pre their apartments sprinkled with it, and sent it also to any stranger who visits them. OWEN.-I remember that when you were talking of the customs of the Egyptians, you told us that a slave generally carries a silver plate in which essences are burning, to perfume the beard and sprinkle the visitors with them. I suppose they use rosewater procured from the roses that the valley around the Faioum. grow in MRS. A.-Next morning a soldier joined the party as guide, and they advanced towards the lake Moris, but arrived only at Senures that night, a village ten miles from it. EMILY.-HOW very convenient maps are, mother; I can trace their route so well. Here is Benisoeuf on the Nile, where they hired the donkeys; and here is the chain of mountains, and a space left for the entrance between them into the Faioum: they have only just to cross this province to reach Birket Keroum, as the lake is called on the map; the pyramids themselves are marked, and I believe I know the very spot where the rose-trees grow, and the roses blow, but not to "Waste their sweetness on the desert air.? Go on, dear mother. MRS. A.-Leaving Senures the following morning, they proceeded on their journey, and after passing through several groves of palm-trees, the view opened all at once on a wild country gradually sloping to the edge of the lake. The water extended some way on each side, and the mountains opposite had an awful and sterile appearance. At noon they reached the lake, but could observe no trace of any living being. The guide conducted them along the shore, till they arrived at a fisherman's hut situated near the place where the canal discharges itself into the lake. The hut was inhabited by a few poor fishermen, and the guide sent one of them for a boat, the only one to be had, but the shabbiest thing imaginable. It was composed of rough pieces of wood scarcely joined, and fastened by four other pieces, wrapped together by four more across, which formed the deck: no tar, no pitch, either inside or out, and the only preventive against the water coming in was a kind of weed moistened, which had settled in the joints of the wood. However, there was no alternative; Belzoni wished to cross the lake, and he was obliged to submit to what he could not help. He stepped in, and they advanced towards the west; as evening came on the plantations and groves disappeared, the lake and the mountains alone remained in sight, and when they reached the shore, the owner of the boat, who ac companied them as pilot, lighted a fire, whilst the others went out to fish with a net, and soon returned with a supper of fish. The land where they now were had for merly been cultivated, as there appeared many stumps of palm and other trees, and around them wild vines twined their luxuriant tendrils in profusion. The scene here was beautiful: the silence of the night; the beams of the radiant moon shining on the calm surface of the crystal lake; the solitude of the place; the group of fishermen; the little fire; altogether formed a picture which Belzoni had never before in reality witnessed, though I know not how often his lively imagination had painted such a scene. However, morning came: they entered their shattered vessel, which nevertheless conveyed them safely till they arrived near the end of the lake, where they landed, and set off for the temple of Haron, about three miles distant, standing in the midst of the ruins of a town, and surrounded by fragments of columns and other temples. Part of the town was covered with sand; on one side of it there was something like a gateway, and a little way off a Greek chapel, elevated on a platform with cellars under it. After having taken a proper view of the temple and the town, Belzoni went to see this small Greek chapel, accompanied by the two boatmen; and not apprehending any danger, left his gun and pistols in the temple; but he now nearly suffered for his thoughtlessness for just as he was mounting the little steps that led to the platform of the chapel, a large and furious hyena rushed from the apartments beneath; stopped three or four yards from him, howled dreadfully, and then turned round as if determined to attack him. BERNARD.-Oh, mother, now he is lost! he is lost! MRS. A.-No, he was not lost, my love, for he is in London at the present time. The fierce animal appeared on second thoughts to relinquish its intent, gave a hideous roar, and galloped away as fast as it could. OWEN. I wish I had been there; it should never have escaped in that way. I would have shot it in a moment! BERNARD. But Belzoni had no pistol with him, you know; I, for my part, think that it was a very dreadful adventure, and I am glad I was not in his place. I dare say Achillas, when he killed Pompey, would have been terrified had he heard that ravenous hyena set up its horrid roar, though |