"Wait a moment and you'll see," replied the Doctor. "There's a boy making ready to launch one."
A Nubian urchin of ten or twelve years removed his very scanty clothing and made it into a bundle, which he placed on the top of his head; then he rolled one of the logs—a stick six feet long and ten inches in diameter—into the river and sprung in after it. Using the log as a float to support himself, he paddled away, and was soon on the island.
Other boys and men followed his example; but, instead of swimming to the island, they remained around the landing-place till the boat started, and then they accompanied it. The Doctor told the youths that when a native wishes to cross he makes a bundle of his clothing to tie on his head, and then swims over, leaving the log on the bank for his own or some other person's return. He takes the first log that comes in his way, and everybody does likewise. "You see," he continued, "how the logs serve as public ferry-boats."
PHARAOH'S BED AND THE RUINS OF THE TEMPLE.
"We crossed the river," said Frank in his journal, "in a kangia, or native boat, such as we have already described, and as the wind was favorable it was not long in making the passage. We landed just below the ruins of the temple, in what is called 'Pharaoh's bed,' but were unable to ascertain if any of the monarchs of that name ever slept there, and, if so, how late they slept. We thought the place a very pretty one, and Fred wished he could sit down and write some verses about it, as everything around seemed to favor such a performance. Doctor Bronson says the island of Philæ has been the theme of the poets for many centuries, and farthermore, that a great deal of poetical prose has been composed concerning it. On learning this Fred concluded that he could not improve on what had been done before him, and wisely desisted from the attempt.
"From the landing-place we went to the ruins of the temple, where we spent a couple of hours. The building seems to have been the work of several architects at different periods, as it is very irregular in shape, and the floors are not all on the same level. It is more modern than any of the temples we have yet seen, as none of the dates which have been found upon it are earlier than the thirtieth dynasty, or about 400 b.c. The propylon towers are sixty feet high, and there is a fine view from their top. We climbed up without difficulty, though in some places the steps are considerably broken. The solidity of the towers has preserved them from serious injury.
"The colors on the walls and towers are better preserved than in the other temples, and some of them are exceedingly beautiful. At the time the temple was built the lotos flower seems to have been very popular among the artists, as it was extensively used in the ornamentation, and for the tops of the pillars that supported the roof of the grand hall.