found; and Belzoni often heard them uttering in a low voice, "magnoon!" which is, in plain English, madman! However, they went on with their excavations, and in a few days Belzoni discovered a large block of granite this gave him much pleasure. The next day three large blocks of granite were uncovered. His expectation and hope increased; as, to all appearance, he was near attaining the object of his search. Happily, he was not mistaken; for on the next day, the 2d of March 1818, at noon, they came to the right entrance into the pyramid. It proved to be a passage only four feet high, and it was almost filled up with large stones, which had fallen from the upper part. With some difficulty the stones were drawn out of this passage; and it was not until the evening of the next day that they reached a portcullis, which obstructed

their labour.

BERNARD. A portcullis, mother! What is that ?

OWEN.-I can tell you, Bernard. It is a sort of machine like a harrow, hung over the gates of a city, or any other place, to be let down to keep out an enemy.

MRS. A.-At first sight it appeared to be a fixed block of stone, and said ne plus ultra, as if ready to put an end to all Belzoni's projects. In time, however, the portcullis

was raised high enough for a man to pass.. An Arab entered with a torch, and returned saying that the place within was very fine.

BERNARD.-I should like to have had a torch, and peeped at the fine place within the portcullis myself! Should not you, Owen ?

OWEN.-You forget that the man was an Arab! a great enemy of yours, you know. -Well, mother.

MRS. A.-They continued by unwearied efforts to raise the portcullis, and at last made the opening large enough for Belzoni to enter it; and, after thirty days' exertion, he had the pleasure of finding himself in the way to the central chamber of one of the two mighty pyramids of Egypt. Having passed through several long passages cut out of the solid rock, he reached a door at the centre of a large chamber, and, walking two or three steps, stood still to contemplate the place where he was. It was a striking scene. He was in the centre of that pyramid which, from time immemorial, has been the subject of the obscure conjectures of many hundred travellers, both ancient and modern, and against whose hollow sides the sound of a human voice had not re-echoed for more than a thousand years!

EMILY.-Oh, mother! how awful it must have been! This was better than all-even than entering the temple of Ybsambul, or the tomb of Psammuthis!

;

MRS. A.-Belzoni's torch, formed of a few wax candles, but faintly glimmered and he looked around on the spot where not a ray of light had penetrated for more than eleven centuries! He was in the middle of one of those stupendous pyramids, which, in defiance of the ravages of time, still remain as monuments of ancient magnificence, and of the evanescent glory of those by whom they were erected.

When Belzoni had examined, and entered and re-entered the many chambers and passages within the pyramid, he returned to open daylight, highly gratified with the result of his researches: and I and I imagine, Owen, that he felt no small degree of satisfaction in applying to himself our favourite

motto

OWEN." Labor omnia vincit," mother! And it shall be my motto, whenever I have any thing difficult to do.

MRS. A.-In a few days, Belzoni, having arranged his affairs, became anxious to return to the valley of Beban el Malook; and not omitting to provide himself with every thing necessary for forming models and impressions of the figures, emblems, and hiero

glyphics in the tomb of Psammuthis, he set off for his old habitation among the sepulchres of Thebes.

BERNARD. Do let us follow him, dear mother: I am very glad he had such success in entering the pyramid, and I hope he will have as much in every thing that he undertakes. I see that patience is a very good quality, mother.

MRS. A. So it is, my dear boy; and if you will exercise it till to-morrow evening, I mean to tell you something more.

CHAP. IV.

EVENING came. The curtains were drawn; the candles lighted; and the juvenile party seated around their mother. "Mother always fulfils her promise," whispered Bernard to Emily: "we need not put her in mind of Belzoni."

MRS. A. overheard her little boy, smiled, and resumed her narrative:

Our friend was just about to return to the tombs of the kings when we took leave of him last night, I believe. After a rapid and agreeable voyage up the Nile, he arrived there and immediately proceeded to take

drawings and models, which employment detained him some months.

And we are now going to accompany him. to the Red Sea.

EMILY.-To the Red Sea, between Egypt and Arabia? I wonder what he means to do there! Will you please to tell us, mother, what inducement Belzoni had for going to the Red Sea ?

MRS. A.-Yes; you shall hear presently.

Our old friend, Mahomed Ali, the Bashaw, had been informed that there were some sulphur mines in the mountains near the sea-coast, and had sent an escort of soldiers and sixty camels to load with sulphur: but they had not succeeded in procuring it. However, this poor success did not discourage Ali, who was always ready to persevere in any enterprise. I dare say you recollect that he was of an active, inquisitive disposition; fond of new projects and new pursuits; like a certain person of my acquaintance !

OWEN (laughing).-Oh, yes, mother! He was delighted with the electrical machine, because he had never seen one before: he had a sugar-mill, a silk manufacture, and a gunpowder mill; and now he wanted sulphSulphur is used in the composition of gunpowder perhaps that was what he wanted it for.

ur.