120 
Travels into ï^e L e v a n t. 
Part I 
CHAR III. 
Of Roflctto, 
A' 
Fter I had feen what I thought fit in Alexandria, I refolved to go 
to Koffetto, and parted from Alexandria oïi Saturday MovnmgthzÇiXih 
of January y with a Janiz,ary whom the French Vice-Conful had given me to 
mpier. accompany me thither : we pafTed by Bouqmer, twenty ftiort miles from Al- 
exandria; which is a Caftle that defends a Road that is near to it, and lodged 
that night at the Maadie of Alexandria. Till you come to the Maadie there 
is no place to reft in, being all a Defart of Sand. This place is tailed 
Maadie^ that is to fay, Paflage j becaufe there is a Lake there to be croITed 
over in a Ferry-Boat, with a Rope faftened to both fides of the Water. The 
Maadie is thirty long miles from Alexandria. This water is very full of 
Fifh, which renders a great Revenue to the Grand Signior. There is a little 
Kervanferai on the Other fide of this Water, where Travellers have a Houfe 
over head for nothing, and may eat and drink, ( if they have brought Provi- 
fions along with them : ) There we ate and drank, and lay upon the Field-beds 
that we carried with us. 
Next day being Sunday, we fet out in the Morning,and about noon came to 
tgfeno, -Roffetto, threefcore miles from Alexandria, but the miles indeed are Ihort and 
all along the Sea-fide. On our way we faw the place where the River of 
Nile difcharges it felf into the Sea, which is a very dangerous pafl^age for 
Tht mouth of Barks and Saiques ; and clofe by Ihoar we faw -the wrack of that Saique, 
the Nile at which ftranded the fame day that the great Gallion was call; away in the 
Kojfcm. Port of Alexandria^ as I hinted at before . The danger is when the Sea is 
rough, for then it occafions an Eddy with the waters of the River, that turns 
' ' the VelTel round and cafts it on ftioar, where it is fure to be fplit ; and none 
can fave themfelves by Swimming, becaufe of the force of the Waves, but the 
wife make the beftlhift they can in their Caiques. 
Aofnol Rojfetto, anciently called Canopus, lyes upon a branch of the Nile, which 
\ falls into the Sea five miles below the Town, next to Caire ; it is reckoned 
the neat ell Town of (^gypt ; not only becaufe of the lovely Piazza's but 
alfo the many fair Hans it contains, and yet they daily build new ones there j 
for indeed it is a Town of great Trafick, and very pleafant, as be- 
ing all encompafled with lovely Gardens. The Houles of Rojfetto are all 
high and well Built ; it is good living there, as in all other places of <y^iypt, 
where Vidluals are very cheap, and wild-fowl efpecially, \A/^ater-fowl very 
plentifbl, which they catch feveral ways; but the Town hath this Inconve- 
nience, that in the Months of July and Augufi. they drink no other water, 
but what they have gathered before into fair Cifterns, Leaded and made 
for that purpofe ; becaufe (during that time) the Sea flows fo high, that it 
mingles with the water of the Nile, and renders it Brackilh. The branch 
of the Nile that runs by this Town makes a Port for Saiques, but great 
Ships cannot come up to it : this port is always full of Saiques, which come 
from the Archipelago to Trade in zA^gypt. The Town is very carefully kept 
by the Sous-Balha, from all Diforders that might happen ; but befides that 
Guard, there are threefcore Men that in the Night-time march up and down 
The Clin- to catch Robbers, who are Arabs oî ûxQDQÏsxts'. Thefe Villains ftrip them- 
"i"S '^'i^ felves ftark-naked, then rub their Bodies over with Oyle, that one may not 
rob in S?tw. them, and in that manner come to the Town, where they 
' Steal what ttiey can find, and when they are purfued; call themfelves into 
the River, and fvvim over to the other fide. I made no long ftay at Rojfetto • 
but knowing that every Tuefday 2nd Friday Bavks go off from Rojfetto to Caire, 
I waited for the firll opportunity, that 1 might go in company with feveral 
Barks, which is the way to be fafe from the Pirates of the Ntle, and having 
hired 
