, and to procure and 
 fell at a high price whatever the colony 
 might need. The beys had, however, car- 
 ried off with them from Cairo all the money 
 and rich moveable property ; and the popu- 
 lace had pillaged the houfes of the more 
 opulent inhabitants before we had obtained 
 poffciTion of that city. Bonaparte confidered 
 the appointment of army-furnifhers as un- 
 necclTary ; and the fleet of merchantmen was 
 
 blocked 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 173 
 
 blocked up by the Engliih. Thefe combined 
 circumftances threw a dark cloud over Egypt, 
 to thefe travellers at Icall, who were furprifed 
 at finding themfelves in a captive ftate, de- 
 feated in their projects, and obliged to con- 
 cur towards the defence and organization 
 of an eftablifhment, the aim of which was 
 no lefs than the confolidation of the fortune 
 and glory of the nation at large. They ac- 
 cordingly, in letters deftined for France, en- 
 tered into the moft melancholy details ; and 
 theie letters, which were intercepted by the 
 Englifli, contributed to miilead them as to 
 our real iituation. From a perfiiafion that 
 we were dying with hunger, they fent us 
 back our prifcners, to haften the moment 
 of our deftru<5lion ; and publiflied in their 
 newfpapers that one- half of our army was at 
 the hofpital, while half the remainder was 
 employed in leading the others who were 
 
 blind. 
 
174 tEAVELS IN EG-XPT. 
 
 blind. At this time, however, Upper Egypt 
 fupplied us abundantly with the beft corn, 
 and Lower Egypt with the fineft rice. The 
 fugar made in the country cofts only half 
 the price of the fugar in France ; and the 
 innumerable herds of buffaloes, oxen, Iheep, 
 and goats, both belonging to the cultivators 
 and to the Arab fhcpherds, abundantly fup- 
 plied a new confumption at the time of our 
 landing, fecuring to us plenty, and even fu- 
 perfluity for the future. To thefe rcfources 
 we could add, as fo many luxuries for our 
 tables, fowl, fifh, game, vegetables, and fruits 
 of every defcription. Such were the obje^s 
 of prime neceflity and of luxury which Egypt 
 afforded to thefe calumniators, who were 
 in need of gold to repair the abufe they had 
 already made of it, and who, being unable 
 to find any, could perceive nothing around 
 them except burning fands, a perpetual fun- 
 
 fliine^ 
 
 N 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 175 
 
 ITiine, gnats and fleas, dogs which prevented 
 them from fleeping, intradlable hufbands, 
 and w^omen who difplayed their haggard 
 necks, while their faces were veiled. 
 
 Lrct us, however, abandon to the mercy 
 of the winds this fwarm of butterflies, which 
 colled: wherever a glimpfe of funlhine is 
 to be caught ; and, glancing into futurity, 
 fee our conquefts and the peace lay open the 
 ports of Alexandria, bringing thither fkilful 
 and indufl:rious cultivators, ufeful merchants, 
 and, in fliort, fettlers who, without terrify-" 
 ing themfelves becaufe Africa does not re- 
 femble Europe, will find that in Egypt a 
 man may for three halfpence have a fulTi- 
 cient quantity of the beft rice in the world 
 for a day's confumption : that a part of the 
 grounds which the inundations have deferted 
 _may be cultivated by means of irrigation : 
 that wind- mills would raife the water to a 
 
 greater 
 
176 TRAVELS i:? EGYPT, 
 
 greater height than the machines with pots^ 
 which are at prefent employed, and which 
 require fo much attendance and fo many 
 oxen : that the iflands of the Nile, and the 
 greater part of the Deha, have need alone 
 of fettlers from the Weft Indies to produce 
 the fineft fugar- canes on a territory which 
 will not be deftru(5live to the population : 
 that on approaching Cairo, and on the other 
 fide of that citv, a little amelioration will 
 fuffice to rival the plantations of indigo and 
 cotton to be found elfewhere : and that, 
 while they are making a fure and handfomc 
 fortune, they will live under the benign 
 influence of a pure and healthy climate, on 
 the banks of a river of an almoft miraculous 
 defcriptlon, the advantages of which cai>not 
 be recapitulated. To conclude, they will 
 fee a new colony fpring up, with cities ready 
 built, and with fkilful workmen, accuftomed 
 
 to 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 177 
 
 to toils and inured to the climate, by whofe 
 aid, and by the help of the canals which are 
 already traced out, they will in a few years 
 create new provinces, the future abundance 
 of which cannot be doubted, fince it will 
 depend on modern induftry alone to reftore 
 to them their ancient fplendour. 
 
 With refpecfl to our heedlefs foldlers, they 
 amufed themfelves at the expenfe of our fea- 
 men who had been beaten ; and having heard 
 that Murad-Bev had a white camel covered 
 with gold and diamonds, their converfation 
 was entirely engroffed by Murad-Bey and 
 his white camel. For my part, I was to 
 vilit Upper Egypt ; and I laid afide all fur- 
 ther refledions relative to our fituation until 
 my return from thence. 
 
 Our excurfion in the Delta was retarded 
 by fome preffing bufmefs which General 
 Menou had to tranfadl. I refolved to avail 
 
 Vol. I. M mvfelf 
 
J78 TRAVELS ITJ EGYPT. 
 
 myfelf of this delay, by returning and vi- 
 fiting by land the part of Egypt, the coaft 
 only of which I had feen in coming from 
 Alexandria by fea ; and for this purpofe I 
 joined a caravan to go in queft of the ruins 
 of Canopus. 
 
 A confiderable number of the native in- 
 habitants had joined the efcort of the ca- 
 ravan : when, on quitting the city at .the 
 clofe of the evening, it began to fpread it- 
 felf over the yellow and fleek furface of the 
 fandy hillocks which furround Rofetta ; it 
 produced the moft ftriking and pi<Surefque 
 effed: imaginable. The groups of foldiers, 
 thofe of the merchants in their different 
 collumcs, fixty laden camels, an equal num- 
 ber of Arab guides, the horfes, affes, foot 
 travellers, and a few inftruments of military 
 mufic, gave the animated femblance of one 
 of the fineft pictures of Benedetto, or of Sal- 
 
 vator 
 
tllAVELS IN EGYPT. I79 
 
 vator Rofa. As fbon as we had defcended 
 the hillocks, and pafled the palm-trees, we 
 entered a vaft defert, the horizontal line of 
 which is broken by a few fmall brick mo- 
 numents alone, intended to prevent the tra- 
 veller from lofmg himfelf in the wide ex- 
 panfe, and without which the fmalleft error 
 in the opening of the angle would bring 
 him, bj a lengthened line, into a direction 
 very different from the one he meant to take. 
 We proceeded, amid the filence of the de- 
 fert and of the night, over incruftations of 
 fait, which gave fome fmall degree of foli- 
 dity to the moving fands, our cavalcade be- 
 ing preceded by a detachment of foldiers. 
 Next came the travellers, then the beafts of 
 burden, and, laftly, another detachment to 
 prcte6l the convoy from the Bedouin Arabs, 
 who, when they are not in fufficient force 
 to attack in front, fometimes carry off the 
 M 2 ftragglers 
 
180 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 ftragglers within twenty paces of the rear of 
 the caravan. 
 
 We reached the fea-ilde at midnight, 
 when the rifing moon lighted up a new 
 fcenc. The Ihore, to the extent of four 
 leagues, was covered by wrecks, which en- 
 abled us to form an eflimate of the lofs we 
 had iiiftained at the battle of Aboukir. To 
 procure a few nails, or a few iron hoops, 
 the wandering Arabs were employed in burn- 
 ing on the beach the mafts, gun-carriages, 
 boats, &c. which had been conftrudled at 
 fo vaft an expenfe in our ports, and even the 
 wrecks of which were a treafure in a coun- 
 try where fo few of thefe objects were to be 
 found. The robbers fled at our approach ; 
 and nothing was left but the bodies of the 
 wretched vidims, drifted on the loofe fand, 
 by which they were half covered, and exhi- 
 biting there a fpedacle as fublime as ter- 
 
 rifico. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 181 
 
 rific. The fight of thefe diftreffing objects 
 plunged my foul by degrees in a deep me 
 lancholy. I endeavoured to fhun thefe ter- 
 rifying fpe^lres, but in vain : all thofe that 
 came acrofs me attradled my attention by 
 their various attitudes, and made different 
 impreffions on my mind. But a few months 
 before, young, replete with health, courage, 
 and hope, they had, by a noble effort, torn 
 themfelves from the embraces of their weep- 
 ing mothers, fillers, and wives, and from the 
 feeble ftruggles of their tender infants. All 
 thofe by whom they were cheriilied, faid I 
 to myfelf, and who, yielding to their ardour, 
 had allowed them to depart, are fflll offer- 
 ing up prayers for their fuccels, and for their 
 iafe return : waiting with avidity the news 
 of their triumphs,, they are preparing feafts 
 for them, and counting the moments as they 
 pafs, while the obje(fl:s of their expectation 
 M 3 lie 
 
182 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 lie on a diftant beech, parched up by a burn- 
 ing fand, and having their fkuUs already 
 
 bleached To whom does that mangled 
 
 fkeleton belong ? Is it thine, intrepid The- 
 venard ? Unwilling to fuffer the amputa- 
 tion of thy fractured limbs, thou hadft no 
 other wifli to gratify than the honour of 
 dying at thy poft. Thy impatient ardour 
 would have been tired out by the delays of 
 the operation : thou hadft nothing more to 
 exped: from life ; but thou mighteftftill give 
 a ufeful order, and waft apprehenfive of be- 
 ing anticipated by death. Another fpedlre 
 fucceeds, having its arm raifed over its head, 
 which is funk into the fand. Slain in the 
 fight, remorfe feems to have furvived thy 
 courageous end. Haft thou any reproach 
 to make againft thyfelf? Thy mutilated 
 limbs atteft thy courage ; and couldft thou 
 be more than brave ? Is it owing to thy 
 
 miftakes 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 183 
 
 miftakes that the wrecks which th^e waves 
 have thrown up are accumulated about thee? 
 How great is my regret, that my foul, filled 
 with emotion at quitting thy remains, can 
 only beftow on them unavailing pity. Who 
 is this other, feated, and with his legs fhot 
 away ? He appears, by his countenance, to 
 arreft for a moment the death to which he 
 is already a prey ! It is thou, unqueftionably, 
 courageous Dupetitoire ! Receive the tribute 
 of the enthufiafm with which thou haft in- 
 fpired me. Thou haft periftied ; but thy eyep^ 
 in clofmg, did not fee thy colours ftruck ; 
 and thy laft word was an order given from 
 the deck to pour a broadfide on the enemies 
 of thy country. Adieu: thy alhes are de- 
 nied a tomb ; but the tears of the hero by 
 whom thou art regretted, are the unpe- 
 rilhable trophy v^hich will infcribe thy name 
 in the temple of remembrance. Who is this 
 M 4 in 
 
385 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 in the tranquil attitude of a virtuous man, 
 whofe laft adion was didated by wifdom 
 and by his duty ? His view is ftill direded 
 tov^^ards the Englifti fleet. Like Bayard, it 
 was his wifli to die with his face turned to- 
 wards the enemy. His hand is ftretched out 
 towards a youthful corpfe, which is fall: haf- 
 tening to decay. I can diftinguifli, however, 
 a lengthened neck, and outftretched arms. 
 It is thou, young hero, amiable Cafabianca ? 
 It can be no other. Death, inflexible death, 
 has united thee to thy father, whom thou 
 preferedfl: before life. Senfible and refpec- 
 table youth, time held out to thee a promife 
 of future glory ; but thy filial piety made 
 choice of death : accept our tears, the reward 
 of thy virtues. 
 
 The fun had difpelled the darknefs, but 
 had not diflipated the gloomy complexion of 
 my thoughts : the caravan, however, on flop- 
 ping, 
 
TJRAVELS IN EGYPT. 185 
 
 ping, apprlfed me that we were at the edge 
 of the lake which Separates the plain of the 
 defert from the pcninfula, at the extremity 
 of which Aboukir is built. ' This deep and 
 extenfive lake is the ancient Canopic branch 
 which the Nile has abandoned, and the 
 banks of which have been forced back, and 
 its bed enlarged, by the preffure of the fea, 
 which has found a ready entrance. This 
 encroachment on the lake, which is daily 
 gaining ground, threatens to deftroy the 
 ifthmus which attaches Aboukir to the main 
 land, and over which the canal flows that 
 conveys the water to Alexandria. The Ara- 
 bian princes attempted to throw up a mound, 
 which was never finifhed, or which, not hav- 
 ing fiifficient folidity, yielded to the efforts 
 of the waves, impelled during a part of the 
 year by the northerly v^inds. At prefent 
 there are no other remains of this m.ound 
 
 than 
 
186 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 than two piers, one on each bank. A to- 
 pographical plan of this part of Egypt, which 
 is little known, and which has been badly 
 traced on all the charts, would fupply the 
 means of reafoning with efficacy on the dan^ 
 gers which may refult from the fea's mo- 
 tion, and of applying the remedies requifite 
 to the fecurity of the important canal which 
 conveys the water of the Nile to Alexandria. 
 The difficulty of ferrying over the canal 
 of Maadieh occaiioned this ffiort palfage to 
 occupy nearly as much time as the reft of 
 the route. On the oppolite bank our people 
 were employed in ere(^ling a battery to pro- 
 ted; this communication ; which, without 
 fuch a precaution, would be expofed to the 
 enemy's attacks. We had fcarcely crolTed 
 the canal when we had a proof of this : an 
 Englifli brig and a cutter, which had come 
 purpofely to intercept us, fired at us fcvcn 
 
 or 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 187 
 
 or eight balls. Our filence inducing them 
 to think that we had nothing with which 
 to reply to them, the Englifli, a few hours 
 after, detached from their fleet twelve boats, 
 together with the two veflels above-men- 
 tioned, which fleered towards our works with 
 crowded fails. We imagined that they were 
 about to attempt a landing : they came to 
 anchor, however, near the battery, and when 
 night drew on kept up a heavy fire on us. 
 We waited for the moon's rifmg; and as 
 foon as her light had enabled us to afccrtain 
 their pofition, anfwered them in a way 
 which was apparently fo advantageous, that 
 on our fourth difcharge they cut their cables, 
 left their anchors behind them, and flood 
 out to fea. 
 
 After having crofTed the mouth of the 
 lake, by following two fmall openings fkirted 
 by fandy hillocks, I at length reached the 
 
 fuburb 
 
J88 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 fuburb of Aboukir, which bears a great re's 
 femblance to the city, from which it is ie- 
 parated by a diflance of about a hundred 
 and fifty paces : the city and fuburb, taken 
 together, may confift of from forty to fifty 
 bad houfes in a ruinous ftate, interfe^ling 
 the peninfula, at the extremity of which the 
 fortrefs ftands. At a diftance this fortrefs 
 has a refpeftable appearance ; the baftions 
 woiild, however, fall in on the third dif- 
 charge of the culverins which are placed on 
 the ramparts, and which are in a very ne- 
 gled:ed Hate : one of them, a brafs piece, 
 carries a fifty pound ball. It was found ne- 
 cefiary to raze a part of the batteries, and 
 to form with the rubbifli a platform of fuf- 
 ficient folidity to receive four of our thirty- 
 fix pounders. This precaution did not ap- 
 pear to me to be of any great utility, as the 
 fmall veficls and launches w^hich arc ca- 
 pable 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 18^ 
 
 pable of carrying guns to batter the walls 
 are prevented from approaching this pro- 
 montory by the reefs and rocks which fur- 
 round it. The enemy would not attempt a 
 landing at this point ; and ihould it even be 
 carried into effect, the fortrefs could neither 
 hold out, nor afford any fecurity to troops, 
 or to a magazine, unlefs lines were to be 
 conftrudlcd in front to defend the approach. 
 On the whole, it appeared to me that it 
 would have been better to deftroy the for- 
 trefs, and fill up the cifterns, preventing thus 
 the neceffity of a garrifon., of no utility dur- 
 ing the abfence of an enemy, and which 
 could not fail to be blockaded, or forced to 
 furrender, the moment a hoflile landing 
 flK)uld be effected. 
 
 I made a bird's-eye view of the penin- 
 fula. (See Fig. I.Plate VI.) 
 
 In the embrafure of the outer gate of the 
 
 fortrefs 
 
igO TRAVELS IN EGYPT* 
 
 fortrefs I found four large flones of dark 
 green porphyry, and two long flones of the 
 moft compaA flatuary granite. At the inner 
 gate I found, together with four other flones, 
 a fragment of doric entablature, having tri- 
 glyphs of a large fize and fine execution* 
 Thefe fragments, and a few vefliges of foun- 
 dations at the point of the rock, are the only- 
 antiquities I could difcover at Aboukir, the 
 fite of which can never have undergone any 
 alteration, fince the foil is a calcareous level 
 which rifes above the bed of the fea, and 
 which is attached to the main land, by an 
 iflhmus too narrow to have allowed a con- 
 fiderable city to have been built there. There 
 is, therefore, every reafon to fuppofe that this 
 was the fort or caflle, facing the fea, of 
 Canopus, or of Heraclea, which Strabo places 
 at or near this fpot. Before I reached Abou- 
 kir, at half a league's diftance, I had palTed 
 2 in 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. IQl 
 
 in front of the ciflerns, the conftrudion of 
 which had been pralfed to me. I returned 
 thither, and could find nothing befides three 
 fquare wells of Arabian ftru(flure, furrounded 
 by heights which certainly contain ruins, and 
 on which a large quantity of fragments of 
 earthen pots are heaped together, blended 
 with the fand of the defert which the wind 
 has carried thither. I fufped;ed that Arabic 
 towers had been funk on this fpot, or, per- 
 haps, that it had been the fite of a manu- 
 fadlory of pottery, or that thefe were the ruins 
 of Heraclea. A few fragments of granite on 
 the moft elevated part of the ground in- 
 duced me to prefer this latter opinion. 
 
 On the following day I proceeded with a 
 detachment along the weftern coaft, exa- 
 mining all the iinuofities and the fmalleft 
 eminences. In Lower Egypt the latter al- 
 moft invariably contain antiquities, by the 
 
 aggrc- 
 
10 TKAVELS J^ EGYPT. 
 
 aggregation of which they were originally 
 formed. After a fearch of three-quarters of 
 an hour, I found at the bottom of the fe- 
 cond creek a fmall pier formed of colofTal 
 fragments. I felt an inexpreilible pleafurc 
 on perceiving, in the firft inftancc, a frag- 
 ment of a hand, the firfi: phalanx of which, 
 fourteen inches in length, belonged to a 
 ftatue thirty-fix feet in height. The granite, 
 workmanfhip, and ftjle of this fragment, 
 left no doubt in my mind but that it be- 
 longed to the earlieft period of the Egyp- 
 tians. By the difpofition of this hand, as 
 well as by feveral fragments in its vicinity, 
 and by the mere habit of examining Egyp- 
 tian ftatues, the pofture of which is fo little 
 varied, it is ealy to recognize in this frag- 
 ment an Ifis holding a nilometer. It might 
 readily be removed from the fpot where it is 
 placed ; but this would greatly diminifh its 
 
 value : 
 
I'RATELS I?? EGYPT. I93 
 
 value : hear it are fcveral frasrments of archi- 
 
 o 
 
 te6lure, the dimenlions of which evince that 
 they once belonged to a capacious and hand- 
 fom^ edifice of the doric order. Thefe ruins 
 have for fcveral centuries been waflied by 
 the waves, without having been disfigured ; 
 infomuch that it would appear to be the lot 
 of Egyptian monuments of every defcrip- 
 tion to refift alike the ravages of time and 
 of man. Nearer to the fea-fidc, and fur- 
 rounded by the fragments of this colofTal 
 ftatue, is a flatue of a fphinx, the head and 
 fore legs of which arc mutilated, as far as 
 the petrified plants and fmall fhells with 
 which they were encrufted would enable 
 me to judge. Its flyle attefls that it is the 
 work of a Greek fculptor. It is not of gra- 
 nite, but of a free-fi:one which refembles 
 white marble, and which has a tranfparency 
 not to be met with in this fubflanee out of 
 Vol, I. ' N Egypt. 
 
194 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Egypt. Its height is thirteen or fourteen feet 
 At fome diftance, amid fragments of enta- 
 blatures fimilar to thofe I have aheady dc- 
 fcribed, is another ftatue of Ifis, fufficiently 
 well preferved to allow its pofition and at- 
 titude when {landing to be afcertained : its 
 legs are broken, but the fragments are at its 
 fide. This ftatue is of granite, and is ten 
 feet in height. All thefe antique ftatues and 
 fragments appear to have been placed on 
 this fpot to form a pier, and to ferve as a 
 breaker for an edifice ^vhich has been fmce 
 deftroyed, and w^hich, if an opinion can be 
 formed from its foundations, mull have been 
 a fea-bath, the plan of which is ft ill to be 
 traced in the interfered rock. The part 
 which is not covered by the fea, has con- 
 duits for the w^atcr, conftruded in brick, 
 over which cement and pouzzolana have 
 been laid. 
 
 At 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. Ig3 
 
 At a diftance of nearly half a mile from 
 thence, proceeding inland, and approaching 
 Alexandria, are feveral foundations con- 
 ilrud;ed in brick, the plan of which cannot 
 be perfectly made out, but which, from fe- 
 veral fragments of buildings well executed, 
 appear to have belonged to edifices of fome 
 importance. Near them are feveral Corin- 
 thian capitals in marble, too much decayed 
 to be meafured, but which muft have ap- 
 pertained to bafes of the fame fubftance : 
 the columns to which they belonged muft 
 have been twenty inches in diameter. Far- 
 ther on are a great number of fragments of 
 columns of rofe-coloured granite, fluted, and 
 all of them of the fame fize, of the fame 
 fubftance, and wrought with the fame care, 
 being inconteftably the ruins of a large and 
 iuperb temple of the doric order. From the 
 accounts which Strabo has tranfmitted to us 
 N 2 relative 
 
igQ TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 relative to this part of/ Egypt, and from. 
 what I have juft defcribed, more parti cularly 
 the latter fragments, I had not the fmalleft 
 doubt but that thefe were the ruins of Ca- 
 nopus, and thofe of its temple, built by the 
 Greeks, the worftiip of which vied with that 
 of Lampfacus : — of that miraculous temple 
 in which old men recovered their youth, and 
 the (ick their health. The bath I have juft 
 mentioned w'as perhaps one of the means the 
 pricfls employed to work thefe wonders. 
 
 The foil has preferved none of the luxuri- 
 oufnefs of the fite of ancient Canopus. A 
 few hillocks of {a.nd and ruins in brick, large 
 fquare blocks of granite, without hierogly- 
 phics, and without any determinate fhape 
 to atteft to what kind of edifices and to what 
 age they belonged ; and, laftly, a few fmall 
 vallies, as barren as the heights by which 
 they are fornaed, are all that remains of a 
 
 city, 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 3^7 
 
 city, once fo delightful, the Ute of which 
 has now a wild and difmal afpedl. It is true 
 that the canal of which Strabo fpeaks, which 
 extended from Alexandria to Eleufma, and a 
 branch of which reached and beflowed a re- 
 frefliing coolnefs on Canopus, has fo entirely 
 difappcared, that the traces of it cannot be 
 dillinguiflied, nor the poflibility of its exift- 
 ence at prefent conceived. There are no 
 longer any remains of water in its environs, 
 unlefs in a few wells or cifterns, which con- 
 tain an inconfiderable quantity, and which 
 are fo narrow and dark, that neither their 
 dimcnfions nor depth can be meafurcd. In 
 fliort, that city, the feat of voluptuous de- 
 lights, to which the votaries of pleafure re- 
 forted, is now become a dcfert, frequented 
 by the jackals and the Ecdouin Arabs. I did 
 not encounter any of the latter; but I met 
 with a jackal vvhich I fhould have taken for 
 N 3 a dog, 
 
193 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 a dog, if I had not had an opportunity to 
 examine very minutely his pointed nofe, his 
 erecfled ears, his length of tail fweeping the 
 ground, and his coat of fur like that of the 
 fox, to whom he has a greater refemblance 
 than to the wolf, notwithflanding the jackal 
 is confidered as the wolf of Africa. Not 
 "wifhing to weary the patience of the efcort 
 by which I had been accompanied, I re- 
 turned to Aboukir, where I found difpatches 
 for the commander in chief, which were 
 about to be fent fent off by a detachment. 
 This opportunity of quitting fo difmal a 
 fpot gave me an inconceivable pleafure. 
 During the fhay 1 liad made there, I had 
 never been able to banifli from my mind that 
 the fortrefs was a ftate-prifon in which I was 
 confined ; and the adjacent rock, againft 
 which the waves incelTantly daQied with a 
 frightful noife, the whlftling of the winds, 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. IQQ 
 
 the whitencfs of the foil, which hurt the 
 fight, every thing, in fhort, in this melan- 
 choly abode, afHid:cd and chilled my fouL 
 On quitting it, I fancied that I had efcaped 
 from a tyrant by whom I had been held 
 captive. 
 
 The night was fo dark that we had to 
 grope our way, at times wading through 
 the fea, at others in the midft of thickets by 
 which we were torn, and ftumbling every 
 now and then among the wrecks which 
 were fcattered on the beach. At three in 
 the morning we reached Rofetta, where I 
 repofed myfelf voluptuouily, not on my bed, 
 for I had not feen one fince my departure 
 from France, but on a clean mat in a cool 
 chamber. 
 
