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CCLXXXIV. In the neighbourhood of this thicket we were joined by one of the Pasha's soldiers, an Arab from Egypt; who, being here in a kind of exile, seemed to regard us with some degree of pleasure, as awakening associations of home. His brother, while engaged in impressing men for the army, a little higher up the river, had seized on a peasant, who immediately afterwards succeeded in effecting his escape. Not content, however, with this, he for several hours followed the soldier at a distance, and, coming up with him, soon after nightfall, wounded him deeply in several places, particularly in the breast; where, according to our informant's description, one of the gashes was as long as the palm of the hand. The Nubian peasantry, it should be remarked, all wear a short crooked dagger, suspended in a red leather sheath on the left arm above the elbow, where it is concealed by their garment. In sudden brawls, to revenge a recent insult, or long-remembered injury, these are the weapons employed; but in public feuds, when village rises against village, and tribe against tribe, they make use of a broad straight sword, or spear, with round or oblong bucklers, manufactured from the crocodile's skin, or the hide of the hippopotamus. The Arab followed us to our boat, begging a plaister for his brother's wound; but, while I was preparing it, entered a neighbouring field, to plunder a poor woman of her half-ripe lupines. At our desire, he immediately desisted; but such are, perhaps, the causes of much of the ill-blood which

ROCK TEMPLE OF GYRSHÉ.

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exists in Nubia between the soldiers and the natives. The fields, in this part of the valley, are covered with barley in full ear, in many places fast turning yellow; so that the first harvest, I imagine, will commence in a few weeks.

CCLXXXV. We again landed, near Gyrshé, where an ancient rock temple, in the face of the mountain, near the summit, constitutes the only object of attraction. An old Nubian, bearing in his hand a burning rope's end, and another with a long spear, met us at the foot of the hills; and assuming, without further ceremony, the office of guides, marched before us to the temple. On arriving at the entrance, we observed that an artificial terrace, or platform, had originally extended to a considerable distance in front of the sekos, forming the foundation of the portico; which, from its width, and the absence of all appearance of columns in the centre, would seem to have been hypæthral. On either side of the portico are four massive square pillars, having as many colossal statues of Osiris attached to them in front, whose features are flat and mild, exhibiting a dash of the negro. The head is covered by a low flat cap, with large flaps depending from the sides. An immense square beard adorns the chin. The left hand hangs idly by the side; but the right, holding the crosier and flagellum, is placed upon his breast. He wears about his loins a small apron, not from decorum, since the phallus is represented on it, but mystically to indicate, perhaps, the injury inflicted on

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COLOSSAL STATUES.

his corpse by Typhon. On the hem of this garment is a row of seven hooded-serpents, with distended neck, and head projecting forward, and surmounted by a globe. The rock, hewn into the form of a wall, anciently extended, behind these pillars, to the front of the portico; which seems to have been surrounded by a peristyle. The front columns, two only of which now remain, were round. On either side, in a niche cut in the rock, at the extremity of the peristyle, were three figures, probably those of the Egyptian triad, Isis, Osiris, and Horus; but they are now so defaced, that nothing certain can be predicated concerning them.

CCLXXXVI. On entering the sekos, we observe six other colossal figures, three on either hand, standing on lofty square pedestals, with their backs resting against an equal number of square columns. Excepting the features, which are not quite so flat, they exactly resemble their clumsy brethren on the outside, having like them the aprons, the diminutive phallus, the uræi on the hem, &c. In the side walls, behind these pillars, on the right and left, are three niches, with three figures in each; apparently Isis, Osiris, and Horus; though this last deity, in some cases, seems misshapen enough to be mistaken for Typhon. Each of these gods holds in both hands a staff, which, extending from the chin to the feet, terminates below in something like a horse-shoe, with the opening downward. In several of these niches Isis appears to be enceinte, and has the female countenance; while in

ARAB LOCK AND KEY.

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others she has the face of a lioness. Proceeding into the second chamber, the roof of which appears to be supported by two massive pillars, one on either side, we observed, on the north and south, two lateral apartments; at the extremity of which there was a stone divan, about three feet in height, and four in depth, extending the whole breadth of the room. Returning into the second great chamber, we found, towards the west, three doorways, the central one leading into the adytum, the others into small dark apartments running parallel with it. In the entrance to that on the right, I observed the holes in which the pivots of the door, probably of stone, turned; and, about half-way up the lintel, an aperture in the side, into which the bolt was received.

CCLXXXVII. From observations made both in Egypt and Nubia, I imagine the present not uningenious lock and key, used by the Arabs, when they have any property to secure, is precisely the same as that anciently in fashion among the Egyptians. It consists of a large wooden bolt, that, being thrust forward, passes over a kind of catchspring, which prevents its return. The door can therefore be locked without the key, which consists of a straight piece of wood, about six inches in length, and half an inch square, containing, in one of its sides, near the extremity, four or five iron teeth, about half an inch in length, placed in an irregular manner. These, when the key is passed under, and

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FEUDS OF THE GODS.

pressed against the bolt, enter as many small holes, and, by thrusting back the catch-spring, enable the bolt to be easily withdrawn. From the holes found in the doorways of the temples, precisely such as would be required by a fastening of this kind, it seems not unreasonable to infer that the apparatus formerly made use of in these countries to secure doors, differed little from that now employed.

CCLXXXVIII. In the back wall of the adytum is a large niche, or rather, recess, containing the figures of four gods, Isis, Osiris, Horus, and Typhon. Could we suppose the worshippers of these different gods to have been originally at peace with each other, and afterwards, in process of time, split into persecuting and hostile sects, and the feuds of Osiris and Typhon merely those of their votaries, we might then imagine this ancient hypogeum to have been excavated before that schism took place, and comprehend how adverse divinities are here found side by side, as if receiving adoration from the same persons. Indeed, the mythological legend informs us, that Osiris and Typhon were brethren, who at first, and for some time, lived together in harmony; from which, in an historical explanation of the mythus, an inference may be drawn favourable to the above conjecture. But I abstain from pursuing these speculations: the interpretations of the Osirian fable, given by others, are already but too numerous, more especially as nothing satisfactory, or even plausible, has hitherto been imagined.

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