Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

CHAPTER AAVI.

ANTIQUITIES OF NUBIA.

Here Desolation keeps unbroken sabbath,

'Mid caves, and temples, palaces, and sepulchrea,
Ideal images in sculptured forms,

Thoughts hewn in columns, or in caverned hill,
In honor of their deities and of their dead.

JAMES MONTGOMERY.

WE rowed all day, and floated all night at the river's will, from the time we commenced our northern course. The reader by this time must be as tired of river scenery, palms, villages, and deserts, as, to say the truth, we began to be ourselves. I shall, therefore, only allude, as we pass, to the architectural marvels that fringe this unique river.

Towards evening, on the second day, after leaving Wady Halfa, we repassed the extraordinary group of pyramidal and other rocky mountains I have mentioned in ascending the river, and then arrived at the chief wonder of Nubia, if not of all the Valley of the Nile. The correct name of this rock-temple is Abou-Symbal; but it is so much more generally known as Ipsamboul, that I shall make use of that name; writing as I do for English, not for Arab readers.

After sailing for some hours through a country quite level on the eastern bank, we came upon a precipitous rocky mountain, which starts up so suddenly from the river's edge, that its very summits are reflected in the water. We moored under a sandbank, and, accompanied by half a dozen of the crew with torches, approached this isolated and stupendous rock. Yet, even here, the daring Genius of Ethiopian architecture ventured to enter into rivalry with Nature's greatness, and found her material in the very mountain that seemed to bid defiance to her efforts.

On the face of the vertical cliff, a recess is excavated, to the extent of about a hundred feet in width. From this, four gigantic figures stand out in very bold relief. Between the two central stony giants, a lofty doorway opens into a vast hall, supported by square pillars, each the size of a tower, and covered with hieroglyphics: just enough painting still glimmers faintly on these columns to show that they were formerly covered with it; and the walls are carved into historic figures in slight relief; these, as our torches threw an uncertain glare over them, seemed to move, and become instinct with life.

This temple was dedicated to Athor, the lady of Aboccis (the ancient name of Ipsamboul); who is represented within under the form of the Sacred Cow. This was, however, a mere “ chapel of ease" to the great temple, excavated from a loftier rock about fifty yards distant. Between these two a deep gorge once ran to the river, but this is now choked up with sand, in whose burning waves we waded knee-deep to the Temple of Osiris.

Here, a space of about 100 feet in height is hewn from the mountain, smooth, except for the reliefs. Along the summit runs a frieze of little monkeys, in long array; as if the archi tect felt the absurdity of the whole business, or as Byron sometimes finishes off a sublime sentence with a scoff. Then succeeds a line of hieroglyphics, and some faintly carved figures, also in relief; and then four colossal giants that seem to guard the por tal. They are seated on thrones (which form with themselves part of the living rock), and are about sixty feet high. One is quite perfect, admirably cut, and the proportions accurately preserved; the second is defaced as far as the knee; the third is buried in sand to the waist, and the fourth has only the face and neck visible above the desert's sandy avalanche. The doorway stands between the two central statues, and is surmounted by a statue of Isis wearing the moon as a turban.

On entering, the traveller finds himself in a temple which a few days' work might restore to the state in which it was left just finished, 3,000 years ago. The dry climate and its extreme solitude have preserved its most delicate details from injury; besides which, it was hermetically sealed by the desert for thou

sands of years, until Burckhardt discovered it, and Mr. Hay cleared away its protecting sands.

A vast and gloomy hall, such as Eblis might have given Vathek audience in, receives you on passing from the flaming sunshine into that shadowy portal. It is some time before the eye can ascertain its dimensions through the imposing gloom : but gradually there reveals itself, around and above you, a vast aisle, with pillars formed of eight colossal giants, upon whom the light of heaven has never shone. These images of Osiris are backed by enormous pillars, behind which run two great galleries, and in these torchlight alone enabled us to peruse a series of sculptures in relief, representing the triumphs of Rameses the Second, or Sesostris. The painting, which once enhanced the effect of these spirited representations, is not dimmed, but crumbled away; where it exists, the colors are as vivid as

ever.

This unequalled hall is one hundred feet in length; and eight lesser chambers, all sculptured, open from it to the right and left. Straight on is a low door-way, opening into a second hall of similar height, supported by four square pillars, and within all, is the adytum, in which is a simple altar of the living rock, behind which there are four large figures seated on rocky thrones. This inner shrine is hewn at least one hundred yards into the rock; and here, in the silent depths of that great mountain, these awful Idols, and their mysterious altar of human sacrifice, had a very solemn and imposing effect. The statues. seemed to sit there waiting for some great summons which should reanimate them, and Isaiah's apostrophe to Belshazzar came vividly upon my mind, as I gazed on these "kings of the earth who lie in glory, every one in his own house."