 N4 CHAP^ 
 
200 TRAVELS IN EGYPl. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ^nniverfary Feafl on the Birth of Mahomet — 
 yLuJic of the Egvptlmis — Various Races of 
 People ill Rofelta, Copts, Arabs, Turks, 
 Greeks, Jews, AhyJfuiiaus—^Adg'is, or Pil- 
 grims from Mecca — Egyptian Women. 
 
 TT was the anniverfary of the birth of 
 -*- Mahomet ; and we vv'ere furprifed to find 
 that no preparations were making to cele- 
 brate this feftival, the nioft folemn in the 
 Arabic hegira. Towards the clofe of the 
 evening General Menou fent for the mufti, 
 whofe honours and emoluments had been 
 benefited by our arrivaL His anfwers being 
 evafive, the other magiflrates, on their be- 
 ing queftioned, faid that they had purpofed 
 to make the cuftomary preparations ; but as 
 they were only able to ad as inferiors in an 
 
 affair 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 20i 
 
 affair which was in the department of their 
 colleague the mufti, they had been obliged 
 to wait his orders on that head. The prieft 
 was thus unmaiked. Like a true courtier, 
 he had daily alked and obtained new fa- 
 vours. Tlie opportunity, however, prefent- 
 ing itfelf of inililling into the minds of the 
 people, that vvc oppofed what was one of 
 the moil folemn a(^ts of their w^orfliip, he 
 had fcized it wuth avidity. His ftratagem 
 was rewarded in the eaftern manner : no- 
 tice v/as fent to him that the feftlval lliould 
 commence without delay ; and on his ob- 
 ferving that there could not poiTibly be fuf- 
 ficient time to make the neceiTary prepara- 
 tions, the general told him, that if it was too 
 late to celebrate the fcftival, he fhould be 
 under the ncceffity of fending him, the 
 mufti, to piifon. This had the defired ef- 
 fcdl : in a quarter of an hour the feflival was 
 
 proclaimed. 
 
202 TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 proclaimed, the city illuminated, and hymns 
 of piety blended with thofe of rejoicing and 
 gratitude. 
 
 After fupper we were invited to repair to 
 the quarter of the firil civil magiflrate, in 
 the front of whofe lioufe we found all the 
 preparations for a Turkifh feftival. The 
 ftreet was the aifembly-room, which was 
 lengthened or contracted according to the 
 number of gaefts. An alcove covered with 
 carpeting was occupied by the diftingulllicd 
 perfonages- Fires, combined with a number 
 of fmall lamps and large tapers, formed a 
 whimiical illumination. On one fide was a 
 band of martial mufic, confifling of fliort 
 fqueaking hautboys, fmall kettle drums, and 
 large Albanefe drums. On the other were 
 ftationed violins and fmgers ; and, in the 
 middle, Greek dancers ; and attendants pro- 
 vided with fweetmeats, coffee, ij'rups, rofe- 
 
 watcr. 
 
TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 203 
 
 water, and pipes. In this way the feflival 
 was furnifiied. 
 
 As foon as we were feated the martial 
 mufic commenced. A kind of leader of the 
 band played alternately two different airs, 
 which the other muficians repeated in cho- 
 rus. Whether it was owing to the calmncfs 
 of the atmofpherc, or to a wifh of introduc- 
 ing too many flourifhes into it, it fo hap- 
 pened that the fecond nieafure was a true 
 cacophony, a difcordance of harfli founds, 
 as difagreeable to nice ears as it was enchant- 
 ing to thofe of the Arabs. I noticed parti- 
 cularly, that the leader of the band invaria- 
 bly took up each of the airs with all the im- 
 portance and enthufiafm of an infpired mv- 
 provlfatore, and that, when his nerves ap- 
 peared to be no longer able to fupport the 
 energy of expreff.on he tried to beftow on it, 
 the chorus came to his aid with the fame 
 
 unvaried 
 
204 TRAVELS I\ EGYPT. 
 
 unvaried difTonance. The violins, which 
 were more tolerable, afterwards played an air, 
 in the burden of which a fmall portion of 
 melody was overcome by fuperfluous orna- 
 ments. The nafal tw^angs of an infpired 
 fmger were fnperadded to the faflidious foft- 
 nefs of the femi-tones of the violins, which, 
 conftantly fliunning the key note, fell into 
 the fecond of the key, and invariably ter- 
 minated by the diefis, or impcrfe6l femi-tonc 
 immediately beneath the key-note, as in the 
 Spanifh fcguidillas. This may be confidered 
 as a proof that the refidence of the Arabs in 
 Spain introduced into that kingdom this 
 fpecies of mufical compofition. After this 
 couplet, the violins took up the fame ftrain 
 with new variations, which the finger dif- 
 guifed by a fharp movement, until he had 
 entirely loll fight of the air, falling into the 
 wild expreiTion of founds, without harmony, 
 
 and 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 205 
 
 and without principle. This was what, 
 however, charmed his auditory ftill more 
 and more. The dance which followed was 
 of the fame defcription with the fmging: it 
 was not the expreffion of joy, or of gaiety, 
 but of an extravagant pleafure, which made 
 hafty ftrides towards lafcivioufnefs ; and this 
 was the more difgufting, as the performers, 
 all of them of the male fex, prefented in the 
 mofl indecent W'ay fcenes which love has 
 referved for the two fexes in the filence and 
 myftery of the night. 
 
 A variety of trifling circumftances ob- 
 truded themselves to delay our great excur- 
 ^on; and to retard the objed: of my journey. 
 
 Being under the neceffity of confining my 
 obferv'ations to what was immediately about 
 me, I remarked how eafy it was to diftin- 
 guifh, in the variety of figures, the different 
 races of the individuals who compolc the 
 
 popular 
 
206 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 population of Rofetta. It flruck me that 
 this city, a ftation of intermediate commerce, 
 muft necefTarily have colle(5led together per- 
 fons belonging to all the nations of Egypt, 
 and have preferved them more apart and in 
 a better charad:erized ftate than in a great 
 city, fuch as Cairo, w^here the relaxation of 
 morals muft have crofTed them, and caufed 
 them to degenerate. I accordingly fancied 
 that I could diftinsfuifli in the Copts the an- 
 cient Egyptian flock, a defcriptlon of fvvar- 
 thy Nubians, fuch as we fee them repre- 
 fented on old fculptures, with flat foreheads, 
 eyes half clofed and raifed up at the angles 
 high cheek-boixes, a broad and flat nofe very 
 Ihort, a large flattened mouth placed at a 
 confiderable difl:ance from the nofe, thick 
 lips, little beard, a fliapelefs body, crooked 
 legs without any expreffion in the contour, 
 and long flat toes. Ignorance, drunkennefs, 
 
 cunning. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 20/ 
 
 cunning, and finefle, are the moral qualities, 
 by which thefe ancient pofleiTors of Egypt 
 are chara6lerized. The firft period of their 
 degradation may be taken from their fubju- 
 gation by Cambyfes, that jealous and wrath- 
 ful conqueror, who governed by terror, 
 changed the laws, perfecuted religious wor- 
 ihip, mutilated what he could not deftroy, 
 and degraded his conquefl the better to fub- 
 mit it to his yoke; The fecond period was 
 the perfecution of Diocleiian, when Egypt 
 had embraced the catholic perfuafion : this 
 perfecution, to which the Egyptians fub- 
 mitted as faithful martyrs, prepared them 
 very naturally for the fubjugation of the Ma- 
 hometans. Under the late government they 
 were become the agents and brokers of the 
 beys and kiafchefs, whom they plundered 
 daily. What they had thus obtained was, 
 however, merely held in trtifl, as they were 
 
 made 
 
20S TRAVBLS IN ZG'^fT. 
 
 made by a fine to reflore in bulk what the) 
 had amaffed in detail. It was on this ac- 
 count that the art they employed in con- 
 cealing what they had acquired, was greater 
 than the impudence they had difplayed in 
 its acquifition. 
 
 After the Copts come the Arabs, the moft 
 numerous of the inhabitants of modern 
 Egypt. Without pofTcffing an influence pro* 
 portioned to their numbers, they feem to be 
 placed there to people the country, to cul- 
 tivate the lands, to tend the flocks, or to be 
 themfelves in the degraded ftate of animals. 
 They are, however, lively, and have a pene- 
 trating phyfiognomy. Their eyes, which are 
 funk in and overarched, are replete with vi- 
 vacity and charadler ; all their proportions 
 are angular ; their beard is fliort and hang- 
 ing in filaments; their lips are thin and 
 open, difpkying fine teeth; their arms are 
 
 .flefhy ; 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 20() 
 
 fleiliy ; and in other refpedls they are more 
 adlive than handfomCy and more mufcular 
 than well fliaped. The charaderlftic traits 
 I have juft defcribed are moft common in 
 the fmall villages and folitary habitations, 
 and more particularly among the inhabi- 
 tants of the defert. Three claiTes of thefe 
 people, altogether different from each other, 
 are, however, to be diffcinguifhed. Firft, 
 the Arab lliepherd, who feems to belong to 
 the original ftock, and who refembles the de- 
 fcription I have juft given. Next, the Be- 
 douin Arab, on whom a more exalted inde- 
 pendence, and the ftate of warfare in which 
 he lives, have beftowed a charad:er of favage 
 ferocity, as maybe feen in the portrait. (Fig. 1. 
 Plate XLVIII.) The Arab from whom 
 this portrait v/as taken was a chief of a tribe, 
 whom I drew the moment after he was 
 made prifoner, when he thought he was 
 Vol. I. O about 
 
210 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 about to lofe his head. Laftly, the Arab 
 cultivator, the moft civihzed, the moft cor- 
 rupted, the moft degraded, in confequence 
 of the ftate of bondage in which he is held, 
 and the moft varied in perfon and in cha- 
 racter, as may be remarked in the heads of 
 the Iheiks or chiefs of villages, in thofe of the 
 fellahs or peafants, in thofe of the boufac- 
 kirs or beggars, and, finally, in thofe of the 
 artifans, who conftitute the moft abject 
 clafs. Thefe two claftes of Bedouins and 
 cultivators are fprung from the preceding 
 one, that of the Arab fhepherds. 
 
 The beauties of the Turks, are more dig- 
 nified, and their fhape more delicate. Their 
 thick eyelids allow but little expreflion to 
 the eyes : the nofe is thick ; the mouth and 
 lips handfome ; the beard long and buftiy ; 
 ^the complexion lefs fwarthy ; and the neck 
 plump. In all their gefturcs and motions of 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 211 
 
 the body they are dull and heavy ; and this 
 Iblemnity of gait, which, notwithftanding 
 the nullity of their authority, infpires a cer- 
 tain degree of awe, they miftake for dignity. 
 They poflefs a beauty which cannot be de- 
 fined, or a reafon given why it fhould be con- 
 fidefed as fuch. This is not the cafe with 
 the Greeks, who muft be clafled among the 
 foreigners by whom fbcieties diftinft from 
 thofe of the indigenous inhabitants are form- 
 ed. The fine delineations of their form, 
 their arch and penetrating eyes, and the de- 
 licacy and flexibility of their traits, bring to 
 the remembrance all that the imagination 
 has figured to itfelf relative to their ancef- 
 tors, and all that their monuments have 
 tranfmitted to us to attefl their eleg-ance and 
 their tafle. The degraded flate to which 
 they have been reduced, through a dread 
 which the fuperiority of their intellecflual fa- 
 O 2 cultics 
 
212 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 culties ftill infplres, has rendered many of 
 them wily knaves. Were they, hovixver, 
 left to themfelves, they would perhaps be- 
 come in a little time what they formerly 
 were, fubtle and ambitious. Of all the 
 nations on earth this is the one which longs 
 the moll ardently for a revolution, from 
 whatever quarter it may corne. On our 
 taking pofTeffion of Rofetta, at an entertain- 
 ment which was given, a young Greek 
 came up to me, kiffed my Ihoulder, and, 
 with his finger on his lips, without uttering 
 a fmgle fyllable, flipped privately into my 
 hand a nofegay which he had brought me. 
 This fimple demonftration completely un- 
 folded all his fenfations, and was expreffive 
 of his political fituation, his fears, and his 
 hopes. 
 
 Next come the Jews, who are in Egypt 
 what they are every where ; — hated, with- 
 out 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 213 
 
 out being dreaded ; defpifed and perfecuted 
 inceflantly, without ever being expelled ; 
 plundering conftantly without being very 
 rich ; and rendering therafelves ufeful to all 
 the world at the fame time that their only 
 incentive is felf-intereft. I do not know 
 whether it is owing to their being nearer to 
 tiicir own country that their phyfical cha- 
 rad:er is better preferved here than elfe- 
 where : it flruck me, however, very forci- 
 bly. Thofe among them who are ugly re- 
 femble our. Jews ; while the handfome ones, 
 and more particularly thofe who are young, 
 bear a ftrong refemblance, in point of charac- 
 ter, to the head which painting has handed 
 down to us of Jefus Chrill, This feems to 
 prove that the portrait is traditional, and 
 that it is not to be dated from the fourteenth 
 century and the revival of the arts. See the 
 head which I have drawn, (Fig. 3. Plate 
 O 3 XJ.VIII.) 
 
214 TRAVELS IxV EGYPT. 
 
 XLVIII.) it is that of a young Jerufalem 
 Jew, and may be adduced in fupport of my 
 obfervation. In the great cities of Egypt 
 the Jews contend with the Copts for the 
 places in the cuftom houfes, ftewardlhips of 
 eftates, and, in general, for whatever requires 
 calculation, and fupplies the means of amalT- 
 ing and concealing a fortune well or badly 
 acquired. 
 
 The charadleriftic traits of another race 
 of men, who are very numerous, are ftrongly 
 delineated. Thefe are the Barabras or peo- 
 ple from the upper countries, inhabitants of 
 Nubia, and of the frontiers of Abyffinia. In 
 thefe fervid climates nature has, in an econo- 
 mical mood, denied them every fuperfluity. 
 They have neither flelh nor fat, but fimply 
 nerves, mufcles, and tendons, of greater elaf- 
 ticity than vigour. They perform by a<5li- 
 vity and addrefs what others effect by 
 
 ftrength. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 215 
 
 ftrength. It would feem as if the barrenneis 
 of their foil had exhaufted the fmall portion 
 of fubftance which nature has beftowed on 
 them. Their fkin is of a fliining and jetty 
 black, exadlv fimilar to that of antique 
 bronzes. They have not the fmalleft re- 
 femblance to the negroes of the wxftern parts 
 of Africa. Their eyes are deep fet and fpark- 
 ling, with the brows hanging over ; the nofc 
 pointed; the noftrils large ; the mouth wide; 
 the lips of moderate dimenfions ; and the 
 hair and beard in fmall quantity, and hang- 
 ing in little locks. Being wrinkled betimes, 
 and retaining their agility till the laft, the 
 only indication of old age among them is the 
 whitenefs of the beard, every part of the 
 body remaining flender and mufcular as in 
 their youth. Their phyfiognomy is cheer- 
 ful; and they are lively and well difpofed. 
 They are mofl commonly employed to guard 
 O 4 the 
 
2l6 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 the magazines and timber yards. They are 
 elad in a piece of white woollen cloth, gain 
 but little, and fubfifl: on almoft nothing. 
 Xhey are very faithful to their mafters, to 
 whom they are ilrongly attached. 
 
 During the pilgrimage of Mecca all the 
 TJatlons which are ranged under the deno- 
 mination of Maugrabins, or weftern people, 
 pafs through Egypt. This was the time for 
 the return of the caravan. Bonaparte, who 
 had made every effort in his power to enable 
 it to reach Cairo without accident, had not, 
 however, been able to prevent Ibrahim-Bey, 
 on his flight into Syria, from reaching the 
 defert before him, and from attacking the 
 caravan, which he did at Belbeis, Iharing the 
 plunder with the Arabs, and with the emir 
 Adgjs, whofe duty it was to proted: the trea- 
 fures. AH that the bey allowed to reach us 
 were the mendicant devotees, who flocked 
 
 to 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 217 
 
 to US in bands of two or three hundred, made 
 up of all the nations of Africa, from Fez to 
 Tripoli. They were fo worn out by fatigue, 
 that they all bore a refemblance to each 
 other, being as meagre as the countries 
 through which they had pafled are barren, 
 and as much decayed as prifoners after a 
 long confinement in a dungeon. It is the 
 impulsion, the powerful force of opinion, 
 which unqueftionably renders man the 
 ftrongeft of all animals. When the fpace 
 which thefe pilgrims had gone over is confi- 
 dered, together with all that they muft have 
 fuffered on fo immenfe and terrible a jour- 
 ney, no doubt can be entertained but that it 
 required the excitement of a moral aim, 
 which alone could enable them to brave fo 
 many and fuch painful fatigues ; and that 
 the enthufiafm refuiting from a pious fenti^ 
 ment, together with the confideration which 
 
 is 
 
218 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 is beftowed on the title of adgl or pilgrim, a 
 title proudly borne by thofe who undertake 
 the journey to Mecca, are the levers which 
 alone could move the indolence of the 
 eaftern nations, and urge them on to fuch an 
 undertaking. To thefe incentives, however, 
 may be added the right which the adgls 
 aflume to themfelves, of relating during the 
 remainder of their lives, to the other mufTul- 
 mans, on whofe credulity they impoie, all 
 that they either have or have not feen. I 
 may perhaps be accufed of a fmall fliare of 
 adgifm in the travels I have undertaken, and 
 of braving difficulties wath a view of impart- 
 ing to others a portion of my enthufiafm. 
 My own curiofity, however, fets my con- 
 fcience at reti;, being aware that my ftyle is 
 not over fafcinating, and that my drawings 
 have nothing but their fidelity to boaft. 
 Fourteen Mamelukes, who were without 
 7 doubt 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 219 
 
 doubt an encumbrance at the head-quarters, 
 had been fent to Rofetta. I examined them 
 very attentively, without refleding that they 
 do not belong to any particular nation, but 
 are compofed of people of all countries. Ac- 
 cordingly, among the few I had an oppor- 
 tunity to fee, I did not find one who had a 
 phyfiognomy fufficiently charadlerized to be 
 worth the pains of drawing. Several of 
 them were, however, natives of Mlngrelia 
 and Georgia ; but, whether it was that na- 
 ture had denied them their fliare of the 
 beauty Ihe has beftowed on thofe countries, 
 or becaufe flie had been more lavifh in her 
 gifts to the women, I waited until others 
 fhould prefent themfelves with more ftriklng 
 features. I alfo deferred the pleafure of 
 drawing the Egyptian women, until we 
 ihould, by our influence over the manners 
 of the eailern nations, remove the veil by 
 
 which 
 
220 TRAVELS li? EGYPT. 
 
 which they are covered. But even fuppol- 
 ing, which is fcarcely to be prefumed, that 
 the men fliould make a facrifice to us of 
 their prejudices on this fcore, the coquetry 
 of the old women, who are the moft fcru- 
 pulous on every point in which honour is 
 concerned, would for a long time require, 
 on the part of their youthful companions, 
 the auflerity to which they were the victims 
 in the early part of life. What I had an 
 opportunity to notice is, that the young 
 girls who are not yet marriageable, and re- 
 lative to whom lefs flrid:nefs is obferved, bear 
 a pretty general refemblance to the forms of 
 the Egyptian ftatues of the goddefs Ifis. 
 The women of the lower clafles, who take 
 greater pains to conceal the nofe and mouth 
 than any other part, difcover from time to 
 time, not attraiftions, but fine flender limbs, 
 the fhape of which difplays more adlivity 
 
 than 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 121 
 
 than grace. As foon as their breafts have 
 attained their full growth, they begin to fall, 
 and their gravitation is fuch, that it would 
 be difficult to fay how low fome of them 
 reach. The complexion of thefe women is 
 neither black nor white, but a dufky brown. 
 They dye of a black colour the eye-brows, 
 eye-lids, and chin, but without producing 
 any great efFed:. I have not, however, feen 
 any women carry with more elegance a 
 child, a vafe, or a bafket of fruit ; or walk 
 with greater eafe and fecurity. Their long 
 drapery would be by no means unbecoming, 
 were it not that a veil, in the fhape of a 
 fhip's pendant, cafts a gloom over the w^hole 
 of their drefs; fo as to make it refemble the 
 difmal coftume of a nun of the order of pe- 
 nitents. 
 
 One of the rich natives who was under 
 fome obligations to me, by way of teftifying 
 
 his 
 
222 TRAVELS IN EGYPTj 
 
 his gratitude, invited me to his houfe. On 
 account of my advanced age, and of my be- 
 ing a foreigner, he thought that he might 
 allow his wife to be of the breakfaft party, 
 and thus contribute more to my entertain- 
 ment. As he was engaged in mercantile 
 purfuits, he fpoke a little Italian, and aded 
 as interpreter between myfelf and the lady, 
 whofe beauty was accompanied by a foft 
 tinge of melancholy. She was extremely 
 fair, and her hands uncommonly delicate 
 and handfome. On my admiring them^ fhe 
 held them out to me. We had very little 
 to fay to each other ; and to make up for 
 this filence, I kifled her hands, which, as fhe 
 •was perplexed to know what Ihe Ihould af- 
 terwards do to intereft me, fhe did not offer 
 to withdraw. On my fide, I dared not let 
 them go, for fear fhe fhould imagine that I 
 was tired of them. I am at a lofs to con- 
 
 jedlure 
 
. XXXV 
 
 Fin. I 
 
 ( 'O, 
 
/'/. xx.w 
 
 ( ''/t//lt/f/ // . -^//i//r;j. 
 
 ■y,f 
 
 l\Mul,td /,„ l.o,u„m,„ i- R,,-^ X- /;„■/,.„;/ Pl„lli/., 
 
 c 
 
 I 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 113 
 
 jedure how this fcene would have termi- 
 nated, if refrefliments had not been brought 
 to reUeve us from our embarraiTment. They 
 were handed to her, and flie prefented them 
 to me in a very particular manner, and with 
 fome degree of grace. I fancied I could per- 
 ceive that her negligent and penlive air was 
 merely the affed:ation of a great lady, who 
 perfuaded herfelf that, by afluming it, fhe 
 ihould become fuperior to all the magnifi- 
 cence by which fhe was furrounded and 
 covered. Before I left her, I fketched haf- 
 tily the fmall drawing of her, w^hich is en- 
 graved in Plate XXXV. No, 2. The por- 
 trait. Fig. 1. of the fame plate, is that of a 
 female native married to a Franc. She fpoke 
 Italian, was handfome, of engaging manners, 
 and fond of her hufband. He was not, how- 
 ever, fo amiable but that Ihe could beflow 
 a part of her afFed:ioh elfewhere ; and the 
 
 jealoufy 
 
224 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 jealoufy which enfued on his fide was the 
 occafion of perpetual ftrife. She was all 
 fubmiffion, and never failed to renounce thd 
 objedl of his fufpicions. On the following 
 day, however, there was a frefli complaint: 
 {he again wept and repented ; and, notwith- 
 ftanding, her hufband was never without 
 Ibme motive for fcolding her. The houfe 
 in which this couple lived was oppofite to 
 mine ; and as the ftreet was narrow, I be- 
 came very naturally the lady's confident, and 
 the witnefs of her chagrins. The pla2;ue 
 broke out in the city; and my neighbour 
 "was fo very communicative, that fhe could 
 not fail either to give or take it. Accord- 
 ingly fhe caught it of her laft lover ; be- 
 ftowed it very faithfully on her hufband ; 
 and they all three died. I regretted her 
 death : her fmgular good-nature and ingenu- 
 oufnefs, in the midft of her irregularities, 
 
 and 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 22$ 
 
 and the fincerity of the regret (he manlfefted, 
 had interefted me, arid more particularly, 
 becaufe, as a mere confident, I could have 
 no difpute with her either as a hufband or 
 a lover. Fortunately for me, I was not at 
 Rofetta at the time the plague made its 
 ravages in that city. 
 
