in Scripture to designate the nomad Arabs. But though no canal existed
at this period, we find evidence that a considerable trade in the
produce of Egypt was already carried on through this district, caused by
the want of agricultural produce in Arabia; and this trade induced the
Egyptians to "guild for Pharaoh treasure-cities, Pithom and Raamses."[1]

[1] Compare Genesis, xlvii. 11, Exodus, i. 11, and xii. 37.

As soon as the children of Israel were driven out of the land of Goshen,
the new occupants would naturally commence the formation of a canal, for
irrigating the land they had gained. Now, a great part of the valley of
Seba Biar is lower than the level of the Nile at the height of the
inundation, this was easily done. A canal from the eastern branch of the
river, near Bubastes, did not require to be cut to a greater distance
than seven miles, in order to allow the waters to fill the valley. By
this operation, the irrigation could have been carried as far as the
northern boundary of the bitter lakes, between Suez and the
Mediterranean; and at least 20,000 acres of land gained for agricultural
purposes. This irrigation would extend itself to the Serapeion--a
distance of about forty-five miles from Bubastes, and about forty from
the Red Sea.

Let us now observe the chronology of the events we have already
noticed. Without pretending to offer any opinion on the disputed
questions of Egyptian chronology, we shall adopt the dates given by Dr
Nolan in his memoir on the use of the ancient cycles in settling the
differences of chronologists, published in the Transactions of the
Royal Society of Literature.[1] It must be observed, that the 430 years
of the sojourning of the children of Israel in Egypt is to be computed
from the call of Abraham, and not from the going down of Israel, as is
explained by St Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians, chap. iii. v.
17.[2]

[1] Vol. iii. p. 2.

[2] Josephus, Antiquit. Jud. ii. 15, 2; Clinton's Fasti Hellenici,
i. 297.

The administration of Joseph occurred during the reign of
the last king of the race of the Hyksos, B.C. 1687
The reign of Mephres, or Moeris, B.C. 1538
The exodus occurred in the year B.C. 1492

The Egyptians enjoyed a long period of prosperity after they had driven
out the Israelites. Their national history, during a period of four
hundred years, is recorded on their monuments; and, though not very
intelligible in its details, it affords ir