by the Turks called Scanderoon; a town in Syria, at the extremity of the Mediterranean sea. It is the port of Aleppo, from which it is distant 28 or 30 leagues. It is now, properly speaking, nothing else but a village, without walls, in which the tombs are more numerous than the houses, and which entirely owes its existence to the road which it commands. This is the only road, in all Syria, where vessels anchor on a solid bottom, without their cables being liable to chafe; but in other respects it has many inconveniences. It is infested, during winter, by a peculiar wind, called by the French sailors le Raguer, which, rushing from the snowy summits of the mountains, frequently forces ships to drag their anchors several leagues: And when the snow begins to cover the mountains which surround the Gulph, tempestuous winds arise which prevent vessels from entering for three or four months together. The road also to Aleppo by the plain is infested by Curd robbers, who conceal themselves in the neighbouring rocks, and frequently attack and plunder the strongest caravans. But the worst circumstance is the extreme unwholeness of the air, occasioned here by flagrant waters and mephitic exhalations. It may be affirmed, that this every year carries off one-third of the crews of the vessels which remain here during the summer; nay, ships frequently lose all their men in two months. The season for this epidemic disorder is principally from May to the end of September: it is an intermittent fever of the most malignant kind; and is accompanied with obstructions of the liver, which terminate in a dropy. To this baneful epidemic, Alexandretta, from its situation, seems to be irremediably condemned: for the plain on which the town is built is so low and flat, that the rivulets, finding no declivity, can never reach the sea. When they are swelled by the winter rains, the sea, swelled likewise by tempests, hinders their discharging themselves into it: hence their waters, forced to spread themselves, form lakes in the plain. On the approach of the summer, the waters becoming corrupted by the heat, exhale vapours equally corrupt, and which cannot disperse, being confined by the mountains that encircle the gulph. The entrance of the bay besides lies to the west, which in those countries is the most unhealthy exposure when it corresponds with the sea. The labour necessary to remedy this would be immense, and after all insufficient; and, indeed, such an undertaking would be absolutely impossible under a government like that of the Turks. A few years ago, Mr Volney informs us, the merchants of Aleppo, disgusted with the numerous inconveniences of Alexandretta, wished to abandon that port and carry the trade to Latakia. They proposed to the Pacha of Tripoli to repair the harbour at their own expense, provided he would grant them an exemption from all duties for ten years. To induce him to comply with their request, the agent they employed talked much of the advantage which would, in time, result to the whole country:

"But what signifies it to me what may happen in time," replied the Pacha? I was yesterday at Marach; tomorrow, perhaps, I shall be at Djedda: Why should I deprive myself of present advantages, which are certain, for future benefits I cannot hope to partake?"

The European factors were obliged therefore to remain at Skandaroon. There are three of these factors, two for the French, and one for the English and Venetians. The only curiosity which they have to amuse strangers with consists in six or seven marble monuments, sent from England, on which you read: Here lies such a one, carried off in the flower of his age, by the fatal effects of a contagious air. The sight of these is the more distressing, as the languid air, yellow complexion, livid eyes, and drooping bellies of those who show them, make it but too probable they cannot long escape the same fate. It is true, they have some resource in the village of Bailan, the pure air and excellent waters of which surprizingly restore the sick. The Aga, for some years past, has applied the duties of the custom-house of Alexandretta to his own use, and rendered himself almost independent of the Pacha of Aleppo. The Turkish empire is full of such rebels, who frequently die in peaceable possession of their usurpations.

Alexandria, now Scanderia, by Athenaeus called Σκάνδαρια; a city of Lower Egypt, and for a long time its capital. This city was built by Alexander the Great, soon after the overthrow of Tyre, about 333 years before Christ. It is situated on the Mediterranean, twelve miles west of that mouth of the Nile anciently called Canopicum; and lies in E. Long. 30° 19'. N. Lat. 31° 10'.

