ANIMALS. 127 



therefore, their reputation began to decline ; the 

 Jews discontinued their counterfeits, and the 

 trade returned entire to the Egyptians, when it 

 was no longer of value. The industry of seek- 

 ing after mummies is now totally relaxed, their 

 price merely arbitrary, and just what the curious 

 are willing to give." 



In seeking for mummies, they first clear away 

 the sand, which they may do for weeks together, 

 without finding what is wanted. Upon coming 

 to a little square opening, of about eighteen feet 

 in depth, they descend into it, by holes for the 

 feet, placed at proper intervals ; and there they 

 are sure of finding what they seek for. These 

 caves, or wells, as they call them, are hollowed 

 out of a white free-stone, which is found in all 

 this country a few feet below the covering of 

 sand. When one gets to the bottom of these, 

 which are sometimes forty feet below the sur- 

 face, there are several square openings, on each 

 side, into passages of ten or fifteen feet wide, and 

 these lead to chambers of fifteen or twenty feet 

 square. These are all hewn out of the rock ; 

 and in each of the catacombs are to be found 

 several of these apartments, communicating with 

 each other. They extend a great way under 

 ground, so as to be under the city of Memphis, 

 and in a manner to undermine its environs. 



In some of the chambers, the walls are adorn- 

 ed with figures and hieroglyphics ; in others, the 

 mummies are found in tombs round the apart- 

 ment, hollowed out in the rock. These tombs 

 are upright, and cut into the shape of a man, 



58 



