Travel
Diary of Mrs. R.P. Eaton:
Europe,
Egypt, and Palestine, ca. 1857
Long since entered and sifted of its treasures.
Another Pyramid, Cephrenes, almost as large as the Cheops,
stands near it, and smaller ones are in the vicinity, with
numerous tombs and relics of palaces, among which we wan-
deared and mused, lingering last as that marvel of ancient
sculpture, the Sphinx. This impressive figure was evi-
dently Heron from the native rock where it stands. It
is in the form of a couchant lion, with a human head
looking out upon the fruitful valley of the Nile. The
features through mutilated have a Lenignant oppression. It
looks like the representation of some old Egyptian divinity,
And its colossal form, a hundred and forty feet long, sixty
feet high, and the head a hundred feet in circumference,
must have deeply impressed the worshiper, as it does the
beholder now. The day of this excursion to monuments, some of
which perhaps Abraham saw, ended our six weeks of life on
the Nile. They were weeks of strange, novel and wonderful
interest. It is impossible to describe many events and adventures.
That gave zest and variety to our daily experience and in which
the humorous and ridiculous were often blended. O rare and unique
are the sights and scenes on the Nile. The recollection of those
winter weeks will be a perpetual pleasure. The delightful climate,
the clear sky and soft moonlight – our hunting excursions on
shore; our wanderings in the villages; our donkey riding to the
old temples and monuments; our visions of ancient civilization
and of modern life in Egypt; our exuberant spirits unburdened
by care; our amounted relish of table comforts, with augmented health,
weight and vigor – all conspired to make the trip one of overflowing
delight and unmistakable benefit.
Previous
Next
Back to Eaton Home Page