32 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
weight of waters of the majeftic Nile, reluctantly defcending to 
the fea, v/here its own vaft tide, after pervading and fertilizing 
fo long a trail, is to be loft in the general mafs : thefe obje£ts 
filled me with ideas, which, if not great or fublime, were cer- 
tainly among the moft foothing and tranquil that have ever 
aifeded my mind. 
There are fome few remains of antiquity in the neighbour- 
hood of Raftiid, though the city itfelf be modern. The caftle 
of Abu-Mandur ftands about two miles from it, higher up the 
Nile, in a fituation very pi£lurefque, as is feen by many draw- 
ings of it extant in Europe. Columns are frequently dug up 
here. My arrival at Rafhid happened in the month Ramadan, 
a time when it is particularly cheerful. The populace there 
are efteemed more quiet, and better difpofed to civility than 
thofe of Alexandria or Kahira. 
The city of Rafhid is built in an oblong irregular form. It 
has no walls nor fortrefs. Its population is confiderable ; 
among which are fome Franks, and many Greeks. The com- 
merce is principally the carrying trade between Kahira and 
Alexandria. There is a cotton manufacture, but confined to 
home confumption. Acrofs the mouth of the Nile, below 
Rafhid, is a bar which renders navigation perilous, goods being 
obliged to be brought in boats of a particular form from Kahira, 
and embarked in others of a different defcription for Alexandria, 
Great damage is fuftained by the boats ftriking on the banks in 
entering the river, in which cafe they are commonly overfet 
and funk J and it would be eafy to inftitute an office of in- 
furance 
