D'Athanasi, Giovanni; Salt, Henry [Editor]: A brief account of the researches and discoveries in Upper Egypt: To which is added a detailed catalogue of Mr. Salts collection of Egyptian antiquities (London, 1836)

28 EMERALD MINES.

carved in the solid rock of the mountain; it had
on the exterior from four to six pillars, I do not
precisely recollect the number. It is certain that
M. Calliot never came near this temple in the
course of his journey. Without stopping here
we pursued our journey, and arrived at the mines
whence in the times of the Ptolemies they used
to extract emeralds. To this very spot M. Calliot
had previously come, with a great number of
workmen, for the purpose of working the mines on
the account of Mohammed Ali, who paid all his
expenses, but without any success. The reason
of this was very simple —neither M. Calliot nor
his workmen having the qualifications required
for such an undertaking.

We passed the night here, and the next morning
we mounted our camels and went to see the town
to which M. Calliot had given the name of
Berenice. Of this pretended city, which is two
hours' journey from the mines, we saw nothing
but a quantity of huts, which it seems to me,
had been used in the time of the Ptolemies for the
residence of the labourers employed at the mines.

At the sight of these much-boasted ruins, Mr.
Belzoni bid me enquire of our guide whether this
was the place to which M. Calliot had given the