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)

382 STATUE ON A SLEDGE. [Chap. VI.

of Antinous, are several tombs having Greek in-
scriptions on small slabs of stone; and the grottoes
of the mountain to the eastward were evidently the
retreat of the anachorites to whom they belonged.
Near the Hippodrome are a well and tanks apper-
taining to an ancient road, which leads from the
eastern gate to the valley behind the town, and
then, ascending the mountains, continues through
the desert by the Wadee Tarfa, and at length joins
those of the porphyry quarries and others in that
direction.

In one of the grottoes behind e' Dayr, a Chris-
tian* village between Antinoe and El Bersheh, is the
representation of a colossusf fastened on a sledge,
which a number of men are employed in dragging
with ropes, according to the usual mode adopted
by the ancient Egyptians. This interesting sub-
ject was first discovered by Captains Mangles and
Irby, and as it seems to have been lately claimed
by others, I am glad to have this opportunity of
doing justice to the diligence of those travellers, to
whose co-operation we are also indebted for the
opening of the temple of Aboosimbel. ^

* There are a great many Christian peasants in thi3 neigh-
bourhood. At By'adeeh, opposite Antinoe, the mode of raising
water is very superior to any practised in Egypt, and shows the
decided superiority of the Copt over the indolent Moslem.

t Not supposed to be hewn from any of the quarries at El
Bersheh j but the scene represents one of the trades of the
Egyptians, like the boat-builders, fowlers, &c.

I The other members of this persevering party at Aboosimbel
were Mr. Beechey and the indefatigable Belzoni. They worked