13 
At five o'clock we had Schalakan upon our right; 
and at eleven at night we anchored safely at Boulak, 
which is the port of Cairo upon the same side. 
. This navigation of the Nile from Rosetta to Cairo 
is as delightful as the list of so many unknown towns 
and villages must have been uninteresting to the 
reader; but I could not pass them over in silence, 
without failing in the exactitude of my journal. 
CHAPTER II. 
Landing. — Visits. — Mehemed Ali. — Political situation of Egypt. — Cairo. — The 
Pyramids. — Djizzeh. — The Mikkias. — Ancient Cairo. — Commerce. 
On Monday the 10th of November 1806, I sent 
notice of my arrival to the Scheik- el- Methlute, my 
friend, who is the second person in power in the city, 
because he is the Scheik-el-Mogarba, that is to say, 
the chief of the Mogrebins, or Western tribes. 
Immediately upon the receipt of my letter he sent it 
to Seid-Omar-el-Makram, the first Scheik of Cairo, 
who joins to his dignity the title of Nekib-el- Ascharaf, 
or chief of the Sherifs, and plays the part almost of an 
independent prince. 
In consequence, Seid Omar sent me a sufficient 
number of camels to convey my baggage. Scheik-el- 
Medluti came with several persons to meet me upon 
my disembarkation, and conducted me to his house, 
where he had prepared an apartment for me. 
I received the visits of Seid Omar, of Scheik-el- 
Emir, of Scheik Soliman Tayoumi, of Scheik Sadat, 
and of several other chiefs of Cairo ? who in their con- 
