Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1923-02-01

ment ever erected by human hands.
It's dimensions in modern times
have been given at $50 feet square
and 45O feet high, with 8 feet hav-
ing been torn off of every side and
80 feet removed from the peak. 1t
is SO old that Abraham may have
seen it 1900 years before Christ
came to Bethlehem. That it was
erected as tomb has been dis
puted. and an array of items tthe
entrance shaft pointing to the
north star, ETC. has been adduced
to indicate that it was not of hui
man planning. If these are mere
co-incidents, they are at least re-
markable and interesting.
In this group are three large
pyramids, the ruins of some small
er ones, the remains of at least one
ancient temple, and near by is the
Sphinx and another ruined temple,
Some distance up on the north side
is the entrance to the largest of
these wonderful piles. 1t is like
stairway without steps, though
some well worn footholds have been
cut in it long ago. Near by is what
/ take to be the tunnel some one
made through the rocks before the
true entrance was discovered. Hav-
ing passed two sides of the struc-
tufe. we sit down by one of the
smaller, ruined pyramids to rest
and observe. Two of the natives
beset us. They would gladly guide
us or just as gladly tell our for
tunes, even a gorgeous fortune
One goes so far as to begin TO ma
nipulate the sand for this uninvit-
ed service. when suddenly they
commence a retreat to the hinter-
land which | understand very well
as look up and see one OF the po-
lice coming. One chap remarks:
"I'm not afraid of him. as he be-
takes himself to other quarters
The officer comes up good natured-
" and points his short rife and
snaps it on an empty chamber
Now we go across the sand on
the third side of the pyramid OF
Cheops to be near the Second Pyra-
mid which still has some of its
original sloping stone finish on the
TOP. and find ourselves interested in
what remains of the old temple
erected in connection with this
monument. Only the lower parts
remain and some of them are worn
bv wind and sand like the water
wears away soft stones. Here are
some blocks of dressed granite and
we roughly measure one piece of
stone about 9x20 feet Within the
enclosure lies q soodsized block of
marble and hard stone with when
it has been partly broken up. This
I take 10 be the work of guides sup
pIying eager tourists with piece
of the marble. AS the pyramids
were built, they presented their
four walls with the appearance OF
great stairsteps, but they were not
completed till properly dressed
blocks of limestone or marble were
fitted into these steps so as TO make
a smoothly sloping surface from
top to hottom Just as the apex Of
this Second Pyramid is gone and
a stone or two are moved over lit
lie as though by the wind, hut could
the wind do this7 For several feet
below this the sloping stones re-
main in a more or less damaged
condition, yet showing how the
monuments were finished. AS We
walk along the fourth side OF The
Great Pyramid. | step it, and the
distance is 230 GOOD steps. Near
by are signs Of the Harvard-Boston
archaeological excavations, bat en-
trance is not obtainable without "a
hours notice in writing.
Travelling by Camel and Donkey
/ bargained with some natives
for camel and a donkey to take
us down to the Sphinx which is on
much lower ground. | have no