tian
record, sculptured on wood, of the time of Diocletian. It is in the west
tower, and we will try and find it. Then the crusaders, under Louis IX.
of France, besieged but did not take it. The Sieur de Joinville, who
wrote the life of the king, has given an interesting account of the
siege. He describes the terror caused in the army when the 'Greek fire'
was thrown from the walls. In the middle ages it was a noted place, and
a stuff called 'cloth of Baldeck' was manufactured here. It was made of
silk and of gold and silver threads, and was ornamented with imitations
of trees, flowers, and birds. It was worn and much prized by persons of
high rank. Henry III. was, I believe, the first English king who wore
cloth of Baudekin or Baldeck, but it was worn in other countries of
Europe before his time."

We went to the upper chamber over the west tower of the old gateway, and
there saw the record described by Sir Gardner Wilkinson. The upper part
with the Greek inscription; below it a symbol of the Deity, a globe
supported by two winged angels; and on each side six figures, which Sir
Gardner Wilkinson believes to be the twelve apostles. We were very much
interested in this Christian record, and wished that we had had some
knowledge of who these early Christians were who had left the traces of
their assembly in this upper chamber.

[Illustration: OLD GATEWAY.]

We next went to see the mosque of Amer. This mosque was built by the
Saracen Amer on the spot on which he encamped with his army when he
besieged the city and took it. He founded the city of Fostat, which
became the capital of Mohammedan Egypt. Four hundred years afterwards
the present city of Cairo was built by one of the caliphs. He made it
the capital, and called it Masr-el-Kahira, or "the Victorious City." The
city built by Amer was then called "Old Cairo."

We were not so much struck by the mosque of Amer as we had been by some
other mosques. There are some fine pillars and arches, both pointed and
circular. But its chief interest is its great age. There is an old
tradition that whenever this mosque falls, the Mohammedan power will
fall in Egypt.

From Old Cairo we crossed over to the Island of Roda, to see the
Nilometer. It consists of a square well, in the middle of which is a
pillar marked in degrees, for measuring the rise of the Nile. There was
once a tower over it. At the time when the Nile is rising, the criers
come into Cairo every morning to proclai