IN THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS

New Zealand Tablet, 19 August 1915, Page 23

IN THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS

INTERESTING LETTER FROM EGYPT. HISTORIC SIGHTS AND SCENES DESCRIBED Private'Raymond W. Ward, son of Mr. W. T. Ward, postmaster, Christchurch, writes as follows from Ras-el-tin Military Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt, under date May 31, to Mr. Arthur Mead, Cashmere Hills, Christchurch ; ‘ You will perceive from the foregoing address that I am for the time being hors de combat, so, leisure being ample, I am occupying the long hours in writing letters for the infliction of my friends at home. If memory serves me rightly I was guilty of sending you two letters only since our departure from New Zealand—one from the troopship and another from the camp near Cairo —both of which I trust reached you safely, uninterfered with by those troublesome persons —the censors. ‘ We remained encamped at Zeitoun, near Cairo, until, I think, April 9 last. During the whole of that period we underwent a severe and rigorous training on the desert. When that was completed we found ourselves drilled into a really formidable army, and, thanks to this hard training, our men were able to endure, as the survivors of us still are doing, the innumerable hardships which, later on, they were required to face on Gallipoli peninsula. I shall not weary you with an account of our camp life, because you must be tired altogether of recitals of such experiences in the daily papers, which at the present time have no other theme but that of the “ pomp and circumstance ” of war. The few months we spent in Egypt will always remain as a most pleasant memory with me. During intervals of freedom from military duties I found on all sides subjects of the greatest personal interest to me, so that I seized the opportunity of improving an acquaintance with ‘ The Science of Egyptology —a subject which has occupied much of my leisure time at home— in acquiring a knowledge of fresh tongues by introducing myself amongst the civilians

of all nations, for, as you probably , know already, the European population of Egypt, and in particular of Cairo, is cosmopolitan to an extraordinary degree. We were fortunate in being granted considerable liberty betwixt'the hours of work, which respite every man devoted to such distractions as pleased his fancy. It was my custom of an evening, the majority of which, unless night manoeuvres were in operation, were free, to pass the night amongst numerous civilian friends whom I had gradually made—one night at a French cafe, another at a Greek, next at an Italian, and so on, with the result that I made many agreeable acquaintances and at the same time gained no small amount of linguistic knowledge. To speak French is the ‘open sesame’ to hospitality in Cairo; English is quite unknown and never heard spoken, except of course by the army of occupation, for the British residents are few. It is strange that we, who virtually hold the country and who have the" greatest interests there, are the least represented of the European nations. French is the official language of Egypt: it is used entirely in business, not only amongst Europeans, but amongst the better class Arabs. This explains why the bulk of our men, unacquainted with any language but English, speak In terms of disappointment in regard to the people of Cairo, for, unable to hold any conversation with them, , they were never in sympathy with on© another and practically never mingle together. More fortunate than most of my comrades in that respect, I formed quite a large circle of friends. Some of them had strange customs too. Saturdays I generally spent in the famous Cairo Museum, a magnificent edifice erected at great cost and containing the richest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world. Anyone interested could find many months’ occupation there. Amongst many other celebrated kings and queens, whose long rest has been rudely disturbed by the archaeologist, and who are now exposed to the gaze of the modern curious, is the Pharaoh who oppressed Moses' (Rameses II.). His character, as described in the Scriptures, agrees with that which any phrenologist would at once see depicted in the striking features of that man who lived fourteen hundred years before Christthe prominent nose and powerful jaw indicating a determined and obstinate nature. Nearly all the Pharaohs from Rameses 11. onwards are reposing next to him in a state of preservation truly wonderful, besides rulers and royalties of many earlier and later dynasties. 1 The statuary, which includes many of the best works of antiquity, is most beautiful and imposing. Books have been written on it alone. There are also vast collections of gold ornaments, superbly executed, and which must be of great value. Some of the bodies are entirely cased in thick gold and adorned with precious stones. So amongst these treasures I wandered many hours oblivious of the past week’s toil and uncertain of the next, with a guide book of huge dimensions in hand, vexing my brain with hieroglyphics, hieratics, and demotics, until the doors closed on all visitors. ‘ Old Cairo. ‘ On Sundays I usually succeeded in securing leave for the whole day on which occasions it was my habit to explore that part of the city known as Old Cairo, where one is surrounded with scenes and sights to be read in the Arabian Nights. To visit the Citadel and the beautiful mosques adjacent to it; to prowl about the Coptic quarters, or to inspect the numerous ancient churches in which Cairo —Armenian, Coptic, and Greek Orthodox. Of these the Coptic are the most interesting. The Copts are the descendants of the men who built the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the great temples of Egypt. They are naturally very proud of their ancestry. ‘ They belong to one of the earliest schisms of the Church, and have since then acknowledged their own Patriarch as their head in place of the Pope. With some dogmatic differences their beliefs are identical with ours. They use a very ancient ritual in the Mass, the language being really that of the ancient

