Travels into the Levant. Part 
C H A P. IL 
Of fome Ctiriofities obferved daring the Voyage, 
and in Alexandria. 
N this Voyage I was convinced of one thing which I had read in the Tra- 
vels of Monpur de Breves, but could hardly believe it, becaufe I had ne- 
ver heard it mentioned by any but him ; and that is that when founding up- 
on the Coaft of Egyp^onQ has onely forty fathom water,it is certain he is juft 
Uarkj for forty miles from land, the depth of the water from forty fathom, down- 
knowing how Wards to one, marking exadly the number of miles from the place where one 
near one is to founds to the Land : But under the name of the Coaft of Egypt, we are onely 
Land uf on the to undcrftaud the Land from Damiette to RoJJetto, betwixt the two Branches 
Co/î/? o/Egypt. jjjg jy^/g. f^j, t-^js rule isonely for that extent of Land. 
Befides the Murènes I mentioned before, we took two other fifli in our 
Porpefs. Voyage; to wit a Por;?e/} which was taken with a Fifh-gig above il^f^?/?^ over 
CapePaflkro, againft Cape Vaj]aro\ it was about five foot long, and almoft as big as a man, 
without fcaleSjblackifh in the back, and white in the belly ; the head of it was 
about a foot and a half long, and a large foot over ; its eyes as large as a 
mans ; and betwixt the two eyes, it hath a hole like the mould in the head of 
a man, by which it fucks in and Ipouts out the Water, making it look like a 
. Crown ; it hath two Cheeks which are ©nely of fat two Inches thick, they 
^'.,':'-'y begin at the eyes of it, and end almoft round at the fhout, which from the 
:i ' Cheeks to the point is about five Inches long, and is fhaped much like the 
beak of -a Goofe,the Tongue of it is white afingerthick and two fingers broad, 
it had an hundred threefcore and fixteen Teeth, all very fmall : Its tail ftands 
another way than the Tails of other fifti which are forked upwards and down- 
wards anfwering to their back and belly, for the Tail of this is forked crofs v>^ays 
parallel to its two fides : it hath the Yard and Tefticlesas big and long as thofe 
of a Boar, and its Entrais wholly refembling thofoofSwine ; its skin is all fat a 
finger thick, of which Lamp-oyl is made, the ilefh of it is like to that of an 
Oxe, and very good ; I have tafted it, and by the fight and tafte, one would 
always take it for Beef ; it hath onely great Bones and no fmall ones, abounds 
with bloud, which is as hot as that of a Beaft ; itmoans and fighs like a man, 
and dies not prefently when it is out of the Water, but beats furioufly with 
the Tail, wherein its greateft ftrength lies. 
The other Fifli which was alfo taken with a Fifli-gig, is by the Frovmcrals 
A Fijly called Called Fanfre, and is prohahly the fame ivhich the Englijli call the I'ilot-Fijh ; there 
kinfrc. was two of them then together, but one efcaped the ftroak. This Fifh is 
fhaped like a Mackerel, and is of the fame length and bignefs : I found nothing 
fingular in it ; all the back of it is begirt with ftreaks two fingers broad, the 
one of a dark purple almoft black, and the other blew, which interchangea- 
bly reach from the head to the Tail, and the belly of it is white. The Sea- 
men fay that this Fifh coming once up with a Ship, never leaves following till 
the fhip come to harbour ; another being taken two days after, they all af- 
fured me that it was the companion of the firft which had not left off" follow- 
ing the Veflel. After all, to my tafte it is an excellent Fifh, and fo it fèemed 
to all thofe who had eaten of them formerly, and alfo tafted thefe. 
Seeing there are but few things in Alexandria which I did not obferve in my 
former Travels, I gave my felf no great trouble to charge my Mémoires Vv'ich 
them at this time. This Town lies exadly in the one and thirtieth degree of 
' latitude^ and Rç^/é/^/^o is one and thirty and a half, at leaft, a Dutch Captain 
who had taken the height of them alTured me of it. The moft coufiderable 
The pilUr of piece of antiquity that fiill renjains there, is that famous Pillar of Fo?npej, 
Fempey. ^ ' whereofj 
