,i 4 TRAVELS TO THE EAST. 
gregation, particularly fince a number of thofi 
Greeks, who were driven from Cyprus by the ty- 
ranny of the Turks, have taken refuge here. There 
are feme rich Greek merchants in Damiata, and the 
infpeftor of the cuftoms is a Greek, who pays 400 
purfes for his office; but in mod of the Greeks 
here, their national mifery fhews itfelf. The Papilla 
have neither chapel nor miffionaries here, which is 
the only place of any confideration in Egypt de- 
ftitute of this kind of apoftles. The Syrian mer- 
chants, about coo in number, and all confiderablo 
people, have two monks from the mountain of Li- 
banon, of the order of St. Anthony, who read mate 
in their chambers, which even the French Captains 
frequent. The principal part of the inhabitants 
coniifts in Turkilh Janiffaries, who are all merchants, 
governed by Serdas; moll of them are rich, but 
then they are chiefly knaves and run-aways.who, for 
great mifdemeanors having quitted Conllaminople, 
Caramannia, or the iflands, took refuge in Egypt, 
and there live in fafety. There are many Greeks 
here; a few families of Coptites; about 200 rich 
Syrian merchants already mentioned; of Jews a 
pretty large number. The brokers are all Jews, * 
few of them rich, but the greatell part poor. The; 
have no fynagogue here, but worlhip God in then 
own private houl'es. The Franks were obliged 1(7 
quit the place entirely, after the French had b ed* 
expelled. 
On the 24th, we had the fineft weather I had E c ‘ 
for twelve months, as it rained pretty hard in the * ' 
ternoon. One (hould live a confiderable time in ^ 
climate of Cairo, where there conftantly reign 8 ‘ 
torching heat, and fcarcely ten drops of rain tall 
the year, to be fenfible of the rer'reftiment both 
body and mind receive from a cooling rain. 