 Vol. I. P CHAPTER 
 
126 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Author enters the Delta .* Number of 
 Villages and Popuhufnefs — Defcriptton of 
 the Alnies or Female Dancers at Metuhts — 
 Defuk and other Villages — 'Encounter with 
 the Arabs at Scha-abas-Amers — Return to 
 Rofetta, 
 
 "TTTTE at length fet out for the Delta, on 
 the excurfion to which I had fb 
 long and fo eagerly looked forward, to tread 
 a ground which had never been explored by 
 any European, and, indeed, but imperfedly 
 by any other perfons, the inhabitants except- 
 ed; for the Mamelukes had rarely pene- 
 trated to the centre of the Delta, in collecfl- 
 ing the tributes, and regulating the ava?iies 
 or fines. On the 10th of September, in the 
 afternoon, the generals Menou and Mar- 
 
 mont. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 227 
 
 hiont, a dozen men of letters and artlfts, and 
 myfelf, with a detachment of two hundred 
 men as an efcort, croiTed the Nile in boats. 
 Although fome pains had been taken to 
 make every neceiTary provision, it was found, 
 t>n our landing, that what was moft efTen- 
 tial had been forgotten. The horfes we 
 Were to mount had no qualities belonging to 
 the Arabian breed, except their vices ; and 
 fuch of the travellers as were bad horfemcn, 
 and whofe only alternative was a horfe with- 
 't)ut a bridle, or an afs without a pannel, 
 hefitated whether they fliould proceed, or 
 renounce a journey they had fo ardently de- 
 fired, and which they had begun w4th fo 
 much enthufiafm. By degrees, however, our 
 arrangements were m.ade, and \vc fet /br- 
 ward. We paiTed through the villages of 
 Madie, Elyeufera, Abugueridi, Melahue, 
 Abuferat, Ralaici, Bereda, Ekbet, Eilaone, 
 P 2 Elbat 
 
228 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Elbat, Elfezri, Suffrano, Elnegars, and 
 Madie-di-Berimbal ; and reached Berimbai 
 at night. I have given this uninterefling 
 lift of the different villages through which 
 we pafled, to convey an idea of the popu- 
 lation of four leagues of territory, and of the 
 abundance of a foil which nourifhes fo many 
 inhabitants, and contains on its furface {o 
 many habitations. Excluflvely of its own 
 internal confumption, it has to fupply the 
 wants of its titular pofTeflbr, who commonly 
 refides in the capital. At Madie-di-Berem- 
 bal our camels fell into the canal ; and it 
 was midnight before we could collecfl them 
 together. Our baggage and provifions were 
 drenched ; all thoughts of our arrival had 
 been given up ; and, after having with fome 
 difficulty procured a fupper, we repofed our- 
 felves as well as we could at two o'clock in 
 the morning. The following day, after 
 
 having 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 229 
 
 having dried our clothes, we fet out, and 
 reached Metubis at the expiration of two 
 hours, meeting with as many villages as on 
 the former occafion. 
 
 General Menou had fome enquiries to 
 make, and an explanation to enter into with 
 the fheiks in the vicinity, relative to their 
 palt offences. It was therefore determined, 
 that we fhould not quit Metubis until the 
 following day. This city, on a variety of 
 accounts, prefented food for our curiofity. 
 In the firll; place it is probable that it was 
 built on the ruins of the ancient Metelis ; 
 and, in the next place, the well-known and 
 tolerated licentioufnefs of its manners had 
 beftowed on it the reputation which Cano- 
 pus had precedently enjoyed. Our refearches 
 after antiquities were ineffectual : all the 
 granite we could find was employed for 
 grinding the corn, and appeared to have 
 P 3 been 
 
230 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 been brought thither from fome other fpot 
 to be appHcd to that ufe. We were told of 
 ruins to the fouth-eail, at the diftance of a 
 league and a half; but it was late, and a cu- 
 riofity of another kind attraded our atten- 
 tion. We requefled of the fheiks a fight 
 of the almes, a defcription of female dancers 
 fimilar to thofe of India. Thefe chiefs, a 
 part of whofe revenues they probably con- 
 flituted, made fome difficulty in allowing 
 them to be brought into our prefcnce. If 
 polluted by the infpedlion of infidels, their 
 reputation might fufFer, and they might per- 
 haps even be obliged to forfeit their condi- 
 tion in life. The vilenefs of a chrifi:ian in 
 the eyes of a mufililman may be eftimated 
 from this anecdote, fince the objecfls which 
 are the mofi; difiblute and abandoned in tliis 
 fe6l, may notwith {landing be profaned by 
 the view of a European. The prefence, 
 
 however. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 231 
 
 however, of a general, together with that ot 
 two hundred foldiers, and fome old offences 
 for which the fliieks had an atonement to 
 make, foon removed every obftacle. The 
 almes arrived ; and we could not perceive 
 that they participated in the flighteft degree 
 in the political confiderations arid religious 
 fcruples of the fheiks. They made fome dif- 
 ficulty, however, and that with a tolerable 
 (hare of grace, in granting us what we fliould 
 have considered as the fmalleft of their fa- 
 vours, ^ that of uncovering the eyes and the 
 mouth. In a little time their forms were 
 completely difplayed through coloured gauze 
 faftened by a falh, which they tightened 
 from time to time negligently, and with an 
 air of levity by no means difagreeable, and 
 fomewhat a lafran^aife. They had brought 
 ■with them two inftruments, a pipe and 
 
 P 4 tabour, 
 
^3^ TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 t^bour, and a kind of drum, made from an 
 earthen pot, on which the mufician beat 
 with his hands. They were feven in num- 
 ber. Two of them began dancing, while 
 the others fung, with an accompaniment of 
 caftanets, in the ftiape of cymbals, and of 
 the fize of a crowri piece. The movement 
 they difplaycd in ftriking them againft each 
 other gave infinite grace to their fingers 
 and wrifls. At the commencement the 
 dance was voluptuous ; it foon after became 
 lafcivious, and exprelTed, in the groffefl and 
 mofl indecent way, the giddy tranfports of 
 the pafiions. The difgufl which this fpec- 
 tacle excited, was heightened by one of the 
 muficians of whom I have juft fpoken, and 
 who, at the moment when the dancers gave 
 the greatefl freedom to their wanton geflures 
 and emotions, with the ftupid air of a clown 
 
 in 
 
PL.Z. 
 
hAkshrd In- Lciif/'imn S.- IUes.,i)id litciutrd Phillips 
 
THAVELS IN EGYPT. 233 
 
 jn a pantomime, interrupted by a loud burft 
 of laughter the fcene of intoxication which 
 was to clofe the dance. 
 
 Thefe dancers fwallowed large glaffcs of 
 brandy as if it had been lemonade. Accord- 
 ingly, notwithftanding they were all young 
 and handfome, they were haggard and jaded, 
 with the exception of two of tliem, whofe 
 Ijpauty bore fb ftriking a refemblance to that 
 of two of our Paris belles, that we all joined 
 in a general exclamation when they difclofcd 
 their features. So truly is grace a pure gift 
 of nature, that Jofephina and Hanka, who 
 had received no other education than that 
 which is beftowed on the moft infamous 
 profeffion in the mofl difTolute of cities, 
 when the dance was ended, poflefled all the 
 4elicacy of manners of the women whom 
 they refembled, and the foft and endearing 
 Yoluptuoufnefs which they, no doubt, referve 
 \ for 
 
234 TRAVELS IN EG"XPT. 
 
 for thofe on whom they lavlfli their fecret 
 favours. I could have wilhed, I mufl confefs, 
 that Jofephina had not refembled the others 
 in her flyle of dancing. 
 
 Notwithftanding the licentious life of 
 thefe females, they are introduced into the 
 harems to inftru6l the young perfons of their 
 fex in all that may render them agreeable 
 to their future hufbands. They give them 
 leflbns of dancing, fmging, gracefulnefs, and, 
 in general, of all voluptuous attainments. It 
 is not furprifmg, that vi'ith manners which 
 make the principal duty of women to confift 
 in beftowing pleafure, thofe who follow the 
 profeffion of gallantry fhould be the teach- 
 ers of the fair fex. They are admitted to the 
 feftivals which the grandees give to thofe of 
 their own rank ; and when, from time to 
 time, a hufband wiflies to entertain his ha- 
 rem in a particular manner, they are alfo 
 
 fcnt 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYrT. 235 
 
 fcnt for. This is what compofes the fubjeifl 
 of Plate 50. 
 
 On the following day our attention was 
 occupied by antiquities. We went to Koani- 
 el-Hhamar, that is to fay, the red mountahi, 
 a name derived, without doubt, from the 
 mound of red bricks with which this ruiin 
 is formed. It has no determinate charader- 
 iflics, and may have belonged either to jin 
 ancient city, of which there are no traces of 
 any monuments, or to a modern village, 
 which, having rebelled againfl the Mame- 
 lukes, may have been deftroyed by them. 
 We could not find any veftigcs of antiqui- 
 ties, notwithftanding it was the wifli of I>o- 
 lomieu and myfelf to difcover there the an- 
 cient Metelis, the capital of the 7io7?ie which 
 was fo called. The country which we dif- 
 covcred towards tlie eaft, beyond Comeh- 
 Lachma, and extending to lake Bcrelos, is 
 
 merely 
 
236 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 merely an uncultivated morafs. We dined 
 at Sindion and llept at Fua. On the fol- 
 lowing day we proceeded to El-Alavi and 
 Therafa, quitting the road, and proceeding 
 to the north weft, to examine feveral con- 
 fiderable ruins, which are alfo, for the reafon 
 juft given, called Koum-Hhamar-el-Medy- 
 neh. We doubted whether they v.-ere the 
 traces of Cabaza, the capital of the cabafitic 
 nomcy or of Naucratis, which the Milcfians 
 had built. We were not more fortunate 
 than on the preceding day, the rubbifh being 
 of the fame nature ; for this is the only name 
 which can be beftowed on a mafs of fliape- 
 lefs fragments of pottery, and heaps of broken 
 bricks, not one of which was to be found in 
 an entire ftate. At a diftance from thence we 
 difcovered nearly two fquare leagues of barren 
 and uncultivated land, which, in fome mea- 
 fLjre, diminifned oijr expeclations relative to 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 237' 
 
 the general fecundity of the foil of the Delta. 
 If either of the two cities I have juft men- 
 tioned flood on this barren ground, on which 
 we could diftinguifh ruins, it was but un- 
 pieafantly fituatcd, and it is certain that it 
 contained no great monument of any defcrip- 
 tion. Notwithftanding the fpace that they 
 occupy is very confiderable, we could per- 
 ceive nothing but a few artificial dreams for 
 irrigation, without any navigable canals. We 
 returned, but little fatisfied with the refult 
 of our refearches, not having colledled any 
 information which could aid us in thofe we 
 might undertake in the fequd. 
 
 In making this excurfion we had quitted 
 the detachment, and proceeded in a diredl 
 line towards Defuk, the place of our ren- 
 dezvous, accompanied by a few guides. We 
 palled through Gabrith, a village fortified 
 with walls and towers, peculiarities which 
 
 diflin- 
 
238 TKATELS IN" EGYPt. 
 
 diftlnguifh thofe that are not on the bank of 
 the Nile beyond Fua. Here the territory 
 was not fo well cultivated, and the foil, being 
 more elevated and more difficult to irrigate 
 by means of the v/atering machines, waits 
 for the inundation to be fown with corn and 
 maize, to which no other crops fucceed. In 
 the portions of land of this nature, as foon 
 as the harveft is got in, the ground, aban- 
 doned to the piercing rays of the fun, and 
 without one reviving drop of moifture to 
 allay its third, cracks, and bears the form and 
 femblance of a deiert. We pafTed through 
 Salmie, where we could diftinguifli all the 
 difaftcrs which our vengeance had occafi- 
 oned, without being able to notice in the 
 countenances of the inhabitants the traces of 
 any enmity or refentment they might bear 
 us. I could not, however, recollecT; without 
 cacnotiqn that 1 was almoft alone on a fpot 
 
 where 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 23^ 
 
 where I had feen the principal Inhabitants of 
 the country fall fome time before. We were 
 face to face, the natives and myfelf, like par- 
 ties who had had a lawfuit, but whofe ac- 
 counts were not yet fettled. I had had re- 
 peated occafions to remark that the eaftern 
 nations bear no malice for the events of which 
 a ftate of warfare may have been productive. 
 On this occafion, the inhabitants added, with 
 much generofity and a good grace, a guide 
 to the one who was to condudl us to Meh- 
 hal-el-Malek and the canal of Sfa'idy. 
 . The canal of Sfa'idy is fufficiently wide 
 for the paiTage of boats from the Nile to lake 
 Berelos. Defuk, a large village, is diflant 
 from it about half a league, and has a 
 mofque which is reforted to twice a year by 
 all the nations of the eaft, and in which two 
 hundred thoufand fouls pay their devotions. 
 The aJmes repair thithe? from every part of 
 
 Egypt \ 
 
t246 TilAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Egypt ; and the greateft miracle which is 
 performed by Ibrahym, who is fo devoutly 
 worfliipped at Defuk, is to fufpend the jea- 
 loufy of the mufTulmans during the time this 
 kind of feftival lafts, and to allow the wo- 
 men the enjoyment of a liberty by which 
 they are faid to profit in the fulleft extent 
 imaginable. 
 
 We were informed that a palace had been 
 prepared for the general, and we all occupied 
 it; it confided of a court, an open gallery^ 
 and one room without a door. I made a 
 fketch of this fcene, taking the time in 
 which General Menou was giving audience 
 through the window to fome of the chief 
 people of the country, who were affembled 
 in the outer court, whilft the fervants were 
 brinsiina; in the breakfaft which had been 
 prepared for us. (See Plate V. Fig. 4.) We 
 devoted the next day to viiiting all the vil- 
 lages 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 241 
 
 lages within the government of General Me- 
 nou, in the province of Sharkieh, which we 
 had not yet feen. In our way we were to 
 pafs by Sanhur-el-Medin, where we were 
 informed were to be feen a number of ruins. 
 Could it be Sais ? Our expectations were 
 awakened by the adjunct elMed'm, meaning 
 " the Great," which it might have acquired 
 from its great antiquity, or the fplendour of 
 the antient Sais, which, according to Strabo, 
 was the metropolis of the whole of this dif- 
 tricl of Lower Egypt. We reached the place 
 by croffing a large and parched plain, which 
 was every hour expecfling the inundation of 
 the Nile, the waters of which were already 
 running up the numerous furrows. 
 
 Sanhur-el-Medin, however, exhibited no- 
 thing but devaftation and a heap of fhapelefs 
 ruins. The fragments of flint and granite 
 ftones which w^e examined could only indi- 
 . Vol. L Q ca^tc 
 
242 TKAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 cate a few centuries of antiquity, and our 
 careful fearch over the whole neighbourhood 
 produced nothing of confcquence, fo that 
 we returned diflatisficd to Dcfuk, where we 
 ipcnt the night. 
 
 The next day we directed our march 
 north- eaft, towards the interior of the Delta. 
 Having again pafTed Sanhur-el-Medin, we 
 croffed feveral main inundation canals, which 
 from the appearance and quality of the wa- 
 ter we fuppofed might proceed from lake 
 Berelos. 
 
 Beyond thefe canals we found the coun- 
 try already covered with water, though it 
 was four feet higher than the ground which 
 we had left : for the irrigation, which was 
 directed and kept in by the dykes on which 
 we now marched, had to flow over them 
 before it could reach the country through 
 which we had been travelling. Thefe dykes 
 7 fcrved 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 243 
 
 ferved as roads of communication between 
 the different villages, which appeared as 
 iflands rifmg above the water; and being 
 thus ftrongly marked out, we flattered our- 
 felves that no interefling objed: within them 
 would efcape our curiofity. We had been 
 told that we fhould find many antiquities at 
 Schaabas-Ammers, and we advanced to- 
 wards it along a narrow ferpentine dyke,- 
 which divided two feas of inundation. To 
 have more time for our obfervations, wc had 
 advanced a league beyond our detachment ; 
 a guide on horfeback, two guides on foot, a 
 young man from Rofetta, the two generals 
 Menou and Marmont, a phyfician who 
 ferved as our interpreter, a draughtfman, and 
 myfelf, formed the foremoft party of our 
 company; while General Dolomieu, holding 
 by the bridle a vicious horfe, and feveral fer- 
 vants, remained at fome diftance behind. 
 Q 2 Whilft 
 
244 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Whilfl we were obferving the advantage- 
 ous and pidurefque fituation of Kafr-Schaa- 
 bas, a hamlet a little diftance from Scjiaabas, 
 we iaw the phyfician riding back to us at 
 full gallop, crying out, " They are waiting 
 for us with mufquets, and are crying to us, 
 E.rga (Halt.y Our guides wiflied to par- 
 ley with them, but they only anfwered us by 
 difcharging their pieces, which, though they 
 were very near us, fortunately did us no in- 
 jury. We made another attempt to parley, 
 but a fecond volley warned us not to expofe 
 to the enemy's balls the legs of our horfes, 
 which were our only refource. As we were 
 returning we perceived another troop of 
 armed men, who were coming up by a road 
 covered with water, and threatened to cut 
 off our only retreat. At this moment the 
 draughtfman was feized with fuch a degree 
 of terror as to be unable to think and adl fox 
 
 himfelf. 
 
TllAVELS IN EGYPT. ^45 
 
 himfelf, and fell helplefs from his horfe ; in 
 vain we tried to remount him, to take him 
 behind one of us., or to perfuade him to feize 
 hold of the tail of one of our horfes: his laft 
 hour was arrived, and without being able to 
 make ufe of any chance of efcape, he re- 
 mained on the fpot, crying out through ter- 
 ror, till his head became the prey of the mer- 
 cilefs enemv. In the mean time, thofe who 
 had firft fired at us were coming up, and to 
 avoid being aimed at, we had only time to 
 gallop through the balls, which flew round 
 us on every fide. We now met the fecond 
 party of the enemy, and Dolomieu w^as 
 mounted on a reftive horfe with his bridle 
 broken ; fortunately I hadjuft time to tie it 
 together for him, and 1 was dire(5lly after 
 repaid for this fervlcc ; for as I was re- 
 mounting, I faw him fall into a deep hole in 
 which I Ihould have funk entirely, and from 
 
 Q 3 which 
 
'24(5 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 which he efcaped by his gigantic flature. I 
 took another diredion, crolTed a dyke which 
 the enemy had broken, vvhilft the ground 
 was already covered with w atcr, which came 
 on in torrents in every diredlion, and at laft 
 rejoined our detachment, and we all returned 
 to Kafr-Ammers, which in our rage we were 
 going to take by ftorm. 
 
 It was four in the afternoon when we re- 
 turned to this village ; forty men concealed 
 in a ditch fired on us as we came up, but 
 miffed us all, and we w ere not more fuc- 
 cessful in returning the fire ; they retired, 
 however, to another troop which was wait- 
 ing for. us under the wall, for we now per- 
 ceived that this village was a fmall fortrefs, 
 formed of four curtains, with a tower at each 
 angle, to one of which a caftle was con- 
 ne6led. This little fort was feparated from 
 Schaabas by a canal filled with water;, and 
 
 an 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 24? 
 
 an efplanade of a thoufand toifes in length. 
 The commander of the place had hung out 
 the white flag, but the people in the fuburbs 
 ilill continued to fiie on us: our firft attack 
 failed ; the officer charged with direding it 
 was thrown off his horfe into the water, and 
 his party had feparated in order to purfue the 
 inhabitants^ who were carrying away their 
 efFedis : the two generals haflened up to re- 
 medy this diforder and rally the party, but 
 this movement obliged them to pafs under 
 the towers, by which feveral fol'diers were 
 killed or w^ounded from the fire of the enemy. 
 We now turned the fortrefs, one of the 
 towers had not been armed,' and we broke 
 open one of the gates of the town which it 
 defended : thirty foldiers and the general en-^ 
 tered ; the latter and myfelf were the only 
 perfons of our party that were on horfeback, 
 ,and the houfes were fo low that we found 
 
 Q 4 ourfelves 
 
1i48 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Gurfelves a mark for all the three fides of the 
 place : at the hiftant that I warned General 
 Menou that he was aimed at, his horfe was 
 killed on the fpot, and by his fall threw hl5 
 rider into a hole ; 1 thought him dead, and 
 was in vain endeavouring to affiil him, w'hen 
 General Marmont and fomc volunteers came 
 to our aiTiftance and withdrew him ; the fir- 
 ing in the mean time, however, was brifkly 
 kept up on all fides ; but the inhabitants 
 were well armed, under fhelter, and were 
 able to take good aim. After feveral of our 
 party were killed or wounded, we wxre 
 obliged to retreat. We now renewed the 
 attack with more order on the tower parallel 
 to the former which we had carried ; at firfl 
 the enemy lofl: feveral men and abandoned 
 the place, and we began to fet fire to the 
 houfes in order to approach the fort, but 
 eight of our men having been wounded at 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 249 
 
 the attack of the gate, our pofition became 
 very hazardous, as we had left thirty men to 
 guard our baggage and had but few with us. 
 At the approach of night the befieged raifed 
 loud cries, and fliouts, which were anfwered 
 by the neighbouring villages, who began to 
 colledt their forces, in order to relieve their 
 countrymen, and we heard them concert 
 meafures to force a pailage to them. Wc al' 
 lowed them to come up, and when near we 
 gave them a volley w^here we judged it would 
 reach them, and diredly after, their war 
 fhouts were changed into lamentations, and 
 they retreated. Soon after a deputation ar- 
 rived from the village of Schaabas, followed 
 by the flieik himfelf v^ith his ftandard : he 
 told us that the people with whom we were 
 engaging were villanous robbers, with whom 
 there was no hope of treating ; a native of 
 
 the 
 
250 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 the country whom we had fct free at Malta 
 ferved as his interpreter ; and the Iheik told 
 us in confidence, that if we did not carry the 
 fortrefs during the night, we (hould not be 
 ftrong enough in the morning, and that the 
 people in the neighbourhood would cut ofF 
 our retreat, by which we fliould all be killed. 
 Whilft he was giving us this important in- 
 formation, his fine face aflumed fuch an air 
 of compaifion, that I could not help fiketch- 
 ing his portrait. However, this advice was 
 not to be negle6led, efpecially as wc had 
 feveral wounded men with us, whom we 
 fhould find much difficulty to convey along 
 a'' narrow and broken caufeway, whilft wc 
 were covering our retreat. As we were me- 
 ditating how we fliould befi: fecure our re- 
 treat from our critical fituation, the befieg- 
 cd, favoured by the darknefs, pretended to 
 
 have 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 251 
 
 have received aliiilance, and began a briik 
 fire on their flank, which they wanted to 
 prote6]: ;^and at the fame time abandoning 
 all their property to the flames, they effeded 
 their retreat in profound filence. We only 
 heard them v/hen they were obliged to 
 plunge into the water, and we then fired on 
 them at random ; and a few camels which 
 had Grayed from them, and were returning 
 to the village, convinced us of their flight. 
 Being now m.afters of the field of battle, we 
 completed the deftrucllon of every thing 
 which would take fire ; and our foldiers con- 
 foled themfelves for the fatigue of the day 
 and night by loading two hundred afles with 
 two or three thoufand fowls and pigeons, 
 and by driving away feven or eight hundred 
 flieep. To us amateurs, however, nothing 
 remained which could make up to our cu- 
 
 riofity 
 
252 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 
 
 liofity for this dangerous and fatiguing ad- 
 Venture ; our hopes of fuccefs had entirely- 
 failed, and we colleded little if any thing 
 worth record for the artift and antiquarian. 
 At day- break we fet out on our return with- 
 out meeting with any further obftacle. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 253 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Voyage from Rofetta up the Nile to Cairo — 
 General Face of the Country — Fhji Vkw 
 of the pyramids — Cairo — Gardens of Ma- 
 ra d- Bey — Journey to the Pyra?nids, andDe- 
 fcriptlon of them — Sphinx — Manners of the 
 Inhabitants of Cairo — Affray in the TowJt^ 
 and general Rijtng of the Inhabitants — ■ 
 Quelled — The Hotfe of the Inflitute piU 
 laged — Cemetery of the Mamelukes — Death 
 of General Dupuis and Sulcowjky — Kind- 
 nefs of the middle Orders of People at Cairo. 
 
 /'^N our return to Rofetta we found an 
 order from the commander in chief], 
 directing the members of the Inflitute who 
 had remained in that place to proceed to 
 Cairo, to afUfl in organizing the proceedings 
 
 and 
 
254 TRAVELS I>r EGYPT. 
 
 and the {Ittlngs of that afTembly. 1 em- 
 barked the next day with my comrades. In 
 quitting the province of Rofetta we left be- 
 hind us the richeft and moft cheerful part 
 of the Delta; for, in afcending the river, after 
 paffing Rahmanieh, the fands of the defert 
 fometimes approach to the water's edge on 
 the left bank ; the country becomes naked, 
 the trees thinly fcattered, and the horizon 
 is marked by an uniform line, which it is 
 almofb impoffible to reprefent by the pencil. 
 I took a drawing of Alcan, a village in which 
 the aid-de-camp Julien, and twenty-five 
 volunteers, had been maflacred by the inha- 
 bitants. The village had fmce been burnt, 
 and the people expelled ; but innumerable 
 flights of pigeons remained about the ruins, 
 of W'hich they were now the only inhabi- 
 tant'j. I alfo took a view of the village of 
 Demichclat, (fee Plate VI. No. 3.) and the 
 
 reader 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 255 
 
 reader may here remark, that the pyramidal 
 form of the ancient Egyptian ftyle of archi- 
 tecture, the regularity of the plan, and the 
 fmiplicity of the capitals, are fometimes pre- 
 served even in the flight modern edifices, and 
 give an air of hiftorical gravity to the vil- 
 lages in Egypt which is not to be found clfe- 
 where. 
 
 At more than ten leagues from Cairo we 
 difcovered the points of the pyramids pierc- 
 ing the horizon ; loon after we faw Mount- 
 Katam, and oppofite to it, the chain of hills 
 which feparates Egypt from Lybia, and 
 forms a barrier to the banks of the Nile 
 againft the fands of the defert; but in this 
 eternal conflid between this deftrudive 
 fcourge and the beneficent river, the inun- 
 dation of fand often overwhelms the coun- 
 try, changes its fertility to barrennefs, drives 
 the labourer from his houfe, whofe walls it 
 
 covers 
 
^56 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 covers up, and leaves no other mark of ve-' 
 getable life than the tops of a few palm-trees, 
 which adds ftill more to the dreary afpedl of 
 deftrudion. 
 
