These beautiful creatures made all the more impression upon us for being the only wild animals we had seen during our voyage. We passed through a Copt village and stopped to look at an old church and convent, where they worship. In the rude wall were scattered pieces of Corinthian capitals and carved stones of great beauty, doubtless precious ruins from the once magnificent city. This assertion was a little too much for Achmed, who told them that we knew much more about him than they did. We passed over the site of the once famous city of Antino , built by Adrian, in commemoration of his favorite Antinous, who, being with him in Egypt, was drowned near this place.
Nothing remains to mark the spot but mounds and broken pottery.
Tradition says that this was the site of an ancient city to which Pharaoh sent for his magicians. We returned to our boat, full of satisfaction.