DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4393#0390
372 A THOUSAND MILES UP TUE NILE.
tion being prohibited, the digger lives in dread of being
found out by the governor. The forger, who has nothing
to fear from tho governor, lives in dread of being found
out by the tourist. As for the dealer, whether he sells an
antique or an imitation, he is equally liable to punishment.
In the one case he commits an offense against the state;
and in the other, he obtains money under false pretenses.
Meanwhile, the governor deals out such even-handed jus-
tice as he can, and does his best to enforce the law on both
sides of the river.
By a curious accident, L—— and the writer once actu-
ally penetrated into a forger's workshop. Not knowing
that it had been abolished, wo went to a certain house in
which a certain consulate had once upon a time been
located and there knocked for admission. An old deaf
fellalia opened the door and after some hesitation showed
us into a large unfurnished room with three windows. In
each window there stood a workman's bench strewn with
scarabs, amulets and funerary statuettes in every stage of
progress. We examined these specimens with no little
curiosity. Some were of wood; some were of limestone ;
some were partly colored. The colors and brushes were
there; to say nothing of files, gravers and little pointed
tools like gimlets. A magnifying glass of the kind used
by engravers lay in one of the window recesses. We also
observed a small grindstone screwed to one of the benches
and worked by a treadle ; while a massive fragment of
mummy-case in a corner behind the door showed whence
came the old sycamore wood for the wooden specimens.
That three skilled workmen furnished with European tools
had been busy in this room shortly before we were shown
into it was perfectly clear. We concluded that they had
just gone away to breakfast.
Meanwhile we waited, expecting to be ushered into the
presence of the consul. In about ten minutes, however,
breathless with hurrying, arrived a well-dressed Arab whom
we had never seen before. Distracted between his oriental
politeness and his desire to get rid of us, he bowed us out
precipitately, explaining that the house had changed
owners and that the power in question had ceased to be
represented at Luxor. We heard him rating the old
woman savagely, as soon as the door had closed behind us.
I met that well-dressed Arab a day or two after, near the
tion being prohibited, the digger lives in dread of being
found out by the governor. The forger, who has nothing
to fear from tho governor, lives in dread of being found
out by the tourist. As for the dealer, whether he sells an
antique or an imitation, he is equally liable to punishment.
In the one case he commits an offense against the state;
and in the other, he obtains money under false pretenses.
Meanwhile, the governor deals out such even-handed jus-
tice as he can, and does his best to enforce the law on both
sides of the river.
By a curious accident, L—— and the writer once actu-
ally penetrated into a forger's workshop. Not knowing
that it had been abolished, wo went to a certain house in
which a certain consulate had once upon a time been
located and there knocked for admission. An old deaf
fellalia opened the door and after some hesitation showed
us into a large unfurnished room with three windows. In
each window there stood a workman's bench strewn with
scarabs, amulets and funerary statuettes in every stage of
progress. We examined these specimens with no little
curiosity. Some were of wood; some were of limestone ;
some were partly colored. The colors and brushes were
there; to say nothing of files, gravers and little pointed
tools like gimlets. A magnifying glass of the kind used
by engravers lay in one of the window recesses. We also
observed a small grindstone screwed to one of the benches
and worked by a treadle ; while a massive fragment of
mummy-case in a corner behind the door showed whence
came the old sycamore wood for the wooden specimens.
That three skilled workmen furnished with European tools
had been busy in this room shortly before we were shown
into it was perfectly clear. We concluded that they had
just gone away to breakfast.
Meanwhile we waited, expecting to be ushered into the
presence of the consul. In about ten minutes, however,
breathless with hurrying, arrived a well-dressed Arab whom
we had never seen before. Distracted between his oriental
politeness and his desire to get rid of us, he bowed us out
precipitately, explaining that the house had changed
owners and that the power in question had ceased to be
represented at Luxor. We heard him rating the old
woman savagely, as soon as the door had closed behind us.
I met that well-dressed Arab a day or two after, near the