Part 40

Amongst the Birds, the Ostrich, whose skins and feathers are in use amongst the _Turks_, the Pelican, with whose bills and bags, the watermen of the _Nile_ throw the water out of their boots; the _Vulp-Anser_ is common in the watery places. I observed also the _Crex_ and the _Ibis_. The inhabitants never hatch their eggs under hens, but all in ovens or furnaces.

The common trees are the Tamarisk, loaded with galls, or animal excrescencies; the Date-Palm; the _Acacia_, or Gum-_Arabic_-tree; the _Cassia Solutiva_; the Tamarind; the true Sycamore, or _Pharaoh_’s _Fig_-tree; the _Musa Arbor_, or the Plantane; the _Siliqua_, or _Carob_; yellow Jessamine, and yellow Roses; _Syringa_; _Alcanna_, a sort of _Ligustrum_, Cotton-trees, _&c._

The most remarkable Herbs I took notice of, were the _Papyrus Nilotica_ (a sort of _Cyperus_ out of whose threads, or filaments, the ancients made their paper.) The _Colocasia_, or great _Egyptian Arum_, whose root they boil with most of their meats: The Sugar-cane, or Reed, by the fuel whereof they melt their Metals, wood being scarce in _Egypt_; _Hyoscyamus niger_, out of whose root they prepare an oil for their lamps and other uses: A milky _Convolvulus_ on the walls (perhaps an _Apocynum_ being podded;) several _Phaseoli_ or Kidney-beans; Gourds, Pumpions, Thorn-apples, _Coloquintida_; many _Ocimums_ or wild Basils; the _Harmala_, common about _Alexandria_ (a sort of Rue, with great white flowers) the _Abrus_, two _Senna_’s, _Bammia_, _Melochia_, _Stratiotes_, &c.

The Eagle-stone is found up and down _Egypt_ in very great plenty.

MORE

OBSERVATIONS

MADE IN

_EGYPT_,

BY

Guilandinus, Alpinus, _and others_.

CHAP. I.

_Of the weather and seasons in ~Egypt~._

The months of _January_ and _February_ make the spring in _Egypt_, the trees beginning to germinate and put forth, and the herbs to flower, so that then the fields and gardens are in their glory.

They reckon two summers, their first is in _March_, _April_, _May_, which is the most inconstant, unequal, and most sickly season of the year, as also the hottest and most scorching; which is imputed to the east and south winds, that blow generally for fifty days together over desart sandy places, accompanied with a hot burning sand, that spoils all their eyes; Strangers during this season, retire into grotts and subterraneous places, and drink much of the water of the _Nile_, which is excellent in quenching epidemical thirst at that time.

Their second summer is in _June_, _July_, _August_, which is equal, constant, and healthful, the wind blowing then from the north over sea, the _Nile_ also swelling and overflowing by the rains falling in _Ethiopia_, and the air moist and refreshing. Now all the people abstain from business and labour, follow spectacles, games, plays, _&c._ the land being under water.

_September_ and _October_ make their autumn, at the end whereof they sow their wheat, which they reap in _March_ following. This autumn is temperate and salubrious.

_November_ and _December_ are their winter; ice, snow, and hail are seldom or never seen: Rain falls rarely in the inner parts of _Egypt_, only a dew; but at _Alexandria_, and other places near the sea they have rain, and a more healthful air; these showers come most in _November_.

CHAP. II.

_Of the meats and drinks of ~Egypt~._

The inhabitants, especially the Mahometans, live abstemiously, eat little and often; their diet is generally simple, abhorring mixtures and variety. Rice boiled in mutton broth, Lentils, Pulse, and legumes; Bete, Mallows call’d _Bamia_, Cucumbers, Melons, Citruls, Dates, Figs of the Sycamore, Plantanes, Pomegranates, Grapes, Oranges, Lemons, Citrons, Sugar-canes, _Colocasia_-root, _&c._ make up the greatest part of their diet.

The richest sort eat mutton, poultry, and several sorts of fish from the _Nile_, which tho’ fat, are not esteemed wholsome, because the bottom of that river is very muddy, and the water much troubled. All their bread is made of Wheat, and they make abundance of milk-meats. Their kitchen herbs are water’d every day, all their gardens being planted near the banks of the _Nile_, which is one reason that their salleting is more watry and insipid than in _Italy_; yet if they did not water them every day in _Egypt_, they would soon be dried up. There are no gardens but near the river, because there is no rain nor fresh water in other parts.

