D'Athanasi, Giovanni; Salt, Henry [Editor]: A brief account of the researches and discoveries in Upper Egypt: To which is added a detailed catalogue of Mr. Salts collection of Egyptian antiquities (London, 1836)

16

BELZONI PROJECTS AN

whose name I do not now recollect. After having
chatted a good deal, they agreed to go the fol-
lowing day to the pyramids, which caused us to
delay our voyage for two days. Towards evening
Mr. Belzoni returned and told me that he had
a notion to send the ship back, and for us to
remain behind and make a little research around
the pyramids, adding that we could afterwards
return on foot to Raramon. I did not hesitate to
reply that his proposition was an excellent one,
but that such an expedition would be impossible
without the previous permission of the Pacha, or
of the Kiahaja-Bey. Mr. Belzoni found no dif-
ficulty in assuring me that this was the easiest
thing in the world to accomplish, adding that I
should go immediately to the Bey, and tell him
that a very intimate friend of Mr. Salt was
desirous, through curiosity, of making a slight
excavation around the pyramids, and requested
his permission to do so. I remarked to him in
reply, that such an expedient for the purpose of
obtaining the permission he desired was unworthy
of us, and that it would be better for us to address
ourselves to Mr. Jassuf Aziz, the interpreter to the
British Consulate, who would be able to obtain for