NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

NOTE I. Page 22.

DIOCLETIAN'S COLUMN. See Wilkinson's Thebes and Egypt, Lond. 1835, p. 289. "The pillar of Diocletian has an inscription at its base, and was probably once surmounted by an equestrian statue; as four cramps are still visible on its summit.-The length of the shaft is seventy-three feet [a solid block of granite]; the total height ninety-eight feet nine inches; the circumference twenty-seven feet eight inches; and the diameter of the top of the capital sixteen feet six inches. The shaft is elegant and of good style; but the capital and pedestal are of inferior workmanship, and have the appearance of being of a different period. Indeed it is probable that the shaft was of a Greek epoch; and that the unfinished capital and pedestal were added to it, at the time of its erection in honour of Diocletian."-The inscription, as copied by Mr. Wilkinson, "by means of a ladder and chalking out the letters," is as follows; the last word being doubtful:

τον τιμιωτατον αυτοκρατορα
τον πολιούχον αλεξανδρειας
διοκλητιανον τον ανικητον
πουβλιος επαρχος αιγυπτου
επαγαθω?

NOTE II. Page 28.

IRRIGATION. On the different machines for raising water in Egypt, see Niebuhr's Reisebeschr. I. p. 148, and Tab. XV. For the Shadûf, see Lane's Mod. Egyptians, II. p. 24.-The waterwheel, Sakich, is usually turned by an ox, and raises the water by means of jars fastened to a circular or endless rope, which hangs over the wheel. The Shadûf has a toilsome occupation. His instrument is exactly the well-sweep of New England in

miniature, supported by a cross-piece resting on two upright posts of wood or mud. His bucket is of leather or wicker-work. Two of these instruments are usually fixed side by side, and the men keep time at their work, raising the water five or six feet. Where the banks are higher, two, three, and even four couples are thus employed, one above another.

There is nothing now in Egypt which illustrates the ancient practice of "watering with the foot," alluded to in Deut. xi. 10. This is sometimes referred to the mode of distributing water when already raised, among the channels of a field, by making or breaking down with the foot the small ridges which regulate its flow. But this explanation seems not to reach the point; for the passage in question evidently refers to the mode of supplying water, not of distributing it. Possibly in more ancient times the water-wheel may have been smaller, and turned not by oxen, but by men pressing upon it with the foot, in the same way that water is still often drawn from wells in Palestine, as we afterwards saw. Niebuhr describes one such machine in Cairo, where it was called Sakieh tedûr bir-rijl, "a watering machine that turns by the foot," a view of which he also subjoins. The labourer sits on a level with the axis of the wheel or reel, and turns it by drawing the upper part towards him with his hands, pushing the rounds of the under part at the same time with his feet one after another. In Palestine the wheel or reel is more rude; and a single rope is used, which is wound up around it by the same process.

NOTE III. Page 29.

THEBES. THE SEA. Nahum iii. 8. The "Sea" referred to in this passage is the river Nile, which to the present day in Egypt is named el-Bahr, “the Sea," as its most common appellation. Our Egyptian servant, who spoke English, always called it "the Sea." Compare Wilkinson's Thebes, etc. p. 40.-In Egypt the word el-Bahr, implying the Mediterranean Sea, is also commonly used for North; a North-wind is called "Sea-wind," as coming from the Mediterranean. This shows the fallacy of an argument sometimes used to prove, that the Hebrew was the original language of Palestine, viz. that the word sea () is also the Hebrew term for West. If for this reason the Hebrew language were original in Palestine, then also the Arabic must have been so in Egypt.-In like manner in Syria the word Kibleh, referring to Mecca, is now universally employed for South.

NOTE IV. Page 32.

THEBAN TOMBS. Among the Tombs of the Kings, that marked by Wilkinson as No. 2, has become a sort of album for travellers. The name of Sheikh Ibrahim (Burckhardt) appears twice in 1813, both on his way upward to Dongola, and on his return: Ibrahim -post reditum suum à limitibus regni Dongolae. The names of Belzoni, Irby and Mangles, Rüppell, and many other travellers, are also there. In a corner adjacent-an American corner-we added our names to those of several of our countrymen; some of whom have already found their graves in distant lands.

All these tombs are entirely exposed to the depredations of the Arabs and of travellers; and are every year becoming more and more defaced. The tomb marked by Wilkinson as No. 35, near the foot of the hill Sheikh Abd el-Kûrneh, which he justly regards as "by far the most curious of all the tombs in Thebes," was occupied at the time of our visit by an Arab family with their cattle. The walls were already black with smoke, and many of thepain tings destroyed. See Wilkinson's Thebes, etc. pp. 151157.

NOTE V. Page 35.

CAIRO. Lane's Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians, Lond. 1836. 2 Vols.-Through our friend, the Rev. Mr. Lieder, we made the acquaintance of the bookseller so amusingly described by Mr. Lane in his preface. He visited us several times at our rooms, bringing with him books which had been inquired for. In this way we were able, my companion especially, to purchase several valuable Arabic works.

