The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-16
FINDING THE PHARAOHS.
Some Facts About the Tombs Of Egypt
Early Rulers.

Some Facts About the Tombs of Egypt's
Early Rulers.
The most generally interesting among
the recent discoveries in Egyps was the
finding of the Pharaohs in 1881. The story
has been given to tho world in print, there
fore it will be only outlined here. But by
far the most fortunate way is to hear it di-
rectly from the lips of the keeper of the
museum, Emil Brughsch, himself, his vivid,
briefly direct narration adding the last
charm to the striking facts. BY the museum
authorities it had been for several years
suspected that some one at Luxor (ThebesJ
had discovered a hitherto unopened tomb;
for funeral statuettes, papyri, and other
objects, all OF Importance, were offered for
sale there, one by ono, and bought by travel
ers, who upon their return to Cairo, displayed
the treasures, without comprehending their
value. Watch was kept, and suspicion
finally conferred upon a family Of brothers;
these Arabs at last confessed, and one of
them led the way to a place not far from
the temple called D~elr-sl-Bahari, which all
visitors to Ihebss will remember. Here,
filled with sand. there was q shaft not un-
like a we'll, which the man had discovered
by chance. When the sand was removed,
the opening of a lateral tunnel WAS visible
below. and this tunnel led into the heart of
the hill, whore, in q rude chamber twenty
feet high. were piled thirty or more mummy
cases. most of them decorated with the
royal asp. The mummies proved to be
those of Seth the First, the conqueror who
carried his armies as far into Asia as the
Orontes; and of Rameses the Great (callsd
Sesostris by the Greeks), the Pharaoh who
oppressed the Israelites; and of Seth the
Second, the Pharaoh of the Exodus, to-
gether with other sovereigns and members
of their families, princes, princesses, and
priests. At some unknown period these
mummies had been taken from the magnif-
cent rock tombs in that terrible Apocalyp-
tic Valley of the Kings, not far distant, and
hidden IN this rough chamber. No one
may yet be discovered. But in
time all knowledge of the hiding
place was lost and here the
Pharaohs remained until that July
day in 1881. They were all transported
across the burning plain and down the Nile
to Cairo. Now at last they repose in state
in an apartment which might we'll be called
a throne room. You reach this great cruoi-
form hall by a handsome double stairway;
upon entering, you see the Pharaohs ranged
IN a majestic circle, and careless though
you may be, unhistorical, practical, you are
Impressed. The features are distinct.
Some of the dark faces have dignity; others
show marked resolution and power. Curl
ously enough, one of them closely rssem-
bles Voltaire. This, however, is probably
due to the fact that Voltaire closely resem-
bled a mummy while living. How would it
seem, the thought that beings who
are to come into existence A. d.
5000 should be able, in the land
which we now call the United States
of America (what will it be called then?),
to gaze upon the features of some of our
presidents-for instance. George Washing
ton and Abraham Lincoln? l am afraid
that the fancy ia not as striking as it
should be, for New World ambition grasps
without difficulty all futures, even A. ID.
$4,000; it is only when our eyes are turned
towards the past, whore we haye no i'm