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abomination by the Egyptians *; while Strabo, on the contrary, relates that they were regarded with religious reverence by all the Egyptians, being supposed to have sprung from the wounds of Osiris. But the fact is, they were worshipped by some, and eaten by others, especially by the Cynopolites. These ate them in revenge, believing them to have devoured the aidoiov of their popular god; those venerated them, supposing that they had been miraculously produced from his blood. The people of Elephantine, no less superstitious than their neighbours, held sacred a species of fish called mæota, which were considered as prophetic messengers of the inundation.

Pritchard, On the Mythology of the Egyptians, p. €1.327, 328.

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358

DEPARTURE FROM ES-SOUAN.

CHAPTER XV.

DEPARTURE FROM ES-SOUAN ISLANDS IN THE NILE-FIRST AP-
PEARANCE OF THE RAPIDS DANGERS OF THE ASCENT SUB-
LIMITY OF THE CATARACT -NUBIAN SWIMMERS — INFLUENCE
OF THE MYTHOLOGY -PHILE-MOLES OR JETTIES IN THE NILE
AND RHONE -INDUSTRY OF THE NUBIANS -TEMPLE OF PA-
REMBOLE-KARDASSI-RUINS OF TAPHIS-GATES OF KALABSHI
ASCENT OF THE LIBYAN MOUNTAINS-VIEW OF THE DESERT
-TEMPLE OF
OF ORACLES

KALABSHI-SYSTEM

GROUP OF SAVAGE COSTUME OF THE NUBIAN WOMENCHARACTER OF THE NATIVES-HAMLETS AND VILLAGES-ROCK

FEMALE PSYLLI

CHAPEL

ANCIENT SCULPTURE

HUMAN SACRIFICE POPU

LATION AND ANCIENT HISTORY OF NUBIA INGENIOUS SYSTEM OF IRRIGATION-WHITE EAGLE.

Tuesday, Jan. 15. Ipshir in Nubia. CCLIX. WE rose very early, in the hope that, according to promise, the reis of the cataract would arrive, in order to begin with the day the ascent into Nubia. But these people seldom keep their promises, having no idea of the value of time. He, in fact, did not make his appearance: and, while we were waiting for him, half the population of Es-Souan seemed to crowd down to the beach; some with trifling antiquities for sale; others, who had nothing to sell, in search of presents; others with

ISLANDS OF THE CATARACT.

359

camels for our luggage and asses for ourselves, in case we should desire to proceed by land. The luggage, according to custom, was sent forward; but, being desirous of witnessing the passage of the cataracts, we determined to remain in the kandjia, until we should arrive at what is called "the Gate," where we might land, proceed a few yards over the rocks, and then reimbark. The scene, on losing sight of the town, and entering the narrow channels into which the river is here divided by the prodigious masses of granite, which on all sides encumber its bed, is peculiarly magnificent; far more so than when viewed from the island of Elephantine or the mountains of Es-Souan. Every moment, as we advanced, the grandeur of the spectacle augmented. Numbers of the rocky isles, which appear to extend in endless succession towards the south, consist of enormous blocks of granite, blackened by the water below, split into ragged pinnacles above by the sun, and thrown by some convulsion of nature into positions in which this kind of rock is seldom found. Into the clefts and interstices which diversify their surface, the Nile, during the inundation, has introduced the rich alluvial soil peculiar to Egypt; and on these spots are date palms of stately growth, small level terraces of corn or lupines in flower, with acacia and mimosa trees; while the more hardy tamarisk hangs waving from the smaller fissures of the cliffs. Between these islands, of various form, structure, dimensions, and aspect, the Nile, divided into innu

360

ASCENT OF THE FIRST RAPID.

merable tortuous channels, rushes along with extraordinary noise and velocity, in some places dashing in spray and foam over opposing rocks; in others eddying round projecting promontories, its whole surface vexed with whirlpools. Almost every thing in Egypt has been exaggerated by the imagination of travellers, except the cataracts of Es-Souan, the magnificence and grandeur of which are beyond description.

CCLX. As we ascended the stream with a moderate breeze, the kandjia proceeded smoothly and delightfully, until we approached the falls, where the river, hemmed in by huge granite rocks, rushes over its narrow bed like a sluice, roaring, foaming, and dashing in tremendous sublimity. Our vessel, being an admirable sailer, cleared the minor rapids in a noble style; but there were two other travellers in another bark behind, which, choosing a different channel, and frequently disappearing among the rocks, excited strong apprehensions for its safety. At length, however, all our attention was fixed upon our own position. Turning suddenly round the point of a small island, we discovered before us one of the most considerable of the falls, up which our course lay. Our captain, terrified at the appearance of the dashing waters, would now gladly have refunded the money he had received, to be permitted to return to Cairo from that spot. It was, however, too late; for, while he was making these foolish offers, the

DANGEROUS POSITION.

361

Nubian pilot, more courageous than the Arab, turned the kandjia's prow directly up the torrent, and we were, in a moment, in the midst of it; upon which the reis and his father, an old man whose beard had grown grey upon the Nile, beholding the fury of the waves, and the rocks veiled on all sides by clouds of foam, while their bark reeled and trembled like a nut-shell, burst into tears, giving themselves up for lost; in fact, our situation began to assume rather a serious aspect. The pilot complained bitterly of the negligence of the captain of the cataract, whose peculiar duty it is to attend with men and ropes at this most dangerous portion of the ascent. Having no inclination to imitate Cæsar, who swam with his Commentaries in his mouth, I threw my journal and pistols into the cabin, and stood prepared for the worst. Unfortunately the breeze, which seemed to have abated its strength, was too weak to force us up the current, if, indeed, any wind could have done so; so that we hung midway up the fall, retained in our position by long poles thrust against the rocks. At length, however, the violence of the current began to prevail, and was about to hurl us back, though every nerve was strained to fix the quivering poles, and stay our course, when the Nubian pilot, undressing to his skin, and fastening the end of a rope about his neck, leaped into the whirling waters, and, by the most vigorous exertions, succeeded in reaching a rock. Success, however, still appeared exceedingly doubtful; for the rope which he took with him was small,

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