The magician who has become so famous in Europe through Mr. Lane, (Vol. I. p. 347,) we did not see. But we learned enough on the subject to persuade us, that the whole matter depends on a certain proneness to believe on the part of the spectator, and a series of leading questions on the part of the operator. We were further informed on good authority, that he exhibits his art only before Franks; and that the native Egyptians know little or nothing of the matter.

NOTE VI. Page 45.

EGYPT. For the traveller in Egypt, the two works so often referred to in the text, are indispensable, viz. WILKINSON'S Topography of Thebes and General View of Egypt, Lond. 1835; and

LANE'S Account of the Manners aud Customs of the Modern Egyp tians, 2 Vols. Lond. 1836. If the traveller wish to know how the Egyptians of old lived, he may best add WILKINSON's Account of the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, 3 Vols. Lond. 1837. If further he be desirous of comparing the contradictory accounts and theories of former travellers, he may take along the volumes of the Modern Traveller in Egypt.

The best works on the present condition and statistics of Egypt, are the following: MENGIN, Histoire de l'Egypte sous le Gouverne ment de Mohammed Aly. . . . avec des notes par MM. Langlès et Jomard, 2 Tom. Paris 1823; also a continuation of the same work, "de l'an 1823 à l'an 1838," Paris 1839. Sr. JOHN, Egypt and Mohammed Ali, or Travels in the Valley of the Nile, 2 Vols. Lond. 1834. MARMONT, (Duc de Raguse) Voyage en Hongrie etc....en Sy rie, en Palestine, et en Egypte, 5 Tom. Paris, 1837. I was however assured, on very high authority, that the statistical accounts in these works were not wholly to be relied on. The most condensed and accurate account of Egypt and Muhammed Aly which I have yet seen, is contained in the preliminary sections of RUPPELL'S Reise in Abyssinien, Frankfort, 1838. The latest and most authentic document is DR. BOWRING's Report on Egypt, containing the statistics of the country in 1838, printed by order of Parlia ment, Lond. 1840.

The best MAPS of Egypt are those of Col. Leake and Arrow smith. It is much to be regretted that Wilkinson's large Map of that country has not yet appeared.

NOTE VII. Page 66.

RATE OF TRAVEL. During our journey, we several times measured the ordinary rate of our camels' walk; and found it to be on an average nearest to 24 English miles the hour, when in full progress. But there are always little delays; sometimes the animals browse more; or a load is to be adjusted; or an observa. tion to be taken; so that the preceding estimate would be too high for a whole day's march. If, therefore, we assume the hour with camels at two geographical miles, or nearly 2 English miles, we shall obtain a near approximation to the truth, as well as a convenient standard. The statement in the text is founded on this estimate. According to Wilkinson, the distance from Cairo to Suez is about 69 English miles on a straight line, and 74 by the road. Thebes, etc. pp. 319, 320.

The rate of the camel's walk, and of course the distance

passed over in an hour, varies somewhat according to the nature of the ground. On the gravelly plains of the desert it is naturally greater than in mountainous and rocky districts. The fol lowing rates upon subsequent parts of our journey, were deduced by Prof. Berghaus from a comparison of our routes with the known geographical distances between the given points: Between Suez and Sinai, G. M. 2,090

The rate of travelling with horses and mules in Palestine is considerably faster than the above; and is usually assumed at three English miles the hour. But some allowance must be made from this; and, besides, the rate is far more variable than with camels in the desert; owing partly to the character of the animals, and partly to the state of the roads and the uneven nature of the country. Under all the circumstances, I can fix on no better mean rate for the hour with horses and mules, than 2. 4 geogr. miles, which is equivalent to about 23 Engl. miles or exactly 3 Roman miles. But the rate which would be quite correct between Gaza and Ramleh, for example, would be much less so between Ramleh and Jerusalem; the former distance being nearly level, and the latter mountainous and difficult.

NOTE VIII. Page 68.

moun

SUEZ. The present town of Suez appears to have sprung up in the first half of the sixteenth century. The early Arabian writers speak only of Kolzum, which Abulfeda (born A. D. 1273) describes as a small city; Reiske's Transl. in Büsching's Magazin, Th. IV. S. 196. Rudolf de Suchem, who travelled here about 1340, speaks of a castle of the 'Soldan' on this part of the Red Sea, probably the remains of Kolzum; but he gives it no name. Tucher of Nürnberg was here in 1480, and mentions the tain of Suez" at the end of the Gulf, meaning probably 'Atâkah. He says there was here a landing-place, to which spices and wares were brought from Althor (et-Tur) and so carried to Cairo and Alexandria. Breydenbach and Felix Fabri passed in 1484, but give no name, and speak only of the remains of the canal. In 1516 it is mentioned still as a landing-place by Ben-Ayas, an Arabian writer; and in 1538 a fleet was built here by Suleiman, who sailed hence on an expedition against Yemen. See Notices VOL. I.

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