Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topographie of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataracte and Wadi Samneh, with the Fyoom, Oases and eastern desert, from Sooez to Bertenice (London, 1835)

Chap. I.] RAIN AT THEBES. 75

the terrified inhabitants are engaged in rescuing
their children from the approaching danger, by
raising them from the plain beneath to the ramparts
of the outer wall. The last picture occupies the
upper or north end of the east wall, where the king
presents his prisoners to the gods of the temple.

The western wall is entirely covered by a large
hieroglyphical tablet,* recording various offerings
made in the different months of the year by Re-
meses III. The head and forepart of several lions
project, at intervals, from below the cornice of the
exterior of the building, whose perforated mouths,
communicating by a tube with the summit of the
roof, served as conduits for the rain water which
occasionally fell at Thebes.f Nor were they neg-
lectful of any precaution that might secure the
paintings of the interior from the effects of rain,
and the joints of the stones which formed the
ceiling being protected by a piece of metal or stone,
let in immediately along the line of their junction,
were rendered impervious to the heaviest storm.J
Square apertures were cut at intervals in the roofs

* A small part of this register was first cleared by Mr. Burton.
M. Champollion has since excavated a very large portion of it, and
it appears to continue along the whole extent of the wall.

t Showers fall annually at Thebes; perhaps, on an average,
four or five in the year; and every eight or ten years heavy rains
fill the torrent-beds of the mountains, which run to the banks of
the Nile. A storm of this kind did much damage to Belzoni's
tomb some years ago.

| This is particularly remarkable at the temple, B. 9, at Karnak.