THE FERRY AT OLD CAIRO.
Before the construction of the bridge over the Nile the principal crossing of the river was by the ferry at Old Cairo. At present it is not so much in use; but there is yet a considerable business transacted there, and the stranger will generally find a crowd of men and camels waiting to be taken to the other side.
The evening previous to the visit to the museum at Boulak was devoted to a study of the history of ancient Egypt, so that the youths would have an understanding of the interesting collection of antiquities in that establishment. At the Doctor's suggestion Frank and Fred wrote a brief account of what they had learned, and placed it on the pages of their journal. Here is what they prepared:
THE DRESS OF AN EGYPTIAN KING. FORM OF CROWN AND APRONS.
"The history of ancient Egypt is full of interest, and has been a subject of a great deal of study by many learned writers. Herodotus, who has been called 'the father of history,' and flourished in the fifth century before the Christian era, was the first of these writers, and some of the discoveries of the present time have been based on his records. Another Greek writer, Manetho, lived two centuries later than Herodotus, but, unfortunately, the greater part of his works have not come down to us. A large part of the history of ancient Egypt has been obtained from the inscriptions on the walls of the temples and tombs, and from the writings upon papyrus scrolls, and the linen in which mummies were rolled. In modern times there have been many explorers and writers who have devoted years of study to the subject, and consequently we know more of ancient Egypt than of any other country of antiquity. If you wish to know more than we can tell you now about the people that lived here four thousand years ago, we refer you to the works of Wilkinson, Poole, Mariette, Lepsius, Belzoni, Bunsen, Brugsch, and many others. There are books enough on Egypt to keep you busy a whole year, and perhaps two years, just to read them through. We are reading 'The Ancient Egyptians,' by Sir Gardner Wilkinson, and find it very interesting.