Part 69

Near the tramway-terminus is a station for donkeys and camels (5 pias. per hour; see also pp. 173, 174).—The plateau is open to the public and may be quite well explored without a guide. TICKETS of admittance to the monuments themselves are sold at a stall next to the _Viceregal Kiosque_, at the N.E. corner of the Great Pyramid. Guides (Bedouins) also are obtained here on application to their sheikh (recognizable by the rosette on his breast). Ticket for the ascent of the Great Pyramid 10 pias. (for the interior, also 10 pias.); for the other monuments 5 pias.; for the entire expedition, including the ascent of the Great Pyramid and the visit to its interior, 20 pias.—Bakshîsh optional, but it is usual to give a few piastres. No attention should be paid to beggars or to vendors of ‘antiquities’. Unofficial guides who try to thrust themselves on visitors should be repelled, with the aid of the police if need be.

The **=Pyramids of Gîzeh= form the second and most imposing of the six groups of pyramids extending along the border of the Libyan desert, in a line of about 19 M. in length. To the N.W. is the _Abu Roâsh_ group, towards the S.E. are the groups of _Zâwyet el-Aryân_, _Abusîr_ (p. 464), _Sakkâra_ (p. 464), and _Dahshûr_ (p. 464). The Arabs call them _ahrâm_ (sing, _háram_).

The Pyramids of Gîzeh, creations of the 4th Dynasty (about B.C. 2850 to 2700), rank among the oldest monuments of human industry, and their colossal proportions extort from us to-day the same astonishment that was felt in antiquity by Greek and Roman travellers. We marvel both at the technical skill shown by the Egyptians in their construction, and at the might of the kings, who must have had the services of many thousands of their subjects at command. The pyramids are believed to have been built in layers. Each king at his accession began to erect his tomb-pyramid on a small scale. If wealthy or long-lived he enlarged the original design, and after his death the outer covering was added.

The **=Great Pyramid=, erected by Kheops or Cheops, the Khufu of the Egyptians, was called by them _Yekhwet Khufu_ (the ‘glorious place of Khufu’). Herodotus (II, 125) states that 100,000 men were employed for three months every year in building it. The outer covering, with the exception of a few fragments on the base below the entrance, has disappeared. Each side is now 248 yds. in length (originally 255 yds.). The perpendicular height is 450 ft. (once, to the apex, 480 ft.). The sides rise at an angle of 51°50′. The solid content of the masonry, deducting the nucleus of rock and the chambers in the interior, was formerly about 3,302,500 (and is still about 3,081,100) cubic yards. This stupendous structure is composed of yellowish limestone blocks, quarried in the vicinity and containing numerous fossils, chiefly nummulites (a kind of snail-shell), while the incrustation consisted of blocks of a finer white limestone from the Mokattam quarries.

The ASCENT of the Pyramid, though free from danger, is very toilsome. The visitor is helped up the steps, mostly 3 ft. high, by three Bedouins, two holding his hands and the third pushing behind. We may reach the top, a platform of 11 yds. square, in 10–15 min., but a more leisurely ascent is advisable. The *View of the yellow sands and bare rocks of the great desert-plateau, on which rise the Sphinx, the smaller pyramids of Gîzeh, and the more distant tombs stretching as far as Dahshûr, awakens solemn thoughts of death and eternity. At our feet stretches a tract of rich arable land, luxuriantly clothed with blue-green vegetation and entirely inundated in autumn. To the E., beyond the glittering river, rise the citadel of Cairo and the warmly-coloured Mokattam hills.

The INTERIOR of the Pyramid will not interest ordinary travellers. The air in the passages, hall, and tomb-chamber is hot and stifling and makes the visit very disagreeable.

From the E. side of the Great Pyramid, where a _Temple_ for the cult of the dead once stood, we walk past the _Three Small Pyramids_ of relatives of Kheops to the Sphinx, which rises from the sand of the desert some 350 yds. to the S.E.

