this man, after having said all that he could against my nation, and
those who protected me, was so much encouraged by my forbearance, that
he attempted to put his hands on me, which I resisted. He then became
more violent, and drew his sword, though he had a brace of pistols in
his belt. There was no time to be lost; and as I had received a good
lesson at Cairo from another Albanian like himself, I gave him no
leisure to execute his purpose. I instantly seized and disarmed him,
placed my hands on his stomach, and made him sensible of my superiority,
at least in point of strength, by keeping him firm in a corner of the
room. The pistols and sword, which I had thrown on the ground, were
taken up by my Janizary; and after giving the fellow a good shaking, I
took possession of them, and told him, that I should send them to Cairo,
to show the Bashaw in what manner his orders were respected. He followed
me towards the boat, and was no sooner out of the crowd that had
assembled, than he began to be quite humble, and talk of matters as if
nothing had happened. He then told me, that the order he had given to
the Fellahs not to work he had received from the Cacheff himself, and it
could not be expected, that, being only a Caimakan, he could disobey his
superior. I did not stop one instant, but ordered the boat to take me to
Erments immediately.
The reader, perhaps, may think my narrative too minute; but I beg to
observe, that it is in this way only the true character of these people
can be known. I remarked, that in almost every thing he said to me
nothing escaped him against my religion, which is generally the first
thing with a Mahometan; but I found afterwards, that the friend in Lower
Egypt, with whom he had trafficked in antiques, from whom he received
money and presents, and who influenced him on this occasion, was a
Christian; and if he could have found the means to interrupt my
proceedings respecting the bust, he would greatly have obliged this
friend.
I hastened to Erments, and arrived there before sunset. As it was the
time of Ramadan, the Cacheff had many of his principal officers, and
several Hadgees and Santons, at dinner with him; it being the custom of
these Turkish travellers, particularly at this season, to live at great
men’s tables. There were about thirty in that place. The dinner was
prepared in a field before the house, as no room within it would contain
so many persons. An old carpet, about twenty feet long and three wide,
was spread on the ground; and where we should put plates, cakes were
placed of fine white bread, made expressly for the occasion. On my
arrival they were just going to begin, the hour of dining being always a
little after sunset during the festival of Ramadan, as they are then not
allowed to eat till the sun has wholly disappeared; so that I could
introduce no business at that time. There is certainly something in the
ceremonial manners of the Turks, that is often peculiarly provoking. At
the very moment that they order your throat to be cut, they will not
fail to salute you, apparently, with the utmost cordiality. The Cacheff
received me very politely, and invited me to dine with him. I dared not
refuse, as it would have been the greatest affront I could have offered
him. Accordingly, we sat all round the carpet, on the ground. The
Turkish cookery does not always suit an European palate; but there are a
few dishes, that are equally agreeable with our own; particularly mutton
roasted on a wooden pole, at a wood fire. They have a particular way of
cooking it, putting it on the fire immediately after it is killed, and
before it has lost its natural warmth; and in this way it has a
particular flavour, quite agreeable to the taste. The soldiers and
Hadgees tucked up their large sleeves, and with naked arms dipped the
fingers of their right hands into the various dishes. They never employ
the left hand in eating, nor do they eat much out of one dish, but taste
of all that are within their reach. They always finish their dinner with
pilau, and seldom drink while eating. They wash immediately after, and
pipes and coffee being served all round, they begin to converse on their
usual topics, horses, arms, saddles, or dress.
At a proper time I expressed to the Cacheff the necessity of my having
an order for the Fellahs, to proceed with my operations the next
morning. He answered with indifference, that they must work in the
fields for the Bashaw, and that he could not spare one; but that, if I
would wait till the next season, I might have as many as I liked. I
replied to this, that as I could obtain no men from him, I would bring
over some from Luxor, and he would thus lose the merit of what he had
done; and as I had to return to Luxor that night, I must take my leave.
