l68 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



to combat with a fugitive bey. These ferocious 

 solditrs exercised their barbarity in firing bullets 

 and cannon-shot into several parts of the temple, 

 with the intention of overthrowing it. The beau- 

 titul ceiling, the colours of which were still so 

 brilliant, was injured in several places by the im- 

 pression of those balls, aimed by ignorance and 

 brutality; and in this strife of destruction we 

 cannot too much admire the extreme solidity of 

 a building, which had at once to withstand the 

 ravages of time, and the efforts of a stupid fero- 

 city. 



The emir, with whom I had frequent conver- 

 sations, spoke to me with regret of the disorders 

 committed by the Mamelucs, when he had the 

 misfortune to see them pass through his little do- 

 minion. This prince came one day to pay me a 

 visit in my boat, which served me for a lodging ; 

 he was preceded by baskets filled with all sorts of 

 fruits, as very good grapes, delicious figs, apri- 

 cots (fnischmisch) very small and tasteless, pome- 

 granates, the pulp of which is not very sa- 

 voury, &c. He gave me also a little engraved 

 stone, and some copper medals, Greek and Ro- 

 man, of very little value. These medals and en- 

 graved stones are very commonly found, as well 

 as other fragments of antiquity, and emeralds, in 

 the ruins of Tcnlyris. To make some return for 



the 



