THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN of Christian churches have been found at many places between Sai and Merawi, and these suggest that the Coptic Church in the Northern Sudan was in a flourishing state for some centuries, and that the care of it was in the hands of properly appointed bishops and spiritual directors.

Three more hours of sailing brought us abreast of the southern end of the Island of Arnitti, and we landed to examine the antiquities which were said to exist there. We found, however, that some mistake had been made, for the ruins Were on the west bank of the Nile,' some distance to the north of this island. We therefore resumed our journey, and sailed on to that part of the bank which was nearest the. ruins, where we landed and set out to find them. The river bank was very steep, and the space between its top and the water's edge was a mass of sand, into which we sank up to the knees at every step. The ruins were about half a mile from the river, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of bright yellow sand, beautiful to look at, but very unpleasant to walk through. The *' antiquities " turned out to be the remains of a little stone temple, oriented to the east, which was built by Rameses II. We uncovered several inscribed slabs, and began to dig out a little chamber in the sanctuary, where we found a large limestone stele, covered with a copy of the bombastic " standard inscription " of Rameses II., similar to those which this king set up at Abu Simbel and elsewhere. Meanwhile the sun was setting, and we had made no arrangement about our sleeping-place ; we therefore went back to the boat, and sailed across to Amara. We found it extremely difficult to land, for the water was shallow near the east bank, and was strewn with boulders. At length we discovered a suitable place for landing to the south of the village, and were kindly received by the Omdah, or chief shekh, who placed his house at our disposal for the night.

The next morning we were able in the strong light to obtain a good view of the plain of Amara,* and to note that the cultivated land extended southwards for some miles, and that in some places the " strip of herbage " was two miles wide. The Omdah was ' See Cailliaud, Voyag-e, torn. i. p. 363 ; Burckhardt, Trave/s, p. 55 ; Hoskins, Travels, p. 263 ; and Lepsius, Letters p. 237.

466 i