 I felt delighted in feeing thefe mountains, 
 and vifiting monuments, of which both the 
 date and objed of conftrudion are loft in 
 the night of p.aft ages ; my mind was full 
 of emotion on contemplating the/c vaft 
 fcenes, and I regretted the approach of the 
 night, which fpread a veil over fo ftriking a 
 pidure to the imagination, and concealed 
 from me the point of the Delta, where, 
 among other magnificent plans, it was pro- 
 pofed to build a new metropolis for Egypt. 
 At the firft dawn of day I again fainted with 
 my eyes the pyramids, and took feveral 
 views ; and it was interefting to fee on the 
 furfacc of the Nile, then at hiirh flood, the 
 different villages glide before the eyes, backed 
 
 • by 
 
\^ 
 
 '^ 
 
\- 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 m 
 
 r.^ 
 
 ^ \ 
 
 m 
 
 
 ~^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 N 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 257 
 
 by thefe monuments, which were deillncd 
 to record events that gave local intereft to 
 every objed:. 
 
 I wiflied to be able to draw them watli 
 that fine tranfparent hue which they derive 
 from the immenfe volunle of air that fur- 
 rounds them: this is a peculiarity belonging 
 to thefc monuments, which they owe to 
 their g;rcat elevation : for the vafl; diftance 
 at Vv^hich they are diftinguifhable, renders 
 them almoft tranfparent, and the blue tint 
 of the fky caufes their angles to appear fliarp 
 and well defined, though they have been 
 rounded by the decay of years. (See Plate 
 VII. Fig. 1, 2, and 3.) 
 
 About nine o'clock the noife of cannon 
 announced to us the approach to Cairo, and 
 the feafl of the new year, which was then 
 celebrating. In our prefcnt pofition we faw 
 numerous minarets furroundinsr Mount-Ka- 
 . Vol. I. R tarn, 
 
258 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 tarn, and proceeding from the gardens or? 
 the banks of the Nile, whilft Old Cairo, 
 Bulac, and Roda, appearing as part of the 
 town, gave it an appearance of verdure and 
 frefhnefs, and added to its magnificence. As 
 we approached, however, the illufion va- 
 nifhed ; every objed: returning as it were 
 to its proper place, we only faw a heap of 
 villages collected near an arid rock ; and, I 
 know not why, remote from the beautiful 
 banks of the river. (See Plate VII. No. 4). 
 When I arrived at head- quarters at Cairo, 
 I learnt that the commander in chief wa? 
 then fetting out for the pyramids, accom- 
 panied by two hundred men, who were to 
 proted: them in their refearches. I now la- 
 mented that I had not known of this expe- 
 dition a few hours fooner, as I confidered it 
 fruitlefs to fet out on fuch a journey, with- 
 out being provided with what was rcquifite, 
 
 in 
 
- TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 2op 
 
 ■ in order to obferve thefe obje^ls of curiofity 
 with advantage ; and befides, I was fo fa- 
 tigued with my former journies, that I much 
 "wanted to reft all my limbs, fo that I had 
 determined to delay this expedition till the 
 aftronomers lliould go to make their obfer- 
 vations in thefe celebrated places. 
 
 On leaving table, the general faid, " It is 
 ** impoffiblc to vifit the pyramids without 
 " an efcort, and one cannot often fpare for 
 " the purpofe a detachment of two hundred 
 *' men." The afcendancy which fome minds 
 have over others, at once deftroyed all my 
 reafoning ; it was this afcendancy which 
 made me a follower from France to Egypt, 
 and it now determined me to be of the party 
 to the pyramids; fo,wlthout returning home, 
 I took my road to Old Cairo, and rejoined 
 the comrades with whom 1 had been failing 
 up the Nile. It was full night when we got 
 
 R 2 to 
 
260 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 to Gizeh, and I knew not tvhcrc I fliould re- 
 pofe ; but in wandering about I found my- 
 felf, by a good fortune which feemed Hke 
 enchantment, in a hali furnifiied with fine 
 velvet cufhions, and fcented with the per- 
 fume of an orange-grove, which gentle air 
 wafted to us. I went down into the gar- 
 den, which appeared by moonlight to be 
 worthy the defcription which Savary has 
 given. This was the pleafure-houfe of Mu- 
 rad-Bev- I had heard its charms depreciated, 
 and I only now faw it after the march of a 
 vi6borious army ; but I could not help feel- 
 ing that, without reforting to needlefs com- 
 parifons, the oriental luxuries have their 
 charms, and fill the fenfes with voluptuous 
 pleafure. We do not here find, indeed, thofe 
 long alleys which are the pride of the French 
 gardens, nor the ferpentine walks of the 
 Englilli, where health and appetite are the 
 
 reward 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 16} 
 
 reward of the exercife required to furvey 
 them ; but in the eaft, where indolent re- 
 pofe forms one of the chief luxuries, the 
 tents or kiofks are pitched under the thick 
 branches of a clufter of fycamores, and open 
 at pleafure upon a fragrant underwood of 
 orange and jeflamine. To this is added the 
 v^oluptuous pleafure of enjoyments ftill but 
 imperfectly known to us, but which we may 
 eafily conceive ; fuch, for inftance, as to be 
 attended by young flaves, who unite to ele- 
 gance of form gentle and careffing manners; 
 to be indolently llretched on vaft and downy 
 carpets, flirewed v.lth cufliions, in company 
 with fome favourite beauty, breathing per- 
 fumes, and intoxicated with defires ; to re- 
 ceive flierbct from the hands of a young 
 damft;!, whofe languifliing eyes cxprefs the 
 contentment of v»illing obedience, and not 
 the conftraint of fcrvitude. Surrounded with 
 R 3 thefc 
 
l62 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 thefe delights, the burning African need not 
 envy the inhabitant of Europe ; and man 
 may find happinefs wherever there is beauty 
 and grace, whether in the gardens of Tria- 
 non, or rcpofcd on the banks of the Nile. 
 
 The officer who commanded the efcort 
 happened to be one of my friends; he en- 
 tered me in the lift of thofe who were bound 
 for the pyramids; we wxre about three hun- 
 dred. The next morning, after much wait- 
 ing to collect the party, vv'c fet out, late, as 
 generally happens where many are to be put 
 in motion. We failed through the fields by 
 the inundation trenches, and alter tacking 
 often through the cultivated country, we 
 landed about noon on the borders of the de- 
 fert, half a league from the pyramids. I took 
 feveral views of them in different pofitions 
 as we approached. (See Plate Vfl, Fig. 2, 
 and VIII. Fig. ].) 
 
 As 
 
PL.l^// 
 
# 
 
 ir'StfWM 
 
 -^ 
 
 t 
 
 i 
 
 C 
 
 / /rfi' A yt!f/'">i ly^ Mc- j:^y^^^>Mft^^ a/^-ci^^' 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 263 
 
 As loon as we quitted our boats we found 
 ©urfelves in the fands, and climbed the level 
 on which thefe monuments reft. In ap- 
 proaching thefe ftupendous buildings, their 
 Hoping and angular forms difguife their real 
 height, and leiTen it to the eye ; and befides, 
 as every thing regular is only great or fmall 
 by comparifon, and as thefe mafles of ftone 
 eclipfe in magnitude every furrounding ob- 
 jedl, and yet are much inferior to a moun- 
 tain (the only thing with which our imagi- 
 nation can compare them) one is farorized 
 to find the firil impreffion given bv vicvving 
 •them at a dlHance, fo much diminlilied on 
 a nearer approach. However, on attempting 
 to meafure any one of thefe gigantic works 
 of art by fome known fcale, it refumes its 
 immcnfity to the m.ind ; for as I approached 
 to the opening, a hundred pcrfons who were 
 {landing under it appeared fo iinal],,that I 
 K 4 could 
 
26 1 TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 could hardly take them for men. It would 
 be a good method for the artift to give an 
 idea of the dlmenfionof thele edifices, by re- 
 prefenting on the fame ground-plan as the 
 building fomc proceffion or religious cere- 
 mony analogous to the antient cuftoms. 
 As it is, thefe monuments ftanding alone, 
 and without any living fcale of compa* 
 rlfon, excepting a few detached figures in 
 front, lofc both the eifcd: of their grand pro- 
 portions, and the general impreffion which 
 they would otherwife make. We have a good 
 example of comparifon in Europe in St. 
 Peter's church at Rome, the magnitude of 
 which is concealed by the exquifite harmony 
 of proportion, and the crofiing of the gene- 
 ral outline, till the eye defcends to a pro- 
 ceffion of the religious orders celebrating 
 mafs, and followed by a train of Vv'orlhippers, 
 which in this fituation appears like a group 
 
 of 
 
(,0,i/r,imr /r //i, ,/ ;-.///_'^^^/ ////// /i>'f' • //"'y''/"-'. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 265 
 
 of puppets attempting to a(5l Athdia on the 
 theatre of Verfaillcs. Another point of re- 
 femblance between thefe two ediiices is, that 
 nothing but the dcfpotifm of a facerdotal go- 
 vernment could venture to undertake them, 
 nor any thing but the ftupid fanaticifm of a 
 people would fubmit to the labour oi build- 
 ing. But to return to the actual ftate of the 
 pyramids; let us firlt afcend a fmall heap of 
 fand and rubbifh, which is perhaps the re- 
 mains of the trench of the firft of thefe edi- 
 fices which prefents itfelf, and which now 
 leads to the opening through wliich it may 
 be reached. This opening, which is nearly 
 fixty feet from the bafe, is concealed by a 
 8!;eneral ftone-facina;, which formjS the third 
 or inner inclofurc to the folitary entrench- 
 ment around this monument (See Plate 
 VIII. and X.) Here begins the firft gallery; 
 its direction lies towards the centre and bafe 
 
 Oi-- 
 
266 TRAVELS i:i EGYPT. 
 
 ©f the edifice ; but the rubbifh, which has 
 been but ill cleared out, or w hich, owing to 
 the natural flope, has fallen back again into 
 the gallery, added to the fand daily drifted 
 in by the north wind, and which is never 
 forced out again, has fo blocked up the paf- 
 iage as to render it very inconvenient to crofs. 
 At the extremity of this gallery two large 
 blocks of granite are met with, which form 
 a fecond partition to this myfterious paf- 
 fage. 
 
 This obftacle appears to have perplexed 
 all tho^e who have undertaken the refearch, 
 and has led to feveral random attempts to 
 furmount it. Endeavours have been made 
 hj former vifitors to cut a pailage through 
 the folid ftone, bat this proving unfuccefsful, 
 they have returned feme v.ay, have paflcd 
 round two blocks of {lone, climbed over 
 them, and thus difcovcrcd a fecond gallery 
 
 of 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 207 
 
 of fo deep an alcent, that it has been necef- 
 lary to hew fteps in the ground in order to 
 mount it. This gallery leads to a kind of 
 landing-place, in which is a hole ufually 
 called " the well," which is the opening to 
 a horizontal gallery leading to a chamber 
 known by the name of '* the queen's cham- 
 ber," without ornament, cornice, or any 
 infcription whatever. 
 
 Returning to the landing-place, a perpen- 
 dicular opening leads to the grand gallery, 
 which terminates in a fecond landinoi;-Dlace, 
 on which is the third and laft partition, con- 
 flrudied with much more art, and which 
 gives a ftriking idea of the importance which 
 the Egyptians attached to the inviolability 
 of their places of fcpulture. 
 
 Laftly comes the royal chamber, contain- 
 ing the farcopiiagus, (See Plate VIII.) a 
 narrovv' fanctuarv, which is the fole end and 
 
 objecfl 
 
258 TRAVELS IxV EGYPT. 
 
 objed. of an edince fo ftnpendous, fo cololTal, 
 in comparifbu of all the other works of man. 
 In rcfle<5ling on the objccl of the^con- 
 ilrucllon of the pyramids, the gigantic pride 
 which gave them birth appears more enor- 
 mous even than their aclual dimenfions ; 
 and one hardly knows which is the m.ofl 
 aftonifiiing, the madncfs of tyrannical op- 
 preffion, which dared to order the undertak- 
 ing, or the llupid fervility of obedience in 
 the people who fubmitted to the labour. 
 In iliort, the mofl: favourable view, for the 
 honour of human nature, in which thcfe 
 monuments can be confidercd is, that man 
 was thereby ambitious of rivalling nature in 
 immenfity and eternity, and not without 
 fuccefs, fince the mountains contiguous to 
 thefc edifices arc iefs high, and ilill Icfs ex- 
 empted from the ravages of time than this 
 work of human liands. 
 
 Wc 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 26^ 
 
 We had only two hours to devote to the 
 pyramids, and 1 had employed an hour and 
 a half in vifiting the interior of the only one 
 which was open ; I had flretched all my 
 attention to retain what I had feen ; I had 
 taken drawings and meafurements as well as 
 I was able with a fmgle foot ruler • in fliort, 
 I had filled my head, and I hoped to bring 
 away many obfervations w^orthy of remark ; 
 but on recalling them to memory the next 
 morning, I found I had a volume of queries 
 ilill to make. I returned from my journey 
 haraiTed and agitated, and found my curiofity 
 more flimulated than fatisfied by my vifit to 
 the pyramids. 
 
 I had only time to \dew the fphinx, which 
 deferves to be drawn with a more fcrupulou^^ 
 attention than has ever yet been beftowed 
 upon it. Though its proportions are ccloiTal, 
 the outline is pure and graceful ; the expref- 
 
 fion 
 
2^0 TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 fion of the head is mild, gracious, and tran- 
 quil ; the character is African ; but the 
 mouth, the hps of v^hich are thick, has a 
 foftnefs and delicacy of execution truly ad- 
 mirable ; it feems real life and flefli. Aft 
 mufi: have been at a high pitch when this 
 monument w^as executed ; for, if the head 
 wants what is called Jiyk, that is to fay, the 
 flraight and bold lines which give expreflion 
 to the figures under which the Greeks have 
 defignated their deities, yet fufficient juftice 
 has been rendered to the fine fimplicity and 
 charadler of nature which is difplayed in this 
 figure. (See Plate IX.) 
 
 I had juil fnatchcd a glance of the tombs, 
 of fmail temples, decorated with bass-reliefs 
 and ftatues, of niches in the rock, which 
 might have broken the maffivenefs of the 
 pyramids, and given them elegance ; but fo 
 many objedls worthy of invclligation re- 
 mained. 
 
v^//^ .///, 
 
_^Af/. ,///'. -^z--' v.,v,. //,:^/y,„.„x. 
 
TilAVELS IX EGYPT. 27! 
 
 mained, that It would have required many 
 fuch vifits as the prefent to have undertaken 
 even a fketch of them, much more to have 
 endeavoured to remove the myfterious cloud 
 which for ages has hung over thefe iymboli- 
 cal monuments. Almoft the fame uncer- 
 tainty exifts as to the time in which they 
 were firfl violated, as even that of their con- 
 ib:ud:ion; the latter, which is loft in the 
 night of ages, gives an immenfe period to 
 the annals of art ; and in this view we can- 
 not too much admire the accuracy of the 
 pyramidal ftrudlure, the permanency fecurcd 
 by their form and conflrud.ion, and by fuch 
 immenfe proportions, that thefe gigantic 
 monuments may be confidered as the laft 
 link in the chain of the coloffi of art and 
 nature. 
 
 Herodotus relates, that he was informed 
 
 that the great pyramid, of which I have iufl 
 
 2 been 
 
27'2 TEA%'ELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 been fpeaking, was the tomb of Cheops ; 
 that the adjoining pyramid was that of his 
 brother Ccphrenes, who fucceeded him ; 
 that only the former had any inner galleries; 
 that a hundred thoufand men had been cm- 
 ployed twenty years in building it ; that the 
 immenfe labour which it required had ren- 
 dered this prince odious to his people ; and 
 that, notwithilanding the taxes which were 
 levied on his fubje^ls, the expence for the 
 flibiiftence of the workmen alone was fo 
 enormous, that the prince was obliged to 
 proflitute his daughter to finiili this monu- 
 ment ; and that the receipts of this proftitu- 
 tion were fo great as to enable the princefs, 
 befides, to build the fmall pyramid adjoin- 
 ing, which ferved for her own tomb. We 
 may add, that Cheops, having fiiut up the 
 temples during his reign, found after his 
 death' no pauegyrift among the priefts, who 
 
 were 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 2/3 
 
 were the hiftorlans of Egypt, and who re- 
 lated many idle fables to Herodotus, the firft 
 hiftorian who has given us any light on this 
 country. 
 
 I had refided nearly a month at Cairo> 
 and I ftill had to feek for " the fuperb 
 '^ town, the holy city, the delight of the 
 " imagination, greateft among the great, 
 " whofe fplendour and opulence made the 
 " prophet fmile," for thus the eallern people 
 defcribe it. I did indeed fee a numerous po- 
 pulation, and a vaft extent of buildings, but 
 not a fmgle handfome ftreet, nor one £ne 
 monument. The only large place was Lel- 
 bequier, the refidence of Bonaparte ; and 
 this too has the air of a field, but during the 
 inundation it pleafes by its agreeable coolnefs, 
 and by the night excurfions which are there 
 made in boats that have a ftriking efFedl. 
 (See Plate XXXIX.) The palaces of this 
 
 Vol. I. S town 
 
274: l-KAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 town are all furrounded by walls, which ren- 
 der the ftreets gloomy, inftead of enlivening 
 them ; and the habitations of the poor, 
 which are ftill more negleded here than in 
 other parts of the country, add to the affli6l- 
 ing view of extreme poverty, though the 
 climate allows of much careleflhefs in the 
 article of fhelter, fo that one is tempted to 
 afk where were the houfes inhabited by 
 twenty-four fovereigns. However, within 
 thefe fortified palaces, fome convenience and 
 luxury is to be found ; they are adorned 
 with handfomxC marble baths, and voluptu- 
 ous vapour-ftoves, with mofaic faloons, in 
 the middle of which are bafons and foun- 
 tains of water, large divans compofed of 
 tufted carpets, raifed beds covered with rich 
 ftuffs, and furrounded with magnificent 
 cufliions, which generally fill three fides of 
 each room. The windows, however, when 
 7 there 
 
TRAVELS i:S EGYPT. 275 
 
 there are any, never open, and the day-hght 
 which they admit is darkened by coloured 
 glafles, and very clofe lattice-work, for the 
 light principally comes in through a dome 
 in the center of the ceiling. The MulTul- 
 mans, who make but little ufe of the light, 
 take very little pains to procure it in their 
 houfes, and in general all their cuftoms feem 
 to invite to repofe ; their divans, where the 
 recumbent pofture is more eafy than to fit 
 up, and from which it requires a ferious 
 effort, to a Turk, to rife ; their drefs, which 
 is a kind of clofe petticoat that confines the 
 legs ; their large gloves, which ftretch nearly 
 eight inches over the fingers' ends ; their 
 turban, which prevents the head from fiioop- 
 ing; their cuflom of always holding a pipe 
 in their hands, and intoxicating themfelves 
 with its fmoke ; — all thefe circumftances 
 confpire to deilroy adivity and imagination, 
 S 2 fo 
 
'27(5 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 
 
 fo that they meditate without an objex^y 
 pafs every day in the fame taftelefs manner, 
 and even therr whole cxiflencc without feek- 
 ing for any new obj-ecl to relieve its dull 
 monotony. Even that clafs of fociety who 
 are obliged to work for their livelihood, are 
 not miach different from: the higher orders 
 that I have juft defcribcd ; they have been 
 long taught to expert no other reward from 
 induftry than a bare fubfiftence, and thu3 
 they have no motive to depart from their or- 
 dinary routine, and to exercife their inven- 
 tion. They even dlflike particularly every 
 occupation which keeps them {landing ; 
 the joiner, blackfmith, carpenter, farrier, all 
 work fitting, even the mafon raifcs a minaret 
 without (landing to his work : like favage 
 nations, they do every thing almoft with a 
 fmgle tool, fo that one is furprifed at the 
 dexterity with which they manage it, and 
 
 Ihould 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 277 
 
 {hould almoft be tempted to allow them In- 
 ventive ingenuity, if their invariable method 
 of proceeding did not rather lead one to at- 
 tribute it almoft to a kind of inftind: ; like 
 the infe(ft whofe workmanfliip we admire, 
 whilft we know that It has not the power of 
 applying the fame fklll to different purpofes. 
 It is, however, to a defpotlfm which always 
 commands, and never rewards, that we muft 
 look for the fburce and permanent caufe of 
 this ftagnation of Induftry. I have fmce 
 feen, in Upper Egypt, Arabian artlfans, 
 when not under the reftraint of their maf- 
 ters, coming to offer their fervices to the 
 workm.en among our foldiers, affiftlng them 
 in their operations, and, fure of wages ade- 
 quate to their induftry, endeavouring affi- 
 duoufly to give us flitisfacllon by patient and 
 adivp fervices. I have alfo obferved them 
 examine with delight the play of the wlnd- 
 S 3 mill, 
 
17S TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 mill, and watch with tranfport the ftroke 
 of the pile-driver : perhaps, indeed, their in- 
 nate indolence is a fecret caufe of their great 
 admiration of thefe two machines, which 
 uffift fo much in performing the great ob- 
 jeds of their moil necdTary labour, that of 
 raifmg water and building dykes to keep it 
 in. 
 
 The inhabitants of this country build as 
 little as poffible, and repair ftill lefs. If a 
 wall threatens to come down, they prop it 
 up ; if notwithftanding it falls in, it only 
 makes the fewer rooms in the houfe, and 
 they quietly range their carpets by the fide 
 of the ruins ; if at laft the houfe falls altoge- 
 ther, they either abandon the fpot, or if they 
 are obliged to clear it out, they carry away 
 the rubbifh to as little a diftance as poffible, 
 which is the caufe that in almoft every town 
 of Egypt, and efpecially in Cairo, the eye of 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 2/9 
 
 the traveller Is conftantly arrefted by heaps 
 or rather mountains of rubbifh fcattered 
 about, the caufe of which he is at a lofs to 
 difcover. 
 
 There are fome confiderable edifices at 
 Cairo, which I think fhould be attributed to 
 the times of the caliphs; fuch as the palace 
 of Jofeph, the well of Jofeph, the granaries 
 ot Jofeph, all of which have been Ipoken of 
 by various travellers, and by fome the popu-^ 
 lar tradition has been retained of thefe mo» 
 numents owing their origin to the prudent 
 forefight of Jofeph, the flave of Potiphan 
 Were this the cafe, Cairo (hould be as anci- 
 ent as Memphis, and the remains of other 
 towns fiiould be found near this city, fmce 
 thefe palaces are all built of ruins more an- 
 cient than the edifices themfelves. Befides, 
 thefe ftru^lures all bear the general marks 
 of the mufiulman architedure of thefe re- 
 S 4 gions I 
 
280 TRAVELS IN EG^PT. 
 
 gions ; that is to fay, they prefent an af- 
 femblagc of magnificence, mifery, and ig- 
 norance, as thefe half-barbarians have taken 
 for the con{lrud;ion of their vaft buildings 
 the materials which were the neareft to their 
 reach, and ufed them as they came to their 
 hands. 
 
 The aquedudl which brings w^ater from 
 old Cairo to the caftle, by a route of a hun- 
 dred and fixty fathoms, would be a work 
 of art worth celebrating, if in its courfe it 
 was not rendered faulty by many imperfect- 
 tions. 
 
 The caftle, which is built without plan, 
 or any real ftrength or defence, has, how- 
 ever, fome parts which are well laid out. 
 The balhaw here refided, or rather was fhut 
 up ; the only remarkable room in his quarter 
 is the hall of the divan, in which the beys 
 aflembled, and which has often been the 
 
 fccne 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 281 
 
 fcene of angry debates and bloody ftrife in 
 this contentious government. Jofeph's well, 
 which is in this quarter, is cut in the rock, 
 two hundred and fixty-nine feet in depth : 
 Norden has given a full dcfcription of it. 
 Jofeph's palace, which I have juft men- 
 tioned, is certainly planned in a fine ilyle, 
 and I could not fee without fome admiration 
 the ule which the Arabian architedls have 
 made of the antique fragments, which they 
 have incorporated in their own works, and 
 the ingenuity which they have iliewn in oc- 
 cafionally mixing with them ornaments of 
 their own invention. 
 
 At prefent, as the Turks no longer find 
 ready to their hands the columns of ancient 
 Egyptian architecture, and yet continue to 
 build mofques without clearing away thofe 
 which fall to ruins, they commifTion the 
 Franks to fend them columns by the dozen. 
 
