[ 44 ° ] 
nefs, and almoft a petrification or rather conglutination 
of many different ftones, but all vitrefcent. I never 
met with any ftone of this kind any where, except 
with one fmall piece on the plain of the Mommies ; 
I broke a piece of it, which Lord Bute has ; a fmall 
piece too of the pillar was fent, that gentlemen may 
be convinced it is of red granite, and not a compo- 
fition as fome have imagined. 
This part of obelifk is covered with hieroglyphicks, 
which are reverfed, a plain proof the pillar was not 
ere&ed whilft they were held facred characters. 
Convinced, therefore, that it was not of the an- 
tiquity one would fuppofe it, from being called of 
Pompey, I vifited it feveral times to fee if it might 
not be poifible to find out fomething that would 
give room for a reafonable conjecture, in honour of 
whom, or at what time, it was ereCted. From the 
infcription I could difcover nothing ; it is on the 
weft face of the bale, but fo much injured by time, 
and I may fay too by malice, for the mark of an 
inftrument are plainly difcnvered effacing it, that one 
can but imperfectly make out fome Greek cha- 
racters, fo imperfectly indeed that no one word can be 
found. 
At length, obferving that the cement, or mortar, 
which clofes the fmall feparation of the fhaft from the 
bafe, was quite deftroyed in one part, I was cu- 
rious to fee if any thing was made ufe of within, to 
fallen or tie the fhaft to the bafe ; I faw there was : 
being defirous to know if it was lead, and if fo, 
if it was not of that pure, and of which we ftill 
meet with fome few medals ; I endeavoured with a 
pretty large hanger to 'cut off a fmall piece of the 
grapple s 
