Part 20

They appeared in greater style than our sovereigns of Ybsambul, and had more swords and fire-arms. We were pleased to find them friends, particularly as we knew they were at war with Hassan Cacheff and his sons Daoud and Khalil. I perceived their disappointment, for our attire did not bespeak riches. Besides, seeing us at work like labourers, they concluded we were but poor people. They told us they were friends of Mahomed Ali, Bashaw of Egypt, and presented us with two small and meagre sheep. I was not pleased at this, for I knew how the politeness of such gifts always ends: we returned this civility by paying the servant who brought the sheep twice as much as they were worth, and told the Cacheffs, that we were sorry we had nothing to give them, as we had exhausted every thing, but that we should recollect them on our return to the country. They said, they did not come thither to have any thing from us, and hoped on our return to Cairo we would speak to the Bashaw in their favour. We answered, we could not say any thing against them, as they never did us any harm, or ever saw us before. Soon after they rose, and we gave them the usual salute, but they said they were going to see the small temple below. Our interpreter followed them, as the boat was near that place; and when they reached the temple they took him aside, and told him, that they were the masters of the country; that if the other Cacheffs killed one man, they killed two; they could stop, or let us proceed on our works, as well as the other Cacheffs, for they were more powerful; adding, they knew we gave guns, powder, shot, soap, and tobacco to the others—therefore they expected we should do more for them, as they were superior, and we might expect the consequences of refusing to comply with their demands. At such proceedings I thought we were in as bad a situation as ever respecting our works at the temple, for we had nothing left to give these people. Accordingly we sent them an answer, that we had nothing for them at present, but that they might depend on our words, that we would bring them something on our future visit to Nubia. They replied, we had no business to come into the country without written orders directed to them, as they were the true masters of it. We informed them we had a firman from the Bashaw, and sent our interpreter with it to show it them. They opened it, and looking at it said they could not understand one word in it; besides it was not for them, and therefore was good for nothing, and even if we had one, it would be to no purpose, unless it was accompanied with presents of more value than we had given to the other Cacheffs. While all this was passing, the great potentates and their honourable followers walked towards their boat, and hinted, that we must think on the business while they were going to the village of Ybsambul.

We left off work at our usual time, and resumed our labour in the afternoon, expecting that we should have some interruption in our proceedings; but on the next day to our astonishment we heard, that the great men were off at night. We continued our operations regularly, and in the course of a few days more we perceived a rough projection from the wall, which indicated apparently that the work was unfinished, and no door to be found there. At this the hopes of some of our party began to fail; nevertheless we persevered in our exertions, and three days after we discovered a broken cornice, the next day the torus, and of course, the frize under, which made us almost sure of finding the door the next day; accordingly I erected a palisade, to keep the sand up, and to my utmost satisfaction saw the upper part of the door as the evening approached. We dug away enough sand to be able to enter that night, but supposing there might be some foul air in the cavity, we deferred this till the next morning.

Early in the morning of the 1st of August we went to the temple in high spirits, at the idea of entering a newly discovered place. We endeavoured as much as we could to enlarge the entrance; but our crew did not accompany us as usual. On the contrary, it appeared that they intended to hinder us as much as lay in their power; for when they saw, that we really had found the door, they wished to deter us from availing ourselves of it: the attempt however failed. They then pretended, that they could not stop any longer with the boat in that place, and if we did not go on board immediately, they would set off with her and leave us. On our refusal they knelt on the ground, and threw sand over their faces, saying, that they would not stop an instant. The fact was, they had promised to the Cacheffs to play some trick to interrupt our proceedings, in case we should come to the door. But even all this would not do. We soon made the passage wider, and entered the finest and most extensive excavation in Nubia, one that can stand a competition with any in Egypt, except the tomb newly discovered in Beban el Malook.

