Dr. Clarke sailed up the Nile on the 10th of August, 1801, when the river was beginning to overflow the country. The following extract corroborates all that I had heard related by my comrades, after they had returned from Cairo, and is so interesting, that it will gratify such readers as have not access to his work. After passing Rachmanie, he says, "Villages in an almost uninterrupted succession, denoted a much greater population than we had imagined this country to contain. Upon each side of the river, as far as the eye could reach, we saw fields of corn and rice, with such beautiful groves, seeming to rise out of the watery plains, and to shade innumerable settlements in the Delta, amidst never-ending plantations of melons, and all kinds of garden vegetables, that, from the abundance of its harvests, Egypt might be deemed the richest country in the world. Such is the picture exhibited to the native inhabitants, who are seasoned to withstand the disorders of the country, and can bear with indifference the attacks of myriads of all sorts of noxious animals; to whom mud and mosquitoes, or dust and vermin, are alike indifferent; who, having never experienced one comfortable feeling in the midst of their highest enjoyments, nor a single antidote to sorrow in the depths of their wretchedness, vegetate, like the bananas and sycamores around them. But strangers, and especially the inhabitants of Northern countries, where wholesome air and cleanliness are among the necessaries of life, must consider Egypt as the most detestable region upon earth. Upon the retiring of the Nile, the country is one vast swamp. The atmosphere is impregnated with every putrid and offensive exhalation, then stagnates, like the filthy pools over which it broods. Then, too, the plague regularly begins; nor ceases, until the waters return again.[[25]] Throughout the spring, intermitting fevers universally prevail. About the beginning of May, certain winds cover even the sands of the desert with the most disgusting vermin.[[26]] The latest descendants of Pharaoh are not yet delivered from the evils which fell upon the land, when it was smitten by the hands of Moses and Aaron; the 'plague of frogs,' the 'plague of lice,' the 'plague of flies,' the 'murrain, boils, and blains,' prevail so, that the whole country is 'corrupted,' and 'the dust of the earth becomes lice, upon man and upon beast, throughout the land of Egypt.' This application of the words of sacred Scripture affords a literal statement of existing evils, such an one as the statistics of the country do now warrant. In its justification, an appeal may be made to the testimony of all those who have resided in the country during the very opposite seasons of its prosperity and privation; during the inundation, and when the flood has retired, or before it takes place, in the beginning of the year. At the period of the overflow, persons who drink the water become subject to a disorder called 'prickly heat:' this often terminates in those dreadful wounds alluded to in the sacred writings, by the words 'boils and blains.' During the months of June, July, and August, many individuals are deprived of sight, owing to a disorder of the eyes peculiar to this country. Europeans, having no other name for it, have called it ophthalmia, from the organs it affects. There was hardly an individual who did not suffer, more or less, the consequences of this painful malady. At this season, also, the dysentery begins to number its victims; and although some be fortunate enough to escape the worst effects of this disorder, it proves fatal in many instances."[[27]]
Dr. Clarke's account of what he experienced at Cairo, in the middle of August, is also interesting: "The mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer seemed at this time fixed. It remained at 90 degrees for several days, without the smallest perceptible change. Almost every European suffered from inflammation of the eyes. Many were troubled with cutaneous disorders. The prickly heat was very common. This was attributed to drinking the muddy water of the Nile, the inhabitants having no other. Their mode of purifying it, in a certain degree, is by rubbing the inside of the water vessel with bruised almonds: this precipitates a portion of the mud, but it is never quite clear. Many persons were afflicted with sores upon the skin, which were called 'biles of the Nile;' and dysenterical complaints were universal. A singular species of lizard made its appearance in every chamber, having circular membranes at the extremity of its feet, which gave it such tenacity, that it walked upon window-panes of glass, or upon the surfaces of pendent mirrors.[[28]] This revolting sight was common to every apartment, whether in the houses of the rich or of the poor. At the same time, such a plague of flies covered all things with their swarms, that it was impossible to eat without hiring persons to stand by every table with feathers, or flappers, to drive them away. Liquor could not be poured into a glass; the mode of drinking was by keeping the mouth of every bottle covered until the moment it was applied to the lips: and instantly covering it with the palm of the hand, when removing it to offer to any one else. The utmost attention to cleanliness, by a frequent change of every article of wearing apparel, could not repel the attacks of vermin which seemed to infest even the air of the place. A gentleman made his appearance before a party he had invited to dinner, with lice swarming upon his clothes. The only explanation he could give as to the cause, was, that he had sat for a short time in one of the boats upon the canal. Perhaps objection may be made to a statement even of facts, which refers to no pleasing theme; but the author does not conceive it possible to give Englishmen a correct notion of the trials to which they will be exposed in visiting this country, without calling some things by their proper names."[[29]]
Before losing sight of the contest that was in Egypt, it may not be amiss to glance at the unavoidable evils of war. With the inhabitants we had no quarrel: our sole object was to expel the French. But this could not be done, without the peaceful inhabitants receiving, in many cases, serious injury. The roads from town to town did not suit the march of the army to and from Cairo; the troops generally took the direct road through the corn-fields, and their encampments were sometimes in fields of corn, tobacco, poppies, sego, melons, indigo, &c. the produce of which, however valuable, was destroyed. Fuel was scarce; and the soldiers were necessitated to use whatever would burn. Stalks of tobacco, bean straw, and such like substances, were used to boil the kettles;[[30]] and in places where dry straw was difficult to be had, it was necessary to place guards at the entrances to the neighbouring villages or towns, to prevent the soldiers from unroofing the houses for wood to make fuel: and with all the attention of the officers, such was the necessity of the case, that injury could not always be prevented.
