kings was Ptolemy Dionysius [di-o-nish'-e-us], whose own wife made war against him. A battle was fought, in which Ptolemy Dionysius was defeated. He attempted to escape, but was drowned in the Nile. His wife, whose name was Cle-o-pa'-tra, then became sole ruler of Egypt.

6. She was one of the most beautiful women that ever lived, and her talents and accomplishments were equal to her personal beauty. But she was very wicked. Among other horrid crimes, Cleopatra poisoned her brother, who was only eleven years old. Yet, though all the world knew what an abandoned woman she was, the greatest heroes could not or would not resist the enticements of her beauty.

7. When Mark Antony, a Roman general, had defeated Brutus and Cassius [cash'-e-us], at Phi-lip'-pi, in Greece, he summoned Cleopatra to come to Cilicia [si-lish'-e-a], on the northeastern coast of the Mediterranean. He intended to punish her for having assist

ed Brutus.

5. Who was Ptolemy Dionysius? His wife? 6. What of Cleopatra? What cruelty did she commit? What made Cleopatra irresistible? 7. Who was Mark Antony? Why did he wish to punish Cleopatra?

ε

8. As soon as Cleopatra received the summons, she hastened to obey. She went on board a splendid vessel, which was richly adorned with gold. The sails were made of the costliest silk. Instead of rough, sunburnt sailors, the crew consisted of lovely girls, who rowed with silver oars; and their strokes kept time to melodious music.

9 Queen Cleopatra reclined on the deck, beneath a silken awning. In this manner she went sailing along the river Cydnus. Her vessel was so magnificent, and she herself so lovely, that the whole spectacle appeared like a vision.

10. Mark Antony was first warned of her approach by the smell of delicious perfumes, which the wind wafted from the silken sails of the vessel. He next heard the distant strains of music, and saw the gleaming of the silver oars.

11. But when he beheld the beauty of the Egyptian queen, he thought of nothing else. Till Mark Antony met Cleopatra, he had been an ambitious man and a valiant warrior. But from that day forward he was nothing but her slave.

12. Owing to Cleopatra's misconduct and his own, Antony was defeated by Oc-ta'-vi-us, another Roman general, at Actium [ak'she-um], in Greece. He then killed himself, by falling on his sword. Cleopatra knew that if Octavius took her alive, he would carry her to Rome, and expose her to the derision of the populace.

13. She resolved not to endure this ignominy. Now in Egypt there is a venomous reptile, called an asp, the bite of which is mortal, but not very painful. Cleopatra applied one of these reptiles to her bosom. In a little while her body grew benumbed, and her heart ceased to beat; and thus died the beautiful and wicked Queen of Egypt. This event occurred thirty years before Christ.

CHAPTER

XL.-AFRICA-CONTINUED.

Sequel of the Egyptian History.

1. AFTER the death of Cleopatra, Egypt became a province of the Roman empire. It continued to belong to that power, and to the portion of it called the Eastern empire, till the year 640 after the

8. Give an account of the arrival of Cleopatra at Cilicia. 11. What was the character of Antony till he met Cleopatra? 12. Where was Antony defeated? Who was Octavius? Fate of Antony? Why did Cleopatra determine to kill herself? 13. What caused her death? How long was this before Christ?

CHAP. XL.-1. What was the state of Egypt from Cleopatra's death to its subjugation by the Mamelukes?

MODERN HISTORY OF EGYPT

87

Christian era. It was then conquered by the Saracens. It remained under their government upward of six centuries.

2. The Saracen sovereigns were dethroned by the Mam'-e-lukes, whom they had trained up to be their guards. The Mamelukes ruled Egypt till the year 1517, when they were conquered by the Turks. They kept possession of Egypt till the year 1798. It was then invaded by Napoleon Bonaparte, with an army of forty thousand Frenchmen.

3. The Turks, ever since their conquest of Egypt, had kept a body of Mamelukes in their service; these made a desperate resistance. A battle was fought near the pyramids, in which many of them were slain, and others were drowned in the Nile. Not long after this victory, Bonaparte went back to France, and left General Kleber in command of the French army.

4. General Kleber was a brave man, but a severe one, and his severity cost him his life. He had ordered an old Mussulman, named the Sheik [sheek] Sada, to be bastinadoed on the soles of his feet. Shortly afterward, when the general was in a mosque, a fierce Arab rushed upon him, and killed him with a dagger.

5. In 1801, the English sent Sir Ralph Abercrombie with an army to drive the French out of Egypt. General Menou was then the French commander. Sir Ralph Abercrombie beat him at the battle of Aboukir [ah-boo-keer'], but was himself mortally wounded.

6. In the course of the same year the French army sailed from Egypt back to France. The inhabitants lamented their departure, for the French generals had ruled them with more justice and moderation than their old masters, the Turks. Egypt is now governed by a successor of Mehemet Ali, who bears the title of pa-shaw', but the country is tributary to the Turkish empire.

7. The present capital of Egypt is Grand Cairo [ki'-ro]. It is much inferior to what it was in former times, but still it contains about three hundred thousand inhabitants. Alexandria, built by Alexander the Great, as I have before said, is now much reduced, but the ruins around it show that it was once a splendid city.