 Thefe 
 
2S2 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Thefe purchafe them of every fize at Ca- 
 rara ; and when the columns arrive at 
 Egypt, the muffulman architeds furround 
 the aftragals with rings of iron, and employ 
 them to fupport the arches of the porticoes 
 of their mofques. The pillars are in a very 
 miferable ftyle of Greek architedlure ; and 
 the Saracen ornaments, which begin imme-f 
 diately beyond the columns, contribute to 
 form a mixture of compofition in as bad a 
 tafle as can be imagined. The minarets and 
 the tombs are the only buildings which pre- 
 fcrve the Arabian ftyle in any degree of pu^ 
 rity ; and if they do not prefent that ap- 
 pearance of full fecurity, which is the per- 
 .fedion of architedure, at leaft they gratify 
 the eye by a richnefs of ornament, which 
 does not degenerate into heavinefs, and a 
 Symmetry of parts combined with fo much 
 elegance, as to remove all idea of meannefs 
 
 and 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 283 
 
 and poverty of ftyle. The cemeter}- of the 
 Mamelukes is an example o{ this: in quit- 
 ting the rubbifh of Cairo, the liranger is 
 aflonifhed to fee another town all built of 
 white marble, where edifices raifed on co- 
 lumns, and terminated by domes, or by 
 painted, carved, and gilt palanquins, form a 
 cheerful and inviting picture ; trees alone 
 are wanting to render this funereal retreat a 
 delightful fpot ; fo that it w^ould feem as if 
 the Turks, who banifli gaiety from their 
 houfes when alive, wifhed to bury it wath 
 them in the tomb. 
 
 I was finiihing my drawing of this fanc- 
 tuary of death, fo abfurdly gay, when I heard 
 loud cries, which I at firft took to be fome 
 funeral, attended by hired female mourners, 
 as is the cuftom here ; but on turning my 
 eyes, I faw a number of w'omen running 
 away, and making a fign for me to follow 
 
 them. 
 
284 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 them. The idea of the fcourge of the coun- 
 try at firft rufhed into my mind, but feeing 
 the ground clear for a confiderable diftance, 
 and no Arabs colledling, I refumed my dravw 
 ing. Direcliy after, however, I favv feveral 
 men alfo flying off, and, being at a confider- 
 able diftance from our own pofts, I thought 
 it moil: prudent to return. I found fome 
 agitation in the fbeets, and furprize in the 
 looks of the inhabitants. When arrived at 
 my houfe, I learnt that there had been an 
 affray in the town, and that the governor 
 had been alfaffmated. The noife of firing was 
 heard, and we were alarmed for the houfe 
 of the Inilitute, which was fituated in the 
 midll of gardens looking towards the coun- 
 try, and enjoyed in times of peace a delight- 
 ful tranquillity, but for the fame reafon was 
 the firfi; quarter of the fuburbs to be aban- 
 doned in any fcrious difturbancc, or if at- 
 tacked 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 285 
 
 tacked by the Arabs : towards the town it 
 only looked upon the part inhabited by the 
 pooreft clafs, and confequently the moft to 
 be feared. We learned that the houfe of 
 General CalTarelli had juft been pillaged, and 
 that many perfons in it belonging to the 
 commiffion of arts had fallen vi(5lims to the 
 fury of the populace. We immediately made 
 a mufler of our own party, and we found 
 lour abfent, who, as we learned an hour after 
 from our people, had been maflacred. We 
 had no intelligence of Bonaparte ; night 
 was coming on, firing was heard in different 
 places, and cries every where ; in fhort we 
 icared a general infurrection. 
 
 General Dumas, in returning from his 
 purfuit of the Arabs, had made a great car- 
 nage of the rebels in entering the town, and 
 had cut off tlic head of a feditious chief 
 whilil: he was haranguing the people ; but a 
 
 full 
 
286 TRAVELS IN EGYPI. 
 
 full half of the town, and that the molt po- 
 pulous, was barricaded up ; more than four 
 thoufand inhabitants were entrenched in a 
 mofque ; two companies of grenadiers had 
 been repulfed, and the cannon had not been 
 able to penetrate into thofe narrow and 
 crooked flreets, whilft the enemy, unfeen 
 and protected in their houfes, wxre able to 
 throw ftones and lances on our party with 
 fafety and eft'ect. The general had fent for 
 our protection a detachment, which, how- 
 ever, he was obiip!;ed to withdraw about m.id- 
 night, and this for a time aggravated the 
 danger to which the Inftitute was expofed. 
 The night, however, paiTed quietly enough, 
 for the Turks do not like to fight after dark, 
 and make a point of confcience not to kill 
 their enemies when the fun is gone down : 
 and, on the other hand, I, who have always 
 thought that in perilous fituations, prudence, 
 
 when 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 28/ 
 
 when it can do nothing, becomes a painful 
 trouble, lay down to reft, trufting to the ter- 
 ror of others to awake me in cafe of alarm. 
 
 Early the next morning the war re-com- 
 menced : mufkets wxre fent us ; all the 
 members of the Inftitute took up arms, and 
 chofe them leaders ; but every one had his 
 own plan of operations, and no one would 
 obey. Dolomieu, Cordier, DeUfle, Saint- 
 Simon, and myfclf, lodged at a diftance from 
 the others ; our houfe might have been pil- 
 laged by any one who would take the trou- 
 ble ; but as fixty men had been fent to the 
 alTiftance of our comrades, we became eafy 
 on their account, and fet about entrenching 
 ourfelves in the beft manner we could, fo 
 as to hold out at leaft four hours, if attacked 
 by only a moderate force, that we might 
 have time to procure relief by the alarm of 
 our firing. 
 
 At 
 
283 TRAVELS IN EGYPTi 
 
 At one time we thought we were aftually 
 invefted ; for wc faw the peaceable inhabi- 
 tants fly, and we heard the noife of arms 
 reach up to our walls, and the bullets whiftle 
 on our terraces. We immediately pulled 
 them to pieces, to give us materials for 
 knocking down and crufhing any enemy 
 who might attempt to force our gates ; and 
 at an extremity we could even ufe as a wea- 
 pon of offence the ladder which ferved for 
 mounting to our chamber. In the midft of 
 our danger, however, the heavy artillery of 
 the caftle made the diverfion in our favour, 
 which I fo anxioufly cxpe6led ; it produced 
 all the effedl which I looked for, and conflier- 
 nation fucceeded to rage. The artillery, 
 however, could not reach the mofque, which 
 was nov/ the only rallying point of our ene- 
 mies, all the reft having furrendered at dif-^ 
 cretion : but the mofque itfelf was foon 
 2 turned.. 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 28^ 
 
 turned, and a battery taught the enemy that 
 our warfare did not ftop with the day ; as a 
 laft effort, they now pulled down their bar- 
 ricades and made a fortie, but being re- 
 pulfed, they furrendered. The reft of the 
 night paiTed quietly, and the next day we 
 were at liberty. 
 
 We had in fa 61 now, for the firft time, 
 conquered Cairo, for before it had only fur- 
 rendered to the conqueror of the Mame- 
 lukes: the timid and indolent Egyptians had 
 fmiled with fatisfa6lion at the expulfion of 
 their opprefrors,who had harafted them with 
 numberlefs vexations and a6ls of injuftice; 
 but when they were called on to pay their 
 deliverers, they foon began to regret their 
 former tyrants : and, on recovering: from 
 their firft panic, they had liftensd to their 
 mufti, who found means to animate them • 
 againft us with a fanatic enthufiafm, and 
 
 Vol. I. T they 
 
igO TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 they had confplred in filencc. For oiir own 
 fecurity we ought, perhaps, to have fpared 
 none who had fecn French foldiers retire dif- 
 comfited; but our clemency anticipated their 
 repentance : and thus the defire of revenge 
 in our enemies was not extinguifhed by their 
 confternation, which I could read the next 
 day in the attitude and countenance of the 
 malecontents ; and I was convinced, that if, 
 before the day of this engagement, we had 
 been encompafTed by a circle of Arabs, we 
 were now confined within narrower limits, 
 and fliould always be obliged to march 
 through domeftic foes. 
 
 Some traitors were Indeed arrefted and 
 punifhed, but the mofques which had been 
 the afylum of crimes were reftored, and the 
 pride of the offenders was heightened by the 
 aft of condefcenfion, whilft their fanaticifm 
 was not fubdued by their terror. Whatever 
 
 reprefen- 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. SQl 
 
 rcprefentation could be made to Bonaparte 
 of the danger of fuch a line of condud; with 
 the rebels, nothing could fhake the fenti- 
 ments of humanity which he difplayed in 
 this event ; he wiflied to lliew as much cle- 
 mency as he could excite terror, and the paft 
 was forgotten, whilft we had to lament many 
 and.ferious lofles. 
 
 General Dupuis, an excellent captain, who 
 for two years had braved the dangers that 
 befet the path of glory in the brilliant cam- 
 paigns of Italy, was aflaflinated at this time, 
 whilft reconnoiterihg, by a cowardly blow. 
 A knife faftened to the end of a ftick was 
 thrown from a window, cut the artery of his 
 arm, and he expired in a few moments : the 
 young and brave Sulcowfky, who was hardly 
 recovered from the wounds he received in 
 the romantic battle of Salager, went to re- 
 connoitre the enemy, whom he difcovered, 
 T 'J attacked, 
 
291 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 attacked, defeated, and purfued, in fplte of tt 
 great difproportion of numbers, but unfortu- 
 nately falling into an ambufcade, his horfe 
 was pierced with a lance, fell upon him, and 
 in this fituation he was cruflied by one who 
 was haflening to his affiftance. Thus pe- 
 riflied a mofl diftinguillied officer in the 
 army, an acute obferver on the march, an 
 intrepid warrior in the battle; his pen re- 
 lieved his hand from the fatigues of thefword ; 
 he had juft defcribed the march to Belbeys 
 with as much grace and interefl as another 
 would have related the glorious fliare which 
 he had in that expedition, and the honour- 
 able wounds which he received : this much- 
 lamented young foreigner, ambitious of glory, 
 ibught it in our battalions ; fuppreffing the 
 ■vivacity of his character, he modelled his 
 a(5lions from thofe of the leader whom he 
 had chofen to follow ; and thus jealous of 
 
 dillinguifli- 
 
TRAVELS I>r EGYPT, 2p3 
 
 diltinguifhing hlmfelf, he had fet before his 
 eyes the meafure of his emulation. I had 
 been entrufted with all the paffions of his 
 youth, I continued to admire his noble am- 
 bition, for it was by fludy and real merit 
 that he wiflied to rife. He had jufl: been 
 interefting me by his energy and the free 
 confidence of friendfhip, when the news of 
 his death came to diftrefs and agitate my 
 mind ; he was one of the moft amiable of 
 the officers of the army, and his death caft 
 a melancholy cloud on the vi<51:ory of the 
 twenty- third of Odlober, 
 
 Though the populace, the devotees, and 
 fome of the great people of Cairo, fhewed 
 themfelves fanatical and cruel in this revolt, 
 the middle clafs, (which is in all countries 
 the moft acceffiblc to reafon and virtue) was 
 perfed:ly humane and generous to us, notr 
 withftanding the wide differences of man- 
 T 3 ncrs. 
 
294 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 ners, religion, and language: whilft from the 
 galleries of the minarets murder was de- 
 voutly preached up, whilft the ftreets were 
 filled with death and carnage, all thofe in 
 >vhofe houfes any Frenchmen were lodged, 
 were eager to fave them by concealment, 
 and to fupply and anticipate all their wants : 
 an elderly woman in the quarter in which 
 we lodged gave us to underftand, that as our 
 wall was but weak, if we were attacked, v.e 
 had only to throw it down, and to feek for 
 (helter in her harem ; a neighbour, without 
 being afked, fent us provifion at the expence 
 of his own"ftore, when no food vvas to be 
 purchafed in the town, and every thing an- 
 nounced approaching famine ; he even re- 
 moved every thing from before our houfe 
 which could render it confpicuous to the 
 enemy, and went to fmoke at our door, as if 
 it was his own, in order to deceive any that 
 
 might 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 295 
 
 might attack us : two young perfons who 
 were purfued in the ilreets were fnatched 
 up by fome unknown people and carried into 
 a houfc, and whilft they were furioully ftrug- 
 gling for deliverance, expe(5ting that they 
 were deftined for fome horrible cruelty, the 
 kind ravifliers, not being able otherwife to 
 convince them of the hofpitable benevolence 
 of their intentions, delivered up to them 
 their own children as pledges of their fin- 
 cerity. Many other fuch anecdotes could 
 be given of delicate fenfibility, which recall 
 the feelings of human nature in the times in 
 which they feem to be entirely abandoned. 
 If the grave MuiTulman repreiles thofe tokens 
 of fenfibility which other nations would take 
 a pride in exhibiting, it is in order to preferve 
 the dignifie^^ aufterity of his character. 
 
 T 4 CHAPTER 
 
IQO travels in EGYPT. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Mummies of the Ibis in the Vaults of Saccara, 
 and QonjeSinres concerning that Bird — Cu- 
 rious juggling Tricks of the PJyUi "joith 
 Serpents — Great Utility of the Afs in 
 B^gypt — Caravan from Mount Sinai — Py- 
 ramids on the Plain of Saccarah, and near 
 Memphis — Various Egyptian Villages and 
 Manners of the Inhabit ants — Tents of Be- 
 douin Arabs — Superftitious Ceremonies, ^c. 
 of the Natives — March of Defaix's Army to 
 Upper Egypt in Purfuit of Murad-Bey — - 
 Various fever e Encounters isuith the Mame- 
 luke Army — Defperate Battle of Sedinan, 
 and Flight of the Mamelukes. 
 
 ^ I ^O return to objects of curiofity. — The 
 vaults of Saccara had juft been open- 
 ed, and more than fivx hundred mummies 
 
 of 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 297 
 
 of the ibis had been found in a fepulchral 
 cave. Two had been given me, and I could 
 not refift the defire of opening one of them, 
 fo citizen GeofFroi and myfelf fat down 
 alone at a table, with all the neceifary means 
 of refearch before us, and myfelf, with my 
 pencil in my hand. 
 
 There is a conilderable variety in the de- 
 gree of care beftowed in embalming thefc 
 birds, fo that in fadt nothing but the earthen 
 pot in which the whole is contained is com- 
 mon to all. This difference and pains be- 
 ilowed on mummies taken from the fame 
 cave, proves that the price of the work va- 
 ried confiderably for thefe birds as well as 
 for men, and confequently that it was done 
 at the expence of individuals ; and alfo it 
 may be preflimed, that the embalmed birds 
 had not all been fed in temples, or colleges 
 of prierLS, in reward of fervices rendered by 
 the whole fpecies. 
 
 2 Ir 
 
2g8 TKAVELS IN EGYPT, 
 
 If the fame had been the cafe with theic 
 birds as with the god Apis, a fingle individual 
 would have fufficed, and thefe pots would 
 not be found by thoufands. We may then 
 fuppofe that the ibis, as it deftroys all rep- 
 tiles, was in great veneration in a country 
 in which thefe noxious animals abound at a 
 certain time of the year ; and, like the ftork 
 in Holland, this bird growing tame from 
 the good reception which it met with every 
 where, each houfe had its' own winged in- 
 mates of this fpecies, to which, after their 
 death, the honours of fepulture were given 
 according to the means of the inhabitants. 
 Herodotus relates, that he was informed that 
 in the earliefh times of the records of the 
 country, the ibis abounded every where, but 
 that in proportion as the marfhes of Upper 
 Egypt were drained, the birds retired to the 
 lower province in queft of their food; which 
 agrees well enough with the report of mo- 
 dern 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 20^ 
 
 dern travellers, that they are ftill feen occa- 
 lionally in the lake Mcnzaleh. If the num- 
 ber had fo much diminifhed even in the time 
 ©f Herodotus, it is not furprizing that its 
 exiftence at prefent has been conlidered as 
 almoft problematical. 
 
 Herodotus relates, that the priefls of He- 
 liopolis informed him, that on the retreat of 
 the v^'atcrs ot the Nile, clouds of winged 
 ferpents arrived by the valiies which fcparatc 
 Eg}^t from Arabia, and that the ibis went 
 out to meet and feed on them ; and he adds, 
 that he had never feen thefe winged ferpents, 
 but that he had gone into the valiies, and 
 had feen their fkeletons in innumerable 
 quantity. I think (with fubmiflion to the 
 patriarch of hiflory) that it was not necefTary 
 to create this fable of dragons from Arabia, 
 in order to render the ibis a valuable animal 
 ^0 Ki^ypt, which produces of itfelf fo many 
 
 noxious 
 
300 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 noxious reptiles ; but the refpedlable Hero- 
 dotus was a Greek, and fond of the mar- 
 vellous. 
 
 The ferpent, though not winged, is ftill 
 the objed; of fome forcery in Egypt. I was 
 with the commander in chief one day, when 
 the Pfylli were introduced, and we put many 
 queftions to them relative to the myftery of 
 their fe6l, and the fuppofed command over 
 ferpents which they appear to poffefs. They 
 anfwered our queftions with more affurance 
 than intelligence, but we put them to the 
 proof: "Can you tell us" faid the general, 
 " whether there ariC any ferpents in the pa- 
 *' lace, and if tKere are, can you oblige them 
 " to come forth from their retreats?" They 
 anfwered both queftions in the affirmative ; 
 and we put them to the proof: on which 
 they fearched all the rooms, and prefently 
 after they declared that there was a fnakc 
 
 in 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 301 
 
 in the houfe ; they then renewed their fearch 
 to difcover where he was hid, made fome 
 convulfions in paffing before a jar placed in 
 a corner of one of the rooms, and declared 
 that the animal was there; where indeed 
 we adually found one. This was a true 
 Comus's trick ; we looked at each other, 
 and acknowledged that they wxre very 
 adroit. 
 
 Being always curious to obferve the means 
 by which men command the opinions of 
 others, I regretted that I was not at Rofetta 
 at the proceffion of tlie feaft of Ibrahim, in 
 w^iich the convulfions of the Pfylli"form the 
 moft entertaining part, to the populace, of 
 this religious ceremony. To make up for 
 my lofs, I addreffed myfelf to the chief of 
 the fe(5l, who was keeper of the okel or tavern 
 of the Franks ; I flattered him ; and he pro- 
 mifcd to make me a fpedlator of the exalt- 
 ation 
 
302 TKAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 ation of one of the Pf}'lli, as foon as he 
 fliould have blown into his fpirit, as he ex- 
 prefTed It. From my curiofity he thought I 
 bid fair to be a profelyte, and he propofed 
 to initiate me, which I accepted ; but when 
 I learned that in the ceremony of initiation 
 the grand-mafter fpits in the mouth of the 
 neophyte, this circumflance cooled my ar- 
 dour, and 1 found that I could not prevail 
 on myfelf to go through this trial ; fo I gave 
 my money to the high-prieft, and he pro- 
 mifed to let me fee one of the infpired. 
 
 They had brought with them their fcr- 
 pents, w hich they let loofe from a large lea- 
 ther fack in which they were kept, and made 
 them erect their bodies and hifs, by irritat- 
 ing them. I remarked that it was the light 
 which principally caufed their anger, for as 
 foon as they were returned into the fack 
 their pailion ceafed, and they no longer en- 
 7 deavoured 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 303 
 
 «leavoured to bite. It was alfo curious to 
 obferve, that, when angry, the neck for fix 
 inches below the head was dilated to the lizc 
 of one's hand. I foon faw that even I could 
 manage the ferpents perfectly w^ell without 
 fear of their fangs ; for having w^ell remarked 
 that the Pfylli, while they were threatening 
 the animal with one hand, feized it on the 
 back of the head with the other : I did the 
 fame with one of the ferpents with equal 
 luccefs, though much to the indignation of 
 the performers themfelves. After this, they 
 proceeded to the grand myilery : one of the 
 performers took a fnake, w^hich he had pre- 
 vioully difabled by breaking the under jaw, 
 and by rubbing away the gums till the whole 
 of the palate was deftroyed ; he then grafpcd 
 it with the appearance of paffion, and ap- 
 proached the chief, who with great gravity 
 gave him the Jpmt, that is to fay, after ut- 
 ^ tering 
 
504 TRAVELS IN EGYPt'. 
 
 tering fome myfterious words, blew into bis 
 mouth ; and, at the inftant, the other was 
 feized with a facred convulilon, his arms and 
 legs diftortcd, his eyes feeming to ftart from 
 his head, and he began to tear the animal 
 with his teeth ; whilft the two attendants> 
 appearing to commiferate his fufferings, re- 
 {trmi^d his ftruggles with difficulty, and 
 fnatched from his hand the ferpent, which 
 he was unwilling to let go. As ibon as the 
 Inake was removed, he remained as if ftupid; 
 but the chief approached him, muttered 
 ibme words to him, retook from him. the 
 fpirit by afpiration, and he returned to his 
 natural flate. Now, however, he that had 
 fcizcd the fnakc beginning to be tormented 
 with the fame ardour to confummate the 
 myftery, came up to the chief to demand the 
 fpirit; and as he was ftronger and more 
 adive than the firft, his cries and convul- 
 
 !(jJon? 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 303 
 
 fions were ftill more violent and ridiculous. 
 I had now feen enough of the initiation, 
 and thus ended this grofs juggling. 
 
 In thefe countries the fed: Pf}'lli boafts a 
 very high origin : it vv^as particularly preva- 
 lent at Cyrenalca; and the god Knuphis, or 
 the architect of the univerfe, according to 
 Strabo and Eufeblus, was adored at Ele- 
 phantina under the figure of a ferpent. 
 
 From the time of the ferpent of Eden to 
 that of Achrriin, mentioned by Savary, this 
 reptile has enjoyed uninterrupted celebrity . 
 after having tempted our firfl mother, the, 
 apple was taken away from him ; when 
 making a circle with his tall in his mouth, 
 he has become the fvmbol of eternity ; when 
 colled round a ftafF, he is the god of health ; 
 the Egyptians^ by twining two of them round 
 a globe, have rcprefented, perhaps, the equi- 
 librium of the A'ftcm of the world ; the In- 
 
 VoL. I. U dlans 
 
306 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 dians put him in the hands of all their divi- 
 nities ; we have made him the reprefentative 
 of juftice and prudence ; the Jews have had 
 their brazen ferpcnt ; the Greeks that of 
 Elermis and the Python ; and in later times, 
 the MuiTulmans have their harrili, the de- 
 flowerer ; and yet fo many illuftrations have 
 changed nothing of the nature of this wife 
 animal ; he continues to court obfcurity, and 
 avoid the light, and never raifes his head to 
 more than half his height. Why then all 
 this celebrity, and this religious obfervance 
 unanimoufly beftowed on this reptile ? 
 
 The camels do all the office of carts at 
 Cairo ; they bring thither all the provifions, 
 and carry away the filth : the faddle-horfes 
 and aiTcs are chiefly devoted to transporting 
 palTengcrs from place to place, and they are 
 Teen in every ftreet faddled, bridled, and al- 
 ways ready to ftart. The afs, which in Eu- 
 rope 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 307 
 
 rope and the northern countries is heavy and 
 dull, appears quite in its natural climate in 
 Egypt ; and it here enjoys all its powders in 
 full perfection ; it is healthy, a<5live, and 
 cheerful, the mildefl and fafeft animal to 
 mount that one can poffibly have ; his na- 
 tural pace is an amble or a gallop, and with- 
 out fatiguing his rider, he carries him ra- 
 pidly over the large plains which lie between 
 different parts of this flraggling city. This 
 mode of conveyance was fo agreeable to me, 
 that I fpent almoft the whole day on the 
 back of affes ; I became known to all the 
 people who let them out for hire, and thefe 
 were fo ufed to my habits, as to carry for me 
 my drawing port-folio and chair, and ferved 
 all the day as my valets ; and by double 
 wages I could get them to attend me mount- 
 ed as I vvas, and thus I paffed from place to 
 place as rapidly as on the beil horfes, and 
 
 U 2 could 
 
303 TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 could continue my employments a much 
 longer time. 
 
 In this manner, during one of my tour?, 
 I took a drawing of the canal which brings 
 water to the Nile during the time of the 
 inundation. (See Plate. XI. Fig. 2.) 
 
 Beins; commiffioned bv the Inftitute to 
 give a report of the different columns in the 
 vicinity of Cairo, I made feveral drawings of 
 thofe objecfls that I judged the mofl worthy 
 of note. The following are here given. 
 
 A vie\v of Old Cairo. (Plate XI. Fig. i .) 
 
 A viev.- of the port of Boulac. (Plate XII. 
 Fig.l.) 
 
 A view of the tombs of the caliphs at the 
 eaft of Cairo, without the walls. (Plate XII. 
 Fig. 2.)* 
 
 I found myfelf very comfortable at Cairo, 
 
 * Sec alfo the Explanation of the Plates at the 
 end. 
 
 but 
 
^' 
 
 St 
 
 N. S: 
 
 X 
 
>>. 
 
 X 
 
 ~ ^ 
 
 X 
 

TRAVELS IN EGYPT. ZOQ 
 
 but it was not to loiter here that I had quit^-' 
 ted Pans. An Arabia caravan arrived from 
 Mount Sinai, bringing charcoal, gum, and 
 almonds ; it confillcd of five hundred men 
 and feven hundred camels. It was certainly 
 an expenfive way of transporting merchan- 
 dize which would fell for fo little, but the 
 owners were in want of articles which they 
 could not procure el fe where, and they had 
 only charcoal to give in exchange. Some of 
 their countrymen, a month before, had en- 
 deavoured to learn of the Greeks whether 
 th-e French, who were now mafters of Cairo, 
 did not devour Arabs ; but as they were very 
 well treated they now arrived in crowds. 
 The commander in chief wiflied fome one 
 to take advantage of their return, to gain in- 
 formation concerning the route of Tor, and 
 I was tempted to take this antient journey of 
 t>ie Ifraelitcs, and offered my fervices to the 
 U 3 general, 
 
3 ID TRAVELS IN fiGYPT. 
 
 general, provided he w^ould cnfure my re- 
 turn. He told me he would keep the cap- 
 tain of the caravan as a hoftage for me, but 
 fmiled at my idea, that I fhould become ac- 
 quainted in twelve days with 'the particulars 
 of the wonderful part of the expedition of 
 Mofes, from the time of his departure from 
 Memphis to his arrival at the defert of Pha- 
 fan ; and, without a refidence of forty years, 
 that 1 Ihould vifit Mount Sinai, and crofs a 
 part of the world, the annals of which mount 
 to the hlgheft antiquity, the cradle of three 
 religions, and the native country of three 
 legiflators, all defcended from the family of 
 Abraham, who have governed the opinions 
 of the world. 
 
