DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12664#0132
ASSOUAN.
123
tains, the marks of the rings and bolts to which the
miraculous chain was fastened.
We hauled up alongside of the bank for part of
the night, and the next morning, with a strong and
favourable wind, were approaching Assouan, the
last town in Egypt, standing on the borders of
Ethiopia and at the foot of the Cataracts of the
Nile. For some time before reaching Assouan,
the river becomes broader and the mountains again
retire, leaving space for the islands and a broad
surface for the body of the river. About three
miles this side, on the Arabian bank, is the new
palace of Ibrahim, where he retired and shut him-
self up during the terrible plague of last year.
On the right, ihe top of the Libyan mountain is
crowned with the tomb of a Marabout sheik, and
about half way down are the ruins of a convent*
picturesque and interesting, as telling that before
the crescent came and trampled it under foot, the
cross, the symbol of the Christian faith, once reared
its sacred form even in the interior of Africa. In
front is the beautiful Island of Elephantina, with a
green bank sloping down to the river. On the
left are rugged mountains ; and projecting in rude
and giant masses into the river, are the rocks of
dark gray granite, from which came the mighty
obelisks and monuments that adorned the ancient
temples of Egypt. The little town of Assouan
stands on the bank of the river, almost hid among
palm-trees ; and back at a distance on the height
are the ruins of the old city. From the deck of
123
tains, the marks of the rings and bolts to which the
miraculous chain was fastened.
We hauled up alongside of the bank for part of
the night, and the next morning, with a strong and
favourable wind, were approaching Assouan, the
last town in Egypt, standing on the borders of
Ethiopia and at the foot of the Cataracts of the
Nile. For some time before reaching Assouan,
the river becomes broader and the mountains again
retire, leaving space for the islands and a broad
surface for the body of the river. About three
miles this side, on the Arabian bank, is the new
palace of Ibrahim, where he retired and shut him-
self up during the terrible plague of last year.
On the right, ihe top of the Libyan mountain is
crowned with the tomb of a Marabout sheik, and
about half way down are the ruins of a convent*
picturesque and interesting, as telling that before
the crescent came and trampled it under foot, the
cross, the symbol of the Christian faith, once reared
its sacred form even in the interior of Africa. In
front is the beautiful Island of Elephantina, with a
green bank sloping down to the river. On the
left are rugged mountains ; and projecting in rude
and giant masses into the river, are the rocks of
dark gray granite, from which came the mighty
obelisks and monuments that adorned the ancient
temples of Egypt. The little town of Assouan
stands on the bank of the river, almost hid among
palm-trees ; and back at a distance on the height
are the ruins of the old city. From the deck of