132 Geographical Collections. 
history, the antiquities, the arts and curiosities of the countries which he has 
explored. 
Mr. Rifaud has been presented to several learned societies, who named com- 
missioners to examine the materials which he has brought back, and reports have 
been given in to the Academy of Sciences, to the Academy of Inscriptions and of 
Belles Letters, to that of the Fine Arts, to the Geographical Society, and to the 
Asiatic Society. 
This traveller, born at Marseilles, was destined at first for the profession of 
a sculptor. Full of ardour for his art, he visited the principal towns of France, 
and remained some time at Paris. In 1805, having gone to visit Italy, and the 
metropolis of the fine arts, he was led to travel through Spain, the Balearic Is- 
Jands, Malta, and, in 1809, he landed at Smyrna, and explored many parts of 
Turkey, Romelia, and Anatolia, that unfortunate country, says Mr. Rifaud, 
where the glowing colours of the painter are dimmed, and the poet’s lyre is no 
longer heard,—-where man, under the despotic influence of the sword and the Ko- 
ran, is dead to the inspirations of genius. 
In 1812, our traveller embarked, with several countrymen, to avoid the pest 
which desolated Smyrna. Some Albanian soldiers, who were going to offer their 
services to the Pacha of Egypt, brought the plague on board; and before they 
had arrived at Chio, seventeen of these unfortunates had been already thrown 
overboard, and ten others were left on that celebrated island. 
Driven from Tchesmé, where they were going to land, they coursed off to 
Rhodes, where, obliged to bivouac upon a land equally desolated by the cruel 
disease which had every where been their companion, they took into immediate 
consideration the possibility of reaching Cyprus, or Alexandria. 
Out of five Europeans who quitted Rhodes, two disembarked to go to Tarnaca ; 
a third, Mr. Frederick Catati, labouring under the plague, was conducted to Da- 
mietta, where he became convalescent, and finally recovered. 
The only companion who was with Mr. Rifaud, left him alone in Cyprus, the 
ancient conquest of the Lusignans, and where he nearly fell a victim to the epi- 
demic fever. - 
He recovered upon his arrival at Alexandria, and conceived fresh hope of be- 
ing able to add to our knowledge of the country of the Ptclemys. His escape 
from disease, made him think that he could confront danger with more impuni- 
ty, and his heart beat with the desire of commencing his labours. 
He successively pitched his tent at Guorchy in Nubia, Carnak in the Thebaid, 
at Medineh, Lavouara, Banquis, in Fayoum, Telebaste, Mouqnedam, Char- 
quieh, Comlarmar, and lastly, in the Delta. 
Seventy-five statues, of which some now embellish the museum of Turin; the 
discovery of six monuments at Carnak and at Thebes, not mentioned in the great 
catalogue of the Institute ; other precious ones at San; little sanctuaries, isolated 
peristyles, remains of different monuments ; a collection of new inscriptions ; hie- 
roglyphics in Grecian, Saracen, and Latin figures, &c. &c. were the result of 
these long continued labours. 
During this period a multitude of other objects occupied his attention,—mixed 
with the natives, whose language he had learnt, and whose costume he had adopt- 
ed, few of their customs were allowed to escape unnoticed. He even occupied 
himself with the means they employed for the preservation of their health. 
He became acquainted with the Pacha, who called him Cravaji Francauvi, 
abou antique, ‘‘ French merchant, father of antiquities,’ and visited him, ac- 
companied by part of his suite, on the very place of his discoveries, which he ex- 
amined with some attention. 
Familiar with the Bedouin Arabs, he often penetrated the deserts, making 
large collections of plants, and pursuing observations in meteorology, and the 
other branches of natural history. 
Among these people vaccination, introduced by a sailor of Trieste in 1820, is 
now very prevalent. 
Mr. Rifaud mentions the honourable notices he had received from Mr. Henry 
Salt, General Malcolm, the Hon. Mr. Banks, &c. 
