Ramsay, William Mitchell: Impressions of Turkey during twelve years' wanderings (London, 1897)

OF CENTRAL ANATOLIA 13

same time, especially as you have tried to make
them believe that you do this for no advantage to
yourself, but purely for pleasure.

If the inscription is important enough to deserve
an impression, that is a great time for the village,
as you demand water, dip in the impression paper;
this is obviously a spell to facilitate the discovery
of the treasure hid within the stone, and every one
gazes in breathless attention. The natives, how-
ever, are sadly disappointed when, after some hours
or days of work, the archaeologist departs no richer
that he came ; but the marvel grows with time,
and the next traveller who comes a few years later,
Will probably hear that you departed with several
camels' load of treasure. Several times a servant
of mine, arriving before me at a village, has heard
wonderful tales of this kind about a traveller ; and
on my arrival I have been recognised as the hero
°f these fables.

The process, as thus described, seems tedious ;
and it is not every one who will go through it. But
the first lesson one has to learn in the East is that
time has no value ; and, if you are in a hurry, you
will never get on so well with the Orientals. Prof.
Sterrett had great power of suiting himself to the
natives, and true sympathy with them ; and I did
n°t appreciate how much he had done for me by
these qualities, till I observed some other explorers,