We wandered through many chambers, in which the air is so calm and undisturbed, that the very smell of the torches of the last explorers of these caverns was perceptible.

After leaving Ipsamboul, we crossed over to a cavern in the opposite cliff, where is also hewn a rock-temple, called Gebal Adha, which was used in later times as a Christian church. It was a curious sight to see images of our Saviour and the Virgin blazoned in glowing colors on these walls and roofs, surrounded

by trophies and memorials of the idols whose worship they had swept away. Steps also hewn in the rock, descended to a certain distance towards the river, and then suddenly ceased; a convincing proof, among many others, that the level of the waters was much higher (even so lately as the christening of this temple) than at present. Besides, where now could dwell the worshippers for those temples, or the believers for that church? Not, surely, in the interminable desert wastes that alone encompass them in our times.

The temples at Ipsamboul both date from the time of Rameses the Second: his history is deeply indebted to the stony chronicles in which the chisel wrote them here. The deities of the cataracts, Kneph, Saté, and Anouké, are represented also, besides almost all the é'ite of the Theban deities. There is also here a curious Greek inscription, commemorative of the desertion of the Carians and Ionians of Psammitichus, who, thinking themselves neglected by the Egyptian "Horse-guards," deserted and emigrated into Ethiopia.

From these temples we dropped down the river, reading the Prophecies by the light alone of a most brilliant moon. We shot some dangerous rapids formed by a reef of rocks, called Tosko; then passed the castle of Ibreem, which Candace defended from Petronius, the lieutenant of Julius Cæsar; and which Sultan Selim also used as a garrison to keep the Nubians in check.

The next morning we moored at Dirr, the chief town of Nubia, and went ashore to visit the king, as Mahmoud called Hassan Kiashef. It is a town of mud-houses, rather better built than any we had previously seen, scattered among gardens of herbs, melons, cucumbers, &c., and every dwelling sheltered by its own palms. Crowds of children collected round us, and accompa nied our progress through the mud metropolis: all the women, too, ran to their doors to gaze at the white strangers, who, by the bye, deserved the epithet by this time as little as the Dirrians themselves. Mahmoud was very eloquent in his description of a celebrated beauty, who, he declared, was as fair as any English lady! We were anxious to compare our impressions with his upon the subject, and we lurked among the trees while

he went up to her door, and tapped gently. She came out, rejoiced to see an old acquaintance, and exhibited a countenance, pretty, no doubt, but, until our own island-beauties become the color of a faded lemon, and their noses swell, they need not fear rivalry from those of Dirr. We had not much time to observe her, though she seemed by no means coy; for her mother, on discovering us, screamed out an execration, and, dragging her into the house, slapped the door in our faces.

We continued our progress to the palace, which was a mud building of immense extent, including many courts and stables. In front was an open space, shadowed by a noble sycamore; some travellers reclined under its shade on carpets, with two or three camels standing near. His sable majesty had been transacting some business with the Turkish governor, and we now saw him returning to the palace, attended by half-a-dozen other very old men, all dressed in green or blue robes, and wearing very large, white turbans; this dress, together with their long, grey beards, gave the procession an imposing appearance; and it was not without some real reverence we made our salutation, which was very condescendingly returned. Our Nubian pilot. ran up, and, seizing the passive hand of his sovereign, pressed it to his lips, and then placed it on his head. The poor old chief walked very erect, but listlessly; and his countenance wore an expression of long suffering and sorrow. He courteously motioned us to follow, and led the way through several enclosures to a hall of audience, that resembled, in most respects, a barn. It was a large, dreary-looking room, with two window-(places). The only furniture consisted of a divan, covered with an old carpet, a few mats spread upon the floor, and a little shelf of unpainted wood, on which lay a rusty brace of pistols, a rude hammer, and some nothings. A few very primitive-looking swords, spears, and shields, were the only attempts at ornament.

Cheerless as was the aspect of the apartment, it seemed to suit the condition of the king, whose desolate and state-fallen condition accorded too faithfully with that of his dreary and forlorn kingdom. His sons were all away, scattered over various parts of their father's desert realms; he had recently dismissed all his wives from his hareem, and his care-worn old heart knew

« НазадПродовжити »