Lear's third visit to Egypt, and his second trip up the Nile, took place in the winter of 1866-7. Menshëe, also transliterated as El Mansha, El Manshiyel, etc, lies between Cairo and Luxor, about 12 miles down stream from Girga and Gergeh (see lot ....). It is the site of the Hellenistic town of Ptolemaïs Hermion (founded by Ptolemy Saton I (323-285 B.C.), and, recording to Strato, 'the largest town in the The baid and not inferior in size to Memphis'.

Another watercolour of Menshëeh, done at 1.50pm on 11 January 1867 and numbered '128', was sold at Sotheby's 4 May 1977, lot 229. Lear was on his way upstream, reading Aswan by 27 January 1867 and the Second Cataract by 4 February. He was back in Cairo by 9 March