9 <S TRAVELS TO THE EAST. 
forae enough for the time in which they were exe- 
cuted ; fome palm boughs were the mod vilible. 
The roof and columns of a very large hall were yet 
entire, in which was alfo to be feen a number of 
Arabian inscriptions, with Coptic letters round the 
cornilh of the roof. From the ruins of this palace, 
almoft the whole city of Cairo may be feen. As far 
as I can judge, I fuppofe Cairo to be twenty-four 
miles in circumference. The view is far from being 
agreeable: ill-built houfes with flat roofs, grey, 
dufty and dirty walls, with a number of minarets of 
Mofques Handing up amongft them, cannot, do nor, 
make it more agreeable. 
The i 2th, the verdure began to appear in Egypt, 
the greateft part of the water having drained from 
the fields. At this time the country appeared in its 
full beauty, wherefore I went to Old Cairo, to have 
an opportunity of feeing what vegetables this fea- 
fon could afford worthy of obfervation. Bladder 
Ketmia or Venetian Mallow, is a plant eaten in Egypt, 
contrary to the cuftom of other countries. It was 
now in full growth, and had already finiflied its flow- 
ering, when the country people took it up, tied it in 
Small bundles, and carried it to the city for fale. 
The Turks, being fond of war, are not ignorant 
of military exercifes. In Cairo they order their 
Haves, who are all young Chriftians, moftly bought 
from Circaffia and Georgia, to be inftrufted in thofe 
exercifes to which they are moft accuftomed, which 
confift in riding well, firing on foot, but moftly on 
horfeback. The latter is not unworthy of atten- 
tion. They hold their gun in one hand clofe to the 
thigh, and in the other they have the bridle and a 
match : they touch the fufe when the horfe is in full 
fpeed, and if they are well trained, hit the mark, 
which is ajar fet up at a certain diftance. The per- 
