AND LOWER EGi'PT. 37 



CHAP. XL. 



Miniet — Bar ducks— 'Ancient city — Manner of setting 

 fractured linihs — -Rain and scpialh rf ivind — 

 Scheick Abade — Ancient city of Antino'e — Cata- 

 co)nbs — Mella-voui — ]\[ountain of Ahoufeda — 

 Mat f clout — Convent of the Puldy — Large boat 

 •^-^Siont — Jackal-r-Grottoes of the JSlonntains—^ 

 Birds of Siout. 



If the eastern shore of the Nile presents, in this 

 part of Upper Egypt, a frightful appearance, by 

 its sands and barren rocks, that of the western at- 

 tracts attention bv its cultivated fields and its nu- 

 merous habitations. Among these Miniet deserves 

 to be distinguished. This city is very pretty when 

 compared with the other places of the same coun- 

 try. Narrow streets through which you walk in the 

 dust, houses built of unburnt bricks and bound 

 with earth, slovenly and irregular buildings, are 

 not, surely, very fine ornamental features in a city. 

 However, vi/^hen for a long time the eye had habi- 

 tually dwelt pply on towns and villages, the condi- 

 tion of which excited pity, the city of h'iinift could 

 not fail to give pleasure. The house occupied by 

 the Kiaschef as well as those of some of the great 

 people, was built of stones, and their whiteness 



D 3 relieved 



