INTRODUCTION. xi 



though near the water, are yet above the level of its an- 

 nual inundation. Such is the garden of Mattareah, fomc- 

 times filled with exotic plants from all the countries around, 

 from the veneration or fuperftition, pilgrims and dervifhes, 

 the only travellers of the eaft, have for that fpot, the fup- 

 pofed abode of the Virgin Mary when fhe fled into Egypt, 

 fometimes, as at prefent, fo neglected as to have fcarce one 

 foreign or curious plant in it. 



The firft kind of thefe adventitious productions, and the 

 oldeit inhabitant of Egypt brought there for ufe, is the fyca- 

 more, called Giumez* by the Arabs, which from its fize, 

 the facility with which it is fawn into the thinneft planks, 

 and the largenefs of thefe planks correfponding to the im- 

 menfe fize of the tree, was molt ufefully adapted to the 

 great demand they then had for mummy- chefls, or coffins, 

 which are made of this tree only : in order to add to its 

 value, we may mention another fuppofed quality, its incor- 

 ruptibility, very capable of giving it a preference, as coinci- 

 ding with the ideas which led the Egyptians to thofe fan- 

 taflic attempts of making the body eternal. 



This lafl property, I fuppofe, is purely imaginary, for 

 though it be true, tradition fays, that all the mummy-chefls, 

 which have been found from former ages, were made of 

 fycamore, though the fame is the perfuafion of latter times, 

 and the fact is fo far proven by all the mummy-cfrell's now 

 found being of that wood, yet 1 will not take upon me to 

 vouch, that incorruptibility is a quality of this particular 



B 2 tree. 



Signifying a fig-tree, from the fhultitude of figs which grow round the trunk; , 



