scarcely ever seen, were not in unison with this song; but it was a new proof of that happy disposition which nature implants in the breast of every man to love his native soil, be it what it may.

"The naked negro, panting at the line, Boasts of his golden sands and palmy wine: Basks in the glare, or stems the tepid wave, And thanks his gods for all the good they gave. Such is the patriot's boast where'er we roam, His first, best country, ever is, at home."

At three o'clock we recommenced our operations. While we were working, a spy arrived from Daoud Cashief, who, after having deliberately examined us, began talking to the crew to draw them off from the work, and asked old Mouchmarr, who had just arrived from the village with some bread, how he dared assist us; adding, that the cashiefs would cut off his head for it. This news did not appear very agreeable to our friend, who now desisted from working. Our young mameluke friend, who understood the Barbarin language unknown to the crew and natives, told us of this. The spy next informed us that a firman had arrived from the Grand Signior to supersede the pasha in his government, and that new troops were now at Cairo. So paltry an attempt to alarm us was met by a hearty laugh, which made both the spy and his countrymen look very foolish; until, seeing the joke went against them, they put it off by a laugh also. In the evening old Mouchmarr came to be paid for his bread; and, on being asked to bring more, said he did not like to tell us a falsehood-that he had strict injunctions against bringing anything more, or, indeed, rendering us any further assistance. We further learned, that the whole of the natives on both sides of the river had mutually agreed that nothing was to be sold to us ; but it was hinted that we might have some men to work if we chose : however, as our money was getting low, and we found that we did almost as much without as with them, we sent word that we wanted none of them: we had three days' bread, and our work had arrived at such a point that we should soon ascertain whether there was any door or not: we felt ourselves,

therefore, quite independent of our troublesome neighbours. Mouchmarr now took his leave. It is but justice to the old man to say that he behaved better than any of his countrymen.

Monday, July 28.-We commenced our operations at the usual hour, with only our sailors and the mameluke, no Abou-Simbel men making their appearance. All worked pretty well. This morning no milk was brought. We affected to take no notice of this; and at breakfast were particularly careful that the crew (who came down and were watching us narrowly, to see what effect the want of this luxury would have upon us) should observe no change in our manner, that they might report to the natives the poor success of their scheme. At three we renewed our labours. While working, an AbouSimbel man came to see what was going on. He said, that if we wished it, a certain number of people would come from each sackey to assist ; and he asked us if we wanted provisions. We refused all assistance. He then asked if we could live on stones. We replied, that we had a boat, and could go and fetch whatever we wanted, and that money would always procure something. He now said we might think ourselves fortunate in having a soldier of the pasha's with us; as, were it not for fear of the consequences, in case anything should happen to him, the whole body of natives would prevent our work by force. We replied, that we were determined to proceed; and that even were the soldier not with us, we would persist in our undertaking. He now began to brag of the number of armed people they could muster from the neighbourhood: we, however, laughed at him; and he left us, having failed in all his designs. Our crew this evening worked very well; and we thought it good policy to tell them we noticed their exertions.

Tuesday, July, 29.-At dawn of day we recommenced our labours with the crew, and made considerable progress. No strangers made their appearance; the one who assisted us yesterday being deterred by the threats of the

spy. In the evening, at three, we renewed our work. Towards the close of day, the sailors requested to be dismissed, that they might go to AbouSimbel to get bread for themselves. We suspected some bad intentions on their part, but said nothing. Hassan had previously endeavoured to steal some of our doura (for bread we had none); but we were too sharp for him, and made his boy give us back what he had taken.

