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six in height； hewn out of the living rock； of which
it had formed part； and was still attached to at the
base。 These tables were slightly hollowed out or
curved inward； to give room for the knees of any one
sitting on the stone ledge that had been cut for a
bench along the side of the cave at a distance of
about two feet from them。 Each of them； also； was so
arranged that it ended right under a shaft pierced in
the rock for the admission of light and air。 On
examining them carefully； however； I saw that there
was a difference between them that had at first
escaped my attention； viz。； that one of the tables；
that to the left as we entered the cave； had evidently
been used； not to eat upon； but for the purposes of
embalming。 That this was beyond all question the case
was clear from five shallow depressions in the stone
of the table； all shaped like a human form； with a
separate place for the head to lie in； and a little
bridge to support the neck； each depression being of a
different size； so as to fit bodies varying in stature
from a full…grown man's to a small child's； and with
little holes bored at intervals to carry off fluid。
And； indeed； if any further confirmation were
required； we had but to look at the wall of the cave
above to find it。 For there； sculptured all round the
apartment； and looking nearly as fresh as the day it
was done； was the pictorial representation of the
death； embalming； and burial of an old man with a long
beard； probably an ancient king or grandee of this
country。
The first picture represented his death。 He was lying
upon a couch which had four short curved posts at the
corners coming to a knob at the end； in appearance
something like a written note of music； and was
evidently in the very act of expiring。 Gathered round
the couch were women and children weeping； the former
with their hair hanging down their backs。 The next
scene represented the embalmment of the body； which
lay nude upon a table with depressions in it； similar
to the one before us； probably； indeed； it was a
picture of the same table。 Three men were employed at
the workone superintending； one holding a funnel
shaped exactly like a port…wine strainer； of which the
narrow end was fixed in an incision in the breast； no
doubt in the great pectoral artery； while the third；
who was depicted as standing straddle legged over the
corpse； held a kind of large jug high in his hand； and
poured from it some steaming fluid which fell
accurately into the funnel。 The most curious part of
this sculpture is that both the man with the funnel
and the man who poured the fluid are drawn holding
their noses； either I suppose because of the stench
arising from the body； or more probably to keep out
the aromatic fumes of the hot fluid which was being
forced into the dead man's veins。 Another curious
thing which I am unable to explain is that all three
men were represented as having a band of linen tied
round the face with holes in it for the eyes。
The third sculpture was a picture of the burial of the
deceased。 There he was； stiff and cold； clothed in a
linen robe； and laid out on a stone slab such as I had
slept upon at our first sojourning…place。 At his head
and feet burned lamps； and by his side were placed
several of the beautiful painted vases that I have
described； which were perhaps supposed to be full of
provisions。 The little chamber was crowded with
mourners； and with musicians playing on an instrument
resembling a lyre； while near the foot of the corpse
stood a man with a sheet； with which he was preparing
to cover it from view。
These sculptures； looked at merely as works of art；
were so remarkable that I make no apology for
describing them rather fully。 They struck me also as
being of surpassing interest as representing； probably
with studious accuracy； the last rites of the dead as
practised among an utterly lost people； and even then
I thought how envious some antiquarian friends of my
own at Cambridge would be if ever I got an opportunity
of describing these wonderful remains to them。
Probably they would say that I was exaggerating；
notwithstanding that every page of this history must
bear so much internal evidence of its truth that it
would obviously have been quite impossible for me to
have invented it。
To return。 As soon as I had hastily examined these
sculptures； which I think I omitted to mention were
executed in relief； we sat down to a very excellent
meal of boiled goat's…flesh； fresh milk； and cakes
made of meal； the whole being served upon clean wooden
platters。
When we had eaten we returned to see how poor Leo was
getting on； Billali saying that he must now wait upon
_i_ She _i_ ； and hear her commands。 On reaching Leo's
room we found the poor boy in a very bad way。 He had
woke up from his torpor； and was altogether off his
head； babbling about some boat…race on the Cam； and
was inclined to be violent。 Indeed； when we entered
the room Ustane was holding him down。 I spoke to him；
and my voice seemed to soothe him； at any rate he grew
much quieter； and was persuaded to swallow a dose of
quinine。
I had been sitting with him for an hour； perhapsat
any rate I know that it was getting so dark that I
could only just make out his head lying like a gleam
of gold upon the pillow we had extemporized out of a
bag covered with a blanketwhen suddenly Billali
arrived with an air of great importance； and informed
me that _i_ She _i_ herself had deigned to express a
wish to see mean honor； he added； accorded to but
very few。 I think that he was a little horrified at my
cool way of taking the honor； but the fact was that I
did not feel overwhelmed with gratitude at the
prospect of seeing some savage； dusky queen； however
absolute and mysterious she might be； more especially
as my mind was full of dear Leo； for whose life I
began to have great fears。 However； I rose to follow
him； and as I did so I caught sight of something
bright lying on the floor； which I picked up。 Perhaps
the reader will remember that with the potsherd in the
casket was a composition scarabaeus marked with a
round O； a goose； and another curious hieroglyphic；
the meaning of which signs is 〃Suten se Ra^；〃 or
〃Royal Son of the Sun。〃 This scarab； which is a very
small one； Leo had insisted upon having set in a
massive gold ring； such as is generally used for
signets； and it was this very ring that I now picked
up。 He had pulled it off in the paroxysm of his fever；
at least I suppose so； and flung it down upon the
rock…floor。 Thinking that if I left it about it might
get lost； I slipped it on to my own little finger； and
then followed Billali； leaving Job and Ustane with
Leo。
We passed down the passage； crossed the great aisle…
like cave； and came to the corresponding passage on
the other side； at the mouth of which the guards stood
like two statues。 As we came they bowed their heads in
salutation； and then lifting their long spears placed
them transversely across their foreheads； as the
leaders of the troop that had met us had done with。
their ivory wands。 We stepped between them； and found
ourselves in an exactly similar gallery to that which
led to our own apartments； only this passage was；
comparatively speaking； brilliantly lighted。 A few
paces down it we were met by four mutestwo men and
two womenwho bowed low and then arranged themselves；
the women in front and the men behind us； and in this
order we continued our procession past several
doorways hung with curtains resembling those leading
to our own quarters； and which I afterwards found
opened out into chambers occupied by the mutes who
attended on _i_ She _i_ 。 A few paces more and we came
to another doorway facing us； and not to our left like
the others； which seemed to mark the termination of
the passage。 Here two more white； or rather yellow；
robed guards were standing； and they too bowed；
saluted； and let us pass through heavy curtains into a
great ante…chamber； quite forty feet long by as many
wide； in which some eight or ten women； most of them
young and handsome； with yellowish hair； sat on
cushions working with ivory needles at what had the
appearance of being embroidery…frames。 These women
were also deaf and dumb。 At the farther end of this
great lamp lit apartment was another doorway closed in
with heavy Oriental…looking curtains； quite unlike
those that hung before the doors of our own rooms； and
here stood two particularly handsome girl mutes； their
heads bowed upon their bosoms and their hands crossed
in an attitude of the humblest submission。 As we
advanced they each stretched out an arm and drew back
the curtains。 Thereupon Billali did a curious thing。
Down he went； that venerable…looking old gentleman
for Billali is a gentleman at the bottomdown on to
his hands and knees； and in this undignified position；
with his long white beard trailing on the ground； he
began to creep into the apartment beyond。 I followed
him； standing on my feet in the usual fashion。 Looking
over