DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0139
108 TKAVELS IN EGYPT, NUBIA,
Medinat A boo, and Goornoo, and the ancient tombs, is left
uncultivated. The Arab village of Medinat Aboo is aban-
doned. The Troglodites of Goornoo still inhabit the empty
caverns; and I could not find in what manner they derived
their subsistence. Some spots of thicket in the plains con-
tain the sount, a species of thorn, which employed a few of
them in cutting it into faggots. Formerly the caverns were
the haunts of the robbers who infested the Nile, and Avere
driven from their holds by the French; who, after in vain
attempting to dislodge them in common pursuit, were, (as
related by Denon,) obliged to use fumigation, which, after
the entrances of the caverns that were connected with each
other were stopped up, compelled the people who had taken
refuge to surrender. They have since been kept in order by
Ibrahim Pasha, whose summary mode of punishment, ac-
companied even with torture, has had great effect in putting
a stop to their piracies on the Nile; though I was very
nearly undergoing the mortification of losing my papers and
sketches, which were next at hand to many other things
taken away unperceived, during the night of the ]7th of
June, from my boat, when moored near Luxor: luckily, I
heard a rustling, which I supposed to be that of rats; and
made a noise to drive them from my bed, the usual passage
of these animals, which caused the robbers to decamp. I
found out my loss as soon as day-light appeared, and thought
Medinat A boo, and Goornoo, and the ancient tombs, is left
uncultivated. The Arab village of Medinat Aboo is aban-
doned. The Troglodites of Goornoo still inhabit the empty
caverns; and I could not find in what manner they derived
their subsistence. Some spots of thicket in the plains con-
tain the sount, a species of thorn, which employed a few of
them in cutting it into faggots. Formerly the caverns were
the haunts of the robbers who infested the Nile, and Avere
driven from their holds by the French; who, after in vain
attempting to dislodge them in common pursuit, were, (as
related by Denon,) obliged to use fumigation, which, after
the entrances of the caverns that were connected with each
other were stopped up, compelled the people who had taken
refuge to surrender. They have since been kept in order by
Ibrahim Pasha, whose summary mode of punishment, ac-
companied even with torture, has had great effect in putting
a stop to their piracies on the Nile; though I was very
nearly undergoing the mortification of losing my papers and
sketches, which were next at hand to many other things
taken away unperceived, during the night of the ]7th of
June, from my boat, when moored near Luxor: luckily, I
heard a rustling, which I supposed to be that of rats; and
made a noise to drive them from my bed, the usual passage
of these animals, which caused the robbers to decamp. I
found out my loss as soon as day-light appeared, and thought