Howard-Vyse, Richard William Howard: Operations carried on at the Pyramids of Gizeh in 1837: with an account of a voyage into upper Egypt, and Appendix (Band 1) (London, 1840)

were intended for astronomical observations, I endea-
voured to ascertain, whether the angles of inclination were
the same in the Great and Second Pyramids of Gizeh
and in that of Dashoor. I was anxious, likewise, to
examine more particularly the Channels2 proceeding
from the King's Chamber in the Great Pyramid, which
appeared likely to conduct to other apartments : for this
purpose I revisited the Pyramids of Gizeh on the 13th
February, 1836, and took with me Mr. Hill, a very
intelligent person, who now keeps the hotel at Cairo,
but who was then employed in the Pacha's service, as
superintendant of some copper mills worked by steam
in the citadel.

The following is an account of the condition in which
we then found the Pyramids, and, I may add, in which
they remained when operations were commenced upon
them in the following November.

STATE OF THE GREAT PYRAMID AT GIZEH.

The inclined passage from the entrance to the sub-
terraneous apartment, that apartment itself, and the
unfinished passage proceeding to the southward from it,
were open, although much encumbered with stones and
rubbish; as were the forced and upper passages leading
to the King's and Queen's Chambers.'' These two

2 As these channels were subsequently found to have been made
for the ventilation of the King's Chamber, they are called Air Channels.

3 A reference to Mr. Perring's Plans (Fraser, Regent Street, London)
will fully explain the passages and chambers here alluded to.