Egypt and Verfia. 341 



negligence of the Mamclouks has fuffered to be filled up, the 

 monuments reared to gratify the pride of kings, and thole 

 which have been conffru<5ted in confequence of religious 

 duties. We directed our view, at the fame time, to the na- 

 tural productions of Egypt* and thofe which might be intro- 

 duced into it by cultivation; the fertility of its foil, and the 

 difeafes to which the inhabitants are expofed. We enquired 

 into the caufe of the periodical winds. In the laft place we 

 examined whether the plague, that malady fo fudden and fo 

 terrible in its effects, iias its fource in Egypt, as fome travel- 

 lers have afferted, or whether it be there only cafual and 

 epidemic. Our harveft, in regard to natural hiltory, has 

 been very abundant : we had an opportunity of tranfmitting 

 to the national garden of plants a third box of feeds from 

 the Archipelago, Candia and Egypt. 



On the :23d of March we received letters from the envoy 

 extraordinary, by which he invited us to quit Egypt and lo 

 return to the ftiores of the Bofphorus ; becaufc the time was 

 at length arrived for carrying into effect the plans we had 

 formed. " Regions lying farther to the Eaff," faid he, 

 " now invite you, and 1 uifli lo confer with von before you 

 proceed thither." 



Under the fame cover there were two letters of C. Des- 

 forgues, minifter of foreign affairs. One was a copy of that 

 which the minifter wrote to C. Defcorches; in which he re- 

 queued from him an eftimate of the fums neceffary to be 

 expended, in order that we might properly difchanje our 

 million. He authoriied him to fupply us with whatever 

 fums might be requifite, to procure fuch guides and infor- 

 mation as the nature of our million required, and to obtain 

 thofe documents which were indifpenfibly neceffary for our 

 researches and obfervations. He concluded his letter with 

 the following words : "•' In all cafes thefc two obfervers of 

 nature will be fgbordinate to your commands; they will 

 give you un account of all their operations, and at the end 

 of each month you will tranfmit to me the refult of their 

 Z 3 obfcrvatioii'- 



