Sand and Canvas: Narrative of adventures in Egypt with a sojourn among the artists in Rome

by Samuel Bevan

Selecting the most commodious of these chambers, which, in addition to a low stone divan round three of its sides, boasted also of a tortuous hole in the roof by way of chimney, we got old Selim to light a fire of dried sticks and charcoal, and spreading our mats upon the floor, were quickly in enjoyment of an excellent supper, for which our nocturnal ramble had secured us a hearty appetite. Cold fowls there were, and pigeons galore, as well as piping hot potatoes, which we drew from out the embers. Thanks to our fair purveyor at the hotel, our cafass was abundantly furnished, and we found on inspection that there was no need to be so chary of our stock of meat and brandy, as to refuse a restorative to some of our dripping escort, who stood shivering at the door of the cavern whilst we were taking our meal.

Hitherto, neither Furner nor myself had seen the Pyramids, having been prevented by the extreme darkness of the night. Now, however, the moon had illumined the far-off Nile and the desert beneath us with a flood of brilliant light, which tempted us from our chimney corner, and ascending accordingly the last broken flight of steps leading to the summit of the rock, old Cheops and his two satellites burst upon our view. The angle nearest to us presented a tapering line of fantastic shadows, as the broken masses of stone caught the bright moonlight, the northern face of the Pyramid appearing from the contrast to be thrown into darkness, looking cold and gloomy, whilst the shadow cast by the enormous mass, undulated over the uneven sand in the foreground, and was lost far away in the desert. Beyond, as if guardian of the gigantic wonders around him, lay the Sphynx, crouched like some monster watch-dog, and turning his back most contemptuously upon a large party of German savans, who had pitched their tents within the very sweep of his tail. These gentlemen, in their inordinate thirst after knowledge, have grubbed holes in all directions, and with the exception of the three Pyramids, have turned nearly every thing topsy-turvy. Even the Sphynx has been partially undermined in the hunt after hieroglyph, and a splendid specimen has been exposed which is expected to throw some light upon the unknown tongue. At the time of our nocturnal visit to their bivouac, the literati had retired to rest, but hearing voices, a sentinel protruded his head from the tent and challenged us in Hoch-Deutsch, a language about as familiar to most of our party, as the hidden one of the Pharaohs. Managing, however, to prove to his satisfaction, that we were neither enemies nor thieves, the head was withdrawn, and we returned to our own sleeping-place.

We were out before sunrise in the morning, and after the usual and now necessary cup of coffee, commenced the ascent of the Pyramid of Cheops, the first and highest of the three, and the only one whose summit is easily attainable. Yielding to a common error, I resolutely resisted all offers of assistance on the part of the Arabs who accompanied us, but I had not scaled more than half-a-dozen of the lower steps, before I was glad to call three sturdy ruffians to my aid, one at either hand, and the other pushing behind. In this way we reached the half-way resting-place, which when viewed from the ground, appears close to the top. Here we halted a minute or two to take breath, and then again pushed upwards. The dexterity displayed by my guides was really wonderful, and although, as I used but little exertion myself, I must have taxed their assistance to the utmost, they never made a false step, nor paused to deliberate where they should plant their feet. Being early morning, the stones, which are breast-high, were slippery with the dew, and many an awkward stumble should I have made, but for the care of my faithful rear-guard, who hoisted me from one course to another, and over the sharp angles of the stones, with the greatest ease and good-will, putting out his knee or back as a stepping-place, whenever a block of unusual size presented itself.

Anon we reached the summit, an area of rather more than thirty feet square, and we now discovered that our toil had been thrown away, in-so-far as the enjoyment of an extended view was concerned. A thick mist obscured the distance, and left little to attract the eye, save the course of the Nile, and the tracts of land which were still under the influence of the inundation. These formed a silvery network, lighted up by the rising sun, and assisted the eye in embracing the enormous expanse of country commanded by our elevated position. Cairo lay as it were, close at hand, although obscured beyond the power of recognition by the misty vapours which rose from the river. On the south, the site of old Memphis and the adjacent Pyramids of Sakhara were distinctly visible. Whilst immediately beneath us, the two lesser Pyramids of Ghizeh towered upwards from the plain, from amid a confused jumble of tombs and ruins.

The uneven surface of the summit is completely covered with names and dates, each succeeding visitor deeming it necessary to leave some record behind him. This custom, which obtains more among the vulgar of our own nation, than with any other, is here adopted by travellers from all corners of the earth, and the renowned Mezzofanti[14] himself, would feel at a loss to identify some of the outlandish characters which are cut in the crown of old Cheops.

