?8 
Travels into thehEv ant. 
art 
Rooms full of 
bodies in the 
Mummies. 
Idols of 
Mummies. 
The reafon 
of the Egyp- 
tians expenf- 
fulnefs in 
their Tombs. 
Memphis. 
went in to, there were feveral others full of Bodies, but feeing the entries 
into them weye full of Sand, I called to them above to pull me up again 
with the famePvope, with which I was let down, being much diflatisfied with 
my Mocrs^ who had opened fo forry a Pit for me. When I was got up I looked- 
upon my Cloth, whereon were Characters of Gold, but was much vexed to ' 
fee that all the Letters difappeared, and th'at by ray own fault, becaufe i had 
folded it together when it was very humid, and fo all the Gold and Paint 
fluck to the oppofite fides , whereas I Ihould have brought it up open and 
dried it in the Sun. But I have others that are finer, which are only a little 
fpoilt in the bringing : I brought with me alfo fome Hands of Mummies^ 
vi^hich are as entire at prefent, as ever they were. I had alfo the good fortune 
to buy upon the place fome Idols, of the Moors, who come and fell them to 
the Franks in the City. Thefe Idols are of feveral forts, and in many Poftures, 
there are of them of Copper, of feveral forts of Stone, and feveral forts of 
Earth alfo; atleaft, I have fome of all thefe kinds, all which I am very fure 
have been taken out of Mummies, and cannot be faid to be counterfeit, for 
befides that, they have not the Art to do it, they fell them at fo eafie a rate, 
that the very Materials are worth more. This is all I could obferve of the Pyra- 
mides and Mummies : And hence it appears, that the Ancient ^Egyptians fpent 
more in their Tombs, than during their whole Lives ; and one reafon they 
gave for that was, That their Houfes were only for living a fliort time in, 
and their Tombs the Palaces that were to be inhabited by their Souls for 
many Ages. Not far fron* thefe Mummies towards the Nile, are fome remains 
of a large Town, which was Memphis, the Inhabitants whereof were Buried 
there; the Ancients never burying their Dead within Towns,*for fear of in- 
feding the Air, none but Chriftians ('who mind not that) bury their Dead 
any where. Now to prove that thefe great Ruines are the remains of Mem- 
phis, Tliny affirms it, when he fays that the Pyramides are betwixt the Delta 
of t^gy^t, and the City of Memphis on the fide of Africa. At length we 
returned by old Caire, and faw all that is Curious, or worth being feen in it. 
CHAP. VII. 
Of Old Caire. 
The Church 
of Aboufargis 
ferved by 
Cofhtes. 
Old Caire. ^ ^^^"^^ a Ruinous Town, though there be feveral good Houfes in 
V_y it, ftill pretty well Inhabited, and about a quarter of a League diftant 
from New Caire. We went firft to the Church of Ahoufargis, that is to lay. 
Father Sergius, becaufe it is bqilt to the Honour of St. Setgius. Under this 
Church there is a low Chappel, where it is believed, our Lady lived a pretty 
while, with herdeareft Son Jefus, 2Lnd was formerly but ameer Grotto: In 
the W'all of this Grotto, there is a hollow place, like a Window, where the 
Monks fometimes celebrate Mafs ; this Church is held by the Ccpkes. From 
The Church thence we went totheMonaftery of St. George, not far diftant, and firfi: entred 
of St. George into the Church, where the Greeks fay, there is an Arm of the faid Saint 
molû Caire, ftilj prefer ved, but it is not to be feen, being kept in a very dark place, with 
two great Iron Grates before it, one over another, where there is a Lamp al- 
ways burning. There is a thick Pillar alfo in this Church, to which an Iron 
Chain is faftned, which they fay, was St. George's; and they tie Mad-men to 
it to be Cured. This Monaftery is Inhabited by Greek Nuns, it is very Ancient, 
well Built, and exceeding high, having a place on the top of it, that affords 
a very diftant Profpeft : But we muft take notice withal, that this Monaftery 
is fo full of Fleas, that fo foon as you have fet foot within, you are covered 
all over with them -, and feeing they are very lean, they quickly crawl up, and 
fall on. Near to this Monajftery is the Church-yard, where the Frafiks are In- 
terred, 
