ATTHE GATES OF THE DESERT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2884, 30 June 1909, Page 90

ATTHE GATES OF THE DESERT.

Ev a Basker.j Guarding the approach to\ttwt ur«i «nd' barren oaean of driv<m . bslv& the Liby*tt Desert, aad almost beneath ,the sbndow atilie^ aiightiest structure over erected by man upon this earth, stands thfttjst-r&Bge wond«r of the nncient world, the Gr4t Sphijut. Anft well might those superstitions and deluded • worahippara of crocodiles and *nuraßJ"So. cats.' of Osiris and Horus and 4Ptah,- TrcgjMra. the impassive monster with *we land" withthe profoundst reverence; well niigsht they, look upon it as endowed wit]i I-reraendou* authority and power, and with[ 3ie 'absolute , control over their destinies, 4bqtb in th|a h'fe and in the realms.-, beyoijd- th% tomb.. For to us even of this mttto mtwligent ».ge, emancipated from' these insensate delusions which held those pji?hty Ancwnt3 in an iron grip, and sunk iiem doim in abysrcial and benighted ign'oijnce, it is *• thrilling extJerience to stand »S sunwi heiOTethe towering, majestic form qf che stupendous figure : now starting a-si it were into life as the golden rays prerge info carmine, and ih.9 passionless visage is gnunwuy,, mantled with a " suffusefl. ever-deepeining. blush, as though the life-b]o*l' wore ,cours-^ i)ig through j,t ; now, as tHe ,er?a|, - ***' Himinary 3inks lower and lowv, the roseate^ ■ hue of vita.lity fading away nic a,* suHen" and lnzid.* empurpled lividity and now; "«s; tie" gloaming advances and the Etexs heaveu on« by -one shine f ortl . '"he n?**sjv^ features of the iniasre d'arkenin ever< blacker nnd deeper, unlil the- rieing n Jon a&ain re-kind!-es on it a ghostly and uji artWy T»llor Hoary with age a, thousand ye^ra before ,Menfohtah's generals, vainly {pursuing the Israelite host, oerished- igaomifiouslr in the Red Sea. the blear, siony eyes|of thi« sculptnred m<r.nste-r of the 'past-ja huafe and. c tuDendously colossal rtran-hewed Uob. its" " pedestal a roek-hawn 'tcnn>le-^have iooked ; out with the same impenetrate, visiomesssraze- upon aom*'' of the greatest events oi -: 'ohU world's history.- the triumphant progresses of 'he Great Barneses; the »®* l *n j Ion? flight of -Pharoah Necho. driven, back by the invinrible Torres of >einichadne*B*r, <ne return of Shi=h«k w^th hii rich plunder, from theHcly City. .Temstffcn; or the Victorious triumph of that maghty. ruler or> a, worlcl-einpir^. Alexander Jh Great. .. . And then.^ter en ,. after -. »Ny *no«»«r; stirring viei.«»itude. (hre^wear ngurea, ftee- - jn°- by IDivine- forornand fron t>he ? WlT^^"* ous iealousy of -Herod, who. w aid not »afwhis kin«ly- v>wer -to be dispute I by enoMwr,--pven though a babe-the n>uted 'iather,+he mother, Hie Holy Ghil — Jakel«>fuge in E?vpt- doiibtkss regardin the s^upendnus fane with equa.l wondej ra ".«««"- selves at this Say. But thalJhelples? C^ild: • was the Lord of Glory, wh< m <■*«« ,«> save mankind fr&ro the con«e|uences t Gf WR «iv left His Throne in thi hemen of, heavens for a tiie, and Himself the claims of eternal iu?ti<f by beaxijasj the punishmsnt duo. And fhoaoeyer -win ■ may participate in^ feat all-prevailing quittance. A eommitte of Maoris ia Jow eit.fcinjr afc. a pa in Wairarapa authorised., vision of the old Native my jholopry. traditions, and incantation? horn pa number of okl memoranclum books in,| which tbee© rhinos were set, do\™ won aftfr the MaOrw had ba»n taught by missionaries to peaa npei writ**. ;