Korosko — Shooting excursion — Crocodiles — Ipsamboul — Colossal statue.
Korosko, situated on the bend of the river, was the first Nubian village
we visited. It is merely a collection of huts, formed of mud walls,
covered in at the top with matting. There are no turreted pigeon-house
towers over the roof, as in the villages of Egypt, and there is an
absence of all attempt at ornament. The little hovels, however, are much
cleaner, and there is even an appearance of comfort about them, which is
never seen in Arab domiciles. As we stayed here all night, we saw a good
deal of the people, and were much prepossessed by their simplicity and
integrity. They possess many excellent characteristics; in short, they
present us with the Oriental character under one of its most agreeable
aspects. In personal appearance they differ from the Egyptians only in
colour, but their fine limbs have no covering, and a cloth round their
loins is all their dress. They wear their beard long, and reeking with
oil; and, like the Eastern nations of antiquity, have the nose hung with
a ring, generally of gold or silver. The women also wear these pendants,
both in the nose and ears.
A caravan had just arrived, which, with our boats, made the little
community quite busy, and brought every one out of doors, flocking to
the river, just in front of our anchorage: the scene, as evening came
on, was exceedingly animated and picturesque. The camel-drivers, a
rugged, unsophisticated race, were prominent figures in the crowd; from
them the eye turned on the patient and submissive camels, lying down by
their huge burdens, after their long march over the burning sand. The
drivers trafficked in ostrich feathers and eggs; and, to make friends
with them, we bought some of each, paying almost a London price for the
feathers; which, however, were very fine ones. They told us, among other
things, that we need be under no fear of wanting water in the desert, as
it had lately rained there, and this would insure a good supply. We
found they had been thirty days coming across from Khartoum, and had
suffered much from the heat.
At Korosko, we lost what, in our emigrant vessels, is called a stow-
away; a man, named Ali Suleiman, who had come on board at Cairo without
our knowledge, and obtained a passage to Nubia. After we started, he
well earned this indulgence by his assiduous attention and diligence,
and we had learnt to consider him an acquisition. He was a most devout
Mussulman; and, in accordance with the Prophet’s command, knelt five
times a-day in prayer. I have seen his fine form bending on the deck
under the glare of the noon-day sun; and frequently, when I have come
late on deck, have found him praying at midnight. He was still some
distance from his native village, which we should not reach till the
next day; but, impatient to arrive at home, he determined to walk on,
and was soon on his way.
We left Korosko ourselves early in the morning, and borne along by a
fine southerly breeze, the first we had had from that quarter since our
departure from Cairo, came to Dour by half-past three in the afternoon.
The shore, as usual, was crowded with persons awaiting our approach; and
foremost in the throng was honest Ali Suleiman, easily distinguished by
his flowing robe of white calico, and his yellow turban, drooping at the
end. He came to renew his thanks, and to present us an offering of
dates—a simple but gratifying tribute, rendered in the most graceful
manner.
Soon afterwards we went on shore, taking our guns, but there was little
shooting, except doves, of which we might have brought down any number.
As we proceeded we met a boy with a camelion, which he offered for sale,
and we were only too willing to become its purchasers. This, however,
was no easy matter, as its owner, like the robber-boy in the “Heart of
Midlothian,” who preferred the white siller to the more precious and
unknown gold, knew only one class of coin, and could not be brought to
appreciate any other. We offered him half a piastre, but he refused it,
demanding ten paras, about half the sum in copper; and it required our
last halfpenny to make up the amount. At length we concluded the
bargain, and carried off our camelion.
The day closed with a sunset of surpassing beauty, such as no language
could adequately describe, or any imagination conceive. The brilliant
red glow gradually softened away in a thousand varied tints, appearing
in the distance with new distinctness, in numberless bright reflections
like liquid flame. Then the gorgeous colouring blended with the first
shades of twilight, ushering in the dawn of Venus, followed by the
rising moon, in whose silver light, as it spread over the heavens, the
planet set. Beneath were the creeping shadows, the calm, placid waters,
and the silent and quiescent landscape, composing altogether a scene
bright enough to awaken inspiration.
