DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0200
APPENDIX.
161
but that, in clearing out the lower passage leading to the subter-
raneous apartment, (which, however, had also been entered by
Mr. Davison, to the extent of 131 feet.) he unexpectedly effected
his former purpose,7 as the rubbish in the well naturally fell down
as fast as it was taken out at the bottom, and thus M. Caviglia,
whilst directing his attention to another object, unintentionally
made a most important discovery, and put an end to the doubts
and speculations, that had existed respecting the well for above
2000 years.
At the commencement of our operations, I certainly imagined
that M. Caviglia was better acquainted than any other person
with the interior of the Great Pyramid ; but my confidence in his
judgment and skill was considerably lessened when he proposed
that the boring-rods should be used on the granite floor of the
King's Chamber, and also that they should be worked downwards
from the exterior of the pyramid upon the northern end of the
great passage, for the sake of ventilation; a distance,in his opinion,
of about 40 feet, but which afterwards proved nearly 200 feet."
After this latter exposition of the knowledge he had so laboriously
accpiired of the relative distances of the several parts of this edi-
fice, and after other similar instances, that could be advanced, I
bad not much reliance upon him.
The existence of a lower entrance at the Second Pyramid was
obvious to any person, who examined the reascending passage
from the forced portcullis in the interior. It was therefore deter-
mined, when I set out for Upper Egypt, on November 24th, 1836,
that the rubbish on the outside should be removed in search of it.
The confined and awkward manner, in which that work was first
set out, is apparent, and has prevented the proper completion of
it; and the desultory and unsatisfactory way, in which it was
carried on, sufficiently accounts for the little progress that had
been made by the 13th of February.9
The disclosure of the short inclined passage, by the clearing
out of the interior of this pyramid, has been already described.1
It is certainly a curious discovery, but leads to no other conclu-
sion than that it was made either for the purpose of ventilation
during the formation of the excavated parts of the monument, or
' See Hall's " Life of Salt," vol. ii. p. 70.
■ See vertical section of the Great Pyramid.
9 See Journal, Vol. I.
1 See p. 13R, Vol. I.
VOL. II. M
161
but that, in clearing out the lower passage leading to the subter-
raneous apartment, (which, however, had also been entered by
Mr. Davison, to the extent of 131 feet.) he unexpectedly effected
his former purpose,7 as the rubbish in the well naturally fell down
as fast as it was taken out at the bottom, and thus M. Caviglia,
whilst directing his attention to another object, unintentionally
made a most important discovery, and put an end to the doubts
and speculations, that had existed respecting the well for above
2000 years.
At the commencement of our operations, I certainly imagined
that M. Caviglia was better acquainted than any other person
with the interior of the Great Pyramid ; but my confidence in his
judgment and skill was considerably lessened when he proposed
that the boring-rods should be used on the granite floor of the
King's Chamber, and also that they should be worked downwards
from the exterior of the pyramid upon the northern end of the
great passage, for the sake of ventilation; a distance,in his opinion,
of about 40 feet, but which afterwards proved nearly 200 feet."
After this latter exposition of the knowledge he had so laboriously
accpiired of the relative distances of the several parts of this edi-
fice, and after other similar instances, that could be advanced, I
bad not much reliance upon him.
The existence of a lower entrance at the Second Pyramid was
obvious to any person, who examined the reascending passage
from the forced portcullis in the interior. It was therefore deter-
mined, when I set out for Upper Egypt, on November 24th, 1836,
that the rubbish on the outside should be removed in search of it.
The confined and awkward manner, in which that work was first
set out, is apparent, and has prevented the proper completion of
it; and the desultory and unsatisfactory way, in which it was
carried on, sufficiently accounts for the little progress that had
been made by the 13th of February.9
The disclosure of the short inclined passage, by the clearing
out of the interior of this pyramid, has been already described.1
It is certainly a curious discovery, but leads to no other conclu-
sion than that it was made either for the purpose of ventilation
during the formation of the excavated parts of the monument, or
' See Hall's " Life of Salt," vol. ii. p. 70.
■ See vertical section of the Great Pyramid.
9 See Journal, Vol. I.
1 See p. 13R, Vol. I.
VOL. II. M