Chapter VIII

Crosses Lake Mœris and visits the temple of Haron among the
rocks near the lake.--Disturbs a hyena.--Account of the
famous Labyrinth.--Visit to the Elloah.--An interview with
Khalil Bey.--Account of the Bedouins.--Belzoni crosses the
Desert attended by Scheik Grumar.--Brought to a halt by a
sentinel with a musket.--Arrival at Zaboo.--Interview with
the Scheik and Kadee of El Cassar.--Belzoni goes to their
village.--Discovers the seat of the temple.--Meets with
an unfortunate accident on his return to Zaboo.--Reaches
Benisoeuf.--Arrives at Cairo.--Embarks for Europe.--Returns to
England.

Leaving Senures the following morning, our travellers proceeded on their journey, and after passing through several groves of palm-trees, the view opened all at once on a wild country gradually sloping to the edge of the lake. The water extended some way on each side, and the mountains opposite had an awful and sterile appearance. At noon they reached the lake, but could observe no trace of any living being. The guide conducted them along the shore, till they arrived at a fisherman’s hut situated near the place where the canal discharges itself into the lake. The hut was inhabited by a few poor fishermen and a soldier, who formerly received the duties on the fish they caught; but now, the fishermen have only a share of the fish they catch, and the remainder is sold at Medinet, of which the Pasha receives the profit. The guide sent one of the fishermen for a boat, the only one to be had, but the shabbiest thing imaginable. It was composed of rough pieces of wood scarcely joined, and fastened by four other pieces, wrapped together by four more across, which formed the deck; no tar, no pitch, either inside or out, and the only preventive against the water coming in was a kind of weed moistened, which had settled in the joints of the wood. However, there was no alternative; Belzoni wished to cross the lake, and he was obliged to submit to what he could not help. Having made an agreement with the owner of the boat, who might have passed for old _Charon_ the ferryman of the Styx in ancient mythology, they put on board some provisions, and advanced towards the west, where the famous Labyrinth is supposed to have been situated. The water of the lake was good enough to drink, though a little saltish; but it was only this year that it could be drunk at all, owing to the extraordinary overflow of the Nile, which surmounted all the high lands, and came in such torrents into the lake that it raised the water twelve feet higher than it ever had been in the memory of the oldest fisherman. As evening came on, the plantations and groves disappeared, the lake and the mountains alone remained in sight, and when they reached the shore, the owner of the boat, who accompanied them as pilot, lighted a fire, whilst the others went out to fish with a net, and soon returned with a supper of fish.

The land where they now were had formerly been cultivated, as there appeared many stumps of palm and other trees, and around them wild vines twined their luxuriant tendrils in profusion. The scene here was beautiful; the silence of the night; the beams of the radiant moon shining on the calm surface of the crystal lake; the group of fishermen; the little fire; altogether formed a picture which Belzoni had never before in reality witnessed, though I know not how often his lively imagination had painted such a scene.

However, morning came: they entered their shattered vessel, which nevertheless conveyed them safely till they arrived near the end of the lake, where they landed, and Belzoni, taking two of the boatmen, set off for the temple of Haron, about three miles distant, standing in the midst of the ruins of a town, and surrounded by fragments of columns and other temples. Part of the town was covered with sand; on one side of it there was something like a gateway, and a little way off a Greek chapel, elevated on a platform with cellars under it. After having taken a proper view of the temple and the town, Belzoni went to see this small Greek chapel, accompanied by the two boatmen; and not apprehending any danger, left his gun and pistols in the temple; but he now nearly suffered for his thoughtlessness; for just as he was mounting the little steps that led to the platform of the chapel, a large and furious hyena rushed from the apartments beneath; stopped three or four yards from him, howled dreadfully, and then turned round as if determined to attack him.

The fierce animal appeared on second thoughts to relinquish its intent, for, after having shown him its teeth, it gave a hideous roar, and galloped away as fast as it could.

Belzoni says that at the moment he regretted having left his gun and pistols in the temple, but was happy to see it gone; he attributed its flight to the noise made by the two boatmen who were near at the time. Having surveyed the temple, and escaped other dangers, he returned with his attendants to the boat. A high wind rose which swelled the lake very much, drifted the sand into the air, and drove their boat on shore at the spot they had left in the morning. They there collected plenty of wood, made a fire, and passed the night under shelter of a mat hung over two sticks planted in the ground.

