entirely destitute of soil, being composed of enormous
masses of red granite, piled block upon block,
tbe rude masonry of Nature tbat bas walled in tbe
river. Tbe hollows between tbe bills are choked
with a yellow sand, which, drifted by tbe wind,
has, in many, instances, completely filled tbe narrow,
valleys. ' Uponr^either' side of the Nile are vestiges-
of ancient forts. Tbe. land appears as though it
bore tbe curse of Heaven; misery, barrenness, and
tbe beat of a furnace are its'features. The glowing
rocks, devoid of a trace of vegetation, reflect tbe
sun with an intensity, that must be felt to be understood.
The miserable ' people who dwell in villages
upon tbe river’s banks snatch every sandbank from
tbe retiring stream, and immediately plant their
scanty’garden with'melons, gourds, lentils, &c.. this
being their only resource for cultivation. Not an inch
of available soil is lost ; bnt day by day, as the river
decreases, fresh rows of ’vegetables are sown upon the
newly-acquired land. At Assouan, the sandbanks'are'
purely sand brought down by the cataracts, therefore-
soil must be added to enable the people to cultivate.
They dig earth from the ruins'of the ancient town;
this they boat across the river and spread upon the
sandbank, by which excessive labour they secure sufficient
mould to Support their crops.
In the vicinity of Philæ the very barrenness of the
seenery possesses a charm. The iron-like sterility of
the granite rocks, naked except in spots where the
wind-has sheeted them with sand-; the groves of palms
springing unexpectedly into view ’ in this ’ desert
wilderness,, as a sudden bend of the river discovers &>
village; the ever blue and never clouded sky above,
and, the only blessing of this blighted land, the Nile,
silently flowing between its stern, walls of rocks towards
the distant land of Lower Egypt, form a total
that . produces a scene to be met with nowhere but.
upon the Nile. In this miserable spot the unfortunate
inhabitants are taxed equally with those of
the richer districts—about fivepence annually for each-
date palm.
| “ May 9.—A good breeze, but tremendous heat.
Although the floor and the curtains of the cabin are
continually wetted, and the Venetian blinds are closed,;
the thermometer, at 4 p.m., stood at 105. in the;
shade; and, upon deck, 137° in the sun.' This day
we passed the ruins of several small temples. The
country is generally rocky, with intervals of ten or
twelve miles of desert plains.
“ May 10.—Fine breeze, the boat sailing well.
Passed several small temples. The henna grows in
considerable quantities on the left bank of the river.
The leaf resembles that of the myrtle; the blossom
has a powerful fragrance; it grows like a feather,
about eighteen inches long, forming a cluster of small
yellow flowers. The day pleasantly cool; thermometer,
95°.
“May 11.— At 5 a.m . we arrived at Korosko;
lat. 22° 50' N .; the halting-place for all vessels from
Lower Egypt with merchandise for the Soudan.”
B 2