They Said Likewise, That On
The Arabian Coast Of The Gulf, Two Or Three Leagues Short Of Suez, Was
The
Fountain which Moses caused to spring from the rock by striking it
with his rod, being still called by the
Arabs the fountain of Moses, the
water of which is purer and more pleasant than any other. They said that
from Toro to Cairo by land was seven ordinary days journey, in which
the best and most direct way was through Suez: But that since the
Turkish gallies came to Suez they had changed the road, going two
leagues round to avoid Suez, after which they turned to the west.
[Footnote 319: Surely this passage should be only three short days
journey. - E.]
I afterwards conversed with a very honest, learned and curious
Mahometan, whom I asked if he could tell where the Jews crossed the Red
Sea; on which he told me that both in tradition and in some old writings
it was said that the Jews, fleeing from the Egyptians, arrived on the
coast of Egypt directly opposite to Toro, where Moses prayed to God
for deliverance, and struck the sea twelve times with his rod, on which
it opened in twelve several paths, by which the Jews passed over to the
other side to where Toro now stands; after which the Egyptians
entering into these paths were all destroyed to the number of about
600,000 men. That from Toro Moses led the Israelites to Mount Sinai,
where Moses spake many times with God.
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