The Arkansas advocate., 1830-06-02
VARIETY Y .
EGYPT ILLUSTRATED.


 .Nr. Buckiaghaps's lectures on that Country.
 in speaking of Alexandria, the Lee turer described the large column lying there, called Cleopatra's Needle; and to show the great power of the ancient Egyptians he mentioned that the united skill and talents of the English and French armies, when both were in Egypt, and when the latter generously profered their services to the former 10 assist in conveying this monument of antiquity to England-the united skill and power of both armies were unable to move this Column, which the Egyp- tians must have transported beyond the Gataracts-a distance of QUO miles, and placed there on it's pedestal. He also referred to the AIoaolithic Temple of Amasis, at Sais, which was brought from the same spot, distance Of 300 miles. and employed 5000 pilots of the Nile,. three inundations, or three years, to con- yeY it to the place where 1t was to be erected; as well as to the Pyramids, and the enormous Statue of Memnon, to show that the Egyptians had a method of moving and raising large masses, now unknown to us. To illustrate the size of thelarge Pyramid, the Lecturerstated that it would, within few feet, fill the whole area of Lincoln's inn-tields, it's height being equal to its base. On go- ing to visit it, party of sixteen persons breakfasted iii q cavern: they had plenty of elbow room, and there was space for a servant to walk around and wait on the party: this cavern was in the corner of the Pyramid, and it was caused by one single stone having been removed. Of such vast magnitude are the stones ofWhich this colossal alstructure is formed.
 The immense water tanks under the city of Alexandria, large enough, it has been said, to contain water for all the inhabitants for three years, were (he said) some miles in length, and he be- lieyed what was said of them. He had wandered in one more than a mile, with out coming to termination. They justified the opinion, that the labour be- low the ground at Alexandria was more costly and extensive than what was em- pioyed above ground even when Alex andria was at the height of it's splendor.
 Te illustrate the size of the great statue of Memnon, the Lecturer observ- ed. that when he stood on ground that was level with the sole of his foot, lie could not see over its instep; and this statue was composed of such hard granite, that the head of 8 lesser statue, composed of similar materials, now in the British Museum, defed our best tools, and yet it was polished to perfee- tion. lnattempting to make hole into the shoulder of the statue at the Ma scum, workman broke upwards of 300 chisels, and at the end of the third day had not got deeper than half an inch. The magnificent Temple of Carnac, al Thebes, was two miles in circumference. The portico of St. paul's, the finest Tenn pie except one in Europe, contains, he said, eight columns of four feet in diam eter, and there are four similar columns in the screen. But the mere portico oi the Temple at Thebes contained l30 columns, each l2 feet in diameter.- The portico alone, therefore, was large enough to allow the whole of Saint paais Cathedral to be placed within it, leaving room for Saint Paul's, to be en- circled by the Lord Mayors procession,
 The munmies were originally placed he said, in the catacombs. some on theil feet and some on their side, but in such manner as to form one close connpacl mass, like herrings slowed in a barrel When the Arabs want fuel they 20 in parties to the catacombs, and with .