Page images
PDF
EPUB

Bitter

the Bitter

head of the western arm of the Arabian Gulf, now AFRICA. called the Gulf of Suez. It comprehends four dis- CHAP. III. tinct sections. The first section begins about a mile 1. Line from and a half to the north of the town of Suez, and Suez to the extends across the low, sandy isthmus, in a north- Lakes. erly direction, for about thirteen miles and a half to the Bitter Lakes. Throughout nearly the whole of this route, the vestiges of the canal can be distinctly traced. The remains of the banks on either side are from twelve to twenty-four feet in height; and the space between them, or width of the watercourse, is generally about 150 feet. The second 2. Basin of section consists of the basin of the Bitter Lakes, Lakes. twenty-seven miles long, and from five to seven miles broad, running in a north-westerly direction. Here no cutting or embankment would be required, for the bottom of the valley is from twenty-five to sixty feet below the high-water mark at Suez, and about the same distance below the opposite waters of the Mediterranean.' At present however the basin contains no water, excepting some pools in the deepest parts; but its boundary is accurately traced on the declivities by lines of gravel, shells, and marine debris, of the same kind, and precisely at the same level, as those found at high-water mark on the beach of the Gulf of Suez. The third section 3. Elbow elbows round towards the west, through the Wady through the of Tomlat, for a distance of nearly forty miles. This Way of valley is from half a mile to two miles in breadth. Its bottom is about thirty feet lower than the level

1 It was supposed, until very recently, that the waters of the Mediterranean were 30 feet below the level of the Arabian Gulf; but Sir John Stephenson, in surveying the ground for the railroad, discovered that there was scarcely any difference between the level of the two seas, beyond what might be occasioned by the difference in the tides. It is however certain that the Aegyptian engineers supposed the Mediterranean to be lower than the Arabian Gulf. Diodorus (lib. i. c. 3) distinctly informs us that the canal of Neco was left unfinished by Darius, because the latter was told that if he cut through the isthmus all Aegypt would be drowned, for the Arabian Gulf lay higher than Aegypt. Pliny also (lib. xvi. c. 29) tells us that the canal stretched only from the Nile to the Bitter Lakes; as its extension southward would have endangered Aegypt, whose soil was calculated to be three cubits below the level of the Arabian Gulf.

round

Tomlat.

AFRICA. of the surrounding desert, and nearly as much beCHAP. III. low the tide of the Red Sea. The waters of the

from the

Nile are shut out by transverse dykes. The canal runs along the northern side, where the surface of the ground is some feet higher than the rest of the valley, so that the water collected in it can be conveniently used for irrigation.' The canal in the western half of the valley is very entire, but in the eastern half all traces of the work, excepting at particular spots, have been obliterated by the accumu4. Channel lating drift-sands of the desert. The fourth section extended from the western entrance of the valley to Bubastis on the Nile, a distance of about twelve miles. Here we lose the traces of the channel, as the country is all under cultivation, and regularly covered by the annual inundations of the Nile; but some of the aqueducts which traverse it, and which are now used solely for the purposes of agriculture, are believed to be the remains of the ancient canal. The four sections may be summed

Wady of
Tomlat to
Bubastis.

Immense

number of

1. Channel from Suez to the Bitter Lakes

2. Basin of the Bitter Lakes

3. Basin of the Wady of Tomlat

up as follows:

4. Channel from the Wady of Tomlat to Bubastis

Miles.

