Lybian desert, throwing the mountain pyramids into fine relief against the gilded sky. The plain which we traversed was as riant as if it led to Paris: wide tracts of waving corn spread around, and an avenue of acacias concealed all of the distant city, except its minarets, and the silvery mist which rose amongst them. The air was very balmy, and the breeze, which had been exploring the Pyramids, seemed to be whispering its discoveries to the palm-trees, and the ruins which ever and anon we came to, and passed by. Suddenly the rich verdure ceased like a bank, and the ocean-like desert received our silent steps, which moved over its waves as noiselessly as ships upon the

water.

We killed, somewhat wantonly, two large silvery snakes, traversed some dreary glens, and, surrounded by an immense number of Arabs, soon found ourselves at the foot of the rocky platform on which stands the Great Pyramid. This advantage of ground has been but little noticed by travellers, and yet it gives an elevation to the site of the Pyramids of at least forty feet above the surrounding plain.

Vast as these Pyramids appear at a distance, they do not appear to increase in size as you approach; but when at length you arrive at their base, and look up and around, you feel, verily, as it were in an awful presence.

After indulging in the course of reveries usual on such occasions, we proceeded in a practical spirit to examine the sepulchre that was to be our lodging for the night. The rocky platform 1 have alluded to is hollowed out towards the south into numerous tombs; from these the unresisting dead have long been banished, but they still retain a charnel chill that must soon be fatal to any thing except Egyptian fleas. While we were waiting for din ner, such swarms of these animals came swarming and quivering over us that it gave us the sensation of wearing a hair shirt ; but there is nothing like statistics,-my companion slew fifty seven of these vampires, in the few minutes that intervened be tween our ordering dinner, and its appearance.

We did not remain long at a banquet in which we performed a passive as well as an active part, but hurried out to the Pyramids, accompanied only by five Bedouins, who had volun

teered as guides. It was midnight when we stood under the greatest wonder of the world, and then it appeared in all its mountain magnificence, eclipsing half the sky.

We climbed up some distance on the eastern front, when we found the narrow entrance, and then half-slided down a long narrow passage, which was admirably fitted with grooves for wheels the whole way through. There seemed to me little doubt that a car was adapted to run down this inclined plane, to be carried by the momentum of its descent up a circular staircase, now broken, which leads to another downward passage. These steep and smooth passages we traversed with considerable difficulty, the torches and naked Bedouins rendering the heat and other annoyances excessive: at length we stood in the King's Chamber, in the heart of the Pyramid, lined throughout with polished granite, and now quite empty. The body of the king has hitherto escaped the researches of caliphs and antiquaries, but is supposed by Sir Gardner Wilkinson to lie beneath a niche which he points out.

As soon as we entered, the Bedouins set up a shout that made the Pyramid echo again through all its galleries, and then, turning rudely round, they demanded money. We put a fierce face on the matter, and began our difficult ascent with the assistance of the angry guides. When we emerged from the Pyramid, the Arabs turned round again, and declared that we should not stir a step until we gave them money: as I put my hands in my girdle, a gigantic Bedouin drew near to receive the expected tribute, and was not a little startled to feel the cold muzzle of a pistol at his breast instead; he fell back terrified, and humbly begged for pardon. Giving him a kick, and threatening him with the bastinado, we drove our guides before us to the other pyramids, which we wandered about in the bright moonlight; and then, after a glimpse at the Sphinx, and a shot or two at jackals, returned to our abominable tomb. Here, stretched in our capotes upon the hard rock, we were soon asleep, though the indignant Arabs crowded and stormed outside, and myriads of fleas were avenging their cause within. We placed Abdallah for a door, reinforced him with a table, and courteously informed

our besiegers that the first Arab who presented himself would receive a bullet in his brains as the price of his admission.

