POilPEY'S PILLAE. 9 



of Egypt, and is one of the few proofs possessed by us that 

 the Delta has sunk within historic times ; for it is self-evident 

 that graves could never have been dug below the sea-level ; 

 and that these square excavations, lined with human bones 

 now cemented by nature into a solid limestone rock, were 

 once tombs, cannot be doubted. 



February 'hth. — We ride off after an early breakfast, and 

 find the streets frightfully muddy from the rain which fell 

 during the night, the black mud in places rising over our 

 donkeys' hocks as we scamper along on our way to Pompey's 

 Pillar. In answer to our inquiries as to whether it often 

 rained at Alexandria, our dragoman said that formerly the 

 climate was as dry as in other parts of Egypt, until Euro- 

 peans settled there and brought their wet weather with 

 them. He finished by saying that he did not know whether 

 that was really the case, but such was the behef among 

 the native inhabitants. 



Passing out of the town by one of the western gates 

 through the city walls, and riding past an Arab burial- 

 ground, we come to " Pompey's Pillar," a single column 

 nearly one hundred feet high. It was erected by Diocletian, 

 and has nothing whatever to do with Pompey. Though 

 of fine proportion, in its present position it is utterly un- 

 meaning, and is certainly disappointing. We continue our 

 ride ou to the river to look at some " dahabeahs " which are 

 moored to the bank ; and here we first make acquaintance 

 with the Nile boats. Although the general plan in all these 

 boats is much the same, there are, in the arrangements 

 on board, some apparently trivial matters which are of the 

 greatest importance for the comfort of the traveller who has 

 to live in them perhaps for mouths ; and nothing should he 



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