bestowed upon them, we have no means of knowing up to the present.  Elephantine and Syene have preserved for us nothing of their ancient edifices; but the tombs which they have left tell us their history.  They honeycomb in long lines the sides of the steep hill which looks down upon the whole extent of the left bank of the Nile opposite the narrow channel of the port of Aswan.  A rude flight of stone steps led from the bank to the level of the sepulchres.  The mummy having been carried slowly on the shoulders of the bearers to the platform, was deposited for a moment at the entrance cf the chapel.  The decoration of the latter was rather meagre, and was distinguished neither by the delicacy of its execution nor by the variety of the subjects.  More care was bestowed upon the exterior, and upon the walls on each side of the door, which could be seen from the river or from the streets of Elephantine.  An inscription borders the recess, and boasts to every visitor of the character of the occupant:  the portrait of the deceased, and sometimes that of his son, stand to the right and left:  the scenes devoted to the offerings come next, when an artist of sufficient skill could be found to engrave them.

[Illustration:  275.jpg THE MOUNTAIN OF ASWAN AND THE TOMBS OF THE PRINCES OF ELEPHANTINE]

Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph by Insinger.  The entrance to the tombs are halfway up; the long trench, cutting the side of the mountain obliquely, shelters the still existing steps which led to the tombs of Pharaonic times.  On the sky-line may be noted the ruins of several mosques and Coptic monasteries.

The expeditions of the lords of Elephantine, crowned as they frequently were with success, soon attracted the attention of the Pharaohs:  Metesouphis deigned to receive in person at the cataract the homage of the chiefs of Uauait and Iritit and of the Mazaiu during the early days of the fifth year of his reign.*

* The words used in the inscription, “The king himself went and returned, ascending the mountain to see what there was on the mountain,” prove that Metesouphis inspected the quarries in person.  Another inscription, discovered in 1893, gives the year V. as the date of his journey to Elephantine, and adds that he had negotiations with the heads of the four great Nubian races.

The most celebrated caravan guide at this time was Hirkhuf, own cousin to Mikhu, Prince of Elephantine.  He had entered upon office under the auspices of his father Iri, “the sole friend.”  A king whose name he does not mention, but who was perhaps Unas, more probably Papi I., despatched them both to the country of the Amamit.  The voyage occupied seven months, and was extraordinarily successful:  the sovereign, encouraged by this unexpected good fortune, resolved to send out a fresh expedition.  Hirkhuf had the sole command of it; he made his way through Iritit, explored the districts of Satir and