8 EAMLEH. 



ranean, bathing the eastern side of the Old Town, which 

 extends on a narrow neck of land out to the Pharos rock. 



At the Station we quit our donkeys and go by rail to 

 Ramleh, to visit our Consul Colonel Stanley, who, after a most 

 hospitable reception, gives us some useful information about 

 the best snipe-grounds in the Delta, which proves of much 

 service to us in the course of our tour. Ramleh is a charming 

 place, consisting of a number of small country residences 

 occupied by Europeans who have business in Alexandria, 

 which can be reached in a few minutes by train. Here 

 reside all who can avail themselves of the healthy situation 

 (with a fine sea-breeze), instead of remaining pent up in the 

 dull and, at times, strong-smelHng and unwholesome town ; 

 for certainly Egypt to the new comer puts forth its most un- 

 pleasant aspect in the Europeanized town of Alexandria. At 

 Ramleh the Khedive had a palace, which was burnt down 

 when just finished, in the spring of 1870; when asked what 

 should be done, his reply was "Rebuild it; " and they are 

 now at work fulfilling his orders. 



Between Ramleh and Alexandria, the land, for the most 

 part, lies waste and barren. Here some Roman fortifications 

 are still to be traced, and numerous ancient graves, which 

 have long since been rifled in search of antiquities. By the 

 edge of the sea, and just below the water, may be seen 

 tombs excavated in the rock, which has all the appearance of 

 an ancient limestone formation, but which is evidently 

 a recent deposit; for the bones which have been washed 

 from the graves form portion of the matrix. At first sight 

 such a formation may appear uninteresting, as it only con- 

 tains bones from the neighbouring tombs (known as Cleo- 

 patra's Baths) ; but it really opens another page in the history 



