refpecting the race of these animals in Africa: but the uncertainty has fince been removed with great appearance of probability, Buffon having given an account and figure of an African wild boar,* which is diftinguishable by feveral peculiar characteristics, fo that we have reason to presume the hanzire of Egypt and the African wild boar to be the fame animal.

Hift. Nat. du Cochon. Suppl. à l'Hist. Nat. des Quadrupèdes.

1

CHAP.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Departure of Huffein-Cophtic monks--Their convent, chapel, church fervices, rites, food, dress, and garden-Fulful béladi--Gypfum-Sal gem-- Other convents in the defert--River without water-Bedouins-Ill behaviour of the monks-Fogs and

rain.

T

HE day after our arrival at the monaftery, Huffein reminded me of what had paffed the preceding day, and the trouble he had found in extricating me from the hands into which I had fallen. He observed to me that he could not poffibly expect the fame fuccefs another time: and finished with declaring frankly, that it was no longer in his power to be anfwerable for what might happen, as the Arabs of the defert would not fail to kill him, if they met with us together again. He added, that for his own fafety he should depart immediately, and offered to conduct me back the fame way by which we had come, but I must determine upon it inftantly. My determination was as prompt as he could with. I had not undertaken this journey to finish it so abruptly; the dangers of which I was aware before I fet out,

did not appear to me to be circumstances that ought to stop me now; and fince I had reached the midft of thefe deferts, I was refolved at least to have time for making fome obfervations in them. Huffein, chagrined at my refolve, immediately departed, after having embraced me in a very kind and affecting manner, and left me enclosed within four walls, without either of us knowing how I fhould get out.

Formerly this retreat was inhabited by Greek monks. These have been fucceeded by Cophts, or natives of Egypt, who having embraced christianity, have seen arise among them fome of thofe congregations, to which men have agreed to give the epithet of religious, though most of them are nothing but finks of idleness and vice. Here barbarifm and ftupid ignorance likewife took up their abode, perpetuating the memory of ancient anchorites, who, imagining themselves born to be ufelefs, retired in the prime of life, to bury themfelves from fociety in these remote folitudes. One Saint Macarius rendered himself particularly famous, so that his name was given to the desert, which the ancients had diftinguished by that of Nitria; a name which it will unquestionably retain, as natron, the nitre of the ancients, will always be found in it, and marks of diftinction furnished by nature, have a grandeur and immutabi

lity of character, not to be found in those that spring from the fancy of man.

The present refidence of the Cophtic cenobites is called Zaidi el Baramous, and by the Arabs Kafr Zaidi. It is an enclosure of lofty walls, without any aperture: for we cannot reckon a little gate, which is opened only two or three times a year. People going in or coming out are hoifted up or lowered down by means of a large rope and a pulley. The whole of the edifice is conftructed of foft calcareous ftones, feveral of which contain foffile fhells. Within the walls there is a kind of finall fortrefs, furrounded with ditches, over which is a draw bridge. To this the monks retire, if the Arabs force the outer wall. Ten years before they had been obliged to entrench themselves in it against Huffein, who, having broken through the great wall, had pillaged and laid wafte the convent. The Cophts, who told me this anecdote, added, that this very Huffein, my faithful companion, my brave and trufty friend, was at that time the most formidable of Bedouins, the moft refolute of robbers: though for several years he had led a peaceable and honest life. He muft certainly have been a dangerous man, for to great courage he added fingular dexterity. I have frequently feen him fhoot fmall birds at a confiderable distance with a fingle ball.

Within