Southport : Original Sources in Exploration
	Travels in Egypt, Nubia, the Holy Land, and Cyprus Henry Light
	Travels in Egypt, Nubia, the Holy Land, and Cyprus, by Henry Light. [14] (Published in 1818 by Rodwell and Martin, New Bond Street, London.) Part II Chapter 4. (p.54)  Departure for Philae—Locusts—Sail for Ibrim—Ruins at Gartaas—Taeefa— Cataracts of Galabshee—Ruins at ditto—Temple at Garsery—Arrival at Dukkey—Description of temple there—Hailed by an officer of the Cashief of Deir—Interview with the latter—Arrival at Deir—Excavations—Narrow escape of the writer—Ibrim—Superstition of natives. As Pococke and Denon did not proceed beyond Philae, and Norden, who ascended as far as Deir, appears rarely to have landed, and does not give any account of the antiquities of Nubia; and though Mr. Legh's work contains much valuable information; yet, as the objects described in it are new, I (p.55) may be excused for entering again on the subject. I shall therefore relate what I saw in my progress up the Nile above Philae. I had to regret that Mr. Hamilton and his companions were not able to prosecute their researches here. Fortunately I received some information which was of use to me from Mr. Buckingham, an English gentleman, who went as far as Dukkey a short time before me. Having gratified my curiosity at Assuan and Elephantina, I prepared for my voyage; and, as the navigation was stopped by the rocks by which the river is here filled, and the channel so divided and reduced, in the ordinary state of the stream, as not to leave sufficient breadth or depth for boats; I therefore quitted mine, to proceed by land to the shore opposite Philae, and procured asses for my journey. On the 10th of May, I left Assuan, attended by my English servant and an Arab from my boat, having two asses for riding and three for baggage, accompanied by the sheik of Assuan's son, named Osman, as guide and guard; and proceeded through the ruins of the Arab town on the heights above Assuan. The desert here on every side is broken by large masses of granite, most of which had hieroglyphical tablets sculptured on them. We arrived in about two hours at the shore opposite Philae. Philae, called by the natives Selwajoud, by Norden el Heiff (p.56), merits all that has been said in praise of its temples and other structures. I remained here till the evening of the 11th. It was in the morning of that day that I first saw the ravages caused by locusts, of which an immense swarm obscured the sky [15]. In a few hours after their arrival, the palm-trees were stripped of their foliage, and the ground of its herbage; men, women, and children employed themselves in vain attempts to pre- vent the locusts from settling; howling repeatedly the name of Geraad, the Arab and Nubian word for locusts, throwing sand in the air, beating the ground with sticks, and at night lighting fires: yet they seemed to bear the loss of their har- vest without murmur, blessing God that they had not the plague, which they said always raged at Cairo when the locusts showed themselves, as it actually did at that time. [footnote]  [end footnote] I hired a boat from the natives of the east shore, opposite Philae; which, though of smaller size than the one I left (p.57) at Assuan, was large enough to enable me to lay my bed cross-ways at the stern:  four men composed the crew:  a mat, arched on some palm-branches, served for a screen against the sun.  Early in the morning of the 12th we sailed up the river; and, in consequence of the wind failing, moored at Ser Ali, on the east bank, where rocks, barren hills, and crocodiles were the only objects of remark. About half-wa}' between Ser Ali and Philae, on the west bank, are the remains of a temple, in a village called Deboo, and, by Norden, Deboodd. On the cultivated spots, in the neighbourhood, were many sheep and cows, with plantations of palm-trees. I was detained the 13th at Ser Ali by Kamseen winds, which set in with an obscure sky, the sun becoming pale, as seen through a discoloured glass; but, on the 14th, arrived at Gartaas, called by Norden Hindau, on the west bank; where I landed, to examine the architectural ruins, of which there are many at intervals for the space of nearly two miles. The first and most southern is a square enclosure of masonry, of one hundred and fifty-three paces each side; its greatest height sixteen feet, though in many places much less; its thickness about ten feet. The east side is almost destroyed. In the interior are smaller enclosures of stone, and foundations for others. In the south and north sides there are gateways:  that in the north is nearly in the centre, higher than (p.58) the wall; is strong, and has a cornice, in which is a winged globe, and the outline of a symbolic figure, cut in one of the stones. Outside this gateway, attached to it on the right hand side, is a small square building, which in modern days would be taken for a guard-room. The exterior base of the gate does not touch the ground. Beyond this, going northward amongst some quarries of sandy free-stone, is a narrow passage, open at the top, cut by art; on each side of which, at intervals, are hieroglyphics coarsely sculptured, and the outline of a monolithic temple. This passage leads to a part of the rock scarped perpendicularly, in which is a shallow recess, shaped like a monolithic temple, of about ten feet high, with cornice and winged globe; on the upper part of each side of which are half- length figures of men in