2 Travels into the h ey ant, . Part L 
Year) comes on Horfe-back along the Khalis, and about eleven a Clock in 
the Forenoon, Hops before the Houfeof the French Conful, where he orders 
two Rockets to be played ; and the Conful gives him five or fix Piaftres, which 
are his due' every Year at that Ceremony; the like he does to all the other 
Confuls. About Noon the Water pafTes by the Quarters of the French, and 
advances with pretty much Rapidity, being full of Rabble. ( As I related in 
the Defcription of the opening of the Khalis the Year before. ) Much about 
the fame time the Khalis of Alexandria^ that fills the Cifterns of that Town, 
and all the other Khalis are opened. The fame day in the Evening, we took a 
Cayqite and went to old Caire, and as foon as we came near it, we began to fee 
on all hands a Ihoar, and upon the Water a vafl number of large Figures made 
of Lamps , placed in fuch and fuch order, as of CrofTes , Mofques , Stars, 
CrofTes of Malta, Trees, and an infinite number of the like , from one end 
of old Caire to the other. There were two Statues of Fire, reprefenting a 
Man and a Woman^ which at the fartherdiftance they were feen,the more love- 
ly they appeared : Thefe Figures were two iquare Machines of Wood,two Pikes 
length high, each in a Boat, and both were placed before the Palace where 
they meafure the Water, and where the Bafha tarries during the three days of 
Rejoycing. One of them is on the one fide of the Water, and the other on 
the other fide, each ten paces from Land, leaving a broad paflage betwixt 
them for Boats and Barges. Thefe Machines are filled with Lamps from top 
to bottom, which are lighted as foon as it is Night. In each of thefe Figures 
there are above two thoufand Lamps, which are fo placed, that on all fides 
you fee a Man and a Woman of Fire. Befides that, all the Acahas, or Barks 
of the Bafha and Beys, are alfo full of Lamps, and their Mufickof Trumpets, 
Flutes, and Drums, which keep almoft a continual Noife,- mingled with that 
of Squibs, Crackers, Fire-Lances, great and fmall Shot ; fo that the vaft num- 
ber of Lamps, with the cracking of the Gun-powder, and noife of Mufick, 
make a kind of agreeable Confufion,that without doubt, chears up the moft De- 
jedted and Melancholick. This lafts till Midnight, and then all retire ; the 
Lamps burning all Night, unlefs they be put out by the Wind and Squibs. 
The cuftome This Solemnity continues for three Nights. The opening of the Khalis, hath 
of the anci- in all times been very famous, even among the Ancient Egyptians, as being 
ent iEgypti- that v;hich nouriflies the Country ; and at that Solemnity, they yearly Sacrificed 
ans at the o- g g^y gj^j g qj^j^ ^pQj, vsrhom the Lot fell, firft cutting their Throat, and then 
thc'Stf/M. t^hrowing them into the Nile. In memory whereof, the Turks at this day, 
make the above-mentioned Figures of a Man and a Woman, which they fill 
with Fire ; and in this manner they divert themfelves, during the three Nights 
allotted for that rejoycing, and when the Water is very high, there are Men 
A Swimmer who Swim in the Khalis, with Iron-Chains. One of thefe Swimmers I faw 
loaded with pgfs by, and not without Ceremony : Before him went a great Boat full of 
Chains. People, of whom fome beat the Drum, others had Fire-locks to ftioot at thofe 
who fliould throw ftones, and then he came in the middle of twenty Perfons 
that Swam about him. His Hands were tied behind his Back, and his Feet 
bound with a Chain of Iron, that weighed ten pound weight, he ftood up- 
right in the Water, and difcourfcd with thofe that were about him, not 
feeming in the leaft to move. He was followed by five or fix Boats full of 
People, ready to take him up if he chanced to fink : In this manner he came in 
the Water from old Caire where the Khalis begins, to the place where it ends, 
which is a long Leagae. For a reward he has from the Bafha, a Veft, and a 
thoufand Maidim -, and befides that, he goes about the Town with a Box, and 
gets fomewhat more. In this manner he goes twice, on two feveral days. 
There is another alfo who Swims in Chains, furrounded as the other, from 
end to end of the Khalis, and holds in each hand a dilh of Coffee, with a Pipe 
of Tobacco in his Mouth, without fpilling the Coffee. He performs this 
twice, and has the fame reward as the other had. Thefe Swimmers fliew only 
on Fridays, fo that one may fee them once a Week, during four Weeks. 
CHAP, 
