ANCIENT EGYPT. 27 



The inscriptions refer to the campaigns in Upper Ruten 

 (Palestine) ; among the towns taken Megiddo, Carmel, Kishon, 

 Damascus, Astoroth, Laish, and Joppa are mentioned, show- 

 ing that these places were all in existence three centuries 

 before the reputed date of the Exodus. The hall is 140 feet 

 long by 55 feet wide, and still roofed over with the usual 

 stone slabs. It is surrounded by a number of small chambers. 

 The architectural effect is hard and unpleasing. Just beyond 

 stand seven sixteen-sided columns of a chaste and lovely 

 form, much resembling Doric — they are of the reign of 

 Osertasen I. of the xiith dynasty, about b.c. 3000; and near 

 them are four singularly beautiful columns of the lotus-bud 

 type, presenting the effect of a lot of plants bound round 

 together towards the necks, clearly indicating the artist's 

 model; the shafts are slightly bulbous. The picture before 

 you gives a side view of the hypostyle hall of Thotmes III., 

 and shows both the proto-Doric and lotus-bud columns in 

 situ. These harmonious forms doubtless exhibit the style of 

 building in vogue some 5,000 years ago, which was afterwards 

 followed by much more conventionality and stiffness of out- 

 line, as you will observe when the Great Hall of Columns 

 comes under review. On the left angle of this section is a 

 chamber known as the hall of ancestors, from which was 

 removed to Paris the chronological tablet referred to under a 

 previous heading. 



Acquisitive tourists, dealers in antiquities, and even savants, 

 have been very destructive among the monuments ; and, in 

 the process of hacking out historical records, they have 

 wrought much damage to the surrounding inscriptions. 

 Many of the reliefs in this wallare of the highest importance 

 in the world's history. 



One word as to the illustrious builder, the great Thotmes 

 III., Thot or Toth's child (presumably the legendary Sesostris, 

 or possibly he may have been Rameses the Great). Thotmes 

 reigned 54 years, and we find his cartouche more widespread 

 than any other ; he conducted fourteen campaigns, and pene- 

 trated into the very heart of Asia. With the Egyptian fleet 