The **=Sphinx=, the most famous monument in this vast burial-ground, probably once a natural rock, has the form of a recumbent lion with the head of a king (Khephren?), wearing a head-cloth adorned with the royal serpent. In front of the breast is the image of a god, much weather-worn. The head also is sadly mutilated, the nose and beard have broken off, and the reddish tint which once enlivened the face has almost entirely disappeared. But in spite of all injuries the monument preserves a striking expression of strength and majesty. The eyes have a pensive, faraway look, the lips wear a half-smile, and the whole face is of graceful and beautiful type. The height of the monument, from the pavement on which the fore-legs of the lion rest to the crown of the head is about 66 ft.; its length, from the lion’s fore-paws to the root of the tail, is about 186 ft. On the top of the head is a cavity.

Some 48 yds. to the S.E. of the Sphinx are the remains of the *=Granite Temple=, or _Sphinx Temple_, a large building of hewn stone. It was once the sacred entrance through which the Pyramid of Khephren (see below) was approached from the valley below. The edifice is a fine example of majestic simplicity, and the very hard stone has been treated with marvellous skill. The exterior of the temple is buried in rubbish. The two main halls are rectangular, and the beams of their ceilings rested on granite pillars.

The CIRCUIT OF THE PYRAMID PLATEAU (1½–2 hrs.) is interesting. From the Great Pyramid we walk to the W. to the great =Burial Ground= of the relatives and officials of the royal family, as well as of the priests and officials of the temples of the dead. The square tombs (_mastabas_) are ranged in straight lines like streets, affording a good example of an Egyptian necropolis. On the way we pass the Tomb of _Shepses-kef-onekh_, dating from the 5th Dynasty (about 2700–2550 B.C.).

Through a cleft in the rock, near the _Quarry_ which yielded the stone in the reign of Ramses II. for the temple of Heliopolis (p. 459), we descend to the artificially levelled plateau of the—

=Second Pyramid=, Egyp. _Wer-Khefrē_ (‘great is Khefrē‘), built by Khephren (Khefrē). Standing on higher ground, it looks larger than the Pyramid of Kheops. Its perpendicular height is 447 (once 454) ft.; each side is 230 (formerly 235) yds. in length; its sides rise at an angle of 52°20′. The masonry has a solid content of 2,173,552 (once 2,445,377) cub. yds.

The foundations of the _Temple of the Dead_, on the E. side of the pyramid, were excavated in 1908. On the W. side of the pyramid we observe an _Inscription_ and several _Rock Tombs_. Adjacent is a mummy shaft (caution advisable).

The road now leads to the S.W. to the =Third Pyramid=, Egyp. _Neter-Menkewrē_ (‘divine is Menkewrē‘), built by Menkewrē, the Mykerinos of Herodotus. Its perpendicular height is 204 (once 218) ft., while its sides rise at an angle of 51°; each side of the base measures 118 yds. The stones are unusually large. To the S. rise _Three Small Pyramids_.

We next walk to the remains of the _Temple of the Dead_ to the E. of the third pyramid and then follow the ancient paved track by which the stones were once brought up from the Nile valley. On the way, among several _Rock Tombs_, are the ruins of an unfinished pyramid. Passing a very ruinous family burial-place of the 26th Dynasty, called _Campbell’s Tomb_ after its discoverer, we now descend to the _Granite Temple_ (see above), and walk to the N.W., past the _Sphinx_ (p. 462), to the _Three Small Pyramids_ (p. 462) near the Pyramid of Kheops.

Lastly we may visit the _Rock Tombs_ of the Ancient Empire, near the Arab village _Kafr el-Hâram_. The best-known, the ‘_Tomb of Numbers_‘, contains badly preserved reliefs (counting of cattle).

