also observed with some ceremony. The PYRAMIDS OF GHIZEH.The journey to the foot of the Pyramids can now be performed in carriages in an hour and a half, along the road constructed by the Khédive for the use of the Prince of Wales and party in 1868. The former donkey route was more than twice as long. The route is through the new quarter of Cairo, called Ismaileeyah, to the bridge known as Kasr-el-Nil. Thence through a long avenue of acacias, with rows of towering palms, past a mud village of Arabs, and the Khédive's fine summer palace of Ghizeh, not accessible to visitors. Ghizeh was once a fortified place, a city of markets, gay palaces, and gorgeous mosques. From Ghizeh the road runs straight to the Pyramids on a broad, firm embankment. Upon a rocky plateau of limestone, about forty feet above the surrounding plain, are situated the three Great Pyramids, several smaller ones, many ancient tombs, and the Sphinx. To ascend the Great Pyramid a payment of three shillings from each tourist has to be made to the Sheikh of the Pyramids, and in addition to this a further fee must be paid for the assistance of Arabs. The usual plan is to have an Arab on each side; if the exigencies of the case require an extra Arab or two pull in front and push behind. The first or GREAT PYRAMID was the sepulchre of the Cheops of Herodotus, the Chembes of Diodorus. Sir Gardner Wilkinson gives dimensions as follows: -Base-line, formerly 756 ft., present 732 ft. ; perpendicular height, formerly 480 ft., present 460 ft.; area, formerly 571,536 square ft., present 535,824 ft. It is about 60 ft. higher than the cross of St Paul's Cathedral, and at the summit is a platform 30 ft. square. The Interior of the Great Pyramid was forcibly opened by the Caliph-el-Mamoon, in 820 A.D. He was the son of Haroun-elRaschid. The visitor enters at about 40 ft. from the base of the northern side, and descends by a vaulted gallery to a subterranean chamber, 347 ft. from the entrance, and about 90 ft. below the base of the Pyramid. This chamber measures 46 ft. by 27 ft., and is about 11 ft. in height. 60 ft. from the entrance, an upward passage, once closed with an immense block of stone, leads towards the centre of the Pyramid. At a distance of 125 ft. it reaches what is called the Great Gallery. At this point is the opening to what is called the Well, 191 ft. deep (communicating with the subterranean chamber above described), which was probably used for communication with various parts. Before ascending the Great Gallery, a horizontal passage is seen, 110 ft. in length, leading to a chamber 18 ft. by 17 ft., and 20 ft. high, known as the Queen's Chamber. Mariette Bey supposes that the entrance to the Great Gallery was once sealed; so that if successful in reaching the chamber now under notice, explorers might be led to suppose that the whole secret of the Pyramid was revealed. But the Great Gallery, 151 ft. long, 7 ft. wide, and 28 ft. high, with a surface of smooth polished stone, leads upwards to a vestibule once closed with granite portcullises. Beyond is the King's Chamber, the chief chamber of the Pyramid, 34 ft. 3 in. in length, by 17 ft. 1 in. broad, and 19 ft. 1 in. high. It contains the remains of a lidless sarcophagus of red granite. Above the King's Chamber are two or three other rooms, apparently only constructed to lessen the weight of the upper part of the Pyramid. What the Pyramids really were intended for, and who built them, are questions over which there has been an immense amount of argument and conjecture. Egyptologists are generally agreed that they are royal tombs, reared by successive stages, in the lifetime of the monarch, and at his death cased over with polished stone, and closed up. Baron Bunsen claims for Egypt at least 6,700 years of prosperity before the building of the Pyramids in the fourth Manetho dynasty. Mr Piazzi Smyth believes that the Great Pyramid was the first of Egyptian monuments built immediately after the immigration into Egypt. He considers the date of its erection was 2170 B. C. The Second Pyramid is assigned by Herodotus to Cephrenes, the brother of Cheops. This Pyramid is 447 ft. high, and has a base line of 690 ft. It is very difficult to ascend, as towards the top the ancient polished casing still exists. The Third Pyramid is 203 ft. in height, its base-line being 333 ft. A wooden mummy case and mummy from this Pyramid are now in the British Museum. A sarcophagus also found here was lost at sea with the vessel that was transporting it. There are several smaller Pyramids, of no special interest to the ordinary traveller, on the same rocky plateau. There is also a very ancient Pyramid at Abooroásh, five miles