[Illustration: INDEX MAP _TO_ KHARTOUM _AND_ THE NILES, _BY_ GEORGE
MELLY.
Becker’s Patent on Steel.
LONDON, COLBURN & Co., 1851.]
As we penetrated further, the country underwent a material change. Palm
trees, of which there had hitherto been but a sprinkle, increased in
number; and, no longer stripped of their upper leaves, assumed a
beautiful appearance. Doom trees, too, though not so numerous as in more
northern latitudes, started up here and there along the heights, and
attained great luxuriance. In the fields, durra and castor-oil plants,
the staple of Nubian vegetation, quite superseded the crops of cotton;
and lupins and beans grew in the mud on the banks. At intervals, the
ground was lying waste, too sterile and too stubborn to invite the
labour of the husbandman; here the banks were clothed with thorny
mimosas, over which, at every dozen yards, bright green creepers threw
their graceful festoons, and we could see the golden sand pouring in a
stream between the stems below, like a tributary to the river. These
strips of desert became more and more frequent as we advanced; and even
where tillage resumed its sway, the cultivated tracts were rarely more
than half a mile in breadth. Animal life, too, had more than
proportionately decreased. There was no game; iguanos comprised the
whole of what we met with in the way of sport, from the time of our
leaving Assouan. These were by no means scarce; and we killed one,
which, on being dissected, was found to contain twenty-seven eggs. They
were immediately handed over to our cook, the ingenious Abbas, whose
skill in gastronomy would have procured him immortality under the Caliph
Haroum Alraschid; and he served them up at dinner, converting them into
a very palatable, if not a dainty dish.
We kept a sharp look-out for crocodiles, but for some time were
disappointed, though once, in the evening, when it was too dark to
distinguish objects, we heard a loud splashing close by, which we had no
doubt was caused by some of these monsters gamboling in the water. Next
morning we heard from an old shepherd, who came to sell us some milk,
that a man had been carried off by a crocodile during the night, while
mending his sakeia. It appeared that the monster had first struck him
down with his tail, and then seized him, and threw itself into the
river. The same crocodile carried off a man last year, in a similar
manner, and about the same hour. It is said to be a well known
individual, though very rarely showing itself; that in consequence of
its cunning, careful observation of its habits is extremely difficult.
From the moment the circumstance was reported, our crews, who were
incorrigible news-mongers, would talk of nothing else; they were not so
willing to plunge into the water as they had been heretofore, though
they had shown no hesitation in places where crocodiles are more common,
as at Manfaloot.
At Kreem we anchored under a lofty crag, crowned by a ruined castle,
which formed a most striking object from the river. The cliff contains
several caverns, once repositories of the dead, who, though in their
day, mighty men on the earth, have left no name behind. Being almost
perpendicular, the ascent was very difficult, but with the aid of a
rope, fastened to one of the lintels above, we managed to scramble up.
Our first discovery was a square chamber, in which we found three idols
in a sitting posture, niched in the rock, each recess being enframed in
hieroglyphics. The ceiling was coloured yellow, in square patterns. With
the help of a rope, we made our way to two other chambers, constructed
on the same plan. They were, however, in better preservation, and in one
there were four idols, tolerably perfect. Another cave is of
comparatively modern date, and is inscribed with hundreds of names.