 But as foon as I made the propofals to the 
 Arab chief, he told me that for all the gold 
 in the world he would not take the, charge 
 of me ; that it would be rilking both my 
 
 life. 
 
F^.2. 
 
 II- 
 
 \ ''l 
 
■id Richard Phdbp 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 311 
 
 life, that of all the monks in Mount Sinai, 
 and of every individual of his caravan, be- 
 caufc two powerful tribes, the Ovatls and 
 the Ayaidis, had vowed vengeance againft 
 the French. I was telling this to the com- 
 mander in chief, juft as he was fending off 
 a convoy to Defaix ; and as I was fet upon 
 going to the eaft, I afked of him a pafTport 
 fouthwards, and in a few hours I was a61;u<^ 
 ally on my journey. 
 
 The next morning at day-break we were 
 ftill a league fhort of Saccarah, as we had 
 been flack of wind, and had only made four 
 leauges during the night. I took a view^ of 
 the pyramids of this place, as far as I could 
 diftinguifli them, which at this diftance 
 feemed to occupy a fpace of two leagues. 
 (See Plate XIII. Fig. 2.) Though fo far from 
 ttie river, I could difl:inguifh that the near- 
 eft, which is of middling fize, is compofed 
 V 4 of 
 
312 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 of flages riiing one above the other ; after 
 this come to view other fmall pyramids al* 
 mofl deftroyed ; half a league further is one 
 whofe bafe feems as wide as thofc of Gizeh, 
 but of lefs elevation, and but little decayed ; 
 half a league ftill further is the largeft of all 
 thcfe of Saccarah, whofe form is irregular^ 
 that is, the line of the terminating angle is 
 Hoped like a buttrefs reverfed ; clofe to this 
 is a fmaller one; and another nearer to the 
 Nile, which is abfolutely in ruins, and looks 
 like a brown grey rock, owing I fuppofe to 
 the materials being unburnt brick; and the 
 fhorc of the river probably concealed others 
 from my view. 
 
 This multitude of pyramids fcattered over 
 the diil:ri(5t of Saccarah, the plain of the 
 nionks, and the caves of the ibis, all prove 
 that this territory was the Necropolis to the 
 fouth of Memphis, and that the village op- 
 
 pofite 
 
rL.2'/Z7. 
 
/L,..Z,/.L,..J 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 313 
 
 pofite to this, in which the pyramids of 
 Gizeh are fituatcd, was another Necropolis, 
 (or city of the dead) which formed the 
 northern extremity of Memphis, and by - 
 thcfe we may meafure the extent of this an- 
 cient city. 
 
 In the afternoon, oppofite Miflenda, wc 
 faw another very large pyramid, but fo Shat- 
 tered, that in any other country but Egypt, 
 at the great diftance at which it is feen from 
 the river, it would be taken for a fmall hill. 
 A league farther there is another ftill larger 
 and more fbapelefs. The fmall iflands at 
 this part of the river we found covered with 
 ducks, herons, and pelicans. 
 
 In the evening we faw the pyramid of 
 Meidum between the villages of Rigga and 
 Caffr-el- Riik. (See Plate XIII. Fig. 1 .) 
 
 In the night we arrived at Saoyeh, and 
 General Belliard obligingly offered to fliare 
 
 his 
 
314 ^ TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 his dwelling with mc, which indeed was 
 fmall enough, as our beds filled the w^hole 
 room, and we were obliged to turn them out 
 when we wanted to fct up our table, and 
 again to remove the table when we had oc- 
 cafion for our beds. This union proved as 
 happy as it vs-as clofe, for we did not quit 
 each other's fociety during the whole cam- 
 paign ; and I wifli he may have retained as 
 agreeable a remembrance of me, as the gen- 
 tienefs, equability, and unalterable kindnefs 
 of his charader have left in my own breaft. 
 The fecond nis-ht both our kitchen and our 
 ftable were overthrown ; but, as phlegmatic 
 as MufTulmans, we did not think of quitting 
 the place ; and befides, notwithftanding this 
 accident, our dwelling was the beft and the 
 mod refpe6lable in appearance of the whole 
 village. In this part of Egypt all the build- 
 ings are made of mud and chopped ftraw, 
 1 dried 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 315 
 
 tlrled in the fun; the flairs, window open* 
 ings, hearths, utenfils, and even furniture, 
 are all of the fame fimple material ; fo that 
 if it w^ere poffible that the invariable order 
 of climate which nature has fixed here 
 fliould be for a moment changed, and that 
 unufual winds fhould arrefl and difTolve in 
 rain fbme of thofe groups of clouds which 
 the north wind is perpetually driving over 
 their heads in fummer towards the moun- 
 tains of Abyffinia, the towns and villages 
 would be foftened down and liquefied in a 
 few hours fo completely, that corn might be 
 ibwn on the fpot where they flood ; Sut 
 thanks to the climate, a houfe built of this 
 frail material will generally lafl the life of 
 the builder, which is amply fufficient for the 
 man whofe fon mufl ranfom from the fove- 
 reign the ground for which his father has 
 already paid. 
 
 The 
 
3lS TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 The day after my arrival, a column of 
 three hundred men went out to ralfe the 
 miri or land-tax, and a requifition of buffa- 
 k)es and horfes. In this refpedl we f.jllowcd 
 the example of the Mamxlukes, each of 
 whom, with the fame view, ufed always, in 
 the Drovincc allotted to him, to take the fame 
 military promenade, encamping before the 
 towns and villages, and living at free quarters 
 till the requifition was complied with. This 
 calls to mind what Diodorus Siculus fays of 
 the Ecrvptians, that thcv think thcmfelves 
 dupes when they pa}^ what they owe, be- 
 fore they are forced to it by blows. I may 
 remark too, that, without ever rcfufnig pay- 
 ment, there was no ingenious device which 
 they omitted in order to delay, at leafl: for 
 feme hours, the feizure of their money. 
 
 The progrefs of this column gave me an 
 excellent opportunity of making diicoveries, 
 
 and 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 317 
 
 'and of obferving the peculiarities of the in- 
 terior of the country. Tlie firil journey 
 brought me near the pyramid of* Meldum, 
 which 1 had already feen at a diilance; I was 
 now no more than half a league off it, but 
 was ieparated from it by the canal of Jufef, 
 and another fmaller one, and we were not 
 provided with a boat. However, with the 
 affiilance of an excellent glafs, and as clear 
 fine weather as poffible, I was able to make 
 my obfervations upon it almoft as well as if 
 I touched it. It is built on a platform made 
 by one of the fecondary hills of the Lybian 
 chain. The form of the pyramid is five large 
 retreating fleps or Itages ; the calcareous 
 flone of which it is compofed is more or lels 
 friable ; the bafe and the lowefl ftage are 
 more worn than any of the others, and in 
 the middle of the fecond flage feveral courfes 
 have undergone the fame decay. (See again 
 
 Plate 
 
318 TRAVELS IN EGTI'T. 
 
 Plate XIII. Fig. 1.) In paffing from the 
 village of Meidum to that of Sapht, I had an 
 opportunity of obferving three fides of this 
 pyramid, and it appears that an opening has 
 been attempted at the fecond ftage on the 
 north fide : the rubbifh, covered with drifted 
 fand, rifes as high as this opening, and covers 
 all but the angles of the firft ftage. The ruin 
 begins at the third ftage, of which about a 
 third part remains: the entire height of all 
 that is left of this pyramid appears to be 
 about two hundred feet. 
 
 All the country which we pafTed was 
 abundantly fertile, and fbwn with wheat, 
 fainfoin, barley, beans, lentiles, and doiira or 
 forgo y which is a kind of millet, cultivated 
 almoft univerfally in Upper Egypt. Whilft 
 the grain of this plant is ftill milky, the 
 peafants roafl it like maize, they chew the 
 green flalk like the fugar cane ; the leaves 
 
 are 
 
TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 31^ 
 
 are food for cattle; and the medulla or pith, 
 when dry, fcrves for tinder ; the cane fup- 
 plics the place of wood for firing and heat- 
 ing the ovens ; flour is made of the grain 
 itfelf, and cakes of the flour, but none of all 
 thefe parts are good. 
 
 Between Meidum and Sapht I found the 
 ruins of a mofque, among which were large 
 columns of cipoline marble : could this be 
 remains of the antient Nicopolis ? How- 
 ever, I found in the neighbourhood no frag- 
 ments of wall which could indicate the cx- 
 jflence of any antiquity. 
 
 From Sapht we w^ent to an adjoining 
 hamlet, which is a kind of mud fortrefs. 
 This feudal retreat was formed of an enclo- 
 fiire crolTed by fome ftraight flreets, and 
 within was a fmall caftle, in which the 
 kiachef refided, which was embattled, and 
 contained a covered way full of loop-holes : 
 
 the 
 
320 TRAVELS IK EGYPT. 
 
 the kiachef however had emigrated, and his 
 fateUites difperfed, and the inhabitants of 
 the adjacent villages had taken their revenge 
 by pillaging his houfes. 
 
 Our fecond expedition was to Meimundj 
 a very rich village, with ten thoufand inha* 
 bitants. Like all the reft, it is furrounded 
 with dunghills and heaps of rubbifli, w^hich 
 in fuch a flat country as this form fo many 
 hills, that may be feen at a confiderable dif- 
 tance. Every evening each of thefe emi- 
 nences is feen covered with people, who lie 
 down upon it, and breathe its noifome 
 vapours, fmoking their pipes, and obferving 
 if all is quiet in the fields. Thefe heaps of 
 dung and rubbifh produce many inconveni- 
 ences, they obfcure the houfes, infect the 
 air, and fill the eyes of the people with an 
 acrid dufl mixed with minute ftraws, which 
 is one of the numerous caufes of the difeafcs 
 
 of 
 
TKAVELS IN EGYPT. 321 
 
 of the eyes to which the people of Egypt are 
 jfb much expofed. 
 
 From Meimund we proceeded to El- 
 Eaffer, a pretty village in an excellent 
 country. The gum-arabic is here colled:ed, 
 which is procured by inciiion from a kind of 
 mimofa, called the nilotica, or Egyptian 
 thorn, which bears very fragrant golden buds. 
 W^e here procured fine horfes, and an excel- 
 lent breakfaft. We difcovered from hence 
 Abuffir, Benlali, Dallafte, Bacher, Tabuch, 
 Buch, Zeitun, and Efchmend-el-Arab. At 
 El-EafFer we met with a dozen Arabs, en- 
 camped without the village. I got a view 
 of the chief's tent, compofed of nine picquets 
 fupporting an indifferent woollen tent-cloth, 
 under which were all the articles of his houfe- 
 hold furniture, confifting of a mat, and a 
 carpet of the fame ftuff as the tent, two 
 facks, one of wheat for the man, and another 
 Vol. I. X of 
 
322 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 of barley for his mare, a hand-mill to grind 
 corn, a chicken pen, and a jar for his hens 
 to lay in, pots, coffee-pots, and cups. The 
 women were hideous as well as the children. 
 PVom El-Eaffer we went to Benniali : 
 here they brought us nothing, fo we fent for 
 the flieiks, and the next day they fent us 
 horfes, and the tribute in money. I quitted 
 this flation without regret in order to join 
 Defaix, whom I knew, and loved, and rc- 
 folved not to quit, and whofe operations 
 therefore would determine the courfe of my 
 future travels. We left Zaoyeh, and flept 
 that night at Chendauyeh, returning again 
 by Meimund and Benniali. The firft of 
 our party who got to this village found its 
 inhabitants all under arms, which caufed a 
 mifunderftanding, and a mutual difcharge 
 of mufkets, whereby fevcral of the natives 
 were killed, but at laft an explanation and 
 5 amicable 
 
TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 323 
 
 amicable arrangement took place. A mo- 
 ment after we heard a loud outcry, which 
 we thought proceeded from fome terrible 
 cataftrophe, but it was only occafioned by 
 our foldicrs cutting down the withered 
 branches of a decayed tree to make a fire to 
 boil their foup. 
 
 The belief in a fupreme Being, and the 
 principles of a reafonable morality, are fuffi- 
 cient for the wife man ; but the paffions of 
 the ignorant vulgar require intermediate di- 
 vinities, grofs, to fatisfy their grofs imagin- 
 ation, and vicious, in conformity with their 
 own vicious habits. The religion of Maho- 
 met, therefore, which is a religion of pre- 
 cepts, does not fatisfy the fantaflic ignorance 
 of the Arabs ; and thus, in fpite of their blind 
 refpe^l for the koran, and their abfolute de- 
 votednefs to every thing which comes from 
 their prophet, notwithftanding the ana- 
 X 2 themas 
 
S24 TRAVELS IN EffTPT, 
 
 themas pronounced againft every deviatioi^ 
 from the law, they have not been able ta 
 withdrav/ themfelves from hercfy, and to 
 refift the attradion of idolatry. They have 
 their peculiar faints, to whom they do not 
 indeed affign a feparate place in their para- 
 dife, where every thing is in common, but 
 to whom they raife tombs, and whofe afhes 
 they revere ; and from an unaccountable 
 ftupidity, thcfe faints do not become an ob- 
 jeft of worlhip till after death, and when 
 alive are the fubjed: of mockery and derifion. 
 The Arabs attribute to the weak in under- 
 ftanding, when dead, certain powers and in- 
 fluences : one is the father of the light, and 
 cures complaints in the eyes ; another is the 
 father of generation, and prefides over lying- 
 in women, &c. &c. The greater number 
 of thefe faints have pafTed their life in re- 
 peating conllantly the word aUah, crouched 
 
 befide 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 325 
 
 fDefide the corner of a wall, or in receiving 
 without thanks what has been neceflary to 
 their fubfiftencc ; others employ themfelves 
 jn beating their heads with a flone ; others, 
 covered with garlands, in finging hymns; 
 others, like the oriental faquirs, in remaining, 
 motionlefs, naked, without ever teftifying 
 the flighteft emotion, and waiting for alms, 
 for which they never aik, or thank the do- 
 nor. Befides this kind of idolatry, there 
 are others, which are akin to magic; for 
 example, there are certain ftones and trees 
 "^hich conceal a good or bad genius, and 
 thus become facred, and cannot be removed 
 without profanation ; and to tKefe, domeftic 
 fecrets and projects of various kinds are en- 
 trufted in confidence, whilft they are wor- 
 fliipped with myflerious fecrecy, but revered 
 in public. 
 
 It was the danc;er from the axes of our 
 X 3 foldiers 
 
326 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 foldiers, incurred by a tree of this kind, 
 which had made the alarm at Chendauyeh : 
 I went to fee it, and was flruck with its 
 great decay ; only one of its branches bore 
 any leaves, and all the others, which were 
 dry and broken off, were fcrupuloufly pre- 
 ferved in the very fpot beneath the tree 
 whereon they had fallen. In examining this 
 tree with attention, I found faftened to it by 
 nails, locks of hair, teeth, fmall bags of lea- 
 ther, fmall {landards, and near the tombs I 
 found fmgle flones fet up, and a feat in the 
 form of a faddle, under which was a large 
 lump. The hair had been depofited there 
 by women, in order to fix the roving affec- 
 tion of their hufbands ; the teeth belonged 
 to adults, who confecrated them to implore 
 the arrival of their fecond fet, and of all mi- 
 racles this is one of the commoneft, fince 
 the Arabs have very fine and good teeth; 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 327 
 
 the ftones are votive that the pcrfon who is 
 going to build a houfe with them may al- 
 ways inhabit it himfelf; and the faddle- 
 formed chair is the place in which a perfon 
 fits when he makes a night vow, after having 
 lit the lamp beneath. One of the fantons 
 above mentioned is reprcfented at Plate 
 XLV. Fig. 2. 
 
 At Chendauych we encamped for the 
 night in a wood of palm trees, where, for 
 the firft time, I found green turf in Egypt. 
 We were hardly wrapped in our cloaks, 
 when we heard a firing, on which we ftart- 
 cd up, and paiTed the night in going the 
 round of our pofts, but we could difcover 
 no enemy. The next day we arrived at 
 Benefuef. 
 
 Defaix had been charged with the purfuit 
 
 of Murad-Bey, and the conquefi: of Upper 
 
 Egypt, to which the latter had retired after 
 
 X4 Ihe 
 
328 TRAVELS Ilf EGYPT. 
 
 the battle of the pyramids. On the fame 
 day the divifion of Defaix had gone to take 
 a pofitlon beyond Cairo, and he had only re- 
 turned thither to concert with the com- 
 inander in chief. He fet out again, Au- 
 guft 26th, with a flotilla to convoy his 
 inarch. 
 
 Defaix, being informed that a part of the 
 providons and ammunition of the Mame- 
 lukes was on board fome boats at Rechuefch, 
 marched in fpite of the inundation to carry 
 it off, and the 2lft of light infantry, after 
 paffing eight canals, and the lake Bathen, 
 with the water up to their arm- pits, had 
 reached the convoy at Benefch, driven off 
 the Mamelukes who defended it, and got 
 polTeflion of it. Murad had fled to Faium ; 
 Defaix had rejoined his divifion at Abu- 
 girgeh, and had marched to Tarut-el-Cherif, 
 where he took a pofition at the entrance ot 
 
 the 
 
•pRAVELS IN EGYPT. 329 
 
 the canal Jufef to fecure a communication 
 with Cairo. When arrived at S'lut, v/here 
 the Mamelukes had not dared to wait for 
 him, he endeavoured to come up with them 
 at Beneadi, to which place they had retired 
 with their women and their baggage. At 
 laft, having colledled them all at Faium, he 
 left Slut to go down to Tarut-el-Cherif, and 
 there had embarked his army, had afcended 
 with them up the canal of Jufef, in fpite 
 of the ferious obftacles prefented to him by 
 the windings of the canal, the attacks of the 
 Mamelukes, and the oppofition of the inha- 
 bitants, who were aftoniihed to find them- 
 fclves compelled to affift in operations which 
 they had at firft confidered as impraclicabJe. 
 Defaix, however, arrived at the height of 
 Manfufa, on the frontier of the defert, where 
 at lall he came up with Murad, and not 
 being able to make good his landing in the 
 
 teeth 
 
330 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 teeth of the enemy, he tacked about to return 
 to Minkia. The Mamelukes, encouraged by 
 this countermarch, threaten the barks ; the 
 companies of grenadiers repulfe and difperfe 
 them ; the landing is efFecfted in good order, 
 and the troops form themfelves in fquare 
 battahons, and purfue their march towards 
 the defert, attended by the boats, till they 
 arrive oppofite to Manfura. 
 
 Murad-Bey was now only two leagues ofF 
 us, and whilft we were haraffed by his rear- 
 guard he gained the heights, where he en- 
 camped with all the oriental magnificence. 
 With our glaffes we could diftinguifh his 
 perfon, refplendent with gold and precious 
 ftones, and furrounded by all the beys and 
 kiachefs under his command. 
 
 We immediately march up to him, and 
 cannonade him with two field-pieces, the 
 only ones which we could bring with us, 
 
 upon 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 331 
 
 upon which this brilliant cavalry, always 
 uncertain in its operations, halts, falls back, 
 and allows iticlf to be purfued as far as EI- 
 belamon. 
 
 In our purfuit, however, wc had got at 
 a diftance from our fleet of boats, and as we 
 were in want of food, we were obliged to 
 return to procure blfcuit. The enemy 
 thought that we fled, and returned to the 
 attack, with cries more refembling the howl- 
 ing of beads than the fhouts of men ; our 
 artillery again checked the main body, but 
 fome of the boldefi; came with their fabres 
 clofe up to our infantry, and carried off two 
 men jufl: under our bayonets. At length 
 night relieved us from their obftinate per- 
 feverance. 
 
 Having regained our barks, got a fupply 
 of bifcuit, and taken fome hours reft, we 
 rcfumcd our march. Durinir this time 
 
 Murad- 
 
332 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Murad-Bey had caufed a ftranger to come 
 into his camp, and to fpread a report, that 
 the Englifli had deftroyed all the French in 
 Alexandria; that the inhabitants of Cairo 
 had maiTacred thofe who had got pofleflion 
 of that town, and that none of their enemies 
 remained except the handful which had fled 
 from them the night before, and were now 
 on the point of being exterminated. Murad 
 then ordered a feaft, in which a mock com- 
 bat between the Arabs and French was acfled ; 
 and thofe who perfonated the French had 
 orders to allow themfelves to be overcome : 
 but the feaft terminated with real blood- 
 fhed, as they barbaroufly maiTacred the two 
 prifoners which they had made the two pre- 
 ceding days. 
 
 Defaix had learned that Murad was at Se- 
 
 dinan, burning with impatience to give him 
 
 battle. He therefore gave orders to advance 
 
 ^ towards 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 33^ 
 
 towards the Arab chief. As foon as we had 
 quitted the enclofed and cultivated country^ 
 loud cries of fierce joy were heard ; but the 
 day being far advanced, the enemy deferred 
 till the morrow the victory of which they 
 were {o confident. The night was pafiTed in 
 feafting in their camp, and in the dark their 
 patroles came to infult our advanced pofts, 
 imitating our language. At the firft dawn 
 of day we formed in a hollow fquare batta- 
 lion, with two platoons on our flanks. Soon 
 after we faw Murad-Bey at the head of his 
 formidable Mamelukes, and eight or ten 
 thoufand Arabs advancing to us, covering a 
 league of the plain. A valley feparated the 
 two armies, which we had to crofs to reach 
 our enemies. We were hardly got to this 
 unfavourable pofition, when the enemy fur- 
 round us on all fides, and charge us with an 
 intrepidity approaching to fury : our clofe 
 
 files 
 
324 TRAVELS IN KG YI'T. 
 
 £Ies render their numbers ufelefs ; our muf- 
 ketry keep up a fteady fire, and repel their 
 firft attack ; they halt, fall back, as if retir- 
 ing from the field, and fuddenly fall upon one 
 ot our platoons and overwhelm it : all who 
 are not killed immediately throw themfelves 
 on the ground, and this movement uncovers 
 the enemy to our grand fquare ; then wc 
 take advantage of it, and pour in our fire, 
 which again makes them halt and fall back. 
 All that remain of the platoon enter the 
 ranks, and we colleft the wounded. We arc 
 again attacked in mafs, not with the cries of 
 vidiory, but of rage ; the courage is equal on 
 both fides, they are animated by hope, we 
 by indignation : our mufket- barrels are cut 
 with their fabres, their horfes fall againft our 
 files, which receive the ihock unihaken ; the 
 horfes are ftartled at our bayonets ; and their 
 riders turn their heads, and back them upoa 
 
 us 
 
TRAVELS IN- EGYPT. 335 
 
 US to open our ranks by their kicks : our 
 people, who knew that their fafcty confifted 
 in remaining united, prefs on without dif- 
 order, and attack without breaking their 
 ranks ; carnage is on all fides, but each party 
 fight without mixing with the other. At lall: 
 the fruitlefs attempts of the Mamelukes urge 
 them to a madnefs of ra2;e, thev throw^ at us 
 their arms, which othervvife could not reach 
 us ; and, as if this wxre to be their laft battle, 
 they fliower upon us their guns, piftols, 
 hatchets, and the ground is ftrewed with arms 
 of all kinds. Thofe who are difmounted 
 drag themfelves under our bayonets, and cut 
 at our foldiers' legs with their fabres ; the 
 dying man fummons his laft effort to throttle 
 his adverfary. One of our men lying on the 
 ground, was feizing an expiring Mameluke, 
 and ftrangling him, an officer faid to him, 
 " How can you, in your condition, do fuch 
 
 *' an 
 
336 TRAVELS IN EGYTT. 
 
 *' an a(fl?" " You fpeak much at your eafe," 
 the man replfed, ^^ you who are unhurt ; but 
 ** I, who have not long to Hve, muft have 
 ** fome enjoyment while I may." 
 
