New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-29

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NV ,s,oueh fields of why htsh grass anu
,h,n,oh breach in the brick wall oil the anc'en'
49,. o. ,bs Arabian Desert. IL was areauy
49, ~, or, suide armed with his long spear
-..,s .d vigorously forward, and brought us savoy
~, The mountain path to the entrances Oh '"'
~',u,chers. There are large number OF tnese'
mt ouly two worth visiting, on account OIL 'he
,.ht which they throw on the social lie OF 'he
Epvptiaps. The owner of the tomb ana MS
wife-a red man and. yellow woman-are mere
seen. receiving the delighted guests Seats are
viven them, and each is presented with an aro-
matte flower, while the servants in the kitchen
hasten to prepare savory dishes. In other COM
partments, all the most minute processes 0. ag'-
culture are represented with wonderful hdeH'y'
So little change has taken place IN tnree 'hoa'
.and wears. that they would answer, with
scarceIy correction, as illustrations OF the fsl-
Lab agriculture of Modern Egypt.
The next morning we walked ahead to the
temple of Edfou, shooting few brace OF tat
partridges by the way, and soaring two large
;ackals from their LARS n the thick grass. The
superb pylon OF the temple rose above the sar'hy
mounds Of Apollinopolis like double truneafea
pvramid. II is in an entire state Of preserva-
ton. with all its internal chambers, passages
and stairways. The exterior is sculptured with
colossal figures of the gods, 30 feet In hight,
and from the base of the portal to the scroll
like coniee of the pylon is more than hundred
xeet. Through the door we entered large
open court, surrounded by colonnade The
grand portico OF the temple, buried nearly 10 the
tops of its pillars, faced us, and we could only
Judge, from the designs of the capitals and the
airth of the shaft, the imposing effect whicn "
must have produced on those who entered the
court. The interior is totally filled with rub
b;sh. and a whole village Of Arab huts stands
on the roof.
A strong wind carried us, before sunset, to
the ouarries of Gebel Silsieh, the Mountain
of the CHAIN" where the Nile is compressed be.
tween two rugged sandstone hills The river is
not more nan three hundred yards broad ana
the approach to this rocky gateway, after 90
MANY weeks Of level alluvial plain, is very srlk-
ine. Here are the sandstone qusrrIes whence
the huge blocks were cut, to build the temples
and shape the Coiossi of Thebes. They lie on
the eastern bank, close to the river, and the ways
down which the stones were slid to the vessels
which received them, are still to be seen. The
stone is of a pale reddish brown color, and very
fine and clear grain. II appears to have been d.
vided into squares of the proper size, and cut
from above downward The shape OF many OF the
enormous blocks may be easily traced. IN one
place the rock has been roughly hewn into
sort of temple, supported by pillars 80 feet square,
and with an entrance grand and rude as work
of the Titans.
In the morning we woke in the shadow OF
Ombos, which stands on hill overlooking tho
Nile, into which its temple TO Isis has fallen
Little now remains of the great temple to Savak,
the crocodile-headed god, the deity of Ombos,
but its double portco, supported by thirteen pill
lars, buried nearly waist-deep IN the sands. The
aspect of these remains, seated on the lonely
promontory commanding the course of the river
and the hsrvest.land of the opposite shore, while
the stealthy Desert approaches it from behind.
and year by year heaps the sand higher agains.
it's shattered sanctuary, is sadly touching. We
fingered and fingered around its columns 10th to
leave the ruined grace which a very few years
will obliterate. Two such. foes as the Nile and
the Desert make rapid progress, where no hu'
man hand is interposed to stay them. AS we
sailed away, large crocodile, perhaps Savak
himself, lay motoness on sand-bank with his
long snout raised in the air.
We were two days in coming from Ombos TO
this place, owing to a dead calm, the first in two
weeks The nights are now very cool, and the
mid day temperature is not too warm for comfort.
One morning my thermometer stood at 4oo; the
Arabs complained bitterly of the cold, and.
wrapped in their woolen nantes, cravled about
the deck as languidly as benumbed flies. Az
noon the mercury does not often rise above 70o.
As we approach Nubia, the scenery OF the river
undergoes a complete change. The rugged hills
Of black sandstone and granite usurp the place
Of the fields, and leave but narrow strip Of cul.
tivable land on either side. The Arabs are dark
or and show the blood of the Desert tribes In
their features. They are, however, exceedingly
friendly. The day before reaching here, we
walked ahead of our boat and were obliged to
wait two or three hours. We had retinue Of
bsys, who pummeled one another as to which
should pick up the pigeons We shot. The sue
cessful one came bounding back with face
sparkling with delight, and kissed the bird and
touched il to his forehead he gave it to us. A
we were resting under the palm.tress, my friend
regretted that We had not brought our chibouks
along with US. One of the Arabs, guessing his
wish from the word "chibouk, instantly ran off
and secured the dourra-felds till he found la.
borer who owned a pipe. He brought the man
back, with the sickle in his hand and corn-staik
pipeof very indifferent tobacco, which he gravsly
presented to my friend. Before returning On
board we saw wonderful mirage. Two small
lakes OF blue water, glittering in the sun, lay
spread in the yellow sands, apparently not mors
than mile distant There was moi the least
sign Of vapor in the air, and we were utterly at
lass 40 s.x.s E>~t ~