north. About a quarter of a mile from the Great Pyramid stands the SPHINX, called by the Arabs, "Aboo-el-hôl," the Father of Terror or Immensity. Its body is the natural rock, adapted by a little carving or the addition of masonry, and is 140 ft. in length. The paws, 50 ft. in length, are built up of hewn stones. The head is carved out of the solid rock, and measures 30 ft. from brow to chin, and 14 ft. across. Its features are now hopelessly mutilated, but are said to have worn "an expression of the softest beauty and most winning grace.' From a sanctuary between the paws of this image, sacrifices were offered to the divinity it was supposed to represent. The Sphinx is of immense antiquity. It was at one time ascribed to Thothmes IV. (of the eighteenth dynasty), but subsequent research has removed its origin many ages further back. When Cheops or Shoofoo reared the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx was in existence. This is proved by the stone discovered by Mariette Bey, No. 581 in the Boulák Museum. "Laugh and mock if you will at the worship of stone idols," says Kinglake, "but mark ye this, ye breakers of images, that in one regard the stone idol bears awful semblance of deity-unchangeableness in the midst of change the same seeing will and intent, for ever and ever inexorable. Upon ancient dynasties of Ethiopian and Egyptian kings, upon Greek and Roman, upon Arab and Ottoman conquerors; upon Napoleon, dreaming of an Eastern empire; upon battle and pestilence; upon the ceaseless misery of the Egyptian race; upon keen-eyed travellers, upon Herodotus yesterday and Warburton to-day, upon all and more this unworldly Sphinx has watched, and watched." Old Cairo, of the victorious Amer, was built in 638 A.D. In 1168 A.D., in order to prevent the Christians becoming masters of the city, it was burnt by the Saracens, and ever since rubbish has covered the greater part of the site. The objects of interest in Old Cairo are the Mosque of Amer, built in 642 A.D., called by the Arabs the "Crown of Mosques," and, though abandoned, held in great veneration; and the enclosed convents, called Dayrs, sometimes enclosing ancient Greek and Coptic churches in their boundaries. Opposite Old Cairo is the island of Roda, at the south end of which is the Nilometer, which marks the gradual rise of the river as the time of the annual inundation draws near. Shoobra, the Khédive's Palace, can be visited on obtaining an order through the Consulate. About five miles from Cairo is the site of HELIOPOLIS. Abbaseeyah is passed on the way, and the Virgin's Tree pointed out. Under its shade the Holy Family is said to have rested. The village of Matareeah marks the site of the gardens to which Cleopatra transplanted the balsams of Judea, which produced the celebrated Balm of Gilead. Here also is the Miraculous Fountain, once salt, but which it is said has been fresh since the infant Saviour was bathed in its waters. At a short distance is HELIOPOLIS, where stood the great Temple of the Sun. "Here the wise studied 4,000 years ago. Here Joseph was married to Asenath. Here Plato and Herodotus pursued philosophy and history; and here the darkness that veiled the great sacrifice on Calvary was observed by the heathen astronomer, Dionysius the Areopagite." Its celebrated Obelisk is a monolith, and the most ancient in Egypt. It bears the name of Osirtasen I., the founder of the twelfth dynasty, and stands 68 ft. above the pavement. SAKKARAH, and the site of ancient MEMPHIS, may be visited by taking carriage to the station at Ghizeh, on the Upper Egypt Railway, then proceeding by train to Bedreshayn, and thence by donkeys (sometimes brought on in the train or sent forward over night) to Sakkárah. It can be visited from Bedreshayn (15 miles from Cairo), by passengers on the Nile steamers. Leaving Bedreshayn, we soon reach Mitrahenny, the site of Memphis, formerly the capital of Egypt. It is called in the Scriptures Moph or Noph. It was the capital of Lower Egypt at the time of the patriarchs. The declaration of Jeremiah (xlvi. 19), that "Noph shall be waste and desolate, without an inhabitant, has been literally fulfilled. The objects now to be seen on the site of Memphis are The Lake of the Temple of Phtah (Vulcan). The Red Granite Colossus of Rameses II. lying on its face on a hollow place. Another colossal statue of Rameses II., presented by Mahomed Ali to the English Government. Its face is in the water three quarters of the year. There are also some broken remains of smaller statues, &c. 50 B.C. Some of the sarcophagi are still in their places. The Pyramids of Sakkárah are eleven in number. The largest is built in stages, and is