The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-04-06

the first neeessaries OF life"
Briefly to describe the interior arrange
ments of the temple. we quote from
Wilkinson:
''To the great portico succeeds hall
of six columns, with three rooms on eth
er side; then central chamber commui-
eating on one side with two small rooms,
and on the other with a stair case. This
is followed by another similar chamber,
with two rooms on the west and one on
the east side, Immediately before the iso-
lated sanctuary, which has passage
leading around it, and communicating
with three rooms on either side. The
total length of the temple is SO PAGES, { or
about 22o feet, by Al, or across the por-
tico 40. Advancing through the gloom
of the succeeding hall, we prepared to
explore these smaller chambers and pas
sages. Oppressed by close foul odor,
and not without apprehension of treading
on snakes and scorpions concealed in the
loose dust, we lighted our candles and be-
gan cautiously to descend; the bats star
tied by the glare, reused from their OBJ
scure crannies, and madly fitting to and
fro, with their slight curdling cry and the
whizzing of their filthy wings, threatened
to extinguish our lights and dash their OBJ
scene bodies in our aYerted faces-an idea
which even now inspires shudder of dis
gust. Such was our welcome into these
narrow, dusty passages, once thronged
with the yotaries of yoluptuous and de-
basing superstition.
Screening as well as might be, our eyes
from these attacks, we traced out with
candles the elaborate sculptures with
which the walls are every where profuse-
ly covered throughout those numerous
smaller rooms, all ministering to the i'm
preston designed to be produced upon
the spectator. In the smaller temple Of
Isis, behind the great temple, and in an
other, at some distance in front of it, are
lateral columns, bearing the distorted fig
ure of a aTyphonian monster, which SO GU
riously contrasts with the head of Isis,
in the portico of the principal temple, as
to have given rise to the impression, that
it was dedicated to the genius of the
Egyptians, but according to Wilkinson,
this is erroneous; the building in question
having also relation to Athor
The plain of Thebes and the ruins of
the ancient temples therein, constitute
the most magnificent display of architec-
tural skill and the most interesting group
of ruins On the face of the earth
There are six or more prominent points
among these ruins. Karnac is on the
north east Luxor on the south east, and
both east of the river, Mebinot, Habon is
in the south west and Gourno is in the
north west. The tombs of the kings are
IN the extreme west among and beneath
the mountains and the COLOSSAL statutes
are between Habon and Guerno. All
this may once have been part of hundred
gated Thebes, but now several villages
occupy the site of the ancient city, and
the ruins, are wide part
We visited Karnac first, passed over an
extensive plain, now green with vegeta-
ton, and now elevated, dry, barren sand
drifted and tossed by the winds for ages.
In one place we observed a pair of high
gate posts, with their caps. standing soil
tary and alone. On these posts we dis
tinctly recognized ancient Masonic en-
emblems. Here and there were to be
seen an isolated column, now fragments
of ancient sculptures strewed our path
now piles of broken wall lay before us
and now again, we enter a grand hall of
some ancient temple whose pillars gigan-
tic in size and beautiful in form still re-
main. Many Of these I measured that I
might speak particularly of their dimen-
sions.
The egreatest interest, however, connec-
ted with the walls of ruined Karnac as
well as other portions of Thebes is found
in the hieroglyphics and wonderful histo-
rical devises and warlike representations
engraved and often painted upon these
relics of other ages from which we
gather the fragments of information in
regard to the manners, customs, battlas
and religion of the ancient build
ers. From Karnac to Luxor we pass along
the way supposed to be the ancient walk,
adorned with sphinxes for the space OF
one end half miles. But few of these
still remain and perhaps not one perfect,
but all mutilated by the ferce barbarity oI
those races who succeeded the ancient
Pharaoes. Part of the sphinx were in
the form of lion, with human head
and were about forty feet in hight, but
just as you issue out Of Karnac, portion
of these stone images are crowned with
the horns of ram, an alusion to Am
mon Ra, the Ancient deity of Egypt
Tuyor ovtopdc To tba ,,ivor Hara ipp,,