They reimbarked in the morning and coasted the shores of the lake the whole day, but perceived nothing worthy of remark. There are a few spots near the water’s edge where great quantities of weeds grow from under the water, and large quantities of game are always found among these plants. The pelican is very common, and wild ducks. They saw fragments of pillars and ruins nearly under water. In the evening they returned to the same part of the shore and made an excellent supper of fresh fish and a piece of a pelican shot by a soldier. The flesh of this bird is not unlike mutton in appearance, and is tender and agreeable to the taste. but the fat is not pleasant, being rancid and yellow.

Belzoni had heard that the situation of the labyrinth was on the west side of the lake Mœris, and he employed the few following days in making diligent researches in that part in hopes of finding some remains of it: but in vain, for not the smallest appearance of an edifice was to be seen.

The labyrinth was a celebrated building, apparently designed as a pantheon of all the Egyptian gods that were worshipped in the provinces. This astonishing edifice contained no less than three thousand chambers, fifteen hundred of which were subterraneous, and set apart either for the sepulchres of the kings, or for the abodes of the sacred crocodiles. The passages were so numerous and intricate, the doors and entrances so many, the galleries and lobbies so extensive and almost innumerable, that it well deserved the designation of _labyrinth_, which word implies a place formed with inextricable windings.

Belzoni failed in his endeavours to discover this wonderful structure; but as it was not of great height, the lower apartments being under ground, he concluded that it was probably buried by the earth which is yearly brought there by the water of the Nile. He had no doubt but it was somewhere there, from the number of stones, columns, and other relics of antiquity that were scattered about, some on the road, some in the houses of the Arabs, and others used in the erection of huts: all implying that some magnificent and splendid building had fallen to ruins. Having given up the attempt as fruitless, our enterprising traveller prepared for his journey into the Elloah on the west: accordingly he went to see Hussuff Bey, and to request he would procure a Bedouin guide to conduct him through the desert; he said that the Bedouins were all encamped in that part of the province which was subject to Khalil Bey; our old friend who formerly lived at Esne, and had the government of the Upper Provinces between that place and Assouan, but who had left Esne and now resided at Benisoeuf.

Belzoni learned that the Bedouins were encamped about ten miles distant; he set off immediately, hoping to gain some information from them respecting the Elloah on the west: but was disappointed, for none of them knew any thing about it; however, they told him that one of their Scheiks, who lived in a camp a little way off, had a daughter married to one of the Scheiks of the Elloah. Belzoni fancied that this said Scheik would accompany him thither. He remained all night at the camp, and set off in the morning for the Nile again. He passed through bowers of roses, with which, as I have said before, they make the rose-water; the cotton plant was quite abundant, and figs were so plentiful that the people dried them in the sun and sent them to Cairo. It was night when they arrived on the banks of the Nile.

Belzoni unfolded his saddle and slept on the ground again, and as soundly as you sleep upon a pillow of down; he was become so accustomed to inconvenient things as not to regard them. He proceeded on his journey the next morning, and went to see Khalil Bey, who was now commander of Benisoeuf. He was, as he had been before, very polite, and glad to render his friend any service in his power. Belzoni informed him that he wished to penetrate into the western desert; he directly complied with his request, and sent for the Scheik or the chief of the Bedouins. But the Scheik was not so punctual as Khalil, and did not arrive for two or three days; indeed, when he did come, he protested that he was unable to show him the road to the place he wished to visit. The Bey insisted that he should find some one in his camp who knew the road, which he of course promised to do, and it was agreed that Belzoni should meet Scheik Grumar at a village at the foot of the desert, whence he was to conduct him to the Elloah.

The name of that village is Sedmin el Djabel, there the Bedouins were encamped, and among them Scheik Grumar, a tall stout man, six feet high, with a stern countenance, which bespoke a resolute mind and a sort of authority over those whom he considered beneath him.

The Bedouins are a tribe of Arabs who live a wandering life without any settled habitation, but completely different from that of the Arabs of Egypt in general. They are divided into a great number of tribes, and distinguished by the names of their chiefs. Each tribe forms a sort of village, and each family has a tent or portable hut of its own. Their tents consist of four sticks set in the ground, about a yard in height, to which is fastened one of their shawls as a cover with another behind, so as to form a kind of shelter from the sun, wind, or dew. They generally pitch their camps in a fertile spot, but always at the foot of the mountains near the deserts; so that in case of surprise they may soon be in their native country.

