192 DESCRIPTIONS OF EGYPT* 
journeys by Edrisi. Bahnasa of Al Wahat is dis- 
tinguished from the Egyptian Bahnasa, or Oxy- 
rinchus, by Abulfeda, who places it towards Ni- 
gritia. Maillet, in his map of Egypt, places a dis- 
trict named Bahnasa to the west of the lake Cairun ; 
and we are informed by Browne, that the Arabs of 
the Lesser Oasis occupy the western shores of this 
lake; a circumstance which demonstrates the proxi- 
mity of the district they inhabit. Lucas, in the 
province of Feium, was informed of an inhabited 
spot of considerable extent, a few journeys to the 
west of that district, which abounded in dates and 
palms, though devoid of springs ; a position which 
can only correspond to the Lesser Oasis.* Browne 
was informed, that various ruins still exist in this 
Oasis.f 
The Oasis Magna, which lies in the route of the 
Abyssinian, Nubian, and Darfur caravans, is much 
better known, and its position is more accurately 
determined, than that of the Oasis Parva. It is 
placed by Ptolemy in N. L. 26° 55', by which he 
probably intended to mark the site of the principal 
town. Strabo places it seven journeys from Aby- 
dus, and Herodotus seven journeys from Thebes. 
The latter distance is nearly correct, but that given 
by Strabo is too great, as the site of Abydus is only 
* Lucas, Voyage Third, Vol.IJ. p. 20& 
f Browne's Travels, p. 1 32. 
