1 6 POPULAR LECTURES AND ADDRESSES. 



two of the pyramids of Abooseer are found 

 tunnels pointing in a certain direction towards 

 the heavens. The directions of these tunnels are 

 from 26 to 28 above the horizon, and in true 

 north azimuth. They are from 4 to 2 under 

 the north celestial pole (the latitude of the place 

 being 30). It has been conjectured, with con- 

 siderable probability, that they were designedly 

 made in such directions as to let the then' pole 

 star be seen through them at its lower transit. 

 There was then no star so near the pole as our 

 present Polaris. The nearest was a Draconis, 

 which, from 3564 B.C. to 2124 B.C., had the pole 

 within 4 of it, at distances varying as shown in 

 the annexed table : 