131

27

40

12

Total 921

Besides the canal of Neco, Herodotus mentions canals dug that Aegypt was traversed by a countless number of by Sesostris. small canals. These were dug in ancient times by Sesostris, who employed, for the purpose, the multitude of captives whom he had carried away from the countries he had subdued. Previously Aegypt had been a level plain, and the inhabitants of the inland towns had been obliged to drink a brackish

1 The valley called the Wady of Tomlat, was formerly much broader than it is at present; for the moveable sands of the desert, which on the southern side form hillocks thirty or forty feet high, are swept into it by the wind, and are thus continually encroaching upon the arable surface. There is good reason for believing that it may be identified with the land of Goshen, the original settlement of the Israelites in Aegypt. Some ruins found at Aboukeshed, are supposed to mark the site of Heroopolis, an ancient town of some importance, and usually identified with the Pithom of the Scriptures.-See Russell.

water, which they procured from wells, excepting AFRICA. at such times as the Nile overflowed its banks. CHAP. 111. These canals therefore, which intersected Aegypt in every direction, obviated this evil, but rendered the country impassable for chariots or horses.1

Lower Ac

The nomes in Lower Aegypt mentioned by He- Nomes of rodotus are as follows: Busirites, Saites, Papremites, gypt. and the island Prosopitis, which was nine schoeni in circumference, and included numerous cities, especially Atarbechis, which contained the temple of Aphrodite, where the bones of all the dead bulls were interred. Also the nomes of Natho, Pharbaethites, Amphthites, Tanites, Mendesius, Sebennytes, Athribites, Thmuites, Onuphites, Anysius, and Mycephorites, which last was situated in an island opposite the city of Bubastis. The nome of Thebes is also mentioned, which was evidently different from the nome of the same name in Upper Aegypt.5

1 ii. 108.
2 ii. 41.
3 ii. 165.
4 ii. 166.
ii. 4, 91. See Dönniges, p. 66, quoted by Bobrik.

CHAPTER IV.

AFRICA.

UPPER AEGYPT.

Upper Aegypt of Herodotus included Heptanomis and Thebais.CHAP. IV. Memphis.-Built by Menes on a site recovered from the Nile.-Explanation of Herodotus's description of the ancient and modern channels of the Nile.-Description of the canal of Joseph.-Site of Memphis identified with that of Mitranieh.-Celebrated temple of Hephaestus, or Pthah, built by Menes.-Northern propylaea built by Moeris.-Six colossal statues erected before it by Sesostris.-Western propylaea, and two statues of Summer and Winter, erected by Rhampsinitus.-Eastern propylaea built by Asychis.-Southern propylaea, and court for Apis, constructed by Psammitichus.-Colossus, 75 feet high, dedicated by Amasis. Stone statue of Sethon, with a mouse.-Temenus of Proteus, including the temple of Aphrodite the stranger.-Phoenician settlement, called the Tyrian Camp.-Temple of Isis.-Walls.-Suburb.-White Fortress. - Temple of Demeter. - Pyramids described by Herodotus identified with those of Gizeh.-General description of their site and relative position.-Recent explorations of Col. Howard Vyse and Mr. Perring. Herodotus's description of the causeway 3000 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 48 feet high, laid down by Cheops.-Explanation of the description. Traces of the ancient causeway still existing.-The Three Great Pyramids.-I. THE GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS.-Herodotus's description.-Time and labour employed.-Dimensions.-Mode of construction.-Ascent by steps, or altars.-Machines constructed of short pieces of wood.-Summit first completed.-Burial vault of Cheops surrounded by a channel conducted from the Nile.-Inscription declaring the sums expended upon provisions for the workmen.-Comparison of the account of Herodotus with modern investigations.-Ancient and modern measurements. - Three kinds of materials employed. — 1st, Blocks quarried from the Libyan rock used for the internal masses.2nd, Compact limestone from the Arabian mountains used for casing stones.-3rd, Red granite from the cataracts at Syene, also used for lining and casing stones.-Character of the mechanical agencies employed. Internal blocks not so large as Herodotus describes.-Holes for the insertion of the machines still visible.-Exterior coating of casing-stones, of limestone, or granite, carefully cemented and beautifully polished. Mr. Perring's observations on the mode of construction.— Interior of the Great Pyramid.-Sloping passage descending towards the centre.-Passage divides: one continuing the descent till it reaches the Subterranean Chamber; the other ascending, and then again dividing, one branch running horizontally to the Queen's Chamber, and the other inclining upward to the King's Chamber.-Description of the Subterranean Chamber.-Burial vault of Cheops not to be found.-Queen's Chamber.-King's Chamber, containing an empty sarcophagus.-Inscrip