From what we could perceive at the first view, it was evidently a very large place; but our astonishment increased, when we found it to be one of the most magnificent of temples, enriched with beautiful intaglios, painting, colossal figures, &c. We entered at first into a large pronaos, fifty-seven feet long and fifty-two wide, supported by two rows of square pillars, in a line from the front door to the door of the sekos (See Plate 43). Each pillar has a figure, not unlike those at Medinet Aboo, finely executed, and very little injured by time. The tops of their turbans reach the ceiling, which is about thirty feet high: the pillars are five feet and a half square. Both these and the walls are covered with beautiful hieroglyphics, the style of which is somewhat superior, or at least bolder, than that of any others in Egypt, not only in the workmanship, but also in the subjects. They exhibit battles, storming of castles, triumphs over the Ethiopians, sacrifices, &c. In some places is to be seen the same hero as at Medinet Aboo, but in a different posture. Some of the colours are much injured by the close and heated atmosphere, the temperature of which was so hot, that the thermometer must have risen to above a hundred and thirty degrees. The second hall is about twenty-two feet high, thirty-seven wide, and twenty-five and a half long. It contains four pillars about four feet square; and the walls of this also are covered with fine hieroglyphics in pretty good preservation. Beyond this is a shorter chamber, thirty-seven feet wide, in which is the entrance into the sanctuary. At each end of this chamber is a door, leading into smaller chambers in the same direction with the sanctuary, each eight feet by seven. The sanctuary is twenty-three feet and a half long, and twelve feet wide. It contains a pedestal in the centre, and at the end four colossal sitting figures: they are in good preservation, not having been injured by violence. On the right side of this great hall, entering into the temple, are two doors, at a short distance from each other, which lead into two long separate rooms, the first thirty-eight feet ten inches in length, and eleven feet five inches wide; the other forty-eight feet seven inches, by thirteen feet three. At the end of the first are several unfinished hieroglyphics, of which some, though merely sketched, give fine ideas of their manner of drawing. At the lateral corners of the entrance into the second chamber from the great hall is a door, each of which leads into a small chamber twenty-two feet six inches long, and ten feet wide. Each of these rooms has two doors leading into two other chambers, forty-three feet in length, and ten feet eleven inches wide. There are two benches in them, apparently to sit on. The most remarkable subjects in this temple are, a group of captive Ethiopians, in the western corner of the great hall, the hero killing a man with his spear, another lying slain under his feet, on the same western wall: the storming of a castle, in the western corner from the front door. The outside of this temple is magnificent. It is a hundred and seventeen feet wide, and eighty-six feet high; the height from the top of the cornice to the top of the door being sixty-six feet six inches, and the height of the door twenty feet. There are four enormous sitting colossi, the largest in Egypt or Nubia, except the great Sphinx at the pyramids, to which they approach in the proportion of near two-thirds. From the shoulder to the elbow they measure fifteen feet six inches; the ears three feet six inches; the face seven feet; the beard five feet six inches; across the shoulders twenty-five feet four inches; their height is about fifty-one feet, not including the caps, which are about fourteen feet. There are only two of these colossi in sight, one is still buried under the sand, and the other, which is near the door, is half fallen down, and buried also. On the top of the door is a colossal figure of Osiris twenty feet high, with two colossal hieroglyphic figures, one on each side, looking towards it. On the top of the temple is a cornice with hieroglyphics, a torus and frize under it. The cornice is six feet wide, the frize is four feet. Above the cornice is a row of sitting monkeys eight feet high, and six across the shoulders. They are twenty-one in number. This temple was nearly two-thirds buried under the sand, of which we removed thirty-one feet before we came to the upper part of the door. It must have had a very fine landing-place, which is now totally buried under the sand. It is the last and largest temple excavated in the solid rock in Nubia, between the first and second cataract, or Egypt, except the new tomb. It took twenty-two days to open it, beside six days last year. We sometimes had eighty men at work, and sometimes only our own personal exertions, the party consisting of Mr. Beechey, Captains Irby and Mangles, myself, two servants, and the crew, eleven in all, and three boys. It is situated under a rock about a hundred feet above the Nile, facing the south-east by east, and about one day and a half’s journey from the second cataract in Nubia, or Wady Halfa.

The heat was so great in the interior of the temple, that it scarcely permitted us to take any drawings, as the perspiration from our hands soon rendered the paper quite wet. Accordingly, we left this operation to succeeding travellers, who may set about it with more convenience than we could, as the place will become cooler. Our stock of provision was so reduced, that the only food we had for the last six days was dhourra, boiled in water without salt, of which we had none left. The Cacheffs had given orders to the people not to sell us any kind of food whatever, hoping that we might be driven away by hunger. But there was an Ababdy, who lived in the village, and as he was of a different tribe, he was not so much afraid of disobeying the Cacheffs. He sometimes came at night, and brought us milk; but he was at last detected, and prevented from bringing any more.

Great credit is due to Mr. Beechey, and the two Captains, for their laborious exertions in assisting me in the above operation. I must not omit to mention, that, in the temple, we found two lions with hawks’ heads, the body as large as life; a small sitting figure, and some copper work belonging to the doors.

