Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1876-12-02
EGYPT'S BURIED TEMPLES.
Reading History in the Ruins
that Line the Nile.

lies 10 the east of The Nile bank. The
river once flowed much closer To The
bas. "i the hill, but mas turned hack
into the plain and left d-p"-ii "f
rich soil that is covered with waving
grain. breast high "a we plough
through il on our d"nkrys. and Of The
most brilliant green. As We thread
ed palm groves and hailed each other
over the grain ;ha, was tossing in the
wind aud rolling green billow from
end 20 end across the broad fields. We
were cautiUnrd hy our cnn>idrrate
dunkry.hoys It. keep di>rrrr, silence.
a. this district j. infested bv Bed"uin
briyands. Up one Of the lonely
gorges Of the hills actually saw the
black tents "f the tribe. but no ore
sought Ia modest us.
The groiIoes of Bcni Hassan are.
next to the Pyramids. the oldest
known n'"nunrnls in Egypt. The
fact scarcely suggests itself as YOU
enter these chant~rS hrwn out of he
solid rock. pla>.-rrd and eIab"ra,rly
frrscned The c"lorS are as bright
to-day a. they were when The artist
Who, by the wav. has brpn mumtird
these fifty cruiurirs-conclud-d his
contract. On y background of the
most delicate shades If green ur- in.
finite mu!tiiudes Uf figures p.rtrav.
ing all the manners aud customs of
lha, anrient life. Even then there
must have been ,.llings If preirn-
ti"u- architecture. For they are i,ni-
lated here. Here stand cniuuns
hrwn out If the living rock in the
earliest Egyptian style. Naturally
they are cnph = from nalurr-Ihe
sia.k- uf four wxirr-plan,S hound to-
p~rh-r and crowned with lotus or
papyrus buds Il is miraculous that
ANY part of these ton'hs is left. save
ih. bare huIlow. inasnurh ms the
painting may he easily -tfacrd. the
plaster removed in SLICES. aud the r"rk
itself cut with the blade of q pen.
knlfe.
The majority Of the temples Of
EgyDt stand so near the Niie >horr
that they are plainly visible from ,hr
deck of oui dahalTeh At morning
Or At evening We see superb m"nu-
meni in the dim distance. IL the
wind is fair We draw rapidly toward
II, and in an hour or Nv" lind the Nj
i~iis runniCg up 10 the nearest point
from which The ,r"p'e may b- visited.
Two or three of The sailors ,ap
ashore. drive in their portable stakes
ani mskr fast. After This feat they
u-uall, squat on The bank ~ Il Row.
Eight 'h.ir ri-arriIeS. cha. sing, WAN
der oF q - lh- fields :" ga her Iru'ilS
and eat ,hen, vii h relish II j. their
plsy.'imr. /, is our task. fer W. u,
"n'- begin preparing for the expIora-
tim f III. ;cmplrS.
Usually We take dnrkeys To carry
us TO tbr ii e nf :hr ruins. Too "crn
these l'l,lr l~as,s arr utterly unfit To
carry any burden. Their hacks are
raw; their stirrmi,lr>s saddles are tied
On with odd bits nf cord. ar perhaps
are mrteIy balanced "u the sharp
backs If the unhappy creatures. with
uut any fa.'cning> whatever. Over
dusty roai>. through broad fields "f
grain, un'irr palm graves aud si"ng
the ridges If mud villages we crouch |
in the b. y, Of the sun and reach, AT |
last. with unfrianrd joy. th- Ir"py Ion.
/. WAS not Yet suhri>r whcn We
came 4" the gales uf E.if.", one OF
The beat preserved tempt. : "f The Nii-.
The mir Was still, fresh. for these nights |
are driiciously cool. The great courts
wnh their scuIp,ur-d c"luon>, the
chambers sacred u the an
cirn, rites of The temple worship. the
massive wall that rncl0>rS il !; all |
these unmarried relics "f a might, race
impressed siienc- upon us. aud We /
parei reverrn'lv the im"en>. hall, 7
wbe We appeared 'ic cul"u-Iy snail
ia cn"puri>on. Our t"rcbrS hr.u.hl
out Ibe color that cnliv-nS he srul,,- /
ture, Inuugh much f that color, aud !
even sUine Ot the ~"up!nriry. have
brru ohliIrrs,-d 10y the Ihrk Suok- If
the IuhuurrabIr ,mrh-- iha, have
L.ru burned here for xrn-rati"ns past. /
Leaning from The lofty al of the +
eastern pyl"n The PROSPECT WAS gl'.ri- !
uis--,he Iruple court b-heaih u-;
docs- Of doves darling /" aud fr" /
the columns Of ,hr curt.
Us their pale blue back HE
green lawns, s"fi rs velvet. stretching
~ ihe uulser Nile on The une b aud (
snd the desert hills ou ,be TIER the ,
village With lis opru hnu>->. half Of
them ,unroni-d.m .m only partly Ihs,c'~.i
With palm Iough>. all tud'tird ct">-
Il gei her under he high wall, II the .
temple. When The suu rose this Wi
isse came 10 life. and there ~A> q
chorus Uf hsck>t re-h raised ~ 4
MUM ate of baby Arabs. wEo danced
bol-trouSiy aud cried To US irc-s-ant-
lv.
The town .f Krn~b. with it, famous
wafer jars. lies Opposite DrnI-rab.
4 templ- perfect, ike Ihs, ut E,iioo.
though smaller. |, hs. onc- l~-u
buried. and Is sill 80 deep In the -oil
tbs, You raD touch the capitals ~
YOU walk around the outer wall. aud
to enter the temple is like Describing
iu,o al enurmOus cellar. l, is only
st Dend-rah anu Edfon Iba, | have
been able 10 realize snylbiug uf the