=5.= The EXCURSION TO MEMPHIS AND SAKKÂRA is easily made in one day. Provisions (supplied by the hotels in lieu of déjeuner), candles (obtainable also at Bedrashein), and if possible an acetylene lamp should be taken. We start early from the chief station (first train usually at 7 a.m.) by the Upper Egyptian line for _Bedrashein_ (1 hr.; fare 16½ or 8½ pias.), where donkeys are in waiting (to Sakkâra and back 10 pias.; bargain should be made in presence of the Bedouin sheikh). The ride back takes fully 1½ hr. (train for Cairo at present 4.56 p.m.). Tickets for the monuments (5 pias.) are sold by the custodians or at _Mariette’s House_ (p. 465).

Robust travellers may ride from Sakkâra along the margin of the desert, or viâ the pyramids of _Abusîr_, in 2½–3 hrs. to the _Mena House Hotel_ (p. 461). The charge (15–20 pias.) should be agreed upon with the donkey-boy at the Bedrashein station. In the reverse direction we may go by tramway to Gîzeh (comp. p. 461), and ride thence viâ the Pyramids of Gîzeh to Sakkâra (donkey 20, camel 30 pias.; comp. pp. 173, 174). Or we may drive in a desert-car (80 pias.) from Mena House Hotel along the border of the desert to Sakkâra.

The RAILWAY, passing _Bûlâk_ (p. 454), runs to the N.W. and crosses the _Nile_. 2 M. _Embâbeh_, noted for the ‘battle of the Pyramids’, in which Bonaparte defeated the Mamelukes in 1798.—Describing a circuit the train next comes to (6¼ M.) _Bûlâk ed-Dakrûr_, on a Nile canal. At (8 M.) _Gîzeh_ (p. 461) we sight the Pyramids (p. 461) on the right, and then, on the left, Old Cairo (p. 460) and the long range of the Mokattam (p. 454), continued to the S.E. by _Gebel Turra_. Next, on the left, is _Gezîret Tirsâ_, an island in the Nile.

14½ M. _Abu Nemrûs._ On the right rise the hills bordering the Libyan desert, with the pyramids of Abusîr. Beyond (17½ M.) _El-Hawamdîyeh_ the step-pyramid (p. 465) is visible for a short time. To the left, at the foot of Gebel Turra, lies _Helwân_ (_Hélouan_), a winter health-resort.

20½ M. =Bedrashein=, on the E. side of the railway.

From the railway-crossing we ride to the W., past the village (Wed. market), by a road through green fields, which are entirely flooded in autumn, to the (20 min.) palm-grove of Bedrashein.

In the foreground, shaded by palms, lies the site of =Memphis=, now a heap of débris, the oldest capital of Egypt, founded under the name of ‘White Walls’ about 3400 B.C. by Menes, the first historical king. The vast area of the ruins seems to have extended, down to the 12th cent. A.D., as far as Gîzeh. The chief quarters of the city probably lay on the fields of Bedrashein and _Mit-Rahîneh_.

The road forks 20 min. beyond Bedrashein. The SUMMER ROUTE, impassable during the inundations, leads to the left in about 8 min. to the two *_Colossal Statues of Ramses II._ (p. 456), both now prostrate, which once stood at the entrance to the famous temple of Ptah. The first is 25 ft., or including the crown 31½ ft., long; the second, protected by a mud-hut (adm. 4 pias.), is 42 ft. in length.

We now ride on, leaving the village of Mit Rahîneh at a little distance to the right, towards the palm-grove of _Sakkâra_, at the foot of the desert-plateau. On the yellow sand of the desert rise eleven pyramids. To the extreme left (S.) is the necropolis of _Dahshûr_, where the ‘blunted pyramid’ or ‘pyramid of the two angles’ catches the eye. To the right (to the N.W. of the huts of Sakkâra) rise the Onnos and step-pyramids (see below).

Turning to the N. near Sakkâra, ½ hr. beyond the statues of Ramses, and skirting the palm-grove, we ride towards the ruins of some mud-built houses. The WINTER ROUTE from the bifurcation mentioned at p. 464 makes a long bend to the N. and leads through the palm-grove of Bedrashein and past the ruins of the brick houses of ancient Memphis; it then crosses a sluice-bridge, passes on either side several ponds, and rejoins the summer route.

