1^6 TRAVELS IN UPPER x 



civility, which it was not my intention to receive 

 gratis, I cannot sufficiently commend the complai- 

 sance and attention of the Cophtish priest, who 

 served as the paster of the Catholics at Echmimm, 

 He did not fall to visit me twice a day, and to seek 

 with eagerness every opportunity of being useful to 

 me. This contrast of sentiment and of conduct 

 has produced in my soul impressions altogether op- 

 posite ; gratitude and friendship for the one, and 

 the most decided contempt for the other. 



The hones^ Copht would not separate himself 

 from me, on the day of my departure from Ech- 

 tnimm, the 9th of June, till the moment when I 

 embarked to cross to the western shore of the Nile, 

 and recommence by land my journey to Farschout. 

 The heat all this day was excessive : the wind was 

 violent, but its impetuosity only served to fill the 

 atmosphere with clouds of dust, and we were afraid 

 to inhale the impetuous and inflamed blast ; men 

 and animals were suffocated, they could not pro- 

 ceed without difficulty, and all sought for a shelter 

 from this temperature of fire. Beside, we were, to- 

 wards the middle cl i',ie day, the only creatures 

 who were travelling, and we did not see a single 

 person on the road we pursued. 



We made the tour of the city of G'lrgi, the ca- 

 pital of Upper Egypt, and arrived at Bard'is to- 

 wards 



