The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-13
THE PYRAMIDS.
They Required Mountains OF stone ana
Whole Nations to Build.

They Required mountains OF SUNNI u"
whole Nations to Build.
Thousands Of years before there were any
dwellings on the sites since occupied by
Jerusalem, Rome and Athens, at the very
dawn of human history, when all the rest
OF the world was still wrapped IN the thick
gloom Of prehistoric barbarism, a vast 0
of huge buildings rose not far from the
present city, on the other side or the ME.
which was dotted with the boats OF she an
cient inhabitants, says Harper's weekly.
A forest OF venerable date trees casts IT'S
hadows upon the black soil, beneath which
lie bnried the builders of thls city OF u
world gone by, of which nothing remains
but the vast cemeteries. their position
marked by an avenue OF homu nn,s Ce,rn
ON the borders of She desert. form the last
of these n%eoropoli.
Every one ia familiar Win the appsafshoo
of these strange pyramids, these large psra.
doxes of strictly geometrioal form. so sast
and 80 lofty that 1T was nos uhtit aitet nay
elcht centuries of development tnat tne
human race succeeded In erecting u build
inc of greater height, whilst the loftiest
pinnaela of the most aspiring Iothio Dol
fry. however light and airy 1t be, dia nos
soar higher than the point OF the pyrAlnlu
of Cheops before il was bluntsd py time.
Nothing could be more confusing 10 the eve
than the general appearance or these heaps
IF stopes' in which no artistic conception
PLAYS the slightest patt. Inc enects OF per
a~pectiye in these lines OF Mathematical reg
ularity are most bizar e--huRe rare trian-
aiss Cha outlines shortened or heightened.
marked out like a diagram by the sun INTO
f1at bands Of light and shade. the iefection
n the sand of the four mighty angles vary
no according to the time OF day, Inc STOP
NO sides, which at a distance appear apso-
utely plain, are, when approachea nho,s
I-z-rl tn hA DfOkeU UD
into "a series of projecting stones
like a huge staircase worn WIN
ACE Ia is somewhat dlflcult
to Judge al first sight Of the size OF the
pvramid, and the best way 10 to measure
the height by climbing it,. 1t 10 at q cor
ner where the stages, which seem to nave
been made for a race of giants, are aivleea
into smaller steps, either for the sake OF
,nortals of lesser stature or by the action OF
time, that the ascent of the gleat pyramid
of Cheops is made. We start, pushed IRON,
behind by one Arab guide, ana Dragged
from above by another, with our eyes iaiy
occupied with the dangers of the CHINO:
Completely exhausted, altogether out OF
brsatb. and with knees too stiff to move. we
pause at last. feeling as II we hau scaleu ~
three pyramids at once. But ioohihR
round, we find We are scarcely one-tnlra OF
looking like scattered ants upon the huge
trianouIar mass. 1t is not until the plat
form at the top is reached, and the lungs
are filled with the pure air of the heights
that any real idea is obtained OF we mohu-
ment of Cheops. .
And what does this huge editice contaln!
We must 60 down again to find out.
The entrance, which was walled up, Is az
a considerable height from the ground, ID
one of the faces of this pyramid, and looks
like the porch of a cave cut IN the living
rock. A dark gloomy-looking door opens
on to a low narrow passage, with moor
walls, and ceiling all lined with granite
polished till it is like ice. An Arab guide,
with a candls in his hand, hoists you on to
his shoulders and plunges with you into
the slippery corridor, which descends rap
idly to q hole in the rock ON a level with
the soil, going up again at the same angle.
This opening gives access to a bare room,
in which ia a square hole, once the resting
place of the mummy of one of the Phara-
obs. The rest of the interior consists OF
two or three narrow passages, resembling
cavities made in oak timber by the toredo.
with two other chamber similar to THAT
known as the kings. all faced with
granite, without a moulding or ornament
of any kind; airless enclosures, where no
chink admits a ray of light or sunshine;
huge masses of compact limestone. wrapt III
utter night and silence. Such is the strange
monument to build up which Cheops caused
mountains of stone to be removed by whole
nations of people, who persisted at their
task beneath the whips of the convict
guards,