Show 1 I An Art Oriental Journey BY CHARLES CHAELES L 1 ROOD HOOD o This series of articles by b Mr ti Rood Hood which began with the voy voyage voyage age across the Atlantic and andt t touching at the Azores and Gibraltar r rr r tar as well as Mediterranean ports covers the trip up the Nile r rE E a and return then to Athens and other parts of Greece and through Turkey to Constantinople N N 1 N N N H N M N N N H N N N N N N N N 1 1 Continued from last Sunday Sunda The Tombs of the Kings As we climbed the foothills to the Tombs of the Kings all around was ns its 15 bare of vegetation as dry and dusty dust the glare of the sun upon uton the white stocks as dazzling as anything I ever experienced in the mountains of Ne Nevada Nevada Nevada vada In fact it would have required only the presence of sagebrush to cause me to imagine I was back In those mountains mountain rising after cattle as In my boyhood days But the donkeys and their panting drivers the beggars by bythe bythe bythe the wayside the Egyptian E policemen In uniform the boat crew and d the camels carrying refreshments for tor the party all alt brought t me to a eon cop consciousness t of this land of the Phar Pharaohs Pharaohs Pharaohs Upon arrival at the tombs a aI afine I fine lunch was spread In the entrance I to one one of them There are twenty fIve t I belonging to the kings of ot the nineteenth and twentieth dynasties i They were first opened by the otti 1 of tho museum in 1881 1581 and the thet t the work was followed up in subsequent subsequent quent years ears From all aU of ot them have J been taken the mummies of the principal pal rulers of that period of history We Ye entered onte red many man and In all were the same elaborate preparations for secret hid hiding hidI I ing in ng through passages All had tho same characteristics of ot former tombs visited including the galleries for treasure household goods food etc ate As ono one writer puts it t The Egyptians Egyptians Egyptians regarded mss man m as composed of two parts both equally perishable the body and a soul the latter as a double The fate of the double doable was closely bound up lip with that of the body bod and md when the tUP latter decomposed after atter death the dou double double double ble would decompose also if it measures were taken to preserve both by byar ar artificial means This led to embalming the body and making milking all provision for forthe forthe forthe the double which otherwise would not notT T be e able to sustain itself Hence the living liven endowed tho the double with all h he required a tomb for tor him to inhabit near the Ule body bod and supplies of all kinds I required to make his existence there supportable Including everything he was accustomed to during his lifetime Prospecting for Tombs The entrances to many man of the tombs were ere discovered by b accident Mr Ir Davis said he merely chose what seemed to tobe tobe tobe be a likely spot and went to work Ap Apparently Apparently parenti there is as much luck in prospecting pros prospecting prospecting for mummies and tombs tomb as for silver and gold In the days of Ram Rameses II there had been some robberies of the tombs and some of the mummies had been removed to other places for concealment At the present time of them rest In security In the walls ol or orth the th Egyptian museum In one of the tombs we followed down long inclines into the depths of the earth terminatIng ing in a spacious chamber in the tbt cen can canter center center ter of which was a stone sarcophagus As s we drew near we observed an electric elec lec electric light shining down upon it and end finally we stood looking into the tho f fete ce of the actual Pharaoh II whose body had lain here in lifelike si similitude similitude for a period of years Our tenth day fell on Sunday Sunda and It was decided to take a rest Nothing more arduous was done d ne than to tore re revisit revisit visit Isit the tho stately Luxor temple tempi whose massive ruins so close at hand Invited one more view to loaf around the ba ha bazars bazars and idly bargain and to examine scarabs In the popular opinion opinIon opinion ion the scarab is typical of ancient Egypt therefore the most sought of ol any of her relics It Is the image of an insect scientifically known as the which Is often found near the desert edge From a similarity ty In the old Egyptian language of its name to the verb erb to be the scarab became in the ancient mind identified with all that exists or causes to ex cx exist 1st 1 t typified by b the tho heart So the imago Image Im 1 of it was wags multiplied to assure both liv living JIving living ing and dead a perpetual being The Th fashion Cashion of wearing scarabs as amulets u r and ornaments extended across the Mediterranean where imitations were made The real article was of every size and material Today Toda the scarab Industry is one ono of ot the most nourish flourish nourishing nourishing flourishing ing and the imitations are so perfect 5 none but an expert can tell the differ dUIer difference ence More Temples Are Arc Visited Once Onte more In motion our boat 7 stopped at having passed tho the ruins of ot a temple erected by b Queen Cleopatra Cle Cleopatra Cleopatra Here In the middle of the vil village village lage is the most perfect specimen