LETTER XXIX.--THEBES, QURNA, JAN. 8, 1845 277 Removal of monuments and plaster casts. LETTER XXX.--THEBES, FEBRUARY 25, 1845 279 Description of Thebes.--Temple of Karnak and its history.--Luqsor.--El Asasif.--Statue of Memnon.--Memnonium.--Temple of Ramses II.--Medînet Habu.--The Royal Tombs.--Private tombs of the time of Psammetichus.--Time of the Cæsars.--Koptic convent and church.--The present Kopts.--Revenge of the Arabs.--Dwelling in Abd el Qurna.--Visit from travellers. LETTER XXXI.--ON THE RED SEA, MARCH 21, 1845 313 Immigrations from Qurna to Karnak.--Journey to the Sinai peninsula.--Qenneh.--Seîd Hussên.--Stone bridge and inscriptions of Hamamât.--Gebel Fatireh.--Lost in the desert.--Quarries of porphyry at Gebel Dochân.--Gebel Zeit. LETTER XXXII.--CONVENT OF SINAI, MARCH 24, 1845 333 Landing in Tôr.--Gebel Hammâm.--Wadi Hebrân.--Convent.--Gebel Mûsa.--Gebel Sefsaf. LETTER XXXIII.--ON THE RED SEA, APRIL 6, 1845 338 Departure from the convent.--Wadi e’ Sheikh.--Ascension of Serbâl.--Wadi Firan.--Wadi Mokatteb.--Copper-mines of Wadi Maghâra.--Rock inscriptions of the fourth dynasty.--Sarbut el Châdem.--Slag-hills.--Wadi Nasb.--Harbour of Zelimeh.--True situation of Sinai.--Monkish traditions.--Local and historical relations.--Elim near Abu Zelimeh.--Mara in Wadi Gharandel.--Desert of Sin.--Sinai, the Mountain of Sin.--The mountain of God.--Sustenance of the Israelites.--Raphidîm near Pharan.--Sinai-Choreb, near Raphidîm.--Review of the Sinai question. LETTER XXXIV.--THEBES, KARNAK, MAY 4, 1845 372 Return to Thebes.--Revenge. LETTER XXXV.--CAIRO, JULY 10, 1845 374 Dendera.--El Amarna.--Dr. Bethmann.--Taking down the tombs near the pyramids. LETTER XXXVI.--CAIRO, JULY 11, 1845 376 The Egyptian Museum in Berlin.--Wall paintings. LETTER XXXVII.--JAFFA, OCTOBER 7, 1845 389 Journey through the Delta.--San (Tanis).--Arrival in Jaffa. LETTER XXXVIII.--NAZARETH, NOVEMBER 9, 1845 391 Jerusalem.--Nablus (Sichem).--Tabor.--Nazareth.--Lake of Tiberias. LETTER XXXIX.--SMYRNA, DECEMBER 7, 1845 394 Carmel.--Lebanon.--Berut.--Journey to Damascus.--Zahleh.--Tomb of Noah.--Barada.--Abel’s tomb.--Inscriptions at Barada.--Tomb of Seth.--Bâlbek.--Ibrahim.--Cedars of Lebanon.--Egyptian and Assyrian Rock-sculptures at Nahr el Kelb. APPENDIX 420 INDEX 449 [Illustration: MAP of EGYPT, _and the higher Nile Countries_ to LEPSIUS’S LETTERS FROM EGYPT & ETHIOPIA. 1852. _View of Mount Sinai from the Sea at Gebel Zeit._ _London, Richard Bentley, 1852._ _T. Brooker sc._ ] LETTERS FROM