He observed, I had no reason to be afraid, as I was armed with such a
pair of fine English pistols. I answered, they were very necessary in
that country, but they were at his service notwithstanding, if he would
be pleased to accept of them; though I had written to Cairo for a better
pair for him, which would soon arrive. At these words, he put his hands
on my knees, and said, “We shall be friends.” He ordered the firman to
be written out immediately, and set his seal to it. I left him, returned
to the boat, and arrived at Gournou before daylight. On passing before
Luxor, we were in danger of being drowned. The pier, that protects these
ruins from the force of the current, on the swelling of the Nile is
always under water; and our boatman, not being acquainted with its
situation, ran the boat against it. The current was very strong; no
power could resist it; and the boat heeled so much, that the water kept
running over the gunwale. As the rapidity in this spot is so great, that
the most expert swimmer, being once in the stream, has no chance of
reaching the shore, we appeared to have inevitable death before us, but
Providence ordered it otherwise. At that moment a fresh breeze arose,
the advantage of which was seized by the pilot, who hoisted the sail,
got the boat under proper management, crossed the current, and escaped
the danger.
Early on the morning of the 7th, I sent for the Sheik of the Fellahs,
and gave him the Cacheff’s order. The men were ready in an hour after,
and we continued the operation. The bust advanced this day considerably
more than usual, owing to the men having rested on the preceding day:
and on the 8th I had the pleasure of seeing it out of danger of being
overtaken by the water.
On the 9th, I was seized with such a giddiness in my head, that I could
not stand. The blood ran so copiously from my nose and mouth, that I was
unable to continue the operation: I therefore postponed it to the next
day.
On the 10th and 11th, we approached towards the river; and on the 12th,
thank God, the young Memnon arrived on the bank of the Nile. Besides
their promised payment, I gave the Arabs a bakshis, or present, of one
piastre each, equal to sixpence English, with which they were
exceedingly pleased; and they well deserved their reward, after an
exertion, to which no labour can be compared. The hard task they had to
drag, such a weight, the heavy poles they were obliged to carry to use
as levers, and the continual replacing the rollers, with the extreme
heat and dust, were more than any European could have withstood: but
what is still more remarkable, during all the days of this exertion, it
being Ramadan, they never ate or drank till after sunset. I am at a loss
to conceive, how they existed in the middle of the day, at a work to
which they were totally unaccustomed.
Next day, in the morning, according to my wish, some Arabs came to
conduct me to the cave, where the sarcophagus was which Mr. Drouetti had
attempted to take out, and had given to me as a present, if I could get
it. I was conducted into one of those holes, that are scattered about
the mountains of Gournou, so celebrated for the quantities of mummies
they contain. The Janizary remained without, and I entered with two
Arabs and the interpreter.
Previous to our entering the cave, we took off the greater part of our
clothes, and, each having a candle, advanced through a cavity in the
rock, which extended a considerable length in the mountain, sometimes
pretty high, sometimes very narrow, and without any regularity. In some
passages we were obliged to creep on the ground, like crocodiles. I
perceived, that we were at a great distance from the entrance, and the
way was so intricate, that I depended entirely on the two Arabs, to
conduct us out again. At length we arrived at a large space, into which
many other holes or cavities opened; and after some consideration and
examination by the two Arabs, we entered one of these, which was very
narrow, and continued downward for a long way, through a craggy passage,
till we came where two other apertures led to the interior in a
horizontal direction. One of the Arabs then said “This is the place.” I
could not conceive how so large a sarcophagus, as it had been described
to me, could have been taken through the aperture, which the Arab now
pointed out. I had no doubt, but these recesses were burial-places, as
we continually walked over skulls and other bones: but the sarcophagus
could never have entered this recess; for it was so narrow, that on my
attempt to penetrate it, I could not pass. One of the Arabs, however,
succeeded, as did my interpreter; and it was agreed, that I and the
other Arab should wait till they returned. They proceeded evidently to a
great distance, for the light disappeared, and only a murmuring sound
from their voices could be distinguished as they went on. After a few
moments, I heard a loud noise, and the interpreter distinctly crying,
“_O mon Dieu! mon Dieu! je suis perdu!_” After which, a profound silence
ensued. I asked my Arab, whether he had ever been in that place? He
replied, “Never.” I could not conceive what could have happened, and
thought the best plan was to return, to procure help from the other
Arabs. Accordingly, I told my man to show me the way out again; but,
staring at me like an ideot, he said he did not know the road. I called
repeatedly to the interpreter, but received no answer; I watched a long
time, but no one returned; and my situation was no very pleasant one. I
naturally returned through the passages, by which we had come; and,
after some time, I succeeded in reaching the place, where, as I
mentioned, were many other cavities. It was a complete labyrinth, as all
these places bore a great resemblance to the one which we first entered.