We now ascend to the sandy plateau and overlook the *=Necropolis of Sakkâra=. This vast area, about 4½ M. long from N. to S. and from 550 to 1600 yds. in breadth from E. to W., has afforded material for repeated exploration.

We ride straight to the *_Step Pyramid_ (Arab. El-Hâram el-Mudarrag), the great landmark of Sakkâra. This was the tomb of king Zoser (3rd Dynasty, about 2900–2850 B.C.), and is still older than the pyramids of Gîzeh. It is 196 ft. high, and each step recedes about 6½ ft.

About 330 yds. to the S.W. of the Step Pyramid rises the _Pyramid of King Onnos_ (or Unis; about 2550 B.C.), which is easily scaled. The view embraces all the pyramids from Dahshûr to Gîzeh. The central chamber and burial-vault in the interior (shown by the custodian) are full of hieroglyphic inscriptions, the oldest religious Egyptian text known.

Beyond the Step Pyramid, in the direction of Mariette’s House, we suddenly obtain a striking view of the pyramids of Abusîr and Gîzeh to the N.; in the palm-shaded Nile valley, bordered by the yellowish-grey desert, we observe in the distance the mosque of Mohammed Ali (p. 454).

When the road forks we ride to the left to the _Mastaba of Ptahhotep_, the tomb of the highest state-official of a king of the 5th Dynasty (about 2700–2550 B.C.). The interesting, delicately executed wall-reliefs, like those of the almost contemporaneous mastaba of Ti (p. 466), are among the finest of the Ancient Empire but are imperfectly lighted. The richest wall-decoration is in the sacrificial chamber (funeral repast, rural scenes, etc.).

We now repair to _Mariette’s House_, a little to the N., where the famous Egyptologist lived during the excavations. We rest and take luncheon on the terrace here. (Custodians 2½–5 pias.; Arabian coffee provided if desired.)

A few min. to the W. of Mariette’s house is the *_Serapeum_, with the underground rock-tombs of the sacred bulls of the god Ptah.

Apis, the sacred bull, had a temple of his own at Memphis, and after death was buried with great pomp. He represented man in a future state as identified with the god Osiris, and his tomb was a favourite goal of pilgrims. Hermits too sometimes lived in the narrow cells of the tomb. After Ptolemy I. had introduced the cult of Serapis (p. 435) into Egypt, this new god was identified with Osiris-Apis (Egyp. Oser-hapē, Gr. Osorapis).

The temple over the Apis tombs has disappeared, and so too has a second temple erected here by Nektanebos (358–341 B.C.), to which the great sphinx avenue ascended from the plain below. The main passage to the tombs, which was constructed by Psammetichos I. (663–609), is now alone accessible. In the tomb-chambers are still preserved 24 of the huge sarcophagi in which the mummies of the Apis bulls reposed.

The famous *_Mastaba of Ti_, to the N.E. of Mariette’s house, is still deeply imbedded in the sand. This was the tomb of the royal architect of king Nuserrē (5th Dyn.). The most beautiful of the reliefs are in the tomb-chamber, which is entered from the road through two vestibules and two passages. We note particularly, on the E. wall, Harvest and Boat-building; on the S. wall, Sacrifices to the dead; on the N. wall, *Scenes from life in the Delta marshes.

Those who do not intend to ride on to Gîzeh may, on their way back, glance at the _Tomb of Merekura_, of the early 6th Dynasty, and at the _Street of Tombs_ near it, of like date (including the _Tomb of Enkhmē-Hor_, also called the ‘Tomb of the Physicians’, etc.)

For full details, see _Baedeker’s Egypt_.

=72. From Alexandria or Port Said to Beirut= (_Smyrna_, _Constantinople_) =viâ Jaffa=.

