Emily amused with a description of Greenland.--Belzoni makes
the valley of Beban el Malook the scene of his researches.--He
enters and explores the tomb of Psammuthis.--Receives a visit
from Hamed Aga.--Returns to Cairo.--Visits the Pyramids.--Time
and purpose of their erection uncertain.--Enters one which
for more than one thousand years had appeared a solid mass of
stones.
EMILY.--Mother, I have been looking at a picture in the study of some
ice mountains in the frigid zone, and father has been talking to me
about the little Greenlanders. He tells me, that notwithstanding their
country is so cold and so desolate, they are extremely fond of it, and
would not upon any account exchange their barren rocks and mountains
of snow, for the spicy groves and flowery fields of warmer climates;
and what amused me more than all, mother, father says that two of its
inhabitants were brought to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, you
know, a few years since, and they pined for want until they met with
some train oil, (what could be more disagreeable!) which they drank
with the same relish as we drink chocolate or wine; and they danced
about for joy when they found they were to be sent back to Greenland.
Why do you think they like that cold country so much, mother?--The very
picture of it makes me shiver.
MRS. A.--Habit, my dear little girl, renders every situation in life
easy, and it is natural to become attached to our native country.
Custom has taught the Greenlanders to struggle with the severity of the
most piercing winter, and suffer the hardships of a poor and scanty
subsistence. They scarcely know, even in idea, what enjoyment we derive
from our woods, and groves, and fields, whilst gentle zephyrs breathe
around, and the little birds seem to vie with each other in their
evening notes of gratitude and praise. They are unacquainted with the
delight we experience in watching the earliest buds of spring, and in
admiring the rich hues of summer flowers, or the ever-varying tints of
autumn. They cannot regret the loss of pleasures unknown to them. Their
year consists only of one night and one day: the sun never rising
during winter, nor setting while their short summer lasts.
“There on an icy mountain’s height,
Seen only by the moon’s pale light,
Stern Winter rears his giant form,
His robe a mist, his voice a storm;
His frown the shiv’ring nations fly,
And hid for half the year in smoky caverns lie.”
These caverns, their dwelling-places, are half under ground, roofed
over with beams and rafters; the walls are composed of sods and turfs,
and the interstices between are filled up with bushes, turf, and fine
earth, and above all is a covering of skins, which nicely defends the
inhabitants from the weather. The interior of the temple is not much
more respectable than the outward parts of it. There is neither door
nor chimney. Instead of the spacious hall usual in our houses, the
entrance is through a long dark passage, with so low a ceiling, that
those who go into it, are obliged to creep on their hands and knees.
In the place of paper hangings, and elegant curtains, the walls are
covered with the dried skins of bears, foxes, and other wild animals,
to keep out the damp. For want of glass, the openings to let in the
light are defended from cold by the membraneous substances of seals or
fish. A raised bench lined with skins, serves the purpose either of a
bed or a sofa, as they please, extending the whole length of the house,
and divided into little apartments by large skins, stretched from the
wall to the posts that support the roof, just like the stalls in a
stable. And each partition is inhabited by a different family, who can
carry on their own business without minding their neighbours. What
think you of the dwellings of the little Greenlanders?
EMILY.--Indeed, mother, I own that I think myself very well off not
to be one of them; and yet, do you know, I should prefer one of their
smoky caverns to the dismal mummy caves of Gournou. Father says, that
although the countenances of the Greenlanders are unpleasing, and
their manners savage, they are not treacherous, like the Arabs who
attended Belzoni when he entered that melancholy mummy cave. We left
our traveller at Thebes, mother, and he was about to visit the tombs
of the kings; cannot you tell us something more about him? “Oh! do,
dearest mother, do!” cried Bernard, as the sound of Belzoni’s name
reached his ear; and notwithstanding Bernard was busily employed
in putting together his dissected map, he was eager to leave this
favourite employment to hear about the tombs of the kings; and he began
to arrange the pieces in order in his box.
“There, there goes Russia; the large Russian empire, mother; and there
is Switzerland, with its lofty mountains, upon which the chamois goats
bound from crag to crag; the Swiss are as fond of their country as the
Greenlanders are of theirs, I know, by the song that Laura sings; the
_Ranz des Vaches_, mother; and there is Italy with its orange groves;
and there, Emily, goes your dear Lapland.”