full relief, under rudely arched recesses. The heads are defaced, they have drapery about the shoulders and arms, and appear to have the wand and whip of the Egyptians in their hands; the former being a symbol of power, the latter the flagellum given to Osiris, and sometimes to the genii Averrunci. They are about three feet high, and are cut out of the rock. Above and below these figures and recess are numerous Greek inscriptions cut in tablets, and at the bottom of the whole are rudely sculptured hieroglyphics. fig.3 SKETCH in QUARRIES AT GABTAAS Drawn by Henry Light Rngraved  by C. Heath Fig.4 Drawn by Henry Light Rngraved  by C. Heath NORTH FRONT  OF Ruins at Gartaas Of the inscriptions (p.59), of which there cannot be less than a   hundred, I copied five; two were immediately under the figures, the other three are amongst the easiest to be made out [16]. At a short distance north are the remains of a small temple [17], consisting of six beautifully finished columns with capitals. Two of them, facing the north, are engaged in a wall two-thirds of their height, forming a gateway. Their capitals are heads of Isis, supporting a plinth, on which monolithic temples are sculptured. The other four, two on the west and two on the east, are also engaged in a wall, half their height. The capitals vary, but are of the lotus form: the opposites of each end are alike. Those to the south angles of the east and west sides have the grape and wheat-ear in relief under their volutes. In the west side there is a small doorway. The walls, in which the columns are engaged, have a cornice. The columns stand on circular bases, and the foundation of the whole is partly seen. The architraves, entablature, die, and part of the cornice, remain. The shafts are about three feet in diameter, and the distance between them about ten feet. The north front is thirty feet, the east and west thirty-six.    [footnotes] [end footnotes] At the base, two or three symbolic (p.60) figures have been rudely cut in the west face; and on a column of the north front are characters much defaced of a Greek inscription [18]. On the other column are characters, none of which I could trace. [footnote] 18. See Greek inscriptions. [end footnote] About three quarters of a mile further to the north, stands a single column without capital, of small dimensions, fluted about one-third below the die that surmounts it. It has the appearance of having been engaged in a wall, and is surrounded by fragments of shafts, and other parts of a building, whose form I could not make out. The west bank of the river, in the neighbourhood of Gartaas, is almost desert. A few huts, scattered amongst the ruins, afford shelter to the miserable inhabitants. The opposite shore has some degree of cultivation, and the mountains are a little distant from the banks of the river. From Gartaas we sailed for Taeefa, called by Norden Teffa, where, on the 15th, we arrived. It is on the west bank, above which the sides of the river become bold and craggy. Near this place is the entrance to the shellaal, or cataracts of Galabshee, where Mr. Buckingham lays down the tropic of Cancer. Taeefa contains several remains of ancient buildings, scattered about on an open cultivated spot of more than a mile in length, and about half in depth; bounded by (p.61) the desert and its mountains. The village might contain two or three hundred inhabitants; and had a sheik, who regulated their labour and subsistence. The doum and palm-tree flourished here. figure 5 engraved by C.Heath SOUTH VIEW OF THE RUINS AT TAEE'FA. The antiquities consist of several spacious oblong enclosures of masonry, of not more than three or four feet in height, some of which are filled with blocks of stone, unfinished cornices, and parts of doorways. These enclosures are at both ends of the plain, in which the village stands. In the centre of the plain, separate from each other, are two buildings; one complete, having the form of a portico, the other in ruin, and seems to be the remains of a primitive Christian church. The first is almost blocked up in front by a mass of mud, and is surrounded by the hovels of the natives. It is a pyramidal portico, facing the south, having two columns engaged in a wall almost to the bottom of their capitals, which are the full blown lotus, and support an entablature and cornice. Between the columns and the sides are small doorways, with cornice and frieze; and, above these, a second and third cornice; in each of which is the winged globe. The frieze has a bead and leaf worked on it. The front of this building is about twenty-seven feet in length, and proportionably higher than others I had seen in Egypt. The inside is perfect, having a roof supported by (p.62) four clumsy columns standing on a plain circular base; their capitals the full blown lotus. The depth of the building inside is not more than twenty feet, and there are not any hieroglyphics. Nothing remains to show that this portico was connected with any other building. On one of the walls inside is a cross of Maltese form. The second building is open to the east: the north and south walls are in ruin, the west is complete. In this is a doorway, and within, in front, are two columns, with capitals of the full blown lotus, supporting a small portion of roof. Scriptural paintings, as large as life, in distemper, remain on the walls; and over the cornice of the doorway is the winged globe. In front of the open side lay several capitals, broken