DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4794#0211
breakfasted on the top of this ancient and vene-
rable pile; but the air was so cold, we could
not long endure it. It was not without much
difficulty that we ascended and descended, the
steps being two feet and an half high, and some
of them much decayed. The distance of the
pyramids from each other is very irregular;
some are full half a league asunder, others more,
and others still less. They extend from south
to north about twenty miles, and are generally
about a mile from the river, though some are
still farther off; they stand in a flat level plain,
bounded on the west by some hills, and they are
called the mountains of Pharoah. Ali Bey in-
tended to have opened that pyramid, which
alone remains unopened, in search of treasure
thought to be hidden there, but was prevented
from prosecuting that desigrf by the revolt, in
which he was engaged against the Porte in
1771. The largest pyramid according to M.
Denon, is distinguished by the name of that of
Cheops, and which, about 60 feet from its
base, has an entrance, which the original ar-
chitect had concealed, but it was lately dis-
covered, under the third, or the outermost
coating of the fabric.
This entrance is the mouth of a gallery 65
feet long, running towards the centre and base
of the building. Thisis much incommoded by
a quantity of rubbish. At its extremity are
two blocks of granite, which form a second par-
tition round which, since the opening of the
pyramid an ascending passage has been cut;
and which in the course of 22 feet, leads to a
rable pile; but the air was so cold, we could
not long endure it. It was not without much
difficulty that we ascended and descended, the
steps being two feet and an half high, and some
of them much decayed. The distance of the
pyramids from each other is very irregular;
some are full half a league asunder, others more,
and others still less. They extend from south
to north about twenty miles, and are generally
about a mile from the river, though some are
still farther off; they stand in a flat level plain,
bounded on the west by some hills, and they are
called the mountains of Pharoah. Ali Bey in-
tended to have opened that pyramid, which
alone remains unopened, in search of treasure
thought to be hidden there, but was prevented
from prosecuting that desigrf by the revolt, in
which he was engaged against the Porte in
1771. The largest pyramid according to M.
Denon, is distinguished by the name of that of
Cheops, and which, about 60 feet from its
base, has an entrance, which the original ar-
chitect had concealed, but it was lately dis-
covered, under the third, or the outermost
coating of the fabric.
This entrance is the mouth of a gallery 65
feet long, running towards the centre and base
of the building. Thisis much incommoded by
a quantity of rubbish. At its extremity are
two blocks of granite, which form a second par-
tition round which, since the opening of the
pyramid an ascending passage has been cut;
and which in the course of 22 feet, leads to a