DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4391#0006
KOPTOS.
later I met him when walking alone in a distant
hamlet; he followed me respectfully while I was
surveying, and I heard him remark about me to
another man : " That is a good man, he is firm."
He would probably have been a good friend after-
wards, had I needed him. Another spy tried to stroll
up and down, and we arrested him and took him to
his shekh in the village; that dignitary at once
disowned him, and said he was a stranger from
Koseyr. So the next spy that came strolling, and
talking to passers-by on the road as an excuse, we
laid down and beat soundly. Still fresh spies came
on, until I stalked one and seized his head-shawl ; I
told him he could have it returned to his shekh, only
he must give me the name of the shekh and of
himself before he could get it. That no spy would
do, for fear of the police ; so by the time I had four
little bundles of head-shawls laid by, each duly
docketted with description of the owner, the spy
plague ceased. I give this trouble and its cure as an
object lesson in dealing with Egyptians. The only
way to lay hold of a man is to confiscate his goods,
and leave him to complain ; this he will never do if
he knows that he was in the wrong.
On many days, fully half my time was taken up by
the spy business. The old guard of the museum was
quite powerless, as they were his own neighbours,
whom he dared not offend. But he sometimes plucked
up courage, and took a head-shawl. He was a very
good guard, as Egyptians go ; he had been a pro-
fessional thief in his youth, a profession that is not
badly thought of, and has—or used to have—-a regular
guild and shekh of its own. Having retired he made
a watchful and trusty guard, very smart with the
nebut or single stick ; often he would challenge a lad,
and with a few playful turns would parry the fellow's
stick and give him a ringing little crack on his head.
I should say he could have stunned any one in a few
seconds ; how much practice had made perfect we do
not know.
Among this rather untoward people we found how-
ever, as in every place, a small percentage of excellent
men ; some half-dozen were of the very best type of
native, faithful, friendly, and laborious, and from
among these workmen we have drawn about forty to
sixty for our work of two following years at Negadeh
and at Thebes. They have formed the backbone of
my upper Egyptian staff, and I hope that I may keep
these good friends so long as I work anywhere within
reach of them. Beside these I had living with me at
Koptos four of the Illahunis from the Fayum ; and
some of the former workers from Tell el Amarna
came also, but did not prove satisfactory.
3. As I have already said, Mr. Quibell was working
with me the whole time ; and the latter half of the
time we were joined by Mr. Grenfell, who wished to
watch some work while studying the Greek materials
which he had obtained elsewhere. Mr. Hogarth, who
visited us at Koptos, has kindly undertaken the
editing of all the classical inscriptions that we
found at the site. We were much helped by the
cordial kindness of Shekh Bishara Nakhleh of Ous,
who sent us continual supplies. Men of such a
type are the best strength of the country; with
commanding wealth and position, yet unostentatious
and free from oppressiveness, enjoying the confidence
of all around. Especially happy is it to see such a
type not spoiled by any aping of European ways and
fashions, but living a purely native life, and serving
as an example of what his countrymen may be on the
natural basis of their own civilization. There was
also another excellent native landowner, who had a
large farm close to us, and who occasionally called on
us. It was pleasing to see the affectionate manner of
every one towards him, and to hear the high character
that he had among the peasantry. So long as such
men of position are to be found in the country, there
is good hope of a better tone being fostered than now
exists among the classes eaten up by corruption
and intrigue. The recent policy of enquiring into the
characters borne by the principal men in a district,
and placing power in the hands of those who shew
themselves fit to use it, is undoubtedly the right way
to give stability and success to the country.
The excavations during this year have been carried
on at the charge of my two friends, Mr. Jesse
Haworth and Mr. Martyn Kennard, who have in past
years likewise done so much to help in furthering
Egyptian studies and clearing up the history of the
land. The experiment of enlarging the work by
having further supervision through Mr. Quibell, and
partly through Mr. Grenfell, who was travelling on
the Craven Fellowship, has proved so desirable, that
after this season the Egyptian Research Account was
started as a student fund. The success of that
belongs to the tale of the following years. I have to
thank Miss Murray for copying from the paper
squeezes most of the inscriptions here published.
