BISHAREIN ARABS.

497

other in the edge, and a high boss in the centre. The wooden frame-work, strong but light, is covered with the skin of some wild beast, dressed like parchment; but the owner could not be tempted to sell it. The villagers possessed a few ostrich feathers, but of an inferior description, gray and short, consequently of little or no value.

CCCLXXIV. Continuing our voyage, we moored in the evening in the Wady el Arab. Gazelles are numerous in this part of the valley, and there being a fine moonlight, my companion went on shore in search of them. I also walked forth, but, instead of keeping near the river, where the gazelles are found, ascended the mountains, and followed the track leading into the desert. Nothing could surpass the serenity and beauty of the night, the heavens appearing fuller than usual of stars and constellations, while every thing on earth was still:

"River, and hill, and wood,

With all the numberless goings on of life,
Inaudible as dreams."

The mountains I was engaged in climbing, consist of a mere assemblage of black cavernous rocks, sprinkled at intervals with white sand, and rising abruptly from the ravines and chasms into which their slopes are cleft, in the shape of ruined castles, with bastions, turrets, and battlements. I was desirous of passing over this rocky belt into the smooth sands of the desert, but finding, as I proceeded,

498

ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

ridge rising behind ridge, higher, steeper, more difficult each than the other, I relinquished the undertaking, and returning slowly to the river, Suleiman, who hated these night rambles, entertained me on the way with numerous stories of the savage ferocity of the Bedouins, by whom I might, he said, be suddenly speared, and never more heard of. The gazelles were this evening restrained by their good genius from descending through this Wady to drink at the river. None appeared.

TEMPLE OF SEBOUA.

499

CHAPTER XX.

TEMPLE OF SEBOUA -ENTER INTO THE ADYTUM

PAINTINGS

CHARITY OF BARBARIANS

SKULLS OF THE NUBIANS AND ARABS EXPOSURE OF THE HEAD CAUSE OF OPHTHALMIA -CLEARNESS OF THE NILE- PURITY OF ITS WATERS -CAUSES

OF THIS PURITY COMPARISON OF THE NILE WITH OTHER RIVERS -TAX ON WATER-WHEELS-TEMPLE OF MEHARRAKA — VIEW OF THE RUINS BY MOONLIGHT -KORTI SAVAGE DANCE OF THE NUBIANS- RUINED CHAPEL-WADY KOSTAMNI -FORDING THE NILE-VILLAGE CEMETERIES IGNORANCE OF MEDICINE VALUE

OF PHYSICIANS

-

GRAVES OF THE NUBIANS -KALABSHI VIEW OF THE TEMPLE BY MOONLIGHT-HOLES IN THE WALL BRIGHTNESS OF THE EVENING STAR KNOWLEDGE OF MONEY-FREEDOM 'OF THE SOIL FROM WEEDS -RUINS OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH THE DATURA-VILLAGE OF THE FISH -DANCE AND SINGULAR MUSIC OF THE NUBIANS BEAUTIFUL MOONLIGHT VIEW OF THE NILE LEGEND OF OSIRIS.

ISLAND AND RUINS OF PHILÆ

Friday, Feb. 1. Dakke.

CCCLXXV. OUR Arabs setting forward soon after day-break, we reached about nine o'clock the temple of Seboua, where we were desirous of taking a few measurements. On narrowly examining the ruin, a small low opening was found, leading from the large chamber of the cella, the roof of which has now fallen in,-into the adytum and smaller apartments adjoining. Having forced a way through the sand, we found ourselves in a narrow chamber, extending across the whole breadth of the temple, from which five doors lead to as many apartments, whose walls are covered with hieroglyphics, and the usual figures of the gods. Over these a thick coat of plaster had been laid by the early Christians, who, having

KK 2

ASHMOLEAN

OXFORD

MUSEUM

500

CHRISTIAN PAINTINGS.

converted the temple into a church, were desirous of effacing "the obscene dread" of Egypt's sons, with the figures of saints and martyrs. On one side of the doorway leading into the adytum is a full-length figure of the Virgin, with a broad glory encircling her head, and on the other, that of St. Joseph. In the adytum is a small niche, occupied by a statue, formerly a pagan idol, whose lineaments have been hammered away, and painted over with those of St. Peter, which are still tolerably fresh. Were the plaster and white lime removed from the walls, the forms and colours of the ancient sculptures would probably be found in a state of high preservation, as, in a few places, where they have already dropped off, the figures are perfect, and the tints extremely bright. In the small side chamber, on the right hand of the adytum, there is a deep sepulchral excavation; but whether the same thing occurs in the corresponding apartment on the left, we were unable to decide, it being nearly filled up with sand. The ceiling is adorned with figures of scarabæi and the sacred vulture. All this part of the temple appears to have been excavated in the rock; the remainder is of masonry.

CCCLXXVI. At Wady Baardeh, on the western bank, are the ruins of two stone buildings, one of which displays the remains of a cupola. On both sides of the river the cultivated land is extremely narrow. The kandjia proceeding slowly, we landed about noon on the Arabian shore, and walked for

FORM OF THE HEAD.

501

several miles through fields of wheat and barley, still green. Even here, where wretchedness was apparent in every cot, we found the cool shed and the waterjar by the side of the path for the use of the wayfaring man; the rational charity of barbarians. A Nubian travelling with a laden ass towards the north, accompanied us for some time. His head was shaven, excepting that important tuft on the crown, by which the angel of death, in the last day, will bear all true believers to paradise; yet he walked uncovered in the sun, whose heat appeared sufficient to scorch his brain to a cinder. Both in the Nubian and the Fellah the form of the skull indicates but feeble passions. They have small heads, generally, nay, almost universally, with but an inconsiderable portion behind the ears. The forehead, in the Fellah, is low; in the Nubian high, but ill-formed, projecting over the eyes, as in hydrocephalous persons. Continuous mental labour, commenced in boyhood, probably affects the form of the cranium, and may be one cause of the difference in volume, no less than in shape, observable between the skulls of civilised and savage men. But even among barbarians there is a striking difference. The Greek, the Turk, the Bedouin, have broad lofty foreheads, and skulls of the finest conformation; while the races above described, and, indeed, all the nations of Africa, together with the Sicilians, the Portuguese, the inhabitants of Southern Italy, the Swiss, the Savoyards, and many other nations of Europe, not wholly destitute of civilisation, have skulls exceedingly ill formed, and a