AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



c. 1580. 



strong by reason of the great antiquitie, being almost 

 halfe destroyed and ruinated. The greatnesse of this 

 Citie is such, that if it were of double habitation, as 

 it is compassed with a double wall, it might be truely 

 said, that there were two Alexandrias one builded 

 upon another, because under the foundations of the 

 saide City are great habitations, and incredible huge 

 pillers. True it is, that this part underneath remaineth 

 [II. i. 199.] at this day inhabitable, because of the corrupt aire, as 

 also for that by time, which consumeth all things, it is 

 greatly ruinated. It might well be sayd, that the founder 

 hereof, as he was worthy in all his enterprises, so likewise 

 in building hereof he did a worke worthy of himselfe, 

 naming it after his owne name. This Citie hath one 

 defect, for it is subject to an evill ayre, which onely 

 proceedeth of that hollownesse underneath, out of the 

 which issueth infinite moisture : and that this is true the 

 ayre without doth evidently testifie, which is more subtile 

 and holesome then that beneath. The waters hereof be 

 salt, by reason that the soile of it selfe is likewise so. 

 And therefore the inhabitants, at such time as the river 

 Nilus floweth, are accustomed to open a great ditch, the 

 head wherof extendeth into the said river, and from 

 thence they conveigh the same within halfe a mile of 

 Alexandria, and so consequently by meanes of conduct- 

 pipes the water commeth unto the cesternes of Alexandria, 

 which being full serve the citie from one inundation to 

 another. Within the citie is a Pyramide mentioned of 

 in Histories, but not of great importance. Without the 

 citie is La colonna di Pompeio, or the pillar of Pompey, 

 being of such height and thicknesse, that it is supposed 

 there is not the like in the whole world besides. Within 

 the citie there is nothing of importance save a litle castle 

 which is guarded with 60 Janizaries. Alexandria hath 

 three portes, one towardes Rossetto, another to the land 

 ward, & the third to the sea ward, which is called 

 Babelbar, without which appeareth a broad Hand called 

 Ghesira in the Moores tongue, which is not wholy an 



330 



