D'Athanasi, Giovanni; Salt, Henry [Hrsg.]: 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)

mountain spring

taking our departure. In the meantime, however,
Messrs. Beechy and Belzoni advanced as far as
the foot of the mountain, which was only six
miles distance from us, to see whether there
might not be some vaults there, such as the
ancients were accustomed to construct as depo-
sitories for their dead. This little excursion
proved a fruitless one. On their return at three
o'clock in the afternoon, we quitted the celebrated
city of Berenice.

Before we had gone far, our old guide proposed
to conduct us to a spot where he said there was a
spring of excellent water. To this we assented
with great pleasure, although it took us consi-
derably out of our way. After two days' journey
we arrived at the spring in question, which we
found situated in the centre of a mountain of red
granite. At the foot of this mountain there was
a great hole formed in the granite rock in the
shape of a reservoir, wherein the water, which
was as limpid and clear as crystal, accumulated,
and afterwards ran over, forming itself into a
stream. We were really highly astonished at
meeting with any thing so beautiful in the midst
of the mountains of this desart. We stopped
here five days. Messrs. Beechy and Belzoni,

d 2