Visit to the Pyramids. Their diminutive appearance as we approached.
Effect when we reached the base. Pyramid of Cheops. Visit to the
interior. Pyramid of Cephrenes. Belzoni’s forced passage. His
successful researches. Large stone enclosure east of this Pyramid.
Tombs adjoining on the west. Dine in one of them.
Earliest dawn on the 25th found us up, and our court filled with
animals of all shapes and sizes, from the towering dromedary to the
wee bit of a donkey; and each one was allowed to choose his mode of
travelling for himself. In the end, I believe, the largest of us
were found on the donkeys, and the smallest perched on the backs of
dromedaries; and as I was among the former, I amused myself along
the streets with watching my more ambitious companions, in danger of
being caught up, as was Absalom, if not by their hair at least by the
clothes, and left dangling at the end of the beams that every where
project from the sides of a Turkish bazaar. The gait of the dromedary
is also extremely uncomfortable; the rider, unless accustomed to it,
being tossed from side to side at each of the long steps of the animal.
I believe when we reached the Pyramids every one of our ambitious
comrades selected some more humble animal for the rest of the journey.
And here I may be allowed to give a tribute of just praise to the
Egyptian donkeys. They are extremely small, but beautifully formed,
and are of a mouse color, with a streak of black running along the
back, and intersected by another crossing it at right angles, and
passing down the fore shoulders. These black lines are believed, by the
superstitious of the Eastern countries, to be copied from the cross,
and to be here in consequence of our Saviour’s having selected this
animal for his entry into Jerusalem. The Egyptian donkey is very gentle
and tractable; and for riding, is the most agreeable of the donkey
tribe that I have ever seen.
Thanks to the tact of Mr. Gliddon, and of our caterer, Lieut. S., the
preparations for our excursion were admirably made, and we got off
without confusion; although, as we had provisions for two days, tents,
&c., our train consisted of seventy animals; and our company, amounting
to about as many persons, comprised a singular variety of nations and
languages. Preceded by torches, we marshalled ourselves in the dark and
narrow streets, and the word being given, at length we put ourselves in
motion.
“Get out of my way, there,” cries an aspirant after high places to one
of more humble elevation; and the way being cleared, on sweeps the
dromedary at a rapid pace, the saucy occupant of his back now beginning
to bob up and down, and trying in vain to find something by which
he may steady himself and in his efforts to check his beast, only
making it go the faster. “Which is the way?” cry at once half a dozen
travellers, lost in the mazes of the streets, and each, advising a
different course, only heightening the embarrassment; till at last they
yield the reins to their more sensible mules, which in a brief space
succeed in extricating them. “Johnny Turk, here, lengthen this stirrup
for me,” says another; when the Arab groom, understanding only the
gesture, and his eyes already offended by its unwonted and ungraceful
length, draws it up still higher, till he brings the rider in the
graceful attitude of the Turkish horseman, with the knees up almost to
the chin. “What an unsightly attitude,” the Arab murmurs to himself,
“with the legs sprawling about, when he can bring them close up to the
breast.” To our great satisfaction we emerged at length from the narrow
streets, and had the pleasure of riding on without incessant danger of
scaling our ancles and knees.
Arriving at Old Cairo, we were ferried across the river, passing in
our course the head of the island already noticed, and by the edifice
with the famous Nilometer. Opposite to Old Cairo, as I have elsewhere
remarked, is the village of Ghizeh, from which the largest Pyramids,
which we were now about to visit, take their distinctive name; Ghizeh
is celebrated also for its ovens for hatching chickens.
Passing this, we had now the Pyramids in full view before us, nine
miles distant, but separated from us only by the level plain. The
morning air was cool and pleasant, our animals travelled well,
and we left the ground rapidly behind us. But as we journeyed on,
disappointment took possession of every one of us. The fabrics of which
we had been reading with wonder and admiration from our childhood, were
before us; there were the Pyramids; but how diminutive!
Still, as we approached them, we watched to see whether they would
not at last appear in that magnitude and grandeur which we had always
connected with them; but it was all in vain. Each one indulged in some
epithet of dissatisfaction, and even of contempt; and thus we reached
the bottom of the eminence on which they stand. But when we had wound
up its sides, and reached the piece of table land on which they are
erected; when we checked our animals at the foot of the first of them,
the Pyramid of Cheops, and looked up; there, they were again the
Pyramids, and grander far than our fancy had ever pictured them. The
effect, indeed, is almost overpowering. Their simplicity contributes
to this as well as their vastness. There is nothing to break up and
confuse the attention. The mind, without effort, embraces the whole
object; one single idea occupies the attention; a single impression
is made, but it is astounding; and we feel all the sublimity of the
object, because by this single impression so great an effect is
produced. We cast our eyes upward; we look again at ourselves, and we
wonder that we are so diminutive; we who just now were passing sentence
of condemnation, and looking with contempt on this mighty work! We sink
into nothingness beside it, and wish to dismount and get yet lower, and
from an humbler place yield it the deep homage that the mind willingly
pays to greatness. “This is great, this is very grand,” was the
language from the lips of many, and I believe from the hearts of all,
as we passed along the base of these stupendous monuments.
