156 
DESCRIPTIONS OF EGYPT. 
valley of the river are contracted, particularly on 
the eastern side, which is naked, rocky, and bar- 
ren. Towns and villages become less numerous, 
while the ruins of ancient cities abound more and 
inore. Amid the paltry cottages of the Copts and 
Arabs, the traveller discerns the vestiges of mag- 
nificent edifices which seem to have been the ha- 
bitations of Genii. In sailing southwards occur 
the considerable towns of Benisouef, Monfalout, 
Assiut, and Girge, the capital of Upper Egypt. 
All these places have ruins in their vicinity ; but 
none of peculiar splendour occur till we arrive at 
Dendera. 
Dendera, the ancient Tentyra, lies on the 
western bank of the river, near the extremity of 
a fertile plain, bounded by an extensive forest of 
palms and dates, which furnishes the greater part 
of Egypt with charcoal.* The ruins of ancient 
Tentyra, which lie a little to the west of the mo- 
dern town, are of considerable extent. The re- 
mains of three temples, the largest of which is in 
a high state of preservation, still exist. Two of 
these, one of which is the largest of the three, are 
dedicated to Isis ; the third seems to have been 
consecrated to Typhon.t The execution of the 
* Sonnini's Travels, p. 589, 4to. 
f Ripaud's Report on the Antiquities of Upper Egypt, 
p. 49. 
T 
