It Is Watered By The Nile, Which Begins To Swell
Every Year In The Month Elul, And Continues Swelling During That Month And
Tisri[30], Making The Earth Fruitful.
The old Egyptians erected a fine
marble pillar of excellent workmanship in an island at this place, rising
twelve cubits above the ordinary surface of the river; and when the water
overflows that column, the inhabitants are satisfied that their whole
country is overspread for fifteen days journey.
If the water rise only half
the height of the pillar, they then conclude that only half the country is
overflowed. A person is stationed by the pillar, who proclaims the height
of the water every day at noon. When the water rises to a sufficient
height, it indicates a year of fertility and plenty in Egypt; but when it
does not overflow, nothing is sown, and sterility and famine are the
consequences. The people of the country have trenches dug in their grounds,
in which great numbers of fish are caught when the river recedes, which
they either use in their families, or salt them for sale. These fish are
very fat, and supply oil for lamps. It is an old question, on which there
is great diversity of opinion, as to the cause of the overflow of the Nile;
but the Egyptians suppose, that it proceeds from the falling of heavy rains
in the land of Habash, which we call Havilah or Abyssinia. The fields are
usually sowed in the month of September, as the Nile has then retired into
its channel. Barley is reaped in February, and wheat in March; and in that
month, grapes, cherries, and almonds are ripe; and encumbers, gourds,
pease, beans, and lentils; and various pot-herbs, as purslain, asparagus,
lettuce, corianders, succory, coleworts, &c. The gardens and orchards are
watered by means of trenches filled from the Nile.
After passing Cairo, this great river divides into four branches, one of
which runs by Damietta, sometimes called Caphtor. The second runs near the
city of Rosir or Rosetta, not far from Alexandria. The third passes by
Asmon, a very large city on the eastern borders of Egypt. Near these great
branches, there are many cities, castles, and towns, to which people travel
partly by land, and partly by water. No country in the world can be
compared to this for the multitude of inhabitants; and the whole land is
plain, fruitful, and stored with good things. Old Misraim is two league
distant from New Misraim, or Cairo; but the old city is now desolate,
having many ruins of walls and houses, and not a few remains of the
granaries and storehouses, built by Joseph, are still to be seen. In the
same place, there is an artificial pillar, built by art of magic, the like
of which is not in all the land. On the outside of the city, there are the
remains of an ancient synagogue, which bears the name of our teacher Moses,
and to preserve its ruins, an old minister of the disciples of the wise men
[31], is maintained at this place, who is styled Schech Albounetzar, or
father of the watch. The ruins of Old Misraim extend about four miles.
The land of Goshen is eight leagues from Old Misraim, and in it is Bolsir-
salbis, a great city, in which there are 3000 Jews. From hence you travel,
in half a day's journey, to Iskaal-Lein-Al-sames, anciently called Rameses,
now in ruins; where are to be seen many works of our fathers, and among
these certain huge edifices like towers, bulk of bricks. From thence, in
one day's journey, you come to Al-Bugg, where are 200 Jews; and in another
half days journey, to Manziptha, where there are 200 Jews; Ramira is four
leagues distant, having 700 Jews; and thence, in five days journey, you
come to Lamkhala, where there are 500 Jews. In two days journey more, you
arrive at Alexandria, which was sumptuously built, and strongly
fortified, at the command of Alexander the Macedonian. On the outside of
the city, there is still to be seen a great and beautiful edifice, which is
said to have been the college of Aristotle, the tutor of Alexander, wherein
were twenty schools, frequented in former times by the learned men of the
whole world, who assembled to learn the philosophy of Aristotle, and this
academy was adorned with stately marble porticos. The city itself is
excellently built, and well paved, having many vaults and arches
underneath, some of which are a whole mile in length, leading from the gate
of Rosetta to the gate leading to the sea. The haven extends a whole mile
in length, and at this place, a very high tower was built, called Hemegarah
by the inhabitants, and Magar-Iscander by the Arabs, which signifies the
Pharos of Alexander. It is reported that Alexander fixed a curious mirror
on the top of this tower, by means of which, all warlike ships sailing from
Greece, or out of the west into Egypt, might be seen at the distance of
five hundred leagues. But a Greek captain, who had great knowledge of the
sciences, came thither with his ship, and ingratiated himself in the favour
of the king, by presents of gold and silver and rich silks. He likewise
took great pains to acquire the friendship of the officer who had charge of
the mirror and watch-tower, by frequently entertaining him in his ship, and
at length was permitted to go into, and stay in the tower, as often, and as
long as he pleased. One day, he gave a magnificent entertainment to the
keeper of the tower and his men, and dosed them so plentifully with wine,
that they all fell fast asleep; on which he broke the mirror to pieces, and
then sailed away in the night. Since then, the Christians have infested the
coasts of Egypt with their ships of war, and have taken the two large
islands of Crete and Cyprus, which remain at this day under the power of
the Greeks.
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