The entire town is surrounded by walls and towers, guarded by a castle, and divided into several quarters, separated from each other by gates, which are closed after sunset.

On the heights around Cairo are to be seen some castles from the time of the Saracens.
As I rode to and fro in the town, my guide suddenly stopped, bought a quantity of bread, and motioned me to follow him.

I thought he was going to take me to a menagerie, and that this bread was intended for the wild animals.

We entered a courtyard with windows all round reaching to the ground, and strengthened with iron bars.
Stopping before the first window, my servant threw in a piece of bread; what was my horror when I saw, instead of a lion or tiger, a naked emaciated old man rush forth, seize the bread, and devour it ravenously.

I was in the mad-house.