The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-03-20
rhe Pxramids of Eyypt..

The three most noted pyramids are
situated on the borders of the Lybian
desert, about ten miles from GraSd
Cairo. There. are many Others
throughout, the country, but they are
fast falling into ruins. ,afvs.tsj.,....
The largest Of these three is 693 feet
broad the base, aud 499 feetin perpen-
dieular heig hit, but taken on the slant,
! it Is 693 feet. the same as the extent
of the base, and thus forms an equi-
lateral triangle; 4S0, ,246 square feet,
covering more than eleven acres of
igr0undl A foundation, we may readi-
| lY grant, large enough to support a
pretty fair sized building. The prin-
eipal pyramid is assembled on the out
side, by steps from two and half to
flour feet high, and from twelve 10
eighteen inches broad. These steps
are so regular, that line drawn from
the top to the bottom, would touch
each edge. The number OF, steps is
260. The mode of ascent is thus de-
scribed by DIR. Clarke:
The reader may Imagine himself to
be upon stair case, every step of
which, to a man of middle stature, is
nearly breast high, and the breadth of
each step is equal to its height; con-
seQueptlys the footing is secure and
although retrospect. in going up, be
sometimes fearful To persons unaccus-
toned TO look down from considers
Bile elevations, yet there is little dam
ger Of falling.sd .s8I6ss4 eqS-. f.r..
"ln some places, indeed, where the
stones are decayed, caution mus. be
required, and an Arab guide is al
ways necessary; but with his assis-
tanceg The means of ascent are such.
that almost every one may accom-
plish it. ilE9Rys haf
Having at length reached the top,
we found platform, thirty feet
square, consisting OF nine large stones.
From this spot the view amply fealiz-
ed our3 expectation. o ALI the region
towards Cairo and the Delta resem-
bled sea, covered with sinnumerable
islands. Forests of palm trees were
seen standing in the water, the inuh-
dation spreading over the land where
they stood, SO az to give them an ap-
pearance of growing in the food"
Of his account Of the interior, the |
foHewingi is a condensed account:
d ssHaving collected our party upon
q sort of PLATFORM before The en-
trance of the passage leading to the
interior, and lighted number of ta-
pers, we all descended into the dark |
mouth of the large pyramid. ~ iss n
proceeding down this passage, |
W hich may be compared toa chimney |
about a yard wide, we presently arri-
Ved at avery large mass of granite |;
his seems to have been placed on pur-
pose TO choke up the passage buta
way has been made round it, by which
We were enabled to ascend into a Sec
md ehannel,I sloping in contrary di-
'ection, towards the mouth of the first.
sssHavipg assembled along this chan
lel to the distanc, of ITO feet, we came
o a horizontal passage leading to a
'hamber, with an angular roof, in the
Interior of the pyramid. On the
light hand of this passageis the mys-
erious well, said by Pliny to be 129
eet deep The results of oure Z
pertinent proved the truth of this ac-
cunt. 1f4I hsrdJBdsal adt
'..sThe roof of this chamber is formed
'ylthe inclination of large masses of
tone, leaning towards each other /,
nd meeting at the top.
''iQultting this passage, we climbed I
d the slippery and difficult ascent :
hat leads towards the principal cham
er, the W orkmanship of which, from
Is perfection, and its immense pro-
ortions,y is truly astonishing. All :
bout the spectator, as he proceeds is !
oil of majesty and wonder. :
This noble room is the very heart :
nd center Of the, pyramid the floor, I
le sides, the root. of, it, are made of /,
asst and exquisite tables of Thebaic !
larble. So nicely are these masses q
tied to each other on the sides oil :
lie chamber, that, having no cement q
etween them, il is really impossible :
J force the blade of a knife between
le, Joints. The length of the cham q
sr is about twelve yards, and the +
readth six" ~ ,i.,ie fq-ga :