The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-09-18
BlpDEroRD, MAINE, FRI6lI Ee1EABER 1857,

: 'f'|Ti -rEn' ~ Hs-'ihIAl ~ ~ 90
It seems that, French gentleman b,
been exploring its secrets during the ps
yeaf, and has exposed its neck and . lafg
portion Of the body. It has been Away
described - having been carved out
one solid rock, u But I found that the le
side Of the body wss constructed ofsoli
blocks Of stone resembling those of III
Pyramid. ! climbed up and walked owe
the back Of the huge animal. Betwee
the shoulders was q largo cavity, partl
filed with the sands Of the desert. Her
were lying two licadless dogs Of stone
which the Arabs said had Been taken on
ofthis cavity. The neck and breast Q
the Sphynx arc 30 much bruised and dc
faced, the Arabs breaking OF large piece
for visitors ss they did for IN. Tho nos
is entirely gone, and tho whole face Wa
never anything more than the rudes
Egyptian carving, which ainuscs, il j
does not disgust you, as you stand imme
diately before it. Yet at o distance it i
full Of power, and could the surrounding
sands Be entirely cleared away it would
be a most striking ornamentin in the mids,
Of the gloomy tombs. lf'. .7'.ii'
Not far from the Sphynr, an English
gentleman, Mr.. Wyse, has been zealously
digging in the sands for some time past,
employing for this purpose large mum
Der Of Arabs. Among other ,curiosities
he has uncovered very remarkable tomb
containing, at a depth Of twenty or thirty
feet, several large sarcophagi, which have
not yet been removed; and you cannot
look upon them without feeling that the
grand idea ofold Egypt was not how to
live, but how to bo buried. From the
tomb we went to the second pyramid -
almost fac similc of the first except
that it is not quite 80 large, and the out.
er layer Of stone has not been removed
near the top. Perhaps fifty feet OF
more Of the original exterior (apparenty
Egyptian granite, though some say it !,
stucco,) is the same as when it was con.
structed. II has, understand, the same
intcrnal.passage and rooms as the other
pramids, though I did not enter It myself
A short distance further on, is O compar-
ativcly small pyramid, of very beautiful
granite. Immense blocks had been torn
down and scattered around in different
attempts to penetrate into the interior
and We picked our way, among them,
wondering at the strange ambition which
had piled up these monuments during
many successive dynastics Of Egypt. gH
In q ridge Of rocks a little farther out
in tho desert, is row of comparatively
small tombs, almost entirely filed with
the ever-drihing sand. Upon our hands
and knees We effected an entrance into
them, and found the walls covered with
hieroglyphics, which are perfectly dis.
tinct, and some Of the colors arc as bright
and vivid as when put on by the artist
four thousand years ago. TWAS a strange
experience to find myself lying PROSTATE
in an Egyptian tomb, attempting to dc
cipher the hidden meaning Of language
which doubtless recorded the name and
character Of the pt or mortals who may
have slept here quietly for ages, and whose
ashes have long since been lost in these
restless sands.
Mounted on our donkeys We rode from
point to point in the vicinity-all that ]
saw convincing me beyond doubt that
this whole region was the great cemetery
Of ancient Memphis-the pyramids being
the ma,isoleums Of kings, and the Other
structures being prepared for the people
and varying in size and splendor with the
various fortunes Of the different classes.
The Pyramids Of Sokhsra and Doshool
are several miles farther up the Nile, and
nearer its banks. They are in full view
from those l have d s,ribed. They wert
probably erected for the same purpose by
ambitious and despotic kings. I thought
often while looking on them Of the theory
advocated by some, that the Children o
Israel in their bondage built up all thes'
great works. Perhaps further inyestiga
ton will prove its truth. The testimony
of Josephus is direct and explicit, ant
perhaps future explorer will find thu
fact recorded IN some undiscovered cham
Der Of a pyramid, or it may be recorded
in some hieroglyphics yet to be explain
ed. ...... F.r-r-rE5 .eH.E II. ~
But the declining sun warned US tt
turn our faces towards Cairo, and We lcf
this scene so full Of memorials Of pas
greatness and past tyranny. The darkness
gathered over us just as We reached TIT
city, but the impressions Of Egypts an
tiquity and power were as bright as mid
day, ..t ....I. .' N.