It was of ironstone of great thickness; but the cover was lightly cemented down with what seemed gum and Paris plaster, as though to insure that no air could penetrate.

The Arabs with me so insisted in its opening, thinking that from its thickness much treasure was stored therein, that I consented thereto.

But their hope was a false one, as it proved.
Within, closely packed, stood four jars finely wrought and carved with various adornments.

Of these one was the head of a man, another of a dog, another of a jackal, and another of a hawk.

I had before known that such burial urns as these were used to contain the entrails and other organs of the mummied dead; but on opening these, for the fastening of wax, though complete, was thin, and yielded easily, we found that they held but oil.