280 : EXTRACTS FROM 
of the most beautiful architectural memorials of all the 
ages. 
After examining every part of the building we went up to 
its flat roof, where we had a lovely view of the Nile, the green 
plains, the wide flats of the desert, which begin near the 
temple, and the pyramidal sandstone hills, which rise behind 
them. 
Some vultures were circling overhead; so I laid out a 
carcass behind a heap of ruins, and sat waiting on the battle- 
ments of the temple for the coming of the great birds of prey; 
but unfortunately no large vultures appeared, and as time was 
pressing I had to content myself with the smaller fry. 
We now rode back by the same route through this filthy 
village, and a few minutes later our vessel was steaming up- 
stream again. 
The general appearance of the country continued to be 
pretty much the same. The eastern Arab mountains, which 
are here low, jagged, and whitish grey in colour, everywhere 
.advanced close to the stream, leaving little or almost no margin 
of cultivated land. The western Libyan hills, also low, yellow, 
and strangely shaped, kept drawing nearer to the river south 
of Edfu; and on this side the green country got narrower 
and presented a scene of luxuriant but neglected vegetation, 
while there were no towns whatever and even the few wretched 
villages were very far apart. 
Large flocks of Storks were flying northwards along the 
Nile valley, birds of prey were sitting on the rocks or circling 
above them, and the few sandbanks of the river were peopled 
by wildfowl. 
In the afternoon we came to the rocky narrows of Gebel- 
Silsileh, where the sandstone mountains converge from both 
sides, and delight the traveller who gazes at these picturesque 
but stern and gloomy desert regions from the deck of his 
vessel. By sunset we reached the northern extremity of a 
