Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-29
FROM THE HOLY LAND
A Trip From the City If David to
the Land of the
PharaOhs.
Egyptian Antiquities and Modern
Mosques - Dancing Dervishes-
Curious Sights and Scenes by
the Way.

Curious Sights and Scenes by
the Way.
Carlo, Egypt: From Jerusalem to
Carlo. the trip is short but varied; by
stage to Joppa, steamer to Alexandria, rail
to Carlo Before coming to Palestine |
heard so much about the wretched roads
that the smooth, solid highway of forty
miles between Jerusalem and Joppa was a
genuine surprise, equal to any of the old
turnpikes of New England or Pennsylvania.
The hard limestone is broken fine, and
soon packs down until it is as smooth as
your boulevards. The same is true of the
road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and He
bron, and OF that In progress to Jericho.
| Many OF the other roads, however over the
hills are steep and stony, and impossible
for carriages; horses and donkeys are the
only means of travel. The first morning
after our arrival In Carlo our party took
coaches, drove over the Nile ON fine iron
bridge, along the banks for three miles,
and soon halted at the
BoULAK MUSEUM,
the most complete collection of Egyptian
antiquities in the world. From the be-
ginning of the explorations treas
ures found in the tombs and ruins along
! the Nile have been deposited here, and
carefully classified. The building was a
palace of former Khedive, and as you
wander through the spacious apartments,
! stored with the handiwork of bygone ages,
you have new conception 81 the grandeur
of the old civilization. elegant jewelry of
| n ofI1I IF
war, all kinds of domestic utensils, musical
instruments, sphinxes and colossal statues
of skillful workmanship. The mummy
room had sort of NOR bid interest for me.
The CHASTITY forms are in the original cases,
which are flat upon the floor. The linen
wrappings have been taken from the faces,
and there the open mouths showing the
teeth apparently grin at the spectator after
a sleep of three thousand years or more,
The very tyrant is pointed out, black and
shriveled, who oppressed the children Of
Israel Into the coaches again. and turn
ing corner, we strike the avenue which
! leads to
THE PYRAMIDS.
This avenue is perfectly straight, about
four miles long, shaded by a row of trees
on each side. and raised several feet above
the low meadows. Is it possible that at
last my eyes rest upon those enormous
piles of my geography and my boyhood?
Yes, there they loom up against the west
ern horizon, those hoary monuments of
the Pharaohs. First, we are taken to the
| Sphinx almost hidden by hills of sand,
and not so high as generally represented.
Camels are at hand, a franc ride, and |
craved the experience. Every step a
vigorous jolt, and when he kneels, danger
of going overheard. Back to the pyra-
mids Shall we go up? Certainly, every
one does. I took off my coat, an Arab
grasped each hand, and the fun began.
Now, understand that the ascent consists
Of a series of gigantic steps, each step aver
aging three feet, and these steps smooth
and narrow. The two Arabs. therefore,
go ahead and you are fairly dragged heav-
onward, except what little climbing you
choose to do on your own account. Some
stop half way to breathe. but most push on
to the top Well, this is glorious! What
a prospect! Cairo and its minarets the
Nile and its green valley, the desert sands
spreading out like an ocean. The space
on top is not large, about twenty feet
square, and with thirty Americans and a
throng of natives, was pretty we'll crowded.
Some Of our party sang MY Country, It's
Of Thee, and danced about in boyish glee
After stay of half an hour, down again
The descent is not so hard, but there is a
slight feeling of giddiness as the eye runs
along the immense blocks to the pigmy
men on the sand below | felt very thank
full when stood below again and would
not climb the them the second time for
love Or money. | experienced a stiffness
in the lower limbs for nearly a week after
ward. There are several.
MOSQUES
in Cairo. which the tourist is taken to
visit, but they are generally in dingy and
dilapidated condition. Like the Moslem
religion, they need repair. The approaches
are ragged, the pavements uneven, the in
teriors rather shabby. The stone floors are
mostly covered with carpets or mating,
white with the sacred dust of generations,
and badly in need of good shaking. The
alabaster mosque of Mahomet Ali is the
finest we saw 1t is so called because the
walls, outside as we'll as within, are cover
ed with alabaster, which III the ordinary
church is confined to the table. altar or
pillar Although somewhat discolored by
time, the light falling through the stained
glass windows of the dome on the creamy
panels produces very soft, pleasing effect.
The two lofty, slender mlnarets are the
great landmarks of the city. The Citadel,
occupied by an English garrison, is near
by, and from its parapet there is a COM
handing view of the old and new town,
and the gray pyramids on the line of the
distant desert. 1t was here that in 1911
the celebrated massacre of the Mamelukes
occurred, chiefs being enticed to the spot
/ by Mahomet Ali and then shot down like
dogs by his soldiers. On Friday after
noon, you go, of course, to see the
DANCING DERvIsHEs.
At two o'clock the crowd of strangers who
had assembled in an open court were con-
Quoted to a circular room in an old mosque,
where chairs were IN readiness around the
wall. The monks entered and took their
position in semi-circle about the leader,
who directed every movement. The per-
Torrance began quietly with sort of low
chant but by degrees increased in inten-
sity. They INDUCED in the most discord-
ant noises. shrieking, groaning, putting
like freight engine up grade, rolling the
eyes. shaking the head and the body rap
idly from side to side, until they ceased
, from sheer exhaustion. A short rest, and
| then the wild exhibition over again. The
whole thing seemed like a mixture of a
Georgia camp-meeting and an Apache war
: dance And vet no sion of leyity all in