THE K(. I i I [AN SIDAX attempt made by any European to give to the learned world an idea of the importance and extent of these ruins. His description and drawings of the small, well-preserved temple, the walls re ornamented with bas-reliefs after the manner of the large temples of Thebes, attracted well-merited attention, for no scholar or historian had the least idea that such irifcn I ; • Ij;.!'; iins were to be f*:und in the Eastern Desert so far fi lilliaud rightly deduced from the bas-reliefs It the rulers of the kingdom which existed in that try were women, and that they enjo' ' '•"n-•n did not possess in his day, either .

, . t or Their ornarnents and dress differed in many particulars iiuin those of Egyptian queens, and their physique proclaimed them to be not Egyptians; their heads were small, their Ixjdies heavy, and their hips and thighs massive. It seems clear that the natural steatopygy of the women of this region of Africa was developed by artificial means. The natives told Cailliaud.that other remains, similar to those of Nagaa, were to be found at a distance of two days' journey from "Nagaa, and that a journey of another day and a half would take him to a place called KIy, where a large surface of ground was covered with the remains of another ancient city. It was qui ' -' *'' •'• ••',' d on the site now called Nagaa was Nile into. Abyssinia and to port tat it was one of a series of cities at wluch caravans to and from Egypt and North Africa halted and were taxed.

Cailliaud found it impossible to follow up the hints which the natives gave him, for his supply of water was running short and he had yet to visit Masawwardt ; he therefore left Nagift as soon as possible, and set out for that place, which he reached in alvjut five and a half hours. When he entered the great valley of Maawwart, at the northern end of which are the ruins, he was struck with astonishment in approaching the vast ruins which I before his gaze. " I did not," he says, *' know in which diu . . .s .. 1 should *' at first turn my steps, for every part of the site attracted my ' attention equally. I set myself to wander from court to court, '* and from temple to temple, and from one chamber to the other, '' ascending and (}'"''»ii,linfr x\(\ passir" il.wm th.. r(,rti<L>,- -ind 48