1

CHAP. says "they concealed this monument, for cen

V.

turies, from the Spaniards;" and that it was discovered accidentally, in the manner that has been mentioned.

(1) Travels in New Spain, vol. II. p. 259.

CHAP. VI.

GRAND CAIRO TO ROSETTA.'

Monastery of the Propagandists-Marriage Procession
Visit to the Reis Effendi-First Intelligence concerning
the Alexandrian SOROS-Preparation for Departure-
Arrival of the Covering for the Caaba at Mecca-
Escape of four Ladies-Passage down the Nile-
Chemical Analysis of the Water and Mud of the
River-Remains of the City of SAïs-Antiquities.
Bronze Relics-Aratriform Sceptre of the Priests and
Kings of Egypt-Hieroglyphic Tablet-Enumeration
of the Archetypes-Curious Torso of an antient Statue
-Triple Hierogram with the Symbol of the Cross-its
Mahallet Abouali Berinbal-
meaning explained.
Ovens for hatching Chickens Tombs at Massora

Shibrecki

VI.

Monastery

Shibrecki-Birds - Arrival at Rosetta- Mr. Hammer sails for England-State of Rosetta at this season of the

year.

CHAP. AFTER our return to CAIRO, we visited the library of the Propaganda Society, in a monasof the Pro- tery belonging to the Missionaries, and found a pagandists collection of books as little worth notice as that of the Franciscans at Jerusalem. It consisted wholly of obscure writings on points of faith, the volumes being mixed together in a confused manner. From their appearance, it was evident they had not been opened by their present possessors. We were shewn some drawings of the Costumi of Cairo, which had been made by one of the Monks, very ill done, but worth seeing, as they contained a representation of every thing remarkable in the manner of the inhabitants of this city. The church belonging to the convent is kept in very neat order. The Copts have a place allowed them for baptism, near to the altar. The Coptic language is now preserved only in their manuscripts. We purchased a folio manuscript copy of the Gospels, finely written, which had the Arabic on one side, and the Coptic on the other. In the Coptic service of the church, the prayers are read in

VI.

Arabic, and the gospels in Coptic. BROWNE, who CHAP. has written the best account of Cairo, computes the number of its mosques at more than three hundred, and the total population of the city as equal to three hundred thousand souls'.

Procession.

In our road to the English head-quarters, Marriage from the convent of the Propagandists, we met a marriage procession. First came a person bearing a box, looking like the kind of show which is carried about the streets of London, covered with gilding and ornaments. The use of this we could not learn. Next followed two boys, superbly dressed, and mounted on very fine horses richly caparisoned. Two grooms were in attendance upon each of these horses. Then followed a great number of men, on foot. After these came the bride, beneath a canopy supported by four men, and preceded by a female attendant, who, as she walked, continued to fan her with one of the large semicircular fans of the country, made of differently coloured feathers. The bride was entirely covered by a veil of scarlet crape, spangled from head to foot: she was supported on each side by a

(1) Travels in Africa, p. 71. Lond. 1799. The reader, wishing for a further statistical detail, may be referred to the volume published by this faithful, intelligent, and most enterprising traveller..

VI.

CHAP. female, veiled, according to the common costume of the country. Then followed a band of musicians, playing upon hautboys and tambours. After the musicians, came a party of Almehs, screaming the Alleluia, as before described. The procession closed with a concourse of people of all descriptions.

Visit to

the Reis Effendi.

On Monday, August the thirty-first, we were on a visit to the Reis Effendi, a minister of the Turkish government, holding a situation which answers to the office of our Secretary of State. Two of the principal officers in the Turkish army were sitting with them. The garden belonging to this house was that in which Kleber was assassinated. While we were conversing with the Reis, a Tahtar came into the room, saying, in the Turkish language, "Alexandria is taken!" Mr. Hammer, who was with us, interpreted what the Tahtar had said. To our great amazement, these Turkish officers received this important intelligence in total silence, without the slightest change of countenance, or even a look towards each other. Mr. Hammer said, he believed they did not wish the people of Cairo to know that the English were the captors. After a few minutes thus passed in silence and gravity, they began to whisper to each other, and then wrote