The men commonly wear a dark brown baracan, which covers them from head to foot. The women are likewise covered with a thick woollen garment, folded around them in an elegant manner.

A baracan is a sort of large woollen shawl which constitutes the chief manufacture among the Arabs. The work is done by the women, who make no use of the shuttle, but conduct every thread with their fingers, and then with a machine they have in their hands, not unlike a wooden comb, press down each thread as they lay it across.

EMILY.--The people of Mainarty use no shuttle, and I dare say they never heard of one, or they would not go without such a useful thing.

What other employments have the Bedouins, mother?

MRS. A.--The young boys and girls attend the flocks: the husband is engaged in tilling the ground, and the wife grinding at the mill, working at the loom, or dressing provisions. Their tents are not very sumptuous within; they are generally raised from the sand, which without any preparation serves for the floor of the apartment; so that when any one rises from this soft floor, with his large heavy flowing baracan, he may raise a cloud of dust enough to eclipse the whole family.

When the Bedouins wish to converse they do not sit at their ease, as we do, upon sofas or chairs, without any ceremony, but place themselves in a formal circle on the ground: the man who speaks first makes a smooth place with his hand on the sand, and continues the conversation with his fingers, making spots, and strokes, and points, as required. When they meet each other, they exclaim, “_Salem Aleike_,” “Peace be with you,” clapping at the same time the right hand on the heart.

Now we will return to Belzoni. He was just arrived at the camp of the Bedouins; and the proud Scheik Grumar was going to attend him through the desert.

They exchanged their donkeys for camels, and advanced towards the west, passed through several rocky valleys, and slept the first night under a sand bank: the second night the foliage of some palm-trees afforded them shelter; and in the morning, continuing their course, they came to a wide open plain of sand and stones, with several heaps piled above the rest. These were tumuli, but nothing of the temple of Jupiter Ammon was to be seen. They went on until at noon they saw a high hill at a distance, and soon after the guide pointed out the rocks of the Elloah. In the afternoon to their great joy they saw two crows.

We can see plenty of crows every day in this country, but had we been in Belzoni’s place we might have been equally rejoiced, for the appearance of these birds was a sure sign that water was not far off, a great treat to the traveller in a hot sandy desert.

The Elloah, which I have mentioned several times, is a valley surrounded by high rocks, which form a spacious plain of twelve miles long, almost covered with sand; some small hills, overgrown with rushes and other plants, are scattered here and there, and the temple of which Belzoni was in search was supposed to have been in or near this spot. Our travellers advanced towards a forest of date trees, situated near a village named Zaboo, and all of them were exceedingly thirsty. Before the camels arrived they scented the water at some distance, and set off at full gallop, without stopping till they reached a rivulet, where, having alighted for a short time to allow the camels to drink, Belzoni observed a certain uneasiness in the manner of Scheik Grumar, for which he did not know how to account.

OWEN.--Had he been an Arab of Gournou, I should have thought that some bad design had entered his head: but he was an honest Bedouin, you know. I want to hear what reason he had for behaving so. Go on, if you please, mother.

MRS. A.--Belzoni went farther down the rivulet to drink too, and after having watered the camels, they were about to proceed slowly towards the village; but no sooner were they mounted than they heard some one calling to them, and at the same moment a man rushed out of the bushes with a gun, and put himself into an attitude as if to fire upon them.

His appearance was not very terrifying, nor did his dress bespeak him to be a person of much consequence. He was not more than four feet high, of a chocolate colour (as the Bedouins generally are,) and covered with a black woollen cloth. The Scheik immediately dismounted, speaking to him in the Arabic dialect. The man recognised him, and Belzoni was pleased to observe they appeared friendly towards each other. The man was anxious to learn of whom the party consisted: the guide told him that they were people in search of old stones: to which he replied that no one ever came there to seek for old stones, and he did not know what the Scheiks of Zaboo, the village to which they were going, would think of it; he said also that he had intended to shoot Belzoni while he was kneeling to drink at the spring. It was well that Scheik Grumar was with him, for if that mysterious little man had not recognised him, he might have carried his design into execution.