 The enemy had now fufpended their at-- 
 tack ; they had killed many of our men ; 
 and though they retired, they had not fled; 
 and our pofition was not at all amended. 
 Diredly after their retreat had left us un- 
 covered, they opened upon us a battery of 
 eight guns, which they had before mafked, 
 and which, at every difcharge brought down 
 fix or eight of our men. We had now a mo- 
 ment of confternation and difmay, and the 
 number of our wounded every inftant en- 
 creafed. To fuimd a retreat would be to re- 
 vive the courage of the enemy, and to ex- 
 pofe ourfelves to every kind of calamity ; to 
 remain where we were would be to encreafe 
 our difailer fruitlefsly, and to rifk the lives 
 
 of 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 337 
 
 of US all ; but In marching we mull abandon 
 our wounded, and give them up to certain 
 de{lru61:lon — a moft dlftreffmg clrcumftance 
 in all wars, and efpecially in the favage con- 
 teft in which we were now engaged. What 
 order was to be given ? Defalxj in dreadful 
 perplexity, flood awhile motionlefs ; but the 
 common interell, and the voice of imperious 
 neceffitj, drowned the cries of the wounded ; 
 the word was given, and we marched on. 
 We had no choice between compleat vic- 
 tory, or entire dedrudilon ; and this extre- 
 mity was fo fenfibly felt by all, that the whole 
 army became, in courage and unanimity, as 
 a (ingle individual. Our light artillery, com- 
 manded by the impetuous Tournerle, per- 
 form prodigies of celerity and addrefs ; and 
 whilfl in its hafly courfe it is difmounting 
 the Mameluke cannon, our grenadiers come 
 up, the battery is abandoned ; and this army 
 Vol. I. Y . of 
 
338 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 of cavalry, ten times our number, immedi- 
 ately ftand amazed, check their courfe, fall 
 back, gallop off, and difappear like a vapour, 
 leaving us without an enemy. 
 
 Never was there a more terrible battle, a 
 more fplendid victory, and a more unex- 
 pected fuccefs. I ftill think of it as a fright- 
 ful dream, which has only left in the mind 
 a vague impreffion of terror. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
TRAVELS IN EGY^T« 339 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Defaix returns to Cairo for Reinforcements — ■ 
 Convents near Benefuef — Encroachment of 
 the Sand of the Defer t — Canal Jufef and 
 other Works — Conjectures on the Lake 
 Morris — Fertility of the Province of Fai-^ 
 um — Pyramid of Bilahun — Returtt of De- 
 faix, and March — Arah Thief— Bettefech, 
 and other Villages — Grand Portico of Her » 
 mopolis — Vermi?i in Egyptian Hotfes-^ 
 Town of Be?ieadi, and Charader of the 
 Inhabitants. 
 
 THHE real advantage which we obtained 
 
 at the battle of Sedlnan, was to detach 
 
 the Arabs from the Mameluke party, and 
 
 we may alfo add, the fear with which our 
 
 Y 2 mode 
 
tiO -TBAV6LS IN E6YPT. 
 
 mode of fighting infpired thefc latter. Nof- 
 withflanding the difproportion of number^ 
 the unfathomable pofition in which we were 
 placed, and the circumftances in their fa- 
 vour, which muft have made them reckon 
 'on our total deftrud:ion, the refult of the 
 battle put an end to their flattering illulions. 
 Murad-Bey now changed his pkn, and giv- 
 ing up all hopes of breaking th« ranks of 
 our infantry, or of refifting its attacks in the 
 open field, he took from us the opportunity 
 of putting an end to the campaign by de- 
 cifive blows, and we were reduced to purfue 
 an a6live and rapid enemy, who, by his anxi- 
 ous and refllefs precautions, left us neither 
 reft nor fecurity. Our mode of warfare was 
 now to refemble that of Antony againft 
 the Parthians: the Roman legions, invin- 
 €ible in the field, overthrew their enemy's 
 battalions^and found no other obftacle than 
 
 the 
 
TRAVELS IN- EGYPT-, 34 i 
 
 the ipace of country which their foes left 
 behhid them ; but, exhaufted with daily 
 iofles, the vidors thought themfelves for- 
 tunate to be able to quit the territory of a 
 J people who, always beaten but never fub- 
 dued, would, even the day after a defeat, re- 
 turn with invincible perfeverance to harafs 
 thofe whom mey hadjuft left mafters of an 
 -unprofitable field of battle. 
 
 The heat of the days, and the coolneis of 
 the nights in this feafon, had afflided the 
 ,army with much inflammation of the eyes : 
 this difeafe is unavoidable when long marches 
 and fatiguing days are followed by night- 
 watching, in which the humidity of the air 
 reprefTes perfpiration ; vicifTitudes which 
 bring on inflammation either in the eyes or 
 the bowels. 
 
 Defaix, to lofe no time to levy the requi- 
 
 iitions, and procure horfes i%the province 
 
 Y 3' which 
 
342 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 which he had juft conquered, left three 
 hundred and fifty men at Faium, and fet 
 out to reduce the villages which Murad-Bey 
 had excited to revolt. During his abfencc 
 in the province, a thoufand Mamelukes, and 
 a number of fellahs, or peafants, came to at- 
 tack the town which contained our fick 
 men. 
 
 General Robin, and the chief of brigade, 
 Exuper, who, with the troops under his com- 
 mand, were all fuffering under ophthalmia, 
 performed prodigies of valour, and drove back 
 from flreet to ilreet, a whole hoft of ene- 
 mies, after making a terrible daughter 
 among them. Defaix rejoined thefe brave 
 men, and the whole army marched by Be- 
 ncfuef, to difpute with Murad-Bey the re- 
 fources of this rich province. 
 
 When arrived at Benefuef, Defaix return- 
 ed to Cairo, ^ order to procure the means 
 
 of 
 
TilAVELS IN EGYPT, 343 
 
 ©f renewing the campaign : he there col« 
 kded and dlfpatched forwards every thing 
 which he thought necelTary to fecure his 
 marches, and to force Murad to come to 
 adion. For myfclf, fearing the pleafures of 
 the capital, I remained at Benefuef, though 
 but Uttle inviting to the artift. 
 
 On the left bank of the Nile, oppofite 
 Benefuef, the Arabian chain of mountains 
 lowers, retires further off, and forms the val- 
 ley of Araba, or the Chariots, terminated by 
 Mount Kolfun, rendered famous by the grot- 
 toes of two ccnobite patriarchs, St. Anthony 
 and St. Paul, the founders of the monaftie 
 order, and creators of this contemplative 
 {y{tcm, which is fo uielefs to mankind, and 
 has been fo long refpedled by the credulous 
 people. On the foil which covers the two 
 grottos, which thefe two hermit faints in- 
 habited, two monallcries flill exift, fr^om one 
 
 y4 o£ 
 
344 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 of which it is faid Mount Sinai, beyond the 
 Pied- Sea, may be difcerned. The mouth of 
 this valley, towards the Nile, exhibits no- 
 thing but a dreary plain, the only cultivated 
 part of which is a narrow flip of land on 
 the bank of the river : fome vefliges of vil- 
 lages overwhelmed by the fand may be dif- 
 covered, and they prefect the affliding fight 
 of daily devailatlon, produced by the conti- 
 nual encroachment of the defert on the foil;» 
 inundated with fand. 
 
 Nothing is fo melancholy to the feelings, 
 as to march over thefe ruined villages, to 
 tread under foot the roofs of the houfes, and 
 the tops of minarets ; and to think that thefe 
 were once cultivated fields, flourifhing trees, 
 and the habitations of man — every thing 
 living has difappeared, filence is within and 
 around every wall, and the deferted villages 
 are like the dead, whofe ikeletons flrikr. 
 with terror. 
 
TRAVELS- IN EGYPT. 34S 
 
 The antlent Egyptians fpeak of this en- 
 croachment of the fands, under the fymbol 
 of the myfterious entrance of Typhon into 
 the bed of his fifter-in-law Ifis ; an inceft 
 which is to change Egypt into a defert as 
 frightful as tliofe by which it is encom- 
 palTed ; and this great event will happen 
 when the Nile finds a lower level, through 
 ibme one of the furrounding vallics, than the 
 bed in which it now flows, and which is 
 conftantly getting higher. This idea, which 
 at firft appears extraordinary, v/ill be thought 
 probable, when we confider the local fitua- 
 tion. The elevation of the Nile, and the rife 
 of its banks, have made of it an artificial ca- 
 nal, which v/ould by this time have put 
 Fa'ium under water, if the caliph Jufef had 
 not railed new dykes upon the old ones, and 
 <3ug a collateral canal below Benefuef, to re- 
 ilorc to the river a part of the water which 
 
 '^ IS 
 
Si6 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, 
 
 is every year poured by the overflov^'ing into 
 this vafl bafon. If it were not for the caufe- 
 ways which flop the inundation, the great 
 fwells would foon convert this whole pro- 
 vince into a large lake, which adlually threat- 
 ened to happen twenty-five years ago by an 
 extraordinary inundation, in which the river 
 had riien over the banks of Hilaon, and it 
 was much feared either that the province 
 would remain under water, or that the 
 ilream would refume an anticnt channel, 
 which it was evident it had occupied in re- 
 mote ages. To remedy this inconvenience, 
 a graduated dyke has been raifed near Hir 
 laon, where there is a fluice eredled, which, 
 as foon as the inundation has got to the pror 
 per height to water the proviace without 
 drowning it, divides the mals of water, takes 
 the quantity neceffary to irrigate Faium, 
 and turns off the remainder by forcing it 
 
 back 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 347 
 
 back Into the river through other canals of 
 a deeper cut. If a conjedlure might be ha- 
 zarded, we might fay, that, before the moft 
 antient times of which we have any know- 
 ledge, the w^hole Delta was only a large 
 gulph which received the waves of the Me- 
 diterranean ; that the Nile came as far as 
 the opening of the valley which enters the 
 province of Faium ; that by the dry river it 
 went to form the Mareotis, which w^as one 
 of its eftuaries to the fea, as the lac Madie 
 was that of the Canopic branch, and as the 
 lakes of Berelos and Menzaleh are ftill the 
 eftuaries of the Scbenitic, Mendeifian, Ta- 
 nltic, and Pelufiac mouths ; that the lake 
 Bahr-Belame {or without water) is the re- 
 mains of the antient courfe of this river, 
 wherein are found petrefa^lions, (which in- 
 conteftibly prove inundations) vegetations, 
 and human labours, fliewing that the foil 
 
 has 
 
343. TRAVELS IX EGYPT. 
 
 has been raifed by the courfe of the river, 
 and by the perpetual fluduation of the fands 
 from well to eaft; that the Nile having at a 
 certain period acquired more direction to the 
 north than to the north-w'eft as before, pre- 
 cipitated itfclf into the gulph which we have 
 juft fuppofcd, there forming marflies, and at 
 laft the Delta. From this hypothefis it 
 would follow, that the firft labours of the 
 antient Egyptians, fuch as the lake Moeris 
 (now lake Bathen), and the firft dykes were 
 only made to retain part of the waters of 
 the inundation, in order to irrigate thereby 
 the province of Arfmoe, which threatened 
 to become barren ; and that pofteriorly, the 
 lake Moeris, or Bathen, no longer receiving 
 water enough, nor being able from its fitua- 
 tion to water the province of Fa'i'um, the 
 river was obliged to be taken higher up, and 
 the canal Juicf was dug, v/hich doubtlefs 
 
 bears 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. ^4^ 
 
 bears the name of the caliph who ordered 
 this noble work : but at the fame time fear- 
 ing that Famm would remain permanently 
 inundated, this prince raifed, from time to 
 time, new dykes upon the old, fuch as W€ 
 now fee, and dug the two canals of Boueke 
 and Zaoyeh to return the fuperfluity of the 
 flood back into the river. 
 
 When we enjoy quiet pofleilion of the 
 country we fhall probably make obfervation^ 
 on all the different levels, and on the labours 
 of the Egyptians at different periods ; wc 
 may thus afcertain fadls, inflead of forming 
 conjedlures, and fhew how much the Egyp- 
 tians have at all times attended to the dif- 
 tribution of the v/aters, and how even hi 
 times of barbarifm they have preferved fome 
 of their antient fagacity. After this, if the 
 Nile fhould ftill continue to lean to the 
 ■right J and to increafe as it has- already done, 
 
 ' the 
 
350 TRAVELS IN EGYPT; 
 
 the branch of Damietta at the expence of 
 that of Rofetta ; if it at leaft fhould aban- 
 don the latter, as it has fucceflively left the 
 channels of the dry river and the branch of 
 Canopus ; if it ihould leave the lake of Be- 
 relos and empty itfelf entirely into that of 
 Menzaleh, or form new branches and new 
 lakes at the eaftern part of Pelufium ; in 
 fine, if nature, always more powerful in the 
 end than the refiftance of man, has con- 
 demned the Delta to become an arid foil, 
 the inhabitants will follow the Nile in its 
 courfe, and will aUvays find on its banks 
 that abundance which is produced by its be- 
 ficent waters. 
 
 Our firft employment, after the departure 
 of Defaix, was to reconnoitre the country, 
 and make a progrcfs through it, to levy con- 
 tributions : we vifited the villages which 
 border the opening at Fa'ium, half a league 
 1 to 
 
TTikVELS IN EGYPT. 351 
 
 to the weil: of Bencfuef. We then croiTed 
 the canal ; and after a march of two hours 
 we arrived at Davalta, a fine village, or ra* 
 ther a beautiful country ; for in Egypt> when 
 nature is charming, it is fo in fpite of all 
 ,that men can add to it, or of the detradlors 
 of Savary, who have quarrelled fo much with 
 his luxurious defcriptions. Nature here pro- 
 duces fpontaneoufly groves of palms, under 
 which flourilli the orange-tree, the fyca." 
 more, opuntia, banana, acacia, and pome- 
 granate ; and thcfe trees form groups of the 
 fineft mixture of foliage and verdure ; and, 
 when thefe delightful thickets are furround- 
 cd, as far as the eje can reach, with fields 
 covered w ith ripe dourra, with mature fugar- 
 canes, with fields of wheat, flax, and trefoil, 
 which fpread a downy carpet over the land, 
 as the inundation retires ; when, in the 
 months of our European winter, we have 
 
 before 
 
3o2 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 before o^ur eyes this rich profpeA of fprin^i 
 vhich promifes the abundanfce of fummer, 
 we may well fay with this traveller, that na- 
 ture has organifed this country in a moft afto- 
 nifhing manner, and that there only want 
 woody hills, with brooks flowing down their 
 declivities, and a government which would 
 render the people induftrious, and prevent 
 the incuriion of the Bedouins, to render it 
 the bell and moft beautiful country on the 
 face of the earth. 
 
 In crolling the rich tra(5l which I have 
 juft defcribed, where the eye difcovers twenty 
 villages at once, we arrived at Dindyra, where 
 we flopped for the night. The pyramid of 
 Hilahun^ fituatcd at the entrance of Faium, 
 ieems like a fortrcfs raifcd to command this 
 province. Can this be the pyramid of Men- 
 des ? May not the canal of Bathen, which 
 paiTes by it, be the lake Mceris formed by the 
 
 hand 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 353 
 
 hand of* man, as Herodotus and Diodorus 
 conje(^are? For the lake Birket-el-Kerun, 
 which is the Moeris of Strabo and Ptolemy, 
 can never be regarded as any thing but the 
 work of nature. Accuftomed as we are to the 
 gigantic labours of the Egyptians, we can 
 never perfuade ourfelves that they can have 
 hollowed out a lake like that of Geneva. All 
 that antient hiftorians and geographers tell us 
 of the lake Moeris is doubtful and obfcure ; it 
 is evidently {cen that their accounts were dic- 
 tated by the colleges of priefts, who were al- 
 ways jealous of every thing that related to 
 their country, and could the more eafily have 
 thrown a veil of myftery over this province, 
 as it was fituated beyond the common road 
 of travellers. Hence we have had from them 
 the ftory of an artificial lake three hundred 
 feet in depth, of a pyramid raifed in the 
 middle of it, of a palace of a hundred cham- 
 VoL. I. Z bers 
 
354 * TRAVELS IN EGYPTo 
 
 bers to feed crocodiles in, and, in fhort, af 
 ftories as fabulous as any in the hiftory of 
 man, and the moft incredible part of the 
 remains of Egyptian antiquity. But to rea- 
 fbn from what ad:ually exifts, we find that 
 there is, in truth, a canal here, that of Ba- 
 then, which was flooded when we vifited 
 it, as we approached it in different directions; 
 that the pyramid of Hilahun may well be that 
 of Mendes, which was built at the extre- 
 mity of this canal, fuppofed to be the lake 
 Moeris; that the lake Birket-el-Kerun, on 
 the contrary, is a pool of water, which muft 
 always have exifted, and whofe bed muft 
 have been formed by the motion of the foil, 
 W'hich is carried up and renewed every year 
 by the fuperfluity of the inundation of 
 Fai'um, and its waters may have become 
 brackiih at the time when the Nile ceafed to 
 flow through the valley of the dry river. The 
 
 proofs 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 355 
 
 proofs of this opinion are, the forms of the 
 different parts, the exiftence of a bed of a 
 river extended to the fea, but now dry, its 
 depofitions and incruftations, the depth of 
 the lake, its extent, its bearing towards the 
 north on a chain of hills, which run eafl and 
 weft, and turn off towards the north weft, 
 floping down to follow the courfe of the 
 valley of the dry channel ; likewife, the na- 
 tron lakes ; and, more than all the other 
 proofs, the form of the chain of mountains 
 at the north of the pyramid which Ihuts 
 the entrance of the valley, and appears to be 
 cut perpendicularly, like almoft all the moun- 
 tains at the foot of which the Nile flows at 
 the prefent day : all thefe ofter to the view 
 a channel left dry, and its feveral remains. 
 
 The ruins which are found near the town 
 
 of Fa'ium are doubtlefs thofe of Arfmoe. I 
 
 have not feen them, nor thofe which are at 
 
 Z 2 the 
 
356 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 the weft fide of the lake near the viilagc o^ 
 ^afr-Kerun ; but the plan of them fliews 
 only a few rooms, and a portico decorated 
 with fome hieroglj'phics. 
 
 The pyramid of Hilahun, the moft Ihat- 
 tered of all the pyramids which I have feen, 
 is alfo that which is built with the leaft mag- 
 nificence. It is conftrudled of mafles of cal- 
 careous ftones, ferving as points of fupport to 
 heaps of unbaked bricks ; but, perifhable as 
 this kind of building is, and perhaps more 
 antient than the pyramids of Memphis, it 
 ftill holds together ; fo favourable is the cli- 
 mate of Egypt to thefe monuments which 
 endure for ages here, but would fall to pieces 
 by the rigour of a fmgle European winter. 
 
 There are fome unlucky moments, when 
 every thing one does is followed by danger 
 or accident. As I returned from this jour- 
 ney back to Benefuef, the general charged 
 
 me 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 357 
 
 mc with cam'ing an order to the head of the 
 column ; I gallop on to execute it, when a 
 foldier who was marching out of his rank 
 turning fuddenly to the left as I was paffing 
 to the right, prefents his bayonet againft me, 
 and before I could avoid it, I was unhorfed 
 by the blow, whilft he at the fame time was 
 thrown down. " There is one favant lefs,'* 
 faid he while falling, (for with them every 
 one who was not a foldier was a favant) ; 
 but fomc piaftrcs which I had in my pocket 
 received the point of the bayonet, and I 
 efcaped with only a torn coat. When ar- 
 rived at the head of the column, I found the 
 aid-du-camp Rapp; we were well mounted, 
 and had got before the infantry ; it w^as at 
 the clofe of the evening, and being near the 
 tropic we had but Tittle twilight, as in thefe 
 coinitrics darknefs immediately follows fun- 
 fct. The Bedouins infcfted the country, and 
 Z 3 we 
 
358 TRAVELS IN EGYI'T- 
 
 we faw fome moving fpots in the plain be- 
 fore us, which was very extenfive. Rapp 
 iaid to me, " We fhould not be here, let us 
 " either return to the column, or crofs the 
 *' country and get to Benefuef." I knew 
 that my companion preferred the boldeft 
 meafure, fo I chofe the latter, and we fpurred 
 on our horfes, braving the Bedouins, who are 
 . always abroad at this time : our ride was 
 long, we encreafed our fpecd, and at laft my 
 horfe ran away with me, and it was quite 
 dark when I arrived under the entrench- 
 ments of Benefuef. I thought that I could 
 continue on the fame road that I had paifed 
 in the morning ; my horfe {lopped, I fpur- 
 red him, and he leapt over a trench which 
 had been made that day, and put me on the 
 other fide with my face againft a palifade, 
 where I could neither advance nor retreat. 
 At this time the fentinel challenged me, I did 
 
 not 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 35Q 
 
 not hear him, and he fired : I called out in 
 French; he aflced what bullnefs I had there, 
 chid me, and turned me out; and thus the 
 aukward favant was bayonetted, fired at, 
 chid, and fcnt home like a truant fchool- 
 boy. 
 
 On the 10th of December General De- 
 faix returned from Cairo, bringing with him 
 twelve hundred cavalry, fix pieces of artil- 
 lery, fix armed djermis, and two or three 
 hundred infantry ; which made the ftrength 
 of his divifion amount to three thoufand 
 infantry, twelve hundred cavalry, and eight 
 pieces of light artillery : he was thus pro- 
 vided with every necefiliry to purfiie, attack, 
 and overcome Murad-Bey, if he would let 
 us come up with him ; and we were all full 
 of hope and courage. 1 was perhaps the 
 only one in this army who had neither glory 
 nor advancement to acquire ; but I could 
 Z 4 not 
 
s6o 
 
 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 not help priding myfelf on my adivity ; and 
 my felt-love was flattered with marching in 
 an army brilliant with victory, with hav- 
 ing refumed my poft at the advanced guard, 
 and with having been the firft to quit Tou- 
 lon. I therefore marched cheerfully, with 
 the pleafing hope of arriving the firft at 
 Syene, and of realizing all my projects, and, 
 feeing the object of my journey fulfilled. In 
 fa6l, the mofh intercfting part of my travels 
 was now beginning ; I was going to break 
 up, as it were, a new country ; to be the firft 
 to fee, and to fee w^ithout prejudice, to make 
 refearches in a part of the earth hitherto co- 
 vered with the veil of myllery, and for two 
 thoufand years fhut out from the curiofity of 
 Europeans. From the time of Herodotus 
 to the prefent, every traveller, following the 
 fteps of his predecelTor, had only rapidly af- 
 cendcd the Nile, not daring to lofe fight of 
 
 his 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 36l 
 
 his boat, and only quitting the fhore for a 
 few hours to hurry a few hundred yards ofF, 
 and vifit with anxiety the neareft objed.s. 
 For every thing beyond the vicinity of the 
 river, the oriental hiilories alone have been 
 confulted. Encouraged by the reception 
 which I met with from the commander in 
 chief, and fcconded by all the officers, who 
 partook of my zeal for the arts, I had no 
 other fear than that of wanting; time, Dapcr. 
 pencil, and ability, to take down all the ob- 
 jed;s of curiofity which I met with : I w^as 
 now accuftomed to night encampments, and 
 could fubfift very vsell on ammunition bif^ 
 cuit ; I feared nothing from Murad-Bey thaa 
 to fee him enter the defert, and to lead us 
 from Bene faef to Faium, and back from 
 Faium to Benefuef. 
 
 We quitted this latter town, December 
 l/th ; the fpedacle was very xine ; and I re- 
 gretted 
 
36l TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 gretted being too bufy myfelf to be able to 
 make a llcetch of it ; our column extended a 
 league in length, and every thing breathed 
 joy and hope. At the fall of day we were 
 faddened by the view of an uncultivated 
 land, and a deferted village — how many 
 melancholy ideas are included in the filence 
 of night, the negledl of culture, and the 
 ruins of the habitations of man ! tyranny 
 begins this difaftrous wafte, defpair and 
 crinne finifh it. Thus it happens in Egypt : 
 when the mafler of a village has exadled from 
 it all that it can afford, and the mifery of 
 the inhabitants is farther reduced to extre- 
 mity by frefli demands, the villagers in de- 
 fpair oppofe force to force; they are then 
 treated as open rebels, and each party has 
 recourfe to arms ; and if the inhabitants in 
 defending tliemfelves have the misfortune 
 to kill any one of their tyrants or his iatel- 
 
 lities, 
 
TIIAVELS IN EG\rT 3{)3 
 
 Htes, they have no other refource than flight 
 to fave their lives, and theft to fupport it ; 
 men, women, and children, blotted out from 
 fociety, and roving from place to place, 
 become the terror of their neighbours, only 
 appear furtively in their own native habita- 
 tions, which they convert into dens of rob- 
 bers, alarmin.o; thofe who would fucceed 
 them in their retreats of mifery. Thus 
 whole villages, when become the ai}'lum of 
 crime, offer no other view to the palTenger 
 than deferted fields, ruins, filence, and defo- 
 lation. 
 
 We arrived at El-Berankah an hour before 
 night, and quitted it at day- break the next 
 morrfing ; we brcakfafted at Bebeh, a con- 
 fiderable village, which has nothing remark- 
 able, except that it pofleiles the wrill of St. 
 George, a relic which fhould recommend it 
 to every pious fon of chivalry. The Arabian 
 
 chain 
 
36>i TEAYELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 chain of hills here approaches the river fo 
 clofe as to leave only a narrovs^ flrip of green 
 land between the two. 
 