Egyptians, but in place of hieroglyphics, - Greek characters, or a modification of them, are used. Only the priests understand Coptic, the people always speaking Arabic. As .in most of the Oriental churches, the Eucharist is . given under both species. There are four million Copts in Egypt, and they are regarded as a smart race, many of them holding important positions in the country. I was present on» Sunday at a Greek Mass in the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, The interior of this church is most beautiful and the ceremony I witnessed that , morning most impressive, though it was somewhat difficult to follow because the order of their Mass is altogether different to ours. A dozen or more priests assisted, and the Greek Bishop. They looked very dignified with their long black hair down their shoulders, long beards and rich vestments. They wore also a peculiar black hat, like an inverted top-hat minus the'rim. The music is wonderful—the ancient Byzantine chant. It is unaccompanied by any instrument and sung entirely by men and boys. To describe the singing is impossible; it must be heard to be understood. At first it seems incomprehensible, almost jarring, but as the ear becomes used to it, one gradually recognises and is amazed at the extraordinary majesty and beauty of this ancient music. At a later date I heard it again in our own church at Heliopolis, where a Greek Roman Catholic Bishop celebrated Mass for a Syrian congregation,. The ritual seemed to be identical with that, of the Orthodox, and the language used was Greek and partly Arabic. ‘ Some of our Catholic soldiers who had never been confirmed had the unique experience of receiving Confirmation that day at the hands of the Greek Bishop. The latter was a refugee from Smyrna, the Turks having set a price on his head. ‘ Among other localities of venerable interest I should mention one of which perhaps you have already heard. Only twenty minutes’ walk from my tent was situated “The Virgin’s Well” and “The Virgin’s Tree.” It was here that the Holy Family rested on their flight into Egypt, and tradition says that the Infant was washed at the well. The tree is some species of sycamore, and is, of course, not the original tree but an offshoot of it. There is a beautiful church near the well, erected within recent years by the Jesuits, but the tree and well are the property of the Copts. People come from all parts of the world to taste the water (the best I have tasted in Egypt, where the water is inferior) and view the sacred tree. Even Mahometans have some veneration for the place. Our camp was situated on the exact ‘ Site of Ancient Heliopolis, where tradition says the Holy Family lived during their sojourn in Egypt. Modern Heliopolis is opposite this site, and is the most beautiful suburb of Cairo, having been built only fifteen years ago by a Belgian syndicate. In marked contrast to Cairo proper, its streets are very spacious with boulevards after the French fashion. The business houses, private residences, and public buildings are large and most tastefully built, many of them in Moorish or Arab style. 4 The hideous disfigurement seen on all sides in Cairo, and the unhealthy insanitary dwellings of poor Arabs are unknown in Heliopolis. It is really like an enchanted city. An immense beautiful building recently erected there and intended to rival the Casino at Monte Carlo, has been taken over by the military authorities and used as a soldiers’ hospital. It contains twenty thousand beds. The King of the Belgians has a large share in the premises. ‘lt used to be a common sight in our camp to see the men digging in spare time huge holes into the desert, their object being to find antiquities, which lie buried everywhere about that vicinity. Some of the men made very valuable discoveries, and sold them to antiquaries and the Museum for considerable sums. We used to find beads, jars, and statues, and some luckier ones came across gold ornaments and an occasional mummy. It is not to be wondered at, since every inch of Egypt is historic, and beneath the sands must lie untold treasures of antiquity.

