To the north of the spur, and more or less parallel to it, runs a second limestone range. It is much shorter than the spur and much lower, being often below the surface of the sea in the form of reefs. It seems unimportant. But without it there would have been no harbour (and consequently no town), because it breaks the force of the waves. Starting at Agame it continues as a series of rocks across the entrance of the modern harbour. Then it reemerges to form the hammer-headed promontory of Ras-el-Tin, disappears into a second series of rocks that close the entrance of the Eastern Harbour, and makes its final appearance at the promontory of Silsileh, after which it rejoins the big spur.
Such are the main features of the situation; a limestone ridge, with harbours on one side of it, and alluvial country on the other. It is a situation unique in Egypt, and the Alexandrians have never been truly Egyptian.
Best survey points on ridge are:
Quarries beyond Mex: p. [171]
Hill of Abou el Nawatir: p. [165]
Montazah: p. [175]
Headland of Aboukir: p. [182]
PHAROS, RHAKOTIS, CANOPUS.
Who first settled on this remarkable stretch of coast? There seem to have been three early centres.
(i). Homer (Odyssey, Book iv) says:—