Alexandria: A History and a GuideForster, E. M. (Edward Morgan)
History
Alexandria: A History and a Guide
Forster, E. M. (Edward Morgan)
Alexandria (Egypt) -- Guidebooks; Alexandria (Egypt) -- History
Continue to follow the coast. Perfect bathing. To the right, half-way
between the coast and the railway sta. in some rising ground, are
catacombs that have been filled in. Then comes the end of the
promontory, which is fine. There are two forts:—Fort Saba, closing the
neck, where the French resisted when the Turks landed in 1799 (_see_
above); and Fort Kait Bey, on the extremity, founded in the 15th cent.
by the Sultan of that name as part of his defence scheme against the
Turks (cf. Fort Kait Bey at Alexandria, p. 81). The views are good, with
the Mediterranean on one side and the tranquil semi-circle of Aboukir
Bay on the other, and from here or from Fort Ramleh the scene of the
“Battle of the Nile” can be surveyed, and Nelson’s great manoeuvre
appreciated; “Nelson’s Island” from which the French line depended and
where the Culloden was wrecked lies straight ahead. (_see_ above.) The
promontory was anciently called Zephyrium, because it caught the cool
zephyr winds; here stood a little temple to Aphrodite and when the great
queen Arsinoe, died in B.C. 270, one of the court admirals had the happy
idea of associating her with the elder goddess so that mariners might
render thanks to both. The shrine then became fashionable and Queen
Berenice hung up her hair here in 244 as a thank-offering for her
husband’s safe return; in the following year the hair was snatched up to
heaven, where it may still be observed on any fine night as the
constellation of Coma Berenice. The temple was less fortunate, and all
that remains of it is the base of a column, down among the rocks.—In
Christian times the Church of St. Cyr and St. John (_see_ above) stood
here, on the side of Aboukir Bay.
* * * * *
_Aboukir Bay._—The shore is airless and there are palm trees, the waters
shallow. From a boat one can look down on the mud in which the Orient,
Brueys’ flagship, has disappeared with all her treasure; attempts have
been made to locate her, but in vain. Good sailing. Turtle fishing. On
the projecting spit to which Napoleon dragged his guns (_see_ above) is
the landing enclosure for the fishing boats; many of the fishermen are
Sicilians; they have lived at Aboukir for generations and form a
community by themselves. Here (site uncertain) once stood Menouthis.
Fort Ramleh.—Topped by the waterworks. Magnificent view. The flat ground
to the south marks the Canopic Mouth of the Nile, through which
Herodotus entered Egypt; here Heracleum stood (_see_ above).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account