Making in all 1825 of
the former and 1575 of the latter. The direction is S.S.E. - E.]
[Footnote 249: In the original Italian, Orza and Poggia, being the
names of the ropes at the yard-arms which are hauled when these words
are pronounced. - Astl. I. 101. b.]
[Footnote 250: The expression in the text is not very obvious, but seems
to indicate that these Rubani are such excellent divers as to be able
to fasten ropes or hausers to the rocks below water. - E.]
On the 28th. of November 1539, the Christians belonging to the Venetian
gallies left Suez, and arrived at Cairo on the 1st of December, where
they were lodged in the same house that they had formerly occupied. Each
of them was allowed half a maidan daily for subsistence, which is
equal to about twopence of Venice. They here suffered great affliction
and fatigue, as whatever laborious work was to be performed was devolved
upon them. Clearing out the water-cisterns, levelling hills, putting
gardens in order, new buildings, and such like, all fell to their share.
On the 25th of March 1540, many of the Christians went from Cairo with a
guard of Turks to a hill or mount two miles from the Nile, which seemed
to have been a burying-place like the Campo Santo, where every year,
on the Friday before our Lady of August[251], a vast number of people
assemble to see dead bodies rise out of the ground.
