after temples and ruins; and he seemed quite persuaded we were in search of hidden treasures. He left us at night, promising to supply us with every thing requisite for our journey in the morning. The prospect of being permitted to go to Ibrîm, and possibly to the second Cataract, gave us great satisfaction, and we could not but congratulate ourselves on the friendly disposition of the Cacheff.

Having penetrated as far as Ibrim, known to the ancients by the name of Premis, and distinguished by the adjunct Parva, from another town of the same name much more remote, and now unknown, our author determined to return for the following reasons.

We remained at Ibrim a few hours; and giving up the idea of proceeding to the second or great Cataract, which we were told was situated three days to the South, finally resolved to retrace our steps. We received no encouragament to penetrate into a country where money began to be of little use, and provisions very scarce. At Dehr, the natives were unwilling to take money for fowls, eggs, &c. always asking us to give them corn in exchange; but we had brought with us from Egypt a quantity of flour only sufficient for our own subsistence, not enough for the purposes of barter. The prospect of further discoveries was doubtful; and it was difficult to ascertain how far we might with safety proceed without falling into the hands of the Mamelukes.

Arriving at Dakki they examined the Propylon and Temple, which they report as being quite perfect ; two Greek inscriptions, recording the devotion of those who have visited these sacred buildings, Mr. L. has copied.

At Guerfah Hassan, about Dakki, is an excavated temple, of which we are favoured with a very circumstantial description; several other places which they visited on their journey back to Essouan, are likewise noticed, and we have also the following description of the Barâbras.

With respect to the persons of the Baråbras, the features of the men are lively, their skin is sleek and fine, and their teeth are beautifully white. Their colour, though dark, is full of life and blood. They are remarkably thin, which is perhaps to be attributed to their

scanty means of subsistence, and the heat of their climate.

In general they seem healthy, are quick in comprehension, and are greedily fond of money. The hair of the men is sometimes frizzed at the sides, and stiffened with grease, so as perfectly to resemble the extraordinary projection on the head of the Sphinx. As to the women, they are in general very ugly, and never have the appearance of youth, but seem to pass of decrepitude. The children go quite immediately from childhood into a state naked, the boys wearing round their waists a small cord only, and the girls a sort of fringe, made of thin strips of leather, which is matted together with grease; it is called rahat in the language of the country, and is very similar in appearance to the ornament hanging in front of the bridle, or before the breast, of an English charger*.

The men and women, in general, wear neighbours, with the exception of the turthe same kind of dress as their Egyptian ban, which is seldom to be seen amongst the Barâbras.

Returning through Thebes, they visited the mummy pits, of which we have this description.

From the Gates of the Kings we returned by the valley, through which the road formerly lead from Thebes to the tombs, and where still stands the Temple of Karnac.

The whole of this mountain has been excavated; at each step an opening presents itself; and there is every appearance that here has been the general cemetery of Thebes. Many of these caverns are now converted into habitations by the present cultivators of the plain, from whence they have been driven by the encroachments of the Nile, whose waters

during the inundation (in consequence of there being no canals to carry them off). cover the whole of the flat country around.

Our curiosity induced us, during our stay here, to descend into one of the mummy pits that abound in this neighbour

hood, but it would be difficult to convey an adequate idea of the disgusting scene of horror we had to encounter. The entrance was through a very narrow hole,

nearly filled up with rubbish, by which fifteen feet long and six wide: beyond we we made our way into a small room about

There are several fragments of Egyptian female statues in the British Museum, in which the

thighs of the figures are striated in a manner that may not unaptly be compared to the appearance of the rahat as it hangs from the waist of a Nubian girl. If such an opinion be not thought too fanciful, this may be considered another instance to be added to the peculiar method of wearing the hair frizzed, and projecting at the sides, which tends to prove the uniformity of the customs practised by the ancient and modern inhabitants of these countries.

reached a chamber somewhat larger, and containing two rows of columns. The walls were covered with paintings, and at the farther end stood two full length statues, male and female, dressed in very gay apparel, and having on the one side the figures of two boys, and on the other those of two girls.

The whole of this chamber was strewed with pieces of cloth, legs, arms, and heads of mummies, left in this condition by the Arabs who visit these places for the purpose of rifling the bodies and carrying off the bituminous substances with which they have been embalmed. From the chamber above described, two passages lead into the interior and lower part of the mountain, and we penetrated about the distance of a hundred yards into that which appeared the longest. Slipping and crawling amongst the various fragments of these mutilated bodies, we were only able to save ourselves from falling by catching hold of the leg, arm, or skull of a mummy, some of which were lying on the ground, but many still standing in the niches where they had been originally placed.

