held him; but releasing himself from his grasp, and rushing towards the chafing-dish, he took out one of the largest pieces of live coal and put it into his mouth. He kept his mouth wide open for about two minutes; and during this period, each time that he drew his breath the coal appeared of almost a white red, and numerous sparks were blown out from it. After this he chewed and swallowed it, and then resumed his dancing.*

But such exploits, however surprising in the eyes of the uninitiated, are perfectly understood in other countries, and have even been surpassed in our own. They form the amusement of a rude people, who take more pleasure in indulging the emotion of wonder than in seeking for a philosophical explanation of its cause; and it may perhaps be regarded as a proof of advancing civilisation in Egypt that such exhibitions are every year becoming less attractive.

Though some of the yearly commemorations of the Mohammedan ritual are disgraced by scenes similar to those just described, the utmost solemnity and decorum are observed in the public worship of the people at large. We are assured that their looks and behaviour in the mosque are not those of enthusiastic devotion, but of calm and modest piety. Never are they guilty of an irregular word or action during their prayers. The pride of fanaticism which they display in common life, in intercourse with persons of a different faith, seems to be laid aside when they enter the consecrated walls, and they appear wholly absorbed in the adoration of their creator, humble without any affectation of lowliness or any forced expression of countenance. The contrite Moslem takes off his shoes at the door of the temple, carries them in his left hand, and puts his right foot first over the threshold. Having performed the preparatory oblation, that he may come before his God in a state of bodily purity, he places himself in such a posi

* Lane, vol. ii. p. 213.

tion that his head may easily touch the ground when prostrating himself before the majesty of heaven.

We conclude this chapter with a remark truly characteristic of the manners of modern Egypt, and of the feelings which were engrafted upon the minds of the higher class by the long-continued sway of the Mamlouks. Before the reign of the present viceroy, it was customary, even among a people rigidly attached to the distinctions of hereditary rank, to reserve their highest respect for the purchased slave whose relations were unknown, and whose bravery or other personal qualities had raised him to the first honours in the country. General Reynier mentions that he has heard even Turkish officers say of persons who occupied great posts, "He is a man of the best connexions, he was bought."*

Reynier, L'Egypte, p. 68, quoted by M. Malte-Brun, vol. iv

p. 107.

CHAPTER XI.

Natural History of Egypt.

GEOLOGY-Valley of the Nile-Alluvial Formation-Primitive Rocks-Serpentine-Of Upper Egypt-Limestone Strata-Valley of Cosseir-Sandstone and Trap-Puddingstone-Verde Antico-Natron Rocks-Minerals-Precious Stones-OresZOOLOGY-Camelus Dromedarius-Giraffe-Civet Cat-Ichneumon- -Sorex, or Shrew-Jerboa-Hippopotamus-Hyena— Capra Aigros Ovis Tragelaphus-Crocodile; cherished by Ancients Monitor of the Nile-Serpent-Lizard called Gecko— Locust-BIRDS-Chenelopex-Ostrich-Ibis Ardea; Ibis Religiosa-Vulture; Mistake of Bruce-Oriental Dotterell-Charadrius Himantopus-Corvus Ægyptiacus-Alcedo Ægyptiacus-Anas Nilotica-Sterna Nilotica--The Pelican-The Quail, or Tetrao Coturnix-FISHES-Echeneis Naucrates-Sparus Niloticus -Labrus Niloticus-The Perch-Silurus Clarias-Salmo Niloticus- -Tetraodon-Mugil Cephalus and Clupea Alosa-ZOOPHYTES -Corallines-Madrepores, Millepores, Gorgonia or Sea-fanRed Coral Sponges - Polypes - PLANTS — Papyrus; UsesPersea-Lotus-Rose-lily-Rhamnus Lotus-Phoenix Dactylifera-Ficus Sycomorus-Plantain-tree-Cucumis Chate-Cucurbita Lagenaria-Colocasium-Carthamus Tinctorius-Acacia; Gum; Frankincense-Henna-The Aloe.