We had now two days’ calm, and it was not till Sunday evening that we
reached Ipsamboul, having been just a week from Philæ, and two from
Thebes. For miles before we arrived, we could see the colossal statue
which watches over the temple, standing up erect at his post, a landmark
and a beacon to all who approach. The temple is an excavation in the
heart of the rock, and the three great figures which guard the entrance,
as if it were the portal of another world, are cut out on the face of
the rock, in one solid piece. The expression of the face is solemn
repose, and, judging from the portion still visible, the attitude is
full of grandeur and majesty. The pedestals are embedded in sand, which
rises to the knees, and, indeed, has covered one of the figures as high
as the neck. It falls down between the two hills like a mountain
torrent, and has been converted into an ascent to the idol’s beard, on
which, with their usual discriminating taste, several of the Thomsons
and Smiths have inscribed their names. The poor god’s face, too, still
retains traces of the cast in plaster of Paris, which was taken for the
British Museum. I followed in the steps of more notable travellers, and
paid my devoir to his remains. Standing on his lips, a man of ordinary
height will be unable to reach his eyes—a fact which may give some idea
of the enormous magnitude of the figure. There was formerly a fourth
statue, of the same gigantic dimensions; but some relentless antiquary,
in a paroxysm of love and devotion, cut it down. Such is the fate of
gods and men!
The entrance to the wondrous temple, which is nearly blocked up by sand,
and threatens to be completely so in a short time, is through an
aperture about four feet high, which can only be penetrated in a
stooping posture. The visitor, to gain admittance, slides down on his
back, carrying with him a good addition to the accumulations of sand;
and then, with the aid of a torch, which the darkness renders
indispensable, finds himself in a wide and lofty chamber, forming the
principal hall of the temple. On either side rise four square pillars,
massive and tall; each faced by a huge figure, cut, as usual, in one
piece. I climbed on the shoulder of one, and standing there, was not
able, with my arms extended, to reach the top of the head. The walls of
the chamber are covered with representations of battle scenes and
triumphs, as if the heroes of those olden days despised the fugitive
page of history, and would only record their deeds on imperishable
stone. From this chamber we passed to a smaller one, adorned on each
side with similar rows of square pillars, though of smaller dimensions.
This was terminated by a sanctuary, in which, as we advanced, our torch
flashed upon the mutilated remains of four colossal idols, sitting on a
stone divan, fronting a block of granite, which had probably been an
altar. A number of chambers opened beyond, and we wandered through room
after room—formerly, perhaps, accessible only to the priesthood. The
walls are carved and coloured with an almost endless picture,
commemorating new scenes of conquest and triumph, illustrated by
hieroglyphics; many of which, though we had seen them in almost every
direction, were quite new to us. We particularly noticed a troop of
black slaves, and copper-coloured natives, drawn with great boldness and
power. In another chamber, all the figures from the foremost to the
last, wore black bracelets, armlets, and necklaces. The vigour of
outline, and brightness and delicacy of colouring, apparent in every
figure, could scarcely be surpassed. Many of the faces were beautiful,
and we were especially impressed by the serene and benevolent
expression, and the air of greatness and dignity which characterized all
the colossi. Rameses, the hero of the pictures, was represented at his
customary pastime, holding up a bunch of captives by the hair; but, as
usual, his vast stature made the achievement anything but difficult. In
another place, he is dismounting from an immense chariot, while his
Queen, a woman of great beauty, stands by, and presents him with a
goblet of wine. There are many other drawings of women in this temple,
more than we have ever seen in one place before; and the hieroglyphics,
designed to illustrate the marvellous pictures, present an almost
endless variety.
The subordinate temple, constructed on the same plan as the other, is of
much smaller dimensions. There are several suites of chambers, all
adorned with figures and sculptures, but everything is on a reduced
scale, and the impression created is not so striking. The colossi,
unlike those in the larger temple, are represented standing, and, though
executed in a masterly manner, have not the same majestic appearance.
The _façade_ of the temple, however, which is hewn out of the rock
overhanging the river, is very grand and imposing.
After exploring the whole, we returned to the principal chamber of the
great temple, and regaled ourselves with a pipe. The silence around was
absolute, and we did not care to break it. For the scene was of a
character to engross all our thoughts. Around and above were the dark
mysteries of the past: while our torch, flashing brightly up, threw its
ruddy light over our own figures, lying at the feet of those grim idols.
In the background were our Arab attendants, sitting or lying down, and
half shrouded in the darkness. A legion of bats, which had been startled
by our invasion, flew wildly about; the only tenants of the temple.
