The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-11-10

/ 'f'~ O'~A>'NA =
~ VERYONE who goes to Egyp
- sees OF the Pyramids more O
less-chiefiy less-to the &C
compartment of the deman(
Tor "backsheesh" by the ignorant, lyin,
Arabs. Thousands have written theil
experiences Of such sightseeing, SAYS
a writer In the New York Herald
But l made the acquaintance of ar
American at the Mena house who hat
been everywhere and who knew ev
erybody. When l told him l would
like to learn something of Cheops
without the usual nuisance of guides
VINO knew nothing telling you every
thlng, he smiled the smile of the man
who had been there and knew the
ropes. did you notice." he said. "a
small American flag iluttering over a
neat, white tent at the north of the
base of old Cheops? For many years
that has been the headquarters of my
American friend, Mr.. Dow Covington,
lie knows Cheops, inside and out. as
the mother knows the face of her first
born. He could walk through it blind
folded and tell you its story backward.
He's the only man who can help you,
if you can get him."
l found Mr.. Covington located In a
large, comfortably furnished tent act
ually pitched in the very shadow of
the Pyramid. "Come to my tent at
eleven tonight" said Mr.. Covington
when, shortly after, l called upon him
and made known my wish. "By that
time the Arab guides will have gone
and we will not be pestered by them
by the way, wear your worst suit of
clothes and pair of heelless, cloth or
rubber-soled shoes, if you possess such
thing. The trip will test your nerve.
see you can stand it, and it will do
you good; but don't count on keeping
tomorrow's engagements" he ADDED
smilingly.
In the Pyramid at Midnight.
1t was nearly midnight when, with
lighted lanterns, we found ourselves at
the entrance of Khufus mausoleum.
or, as 1t is more often called, owing to
the fact that Herodotus, "the father
of history" translated Khufu's name
into Greek, the Pyramid of Cheops.
Opening an iron grill door, to which
only Mr.. Covington is authorized to
carry the key, we entered large,
Sioplng passage some four feet high
and three and half wide, cut for the
most part through solid natural lime
stone. Down this we crawled and
Slid for more than 300 feet, finally ar
irving at the lowest cavern of the pyr-
amid, just 100 feet below the center
II it, 1t Is probably the chamber of
which the Egyptian priests spoke to
1erodotus, the one which they tolo
iim contained the mummy of Khufu
tut which the first historian never had
he pleasure of seeing. Near the CEN
er of the cavern, cut in solid rock, |
$ a hole which resembles a deep |
rave. One wonders why. On the |
outhern side Is long, narrow blind |
passage, also cut In the rock, and |
gain one wonders why.
A short distance from the cavern is
he lower end of an almost perpendic- |
lar well. some three feet by two. |
upward for 1872 feet to the
rand gallery. Through this deep well
haft Khufu's workmen made their
gress after blocking with granite
Tugs the passage by which we en-
cred. Again the question enters ones
lind: Why this tremendous labor to
onstruct an entrance and an egress
Or a tomb receptacle that apparently
as never used?
Placing our feet and hands in the
oles constructed by those workmen
the remote past and pressing our
acks to the opposite wall of the mar
wv well, we slowly and laboriously
egan the 192-foot ascent. In 1902
r. Coyington had removed some "a
'et of debris which clogged the lower
Id of the well. II was like Jean Val
an getting out Of the cul-de-sac-a
tile like 1t. Using both hands and
ct, back tightly pressed to the wall, ,
camera tied around my neck with
handkerchief, holding In my teeth ,
e lantern, the heat of which, COM :
ned with that caused by intense h.
lysical exertion, made me feel as IL / |
were In the hot room of Turkish 8
til with all my clothes on, my pa 4 I
mt companion IN the lead unavoida- 1
, kicking down upon my head IL q