The ordinary people will eat Camels, Buffaloes, and Crocodiles. The water of the _Nile_, purged and clarified, either by standing in jars, or precipitated with powder and pastes of sweet Almonds, is the general drink of the country, being esteem’d the lightest, the most nutritious, and the most refreshing liquor in the world, the water running so far under a hot sun, and falling down so many cataracts.

The inhabitants sleep little, indulge venery, having many wives and concubines, are generally idle, yet live long, and see more years than the _Poles_, _Germans_, and other northern nations, where gluttony and drunkenness are much more in fashion than in the _Egyptian_ climate. The _Jews_ and Christians, as also the _Turkish_ soldiers, will often debauch at Grand _Caire_, with those rich wines brought from _Candy_, _Rhodes_, and _Cyprus_; those from _Italy_, _Corfou_, and _Zant_, will not keep in _Egypt_, the heat soon pricking them.

CHAP. III.

_Of the diseases, and physic._

The most epidemical and endemical distempers of _Egypt_, are sore eyes, from the east and south winds bringing along with them a burning sand and piercing nitre mix’d with it, which makes them frequently wash and cleanse their eyes with the _Nile_ water at that season. Leprosies from their salt and rotten fish. Inflammatory phrenzies, killing in three or four hours time. A pestilential small pox, and pestilential feavers, especially at _Alexandria_ in autumn. Ruptures are very common, by reason of their moist and watry diet: But that which destroys most is the plague, which they take no care to obstruct or avoid, depending upon their principle of inevitable fate and predestination; therefore in the year 1580, they lost above 500,000 souls in six or seven months time, in the single city of Grand _Cairo_.

The plague in _Egypt_ rages for the most part from the beginning of _September_ to _June_, at which time it never fails to cease, the wind turning then to the salubrious quarter of the north, and the _Nile_ swelling with fresh streams.

They reckon this plague is constantly brought either from _Barbary_, _Lybia_, or other _African_ countries, or else from _Syria_ or _Greece_; that from _Barbary_ is most furious and pernicious, the other two mild and gentle.

Their practical physic consists in Phlebotomy, which they administer universally in almost every disease; in cauterizing or burning, in scarrifying, in cupping, bathing in a few lenative purgatives, and cooling quieting alteratives.

They bleed by cutting or pricking the veins and arteries themselves in most parts of the body; yet in eunuchs, women, children, and other soft constitutions, they take away blood by scarrifying the thighs, ears, lips, nostrils, gums, _&c._ They generally bleed after meat. Their cupping-glasses are of different figures from ours, and their cautery is Cotton set on fire.

They have a gross way of cutting in dropsies to let the water out. Their manner of extracting stones out of the bladder, is by blowing and extending the _Urethra_, then pressing the stones to the neck of the bladder, by their fingers put into the _Anus_, or fundament, and afterwards sucking them out through the expanded passages.

Their women bathe very much, and use all manner of arts to soften and plump their bodies.

They abstain from all hot or violent purgatives, as _Scammony_, _Coloquintida_, _Elaterium_, Hellebores, _Cataputia_, _Metezon_, &c. and use only the most gentle lenitives, as _Cassia_, Tamarinds, Manna, _Myrobalans_, sometimes Rheubarb and a little _Sena_, as also cooling clysters.

Their alterative physic consists of coolers and anodyns, as _Nymphæa_, Poppy, Endive, Lettice, Berberries, _China_-root (never _Guaicum_ or _Sursa_) _Opium_, flowers of the _Alcanna_, Coffee: The women will eat _Hermodactyls_ like roasted Chesnuts at night. They have few compound medicines, unless a _Theriaca_ different from the _Venetian_, or that of _Andromachus_, in the preparing of which, they seem very careful and ceremonious. Some amongst them pretend to many _Arcanums_ against feavers.

For a full catalogue of such trees, shrubs, and herbs as grow in _Egypt_, together with their synonymous names and places, the reader may consult Mr _Ray_’s _Collection of Exotick Catalogues_, published at _London_ 1693, and annexed at the end of this work, amongst which he will find an _Egyptian_ one.

