AND LOWER EGYPT. 247 



and undertook to direct our course. The Arab 

 supplied us with horses, and accompanied us about 

 a quarter of a league ; but notwithstanding all my 

 importunity, he refused to advance farther. We 

 were then left under the protection of a man half 

 naked, walking a- foot, with no other arms than a 

 stick, and whose unfavourable appearance made us 

 apprehensive that we should meet with more like 

 himself. He took us ofFthe plain in order to avoid 

 the vicinity of KamouU. We climbed those steep 

 mountains which form a chain of rocks alono; the 

 cultivated districts of Upper Egypt. We passed by 

 narrow straits and irregular windings, through 

 the wildest of deserts, as no trace was to be seen 

 either of men or of animals ; and a pile of rocks 

 heaped upon each other, thoroughly concealed the 

 inhabited part of Egypt. A road like this, difficult, 

 and often dangerous for our horses, was by no 

 means adapted to dispel our fears. Our guide, in 

 conjunction with our hosts at Gournei, might have 

 carried us thither to lead us into some ambuscade ; 

 however, after journeying for six hours in these 

 unpleasant roads, we descended into the plain near 

 NSguade, from v^' hence we passed over to Kous, 

 Our conductor followed us thither, and very well 

 satisfied at having escaped his enemies, he was un- 

 willing to expose himself again in their neighbour- 

 hood, but followed the Nile with his horses on the 

 eastern side, till hearrivedoppositc to hishabitation. 



R 4 