Wednesday, July, 30.-At twilight we went to work again; the crew coming as usual. This morning a man brought us milk again; but said he was obliged to do it clandestinely. This was a real luxury; as we found, after four hours' hard work on an empty stomach, that a limited ration of doura grain, dried dates, and water, to which we were now reduced, was not very sumptuous fare. The reis of the bark, who had before cheated us of our bread, now made his appearance with some spirituous liquors, which he said he had brought as a present from the wife of Daoud Cashief. We clearly saw that this was a trick to get a present for the bearer, which is expected to be double the value of the article given. We therefore refused it as a gift; but offered to purchase it. After some hesitation he consented. It was the spirit distilled from the date; but without the addition of aniseed, which in Egypt makes it palatable. We generally took a little before dinner as a tonic; for, without something of the kind (the average of the thermometer being 112° Fahrenheit in the shade), we found that we had no appetite. As soon as he had got his money he took himself off to the other side of the river, having evidently come to see if we yet began to complain of the want of provisions. But although we had nothing to eat but doura, and only enough of that for four days, we never once mentioned the subject to him. This evening we came to a projection, evidently a cornice, though much broken by the shock of an immense block of stone that had fallen on it Beneath the projection, we found a plane and smooth surface, and a tablet

of neat hieroglyphics, highly finished, carved upon it. This strong indication of a door cheered us greatly.

At three we returned to our operations; and, by digging down and carrying away the sand in two boxes, we removed a sufficient quantity to make out about a foot of a tablet surmounted by a torus, and one end of a broken cornice above it; which, having been broken by some accident, had evidently been chiselled away subsequently, with the design of renewing it. The furrowed surface, and the marks of the tools in all directions, though rude and unfinished, prove this to be the case; and thus the mystery of the unfavourable appearances which had formerly given us so much uneasiness was cleared up. This evening Hassan asked, with more than usual impudence, for the pay of the crew, adding, that he wanted it before it was dark.

Thursday, July 31.-At twilight we resumed our task, and palisadoed the part which we supposed to be immediately over the door, by driving in piles of date trees, and pouring at the back of them mud mixed with sand, to keep the outer sand from running in between them. Just as we were going to leave off work, some armed men came from the opposite side of the river, who had been called over by Hassan: when we inquired the reason of his sending for them, he said he wanted the boat from the opposite side, to go and get some provisions for the crew. Our sailors talked freely with the strangers, who appeared very intent on what we were doing. This day the mameluke took his departure for Cairo. He went on a small reed raft which a Nubian was conducting down the river. Hassan ran with great eagerness to send some message by the Nubian: no doubt to apprise the cashiefs below of the progress of our work.

In the evening we resumed our labours, with the crew and two strangers; and towards sun-set we came to the corner of the door: it was rather broken. The sailors, on seeing it, expressed great signs of joy, uttering cries of "backsheeish, backsheeish,"

and immediately asked us if it was not true, that we had promised them money whenever we should find the door. We replied, that we certainly had promised them a present, and would give it when we had entered the temple. The fellows now began working hard to enlarge the entrance, appearing in high good humour, and occasionally repeating the favourite word "backsheeish," tyep, tyep-good good. At dusk we had made an aperture nearly large enough for a man's body; but we could not tell whether it would be necessary to draw up the sand from the entrance or not, which left us in great uncertainty as to the time when our labours would end; for, should the temple be much filled with sand, we might have a prodigious deal of work to do yet. When we returned to the boat, Hassan told Captain Irby and myself, it was totally impossible we could ever get into the temple by pali

sadoing; that the sand would fall on us as fast as we dug down, and that it was like attempting to dig into the Nile: at the same time he offered to forfeit his beard if we succeeded. All the crew joined in the same assertion. But we knew that it was the only method of getting at the door, unless we cleared it altogether, which would have taken a good month more.

We resolved to begin the next morning by moon-light, and apprised the crew of our intention, that they might not think we wanted to steal in by ourselves, and thus bring away the gold unknown to them. As the day's discovery had put us all in good humour, our sailors attempted to profit by it. They asked our cook for his new silk waistcoat, and begged of the Greek his new blue gown. From us they did not solicit anything further, thinking it best to wait till they got our backsheeish.

