gers, who salt them and deal in them in every place. These fish
are exceedingly fat and large, and the oil obtained from them is used
in this land for lamp-oil. Though a man eat a great quantity of these
fish, if he but drink Nile water afterwards they will not hurt him,
for the waters have medicinal properties.

[p.101]

People ask, what causes the Nile to rise? The Egyptians say that up
the river, in the land of Al-Habash (Abyssinia), which is the land of
Havilah, much rain descends at the time of the rising of the river,
and that this abundance of rain causes the river to rise and to cover
the surface of the land[188]. If the river does not rise, there is no
sowing, and famine is sore in the land. Sowing is done in the month of
Marheshwan, after the river has gone back to its ordinary channel. In
the month of Adar is the barley-harvest, and in the month of Nisan the
wheat-harvest.

In the month of Nisan they have cherries, pears, cucumbers, and gourds
in plenty, also beans, peas, chickpeas, and many kinds of vegetables,
such as purslane, asparagus, pulse, lettuce, coriander, endive,
cabbage, leek, and cardoon. The land is full of all good things, and
the gardens and plantations are watered from the various reservoirs
and by the river-water.

The river Nile, after flowing past (the city of) Mizraim, divides into
four heads: one channel proceeds in the direction of Damietta, which
is Caphtor[189], where it falls into the sea.

[p.102]

The second channel flows to the city of Reshid (Rosetta), which is
near Alexandria, and there falls into the sea; the third channel goes
by way of Ashmun, where it falls into the sea; and the fourth channel
goes as far as the frontier of Egypt[190]. Along both banks of these
four river-heads are cities, towns and villages, and people visit
these places either by ship or by land. There is no such
thickly-populated land as this elsewhere. It is extensive too and
abundant in all good things.

From New Mizraim unto Old Mizraim is a distance of two parasangs. The
latter is in ruins, and the place where walls and houses stood can be
seen to the present day. The store-houses also of Joseph of blessed
memory are to be found in great numbers in many places. They are built
of lime and stone, and are exceedingly strong[191]. A pillar is there
of marvellous workmanship, the like of which cannot be seen throughout
the world.

Outside the city is the ancient synagogue of Moses our master, o