DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0374
APPENDIX.
335
by which one ascends in the interior of the Pyramid towards the
top, and of the passages that descend down to its lowest recesses,
we shall relate here that we ourselves entered into the Great
Pyramid, and entered into the cubic chamber, in which the
decayed and rotten stuff was found. The way to this chamber
from the aperture, that was opened by Mamoon, is as follows :—
"He, that enters the Pyramid, continues in it for about twenty
draas ; in some places in an upright, in others in a bent posture.
Daylight shines upon him until he turns walking upright to his
left hand, where he finds a sloping alley, which he ascends to the
distance of a man's length, without meeting with any level step.
Below this alley is a pit, said to be a well formed here, the
opening of which admits a feeble light. A slender person only
can enter into it. The learned Noor Eddyn-Al-Tabary has in-
formed me that he crept into it upon his stomach to the distance of
less than a man's length, and then walked in it upright upon his
legs about twenty draas, after which he reached the exterior of
the Pyramid, at a place elevated above the breach practised on
the north side, right in front of him who enters. To return now
to the description of the alley. It is ascended until a door is
reached near a block of stone, by which one ascends towards
another sloping alley. To the right of hiin, who ascends, is a
well situated between the two alleys and the just-mentioned
door, but below the second alley. By this door (or opening),
a square room is entered with an empty vessel in it. On
the roof of the room are writiugs in the most antient cha-
racters of the heathen priests. Returning from hence to the
place, through which one enters, the second alley is ascended.
On both sides of it are blocks of stone, in which cavities
have been cut out with axes to facilitate the ascent. They
are about one draa distant from each other. Another square
room is then finally reached, in which is a hole, which appears
to have been excavated there. An empty vessel is seen here
similar to the former. Youssef Al Baba e' Sherr Abou Dorr
lias told me, that, in company with Kalyan the Persian, he
entered into some of the descending passages of the Pyramid,
which led them to a place, from whence they found no way to
proceed."
335
by which one ascends in the interior of the Pyramid towards the
top, and of the passages that descend down to its lowest recesses,
we shall relate here that we ourselves entered into the Great
Pyramid, and entered into the cubic chamber, in which the
decayed and rotten stuff was found. The way to this chamber
from the aperture, that was opened by Mamoon, is as follows :—
"He, that enters the Pyramid, continues in it for about twenty
draas ; in some places in an upright, in others in a bent posture.
Daylight shines upon him until he turns walking upright to his
left hand, where he finds a sloping alley, which he ascends to the
distance of a man's length, without meeting with any level step.
Below this alley is a pit, said to be a well formed here, the
opening of which admits a feeble light. A slender person only
can enter into it. The learned Noor Eddyn-Al-Tabary has in-
formed me that he crept into it upon his stomach to the distance of
less than a man's length, and then walked in it upright upon his
legs about twenty draas, after which he reached the exterior of
the Pyramid, at a place elevated above the breach practised on
the north side, right in front of him who enters. To return now
to the description of the alley. It is ascended until a door is
reached near a block of stone, by which one ascends towards
another sloping alley. To the right of hiin, who ascends, is a
well situated between the two alleys and the just-mentioned
door, but below the second alley. By this door (or opening),
a square room is entered with an empty vessel in it. On
the roof of the room are writiugs in the most antient cha-
racters of the heathen priests. Returning from hence to the
place, through which one enters, the second alley is ascended.
On both sides of it are blocks of stone, in which cavities
have been cut out with axes to facilitate the ascent. They
are about one draa distant from each other. Another square
room is then finally reached, in which is a hole, which appears
to have been excavated there. An empty vessel is seen here
similar to the former. Youssef Al Baba e' Sherr Abou Dorr
lias told me, that, in company with Kalyan the Persian, he
entered into some of the descending passages of the Pyramid,
which led them to a place, from whence they found no way to
proceed."