IV. 
PYRAMIDS OF DJIZA. I73 
appear to be generally understood. The reader chap. 
may imagine himself to be upon a staircase, 
every step of which, to a man of middle stature, 
is nearly breast high ' ; and the breadth of each 
step is equal to its height : consequently, the 
footing is secure; and although a retrospect, in 
going up, be sometimes fearful to persons 
unaccustomed to look down from any conside- 
rable elevation, yet there is little danger of 
falling. In some places, indeed, where the 
stones are decayed, caution may be required ; 
and an j4rah guide is always necessary, to avoid 
a total interruption; but, upon the whole, the 
means of ascent are such, that almost every one 
may accctmplish it^ Our progress was impeded 
(1) " The stones, wherewith the Pyramids are built, are from five 
to thirty feet lon^. (Herodotus mahes none of these stones less than 
tfdrfy feet), and from three to four feet high." Shaw's Travels, p. 367. 
Land. 1757. 
(2) Upon this account, when we reached the top of the pyramid, 
we sent an j4rab with a short note to the officer who had abandoned 
the undertaking, urging him to renew the attempt. After some time, 
the messenger returned, but without our companion. The author, 
hearing this, went down to him, and found him in the entrance to the 
pyramid, sitting with some Arabs in the shade afforded by the large 
projecting masses of stone ; and, having with some difficulty prevailed 
upon him to renew the attempt, succeeded in conducting him to the 
top. He expressed himself unwilling to return without having grati- 
fied his curiosity by a view from the summit j but confessed that the 
effect 
