Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-11

Republican Candidate for Vice President. the aid of crutches, kiss the priests hand, and on Palm Sunday scramble for the sacred water with so much disorder that the priest frequently has to club them into quiet They arc anxious to dip their palms into the water first, in order that they may use them as am ulets against scorpion stings and all other ! evils. The Copts tattoo their arms with the Inow returned toward the IsmaiIiya quar- teE of the city, crossed the Nile on 8 long, substantial iron bridge, and took short tour of the Island of Boulac. Here is the Cairo museum of antiquities, the finest exposition of Egyptian wonders in the world. A mag niicent new building at the south end of the island contains the famous collection. The other end of the island is occupied by the Palace of Gezfreh, while across on the west ern mainland could discern the handsome viceroyal gardens of Gizeh. All went very well on the Island of Boulac until I was in formed that this was the historical spot where the famous granaries of Joseph stood. Then bolted.
 But speaking of the claims set up in the way of Scriptursl significance for places in this vicinity, there is one place, at least, the pretensions of which are duly authenticated refer to Heliopolis, the 'City of the Sun, ? the ruins of which adjoin the present village of Matariyeh, about five miles distant from Cairo. This famous place is identified as the On of the Bible, where Joseph took the daughter of the priest Potifera to wife. The site of the once important city is appropri- ately marked now by the oldest obslisk that has yet been discovered, with the exception of small one in the Metropolis of Memphis The companion to this existing obelisk (for obelisks are always erected in psirs) passed away over 1900 years ago. The two were erected four or five thousand years ago. The remaining one is 8 shaft sixty-six feet high, of red granite, covered with hieroglyphics The metal on the pyramidium at the top has passed away, and the successive inundations of the Nile have piled good many feet of mud about the monument At Hsliopolis was also the finest Egyptian temple with one exception in those Old Testament days temple dedicated to the sun and employing staff of priests, menials. custodians and oth- CT attaches, which is said to have numbered no less than IF, 913. The Pharaohs were es- pecially proud of their title as 'Lords of Heliopolis" Nearer the modern village are the tree and we'll of the Virgin The Virgins tree is @ decayed sycamore, planted in 1872, sllegedly upon the site of a previous tree, in the hollow trunk of which Mary had con- cealed herself and the divine child. Not sat isded with well enough, the people in the vicinity spoil the whole tradition by also averring that spider spun his web across the opening so as to effectually screen the fugitives. did not learn whether the spider and his web are still preserved here or not The present tree WAS presented to the En- press Eugenie by the Khsdive at the inaugu- ration of the Suez canal It is also stated on pretty good authority that the balsam shrub, the balm of which the Queen of Sheba pre- scented to King Solomon, once throve in the vicinity of Heliopolis. The plant has long since ceased to grow hereabouts- Cleopatra attempted to reintroduce it, but without sue cess
 It has been a matter of regret to me that the weather forbids trip to the site of Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt, from whence it is claimed that Pharaoh started in pursuit of the departing IsrRelites, and to the tombs about Sakkara. The khamsin has set in, the dreaded hot-blast from the desert, Gnd the trip that could not be made in less than full day under the most fla vorsble circumstances would be well nigh intolerable at present I find wherever Il go that am just about one month behind hand The best can do is to ascend to the citadel and look off wistfully toward the pyramids that mark the spot where the wonders of Sakkara defy my inspection The trip is quite novel one when it fig made even under the pleasantest auspices The tourist takes 'sdonk" and rides to the station of Bulah-ed-Dakrur across the river about three miles from the center of
 
 self, donkey and boy for Bebrashen, about fifteen miles to the south A ride of an hour or so on donkey-back then brings the traveller to the ruins of Memphis, mainly hidden from sight by the ever-shiftiHg sand. 4 further ride of three or four miles (pro- viding the traveller has not already been annihilated by one of the terrific sand- storms that sweep over these plains) brings him to the wonderful underground galleries of Apis hewn out of the solid rock, where the ancients were wont to entomb their cred bulls, in sarcophagi which are still preserved, formed out of single blocks of black porphyry, sixteen feet long, eight feet wide and nine feet deep.
 How ipcongruous and full of contradic- ton was the civilization Of these Egyptians The same people that stupidly worshipped bulIs and spent unlimited time and money in constructing coffins for them upon their death, used for hewing out these tombs in strumsnts Of copper made as hard and plI- ant as steel, which all the boasted mechan- ical craft of Birmingham and Sheffield in England cannot duplicate to-day
 Thousands of mummies are buried in pits about these tombs of Apis, and you can get hand or 8 skull disinterred for. a single piastre, which yoa will have reason to believe is genuine. l
 One of the pleasant dives about Cairo is that to the Shubra palace and gardens, which is freqnented almost daily by the fashtonables of all races, but is especially gay with the equipages of ths wealthy on Fridays and Sundays. The avenue leading thither is broad, well.built one, lined with handsome sycamores and lebbeks. Were 1t not for the fact that this is Cairo, the ave- nua in question would be nothing more than an Avenue de Boulogne, or the Corso Of any important European city. But the experimentation of nationalities here brought together gives to the scene an almost per
 A1, lava move the majestic ''ships of the desert, - not those ragged, bony specimens that tra- verse Egypt's trackless plains in the service of the fallshin, or peasants, but handsome Iy caparisoned camels, which manlfestly be- long to the Khedive, as the crescent and star--emblems of the Ottoman empire- plainly prove. Here go the barouches of yelled ladies belonging to the harems of wealthy natives. Each vehicle is proceeded by the crier, picturesquely costumed and equipped with long staff, who clears the road when necessary.
 a'he eerdens, which embrace nine acres, are laid out with fountains, shrubs and ima- ees in marble and alabaster.
 The favorIte palace of old Mahomet Ali is located here, and an inviting place it Is Here, indeed, he died an imbecile old man. His remains are inferred in the Alabastef Mosque in the citadel, which is Q monument of his own rearing. I find that his mon strous cruelties have passed out of mind, and his memory is popuiarly venerated. People only remember his greatness and enterprise how he subjugated Syria, and would doubt less have established a mighty empire in Eu- ropean Turkey bat for the interference of the ubiquitous English. So great man was the founder of this present efete dynasty.
 ENIR.l 4 Bridgeport bricklayer has been at work for week in Southport He used his time we'll in nnak- Ing love to Southport servant girl that on Friday blth disappeaIe cd taking train for New York. and