ALEXANDRIA. 
407 
Swedish engineer in the work, who has certainly done it well ; but 
it is to be regretted that, instead of reconstructing a solid niound by 
sinking caissoons filled with stones, he had not carried the canal 
across the breach on arches, leaving a free passage underneath 
for the sea. By these means the strength of Alexandria would 
have been greatly increased as a nniilitary position, and its salubrity 
would have been promoted, by the passing of the hot winds over a 
large expanse of water. As it is, the lake is gradually drying up, 
and will soon become a salt marsh. 
A boat was here waiting for us, in which we embarked, and with 
a fair breeze passed across the lake of Aboukir in two hours, to the 
narrow channel which opens into the sea ; though there was little 
swell, yet the water was so shallow that we struck in getting over 
the bar, and our men were obliged to get out and push us on. The 
same pleasant breeze carried us through the Bay of Aboukir in an 
hour and a half, to the Lake of Edco, which we had no difficulty in 
entering, as the passage is wide and sufficiently deep when the swell 
is not great. A little before three we reached Edco, where we were 
cordially received by the Schech, who is much attached to the 
English, and to the Beys. He is a powerful Arab, and his town is 
of importance, from commanding the narrow passage along which 
the only road goes from Rosetta to Alexandria. It is his duty to 
allow no one to pass without permission from government ; yet 
he was then suffering for having done so. A party of Osmanlis was 
going by at night, of whose approach he had no notice from govern- 
ment, and consequently fired on it. Mohammed Ali made the 
Governor of Rosetta send for him, promising that he should be per- 
mitted to return, but when there, he was detained in prison. Several 
