156 T^IAVELS IN AFRICA, 
The prefents to the fingers were faid to have amounted to 
fourteen hundred mahbubs. 
A riot happened between the GaUojigls^ or failors, (moftly 
Chriftians,) belonguig to Murad Bey, and the Mamluks. Murad 
had difmifled a naval ofEcer, beloved by the Galiongis, and their 
difcontent joined with the conftant jealoufy of the Mamluks 
to create a difturbance, in which about feventy lives were loft,> 
and the city was fhut up for feveral days. mad 
Nov. 1796. The waters of the Nile having almoft aban- 
doned the Eaftern branch, which leads to Damiatt, purfuing the 
more direct courfe of the canal of Menuf, after a negledt of 
many years, it became neceflary to apply a remedy. Accord- 
ingly, Murad Bey commanded his engineer, Achmed, to under- 
take this duty. After encountering fome difficulties, the pur- 
pofe was at length effected by driving piles, and the river rc- 
fumed its former courfe. ''^rf7 
ail ■ 
" A circumftance is related concerning the propagation of fifli 
in Kahira. As foon as the Nile begins to fill the feveral pools, 
birkets, in the neighbourhood, the fifhermen go to the river, and 
collefting feveral forts of fpawn, diftribute it into the pools, 
where in the fpace of three or four days, it produces fifh in 
abundance. 
Nov. 1796. Achmet Aga, a Zanthiote, who has been 
already mentioned, about this time left Kahira on his way to 
Dar- 
