Page:H. D. Traill - From Cairo to the Soudan Frontier.djvu/164

146 Ahmed Abd-er-Rasûl is a mere modern plagiarist."

And so it proved to be. For here, furnished me by the kindness of Mr. Percy Newberry, the accomplished archaeologist who has done such admirable work for the Egypt Exploration Society, is the translated record of this oldest of old-world criminal investigations. "It was found," reported the commissioners of inquiry into an alleged desecration of the Royal tombs, "that the thieves had violated it" (the tomb of King Sebekensanef and his consort) "by boring through the principal chamber of the sepulchre of Neb-Amon, the Superintendent of the Granaries of King Thothmes III. The place of sepulture was found to be without its occupant. So was the Chamber of the Royal wife, Nubkhas. The thieves had laid hands on them."

The tomb-robbers, as the public, even at this considerable distance of time, will, no doubt, learn with satisfaction, were ultimately