ee the ruins of Karnak. We bought many photographs here, which
were most satisfactory. We next visited Keneh, where the jugs and
gargoulets are made, for the Nile water. The factories are near by and
many purchased these porous amphorae, hoping that in their own homes the
water poured in them might come out as deliciously cool as did the water
of the Nile.

We stop at Dirneh and Ballianah, but at Abydos we linger longer, where
we take a seven-mile ride to the temple of Seti, finding on those
sculptured walls much to admire. We lunched again in the ruins, and
having no desire to eat, I fed through the iron-barred gate my share to
the poor, wretched Arab children that swarmed around. I hate to recall
these poor, down-trodden people. Is life worth living to them? What I
declined to eat, they devoured with such voraciousness that it almost
made me hungry. I am told Cook & Co. are regarded by these natives as a
Godsend. He surely does much towards bringing them in touch with
humanity. And now a day's rest is to follow this tiresome one, and until
we reach Assouit we can rest without any rude alarms, which will be at
least for twenty-four hours. Confusion, worse confounded, was the scene
at the landing at Assouit. The wharf was piled high with parcels of
merchandise, the owner of each crying in a deafening voice, the
surpassing features of their commodities, pushing and pulling each other
to establish their rights. We dare not pass through this motley crowd to
mount our donkeys until our dragoman interfered, striking
indiscriminately right and left with his stick, which too often fell
upon their heads or backs. We did succeed in examining the rhinoceros
canes, made of hides, which sold at $5.00 apiece, and of teak wood,
which, we were told, were inclined to splinter. However, we took our
chances. There were also embroidered portieres, and draperies, most
elaborate Soudanese embroideries, specimens of which I gladly possessed
myself. If the crowd is too threatening, you can barter from the
steamer's deck. These Arabs are very dexterous; they bundle their goods,
and with a grace we know not of, throw them up to the deck for
inspection. Woe betide the unfortunate one who attempts to return the
articles by the same process, if by mischance the precious bundle falls
into the water. Sheiks rush in frenzy, and the noise from the crowd
grows like the roar of a mighty cataract; and in one case of the kind,
where the party was unlucky