Brugsch, Heinrich: Egypt under the pharaohs: a history derived entirely from the monuments (London, 1891)

bxn. xis. INSCRIPTION AT KUBAN 291

were not successful. (21) King Seti I. also did the same. He had
a well bored 120 cubits deep in his time, but they abandoned it, for
no water made its appearance. If then now thou thyself wouldest
speak to thy father, the Nile-god Hapu, (22) the father of the gods :
" Let the water come up on the mountain," he will do all that thou
sayest, yea, indeed, all which thou hast designed will be accom-
plished before us, and not only according to hearsay, because thy
fathers the gods love thee more than all kings (23) which have been
■since the time of Ra.'

Says the king to the princes : ' If all is true that ye have spoken,
-and water has not been opened in that country since the time of the
god, as ye have said, then I will bore a well there, to afford water
perpetually, yea ! that the well (24) may be under the command of
the father Amen-Ra, the Theban god, and of Horus, the lords of the
land of Nubia, that their heart may be fixed in love. I will there-
fore appoint that it be called after [their name.' And the princes]
(25) praised their lord and worshipped him, and fell prostrate
before him (the king), and raised shouts of joy (26) to the heights
of heaven.

Then spake the king to a royal scribe [who was near him :
' Prepare thyself and betake thyself to the] (27) road to the land
of Akita. Let the second day of the month be the day on [which]
thou shalt [carry out thy mission.' The scribe did] (28) just as he
"was bidden. Behold, he assembled the people [which were skilful
in boring, that they should work and form a well, which should
furnish water to those who travelled] (29) the road to the land of
Akita. Never was the like done since the earlier kings. [And
of the water which streamed out brooks were formed, and] (30)
fishermen from the islands in the neighbourhood of the lagoons of
jSTatho enjoyed themselves, for they built [small boats and made
use of the......] (31) as a rudder with the wind.

Then there came the bearer of a letter from the king's son of
the miserable land of Cush [about the well, to say to the king :
' All has in fact been done] (32) that thy Majesty has spoken with
his own mouth. There has appeared water out of it 12 cubits deep.
There were 4 cubits in it ....?.... the depth .... (33)

......they .... out as was the intention of the work. The

god has inclined his heart favourably through thy love. Never has
such a thing happened [since the time of the god Ra].'

(34) [And the inhabitants of] Akita made joyful music on great
drums (?) Those who had diseased eyes [washed themselves with the
water and were healed. They all sang : (35) ' Hail] to the king !
The water which is in the depth was obedient to him. He hath
opened the water on the [mountain.' And they offered thanks] (36)

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