Curtius defcribes fo marvelloufly, was only a hot fpring, which had lefs heat during the day, and greater at night. The Cafes became places of exile under the monarchs of the lower empire, who, infatuated by Theology, a study which fhould occupy only thofe to whom religion has confided the facred truft, and employed in caufing fometimes truth and fometimes falfhood to triumph, fent, by turns, heretics and orthodox believers hither. Neftorius and St. Athanafius were both exiles here. The Digeft contains the following paffage(f): "There is a kind "of exile which confifts in banishing the guilty to the Oafes of Egypt, where they remain as in an ifland." St. Athanafius, in his apology, complains of this barbarity. "The Arians," fays he, have outgone the emperor's orders, in fending old men and bifhops amidst thefe fearful deferts. Those of Lybia, in the great Oafis; and those "of the Thebais, in the Oafis of Ammon; "to the end that they may perish in traverfing burning fands." 86 46 Thefe habitations, become famous by the banishment of the moft learned men of the (f) Lib. 48. tit. 22. lower lower empire, were little known to the Perfians. Cambyfes, having ravaged Egypt, wifhed to feize the fpoils of the temple of Jupiter Ammon. (g) "The troops he fent against the Ammonians departed from Thebes, and came to the city of Oafis, "inhabited by the Samians, of the tribe of Æfchrionia, which country is feven days "march from the metropolis of Egypt, and " is called, by the Grecks, the ifle of the "bleft. The army arrived there, as it is *faid, but the Ammonians only know what "became of them afterwards, for they were never heard of more. They fay that, marching towards the temple of Jupiter, as they went, they were buried under tor"rents of burning fands, which the fouth "winds raifed." The route of the army makes it plain the guides, who detefted the Perfians, led them aftray amidst the desert; for they fhould have departed from the lake Mareotis to this temple; or from the environs of Memphis. The Egyptians, intending the deftruction of their enemies, led them from Thebes to the great Oalis, three days journey from Abydus, and, having brought (3) Herodotus, lib. 3. them them into the vaft folitudes of Lybia, they, no doubt, abandoned them, in the night, and delivered them over to death. The Oafis of Ammon is little known to the modern Egyptians, but the fecond more fo. Abulfeda places there a city, named Behnefa; (b) not the fame Behnefa which ftands on the canal of Jofeph, and which correfponds with the town of Achmounain, where there are magnificent antique remains. The great Oafis, moft frequented of the three, because on the road which the caravans from Abyffinia travel, has a great number of inhabitants. The Pey of Girga fends a cachef, as governor, and to levy tribute. When the Abyffinians leave Egypt, on their return, and have refreshed themfelves in that fruitful valley, they proceed fouth, and come to another, fituated under the tropic, which the Geographer of Nubia thus defcribes. "The country of Elouah, west of Affouan, was formerly very populous, but is no longer inhabited; here are many (b)"Behnefa is a city, fituated near the canal of Jofeph. There is another city of this name, in the country of Elouah, on the confines of the land of the "negroes." Abul. Def. of Egypt. fprings, rivulets, and fruit-trees, with cities "buried in their own ruins." Another part of the army of Cambyfes was destroyed, passing from this valley into Ethiopia. "Cambyfes (i), being come to Thebes, chofe fifty thousand men whom he commanded to pillage, and burn, the temple of Jupiter He himself marched against the Ethiopians with the remainder of his army; but, before he had proceeded one "Ammon. fifth of the way, his provifions were all "exhausted. They eat their horses, but "this was a fhort refource. Had wisdom "been his guide, this prince would have "returned; but, impelled by blind fury, he (6 went on. So long as the foldiers found "herbs and plants they fed on them; but, 66 this poor fupport failing them in the midst "of fands, they caft lots, and every tenth man was devoured by his companions. "At this.dreadful news, the Perfian king "abandoned his expedition into Ethiopia; and, returning back, arrived at Thebes, "after the lofs of half his army (k)." (i) Herodotus, lib. 3. (k) It is very probable that here, as before, the guides milled Cambyfes, who fet fire to all the temples of Egypt. What What happens at prefent, in performing this journey, proves the event to be very credible. Travellers, departing from the fertile valley lying under the tropic, march feven days before they come to the first town in Ethiopia. They find their way, in the day time, by looking at marks; and, at night, by obferving the ftars. The fand hills they had obferved on the preceding journey having been often carried away by the winds, deceive the guides; and, if they wander the least out of their road,, the camels, having paffed five or fix days without drinking, fink under their burthen, and die: the men are not long before they fubmit to the fame fate, and, fometimes, out of a great number, not a fingle traveller efcapes; at others, the burning winds of the fouth raife vortexes of duft, which fuffocate man and beaft; and the next caravan fees the ground ftrewed with bodies, totally parched up. This horrid fight, thefe dreadful dangers, do not terrify the Abyffinians, who, from the earliest ages, have brought gold duft, mufk, and elephants teeth into Egypt. So great is the power of habit over man! I have the honor to be, &c. LETTER |