Richard Pocoke was born at Southampton, some time in the year 1704.
After having received a classical education, and acquired a knowledge
of several oriental languages, he, in August, 1733-4, about which time
he took the degree of LL. D., visited France and Italy; and in 1736,
he set out on an expedition to the east. He reached Alexandria in
September, 1737, and proceeded thence to Rosetta, where he visited
Cosmas, the Greek patriarch, and observed the veneration of the people
for ‘two of those naked saints, who are commonly natural fools, and
are held in great esteem in Egypt.’ On the 11th of November, he
reached Cairo, when he took great pains in ascertaining the modern
condition of the country, and the customs of the people, with every
description of whom he associated and conversed. After descending the
well of Joseph, visiting and examining the pyramids near Cairo and
Saccara, and endeavoring to discover the site of ancient Memphis,
which in accordance with Bruce and others, he places at Metrahenny, he
made an excursion to Faiume, the Fake Mœris, and ancient Arsinoe; in
which province he discovered, at Baiamont, the ruins of two pyramids;
where, he observes, ‘I saw the people sifting the sand in order to
find seals and medals, there being no part in all the east where the
former are found in such great abundance.’ About two miles distant
from Lake Mœris, he explored the remains of the Temple of the
Labyrinth, a building which once contained three thousand rooms,
‘contrived in such a manner that no stranger could find his way out;’
and he relates a tradition, prevalent among the inhabitants near the
lake, of King Caroon, ‘who had keys to his treasures that loaded two
hundred camels.’ ‘One would imagine from this,’ he observes, ‘that the
fable of Charon might have its rise here, and that this name might be
the title of the chief person who had the care of the labyrinth and of
the sepulchres in and about it.’
Mr. Pococke embarked in the beginning of December, for Upper Egypt;
and, on the 9th of January, 1738, reached Dendera, where he discovered
the remains of all the ancient buildings choked with ashes, and the
inhabitants of the Arabs fixed on the Temple of Athor-Aphrodite, or
the Egyptian Venus. He then visited the ruins of Thebes, Elephantina,
Philoe, and the cataracts; and returning to Cairo, the latter end of
February, prepared for an excursion to Mount Sinai; but a war just
breaking out between the monks and Arabs in that part, he changed his
course, and, sailing down the Nile to Damietta, arrived at Jaffa on
the 14th of March. Proceeding immediately to Jerusalem, he explored
every spot worthy of notice in that city; and his topographical
observations have removed much obscurity respecting several parts of
it. After making an excursion to Jericho and Jordan, he proceeded
along the brook of Kedron to the Dead Sea, where he bathed, in order
to ascertain the truth of Pliny’s assertion that no living bodies
would sink in it. ‘I stayed in it,’ says Mr. Pococke, ‘near a quarter
of an hour, and found I could lay on it in any posture without motion
and without sinking; it bore me up in such a manner, that when I
struck in swimming, my legs were above the water, and I found it
difficult to recover my feet.’ His face was covered with a crust of
salt on coming out of the lake, and he describes the water as having
the effect of constringing his mouth, in the same manner as strong
alumn juice. In May, he returned to Jaffa, whence he sailed to Acra,
and visited the northern parts of Palestine and Galilee, particularly
Mounts Carmel and Tabor, Cana, Nazareth, the lake of Tiberias, and
Mount Hermon; whence he proceeded towards the sea, and sailed to Tyre,
Sidon, and Mount Lebanon. He next explored Balbec and its magnificent
temple; proceeded to Damascus, Horus, and Aleppo; and after crossing
the Euphrates to Orfah, continued his route through Antioch and
Scanderoon to Tripoli, where on the 25th of October, he embarked for
Cyprus. After passing some time in this island, he returned to Egypt;
visited Mount Sinai; followed the track of the Israelites through the
wilderness; embarked at Alexandria for Crete; ascended Mount Ida, and
continued his course to Smyrna and Constantinople. He then visited the
principal cities of Greece, and returned to England in 1741; two years
after which, he published, in one folio volume, an account of his
travels, with maps and plates, under the title of A Description of the
East, and some other Countries, which was succeeded by two other
volumes of the same size.
Mr. Pococke, on his return to England, was spoken of with great
reputation through Europe; and having taken orders, was made, in 1756,
Archdeacon of Ossory; in 1765, Bishop of Elphin; in the July of the
same year, Bishop of Meath; and died of apoplexy in the following
month of September.