Serendib. The
greatest tact is required on the part of the narrator to prevent the
dispersion of his audience, who are sometimes apt to melt away on his
stopping at what he considers a peculiarly interesting point, and taking
that opportunity of sending round his boy with a little brass basin to
collect paras. I know of few subjects better suited for a painter than
one of these story-tellers and his group of listeners.

THE ISLAND OF PHILOE, &c.

CHAPTER XII.

The Island of Philoe--The Cataract of Assouan--The Burial Place of
Osiris--The Great Temple of Philoe--The Bed of Pharaoh--Shooting in
Egypt--Turtle Doves--Story of the Prince Anas el Ajoud--Egyptian
Songs--Vow of the Turtle Dove--Curious fact in Natural History--The
Crocodile and its Guardian Bird--Arab notions regarding
Animals--Legend of King Solomon and the Hoopoes--Natives of the
country round the Cataracts of the Nile--Their appearance and
Costume--The beautiful Mouna--Solitary Visit to the Island of
Philoe--Quarrel between two native Boys--Singular instance of
retributive Justice.

Every part of Egypt is interesting and curious, but the only place to
which the epithet of beautiful can be correctly applied is the island of
Philoe, which is situated immediately to the south of the cataract of
Assouan. The scenery around consists of an infinity of steep granite
rocks, which stand, some in the water, others on the land, all of them
of the wildest and most picturesque forms. The cataract itself cannot be
seen from the island of Philoe, being shut out by an intervening rock,
whose shattered mass of red granite towers over the island, rising
straight out of the water. From the top of this rock are seen the
thousand islands, some of bare rock, some covered with palms and
bushes, which interrupt the course of the river and give rise to those
eddies, whirlpools, and streams of foaming water which are called the
cataracts of the Nile, but which may be more properly designated as
rapids, for there is no perpendicular fall of more than two or three
feet, and boats of the largest size are drawn with ropes against the
stream through certain channels, and are shot down continually with the
stream on their return without the occurrence of serious accidents.

Several of these rocks are sculptured with tablets and inscriptions,
recording the offerings of the Pharaohs to the gods; and the sacred
island of