because the Egyptians are pleased with ascribing their most remarkable works to that great man, or because there is really such a tradition in the country. This is a proof, at least, that the work in question is very ancient; and it is certainly worthy the magnificence of the most powerful kings of Egypt. This well has, as it were, two stories, cut out of the rock to a prodigious depth. One descends to the reservoir of water, between the two wells, by a stair-case seven or eight feet broad, consisting of 220 steps, and so contrived that the oxen employed to throw up the water go down with all imaginable ease, the descent being scarce perceptible. The well is supplied from a spring, which is almost the only one in the whole country.—[Rollin.]
Nomes was the city of Sais, the residence of the celebrated King Amasis. This city was ornamented with magnificent buildings, temples and monuments, by order of Amasis; but this sovereign was ambitious of erecting a monument of an unique character, far surpassing in grandeur of conception and execution anything which had yet been done. He therefore caused a Monolith of colossal size, a Temple carved out of a single block of stone, to be constructed and placed in the city. This Monolith was wrought at Sienna, at the celebrated quarries where the beautiful and compact Sienite granite was found, at the distance of several hundred miles above Canopus. This temple, formed from the solid rock, was 21 cubits in length, 14 in breadth, and 8 in height—and the Egyptian cubit was supposed to be about four English feet. This enormous mass of stone was conveyed to the capital of Amasis by the waters of the Nile, and employed 2000 men for three years. Mr. Buckingham supposed that by mechanical powers it was first conveyed to the edge of the river, and then placed on an enormous raft, and when the inundation, or annual tide of the Nile took place, it was floated a certain distance, until the river subsided, when the raft grounded, and remained immovable till the next inundation. Three years thus passed away before this wonderful Monolith was conveyed to the city of Sais. This was one of the most extraordinary among the antiquities of Egypt—and it must be evident that the Egyptians were possessed of
