Part 11

Next day (27th), brought us to the Shellal, or first cataract. The soldier of Derow, who brought the letters, set off immediately, and I never saw him afterwards. I took particular notice of a small obelisk which was lying before the propylæon, and which, if brought to England, might serve as a monument in some particular place, or as an embellishment to the metropolis. I sent for the Aga of Assouan, and a Reis who knew the channels in the Shellal, and in the meantime took a general view of these superb ruins. I observed in the southern part of the island the remains of a small temple, quite in ruins, with blocks of stone scattered here and there, and remarked, that a part of the remaining wall contained the legs of several figures in basso relievo finely finished. I examined the blocks that had been thrown down from the wall, and found they contained the upper parts of the figures, which had formed a group of seven in all. When the Aga and the Reis came, I made an agreement with them to have the obelisk taken down the cataract; but, for want of a boat, it could not be effected that season. The obelisk is twenty-two feet long, by two wide at the base; so that it required a pretty large boat to convey it. It was agreed, and perfectly understood, that I took possession of this obelisk in the name of his Britannic Majesty’s consul-general in Cairo; and I gave four dollars to the Aga, to pay a guard for it till my return.

I entreat the reader here to pause, and to recollect what caution I took in securing this piece of antiquity; as he will find, in the course of this work, that the obelisk in question has caused me more trouble and persecution than any thing else I succeeded in removing from Egypt. Indeed, it nearly cost me my life; and for such disinterested exertions I received, in return, the meanest insults. Unfortunately such was my situation in Egypt, that some of the very people I had to deal with, though I was acting for the credit both of their country and of themselves, could not restrain the impulse of jealousy, which they nourished in their breasts, and which always operated to my disadvantage. In a future work, that I intend to lay before the public, I shall perhaps unfold these matters; so that any one who has common feeling will wonder how I could persist so long in my researches under such circumstances.

The blocks of stone, which formed the compartment of fourteen feet long and twelve wide, were twelve in number. When they were put together on the ground, they were a beautiful group, consisting of the great god Osiris seated on his chair, with an altar before him, receiving offerings from priests and female figures; the whole surrounded by flowers and hieroglyphics. The blocks were three feet six inches long, and three feet wide: but as they were two feet three inches thick, they were too bulky to be embarked whole. As they could be easily cut, being a calcareous gritstone, I made an agreement for one hundred piastres, to have them cut to six inches thickness. I left the money in the hands of the Aga; and it was understood, that these stones were to be embarked by the first opportunity of a boat, and sent down to Luxor. The Aga hinted, that he should be happy to know what I meant to give him for permission to take away the obelisk; for though I was authorised by the firman of the Bashaw to take what stones or statues I pleased, yet these fellows think they have a right to demand something; and if they cannot openly refuse, still they have it in their power to throw such obstacles in the way, as to entirely defeat your undertaking. It was agreed, that he should give orders to the Sheik of the island to guard the stones and the obelisk, so that no one should injure them; for which guard, as before stated, he received four dollars; and that on the removal of the obelisk he should receive three hundred piastres, equal to thirty dollars.

Next day, the 28th of September, we came to Assouan by land; just one month from the day on which we first entered that place. On our arrival, we were informed, that there were no boats to take us to Esne; and, in spite of all our haste, we were obliged to wait till some came from the north. We therefore took another tour in the island of Elephantine, and on the next morning, (29th), I set off for the granite mountain, about two hours and a half south-east of Assouan. I took an Arab of that place with me as a guide, and walked about the greater part of the day. I saw a great many granite quarries, which plainly showed, that the ancients took the granite intended for the temples, statues, and ornaments, from these places; and in one of these excavations I saw two large basins in the rough, cut out of the rock, one of which was ready to be taken away, as it was nearly finished. It appeared to me, by what I could observe, that the pieces of granite were procured by cutting a line with a chisel, about two inches deep, round the stone intended to be removed, and then by giving a great blow with some machine, which separated the part like glass when cut with a diamond. In this basin were pieces, which plainly showed the fact of this operation. On my return towards the west, I was fortunate enough to find a column lying on the ground, with a Latin inscription, as in the annexed plate. It proves, that the Romans used to take granite from these quarries, and, no doubt, chiefly for religious purposes, like the Egyptians.

