The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1898-06-02
BOAT RIDE UP THE NILE.
Rev. J. H. Patton Gives An
other Fine Lecture.

The Presbyterian Church was crowd
ed again last Sunday night to hear Mr.
Patton's lecture on the subject OF
Boat ride up the Nile, and visit to
old Memphis and Sakkarah"
When his party of fourteen, five
women and nine men, left the hotel,
crossed the Nile bridge to Cooks land
ing, they boarded steam launch, the
whistle blew, and they were off. Seated
in the stern of the boat, Mr.. Patton
said he began to think his way back in
to history.
We remembered that this was the
river miraculously turned into blood !;
the river that was deified into nation
al god. Egypt's holy river,
Steaming up about two miles. we
came in sight of the little island of
Roda. Tradition tells us that this was
the summer home Of Seti /. 1t was
here he had his magnificent palace. 1t
was here Thermuthis, the daughter of
Pharoah, took her morning bath. We
were conducted through beautiful gar
dens down to the waters edge and
shown the traditional spot where the
child Moses was laid upon the Nile.
One old palm tree marks the place,
called, of course, the tree of Moses.
Getting into our boat, we continued
our journey up the river. On our left
some distance back on the sand hills,
we counted twenty-five wind-mills.
placed there at the beginning of this
century by Napoleon, for the purpose
of grinding wheat to furnish his vast
army with bread. Just beyond these
we came in sight of the state prison,
the penitentiary of Egypt, where hun
dredS of criminals are confined; some
awaiting the day of execution, others
to linger through life.
We then passed the famous limestone
quarries from which the rock was taken
to build the unlucky number of thirteen
Pyramids. Above these quarries is the
little town of Telwon, made famous be-
cause it is the birthplace of the present
khedive, the governor of Egypt.
On the opposite side of the river our
attention was called to an immense
sugar plant, with its tall chimneys
sending up great volumes of smoke.
We had not seen any thing half so mod
ern in Egypt. Aswe drew near the lit
tie village of Bed-ra-sheim, we saw fifty
Arabs with their donkeys awaiting our
arrival With much difficulty we made
our way on shore, selected our donkeys.
and in few moments we were off.
We rode across the plains three miles,
and came to a grove of palm trees.
Here we found the colossal statue of
Rameses Ii. We knew 10y this statue
that we were standing upon the very
site of the ancient city of Memphis.
Rameses ii was vain old king He adj
mired his image as he saw it carved in
stone. One of the largest statues of
this old monarch is at Tanis, 81 feet
high. The one which lies before US is
81 feet high. Its crown which has
been broken off is II feet 1t stood so
feet high, but has been toppled over
and now lies flat ON its back We
climbed up on its breast and looked in
to its calm, placid face. The mouth
was two feet, nose three feet. eyes
eight inches in diameter. The birds
were building their nests in its ears
This statue was given to the English in
1910. but unable to carry it away, had
to decline the offer. We rode on one
half mile to the second statue, much
larger than the first. 1t is A. feet high
and lies upon its back. We assembled a