DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4393#0107
MINIEH TO S1UT. 89
then pouring full upon the rocks, to the absolute oblitera-
tion of everything like shallow detail. While watching
vainly, however, for the stelas, I was compensated by the
unexpected sight of a colossal bas-relief high up on the
northward face of a cliff standing, so to say, at the corner
of one of those little recesses or culs-de-sac which here and
there break the uniformity of the range. The sculptural
relief of this largo subject was apparently very low ; but,
owing to the angle at which it met the light, one figure,
which could not have measured less than eighteen or
twenty feet in height, was distinctly visible. I imme-
diately drew L-----'s attention to the spot; and she not only
discerned the figure without the help of a glass, but
believed like myself that she could see traces of a second.
As neither the stehe nor the bas-relief would seem to
have been observed by previous travelers, I may add for the
guidance of others that the round and tower-like rock
upon which the former are sculptured lies about a mile to
the southward of the sheik's tomb and palm-tree (a
strikingly,picturesque bit which no one can fail to notice),
and a little beyond some very large excavations near the
water's edge; while the bas-relief is to be found at a short
distance below the Coptic convent and cemetery.
Having for nearly twelve miles skirted the base of Gebel
Abufayda — by far the finest panoramic stretch of rock
scenery on this side of the second cataract—the Nile takes
an abrupt bend to the eastward, and thence flows through
many miles of cultivated flat. One coming to this sudden
elbow the wind, which had hitherto been carrying us along
at a pace but little inferior to that of a steamer, now struck us
full on the beam and drove the boat to shore with such
violence that all the steersman could do was just to run
the Philas's nose into the bank and steer clear of some ten
or twelve native cangias that had been driven in before us.
The Bagstones rushed in next; and presently a large iron-
built dahabeeyah, having come gallantly along under the
cliifs with all sail set, was seen to make a vain struggle at
the fatal corner, and then plunge headlong at the bank,
like King Agib's ship upon the Loadstone Mountain.
Imprisoned here all the afternoon, we exchanged visits
of condolence with our neighbors in misfortune; had our
ears nearly cut to pieces by the driving sand; and failed
signally in the endeavor to take a walk onshore. Still the
then pouring full upon the rocks, to the absolute oblitera-
tion of everything like shallow detail. While watching
vainly, however, for the stelas, I was compensated by the
unexpected sight of a colossal bas-relief high up on the
northward face of a cliff standing, so to say, at the corner
of one of those little recesses or culs-de-sac which here and
there break the uniformity of the range. The sculptural
relief of this largo subject was apparently very low ; but,
owing to the angle at which it met the light, one figure,
which could not have measured less than eighteen or
twenty feet in height, was distinctly visible. I imme-
diately drew L-----'s attention to the spot; and she not only
discerned the figure without the help of a glass, but
believed like myself that she could see traces of a second.
As neither the stehe nor the bas-relief would seem to
have been observed by previous travelers, I may add for the
guidance of others that the round and tower-like rock
upon which the former are sculptured lies about a mile to
the southward of the sheik's tomb and palm-tree (a
strikingly,picturesque bit which no one can fail to notice),
and a little beyond some very large excavations near the
water's edge; while the bas-relief is to be found at a short
distance below the Coptic convent and cemetery.
Having for nearly twelve miles skirted the base of Gebel
Abufayda — by far the finest panoramic stretch of rock
scenery on this side of the second cataract—the Nile takes
an abrupt bend to the eastward, and thence flows through
many miles of cultivated flat. One coming to this sudden
elbow the wind, which had hitherto been carrying us along
at a pace but little inferior to that of a steamer, now struck us
full on the beam and drove the boat to shore with such
violence that all the steersman could do was just to run
the Philas's nose into the bank and steer clear of some ten
or twelve native cangias that had been driven in before us.
The Bagstones rushed in next; and presently a large iron-
built dahabeeyah, having come gallantly along under the
cliifs with all sail set, was seen to make a vain struggle at
the fatal corner, and then plunge headlong at the bank,
like King Agib's ship upon the Loadstone Mountain.
Imprisoned here all the afternoon, we exchanged visits
of condolence with our neighbors in misfortune; had our
ears nearly cut to pieces by the driving sand; and failed
signally in the endeavor to take a walk onshore. Still the