tion mentioned by Herodotus not to be found on account of the removal AFRICA. of the casing-stones.-II. PYRAMID OF CHEPHREN.—Herodotus's de- CHAP. IV. scription. Site, and present dimensions.-Herodotus's statement that there were no subterranean chambers in it, confuted by the investigations of Belzoni.-Entrance discovered by Belzoni.-Sepulchral room called Belzoni's Chamber.-Lower Chamber.-Aethiopian stone used for the first course found to be granite from the cataracts.-Upper casing formed of limestone.-Mr. Perring's view of the construction of the interior.-III. PYRAMID OF MYCERINUS.-Herodotus's description.-Present dimensions irreconcileable with Herodotus's estimate.-More elaborately finished than the pyramids of Cheops and Chephren.—Entrance discovered by Caviglia and Col. Vyse.-Upper Sepulchral Chamber.Lower Sepulchral Chamber.-Sarcophagus in the Lower Chamber.Extraordinary discovery of the mummy-case and bones of Mycerinus in the Upper Chamber.-Undoubted identity of the remains.-Mr. Birch's interpretation of the hieroglyphics on the lid of the mummy-case.Bones and mummy-case to be seen in the British Museum.-Mode of construction adopted in the pyramid.-The three small pyramids, including the pyramid of the daughter of Cheops.-Herodotus's description.-Present state.-Brick pyramid of Asychis.-Probably the same as the northern pyramid of Dashoor.-Character of Herodotus's description of the pyramids and reasons for his various omissions.-State of the pyramids at the time of his visit.-His ignorance of the interiors of the pyramids of Chephren and Mycerinus.-Origin of the pyramids unknown. Called by the Aegyptians after Philition, and therefore supposed to have been built by the Hyksos. Recently discovered to have been built prior to the Hyksos, by the kings of the fourth dynasty of the old monarchy of Menes.-Cheops identified with the Suphis and Souphis of Manetho through the shields discovered by Col. Vyse.-Chephren not yet identified. — Mycerinus, or Men-kah-re, identified with the Mencheres of Manetho.-The pyramids undoubtedly erected as sepulchres, the inclined passages being intended for the conveyance of the sarcophagi into the internal chambers.-Interesting discovery made by Dr. Lepsius relative to pyramidal construction.-Effect produced by the pyramids upon the modern traveller. — Other buildings, or mounds, similar to the pyramids.-Birs Nimroud. Tumulus of Alyattes.-Pyramids of Mexico and India.-Silbury hill in Wiltshire.—The Labyrinth and Lake Moeris.-Description of the oval basin of Fayoum.-Consists of three different levels.― Watered by a branch from the Canal of Joseph. -Geological_constitution of the soil.-First or eastern terrace, comprising the Labyrinth.-Herodotus's description of the Labyrinth.— Erected by the twelve kings.-Cost more labour and money than all the public buildings in Greece.-Consisted of twelve courts in two parallel ranges of six courts each, and included 3000 chambers, half above ground and half under. - Upper chambers visited by Herodotus.— Lower chambers, tombs of the twelve kings, and sacred crocodiles.— Recent discovery of the remains of the Labyrinth by the Prussian expedition under Dr. Lepsius.-General confirmation of the truth of Herodotus's statement.-Doubtful as to whether it really included 3000 chambers, and whether it was built by the twelve kings and contained their tombs.-The pyramid probably the place of sepulture, and the Labyrinth the royal palace.-Pyramid at present known as the pyramid of Howara.-Discovery of the name of Ammenemes III., the last king of the old monarchy of Menes.-Dimensions and construction of the pyramid.-Lake Moeris.-Herodotus's description. - Attempt to find its site on the modern map.-Generally identified with Lake Keiroun.-Present aspect of Keiroun.-Reasons brought forward by M. Linant for disbelieving in the identification of Moeris with Keiroun.

« PreviousContinue »