CHAP. II. 



EGYPT AND NUBIA. 57 



overseer, who, besides, lashes them severely. 

 Not the least care is taken of the bodies of these 

 poor creatures ; they have not a rag to cover 

 their nakedness ; and whoever sees them must 

 compassionate their melancholy and deplorable 

 condition, for though they may be sick, or 

 maimed, or lame, no rest nor any intermission of 

 labour is allowed them. Neither the weakness 

 of old age nor the infirmities of females excuse 

 any from that work to which all are driven by 

 blows and cudgels, till at length, borne down by 

 the intolerable weight of their misery, many fall 

 dead in the midst of their insufferable labours. 

 Thus these miserable creatures, being destitute 

 of all hope, expect their future days to be worse 

 than the present, and long for death as more 

 desirable than life." The concluding remark of 

 our author on the whole subject of these mines 

 may be worth inserting : " Nature teaches us 

 that gold is obtained by labour and toil, is re- 

 tained with difficulty, creates every where the 

 greatest anxiety, and in its use produces both 

 pleasure and grief." 



Another writer gives a description of the 

 working of mines, which, though relating to 

 Samos, may be very obviously applied to those 

 of Egypt and Nubia. " Those who dig in the 

 mines cannot stand upright at their work, but 

 are obliged to lie down either on their back or 



