Northern Egypt some fourteen years ago. Here is the first entry of
import:--

"_Monday_. Twenty-nine miles south-east of Port Said. We have
stayed for two days at a little Mongar village. I have to-day
come to the definite conclusion that anthropoid apes were at one
time denizens of this country.

"_Tuesday_. Both Craig and I have been a little uneasy to-day.
These Mongars into whose encampment we have found our way, are
one of the strangest and fiercest of the nomad tribes. They are
descended, without a doubt, from the ancient Mongolians, who
invaded this country some seven hundred years before Christ.
They have interbred with the Arabs to some extent, but have
preserved in a marvellous way their individuality as a race.
They have the narrow eyes and the thick nose base of the pure
Oriental; also much of his cunning. One of their special
weaknesses seems to be the invention of the most hideous forms
of torture, which they apply remorselessly to their enemies."

"Pleasant sort of people," Quest muttered.

"We escaped with our lives," the Professor explained earnestly, "from
these people, only on account of an incident which you will find in this
next paragraph:--"

"_Wednesday_. This has been a wonderful day for as, chiefly
owing to what I must place on record as an act of great bravery
by Craig, my servant. Early this morning, a man-eating lion
found his way into the encampment. The Mongars behaved like