Philæ.
Eight o’clock on the following morning brought us the various
authorities of the cataract, eager to secure their prize; and we
instantly set sail, beating up the river with a fair wind, without which
it would have been impossible to force our way against the current. The
Nile, hitherto as broad as an estuary, is here very narrow, and strewn
with islands and shoals. The richly-cultivated banks, the groves of palm
and date trees, the busy shadoofs, and the troops of husbandmen, giving
such animation to the scene, have vanished; and in their place, we now
see a wild and desolate shore, choked with sand-banks, over which frown
high precipitous rocks. Though attended with danger, the passage was
full of novelty, which made it agreeable and nature appeared more
striking in her naked grandeur and simplicity. Perhaps a sense of peril
was not without effect on the crew; I never, during our stay in Egypt,
knew Arabs so quiet, and never saw them so active and prompt.
At every turn, there was something to excite new caution; and the river,
opening like a lake, wound its way through banks and rocks, where the
least oversight would have led to the most disastrous consequences. In
these intricate channels the steering was inimitable, and showed a
thorough mastery of the navigation. The water, usually so smooth and
gentle, had become a rapid, and in mid-channel dashed along like a
torrent; but our boats pushed on, and stemmed it bravely. Once only a
fall of about two feet impeded their progress, but the Sheik, with
surprising alertness, immediately sprang overboard, and with a rope over
his neck, made his way through the current to a small rock, round which
he fastened the rope, and then pulled us on. In two hours a sweep in the
river opened the view to some distance, and we came in sight of the
cataract, pouring down its volume of water in a sheet of foam, which
sparkled in the sun like light. We now drew on one side, and anchored
under the lee of an island, whose eastern shore, girded by bold and
rugged rocks, forms one of the barriers of the cataract.
At this place we expected, according to our agreement with the Sheik, to
find a number of natives assembled, for the purpose of dragging us up
the falls; but, of course, not a solitary individual could be seen. The
Sheik, who was one of the coolest fellows imaginable, understood all
this, and very deliberately went on shore, loaded with the imprecations
of the crew, to enlist the men whom he had promised to have awaiting us
on the spot. We found, therefore, that grumbling would have no effect,
and that we must be content to remain stationary for the next twenty-
four hours, as there was not the least chance of our being able to
proceed earlier.
The scenery was such as might have reconciled us to a longer sojourn,
and the eye was never weary of its attractions, glancing from the whirl
of waters, as they dashed over the fall, to the abutting rocks, which
reared their flinty summits in a thousand fantastic shapes, or at the
little islands further down, rising from the rapid waves through a
framework of lupins and beans, with their gay blossoms washed by the
stream. But we were impatient to visit a spot, pre-eminent even here for
its beauty and renown. Philæ, was only a short distance above the
cataract, and we determined to spend the day in an excursion to its
shores.
Our two jolly-boats were hoisted over the cataract in a quiet way, with
the greatest facility, and now awaited us just beyond. We walked round,
and on reaching the rendezvous, were surprised to find that,
notwithstanding our unobtrusive movements, a crowd had assembled to see
us set off. There were the usual venders of antiquities and ostrich
eggs, and all the idlers the neighbourhood could furnish. Some, who
could devise no other means of laying us under contribution, proposed to
swim across the river, at the point where the current was most violent,
for the smallest consideration imaginable; and it was with difficulty we
escaped from their overtures. No feat they could perform in the water
would have excited our astonishment, being aware, from what we had seen
on our way up, that habit had made it almost their element. As we shoved
off, we saw a woman ferrying herself over on a plank, which she moved
along by paddling her feet, at the same time bearing an enormous load of
grass on her head. It was amazing to see how composedly she sat, while
piloting herself among the rocks and reefs, and supporting such a heavy
weight.
The river here opens into innumerable little creeks and channels,
flanked by rocks, which assume at a distance the appearance of temples,
and on coming nearer, are found to impend over the water in the most
singular manner, as if the slightest touch would hurl them down. Through
this romantic avenue the traveller obtains his first glimpse of Philæ,
which rises up out of the deep-blue of the Nile, its whole front covered
by the temple, the chaste columns and granite walls of which are
overshadowed by trees.
On either side, the main land is embanked by mighty boulders, piled up
with such a show of art, and so much precision, it is difficult to
believe that they have been thrown there by the hand of Nature.
