Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-06-05
Matarieh Is mile from Heliopolis; here

ty. Matarieh Is mile from Heliopolis; here
still exists famous sycamore tree under
which the Virgin Mary hid herself with the
infant Jesus from the sol Tiers of Hcrod, and
tradition says that spider, by spinning
web, screened her hiding place. The pres.
ent tree is only three hundred years old, but
was planted from slip of the original; so
the story goes. The famous Virgin Well is
within two hundred feet of it, which men
toned before in speaking of the wells Of
Cairo and vicinity
The oalsam shrub, the Balm of Gilead Of
the Bible, formerly grew here in great pro-
fusion. but little of it is to be seen here now.
An ostrich farm lies near that contains about
fifteen hundred birds OF all ages and sizes,
that was very Interesting but they asked more
for feather than you could buy it at home.
The Great Pyramid is reached by an electric
train or carriage, the latter preferred, as the
drive of ten miles is over an excellent road
lined with immense acacia trees and is full Of
interest one passes donkeys, carts, natives,
camels and Arabian horses in reckless profu-
sion and always before you are the many
Pyramids. 1t is hardly necessary for me to
write anything in regard to them as SO much
has been said, but one cannot help being i'm
pressed with the stupendous size of these
monuments and the amount of labor their
building entaled, as well as the astonishing
architectural skill il construction. One
must also remember the great weight which
has not settled the fraction of an inch. The
height is over 451 feet, each side is 700 feet
long at the base and the area is 535, 1924 square
feet, equal to 10 acres 1t is said the stones
of which it is composed would make wall
around France four feet high and one foot
thick in fact the Pyramid contains more
stone than any ancient or modern building.
We made visit into the interior, but it is
not advisable it requires two guides to each
pers N, one to take your hand 10 pull you
along. the other hand to hold q candle; the
guide back of you pushes you and you creep
on all fours, except when you go up steep
rock, then they haul you up, nearly taking
your arms out OF their sockets, but after
weary climbing, pushing and pulling, you
arrive at the Kings Chamber here the guide
puts off calcium light, at your expense, to
see the roof and the deep we'll nearby, into
which was afraid they would push me after
robblng me- Further on is the Queens Cham
ber smaller than the Kings, otherwise the
same hard rock Of light color, somewhat re-
sembling marble. 1t is only of late years
this has been explored and the mummes
found therein proving the fact that they were
built for the tombs of the kings.
The Sphinx stands nearby, hewn cut of
solid rock and is undoubtedly striking and
impressive the creature is sail to comely,
but surely not Of our day with its big pout-
ing lips, but 10 must hayc been fashioned
from some ancient mould of beauty one
might enjoy it if left alone but all the time
you arc trying to take it in you are surrond-
ed with lot of jibbeling idiots who want
you to engage their donkeys or cames to ride
back to the hotel they are so rude and stand
in your way that it is only possible to get
around by pushing them aside or kicking
them out of your way, but they take it all in
good part, 50 one fails to lose their temper.
HENRY G. CROFT.