Chapter II: Preface: To the Second Edition

First published in 1877, this book has been out of print for several years. I have, therefore, very gladly revised it for a new and cheaper edition. In so revising it, I have corrected some of the historical notes by the light of later discoveries; but I have left the narrative untouched. Of the political changes which have come over the land of Egypt since that narrative was written, I have taken no note; and because I in no sense offer myself as a guide to others, I say nothing of the altered conditions under which most Nile travelers now perform the trip. All these things will be more satisfactorily, and more practically, learned from the pages of Baedeker and Murray.

AMELIA B. EDWARDS.

WESTBURY-ON-TRYM, October, 1888.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

CAIRO AND THE GREAT PYRAMID.

PAGE.

Arrival at Cairo--Shepheard’s Hotel--The Moskee--The Khan Khaleel--The Bazaars--Dahabeeyahs--Ghîzeh--The Pyramids 1

CHAPTER II.

CAIRO AND THE MECCA PILGRIMAGE.

The Mosque of Sultan Hassan--Moslems at Prayer--Mosque of Mehemet Ali--View from the Platform--Departure of the Caravan for Mecca--The Báb en-Nasr--The Procession--The Mahmal--Howling Dervishes--The Mosque of Amr--The Shubra Road 15

CHAPTER III.

CAIRO TO BEDRESHAYN.

Departure for the Nile Voyage--Farewell to Cairo--Turra--The Philæ and crew--The Dahabeeyah and the Nile Sailor--Native Music--Bedreshayn 32

CHAPTER IV.

SAKKARAH AND MEMPHIS.

The Palms of Memphis--Three Groups of Pyramids--The M. B.’s and Their Groom--Relic-hunting--The Pyramid of Ouenephes--The Serapeum--A Royal Raid--The Tomb of Ti--The Fallen Colossus--Memphis 43

CHAPTER V.

BEDRESHAYN TO MINIEH.

The Rule of the Nile--The Shâdûf--Beni Suêf--Thieves by Night--The Chief of the Guards--A Sand-storm--“Holy Sheik Cotton”--The Convent of the Pulley--A Copt--The Shadow of the World--Minieh--A Native Market--Prices of Provisions--The Dôm Palm--Fortune-telling--Ophthalmia 65

CHAPTER VI.

MINIEH TO SIUT.

Christmas Day--The Party Completed--Christmas Dinner on the Nile--A Fantasia--Noah’s Ark--Birds of Egypt--Gebel Abufayda--Unknown Stelæ--Imprisoned--The Scarab-beetle--Manfalût--Siût--Red and Black Pottery--Ancient Tombs--View Over the Plain--Biblical Legend 83

CHAPTER VII.

SIUT TO DENDERAH.

An “Experienced Surgeon”--Passing Scenery--Girgeh--Sheik Selîm--Kasr es Syad--Forced Labor--Temple of Denderah--Cleopatra--Benighted 99

CHAPTER VIII.

THEBES AND KARNAK.

Luxor--Donkey-boys--Topography of Ancient Thebes--Pylons of Luxor--Poem of Pentaur--The Solitary Obelisk--Interior of the Temple of Luxor--Polite Postmaster--Ride to Karnak--Great Temple of Karnak--The Hypostyle Hall--A World of Ruins 121

CHAPTER IX.

THEBES TO ASSUAN.

A Storm on the Nile--Erment--A Gentlemanly Bey--Esneh--A Buried Temple--A Long Day’s Sketching--Salame the Chivalrous--Remarkable Coin--Antichi--The Fellâh--The Pylons of Edfu--An Exciting Race--The Philæ Wins by a Length 140

CHAPTER X.

ASSUAN AND ELEPHANTINE.

Assûan--Strange Wares for Sale--Madame Nubia--Castor Oil--The Black Governor--An Enormous Blunder--Tannhäuser in Egypt--Elephantine--Inscribed Potsherds--Bazaar of Assûan--The Camel--A Ride in the Desert--The Obelisk of the Quarry--A Death in the Town 157

CHAPTER XI.

THE CATARACT AND THE DESERT.

Scenery of the Cataract--The Sheik of the Cataract--Vexatious Delays--The Painter’s Vocabulary--Mahatta--Ancient Bed of the Nile--Abyssinian Caravan 176

CHAPTER XII.

PHILÆ.