But at Manfalout they ventured into another excavation, which had nearly proved fatal to the whole party; indeed so very interesting is the account of this expedition, that we cannot forbear transcribing it, notwithstanding its length.

We were bent on going, and the Arabs at last undertook to be our guides for a reward of twenty-five piastres. After au hour's march in the desert, we arrived at the spot, which we found to be a pit or circular hole of ten feet in diameter, and about eighteen feet deep. We descended without difficulty, aud the Arabs began to strip, and proposed to us to do the same: we partly followed their example, but kept on our trowsers and shirts. I had by me a brace of pocket pistols, which I concealed in my trowsers, to be prepared against any treacherous attempt of our guides. It was now decided that three of the four Arabs should go with us, while the other remained on the outside of the cavern. The Abyssiniau merchant declined going any farther. The sailors remained also on the outside to take care of our clothes. We formed therefore a party of six; each was to be preceded by a guide-our torches were lighted-one of the Arabs led the way,-and I followed him.

We crept for seven or eight yards through an opening at the bottom of the pit, which was partly choked up with the drifted sand of the desert, and found ourselves in a large chamber about fifteen -feet high.

Asiatic Journ.-No. 13.

This was probably the place into which the Greek, Demetrius, had penetrated, and here we observed what he had described, the fragments of the mummies of crocodiles. We saw also great numbers of bats flying about, and hanging from the roof of the chamber, Whilst holding up my torch to examine the vault, I accidentally scorched one of them. I mention this trivial circumstance, because afterwards it gare occasion to a most ridiculous, though to us very important discussion. So far the story of the Greek was true, and it remailed only to explore the galleries where the Arabs had formerly taken refuge, and where, without doubt, were deposited the mummies we were searching for. We had all of us torches, and our guides insisted upon our placing ourselves in such a way, that an Arab was before each of us. Though there appeared something mysterious in this order of march, we did not dispute with them, but proceeded. We now entered a low gallery, in which we continued for more than an hour, stooping or creeping as was necessary, and following its windings, till at last it opened into a large chamber, which, after some time, we recognized

as the one we had first entered, and from Our conductors, however, denied that it was the same, but

which we had set out.

on our persisting in the assertion, agreed at last that it was, and confessed they had missed their way the first time, but if we would make another attempt they would undertake to conduct us to the mummies, Our curiosity was still unsatisfied; we had been wandering for more than an hour in low subterranean passages, and felt considerably fatigued by the irksomeness of the posture in which we had been obliged to move, and the heat of our torches in those narrow and low galleries, but the Arabs spoke so confidently of succeeding in this second trial, that we were induced once more to attend them. We found the opening of the chamber which we now approached guarded by a trench of unknown depth, and wide enough to require a good leap, The first Arab jumped the ditch, and we all fol lowed him. The passage we entered was extremely small, and so low in some places as to oblige us to crawl flat on the ground, and almost always on our hands and knees. The intricacies of its windings resembled a labyrinth, and it terminated at length in a chamber much smaller than that which we had left, but, like it, containing nothing to satisfy our curiosity. Our search hitherto had been fruitless, but the mummies might not be far distant; another effort, and we might still be successful.

The Arab whom I followed, and who led the way, now entered another gallery, and we all continued to move in the same VOL. III,

H

manner as before, each preceded by a guide. We had not gone far before the heat became excessive;-for my own part I found my breathing extremely difficult, my head began to acre most violently, and I had a most distressing sensation of fuluess about the heart.

'We felt we had gone too far, and yet were almost deprived of the power of returning. At this moment the torch of the first Arab went out: I was close to him, and saw him fall on his side; he uttered a groan-his legs were strongly convulsed, and I heard a rattling noise in his throat-he was dead. The Arab behind me, seeing the torch of his companion extinguished, and conceiving he had stumbled, past me, advanced to his assistance, and stooped, I observed him appear faint, totter, and fall in a moment-he also was dead. The third Arab came forward, and made an effort to approach the bodies, but stopped short. We looked at each other in silent horror. The danger increased every instant; our torches burnt faintly; our breathing became more difficult; our knees tottered under us, and we felt our strength nearly gone.