of an Egyptian temple extant Not only the interior but the exterior walls and are covered with Inscriptions I and with battle scenes drawn in noble proportions The former furnish much information about the geography of ancient ancl nt Egypt Here as at we find the spiral staircases in the In Inside Inside inside side of the walla walls I climbed steps in the solid rock to the top of the pylon These Th se passages are poorly lighted in inri ri some sections almost dark Their walls are chiseled with pictorial reproductions reproductions of oC the processions of priests In their sacrificial and festival array arra I showing how for countless generations these mysterious religious enthusiasts had tolled toiled up and down this weary i height wearing the very stones away In Inthe Inthe inthe the repetition of their secret rites At Kom Korn the next day we in inspected inspected just for a change another temple mple t We Ve were glad to be told It t was not of ot much significance except to the Egyptologist for the tourist was be beginning beginning ginning to lose interest in the constant duplication of the same sarno general fea features features tures tUNS However here for the first time tIm was afforded a forcible demon demonstration demonstration of ot the degeneracy of oC the pres pros present ont ant race rac Cripples revolting In their deformity were brought to the landing land landing landing ing to solicit alms These unfortunates seemed not to realize their misery from which however their elders real realize realIze realize ize great profits The latter have found Cound that the more pitiable the case tho bet hr the investment and somehow we obtained an impression that they would not hesitate to make cripples if It were found necessary sao The mountain of is not far tar from this place Its quarries fl furnished most of the rock for life Uie various temples and its walls bear the die names of ft many Pharaohs Pharaoh At the First Cataract We 0 reached our journey up the Nile as the boat landed at on the twelfth day This city Is tho the most 1110 St pretentious pre pretentious pretentious and modern of any since bay leav leaving l av frig ing Cairo fro There are long Ions streets with wilh fine shops and magnificent hotels and grounds wounds among the latter batter being the Savoy on an Island in tho the river The Thet TheA t t j 04 A bazars bazara arc are also tho the most extensive Weare Weare We Weare are now miles from Cairo and In Soudan This point was until recently r the principal depot for the products of ol Abyssinia the Soudan and upper Egypt But since the big dam has been built and the railroad extended d to Khartoum the town has lost much of its commercial importance It has gained as a military post and as a re resort resort resort sort for tourists particularly the Eng English lish and a more enticing spot for spending the winter months will scarcely be found in Africa On Ele Elephantine Elephantine Elephantine island just opposite were once several temples long since demol demolished demolished by b government officials to build their own houses About all that Is left of antique Interest there Is the tha th ancient There were always several of these up and down the river and by their records the farmers s gauged their planting and were taxed Since the most delightful excursion occurs on the thirteenth day da it must be admitted the company successfully disregards any sinister Influence of this supposedly fatal number We enjoy an exhilarating canter through low hills where on either side is a II tribe of ot He douin Arabs somewhat corresponding to our gypsies In their huts and tents they the lead a miserable filthy existence We ride over oer those extensive quarries quarries quarries ries of pink granite whence came so much of the raw material transmuted by Egyptian art There on the ground is one large shaft In the rough 92 feet long and 10 feet square at the base which some ruler ages ago had Intend Intended ed for his own renown yet et it has lam there through all these years in its own unchangeableness as a constant reminder of the mutability of human plans We Ye now approach the large lake formed by the waters impounded by b the famous dam At Sheila 1 we take row boats to Philae island thus floating over historic ground once esteemed the most picturesque of al althe aU all the tIle Nile NUe The temple of Isis is a 1 class classic ic but alas we can see Ree now above aboe the water only the tops of walls and col columns columns columns Landing on one of these walls our boats having passed through h tie ti e portals we could sympathize with the protests against this inundation of the te ruins Yet when removed front nt il Ut the influence of the spell cast our cur ur minds on that lovely lovel morning Te ve e must concede that the benefits to a needful humanity human It justly outweigh all other con considerations ns And art although n a l Jeal Jealous jealous ous mistress should even cheerfully endure this loss when hen so rich in simi similar similar similar lar treasures Great Dam Again the boatmen bend to their oars o rs singing sin ing In unison or in roundelay Our boat glides over oyer the beautiful blue wa waters waters waters winding its way between dear doar lit little little little tle islands and our hearts are