New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-04
FROM NETWORK TO NINEVEE
INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE FROM STOUT &c
THEBEs-EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE~THk
TEMPLE OF DENDERA.

INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE FROM STOUT TO
THEBrs-EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE-THE
TEMPLE OF DENDERA.
UIrorial Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.
UpYEs EoYrr, near Thebes, Friday, Dec. 5, 1851
OuR men were ready at the appointed
time and precisely twentyfour hours after
reaching the port of Stout we spread our sails
for Kenneh and exchanged parting salute with
the boat of New.York physician, which arrived
some hours after us. The north wind, which
had been blowing freshly during the whole Of
our stay, failed US almost within sight OF the
port, and was followed by three days of breath
less calm, during which tine we made about
twelve miles day. by towing My friend and
spent half the time on shore, wandering inland
through the fields and making acquaintance In
the villages We found such tours highly inter
ssting and refreshing, but nevertheless always
returned to our floating Castle of Incidence,
doubly delighted with its home-ike cabin and
coy divans. Many of the villages in this region
are built among the mounds of ancient cities, the
names whereof are faithfully enumerated In the
suide.book, but as the cities themselves have
wholly disappeared, we were spared the neces-
sity of seeking for their ruins
On the third night after leaving Stout, We
passed the village of Cow el-Kebir, the ancient
Anteopolis, whose beautiful temple has been
entirely destroyed during the last twenty-fi
years, partly washed away by the Nile and
partly pulled down to furnish materials for the
Pasha's palace at Stout. Near this the famous
battle between Hercules and Ant9us is re-
ported to have taken place. The fable Of
Antmus drawing strength from the earth ap-
pears quite naturel, after one has seen the
fstuess Of the sod of upper Egypt. We ran
che gauntlet Of Gebel Shekh Hereedee, noun
tain similar to Aboufayda in form, but much more
lofty and imposing. 1t has also its legend a
miraculous serpent, say the Arabs, has lived for
centuries in its caverns and possesses the power
Of healing diseases. All these mountains, on the
eastern bank ofthe Nile, are pierced with tombs,
and the openings are sometimes so frequent and
60 near to each other as to resemble colonnade
along the rocky crests They rarely contain
inscriptions, and many of them were inhabited
BY hermits and holy men, during the early ages
of Christianity. At the most accessible points
the Egyptians have commenced limestone quar-
mes, and as they are more concerned in preserv
ing piastTes than tombs, their venerable ances
tors are dislodged without scruple. Whoever
10 interested in Egyptian antiquities, should not
postpone his visit longer Not only Turks, but
Europeans are engaged in the work of demoli
ton, and the very antiquarians who profess the
greatest enthusiasm for these monuments, are
ruthless vandals toward them when they have
the power.
We dashed past the mountain of Shekh He
Teedec in gallant style, and the same night, after
dusk, reached Ekhmin, the ancient Panopois
This was one OF the oldest cities in Egypt and
dedicated to the Phallic worship, whose first
symbol, the obelisk, has now purely monumen
tai significance. Remnants of this singular an
cient faith still survive among the modern inhab
itants of Ekhmin, but only In the grossest super
stitions, and without reference to the abstrac,
creative principle typihed by the Phalic EN-.
blems. The early Egyptians surrounded with
mystery and honored with oil religious solemni
~ what they regarded as the highest human
miracle wrought by the power of their gods
and in philosophical point of view, there is nc
branch Of their complex faith more interesting
than THE
As we sat on the bank in the moonlight, qsi
city smoking our chibouks, the bowling OF Q
company Of dsrvishes sounded from the town
whose walls arc few hundred PAGES distan,
from the river. We inquired of the guard
whether Frank dare visit them. He could not
tell, but offered TO accompany me and try to pro.
cure an entrance. took Achmet and two OF
our sailors in addition, donned an Arab capote
and set out in search of tho dervishes The
principal gate OF the town was closed, and my
men battered it vainly with their clubs, TO rouse
ths guard. We wandered for some time among
the mounds Of Panopohs, stumbling over blocks
Of marble and granite. under palms eighty feet
high, standing clear and sivery in the moonlight
At last, the clamor Of the wolfsh dogs we walked
mp on the road, brought US one Of the watchers
outside Of the walls, whom We requested TO ad.
nlit US INTO the city. He replied that this could
not be done. But" said Achmet, "here is an
Effendi who has just arrived, and mus, visi, the
mollahs tonight admit him and fear nothinp "
The men ,hereupon conducted Us 10 another
gate and threw few pebbles agains, the win.
dow above ii. womsn's voice replied. and
presently the bolts were undrawn and We en-
tered. BY this time the drvishes had ceased
their howlings, and everything was as still as
death. We walked for half an hour through the
deserted streets, visited the mosques and public
buildings, and heard no sound bu, our own steps
Il was a strangely interesting promenade. The
Arabs, armed with clubs, carried a paper Ian
tern, which iickersd redly on the arches and
courts we passed through. Ny trus,y Thsban
walked by my side, and took all possible trouble
to find the retreat of the dervIshes-bat in vain.
We passed ou, through the gate. which was in
s,anily locked behind us, and had barely reached
our vessel, when the unearthly song OF the Mos