464 (or 261) M. STEAMERS (mostly small and old; agents at Alexandria, see p. 432; at Port Said, p. 437; at Jaffa, p. 467; at Beirut, pp. 481, 482). =1.= _Messageries Maritimes_, S. Mediterranean line (coming from Marseilles, and touching at Alexandria): from Port Said on Frid. (returning Mon. or Tues.) to Beirut, alternately direct in 1 day and viâ Jaffa in 2 days; fare from Port Said to Jaffa 35 or 25 fr., to Beirut 65 or 55 fr.—=2.= _Austrian Lloyd_ (Trieste and Syria line; comp. R. 68; touching at Alexandria): from Port Said on Mon. aft. viâ Jaffa and Haifa to Beirut in ca. 2½ days (returning Thurs. night); fare from Port Said to Jaffa 33 or 22 K, to Beirut 75 or 52 K.—=3.= _Khedivial Mail Co._ (coming from Alexandria), from Port Said on Sun. aft. viâ Jaffa and Haifa in ca. 1½ days to Beirut (going on, every alternate week, to Alexandretta and Constantinople), returning from Beirut Sun. foren.; fare from Port Said to Jaffa £ 1 E 35 pias. or £ E 1, to Beirut £ 2 E 60 pias. or £ E 2.—=4.= _Russian Steam Navigation & Trading Co._ (Syria and Egypt circular line; coming from Alexandria), from Port Said on Mon. or Sat. nights viâ Jaffa and Haifa in ca. 2 days to Beirut (going on to Smyrna and Constantinople), returning from Beirut Tues. or Wed. aft.; fare 60 or 44 fr. (to Jaffa 36 or 26 fr.).—=5.= _German Levant Line_, cargo-steamers from Alexandria twice monthly viâ Jaffa and Haifa to Beirut (comp. R. 65).—=6.= _Società Nazionale_ (Lines VII, VII bis; coming from Alexandria), from Port Said each monthly viâ Jaffa to Beirut in ca. 2 days.

As to passports, see p. 491; Turkish money, p. 536.

_Alexandria_, see p. 431; _Port Said_, see p. 436. The flat Egyptian coast disappears soon after we leave Port Said.

Nearing Jaffa we survey the hill-country of _Judaea_, with the heights around Jerusalem and (to the N.E.) the mountains of _Samaria_, The broad coast-plain, flanked with low dunes, is the ancient _Peleshet_, the ‘plain’, stretching from the Egyptian frontier to Mt. Carmel (p. 468), once inhabited by the _Philistines_ (Pelishtîm).

* * * * *

=Jaffa.=—ARRIVAL. The steamers anchor in the open roads. In winter, when a westerly gale is blowing, it is often impossible to land. Passengers must then go on to Haifa (p. 468) or to Beirut (p. 481). The arrangements for landing are unsatisfactory; in rough weather as much as 20 fr. is demanded. It is best to land in one of the boats belonging to the hotels or tourist-agents (see below; 6–7 fr. to station or to hotel, incl. baggage, on which a watchful eye should be kept), and to decline the services of other boatmen or of porters and dragomans (Arabic terjumân). The passport office and custom-house are in the S. angle of the harbour. Customs examination, see p. 537.

RAILWAY STATION to the N.E. of the town, 1½ M. from the harbour.

HOTELS (charges should be ascertained at once; advisable to order rooms beforehand in the height of the season). _Jerusalem Hotel_ and _Hôt. du Parc_, both in the German colony, pens. 12½, in the quiet season 8 fr.; _Hôt. Kaminitz_, in Rue Boustrous, leading to the German colony; _Frank_, in the German colony, with restaurant.

TOURIST AGENTS. _Thos. Cook & Son_, opposite the Jerusalem Hotel; _Clark_, in the Hôt. du Parc; _Dr. Benzinger_, at Frank’s Hotel; _Hamburg-American Line_, _Agence Lubin_, both at the harbour.—STEAMBOAT OFFICES all on the quay, to the N.E. of the custom-house.

POST OFFICES. _Turkish_ in Rue Boustrous (also International Telegraph); _German_ and _Austrian-Hungarian_, at the N.E. end of the quay; _French_, farther to the N.E.; _Russian_, on the quay, opposite the Quarantine Station.