The manner of hatching chickens at Grand _Cairo_, with a particular delineation of the ovens, fire, mats, _&c._ may be read at large in Mr _Greave_’s _Relation_, printed in the _Philosoph. Trans._ Nᵒ 137. pag. 923, 924, 925.

Several conjectures and experiments upon the _Egyptian_ nitre, commonly call’d _Natron_, (found floating on the lake _Latron_ near _Nitria_, a town lower upon the _Nile_ than Grand _Cairo_) may be read in the _Philosoph. Trans._ Nᵒ 160. from pag. 609. to pag. 619. also in Nᵒ 167, pag. 837, 838. where ’tis proved to be little different from _Sal Armoniac_, and may owe it’s original to a natural union or mixture of the fossile salt of the lakes with the urinose one, that comes from the Crocodiles, _Hippopotami_, and other animal inhabitants of those waters.

_Of the PYRAMIDS of ~Egypt~: By Mr ~Greaves~, Professor of Astronomy in the University of ~Oxford~._

_A description of the Pyramids in ~Egypt~, as I found them in the 1048th year of the ~Hegira~, or in the year 1638, and 1639 of our Lord, after the ~Dionysian~ account._

_A description of the first and fairest Pyramid._

The first and fairest of the three greater Pyramids is situated on the top of a rocky hill, in the sandy desart of _Lybia_, about a quarter of a mile distant to the west, from the plains of _Egypt_, above which the rock riseth an hundred feet or better, with a gentle and easy ascent. Upon this advantageous rise, and upon this solid foundation the Pyramid is erected; the height of the situation adding to the beauty of the work, and the solidity of the rock giving the superstructure a permanent and stable support. Each side of the Pyramid, computing it according to _Herodotus_, contains in length 800 _Græcian_ feet; and in _Diodorus Siculus_’s account 700. _Strabo_ reckons it less than a furlong, that is less than 600 _Græcian_ feet, or 625 _Roman_. And _Pliny_ equals it to 883. That of _Diodorus Siculus_, in my judgment, comes nearest to the truth, and may serve in some kind to confirm those proportions, which in another discourse I have assigned to the _Græcian_ measures; for measuring the north side of it near the Basis, by an exquisite Radius of ten feet in length, taking two several stations, as Mathematicians use to do, when any obstacle hinders their approach, I found it to be 693 feet, according to the _English_ standard; which quantity is somewhat less than that of _Diodorus_. The rest of the sides were examin’d by a line for want of an even level, and a convenient distance to place my instruments, both which the Area on the former side afforded.

The Altitude of this Pyramid was long since measured by _Thales Milisius_, who according to _Tatianus Assyrius_ lived about the fiftieth Olympiad, but his observations are no where by the ancients express’d; only _Pliny_ tells us of a course proposed by him, how it might be found, and that is by observing such an hour, when the shadow of the body is equal to it’s height. A way at the best, by reason of the faintness and scattering of the extremity of the shadow, in so great an Altitude, uncertain, and subject unto error. And yet _Diogines Laërtius_, in the life of _Thales_, hath the same story, from the authority of _Hieronymus_, who reports, that he measured the Pyramids by their shadow, marking when they are of an equal quantity. Wherefore I shall pass by his, and give my own observations. The Altitude is something defective of the Latitude; tho’ in _Strabo_’s computation it exceeds; but _Diodorus_ rightly acknowledges it to be less, which if we measure by it’s perpendicular, is 481 feet; but if we take it as the Pyramid ascends inclining, as all such figures do, then it is equal, in respect of the lines subtending the several angles, to the Latitude of the Basis, that is to 693 feet.

What excessive heights some fancy to themselves, or borrow from the relation of others, I shall not now examine. This I am certain of, that the shaft or spire of St _Paul_’s in _London_, before it was casually burnt, being as much or somewhat more than the Altitude of the tower now standing (1647) did exceed the height of this Pyramid. For _Cambden_ describes it to have been in a perpendicular 520 feet from the ground.