SECTION 1.-GEOLOGY.

THE valley of the Nile, which taken by itself is strictly an alluvial formation, presents, nevertheless, a variety of features highly deserving the notice of the geologist. It is bounded by two chains of hills, which, after gradually passing from the primitive order of rocks into the secondary, terminate in deposites belonging to the most recent description of stratified minerals.

The district between Philoe and Syene, on the left bank of the river, is occupied by the northern extremity of that granitic range which stretches into Nubia; containing a particular species of stone, to which, distinguished by a small portion of hornblende, the name of syenite is usually given. The granite is occasionally diversified by alternations of gneiss, porphyry, clay-slate, quartz, and serpentine, which contain, as embedded minerals, a great variety of carnelions and jaspers. Serpentine, which occurs on the Arabian side, along with beds of clayslate and compact felspar, has been erroneously described by some authors as a green-coloured marble. There has also been observed in Upper Egypt a true marble, or granular foliated limestone, exhibiting the various hues of white, gray, yellow, blue, and red; and which, when combined with serpentine, forms the well-known rock called verde antico.*

This section of the geological domain is succeeded towards the north by an argillaceous sandstone alternating with the carbonate of lime; while the corresponding chain on the eastern side continues to display serpentine and granite. At Esneh the rocks become more decidedly calcareous, retaining the same character till they sink into the plain which bounds the lower division of Egypt. The steep perpendicular cliffs that characterize this limestone-formation give a monotonous and rather dreary aspect to the country, contrasting unfavourably with the bolder and more picturesque mountains of the south, which offer new views in rapid succession, and confer upon the landscape an agreeable variety of beauty and magnificence.

It is well known that the great pyramid near Djizeh is built of a species of limestone which is worked with

Mr Hamilton, in his Ægyptiaca, remarks that the modern Syenite does not appear to be the Syenites of Pliny, which latter is the common red granite used for making obelisks such as that at Heliopolis. In the neighbourhood of Syene, or Es Souan, the granite alternates with a decomposed sandstone which produces an irregular and broken appearance, sometimes compared to the distant aspect of a ruin.

out much difficulty. In the neighbourhood of Edfou, though the calcareous rocks still prevail, there are large masses of sandstone; and the adjoining mountains contain also slate and quartz of various colours. The immense slabs used in the construction of the Egyptian temples are, generally speaking, of sandstone; and the same material was occasionally employed for the purposes of sculpture, as may be seen from the colossal ram's head deposited in the British Museum. The famous quarries near Jibel Silsili present compact granular sandstone, deposited in beds of such extent as to afford in a single mass those columns, obelisks, and statues, which are still the admiration of the world.

Descending the course of the river, the sandstone, as we have already suggested, is succeeded by a calcareous rock having a splintery or conchoidal fracture; its colour is gray or variegated; and it contains numerous petrifactions of shells, corals, and fishes. It extends from Esneh to the Mediterranean; and, in Lower Egypt, reaches from Alexandria to the Red Sea in the vicinity of Suez. A similar rock is discovered in the mountaindistrict which leads to Cosseir, and in the same country there are hills of limestone associated with gypsum or sulphate of lime. In the valleys which intersect that elevated ground, the sand is partly calcareous and partly quartzose, indicating the quality of the strata from the waste of which it is formed. It is said that the ridge in question consists of three kinds of rock; the first of which is a small-grained granite; the second is a breccia, or puddingstone of a particular sort, known by the name of breccia de verde; and to this succeeds, for the space of thirty miles, a schistose deposite, which seems to be of contemporaneous formation with the breccias, since they are connected by gradual transitions, and contain rounded masses of the same substance.

At the wells of El-Aoosh-Lambazeh, there occurs a singular chain of slaty mountains, presenting in their composition rock-crystal and steatitic rocks; but at the distance of eight miles from Cosseir they suddenly change