or GRAND CAIRO, the capital of Egypt, situated in a plain at the foot of a mountain, in E. Long. 32° 0'. N. Lat. 30° 0'. It was founded by Jawhar, a Magrebian general, in the year of the Hegira 358. He had laid the foundation of it under the horoscope of Mars; and for that reason gave his new city the name of Al Kahira, or the Victorious, an epithet applied by the Arab astronomers to that planet. In 362 it became the residence of the caliphs of Egypt, and of consequence the capital of that country, and has ever since continued to be so. It is divided into the New and Old cities. Old Cairo is on the eastern side of the river Nile, and is now almost uninhabited. The new, which is properly Cairo, is seated in a sandy plain about two miles and a half from the old city. It stands on the western side of the Nile, from which it is not three quarters of a mile distant. It is extended along the mountain on which the castle is built, for the sake of which it was removed hither, in order, as some pretend, to be under its protection. However, the change is much for the worse, as well with regard to air as water, and the pleasantness of the prospect. Bulack may be called the port of Cairo; for it stands on the bank of the Nile, about a mile and a half from it, and all the corn and other commodities are landed there before they are brought to the city. Some travellers have made Cairo of a most enormous magnitude, by taking in the old city, Bulack, and the new; the real circumference of it, however, is not above ten miles, but it is extremely populous. The first thing that strikes a traveller is the narrowness of the streets. Cairo streets, and the appearance of the houses. These are so daubed with mud on the outside, that you would think they were built with nothing else. Besides, as the streets are unpaved, and always full of people, the walking in them is very inconvenient, especially to strangers. To remedy this, there are a great number of asses, which always stand ready to be hired for a trifle, that is, a penny a mile. The owners drive them along, and give notice to the crowd to make way.

And here it may be observed, that the Christians in this, as well as other parts of the Turkish dominions, are not permitted to ride upon horses. The number of the inhabitants can only be guessed at. Volney thinks it may amount to 200,000; but some later travellers estimate it as high as 300,000 or 400,000. The houses are from one to two or three stories high, and flat at the top; where they take the air, and often sleep all night. The better sort of these have a court on the inside like a college. The common run of houses have very little room, and even among great people it is usual for 20 or 30 to lie in a small hall. Some houses will hold 300 persons of both sexes, among whom are 20 or 30 slaves; and those of ordinary rank have generally three or four.

There is a canal, called khalis, which runs along the city from one end to the other, with houses on each side, which makes a large straight street. Besides this, there are several lakes, which are called birks in the language of the country. The principal of these, which is near the castle, is 500 paces in diameter. The most elegant houses in the city are built on its banks; but what is extraordinary, eight months in the year it contains water, and the other four it appears with a charming verdure. When there is water sufficient, it is always full of gilded boats, barges, and barks, in which people of condition take their pleasure towards night, at which time there are curious fire-works, and variety of music.

New Cairo is surrounded with walls built with stone, on which are handsome battlements, and at the distance of every hundred paces there are very fine towers, which have room for a great number of people. The walls were never very high, and are in many places gone to ruin. The basha lives in the castle, which was built by Saladin 700 years ago. It stands in the middle of the famous mountain Moketan, which terminates in this place, after it had accompanied the Nile from Ethiopia hither. This castle is the only place of defence in Egypt; and yet the Turks take no notice of its falling, insomuch that in process of time it will become a heap of rubbish. The principal part in it is a magnificent hall, environed with 12 columns of granite, of a prodigious height and thickness, which sustain an open dome, under which Saladin distributed justice to his subjects. Round this dome there is an inscription in relievo, which determines the date and by whom it was built. From this place the whole city of Cairo may be seen, and above 30 miles along the Nile, with the fruitful plains that lie near it, as well as the mosques, pyramids, villages, and gardens, with which these fields are covered. These granite pillars were the work of antiquity, for they were got out of the ruins of Alexandria. There are likewise in the mosques and in the principal houses no less than 40,000 more, besides great magazines, where all kinds are to be had at very low rates. A janizary happened to find five in his garden, as large as those in the castle; but could not find any machine of strength sufficient to move them, and therefore had them sawed in pieces to make millstones. It is believed that there have been 30 or 40,000 of these pillars brought from Alexandria, where there are yet many more to be had. The gates of Cairo are three, which are very fine and magnificent.

