Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-09-13
Cephrencs, the Second Pyramid.

or the many wondrOus discoveries made
by the Belzoni, perhaps none was more note
worthy than that of the entrance to Ceph-
renes, the second of the mighty pyramids
Of Ghiza-those huge structures which for
countless ages have bid defiance to time !;
vast, solitary and grand. Seated during
his travels at the foot of this second pyra-
mid, Belzoni unused as to the probability
OF there being an entrance 10 its interior,
arguing that it was highly improbable that
such o magnificent structure should have
been reared without containing chambers
and q means of entrance thereto. He knew
that the first pyramid had been explored.
but every historical account, from those of
Herodotus downward, Joined in declaring
the second pyramid, at whose foot he
unused, to be one huge monumental blank.
But Belz0ni was of too inquiring mind
to be satisfied, and, carefully examining
the exterior, he ut length came to the con-
clusion that there must be way to the in
terror, and set himself boldly to the dis
covery. The first step to be taken was to
obtain permission from the Bey, and that
accorded he collected sixty workmen, and
sat them to break with their hatchets
through heap of debris joined together
by the pulveriZed mortar that had fallen
from far up the side of the pyramid, and
then been moistened by the heavy night
dews.
A long period of toll then followed, end
ing in the discovery of cavity in the side,
but no means of entrance. Disappointed
but not daunted, Belzoni again surveyed
the vast building, and determined to try
i'll another spot, where, after the labor Of
many days first one and then another
block of granite was uncovered, and at last
the entrance to the pyramid reached--a
low passage choked up with fallen stones
which required arduous toll to draw them
out. But in spite Of the opposition and
idleness Of his Arab laborers, BelzOni
persevered, till passage large enough to
admit one of the men was cleared, and soon
alter, armed with torch, the traveller step
ped in, and began TO look for the reward
of his thirty days of incessant labor
His light burned dimly in the gloomy
echoing passage leading to the vast soli-
tudes that had not been invaded for per-
haps two thousand years, and il was with
n strange feeling of awe that this enter
prising man passed on, breathing the dust
of vast antiquity, and with lifted torch
trying to pierce the gloom. Passage after
passage he explored through the huge
rock-built structure peering anxiously for
ward lest he should be plunged unawares
into some deep pit yawning to engulf him
but he passed on in safety until he reached
a door, evidently leading into some great
and then, stepping boldly for
ward, he stood in the centre of the huge
building, trying to pierce the darkness
around, and gazing wonderfully ut this
of an antiquity so great that
human history gives but poor clue to its
age. His steps echoed upon the stony floor,
and seemed to die away in strange whis-
perings from the sides Of the great tomb as
he eagerly explored it, now with lowered
torch, now with it elevated towards the
root, and listened again and again to some
sound, to break the death-like stiffness of
the place.
The contents proved 10 be a large sar-
cophagus of granite; but far from satisfied
with this result of his research, Belzoni
sought on, and explored passage after pas
sage, and echoing gloomy chambers, evil
IDENTIFY formed TO be the last resting places
Of the kings OF some ancient dynasty; but
the grandeur of this solemn temple OF the
dead seemed to lie in its vast solidity and
of construction, qualities which
have been the admiration of travellers of
every country. Oppressed Mt length by the
strange sitting air of the place, Belzom re-
turned to the light of day once more, but
)nly to recruit himself, and then, better
provided with lights, to return through the
ong passages, ana explore once more the
many chambers, which brought to his mind
visions of the past grandeur of Egypt, and
he scenes that had been enacted upon
'arth when the pyramid was first declared
~ its architect complete.