Travels in Africa, Egypt, and Syria, from the year 1792 to 1798Browne, William George
History
Travels in Africa, Egypt, and Syria, from the year 1792 to 1798
Browne, William George
Egypt -- Description and travel; Sudan -- Description and travel; Syria -- Description and travel
11th October, arrived at Girgi, formerly the capital of Upper
Egypt, now declining. There is a large market-place, with shops in
abundance. At Menshié, antient Ptolemais, and at Girgi, observed
several large pieces of granite, seemingly antique mill-stones. They
are about six feet in diameter, and nearly three feet thick, with
a perforation of one foot square in the centre, from which waving
radii, about an inch deep, pass to the circumference.
The Senjiak, or Emîr-es-Saïd, passes half the year at Girgi, as
already mentioned. His office is esteemed the third in importance,
and is now filled by Soliman Bey, an honest and respectable character.
15th October. Passed onward to Farshiût, a populous town, with many
Christian inhabitants.
17th. Arrived at Dendera, the antient Tentyra. Saw the noted temple,
the most perfect remain of Egyptian architecture. It is in the
form of an oblong square, 200 feet by 150—Pococke says 145; is
now almost buried in the sand. Ascending some steps in the middle
of the wall, you come to a dark gallery, passing through all the
sides. Many of the columns are standing. The inside of the _pronaos_
and of the gallery is covered with painted hieroglyphics in all their
original freshness. A Cashef, imagining treasures were concealed,
was employed in the laudable work of blowing up part of the walls!
The same night, about twelve, reached Ghenné, the antient Cœne, or
Cœnopolis. The navigation on the Nile is particularly delightful in
the stillness of the night, diversified by the bright reflection of
the moon on the water, or the clear sparkling of innumerable stars;
among which the brilliant Canopus, unseen in European climates,
is observable, except when some mountain conceals that part of
the hemisphere.
19th. Came opposite to Coptis, now Kepht. The rubbish may fill a
circumference of two miles, evincing its antient extent. Several small
columns of grey granite lie on the ground, and some large stones,
engraved with hieroglyphics. The distance from the Nile to Coptis
is much smaller than has been supposed by European geographers.
A small part of a bridge remains near Kepht or Coptis, sufficient to
determine that there once was one, but it is impossible to say of
what æra. There is nothing grand in the structure, which consists
of small stones.
20th. Stopped at Kous, the Apollinopolis parva. Observed at a small
distance on the North-east an antient gate, adorned with figures,
and a deep cornice. Kous is a populous town, about a mile on the
East of the Nile.
21st October 1792. Passed the night at Nakadé, where is a Catholic
convent. On the following day came to Aksôr, the antient Thebes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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