THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN east face was badly cracked, due, no doubt, to some settlement of the foundations, but this defect must have existed in ancient days, for the south face was strengthened by means of a low wall which had been built against it at the base. The chapel was, and still is, remarkable for its ornamentation and reliefs, and especially for its roof, which is a rounded arch, formed of correctly hewn archstones. This pyramid was built for a queen, who in the reliefs is seen wearing over her shoulders a garment of unusual character, and most elaborate jewellery, and there is no doubt that she was one of the greatest of the large-bodied women, each of whom bore the name of Candace, who had gained ascendency both in the Island of Meroe and at Napata.

Having come to a decision, Ferlini, acompanied by four workmen, ascended the pyramid, and saw at the first glance that the work of demolition would not be difficult, for the uppermost part was already falling. So soon as he had removed the top stone he brought up his workmen, who began to hurl the blocks of the casing to the ground, and on account of the fierce heat, 48° Reaumur (= 140° Fahrenheit) Ferlini and Stefani beat a retreat and took shelter in the shadow of a neighbouring pyramid. " Then," he says " I was called by my faithful servant. I ran " with my friend to the top of the monument and I already felt " my heart open to sweet hope. I saw my servant lying on his " belly on the flat space which had been made, and seeking to "cover with his body the hole which had just been uncovered. " The Blacks, incited by greed, wished to drive away my servant "by force, and to plunge their hands down to the bottom of the " opening; but with our weapons in our hands we made them go " down, and then calling to us other servants whom we trusted..

" we had the excavation continued in our presence. The open-" ing permitted us to look across an empty space and at every "object which it contained. This empty space was formed " by large stones roughly joined together. We made the men " remove the largest of the stones which covered the upper part, ' and then we were able to see that the chamber was rectangular 1 Ferlini in his drawing makes the pyramid terminate in a single block, but we know from Cailliaud's drawing that it had a flat top, composed of many stones, like the other pyramids.

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