The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-09-19

- ~ =. OF the Temple, who
!ErmYnmnr IL brought word 10 me
~ NN to make ready for
4SSE2E the journey whereof
sd my father had spoken.
yEsiEnHME-Y inasmuch rs there was
lE5RA Wy an occasion for me to pass
81 CIV r. down the river 10 Annu ell
A~A.N~ Ra Now, this is the He'll
9MIh NJ Opolis of the Gree ks.
~ lN v whittier ] should go in the
SNN company Of some priests Of
Ptah at Memti who had come
nither to Abouthis to lay the
body Of one of their great men in the tomb
that had been prepared near the resting
place Of the blessed Osiris. So / made
ready, and the same evening, having re-
ceived letters and embraced my father and
those about the Temple who were dear to
me, l passed down to the banks Of Sihor,
and we sailed with the south wind. As the
pilot stood upon the PROV and with rod in
his hand babe the sailor men loosen the
stakes wherewith the vessel was moored to
the banks, the old wife. Atoua. hobbled up,
her basket Of simples IN her hand, and calling
out her farewell, threw O sandal after me for
good chance, which sandal kept for many
years. And 80 we sailed, and for six days
passed down the wonderful river, making
fast each night at some convenient spot.
But when / lost sight OF the familiar
things that had seen day by day since
had eyes to see. and found myself alone
among strange faces, felt sore at heart.
and would have wept had / not been
ashamed. Aud Of all the wonderful things
] saw will not write here, for, though they
wcro new to me, have they not been known
10 men since such time as the gods rule in
Egypt. But the priests who were with me
showed me no little honor, and cxpoundcd
10 mo what were the things saw. And on
the morning Of the seventh day we came
10 Memfi, the city of the White Wall Here
tor three days rested from my journey
and was entertained Of the priests Of the
wonderful Temple OF Ptah the Creator, and
shown the beauties of the great and mar
vicious city. Also was led in secret by the
High Priest and two others into the holy
presence of tho god Apis, the Ptah who
deigns TO dwell among men in the form OF
4 bull. The god was black, and on his fore
head there was white square and on his
back was a white mark shaped like an
eagle, and beneath his tongue was the like
ness OF scarabaeus, and III his tail were
double hairs. and between his horns was
plate of pure gold. entered the place of
the god and werslilpe.l While the High
Priest and those with him stood aside and
earnestly watched. And when had wor-
SHIPPED. saying the words which had been
told unto me, the god knelt, and lay
down before me. And then the High
Priest and those with him, who, as heard
in aftertime, We're great men Of Upper
Egypt, approached wondering, and, saying
no word, made obesance to me because Of
the omen. And many other things saw
in Memf that are too long TO write Of
here.
On the fourth day came some priests Of
Annu TO lead inc unto Sepa my uncle. the
High Priest Of AnnI. So, having bid fare
well to those Of Mcmf, VIC crossed the river
and rode on asses two parts OF days jour
ney through many villages. which we found
in great poverty because of the oppression
of the tax gatherers. Also, as we went,
for the first time saw the great pyramids
that are beyond the image Of the god Ho-
remku tihe Sphinx, and the temples Of the
Divine Mother Isis, Queen Of Memnonia,
and the god Osiris. Lord of Rosatou, of
which Temples, together with the Temple
of the worship of the Divine Menka-ra. ],
Harmacnis, am by right divine the Hered-
itary High Priest. ! saw them and mar
yeled At their greatness and at the white
that flashed in the suns rays back 10
Heaven. But at this time ! knew laaght
II tie treasure that was hi, in Her. which
is the third among the Pyramids-xou.d /
had never known Of it!
Aud 80 at last we came within sight of
Annu, which after Memh hath been seen
is no large town, but stands on raised
ground, before which are lakes fed by q
canal. Behind the town il the great
temenos inclosurc) OF the Temple Of the
God Ra.
At the pylon we tiismounted and beneath
the portico were we met by q man not great
If growth. but Of noble aspect, having his
head shaven, and with dark eyes that
,winked like the further stars.
.'Hold.i he cried, in large voice that fit
ted his weak body but i'll. Hold! / am
.Sepa, who opens the mouth Of the gois,''
And L. said. lam Harmachis. son OF
Anicnemhat, Hereditary High Priest and
Ruler of the Holy City Abouthis: and bear
letters to thee, . Sepa.''
Enter" he said. .Enter!H scanning me
VII the while with his twinkiing eyes. .En-
ter. my son. And he took me and led me
to chamber in the inner hall close Ia
the door; and then, having glanced at the
letters / brought, he OF y sudden fell upon
my neck and embraced me.
'.Wclcomc..' he cried: .welcomc, son OF
my own sister and hope of Khem! Not in
vain have / prayed the gods that might
live to look upon thy face and mpart to thee
the wisdom that, perchance, l alone have
mastered Of those who arc left alive in
Egypt. Few there are whom il is lawful
that should teach. But thine is the great
destiny, and thine shall be the cars to hear
the les sons of the gods"
And once more he embraced me and babe
ME 60 and battle and cat, saying that On the
morrow he would speak with me further
And Of truth he did, and at such length
that will forbcar to set down all he said
both then and afterward, for If did sc
there would be no papyrus left in Egypt
when the task was ended. Therefore, hay
ing much 10 tell, and perchance but little
time TO tell 1t, will pass over the events Of
the years that followed.
For this was the manner IF my life.
rose early. attended the worship of tho
Temple, and l gave my days to study.
learned of the rites of religion and their sig
nificancc, and Of the beginning OF the gods
and the beginning Of the Upper World.
learned of the mystery of the movements
of the stars, and of how the earth rolls Oh
among them. was instructed in that an
cient knowledge which is called magic, ano
in the way Of Interpretation of dreams, ana
OF the drawing nigh to God. l was taught
the language OF symbols and the outer ant
inner secrets thereof. became acquainted
with the internal laws of good and evil, ant
with the mystery Of that trust which ].
held of man: also ! learned the secrets o.
the pyramids-which 1 would that hac
never known. Further, read the records
of the past, and Of the acts and words o.
the ancient kings who were before mt
since the rule Of Horus upon earth; and
was made to learn all craft of state, tht
lore Of earth, and with it the records o.
Greece and Rome. Also l learned the Gre
tian and the Roman tongues, Of which i'll
deed already had some knowiedge-and
sil this while, even for five years, kept my
hands clean and my heart pure, and did ne
evil in the sight OF God Or man; but Ia
nored heavily to acquire all things, and Il
prepare myself for the destiny that await
ed me.
Twice every year came greetings and let
ters from my father, Ameuemhat, and twice