GRAND CAIRO. II3 
regretted, because many of the tales* related to chap. 
III. 
Syrian and to Egyptian customs and traditions, ' ■ 
and have not been found in any other copy of 
the same work. 
A few cursory observations may now be in- 
troduced, as they were made, and as the author 
finds them occurring in his journal. Who would 
have believed that antient Roman coins were Amient 
still in circulation in any part of the world? yet drcuiaVom 
this is strictly true. We noticed Roman copper 
medals in Cairo given in exchange in the markets 
among the coins of the country, and valued at 
something less than our halfpenny. What is 
more remarkable, we obtained some of the larsre 
bronze viedals of the Ptolemies, circulating at 
higher value, but in the same manner. The 
manufacture of silk and cotton handkerchiefs 
had been taught to the inhabitants by the French. 
Such handkerchiefs were then sellinj? for seven 
shillings English each ; and it was in buying these 
that we first noticed the circulation of the antient 
among the modern money of Egypt. The Arabs, custom of 
who generally sing during labour, use an antient t^J^^^l^ 
Hebrew invocation of the Deity while they are ^ Snige. 
(2) See the List given in No. IV. of the Appendix to V.l. II F. of 
these TrareU. 
VOL. V. I 
