Reyhan the Arab held his breath
  While this vision of life and death
    Passed above him.  “Allahu!”
  Cried he.  “In all Koordistan
  Lives there not so brave a man
    As this Robber Kurroglou!”

* * * * *

Directions for Reading.—­Let pupils point out where changes in tone of voice occur in reading this lesson.

What lines in the last two stanzas are to be joined in reading?

Keep the lungs sufficiently full of air to avoid stopping to breathe at such places as would injure the sense.

* * * * *

Language Lesson.—­Let pupils select a subject, and then make out an analysis to use in treating it.

* * * * *

LESSON LXXVI

mu se’um, a place where curiosities are exhibited.

ban’daged, bound with strips of cloth.

dy’nas ties, governments; families of kings.

ex plored’, searched; examined.

pop’u lat ed, peopled; filled with people.

gen era’ tions, succession of families or peoples.

e rect’ed, raised; built.

cal’cu lat ed, estimated.

flour’ished, prospered; thrived.

* * * * *

EGYPT AND ITS RUINS.

PART I.

Egypt embraces that part of Africa occupied by the valley of the River Nile.  For many centuries, it was a thickly populated country, and at one time possessed great influence and wealth, and had reached an advanced state of civilization.

The history of Egypt extends through a period of about six thousand years.  During this time great cities were built which flourished for hundreds of years.

Owing to wars and changes of government many of these cities were destroyed, and nothing of them now remains but massive and extensive ruins.

Pyramids were built, obelisks erected, canals projected, and many other vast enterprises were carried out.

Remains of these are to be seen to-day, some in ruins, some fairly preserved, and, altogether, they give present generations an idea of the wealth and power of the different dynasties under which they were built.

[Illustration]

Not far from Cairo, which is now the principal city of Egypt, are the famous pyramids.  These are of such immense proportions, that from a distance their tops seem to reach the clouds.

They are constructed of blocks of stone.  Some of these blocks are of great size, and how the builders ever put them into their places, is a question we can not answer.

It is supposed that the construction of one of these pyramids required more than twenty years’ labor from thousands of men.