| 1. | Toot | commences on the | 10th or 11th of Sept. |
| 2. | Bábeh | ” ” | 10th or 11th of Oct. |
| 3. | Hátoor | ” ” | 9th or 10th of Nov. |
| 4. | Kiyahk (vulg. Kiyák) | ” ” | 9th or 10th of Dec. |
| 5. | Toobeh | ” ” | 8th or 9th of Jan. |
| 6. | Amsheer | ” ” | 7th or 8th of Feb. |
| 7. | Barmahát | ” ” | 9th of March. |
| 8. | Barmoodeh | ” ” | 8th of April. |
| 9. | Beshens | ” ” | 8th of May. |
| 10. | Ba-ooneh | ” ” | 7th of June. |
| 11. | Ebeeb | ” ” | 7th of July. |
| 12. | Misra | ” ” | 6th of August. |
The Eiyám en-Nesee (Intercalary days), five or six days, complete the year.
These months, it will be observed, are of thirty days each. Five intercalary days are added at the end of three successive years; and six at the end of the fourth year. The Coptic leap-year immediately precedes ours: therefore the Coptic year begins on the 11th of September only when it is the next after their leap-year; or when our next ensuing year is a leap-year; and, consequently, after the following February, the corresponding days of the Coptic and our months will be the same as in other years. The Copts begin their reckoning from the era of Diocletian, A.D. 284.
In Egypt, and other Muslim countries, from sunset to sunset is reckoned as the civil day; the night being classed with the day which follows it: thus the night before Friday is called the night of Friday. Sunset is twelve o’clock: an hour after sunset, one o’clock; two hours, two o’clock; and so on to twelve; after twelve o’clock in the morning, the hours are again named one, two, three, and so on.[[341]] The Egyptians wind up and (if necessary) set their watches at sunset; or rather, a few minutes after; generally when they hear the call to evening-prayer. Their watches, according to this system of reckoning from sunset, to be always quite correct, should be set every evening, as the days vary in length.
The following Table shows the times of Muslim prayer,[[342]] with the apparent European time of sunset, in and near the latitude of Cairo, at the commencement of each zodiacal month:—
| Sunset. | ’Eshë | Day-break. | Noon. | ’Asr. | |||
| Mo.T. | Eur.T. | Mo.T. | Mo.T. | Mo.T. | Mo.T. | ||
| h. m. | h. m. | h. m. | h. m. | h. m. | h. m. | ||
| June 21 | 12 0 | 7 4 | 1 34 | 8 6 | 4 56 | 8 31 | |
| July 22 | May 21 | 12 0 | 6 53 | 1 30 | 8 30 | 5 7 | 8 43 |
| Aug. 23 | Apr. 20 | 12 0 | 6 31 | 1 22 | 9 24 | 5 29 | 9 4 |
| Sept. 23 | Mar. 20 | 12 0 | 6 4 | 1 18 | 10 24 | 5 56 | 9 24 |
| Oct. 23 | Feb. 18 | 12 0 | 5 37 | 1 18 | 11 18 | 6 23 | 9 35 |
| Nov. 22 | Jan. 20 | 12 0 | 5 15 | 1 22 | 11 59 | 6 45 | 9 41 |
| Dec. 21 | 12 0 | 5 4 | 1 24 | 12 15 | 6 56 | 9 43 | |
A pocket almanack is annually printed at the government-press at Boolák.[[343]] It comprises the period of a solar year, commencing and terminating with the vernal equinox; and gives, for every day, the day of the week, and of the Mohammadan, Coptic, Syrian, and European months; together with the sun’s place in the zodiac, and the time of sunrise, noon, and the ’asr. It is prefaced with a summary of the principal eras and feast-days of the Muslims, Copts, and others; and remarks and notices relating to the seasons. Subjoined to it is a calendar containing physical, agricultural, and other notices for every day in the year; mentioning eclipses, etc.; and comprising much matter suited to the superstitions of the people. It is the work of Yahya Efendee, originally a Christian priest of Syria; but now a Muslim.
Of Geography, the Egyptians in general, and, with very few exceptions, the best instructed among them, have scarcely any knowledge: having no good maps, they are almost wholly ignorant of the relative situations of the several great countries of Europe. Some few of the learned venture to assert that the earth is a globe; but they are opposed by a great majority of the ’Ulama. The common opinion of all classes of Muslims is, that our earth is an almost plane expanse, surrounded by the ocean,[[344]] which, they say, is encompassed by a chain of mountains called “Káf.” They believe it to be the uppermost of seven earths; and in like manner they believe that there are seven heavens, one above another.
Such being the state of science among the modern Egyptians, the reader will not be surprised at finding the present chapter followed by a long account of their superstitions; a knowledge of which is necessary to enable him to understand their character, and to make due allowances for many of its faults. We may hope for, and, indeed, reasonably expect, a very great improvement in the intellectual and moral state of this people, in consequence of the introduction of European sciences, by which their present ruler has, in some degree, made amends for his oppressive sway; but it is not probable that this hope will be soon realized to any considerable extent.[[345]]