/ ‘ On another occasion I obtained extended leave for the purpose of visiting Luxor, 460 miles south of Cairo, in Upper Egypt. Here are situated the cele- ; brated temples of Karnak and Luxor, which I shall not here attempt to describe. The former, however, I should mention, is the most vast and marvellous masterpiece of ancient architecture that has been preserved. The blocks forming the pillars weigh twenty tons apiece, and so huge is the edifice that a wall could be built round Paris with the stones. Throughout (as with other temples) are hundreds of colossal statues of kings and queens who made Egypt so glorious thousands of years past, each carved from one solid block of stone. The temple of Luxor is smaller in size but is celebrated for the gracefulness of its architecture. Between the two temples there is a broad spacious roadway, lined on both sides with a long procession of sphinxes. A number of the latter are now covered with sand. I crossed the Nile at Luxor and journeyed by donkey over the Theban plains as far as the mountains, where I explored the tombs of the kings and queens. Here the sovereigns of ancient Thebes were buried; some hundreds have been discovered and opened, but there remain many more cunningly hidden in the heart of the mountains. The tombs are very large, often containing three or four chambers, being, in fact, small temples in themselves. The paintings and writings on the walls are indescribably beautiful, and though executed three thousand five hundred years ago are as fresh as though the artist had just laid down his brush. The roofs are painted to imitate the night sky, and though the tombs are deep down in the gloomy earth, the colors are so brilliant that on looking upwards one fancies the stars are twinkling in dark azure skies. ‘ On the road back I explored another monstrous temple called Abou Medinet, where the donkey made an attempt on my life by running me with great violence against the granite walls. I should mention one peculiar sight to be noticed in the three temples I have referred to. The advent of Christianity was the occasion of the final disappearance of the ancient religion of Egypt. Until then a few of the Copts had clung to the old beliefs, but Memphis and Thebes had long ago fallen, their temples alone standing, as they do to-day, neglected in the desert. The first Christians in Egypt to escape the violent persecutions of the Roman Emperors fled south, and that they might, without interruption or fear of persecution, preserve the new religion, they erected their altars in the disused temples. It is indeed strange ‘ To See Such Evidences of Christianity —- paintings of Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints amidst the idols of Isis and Osiris, and the other pagan deities. It is interesting also to note how the ancient science and knowledge of Egypt had become a lost art at that date, for, whereas the writings and paintings on the pillars and roofs executed 1600 years previously are to-day bright and fresh as though just completed, the work of the Christian artists, which originally must have been most beautiful, has quite faded, and in places has vanished from the walls altogether. In the Theban Plains, en route to the tombs, one passed the renowned Colossi of Meranon. For more than three thousand years these two vast stone figures, ninety-four feet high, in a dignified and majestic seated posture, have watched in silence each morning, the sun rise over the distant pillars of Karnak. Scrawled all over, in a hundred different languages, are the names of travellers who, from the remote ages until the present, have gazed in awe at the ancient sculptors’ masterpieces. Amongst other historic names carved there is that of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. So it is evident that this species of vanity is not peculiar to moderns alone. Another interesting example of human weakness came under my notice at Thebes, and it shows our characters have not changed a whit. One of Thebes’ greatest rulers was Queen Hatasu, called the. Queen Elizabeth of Egypt, because of her energy and also some violent religious changes effected in her reign. She erected

