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be conjectured from the plans and photographs taken years ago. It must have been a surpassingly beautiful spot, the more so because of the fertility of its soil and the abundance of its trees. I envy those who saw it in the days of its glory as much as those to come in after years will envy me who looked upon the dying remnant of its beauty.

Because the foundations of the temple appear to be in the solid rock it seems possible that even the floods due to the higher dam may not undermine it. But they will certainly prevent its adequate exploration and the little "Bed of Pharaoh" will be entirely lost. I am torn between a desire that the latter be removed to a securer spot and the natural revulsion that one must always feel at the thought of a probably unskillful restoration in some place unsuited to so wonderful a bit of work. Perhaps it is better, on the whole, that the shrines of Philæ should share much the same sort of fate that Dr. Holmes bespoke for the old frigate, and go down with their ancient colors flying.

We rowed back as we had come through the still heat of the early evening. At least we had seen Philæ without the handicap of three score and ten feverish fellow travelers crowding their way through those dark corridors and "wunderschoening" over the marvelous grace of the kiosk. Even as we pulled away

to the undying melody of Illy-Haley, a horde of cruising sightseers from Cairo had flooded the temple and made the dim halls of Isis resound with their babble. This much we had mercifully escaped by being early. But we still had many miles of voyaging to accomplish before we could clamber back into the hospitable cabins of the Egypt and rejoin those who had remained dutifully at home and gone to church.

But the sun was lower now. The current was with us. And as we clambered into the old felucca below the dam a suspicion of a breeze sprang up to encourage the men. We shot those rapids a mere drifting down a short stretch of boiling current — and sailed triumphantly through the desolate valley of the rocks, hot, weary, but inexpressibly satisfied. Thanks to T. and his Taiyah, we had enjoyed one most memorable day in Upper Egypt by ourselves, and had made the memory of Phile our own.

CHAPTER XVI. ABYDOS: TELL EL

AMARNA

ARCH 15. Like Pepys and other diarists less

MARK

noted, I have been postponing the completion of the record of the past few days until a convenient season, for to say truth the jaunt to Philæ on that torrid Sunday has left most of us a little the worse for wear.

I have nothing much to add of Assuan, for although there are some exquisitely painted cliff tombs on the western bank of the stream, they differ in no marked degree from numerous others already described, unless it be in the greater brilliancy of their decoration. The ancient granite quarries we have been forced to omit entirely from our calendar. And as for the vil

lage of Assuan, while it is a considerable place and possessed of attractive bazaars which compare favorably in all but extent with those of Cairo, it is in these latter days so devoted to the exploitation of the tourist that it has permitted that profitable pursuit to overshadow everything. I shall long remember those bazaars, however. They may not be large, but the variety of wares displayed is notable, ranging all the way from barbaric cloths and Egyptian stuffs to weapons of a fearful and wonderful deadliness. The Professor has become a walking arsenal in consequence. His stateroom bristles with assegais and dirks. And unless he alters his mind his numerous brood at home are destined to be provided with several bright, new, and interesting ways of maiming themselves.

We slipped back to Luxor without sticking on any bars, but it looks as if we should have our experience of delay before we win to Cairo again. The river is shoaling rapidly day by day, and in the brief interval since we passed over these waters the change is already apparent.

There is one thing to which I wish I might do justice, however, and that is our midnight visit to Karnak. The clouds which persistently prevented it on the journey up mercifully absented themselves on our way down, and we had the temple at its very

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