the whole we went on very well, though I had much ado to make them
proceed in the right way. The Cacheff, with his attendants, came to see
how we were proceeding, and gave me to understand, that he intended
dining with me. I told him I was very glad of his company, but had
nothing except boiled rice, unless he would order his people to kill a
sheep for us, which I would gladly pay for. They consulted about who
could afford to part with a sheep, and receive piastres in payment, and
at last the order was given to an old man, who had five, which was a
greater number than any body else. When the sheep was brought to us, the
difficulty was to fix the price of it. Being the first ever sold for
money in that place, to put a high price on it would have increased the
value of sheep in general, and consequently would have been against the
interest of the Cacheff; for when he receives his revenue in these
animals, he sets them at a very low price, that he may have the more
given him. To estimate it at a low price would be worse, for it would be
against them all in the exchange of sheep for dhourra with the other
villages. Finding it a dangerous point to decide, it was at length
resolved, that no price at all should be put upon the sheep, but that
the man should make me a present of it, and I should give any thing I
pleased in return. To prevent any standard being established from what I
gave the man, I paid him in soap, tobacco, and salt.
At dinner the sheep was brought in pieces in two wooden bowls, and the
Cacheff and his attendants seated themselves in a circle on the sand
near the temple. The extremities of their filthy hands were soon washed
in the liquor, and in a few seconds the whole was devoured. Not being
accustomed to this unceremonious sort of feasting, I stood but a poor
chance; but in subsequent occurrences of this kind I contrived to take
my share without interfering with their scramble. Soon after dinner
coffee was brought up from the boat, and I went on board to take my
dinner with Mrs. Belzoni, who had boiled rice and water for her fare, in
preference to the chieftain’s mess of mutton. In a short time the
Cacheff approached, and signified his wish to speak to me in secret. We
retired, and his principal interpreters were called to us. The great
secret was this: on the night before, as he stood on the bank close to
our boat, he saw me drinking a coffee cup of red liquor that I poured
out of a bottle; and having inquired what it was, was told it was
_nebet_ (wine). Now he had heard that the wine of the English was much
better than what they made in their own country with dates; he wished,
therefore, to have some to drink also, but in a secret way. Fortunately
I had a few bottles left from our stock in Cairo, which we preserved for
extraordinary occasions; and I sent my interpreter down to the boat to
fetch one. When the wine was first poured out into a cup and presented
to the Cacheff, he sternly looked at the interpreter, and told him to
drink first. The interpreter, who was a Copt, and had been in the French
army for several years, did not want much persuasion to make a libation
to Bacchus; so with a smile he soon convinced the Cacheff of the purity
of the contents of the bottle, and the Cacheff did not hesitate to drink
the next cup. At the first taste it did not appear to him so strong as
he had supposed; but at last he found it so good, that in three days my
scanty stock was nearly finished. I had much reason to repent having
taken a Janizary with me, for instead of assisting me in my dealing with
these people, I found he was the first to suggest to them what they
never would have thought of. It is not to be supposed that a Mussulman
will ever take the part of a Christian dog, against any of his own
religion, unless he is responsible for the life of the stranger; and
then he does it for his own sake, and not from any attachment to the
European. The work went on very slowly this day; but altogether we had
made a considerable advance in the sand, towards the centre of the front
of the temple.
Next morning (21st), the people took it into their heads to come in such
numbers, that I could not employ them all, as the work was directed only
to one point. There was warm debating on the subject; but, as I would
not spend one farthing more than I had promised from the first, they
agreed at last that the pay should be divided amongst them all; and
thus, instead of forty men, I had eighty for the same price, which was
less than sixpence a day. The anxiety to see the inside of the temple,
and to plunder all that it might contain, brought the two brothers on
board very early in the morning. They soon gave me to understand
plainly, that all that was there was their own property; and that the
treasure should be for themselves. Even the savages began to lay their
account in the division of the spoil. I assured them that I expected to
find nothing but stones, and wanted no treasure. They still persisted,
that, if I took away the stones, the treasure was in them; and, if I
could make a drawing, or likeness of them, I could extract the treasure
from them also, without their perceiving it. Some proposed, that, if
there were any figure discovered, it should be broken before I carried
it away, to see the inside of it. Thus I plainly perceived, that, on
entering the temple, I should not be at liberty either to take notes of
what was in it, or to make any drawings, much less to take away any
statue, or any thing else that might be found. We went on with our
labour, however, and, as I made a palisade with the palm wood I had
bought, I had no need of so many men, as they had only to clear the
space between the palisade and the temple.