There are three of them at this place, called, after their reputed
founders, the Pyramids of Cheops, Cephrenes, and Mycerinus. They stand
on a natural platform, or piece of table land, one hundred and fifty
feet in height, projected from the adjoining range of mountains. That
of Cheops is the largest, and has been repeatedly measured; but on
account of the rubbish that has accumulated along the sides, it is
difficult to do this correctly; and there is great discrepancy in the
results.
English feet. Feet.
Herodotus makes its height 800, and length of each side 800.
Strabo 625, 600.
Le Brun 616, 704.
Thevenot 520, 612.
Davison 461, 746.
French Sçavans 470, 704.
As the angles are exposed to view quite down to the foundation, there
is less difficulty in ascertaining the number of layers, which is said
to be two hundred and six; each layer being of smaller dimensions
than the next lower. A series of steps is thus formed, each about
thirty inches in height and twenty in width. The Pyramid of Cheops
is truncated, terminating above in a platform of about twenty feet
square; that of Cephrenes is continued up to a sharp point, and is
coated from this about one fifth of the way down, with triangular
blocks, so as to present, at this part, a perfectly smooth surface. It
is supposed that the whole of this Pyramid was originally coated in
this manner; and that it was covered with hieroglyphics. I ascended
to the smooth portion of its surface, but could discover no traces of
such inscriptions. The three Pyramids stand nearly in a straight line,
running north and south, and face exactly the four cardinal points.
Belzoni measured that of Cephrenes, and found it to be six hundred
and eighty-four feet on each side at the base, and four hundred and
fifty-six in height; that of Mycerinus is much smaller, and has been
mutilated so as to be rather an unsightly object. They are composed
chiefly of secondary limestone taken from the adjoining mountains.
As the angles of the Pyramids have suffered from the weather, and
probably also from human violence, and have thus been broken into
smaller steps, we were able, without much difficulty, to ascend to the
summit of that of Cheops. The natives, many of whom had been attracted
from a neighboring village by the sight of strangers, when seen from
this elevation appeared dwindled into the merest pigmies. A visit into
the interior was a matter of greater difficulty. I had been over to
examine the Pyramid of Cephrenes, and on returning to that of Cheops,
found that the party had entered, carrying with them all the candles;
so that I had to choose between remaining without or groping my way
along in the dark. Taking a couple of Arabs, who professed to know
the way, I clambered over a quantity of rubbish, rolled down from the
upper portions of the Pyramid, and reaching to the entrance. This is on
the northern side, about thirty feet above the base, and at an equal
distance from each of the angles. We here entered a square passage,
three and a half feet on each side; and inclining at an angle of 26°,
which, it is worthy of remark, is the inclination of the entrance
passage in each of the Pyramids yet explored. This passage was lined
quite around with polished granite; and the descent would have been
dangerous, but for rude steps or holes for the feet, cut in the lower
flags in more modern times. This passage is about one hundred feet
in length; and by the time we reached its extremity, daylight had
quite deserted us. I found myself now in a place where I could stand
upright; and after stumbling over some rocks, was brought to a stand
by a rough wall, where the hand of violence had been at work, probably
endeavoring to force a passage into some of the chambers. Here an Arab
got before to drag, and another behind to push me, and by their good
help I soon found myself swinging in mid air, in the blackness of
darkness; but presently reached a ledge about eighteen inches wide,
regularly formed, and ascending at the angle already noticed. Following
this up, I at length began to hear voices, and soon after, to my great
satisfaction, found myself in a lighted chamber, and once more among my
companions. This was what is called the King’s chamber; a name given to
it on account of a sarcophagus of red granite, seven feet six inches
in length, and of proportionate width and depth, highly polished, but
entirely plain. This apartment is thirty-seven feet long, seventeen
wide, and about twenty in height; and is cased in every part with
polished Egyptian granite.
Leaving this chamber, and returning part of the way, I found that the
ledge on which I had ascended, had at its side a passage to another
apartment lower down than the King’s chamber; this is seventeen feet
long, fourteen wide, and twelve feet in height; and is also cased
with polished granite. There are other chambers in this Pyramid, but
of irregular shape; and it is uncertain whether they were part of the
original design, or are accidental; a pit, descending, with several
offsets, to a depth of one hundred and fifty-five feet, or to a level
with the Nile, with which it probably had a communication, has also
been explored. It is probable that there are several other passages not
yet discovered, and among them one by which there was a subterranean
entrance to the Pyramid, a passage, apparently of this character,
having been recently discovered in the Pyramid of Cephrenes.
