CHAPTER VII.
Visit to the Pyramids. Their diminutive appearance as we approached. Effect when we reached the base. Pyramid of Cheops. Visit to the interior. Pyramid of Cephrenes. Belzoni’s forced passage. His successful researches. Large stone enclosure east of this Pyramid. Tombs adjoining on the west. Dine in one of them.
Earliest dawn on the 25th found us up, and our court filled with animals of all shapes and sizes, from the towering dromedary to the wee bit of a donkey; and each one was allowed to choose his mode of travelling for himself. In the end, I believe, the largest of us were found on the donkeys, and the smallest perched on the backs of dromedaries; and as I was among the former, I amused myself along the streets with watching my more ambitious companions, in danger of being caught up, as was Absalom, if not by their hair at least by the clothes, and left dangling at the end of the beams that every where project from the sides of a Turkish bazaar. The gait of the dromedary is also extremely uncomfortable; the rider, unless accustomed to it, being tossed from side to side at each of the long steps of the animal. I believe when we reached the Pyramids every one of our ambitious comrades selected some more humble animal for the rest of the journey.
And here I may be allowed to give a tribute of just praise to the Egyptian donkeys. They are extremely small, but beautifully formed, and are of a mouse color, with a streak of black running along the back, and intersected by another crossing it at right angles, and passing down the fore shoulders. These black lines are believed, by the superstitious of the Eastern countries, to be copied from the cross, and to be here in consequence of our Saviour’s having selected this animal for his entry into Jerusalem. The Egyptian donkey is very gentle and tractable; and for riding, is the most agreeable of the donkey tribe that I have ever seen.
Thanks to the tact of Mr. Gliddon, and of our caterer, Lieut. S., the preparations for our excursion were admirably made, and we got off without confusion; although, as we had provisions for two days, tents, &c., our train consisted of seventy animals; and our company, amounting to about as many persons, comprised a singular variety of nations and languages. Preceded by torches, we marshalled ourselves in the dark and narrow streets, and the word being given, at length we put ourselves in motion.
“Get out of my way, there,” cries an aspirant after high places to one of more humble elevation; and the way being cleared, on sweeps the dromedary at a rapid pace, the saucy occupant of his back now beginning to bob up and down, and trying in vain to find something by which he may steady himself and in his efforts to check his beast, only making it go the faster. “Which is the way?” cry at once half a dozen travellers, lost in the mazes of the streets, and each, advising a different course, only heightening the embarrassment; till at last they yield the reins to their more sensible mules, which in a brief space succeed in extricating them. “Johnny Turk, here, lengthen this stirrup for me,” says another; when the Arab groom, understanding only the gesture, and his eyes already offended by its unwonted and ungraceful length, draws it up still higher, till he brings the rider in the graceful attitude of the Turkish horseman, with the knees up almost to the chin. “What an unsightly attitude,” the Arab murmurs to himself, “with the legs sprawling about, when he can bring them close up to the breast.” To our great satisfaction we emerged at length from the narrow streets, and had the pleasure of riding on without incessant danger of scaling our ancles and knees.
Arriving at Old Cairo, we were ferried across the river, passing in our course the head of the island already noticed, and by the edifice with the famous Nilometer. Opposite to Old Cairo, as I have elsewhere remarked, is the village of Ghizeh, from which the largest Pyramids, which we were now about to visit, take their distinctive name; Ghizeh is celebrated also for its ovens for hatching chickens.