As far as eye could reach, the
lights of innumerable boats were seen, studding, like rubies, the
surface of the stream. Vessels of all kinds,--from the light coracle,
built for shooting down the cataracts, to the large yacht that glides to
the sound of flutes,--all were afloat for this sacred festival, filled
with crowds of the young and the gay, not only from Memphis and Babylon,
but from cities still farther removed from the scene.
As I approached the island, could see, glittering through the trees on
the bank, the lamps of the pilgrims hastening to the ceremony. Landing
in the direction which those lights pointed out, I soon joined the
crowd; and passing through a long alley of sphynxes, whose spangling
marble shone out from the dark sycamores around them, in a short time
reached the grand vestibule of the temple, where I found the ceremonies
of the evening already commenced.
In this vast hall, which was surrounded by a double range of columns,
and lay open over-head to the stars of heaven, I saw a group of young
maidens, moving, in a sort of measured step, between walk and dance,
round a small shrine, upon which stood one of those sacred birds, that,
on account of the variegated colour of their wings, are dedicated to the
moon. The vestibule was dimly lighted,--there being but one lamp of
naphta on each of the great pillars that encircled it.
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