should go in the company of some priests of Ptah at Memphis who had come
hither to Abouthis to lay the body of one of their great men in the tomb
that had been prepared near the resting place of the blessed Osiris.

So I made ready, and the same evening, having received letters and
embraced my father and those about the temple who were dear to me, I
passed down the banks of Sihor, and we sailed with the south wind.
As the pilot stood upon the prow and with a rod in his hand bade the
sailor-men loosen the stakes by which the vessel was moored to the
banks, the old wife, Atoua, hobbled up, her basket of simples in her
hand, and, calling out farewell, threw a sandal after me for good
chance, which sandal I kept for many years.

So we sailed, and for six days passed down the wonderful river, making
fast each night at some convenient spot. But when I lost sight of the
familiar things that I had seen day by day since I had eyes to see, and
found myself alone among strange faces, I felt very sore at heart, and
would have wept had I not been ashamed. And of all the wonderful things
I saw I will not write here, for, though they were new to me, have they
not been known to men since such time as the Gods ruled in Egypt? But
the priests who were with me showed me no little honour and expounded to
me what were the things I saw.

On the morning of the seventh day we came to Memphis, the city of
the White Hall. Here, for three days I rested from my journey and was
entertained of the priests of the wonderful Temple of Ptah the Creator,
and shown the beauties of the great and marvellous city. Also I was led
in secret by the High Priest and two others into the holy presence of
the God Apis, the Ptah who deigns to dwell among men in the form of a
bull. The God was black, and on his forehead there was a white square,