Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1814 edition. Excerpt: ... be the old Butus, where there was an oracle of Diana, and on an island near it was Hermopolis, which might be Brulos placed by Sicard in an island before this lake. It may be supposed that this lake, which is now of so great an extent, takes in all the other lakes mentioned by the ancients to the east, and that the sea breaking in has made this alteration; for though the sea may have lost just about the great mouths of the rivers, yet it appears plainly to have gained in other parts. On the fourth of November I embarked with the consul for Cairo, on board a fine galley. They are flat-bottomed vessels with three masts; near half of them being covered, they have in them one large handsome room, and near the stern a smaller for the women, if there are any on board. They are made with lattice windows all round, and have swivel cannon fastened towards the prow. With a good brilk wind, they fail well against the current, but when there is little wind, or it is contrary, the men draw them up with a cord fastened to the mast; though if the wind is high and contrary, they are obliged to lie by, as they commonly do at night, especially if the Nile is low, when they are in greater danger of running aground. At such times the people divert themselves in telling long Arabian stories; and if they are obliged to stop by day, the boat-men frequently pass away the time in acting some low farces. The sailing on the Nile is very pleasant; the country on each side is rich and fruitful, the villages having palm-trees planted round them, appear like so many fine groves, as, when the country is overflown, they look like islands, as they really are. But Egypt appears in greatest beauty in the month of December, when it is the middle of the spring, and the whole...