shafts, and other fragments of buildings. I was detained at Taeefa on the 16th, by the Kamseen wind, which changed in the evening to the north and west, driving the sands of the desert for miles so violently, as to obscure the air, and hide from view the rocks close to the boat. This continued for two hours, with violent gusts of wind, thunder, and lightning; at last calmed by a torrent of rain. My guide, Osman, comforted himself by chanting praises of God and the prophet, in a most discordant voice; whilst the boatmen, trembling and shrinking from the storm, hid themselves in the bottom of the boat. Fig.6 Drawn by H.Light ENTRANCE TO CATARACTS OE Galabshee We rowed through the cataracts of Galabshee, on the 17th of May (p.63). This is the name given to those parts of the stream that are interrupted by rocks. Here the passage of boats is not impeded, as at Assuan, where the Nile is lost in streams of two, three, and four feet in diameter, which interrupt the navigation; except during the inundation, when, as I was informed, very small boats and rafts may pass the cataracts. At Galabshee, the Nile flowing wide and beautiful, divides itself amongst several rocks [19] and uninhabited islands; then widens on passing them into a grand amphitheatre of bold and craggy precipices, interspersed with cultivated spots of ground, extending for about a mile; then closing to a narrow entrance at Taeefa, resumes its ordinary breadth. On the eastern bank, on an elevated spot, are the remains of an Arab mud-built castle; and on one of the islands, those of a village and castle, which, though of wretched construction, proved that more civilisation had once marked this place. [footnote] [end footnote]  Beyond this the rocks recede, become lower, and the land appears cultivated. The village of Galabshee, which Norden, by mistake, places opposite Taeefa, is close to the opening (p.64) on the west bank, and has a larger population than Taeefa, the inhabitants living in huts round a ruined temple. They seemed more jealous of my appearance amongst them than any I had seen: I was surrounded by them, and "bucksheesh, bucksheesh," "a present," echoed from all quarters, before they would allow me to look at their temple. One more violent than the rest threw dust in the air [20], the signal both of rage and defiance; ran for his shield, and came towards me dancing, howling, and striking the shield with the head of his javelin, to intimidate me. A promise of a present pacified him, and enabled me to make my remarks and sketches. [footnote] . [end footnote] The remains of the temple are a butment of masonry, which rises above the bank of the river at about one hundred and seventy or eighty feet from the front of the temple, to Avhich, from the butment, leads a paved approach. On each side of this pavement there appears to have been a row of sphinxes, one of which lay headless near the pavement. At the end there seems to have been steps leading to a terrace, thirty-six feet in breadth, from which rise two pyramidal moles, with a gateway between them, forming a (p.65) front of about one hundred and ten feet.  fig.7 drawn by H. Light Engraved by C .. Propyleon at Galabshee  [Kalabsha] The upper part of the moles, to within three or four layers of stone above the gateway, was in ruin. The moles at the gateway are eighteen or twenty feet thick, of solid masonry. Inside this is a court of about forty feet, now filled with broken shafts, capitals, &c.; and appears to have had a colonnade to the side walls, joining the moles with the portico. Of this colonnade only one column remains, on which is a capital much disfigured, supporting a fragment of ceiling. The portico consists of four columns, engaged half their height in a wall, raised in the centre to form an entrance. A lateral wall divides the portico from a suite of four inner apartments, separated by lateral walls, in each of which are door-ways in the centre, and over, them are winged globes in the cornice. Within the first of the inner suite of apartments there appears to have been a colonnade, of which two columns remain on the left hand side, with two or three fragments of an architrave. Their capitals are defaced, and the space within filled with broken shafts, capitals, and blocks of stone of immense size. This and the interior of the portico are ornamented only round the sides of the door-ways. The other three apartments are covered with the usual hieroglyphics and S3mibolic figures. Remains of colouring exist fresh and bright. All the apartments are encumbered with ruins, and have scarcely any ceiling left. The front (p.66) of the portico is plain, with the exception of a winged globe over the gateway. Inside the portico are Scriptural paintings, similar to those in modern Greek churches; and a head with a nimbus appears above the ruins, on the wall of the last apartment, with these characters ICjAX/VTC over it. The moles have no hieroglyphics or symbolic figures, excepting a. few round the gateway, which are in the first outline. A wall, now in ruin, beginning from the inner extremity of the moles, surrounds the whole. The shafts of the co- lumns are nearly six feet in diameter; and I should judge the height to contain between five and six diameters, which seems to be a common proportion in Egyptian architecture. The centre capitals of the portico differ from the exterior ones, and all are much defaced. On the north column I copied a Greek inscription [21], in red letters. There are