thought to be the oldest in Egypt, dating from the reign of Ouenephes, the ROUTE 217. fourth king of the first dynasty. CAIRO TO THE FIRST AND It is 190 ft. in height, and contains a number of chambers and passages, in which about thirty mummies were found. One of the adjacent Pyramids is truncated, and is called by the Arabs Mastabat-el-Pharaoon, the throne of Pharaoh. A little to the north of the Great Pyramid are the pits where the mummies of the sacred ibis are preserved in earthenware pots. The Tomb of Tih and the Tomb of Phtah-hotep are the two best examples for the tourist to examine, of the ancient Empire tombs previously described. In the neighbourhood of Cairo several other interesting spots may be visited. The Tombs of the Memlooks, about a mile from Cairo, are beautiful examples of Saracenic mausoleums. The Petrified Forest is about five miles further from the city-a desert space covered with fragments of sycamore and palm, apparently turned to stone. SECOND CATARACTS OF THE NILE. HE steamers of the Khédive mail line leave for the First Cataract once a fortnight during November and December, and once a week from January to March. The price of passage from Cairo to the First Cataract and return is £50 sterling, or say 250 dols.; from Cairo to the Second Cataract and return, £80, or say 400 dols. To Thomas Cook and Son, who are agents for the Khédive steamers, quote prices for the journey FROM LONDON to the FIRST CATARACT and back, first class, £100; second, £86. the SECOND CATARACT, first class, £130; second class, £116: the route being from London, by railway, via Mont Cenis to Brindisi and Alexandria. If steamer is taken at Genoa or Marseilles for Alexandria, the cost would be about £5 less first class. "These prices include landing expenses at Alexandria; all expenses for donkeys and guide on the banks of the Nile; backsheesh to steamboat officers and crew, and all provisions on the steamers, except wine and other drinks." Luggage.-Twohundred pounds are allowed on the Nile steamers free; MEDICAL ATTENDANCE and medicines are provided without charge. The starting place at Cairo is from above the new iron bridge "Kasr-el-Nil." The steamer generally leaves at 10 A.M. The trip to the First Cataract and back is intended to occupy 20 days, Assouan, the limit of the journey, being reached early on the fourteenth day; the return journey commencing on the sixteenth day, Cairo being reached, on the return, on the twentieth day. The following information is given in the pamphlet of the Messrs Cook:-Having secured a passage, passengers have but to go on board at the appointed time with their luggage. Small change in copper-about 10 francs a head-ought to be procured in Cairo, and linen enough packed up to last for three weeks, no washing being done on board or by the way. For a small gratuity the sailors will wash small things, such as socks and handkerchiefs, but no ironing is done. During the months of November and December steamers leave Cairo (Boulák) regularly every fortnight, and from January to March every week. Any family party, or friends travelling together, can order a special steamer if they are willing to pay for at least fourteen full passages, or more, according to the size of the steamer disposable; in this case the time allowed (20 days) may be prolonged, and stoppages ordered at pleasure, on condition that overtime be paid in proportion to the total cost, and at the rate of one-twentieth from the amount paid per day, payable on return, for every day over and above the 20 days allowed. The cabins contain one or two beds, never more; in some boats there are all single cabins, with the exception of the stern and fore cabins, which are very roomy and always contain two or threebeds. Any party applying in good time, and not minding the expense of a third berth, if the stern cabin contains three beds, can engage to visit Abydos At Esneh 3 days. 3 hours. 5 1 1 days. On the return journey the steamers stop only for purposes of the Service. After leaving the place of embarkation at the Kasr-el-Nil, the steamer soon passes Old Cairo, and Roda and the Nilometer. Not far from Old Cairo, the mosque of Attar- en - Nebbee, which is said to perpetuate the name of Athor, the Egyptian Venus, is seen. The Pyramids of Ghizeh, Sakkárah, and Dashoor are passed on the western shore. On the east, Joora Másara is passed, with the immense quarries from which were taken the stone casings for the Pyramids. Looking back, the citadel of Cairo and its mosque are seen. Helwan (E.). Here are some sulphur springs. Bedreshayn is a Railway Station. Memphis, the Serapeum, the Pyramids of Sakkárah, and Dashóor can be visited while the |