Alexander is said to have been induced to build this city, on account of its being conveniently situated for a fine port; and so sudden was his resolution, that after he had directed where every public structure was to be placed, fixed the number of temples, and the deities to whom they should be dedicated, &c. there were no instruments at hand proper for marking out the walls, according to the custom of those times. Upon this, a workman advised the king to collect what meal was among the soldiers, and to fit it in lines upon the ground, whereby the circuit of the walls would be sufficiently marked out. This advice was followed; Alexandria, and the new method of marking out the walls was, by Arrianander, the king's soothsayer, interpreted as a prelude of the city's abounding with all the necessaries of life. Nor was he deceived in his prediction; for Alexandria soon became the staple, not only for merchandise, but also for all the arts and sciences of the Greeks.

Alexandria was a league and a half long, by one-third in breadth, which made the circumference of its walls about four leagues. Lake Mareotis bathed its walls on the south, and the Mediterranean on the north. It was intersected lengthwise by straight parallel streets. This direction left a free passage to the northerly wind, which alone conveys coolness and salubrity into Egypt. A street of 200 feet wide began at the gate of the sea, and terminated at the gate of Canopus. It was decorated by magnificent houses, by temples, and by public buildings. In this extensive range, the eye was never tired with admiring the marble, the porphyry, and the obelisks, which were destined for some future day to embellish Rome and Constantinople. This street, the handsomest in the universe, was intersected by another of the same breadth, which formed a square at their junction of half a league in circumference. From the middle of this great place, the two gates were to be seen at once, and vessels arriving under full sail from the north and from the south.

A mole of a mile in length stretched from the continent to the island of Pharos, and divided the great harbour into two. That which is to the northward preserved its name. A dyke drawn from the island to the rock whereon was built the Pharos, secured it from the westerly winds. The other was called Eurostus, or the Safe Return. The former is called the prefect's new, the latter the old harbour; a bridge that joins the mole to the city, served for a communication between them. It was raised on lofty pillars sunk into the sea, and left a free passage for ships. The palace, which advanced beyond the promontory of Lochias, extended as far as the dyke, and occupied more than a quarter of the city. Each of the Ptolemies added to its magnificence. It contained within its inclosure, the museum, an asylum for learned men, groves, and buildings worthy of royal majesty, and a temple where the body of Alexander was deposited in a golden coffin. The infamous Seleucus Cilician violated this monument, carried off the golden coffin, and put a glass one in its place. In the great harbour was the little island of Anti-Rhodes, where stood a theatre, and a royal place of residence. Within the harbour of Eurostus was a smaller one, called Kibotos, dug by the hand of man, which communicated with Lake Mareotis by a canal. Between this canal and the palace was the admirable temple of Serapis, and that of Neptune near the great place where the market was held. Alexandria extended likewise along the southern banks of the lake. Its eastern part presented to view the gymnasium, with its porticoes of more than 600 feet long, supported by several rows of marble pillars. Without the gate of Canopus was a spacious circus for the chariot races. Beyond that, the suburb of Nicopolis ran along the seashore, and seemed a second Alexandria. A superb amphitheatre was built there with a race-ground, for the celebration of the quinquennalia.

Such is the description left us of Alexandria by the ancients, and above all by Strabo.

The architect employed by Alexander in this undertaking was the celebrated Dinoerates, who had acquired so much reputation by rebuilding the temple of Diana at Ephesus. The city was first rendered populous by Ptolemy Soter, one of Alexander's captains, who, after the death of the Macedonian monarch, being appointed governor of Egypt, soon assumed the title of king, and took up his residence at Alexandria, about 304 years before Christ.

In the 30th year of Ptolemy Soter's reign, he took his son Ptolemy Philadelphus partner with him in the empire; and by this prince the city of Alexandria was much embellished. In the first year of his reign the famous watch-tower of Pharos was finished. It had been begun several years before by Ptolemy Soter; and, when finished, was looked upon as one of the wonders of the world. The same year, the island of Pharos itself, originally seven furlongs distant from the continent, was joined to it by a causeway. This was the work of Dexiphanes, who completed it at the same time that his son put the last hand to the tower. The tower was a large square structure of white marble; on the top of which fires were kept constantly burning, for the direction of sailors. The building cost 800 talents; which, if Attic, amounted to £165,000; if Alexandrian, to twice that sum.

