I JO • Travels into thehEwAN t. Part 
C H A p. V. 
Of the Pyramides. 
'Eretofore there have been fuch powerful Kings in zA'gypt^ who have un- 
dertaken fo great Works, that it is not to be thought iftrange, if in 
Ipight of Timeitielf (which devours all things) foœe pieces of them have re- 
mained till our days ^ or rather it is to be wondred that fo little remains of fo 
many Magnificences, which heretofore made <^£ypt fo Renowned ail over the 
The Pyra- World ; but nothing has braved Time fo much, as the Pyramides that are to 
mides of be feen near to Caire, doubtlefs they deferve very well to be fcen,' lince they 
Asya^' have merited a place among the Wonders of the World. But there are fome 
things to be taken notice of, in this little Progrefs from Caire to the Pyramides, 
and (if Imiftakenot) I have obferved them here exactly enough. Having 
dellgned to go fee the Pyramides, the Evening before, I hired AfFes and Moors, 
that I might fet out next Morning be-times ; thefe Beafts are much ufed in 
<i^£gyft, and carry one conveniently enough at an eafie Trot, and fometimes a 
good Gallop too. There are of them to be hired in the Corners of molt of 
the Quarters of Caire, and are ready Sadled, fo that there needs no more but 
toget up. The Franks \)ViX. little Carpets over the Sadies, made for the pur- 
pofe, and Stirrups for greater Convenience : if you will, the Moor ihzt letts 
the Afs will follow, to drive him on, and be careful to cry (^Take heed. ) And I 
found it necelFary for a Frai-.-k, to take one with him, paying as much for the 
Moor as for the Afs; however no Body is obliged to take a /^wr unlefs they 
pleafe, yet in this Progrefs they are abfolutely necelTary , for clearing the 
Entry of the Pyramides, as I fhali fay hereafter. I hired Moors and Alfes, not 
only to Ride on, but alfo to carry our Provifions, for one m.uft Dine there. 
And feeing I had a defign to go from thence to fee the Mummies, I provided for 
two or three days ; there is nothing to be found in thofe parts, but what Men 
carry along with them, and I acquainted a Janiz^ary of the Ccnfuls, to be ready 
■with his Mufquet to go along with me. Next day taking our Fowling-Pieces 
with us, both to fhoot by the Way, and to defend us againfi; the Arabs. We 
fet out by break of Day with our Janiz.ary, armed with Sword and Mufquet, 
and took our way by old Caire, about half a French League from Caire, where 
being come, we crolTed the Water over againfi: the Pyramides. On the other 
fide of the Water there is a Village, and fome more beyond it towards the 
The di- Pyramides, with feveral Birqnes alfo, where there is always Game ; at length 
ilance of the we came to the Pyramides, which are three Leagues from Catre. The Pyra- 
araon Daglary, and the Arabs Dgehel Pharaon^ 
^ * that is to fay, Pharaoh's Hills, are cheifly three, which are feen from Caire, 
The number and a great way beyond it. There are others, as that of the Mummies, and 
of the Pyra- and many more that are not confiderable. One of thefe three Pyramides is 
wides. in refped of the other two, and is ftiut up^ the other two are great, 
and many (not without reafon) doubt which of the two is the bigger, how- 
ever, the bigger is certainly that which is open, which Men mount and enter 
into. The other is finit, and by confequence, one can neither enter nor go up 
it. They fay, that heretofore at the entry of that which is open, there was 
a great Stone cut purpofely to flop the Mouth of it, when the Body that was 
to lie there was put in, hich Itopt it fo exadly, that neither the place that 
was ftopt, nor the Stone which ftopt it, could be known or diflinguiOied ; 
but that a Bajlm caufed that vail: Stone to be rem.oved, that there might be 
AvcryeKaa no way afterward for ihutting up the Pyramide. I took the Dimenfions of 
meafure of this Pyramide, 'and having compared them with the Meafures of the Reverend 
nVKitrb'^Fa ^^'-^^^^ ilz.ear x.\\z C^picin, I found him to have bene as exadt as one pcfilbly 
ther V/^t'jr'" could be, there not being the third part of a Barley-corn difference betwixt 
.iCaputin.' him and me j and therefore I ftall not at all fcruple toufehis own Terms in 
fome 