two others, which I did not copy, as also one in Coptic. The neighbourhood of the temple is covered with immense blocks of stone, on one of which, that seemed the upper part of a capital, were the following Greek characters: nit- O T A I AN E n A P X O W [footnote] [end footnote] On the morning of the 18th, we sailed, but were obliged to moor below Aboohore, on the east bank, which is enclosed by barren rocks of sand-stone and granite; on the top of which I scrambled, and found the whole country to the east, as far as the eye could reach, broken into masses of rock, presenting a most frightful and desolate appearance. I saw remains of Roman bricks on the shore. On the 19th, I was obliged to remain at Aboohore. Here the hills recede, leaving a large space of ground for cultivation, watered by wheels, and bearing more marks of civilisation than the other villages, and the inhabitants more industrious, their huts chiefly scattered amongst numerous palm-trees. At this place there is a small shelldal, which leaves only a narrow passage to the west; the rest being a low ridge of rocks. Opposite to Aboohore, placed as if to command this passage, is a ruined Arab castle of unbaked bricks. At Aboohore, an assembly of women was collected, howling over the dead body of a child. By dint of towing, we arrived at Garsery [Dendur], called by Norden Garbe Dendour, on the 20th of May, on the west bank, where I landed to visit the ruins. Nothing can be more barren than the rocks and hills, on each side, passed in this day's progress; and the few huts I saw were made of loose stones, cemented with mud, and covered with a flat roof of straw, or branches of palm-trees. The ruins (p.68) at Garsery [Dendur] consist of a front of masonry of three sides, enclosing a portico and gateway. The longest side of this front is about one hundred feet, and faces the river; the other two about sixty feet each. Their greatest height, above the ground, ten feet, and built of large stones. In the centre of the enclosure stands the gateway, formerly connecting two pyramidal moles, of which scarcely any traces are left. Over the gateway is a cornice and fillet: its height, including five feet of the foundation seen, is about twenty feet. There is a winged globe in the cornice. Beyond is the portico of a small temple, consisting of the usual pyramidal front, and has two columns engaged in a wall half their height. Its front is not more than twenty-two feet, and the intercolumniation seven and a half. The entablature is perfect; part of the centre of the cornice is defaced: the capitals of the columns are alike, presenting the form of the full blown lotus. The portico is covered with hieroglyphics, and symbolic figures. It is separated from two inner chambers by a lateral wall, in which, opposite the entrance to the portico, is a door-way with cornice. In the sides of the portico are small entrances. The first of the two inner chambers is a mere passage; its ceiling is perfect, without ornament, excepting over the doorway of the lateral wall, separating it from the second chamber.   Figure 8 Page 68. Drawn by H-Light Engraved by C.Heath. Portico at Garsery [Dendur] The outline of a door-way is traced on the hind wall of the second chamber, over which (p.69] are three winged globes, one above the other; and two symbolic figures, one on each side. It is without ceiling. Behind is an unconnected chamber, excavated from the rock, and built up with masonry on the inside, very small, and without sculpture. The ruins of a portico are to be seen at Garshee [Gerf Hussein][22], called Guerfeh Hassan in Mr. Legh's work, which, from his ac count, are highly interesting: they are situated on the west bank, between Garshee and Dukkey; opposite to the latter place, we moored on the 21st of May. I found the desert bounding both sides of the Nile. [footnote] [end footnote] Having crossed from our mooring place on the 22d, I landed, and skirted the desert for about an hour; treading often on Roman tiles and bricks; and arrived at the temple of Dukkey [Dakka], called by Norden El Guaren. The front faces the north close to the river, and consists of two pyramidal moles, with gateway complete:  a cornice and torus surround the whole. The dimensions of this front are about seventy-five feet in length, forty in height, and fifteen in depth. The walls are without hieroglyphics. In the cornice, over the gateway, is the winged globe. In each of the moles,(p.70)  in the inside front, are small door-ways, with cornice and winged globe, leading by a stone staircase to small chambers, and to the top. A court of about forty feet in depth separates the moles from a pyramidal portico, in which are two columns engaged half their height in a wall, elevated in the centre, forming the entrance. The depth of the portico is about eighteen feet, divided by a lateral wall from the inner chambers, which consists of a suite of three, to each of which is a door-way, with cornice and winged globe. The ceiling of the portico is almost perfect, composed of single stones. Between the centre columns are winged scaraboei, the rest is covered with Scriptural paintings. The ceilings of the second and third chambers are imperfect; of the third very little remains. The walls here are highly finished with the usual hieroglyphics and symbolic figures, that in the third chamber are much larger than in the other parts of the building. The upper part of the side walls of the portico have the remains of some Scriptural designs, representing men on horseback approaching towards angels, whose hands seemed lifted up in supplication. The whole was surrounded by a wall of four feet high, extending from the two extremes of the moles. The depth of the chambers and portico is about ninety feet. The breadth of the innermost chamber, measured outside, was about thirty feet. On the lower stones outside are hieroglyphics. Figure 9 Page 70 drawn by H. Light Engraved by James Watts. PORTICO OF TEMPLE AT DUKKET [Dakka]. Over (p.71) the gateway of the portico are the following Greek characters, in the place where the winged globe is generally seen: T n E P A 2 . . . GEO . . . A variety of inscriptions, cut about the gateway of the mole,prove that this temple was erected to Mercury [23].  [footnote] [end footnote] From Dukkey [Dakka], where the rocks and desert begin to leave room for cultivation on the banks of the Nile, and many palm-trees appear, we proceeded up the river; and, in a short time, were hailed from the western shore by a follower of the Cashief of Deir: we were obliged to pay him a visit, and found him sitting under a shady palm-tree on a carpet, surrounded by some dirty half naked attendants. He rose on my approaching, bade me sit down by him, and put a cushion under my elbow. His visit to the village (named Ouffeddoonee) [Ofedinah] was for the purpose of residing some days here with two of his wives, of whom he is said to have thirty, living in different parts of his territory, and amongst them he divides his time. He was dressed in a coarse linen shirt and turban, without slippers, and he alone of the whole party had a pipe in (p.72) his hand. I presented him with a telescope and small pocket-knife: these he was at first inclined to refuse, saying I was welcome without an offering. A pipe, dates, and coffee, were brought me; and a wooden bowl filled with curds rendered sour, and sweetened with a sort of sweetmeat made of dates. His attendants sat down by us in a circle, and many trifling questions were asked of me by all. My wearing apparel was examined. I was questioned about my rank, what number of soldiers my king commanded, how many wives he had, in what garrison I was, and how far off; what number of guns it contained, and whether my Pasha, meaning my commanding officer, had power of life and death. On my telling the Cashief that he ought to send his son to see England, he pointed to the presents I made him, and asked if it was necessary to send presents to my king; upon my answering in the negative, he replied, "Then why do you English bring me presents?" The Cashief, whose name is Hassan, is one of three brothers, hereditary chiefs of the country between Philae and Dongola. He was a young man of about twenty-five years of age, and his territory extends from Philee to Deir. He has a nominal absolute power, which, however, he does not exercise oppressively, nor does he interfere with the quarrels of the natives. He gave me a letter to his son, a boy of ten years old, (p.73) left at Deir, from whom I was to receive all necessary protection and assistance. On my leaving him, he presented me with a sheep. Proceeding from hence, the shores become fiat, and the hills are at considerable distance from the river. We arrived at Naboo, on the west bank, where they again appear in rocks of sand stone. From Naboo the river winds east and west, the hills sometimes receding on one side; whilst, on the other, bold rocks reach to the water's edge. We proceeded during part of the night of the 23d of May, and the wind continuing fair, we passed Seboo [Sebua], on the west bank, where the propylaea of a temple are seen at about two hundred yards from the water side; the rest of the temple appeared almost buried in the sand. A few palm-trees and small strips of cultivated land, with here and there a miserable hut, serve to show that the country is not entirely abandoned. We passed El Garba on the east, where the Nile flows close to the mountains, presenting a wild and dreary appearance. We towed from our mooring-place a few miles, and arrived at El Kharaba on the 24th. At Songaree [Sangari], the Nile takes a bold turn to the west, and we continued in that direction to El Kharaba. At Coroska, there is a small shellaal on the eastern side, opposite to which, at Erreiga, is a mud fort. The west bank is almost desert, the east continues with (p.74) bold rocks and hills, lined with villages, of a better construction than those on the west, situated amongst palm-trees. These, however, were mere mud buildings, which on the west were generally of stones, or poles covered with mats or palm- branches. On the 25th we arrived at Deir [Derr]. This is a long straggling village of mud cottages, situated in a thickly planted grove of palm-trees. The cashief's house, the best I had seen since I left Cairo, is built of baked and unbaked bricks. In front is a rude colonnade, forming a sort of caravansera. Adjoining is a mosque, the only one I had observed after leaving Philae. The village is about a mile in length; its population must be considerable, though I could never obtain any other answer to my inquiries on that head than, " many." I landed, and went to a mud caravansera, in which were horses, and waited till the cashief's son could be sent for. A Mamelouk, with a Greek for his attendant, had lately arrived from Uongola as a merchant. From him I heard that the Mamelouks had taken possession of the country