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On leaving this city, and again mounting the stream, in the same
space of time which it took you to reach the capital from Elephantine,
you come to the Deserters, who bear the name of Asmach. This word,
translated into our language, means "the men who stand on the left
hand of the king." These Deserters are Egyptians of the warrior
caste, who, to the number of two hundred and forty thousand, went
over to the Ethiopians in the reign of king Psammetichus. The cause
of their desertion was the following: Three garrisons were maintained
in Egypt at that time, one in the city of Elephantine against the
Ethiopians, another in the Pelusiac Daphnae, against the Syrians
and Arabians, and a third, against the Libyans, in Marea. (The
very same posts are to this day occupied by the Persians, whose forces
are in garrison both in Daphnae and in Elephantine.) Now it
happened, that on one occasion the garrisons were not relieved during
the space of three years; the soldiers, therefore, at the end of that
time, consulted together, and having determined by common consent to
revolt, marched away towards Ethiopia. Psammetichus, informed of
the movement, set out in pursuit, and coming up with them, besought
them with many words not to desert the gods of their country, nor
abandon their wives and children. "Nay, but," said one of the
deserters with an unseemly gesture, "wherever we go, we are sure
enough of finding wives and children." Arrived in Ethiopia, they
placed themselves at the disposal of the king. In return, he made
them a present of a tract of land which belonged to certain Ethiopians
with whom he was at feud, bidding them expel the inhabitants and take
possession of their territory. From the time that this settlement was
formed, their acquaintance with Egyptian manners has tended to
civilise the Ethiopians.
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