On the Pyra m ids of Egyp t. 199 



-quisitely are the masses of tliis granite fitted to each other upon 

 the sides of this chamber, that, having no cement between them, 

 it is impossible to force the lilade of a knife between the joints. 

 We tried the experiment. There are only six ranges of stone 

 from the floor to the roof, which is twenty feet high; and the 

 length of the cliamber is about twelve yards. It is about six 

 yards wide. The roof or ceiling consists only of nine pieces, of 

 stupendous size and length, traversing the room from side to 

 side, and lying like enormous beams across the top. 



Near the western side stands the Soros, of the same kind of 

 granite as that whicli is used for the wall? of the chamber, and 

 as exquisitely polished. It is distinguished by no difference of 

 form or dimensions from the common appearance of the Soros, 

 as it is often seen in Turkish towns when employed by the inha- 

 bitants to supply the place of a cistern. It resembles, as Greaves 

 has remarked, '* two cubes finely set together, and hollowed 

 within ; being cut smooth and plain," without sculpture or en- 

 graving of any kind. Its length on the outside is seven feet 

 3f inches ; its depth three feet 3| inches ; and it is the same in 

 breadth. Its position is north and south. 



This beautiful relique was entire when our troops were landed 

 in Egypt . . . .but our soldiers and sailors, vvith the view of car- 

 rying pieces as curiosities to England, began, alas ! the havoc 

 of its demolition ; and but for the classical taste and laudable 

 interference of Colonel now General Stewart, not a particle of 

 the Soros would have remained. The persons who thus left be- 

 hind them a sad memorial of the British name, had only suc- 

 ceeded in accomplishing a fracture near one of the angles. Every 

 traveller of taste will join in reprobating any future attempt to 

 increase the injury it has so lamentably sustained. 



PYRAMTDS OF SACCARA. 



Just beyond Menshee Dashoo we were much struck by the 

 appearance of a tumulus (standing to the south of a large gra- 

 duated pyramid), which, instead of being pyramidal, exhibits a 

 less artificial and therefore a more ancient form of sepulchre 

 than any of the pyramids. It is a simple hemispherical mound. 

 We saw afterwards others of the same kind 



These pyramids appear to be a continuation of the great ce- 

 metery to which those of Djiza also belonged. They extend 

 four or five miles, both to the ilorth and to the south of the vil- 

 lage of Saccara. Some of them are rounded at the toj), and, as 

 it was obacrved by Pococke, " do not look like pyramids, but 

 more Uke hillocks cased with stone." One of these is graduated 

 like the principal pyramid at Djiza ; but vvith this difference, 

 that the gradations here are much larger, although the pyramid 



N4 be 