For what we know of the interior of this latter Pyramid, which stands
within one hundred yards of that of Cheops, we are indebted to the
most enterprising of all modern travellers, the patient and yet acute
Belzoni. Herodotus had declared that there were no chambers in this
Pyramid; and, except a few lazy efforts of the Sçavans of the French
invading army, no attempt had been made to ascertain whether this
writer was correct or not. The ambition of Belzoni having been fired
by his success amid the monuments of Thebes, he determined to make
an effort upon this Pyramid; and he began first by attempting to
force a passage into the northern side. This still remains as when
he abandoned it; and on examining it, I was struck with astonishment
at the perseverance and determined resolution of the operator. He
has cut a large passage (in many places nine or ten feet square),
for a distance of one hundred feet, into the heart of the Pyramid;
the whole being through a solid mass of stones, often of prodigious
size. The danger, as well as the expense of this mode of operating,
compelled him at length to abandon it; but his resolution was not to be
overcome. He examined again the Pyramid of Cheops, and, after careful
admeasurements, discovering that in this of Cephrenes, at a point
corresponding exactly with the entrance into the former, the surface
of the Pyramid was sunk a little, he commenced here anew, the native
workmen looking on in wonder, and calling him _magnoon_, or fool.
Having removed a quantity of rubbish and cut through the outer rocks,
he at length found his toils rewarded; slabs of granite, like those
lining the entrance into the other Pyramid, began to appear; and to his
joy he found at length a similar passage open here before him. It is
four feet in height, and three feet six inches in width. Having removed
the rubbish which had fallen into it, he reached, at the bottom, a
portcullis of stone, “which,” he says, “stared me in the face, and said
_ne plus ultra_; putting an end to all my projects.” With great labor
this was raised at length sufficiently to allow him to creep under; and
“after thirty days,” he adds, “I had the pleasure of finding myself
in the way to the central chamber of one of the two great Pyramids of
Egypt, which have long been the admiration of beholders.” A passage cut
out of the solid rock, brought him from this to the entrance of a large
chamber.
“I walked,” he says, “slowly two or three paces, and then stood
still to contemplate the place where I was. Whatever it might be, I
certainly considered myself in the centre of that Pyramid, which, from
time immemorial, had been the subject of obscure conjectures of many
hundred travellers, both ancient and modern. My torch, formed of a few
wax candles, gave but a glimmering light; I could, however, clearly
distinguish the principal objects. I naturally turned my eyes to the
west end of the chamber, looking for the sarcophagus, which I strongly
expected to see in the same situation as that in the first Pyramid;
but I was disappointed when I saw nothing there. The chamber has a
pointed or sloping ceiling, and many of the stones had been removed
from their places, evidently by some one in search of treasure. On my
advancing towards the west end, I was agreeably surprised to find that
there was a sarcophagus buried on a level with the floor.” A closer
examination led him to the discovery of bones in this sarcophagus,
which, on being sent to London, were pronounced to be those of a bull,
or of that species of animal; a fact which strengthens the opinion that
the Pyramids were erected by the Egyptians, not for the burial of their
kings, but for religious purposes. The enterprising traveller, however,
found that he was not the first that had penetrated these mysterious
recesses. The covering of the sarcophagus had been partly removed; and
on going further, he discovered both Roman and Arabic inscriptions; the
latter stating that “the Master Mohammed Achmed had opened them.” This
chamber is hewn out of the solid rock, and is forty-six by sixteen feet
at the sides, and twenty-three feet six inches in height. He discovered
some other chambers, and numerous passages, together with a well, as in
the other Pyramid.
Adjoining the Pyramid of Cephrenes on the south, are the ruins of a
large enclosure, formed of huge stones; while on the north and west are
scattered a great number of tombs, of heavy and solemn architecture,
forming entire streets. In these the stones are also large; they had
flat roofs, above which rose a parapet with heavy mouldings; some are
in good preservation, but most have suffered greatly from the hand of
time, or, more probably, of human violence; the roofs having fallen in,
and the sands of the desert having entered and filled them up. Their
inner walls are covered with stucco, on which are painted numerous
figures of men and beasts, in procession or engaged in religious
sacrifices, or in agriculture. We opened a passage into one of them,
and were glad to find in it a refuge from the fierce sun, which now
seemed to be shedding fire upon us and upon the glowing sands all
around. The tomb consisted of three chambers--two in good preservation,
and one uncovered; all of them ornamented in the manner just described;
it was large enough for all our party, except the Arabs, who seemed
to care little for the sun. Our hampers being dragged in, we enjoyed
here a comfortable meal; after which, retiring to the outer chamber and
making a pillow of the sand, I gazed on the dim figures traced on the
wall, and indulged in antiquarian reveries.