£08 
DESCRIPTIONS OF EGYPT. 
inensions of the body, would give a height of eighty- 
four feet. In another place, the whole side of a 
mountain was cut away, so as to form a perpendi- 
cular wall, chiselled out into regular columns with 
capitals, and adorned with numerous hieroglyphics; 
the whole forming the front of a magnificent tem- 
ple. He brought away also a number of inscrip- 
tions and paintings, the latter representing chiefly 
animals and ancient religious mysteries. 
The Mamelukes, it appears, in their flight from 
Egypt, have established themselves at Dongola, 
where they have formed a species of petty state. 
They have addicted themselves to pasturage and 
agriculture, and have even built a few vessels upon 
the Nile. Their number does not exceed five 
hundred \ but they have armed three or four thou- 
sand of their negro slaves, and have built a wall 
round Dongola, to protect it against the Arabs, 
Their chieftain, Osmyn Bey, made a vow, that he 
would neither shave his head nor his beard, till his 
triumphal entry into Cairo ; but this promises to 
be quite an empty threat. Their establishment at 
Dongola, however, must form a barrier against any 
European traveller penetrating farther in this di- 
rection. * 