On my return to Assouan, no boat had arrived, and I became impatient, for I wished to reach Thebes. We were seated under a grove of palm-trees, eating our soup of rice and meat with the Aga, when an Arab came to him, and whispered in his ear, as if he had something of great importance to communicate. The Aga rose, though his dinner was not finished, and went away with the air of a man of great business. Half an hour after he returned, accompanied by two other persons of distinction, and the old man who came before. They all seated themselves round me, and after introducing the affair with a degree of caution, I was asked, whether I wished to purchase a large piece of diamond. I considered, that I was no diamond merchant; but in a case like this, I would have contrived to become a jeweller, and have procured the money from Esne, if it had been to my advantage; for, in the times in which we live, jewels are no despicable articles, if they can be obtained at a cheap rate. I told the Aga, that if the article were good, I would purchase it, if we could agree; but it was necessary that I should see it. He said, the piece had been found by one of the natives of that place; and, as he was not in want of money, it had been preserved in the family for many years. This original proprietor being now dead, his successors wished to dispose of it. I requested to see it; so we retired some distance out of the way of the people. The old man then with great solemnity took a small wooden box from a pocket in his leathern belt. In this was a paper, which he unfolded; after that, two or three others, till at last he opened the sanctum sanctorum. I took its contents in my hands with no small degree of expectation: but, alas! how did I look, when I saw it was only part of the stopple of a common glass cruet, of the size of a hazel-nut, with two or three little gilt flowers on it! All my hopes vanished; and as the others were anxiously observing my motions, they could not fail to see disappointment so strongly marked in my countenance, as decided their fate, and destroyed their great expectations of wealth from this invaluable jewel. When I told them, that it was only a piece of glass, the words affected their minds like the unhappy tidings of some great misfortune: they walked off in solemn silence, not without giving me an inquiring look, to learn whether I were really in earnest. But I also shared their disappointment, and the smile on my face could give them no hopes.

Another day passed, but no boat appeared. At last I thought of bespeaking two camels, and proceeding to Esne by land, with Mrs. Belzoni and the interpreter, and letting the Janizary remain there, to follow by the first boat, and bring the implements we should leave behind. But when the Aga saw, that I had taken this resolution, he sent for a boat, which was hidden about a league distant, and there were two or three more concealed in other places. I found, that all this was done to keep us a few days in that place for the benefit of the town, strangers being of course obliged to spend money while they are there. After the boat was hired, at a great price, I found it belonged to the Aga himself; and the Captain or Reis told us, afterwards, that he ordered him to hide it, to compel me to give what he liked for the hire of it.

Some travellers give us the notions they have formed of the Arabs and Berberys; but it is to be observed, that there is a very great difference in the manner in which different persons travel; and the methods pursued in going through a country may afford one more opportunities of seeing and judging than another.

A traveller who has all the accommodation possible, and nothing to do with these people but in passing, can never judge of their ideas, their system of conduct, and their rapacious manners; for in the little interval, and the limited business he has to transact with them, they do not appear to be the people they really are. Some travellers even receive civilities, with which they are mightily pleased; without having time to discover, that the very persons, whom they suppose to be naturally civil, are so only to serve their own interested views. They pass on, and in their journal of remarks say, that they were received civilly at such and such a place. But let a traveller deal with them in any transaction, where their interest is concerned, and where their execution of any undertaking is required, he will soon find, that in every point they are the most cheating people on earth. Their deception is extreme. A traveller passing by a village stops his bark for an hour or two: what good people he finds! Some bring him a small basket of dates, others a few eggs, another some bread and milk; with which he is so pleased, that he immediately gives them five or perhaps ten times more than the worth of what he receives, without being aware, that it is through such an expectation they bring him these things; and exclaims, that in Europe they do not treat a stranger so civilly. But let him take the smallest of these presents without giving any thing in return, or even no more than it is worth, they will not fail to murmur at him. If he give only double the price, they have the art of returning the money with scorn and contempt, in order to shame him to give more:—and if he take the money returned, or give them nothing from the beginning, he must not expect, that they will let him go away without paying them for what they brought him. All this is unknown to a traveller merely passing by; for there is no one in this character, who would be so mean as to accept any thing, without returning double or treble its value. From these trifles it may be presumed what they are in all their dealings: to-night one word for such a thing, to-morrow another: their intrigues are beyond description: they have the art of making one thing appear like another so well, that it is very difficult to avoid falling into their trap.

There are two extremes in travellers. One who is just arrived, has never before been in the country, and of course has no knowledge of customs and things, cannot see one fourth of what he should see: the other is so thoroughly initiated into their customs and manners, that those things which strike at first sight, lose their effect on him; he almost forgets his own ways, and does not reckon any thing he beholds extraordinary or worth attention, though perhaps even of great consequence.