In the course of the morning, two of the men left the work, and went
down the Nile to our boat. Finding Mrs. Belzoni on board, with only a
little girl from the village, they were rather impertinent to her, and
attempted to go on board in spite of all she could say to them,
intending to rob the boat. At last she presented a pistol to them, on
which they immediately retired, and ran up the hill. She followed, but
they mixed with a number of their fellow savages, and it was impossible
to find them out; for they were all like so many lumps of chocolate
seated on the sand at work, and not to be distinguished the one from the
other. At night, when I paid the men, the Cacheff’s brother said, the
money must be counted all in one heap, before it was divided among the
people. My interpreter, who was also my treasurer, accordingly counted
the money on a piece of a ragged shawl, which he had no sooner done,
than the Cacheff’s brother threw himself on it, and seized every
piastre. The men looked at each other, but no one dared to say a word
about it; and he took it all away with him. I observed to him, that his
magic was much more sure in its operation than mine, for obtaining
money. But I was pleased to find they had begun to know the worth of it
so well.
I naturally expected, that no one would come to work the next morning
(22nd); but in this I was mistaken. So much of the sand had been taken
away, that the first palisade became useless. I made another, therefore,
directly before the place where I supposed the entrance to be, to
prevent the sand from falling against it. I now began to perceive
clearly, that this work would employ more time than I could spare in
that country, and the period I had meant to dedicate to it was already
elapsed; but this would not have deterred me from proceeding, and no
doubt I should have accomplished my undertaking, had it not been for a
material cause which compelled me to quit the work for a time. This was
the want of that very article which, a few days before, was so despised
and unknown; and now I absolutely could not proceed without it. It was
money, which, even here, had shown its usual power among mankind, of
exciting avarice, and of which those wild people soon became very fond.
I had some water brought up from the Nile, and poured down close to the
wall over the door. This stopped the sand from running, till I had a
hole made so deep, that I could perceive it required a longer time to
reach the door than I could stay, and more money than I could then
afford. I had by this time removed so much sand, as to uncover twenty
feet in the front of the temple. The colossal statues above the door
were completely exposed; and one of the great colossi sitting before the
temple, on the north side, which was buried in the sand, appeared with
his face and shoulders like his companion on the south. Having obtained
a promise from the Cacheff, that he would not let any one touch the
place till my return, which would be in a few months, I contented myself
with putting a mark where the sand was before I commenced the operation;
and after taking a drawing of the exterior of the temple, quitted it,
with a firm resolution of returning to accomplish its opening. We
brought our boat to the village, and, after making some trifling
presents to the Cacheff, set off the same evening.
We descended the Nile rapidly, as the current was very strong, which was
a fortunate circumstance for us, for we were almost without provisions
on board. Two hours after we left Ybsambul, a Turkish soldier on a
dromedary hailed us from the right bank of the Nile; but, without
attending to him, we continued our voyage. He turned back, and followed
us a considerable way; and when he came to a place, where the current
brought us near the shore, he fired a pistol, as a signal to stop. We
were greatly at a loss to conjecture who he could be, as it was not to
be supposed, that a Turkish soldier would venture alone into this
country. At length, as we drew near the bank, he said he had letters for
me from the Bey of Esne. This was not true. He produced two letters in
Arabic, signed by two different persons not in existence, which ordered
me, in an insolent tone of command, to desist from any work I might have
begun in Nubia, and return to Cairo. The reason why these letters were
sent to me, by whom, and for what purpose, is one of those mysteries
which, for the present, must remain unknown.
