twelve o'clock
The tourists viewed with languid interest the half-Greek art of the Nubian bas-reliefs ; they climbed the hill of Korosko to see the sun rise over the savage Eastern desert ; they were moved to wonder by the great shrine of Abou-Simbel , where some old race has hollowed out a mountain as if it were a cheese ; and , finally , upon the evening of the fourth day of their travels they arrived at Wady Halfa , the frontier garrison town , some few hours after they were due , on account of a small mishap in the engine-room . The next morning was to be devoted to an expedition to the famous rock of Abousir , from which a great view may be obtained of the second cataract . At eight-thirty , as the passengers sat on deck after dinner , Mansoor , the dragoman , half Copt , half Syrian , came forward , according to the nightly custom , to announce the programme for the morrow . `` Ladies and gentlemen , '' said he , plunging boldly into the rapid but broken stream of his English , `` to-morrow you will remember not to forget to rise when the gong strikes you for to compress the journey before twelve o'clock . Having arrived at the place where the donkeys expect us , we shall ride five miles over the desert , passing a temple of Ammon-ra , which dates itself from the eighteenth dynasty , upon the way , and so reach the celebrated pulpit rock of Abousir . The pulpit rock is supposed to have been called so , because it is a rock like a pulpit . When you have reached it you will know that you are on the very edge of civilisation , and that very little more will take you into the country of the Dervishes , which will be obvious to you at the top .