DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4020#0128
u6 TRAVELS IN EGYPT
modern ruin, they imagine there are treafures wherever there have been buildings.
I believe like wise, that I fhould not run any risk os being miftaken, if I said that
the prefervation of fo many antiquities, which we admire at prefent, is owing
solely to this false perfuasion, very troublesome, however, and very dangerous, to
a traveller who endeavours to satissy his curiosity.
As I had taken so much trouble to come on the fpot, I was willing to see it
entirely. I went all round it; but, to say the truth, I perceived there nothing that
was worth the pains os remarking. I found only the marks os a building, which had
been inhabited by fome Chriftians, imployed folelyin the worship of the true God.
Moreover the building was of a bad ftructure, and fituated in the most barren
foil in the world. We see, as far as the eye can reach, nothing but plains and moun-
tains covered with sands. The water, according to all appearances, was not very
good there ; and is those who dwelt in this place, were obliged to go and fetch
water srom the river, they underwent a great deal of inconvenience in procuring it.
After having reposed ourselves a little, we fet out upon our journey, to
return to our barque. The walk, that was neceffary for us to take for this pur-
pofe, was {till more difagreeable than that of the morning. In the first place, we
were then quite srefh, and the hope of feeing fomething beautiful encouraged us ;
whereas at our return, we were already tired with the preceding walk; and
moreover we had the difpleafure of having fatigued ourfelves in vain.
Neither in going nor in returning, did we meet with any one upon the
road. As sar as I can conjecture, the Arabs seldom go into this quarter, unlefs when
they go in companies in fearch of fomething. I paid three fevillans for the
barque; and I gave two others, which were distributed between the janiflaries and
the valet of the aga. Thefe laft were more contented with my bounty, than I
was with the ufeless toil that I had taken.
Wednesday, 15th os January.
THE fon of the aga brought us a reys, whose barque was at the port os the
cataract; and he was to bring it down in three days to Effuaen. We agreed
with him sor sixty fevillans, which was ten fevillans an oar. He engaged to
conduct us to Cairo, and to land us wherever we should have a mind. We paid
down ten sevillans besore hand.
We had this day a vifit srom the brother of the aga, who had accompanied
us to Derri. He came the moment aster that the son os the aga had lest us, and
we had concluded a bargain sor the barque. We had not yet seen this good man
{ince our return. He congratulated us again upon our having escaped, at {o
cheap a rate, out of the hands os Bar am cachess. We afked him whether he
really thought, that they had a design os murdering us there. " I don't believe,
Jays be, that they would have come to that extremity, is they could have taken
away all that you had without it; but as they faw you determined to desend
your-
modern ruin, they imagine there are treafures wherever there have been buildings.
I believe like wise, that I fhould not run any risk os being miftaken, if I said that
the prefervation of fo many antiquities, which we admire at prefent, is owing
solely to this false perfuasion, very troublesome, however, and very dangerous, to
a traveller who endeavours to satissy his curiosity.
As I had taken so much trouble to come on the fpot, I was willing to see it
entirely. I went all round it; but, to say the truth, I perceived there nothing that
was worth the pains os remarking. I found only the marks os a building, which had
been inhabited by fome Chriftians, imployed folelyin the worship of the true God.
Moreover the building was of a bad ftructure, and fituated in the most barren
foil in the world. We see, as far as the eye can reach, nothing but plains and moun-
tains covered with sands. The water, according to all appearances, was not very
good there ; and is those who dwelt in this place, were obliged to go and fetch
water srom the river, they underwent a great deal of inconvenience in procuring it.
After having reposed ourselves a little, we fet out upon our journey, to
return to our barque. The walk, that was neceffary for us to take for this pur-
pofe, was {till more difagreeable than that of the morning. In the first place, we
were then quite srefh, and the hope of feeing fomething beautiful encouraged us ;
whereas at our return, we were already tired with the preceding walk; and
moreover we had the difpleafure of having fatigued ourfelves in vain.
Neither in going nor in returning, did we meet with any one upon the
road. As sar as I can conjecture, the Arabs seldom go into this quarter, unlefs when
they go in companies in fearch of fomething. I paid three fevillans for the
barque; and I gave two others, which were distributed between the janiflaries and
the valet of the aga. Thefe laft were more contented with my bounty, than I
was with the ufeless toil that I had taken.
Wednesday, 15th os January.
THE fon of the aga brought us a reys, whose barque was at the port os the
cataract; and he was to bring it down in three days to Effuaen. We agreed
with him sor sixty fevillans, which was ten fevillans an oar. He engaged to
conduct us to Cairo, and to land us wherever we should have a mind. We paid
down ten sevillans besore hand.
We had this day a vifit srom the brother of the aga, who had accompanied
us to Derri. He came the moment aster that the son os the aga had lest us, and
we had concluded a bargain sor the barque. We had not yet seen this good man
{ince our return. He congratulated us again upon our having escaped, at {o
cheap a rate, out of the hands os Bar am cachess. We afked him whether he
really thought, that they had a design os murdering us there. " I don't believe,
Jays be, that they would have come to that extremity, is they could have taken
away all that you had without it; but as they faw you determined to desend
your-