Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-08-10
serving, and wrapping up these de-
ightful brutes.

serving, and wrapping up these de-
ightful brutes.
In the midst of the army of croco-
die mummies there is another array
of human mummies. These have no
sarcophagi they are simply swathed
in the bandages but curious fact is
that when they are undressed they are
found gilded from head to feet, and
even the teeth are covered with the
most beautiful and brilliant yellow gold
leaf. Am IN the presence Of par
ticular religious sect? Is this necrop-
oils the remnant of religious system
which has left no other trace behind it.?
Who knowsP The fact remains that
these grottoes Of Massurah inclose
mystery whose veil no man has yet
been able TO lift-the Unknown. When
| have finished my inspection | quickly
| seize upon superb crocodile mummy
about twenty feet long. But the Arabs
declare that it wonld be impossible to
get it out inasmuch as it is hard
enough for man to pass, and espe-
cially if carrying anything at all
events it would be impossible to get
the mummy round the turns. So |
break up several mummies in order to
be able at least to take some specl-
mems away; and specimens from
Massurah are very rare and much
sought after. 1t is ten years since
anyone entered this grotto, and Mari
eta Bey himself, after taking few
steps in the corridor, turned and fled
away again, never to return.
/ tear open some of the packages in
order to take little crocodiles. select
one fine carapace, belonging to me-
dunn sized crocodile; then | make an
attack upon the human mummies.
These are cut open with a knife i'll or
der to see if the skin is gilded; we
soon find five or six splendid ones, but
it is impossible to take them away,
any more than the big crocodile. We
break of some heads, legs, and arms
of children. tear off the leg of
man which is superbly gilt; and we
wrap them up in packages, using the
strings and wraps found in the grotto.
The work has raised frightful dust;
the heat of our candles has elevated
the temperature; we are stunk almost
to death with the smell of bats and
the odor of naptha; our hands by ONT
Ct messing with the mummies are full
of naptha, tar, human hair, and croco-
ollie scales; our fingers are so glued to-
gether that we can hardly move them.
We are literally smothered; our throats
and lungs burn as if we had swallowed
fire; and the air becomes so heavy that
the candles go out. Ben-Siloum con-
tinues work, even in the dark; but I
have done; and l declare that | am
going away, to save myself from faint
ing. | go, thereftre, in company with
an Arab, and in my hurry forget to
take the string which was to serve as
a clew. Alas! the result is that after
half an hours struggle my guide is
unable to tell whether to turn 70 the
right or the left, forward or back ward,
he is helplessly lost!
You will readily believe that passed
a terrible moment then--an ugly mo-
ment lost in such path as that,
with the mountains weight suspended
only sixty centimeters above my head.
To die without air, without soul lit
seemed to me that it would be the
same as dying many times l lay
down on my back, in anything but a
cheerful mood, and waited for the
Arab, who departed to try and find the
road. Now a new dread comes upon
nue.. He may find the road perhaps,
but he might not be able to find me
again. SO scream. He does not
answer. | scream again dread ST.
lence | resign myself to my fate,
and wait there in the dark, God knows
how long, but it seems to me at least
hundred years. At last hear voices
speaking. The Arab could not find the
way, but he found the hall of num-
mics, and brings back an experienced
guide with him--thanks to whom
| am able, after an hours crawling on
hands and knees, to reach the bottom
of the well.
No, | swear to you, there is no JOY
in this world like unto the JOY | felt
when / saw once more above my head
the blue hole filled with daylight.
yell and forthwith ten heads peer
over and peep dovn-these are the en-
gineers and the sailors. "Hello how
is 1t down there? Is it pretty? Can
anybody go?" | am deafened with
questions they draw me up, and
when get out of the hole l find that
| have ceased to wear human face.
| - 49,
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