The New York herald., 1870-05-07
Cleopatra's Temple, Ermcnt, and the
Ruins Of Other Temples.
Efforts of tho Egyptian Architects to
Break from Conventional Style.
Walls, Towers, Stairs, Loopholes, Light, and
the Sanctum SanctO7u
Herodotus' Exploration for the
Sources Of the Nile.
SCENE AT THE CATARACTS.

SCENE AT THE CATARACTS.
4 a.ue .sets ~. CAIRO. March Is. 1870. os
From T'bates to Erment takes three hours by
steamer
The g book speaks OF temple being here
bullt by Cleopatra. We had q glimpse Of Vt. But
were 1t not for that lovely 'scrpent Of old Nile" who
would visit 1t fresh from the precincts OF Karnac from
the Rameseum and Medeenet Aboo with keeu reco.
Sections OF royal Luxor and the grand varied
beauties Of Thebess farer enjoyment than visiting
small ruined temple OF no consequence. with
pretensions to beauty or architecture, may
be had in the cool gardens OF the Khedive.
To travel through orange groves and forests OF
lemon and citrOn trees, through avenues OF tamarx
and sycamore and acacias. fringed with bushes
IN DlO0m to pluck ripe mandarin and eat 1t IN tue
cool shade, Is exquisite enjoyment particularly at
Ernent on the Nile Travellers who do this are
wfse and have healthful appetite for good things
Ana Erment will be remembered one OF natures
sweetest pictures. framed by ruins OF glorious tem
pies.
Esne is fifteen kiometers south OF Errneut. 1t
boasts the ruins OF quay and most perfect pOr
ttco. supported by 24s columns. no two of which
have the same capitals. In these columns. the work
OF a late period, you Will discover that the Egyp-
Trans made an effort TO break from the conventional
form OF coumnar architecture. These capitals are
cxqaisely cut, and out OF many designs OF capi-
tails you could hardly say which best. they are
all graceful, but, perhaps, the palm branched capital
or the delicate corn sheaf will be admired most for
their elegance. The columns are all circular, but
their capitals represent the lotus nower. the papy.
rus dover, water reeds, sheaves or wheat, clover
and date palm branches Thirty years ago this por.
ttcO was buried in rubbish, but Mohammed Ali,
w 4 In no Uoo
the beauty OF the capitals that he ordered
Y to be cleared to the floor. In which state
It is now preserved and carefully protected from
future depredations OF iconoclastlc Arabs. 70 is
pity that lsmal Pacha did not follow the example OF
MS great predecessor oftener ana have other dne
remnants OF temples restored to the light or day
For one good thing however travellers are Indebted
70 the Egyptian government--viz for the protection
which they derive by the presence OF Turkish guards
from the devouring avarice OF Arab beggars for
"bachshecsh" Let the traveller be careful Of his
cash, think OF others who are coming after him. and
not render Nile voyage aborious task by an in.
discriminate ana senseless generosity.
Alter staying Two hours at Esne the steamers
reached the next morning at eight O'Clock.
The great temple OF Edfou Is gem. Having seen
this temple was unexcavated when Sir tGardner
gave his book 10 Murray to be published win en-.
aeavor TO describe It IN detail.
Asy0u stand before the front Of the temple the
pyrantdal towers and pylon tower impOsingly above
You. With the exception OF the nliet or the cornce
rhe'propyl@ are as perfect as when the rites and
ceremonies or the Egyptian worship were daily
practised; The rounded, hawserke torus which
runs up the corners OF the propyl9 and bind
The stones rmer the vacant space depressi0ns in
the wall for the lofty nagstafs, the embrasures
through which the fastenings were put the loop
holes In successive lines through which the garrison
shot their arrows and which admitted light into their
quarters, or TO the chambers OF the priests for which
ever purpose they were Intended the pylOn between
the prOpylB with its immense portal surmOunted by
te tue wgsd n y g1pe @ Mmcn expands along
Truly the Edfou temple is Phoenix risen from It's
grave.
