Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-06-14
A Night ON the Pyramid of Cheors.

From lion E Joy Morris Tour in the East"
On landing at Gizeh, tie pyramids.
though several miles distaut appeared to
he directly before US. In three hours, af-
ter ride across the intervening plain, we
arrived at the base Of the rocky elevation
on which tine pyramids are erected. Here
begins the desert, the pyramids marking
the limit of cultivated land. A number OF
Belouins, who live around the pyramids.
came running TO us, and offered their SER
vic $ as guides. Ascending the rocky found
alton of the pyramids, we stood ut their
i,aSc, ~ d here for the first time, we had
some idea Of their immense mass and size.
Standing at the base of the great pyramid
If Cheops, and looking up its sides, il
seemed to lean against the sky. We were
too eager to scale the summit to stand long
at the base. We ascended at one Of the
corners. A Hedouin mounted upon The
stone above, and extended his hand to the
person ascending while another aided lin
with lift Of his shoulders from below
The pyramids being built of receding lay.
ers of stone, ledge of about three feet il
wi Ill, is left upon each layer which afford,
a secure landing place. In this manner
the ascent was easily made in fifteen min
u'es. Instead of an apex hardly wide
enough to stand upon, we found the apeS
Of the pyramid of Cheops a fiat square Al
least fifteen feet broad. A large stone is ii
the centre indicating that the Original slmrl
apex Of the pyramid has been destroyed
which Of course has diminished its height
According 10 Herolotus, the pyramids were
originally covered with smooth coat o.
cement which rendered ii next to impossi
Bile to ascent them. The b o en- Jagged
sides of the pyramids show that several at.
trmFts have been made 10 destroy them, .
labor which one of the Arabian caliphs
found task equal only to the power Of
those who built item.
The view from the top Of the pyramid
Of Cheops extends over the whole breadth
Of the valley Of the Nile, from The Mokat.
tam mountains back of Caoir, to the Liby-
an Desert. While we were on the pyra-
mid the sun went down. My companions
desren led 10 sleep in tents at some distance
on the plain, while remained on the sum
nit Of The pyramid, having resolved 10
pass the night there. / retained the shrik
of the Bedouins and two of his men, and
sent down another to bring up the pines
and coffee ! had brought from Cairo. The
promise of blacksmith silenced their pro-
festations and fears. The Bedouins kin
died fire with charcoal under the lee Of
the 5 one. and made me some excellent c1f-
fee after their manner. Washing the cof-
fee down with a bumper of claret to the
memory of Cd Cheops, we lit our pipes,
the Bedcuins leaving me to contemplate
the rkening landscape, while they. gath
cred in group, indulge1 in suspicious sur
mi-es as TO my Object in sleeping on The
pyramids.
The last rays of light were gradually
fading from the horizon. and the landscape
was every moment becoming darker and
darker. On one side stretched green
plain dotted with VILLAGES and clamps of
palms ; the bright crest of the Nile, gleam-
ing in the expiring rays of the sun and me-
through it in gentle curves, re'iev-
ing the dark green of the landscape. Be
yond, the minarets of Caro- we're indistinct-
" seen tipped with the departing light
Turning TO the north. the eye ranged over
tilt Eitat ut@tit VI i.Nuit. WHICH stretched
away a blank cxpanse Of sand. upon whicl,
not human being was to be seen. The
solitude WAS as profound as thar which
ranged within the chambers OF the pyra-
niis beneath rs. Across the plain. MS slay
declined. the villages were indicated only
by fitting lights and the baying of dogs.
by midnight the moon VS. in the zenith.
and the heavens presented brilliant host
Of planets and stars, such as oil as;rono-
mers gazed upon from this very spo., The
Bedonins were all asleep, so. buryins my
self in the folds Of Greek capotp, turn
ed my back against the broken apex aud
fel asierr, The bull Api, Che ps. the
Of souls, with specuialians
On Egyptian theology and oxologg occupied
my dreams. and was engaged in very
Interesting dispute with IIeroioius touch
i's lpe architects oi the pyramids wien tn