Ar moonlight on Friday morning, August 1st, the anniversary of the battle of the Nile, we rose and went to work. We called the crew; but, as they did not appear in any hurry to come, we went up alone with lights. While making our arrangements to begin, we heard a great noise below, plainly distinguishing Hassan's roaring voice above all the rest; and the word backsheeish frequently repeated. The Greek servant being sent down for a lamp, returned with an account that they were all abusing us; and complaining that, after having worked hard for us, they only received two piastres per day, instead of four, which they merited (although their wages from the reis are only from seven to nine

piastres per month). We were called christian dogs without faith; and they said we must take all our things out of the boat immediately, as they would stay no longer, having remained till they were tired, and in a place where they could get no provisions. Mr. Belzoni now went down to find our hammer which was mislaid; but resolved to abstain from any argument with them. Immediately on seeing him they all fell down on their knees, and began praying, bowing down, and kissing the ground, according to their custom. He took no notice of them; but brought all our arms and ammunition up. The janissary also went and brought his pistols; Hassan saying in his hearing, that he must carry a soldier on his

back to Derry, implying that he must murder the janissary, though it was but the day before that he came to him saying that he wished to make peace, and that what he had formerly said against him came from his warmth of temper, and not from his heart.

As soon as we had commenced working by candlelight, one of the crew came to say that we must embark immediately and depart, or land our effects and let the boat go, as they could wait no longer. We sent word that they might go whenever they pleased; but it would be to their own loss if they did, as we would pay them nothing; and that for our part we were determined to remain till our work was completed. The crew now made their appearance in a body, dressed in their turbans and gowns, as at Elpha; this being their custom when they wish to appear of consequence. They were armed with long sticks, pikes, swords, daggers, and two old rusty pistols, which would be more likely to kill the person who fired, than him who was fired at. In reply to our inquiry of what they wanted, they made long complaints of being badly paid, and of never having received any adequate recompense for having brought us provisions from the neighbouring villages, and for all their other endeavours to please us; that they had waited here till the last moment, and must now go down the river; all at the same time joining in savage imprecations, and scraping the sand with their hatchets and swords. The reis, who was the foremost of the party, in a feigned paroxysm of anger, threw the sand up in his face, where the perspiration caused it to stick.* At the same time we were accused of calling out "barout, barout," to the AbouSimbel people, though it was themselves that first taught us the meaning of that word.

As all this farce was performed to intimidate us, and to extort a sum of money as a reward for remaining till the temple was opened, we took care that they should see by our conduct "They cried out, and cast off their clothes,

and threw dust into the air."-Acts, xxii. 23.

that the scheme entirely failed. Avoiding, therefore, all passionate behaviour, we replied coolly and deliberately to all their lying imputations, telling them that if they studied their own interests, they would behave very differently; that this, of all others, was the most unlikely method to obtain any thing from us; and that, as they had stayed ninety-nine days, why not remain the hundredth? At length one of the crew stepped forward, and pretended to be a peace-maker. The janissary, meantime, had squeezed himself through the whole, and entered the temple during the debate, unknown to them; till one of the strangers, having stolen behind to see what work we had done, found it out, and apprised the crew. Seeing themselves foiled in every way, they now pretended to suffer the mediator, with some reluctance, to disarm them; and then, stripping, began to work, laughing and repeating tyep, tyep-good, good, Berby tyep (berby means temple). We deemed it our best policy to suppress our feelings, and appear reconciled. Hassan had told the cook that they could murder us all if they chose ; that neither law nor justice were known in this country; that they could, after committing the crime, fly to the mountains, where no one would pursue them; that they were not the poor people we took them for; that they had kept the French at bay four years; that they kept their own slaves, cattle, &c. &c.

We were now enabled to enter the temple; and thus ended all our doubts and anxiety. We built a wall to barricade the door: it was made of stones and mud, with a foundation of datetrees driven in to prevent the sand from giving way. A toad crept out of the temple while we were thus employed, and hid himself in the rubbish at the entrance. We brought down to the boat some statues of calcareous stone, which we found in the temple. There were two sphinxes, emblematical of Osiris (lion's body and hawk's head); a monkey similar to those over the cornice, only smaller; and a kneeling female figure, with an altar, having.