The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-04-14
Letter from Mr.. George W. Yeiser.

came Dack 10 me tne remembrance OF tnlS
little story.
Letter from Mr.. George w. Yeiser.
Correspondence of the Democratic Advocated
PORT SAID EeYPT, March IS, 1900.
DEAR READERS Since wrote my last letter
travelled nearly 1900 miles in the land of the Pha
raohs" / looked upon all the principal ruins and
tombs, far as they discovered, as they appear
today; the pride and splendor of the Pharaohs
today only reflection of their past greatness
Where once stood proud and magnificent cities,
with enormous temples of granite, today there re-
main only ruins and desolation. Where once stood
the palaces and courts the Pharaohs today grass
and wheat grows.
So much Of interest has been covered by the tour
my last letter that it would be folly to try to
do justice in letter to the ADVOCATE
From Cairo to the First Cataract"
We entered the tomb OF the sacred bull, 100 feet
deep, cut out ofa solid rock, with the walls beau
fully decorated with hieroglyphies, with "a of the
large granite sarcophag I3 by by II feet still in
the tomb. The tombs of the Pharaohs, including
that of Seti l. and Rameses H. the Pharaohs of the
oppression Here they rested 1900 years, but now
the mummies are lying in curiosity shop at Cairo
The ruins of many granite temples cover from
200 The largest OF these temples is at Kar
max. In this temple about 500 columns are still
standing. from 80 to SO feet in circumference, and
about GO feet high On top of these pillars stone
girders about II feet square. Among the ruins are
hundreds of sphinxs, with rams heads and lions
heads There not less than twenty-five enor-
nous statues of Rameses II. Near the center of the
temple stands obelisk % feet high and feet
square, hewn out of one stone. 1t is said this tenn
pie covered 200 acres. The temple had a wall
around it 70 feet high and "a feet thick Two of the
arches that led through the wall still stand They
are about 80 feet high and % feet thick. To this
temple the sacred vessels of Solomons Temple were
carried when King Rehoboam defeated by the
King of Egypt.
All through Egyptian ruins of these large granite
temples, and nearly all dedicated or rededcated TO
Rameses H. or his father, Seti l.
At Edfu, GIG miles up the river, our party went to
the top of the tower of the temple liz feet high.
Alaround the temple where the ancient city stood,
there is native village with population of about
300O The hut of the native is about feet square,
and has no roof as it never rains here. From the
top OF the tower party could look direct into the
habitation of these people No furniture, stove,
nothing but little straw in one corner of the hut
for bed, children naked and covered with flies.
| Oh what God forsaken people What contrast
| between the ancient Gland of the Pharaohs'' and
| Egypt of today When got back TO the river
hosts of women were standing in the river washing
| 1t was wash day, and am sure the clothes needed
all the rubbing they got Out of this same river the
water is taken that our party drinks from day to
day. How would you like that, reader 2 Perhaps
this is why it is called "The sweet waters of the
| Nile"
On Friday March 9, our party passed the "croc o.
| dile" temple on the bank of the Nile. Here the
| God "Sebek," or the Crocodile God" was wor-
| shipped The temple measures 500 feet by $50. The
temple was a magnificent one About 40 of the
large columns 40 feet high are still standing. 1t
| was dedicated to 'The Crocodile God" About fif-
teen minutes before we got to the temple Rev. Dr..
Blackburn, Rev. DR.. Medler and the writer saw a
small crocodile about two feet long running along
on the bank. This is the only that was seen by
our party. On the walls of these temples in Egyp-
tian hieroglyphic signs is written the history OF
| the Kings. In the large temple of Rameses III.
supposed to have been the of the Pharoah of the
Exodous, the king is represented cutting off the
hands of his captives. A large mound of hands is
lying before him. Another wall presents a scene
too vulgar to mention.
ON the wall at the temple OF Karnak the King
shshak is represented returning from his victorious
march against Jerusalem. In his right hand he
holds his sword in his left number Of ropes to
which the prisoners are attached Rev. DIR. Black
burn and myself returned to this temple second
time, at our expense, to ascertain if there is
any perceptible difference in the features of the
captives of Juda and captyes represented in other
scenes There is difference, and the features are
distinctly Jewish.
Another scene represents all the Kings, King
Shishak subdued. One of these Kings is King Re-
hoboam, bearing the inscription "King OF Juda."
(Read Kings II ehapter.)
The first cataract is ia miles from the mouth of
the river There are many scenes here TO interest
the tourist, but space will not permit to describe.
Here English engineers and capitalists are build
ing wall across the Nile to hold the water that
the fertile land of Egypt may be inundated at will
There are H. 900 men at work on the dam now. The
wall will be solid granite and will cost SIS 900.
Part of the wall on the high sand is completed.
Just as our party arrived within two or three hun
dred yards of the wall, at six O'Clock, hundreds of
blasts were set off in the river; rock fire and water
ascended fifty feet We made effort to get closer
The farther up the river the darker the natives If
am judge of black am sure the last shade is ap-
piled at Aswan 1t is said the river is lower now
than it was at this for twenty-five years. As
a result we stuck fast on sand banks more than
twenty FIVE times. From Luxor we took the train
back to Cairo. 45O miles. When passenger enters
in the East the conductor punches the ticket,
then locks the door and leaves the passenger 10 is
fate until the destination is reached. When the
time arrives for the train to start official with
brass horn steps on the platform, throws back his
shoulders, then his cheeks fly out like two inAa ted
balons the trumpet sounds, and off goes the train
at 80 miles an hour. From Cairo to Ishmaia we
passed through the land of Goshen. From lshmalia
to Port Said the most interesting sight of my
life. On side the Suez Canal, on the other the
Egyptian sun setting behind the horizon of an inlet
of the Mediterranean Sea, and the beautiful scene
obscured by millions of ducks For over twenty
miles this body of water was practically covered by
these interesting birds. Thousands were within
thirty yards OF our train and were not disturbed in
the least lost all interest in the canal wished
for my gun. plenty of shells, a bnsh-whaeker boat
and friend, crack live bird shot of Carroll who
carries about one hundred and fifty pounds super
fiuous avoirdupois would have been very interest
ing companion. Here two of the members of the
Westminster Gun Club could have made full scores.
Quite record for any member OF that organization.
; Two words learned in Egypt that shall never
forget. Here they aTe-"Rameses" and "Back-
| sheesh."
Our party landed safely within the walls of Jeru
salem. Very truly, GEO W. fEIsER-