ed negroes, and while they scramble for the
provisions, like a parcel of dogs, the Asvanians seize them, and carry them
as prisoners into Egypt, where they are sold as slaves. It is twelve days
journey from Asvan to Chelvan, in which there are about three hundred Jews.
From Chelvan they go, in fifty days journey, through the desert Al Tsachra,
or Zara, to Zuila or Havilah, in the land of Gana[27]. In these deserts,
there are vast mountains of sand, which, being sometimes carried by the
force of violent winds, overwhelm whole caravans. The merchants who escape
this perilous journey, bring with them from that country, iron, copper,
salt, and all sorts of fruits and pulse, and likewise gold and precious
stones. This country is part of the land of Chus, and is to the west of
Abyssinia.

It is thirteen days journey from Chelvan to the city of Kous, which is the
first in the land of Egypt, and where 30,000 Jews are settled. At the
distance of five days journey is Phium, anciently Pithom, in the
neighbourhood of which city the ruins of the structures built by our
ancestors, during their captivity in Egypt, are still to be seen[28].

Four days journey from thence is the great city of Misraim[29], on the
banks of the Nile, in which above 2000 Jews are settled. These have two
fair synagogues, one of which belongs to the Jews of Palestine and Syria,
and the other to those of Babylon; the only difference between which sects
is in the way of dividing the law into portions. The Babylonians, every
week, read one _Parascha_, after the manner usual in Spain, so as to go
through the whole law once in every year; but the others divide each
parascha into three _sedarim_, or smaller sections, so that they read over
the whole law only once in three years. Yet both of these join in their
solemn prayers twice every year. Over the whole Nathaniel presides, being
head of the Sanhedrim, and ruler of all the synagogues in Egypt, to which
he appoints masters and elders. He is likewise minister of the great king,
who resides in the palace of Zoan, a city in Egypt, where Ali, the son of
Abitaleb, was once commander of the faithful, and whose subjects are
considered as rebels by the other Arabs, because they refuse obedience to
the Abassidian khaliff of Bagdat.

The royal city is surrounded with walls, but Misraim is entirely open,
having the river Nile on one side. This is a very large city, having many
large markets and public buildings, and contai