Egypt is very deficient in timber land. Pharaoh obtained cedar from Lebanon and ebony from Ethiopia, as our Bible history tells us.
Space will not allow us to linger over either modern or ancient Egypt. The latter is more fascinating than the former. It will be interesting for us to take our Bibles and, looking over the Old Testament, acquaint ourselves with the stories of Moses, Joseph, Pharaoh, and other characters of the days of ancient history.
Did space permit, we might dwell upon the ancient occupations, as glass blowing and pottery, and upon the various implements connected with them. The bellows, siphons, chisels, presses, balances, levers, and harpoons would awaken our interest and curiosity, if we could but look into some museum of Egyptian relics.
The weapons of war, too,—the spears, clubs, maces, swords, daggers, bows, and hatchets,—would seem to us not only strange, but formidable. No less interesting would be the pictures of war boats, and the galleys used upon the Nile.
We might delight to run our fingers over the ancient harps, lyres, and guitars. The drums, flutes, cymbals, and tambourines would have fascinations for most of us, making us wish to test our musical ear.
There are many books, however, that can satisfy our curiosity over the lives of the ancient Egyptians, and we shall be fascinated by all we may find time to read.
CHAPTER VI.
THE RIVERS OF AFRICA.
For many years Africa was believed to be a land destitute of rivers in its interior sections. The explorations made by Dr. Livingstone proved to the world that what had been formerly termed the unexplored territory is not the barren, riverless region that imagination had pictured.