The soldier came on board, and sent the dromedary back by his servant;
for in that country every soldier has a servant, to take care of his
camel, horse, or asses, if he have any. Thus, when a body of five
thousand men marches against an enemy, there are always at least six
thousand people more to encumber it, and eat up the provision: for not
only every common soldier has a man, but every officer has two or three;
and those of the higher rank, as Beys, Cacheffs, &c. have ten or more.
As the current was so rapid, the next day (23d), in the evening, we
arrived at Ibrim, and early on the 24th at Deir. I went to see the
temple, but in a cursory way, reserving my observations to my next
visit. We took in some provision, set off immediately, arrived in the
evening at Nobat, and the next night (25th), stopped at El Kalabshe.
Here we visited the temple a second time, but rather too late for much
inspection.
Next day (26th,) we visited the two temples at Taffa, my humble
observations on which I shall give in my next voyage in Nubia. Here a
barbarian, armed with a spear and shield, called to me to stop, which I
did, as he said he had something to communicate. He demanded my money in
a resolute manner, and with a savage look; but when I made the
interpreter inquire of him if he demanded the money per force, or as a
voluntary bakshis, he laughed and ran off.
Continuing our voyage, at Cardassy I saw the remains of some very
extensive buildings, and of some quarries, where a small chapel is cut
in the rock, containing many Greek inscriptions, which I regretted I had
not time to copy. We next came to Gamby, where, on the east, is a small
temple, but almost even with the ground, and a few figures and
hieroglyphics on the stones. This temple, that of Deir, and the one
opposite Ybsambul, are all I have seen on the eastern side of the Nile
above the first cataract. We came down to Deboude in the afternoon, and
went to see the ruins of that place, as I shall describe in my next
journey.
Next day (27th), brought us to the Shellal, or first cataract. The
soldier of Derow, who brought the letters, set off immediately, and I
never saw him afterwards. I took particular notice of a small obelisk
which was lying before the propylæon, and which, if brought to England,
might serve as a monument in some particular place, or as an
embellishment to the metropolis. I sent for the Aga of Assouan, and a
Reis who knew the channels in the Shellal, and in the meantime took a
general view of these superb ruins. I observed in the southern part of
the island the remains of a small temple, quite in ruins, with blocks of
stone scattered here and there, and remarked, that a part of the
remaining wall contained the legs of several figures in basso relievo
finely finished. I examined the blocks that had been thrown down from
the wall, and found they contained the upper parts of the figures, which
had formed a group of seven in all. When the Aga and the Reis came, I
made an agreement with them to have the obelisk taken down the cataract;
but, for want of a boat, it could not be effected that season. The
obelisk is twenty-two feet long, by two wide at the base; so that it
required a pretty large boat to convey it. It was agreed, and perfectly
understood, that I took possession of this obelisk in the name of his
Britannic Majesty’s consul-general in Cairo; and I gave four dollars to
the Aga, to pay a guard for it till my return.
I entreat the reader here to pause, and to recollect what caution I took
in securing this piece of antiquity; as he will find, in the course of
this work, that the obelisk in question has caused me more trouble and
persecution than any thing else I succeeded in removing from Egypt.
Indeed, it nearly cost me my life; and for such disinterested exertions
I received, in return, the meanest insults. Unfortunately such was my
situation in Egypt, that some of the very people I had to deal with,
though I was acting for the credit both of their country and of
themselves, could not restrain the impulse of jealousy, which they
nourished in their breasts, and which always operated to my
disadvantage. In a future work, that I intend to lay before the public,
I shall perhaps unfold these matters; so that any one who has common
feeling will wonder how I could persist so long in my researches under
such circumstances.