At last seeing one, which appeared to be the right, we proceeded through
it a long way; but by this time our candles had diminished considerably;
and I feared, that, if we did not get out soon, we should have to remain
in the dark: meantime it would have been dangerous to put one out, to
save the other, lest that which was left should, by some accident, be
extinguished. At this time we were considerably advanced towards the
outside, as we thought; but to our sorrow we found the end of that
cavity, without any outlet. Convinced that we were mistaken in our
conjecture, we quickly returned towards the place of the various
entries, which we strove to regain. But we were then as perplexed as
ever, and were both exhausted from the ascents and descents, which we
had been obliged to go over. The Arab seated himself, but every moment
of delay was dangerous. The only expedient was to put a mark at the
place out of which we had just come, and then examine the cavities in
succession, by putting also a mark at their entrance, so as to know
where we had been. Unfortunately, our candles would not last through the
whole researches: however, we began our operations.
On the second attempt, when passing before a small aperture, I thought I
heard the sound of something like the roaring of the sea at a distance.
In consequence I entered this cavity; and as we advanced the noise
increased, till I could distinctly hear a number of voices all at one
time. At last, thank God, we walked out; and, to my no small surprise,
the first person I saw was my interpreter. How he came to be there I
could not conjecture. He told me, that in proceeding with the Arab along
the passage below, they came to a pit, which they did not see; that the
Arab fell into it, and in falling put out both candles. It was then that
he cried out, “Mon Dieu! je suis perdu!” as he thought he also should
have fallen into the pit; but, on raising his head, he saw at a great
distance a glimpse of daylight, towards which he advanced, and thus
arrived at a small aperture. He then scraped away some loose sand and
stones, to widen the place where he came out, and went to give the alarm
to the Arabs, who were at the other entrance. Being all concerned for
the man who fell to the bottom of the pit, it was their noise that I
heard in the cave. The place by which my interpreter got out was
instantly widened; and in the confusion the Arabs did not regard letting
me see that they were acquainted with that entrance, and that it had
lately been shut up. I was not long in detecting their scheme. The Arabs
had intended to show me the sarcophagus, without letting me see the way
by which it might be taken out, and then to stipulate a price for the
secret. It was with this view they took me such a way round about.
I found that the sarcophagus was not in reality a hundred yards from the
large entrance. The man was soon taken out of the well, but so much hurt
in one of his hips, that he went lame ever after. Finding that the cover
of the sarcophagus could be taken out, I set several men at work to
clear the passage; but on the third day, on my return from the king’s
tombs, I found that the Cacheff had recommenced his old tricks. He came
to Gournou from Erments; and, seeing the Arabs at work, he took them all
to the latter place, bound like thieves, and put them into prison. I
could not imagine the reason of all this, after the promises I had made
him, and the protestations on his part which he had made to me; but, on
inquiry, I found that some agents of Mr. D—— had just arrived from
Alexandria and brought him presents. I do not know what passed between
them; I only state the case as it appeared. On my applying to him again,
he said that the sarcophagus was sold to the French consul, and no one
else should have it. I feigned to be quite unconcerned about the matter,
as well as about the Arabs he had put into prison; for, if I had
appeared anxious, he would have kept them longer, as his motives were
all mercenary. I told him I should write to Cairo about the sarcophagus.
In fact, I had to write to Mr. Salt, to have a boat sent to convey the
colossus down the Nile, as none could be had at that season in Upper
Egypt; for they were all engaged, and mostly for the Bashaw.
