THE WALL OF THE CITADEL.
From which the Mameluke leaped. The twin minarets are those of the Mehemet Ali Mosque.
Photo. by Sergt. Arundel.[ToList]
THE GREAT PYRAMID.
From the plan by C. Piazzi Smyth.[ToList]
At the commencement of all tours guides were offering freely, and were often required. They were of two kinds. The genuine type was usually a graduate of one of the educational institutions, and would arrange and conduct, more or less satisfactorily, any expedition—were it to visit the Cairo Museum, the Pyramids and other monuments, or to go duck shooting near Alexandria or gazelle hunting in the Fayum. The other type of guide hailed from somewhere at the back of the bazaars; he was loudly importunate, proclaimed himself as named Macpherson, Abdullah, or Johnson, and stated that he was "dinkum." The possibilities with him seemed extensive. Anyone who employed this kind of person, and expected to have a kind of Arabian Nights entertainment, returned richer by his experience but, usually, unless he was very very careful, with the sensations of having just emerged from a garbage pit.
The Australian's interest in Egypt was immense. He had no marked admiration for the existing inhabitants, but his reading had given him an insatiable longing to know more of the ancients and their great works. He let no opportunity, therefore, escape him of viewing and studying the monuments which had withstood the ravages of time for so many centuries. Various expeditions were arranged by bands of friends who, after engaging a dragoman, would often pool their resources in order that the day might be as pleasant as it was instructive. As a rule the first expedition was to the great Pyramids at Gizeh—distant glimpses of which can be obtained from points not far from Abbasia. Situated about eight miles from Cairo, the route to this objective lies through the city, across the Nile bridge, and along the delightful causeway said to have been built by the Khedive Ismail for use by the Empress Eugenie during her visit on the occasion of the opening of the Suez Canal. On arrival at the village, camels and donkeys are used to traverse the stretch of heavy sand which intervenes between the road and the plateau upon which the Pyramids stand.
The Pyramids are three in number, but vary in size. The largest is that of Cheops, the second that of Chephren, and the smallest that of Menkaura. The tomb of Cheops attracts all visitors and, once having been "done," any curiosity in regard to the remainder is, as a rule, entirely lacking. There are two ways of "doing" it. One is to climb up the exterior to the summit, and the other to go inside and visit the King's and Queen's chambers. No ordinary individual has the strength to achieve both in the one day. The visit to the top gives the better result in a magnificent view of Cairo, the Nile, and the surrounding desert, but gaining this involves a climb to a height of 451 feet by means of the several courses of stone, each course being about three feet high; nor is the descent very much easier. To inspect the interior it is necessary to first ascend about 30 feet to the entrance. Here, on the occasion of the Western Australians' visit, were met the guides or caretakers attached to the place. Bedlam instantly broke out. All wanted a job or "bakshish." Some grabbed the soldiers' sticks, others their boots and leggings. After much remonstrance, and an occasional hard knock or kick to some too enthusiastic native, the party, in its stockinged feet, eventually passed within the entrance. The passage was narrow, low, steep, and extremely slippery. With an Arab to each hand—as a precaution against a nasty fall—the soldier, breathing a muggy atmosphere, sweating at every pore, and filled with repulsion at the close proximity of his yelling conductors, made a crab-like and painful progress through darkness over the 220 feet of distance to the King's Chamber. This apartment, viewed by candlelight or a flare now and then from a piece of magnesium wire, does not present, beyond some carvings on the walls, anything of great interest.
After a brief rest the party retraced some of its steps and visited the Queen's Chamber, situated lower down. Here it was necessary to have another breather, and at this stage some Arab evinced a desire to foretell the fortune of anyone who would listen to him and, of course, produce the necessary monetary encouragement. Finally, the open air was regained, perspiration ceased to pour, and with luck it was possible to recover those portions of clothing left behind when entering. Now thoughts were directed to the Pyramids Hotel at Mena—noticed earlier in the day—where, under the shade of trees, tables were set and lunch could be obtained, together with much good and cool English ale. Sometimes the parties had enough energy left to first pay a call on the Sphinx, which is situated about 300 yards distant from the great tomb. Very few thoroughly explored this relic of the ancients, but its great antiquity, alleged by some authorities to date long prior to the creation as fixed by the Christian calendar, and the riddle associated with it, demanded that everyone should at least go and gaze on its face for a little while. Here it was customary to submit to the camera man. Many photographs were thus secured which, when posted, were of great interest to the friends at home.
The next place of interest was the site of the City of Memphis—the ancient capital of Egypt—and its necropolis at Sakkara. Memphis was reached either by train or donkey ride from Cairo, or by a ride of about two hours across from the Pyramids at Gizeh. Of the city itself nothing is left to mark its ancient magnificence except the two giant statues of Rameses II. However, the country between there and Gizeh is one vast cemetery containing the tombs of the notables. The most conspicuous of these is the Step Pyramid—the oldest of such and the resting-place of the body of King Teheser. Less conspicuous, but more interesting to the newcomers, were the Apis Tombs, which contain the sarcophagi of 24 of the Sacred Bulls. These sarcophagi, complete with lids, are of an immense size—each weighing some 65 tons. Near by are the tombs of Ptah-hetep and Ti, in which the rich and well-preserved mural decorations give a very full representation of the life and habits of the inhabitants of the city in their time. Other interesting remains, some Greek and some Roman, were also to be seen, but by this time the average Australian had had enough for one day, and turned to the means of getting back to the more congenial surroundings of the modern city or camp.