Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-04-08
EGYPT ILLUSTRATED.

EGYPT ILLUSTRATED.
M BuchmgLtun's Lectures On hat courstlg
Ia speaking of Alexandria, the Lecturer
described the large column lying there, called
Claopatla's Needle; and TO show the great
power Of the ancient Egyptians, he mention
ed that the united skill and talents of the
EngIsl. and French armies. when both were
in Egypt. and when the latter gensrousl,
proflered their services to the former TO assist
IN conveying this monument of antiquity 10
England the unte,. skill aud power OF both
armies were unable to moEe tias cGtumn.
wAicI. the Egyptians must have transported
Gom beyond the Cataracts--a distance OF
900 miles and placed th, re on IT'S pedestal
He also referred to the MoBelithic Temple Of
Amasis, al Sas, which was brought from the
same SPOT. a distance OF 500 miles, and en-
ployed 5000 pilots Of the Nile, three inGnda-
tons, or three years, to convey II TO the
place where it was to be erected; as Yylll 80 to
the Pyramids, and the enormous Statue OF
Memnon. TO show tat the Egyptians bad a
method of moving and raising large masses
now unknown to Us. To Illustrate the size
Of The large Pyramid, the Lecturer stated
that II would, wittsin few feet, fill the whole
| area Of Lincoins inn-6elds, lis height being
equal to its base. On going 10 vistlt, party
OF sixteen persons hreakfasted liz cavern:
they had plenty cfcijor room. and there was
A space for "A servant to walk rouud and wait
on the party: this cavern was in the corner of
the Pyramid, and it was caused by one SIN
gle stone having been removed. OF such vast
magnitude are the stones Of which ibis coles
arl structure Is formed.
The immense water tanks under tho city of
Alexandria, large enough, it has been said, to
contain wafer for all the inhabitants Tor three
wears, were (he said) some miles lii length,
and he believed what he said OF them. He
he / wandered IN one mere than mile, Nth
out coming to a termination. They Justified
the opinion, that tho labor below the ground
at Alexandria was more costly and expensive
than what was employed above ground, even
when Alexandria was at she height OF its
splendor.
To illustrate the siEe of the great statue of
Memnon, the Lecturer observed, that whom
he stood on the ground that was level with
the sole of the foot, he could not see over It's
instep; and this statue was composed of such
hard granite, that the head OF lesser statue,
composed of similar materials, now III the
British Museum, deEed our best tools, and
yct it was polished TO perfection. In attempt
ing to make hole into the shoulder OF the
statue at the Museum, workman broke 500
chsels, and at the third day had not got deep
pit of Carnac, at 1hcbes. was two miles in
circumference. The poltico Of ST. f4uls,
the finest Temple except one in Europe, con
tains, he said eight columns of four feet in
diameter, and there are four similar columns
in the screen. But the mere poItco OF the
Temple at Thebes contained $50 columns,
each ~ feet in diameter. The portico alone,
therefore, wac large enough to allow the
whole of St. Pauls Cathedral to be placed
within it. leaving room for 1T, Paul's to be en-
circled by the Lord Mayors procession
The mummes were originally placed, he
said, in the cataconibs, some on their feet
and some Oh their side, butin such q manner
as to form one close compact mass. like
herring stowedin barrel When the Arabs
! want fuel they goJn parties to the catacomos,
and with crowbar or some such instrument
inserted between the heads ofthe mumn1les,
they prize off one after another, hand them
up, and carry them away to burn. With
out any regard to age, sex, or rank, they
J chop The IA up and throw the pieces on the
fire with the same feeling that other PEG
pie chop zap logs wood or use the coal-scuttie.
A provident Arab will have store of ten or
, twelve mummies, and legs, arms and trunks
are seen lying about their dwellings like
pieces Of wood. 1t might be supposed that
tn Sc ancient relics of humanity would make
an unpleasant fire, but this, the Lecturer
said, was not the case. The balsams and
spices which had been used IN embalnnirg
them, Oh the contrary, gave cut fragrant
odour, and he should not wonder, he said
if some ingenious inventor were 10 Introduce
mummy dust into use, q a Hiost 'sv..sht.ui
paStiile. In the stomachs of the mummies
j large masses of bltunhous matter are found,
and when the Arabs have collected any guam
tity ofthese they are sent to Cairo and sold -
The use to which they are put is eingular;-
they are purchased by the apothecariss, and
beat into powder. which is afterwards ad-
ministered as sovereign antidote to all dis
eases. Unlike the dead in other countries, the
burie1 Egyptians are of great use to the liy-
ing, constituting their only fuel and their
| chief medicine.
A correspondent of the National lntelllgen
Ger suggests plan by which the necessity OF
chimney s,oeeping may be done away with,
] and greater security against iireattaned lie
| describes it III these words
! If when a chimney is built, the mortar with
which it IS TO be plastcred be mixed with a
little Sat, there IS no necessity for s,eeePag it,,
as in every damp spell Of weather the salt
| viii dchqucsce, and the SCOT viii cf course
tai down