The Dessoug docked at 51st Street today. We thought they were going to unload Cleopatra’s Needle there, but no. A crane on the dock lifted some big blocks of stone off the ship and swung them on to the shore. The blocks turned out to be the pedestal, the steps, and the foundation that are going to sit under Cleopatra’s Needle. A police officer told me they need to put those things in place first. That makes sense.
They put the pedestal on this big cart at 51st Street.
The pedestal was lowered onto a big truck wagon. I counted sixteen pairs of horses in front of the wagon—that’s thirty-two horses! I guess they need a lot of horse power to move the stone across Manhattan to Central Park. The pedestal looks soooooo heavy.
After they loaded up the wagon, it moved very slowly across 51st Street. Annie and I watched for a while. The workers had to stop two or three times because the wheels sank into the pavement. Or is it “sunk”? Anyway, the horses looked like they were working really hard to pull the wheels out of the grooves in the street. That’s how heavy the wagon is—and that’s only the pedestal!
I haven’t seen Cleopatra’s Needle itself yet, but I did see the man who is in charge of bringing it here from Egypt. His name is Lieutenant Commander Henry Gorringe, and all the newspapers are talking about him. Mr. Gorringe must be a very smart man. I saw him directing the workers at the truck wagon. He seems very calm and in charge.
And do you know what Mr. Gorringe’s middle name is, Diary? Honychurch! Isn’t that adorable?
Annie said we should go over to Mr. Gorringe and ask for his autograph. But I’m afraid. He seems so busy all the time. I would hate to bother him while he’s working so hard.
FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1880
Dear Diary,
Cleopatra’s Needle is becoming a Broadway star! They’re selling all kinds of silly things with pictures of obelisks on them. This morning I passed by a candy stand where a man was selling “Cleopatra dates.” They were in obelisk-shaped boxes. And there’s a new drink at restaurants called “the Obbylish.” I want to try one, but Mom said it’s a drink for grownups.
At our local sewing shop, you can buy Cleopatra’s Needle thread and other goodies. I saw a lady wearing a necklace that had a silver pencil shaped like Cleopatra’s Needle. I want one!
Annie and I went over to Greywacke Knoll today, where the Needle is going to stand forever. It’s one of the highest points in Central Park. We watched the workers cutting down some trees in the area, which was sad. Afterward, we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and looked at the Egyptian artifacts. It’s hard to believe some of them are over three thousand years old.
New York has obelisk fever!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1880
Dear Diary,
Everybody’s following the progress of Cleopatra’s Needle in the newspaper. Annie and I watched the workmen prepare the ground at Greywacke Knoll. They shoveled off the topsoil, and then they leveled the surface and filled the cracks in with concrete. They need to make it perfect and flat so Cleopatra’s Needle can stand up straight. After three thousand years, it would be horrible if it toppled over and broke in half!
The workers took a long time getting the ground ready. It was boring so we left.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1880
Dear Diary,
Now I know why they took Cleopatra’s Needle to Staten Island instead of bringing it straight to Manhattan. The newspapers say the man who owns the dock here wanted too much money and Mr. Gorringe refused to pay it. Good for him!
But today was a big day. My parents took me and Annie all the way to Staten Island to watch them unload Cleopatra’s Needle from The Dessoug. We took a ferryboat, which was fun.
The Dessoug is a big ship. It has to be, with that giant obelisk inside. When we got there, everybody (including me) was wondering how they were going to get Cleopatra’s Needle out of the ship. I couldn’t imagine. How would they lift the boat up high enough?
Mr. Gorringe must be a very smart man. Do you know what he did to lift the boat up, Diary?
Nothing! He just waited until the high tide came in at four o’clock in the afternoon. Then the water lifted the boat up all by itself. Smart!
“Hurry!” I heard Mr. Gorringe shouting to the workmen.
I guess they had to move fast before the tide went out again. A bunch of workers rushed over to The Dessoug with tools, and they started unscrewing plates on the side of the hull. It was very interesting to watch! I didn’t know it was possible to open up a boat like that.
We pushed closer to see it with our own eyes. Lots of people were there. We all wanted to catch the first glimpse of Cleopatra’s Needle as it poked its pointy top out of The Dessoug.
I counted. They took off thirty plates, opening up a big hole in the side of the boat. It was dark in there, so we couldn’t see anything yet.
Before they could slide Cleopatra’s Needle out of the ship, the workmen laid down metal tracks, sort of like railroad tracks. The tracks went all the way from the ship to the shore. They were closer together than regular railroad tracks. And do you know what they put on the tracks, Diary? Cannonballs! Isn’t that smart? I guess it will be easier to roll Cleopatra’s Needle out of the ship than it would be to drag it. The workmen built a little boardwalk next to The Dessoug.
It was time for the big moment. With all those people watching, it was hard to find a place to stand. Ropes were attached inside the ship and a bunch of strong men pulled on them. Suddenly this big pointy thing poked out of the ship. Everybody was cheering, even though we couldn’t see the actual Cleopatra’s Needle when it came through the hole because it is covered in wood. I guess that’s to protect it, sort of like the way a pillowcase protects a pillow.
It was exciting to watch them roll the wooden casing out of the ship. But we were still disappointed that we couldn’t see the Needle itself. I cut this picture out of the newspaper to show the big moment.
Finally, they took Cleopatra’s Needle off the ship.
After it was all the way out, the workmen rushed to rivet the plates back into place and close up the hole in The Dessoug. They wouldn’t be able to sail that ship anywhere with a big hole in one side, of course.
We caught the ferry back to Manhattan. Annie and I were sad because summer vacation is over now. School starts tomorrow. I won’t be able see Mr. Gorringe and his men bring Cleopatra’s Needle to Central Park. Maybe Annie and I can go after school and on weekends.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1880
Dear Diary,
I begged Mom and Dad to go to Staten Island again, but they said I have to go to school. They are so mean! I’ll have to wait until Cleopatra’s Needle gets to Manhattan. It should be here in about a week.
