AND LOWER EGYPT. I47 



tion, and finally an arcade which forms the en- 

 trance of a subterranean conduit, are the sole 

 traces of the antique labours which subsist there. 



From theuce we ascended up to Kafr Essauid, 

 another village of little importance, situated on 

 the eastern shore of the Nile, in one of those in- 

 tersections left by the mountains of rocks which 

 border that shore, to the cultivation and for the 

 habitation of men. We saw descending a flotilla 

 of rafts formed of earthen-ware, which they were 

 conveying to Cairo. 



Several flights of birds passed near us : I distin- 

 guished the plover with an ash-coloured ring- 

 round its neck, herons, percnopters, rooks, and . 

 kites of.the same species with those which by their 

 number, the dull colour of their plumage, and 

 their mournful and plaintive cries, render the si- 

 tuation of the cities of Egypt more gloomy instead 

 of enlivening them. These form themselves into 

 companies on the banks of the river, and remain 

 almost immoveable during a part of the day, 

 without doubt waiting for the fishes of passage. 

 Towards night I saw a flight of wild geese. 



I observed that the inhabitants of these higher 

 countries of Egypt kept a kind of dogs very much 

 resembling the shepherd's dog. Their voice is ex- 



L 1 tremely 



