having a few hairs or feathers of some sacred animal, and not a few put
themselves under the protection of a living snake or beetle carefully
concealed in a pocket of their apron or in their little provision-sack.

When the king, before whom were carried the images of the divine Triad of
Thebes, of Menth, the God of War and of Necheb, the Goddess of Victory,
reviewed the ranks, he was borne in a litter on the shoulders of
twenty-four noble youths; at his approach the whole host fell on their
knees, and did not rise till Rameses, descending from his position, had,
in the presence of them all, burned incense, and made a libation to the
Gods, and his son Chamus had delivered to him, in the name of the
Immortals, the symbols of life and power. Finally, the priests sang a
choral hymn to the Sun-god Ra, and to his son and vicar on earth, the
king.

Just as the troops were put in motion, the paling stars appeared in the
sky, which had hitherto been covered with thick clouds; and this
occurrence was regarded as a favorable omen, the priests declaring to the
army that, as the coming Ra had dispersed the clouds, so the Pharaoh
would scatter his enemies.

With no sound of trumpet or drum, so as not to arouse the enemy, the
foot-soldiers went forward in close order, the chariot-warriors, each in
his light two-wheeled chariot drawn by two horses, formed their ranks,
and the king placed himself at their head. On each side of the gilt
chariot in which he stood, a case was fixed, glittering with precious
stones, in which were his bows and arrows. His noble horses were richly
caparisoned; purple housings, embroidered with turquoise beads, covered
their backs and necks, and a crown-shaped ornament was fixed on their
heads, from which fluttered a bunch of white ostrich-feathers. At the end
of the ebony pole of the chariot, were two small padded yokes, which
rested on the necks of the horses, who pranced in front as if playing
with the light vehicle, pawed the earth with their small hoofs, and
tossed and curved their slender necks.

The king wore a shirt of mail,

[The remains of a shirt of mail, dating from the time of Scheschenk
I. (Sesonchis), who belonged to the 22d dynasty, is in the British
Museum. It is made of leather, on which bronze scales are
fastened.]

over which lay the broad purple girdle of his apron, and on his head was
the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt; behind him stood Mena, who, with his
left hand,