ARTISTS AT WORK.
"But industry is not the only thing seen on the walls of the tombs of Beni-Hassan. Musicians are playing on instruments of different kinds. Men and women are dancing or singing, others are seated at table or around fish-ponds, and others are playing ball, throwing heavy stones, or engaged at games similar to our chess or backgammon. They knew how to enjoy themselves fifty centuries ago no less than now. There are unpleasant things, too, depicted on the walls of the tombs: some of the tortures of prisoners are shown, and in one of the paintings several peasants are being held on the ground while a man strikes them across the shoulders with a heavy whip.
FISHING SCENE AT BENI-HASSAN.
"In one of the tombs there is a picture representing the arrival of some strangers, and their presentation to the King. This was long thought to be the arrival of Joseph and his brethren; but as the tombs are known to have been made several hundred years before Joseph was born, the pictures must refer to somebody else. There are thirty-seven figures in all in this group, and their faces and style of dress show that they came from some other country than Egypt.
AN ANCIENT DONKEY.
"We found a picture of a donkey with a saddle on his back exactly like the one he wears to-day for carrying burdens. There are several representations of this patient little beast, not only at Beni-Hassan, but in the tomb of Tih, at Sakkara; in the latter whole droves are shown, so that the donkey must have been a common beast of burden in ancient, as he his in modern Egypt. If there were any doubt on the subject it could be settled by reference to the Old Testament, where the donkey, or ass, is frequently mentioned.