No race conferred so much importance and dignity upon the cult of the dead as the Egyptian. It is no exaggeration to say that the life of the Egyptian of the cultured class was one prolonged preparation for death. It is probable, however, that he was, through force of custom and environment, unaware of the circumstance. It is dangerous to indulge in a universal assertion with reference to an entire nation. But if any people ever regarded life as a mere academy of preparation for eternity, it was the mysterious and fascinating race whose vast remains litter the banks of the world's most ancient river, and frown upon the less majestic undertakings of a civilization which has usurped the theatre of their myriad wondrous deeds. [1] Certain forms of belief are now spoken of by some mythologists as 'pre-animistic.' But these are not as yet sufficiently well defined to permit of accurate classification. See Marett, _The Threshold of Religion_. [2] K. von den Steinen _Unter den Naturvolker Zentral-Brasiliens_ (Berlin, 1894). [3] See _Myths and Legends of the North American Indians_, p. 87. [4] See _Handbook of North American Indians_, article "Cheyenne." [5] As do many primitive supernatural beings all over the world. [6] This is typical of many water gods in America and Australia. See Lang, _Myth, Ritual, and Religion_, vol. i, p. 43. [7] See Gomme, _Ethnology in Folklore_. [8] See Lang, _The Making of Religion_ and _The New Mythology_, for hypothesis of a monotheism prior to animistic belief. [9] H. de Charencey, _Le Mythe de Votan_, p. 39. There is but little substantiation for the latter part of this statement, however. The _bacabs_ were closely identified with the Maya _chac_, or rain-gods. [10] See my _Myths of Mexico and Peru_. CHAPTER II: EXPLORATION, HISTORY, AND CUSTOMS The Nile Valley The River Nile is the element which creates the special characteristics of Egypt, and differentiates it from other parts of the Sahara Desert. At its annual overflow this river deposits a rich sediment, which makes the fertile plains on either side such a contrast to the brown monotony of the desert. East and west of the Nile valley stretch great wastes, broken here and there by green oases, and the general scenery is too uniform to be interesting, the Delta itself presenting a richly cultivated level plain, interspersed by the lofty dark brown mounds of ancient cities and villages set in groves of palm-trees.