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20 January 1895 — On the Nile | |
Sunday. 20th [January 1895]. We started again at 4 this morning & stopped at Esneh where we landed about 10 & walked thro’ the town to see the temple of Esneh part of which was excavated in 1842 & there are very fine columns at a good depth below the level of the soil. The arab houses of the town prevent further excavation. We then returned to our steamer among a mob of arabs offering us baskets for sale also lucifer matches! & antiques! Our steamer started off again as soon as we got on board & we stopped abt 4.30 at Edfu where a screaming crowd of arabs with donkeys awaited us. We landed & at once fell preys to the rabble & were hustled on to a donkey. We rode about ½ mile to the middle of the town & came upon a magnificent temple—much the same as the one at Dendereh only that the propylon is still standing & the walls of enclosure intact. The sanctuary still contains a granite maus in which was kept the sacred hawk. We ascended the tower 196 steps—115 feet high & from thence saw the sunset wh happened not to be very fine & then we rode back to our steamer. The view from the tower over the country & a good stretch of the Nile was interesting. The great drawback of the journey is being mobbed by the Arabs shrieking “Baksheesh” & offering things for sale ending with a fight over the backsheesh for ones donkey ride. In the evening I had a talk with the Frenchman whose leg was better & who sat on deck. He told me his intention was to make the proprietor of the Luxor hotel whose horse had kicked him, pay the Dr’s bills. Steamer went on to Edfu for the night. | |
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