The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-01-12
IN THE LAND OF THE LOTUS.
VISIT TO THE SACRED ISLAND OF PHILlE =
THE TEMPLE OF OSIRIS SEEN BY
TORCHLIGaT.
@. W.. steedA,d in the San Frape!seo chronie,e

@. W. StoddAid in the San Francisco Chronicle
Toward sunset we pulled to shore. Th
barge sat apon the water like huge gourd.-
dozen dusky Nubians, with ribs of steel ant
muscles of iron, pulled the long oars that ros
and fell upon the river in rhyEhmical cadence
while they chanted in low, deep cultural
some melodious though mouotouous legend o
the Nile. The island was bathed in radiance
We approached crumbng terrace from
which the fine grass fell in fringe S, and oil o
the wide stairs that led from the river to th,
rock above were broken and overgrown witt
MOSES and trailing creepers. A floating vine
served for q cable to draw US to the land. The
crew, Glad briefly in girdle of d tanning color,
leaped over board, and moment later we lay
safely moored under the tall palms of Phi'ae
the sacred isle.
Michel with bis well-trained retinue at once
proceeded to lay dinner in o superb pavilion
overhApging the eastern branch of the river
aud while our appetites were sharpening We
scattered In pairs among the temples, corridors
and tombs that cover tue island from shore tc
shore. You know Phi'Df The tropical oasis
in the Nile, o few miles above the first cstar
act; a garden in tae DESERT walled about by
huge cliffs as black as night, as smooth a.
glass, as hard as sdaIaaat. These are tho iron
gates of Nubia, and many kirg, whose slori
GUS day ia almost forgotten III history, has iet
his seal indeiibly engraven Oh the rock. We
had reviewed hastily the autiq aties of the
Island when wore summnned TO cur repast
Seated on fallen cOIumns, among pillars and
obelisks that have survived the siege OF time
l.
Mohammedens aud Iufidels grouped On tbe
Eastern terrace, awaiting uloonrise.-
The shadows deepsd smong the hills: the last
Gosh of ,unset faded like rose, and the deli
cate afterglow seemed to be spirited away by
the deep, strong ccTrent that sept noiseIessly
about our island, flowing forever through the
desert into the green aud fertile northland, the
land of G. rshenl wonder if any one of us
realized at that moment that we were sittipg
emoug the ruins of q race once more eff aen t,
more poetic more artistic than our own that
it had its revelations. its religions develop,
ment, it's triumphs and it's decay; that the god
of that people, Osiris, was SO adcred that even
his name was not uttered by profane lips; and
in those day the most terrible of oaths IVES
this: BY him who sleeps in Phila 7" We di-
vided the cold turkey and champagne within
reach of that undiscovered tomb; at our backs
loomed one of the most splendid and perfect
temples of the east. Trne, it is bat wo thou
sand yesrs old-ths paint was hardly dry when
King Herod dect eed the slaughter OF the iono-
oents-but it was sacred to Osiris.
At this moment there was flush in the East.
wave of delicate color swept over the city /;
the black walls beyond the river drew nearer
to rs ; . silver thread of light ran along their
rough and rugged tops f; fake OF ooud-jast
one fake in a sky that is forever cloucie.s-
caught FIRE, and then the great, gs.uahsriog.
golden shield, the nooa, rolled slowly and
sereuely into spacs. Our temples were traCs-
figured ; the delicate reliefs we're magnihed !;
even the impes:sasoie tints that have Win
stood the visc erd -Ee s1a these twenty cen
turies were Gi..inS colonnades OF
psllid columne .ttoned down the island, and
every tomb gathered it's melancholy and fun-
ersl Esh adows on it's sides, where they hung
like trailing pals. We were all silent now. A
little gust of wind swept down the valley like
q sigh the palms Of one accord bowed their
plumed heads TO tire Est. It was thus the full
moon crowned huoIan solitude that eupcSme
and memorable uight.
No sooner vas ,he moon we'll up than there
was q stir in Phile. Michel mustered his
forces and bore the propertiee OF the camp TO
fh0 har hot under
race. The caravan as abont to depart. w hat
ever was to be done in onr oS't'"h TO this pre-
destined plan had to be tiora AZ "nce. stood
apart from the busy cru1ps, c'Csing and mutt
nous. A fern oprJ &c hed me-a friend whose
love of travel, " hose knowledge of the world,
and wi ose deep appreciation OF all tnat Is
pathetic and poetic in tae decadence OF that
esteem. 'Do you return ~ said the voice.
scarcely above q whisper. mot willingly" l
replied. "Why may We n OF remain The island
Is not half explored. How are weRpons and
provisionsf We may hail the barge at sunrise
and rejoin our friends without discommodlng
them In the least. choose to remain. VIII
you join met Is it a bargain Z" 1t was bar,
gain struck on the instant. Without deEay
secured rifle from Yusef. the pearl of drago;
mans. A double portion of cold meats and
wine was hidden in q convenient corner; we
had our torches, and surplus garments ample
enough to protect us from the chilly cir of the
night, The caravan repaired to the terrace.
How the palms glistened in the moonlight,
how the barge rose and fell on the dark sur
face of the river.
stAll aboard" ;" cried the caravan in lusty cho
rus. "All aboard" said l, "for two of us re-
man on PhiIR until sunrise, but the barge re.
turns for us at that hour bon UoyGge" There
was no objection raised there was NO exolSm-
alton of surprise; We were of age, of one
religion and Of one mind. 1t wss our affair,
and no one was authoriz I'd to oppose Us. With
deft hands the Nubisns cast off the vines that
bound them to the island, and swung slowly
into the current they fell upon their oars and
sang while the barge SWAN onward and faded
like q phantom in the shadow under the Nubian
shore. A last farewell hoated over the water
to rs. 1t was then that we realized that we
were truly alone on an island in the Nile, with
no hope of escape before sunrise. Again we
heard voioes-a song waited on the tranquil
air, growing fainter and fainter every moment
as our friends retreatsd down tho narrow val
ley. We lighted our torches and began Q