224 On the Arabian Frontier of Egypt. 



that character. Therefore the lakes themselves, if insulated, 

 would not remain exempt from a quality that resides in the 

 very soil they lie upon. 



Here, then, is the topographical proof that such a succes- 

 sion of operations were executed, in the locality mentioned, 

 and during the interval we require. We must follow M. Le- 

 pere along the traces of the ancient canal. Having passed the 

 spot east of Hero, where he remarked that " no canal seemed 

 ever to have existed,'' since he found no dikes, — and where we 

 now understand why none ever could be required — because 

 there had existed a natural stream, flowing rapidly down- 

 wards between high banks, through the opening of the hills, 

 (vide Plate VI., N to S.), he now leaves the point where the 

 waters of 1800 bent off northwards into the lakes ; and he 

 continues his search along the remains of the artificial chsMnoi 

 that branched out of the true river at this point, in a some- 

 what SW. direction, begun, as some ancient authors assert, 

 by " Scsostris,'' and continued by Darius to the sea (vide 

 Plate VI., S, S, D). When he came to the place where the 

 canal of Darius may have begun (S), he remai'ked the re- 

 appearance of dykes. " Dans cette partie, la vallee est plus 

 ouverte ; le cote nord est remarquable par un abaissement 

 du sol, et une vegetation tres abondante, qui a Taspect d'un 

 bois taillis." (This is the large circular basin enclosing the 

 Crocodile lakes.) " On retrouve encore dans cette partie la 

 derivation d'un canal dirigee au nord sur un monticule de 

 decombres qui a du etre le site d'une ancienne ville." This 

 site coincides in position with the Thaubasio of the " Itine- 

 rary," viii. M. P., from the Serapeum.* The mound is an 

 eminence in the middle of the valley enclosing the lakes. 

 " Une des digues se prolonge a Test, et semble separer le 

 bassin des lacs d'une plaine basse et saline qui se dirige au 

 nord vers le Ras-el-Moyeh."t 



These are precisely the indications we required. As this 



* i. 6. V M. P. along the sea-canal, across the opening of Hero, anil iii., along 

 the little branch canal above described. 



t Mem. sur le canal des deux mors. Descr. de rKgypte, Et. Mod., vol. xi. p. 

 120, 121. 