numerous additions to the temple of Karnak, Luxor, and Abou Medinet, and very many long inscriptions in them record the glorious episodes of her reign, but, strange to relate, from almost every one of these inscriptions the name of the Queen is carefully erased. On very few indeed does the name of Hatasu appear. The reason is, that on her death after a very long and brilliant sovereignty, she was succeeded by a Jealous half-brother (Thothmes III.), who went to great pains to cover her name from posterity in oblivion, by eradicating it from every record he could find. I expect some of the priests, who honored her memory more, succeeded in concealing a few of the inscriptions from her envious successor. Even the poor Queen’s tomb was found empty, her unnatural kinsman having penetrated there and hidden her mummy, as he thought, securely in some distant hills. His evil designs were baffled only a few years ago by some of our Egyptologists who discovered the bodies of three royal ladies together (now all in the Cairo Museum) and one of them, it is not quite certain which, is the unlucky Hatasu. * Her tomb, into which I descended, is one of the most beautiful of any T saw. So far as I could see, none of the writings there had been tampered with. Perhaps the sacredness' of the surroundings deterred the violators from any such act there. ‘ The Island of Lemnos. ‘ Now, I shall not weary you further with stories of tombs and temples, but return to my own performances after my departure for the seat of war. That was about the 9th of April. The transports sailed from Alexandria passing the countless Isles of Greece, and having reached Lemnos anchored in the magnificent Bay of Mudros. Transports and warships of all the allied nations, a most unique armada, surrounded us, awaiting final orders for the attack on Gallipoli. We remained nearly a fortnight there. We marched some distance inland and were all struck with the picturesqueness of the country which reminded ns vividly of New Zealand, save that few trees were growing in any part. The groves and glades of oak of which the old Greeks were so proud must have disappeared long ago. The valleys and mountains are entirely fertile and all under cultivation, for the inhabitants occupy themselves solely in agriculture. All the fields are in a blaze of colors with poppies and wild flowers growing in profusion. The country is ell watered, and the water itself delicious to drink. As in classic 'times, the honey and wine produced in Lerpnos are still celebrated for their excellence. The population of the island is about fifteen thousand, of whom three thousand are Turkish and the rest Greek. They

live in quaint, scrupulously clean villages -scattered throughout the island, and containing , a score or so of dwellings, a school; and a small Orthodox Church. The Grecian inhabitants, though- simple and by no means wealthy, are independent and contented looking, very hospitable and courteous, and exceedingly clean. It was quite a relief to find ourselves amongst such amiable people after so long a contact with the clamorous, untrustworthy, and indescribably dirty Arabs. The children are particularly attractive. I went into a village school and questioned some of them over a large map on the wall. They seemed to be intelligent and apt. ‘ The regular features, blue eyes, and fair hair of most of the people are unmistakable proof of their Hellenic origin. Their blood has no foreign admixture as in the case of their kinsmen in Greece proper, and amongst these humble islanders an artist could find many truly classic models. If I have the fortune to survive the war I hope to explore more thoroughly the Isles of Greece under more peaceful conditions. A few hours’ sail from Lemnos brought us to the mouth of the Dardanelles, where a magnificent spectacle awaited us. The allied fleets were in full engagement, bombarding the Turkish forts. I am not able to attempt any description of that grand sight; probably you have already had accounts of the bombardment. We did not delay long at that point, but proceeded along the peninsula as far as Gaba Tepe, where that same morning the Australians and New Zealanders effected ‘ Their Historic Landing. Of that deed you will also have heard. We landed about noon on the same day and saw on all sides evidence of the morning’s conflict, wounded and dead and baggage lying everywhere in the greatest confusion. On ascending the heights, and the lines we had to hold being pointed out, we commenced to entrench in face of a galling fire. ‘ By dawn next day a fine line of trenches was completed and we jumped in without delay, as matters became livelier than ever that day. From that time onwards until my retirement we were under fire day and night without respite; fighting in the day and digging in in the night, sleeping and eating when possible, and dodging sudden annihilation every few seconds. The country is by nature hilly and rough, and covered in thick shrub ; it is therefore more suitable to the defenders than the attackers. ‘The enemy’s snipers have excellent concealment all over the hills in consequence, and can pick off our men with ease and with no fear of being seen themselves. You would smile to have a glimpse of us in the trenches

