ng at sunrise, and a mournful
sound at sunset. The sides of the throne are ornamented with figures;
they represent the god Nilus winding up a pedestal, over which is the
name of the king who made them. The statues of his wife and mother are
attached to the throne. We then went to the Temple of Medeenet Haboo.
The early Christians had a settlement here, and they used one of the
deserted courts of the great temple for a church, hiding the idolatrous
sculptures with a coat of mud. But a time of persecution came. The
colony was invaded by Arabs, the Christians fled to the neighbourhood of
Esneh, and the village of Medeenet Haboo fell into ruins.

We passed the palace of Rameses the Third, and went into the temple. Two
fine pillars ornament the doorway which leads from the court into a
corridor before the second doorway. Over this doorway there is a
beautiful winged globe and serpent, the colouring of which still
remains.

This doorway leads into another corridor and afterwards into a small
court. We looked at this court with great interest, because Mr. Roper
told us that it was built by Tirhakeh, whose battles with Sennacherib we
read of in the Bible.

On the outside wall of the temple, King Rameses is represented in his
chariot, attended by fan-bearers and lions, and advancing with his army.
His enemies are defeated, and heaps of tongues are among the tokens of
his victory.

In another part, the king, while pursuing his enemy, is attacked by
lions. He kills two with his arrows, and is on the point of killing
another with his spear.

CHAPTER XI.

WE GO TO ALEXANDRIA.

[Illustration]

"And that is the last piece of journal we shall get, very likely," said
our reader, as he folded up the packet again.

"I hope not," said Lucy, "for I want to hear more about Rahaba."

"And I want to hear about the temples and the statues, and how they got
on past the first cataract."

But no more news could be expected for some time. So, to amuse
ourselves, we determined on paying a visit to Alexandria. The distance
is about one hundred and thirty miles, and the railway being already
opened, we went by train. The carriages had double roofs, as a
protection from the sun; the upper roof was raised about a foot above
the lower, on little iron pillars, so that a current of air could pass
between the two roofs.

[Illustration: BAGGAGE CAMEL.]

On leaving Cairo we could see the high road. Hugh and Lucy were much
amused wit