The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-21

several strong arguments 10 prove that the early
Egyptians had discovered and were acquainted
with the use Of iron. In the next chamber are
pictured vases, baskets, and utensils of one shape
and another, with various patterns of chairs and
sofas, some with crescent-shaped cushion, sup
ported by a goblet-shaped STOOL placed in the
centre. There are chairs depicted Of shapes as
rich and graceful, and as highly ornamenied as
you could find in London or Paris, and certainly
indicating much advancement in the arts and
comforts Of civilized domestic life. In one OF
the chambers there are two minstrels playing
upon harps Of the ordinary form.
There IS another tomb in this vicinity, called
by the Romans the tomb Of Memnon, which
presents noble continuous passage into the
mountain of 342 feet in length, on so gradual
an inclination that the whole descent is only "a
feet perpendicular. Along this passage which
IS twelve or thirteen feet in height and Of a cor
responding breadth, are gateways at intervals.
so that the perspective is very grand, the day-
light falling from Intel to Intel in very beauti
iul manner. In this tomb the colossal sarcopha-
gus was broken in two by force, which. like
that exerted upon the colossal statue in the Mem
nonium, It is impossible to account for. In one
OF these tombs was much interested by the fol-
lowing sentence in the handwriting Of Burck-
hardt: "ibrahim, (Burckhardts oriental name)
nerum, July, 1913, post reditum, suuWl limi-
fibus regni Dougol9."- lbrahim, a second
time. after his return from the borders Of Don
gola'
Beside these tombs of the kings, there are
others, which belonged to priests and private IN
dividuals, one OF them being the largest Of all
the Theban habitations for the dead. AT its very
entrance, for its outer court, il has an excavated
area of 103 feet by 76, then second, of SO feet
by ~ then large hall, SO feet by 81 then
second hall, 81 feet square and beyond all these
other chambers still, and various ranges of pas
nTaC Infn nfnAx v~.s. ~
deep; the passages opening on other sets of
rooms, and in one instance running from one
side OF large square, and opening into vaulted
chamber. from which by another pit going down
wards you reach a second chamber, and through
this upwards to third, beneath the centre of the
square aforesaid. The first excavations enter
the mountain without any deviation, 800 feet
then in another direction they run 1T feet; in
third at right angles, 60 feet; in another, 1875
feet; and the area Of the whole excavation CO.
vers more than $4,000 square feet The filthy
smell Of these mummy dungeons, the immense
extent and intricacy of the passages, the diff
cult passage of the pits, the darkness rendered
visible by our miserable torches, the Mnumera-
BILE long winged, skinny bats, blinded and terri
fled by the light, and whrring past if not into,
our faces, made us quite acquescent TO get back
from our exploring expedition, into the light of
day.
On the side Of the mountain overlooking the
city, there is another and entirely different range
Of tombs, probably more ancient than those in
the valley OF the kings, and on account of the
variety and detail in the subjects of the paint
ings, Of quite as great importance. After pc
rod of more than 5000 years, these tombs are
thrown open to modern curiosity and investiga-
ton, unveiling, in the sculptures and paintings
on their walls, series Of scenes in manners and
customs, historical events and ceremonies in
teresting in the highest degree TO the scholar,
the antiquary, and the Christian. shall not,
however, go into particular description of the
objects--lhe figures and their dresses the fune-
raj and triumphal professions, the feasts, dances,
musicians, and slaves, indicating perhaps as
much advancement in the science Of amuse-
ment and display, as is exhibited in the
theatres or operas Of modern cities. Among
other scenes depicted is grand procession Of
Ethiopian and other tributary chiefs, bearing pre-
sents of great variety and magnifcence to the
Egyptian monarch. The giraffe is plainly no
ticeabe among the presents of animals. The
Ethiopian tribute is enumerated and consisted
of gold and silver, precious stones, ostrich fea
Tiers, skins, ebony, ivory, apes, oxen of the
long horn breed still found in Abyssinia, lions,
onyxes, leopards, giraffes, and hounds; and they
were obliged to supply the victors with slaves,
which the Egyptians sometimes exacted even
from the conquered countries of Asia. A mi
mute copy of large portion of the friezes oc-
cupied with the sculptures of these tributary
professions may be seen in the first volume of
Mr. Wilkinson's work on the manners and Gus
toms of the ancient Egyptians a work in
which the reader may see what treasures of in
formation in regard to that singular people have
been translated from the hieroglyphics in those
rocky mountain Libraries Of which we have been
speaking. Yours truly, G. b. c.