At first they were real doubles, those of slaves or vassals killed at the tomb, and who had departed along with the double of the master to serve him beyond the grave as they had served him here. A number of statues and images, magically endued with activity and intelligence, was afterwards substituted for this retinue of victims. Originally of so large a size that only the rich or noble could afford them, they were reduced little by little to the height of a few inches. Some were carved out of alabaster, granite, diorite, fine limestone, or moulded out of fine clay and delicately modelled; others had scarcely any human resemblance. They were endowed with life by means of a formula recited over them at the time of their manufacture, and afterwards traced upon their legs. All were possessed of the same faculties. When the god who called the Osirians to the corvee pronounced the name of the dead man to whom the figures belonged, they arose and answered for him; hence their designation of "Respondents "--_Uashbiti_. Equipped for agricultural labour, each grasping a hoe and carrying a seed-bag on his shoulder, they set out to work in their appointed places, contributing the required number of days of forced labour. [Illustration: 277.jpg THE DEAD MAN AND HIS WIFE PLAYING AT DRAUGHTS IN THE PAVILION. 1] 1 Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a vignette in No, 4 Papyrus, Dublin (Naville, _Das Mgyptische Todtenbuch_, vol. i. pl. xxvii. Da). The name of draughts is not altogether accurate; a description of the game may be found in Falkner, _Games Ancient and Oriental and how to play them_, pp. 9-101. Up to a certain point they thus compensated for those inequalities of condition which death itself did not efface among the vassals of Osiris; for the figures were sold so cheaply that even the poorest could always afford some for themselves, or bestow a few upon their relations; and in the Islands of the Blest, fellah, artisan, and slave were indebted to the Uashbiti for release from their old routine of labour and unending toil. While the little peasants of stone or glazed ware dutifully toiled and tilled and sowed, their masters were enjoying all the delights of the Egyptian paradise in perfect idleness. They sat at ease by the water-side, inhaling the fresh north breeze, under the shadow of trees which were always green. They fished with lines among the lotus-plants; they embarked in their boats, and were towed along by their servants, or they would sometimes deign to paddle themselves slowly about the canals. [Illustration: 278.jpg THE DEAD MAN SAILING IN HIS BARK ALONG THE CANALS OF THE FIELDS OF IALIT. 1] 1 Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the Papyrus of Nebhopit, in Turin. This drawing is from part of the same scene as the illustration on p. 275.