the head of Hathor; the moon issuing
from Nut's mouth; the signs of the Zodiac; the flying Hours of day and
night; and the sailing boats of the planets.

[Illustration: RICHLY DECORATED WITH CARVINGS AND PAINTINGS.]

The guide raised a stone trap door less than two feet square in the
stone floor and through this small entrance we squeezed, candle in hand,
and descended a stone stairway to explore the dark crypt underneath.
Although the ladies screamed when the bats, disturbed and blinded by the
light, flew wildly overhead, they bravely followed the guide. The long
passage was but three feet in width and we wondered why the dragoman had
brought us down into its close and gloomy recesses; but when magnesium
wires were lit, our wonder turned into admiration, for the sputtering
white light revealed on the smooth sidewalls most beautiful reliefs in
well preserved coloring.

[Illustration: OFFERED INCENSE TO THE GODS.]

"Did you see anything remarkable in that dark cellar?" inquired a voice
from above as we ascended through the trap.

"Why didn't you come along?" was the laughing response.

"I've not trained down to the proper size yet," rejoined the fat man who
could be jolly on all occasions. "Do you think that a man of my size
could squeeze through a hole like that?"

[Illustration: ENTERED THE GRAND HALL OF COLUMNS.]

By a long stone stairway of easy steps we ascended leisurely to the
roof, stopping frequently to admire the ceremonial procession of priests
pictured on the walls of the staircase. From the flat stone roof we saw
on one side the green cultivated fields extending to the river's edge
and on the other side the yellow desert stretching to the distant
cliffs.

"This is a picture of Cleopatra and her son Caesarion," said Mahmoud, as
we inspected the reliefs on the outer walls, "and this is King Ptolemy
offering incense to the gods Osiris and Isis, and hawk-headed Horus
their son. Here also is Hathor's picture repeated many times."

The trip down the river Nile on the fine steamer Amasis, which had been
chartered for us, was thoroughly enjoyed by the forty-two people who
made up the party. The staterooms were bright and clean and the meals
served were equal to those of a first class hotel. The captain and his
officials did all they could to make the trip pleasant for us. Life on
board was a life of ease; the air though warm was balmy and restful, and
cares were forgotten. The centre of the upper deck wa