THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 123 



language could be comprehended in five hundred words, 

 and it is probable that thefe hieroglyphics are not alphabetical, 

 or Jingle letters only ; for five hundred letters would make 

 t-jo large an alphabet. The Chinefe indeed have many more 

 letters in ufe, but have no alphabet, but who is it that under- 

 Jiands the Chinefe? 



There are three different characters which, I obferve, 

 have been in ufe at the fame time in Egypt, Hieroglyphics, 

 the Mummy character, and the Ethiopic. Thefe are all 

 *hree found, as I have feen, on the fame mummy, and there- 

 fore were certainly ufed at the fame time, The lalt only I 

 believe was a language* 



The mountains immediately above or behind Thebes, are 

 liollowed out into numberlefs caverns, the firfl habitations of 

 the Ethiopian colony which built the city. I imagine they 

 continued long in thefe habitations, for I do not think the 

 temples were ever intended but for public and folemn utes, and 

 in none of thefe ancient cities did I ever fee a wall or foun- 

 dation, or any thing like a private houfe ; all are temples and 

 tombs, if temples and tombs m thofe times were not the fame 

 thing. But veftiges of houfes there are none, whatever * Diodo- 

 rus Siculus may fay, building with ftone was too expenfive for 

 individuals ; the houfes probably were all of clay, thatched 

 •with palm branches, as they are at this day* This is one rea- 

 fon why fo few ruins of the immenfe number of cities we 

 hear of remain. 



Qji Thebes, 



Diod. Sic, lib, I. 



