INVITATION FROM DR. O'SQUEEBEY.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Politeness and Accomplishments of Dr. O'Squeebey.- Dissection of a Mummy.- Present for the Ladies.- Untoward Accident.- Painful Situation of the Wrinklebottoms.Sir Danbury Rimtaper sensibly touched. Violators of the Tombs. Their Condemnation.- Description of the Egyp tian Mode of Embalming. - Veneration of the Ancients for the Dead.-Invocation for the Rites of Burial.

Not long after our arrival in Cairo, we received an invitation from Doctor O'Squeebey to accompany his friends the Rimtapers, Builderdashes, Wrinklebottoms, and the Reverend Mr. Dunderblix to the Egyptian Library, to witness the dissection of a

mummy.

Doctor O'Squeebey was a thorough-going rene gade- that is, so far as related to the costume and religion of his native country. He was perfectly au fait with the Arab dress, and their manners and VOL. I.-49

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DR. O'SQUEEBEY.

customs. He mounted the red turboosh and flowing turban; the gay sash, and Turkish shoes; the heavy pistols, and hanging sabre. He sat cross-legged at his meals, ate with his fingers, and smoked the hookah. He put on, as occasion required, so much of the religion of the Prophet as circumstances and his interest seemed to demand: otherwise he did not trouble himself much about serious matters. He was professedly a zealous emancipationist; but a great tyrant in a small way. The only thing he admired in his own country, was its equitable system of government. He revered the nobility, loved the Queen, and gloried in the exalted idea of still being able to name himself among "her Majesty's most loyal subjects." He had passed many years in Egypt, and was esteemed the most accomplished phlebotomist and blisterer in the country. His skill in the latter department surpassed all praise, and his reputation in the former made the blood of the Egyptians run cold at the very thought of him. With such a reputation, and sentiments so exalted, he could not fail to make an impression, alike gratifying to his own feelings, and enviable in the eyes of his countrymen. Nor did his bearing toward others indicate any ignorance, on his part, of the important position which he occupied in the elevated circle that he adorned. To his regular profession of practitioner, Spanish-fly dealer, and pill-merchant, he added the collateral occupation, so common to his countrymen in the East, of tombrobber and relic-vender. He boasted of having ransacked every ancient sepulchre that has yet been dis

O'SQUEEBEY IN THE CHARNEL-HOUSE.

387

covered throughout the vale of the Nile, from Alexandria to the cataracts. His "scientific researches" among the tombs of the old Egyptians had been attended with abundant success, and he was master of the most choice and extensive collection of mummied cats, dogs, snakes, hawks, and lizards; images, bandages, incense-pots, jars, jugs, and other fragments of the dead, that had been gathered by any former violator of the tombs. The success which had thus far rewarded his labours, had only served to increase his admiration for the antique, and to fire his ambitious thirst after new discoveries and more unlimited plunder in the silent abodes of the dead. He was still pushing his operations with a lively assiduity; and scarcely a day passed, when he did not knock to pieces one or more old mummy, and pulverize the whole mass in his fingers, in search of little images, rings, or other relics, that are frequently discovered about the bodies of the ancient Egyptians. Indeed, the business of tearing off the grave-clothes and breaking up the mysterious remains, had become an occupation so regular with him, that his love for it amounted to a passion. He was perfectly wedded to it. It was a second nature to him. He could no more exist, deprived of this delightful employment, than Mr. Sneezebiter could survive the loss of his snakes. In short, Doctor O'Squeebey and Mr. Sneezebiter were two of the most eminent and distinguished personages in their particular pursuits that were to be found in the country. Mr. Sneezebiter in the snake line, and Doctor O'Squeebey in violating

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DISSECTION OF A MUMMY.

the tombs, left all competitors in the distance, and they enjoyed a reputation which none, not even the most envious, had the hardihood to dispute.

Being aware of the frequency with which Doctor O'Squeebey broke up the old mummies, Mrs. Wrinklebottom and her amiable daughters had more than hinted a desire to be present to witness the operation. The obliging doctor, with a spirit of gallantry worthy of his own reputation, and characteristic of his countrymen, did not fail to take the earliest opportunity possible to gratify the wishes of the Wrinklebottoms and the other English travellers, and he had the kindness to give us an invitation also to join the brilliant party, and witness the destruction of the mummy.

The hour appointed for this exhibition was twelve o'clock, noon; and all were requested to be punctual at the time, as the dissection would commence precisely at the above-mentioned hour. We had a few trifling articles to pick up in the bazar that morning, and loitered away so much of our time, that we did not return to the hotel in season to accompany our English friends to the library. When we arrived there, we found them all assembled; and the operation about to commence. The subject for dissection was evidently a man of more than the ordinary size, and was thrown down upon his back in the centre of the court of the library. Doctor O'Squeebey, in a commanding attitude, stood at the head of the mummy, with an old Arab, leaning upon the handle of a rusty axe, at his side. The Rimtapers, Builderdashes, Wrinklebottoms, the Reverend Mr. Dun

PRESENTS TO THE LADIES.

389

derblix, and several other English travellers had formed a hollow square about the mummy, and stood with their quizzing-glasses raised, and so intent upon the interesting subject before them, that our arrival did not interrupt their fixed regard, nor disturb in the least the solemnity of their meditations. It was then a few minutes past twelve; and the dissection would have been already commenced, had not a succinct preliminary account of the art of embalming, which the doctor was then delivering to the estimable group, delayed it.

The doctor's remarks were pronounced in a deep, sonorous tone of voice; and, judging from the appearance of his hearers, their effect was interesting and impressive. They were, however, brought to a close as we joined the circle, and the doctor ordered the Arab to commence operations.

The Arab raised his axe, smote off the head of the mummy, cut it in pieces, and knocked out the teeth. 66 These," said the doctor, taking the teeth in his hand," are capital for setting;" and then put them in his pocket. The work of demolition was continued. The bandages were removed from the legs and arms; and the feet and hands being laid bare, the nails of each were found to be gilded with great care. The ladies, seeing these, were suddenly seized with a taste for forming collections; and begged some portion of the gilded feet and hands, as mementoes of the occasion. These requests were readily granted by the doctor, who proceeded to deal out the shattered fragments of the dead to the ladies, as cheer