monuments fix the traveller's eyes, and fill his mind with vaft ideas. Beholding coloffal figures and ftately obelisks, which feem to surpass human powers, he says, man has done this, and feels himself and his fpecies ennobled. True it is, when he looks down on the wretched huts, ftanding befide these magnificent labours, and when he perceives an ignorant people, inftead of a fcientific nation, he grieves for the generations that are paft, and the arts that perished with them; yet this very grief has a kind of charm for the heart of fenfibility.

The wind impells us toward the fartheft limits of Egypt, and rocks, hewn into colossal statues, already difappear. New objects fix the attention, and the riches of the banks of the Nile are contemplated with pleasure, as we approach Armant. village is built at the foot of an eminence,

This

ticos, veftibules, periftyles, and courts, appertaining to the grand temples of Egypt, will convince us those built at Thebes had, at leaft, a hundred gates. I, therefore, believe, like Diodorus Siculus, that this appellation, worthy the pen of Homer, was rather fuggefted by the gates of the temples than the walls; for it does not even appear that this famous city ever had any walls. No hiftorian mentions any, nor are traces of any to be found.

4

on

on which the ruins of Hermunthis are feen. That ancient city paid particular adoration to Apollo and Jupiter, and contained two temples dedicated to them. These time has respected and spared. That of Apollo is fmall, but in good prefervation; its walls are of granite. A frize, with hawks, a bird facred to this god, is carried round. The platform is afcended by ftairs, cut in one of the fides, and faced every way with hieroglyphics. Four rows of human figures are fculptured without, and three within. The building is divided into feveral apartments. Five falcons, with their wings fpread, décorate the cieling of the firft; golden ftars glitter on the vaulted roof of the fecond. In this are two rams, facing each other, with hieroglyphics, artfully fculptured. Two marble oxen (i) are at the extremity of this apartment, and, round it, women fuckling their children. A large edifice, the foundation of which only remains, fronts the temple; beyond is a large bafon, intended as a refervoir for the waters of the Nile. Far ther along the bank of the river is another

(i) The ox, in Egypt, was the fymbol of fertility and inundation.

edifice,

edifice, which, probably, was the temple of Jupiter, now made a church of by the Chriftians. The plaifter, on which croffes are painted, covers the hieroglyphics and Egyptian infcriptions.

Four leagues from Armant, up the country, is the village of Okfor. Abulfeda fays that, in his time, much pottery was made there (k); and this pottery ftill fubfifts. They carry their vafes to the Nile, tie them on a bed, formed by palm branches, with the mouth downwards, then put a second row on the firft, in like manner difpofed, and afterwards a third. This kind of raft floats fupported by the air, which, included in the hollow of the yafes, acts as in the diving-bell. Two men feat themselves upon and conduct them from town to town, till they have fold all their ware. I have seen feveral of these rafts even below Grand Cairo. Okfor stands in the midst of a plain, fertile in corn, and excellent dates.

Proceeding fouthward, we pafs two hills, near Gebelein, at the foot of which is the tomb of a Mahometan faint, and, foon af

(k) Abulfeda, Defcription of Egypt.

ter,

ter, discover Asfoun (1), a tolerably large town, built near the ruins of Aphroditopolis. From Thebes to Syene, crocodiles are frequently perceived, stretched on the fandy banks which the retiring Nile leaves dry. They fleep in the fun; but their fleep is far from found, for they plunge into the water at the approach of boats. They feldom defcend into the lower Thebais, and never below Grand Cairo. Thefe voracious animals, though covered with almost impenetrable fcales, fly places too much frequented by men, and would rather harbour towards Affouan, where boats come more feldom. According to the ancients, the ichneumon entered the jaws of this monfter, while he was afleep, and devoured his entrails. The ichneumnon feeks for crocodile eggs, hidden among the fands, and eats, when he can find, them. This was, perhaps, the origin of that fable.

We approach the port of Efna, Sir, a confiderable town, governed by an an Arab prince, and a cachef, dependant on the Bey

(1) This is the third city of this name; they were so called by the Greeks. When I fhall speak, at the end of this volume, of the ancient religion of the country, I fhall give fuch Egyptian names as are come down to us.

VOL. II.

F

of

of Girga.

The Mahometans have feveral mofques here, and the Copts a church, with two priests to perform divine fervice. Abulfeda fays, "Efna (m), remarkable for its pub"lic baths and trade, is built on the weftern "bank of the Nile, between Affouan and "Cous, but nearer the latter. It acknow

ledges, adds the geographer of Nubia, "the Copts for its founders. (n) Its well "cultivated lands abound in corn and palm"trees, and its precincts in gardens and fruit-trees. Here are feveral antique monuments, built by the Copts, and stately "ruins."

This defcription is ftill fuitable to Efna, which is furrounded by rich fields, and fhaded by orange groves, fertile in flowers and fruits. This city, formerly called Latopolis, adored Minerva, and the fish latus.(c) It contains an antique temple, which has thick walls on three of its fides. Six large fluted columns, with capitals ornamented by palm leaves, ftand in the front; eighteen others fupport the roof, which is compofed

(m) Defcription of Egypt.

(n) The Arabs call the antient Egyptians Copts.

(0) Strabo, lib. 17.

cf

H