I have fomewhere read an account, of the Eastern people's rubbing those great jars in which they keep their wines with muttonfuet, and I fhould think, the word picta does not oblige us to fuppofe the lower pitchers in their floats are rendered watertight, by means of a more beautiful or coftly material. Though certainly they might, if they pleased, have made ufe of fome of the fame fubftances with which they painted their Hieroglyphics, and with which Norden was fo charmed: "This fort of painting has neither "fhade nor degradation. The figures are in"cruftated like the cyphers on the dial-plates "of watches, with this difference, that they "cannot be detached. I must own that this "incrustated matter furpaffes in firength all "that I have feen of this kind. It is fuperior to the al-frefco and the Mofaic "work; and indeed it has the advantage of lafting a longer time. It is fomething furprifing to fee how gold, ultra-marine, "and divers other colours, have preferved "their luftre to the prefent age. Perhaps I "fhall be asked, how all these lively colours "could foften together; but I own it is a queftion that I am unable to decide "."

66

66

To close, it may be proper to observe, that these floats are not conftructed to pass up and down the Nile like boats, or properly defigned to carry goods upon them, if they may fome

Voy. Chardin, tome 2, p. 67. 2 Part 2, p. 75, 76.

times occafionally be put a little to that use; it is only an eafy way they have found out, of conveying their earthen-ware from Upper Ægypt, where it is made, to the lower parts of that country, where, when they arrive at the defigned place, the float is taken to pieces, and fold to the inhabitants.

N XI.

Suetonius tells us, in his Life of the Emperor Vitellius, that a lucky omen prefented itself to that part of his army that he sent forward, before his own was ready to march: "An eagle on the fudden came flying on the right hand, and having wheeled round the enfigns, leifurely flew before them, along "the way in which they were to march '."

66

2

The Baron de Tott gives an account of fomething very much like this, which happened to himself, in his journey to Crim Tartary, though it was a different kind of bird.

ແ

"Our converfation was frequently interrupted by a circumftance which would "not deferve notice, had it not ferved as a "means to establish me in the good opinion "of the fuperftitious Tartars.

'Præmiffo agmini lætum evenit aufpicium: fiquidem à parte dextra repente aquila advolavit: luftratifque fignis, ingreffos viam fenfim anteceffit. § 9.

2 Mem. tome 2, p. 42, 43.

"Juft

66

"Juft as we arrived at the frontiers, and at the moment the efcort came up with me, a fork, a kind of bird which feeds on ferpents, builds it's neft on the houses, and " is revered by the Orientals as a species of penates, or household god, feemed, like"wife, to come and welcome me. It paffed rapidly to the left, very near my carriage, "flew round it, repaffed to the right, then seeming to lead the way, alighted two hun"dred fathoms before the foremost horseman. As they came up it rofe again, made "the like tour, flew forward, and repeated "this kind of manoeuvre 'till we arrived at "Kifhela '.”

66

Events of this kind, though not incredible, nor prophetic, yet have fomething in them that cannot but engage attention. The Baron, who was by no means of a fuperftitious turn, as appears fufficiently by the account he gives of his visiting the Holy-Land, could not but remark it as fomething extraordinary; the Tartars, according to him, confidered it with fuperftition, as the old Romans would have done.

'The chief town of Beffarabia, to which the Baron was going.

N° XII.

N° XII.

I have elsewhere remarked', that as the carrying a long pike before a company of Arabs is a token that an Arab fchech (or prince) is there, fo the fixing it near a perfon of authority points out his dignity; and that thefe circumstances may be applied to the illuftration of fome paffages of Scripture; but here I would obferve, that it is quite neceffary to explain a paffage of Jofephus, united

with fome other confiderations.

That celebrated hiftorian, giving an account of David's entering the camp of Saul, when that prince and his people were faft afleep, informs us, that notwithstanding the opportunity he did no hurt to Saul, though he well knew where he flept, by the pear, which was fixed near him, and adds, that he suffered not Abishah to flay him then, though he would fain have done it 2.

English readers', I apprehend, generally fuppofe every man had his fpear ftuck into the ground, at his head; but Jofephus fupposes that circumftance diftinguished the royal fleeping place from that of every body elfe, which it would not have done, if it had not been fomething peculiar to Saul, diftinguishing him from his officers and people.

• Obferv. vol. 2, ch. 6, obf. 49. cap. 13, § 9, ed. Haverc.

2

Antiq. lib. 6,

3 Of 1 Sam. 26. 7.

It was, it should seem then, a customary diftinction in the time of Jofephus; and he thought it also an ufage as ancient as the time of Saul.

Perhaps too, this defcribing Saul as known by the fpear ftuck by him may intimate, that he flept with his face covered, being laid on the ground in the open air. Thus de la Roque describes the Bedouin Arabs of the Holy-Land, though in general they live under tents, yet fometimes he fays they fleep in their clothes, in fummer-time, on the ground, only covering their body and face with their aba, or outer garment '.

Jofephus then, in all probability, fuppofed this expedition was undertaken in the time of Summer; and that Saul's face was muffled up, fo as rather to be known by the spear, than by his countenance, in a night fufficiently light to have distinguished him, had he not been fo covered.

It seems indeed to be the common practice of the Eastern people to fleep with their faces covered, according to Niebuhr, and he fuppofes Europeans would find the benefit of it, if they would adopt the fame ufage, the dews and fome winds being found to be very hurtful'.