3j6 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



is surrounded, on the side next the land, with a 

 ditch, filled by the water of the sea. There 

 is a light-house, which is so poorly illuminated, 

 that you cannot perceive it till you are pretty close 

 to it. Some pieces of cannon of a very small size 

 defend the fort ; but they did not deter the Rus- 

 sians from carrying off the germes, directly under 

 the batteries. The governor had sent with us a 

 guide through the castle, his lieutenant, a very 

 dirty and lousy officer. He was so well pleased 

 with our liberality, that, from pure gratitude, he 

 endeavoured with all his might to carry us a -fish- 

 ing, because he was a fisherman to his trade. 



During the day, the village of Aboukir ap- 

 peared to be without inhabitants ; the doors of the 

 houses were shut ; not a person was to be seen in 

 the streets. The reason of this was, that almost 

 all those who lived there were either fishermen 

 or sailors belonging to the germes. 



When we left the castle, we passed by the 

 shop of the governor, which was no longer that 

 of a barber. He proposed to me to purchase a 

 good engraved stone, to which he affixed a high 

 price, because he had caused his name to be in- 

 scribed on the reverse of the antique engraving. 

 In order that I might get into the good graces of 



a man, 