We left Ybsambul on the 4th of August, and did not stop at Ibrim, as we had seen it before. On passing Tomas, a village on the western banks of the Nile, we were told, that Daoud Cacheff was there. We found he was ready to receive us, and came himself on board, entreating us to go on shore, which we did, though not without hesitation, as he had not behaved well to us. He wished us to stop all night, and attempted to be very civil. We stated to him, that we had not been well treated by the people of Ybsambul; to which he replied, hastily, that he knew nothing of the matter. But how could he be ignorant of it, when one of his men, who came to see us at work, and inquired what we lived upon, was at that moment standing by his side, as well as others, whom we recognized to have been of the party, and who came there to raise a disturbance? Perceiving we knew what he had done to us, he attempted to make us amends, presenting us with a sheep and a basket of bread; and on quitting the place, I received a present from his wife for Mrs. Belzoni, of a milch goat, two small baskets, and a carpet made of palm leaves. I gave in return two pair of Turkish women’s boots, and two small looking-glasses.

On our arrival at Deir, we met Khalil Cacheff, who crossed the Nile in a boat, and hailed us, saying he would return to us very soon. By this time it was quite dark, and we went to see the temple immediately with candles, as we hoped to set off early in the morning, and avoid meeting such a sincere friend. On our return, we attempted to procure some provision, but it was too late at night. About ten o’clock, Khalil returned, but we were asleep. Early in the morning we were told, that he had sent us some aqua vitæ and a lamb. We were sorry for this, as it retarded us. Some time after he came on board, accompanied by his party. We returned him thanks for what we had received, but told him, that we could not give him any thing in return, as we were destitute ourselves, and that at Ybsambul we had lived on boiled dhourra for several days, as the peasants had refused to sell us any thing to eat. We knew very well that all this was done by his order, but he pretended, like his brother, not to know any thing of it. We did not think proper to say much, as we wished to be gone, and leave these affectionate friends on peaceful terms. At last, after examining our boat, and the strange figure we had found in the temple, he with great sorrow quitted us, and we set off immediately. It is to be remarked, that all his civility was out of opposition to his brother Daoud, in hopes that we should bring him something on our coming up again; for it was plain to be seen, that it was all forced politeness.

The temple at Deir is in a very ruinous state. I saw but one or two figures entire: the fragments of the rest indicate, that it was dedicated to Osiris. There was a portico, with sixteen pillars, twelve of which are fallen down. It has a chamber, and a sanctuary, with two small chambers, one on each side.

In about two hours we arrived at Almeida, the ruins of a small temple on the north of the Nile. The river there takes its course from north-west to south-east. It is a small temple, and has served for a Greek chapel. The hieroglyphics are pretty well finished, but nearly covered with plaster by the Greeks. There are other apartments, of unburnt bricks, which served as a monastery to the works. Toward evening we arrived at Seboua. The ruins of the temple here I have described before.

Four days more brought us down to El Kalabshe. We landed, to visit the temple; but the Fellahs, seeing our boat at some distance, gathered together at the entrance to the temple, determined that we should not go in, unless we first paid them for leave. We were accordingly stopped, and money was demanded. We refused to comply, but promised, that, if they would let us in, we would give them a bakshis afterward. As this did not satisfy them, and they behaved in a very insolent manner, we were returning to our boat, when our soldier said, that he would remember them. On this their daggers were instantly drawn, and his gun was seized. A scuffle took place, which gave us something to do to rescue the gun from the one who had taken it from the soldier, and was endeavouring to decamp with it. On our approaching the boat, some of them, perceiving our indifference whether we saw the temple or not, came to offer to let us enter, while others were of a different opinion; but, as we had seen the temple before, we did not think it worth our while to venture to force our way into it. While all this was going on at the temple, others attacked the boat; but, as our people were armed with pistols and guns, they retreated. One man entered the boat with a drawn sword, but was turned out.

Having left El Kalabshe, we passed by Taffa, but could not land there, as the narrow passage of the Nile did not permit us to approach the shore. There are two small temples at Taffa, which I had seen before. One consists of a single chamber, and two columns, one of which is not finished. The other has some few hieroglyphics in a good style: it serves as a stable for sheep and cows. We arrived the same evening at Hindau, where we saw an extensive wall, apparently made to enclose a vast building, or probably more than one. There are the remains of a portal on the north side, and a great quantity of ruins within. Coming down, we saw several quarries and ruins; in one of which is a door cut in the rock in the Egyptian style, and a number of Greek inscriptions, written, I suppose, by some Greek workmen, and which I think serve to prove that the Greeks procured stones from this place. We observed the remains of a temple, of which six columns are standing, beautifully adorned with the lotus and other emblematic devices of the Egyptians. Farther down there is another column standing alone.

In a few hours we arrived at Debod. This temple has a portico and a sekos, which leads into the cella, at each side of which is a small chamber. In the portico also are two chambers, and a staircase leading to the top. There are a few hieroglyphics; and in the sekos are two monolite temples of granite. In the porch of the building are three portals, one before another. The whole building is surrounded by a wall. On the water-side is a quay, with an entrance toward the temple.