The blocks of stone, which formed the compartment of fourteen feet long
and twelve wide, were twelve in number. When they were put together on
the ground, they were a beautiful group, consisting of the great god
Osiris seated on his chair, with an altar before him, receiving
offerings from priests and female figures; the whole surrounded by
flowers and hieroglyphics. The blocks were three feet six inches long,
and three feet wide: but as they were two feet three inches thick, they
were too bulky to be embarked whole. As they could be easily cut, being
a calcareous gritstone, I made an agreement for one hundred piastres, to
have them cut to six inches thickness. I left the money in the hands of
the Aga; and it was understood, that these stones were to be embarked by
the first opportunity of a boat, and sent down to Luxor. The Aga hinted,
that he should be happy to know what I meant to give him for permission
to take away the obelisk; for though I was authorised by the firman of
the Bashaw to take what stones or statues I pleased, yet these fellows
think they have a right to demand something; and if they cannot openly
refuse, still they have it in their power to throw such obstacles in the
way, as to entirely defeat your undertaking. It was agreed, that he
should give orders to the Sheik of the island to guard the stones and
the obelisk, so that no one should injure them; for which guard, as
before stated, he received four dollars; and that on the removal of the
obelisk he should receive three hundred piastres, equal to thirty
dollars.
Next day, the 28th of September, we came to Assouan by land; just one
month from the day on which we first entered that place. On our arrival,
we were informed, that there were no boats to take us to Esne; and, in
spite of all our haste, we were obliged to wait till some came from the
north. We therefore took another tour in the island of Elephantine, and
on the next morning, (29th), I set off for the granite mountain, about
two hours and a half south-east of Assouan. I took an Arab of that place
with me as a guide, and walked about the greater part of the day. I saw
a great many granite quarries, which plainly showed, that the ancients
took the granite intended for the temples, statues, and ornaments, from
these places; and in one of these excavations I saw two large basins in
the rough, cut out of the rock, one of which was ready to be taken away,
as it was nearly finished. It appeared to me, by what I could observe,
that the pieces of granite were procured by cutting a line with a
chisel, about two inches deep, round the stone intended to be removed,
and then by giving a great blow with some machine, which separated the
part like glass when cut with a diamond. In this basin were pieces,
which plainly showed the fact of this operation. On my return towards
the west, I was fortunate enough to find a column lying on the ground,
with a Latin inscription, as in the annexed plate. It proves, that the
Romans used to take granite from these quarries, and, no doubt, chiefly
for religious purposes, like the Egyptians.
[Illustration: [Column]]
On my return to Assouan, no boat had arrived, and I became impatient,
for I wished to reach Thebes. We were seated under a grove of
palm-trees, eating our soup of rice and meat with the Aga, when an Arab
came to him, and whispered in his ear, as if he had something of great
importance to communicate. The Aga rose, though his dinner was not
finished, and went away with the air of a man of great business. Half an
hour after he returned, accompanied by two other persons of distinction,
and the old man who came before. They all seated themselves round me,
and after introducing the affair with a degree of caution, I was asked,
whether I wished to purchase a large piece of diamond. I considered,
that I was no diamond merchant; but in a case like this, I would have
contrived to become a jeweller, and have procured the money from Esne,
if it had been to my advantage; for, in the times in which we live,
jewels are no despicable articles, if they can be obtained at a cheap
rate. I told the Aga, that if the article were good, I would purchase
it, if we could agree; but it was necessary that I should see it. He
said, the piece had been found by one of the natives of that place; and,
as he was not in want of money, it had been preserved in the family for
many years. This original proprietor being now dead, his successors
wished to dispose of it. I requested to see it; so we retired some
distance out of the way of the people. The old man then with great
solemnity took a small wooden box from a pocket in his leathern belt. In
this was a paper, which he unfolded; after that, two or three others,
till at last he opened the sanctum sanctorum. I took its contents in my
hands with no small degree of expectation: but, alas! how did I look,
when I saw it was only part of the stopple of a common glass cruet, of
the size of a hazel-nut, with two or three little gilt flowers on it!
All my hopes vanished; and as the others were anxiously observing my
motions, they could not fail to see disappointment so strongly marked in
my countenance, as decided their fate, and destroyed their great
expectations of wealth from this invaluable jewel. When I told them,
that it was only a piece of glass, the words affected their minds like
the unhappy tidings of some great misfortune: they walked off in solemn
silence, not without giving me an inquiring look, to learn whether I
were really in earnest. But I also shared their disappointment, and the
smile on my face could give them no hopes.
