The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-05-27
The Pyramids Of Egypt.

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The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest
and tallest of the buildings on the earth,
1t was raised upon broad platform Of
stone, and lowered four hundred and
fifty or sixty feet above the plain. ltis
a mass of stone, inclosing several sepul-
chral chambers. and entered by long.
narrow passage.
4 Each of the Kings of Egypt built his
own Pyramid every year that he lived
he added to its height and grandeur A
small one marks a short reign, that of
Cheops a long and prosperous period.
1t is said that the mere building of the
causeway for the conveyance OF the stone
occupied the labor of 100000 men for
three months; they were then relieved,
and fresh body of 1000 brought in.
The work went on for ten years. until
1000, 900 laborers had been employed
upon the preparation of the site and the
gathering of the materials. Twenty
years were then given to the building OF
the monstrous tomb; 1000, 900 men aided
in its completion. The Nile swarmed
with boats bearing food and subsistence
to the motley company; $50, 900 persons
were employed annually upon the Pyra.
mid. .
Cheops must have had the satisfaction
of seeing his tomb overshadow the tenn
pies of Memphis and grow in greatness
as the period approached when it would
be used. But like many another famous
protector, he fell at last into difficulties.
His tomb may well be called "Cheops'
folly" His treasures were exhausted;
he became bankrupt. After his death
the size of the Pyramids was reduced by
his more prudent but less renowned sue
cessors. If placed in the CITY Hall
Park, the Pyramid of Cheops would have
covered nearly all its surface; its top
would have risen two hundredfeet above
the spire of Trinity Church; the first
object seen by the vogager e1terlng the
Narrows would have been this immense
and useless structure. The Jolly OF man
was never better shown thanh the build
ing of the Pyramids. Th Egyptians
were houseless, naked, starved, that the
Pharaohs might rest in their indestruc-
tible tombs.
The Egyptians lived, in general, at
ease. They were shut out from the
world, and few strangers were suffered
to pass up the Nile. The people were
dark colored, wore long white linen
dresses, and were adorned with bracelets
and earrings, gold and jewels. The
priests of Isis drank no wine, took no
animal food; lived upon dates, nuts, and
barley cakes. The families of the early
Egyptians were brought up in obedience
and good order. But they fell into slav
cry, and little is left of them but their
tombs.
There was an immense temple on a
lake devoted to the worship of the croco-
die. But it would be quite impossible
to enumerate all the dreamy wonders of
Egypt. 1t had its libraries, pictures,
astronomers, magicians. Four thousand
years ago the Nile was lined with beau
tiful gardens and villas; the great cities
like New York and Philadelphia were
filled with busy artisans and merchants;
the Broadway of Thebes or Memphis
ran down, no doubt, to the river, lined
with shops and public buildings. The
Egyptian women were clad in gold and
fine linen, the gardens glowed with the
rarest flowers, and the furniture of a
Memphian home showed finer glass
work and more delicate tissues than can
be found in modern Paris.
The festivals on the Nile were cele-
brated in the night with wonderful mag
nifcence. The placid stream, lit by an
unclouded moon, was covered with
countless boats with painted sails and
silvery oars; ten thousand lights glittered
over the sparkling waters, and the shores
4 4 L \
throngs. On one occasion the process
sion of boats followed the body of
sacred cat to its last resting place
on one of the islands All was super
stition and solemn awe. The multitude
watched from the shore the imposing
scene. Another procession on the Nile
was military one of triumph and VIC
tory. No river in the world has wit
messed so many splendid spectacles.-
Harper's Young People. ste