of the Ancient Egyptians, 613 



stood a row of palms, or an avenue of shady sycamores. Sometimes the 

 orchard and vineyard were not separated by any wall, and figs and other trees 

 were planted within the same limits as the vines. But, if not connected with 

 it, the vineyard was close to the orchard, and they displayed much taste in 

 the mode of training the vines. Rows of columns, supporting wooden rafters, 

 divided the vineyard into numerous avenues, which afforded great facility for 

 communication from one end to the other, and retained a certain degree of 

 moisture at the roots by intercepting the rays of the sun. 



." The columns were frequently coloured, and were ornamental as well as 

 useful; but many were simple wooden pillars, supporting, with their forked 

 summits the poles that lay over them. Some vines were allowed to grow as 

 standing bushes, and being kept low, did not require any support; others 

 were formed into a series of bowers ; and, from the form of the hieroglyphic 

 signifying vineyard, we may conclude that the most usual method of training 

 them was in bowers, or in avenues formed by rafters and columns. But they 

 do not appear to have attached them to other trees, like the Romans and the 

 modern Italians; nor have the Egyptians of the present day adopted this 

 European custom. 



" When the vineyard was enclosed within its own wall of circuit, it fre- 

 quently had a reservoir of water attached to it, as well as the building which 

 contained the winepress ; but the various modes of arranging the vineyard, 

 as well as the other parts of the garden, depended, of course, on the taste of 

 each individual, or the nature of the ground. Great care was taken to pre- 

 serve the clusters from the intrusion of birds ; and boys were constantly 

 employed about the season of the vintage to frighten them with a sling and 

 the sound of the voice. When the grapes were gathered, the bunches were 

 carefully put into deep wicker baskets, which men carried, either on their 

 head or shoulders, or slung upon the yoke, to the winepress ; but, when 

 intended for eating, they were put, like other fruits, into flat open baskets, 

 and generally covered with leaves of the palm, vine, or other trees. These 

 flat baskets were of wickerwork, and similar, no doubt, to those of the 

 present day used at Cairo for the same purpose, which are made of osiers or 

 common twigs. Monkeys appear to have been trained to assist in gathering 

 the fruit, and the Egyptians represent them in the sculptures handing down 

 figs from the sycamore trees to the gardeners below ; but, as might be 

 expected, these animals amply repaid themselves for the trouble imposed 

 upon them, and the artist has not failed to show how much more they con- 

 sulted their own wishes than those of their employers. 



" Many animals were tamed in Egypt for various purposes, as the lion, 

 leopard, gazelle, baboon, crocodile, and others ; and in the Jemma country, 

 which lies to the south of Abyssinia, monkeys are still taught several useful 

 accomplishments. Among them is that of officiating as torch-bearers at a 

 supper party ; and seated in a row, on a raised bench, they hold the lights 

 until the departure of the guests, and patiently await their own repast as a 

 reward for their services. Sometimes a refractory subject fails in his accus- 

 tomed duty, and the harmony of the party is for a moment disturbed, 

 particularly if an unruly monkey throws his lighted torch into the midst 

 of the unsuspecting guests ; but the stick, and privation of food, are the 

 punishments of the offender; and it is by these persuasive arguments alone 

 that they are prevailed upon to perform their duty in so delicate an office. 



" After the vintage was over, they allowed the birds to browse upon the vines 

 which grew as standing bushes ; and the season of the year when the grapes 

 ripened in Egypt was the month Epiphi, towards the end of June or the 

 commencement of July. Some have pretended to doubt that the vine was 

 commonly cultivated, or even grown, in Egypt ; but the frequent notice of it 

 and of Egyptian wine in the scriptures, and the authority of ancient writers, 

 sufficiently answer those objections ; and the regrets of the Israelites on 

 leaving the vines of Egypt prove them to have been very abundant, since 

 even people in the condition of slaves could procure the fruit." (Ibid. t 

 vol. ii. p. 152.) 