They continued to advance towards Zaboo, and the man began to walk before them; but when they had nearly reached the village, he ran off as fast as he could into a wood of palm-trees. Our travellers now entered a valley, which formed a most pleasing contrast to the barren scenes of the desert, for it was full of date and palm-trees, some covered with blossom, and others loaded with fruit; apricots scented the air with their mellow fragrance; figs, almonds, and grapes grew in profusion; the ground was covered with verdure, and here and there a spot of cultivated land was seen waving with rice. On their approaching a wide place the guide halted and desired them to wait till his return; he walked on, and Belzoni perceived that he went into a kind of habitation at some distance.

OWEN.--I am sure if I had been Belzoni I would never have waited there at the pleasure of Scheik Grumar.

MRS. A.--The poor Scheik seems no favourite of yours, perhaps you will alter your mind presently.

Half an hour passed and he did not return: Belzoni inquired of the drivers where the guide was gone; they replied they did not know. Another hour passed, no Scheik appeared; Belzoni was tired of waiting, and set off with his gun towards the place which he had seen the guide enter, but before he reached the spot he heard the voices of men, women, and children; and when he came nearer he saw a wall enclosing a great many houses, and just within the gates there was a yard, in which were assembled all the chiefs of the villages, and many others, sitting on the ground, debating whether or not the stranger should be admitted, and the guide very busy in persuading them that they were but harmless people, and only come there to look after old stones.

OWEN.--My opinion is changed, mother, I did not much like the conduct of the Scheik at first, but it seems he wished to make friends with the inhabitants of Zaboo, and that he was a brave fellow after all. I will not form a judgment so soon another time.

MRS. A.--Endeavour to adhere to your resolution, my dear boy: for it is not wise to form an unfavourable opinion upon too slight a foundation.

On the arrival of Belzoni, there whole attention was turned towards him, and a perfect silence ensued. He walked straight forward, when they all rose without speaking a word, and gazed upon him in wonder and astonishment. He inquired who was their Scheik, when his guide pointed out three or four old men, telling him they were the Scheiks of the place. Belzoni shook hands with them; some of the people received him with good humour, and others went away murmuring. They inquired what he wanted. He told them he was a stranger, and merely came to visit the place, as he expected to find some stones belonging to his ancestors, and hoped they should be friends. At the same time he sent his guide to fetch the camels, and on their arrival ordered coffee to be made. A fine carpet was spread upon the ground, and they became sociable by degrees: in a short time the rest of the village had assembled; cows, camels, sheep, donkeys, men, women, and children, all gazing upon him in amazement.

They were acquainted with Turks and other tribes of Arabs, but had never seen a Christian, or Frank, as they are called here. They told Belzoni that he would see nothing there, but must go somewhere else; it seemed that they did not like the thought of his searching for stones. However they gave him a large bowl of rice for his supper, and he lighted a wax candle, which surprised them very much, as they had never seen a candle before; but they used him rather shabbily, for without saying a single word they all rose up and walked off with the candle, leaving him in the dark, with his carpet and saddle to sleep on. This circumstance did not disturb his repose, and the next morning, after some little difficulty, and many assurances that stones and not treasures were the objects of his search, Belzoni set off through a thick wood of palm-trees, and traversed many sandy plains, barren deserts, ruined edifices, and old towns; but no temple of Jupiter Ammon was to be seen, and he returned half in despair to Zaboo.

By this time the inhabitants of the village of El Cassar, which is only separated from Zaboo by a high rock, were informed that a stranger had arrived there in search of treasure. They were all in an uproar immediately, and protested that he should never enter their village.

A man who lived half way between the two villages, and occasionally reported what was passing from one to the other, came to Belzoni and said there was a very large temple in the other village, which excited his curiosity; so he got the man to take a message from him to the Scheik and Kadee, and tell them that he came to the Elloah to visit them; that he was not a soldier, and that they would gratify him by appointing a place where they might meet him the next morning. He then returned to the village, and the man to his habitation on the side of the rock.

The next morning our friend was informed that these two great people were coming towards Zaboo. He of course thought it favourable intelligence, and hastened to meet them. The Scheik of the Elloah came first; he was a good-natured looking man, on horseback, dressed in red striped linen cloth, with pistols and gun: the Kadee (Kadee signifies judge or justice of peace) was a rough looking fellow, clothed in green cloth and turban, and accoutred like his companion. After those two mighty personages came about twenty horsemen, and as many foot, all well armed. Having reached the village they dismounted, some mats were brought and the chiefs seated themselves whilst the attendants stood around. Belzoni presented the usual salute, _Salem Aleike_, and was requested to sit down among them. They became very anxious to know what had brought him there, making many inquiries, and it was a long time before they could be assured that to search for antiquities was his only motive.

