A canal runs befide it, which formerly was navigable, but, neglected by the Turks, is always dry, except during the time of the inundation. Though Giena contains no remarkable edifices, its environs well deferve the attention of travellers. They are laid out in gardens, which produce excellent oranges, dates, lemons, and exquifite melons; and the clustering trees form arbours and fhades, the convenience of which are forcibly felt under this burning fky.

Above Giena are the ruins of Cophtos (1), which city, having been built on an height, and furrounded by the waters of the Nile, was conveniently fituated for the trade of the Red Sea. Strabo (m) thus describes it: "A canal, cut from the Nile, runs to

Cophtos, which is inhabited by Egyp"tians and Arabs. Ptolemy Philadelphus

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was the first who made a road between "this city and Berenice, across the defert "without water, where he built public edi

fices, in which travellers, foot and horfe,

(1) The Arabs, having no p in their language, ufe the b, inftead, and call it Cobt.

(m) Strabo, lib. 17.

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might

"might find accommodations. The danger "of navigating the farther and narrow part "of the Red Sea occafioned him to execute

this work, the confequent advantages of "which demonftrate its utility. The pro"ductions of Arabia, India, and Ethiopia, "were foon brought over the Arabian Gulph "to Cophtos, which city is ftill the ftore"houfe of the merchants of the Eaft. They

no longer unladed at Berenice, where the "coaft is fhallow and unfafe, but at the port " of the Rat (n), which is not far diftant, "and where fhipping is kept; formerly "this road was travelled by night, on ca"mels, and travellers fteered their course, "like mariners, by obferving the ftars; they

C 2

66 were

(2) Thus called by the Greeks and Romans, becaufe it is very fmall. The Arabic name, Coffeir, fmall, preferves the meaning of its ancient title. This paffage wants explanation. Strabo places Berenice at fome distance from the port of the Rat, now Coffeir; Ptolemy and Pliny under the tropic, that is fifty leagues more to the fouth. It must therefore have been eleven or twelve days journey, at least, between Cophtos and Berenice. Strabo only calls it feven. This hiftorian, who never performed the journey, but contented himfelf with fuch information as he could obtain, at a time when the ancient road was no longer travelled, muft certainly have been deceived. Con

fult.

"were also obliged to provide themselves " with provifions and water fufficient for fix "or feven days journey; but at present they "obtain water from deep wells and cifterns "conftructed for that purpose. Mines of emeralds are found in the isthmus they "crofs, and other precious stones, which "the Arabs search after."

The riches Cophtos acquired from its Indian commerce, rendered it exceedingly flourishing; the city became celebrated, and its profperity continued till the time of Dioclefian. The inhabitants having embraced Christianity at that period, being persecuted by the Emperor, revolted; he fent an army to quell them, and their city was entirely rafed. In the time of Abulfeda, its fplendour was gone, and nothing remained but a small place built among the ruins of the former city. At prefent, the inabitants have wholly deferted it, and have retired to a village a mile distant, which they have named

fult the most learned geographers, and there can be no doubt but that Berenice was fituated on the borders of the Red Sea, and under the parallel of Syene. Father Sicard, and various other travellers, have fuppofed Coffeir was the ancient Berenice. They were mistaken.

Cobt.

Cobt. The marbles and noble fragments scattered among the fands, which cover the scite of the ancient Cophtos, atteft the barbarifm of Dioclefian. The great bafon, which was the ancient harbour, ftill fubfifts, with two bridges thrown over canals which run by its fide.

"Cous,

Cous, formerly the city of Apollo, was enriched by the deftruction of Cophtos, whofe merchants, establishing themselves there, caused commerce long to flourish, as we are informed by Abulfeda (0). "fituated on the eastern bank of the Nile, is "the largest city in Egypt, except Foftat; "and the ftorehoufe of the merchandize of “Aden, which is first brought to Coffeir, " and afterwards to Cous, by a three days journey over the desert.”

This city, as well as Cophtos, owed its rife to the commerce of India, and enjoyed great opulence while under the Arabian government; but fince the Turks have feized

(0) Abulfeda, Defcription of Egypt. In the thirteenth century, Aden was the most flourishing city of Yemen, and traded both with India and Egypt. Golius and ather writers have faid the ruins of Thebes were at Cous. This was an error.

on Egypt, and appointed a Pacha, who, with four-and-twenty Beys, prey on this fine country, Cous has undergone the fame fate as her rivals; her trade is ruined by the oppreffions of government, her glory eclipfed, and her buildings reduced to a few huts inhabited by a finall number of Copts and Arabs. Giena, which has replaced thefe two cities, retains nothing of their magnificence. Neither the advantage of fituation, nor the fertility of the neighbouring country, can preponderate against the defpotifm of Egyptian government, and the hoftile pillages of the Bedouins.

Having fpoken of thefe ancient cities, Sir, it will be neceffary to defcribe this part of Egypt, which is fo little known, yet fo interefting. Please to examine the map, and you will fee the Nile, a fugitive from the latter cataract, bending its courfe towards Lybia, in the fame direction with the mountains. Soon repelled by infurmountable obftacles, it turns eastward, and approaches the Red Sea. The interval which feparates them being only three-and-thirty leagues, which was the reafon why Strabo called it an ifthmus. At the two extremes of this

ifthmus