"take

There was no time to be lost-the American, Barthow, cried to us to courage," and we began to move back as fast as we could. We heard the remaining Arab shouting after us, calling us Caffres, imploring our assistance, and upbraiding us with deserting him. But we were obliged to leave him to his fate, expecting every moment to share it with him. The windings of the passages through which we had come increased the difficulty of our escape; we might take a wrong turn, and never reach the great chamber we had first entered. Even supposing we took the shortest road, it was but too probable our strength would fail us before we arrived. We had each of us separately and unknown to one another observed attentively the different shapes of the stones which projected into the galleries we had passed, so that each had an imperfect clue to the labyrinth we had now to retrace. We compared notes, and only on one occasion had a dispute, the American differing from my friend and myself; in this dilemma we were determined by the majority, and fortunately were right. Exhausted with fatigue and terror, we reached the edge of the deep trench which remained to be crossed before we got into the great chamber. Mustering all my strength, I leaped, and was followed by the American. Smelt stood on the brink, ready to drop with fatigue. He called to us "for God's sake to help him over the fosse, or at least to stop, if only for five minutes, to allow him time to recover his strength." It was impossible to stay was death, and we could not resist the desire to push

on and reach the open air. We encou raged him to summon all his force, and he cleared the trench. When we reached the open air it was one o'clock, and the heat in the sun about 160o. Our sailors, who were waiting for us, had luckily a bardak full of water, which they sprinkled upon us, but though a little refreshed, it was not possible to climb the sides of the pit; they unfolded their turbans, and slinging them round our bodies, drew us to the top.

Our appearance alone without our guides naturally astonished the Arab who had remained at the entrance of the cavern ; and he anxiously inquired for his hahabebas, or friends. To have confessed they were dead would have excited suspicion, he would have supposed we had murdered them, and have alarmed the inhabitants of Amabdi, to pursue us and revenge the death of their friends. We replied therefore they were coming, and were employed in bringing out the mummies we had found, which was the cause of their delay.

During their residence at Miniat, at which place they were detained, in consequence of suspicions of the plague being at Cairo; they had an opportunity to see the method practised by the natives, when attacked with the opthalmia, which is simply as fol lows.

When an Arab feels the first approach of the symptoms of inflammation, he binds a handkerchief round his eyes as tightly as possible, and endeavours to exclude the light and air with the greatest caution. At the end of three days and nights, the bandage is removed, and frequent bathing with cold water is afterwards employed to complete the cure.

My servant suffered considerably from an attack of the opthalmia, and found great relief from a small quantity of excessively fine powdered sugar being introduced every night between the eye-lids, a practice recommended to him by a Greek doctor, whom he had consulted at Siout.

In his case the inflammation was excessive, and he compared the great pain he suffered to the pungent sensation occasioned by the eyes being filled with the smoke of burning wood. As I have mentioned one of the diseases of Egypt, I may add that the symptoms of syphilis are in this country extremely mild, and are generally cured by the simple use of the warm bath, and an attention to cleanliness, which is not at other times so strictly observed by the natives.

The name of the jars, made at Kenne, of po rous earth, and used to cool water.

This is certainly a very simple, but we cannot imagine it to be a very successful mode of practice, and sufficiently proves the low state of medical and surgical knowledge in those countries ; with respect to syphilis being cured simply by the warm bath and attention to cleanliness, we are confident Mr. L. labours under a mistake, and has been led into this error, not from any disregard to truth, or desire of deceiving others, but merely from not being well acquainted with the disease of which he is speaking; had he written gonorrhoea instead of syphilis, his statement would most likely have been correct. Instances are very frequent in this, and we believe in all other countries, of gonorhoea being cured by frequent washing and a strict attention to cleanliness; but we have never yet heard of a well authenticated case of sy philis being subdued without mercury. We have not been thus particular with any idea of undervaluing Mr. L.'s observations, which we believe, in most instances, are strictly correct, but merely to elucidate an error into which he had fallen. However, we are perfectly aware that "non omnes possumus omnia.”

We will now accompany our author to Boulac, near Old Cairo, from which place he very shortly removed to Rosetta, where the party were obliged to shut themselves up, on account of the plague; and as the precautions taken on this occasion are particularly detailed, and may not be unacceptable to the reader, we shall transcribe them.

The house we occupied had double doors, and in the space between them we placed two very large jars filled with water, which was changed once in the 24 hours; and having provided ourselves also with a fumigating box, to receive all our letters, we hired an Arab for a piastre a day, to station himself every morning under our windows, receive our orders, and purchase our provisions.

With respect to our bread, we took the

precaution of never touching it till it was cool, as it is ascertained that in that state letters which have been fumigated must it does not communicate the plague. Even be allowed to cool before they are touched.

Our meat, whether beef or fowls, the latter being previously plucked, was all thrown into the water jars, from which, after a certain interval, it was cautiously taken out by one of our servants, who opened the inner door for the purpose. In this manner we lived for several weeks, witnessing the most distressing sights of death and disease under our windows, from which we had frequent opportunities of observing attacks of the plague, as it first seized upon its unfortunate vic

tims.