With reluctance we turned our steps from this wondrous fabric, and as
evening was now stealing on, repaired to our boats. Next morning,
however, we were up at sunrise, and took one more look at its mystic
chambers. Then all was over, and we bade an unwilling adieu to
Ipsamboul.
As soon as the anchor was weighed, a fresh breeze, which had been
blowing all night, swelled our sails, and carried us merrily on. It
lasted through the day, and by five o’clock we reached Wady-Halfa, where
our water journey was to terminate.
From the size of Wady-Halfa on the maps, we had expected to find a large
town, or, at least, a place of some importance; but, to our great
disappointment, it proved a miserable Egyptian village, with about three
hundred inhabitants. We paid a visit to the Governor, who, on being
shown our firman, treated us with marked courtesy, and promised his aid
in making an arrangement for our transit across the desert. Whether his
interference was of any service, or did not tend to raise the terms, is
a difficult question to decide, but such good offices are generally
dictated by self-interest in this part of the world.
Next morning we crossed to the other side of the river, the rendezvous
for camels, and thus escaped both the noise of the busy sakeias, and the
gaze of the idle crowd, to which we had hitherto been subjected. Here we
landed, and for the first time mounted some camels, and tested their
capabilities. The experiment was satisfactory; and we found the new way
of riding, though a little difficult at first, by no means
uncomfortable. From this we made our way to the Mount of Names, and the
second cataract.
The mount so enviably distinguished, rises perpendicularly from the
river, but to no great height, and on the land side, the elevation is
only a few yards. These elevations are entirely covered with names,
including some of European celebrity. On a spot dedicated to the
purpose, we felt a pleasure in inscribing our own, a task of no great
difficulty, as the rock, which is composed of white lime-stone, is
easily marked. We could not but think, on inspecting the great tablet,
that the name of Belzoni appeared to more advantage here than on the
sphinx at Karnac, or the doorway of Ipsamboul; and it was a satisfaction
to ascertain that a name so widely popular as Miss Martineau’s could be
found nowhere else. I am happy to say that we can make the same boast of
ours.
It was not till the following morning that we reached the Cataract,
which we skirted, on our way back, in our little boat, and viewed its
whole extent from the summit of a cliff. It is inferior to the Cataract
of Assouan, both in the grandeur of the fall, and in its situation. The
river is so broken and contracted by a number of little islets of black
rock, sprinkled through it for about three miles, and nowhere leaving
the channel wider than from twenty to thirty yards, that the water is
necessarily impeded, and descends with but little force. The flat
shores, almost level with the river, offer no object of interest; and
memory reverts with more pleasure to the romantic heights and rushing
waters of the first Cataract.
We have now reached the first stage of our journey, and have
accomplished the passage from Cairo in thirty-six days, which is about
the usual time. The boats, with a fairer allowance of wind, would have
done it in less, having throughout sailed in the most creditable manner;
but we have had many calms, and the process of tracking is very slow and
tedious. Of the winds on the Nile it is impossible to speak in anything
but the most severe terms. They are of the most variable nature, and
more fickle than Fortune. It is impossible to count on a breeze for a
single day.
We had every reason to be satisfied with the boats, though ‘The Fanny,’
spite of the precautions of the Reis, was, at starting, somewhat
infested with rats. But the strong remedy of a cat obviated this
inconvenience, and we had no further ground for complaint.
The two crews I cannot commend too highly. For Arabs, they worked
uncommonly well, and were exceedingly willing. The plenary power of the
Reis, as administrator and disciplinarian, were exercised very seldom,
when one or two of the men received a box on the ear, in the heat of
argument or remonstrance; and once a sailor was bastinadoed for being
tipsy. This was but a lame affair, the Reis being, in fact, very
reluctant to administer the punishment at all; however, as he had sworn
to do so, he made the man lie down, and receive a dozen over his coat,
which, being of no common thickness, effectually protected his skin.