[13]. This canal commences at Rhamanieh, on the banks of the Nile, and passes over fifteen or sixteen leagues of country. The bed of it is above the level of Egypt; the banks are formed of earth raised wholly above the surface. There is no water in it, but at the time of the inundation of the Nile. The beds of the canals in Egypt are all above the level of the country, that, when cut, the water may run out of them. They are properly canals of irrigation.

[14]. This wind was still more dreadful in the interior of the country; and at the place where the army was on its march to Cairo; as appears by the following extract from Sir R. Wilson's History of the Expedition to Egypt, vol. 1. p. 177.

ALGUM, 23d May.

"This day will ever be remarkable to the Egyptian army; a sirocco wind darkened with a burning mist the atmosphere; the thermometer was at 120 in the shade; the ground was heated like the floor of a furnace; every thing that was metallic, such as arms, buttons; knives, &c. became burning hot; the poultry, exposed to the air, and several horses and camels died; respiration was difficult, and the lungs were parched with fiery particles. Had the heat continued forty-eight hours, the effect would have been dreadful: but happily as night drew on, the wind cooled, and at last changed to the north west.

"At Balbeis, the thermometer was at 130; on the western side of the Nile 120; at Alexandria 105."

Extract from a Journal written by one of my comrades.

"We had one day's hot wind from the south; it began to blow about 9 o'clock; and wo be to him that is far from shelter, as neither man nor beast can survive it three days! It came from the desert as hot as the opening of an oven door, bringing small sand like mist along with it. All the sentinels were called in, and the cattle crept close to the ground and groaned for fear. The buffaloes took to the river, covering themselves, all but the nose, in the water; and no man was able to stir out of his tent until the evening."

[15]. The promise that I made of informing his relatives of the time and circumstances of his death, I fulfilled when I came to Ireland, for which I received a letter of thanks from his brother.

CHAPTER VI.

Preparations having been made for erecting a general hospital in the town of Rosetta, all that were capable of being removed from Aboukir were sent there. I left Aboukir, and was taken on board of a Germ on the 23d June; which sailed in the afternoon; and at day-break next morning, we were near the entrance of the Rosetta branch of the Nile. The surf on the bar, at the mouth of the river, was high; but the Arabs, who navigated the vessel, risked the passage. The hazard on such occasions is considerable, owing to the surf, and the shallowness of the water on the bar: for the vessel is in danger of striking on the bottom between the surges; and, when this takes place, the next wave that comes is apt either to break over her and fill her with water, or to overset her.—When we came opposite that part of the bar, which the Arabs thought deepest, they pointed the bow of the vessel to it, and clued up the sails that she might have little pitch, and might float as level as possible; they then got out hand poles; and, as soon as she began to lose head-way, they set the poles to the bottom, and pushed her forward with all their power, making a great noise, until we got over the bar into smooth water. There were several masts of vessels visible near where we passed, that had recently been swamped in this dangerous passage. Many British seamen lost their lives here, for they were ignorant of its real danger, and would hardly be convinced of it, because it had not at a distance a very dangerous appearance. It was not until they had actually got upon the bar, that the extent and nature of the danger were perceivable; and then, to attempt to return against the wind and surge is vain; they must push through or perish. At the first I wondered why the Arabs were making so much noise; but when we came upon the bar my surprise ceased. I had never seen any thing like it; yet the wind was not stormy, and if such was the state of this place with a moderate wind, how terrible must it be in a storm.—As soon as we were in smooth water, the large sails were again spread out to the wind, we passed rapidly up the Nile, and in a short time were at Rosetta.