THE TEMPLE OF HERMONTIS. 145 CHAPTEK XI.

FROM THEBES TO THE NUBIAN FRONTIER.

The Temple of Hermontis — Esneh and its Temple — The Governor — El Kab by Torchlight— The Temple of Edfon — The Quarries of Djebel Silsileh — Ombos— Approach to Nubia — Change in the Scenery and Inhabitants — A Mirage— Arrival at Assouan.

Our journey from Thebes to Assouan occupied six days, including a halt of twenty-four hours at Esneh. "We left Luxor on the night of December Sth, but the westward curve of the Nile brought us in opposition with the wind, and the next day at noon we had only reached Erment, the ancient Hermontis, in sight of the three peaks of the Theban hills. We left our men to tug the boat along shore, and wandered off to the mounds of the old city, still graced with a small temple, or lying-in house of tho goddess Reto, who is here represented as giving birth to the god Hor-pire. The sculptures in the dark chambers, now used as stalls for asses, were evidently intended only for the priesthood of the temple, and are not repeated, as are those of other temples, in the halls open to the public.

Notwithstanding the great license which the Egyptian faith assumed, its symbols are, in general, scrupulously guarded from all low and unworthy forms of representation.

The group of pillars in tho outer court charmed us by the