on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Dongola, where they had been driven by the Pasha of Egypt; that they were in force about eleven hundred, under Ibrahim Bey, the partner and competitor in power with Mourad Bey, at the time when the French took possession of Egypt; that after (p.75) destroying the petty chiefs of the country, they had armed five or six thousand blacks; that one of their beys had been able to cast cannon; and that amongst the Mamelouks there were eight English and ten French deserters. The Greek, who at first pretended to be a Turk, took me aside, showed me the sign of the cross on his arm, and, by way of exciting my compassion, broke out, in bad English, in execration of the Turks. After waiting a short time in the caravansera, the son of the cashief came in, attended by a number of half-clothed attendants, squatted himself down in one corner of the room, took me by the hand, and welcomed me. On receiving his father's letter, he got up, ran out to have it read by the imam, and returned presently, offering me every thing I wished. He was about to order food to be brought; but being told I should not eat it, begged me to return to my boat, and in the evening visit him again. On arriving at my boat, I found he had sent me a kid and a bowl of bread, in the centre of which was the preserve of dates before mentioned; for which I returned him a present of a gold ring of trifling value. In the evening I went on shore; and the young cashief, rather better dressed than in the morning, having the addition of a sword by his side and my ring on his thumb, received me in the open air with an affectation of manly dignity, seated himself on the ground, (p.76) and formed his divan. Having replied to his questions, and obtained a promise of horses for n^self and Osman, to enable me to cross the desert that night and visit Ibrim, I took my leave, and went to the rocks behind the village, followed by a numerous party of the natives, who came in hopes of seeing me discover treasures in the ruins, the supposed object of the visits of all Europeans to this part of the world. The Mamelouk, who fancied himself wiser than the rest, asked me whether the English, French, or Genoese had built the temples, and whether the object of my visit was not the work of my ancestors. When I arrived at the rocks, I found that the supposed temple was only a large excavation, evidently a burial-place. The approach to it was through two rows of incomplete square pillars, hewn out of the rock; their height above the ground is about four feet. At the end of this approach is a rough sort of portico, composed of four square pillars, with, entablature. A ceiling, the greatest part of which is fallen down, connected them with the front of the excavation, scarped perpendicularly from the rock. On the outside front of the pillars of the portico are the lower parts, from the waist, of whole length statues in full relief; their height originally extended to the top of the entablature: they appear to have had the conical casque common to Egyptian statues, and stand on square bases. Fig 10 Drawn by H.Light Engraved by C.Heath. Excavationin  Rock at Deir [Derr], May 25 Published, June 1. 1818. by Rodwell and Martin, New Bond Street. The front (p.77) of the excavation is seven feet thick. There are two entrances: the largest, between the centre pillars, is almost blocked up by the stones of the ceiling. On the Eight is a smaller entrance. Both are without architectural ornaments. The interior is divided by a lateral wall of rock into two sets of chambers. The first, which is largest, is about sixty-nine feet in length, by forty in breadth. Its ceiling, formed by the rock, is supported by two rows of square pillars, three in each, with a coarse entablature; their dimensions five feet by five, and intercolumniation six feet. In the lateral wall are three doors. The centre one leads to an inner chamber, twenty-one feet by fifteen; at the end of which are two steps, and a seat, intended for the statues usually found in the tombs of the ancient Egyptians. On the right wall of this chamber are two recesses, close together, about two feet square and one deep: on the left is one recess of the same size. On each side of this chamber is a smaller one, to which the other two doors in the lateral wall lead. The breadth of the portico is the same as that of the great chamber. The sides of the rock, cut away to form the approach to the front, are covered with hieroglyphics and symbolic figures. The latter represent the warlike actions of some hero, and are rudely cut. The front of the exca- vation and the interior have hieroglyphics and symbolic figures; of which one sQt on the right is similar to that (p.78) in the temple of Cneph at Elephantina. Remains of colouring exist. In the neighbourhood of this excavation are several square holes opening to vaults, the tops of whose arches appear. The rest is choked up with sand and rubbish; the bones and pieces of cloth, like those seen in the mummy-pits of Egypt, are found lying about them.  