A HARD-WORKING DIET. 375 



SECTION II. HISTORICAL. 



The history of the people of that marvellous land Egypt. 

 of Egypt, the cradle of so many of the arts, is gene- 

 rally, for the convenience of chronological reference, 

 divided off into periods corresponding with the 

 dynasties of its rulers, even though the dates are 

 uncertain. Sir Gardner Wilkinson supposes the date 

 of the reign of Thothmes III. to be B.C. 1463, and 

 assigns the fourth year of his reign as the time of 

 the departure of the Israelites from their bondage. 

 The wars of annexation of this powerful monarch, and 

 of Rameses II. [B.C. 1355] commonly called the Great, 

 who victoriously carried his arms right into the heart 

 of Asia, mark an important era in the history of the 

 nation. Military successes were followed by social 

 changes among the wealthy, who prided themselves 

 on having many luxuries for their use brought at 

 great expense from distant lands. Foreign fish were 

 among the rarities prized. 



Before this period, however, the use of fish was 

 entirely confined to the toilers of the land. To the 

 higher and priestly class it was forbidden. 



The home supply in Egypt, as we know from 

 Herodotus, was chiefly derived from the Nile and the 

 numerous canals and lakes, and large quantities of 

 fish were taken after the subsidence of the annual 

 inundation, being stranded on the fields. From the 

 monumental paintings at Thebes and Beni Hassan we 

 have representations of fish capture and curing. 



Fishing with ground bait, using a landing-net, 

 drawing nets weighted with leads, carrying in and 

 opening fish preparatory to salting, carrying the dried 

 fish on a pole, and groups of people eating fish are 



