The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-10
n TIE TOMB or PHlRl on
Weird Experience. Among the
Graves Of Egyptian Kings.
a Choir % BeAmsifaa sfasdeEs ard
THAR Songs and Dsnces-Jars
YIasea with Exaassite
Perxnuse~.



Philadelphia sress.
IFS Is possible 30 fgxld q warm winter
climate in Europe, or rather Oh this !
side 81 the Atlantic ~ asked myself. !
as from the deck OF the steamer sur
veyea the Vile flowing 81 my feet
while / walked quickly up and down
trying 70 warm mysseif on this crisp
Egyptian morning. SUCH morning
ms ne experience In November AZ
home, with brilliant sun overhead
and q clondless blue sky, sneh as Is
seem only IN America and Egypt. On
the shore rose majesficsiIy the column
OF the temple of Ltaxon. reminding
one very forcihly that he was in the
old world and net tie new, while 81
my elbow Mahomet mildly suggested
that We Rad long trip before us and
must start
Well, the lunch being ready. we
started for the boat which was 10 take
us over the river, where we would find
donkeys for the excursion TO the most
ancient city OF the world, Thebes. and
the tOmbs Of the kings. / say we, as
the smallest excursion III this country
involves number Of people; for, FIRST
there was my guide MahoEuet. man
10 carry my lunch. another 20 drive
the donkey, and lastly Fatima 20
carry the water. What was the name
OF the lunch bearer I do not know. but
risk little IN saying ii was Mahonet.
as tae millions OF people IN Egypt it Is
safe to say that half the men are
named Mahonet and half the womea
Fatima, and bow they know who IL
wanted when called is a mystery 70 me
greater than that of the hierogiyphics
with which their monuments are coy.
cred
At last we started, Mahomet. the
guide, beside me on the donkey. while
the tunch-carrier staIked silently
ahead, and Fatima, who informed me
that she vas my girl, skipped be-
side me, deity balancing her water
jar on her head. Fatima, by the way,
was quite character, as besides her
other attractions she had hole pierre
ed in the left nostrii OF her nose in
which for the moment she had piece
OF coral. but IN which on the day Of
her marriage her husband will put
ring. Happy Egyptians, whe begin
married lie with ring in their wife's
: csc
fhe ride over the desert To the tim
Der was. ike everything In Egypt,
strange To my eyes. for fancy my sur
prise 81 finding the desert not as |
expected. Hat, sandy plain, but Sc
ries OF the most desolafe mountains.
bounded ON one side by the horizon
and on the other BY narrow strip OF
green, through which runs like sill
yer thread the Nile, and bringing ire
sfslibly TO mind the words OF the poet
Wherever the river fioweth there
shall De life. After three hours of
riding over mountains and through
valleys we reached our destination.
the tofnbs Of the kings, huge tunnels
cut in the rock OF the mountains, the
walls OF which are covered with hero
giyphies relating the history and glo-
ries of the departed monarch, exc
cuted with great care and highly CO. i.
ored. the same conducting To l. se
chambers, where in solemn ssss. were
laid the immense granite sarcophagi.
IN which we're depotifed the mortal
remains OF the rulers, there to remain
until the last trumpet sounded, or, ac-
sordfng TO the ancient Egyptian re-
ffgion, until the departed souls re-
turned To claim their bodies
| had visited several OF their tomhs
when Bedouin, who had been follow
ing me Tor some time. watching his
opportunity To catch me alone, asked
me ii | would Ike to visit a tomb
which had never been opened. Here
was chance to distinguish myself.
chance 20 visit tomb which centuries
OF vandals had not despoiled, for, un-
fortunately. all the ether tombs had
been rifled even 10 the extent of break
ing open the saerophagi TO steal the
royal mumulies. SO, as may be imag-
ined, jumped at it. and watching my
ehance 10 give Mahomet the slip,
quietly followed my guide. who said
he had discovered the tomb, and that
rs the government did not allow them
TO be opened unless in the presence of
government official we must go alone
and secretly il at all.
A short walk brought us TO a place
where, seraptng away the sand. re-
vealed some carefully iointed stones
IN the side OF the mountain, and which
were apparently loaded together
that Is to say, the Joints filed with
melted lead. NV man. however. was
prepared Tor this, and soon. with the
AID ot All iron, made an opening
suiiielentIy large for Ms TO enter, which
after lighting our torches we at once
did, finding ourselves in tunnel, like
the others. deliberately decorated, bat
much brighter. for il had been so cum
uingiy closed that the flight of centu-
rtes had produced no effect within. 1
Along the sides were disposed lars of /
fantastic shape filled with strange but /
exquisite perfumes. which | thought /
might be the lotus, the whole having /
an air as If IL were still inhabited or /
had at most been left out Yesterday. I
Wondering greatly at this We proceed |
ell cautiously, when Suddenly To our /
Intense surprise we perceived lights /
approaching It's, and before we could /
appreciate the fact a number of Young 1
uiaidens twenty, probably appeared. /
each with flowers IN her hair and hear /
ing a torch. and at sight of which nay !
guide, screaming something i'm Arabic, /
took IA his heels. which example | was /
much inclined 20 follow had not sur j
prise apparently robbed me Of the /
power OF doing So.
While ! was trying To collect INV
thoughts ! perceived in the distance a
hali-opened door or perhaps a curtain
partly drawn, from which came dim
light aud strange music similar 10
that being sung by the maidens, who /
had now surrounded me, dancing !
slowly while their hair, hanging
loosely down their backs, their How /
ing robes bat bali eonoealiag the
beauty of their forms, the dazzling
whIteness of their skins. and their
eyes rejecting back and sparkling in
the light of the torches which they
carried, gave 10 the whole an ASPECT
teo seird "a be described. Suddenly
one more courageous than the rest
stepped forward. aud. touching use or
The arm. said IN 4 voice OF insompara-
ole sweetness, Welcome. stranger,
come with as, at the same time at
tempting 10 lead uae IN the direction
ol the door frnln wheslce The nnnsic