The architect employed in this famous structure fell upon the following contrivance to usurp the whole glory to himself.—Being ordered to engrave upon it the following inscription, "King PTOLEMY to the Gods the Saviours, for the benefit of Sailors;" instead of the king's name he substituted his own, and then filling up the hollow of the marble with mortar, wrote upon it the above mentioned inscription. In process of time, the mortar being wore off, the following inscription appeared: "SOSTRATUS the Cnidian, the son of Dexiphanes, to the Gods the Saviours, for the benefit of Sailors."

This year also was remarkable for the bringing of the image of Serapis from Pontus to Alexandria. It was set up in one of the suburbs of the city called Rhacotis, where a temple was afterwards erected to his honour, suitable to the greatness of that stately metropolis, and called, from the god worshipped there, Serapeum. This structure, according to Ammianus Marcellinus, surpassed in beauty and magnificence all others in the world, except the capitol at Rome. Within the verge of this temple was the famous Alexandrian library. It was founded by Ptolemy Soter, for the use of an academy he instituted in this city; and, by continual additions by his successors, became at last the finest library in the world, containing no fewer than 700,000 volumes. The method followed in collecting books for this library, was, to seize all those which were brought into Egypt by Greeks or other foreigners. The books were transcribed in the museum by persons appointed for that purpose; the copies were then delivered to the proprietors, and the originals laid up in the library. Ptolemy Euergetes, having borrowed from the Athenians the works of Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus, returned them only the copies, which he caused to be transcribed in as beautiful a manner as possible; presenting the Athenians at the same time with fifteen talents (upwards of £300 Sterling) for the exchange. As the museum was at first in that quarter of the city called Bruchion, near the royal palace, the library was placed there likewise; but when it came to contain 400,000 volumes, another library, within the Serapeum, was erected by way of supplement to it, and on that account called the daughter of the former. In this second library 300,000 volumes, in process of time, were deposited; and the two together contained the 700,000 volumes already mentioned. In the war carried on by Julius Caesar against the inhabitants of this city, the library in the Bruchion, with the 400,000 volumes it contained, was reduced to ashes. The library in the Serapeum, however, still remained; and here Cleopatra deposited 200,000 volumes of the Pergamene library, which Marc Antony presented her with. These, and others added from time to time, rendered the new library at Alexandria more numerous and considerable than the former; and though it was often plundered during the revolutions and troubles of the Roman empire, yet it was again and again repaired, and filled with the same number of books.

For 293 years Alexandria was held in subjection by the Ptolemies. Here is a list of these princes, with the dates of their respective reigns:

Ptolemy the son of Lagus, named Soter, reigned 39 years, and died in the year of the world 3720. Ptolemy Philadelphus reigned 30 years, and died in 3758. Ptolemy Euergetes reigned 25 years, and died in 3783. Ptolemy Philopator reigned 17 years, and died in 3800. Ptolemy Epiphanes reigned 24 years, and died in 3824. Ptolemy Philometor reigned 37 years, and died in 3861. Ptolemy Euergetes, or Physicon, reigned 53 years, part with his brother Philometer and part alone. He died in 3888. Ptolemy Lathyrus reigned 36 years six months. He died in 3923. Cleopatra, the daughter of Lathyrus and wife of Alexander I., reigned six months. Alexander I., the nephew of Lathyrus, was established in 3924 and died in 3943. Alexander II., the son of Alexander I., was dethroned by the Alexandrians in 3939. Ptolemy Nothus, or Auletes, the son of Lathyrus, reigned 13 years, and died in 3953. Ptolemy, named Dionysius or Bacchus, reigned three years eight months, and died in 3957. Cleopatra reigned from 3957, and killed herself in 3974.

