ing the entire
descent this curious spectacle of regularly receding blackness and
advancing grey was to be seen a yard or so in front of us. The roar of
wings was now deafening, for the space into which we were driving the
bats was very confined. My guide shouted to me that we must let them
pass out of the tomb over our heads. We therefore crouched down, and a
few stones were flung into the darkness ahead. Then, with a roar and a
rush of air, they came, bumping into us, entangling themselves in our
clothes, slapping our faces and hands with their unwholesome wings, and
clinging to our fingers. At last the thunder died away in the passage
behind us, and we were able to advance more easily, though the ground
was alive with the bats maimed in the frantic flight which had taken
place, floundering out of our way and squeaking shrilly. The sarcophagus
proved to be of no interest, so the encounter with the bats was to no
purpose.

The pilfering of antiquities found during the course of authorised
excavations is one of the most common forms of robbery. The overseer
cannot always watch the workmen sufficiently closely to prevent them
pocketing the small objects which they find, and it is an easy matter to
carry off the stolen goods, even though the men are searched at the end
of the day. A little girl minding her father's sheep and goats in the
neighbourhood of the excavations, and apparently occupying her hands
with the spinning of flax, is perhaps the receiver of the objects. Thus
it is more profitable to dig for antiquities even in authorised
excavations than to work the water-hoist, which is one of the usual
occupations of the peasant. Pulling the hoisting-pole down, and swinging
it up again with its load of water many thousands of times in the day,
is monotonous work; whereas digging in the ground, with the eyes keenly
watching for the appearance of antiquities, is always interesting and
exciting. And why should the digger refrain from appropriating the
objects which his pick reveals? If he does not make use of his
opportunities and carry off the antiquities, the western director of the
works will take them to his own country and sell them for his own
profit. All natives believe that the archaeologists work for the purpose
of making money. Speaking of Professor Flinders Petrie, a peasant said
to me the other day: "He has worked five-and-twenty years now; he must
be _very_ rich." He would never believe that the antiquities w