Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-04
ANCIENT MEMPHIS.
Scarcely n vestige of the Once Great
CITY now Visible-MeanlnE of she
Word Memphis.


Word Memphis.
Cor. Philadelphia Bulletin
KHEDIvE STEAMER MEHALLAH,
January 16, 1S7S.-According to
Mohammed's order we had "ding-
dong" at 6 am. on the morning of
the 9th instant to make an early
start for the ruins which still re.
main to bear witness to the past
glory of Memphis. 1t was Just
dawn when the passengers com
menced to make their appearance
on deck, enabling all to witness the
rare beauty Of the Egyptian sunrise
on our first morning on the Nile.
Immediately after breakfast the
donkeys were mounted and the par
ty filed through the village Of Bed
reshayn followed by a score Of half
clad natives. A sharp northerly
breeze was blowing, SO that we
were chilly even in winter clothing,
yet the poor Arabs had nothing but
their loose gowns of blue muslin.
About an hours ride along a wind
ing embankment over the low lands
watered by the river brought us to
Mitrahenny, the site of ancient
Memphis. Scarcely a vestige of the
once great city is now visible. What
may be beneath the many centuries
of yearly deposit is yet to be ex.
humed. To convince the eyes that
the crowded city once existed it is
necessary to go beyond Mitrahenny
to the stupendous tombs clustered
about Sakkasah. There great pyra-
mids, massive mausoleums and
sculptured tombs have been brought
to light by Mariette Bey to attest
the departed wealth of the Delta
capital. 1t is not to the finite, but
to nature, we must return thanks
for the preservation of these monu-
ments. The sand of centuries mas
saved them from the destructive
ness Of man and the elements. OF
the two, man is to be more dreaded,
as the climate of Egypt has in it
but little Of destructive nature.
Instead Of caring for the old tenn
pies and houses Of Memphis, they
were taken to pieces that the stone
might be employed for building
purposes in Cairo. Thus nothing
is left but the stately tOmbs which
lie a much greater distance from
the river. Among them, however,
the pyramids have been stripped of
their outer layer of polished granite,
giving them the same appearance
as those at Ghizeh.
The early history OF Memphis is
involved in much doubt. Modern
writers quote Herodotus as the most
likely authority on the subject, but
even his account Of its foundation
is from hearsay. The Greek histo-
rian visited Memphis about 450 B.
G., and studied the people, laws and
religion during a lengthy stay, lie
writes from observation and what
was told him by the priests. If they
are entitled to belief, Memphis was
founded BY Menes, the first known
king in Egypt. Various authori-
ties fix the date of the sovereign's
reign at 5000, 5000, 27OO and 1000
B. g., showing discrepancies so wide
as to render them useless for the
average reader. Herodotus saw
Memphis in its greatest days, or
during the period when it was in-
creasing at the expense of de-
clining Thebes. According to his
statement the Delta capital mea-
sured one hundred and fifty stadia
in circumference, or 16 miles.
Among the great buildings were
the temple of the dwarf god of fire,
Pthah, the hall of the bull god
Apis, the citadel of the White Wall
aAd the temple of PrOteus. Dur
Ing the reign of Augustus, B. @.
30-14, Strabo travelled to Memphis
and speaks of it as a city sec
ond in size to Alexandria. Later
on the Arab invasion did it much
permanent injury, so that when
Fostat, or Old Cairo, was founded,
Memphis soon lost its remaining
wealth and power. Finally, when
the present Cairo was built, the
temples and houses OF Memphis
were pulled down to furnish stone.
The word Memf, or modern Mem
phis, means "the place of the good"
AnOthor change in Modern War.