THE LATE CAMPAIGN IN EGYPT. S9 



Other. The interior length of this peristyle is one 

 hundred and rwenty-three feet, and sixty-four deep; 

 the walls, at eiriicr end, near nine feet thick, decreas- 

 mg externally as they ascend; the slabs of stone form- 

 ing the roots, are over the centre columns, twenty- 

 five feet long, about six broad, and extremely thick. 



Hence, by a large portal of elegant architecture, 

 ■we entered tiie vestibule, the ro{>f of which, consi- 

 derably lower than that of the peristyle, is supported 

 by six pillars, three on either side; their decorations 

 much mutilated : tlie little that is visible, shews 

 them to be tinted. This room is about half the 

 length and breadth of the outer one, but being 

 nearly filled with rubbish, we passed through ano- 

 ther large door, into a room of the same length and 

 height, but narrow enough to admit of large slabs 

 reaching across without the intervention of pillars. 

 Apertures are cut in the ceiling to admit air and 

 light; and a passage or door, to the right and left, 

 leads to other parts of the temple. Facing the 

 door where we had entered, is another which led 

 into a third room rather larger, and lighted in like 

 manner from above ; from these there are four doors 

 leading to difierent parts of the building, to the 

 right and letY ; and a portal facing that by which 

 we had entered, which led us into a dark recess 

 about tliirty feet long, and twenty-hve broad, whose 

 roof in like manner consisted of transversal slabs. 

 This probably was the great sanctuary, at the fur- 

 ther extremity of which was a hole, through which 

 we were enabled to descend into a vault, which, like 

 the rest of the a})artments, is nearly tilled with earth. 

 We, however, ascertained by our lights, that the 

 floor above v/as formed of numerous small slabs of 

 stone cemented to each other, and destitute of any 

 other support than what they derived from the ju- 

 dicious manner in which thev were united. Re- 



4 



