New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-24

and | regretted more than my ignorance OF
the hieroglyphic symbols The only cartouches OF
monarchs which found were so obiterated that
could not identity them, but that Ptoiemy huer-
getes lB. G. l45l had something to DO Win '"S"h'
is evident from figure Of that monarch, gfa'Pus
in one hand the hair Of group OF caPt"es' WINE
with the other he lifts sword to slay them, as on
the nortico of the temple at Edfou. Many OF the
STONE. in the vast heaps which lie scattered over
the hills are covered with sculptures. | found on
some the winged globe and scarabeus, while others
,e,.;ned the scroll or fllet which usually covers
| the .loping corners Of pylon. On the northern
mart of the hill found several blocks Of limestone,
which exhibited procession of sculptured figures,
brilliantly colored
The last structure on the southern extremity
of the hill is rather tower than a pyramid con-
sisting of high base or foundation, upon when is
raised square building, the corners presenting
very slight slope toward the top, when is covered
with ruins, indicating that there was originaly
another and narrower story upon 1t. On TINS part
ofthe hill there are many small detached chan-
bers all facing the cast and the remains OF a large
building Here Lepsus appears to have expended
most of his labors, and the heaps of stone and rub
bish he has left behind him prevent one from get
ting very clear idea of the original disposition OF
the buildings. He has quarried one OF the pyra-
mids down to it's base, without finding any cham
Der within or pit beneath it. My rails, who was at
a loss to comprehend the object of my visit, spoke
of Lepsius as a great Frank astrologer, who had
kept hundreds of the people at work for many days.
and at last found in the earth a multitude OF chick
ems and pigeons, all of solid gold. He then gave
the people a great deal of backshish and went
away, taking the golden fowls with him. The
most interesting object he has revealed is vauted
room about twenty feet long, which the rais
pointed out as the place where the treasures were
found. The ceiling is on the true principle OF the
arch, with keystone in the center, which circum-
stance. as well as the figure of PtOlemy Euergetes
would seem to fix the age of the pyramids at lit
tie more than two thousand years.
next visited the eastern group, which consists
of ten pyramids more or less dlapidated, and the
ruined foundations of six or eight more. The larg-
est which assembled consists of thirty-6ve courses
of stone, and is about ffy-three feet in hight,
eight or ten feet af the apex having been hurled
down. Each side of the apex is seventeen PAGES,
or about forty-two feet long, and the angle OF as
cent is consequently very great. On the slope of
the hill are the substructons of two or three other
buildings, and some large, fortress-like ruins are
seen on the SUBMITS of the mountains to the East.
would willingly have visited them, but the wind
| was blowing fresh and the rails impatient TO
get back to his vessel Many of the stones of the
pyramids are covered with rude attempts at sculp-
| turing camels and horses no doubt by the Arabs,
| for they resemble school-boys first drawings on
slate-sraglt sticks for legs, squares for bodies,
| and triangles for humps.
Leaving the ruins to the company of the black
goots that were browsing on the dry grass, grow
| ing in punches at their eastern base, walked to
another group Of pyramids, which lay mile and a
half to the southwest, toward the Nile. As we
approached them, herd OF beautiful gray gaZeles
| started from among the stones and bounded away
into the Desert "These were the tents of the
| poor people," said the rois pointing to the pyra-
mids: "the Frank found no golden pigeons here"
| They were, in fact, smaller and more dlapidated
than the others. Some had plain burial chambers
attached to their eastern sides, but the sculptures
| were few and insignificant There were sixteen
| in ALL more or less ruined. Scattering mounds
Astounding with fragments of bricks and building
er's bank, distance fmore than two miles; and
the foundations Of many other pyramids may be
seen among them. The total number of pyramids
in partial state of preseration-some being near
" perfect while few retain only two or three OF
The lower courses-which counted on the site of
Meroc, is forty-t,ro. Besides these, noticed the
traces of forty or fifty others, which have been en-
tirelv demolished The entire number, however,
of which Meroe could boast, in its prime is one
| hundred and niaety-sir. The mounds near the
| river, which cover extent of between one and
two miles point out the site of the city, the capt.
tai of the old Hierarchy of Meroe, and the pyra-
mids arc no doubt the tombs of its priests.
| MY Ethiopian nights entertainments were better
| than the Arabian. They had all the romantic char
| acter which lives in the picturesque forms of the
Orient and took additional glow from the fiery
| heart of Africa. There was always very slight
| breeze through the afternoons, and lay stretched
| ON my carpet the deck, looking through half
closed eyes on the glittering river and his banks.
| The western shore was one long bower of Para
| dise-so green 80 bright so heaped with the deep,
cool foliage of majestic sycamorcs and endless clus
tiers of palms. have seen no such beautiful palms
since leaving Minyeh, in Lower Egypt. There
they were taller but had not the exceeding richness
and glory of these. The sun shone hot in cloud
less blue heaven, and the air of CLASSY, burn
ing cleamcss, like that which dwells in the inmost
heart of FIRE. The colors of the landscape as
if enameled on gold so intense, glowing in their
intoxicating depth and .plendor. When, at last,
the wind fell-except breeze just strong enough
to shake the creamy odor out Of the purple beam
blossoms-and the sun went down in bed of pale
orange light, the moon came up the other side of
heaven, broad disc of yellow fire. and bridged the
| CLASSY Nile with her heanls