•MONASTERIES OF NITRIA. 
131 
observed entire masts of ships, and the wrecks of 
vessels, petrified ; but his relation is not confirm- 
ed by Andreossi. 
The magnitude of the valley of the dry river, 
its direction towards Feium, and the apparent 
connexion with the lake Moeris, strongly support 
the ancient tradition, that the river Nile, or a part 
of its waters, formerly flowed through these de- 
serts, along the valleys of Nitria and the dry river. 
The alluvial soil of the district of Mariout, on the 
west of Alexandria, corroborates this opinion. 
Beyond the valley of the dry river, the inhabi- 
tants of the district of Terane sometimes advance 
three days' journey into the desert, to cut a parti- 
cular species of rushes, which are used in con- 
structing the finest mats. 
The only buildings in the desert of Nitria are a 
few Coptic monasteries, the recluse inhabitants of 
which are equally savage with their own solitudes. 
An enclosure of lofty walls, of red hue and naked 
aspect, forms the exterior part of the monastery, 
within which a small fort is constructed, surround- 
ed by a trench, which is passed by means of a 
drawbridge. Within this fort is a cistern, a depo- 
site of provisions, and a church, which the super- 
stitious monks reckon no less necessary than a 
magazine for sustaining the blockade of the Arabs, 
by which they are occasionally menaced. On ac- 
count of the roving hordes which frequent the 
