read。 On the other hand； I have the greatest sympathy with savages； Zulus for instance； with whom I always got on extremely well。 Perhaps my mystical friend has left a savage incarnation out of his list。
For these reasons I know well that I could never be a success as a modern novelist。 I can see the whole thing； it goes on under my eyes； and as a magistrate and in other ways I am continually in touch with it。 I could write of it also if I could bring myself to the task。 I would undertake to produce a naturalistic novel that would sell — why should I not do so with my experience？ But the subject bores me too much。 The naturalism I would not mind； but if it is to be truthful it is impossible and； to say the least； unedifying。 The petty social conditions are what bore me。 I know this is not right； but it is a failing in myself； since under all conditions human nature is the same and the true artist should be able to present it with equal power。 But we are as we are made。 Even the great Shakespeare； I observe； sought distant scenes and far…off events for his tragedies； seeking； I presume； to escape the trammels of his time。
To return from this dissertation。 I went to Egypt seeking knowledge and a holiday。 The knoe of it； for when the mind is open and desirous； it absorbs things as a dry sponge does water。 I had an introduction to Brugsch Bey； who was then； I think； the head of the Boulak Museum。 He took me round that heavenly place。 He showed me the mummies of Seti； Rameses； and the rest； and oh！ with what veneration did I look upon them。 He told me； trembling with emotion； of the discovery； then recent； of the great Deir…el…Behari cache of Pharaohs and their treasures。 He said when he got to the bottom of that well and entered the long passage where for tens of centuries had slept the mighty dead； huddled together there to save them from the wicked hands of robbers or enemies； and by the light of torches had read a few of the names upon the coffins； that he nearly fainted with joy； as well he might。 Also he described to me how； when the royal bodies were borne from this resting…place and shipped for conveyance to Cairo； there to find a new tomb in the glass cases of a museum； the fellaheen women ran along the banks wailing because their ancient kings were being taken from among them。 They cast dust upon their hair； still dressed in a hundred plaits； as was that of those far…off mothers of theirs who had wailed when these Pharaohs were borne with solemn pomp to the homes they called eternal。 Poor kings！ who dreamed not of the glass cases of the Cairo Museum； and the gibes of tourists who find the awful majesty of their whithered brows a matter for jest and smiles。 Often I wonder how we dare to meddle with these hallowed relics； especially now in my age。 Then I did not think so much of it； indeed I have taken a hand at the business myself。
On that same visit I saw the excavation of some very early burials in the shadow of the pyramids of Ghizeh； so early that the process of mummification was not then practised。 The skeletons lay upon their sides in the prenatal position。 The learned gentleman in charge of the excavation read to me the inscription in the little ante…chamber of one of these tombs。
If I remember right； it ran as follows： “Here A。 B。 ＇I forget the name of the deceased＇； priest of the Pyramid of Khufu； sleeps in Osiris awaiting the resurrection。 He passed all his long life in righteousness and peace。”
That； at any rate； was the sense of it； and I bethought me that such an epitaph would have been equally fitting to； let us say； the dean of a cathedral in the present century。 Well； perhaps a day will e when Westminster Abbey and our other sacred burying…places will be ransacked in like manner； and the relics of our kings and great ones exposed in the museum of some race unknown of a different faith to ours。 I may add that in Egypt even an identity of faith does not protect the dead； since the Christian bishops； down to those of the eighth or ninth century； have been disinterred； for I have seen many of their broidered vestments in public and private collections。 The idea seems to be that if only you have been dead long enough your bones are fair prey。 All of which is to me a great argument in favour of cremation。
Still it must be remembered that it is from Egyptian tombs that we have dug the history of Egypt； which now is better and more certainly known than that of the Middle Ages。 Were it not for the burial customs of the old inhabitants of Khem； and their system of the preservation of mortal remains that these might await the resurrection of the body in which they were such firm believers； we should be almost ignorant of the lives of that great people。 Only ought not the thing to stop somewhere？ For my part I should like to see the bodies of the Pharaohs； after they had been reproduced in wax； reverently laid in the chambers and passages of the Great Pyramids and there sealed up for ever； in such a fashion that no future thief could break in and steal。
