The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1892-03-15


f ton, pork or fish, and were bound to alb
stain from beans, peas, onions, garlic ant
leeks. Fasting was also practiced, the
time of abstinence lasting from to 4:
days.
The priests then, were the highest class
of ancient Egyptians, and next in order
came the soldiers.
The number of the military force, in
Guiding volunteers, is supposed by the
best authorities to have amounted IN
numbers 70 about 100000 men.
1t must not be supposed that this was
the standing army, for such country as
Germany in this day, is hard pressed to
keep in good condition and well supplied,
900 men.
In Egypt the militia was called out only
in sufficient strength to meet the oppos-
ing forces, and it was a rare instance
when the entire army was mustered for
war.
The kings body guard consisted OF
two thousand picked men, and with the
exception of this division, the military
classes spent most of the year in leisure.
Most of the army usually drifted into
agricultural pursuits, except during that
| time when gymnastic training was re-
quired in order to properly prepare for
the annual encampment, or for call to
duty at any moment.
Like every other army even TO this day,
the largest division was the infantry or
foot soldiers, and these were divided into
heavy and light armed troops.
The heavy armed troops wore helmets
OF metal or linen, sometimes extending
over the shoulders, and their bodies were
protected by coats of mail, which reached
in some battalions from the neck to the
knees. The feet and legs were generally
bare, but sometimes tunic afforded q
slight protection.
Large shields of wicker or bulls hide.
with the hair turned out, were carried by
the heavy armed troops, and occasionally
very large one was used in single COM
bat The weapons of the heavy armed
troops were the spear, mall, battle-axe,
straight and curved sword, and Ratchet.
The light armed troops were generally
bare-headed but on the monuments they
are often pictured as wearing light cap,
probably of linen, on which was cres-
cent and ball.
On account of the oppressive heat, the
uniform consisted of a tunic only, which
reached from the waist to the knees
sometimes, however. they wore robes,
which hung down to the ankle; but this
was usually the dress of those skilled in
the use of the bow and arrow. moder-
ate sized shield was carried by these
troops, and their principal weapons con-
sisted of the bow and arrow, spear, jave-
lin, curved sword, club and Ratchet.
There has never been discovered on
the monuments or elsewhere that there
were cavalry IN the Egyptian army. ex-
cept in rare instances when we find the
king only, seated upon horse, but we
may be sure there were horsemen, SIM
ply from the evidence furnished US in the
holy Scriptures, as for instance, in Exc
dus xiv, %: "And the Lord said unto
Moses, stretch out thine hand over the
sea, that the waters may come again upon
the Egyptians, upon their chariots and
upon their horsemen" Again in Exodus
XIV. 81, we read: "The horse and his
rider hath he thrown into the sea-" These
verses surely give us ample proof that
there were troops of cavalry, for after all,
the Bible is the greatest and grandest
history IN the world.
| Another important element in the army
was the chariot; in this the king went to
war in almost every instance, and his
chief officers did the same. Diodorus,
the Grecian historian, has written that
Sesostris had as many as $4,000 chariots
in his army.
The chariots were almost in all cases,
drawn by two horses, fastened to tongue
or pole; they were but slightly raised
from the ground. and had two Wheels,
each of which usually had six spokes.
The whole body of the chariot was
! painted in bright colors, and that of the
king was often gorgeously decorated; the
horses were shielded, and large feather
plumes waved from their heads.
In the chariots were generally two
men. One held the reins and shield, and
the other did the fighting
In the fight the chariots were in the
front ranks, and were in all cases, if the
representations are correct. well dressed,
i. e. in perfectly straight line. Back Of
them came the infantry.
What magnificent sight must the
Egyptian army have been. Picture if
you can, thousands of chariots in single
line. drawn by horses of the best Arabian
breed, followed by phalanx upon phalanx,
regiment upon regiment of the disci-
pinned foot soldiers, the gorgeous paint
and brilliant colors everywhere and
the thousands of spears and battle
axes rejecting the equatorial sun ;
the great king in front with his picked
body guards, and the low rumble of the
drum or the hoarse war cry from thou
sands of Threats, sounding all along the
line.
In speaking of the various habits and
inventions of the Egyptians it would be
we'll to say a word or two about music.
Music was chiefly used for entertain
ment and amusement, even when con-
nected with religious services.
We cannot compare the music of the
Pharoahs with the music of to-day it il
not to be supposed that it could compare
in any way. but it is fact that even from
the earliest times the Egyptians did make
considerable progress in the art.
There were soloists on various instru
ments land we are led to believe that the
most finished musicians formed them
selves into orchestras. The voice was
cultivated, but to what extent it is impos-
sble to Judge. Concert companies were
also formed, but not for the same purpose
as those of our own country, for there
were, of course, no theatres nor opera
houses.
The principal instruments that were
used were cymbals, castanets, flute, sin
gle and double pipe, Tyre, harp, tambou
rine, sistrum, drum, guitar, and cylindri
cal maces.
The flutes were long, and had small key
holes near the lower end.
The pipes were, on the other hand
short, with straw mouth piece, and ha6
four or five holes near the lower end.
The Tyres usually had about fifteer
strings, the two arms were equal in height
but curved so as to differ the length OF thu
strings; they also had sounding boards.
/, Harps were Of different lengths; som'
! rested on the ground when played, other
were tied to the waist. Some OF the form