FOUA.
Farther up this branch of the Nile is Foua, near which is
supposed to have stood in ancient times the city of Metelis, celebrated
for the female singers and dancers educated there, who
made it their profession to travel about, and exhibit their skill at
public festivals. Even in the present day most of the itinerants
of this description in Egypt come from Foua.
Here, as in other places, hieroglyphics have long ceased to
give any value to the stone on which they are cut, many fine
pieces of red granite insculptured with them appearing confounded
with others in the steps leading down to the river. See the plate.
CAIRO.
This city, the present metropolis of Egypt, is seated on the
eastern side of the Nile, a few miles before it begins to branch off
and form the Delta. It has been erroneously considered as of
vast extent, and containing an infinite number of inhabitants. In
it are commonly included three towns, Old Cairo, Cairo properly
so called, and Bulac, which are about a mile distant from each
other.
The ancient city, which seems to have succeeded to the
egyptian Babylon, and was built near it, was called Misr, the
old name of Egypt. It is now reduced to a small compass, not
being above two miles round; is the port for the boats, that come