THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For OCTOBER, 1799.

ART. I. Travels in Upper and Lower Egypt, by C. S. Sonnini, &c. &c.; translated from the French by Henry Hunter, D. D. 8vo. Vols. 11. 75. Boards. Stockdale. 1799.

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[Art. continued from the last Appendix, p. 577-584.]

7E commenced our account of these entertaining travels in our last Appendix, having perused them in the original French edition: but, as Dr. Hunter's translation had just reached us, we copied our extracts from his version, to save ourselves the trouble of translating them. In the farther progress of this article, we shall follow the same method: thus affording to our readers sufficient specimens of the success of Dr. H.'s quickly-executed labours. They will observe the usual consequences of haste, in various places, in the language of the performance: but it is on the whole well executed; and the Doctor's notes manifest considerable attention.

The journey to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, occupies the Second Volume, and contains a variety of highly curious matter. After having mentioned the silly stories that have been propagated by travellers respecting the qualities of the waters of the Nile in producing fecundity in women, as well as several other strange properties both injurious and beneficial, the author treats those tales as the dreams of those who relate them. That the waters are perfectly innocent, he testifies on his own experience; for he drank plentifully of them during his residence in Egypt, without suffering any inconvenience. From the heavy charge of being the native scat of that dreadful Scourge of the eastern world, the plague, he also vindicates the climate of Egypt. M. M. Volney and Savary had endeavoured to do so before him. For twelve years prior to M. Songini's residence there, the plague had not been known in Lower Egypt, though vessels from Constantinople had frequently arrived there, and the inhabitants observed no precautions to prevent the introduction of the disorder. In fact, no epidemic diseases prevail in this country; nor is the stranger ever at VOL. XXX. K tacked

tacked by those violent and inflammatory fevers, which in America and the West Indies are generally so fatal to him.

The disorders most prevalent in Egypt are those which principally attack a bilious temperament.-Dysenteries sometimes appear; and hernia is not uncommon, which is partly attributable to a relaxation of the habit from the perpetual use of the warm bath. Instances of the leprosy, and of the horrible elephantiasis, also occur: but the distinguishing malady of the country appears to be an inflammation of the eyes. It is indeed not common, says the author, to meet a person perfectly free from this disorder.-Those who are deeply affected by it are even formed into corporations, and that of the BLIND at Cairo has sometimes revolted in such force as to make the government tremble for its existence.'

Of the manner in which the Egyptians preserve their dead, the author gives a short but interesting account :

As soon as a person is dead, the Egyptians hasten to press the different parts of the corpse, to free it from all impurities; wash it several times; shave it; pull out all the hair; stop up every aperture closely with cotton; and pour over it odoriferous waters, so that all its pores are penetrated with the perfumes of Arabia. After a profusion of these attentions to cleanliness, and marks of respect for the inanimate remains of the deceased, the corpse is committed to the earth, and deposited in the bosom of eternity. A little pillar of stone, terminated by a turban, is erected over the spot, where the head of the deceased reposes; and to this mark his friends repair every Friday, to repeat their melancholy adieus. The women never fail to pay these visits, and express their hopes and regrets in religious ejaculations: the tears of the daughter water the face of the mother, and the sighs of the mother prolong in her mind with painful remembrance the existence of the children she has lost. I say nothing of the tears of husband and wife, for in this country their relation is merely that of master and slave.

This pious expression of regard to the dead, so neglected by us in the West, is a sacred duty among the people of the East, and is no where more punctually fulfilled. The idea, that in death we must renounce every mark of affection from all who have been most dear to us, afflicts the mind, and sinks it into despondency but he, who is assured, that expressions of regret and the most tender sentiments will accompany him in the grave; that an affectionate and durable intercourse will subsist between the living and the dead; that, when his eyes are closed to the light, he will nevertheless be surrounded by those who were the objects of his regard; feeling as if his mental enjoyments would be perpetuated, and be more delicious because less distracted by other objects, will enter with courage into that species of immortality, which sensibility prepares for him."

By those who are not naturalists, it will perhaps be thought that M. Sonnini has been rather too ample in his detail of natural

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tural productions, as plants and animals: but to those who indulge in this rational pursuit, the particulars so copiously imparted by this author will be very acceptable.-Having solaced himself sufficiently in the delightful neighbourhood of Rosetta, (delightful in contrast with Alexandria,) the traveller resolved to put in execution his design of passing through the desart to Cairo, and returning thence by the Nile. Of the danger of this expedition he had been apprised, and the most earnest solicitations of his friends had been employed to dissuade him from so hazardous an undertaking: but he was not to be deterred; and accordingly, on the 29th of December, having hired mules for his people (they were five in all-three Europeans and two Egyptian servants-besides himself) and a camel for their luggage, he departed from Rosetta, guarded by a Janissary, who was ordered by the Consul to escort him to Aboukir. Here, at the instance of his friend the Drogman of Aboukir, (a Jew,) he engaged a chief of Arab Bedouins, of whom there was a camp near Aboukir, to provide him with a horse' and four camels for crossing the desart, and to accompany him as a guide and guard.-Of the camels, and their manner of travelling, he gives some remarkable particulars :

"With qualities of high general utility, these valuable animals possess a great degree of instinct and intelligence. They are said, indeed, to be extremely sensible of injustice and ill-treatment. The Arabs assert, that, if a person strike them without cause, he will not find it easy to escape their vengeance; and that they will retain the remembrance of it, till an opportunity offer for gratifying their revenge, having in this point a striking similarity of character with their masters. They are the least patient in rutting time. At this season they frequently emit a kind of hoarse lowing, a strong rattling in the throat, and push out of their throat a reddish bladder, as large as a hog's, and of a disgusting appearance. It is said, that in their fits of rage they sometimes take up a man in their teeth, throw him on the ground, and trample him under their feet. Eager to revenge themselves, they no longer retain any rancour, when once they are satisfied: and it is even sufficient, if they believe they have satisfied their vengeance. Accordingly, when an Arab has excited the rage of a camel, he lays down his garments in some place near which the animal will pass, and disposes them in such a manner, that they appear to cover a man sleeping under them. The camel knows the garments of him, by whom he has been treated with injustice; seizes them in his teeth; shakes them with violence; and tramples on them in a rage. When his anger is appeased, he leaves them, and then the owner of the dress may make his appearance without fear, load and guide wherever he pleases the animal, who submits with astonishing docility to the will of a man, whom before it was his wish to destroy.