The jealousy of the natives, who Could not be persuaded I was not influenced by the desire to seek for treasures, prevented me from making those researches that might perhaps have led to the discovery of the connecting character be- tween the hieroglyphic, Coptish, and Greek languages; for it cannot be supposed the two former were dropped at once; and that whilst the custom of preserving the bodies of the dead in the Egyptian manner was continued by the early Christians, there should not be some traces of the language of the people from whom it was copied. Such a discovery may be attempted by some future traveller. The sides of the openings are well finished. On one I traced a cross of this form + preceding the following Greek characters:  ANOKHATAoOe ic? AINAI And on another were these: l-HIXX IIOHH-LON TU)N TOTACOT ANTONIOT (p.79) which were the first inscriptions I had seen that appeared connected with Christianity. Having made my remarks and sketches, I determined to set out on my expedition to Ibrim. Leaving my servant in the boat, I armed myself with musquet and pistols, and, attended by Osman and two of the cashief's servants, I set off about eight o'clock at night. My good fortune, that had prevented me from embarking in the vessel in which the officer of engineers, whose adventures I have given in the foregoing part of this work, was wrecked, seemed not to fail me at the end of my voyage; and I had reason to be grateful for a second providential escape. I had always been in the habit of walking about armed with my loaded pistols, which I carried in a deep inside pocket on each side of a loose nankeen jacket. In my visit to the cashief's son he begged to see one of them, which 1 cocked, and imagine I forgot to uncock it again. From its position in my waistcoat, it hung usually pointed to the lower part of my body. It was a constant risk, but better than being without arms; and I had no other convenient means of carrying them. My expedition to Ibrim from Deir induced me to take additional arms for my defence, and some necessaries for the journey, that loaded my pockets and person unequally. By a momentary impulse, previous to mounting on horseback, I changed my cartouch-box from (p.80) the left to the right side, which elevated the muzzle of the pistol out of its usual position. I had not proceeded above half a mile, when in the midst of a plantation of palm-trees it went off. The explosion confused me, as the butt end of the pistol struck violently against my side, and at first made me suppose I was wounded. My guide Osman uttered an exclamation, which I fancied an expression of revenge, and a prelude to further violence, in consequence of some misunderstanding between his father and myself, previous to my departure from Philae. A natural impulse made me rush against him: luckily before 1 had proceeded to violence I found out my mistake, that my pistol had dropped through my pocket; that the ball had only grazed my hip, and burnt my waistcoat and pantaloons, without hurting me. I considered this as a good omen, thanked Heaven most fervently for my escape, and traversed the desert with confidence. The reflection of the melancholy consequences of any accident happening to me, in a country so far removed from the possibility of surgical assistance, gave place to more agreeable sensations. With these, in spite of continual danger, over the barren and rocky mountains we had to pass, from the badness of the road, I proceeded on my way to Ibrim: fortunately in the most difficult part there was a bright moon. About an hour after midnight we arrived at Ibrim, where (p.81) I found there were still two hours' ride to what the natives called the temple. As the moon had gone down, and the rest of the road lay over rocks by the riverside, we halted. One of the natives brought me a mat, on which I lay down, and soon fell asleep. Early in the morning of the 26th I proceeded by the water-side, under high cliffs, towards the temple, and found merely a ruined castle of considerable size, seated on a high rock, separated from the rest of the hills by a ravine on each side. It presents a high cliff, scarped perpendicularly to the water-side, and is a strong position against an army unprovided with artillery; but the mountains are near enough to enable guns to bear upon it from commanding positions. The works consist of square towers, connected by walls of rude stones, piled on one another, and strengthened by trunks of palm-trees and shafts of columns laid transversely. Its interior presents the ruins of an Arab town, consisting of a mosque of stone, with mud and stone dwelling-houses; shafts, capitals, and columns, of grey granite lay scattered about, on some of which I distinguished the cross of Maltese form. This castle is probably one erected by Selim the Second. On my return I was shown an excavation in one of the rocks, which I visited. It consists of a chamber twenty feet wide and ten deep. Opposite the entrance is a recess, forming a seat; and above, in a shallower recess, are three figures (p.82) sitting, in alto relievo, much defaced. There are a few lines, rudely traced, as a sort of cornice to the entrance, in which is a winged globe. On the walls of the chamber, half way from the ceiling downwards, are hieroglyphics and symbolic figures. The ceiling is rock, unfinished, but inclined to an arch. I distinguished the Greek letters A IT O on one of the sides, and something like a cross. Proceeding through the village, I was met by a venerable old man, who I found was called the Aga; who prayed me, in the patriarchal manner, to "tarry till the sun was gone down; to alight, refresh myself, and partake of the food he would prepare for the stranger." I gladly accepted his invitation. A clean mat was spread for me under the shade of the wall of his house, and refreshments, consisting of wheaten cake, broken into small bits and put into water sweetened