35 
Moussa, or the fountains of Moses, which yield a dis- 
agreeable and foetid kind of water, are still further off, 
upon the Arabian coast. The only water which is 
really and truly good, is that which is obtained from 
the Arabian mountains. It costs so much, and they 
bring so little of it, that it is requisite to dispute and 
fight for it. The aridity of the sand which surrounds 
Suez is such, that there is not the least tree or ve- 
getable. 
The bread is a species of cake badly made. Meat is . 
very scarce, and sometimes is not to be had at all. It 
is the same with fish. 
The Christians, who all profess the Greek religion, 
have a church and a priest. There are several mosques; 
but they are going to decay as well as the houses. 
The town is surrounded with a very bad wall. There 
still exist some ditches, ramparts, and outworks, con- 
structed by the French, and two or three two-pounders. 
A negro, the slave of a person at Cairo, was then 
governor of Suez, with the title of Aga, and had thirty 
Arnaut soldiers under his orders. His Kiahia, or Lieu- 
tenant Governor, was also the civil judge of the town. 
All the soldiers, and their chiefs, gain immense sums 
by smuggling. 
There are no workmen at Suez but calkers. The 
climate is very variable. 
I remained there two days; and on the third, Tues- 
day the 23d December 1806, I embarked in a dao, 
upon the Red Sea, to cross over to Djedda. 
The daos are the ships belonging to the Arabs, 
which carry the largest burdens * upon the Red Sea. 
Their construction is singular, their height being equal 
to a third of their length, which is increased at the 
upper part, by a long projection at the head and stern, 
