232 PROCEEDINGS OF [1842. 



Two pieces, wooden feet and face, IMeinpliis. 



One double statue, a modern antique, rn uuificturc of Thebes. 



One piece of the sycamore tree under which tradition says "Joseph and Mary 

 sat," Matereegch, Hcliopolis. The tree is old enough. 



Ancient wood, from the pyramid of five steps, Saccara, perhaps as old as any in 

 the world. 



One piece of the wreck of the " Orient," burnt at the battle of Abookecr bay. It 

 was tished up with other parts by the Engrincer of the Diving Bell, 1638. 



One ancient jar, tombs of Memphis. The sand contained in it is some I took 

 from the temple of " Abooj^imbel," Nubia, and is a fair sample of Efryptiun and 

 IMubian desert sand. This sand was quite pure when I got it; all the extraneous 

 matter has got mixed with it in my boxes. 



Two ancient palm-leaf sandals, from Thebes. 



One ancient basket from a tomb at Thebes. It contains ancient bread, ancient 

 pomegranates, and ancient raisins, and is at the very least as old as the com- 

 mencement of the Christian era, but may be 4000 years old ! 



It is necessarj' to mention that I got two baskets at the tomb, one containing the 

 bread, which is the one sent, and another with the fruit. I have taken out some of 

 the bread for friends, and substituted fruit from the other basket. I should consi. 

 der, from the specimens I have seen, that this bread even now is just as well flavor- 

 ed and as nulricious as tlie dyspeptic Graham bread. 



One knife, the manufacture of and worn by the Negro nations on the " Bah.ci- 

 Abiard," White Nile. 



One ancient wooden idol, seemingly a doll. 



One piece Red Sea coral, one map of convent, both given to my sister in 1839, 

 by the Prefect of St. Catharine, Mount Sinai, during her visit. 



One modern Nubian Basket, Aswan, containing some wild desert seeds, Nubia, 

 one colocynth, Red Sea Deserts. 



Two skulls of inummied dogs, Abydos; two mummied snakes, Thebes; one 

 mummied bird, Thebes ; one mummied (?), Thebes — from their respective tombs. 



Four or five unopened ancient jars, containing mummied ibises, from the pit 

 near the pyramids of Abooseer, Memphis. 



One box, containing unassorted insects, various parts of Egypt. 



One tin case, containing insects, collected by a German Naturalist in Kordofan, 

 Upper Nile. 



One Egpytian Hy flapper, date palm leaves, Cairo. 



One Christian rosary, from Bethlehem, made of the wood of Mount of Olives, 

 Jerusalem. 



One Mahomcdan rosary, from Cairo, made of the stone of a fruit from Mecca, 

 Arabia. It is dyed ail colors. 



Two Egyptian pipe bowls, made at Aswan, first cataract. 



Fragments of Coptic and Arabic Christian missals, picked by mo at the now 

 ruined library of the Coptic Convent of "Amba Besliorri," during a dromedary 

 excursion to the Natron Lakes, Western Desert, Lower Egypt. This library was 

 ransacked at eighty years ago by the Bedawec Aralis. These manuscripts are 

 very old, and may date from any time subsecpient to the invention of pajjcr. 



One bag, containing two kinds of seeds from Abyssinia. They were brought to 

 Cairo, and given to me by the talented Abyssinian traveller. Monsieur Georges 

 D'Abbadic, in the winter of 1810-lbll, who requested mo to (h.stributc Ihein for 

 growth in America. One is called in Abyssinia " Nook," and is the seed from 

 which the natives extract their culinary oil. The other, name unknown, is the 

 seed of a plant, tlie //oi/ier of which is used in medicating the eyes by the Aby.ssi- 

 nians. I send them to the National Institution as the most central fur distribution 

 to Southern gentlemen who may try to raise the plants. If any success attends 

 such efforts. It is requested that notice may bu sent to Mr. D'Abbadic, and to me. 



One box, containing an assortment of Egyptian Geological spccimcnH, being a 

 portion of a large quantity of unassorted specimens presented by ino to the Naval 

 Lyceum, Brooklyn, with a request, that in the division, they would reuieinbur one 

 set for Washington, 



The above, contained in two boxes, have been delivered to Messrs. Masters and 

 Markoe, of New York, who have kiiidlv undertaken to forward them to the Na- 

 tional Institution. " GEORGE R. GLIDDON. 



New York, April 14, 164:i. 