If we imagine upon the sides of the Basis, which is perfectly square, four equilateral Triangles mutually propending, and enclining, till they all meet on high as it were in a point, for so the top seems to them which stand below, then shall we have a true notion of the just dimension and figure of this Pyramid: the Perimeter of each triangle comprehending 2079 feet, besides the Latitude of a little plain or flat on the top, and the Perimeter of the Basis 2772 feet; whereby the whole Area of the Basis (to proportion it to our measures,) contains 480,249 square feet, or eleven _English_ acres of ground, and 1089 of 43560 parts of an acre. A proportion so monstrous, that if the ancients did not attest as much, and some of them describe it to be more, this age would hardly be induced to give credit to it. But _Herodotus_ describing each side to contain 800 feet, the Area must of necessity be greater than that by me assigned, the sum amounting to 640,000, or computing it as _Diodorus Siculus_ doth, the Area will comprehend 490,000 feet, and in the calculation of _Pliny_, if we shall square 883, which is the number allotted by him to the measure of each side, the product 779,689, will much exceed both that of _Herodotus_ and this of _Diodorus_. Tho’ certainly _Pliny_ is much mistaken, in assigning the measure of the side to be 883 feet, and the Basis of the Pyramid to be but eight _jugera_, or _Roman_ acres; for if we take the _Roman jugerum_ to contain in length 240 feet, and in breadth 120, as may be evidently proved out of _Varro_, and is expressly affirmed by _Quintilian_, then will the superficies or whole extention of the _jugerum_ be equal to 28,800 _Roman_ feet, with which if we divide 779,689, the result will be 27 _Roman jugera_, and 2089 of 28800 parts of an acre. Wherefore if we take those numbers 883 of _Pliny_ to be true, then I suppose he writ 28 _jugera_ instead of 8, or else in his proportion of the side to the Area of the Basis he hath erred.

The ascent to the top of the Pyramid is contrived in this manner: From all the sides without we ascend by degrees; the lowermost degree is near four foot in height, and three in breadth. This runs about the Pyramid in a level, and at the first, when the stones were entire, which are now somewhat decay’d, made on every side of it a long but narrow walk. The second degree is like the first, each stone amounting almost to four feet in height, and three in breadth; it retires inward from the first near 3 feet, and this runs about the Pyramid in a level as the former. In the same manner is the third row placed upon the second, and so in order the rest, like so many stairs rise one above another to the top. Which ends not in a point, as mathematical Pyramids do, but in a little flat or square.