Entering the gateway Of the temple It's ponderous
lengthy Intel OF IL is fifty feet above your head. the
sanken part OF the walls on each side were TO admit
the half doors as they swung open. You may still
how the doOrs-or gates, rather--were sup
ported Passing through the portal, which IS forty
Ieet deep, a spacious area measuring IsO feet long
by lao feet wlde opens before you, having covered
corridor on each Side supported ny thirty y-twO
columns. In each inner wal OF the pr0pye a door
admits you into their INTERIOR and the the
summit Is easy by winding lights OF low stone
stars. Tne stairs are Int mp by those oopholcs OBJ
served from the outside, which, though small enough
apparently when inside are large enough and
would readily admit the body OF man for observa-
uon and Tor defensive purposes The walls are Of
immense thickness and every part OF the tower is OF
the most solid construction. At the head OF each
night Of stairs are spacious rooms, either lit up by
the 0opholes from the outside or from the inside,
Tor these towers were bulit that II even
the pyson was forced the propyl9 could be
.iefen,pU against those within the temple as
well - lhose wtnout. A splendid prospect
over Z L,byan and Arabian deserts and the Nile
vaileH to be obtained nom the summit while the
t-sT5Ody OF the temple IS seen behind the pro-
pyle like an iinmense bastiOn or buttress. Descend.
lng INTO sac area or vestbulum again. ana proceeding
III the examination OF the temple, you cross the
noble corridor and enter the prOnaOs pOrtlco,
supported by eighteen elegant columns. In three
rows, the front row Of which Is connected by low
IntercoIuInnar screens. Passing through the p0rticO
you are IN q haii Immediately before the Sa1aclunt
Sdnc0ru in which is safe OF beautifully polished
red granite, topped ike pyramid, twelve feet hIgh
eight feet i'll breadth and SIX in DEPTH the whole OF
watch ,s formed OF one block. This sarc--i call it,
probably kept the sacred vessels or the Image Of
Horbat, VINO was che deity Of the city OF Apoiino
polls, which once stood about tie temple.
d n oaVu xa so ota an% @ svar @ w1cn
inost chambers to the right and the left apertures
m the wallis whicn lead nto iabyrlnthian crypts- In
these crypts, at Intervals inches sunk In the
walls, and tOmDlike cavities either end. re
stone which lines these cryp,s having been always
free from rubbish and dust Is us fresh as when
tnrned from the quarry
Stairs lead TO the roof OF the temple from cham
bers the right aud left OF the pOrticO ON one side
by light OF one hundred stone steps on an inclined
plane on the other side by short filgnis.
The roof is remarkably solid, and communication is
easy with all parts oil IT..
Every part OF the exterior and interior is covered
with sculptuiai inscripuons-col medium and
mlnute-wllicn represent the usual number vi winged
snakes phtenixes- -eubematical images OF sunls In
aner transition 10 the several statos after death.
The zodiac found the ceiling OF the port.co
human and animal SACRIFICES are represented on the
iet circuit wall and there are uoa's and mnnnles IN
endless procession.
This temple Is SAID TO have been butt by Ptoemy
PbilOinetOr, in the year 3si H. e.. 10 uorDat, II
embIe enatiZed A. u winged globe throughout ALI tie
temples or Egypt From the inner wall OF the pro.
pylae to the rear circuit wall 1t measures i43 paces
or about 430 iee by about I30feet In width You may
traverse round the circuit wall and through every
part Of the temple witnout any difficulty; Tor NJ
Maraselbe has done bis work well at this pace He
had the floor Of every pavement swept, anu
mad flight OI steps buIlt for the convenience OF
visitors to lead from tile village To Che LYON.
Between Edlou and Phae there Is nothing very
Interesting The sandstone Quarrles SiisiIis and
wbiie. We but stopped for the purpose Of inspect
lug the q0arres, whence The large sand blocks were
obtained Tor tue building OF The Egyptian temples
The Nile at Ssiis Is contracted To the widLh Of le
over 1000 feet by the approach OF tue ArabaN and
Lybian ranges 10 the waters edge. but 1t
widens again and Is bounded once more by fertile
strps and exp2nscs until Assouan Is reached.
i SYENE AND PEaAE.
Assonan tne ancient Syene. lies Dds foW hoNEa