After having sent a courier to the consul about the boat, I thought I
could not employ my time better than in going up the Nile, as no extra
expense would be incurred. The boat which I had engaged might go where I
pleased; and, by the time the answer from Cairo arrived, I should be
back again. I always had two guards kept at the colossal bust day and
night; but when I found that I could not get a boat to embark it without
writing to Cairo, I formed an inclosure of earth all round it; and on
the 18th we set off for Esne. Our number was diminished in this voyage,
as I had sent the Irish lad to Cairo, and discharged the carpenter; so
that we remained only with the Janizary and the interpreter. The next
day we reached Esne, and I landed just in time to see Khalil Bey on the
same evening, whom I knew some time before in Soubra. He was appointed
to the government of the upper provinces, from Esne to Assouan; and
having married one of the Bashaw’s sisters, he was quite independent of
the orders of the Deftardar Bey at Siout. It was nearly night when I
went to him. He was just returned from an excursion into the country. I
found him seated on a sofa made of earth, covered with a fine carpet and
satin cushions, surrounded by a great number of his chiefs, Cacheffs,
and Santons. They had just finished their dinner, and I could not have
arrived at a better time for conversation. He was much pleased to see
me, and offered to give me letters to all the people under his command.
Understanding that I might perhaps proceed as far as Ibrim, he caused a
letter to be written to Osseyn Cacheff, who was one of the three princes
residing in Nubia: and as Khalil Bey received a yearly contribution from
the Nubians, he had sent his soldiers thither, so they were now on
friendly terms. The moment the troops of Egypt enter Nubia to receive
the tribute, the princes march higher up the Nile, and are never to be
seen.
The usual conversation on horses, &c. was laid aside; and, as I was
going to Nubia, the topics were the various personages I should meet
with in that country, and the risk I ran of being robbed by them, &c.
After smoking a few pipes, and drinking as many cups of coffee, I left
the Bey, and returned to the boat.
The next day I made a cursory inspection of the temple in that town. It
is much encumbered with rubbish, and only the portico of it is now to be
seen; but the beautiful variety and fine shaped capitals of the columns,
as well as the zodiacal figures on the ceiling, announce that it was one
of the principal temples of Egypt. The figures and hieroglyphics are
somewhat larger than those of Tentyra; and it is a great pity that such
beautiful edifices should be inhabited by dirty Arabs and their cattle.
On the 20th we passed Elethias with a strong wind, and therefore did not
stop till we arrived at Edfu. This temple may be compared with that of
Tentyra in point of preservation, and is superior in magnitude. The
propylæon is the largest and most perfect of any in Egypt: it is covered
on all sides with colossal figures of intaglio relevato, and contains
several apartments in the interior, which receive light by square
apertures in the side. We have here one of those curious subjects of
inquiry, which, in my opinion, have never yet been explained. These
square holes, or windows, viewed from the inside of the chambers, appear
to have been made for the purpose of giving light to these apartments,
or to hold some particular ornaments or emblems, placed in them
occasionally on festival days; consequently, it might be concluded that
they were made at the same time with the building. Yet, on the outside,
these very windows come in contact with the colossal figures which are
sculptured on the walls; and part of these appear as if cut off where
the windows have been made: so that, from the appearance on the outside,
it is to be inferred, that these apertures were formed after the
building was finished. For my own part, I think they were cut long after
that period, and made to give light to the apartments, which were
inhabited by people of a different religion from those who built the
temple. The pronaos is very wide, and is the only one to be seen in
Egypt in such perfection, though completely encumbered with Arab huts.
