Papers On The Great Pyramid.

that , Avhatever the number of stone plugs still to come doAvn from tho mysterious reservoir , his men shall hammer ancl hammer them , one after the other , and bit by bit , to little pieces , at the only opening where they can get at them , until they do at last come to the end of it all . So the people tire , but the work goes on ; and at last , yes ! at last the ascending passage beginning just aboA'e the granite portcullis , and leading thence upward ancl to the south , is announced to be free from obstruction and ready for essay . Then , by Allah , they shouted ; the treasures of the Great Pyramidsealed up from the

, fabulous times of the mighty Ibn Salhouk , and tmdesecrated , as it AA'as long supposed , by mortal eye during all the intervening thousands of years , lay full in their grasp before them . " But this strange building has no secret treasure to reward the untiring energy of the Saracens . The way is clear , ancl for " no less than 110 feet " they pursue their upward AA'aythrough "a passage of royally polished * Avhite limestonebut only 47 inches in

, , height , ancl 41 in breadth , ' ' and come to a point Avhere another low passage runs horizontally to the centre of the pile , and leading to the " Queen ' s Chamber . " This room is but about 19 by 17 feet , Avith a pitched ceiling , formed of sloping stones meeting in the centre . All accounts of this room state it being in a very rough condition , and Avith an unfinished flooring . It Avas empty , ancl the only remarkable feature Avas a

niche m the east Avail , about 5 feet Avide at the bottom , and by 4 narrowings brought to about 2 feet at the top . B . it in 1872 , Mr . Wayman Dixon discovered tAvo channels , apparently like the air channels of the King's Chamber , shortly to be noticed , on the north and south Avails , only that these had never been used as such , haA'ing not been perforated through the Avail of the chamber , but only to the distance of 5 inches from the face of the stone . Originallythe horizontal passage to the " Queen ' s Chamber " had been sealed in

, like manner to the first , so that on emerging from the narroAV ascending passage the noble proportions of the " Grand Gallery ' were revealed , with an unbroken floor line continued , and rising at the same angle as that just quitted . Immediately on tho right , hoivever , is what is called the " AVoll ' s Mouli , " but which is really the entrance to a narroAV and exceedingly rugged shaft or " man-hole" communicating Avith the descending passage 24 feet from its termination in the subterranean chamber . Count

Caviglia explored it in 1817 . Entering at the bottom , from AA'hich he had cleared aAvay the rubbish , he groped his Avay up the some 200 feet of its length , and finding on his Avay a grotto in the natural rock , near its surface . By this Avay the Avorkmen Avho accomplished the sealing of the ascending passages , are supposed to have quitted them , and regained the entrance from the descending passage , Avhich was then secured .

The " Grand Gallery " is seven times the height of the one from Avhich it opens . Very pecidiar in its construction , the Avidth on the floor being only 3 feet , increasing to 6 feet aboA'e the " ramps " Avhich run along each side , ancl again nariwing by 7 overhanging lappings to rather more than 3 feet at the ceiling . , Foi 150 feet the floor of the Grand Gallery continues its ascent at a regular angle , then rising 3 feet by a step , 5 feet horizontally brings the visitor to a IOAV doorway , folloAved immediately by a hanging portculliscalled the Granite Leafon Avhich is the " boss . " He is then in the

Ante-, , chamber , and another IOAV narroAV doorway , or short passage—for it is some six or seven feet through , and is constructed of " aAvful blocks of frowning red granite , both on either side and above and beloiv " —brings him to the Grand Chamber . And what is there to see 1 We Avill take up the Professor ' s description of the Saracens' entrance : — " And Avhat find they there , those maddened Muslim in Caliph Al Mamoun ' s train 1 A right noble apartmentUOAV called the King ' s Chamberroughly 34 feet long 17 broad ,

, , , and 19 high , of polished red granite throughout , both Avails , floor , and ceiling ; in blocks squared and true , and put together Avith such exquisite skill that no autocrat emperor of modern times could desire anything more solidly noble and refined . " Ay , ay , no doubt a Avell-built room , ancl a handsome one too ; but ivhat does it contain 1 Where is the treasure 1 The treasure ! yes , indeed , where are the promised