ARRIVAL AT THEBES. 118 CHAPTER IX.

THEBES THE WESTERN BANK.

Arriral at Thebes— Ground-Plan of the Remains— "We Cross to the Western Bank-Guides— The Temple of Goorneh— Valley of the Kings' Tombs— Belzoni's Tomb— The Races of Men — Vandalism of Antiquarians — Brace's Tomb — Memnon — The Grandfather of Sesostris — The Head of Amunoph — The Colossi of the Plain — Memnonian Music — The Statue of Remeses — The Memnonium — Beauty of Egyptian Art — More Scrambles among the Tombs — The Bats of the Assasseef— Medeenet Abou— Sculpturod Histories— The Great Court of the Temple— We return to Luxor.

On the following evening, about nine o'clock, as my friend and I were taking our customary evening pipe in the cabin, our vessel suddenly stopped. The wind was still blowing, and I called to Achmet to know what was the matter. " We have reached Luxor," answered the Theban. We dropped the shebooks, dashed out, up the bank, and saw, facing us in the brilliant moonlight, the grand colonnade of the temple, the solid wedges of the pylon, and the brother-obelisk of that which stands in the Place de la Concorde, in Paris. The wide plain of Thebes stretched away on either hand, and the beautiful outlines of the three mountain ranges which inclose it, rose in the distance against the stars. We looked on the landscape a few moments, in silence. " Come," said my friend, at length, " this is enough for to-night. Let us not be too