This city, as we have already observed, soon became extremely populous, and was embellished both by its own princes and the Romans; but, like most other noted cities of antiquity, hath been the seat of terrible massacres. About 141 years before Christ, it was almost totally depopulated by Ptolemy Physicon. That barbarous monster, without the least provocation, gave free liberty to his guards to plunder his metropolis and murder the inhabitants at their pleasure. The cruelties practised on this occasion cannot be expressed; and the few who escaped were so terrified that they fled into other countries. Upon this, Physicon, that he might not reign over empty housetops, invited thither strangers from the neighbouring countries; by whom the city was repeopled, and soon recovered its former splendor. On this occasion many learned men having been obliged to fly, proved the means of reviving learning in Greece, Asia Minor, the islands of the Archipelago, and other places, where it was almost totally lost.

The new inhabitants were not treated with much kindness by Physicon than the old ones had been; for, on their complaining of his tyrannical behaviour, he resolved on a general massacre of the young men. Accordingly, when they were one day assembled in the gymnasium, or place of their public exercises, he ordered it to be set on fire; so that they all perished, either in the flames, or by the swords of his mercenaries, whom the tyrant had placed at all the avenues.

Though Julius Caesar was obliged to carry on a war for some time against this city, it seems not to have suffered much damage, except the burning of the library already mentioned. Before Caesar left Alexandria, in acknowledgment of the assistance he had received from the Jews, he confirmed all their privileges there, and even engraved his decree on a pillar of brass. This, however, did not prevent the massacre of 50,000 of them in this city about the year of Christ 67.

The city of Alexandria seems to have fallen into decay soon after this, and to have forfeited many of its ancient privileges, tho' for what offence is not known; but when Adrian visited Egypt, about the year 141, it was almost totally ruined. He repaired both the public and private buildings, not only restoring the inhabitants to their ancient privileges, but heaping new favours upon them; for which they returned him their solemn thanks, and conferred upon him what honours they could while he was present; but as soon as he was gone, they published the most bitter and virulent lampoons against him.

The fickle and satirical humour of the Alexandrians was highly disliked by Adrian, though he inflicted no punishment upon them for it; but when they lampooned Caracalla, he did not let them escape so easily. That tyrant, in the year 215, when he visited their city, having become the subject of their foolish satires, ordered a general massacre by his numerous troops, who were dispersed all over the city. The inhuman orders being given, all were murdered, without distinction of age or sex; so that in one night's time the whole city floated in blood, and every house was filled with carcasses. The monster who occasioned this had retired during the night to the temple of Serapis, to implore the protection of that deity; and, not yet satiated with slaughter, commanded the massacre to be continued all the next day; so that very few of the inhabitants remained. As if even this had not been sufficient, he stripped the city of all its ancient privileges; suppressed the academy; ordered all strangers who lived there to depart; and that the few who remained might not have the satisfaction of seeing one another, he cut off all communication of one street with another, by walls built for that purpose, and guarded by troops left there.

Notwithstanding this terrible dilapidation, Alexandria soon recovered its former splendor, as Caracalla was murdered a short time after. It was long esteemed the first city in the world, next to Rome; and we may judge of its magnificence, and the multitude of people contained in it, from the account of Diodorus Siculus, who relates, that in his time (44 years before Christ) Alexandria had on its rolls 300,000 freemen. Towards the middle of the fifth century, Amrou Ibn el Aas, Omar's general, took it by storm, after a siege of Alexandria, of 14 months, and with the loss of 23,000 men, Heraclius, then emperor of Constantinople, did not send a single ship to its assistance. This prince affords an example very rare in history; he had displayed some vigour in the first year of his reign, and then suffered himself to be lulled into idleness and effeminacy. Awakened suddenly from his lethargy by the noise of the conquests of Cosroes, that scourge of the east, he put himself at the head of his armies, distinguished himself as a great captain from his very first campaign, laid waste Persia for seven years, and returned to his capital covered with laurels: he then became a theologian on the throne, lost all his energy, and amused himself the rest of his life with disputing upon Monotheism, whilst the Arabs were robbing him of the finest provinces of his empire. Deaf to the cries of the unfortunate inhabitants of Alexandria, as he had been to those of the people of Jerusalem, who defended themselves for two years, he left them a sacrifice to the fortunate ascendant of the indefatigable Amrou. All their intrepid youth perished with their arms in their hands.

