426 



JOURNAL RELATING TO NUBIA. 



formed an entrance to it, the sight of so much grandeur and mag- 

 nificence, when the temples and other buildings were unhurt by time 

 or man, must have impressed a stranger with awe and admiration of 

 the people whom he was about to visit. 



The inhabitants of the shores of the Nile between Philae and 

 Ibrim, seem to be a distinct race from those of the northern districts. 

 The extent of this country is about one hundred and fifty miles ; 

 according to my course on the Nile, I conceive it may be two 

 hundred by water ; it is estimated by some travellers at much more. 

 They are called by the Egyptians Goobli, meaning in Arabic, the 

 people of the south. My boatman from Boulac applied this word 

 generally to them all, but called those living about the cataracts, 

 Berber. 



Their colour is black ; but as we advance from Cairo, the alteration 

 from white to the dusky hue of the complexion is gradual, not 

 sudden. Their countenance approaches to that of the Negro ; thick 

 lips, flattish nose and head ; the body short and bones slender. 

 Those of the leg have the curve which is observed in the Negro 

 form. The hair is curled and black, but not woolly. Men of lighter 

 complexion may be found among them ; they may be derived from 

 intermarriages with the Arabs, or be descended from the followers of 

 Selim the Second, who were left here upon his conquest of the country. 

 On the other hand, at Galabshee, the people seemed to have more of 

 the Negro conformation of face than elsewhere ; thicker lips, and 

 hair more tufted ; as well as a more savage disposition. 



The Arabic acquired from books and a teacher, had been of very 

 little use to me even in Egypt itself ; but here not even the vulgar 

 dialect of the lower Nile would serve for common intercourse, except 

 in that district which extends from Dukkey to Deir, where the 

 Nubian is lost and Arabic prevails again. This curious circumstance, 

 connected with an observation of the lighter colour of the people, 

 leads to a belief that they are descended from the Arabs. The 

 Nubian, when spoken, reminded me of what I had heard of the 

 clucking of the Hottentots ; it seems to be a succession of mono- 



