CHAPTER II. 
EGYPT. 
General Vievo of Egypt Alexandria — Lo'voer Egypt, — Isthmus 
of Suez. — Feium Upper Egypt — The Sea Coast — The 
Oases, — Recent Observations by Denon, — Hamilton. — Legh, — 
Light, — Belzoni. ^ 
* From the narrow isthmus of Suez, consisting 
of barren sand, sprinkled at intervals over a low 
rocky base, expands the fertile valley of Egypt. 
With the name of Egypt are associated so many 
proud ideas of remote antiquity, and colossal 
grandeur, that no inconsiderable effort is required 
* to discern the features of identity in the relations 
of modern travellers, and the descriptions which 
* This chapter is written by Dr Leyden, and appears now 
for the first time. It was intended by him to form part of a 
larger work on Africa, the completion of which was prevented 
by his departure for India. It does not, according to the ge- 
neral plan of tliis work, exhibit the adventures and successive 
discoveries of travellers, bu«, condenses into one view all the 
information which can be collected from them. This difference 
did not appear as a sufficient reason for withholding from the 
public so interesting a piece ©f descriptive geography, especial- 
ly as the narrow track, within which travellers in this country 
are confined, renders their story usually little eventful, and 
confines the interest of their works to the description of the 
superb monuments by which Egypt is adorned. 