EMILY.--Laura says, that
“E’en in _Lapland’s_ land of snow,
Lilies spring and roses blow.”
Laura was lately reading Linnæus’s tour through Sweden and Lapland,
mother, and she says that he mentions many flowers which we consider
delicate, as flourishing there, and that the water crowfoot--
BERNARD.--Stop, dear Emily, the pieces are placed in the box in order
due, so pray leave your flowers and your _crowfoots_, and all the
rest of it, and come and sit by mother and hear her talk to us about
Belzoni. I guess we shall have some wonderful accounts; you know he
is going to Beban el Malook, and I am sure that, for my part, I would
much rather hear about the tombs of the kings in the valley of Beban el
Malook, than all that you can tell about Linnæus and his flowers.
EMILY.--Ah, Bernard! you are no more of a botanist than Mahomed Ali,
who amused himself with shooting across the Nile, at an earthen pot,
even when he was surrounded by Flora’s beauties. But I am as fond of
Belzoni as you are, so please to go on, dear mother.
MRS. A.--When our travellers arrived at Luxor, which town is not far
from Thebes, you recollect they took up their former abode in the sekos
of the temple, and found themselves at home again, for both these
places were now become familiar to them. The two captains set off for
Cairo, and Mr. Beechey began to take drawings of the different views,
whilst Belzoni recommenced his researches at Gournou. He there found
two more agents of Mr. Drouetti, busied in digging the ground in all
directions, and who had been tolerable successful in their pursuit
after mummies.
OWEN.--How unfortunate, mother! I wish that troublesome Mr. Drouetti
would keep his agents in Alexandria, and not let them come to disturb
Belzoni’s plans. Were these two fresh agents as disagreeable as the
two Copts, who interrupted him before, and caused him to travel upon a
donkey by day and night, from Minieh to Thebes?
MRS. A.--These men were not Copts, but Piedmontese, natives of
Piedmont, one of the most populous and delightful parts of Italy.
Although they did interfere with Belzoni’s plans at Gournou, they did
him no injury in the end: for when he found that it was in vain to
proceed with his work there, he made the valley of Beban el Malook the
scene of his researches, being confirmed in the opinion that there was
a sufficient prospect to encourage him to commence his operation, in
hopes of discovering the tombs of the kings.
The valley of Beban el Malook is the place where the kings of Egypt
were buried, and he thought that he might possibly discover some of
their relics. It is completely separated from Gournou by a chain of
high mountains, that also divides Thebes from the valley. The same
rocks, indeed, surround the sacred ground, which can be visited only
by a single natural entrance, that is formed like a gateway, or by
the craggy path across the mountains. The tombs are all cut out of
the solid rock, which is of hard calcareous or lime-stone, as white
as it is possible for stone to be. They consist in general of a long
passage, which leads to a staircase, sometimes with a gallery at each
side of it, and other chambers. Advancing farther, wider apartments
present themselves, and other passages and stairs, until at length the
traveller finds himself in a large hall, where the great sarcophagus,
containing the remains of the kings is laid.
Belzoni was furnished with twenty men, and began in good spirits to
search for the tombs of the monarchs of Thebes.
His only guide was the knowledge he had acquired in his many researches
among the tombs of Gournou. He is a gentleman of great observation,
you know, and he found that the Egyptians had a particular manner of
forming the entrances into their tombs, which gave him many leading
ideas to the discovery of them. Three days after the excavations had
commenced, the first tomb was discovered; the entrance indicated
it to be a very large one, but it proved to be only the passage of
one that was never finished. However, this partial success gave him
encouragement, as it assured him that his idea respecting their
situation was correct. In the evening of the same day another tomb was
discovered, but nothing particularly remarkable was observed in it.
The next morning an entrance was made into another, containing many
chambers and passages. But it was not till some days after this that
Belzoni pointed out the fortunate spot which repaid him for all his
trouble, and compensated him for all the mortification he had received
from the operations of the Piedmontese. He says that this day gave
him more pleasure and more gratification than wealth could purchase,
arising from the discovery of what had long been sought in vain, and
of presenting the world with a new and perfect monument of Egyptian
antiquity; which can be recorded as superior to any other in point of
grandeur, style, and preservation, appearing as if just finished on
the day they entered it; indeed, what was found in it will show its
superiority to the others.
