The Arab chief and two others who ventured into the tomb with
me, and who were evidently used to such grim explorations, managed to
take the cover from the sarcophagus without breaking it. At which they
wondered; for such good fortune, they said, did not usually attend such
efforts. Indeed they seemed not over careful; and did handle the
various furniture of the tomb with such little concern that, only for
its great strength and thickness, even the coffin itself might have
been injured. Which gave me much concern, for it was very beautifully
wrought of rare stone, such as I had no knowledge of. Much I grieved
that it were not possible to carry it away. But time and desert
journeyings forbade such; I could only take with me such small matters
as could be carried on the person. “Within the sarcophagus was a body, manifestly of a woman, swathed with
many wrappings of linen, as is usual with all mummies. From certain
embroiderings thereon, I gathered that she was of high rank. Across
the breast was one hand, unwrapped. In the mummies which I had seen,
the arms and hands are within the wrappings, and certain adornments of
wood, shaped and painted to resemble arms and hands, lie outside the
enwrapped body. “But this hand was strange to see, for it was the real hand of her who
lay enwrapped there; the arm projecting from the cerements being of
flesh, seemingly made as like marble in the process of embalming. Arm
and hand were of dusky white, being of the hue of ivory that hath lain
long in air. The skin and the nails were complete and whole, as though
the body had been placed for burial over night. I touched the hand and
moved it, the arm being something flexible as a live arm; though stiff
with long disuse, as are the arms of those faqueers which I have seen
in the Indees. There was, too, an added wonder that on this ancient
hand were no less than seven fingers, the same all being fine and long,
and of great beauty. Sooth to say, it made me shudder and my flesh
creep to touch that hand that had lain there undisturbed for so many
thousands of years, and yet was like unto living flesh. Underneath the
hand, as though guarded by it, lay a huge jewel of ruby; a great stone
of wondrous bigness, for the ruby is in the main a small jewel. This
one was of wondrous colour, being as of fine blood whereon the light
shineth. But its wonder lay not in its size or colour, though these
were, as I have said, of priceless rarity; but in that the light of it
shone from seven stars, each of seven points, as clearly as though the
stars were in reality there imprisoned. When that the hand was lifted,
the sight of that wondrous stone lying there struck me with a shock
almost to momentary paralysis. I stood gazing on it, as did those with
me, as though it were that faded head of the Gorgon Medusa with the
snakes in her hair, whose sight struck into stone those who beheld. So
strong was the feeling that I wanted to hurry away from the place. So,
too, those with me; therefore, taking this rare jewel, together with
certain amulets of strangeness and richness being wrought of
jewel-stones, I made haste to depart. I would have remained longer,
and made further research in the wrappings of the mummy, but that I
feared so to do. For it came to me all at once that I was in a desert
place, with strange men who were with me because they were not
over-scrupulous. That we were in a lone cavern of the dead, an hundred
feet above the ground, where none could find me were ill done to me,
nor would any ever seek. But in secret I determined that I would come
again, though with more secure following. Moreover, was I tempted to
seek further, as in examining the wrappings I saw many things of
strange import in that wondrous tomb; including a casket of eccentric
shape made of some strange stone, which methought might have contained
other jewels, inasmuch as it had secure lodgment in the great
sarcophagus itself. There was in the tomb also another coffer which,
though of rare proportion and adornment, was more simply shaped. It
was of ironstone of great thickness; but the cover was lightly cemented
down with what seemed gum and Paris plaster, as though to insure that
no air could penetrate. The Arabs with me so insisted in its opening,
thinking that from its thickness much treasure was stored therein, that
I consented thereto. But their hope was a false one, as it proved. Within, closely packed, stood four jars finely wrought and carved with
various adornments. Of these one was the head of a man, another of a
dog, another of a jackal, and another of a hawk. I had before known
that such burial urns as these were used to contain the entrails and
other organs of the mummied dead; but on opening these, for the
fastening of wax, though complete, was thin, and yielded easily, we
found that they held but oil. The Bedouins, spilling most of the oil
in the process, groped with their hands in the jars lest treasure
should have been there concealed. But their searching was of no avail;
no treasure was there. I was warned of my danger by seeing in the eyes
of the Arabs certain covetous glances. Whereon, in order to hasten
their departure, I wrought upon those fears of superstition which even
in these callous men were apparent. The chief of the Bedouins ascended
from the Pit to give the signal to those above to raise us; and I, not
caring to remain with the men whom I mistrusted, followed him
immediately. The others did not come at once; from which I feared that
they were rifling the tomb afresh on their own account. I refrained to
speak of it, however, lest worse should befall. At last they came. One of them, who ascended first, in landing at the top of the cliff
lost his foothold and fell below. He was instantly killed. The other
followed, but in safety. The chief came next, and I came last. Before
coming away I pulled into its place again, as well as I could, the slab
of stone that covered the entrance to the tomb. I wished, if possible,
to preserve it for my own examination should I come again. “When we all stood on the hill above the cliff, the burning sun that
was bright and full of glory was good to see after the darkness and
strange mystery of the tomb. Even was I glad that the poor Arab who
fell down the cliff and lay dead below, lay in the sunlight and not in
that gloomy cavern. I would fain have gone with my companions to seek
him and give him sepulture of some kind; but the Sheik made light of
it, and sent two of his men to see to it whilst we went on our way. “That night as we camped, one of the men only returned, saying that a
lion of the desert had killed his companion after that they had buried
the dead man in a deep sand without the valley, and had covered the
spot where he lay with many great rocks, so that jackals or other
preying beasts might not dig him up again as is their wont.