244 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



neither the sun nor a real person. It was the star 

 Sirius or the dog-star, designated by the figure of a 

 dog because of the information which it gave to the 

 people of Atbara, where were made the first observa- 

 tions of its emerging from the sun's rays which made 

 it easy of perception with the naked eye. The com- 

 parison of the " barking Anubis " was made because 

 its first appearance was like the barking of a dog 

 which gave notice of the approaching inundation. 

 The theory of the constellation of Sirius was specially 

 studied at Thebes on account of its connection with the 

 rural year of the Egyptians. 



Ptolemy has related an heliacal ascension of Sirius 

 observed upon the fourth day of the summer solstice 

 in the year 2250 B.C. ; and there are very good reasons 

 for believing that, long before this period, the Thebans 

 were excellent astronomers. This observation cer- 

 tainly makes Thebes much older than it is supposed to 

 be according to the chronicles of Axoum. 



That city is not mentioned in the Bible by the 

 name under which it is known to us. Before Moses's 

 day it was destroyed by Salotes, Prince of the Agaazi 

 or Ethiopian pastors. In the ancient tongue it was 

 called Ammon-No. The name of Thebes is said to 

 be derived from Theba, a word which in Hebrew 

 signifies the ark (of polished wood, theba) which God 

 ordered Noah to build. 



While the descendants of Chus were extending 

 their progress in the central and northern parts of 



