I.

exhibit; that "the Caliph who built them, perhaps CHAP. employed some Christian slaves in the work." The supposition itself involves an absurdity; for if an intolerant Moslem had given such a preference to Christians who were his slaves, these men must have been supernaturally inspired with architectural knowledge for the undertaking.

Acre has been described as the scene of a very interesting story in English history, which may, however, be destitute of any real foundation in truth. It is related by Speed', that Eleanor, wife of Edward the First, here drew the poison from her husband's arm, after he had been poignarded by an assassin; applying her lips to the wound. "Pitie it is," says Fuller*, "so pretty a storie should not be true (with all the miracles in Love's legends)! and sure he shall get himself no credit, who undertaketh to confute a passage so sounding to the honour of the sex; yet can it not stand with what others have written',-How the physician, who was to dresse his wounds, spake to the Lord Edmund

(3) See Speed's Hist. of Edward the First.

(4) Fuller's Historie of the Holy Warre, book iv. chap. 29, p. 220. Camb. 1651.

(5) See Fox, Martyrolog. p. 337.

I.

CHAP. and the Lord John Voysie, to take away Ladie Elenor out of the prince's presence, lest her pitie should be cruel towards him, in not suffering his sores to be searched to the quick. And though she cried out, and wrung her hands, 'Madame,' said they, 'be contented: it is better that one woman should weep a little while, than that all the realm of England should lament a great season:' and so they conducted her out of the place." The tradition, however, which, after all, is not disproved by the evidence Fuller has adduced, has given rise to one of the finest specimens of modern sculpture existing in the world': and as it affords, perhaps, the only remaining proof of the surprising Anecdote abilities of an English artist (snatched from the an English pursuit of fame in the very opening of a career which might have classed him with the best sculptors of Antient Greece), the author considers it a patriotic duty to pay some tribute to its

of Deare,

sculptor.

(1) The work of John Deare, who, at a very early period of life, attained to a surprising degree of perfection in sculpture and design. He died a few years ago, at Rome, at the very time when the first proofs of his genius begau to obtain the patronage necessary for its full developement. The particular work alluded to is a bas-relief, executed in the marble of Carrara. It was purchased by Sir Corbet Corbet, an English baronet, and belongs now to his collection. This brief allusion to a young artist, who would have been an honour to his country, is perhaps the only biographical document concerning him likely to be made public.

I.

merit, and, thereby, to the memory of its CHAP. author.

Egypt.

Our voyage from Acre was as prosperous as Voyage to the former one had been from Egypt. The serenity of the Mediterranean, at this season of the year, is surprisingly contrasted with the tremendous storms which prevail during the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. We steered for Egypt with every sail extended; but were impelled by such gentle breezes, that the motion of the frigate was scarcely perceptible. On the twentyfirst of July, at seven o'clock P. M. we were under weigh, and about ten came to anchor off Cape Carmel. The next morning, at four A. M. we made sail again, and continued our progress all that day and the following night, without any occurrence worth notice. On the morning of July the twenty-fourth, at seven A. M. the Island of Cyprus was visible, bearing N. N. w. distant ten or eleven leagues. At five A. M. of the following morning, the same island was still in view, and nearly at the same distance, bearing N. and by E.

July the twenty-sixth, at seven P. M. we hailed the Thisbe frigate. This day, being Sunday, we accompanied Captain Culverhouse to the gun

I.

Accident

which be

fel the Romulus.

CHAP. room, to dine there with his officers, according to his weekly custom. As we were beginning our dinner, the voice of a sailor employed in heaving the lead was suddenly heard calling "half four!" The Captain, starting up, reached the deck in an instant; and almost as quickly putting the ship in stays, she went about. Every seaman on board thought she would be stranded; as she came about, all the surface of the water exhibiting a thick black mud; and this extended so widely, that the appearance resembled an island. At the same time, no land was really visible, not even from the mast-head, nor was there any notice of such a shallow in any chart on board. The fact is, as we learned afterwards, that a stratum of mud, extending for many leagues off the mouths of the Nile, exists in a moveable deposit near the coast of Egypt, and, when recently shifted by currents, it sometimes reaches quite to the surface, so as to alarm mariners with sudden shallows, where the charts of the Mediterranean promise a considerable depth of water. These shallows, however, are not in the slightest degree dangerous; vessels no sooner touch them, than they are dispersed; and a frigate may ride secure, where the soundings would induce an inexperienced pilot to believe her nearly aground. In the

I.

evening of this day we made land, and saw the CHAP. eastern fort at the entrance of the Damiata branch of the Nile, bearing N. w. distant seven or eight miles.

July the twenty-seventh, at ten A. M. we were employed in answering signals from the Heroine; and it was very interesting to us landsmen, to observe the facility with which the commanders of frigates, separated from each other by such. an immense distance that their vessels were scarcely visible to the naked eye, held a conversation with each other. We had calm weather with light breezes during this and the following day: no land was visible. July the twenty-ninth, observed a strange cutter to leeward, and land bearing s. w. and by s. supposed to be Cape Brule, distant six or seven miles. July the thirtieth, about three P. M. we made land from the mast head, which proved to be Cape Berelos, bearing s. s. w. distant about ten or twelve miles, the town of Rosetta being at the same time w. and by s. half s. distant ten or eleven miles.

July the thirty-first, a calm and a strong current compelled us to anchor east of Rosetta, in five fathoms and a half water. On the