nd also the gigantic artificial lake, Moeris, in the
province Fayum, celebrated for the beauty of its roses. Lower Egypt
looked like an arm of the sea thickly dotted with hills on which were
houses and gardens. Communication by land ceased altogether, and such a
multitude of boats circled around on the water boats white, yellow,
red, dark that they seemed like leaves in autumn. On the highest points
of land people had finished harvesting the peculiar cotton of the
country, and for the second time had cut clover and begun to gather in
olives and tamarinds.

On a certain day, while sailing along over inundated lands, the prince
saw an unusual movement. On one of the temporary mounds was heard among
the trees the loud cry of a woman.

"Surely some one is dead," thought Ramses.

From a second mound were sailing away in small boats supplies of wheat
and some cattle, while people standing at buildings on the land
threatened and abused people in the boats.

"Some quarrel among neighbors," said the prince to himself.

In remoter places there was quiet, and people instead of working or
singing were sitting on the ground in silence.

"They must have finished work and are resting."

But from a third mound a boat moved away with a number of crying
children, while a woman wading in the water to her waist shook her fist
and threatened.

"They are taking children to school," thought Ramses.

These happenings began to interest him.

On a fourth mound he heard a fresh cry. He shaded his eyes and saw a
man lying on the ground; a negro was beating him.

"What is happening there?" asked Ramses of the boatman.

"Does not my lord see that they are beating a wretched earth-tiller?"
answered the boatman, smiling. "He must have done something, so pain is
traveling through his bones."

"But who art thou?"

"I?" replied the boatman, proudly. "I am a free fisherman. If I give a
certain share of my catch to his holiness, I may sail the Nile from the
sea to the cataract. A fisherman is like a fish or a wild goose; but an
earth-tiller is like a tree which nourishes lords with its fruit and
can never escape but only squeaks when overseers spoil the bark on it."

"Oho! ho! but look there!" cried the fisherman, pleased again. "Hei!
father, don't drink up all the water, or there will be a bad harvest."

This humorous exclamation referred to a group of persons who were
displaying a very original activity. A number of naked laborers were