Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-11-07
The PwraUHds.

In visiting the pyramids the questions
to be determined were, In many cases, al
most hopeless Of solution. Strange as II
may seem, no two estimates Of the exact
size OF the Great Pyramid agreed with
each other. In spite of the immense mass
of written and printed obser vations, It was
still question how many Pharaobs were
engaged on the building. The compare
tive antiquity of this pyramid and the
other fifty or sixty that have been exam
med was unknown. The absolute age of
the pyramid building dynssties Is still, and
must long be undetermined. The methods
of working were unknown, and no reason
able view had been propounded as to the
tools with which such stupendous results
were obtained. The object 10 be reached
by rearing such masses of almost solid ma
sonry. was a matter of keen controversy.
No intelligent survey of the whole pyramid
platform, no correct plan and section, no
distinct enumeration of the problems evol-
we'd were accessible. We had only the
opinions of prejudlced observers, string
pet hobbies OF their OVID, or careless exag-
gerations of facts, curious enough, no
doubt, in themselves, but presented In
such fashion as to complicate rather than
elucidate the officially. The Council of
the Royal Society appears to hsve satisfied
itself that Mr. Petrie had worked 10 3
straightforward way, inclIning neither to
this opinion nor 10 that, until the whole OF
the facts which could be ascertained was
before him, and that even then he had
proceeded In so cautious a manner that his
work. while II remains a monument OF the
possibilities of modern scientific inquiry,
will hereafter be found rather the indispen-
sable basis of future inquiry than conclu-
slve statement itself. The soundness Of
the great mass of calculations which he
has brought home can only be proved by
years of investigation; but 1t may safely be
sald that nine-tenths of them Will be found
wholly new, and that the very soberness
and moderation of his conclusions, while
they place him Immessurably above mere
theorists, will at the same time in all prob
ability ne pushed by others tar beyond
anything he has ventured 10 assert. This
is as il should be. Investigators are seldom
content, as he is, to state facts only; but 1t
is their province TO provide facts for those
who know how TO use them, though II is not
in their power to prevent misuse of what
they have brought together by rash or
preludiced or interested partlsans.
MIR. Petre went the right way to work.
Without exuaneous assistance he took his
baggage OFT to the pyramids In the
autumn OF 1880, and set up for himself In
one of the numerous tombs between the
edge of the pyramid platform and the Arab
village. There, with httle but native Sc
ciety, and with rare visits to Cairo, he re-
manned Till May, 1881, and, returning In
October OF the same year, resumed his
troglodytIc existence for another winter,
with only the break of a run up the Nile
for a couple of months, The tomb he
occupied had been form e used by Mr.
Waynman Dixon. and had a door and
shutters. MIR. Petrie strengthened them,
and fitted up shelves and hammock. He
hIred an Arab servant who had previously
been employed by Mr.. Smith, Mr.. ID xon
and Mr.. Gil, and who was too well accus-
toned TO the ways of explorers to think
anything strange. Mr.. Petrie observed
that the temperature of his dwelling place
which was cut IN the solid limestone rock,
did not va more than from esd 8 to 6idgs
during the winter months, an1 only reached
S0dgs. when a hot wind raised the outer
air to l00dgs. His DAYS work often COM
menced before daybreak. He rose, lighted
his petroleum stove and boiled his kettle
white he had his bath. During breakfast,
he held literally levee, as he left the door
of the tomb open and received his Arab
friends and the men or children as they
passed on their way to work. Sometime,
when excavations were going on, he hau
to 90 out before breakfast to set his men to
work. When examining the interior of
the Great Pyramid, he always began In the
evening, when tourists were gone and
worked till midnight, and occasionally till
the following morning. at six or seven IN
the evening, he sgaIn lighted his stove and
sat down to reduce the observations he had
made with his theodolite during the dsy.
Dinner followed, cooking and feeding GO
ing Cn together. He found brown ship
biscuit, tInned soups, tomatoes, tap o a and
chocolate TO be the most convenient and
sustaining articles of food. He did not
consiuer heavy meal suitable after ten
hours last in the heat of the day, but 1t
was impossible to move his instruments
and stop his work for a midday meal.
Finally he had TO wash up his plates and
dishes, as the Arab idea of cleanliness was
not to be trusted, and he sat down again
to reduce observations and write until
midnight. From this summary, it will be
seen how seriously he set about his self
imposed task.
There can be no doubt that to manv
people all over the wOrld-too many, In
deed, who have no hope or intention of
visiting Egypt-the small piece OF desert
plateau opposite the village Of GeeZeh;
though less than half a mile across, is the
most remarkable Of its size in the world
There may be seen the very beginnings OF
architecture, the most enormous piles OF
buildings ever raised, and, strange as it
may seem, the most accurate workmanship,
the most careful system of construction,
the finest masonry, and the use OF the most
ingenious tools, The largest statue in the
word, the Sphinx, is there: and there was
found what all who have seen it acknow-
ledge TO be one OF the most perfect combi- |
tions of technical skill and artistic express |
sion IN statuary which have ever been |
carved. The cIorite statue of Elhrafra, the |
builder, as Mr.. Petrie has at length con-
clUslvely proved, of the Second Pyramid, |
is now in the Boolak Museam, where il |
excItes In the minds of those who know |
anything about sculpture. the same kind of |
surprise as that excited by the vast masses
OF The pyramids themselves.
Thunder storms.
The frequency vi tnunder-siorms in |