By the first daylight we resumed our investigation of the Pyramids and the Sphinx. The latter is cut out of the solid rock, except the leonine paws, which are built of hewn stone. In front of this monster, and inclosed within her arms, is a paved court, about fifty feet in extent, on which sacrifices were offered; and there was a sanctuary in her bosom (which sounds well), wherein the priests worshipped. This fantastic animal is "always found representing a king, the union of intellect and physical force;" it abounds in ancient Egypt, though never elsewhere in a form of such colossal dimensions as here. It is called by the Arabs "the father of terror," or "immensity." Its features, as well as its attitude, convey an impression of profound repose: the former are mutilated, and want a nose, but appear to be Egyptian in their character; though they are partially painted of a dirty red color, and might pass for an exaggeration of the countenance of Crib after a severe "punishing," some authors have traced in them an expression of the softest beauty and most winning grace. If it were so, the contrast of such loveliness with the colossal size, and its leonine body, must have produced a wonderful effect-Una and her Lion, or the Zodiacal signs of Leo and Virgo, thus blended into one. Near her is an immense tomb, discovered by Colonel Vyse, containing a coffin of black basalt, which still remains; and a sarcophagus, which has been removed to the British Museum.

Sir Gardner Wilkinson dates the building of the Pyramids about 2160 B. C., or six hundred and twenty-five years before the Exodus of the Israelites. Lord Lindsay ingeniously argues that they were built by the shepherd kings, who were expelled by Alisphragmuthosis, the Pharaoh of our Joseph. This would make their date about 1900 B. c. Much has been said to contradict their having been used as sepulchres, and with some appearance of plausibility. If they were so used, they were doubtless connected also with the worship of the country, and may have been selected for the former purpose on account of their consecration, as we use Westminster Abbey. There seems little doubt that their for n, which we find also at Benares and in

Mexico, was meant to symbolise the creative principle; as was the obelisk, though in a manner which we cannot here discuss.

The erection of one of these Pyramids is ascribed to a Pharaonic princess of great beauty, who was one day taunted by her father with the inutility of the admiration that she excited. Pyramid-building was then the fashion of the family, and she vowed that she would leave behind her a monument of the power of her charms as perdurable as her august relations did of the power of their armies. The number of her lovers was increased by all those who were content to sacrifice their fortunes for her smiles. The Pyramid rose rapidly; with the frailty of its foundress, the massive monument increased; her lovers were ruined, but the fair architect became immortal, and found celebrity long afterwards in Sappho's verse.

Another legend relates that a beautiful Greek girl, named Rhodope, was once bathing in the Nile, and the very birds of the air hovered round to gaze upon her beauty. An eagle, more enthusiastic than the rest, carried away one of her slippers in his talons, but, startled by a shout of Memphian loyalty, he let fall the souvenir at the feet of Pharaoh, who was holding his court in the open air. It is needless to add how the Egyptian Cinderella was sought, how found, how wooed, how won; and how she now sleeps within her Pyramid.

To return to practical details: the Great Pyramid covers eight acres, and is eight hundred feet in height, or one-third higher than the cross on St. Paul's. Each Pyramid appears to have stood in a square court, hewn from the rock, in which were small tombs, and perhaps temples. Far away as the eye can follow, a line of Pyramids of various dimensions succeeds, among wavy heaps of tombs and catacombs, that might seem to be a cemetery for the world.

On our return to the tomb, we found the Sheikh of the village, who had heard of the robber-like demands of the Arabs, and had brought his executioner to bastinado them. We refused, perhaps weakly, to permit this; and, distributing some small gratuities that made the whole tribe happy, we took our homeward way, shooting quails as we passed through the corn-fields.

We visited the island of Rhoda on our return to Cairo, and

were very hospitably received by its superintendent, Mr. Trail, who escorted us over Ibrahim Pasha's extensive gardens: these are watered by innumerable little canals, filled from the river by the perpetual labor of sixty buffalocs at the water-wheels. There are some fine orange and pomegranate groves here; English art has done its utmost to imitate a European garden, but in vain. The following day I left Cairo without regret, except in being obliged to part from my fellow-traveller, who returned to Europe, while my path lay eastward still. I have hitherto abstained, as much as possible, from introducing him in these pages, feeling that I had no right to involve his name in my adventures. Neither is this a fit place to pronounce his eulogy; but a tribute to intellect, courage, kindness, and considerateness, can never be misplaced; and such I offer to the memory of our (to me, at least) most pleasant companionship.

It was late at night when we parted at the gates of Cairo, and I rode on alone to Boulac, where my boat awaited me. I had here another farewell to take; and, as we lingered under the trellised vines, talking over a past that then appeared so full, and a future that seemed then so blank, the night wore on; and, though the breeze blew fair, and the stream, like myself, was hurrying to the sea, I could still discern the summit of the Great Pyramid towering above the desert, when daylight came.