Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1845-05-10
ASTONISHING FACTS.
HE EGYPTIAN PYRA MIDS.

The materials OF which the Pyramids are
constructed, afford scope for long disserta.
ton. because, independently Of the science
and skill requisite for their adaptation, the
distances from which most of them were
brought proves that each monarch's sway
extended all over Egypt and Lower Nubia,
if not hey ond; and in relation to this sub,
ect we gather the following facts from
the second lecture OF Mr.. GIiddon's new
course:
GeoIogicaly considered, Egypt is very
peculiar country, the quarries Of different
kinds Of stone lying at great distances from
each other IN distinctly marked localities.
If you see piece of baSaH on the beach Of
the Mediterranean, you know that there is
no basaltic quarry nearer than between the
first and second cataract; ard when you
find block Of granite at Memphis, you
know that no granite exists but at the frs!
cataract-nearer than the peninsula of Mt.
Sinai. Every civilization and extended do
minion is indicated in these facts, and when
we reflect upon them, We almost think we
witness the work Of transportation going
on; that we see the builders and the build
ngs themselves in process Of erection. The
blocks OF Arabian limestone used in the in.
terror, were brought from the ancient quar-.
ries OF Toorah, on the opposite side OF the
Nile, distant about or 90 miles from each
pyramid. These very quarries are vast
halls, rs it were, excavated in the living
rock, wherein entire armies might encamp
are adorned with now mutllated tablets, re-
cording the age of their respective opening
by different PharaohS, not only show the
very beds whence the stupendous blocks OF
some OF the pyramids were taken, but are
in themselves orks as wondrous and sub
lime as the Memphite pyramids! nay, at
the very foot Of these quarries lie the count
less tombs and sarcophagi Of numbered gen.
erations OF ancient quarrymen These
quarres are Of intense archaeological inter-
est, because the tables in them record that
stone was cut in them for Memphis, on
such a day, such month, such a year of
the reign OF such king; and these kings
begin from the remote times before the six
teenth dynasty, and at different times come
down through the Pharaonc period with
many of the others, till we reach the Pto.
lemic epoch, and end with Latin incriptions
similar to others in Egypt, attesting tina,
" these quarries were worked" IN the pro.
pitious era Of our lords and emperors Serve.
rus and Antoninus, thus enabling US to de.
scend almost step by step from the remote
antiquity of 1900 years before Christ, down
to 200 years after the Christian era.
The hand OF modern barbarIsm, prompted
by the desruciiveness of Mahommed Ali,
has, since 1880, done more to delace these
tahels-to blow up many of these halls in
sheer wantonness, than has been effected in
time in 1000 years!
Every atom of the hundred thousand
tons of granite used in the pyramids, was
cut at Syene, the first cataract, distant GAO
miles. The blocks, some Of which are 40
feet long, had to be cut out of their beds
with wooden wedges and copper chlssels
then polished with emery till they were as
smooth as looking glass, and then carried
by land half mile to the river-placed on
RATS, and foated down GAO miles to Mem.
phs-brought by canals TO the foot of the
| Ly ban chain-conveyed by land over g
gantic causeways, from one mile TO three
in length to the pyramids for which they
were intended, and then elevated by ma
chnery and placed in their present posi-
ton, with a skill and masonic precision
that has COMPOUNDED the most scientific Eu
ropean engineer with amazement. The We
ry basah sarcophagi that once held the
mummy of the Phoraohs, in the inmost re
cesses of these pyramidal mausolea, 81 fee,
long, by 81 broad, and three deep, were al
brought from Lower Nuba, from the basal
tic quarries OF the second cataract, not near
err than $50 miles up the river!
Looking into the interior of the pyramid
there is still much to stagger belief-to ex
cite our admiration. In the pyramid o.
| five stems. the MINER beams that support the