The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-05-10

a GA0' 'AD0H' g1s HfI
valued forts fruit. But if any sort OF
tree or shrub bears no fruit, then II is
! estimated only according to the amount
of fuel there is in it. And everything
I is reared for that'purpose in this coun-
4 Etry-"The grass that to-day Is, to.mor-
rowlis cut down and cast into The opsn.' .
The palm, as you have learned from
Botany, is an endogenous--growing
only from within. Its diameter as it
comes through the ground is as great
as at any period ofits growth; and it
simply grows taller from year TO- year.
With uniform seasons and treatment,
its diameter, is very uniform. But a
bad season, or the cutting off many OF
its leaves ia one year, diminishes its
4 diameter at that part, and forms a kind
of neck. which afterwards remains. In
the groves through which we, passed
the trees were generally about l6 inch
es through-some more and some less.
In hight, so to s0feet-the top covered
with spreading tuft of long branching
Ii
Z Along the Nile lites are built 10 con-
/ troll the overthrow of its waters, and to
regulate their distribution. These dikes
are the only roads during high water
time. Asiitis not now high water, we
were not confined to these; sometimes
striking across the plains and through
the grass, where the distance could
thus be shortened. Roads, as we I'M
lderstand the term, are not muck known
here. We passed several villages, the
houses being built of the clay soil, gen
orally with fiat'roofs, although they
are sometimes arched, and occasionally
made with pitch similar to our own.
They are covered with clay--even one
which saw on my way to ----} with
board sides aud "a slanting roof, was
thus shingled with yapd There is so
little rain in Egypt that it is Of little
moment to guard against it.
One little hamlet that we passed see-
med devoted entirely'to the raising OF
| pigeons for market. The pigeon hous-
es were on the whole far more respecta-
bic III appearance than mostof those &C.
:. oupied by the degraded peasants.
Three hours ride brought us to the
site of the ancient Memphis, founded
cy Menes-once the abode of the Pha-
raohs, and now in utter ruin The on
ly signs of its former greatness, are the
mounds that remain where its princely
mansion once stood; and few frag-
ments of sculpture scattered about
The statue of Rameses III is much the
most remarkable, and Of itself is suffi-
cient to repay visit to this ancient
city. Nothing but its immense size
4 has prevented its removal long since.
/ 1t was once donated to the British Mu-
scum, but the difficulty asd expense OF
removing it have prevented, thus far,
its transportation TO London; and it
will probably remain here for some time
to come. 1t is sitting statue of CO.
lossal size, broken at the feet, and part
Of the cap is also wanting. Thrown
from its pedestal, it lies PROSTATE on
! its side. and was for many centuries
entirely buried up by the washing of
the Nile Being. accidentally discov-
cred, it has been entirely uncoy cred,
and now lies in deep ditch still partly
imbedded in the soil. 1t is about 40
Ifeetlong; this being the length from
the top of the crown to the hips, its
other measurements-to make lit n
well-proportioned human figyre--can
be easily imagined. The expression
of the face, which is well preserved, is
universally admired. This statue is
made of silicious limestone, similar TO
that of which the pyramids themselves
are built--very hard and capable of
fine polish. From the neck is suspend-
ed an arnllet, on which is engraved Tic
kings name. 1t is majestic figure,
and to see it by the side of the very
pedestal on which it was originally
placed, even though it is now fallen, is
well worth little pilgrimage. pcih s
Various other fragments of statues
all colossal--lie scattered about, not
far from this. And very many have
been taken hence to the Museums of
London, Rome. Paris and other Euro
pean cities. This has long been one Of
the great quairies from which these en-
terprising institutions have dug out
some of 4heir cboiscst Egyptian treas
ures. Gi ahbG .fh D h
"A quarter of a million Of dollars
would probably be Sufficient to remove
this statue of Rameses to London; and
if the Marquis of Westminster, with
his annual income of 1875, 900, could
manage, for single year, to live in a
plain way, on $l25,000 he could save
enough to place it in the great Museum.
lie might, no doubt, make a better use
of his money than even this; but it is
very doubtful whether he will. '4'lil
From Memphis, little over an hour
brought MS to, ,Saklara-the inosy Won
deffiil spot which I have yet seen. 1t
seems to have been vast cemetery, ON
most magnificent scalc-the Screen
wood Cemetery" of old Memphis, only
that there is not Il gi'celi' thing to be
seen in it, or near it. Two pyramids
are the prominent objects; although
besides these there are several smaller
ones. These arc in only a tolerable
state of preservation, and the largest
of them much sm;ller than the "Great
Pyramids" Which shall speak of soon.
But the pits of Salshara are far more
curious and interesting. The ground
has been pretty thoroughly dug over,
and many of these pits are left open.
1t would be a. perilous walk through
this graveyard in a dark night. . I''ao
not now speak of the danger from
ghosts; although if there is a spot on
II \ - 4 A. q