Identifier: upnilehomeagainh00fair (find matches)
Title: Up the Nile, and home again. A handbook for travellers and a travel-book for the library.
Year: 1862 (1860s)
Authors: Fairholt, F. W. (Frederick William), 1814-1866
Subjects:
Publisher: London, Chapman and Hall
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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he Sultan of Egypt. The dragonis merely a winged crocodile ; and it is somewhatcurious that at Mons, in Hainault, where a localknight, Gilles-de-Chin, is reported to have freed theland from a similar pest, the head of the dragon ispreserved, as proof positive of the tale ; which headis, in reality, the skull of a crocodile. The picturesque town of Mensheeh is about fourmiles further up, on the opposite or western bank;it is still more remarkable than Ekhmim for itspigeon-houses, giving the entire town the aspect ofa strong fortress. It occupies a commanding situa-tion on a high bank, with a long causeway partiallyon arches, leading towards it over the low lands,which are entirely submerged in the time of inunda-tion, and correspondingly fertile at all other seasonsof the year. The Nile has now washed away alltraces of the ancient stone quay, and encroachedupon the town itself—a fate reserved for many otherson the western bank, which, a century ago, were somedistance from the stream.
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SIOUT TO KENEH. 199 The river scenery is varied and beautiful betweenthis place and Girgeh, the next important tovrn wereach. At the commencement of the last century, itwas the capital of Upper Egypt; and the elaborationand costly character of manv of its buildings testifyto its pristine position. Xorden speaks of Girgeh asthe capital of the Turks in Upper Egypt; and thebounds of their dominions; for at that time theArabs were lawless masters in the upper country.Here was formerly one of the largest and mostopulent Eoman Catholic monasteries in Egypt; andof the most ancient foundation. It was the homeof a Coptic bishop; and the brethren of the propa-ganda had a hospital here, in which they maintainedthemselves by the practice of physic, which madethem necessary to the Turks, who, however, treatedthem with harshness and injustice. The monasterywas tenanted by more than two hundred monks. Itstill exists, but in a decayed condition. Plate XL depicts the aspect of this town from theriver;

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