after a week or two, satis wash, shave, or removal of clothes. We look decidedly grubby. Those of my friends who are still there must be unrecognisable. he din, night and day, was terrific; a number of nqen became quite deaf for a time. ' When the magnificent Queen Elizabeth (popularly known as the Lizzie ) used to assist our attacks by discharging broadsides of her 15 inch guns, it was as though the earth was cracking the shells from these guns are a ton each in weight, I believe. Nearly all the Allies are represented in the Dardanelles British regiments, Australians, New Zealanders, French, and Indians. There were also a body of 500 Russian Jews—mule transport drivers. Our colonial troops have suffered considerably; the Otago Battalion, to which I belong, has had a particularly severe cutting up; amongst the officers killed I hear is Major Price, of the 4th Otago Regiment. He was with me in the Public Trust Office in Dunedin. His loss will-be much felt here as he was one of the best officers in the force. Our fellows did well and are still doing so in the Dardanelles. Necessarily the subjugation of the Peninsula is a slow business, and we must expect a heavy casualty list, but there is a splendid spirit amongst the troops and all are confident of ultimate success. I am hoping to return in time to witness the downfall of Constantinople. The Turks are desperate fighters, and dispute every inch of their terrritory with great determination, but they are constitutionally unable to face the bayonet and invariably ‘bolt’ from the steel. They are as inhuman as, of old, for they mutilate our -wounded, and their snipers pick off our ambulance men. They also play all kinds of deception with the white flat'. We received orders eventually to ignore the white flag altogether. ‘ The Bullets Perform Strange Tricks Sometimes. Many men find holes in their hats and tunics and their own skin unscratched. Occasionally rifles are broken to pieces by scraps of shell and their owners unharmed. J know of a case where a man was blown right out of his trench by a bomb with no ill results, and another where an Australian was digging a trench at close range. A hand grenade exploded against his shovel and sent it fifty feet into the air, much to his indignation. There is a man in this hospital whose life was saved by a Bible in his tunic pocket a piece of shrapnel penetrated 300 pages odd, when its flight as impeded. The strangest instance of which I am aware also refers to a man in this hospital. He was shot, through the heart, and is now walking about here apparently little the worse for his unique experience. Many visitors from the city come out here to inspect him. ‘I was “bagged'’ about the beginning of the month by a bullet through the groin and a piece of shrapnel in the leg. Thanks lo file best of attention received at the hospital and a fairly sound constitution, I am making a speedy recovery, and expect to be ready for action in another month. This is a very pleasant institution, situated outside Alexandria in a cool spot by the Mediterranean. After the Eastern fashion, the building is square with a garden in the centre. It is there I am accustomed to sit during the day in peace and without any cares, dividing the hours between reading and writing. The patients are from various regiments— British, Australian, and a few New Zealanders. The bulk of the latter are in Cairo hospitals, but the wounded became mixed up in the confusion at Gallipoli, hence we are all separated. ‘ No letters have reached me nor any of my companions from New Zealand for two months, and we are not very hopeful of hearing from home for many a day, because the post office arrangements are clumsy to a degree. The Australians complain of the same negligence. I only hope that those we write reach home safely, otherwise you may not have received those lengthy communications I sent you since departing from New Zealand. On arrival here a note from you addressed to Trentham awaited me. It is possible that you have written since, but if so the letters did not come to, hand. I fear our military mailmen are superb bunglers. \

I often wonder how you are faring at home, especially in the past few weeks, when during long hours of idleness the mind naturally reverts to scenes enacted before the war. Our vicissitudes of the past lew months, however, cause these visions to become rather hazy. lor this is a grand life, and very engrossing in spite of its attendant inconveniences. I am certain you would rejoice had it been possible for you to accompany us through these adventures. It would be a great pleasure to receive a letter from you with news of you all. The sole news from home I have received for two months was from an Otago Witness given me by a nurse. Therein I read of the death of Bishop Grimes. If destiny is considerate and I return after these wars I hope to find you all prosperous and well as when I left.’