The victor, astonished at his conquest, wrote to the caliph, "I have taken the city of the west. It is of an immense extent. I cannot describe to you how many wonders it contains. There are 4000 palaces, 4000 baths, 12,000 dealers in fresh oil, 12,000 gardeners, 40,000 Jews who pay tribute, 400 comedians," &c.

At this time, according to the Arabian historians, Alexandria consisted of three cities, viz. Mena, or the port, which included Pharos, and the neighbouring parts; Alexandria, properly so called, where the modern Scanderia now stands; and Nekila, probably the Necropolis of Josephus and Strabo.

At that time John, surnamed the grammarian, a famous Peripatetic philosopher, being in the city, and in high favour with Amrou Ibn al Aas the Saracen general begged of him the royal library. Amrou replied, that it was not in his power to grant such a request; but that he would write to the khalif on that head; since, without knowing his pleasure, he dared not to dispose of a single book. He accordingly wrote to Omar, who was then khalif, acquainting him with the request of his friend: To which the ignorant tyrant replied, That if those books contained the same doctrine with the Koran, they could be of no use, since the Koran contained all necessary truths; but if they contained anything contrary to that book, they ought not to be suffered; and therefore, whatever their contents were, he ordered them to be destroyed. Pursuant to this order, they were distributed among the public baths; where, for the space of six months, they served to supply the fires of those places, of which there was an incredible number in Alexandria.

After the city was taken, Amrou thought proper to pursue the Greeks who had fled farther up the country; and therefore marched out of Alexandria, leaving but a very slender garrison in the place. The Greeks, who had before fled on board their ships, being apprised of this, returned on a sudden, surprised the town, and put all the Arabs they found therein to the sword; but Amrou, receiving advice of what had happened, suddenly returned, and drove them out of it with great slaughter; after which the Greeks were so intimidated, that he had nothing farther to fear from them.—A few Alexandria years after, however, Amrou being deprived of his government by the khalif Othman, the Egyptians were so much displeased with his deposition that they inclined to a revolt; and Constantine the Greek emperor, having received intelligence of their disaffection, began to meditate the reduction of Alexandria. For this purpose, he sent one Manuel, an eunuch, and his general, with a powerful army, to retake that place; which, by the affluence of the Greeks in the city, who kept a secret correspondence with the imperial forces while at sea, and joined them as soon as they had made a descent, he effected, without any considerable effusion of Christian blood. The khalif, now perceiving his mistake, immediately restored Amrou to his former dignity. This step was very agreeable to the natives; who having had experience of the military skill and bravery of this renowned general, and apprehending that they should be called to an account by the Greeks for their former perfidious conduct, had petitioned Othman to send him again into Egypt.—Upon Amrou's arrival, therefore, at Alexandria, the Copts or natives, with the traitor Al-Mokawkas (who had formerly betrayed to Amrou the forts of Mebr) at their head, not only joined him, but supplied him with all kinds of provisions, exciting him to attack the Greeks without delay. This he did; and, after a most obstinate dispute which lasted several days, drove them into the town, where, for some time, they defended themselves with great bravery, and repelled the utmost efforts of the besiegers. This so exasperated Amrou, that he swore, "If God enabled him to conquer the Greeks, he would throw down the walls of the city, and make it as easy of access as a hawdy-house, which lies open to everybody." Nor did he fail to execute this menace; for having taken the town by storm, he quite dismantled it, entirely demolishing the walls and fortifications. The lives of the citizens, however, were spared, at least as far as lay in the general's power; but many of them were put to the sword by the soldiers on their first entrance. In one quarter particularly, Amrou found them butchering the Alexandrians with unrelenting barbarity; to which, however, by his reasonable interposition, he put a stop, and on that spot erected a mosque, which he called the mosque of mercy.

