Clysma

CLYSMA, or Clisma, or Colsum. This is the place, where the Israelites passed the Red Sea, as is expresly shewn by Eusebius¹, Philostorgius², Cosmas the Egyptian a Monk³, and Gregory of Tours⁴. Clysma, according to S. Epiphanius⁵, was one of the three ports which lay upon the Red Sea. The first was Ailat; the second Berenice; and the third at the Castle of Clysma. Some⁶ place it to the East, others⁷ to the West of the Red Sea; but we are persuaded it should be placed eastward; and that Clysma is the same with the present Colsuma. And as the whole western Coast of this Sea received its name from Clysma; so in like manner at this day the Arm of this Sea, which extends towards Egypt, and is opposite to the Gulf of Elat or Ailath is called the Sea of Colsuma, or Baharel-Colsum. Clysma lay towards the extremity, or point of the Red Sea: But I cannot exactly tell the distance, which there was from Clysma to the extremity of this Sea. Gregory of Tours, Paulus Orosius, and some others assure us, that still in their time, at the place where the Hebrews passed the Red Sea, the remains of Pharaoh’s Chariots, and the tracks of their Wheels were to be seen.

According to Abulfeda’s account of Colzum⁸, It is a small Town situated upon the northern extremity of the Red Sea, in the forty fourth degree and ¼. Others say in the forty sixth degree of Longitude and ½, and in the twenty third degree of Latitude and ⅓. It lies to the west of Ailat or Elat; both being almost in the same Latitude. Ailat is seated on the extremity of the eastern Arm or Channel, and Colsum at the extremity of the western Channel. Between Ailat and Colzum is Mount Al-tour or Sinai, which is more southern than Colzum. They who come from Sinai in their way to Egypt, must necessarily pass through the Neighbourhood of Colzum. The Red Sea, at some distance beyond Colzum, extends it self on both sides towards the South and East, till its Channel from one Shore to the other becomes about sixty thousand paces wide; and this place, which is one of the widest, is called Barka Gorandal. Clysma and Colzum are the same.

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