At last, however, Belzoni gained his end, and obtained permission to enter their village. Having made a repast of coffee, the chiefs set off, and when they were gone our antiquary prepared to follow them. He commenced his journey before sunset, passed over the sandy banks on the west of the village, crossed the plain, ascended the rocks which separate the two villages, and reached El Cassar on the evening of the next day. He was received by the Scheik, who was become quite friendly towards him, with somewhat like English hospitality; he begged him to sleep at his house, and sent him a large bowl of rice for his supper. Accordingly Belzoni accepted his invitation, though I do not know that he reposed more soundly upon the Scheik’s mat than he had often done under a sand bank, or upon a sugar-cane bed.

The house of the Scheik was similar to the others, being made of mud; a few beams of palm-tree laid across formed the roof, on the top of which was thrown a great quantity of straw with old mats over. They had much conversation together, and the Scheik told Belzoni in confidence, that it was the father of the Kadee who had so strongly objected to his visiting the ruins in their village.

On the following morning, a long consultation took place whether he should or should not be allowed to examine them; at length it was settled for the old man himself to accompany him, and they set off together. When they arrived at the spot, Belzoni was much gratified by observing many ruins and fragments, which showed that there had evidently been some magnificent edifice, and though little remained, he returned highly delighted, in the assurance that he had discovered the seat of the celebrated temple of Jupiter Ammon.

Before he returned to Zaboo, he expressed his gratitude to the old man who had conducted him to the ruins; made several presents of coral, soap, and coffee to the Kadee and the good-natured Scheik, and parted great friends with all the people at the village of El Cassar.

An unfortunate accident happened to him as he was ascending the rock he had to pass on his way to Zaboo. His camel slipped its foot on one side and rolled down the rock the height of about twenty feet, taking his rider of course with him. This was a sad event for these rocks were not so soft as the sandy spot in Wady el Gomal, where his camel threw him before.

Belzoni was very much bruised, and conveyed on a donkey to Zaboo, and there carried to the house of a Scheik, where he was accommodated in a narrow passage which led from the street door to a yard behind the house, his saddle as usual forming his only bed. This was a miserable place for any one in his condition, for the men, women, children, buffaloes, cows, donkeys, goats, and dogs, passed backwards and forwards continually, totally regardless of him.

In the course of a few days, though his side was still painful, they proceeded once more, and by short stages arrived in about a week in the valley of the Nile at the Bahr Yousef, which if you remember they had crossed before: on the evening of the same day they reached Sedmin.

EMILY.--Ah, Sedmin el Djabel, at the foot of the range of low mountains which forms the skirt of the desert, and where he had engaged his guide Scheik Grumar; then he was pretty near Benisoeuf, mother, and when he gets there I expect his old friend Khalil Bey will take care of him, and be very glad to see him too.

MRS. A.--They arrived at Benisoeuf the next day. Belzoni did not remain long at that place, but embarked for Cairo, and thence proceeded to Rosetta. Mrs. Belzoni was there, and she could take better care of him than any one else.

At length, having settled all his affairs in Egypt, in 1819 our enterprising traveller embarked for Europe. After an absence of twenty years, he returned to his native country, and into the bosom of his family; from whence he departed for England; and I think we owe him many thanks for the amusement and instruction his “Researches” have afforded us.

BERNARD.--So he actually reached England at last! And I learn from your account, mother, that perseverance will enable us to do great things, which without it could never be done!

EMILY.--And I am glad, mother, to find you have proved the truth of your assertion, that patience conquers difficulties, and crowns all our endeavours with success.

OWEN.--Belzoni was quite a boy when his attention was first turned to hydraulics; otherwise he might never have gone into Egypt, for he went there, you know, mother, in hopes of convincing the Bashaw that an hydraulic machine would be of use to irrigate his fields. Had he not done so, the great pyramid might have remained unopened a thousand years longer: the tomb of Psammuthis, in the valley of Beban el Malook, might never had been explored; and _we_ should never have heard this amusing narrative of Belzoni’s discoveries in Egypt and Nubia.

MRS. A.--You see how much depends upon our youthful pursuits.

“And thus it is--no plainer truth appears,
OUR MOST IMPORTANT ARE OUR EARLIEST YEARS.”

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