which she played with her victim as with a mouse, before finishing him
off with a blow of her claws. She dwelt by preference in the city that
bore her name, Poubastit, the Bubastis of classical writers. Her
temple, at which Cheops and Chephren had worked while building their
pyramids, was rebuilt by the Pharaohs of the 22nd Dynasty, enlarged by
those of the 26th; when Herodotus visited it in the middle of the
fifth century B.C. he considered it one of the most remarkable he had
seen in the parts of Egypt through which he had traveled.

"The fêtes of Bâst attracted pilgrims from all parts of Egypt, as at
the present day those of Sidi Ahmed el-Bedawee draw people to the
modern fair of Tantah. The people of each village crowded into large
boats to get there, men and women pell-mell, with the fixed intention
of enjoying themselves on the journey, a thing they never failed to
do. They accompanied the slow progress of navigation with endless
songs, love songs rather than sacred hymns, and there were also to be
found among them flute-players and castanet-players to support or keep
time to the voices. Whenever they passed by a town they approached the
bank as near as they could without landing, and then, while the
orchestra redoubled its noise, the passengers threw volleys of insults
and coarse remarks at the women standing on the banks; they retorted,
and when they had exhausted words ..."

I finished my notes at this point; the improper behavior of the
Ancient Egyptians mentioned by the great Egyptologist having no
possible bearing upon the matter in hand, I thought. I then proceeded
to add some facts directly relating to the votive offerings laid at
the feet of the goddess.

"The greater number of pilgrims, before returning home, left a