Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-23
THE APEX OF oHEops.

Upon reaching the top there
stood Mr.. Smith and one of the
ladies, who had beaten me
in their journey. Our resolute and
"up-and-a-coming" party were now
assembled upon the apex of Cheops,
standing upon floor twenty feet
square. | informed my comrades
of the distinction which | had en-
ioyed in having DR.. Mahmod as my
assistant. | now directed the doc
tor to make an examination of my
pulse, to see if l was all right. He
did so and bid me run out my
tongue for his professional observa-
tion. | directed him how to exam
inc each one of the party. In like
manner he felt the pulse and look
ed at the tongue, and announced
each to be in good condition.
The city below, the green fields
before us, and the arid desert, with
out green thing behind us, were
the three subjects of observation.
Away off upon the road we espied
the drove Of carriages, with loads
of visitors. This suggested that
we complete our view and make the
descent and entrance to the int.
rior Of the great vault above, and
thus free ourselves from the dan
gers and discomforts of the crowd.
This we successfully accomplished,
although the labor of the descent
was quite as great as that Of the as
cent.
THE INTERIOR.
The entrance to the Pyramids is by
low passage ways, sometimes crawl
ing on all fours, sometimes descend
ing by steps and sometimes ascend
ing. At times this passage is by
lofty galleries, and then again by
obscure and cramping ways. Al
length the Kings Chamber is reach.
ed-a room made of polished RED
granite, 16 feet wide, 80 feet long
and 20 feet high, as paced it width
and length, and measured its hight
with my eye. In this dark abode
is large empty stone Sarcophagus
There is another room under
this called the Queens Room.
We are very glad to get out o.
these gloomy and dark caverns t.
the light of Gods bright day
Though our fee Of 81 paid to th'
Sheik is intended to be sufficient
yet the cry for "backshish" from
the guides is interminable and in
satiable. | had paid the doctor al
the francs to which his good offices
including his professional services
were entitled. Still he was clam
oring for more, and to such an ex
tent that / turned upon him wit
vengeful mein, and in stern Ian
guage, rebuked him for his rapacity
Upon this the aged and venerabl
Sheik advanced and asked me if b
should whip the doctor. | directet
him six blows, whereupon tn,
Sheik raised his stick and gave hin
three. Seeing the Yretched, crest
fallen state of the doctor my hear
: failed me, and l arrested the pun
ishment, Mahmod sat down upol
the rock and hung his head in 81
} lence. He had been very commu
NEGATIVE with me, informing m
. that he had farm of five acres il
the valley; that he had to pay a Ia
! to the government of 50 on eacl
= acre; that if he had excellent crop
: he might possibly make above tn
tax f10 or els a year. He told me
also, that he had an Arab mar
> that he would send his brother 70
e and let me ride her upon the deser
!, a thing | would have liked to dt
| think the doctor stretched little
5 however, about his mare, the pre-
sumption being that he had n
such possession. He told me tina
3 he had but one wife, and was anl
l ious to get some money ahead thi
1 he might get another. This,
I think, was true.
e We visited the Sphinx and i
buried temple not far away. Stl
k pendous monuments of the grea
;, ness and the power of generation
Of men who, long, long ago, pc
Vt formed their part in human affair
e Nothing impressed me more tina
e the vast size of the blocks of po
J ished red granite seen in the pc
feet masonry Of the vast tempt
3 which has lain for ages buried he
<. in the sands of the desert.
" A Wonderful Flea Exhibition.