C4 EEV. F. A. WALKER, D.D., E.L.S., ON 



completely the appearance of an extinct crater." In the 

 above paragraph, it is true, volcanic shale is observed and 

 spoken of as occurring on both sides of the river, but far 

 more plentifully on range beyond range, fold Avithin fold of 

 the amphitheatre of hills on the eastern side. Then, again, 

 the golden sands on the Libyan side are a far more pre- 

 valent feature in the landscape, and are noticed as such. 

 Or, to quote again from Nine Hundred Miles up the Nile, p. 174, 

 in reference to Assouan at the south limit of Upper Egypt, 

 distant, say, 713 miles from Alexandria, " The golden sand 

 of the Libyan desert [)resents a very fresh and recently 

 drifted appearance as v.^e approach Assouan." And again, 

 on same page 174, " A very fine contrast of colour is pro- 

 duced by the Libyan sands on one side, the Arabian granite 

 on the other." And, again, from Nine Hundred Miles up the 

 Nile, p. 172, in reference to Silsilis, distant in round numbers 

 650 miles from Alexandria, possibly rather more : "Wliere also 

 the freshly drifted sand contrasting with that of a dark tint, 

 brings back memories of the aspect of the desert on the 

 banks of the Suez Canal." Of course there are exceptions to 

 this rule. As on the east bank at Luxor, where the shores 

 are low, I have myself noted sand to the amount of many 

 baiTow loads, if not carts full, fall with a great swish into the 

 river, and the Nile is making great inroads on Luxor and its 

 neighbourhood, and the gardens and fields once in front of 

 the American Consulate have also vanished and gone. And 

 when gaining the summit of the mountain of Lycopolis, 

 which is on the Avestern bank and at the rear of the town of 

 Assiout, Ave find it to consist of a perfectly desolate and 

 slightly undulating plateau, covered everywhere with flinty 

 stones. Still, in the majority of instances, as first pointed 

 out by Herodotus and corroborated by the traveller in his 

 steps at the present day, there is Afric's golden sand on 

 the western side and the ejectamenta of long bygone volcanic 

 action on the Arabian. 



Efflorescence of salt to such an extent as to injure even 

 the pyramids. 



"A\fi7]v iiravdeovaav, ware kuI ra<; Trvpajjiiha^ hrjXeeaOai. 



Hdt., Lib. II, c. 12. 

 " That salt exuded from the soil." 



EJJlorescence of salt. 

 How far borne out bv modern research as correct. 



