426

GRANARIES AND WATER JARS.

possessing a spacious court surrounded by high walls, in which, so long as there is shade, the women are accustomed to perform their household work. And by the side, or in front of the greater number, is a platform of clay about eighteen inches high, and eight or ten feet square, surrounded by a neat parapet. On these platforms they spread mats and sleep during the summer. Here we observed several sheds, consisting of two walls and a roof, containing, for the use of travellers, jars filled with water, which are closed with a round mat, and have a small brown cup placed beside them. The water exposed to a free current of air, is kept cool as in the Nile. Near the same villages I remarked several square shallow pits sunk in the ground coated with white plaster, in which they deposit their newly-threshed corn until perfectly dry; and while in these granaries the grain is covered with straw. What is wanted for immediate use they preserve in large jars, which, -such is the honesty of these barbarians, they commonly place on the Dates, also, are thus kept.

outside of their doors.

CCCXVI. Here, on the edge of the stony desert, we were overtaken by three dervishes, travelling towards the south, each bearing on his shoulder a thick pole, with a large round knob at the bottom,

All savage nations appear to possess granaries of this description. The Kaffers, in southern Africa, hollow out in the earth, wells about six or seven feet in depth, nicely plastered over, small at the mouth, and gradually enlarging to the bottom, in which they preserve their grain. A similar practice prevails, likewise, among the rude tribes of Tartar and in various other parts of Asia.

WANDERING DERVISHES.

427

and about twelve feet in length, bound from end to end with a small coarse cord, so as entirely to conceal the wood. To the top were attached a number of long strips of cotton of different colours, which, as they walked, fluttered in the wind; and on the other extremity was suspended a basket containing their provisions. They were decently dressed for men of their caste, and he who appeared to be the chief, wore on his shoulders a quilted shawl, the colours of which had once been brilliant. We walked slowly to allow of their overtaking us. Saluting us with the "Salam aleykum," they requested something for the love of God; and I gave them a few piastres, for which they appeared to be exceedingly thankful. Walking on with us they related their history. One describing himself as a native of Siout, another of Fouah, and the third of some other small town in Egypt; and they had all now travelled from the cell of a great Moslem Saint at Tanta in the Delta to visit another holy man of much celebrity, four days' journey beyond the second cataract. They were young men, under forty, and two of them had pleasing countenances. The third, who wore his long black hair, like an Ababdé Arab, possessed a set of wild and rather savage-looking features, and went bare-headed in the sun, reminding me strongly of the faces of the old Christian ascetics of the early ages of the Church. I purchased of the principal dervish his chaplet of wooden beads, with which he seemed somewhat unwilling to part, though, as he said, he did so, to oblige a stranger. Their heavy poles not permitting

428

RUINED SARACEN TOWN.

them to walk at our pace, we quitted them and continued our ramble along the shore.

CCCXVII. The plain, whose surface is at least forty feet above the level of the river, is here of considerable breadth, and was now covered with luxuriant crops of wheat, lentils, kidney beans, peas, and onions, among which many fine cotton plantations were interspersed. A sakia occurs at almost every hundred yards. Having walked about six miles, we reached the ruins of an ancient town, situated on the brow of a hill, where portions of several stone buildings of spacious dimensions are yet standing, in one of which I observed a small Saracen arch of brick. From the style in which the greater number of the houses had been erected, and the space now covered by the ruins, this had evidently been formerly a considerable place. Near the top of the hill we observed a Nubian digging among the broken walls; but when we drew near, to make some inquiries respecting the place, he ran away towards the mountains, though we repeatedly requested him to stop. While sitting on a stone, farther down, four or five women passed by, two of whom appeared very old and wretched. The others, who wore long loose trowsers, and were otherwise well dressed, covered the lower part of their faces as they passed. They were tall large women, with light complexions, and bright black eyes, probably Arabs, or Bosnian women from Derr.

CCCXVIII. Returning to the river, and entering our boat, we continued tracking until opposite Amada, where we crossed over to visit the ruins. Burckhardt, who denominates this place Hassaya, observes that a village formerly stood near the temple; but from the Nubians whom we questioned on the subject, nothing could be learned respecting either the name, or history of the place. The principal ruin which faces the river stands about two hundred yards from its banks. There is no propylon; and the front of the pronaos has been destroyed: but it contains twelve square pillars, eight of which are built up in the front and side walls. Behind these, immediately in advance of the cella, is a row of four polygonal columns, surmounted by plinths instead of capitals. A short passage has been erected at the entrance to the portico, with sculptured stones, taken, perhaps, from some other part of the building, and thrown together without any reference to the figures they contained, here a mitre, there the head it once adorned. The filling up of the intercolumniations is clearly a recent work. Over a square opening in the roof, a small Greek cupola has been erected on four arches. Among the symbolical sculpture in the pronaos is the triangle, or symbol of joy; a horned serpent, with the thigh, leg, and hoof of some animal placed over it; a butterfly with three pair of wings and a long tail; a globe, with two long legs, like those of Charles XII. of Sweden in his war-boots; the human eye; the goose; the ibis ; and the ploughshare. But this pronaos is a mere

4.30

SACRIFICE OF A CALF.

modern excrescence, which has entirely spoiled the appearance of the ancient small and almost square temple, originally destitute both of portico and propylon.

CCCXIX. The entrance to the cella is nearly choked up with sand, so that it is necessary to stoop in passing through the once lofty door-way. The distribution of the apartments is peculiar: first, a narrow chamber extending the whole breadth of the temple; then three others in the opposite direction, the central one running the whole length of the edifice, the others divided near the farther extremity. On the interior of the front wall of the cella, to the right, we find Isis embracing Osiris, whose lips are very thin, and whose eyes are long, and dipping a little in front both faces ugly. On the opposite side is represented in the usual way the consecration of a king.* Proceeding into the adytum, we find the walls covered with extraordinary figures, to which it appears difficult to assign any signification. In the midst of these is a black and white calf, with its four legs bound together with a yellow cord or riband, apparently as a victim for sacrifice. Its face is turned towards the spectator. Over his flank is a goose, in the act of biting him, while the thigh, leg, and hoof of some larger animal are suspended over his neck and head. On the opposite wall is a red calf, bound in a similar manner; but here the back is towards us;

* See the description of Parembolé.