From this time Alexandria never recovered its former splendour. It continued under the dominion of the khalifs till the year 924, when it was taken by the Magreblans, two years after its great church had been destroyed by fire. This church was called by the Arabs Al Katsaria, or Catechee; and had formerly been a pagan temple, erected in honour of Saturn by the famous queen Cleopatra.

The city was soon after abandoned by the Magreblans; but in 928 they again made themselves masters of it; their fleet being afterwards defeated by that belonging to the khalif, Abul Kafem the Magrebian general retired from Alexandria, leaving there only a garrison of 300 men; of which Thamal, the khalif's admiral, being apprised, he in a few days appeared before the town, and carried off the remainder of the inhabitants to an island in the Nile called Abukair. This was done, to prevent Abul Kafem from meeting with any entertainment at Alexandria, in case he should think proper to return. According to Eutychius, above What contributed to raise Alexandria to such a prodigious height of splendor as it enjoyed for a long time, was its being the centre of commerce between the eastern and western parts of the world. It was with the view of becoming master of this lucrative trade, that Alexander built this city, after having extirpated the Tyrians, who formerly engrossed all the East-India traffic. Of the immense riches which that trade afforded, we may form an idea, from considering that the Romans accounted it a point of policy to oppress the Egyptians, especially the Alexandrians; and after the defeat of Zenobia, there was a single merchant of Alexandria who undertook to raise and pay an army out of the profits of his trade. The Greek emperors drew prodigious tributes from Egypt, and yet the khalifs found their subjects in so good circumstances as to screw up their revenues to three hundred millions of crowns.

Though the revolutions which happened in the government of Egypt, after it fell into the hands of the Mahometans, frequently affected this city to a very great degree; yet still the excellence of its port, and the innumerable conveniences resulting from the East-India trade, to whomsoever were masters of Egypt, preferred Alexandria from total destruction, even when in the hands of the most barbarous nations. Thus, in the 13th century, when the barbarism introduced by the Goths, &c., began to wear off from the European nations, and they acquired a taste for the elegancies of life, the old mart of Alexandria began to revive; and the port, though far from recovering its former magnificence, grew once more famous by becoming the centre of commerce: but having fallen under the dominion of the Turks, and the passage round the Cape of Good Hope being discovered by the Portuguese in 1499, a fatal blow was given to the Alexandrian commerce, and the city has since fallen into decay.

At present, the city of Alexandria is reckoned to have about 14,000 or 15,000 inhabitants; a strange conglomeration of different nations, as well as from various parts of the Turkish empire. They are in general given to thieving and cheating; and (like their predecessors) seditious above all others, were they not kept in awe by the severity of their government. The British and French carry on a considerable commerce with them, and have each a consul residing here. Some Venetian ships also sail thither yearly, but with French colours, and under the protection of France. The subjects of those kingdoms which keep no consul here, are subjected to a tax by the Grand Signior; but the Jews have found out a method of indemnifying themselves for this disadvantage; namely, by selling their commodities cheaper than other foreigners can afford. They are also favored by the farmers of the revenue; who know, that if they do not pay some private regard to them, the Jews have it in their power to cause fewer merchandizes come into their port during the two years that their farms lasts.

The present city is a kind of peninsula situated between the two ports. That to the westward was called by the ancients the Portus Ptolemaeum, now the Old Port, and is by far the best; Turkish vessels only are allowed to anchor there: the other, called the New Port, is for the Christians; at the extremity of one of the arms of which stood the famous Pharos. The New Port, Below are magnificent casemates, which may serve for galleries to walk in. In the lower part of the towers is a large square hall, whose roof is supported by thick columns of Thebaic stone. Above this are several rooms, over which there are platforms more than 20 paces square. The ancient reservoirs, vaulted with so much art, which extend under the whole town, are almost entire at the end of 2000 years.

