to Maillet, they bear fix or feven kids at a time and as they have young ones twice a year, it is not in the leaft extraordinary, to fee a goat followed by fourteen kids, to all which the has given birth within fix or feven months.* It is very true, that the goats, as well as the fheep, bear young ones twice a year but it is equally true, that they bring forth only two, or three, or, which very, feldom happens, four kids at a time.

I had now been upwards of two months at Rofetta, and the difturbances in Egypt, far from being at an end, feemed to increase. A bey, of the name of Ifmael, had fucceeded in driving from Cairo two other beys, Mourad and Ibrahim, who were at the head of the government. Thefe had taken refuge at Saïd, whence, aided by fome Arabian chiefs, they menaced Ifmael, who raised an army, to march against them. The petty governors, or Kiafchefs, had quitted the places of their command, and followed their mafter. The Bedouins, availing themfelves of their abfence, infefted all the roads, and pillaged on all fides. The villages made war on each other; and from them iffued bands of robbers, more dangerous and more cruel than the Be douins. In fhort the most complete diforder defolated the face of the country, and every attempt

to travel was thought madness. But I was weary of remaining in a state of inactivity; and it grieved me to fee my time paffing away, as well as the very fcanty allowance I received from government, without any attempt to accomplish the object I had in view, that of traverfing Egypt. These confiderations overpowered all the remonftrances of prudence, and even thofe of friendship; and fince it was impracticable for me to penetrate into Upper Egypt, full of foldiers without difcipline, and robbers who knew no control, I determined to vifit that portion of the Lybian defert, which is called the defert of Nitria, or Saint Macarius.

!I had written to Cairo, to obtain from Ifmael bey, at that time, though for a very fhort period, governor-general, or fheik el belled, orders to his fubalterns, to protect me, and the strongest recommendations to all, whofe poffeffions I fhould have occafion to traverfe. The high degree of honour in which the profeffion of phyfic is held among the oriental nations is well known: It is a more powerful egis, than all the recommendations of authority. With this I took care to cover myfelf: and that nothing might be wanting to my difguife, or rather to the precautions, without which it would have been vain to attempt to travel in that country, I affumed the name of Youfef (Jofeph). Conformably to circumstances, and according to the perfons with F4 whom

whom I had to deal, I was malloom, mafter, or kavonadgi, merchant, or even fidi, fir. I did not hefitate even to wear the red turban, which, added to my dress, and that of my three companions, who wore the habit of the foldiers of the beys, made me pass more than once for a Kiafchef, or Mameluc officer, having the command of fome diftrict.

Before I take my leave of Rofetta, I fhall infert the meteorological obfervations I made there in November and December, the period of my stay. To these I fhall add what I made during part of February, after my return. For these observations I used a mercurial thermometer, made by Affier Perica, of Paris, a fkilful artift for inftruments of this kind.

I made my obfervations three times a day at eight o'clock in the morning, at noon, and at fix in the evening; as will appear from the following tables.

Meteorological

REMARKS,

N.N. W. At three in the morning there was a pretty heavy shower, and this was the first in the year. At feven there fell again a little rain; and a rainbow appeared. At nine there was another ftorm, which continued ten minutes, the wind having come round to the North. Weather cloudy. The wind blowing hard as the rain came on, and abating after it was over.

N. N. E. Cloudy weather. Strong gale. At one o'clock, a flight fmall rain, which continued four or five minutes.

19°1

N.

N.

W.

W.

W.

W.

W.

W.

N. by W. Strong gale. Cloudy.
N. N.W.Strong gale. Very cloudy.,
Calm.

W.

Very little wind.

Very little wind. Fine weather
during the whole of the day.
Fresh breeze. Fine weather.

Srong gale. Appearance of the sky
threatening a thunder ftorm.
Light wind. Fine weather.
Light wind. Thick fog.
Light wind. Fleecy clouds.
Light wind. Cloudy. During the
whole of the evening it lightne
in the Eaft, but no thunder was
heard.

Almoft calm. Cloudy.

Fresh breeze, with violent gufts of wind. Dark cloudy weather. Little wind. Rain.

During the greater part of the night it rained. In the morning cloudy. N. E. Strong ga e. Cloudy weather. In the afternoon the wind came round suddenly to the S. S. W. and it rained till 5 P. M.