04 TRAXSACTIOXS OP THE [NOV. 23, 



Professor Dorcmns was present and watched the operation and 

 applied some of the melted com])onnd himself and thns saw how 

 readily the warmed snrface of the granite absorbed the melted 

 conijionnd. 



This accords with Professor Doremns' experiment, the year 

 before, with a large piece of the obelisk given to him by the late 

 Commander Gorringe, which he heated and dipped in melted 

 paraffine wax, and fonnd it to absorb it, the heat not damaging 

 tlip stone. 



I fonnd, much to my surprise, that the stone absorbed the 

 compound very freely, much more so than stone generally. 

 This showed that thei'e were many and large interstices into 

 which water could pass; which, if frozen while there, would in- 

 evitably force off, with its resistless powei', the surface of the 

 stone. This confirms the experiments made by Professor G. W. 

 Wigner, in 18T8, res]iecting this stone, and published in the 

 Analyd, which showed that '"'the absorbent power of the un- 

 ciianged stone was at the rate of 7.8 grains per scpuire foot; the 

 weathered surface showed an absorbent power six times as great." 



Some time afterwards, we received the order to i)roceed at once 

 with the scaffolding, cleaning, repairing, and waterproofing of 

 the whole surface of the obelisk and its plinth. 



We commenced on October 27th ult., and the scaffolding was 

 completed, in s])ite of bad weather and other hindrances, on 

 November 2d. We then began the cleaning of the stone, and 

 discovered what a deplorable condition it was in, far surjiassing 

 our worst feai'S. Some large i)ieces were so loose that they would 

 scarcely bear the hand on them without falling away. Walking 

 around the monolitlj on a plank, I put my hand against one of the 

 hieroglyphics to steady myself, when it came off in my grasp. 

 We found the greatest disintegration to be on the west side, very 

 bad on the south, not so mucli on the north, and the least on 

 the east, though decomposition liad already progresssd to a serious 

 extent, even on this side in certain places. AVe removed about 

 two and one-half barrels of pieces, weighing altogether seven 

 hundred and eighty pounds. Some of the flakes were so much 

 decayed that even with the greatest care they Avould crumble to 

 pieces when being removed. In rpiite a number of places we 

 lonnd the flakes, though separated from the stone and sounding 

 hollow when tapped, yet seemingly firm in position. These we 

 allowed to remain, if they would stand the heat. One especially 

 large piece, which measured sixteen by seventeen inches, is on 

 the base of the western face of the apex, or •'pyramidion," and 

 extending several inches down the western side. I consulted 

 Commissioner Borden about it, and he said: "Don't remove 

 any unless you are obliged to do so." I heated the piece care- 



