Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

242
TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
mummies, on a sandy hill cr eminence, whose bottom is of hard
rock,
a circumstance that was observable when we entered the
pits.
Across this lake, which ran east and west, was a large mound,
or causeway, which led from a village opposite to Saccara to the
foot of the pyramids, and at the commencement of which, next to
the village, was a stone bridge having several arches. Near to it
was an elevated ground, which, as it corresponded exactly with the
account some authors have given
of the position of Memphis, we
fancied to be the site of that ancient and celebrated city. Our con-
the in-
jectures relative to the lake were that it had been applied by
their dead to
habitants of Memphis to the purpose of transporting
the plain or sepulchrt of mummies.
Previously to our arrival the Sheick of Bousir, a neighbouring
village, had been requested to procure us horses and guides to enable
us the mere readily
to reach the
pyramids,
and the other spots
we were desirous to visit. They were no sooner arrived than we
mounted and rode to the pyramids and plain of the mummies, ha-
ving taken the precaution to be provided with rope-ladders, candles,
and whatever besides was necessary for the investigation of the ca-
tacombs, into which we were about to descend. In entering the
pit we were obliged to take off a part of our garments ; and, ha-
ving reached the interior, were struck with awe by the solemn and
novel scene which presented itself to our view. Within the sub-
terraneous vaults or chambers the bones of mutilated mummies,
which had been so often rifled and disturbed that not one of them
could be found in an entire state, lay
scattered in confused heaps,
together with the bandages and coatings by which they had been
enveloped, the latter resembling a black bituminous substance. As
nothing in the vaults had preserved its original position,
it was in
vain for us to prosecute our researches to come at any thing
like a
perfect mummy; and we contented ourselves accordingly with collecting
s.ome of the mutilated portions, and some of the bituminous
matter, ascending afterwards to the mouth or pit of the catacombs.
The air of the cells into which we had penetrated was foul, noi-
some, and exrremely unpleasant to our sensations, since, indepen-
dently of the exclusion of the external air, and of the generation
of damp vapours, there was an additional source of noxious effluvia
from the gradual and progressive decay of the substances they con-
tained. They appeared to have been cut out of the solid rock, and
'o have been coated on the superior part by a thick layer of sand.