The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-02-02
Another Egyptian Treasure.

Some twenty years ago q Mr, A. &
Harris went with his daughter, Mis-
Selma Harris, on q tour to Egypt. HI
found under the floor Of an old tomb II
Thebes q large roll of papyrus cOvereC
and thirty-nine feet by sixteen and a hal
inches broad, and looked something Xix,
4 stair carpet. Mr.. Harris bought IL al
a comparatively small price. Miss Selma
Harris felt convinced that it was q treas
ure, and to make sure against accidents
she set herself to the immense work Of
tracing sign and letter on it upon paper
of equal extent. She succeeded in max,
ing a fac simiIe Of it.. Her father died and
the lady took a house at Koumel Dyk,
Alexandria. A few years ago an explo-
sion occurred in the house, which was re-
duced to fragments. OF its contents the
two chief treasures alone escaped un-
harmed, the papyrus and Miss Selma
herself. The great Egyptian archaolO-
gist, NJ. Brugsch Bey, examined the papy.
rus and told the khedive of its great
value, and the Egyptian government
offered the sum of $4,000 for it. But
Miss Harris would not part with it. She
brought it to England, when the British
museum purchased it for a larger sum,
and from that time to this DR.. Birch and
his corps of Psychologists have been de-
ciphering it, while scribes have been en-
gagged in copying it. 1t has now been
printed-in a sufficient number to supply
the museums of Europe, and of America,
if they want it-with accompanying
TRANSACTIONS of the text and learned notes
thereon.
IT proves to be a complete record of
the lite and works of Rameses Ill, and
a statement of the condition of things at
Thebes 5000 years ago. We learn from
it what the Thebans saw and heard at
church and what they had for dinner,
such as fish, water fowl, pigeons, oil,
bread and wine. We are introduced to
the beauties of Rameses's harem. Much
the record i remarkably realistic, but
I is somewhat confusing to find that
lmong these realistic portions is an &C.
of how Rameses III. went to hell
md there played at draughts with Isis
the golden kerchief, which he won.
borrower the last five sections of the
cioll consist of an address, sort of
.aledictory-uttered from tthe same re-
ion (Hades) by the monarch, in which
e recites the great victories he has
chieved, the hundreds of thousands of
attic he has bestowed on the temples,
he slaves he has presented them, and
mplores them to be loyal to his success
Or, Rameses ". Such a mixture of
ossible fact and certain fable may puzzle
ny one who tries to bring actual history
ut of the papyrus; but one thing stands
ut clear-the character of Rameses
imself. The half million head of cattle
e claims to have bestowed on the gods
lay be as mythical az his game of
raughts with Isis, the Egyptian Proser-
inc, but whether in hell or earth the
Titanic self satisfaction of Rameses Ill.
unquestionable.
There is a statue of George III. in the
}uildhall, with an inscription placed
here during his lifetime by aldermanic
purifiers, in which the characteristics
f the angel Gabriel are attributed to
i'm, with a few of the selectest attrib-
ties of the seven sages. The poor king
mad at the time and England was
round under the heel of the prince
egent; nevertheless the true portrait of
be king and his times may be derived
herefrom by one who can read between
he lines.-M d. Conway's Letter to Gin
Commercial.