Mémoire sur les tribus arabes des déserts de l'Égypte ; par M. Du Bois-Aymé, Membre de la Commission des Sciences et des Arts d'Égypte. - Notice sur le séjour des Hébreux en Egypte et sur leur fuite dans le désert

Fourth separate issue of this memoir. The text first appeared in the Description de l’Égypte, before being reissued in several offprints (cf. Meulenaere p. 80.)

Our copy is preserved in its original wrappers, under temporary green paper covers, spine restored, minor marginal losses and a few tears to the covers, internally in pleasing condition.

At the head of the front free endpaper, autograph inscription by Du Bois-Aymé “à son honorable collège et ami Monsieur Etienne”.

Du Bois-Aymé (1779-1846), who embarked on the Tonnant, travelled to Egypt as a student of the École Polytechnique. He sat his examinations there, at the same time as his friend Villiers du Terrage, and became an engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées.

Sent to Suez, he appears to have left on 16 June 1799 with the Maltese corps. There he worked on the levelling of the Isthmus. Attached to the first reconnaissance commission of Upper Egypt, which left Cairo on 19 March 1799, he quarrelled with its head Girard, who was likewise little appreciated by Jollois and Villiers.

This resulted in his being dispatched with General Donzelot to Kosseir. He remained there for approximately three months and later took part in the second levelling campaign of the Isthmus of Suez, under the direction of Le Père. He then travelled to Samangoud, journeyed through the Delta, and worked on the memoirs he was to present to the Institut. Hoping to return to France, he shared with Jollois and Villiers their misadventures aboard the Oiseau.

Following a dispute with the commander of this brig, he was placed under arrest by Menou. He left Egypt towards the end of September 1801.

Our copy contains, bound after and by the same author: Notice sur le séjour des Hébreux en Egypte et sur leur fuite dans le désert. Published in Paris by the Imprimerie royale in March 1816 (34 pp. Meulenaere, p. 81).

Second separate edition (the text had likewise already appeared in the Description de l'Egypte).