Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-02-20
THE PYRAMIDS AND uEup,.ts,
lEEtrHets from Letter By Bdy1rd Taylor IN the Tribune
Ok THE NILE, NEAR BEN1sovEF)
Dhnr.La,. n,

Ok THE NILE, NEAR BENIsovEF
Thursday, Nov. 90, 1851. {
Day before yesterday was one of the mos,
memorable days IN my life. visited the Pvra-
mids and Memphis-not the mounds Of the sun.
posed Memphis, which the world believed lost
forever, but the real Memphis with its streets
palaces and temples, exhumcd from the deyour.
ing sands and fresh as when erected. This dis.
covery will surprise you, who have scarcely vet
received the first faint rumors of it, 70. NAV
then Judge how itimpressed ne, who, tw , DAYS
ago, was no less ignorant.
The rising sun shone rediy on the Pyramids, as
we rode out on the broad harvest land of the
Nile. The black, unctuous loan was still too
moist from the inundation to be pIowed except
III spots, here and there, but even where the wat
er had scarce evaporated, millions of germs
were pushing their soil, the growth Of grain is
visible from day to day. The FelIahs were at
work on all sides, preparing for planting.
and the unganly butIaloes drew their lone pIoVs
slowly through the soil. When freshly turned.
the earth has arch, soft luster, like dark brown
velvet, besides which, the fields of young wheat.
beans, and lents, glitter with the most bill
liant green The arks sang in the air and focks
OF pigeons clustered like blossom. on the tops
OF the sycamores. Here, in November. il was
the treshset and most animalng picture Of
spring.
Our donkeys' hoofs now sank deep in the Lib
yam sands, and we looked up to the great stone
piles OF Cheops, Cephrenes, and Mycerinus, not
more than half mile distant Our sunrise view
OF the Pyramids on leaving Gizeh, was sufficient,
had gone no further, and | approached them.
without violent emotion, but with a quiet feel
ing OF the most perfect satisfaction. The form
OF the pyramid is so simple and complete, that
nothing IS left to the Imagination. Those vast.
ye!IoWlsh-gray masses, whose feet are wrapt in
the silent sand and whose top lean against the
serene blue heaven, enter the mind and remain
IN the memory with no shock of surprise no stir
OF unexpected admiration. The impression they
give and leave, is calm, grand and enduring as
themselves.
The view from Cheops has been often descrb-
ed. cannot say that it increased nv impression
of the majesty and grandeur Of the pyramid. for
that was already complete. My eyes wandered
off from the courses of granite, broadeningawa
below my feet, TO contemplate the glorious green
Of the Nle-plain, barred with palm trees and
divided dy the cleaning flood of an ancient NV
er; and minarets Of Cniro the purple walls Of
the far Arabian mountains; the pyramid rronps
Of SakEara and Dashoor. overlooking vanished
Memphis in the South; and the arid yellow
waves Of the Lyb.an Desert which rolled un-
broken to the western sky. The clear open
heaven above, which seemed to rad.ate light
from It's entire concaye, clasped in its embrace
and harmonIZed the different features OF this
wonderful landscape. There was too much
warmth and briIiance for desoaton Every
thing was alive and real; the Pyramids were
not ruins, and the dead Pharaohs, the worship
pors Of Ashor and Apis, did not once enter my
mind
On the way, Achnat had told me ola French
man who had been all summer dicrinr in the
sand, near the Sakkara. After we had craw.ed
into the subterrancan depot Of mummed ibises
and nearly choEod ourselves with dust in trying
10 find pot not broken open, we saw b fore us
the residence of this Frcnchman mud hut on
high sand bank. It was an unfortunate
building, for nearly Al, the front wall had turn-
hi'd down, revealing the contents ofhis kitchen.
One or two Arabs loitcred about. but a large
number were employed at the end Of long trench
which EXTENDED toward the hills.
Before reaching tn" ho1se a number oc deep
pits barred our att, and the loose sand stirred
by our feet, Slid back into the bottom, as ifeager
to hide the wonders they disclosed. Granite,
pavements, fresh aS when first laid basement
walls Of white marble, steps. doorways, pcdestas
and fragments of pillars glittertd in the sun,
which after the lapse of more than two thousands
years, beheld them again. sid down the side
Of the pit and walked in the streets of Memphis
The pavement Of bitumen, which once covered
the granite, apparently 10 protect il and deaden
the noise Of horses and charots. was entire in
many places. Here a marble sphinx sat at the
base OF temple, and stared ab>iractcdiy before
her; there a sculpured cornrc, with heavy
mouIdngs, leaned against the val. Of the cham
Der into which i, bad fallen and over all was scat
rnl frofy rI -, 4 l.
and sculpturad alnbaster. The principal street
was narrow, and was apparently occupied by pri-
vate dwellings, but at lis extremity were the
basement walls of a spacious edfice. A the
pits opened on pavement and walls, so fresh and
cieanIy cut, that they seemed rather the found
atons Of new city, laid yesterday than the re-
mains of one Of the oldest capitals of the world.
We approached the workmen, where we met
the dscoyerer of Memphis, Mr.. Auguste Mari
cite On finding that we were no. Englishmen,
(by whom il seems he has been considerably an
noyed) he became very courteous and commu-
NEGATIVE. He afologized for the little he had to
show us, since on account of the Vandalism of
the Arabs, he was oblgedto cover upai he found
after making his drawings and measurements =
The Egyptian authorities are worse than apath-
cites, for they would not hesitate 10 burn the
sph!nXes for lime, and build barracks for filthy
SNIGlrTS WIKI the marble D!OCBS. besides tllS,
the French influence at Cairo is now entirely
overshadowed BY that Of England, and although
Mariette is supported by the French Academy in
his labors aud by subscription headed by Louis
NapoIeons name, he must be content with the
simple permission to dig on: these remarkable ru-
ms and describe them. Tie can neither protect
them nor remore the portable sculptures and in
scriPuons, and therefore prefers giving them a.
gain into the safe keeping Of the sand. Here
they will be secure from injury, until some fort
innate period, when possibly, the lost Memphis
may Be entirely given 10 the world, as fresh as
PowPeii and q thousand times more grand and
imposing.
l asked " Nar;etlo wba: frs; induced BIN 10
Dig for Memphis in these sands, since anuquar-
ans have fixed upon the mounds near M,rahcn-
ny, "a village in the plain below, about four
miles distani) as the former site Of the city
He said that the tenor Of an Inscription which he
found OF one Of the blocks quarred out OF these
mou' Is, induced him 10 believe that the pr.nci-
pal part Of the city lag to the westward and
therefore he commenced cxcsyating in the noar-
est sand bill in that direction. After sinking
pits in various places, he s,yuch On an avenue Of
sphinxes the clue 10 all his after dlscovercs.-
Following this, he came upon the remains Of
temple, (probatly the ssrGpsuT, or Temple Of
Scraps. mentioned by S,Tabo. AID afterward up
on streets, cC,oauades, public and private eii-
fees, and all other signs OF g great city The
n - Il Il