Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topographie of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataracte and Wadi Samneh, with the Fyoom, Oases and eastern desert, from Sooez to Bertenice (London, 1835)

PREFACE. Vll

I ought also to apologize for the mode I have
adopted of writing the name of the capital of
Egypt; but as I had followed the Arabic nomen-
clature in all the other towns (except the Greek city
of Alexandria), it appeared to me more consistent
to use Qaherah than Cairo; though I allow that,
since custom has sanctioned it, this last might
have been preferable. I have indeed been at a loss
respecting some Arabic words, as, for instance, AH
or Alee, and have introduced both as being equally
correct; but in all cases I have been guided by the
sound rather than the orthography in my mode of
writing them.

Thebes, 1831.