and outside the walls, on which they ply their pleasure-boats, and enjoy a variety of other recreations suited to their indolent luxury or to the softness of their delicious climate. On the borders of these, especially within the town, may be seen in an evening fireworks pouring their light into the air, dancing-dogs, dancing-monkeys, dancing-girls, and all the people making merry and rejoicing, as in the days of old when the Nile had attained its due elevation, and promised to bless their fields with an ample increase. In one of these sheets of water is observed the lotus,-that mysterious plant so highly esteemed by the ancient Egyptians, the flower of which contrasts so beautifully with the liquid ground on which it reposes, as well as with the arid waste by which it is surrounded.

The citadel, which occupies part of the ridge of Mokattam, is a place of considerable strength, but, like most other ancient buildings in Egypt, greatly encumbered with ruins. The palace of the pasha is not worthy of notice on any other account than as being the residence of so distinguished a person when he chooses to live in his capital. It is a small house, plain, and without any exterior decoration, except that it has more glass-windows in front than Turkish dwellings usually exhibit. The Well of Joseph, in the middle of the fortress, calls us back to the twelfth century, the era of the renowned Saladin, by whom it was excavated, and whose name, Yousef, it continues to bear. It is about 45 feet in circumference at the top, and is dug through the soft calcareous rock to the depth of about 270 feet, where it meets a spring of brackish water on a level with the Nile, from which indeed it is derived,—

owing its saline impregnation to the nature of the soil through which it has filtered. The water is raised in buckets by two wheels drawn by oxen, -the one being on the surface of the ground, the other at the depth of 150 feet. The main use of this celebrated cistern, besides partly supplying the garrison, is to irrigate the adjoining gardens, and keep alive the little verdure which adorns the interior of the fortress; but it is preserved in tolerable repair from the consideration that, were the place ever subjected to a siege, the stream of Joseph's Well would become the sole reliance of the troops as well as of the numerous inhabitants.

The memory of Saladin is farther associated with the citadel by means of a ruin called Joseph's Hall, and which is understood to have formed part of the palace of that warlike prince. The columns, it is manifest, have been taken from some more ancient building at Memphis, being generally monolithic, or consisting of a single stone, tall and massy, and adorned with highly-wrought capitals. In the days of Saracenic magnificence, this must have been a truly splendid edifice, meriting in some degree the praises bestowed upon the royal residences of that aspiring and ingenious people. But it is now in a very dilapidated condition, part being converted into a magazine, and part used as a granary; while the whole has such a waste and mournful appearance, as to be, in truth, more desolate and less interesting than if it were a complete ruin.*

But, in describing Joseph's Hall, we apprehend that we have spoken of an architectural relic which

* Richardson, vol. i. p. 48.