124 Hunter's Translation of Sonnini's Travels in Egypt.

rage.

I have sometimes seen hadjins, or dromedaries, weary of the im patience of their riders, stop short, turn round their long neck to bite In these circumstances the rider must them, and utter cries of be careful not to alight, as he would infallibly be torn to pieces: he must also refrain from striking his beast, which would only increase his fury. Nothing can be done but to have patience, and appease the animal by patting him with the hand, which frequently requires some time, when he will resume his way and his pace of himself. The pace of these dromedaries is a very long trot, during which they carry the head high, and the tail stretched out stiff in a horizontal position. The saddle, or rather pack-saddle, on which the rider sits, is hollowed in the middle, and has at each saddle-bow a round piece of wood, placed vertically, which he grasps firmly with each hand, to keep Some of these saddles are more simple, not so himself in his seat.. well stuffed, and less convenient, than those of the Arabs; and the handles at the saddle-bows are horizontal. These are brought from Sennaar, the capital of Nubia. A long pocket on each side, to hold provision for the rider and his beast; a skin of water for the rider alone, as the dromedary can travel a week without drinking; with a leather thong in the hand, to serve as a whip; are the whole of the traveller's equipage: and thus equipped he may cross the deserts, travelling fifty, nay fourscore leagues a day. This mode of travelling is fatiguing to excess: the loins are broken [bruised] by the rough and quick shaking of the dromedary's pace; the hands are soon galled, and very painful; and the burning air, which you divide with rapi dity, impedes the breath, so as almost to induce suffocation.'

Leaving Rosetta, the first station made by the party was the Arab or Bedouin camp; whence M. Sonnini had engaged his guide. The most singular trait which he gives of this tribe is a tradition, universally cherished among them, that they are descended from European and Christian ancestors; who, voy aging near the coast of Egypt, were wrecked, plundered, and thus driven to the necessity of living in the desert.-Of the pretended Christianity of their progenitors, all that remains to their descendants is a blind reverence for the cross; the form of which they are accustomed to imitate with their fingers, or trace in the sand.

When the author had nearly reached the Copht monastery of Zaidi el Baramous, situated in the desert about fourteen Teagues from its entrance, he and his company were surprized by a party of an hundred Arabs; and while their guide was ab seut, soliciting admission into the monastery, they were plun dered even of their clothes. On the return, however, of Hussein the guide, who was himself occasionally a robber, and whom the Arabs knew to be a man of resolution and influence, he compelled them, by a warm and animated remonstrance, to Cophts are Egyptian Christians.

restore

restore the booty.-The detail of this adventure is highly descriptive of the principles and habits of these plundering hordes.

After having escaped thus narrowly out of the hands of the Arabs, the traveller and his party, with great difficulty, obtained admission into the convent. The account which he gives of the gross ignorance, the disgusting filth, the savage manners, and the shameless extortion of these Christians of the desert, will raise surprize and indignation even in those who think worst of monastic institutions. M. Sonnini gives the following account of the parting scene between him and the principal of the convent :

Preparing to quit these vile hosts, I proposed to make them a present, in return for the unpleasant abode we had found among them; and soon perceived, that I had to deal with men more dangerous than the Bedouins, who, frank and generous in their friendship, display a sort of honour even in their robberies. The superior told me, that he was willing I should bestow something in the first place on the monastery, secondly on the embellishment of the chapel, thirdly on the poor, and lastly on himself. Having listened patiently to this long catalogue of wants, I had some curiosity to know at what they were estimated, and asked how large a sum would be sufficient for these several purposes. After a few moments calculation, the monk answered, that, as the convent wanted white-washing all-over, he supposed the whole would require five or six hundred sequins. This was a trifle, to be sure, for five days lodging and board on lentil bread and lentils and water. However, I made him an offer in my turn. The contents of my purse, in passing through the hands of the Arabs, had been considerably diminished; and the payment of what I had agreed to give Hussein, reduced the remainder to six sequins, which I of fered to the superior. His calculation and mine were tolerably wide of each other; and in consequence the monk fell into a passion, which it would not be easy to describe. He loaded me with invectives, protested he would accept nothing, and swore by the saints of his church, that I should soon repent what he called my ingratitude. The wretch dared to invoke the justice of Heaven, on which he founded his sacrilegious hopes, and which, he said, would not fail soon to send him some Arabs, to whom he would give intelligence of my route, and whom he would commission to be his avengers. At this I could no longer keep my temper, and I should have beaten out the rascal's brains on the spot, if the Bedouins, who were come for me, had not conveyed him out of my reach..

At length I had quitted this infernal abode, and was going to mount the ass designed for my riding, when the old monk sent to intreat me to give him the six sequins I had offered him. The Arab sheick having undertaken to deliver the message, on his account I gave them to the monk and immediately we saw the wretch putting P his prayers to that Heaven, the vengeance of which he had ipwoked upon our heads but a few minutes before, to send us a prosperous journey.'

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