36§ 
&s a guide to return, the end being fastened to the erU 
trance 
There is a great heat in the interior of these grottoes, 
which occasions a perspiration equal to that produced 
by a vapour bath; so that we were obliged to remain 
in the entrance for half an hour, to let the perspiration 
subside, and obtain a certain degree of temperature be- 
fore we went into the open air. The darkness is such, 
that several flambeaux united hardly served to distin- 
guish the objects when close to them* even after re- 
maining an hour, when the pupil of the eye had ob- 
tained the greatest dilatation of which it is susceptible. 
The wild beasts which inhabit these places bring 
hither their prey to devour it at their ease, which occa- 
sions the ground to be covered with the bones of all 
kinds of animals^ I discovered among them those of 
beasts recently destroyed. Here are no bats, as at the 
catacombs of Amathante; but a greater number of 
phalenes, or nocturnal butterflies, and other flies, which 
are of a bright colour, like cantharides. Here are also 
toads, whose burrows penetrate under ground, where 
they find water at a small depth. Their skin is of a 
greyish white, and appears dusty. Such are the inha- 
bitants of the edifices, which the pride of man prepared 
with so much luxury to preserve the remains of his 
mortal body. The bodies, reduced to powder, no 
longer remain. W e are ignorant even of the names of 
the constructors of these vaults. The rock in which 
they are hewn is composed of a calcareous black granite 
stone. 
At some paces to the west of the royal catacombs, 
are the baths of Cleopatra. These are three apartments 
vol. i. 3 a 
