The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-10
,EGYPTS BURIED TEMPLES.
SREfDING HISTORY IN THE RUINS
IHAI LIVE THE NILE.
a Exploring the Elaborate Tomb- Of the Luxu-
riou- subjects of the Ram sid- The EuyDt
ofthc Past and the Eaypt of Modern Times.

ofihc Past aud the ERvpt Of Modern Times.
Prom ne sun Francisoo Chronicle
the tombs of Benz Ilassan are cut in one
of the hard strata q Hill that lies to the cat
yloser to the base of the hill hut has turned
Back into the plain and left deposit ~ Iicn
h,oil that IN covered with waving grain. breast
Thigh as we plough through II on our donkeys,
Iand Of the most brilliant green. As We thread
iErain that was tossing In the wind and rolling
n,rccn pillows from end to end across the broad
donkey bo,s to keep a discreet silence. as this
,district is infested by Bedouin brirands. Up
ipne Of the lonely gorgcs Of the hills we actually
saw the black tents Of the tribe, but no one
Sought to modest Ne
pyramids. the oldest known monuments IN
Egypt. The fact scarcely suggests Itself rs you
enter these chambers hcwn out " the solid rock,
1a-tcred and deliberately frescoed. The colors
are a. bright to day a. they were when the ar
ti.t 10y the way has been munmlhcd these
ffty centuries concluded ms cnnlrhct, Oh
background " the most delicate shades OF green
lnrc Infinite multitude Of figures poriraNing, all
rhe manners aud customs 81 that ancient life.
Even then there mu-t have been dwellings OF
pretentious architecture. For they are initiated
1icre Here stand columns hewn uut oi the ny
ing rock In the earliest Egyptian style. Naturally
they are copies from nature the stalks Of four
watcr-plauts bound together and crowned with
lotus or papyrus buds II is miraculous that any
part Of these tombs Is left, save the bare hollow,
5na-much as the painting may he easily enaced,
1hc plaster removed Ia slices. and the rock itself
cut with the hlnde Of penknife.
The majority uf the temples OF Egypt stand so
near the Nile shore that they are plainly visible
from the deck OF our dahabech. At morning or
nj evening we see "A superb monument In the
dim distance II the wind is fair We draw rapidly
ttOwafd II, and In an hour ortwu nnd the Nitctis
cunning w to the neare.t point rom wn,,h the
.ors leap ashore drive ~ our portable stakes and
make fast. After this feat they usually squat
on tho hank In row, light their cigarettes chat,
sing. wander on into the fields To- gather lentils
and eat them with relish. 1t is their play
pairing FOR the explorations Of the temples.
Usually we take donkcys to carry Us 10 tho site
az the ruins Too often these little beasts are
utterly unit to carry any burden. Their backs
are raw then stirrupless saddles are tied on
with odd hits 81 cord, or perhaps are merely bal
anced ON the sharp backs 81 the unhappy crca-
lures, without any fastenings Whatever. over
dusty ruads. through broad fields Of grain under
I'VE crouch in the heat Of the sun and reach at
last, with unfelgned JOY. the propylon.
gates Of Edfoo, one q the best preserved tenn
Ilcs Of the Nile. The air was still fresh for
These nights are delici""sly cool The great
rourts with their sCulptured columns, the nu-
Temple Worship, the massive wall That encloses
Jt all these unmarried relies of mighty race
Impressed silence upon Hs' and We paced re,er;
emily the immense hdl where we hppeaitu
Eidiculousiy small III 'omphrlsun; our TOR ne-
brought out the color NAY ~tll enhNens lhe
sculpture, though much 81 mat color ana even
some uf the sculptuting. have been nhliterated
by the thick smoke ot the innumerahle torches
,thai have been burned here Tor G'hciatl"h~ past
iLeaniug from the LOFTY capital ot the eastern
,p,iun the prospect was glorious the temple
court beneath us Hooks ~ doves darling Z" and
fro among the columns ~ the court showing us
their pale hlu, ha is: She green lawns soft AS
velvet str,t, hing Go tie amber Nile on the one
nnnd and the desert hills ON the other; the vii
1age with III 0ptn houses. hall of them uhrn"ied
or only partly matched with palm houEhs. all
lhuddlcd close together under the high walls OF
,Ihe temple when the sun rose this Village
came to life. and there was a chorus OF back
Shec-h raised los 81 multitude Of baby Arabs VII,
danced hostcrously and cried 10 u~ necessarily
The town 81 Kcuch. with it, famous water jars
.iics opposite Dendcrah, temple perfect like
that nj Edlou, though smaller. 1t has once beer
buried. and 10 still 50 deep In the soil that you
can touch the capitals ~ You walk around the
outer wal. and to enter the temple T. Ike de.
ascending into an enormous cellar. u i Only al
Dctdcrah and tdiuu that have been able u
realize anvtr ~ ot the life of these temples
They are so uttorly dead. 90 cruelty ruined. and
their axe il 81 iu, ou, eiNahe. that hnd myself
wandering tout then ih state of utter disbe'
lief.
At E-noh "a temple stands in the midst Of q
Bqualid ,iilag and H. tufed to the roof In earth
one grow inditcreut t. ruins that are not i'm
ure--i,c IN "a land thar has so great n store oi
The wonderful. Isu,l. therefore. half covered
with mud nuts thai hang upon u like wasp-
Through the village, The sun was intensely hot
thc air nlled with dust and the day nervous
pue. Even the ehaWa2tr wi" have given fame
a. the Village fNil now To- attract. The bazaar
Werc family uCrfumod with rose Ottar; naket
Ihildrcn. with di.tchdrd stonach-. followed ~
Through the narrow, tfhN streets begging an'
Mhon we turned ou them they fled In confusion
We paused az ana open door for moment Fou
women crourlcd lu "a LONELY room. waiting fo
rs We approached nud turned fearful eyes upon
rs Then they stretched forth a hand and muir
INJURED "lia,h-hecsh Their laws were dropped
and they looked the picture ~ despair; hut
Whispered i,at kthot-l.' The fourth woman
was bowed DOM ~ the corner with her forehead
turned Co., th, wall. Size took not the slightest
notice of u-. There wa- surely some truth IN
her sorrow. Af'cr dark We drifted away from
I-Hch. willie - tlti uiunle was outlined
nsain-i a., wet, dotted With few twnklins