Thus Kayhák I, 1594, would correspond with December 9, A.D. 1877, and with Zúl-Hijjah 4, A.H. 1294. On the evening of Kayhák 14 (December 22nd) winter is supposed to set in. The fifth month, Tubá--Lane's "Toobeh," and Michell's "Toubeh, the ancient Tobi"--is the coldest of the year at Suez, on the isthmus and in the adjacent parts of Arabia; rigorous weather generally lasts from January 20th to February 20th. In Amshír, about early March, torrents of rain are expected to fall for a few hours. The people say of it, in their rhyming way, Amshír, Za'bíb el-kathir--"Amshír hath many a blast;" and "Amshir Yakul li'l-Zará 'Sir! Wa yalhak bi'l-tawi'l el-kasi'r."' "Amshír saith to the plants, 'Go (forth), and the little shall reach the big."' It is divided into three 'Asharát or tens--1. 'Asharat el-'Ajúz ("of the old man"), from the cold and killing wind El-Husúm; 2. 'Asharat el-'Anzah ("of the she-goat"), from the blasts and gales; and 3. 'Asharat el-Rá'í' ("of the shepherd"), from its change to genial warmth. Concerning Barmahát (vulgó Barambát), of old Phamenoth (seventh month), the popular jingle is, Ruh el-Ghayt wa hát--"Go to the field and bring (what it yields);" this being the month of flowers, when the world is green. Barmúdah (Pharmuthi)! dukh bi'l-'amúdah ("April! pound with the pestle!") alludes to the ripening of the spring crops; and so forth almost ad infinitum. For more information see the "Egyptian Calendar," etc. (Alexandria: Mourès, 1878), a valuable compilation by our friend Mr. Roland L. N. Michell, who will, let us hope, prefix his name to a future edition, enlarged and enriched with more copious quotations from the weather-rhymes and the folk-lore of Egypt. [EN#16] This is a most interesting feature. According to Forskâl (Descriptiones xxix.), "Suénsia litora, a recedente mari serius orta, nesciunt corallia;" and he makes the submaritime "Cryptogama regio animalis" begin at Tor (Raitha) and extend to (Gonfoda). Near Suez is the Newport Shoal, which could be sailed over with impunity twenty years ago, and which is now dangerous: it resembles, in fact, the other reef at the entrance of the Gulf, where tile soundings have changed, in late years, from 7-7 1/2 fathoms to 3-3 1/2. Geologists differ as to the cause--elevation or accretion by current-borne drift. [EN#17] In Chap. XIV, we will return to this subject. [EN#18] "The Gold-Mines of Midian," etc. (London: C. Kegan Paul & Co., 1878). [EN#19] Assuming the sovereign at 97 piastres 40 parahs, this hire would be in round numbers one and two shillings; the shilling being exactly 4 piastres 24 parahs. See Chap. VII. for further details. [EN#20] Besides a popular account of the stages in "The Gold Mines of Midian," a geographical itinerary has been offered to the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society.