le, sheep, and goats.

Building of the Wall of the South and North [called] House of
Seneferu.

The bringing of forty ships of cedar wood (or perhaps "laden with
cedar wood").

[Height of the Nile.] Two cubits, two fingers.

[Reign of Seneferu.] Year ...

The making of thirty-five ... 122 cattle

The construction of one Tuataua ship of cedar wood of a hundred
capacity, and two ships of _mer_ wood of a hundred capacity.

The numbering for the seventh time.

[Height of the Nile.] Five cubits, one hand, one finger.

The royal historical inscriptions of the first eleven dynasties are very
few, and their contents are meagre and unimportant. As specimens of
historical documents of the twelfth dynasty the following may be quoted:

EDICT AGAINST THE BLACKS

This short inscription is dated in the eighth year of the reign of
Usertsen III. "The southern frontier in the eighth year under the
Majesty of the King of the South and North, Khakaura (Usertsen III),
endowed with life for ever. No Black whatsoever shall be permitted to
pass [this stone] going down stream, whether travelling by land or
sailing in a boat, with cattle, asses, goats, &c., belonging to the
Blacks, with the exception of such as cometh to do business in the
country of Aqen[1] or on an embassy. Such, however, shall be well
entreated in every way. No boats belonging to the Blacks shall in future
be permitted to pass down the river by the region of Heh."[2]

[Footnote 1: This district has not been identified.]

[Footnote 2: The district of Semnah and Kummah, about 40 miles south of
Wadi Halfah.]

The methods of Usertsen III and his opinions of the Sudani folk are
illustrated by the following inscription which he set up at Semnah, a
fort built by him at the foot of the Second Cataract.

"In the third month[1] of the season Pert His Majesty fixed the boundary
of Egypt on the south at Heh (Semnah). I made my boundary and went
further up the river than my fathers. I added greatly to it. I give
commands [therein]. I am the king, and what is said by me is done. What
my heart conceiveth my hand bringeth to pass. I am [like] the crocodile
which seizeth, carrieth off, and destroyeth without mercy. Words (or
matters) do not remain dormant in my heart. To the coward soft talk
suggesteth longsuffering; this I give not to my enemies. Him who
attacketh me I attack. I am silent in the matter