ROSETTA. 321 
say which was the most refined? The town chap. 
had undergone other alterations, and was much ■ _ ' - 
improved as a place of residence since we left 
it in the beginning oi August. An Italian had 
opened a coffee-house, which was the resort of 
the officers both of the army and navy. A pro- 
spect of tranquillity had brought back many 
families, who had before deserted it : and Arabs 
were seen in great number in the streets, sell- 
ing sugar-canes, fruit, and other vegetables ; 
and employed in making chairs, tables and bed- 
steads, from the branches of the date trees \ 
We had no time to spare for any further in- 
quiry into the history of the place, or the anti- 
quities it might conceal ^ ; yet, in spite of every 
(1) Rosetta wi^?, again become an emporium for the surprising har- 
vest of Upper as well as of Lower Egypt. Mr. JVills, acting as Com- 
missary for our fleet, to whom we were indebted for many acts of 
civility, at this time received an order for corn, to the amount (J 
seventeen thousand pounds sterling. This gentleman informed us, 
and said he was convinced of the truth of the statement, that Upper 
Egypt could annually supply five millions of Cairo ardepls of wheat; 
each ardept being equal to Jive bushels of our measure; besides a great 
supply of barley and rice, the precise quantity of which he was unable 
to ascertain. 
(2) Colonel Squire arrived atRosetta in the evening of the same day 
on which we left it. The following remarks occur in his Journal. 
*' The town of Rosetta, or Rasckid as it is called by the Jrubs, was 
built in the year of Christ 875 ; and is now in a very ruinous state : 
tlie houses, which are built of burned brick, are high ; and the streets, 
as 
VOL. v. Y 
