Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-06-26
Gen. sherman at the Pyramids.


BY s A. H., on March 20. the party
were off on visit to the Pyramids,
about five miles distant. They crossed
the Nile by good bridge, in which
there is draw, and continued along a
macadamized road, shaded in most
part by acacias, to the bluff of lime
stone upon which the Pyramids are
built, and which, when once reached,
are not so imposing as the imagination
had pictured. Near by were two villa
ges, from which the natives came rush
ing to offer their services, but General
Stone being along, the sheik kept them
in order. To the ordinary traveller
these people must be a great nuisance.
1t was decided to make the ascent Of
/ The highest, the Pyramid of Cheops, 460
feet. Three Arabs were detailed to
each one, and the ascent began. This
was done along the edge of the north
east side, two Arabs going in advance
to pull the pilgrim by the arms, while
the third came behind to push. The
Pyramid being built in layers of stones,
each layer diminishing in size, these
form series of steps, some of which
are four feet high. The general halted
three-quarters of the way up, but the
rest continued to the top, where there
is space about fifteen feet square, and
from which the view is very extended,
over the desert of Sahara ON the one
side, and the beautifully cultivated
valley of the Nile on the other. The
descent was made along the opposite
edge-not, however, before four shil-
lings had been paid to an importunate
native, who promised to descend, and
ascend the Pyramid opposite to the one
: on which the party was, in ten min
utes.
The next thing in order was to enter
the Pyramid, which is done by mar
row passage. This passage first de.
scends to a place where one must &c
upon his hands and knees. This pass
ed, it ascends until one finally enter,
room about sixteen feet by twelve
feet, in which is sarcophagus. The
sides of this room were of very hand
somely cut granite. Returning, the
party had to submit to be carried by
the guides, as the descent Was evel
stones too slippery fors shoes. Near tht
Pyramid is house which was built by
the viceroy upon the visit of Eugene
when Empress of the French. Thi:
was opened for General Sherman by
the viceroy's orders, and in it lunch
con was served which had been bro
along. After luncheon a visit wa,
made to the Sphinx, which is close Il
: the larger Pyramid, and on the way ;
p tomb some forty feet deep, and who's
I sides were lined with granite, wa
Z passed. AT the bottom, carved out o
a piece of gray granite, was an Egyp
tian figure witch covered the resting
place CT the corpse. Near by are som,
other tOnbs, which are easily reached
by steps Of gradual descent. The ma
sonry and polished granite there seer
are very fine and interesting. Th
Sphinx is an Egyptian head, with bod.
something in shape like that of lion
The nose has been partially effacGd du
ring the passage of five thousand years
The head is hollow. The whole grOunt
is mass of tombs, but as soon as the.
are uncovered the ever-shiiting sanC
again conceals them. The day was VIC
ry warm, and the party got back t.
town we'll tired out by the days jaunt
) That evening Gen. Mott entertained
: them at dinner.-Col. J. c. AUDEN
RIED, in Hafper's Magazine for July.