348 PART III. UPPER EGYPT. Cairo to Luxor; the Temples and Tombs of Thebes; Luxor to Aswân; Aswân (Shallâl) to Wâdî Ḥalfah (Second Cataract). (a) By Steamer on the Nile to Aswân. (b) By Railway to Aswân. THE marvellous monuments from which Egypt's long history has been deciphered lie mainly along and within easy reach of the banks of the Nile, and the most enjoyable method of visiting them is by one of Messrs. Cook's First Class Tourist Steamers, alluded to on page 22. These vessels make frequent sailings during the season between Cairo, Luxor, and Aswân, and between Aswân and Wâdî Ḥalfah, making long halts at every place of interest, tying up to bank each night by some historic town and providing the means for visiting each famous temple and tomb within reach. Native life and manners as seen from the steamer, both on the river and at the various stopping places, are as quaint a study as can well be imagined. You see the " Gyassa," or sailing boats, gliding along, their huge sails spread on long tapering masts, and gracefully bending to the wind. Now pyramids spring into view, wondrous ancient temples, strings of camels wending their way through the desert-ever picturesque and supercilious-deigning to bear their burden. There is the snake-charmer, with his hideous hooded cobras, with which he plays as with a blindworm ; the sellers of all kinds of oddments of local manufacture, and there is, of course, everywhere the artist with the antikas from the tombs-which he has spent the past summer in making. Then, as the steamer ploughs lazily along, the inter-village life of the banks is revealed in a series of old-world tableaux --the quaint native houses that seem to have retained to-day the form of the days of the Pharaohs; the date groves with their cool shade and great clusters of tawny fruit gleaming through the palm leaves; and the waving fields of tall green dhura-all DAILY ITINERARY OF THE TWENTY DAYS' VOYAGE. 349 combine to make a marvellous setting for the human and animal life that animates each picture. You watch the bronze figure of the man working the shâdûf, which he has done since the time of the Pharaohs, and perhaps mentally compare his bucketful with the huge mass of water so successfully engineered into security by the dam at Aswân which soon you will see. You listen to the sleepy, gentle groan of the water-wheel turned by the old gâmûs with its huge bulkiness, slate-coloured skin, and ridiculous blue eyes. Presently the sun begins to set; palms and camels make silhouettes against the sky. Soon a lovely glow spreads over all, giving beautiful tints and lights and shades, which in turn give place to deep shadows and a mysterious haze disappearing in the distance into deep blue. So night comes quickly, and the stars hang like great jewels low in the sky. Detailed information as to fares and other particulars will be found in Messrs. Cook's Nile programme, published annually, and obtainable gratis at any of their offices. The voyage from Cairo to Aswân and back occupies three weeks, and from Aswân to Wâdî Halfah and back (see p. 351) one week. DAILY ITINERARY OF THE TWENTY DAYS VOYAGE BY MESSRs. COOK'S TOURIST STEAMERS. (Cairo to Aswân and back.) Ist Day.-Leave Cairo on Tuesday at 10 a.m. from the landing stage above the Kasr an-Nil Bridge (p. 172). From Badrashên a desert excursion on donkeys is made to Ancient Memphis and the Necropolis of Sakkârah (p. 208 ff.). Steamer proceeds in the evening to Al-'Ayât (p. 351), 36 miles from Cairo. 2nd Day.-Steamer to Maghaghah (106 miles), passing the Pyramid of Mêdûm, Al-Wastah and Bani - Suwêf (p. 353 ff.). = 3rd Day.-Steam to Bani-Hasan. Visit the Speos Artemidos and the tombs of Ameni-Amenemhat and Khnemuḥetep (p. 357 ff.). Thence to Rôḍah (182 miles) (p. 361). 4th Day. Steam to Asyût (250 miles). Visit the town, rock-tombs and Barrage. Splendid view of the Nile Valley (p. 365 ff.). 5th Day Steam to Suhâk (318 miles) (p. 367) 6th Day.--Steam past Balyanah (Abydos is visited on the return journey) through the passes of Abu Shûshah to Dishnah (388 miles) (p. 378 ff.). 7th Day.-Steam to Denderah and visit the Temple of Hathor, afterwards steaming to Luxor, which is reached about sunset (450 miles) (p. 378 ff.). 8th-10th Days.-At Luxor, visiting Thebes, Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Tombs of the Kings, Temple of Dêr-al-Baḥarî, Ramesseum, the Colossi, Temple of Madînat Habû, etc. (p. 384 ff.). 11th Day. Steam to Asnâ (Isnâ or Esneh) (488 miles) and Edfu (516 miles), visit the Temples at each (p. 476-485). 12th Day. Steam through the gorge of Silsilah (p. 486) to Kom Ombo (556 miles) where the temple is visited (p. 486). Thence to Aswân (583 miles) arriving there after lunch, visit the Island of Elephantine with its Nilometer and Museum before dinner (p. 489 ff.). 13th and 14th Days.-At Aswân visiting the town, bâzârs, the rock-tombs, the Island of Philæ, the Great Dam (pp. 83 ff., 504). 15th Day. Leave Aswân on the return voyage and steam to Luxor. 16th Day.-Travellers who wish to re-visit Karnak, etc., may do so without extra charge. The steamer leaves Luxor at noon and proceeds as far as Nag' Ḥamâdî, which is reached in the evening (p. 378). 17th Day.-Steam to Balyanah, visit Abydos (p. 371 ƒƒf.). 18th Day.-Steam to Asyût, arriving in the afternoon. 19th Day. The steamer proceeds as far as Gabal aṭ-Ţêr, where it anchors for the night. For passengers by train from Cairo, regular communication is maintained between Aswân and Wâdî Ḥalfah by the sternwheel express steamers of the Sûdân Government, which perform the double journey in about 64 hours. Travellers who wish to inspect the temples and ruined sites of Nubia may make the voyage more leisurely by the Tourist Steamers, which occupy a week on the double journey and afford facilities for visiting the ruins. |