finely-polished board, not lying in a flat position, but a little sloping. The Sellangee after pouring some water on the board, rubs it with his hand, at first gently, but afterwards more vigorously, by which process the lighter earthy particles slide off along the slope of the board, and the heavier parts are left behind. He then takes soft sponges, which he presses on the board rather gently, which causes the lighter particles to adhere to the sponge, while the heavy shining grains still keep their place on the board, owing to their weight. From the Sellangees the gold particles are transferred to the roasters, who measure and weigh all that they receive, before putting it into an earthen jar. With the gold particles they mix lead in a certain proportion, lumps of salt, a little tin, and barley bran, and putting a cover on the jar that fits tight, and smearing it all over, they burn it in a furnace for five days and nights without intermission. On the sixth day, they cool the vessel, and take out the gold, which they find somewhat diminished in quantity: all the other substances entirely disappear. These mines were worked under the ancient kings of Egypt, but abandoned during the occupation of the country by the Ethiopians, and afterwards by the Medes and Persians. Even at the present Jay, (about B.c. 150,) we may find copper chisels or implenents in the galleries, (the use of iron not being known at that time,)* and innumerable skeletons of the wretched beings who lost their lives in the passages of the mine. The excavations are of great extent, and reach down to the sea coast." This process appears to be represented in the paintings of tombs executed during the reign of Osirtasen, and some of the ancient Pharaohs. We are not informed when they were first discovered, but we may suppose that the mines were worked at the earliest periods of the Egyptian monarchy. The total of their annual produce is said by Hecatæus to have been recorded in a temple founded by a monarch of the 18th dynasty. He also notices an immense sum produced annually from the silver mines of Egypt, which amounted to 3,200 myriads of minæ, each of which was 1 lb. 4 oz. 6 dwt. English weight. In a sculpture of Thebes, also, Osymandas is represented dedicating to the deity the gold and silver he annually received from the mines through * This author must, therefore, mean copper in the early part of this extract, though he uses a word properly rendered iron. VOL. L out Egypt, which in silver alone amounted to this enormous sum. Besides these mines, there were others of copper, lead, iron, and emeralds, all of which were valuable. These mines still exist in the deserts of the Red Sea. The same districts also abound in sulphur, which was most probably made use of by the ancient Egyptians. CHAPTER II. TOPOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF EGYPT. In ancient times, Egypt comprehended a great number of Herodotus relates, indeed, that under Amasis, who lived about 570 years B. c., there were 20,000 inhabited cities in that country. Diodorus, however, with more judgment and caution, calculates 18,000 large villages and towns; and states that, under Ptolemy Lagus, they amounted to upwards of 30,000, a number which remained even at the period when he wrote, about 44 years B.C., when the population of Egypt was reduced from seventeen to thirteen millions of inhabitants. According to Theocritus, the number of towns, at an earlier period, was 33,339; he may here, however, include some of the neighbouring provinces belonging to Egypt, as he comprehends Ethiopia, Libya, Syria, Arabia, Pamphylia, Cilicia, Caria, and Lycia, within the dominions of Ptolemy Philadelphus. Other authors may also occasionally have extended the name of Egypt to its possessions in Libya, Ethiopia, and Syria; since, making every allowance for the flourishing condition of this highly fertile country, the number of towns they mention is too disproportionate for the sole valley of Egypt. Our knowledge of the more ancient cities of Egypt is very limited, and that knowledge for the most part is preserved by existing remains. Among the most remarkable of these cities is NO, NO-AMMON, DIOSPOLIS, OR THEBES. Thebes was indeed the most ancient capital and renowned city of Egypt. It was probably built by the first settlers, Misraim and his family, whence Egypt is generally styled "the land of Misraim" in the original Scriptures, though usually rendered the land of Egypt. The origin of the city is certainly lost in the remote infancy of human settlements and institutions. The Egyptian name of the city was No, Ezek. xxx. 14; to which was added Amon, or Amoun, which was, according to Herodotus, a title of Jove among the Egyptians. This would suggest that the city denoted was the chief seat of the worship of Jupiter Ammon. And such was No; for the Septuagint renders it, Ezek. xxx. 15, by Diospolis, " The city of Jove," on account of its devotion to the worship of Jupiter. Dr. Hales says, that it has been mistakenly supposed that the term Amon, or Amoun, denotes Ham, the youngest son of Noah, and the father of Misraim; and he adds, that its real signification is "Truth," or "Veracity," whence the Lord is styled El Amunah, "God of truth," Deut. xxxii. 4. Plato says, that "the secret and invisible creative power supreme among the Egyptians was called Ammon;" and Plutarch, that the term signified "hidden." This was also an epithet of the true God: "Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?" Judg. xiii. 18; and it accords with the inscription on the temple of Neith, or "Wisdom," at Sais, in Lower Egypt, as recorded by Plutarch: I AM ALL THAT HATH BEEN, AND IS, AND WILL BE; MY OFFSPRING IS THE SUN. This may explain the ancient aphorism, " Truth lies hid in a well;" as primarily relating to the incomprehensible nature of the Supreme Being, "the only true God," John xvii. 3, who was styled by the Egyptians Scotos agnoston, meaning "darkness that cannot be pierced," and by the Athenians, Agnostos Theos, "THE UNKNOWN GOD." See Acts xvii. 23. The Grecian name of this city, Thebes, was probably derived from Thebeh, "an ark," like Noah's, the memory of which would naturally be preserved by the first settlers after the deluge in all parts of the earth. Bruce, indeed, observes, that "the figure of the temples in Thebes do not seem to be far removed from the idea given us of the ark." Thebes was the metropolis of the country of Egypt; far eclipsing the metropolitan cities which arose in Middle and Lower Egypt. It was venerated by the ancient Egyptians as the parent city, the seat of sacred mysteries, and of learning and the arts. Long after Memphis had become the political metropolis of the united kingdom, and from its more advan tageous situation for trade had diverted from Thebes the wealth it derived from commerce, it survived in splendour and magnificence. Even at the present day, it has been said, while Zoph, and Zoan, and On, have scarcely left behind a vestige of their existence, the desolate temples of Thebes remain in almost all their pristine glory, and promise to carry down the records of her glory and desolation to the end of time. The poet Homer, in his immortal verse, speaks of the great wealth of Thebes, and mentions its hundred gates, from each of which issued 200 men with horses and chariots, etc. This poetical allusion has been taken by some for history. Diodorus, however, intimates that the force was not raised in the vicinity of Thebes; and with reference to the hundred gates, he states the conjecture of some persons that the city derived its title of Hecatompylos from the numerous propyla, or gateways of temples and public buildings. The notion of its having gates is strongly objected to by some travellers, inasmuch as not the least indication can be discovered that the city was enclosed by a wall. Concerning the buildings of the city we have no detailed description from ancient sources, but only of the public monuments. It is probable, however, that in this and other ancient cities of Egypt, while the temples were erected with such strong materials as would resist very long the power of time, the mass of private dwellings were of a very lowly character, such as mud or brick. When we speak, indeed, of the splendour of ancient cities, we must understand it exclusively of its public buildings and monuments, and not of handsome streets and comfortable habitations, which a modern city exhibits. But we not only learn from profane history that Thebes was one of the most powerful cities in days of yore; Scripture bears testimony to the same fact. There is a striking passage in Nahum iii. 8-10, wherein there is an implied comparison between No, or Thebes, and Nineveth, with an apparent preference given to the former. The prophet interrogates Nineveh thus: "Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?" And then in the next verse he says, "Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite." How strong and great Thebes was, history and its existing monuments testify; and its population may be inferred from its be |