Another day passed, but no boat appeared. At last I thought of
bespeaking two camels, and proceeding to Esne by land, with Mrs. Belzoni
and the interpreter, and letting the Janizary remain there, to follow by
the first boat, and bring the implements we should leave behind. But
when the Aga saw, that I had taken this resolution, he sent for a boat,
which was hidden about a league distant, and there were two or three
more concealed in other places. I found, that all this was done to keep
us a few days in that place for the benefit of the town, strangers being
of course obliged to spend money while they are there. After the boat
was hired, at a great price, I found it belonged to the Aga himself; and
the Captain or Reis told us, afterwards, that he ordered him to hide it,
to compel me to give what he liked for the hire of it.
Some travellers give us the notions they have formed of the Arabs and
Berberys; but it is to be observed, that there is a very great
difference in the manner in which different persons travel; and the
methods pursued in going through a country may afford one more
opportunities of seeing and judging than another.
A traveller who has all the accommodation possible, and nothing to do
with these people but in passing, can never judge of their ideas, their
system of conduct, and their rapacious manners; for in the little
interval, and the limited business he has to transact with them, they do
not appear to be the people they really are. Some travellers even
receive civilities, with which they are mightily pleased; without having
time to discover, that the very persons, whom they suppose to be
naturally civil, are so only to serve their own interested views. They
pass on, and in their journal of remarks say, that they were received
civilly at such and such a place. But let a traveller deal with them in
any transaction, where their interest is concerned, and where their
execution of any undertaking is required, he will soon find, that in
every point they are the most cheating people on earth. Their deception
is extreme. A traveller passing by a village stops his bark for an hour
or two: what good people he finds! Some bring him a small basket of
dates, others a few eggs, another some bread and milk; with which he is
so pleased, that he immediately gives them five or perhaps ten times
more than the worth of what he receives, without being aware, that it is
through such an expectation they bring him these things; and exclaims,
that in Europe they do not treat a stranger so civilly. But let him take
the smallest of these presents without giving any thing in return, or
even no more than it is worth, they will not fail to murmur at him. If
he give only double the price, they have the art of returning the money
with scorn and contempt, in order to shame him to give more:—and if he
take the money returned, or give them nothing from the beginning, he
must not expect, that they will let him go away without paying them for
what they brought him. All this is unknown to a traveller merely passing
by; for there is no one in this character, who would be so mean as to
accept any thing, without returning double or treble its value. From
these trifles it may be presumed what they are in all their dealings:
to-night one word for such a thing, to-morrow another: their intrigues
are beyond description: they have the art of making one thing appear
like another so well, that it is very difficult to avoid falling into
their trap.
There are two extremes in travellers. One who is just arrived, has never
before been in the country, and of course has no knowledge of customs
and things, cannot see one fourth of what he should see: the other is so
thoroughly initiated into their customs and manners, that those things
which strike at first sight, lose their effect on him; he almost forgets
his own ways, and does not reckon any thing he beholds extraordinary or
worth attention, though perhaps even of great consequence.
At last, after settling all my affairs with the Aga, and satisfying his
demands of oil, vinegar, and some empty bottles, we left Assouan in the
morning of the 30th, and two days brought us to Esne, the current being
very strong. Khalil Bey was not there, and his Hasnadar or treasurer did
not know any thing about the orders, which were sent to me in Nubia: but
on seeing the Bey sometime after, he said he never sent me any such
orders. On the morning of the 4th of October we arrived at Luxor. Seeing
that no boat had arrived from Cairo, though the consul had sent me some
money, I set off next day in the same boat to Gheneh, arrived there the
next morning, and went to see Mr. Sokiner, a person whom I knew, and who
served me much in this business. We went to the Cacheff, who could not
give me a boat, in consequence of a fresh order from Cairo to press all
boats that passed; and I was therefore obliged to despatch a courier
again to Cairo, for an order from the consul to obtain one.