AND LOWER EGYPT. 11^ 



very willingly received, and that they demanded 

 nothing of me for this act of hospitality. Before 

 I made any reply to so much generosity, I pre- 

 sented to him the letter which their superior-gene- 

 ral had furnished me with to this convent^ and by 

 which he recommended me to the attention of the 

 monks who inhabited it. He read this letter with 

 a smile of contempt, and told me, that not being 

 the superior of the house, he would go and seek 

 for him ; after which he returned to his sofa, 

 without either speaking or looking at me again. 



The letter of the superior, the composition of 

 a true capuchin, could not, however, have been 

 more precise, nor more urgent. It is as follows ; 



'* Reverendisshno Padre Procuralore excsllentiss'tmo 

 *' ed amico cartss'mw. 



" Esscndosi a noi presenlato Thonoratissimo 

 " signor Sonnini, off.ciale di marina delle truppfe 

 " reggie Francese, et avendoci notificatoil suo de- 

 " siderio, chc e per portarsi in queste parti dell' 

 *' superior Egitto, per osservare quelle antichita ed 

 " insinuarli ove si trovano, e per tal' effetto aven- 

 " doci anche parlato I'illustre signor Carlo Maga- 

 ** Ion quivi mercante Francese, nostro carissimo 

 ♦* amico, e ben afFetto : per cio prcgo le loro 



I 3 P. r. R. R, 



