more apt at talking of these matters than in doing them.

such as gunpowder, soap, tobacco, coffee, sugar, &c. To Halleel a turban and smaller articles, equal in value to those which his brother had received. We then took our leave; but had scarce reached our boat when we heard that Halleel was highly offended because he had not received a gun as well as his brother. We immediately went back and endeavoured to appease him, explaining that we were not aware that he was a cashief, or we would certainly have brought him a gun as well as Daoud: indeed, the preceding year, when Mr. Belzoni was in Nubia, the younger brother had not assumed the title of cashief, nor was he treated as such. We promised that if he would have patience, and confide in our word, we would send him a gun exactly the same as his brother's; or, if he preferred it, we would give him one of our own; though we confessed we had none half so good as that was, and

July 10.-To-day the two cashiefs, Daoud and Halleel, arrived. They did not come to us, nor send any message to apprise us of their arrival; but pitched their tents, formed of a few date sticks, the roof covered with grass, on the sand-bank at the riverside here they waited till we should make our appearance. We accordingly set out to visit these potentates. The first tent we entered was Halleel's: he was a tall, handsome man, about thirty-six years of age, 6 ft. high, very corpulent, and had a fine expressive countenance, with dark eyes: his dress was a large, loose, white linen shirt, with long sleeves hanging down nearly 2 feet, an old turban, and slippers. He received us courteously, and immediately conducted us to the tent of his elder brother Daoud, who also gave us a very good reception. Daoud Cashief is rather taller than his bro-advised him to wait till we got another, ther, but not so fat. He is about forty-five years of age, and had a certain dignity and reserve in his demeanour that bespoke the chief: he wore a loose blue shirt. We were not long in bringing forward the subject of the temple, when he immediately said he would willingly give us his assistance to have it opened. Pancakes of flour and butter-milk were now brought, on which we all feasted, making use of fingers instead of spoons. Coffee was served, or rather a substitute for that beverage, which is not unpalatable; they call it gargadan: it is a small black grain, not unlike the English rape-seed; this they burn and pound like coffee, and it would puzzle those who are not connoisseurs to find out the difference.

as he would lose much by accepting a bad one. All was, however, in vain ; he would not be appeased, but sat sulky in the corner, saying, he had better guns than ours, and that he knew what to do in his own country; meaning that we should not open the temple. This was an unexpected blow to our hopes: we began to despair; and seeing nothing would please him, we retired. A message now came from Daoud to invite us to partake of a sheep he had killed in order to regale us. We went to his tent. Halleel was not there. We noticed this, and expressed our concern at the displeasure he had evinced. Daoud said his brother was only a boy; that he was indiscreet, and did not know what he did, and that we need not mind him. The two chiefs dwelt much on the We sent a message to him to say we attempts which the French had made would not eat unless he came and ate to induce them to consent to the tem- with us, but he refused. ple's being opened, appearing to take at our request, went to bring him; great merit to themselves for having but returned unsuccessful, saying, he resisted all the offers that were made was only a boy, and that he pledged to them. The presents were now himself we should open the temple. brought, and given in the name of However, as Halleel was evidently of Mr. Salt: to Daoud a handsome gun, a mischievous disposition, and likely which at Cairo cost 500 piastres; a to do us injury, indirectly, if not turban which cost 50; and some trifies, | directly, we judged it the best policy

Daoud now,

to bring about a reconciliation. Mr. Belzoni accordingly went himself; and, after much difficulty, prevailed on him to come: he, however, was still sulky; and we had scarce sat down to dinner, when three strangers, apparently newly arrived, entered the tent, kneeled and kissed hands, paying their respects to Halleel before they saluted Daoud. We easily saw through this little trick, which was a concerted plan between the two brothers, to induce us to give Halleel more presents, from a supposition that his rank was equal to his brother's. The men belonged to the suite, and were disguised for the purpose.

