this is a room thirty feet square, on three sides of which is a projection which forms a kind of table. There are also two side chambers, eight or ten feet square, and seven high. In the different rooms are a number of insulated pilasters. All the walls of the rooms, and of the passages, are covered with hieroglyphics of the finest kind, not, like most hieroglyphics, in intaglio but in alto relievo. In one place are portrayed priests dressed in white, handling serpents; in another, persons offering sacrifices; in a third, a company of prisoners; in a fourth, dead bodies, &c. All these apartments are cut out of the solid rock. How much labor to prepare a tomb for one man.

Mr. Fisk visited other tombs which he also describes. He was informed that twenty-six or twenty-seven of the tombs of the kings are now open. It is stated on the authority of Strabo, "that it was commonly reported, that there had been forty of these monuments, and that the Thebean priests gave an account of thirty-seven.' He visited the temple of Memnon and of Isis.

"Thence we went to two collossal statues of Memnon. They are not very far from the temple of Memnon, and are in the sitting posture, with their faces to the east, and both of the same size. The south statue is of one stone, and almost entire. The other had been broken, (it is said by Cambyses,) and has since been repaired. The upper part is built of stones of a different kind from the original. On the legs and feet of this are a number of inscriptions, several of which are published by Hamilton. They relate to the sound which this statue is said to have uttered at sun-rise. Rollin quotes Strabo as saying, that there was at Thebes a statue of Memnon, which uttered a sound when the beams of the rising sun shone upon it. The size of these statues is enormous. We stood on the pedestal, and measured twelve feet on the leg, and still wanted consid

erable of reaching the knee. Hamilton says, 'The height of the leg and foot is eighteen feet five inches, and the length of the little finger, four feet five inches.' The name of Memnon is connected with a temple, a tomb, and several statues at Thebes; but who this Memnon was, or where he lived, it is not easy to ascertain. From these statues we returned to our boat at Luxor in the evening.

"We have now taken a glance at what remains of one of the most ancient, and one of the most magnificent cities of the world, which is said to have had one hundred gates, and to have been able to send out ten thousand soldiers from each gate. Her proud monarchs, and their abject slaves, now sleep in the dust, and their spirits receive their just reward from Him who is no respecter of persons.

"5. Between nine and ten A. M. we took our leave of these immense and magnificent ruins, and set our faces again toward Cairo, highly gratified in having seen, though but hastily and imperfectly, these interesting antiquities; but still more highly gratified in having been permitted, to supply so many nominal Christians, in this land of darkness, with the invaluable Word of God.-We had no wind, but floated along with the current. About 5 P. M. passed Negadeh.

"6. About nine A. M. we arrived at Kene, on the east bank. Went into the town with books for Mallem Boulus, (Paul,) who is mentioned in Mr. Jowett's Researches. Mallem is a title much used among the Copts. Its import is learned, or a teacher. Many of the Coptic mallems are clerks and writers. for government. Mallem Boulus was with the mus selim. A man was sent to inform him of our arrival, and he immediately came to see us. We showed him the patriarch's letter, and then our books. He looked at the books, kissed them, purchased several, and assisted us in selling others. He is the chief man among the Copts, richly dressed, and quite ins

telligent. He says there are 1500 houses in Kene, of which 150 are Coptic. They have no church or priest, but go to church at Goos, three or four hours off, where are also many Copts.

"A mallem who teaches a school of thirty boys came in. To him we gave five copies of Genesis, to be given as premiums to such of his pupils as should make most rapid progress in their studies. Iscarus, a learned mallem, also called on us; and afterward accompanied us to our boat. He knows Turkish, Arabic, and Coptic. In the course of four hours we sold thirty-one books, and gave away seven, beside Tracts.

"Great numbers of Mussulman pilgrims pass through this place, on their way to Mecca. Their defiling influence on the people is very manifest. We have no where seen so many Mussulman women unveiled, or so bold and shameless as here. The place seems a perfect brothel.

"We left Kene, about one P. M., and in an hour after, moored on the west bank opposite the temple of Denderah, the Tentiva of the Romans. The modern village is near the Nile; the temple a half hour's ride from it. We found this temple in a better state of preservation than any we had seen.

"It was from this temple that a Frenchman, about three years since, took away the Zodiac, which has excited so much interest among the learned. The walls, as usual, are covered with hieroglyphics, the mystical characters of the ancient Egyptians. Could we read these characters, we should no doubt derive much information about the ancient history, mythology, and customs of the country. Whether this knowledge will ever be attained, remains to be seen. Efforts are making, and hopes of success are cherished. We returned to our boat at five o'clock, and floated down the Nile till late in the evening; when we moored for the night.

"7. The wind very strong against us, so as almost completely to counteract the course of the current. This enabled us easily to believe what before seemed improbable, that a north wind blowing when the Nile overflows, has a powerful effect to increase the inundations, and keep the water longer on the land. Toward evening we arrived at Dishne, a small village on the east. Here one man told us there are forty, another said thirty Coptic houses; and probably about as many Mussulmans. We saw a number of Copts, only three of whom could read; and those three all purchased books. They have neither a church, nor a priest in the village. Left Dishne about sun-set, and floated down the current during most of the night.

"8. At half past twelve we passed Haon, on the west, and a little below it we moored, the wind being contrary and very violent. Below us was a large boat, which had a cargo of negro slaves, carrying them down to Cairo; a sight, which could not fail to excite the most painful emotions in our breasts. A little before three P. M. we left our boat and walked to Bageoura, an inland town. Here are several learned mallems, a roumus, several priests, a church and nunnery with two or three We have seldom heard of a nunnery among the Copts. There is usually a convent connected with every church, but it is the dwelling of the priests, whether married or unmarried. Many of the priests are married, and we are told the people are best pleased when this is the case.

nuns.

"10. We awoke in sight of the high minarets of Girge. Went first to pay our respects to the bishop, and were conducted to his house through a narrow dark avenue. He was asleep, but the roumus received us very kindly. The apartments were entirely without furniture, except a mat of reeds spread on the floor, on which we sat; but they were cleaner than the rooms, in which we have usually been re

For

ceived by the Coptic clergy. After waiting a while, the bishop awoke, and we were invited into his presence. He was in feeble health, as might be expected from his age, which is ninety years. thirty one years he has been bishop of this diocese. The roumus told us, that there were in Egypt twelve bishoprics, two east of the Nile, and ten west of it. The whole number of Coptic priests we estimated at two hundred and thirty, or two hundred and forty, but others, we presume with good reason, set it much higher. The reason he assigns, why the number of bishoprics is so small, is the poverty and tribulation which the Christians are now in. They are indeed in bondage. We dined with the roumus on boiled eggs, bread, and honey."

Mr. F. and his companion went ashore on the 12th and ascended a mountain, for the purpose of surveying a grotto. It is described as having been excavated in a solid rock, and still showing marks of the chisel. There were two doors fifteen feet wide and eighteen or twenty feet high. The apartment was about a hundred feet by seventy-five feet. In front of the doors on the inside two large columns were standing, which were attached to the original rock, and inscribed with hieroglyphics. The mountain over the grotto was solid rock rising a hundred feet nearly perpendicular.

"Sitting down in one of the windows, we cast our eyes over one of the most enchanting scenes in nature. From an elevation of two hundred feet, we looked down on the Nile meandering through the plains that are enriched and fertilized by its waters; while these plains present to the eye a variety and richness of vegetation seldom seen. Flocks were grazing in every direction; numerous small villages, surrounded by groves of palm trees, increased the variety and beauty of the scenery; while, on the opposite side of the river, rose the barren hills that skirt the Lybian desert. It would have been a de