CONSULS. British Vice-Consul, _J. Falanga_.—United States Consular Agent, _J. Hardegg_.

PHYSICIANS. _Dr. J. M. Keith_ (medical superintendent of the _English Hospital_); _Dr. Lin_ (French); _Dr. Lorch_, _Dr. Saad_ (both German).

BANKS. _Anglo-Palestine Co._, _Banque Ottomane_, both in the Gaza Road; _German Palaestina-Bank_, _Crédit Lyonnais_, both on the quay.

ENGLISH CHURCH SERVICES, on Sun. at 9.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.

CARRIAGES. Drive 1 beshlik (3½ pias.); ½ day 10, day 20 fr.; to Jerusalem (7–8 hrs.) in the season 50–60 fr. (single seat 10–15 fr.), to Haifa (1½–2 days), 100–140 fr., according to weather.

_Jaffa_, Arabic _Yâfâ_, Gr. _Joppa_ (pop. 47,000, viz. about 30,000 Moslems, 10,000 Christians, and 7000 Jews), originally a Phœnician colony in the land of the Philistines, is mentioned as early as the reign of Solomon (p. 472) as the seaport of Jerusalem. The Maccabees (p. 472) brought it under Jewish domination. During the Crusades it was repeatedly wrested from the Christians, and in 1267 it was destroyed by the Mameluke sultan Beybars. In 1799 the town was stormed by the French under Kléber (p. 444).

The old town rises on a rock 118 ft. high, behind the _Quay_, built towards the end of the 17th century. Its streets are very dusty and in wet weather muddy.

The quay and its prolongation, the main arteries of traffic, lead in a curve towards the E. to the _Market_ (Sûk), where the Semitic type of the inhabitants is very noticeable.

Beyond this market is a public garden with a _Clock Tower_ erected by the town of Jaffa to commemorate the 25th year of the reign of the now deposed Sultan Abdul Hamid (1876–1909), and several Arabian cafés. The Gaza road leads thence to the right through the S. suburb. The Jerusalem road leads straight on through the new town and a number of orange-groves; after 12 min. a road diverges to the left to the Russian settlement, where we are shown the site of the house of _Tabitha_ and her rock-tomb (Acts ix. 35). The Rue Boustrous leads to the left to the railway-station and the pleasant houses of the _German Colony_, founded in 1868 (about 350 inhab., chiefly of the ‘Temple’ sect).

A second colony of these Templars is _Sarona_, 1 M. to the N.E., behind the dunes, in the coast-plain of _Sharon_ between Jaffa and Cæsarea, famed ever since ancient times for its fertility. The vine in

## particular thrives here admirably.

* * * * *

Beyond Jaffa the STEAMER soon passes the mouth of the _Nahr el-Aujâ_, the largest river in Palestine next to the Jordan, and then, near the N. boundary of Judæa, the site of _Apollonia_ (now _Arsûf_). Farther on we sight the scanty ruins of _Caesarea Palaestina_ (Arabic _El-Kaisarîyeh_), a seaport founded by Herod the Great, which in the Roman period surpassed Jerusalem.

Beyond the _Nahr ez-Zerkâ_ (‘blue river’, p. xxxiii), the _Crocodile River_ of Pliny, come the little town of _Tantûra_, the _Dor_ of the Old Testament, which classical authors say was a Phœnician colony, and then _Atlît_, the _Castellum Peregrinorum_ of the Crusaders, the seat of the Knights Templar in 1218–91, with its grand ruins.

The beautiful outlines of *_Mt. Carmel_ (1811 ft.; _Jebel Mâr Elyâs_, ‘sacred mount of Elijah’) become more distinct. On the hill-side is the _Carmelite Monastery_ (558 ft.), the original seat of the order, which extended its sphere to Europe in 1238. Below it, on the evergreen N. slope of the range, rises a _Lighthouse_.