8. There is no part of the world that seems more gloomy to a traveler than Egypt. The present aspect of the towns and cities is that of poverty in the midst of the most splendid ruins.

2. How long did the Mamelukes govern Egypt? When and how long did the Turks govern Egypt? What happened in 1798? 3. What battle was fought? What of Bonaparte after the victory? 4. What of General Kleber? 5. What took place in 1801? 6. What happened in the same year? Why were the Egyptians sorry to have the French leave them? How is Egypt now governed? How is the country considered? 7. What is the capital of Egypt? What of Grand Cairo? Population? What of Alexandria? 8. How does Egypt appear to a traveler?

CHAPTER XLI.-AFRICA-CONTINUED.

Sketches of Ethiopian History.

1. ALL the interior parts of Africa were anciently called Ethiopia. But, properly speaking, Ethiopia comprised only the countries now called Nubia, and some adjacent territories. This region lies south of Egypt, and extends along the shore of the Red Sea. The first inhabitants of Ethiopia are supposed to have emigrated from Arabia Felix-that is, Arabia the Happy. Their early history is almost unknown.

2. Ethiopia, or at least a portion of it, was formerly called Sheba, and from thence it is supposed that the Queen of Sheba went to visit Solomon. About forty years ago, it is said that one of her descendants was king of Abyssinia.

3. It used to be the custom to confine the Ethiopian princes on a high mountain, which was named Geshen. It was very lofty and steep, and looked like an enormous castle of stone. No person could ascend this mountain, or come down from it, unless he were raised or lowered by means of ropes.

4. The princes lived on the summit of the mountain, in miserable huts. The greater part of them never came down till their dying day. But whenever the king died, one of the princes was summoned to the throne. Perhaps, however, he found himself no happier in the royal palace, than in his hut on the summit of Mount Geshen.

5. The Ethiopians were believers in the Jewish religion till the middle of the fourth century after the Christian era. Can'-da-ce, the queen of the country, was then converted to Christianity, and her subjects followed her example.

6. Abyssinia is a part of what was anciently called Ethiopia, and Christianity appears to have been introduced here many centuries ago. The inhabitants still profess to be Christians, but their mode of worship is mixed up with many Jewish practices. They also, like the Roman Catholics, make the Virgin Mary and the saints their intercessors before God.

7. The people of this portion of Africa are not generally negroes.

CHAP. XLI.-1. What was anciently called Ethiopia? In which direction is it from Egypt? Where was Ethiopia, properly speaking, situated? Who were the first inhabitants of Ethiopia? 2. What was Ethiopia formerly called? What of the Queen of Sheba? 3. What was once the custom? 4. How did the princes live? What happened when the king died? 5. Till what time did the Ethiopians believe in the Jewish religion? What of Candace? 6. What of the worship of the people of Ethiopia at the present time?

THE BARBARY STATES.

89

They are of an olive complexion, and have long hair and agreeable features. But in the northeastern part of Abyssinia, there is a race of negroes called Shangallas.

8. These have been described as having faces resembling apes, and as being little more intelligent than the monkey tribe. They have no houses, but sleep under the trees, and sometimes burrow in caves. The Abyssinians hunt them as they would wild beasts.

CHAPTER XLII.-AFRICA-CONTINUED.

Origin of the Barbary States and their Piracies on the Christians.

1. THE Barbary states are Morocco, Algiers [al-jeerz'], Tu'-nis, and Trip'-o-li. They are bounded north by the Mediterranean Sea, east and south by the desert, and west by the Atlantic Ocean. These countries were inhabited in the time of the Romans. Morocco was

called Mau-ri-ta'-ni-a; and Algiers, Nu-mid'-i-a. These regions were first settled by colonies from Phoenicia, Greece, and other countries.

2. In this region stood the celebrated city of Carthage in ancient times. Its site was about ten miles northeast of the present city of Tunis. It was founded by some Phoenicians, eight hundred and sixty-nine years before the Christian era. The Phoenicians, as I have told you, were the first people who engaged in commerce, and founded colonies for the purpose of carrying on trade.

3. In the history of Rome I shall tell you how Carthage was destroyed. The Romans erected a new city where it had formerly stood. This was conquered and destroyed by the Saracens, who then built the city of Tunis. In the year 1574, Tunis was seized by the Turks.

4. The city of Algiers was built by the Saracens, in the year 944. The government, called the Regency of Algiers, was founded in 1518, by two Turks, named Horuc and Hagradin. They were brothers, and both bore the name of Barbarossa, or Red-Beard.

5. The country now called Morocco was conquered by the Saracens about the same time with the other Barbary states. So also

7. What of their personal appearance? What of the Shangallas? 8. Describe them. CHAP. XLII.-1. What are the Barbary states? How are they bounded? 2. Where did ancient Carthage stand? Who founded it? 3. Who erected a new city? What did the Saracens do? When was Tunis seized by the Turks? 4. When and by whom was Algiers built? What was done in 1518? Who were called Barbarossa? 5. What of Morocco and Tripoli?