d capable of resisting a prolonged attack. The
entrance was by a narrow doorway of stone slabs, and in the interior
were a few huts and one or two reservoirs for catching rain or storing
the water of neighbouring springs. Sometimes a chapel was built close at
hand, consecrated to the divinities of the desert, or to their compeers,
Minu of Coptos, Horus, Maut, or Isis. One of these, founded by Seti,
still exists near the modern town of Redesieh, at the entrance to one of
the valleys which furrow this gold region.

[Illustration: 168.jpg A FORTIFIED STATION ON THE ROUTE BETWEEN THE NILE
AND THE RED SEA.

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph by M. de Bock

It is built against, and partly excavated in, a wall of rock, the
face of which has been roughly squared, and it is entered through a
four-columned portico, giving access to two dark chambers, whose walls
are covered with scenes of adoration and a lengthy inscription. In this
latter the sovereign relates how, in the IXth year of his reign, he
was moved to inspect the roads of the desert; he completed the work in
honour of Amon-Ra, of Phtah of Memphis, and of Harmakhis, and he states
that travellers were at a loss to express their gratitude and thanks for
what he had done. "They repeated from mouth to mouth: 'May Amon give him
an endless existence, and may he prolong for him the length of eternity!
O ye gods of fountains, attribute to him your life, for he has rendered
back to us accessible roads, and he has opened that which was closed to
us. Henceforth we can take our way in peace, and reach our destination
alive; now that the difficult paths are open and the road has become
good, gold can be brought back, as our lord and master has commanded.'"
Plans were drawn on papyrus of the configuration of the district, of the
beds of precious metal, and of the position of the stations.

[Illustration: 169.jpg THE TEMPLE OF SETI I. AT REDESIEH]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph by Golenischeff.

One of these plans has come down to us, in which the districts are
coloured bright red, the mountains dull ochre, the roads dotted
over with footmarks to show the direction to be taken, while the
superscriptions give the local names, and inform us that the map
represents the Bukhni mountain and a fortress and stele of Seti. The
whole thing is executed in a rough and naive manner, with an almost
childish minuteness which provokes a smile; we should, however, no