< 
124- Travels into L e v a n t. Part I. 
upon the Nile: If it be fo,they muft have had very extraordinary Barks or Carri- 
ages to bring fo great a weight, and in fuch Bulk : It is alfo true, that they 
had the fecret of cafuing Stones, but we have loft it, fince none of the Anci- 
ents have Treated thereof. Thefe Stones arc very lovely, for they are greyilh 
fpeckled with feveral colours,and extraordinary hard^ the furfaceof themfeenis 
to be covered with little Grains. It is faid that Cafar ereded this Pillar iij 
memory of the Vidory which he obtained over Tompy. At fome Paces diftance 
Ca:jm Palace from thence is Ca.[ars Palace, but all ruined, fave fome Pillars of Pomfhyrie^ 
in Akxcindrk. that are ftill entire and Handing, and the Frontifpiece ftill pretty found j 
which is a very lovely piece : About three or fouvfcore paces wide of that Pil- 
Khdis. lar t\\tïQ is a Khalts or Canal of the Nile, which was dug by the ancient 
<L^gyftiar:s, to bring the water of the Nile into Alexandria^ having none other 
to drink. This Canal which is much, about the breadth of that that runs 
through Caircy (whereof we fliall fpeak hereafter) begins about fix Leagues 
•above Roptto, on the fide of the Nile, and from thence comes to 
and when the Nile fwells,they give it a Paflage through this Khalis,by breaking 
down a bank-, as we fhall take notice in fpeaking of that of Caire • this Water 
The Cifterns gi]g Cifterns, which are piirpofely made underneath the Town, and are 
o Alexandm. ^^^^ magnificent and fpacious ; for Alexandria is all hallow under, being an 
entire Cillerni the Vaults whereof are fupportedby feveral fair Marble-Pil- 
lars j and over thefe Arches the Houfes of Alexandria were built ; which made 
men fay, that in Alexandria there was a Town under Ground, as big as that 
A Subterra- above Ground ; and fome have alTured me that one may ftill walk under the 
f Town vvhole Town oi Alexandria in fair Streets, where the ftiops are ftill to be feen, 
in AkxmAm. ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ç^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ Water of the Nile, 
which is fo conveyed by the Khalis under the Town, ferves the Inhabitants 
Touferagues. to drink all the yearround j for every houfe has it drawn by Pouferagues,which 
pour it into their private Cifterns, as faft as it is drawn up. Thefe Poufera- 
gues are Wheels, with a Rope hanging round them like a firing of Beads 
without an end, to which are faftened feveral earthen-Potts, which going empty 
down, come always full up again, and pour the Water into a Canal that con- 
, veys it whetherfoever one pleafes. But in the Months of Augnji and Septem- 
her^ which is the time when thefe Cifterns are filled i the new Water isun- 
wholfome, and few that drink of it efcape fome Sicknefs or other -, therefore 
feveral keep of the laft years water until November. Befides that inconve- 
nience, the Air of Alexandria is fo bad during the months of J«/y, AaguH^ 
Septemberj and OEtober^ that many who ly upon the Ground at that time, 
fall into quartain Agues, which fometimes hold them feveral Years ; I my 
felf having known fome who have kept them eight years. They who ly on 
. Board of "fhips, (though in the Port) are not annoied with that bad Air. But 
to return to the Khalis^ it has Gardens all along the fides of it, which are 
full of Limon and Orange-Trees, and a gr^t many other Trees that bear a 
fruit like Oranges, but fobig, that one cannot grafp them with both hands. 
Thefe fruits are not good to be eaten raw, but they peal off the Rind of them, 
then cut them into quarters, and clearing them of the fower fluff, preferve 
them ; which make a moft excellent Conferve. As for the Limons, there are 
two forts of them, fome very great, which are not good to eat ; and others 
juice of Li- as fmallas Wall-nuts, that are the beft, becaufe they are full of Juice, ha- 
nions, ving a very thin Skin,and the jaice of them they fqueeze upon Meat for Sauce, 
and likewife prefs it out with Preffes, and therewith fill feveral Casks j which 
they fend to Venice, and other places : And this juice ferves for making of 
Sorbet. In thefe Gardens there are alfo Cajfia-Trees, Carob-TreeSy and the 
like; and the Fields about Alexandria are full of Palm-Trees, and Capers 
fîirubs. Having feen thefe things, I returned into the Town by the Gate of 
Roptto^ where are many lovely Pillars of Porphyrian Marble j and I went 
Co fee the Chrrch of St. Catherine, held by the Greeks; there you may fee 
The Stone on the Stone on which that holy Virgin had her Head cut off. This Stone looks 
which St, a- lii-e a piece of round Pillar,'is almoft two foot high, and has a hole quite 
Ikhea leT^ through it from one end to the other, big enough to receive ones Fift : the 
Greeks fay, that juft over that hole her Head' was cut off, as may be feen by 
the marks that are in the hole, which is ftained all round within with Blood 
and 
