AND LOWER EGYPT. 289 



son of the year, on the walls, and even in the 

 houses. This species is common over all Egypt ; 

 it is there called bourse. Its cry, which is fre- 

 quently repeated, is not unlike the noise which 

 we make, when we loose the tongue hastily from 

 the roof of the mouth. Tt is an animal which is 

 sacred both among the Turks and the Egyptians, 

 and the veneration which they entertain for it, 

 doubtless, is connected with the exercise of that 

 hospitality which is now generally adopted in the 

 East. They are unwilling to injure harmless and 

 innocent animals, which approach man with con- 

 fidence, and which seem to take up their abode 

 with him solely for the purpose of purging his 

 habitation of a swarm of insects, which con- 

 stantly torment him in those countries, where the 

 excessive heat renders them more numerous and 

 more troublesome than in other places. 



By the attention of Omar Aga I was soon in a 

 condition to pursue my journey. The reader may 

 recollect that, as I proceeded up the Nile, I ob- 

 served at Manfeloiit a kind of corvette, which 

 could only be navigated during the swell of the 

 river. The waters had attained a sufficient height ; 

 they had just finished her lading, and she was on 

 the point of taking her departure for Cairo. This 

 large boat, which they called ^/^7/io«« (vessel), on 

 account of its size, and the port-holes with which 



VOL. Ill, u it 



