The Arizona sentinel., 1888-02-18
THE GREAT PYRAMID.
How It Was E ,tcred by Caliph Al MamOun
 and His Saracen Followers.

and His Saracen Followers.
 Though mercilcssly hacked and uuarried and .dilapidated, the mouth of the entrance-passage gives one most impressive example of the stu pendous construction plan of the whole grand pile. IL held its secret within its great throat for many a long thou sand years. until A. D. S20, when Caliph Al Mamoun discovered it in most unexpected manner The dis tinguiShed Arab of Fostat. the son of Haroun Al Raschid of the Arabian Nights" with inquiring mind, made a journey 10 G;zeh ant proceeded to effect an entrance into the Great Pyra- mid, wherein, he heI been led to be- lieve, great treasures were 10 be found: A large staff of quarrymen was en- gagged for the work. At which side to make the attack. and at what point was puzzle. A tritling hint caused the north face to be- chosen, near the base and at the center. Two blunders were m ade at inc beginning. The forced entrance was started 800 inches below the proper one, and 250 inches west of it. Night and day. week after week, for months, the labor of tunn cling went on, until quite one hundred feet of the antique masonry had been broken up and brought to the light. One day, as some ot them wrought despairingly at the inner end of their excavation. they heard a strange noise beyond them, which resembled the falling of a great stone in a hollow space. Ham, mers fire and vinegar were employed with ren ewed vigor again and again until walled surface yielding to their efforts, the way opened 10 a low, nar- TOW, descending, passage. Leaping into the dark avenue with lighted torch, they discovered at once the fallen stone which had led them on. It had dropped from the roof to the floor, and re- vealed the fact hat there was just be- yond it another passage, following southward like the other, ascending instead of descending; but alas! it was closed by a series of huge granite plugs placed there by the builder for the very purpose of heading off such enterprises as that of the adventurous Caliph.
 Nothing daunted, however, the plucky Saracens broke side pass age through the western wall of limestone. cut huge chasm upward, and made a junction with the wall of the ascend ing passage where the granite did not oppose. They cut through the lime- stone wall with comparative ease, but as fast as they removed the pieces of the well-formed blocks others came down from above and continued to bar their advance. Finally the last one made its appearan ce. Like its pre- decessors, it was broken and removed, and the passage was clear. With lighted flambeaux the eager Arabs ascended, first on hands and knees, and then, after reaching the Grand Gallery, has!ened. with might and main, upward and onward into the
 
 Visions of wealth grew before them there where a ray of sunshine never gave ray of hope-until they came to the end of the passage. Then q step at the left, three feet high. ar rested their attention. Climbing 10 its top, a low doorway was found with splendidly quarred granite portcullis hanging over it. Passing under this on hands and knees. they crept into a small ante-cham- Der; through this to another low doorway leading into further low passage, which again caused them, nonplussed, to bend. Thus they were led into the large apartment known as the Kings chamber. There, on inc west side. stood the hard gained stone 'treas- ure-boxr' It seemed too good to be true. It was without a cover to pro- ect its expected contents, and it was entirely empty!
 Caliph Al Mamoun was dum- founded, and his workmen were about to murder him. But he was a com- mander of the faithful and under stood human nature. During the night he caused to be hidden near the empty coffer sufficient store of gold to pay the men. The next day, being bidden to dig again, they found the gold and received their wages. As for the Caliph, he returned to Fostat, wiser as to the lear-headedness of the Eyyp tians who preceded him some thousands of years, but no better in purse. -Scrjbner's Nagagine.