ters and any one they find.
The climate is very hot. When the men of Assuan make a raid into their
land, they take with them bread and wheat, dry grapes and figs, and
throw the food to these people, who run after it.

[p.97]

Thus they bring many of them back prisoners, and sell them in the land
of Egypt and in the surrounding countries. And these are the black
slaves, the sons of Ham.

From Assuan it is a distance of twelve days to Heluan where there are
about 300 Jews. Thence people travel in caravans a journey of fifty
days through the great desert called Sahara, to the land of Zawilah,
which is Havilah in the land of Gana[179]. In this desert there are
mountains of sand, and when the wind rises, it covers the caravans
with the sand, and many die from suffocation. Those that escape bring
back with them copper, wheat, fruit, all manner of lentils, and salt.
And from thence they bring gold, and all kinds of jewels. This is in
the land of Cush which is called Al-Habash on the western
confines[180]. From Heluan it is thirteen days' journey to Kutz which
is K[=u]s, and this is the commencement of the land of Egypt. At Kutz
there are 300 Jews[181]. Thence it is 300 miles to Fayum, which is
Pithom, where there are 200 Jews; and unto this very day one can see
ruins of the buildings which our forefathers erected there[182].

Thence to Mizraim is a journey of four days.

[p.98]

This Mizraim is the great city situated on the banks of the Nile,
which is Pison or Al-Nil[183]. The number of Jewish inhabitants is
about 7,000. Two large synagogues are there, one belonging to the men
of the land of Israel and one belonging to the men of the land of
Babylon. The synagogue of the men of the land of Israel is called
Kenisat-al-Schamiyyin, and the synagogue of the men of Babylon is
called Kenisat-al-Irakiyyin. Their usage with regard to the portions
and sections of the Law is not alike; for the men of Babylon are
accustomed to read a portion every week, as is done in Spain, and is
our custom, and to finish the Law each year; whilst the men of
Palestine do not do so, but divide each portion into three sections
and finish the Law at the end of three years. The two communities,
however, have an established custom to unite and pray together on the
day of the Rejoicing of the Law, and on the day of the Giving of the
Law[184]. Among the Jews is Nethanel the Prince of Princes and the
head of the Academy, who is the head of all the cong