The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-11-01

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dlkeW 70 the Century for
\/L1f August an account
lMk(U Of his discovery Of
IVY W tablet which gives
IA the first historic ac-
EW1HSA count OF the op-
TX y ~ preston Of the chill
A&eJ4 dren Of Israel. Con-
u ~ corning the charac-
ter OF Pharaoh OF
the Hard Heart"
Prof. Petrie writes as follows: A mel
ancholy prospect he had seen as he
grew up. His father had been active
In the earlier years Of the reign: but
after about twenty years be ceased an
personal labor and seems 10 have sunk
In his fatuous pride into a mere despot.
devoted 70 pepetuating his efigies on
the monuments and his family In the
harem. The kingdom went steadily
into decay year after year. and the old
man became more indOlent and more
iatuous. while none OF his sons seems
10 have been allowed 10 take up the
reins and save the country. Egypt Is
desolated and abandoned 10 invasion
from all lands; the barbarians oyerrun
It's frontier. the revolters invade Il
daily. every country Is pillaging It's
cities. raiding its dwellings In the fields
and on the river. They abide and settle
there for days and months. seated in
the land: they reach the hills Of middle
Egypt. They search for the
corn land. seeking to an their bellies:
they come to Egypt TO fnd provision for
their mouths"
Such Is the melancholy picture drawn
by Merenptah OF the state Of the coun-
try on his accession striking con-
trast 10 the work OF the really great
kings Of Egypt Of the Amonhotep and
Thothmos line. who had handed on
the rule Of Syria from father 10 son
unbroken. The continuous record
that We have q Thothmes III
shows that every year regularly he
went through Syria 20 receive tribute
young prlncesses 10 be educated IN
and maintain his power taking all the
Egypt before they came 20 act as vas
sails In their own country. Until b
was over 50 this annual outing wal
kept up and his children 10 the third
and fourth generation received this do
mlnlon In peaceful succession. But un'
der Rameses all this stability had van
ished: a few raids which did not cove
half the previous conquesis Of Syria.
treaty on equal terms with the To-
and the boastful king sunk into an In
glorious lethargy. In which even Egyp
itself was largely given up TO the for
eigners.
And this decay was what had eatel
into the soul Of Merenpiah during al
his youth and yigor; until be was a
least 40 nothing could be done by him
Il was not until the old king had com
20 that condition which We can no'
see before our eyes In the Cairo mu
seum-a withered mummy. whic
seems az n stlll dwelt In and half aliv
with the spirit Of insensate pride
was not until the evil genius OF IN
land was In his tomb that a strok
could be struck for the freedom Of n
country.
Then began careful preparation. 70
four years Merenptah was consolidni
ing his power, with apparently one e,
petition 20 Syria. up the coast 70 N
plain Of Esdraelon and Tyre: this n
conquest We have learned Of only sine
finding the new tablet. But Il did NJ
do more than secure the principal for
reases near the coast and comman
the corn districts Of Philistia and r
draelon. which were cultivated by n
people Of Israel. among others. Il
: evident that Reorganization had bee
going on, strengthening the resistan,
81 the country BY the vigor with vhis
the great Lbyan invasion was repell,
after the country had been long su
J hitting 20 minor attacks.
At the end Of March. In his ffth yea
Merenptah had a dream. Ptah, q
great god OF Memphis, appeared to hi
and warned him 10 be ready a fortnig
hence. This is. doubtless. a priest
way OF putting some warnings fro
spies or travellers who reported Il
preparations In progress. Then, early
April. the great tempest Of foreign 1
vasion burst In from the west. comll
: just when all the harvests were cat
E cred In. the fields stripped bare. 4
! whole land naked and open and eanl
q dried up; IN short. iust when the grei
J. est facilities existed for invasion a
the full granaries tempted the des'
! peoples.
The warning had not been IN va
!, Merenptah was prepared and attack
e the assembled hoft With his cavall
the gods fought wi.h them and for o
|. long afternoon from midday an da
4 they slew and slew and slew. for
n hours slaughtering the multitude I
. defeat was utter. The king. Maury. :
!. Of Dad, escaped. thanks to the dai
}, ness: but he did not even secure a hol
. or provisions and fed from the fight
D foot. completely terrified. His wi,
and his rich eQuipage, his silver a
n gold and bronze vessels. the ornamel
a OF his wife. his thrones, his bows.
d. weapons and all that he had wen
Is prey 70 the Egyptians. Some Is.
p bodies lay on the field Of battle q
5000 prisoners were taken.