Page:Book of the Dead.djvu/38

34 — This dreary Desert of Darfur is a most dangerous route, through whose rugged, mountainous defiles often rage the most terrific storms, but if we retain our hold the one upon the other, we shall go safely over.

SCENE 3.

The City of Hyksos.

— Rek-Mara and Candidates.

— At last we are safely over. Ah, see the vegetation and signs of human habitation! We are now passing the prosperous City of Hyksos, the chief city and capital of the Queen of Punt. To the right we may see her sacred Donkey, the holy and aged beast that lent its services to our mission. (Halt.) The recent storm has brought down trees or limbs and other obstructions from the mountains, and, I should judge, has completely demolished the most retired, ancient, and necessary apartment of the Queen,

It was a narrow escape. Let us be thankful and press on. We now leave the city and cross the sacred river of the Nile and its adjacent swamps. Although it is greatly infested with vicious crocodiles, vipers, asps, spiders and other venomous serpents, let us continually bear in mind that all these creatures are sacred, and that should we, true and steadfast Egyptians, be attacked by these fearful reptiles, it will add greatly to our honors should we be spared to return alive.