Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

Q.6l TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
Mokatam, that an experienced enemy from without would have
every advantage over the besieged inhabitants.
The walls of the citadel, which have been suffered in a great
measure to fall into decay, are in general lofcy, and appear to have
been well built. In many parts they were repaired, fortified, and
new modelled by the French, whose principal aim seems to have
been a perfect command of the town, which, in its present state,
it possesses in a sufficient degree to overawe the inhabitants in all
cases of popular tumult and commotion.
For the further defence of Cairo, to which they deservedly at-
tached a very particular importance, the French constructed seve-
ral small forts and block-houses on the different commanding
mounds of rubbish by which that city is every where surrounded.
also formed lines which extended from Grand Cairo to the
They
Nile, inclosing Boulac on the north side; and, to the southward,
converted the aqueduct
into a wall of defence, reaching from the
river side to the walls of Cairo.
On the islands of Roudali and Laz'dretla several small works
were thrown up; and on the approach of the British army several
vessels were sunk in such a manner, as to form a boom extending
across the Nile from the island of Lazaretta to the village of Em-
baba. In addition to these defences, the house of Ibrahim Bey,
situated on the eastern bank of the Nile, was converted into a small
fort; and the village of Giza surrounded by a wall, with several
fletches thrown out in earth works, and palisadoed.
Within the citadel of Cairo there is a mint in which gold and
silver monies, having on them the stamp of the city,
are coined.
In as Egypt, well as in Turkey, the latter of these coins are so
much debased, that the proportion of silver contained in them does
not exceed twenty-five percent.
The streets of Cairo are extremely narrow, and winding in their
direction : being at the same time unpaved, the stranger who passes
through them labours under many difficulties, and, in consequence
of their great intricacy, is frequently obliged to have recourse to a
guide. Their very contracted breadth has, however, this conve-
nience, that it affords to the inhabitants an almost continual shade,
which, in a climate like that of Egypt, where the sun's rays shed
so intense and scorching a heat, cannot be otherwise than highly
acceptable. They are rendered still more cool and agreeable by
being frequently, ill the course of the day, sprinkled with water ;
and in this wav the dust, which, when dry, is converted into so