DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0097
76
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEH.
Sphinx, which, for reasons already stated, they did not
effect.3 The pump was lowered to the bottom of the
shaft between Campbell's Tomb and the Second Pyramid,
but it could not be worked owing to the badness of the
hose. All that could be done, therefore, was to observe
whether the water kept the varying level of the river
during the inundation. Mr. Perring's observations are
given in the Appendix; but the subject is well worthy
of the attention of future explorers, and may be carried
on with great advantage if a proper hose is obtained, as
the pump was left with Mr. Hill, and as the sand has
been taken out of the shafts. A considerable quantity of
water, no doubt, exists, and may have been collected for
religious purposes.
The general direction of the souterrain, near the
Second Pyramid, was east 1| point north, and west 1|-
point south. It appeared to have contained a communi-
cation, made out of a natural fissure, and was roofed over
with slabs to form a level surface; indeed a passage may
even now exist, for we did not thoroughly examine it, but
only removed a sufficient quantity of sand, to ascertain its
direction and.length. We entered it by a pit, made either
by former explorers, or by the accidental failure of the
roofing-stones, which have here fallen in for the space
of twenty-two feet. This pit was about fifty feet from
the south-western angle of the temple, and about two
hundred from the pyramid. The channel was covered
over with slabs for thirteen feet to the westward, beyond
which it became a narrow fissure. It extended to the
3 The fossil found at this place, as mentioned vol. i. p. 275, has every
appearance of being that of a reed : but I understand that it is considered
at the British Museum to be the spine of a large echinus.
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEH.
Sphinx, which, for reasons already stated, they did not
effect.3 The pump was lowered to the bottom of the
shaft between Campbell's Tomb and the Second Pyramid,
but it could not be worked owing to the badness of the
hose. All that could be done, therefore, was to observe
whether the water kept the varying level of the river
during the inundation. Mr. Perring's observations are
given in the Appendix; but the subject is well worthy
of the attention of future explorers, and may be carried
on with great advantage if a proper hose is obtained, as
the pump was left with Mr. Hill, and as the sand has
been taken out of the shafts. A considerable quantity of
water, no doubt, exists, and may have been collected for
religious purposes.
The general direction of the souterrain, near the
Second Pyramid, was east 1| point north, and west 1|-
point south. It appeared to have contained a communi-
cation, made out of a natural fissure, and was roofed over
with slabs to form a level surface; indeed a passage may
even now exist, for we did not thoroughly examine it, but
only removed a sufficient quantity of sand, to ascertain its
direction and.length. We entered it by a pit, made either
by former explorers, or by the accidental failure of the
roofing-stones, which have here fallen in for the space
of twenty-two feet. This pit was about fifty feet from
the south-western angle of the temple, and about two
hundred from the pyramid. The channel was covered
over with slabs for thirteen feet to the westward, beyond
which it became a narrow fissure. It extended to the
3 The fossil found at this place, as mentioned vol. i. p. 275, has every
appearance of being that of a reed : but I understand that it is considered
at the British Museum to be the spine of a large echinus.