another of these convents; fince they extorted from him thirty Venetian fequins, and the vicar filched some money from him befides.*

During the five days we spent at Zaidi el Baramous, every morning there was a very thick fog, and one evening a little rain fell.

* Nouvelle Relation d'Egypte, p. 220.

N 21

CHAP.

CHAP. XXIX.

Departure from Zaidi el Baramous-Zaidi SourianLablab-Tamarinds-Mr.Bruce-Amba Bifhoi

Amba Monguar-Generofity of a Bedouin-Wardan-Route towards Cairo-Weftern bank of the Nile-Voyage on the Nile from Schoubra to RoJetta-Pirates on the Nile-Spur-winged plovers -A funeral-A wedding-Virtues of the Bedouins-Remedy for fore eyes-Nebka-Pigeons.

O

N leaving Zaidi el Baramous, the 13th of Ja

nuary, 1778, we travelled fouth-fouth-eaft for two leagues, through deep paffes, parallel to the great hills. Their fides were fteep, and they were evidently the effects of torrents. The whole of this space confifted entirely of fine fand, except in a few inftances, where thin ftrata of lime-stone appeared uncovered. On the furface of thefe ftrata was a confiderable number of Egyptian pebbles, which the floods had rolled thither from the fummits of the hills.

As we drew near the monaftery of Zaidi Sourian, the chief of the Arabs, who were our conductors, apprised me, that, according to all reports, thofe Bedouins, by whom we had been attacked, were concealed

concealed behind the walls, with design to surprise us; that I ought to be prepared, to give them a vigorus reception; and that he would fupport me with all his people. My companions too were well difpofed to perform their parts, and this time we fhould certainly not have been ftripped. Having made the neceffary difpofitions, we approached the building, but could discover no person near.

Entering into the convent, we found it was conftructed on the fame plan as that which we had left, but the buildings were more commodious, and arranged in a much better manner. From it's name it appears to have been formerly the refidence of Syrian monks, who have relinquished it to the Cophts. The ancient Syrian chapel ftill remains. It is tolerably handfome, and adorned with fculptures, and paintings in frefco. On one of the pillars the names of feveral Europeans are cut, but thofe of the French travellers, Baron and Granger, were the only ones I knew. The Cophts do not make use of this chapel; but have built another after their own fashion, that is, in the form of a crofs. In it is a fhrine filled with faints, among whom Saint Marmarotous is moft revered. The redoubt, or little fort, was likewife better conftructed than that of Zaïdi el Baramous; and the monks appeared to me lefs filthy, and lefs ftupidly ferocious. Their fuperior was a man turned of thirty, absoluteN 3

ly

ly beardless, and without a fingle hair on any part of his body. In a country where a man is respected in proportion to the growth of his beard, it was natural for him to be greatly chagrined at the total want of an article of fo much confequence, and he intreated me very preffingly, to inftruct him in the means of acquiring fuch an embellishment to his chin.

These monks too have a little garden, though not quite fo fmall, and in better condition, than that of the former convent. In it were atlès, fome date-trees, little olive-trees, and one almond-tree. Among the culinary vegetables I diftinguished the lablab,* a fort of large French-bean, which is perennial, and, rising to a confiderable height, wellcalculated, like the vine, to form arbours. It's leaves are of a cheerful green; and it's long and broad pods are of the fame colour, edged with deep purple. These contain oval beans, variegated with yellow, reddish brown, and fometimes black. This kind of pulfe is cultivated throughout all Egypt, and the beans are in common ufe as an article of food.

In one of the courts is a monstrous tamarindtree,† which the Cophts confider as the effect of a

Dolichos lablab, Lin.

+ Tamarindus indica, Lin.-In Arabic, tamar-hindi, Indian date-tree.

miraculous vegetation. A certain Saint Ephrem leaving his staff at the door of another hermit, to whom he was paying a visit, the staff inftantly took root, put forth branches, and quickly fhot up into an enormous tamarind-tree. To heighten the miracle, they fay it is the only tree of the kind exifting in Egypt: but this is an impofition; for though tamarinds are not common in that country, a few may be seen in the gardens of Roffetta. The pods, ftones, and pulp of tamarinds, boiled, and beaten together with fugar, are fold in the markets of all the cities in Egypt. This coarfe fort of confectionary is brought by the caravans from the interior parts of Africa. It is an indifpenfable article of provifion for thofe, who are preparing to traverse the deferts, which they eat as a refreshment, and to allay the burning thirft excited by these torrid regions.

The few trees that fhadow part of the enclosure of Zaidi Sourian, attract thither fome fmall birds, which diffufe a gleam of cheerfulness; while the rugged afpect of nature at Zaïdi el Baramous frightens away every creature that has breath.

The well-water is good, compared with that which we had been obliged to drink for fome days, as it has but a flight degree of brackifhnefs. It is