AND L0V7ER EGYPT. 43 



to pass It on that dangerous coasts or to stray 

 very far from the boat. 



The ferocious men, wlio d^'ell around the ruins 

 of the city of Adrian, employ themselves in pulling 

 down those parts of the edifices which still re- 

 mained, and in glutting their savage disposition by 

 the habitual commission of destruction. In the 

 iime, oi Fansl eh * , and of Paul Lucas, there were 

 many more pieces of architecture existing entire, 

 than I myself beheld. The greater part of the 

 buildings were constructed of large bricks, and 

 their red colour v^^as still in perfect preservation. 

 That which appeared to me the most remarkable, 

 wasa triumphal arch, or magnificent gateway, sup- 

 ported by fluted pillars. The front is fifty feet in 

 length. A very bad representation of this is to be 

 seen in the Travels of Paul Lucas -|~. The capitals 

 of the pillars in particular are very badly repre- 

 sented. A more clear idea of it may be formed 

 from plate XXVITL It is evident that the in- 

 tention was to have taken a complete delineation 

 of this triumphal arch, which, to all appearance, 

 served as the gate of the city ; but while the de- 

 signer was employed in this work, and I, on my 

 part, was examining some other portions of the 

 ruins, the noise of a gun fired ofi by one of our 



* Nouvelle Relation d'Egypte, page 386 et suiv. 

 f Voyage fait en 17 14, tome ii. 



companions, 



