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Meat is far from plentiful in this country, but there is 
abundance of fish. The dates are small, but very good. 
To preserve them they knead them and make loaves of 
them. The Christians extract a vinegar from them which 
is excellent. 
The papaz, who has travelled over a great part of 
Turkey, assured me that at Mount Sinai, which is 
situated at a short distance, there is an abundance of 
excellent water, and a great number of gardens planted 
with orange, lemon, pear, and several other kinds of 
fruit trees. 
The Archbishop of Mount Sinai, who is called Con- 
stantio, was then in Egypt. He had not yet been to 
take possession of his see, because it was requisite 
when he did so to make presents to the amount of fifty 
thousand francs to the Arabs of the neighbourhood. 
In the afternoon we saw the whole of our fleet pass 
the port of Tor, steering towards Suez with light 
winds. 
We continued our route an hour before sun- set, di- 
recting our course towards the N. J N. W. and halted 
at half a league's distance from the village, about nine 
o'clock. We resumed our journey almost immediately 
afterwards, and stopped at half past ten to take repose. 
We had traversed a valley or a ravine covered with 
round calcareous flints, bounded to the east by a chain 
of high mountains, and to the west by a range of hills. 
I perceived a good deal of clay, but no vegetation. 
Tuesday, 19th May. 
We set out at five o'clock in the morning in the same 
direction, over ground uniformly sandy. We were soon 
overcome by the excessive heat. In vain did we feel 
inclined to suspend our journey for a short time; we 
Vol. IK 2 D 
