Part I 
Travels into the Levant. 
CHAP. IL 
X)f the Walls of Alexandria, the Vilkr of Pompey, 
and other Antiquities, 
I Said before that Alexandria is lb ruined, that many Strangers ask where 
it is when they are in the middle of it ^ yet there are fuch fair remains 
to be found among the Ruines, as eafily fliew that this hath been a moft rich 
and ftately Town. One of the fineft things that are to be feen there, are the 
Walls, which ( though ruined) are ftill fo magnificent, that one muft needs ^j^fi^^ 
confefs they have been matchlefs; nay a good part of them are ftill entire; 
and they muft needs have been ftrong Built to laft fo long. Thefe Walls 
have falfe Brayes, and are flanked with great fquare Towers, about two hun- The walls of 
dred paces diftant from one another j and there is a little one betwixt every 
two of them ; they are fo neatly contrived, that there are ftately Cafemates 
underneath, which may ferve for Gallery's and Walks. I had a very earneft 
defire to go into one of thefe Towers, that I might obferve all the beauty Magnificent 
of them, but as yet I durft not for fear of an Avanie or Fine -, but being one I'^^^^l^^^^^ 
day with another French man in the old Cuftome-houfe, which is only an open ^j^^Mclm. 
place, without any Building, and finding a Turk there who feemed to be good, 
natured, we prayed him to lead us into the Towers of the old Walls, near 
to that place, which he very willingly condefcended to do^ we went into 
two of tliefe Towers then, which are all alike ; in each Tower below, there 
is a large fquare Hall, the Vault v^^hereof is fupported by great Pillars of 
Thebaick^Stone j there are a great many Chambers above, and over alia large 
platform above twenty Paces fquare ; in ftiort, all thefe Towers were fo many 
palaces able to contain two hundred men a piece The Walls are feveral foot • 
thick, and every where Port-holes in them : in every one of thefe Towers 
there are feveral Cifterns, fo that each of them required an Army to take 
them- All the ancient Town was encompafted with thefe lovely Walls, every 
way fortified by fuch Towers j of which moft part are ruined at prefent ; 
though thofe we went into were pretty entire : there is danger in g^ing to 
fee them, for the Turks finding Franks there, take occafion to amerce them, 
faying they are Spies, orfomefuch thing, and then nothing but Money can 
bring them off ; lo that they pay dear enôugh for their Curiofitie. When I 
went thither, there was a French man with me, vvho was fo apprehenfive of 
being furprized, that he had notrheleaft fatisfadtion, though he had lived fe- 
veral years in that Country -, but we had a little the more confidence that we 
had a Turk with us. Next to the Walls, the fineft piece of antiquity that 
hath withftood the rage of time, is the pillar of Pompey^ about two hundred Pompe/s VIU 
Paces from the Town ; it is upon a little height, which makes it to be feen a l^r in Akxni- 
great way ofr,and ftands upon a fquare Pedeftal,above feven or eight foot high ; 
and that Pedeftal refts upon a fquare bafis about twenty foot broad, and about 
two foot high, made up of feveral big Stones. The body of the Pillar is of one 
entire piece of Garnet, fo high, that the vv^orld cannot match it ; for it is eigh- 
teen canes high, and fo thick, that it requires fix men to fathom ic round, ha- 
ving a lovely Capital on the top. Some have thought that this Pillar con- . 
fifted of three pieces, having heard A<^oors fay fo, who reckon three pieces in it, 
to wit, the Pedeftal, the Body, and the Capital, ( as they th-^mfelves have told 
me) but the Body is all of one piece, as may plainly be feen. I know not 
what Engins they had in thofe times, wherewith they could raife fuch a piece ; 
and I am very apt to believe with a great many more, that it hath been An opinioa- 
Caft or made of a certain Ciment upon the very place, though there be not concerning 
a few that abfolutely deny that-, faying that the ancient ^^ryptians got thefe t'^^ "^.^"er of 
Pillars andOblisks, that are to be feen in fo many places of Italy, at SMde, the Pillar of 
where they pretend that many have been cut out, and brought by Water 
R 2 upon 