Of Caesar's palace there remain only a few porphyry pillars, and the front, which is almost entire, and looks very beautiful. The palace of Cleopatra was built upon the walls facing the port, having a gallery on the outside, supported by several fine columns. Not far from this palace are two obelisks vulgarly called Cleopatra's Needles. They are of Thebaic stone, and covered with hieroglyphics. One is overturned, broken, and lying under the sand; the other is on its pedestal. These two obelisks, each of them of a single stone, are about 60 feet high, by seven foot square at the base. Towards the gate of Rofetta, are five columns of marble on the place formerly occupied by the porticoes of the Gymnasium. The rest of the colonnade, the design of which was discoverable 100 years ago by Mallett, has since been destroyed by the barbarism of the Turks.

But what most engages the attention of travellers is the Pillar of Pompey, as it is commonly called, situated at a quarter of a league from the southern gate. It is composed of red granite. The capital is Corinthian, with palm leaves, and not indented. It is nine feet high. The shaft and the upper member of the base are of one piece of 90 feet long, and 9 in diameter. The base is a square of about 15 feet on each side. This block of marble, 60 feet in circumference, rests on two layers of stone bound together with lead; which, however, has not prevented the Arabs from forcing out several of them, to search for an imaginary treasure. The whole column is 114 feet high. It is perfectly well polished, and only a little shivered on the eastern side. Nothing can equal the majesty of this monument; seen from a distance, it overtops the town, and serves as a signal for vessels. Approaching it nearer, it produces an astonishment mixed with awe. One can never be tired with admiring the beauty of the capital, the length of the shaft, nor the extraordinary simplicity of the pedestal. This last has been somewhat damaged by the instruments of travellers, who are curious to possess a relic of this antiquity; and one of the volutes of the column was immaturely brought down about twelve years ago, by a prank of some English captains, which is thus related by Mr Irwin.

These jolly sons of Neptune had been pushing about the can on board one of the ships in the harbour, until a strange freak entered into one of their brains. The eccentricity of the thought occasioned it immediately to be adopted; and its apparent impossibility was but a spur for the putting it into execution. The boat was ordered; and with proper implements for the attempt, these enterprising heroes pushed afloat, to drink a bowl of punch on the top of Pompey's pillar! At the spot they arrived; and many contrivances were proposed to accomplish the desired point. But their labour was vain; and they began to despair of success, when the genius who struck out the frolic happily figured the means of performing it. A man was dispatched to the city for a paper kite. The inhabitants were by this time apprized of what was going forward, and flocked in crowds to be witnesses of the address and boldness of the English. The governor of Alexandria was told that these seamen were about to pull down Pompey's pillar. But whether he gave them credit for their respect to the Roman warrior, or to the Turkish government, he left them to themselves; and politely answered, that the English were too great patriots to injure the remains of Pompey. He knew little, however, of the disposition of the people who were engaged in this undertaking. Had the Turkish empire rose in opposition, it would not perhaps at that moment have deterred them. The kite was brought, and flown so directly over the pillar, that when it fell on the other side, the string lodged upon the capital. The chief obstacle was now overcome. A two-inch rope was tied to one end of the string, and drawn over the pillar by the end to which the kite was affixed. By this rope one of the seamen ascended to the top; and in less than an hour, a kind of shroud was constructed, by which the whole company went up, and drank their punch amid the shouts of the astonished multitude. To the eye below, the capital of the pillar does not appear capable of holding more than one man upon it; but our seamen found it could contain no less than eight persons very conveniently. It is astonishing that no accident befell these madcaps, in a situation so elevated, that would have turned a landman giddy in his sober senses. The only detriment which the pillar received, was the loss of the volute before-mentioned; which came down with a thundering sound, and was carried to England by one of the captains, as a present to a lady who commissioned him for a piece of the pillar. The discovery which they made amply compensated for this mischief; as without their evidence, the world would not have known at this hour, that there was originally a statue on this pillar, one foot and ankle of which are still remaining. The statue must have been of a gigantic size, to have appeared of a man's proportion at so great an height.

There are circumstances in this story which might give it an air of fiction, were it not demonstrated beyond all doubt. Besides the testimonies of many eyewitnesses, the adventurers themselves have left us a token of the fact, by the initials of their names, which are very legible in black paint just beneath the capital.

