The Portland daily press., 1888-02-11
THE ARABS RUsE.
an Archaeological Romance
of the British Museum.
boston Trave,,sr.l
BY LOWELL cHoATE.

My duties in the British Museum had in.
terested me greatly In the study of archeolo,
gy, but more particularly in Egyptology. as
my department was that Of the Egyptian an
tiquitles.
so when Lord Clrhero returned from the
East, bringing with him. among other treas
ures from the land of the Pharaohs, num-
my IN the original package, | was not a little
pleased to learn that it would come into my
hands while waiting the transfer to its des-
tinati0n.
rrMy curiosity was excited also, for the or
der which consigned this mummy to my care,
claimed for the treasure an antiquity relegat-
ing it TO a period in Egyptian history about
which chronologists hOpelessy differ
The chance of finding upon the body even
a scarabeus would have awakened my inter-
est, but the grander possibility of coming
upon an ancient papyrus, and thereby set.
Ting some mooted point in chronology, gave
the affair an Importance which only a stu
dent OF archaeology can understand.
Though the laws OF the land had long pro
hlbited all traffic in mummies, then as now
kind Of contraband trade was carried on
the actual source Of which was unknown
but the antiquity in question felt sure could
only have left the country by royal favor.
1t had been a dark and drizzly day, which
had finally settled into pouring rain tow.
wards night, when Lord Clithero's impOrta-
ton reached me, and as the evening prom
iSed immunity from visitors / determined to
statement, which declared this specimen,
of the embalming art intact.
Circumstances seemed to favor me in the
examination wished to make, for as rarely
happens, was alone, my assistant having
gone home that afternoon sick. No one
would share with me the hoped-for discov-
cry.
Adjusting my light so that its full rays
would fall upon the case, carefully searched
b. Its whole outer surface to learn If there were
any inscription upon it which would confirm
the date given. but nothing like hieroglyph-
ic was discernible. did discover, however,
that the wood had become completely po-
rous, to such degree that light and air
must long have penetrated its interior
1t took something Of an effort to remove
the lid, so firmly was 1t secured; but when
had done so one glance was sufficient to con-
vince me that my hopes were destined to dis
appointment-tha the plunderers who in all
ages have made capital of Egypts dead, had
been here.
EFor the head and face were uncovered and
exposed to view, proving beyond question
that it had not escaped the hand of the ma
rauder, to whom mausoleum and mummy
pit have alike yielded up their treasures.
Though was too familiar with mummies
to regard them otherwise than as fossils,
something about this one impressed me
strangely. AS gazed on those features up
on which the calm Of centuries had appar-
rently settled, felt that to disturb a peace
so profound would be sacrilege, and / was
about to close the case without so much as
laying finger upon the body, when some
thing happened which senC my reasoning
powers into complete eclipse while in the
chambers OF my brain an integrating process
was going on which set at defiance all natu-
raj law.
Was the spirit about to reanimate the long
deserted clay ?-the old Egyptian faith in the
Immortality of the body to be verified before
my eyes? That there had been a movement
of those features, which were moment be-
fore so impassive, would have declared on
OATH
ut must have been my fancy-a trick of
the imagination" was the mental assertion
with which ! strove TO brace my nerves,
which had been seized with sudden trem-
bling.
Before could replace the lid visible
tremor in the body made me desist, and a
sort of paralysis crept over me, for pair of
wide-open, deep-set, brilliant eyes were now
looking up at me from that mummy case
and the ejaculation In Arabic, "Allah be
praisedW met my ear. as the supposed num-
my rose to sitting posture.
| stood spellbound, gazing at the object of
this untimely resurrection, when the mummy
laughed.
Did you take me for dead MANI" he
asked.
His jollity, and the Partisan French in
which he had spoken was somewhat reassur-
ing, and | replied, II certainly did take you
for dead man. Mummies usually are dead /;
at least all have ever seen before"
Then you really took me for a mummy /!
Ha! ha! Well, I've played one to good eff
feet, since I'm here all right" he said, at
the same time struggling to throw off the
stiff canvas sack or case which fitted closely
TO and enveloped his whole body, i was
wondering that he could be so agile, swathed
in yards upon yards Of linen bandages, for
my mind had not yet accepted the fact that
l was not interviewing a revivifed mummy,
when he managed to free himself from his
shell-Iike cover-and behold man in Euro
pean dress, but of evident Arab blood, stood
before me.
"Who are you? Man OF devil?" / cried,
reason about staggering on her throne at
such sudden transformation.
"My name is Ismail Ahmed, and from the
good city of Cairo hail, /" he said with low
salaam.
"You do not pretend you have come from
Cairo in that mummy case?" | cried, in
maze of wonder and doubt.
THAT is just what 1 have done. | bor-
rowed this mummy guise TO secure free
passage into your good queens dominions.
But Allah be praised that have not the
thing to do over again." he added, fervently.
suppose my face expressed the increduity
] felt at a tale so extraordinary and impr0ba-
BILE, for he said quickly
II see you do not understand how ! could
so completely assume the appearance OF
mummy as to deceive even an expert like
yourself. but will tell you" Happening at
in an opposite mirror he smiled. Il did not
suppose / should pass for old Cheops him.
self, though; but Eastern skill, IL seems, does
not yet fail in converting living flesh to the
semblance of parchment. L do not wonder
that you took me for mummy. But If /
were to tell you that Oriental knowledge also
embraces the art of suspending life for long
seasons perhaps you would not believe me,
bnt it Is even so, and to this wisdom owe my
safe transit in that case"
you people Of the East are doubtless very
wise in the use of your magical pills and pc
tiOns, but you furnish the world an illustri-
Gus case of failure now and then. Was 1t
not to this same wonderful knowledge that
Mehemet Ali owed his madness?"
My retort was met by a salaam as profound
as the first.
''do not claim that they can calculate to q
moment just when the functions of life will
resume their action in such case? You ran
the risk of your term of suspension suddenly
ending before you reached England. You
must have been hard pressed to leave your
country when you were willing to do SO
through the very jaws of DEATH"
81 should have run greater risk had
quilted il in any other manner" he said,
thOughtfully; then with wave OF the hand
as if he would put the subject away, he
added: "Now that ! am no longer mummy
the needs OF the flesh press upon me, Tor my
fast has been an unusual one. Ii you VIII
kindly direct me where can again break
bread will trouble you no longer"
This recalled me TO myself Should let
him go as he proposed? Would not be
held responsible for the contents Of that
casep
''now about Lord Clithero's mummy?
What shall tell him when he comes to claim
his property" asked, aghast at the thought
of my noble patrons probable anger when
he should learn that he had been duped. l
could fancy the mocking laugh With which
my story would be met IL gave a true ex-
PLANTATION of the matter.
Lord ClitheI0's mummy? To be sure 1t
was left behind in Cairo. / could not con-
Venieutly accommodate fellow passenger
in my limited travelling quarters" said the
Arab, lightly but he seemed to consider my
suggestion for he began arranging the can
vas eartonage from which he had himself
emerged, and which still retained the out
lines of the human form, having evidently
once done duty for vertable mummy. This
he replaced as if il had not been disturbed
''Our noble friend will never know but il
came over empty" he said, covering the
onening for the face with mask, which had
annarently served the same purpose before,
and when he had taken from the bottom of
WY sNo one to look at tnow would suspect the
hodv was not there" he said, when he had
gg0oished. and / could but confess the decep-
Iig Put did not forget that this case had
,,aesad through the custom house, where its
pigeight had probably been noted, and 1 knew
M trTIa Al.aa