EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 355 
were feveral French merchants, but their ufual mifcondud with 
regard to the fex occafioned their expulfion. 
Of an antient round building, called the Tower of St. Louis, 
which was ftanding in Niebuhr's time, and which till of late 
exifted at Damiatt, nothing novf remains but a piece of brick 
wall, which was on the outfide of the fofs, and of which the 
mortar is no lefs hard than the brick. The remainder of the 
materials were applied by Mohammed Bey Abu-dhahab to the 
ftru^ture, which his fear of the Ruffians induced him to ere£t 
at a great expenfe, at the extremity of the fhore. It was not 
fufficient to build this fort on the firm ground, neareft the 
mouth of the river; he chofe to lay the foundation in the fand 
and mud, at the extreme point of land on the eaftern fide j 
and though now from the ftrength of the foundation a part 
remains, much has fallen, and the reft is furrounded by, and 
iinder water. 
There are two riiounts of ruins near the Eaftern extremity 
of the town, on the moft Northern of which is a piece of brick 
wall remarkably ftrong, which is reported to have been part 
of an ancient caftle. From this elevation is feen the field of 
battle between the Chriftians and Saracens, in which St. Louis 
was, according to the Arabs, taken prifoner. It is called the 
j^eld of blood, as the confli(3: is reprefented as having been fo 
obftinate, that the earth and water were ftained with blood for 
a confiderable time after, yy '['i^v io 
z z 2 There 
