by their architectural date verify the popular tradition, which makes their second erection ascend to about thirty-eight or forty years before the birth of Christ.

We were wandering for about two hours in the middle of these ruins, our Strabo and our Plutarch in our hands, when by chance my eyes fell on Mayer's white pantaloons; they were black from the feet to the knee, and gray from the knee to the fork. I thought at first that in his haste to visit the ruins he kept on the clothes with which he had traversed the miry streets of Alexandria; but on paying more serious attention to the phenomenon I soon perceived that this dark hue, which diminished its intensity as it rose from the earth, was moving, and must result from some special cause. Immediately and instinctively I looked at myself, and a single glance sufficed to convince me of the frightful truth; we were covered with fleas.

The best thing to do in such an extremity was to make all speed to the baths, of which we had often heard speak as a delicious refreshment; scarcely was the idea uttered by one when it was immediately adopted by the whole caravan. We made a signal for the guides to bring our donkeys, spurred them with more or less dexterity, according to our proficiency in equitation and remembrance of Montmorenci, and we came back to the town at full gallop.

Scarcely had we communicated to our interpreter the design which brought us back, than his countenance assumed a look of terror, which was very disgusting. The baths were shut against us for the whole of the day, and we should peril our heads by attempting to have them opened. The following was the cause of this interdiction.

Friday is the Turkish sabbath. On that day Mussulmans allow their wives greater indulgences than on other days of the week; hence Saturday is consecrated to female ablutions, and the baths are reserved exclusively for the inmates of the harems. Consequently we saw regular flocks of females passing, covered with a mantle of white or black silk, and wearing yellow buskins. Every countenance was shaded with a little piece of stuff about a foot and a-half long, and the breadth of the face. This species of beard was like a domino's mask, and pointed in the same way. It hangs over the figure just below the eyes, and is fastened to the veil which covers the front by a chain of gold or shells, according to the fortune or caprice of the wearer. These women, who never go out on foot, were mounted on donkeys, and conducted by a eunuch, marching at the head, staff in hand. We saw some of these squadrons which contained sixty, eighty, or even a hundred women, and in some few cases the husbands formed part of the escort.

II. THE BATHS.

On the following morning, I presented myself at the baths, as soon as they were opened. The baths are next to the mosques, the most beautiful ornaments of oriental cities. That to which I was conducted was a vast building of simple architecture, and covered with ingenious monuments. Persons enter through a vestibule, having chambers to the right and left, where the outer garments are deposited. At the end, and directly fronting the entrance, is a door, hermetically shut, on passing which you find yourself in an atmosphere warmer than the exterior. Having got thus far, there is still time to withdraw; but if once you put a foot in any of the closets contiguous to this chamber, you are no longer your own master. Two servants take possession of your person, and you become part of the furniture of the establishment.

This was what happened to me, to my great astonishment. Scarcely had I entered, when two vigorous servants of the bath seized hold on me; in an instant I was as naked as my hand; then one of them tied a linen shawl round my waist, while the other fastened a pair of gigantic pattens on my feet, which at once added thirteen or fourteen inches to

my stature. This unusual dress not only rendered flight impossible, but, exhausted as I was, incapa- ̧ citated me from preserving my centre of gravity without the aid of my attendants, who supported me, one under each shoulder. I was caught; there were no means of retreat; I allowed them to lead me as they pleased.

We passed into another room; but there, spite of my resignation, the steam was so intense, and the heat so great, that I felt almost suffocated. I thought my guides had made a mistake and got into an oven; I wanted to disengage myself, but my resistance had been foreseen; besides, I was not in a dress or situation favourable for showing fight, so I confessed myself conquered. It is true that in about a minute, as the perspiration began to stream from every pore of my body, I was astonished to feel the power of breathing return, and my lungs beginning to dilate. We thus passed through four or five rooms, whose temperature was graduated in so rapid a progression, that at length I began to believe that for the last five thousand years mankind had mistaken their proper element, and that our true vocation was to be boiled or roasted. Finally, we came into the stove-room: there the mist was so thick, and the heat so insupportable, that I felt myself fainting. I shut my eyes, and surrendered myself to the mercy of my guides, who made me advance

a few steps further, took off my girdle, unloosed my pattens, and stretched me half dead on a bench which was raised in the middle of the room, and which greatly resembled the marble table of an amphitheatre.

Nevertheless, this time also, after the lapse of a few seconds, I began to accustom myself to this high temperature; I profited by the gradual return of my senses to cast a discreet glance around. Like my other faculties, my sight was gradually familiarized with the atmosphere which enveloped me, and at length, in spite of the mist, I began to see surrounding objects pretty distinctly. My two tormentors seemed to have forgotten me for the moment; I saw them busy at the end of the room, and I resolved to take advantage of the few minutes of relaxation they had been pleased to give me.

I comprehended where I was by degrees, and at length could give the following account of my situation. I was in the centre of a large square saloon, incrusted with marbles of various colour to about the average height of a man; open spouts incessantly jetted forth volumes of steaming water on the flags, which drained off into four basins like caldrons, on the surface of which I saw shaven heads bobbing about, expressing the beatitude of their position by the most extraordinary grimaces, and grotesque expressions of physiognomy. I was so