GRAND CAIRO. 119 
Upon the nineteenth of August, our friend chap. 
Mr. Hammer breakfasted with us, and brought l .^1 , 
with him a valuable Arabic manuscript, pre- discovery 
sented to him by the Consul Roselli, of very ous Manu- 
. . . script. 
diminutive size, but most exquisitely written. 
The translation of it, by Mr. Hammer, has since 
been published in England; and this work, 
although hitherto little regarded by the public, 
merits particular notice. It professes to explain 
the hieroglyphics, and many antient alphabets; 
giving, moreover, an account of the Egyptian 
priests, their classes, initiation, and sacrifices '. 
It illustrates the origin of placing embalmed 
birds in the catacombs of Saccura; a circum- 
stance that will be again alluded to, in describing 
those subterraneous repositories. 
We then set out for the Citadel. After the citadel, 
numerous accounts published of this place, it 
(l) For Uiis publication, the world is indehted to the munificent 
patronage of Earl Spencer and of Sir Joseph Batiks, at whose expense, 
principally, the undertaking took place ; also to the literary care of 
Dr. C. TVilkins, Librarian to the East-India Company. (See the ac- 
count given of it in the Naval Chronicle, vol. XXII. p. 'Sd^J The title 
is as follows: " Antient Jlphahets and Hieroglyphic Characters explaijied; 
with an Account of the Egyptian Priests, their Classes, Initiation, and 
Sacrifices, in the Arabic Language, by Ahmad Bin Abubekr Bin 
Waushi ; and inEnglish, % Joseph Ham:mer, Secretary to the Imperial 
(Austrian) Legation at Constantinople. London. Nicoll, Pall-Mall, 
1806." 
