A HARD-WORKING DIET. 45 
SECTION II. HISTORICAL. 
The history of the people of that marvellous land Egypt. 
of Egypt, the cradle of so many of the arts, is gene- 
rally, for the convenience of chronological reference, 
divided off into periods corresponding with the 
dynasties of its rulers, even though the dates are 
uncertain. Sir Gardner Wilkinson supposes the date 
of the reign of Thothmes III. to be B.c. 1463, and 
assigns the fourth year of his reign as the time of 
the departure of the Israelites from their bondage. 
The wars of annexation of this powerful monarch, and 
of Rameses II. [B.c. 1355] commonly called the Great, 
who victoriously carried his arms right into the heart 
of Asia, mark an important era in the history of the 
nation. Military successes were followed by social 
changes among the wealthy, who prided themselves 
on having many luxuries for their use brought at 
great expense from distant lands. Foreign fish were 
among the rarities prized. 
Before this period, however, the use of fish was 
entirely confined to the toilers of the land. To the 
higher and priestly class it was forbidden. 
The home supply in Egypt, as we know from 
Herodotus, was chiefly derived from the Nile and the 
numerous canals and lakes, and large quantities of 
fish were taken after the subsidence of the annual 
inundation, being stranded on the fields. From the 
monumental paintings at Thebes and Beni Hassan we 
have representations of fish capture and curing. 
Fishing with ground bait, using a landing-net, 
drawing nets weighted with leads, carrying in and 
opening fish preparatory to salting, carrying the dried 
fish on a pole, and groups of people eating fish are 
