The Century illustrated monthly magazine . dded. What havethey uncovered? Something of importance, it isclear, for yonder come two of the overseers; andnow a slender brown mite of a boy runs off at lullspeed, in the direction of the camp, to summon thehowadji. To this may be added an extract translatedfrom a letter addressed by Madame Naville tothe present writer: Nothing is more exciting than to watch theseenormous blocks being turned over, thus showinginscriptions which have been concealed for centu-ries. The difficulty of turning them may, however,be imagined, when a mass weighing several t
The Century illustrated monthly magazine . dded. What havethey uncovered? Something of importance, it isclear, for yonder come two of the overseers; andnow a slender brown mite of a boy runs off at lullspeed, in the direction of the camp, to summon thehowadji. To this may be added an extract translatedfrom a letter addressed by Madame Naville tothe present writer: Nothing is more exciting than to watch theseenormous blocks being turned over, thus showinginscriptions which have been concealed for centu-ries. The difficulty of turning them may, however,be imagined, when a mass weighing several tons iswedged in between three or four huge fragmentsof colossal statues, with not one foot of terra firmafor the men to stand upon. Once raised, a block ofonly a few hundredweight is slung between poles,and easily carried to a clear space on the brink ofthe excavation. The larger ones are lifted and turnedby means of rollers and levers between two longlines of ropes. The sheik of the Shayalin dresses the 334 BUBASTIS: AN HISTORICAL I rA prise of 1888 wasthe discovery of agroup of monu-ments belonging tothe school of theeighteenth group con-sisted of (i) a bas-relief tablet ofAmenhotep II. inadoration beforeAmen enthroned; 1 (2) the upper halfof a black basaltstatuette of a youngman engraved onthe breast with thename-cartouche ofAmenhotep III.; (3) two life-size sit-ting statues, unfor-tunately headless,of a nobleman whoflourished duringthe reign of Amen- LEGS AND THRONE OF SECOND HYKS6s STATUE, lines of men with his stick, and marks the time byshouting some sing-song and well-accentuatedphrase. When at last the block moves, it oftenhappens that a statue—till then completely hidden— appears underneath. The work of taking paperimpressions has become very heavy, and there wasmuch rejoicing when Count dHulst arrived theother day to the assistance of M. Naville and I watched him yesterday going from blockto block, clearing the sand and soil from
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