 At !Miriel Guidi we were delayed by fe- 
 verai accidents which happened to the car- 
 riages of our field-pieces in getting then^ 
 over the canals : we learnt that the Mame- 
 lukes were at Fechnch. Whilft we were 
 waiting under the iliade, a crinainal came 
 before General Defaix. Thofe that brought 
 him faid, '' He is a thief; he has ftolen fome 
 *' guns from the volunteers, and has been 
 *' taken in the ad..'* Hov/ much we were 
 furprifed to fee the robber a boy of twelve 
 years old, beautiful as an angel, with a large 
 fabre wound in his arm, which he looked at 
 without emotion. He prefented himfelf to 
 the general, whom he perceived to be his 
 judge, with an air of firmnefs and fimplicity, 
 and (fo great is the charm of native grace) 
 
 not 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 365 
 
 not a perfon prefent could preferve his anger. 
 He was afked who bid him fteal thefe guns ? 
 ** Nobody." What had induced him to do 
 it ? " I do not know ; it was the great God." 
 Had he parents ? *' Only a mother, very 
 poor and blind." The general told him, 
 if he confefled who fent him, he fliould be 
 releafed ; if not, he lliould be punifhed as 
 he deferved. " I have already told you, 
 " nobody fent me ; it was God alone that 
 *' put it into my head:" then laying his cap 
 at the feet of the general, he faid, '* There 
 " is my head, you may cut it off!" Fatal 
 religion, in which vicious principles and 
 pofitive laws urge man to heroifm and to 
 wickednefs ! — " Poor little wretch," faid the 
 general, ** let him go." He favv that his 
 fentence was pafled ; he looked at the 
 general, then at the foldier vv^ho was leading 
 him off, and, gueffmg the meaning of what 
 2 he 
 
36(3 TRAVELS IN EGVl'T. 
 
 he could not underftand, he parted with a 
 fmlle of confidence. Such anecdotes as thefc 
 give a better infij^ht into the morals of na- 
 tions, and the influence of religion and laws, 
 than regular difcuffions. 
 
 A ftrange event fucceeded to this intercft- 
 ing fcene — it was ra/ji. It gave us for a mo- 
 ment a fcnfation which recalled Europe to 
 our minds, and the firft foft fhowers of 
 fpring in the midft of December. Some 
 minutes after we were told, that the Ma,- 
 melukes were waiting- for iis about two 
 leagues off, with an army of peafants. Every 
 one was immediately on the alert, expedling 
 battle in the evening, or the next day at 
 latcfl. On approaching Fechneh we difco- 
 vered a detachment of Mamelukes, who let 
 us approach within half cannon fliot, and 
 then difappeared. We were told that the 
 main body was at Safte Elfayeneh, a league 
 7 further 
 
TKAVELS IN EGYPT. 367 
 
 further off; but our artillery was not come 
 ■up, as it was conftantly delayed by the canals, 
 and in fplte of the willi of the general to 
 join the enemy, and attack him even before 
 we were completely formed in order of bat- 
 tle, we could not get to Safle till night ; and 
 we found that the Mamelukes had quitted it 
 two hours before. At Safte we learnt that 
 they had got intelligence of our march at 
 mid-day, at the time when the inhabitants 
 were difputing with them concerning the 
 extraordinary impofitions which they de- 
 manded ; they immediately thought of no- 
 thing but loading their camels, calling us 
 the Jcourge cf God fent to punifli their faults, 
 and in truth they might have ufed lefs pious 
 expreffions. 
 
 They kindled fires, which foon went out. 
 We left this place the IQth of December at 
 day -break : they had preceded us two hours, 
 
 and 
 
368 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 and were three leagues before us. They 
 quitted the Nile in the diredion of their 
 inarch, paffing between Bar- Jufef and the 
 defert, abandoning the richeft country in the 
 univerfe. In this third palTage I did not find 
 the ftraight canal, as it is marked in all the 
 charts ; but it is only an adual furvey of the 
 levels that can give a knowledge of the {yf- 
 tem and regulation of the irrigations, and of 
 the works to be refpedively attributed to art 
 and to nature in this interefting part of 
 Egypt. Towards the evening we forded 
 the canal Jufef, which at this place appears 
 to be only the receptacle of the flood waters, 
 becaufe it is the lowefl part of the valley> 
 and in no part to be the work of human 
 induftry. But all thcfc qucftions w^ll be 
 determined by a grand operation to be per- 
 formed in time of peace, from which the 
 beft way may be fuggeftcd of recovering the 
 
 advantages 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 36() 
 
 advantages of this myfterious canal, now loft 
 or funk into neglecH:. This important work 
 ■would have fallen to the lot of General Caf- 
 farelli, who was always fo ardent to contri- 
 bute to the public welfare, if death had not 
 deprived the commander in chief of his 
 ferviccs as a friend, and all Egypt of a bene- 
 fador. 
 
 From a fimple infpedlion of thefe differ- 
 ent levels I fhould be difpofcd to believe, 
 that this part of Egypt has become lower 
 than the elevated banks of the Nile, and that 
 after the general inundation, the drainings 
 of the water all colled: in this fpot. I have 
 fince feen in Upper Egypt the effed: of the 
 filtration which here occurs ; the waters 
 having in this country neither canals nor 
 valleys through which they can be carried 
 off after the inundation, the entire mais 
 penetrates the whole depth of the vegetable 
 
 Vol. L A a foil. 
 
370 TRAVELS m EGYPT. 
 
 foil, at the bottom of which it meets with 
 a bed of clay, which it cannot pafs, and it 
 returns to the river by fmall ftreamlets, when 
 the fall of the flood has funk it below the 
 furface of this bed of clay. May not the 
 oafis be afcribed to a fimilar operation of 
 nature ? 
 
 We here faw fome buftards : they were 
 fmaller than thofe of Europe, as is the cafe 
 with every animal common to the two con- 
 tinents. We were now approaching the de- 
 fert, which was alfo advancing to us, for, as 
 the ancient Egyptians exprefled it, the defert 
 is the tyrant Typhon, who is conftantly in- 
 vading Egypt. The mountains were ftill 
 two leagues off us, and wx were at the edge 
 of the plain which forms a border between 
 the deferts and the cultivated country. 
 Whilfl we were halting, we received intelli- 
 gence that the Mamelukes were engaged 
 
 with 
 
TRAVELS IJf EGYPT, $71 
 
 with our advanced guard ; but news is fabri- 
 cated by the advanced guard of an army for 
 the main body, as well as by one quarter of 
 Paris fot the other ; however, as even reports 
 of this kind are not to be negle<fted, we had- 
 ened up, but found no enemy, and we halt* 
 ed for the night near the village of Bena- 
 chie, in a fine wood of palm-trees. 
 
 On the 20th at day-break, we continued 
 our route, in the conftant hope of reaching 
 the enemy : we learnt that he had marched 
 all night : the artillery delayed our progrels, 
 and conftantly required fome little ftop ; 
 whilft the Mamelukes, unincumbered by 
 heavy guns, had the defert before them, in 
 the midft of which they could defy our 
 eagernefs. We attempted, however, to entef 
 it, and prefently our draught horfes were 
 knocked up : however, we arrived by this 
 route at Benefech, where, fortunately for 
 me, the army halted. 
 
372 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Benefech was built on the riiins of the 
 ancient Oxyrinchus, the capital of the thirty- 
 third nome, or province of Egypt. No- 
 thing, however, remains of this city but 
 fome fragments of flone pillars, marble co- 
 lumns in the mofques, and a fmgle column 
 left {landing, along with its capital, and part 
 of the entablature, which fhew that it is 
 the fragment of a portico of the compofitc 
 order. It w^as not without fome danger that 
 I arrived here alone, half an hour before the 
 divifion ; but it would have been attended 
 with flill greater rifk to have remained be- 
 hind ; I therefore had only time to take a 
 general view on horfcback of this defolate 
 country, and to fketch the fmgle ftanding 
 column, the only remains of its former mag- 
 nificence. This folitary monument brings a 
 ->. pelancholy fenfation to the mind ; Oxyrin- 
 chus, once a metropolis furrounded by a fer- 
 3 tile 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 373 
 
 tile plain, two leagues off the Lybian range 
 of hills, has difappeared beneath the land ; 
 and the new town has been obliged to re- 
 tifeat from this defolating invafion, leaving 
 to its ravages houfe after houfe, and the in- 
 habitants mufh at laft be driven beyond the 
 canal Jufef, on the border of which they 
 will ftill be menaced. This fine canal feem- 
 cd to offer to our fight its verdant banks, in 
 order to confole us for the profpe6l of the 
 defert which lay before our eyes, a defert 
 which prefents fuch a gloomy idea to all 
 who have once beheld it — a boundlefs hori- 
 zon of barrennefs, which opprefl^es the mind 
 by immenfity of diftance and whofe appear- 
 ance, where level, is only a dreary wafte ; 
 and where broken by hills, only fliews ano- 
 ther feature of decay and decrepitude, w hilfi; 
 the filence of inanimate nature reigns 
 throughout undifturbed. 
 
 A a 3 Tired 
 
374 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Tired with drawing, I remained abforbed 
 in the melancholy infpired by the fcene be- 
 fore my eye, when I Taw Defaix in the fame 
 attitude with myfelf, penetrated with the 
 fame fenfations. " My friend,'* faid he, 
 ** is not this an error of nature ? Nothing 
 " here receives life ; every thing appears to 
 " be placed here to infpire with melancholy 
 " or dread ; it would feem as if Providence, 
 " after having provided abundantly for the 
 ** neceffities of the three other parts of the 
 << world, fuddenly flopped here for want of 
 ** materials, and abandoned it to its original 
 " barrennefs." " Is it not rather," 1 replied, 
 •^ the decrepitude of the moft anciently in- 
 " habited part of the globe ? Has not the 
 * ' abufe which men have made of the gifts 
 <* of nature reduced it to this flate ?" In 
 this defert there are vallies, and petrified 
 wood ; there have therefore been rivers and 
 
 forefls ; 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 375 
 
 forefts ; thefe laft have been deftroyed, and 
 after this have difappeared the dew, the 
 mift, the rain, the rivers, and with them all 
 the animated beings. 
 
 We found in the mofques of Benefech, a 
 number of columns of different marbles, 
 which are doubtlefs the fpoils of the an- 
 cient Oxyrinchus, but which were not of the 
 ftyle of ancient Egypt. 
 
 We returned, following the courfe of the 
 canal, which in this part refembles our river 
 La Marne. Some time after we faw a con- 
 fiderable explofion, but heard no noife fol- 
 lowing it ; we thought it was a fignal ; but 
 the day but one after, we learnt that a part 
 of the powder of the Mamelukes had taken 
 fire. We alfo feized a convoy of eight hun- 
 dred fheep, which, I believe, without much 
 difficulty, we perfuaded ourfelves belonged 
 to the enemy, and in the evening it confoled 
 A a 4 our 
 
376 TRAVELS IN EGYn. 
 
 our troops for the fatigues of the day. We 
 arrived at Elfack too late to fave this village 
 from being pillaged ; in a quarter of an hour 
 there remained nothing at all in the houfes, 
 literally nothing ; the Arab inhabitants had 
 fled into the fields ; we invited them back, 
 they anfwered coldly : " Why ihould we 
 " return to our houfes, are not the deferts 
 *' now as good as our own homes ?" We 
 had nothing to reply to this laconic anfwer. 
 Nothing interefting happened on the next 
 day. We found the lake Bathen as ferpen- 
 tine as the lake Jufef ; but we muft wait 
 for an adual furvey of thefe canals, to be 
 able to form any rational conjecture on the 
 ancient fyftem of irrigation, till which time 
 all our reafonings would be precipitate, and 
 our aflertions illufory. We flept at Tata, a 
 large village inhabited by Copts ; and an 
 Arab chief, who had joined Murad-Bey, had 
 
 lef^ 
 
TJR.AYELS IN EGYPT. 3/7 
 
 left at our dilpofal a large houfe and mat^ 
 trefTes, on which we pafled a delicious night, 
 for we could very rarely be lodged fp com^ 
 jnodioufly. 
 
 The next day, December 22 d, we croffed 
 fields of peas and beans already in pod, and 
 barley in flower. At noon we arrived at 
 Mynyeh, a large and handfome town, in 
 w^hich there had formerly been a temple of 
 Anubis. I found no ruins, but fine columns 
 of granite in the large mofque, which were 
 well cut, and had a very fine aftragal : I 
 know not whether they were part of the 
 temple of Anubis, but they were certainly 
 of a date poflerior to that of the temples 
 of high antiquity in Egypt, which I after- 
 wards faw in my travels. 
 
 The Mamelukes had quitted the town of 
 Mynyeh, and had nearly been furprlzea by 
 Quv cavalry, who entered it fome hours after. 
 
 They 
 
378 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 They had been obliged to abandon five 
 veflels armed with ten pieces of cannon, and 
 a mortar ; they had befides buried two 
 others, which were ihewn us by feveral 
 Greek deferters who came to join us. 
 
 Mynyeh was the handfomeft town we had 
 yet feen ; it had good ftreets, fubftantial 
 houfes very well fituated, and the Nile flow^- 
 ing through a large and cheerful channel. 
 
 From Myn)'eh to Come-el-Cafar, where 
 we flept, the country is more rich and 
 abundant than any that we had hitherto 
 travelled over, and the villages fo numerous 
 and contiguous to each other, that from the 
 middle of the plain I reckoned twenty-four 
 around me : they were not rendered gloomy 
 by heaps of ruins, but planted with trees fo 
 thickly interwoven, that it put me in mind 
 of the defcriptions which travellers have 
 given us of the iflands in the Pacific Ocean. 
 7 The 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 37^ 
 
 The next morning, at eleven, we were be- 
 tween Antinoe and Hermopolis. I had not 
 much curiofity to vifit the former of thefc 
 places ; as I had already feen the monuments 
 of the age of Adrian, and the buildings of 
 this emperor in Egypt could not prefent to 
 me any thing very new and flriking ; but I 
 was eager to go to Hermopolis, where I 
 knew there was a celebrated portico ; it was 
 therefore with great fatisfad:ion that I heard 
 Defaix inform me, that he fhould take three 
 hundred cavalry, and make an excurfion to 
 Achnufuin, whilft the infantry were march- 
 ing to Melaiei. 
 
 In approaching the eminence on which is 
 built the portico of Hermopolis, I faw its 
 outline in the horizon, and its gigantic fea- 
 tures. We crofled the canal of Abu-AfTi, 
 and foon after, pafling acrofs mountains and 
 
 ruins. 
 
380 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 ruins, we reached this beautiful monument^j 
 a relic of the higheft antiquity. 
 
 I was enchanted with delight at thus fee- 
 ing the firft fruit of my labours ; for, except- 
 ing the pyramids, this was the firft monu- 
 ment which gave me an idea of the ancient 
 Egyptian architedure ; the firfl flones that 
 I had feen which had preferved their original 
 deftination, without being altered or de- 
 formed by the works of modern times, and 
 had remained untouched for four thoufand 
 years, to give me an idea of the immenfe 
 range and high perfcdion to which the arts. 
 had arrived in this country. A peafant who 
 fliould be drawn out from his cottage, and 
 placed before fuch a building as this, would 
 believe that there muft exift a wide differ-= 
 ence between himfelf and the beings who 
 were able to conflrud: it; and without hav- 
 
TKAVELS IN EGYPT. 381 
 
 ing any idea of architedlure, he would fay, 
 this is the work of a god, a man could not 
 dare to inhabit it. Is it the Egyptians who 
 have invented and brought to perfection fucli 
 a beautiful art ? This Is a queftion which I 
 am unable to anfwer ; but even on a firft 
 glimpfe of this edifice we may pronounce:, 
 that the Greeks have never devifed nor exe- 
 cuted any thing in a grander fbyle. The 
 only idea which difturbed my enjoyment 
 here was, that I muft fo foon quit this mag- 
 nificent objedl, and that it required the hand 
 of a mafler, and ample leifure, to do it juf- 
 tice with the pencil ; whereas, my powers 
 were humble, and my time meafurcd out. 
 But I could not quit it without attempt 
 ing the Iketch which I have given to mj 
 readers, which can but faintly exprefs the 
 fenfations which this noble fabric conveys, 
 and which I fmcerely hope fome future artifl 
 
 will 
 
382 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 will be enabled to finifli under more fortii-' 
 nate circumftances. (See Plate XIV.) 
 
 If a drawing can fometimes give an air of 
 greatnefs to little things, it always diminifhes 
 the efFed: of great objefts : fo in this in- 
 ftance, the capitals, which appear too heavy 
 in proportion to the bafes, have, in reality, 
 fomething in their maffivenefs which ftrikes 
 ■with wonder, and difarms criticifm : here 
 one cannot venture either to admit or rejed; 
 any rules of criticifm : but what is truly ad- 
 mirable, is, the beauty of the principal out- 
 lines, the perfeftion in the general conftruc- 
 tion, and in the ufe of ornaments, which arc 
 fufficient to give a rich efFed without injur- 
 ing the noble fimplicity of the whole. The 
 immenfe number of hieroglyphics which co- 
 ver every part of this edifice, not only have 
 no relief, but entrench upon no part of the 
 outline, fo that they difappear at twenty 
 
 paces 
 
xw: 
 
 
1 
 
 'j'A',,/. 
 
 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 
 
 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 383 
 
 paces diftance, and leave the building all its 
 uniformity. But the drawing will give a 
 better idea of the general effedl than any de- 
 fcription. 
 
 Among the hillocks, within three or four 
 hundred yards of the portico, enormous 
 blocks of ilone may be feen half buried in 
 fand, and regular archite(5lure beneath them, 
 which appear to form an edifice containing 
 columns of granite, juft rifmg above the 
 prefent level of the foil. Further on, but ftill 
 connected with the fcattered fragments of 
 the great temple of Hermopolis, which I 
 have juft defcribed, is built a mofque, in 
 which are a number of columns of cipoline 
 marble of middling fize, and retouched by 
 the Arabs ; then comes the large village of 
 Achmunin, peopled by about five thoufand 
 inhabitants, to whom we were as great an 
 objedt of curiofity as their temple had been 
 to us. 
 
 We 
 
384 TRAVELS IN EGYTTc 
 
 We flept at Mclaui, half a league from 
 the road from Achmunin. But here I think 
 I hear the reader fay to me, " What ! do you 
 '* quit Hermopolis already, after having fa- 
 ** tigucd me with long defcriptions of mo- 
 *' numents of little note ; and now you pafs 
 *' rapidly over what might intereft me ? 
 ''^ Where is the hurry ? are you not with a 
 " well-informed general, \\ho loves the arts> 
 *' and have you not three hundred men with 
 "' you ?" All this is very true, but fuch are 
 the ncceilary events of this journey, and fuch 
 the lot of the traveller : the general, whofe 
 intentions arc very good, but whofe curiofity 
 is foon fatisfied, fays to the artill, " I have 
 *' three hundred men here who have been 
 *' ten hours on horfcback ; they muft find 
 *' flicker for the night, and make their foup 
 *' before tliey go to reft." The artifl feels 
 the force of this, as he is hi mfelf perhaps very 
 weary and hungry, and mufl fliare with the 
 
 refl 
 
•fKAVELS IN EGYPT. 385 
 
 reft in the fatigues of night encampments, 
 and efpecially as he is every day twelve or 
 fixteen hours on horfeback, as the defert has 
 tired his eyehds, and his eyes, burning and 
 fmarting, only fee dimly through a veil of 
 blood. 
 
 Melaui is larger and ftill more beautiful 
 than Mynyeh ; its ftreets are ftraight, and its 
 bazar very well built ; there is here a very 
 large houfe belonging to the Mamelukes, 
 which it would be eafy to fortify. 
 
 We entered it late, I had loft time in go- 
 ing up and down the town, and feeking out 
 for quarters : I was lodged without the 
 walls, and before a handfome houfe which 
 appeared very commodious ; the owner was 
 fitting at his eafe before his door, and feeing 
 one lying down on the outfide, he beckoned 
 me into a chamber, where I found General 
 
 Vol. I. B b Beliard, 
 
386 TRAVELS IN EGYPT.- 
 
 Beliard, who had already taken advantage of 
 his hofpitality. I was hardly afleep when I 
 was awakened by an intolerable reftleflhefs, 
 w hich I took to be the beginning of an in- 
 flammatory fever; but after remaining a long 
 time in this ftate of agitation, I found my 
 companion as ill off as myfelf, and we both 
 ftarted up and left the room, and looking at 
 each other by moonlight, our whole fliin was 
 red, inflamed, and our features hardly diilin- 
 guifliable ; and on further examination, we 
 found ourfelves covered with vermin of every 
 kind. 
 
 Thefe maniions in Upper Egypt are no- 
 thing but vafl: pigeon-houfes, in which the 
 owner referves to himfeif only a room or two 
 for his own ufe, and there he lodges along 
 with poultry of all kinds, and all the vermin 
 that they engender between them, which it 
 
 is 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 387 
 
 is a part of his daiiy employment to hunt 
 for, but at night the toughnefs of his ikin 
 defies their bites ; and thus our hoft, who in- 
 tended to do us a civility, could not conceive 
 the reafon of our quitting him fo abruptly. 
 We got rid as well as we could of the moft 
 troublefome of thefe intruders, vowing faith- 
 fully never again to accept of fuch hofpita- 
 lity. 
 
 On the next day, December 24th, w^e con- 
 tinued our purfuit of the Mamelukes: they 
 always kept about four leagues off us, and 
 we could never gain ground upon them. In 
 their march they ravaged as much as they 
 could the country which they kept between 
 us. Towards the evening we faw a deputa- 
 tion with a flag of alliance coming up to our 
 camp. It was a party of Chriftians, from 
 whom the Mamelukes had demanded a re- 
 B b 2 quifition 
 
388 TnAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 quifition of a hundred camels, and thefe 
 poor wretches not having it in their power 
 to comply with the demand, the enemy had 
 barbaroufly killed fixty of their people. They 
 in return, highly exafperated, had flain eight 
 of the Mamelukes, whofe heads they oifered 
 to bring us. They all fpoke at once, repeat- 
 ing perpetually the fame expreiiions; but 
 fortunately for our ears, the audience was 
 given in a field of lucerne, which offered a 
 feafonable refrefliment to the deputation, 
 who began to devour the crop greedily, as if 
 it were a dainty which they were afraid of 
 lofmg. Whilfl fitting on horfeback, I fketch- 
 ed the figure of one of the deputies juft as 
 he had finifhed his harangue. (See Plate 
 XLTX. Fig. 0.) 
 
 We flept at Elganfanler, where we were 
 very well lodged in a fanton's tomb. 
 
 The 
 
rL. jci.u. 
 

 
 /. /Y, ;.■/..., .,.-^ 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 J 
 
 r 
 
 aJ-'^ 
 
 ■^kfi 
 
 d. 
 
 !=»™ 
 
 
TRAVELS IN EGYPT. SSQ 
 
 The next day, December 25th, we were 
 marching over Mount Falut, when we learned 
 that the Mamelukes were at Beneadi, to 
 which place we immediately diredled our 
 courfe, in .hopes of coming up with them. 
 Partaking of the eagernefs of all around me, I 
 was full of joy when we received any tidings 
 of the Mamelukes, without refledling that I 
 had no reafon for animofity or revenge againft 
 them, and that as they had not injured the 
 remains of antiquity, which was my har- 
 veft, I had no caufe of complaint againfl 
 them. If they had acquired unfairly the foil 
 which we were treading, at leaft it was not 
 for us to make any objecflions ; their rights 
 were at Icaft fand:ioned by feveral centuries 
 of poiTeiTion ; but the preparations for a 
 battle prefent fo much buftle and adivity, 
 and altogether form fuch a ftriking fcene, 
 
 and 
 
390 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 and the event is of fo much importance 
 to all who are concerned in it, that the 
 mind has but little room left for moral re- 
 flexions ; fuccefs is then the only object, for 
 the game has fo high a flake that one does 
 not choofe to lofe it. 
 
 But when arrived at Beneadi our hope 
 was once more deceived; we only found 
 fome Arabs, whom our cavalry chafed into 
 the defert. Beneadi is a rich village, about 
 half a league in length, advantageoufly fitu- 
 ated for the trade of Darfur, which is carried 
 on by caravans, pofTeffing an abundant ter- 
 ritory, and a population numerous enough 
 to compel the Mamelukes to enter into fome 
 compofition for their levies, and not to allow 
 them to take it as plunder. We alfo found 
 it prudent to temporize with them for the 
 prefent, efpecially as the amicable advances 
 2 which 
 
TRAVEiS IN EGYPT, 3Q1 
 
 which they made were offered to us fome- 
 what in the manner of conditions ; the in- 
 folence of which we thought it proper to 
 pafs over by the appearance of cordiality. 
 Surrounded by Arabs whom they do not in 
 the leaft fear, as they fupply thefe free- 
 booters with their articles of the firft ne- 
 ceflity, and confequently can difpofe of their 
 fervices, the inhabitants of Beneadi enjoy an 
 influence in the province which would render 
 them an obje(3: of embarraffment to any go- 
 vernment whatever ; they came out to meet 
 us, and they recondud:ed us out of their 
 territory, without either party being at all 
 tempted to pafs the night in the fame place. 
 We flept at Benifanet. 
 
 On the 20th, juft before getting to Slut, 
 we found a large bridge, a lock, and flood- 
 gates in order to retain the waters of the 
 
 Nile 
 
302 TRAVELS IN EGYPT. 
 
 Nile after the iuundatlon; thefe Arabian 
 works, made doubtlefs frppi antlent models, 
 are as ufcful as well contrived; and, in gene-_ 
 ral, it. appeared to me, that the diftrlbution 
 of the waters in Upper Egypt for irrigation, 
 was ordered with more intelligence, and ef- 
 fe<!iled with fimpler means, than in the 
 lower provinces. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 T, GUlet, Printer, Satijiury Square, 
 
SOCIAL 
 
 v./