Sonnini de Manoncourt, Charles Nicolas Sigisbert: Travels in upper and lower Egypt (Band 2) (London, 1807)

and lower egypt;

*7

CHAP. XXV.

Departure from Rosseita--Bedouins--Agreement

•with the Arabs—Tumult at Aboukir—Camp be-
tween Aboukir and Alexandria—Wild oxen—Con-
sequence of the tumult at Aboukir—Inscription—
Camp of Bedouins—Camels—Alarm in the Camp
•—Manners and hospitality of the Bedouins—Opi-
nion peculiar to them—Ancient cube.

The 29th of December was fixed upon for the
day of my departure. We had mules to ride on,
the beasts usually employed for the saddle on the
road to Alexandria ; and a camel to carry our
baggage, which was contained in two caffass, a
handsome kind of large covered panier, fastened
one on each side of the camel. The consul would
make his janisary accompany me as far as Abou-
kir, where I hoped to find means of reaching the
desert of Nitria ; and at nine o'clock in the morn-
ing we set out on our journey.

This time wc found, at the Lake of Maadie, a
commodious decked boat. Half a league beyond
this ancient mouth of the Nile was a small camp
of Bedouins. They presented us with water,
according to custom, and were very pressing for
us to pass the night under their tents. A few days

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