DESCRIPTION OF THE CATACOMBS.

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many of the chambers are quite inaccessible. We entered, with our torches, by a low, dark passage, broken in, on the side next the sea. The passage

was so cramped and low, that it was scarcely possible to effect an entrance even on one's hands and knees.

After groping our way in that manner for the distance of some hundreds of feet, we came into a temple, in the Grecian style of architecture, of large dimensions. The principal hall of the temple had a concave roof, handsomely chiselled; and it opened out, on three sides, into smaller chambers, finished and roofed in the same manner as that of the principal room of the temple, and having in each, on three of their sides, handsome alcoves, or recesses for sarcophagi. The whole plan, arrangement, and finish of the principal hall of the temple and the adjoining chambers were neat, pleasing, and effective. The bottom, however, of these subterraneous halls is so filled up with sand and rubbish, that they could not have appeared in any thing like their pristine elegance and grandeur.

There were numerous other chambers opening in various directions along the passages, but they were all choked with rubbish nearly to their roofs; so that we found an attempt to explore them quite useless. On coming out of these subterraneous temples of worship and sepulture, for which purposes they were no doubt originally constructed, we walked down to the sea-shore, to look into what are now called the “baths of Cleopatra." These are small VOL. I.-12

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THE BATHS OF CLEOPATRA.

chambers, cut in the solid rock, like the rooms in the catacombs, but so broken down that the sea now rushes into them, and dashes about at will. Some of them, however, are in a state of considerable preservation; though they are all small, and have no appearance of ever having been constructed with much elegance or taste. In these baths the beautiful queen, whose personal charms fascinated and turned the heads of some of the greatest and mightiest men of her time, may have bathed her enamelled limbs; although of that fact, in these skeptical and degenerate days, many doubts have been expressed.

STORY OF NEBBY DAOOD.

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CHAPTER VII.

Incidental Story of Nebby Daood, an eccentric Backwoodsman of the United States, travelling in Egypt.- His Reserve, and his Impressions of Mankind. - The Object of Nebby's Wanderings. His Desire for Foreign Travel. - Scenes of his Youth.-Nebby's Passion for Books and Thirst for Knowledge. -"Town Library Association." Difficulties encountered, and final Success. - Leaves his Father's House and goes to New York. - Journey, and Arrival in the City. Nebby's Impressions. — Desolation of his Feelings. Nebby among the Speculators of Wall-street. - Halts between two Opinions.- Slips through the Fingers of the Speculators, with the Loss of their Friendship.— Nebby's Ignorance of the World. Meets with a Disaster and breaks his Leg.- His Recovery, and Departure for England.

--

PRECISELY as we had supposed, Nebby was punctual to the time, and ready for dinner the moment it was announced. Indeed, he had anticipated our arrival by a few moments, and had been waiting our return to the hotel. This we construed, on the part of Nebby, into a piece of true politeness and goodbreeding; though I am aware how much at variance it is with the etiquette observed by some sprigs of fashionable society, by whom it would be considered a breach of politeness, if not, in fact, an act of downright vulgarity, to keep one's promises under any circumstances.

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STORY OF NEBBY DAOOD.

We were in hopes to have the pleasure of the company of Mr. and Mrs. Firkins also; but an engagement on that day with the Wrinklebottoms, where they were to meet Mr. Sneezebiter and a large party of English ladies and gentlemen, just arrived in Alexandria by the overland conveyance from India-deprived us of that honour.

As it was, our party was small, but very select, comprising only our good friend the doctor, Nebby Daood, Mrs. C. and myself.

Dinner being announced, Nebby laid away his beaver, and handed Mrs. C. down to dinner-if not in the most courtly, certainly in a pleasing and acceptable manner.

We took seats at table, and the time passed quietly away with the soup and the first courses.

Nebby was reserved at first, and only replied to inquiries, and then in general terms. He was respectful, however, and appeared more inclined to feel his way along than to dash off obtrusively into conversation, before ascertaining what kind of ground he stood upon, and whether he was actually among friends, who were capable of fairly appreciating him and his peculiarities, or more doubtful characters, who had invited him to dinner merely for their own amusement. Nebby had sense enough to discern that the world paid him no respect on account of rich relations, his own wealth, titles, good looks, or fine clothes. These shining qualifications, too, Nebby knew, were quite sufficient, frequently, to introduce the merest popinjays into what is termed by the fash

THE OBJECT OF HIS TRAVELS.

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ionable world the highest circles; although the individuals thus honoured, deprived of their tinsel and exterior circumstances, might be little better than "sounding brass and tinkling cymbals." Therefore, he had very justly concluded that most people, in their attentions to him, could only be actuated by one of two motives-either a desire to enjoy his little stock of backwoods common-sense kind of conversation, or to deride him. Nebby had found, in his distant wanderings, the latter motive too frequently the spark that had kindled up new acquaintances, to trust himself, unreservedly, in the hands of strangers. He was poor and badly clad, he knew; nor had he any pretensions to genteel manners, or fascinating conversational qualities.

Nebby was a man of sentiment and feeling; and the object of his wanderings in this apparently outeast and vagabond kind of manner, was no mean purpose, but rather to build up and sustain the true dignity of man. It was no other than an honest thirst after intelligence; a desire to see the world, and study the whimsical and fitful fabric of human nature. Nebby had already wandered over some of the fairest portions of the globe; admiring the beauties of nature, and rejoicing in the goodness, and. transcendent glory and power of the Creator. But his heart had often been saddened and crushed by the conduct of those whom chance had thrown in his way. He could no longer contemplate the character of the generality of mankind but with a sor