In the middle of the Nile they met islands which had risen from the water as it were yesterday, but were covered with rich vegetation today and were occupied by birds in countless numbers. When the noisy retinue of the pharaoh sailed near, the frightened birds flew up and, circling above the boats, joined their cries with the mighty sound of people. Above this all hung a transparent sky and light so full of life that in the flood of it the black earth assumed a brightness, and the stones rainbow colors.
Time passed, therefore, pleasantly for the pharaoh. At first the incessant cries irritated him somewhat, but later he grew so, accustomed that he turned no attention to them. He was able to read documents, take counsel, and even sleep.
From a hundred and fifty to two hundred miles above Fayum on the left bank of the Nile is Siut, where Ramses XIII took a rest of two days. He was even obliged to halt there, for the mummy of the late pharaoh was still in Abydos, where they were making solemn prayers at the grave of Osiris.
Siut was one of the richest parts of Upper Egypt. At that place were made the famous vessels of white and black clay, and there they wove linen. It was also the chief market-place to which people brought goods from the oases scattered throughout the desert. There besides was the famous temple of the jackal-headed god, Anubis.
On the second day of his stay in that place the priest Pentuer appeared before Ramses. He was the chief of that commission sent to investigate the condition of the people.
"Hast Thou news?" inquired the sovereign.
"I have this, O holiness, that all the country blesses thee. All with whom I speak are full of hope, and say, 'His reign will be a new life for Egypt.'."
"I wish," replied Ramses, "my subjects to be happy; I wish the toiling man to rest; I wish that Egypt might have eight millions of people as aforetime and win back that land seized from it by the desert; I wish the laborer to rest one day in seven and each man who digs the earth to have some little part of it."
Pentuer fell on his face before the kindly sovereign.
"Rise," said Ramses. "But I have had hours of grievous sadness: I see the suffering of my people; I wish to raise them, but the treasury is empty. Thou thyself knowest best that without some tens of thousands of talents I cannot venture on such changes. But now I am at rest; I can get the needed treasure from the labyrinth."