There are about 300 public mosques in this city, some of which have six minarets. The mosque of Asher hath several buildings adjoining, which were once a famous university, and 14,000 scholars and students were maintained on the foundation; but it has now not above 1400, and those are only taught to read and write. All the mosques are built upon the same plan, and differ only in magnitude. The entrance is through the principal gate into a large square, open on the top, but well paved. Round this are covered galleries, supported by pillars, under which they say their prayers, in the shade. On one side of the square there are particular places with basins of water for the convenience of performing the ablutions enjoined by the Koran. The most remarkable part of the mosque, besides the minaret, is the dome. This is often bold, well proportioned, and of an astonishing magnitude. The inside stones are carved like lace, flowers, and melons. They are built so firm, and with such art, that they will last 600 or 700 years. About the outward circumference there are large Arabic inscriptions in relievo, which may be read by those who stand below, though they are sometimes of a wonderful height.

The khanes or caravanseras are numerous and large, with a court in the middle, like their houses. Some are several stories high, and are always full of people and merchandise. The Nubians, the Abyssinians, and other African nations, which come to Cairo, have one to themselves, where they always meet with lodging. Here they are secure from insults, and their effects are all safe. Besides these, there is a bazar, or market, where all sorts of goods are to be sold. This is in a long broad street; and yet the crowd is so great, you can hardly pass along. At the end of this street is another short one, but pretty broad, with shops full of the best sort of goods and precious merchandise. At the end of this short street there is a great khan, where all sorts of white slaves are to be sold. Farther than this is another khan, where a great number of blacks, of both sexes, are exposed to sale. Not far from the best market place is a mosque, and an hospital for mad people. They also receive and maintain sick people in this hospital, but they are poorly looked after.

Old Cairo has scarce any thing remarkable but the granaries of Joseph; which are nothing but a high wall, lately built, which includes a square spot of ground where they deposit wheat, barley, and other grain, which is a tribute to the basina, paid by the owners of land. This has no other covering but the heavens, and therefore the birds are always sure to have their share. There is likewise a tolerably handsome church, which is made use of by the Copts, who are Christians, and the original inhabitants of Egypt. Joseph's Joseph's well is in the castle, and was made by King Mohammed about 700 years ago. It is called Joseph's well, because they attribute every thing extraordinary to that remarkable person. It is cut in a rock, and is 280 feet in depth. The water is drawn up to the top by means of oxen, placed on platforms, at proper distances; which turn about the machines that raise it. The descent is so sloping, that, though there are no steps, the oxen can descend and ascend with ease.

The river Nile, to which not only Cairo, but all Egypt is so much indebted, is now known to have its rise in Abyssinia. The increase of the Nile generally begins in May, and in June they commonly proclaim about the city how much it has risen. Over against old Cairo the basha has a house, wherein the water enters to a column, which has lines at the distance of every inch, and marks at every two feet as far as 30. When the water rises to 22 feet, it is thought to be of a sufficient height; when it rises much higher, it does a great deal of mischief. There is much pomp and ceremony used in letting the water into the canal above mentioned. See Egypt.

The inhabitants of Cairo are a mixture of Moors, Turks, Jews, Greeks, and Copts or Coptis. The only difference between the habit of the Moors and Copts is their turbans; those of the Moors being white, and of the Copts white striped with blue. The common people generally wear a long black loose frock, sewed together all down before. The Jews wear a frock of the same fashion, made of cloth; and their caps are like a high-crowned hat, without brims, covered with the same cloth, but not so taper. The Jewish women's are not very unlike the men's, but more light and long. The Greeks are habited like the Turks, only their turbans differ.

Provisions of all kinds are exceedingly plenty; for 20 eggs may be bought for a parah or penny, and bread is six times as cheap as with us. They have almost all sorts of flesh and fish; and in particular have tame buffaloes which are very useful. They bring goats into the streets in great numbers to sell their milk. Their gardens are well stocked with fruit trees of various kinds, as well as roots, herbs, melons, and cucumbers. The most common flesh meat is mutton. The goats are very beautiful, and have ears two feet in length; but their flesh is in no great esteem. See further the article Egypt.