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which have been learnt； beyond all question from our beneficent
contact。
Assouan possesses also its little Oriental bazaara little
improvised； a little new perhaps； but then one； at least； was needed；
and that as quickly as possible； in order that nothing might be
wanting to the tourists。
The shopkeepers have contrived to provision themselves （in the leading
shops； under the arcades of the Rue de Rivoli） with as much tact as
good taste； and the Cook ladies have the innocent illusion of making
bargains every day。 One may even buy there； hung up by the tail；
stuffed with straw and looking extremely real； the last crocodiles of
Egypt； which； particularly at the end of the season； may be had at
very advantageous prices。
Even the old Nile has allowed itself to be fretted and brought up to
date in the progress of evolution。
First； the women； draped in black veils； who come daily to draw the
precious water； have forsaken the fragile amphorae of baked earth；
which had come to them from barbarous timesand which the
Orientalists grossly abused in their picture； and in their stead have
taken to old tin oil…cans； placed at their disposal by the kindness of
the big hotels。 But they carry them in the same easy graceful manner
as erstwhile the discarded pottery； and without losing in the least
the gracious tanagrine outline。
And then there are the great tourist boats of the Agencies； which are
here in abundance； for Assouan has the privilege of being the terminus
of the line； and their whistlings； their revolving motors； their
electric dynamos maintain from morning till night a captivating
symphony。 It might be urged perhaps against these structures that they
resemble a little the washhouses on the Seine； but the Agencies；
desirous of restoring to them a certain local colour； have given them
names so notoriously Egyptian that one is reduced to silence。 They are
called Sesostris； Amenophis or Ramses the Great。
And finally there are the rowing boats； which carry passengers
incessantly backwards and forwards between the river…banks。 So long as
the season remains at its height they are bedecked with a number of
little flags of red cotton…cloth； or even of simple paper。 The rowers；
moreover； have been instructed to sing all the time the native songs
which are accompanied by a derboucca player seated in the prow。 Nay；
they have even learnt to utter that rousing； stimulating cry which
Anglo…Saxons use to express their enthusiasm or their joy： 〃Hip！ Hip！
Hurrah！〃 and you cannot conceive how well it sounds； coming between
the Arab songs； which otherwise might be apt to grow monotonous。
*****
But the triumph of Assouan is its desert。 It begins at once without
transition as soon as you pass the close…cropped turf of the last
square。 A desert which； except for the railroad and the telegraph
poles； has all the charm of the real thing： the sand； the chaos of
overthrown stones； the empty horizonseverything； in short； save the
immensity and infinite solitude； the horror； in a word which formerly
made it so little desirable。 It is a little astonishing； it must be
owned； to find； on arriving there； that the rocks have been carefully
numbered in white paint； and in some cases marked with a large cross
〃which catches the eye from a greater distance still〃（sic）。 But I
agree that the effect of the whole has lost nothing。
In the morning before the sun gets too hot； between breakfast and
luncheon to be precise； all the good ladies in cork helmets and blue
spectacles （dark…coloured spectacles are recommended on account of the
glare） spread themselves over these solitudes； domesticated as it were
to their use； with as much security as in Trafalgar Square or
Kensington Gardens。 Not seldom even you may see one of them making her
way alone； book in hand； towards one of the picturesque rocksNo。
363； for example； or No。 364； if you like it betterwhich seems to be
making signs to her with its white ticket； in a manner which； to the
uninitiated observer； might seem even a little improper。
But what a sense of safety families may feel here； to be sure！ In
spite of the huge numbers； which at first sight look a little
equivocal； nothing in the least degree reprehensible can happen among
these granites； which are； moreover； in a single piece； without the
least crack or hole into which the straggler could contrive to crawl。
No。 The figures and the crosses denote simple blocks of stones；
covered with hieroglyphics； and correspond to a chaste catalogue where
each Pharaonic inscription may be found translated in the most
becoming language。
This ingenious ticketing of the stones of the desert is due to the
initiative of an English Egyptologist。
CHAPTER XX
THE PASSING OF PHILAE
Leaving Assouanas soon as we have passed the last housewe come at
once upon the desert。 And now the night is falling； a cold February
night； under a strange； copper…coloured sky。
Incontestably it is the desert； with its chaos of granite and sand；
its warm tones and reddish colour。 But there are telegraph poles and
the lines of a railroad； which traverse it in company； and disappear
in the empty horizon。 And then too how paradoxical and ridiculous it
seems to be travelling here on full security and in a carriage！ （The
most commonplace of hackney…carriages； which I hired by the hour on
the quay of Assouan。） A desert indeed which preserves still its
aspects of reality； but has become domesticated and tamed for the use
of the tourists and the ladies。
First； immense cemeteries surrounded by sand at the beginning of these
quasi…solitudes。 Such old cemeteries of every epoch of history。 The
thousand little cupolas of saints of Islam are crumbling side by side
with the Christian obelisks of the first centuries； and； underneath；
the Pharaonic hypogea。 In the twilight； all these ruins of the dead；
all the scattered blocks of granite are mingled in mournful groupings；
outlined in fantastic silhouette against the pale copper of the sky；
broken arches； tilted domes； and rocks that rise up like tall
phantoms。
Farther on； when we have left behind this region of tombs； the
granites alone litter the expanse of sand； granites to which the usury
of centuries has given the form of huge round beasts。 In places they
have been thrown one upon the other and make great heaps of monsters。
Elsewhere they lie alone among the sands； as if lost in the midst of
the infinitude of some dead sea…shore。 The rails and the telegraph
poles have disappeared； by the magic of twilight everything is become
grand again； beneath one of those evening skies of Egypt which； in
winter； resemble cold cupolas of metal。 And now it is that you feel
yourself verily on the threshold of the profound desolations of
Arabia； from which no barrier； after all separates you。 Were it not
for the lack of verisimilitude in the carriage that has brought us
hither； we should be ab