Learned men and travellers have made many fruitless attempts to discover in honour of what prince it was erected. The best informed have concluded, that it could not be in honour of Pompey, since neither Strabo nor Diodorus Siculus have spoken of it. The Arabian Abulfeda, in his description of Egypt, calls it the Pillar of Severus. And history informs us, that this emperor visited the city of Alexandria: That he granted a senate to its inhabitants, who until that time, under the subjection of a single Roman magistrate, had lived without any national council, as under the reign of the Ptolemies, when the will of the prince was their only law: That he did not confine his benefactions there; he changed several laws in their favour." This column, therefore, Mr Savary concludes to have been erected by the inhabitants as a mark of their gratitude to Severus. And in a Greek inscription, Alexandria, now half effaced, but visible on the west side when the sun shines upon it, and which probably was legible in the time of Abulfeda, he supposes the name of Severus to have been preserved. He further observes, that this was not the only monument erected to him by the gratitude of the Alexandrians; for there is still seen in the midst of the ruins of Antinoe, built by Adrian, a magnificent pillar, the inscription on which is still remaining, dedicated to Alexander Severus.

On the south-west side of the city, at a mile's distance, are situated the catacombs, the ancient burial-place of Alexandria; and although they cannot be compared to those of the ancient Memphis, which the Arabs will not permit to be visited, in order to make the better market of their mummies, it is probable that, the method of embalming being the same, the form of these catacombs can only differ in their proportions.—The Baron de Tott, in describing these, observes, "that Nature not having furnished this part of Egypt with a ridge of rocks, like that which runs parallel with the Nile above Delta, the ancient inhabitants of Alexandria could only have an imitation by digging into a bed of solid rock; and thus they formed Necropolis, or 'City of the Dead.' The excavation is from 30 to 40 feet wide, and 200 long and 25 deep, and is terminated by gentle declivities at each end. The two sides, cut perpendicularly, contain several openings, about 10 or 12 feet in width and height, hollowed horizontally; and which form, by their different branches, subterranean streets. One of these, which curiosity has disencumbered from the ruins and sands that render the entrance of others difficult or impossible, contains no mummies, but only the places they occupied. The order in which they were ranged is still to be seen. Niches, 20 inches square, sunk six feet horizontally, narrowed at the bottom, and separated from each other by partitions in the rock, seven or eight inches thick, divide into checkers the two walls of this subterranean vault. It is natural to suppose, from this disposition, that each mummy was introduced with the feet foremost into the cell intended for its reception; and that new streets were opened, in proportion as these dead inhabitants of Necropolis increased." This observation, he adds, which throws a light on the catacombs of Memphis, may perhaps likewise explain the vast size and multitude, as well as the different elevations, of the pyramids in the Higher and Lower Egypt.

About 70 paces from Pompey's pillar is the khalis, or the canal of the Nile, which was dug by the ancient Egyptians, to convey the water of the Nile to Alexandria, and fill the cisterns under the city. On the side of the khalis are gardens full of orange and lemon trees, and the fields are full of caper and palm trees. On the top of a hill is a tower, on which a sentinel is always placed, to give notice, by means of a flag, of the ships that are coming into the port. From this hill may be seen the sea, the whole extent of the city, and the parts round it.

In going along the sea-coast, there is a large bafon cut out of the rock that lines the shore. On the sides of this bafon, two beautiful saloons are hewn out by the chisel, with benches that run across them. A canal made zig-zag, for the purpose of stopping the sand by its different windings, conveys into them the water of the sea, as pure and transparent as crystal. Alexandria, seated on the stone bench, the water rises a little above the waist; while the feet softly repose on a fine sand. The waves of the sea are heard roaring against the rock, and foaming in the canal. The swell enters, raises you up, and leaves you; and thus alternately entering and retiring, brings a continual fresh supply of water, and a coolness which is truly delicious under a burning sky. This place is vulgarly called the Bath of Cleopatra. Some ruins announce that it was formerly ornamented.

Alexandria is about 50 leagues north of Cairo. E. Long. 31° 15'. N. Lat. 31° 12'.