THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 125 



nant of the partiality of the builders for their firfl domi- 

 ciles ; an imitation of the flope*, or inclination of the fides 

 of mountains, and that this inclination of flat furfaces to 

 each other in building, gave afterwards the firfl idea of Py- 

 ramids fo 



A number of robbers, who much refemble our gypfies, 

 live in the holes of the mountains above Thebes. They are 

 all out-laws, punifhed with death if elfewhere found. Of- 

 jnan Bey, an ancient governor of Girge, unable to fuffer 

 any longer the dilbrders committed by thefe people, order- 

 ed a quantity of dried faggots to be brought together, and, 

 with his foldiers^ took, pofleflion of the face of the moun- 

 tain, where the greatefl number of thefe wretches were : 

 He then ordered all their caves to be filled with this dry 

 brafhwood, to which he fet fire, fo that mofl of them were 

 deflroyed ; but they have fmce recruited their numbers, with- 

 out changing their manners. 



About half a mile north of El Gourni, are the magnifi- 

 cent, flupendous fepulchres, of Thebes. The mountains 

 of the Thebaid come clofe behind the town ; they are not 

 run in upon one another like ridges, but ftand infulated 

 upon their bafes ;. fo that you can get round each of them. 

 A hundred of thefe, it is faid, are excavated into fepulchral, 

 and a variety of other apartments. I went through feven of 

 them with a great deal of fatigue. It is a folitary place ; 



and 



*"See Norden's views of the i ernples at Efne and Edfu. Vol. ii. plate 6. p. 80. 



■j-This inclined figure of the fides, is frequently found in the fmall boxes within the,, 

 saummy-i k 



