[25] Benjamin here obviously speaks of the Jews in the mountains of
Abyssinia, still known there under the name of Falassa. It would
appear, that the previously indicated courses led across the peninsula
of Arabia and the Red Sea; but his names of places are
unintelligible. - E.
[26] Perhaps Asowan in upper Egypt, which is rendered probable by the
journey through the desert. - E.
[27] Harris considered Gana to mean Guinea; but it is probably Nigritia,
or the inland country of Africa, on the Niger or Joliba. - E.
[28] Perhaps Memphis, as he evidently alludes to the pyramids. - E.
[29] Kahira, or Cairo, called also Messir. - E.
[30] Elul contains from the middle of August to the middle of September and
Tisri from that to the middle of October. But the Nile begins to rise
in the middle of June, and returns to its usual level in October. - E.
[31] Of the Rabbinists or Talmudists. - E.
[32] This may possibly have been the Sarcophagus brought lately from
Alexandria, and deposited in the British museum, under the strange
idea of having been the tomb of Alexander. Benjamin seems to have
known nothing about the hieroglyphics, with which his tomb was
obviously covered. - E.
[33] This short commentary upon three words in that part of the travels of
Benjamin, which has been omitted in Harris, is extracted from Forster,
Hist of Voy.