re as aa light and happy as all nature is joyous around us at one end of tin the borage barage we are placed on handcars and natives push us along the broad brood flat road to the opposite end where the bridge headquarters are located This engineering triumph was begun Feb 12 1899 and finished Dec 10 1902 It is about one and a quarter miles long longwith longwith longwith with sluice gates but in low water when the reserves are being drawn upon only a few gates are opened at ata ata ata a time This gives a much needed op opportunity opportunity opportunity to examine the foundations which are closely watched Of course there is no longer any an cataract The rocks over oyer which the water once roar roa roared roared ed and foamed are the bedrock uon which the dam is built This forma formation formation formation tion extends northward as far as the eye can see until it narrows down to the place called the rapids not far ler above This dam together t g ther with that at and the tho one below Cairo form a trio of works designed to store waters for use in the low lov wa water water water ter season of the Nile Very little ara arable arable arable ble land has been added to he amount previously cultivated but all aU the val valley valley ley Ie now receives water during durin the months of April May and June when land especially in the delta was ryas not ot sufficiently supplied The cotton cottun crop has been much Increased When the dam is raised as recently pro proposed proposed proposed posed the benefits will be materially multiplied and in this case it is s as asserted asserted asserted that the new elevation will add to the arable amble area as well The Return Voyage Regretfully we returned to the Victoria Vic Victoria Ic Ictoria toria after this enchanting day And ond more sadly Still till did we turn our backs backson on this admirable scene when the next day her whistle announced the north northward ward Journey We now settled down to toa toa toa a life of repose and Idle luxury there being few stops en route and of those thoe only one of ot much consequence At is a temple partly excavated The back and main parts are sub submerged submerged submerged merged by the debris of centuries over which the villagers have built their houses and shops A brief descent to the main floor showed It had been oc occupied 0 by b Roman soldiers the smoke cf f whose camp fires had blackened the th ceilings and columns In passing one of the shops I noticed some soine artisans dyeing cloth by hammering indigo pow powder powder powder der into its meshes We stopped a few rew hours later at Luxor and on the sev seventeenth seventeenth seventeenth day out from Cairo our boat was anchored for a visit to This Is the longest donkey ride on the trip The sun at midday beats down with great fury Our road is through farms verdant with growing wheat and through tumbledown villages vil vl villages lages with their th ir beggar b population The temples were built by Rameses IT II who appears to have been the chief chef t temple builder of his times and by Set Seti SeUI SetI I who was famous for his warlike deeds That of the latter Is peculiar In this It Is called c the temple cf f Osiris but Instead of being dedicated with one sanctuary to him alone Set Seti conceived the diversion of building seven sanctuaries parallel with each other with entrances from one com common common common mon court each sanctuary dedicated to toa toa toa a different dIU rent sod god It Is In this temple that one may read the tho famous list of kings as certified to by Set Seti from the earliest history if not traditions of the empire beginning with Mena and containing seventysix names all aU bla bIa blazoned bIaz blazoned zoned z ned In great letters on the face of the walls walla This list unfortunately does not altogether correspond with other data and it starts from no fixed point in m chronology Hence the tho authorities au authorities authorities are at variance in their con conclusions conclusions conclusions as to tl the date dato of the king first recorded Maspero places it at B BC BC BC C The in this temple dating from Set Seti T are among the finest of Egyptian sculpture of ot any an period was the burial place of ot Osiris and was called the Holy City Here have been found important discoveries in the tombs of all epochs s sA A Suggestion of California Califor la Before returning to the boat we vis visited visited is the tho Coptic monastery It is sim ly 1 built somewhat on the style of the California missions Somewhat of a paradox was offered by these Copts in inthe inthe inthe the early erl Christian of the Christian re religion religion religion ligion The Egyptians listened to Peter Pe Peter Peter ter to Stephen and to Mark who was the first bishop of Egypt with ever in increasing Increasing increasing creasing Interest and belief One com commentator commentator tries to explain their readi readiness readiness readiness ness to embrace the Christian religion possessing only one God because they had become tired If not confused from worshipping such a multiplicity of dei deities deities deities ties Anyhow by b the end of the fourth century Christianity was firmly established established established in Egypt and in the sixth almost universal But when the noted council of |