DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4020#0044
32 TRAVELS IN EGYPT
letters of recommendation to present to him; but they did not make use of
them, because we had no want of any thing, and we were informed that he was
to depart the next day.
Tuesday, 3d of December.
WE remained all that day at Messchie. Our reys went thither, as soon as it
was light, to get some bread made for himself and his crew. We took care
likewise to provide ourselves with some, because our provision of biscuit began to
fall short. One does not find bread ready made. When you would have any, it is
necessary to take this method, namely, to purchase corn at the bazar, or market,
and to send it to a horse mill, to get it ground. If this mill cannot dispatch it
fasf enough, because it is already engaged to grind other corn, you send it by
bushels to private houses, where they grind it by hand mills, with which almosr.
every house is provided. After having taken away your meal, you give it to cer-
tain women, whose business it is, and they take care to sift it and make bread
of it. They dispatch it very quickly, tho' their bake-house is not the mod
commodious, nor in the best order. Their ovens particularly are very small,
built of mortar, and heated with straw alone. This does not hinder them from
making pretty good bread, tho' in somewhat an aukward manner: and indeed
the shape of their loaves is not very regular. They keep the dough very moist,
and you never complain that the bread is too much burnt. It succeeds very well
when it is in the form of cakes; and it is a tolerable good food, when it is new ;
but it is good for nothing any longer than a day; after that you musl have a good
appetite to eat it with relish.
I went to see the bazar; and I found it better furnished than those that I had
hitherto met with elsewhere. In effect the ordinary arrival of the barques contri-
butes to render Messchie a place of trade. They bring thither, every market day,
commodities from all the neighbouring places, because they are constantly sure
of a sale. By this means all things there are very reasonable. We had a sucking
calf of a buffalo for forty parats; hens for two parats a-piece; and so with regard
to the rest.
This place is also famous for a sort of sweet meat, that they make in great
abundance, and which the Turks and Arabs are very fond of on account of its
sweetness.
As I was walking in the bazar, I met with two of their pretended saints,
whom the market had drawn thither. They were entirely naked, and
ran like mad men through the streets, making their heads, and crying
out with all their might. A courtezan was come thither likewise, to em-
bellim the festival with her presence. She had her face unveiled, as likewise her
bosom, and her shift was white; whereas that of other women is blue. Her
head, her neck, her arms, and legs, were adorned with abundance of trinkets ■
but all these embellishments did not characterise her so well, as her impudent
air, and lascivious gestures. One would think, that thissortof persons musl, in all
coun-
letters of recommendation to present to him; but they did not make use of
them, because we had no want of any thing, and we were informed that he was
to depart the next day.
Tuesday, 3d of December.
WE remained all that day at Messchie. Our reys went thither, as soon as it
was light, to get some bread made for himself and his crew. We took care
likewise to provide ourselves with some, because our provision of biscuit began to
fall short. One does not find bread ready made. When you would have any, it is
necessary to take this method, namely, to purchase corn at the bazar, or market,
and to send it to a horse mill, to get it ground. If this mill cannot dispatch it
fasf enough, because it is already engaged to grind other corn, you send it by
bushels to private houses, where they grind it by hand mills, with which almosr.
every house is provided. After having taken away your meal, you give it to cer-
tain women, whose business it is, and they take care to sift it and make bread
of it. They dispatch it very quickly, tho' their bake-house is not the mod
commodious, nor in the best order. Their ovens particularly are very small,
built of mortar, and heated with straw alone. This does not hinder them from
making pretty good bread, tho' in somewhat an aukward manner: and indeed
the shape of their loaves is not very regular. They keep the dough very moist,
and you never complain that the bread is too much burnt. It succeeds very well
when it is in the form of cakes; and it is a tolerable good food, when it is new ;
but it is good for nothing any longer than a day; after that you musl have a good
appetite to eat it with relish.
I went to see the bazar; and I found it better furnished than those that I had
hitherto met with elsewhere. In effect the ordinary arrival of the barques contri-
butes to render Messchie a place of trade. They bring thither, every market day,
commodities from all the neighbouring places, because they are constantly sure
of a sale. By this means all things there are very reasonable. We had a sucking
calf of a buffalo for forty parats; hens for two parats a-piece; and so with regard
to the rest.
This place is also famous for a sort of sweet meat, that they make in great
abundance, and which the Turks and Arabs are very fond of on account of its
sweetness.
As I was walking in the bazar, I met with two of their pretended saints,
whom the market had drawn thither. They were entirely naked, and
ran like mad men through the streets, making their heads, and crying
out with all their might. A courtezan was come thither likewise, to em-
bellim the festival with her presence. She had her face unveiled, as likewise her
bosom, and her shift was white; whereas that of other women is blue. Her
head, her neck, her arms, and legs, were adorned with abundance of trinkets ■
but all these embellishments did not characterise her so well, as her impudent
air, and lascivious gestures. One would think, that thissortof persons musl, in all
coun-