DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0295
279
Its bazars are extensive and well built, and the country around
is covered nearly as far as the foot of the Libyan mountains
with dates, corn, and sugar-canes. We met several peasants
carrying the male flower of the date-tree to attach it to the fe-
male. The culture of the sugar-cane is in the hands of the
Copts, the greater part of whom reside at a village a little lower
clown, called Ebadic. The rude brutality, and disposition to
plunder, of this Christian colony, are not more conspicuous than
their credulity, in believing that if any Arab or Turk were to re-
main three days in their village, they would surely die. The
Mahometans themselves are not free from this superstition.
Melaaui has lost much of the population that it had in earlier
times, as is evident from the number of shops and houses that
are deserted, and from the high mounds around it. It probably
rose on the ruins of Achmounain, to which it has succeeded as
the capital of the Hermopolitan nome, and a very large canal
maintains its communication with the river. The miri of Me-
laoui being set apart for the religious establishment at Mecca,
is annually conveyed thither by the Emir Hadgi, or gover-
nor of the caravan of pilgrims; and he appoints the Sardar or
chief of the district. The women at Melaoui are celebrated for
their beauty, which generally forms the theme of the songs most
popular with the boatmen on the Nile. I saw nothing in them
to give them a preference above the Medusa figures of their coun-
try-women.
Prom Melaoui we went to the small village of Shekh Abade, a
few miles lower down on the opposite side of the river. Here
we were much gratified on visiting the ruins of Antinoe, founded,
according to Strabo, by Adrian near the site of Abydus, in ho-
nour of his favourite Antinoiis who was drowned here. These
.ruins are no longer situated,-as described by the Arabian geo-
grapher
Its bazars are extensive and well built, and the country around
is covered nearly as far as the foot of the Libyan mountains
with dates, corn, and sugar-canes. We met several peasants
carrying the male flower of the date-tree to attach it to the fe-
male. The culture of the sugar-cane is in the hands of the
Copts, the greater part of whom reside at a village a little lower
clown, called Ebadic. The rude brutality, and disposition to
plunder, of this Christian colony, are not more conspicuous than
their credulity, in believing that if any Arab or Turk were to re-
main three days in their village, they would surely die. The
Mahometans themselves are not free from this superstition.
Melaaui has lost much of the population that it had in earlier
times, as is evident from the number of shops and houses that
are deserted, and from the high mounds around it. It probably
rose on the ruins of Achmounain, to which it has succeeded as
the capital of the Hermopolitan nome, and a very large canal
maintains its communication with the river. The miri of Me-
laoui being set apart for the religious establishment at Mecca,
is annually conveyed thither by the Emir Hadgi, or gover-
nor of the caravan of pilgrims; and he appoints the Sardar or
chief of the district. The women at Melaoui are celebrated for
their beauty, which generally forms the theme of the songs most
popular with the boatmen on the Nile. I saw nothing in them
to give them a preference above the Medusa figures of their coun-
try-women.
Prom Melaoui we went to the small village of Shekh Abade, a
few miles lower down on the opposite side of the river. Here
we were much gratified on visiting the ruins of Antinoe, founded,
according to Strabo, by Adrian near the site of Abydus, in ho-
nour of his favourite Antinoiis who was drowned here. These
.ruins are no longer situated,-as described by the Arabian geo-
grapher