The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-04-04

GIHYSSasS ZSll my father had spoken,
NNktCNssyMTsQ inasmuch as there was
ilM.@Saz1 wv an occasion for me to pass
eW g " H., down the river to Annu ell
N.&.NMaf Ra. Now, this is the He'll
81 nus W. opolis of the Greeks,
~ @ Y whittier / should go in the
StSSy>N company of some priests of
~ Ptah al Memfi who had come
hither 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 l made
ready, and the same evening, having re-
ceived letters and embraced my father and
those about the Temple who were dear to
me, 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, aud calling
out her farewell, threw sandal after me for
good chance, which sandal kept for many
years. And so we sailed, and for six days
passed down the wonderful river making
fast each night at some convenient spot.
But when l 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 Mt heart,
and would have wept had | not been
ashamed. And of all the wonderful things
saw | will not write here, for, though they
were new to me, have they not been known
to men since such time as the gods rule in
Egypts But the priests who were with me
showed me no little honor, and expounded
to me what wero the things | saw And on
the morning of the seventh day VIC came
to Memf, the city Of the White Wall. Here
for three days rested from my journey
and was entertained Of the priests of the
wonderful Temple Of P.ah the Creator, and
shown the beauties Of Ike great and mar
veleus city. Also was led in secret by the
High Priest and two others into the holy
presence of the god Apis, the Ptah who
deigns to dwell among men in the form Of
bull The god was black, and on his fore
head there was white square and on his
back was white mark shaped like an
eagle, and beneath his tongue was the like.
ness of scarabeus, and In his tail were
double hairs, and between his horns was a
plate Of pure gold. entered the place Of
the god and worshiped while the High
Priest aud those with him stood aside and
earnestly watched. And when had wor-
shipped, saying the words which had been
told unto me, the god linelt and lay
down before me. And then the High
Priest and those with him, who, as heard
in aftertime, were great men Of Upper
Egypt, approached wondering, and, saying
no word, made obeisance to me because OF
the omen. And many other things saw
In Memf that are too long. to write Of
here.
s On tho fourth day came some priests OF
Annu to lead me unto Sepa my uncle, the
High Priest OF Annu. So having bid fare.
well to those Of Menifi, we 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 (the 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-rs, l.
Harmacnis, am by right divine the Hered.
itary High Priest. saw them and mar.
veled at their greatness and at the white
carven limestone and red granite Of Syene
that flashed in tho SUMS rays back To
Heaven. But at this time knew naughi
of the treasure that was hid in Her, which
is the third among the Pyramids-would
had never known Of i'll
And so at last we came within sight Of
Annu, which after Memfi hath been seer
is no large town, but stands on raised
ground, before which are lakes fed by {
canal. Behind the town is the grea
temcnos Qnclosure) of the Temple Of thu
God Ra.
At the pylon we aismounted, and beneath
the portico were we met by q man not grea
of growth. but of noble aspect, having hi
head shaven, and with dark eyes tina
twinkled like the further stars.
"Holdr' he cried, in large voice that fit
ted his weak body but i'll. "Hold! ! an
Sepa, who opens the mouth of the gods"
"And II said, tam Harmachis. son o
Amenemhat, Hereditary High Priest ant
Ruler Of the Holy City Abouthis; and bea
letters to thee, o Sepal"
"Enter," he said. "Enter" scanning m,
all the while with his twinkling eyes. "En
ter, my soui" And he took me and led M
to chamber in the inner hall close Il
the door; and then, having glanced at tn,
letters brought, he Of q sudden fell upol
my neck and embraced me.
"Welcomep he cried; "welcome, son o
my own sister and hope of Khemi Not il
vain have prayed the gods that nigh
live to look upon thy face and impart to the
the wisdom that, perchance, alone hav'
mastered Of those who are left alive II
Egypt. Fow there are whom it Is Lawful
that I should teach. But thine is the grea
destiny, and thine shall be the ears to hea
the les sons Of the gods"
And once more he embraced me and bad
me go and battle and eat, saying that on tn
morrow he would speak with me further.
And Of a truth he did, and at such lengt
that will forbear to set down all he sal,
both then and afterward, for il / did s
there would be no papyrus left In Egyp
when the task was ended. TherefoR, hay
ing much to tell, and perchance but littl
time to tell it. will I pass over the events Q
the years that followed.
For this was the manner Of my life.
rose early, attended the worship Of tn
Temple, and gave my days to study.
learned Of the rites Of religion aud their sig
nifcance, and Of the beginning of the god
and the berirniar of the un.cr VOID.