Of this _Herodotus_ hath no where left us the dimensions, but _Henricus Stephanus_, an able and deserving man, in his comment hath supply’d it for him; for he makes it to be eight _orgyiæ_; where if we take the _orgyia_, as both _Hesychius_ and _Suidas_ do, for the distance between the hands extended at length, that is for the fathom, or 6 feet, then should it be 48 feet in breadth at the top. But the truth is, _Stephanus_, in this particular, whilst he corrects the errors of _Valla_’s interpretation, is to be corrected himself; for that Latitude which _Herodotus_ assigns to the admirable bridge below, (of which there is nothing now remaining) he hath carry’d up, by a mistake, to the top of the Pyramid. _Diodorus Siculus_ comes nearer to the truth, who describes it to be but 9 feet. _Pliny_ makes the breadth at the top to be 25 feet, _Altitudo_ (I would rather read it _latitudo_) _à cacumine pedes 25_. By my measure it is 13 feet, and 280 of 1000 parts of the _English_ foot. Upon this flat, if we assent to the opinion of _Proclus_, it may be supposed that the _Egyptian_ Priests made their observations in Astronomy; and that from hence, or near this place they first discovered, by the rising of _Sirius_, their _annus_ κυνικὸς, or _Canicularis_, as also their _periodus Sothiaca_, or _annus magnus_ κυνικὸς, or _annus Heliacus_, or _annus Dei_, as it is termed by _Censorinus_, consisting of 1400 sidereal years, in which space their _Thoth Vagum_, and _fixum_, came to have the same beginning. That the Priests might near these Pyramids make their observations, I no way question, this rising of the hill being, in my judgments as fit a place as any in _Egypt_ for such a design, and so much the fitter by the vicinity of _Memphis_. But that these Pyramids were designed for observatories, (whereas by the testimonies of the ancients I have proved before, that they were intended for sepulchres) is no way to be credited upon the singular authority of _Proclus_. Neither can I apprehend to what purpose the Priests with so much difficulty should ascend so high, when below with more ease, and as much certainty, they might from their own lodgings hewn in the rocks upon which the Pyramids are erected, make the same observations; for seeing all _Egypt_ is but as it were one continued plain, they might from these cliffs have, over the plains of _Egypt_, as free and open a prospect of the heavens, as from the tops of the Pyramids themselves. And therefore _Tully_ writes more truly, _Ægyptii, aut Babylonii, in camporum patentium æquoribus habitantes, cum ex terra ad nihil emineret, quod contemplationi cœli officere posset, omnem curam in siderum cognitione posuerunt._ The top of this Pyramid is covered not with one[18] or three[19] massy stones, as some have imagin’d, but with nine, besides two which are wanting at the angles. The degrees by which we ascend up (as I observed in measuring many of them) are not all of an equal depth, for some are near four foot, others want of three, and these the higher we ascend, do so much the more diminish; neither is the breadth of them alike, the difference in this kind being, as far as I could conjecture, proportionable to their depth. And therefore a right line extended from any part of the Basis without, to the top, will equally touch the outward angle of every degree. Of these it was impossible for me to take an exact measure, since in such a revolution of time, if the inner parts of the Pyramid have not lost any thing of their first perfection, as being not exposed to the injury of the air[20], yet the outward parts, that is these degrees or rows of stone, have been much wasted and impaired by both. And therefore they cannot conveniently now be ascended, but either at the south side, or at the east angle on the north. They are well stiled by _Herodotus_ βωμίδες, that is, little altars, for in the form of altars they rise one above another to the top; and these are all made of massy and polish’d stones, hewn according to _Herodotus_ and _Diodorus_, out of the _Arabian_ mountains, which bound the upper part of _Egypt_, or that above the _Delta_, on the east, as the _Lybian_ mountains terminate it on the west, being so vast, that the breadth and depth of every step is one single and entire stone. The relation of _Herodotus_ and _Pomponius Mela_ is more admirable, who make the least stone in this Pyramid to be thirty feet. And this I can grant in some, yet surely it cannot be admitted in all, unless we interpret their words, that the least stone is thirty square, or to speak more properly, thirty cubical feet; which dimension, or a greater, in the exteriour ones, I can without any difficulty admit. The number of these steps is not mentioned by the ancients, and that caused me and two that were with me, to be the more diligent in computing them, because by modern writers, and some of those too of repute, they are described with much diversity and contrariety. The degrees, saith _Bellonius_, are two hundred and fifty, each of them single contains in height forty five digits, at the top it is two paces broad; for this I take to be the meaning or what _Clusius_ renders thus: _A basi autem ad cacumen ipsius supputationem facientes, comperimus circiter, 250 gradus, singuli altitudinem habent 5 solearum calcei 9 pollicum longitudinis, in fastigio duos passus habet._ Where I conceive his _passus_ is in the same sense to be understood here above, as not long before he explains himself in describing the Basis below, which in his account is _324 passus paululum extensis cruribus_. _Albertus Lewenstainius_ reckons the steps to be 260, each of them a foot and an half in depth. _Johannes Helfricus_ counts them to be 230. _Sebastianus Serlius_, upon a relation of _Grimano_ the Patriarch of _Aquileia_, and afterwards Cardinal, who in his travels in _Egypt_ measured these degrees, computes them to be 210, and the height of every step to be equally three palms and a half. It would be but lost labour to mention the different and repugnant relations of several others; that which by experience and by a diligent calculation I and two others found, is this, that the number of degrees from the bottom to the top is 207, tho’ one of them in descending reckoned 208.

Such as please, may give credit to those fabulous traditions of some, that a _Turkish_ archer standing at the top, cannot shoot beyond the bottom, but that the arrow will necessarily fall upon these steps. If the _Turkish_ bow (which by those figures which I have seen in ancient monuments, is the same with that of the _Parthians_, so dreadful to the _Romans_) be but as swift and strong as the _English_; as surely it is much more, if we consider with what incredible force some of them will pierce a plank of six inches in thickness, (I speak what I have seen) it will not seem strange, that they should carry twelve score in length, which distance is beyond the Basis of this Pyramid.

_The description of the inside of the first Pyramid._