Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/159

 IN UPPER NUBIA. 141 vantage of most verbal accounts in being altogether voluntary and uncalled for, and as there must be some foundation for the statement *", I have thought it my duty to offer this con- tribution to the interesting subject of African antiquities. The following is an extract from my jom'nal, 24th Dec, 1840. " Visited the ruins of the temples of Ombos : they are very fine. I had given a passage in my boat from Asouan to Esne to a slave-merchant, named llamoud Abd-el-djouad, resident at Asouan. He landed with me, and on seeing the ruhis, assured me that he knew of some exactly similar in appearance, but much finer, at a place called Badouha, twelve days' journey beyond Sennaar, and six hom's (about twelve miles) east of the Blue Xilc. He had frequently been to Abyssinia by land." This is pretty clear, and if confu'med would carry the Egyp- tians close to the borders of Abyssinia. I am afraid we have no evidence for carrying them further. The ruins of Axam are doubtless of a much more recent period, belonging either to the Greek or medieval period of Abyssinian history. Yun Heeren hints otherwise, but he does not assign any tangible grounds for his opinions. JAMES TALBOT. ^ The mere fact of worked stone-work being found in such a latitude is sutficient to excite our curiosity.