The chiefs told us we were to have sixty men, and we paid for that number; but only fifty came. We were obliged also to give them doura, as they all complained of having nothing to eat. However, we were so anxious about the temple, that we were glad to give them anything, provided they would but work. I shall proceed to describe the object of our research, and explain where it was situated, how formed, and the manner in which the mysterious door was hidden from our view. The temple is situated on the side of the Nile, between 200 and 300 yards from its western bank; it stands upon an elevation, and its base After we had retired from dinner, is considerably above the level of the we went to see if Halleel was still dis- river. It is excavated in the mountain, pleased, and found him as sulky as and its front presents a flat surface of ever; our crew and Hassan having upwards of 60 feet in height, above the been with him from the first moment summit of the sand immediately over of his ill-humour, and doing all in their the door, but not so much as 40 on power to put him against us, for which the north side, and a little more on Daoud had reprimanded them severely. the south; the breadth is 117 feet. Perceiving there was no pleasing him; Above 30 feet of the height of the that neither presents nor promises temple, from the base, is covered by were of any avail, we returned to the the accumulated sand in the centre, boat; Daoud having pledged his word and about 50 feet on either side. The that we should commence our opera- surface fronting the river is hemmed tions the following morning. Late in in by a mountain of sand leaning the evening we received a message against it; and the door in the centre from Halleel, requesting a gun, with is buried beneath this sand, which rises some powder and shot; we immediately on each side of it, increasing the labour gave him ours, which, though good for and difficulty of digging in a prodigious nothing, was, nevertheless, the best-degree for no sooner is the sand in looking one we had. This prompt compliance calmed his anger; and we began to congratulate ourselves on the prospect of ultimate success. The only remaining difficulty now was to make the agreement with the workmen. The Farras man, who told us at Elpha "that we should hear of him below," now made his appearance, and endeavoured all he could to thwart our proceedings we, however, took him to the cashiefs, and explained his conduct to them, on which they reprimanded him. After much altercation, we were glad to agree for the men to work at two piastres each per day.

July 11.—In the morning the two cashiefs came on board, and we proceeded to the temple, about a quarter of an hour's row from the village.

the centre removed, than that on either side pours down, so that to gain a foot in the centre, we had to remove the whole mass of sand which leaned against the temple; this sand also was of so fine a description, that every particle of it would go through an hour-glass. In front of the temple are four sitting colossal figures cut out of the solid mountain, chairs and all: they are, however, brought out so fully, that the backs do not touch the wall, but are full eight feet from it; and were it not for a narrow ridge of the rock which joins them to the surface, from the back part of the necks downwards, they would be wholly detached.

One of the statues has been broken off by a fracture of the mountain, from the waist upwards. There were ori

cution.

when they heard of the usage we had received. The dispute was scarcely at an end before our sailors asked for backsheeish; this we positively refused till we arrived at Philæ, and then only on condition of very good behaviour: all came now and kissed our hands in token of reconciliation. At sun-set we returned to the village of AbouSimbel; when the chief of the labourers asked for 200 out of the 300 piastres, though they had consented to be paid only when the temple was opened; we were, however, obliged to give 150, but said we would give no more till the work was finished.

ginally twenty-two monkeys above the In the evening our boat's frieze and cornice: of these there are crew came and begged the intercession not now above twelve perfect. Under of the cashiefs to make their peace the arm of one of the great figures, we with us. They were the more anxious discovered the remains of the stucco for an accommodation, as by the with which they were once covered, quarrel they lost the heads, skins, and and traces of red paint are discernible offal of the sheep which we occasionally in many places. I think it very pro- killed. We affected much reluctance, bable the whole front of the temple but ultimately forgave them; the cawas once covered with stucco; more shiefs bursting out into a violent rage especially as they have used that mate- against the crew, on our remarking rial very liberally and skilfully in the that no European travellers would decoration of the interior. Of the ever come into the country again, cornice over the door, which was once perfect, there is not at present more than a foot in breadth remaining, just over the corner where we entered. In the progress of our labours, we discovered what had become of the rest; and its mutilation caused us some very desponding evenings, as there was little indication of the temple being finished lower down than we could see. July 11.-On the first day, the fifty men that came worked very badly, and we found that the burthen of the song which they sung, by way of stimulating each other, was, "that it was christian money they were working for that christian money was very good, and that they would get as much of it as they could." This Nubian song, though cheering to them, was not much so to us. In the evening we returned to the village of Abou-Simbel; and perceiving we should never make any progress with people who, being sure of their pay whether they laboured well or ill, would only work five hours in the day, we sent to the cashiefs, and concluded a bargain with them and the natives "to open the temple" for 300 piastres. At this time none of us thought it would take more than four days to accomplish the undertaking; so little did we know of the real nature of our enterprise.

July 12.-In the morning, the two cashiefs and about one hundred men tame and worked very well, thinking they could open the temple in one day. The chiefs requested we would not interfere in directing the labourers where to work, as it was now their own affair they had undertaken the task, and were responsible for its exe

:

July 13.-Only Halleel Cashief and about sixty men came; they worked very ill, and expressed doubts as to there being any door, though they had not yet got more than four feet down. While we were endeavouring to persuade them to persevere, one of the natives, a carpenter, with an audible voice, made a speech, the substance of which was, "that they would work the whole of that and the two successive days, and if in that time they found a door, well and good; if not, they would labour no longer." This declaration was received with tumultuous applause, in which we thought it good policy to join, as neither our approval or displeasure would have had any weight with them; and it was possible that cur appearing to be in good humour with them might induce them to do their work more cheerfully. In the evening we returned to the village, complained to the cashiefs of the badness of the work, and noticed the approach of the ramadan, when it was probable we should no longer be able

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