EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 15 
Friday, 24th February 1792, we left Alexandria. The inclina- 
tions of my condudtors were in unifon with mine, in the choice 
of a route j for they preferred that neareft the fea, for the ftike 
of forage for their camels, which abounds more there than in 
the dire(5t road ; and I preferred it, as being the fame that 
Alexander had chofen for the march of his army.. 
We travelled the firft day only about eight miles*, in which 
fpace feveral foundations of buildings are difcoverable ; but fo 
imperfect are the remains, that it is not polhble to fay whether 
they were antlent or modern, or to what purpofe they might 
have been applied. From that time till Sunday, 4th March, our 
route lay along the coaft, and we were never long together out 
of fight of the fea. The coaft is plain ; and after having left 
the neighbourhood of Alexandria, where it is rocky, the foil is 
generally fmooth and fandy. Many fpots of verdure, particu- 
larly at this feafon, relieve the eye from the effedt of general 
barrennefs : and though the vegetation be very inconfiderable, 
the greater part of it confifting only of different kinds of the 
graffwort, or kali, it offers a feafonable relief to the fuffering 
camel. For our horfes we were obliged to carry a conftanl 
fupply of barley and cut flraw. 
There are feveral kinds of preferved meat prepared among 
the orientals for long journies. They obviate the inconveniency 
of fait proviiion by ufmg clarified butter. The kind moft ufed 
is called m'l/hli^ and will keep good for many years. It is 
brought from Weftern Barbary to Kahira. 
* The miles fpoken of are always geographical. 
In 
