THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN " among the Nine Tribes who fight with the bow. The chiefs " of all the deserts and mountains in the south are gathered " together within thy grasp. I have stretched out my arms wide, " and I have bound in fetters and made prisoners for thee the " Hill-men (Anti) of Kenset by ten thousand times ten thousand, " and have led captive the dwellers in the north by hundreds of ** thousands." Thothmes III. reigned fifty-four years, but during the last few years of his hfe Amen-hetep II., his son by Hfitshepset, the daughter of the great queen of that name, was associated with him in the rule of the kingdom.

Soon after Amen-hetep II. succeeded to the throne some of the tribes and peoples of Western Asia revolted, and, as usual, refused to pay tribute. The king promptly set out for Syria, and, marching through the country, reduced the natives to submission ; he visited the city of Ni, which was either near or on the Euphrates, and its inhabitants appear to have, welcomed him gladly. The disaffection seems to have originated in the country of Thakhisa,' which was probably situated to the north of Kadesh, for he slew seven of its kings and brought their bodies to Egypt. We read of Amen-hetep II. attacking the natives with such fury that his own troops declared he was as terrible as Set, when the god was in a fierce rage, but when the spoil which he gained after the fight was told, it is found to consist of twelve bows, a quiver full of arrows, and its leather straps. Thus the fight proves to have been an attack on a passing caravan ! A few cities undoubtedly rebelled against the authority of Amenhetep II., and the whole country would probably have done the same, only the people had not had time since the death of Thothmes III. to prepare an organized resistance.

The expedition to Syria probably took place in the first or second year of the king's reign, for the stele at 'Amada, which gives a description of some of the events which happened in the country of Thakhisa, was set up in the third year. His dealings with Nubia are illustrated with tolerable completeness by the building operations which he carried out in that country. His name is found on the Island of Bigga, or Senmut, as it is called ]1 w 598