102 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



more commonly discover engraved stones, as well 

 as medals. All the world knows that ;.Tood medals 

 are very rare in Egypt, whereas you meet there 

 with excellent engraved stones. 



You eat at this season, at Tahia, apples which 

 are small and of a very bad quality; they are called 

 in Arabic, tefha. You see there also a prodigious 

 number of melons of that species known in Egypt 

 under the name of agour *. 



It is in the plains of Tahta that the first speci- 

 mens of the species of palm-tree called fan-palm 

 made their appearance, peculiar to the upper part 

 of Egypt. It is there called down and doum satdi'^. 

 This palm-tree, very common in Thehah, shoots 

 forth several stalks naked and of a middling thick- 

 ness. Circular rings deeply mark them all their 

 length, and broad leaves in the form of a fan ter- 

 minate and adorn their summit. The fruits, like 

 those of other palm-trees, grow in clusters or 

 bunches. Several of these trees produce a beauti- 

 ful effect. By disposing their stalks in the form of 

 elegant vases, nature seems to have taken pleasure 

 in enlivening, with the verdure ot these magnifi- 

 cent bouquets, plains frequently stript naked, and 

 always scorched by the sun. 



* Cucumis foliis palmato sinuatis, pomis globosis echinatis .... 

 CtiC'jmis an^uria. Lin. 



-j- BorassM Jlabelli formis. Lin, 



It 