with date-juice, were brought me in a wooden bowl; then curds, with liquid butter and preserved dates; and lastly, a bowl of milk. Having taken what I wanted, I entered the door of the aga's house, which, like all the rest, was of mud. I found myself in a room separated from the other part of the house by a court, and covered by a simple roof of palm-tree branches. This was the place of his divan. Here my mat and cushion were brought me; and the natives flocked about wTith their usual questions, whether I came to look for (p.83) money; whether Christians or Moslems, English or French, built the temples. My pencil they did not understand, and they could not comprehend the use of a pocket fork that I showed them, and for which they had no name. The aga, having prepared a dinner for me, invited several of the natives to sit down. Water was brought in a skin, by an attendant, to wash our hands. Two fowls roasted were served up on wheaten cakes in a wooden bowl, covered with a small mat, and a number of the same cakes in another; in the centre of these was liquid butter and preserved dates. These were divided, broken up, and mixed together by some of the party, whilst others pulled the fowls to pieces; which done, the party began to eat as fast as they could; getting up one after the other, as soon as their hunger was satisfied; the aga in the mean time looking on [24]. [footnote] [end footnote] During my visit I observed an old imam attempt to perform a cure on one of the natives, who came to him on account of a head-ache from which he suffered. It was done in the following manner: the patient squatted himself down near the imam, who putting his finger and thumb to the patient's forehead, closed them gradually together, pinching (p.84) the skin into wrinkles as he advanced, mumbling a prayer, spitting on the ground, and lastly on the part affected. This continued for about a quarter of an hour, and the patient got up, thoroughly convinced he should soon be well. This style of cure seems to be a common superstition of the Egyptians; for at Erment, the ancient Hermontis, an old woman applied to me for medicine for a disease in her eyes, and on my giving her some directions she did not seem to like, requested me to spit in her eyes, which I did; and she went away, blessed me, and was well satisfied of the certainty of her cure [25]. [footnote] [end footnote] The appearance of the aga pleased me: he told me his town extended for three miles; that the government was divided between himself and another, independent of the Cashief of Deir, by a firman from the Pasha of Egypt; that it had suffered from the flight of the Mamelouks, and pursuit of the Turks. The whole town lies amongst palm-trees, is built without regularity, and bears marks of the ravages of war. The houses, often pyramidal, are built in squares of mud, of one story high, the roofs of palm branches laid flat. On passing through it the night before, I found the (p.85) inhabitants were lying outside their doors, in the open air, on mats, each containing five or six persons. Having taken leave of the aga, we returned homewards by the water side, which was lined by rocks of considerable height, sometimes close to the water side, at others retired, leaving room for cultivation. I observed, on some of the rocks, tablets of hieroglyphics well cut, generally having the figure of some animal on the centre, over the inscription. Footnotes: 14. [Editor's Note: As stated in Part I (footnote 1), numerous place names and their spellings given by Light differ from those in modern usage. Accordingly, modern names and spellings will be placed in brackets as needed beside place names in the text.] 15. "They darkened the sun," says the prophet Joel, chap. ii. v.10, speaking of the flight of the locusts. The word is written Girad Grillus migratorius. L. In many parts of Turkey, the locust bird, Turdus Roseus, .providentially appears at the same time with the locusts, and destroys great numbers. In some seasons, when the grain of the corn is too far advanced, these insects attack the cotton plants, mulberry and fig-leaves. Russel, ii. 230.—See Walpole's Mem.—See also Volney's account of the locusts, p. 383, vol. i. English translation; Mungo Park; and Barrow's Southern Africa. 16. See Greek inscriptions at the end. 17. In the description of this temple, p. 405, in Walpole's Memoirs of European and Asiatic Turkey, my manuscript was misunderstood. 18. See Greek inscriptions. 19. I had occasion to remark, attached to the granite masses of these cataracts, shells of the oyster kind, similar to those often found in petrifactions. I attributed their presence to some communication of former times between the Nile and the Ocean, and mentioned what I had seen to Professor Playfair. 20. "And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth; and they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust in the air." Acts of the Apostles, chap. 22. 21. See Greek inscriptions at the end. 22. I was told, by the boatmen, there were only a few stones. I have to regret being induced to believe them. 23. See Greek inscriptions. 24. "And Abraham ran into the herd, &c.........and he stood by them, and they did eat." Genesis, chap, xviii. 7, 8. 25. See note to preface of Walpole's Memoirs relative to European and Asiatic Turkey, Part I. See also Mark, chap. vii. 33. viii. 23. Continue to Chapters 5 and 6. [Return to Table of Contents]
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