Brugsch, Heinrich: Egypt under the pharaohs: a history derived entirely from the monuments (London, 1891)

dtn xx. THE PROSPERITY OF EGYPT 327

Ramses HI. built a fleet of large and small ships on
purpose to make voyages on the Red Sea to the coasts
of Punt and ' the Holy Land,' and to bring back the
costly productions of those distant regions, especially
incense.

Connected with these objects was the establishing
of commercial relations with those coasts, and a caravan
trade by land was started on the road from Kosseir to
Coptos on the Nile. In a word, Ramses HE. opened
direct intercourse by land and sea with the shores of
the Indian Ocean, which in later times was renewed by
the Ptolemies. Not less important was the despatch of
a mission by land to the copper-mines of Akita; and
the metal, shining like gold, and in the form of bricks,
was brought home from the smelting-houses in those
parts.

The king also turned his attention anew to the
treasures of the peninsula of Sinai, which from the
times of Sneferu had appeared to the Egyptians so
desirable. Laden with rich presents for the temple of
Hathor, protectress of the Mafkat peninsula, dis-
tinguished officials went thither to bring back the
much-prized greenish-blue copper-stone.

Throughout Egypt Ramses planted trees and shrubs
to give the inhabitants rest under their cool shade.
Rhampsinitus concludes by extolling the peaceful con-
dition of the whole country, in which the weakest
woman could travel unmolested on all the roads. The
Shardana and the Kahak remained quietly in their
cities, and Cush and the Phoenicians then had ceased
to annoy Egypt with their attacks. Finally, in the
32nd year of his reign the king recommends his son
Ramses IV., whom he had made joint king with himself,
to the recognition and obedience of his subjects.

It is quite possible to fill in this general outline