Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-25
Ihe fteEman.
Letter from Professor Bush.
On THE AEGEAN. BETWEEN SMYRNA I
AND CoNsTANTiNoPLE. Mar. "a ".


A l left the latter city 10 embark ut Naples
for Alexandria, Egypt. The passage,
which occupied five days, including a short
stay at Messina, Sicily, was very stormy
one and we were glad when we touched
land again. AS l had left Mrs. b. in
Rome, | considered that l was fortunate
in finding on board three American gen
tlemen who wished to make the same tour
in Lower Egyptas myself. In Alexandria
we first saw thoroughly foreign city,
where costume, people, streets, bazars,
ETC., differed wholly from that to which we
had become accustomed in Europe and
America. Aside from Cleopatra's Needles
and Pompey's Pillar there are few things,
however, for the traveller to see, and ac-
cordiUgly on the second morning we were
ready to take the train for Cairo, hundred
and thirty miles up the Nile Valley. The
mud villages, cames, rude plows, water
wheels and other appliances far irrigation
furnished very pleasant entertainment
as we sped on our way, As we neared
the city the Great Pyramids began to show
themselves above the sands of the desert,
4 looking, of course, much nearer than they
really were.
In Cairo The street life is full Of interest,
and probably no city in the Turkish En-
pre exccls it in this respect. Every one,
of course, goes to SEQ the mosques, pala-
ccs, gardens and the dancing and bowling
Dervishes, but it is still the bazaar and
street life that possesses the real attraction
for the traveller. Arab, Greek, Turk,
Egyptian, Ethiopian and European-al
shades of color and all varieties of Co.'S
lume-joste one another in the narrow
and tortuous streets, while loaded donkeys
and camels and carriages, with their swift
footed messengers running before to clear
the way, compel them ever to be on the
alert.
Instead of attempting to give you full
description of what we saw during our
stay in Cairo, let me select out our cxcur-
sion to ancient Memphis, Sakkara and the
Pyramids of Ghizch, us nothing else
equalled this in interest. After half
hours ride in the railway car, we mounted
the little donkeys that had been brought
along by the same train and rode across
the fields to the ruins of Memphis, once
the capital of Egypt. Only II few of the
ancient walls still remain in position
4 These, few broken statues, Colossal
figure lying upon its face in the sand and
II few mounds are all of the ancient city
that now remain visible. From here we
passed on to the pyramids and snbterra-
mean chambers of Sakkara. In one series
of these chambers, whose walls are COW
cred with hieroglvphics, the royal num-
mics were once placed. Save few rem
nants, these, however, have been plum
dered to supply the museums of Eur, pc.
n Oher chambers, m re interesting than
these, which contain the immense sarcoph
by. If the vaulted roof of these chambers
is of solid rock, as it appears to be, how
came these sarcophagi, each weighing al
least hundred thousand tons, in theil
present position? What appliance, knowr
to the ancients, was able to move such an
81 immense mass within so limited space!
These questions, rs well rs that relating
to the placing Of Pompey's Pillar, must be
n linked for the present with those that his
tory has failed to solve. The Pyramids o
Sakkara were in themselves of little in
terest, and did not detain us. Having
visited the rcmains of the ancient temple
4 of Scraps, we struck across the burning
sands of the desert towards the Pyramids
of Ghizeh. A ride of two hours and ;
II half brought us to the great Sphinx
which though partly covered by the sand
is still seen to II great distance. few
minutes after leaving this we stood at tn
foot of Cheops,-the oldest and creates
of the pyramids. This is the one usuall
assembled, and with three Arab guides t.
assist us we soon stood upon the lofty sum
nit This is Il platform, about thirty-tw
feet square, and commands u very fin
view of the different pyramids, the deserts
the city of Cairo and the Valley of tn
n Nile After the descent we went With
the pyramid, into the chambers in whic
the sarcophagi of the king and queen ar
said TO have been placed. During til
whole time that we spent here the inces
SAINT clamor of our Arab guides for buck
sbeeSh greatly marred our enjoyment
Taking carriage that had been ordere
to meet us at this point we drove back i
the evening to Cairo.
Upon leaving Cairo Tor Ismailia an
Port Said l was obliged to separate fron
my friends and begin the Palestine tou
alone. Taking II steamer at Port Said
passage of fourteen hours brought us t
Jaffa on the Syrian coast. Securing
dragoman to accompany me to Jerusalem
Jordan and the Dead Sea- we We're 500
in the Saddeand passing through the beau
tiGul orange and lemon groves that CON
pass Jaffa on every side but the sea. Afte
one or two hours we passed near ancier
Lydia, and then through the fertile Valle
of Judeah. Six hours from Jafla we bc
gan 10 ascend through the wild gorges {
the mountains into IL country barren an
desoatG in the extreme. Clouds and nipl
too settled down upon us. so that it w,
already late in the evening before we, W,
and hungry, entered within the Damascl
Gate and made our way through the M
row streets of the Holy City. Horse bac
riding was an experience that had n,
had for many years, and one that wou
not have voluntarily chosen, still | foun
myself able the following morning to io
aparty on II visit to the Mosque of Omi
the second most sacred spot in the NJ,
lammelan world, and situated upon Il
foundation walls of Solomon's Temp
The Mosque, which is very beautiful bol
within and without. is crowned by graz
/. L