The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-22 00:00:00

A7RTII Eft
DIYCOVRRIES IN AFRICA,
BY SIGNOR BELZONI.

The following extract of a letter from the Lyle.
hrated traveller Batons, appeared in the Mario
di Resta:—

" Abont the Istferend or August lint, some sole
rlerr of his Highness 'the Viceroy of Egypt, sent
try his orders into the moontatos &Jong the coast of
the Red Sea to seek fur emeralds, reported on their
•seturn, that they had discovered an old city in the
reou•ttrhts. A Frenchman, who had accontionned
titre, an for exaggenned their accounts, the I airs
i•tt!trivil to imagine that this old city was the Be-
renice of the Ptolemy, once the centre of the Em-
it/OMS commerce ill 1114114.

** This circumstance determined me to visit the
ninu•itains. So hewing quitted the Nile to Coot of
EMU, arid traversing the Desert, in an easterly di-
re..tioti, 1 arrived in ten days at the mountains. I
re took as a guide one of the workmen in the
emerald mines, and was conducted by him to the
wetended Berenice. I was however. rally coo-
s 'need that this could out be the old city, fur the
tactient town did not consist of more than eighty.
...wen houses, scattered in various directions, end
of "which the greater part were not more than ten
feet scpiave. Only four were eighteen fret wide.
by forty-five in length; and they were for the
!aim part built of usiwrought stone, without any
r ernent, and all situated in a valley surrounded WI
.very tide by very high rocks. A cavity io a rock,
covered with inscriptions and figures, 'erred fur a
temple.
" There were no traces of cultivated lauds. The
nearest water was at a distance of 44 miles. The
only crmuntruication with the sea was over a mountain
85 miles in length. A broken raid, which could
never have served for commerce, led me to else sea,
ihe shores of which, rugged and covered with rocks,
did not prevent within the space of 60 miles the
least protection for ships, nor even for small barks.
" These observations, united to the discovery of
-nine mines in the environs, persuaded sue that these
houses had served fur the old miners, and that the
• ity of Berenice could not be very far distant.
" These conjectures led me to further searches,
and after seven days travelling towards the south, I
discovered the ruins of an ancient city, situated
near the cape called Lep4 Extreme. This cape
extends more than 40 miles to the east, and forms
a vast bay which protects vessels against the north
and north-west wind.. lie front of the town is an
excellent harbour, where ships of small dimeusioor
may find shelter.
" The city is surrounded by • semicircle of
mountains, which extend from the north-west to
the southern shore. Beyond the town and moun-
tains we discovered a vast plain. the land gradually
r sing to the foot of other mountains. This plain
s: covered with sand and earth proper for vegetation.
Died is deeply saturated with the water which flows
from the mountains iii the rainy season. We found
some wells in the neighbourhood of the city, but the
niter was a little bitter, which prevented the camels
from drinking it.
" In the centre of the town we found an Egyp-
tian temple, with hierogiyphics and figures. It is
nuique in this situation. for we have never heard of
ancli temples on the shores of the Red Sr..
We counted more than 3,000 houses, not in-
cluding some detached and situated at a certain
distance. Estimating five inhabitants to each horse,
the population of this city umst have amounted to
15.000 souls.

•* The materials of which the buildings are com-
posed are of a singular nature. Coral and other
beautiful perrfartions terve instead of stone, as
.01 in walls as iu private houses. Not a atone ass
ttt be seen in the town or its environs, even to the
(.or of the mountains, which are seven miles distant.
The temple alone is built of calcareous earth.
We cm some fragments of Egyptian inscriptions,
accompanied by -hieroglyphics and figures. We
also remarked, in the ruins of the houses, some
Egyvtisn and Greek fragments.
** The inhabitants discovered by the soldiers, are
at a distance of four days journey from the town.
I have made • topographical chart of the place ;
but constrained by the want of provisions, I re-
traced my steps, and again saw the Nile after about
fifty dip. 1 still preserve the intention of return-
to those places to make mole detailed obsetvia-
luau., and perhaps souse new discoveries."

Last week the Court of Session gave judgment
i ; the rare of the Earl of Flrk, adhering t e their
former decision, reducing the settlements of the late
JAMES, Earl of Furs; and refusing the petition of
Lin trustees, with expenses.—(Aberdeen ✓ournal.)
The death of the Archbishop of Dustin, which
we announced yesterday, took place at Tunbridge
Wells.
In cur last we mentioned that the next annual
meeting of the Caledonian Hunt had been fixed to
he held at Ayr; we hare since learnt, that, on the
►ugges►ion of one of the members, it was fixed to
be held at Dumfries. in consideration of the *MIS.
tion of the Earl of &MINTON' 115 111 the event Of
hi► itemise (which has since taken place) it would
evvrava their regret for hi, lon, and mark the esti-
mation in which they held oue of their oldest and
most deservedly sallied member..—(Adinbargh
C4llrant.)
A Confirmation took place at the Abbey Church,
Bath, on Tuesday, whey the Hon. and Itight Rev.
the Lord Bishop of Gtoucsirras officiated iu the
room of the venerable Diocesan, whose advanced
rare rendered him unequal to the fatigue. The
ierertur who presented themselves to partake of this
stonortant rite of our church exceeded 1.604, and
sitiiiinig could surpass the excellent order and de-
',oilmen( of the assemblage. After the service of
Confirmation. the Bishop addressed the juvenile
ciolvegatioti ; and. in the mo►t serious and impres-
bivr. manner, rtutiuded them of the solemn vow. they
had with their own lips just ratified, and exhorted
them. in the most pious sod affectionate terms, to
orKere to their ersgagemeuts through the remainder
of their lives.
A tribe of gipsies, consisting of nearly forty per-
sons. men, women. and children. passed through
Cyugresbury.• few days ago. They stopped at a
farm-house. and compelled the family to supply
them with victuals ■nd drink. On the following
(la/ the farmer had two bones stoleu.—(Bosh
Paper.l
111.66

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