357 
ty in regard to the Europeans they candidly acknow- 
ledge. 
The houses of Alexandria have fiat roofs, as in all 
countries where little rain falls. However large a house 
may be, the staircase is always very narrow, and only 
admits one person to pass at a time. 
At the entrance of the apartments there is generally 
a partition of wood, with closets forming a sort of cabi- 
net, or tribune, in the upper part, with small railings 
and blinds. Round the room, about seven feet high, 
is a species of shelf, about a foot broad, upon which 
they place books and other things; under this is 
placed a stage, half a foot high, and three feet broad, 
that extends about a quarter of the length of the room 
on both sides. This stage is covered with a mattrass, 
with a row of large cushions placed upright against the 
wall. This is the Turkish sopha, which is called in the 
country, diwan. 
A great number of the houses have cisterns, but as 
there seldom falls any rain, they are obliged to fill them 
with water from the Nile; which is brought upon the 
backs of camels at the time of the inundation of that 
river. 
The markets are held in the widest streets of the 
town, because there is no other place large enough. In 
those where the provisions are sold, are awnings made 
of reeds, branches, or mats, completely impervious to 
the rays of the sun during the day; which at night oc- 
casion a complete darkness, very favourable to the com- 
mission of great crimes; notwithstanding this, I never 
heard of any during my stay there, and I dare venture 
to say, that the Alexandrians are not so wicked as they 
have been represented. 