4. Some general remarks on the nature of the site
may be made here before proceeding to describe the
%ral
sStHnHMMHHHH
later I met him when walking alone in a distant
hamlet; he followed me respectfully while I was
surveying, and I heard him remark about me to
another man : " That is a good man, he is firm."
He would probably have been a good friend after-
wards, had I needed him. Another spy tried to stroll
up and down, and we arrested him and took him to
his shekh in the village; that dignitary at once
disowned him, and said he was a stranger from
Koseyr. So the next spy that came strolling, and
talking to passers-by on the road as an excuse, we
laid down and beat soundly. Still fresh spies came
on, until I stalked one and seized his head-shawl ; I
told him he could have it returned to his shekh, only
he must give me the name of the shekh and of
himself before he could get it. That no spy would
do, for fear of the police ; so by the time I had four
little bundles of head-shawls laid by, each duly
docketted with description of the owner, the spy
plague ceased. I give this trouble and its cure as an
object lesson in dealing with Egyptians. The only
way to lay hold of a man is to confiscate his goods,
and leave him to complain ; this he will never do if
he knows that he was in the wrong.
On many days, fully half my time was taken up by
the spy business. The old guard of the museum was
quite powerless, as they were his own neighbours,
whom he dared not offend. But he sometimes plucked
up courage, and took a head-shawl. He was a very
good guard, as Egyptians go ; he had been a pro-
fessional thief in his youth, a profession that is not
badly thought of, and has—or used to have—-a regular
guild and shekh of its own. Having retired he made
a watchful and trusty guard, very smart with the
nebut or single stick ; often he would challenge a lad,
and with a few playful turns would parry the fellow's
stick and give him a ringing little crack on his head.
I should say he could have stunned any one in a few
seconds ; how much practice had made perfect we do
not know.
Among this rather untoward people we found how-
ever, as in every place, a small percentage of excellent
men ; some half-dozen were of the very best type of
native, faithful, friendly, and laborious, and from
among these workmen we have drawn about forty to
sixty for our work of two following years at Negadeh
and at Thebes. They have formed the backbone of
my upper Egyptian staff, and I hope that I may keep
these good friends so long as I work anywhere within
reach of them. Beside these I had living with me at
Koptos four of the Illahunis from the Fayum ; and
some of the former workers from Tell el Amarna
came also, but did not prove satisfactory.
3. As I have already said, Mr. Quibell was working
with me the whole time ; and the latter half of the
time we were joined by Mr. Grenfell, who wished to
watch some work while studying the Greek materials
which he had obtained elsewhere. Mr. Hogarth, who
visited us at Koptos, has kindly undertaken the
editing of all the classical inscriptions that we
found at the site. We were much helped by the
cordial kindness of Shekh Bishara Nakhleh of Ous,
who sent us continual supplies. Men of such a
type are the best strength of the country; with
commanding wealth and position, yet unostentatious
and free from oppressiveness, enjoying the confidence
of all around. Especially happy is it to see such a
type not spoiled by any aping of European ways and
fashions, but living a purely native life, and serving
as an example of what his countrymen may be on the
natural basis of their own civilization. There was
also another excellent native landowner, who had a
large farm close to us, and who occasionally called on
us. It was pleasing to see the affectionate manner of
every one towards him, and to hear the high character
that he had among the peasantry. So long as such
men of position are to be found in the country, there
is good hope of a better tone being fostered than now
exists among the classes eaten up by corruption
and intrigue. The recent policy of enquiring into the
characters borne by the principal men in a district,
and placing power in the hands of those who shew
themselves fit to use it, is undoubtedly the right way
to give stability and success to the country.
The excavations during this year have been carried
on at the charge of my two friends, Mr. Jesse
Haworth and Mr. Martyn Kennard, who have in past
years likewise done so much to help in furthering
Egyptian studies and clearing up the history of the
land. The experiment of enlarging the work by
having further supervision through Mr. Quibell, and
partly through Mr. Grenfell, who was travelling on
the Craven Fellowship, has proved so desirable, that
after this season the Egyptian Research Account was
started as a student fund. The success of that
belongs to the tale of the following years. I have to
thank Miss Murray for copying from the paper
squeezes most of the inscriptions here published.
4. Some general remarks on the nature of the site
may be made here before proceeding to describe the
%ral
sStHnHMMHHHH