Dr。 Budge told me of a certain tomb which he and his guide were the first to enter since it had been closed； I think about 4000 years before。 He said that it was absolutely perfect。 There lay the coffin of the lady； there stood the funeral jars of offering； there on the breast was a fan of which the ostrich plumes were turned to feathers of dust。 There； too； in the sand of the floor were the footprints of those who had borne the corpse to burial。 Those footprints always impressed me very much。
In considering such matters the reader should remember that nothing in the world was so sacred to the old Egyptian as were his corpse and his tomb。 In the tomb slept the body； but according to his immemorial faith it did not sleep alone； for with it； watching it eternally； was the Ka or Double； and to it from time to time came the Spirit。 This Ka or Double had； so he believed； great powers； and could even wreak vengeance on the disturber of the grave or the thief of the corpse。
From Cairo I proceeded up the Nile； inspecting all the temples and the tombs of the kings at Thebes； to my mind； and so far as my experience goes； the most wondrous tombs of all the world。 So； too； thought the tourists of twenty centuries or more ago； for there are the writings on the walls recording their admiration and salutations to the ghosts of the dead； and so； too； in all probability will think the tourists of two thousand years hence； for the world can never reproduce such vast and mysterious burying…places； any more than it can reproduce the pyramids。
About eighteen years later I revisited these tombs and found them much easier of access and illuminated with electric light。 Somehow in these new conditions they did not produce quite the same effect upon me。 When first I was there I remember struggling down one of them — I think it was that of the great Seti — lit by dim torches； and I remember also the millions of bats that must be beaten away。 I can see them now； those bats； weaving endless figures in the torchlight； dancers in a ghostly dance。 Indeed； afterwards I incarnated them all in the great bat that was a spirit which haunted the pyramid where Cleopatra and her lover； Harmachis； sought the treasure of the Pharaoh； Men…kau…ra。 When next I stood in that place I do not recall any bats； I suppose that the electric light had scared them away。
However on that second visit； with Mr。 Carter； at that time a superintendent of antiquities for this part of Egypt； my panions and I were the first white men； except the discoverer； a Greek gentleman； to enter the burying…place of Nofertari； the favourite or； at least； the head wife of Rameses II。 There on the walls were her pictures fresh as the day they were painted。 There she sat playing chess with her royal husband or muning with the gods。 But it is too long to describe。 The tomb had been plundered in ancient days； probably a couple of thousand years ago。 Just before the plunderers entered a flood of water had rushed down it； for when they came the washed paint was still wet； and I could see the prints of their fingers as they supported themselves on the slope of the incline。
One of my tomb explorations in 1887 nearly proved my last adventure。 Opposite Assouan some great caverns had just been discovered。 Into one of these I crept through a little hole； for the sand was almost up to the top of the doorway。 I found it full of hundreds of dead； or at least there seemed to be hundreds； most of which had evidently been buried without coffins； for they were but skeletons； although mixed up with them was the mummy of a lady and the fragments of her painted mummy case。 As I contemplated these gruesome remains in the dim light I began to wonder how it came about that there were so many of them。 Then I recollected that about the time of Christ the town； which is now Assouan； had been almost depopulated by a fearful plague； and it occurred to me that doubtless at this time these old burying…places had been reopened and filled up with the victims of the scourge — also that the germ of plague is said to be very long…lived！ Incautiously I shouted to my panions who were outside that I was ing out； and set to work to crawl along the hole which led to the doorway。 But the echoes of my voice reverberating in that place had caused the sand to begin to pour down between the cracks of the masonry from above； so that the weight of it； falling upon my back； pinned me fast。 In a flash I realised that in another few seconds I too should be buried。 Gathering all my strength I made a desperate effort and succeeded in reaching the mouth of the hole just before it was too late； for my friends had wandered off to some distance and y plight。
One of these； a young fellow named Brownrigg； had a worse because a more prolonged experience。 He； I and a lady were contemplating the second Pyramid； when suddenly he announced that he was going to climb up it as far as the granite cap which still remains for something over a hundred feet at the top。
As he was a splendid athlete； with a very good head； this did not surprise us。 Up he went while we sat and watched him； till he came to the cap； which at that time only eight or nine white people had ever ascended； of course with the help of guid