Not fifteen yards from the last tomb, Belzoni caused the earth to be
opened, at the foot of a steep hill, and under a torrent, which, when
it rains in the desert, pours a great quantity of water over the very
spot he had caused to be dug.
One could hardly imagine that the ancient Egyptians would make the
entrance into such an immense and superb excavation just under a
torrent of water, but Belzoni had strong reasons for supposing it
from indications he had observed. The Fellahs, who were accustomed to
dig, were all of opinion that there was nothing in that spot, as the
situation of this tomb differed from that of any other. He continued
the work, however, and the next day he perceived the part of the rock
that was cut and formed the entrance. Early on the following morning
the task was resumed, and about noon the workmen reached the entrance,
which was eighteen feet below the surface of the ground. The appearance
indicated that the tomb was of the first rate, but Belzoni did not
expect to find so magnificent a one as it really proved to be.
The workmen possessed but a small portion of their employer’s
resolution and perseverance; and they advanced till they saw it was
probably a large tomb, when they protested they could go no farther,
because it was so much choked up with large stones, which they could
not get out of the passage. Belzoni descended and examined the place,
pointing out to them where they might dig, and in the course of an hour
there was room enough for him to enter, through a passage that the
earth had left under the ceiling of the first corridor; at the end of
this corridor he came to a long staircase, at the foot of which a door
opened into a still longer passage, each side of which was sculptured
with hieroglyphics in basso relievo.
The more Belzoni saw, the more he wished to see, which was very
natural; when our curiosity is excited, it is quite right to gratify
it, especially if the object be laudable.
His anxiety was, however, checked for a time, for at the end of this
long corridor he reached a large pit, which intercepted his progress.
This pit was as deep as our house is high.
On the opposite side of the pit, facing the entrance, Belzoni
perceived a small aperture, only two feet wide and two feet high, and
at the bottom of the wall a quantity of rubbish. A rope fastened to a
piece of wood that was laid across the passage against the projections
which formed a kind of door, appeared to have been used by the ancients
for descending into the pit; and from the small aperture on the
opposite side hung another, which reached the bottom, no doubt for the
purpose of ascending. They could clearly perceive that the water that
entered these passages from the torrents of rain, ran into this pit,
and the wood and rope fastened to it crumbled to dust on touching them.
At the bottom of the pit were several pieces of wood, placed against
the side of it, so as to assist the person who was to ascend by the
rope into the aperture.
Belzoni saw the impossibility of advancing at the moment, and Mr.
Beechey, who was with him, was also disappointed of advancing any
farther. However, the next day, by means of a long beam, they succeeded
in sending a man up into the aperture, and having contrived to make a
little bridge of two beams, they crossed the pit, which was fourteen
feet wide, twelve feet long, and thirty feet deep.
[Illustration]
OWEN.--How much pleasure Belzoni would have lost if he had not been
so courageous! To what place did that small aperture lead, mother? I
wonder why the Egyptians took so much pains: always to have crossed
that terrible pit must have been very troublesome.
MRS. A.--They found this little aperture to be merely an opening forced
through a wall, that had entirely closed the entrance, which was as
large as the corridor. The Egyptians had closely shut it up, plastered
the wall over, and painted it like the rest of the sides of the pit,
so that but for the aperture, it would have been impossible to suppose
that there was any farther proceeding; and one would have concluded
that the tomb ended with the pit.
Belzoni and his friend entered this narrow aperture. When they had
passed through it, they found themselves in a large and beautiful hall,
in which were four square pillars. At the end of this entrance hall
was a large door, from which three steps led down into a chamber with
two pillars. Belzoni gave this room the name of the drawing-room, to
distinguish it from the others; it was covered with figures, which
though only outlined, were so fine and perfect, that one might think
they had been drawn only the day before. Returning into the entrance
hall, they found a large staircase descending into a corridor, which
they entered. They perceived that the paintings became more perfect as
they advanced farther into the interior; the varnish that was laid over
the colours had a fine effect, and it was astonishing that they were in
such good preservation. This corridor led them to a smaller chamber,
which they called the room of beauties.
They named it so, I suppose, because it was adorned with such beautiful
figures in basso relievo and painted; when standing in the centre of
this chamber, the traveller is surrounded by an assembly of Egyptian
gods and goddesses. Proceeding onwards they entered a large hall, in
which there were two rows of square pillars. Belzoni named this, the
hall of pillars.
