Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-27
THE NEEDLE ATNEW YORK.
A CURIoUs RELIC THAT ILLUSTRATES ITS
HISTORY.

lrian obelisk on board. still lies ut anchor
off the foot of Twenty-third street, wait
ing for the Park Commissioners to decide
where the Egytian relic shall be placed.
Capt. Gorringe has discharged all of his
crew, except few men to keep the v;s-
sci clean and in order, and TO show visit
,rs into the hold. The rush o. visitors
was constant yesterday. and the consump-
ton of sperm candles. used in lighting
the way to the dark hold was alarming.
All the boatmen along the river for a dis
iance of two or three blocks north aud
south of Twenty third street have put up
rudely-painted signs advertising Boats
10 the obelsk," and have reduced their
usual charge of a dollar to and from the
ship To just half that amount. Early Wis
tors to the ship yesterday had an oppor-
unity to see an afiectionate parting, only
temporary. however. between the white
donkey and liassan. his bright little Arab
lriver. The donkey was carried over the
side by two stout men, and brought ashore
ina tug-boat. Hassan's admiration for
the steamer has departed. and he looks
forward with anticipations of delight to
the time when he, too, may 90 ashore and
rejoin the companion of his childhood.
Among the visitors who have called upon
Napt. Gorringe to congratulate him upon
successfully reaching with the obelisk and
his ship uninjured was Mr.. &. l.. Feuar-
lent, OF Lafavette-placc. He has followed
he undertaking with all the enthusiasm of
IN antiquarian. and regards the obelisk as
# incalcuable value as an educational
object. After he had gone into the hold
md examined the great shaft and the foun-
lation stones, and then had inspected the
heavy bronze crabs, upon which are in
Scribcd the history of the erection of the
,belisk at Alexandria, he gave Capt. Cor
ringe information of u curiosity which he
had secured, and which will be regarded
Us of kindred value to the obclisk itself.
A Times reporter, who called upon Mr.
Feuardent last night TO see this curiosity,
was shown a remarkable stone, 4 feet long
and 3 feet wide Its thickness is about 10
inches. In color it resembles white mar
BILE stained by age. Carved upon its top
was plan of the temple, ''Pe sum EN-
,nu," or blouse of the Sun God Tum,"
1t Heliopolis. According TO the plan out
lined on this relic is a double flight Of
broad steps led to the gate of the temple
Of the Sun God. which was always closed
to the public by the priests, and only
opened for the Kings on festival days. On
each side of the, stairway, at its foot. is a
deep, oblong cavity, marking the places
in which stood enormous stone sphynxes.
In the rear of the sphynxes, but not hid
den bv them, stood statues Of the King,
one on each side. and still further to the
rear, and on a line with the top of the
stairway. stood two obelisks The obe-
lisk now on boardthe Dessoug is supposed
to have occupied one of the places indi-
Gated in this plan. Judging from the
height Of the steps, assuming that they
were practicable and easy. the space oc-
cupied by each of the two would be about
9 feet square Behind each of the obelisks
were two sphynxes, with their heads
turned toward the temple gate, and be-
hind these sphynxes rose the pylons, or
astronomical observatories sacred to the
priests of the sanctuary. High stone walls
ran to the rear from each of these obser-
| vatorics, inclosing the sanctuary, while at
each side of the walls ran broad galleries,
in extent, perhaps 100 feet. On the edges
of the stone on which this plan is hcwn
are hieroglyphics giving history of the
temple. The carvings are extremely fine.
| containing number Of figures in relief
| below the level of the finished surface.
This evidently very ancient relic was
discovered by Mr.. w. j. Shaw. Of Cali
. fornia, during visit abroad spent in
search of antiquities, In the estimation of
Prof. Brugsch Bey. who examined the
stone at Cairo in 1871. it is the only key
known at this day to the celebrated and
once most frequented sanctuary in Egypt.
Brugsch Bey made study of the stone.
and found that the hieroglyphics on the
side furnished complete explanation Of
the plan. and that the temple described
; was beyond doubt the ancient temple Of
''Ou'' described in the Old Testament.
Capt. Gorringe considers this pan Of great
interest and value. and has already urged
Mr.. Fucardant not to permit it to be sent
to England. Although it has been in its
present owners possession for but few
months, it has been heard Of at the Brit
ish Museum, and an effort has been made
to secure it.
Mr.. Fueardant said that when he visited
the Dessong he was so much occupied in
conversation with Capt. Gorringe that he
neglected to examine the obelisk as close
" as he desired to do. He wished to see
it again to note whether its sides are per-
fectly fiat or slightly concave Most OF
the Egyptian obelisks, he said, were
slightly concaye for no other annarppt