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exhibiting the power of charms and music over the serpent race. The first maiden bears upon her head a small flat basket, about six inches in diameter, from the centre of which arise three full-blown lotuses, the middle one upright, the others bending outward. Below these, on either side, is the same flower in the bud, with the stem broken, and the lotus drooping over the edge of the basket. Her next companion, standing a little in advance, carries in her hand three small cones, resembling cypress trees, with a flower depending from the central one, and from the stems of the others a cord with small bells; while the third, the principal enchantress, is engaged in shaking a serpent out of a phial upon a kind of altar piled with fruit; and, beside it, on the ground, is a small vase, out of which another serpent appears to be rising at the voice of the charmer."

Friday, Jan. 18. Merwaou.

CCLXXIV. Not having completed our examination of the temples, we remained all night at Kalabshi, and renewed our investigations in the morning. Soon after our arrival, a party of Nubian women and girls collected together on the sunny terrace, in front of the propylon, some of them wishing to sell us the little apron of thongs, constituting their only covering, others their brazen armlets and necklaces of beads. Both women and girls behaved with that modest simplicity which, in all countries, is the attribute of unsophisticated woman. Their dress and ornaments were in the most primitive style of savage

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costume: broad armlets of buffalo's horn, or brass, or metallic beads, connected together with intertwisted thongs; a small apron of thongs, about nine inches long in front, and shorter at the left side, suspended on a narrow belt passing round the loins; and ornamented with beautiful small white shells, intermingled with red and blue beads. This was the only

garment of young unmarried girls. The remainder of their bodies, which are of a dark copper colour, with a tinge of red, seemed to be well oiled, and looked smooth and soft. Their hair was twisted into innumerable small straight tresses, matted together with mutton suet, or castor oil, which, melting in the sun, dripped down upon their shoulders and bosom, exhaling so fœtid an odour that it was with difficulty we could stand near them. Prior, describing, in his lively way, another African race, observes with no less truth than wit, that,

"Before you see, you smell your toast,

And sweetest she who stinks the most."

Many of them wore large necklaces of brown wood or ebony beads, intermingled with others of red or blue glass. From their ears, and various parts of their hair, heavy brass ornaments were suspended ; and one woman wore the nose ring so much affected by the females of Hindoostan.

CCLXXV. My fellow-traveller wishing to take a specimen of Nubian costume to Europe, endeavoured, at Tafa, to purchase one of their thong aprons.

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AND ORNAMENTS.

379

modest little girl, understanding his wish, immediately slipped behind a wall, where she undressed, and handed forth her garment from thence; but, as for some reason or another it was not purchased, she quickly reappeared with it among her companions. A woman, who happened to be present, sold her daughter's apron, and giving her a small cloth to replace it, commanded her to withdraw and undress; but the poor girl, loth to part with the only article of finery she possessed in the world, retired sorrowfully, and sitting down at a little distance upon a stone, sobbed aloud; not reflecting that with the piastres her mother had received for it, a dozen new ones might perhaps be purchased. This apron had been so saturated with fat and oil, that it was found impossible to suffer it to remain in the cabin, and it was consequently suspended on the mast, like the unclean ghosts in Virgil, to be purified by the wind. In general, the armlets worn by the Nubian women would seem to be put on while they are very young, so that, when grown up, it is sometimes impossible to take them off, though their arms and hands are delicately small. Indeed, it was necessary to cut through, with a penknife, the one I here purchased, consisting of thong and metal. The brass armlets are open at the side, and resemble, when off the arm, the thin crescent of the new moon. The married women wear a sort of loose garment, which, like that of the Hindoos, leaves one shoulder bare, and descends below the knee. Sometimes, in very hot weather, a

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NUBIAN VILLAGES.

corner of this garment is thrown over the head, as a defence against the sun; though the face is always left uncovered. Nearly all were desirous of selling some portion of their dress or ornaments, requiring what was considered a good price. The boys, who, being stark naked, had no personal ornaments to dispose of, brought us some small antiquities, such as broken idols, coins of copper and bronze, or fragments of sculpture.

CCLXXVI. In all these villages there is no bread to be obtained. Milk and butter, however, are generally found; but these, together with eggs,— when they can be procured, - are considerably dearer than in Egypt. The extraordinary inquisitiveness and curiosity remarked by Burckhardt among the Nubians, seem to have been the effect of the peculiar circumstances of those times, when the appearance of a Mamalook or Turkish army was daily apprehended, rather than as forming any part of their national character; for I could discover in them no traces of those qualities. They appear, at present, to entertain no hopes of a political change, though the slightest reverses occurring to Mohammed Ali, would again, I make no doubt, awaken their ancient love of anarchical independence. If we assert, with Burckhardt, that the villages of the Nubians are built of stone, a wrong idea of them will certainly be conveyed; yet I scarcely know what other terms to employ. The huts of which they consist, are, in

many cases, merely so many low circular walls of small loose stones, piled rudely upon each other, and covered above with dhourra stalks; they are so frail, that the smallest force would be sufficient to destroy them. Twelve or thirteen of these huts, often fewer, huddled together among heaps of ancient ruins, or on the shingly slope of the mountains, constitute a village, or hamlet, which might be easily passed without notice, particularly in the dawn or twilight, being exactly of the same hue as the surrounding rocks.

CCLXVII. About half a mile to the north of the large temple, proceeding along the foot of the mountain, over the ruins of the ancient city, at some height above the level of the plain, is a small hypogeum, approached by a narrow dromos, or area, likewise excavated in the rock. On the side walls, which are neither long nor lofty, are various groups of sculpture, resembling in execution those on the propylon of the temple of Luxor. Burckhardt, notwithstanding the natural coolness of his judgment, appears to have spoken much too favourably of these performances, which, though perhaps less stiff and cramped than ordinary, would probably receive but little praise from an able artist or enlightened connoisseur. The scenes represented on our cups and saucers, translated into verbal description, and suppressing all disparaging epithets, might be made to appear pictures of no trifling merit. It is the same with these Nubian master-pieces, which, though I have no