SECTION V.
Antiquities of Siwah.
A s we approached the spot destined for our encampment in the
Vale of Siwah, I descried to the westward some ruins of an extensive
building, a few miles distant from the road, and concluded them
to be the same as noticed by a late English traveller, (Mr. Brown,)
of whose discoveries I heard first in London, and afterwards, when
in Egypt. Circumstances rendered it necessary for me to be particularly
on my guard, and to defer any visit to, or actual inspection
of, these antiquities, until I had retrieved the confidence of the
natives, who, on my very first appearance, (as I was informed,)
had taken me and my interpreter, for Christians; and to this supposition
they were induced, from ouf fairer complexion, from our
gait and manners, and from our Turkish dresses, When I took
advantage of the disturbances at Cairo and its environs, to get introduced
as a Mahomedan to the caravan, I could not indeed speak
readily, either Turkish or Arabic ; but in this, I flattered myself,
the assumed character of a young Mameluke might be my excuse;
and I further derived confidence from the experience and abilities
of my interpreter, who (a German by birth,) had been forced,
twelve years past, to embrace the Mahommedan religion at Constantinople,
and whose address and knowledge, I hoped, might
preclude, or extricate me from, any consequences of jealousy or
suspicion.
Considering the importance of my mission, and the great purpose
o f exploring 'the whole of Northern Africa, with which I was
entrusted, perhaps it had been more wise and prudent on my. part,
not to have exposed myself to general intercourse, until better.qualified
to sustain the character I had assumed; had I so done in the
present instance, and abstained; from visiting the curiosities of Siwah,
and exposing myself in the novelty of the attempt, to examinations
and suspicions, I might have avoided a danger which (as will appear
in the sequel ) nearly proved fatal to myself, and therewith tp
the object of my voyage.
Making such candid admission of not havingjthe requisite forbearance,
with objects of so just curiosity in view, I proceed to state
the course of my inquiries, and the result.
I first visited the ruins of the extensive edifice before observed.
I accosted some men working in the gardens near, and questioning
them as to what they knew o f this building, they answered, “ that
in former times Siwah was inhabited by infidels, most of whom
lived in caves, but some inhabited these buildings." One spokesman,
pointing to a building in the centre, said, “ tradition tells us, that
edifice was the hall in which the divan used to assemble; at time
of its construction men were stronger than I am; for those huge
stones serving as a roof to the fabric, were lifted up and placed
there by two men only: there is much gold buried under the
walls.”. When I then entered into the ruins, I.was followed by.all
the people near, and thus prevented examining the place with any
accuracy. On a second visit I was not more successful; and when,
after, a few days, I returned thither again, some Siwahans directly
said to me, “ thou undoubtedly art yet a Christian in thy heart, else
why come so often to visit these- works of Infidels.” . In order to
maintain the character I had assumed, I was thus necessitated to
abandon any further project of nice examination or admeasurement,