Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - Diary - 1914 - 1917 - Part 3

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Visited the Hospital this aft'n - a young man 
(McIntosh) died suddenly & was buried today -
(Influenza & meginitis) Methodist.
Received my letters from Commr & 1 from
Carpenter. Attended lecture on Pyramids
Synopsis!-
Sands examined, find ground, worn, smooth
not good for building - perpetually shifting
chiefly blows in one direction, [[con?]] up
everything, so preserves buildings etc
Cities built of mud bricks (sunbaked)
periods, fall down, build on ruins &
so sites become higher than ordinary
level of country, these ruins used for
manure for cultivation rich in salts
Gold found in ruins & some other treasure
Tombs substantially built with stone &
marble etc & these covered with sand.
Around the Pyramids very many miles
of cemeteries, wherever one digs they
find human bones preserved by the sand
Many famous Monuments at least
5,000 years old. The large Pyramid
one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient
world. Carefully & minutely surveyed
by Flinders & Petrie, with the instruments
used by the men who dileaniated the
boundry between Britain & France
The exactitude found to be almost
miraclous, the differences between
the sides is no more than a [[?tunnels breadth]]
a great core of stone runs up thro'
the centre, a main Arch, 3 lesser
arches above to help carry weight
off main arch. It covers 13

39
acres of land. each side faces the points
of compass E.W.N.S. [[crane??]] E.S.E.
(N.W) (S.W.). Each Pyramid had two temples
one near the Pyramid & one lower down
to the East of each Pyramid. With lovely
Causeways running down to each
one of the lower Temple is to be found
near the Sphnix. The Sphnix is carved
out of a large rock formation
which is really meant for an ornament
to the lower Temples. The
originals features were meant to
be the likeness of the Great King
whose memorial it was, but vandals
have so disfigured it, that it is almost
unrecognisable. Pyramids covered
with alabaster, much of this taken
off by Arabs to build Mosques in City.
The stones of Memphis largely taken to
build Cairo, [[?]] Tombs at "[[?]]"
very wonderful. "Palm groves now
planted etc. 6 years to produce fruit.
Pyramid in building - King died, son
finished in mud brick & then built
his own, would not trust successor
another large excavation 100 x 50
x 50 deep, 4 rows of marble blocks
let down into well 4 ft x 4 square
"sarcophagus" built in centre This
man evidently started to build and
could not finish, now standing
like this been unearthed. [[??]] &
parties now digging 100 to 200 men
in each, many discoveries
made, bones galore. Pots etc etc
as also many ancient coins.
 

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Tendency of cities go north seeking
cool air, wealthy classes always
north of cities. Saladin with
Cairo. Ishmail with Cairo. Museum
of Cairo, much unexplained Territory
Tombs chiefly.