As far as we could judge from their gestures, they appeared to suffer most violent pains in the head, and were at the same time seized with 'violent retchings, and black vomiting.

the measures taken in the counHaving given this account of tries of the Mediterranean, for arresting the progress of this horrid lowing detail of the system purmalady, Mr. L. gives us the folsued by the Board of Health in England, and for this we are certainly much indebted to him, and hope it will be a means of stimulating that body to adopt a more consistent plan; the account Mr. L. gives is as follows.

Such was the plan of life we adopted; and the success of our measures of pres caution abundantly proves the utility and

sufficiency of the usual quarantine reguMediterranean, which are frequently visited by the calamities of the plague. But on our return to England, it was im possible not to smile at the insufficiency, not to say absurdity, of the system adopt ed in this country. As we passed up the Channel, we were visited by the officers of the Board of Health, and one of them coming alongside our vessel, presented the captain with a Bible, requesting hiri to swear to the truth of the answers he should make to his several questions. It was in vain we represented to him, that his taking the book again from our hands would be the surest' means of communi cating to him whatever infection we might ourselves be labouring under; he persist ed in demanding our compliance with form which could not be dispensed with, and added, with an air of triumph, that in the discharge of his duty, he had him self been on board several plague ships, with impunity. On the same occasion,

lations established in the countries of the

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another officer produced a number of queries, to which the captain of our vessel was required to give written answers, and when told nothing was so infectious as paper, he contented himself with replying, that the orders of the Privy Council were peremptory, and must be obeyed.

We shall now proceed to the Appendix, which is an itinerary through Syria by Shekh Ibrahim. This is merely a list of the different places visited by the shekh, and a few directions which may be

found serviceable to any future traveller; but the most curious and interesting part is an account of some fragments of Thebaic manuscripts on leather, which consist entirely of legal instruments, deeds, and conveyances of different kinds of property; a fac-simile of part of these manuscripts is given at the commencement of the work, which will no doubt be particularly gratifying to the antiquarian.

East India House, Dec. 11, 1816. A General Court of Proprietors of East India Stock, was this day held at the Company's House, in Leadenhall Street, for the special purpose of laying, before the Proprietors, papers received from India, respecting the progress and termination of the war with Nepal, and resolutions of thanks adopted, in consequence, by the Court of Directors.

The minutes of the last court having, as usual, been read by the clerk

The Chairman (Thos. Reid, Esq.) said, he had to inform the court, that it was assembled for a special purpose-namely, to have papers laid before it, relative to the commencement, progress, and termination, of the late war with the Nepalese government, and a series of resolutions founded thereon; which papers and resolutions had been for some time open to the inspection of the proprietors at the East India House. The dispatches were very numerous-still, however, if the proprietors had not perused the whole of them, it would be quite agreeable to the directors to have them read at length; but, as they had, for a very considerable period, been open to the examination of all those gentlemen who chose to look into them, perhaps the court would think that it was only necessary to have the concluding dispatches read, which were, undoubtedly, the most material. If gentlemen coincided in this opinion, the three letters, Nos. 11, 12, and 13, should be read. They contained an account of the progress of the war, from February last, and detailed the circumstances which led to its conclusion.

This suggestion being approved of, the clerk proceeded to read the documents. The first, which was dated Fort William the 21st February, 1816, was addressed by the Governor General in coun

eil, to the honourable the secret committee. It adverted to a former dispatch, in which the necessity of resuming, hostilities against the state of Nepaul, in consequence of that government having refused to ratify the treaty which had been entered into with colonel Bradshaw, was stated. It then went on to detail the successes of the force employed by Major-general Sir David Ochterlony, up to the date of the dispatch, in this second campaign against the Goorkahs-animadverted on the conduct of one of the officers engaged in the expedition-and related certain political negociations which the prosperous state of the war had produced.

Mr. Dixon inquired, whether, in this dispatch, a strong observation was not thrown out against an officer in the Company's service?

The Chairman answered, that certainly something was said against a particular individual.

The second dispatch was dated, Fort William, the 11th of March, 1816. It detailed the successful progress of the war up to the second of that month, and stated the effects which the superiority of the British arms had at that time produced on the Nepalese government.

The third dispatch was dated Fort William, March 30, 1816. It set forth, that, in consequence of the signal successes obtained by the Company's forces over those of the enemy, it was deemed expedient to transmit an account of them by the ship Malabar, without delay. It then went into a minute history of those successes, which the courage and perseverance of the British and native troops, directed by the genius of Sir David Ochterlony, had achieved. The victories over the enemy on the 28th of February and the 1st of March, had a powerful effect