TRAVELS OF CAILLIAUD Dates, of course, grow in great abundance, but their production entails very little labour upon the natives, and as a large export trade in them has always existed, the traveller can obtain as many as he pleases.

At Soleb or Sulb, M. Cailliaud stayed three days, which he spent in making plans of the famous Egyptian temple, and in drawing up a description of it. He notes that his sleep was broken by the cries of a hippopotamus, and those of the natives who drove him away from their crops. On January 19th, 182 1, MM. Cailliaud and Letorzec visited the Island of Arko, which is famous for the two colossal statues that date from the period of the early Nubian kingdom ; and on the 31st they arrived at Dongola. For reasons which need not be given here, Cailliaud left the exploration of the pyramids of Gebel Barkal for his return journey, and passed on to examine those of Nuri ; a difficult and fatiguing journey brought him to Berber, and soon after he arrived at the site of the ancient capital of the Island of Meroe, where he found the ruins of large temples, and several groups of pyramids. The name given to pyramids in the Sudan is tarabil, the supposed singular form being tarbiU} Cailliaud's joy was great when he first saw the pyramids in the distance, and when he came near them he ran up to the top of a hill, so that he might obtain a complete view of them at a glance. His next care was to ascend the largest of them, and on it, " As a humble tribute of homage to the illus-" trious geographer whose intelligence had guided his steps," he cut on one of the stones the name of d'Anville. This done, he decided to take up his abode in the neighbouring village of As-sTir, and whilst there he spent his days in measuring the pyramids, and in drawing plans, and in describing the shrines. M.

Letorzec meanwhile devoted himself to practising medicine on the natives with extremely good effect. From Kabushia Cailliaud journeyed on to Shendi, from Shendi to Halfaya, and a few hours later he passed a "place called Omdurman," on the west bank of the Nile, where the Egyptian army had encamped near a wood filled with acacia trees. Continuing his route, he came to the junction of the White and Blue Niles, and it is interesting to note 1 Ji plural Jirfy. See Captain Amery, English-Arabic Vocabuhxry, Cairo, 1905, p. 282.

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