We arrived on the same day at the island of Philoe: Mrs. Belzoni went to Assouan by land, and we resolved to pass the cataract in the boat in which we came. The barbarians made objections, and took some advantage, but they will do any thing for money. Accordingly we set off from the island, and began to take our course gradually among the rapids and rocks of the Shellal. As we advanced, we expected every moment to arrive at the spot where the great fall is; but having passed over several rapids, one, in particular, a little stronger, but not more extraordinary than are seen in other rivers, we were agreeably surprised to find, that in less than an hour we were out of all danger. I have seen the great cataract on the west side when the water is low; and its fall was then, in length, about six hundred yards, forming an angle of thirty or thirty-five degrees, divided by the interspersed rocks into various branches. On our arrival at Assouan we prepared immediately for our departure; but meanwhile we visited the island of Elephantine once more, and in the evening went to see the column with the Latin inscription, which I discovered in the mountain of Assouan. We had some difficulty to find it again, as the guide conducted us by another road, different from that which I took the first time. Next day we left that place; and as the current of the Nile (it being now near its height) was very strong, we reached Thebes in three days.

On our passage we visited Edfu once more; and, farther down, we landed at Elethias, and took a cursory view of its ruins and grottoes. There is a high thick wall of unburnt bricks, which surrounds the whole town. It is a square enclosure of six hundred and seventy yards. We saw the ruins of three or four temples. One appears to have been very extensive; but only six columns of the portico remain (See Plate 41), and part of the sekos of another. This town was formerly much more extensive than it is at present, as appears by its ruins. I observed part of the walls of ancient buildings at some distance from the great wall which surrounds the town. Among the ruins of the largest temple I noticed part of a large sphinx of white marble, with the head of a woman and body of a lion. There were also fragments of several statues, and other ornaments of the temple, part of which are covered by its own ruins. On the east of this temple was a small lake, or rather tank, which perhaps was a public bath, as we may likewise presume of those near the temple in Carnak; but at present there is no water in it. On the west of the town is another building, of a later date, which extends from the great wall to the river. There are many ruins of houses with arches, but the walls are inferior in point of size. The remains of a pier or landing-place are visible when the water is low; and it appeared to me, that there had been a causeway from the stair at the water-side to the temple.

The country round the town is pretty flat, and extends above a mile from the Nile to the mountains. It must have been all cultivated and fertile, as the few spots that are now in cultivation are very productive. Some excellent grapes are produced in this place; and it is to be remarked, that, from the representations in the grottoes or sepulchres in the mountains, the dressing of vines appears to have formed one of the chief occupations of the people. The sepulchres in these rocks are numerous, and several are much on the same plan as those of Gournou. Some contain various agricultural representations; from which may be formed a more exact idea of their manner of living than I have seen any where else. The figures and colours are in pretty good preservation. I cannot say, however, that they can boast of any great perfection in their sculpture; and it is evident that the dead deposited in those places must have been husbandmen. I am of opinion that this town had a communication with the Red Sea; my reason for which I shall state hereafter.

One mile to the north of the town is a small peripteral temple, situated in the midst of an extensive plain, now covered with sand, but which evidently was once cultivated. The rock in which the tombs are cut forms a solitary hill, that commands the surrounding country. From its summit I could see an extensive plain of sand, extending north and south of the town nine or ten miles along the banks of the Nile, and a mile and a half in breadth from the river to the foot of the mountain. When the whole of this land was cultivated, it must have produced provisions sufficient for a town of considerable importance. Three miles to the north of Elethias the rocks reach close to the Nile. There is a village named El Khab, which includes the whole of the above-mentioned land, with the ruins of Elethias.

On our arrival at Luxor we took up our former abode in the sekos of the temple, and found ourselves at home again; for Thebes was now become quite familiar to me. We received letters from Mr. Salt, by which we learned that he was purposing to ascend the Nile. The two Captains, Irby and Mangles, set off for Cairo, Mr. Beechey began to take drawings of the different places, and I recommenced my researches.

At Gournou I found two more agents of Mr. Drouetti busied in digging the ground in all directions, and who had been tolerably successful in their researches for mummies. These agents were of a different cast from the two Copts who had been there before. Both of them were Piedmontese: one a renegado who had deserted from the French army when in Egypt, and entered the service of the Bashaw; the other had left Piedmont after the fall of the late government. I did not like to begin my work in any place near these people, and therefore gave up the idea of prosecuting my researches in Gournou. It was fortunate for me I did so, and from that time I made the valley of Beban el Malook the scene of my researches, which is completely separated from Gournou by the chain of mountains, that divides Thebes from the valley. I went to this place quite alone, and spent the whole day in making observations, the result of which confirmed me in the opinion, that there was a sufficient prospect to encourage me to commence my work.