As we rested ourselves, water was brought to us by Fellah children, who for the uncertain chance of obtaining a few paras, will make the toilsome ascent of the Pyramid, in the wake of a party, laden with their dripping goolahs. We found their offering sufficiently well-timed, for the sun was now high above the horizon, and blazed upon us with such right good will, that we were glad enough to commence our descent. This is not to be accomplished without much caution, as one unlucky slip might prove fatal, and therefore, the aid of the Arabs is again called into requisition. As we neared the bottom we turned off to the left, and reaching the opening which conducts to the interior of the Pyramid, we lit our candles, and consigned ourselves to the care of the guides.

It is difficult, without reference to sectional views, to form any clear idea of the construction of such of the interior as has been explored, but there are few who have not studied with interest, and must therefore remember, the description given by Belzoni, of his remarkable discoveries. One after the other, and stooping down to avoid the low roof, we threaded a passage of considerable extent, inclining gradually downwards. This seemed as if cut out of the solid rock, and presented a polished appearance, from the contact of innumerable shoulders and elbows. The dust raised by our feet, and the heat and smoke of the torches, annoyed us exceedingly, and nearly suffocated me, who happened to be one of the hindermost. Before long, we reached a more open space, where we could stand upright, and eventually gained a chamber of large dimensions, which is supposed to be the very centre of the Pyramid. It contains a huge uncovered sarcophagus, long since rifled of its contents. The walls appeared perfectly black, coloured probably by the accumulated smoke of torches. Over this are four other chambers, access being only obtained to them by small steps of wood, let in at one of the angles of the wall. As many of these appeared to be wanting, whilst others were loose or broken, we retraced our steps without venturing to explore these upper regions.

On emerging again into daylight, we presented a ridiculous appearance: the heat had been so great, that the perspiration literally ran off us, streaking the soot that had been deposited upon our faces. Our clothes, too, were covered with dust, so that our ensemble partook both of the miller and the sweep. Our guides now informed us that we had by no means seen all, and that a well, and sundry subterranean passages had still to be explored. I was already so nearly choked with the lack of air and the bad odours, that I declined their kind offer to bury me a second time, and left the honour to my companion, awaiting his reappearance on the shady side of the Pyramid. His torch, however, dropped before he had proceeded two hundred yards, and he and his guide were compelled to grope their way out again, as well as they could, without having seen anything.

As we approached our resting-place of the preceding night, we became aware, from the unwonted noise of many Arabs and donkeys, together with an occasional hearty laugh, echoing from the cavern below, that some arrival had taken place during our absence at the Pyramid. This proved to be the case, and we found a party of our countrymen very coolly commencing an attack upon the breakfast which had been prepared for ourselves, by old Selim. Being in no mood to put up with any unwelcomed interference, we ejected the new comers without ceremony, although we afterwards relented in their favour, on discovering that by some mistake, they had left Cairo almost unprovided. Hearing that two of their party intended going on as far as the Pyramids of Sakhara, I volunteered to bear them company, leaving my companions, to whom a two nights’ absence would have been inconvenient, to return again to Cairo.

Our breakfast over, we set to work to clean our guns, in readiness for any stray sport we might fall in with by the way. To a comparison of our various arms, succeeded the usual boast of their excellent qualities, each of course thinking his own gun the best. This led to a trial of skill, and a beer-bottle having been placed in a conspicuous position on a point of rock, we blazed away for a considerable time, without any visible effect, for as the shot was a long one, the bottle was only to be broken by being struck exactly in the centre. Old Selim had been silently watching us at our sport, and thinking that he might possibly like to take his turn with the rest, I offered him my carbine, a choice Wesley Richards. Pushing it from him with the greatest contempt, he dived into one of the caverns, and produced a curious-looking implement, eight feet long, like an enormous pea-shooter, the barrel being bound to the stock in a dozen or more places, with brass wire, and having a flint lock of most primitive workmanship. The appearance of both Selim and his weapon, was so very outrè and ridiculous, that we could not suppress our laughter, and as none of us could believe that such a tool would stand the shock of a charge of powder, we instinctively got away as far as possible, when we saw it deliberately poised in the act of taking aim. After an interval of profound silence, came the click of the old lock, and a slight flash, then another interval, and a sharp report, the bottle, to all appearance, remained untouched, and in spite of the quiet, “fi fi,”[15] of the old man, we were about to indulge in a second laugh at his expense, when one of the donkey-boys brought it down from the rock, and we found two clean round holes in the very centre of the widest part just under the neck. Old Selim’s dexterity was rewarded with a full flask of good powder, one of the most acceptable offerings we could have made him.