CHAPTER VIII. Posta in riva del mar, ed ha vicine Le quai, come Austro suol l'onde marine, Ritrova il peregrin riparo o scampo Ne le tempeste de l'instabil campo. TASSO, Canto xvii. ON the 30th of December the Swiftfure fell in with the Zealous and Lion off the tower of Marabou. We learnt that during the time we were in the Bay of Aboukir, a grand illumination had been exhibited by the French at Alexandria. The pharos, the minarets, and even Pompey's pillar, were brilliantly lighted up, and fire-works were displayed; all this was in honour of their new feftival, the anniversary of the founding the Republic. We perceived a material difference in the works around the town; they now bore a formidable aspect. A large sand-hill, that appeared to be at the back of the city, was completely fortified; and from its commanding fituation, feemed capable of refifting any attack that could be made on it from infurgents in the city. On Pompey's pillar the tricoloured flag was hoifted, and a foldier constantly on guard, who could, from that height, give early intelligence of the approach of an enemy. The annexed drawing reprefents the caftle at the entrance of the new harbour built on, or near, the spot where formerly ftood the celebrated pharos, esteemed one of the wonders of the world. The caftle is a handfome building, adorned with towers at the corners, and a tall minaret, in the style of most of the Saracenic buildings in this and the adjacent country; behind it, on the right, is the fand-hill above mentioned. From the caftle to the main-land extends a long caufeway over arches, and on the right of the whole is Pompey's pillar, with the French flag displayed on the top of it. On the left of the harbour, among the ruins of the ancient city of Alexandria, is the column known by the name of Cleopatra's needle. I could not but regret the circumstances of the times, which prevented a nearer inspection of these venerable remnants of antiquity; but they have all been ably described by those celebrated travellers Norden and Pococke, and by feveral fubfequent writers, as well as the French literati of the present day, so that nothing new could be faid on them. The French had been bufy in rendering the caftle more capable of refifting any attacks upon it; they had levelled the battlements on the lower part, and erected a battery of guns and mortars on the platform, with which they frequently annoyed us, as, in the course of our cruize, we fometimes approached within the range of their shot. The city is fituated in the middle of barren defarts of fand, having on one fide the lake Mariotis, which is nearly dry, and |