A step at the end of this hall of pillars led into a large saloon, with
an arched roof or ceiling, and there were entrances from this saloon
into many other large rooms and chambers; but what Belzoni found in
the centre of the saloon delighted him more than any thing else, and
sufficiently compensated for the danger he had undergone in crossing
the little bridge over the great pit, and creeping through the narrow
aperture.
It was a sarcophagus of the finest oriental alabaster, nine feet long
and three feet wide, transparent, and minutely sculptured within
and without with several hundred figures, representing, I suppose,
the whole of the funeral processions and ceremonies relating to the
deceased king, united with emblems and other devices. To give you an
accurate account of all Mr. Belzoni saw in this tomb, would take us too
long; you must visit the _fac simile_, as Laura calls it, in London,
and then your curiosity will be gratified by seeing representations of
the drawings, paintings, hieroglyphics, emblems, and ornaments which it
contained.
[Illustration]
OWEN.--But were these devices of no use at all, mother? Could not
Belzoni decipher them sufficiently to know what monarch was laid
there?
MRS. A.--As I have told you before, my dear, the hieroglyphical
system has for many years been thrown aside, therefore it is almost
impossible fully to ascertain any facts conveyed by it. A gentleman
of distinguished eminence in literature has, however, lately employed
much of his time in endeavouring to find the right key for reading
this almost unknown language. If he succeed in his arduous and
difficult undertaking, he will be enabled to give to the world the
history of one of the most primitive nations, of which we are now
nearly ignorant. In the hall of pillars, which I mentioned just now, a
company of Ethiopians were painted, and distinguished by their colour
and ornaments. The gentleman of whom I am speaking found the name
of Psammuthis inserted among the hieroglyphics. Psammuthis made war
against the Ethiopians; it is therefore supposed to be his tomb. The
Arabs made great report of Belzoni’s discovery; it came at last to the
ears of Hamed Aga of Kenneh, and he was told that great treasure was
found in the tomb.
This was sufficient to excite his curiosity, but not enough to gratify
it. When the important news reached him, he collected his soldiers
together and departed immediately for Thebes, which is generally a
journey of two days, but he travelled with such rapidity as to arrive
in the valley of Beban el Malook in thirty-six hours.
EMILY.--Belzoni must have been very much amused when he saw him,
mother, knowing that he was come on such a foolish expedition; and
Hamed Aga himself must have been not a little mortified to find his
trouble was fruitless: for I do not fancy the paintings and figures
gave him much pleasure.
MRS. A.--Before his arrival, some Arabs conveyed the intelligence to
Belzoni and his friend that they saw from the tops of the mountains a
great many Turks on horseback, entering the valley and coming towards
them.
Belzoni could not conceive who they could be, as he had never seen any
Turks near the spot. Half an hour after they gave the signal of their
approach by firing several guns.
Belzoni at first fancied that it might be an armed force sent to storm
the tombs and rocks, and to destroy the hall of pillars and the room
of beauties! but he soon found that it was the well known Hamed Aga of
Kenneh, for some time commander of the eastern side of Thebes, and his
followers.
OWEN.--But what business had he to go to the valley of Beban el Malook?
It is on the west, you know, and consequently under another ruler.
BERNARD.--Oh, I suppose that in case of a treasure being discovered,
the first that hears of it takes it for granted that _he_ is entitled
to it!
MRS. A.--Yes: as a matter of privilege. When Hamed Aga was introduced
to Belzoni, he smiled and saluted him very cordially; perhaps a
little self-interest induced him to do so. They caused several lights
to be brought, and descended together into the tomb. The symbolical
representations on the walls of this extraordinary place did not
attract his attention in the least; all the striking figures and lively
paintings were lost upon him; his views were directed to the _treasure_
alone, and his attendants, equally regardless of real beauties, sought
in every hole and corner in hopes of finding the wished-for-prize.
Nothing, however, appearing, to satisfy their master or themselves,
after a long and minute survey, the Aga ordered the soldiers to retire,
and whispered to Belzoni in a cautious manner, “Pray where have you put
the treasure?” “What treasure?” said Belzoni. “The treasure you found
in this place,” replied Hamed. Our friend smiled, as well he might do,
at the question, and assured him that he had found no treasure there;
but this only confirmed the troublesome Aga in his supposition. He
laughed, and still continued to entreat that it might be shown him,
adding, “I have been told by a person to whom I can give credit, that
you have found in this place a large golden cock filled with diamonds
and pearls. I must see it. Where is it?”