Pharaoh’s Bed--The Temples--Champollion’s Discovery--The Painted Columns--Coptic Philæ--Philæ and Desaix--Chamber of Osiris--Inscribed Rock--View from the Roof of the Temple 188

CHAPTER XIII.

PHILÆ TO KOROSKO.

Nubian Scenery--A Sand-slope--Missing Yûsef--Trading by the Way--Panoramic Views--Volcanic Cones--Dakkeh--Korosko--Letters from Home 211

CHAPTER XIV.

KOROSKO TO ABOU SIMBEL.

El-Id el-Kebîr--Stalking Wild Ducks--Temple of Amada--Fine Art of the Thothmes--Derr--A Native Funeral--Temple of Derr--The “Fair” Families--The Sakkieh--Arrival at Abou Simbel by Moonlight 220

CHAPTER XV.

RAMESES THE GREAT.

Youth of Rameses the Great--Treaty with the Kheta--His Wives--His Great Works--The Captivity--Pithom and Rameses--Kauiser and Keniamon--The Birth of Moses--Tomb of Osymandias--Character of Rameses the Great 236

CHAPTER XVI.

ABOU SIMBEL.

The Colossi--Portraits of Rameses the Great--The Great Sand-drift--The Smaller Temples--“Rameses and Nefertari”--The Great Temple--A Monster Tableau--Alone in the Great Temple--Trail of a Crocodile--Cleaning the Colossus--The Sufferings of the Sketcher 258

CHAPTER XVII.

THE SECOND CATARACT.

Volcanic Mountains--Kalat Adda--Gebel est-Shems--The First Crocodile--Dull Scenery--Wady Halfeh--The Rock of Abusîr--The Second Cataract--The Great View--Crocodile-slaying--Excavating a Tumulus--Comforts of Home on the Nile 283

CHAPTER XVIII.

DISCOVERIES AT ABOU SIMBEL.

Society at Abou Simbel--The Painter Discovers a Rock-cut Chamber--Sunday Employment--Re-enforcement of Natives--Excavation--The Sheik--Discovery of Human Remains--Discovery of Pylon and Staircase--Decorations of Painted Chamber--Inscriptions 295

CHAPTER XIX.

BACK THROUGH NUBIA.

Temples _ad infinitum_--Tosko--Crocodiles--Derr and Amada Again--Wady Sabooah--Haughty Beauty--A Nameless City--A River of Sand--Undiscovered Temple--Maharrakeh--Dakkeh--Fortress of Kobban--Gerf Hossayn--Dendoor--Bayt-et-Welly--The Karnak of Nubia--Silco of the Ethiopians--Tafah--Dabôd--Baby-shooting--A Dilemma--Justice in Egypt--The Last of Philæ 324

CHAPTER XX.

SILSILIS AND EDFU.

Shooting the Cataract--Kom Ombo--Quarries of Silsilis--Edfu the Most Perfect of Egyptian Temples--View from the Pylons--Sand Columns 353

CHAPTER XXI.

THEBES.

Luxor Again--Imitation “Anteekahs”--Digging for Mummies--Tombs of Thebes--The Ramesseum--The Granite Colossus--Medinet Habu--The Pavilion of Rameses III--The Great Chronicle--An Arab Story-teller--Gournah--Bab el Molûk--The Shadowless Valley of Death--The Tombs of the Kings--Stolen Goods--The French House--An Arab Dinner and Fantasia--The Coptic Church at Luxor--A Coptic Service--A Coptic Bishop 370

CHAPTER XXII.

ABYDUS AND CAIRO.

Last Weeks on the Nile--Spring in Egypt--Ninety-nine in the Shade--Samata--Unbroken Donkeys--The Plain of Abydus--Harvest-time--A Biblical Idyll--Arabat the Buried--Mena--Origin of the Egyptian People--Temple of Seti--New Tablet of Abydus--Abydus and Teni--Kom-es-Sultan--Visit to a Native Aga--The Hareem--Condition of Women in Egypt--Back at Cairo--“In the Name of the Prophet, Cakes!”--The Môlid-en-Nebee--A Human Causeway--The Boulak Museum--Prince Ra-hotep and Princess Nefer-t--Early Drive to Ghîzeh--Ascent of the Great Pyramid--The Sphinx--The View from the Top--The End 421