The discipline of the army was strict, and the general behaviour of the troops good; but many instances of petty depredations and pilfering took place, that were not known, and could not be prevented. Many instances occurred of inhabitants, particularly Arabs, who sold bread, fruit, eggs, &c. having their articles taken from them by "fellows of the baser sort," without any payment, and sometimes with abuse into the bargain. The Arabs when so used would throw dust upon their heads, and call upon God, and the Prophet, and the Sultan. But as this usage was not general, and as the army spent a considerable sum of good money among them,[[31]] they were not deterred from following it with whatever they had to sell, and I believe many of them made more money at that time, than ever they had an opportunity of doing before or since. On the afternoon of the 2d October, we again left Rosetta, and lay for the night near the mouth of the river. The wind was moderate next morning; we passed the bar safely: had a pleasant voyage across the bay of Aboukir, and through Like Maadie; passed through the cut in the banks of the canal of Alexandria into Lake Mareotis,[[32]] and landed not far from the place where the battle of the 21st of March was fought, of which I had thus another view, and which I never can forget. I joined the regiment on the heights of Alexandria; we embarked next day at Aboukir, on board of two frigates; sailed on the morning of the 7th October; and lost sight of the celebrated land of Egypt by 12 o'clock. None regretted this. We indeed regretted our countrymen and comrades, who had found a grave there; but the country itself had no charms to make us regret leaving it. All our thoughts were now fixed upon home; and we rejoiced to think, that every day was bringing us nearer it.
[16]. During the time of the inundation, the water in the river is very thick but as much pure water as served us for drinking, was procured from some private wells in the town, which I suppose had a communication with the river, which had the effect of filtering the water.
[17]. Matthew xxvi. 23.
[18]. I saw the buffaloes at this employment, when I sailed up the river, on the 24th June, when coming to Rosetta. The buffalo is much larger than the ox; his bones are uncommonly large, even in comparison to the size of his body, which is very lean; his strength must be much greater than that of the ox. When he walks, he carries his head like the camel, his nose being nearly as high as his horns, and is on the whole a very dull looking animal; but, notwithstanding, he is capable of being trained to this work, as well, if not better, than the ox, for I saw them keeping a slow but steady pace at their work, without the immediate presence of a driver. The water is raised by a wheel, upon which buckets or earthen pitchers are fastened.
Since the publication of the first edition, I have seen the 5th vol. of Dr. Clarke's Travels in Egypt; and as his knowledge is more extensive than mine, I take the liberty of inserting an extract, upon the produce and manner of cultivating the Delta. Speaking of the method of watering the ground, he says, "The land thus watered, produces three crops in each year; the first of clover, the second of corn, and the third of rice. The rice grounds are inundated, from the time of sowing nearly to harvest. The seed is commonly cast upon the water, a practice twice alluded to in sacred Scripture. Balaam prophesied of Israel, Numb. xxiv. 7, that 'his seed should be in many waters.' In the directions given for charity, by the son of David, it is written, Eccles. xi. 1. 'Cast thy bread (i. e. bread corn) upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.' When the rice plants are about two feet high they are transplanted."—Vol. v. pp. 47, 48.
[19]. The grain was measured by an Arab into baskets, which were carried to the heap by others, upon their shoulders. The measurer accompanied his work with a song indicative of the quantity he put into each basket. The owner stood upon the quay and received a bean or pea from the carriers as they passed by him to the heap; and this was the method by which he kept an account of the quantity landed.
[20]. I saw the exterior of some of these houses on the banks of the Nile, but never had an opportunity of seeing their interior. Sir R. Wilson says, in vol. i. pp. 156, 157, "All language is insufficient to give a just idea of the misery of an Egyptian village; but those who have been in Ireland, may best suppose the degree, when an Irish hut is described as a palace, in comparison to an Arab's stye; for it can be called by no other name. Each habitation is built of mud, even the roof, and resembles in shape an oven: within is only one apartment, generally of about ten feet square. The door does not admit of a man's entering upright; but, as the bottom is dug out about two feet, when in the room an erect posture is possible. A mat, some large vessels to hold water, which is the constant occupation of the women to fetch; a pitcher made of fine porous clay, found best in Upper Egypt, near Cunei, and in which the water is kept very cool; a rice pan and coffee pot, are all the ornaments and utensils. Here, then, a whole family eat and sleep without any consideration of decency or cleanliness; being, in regard to the latter, worse even than the beasts of the field, which naturally respect their own tenements."