Belzoni could scarcely refrain from laughing, whilst he assured
him that nothing of the kind had been found there. Seeming quite
disappointed, Hamed seated himself before the beautiful sarcophagus, to
Belzoni’s great dismay, who dreaded that he would take it into his head
that this was the treasure, and break it to pieces, to see whether
it contained any gold; and, as their notions of treasure are confined
to gold and jewels, I own there seemed some danger of it. At last,
however, he gave up the idea of the expected riches, and rose to go out
of the tomb. Belzoni asked him what he thought of the beautiful figures
painted all around. He just gave an indifferent glance at them, saying,
“this would be a good place for a harem, as the women would have
something to look at.” And though only half persuaded that there was no
treasure, he set off with an appearance of disappointment and vexation.
EMILY.--I do not like that Hamed Aga of Kenneh, at all! He had no
taste, had he mother?
MRS. A.--What do you call taste?
EMILY.--Laura says, that it is the power which the mind possesses of
admiring and relishing the beauties found in nature and art: therefore
I imagine Hamed Aga had none: and he makes me think of a passage I was
reading yesterday, mother; about a Frenchman, who, when he saw the sea
for the first time, said that it was _assez jolie_.
MRS. A.--Some of Akenside’s beautiful lines occur to me:
“Say what is Taste, but the internal powers
Active and strong, and feelingly alive
To each fine impulse?--a discerning sense
Of decent and sublime, with quick disgust
From things deformed.”
Though our Aga did not possess this “internal power” in any eminent
degree, we must not judge that it is confined to the polished part
of mankind only; on the contrary, it is as common to a rude state of
society as to an early period of life. Even the _wild_ tribes, who
inhabit the back settlements of America, contemplate their extensive
lakes, the Ohio and the Ontario, with astonishment, and gaze upon the
starry heavens with delight. Although born in so rude a state, they are
“feelingly alive to each fine impulse.”
Belzoni having embarked all that was found this season, left Thebes
with another accumulation of antiquities, and arrived at Boolac after
ten months’ absence.
He there engaged Signor Ricci, a young man from Italy, to return
with him to Thebes, and to make drawings and imitations of the
hieroglyphics. Mrs. Belzoni resolved to visit the Holy Land in the
mean time, and to wait for Belzoni at Jerusalem, whither he intended
going when the model of the tomb was completed. She did not admire the
inhabitants of Luxor and Thebes; and the idea of visiting the Holy Land
had first induced her to accompany Mr. Belzoni into Egypt; therefore
thinking this a good opportunity, she left Cairo attended by the Irish
boy and a Janizary.
Belzoni however, before he returned to Thebes, determined to visit
the Pyramids in company with two other Europeans. You recollect that
when Belzoni was first at Cairo he visited them, and that they are
scattered about on the Libyan desert, to the west of that place.
There is so little agreement upon the subject of the builders of the
Pyramids, either among the natives or historians, that we, like Pliny,
must consider this uncertainty as a just reward of the vanity of
those by whom they were actually erected; and of course, as we cannot
determine who were the builders of them, we should only mis-spend our
time by attempting to fix the period of their erection. I believe
that their _least_ antiquity must be near three thousand years, as
Herodotus, who you know was one of our first historians, and who lived
above two thousand years ago, found so little satisfaction in his
enquiries after them; and Diodorus, who also lived before the birth of
our Saviour, supposes the great pyramid to have been built one thousand
years before his time.
EMILY.--Will you tell me, dear mother, why the uncertainty in which
we are left respecting them, should be a just reward of the vanity of
those by whom they were erected? I do not understand what you mean by
saying so.
MRS. A.--It is generally supposed that these pyramids were designed as
tombs and monuments for the dead; and does it not appear to you, my
dear Emily, that a little vanity must have actuated men to spend so
much time and be at so much expense for such a purpose; intending, as
it were to convey to future ages proofs of their power, and mementos of
their greatness?
I am not so uncharitable, however, as to suppose that this was the
only motive for which they were built. The Egyptian theology taught
its votaries, that if the body was destroyed after death the soul
underwent transmigration into the bodies of all sorts of animals for
three thousand years, and at the end of that space returned to a
human, though not to the original form, as that would be destroyed by
that time; but so long as the body was preserved the soul continued
with it, and thus avoided for so much of the three thousand years the
unhappiness of these transformations; this may account for the great
pains and curious precautions of the Egyptians with regard to their
deceased friends.