One immense heap surprized us greatly. It was by far the highest, and
rose at the summit in the form of a triangle—one half abutting from a
huge mass below, hung in mid-air, while the boulder on which it thus
partially rested appeared also to be suspended. We could not resist the
temptation to climb these dangerous heights; looked down from their
grotesque peaks on the fairy island below, which, Narcissus like, seemed
to be contemplating its image, so faithfully mirrored in the bright,
clear waters.
Philæ undoubtedly owes much to its position, which combines with its
peculiar attractions, to render it the most beautiful island in the
world. It is belted round with a quay, though the work of very early
times, some still in good condition; and where the stones have mouldered
away, or fallen, some ministering hand has planted lupins, which clothe
the whole place with verdure. The island seems to have formed one vast
temple, and its crumbling ruins, spread over its surface, still retain
an appearance of order, and of completeness, strange even in Egypt. We
landed at some broken stairs, and made our way through a court-yard,
heaped with fallen pillars, to a spacious hall, decorated with
paintings, in red, yellow, green and blue, brighter and fresher than any
we had yet seen. The ground was carpeted with grass; moss and wild
flowers sprang from the ancient stones; and, here and there, a tall
palm-tree threw its shadow on the wall, or a mimosa drooped gracefully
over a broken column. Thence we wandered away into the dark chambers,
which the light of day had never entered. There are a great number of
these rooms, and it is impossible to conjecture the purpose they were
devoted to. Perhaps here were solemnized, under a veil of darkness,
rites which outraged every feeling of humanity; or mysteries which
masked, in idolatrous myths, the principles of true religion. Here the
candidate for the priesthood may have been taught the duties of his
office; here the sacrifice may have been prepared and adorned for the
altar. The long range of chambers once probably resounded with midnight
orgies, and bacchanalian shouts; or, which seems more probable, may have
been the prison of groaning captives, destined as a propitiation to
Moloch.
From these mysterious precincts we passed to a propylon, and then,
through a noble porch, into a large open court, once enclosed by double
rows of columns, most of which still remain. It was no doubt in this
area that the laity congregated, previously to entering the temple to
worship. Some authorities have asserted that, on certain great days, the
priests assembled here to prophesy, and even to display their erudition
to the people.
A massive staircase, constructed in the thickness of the wall, brought
us to a platform above, where we came on a beautiful little temple,
standing quite alone, on the verge of the quay, which commanded a
magnificent prospect of the river. The columns, that run along the whole
front, are surmounted by square blocks, instead of the usual elaborate
capitals, and have a very striking effect. The island here expanded
before us like a map, showing all its picturesque features at a glance;
and, with one consent, we instantly fixed upon it as our most eligible
resting-place.
In sauntering through the ruins, we fell upon some amusing and even
ludicrous inscriptions. By one it appeared that, in those olden times,
Philæ was a favourite haunt of the Egyptian nobility; who, however, with
an eye to economy worthy of more modern days, expected, on visiting this
sacred retreat, to be feasted and lodged at the expense of the
priesthood. The consequence of this custom was, that the priests were
impoverished, and the temple left unprovided; at last the former, losing
all patience, made a representation of the circumstances to the King.
The petition is duly set forth on the stone; and above, couched in the
same magniloquent phrases, is the King’s answer, which prohibits the
nobility for the time to come victimizing these holy men.
In strange conjunction with these venerable memorials, stand
inscriptions by the travellers of to-day, usurping equal prominence on
the time-honoured walls. All who are interested in the sentiments of a
tourist named Smith, who lately visited the ruins, may find his
impressions of the place legibly recorded, with his classic and unique
name written in full, below. A long list of other names, with kindred
pretensions to renown, are paraded on the adjoining wall, in letters of
fearful length, and the traveller has the satisfaction of ascertaining
that he has been preceded in his visit by divers representatives of the
Thompsons and the Browns. To impress this more indelibly on his memory,
the fact is emblazoned on fragments which even the ruthless hand of Time
has scrupled to touch, that retain the perfect beauty and even the
bright fresh colours with which they were originally decorated.
Our boatmen, indifferent alike to the beauties of nature and the wonders
of art, had become impatient at our long stay, and at length we
gratified them by returning. They pulled along most vigorously, and soon
reached the landing-place, where we scrambled ashore, and made our way
round the cataract to our vessels.