702 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
may differ from Dr Shaw, and yet be right, and that this 
writer, however learned he may be, cannot, for want of 
information, be competent to folve this queftion which he 
fo much infifts upon, I fhall now, with great fubmiffion 
to the judgment of my reader, endeavour to explain, in as 
few words as poflible, how the real ftate of the matter 
ftands, and he will then apply it as he pleafes. 
THERE was a very ingenious gentleman whom I met 
with at Cairo, M. Antes, a German by birth, and of the Mo- 
ravian perfuafion, who, both to open to himfelf more freely 
the opportunities of propagating his religious tenets, and to 
gratify his own mechanical turn, rather.than from a view 
of gain, to which all his fociety are.(as -he was) perfectly 
indifferent, exercifed the trade of watch-maker at Cairo, 
This very worthy and fagacious young man was often my, 
unwearied and ufeful partner in many inquiries and trials, 
as to the manner of executing fome inftruments in the moft 
compendious form for experiments propofed to be made 
in my travels. By his affittance, | formed a rod of brafs, of 
half an inch fquare, and of a thicknefs which did not-eafily 
warp, and would not aiter its dimenfions unlefs with a 
violent heat. Upon the three faces of this brafen rod we 
traced, with good glaffes and dividers, the meafure of three 
different peeks, then the only three known in Cairo, the 
exact length of which was taken from the ftandard model 
furnifhed me by the Cadi. The firft was the Stambouline, 
or Conftantinople peek, exactly 2 32 inches ; the fecond, the 
‘Hendaizy, of 24:7 inches ; and the third the peck El Belledy, 
of 22 inches, all Englith meafure, 
2 | : Ir 
