"The encolpion, which is a remarkable little piece of jewellery, 3 inches in height by 2.5 in breadth, has figures and inscriptions in niello and is believed to contain a fragment of the True Cross."
"It is second in height to the Great Pyramid of Giza—by a mere ninety-five feet."
"Manned by a single person and somewhat resembling a tortoise, six feet in height and seven feet stem to stern, it could remain submerged for half an hour, had a hand-driven propeller, and could reach a speed of three miles an hour."