EMILY.--I am glad to hear this, mother, for I shall be no longer
puzzled with wondering what so many tombs and monuments were for: and
the motive for embalming the mummies is now very clear. And now for the
pyramids.
MRS. A.--Some of the pyramids had an entrance, and were known to be
hollow, and others had not. Whilst Belzoni’s friends went into the
first pyramid, which is nearly the height of St. Paul’s Cathedral in
London, he seated himself on a large stone near the second pyramid,
which is about the same height, and fixed his eyes on that enormous
mass, which for so many ages has baffled the conjectures of ancient and
modern writers.
[Illustration]
Should you not like to know all the thoughts that passed through his
mind as he sat upon that great stone.
The sight of this amazing work astonished him, as much as the total
obscurity in which we are of its origin, its interior, and its
construction. One of the greatest wonders of the world stood before
him, without his knowing whether it had any cavity within, or whether
it was only one solid mass.
Various attempts had been made by numerous travellers to find an
entrance into this pyramid, but so ineffectually, that there seemed
little probability that even our enterprising Belzoni could succeed.
However, experience had taught him to anticipate success! and he knew
very well that the greatest difficulties may be overcome by patience
and perseverance.
He rose at length, and by an involuntary impulse, walked round the
pyramid, surveying every part, and almost every stone. When he came
on the north side he observed indications that induced him to attempt
searching there for an entrance. He perceived an accumulation of huge
stones; consequently he had some hopes of finding a passage under this
heap of ruins.
The following day he resolved to make a closer examination, without
communicating his secret to any one. This review encouraged him in the
attempt, and he applied without loss of time to the Bey for men to
assist him in penetrating one of the great pyramids of Egypt--one of
the wonders of the world!
Accordingly he left Cairo, having provided himself with a small tent
and some provisions, that he might not be obliged to return to the
city. He found eighty Arabs ready to work, and immediately set about
the operation. They were daily paid one piastre (or sixpence) each.
Several boys and girls of your age were also employed to carry away the
earth as the men dug it. Belzoni contrived to ensure their good will by
trifles and presents, and by pointing out to them the advantage they
would gain if they succeeded in penetrating into the pyramid, as many
strangers would come to see it, and they would get bakshis from them.
Belzoni knew that nothing has so much influence on the mind of an Arab
as reasoning with him about his own interest, and showing him the right
way to benefit himself. He does not seem to understand any thing else.
These Arabs worked with earnestness for some days; but after many vain
expectations, and much labour in removing the mortar, which was so hard
that their hatchets, which were the only instruments that could be
procured, were nearly all broken, they began to flag in their prospect
of finding any thing; and Belzoni seemed about to become an object
of ridicule, for making the attempt to penetrate into a place which
appeared to them, as well as to more civilized people, a mere mass of
stone!
The cause of the pyramid appearing like a solid rock was, that the
mortar which fell from the upper part of it had been moistened by the
dew (for in spring and summer very heavy dews fall in Egypt at night,)
and had gradually formed itself into one mass with the stones.
Belzoni’s hopes did not forsake him, notwithstanding so many
difficulties presented themselves; and the Arabs, although their zeal
was somewhat lessened, did not cease to work as long as they received
a daily piastre. At last, after sixteen days of fruitless toil, one of
the Arabian workmen perceived a small chink between two stones of the
pyramid. Belzoni could just thrust a long palm stick into it, which
he did upwards of two yards; and the Arab was equally delighted with
himself, thinking that _he_ had found the entrance so eagerly sought
for.
Encouraged by this circumstance, the people resumed their former
vigour, and the work went on rapidly. After removing one of these
stones, and a great quantity of sand and rubbish, they came to an
opening inwards. Having made it wide enough to enter, Belzoni took
a candle in his hand, and, looking in, perceived a spacious cavity,
of which he could form no conjecture. The size of the entrance was
increased, and he found that it was a forced passage, probably intended
to find a way to the centre of the pyramid. But the hope that this
would lead to the real entrance was in vain: it gave him none, and
after much trouble in enlarging it, he remained as ignorant as he was
before he began.
He gave a day’s rest to the Arabs after this disappointment, and
dedicated the interim of their repose to a closer inspection of the
stupendous pile; for he was determined on the accomplishment of his
intended purpose.