The portico is also magnificent; but, unfortunately, above three-fourths
of it covered with rubbish. Through some holes in the upper part of the
sekos I entered the inner apartments; but they were so obstructed, that
I could not proceed far. The Fellahs have built part of their village on
the top of it, as well as stables for cattle, &c. The temple is
surrounded by a high thick wall, which extends from each side of the
propylæon, so as to inclose the whole building. Not only the temple, but
every part of the wall, is covered with hieroglyphics and figures. On
the side wall of the pronaos I observed the figure of Harpocrates which
is described by Mr. Hamilton, seated on a full-blown lotus, with his
finger on his lips, as in the minor temple at Tentyra; and on the west
side of the wall is the figure of an unicorn. This is one of the few
figures of beasts I observed in Egypt. The elephant is to be seen only
in the entrance to the temple of Isis, in the island of Philoe: the
horse, as a hieroglyphic, is on the northern exterior wall at Medinet
Aboo; and the camelopard is on the wall of the sekos of the Memnonium,
and on the back of the temple at Erments. On looking at an edifice of
such magnitude, workmanship, and antiquity, inhabited by a half savage
people, whose huts are stuck against it, not unlike wasps’ nests, and to
contrast their filthy clothes with these sacred images, that once were
so highly venerated, makes one strongly feel the difference between the
ancient and modern state of Egypt. The minor temple is but of small
dimensions. It had a portico in the front; nothing of which is to be
seen but fragments of columns buried in the rubbish. Some say this
temple was dedicated to Apollo: but I do not know why there is not as
much reason to suppose that it was dedicated to Typhon, as that the
temple at Tentyra was dedicated to Isis. The square capitals on the
columns at Tentyra are adorned with heads of Isis; and this is one of
the principal circumstances, that indicate the deity to whom the temple
was dedicated. In the temple at Edfu the figure of Typhon is placed on
the capitals in a similar manner; and though there are representations
of the beneficent deeds of nature on the walls, these may have been
placed there by way of contrast, to elucidate the destroying power of
the cruel god. Farther on to the south is part of a building, which no
doubt was a second propylæon, as it faces the one now standing. Farther
still is a small temple, almost unnoticed by travellers, which has an
avenue of sphinxes leading in a right line towards the great temple. The
sphinxes, several of which I cleared from the surrounding sand, have a
lion’s body and female head as large as life. There are vast heaps of
ruins all round these temples, and many relics of antiquity may be
buried there.
On our passing by Djebel Cilcilly we did not stop, as we had a fair
wind; and I deferred visiting that place till our return. On the 22d we
arrived at Ombos. The ruins that are now left give a clear idea of what
it has been. The columns of the portico form one of the richest groups
of architecture I have seen: the hieroglyphics are well executed, and
some still retain their colours. On the water-side are the remains of a
smaller temple, part of which is fallen into the Nile. The stones of
this little temple are not so large as most of the rest; which proves,
that the Egyptians paid great attention to the proportion of masses, as
one of the principal points in the effect they were intended for. The
aspect of this little temple is somewhat graceful; and some of the
figures retain part of their colours, though exposed to the open air. In
this temple the same state of decay was apparent as in various others.
The altar is fallen down, and may be seen when the water is low. It is a
piece of gray marble, without hieroglyphics. Close to the water-side are
some landing places, with covered staircases, leading up to the temple;
but these are quite filled up with sand. We have reason to suppose this
little temple to have been dedicated to Isis, as there are the heads of
that goddess on the capitals of the two pillars, like those on the
columns at Tentyra.
Before our arrival at Assouan, we landed on the western bank of the
Nile. Here the country has a more pleasing aspect than any we had passed
since the Chained Mountains. There are palm-trees in great abundance, on
each side of the river, and some cultivated spots of ground, which
extend from the Nile to the mountains. The distant view of Assouan
presents a very gratifying aspect, perhaps increased by the barrenness
of the preceding lands. The old town of Assouan stands on a hill, which
overhangs the Nile. On its left is a forest of palm-trees, which hides
the modern town; and on its right a distant view of the granite mountain
that forms the cataract. The island of Elephantine seems to interfere
with the barrenness of the western bank, and fills the ground with
picturesque groups of various trees; and the high rock on the left, with
the remains of a Coptic convent nearly on the summit of it, forms a
view, to which travellers in Egypt are not accustomed; and this may be
the cause of their describing it with so much partiality. We landed at
the foot of the hill on the left of the Nile, and went to see the ruins
of the convent, where I observed many grottoes, which had served as
chapels for the Christian worship. The convent is formed of several
small arched cells, separate from each other; and commands a very
pleasing view of the cataract, Assouan, and the lower part of the Nile.
One of the Arabian traditions relating to this place, I think worth
notice.