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)

18

OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEII.

immediately to Mr. Piozan's, and we afterwards arranged
matters with Mr. Hill. We dined together in the
evening.

16th. — In consequence of Achmet Bey's invitation, I
went with Mr. Piozan and Mr. Goff, attended by one of
the Bey's aides-de-camp, to his house; and, after coffee,
pipes, &c, we proceeded to the plain, where eight bat-
talions were drawn up near an encampment between the
town and Birket El Hadge.1 I was afterwards occupied
in engaging a boat, and in making preparations for my
voyage into Upper Egypt. In the evening, Mr. Caviglia
dined with me.

17th. — Mr. Caviglia set out for the Pyramids.

18th. — I went early in the morning with Mr. Piozan,
and the aide-de-camp, to Tourah, where Achmet Bey
inspected several squadrons of cavalry, and some ar-
tillery. We dined at that place with Billel Bey (the
commandant); the dinner was in the European manner,
and most abundant, but the room was intensely hot,
and swarmed with flies. In coming back to Cairo
we passed over a vast plain, covered with innumer-
able and beautiful tombs ; whence a number of the
Pacha's hareem, having paid their devotions, were silently
returning in the still hour of evening, surrounded by their
numerous attendants. The picturesque city, with its
countless minarets, lay beneath the shadow of the citadel,
placed on a fine promontory of the Mookattam ; and

1 See Appendix.