Chapter CXXXVIII. In spite of the best efforts of

the embalmers bodies sometimes rotted and perished in their tombs; such calamities were averted by Chapters XLV. and XLVI., and especially by Chapter CLIV., which is one of the most interesting in the whole book. Overthrow in the underworld was averted by the use of Chapter LI., the wrath of the god was appeased by Chapter XIV., and the danger of dying a second time was done away with by Chapters XLIV., CLXXYV., and CLXXVI. The love of ritual and ceremony induced the Egyptians to take special care about the arrangement of the mummy, and coffin, and funeral furniture in the mummy chamber, and to make certain that all was properly done in this matter, Chapter CLI., which consists of a view of the chamber and a group of short but important texts, was
XCli INTRODUCTION
composed, ‘The type of this chamber was, of course, the tomb of Osiris. The Hall of Osiris, wherein the god dwelt with his princes, could only be reached after certain doors, and mansions, and domains, which were guarded by porters in the form of monsters, had been successfully passed through by the deceased ; to enable the deceased to go through the seven mansions, and the twenty-one pylons, and the fifteen domains, Chapters CXLIV.—CXLVII., CXLIX., and CL. were written. These provided the deceased with the names of the beings who were in charge of the doors, and supplied him with the speeches which it was necessary that he should make. During his journey in the underworld the deceased came to a huge river which he was obliged to cross; to enable him to embark in the mystical boat, every portion of which possessed a name which he was bound to know and be able to repeat, he provided himself with Chapters XCVIII. and