DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6551#0041
16
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEII.
manufactory, on the eastern shore. This place was once
famous for its dancing girls, till the Pacha put an end to
their trade, by sending considerable numbers of them
to the army in Syria, and by confining the rest in the
towns of Upper Egypt.0 Fouah appears to have been
the site of an antient town, and, like most other places
in Egypt, much more flourishing some years since than
at present. Soon after leaving this place, we were again
obliged, by contrary winds, to put in shore ; where I had
an opportunity of observing the slovenly way in which
husbandry is carried on in this once fertile country. The
ground was extremely foul; and the seed, scattered by
broad-cast sowing, wt.s afterwards ploughed in, when
a sort of attempt was made to clean the ground, and to
break the clods. We sailed about sunset, and had some
very heavy rain, with thunder and lightning. The
vermin, gnats, rats, &c. were beyond all belief; and, to
make matters worse, my English servant was violently
attacked by fever.
In attempting, near Cairo, to make a short cut, the
boat got a-ground, and we were obliged to return a mile
or two, and then to go round, having lost the channel by
the faintness of the starlight. We did not, therefore, arrive
at Boulac till seven o'clock in the morning (Nov. 9th),
when I was very glad to convey my servant to Mr. Hill's
house, where he could have medical assistance. I called,
without delay, on the consul, Mr. Piozan, respecting the
firmaun necessary for the operations at Gizeh, by whom
u It is remarkable, that both the Crusaders and the French, in their
invasions of Egypt, mistook these people for a deputation of the most
considerable of the inhabitants, coming out to hail their arrival.
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEII.
manufactory, on the eastern shore. This place was once
famous for its dancing girls, till the Pacha put an end to
their trade, by sending considerable numbers of them
to the army in Syria, and by confining the rest in the
towns of Upper Egypt.0 Fouah appears to have been
the site of an antient town, and, like most other places
in Egypt, much more flourishing some years since than
at present. Soon after leaving this place, we were again
obliged, by contrary winds, to put in shore ; where I had
an opportunity of observing the slovenly way in which
husbandry is carried on in this once fertile country. The
ground was extremely foul; and the seed, scattered by
broad-cast sowing, wt.s afterwards ploughed in, when
a sort of attempt was made to clean the ground, and to
break the clods. We sailed about sunset, and had some
very heavy rain, with thunder and lightning. The
vermin, gnats, rats, &c. were beyond all belief; and, to
make matters worse, my English servant was violently
attacked by fever.
In attempting, near Cairo, to make a short cut, the
boat got a-ground, and we were obliged to return a mile
or two, and then to go round, having lost the channel by
the faintness of the starlight. We did not, therefore, arrive
at Boulac till seven o'clock in the morning (Nov. 9th),
when I was very glad to convey my servant to Mr. Hill's
house, where he could have medical assistance. I called,
without delay, on the consul, Mr. Piozan, respecting the
firmaun necessary for the operations at Gizeh, by whom
u It is remarkable, that both the Crusaders and the French, in their
invasions of Egypt, mistook these people for a deputation of the most
considerable of the inhabitants, coming out to hail their arrival.