OWEN.--I suppose that the ill success of the discovery of the forced
passage was considered as a failure. However, I hope he will not give
it up. I dare say the thought of Young Memnon, and of the temple of
Ybsambul, gave him encouragement.
MRS. A.--The result of this day of researches was, that it would
be better to begin in another part; and accordingly the Arabs were
again set to work. They liked to receive their money, but they had no
expectation that an entrance would ever be found! and Belzoni often
heard them uttering in a low voice, “_magnoon!_” which is, in plain
English, madman! However, they went on with their excavations, and
in a few days Belzoni discovered a large block of granite: this gave
him much pleasure. The next day three large blocks of granite were
uncovered. His expectation and hope increased; as, to all appearance,
he was near attaining the object of his search. Happily he was not
mistaken; for on the next day, the 2d of March, 1818, at noon, they
came to the right entrance into the pyramid. It proved to be a passage
only four feet high, and it was almost filled up with large stones,
which had fallen from the upper part. With some difficulty the stones
were drawn out of this passage: and it was not until the evening of the
next day that they reached solid rock.
At first sight it appeared to be a fixed block of stone, and said _ne
plus ultra_, as if ready to put an end to all Belzoni’s projects. On a
close inspection, however, Mr. Belzoni perceived that, at the bottom,
this immense block was raised about eight inches from the groove cut to
receive it, and that it formed in fact a portcullis, or sliding door of
granite, one foot three inches thick. To raise it was a work of immense
difficulty, but it obeyed Mr. Belzoni’s talisman, perseverance; and it
was raised high enough for a man to pass. An Arab entered with a torch,
and returned saying the place within was very fine.
They continued by unwearied efforts to raise the portcullis, and at
last made the opening large enough for Belzoni to enter it; and, after
thirty days’ exertion, he had the pleasure of finding himself in the
way to the central chamber of one of the two mighty pyramids of Egypt.
Having passed through several long passages cut out of the solid rock,
he reached a door at the centre of a large chamber, and, walking two
or three steps, stood still to contemplate the place where he was. It
was a striking scene. He was in the centre of that pyramid which, from
time immemorial, has been the subject of the obscure conjectures of
many hundred travellers, both ancient and modern, and against whose
hollow sides the sound of a human voice had not re-echoed for more than
a thousand years!
EMILY.--Oh, mother! how awful it must have been! This was better
than all--even than entering the temple of Ybsambul, or the tomb of
Psammuthis!
MRS. A.--Belzoni’s torch, formed of a few wax candles, but faintly
glimmered; and he looked round the spot where not a ray of light had
penetrated for more than eleven centuries! He was in the middle of one
of those stupendous pyramids, which, in defiance of the ravages of
time, still remain as monuments of ancient magnificence, and of the
evanescent glory of those by whom they were erected.
In the central chamber, which is cut out of the solid rock, except the
roof, which is built of blocks of stone, he found, buried on a level
with the floor, a sarcophagus eight feet long three feet six inches
wide and two feet three inches deep. It was surrounded with large
blocks of granite, apparently intended to prevent its removal. Its
lid was partly off, and it contained a quantity of earth, stones and
some bones. From an Arabic inscription on the wall of this chamber, it
appears that some of the Arab rulers of Egypt had opened this pyramid,
and closed it again.
When Belzoni had examined, and entered and re-entered the many chambers
and passages within the pyramid, he returned to open daylight, highly
gratified with the result of his researches: and I imagine, Owen, that
he felt no small degree of satisfaction in applying to himself our
favourite motto--
OWEN.--“_Labor omnia vincit_,” mother! and it shall be _my_ motto,
whenever I have any thing difficult to do.
MRS. A.--In a few days, Belzoni, having settled his affairs, became
anxious to return to the valley of Beban el Malook; and not omitting
to provide himself with every thing necessary for forming models and
impressions of the figures, emblems, and hieroglyphics in the tomb of
Psammuthis, he set off for his old habitation among the sepulchres of
Thebes.
BERNARD.--Do let us follow him, dear mother: I am very glad he had
such success in entering the pyramid, and I hope he will have as much
in every thing that he undertakes, I see that patience is a very good
quality, mother.
MRS. A.--So it is, my dear boy; and if you will exercise it till
to-morrow evening, I mean to tell you something more.