At last, after settling all my affairs with the Aga, and satisfying his demands of oil, vinegar, and some empty bottles, we left Assouan in the morning of the 30th, and two days brought us to Esne, the current being very strong. Khalil Bey was not there, and his Hasnadar or treasurer did not know any thing about the orders, which were sent to me in Nubia: but on seeing the Bey sometime after, he said he never sent me any such orders. On the morning of the 4th of October we arrived at Luxor. Seeing that no boat had arrived from Cairo, though the consul had sent me some money, I set off next day in the same boat to Gheneh, arrived there the next morning, and went to see Mr. Sokiner, a person whom I knew, and who served me much in this business. We went to the Cacheff, who could not give me a boat, in consequence of a fresh order from Cairo to press all boats that passed; and I was therefore obliged to despatch a courier again to Cairo, for an order from the consul to obtain one.

On the 7th, in the morning, we endeavoured to obtain a boat, but we lost the whole day in this manner, and I was nearly despairing of success; but, repairing the next morning to the Cacheff, I begged him to give me an order to press a courier, and he complied immediately, for he was of a very different cast from the Cacheff of Erments. The courier received his despatch about noon, and was to go and return from Cairo in sixteen days. He was on the point of setting off, when a large boat appeared, which brought Messrs. Jacque and Caliad, two agents of the French consul, who were going to Assouan. On inquiry I found that the boat was at liberty to be engaged after it arrived at Assouan. Accordingly I bespoke it of the Reis, before the Aga, who made him promise not to retract his agreement. The courier had not yet set off, and there was now no necessity of sending to Cairo, as I was assured of having this boat.

On our arrival at Thebes, the boat happened to be fastened to the bank, where the colossal head was. I will not waste my time in describing the remarks made by the two French agents of Mr. D., on seeing the head: suffice it to say, they positively declared, in spite of the evident mark it bore on its breast, that the French invaders did not take it away, because they thought it not worth the taking! On hearing of my fortunate success in collecting several valuable pieces of antiquity, their Dragoman, a renegade Frenchman, observed to me, that, if I persevered in my researches, I should have my throat cut, by order of two personages; one was the Cacheff of Erments, the other I shall not mention at present. I told him I was greatly obliged to him for his information, but did not believe any one would make such an attempt. They went to visit the soldiers, who lived in the tombs among the people at Gournou, and assembled several Arabs of that place before the two agents, who told them plainly in my presence, that, if they sold any article of antiquity to the English party, they would have them well beaten by the Cacheff of Erments, who commanded over them. From this moment I perceived, that I should have much opposition and many difficulties to encounter; but as my stay there was to be short, I did not regard them, and continued my business, after Mrs. Belzoni had been lodged in the house of an Arab at Luxor.

The same day I went to Carnak, and set twenty men at work on a spot of ground, that I chose according to a simple calculation I made, of which I shall have to speak hereafter. I re-embarked for Esne again, on board of the same boat, as I had to conclude the contract with the Reis of it, and to pay a part of the money as earnest. The two Frenchmen were on board also. We proceeded during the whole night, being favoured with a good strong wind, and arrived at Esne the next day at noon.

I hope the reader will not think that I employ my pen in useless accounts, or to make a display of the difficulties I encountered in my operations, merely to enhance any merit on my part: on the contrary, I can assure him, that I study, by all means possible, to be brief, and not to insert the least thing but what is necessary to be known, as will be seen. I went to the house where all the owners of the boats were assembled, who at first were of one accord, that it was impossible to put the head on board the boat, alleging that it would break it to pieces, if such a mass of stone were placed in it. They then strove to persuade me to leave the stone, as they were disposed to believe that there was no gold in it; and, if I took it, and found none after I had spent so much, I should lose all. Notwithstanding their simplicity, when I persuaded them that no accident would happen, and that I took all risks upon myself, they did not fail to ask me an enormous sum for the hire of the boat. I was in a dilemma, fearing, that, if I missed this boat, I might lose the high water, which would have obliged me to wait till next year; and in a country like this, changing from one day to another its government and way of thinking, I did not know what might happen. I therefore thought it best to secure myself from any future extortion, and give an enormous hire for the boat. This was three thousand piastres, equal to seventy-five pounds sterling, from that place to Cairo.

