DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5073#0049
38
CHAP. III.
WITHIN THE TROriC.
" Oh, mighty Jove !
Forgive this monstrous love for ;i barbarian,
That knows not of Olympus!"
UR eyes opened the next morning on a gay and pretty
\J scene; instead of the yellow hills and smooth sand-
banks of Egypt, strange, black, shining rocks popped up
in the very middle of the stream — an old Saracenic wall
or fortification stretched down to the river's edge on the
north, as if to shut out Egypt from our sight—while in
the narrow channel between the east side and the green
island of Elephantine, four dahabiehs besides our own
were moored, — the Arrow and Nenna, the Gertrude
and the Pharaoh,—and the Pasha's steamer, which had
towed up Lord Dufferin's boats. The high sandy bank
was shaded with palm trees, and covered with gaily
saddled donkeys, riding camels, tame ostriches, and
crowds of Nubians offering spears, daggers, bows and
arrows, pieces of ivory and sandal-wood, ostrich-feathers
and eggs, silver bracelets, clay cups and vases, savage-
looking necklaces and head-dresses of shells, strips of
rhinoceros and hippopotamus hide, leopard skins, mats
and baskets of dates, for sale.
It was tempting to linger among them, but we had
business to settle ; besides which, a ride, our first ride in
CHAP. III.
WITHIN THE TROriC.
" Oh, mighty Jove !
Forgive this monstrous love for ;i barbarian,
That knows not of Olympus!"
UR eyes opened the next morning on a gay and pretty
\J scene; instead of the yellow hills and smooth sand-
banks of Egypt, strange, black, shining rocks popped up
in the very middle of the stream — an old Saracenic wall
or fortification stretched down to the river's edge on the
north, as if to shut out Egypt from our sight—while in
the narrow channel between the east side and the green
island of Elephantine, four dahabiehs besides our own
were moored, — the Arrow and Nenna, the Gertrude
and the Pharaoh,—and the Pasha's steamer, which had
towed up Lord Dufferin's boats. The high sandy bank
was shaded with palm trees, and covered with gaily
saddled donkeys, riding camels, tame ostriches, and
crowds of Nubians offering spears, daggers, bows and
arrows, pieces of ivory and sandal-wood, ostrich-feathers
and eggs, silver bracelets, clay cups and vases, savage-
looking necklaces and head-dresses of shells, strips of
rhinoceros and hippopotamus hide, leopard skins, mats
and baskets of dates, for sale.
It was tempting to linger among them, but we had
business to settle ; besides which, a ride, our first ride in