The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-22
CONTINUED from last sunday)
Cairo.

ward in the distance, the Pyramid of
Gizeh beyond; on one side old Cairo,
behind us the Makattam hills; at our
feet the ground where two civilizations
have met and intermingled. This his
toric fertilization was built by Saladin
about 1166. Within it's enclosure the
alabaster mosque of Mehamet Ali at
once cOmpels attention. Fortunately
for US, it is Friday, the Mussulman
Sunday. A few early worshippers are
washing their feet at the fountain out
side. When we enter the portals we
are given the benefit of the doubt, and
required only to place sandals over our
shoes. Visitors are not allowed to re-
main during services. but time is al
lowed US to inspect the interior. AS
we so out the monotonous chant of the
muezzin, calling the faithful to prayer
sounds from the high parapets of the
'needle-like minarets. From an ad-
joining enclosure comes the bugle call
of the British soldier; which reminds
us how little the temporal power of the
British empire interferes with the re-
ligions or customs of its foreign sub
jects. This mosque is not regarded as
enthusiastically good. Before leaving
the citadel we visit Joseph's well, sunk
200 feet TO the level of the Nile, ana
additionally associated with Joseph,
the Hebrew prime minister of an
Egyptian Pharaoh.
The most handsome mosque is that
of Sultan Hassan. Its Saracenic archi-
lecture is held by many TO rival the
Byzantine of st. Sophia at CONSTANT
nople. The conception was so daring
and original that Hassan cut Off the
hands of the designer to provide
against a repetition. Our trusts should
take out a patent on this thorough
method of insuring a close monopoly
,F n C
over the plans now employed rms
mosque is about 500 years old. but is
still 143 years younger than that OF
Amr, in old Cairo, built by the earliest
arabian conquerors OF the many
Tothers, the mosque of Rafai contains
the body of IsmaiL, who, tWenty-elght
years ago had brought Egyptian
finances to such pass that the sultan
of Turkey depOsed him. And Kali Bey,
in he midst of the tombs of the
Mamelukes, is photographed by every
bearer of a kodak. By the way, those
individuals are everywhere so numer-
Gus and so persistent, l would suggest
coming for them the comprehensive
name of ''kodiacks." AS for these
Mameluke tombs, they depend for their
interest upon the history of their Oc-
cupants. Early in the thirteenth CEN
tury about II, 900 people, mostly Tar
tars and Turks, were brought as slaves
TO Egypt. After some years a body
guard formed from this number, killed
Turin Shah and seized Egypt. From
1850 until 1911 they and their descend
ants ruled the country, either alone or
indirectly with and through others. In
the latter year the great Mehamet Ali
invited 470 of their chiefs TO the citadel
to d feast, and there treacherously at
tackled them with soldiers and killed
all but one, who gained his horse and
took a flying leap over the walls, saw
ing his own life. We were shown the
indentat ton of the horses hOOfs on the
solid rock, which, hard as ii was, must
have been more plastic than our ere
dulity. The tOmbs of the caliphs are
more imposing and better kept. just
as our minds refashiOned the appear
ance and life of the old PharaOhs when
we stood in their temples, so here We
Conjured I'D the scenes of SplendOr and
debauchery of the Arabian Nights.
The most important feature of Cairo
is the museum. The fine new building
near the Kasr-el Nil bridge holds the
story of the oldest known civilization
of the world Our two visits sufficed
for only a most cursory examination OF
its treasures. The wisdom of making
the Nile journey first is now manifest
We have obtained more technical
knowledge and a better perspective
We have seen in the temples anC
tombs the symbolism of Egyptian life
and death, the outer shell; but here we
get the core, the realistic objects
themselves. In 1881 NJ. MasperO con-
Quoted Investigations and negotiations
with the natives that led to the uncov-
ering of one of the tombs of the kings
? near Deir-el-Bahari. in which collins
and mummies. rapidly scanned by the
light of a candle. We're found to beal
historic names of Pharaohs of The
twentieth dynasty. In 1898 NJ. Loret
found in the tomb of AmenOthes Il
nine more mummies of the three great
Theban dynasties, and there have beer
other discoveries The work of un-
wrapping the bodies was conducted
with care and elaboration. So now
the visitor can look down upon the
faces or bodies of Rameses the Great
upon his son. MeneDhtah. whose re-
mains are entirely out of place here
since he is supposed 10 be the Pharaoh
OF The Exodus. who was drowned il
the Red sea Then there is Amenophi:
]. one of the most renowned, in whose
coffin was found a mummifed wasp,
and Thutmosis III, the bold warrior
and many others too numerous TO men
ton. One of the curiosities is The
mummy of the poisoned prince whose
name and history are unknown. II
endless array are exposed the Itinerary
statuettes, Canopic jars. bronze liba
ton vases, boats and fragments. votivC
offerings, tools, furniture and utensils
mirrors, fans and other toilet articles
combs. Jewels and all kinds of orna
ments, writing and writing materials
musical instruments and games. Wea
pons. scarabS and amuletsI with al
kinds of pottery and vases Among
the many interesting statues, bust
and colossi, there are two in particu
lar which are noteworthy. statue o
King Khafra, builder of the second Ply
ramid, is executed with remarkable
adherence to natural lines in diorite
a stone so hard that modern workmeI
would have much difficulty in model
ing it. Near this is a wooden statu'
that has defied the ravages of timt
and decay for perhaps 5000 years. 1
represents a superintendent of th'
great pyramid, standing with a sticI
in one hand. The lineaments. the pose
the contour of the body, all show fl
deity TO life.
Not very many tourists visit tn
University OF Cairo, called 81 AHA
1.-THE Splendid). 1t is said to have
been founded by the Arabs in thei
earliest occupation of this land. As
suming that it might with propriety
be called a university" in the mod
of Ill 10