After all this was settled, and half the money paid down, the boat was to ascend the Nile as far as Assouan, to unload at that place, and to return immediately. I sent my Janizary with some presents to the Aga, and some trifles for Osseyn Cacheff, to be forwarded to him at Ybsambul, by the first opportunity from Assouan to that place; thinking by this trifle he would be convinced, that I intended to return to that country to finish the operation, and be induced to keep his promise, not to let any one undertake the accomplishment of what I had begun. The Janizary was likewise to take on board the twelve stones which I left there to be cut, &c. When all this was arranged, I set off for Thebes at night, and arrived there the next morning. On my arrival, I went immediately to Carnak, to see what had been done the day before by the twenty men.

Here, reader, was the beginning of those discoveries, which have caused me so much trouble, not from the exertion and arduous labour required in these researches, but in the atrocious persecution they have drawn on me, from malice, jealousy, and envy to such a degree, that to this day, the very goddess Fortune, who has been apparently so propitious to me, I had reason to call barbarous and unkind. Notwithstanding which, I did not relinquish my undertaking, till I reached the accomplishment of my wishes. Let me add, I have further enterprises in view, which, I hope, will convince my adversaries, that their persecution has had no other effect on me, than that of strengthening me to perseverance in my undertakings. Had I not determined to stand, like a pyramid defying the wind, against all their numerous attacks, which poured on me like a torrent, I should not have been able to proceed, even from the commencement. On the other hand, I must acknowledge, that at the moment when I was persecuted on one side, I received marks of kindness and good wishes on the other; and fortunately, thank God, the well disposed far outnumbered the others, though few like to enter into, or interfere with matters which do not concern themselves. Many travellers of various nations, at the time of my researches, witnessed, that the greatest difficulties I had to encounter were not in the discovery of antiquities, which I consider the smallest part of my task, but in controlling the complicated intrigues of my enemies and false friends. I am more inclined to excuse Count Forbin, as the erroneous and false accounts he gives are so confused and contradictory to the facts, that he openly exposes himself to ridicule and contempt, than to pardon some others, who should have been above such paltry proceedings.

The works in Carnak were begun when I returned from Esne, but nothing was found, and there was no likelihood of finding any thing. The place whence the French had taken their lion-headed statues, at the time of the invasion, is where a temple stood, surrounded on three sides by a lake. It faces the avenue of the great sphinx to the north, and not a single wall or column remains standing. On the exterior side of the wall are several fragments of the above statues, which were there before the French army invaded Egypt, but they made some excavations on the east side of the temple, and made discoveries, the fruits of which are now to be seen in the British Museum, they having been captured at sea. The Count de Forbin asserts, that after all these sphinxes had been discovered they were covered up again by some French gentlemen who superintended the work. But the Count did not mention the names of those persons, for he knew very well that no such thing ever took place. The account he published of the statues, which he acknowledges to have been found twenty feet below the surface, and backed by a strong ancient wall, was taken from my own letters, which I gave him myself in Cairo, of which I shall have to speak hereafter, and which he promised to give to the world as they were. Instead of this, the only use he made of them was to throw all the facts into confusion, and prevent the real truth from coming before the public.

Now to more obvious facts. According to a calculation I had made, I dug on the west side of the temple, where no one had ever made any excavation before, nor did any traveller previous to me take any thing thence but what was in sight; the French having taken theirs from the east. The earth, bricks, and stones, were so strongly cemented together by time, particularly on the surface, that it clearly proved the ground never to have been touched from the earliest ages. In the course of a few days I discovered about eighteen lion-headed statues, six of which were perfect, and among them a white statue as large as life, supposed to be of Jupiter Ammon, which is now also in the British Museum.

I here beg leave to make an observation which I hope will convince the world of the erroneous statement of Count de Forbin. The French Consul, Monsieur Drouetti, who had been making researches for fifteen years in that country, and who was naturally attached to the interest of France, had been to Thebes twice previous to my arrival in Egypt. How was it, that, in the course of so long a period, he never came to know from the natives, that such statues had been found there by the French, and covered up again? and how happened it, that the person who covered them up never mentioned it to him, or to any one else, even after a general peace took place? We should suppose, that as soon as the seas were cleared of the English cruisers, whose watchful eyes did not let even a water-rat pass into France, there was no fear that these statues should have been taken, and thus a second loss incurred: but independent of all this, there was nothing to prevent Mr. Drouetti from bringing them safe to Alexandria, as he did other antiquities, which were the sole object of his ascending the Nile. I should not enter on this subject, had it not been for the petty means which have been employed to depreciate every thing I have done, and which are a compound of erroneous assertions, that I believe originated in the volcanic brains of Count de Forbin himself.