9 8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



mull heartily join him, and recommend to my readers to do 

 the fame, without reading any thing about it. 



On the 2 2d, at night, we arrived at Achmim. I landed 

 my quadrant and inflruments, with a view of obferving an 

 eelipfe of the moon; but, immediately after her rifmg, 

 clouds and mill fo effectually covered the whole heavens, 

 that it was not even poflible to catch a ilar of any fize par- 

 ang the meridian. 



Achmim is a very considerable place. It belonged once 

 to an Arab prince of that name, who poffefTed it by a grant 

 from the Grand Signior, for a certain revenue to be paid 

 3'early. That family is now extinct ; and another Arab prince, 

 Hamam Shekh of Furfhout, now rents it for his life-time, 

 from the Grand Signior, with all the country (except Girge) < 

 from Siout to Luxor. 



The inhabitants of Achmim are of a very yellow, un- 

 healthy appearance, probably owing to the bad air, occaiion- 

 ed by a very dirty califh that panes through the town. . 

 There are, likewife, a great many trees, bnmes, and gar- 

 dens, about the fcagnated water, all which in.creafe the bad . 

 quality of the air. . 



There is here what is called a Hofpice, or Convent of re-^ - 

 ligious Francifcans, for the entertainment of the converts, . 

 or persecuted Chriflians in Nubia, when they can find them. 

 This inflitution I fpeak of at large in the fequel. One of 

 the lafl princes of the houfe of Medicis, all patrons of learn- - 

 ing, propofed to furnifh them with a compleat obfervatory, , 

 with the moll perfect and expenfive inflruments ; but they 



refufed 



