The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-03-14
Illustrated by NIcHoLL. after CATION WOOD
VILE and aRElFFENHAGEN.
INTRODUCTION.


rock-hewn cave, that once served as
mortuary chapel to the friends and rela-
lives OF the departed, to the coffin chamber
beneath. This shaft is no less than eighty
nine feet In depth. The chamber at its foot
was found to contain three collins only,
though it is large enough for many more.
Two OF these, which in all probability in
closed the bodies of the high priest, Am
enemhat, and Of his wife, father and
mother of Harmachis, the hero of this his
tory, the shameless Arabs who discovered
them there and then broke up. ..
The Arabs broke the bodies up With
nnhallowed hands they tore the Holy Amen
emhat, and the frame of her who had, as it
s written, been filled with the spirit of the
Hathors-tore them limb from limb, search
ng for treasure amid their bones-perhaps,
rs is their custom, selling the very bones
tor few pastres to the last ignorant tour
st who came their way, seeking what he
might destroy. For in Egypt the unhappy,
Ihe living find their bread in the tombs of
The great men who were before them.
But as 1t CHANGED some little while after
ward, one who is known to this writer, and
sdoctor by profession, passed up the Nile
70 Abydos, and became acquainted with the
men who had done this thing. They re-
gealed to him the secret Of the place, telling
him that one coffin yet remained entombed.
It seemed to be the coffin Of poor person,
they said and therefore, being pressed for
Time, they had leftit unviolated. Moved by
curiosity to explore the recesses of tomb
as yet unprofancd by tourists, my friend
brlbed the Arabs to reveal its secret to him.
7 / /.
exactly as he wrote il to me:
/ slept that night near tho Temple of Set,
inl started before dayOreak on the follow
nag morning. With me were cross-cyed
rascal called Ali Bahia named him
he man from whom got the ring which /
am scudfng you, and small but choice as
sortnept Of his felow-theves. Within an
hour after sunrise we reached the valley
where the tomb is. 1t is desolate place,
INTO which the sun pours his scorchng heat
al the long day through, till the huge
brown powders which are strewn about be-
rome SO hot that one can scarcely bear TO
touch them, and the sand scorches the feet.
We rode on donkeys, for it was already too
hotto walk some way up the valey-where
hvulture floating far in the blue over cad
was the only other visitor--till we came to
En enormous bowlder polished by centuries
Of tho action of sun and sand. Here Ali
halted, saying the tomb was under the
stone. Accordingly we dismounted, and,
leaving the donkeys in charge Of fellah
boy, went up to the rock. Beneath it was
small hole, barely large enough for man
10 creep through it had been dug by jack
AIS, for the doorway and some part Of the
cave were entirely silted up and it was by
means of this jackal hole that the tomb had
been discovered. Ali crept in on his hands
and knees, and l followed to find myself
in place cold after the hot outside air,
and, in contrast with the light, filled with a
dazzling darkness. We lit our candles, and,
the select body of thieves having arrived,
made an examination. We were in cave
the size of large room and followed by
hand, the further part of the cave being al
most free from drift dust. On the walls
are religious paintings of the usual Ptole-
maic character, and among them one Of a
majestic old man with long white beard,
who is seated in a carved chair holding a
wand In his hand. Before him is passing Q
procession Of priests bearing sacre1o